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UNJVERS 


'^■-■'^  ^EiRARV 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YOEK,  NOVEMBER  1,  1863. 


No.  1. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  XL  S.  Sanitary  Commission  have 
long  feltwie  need  of  some  direct  method  of 
communication  with  their  -wide-spread  con- 
stituency. Those  who  furnish  the  money 
and  the  supplies,  by  which  our  extensive 
ministry  to  the  sick  and  wounded  is  main- 
tained, have  a  right  to  more  frequent  and 
full  accounts  of  what  becomes  of  their  char- 
ity than  we  have  hitherto  been  able  to  give 
them.  It  is  true,  we  have  published  a  large 
number  of  documents  containing  this  in- 
formation, and  distributed  them  widely ; 
but  they  have  necessarily  lacked  the  fresh- 
ness and  the  personal  details  which  a  less 
compendious  and  less  formal  account  of 
our  current  operations  would  possess.  A 
thousand  intensely  interesting  particulars 
reach  our  several  offices  at  Washington, 
Louisville  and  New  York,  which  we  are 
anxious  should  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  people  ;  and  we  propose  in  the  Bul- 
letin to  collect  and  report  these  pungent 
details  fresh  from  the  hps  of  our  agents  in 
the  field  and  the  hospital. 

It  is  high  time  that  an  interest,  now  so 
rooted  and  gTounded  in  its  own  methods 
as  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  should 
possess  an  independent  organ  for  the  ex- 
pression of  its  matured  opinions  in  regard 
to  the  only  safe  and  wise  means  of  apply- 
ing the  gifts  of  the  people  to  the  relief  of 
the  Army.  After  all  the  careful  discussion 
which  the  subject  has  received,  there  is 
constant  danger  of  falling  back  into  sloven- 
ly, wasteful,  and  injurious  ways  of  supply- 
ing the  wants  of  the  soldiers.  Only  the 
most  persistent  and  strenuous  resistance  to 
an  impulsive  benevolence,  the  most  earnest 
and  obstinate  defence   of  a  guarded  and 


methodized  system  of  relief,  can  save  the 
public  from  imposition,  and  the  Army  from 
demoi-alization. 

The  health  and  safety  of  our  soldiers  re- 
quire an  organ,  in  which  questions  of 
Army-Hygeine  can  be  discussed  with  sole 
reference  to  practical  results.  There  is  a 
steady  tendency  to  the  neglect  or  ignoring 
of  preventive  methods.  The  condition  of 
our  barracks,  transports,  and  camps  needs 
incessant  watchfulness,  and  a  perpetual  cry 
of  warning  must  be  raised  in  the  ear  of  the 
responsible  oivU  and  mihtary  authorities. 

It  is  necessary,  moreover,  that  the  in- 
terest of  the  women  of  the  country  should 
be  quickened  anew  in  the  work  they  have 
undertaken.  We  have  warned  them  from 
the  first  that  they  were  enlisted  for  the  war; 
that  their  industry  and  self-sacrifice  would 
be  taxed  to  the  utmost.  There  is  no  longer 
novelty  or  artificial  excitement  to  sustain 
their  activity.  Only  a  steady  principle  of 
patriotic  humanity  can  be  depended  on 
for  continued  labors  in  this  holy  cause. 
Thank  God,  there  are  thousands  of  noble 
women  connected  with  our  work,  who  for 
more  than'two  years  have  given  their  best 
thoughts,  and  hours,  and  labor  to  the  en- 
terprise. Their  zeal  has  outlived  all  super- 
ficial excitements.  They  go  to  their  work, 
as  the  soldier  goes  to  the  front,  or  digs  in 
the  trench,  or  advances  on  the  works  of  the 
enemy.  It  is  their  duty  and  their  business 
while  the  war  lasts.  But  ten  thousand  such 
noble  women  are  not  enough.  They  must 
be  supported  by  a  hundred  thousand;  yes, 
five  hundred  thousand  other  women  of  sim- 
ilar views  and  feeUngs,  before  our  supplies 
can  be  accumulated  in  adequate  quantities. 
Our  machinery  is  in  admirable  order  ;  our 
central  reservoirs  of  supplies  perfectly 
adapted  to  their  purpose.     It  is  only  neces- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


sary  that,  witli  the  opening  winter,  every 
village  Sewing  Circle,  or  Soldiers'  EeHef  So- 
ciety, or  Cliurcli,  or  Dorcas  Association, 
should  set  itself  about  a  systematic  contri- 
bution of  supplies  to  the  central  associations 
<it  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Cin- 
cinnati, Cleveland,  Chicago,  or  Louisville. 
This  done,  everything  needed  in  the  way  of 
sixpplies  can  be  easily  and  readily  procured. 
If  there  is  a  jealous  scattering  ot  these  re- 
soiirees,  a  little  here  and  a  little  there,  there 
will  be  a  dreadful  waste,  and  a  melancholy 
abuse  of  the  well-established  principle  of 
unity  and  economy. 

Again,  our  moneyed  men  and  institutions 
of  wealth  must  see  to  it  that  the  efficiency 
of  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission  is  not 
hampered  by  the  want  of  abundant  pecu- 
niary resources.  It  is  universally  conceded 
that  the  efficiency  of  the  Army  has  been 
vastly  sustained  by  the  watchful  care  of  this 
Commission.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  our  Generals  in  the  field  have  come  to 
depend  upon  it  as  a  sine  qua  non.  It  is  an 
established  and  indispensable,  part  of  the 
public  service.  The  soldiers  know  it,  and 
lean  upon  it  as  upon  the  Home-Arm.  The 
nation  has  no  right  to  withdraw  this  arm. 
It  would  not  dare  to  do  it  outright.  And 
-yet,  by  allowing  the  strong  muscles  that 
have  thus  far  held  it  out,  gradually  to  con- 
tract and  shrivel,  they  may,  in  effect,  and 
without  intending  or  knowing  what  they 
do,  paralyze  this  arm,  and  find  a  withered 
hand  where  they  thought  they  had  a  stal- 
wart one  outstretched.  Nothing  but  a  full 
treasury  has  given  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission its  vigor  and  effectiveness.  It  has 
hitherto,  for  a  long  period  of  its  existence, 
had  a  hundred  thousand  dollars  at  least  in 
its  treasury,  between  it  and  want.  It  can- 
not work  with  energy  and  success  with  .a 
dollar  less  than  this  in  reserve.  In  short, 
when  it  begins  to  spend  the  first  doUar  of 
its  la^  hundred  thousand,  it  must  prepare 
to  close  its  operations!  It  is  not  prudent 
nor  possible  for  a  body  whose  regular  ex- 
penses are  forty  thousand  dollars  a  month, 
to  carry  on  its  affairs  systematically  on  the 
contingency  of  funds  to  come  in.  From 
this  time;  the  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  sees  its  treasury  already  reduced  to 
$125,000,  and  which,  in  one  month,  will 
see  it  below  $100,000,  must  have  a  monthly 


subscription  of  at  least  $25,000  from  the 
Loyal  States,  or  its  day  is  ended.  All  the 
supplies  in  the  world  wiU  not  obviate 
the  want  of  money.  The  more  supplies, 
the  more  the  cost  of  properly  and  econom- 
ically distributing  them.  We  must  main- 
tain our  machinery,  or  all  the  meal  that 
comes  to  our  mill  will  never  be  converted 
into  bread  for  the  soldier. 

We  purpose  to  make  the  Bulletin  the 
place  where  all  information  necessary  to 
soldiers  or  to  soldiers'  families  is  to  be 
found.  Who  are  entitled  to  bounties  and 
pensions,  and  how  to  procure  them  at 
the  least  expense,  and  with  the  most  cer- 
tainty; how  furloughs  are  obtained;  how 
our  prisoners  of  war  in  the  enemies'  hands- 
may  be  communicated  with;  how  to  get 
convalescents  or  sick  men  home;  everything 
about  the  burial  of  the  dead;  these  and 
similar  questions  will  be  carefully  and 
reliably  answered  in  our  columns.  The 
Btjllbtust  will  be  extensively  circulated  in 
the  Army.  It  will  also  be  sent  to  all  our 
associate  members — to  all  subscribers  or 
donors  to  our  funds — to  every  sewing  cir- 
cle contributing  to  our  supplies — to  sueh 
clergymen  as  apply  for  it  for  purposes  of 
guiding  their  efforts — and  to  such  other 
persons  as  we  think  fitted  to  use  profitably, 
for  the  benefit  of  our  sick  and  wounded, 
the  information  it  contains. 

It  will  be  furnished  also  to  subscribers,  at 
$2.00  a  year,  and  to  single  purchasers  at 
10  cents  a  copy. 

It  will  be  published  twice  a  month,  on 
the  1st  and  15th  of  each  month. 

It  is  ardently  desired  that  the  ladies 
having  charge  of  our  home  societies  would 
send  to  the  General  Secretary  such  written 
suggestions  or  facts  as  they  may  think  fitted 
to  stir  up  other  women  to  more  abundant 
labors.  Our  inspectors  and  relief  agents 
are  admonished  to  keep  notes  of  such  inci- 
dents as  have  deeply  interested  them,  and 
to  forward  them  promptly  to  their  respect- 
ive chiefs,  for  the  use  of  the  Bulletut. 

All  communications  for  "ThbSanitaby 
Commission  Bulletin  "  should  be  addressed 
to  the  Office  of  Publication,  823  Broadway, 
New  York  City. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


REPORTS. 


REPORT  OF  THE  GENERAL  SEC- 
RETARY. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Oct.  6th,  1863. 
Kev.  H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

President  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Gom'n: 

Sir — Notified  by  you  on  tlie  IGtli  of  Sep- 
tember of  my  election  as  General  Secretary 
of  the  Commission,  I  accepted  th.e  trust, 
and  have  since,  in  anticipation  of  the  pres- 
ent session  of  the  Commission,  been  chiefly 
occupied  in  ascertaining  the  condition  of 
its  work  throughout  the  country,  and  the 
probable  requirements  of  its  service  in  the 
future. 

The  present  aspect  of  the  work  will  best 
be  exhibited  to  you  in  the  reports  herewith 
presented,  from  a  consideration  of  which, 
and  from  the  discussions  of  the  scheme 
proposed  by  the  Committee  on  organiza- 
tion and  the  Executive  Committee  for  the 
partial  reorganization  of  the  work,  the 
Commission  will  be  enabled  to  determine 
what  modifications  it  should  direct  for  the 
future. 

I  may,  however,  be  permitted  to  caU  the 
attention  of  the  Commission  directly  to 
certain  topics  which  seem  to  me  worthy  of 
their  present  consideration. 

The  question  has  been  raised  whether 
the  Hospital  Directory  justifies  by  its  use- 
fulness the  expenditure  it  occasions.  -  The 
reports  of  Mr.  Bowne,  Superintendent  of 
the  Directory,  and  of  Mr.  Holbrook,  of  the 
Louisville  office,  present  facts  and  consid- 
erations which  may  determine  the  Com- 
mission's action. 

Should  the  Commission  adopt  that  por- 
tion of  the  programme  of  work  proposed 
by  the  Executive  Committee,  which  divides 
•the  work  of  Belief  and  Inspection,  assign- 
ing the  latter  only  to  the  Sanitary  Inspect- 
ors, directed  by  a  Head  not  distracted  by 
other  duties,  a  renewed  stimulus  will  be 
given  to  inspection  and  a  greatly  increased 
body  of  facts  wiU  accumulate,  as  data  from 
which  the  Actuary  should  be  expected  to 
exhibit  promptly,  when  called  upon,  the  de- 
termined results  of  the  particular  analysis 
demanded.  Unless  the  range  of  inquiry  is 
kept  restricted  within  unduly  narrow  lim- 


its, an  increase  of  clerical  force  in  the  sta- 
tistical department  wQl  be  needed.  I  sub- 
mit the  question  how  far  the  plans  of  the 
Commission  will  admit  of  expansion  in  this 
direction. 

The  activity  of  other  organizations.  State 
and  Federal,  in  presenting  to  the  loyal 
communities  the  claims  of  their  especial 
work  of  relief  for  the  Army  and  Navy,  has, 
in  some  quarters  of  the  country,  overshad- 
owed a  just  apprehension  of  the  work  which 
is  being  more  noiselessly,  but  perhaps  not 
less  thoroughly,  done  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. In  some  instances  grave  misap- 
prehension of  the  Commission's  disposi- 
tion and  discouragement  on  the  part  of  its 
friends,  on  account  of  supposed  impair- 
ment of  its  usefulness,  has  been  created  by 
the  too  highly-colored  statements  put  forth 
by  the  advocates  of  competing  organiza- 
tions. 

It  seems  only  just  to  those  who  have 
heretofore  contributed  money  and  stores 
to  the  Commission,  tha,t  they  be  from  time 
to  time  reassured  by  personal  conference 
with  one  of  its  accredited  agents  as  to  the 
wisdom  of  its  plans,  and  be  enabled  to  ex- 
hibit to  others  its  varied  beneficence  and 
its  judicious  methods.  To  more  thoroughly 
and  minutely  inform  the  rural  communi- 
ties on  the  work  and  wants  of  the  Commis- 
sion, as  well  as  to  remove  misunderstand- 
ing and  to  correct  false  statements,  an 
increase  of  the  force  of  canvassing  agents, 
of  late  months  much  reduced,  is  recom- 
mended. 

***** 

The  evident  necessity  of  popularizing  in- 
formation as  to  the  Commission's  plans 
and  practical  workings  niore  fully  than  it 
has  heretofore  been  done  in  its  octavo  doc- 
uments, is  very  apparent.  The  issue  of 
the  Sanitary  Reporter,  at  LouisviUe,  has 
done  much  in  this  direction.  Though  giv- 
en largely  to  details  of  work  west  of  the 
AUeghanies,  it  is  believed  to  have  excited  a 
growing  interest  in  the  Commission  in  all 
the  loyal  States  in  which  it  has  been  dis- 
tributed. The  booklet,  "Wliat  we  did  at 
Gettysburg,"  by  a  lady  who  served  us  and 
humanity  there;  and  the  story,  from  the 
journal  of  the  Special  EeHef  Agent,  "The 
Lord  wiU  Provide,"  have  already  teen  en- 
joyed by  hundreds  who  would  never  have 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


been  induced  to  take  up  Doonment  No.  — . 
The  Commission  may  think  it  well  to  con- 
sider -whether  or  not  it  should  open  anoth- 
er avenue  of  communication  to  the  heart 
of  the  people,  by  revi-ving  the  suspended 
project  of  the  "  BtrLiiEinsr  as  the  SANiTAEy 
Commission,"  or  by  affording  in  some  oth- 
er way  the  always  welcome  information  of 
what  is  done  for  the  Army. 

Constant  efforts  to  stimulate  the  flow  of 
supplies  of  hospital  food  and  clothing  have 
resulted,  during  the  quarter,  in  yielding 
to  the  Commission's  storehouses  about 
the  average  quarterly  product  of  the  past 
year,  and  there  is  little  reason  to  doubt  the 
continuance  of  this  rate  of  supply.  But 
this  is  not  sufficient  to  relieve  the  Commis- 
sion from  the  frequent  necessity  of  consid- 
erable purchases  in  the  commercial  market, 
which  fact  may  be  adduced  as  another  ar- 
gument, not  only  for  occasional  appeals  to 
the  loyal  people  from  the  Commission,  or 
its  Committees,  but  also  for  the  multiplica- 
tion of  wayside  agencies  through  its  dis- 
trict canvassers. 

In  accordance  with  your  instxnictions, 
I,  on  the  24th  of  September,  caused 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United 
States  to  be  administered,  in  the  following 
words,  by  a  magistrate,  to  the  employees 
of  the  Commission,  assembled  by  order: 

DisTKiOT  OE  Columbia,     ) 
County  op  Washington.  ) 

We,  the  undersigned,  of  Washington 
County,  D.  C,  do  solemnly  swear,  on  the 
Holy  Evangely  of  Almighty  God,  without 
any  mental  reservation,  that  we  will,  at  any 
and  all  times  hereafter,  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, yield  a  hearty  and  willing  sup- 
port to  the  Constitution'  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  the  Government  thereof; 
that  we  will  not,  either  directly  or  indirect- 
ly, take  up  arms  against  said  Government, 
nor  aid  those  now  in  arms  against  it;  that 
we  will  not  pass  without  the  lines  now 

fstabHshed  by  the  Army  of  the  United 
tates,  or  hereafter  from  time  to  time  to  be 
established  by  said  Army,  nor  hold  any 
correspondence  whatsoever  with  any  per- 
son or  persons  beyond  said  lines  so  estab- 
lished by  said  Army  of  the  United  States, 
during  the  present  rebeUion,  without  per- 
mission from  the  Secretary  of  War;  also, 
we  win  do  no  act  hostile  or  injurious 
to  the  union  of  the  States;  that  we  will 
give  no  aid,  comfort,  or  assistance  to  the 
enemies  of  the  Government,  either  domes- 
tic or  foreign. 


Thirty-seven  thus  acknowledged  their 
f ealty— aU  who  could  be  gathered.  On  the 
next  day  four  others  cheerfully  took  the 
oath,  and  oae  person  who  decUned  to  do 
so  was,  by  your  order,  discharged  from  the 
service.  These  forty-two  persons  consti- 
tute the  whole  number  of  individuals  who 
are  employed  hj  the  Commission  in  this 
city.  The  order  has  been  given  to  the 
Acting  Associate  Secretary  in  the  Eastern 
Department  to  cause  the  oath  to  be  ten- 
dered to  each  person  employed  by  the 
Commission  in  thfe  Department,  the  alter- 
native of  promptly  taking  it  being  dismiss- 
al from  the  service. 

I  submit  herewith  a  roster  of  persons  in 
the  service  of  the  Commission,  October  1st. 

I  present  also  the  accompanying  Re- 
ports.    [See  list  at  end  of  Reports.] 

Bespectfully  submitted. 

J.  FOSTER  JENKINS, 

General  Secretary. 


REPORT  ON  THE  OPERATIONS  OF 

THE  EASTERN   DEPARTMENT. 

GentIiEMEN — In  accordance  with  the  re- 
quest of  Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  I  beg  leave 
to  submit  the  following  as  my  Report  of  ■ 
the  work  of  the  Commission  so  far  as  it  has 
come  under  my  observation,  during  a  tem- 
porary occupation  of  the  Associate  Secre- 
tary's desk. 

On  the  29th  of  July  I  reported  in  Wash- 
ington, with  the  view  of  using  it  as  head- 
quarters for  my  operations  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Dr.  Douglas,  who  was  then 
about  starting  off  on  a  month's  leave  of  ab- 
sence, requested  me  to  take  charge  of  such 
duties  as  might  require  the  consideration 
and  direction  of  the  Associate  Secretary. 
I  have  acted  in  accordance  with  this  re- 
quest and  an  order  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee (dated  Sept.  15,  1863,)  down  to  the 
present  time. 

WASHZNaTON  Asn>  Vicinity. — The  Hos- 
pitals in  Washington  and  Alexandria  have 
been  inspected  very  carefully  by  Inspector 
C.  W.  Brink,  during  the  months  of  August 
and  September.  His  reports,  herewith  sub- 
mitted as  Documents  1,  2  and  3,  will  show 
the  exact  condition  of  these  Hospitals. 
They  show  improvements  consequent  upon 
increased  knowledge  and  care  on  the  part 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


of  their  officers,  and  will  now  compare  fa- 
vorably with,  the  best  Military  Hospitals 
which  the  Medical  Department  has  estab- 
lished for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  of  our  great  Army. 
Our  Hospital  Visitor  (Dr.  G.  C.  Caldwell) 
has  made  stated  visits  to  them  all,  and  is- 
sues of  stores  have  been  freely  made  from 
our  local  storehouse  on  requisitions  of  the 
surgeons,  in  accordance  with  the  advice  of 
Dr.  OaldweU.  The  requisitions  of  the  sur- 
geons have  been  invariably  required  in  or- 
der to  avoid  the  injury  to  discipline  which 
an  indiscriminate  distribution  of  stores, 
through  the  hands  of  irresponsible  persons, 
always  produces. 

In  the  early  portion  of  September,  reports 
having  reached  the  office  concerning  the 
sickness  of  the  camps  occupied  by  the  10th 
N.  Y.  Artillery,  Dr.  C.  W.  Brink  was  or- 
dered to  mate  special  inquiry  into  the 
causes  of  the  iU-health  prevailing,  and  to 
endeavor  to  have  such  changes  in  location 
as  good  sanitary  principles  would  indicate. 
The  result  of  his  inspection  is  to  be  found 
in  Document  4. 

AiTOAPOiiis,  Md. — Inspector  Nichols  hav- 
ing been  ordered  from  the  Department  of 
Norfolk,  reported  at  the  Central  Office,  Aug. 
5.  After  a  few  days  spent  in  preparing  an 
account  of  his  work  at  Norfolk,  he  was  sent 
to  Annapolis,  with  the  view  of  making  an 
inspection  of  the  Camps  and  Hospitals  at  ■ 
that  place.  That  inspection  (comprised  in 
Document  5)  will  show  how  shockingly 
unfit  for  the  accommodation  of  men  was  the 
camp  then  employed  for  paroled  men.  It 
is  a  subject  of  congratulation  that  this  dis- 
grace to  the  nation  has  been  abolished; 
that  our  paroled  prisoners  are  at  present 
located  in  comfortable  barracks  on  a  new 
camping-ground;  and  that  much  of  the  de- 
structive' tendency  to  body  and  spirit  which 
surrounded  the  old  camp  no  longer  esdsts 
in  the  new  location.  The  life  of  a  paroled 
prisoner  is  one  of  a  dispiriting  character. 
He  cannot  occupy  himself  with  the  daily 
occupations  of  a  soldier's  life — his  parole 
prevents  that.  Consequently,  uidess  some 
employment,  either  mental  or  physical,  be 
furnished  him,  he  becomes  a  trifling,  worth- 
less man — not  fitted  for  the  duties  either  of 
a  soldier  or  a  citizen.  Athletic  games,  and 
aU  the  varied  drills  of  a  gymnasium,  would 


do  away  with  much  of  the  exhausting 
ennui  of  Camp  Parole.  A  hundred  dollars 
spent  in  putting  up  gymnastic  apparatus 
would  be  the  means  of  saying  the  health 
and  the  morals  of  many  men  now  undergo- 
ing a  process  of  demoralization  and  enfee- 
blement.  Would  not  the  establishment  of 
a  Gymnasium  at  Camp  Parole  be  a  subject 
worthy  of  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Commis- 
sion ? 

A  word  is  due  here  to  a  representative  of 
the  Commission  on  duty  at  Camp  Parole 
Hospital.  Miss  Clara  Davis,  of  Philadel- 
phia, has  acted  as  our  representative  for 
four  months,  taking  under  her  special 
charge  the  low-diet  kitchen.  The  testimo- 
ny of  patients  and  surgeons  represents  the 
attentions  of  this  kind-hearted.  Christian 
woman  as  most  acceptable  to  the  men.  In 
this  retired  place  she  has  devoted  herself — 
administering  to  the  wants  and  needs  of 
suffering  humanity.  No  words  can  express 
the  value  of  such  work — they  seem  at  best 
but  feeble  mockery  when  used  to  describe 
the  self-sacrifice  of  one  who  devotes  her 
days  to  smoothing  the  pillow  of  the'invalid 
and  extending  the  little  attentions  which  a 
mother  or  a  sister  would  offer  the  sufferer. 

In  order  to  meet  a  want  which  has  exist- 
ed for  some  time  in  this  region,  a  resting- 
place  or  temporary  home  for  the  wives  and 
female  relatives  of  the  inmates  of  the  Hos- 
pitals, the  Special  Relief-  Agent  has  estab- 
lished a  "  Home  "  in  Annapolis,  where  they 
may  obtain  food  and  lodging.  Of  this  he 
will  doubtless  report  to  you  at  length. 

CoNVALBSCBNT  Camp,  Vibqinia.^I  ask 
the  attention  of  ttie  Commission  to  the  Re- 
port of  Miss  Bradley  (Document  5}4)  on 
the  operations  in  this  Camp,  which  have 
been  conducted  by  her  as  a  Special  Relief 
Agent.  She  has  labored  untiringly  to  have 
abuses  redressed,  and  by  her  personal  ex- 
ertions has  made  many  a  soldier  feel  that, 
though  absent  from  home,  he  was  not  with- 
out friends.  Her  own  simple  statement  of 
the  nature  of  her  work  may  well  cause  sur- 
prise that  she  has  accomplished  so  much 
by  her  own  efforts.  Such  agents  are  an 
honor  to  the  Commission,  through  whose 
auspices  they  labor  in  the  cause  of  the  sol- 
dier. 

Spbciaij  Rbmbf  Dbpaetmbnt. — The  op- 
erations of  this  Department  have  continued 


6 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


to  be  of  their  usual  important  character. 
These  have  been  attended  to,  during  the 
absence  of  the  Chief,  by  his  indefatigable 
assistant,  Mr.  J.  B.  Abbott.  They  comprise 
altogether  different  classes  of  cases  from 
those  coming  under  the  eye  of  the  Corps  Be- 
lief Agent.  The  latter  distributes  under  the 
eye  of  the  Medical  Officer,  and  mostly  on 
his  requsition,  ■while  the  relief  agent  from 
the  Special  Department  goes  directly  to 
the  needy  without  any  such  intermedia- 
tion. My  observation  of  this  DepaaH;ment 
makes  me  anxiovis  that  the  m.ost  liberal  en- 
couragement should  be  tendered  it  by  the 
Commission.  These  special  cases  can  only 
be  properly  relieved  by  those  yiho  are 
trained  through  an  every-day  experience, 
extending  through  months  of  close  obser- 
vation, so  as  to  prevent  help  being  estend- 
'  ed  to  the  unworthy,  or  help  being  kept 
from  the  deserving. 

Soldieb's  Lodge  in  AtiExandhia. — The 
Special  Belief  Department  is  mentioned  in 
this  general  way,  because  a  more  particular 
report  belongs  to  another  officer.  I  may, 
however,  mention  more  particularly  one 
establishment  belonging  to  this  Depart- 
ment, as  it  was  established  during  my  term 
of  service,  and  more  especially  for  the  use 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac — I  refer  to  the  Soldier's  Best, 
in  Alexandria.  This  may  be  considered  as 
holding  a  relation  to  the  Axicj  of  the  Po- 
tomac analogous  to  that  of  the  Lodge  at 
Aquia,  when  the  army  was  opposite  Freder- 
icksburg. Finding  that  numbers  of  sick 
and  wounded  were  arriving  in  Alexandria, 
and  were  exposed  to  much  privation  on 
their  arrival,  I  dispatched  Mr.  James  Bich- 
ardson  to  ascertain  what  could  be  done  to- 
wajcds  establishing  a  house  for  temporary 
relief.  He  found  in  Ool  J.  H.  Devereux, 
the  Supei-intendeut.of  Military  Eailroads 
Mad  Transportation,  a  willing  appreciator 
of  all  our  plans,  and  one  very  willing  to  aid 
in  their  execution.  A  building  was  appro- 
priated for  the  purpose  of  a  Soldier's 
Lodge,  and  through  the  assistance  and  lib- 
erality of  Ool.  Devereux,  one  of  the  neatest 
and  most  useful  Lodges  now  maintained  by 
the  Commission  has  been  placed  upon  a 
firm  and  secure  basis.  I  refer  to  Mr.  Bich- 
ardson's  own  report  for  a  very  lucid  account 
of  the  establishment  of  this  Lodge,  (Docu- 


ment 6.)  Mr.  Edgerly's  report  of  its  op- 
erations from  August  13  to  September  20 
(Document  7)  will  give  an  idea  of  the  bene- 
fits that  have  already  resulted. 

Physiologicaii  Examtnation  oi"  Soii- 
DZEBS. — The  examinations  and  measure- 
ments of  soldiers,  for  the  coEection  of  ma- 
terials in  the  Department  of  Vital  Statis- 
tics, have  been  continued  at  Camp  Barry 
by  Messrs.  Buckley  and  Balch.  Mr.  E.  B. 
FairchUds  has  been  engaged  on  like  duty 
at  Davids  Island,  with  the  Confederate 
,  prisoners  confined  there.  By  permission 
of  Col.  Hofiman,  Commissary-General  of 
Prisoners,  he  wiU  go  to  Pt.  Lookout  as 
soon  as  transportation  can  be  procured, 
with  a  view  of  prosecuting  this  work  to  a 
greater  extent  than  was  possible  at  Davids 
Island.  The  deductions  to  be  made  from 
these  measurements  being  likely  to  prove 
of  the  greatest  possible  benefit  to  military 
and  sanitary  science,  I  advise  their  contin- 
uance for  at  least  three  months  longer.  It 
is  only  by  a  lai^e  quantity  of  data  that  we 
shall  be  in  condition  to  discuss  their  value, 
and  to  arrive  at  reliable  results. 

Bai/timobb. — In  Baltimore  the  store- 
house has  been  in  charge  of  Mr.  J.  T.  Pan- 
coast,  who  has  worked  with  a  zeal  and  hon- 
esty of  purpose  worthy  of  all  imitation, 
not  only  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
Depot  Agent,  but  as  Hospital  Visitor.  This 
agency  has  been  of  immense  importance, 
as  many  of  the  supplies  forwarded  to  Get- 
tysburg and  Frederick,  during  and  after 
the  Confederate  invasion  of  the  loyal  States, 
were  purchased  in  Baltimpre,  where  Mr. 
Knapp  had  located  his  headquarters  for 
this  special  purpose.  In  this  complicated 
business  Mr.  Pancoast  always  proved  to  be 
most  valuable  as  an  aid.  The  Special  Be- 
lief Department  in  Baltimore  has.  been  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Bullard. 

A  fuU  examination  of  the  Hospitals  of 
Baltimore  was  made,  in  accordance  with 
orders  from  this  office,  by  Inspector  Julius 
Nichols,  early  in  the  month  of  September. 
From  an  examination  of  this  (Document  8) 
a  very  excellent  idea  may  be  obtained  of 
the  present  condition  and  capacity  of  these 
Hospitals. 

Hospitals  at  Hageestown,  Boonsbob- 
OTJGH,  AND  Habpee's  Fbeky. — The  Hospi- 
tals at  Hagerstown,  Boonsborough,  Harper's 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Ferry,  and  Maryland  Heights,  have  been 
visited  at  stated,  terms  by' Messrs.  Hiram 
Schisler  and  John  C.  Stranahan,  and  such 
wants  as  were  discovered  were  freely  sup- 
plied from  the  storehouse  at  Frederick. 
This  storehouse  wiU  be  closed  in  a  few 
days,  as  the  necessity  for  its  continuation 
has  ceased.  During  the  twelve  months  of 
its  existence  it  has  disbursed  many  thou- 
sands of  dollars  worth  of  stores  to  the 
wounded  of  the  battles  of  South  Mountain 
and  Antietam,  and  to  the  needy  and  sick 
of  the  army  within  a  circle  of  30  miles  ra- 
dius, since  the  occurrence  of  these  memo- 
rable battles.  Its  mission  has,  however, 
been  closed,  and  I  hope  the  changing  for- 
tunes of  war  will  not  necessitate  its  re-es- 
tablishment. The  soldiers  have  had  abund- 
ant cause  to  bless  the  beneficence  of  the 
loyal  people,  who  enabled  the  Commission 
to  furnish  it  so  abundantly,  that  all  wants 
of  the  army,  as  fast  as  they  have  been 
made  known,  have  been  supplied. 

NoBFOLK  AUD  VioiNiTT. — On  the  5th  of 
August  I  ordered  Mr.  James  Gall,  Jr.,  to 
proceed  to  Norfolk  and  take  charge  of  our 
relief  work  in  that  Department.  He  has 
faithfully  performed  the  duties  of  EeUef 
Agent  since  that  date,  acquiring  much 
credit  for  himself  and  the  Commission  by 
his  indefatigable  labors.  His  Eeports, 
eight  in  number,  furnished  this  office 
weekly,  will  show  how  faithfully  and  with 
what  good  results  he  has  labored.  (See 
Documents  9,  10,  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16.) 

The  sick-rate  at  Norfolk  having  increased 
to  30  per  cent.,  I  deemed  it  important  to 
direct  the  attention  of  the  Acting  Surgeon- 
General  to  this  important  fact.  He  imme- 
diately had  a  medical  inspection  made  of 
the  Department,  and  adopted  measures  to 
obviate,  as  far  as  possible,  the  causes  of 
disease.  Although  the  sick-rate  increased 
to  between  40  and  50  per  cent. ,  still  I  have 
the  happiness  now  to  state  that  this  rate  is 
diminishing.  We  have  issued  largely  to 
aE  the  hospitals  and  regiments  in  the  De- 
partment, having  been  able  to  keep  up  the 
supplies  through  the  propeller  Elizabeth, 
placed  under  our  orders  by  the  Q.  M.  De- 
partment. These  supplies  have  included 
large  quantities  of  antiscorbutics  and  the 
other  articles  comprised  on  our  supply 
list. 


The  arrival  of  negro  troops  in  this  De- 
partment, and  the  existence  of  camps  of 
contrabands,  some  in  Government  employ 
and  others  only  receiving  Government  sup- 
port, demanded  instructions  as  regards  the 
policy  of  the  Commission  in  this  respect. 
I  ordered  Mr.  GaU  to  furnish  to  troops 
(without  reference  to  color)  our  supplies  on 
requisitions  of  medical  officers,  and  to 
,  aid  moderately  sufferers  in  employ  of  Quar- 
termasters and  Commissaries;  but  also 
that  beyond  these  two  classes  of  persons, 
in  my  opinion,  jthe  suppUes  of  the  Com- 
mission could  not  be  extended.  As  this 
has  been  the  policy  of  the  Commission 
in  the  past,  so  far  as  I  understand  it,  I 
presume  my  action  will  be  approved,  as 
regards  the  department  of  Norfolk.  It 
has,  at  least,  given  satisfaction  thus  far. 

Mr.  Gall  has  done  essential  service  to  us 
by  his  efforts  to  effect  the  release  of  our 
officers  who  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Con- 
federates. The  Eeport  of  Dr.  Douglas  on 
the  battles  of  Gettysburg  contained  a  f  uU 
account  of  the  seizure  of  these  officers. 
Efforts  were  made  to  obtain  their  release, 
through  petitions  from  Confederate  sur- 
geons in  our  lines,  addressed  to  Gen.  Eob- 
ert  Lee,  private  letters  from  citizens  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  to  their  friends  in 
Eichmond,  and  a  direct  communication 
from  myself  (dated  Aug.  28,  1868)  to  Eob- 
ert  Ould,  Esq.,  Confederate  Commissioner 
for  the  Exchange  of  Prisoners.  To  these 
efforts  must  be  added  the  valuable  services 
of  Gen.  Meredith,  the  U.  S.  Commission- 
er. Mr.  GaU  aided  in  aU  these,  and  final- 
ly, on  the  22d  ult.,  the  trivial  technicalities 
on  which  these  officers  were  retained  being 
removed,  they  were  delivered  to  Gen.  Mer- 
edith, and  once  more  breathed  loyal  air. 
Mr.  Alfred  Brengle  has,  however,  still  been 
retained  by  the  Confederate  Government, 
under  plea  that  he  was  seized  because  he 
had  conveyed  stores  to  a  beleaguered  post. 
******* 

Newbeen,  North  CAKOtMA. — Dr.  J.  M. 
Page,  Sanitary  Inspector,  assisted  by  Mr. 
Page  as  Storekeeper,  has  charge  of  this 
District.  No  letters  or  Eeports  have  been 
received  from  there  during  my  term  of  ser- 
vice, excepting  regular  transmissions  of 
accounts  of  stock  and  lists  of  sick  and 
wounded  for  the  Directory. 


8 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BEAtrPOET  AUD  MoBMS   ISLAND. — Dr.  M. 

M.  Marsh,  assisted  by  Mrs.  Marsh,  has 
been  in  charge  of  this  District.  His  com- 
munications have  sho-wn  how  indispensable 
have  been  the  supplies  which  the  Commis- 
sion has  lllmished  to  the  troops  engaged 
in  active  operations  on  Morris  Island,  and 
how  these  have  been  received  by  the  soldiers 
as  well  as  officers.  General  Gilmore  has 
issued  a  special  commendatory  order  with  , 
reference  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Commis- 
sion, and  Dr.  Marsh  has  received  full  as- 
surances from  him  of  the  acceptability  of 
our  work.  As  Dr.  Douglas  has  made  a  re- 
cent inspection  of  this  District,  and  as  all 
the  suppHes  have  been  forwarded  directly 
from  New  York,  I  pass  over  this  portion  of 
my  report,  presuming  that  full  information 
win  be  furnished  from  other  sources. 

New  Oklbans. — Inspector  G.  A.  Blake 
has  been  in  charge  of  this  District.  It  is 
probable  that  the  Army  of  this  Department 
will  be  employed  in  a  movement  towards 
the  occupation  of  Texas.  A  wide  sphere 
for  the  operations  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion will  thus  be  opened  up. 

Westbbn  VrRGiNiA. — Finding  that  the 
troops  under  General  Kelly's  command  oc- 
cupying stations  and  camps  from  Cumber- 
land eastward  to  Point  of  Eocks  were  in 
need  of  supplies,!  ordered  Dr.  Julius  Nichols 
to  inspect  these  troops,  and  to  report  their 
needs  as  they  met  his  eye  in  his  course  of 
inspection.  He  has  already  made  requisi- 
tions to  meet  the  wants  of  the  Hospitals  in 
Cumberland  and  Martinsburg.  Thence  he 
goes  westward,  and  will  return  here  next 
week  and  report  the  result  of  his  inspec- 
tion. Should  his  report  be  ready  before 
the  adjournment  of  the  Commission,  I  will 
send  it  in  for  your  consideration.  [This 
report  was  made  at  the  close  of  the  ses- 
sion.] 

T:boe  Aemy  of  the  Potomac. — The  first 
febors  of  the  Commission  were  directed  to 
its  sanitary  condition,  and  when  the  work 
of  furnishing  relief  to  the  needy  and  suffer- 
ing was  undertaken  as  a  part  of  the  Commis- 
sion's duties,  it  began  the  work  in  this  Army 
with  a  zeal  that  has  continued  down  to  the 
present  time  undiminished  in  its  day  of  de- 
feat or  triumph.  Early  in  May,  1863,  the 
operations  of  the  Commission  in  the  Army 
were  consigned  to  the  care  of  the  present 


writer,  which  has  been  continued  to  the 
date  of  the  present  report,  excepting  so 
much  as  had  reference  to  the  operations  for 
a  few  weeks  after  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 
Dr.  J.  H.  Douglas,  one  of  the  Associate 
Secretaries,  was  in  charge  at  the  latter 
place  during  the  period  to  which  reference 
is  made,  returning  the  duty  to  my  hands 
afterwards. 

With  the  view  of  meeting  wants  as  they 
might  arise  in  the  field,  and  of  preventing 
that  suffering  peculiar  to  armies  separated 
from  their  base  of  supplies,  the  Field  Be- 
lief Corps  was  reorganized  shortly  after  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg.  A  special  report  has 
been  made  on  the  subject  of  this  organiza- 
tion to  the  Executive  Committee,  which  is 
now  passing  through  the  printer's  hands. 
The  design  is  to  have  a  corps  of  gentlemen 
acting  as  relief  agents,  each  in  a  separate 
corps,  furnished  with  his  own  means  of 
transportation,  and  lodging  in  the  field. 
We  have  been  peculiarly  fortunate  in  our 
selections.  The  agents  are  welcomed  as 
co-laborers  in  the  great  war  of  law  and  right 
by  the  officers.  They  furnish  the  needed 
articles  just  where  they  are  needed,  and 
personally  superintend  the  distribution, 
keeping  an  eye  always  to  the  proper  use  of 
what  they  have  issued.  While  laboring  for 
the  good  of  the  whole  Army,  each  feels  a 
special  pride  in  seeing  that  his  own  special 
family — the  Corps  to  which  he  belongs — is 
kept  in  the  best  possible  condition.  He 
feels  a  generous  spirit  of  rivalry  towards  his 
fellow-agents,  and  is  not  willing  that  his 
own  work  should  be,  in  any  manner,  infe- 
rior to  that  of  his  brethren.  By  a  system 
of  weekly  reports  made  to  the  Chief  Inspec- 
tor, the  latter  is  enabled  to  control  the 
whole  movement  of  the  Corps  and  to  keep 
up  a  complete  knowledge  of  the  perfection 
or  imperfection  of  the  machinery  employ- 
ed. A  package  of  these  reports  is  herewith 
submitted  to  the  inspection  of  the  Commis- 
sion, so  that  an  idea  may  be  gained  of  the 
ability  of  the  men  employed  in  this  work. 
Much  information  is  acquired  in  these  re- 
ports that  has  heretofore  been  furnished  by 
the  formal  inspection  of  our  inspectors. 
They  have  frequently  served  as  a  basis  of 
action  in  regard  to  the  sanitary  condition 
of  regiments,  as  well  as  the  nature  of  the 
supplies  demanded  by  the  troops. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  promptness  ■with  which  our  agents 
make  their  appearance  when  needed  may 
be  well  illustrated  by  an  extract  from  the 
last  Beport  of  the  Agent  of  the  Second  Ar- 
my Corps,  which  was  on  the  advance  when 
the  movement  was  made  towards  Culpep- 
per. He  says :  ' '  During  the  last  two  weeks 
of  movements,  I  have  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  my  wagon  was  always  ahead 
of  any  other  means  of  relief;  that  I  dis- 
pensed-relief  to  wounded  cavalry  from  the 
front  within  an  hour  after  their  wounds 
were  received.  While  our  own  team  was 
in  motion  I  have  passed  out  articles  to  sur- 
geons in  charge  of  ambulance  trains  return- 
ing from  the  front.''     ******* 

The  Medical  Inspector  of  this  Army  says, 
"We  could  not  do  without  the  Commis- 
sion; it  furnishes  so  many  things  which 
cannot  be  obtained  from  Government." 
The  Medical  Director  says,  "It  gives  me 
no  trouble;  there  is  no  interference." 
******* 

With  the  view  of  obtaining  materials  for 
the  discussion  of  me  effects  of  long  marches 
and  inadeqiiatefood  on  troops,  Inspector  W. 
S.  Swalm  has  been  detailed,  in  accordance 
with  a  plan  agreed  upon  by  the  Chief  of 
the  Statistical  Department  and  myself,  for 
this  duty.  He  has  nearly  completed  an  ex- 
amination of  two  corps,  having  made  be- 
tween sixty  and  eighty  inspections  of  regi- 
njents.  Should  any  change  of  plans  in  the 
Army  bring  on  another  engagement  before 
this  work  is  completed,  the  data  already 
obtained  by  Dr.  S.  wiU  be  of  the  greatest 
possible  importance;  but  their  value  wiU 
be  much  enhanced  should  he  be  enabled 
to  finish  this  work. 

Gbttxsbueg.- — Our  work  with  the  wound- 
ed continues  to  the  present  time.  Dr. 
Gordon  Winslow,  formerly  Chaplain  of 
Duryea's,  Zouaves,  ^  was  [placed,  by  Dr.  J. 
H.  Douglas,  in  charge  of  the  operations  at 
this  place.  Samuel  Bacon,  Jr.,  has  been 
acting  as  Storekeeper.  This  depot  has 
been  invaluable.  In  addition  to  the  enor- 
mous distribution  of  [stores  mentioned  in 
Dr.  Douglas'  Eeport,  (Document  71,)  the 
issues  have  been  very  large  down  to  the 
present  time.  As  soon  as  a  want  was  de- 
tected— and  fDr.  Winslow  seems  to  have 
been  Argus-eyed  in  this  particular— it  has 
been  supplied.     We  have  purchased,  on 


Hospital  Fund  account,  everything  re- 
quired for  the  Hospital  which  was  not  ob- 
tainable from  the  Commissary.  The  bills 
for  these  purchases,  amounting  to  over 
$3,000  up  to  August  15,  were  paid  by  the 
Commissary.  Since  that  time  these  pur- 
chases have'  amounted  to  .between  $3,000 
and  $4,000.  They  will  also  be  paid  by  the 
Commissary. 

In  order  to  show  the  esteem  in  which  the 
Commission  is  held  by  medical  officers  at 
Gettysburg,  the  following  paper  has  been 
signed  by  them : 

Camp  Lettebman  Hospital, 
Mar  Qeltyshurg,  Sept.  2Gt7i,  1863. 

The  undersigned,  surgeons  and  assistant 
surgeons  of  the  Getj^ral  Hospital  near  Get- 
tysburg, take  pleasure  in  expressing  our 
gratification  at  the  manner  in  which  the 
afiairs  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  have 
been  managed  in  this  place  since  the  late 
battle.  The  supplementary  articles  for  the 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  have  been  abund- 
ant, comprising  every  requisite  which  the 
exigency  demanded,  and  which  nothing 
but  a  well-regulated  system,  with  much 
experience  and  forethought,  could  have  se- 
cured. We  are  furthermore  convinced  that 
the  system  adopted  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission of  disbursing  their  supplies  only 
on  the  requisition  of  a  surgeon,  is  the  only 
proper  and  safe  method.  Any  other  course 
necessarily  supposes  an  extra  force,  which 
is  calculated  to  cumber  the  hospital  with 
irresponsible  attendants,  distract  the  pub- 
lic benefactions,  if  not  divert  them  from  a 
just  and  equal  distribution  among  the  pa- 
tients for  whom  they  are  intended. 

Henry  Janes,  Surg.  U.  S.  V.     In  charge 
of  Hospital,  Gettysburg. 

E.  N.  Chamberlain^  Surg.  U.  S.  V.    In 
charge  General  Hospital. 

S.  W.  Oakley,  Surg.  U.  S.V.,  and  Acting 
Medical  Purveyor. 

J.  D.  Osborne,  Surg.  4th  N.  J.  V.,  and 
Executive  Officer  of  Camp. 

W.   E.  Breakey,   Assistant    Surg.    16th 
Mich.  Infantry. 

H.  C.  May,  Assistant  [Surg.   145th  Eegi- 
ment,  N,  Y.  V. 

J.  B.  Sturdevant,  Assistant  Surg.  Penn. 
Vols., 

Chas.  S.  Gauntt,  M.D.,  A.  A.  Surgepn, 
U.  S.  A. 


10 


The  Sanitary  Commission.  BiMetin. 


B.  r.  Butcher,  A.  A.  Surg,,  U.  S.  A. 
J.  A.  M'Artliur,  A.  A.  Surg.,  U.  S.  A. 
W.  L.  Hays,  A.  A.  Surgeon,  TJ.  S.  A. 
H.  H.  Sutton,  A.  A.  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A. 
E.  P.  Townsend,  A.  A.  S.,  U.  S.  A. 
Albert  B.  Stonekke,  Ass't  Surg;  U.  S.  A. ; 
in  charge  of  7th  Division. 
D.  B.  Good,  A.  A.  Surg.,  U.  S.  A. 
P.  S.  Leisenring,  A.  A.  Surg.,  U.  S.  A. 

HospiTAii  Visiting. — This  subject  is  so 
well  treated  in  the  Eeport  of  Dr.  CaldweU. 
that  I  can  do  no  "better  than  to  direct  at- 
tention of  the  Commission  to  the  same. 
I  must,  however,  give  my  testimony  in  fa- 
vor of  the  honest  j^and  conscientious  man- 
ner in  which  Dr.  CaldweU  has  executed  the 
delicate  duties  of  a  Hospital  Visitor.  He 
has  temporarily  retired  from  its  duties,  ex- 
pecting to  resume  the  same  during  the  com- 
ing month.  Until  that  time  his  place  wiU  be 
supplied  by  some  other  employee  of  the 
Commission. 

Issues. — I  submit  an  account  of  the  is- 
sues made  during  the  months  of  August 
and  September  from  the  Washington 
Storehouse.  This  wiU  enable  the  Commis- 
sion to  understand  how  large  the  issues 
have  been.  Further  particulars  as  to  the 
directions  these  issues  have  taken  may  be 
obtained  from  the  books  of  the  Central 
Office. 

The  issues  from  the  storehouses  have 
been  very  large,  in  consequence  of  our  sys- 
tematic plan  of  visiting  the  armies  near 
Washington,  and  more  especially  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  As  the  result  of  this 
our  stock  of  some  woolen  goods  is  becom- 
ing low,  and  in  the  item  of  stimulants  We 
have  been  obliged  to  purchase  largely,  but 
(I  believe)  on  fair  terms,  in  the  Washington 
market.  I  am  satisfied  that  the  amount 
misused  is  now  as  near  the  minimum  as  is 
possible.  The  agents  are,  as  a  geneial 
thing,  careful  in  this  respect,  and  from  ex- 
perience have  learned  whom  to  trust. 

In  closing  this  Eeport,  I  must  express 
my  belief  that  the  Commission  has  done  all 
that  could  have  been  reasonably  expected 
from  it  during  the  last  two  months;  and  that 
more  may  be  expected  hereafter  in  conse- 
quence of  the  experience  acquired  in  the 
past,  if  a  sufficient  amount  of  supplies  and 
funds  be  placed  at  its  command.    Officers 


are  working  with  a  quiet  enthusiasm  which 
could  not  be  obtained  for  money,  or  any 
other  reward;  and  every  employee  wiU  find 
it  a  source  of  incalculable  pleasure,  in  the 
future,  that  he  once  labored  in  its  ranks, 
at  the  command  of  a  great  people,  whose 
souls'  heartiest  wish  and  desire  was  that  no 
suffering  should  exist  in  the  Army  of  the 
Union  which  might  be  prevented  by  any- 
thing procurable  through  money  or  kind 
words. 

With  due  respect. 

Tour  humble  servant, 
LEWIS  H.  STEINEE, 
Chief  Inspector  A.  of  P., 
Acting  Associate  Secretary. 
Washington,  Oct.  1,  1863. 


REPORT  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  DIREC- 
TORY BUREAU. 

Sanitabt  Commission, 
Oct.  1,  1863. 
To  Db.  J.  PosTEB  Jenkins, 
Gen'l  Seo'y: 
Sib — ^In  my  last  Eeport,  of  June  9th,  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  saying  that  the  Hos- 
pital Directory  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission was  receiving  regular  returns  from 
every  General  Hospital  of  the  U.  S.  Army. 
This  remark  stiU  holds  good.     I  have  to 
report  no  increase  in  the  number  of  Hos- 
pitals from  which  Eeports  are  received  at 
the  Central  Office,  or  its  several  branches. 

The  number  of  names  recorded  on  the 
books  of  the  Hospital  Directory  from  June 
9th  to  Oct.  1st  have  been  as  follows: 

At  the  Washington  Office 64,635 

"      New  York         "      18,771 

"      Philadelphia     "      12,213 

"      Louisville,  from  May  9. .  96,433 

Total 192,052 

Add  number  of  names  on  record 

June  9th :., 215,221 

And  we  have  a  grand  total  of.  .407,273 
Eecorded  as  foUows: 
Washington  Office,  to  Oct.  1 ,  '63 169, 007 
New  York        "  "         "        27,820 

PhUadelpMa    "         "        "        24,513 
Louisville         "         "        "      186,438 

Total 407,273 

The  nuiliber  of  applications  for  informa- 
tion and  the  number  of  answers  rendered, 
from  the  organization  of  the  Directory  to 
Oct.  1,  1863,  have  been  as  follows" 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


11 


Washington  Office,  No.  Inq.  6,712  No.  Ans.  4,624 

New  York         "             "  666       "  474 

HuMelplila     "             "  647       '■  348 

Louisville         "             "  5,862       "  4,016 

Total  No.  Inq.  13,787  Tot.  Ans.  9,362 

The  Monthly  Abstract  Sheets  are  being 
regularly  tabulated,  as  reported  in  my  last, 
and  as  the  new  form  of  the  Morning  Be- 
port  from  Hospitals  recently  recommended 
by  the  Surgeon-General  is  being  adopted 
throughout  the  Army,  the  continuation  of 
this  branch  of  the  Hospital  Bureau  wiU  re- 
quire an  increase  of  the  clerical  force  of 
two,  and  perhaps  four,  competent  jjersons 
for  the  work  of  tabulating. 

The  tabulated  returns  of  casualties  as 
rendered  to  this  Bureau,  of  the  actions  at 
Gettysburg  and  Morris  Island,  July  18th, 
are  herewith  presented. 

An  interesting  incident,  showing  how  the 
Hospital  Directory  can  be  of  aid  to  the  sol- 
dier, has  just  transpired. 

One  ,  Co.  C,  64th  Begiment 

New  York  Volunteers,  has  by  the  death  of 
relatives  abroad  become  heir  to  a  fortune 
of  half  a  million  of  dollars.     But  where  is 

private ?    He  has  not  been  heard  from 

for  a  long  time,  and  it  is  not  known  whether 
he  is  aUve  or  not.  It  was  suggested  that 
the  Sanitary  Commission  be  applied  to  for 
information. 

The  reply  ta  the  inquiry  was  as  follows : 

,  Co.   C,   64th  Begiment,  New 

York  Yolunteers,  was  admitted  to  U.  S. 
General  Hospital,  Camp  A,  Frederick,  Md. , 
Nov.  26th,  1862,  transferred  to  Camden  St. 
Hospital,  Baltimore,  May  17,  1863,  and 
again  transferred  to  Fort  Schuyler  Hos- 
pital, New  York,  April  24,  1863.  On  the 
17th  July  following,  he  was  detached  to  the 
1st  Battalion  Invalid  Corps,  and  is  now  on 
duty  at  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  N.  Y. 
Eespectfully  submitted. 

JOHN  BOWNE, 
Superintendent  Hospital  Directory. 


REPORT  OF  SPECIAL  RELIEF  DE- 
PARTMENT. 

Washingi'on,  D.  C, 

Oenteaii  OEracB,  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com'n., 

October  1st,  1863. 

De.  J.  FosTEB  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary: 
SiE — ^My  last  report  upon  Special  Belief 
was  dated  December  I5th,  1862.     The  pres- 


ent report  furnishes  the  statistics  of  the 
work  from  that  time  to  the  present  date, 
October  1st,  1863,  a  period  of  nine  and  a 
half  months. 

The  main  purpose  kept  in  view  in  this 
work  of  Special  Belief  for  the  paat  two 
years  has  been  this,  as  indicated  by  previ- 
ous reports: 

First.  To  supply  to  the  sick  men  of  the 
newly  arrived  regiments  such  medicines, 
food,  and  care  as  it  is  impossible  for  them 
to  receive,  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion, 
and  with  the  unavoidable  lack  of  facilities, 
from  their  own  officers.  The  men  to  be 
thus  aided  are  those  who  are  not  so  sick  as 
to  have  a  claim  upon  a  general  hospital,  and 
yet  need  immediate  care  to  guard  them 
against  serious  sickness. 

Second.  To  furnish  suitable  food,  lodg- 
ing, care  and  assistance  to  men  who  are 
honorably  discharged  from  service,  sent 
from  general  hospitals,  or  from  their  regi- 
ments, but  who  are  often  delayed  a  day  or 
more  in  the  city,  sometimes  many  days  be- 
fore they  obtain  their  papers  and  pay. 

Third.  To  communicate  with  distant  regi- 
ments in  behalf  of  discharged  men  whose 
certificates  of  disability  or  descriptive  lists 
on  which  to  draw  their  pay  prove  to  be  de- 
fective— ^the  invalid  soldiers  meantime  be- 
ing cared  for,  and  not  exposed  to  the  fa- 
tigue and  risk  of  going  in  person  to  their 
regiments  to  have  their  papers  corrected. 

Fourth.  To  act  as  the  unpaid  agent  or 
attorney  of  discharged  soldiers  who  are  too 
feeble  or  too  utterly  disabled  to  present 
their  own  claim  at  the  paymaster's  office. 

Fifth.  To  look  into  the  condition  of  dis- 
charged men  who  assume  to  be  without 
means  to  pay  the  expense  of  going  to  their 
homes;  and  to  furnish  the  necessary  means 
where  we  find  the  man  is  true  and  tibie  need 
real. 

Sixth.  To  secure  to  disabled  soldiers  rail- 
road tickets  at  reduced  rates;  and,  through 
an  agent  at  the  railroad  station,  see'  that 
these  men  are  not  robbed  or  imposed  upon 
by  sharpers. 

Seventh.  To  see  that  all  men  who  are 
discharged  and  paid  off  do  at  once  leave 
the  city  for  their  homes;  or,  in  cases  where 
they  have  been  induced  by  evil  compan- 
ions to  remain  behind,  to  endeavor  to  res- 


12 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


cue  them,  and  see  them  started  with 
through-tickets  to  their  own  towns. 

Eighth.  To  make  reasonably  clean  and 
comfortable  before  they  leave  the  city,  such 
discharged  men  as  are  deficient  in  cleanli- 
ness and  clothes. 

Ninth.  To  be  prepared  to  meet  at  once 
with  food  or  other  aid,  such  immediate  ne- 
cessities as  arise  when  sick  men  arrive  in 
the  city  in  large  numbers  from  battle-fields 
or  distant  hospitals. 

Tenth.  To  keep  a  watchful  eye  upon  aU 
soldiers  who  are  out  of  hospitals,  yet  not  in 
service;  and  give  information  to  the  proper 
authorities  of  such  soldiers  as  seem  endeav- 
oring to  avoid  duty  or  to  desert  from  the 
ranks. 

On  this  basis  of  objects  aimed  at,  I  report 
concerning  the  work  during  the  past  nine 
months  in  general  terms: 

1.  Most  of  these  old  methods  of  relief 
have  been  continued  with  satisfactory  suc- 
cess. 

2.  Some  new  methods  of  relief  have  been 
resorted  to,  which,  in  their  practical  work- 
ing, have  justified  their  introduction. 

3.  The  class  of  men  rightfully  claiming 
this  Special  Belief  assistance  of  the  Com- . 
mission  has  enlarged,  embracing  with  those 
to  whom  help  was  previously  given,  others 
whose  newly-developed  or  increasing  needs 
naturally  brought  them  under  our  care. 

4.  The  arrangements  which  are  made  by 
the  Commission  in  this  direction  (Special 
EeUef)  has  evidently  become  still  more  gen- 
erally known,  and  applied  for,  and  appre- 
ciated throughout  the  Army. 

5.  The  co-operation  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  Army,  as  also  of  the  Quar- 
termaster's, Commissary's  and  Paymaster's 
Departments,  has  been  stiU.  more  ready  and 
cordial  even  than  before. 

6.  The  cost  of  maintaining  this  branch 
of  the  Commission's  work  during  the  past 
riSne  (9)  months  has  somewhat  diminished 
relatively  to  the  number  of  men  who  have 
been  assisted,  and  the  amount  of  assistance 
rendered  to  them;  although  the  total 
amount  is  about  one-half  larger  than  in  an 
equal  term  of  time  before. 

7.  WhUe  nine  (9)  months  ago  the  direct 
caU  upon  the  Commission  for  help  from  dis- 
abled discharged  soldiers,  after  they  had 
returned  to  their  homes,  was  but  infre- 


quent, it  has  now  so  largely  increased 
(through  applications  made  to  the  Special 
EeUef  Office)  as  to  justify  me  in  presenting 
to  you  in  detail— appended  to  this  report- 
some  of  the  facts  of  the  case,  as  also  some 
statistics  which  I  have  collected  bearing 
upon  the  subject;  and  to  call  your  atten- 
tion to  the  urgent  necessity  which  evident- 
ly exists  for  having,  from  some  source  as 
early  as  possible,  a  comprehensive  and 
practical  system  matured  and  instituted, 
which  wiU  provide  for  this  class  of  men; 
unless  we  would  have  throughout  the  com- 
munity a  host  of  mendicants  who,  pointing 
to  their  honorable  wounds  and  disabled 
bodies,  wUl  have  established  their  necessity 
and  right  to  live  upon  the  charity  of  the 
people. 

Having  made  these  general  statements,  I 
will  now  report,  in  detail,  but  briefly  as 
may  be,  tipon  the  several  branches  of  Re- 
lief;— and  first,  at  Washington: 

1st.  "The  Home,"  374  NoHh  Capitol 
Street. — Increased  accommodations  for  se- 
curing room  and  comfort  at  the  Home,  re- 
ferred to  in  my  last  report,  have  been  ob- 
tained; and  now,  instead  of  140  beds,  we 
have  at  the  Home  320,  besides  a  large  bag- 
gage-room, a  convenient  washroom,  a  bath- 
house, &c.  Two  of  the  additional  build- 
ings, one  16  feet  by  60,  th^  other  28  feet 
by  90,  were  put  up  by  the  Quartermaster's 
Department.  The  third  building,  30  feet 
by  50  (with  an  L  20  by  35)  for  a  "Hospi- 
tal," this  was  at  the  expense  of  the  Com- 
mission, at  a  cost  of  about  '$800.  The  ne- 
cessity for  this  buUding,  devoted  exclusive- 
ly to  Hospital  purposes,  is  found  in  the 
fact,  that  although  the  men  who  come  un- 
der the  care  of  the  Commission  are  mostly 
on  their  way  to  their  homes,  and  might 
therefore  be  supposed  to  be  not  so  very 
feeble  as  to  need  specially  "Hospital" 
treatment,  yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  many  of 
them  are  weakened  to  such  a  degree  by 
disease,  that  by  the  time  they  reach  Wash- 
ington, or  the  railway  station  from  the 
front,  or  "from  the  various  hospitals,  their 
strength  is  nearly  exhausted,  and  they  are 
only  restored,  if  at  aU,  by  such  care  as  hos- 
pital treatment  affords;  and  frequently  they 
are  too  far  gone  to  make  even  that  avail- 
able, as  is  indicated  by  the  record,  which 
shows  that  from  February  23d  to  October 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


'\B 


Ist,  there  -were  received  at  the  Home  665 
men,  very  sick,  who  were  placed  in  the  new 
Hospital,  of  which  number  thirty-eight 
died  there..  This  was,  from  February  23d, 
when  this  new  building  was  opened;  but 
dating  back  to  December  15th,  there  has 
been  under  the  charge  of  the  Commission, 
including  those  just  named,  some  900  men 
who  were  very  sick  and  feeble,  of  which 
number  a  total  of  sixty-one  (61)  have  died 
at  the  Home.  These  were  nearly  all  men 
having  their  dischaifge  papers  with  them, 
and  they  had,  consequently,  given  up  their 
claim  upon  the  General  or  Begimental  Hos- 
pitals, and  had  taken  the  first  stage  of  their 
journey  towards  their  homes.  If  they  had 
not  found  the  care  which  the  Commission 
thus  offered  to  them,  these  same  men  must 
have  died  in  the  cars  along  the  way,  or  at 
some  stopping-point  on  their  journey.  Of 
the  remaining  840  of  these  very  feeble  men, 
we  have  reason  to  believe  that  many,  except 
for  the  care  and  rest  secured  to  them  by 
the  provision  of  the  Commission,  could  not 
have  lived  through  their  journeys. 

This  unusually  large  proportion  of  very 
sick  or  dying  men  s4io  came  into  our  hands 
is  accounted  for  by  the  fact,  that  at  the  time 
of  the  advance  movement  of  the  Army  in  the 
spring,  and  the  breaking  up  of  the  Corps 
Hospitals  near  Aquia  Creek,  discharge  pa- 
pers were  granted  to  many  soldiers  who,  in 
their  earnest  desire  once  more  to  reach 
their  homes,  counted  upon  more  strength 
than  was  left  to  them,  and  so  they  came  to 
us,  and  waited  there  tiU,  with  straining 
eyes,  and  one_hand  reached  out  towards  the 
friends  they  had  hoped  and  longed  to  see, 
they  died.  And  allow  me  here  to  record 
this  fact,  that  although  these  men  died  thus 
waiting,  hoping,  watching  to  catch  the  light 
which  almost  fell  upon  them  from  their 
firesides  at  home,  yet  from  the  Hps  of  no 
one  of  those  sixty  dyingimen  has  a  murmur 
or  complaint  been  heard;  tender  messages 
did  they  leave  to  be  sent  on,  but  not  one 
word  of  repining  at  their  fate;  no  syllable 
of  regret  that  they  had  joined  the  ranks — 
discharged  from  the  service  they  were,  but 
soldiers  stUl — ^they  died  in  their  country's 
cause. 

In  charge  of  this  "Home  Hospital"  is 
an  experienced  and  kindly  nurse  as  Ma- 
tron, Miss  Charlotte  Bradford,  who  s^ved 


faithfully  last  summer  upon  the  "Hospi- 
tal Transports;"— there  are  day  and  night 
watchers,  and  aU  facilities  for  giving  cheer- 
fulness and  comfort  to  these  men  detained 
by  the  way. 

The  surgeon  now  in  charge  of  the  Home 
is  Dr.  T.  B.  Smith,  whose  report  accompa- 
nies this;  his  labors  are  successful.  Dr. 
Smith  is  also  Medical  Examiner  for  Pen- 
sions, for  the  Commission.  The  former 
surgeon  in  charge.  Dr.  Grymes,  who  for 
nearly  a  year  and  a  half  had  given  his  whole 
soul  and  strength  to  the  work,  died  in  Jan- 
uary last.  He  was  at  his  post  almost  till 
the  hour  of  his  death,  though  too  feeble  to 
walk  without  support.  He  had  a  loyal  and 
a  loving  heart,  and  the  Commission  as  well 
as  the  soldiers  certainly  have  cause  to  re- 
member him  with  the  deepest,  tenderest 
gratitude. 

In  order  to  show  more  in  detail  the  work 
of  the  "Home,"  I  make  the  following  ex- 
tracts from  the  Report  of  Dr.  Smith,  in- 
cluded in  the  Eeport  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Clark, 
the  Superintendent: 

"  On  many  occasions,  either  during  my 
visits  to  the  sick,  or  just  previous  to  their 
departure  for  home  or  their  regiments, 
have  soldiers  spontaneously,  and  with  emo- 
tions of  gratitude,  exclaimed,  '  Doctor, 
this  is  very  unexpected  kindness,'  'I  have 
seen  no  such  care  and  comfort  since  leav- 
ing my  home. '  One  recently  said  to  me, 
while  sitting  in  the  Hospital  and  looking 
upon  the  completion  of  arrangements  for 
his  departure,"  '  Doctor,  I  have  been  so 
kindly  treated  here,  and  been  helped  so 
much  more  than  at  any  time  before,  since 
my  sickness,  that  I  am  almost  afraid  to  go 
beyond  that  door.'  These  are  a  few  of 
many  grateful  expressions  which  the  com- 
fort they  have  enjoyed  has  called  forth 
from  the  soldiers  under  treatment  in  this 
Hospital;  and  not  from  these  only;  for  we 
keep  at  the  Home  constantly  a  supply  of 
beds,  stretchers,  and  comforts  of  aU  kinds, 
to  be  placed  on  board  the  cars  when  need- 
ed there — articles  which  are  daily  sent  for 
from  the  railroad  station,  where  notice  is 
given  that  all  these  aids  are  ready,  near 
by,  for  any  sick  soldier  who  needs  thein  on 
his  journey. 

That  the  community  at  large  are  only 
partially  informed  of  the  character  and 


14 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


amount  of  good  work  done  in  this  in- 
stitution, I  am  well  satisfied,  judging  from 
the  expressions  of  favorable  surprise  made 
by  citizen  visitors  and  relatives  of  soldiers 
who  come  in  from  abroad,  and  thus  see  and 
judge  for  themselves.  The  procuring  of 
pay,  pensions,  and  transportation  for  the 
men  while  they  lie  comfortably  in  the  Hos- 
pital under  treatment,  would  alone  be  ac- 
complishing much,  the  omission  of  which 
would  cause  indescribable  suffering,  and 
loss  and  anxiety  to  the  disabled  soldier. " 

"  Many  within  the  past  four  months  have 
reached  the  '  Home'  in  a  dying  condition. 
Such  have  invariably,  I  believe,  been  care- 
fully watched;  their  own  names,  and  pa- 
rents' or  friends'  names  and  residences  ob- 
tained and  recorded;  their  effects  secured, 
labeled,  and  stored  away  safely.  When 
thought  wise,  on  account  of  time  requisite 
to  reach  this  city,  their  friends  have  been 
informed  of  all  these  circumstances  by  tel- 
egraph. The  dead  are  in  all  instances  af- 
forded a  proper  burial  in  the  Government 
grounds,  and  each  grave  ijroperly  designa- 
ted; or,  if  so  requested  by  friends,  the 
bodies  are  forwarded." 

"In  June  last  many  of  the  two  years' 
regiments  went  home,  and  on  their  way 
through  this  city,  their  wounded  and  sick 
who  were  too  feeble  to  go  forward  with  the 
regiments,  entered  our  little  Hospital. 
Over  120  have  in  this  way  either  stopped, 
to  be  subsequently  properly  disposed  of  in 
General  Hospitals,  or  simply  to  have  their 
wounds  dressed  and  eat  a  meal,  to  invigo- 
rate them  for  the  tiresome  railroad  journey 
before  them." 

"The  doors  of  the  'Home'  are  open 
night  and  day;  yet  vigilant  watch  is  kept, 
not  to  harbor  any  man  who  ought  to  be  with 
his  regiment,  or  reporting  to  some  Medical 
Officer.  Otherwise,  the  *  Home '  would 
quickly  become  what  of  course  there  is,  as 
we  are  ready  to  acknowledge,  apparent  and 
real  danger  of  its  becoming,  unless  wisely 
managed,  viz.,  a  pliila'nthropio  interference 
with  Army  discipline,  pleading  its  human- 
ity as  an  excuse  for  its  intrusioh.  To  unite 
tender  kindness  and  cordial  welcome  with 
the  exercise  of  a  discriminating  judgment, 
and  often  stem  authority,  is  not  easy;  but 
I  believe  that  in  our  Special  EeUef  work 
the  presence  of  the  one  does  not  exclude 


the  working  of  the  other,  and  that  not  the 
soldier  only,  but  the  Army,  is  the  stronger 
because  of  the  'Home.'  The  name  of 
every  man  who  enters  there  is  recorded, 
his  papers  examined,  and  how  he  came 
there,  found  out.  Whenever  there  is  a 
doubt  about  the  man,  a  thorough  inves- 
tigation of  his  case  is  at  once  made,  which 
sometimes  results  in  turning  over  to  the 
military  authorities  deserters,  and  men 
who  think  that  within  the  walls  of  a  chari- 
table institution  they  can  find  a  ready  shel- 
ter for  a  mean  shirking  of  duty. 

"  I  enter  this  record  because  it  is  needed 
to  answer  the  honest  objection  which,  on 
the  ground  of  its  'tendency  to  weaken 
military  discipline,'  might  be  made  to  the 
fundamental  principle  on  which  the  Spe- 
cial Relief  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion is  based,  and  on  which  the  Homes  and 
Lodges,  scattered  now  all  over  the  East 
and  West,  are  founded.  The  authority  and 
importance  of  military  discipline  are  not 
set  aside  or  lost  sight  of;  on  the  contrary, 
they  are  always  rigidly  insisted  upon.  In 
this  work  the  Sanitary  Commission,  as  the 
representatives  of  the  people  at  home,  seeks 
to  do  precisely  what  it  believes  would  gladly 
be  done — were  it  right  or  possible  to  enter 
into  this  kind  of  work — ^by  the  Military  and 
Medical  authorities  themselves,  under  the 
administration  which  the  people  aU  so  cor- 
dially desire  to  support." 

To  turn  again  to  the  records  of  the  Home. 

Number  of  different  individuals  re- 
ceived there  from  Dec.  15th,  1862, 
to  October  1st,  1863 7,187 

Number  of  nights'  lodging  furnish- 
ed  26,523 

Number  of  meals  furnished 65,621 

Almost  all  the  men  received  here  have 
been  men  discharged  from  the  service  on 
account  of  disability,  wounds,  or  continued 
sickness.  Of  these,  one-half  at  least  were 
delayed  in  the  citj'  on  account  of  imperfec- 
tions in  some  of  their  discharge  papers,  the 
final  statements,  on  which  to  draw  their  pay, 
requiring  often  a  number, of  days  for  their 
correction. 

The  Superintendent's  report  divides  the 
7,187  men  received  recently  at  the  Home 
as  follows: 

Maine .-...,■ 374 

New  Hampshire 194 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


15 


Vermont 177 

Massachusetts 866 

Rhode  Island 63 

Connecticut 152 

New  York 2,063 

New  Jersey 410 

Pennsylvania 1,658 

Delaware 29 

Maryland 35 

Virginia 36 

California  ^ 3 

Michigan 259 

Ohio 178 

Indiana 118 

lUinois 55 

Wisconsin 199 

Minnesota 10 

Colorado 3 

District  of  Columbia 5 

U.  S.  Army,  (Begulars) 262 

U.  8.  Navy 1 

Quartermaster's  Department  8 

Political  Eelugees 7 

Contract  Nurses 53 

Next  in  order  after  the  "  Home"  is  Lodge 
No.  2,  in  "  17th"  Street:  this  was  no  longer 
needed,  and  was  closed  in  March;  larger 
accommodations  more  centrally  situated 
rendered  its  continuance  unnecessary. 

Number  of  nights'  lodging  given 
them  from  Dec.  15th  to  March 
12th 1,550 

Number  of  meals 2,130 

Lodge  No.  3,  in  "  F  "  Street.  When  this 
Lodge  was  built,  the  office  for  the  pay- 
ment of  discharged  soldiers  was  near  by, 
in  "  r  "  St. ;  that  office  haviug  been  remov- 
ed to  "H"  St.,  this  Lodge  has  been  closed: 
(it  now  is  used  as  the  local  storehouse  of 
the  Cornmission,  and  furnishes  excellent 
accommodations. ) 

From  Dec.  15th  until  it  was  closed, 
this  Lodge  furnished  nights'  lodg- 


ing. 


3,760 


Meals 17,960 

Lodge  No.  4,  in  "  H"  Street.  This  is  the 
new  Lodge  with  large  accommodations, 
immediately  connected  with  the  office  of 
the  Payniaster  for  discharged  soldiers.  It 
was   opened  about  the  1st  of  Februai-y. 

Number  of  nights'  lodging  furnish- 
ed at  Lodge  No.  4,  from  February 
1st  to  Oct.  1st 9,832 

Nuniber  of  meals  furnished. ..... ...50,096 

This  relief  station  consists  of  six  build- 
ings. A  dormatory  of  a  hundred  beds:  a 
dining-room.  Beating  about  one  hundred, 
with  a  large  kitchen  attached:  a  baggage- 
room,  where  all  the  discharged  men  comjng 


in  to  be  paid  off  can  deposit  their  baggage, 
receiving  a  check  for  it:  a  storehouse: 
quarters  for  the  guard:  and  a  building  con- 
taining the  office  of  the  Free  Pension 
Agency,  office  of  the  Medical  Examiner  for 
pensions,  and  ticket  office  for  thejjEailroad 
agent,  selling  through-tickets  to  soldiers  at 
reduced  rates  of  fare.. 

All  disabled  soldiers  discharged  directly 
from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  or  from  the 
Hospitals  in  this  vicinity  come  to  the  Pay- 
master's office,  which  is  within  this  same 
inclosure,  to  be  paid  off.  Government  can 
no  longer  hold  itself  directly  responsible 
for  these  men,  and  here  is  where  we  take 
them  up.  Yet  Government  cordially  co- 
operates in  our  work,  furnishing  to  the 
Commission  part  of  these  very  buildings, 
and  giving  such,  army  rations  at  this  Lodge 
as  we  can  use  for  these  men  advanta- 
.  geously  with  our  other  supplies. 

The  object  of  the  whole  thing  at  this 
Lodge  is  this,  viz. :  so  to  supply  to  the  dis- 
charged soldier  close  at  his  hand  and  with- 
out a  cent  of  cost,  all  that  he  needs — food, 
lodging,  assistance  in  correcting  his  papers, 
aid  in  looking  up  his  claims,  help  in  ob- 
taining his  pension  and  his  bounty — such 
that  there  can  be  no  excuse  or  opportunity 
for  the  soldier  to  put  himself  or  be  put 
into  the  hands  of  claim  agents  and  sharp- 
ers, or  to  go  out  and  expose  himself  to  the 
temptations  of  the  city. 

To  secure  this  end,  every  man  who  comes 
to  the  paymaster  with  his  discharge,  at  once 
receives  a  ticket  insuring  him  care  and  a 
helping  hand;  and  by  an  arrangement  with 
.  the  paymaster,  whenever,  a  man  appears 
with  defective  papers,  he  is  at  once  referred 
to  the  Belief  Office  for  assistance  or  advice. 
The.  work  at  that  office  occupies  three  per- 
sons constantly,  besides  those  who  go  with 
oases  that  have  to  be  looked  up  personally 
at  the  hospitals  or  with  the  regimental  offi- 
cers in  the  field,  and  cannot  be  arranged  by 
correspondence. 

To  indicate  something  of  the  kind  of 
work  done  here,  I  make  the  following  ex- 
tract from  the  report  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Abbott, 
who  has  served  most  faithfully  and  efficient- 
ly as  Assistant  Special  Belief  Agent,  with 
his  office  at  Lodge  No.  4,  and  upon  whom 
almost  the  entire  responsibility  •  in  this  de- 
partment for  the  past  year  has  rested. 


16 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


"At  this  office  and  Lodge  No.  4,  from 
Jan'y  1st  to  Oct.  1st,  1863,  tlie  number  of 
discharged  soldiers  whose  accounts  against 
the  Government  have  been  settled  through 
our  assistance,  men  who  were  too  feeble  to 
attend  to  settling  their  own  accounts,  or 
who  were  unable  to  obtain  their  pay,  be- 
cause of  some  charge  against  them  on  the 
pay-rolls,  or  some  errors  in  their  papers, 
2,130." 

Information  and  directions  have  been 
given  relative  to  settling  pay  accounts,  col- 
ilecting    arrears  of   pay,   extra  duty  pay, 
commutation  money  to  about  9,000  men. 

The  aggregate  value  of  the  2,130  cases 
amounted  to  $130,159.01.  This  amount 
was  collected  and  paid  to  the  soldiers 
through  this  office. 

But  for  the  gratuitous  aid  thus  affiDrded 
these  soldiers  discharged  from  the  service, 
disabled  by  wounds  or  worn  down  by  long 
marches  and  exposure  in  the  field,  or  en- 
feebled by  disease,  anxious  to  get  home, 
would  have  applied  to  "  Claim  Agents  "  for 
aid  in  obtaining  speedily  their  dues  from 
the  Government,  submitting  willingly  to 
pay  a  commission  ranging  from  10  to  40 
per  cent.  These  agents,  with  some  rare  and 
admirable  exceptions,  in  four  cases  out  of 
every  five,  impede  the  settlement  of  ac- 
counts instead  of  facilitating  them. 

Taking  10  per  cent,  as  an  average,  which  is 
the  lowest  commission  usually  charged  by 
Claim  Agents,  the  amount  saved  to  the 
soldiers  in  adjusting  the  2,130  cases  of 
which  a  record  has  been  kept,  is  shown  to 
be  $13,015.90.  Add  to  this  10  per  cent,  of 
the  probable  aggregate  value  of  the  9,000 
cases  in  which  information  and  directions 
have  been  given,  (for  in  most  of  these  cases 
the  soldiers  would  otherwise  have  gone  to 
Claim  Agents,)  and  the  amount  saved  to 
the  soldiers  through  the  Commission  by 
this  office  is  shown  to  be  at  least  $70,000 
•during  nine  months  ending  Sept.  30th. 

The  number  of  letters  written  in  adjust- 
ing the  above  cases  of  sufficient  importance 
to  make  a  copy  necessary,  2,224. 

Many  of  the  cases  have  been  very  diffi- 
cult to  adjust,  requiring  several  weeks  to 
complete  them.  Below  I  add  extracts  of 
two  or  three  cases  from  a  day's  record  of 
the  Journal,  which  will  show  explicitly  the 
character  of  the  cases  we  adjust  and  the 


difficulties  we  meet  with   in   completing 
them. 

"  Serg't  Edward  W.  M.  Passage,  Company 
F,,16th  Beg't  Mich.  Vols.  Enrolled  at 
Plymouth,  Mich.,  in  July,  1861,  to  serve 
three  years  or  during  the  war.  '  Discharged 
by  reason  of  a  Surgeon's  Certificate  of  dis- 
ability, given  at  Convalescent  Camp,  April 
30th,  1863.'  The  Commander  of  the  Post 
being  unable  to  obtain  from  his  Company 
Commander  his  descriptive  list,  the  date  of 
last  payment  could  not  be  given  in  his 
final  statements,  nor  his  clothing  account, 
except  the  amount  ($3.60)  of  extra  cloth- 
ing drawn  at  Convalescent  Camp.  Left 
his  regiment  in  June,  '62,  just  previous  to 
the  battles  before  Biohmond,  having  fallen 
a  victim  to  the  malarial  fever;  was  put 
into  one  of  the  corps  hospitals  for  a  few 
days,  and  then  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe, 
where  he  remained  a  short  time.  He  was 
then  transferred  to  General  Hospital  in 
Philadelphia.  In  this  Hospital  he  re- 
ceived a  furlough  for  thirty  days,  and  went 
home  to  Detroit,  Michigan.  At  the  expi- 
ration of  his  furlough,  being  tmable  to  re- 
port back  to  Philadelphia,  he  reported,  as 
soon  as  he  was  able,  to  the  nearest  military 
post,  St.  Mary's  General  Hospital,  De- 
troit, Michigan;  but  not  aware  of  the  prop- 
er form,  did  not  notify  the  surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  Hospital  in  Philadelphia, 
where  he  received  his  furlough;  conse- 
quently he  was  marked  '  deserter, '  and  so 
reported  to  his  Company  Commander,  who 
has  borne  him  as  'a  deserter'  upon  the 
subsequent  pay-rolls. 

"WhUe  in  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  having 
partially  recovered  his  health,  he  received 
papers  from  Michigan  authorizing  him  to 
recruit  men  for  the  service,  at  the  same 
time  receiving  a  furlough  for  twenty  days, 
which  was  twice  extended  twenty  days. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  furlough  exten- 
sions he  reported  to  the  commander  of  the 
Military  Barracks  at  Detroit,  who  reported 
him  for  duty  and  forwarded  him  to  Wash- 
ington. From  Washington  he  was  sent  to 
Convalescent  Camp,  and  there  pronounced 
unfit  for  military  duty  and  discharged  from 
the  service." 

"This  man  was  not  aware  that  he  was 
marked  '  a  deserter '  tOl  he  applied  to  the 
Paymaster-General  to  get  indorsed  upon 
his  final  statements  the  date  of  his  last 
payment.  Then  he  was  informed  that  he 
was  entitled  to  no  pay,  being  borne  '  a  de- 
serter '  upon  the  pay-roll.  He  denied  the 
charge,  and  was  referred  by  the  Chief 
Clerk  to  this  office  for  assistance  in  get- 
ting the  charge  removed. 

"We  obtained  a  certificate  from  the  sur- 
geon or  physician  who  attended  him  after 
the  expiration  of  his  furlough  until  he  re- 
ported to  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  stating  that 
during  this  time  he  was  unable  to  report 


The  Sanitary  •Commission  BuUddn, 


17 


because  of  disability.  This  certificate  was 
given  ijnder  oatti  before  a  Notary  Public. 
Certificates  were  also  obtained,  one  by  one, 
from  the  several  military  posts  where  he 
had  been,  coveringhis  time  from  the  date 
he  was  marked  a  deserter  to  the  date  of  his 
discharge.  Upon  these  certificates  we  got 
the  charge  removed  and  secured  his  pay. " 

"Wm.  Benty,  private,  Company  P,  16th 
Begiment  U.  S.  fiifantry,  enlisted  at  Clay- 
ton, Iowa,   November  6th,   1861.      'Dis- 
charged on  a  surgeon's  certificate  of  disa- 
bility,' given  at  Camp  Parole,  Annapolis, 
Md.,  April  7th,  1863,  'because  of  a  gun- 
shot wound,  the  ball  never  having  been  ex- 
tracted. '    The  wound  has  not  healed,  and 
it  troubles  him  very  much;  he  is  anxious 
to  get  home;   says  he    '  cares  very  little 
about  his  pay,  if  he  can  only  get  home.' 
He  was  wounded  at  Pittsburg   Landing, 
Tennessee,  sent  to  Hospital,  Newport,  Ken- 
tucky,  where  he  remained    nearly   three 
months.     The  surgeon  considered  him  un- 
fit for  military  duty,  and  was  willing  to  give 
him  a  discharge,  but  could  not,  as  he  could 
not  obtain  his  descriptive  list.     At  his  own 
request,  the  com.mander  of  the  post  gave 
him  a  pass  to  go  to  his  regiment,  then  in 
Northern  Alabama,  to  get  his  descriptive 
list.     On  his.  way  back  he  was  taken  pris- 
oner by  guerrillas,  (this  was  about  the  22d 
of  August,   1862,)  his  money  and  effects 
taken  from  him,  and  his  papers  destroyed. 
He  was  sent  to  Chattanooga,  thence  to  Ma- 
con, Georgia,  and  after  nearly  two  months' 
confinement,   was  sent  to  Richmond  and 
paroled  on  the  18th  of  October,  1862.    At 
the  expiration  of  his  pass,  given  by  the 
commander  of  the  post  at  Newport,  Ken- 
tucky, he  had  been  niarked  'a  deserter,' 
as  nothing  had  been  heard  of  him,  and  so 
reported  to  his  commanding  officer,  who 
marked  him  '  a  deserter '  upon  the  regi- 
m.ental  pay-rolls. 

"  We  obtained  a  certificate  from  the  Com- 
missary-General of  paroled  prisoners,  giv- 
ing the  date  of  his  capture  and  parole,  gath- 
ered up  "one  by  one  all  the  important  facts 
of  the  case,  and  forwarded  them  to  his  Com- 
pany Commander,  so  that  at  length  we  ob- 
tained a  certificate,  certifying  that  the  man 
had  been  wrongly,  marked  'a  deserter." 
Upon  this  evidence,  the  charge  was  remov- 
ed and  his  pay  secured,  amounting  to  nearly 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

"This  man  we  furnished  transportation 
home,  from  money  of  the  '  Ware  Fund,'  and 
when, his  account  was  settled,  we  forwarded 
him  a  draft  for  hia  money." 

"George  Poole,  Company  K,  3d  Mary- 
land Vols.,  enrolled  in  Company  0,  Balti- 
more Light  Infantry,  in  Dec,  1861;  he  was 
subsequently  transferred  to  Company  B. 
In  June, ,  1862,  the  Baltimore  Light  Infantry 
was  consolidated  with  the  3d  Indiana  Yols. 
He  was  put  into  Company  K,  a  new  com- 


pany formed  at  the  time  of  oonsoUdation. 
Discharged  on  a  surgeon's  certificate  of 
disability  given  at  Convalescent  Camp; 
claims  pay  from  the  28th  of  Peb'y,  1862,  to 
the  date  of  his  discharge,  except  for  the 
months  of  January,  February,  March,  and 
April,  1863,  for  which  months  he  was  paid, 
except  from  the  29th  of  Jan'y  to  th,e  19th 
of  Feb. ;  for  this  period  his  pay  was  de- 
ducted, he  being  marked  a  '  deserter. '  I 
obtained  an  official  certificate  showing  that 
he  was  not  a  deserter  for  this  period,  and 
got  the  charge  removed,  which  entitles  him 
to  the  amount  deducted  from  his  pay.  To 
secure  his  back  pay  or  get  it  endorsed  iipon 
his  final  statements,  we  were  obliged  to  get 
statements  from  rolls  in  the  2d  Comptrol- 
ler's office,  2d  Auditor's  office,  and  offices  of 
two  regimental  paymasters,  besides  exam- 
ining several  rolls  in  different  accounts 
on  file  at  the  PaymasteifeGeneral's  office,  to 
verify  his  statement,  or  to  obtain  evidence 
that  he  was  really  entitled  to  the  pay  which 
he  claimed. 

"  Having  shown  satisfactory  evidence  to 
the  Pay  Department  that  he  was  entitled 
to  the  pay  which  he  claimed,  it  was  endors- 
ed upon  his  final  statement,  and  his  money 
secured,  amounting  to  1186.85." 

"We  are  daily  completing  such  cases  as 
the  above,  and  some  more  compKcated, 
which,  except  for  the  aid  afforded  by  the 
Commission,  would  have  been  placed  in  the 
hands  of  claim  agents  before  referred  to, 
who  usually  charge  in  such  cases  from  $25 
to  $50;  or  the  soldiers  would  have  disposed 
of  their  claims  to  some  sharper  for  a  pas- 
sage home,  as  many  of  these  men  are  very 
willing  to  do,  after  having  been  confined 
in  hospitals  for  months,  and  anxious  to 
reach  their  friends;  and  in  such  cases  the 
man  leaves  with  the  word  '  deserter'  affixed 
to  him." 

"We  are  greatly  indebted  to  the  uni- 
form kindness,  consideration,  and  co-oper- 
ation that  has  invariably  been  extended  to 
us  by  the  officers  and  clerks  of  the  various 
Government  offices  with  whom  we  have 
had  business  to  perform.  I  desire  espe- 
cially to  mention  the  names  of  E.  H. 
Brooks,  Esq.,  chief  clerk,  Paymaster-Gen- 
eral's office,  and  Major  D.  Taylor,  Paymas- 
ter of  discharged  soldiers." 

"  In  submitting  this  report,  I  desire  to 
bear  testimony  to  the  faithfidness  of  my 
assistants,  and  their  constant  interest  ia 
the  work." 

Lodge  No.  5,  near  6th  Street  Wharf.  This 
was  a  small  building,  but  it  has  rendered 
valuable  service,  giving  food  and  shelter  to 
sick  or  wounded  men  arriving  on  the  boats 
from  Aquia  Creek,  and  furnishing  food  to 
be  carried  into  such  boats  as,  loaded  with 
wounded,  had  no  adequate  provision  for 
feeding  the  men  on  board. 


18 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


An  ambulance  was  stationed  at  this 
Lodge  to  take  men  to  the  Home,  or  to  Hos- 
pitals: the  Superintendent  of  the  Lodge 
visited  every  boat  immediately  on  its  arrival 
at  the  wharf,  and  rendered  all  assistance 
and  gave  all  needed  information  to  the  sick 
or  wounded,  taking  those  unable  to  walk 
in  ambulances,  and  guiding  the  others  to 
the  horse-cars,  and  furnishing  them  with 
tickets  to  go  to  the  Paymaster's  ofSce,  or  to 
the  Home,  tii  elsewhere,  as  the  case  might 
be. 

There  was  one  week,  at  the  time  of  the 
breaking  up  of  the  Corps  Hospitals  near 
Aqtda,  Creek,  when  we  gave  cofifee  and  food 
to  over  five  thousand  (5,000)  men  on  board 
the  boats  which  arrived  at  the  wharf. 

The  boats  came  up  in  such  rapid  succes- 
sion, that  with  aU  the  efficiency  of  the 
Medical  Director,  (and  surely  no  man  in  the 
whole  Medical  Department — ^I  am  safe  in 
saying — does  or  can  more  fully  and  ad- 
mirably unite  wise  and  energetic  efficiency 
with  kind  and  generous  humanity,  than 
does  Dr.  Abbott,  the  Medical  Director  at 
Washington),  with  all  his  promptness  in 
having  his  entire  train  of  ambulances  at 
the  wharf  waiting  night  and  day,  it  was 
simply  impossible  but  that  many  of  these 
men,  numbered  by  thousands,  should  be 
detained  often  some  hours  before  their 
turn  would  come  to  be  removed.  Mean- 
time, they  needed  just  the  care  we  were 
ready  to  give  to  them. 

This  necessity  existed,  as  is  seen,  from 
no  oversight  in  having  all  reasonable  pro- 
visions made. 

And  in  this  connection  I  may  fitly  refer, 
both  for  the  sake  of  justice  to  the  Medical 
Department,  and  as  an  apology  for  our  own. 
existence,  to  the  frequent  inquiry  uttered, 
often  in  a  toiie  of  censure,  how  it  is  possi- 
ble, if  the  Medical  officers  do  their  duty, 
that  there  can  be  any  opportunity  even  for 
this  supplementary  work  of  relief. 

The  question  shows  utter  ignorance  of 
the  terrific  weight  of  work  of  the  most 
complicated  and  delicate  character,  which 
the  officers  of  the  Medical  Department  had 
upon  their  hands,  and  of  their  constant 
liability  to  be  called  upon  at  any  moment 
to  meet  great  and  unexpected  emergencies. 
The  fact  is  simply  this :  that  while  the  Med- 
ical Department  has  made  a  larger  and 


wiser  provision  for  the  comfort  of  the  siek 
and  the  wounded  than  the  world  ever  be- 
fore saw,  there  is  not,  and  cannot  be,  a 
minuteness  of  detail  and  a  waiting  at 
every  comer  to  give  to  a  fainting  soldier  a 
cup  of  water,  such  as  friends  at  home  in 
their  anxious  love  ask  for.  Tet  this 
work  needs  to  be  done,  and  therefore  we, 
who  are  simply  the  hands  to  the  people's 
heart  and  bounty,  do  the  work.  But  if  the 
Medical  Department  were  to  attempt  it  in 
all  its  minutiae  of  detail,  their  power  for 
their  own  hundred-fold  greater  work  would 
be  weakened  in  a  way  that  would  find  no 
justification. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression:  this 
Lodge,  No.  5,  was  removed  a  month  since 
to  Maryland  Avenue,  near  the  E.  K.  Sta- 
tionj  where  it  is  doing  the  Same  work  for 
the  sick  or  wounded  arriving  by  cars  from 
the  Army,  which  was  formerly  done  on  the 
wharf,  for  those  arriving  by  boats. 

The  whole  number  of  nights'  lodging 
furnished  at  this  building  from 
Jan.  Ist  to  Oct..  1st 1,620 

Meals 14,590 

Closely  connected  with  the  work  at  the 
Relief  Station  in  Maryland  Avenue  is  the 
Lodge  at  Alexandria,  located  within  the 
stockade,  near  the  railway  track  and  junc- 
tion, where  aU  the  cars  to  and  from  the 
Army  stop.  Here  there  is  a  Lodge  16 
feet  by  90,  with  an  L  24x32,  furnished  with 
aU  conveniences  of  gas  and  water,  and  ad- 
mirably arranged  and  conducted  by  Mr. 
James  Eichardaon,  Special  Eelief  Agent. 
Alexandria  is  now  the  "  Gateway  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,"  and  whenever  a 
train  of  sick  or  wounded  is  coming  in,  a 
telegram  is  sent  in  advance  from  the  front, 
and  when  the  train  arrives  at  this  point 
food  is  ready  for  them  and  distributed 
among  them  while  the  train  is  waiting. 
Here,  too,  are  often  gathered  at  night  sick 
men  who  arrive  too  late  to  go  on  to  Wash- 
ington, or  who  are  unexpectedly  delayed. 
A  sign  upon  the  office  of  Col.  Devereux 
reads,  "All  sick,  wounded,  and  invalid  sol- 
diers are  requested  to  report  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  Lodge." 

The  necessity  for  the  existence  of  this 
Eelief  Station  is  indicated  by  the  fact, that 
during  the  first  week  after  it  was  opened 
1,761  meals  were  given  here. 


The  Sanitary  Ootrismssion  Bulletin. 


19 


In  January  last  "The  Nurses'  Home" 
was  opened,  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  Dr. 
Caldwell,  in  Waskyigton,  near  the  Special 
EeUef  Office. 

The  Nurses'  Home  has  proved  a  source 
of  immense  relief  to  nurses  arriving  in  the 
city,  and  to  those  worn  down  by  service  at 
the  hospitals  and  needing  a  few  days  of 
quiet  and  rest,  and  also  to  the  wives  and 
mothers,  and  sometimes  daughters,  of  sol- 
diers, who  have  come  on  seeking  their  hus- 
bands, or  sons,  or  fathers,  in  the  various 
hospitals.  We  have  had  a  very  large  num- 
ber, during  the  past  two  months,  of  this 
latter  class  to  care  for,  who,  utterly  igno- 
rant of  the  cost  of  the  journey,  and  of  ob- 
taining board  and  lodging,  even  for  a  day 
or  two,  in  the  city,  were  utterly  destitute 
ajid  helpless.  A  number  who  were  weary 
and  almost  broken-hearted  have  been  re- 
ceived here  as  at  a  home.  A  number  of 
refugees,  also^mothers  and  little  children 
— have  been  received  here  and  warmed  and 
dothed.  This  has  proved  ia  its  working 
one  of  the  kindest  charities  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

Since  the  "Nurses'  Home"  was 
opened,  in  January,  the  total  num- 
ber of  nights'  lodging  given  here  has 

been 1,583 

Meals  furnished 3,040 

Number  of  different  women  sheltered 

andadmitted 1,190 

Total  cost  to  Commission,  about $2,300 

In  regard  to  the  Tree  Pension  Agency,  I 
make  th«  following  extract  from  the  Re- 
port of  Mr.  Bascom,  the  Director: 

"The  Pension  Agency  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  commenced  its  work  on  the 
10th  of  February,  1868,  and  up  to  this  date 
(Oct.  1st)  985  applications  for  invalid  pen- 
sions have  been  made  from  this  office,  and 
the  necessary  papers  filed  in  the  Govern- 
ment Pension  Bureau." 

The  Agency  has  proved  a  beneficent  one 
to  the  soldiers  in  many  ways. 

1.  "It  has  saved  to  them  already  an  ag- 
.  gregate  expense  of  more  than-  six  thousand 

doUars,  ($6,000,)  and  at  the  same  rate  wiU 
save  in  a  year  over  ten  thousaiid  ($10,005.) 

2.  "It  has  rescued  them  from  imposi- 
tion, annoyance,  and  a  great  amount  of 
trouble,  in  ascertaining  in  what  way  to  pro- 
cure their  pensions. 

3.  "It  has  aided  a  considerable  number 
of  soldiers  to  obtain  complete  testimony  to 
sustain  their  claims  after  their  regularly  , 
appointed  and  paid  attorneys  have  refipsed,  " 


unless  with  additional  fees,  to  procure  es- 
sential evidence. 

4.  "It  has  also  come  to  the  relief  of  sev- 
eral who  had  employed  and  paid  attorneys 
whom  the  Pension  Office  has  refused,  on 
account  of  some  misconduct,  to  recognize 
as  attorneys  in  any  case. 

"Finally,  the  Agency  has  been  of  no 
small  service  to  the  Government,  in  pro- 
curing and  forwarding  all  the  testimony 
bearing  upon  a  claipi — that  which  makes 
against  a  case,  as  weU  as  that  which  makes 
for  it.  In  this  way  it  will  undoubtedly 
save  many  hundreds  of  doUars  to  the  Gov- 
ernment in  a  moderate  length  of  time." 

Agency  for  getting  Back  Pay  for  Soldiers 
in  Hospitals. — It  was  found  that  very  many 
soldiers  in  hospitals  had  various  amounts 
of  back  pay  due  them,  ^which  their  fami- 
lies sorely  needed,  but  which  was  so  tied 
up,  that  it  could  not  be  collected  without 
an  amount  of  investigation  and  labor  which 
the  Paymasters  had  no  right  to  bestow 
upon  individuals. 

An  agent  of  the  Commission,  authorized 
by  the  Paymaster-General's  Chief  Clerk,  has 
entered  upon  the  work  of  obtaining  the 
necessary  information  in  each  such  case,  so 
as  to  enable  the  Chief  Clerk  to  furnish  to, 
the  man  a  certificate  of  the  pay  due  to 
him,  so  that  he  can  draw  his  money  upon  it. 

The  report  of  Mr.  Neal,  the  agent  of  the 
Ooinmission,  shows  that  in  Stanton  Hos- 
pital alone,  during  the  first  week  of  his 
work,  the  back  pay  of  56  men  was  thus 
collected.  Some  of  it  had  been  due  six  or 
eight  months,  and  the  men  had  been  mus- 
tered and  paid  for  intermediate  months, 
leaving  this  which  was  due  in  the  position 
of  an  old  debt.  The  total  amount  of  money 
thus  put  into  the  hands  of  these  56  men 
(almost  every  dollar  of  which,  as  I  learned, 
was  sent  to  their  homes  by  the  chaplain,) 
was  over  $3,000.  The  detail  of  this  work 
involves  much  painstaking  labor,  but  its 
results  amply  repay  for  the  time,  expense, 
and  care. 

Another  agency  connected  with  the 
Special  Belief  Office  has  been  the  work  of 
seeking  to  guard  the  discharged  soldiers 
while  scattered  through  the  city  from  being 
robbed  or  foully  dealt  with.  For  this  pur- 
pose during  the  past  six  months  we  have 
employed,  besides  a  relief  agent,  a  "Detec- 
tive," who  visits  the  E.  E.  Station  and  all 
the  places  of  resort,  and  whose  duty  it  has 


20 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Buttetvn. 


been  to  wateh  for  and  taring  to  justice  all 
persons  who  were  imposing  upon  the  sol- 
diers, detaining  them,  leading  them  astray, 
or  committiijg  fraud  upon  them;  and  the 
city  is  full  of  men  who  are  thus  lying  in  wait 
for  the  soldier.  This  detective,  by  means 
which  need  not  be  specified,  has  rendered 
great  service,  and  his  work  is  not  ended. 

The  Belief  Station  and  branch  of  the 
"Home"  at  "Convalescent  Camp,"  Alexan- 
dria, near  Fort  Albany,  is  still  under  the 
care  of  Miss  Amy  M.  Bradley,  formerly 
matron  of  the  "Home." 

The  whole  work  is  managed  eflciently 
and  with  great  success.  She  has  the  con- 
fidence and  co-operation  of  all  the  officers 
in  charge  of  the  Corps,  and  daily  she  comes 
with  ambulances  into  Washington,  to  the 
Paymaster's  office,  and  to  the  "Homeland 
EaUway  station,  bringing  the  sick  and  dis- 
charged men  who  have  been  receiving  her 
care. 

Miss  Bradley's  report  of  the  past  nine 
inonths'  labor  in  this  camp  of  some  five 
thousand  men,  shows  what  an  amount  of 
work  can  tae  done,  relief  affijrded,  influence 
exerted  by  one  individual  thoroughly  in 
earnest,  and  with  resources  at  hand. 

Tickets  directing  the  bearer  to  call  at  the 
Sanitary  Commission  Lodge,  for  such  arti- 
cles as  the  Surgeon  may  specify,  are  put 
into  the  hands  of  all  the  surgeons  and  offi- 
cers in  the  camp,  and  as  occasion  calls 
these  tickets  are  flUed  out  and  given  to  the 
invalids  who  need  supplies.  In  this  way, 
since  June  1st,  (four  months,)  Miss  Brad- 
ley has  distributed  from  the  stock  kept 
constantly  on  hand,  some  four  thousand  of 
shirts,  drawers,  socks,  &e.,  besides  some 
10,000  smaller  articles,  such  as  towels,  hand- 
kerchiefs, slippers,  and  the  like.  Previous  to 
April,  at  which  time  regular  hospitals  were 
first  established  here.  Miss  Bradley,  in 
hospital  tents  attached  to  the  Lodge,  at- 
tended to  the  very  ill,  receiving  there  dur- 
ing that  time  125  sick  men. 

She  accompanied  to  Washington  to  the 
Paymaster's  office  during  four  months,  and 
assisted  many  of  the  more  feeble  in  getting 
their  pay,  discharged  soldiei  s  whose  united 
pay  amounted  to  over  $100,000. 

In  the  camp  she  visits  and  writes  letters 
for  the  sick,  and  in  aU  wrys  practicable 
ministers  ' '  special  relief. " 


It  has  been  a  good  work,  and  I  may  fitly 
mention,  that  imder  the  wise  executive 
management  of  Lieut. -Col.  McKelvey,  the 
name  "  Convalesent  Camp"  no  longer  is 
associated  with  suffering,  but  is  synony- 
mous with  care,  comfort,  and  kind  and 
liberal  provision  for  all  that  the  convales- 
cent soldier  needs. 

The  cost  to  the  Commission  of  maintain- 
ing this  branch  of  its  work  in  Washington 
and  vicinity,  from  Dec.  25th,  1862,  to  Oct. 
1st,  1863,  has  been  about  $24,500.  This  does 
not  include  nine  hundred  and  eighty  dol- 
lars used  from  the  "  Ware  Fund,  "so  called, 
money  placed  in  my  hands  for  purposes 
which  do  not  so  legitimately  come  within 
the  original  work  of  the  Commission,  but 
which  yet  has  an  earnest  claim.  Thus  with 
that  money  we  have  sent  to  their  homes 
discharged  soldiers  who  were  destitute,  or 
almost  entirely  destitute  of  means: — many 
fathers,  mothers,  and  wives  of  soldiers; — 
some  families  of  refugees  who  came  to  us 
in  the  saddest  condition  of  want,  and 
Army  nurses  from  the  front,  sick  or  work- 
ed down  by  devoted  labor. 

Could  I  give  a  simple  picture — ^in  one 
group,  as  they  pass  before  me — of  all  the 
persons  who  have  been  helped  by  the  few 
hundred  dollars,  entering  with  their  anx- 
ious faces,  their  camp-worn  or  travel-worn 
garments,  some  in  mourning,  some  very 
aged  and  bowed  down,  and  some  as  little 
children,  it  would  be  a  picture  that  with 
warm  breath  wotdd  breathe  a  Tjlessing, 
which  could  be  felt  by  the  very  heart  of  all 
those  who  have  furnished  the  means  for 
these  additional  charities. 

(The  remainder  of  this  report  upon  Special 
Relief,  embracing  a  statement  of  the  work 
at  the  North  and  West,  will  appear  in  the 
next  number. ) 


REPORT  FROM  THE  ARMY  OF  THE 
CUMBERLAND. 

Stevenson,  Aia.,  Oct.  10,  1863. 
Db.  J.  S.  Newbebet, 

Sec'y  Western  Bep't  U.  S.  Sanitary  (hm- 

mission,  Louisville: 
Deae  Sib — I  regret  that  I  am  as  yet  un- 
able to  furnish  you  a  detailed  report  of  the 
operations  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
"""^"itifllil  nlill  th"^"^^^""  of  Chickamauga 


The  Scmitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


21 


on  the  19th  and  20th  ult.  For  the  present 
I  must  beg  you  to  gather  an  idea  of  the 
situation,  so  far  as  the  Commission  is  con- 
cerned, from  the  hastily  -written  letters  and 
telegrams  I  have  sent  you  from  time  to 
time,  and  from  Bev.  Mr.  Heywood,  who 
accompanied  me  to  the  front,  and  who  re- 
turned some  time  since  to  Louisville.  I 
can  only  at  present  give  you  an  outline 
sketch,  which  I  beg  you  to  "  fill  in"  with 
material  ah'eady  on  hand. 

Ever  since  the  occupation  of  Chattanooga 
by  our  forces,  our  sole  means  of  commu- 
nication between  that  point  and  the  rail- 
road at  Stevenson  and  Bridgeport  have 
been  by  wagons  over  the  Cumberland 
Mountains  by  two  routes,  the  one  being 
about  45  and  the  other  about  60  miles  from 
this  place.  The  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
transportation  were  great,  but  not  insur- 
mountable. On  the  17th  of  September  seven 
army  wagon-loads  of  well-selected  stores 
were  safely  landed  in  Chattanooga,  and 
on  the  23d — thanks  to  the  energy  and 
perseverance  of  Mr.  Murdrell,  hospital 
steward  of  the  93d  Ohio,  three  more  loads 
were  added  to  the  stock.  These  stores 
constituted  almost  the  entire  dependence 
of  the  hospitals  at  Chattanooga  until  the 
Tuesday  and  "Wednesday  succeeding  the 
battles.  On  those  days  trains  containing 
portions  of  the  Medical  Purveyor's  stores 
reached  the  front ;  thus  furnishing  an- 
other instance  of  the  necessity  of  independ- 
ent medical  transportation. 

On  Monday  the  21st,  partly  because  of 
the  pressing  necessities  of  the  hospitals, 
partly  because  of  possible  military  con- 
tingencies, the  order  was  given  to  distrib- 
ute all  the  sanitary  and  medical  stores 
on  hand  among  the  hospitals,  and  by  Tues- 
day evening  the  Commission's  rooms  were 
cleared  of  their  contents,  and  were  occu- 
pied? by  our  wounded  men.  Those  wht) 
had  not  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
were  made  measurably  comfortable.  Dr. 
Bead,  who  had  been  ailing  for  some  time, 
and  who  had  now,  in  addition,  a  wounded 
son  thrown  upon  his  hands,  started  on 
Tuesday,  the  22d  of  September,  with  his 
son,  and  accompanied  by  Mr.  M.  C.  Bead, 
for  the  rear.  The  doctor,  as  I  learned,  (I 
passed  him  on   the   road    without   seeing 


then  proceeded  in  search  of  much-needed 
rest  at  his  home  in  Ohio.  Mr.  M.  C. 
Bead  established  his  quarters  at  Steven- 
son, the  principal  depot  for  supplies,  and 
commenced  the  reorganization  of  his  de- 
partment at  this  point.  Mr.  Bedding,  the 
storekeeper  at  Chattanooga,  finding  his 
occupation  gone  for  the  time  being,  return- 
ed to  Bridgeport  with  the  intention  of  ac- 
companying such  stores  as  could  be  trans- 
ported over  the  mountains.  Having  start- 
ed Mr.  Larrabee  to  accompany  six  loads 
from  Bridgeport,  he  came  on  to  Stevenson, 
procured  and  loaded  ten  more  wagons,  and 
started  with  them  for  Chattanooga.  On 
the  day  succeeding  another  wagon  was 
added  to  another  train,  thus  placing  sev- 
enteen army  wagon-loads  on  the  road  at  one 
time.  Various  causes,  among  which  was 
a  remarkably  heavy  rain,  conspired  to  de- 
lay the  foremost  trains,  and  at  the  time 
of  the  rebel  raid  five  trains  containing  these 
seventeen  wagons  had  accumulated  near  the 
foot,  and  on  the  hither  side  of  the  moun- 
tain. AH  were  burned  except  a  few  loaded 
with  forage,  which  were  so  wet  that  they 
could  not  be  thus  destroyed.  Mr.  Bedding 
escaped,  as  did  also  Mr.  Wm.  Andrew. 
Larrabee  had  missed  his  train  entirely,  and 
reached  Chattanooga  before  the  attack.  Dr. 
Barnum,  the  only  remaining  agent  of  the 
Commission  at  "the  front,  "reported  to  Dr. 
Perin,  the  Medical  Director  of  the  de- 
partment, for  such  duty  as  might  be  as- 
signed him  in  caring  for  the  wounded,  and 
was  assigned  to  temporary  duty  at  U.  S. 
General  Hospital  No.  1.  On  Tuesday  Mr. 
Eno  having  inquired  by  courier  from 
Bridgeport,  as  to  the  special  wants  at  Chat- 
tanooga, dispatched  some  fifteen  ambu- 
lance loads  which  were  taken  possession  of 
at  the  General  Field  Hospital  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river.  On  Friday  morn- 
ing I  reached  Bridgeport,  accompanied  by 
Bev.  Mr.  Heywood  and  Mr.  Bishop,  and 
reached  Chattanooga  on  the  evening  of 
Saturday,  the  26th  of  September.  The 
report  of  the  former  you  have  ah-eady  re- 
ceived verbally,  and  those  of  the  latter 
have  been  transmitted  to  the  Hospital 
Directory  as  opportunity  offered.  Mr. 
Bishop  has  been  very  materially  assisted 
in  the  labor  of  collecting  the  statistics  of  the 
killed,  wounded  and  missing  by  Mr.  M.  D. 


22 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


Barflett,  of  Wisconsin,  and  has  receiyed 
some  aid  from  others  who  came  to  the  front 
as  the  accredited  agents  of  the  Sanitary- 
Commission. 

*****         * 

One  peculiarity  of  the  situation  here  is 
the  difficulty  of  transportation  already  al- 
'  luded  to,  but,  because  of  its  bearing  upon 
our  work,  of  sufficient  importance  to  call 
for  more  special  mention.    By  the  destiric- 
tion  of  the  bridge  at  Bridgeport,  and  the 
occupation  of  Lookout  Mountain  by  the 
rebels,  we  were  depriyed  of  railroad  com- 
munication with  Chattanooga  on  the  one 
hand,  and  on  the  other  were  cut  off  from 
the  best  route  for  wagon  transportation. 
Two  wagon  roads  over  the  mountain  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Tennessee  River,  which 
would  elsewhere  and  under  other  circum- 
stances be  considered  almost  impassable, 
furnish  the  only  available  routes   for  the 
transportation  of  the  materiel  of  war,  the 
subsistence  of  troops,  &c.     This  has  very 
much  impeded  the  work  of  the  Commission 
in  connection  with  the  movements  of  the 
army  beyond  Bridgeport.     Notwithstand- 
ing that  every  effort    possible    has    been 
made  at  both  ends  of  the  route,  the  amount 
of  transportation  available  for  pur  purposes 
has  been  far  short  of  the  demand  upon 
our  stores,  and  of  our  ability  otherwise  to 
meet  these  demands.     On  the  17th  ult.,  as 
already  mentioned,  seven  wagon-loads,  on  . 
the  23d,  three  wagon-loads,  and  on  the  26th 
one  wagon-load,  and  on  the  29th  fifteen 
ambulance    loads  of  stores  were  aU  that 
could  be  got  forward  to  the  front  during 
the  month  of  September.    Thus  far  this 
month  we  have  been  able  to  get  but  eight 
wagon-loads    to     Chattanooga.       Besides 
these,  four  have  gone  in  our  service  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  with  the  appliances  for 
the  Lodge,   and  fifteen  loads   started  for 
Chattanooga  yesterday.     Besides  this,  mat- 
ters are  now  so   far  systematized  that  we 
can  certainly  depend  on  a  certain   amount 
of  transportation  in  every  train.    AU  the 
stores  which  have  gone  forward  were  care- 
fully selected,  and  have  been  of  incalcula- 
ble service.     Besides  these  there  have  been 
frequent,  and  in  some  cases  quite  liberal 
distributions  from  the  depots  at  Bridgeport 
and  Stevenson  upon  requisitions  of  corps 
and  division  surceona  for  the  front:  to  tliA 


post  hospitals  at  these  places,  and  all  alonj 
the  route  as  far  as  Nashville,  the  woundec 
who  were  able  to  get  forward  have  beer 
constantly  receiving  such  aid  and  comfort 
as  were  adapted  to  their  necessities. 

Thus  much  in  a  general  way;  the  reports 
from  Dr.  Barnum,  Dr.  Castleman,  Mr, 
Bead,  and  of  the  disbursements  from  the 
various  depots,  all  hereto  appended,  will 
give  yoTi  the  exact  particulars  connected 
with  the  supply  department. 

Such  general  inspection  as  I  was  enabled 
to  make  during  my  stay,  indicated  a  very 
satisfactory  state  of  health  and  feeling 
among  our  troops.  Though  not  "exult- 
ant," or  "panting  to  be  led  against  the 
enemy,"  as  newspaper  reporters  would 
have  it,  (there  are  few  raw  troops  in  this 
army,)  they  are  in  good  heart,  and  ready  to 
move  at  the  word  of  command  wherever 
their  duty  leads.  Where  half  the  time  is 
spent  in  the  trenches,  and  the  other  half 
in  camps  crowded  together  to  the  utmost 
state  of  compactness,  perfect  neatness  of 
person  and  surroundings  is  impossible. 
They  manage,  however,  to  make  themselves 
moderately  comfortable  with  the  appliances 
at  their  disposal,  and  their  quarters  show 
that  considerable  attention  is  paid  to  the 
observance  of  the  conditions  of  health. 
*       ■  *         *         *         *         * 

In  no  one  matter  has  our  operations  been 
more  delayed  by  the  difficulty  of  transpor- 
tation than  in  the  establishment  of  our 
"Mountain  Lodge."    On  the  28th  ult.  I 
laid  the  plan  for  the  establishment  of  a 
resting  and  feeding  place  on  the  ambulance 
route,  for  the  benefit  of  the  wounded  in 
transitu,  midway  between  Chattanooga  and 
Stevenson,  before  Surgeon  Perin,  Medical 
Director  of  the  Department.     It  at  once 
received  his  hearty  approbation,  and  the 
promise  of  eveiry  necessary  aid.     I  readily 
procured  the  consent  of  Eev.  O.  Kennedy, 
Chaplain  of  the  101st  Ohio,  an  excellent 
man,  with  a  head,  a  heart  and  a  hand  al- 
ways ready  for  any  good  work,   to  take 
charge  of  the  Lodge,  and  have  taken  the 
liberty  to  appoint  him  an  agent  of  the  Com- 
mission for  that  purpose.     Some  delay  was 
experienced  in  procuring  the  proper  "de- 
tail" from  his  regiment,  and  he  came  to 
this  place  nig  the  ambulance  route,  select- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvJktin. 


23 


After  muoli  delay  and  many  disappoint- 
ments he  started  on  the  9tli  with  the  tents, 
stores  and  furniture,  and  we  can  say  with 
as  much  certainty  as  of  any  future  event, 
that  it  win  be  in  complete  running  order 
in  time  for  the  next  train  of  wounded  men. 
The  deprivations  and  sufferings  of  those 
on  the  two  trains  which  have  already  come 
over  that  dreaded  passage,  have  convinced 
every  one  of  the  necessity  of  the  Lodge, 
and  there  is  no  room  for  fear  for  the  future 
in  this  regard.  It  is  expected  that  each  am- 
bulance train  wiU  so  arrange  its  movements 
as  to  stop  at  that  point,  where  there  is  an 
abundance  of  wood  and  water,  and  will  be 
abundance  of  wholesome,  palatable  food, 
and  of  kind  attention,  for  a  good  night's 
rest.  The  Chaplain  has  been  indefatiga- 
ble in  his  efforts  to  get  the  matter  speedily 
and  properly  under  way,  and  his  former 
labors  in  connection  with  his  regiment  and 
in  the  hospital  service  furnish  every  neces- 
sary guarantee  that  this  service  will  be  ad- 
ministered faithfully  and  well. 

Mr.  Bishop  has  been  busily  engaged,  in 
the  face  of  many  discouragements,  in  pro- 
curing accurate  lists  of  the  casualties  in  the 
recent  battles;  pressing  into  the  service 
such  aid  as  was  available.  You  will  re- 
member that  he  started  from  Louisville 
immediately  after  the  battles,  with  two  as- 
sistants for  that  special  service.  Dr.  HiU- 
man  and  Mr.  Wharton,  both  of  the  Direct- 
ory office.  It  was  thought  best  to  leave 
Mr.  W.  at  Nashville  to  accompany  a  car- 
load of  stores  on  the  next  train.  At  Tul- 
lahoma  we  met  a  train  of  eighteen  cars, 
loaded  with  the  wounded  who  had  worked 
their  way  to  the  railroad  terminus,  and  who 
had  been  embarked  without  food  or  surgi- 
cal assistance.  Quartermaster-Geiu  Meigs, 
for  whom  the  train  had  been  specially  dis- 
patched, and  who  kindly  permitted  our 
party  to  accompany  him,  ordered  the  men 
to  be  fed  by  the  only  hotel  in  the  town, 
and  Dr.  HiUman  and  an  Indiana  surgeon 
— name  not  remembered — were  placed  in 
charge  to  care  for  the  wounded  until  they 
coidd  be  regularly  relieved.  Dr.  HiDman 
found  so  much  of  that  kind  of  service  re- 
quired along  the  road,  and  the  difficulties 
of  reaching  Chattanooga  so  great,  that  he 
continued  rendering  such  assistance  as  he 
^rf,irx\^  ^^.c■^.^^■^<.,^f^n.r^  ,niit.i-i-yTifis,lfl.v  the 


29th,  when  he  started  for  the  front  with 
one  of  the  trains,  which  afterwards  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  I  regret  exceed- 
ingly that  I  am  unable  to  give  further  tid- 
ings of  him.  The  General  Hospitals  have 
already  commenced  the  transmission  of  re- 
ports to  us,  and  as  rapidly  as  jaossible  all 
the  hospitals  will  assume  a  more  or  less 
permanent  form,  and  report  daily  to  the 
office  at  Louisville. 

I  returned  to  this  point  from  Chattanoo- 
ga on  the  5th  inst.,  and  expect  to  start  for 
Louisville  in  two  or  three  days.  The  work 
of  the  Commission  has  been  reorganized 
here,  and  the  force  is  distributed  as  fol- 
lows: M.  C.  Read  and  Mr.  Bedding  are  at 
Chattanooga;  Cha.plain  Kennedy  and  Lar- 
rabee  are  to  manage,  assisted  by  the  neces- 
sary number  of  detailed  men,  the  "Mount- 
ain Lodge;''  and  F.  B.  Crary  has  charge  of 
the  stores  and  work  of  the  Commission  at 
this  point,  assisted  by  Ira  Place,  the  depot 
at  Bridgeport  having  been  withdrawn. 
With  the  exception  of  Chaijlaiu  Kennedy, 
of  whom  I  have  already  spoken,  you  are 
well  acquainted  with  the  working  character 
and  abihties  of  these  various  representa- 
tives of  the  Commission  ia  the  field.  Be- 
sides these,  it  is  proper  to  make  special 
mention  of  the  labors  of  William  Andrew, 
Esq.,  of  Indiana,  sent  out  by  you  to  in- 
spect, on  the  ground,  the  workings  of  the 
Commission;  and  of  Mr.  James  Calvert,  of 
Kentucky.  The  former  has  neglected  no 
opportunity  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  by 
which  he  wa,s  surrounded;  to  this  end  con- 
stantly laboring  as  a,  volunteer  dresser  in 
the  hospitals,  and  accompanying  a  ti'ain  of 
wounded  on  its  three  days'  journey  from 
Chattanooga  to  this  point,  and  another 
from  this  to  Nashville.  The  latter,. so  soon 
as  he  had  assured  himself  of  the  safe  deUv- 
eranoe  of  his  three  sons  from  the  perils  of 
the  late  battles,  reported  himself  to  me  for 
such  service  as  might  be  assigned  him. 

The  two  pressing  wants  at  that  time  were 
the  safe  transmission  of  stores  and  the 
names  of  killed  and  wounded  for  the  Di- 
rectory; he  preferred  to  undertake  to  sup- 
ply the  former  need. 

On  Tuesday,  the  29th  ult. ,  and  on  Thurs- 
day, the  1st  inst.,  ambulance  trains  were 
dispatched  to  the  field  for  our  wounded 


24 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


left  iii  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  All  who 
were  severely  wounded  were  paroled  and 
brought  in — those  more  slightly  wounded 
being  reserved  for  regular  exchange,  via 
Kichmond.  The  men  are  uniform  in  their 
testimony  as  to  the  neglect  and  consequent 
suffering  they  experienced.  Officers  and 
men,  including  the  surgeons  who  remained 
to  take  care  of  the  wounded,  were,  in  almost 
all  cases,  deprived  of  their  blankets,  over- 
coats, and  in  many  instances  shoes  and 
other  wearing  apparel;  they  were  robbed 
of  the  contents  of  their  pockets — "green- 
backs "  being  especially  sought  after.  The 
food  left  for  their  subsistence  was  taken 
from  them,  and  corn-meal  and  water  fur- 
nished in  its  stead.  They  likewise  suffer- 
ed greatly  from  the  impossibility  of  having 
their  wounds  properly  attended  to — ^the 
rebels  having  taken  from  our  surgeons  the 
greater  portion  of  the  appliances  left  for 
them— including  instruments  and  bandages. 
The  ambulances  sent  with  a  flag  of  truce 
for  the  wounded,  ten  days  after  the  battle, 
and  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
at  their  lines,  were  returned  robbed  of 
everything  movable,  and  in  many  cases 
broken-down  horses  substituted  for  those 
sent  out.  These  matters  are  referred  to  as 
affijrding  another  instance  of  the  chivalrous 
character  of  our  foe  and  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  practices  the  amenities  of  war,  of 
which  none  better  than  he  can  speak. 

Notwithstanding  the  disagreeabihties, 
general  and  special,  which  have  attended 
this  campaign,  and  succeeded  these  battles, 
our  soldiers  are  still  the  rare  heroes  they 
have  hitherto  shown  themselves  to  be  after 
the  battles  on  the  Peninsula,  before  Vioks- 
burg  and  at  Stone  Biver.  Suffering  is  borne 
with  a  bravery  which  is  truly  splendid; 
there  is  everywhere  the  camaraderie  of  vet- 
eran campaigners,  and  self-abnegation  is 
often  manifested  worthy  of  the  highest 
type  of  the  Ohriatian.  That  such  a  people 
battling  in  such  a  cause  as  ours  should  so 
suffer  at  the  hands  of  such  a  foe,  fighting 
for  so  infernal  a  cause,  must  even  remain 
hej-e,  among  the  most  inscrutable  of  the 
dispensations  of  an  all-wise  and  all-good 
Providence. 

Very  respectfully, 

GEO.  L.  ANDKEW, 
Medical  Inspector. 


a. 


b. 


REPORTS  PRESENTED  AT  THE  14TH 
SESSION  OF  THE  U.  S.  SANITARY 
COMMISSION,  HELD  AT  WASH- 
INGTON, D.  C,  OCT.  6-9,  1863. 

1. — Beport  of  the  Executive  Committee. 

2. — Beport  of  the  Committee  on  Eeorgani- 
zation. 

3. — Beport  of  the  Treasurer. 

4. — Beport  of  the  Auditing  Committee. 

5. — Beport  of  Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  Gen- 
eral Secretary,  communicating  the 
follo'ndng  reports: 

A. — Beport  to  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission  on  the  operations  of  the 
Eastern  Branch,  by  Lewis  H.  Stein  er. 
Chief  Inspector  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  Acting  Associate  Sec- 
retary, accompanied  by  the  following 
reports: 
-Beport  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Brink  concerning 
the  Hospitals  in  Washington,  August 
8th,  1863. 
-Bepoi-t  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Brink  upon  Hos- 
pitals in  the  District  of   Columbia, 
August  17th,  1863. 
■Beport  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Brink  on  the  Hos- 
pitals in  Alexandria,  Va. ,  Sept.  10th, 
1863. 
-Beport  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Brink  on  the  10th 
Eegiment  New  York  ArtOlery,  gar- 
risoning forts  beyond  the  Eastern 
Branch,  Sept.  13th,  1863. 

e. — Beport  of  Special  Inspection  at  Anna- 
polis, Md.,  by  Dr.  Julius  Nichols, 
August  20th,  1863. 

/.—Beport  of  Dr.  Julius  Nichols,  Sanitary 
Inspector,  on  Baltimore  Hospitals. 
Sept.  2d,  1863. 

ff.  —Thirty-four  Beports  from  Belief  Agents, 
Ai-my  of  the  Potomac,  as  follows: 

Mr.  N.  Muii-ay,  2d  Corps.  August  17,  and 
September  27. 

David  S.  Pope,  6th  Corps.  August  22,  16, 
30,  and  September  5,  13,  20,  27. 

Wm.  A.  Hovey,  1st  Coi-ps.  August  8,  15, 
22,  29,  and  September  5. 

Clemans  Soest,  3d  Corps.     Sept.  1  and  28. 

John  A.  Anderson,  12th  Corps.  September 
6,  3,  and  7  to  22. 

E.  M.  Barton,  5th  Corps.  September  6 
and  13,  and  6  others. 

/<.— Beport  of  Dr.  Gordon  Winslow;  ac- 
count of  work  at  Gettysburg,  Sep- 


d. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


25 


t. — ^Eight  Eeports  from  James  Gall,  Jr., 
Belief  Agent,  Norfolk,  Va.,  from 
August  9  to  September  27. 

J. — Eeport  of  George  0.  Caldwell,  Ph.  D., 
on  Hospital  visiting  for  tlie  months 
of  May,  June,  July  and  August. 

k. — Beport  of  Dr.  Alexander  McDonald, 
Field  Inspector,  on  his  capture  and 
imprisonment  in  Bichmond,  Va. 

I — ^Beport  from  Bev.  Mr.  Scandlin,  Belief 
Agent,  same  subje'ct. 

m. — Beport  from  Gen.  Kelly's  Department 
of  the  Cumberland,  October  8,  1863 
— Dr.  Julius  Nichols. 

B. — ^Beport  of  F.  N.  Knapp,  Special  Belief 
Agent,  accompanied  by  the  following 
reports: 

a.— Eeport  of  the  "Home,"  J.  B.  Clark, 
Superintendent. 

6.— Beport  of  the  "Home,"  T.  B.  Smith, 
Surgeon. 

a — Beport  of  Special  Belief  Station  at 
Convalescent  Camp,  Virginia — Miss 
A.  M.  Bradley. 

d. — Beport  of  Special  Belief  Work  at  Alex- 
andria— Bev.  James  Bichardson. 

e. — Eeport  of  Special  Belief  Work  at  Balti- 
more— Sumner  BuEard. 

f. — Eeport  of  Special  Belief  Work  at  An- 
napoHs,  Md. — Bev.  H.  O.  Henries. 

g. — Eeport  of  Pension  Agent — W.  F.  Bas- 
com. 

h. — ^Eeport  of  Special  Belief  Work  at  Bos- 
ton— John  S.  Blatchford. 

t. — ^Eeport  relating  to  local  provision  for 
the  rehef  of  discharged  disabled  sol- 
diers and  their  families,  and  its  ad- 
ministration in  Boston,  Mass.;  pre- 
pared under  the  direction  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Cpmmittee  of  the  Boston 
associates. 

C. — Beport  concerning  work  in  the  Statis- 
tical Department. — T.  J.  O'ConneU, 
Chief  Clerk  to  Actuary. 

D. — Eeport  of  Superintendent  of  Hospital 
Directory — John  Bowne. 

E. — Eeport  concerning  the  success  of  the 
Commission's  arrangement  for  fur- 
nishing to  the  hospitals  of  this  Dis- 
trict fresh  supplies  of  meat  and  vege- 
tables, by  F.  N.  Knapp. 

F.  — Beport  con  ceming  suppKes  and  supply- 
correspondence,  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Bloor, 
listant  Secretary. 


6. — Beport  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Asso- 
ciate Secretary,  concerning  the  work 
of  the  Commission  in  the  Western 
Department,  accompanied  by  the 
following  reports: 

a. — Eeport  of  M.  C.  Bead,  concerning  ope- 
rations of  the  Commission  at  and 
near  Chattanooga,  Tenn. ,  Sept.  24th, 
1863. 

h. — Beport  of  Dr.  Wm.  Fithian,  of  opera- 
tions of  the  Commission  in  Missis- 
sippi and  Arkansas,  Aug.  and  Sept. , 
1863. 

c— Eeport  of  H.  S.  Holbrook,  Chief  'Clerk 
of  the  Hospital  Directory  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

d. — ^Beport  of  Bev.  F.  H.  Bushnell,  Hos- 
pital Visitor  at  Louisville  and  New 
Albany. 

7. — Eeport  concerning  the  work  of  the 
Philadelphia  Associates,  including  a 
statement  of  the  operations  of  the 
Protective  War  Claim  Agency  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
in  Philadelphia,  by  C.  J.  Stille,  Esq., 
Associate  Member. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

Letter  from  Dr.  E.  A.  CRANE,  Inspector 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

HrLTON  Head,  S.  C,  Oct.  18, 1863. 

Mr  Deab  Db. — I  am  just  in  from  Morris 
Island;  I  had  hoped  to  be  in  season  to  mail 
report  by  the  Fulton,  but  she  sails  this 
morning,  and  I  can -send  you  but  a  line. 

Dui-ing  the  past  fortnight  I  have  visited 

and    inspected regiments — the  whole 

command — two  regiments  excepted,  on 
Morris  and  Folly  Islands . 

The  results  of  these  inspections  are  very 
interesting.  Some  of  the  facts  developed 
are  such  as  I  had  not  expected.  , 

Scurvy  does  not  now  exist  in  the  com- 
mand before  Charleston,  nor  has  it  existed 
to  any  great  extent  among  our  troops  since 
operations  against  Charleston  have  been 
commenced. 

I  doubt  whether  intermittent  and  remit- 
tent fevers  are  more  prevalent  than  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 


26 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


The  health,  of  the  troops  is  much  above 
the  average  obtaining  in  commands  so  long 
employed  in  field  service. 

The  prevailing  diseases  are  diarrhoea, 
dysentery,  and  disabilities  peculiar  to  over- 
worked troops. 

Since  the  reduction  of  Wagner  and 
Gregg  and  the  lessening  of  field  service, 
the  health  of  the  troops  has  been  steadily 
****** 

Yours  truly, 

E.  A.  CEANE, 

Inspector. 


improving. 


Letter  from  Mr.  A.  B.  DAY,  Relief  Agent. 
MoBEis  Island,  S.  C,  Oct.  15,  1863. 

Deab  Sns — ^In  addition  to  the  wants  of 
the  Commission  here  of  which  I  advised 
you  in  my  last,  per  Arago,  Ibegto  add: 

Tea,  bed-pans,  piUows,  bed-sacks,  bed- 
dothing,  astringent,  medicines,  Brown's 
Extract  Ginger,  and  woolen  clothing. 

We  are  nearly  out  of  Boston  and  farina 
crackers.  Antiscorbutics  of  any  kind  will 
be  very  useful.  We  still  have  diarrhoea, 
dysentery,  and  malarial  fever.  Diarrhoea 
ia  our  chief  malady.  Our  cherry  brandy 
and  blackberry  cordial  is  nearly  out.  We 
are  now  sending  a  barrel  full  of  water,  vin- 
egar, sugar,  and  ginger  mixture  every  day 
to  Gregg  and  Wagner  for  the  men  to  drink. 
They  esteem  it  quite  a  godsend.  If  you 
could  send  us  a  cask  of  ginger,  it  would  be 
eminently  useful.  Curried  cabbage  nearly 
gone. 

Some  very  compUmentary  resolutions 
were  passed  by  the  3d  N.  H.  Begiment  at 
a  regimental  meeting,  and  a  copy  handed 
in  here  expressive  of  'their  obhgations  to 
the  Commission.  Others,  I  learn,  are  com- 
ing in  soon.  ****** 
In  haste,  yours,  &c., 

A.  B.  DAY. 


Letter    from    Chaplain   WAYLAND,    7th 
•      Regiment   Connecticut  Vol's. 

7th  Connecticut  Vol's,  Mobeis  ) 
Island,  S.  C,  Oct.  14,  1863.    ( 
Eev.  H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

President    U.  S.  Saniiary  Commission: 
Dbae  Sik — I  beg  leave  to  inclose  $130, 
(one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars,)  subscrib- 
ed by  the  officers  of  this  regiment,   as  per 
subscription  paper  inclosed. 


We  are  grateful  for  the  relief  afforded 
by  the  agents  of  the  Commission,  among 
whom  I  would  particularly  mention  Dr. 
Marsh,  whose  efficient  action  and  whose 
conscientious  boldness  in  preventing  any 
misappUcation  of  the  bounty  of  the  Com- 
mission, and  whose  ready  and  unwearied 
humanity,  were  peculiarly  noteworthy. 

Wishing  to  your  noble  charity  every  suc- 
cess, but  yet  more  fervently  hoping  that 
soon  its  labors  may  be  needless, 
I  remain,  dear  sir. 

Very  truly  yours, 

H.  L.  WAYLAND, 
Chaplain  1th  Conn. 


Extract  from  a  Letter  from  Dr.  GEO.  A. 

BLAKE,  Inspector  at  New  Orleans,  La. 
New  Okleans,  Oct.  16,  1863. 

*  *  »■  *  The  other  day  I  supplied 
deficiencies  occasioned  by  the  neglect  of 
some  officer,  that  could  be  supplied  from 
no  other  soxiirce.  The  medical  department 
decided  to  try  an  experiment — a  sea-voyage 
for  convalescents.  One  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five soldiers  were  selected  to  make  a  trip 
to  New  York  and  return,  on  the  ' '  Evening 
Star.''  The  officers  of  these  men  left  them 
at  Convalescent  Camp,  without  their  de- 
scriptive rolls,  and  that  being  the  basis  of 
every  issue,  no  Quartermaster  would  furnish 
them  even  the  necessaries  of  life,  much 
less  its  comforts.  Col.  Beckwith,  U.  S.  A. , 
commanding  defences  of  New  Orleans, 
asked  me  to  furnish  the  men  with  what- 
ever articles  were  indispensable  for  their 
health  and  comfort.  Accordingly,  I  visited 
the  barracks — the  men  were  paraded,  an 
inspection  made,  and  their  several  wants 
ascertained.  I  delivered  stores  to  the  offi- 
cer in  command,  which  were  distributed  to 
the  men  aboard  ship.  The  men  generally 
were  in  a  sad  plight,  without  shirts,  socks, 
or  blankets,  and  with  thoroughly  ventilated 
pants!  Had  there  been  no'U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  to  give  them  these  substan- 
tial comforts,  woolen  shirts,  drawers,  socks, 
quilts,  blankets,  pants,  &c.,  I  believe  the 
experiment  of  sending  feeble,  shivering 
convalescents  to  a  northern  latitude,  at 
this  season  of  the  year,  would  have  been 
less  productive  of  good. 

TwQXltiytl  HM^  ti'LuuiTod  a  AriigBiwp.  from 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BulleUn. 


27 


the  Medical  Director  of  th.e  19tli  Army 
Corps,  at  New  Iberia,  La.,  to  forward,  if 
possible,  some  woolen  shirts  and  drawers. 
I  sent  at  once  about  four  hundred.  *  *  * 
I  inclose  a  communication  to  the  "Stam- 
ford (Conn.)  Advocate,"  of  Sept.  25,  re- 
ceived from  some  one  unknown  to  me. 

"Mb.  Editor — There  is  in  our  village  a 
society  called  Soldiers*  Aid  Society.  In  its 
present  plan  I  believe  auxiliary  to  the  San- 
itary Commission,  U.  S.  A.  Withia  the 
past  eleven  months  I  have  had  large  op- 
portunities of  watching  the  practical  work- 
ings of  this  institution  in  one  of  its  out- 
posts, and  think  perhaps  a  plain  statement 
of  a  few  facts,  as  I  have  learned  them, 
might  afford  encouragement  to  the  ladies 
oogaged  in  it. 

"  My  first  acquaintance  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission  came  through  a  small  pamph- 
let, sent  me  by  its  agent,"  soon  after  our 
arrival  at  Camp  Parapet.  Following  up 
the  invitation  contained  in  it,  I  made  the 
acquaintance  of  its  agent,  and  "found  that 
through  him  I  could  obtain,  without  cir- 
cumlocution, the  essentials  for  the  house- 
keeping department  of  a  military  hospital, 
whether  in  active  campaign,  or  guard  duty, 
or  the  more  settled  condition  of  post,  or 
city  hospital,  and  whether  the  patients 
were  suffering  from  disease  incident  to  the 
locality  in  which  they  were  situated,  or 
from  wounds  received  in  battle.  And,  Mr. 
Editor,.!  wish  to  bear  testimony  ^o  the 
fact  that,  in  aU  these  various  conditions, 
the  Sanitary  Commission  furnishes  to  the 
suffering  soldier  just  that  kind  of  delicaoy 
or  substantial  which  a  judicious  mother  or 
wife  would  furnish  if  they  had  opportunity. 
I  have  seen  empty  old  buUdiiigs,  as  by 
magic,  assume  in  a  day  the  air  of  comfort 
and  order  of  arrangement  of  long-estab- 
lished city  hospitals.  Not  soon  shall  I 
cease  to  warm  over  the  recollection  of  some 
of  these  transformations.  For  example, 
men  to  the  number  of  several  hundreds, 
after  the  fight  at  Bisland,  were  brought  to 
Berwick  City  in  flat-boats,  skiffs,  and  little 
steamers,  wounded  in  every  conceivable 
manner.  They  had  received  all  the  atten- 
tion that  good  medical  skill  could  afford 
amid  the  din  and  smoke  of  actual  conflict, 
but  were  so  dirty,  black,  and  uncomforta- 
ble, as  not  to  be  recognized  by  their  most 
intimate  friends,  until  the  renovating  hands 
of  tender  nurses  had  washed  away  their 
blood  and  dust,  and  put  on  them  and  their 
beds  clean  clothes;  all  which,  not  excepting 
a  piece  of  soap  or  a  row  of  pins,  'were  fur- 
nished by  the  model  department  of  the  Gulf, 
and  the  Sanitary  Commission,  sent  thence 
eighty  miles  over  a  slow  railroad,  but  in 
time  to  do  aU  I  have  intimated.  And  I 
must  say,  that  he  who  had  looked,  on  the 
moniaaM&JttHUiHiMniBiKdor  of  that 


deserted  building  in  Berwick  City,  store 
below  and  tenements  above,  its  large  and 
small  rooms,  dusty,  cobwebbed,  gloomy, 
and  also  at  the  large  hall  of  an  adjoining 
building  in  the  same  condition,  making  in 
aU  a  floor  area  of  about  1,500  yards,  had 
seen  on  the  following  morning  every  availa- 
ble yard  of  this  space  covered  with  wounded 
men,  our  country's  braves,  suffering  anguish 
such  as  a  wounded  soldier  only  knows, 
without  the  shadow  of  comfort;  on  the 
same  evening  again  seen  all  these  sufferers 
arranged  in  trim  rows,  on  iron  bedsteads 
and  good  mattresses,  clean  wounds,  clean 
bandages,  clean  lint,  dressings,  &o.,  clean 
shirts,  clean  drawers,  clean  sheets  and  pil- 
low-cases, clean  wards,  with  towels,  and 
bowls,  and  brushes,  and  rows  of  pins  in 
their  places,  tables  supplied  with  vases  of 
flowers,  pitchers  of  ice-water,  tumblers, 
bowls,  vials,  packages,  all  in  their  places, 
and  the  poor  sufferers  sleeping  quietly  un- 
der their  musquito  nets,  aU  order,  aU  clean-  ' 
Uness,  all  beautiful,  at  post  hospital  No.  2. 
Anybody,  I  say,  that  saw,  as  I  saw,  aU 
this,  and  was  not  moved  with  deep  grati- 
tude towards  the  institution  that  furnished 
the  means  for  aU  this  magic  change,  is  a 
character  for  a  cage  in  a  menagerie.  This 
post  hospital.  No.  2,  is  but  an  illustration 
of  Nos.  1,  3,  4,  at  Berwick  City,  at  .the 
same  time,  also  at  Brashear  City  at  differ- 
ent times;  also  at  Lafourche  Crossing.  In 
short,  it  but  illustrates  what  may  be  at 
every  hospital,  extemporized  or  appointed, 
in  the  field  or  in  the  city,  aU  over  the  De- 
partment of  the  Gulf,  as  no  doubt  is  the 
case  in  every  department;  and  if  aU.  or  any 
of  this  is  wanting  in  any  case,  it  is  due  to 
negligence  on  the  part  of  officers  in  charge 
of  hospitals,  not  to  want  of  means  furnished 
by  Medical  Department  and  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

"In  conclusion,  I  would  say  to  friends 
of  the  soldier  everywhere,  send  your  gifts 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission,  always. 
They  are  carefully  husbanded  and  judi- 
ciously distributed  to  those  who  need  them 
most.  Not,  as  often  happens  when  other- 
wise sent,  some  articles  accumulating  to 
the  extent  of  a  nuisance,  in  one  place, 
while  other  articles  of  rear  comfort  are  en- 
tirely absent;  aU  unequal  and  unsatisfacto- 
ry, to  say  nothing  of  the  greater  liability 
of  the  articles  sent  irregularly  being  de- 
voured by  the  army  gulls,  men,  sometimes 
officers,  having  no  interest  in  the  hospital, 
through  whose  hands  they  must  pass. 

"God  bless  the  Sanitary  Commission,  is 
ever  the  exclajnation  of  those  who  know 
it  best.        .  .,11-  ,  , 

"  W<rB.  /TEOWBEIDGE, 

''Ex-Surgeon,  23d Begt.  C.  V." 


28 


OThe  8anita/ry  Commission  BiMetin. 


Memphis,  Oct.  18,  1863. 
Db.J.  S.  Newbeebt, 
Sec'y  Western  DepH  U.  8.  Sanitary  Com.: 
Dbae  Sib — ^Yours  of  the  28tli  ult.  arrived 
here  two  days  since,  during  my  absence  at 
Corinth.  I  paid  a  flying  visit  to  this  and 
other  points  along  the  railroad,  finding  no 
small  demand  for  sanitary  stores,  especially 
vegetables.  This  demand  •was,  as  I  antici- 
pated, greatly  enhanced  by  the  presence  in 
the  district  of  Gen.  Sherman's  Army  Corps 
on  its  -way  to  the  Department  of  the  Cum- 
berland. At  Lagrange,this  corps  had  de- 
posited over  100  sick,  and  at  Corinth  300 
and  more.  Besides  which  were  still  a  small 
number  with  each  regiment,  to  remain  im- 
tU  the  troops  should  move  across  the  coun- 
try. The  advance  of  the  corps  was  at 
luia.  The  200  barrels  of  vegetables  ship- 
ped to  Corinth  by  me  one  week  ago  to-day, 
arrived  in  time  to  be  largely  shared  by  this 
corps,  and  did  the  maximum  amount  of 
service.  The  only  thing  I  regret  is,  that 
the  200  had  not  been  1, 000.  It  will  stiU  be 
some  days  before  these  troops  get  entirely 
out  of  my  reach,  and  after  that,  many  a 
wea,ry  day  for  them  before  they  get  within 
reach  of  sanitary  stores  again.  The  sick 
they  leave  behind  will  receive  prompt  at- 
tention by  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.  But  I  must  have  at  once  a 
larger  amount  of  stores  here.  Already  the 
fine  large  cargo  left  by  the  Clara  Bell  is 
run  low;  the  vegetables  reduced  to  20  bar- 
rels. We  have  distributed  within  the  week 
500^barrels.  I  send  this  morning  to  Helena 
40  barrels  on  the  earnest  request  of  Dr. 
Weeks,  backed  by  Dr.  Pithian,  who  has 
gone  on  an  exploration  to  Little  Bock. 
This  leaves  me  the  20  barrels  aforesaid.  I 
shall  clearly  be  compelled  to  make  another 
'  draft  on  the  Clara  Bell  when  she  arrives, 
although  I  had  designed  to  send  the  whole 
of  her  next  cargo  below.  But  the  demand 
is  lively  in  this  district,  aside  from  the  ad- 
dition created  by  the  movement  referred 
to.  Our  latest  weekly  disbursements  wUl 
show  some  solid  figures.  Disbursement  re- 
ports are  forwarded  up  to  last  Wednesday; 
Hospital  Directory  to  the  10th  inst. 

I  saw  Surgeon-General  Hammond  and  had 
a  moment's  conversation  with  him.  He 
is  undoubtedly  restored  to  favor,  although 
the  fact  seems  not  to  have  transpired  yet. 


He  issued  an  order  whUe  here  for  the 
erection  of  one  large  hospital  to  be  provid- 
ed with  from  1,200  to  1,300  beds.  On  its 
completion  it  is  understood  that  the  other 
general  hospitals  in  this  city  wiU  be  vacat- 
ed and  abandoned.  Such  purpose  being 
subject,  of  course,  to  the  modifying  changes 
in  the  features  of  war.  The  work  on  the 
new  hospital  is  to  commence  without  delay. 
Meanwhile,  I  want  potatoes  and  onions,  ifec, 
&c.,  for  immediate  use. 

Canned  milk  and  canned  beef  are  entirely 
gone;  ditto  bedquUts  and  sheets;  ditto 
shirts  and  drawers,  minus  a  few.  Now  or 
never,  let  these  come. 

Yours  respectfully, 

H.  A.  WAEEINEE. 


PRISONERS  IN  RICHMOND. 

The  following  correspondence  relative  to 
the  forwarding  supplies  of  clothing,  &c., 
to  soldiers  confined  in  Kichmond,  was  sug- 
gested by  the  report  made  to  the  Commis- 
sion by  Dr.  McDonald  and  Mr.  Scandlin. 
These  gentlemen,  the  one  an  Inspector  and 
the  other  a  Belief  Agent  of  the  Commission, 
were  taken  prisoners  near  Emmettsburg, 
Md.,  just  after  the  battle  of  Gettysburg, 
whUe  they  were  on  their  way  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  with  supplies.  They  were 
taken  to  Bichmond,  and  were  inmates  of 
"Libby  Prison"  and  "Castle  Thunder" 
for  nearly  three  months.  While  there  they 
sought  every  opportunity  to  benefit  their 
fellow-prisoners,  and  to  get  such  informa- 
tion as  would  be  of  service  to  those  who 
should  hereafter  be  there  confined.  They 
were  assured  that  aU  suppMes  sent  to  the 
proper  authorities  would  be  applied  aooordr 
ing  to  the  desires  of  those  sending  them. 

Former  experience  had  given  confidence 
to  the  Commission  that  these  assurances 
could  be  relied  on,  as  invoices  previously 
sent,  of  clothes  and  medicines,  had  reached 
the  parties  to  whom  they  were  sent.    A 
new  basis  of  exchange  required  that  the 
present   status    should  be  inquired  into. 
Hence  the  correspondence  here  given: 
Sanitakt  Commission, 
Centeai.  Ofbioe,  244  F  Steeet, 
Washington,  B.  G.,  September  29,  1863. 

Genbeaii — ^I  am  informed  by  Dr.  Alex. 
^"^""TJiirrif  lhitifiiii''"Trifini""-  i^'t'S  a  pris- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Buttetin. 


29 


oner  at  BichmoBd,  (and  who,  -with  his  com- 
panions in  captiTity,  Bev.  Mr.  Scandlin, 
also  of  this  Commission,  and  Leonard 
Brink,  are  so  much  indebted  to  you  for 
your  efforts  towards  their  release,  and  your 
personal  kindness  to  them  while  passing 
into  our  lines,)  that  he  was  told  hy  Dr. 
"Wiliins,  Surgeon  in  charge  0.  S.  Military 
Prison  Hospital  No.  1,  (Libby  Prison,)  that 
if  supplies  of  clothing,  bedding,  and  read- 
ing matter  should  be  sent  to  his  (Dr.  Wil- 
kins')  case,  he  would  guarantee  their  dis- 
tribution among  the  Union  prisoners;  and 
that  Capt.  G.  W.  Alexander,  A.  A.  G.  and 
A.  P.  M.,  Castle  Thunder,  made  a  similar 
promise  as  regards  reading  matter,  within 
his  own  precincts. 

From  the  statement  of  Dr.  McDonald 
and  Mr.  Scandlin  it  appears  that  the  above 
supplies  are  greatly  needed  by  our  men 
now  imprisoned  there,  and  that  a  distribu- 
tion of  such  would  be  of  inestimable  bene- 
fit to  them.  It  is  questionable,  I  suppose, 
whether,  even  if  once  passed  within  the 
enemy's  Unes,  they  would  be  permitted  to 
reach  their  destination;  but  this  Commis- 
sion would  gladly  take  the  merest  chance 
of  their  doing  so,  and  would  willingly  risk 
any  trouble  and  expense  in  forwarding 
them  over  our  own  lines,  provided  such  a 
course  should  involve  no  violation  of  mili- 
tary rules  and  exigencies  on  our  side.  Of 
this  you  are  the  judge.  In  behalf  of  our 
brave  and  unfortunate  officers  and  soldiers 
now  pioing,  amid  want,  squaUor,  and  men- 
tal inoccupation,  in  the.  noisome  prisons 
of  the  enemy,  will  you  kindly  favor  the 
Commission  with  your  decision  on  this 
point?  If  favorable  to  the  project,  any 
suggestions  you  may  see  fit  to  make  to- 
wards its  accomplishment  will  be  wel- 
comed, and,  if  possible,  acted  upon. 
Very  respectfully. 

Tour  obedient  servant, 
ALFBEDJ.  BLOOB, 
Asst.  Sec'y. 
Gen'ii  S.  a.  Meeedith:, 
Oomm'r  for  Exchange  of  Prisoners, 
Fortress  Monroe,  Virginia. 

Oyfics,  Commissionbb  fob  E:schangb, 
Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,  Octoher  1,  1863. 
AiiFBED  J.  BiiOOB,  Esq., 
Washington,  D.  C: 
Sib— On  making  application  to  the  rebel 


authorities,  I  am  informed  that  blankets, 
clothing,  &c.,  forwarded  to  our  prisoners  in 
Bichmond  will  be  duly  delivered  to  them. 
I  yesterday  forwarded  a  statement  to  this 
effect  to  the  Commissary-General  of  Pris- 
oners at  Washington.  I  do  not  think  ther^ 
is  any  doubt  as  to  our  prisoners  receiving 
what  is  sent.  I  would  respectfully  suggest 
that  you  obtain  permission  from  the  Hon. 
B.  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  to  send 
these  things;  that  obtained,  I  can  assure 
you  nothing  would  give  me  more  pleasure 
than  to  forward  them,  if  sent  to  my  care  to 
this  place.         Very  respectfully. 

Your  obed't  serv't, 
S.  A.  MEBEDITH, 
Brig.  Gen'l  andCJom'r  for  Exchange. 

Sahitaey  Commission, 
Centeaij  Ombtob,  244  F  Steebt, 
Washington,  B.  C,  Oct.  Id,  1863. 

SiE— I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  copies 
of  a  correspondence  between  Gen'l  S.  A. 
Meredith  and  myself  with  reference  to  this 
Commission  forwarding  supplies  for  the 
use  of  Union  soldiers  now  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  in  Libby  Prison  and  Castle 
Thunder,  and  to  respectfully  request  your 
sanction  for  so  doing. 

I  may  add  to  the  information  contained 
in  the  within  correspondence,  that  Messrs. 
McDonald  and  Scandlin — (who  were  cap- 
tured by  the  enemy  on  the  5th  of  July, 
while  pushing  on  from  Frederick  City  to 
Gettysburg  with  supplies  from  the  stores 
of  this  Commission  for  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed, and  were  only  released  last  week) — ^have 
had,  during  their  nearly  three  months'  im- 
prisonment, first  in  Libby  Prison  and  af- 
terwards in  Castle  Thundei-j  the  amplest 
opportunities  for  testing  in  person,  as  their 
worn  frames  and  shattered  health  tooplain- 
ly  testify,  the  insufferable  hardships  and 
humiliations  endured  by  the  loyalists  in 
these  places  of  confinement,  and  for  judg- 
ing to  what  an  extent  relief  might  be  af- 
forded by  the  appliances  of  this  Commis- 
sion. I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully. 
Your  obedient  servant, 
ALFBED  J.  BLOOB, 
AssH  Sec'y. 
Hon.  Edwin  M.  Stanton, 
Secretary  of  War. 


30 


The  Simitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


Wae  Dbpaetment, 
Washinqton  Citt, 
Oetoher        1863. 

Mb.  AiFEED  J.  BlOOK, 

Ass't  Sec'y  San'y  Com.,  244  F 
Street,  Washington,  D.  G.: 
SrE — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  2d  in- 
stant, transmitting  correspondence  ■with. 
General  Meredith  in  reference  to  forward- 
ing sanitary  aupplies  and  reading  matter 
to  the  Union  prisoners  at  Richmond,  the 
Secretary  of  War  directs  me  to  convey  to 
yon  his  consent  for  the  transmission  of 
the  articles  named  through  the  lines  as  re- 
quested. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JA8.  A.  HAEDIE, 
Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

The  following  articles  were  sent  to  Rich- 
mond, in  accordance  with  this  agreement, 
on  the  19th  inst. : 

600  Woolen  Shirts. 

600  Canton  Mannel  Drawers. 

600  pairs  Woolen  Socks. 

1000  Handkerchiefs. 

2  cases  Reading  Matter. 

That  these  stores  have  been  delivered  to 
the  Confederate  authorities  we  have  assur- 
ance in  the  following  letter: — 

NoBPOiK,  Va.,  Oct.  26th,  1863. 
Db.  L.  H.  Steineb, 

Acting  Associate  Sed'y  San.  Gom.': 
Mx  Deae  Sib— I  called  on  Gen'l  Mere- 
dith yesterday,  and  ascertained  that  our 
Richmond  supplies  had  gone  forwatd  aU 
right.  As  soon  as  Gen'l  M.  has  been  noti- 
fied that  the  supplies  sent  by  the  Govern- 
ment have  been  received,  he  is  authorized  to 
send  whatever  Gen'l  Dow  may  think  neces- 
sary for  the  comfort  of  our  men  on  Belle 
Island  and  in  Richmond.  The  Gen'l  thinks 
that  it  wiU  hardly  be  necessary  for  the  San. 
^om.  to  send  any  more  clothing,  as  the 
Government  has  authorized  him  to  supply 
whatever  is  needed  in  that  way,  but  to  con- 
fine ourselves  to  articles  of  food,  delicacies, 
&c.        Very  respectfully  you*s, 

JAMES  GALL,  Jb.,  Relief  Agent. 

Letters  to  prisoners  at  Richmond  should 
be  of  one  page,  sent  open,  to  care  of  Brig. 
Gan.  S.  A.  Meredith,  Commissioner  for  Ex- 
change, Portress  Monroe,  Va. 


SELECTIONS. 


Extracts  from   a  Chapter  on    WATER   in 

SURGEON-GENERAL  HAMMOND'S 

TREATISE  ON  HYGIENE. 

Brinhing    Waters. — The    only     watei-s 

which  are  fit  for  drinking  (excluding  from 

this  head  the  mineral  waters,  which  are 

properly  medicinal)  are  rain  water,   river 

water,  and  spring  or  well  water. 

A  water  to  be  suitable  for  this  purpose 
should  be  free  from  any  considerable  qlian- 
tity  of  organic  or  mineral  constituents,  and. 
consequently  colorless,  and  jtvithout  any 
peculiar  odor  or  taste.  At  30°  Fahrenheit 
and  30  inches  of  the  barometer  one  hun- 
dred volumes  of  water  contain  about  five 
volumes  of  air.  The  large  quantity  of 
water  imbibed  by  an  individual  renders  it 
a  matter  of  great  importance  that  substances 
of  a  deleterious  character  should  not  be 
present,  or  if  they  are,  that  they  should 
be  capable  of  being  readily  removed. 

The  army  surgeon  is  frequently  called 
upon  to  decide  as  to  the  fitness  of  water 
for  the  use  of  the  troops,  both  for  drinking 
and  washing,  and  he  should  therefore  be 
enabled  to  make  a  correct  decision,  and  to 
suggest  the  means  that  may  be  available 
for  the_  purification  of  such  water  as  re- 
quires it.  For  these  purposes  very  few 
apphances,  in  the  way  of  apparatus  and 
tests,  are  required. 

All  waters  of  the  class  under  considera- 
tion, except  rain  water,  contain  lime  and 
chlorides,  and  frequently  other  mineral 
substances,  in  solution.  The  lime  is  in 
combination  with  either  carbonic  or  sul- 
phuric acid,  or  both,  and  the  chlorides  are 
those  of  sodium,  magnesium,  or  potassium. 
It  is  probable  that  so  far  from  being  inju- 
rious, these  matters,  when  not  present  in 
too  great  proportion,  are  rather  beneficial 
to  the  organism  than  otherwise.  When, 
however,  they  exist  in  large  quantity,  they 
produce  intestinal  disturbance,  and  the 
lime  salts  undoubtedly  give  rise  to  oaloxdi 
in  the  kidneys  or  bladder.  River  water  is 
also  often,  as  has  been  said,  loaded  with 
other  impurities.  Some  of  these  are  of 
such  a  character  as  to  cause  serious  diseases 
[in  those  who  use  the  water  in  which  they . 
are  found,  and  are  sometimes  so  abundant 
as  to  be  destructive  to  the  fish  living  in 
them. 

The  earthy  matters  which  are  so  abund- 
ant in  some  of  our  western  river  waters  al- 
most invariably  cause  diarrhcea  in  those 
who  are  unaccustomed  to  their  use,  though 
this  effect  gradually  ceases  to  be  produced 
if  the  drinking  of  the  water  is  persisted 
in. 

In  the  selection  of  sites  for  camps,  hos- 
pitals, barracks,  etc,,  the  medical  officer  is 

often  nnTinTiH.o,1  -mth  rofovcnce  to  the  nbttr- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


31 


acter  of  the  wat^r.  In  tte  field  it  is  fre- 
quently impossible  to  camp  troops  in  posi- 
tions which  afford  good  drinking  water,  hut 
in  the  location  of  hospitals  and  permanent 
works  this  end  can  generally  be  insured. 
It  should  be  recollected  that  no  one  sanita- 
ry element  is  of  more  importance  than  the 
one  under  consideration.  I  have  known 
stations  selected  without  the  least  regard 
to  the  character  of  the  water;  where  this 
was  so  loaded  with  saline  matters  that  the 
men  were  almost  constantly  affected  with 
diarrhoea,  or  so  contaminated  with  organic 
substances  that  putrefaction  commenced  in 
a  few  hours  after  it  was  brought  to  the 
quarters.  *  *  *  * 

Organic  matters  are  frequently  present 
in  water,  and  give  it  qualities  which  ren- 
der it  deleterious.  They  may  be  either 
gaseous  or  morphological,  as  portions  of 
decomposing  vegetable  or  animal  remains, 
infusoria,  algje,  fungi,  etc.  Water  in 
which  such  matters  are  found  readily  be- 
comes putrescent,  and  is  most  noxious  to 
the  health  of  those  who  use  it  as  a  drink, 
producing  diarrhoea  and  fever.      *        * 

Examination  of  Drinking  Water. — ^By 
ascertaining  the  specific  gravity  |0f  the 
water  to  be  tested,  a  rough  idea  of  the 
quantity  of  solids  contained  in  it  can  be 
obtained.  Kirwan  gives  the  following 
formula  for  this  purpose,  which  he  states 
will  generally  indicate  the  proportion  with- 
in one  or  two  per  cent. 

Deduct  from  the  specific  gravity  of  the 
water  the  number  1000,  and  multiply  the 
difference  by  1-4,  the  product  will  represent 
the  quantity  of  solid  contents.  It  gives 
the  weight  of  the  salts  in  their  most  desic- 
cated state,  and  consequently  freed  from 
their  water  of  crystaULzation.  The  weight 
of  fixed  air  must  be  also  included. 

Thus,  if  the  water  under  examination 
possess  a  specific  gravity  of  1015,  the  1000 
subtracted  from  this  sum  leaves  15,  which 
multiplied  by  1-4,  gives  21,  the  number  of 
parts  of  solid  matter  in  1000  parts  of  the 
water.-  A  better  plan  is  to  evaporate  to 
dryness  a  certain  amount  of  water,  and  to 
weigh  the  solid  residue. 

Szilphuric  acid  is  most  readily  detected 
by  solution  of  chloride  of  barium,  by  the 
action  of  which  a  heavy  white  precipitate 
of  sulphate  of  baryta  is  produced. 

Ghlorhydric  add  is  indicated  by  solution 
of  nitrate  of  sUver,  by  which  a  flaky  pre- 
cipitate of  chloride  of  silver,  soluble  in 
liquor  ammonise,  is  thrown  down. 

Sulphuretted  hydrogen,  if  present,  forms, 
with  solution  of  acetate  of  lead,  a  brown 
precipitate  of  sulphuret  of  lead.  In  water 
containing  lead,  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
when  passed  through  it,  gives  a  like  precip- 
itate. 

Lime  gives,  with  oxalate  of  ammonia,  a 
white  precipitate  of  oxalate  of  hme. 

■Magnesia  is  indicated  by  liquor  ammonise. 


which  separates  it  as  a.  light  flaky  precipi- 
tate. 

Iron  forms,  with  tincture  of  galls,  a 
black  precipitate  of  tannate  of  iron;  with 
ferrocyanide  of  potassium,  a  dark-blue 
precipitate  of  ferrocyanide  of  iron  is 
formed. 

Organic  Constituents. — The  organic  con- 
stituents of  water  when  not  in  solution  are 
readily  detected  by  means  of  the  micro- 
scope. 

Organic  matters,  when  in  solution,  can 
be  most  satisfactorily  discovered  by  means 
of  solution  of  permanganate  of  potassa. 
This  salt  gives  a  bright-red  color  to  the 
distilled  water  in  which  it  is  dissolved, 
which  hue  is  entirely  removed  on  sub- 
jecting it  to  the  action  of  organic  matter. 
We  have  thus  a  valuable  means  of  detect- 
ing impurities  which  would  otherwise  es- 
cape observation.  Tl^e  method  of  pro- 
ceeding is  very  simple.  A  drop  of  satu- 
rated solution  of  permanganate  of  potassa, 
or  of  Condy's  disinfectant  fluid,  (which 
consists  of  a  solution  of  alkaline  perman- 
ganates,) added  to  a  half  pint  of  distilled 
water,  gives  to  it  a  beautiful  pink  color, 
which  will  remain  permanent  for  a  long 
time;  but  if  the  same  quantity  be  added 
to  any  ordinary  drinking  water,  the  per- 
manganate is  decomposed,  by  the  organic 
matter  present,  and  the  characteristic  color 
is  destroyed  as  soon  as  found.  If  there  ' 
be  much  organic  matter  present,  more  of 
the  solution  will  be  required  to  produce 
any  color  at  all;  and,  by  the  quantity 
used  to  cause  the  formation  of  a  perma- 
nent pink  tinge,  we  draw  our  conclusions 
relative  to  the  purity  of  the  water  examin- 
ed. The  presence  of  minute  particles  of 
organic  matter  is  also  readily  indicated  by 
this  reagent.  *  *  *  * 


BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG. 

[From  Prof.  Jacob's  Bebel  Invasion  of  Maryland 
and  Pennsylvania.] 

This  battle  of  three  days  will  compare  in 
magnitude  and  far-reaching  consequences, 
with  any  of  the  great  battles  of  modern 
times.  In  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  the  Allies 
had  72,000,  the  French  80,000  men;  in  this 
the  rebels  had  90,000,  the  Federals  about 
60,000  inen.  The  British  had  186  cannon, 
the  French  252;  the  rebels  had  upwards  of 
200,and  we  an  equal  number.  The  Allies  lost 
20,000  in  killed  and  wounded;  the  French 
40,000  in  kiUed,  wounded,  prisoners,  and 
deserted;  the  Federals  lost  about  4,000 
kUled,  12,000  wounded  and  4, 000  prisoners, 
or  in  all  about  20,000;  whilst  the  rebels  lost 
5,500  killed,  21,000  wounded,  and  9,000 
prisoners  and  4,000  stragglers  and  deserters, 
or  a  total  of  about  40,000.  The  proportion 
of  men  and  of  losses  in  both  battles  is  near- 
ly the  same. 


32 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  itsi  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  Priasident  oSf  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  President,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Vice-President,".  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretairy, 
New  York  City. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer,  68  Wall 
Street,  iNew  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  VanBuren,  M.D.,  New  York,' 

G.  W.  CuUom,  U.  S.  A. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  TJ.  S.  A. 

K.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  tJ.  S.  A. 

Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York.- 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  K.  I, 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  .IFainaan  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn, 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  aU  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the 
Hospitals  in  Eastern  Virginia,'  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Gaj?blina,-  South  Caro- 
lina, Florida  and  Louisiana,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  the  New  England  States,  addi-ess  "Office 
Women's  Central  Union,  No..  10  Cooper  Insti- 
tute, New  York." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouxi,  Iowa,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  address 
"Office  Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be 
given,  and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from. 
If  the  application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will 
be  sent  by  return  of  mail;  if  in  person,  it  will 
"be  answered  at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  an- 
swer will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  in- 
quirer's expense. 

The  office  of  the  Directory  will  be  open  daily 
from  8  o'clock,  A,  M.,  to  8  o'clock,  P.  M.,  and 
in  urgent  cases  applicants  ringing  the  door-bell 
will  be  received  at  any  hour  of  the  night. 

J^~  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  ed- 
itors, and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause 
of  humanity  more  effectually  than  by  frequently 
and  videly  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  &.& 
above,  among  those  who  have  friends  in  tie 
army.    The  hospital  statistics  in  this  depart- 


ment of  the  Sanitary  Commission  aire  very  com- 
plete and  exact,  and  daily  prove  of  incalculable 
value  to  the  soldiers,  their  friends  and  relatives. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Oommission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in' its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washiagton,  before  Gharleston  and  at 
Chattanooga— its  distributions  being  governed  bj-,  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  ui  aU  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  looa,lities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  CbmmisBion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia.  ' 

Sanitary   Commission,    Branch   Depot,   No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 
,  Sanitary  Commission-,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,,  ,0. , 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,' Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  .Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Streetj  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  CommlBsion;  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Dar- 
ned Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  OommisBlon,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
LoulsviUe,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  whait- 
ever  from  the  Government,  and  is  whoUy  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubuo  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribii- 
tions  to  the  Treasury  are  soUcited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y:  s>      h  . 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT, 

Generaa  Superintendent,  Kev.  r.  N.  Knapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  0.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Bailroad  Depot,  Waih- 
jngtou,  D.  0.  , 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Eailroad  Statioi). 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't.. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.-0.  N.  Shlpman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.— James  Malona,  Sup't 
James  Morton,  Special  EeUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashvine,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't' and 
EeUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Homo,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. C.W. 

Christy,  Sup't  and  BeUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vioksbttrg,  Miss T.  Way,  Sup't 

AOXHOT  ion  PENSIONS. 

WiUiam  P.  Basoom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  C. 

HOSriTAI.    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Yorli — Sol.  Aadrewa, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  LonlsviUe  wd  Muifceesboro' — Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAinXABT  STZAMEBS. 

New  Sunlelth  on  the  Mississippi  Biver,  and  Ellssabetk 
on  the  Potomac  Biver. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


YOL.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  NOVEMBER  15,  1863. 


No.  2. 


The  Sanitakt  Commission  BtrUiETiN  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  circidation,  gratuitous 
or  other,  of  above  10,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unusually  valuable  medium  for  advertising. 

AH  communications  must  be  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  crffice  823  Broadway,  and 
m,ust  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

THE  LESSON  OF  THE  REPORTS. 

The  reports  from  Chattanooga,  which  we 
publish  in  this  number  of  the  BuiiiiBTrir, 
throw  so  much  light  both  on  the  value  of 
the  work  which  the  Commission  is  doing 
and  of  the  diflSoiilties  with  which  it  has  to 
•  contend,  that  we  ask  for  a  careful  perusal 
of  them,  as  the- best  mode  of  appealing  for 
public  sympathy  and  support.  There  could 
not  be  a  better  illustration  of  our  relations 
with  the  army  than  is  afforded  by  the  state 
of  things  which  existed  there  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Chickamauga.     The  occupation  of 
Lookout  Mountain  by  the  enemy  left  our 
army  dependent  for  all  its  supplies  on  a 
common  and  very  bad  wagon-road,  nearly 
eighty  miles  long,  which  incessant  use  and 
heavy  rains  soon  rendered  aU  but  impassa- 
ble for  wheels.     This  at  once  placed  the 
whole  force  on  short  rations,  and  of  course 
condemneid  numbers  of  sick  and  wounded 
to  death.     It  cannot  be  too  clearly  remem- 
bered that  when  a  crisis  of  this  sort  occurs 
in  military  operations,  the  first  duty  of  a 
general  is  not  to  take  care  of  those  of  his 
men  who  are  disabled,  but  of  those  who  are 
fit  for  duty.     His  business  is  to  bring  the 
campaign  to  a  successful  issue  at  aU  costs, 
and  if  he  can  do  so  and  at  the  same  time 
have  proper  attention  paid  to  those  who 
have  been  stricken  down  by  battle  or  dis- 
Voi,.  L— No.  2.  3  • 


ease,  humanity  requires  that  he  should  do 
it.  But  if  attention  to  the  sick  and  woimded 
is  at  all  likely  to  interfere  with  the  proper 
conduct  of  the  military  operation,  the  sad- 
dest, sternest,  but  most  imperative  rule  of 
war  requires  that  his  whole  resources  in 
transportation,  and  in  everything  else, 
should  be  devoted  rather  to  keeping  the 
healthy  in  health  than  to  restoring  the  non- 
effectives. Ammunition,  and  bread  for  those 
who  can  use  it,  are  the  prime  requisites  of 
an  army  under  all  circumstances;  and  when 
an  army  gets  into  difficulties  like  those  of 
our  army  at  Chattanooga,  they  only  become 
tenfold  more  requisite  than  ever.  At  a 
crisis  of  this  sort,  the  medical  department 
finds  itself  too  often  paralyzed  for  want  of 
stores  and  transportation.  The  whole 
energies  of  the  military  authorities  are 
devoted  to  keeping  the  ranks  fuU,  and  in 
forwarding  reinforcements  and  munitions; 
so  that  it  may  be  said  that  the  surgeon  finds 
that  as  his  wants  increase  the  means  of  sup- 
plying them  diminish. 

AU  these  difficulties  have  been  aggravated 
in  the  West  by  the  nature  of  the  country 
in  which  the  operations  are  carried  on,  and 
by  the  immense  distances  at  which  the 
armies  frequently  find  themselves  from 
their  base — distances  which  have  had  no 
parallel  in  European  warfare,  or  only  in 
the  campaign  of  1812  in  Russia.  Instances 
have  occurred  of  troops  having  been  de- 
pendent for  all  their  supplies  upon  a  line 
of  three  hundred  miles  of  wagon-road.  And 
these  long  lines,  it  must  be  remembered, 
generally  Ue  through  regions  desolated  by 
two  yeafrs  of  war  and 'incessantly  harried 
by  guerrillas,  in  which  subsistenofe,  forage, 
and  often  even  the  shelter  of  a  roof,  are 
wanting.  That,  under  su,ch  circumstances, 
the  medical  department  of  the  army  should 


34 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BulMin. 


frequently  find  itself  unable  to  meet  the 
demands  upon  it,  is  nothuig  wonderful;  tlie 
wonder  would  be  if  it  did  not.  When  the 
fierce  shocks  and  sharp  blows  of  war 
come,  and  the  fate  of  the  whole  army,  or 
the  fate  of  the  cause  itself  is  at  stake,  the. 
hospital  is  naturally  and  inevitably  sacri- 
ficed to  the  field. 

It  is  the  business  and  the  aim  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  to  gather  together 
from  every  quarter  the  money  and  the 
stores  contributed  by  those  who,  from  their 
position,  can  play  no  part  in  the  war  be- 
yond seeking  to  aHeviate  its  misery,  who 
have  nothing  to  do  with  military  exigencies, 
and  can  therefore  pay  undivided  heed  to 
those  of  humanity;  to  keep  these  stores  and 
money  in  its  hands  and  follow  the  army 
with  them  in  its  march,  husband  them  until 
a  victory,  or  defeat,  or  retreat  has  flung  a 
load  of  suffering  on  the  regular  departments 
which  they  are  unable  to  cope  with,  and 
then  to  step  i4  and  as  far  as  possible  fill  up 
aU  deficiencies.  This  seems  a  simple  mat- 
ter, but  it  is  not  by  any  means.  After  all 
the  work  of  collecting  stores  from  every 
comer  of  the  Union  has  been  accomplished, 
even  after  they  have  hurried  down  to  what 
seems  to  be  the  very  edge  of  the  battle- 
field, comes  the  hardest  task  of  all — that  of 
getting  them  conveyed  to  the  exact  spot 
■jyhere  they  are  needed,  to  the  very  hospital 
where  the  sick  are  struggling  for  life  on 
hard-tack  and  bad  water,  or  to  the  very 
field  on  which  the  wounded  lie  starving  and 
untended  in  their  torn  and  bloody  clothes, 
^he  difficulties  of  transportation,  even  for 
the  medical  department  in  our  army,  are  im- 
mense; and  they  are  of  course  still  greater 
for  the  Commission.  There  ought  unques- 
tionably to  be  separate  transportation  pro- 
vided for  the  former.  It  ought  not  to  be 
dependent  on  the  quartermaster  for  its 
wagons,  to  have  its  sole  means  of  bringing 
•up  its  stores  liable  to  curtailment  or  total 
stoppage  every  time  there  is  any  unusual 
demand  for  wagons  and  mides  on  the  part 
of  other  branches  of  the  service.  But  then, 
as  we  have  already,  remarked,  it  is  more 
than  doubtful  whether  it  would  be  possible 
^o  organize  means  of  transport  for  it  which 
would  under  no  circumstances  be  exposed 
to  the  pressure  of  thalt  necessity  which  is, 
after  aU,  the  supremelawof  an  army.  What 


general  would  agree  under  aU  circumstances 
to  keep  his  hands  off  wagons  which  might 
save  him  from  a  disastrous  retreat,  even  if 
their  seizure  and  conversion  to  other  uses 
involved  the  death  of  thousands  of  wounded 
men  ?  The  Sanitary  Commission  is  also 
constantly  forced  in  the  West  to  rely  on  the 
quartermaster  for  its  means  of  sending  for- 
ward its  stores,  and  exposed  to  precisely 
the  same  risks  and  delays  as  everybody 
else.  Let  the  necessities  of  the  wounded 
be  ever  so  great,  its  means  of  supplying 
their  wants  ever  so  abundant,  it  has  to  take 
its  chance  of  reaching  them  in  precisely 
the  same  way  as  the  regular  medical  direct- 
ors. The  accident  which  happened  to  the 
seventeen  wagons  which  were  captured 
while  under  Mr.  Bedding's  charge,  fur- 
nishes an  excellent  illustration  of  the  obst*. 
cles  which  have  to  be^  overcome  in  the  Wesfe 
Its  help  was  probably  never  more  sorely 
needed  than  at  the  moment  that  this  sup- 
ply was  going  forward,  and  yet  one  swoop 
of  the  rebel  cavalry  converted  to  the  use  of 
drunken  troopers  stores  that  would  proba- 
bly have  saved  the  lives  of  hundreds  and 
hastened  the  recovery  of  thousands. 

The  robbery  of  our  stores  by  the  team- 
sters is  one  more  proof  of  the  hundreds  we 
have  had  in  the  course  of  the  war,  of  tha 
imprudence,  to  use  no  stronger  term,  of 
employing  civilians  to  take  charge  of  the 
army  wagons.  The  teamsters  are  simply 
hired  men,  and  are  not  subject  to  military 
discipline.  The  wagon-master  who  accom- 
panies the  train  has  no  authority  over 
them  except  that  of  an  employer  over  his 
servants — and  the  value  of  this,  in  time  of 
war  in  the  West,  may  be  readily  imagined. 
They  belong,  however,  generally  to  a  drunk- 
en and  reckless  class,  and  burden  themselves 
with  very  little  responsibility  about  tha 
property  of  the  Government  committed  to 
their  charge.  When  one  remembers  that 
any  one  of  these  men  has  it  in  his  power,  by 
upsetting  his  wagon  on  the  road,  to  delay 
the  advance  of  a  train,  it  may  be  a  mile  or 
two  in  length,  for  half  a  day,  and  thus  per- 
haps endanger  the  safety  of  the  whole  army 
— and  instances  of  this  have  actually  oc- 
curred— one  cannot  help  regretting  deeply 
that  some  effort  has  not  been  made  to  or- 
ganize a  military  force  for  the  transport 
service.    In  no  European  army  is  the  bag- 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin, 


35 


gage  committed  to  tiie  custody  of  civilians. 
Every  one  of  them  has  a  corps  enlisted  for 
this  duty,  and  ofScered  by  picked  men. 
The  Military  Train  in  France,  and  the 
Land  Transport  Corps  in  England,  are  con- 
sidered amongst  the  most  arduous  and  re- 
sponsible branches  of  the  service.  It  ■wiU 
be  observed  that  the  worst  that  could  befall 
the  scoundrels  who  gorged  themselves  on 
the  road  to  Ohattanoogia  upon  the  stores, 
for  want  of  which  the  sick  and  wounded 
were  perishing,  was  dismissal  from  their 
employment.  But  it  wiU  be  readily  imag- 
ined that,  to  men  who  could  be  guilty  of 
such  an  act,  this  was  no  very  severe  punish- 
ment. 

The  thing  which  our  agents  in  the  West 
most  urge:atly  demand  is  vegetables;  this 
is  the  great  want  in  all  the  hospitals,  and 
the  want  of  them  is  a  serious  bar  to 
recovery  in  certain  kinds  of  disease.  We 
beg  the  attention  of  our  readers  to  the 
remarks  in  our  reports  on  this  subject. 
Vegetables  axe  of  course  amongst  the 
things  that  are  not  procurable  at  the  seat 
of  war,  and  they  have  to  come  from  the 
Northern  States,  mainly  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  laxge  towns.  Donations  of  them 
in  suflSoient  quantities  are  certainly  not  to 
be  expected  from  the  growers,  and  they  are 
therefore,  in  the  dried  form,  amongst  the 
suppUes  for  which  money  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary. Mr.  Bloor's  letter  to. Miss  Collins, 
which  wUl  be  found  in  another  column,  in- 
dicates very  clearly  what  our  wants- are  like- 
ly to  be  during  the  'coming  winter.  It 
must  not  be  forgotten,  however,  by  those 
who  read  it,  that  let  us  have  ever  so  large 
quantities  of  the  articles  for  which  he  calls, 
the  distribution  of  them  still  remains  to  be 
done.  They  have  to  be  sent  in  the  track  of 
the  army'  over  hundreds  of  miles  of  wasted 
country,  gathered  together  at  depots  aU 
across  the'  continent,  and  which  have  to  be 
carried  by  some  means  or  other  to  those 
who  most  need  them;  this  is  the  hardest 
part  of  our  task,  and  for  it  money  is  abso- 
lutely necessary;  and  the  larger  the  dona- 
tions of  supplies  the  more  money  we  need. 

The  Commission  cannot  receive  packages 
for  individuals,  for  here,  as  in  its  general 
relief  se^rviee,  it  must  bestow  the  peoples' 
aid  where  it  is  most  needed.  . « 


THE   RICHMOND  PRISONS. 

The  following  report  from  Dr.  McDonald 
is  very  interesting,  from  the  light  it  throws 
on  the  condition  of  the  Kichmond  prison- 
ers, which,  judging  from  recent  accounts, 
has  since  become  worse  than  he  describes 
them: 

Washingion,  Sept.  25th,  1863. 
Db.'  Lewis  H.  Stembb, 

Army  of  Potomac: 
Deab  Snt — My  report  of  proceedings 
since  July  1st  will  necessarily  be  composed 
mainly  of  brief  extracts  from  the  meagre 
diary  *hich  has  been  preserved,  and  such 
statements  as  may  seem  fitting;  nearly  all 
our  papers  having  been  lost  or  destroyed 
while  we  were  on  the  march. 

July  1st. — At  Washington,  awaiting  a 
chance  for  a  safe  forward  movement,  mili- 
tary men  assuring  us  that  the  roads  to 
Gettysburg  were  not  in  a  safe  condition  for 
travel,  without  an  escort. 

2d. — ^News  of  a  battle  reached  us  during 
the  evening,  and  our  time  till  12.30  A.M. 
was  employed  in  loading  goods  on  the  cars 
for  Westminster. 

3d. — Started  at  1P.M.  with  Mr.  Scandlin, 
Mr.  Gall,  two  teams  and  drivers,  and  a  ne- 
gro boy;  reached  EockviHe  at  6  P.  M. ,  where 
we  fed  and  rested  our  horses,  and  from 
whence  we  started  between  8  and  9  P.  M. 
for  Frederick,  at  which  place  we  arrived  at 
5.15  A.M.  of  July  4th,  after  having  travel- 
ed all  night. 

The  same  evening,  at  6  P.  M.,  Mr.  Gall 
started  with  an  empty  foui'-mule  team  and 
driver  for  Westminster,  there  to  load  from 
the  cars  and  proceed  to  the  field;  Mr. 
Scandlin  and  myself,  with  a  load  of  stores, 
driver  and  black  boy,  made  all  possible 
speed  towards  Gettysburg;  11  P.M.  passed 
General  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  at  Mechanics- 
town,  where  we  halted  for  the  night. 

Sunday,  5th.— At  8  A.M.  started  for  Get- 
tysburg, and  about  9.30  A.M.  were  met  by 
a  squad  of  cavalry  wearing  U.  S.  uniforms 
and  equipments,  who  commanded  us  to 
halt,  and  after  inquiring  who  we  were,  told 
us  to  "consider  ourselves  prisoners  of  war," 
which  we  soon  found,  by  the  numbers  of 
graybacks  crowding  around  us,  to  be  too 
true.  These  new  friends  (?)  were  all  eager 
to  show  their   affection  by   appropriating 


36 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


some  part  of  our  property  each  to  himself, 
■without  any  regard  to  our  comfort  or  con- 
venience; truly,  we  had  "fallen,  among 
thieves."  General  Stuart  appropriated  the 
horses,  wagon  and  supplies;  a  quartermas- 
ter kid  siege  to  our  saddle  horses;  the 
equipments  and  light  articles  were  soon 
distributed  among  the  men,  and  then  per- 
sonal property  was  demanded;  even  the 
Surgeon  of  the  Brigade,  who  had  heard 
our  explanation  to  General  Stuart,  and  un- 
derstood in  what  service  we  were  engaged, 
came  to  the  rear  and  haggled  with  some  of 
the  men  for  possession  of  a  saddle  and 
bridle  taken  from  one  of  our  horses,  as  he 
said,  "for  the  purpose  of  presenting  it  to  a 
friend  in  Eichmond."  His  entire  soul  was 
wrapped  in  desire  for  plunder,  and  we  were 
consoled  for  part  of  our  loss  by  knowing 
that  his  grasping  spirit  had  been  foiled, 
and  he  could  not  get  a  share  of  the  spoils. 
These  changes  of  ownership  were  very  soon 
accomplished,  and  we  were  started  over  the 
mountains  in  the  direction  of  Hagerstown; 
but  towards  evening,  finding  the  road  in 
that  direction  blocked  by  Union  cavalry, 
we  were  marched  by  an  unfrequented  road 
to  near  Smithstown,  where  a  smart  artillery 
duel  came  off,  and  so  soon  as  darkness  came 
on  a  guide  was  procured  who  led  us  over 
an  unfrequented  and  very  rough  roa,d  to 
the  town  of  Lytersburg,  where  we  were 
turned  in  to  grass  at  1.30  A.  M.,  and  rested 
three  hours;  then  were  marched  about  a 
mile,  found  a  check  in  front,  and  were 
moved  back  to  the  centre  of  the  town; 
halted,  and  here  received  food  from  the 
Union  citizens,  who  gave  whatever  they 
could  spare,  and  we  ate  while  General 
Stuart  was  endeavoring  to  find  an  outlet  of 
escape  for  his  forces.  At  length  we  were 
transferred  to  the  care  of  another  command- 
er, and  started  for  Hagerstown;  after  pro- 
ceeding about  four  miles,  the  road  was 
again  found  to  be  blocked  by  cavalry;  we 
were  marched  back  three  miles,  and  camped 
tin  the  right  of  way  should  be  settled. 
About  dark  were  again  "en  route,"  and 
marched  through  Hagerstown,  to  within 
one  mile  of  WiUiamsport,  where  we  were 
encamped  at  2.30  A.  M.  of  July  7,  and  just 
before  dark  of  the  afternoon  of  this  day 
we  received  a  ration  of  half  a  pint  of  flour 
and  two  ounces  of  beef,  but  no  means  for 


cooking  were  provided,  therefore  we  ate  of 
unleavened  bread  and  toasted  beef;  col- 
lected a  few  raUs  and  endeavored  to  roost 
as  dryly  as  possible  during  the  rainy  night. 
During  the  march  from  Lytersburg  Moses 
had  been  moved  to  •  the  rear,  and  at  Wil- 
liamsport  he  was  placed  with  other  contra- 
bands. 

Wednesday,  8th. — Were  moved  back  one- 
quarter  mile  to  camp  with  privates;  we  pre- 
ferring to  remain  with  them,  as  there  were 
prospects  of  our  becoming  of  use  in  vari- 
ous ways,  especially  in  attending  the 
wounded,  of  whom  there  were  quite  a  num- 
ber. Kained  all  day  and  night  tUl  12  M. 
During  the  afternoon  received  another  ra- 
tion similar  to  that  of  the  previous  day; 
disposed  of  it  in  like  manner.  Wrote  to 
Col.  Mayo,  requesting  an  interview  with 
General  Pickett,  hoping  he  would  release 
us  when  our  position  was  known  to  him, 
but  received  no  answer. 

Thursday,  9th  .—Started  at  1  P.M.  for 
the  ferry,  but  finding  the  facilities  for 
transportation  were  limited,  a  majority  of 
the  men— ourselves  included — were  sent 
back  to  camp.  Mr.  Scandlin  went  with  me 
to  call  on  General  Pickett  during  the  even- 
ing; his  reception  of  us  was  rather  frigid 
and  decidedly  formal,  he  communicating 
with  us  by  means  of  his  adjutant,  and  de- 
ciding that  we  must  go  on  to  Eichmond. 
On  complaining  of  the  insufficient  quan- 
tity and  poor  quality  of  food  the  men  were 
receiving,  we  were  furnished  with  an  order 
for  more  food  for  ourselves,  and  a  promise 
of  more  on  the  morrow  for  the  men.  Our 
extra  rations  consisted  of  two  or  three 
small  hoe-cakes,  and  a  knuckle  bone  of 
boiled  ham,  (all  the  officer  had  to  give  us,) 
but  our  men  did  not  get  their  extra,  nor 
always  their  regular  allowance;  however, 
they  got  plenty  of  promises  of  fuU  rations 
after  crossing  to  the  other  side  of  the  Po- 
tomac. 

Friday,  10th.— Moved  to  the  river  at  3  A. 
M.,  crossed  at  6.45,  and  halted  till  12.30  P. 
M.  The  promise  of  more  rations  was  not 
kept;  their  wagon  trains  had  been  cut  off 
by  our  cavalry,  and  they  could  not  get  sup- 
plies forward;  would  give  us  more  when 
we  got  down  the  valley.  The  faith  in  these 
promises  was  very  much  weakened  by  so 
many  similar  ones  stiU  remaining  unftifill- 


The  Scunita/ry  Commission  Bulletin. 


3t 


ed.  At.  12.30  J*.  M.  commenoed  a  terrible 
march,  -with  an  escort  of  cavalry,  artillery, 
and  infantry,  for  fear  of  recapture  or  a 
stampede;  the  first  hour  -we  traveled  nearly 
six  miles  under  a  scorching  sun,  guards.and 
prisoners, continually. falling  by  the  road- 
side from  the  effects  of  heat  and  exhaus- 
tion. General  Imboden,  finding  that  his 
own  men  were  suffering  much  more  than 
the  prisoners,,  and  that  he  would  soon  be 
left  without  a  guard,  rode  to  the  head  of 
the  column  after  the  first  hour's  marbh  and 
moderated  the  rate  of  travel.  During  the 
remainder  of  the  day  our  pace  was  much 
slower  and  more  regular  tiU  we  camped  at 
9.30  P.  M.  two  miles  beyond  Martinsburg. 
While  passing  through  Martinsburg  the 
inhabitants  expressed  their  sympathy  by 
kind  words  and  more  kiad  donations  of 
food,  in  spite  of  the  curses,  threats,  and 
even  blows  of  our  chivalrous  cavalry  guards, 
some  of  whom  even  went  so  far  in  their 
brutality  as  to  strike  women  for  giving  us 
bread  and  water. 

After  we  were  encamped,  some  of  the  offi- 
cers rode,  back  to  the  town  and  invited  the 
inhabitants  to  bake  bread  for  us,  and  many 
families,  we  were  told,  worked  all  night  pre- 
paring food  for  us,  which  was  loaded,  into 
wagons  next  morning  and  sent  to  Lee's 
Army  1 

Saturday,  11th.— Started  at  6  A.  M.  for 
Bunker's  Hill,  where  we  were  halted,  re- 
ceived and  cooked  rations,  and  at  6  P.  M. 
commenced  a  night  march  over  a  terribly 
rough  road  to  camp  two  miles  north  of 
Winchester,  arriving  at  2  A.M.  of  the  12th. 
Our  escort  was  vexed  with  having  to  gug,rd 
prisotters  during  a  night  march,  especially 
the  cavalry,  who  were  exceedingly  irascible, 
rough  and  uncourteous,  striking  the  men 
with  their  sabres,  and  in  some  cases  even 
placing  their  pistols  at  the  heads  of  ex- 
hausted men  and  threatening  to  blow  out 
their  brains,  generally  ending  by  pricking 
the  poor  fellows  with  their  sabres  tiU  they 
would  rise  in  wrath  and  proceed  on  the 
tedious  journey.  Men  and  guards  were 
this  night  completely  exhausted. 

Sunday,  12th. — Had  a  short  interview 
with  General  Imboden,  and  explained  to 
him  our  position;  he  "could  not  release 
us."  We  must  go  to  Bichmond,  and  from 
thence  would  certainly  be  sent  home  byllhe 


first  fiag  of  truce;  meanwhile  we  would  be 
permitted  to  board  in  and  have  the  free- 
dom of  the  city,  and  most  assuredly  would 
not  be  confined  in  prison.  Told  him  the 
prisoners  were  exhausted,  and  could  not  go 
further  without  rest;  he  promised  that  we 
should  only  travel  two  mUes  that  day,  and 
that  from  thenceforth  our  marches  should 
be  short — not  to  exceed  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles  per  day. 

Were  marched  through  Winchester  in 
season  to  meet  the  inhabitants  on  their  way 
home  from  church,  and  there  was  an  evi- 
dent desire  to  make  as  much  display  of 
their  captives  as  was  possible.  Halted 
one  mile  beyond  Winchester,  where  we  re- 
ceived rations  for  thr*e  days,  or  till  such 
time  as  we  should  reach  Mt.  Jackson;  viz., 
one  quart  pf  flour  and  three  quarters  of  a 
pound  of  fresh  beef. 

Monday,  13th. — In  Kne  at  6  A.  M.;  de- 
layed by  wagon  trains  on  the  road  till  9.30 
A.  M.  Had  rained  all  night,  and  was  still 
pouring  in  torrents;  a  bridge  on  the  turn-, 
pike  had  been  washed  away  during  the 
night,  necessitating  a  detour  of  four  miles, 
on  or  through  a  dirt  road  and  woods,  in 
order  to  ford  the  stream  at  a  safe-  place; 
this  detour  gave  us  two  miles  of  double- 
quick  march  in  mud  and  water  ankle  deep, 
then  a  tedious  march  till  7.30  P.  M.,  when 
we  encamped  within  one  and  a  half  miles 
of  Strasburg,  soaked  through,  cold,  with- 
out shelter,  exceedingly  tired,  almost  dis- 
couraged, and  with  a  prospect  of  passing  a 
restless  night  in  the  rain  and  on  wet 
ground. 

Tuesday,  14th.— Started  at  6  A.  M., 
marched  twenty-four  miles  without  food, 
and  camped  at  7  P.  M. 

Wednesday,  15th.  ^ — Moving  at  6  A.M.  for 
Mt.  Jackson  and  rations;  camped  at  9  A. 
M.,  expecting  rations  for  three  days  in  the 
same  ratio  as  previously,  but  didn't  get  any. 
Left  at  2  P.  M.,  and  reached  camp  south  of 
NewMarket  at  7.30  P.M.;  drew  and  ate  a 
ration.  During  the  day  met  carriages  con- 
taining a  number  of  persons  marked  by 
badges  on  their  hats,  "Committee  for  the 
Belief  of  our  Wounded,"  then  proceeding 
to  the  battle-field.  Bemarked  to  them 
that  we  belonged  to  a  somewhat  similar  or- 
ganization of  the  North,  but  were  then 
held  as  prisoners,  and  hoped  they  would 


38 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


be  more  f  orttmate  in  their  laudable  endeav- 
ors to  succor  tlie  distressed  than  we  had 
been.  Theywere  "sorry  "  forus,  and  pass- 
ed on. 

Thursday,  16th. — Column  was  this  day 
marched  left  in  front,  affording  some  rest 
for  those  who  had  thus  far  been  in  the 
rear,  and  giving  them  a  better  opportunity 
to  purchase  food  of  citizens,  all  of  whom 
we  found  greedy  for  greenbacks,  as  well 
as  the  officers  and  soldiers;  camped  two 
miles  south  of  Harrisonburg  at 4 P.M.,  and 
after  a  heavy  thunder-shower—during  which 
we  rested  on  our  boots,  sheltering  our 
clothing  as  much  as  possible  with  our  rub- 
ber blankets,  which  were  stiU  preserved — 
we  were  blessed  with  three  crackers  and  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  bacon. 

Friday,  17th. — ^After  a  cold,  restless  night, 
were  permitted  to  pay  six  dollars  each  for 
a  ride  of  sixteen  miles  to  a  point  within  four 
miles  of  Staunton,  where  we  camped  at  4 
P.  M.,  and  received  our  three  crackers,  with 
one-quarter  pound  of  bacon.  An  order  was 
issued  this  day  forbidding  the  purchase  of 
greenbacks  by  any  of  the  citizens. 

Saturday,  18th.— Moved  at  6.30  A.M.; 
marched  5)4  miles  to  a  point  one  and  a 
half  miles  beyond  Staunton,  where  the 
men  were  relieved  of  their  shelter-tents 
and  ■  rubber  blankets,  received  a  pint  of 
flour  and  quarter  pound  of  bacon,  and  were 
ordered  to  camp  to  await  the  arrival  of  oars 
for  an  onward  move  to  Eichmond, 

Sunday,  19th. — Had  an  interview  with 
Col.  Smith,  in  charge  of  prisoners'  guard, 
who  assured  us  of  our  immediate  release  on 
reaching  Eichmond. 

Monday,  20th.— At  7.30  A.  M.  proceeded 
to  the  cars,  and  embarked  for  Eichmond, 
arriving  in  that  city  on  the  morning  of  the 
succeeding  day,  and  being  safely  ensconced 
within  the  walls  of  Libby  Prison  at  4  A.  M. 
of  the  21st.  On  entering  the  Prison,  Leon- 
urd  Brink  was  assigned  to  the  citizens' 
room,  while  Mr.  Scandlin  and  myself  were 
sent  up  stairs  to  an  apartment  (occupied 
by  Union  officers)  about  forty -five  feet  wide 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  in  length, 
of  which  there  were  four  in  the  building, 
each  communicating  with  the  other,  and 
well  filled,  nearly  six  hundred  officers  be- 
ing at  that  time  confined  in  Libby.  Soon 
found  a  bare  spot  of  floor,  and  lay  down   I 


for  a  short  rest,  having  only  a  rubber 
blanket  and  Mr.  Soandlin's  overcoat  for  a 
bed.  At  daylight  were  awakened  by  the 
sounds  of  many  feet,  and  found  the  room 
alive  with  human  beings;  and,  as  we  after- 
wards learned,  much  to  our  discomfort, 
each  conveying  about  on  his  person  and  in 
his  clothing  quite  a  stock  of  living  beings. 

Breakfast  came  during  the  morning,  and 
proved  to  be  nearly  all  the  ration  for  twen- 
ty-four hours — one-half  pound  of  bread 
and  two  ounces  of  boiled  beef.  This,  with 
a  pint  of  soup  made  from  spoiled  bacon 
and  a  little  rice,  was  our  daily  allowance 
during  the  first  two  weeks  of  our  incarcer- 
ation, after  which  we  were  permitted  to 
purchase  vegetables,  were  furnished  with 
cooking-stoves,  and  ordered  to  do  our  own 
cooking,  which  was  a  great  improvement 
to  our  fare. 

Our  bed,  as  on  the  morning  of  our  arriv- 
al, consisted  of  Mr.  Scandlin's  coat,  a  rub- 
ber blanket,  and  the  clothes  we  were  in  the 
daily  habit  of  wearing. 

Vermin  were  plenty,  and  our  most  stren- 
uous efforts  failed  to  keep  them  in  abey- 
ance. 

Water  was  brought  from  and  retained  all 
the  peculiar  characteristics  of  James  Eiver; 
there  was  generally  a  sufficient  quantity, 
though  occasionally  the  supply  would  be 
partially  cut  off,  causing  considerable  vex- 
ation of  spirit.  The  floors  were  well  swept 
twice  each  day,  and  were  washed  once  a 
week.  The  apartments  were  thoroughly 
fumigated  as  often  as  every  alternate  day, 
and  most  of  the  rooms  were  fairly  venti- 
lated. 

Were  detained  in  this  Prison  tiQ  the 
morning  of  August  10,  on  which  day  Eev. 
Josiah  Peterkin  called  to  see  us,  and  offer- 
ed to  do  aU  in  his  power  for  our  release 
and  comfort;  and  soon  after  his  departure 
we  were  sent  into  the  hospital,  with  an  or- 
der that  we  be  made  as  comfortable  as  pos- 
sible until  the  arrival  of  the  next  flag  of 
truce,  when  we  were  to  be  paroled  and 
sent  North. 

Mr.  Brengle  and  Leonard  Brink  were  at 
this  time  brought  from  the  citizens'  room 
and  placed  in  hospital  with  us.  They  were 
much  emaciated  from  want  of  fresh  air  and 
sufficient  diet,  but  soon  recovered  a  part  of 
their  former  flesh  and  elasticity  of  spirit. 


The  S&mitary  Commission  BvUeUn. 


While  in  the  hospital,  everything  was  done 
that  oiroumstanees  would  admit  of  being 
done  for  our  comfort;  the  surgeons  were 
gentlemanly,  kind  and  attentive  to  our  ne- 
cessary requirements,  doing  all  they  could 
to  modify  the  restraint  of  prison  discipline, 
and  to  make  us  feel  as  contented  as  was 
possible.  Remained  in  hospital  till  Sep- 
tember 2d,  at  which  time  an  order  was 
issued  for  the  removal  of  all  citizens  to  , 
Oastle  Thunder;  and  though  Mr.  Scandlin 
was  at  the  time  suffering  with  a  scorbutic 
Umb,  and  I  was  ill  with  dysentery,  we  were 
moved  to  the  Castle  just  abotit  dark,  and 
placed  in  a  damp,  vacant  room  on  the 
ground  floor,  without  beds,  blankets,  or 
any  conveniences  whatever,  there  to  re- 
maui  as  best  we  could  till  morning  should 
reveal  our  whereabouts,  for  it  was  dark 
when  we  entered.  The  morning  light  re- 
vealed to  us  a  room  about  forty  by  twenty 
feet,  with  two  grated  windows  on  one  side, 
a  grated  door  at  one  end,  a  tub  partially 
full  of  dirty  water,  intended  to  be  used  for 
drink,  another  nearly  full  of  the  excre- 
ments of  thirty -two  persons,  who  had  been 
confined  there  during  the  night,  many  of 
them  suffering  from  diarrhcea;  two  or  three 
sailors'  chests,  which  some  of  our  number 
had  brought  with  them,  and  a  squad  of 
tired,  emaciated  men.  Breakfast,  a  large 
piece  of  bread  and  4  ounces  of  boiled  meat, 
was  served  in  this  apartment,  without  any 
means  having  been  adopted  to  purify  the 
atmosphere  or  remove  the  noisome  tubs, 
and  then  we  were  examined  preparatory  to 
being  sent  to  different  parts  of  the  build- 
ing, as  fate  and  the  inspector  might  decree. 
Mr.  Scandlin  succeeded  in  having  all  our 
party  (four  persons)  placed  in  the  same 
room,  (I  was  too  ill  at  the  time  to  care 
where  we  went,)  and  the  Commissary  very 
kindly  loaned  me  a  mattress  •to  keep  my 
bones  from  the  floor;  the  prisoners  in  the 
room  with  us  were  very  kind,  and  my  own 
party  were  unremitting  in  their  care  of  me. 
During  our  sojourn  in  Libby  we  had 
managed  by  means  of  letters,  some  of 
which  are  appended  to  this  document,  and 
messages,  to  keep  the  authorities  aware  of 
our  confinement,  but  on  reaching  Castle 
Thunder  aU  comjnunication  with  the  outer 
world  seemed  to  be  cut  off.  But,  thanks 
to  Mr.  ScandUn's  energy  and  perseveragce, 


a  way  was  found  to  make  our  presence  felt, 
and  permission  was  obtained  for  a  personal 
interview  with  Commissioner  Ould.  At 
this  time  I  was  very  lame,  and  the  active 
duties  devolved  on  Mr.  8.,  who  had  par- 
tially recovered  from  his  lameness,  and  he 
went  to  see  the  Commissioner;  returned 
with  a  promise  that  we  should  be  released 
and  sent  North  by  the  next  flag  of  truce 
boat  that  took  prisoners;  this  was  about 
the  10th  of  September,  and  we  waited  pa- 
tiently as  possible  the  arrival  of  a  boat. 
About  September  15th  a  boat  came  up,  but 
went  back  without  prisoners,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  wait  tiU  the  night  of  the 
21st,  when  we  moved  to  Libby,  paroled 
"not  to  bear  arms  or  perform  any  of  the 
duties  of  a  soldier  until  regularly  exchang- 
ed," and  were  sent  into  the  hospital  to  re- 
main tUl  morning.  One  of  our  number, 
Mr.  A.  F.  Brengle,  was  retained,  he  having 
been  captured  while  returning  from  Har- 
per's Ferryj  and  the  Commissioner  decid- 
ing that  he  was  not  a  regular  employ^  of 
the  Commission;  that  he  was  taken  while 
in  the  act  of  relieving  a  beleaguered  garri- 
son, and  therefore  must  reftiain  for  th« 
present.  Our  colored  boy,  Moses  Gardner, 
was  left  at  Libby,  the  Confederate  Commis- 
sioner refusing  to  release  him.  I  learned 
from  some  of  the  prisoners  that  he  had  ac- 
knowledged to  haviog  been  previously  a 
slave. 

Tuesday,  September  22d.— At  5  A.M. 
were  off  for  the  cars,  and  were  soon  on  the 
road  to  City  Point,  where  we  arrived  at  11 
A.  M.  Found  that  General  Meredith  had 
been  part  way  down  the  river  the  previous 
day,  but  had  very  kindly  returned  to  await 
the  arrival  of  Gen'l  Graham  and  our  party, 
whom  he  welcomed  in  a  true  friendly  spirit; 
his  kind  and  thoughtful  act  of  returning  to 
City  Point  saved  us  a  series  of  inconvenien- 
ces, and  hastened  our  arrival  in  Washing- 
ton several  hours.  During  the  trip  he  was 
very  attentive  and  courteous,  expressing 
his  warmth  and  depth  of  feeling  not  by 
words  alone,  but  by  impressive  action. 

At  Fortress  Monroe  were  greeted  by  Mr. 
GaU,  (in  his  own  words,)  "the  last  em- 
ploy6  of  the  Commission  to  part  from  us 
on  our  departure  for,  and  the  first  to  greet 
us  on  our  return  from,  Richmond." 

Wednesday,  23d. — Left  Fortress  Monroe 


40 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


at  6.30  P.M.;  arrived  in  Baltimore  at  6.30 
of  the  succeeding  morning,  whence,  after  a 
warm  greeting  from  the  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission at  that  place,  we  proceeded  to 
Washington,  arriving  about  12  M. ,  and  im- 
mediately reported  at  the  Central  Office. 

Having  secreted  and  secured  our  money 
from  capture,  we  were  enabled,  by  remain- 
ing with  the  privates  during  the'  march,  to 
relieve  some  individual  eases  of  suffering 
by  furnishing  food,  by  cheering  the  de- 
sponding and  encouraging  the  weak;  also 
by  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  so  long 
as  they  remained  vrith  us.  It  has  been  our 
endeavor,  during  the  entire  term  of  impris- 
onment, to  perform  our  duties  as  agents  of 
the  Commission  whenever  opportunities 
were  presented;  and  we  have  not  always 
waited  for  the  work  to  come  to  us,  but  have 
endeavored  to  go  to  it. 

The  day  succeeding  our  arrival  at  Libby, 
I  dispatched  a  note  to  "Capt.  Turner, 
Commandant  of  the  Prison,"  requesting  a 
personal  interview  with  him;  the  request 
was  granted  the  following  morning,  and  I 
then  detailed  to  him  the  objects  for  which 
we  were  sent  out,  the  operations  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  times  past,  and 
the  circumstances  attending  our  capture, 
requesting  his  advice  and  influence  in  ob- 
taining our  release.  By  his  advice,  I  im- 
mediately forwarded  to  Commissioner  Ould, 
by  the  hands  of  Capt.  Turner,  a  letter, 
dated  July  31st,  the  substance  of  which  is 
contained,  as  nearly  as  I  am  able  to  re- 
member, in  my  letter  to  Lieut.  Latoughe, 
August  28th.  Hearing  no  word  from  Mr. 
Ould,  I  sent  another  similar  communica- 
tion some  days  later  to  Gen'l  Winder,  and 
August  15th  received  a  verbal  message 
from  Lieut.  Latouche,  then  acting  Com- 
mandant of  the  Prison,  requesting  a  state- 
ment of  our  capture,  which  I  sent  imme- 
diately, and  at  the  end  of  which  I  enumer- 
ated the  amount  of  property  taken  with  us. 
August  27th  this  statement  was  returned, 
endorsed,  "  Get  a  complete  statement  of  the 
details.  ,  The  writer  'of  the  inclosed  seems 
.  MOKE  troubled  about  his  pboperty  than  his 
LIBERTY.  What  say  the  others  ?"  or  words 
very  similar. 

I  sent  the  letter  of  August  28th  to  Lieut. 
Latouche  in  answer  to  the  above,  and  in- 
closed in  it  an  article  out  from  the  Phila- 


delphia Enquirer  of  July  22,  entitled  "Hos- 
pitals at  Gettysburg."  The  next  day  re- 
ceived letter  from  Mr.  Gall,  of  Aug.  27th, 
a  copy  of  which  accompanies  the  other 
documents,  and  immediately  commenced 
collecting  certificates,  of  which  I  transmit 
copies,  also  a  statement  of  their  disposi- 
tion. We  were  not  idle  in  sounding  our 
trumpet  in  the  call  for  Liberty,  and  but 
few  days  of  our  captivity  passed  without 
some  of  the  Richmond  officials  being  made 
aware  of  our  presence  in  their  citadel  and 
capitol.  I  must  add  a  few  words  of  com- 
mendation for  the  patient,  self-sacrificing 
zeal  of  my  companions  in  captivity. 

Mr.  ScANDUN  proved  to  be  all,  and  mors 
than  all  he  professed;  constantly  engaged 
in  some  good  work,  cheerful  under  the 
most  adverse  circumstances,  ever  ready  to 
render  aid  and  comfort  to  all  in  distress,  ha 
has  become  endeared  not  only  to  the  agents 
of  the  Commission  with  whom  he  has  been 
so  long  associated,  but  to  most  of  the  offi- 
cers and  men  whom  chance  and  the  for- 
tunes of  war  have  placed  in  his  path.  He 
sought  out  the  sick  and  inquiring,-  gave 
them  freely,  cheerfully,  temporal  and  spir- 
itual comfort  at  all  times  and  in  all  sea- 
sons. He  has  proved  himself  to  be  an 
honest,  faithful  worker  and  a  tbtje  man, 
"the  noblest  work  of  God." 

Mr.  Brengle  had  been  confined  in  the 
citizAis'  room  from  the  time  of  reaching 
Richmond  till  August  10th — a  period  of 
about  twenty  days — had  become  much  re- 
duced in  strength  and  size  from  the  efiects 
of  hard  fare  and  close  confinement,  yet 
was  always  cheerful,  hopeful,  and  disposed 
to  make  the  best  of  everything.  It  was 
with  feelings  of  deep  regret  that  we  learned 
of  the  determination  to  hold  him  prisoner, 
even  after  our  release.  There  is  at  present 
a  faint  hope  of  our  being  able  to  effect  a 
special  exchange  for  him  soon. 

Leonard  Brink  had  also  been  confined 
with  the  citizens  till  the  time  of  our  remo- 
val to  hospital,  and  his  frame  showed  a  de- 
cided want  of  fleshy  covering  when  ha 
joined  us  in  our  new  quarters^  Decent 
prison  fare  soon  proved  a  benefit  to  him, 
and  his  patient,  contented  disposition  aid- 
ed greatly  in  restoring  him  to  something 
like  his  former  dimensions. 

Hoping  the  results  of  this  expedition 


The  Sanitary '  Commission  Bulletin. 


41 


may  prove  of  benefit  to  the  cause  for  wMcli 
we  are  laboring,  witli  many  thanks  to  the 
several  members  bf  the  Commission  ■wjio 
have  labored  so  assiduously  in  obtaining 
our  release,  and  with  the  sincere  hope  that 
there  may  never  again  be  cause  for  such 
esertious. ' 


WHAT  WE  HAVE  AND   WHAT 
WE  NEED. 

Sanitaex  Commission, 
Cenieal  Office,  244  F  St., 
Washington,  D.  C,  Oct.  3,  1863. 

Deab  Miss  Collins — The  time  is  at 
hand  when  the  chill  autumn  nights,  to  be 
followed  by  the  frosts  and  snows  of  winter, 
will  take  the  place  of  the  heats  of  summer, 
and  the  cry  of  the  army  patients  and  sur- 
geons will  be  for  warm  clothing  and  bed- 
ding, instead  of  for  cotton  garments,  mos- 
quito netting  and  fans.  However  thankful 
we  may  be  for  the  successes  of  the  Union 
arms,  and  however  certain  of  their  eventual 
triumph,  there  seems  to  be  no  sound  reason 
for  believing  that  the  war  wiU  end  very 
speedily;  and,  while  it  lasts,  we  may  be 
sure  that  the  women  of  the  country  will 
insist  on  their  privilege  of  supplementing, 
in  articles  of  comfort  and  delicacies  suitable 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  in  hospital,  the 
necessaries  which  Government  so  liberally 
provides  for  their  husbands,  lovers,  sens 
and  brothers  in  the  field.  While  recog- 
nizing this,  our  experience  during  the  last 
two  winters  reminds  us  of  the  necessity  of 
preparing  in  season  for  the  extensive  calls 
which  will  soon  commence,  and  which  will 
continue  throughout  the  winter — ^f or  warm 
clothing  and  bedding,  quilts  and  blankets, 
woolen  under-clothing  and  socks,  will, 
judging  by  the  past,  be  the  articles  of  this 
kind  most  in  demand;  after  these,  bed  and 
piUow-ticks,  warm  thick  dressing  gowns 
or  wrappers,  slippers,  sheets,  pillow-cases, 
towels  and  handkerchiefs.  Of  eatables, 
the  chief  demand  will  doubtless  be,  as  here- 
tofore, for  stimulants  of  every  kind;  jellies 
and  farinaceous  food,  dried  fruits  and  prep- 
arations of  beef,  mUk  and  vegetables. 

I  inclose  with  this  a  schedule  showing 
the  amount  of  stock  in  the  Washington 
depots,  at  this  date,  of  these  and  other  arti- 
cles most  in  demand.    In  a  parallel  columr^ 


is  shown  their  aggregated  amount  in  the- 
storehouses  of  our  branches  in  Philadel- 
phia, New  York  and  Boston,  according  to 
the  latest  weeldy  reports  furnished  by  them 
to  this  office.  By  this  you  wiU  perceive 
that  our  stock  of  blankets,  quilts,  woolen 
drawers,  bed-ticks,  pillow-ticks,  wrappers, 
dried  fruit,  farina,  stimulants,  and  jeUies, 
is  very  low;  and  that,  so  far  as  most  of  the 
articles  are  concerned,  the  same  is  true  of 
the  stock  of  most  of  our  branches.  You 
will  not  fail  to  observe  that  appearances 
indicate  a  return  of  our  old  trouble  in  col- 
lecting woolen  drawers  in  quantities  suffi- 
cient to  match  the  woolen  shirts;  for  while 
we  have  on  hand  7,978  of  the  latter,  we 
have  only  440  of  the  former.  In  view  of 
this  indication,  according  as  it  does  with 
our  past  experience  on  this  head,  I  would 
suggest  the  propriety  of  your  calling  spe- 
cial attention  among  your  correspondents 
to  the  fact,  and  of  requesting  them  to  or- 
ganize their  sewing  labors  so  as  to  secure 
proportions  of  shirts  and  drawers  more 
nearly  equal.  You  will  also  observe  that 
wfe  have  on  hand  but  20  piUow-tioks,  20 
sponges,  3  bottles  of  gin  and  3  of  brandy; 
whUe  our  branches  have  none  of  any  of 
them;  that  we  have  but  4  wrappers,  and  3 
barrels  of  dried  fruit;  and  that  the  united 
stock  of  this  depot  and  those  of  our  branch- 
es is  of  the  following  articles,  only:  blank- 
ets 401,  abdominal  bandages  290,  bed-ticks 
580;  {we  had  yesterday  an  order  from  the 
army  of  the  Potomac  for  500  bed-ticks.) 

Your  experience  has  doubtless  led  you  to 
the  same  conclusion  as  my  own,  namely: 
that  for  our  supplies  of  made-up  dry-goods, 
by  which  I  refer  to  quilts,  under-clothing, 
sbcks,  &c.,  and  of  made-up  eatables — I 
mean  jeUies,  preserves,  pickles,  dried  fruit, 
&c. — we  shall  have  to  depend  in  great  part 
on  our  country  contributors;  while  for  im- 
ported liquors  and  wines,  preparations  of 
beef  and  milk,  and  for  fine  groceries  gener- 
ally, our  dependence  must  be  almost  entire- 
ly on  those  in  the  cities,  or  rather  on  the 
funds  contributed  by  city  residents;  for  the 
major  part — ^I  may  say  nearly  all — of  this 
latter  expensive  description  of  stock  has 
hitherto  been  purchased  directly  from  the 
dealers  by  the  Commission  and  its  branches. 
It  would  therefore  be  well,  I  think,  that 
our  methods  and  correspondence  should  be 


42 


The  'Sanitary  Oommission  BvEetin. 


simultaneously  conducted  with  reference 
to  these  ascertained  facts,  and  that  we 
should  make  the  most  of  the  advantages 
afforded  by  what  have  been  demonstrated 
to  be  the  natural  channels  of  supply,  rather 
than  that  we  should  endeavor  to  force  the 
current  into  those  which  our  theories  in- 
cline us  to  regard  as  the  legitimate  ones. 

The  excess  of  the  stock  on  hand  of  linen 
rags,  lint  and  bandages,  over  the  current 
demands  in  almost  aJl  the  depots  tributary 
to  the  Commission,  was,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  year,  so  great  that  some  of  the  cor- 
respondents of  this  office  proposed  to  sell 
their  overplus  to  the  paper  manufacturers, 
and  use  the  proceeds  in  the  purchase  of 
supplies,  of  which  there  existed  a  deficien- 
cy. I  was  impressed,  however,  with  the 
conviction  that  this  surplus  would  be  but 
temporary,  and  that  it  simply  resulted  from 
the  accumulations  of  old  linen  made  before 
the  commencement  of  the  war  in  the  house- 
holds of  the  country;  while  I  thought 
that  the  exhaustion  of  this  accumulation, 
and  the  high  prices  for  the  basis  of  this 
kind  of  stock  ruling  in  the  market  since  the 
commencement  of  hostilities,  would  prove 
an  effectual  bar  to  such  supplies  in  the  fu- 
ture. I  stated  my  impressions  on  this  sub- 
ject to  my  correspondents,. and  I  am  happy 
to  say  they  were  dissuaded  from  carrying 
out  their  intention.  On  reference  to  the 
figures,  you  will  perceive  that  the  aggre- 
gated amount  of  these  materials  now  on 
hand  in  this  depot  and  in  those  of  our 
branches  is  only  236  barrels. 

If  this  stock  should,  by  the  chances  of 
war,  be  heavily  drawn  upon  within  a  month 
or  two,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  some 
exertion  will  be  required  to  replenish  it  in 
sufficient  quantities  throughout  the  winter. 

In  reviewing  our  labors  in  the  past  and 
anticipating  our  prospects  for  the  future, 
it  cannot  fail  to  afford  matter  of  remark  and 
congratulation  to  realize  the  extraordinary 
support  which  has  been  extended  to  the 
Commission,  and  through  it  to  the  National 
cause,  by  the  loyal  women  of  the  country; 
for  while  money  has  been  freely  provided 
for  its  treasury  by  the  rich  men  of  the 
country,  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic 
Coasts,  the  articles  of  clothing  and  the  del- 
icacies in  the  way  of  food  provided  by  the 
women — rich  and  poor  alike — ^have  tenfold 


exceeded  in  cash  value  the  donations  of  the 
former.  And  it  will  perhaps  encourage 
your  correspondents  to  know  what  I  can 
assure  them  is  the  truth — that  of  some 
twenty  thousand  (20,000)  cases  of  invoiced 
goods,  many  of  them  containing  articles 
valued  at  several  hundred  dollars,  which 
haye  been  forwarded  to  this  depot  of  the 
Oommission,  not  more  than  one  or  two  have 
failed  to  reach  us.  And  it  may  also  be  sat- 
isfactory to  know  that  the  proportion  of 
money  expenditure  for  their  distribution, 
made  by  the  Oommission  for  the  various 
purposes  of  the  remuneration  of  its  employ- 
&,  rent,  freight,  postage,  and  aU  other  in- 
cidental outlays,  does  not  amount  to  much 
more  than  three  (3)  per  cent,  on  the  cash 
value  of  the  distributions  made  through  its 
agency  to  the  soldiers  of  the  country. 
Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 
(Signed)    ALFRED  J.  BLOOE, 

Assistant  Secretary. 
Miss  EiiiiEN   OoiiiiiNS,    Chairwoman   Com. 
Cor.  and  Supplies,  Woman! s  Central  As- 
sociation of  belief,  New  York. 


THE  RATE  OF  EXCHANGE. 
Mr.  E.  B.  FairohUd  is  employed  at  Point 
Lookout  in  the  collection  of  statistics  re- 
garding the  physique  of  the  men  in  the 
rebel  armies,  and  the  following  letter  re- 
cently received  from  him  contains  soms 
curious  facts  as  to  the  comparative  value  of 
United  States  and  Confederate  money,  as 
settled  by  the  rebels  themselves: 

Sanitabt  Commission,  Point  ) 
Lookout,  Oct.  27,  1863.        ) 
Db.  L.  H.  Steiner: 

Mt  Dear  Sir — I  received  yesterday  the 
table  and  chairs.  They  were  very  welcome. 
I  am  getting  on  pretty  well  with  my  work; 
the  cold  weather  and  storm  of  the  past 
week  have  interfered  with  me  somewhat. 
The  rebs  are  quite  thinly  clad,  and  they 
don't  like  to  take  off  coat  and  shoes  in  my 
tent,  where  there  is  no  fire.  I  am  about 
having  a  fireplace  and  chimney  built,  and 
shall  try  and  make  the  comforts  of  my 
tent  a  temptation  to  them  to  stay  with  me 
long  enough  to  be  measured.  I  have  been 
telling  them  that  I  expected  my  spirometer 
by  every  boat,  and  many  of  them  are  wait- 
ing for  that  before  they  are  measured.    I 


?%e  Sanitary  Commission  BvEebin. 


43 


•wish  it  might  be  sent  do-wn  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. The  poor  rebs  suffer  a  good  deal; 
many  are  almost  entirely  -without  shirts, 
very  few  of  them  have  overcoats,  ansd-  aU 
are  obliged  to  sleep  on  the  ground,  most 
of  them  in  A  tents,  -with  three  very  much 
worn  blankets  for  sis  men.  There  is  a 
good  deal  of  scurvy  among  them,  con- 
tracted at  Ft.  Delaware;  there  is  also  con- 
siderable small-pox.  Yesterday  afternoon, 
as  I  had  little  to  do,  I  accepted  the  invita- 
tion of  one  of  them  to  walk  through  the 
camp;  the  first  time  I  have  been  beyond 
my  own  tent.  The  main  street  is  their  ex- 
change, and  of  aJil  the  bartering  and  *'  dick- 
ering" this  beats  anything  I  ever  saw.  The 
street  was  crowded,  as  I  am  informed  it  is 
from  morning  to  night;  here  on  the  side  of 
■the  street  one  was  making  coffee  from  the 
grounds  taJten  from  the  cook-house,  which 
he  was  selling  for  two  dollars  and  a  half 
' '  Confederate, "  or  five  cents  ' '  greenbacks, ' ' 
a  cup.  Another  had  half  a  dozen  apples,  and 
was  crjring  out  "  Here's  your  nice  apples, 
two  for  three  doUais;"  another,  "Here's 
your  hard-tack,  five  for  a  dollar;"  another, 
"  Here's  your  nice  tobacco,  one  chaw  for  a 
dollar. "  While  I  was  standing  still  looking 
on,  I  was  beset  on  all  sides,  to  give  tobacco 
for  rings.  One  f eUow  wanted  to  sell  me  a 
pipe.  I  asked  him  the  price:  "Two  dol- 
lais  and  a  half  '  Confederate,  or  five  cents 
greenbacks,'  I  don't  care  which."  They 
sell  everything.  I  saw  one  man  who  had 
no  shirt  on,  who  had  just  received  one 
from  the  Provost  Marshal,  trying  to  sell  it 
for  tobacco.  They  make  bricks  of  clay, 
which  they  dry  in  the  sun,  of  which  they 
make  chimneys  with  fireplaces  to  warm 
their  tents.  They  used  to  retake  them  for 
two  dollars  and  a  half  a  hundred,  or  five 
cents  "greenbacks;''  but  recently  some  of 
our  soldiers  have  been  buying  them,  and 
they  have  raised  the  price  to  twenty-five 
cents  a  hundred,  equivalent  to  twelve  and* 
a  half  dollars  a  hundred  Confederate.  I 
made  a  bargain  with,  one  of  them  yesterday 
to  build  me  a  chimney.  He  charged  me 
thirty- four  dollars,  and  thought  me  very  lib- 
eral when  I  oifered  him  fifty-cents  in 
"  greeiibaoks. "  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
Confederate  money  among  them;  some  of 
the  men  are  buying  it  up.  A  rebel  sergeant 
showed,  me  $18,000  to-day.    I  wish  yoiJ 


could  Gome  "down  here  for  a  couple  of  days. 
It  would  pay  you  well  if  you  could  spare 
the  time.  The  last  measurement  I  have 
taken  is  No.  565.  I  have  done  a  good 
day's  work  to-day. 

Very  respectfully, 
(Signed)         E.  B.  FAIKOHILD. 


THE    SANITARY    COMMISSION   AT 
GETTYSBURG. 

The  following  has  reference  to  the  testi- 
mony borne  to  tie  value  of  the  labors  of 
the  Commission  on  the  field  at  Gettysburg, 
by  Mr.  John  F.  Seymour,  a  brother  pf 
Governor  Seymour  of  this  State: 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Vii^  Morning  HeraW. 

Our  townsman,  Mr.  John  F.  Seymour, 
has  spent  eight  days  at  Gettysburg  and  in 
its  nedghborhood,  ministering  to  the  wants 
of  our  wounded  soldiers.  In  a  letter  just 
received  from  him,  after  speaking  of  their 
condition — "  some  in  churches,  some  ^n 
bams,  some  in  tents  among  forest  trees, 
some  in  tents  on  open  fields,  some  under 
such  shelter  as  a  farmer  would  be  ashamed 
to  show  for  his  cows,  some  under  blankets 
hung  over  cross-sticks,  and  some  without 
even  so  much  shelter  as  that,"  he  says: 
"  The  United  States  Medical  Department, 
which  is  not  excelled  by  any  in  the  world 
for  efficiency,  has' made  amjd^  provision  for 
10,000  wounded  soldiers — ^its  officers  an(J 
medicines  were  on  the  battle-ground — ^but 
when  the  enemy  retreated  from  Gettysburg 
they  left  11,000  wounded  men  in  buildings, 
and  on  open  fields,  and  in  the  woods;  and 
thus  20,000,  instead  of  10,000,  men  were 
immediately  to  be  eared  for  in  a  smaU 
village  and  in  a  farming  country  already 
pillaged  or  partly  exhausted  by  Lee's  army. 
The  railroad,  which  might  have  brought 
supplies,  was  broken  up  for  miles,  and  the 
telegraph  wires  and  poles  were  down.  What 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  this  emer- 
gency ?  Everything  that  is  praiseworthy. 
The  Medical  Department  could  not  have 
got  along  without  that  and  the  Christian 
Commission.  The  soldiers  would  have 
starved  to  death  without  their  aid.  As 
soon  as  the  railroad  was  repaired  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  sent  an  ice-ear  daily  from 
Philadelphia,  loaded  with  fresh  meats,  milk 
and  vegetables.  With  its  ambulances  it 
poured  in  among  the  suffering  multitude 
thousands  of  pounds  of  bread  and  meat, 
clothing,  blankets,  bandages,  beef -tea,  con- 
densed milk,  liquors,  and,  in  short,  every- 
thing that  human  kindness  could  devise 
was  gathered  up  by  the  wide  benevolence 
of  this  Commission,  and  poured  out  among 
the  wounded  soldiers,  friend  and  foe  alike, 
until  tliey  were  more  than  supplied.  I  caa- 


u 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


not  sufficieutly  express  my  admiration  and 
gratitude  for  the  Sanitary  and  Christian 
Commissions.  The  Sanitary  Commission 
is  "worthy  of  all  the  aid  and  confidence 
■which  its  most  zealous  friends  in  Utica 
have  ever  claimed  for  it.  Fully  to  appre- 
ciate its  labors  you  need  to  witness  the 
wants  and  suifferings  of  the  thousands  of 
•wounded  and  dying  scattered  over  miles  of 
country  around  Gettysburg." 

Mr:  Seymour  speaks  further  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  wounded,  and  then  adds: 

"  Imagine,  if  you  can,  all  these  things, 
and  then  you  may  understand  something 
of  the  value  and  the  necessity  of  a  Commis- 
sion like  this,  to  which  the  citizens  of  Utica 
have  so  wisely  contributed."  He  says:  "  In 
addition  to  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Com- 
missions, delegations  from  Maine,  Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut,  New  York,  Pennsyl- 
vania,* Maryland,  Michigan  and  other  States 
have  been  at  Gettysburg,  striving  to  miti- 
gate the  pain  and  where  the  wants  of  these 
wounded  soldiers. " 

Mr.  Seymour  speaks  of  the  impression 
which,  he  fears,  prevails  in  relation  to  the 
conduct  of  the  people  of  Gettysburg  after 
the  battle,  and  concludes  thus  : 

"  Doubfless,  miserable  wretches  are  to  be 
found  there,  as  in  every  other  place,  who 
have  extorted  money  from  "soldiers  and 
strangers; — but  it  should  be  recoUeeted  that 
the  village  and  surrounding  country  had 
been  ocpupied  by  Lee's  hungry  army  before 
the  battle.  The  people  were  worn  out  by 
excitement  and  terror — ^by  the  presence  and 
conflict  of  great  armies — and  tiien  came 
20,000  wounded  men,  and  thousands  of 
anxious  friends,  all  crowding  in  upon  the 
inhabitants.  There  was  scarcely  a  house 
that  was  not  filled  with  strangers,  occupying 
beds,  sofas  and  floors.  The  exhausted  in- 
habitants fed  and  lodged  them  with  the 
greatest  hospitality.  That  there  were  in- 
stances of  shameful  impositions  cannot  be 
denied;  but  they  would  have  been  practiced 
anywhere.  At  Gettysburg  they  were  only 
the  exceptions  to  a  generous  hospitality  of 
a  people  who  had  difficulty  in  providing  for 
themselves." 

These  extracts  from  Mr.  Seymour's  letter 
win,  I  am  sure,  be  read  with  interest.  If 
any  additional  testimony  were  required  of 
the  ceaseless  labors  and  vigilance,  the  wise 
,  and  benevolent  action,  and  the  indispensa- 
ble necessity  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
it  is  furnished,  at  least  to  us,  by  what  is 
here  said  by  a  fellow-citizen  who  is  so  well 
known  and  so  highly  and  justly  esteemed 
as  Mr.  Seymour. 

The  ladies  of  Utica  who  have  been  so 
long  and  so  patiently,  industriously,  and 
effectively  engaged  in  contributing  to  the 
supplies  of  the  Commission,  will  find  some 
reward  for  their  self-sacrificing  labors  in 
Mr.  Seymour's  statements,  and  will  be  ex- 
cited to  continued  and  increased  efforts  in 


behalf  of  such  an  instrumentality  of  mercy, 
(as  is  the  Sanitary  Commission,)  to  those 
who  are  offering  up  their  lives  in  defence 
of  all  that  is  dear  to  them  and  to  us  all. 

Your  readers,  Mr.  Editor,  know  that 
subscriptions  of  monthly  contributions  to 
the  funds  of  the  L^idies'  Society  were  quite 
extensively  made  in  the  city  during  the  last 
spring.  The  sums  subscribed  are  payable 
to  Mr.  Thomas  Buchanan,  at  the  Savings 
Bank  of  Utica.  If  they  are  all  promptly 
paid  it  will  enable  the  society  to  continiie 
its  good  work  without  any  labor  or  anxiety 
about  funds,  and  without  any  further  caU 
upon  our  citizens  for  pecuniary  aid.  There 
is  a  large  amount  of  the  subscriptions  in 
arrear.  The  subscribers  are  urgently  re- 
quested to  pay  arrearages  iminediately,  and 
hereafter  to  pay  prom/pUy  on  the  first  Friday 
of  every  month,  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
subscription.  Unless  this  is  done  it  will  be 
necessary  to  employ  a  collector,  which  will 
involve  considerable  expense,  and  so  far 
diminish  the  fund,  every  dollar  of  which 
should  be  devoted  to  the  direct  object  of 
thie  society. 

THE  HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

"  ONE  INQUIRY  ASB  ONE    ANSWER. " 

The  working  of  this  machinery,  erected 
by  the  Commission  for  the  supply  of  iuf or- 
mation  with  regard  to  patients  in  the  vari- 
ous United  States  Hospitals,  is  well  iUus-s 
trated  by  the  following  facts  taken  froln 
Mr.  H.  S.  Holbrook's  report  from  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  of  Sept.  1,  1863: 

An  old  man  enters  the  office.  He  has 
traveled  from  Northern  Ohio  to  meet  his 
son  in  this  city;  he  has  been  told  to  inquire 
at  the  Sanitary  Commission  rooms  for  di- 
rection to  the  hospital  which  contains  him. 
While  the  clerk  turns  to  the  books,  he  chats 
of  his  son  and  home,  of  the  difierent  arti- 
cles in  his  carpet-bag,  put  in  by  mother 
and  sisters  at  home — each  had  sent  some 
little  comfort.  He  is  all  animation  and 
hope,  as  if  at  the  very  door  which  is  to 
admit  him  to  the  realization  of  all  his  happy 
anticipations.  The  record  says — "died  " — 
that  very  morning  !  The  register  says,  ' '  one 
inquiry,  one  answer. "  It  does  not  speak  of 
the  careful  praparatory  suggestions  that 
sympathy  tenderly  makes  towards  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  saddening  fact.  It  does 
not  show  that  strong  old  man  convulsed 
and  weeping  like  a  child.  You  see  not  his 
departure  from  the  office  stunned  with  grief. 
You  feel  npt  the  stifled  thanks  of  his  fat^- 
weU  grasp— full  payment  for  all  your  sym- 
pathy and  care.  He  goes  slowly  and  sadly 
away.  One  of  the  clerks  accompanies  him, 
who  procures  a  burial-case  for  the  remains 
of  his  "poor  boy,"  and  assists  him  in  aU 
his  preparations  for  his  mournful-  journey 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


45 


home  on  the  same  day.     The  register  says 
— "one  inquiry,  one  answer." 

"A  mother  from  Northern  Indiana  has  re- 
ceived a  dispatch  that  her  son  is  sick  in 
Nashville;  she  is  on  her  way  to  see  him; 
she  applies  for  a  pass,  but  passes  for  ladies 
are  seldom  granted,  and  not  without  a  per- 
mit from  head-quarters.  Her  credentials 
are  all  right,  hut  she  is  told  that  it  is  more 
than  doubtful  if  she  is  permitted  to  go . 
She  comes  to  the  Directory;  her  son's  name 
is  on  the  books;  "telegraphing  is  expensive, 
and  the  result  doubtful."  "  'Tis  too  bad," 
she  exclaims,  "  I  have  seven  sons,  and  all 
of  them  in  the  army;  I  do  not  wish  them 
away,  but  I  do  want,  if  they  get  sick,  the 
privilege  of  going  to  nurse  them."  "My 
dear  madam,  you  shall  go;  that  fact  will 
get  you  a  pass,"  and  so  it  did.  The  regis- 
ter says,  "one  inquiry,  one  answer." 

A  sprightly  young  wife  is  sent  from  the 
telegraph  office  to  have  a  dispatch  written 
for  a  permit  to  visit  her  husband  in  Nash- 
ville. She  is  quite  impatient  at  the  useless 
delay  in  consulting  the  records  for  his 
name.  "  She  knows  he  is  in  Nashville,  and 
all  she  wants  is  a  dispatch  written,  and  wiU 
be  obliged  for  as  much  haste  as  ■  possible. " 
"  Are  you  sure  he  is  in  NashvUle  ?"  "  Cer- 
tainly." "You  would  have  no  objections  to 
meeting  him  here  ?"  "You  are  playing 
with  me,  sir;  wiU  you  give  me  the  dis- 
patch ?"  "I  don't  think  you  wiUneed  one. 
This  '  Eibstract '  wiU  please  you  better. 
■There  are  directions  where  to  find  your 
husband,  a  few  blocks  off. "  With  one  look, 
to  be  sure  she  was  not  being  "played" 
with,  she  was  off  from  the  office  down  street 
at  what  he  would  have  called  the  "  double 
quick,"  and  found  him  not  in  Nashville. 
Had  she  not  come  to  the  Directory,  possibly 
she  might  have  obtained  a  pass  to  Nash- 
ville, and  gone;  or  failing  in  that,  would 
have  gone  home  without  seeing  him. 

A  short  time  ago  this  case  came  under 
our  notice.  A  soldier  in  hospital  in  Nash- 
ville writes  to  his  wife  that  he  is  very  sick, 
and  requests  her  to  come  to  him.  The  let- 
ter was  dated  the  5th  Sept.  Two  days  af- 
terwards he  is  transferred  to  Louisville,  but 
his  letter  informing  her  of  the  change 
never  reached  her.  She  leaves  home  and 
stops  over  night  in  Louisville,  and  goes  to 
Nashville  on  the  15th.  There  she  learns 
that  he  is  in  Louisville.  Delayed  for  lack 
of  funds,  she  returns  to  this  city  on  the  22d 
and  finds  that  he  died  on  the  night  of  the 
16th,  the  next  night  after  she  lodged  in 
the  same  city,  so  near  to  each  other,  yet 
never  to  meet.  Had  she  known  of  the 
Hospital  Directory,  and  consulted  it,  this 
lifelong  grief  would  have  been  prevented. 

"  A  father  desires  to  visit  a  sick  son.  His 
statements  accord  with  our  record.  The 
dispatch  written  for  him  explains  the  case. 

"To Brig. -Gen.  J.  A.  Garfield,  Chief  o4 
Staff,  Iforfreesboro',  Tenn. :  Had  four  sons 


in  army;  two  are  dead;  two  belong  to  the 

89th  Ohio,  Co. .   William  0 is  sick 

at  Gallatin,    hospital   four.    Please  grant 

pass.  A.  0 . 

J.  8.  Newbebet,  Voucher." 

The  pass  was  granted. 

A  father  from  Pennsylvania  presents  a 
letter  from  the  surgeon  of  a  hospital  in 
Nashville,  saying  that  his  son  will  be  dis- 
charged, and  sent  to  this  city  in  care  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  requests  the  fa- 
ther to  meet  him  here.  He  asks,  "  Where 
is  he ,?"  We  have  no  note  of  his  arrival. 
"He  must  stiU  be  in  hospital  at  NashviUe. 
But  stay;  here  is  a  report  just  in."  The 
name  is  there,  and  died  August  9,  1863,  the 
very  day  the  father  received  the  letter,  and 
set  out  to  meet  him.  His  son  had  sent  him 
word  not  to  bring  more  money  than  neces- 
sary to  pay  his  fare  to  LpuisviUe,  as  he  was 
paid  off  and  had  enougtf.  What  wa9  to  be 
done  ?  We  loaned  him  his  passage  home; 
made  out  the  necessary  papers  to  get  the 
effects  of  his  son;,  wrote  to  Nashville  to 
Sanitary  Commission  agents  to  forward 
them,  and  he  left  for  home  that  evening. 

We  might  multiply  similar  oases  indefi- 
nitely, each  one  possessing  some  peculiar- 
ity to  vary  the  service,  needed  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  appUoant.  But  these  must 
suffice. 


HEALTH  OF  THE  BRITISH  ARMY. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  Be- 
port  of  the  Deputy  Inspector  General, 
which  has  just  been  issued,  for  the  year 
1861: 

It  shows  that  among  the  troops  serving 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  the  admissions 
into  hospital  were  1.025  per  1,000  of  mean 
strength,  the  deaths  91.24,  and  the  con- 
stantly sick  5454;  a  slight  reduction  from 
the  previous  year  in  all  these  particulars. 
Excluding  the  depots,  because  in  them 
many  are  men  with  health  impaired  by 
service  in  unhealthy  climates,  the  mortality 
among  the  troops  was  lower  than  that  of 
the  male  population  in  the  healthy  districts 
of  England  under  the  age  of  25,  nearly 
identical  with  it  between  25  and  30,  but 
higher  than  that  of  the  civil  population 
above  the  latter  age.  The  leading  facts  of 
the  great  prevalence  of  venereal  and  high 
mortality  by  tubercular  diseases  remained 
unchanged;  the  former  having  caused  more 
than  a  third  of  all  the  admissions  into  hos- 
pital, and  the  latter  above  a  third  of  the 
total  deaths.  The  admissions  into  hospital 
for  venereal  diseases  amounted  to  354  per 
1,000  of  mean  strength,  equal  to  more  than 
one  man  in  every  three ;  and  the  inefficiency 
thus  caused  was  equal  to  the  loss  of  the 
services  of  every  soldier  at  home  for  8.56 
days,  being  a  trifle  imder  the  amount  in 
the  preceding  year.     The  admissions  per 


46 


The  Scmitwry,  Commission  Bulletin. 


t,%00  of  steength.  from  this  cause  reached 
487  at  Manchester,  485  at  Portsmouth,  470 
at  Plymouth,  469  at  Belfast,  399  at  Wool- 
wich, 361  at  Aldershot;  in  London  and 
Windsor  thej  were  328  among  the  Foot 
Guards,  but  only  135  among  the  Household 
Cavalry.  Diseases  of  the  respiratory  sys- 
tem, influenza,  and  tonsillitis  were  less 
prevalent  than  in  the  previous  year;  they 
prevail  most  among  the  dock-yards  and 
arsenals,  a  result  probably  of  the  greater 
amount  of  duty  and  exposure  of  the  men. 
There  were  33  instances  of  accidental  death 
by  drowning — a  strong  hint  that  the  men 
shotdd  be  instructed  in  swimming.  The 
infliction  of  corporal  punishment  varied  in 
the  year  from  1  per  1,000  in  London  and 
Windsor,  to  2.9  in  the  large  manufacturing 
towns.  In  the  cavah-y,  artillery,  and  in- 
fantry regiments,  the  whole  mortality  in 
the  yeajr  was  lower  than  that  (7.41)  in  the 
most  healthy  districts  of  England;  but  this 
comparison  is  made  after  the  elimination 
of  diseased  Uves  from  the  ranks  of  the  army 
by  invaliding,  and  the  invaliding  in  all 
arms  except  the  Household  Cavalry,  was 
higher  than  1860.  The  strength  of  the 
army  having  been  raised  above  the  author- 
ized establishment,  it  became  necessary  to 
reduce  it,  and  for  this  purpose  a  number  of 
the  least  efficient  men  were  discharged,  who, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  have 
continued  to  serve.  If  the  deaths  of  men 
invalided  in. 1861,  and  who  died  before  the 
end  of  that  year,  be  included  in  the  calcu- 
lation, the  returns  for  1861  show  an  in- 
crease in  the  mortality  of  the  Cavalry  and 
Foot  Guards,  but  a  decrease  in  that  of  the 
ArtUlery,  Military  Train  and  Infantry  reg- 
iments; and  the  ratio  of  deaths  per  1,000 
of  strength  becomes  10. 54  in  the  Household 
Cavalry,  8.43  in  the  cavalry  of  the  line, 
7;  73  in  the  Royal  Artillery,  12.19  in  the 
Foot  Guards,  and  9.05  in  the  infantry  regi- 
ments. The  mortality  by  tubercular  ^s- 
eases  was  very  high  in  the  Household  Cav- 
alry, but  it  is  an  accidental  fluctuation, 
arising  from  the  small  numbers  under  ob- 
servation. Omitting  these  troops  and  the 
depots,  which  included  men  sent  home  for 
change  of  climate,  the  proportion  of  deaths 
by  tubercular  diseases  is  remarkable  for  its 
uniformity  in  all  the  arms,  ranging  between 
2^41  per  1,000  in  the  cavalry  of  the  line 
and  the  Foot  Guards,  and  2.75  in  the  MUi- 
5tary  Train.  But  it  is  in  diseases  of  this 
class  that  the  effect  of  invaliding,  in  redu- 
cing the  mortality,  must  be  most  strikingly 
seen.  Combining  the  mortality  and  the 
invaliding,  which  is  the  only  way  of  arriv- 
ing at  a  correct  conclusion,  the  ratios  of 
decrease  (through  tubercular  disease)  by 
deaths  and  invaliding,  were  8.41  per  1,000 
in  the  Eoyal  Artillery,  8.68  in  the  infantry 
regiments,  12.18  in  the  cavalry  of  the  line, 
13.75  in  the  Military  Train,  and  no  less 
than  18.07  in  the  Foot  Guards,  or  twice  as 


great  as  in  the  artillery  or  infantry-  These 
proportions  are  considerably  higher  than 
in  1860,  but  the  more  extensive  invaliding 
must  be  borne  in  .mind.  Delirium  tremens 
is  only  entered  as  the  cause  of  death  in  two 
instances  in  1861,  and  it  gave  rise  to  fewer 
admissions  into  hospital  than  in  the  preced- 
ing years;  so  also  did  "intemperance." 
The  admissions  from  delirium  tremens  and 
ebriositas  conjointly,  were  3.28  per  1,000 
of  mean  strength  in  the  Household-Cavalry, 

5.38  in  the  cavalry  of  the  line,  as  high  as 

6.39  in  the  Royal  Artillery,  4.47  in  the 
Foot  Guards,  and  5.65  in  the  infantry  regi- 
ments. In  the  depots,  the  admissions  for 
these  diseases,  the  direct  result  of  drinking, 
were  generally  considerably  higher.  It  is 
remarkable  that  the  ratio  of  admissions 
into  hospital  in  some  corps  is  double  that 
in  others,  and  that  for  a  considerable  part 
of  the  year,  the  most  sickly  and  the  most 
healthy  corps  were  stationed  at  the  same 
place.* 

From  the  Mediterranean  stations  the 
returns  are  generally  satisfactory;  but  Gi- 
braltar contributes  a  high  ratio  of  invalids 
from  pulmonary  and  cardiac  diseases;  and 
disease  resulting  from  immorality,  though 
much  less  than  in  the  army  at  home,  has 
increased,  notwithstanding  the  police  regu- 
lations. In  Canada,  also,  there  is  an  in- 
crease of  this  class  of  cases,  but  the  amount 
is  still  much  below  that  shown  in  the  home 
returns;  and  the  returns  of  sickness  gener- 
ally, both  from  Canada  and  Npva  Scotia, 
present  a  very  satisfactory  result  when 
compared  with  those  relating  to  the  troops 
serving  at  home.  The  report  from  British 
Columbia  indicates  a  remarkably  healthy 
condition  of  the  troops — a  detachment  of 
the  Eoyal  Engineers.  In  a  force  of  130 
men  there  was  but  one  death — that  of  a 
sapper,  who  was  frozen  to  death  while  re- 
turning to  head-quarters  from  a  surveying 
expedition.  From  the  West  Indies,  the 
returns  show  a  great  improvement  over  the 
previous  year,  but  the  mortality  ainong  the 
black  troops  is  still  very  heavy.  In  Jamai- 
ca, the  ratio  constantly  sick  was  only 
29.87  per  1,000  among  the  white  troops, 
but  52.23  among  the  black — a  difference 
which  is  traced  to  the  circumstance  of  the 
black  troops  being  quartered  in  the  low 
lands,  where  intermittent  fevers  are  rife, 
while  the  white  troops  were  in  the  more 
healthy  climate  of  Newcastle.  In  Western 
Africa,  the  mortality  of  the  troops  (black) 
considerably  exceeded  40  per  thousand— a 


*  There  is  very  little  doubt  that  the  difference  in  the  ' 
rate  of  admiasionB  into  hospital  in  different  corps,  noted . 
here,  is,  other  tilings  being  equal,  due  to  difference  in 
the  o£QoerB.  Great  inattention  to  the  health  and  com- 
fort of  the  men,  in  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  quar- 
ters, on  the  part  of  the  ofQoers,  over-rigid  discipline, 
and  a  haraasing  amoimt  of  drill,  it  is  well  Imown,  have 
a  large  iaSHaeaise  in  developing  disease,  if  only  by 
driving  the  nien  into  Vicl6na. '  couzssa  aa  a  meains  of 
distraction. 


The  Sanitary  Gomtnission'  BiMetiw. 


41 


mortstlity  greatly  above  the  average  of  the 
two  preceding  years.    It  is  attributed  partly 
to  the  fiitigue  and  exposure  of  the  men  in 
two  expeditions  of  a  hostile  nature.     The 
returns  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  show 
a  considerable  improvement  in  most  re- 
jects.    The  principal  medical  officer  no- 
tices the  prevalence  of  disease  of  the  heart, 
and  attributes  it  in  great  part  to  intemper- 
ance,  keeping  up  an  excitement  of    the 
circulation,  aggravated  by  high  atmospheric 
temperature.    From  Mauritius  the  return 
is,  for  that  climate,  remarkably  favorable, 
owing,  it  is  supposed,  to  the  influence  of 
two  hurricanes.     In  Ceylon,  the  mortality 
was  high,  nearly  20  per  1,000,  but  stiU, 
much  below  the  average  of  the  two  previous 
years.     In  Australia  the  mortality  was,  as 
high  as  15.44  per  1,000;  and  in  New  Zea- 
land also,  deducting  men  kiUed  in  action, 
the  mortality  was  considerably  above  the 
average;  in  both  these  colonies  rheuma- 
tism was  the  chief  cause  of  invaliding.    In 
Southern  China  the  mortality  feE  to  23  per 
1,000;  but  in  the  north,  where  a  large  gar- 
rison was  left  at  Tien-tsin,  it  was  more  than 
double  that  ratio,  and  reached  54  per  1,000. 
The   deaths  from  miasmatic  diseases  were 
31.80  per  1,000  in  the  north,  and  only  12.58 
in  the  south.     The  diseases  especially  fatal 
in  the  north  were  dysentery,  diarrhoea,  and 
cholera.      Diseases  caused  by  immorality 
were  only  half  as  common  in  the  north  as 
in  the  south;  in  the  south  the  admissions 
into  hospital  from  this  cause  reached  511 
per  thousand;  but  their  prevalence  among 
the  native  troops,  as  compared  with  the 
European,  was  in  proportion  of  only  one  to 
seven.     The   average    number    constantly 
sick  among  the  European  troops,  was  in 
South  China  as  high  as  283  per  1,000,  and 
in  North  China  205;  392  men,  63. 8  per  1,000 
of  mean  strength,  were  sent  home  to  Eng- 
land for  change  of  climate,  and  the  number 
flnaUy  discharged  the  service  as  invalids  in 
1861  was  116,  or  18.88  per  1,00'0  of  strength. 
The  ohmate  of  Tien-tsin  is  described  as 
remarkably  dry,  and  there  is  great  predom- 
iaance  of  blue  sky  at  aU  seasons;  the  ther- 
mometer ranged  in  1861  from  108  deg.  to — 
1.5  deg.     Lastly  we  have  the  returns  from 
India.     Out  of  an  average  force  of  57,082 
of  her  Majesty's  troops,  2,097  men  ^ed, 
36.74  per  1,000.     The  chief  mortality  was 
in  Bengal,  and  was  occasioned  "by  the  severe 
epidemic   of  cholera,  which  caused  more 
than  haH  the  total  mortality  in  that  Presi- 
dency.   Exclusive  of  the  deaths  by  it,  the 
ratio'  of  mortality  in  Bengal  amounted  to 
only  22  per  1,000,  and  the  mortality  in  the 
two  other  Presidencies  was  much '  lower 
than  in  1860;  it  was  151 13  in  Madras,  and 
,24.72  in  Bombay.    Nine  men  died  from 
sunnstroke;  857,  15  per  cent,  of  the  average 
strength,  were  discharged  the  service  as 
invalids  in  the  cdurse  of  the  year. 


WHERE  YOUR  GIFTS  GO. 

It  is  a  white  dusty  ridge  in  Alabama;  tall, 
slim  oaks  sprinkle  it,  and  beneath  them, 
in  streets  with  a  strange,  far  eastern  look, 
stand  the  tents  of  one  of  those  blessed 
cities  of  mercy — a  field  hospital.  The  sun 
pours  hotly  down;  a  distant  drum  snarls 
now  and  then  as  if  in  a  dream ;  the  tink- 
ling concert  of  a  cloud  of  locusts — the  ci- 
cada of  the  South — comes,  like  the  dear 
old  sleigh-beUs'  chime,  from  a  distant  tree. 
"The  loud" laugh  that  tells  the  vacant 
mind  "  is  unheard;  the  familiar  sound  of 
closing  doors  and  children's  carol  never 
rises  there;  the  tents  swell  white,  and  sad, 
and  still.  Within  them  lie  almost  three 
thousand  soldiers,  marred  with  aU  wounds 
conceivable,  wasted  with  pain,  parched 
with  fever,  -wearily  turning,  wearily  wa,it- 
ing  to  take  up  the  blessipd  march.  Ho,  for 
the  North  !  That  is  the  word,  the  ever- 
abiding  charmer  that  "lingers  stiU, behind." 
It  is  Stevenson;  it  is  NashviUe;  it  is  Louis- 
ville; it  is  home;  it  is  heaven.  Alas  for 
it,  how  they  falter  and  sleep-  by  the  way! 
And  every  one  of  these  men  was  somebody's 
boy  once;  had  a  mother  once,  a  wife,  a 
sister,  a  sweetheart;  but  "better  is  a  friend 
that  is  near  than  a  brother  afar  off,"  and 
now  comes  the  blessed  mission  of  woman. 
True,  there  are  only  two  here  in  person, 
but  how  many  in  heart  and  work  ! 

You  have  been  thinking,,  my  sisters, 
where  is  our  work  in  all  these  scenes  ? 
That  snowy  roll  of  linen;  that  little  pil- 
low beneath  the  sufferer's  head;  that  soft 
fold  across  the  gashed  breast;  that  cooling 
drink  the  rude,  kind,  stalwart  nurse  is  put- 
ting to  yonder  boy's  white  Hps;  that  deli- 
cacy this  poor  fellow  is  just  partaking; 
that  dressing-gown  whose  broidered  hem 
those  long,  thin  fingers  are  toying  with; 
the  slippers  a  world  too  wide  for  the  thin', 
faltering  feet;  the  diish  of  fruit  a  left  hand 
is  slowly  working  at,  his  right  laid  upon 
our  Federal  altar  at  Chiokamauga,  never 
to  be  lifted  more.  Your  tree,  my  sister, 
bore  that  fruit;  your  fingers  wrought,-your 
heart  conceived.  "What  do  the  women 
say  about  us  boys  at  home  ?"  slowly  asked 
a  poor  wreck  of  a  lad,  as  I  sat  by  his  side. 
That  brow  of  his  ached,  I  know,  for  the 
touch  of  a  loving  hand,  "and  the  sound 
of  a  voice  that  is  still."  At  the  moment 
he  asked  the  question  he  was  turning  over 
a  Uttle  silken  needle-book  that  one  of  you 
laughmg  girls  made  some  day  and  tucked 
in  a  corner  of  a  bag,  labeled  "United 
States  Sanitary  Commission."  On  the 
cover  of  that  book  you  had  wrought  the 
words — playfully,  perhaps — "My  bold  sol- 
dier boy."  I  silently  pointed  to  the  le- 
gend; the  reply  struck  home  to  his  heart; 
and  he  burst  into  tears.  I  assure  you  they 
were  not  bitter  tears  he  shed,  and  as  he 
wiped  thiem   away  with  a  fine'  film  .of  a 


48 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


handkerchief  you  girls  had  hemmed  for 
him,  his  question  was  twice  answered,  and 
he  .was  content.  His  eyelids  closed  down, 
his  breathing  was  regular;  he  had  fallen 
asleep,  and  I  thought  it  was  the  picture 
of  the  "  Soldier's  Dream  "  over  again. 

You  hear  of  the  mal-appropriation  of 
your  gifts,  but  never  fear;  one  grain  may 
fail,  but  two  wiU  spring  up  and  blossom 
out  into  "forget-me-nots."  Your  work  is 
everywhere.  Go  with  me  to  that  tent 
standing  apart;  it  is  the  dead-house  tent. 
Four  boys  in  their  brown  blankets,  four 
white  wood  coffins,  four  labels  with  four 
names  on  four  still  breasts.  Two  of  the 
four  garments  the  sleepers  wear  are  of 
Hnen  from  your  stores,  stitched  by  your 
fingers.  VerUy,  the  Ladies'  Soldiers'  Aid 
Societies  should  be  named  "Mary,"  for 
are  they  not  like  her  of  old,  "  last  at  the 
cross  and  earliest  at  the  grave?" — From 
B.  T.  Taylor's  Chattanooga  Correspondence 
with  the  Chicago  Journal. 


RELIEF    OF    OUR  PRISONERS  IN 
RICHMOND. 

The  following  report  will,  it  is  hoped,  sup- 
ply all  needed  information  as  to  what  can 
be  done,  and  what  has  been  done  by  the 
Commission  for  the  relief  of  the  Union 
soldiers  now  confined  at  Bichmond. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  Yobk; 
Nov.  11,  1863. 
The  Rev.  H.    W.  Bellows,   B.B.,   President 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  : 

SiK — ^In  reply  to  your  request  accom- 
panying the  letter  of  the  Bev. 

of  the  10th  inst.,  which  asked  what  had 
been,  and  what  could  be  done  by  the  Com- 
mission for  the  relief  of  Union  men  in 
the  Bichmond  prisons,  I  have  the  honor  to 

report,  foUowLng  the  order  of  Mr. 's 

inquiries  : 

1.  The  supplies  of  clothing  and  reading 
matter  mentioned  on  page  30  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  Bulletin  of   Nov.    1,  of 

which  I  have  sent  a  copy  to  Mr. ,  were 

contained  in  15  cases.  From  Gen.  Neal 
Dow  we  have  the  acknowledgment  of   the 

•receipt  by  him  of  13  of  these  cases,  and  of 
his  partial  distribution  of  them  among  the 
officers  confined  with  him  at  Libby  prison. 
He  was  expecting  on  the  1st  inst.  to  obtain 
permission  the  next  day  to  complete  the 
distribution  among  the  privates  on  BeUe 
Isle. 

2.  The  Commission  has,  since  the  receipt 
of  these  advices  from  Gen.  Dow,  sent  to 
him  a  consignment  of  concentrated  food, 
beef  stock  for  making  soup,  condensed 
milk,  extract  of  coffee,  sweet  chocolate,  &o. 


This  is  evidently  experimental.  Should 
these  articles  reach  our  braves  without  be- 
ing made  to  paiy  heavier  tribute  on  the 
way  than  did  the  first  consignment,  the 
Commission  will  of  course  keep  up  a  steady 
supply. 

3.  The  Sanitary  Commission  has  been 
unwUHng  to  assume  any  responsibility  for 
transmitting  packages  of  either  food  or 
clothing  to  specified  individuals  at  Bich- 
mond. Its  supplies  sent  there,  as  in  its 
general  relief  service,  are  sent  to  those  who 
need  them  most.  Its  channel  of  relief, 
somewhat  limited  by  the  Confederate  au- 
thorities, wotdd  be  speedily  choked,  if  it 
was  open  to  consignments  for  individuals. 
To  show  how  important  the  Commission 
considers  this  rule,  I  may  mention  that  one 
of  its  own  officers  whose  kinsman  is  languish- 
ing in  Libby,  is  unwilling  to  appropriate  iig 
privileges  for  individual  relief. 

I  may  here  say  that  Gen.  S.  A.  Meredith, 
Commissioner  for  Exchange  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  Va.,  is  authorized  by  our  Govern- 
ment to  send  on  its  account  such  supplies 
of  clothing  to  our  men  imprisoned  at  Bich- 
mond as  they  may  need  and  as  the  Confed- 
erate authorities  will  permit.  The  news- 
papers also  assert  that  Gen.  Meredith  will 
receive  packages  for  individuals,  but  of  this 
I  am  not  sure. 

4.  The  Commission  is  not  informed  as  to 
the  methods  by  which  the  Government  in- 
tends to  protect  its  soldiers  from  sufferings 
such  as  they  have  recently  experienced  at 
Bichmond,  nor  as  to  the  prospect  of  a  gen- 
eral exchange  of  prisoners,  but  it  has  asked 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  the  privilege  of 
sending,  \^ith  the  assent  of  the  Confederate 
authorities,  to  the  Libby  and  Belle  Isle 
prisons  an  accredited  agent,  who  will  be 
devoted  to  ministering  to  the  necessities  of 
our  men  there.  An  efficient  and  discreet 
person  is  now  under  appointment,  only 
awaiting  permission  of  the  authorities  to 
enter  upon  the  mission. 

Eespectfully  yours, 

J.  FOSTEB  JENKINS, 

General  Secretary  of  the  U.  S. 

Sanitary  Commission. 


By  the  steamer  of  October  31st,  Messrs. 
J.  B.  Abbott,  O.  C.  Bullard  and  W.  S. 
BuUard  saUed  for  New  Orleans,  to  establish 
in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf  "Homes" 
and  "Lodges"  in  connection' with  tlie 
special  relief  work  of  the  Commission.  And 
by  the  steamer  of  the  14th  inst..  Dr.  E.  A. 
Crane,  sanitary  inspector;  Mr.  Thomas  Fur- 
niss,  store-keeper ;  and  Messrs.  Edward 
Mitchell,  Gordon  Grant  and  John  Stephens, 
Jr. ,  relief  agents,  went  out  to  the  same  de- 
partment to  reinforce  the  general  working 
corps  of  the  Commission  in  the  extreme 
Southwest. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


49 


REPORT  OF  SPECIAL  RELIEF  DE- 
PARTMENT. 

(Continued  from  our  last.). 

Leaving  WasMngton,  we  come  next  to 
Annapolis;  here,  in  July  last,  a  "  Home  for 
nurses,  mothers,  -wives,  and  relatives  of 
sick  soldiers  "  was  established,  similar  in 
its  objects  and  methods  to  the  "Nurses' 
.  Home "  in  Washington.  It  has  met 
an  evident  need,  and  given  to  many  wives 
and  mothers,  who  came  among  strangers, 
seeking  their  sick  husbands  or  sons,  the 
shelter  and  welcome  of  a  home.  During 
the  past  two  (2)  months  the  number  of 
meals  furnished  there  has  been  2,847;  the 
number  of  nights'  lodging  569.  There  have 
been  as  many  as  twenty-five  women  who 
found  their  rest  here  in  a  single  night.  The 
"  Home  "  is  conveniently  located,  and  with 
an  experienced  matron  in  charge,  is  under 
the  immediate  supervision  of  Chaplain 
Henries,  U.  S.  A. ;  it  is  performing  a  kind 
mission. 

At  Baltimore  there  has  been  a  Special 
Belief  agent,  who  has  taken  in  hand  the 
defective  papers  of  discharged  men,  aided 
in  collecting  their  pay,  obtained  transpor- 
tation for  those  without  means,  and  in  gen- 
eral given  "aid  and-  comfort  "  to  those 
needing  it.  His  assistant,  with  great  faith- 
fulness, has  visited  every  boat  which  has 
arrived  from  Fortress  Monroe  since  the  1st 
of  June  last,  and  every  train  of  cars  from 
Washington  or  from  the  West,  looking  af ^ 
ter,  protecting,  directing  any  soldiers  who 
seem  to  need  assistance;  his  record-book 
shows  that  he  has  thus  given  aid,  more  or 
less,  to  4,627  from  June  1st  to  Oct.  1st,  of 
whom  he  has  taken  over  2, 000  to  the  '  'Union 
Belief  Rooms  "  of  Baltimore,  where  they 
have  received  meals  and  lodgings  with  kind- 
ly care. 

In  Philadelphia,  there  has  been  much 
done  by  the  "  Woman's  Penn,  Branch  TJ. 
S.  Sanitary.  Commission,"  in  the  way  of 
Special  Belief,  although  the  admirable  local 
organizations  of  the  city  left  comparative- 
ly Br  small  amount  to  be  done  in  that  direc- 
tion, excepting  the  work  of  helping  fami- 
lies of  soldiers.  The  "Free  Pension  Agen- 
cy "  of  the  Philadelphia  Branch  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission,  under  the  efficient 
management  of  Mr.  Ashman,  has  been  do-*! 

Voi,.  I.— No.  2.  4 


ing  a  most  valuable  service;  Tip  to  the  pres- 
ent date  Mr.  Ashman  has  made  out  ths 
pension  papers  for  over  one  thousand  ap- 
plicants, and  with  painstaking  care  inves- 
tigated and  successfully  followed  out  many 
peculiarly  complicated  cases.  He  also, 
without  cost,  collects  all  "  claims"  for  dis- 
charged soldiers.  Notices  of  this  office 
and  its  aid  are  posted  in  the  hospitals  in 
that  vicinity,  and  endeavors  are  made  to 
secure  its  benefits  to  aU  discharged  soldiers 
needing  such  assistance  as  it  renders. 

In  New  York,  whatever  Special  Belief 
work  has  fallen  upon  the  Commission  has 
been  attended  to  by  the  "  Woman's  Cen- 
tral Association  of  Belief;"  with  occasional 
exceptions,  this  workhal  consisted  injudi- 
ciously assigning  the  applicant  for  aid  to 
such  existing  Belief  Association  in  the  city 
as  his  case  pointed  to;  or  if  more  immedi- 
ate assistance  was  needed,  as  clothes  and 
transportation,  such  have  been  furnished. 
The  local  provisions  in  New  York  for  as- 
sisting disabled  soldiers  are  large,  em- 
bracing the  New  England  Booms  and  the 
State  Institution,  "The  New  York  Belief 
Association." 

The  following  report  from  Boston  ■will 
show  the  methods  adopted  there,  and  tha 
results  which  have  followed. . 

It  is  to  be  considered  that  this  Belief 
work  in  Boston  was  not  started  until  March 
last,  its  need  until  then  hardly  being  ac- 
knowledged, yet  the  absolute  necessity  for 
its  existence  has  been  asserted  by  its  results 
every  day  since.  I  make  mention  of  this 
fact  and  give  the  report  in  fuU,  in  order  to 
set  an  example  and  give  the  suggestion  fo 
the  various  large  cities  throughout  the  land, 
and  I  would  ask,  whether  the  associate 
members  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
such  cities  and  large  sea-coast  or  inland 
towns  might  not  wisely  and  humanely  es- 
tablish "Homes"  on  a  smaller  "or  broader 
scale,  as  the  case  may  be.  At  least  they 
should,  I  am  sure,  carefully  inform  them- 
selves of  the  nature  of  the  needs  in  their 
midst,  and  the  methods  in  detail  by  whioli 
those  needs  are  to  be  met. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Special  Relief  Agent  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Com'n,  Washington,  D.  G.: 
Mt  Dbae  Sib — I  submit  herewith  a  brief 
Eeport  relating  to  the  Special  Belief  ser- 


50 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEeUn. 


vice  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  Boston. 

This  service  'was  organized  in  the  month 
of  March,  1863,  under  the  direction  of  an 
executive  committee,  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose by  the  resident  associate  members. 
The  establishment,  which  is  located  at  No. 
V6  Kingston  Street,  is  in  charge  of  a  super- 
intendent and  assistants,  and  has  Ijpen 
administered  with  "the  following  results: 

From  the  date  of  its  organization  to  Oc- 
tober 1, 1863,  a  period  of  about  six  months, 
aid  has  been  rendered  to  3,050  soldiers, 
classified  as  follows: 
Famished  with  transportation-  at  Gov't  rates. .  1,091 


paidbyCom'n.  142 

by  Quarterm'r.  450 

carriage  within  the  city 875 

special  attendance  to  their  homes . .  71 

lodging 1,407 

meals— (No.  of  meals,  4,129) 1,938 

clothing— (No.  of  garments,  489) .. .  260 

aid  in  arranging  papers 96 

"     obtaining  pay 91 

medical  advice 322 

Wounds  dressed 155 

Pi'ocured  commutation  of  rations 73 

loaned  money — (amount,  $10.02) 19 

Gave  money — (amount,  $9.08) 28 

Sent  to  Hbspital 60 

Beferred  to  local  Eehef  Associations 25 

Bnhsted 14 

Obtained  Pension 1 

Procured  CoiBns ( 3 

Total 3,050 

The  recipients  are  thus  classified  in  the 
order  of  States:  Massachusetts,  1,480; 
Maine,  926;  New  Hampshire,  210;  Ver- 
mont, 31;  New  York,  54;  Pennsylvania,  12; 
Ohio,  41;  Ehode  Island,  9;  Maryland,  2; 
District  Columbia,  7;  Louisiana,  2;  Illinois, 
h',  Iowa,  4;  Minnesota,  6;  California,  1; 
Connecticut,  6;  TJ.  S.  Army,  70;  U,  S.  Na- 
vy, 26;  Invalid  Corps,  45;  Kansas,  Wiscon- 
sin, Missouri,  Kentucky,  Delaware,  Ala- 
bama, and  Rebel  Army,  1  each. 

The  following  articles,  drawn  from  the 
Supply  Department  of  the  N.  E.  Woman's 
Auxiliary  Association,  have  been  used  in 
furnishing  the  rooms  and  for  distribu- 
tion : 

BedquUts,  13;  blankets,  18;  sheets,  124; 
pillows,  56;  pillow-cases,  63;  bed-sacks,  12; 
flannel  shirts,  70;  cotton  shirts,  48;  socks, 
818  prs. ;  towels,  78;  slippers,  62  prs. ;  old 
shirts,  51;  cotton  drawers,  106;  dressing- 
gowns,  1;  flannel  drawers,  42;  handker- 
chiefs, 60;  slings,  16;  flannel  shirts,  24;  1 
lot  bandages  and  old  pants;  6  tin  cups  and 
2  water-paUs. 

I  am  unable  to  furnish  you  at  present 


with  an  exact  statement  of  the  cost  of  the 

service  for  the  last  three  months,  ending 

October  1,  but  hand  you  herewith  a  fuU 

statement  of  expense  account  for  the  three 

months  ending  July  1,  1863,  which  period 

includes    the    first  outlay  for   furnishing 

rooms,  &c. 

For   the   three  months  ending  July  1, 

1863,  the  total  expenditure,  covering  the 

whole  cost  of  the  service,  was  $1,962  17, 

classified  as  f oUows : 

For  furnishing  Booms %  464  51 

"         Hospital 254  82 

"    EentandTaxea 118  50 

"    Salaries 363  59 

"    Advertising 185  00 

"    Printing 49  00 

"    Stationery 70  71 

Traveling  ^ixpenses. 45  00 

Postage ■. 8  00 

Supermtendent'a  Cm-rent  Expense  Ac't. . .  320  03 

Miscellaneous 83  01 


Total $1,962  17 

For  this  period  of  three  months  the  num- 
ber of  soldiers  who  received  the  aid  of  the 
Commission  was  837. 

Deducting  from  the  total  expenditure  the 
first  necessary  outlay  for  furnishing  rooms, 
$719  33,  as  shown  in  above  statement  of 
account,  and  as  distinguished  from  the  or- 
dinary current  expenses,  the  cost  per  sol- 
dier is  shown  to  be  as  837  to  1,242  j'^^,  or 
about  $1.45  each. 

Permit  me  to  add  that  abundant  evidence 
has  been  afibrded  that  this  service  of  the 
Commission,  as  already  administered  in 
Boston,  has  been  attended  with  the  most 
beneficent  and  gratifying  results. 
I  am,  my  dear  sir. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
JNO.  S.  BLATCHFOED, 
(Sfec'y  of  Boston  Ex.  Com.  Sanitary  Com. 
Boston,  Oct.  1st,  1863. 

I  pass  now  from  the  North  to  the  West. 
The  Special  Relief  work  at  the  West,  at 
three  or  four  points,  was  established  a  year 
and  more  ago  by  the  Branches  of  the  San- 
itary Commission;  while  at  other  points 
this  work  had  not  until  within  six  or  eight 
months  its  special  place  assigned  to  it,  but 
it  came  in  in  connection  with  the  general 
Relief  work  of  the  Commission.  I  have 
not  ihe  reports  which  would  enable  me  to 
give  the  details  of  these  Lodges  and  Homes 
at  the  West.  I  can  only  speak  of  their 
method.s  and  their  work  in  general  terms, 
and  give  the  gross  results  of  their  labors. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


51 


In  general  terms,  then,  the  same  Special 
Belief  work  is  done  at  the  West  by  the 
Commission  and  its  Branches  which  has 
been  described  in  detail  at  Washington; 
modified,  of  course,  at  each  point,  by  the 
cirotunstances  of  the  case.  Thus,  at  one 
point  there  is  no  occasion  for  the  correc- 
tion of  papers,  but  the  largest  occasion  for 
shelter  and  care;  at  one  station  there  is  no 
call  for  clothing  and  nursing,  but  the  loud- 
est caU  for  nutritious  food;  at  one  section  a 
Home  or  Lodge  has  no  place;  in  another 
section  its  open  doors  are  like  open  arms  to 
those  ready  to  perish. 

And  thus,  according  to  the  needs  which 
were  to  be  met,  have  been  the  methods  and 
amount  of  Special  Relief  throughout  the 
entire  West.  And  while  I  cannot  furnish 
the  detail  of  "this  work,  I  can  with  great 
confidence  assert,  that  throughout  that  re- 
gion an  immense  amount  of  KeUef  has 
thus  been  given  to  thousands  and  thou- 
sands of  soldiers;  and  at  all  the  several 
points  of  relief  after  Lodges  have  been  es- 
tablished the  aid  has  been  given  promptly, 
wisely,  and  abundantly.  Gould  the  records 
of  these  several  Lodges  and  Homes  have 
been  copied  they  would,  I  am  sure,  make  a 
living,  history,  telling  of  how  much  soldiers 
have  to  bear,  and  yet  what  kindly  helps  are  at 
hand  to  aid  in  making  their  burdens  light; 
how  much,  with  aU  alleviations,  soldiers 
have  to  suffer,  yet  how  nobly  and  patiently 
the  suffering  is  borne;  of  weak  limbs  bound 
in  with  strong  hearts;  of  eyes  looking  to- 
wards home,  yet  with  feet  firmly  set  towards 
the  camp  or  battle-field. 

I  can,  however,  merely  give  in  figures 
the  numbers  cared  for  at  these  Homes,  as 
indicated  by  the  number  of  Lodges  and  of 
meals  furnished  there  to  Oct.  1st.  Part  of 
these  Homes,  as  I  said,  have  been  opened 
only  seven  or  eight  months — others  from 
nearly  the  beginning  of  the  war. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  figures  fur- 
nished by  Dr.  Newberry,  Associate  Secreta- 
ry in  charge  of  the  Western  Department  of 
the  U.  S.  San.  Com.  at  Cleveland,  Ohio: 
Nights'  lodging  furnished .........    2,569 

Meals  given ,  12,227 

Home  at  Chicago,   HI.,  (opened 
in  July  last.) 

Nights'  lodging  furnished ■•  ■  •     3,109 

Meals  given 11,325 


Home  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Nights'  lodging  (about) 10,000 

Meals  given. : 40,017 

Home  at  Louisville,  Ky. 

Nights'  lodging , 17,765 

Meals  given  (at  the  Home) 52,080 

"      (at  the  Station  House).  49,933 

Lodge  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Nights'  lodging 4,821 

Meals  given 11,909 

Home  ok  Cairo,  lU. 

Nights'  lodging. 79,550 

Mealu  given 190,150 

Lodge  at  Memphis,  Tenn. 

Nights'  lodging 2,850 

Mealu  given 14,780 

This  note  should  hS  here  made:  that  at 
Cincinnati,  Louisville  and  Cairo,  many 
besides  invalid  soldiers  are  included  in  the 
number  of  those  fed  and  cared  for.  At 
these  points,  the  Home  of  the  Commandant 
drawing  rations  from  Government  for  the 
piirpose,  has  at  times  provided  for  detached 
companies,  or  parts  of  regiments,  or  even 
whole  regiments;  thus  meeting  the  needs 
which  in  Washington  and  elsewhere  are 
provided  for  at  the  "Soldiers'  Kests, "  which 
are  under  the  exclusive  care  of  Government. 
This  fact,  in  part,  accounts  for  the  numbers 
attached  to  the  record  of  the  Homes  at 
those  places,  which  might  seem  unaccount- 
ably large,  if  limited  strictly  to  invalid 
soldiers  receiving  care. 

The  Special  Relief  work  upon  the  Atlan- 
tic coast,  from  Newbern  down,  has  been 
embraced  in  the  general  relief  work  of  the 
commandant  until  recently.  Arrangements 
are  now  made  for  establishing  Homes  and 
all  facilities  for  special  relief  at  all  the 
points  on  the  coast  wherever  there  are  large 
numbers  of  our  troops. 

[The  appendix  to  this  Report,  containing 
facts  bearing  upon  the  question  of  the  pro- 
vision to  be  made  for  disabled  discharged 
soldiers,  wUl  be  presented  hereafter  in 
another  connection.] 


Mr.  Knapp,  our  Associate  Secretary,  has 
just  returned  from  Chicago,  too  late,unfor- 
tunately,  for  his  account  of  the  "North- 
western Fair,"  held  in  that  city,  to  appear 
in  this  number  of  the  BuLiiBTns.  We  shall 
publish  it  in  our  next.  He  describes  the 
Fair  as  having  been  a  great  success- 


52 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Sultetin, 


REPORTS  FROM  THE  WEST. 

The  reports  this  -week  relate  almost  en- 
tirely to  the  doings  of  the  Commission  in 
Tennessee.  Dr.  Warriner  -writes  from 
Memphis,  October  6; 

Yours  of  the  29th  mlt,  inclbsiDg  letter  from 
Mrs.  A.  Hoge,  dated  in  Angus*,-  reached  me 
yesterday. .  I  went  immediately,  to  the  rooias 
of  the  Christian  Commission  to  ascertain  their 
feelings  towards  our  Commission,  and  to  in- 
quire into  their  methods  of  operating.  Tkey 
have  not  received  any  sanitary  stores  since 
their  estahhshment  here,  and  do  not  wish 
any.  I  proposed  to  turn  over  to  them  our  mis- 
cellaneous reading  matter,  and  receive  from  them 
in  turn  any  hoses  of  sanitary  stores  which  might 
chance  to  he  forwarded  to  them.  They  cordial- 
ly agreed  to  such  arrangement.  They  have  a 
very  pleasant  reading-room,  supphed  with  sec- 
ular and  religious  newspapers,  includir^  some 
of  the  prominent  dailies,  and  an  ample  list  of 
rehgious  books. 

Miscellany  they  are  deficient  in,  and  appre- 
ciate its  value  as  an  attraction  to  many  who 
would  not  otherwise  be  induced  to  visit  them. 

Mr.  Burnett  has  always  been  ready  to  assist 
me  and  second  my  efforts  wherever  in  the  field 
I  have  met  him.  He  is  at  present  absent  from 
here,  on  a  tour  of  humanity  to  Chattanooga. 
His  associate  here  assures  me  that  they  are 
agreed  and  quite  decided  on  the  question  of  dis- 
bursing sanitary  stores. 

THE  LODGE  AT  MEMPHIS, 

Through  the  kindness  of  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment I  have  secured  stoves  for  warming  the 
Lodge. 

Gen.  Hurlburt  has  given,  me  authority  for 
purchasing  fael,  to  be  paid  for  out  of  the  con- 
tingent fund  under  his  control.  The  Lodge  is 
doing  an  excellent  work.  Mr.  Christy's  man- 
agement-of  it  is  above  criticism.  He  showed 
me  his  weekly  report,  forwarded  to-day.  There 
has  been  hitherto  so  extreme  a  caution  on  the 
part  of  authorities  here  in  supplying  to  the 
Lodge  various  little  appliances  out  of  GoTrern- 
ment  resources,  that  the  items  of  expense  to  the 
•Commission  have  inevitably  accumulated  to 
heavier  sums  than  I  had  anticipated. 

Mr.  Christy's  accounts  are  kept  with  great 
strictness,  and,  I  am  sure,  perfect  accuracy. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  apparent  that  this  depart- 
ment has  a  heavier  monthly  expense  than  is 
reckoned  in  your  ofB.oe.  The  five  hundred  dol- 
lars brought  me  by  Mr.  Fogle  did  not  pay  up 
aixearages  by  considerable.  I  shall  need  as 
much  more  as  soon  as  it  can  be  sent  to  me.    If 


I  do  not  come  North  in  a  few  weeks,  IwiUmakff 
ont  a  full  account  of  all  expense,  and  forward.  I 
keep  a  strict  account  of  every  item  spent  for  the 
Commission,  of  course  ^  and  somehow  I  find  thff 
Commission  all  the  while  in  debt  to  me. 

ME,  EOBE. 

Major  Eobb  has  been  quite  bttsy  disbursingr 
stores  since  I  was  here.  I  have  been  informed! 
by  several  surgeons  of  a  paper  recently  in  cir- 
culation amongst  them  for  their  signatures, 
highiy  eulogistic  of  Mr.  Eobb,  personally  and 
offioialfy;  so  mmch  so,  as  to  carry  an  implied 
depreciation  of  other  Sanitasry  Agents.  The 
persons  who  mentioned  it  to  me  had  signed  the 
paper,  but  were  afterwards  so  painfully  impress- 
ed with  this  feature  of  it,  as  to  request  that  the 
paper  be  suppressed;  they  assured  me  that  it 
had  been.  I  warrant  not  wholly  some  use  of  it, 
some  report  of  it,  or  reference  to  it,  has  gone  tt> 
fruitful  quarters,  without  a  shadow  of  doubt. 
I  have  not  yet  felt  it  necessary  to  taie  this 
method  of  estaibEshihg  myself  at  either  end  of 
the  hne  of  my  operations.  Eobb  has  obtained 
a  considerable  portion  of  his  late  supplies  from 
the  Western  Commission. 

VEGETAEtES. 

Peoj^e  must  he  roused  forthwith  to  the  im- 
portance of  sending  vegetables  to  the  army.  We 
want  enough  to  keep  all  hands  busy  disbursing 
them.  We  want  enough  to  supply  whole  com- 
mands, and  not  naerely  the  hospitals.  We  have 
none  now.  We  can  do  no  better  service  than 
feed  the  army  with  potatoes  and  onions.  There 
certainly  must  be  a  sufficient  surplus  of  these  in 
the  North  to  enable  us  to  do  it,  if  we  can  once 
get  the  subject  sufficiently  impressed  upon  the 
loyal  producers  of  them.  It  has  been  only  at 
brief  and  widely  separated  intervals  that  we  have 
had  suppKes  of  these  in  adequate  abundance  to 
justify  this  general  disbursement  of  them. 
Where  it  has  occurred,  the  results  have  been  in 
the  highest  possible  degree  satisfactory  and  ben- 
eficial. The  effects  aa-e  not  to  be  weighed  or 
estimated.  No  one  thing  has  done  so  much  to 
establish  the  reputation  of  the  Commission  with 
the  army.  And  yet  how  very  seldom  we  have 
beeu  able  to  supplement  commissary  stores  to 
this  extent  1  If  we  could  do  it  continually,  we 
shoiUd  prevent  more  sickness  than  our  other 
efforts  are  able  to  relieve.  I  wish  this  notion 
could  be  preached  all  through  the  North,  clam- 
orously, and  with  power.  Good  old  brother 
Chidlaw  could  do  immeasurable  good  if  he  would 
concentrate  his  whole  time  and  his  magnifi- 
cent good-wiU  power  for  a  season.  I  trust  you 
wiU  not  neglect  to  call  pubhc  attention  to  thia 
express  phase  of  Sanitary  labor,  and  urge  the 


Tlie  Banltary  Commission  BuUdln. 


53 


matter  in  all  eflfeotive  ways.  Potatoes  and  our 
tons  for  the  whole  army— make  that  the  watch- 
TJTOrd;  yarying  the  monotony  from  time  to  time, 
loj  the  addition  of  cabbage  1  But  don't  let  people 
incumber  us  with  other  kinds  of  vegetables, 
unless,  perhaps,  tomatoes.  Their  value  is  in- 
"OompaiaMy  less  than  that  of  tJiose  named. 

The  same  geatleman  writes  again,  Oeto- 
\>&c  23,  from  tiie  same  place: 

Sinee  my  last  a  heavy  requsition  has  come 
in  from  luka  for  stores,  and  especially  vegetables, 
for  400  sick  left  by  the  moving  Army  Corps 
of  General  Sherman.  A  post  hospital  is  es- 
tablished there  temporarily,  to  continue  accord- 
ing to  needs  and  circumstances.  A  considera- 
ble portion  of  the  Corps  was  still  at  luka  at 
last  accounts,  but  in  an  active  and  mobile  eon- 
i^tion.  I  was  able  to  make  a  tolerably  fair  re- 
sponse to  the  requisition.  But  the  rooms  now 
are  welUnigh  bare  again,  and  the  demand  east- 
ward win  not  be  likely  to  diminish  for  some 
time  to  come.  I  await  impatiently  the  arrival 
«f  the  Clara  BeH.  I  hear  indirectly  that  'she 
was  still  lying  at  Cairo  last  Wednesday. 

niABKHCEA. 

I  have  been  employing  my  leisure  for  a 
•couple  of  days  visiting  the  general  hospitals 
tere,  and  examining  some  of  the  severe  cases 
<of  illness. 

The  whole  nnm/ber  of  patients  in  all  these 
Jiospitals  is  to-day  3,023;  about  58  of  these  are 
■cases  of  extreme  exhaustion,  and  slight  pros- 
pect of  recovery.  The  exact  number  of  wound- 
ed I  did  not  learn;  it  is  small.  The  remainder 
of  the  eases  are  in  more  or  less  advanced  stages 
of  oonvaleseenca  Increasing  coolness  of  the 
weather  is  obviously  operating  favorably.  I 
gave  attention  more  especially  to  the  aU-afflict- 
ang  scourge  of  the  camp,  diarrhoea.  I  find  that 
Enen  do  actually  recover  from  even  the  chronic 
stages  of  the  disease.  I  noted  down  the  eases 
of  cure  and  death,  as  they  stand  on  the  reg- 
isters of  the  several  hospitals,  commencing 
with  September  1st.     The  results  are  as  follows: 

OVEBTON  JSaSPlTAIi — SePT.    1   TO  OcT.    18. 

Cbrnnie.        Acute. 

BTumber  of  oases  admitted 199  ilS 

Returned  to  duty 12  S 

Died 9  2 

Websteb  Hospital — Sept.  1  to  Oct.  1. 

Chrnnic.        Acnte. 

STumber  of  cases  admitted 160  1 

Ketumed  to  duty 43 

Died 13  ..      . 

Union  Hoseitaii — Sept.  1  to  Oct.  19. 

Chronic.        Acute. 

KTumber  of  cases  admitted 176  7 

Ketuined  to  duty 10   • 

Died. 49 


Jackson  Hospitai,— Sept.  1  to  Oct.  20. 

Chrnnic.  Acute. 

Number  of  oases  admitted 95  8 

Eeturaed  to  duty 4  2 

Died.... 34  1 

Q-AT0S8  Hospital — Sept.  1  to  Oct.  19. 

Chrnnic.  Acute. 

Number  of  oases  admitted. ..  ,  45  39 

Keturned  to  duty 3  2 

Died 8 

Washington  Hospital — Sept.  1  to  Oct.  17. 

Chronic.  Acute. 

Number  of  eases  admitted 122  23 

Kelumed  to  duty 21  5 

Bied '. 32 

Abams  Hosktai.— Sept.  1  to  Oct.  21. 

Chrnnic.  Acute. 

Number  of  cases  admitted 274  39 

Eeturned  to  duty 37  15 

Died .^ 32 

Jefpeeson  Hospital — Sept.  1  to  Oct.  21. 
Chronic.        Acute. 

Number  of  cases  admitted 11  4ft 

Returned  to  duty 

Died 5  2 

The  other  two  army  hospitals  are  for  special 
disease,  gangrene  and  small-pox.  The  naval 
.  hospital  I  did  not  visit,  as  I  wa#  compelled  to 
make  haste  with  this  examination.  I  omitted 
many  points  that  may  hereafter  prove  inter- 
esting, and  even  important,  and  confined  my- 
self to  the  one  point  of  the  relative  mortality 
from  this  disease.  I  am  not  prepared,  without 
a  much  more  thorough  and  prolonged  compar- 
ison of  eases  under  treatment,  to  touch  the 
question  as  to  how  much  the  difference  in  the 
above  results  may  be  due  to  difference  in  the 
treatment  or  to  other  conditions  and  circum- 
stances. 

A  valttable  suggestion. 
It  strikes  me  that  it  would  not  be  a  bad 
job  for  -the  Sanitary  Commission  to  under- 
take a  connected  and  systematic  inspection 
of  all  the  general  hospitals  in  the  Northwest, 
with  reference  to  the  mortality  or  curability  of 
the  more  prominent  camp  diseases.  Personal 
inspection  would  be  a  necessary  adjunct  to  the 
study  of  registers.  Is  this  being  done  ?  It  may 
be,  and  I  not  know  it,  naturally  enough.  Why 
wouldn't  the  undersigned  be  a  very  proper  per- 
son to  be  detailed  for  a  while  to  such  a  work? 
The  building  of  more  general  hospitals  in  the 
North  will,  no  doubt,  be  commenced  at  once. 
You  have  heard  already  of  Mrs.  Gov.  Harvey's 
success  at  Washington  in  obtaining  an  order 
for  a  very  large  one  at  Madison,  Wisconsin. 
Other  applications  from  Illinois  and  other 
States  will  be  speedily,-  if  not  already  made, 
and  doubtless  with  similar  success.  Kesulta 
of  such  inspections  as  I  refer  to  would  or 
might  be  of  great  service,  in  indicating  locality 


54 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetiu. 


for  the  new  structures.  At  all  events,  it.  is 
plain  that  most  valuable  information  could  be 
obtained.     But  it  is  all  but  a  suggestion. 

TEGETAJBIiES  AGAIN. 

Mr.  Oarpenterj  of  Wisconsin,  has  arrived 
from  Vicksburg.  He  reports  everything  in  or- 
der there  and  at  Natchez,  but  vegetables  -well- 
uigh  exhausted  at  both  points,  and  the  demand 
still  feverish.  I  do  not  see  how  we  can  spare 
anything  for  New  Orleans,  after  all,  with  onir 
present  supplies. 

And  this  reminds  me  to  recur  to  the  werk  of 
lecturing  or  talking,  or  something  of  the  kind, 
directly  to  the  donors,  and  stimulating,  if  pos- 
sible, a  more  abundant,  more  active,  and '  more 
steady  supply.  If  anything  can  be  aceompHsh- 
ed  by  it  more  attention  should,  it  seems,  to  me, 
be  given  to  it. 

Our  reports  from  Ctattanooga  furnish 
miioh  interesting  information  touching  the 
state  of  things  at  the  place  during  the  mo- 
mentous  and  critical  period  between  the 
battle  of  Chickamauga  and  the  reoccupa- 
tion  of  Loofeout  Valley  by  Gen'l  Hooker. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  o'ur  armies  in  the 
West  have  at  any  period  since  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war  been  placed  in  a  position 
of  so  much  embarrassment  and  perplexity. 
The  loss  of  the  river  and  railroad  sur- 
rounded the  work  of  feeding  the  troops 
with  difSculties  that  would  have  been  seri- 
ous under  ordinary  circumstances,  but 
which  were  rendered  almost  appalling  by 
the  fact  that  several  thousand  wounded 
were  lying  at  Chattanooga  in  want  of  al- 
most everything.  The  weU  were  on  half 
rations,  and  the  sick  were  dying  for  want 
of  delicacies  that  to.  them  were  absolute 
necessaries. 

Dr.  Read  writes  from  Chattanooga  Octo- 
ber 13: 

After  my  last  hastily  written  report,  I  spent 
some  days  at  Stevenson  and  Bridgeport,  di- 
recting my  main  efforts  to  the  securing  of 
transportation  of  stores  to  Chattanooga.  The 
great  want  of  all  ordinary  supplies  at  the 
latter  place,  and  the  interi-uption  of  telegraph- 
ic communication  with  head-quarters,  made 
this  >■•  very  difficult  work.  Frequently  an  or- 
der would  be  obtained  for  ten  or  twenty  wag- , 
ons,  but  at  the  time  it  was  presented  they 
were  not  at  the  post,  and  before  they  came  in  a 
special  order  would  be  received  by  the  quarter- 
master to  load  all  wagons  with  forage  or  with 
rations,  which  would  be  construed  as  counter- 


manding the  previous  order;  We'  suooeededl 
in  getting  off  a  few  loads  and  a  considerable 
supply  by  ambulances,  which  were  got  through 
in  safety  and  supplied  the  more  pressiiig-  de- 
mands. 

THE  HOSPITALS  AT  STEVENSON". 

While  at  Stevenson,  I  took  the  opportunity  of 
going  frequently  through  the  field  hospitals,  in 
charge  of  Dr.  McKibben,  and  found  the  sick 
and  wounded  there  well  provided  for  and  very 
comfortable.  The  food  provided  was  of  excel- 
lent quality,  abundant,  and  of  good  variety,  and 
the  cooking  excellent.  There  were  two  kitch.- 
eDS  for  each  ward,  one  for  the  full-diet  patients, 
amd  on©  for  those  of  special  diet,  both  well  ar- 
ranged and  well  furnished.  I  have  visited  no 
hospitals  in  the  department  where  there  was  a 
better  variety  of  well^^repared  food  than  there. 
Large  sujypHes  of  vegetables  were  obtained 
from  the  garden  at  Murfreesboro";  including 
potatoes,  sweet  potatoes,  tomatoes,  &c.,  &c.,  in 
abundance,  and  such  other  articles  as  were  re- 
quired from  the  Sanitary  Booms. 

This  garden  at  Murfreesboro'  was  one  of 
the  fruits  of  General  Eosecrans's  fore- 
thought. It  was  made  and  planted  during- 
the  months,  of  inaction  which  the  army 
passed,  at  that  place. 

STATE  or  THINGS  AT  CHATTANOOGA. 

On  the  28th  and  29th,  we  succeeded  in  for- 
warding from  Stevenson  and  Bridgeport  seven- 
teen wagon-loads  of  stores,  the  trains  to  make  ai 
junction  at  Battle  Creek,  and  go  through  in  spe- 
cial charge  of  Mr.  Larrabee,  who  left  Stevenson 
for  that  purpose;  Mr.  Bedding  escorting  th» 
train  from  Bridgeport  until  they  met. 

Beceiving  word  from  Dr.  Anderson  at  Chat- 
tanooga, who  was  in  temporary  charge  of  the 
general  work  of  the  department,  to  report  at 
that  place,  I  rode  through  from  Bridgeport  on 
the  3d,  by  the  Conner  route,  expecting  to 
find  our  rooms  full  of  stores.  But  they  were 
entirely  empty.  Our  men  were  living  on  hard- 
tack, bacon,  and  coffee,  which  could  be  pur- 
chased, only  a  few  rations  at  a.  time,  of  the 
Commissary;  horses  and  men  all  on  short  ra- 
tions, and  hard-tack  fast  becoming  a  luxury.  A 
train  of  about  400  wagons  had  been  destroyed 
on  the  2d,  and  with  it  our  17  wagons,  and  all 
other  trains  temporarily  stopped.  About  this: 
time  the  last  of  our  wounded  were  sent  in  from 
the  rebel  lines,  who  had  suffered  much  in  rebel 
hands,  and  were  in  want  of  all  things.  Some 
of  them  were  without  shirts,  a  few  without  any 
clothing  whatever,  the  most  fortunate  with  torra 
clothing,  begrimed  with  dust  and  clotted  with 


The  Samtafy  Commission  Bulletin. 


55 


Hood.  I  purchased  at  thfe  only  army  clothing 
store  in  town  a  few  shirts,  all  I  oonld  obtain, 
and  mainly  with  money  furnished  by  the  Eev. 
Mr.  Hey  wood,  of  the  Kentucky  Branch,  and 
gave  one  each  to  Frederick  Coonrad,  65th  O.  V. 
I. ;  Van  Buren  Young,  3d  Ky.  V.  I. ;  Joseph 
Bray,  18th  U.  S.  I. ;  A.  Q.  Logsden,  8th  Ky.  V. 
I.;  John  J.  Thompson,  92d  Ills.,  and  N.  Care, 
84th  Ind.  Upon  the  6th  I  received  notice  that 
8  wagon-loads  of  stores  were  on  the  way,  and 
on  the  7th  procured  an  order  for  twenty  wag- 
ons more  to  report  at  our  rooms  in  Stevenson, 
taking  forward  stores. 

Drractn/rtEs  of  tbanspoktation. 
The  work  of  obtaining  transportation  I  found 
beset  with  many  and  unlooked-for  difficulties. 
The  loss  of  a  large  train  and  the  interruption  of 
communication  had  produced  some  confusion; 
the  army  was  short  of  all  supplies,  and  the  re- 
sponsible officers  of  every  department  were  clam- 
orous for  transportation.  At  the  same  time  it 
was  evident  that  the  wounded  men  left  here, 
"  numbering  about  1,400,  must  be  saved,  if  at  all, 
by  feeding,  and  that  they  must  have  something 
better  than  army  ratiotts.  The  Sick  also,  of 
whom  there  are  many,  not  an  unusual  number, 
stand  in  almost  equal  need  of  better  articles  of 
diet.  By  engaging  to  ship  only  articles  of  diet 
for  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  after  long  efforts 
cordially  and  ably  seconded  by  the  surgeons  in 
charge  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  I  have  secured 
a  train  of  twenty  wagons,  to  be  now  constant- 
ly under  our  supervision  in  bringing  stores 
ftom  Stevenson,  as  long  as  the  necessity  shall 
exist,  or  until  river  or  railroad  communication 
is  opened.  I  would  recommend  that  a  trusty, 
efficient  man  be  detailed  to  take  charge  of  this 
train,  accompanying  it  both  coming  and  going, 
bringing  the  invoices  of  the  goods  shipped  in 
each  wagon,  to  guard  against. loss  from  any 
cause,  to  "  cooper"  packages  that  may  be  broken 
by  the  way,  to  see  that  the  drivers  are  always 
provided  with  forage  for  their  mules,  that  they 
are  always  well  cared  for,'  and  that  the  wagons 
are  put  in  thorough  repair  at  the  end  of  each 
trip.  I  would  suggest  also  that  you  send  us 
about  30  small  white  or  yellow  flags,  marked 
"U.  S.  San.  Com.  Train,"  one  to  be  carried  by 
each  wagon.  This  will  advertise  the  train  and 
frequently  give  it  precedence  over  other  trains 
in  getting  through,  and  might,  perhaps,  save  a 
train  from  being  captured,  or  if  captured,  pre- 
vent its  destruction,  under  the  hope  of  getting 
it  through  to  Dixie,  where  there  is  even  a  greater 
deinand  for  such  stores  than  here;  and  as  long 
as  a  captured  train  is  not  destroyed,  there  is 
hope  of  its  recapture. 


,  STATU  OTf  THE  HOSPITALS. 

On  the  9th  the  eight  wagon-loads  of  stores 
reached  us  iii  good  co;idition.  Over  500  shirts 
were  distributed  the  first  day  after  they  were 
opened,  and  for  all  the  articles  of  clothing, 
dressings  and  edibles,  there  was  an  eager  de- 
mand, far  beyond  the  supply.  I  could  not  hope 
to  distribute  this  shipment  in  such  a  manner  as. 
to  avoid  all  complaint,  when  we  were  compelled 
to  refuse  to  issue  to  many  who  really  needed 
them,  because  there  were  others  who  needed 
them  much  more.  Surgeons  of  regiments  de- 
sired edibles  and  clothing  for  their  sick,  private 
soldiers  who  had  lost  their  baggage  asked  to  be 
clothed  in  part,  and  staff  officers  asked  for  shirts 
and  drawers,  that  they  might  change  those  they 
had  worn  unwasBed  since  the  battle.  All  such 
requests  we  were  compelled  to  refuse,  and  in 
accordance  with  the  request  of  the  Medical  Di- 
rector, .and  our  own  ideas  of  the  comparative 
wants,  to  restrict  our  issues  mainly  to  the  most 
needy  of  the  wounded,  promising  all  others 
that  their  wants  should  be  supplied  as  soon  as 
it  could  possibly  be  done.  All  have  seemed 
pleasantly  to  acquiesce  in  this  arrangement,  and 
if  tliere  has  been  any  complaint  it  has  not  been 
brought  to  our  notice. 

The  woundea  are  generally  doing  well,  and 
bear  with  patience  the  privations  that  appear 
unavoidable,  but  a  generous  supply  of  edibles 
suitable  for  sick  and  wounded  men,  including 
stimulants,  milk,  beef,  dried  and  canned  fruits, 
patatoes  and  onions  in  large  quantities,  soft 
crackers,  butter,  cheese,  pickles,  green  tea,  fari- 
naceous delicacies,  &c.,  &c.,  are  indispensable  to 
their  recovery.  I  trust  that  a  supply  of  these 
articles  will  be  ready  at  Stevenson,  to  fill  at  any 
time  the  20  wagons,  and  as  often  as  they  can 
make  the  trip,  and  if  more  than  that  are  aocu- 
niulated  there,  we  will  undertake  to  get  them 
through.  There  is  a  demand  also  for  flannel 
shirts  and  drawers,  sheets,  blankets,  &o., which, 
while  the  present- pressure  continues,  we  are  not 
to  forward  in  the  "  Saaitary  Train."  But  let 
them  be  accumulated  without  stint  at  Stevenson, 
for  we  hope  that  communication  by  the  river 
and  by  railroad  will  soon  be  opened.  And  I  have 
requested  the  surgeons  here,  while  waiting  for 
that  event,  to  make  requisitions  at  every  o.ppor- 
tunity  for  articles  of  the  latter  description,  upon 
the  Agent  at  Stevenson,  and  in  that  way  a  very 
fair  supply  can  be  got  through  by  ambulances 
and  hospital  wagons. 

As  you  are  aware,  the  occupation  of  the  rail- 
road for  many  days  in  transporting  troops,  and 
the  subsequent  raids  upon  it  between  Stevenson 
and  NashviUe,  stopped  for  some  time  the  receipt 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


of  stores  at  StevenSon.  Tiie  same  events  caus- 
ed an  unexpected  accumulation  of  sick  at  the 
latter  place,  calling  for  large  issues  of  sanitary 
stores  there,  leaving  only  enough  to  fiU  fifteen 
of  the  wagons  ordered  to  report  there.  These 
are  now  on  the  way,  and  we  look  for  their  ar- 
rival to-morrow,  the  14th.  And  as  to  the  20 
wagons  constituting  our  train  having  probably 
already  reported  at  Stevenson,  where  we  sup- 
pose there  are  now  abundant  supplies,  we  are 
in  a  measure  relieved  of  anxiety,  and  anticipate 
a  constant  and  tolerably  abundant  supply. 

I  have  to-day  received  a  note  from  Rev.  O. 
Kennedy,  who  is  aiding  in  our  work,  that  he  has 
reached  his  post  on  the  west  side  of  the  moun- 
tain and  pitched  the  tents  for  the  soldiers' 
"Lodge."  But  to-day,  the  roifte  by  which  the 
wounded  are  sent  has  been  changed,  and  I  have 
sent  him  directions  to  remove  the  Lodge  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  in  the  Sequatchie  Valley, 
on  Poe's  road,  where  there  is  a  copious  spring 
of  good  water,  and  where  he  wiH  be  enabled  to 
feed  all  the  sick  and  wounded  who  are  sent 
north.  Colonel  Goddard  is  ever  ready  to  aid 
us,  forwarding  the  letter  by  a  courier,  sent  with 
instructions  to  the  couriers  at  the  station  near- 
est the  Lodge,  and  about  six  miles  from  it,  to 
forward  it  at  once  by  special  messenger. 

Seventy-two  ambulances  leave  with  wounded 
to-day,  and  about  seventy-five  to-morrow.  It  is 
hoped  Mr.  Kennedy  voU  get  his  Lodge  removed 
in  time  to  feed  them  all.  Arrangements  are 
made  to  secure  prompt  notice  when  trains  of 
sick  or  wounded  are  to  be  started,  which  will 
be  forwarded  to  Mr.  Kennedy,  by  the  couriers 
and  by  special  messenger  from  the  nearest 
cotirier  station.  This  will  enable  him  to  be  al- 
ways ready  to  receive  his  guests. 

THE  HOSPITAI;  DIEECTOET. 

The  answering  of  special  inquiries  by  friends 
has  again  becopie  an  important  part  of  the  work 
here.  AU  that  have  been  received  thus  far  have 
been  answered,  and  in  nearly  every  case  the  in- 
formation has  been  definite  and  positive.  But, 
frequently,  considerable  delay  is  inevitable. 
The  hospitals  are  not  yet  thoroughly  organized. 
There  are  three  general  hospitals  for  thewound- 
<ted,  while  almost  every  division  of  the  army  has 
its  two  hospitals,  one  for  the  sick,  and  one  for 
the  wounded;  yet  in  each  of  these  wiU  be  found 
some  men  from  nearly  all  of  the  other  divisions. 
Frequently  each  of  these  hospitals,  some  of 
them  three  miles  from  the  river  on  the  other 
side,  must  be  reached  and  then  a  visit  made  to 
the  regiment  before  a  definite  answer  can  be  re- 
turned. Frequency  misiakes  in  telegraphing  the 
naime  lead  us  astray  for  a  time,  and  in  fact,  ac- 


curasy  in  the  name  is  the  exceip&on,  not  the  rule,  inatl 
the  imqidries  we  receive.  Too  much  care  cannot 
be  taken  in  preparing  dispatches  that  they  be 
accurate  and  very  plainly  written.  If  the  rank, 
company,  and  regiment  is  correctly  givetn,  and 
any  part  of  the  name  comes,  the  person  meant 
can  be  identified  when  found,  but  any  mistake 
in  the  name  increases  very  much  the  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  finding  him. 

It  is  evident,  unless  a  successful  flank  move- 
ment is  made  by  the  army,  that  all  the  most 
gravely  woimded  of  the  recent  battles,  and  the 
usual  number  of  sick  of  the  army,  wiU  here  re- 
quire assistance  from  our  stores  for  a  long  time. 
The  greater  part  of  the  wounded  now  remaining 
must  perish  or  recover  here,  unless  some  other 
route  is  opened  for  removing  them  besides  the 
wagon-road  over  the  mountains.  They  need  and 
deserve  »  large  and  constant  supply  of  such 
stores  as  are  usually  forwarded  by  the  Commis- 
sion. Without  this,  many  will  die,  who,  with 
it,  would  recover.  Delicate  and  nourishing 
food,  with  a  full  supply  of  vegetables,  is  what, 
on  the  testimony  of  all  the  surgeons  in  charge^ 
is  most  needed,  and  is  really  indispensable. 

Knowing  what  you  are  doing  and  can  do,  I 
have  promised  that  there  shall  soon  be  a  sup- 
ply either  equal  to  the  demand,  or  at  least  equal 
to  the  amount  of  transportation  that  can  be  pro- 
cured between  this  point  and  Stevesnson. 

The  seventeen  wagon-loads  of  stores 
vfhich  were  forwarded  from  Stevenson  and 
Bridgeport,  unhappily,  never  reached  their 
destination.  They  were  all  captured  on  the 
way.  Mr.  Eedding's  account  of  the  inci- 
dent is  as  follows: 

On  the  2Sth  ult.,  while  I  was  at  Bridgeport, 
Mr.  Read  sent  me  word  from  Stevenson  that  he 
had  secured  some  wagons  to  send  stores  to  the 
front,  and  to  try  if  I  could  not  procure  ten  wag- 
ons on  an  order  from  Capt.  Warren,  A.  Q.  M. 
at  the  latter  place.  I  was  unable  to  get  them 
that  day,  but  was  promised  them  the  foDovring 
morning,  and  immediately  telegraphed  Mr. 
Read  of  the  promise.  His  wagons  were  then 
loaded,  sent  out,  and  ordered  to  camp  for  the 
night  two  (2)  miles  beyond  the  place,  so  as  to 
enable  my  train  to  catch  them  at  Battle  Creek 
or  Jasper. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  I  secured  the  ten 
wagons,  loaded  them,  and  telegraphed  Mr. 
Read  that  there  was  no  one  to  go  in  charge,  and 
whether  I  should  go.  I  waited  several  hours 
for  a  reply — no  one  came,  and  I  then  started  my 
train,  with  orders  to  drive  as  fast  as  they  could 
until  they  caught  the  train  from  Stevenson.  I 
then  telegraphed  Mr.  Read  that  I  had  started 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


57 


the  train,  and  about  two  (2)  hours  afterwards  re- 
ceived tlie  word  tb  ride  out  until  I  overtook  both 
trains,  consolidate  them,  and  place  them  in 
charge  of  Larrabee,  then  to  return.  Larrabee 
had  been  sent  out  after  the  receipt  of  my  first 
dispatch,  to  go  through  with  the  train. 

I  then  procured  a  horse,  rode  on  and  met  the 
two  (2)  trails  a  short  distance  this  side  of  Jas- 
per, at  sundown.  We  oamped'at  Jasper  for  the 
night,  and  until  bedtime  I  searched  for  Larrabee, 
but  without  success.  On  the  following  morn- 
ing, the  30th,  I  had  the  two  trains  consolidated, 
started  early,  and  kept  a  constant  lookout  for 
Larrabee,  but  at  last  concluded  that  further 
search  would  be  without  success,  and  decided 
to  go  through  with  the  train  myself.  We 
camped  that  night  within  two  miles  of  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  and  on  the  next  morning, 
though  subjected  to  a  hard  rain,  started  for  the 
mountain.  On  arriving  there,  we  found  sev- 
eral trains  already  at  its  base,  unable  to  pro- 
ceed on  account  of  a  train  being  upon  it  with 
bad  mules,  broken-down  wagons,  and  deep  in 
mud.  I  examined  the  condition  the  train  was 
in  carefully,  and  concluded  we  would  be  de- 
tained several  days  by  it  unless  we  could  find 
another  road  by  which  we  could  go  on.  It  still 
continued  to  rain  very  hard,  rendering  this 
mountain  road  worse  and  worse,  and  the  proba- 
bility of  this  train  getting  over  the  mountain  in 
four  or  five  days  very  doubtful. 

Seeing  this,  I  called  upon  the  Quartermasters 
of  Negley's  and  Kousseau's  trains  to  discuss  the 
propriety  of  finding  out  and  taking  some  other 
road.  The  plan  was  accepted,  and  horsemen 
were  immediately  sent  out  to  look  up  and  exam- 
ine some  other  road.  In  the  afternoon  they  re- 
turned and  reported  another  road  running 
through  a  valley  to  the  left  of  the  road  we  were 
on,  equally  as  good  as  it,  but  about  ten  (10) 
miles  longer.  It  was  then  decided  by  us  to  take 
this  road  on  the  next  morning,  the  2d. 

Before  breakfast  on  the  2d,  the  two  trains 
spoken  of  left  the  mass  of  wagons  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain— a  number  having  come  in  after 
us  on  the  preceding  day,  and  started  out  on  this 
new  road.  By  an  accident,  we  were  detained 
several  hours,  but  about  9  o'clock  we  were  ready 
to  start,  and  I  rode  over  to  a  house  in  the  val- 
ley to  our  left  to  get  some  food  for  the  trip. 
While  over  there,  a  man  came  dashing  up  to  me 
and  stated  that  a  forage  train  had  just  been  de- 
stroyed by  the  rebels  near  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain on  this  new  road,  and  that  Negley's  and 
Eousseau's  trains  were  returning,  but  was  un- 
able to  give  any  particulars.  I  rode  over  to  our 
camp  and  spread  this  news;  aU,  however,  be- 
lieved it  to  be  the  work  of  a  few  guerrillas;  that 


they  would  not  dare  to  attack  us  in  camp,  as 
"we  have  enough  teamsters  to  wipe  them  out 
without  arms,"  said  they;  and  they  did  not  be- 
lieve there  could  be  any  considerable  body  of 
rebels  on  that  side  of  the  river,  believing  the 
river  was  not  fordable.  I  knew  U  to  be  fordable, 
having  seen  men  crossing  it  for  forage  on  my 
last  trip  to  Bridgeport  So  believing  this,  I 
started  off  to  inform  the  29th  Indiana  and  an- 
other regiment  of  mounted  infantry  encamped 
between  three  or  four  miles  to  our  rear,  of  the 
capture  of  the  forage  train,  and  of  our  danger; 
but  after  having  gone  about  one  mile,  a  man 
came  dashing  by  me  going  to  them,  and  he  hav^ 
ing  a  much  swifter  horse  than  my  own,  I  gave 
way  to  him  and  returned  to  camp.  I  arrived  at 
camp  at  11  o'clock,  and  a  few  moments  after  a 
man  came  galloping  in  and  stated  that  the  reb- 
els in  large  force  were  in  sight  just  over  the  hill, 
dashing  down  the  valley — and  here  allow  me  to 
say,  that  by  the  thoughtlessness  and  neglect  of 
the  person  whose  business  it  is  to  protect  the 
supplies  of  this  army,  there  was  not  a  guard  to 
any  train  present. 

There  were,  according  to  the  estimate  of  the 
Quartermasters  of  Negley's,  Sheridan's  and 
Kousseau's  trains,  about  400  wagons  congrega- 
ted at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  not  one 
guard  with  them.  There  happened  to  be  four 
or  five  companies  of  the  21st  Kentucky  on  the 
mountain,  which  were  immediately  ordered  to 
the  foot  to  repel  the  rebels,  or  hold  them  in 
check  until  the  reinforcements  sent  for  arrived. 
As  soon  as  the  appearance  of  the  rebels  was  made 
known,  I  ordered  our  wagons  as  near  the  base 
of  the  mountain  as  they  could  get,  being  Very 
much  scattered  over  the  plain,  thinking  that  the 
force  present  might  be  able  to  keep  the  rebels 
some  distance  off,  and  to  prevent  their  burning 
them  while  the  fight  was  going  on!  This  was 
i  done,  and  I  immediately  started  across  the 
plain  vrith  the  intention  of  getting'  in  the  rear  of 
the  rebels,  watch  the  fight,  and  if  they  succeed- 
ed in  whipping  our  men  and  in  capturing  the 
wagons,  to  see  their  commander  and  plead  with 
him  to  spare  our  stores.  I  believed  that  if  he  was 
not  a  guerrilla,  but  had  a  spark  of  feeling  for 
suffering  beings  in  him,  that  I  could  kindle  this 
spark  into  a  flame,  and  that  our  stores  should 
be  spared.  Although  mounted,  I  made  slow 
progress  over  the  plains  on  account  of  the  mass 
of  wagons  I  had  to  pass  through,  and  when 
about  halfway  across,,  the  rebels  having  formed 
their  line  of  battle  behind  the  hill  I  was  trying 
to  reach,  appeared  on  its  top,  and  without  de- 
manding a  surrender,  commenced  firing  upon 
the  train.  I  being  in  the  centre  of  the  trains, 
or  mass  of  wagons,  and  mounted,  their  balls 


58 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


fell  around  me  like  hail.  I  could  not  carry  out 
my  plan  then,  without  great  risk  of  my  Ufe,  so 
I  wheeled  around  and  made  for  the  mountain. 
It  was  very  steep  where  I  struck  it,  and  I  had  to 
lead  my  horse  up.  The  Kentucky  Infantry,  by 
squads,  formed  themselyes  along  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  and  poured  a  sharp  fire  into  the  reb- 
els; but  their  great  superiority  in  numbers, 
their  gradual  approach  on  the  train,  and  the 
fact  that  they  intended  to  surround  us  and  cut 
off  the  retreat  of  every  man,  which  I  plainly  saw 
they  were  endeavoring  to  do,  naturally  induced 
me  to  * '  skedaddle  "  over  the  mountain  as  rapidly 
as  possible.  I  went  down  the  road  for  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  its  base,  and  there 
remained  until  the  firing  had  ceased,  then  started 
back  with  the  intention  of  saving  our  stores  if 
they  were  not  already  destroyed,  if  I  had  to  put 
myself  in  their  hands  to  do  it.  On  arriving  at 
a  point  from  which  I  could  see  a  portion  of  the 
plain,  I  saw  the  main  body  of  the  rebels  moving 
off  in  the  direction  of  Jasper,  while  another 
body  were  moving  off  with  the  prisoners  in  the 
direction  from  which  they  came.  I  knew  then 
we  were  defeated,  and  feared  the  wagons  were 
already  burned.  Presently  the  Wagon-Master ' 
of  my  train,  having  been  in  and  escaped  from 
the  fight,  came  along  and  told  me  that  nearly 
all  of  our  wagons  were  on  fire  when  he  left,  the 
rebels  having  taken  some  of  them  to  contain 
army  supplies,  I  suppose,  or  they  would  never' 
have  burned  them,  and  that  they  had  found  out 
the  contents  of  some  of  them,  and  were  feasting 
upon  them.  Most  of  our  wagons  were  filled 
with  fodder,  which  the  rebels  did  not  take  the 
trouble  and  time  to  remove;  while  some  had 
none  in  them.  The  former  they  had  burned 
before  the  Wagon-Master  of  my  train  left,  as  al- 
ready stated;  and  the  latter  they  feasted  upon, 
eating  and  drinking,  and  "a  merrier  set,"  our 
Wagon-Master  said,  "was  never  seen."  He 
also  stated  that  the  rebels  had  sent  a  detach- 
ment around  the  mountain  to  a  point  where  an- 
other road  joins  the  road  on  the  mountain, 
to  cut  off  and  capture  those'  that  had  escaped 
from  the  fight,  and  that  xmless  we  could  reach 
that  point  before  they,  did,  we  would  certainly 
fall  into  iiieir  hands.  A  Captain  of  the  21st 
Kentucky,  who  had  escaped,  asserted  the  same, 
and  believing  it  to  be  useless  then  to  put  my- 
self into  the  hands  of  a  drunken  set  of  brutes 
for  the  few  stores  that  probably  remained,  and 
considering  the  consequences  of  such  an  act,  I 
therefore  decided  to  start  for  Chattanooga. 
We  rushed  our  horses  on  until  beyond  the  junc- 
tion of  the  road  spoken  of  with  the  one  we  were 
on,  and  the  same  night,  at  10  o'clock,  safely 
reached  this  place. 


The  force  of  the  rebels,  the  attacking  body 
and  the  reserve,  is  estimated  at  from  four  to, 
twelve  thousand.  My  own  estimate  and  that  of 
nearly  all  I  have  seen  and  conversed  with  who 
were  in  the  fight,  is  about  four  thousand  under 
Wheeler.  Several  trains  that  were  in  camp  with 
us  when  the  destruction  of  the  forage  train  was 
announced,  retreated  in  the  direction  of  Jasper; 
but  the  body  of  rebels  spoken  of  moved  off  in 
that  direption  after  the  capture  of  our  stores, 
came  upon  and  destroyed  them.  Dr.  Castle- 
man  was  in  the  fight  with  one  or  both  of  these, 
and  was  captured.  He  asserts,  that  had  bs 
known  that  we  had  stores  at  the  mountain,  he 
could  have  saved  them.  This  is  questionable, 
however,  as  he  was  several  miles  distant  from 
the  foot  of  the  mountain  at  the  time  of  the  cap- 
ture of  our  stores. 

October  18tli,  Mr.  Bead  writes  once  mors 
of  the  difficulty  of  transportation,  the 
great  difficulty  of  this  Western  campaign- 
ing: 

I  have  written  you  at  every  opportunity,  and 
frequently  by  mail,  often  repeating  what  I  have 
written  on  account  of  irregidarities  in  the  mails. 

As  I  have  written  and  telegraphed,  I  deem  it 
of  absolute  importance  that  we  have  a  reliable, 
energetic,  hardy  man,  to  act  as  Wagon-Master 
of  our  train,  to  accompany  it  on  all  its  trips 
over  the  mountain.  A  casual  agent  is  good  for 
nothing  for  such  a  purpose;  for,  in  every  in- 
stance thus  far,  they  have  abandoned  the  train 
as  soon  as  they  got  within  hailing  distance  of 
Chattanooga,  and  come  to  our  rooms  to  report 
that  the  train  was  coming,  and  left  everything  to 
the  honesty  (?)  of  drivers  and  wagon-masters. 

The  fifteen  wagon-loads  have  arrived  and  will 
be  unloaded  at  our  rooms  this  morning,  robbed 
of  all  the  stimulants  and  many  other  articles. 
Col.  McEay  has  sent  in  a  report  of  the  robbery, 
and  I  shall  do  so  as  soon  as  I  have  taken  an  in- 
ventory and  know  specially  what  has  been 
stolen.  We  need  goods  niuch  faster  thaii  they 
get  through,  and  our  means  of  transportation 
from  Stevenson  are  in  excess  over  the  arrivals 
there.  We  shall  lose  our  train  unless  we  can 
keep  it  filled. 

On  the  ■24th  he  gives  some  information 
as  to  where  the  stores  captured  by  the  en- 
emy came  from. 

In  my  letter  of  the  12th,  I  gave  you  in 
haste  and  in  detail  an  account  of  the  cap- 
ture and  destruction  of  our  train  of  stores; 
but  having  seen  a  statement  in  the  ZouisviUe 
Journal  of  the  14th,  made  by.  Col.  Shyrook,  of 
Indiana,  which  you  may  not  have  seen,  and 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


59 


which  is  incorrect,  and,  I  think,  discouraging 
to  some  of  our  "home  workers,"  as  it  throws 
the  entire  loss  upon  the  shoulders  of  one  single 
body,  I  wish  to  call  your  attention  to  it  for  cor- 
rection, if  you  think  proper,  and  also  to  write 
a  few  lines  in  regard  to  matters  here.  The  state- 
ment referred  to,  given  by  Mr.  Sargent  to  Col. 
Shyrock,  was,  that  "we  lost  in  the  attack  39 
wagon-loads  of  stores  from  the  Chicago  Sanitary 
Commission."  This  is,  for  the  most  part,  I 
know,  incorrect.  There  were  only  eighteen  (18) 
instead  of  thirty-nine  (39)  wagon-loads,  as  you 
already  know;  and  in  regard  to  the  receipt  of 
the  stores  alone  from  Chicago,  the  ten  (10) 
wagons- 1  sent  from  Bridgeport  were  loaded 
about  equally  with  goods  from  Cleveland  Aid 
Society,  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati  and  Indiana 
Commissions,  but  none  from  Chicago.  In  those 
sent  from  Stevenson,  there  may  have  been  Chi- 
cago stores,  but  most  I  know  were  either  pur- 
chased or  contributed  at  Louisville.  The  num- 
ber of  packages  sent  from  Bridgeport  was  69 ; 
the  number  from  Stevenson  I  do  not  know,  as 
no  invoice  was  sent  with  the  goods,  and  none 
has  ever  reached  this  ofice  to  my  knowledge. 
I  merely  state  this  in  contradiction  to  an  error 
or  misstatement  which  it  may  be  well  to  cor- 
rect. 

SUITEBINGS  OP  THE  TEOOPS. 

Since  writing  you  last,  we  have  again  moved 
our  rooms;  the  buildings  we  were  in  being  used 
as  Palmer's  Division  Hospital,  and  quite  a  num- 
ber of  sick  coming  in  from  the  division,  demand- 
ed more  room;  so  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Perrin, 
Medical  Director,  we  vacated  it,  having  this 
house  first  secured  us. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  this  army  is  anything 
but  good  now.  By  reason  of  the  heavy  rains 
we  have  had  for  the  last  ten  days,  the  wagon- 
roads  to  Stevenson  are  rendered  almost  impas- 
sable, and  consequently  the  Commissaries  are 
reduced  to  almost  nothing,  and  the  army  is 
drawn  down  to  half  rations.  The  nights  are 
very  damp  and  cold,  and  many  soldiers  appeal 
here  daily  for  blankets,  having  lost  theirs  in  the  . 
battle,  who,  under  the  circumstances,  are  un- 
able to  get  them,  and  have  to  sleep  without  cov- 
ering. We  have  none,  the  Purveyor  has  none, 
and  they  are  not  to  be  had  at  all  of  any  one. 
Sickness  is  increasing,  but  diarrhoea  seems  to 
be  the  universal  plague,  and  is  increasing,  and 
vegetables!  is  the  great  cry;  but  at  the  same 
time,  all  articles  that  make  good  diet  are  in 
great  demand. 

PLUNDEE  OP  THE  WAGONS  BT  THE  THAMSTEES. 

t 

On  the  10th,  a  shipment  of  ten  (10)  wagons 
was  made  at  Stevenson,  which  reached  this 


place  (I  would  say  a  portion  of  which)  on  the 
19th,  having  been  subjected  to  hard  rains  and 
pillage.  While  on  thft  mountain,  the  teamsters 
of  our  train — 75  in  number — concluded  they 
must  have  a  spree,  even  at  the  expense  of  the 
sick  and  dying  soldiers,  and  appropriated  or 
destroyed  nine-tenths  of  all  the  stimulanis  and 
delicacies  in  the  shipment.  ■  Only  eleven  (11) 
wagon-loads  arrived  here.  The  exact  amount 
pillaged  I  gave  in  a  report  to  Col.  Goddard, 
who  says  "they  will  never  drive  a  team  again 
for  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. "  The  amount 
destroyed  is  as  follows : 

346  cans  Milk, 

236  bottles  Wine  and  Spirits, 
21       "      Cider, 

101       "      Ale, 
56  cans  Oysters, 

15  "    Fruit, 

16  "    Beef  and  2  Cheeses. 
Also,  2  barrels  and  1  box  Crackers, 

1    "    Lemon  Syrup, 
1    "    Sundries. 

I  think  these  teamsters  will  meet  their  re- 
ward. By  this  shipment  we  received  a  tolerable 
good  supply  of  shirts,  and  over  a  thousand 
(1,000)  poor  soldiers  have  already  exchanged 
their  bloody  ones  for  these. 

This  being  the  only  shipment  made  us  since 
I  wrote  you  last,  our  shelves  are  again  nearly 
empty,  having  nothing  of  consequence  except 
about  foiir  hundred  (400)  cans  of  milk.  There 
is  a  fair  supply  at  Stevenson,  and  so  soon  as  the 
roads  get  better,  we  will  receive  again.  Active 
preparations  are  going  on  for  clearing  the  river 
of  rebels,  so  as  to  have  boats  ply  between  here 
and  Bridgeport  to  bring  forward  stores.  1%  must 
be  done,  and  a  desperate  effort  will  be  made  to 
do  it.  I  learn  from  good  authority  to-day  that 
a  division  leaves  very  soon  to  drive  the  rebels 
from  Lookout  Mountain.  Ere  this  reaches  you, 
I  think  and  believe  boats  will  be  running  to 
Bridgeport,  and  then  a  depot  wiU  again  be  ne- 
cessary there. 

SANITARY  HINTS. 


SPECIAL  DISINFECTANTS  AND 
THEIR   APPLICATIONS. 

That  there  can  be  no  substitute  ior fresh 
air  to  meet  the  physiologioal  requirements 
of  respiration  and  health,  should  be  indeli- 
bly impressed  upon  every  mind.  Better 
that  aU  substances  at  present  employed  as 
disinfectants  and  deodorants  were  at  once 
prohibited  by  the  Medical  Department, 
than  that  such  agents  should  practically 


60 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tend  to  be  regarded  as  substitutes  for  a  pure 
atmosphere.  But  the  necessities  and  priva- 
tions of  army  life,  the  multiplied  agencies 
of  disease,  and  the  vitiating  conditions  at- 
tendant upon  wounds  and  sickness,  create 
necessities  for  the  employment  of  chemical 
and  ether  artificial  agencies  to  mitigate, 
and,  in  some  measure,  prevent  the  other- 
■wise  inevitable  contamination  of  the  local 
atmosphere  of  crowded  hospitals,  trans- 
ports, and  quarters;  and  it  is  only  such 
necessary  demands  for  the  employment  of 
disinfectants  that  justify  even  the  occasional 
allusion  we  have  made  respecting  them  in 
preceding  pages.  They  are  simply  aids  in 
restoring  and  preserving  healthful  purity, 
and  not  substitutes  for  cleanliness  and 
pure  air. 

For  the  convenience  of  persons  who  may 
have  occasion  to  refresh  the  memory  with 
the  more  practical  facts  relating  to  special 
disinfectants,  and  the  best  method  of  their 
application,  the  following  notes  are  added 
in  reference  to  this  subject: 

The  principal  disinfecting  agents  maybe 
classified  as  follows: 


Absorbents  amd  retainers  of 
noxious  effluvia,  particularly 
the  ammoniacal  cmd  sulphu- 
retted gases. 

Absorbents    of   inoisture ;  "1 
chemical  agents  that  act  upon 
orgcmic  matter,   and   recom- 1 
bme  some  of  the  elements  of\ 
Tioxious  e;ffliuoia.  J 


CliEtrcoal, 

Sulphate  of  Lime  (Plaster 
Sulpliiteof  Lime,  [Paris,) 
Silicate  of  Aluiaina  (Po- 
rous Clay.) 

Quicklime, 
Sulphuric  Acid, 
Hydrocliloric  Acid, 
Nitric  aud  Nitrous 
Acids. 


Bromiae. 


SolvbJe  salts  thai  are  pariic-  ^  ^^^^^   ^  ^ead, 
ularly  available  for  arresting    chloride  of  Zinc 
^oce!:sesofaecomposiiwn.<md  broto-Chloride  of  Iron, 
for  controlimg  phosphuretted    prpto-Snlphate  of  Iron 
and  sulphuretted  gases.  j  ■""■■"  aii^tf^ai^  ui  ^^i±. 

Antiseptics  that  act  aiffu-'\  (n-io-jne  Saa 
^ciruem  destroymg  compownd\  cmS^iX^e. 

The  most  prompt  and  ^^| 
dent  cmtiseptic  known.  J 

Antiseptic,    and    of  greafj 
power  as  -an  oxidizer,  and  as  [  Permanganate  of  Potassa. 
on  available  source  of  ozone.    ) 

Antiseptic  and  deodora/tit;^ 

tions,  and  acting  with  consid-       compounas. 
erable  energy  amdpermamency  J 

Destructive    of   contagious^ 
virus   and   all  trojn^ortdble)  Heat. 
infections.  ) 


Frost. 


0  Destructive  of  Tellow  Fever ") 
Tniasma,  ami  of  the  malaria 
that  produces  the  "  Faludal 
Fevers."  J 

Considered  theoretically,  we  may  regard 
all  disinfecting  agents  under  the  following 
heads,  and  perhaps  this  would  be  the  more 
scientific  arrangement  of  them: — 1.  Ab- 
sorbents of  moisture  and  of  noxious  effluvia; 
2.  Oxidizers  [ozone  the  most  active,]  and 
Deoxidizers;  3.  Other  chemical  agents  that 
break  up  noxious  compounds;  4.  Agents  that 
form  indestructible  compounds  with  putres- 


cent materials;  or  that  destroy  cell-life  and  the 
cryptogamic  and  infusorial  organisms.  But 
as  the  present  state  of  chemical  and  medi- 
cal knowledge  only  enables  us  to  make  such 
general  statements  respecting  the  theoreti- 
cal action  of  disinfectants,  we  will  follow 
our  first  classification  by  a  few  practical 
statements  concerning  each  of  the  articles 
mentioned. 

Charcoal. — Freshly  burned  and  broken, 
this  substance  will  absorb  from  10  to  14  per 
cent,  its  own  weight  of  gases  and  moisture 
from  the  atmosphere  during  the  period  of 
24  hours;  and  it  is  capable  of  absorbing  90 
times  its  own  volume  of  ammonia,  or  55 
times  its  own  volume  of  sulphuretted  hy- 
drogen. Properly  applied,  charcoal  is  an 
arrester  of  putrefaction,  and,  as  such,  it  is 
worthy  of  more  extensive  employment  .in 
the  better  preservation  of  animal  food  when 
served  out  in  an  unwholesome  state  by  the 
regimental  quartermasters.  Asa  disinfect- 
ant or  deodorant  for  extensive  use  in  masses 
of  putrescent  material,  and  for  local  purifi- 
cation, fresh  charcoal  is  of  acknowledged 
value.  The  British  Sanitary  Commission, 
in  the  Crimea,  ordered  whole  ship-loads  of 
peat  charcoal,  which  they  used  in  the  prog- 
ress of  their  work  of  purification  in  the 
hospitals,  barracks,  or  camps  in  the  East. 
A  Report  of  that  Commission  states  that 
"  perhaps  the  best  deodorizing  compound 
was  one  used  by  the  inspectors  in  all  their 
works.  It  consisted  of  one  part  of  peat  char- 
coal, one  part  of  quicklime,  and  four  parts  of 
sand  or  gravel. "  It  should  be  remembered 
that  the  preservation  of  the  disinfecting 
power  of  charcoal  powder  depends  upon  ite 
being  both  fresh  and  dry. 

Sulphate  of  Lime,  Sulphite  of  Lime,  and 
Porous  Clay.  —  AU  these  substances  are 
valuable  absorbents  of  ammoniacal  and 
sulphuretted  efiluvia,  and  they  constitute 
exceedingly  convenient  vehicles  and  auxil- 
iary menstrua  for  some  of  the  more  potent 
and  expensive  antiseptics.  The  much  vaunt- 
ed French  disinfectant,  known  as  the  dis- 
infecting powder  of  Messrs.  Come  &  De- 
meaux,  consists  of  about  94  per  cent,  of 
finely  ground  gypsum  and  5  or  6  per  cent, 
of  coal-tar  or  the  "  heavy  oU  of  coal-tar." 
McDougall's  powder,  and  the  Ridgewood 
disinfectant,  consist  of  carbolic  acid  com- 
bined with  the  sulphate  of  lime  and  porous 
silicate  of  alumina,  respectively,  as  will  be 
noticed  upon  a  subsequent  page.  Hypo- 
sulphite of  lime  possesses  the  property  of 
absoluely  arresting  fermentation  or  the 
catalytic  processes.  The  several  substances 
of  this  first  class,  and  their  compounds, 
particularly  those  with  carbolic  acid  or  coal- 
tar,  are  among  the  most  valuable  disinfect- 
ants, especially  when  large  quantities  of. 
cheap  and  effectual  articles  of  the  kind  are 
required. 

Quicklime. — With  sulphuretted  and  with 


The  Scmtary  Commission  Bulletin, 


61 


phosphuretted  effluvia,  and  •with  litiinid 
vapors,  freshly  burned  lime  unites  with 
great  avidity,  and  as  an  absorbent  of  mois- 
ture and  a  chemical  base  for  many  acids,  it 
is  of  peculiar  value;  but  lime  also  eliminates 
or  sets  free  the  ammoniacal  gases,  and,  like 
the  acids  of  our  second  class  of  disinfect- 
ants, it  is  of  less  permanent  value  than  some 
other  agents.  It  is  one  of  the  most-  con- 
venient antiseptics,  and  for  local  applica- 
tions, as  in  -whitewashing,  sprinkKng,  desic- 
cating damp  surfaces  or  putrescent  sub- 
stances, and  for  temporarily  arresting 
putrefaction,  it  is  invaluable.  Lime  should 
be  used  dry  and  unslacked,  except  it  be 
for  the  special  purpose  of  combining  with 
carbonic  acid  gas;  for  the  latter  object 
it  should  be  reduced  to  a.  creamy  hydrate, 
and,  in  overcrowded  wards  and  barracks,  it 
may  be  usefully  employed  in  this  way,  dis- 
tributed in  shallow  plates.  Distributed  in 
like'  manner,  sulphuric  acid  maybe  employ- 
ed for  diminishing  the  humidity  of  the 
atmosphere  in  a  closed  and  damp  apart- 
ment; but  for  this  purpose  it  is  usually 
better  to  resort  to  strong  currents  of  air, 
by  means  of  through  and  through  ventila- 
tion, when  practicable. 

The  topical  applications  of  the  acids,  par- 
ticularly of  the  nitric  acid,  in  arresting  gan- 
grene, are  well  understood  by  surgeons. 
Nitrous  acid  is  a  valuable  antiseptic,  and 
the  production  and  application  of  its  fumes 
constituted  the  famous  disinfecting  process 
of  Dr.  Oarmichael  Smyth. 

The/Mmes  of  nitrous  acic?  that  so  long  had 
fame  for  disinfecting  purposes  in  the  bar- 
racks, -hospitals,  and  navy  of  Great  Britain 
may  be  readily  produced  by  heating  a  mix- 
ture of  nitrate  of  potassaand  sulphuric  acid 
in  an  iron  or  porcelain  dish.  Persons  who 
resort  to  this  method  of  fumigation  should 
bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  strong  fumes  of 
nitrous  acid  are  dangerously  irritating  to 
the  throat  and  lungs.  These  fuming  acids 
are  powerful  oxidizers,  but  their  avidity  for 
water,  together  with  their  peculiarities  of 
chemical  affinity,  render  their  value  as  dis- 
infectants somewhat  uncertain. 

Nitrate  of  Lead. — Practical  considerations 
place  this  salt  at  the  head  of  odorless  dis- 
iafeoting  salts  most  available  for  certain 
lopal  applications,  such  as  deodorizing  a 
cTOse  apartment,  and  the  bedding,  &c.,  of 
f.ick  ppi-aons,  by  means  of  a  solution  distrib- 
uted oil  shallow  vessels  or  upon  saturated 
cloths.  The  nitrate  of  lead  is  the  basis  of 
"  Ledoyen's  liquid." 

The  permanganate  of  poiassa  is  far  the 
most  efficient  salt  of  this  kind,  and  its  cost 
alone  should  limit  its  employment.  It  is  a 
chemical  agent  of  different  and  far  greater 
powers  than  any  of  the  metaUio  salts  in  this 
third  class. 

Chloride  of  Zinc. — Though  more  poweirr 
fully  antiseptic  than  nitrate  of  lead,  it  is  • 


not  as  valuable  a  deodorant.  It  is  most  to 
be  valued  for  its  property  of  promptly  ar- 
resting putrefactive  processes.  As  "Sir 
Wm.  Burnett's  disinfectant,"  it  is  widely 
known. 

Both  this  salt,  and  that  of  lead,  last  men- 
tioned, may  be  employed  to  delay  decom- 
position in  a  corpse,  in  the  absence  of  an 
embalmer.  This  is  best  accomplished  by 
wrapping  the  dead  body  in  a  folded  sheet 
that  is  saturated  with  either  of  these  salts. 

The  Proto-chloride  and  the  Proto-sulphate 
of  Iron. — These  are  valuable  and  very  cheap 
agents  for  aiding  in  the  control  of  ammo- 
niacal and  sulphuretted  effluvia.  Being 
soluble,  and  very  cheap,  these  salts  are 
capable  of  varied  and  convenient  applica- 
tions, separately,  or  in  combination  with 
other  deodorizing  materials. 

Chlorine  and  its  alkali^f  compounds. — The 
common  preparatjons  of  chlorinated  soda 
and  chloride  of  linie  act  with  great  efficiency 
when  the  carbonic,  sulphuretted,  or  ammo- 
niacal gases  are  brought  into  contact  with 
them.  As  their  special  uses  require  no 
explanation  in  this  place,  we  simply  append 
brief  directions  for  generating  chlorine  gas 
where  it  may  be  required  more  immediately 
and  copiously  than  it  would  be  given  off  by 
the  alkaline  chlorides  or  hypochlorites. 

Ready  method.  — Pour  dilute  hydrochloric, 
sulphuric,  nitric,  or  acetic  acid  upon  chlo- 
rides of  lime,  zinc,  or  soda.  This  may  be 
done  gradually  by  means  of  a  glass  or  lead 
syphon,  or  by  the  capillary  &yphon  of  lamp- 
wick,  dropping  the  acid  upon  the  chloride, 
if  desirable  to  evolve  the  chlorine  steadQy 
for  many  hours. 

Cheap  method. — Mix  6  parts  of  peroxide 
of  manganese  with  8  parts  of  table  salt 
(chloride  of  sodium)  in  a  lead  or  iron  ves- 
sel, which  should  be  set  freely  within  an- 
other vessel  of  larger  capacity;  pour  upon 
the  mixture  of  manganese  and  salt  13  parts 
of  sulphuric  acid,  which  may  be  diluted 
with  water  to  abate  the  rapidity  of  the 
evolution  of  the  gas.  Heat  the  vessel  con- 
taining this  mixture  by  means  of  hot  wa- 
ter or  steam,  if  more  rapid  evolution  of  the 
gas  is  required. 

Ordinary  method. — ^Mix  four  parts  of 
fuming  hydrochloric  (muriatic)  acid  with 
one  part  of  coarse  powder  of  peroxide  of 
manganese,  adding  water,  as  may  be  de- 
sired, to  abate  the  rapidity  of  evolution. 
Apply  moderate  heat.  The  vessel  may  be 
of  a  kind  to  permit  the  use  of  the  acid 
and  the  heat.  The  heat,  however,  by  this 
method,  is  not  indispensable. 

A  very  neat  method  of  evolving  chlorine 
in  hospitals  and  transports,  is  to  put  a  few 
ounces  of  the  black  oxide  of  manganese 
into  a  stout  glass  bottle  of  large  size,  rig  a 
bulbous  pipette  to  a  perforated  cork  or 
stopper,  and  fitting  an  india-rubber  bulb 


62 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


upon  the  headless  bulb  of  the  pipette,  flU 
the  pipette  -with  muriatic  acid,  and  evolve 
the  chlorine  at  pleasure  by  occasional  pres- 
sure upon  the,  elastic  cap. 

Bromine  and  its  compounds. — This  most 
powerful  antiseptic  has  recently  been 
brought  into  requisition  in  the  military 
hospitals  as  a  special  disinfectant  and  ar- 
rester of  gangrene.  It  is  applied  both  top- 
ically and  diffusively.  Bromine  is  exceed- 
ingly penetrating  and  energetic  in  its  ac- 
tion, and  consequently  is  to  be  mianipulat- 
ed  and  applied  with  proper  caution.  It  is 
principally  employed  in  its  pure  liquid 
form,  or  in  combination  with  bromide  of 
potassium.  Special  caution  should  be  used 
not  to  respire  the  strong  fumes  or  any  pul- 
verized compound  of  bromine,  as  its  ef- 
fects when  inhaled  are  suffocating.  The 
following  concise  statement  of  the  best 
methods  for  applying  this  potent  disinfec- 
tant we  quote  from  Dr.  M.  Goldsmith, 
Medical  Director  of  Military  Hospitals  at 
LouisvUle,  Ky.,  to  whom  the  medical  pro- 
fession is  largely  indebted  for  its  success- 
ful introduction  as  a  topical  and  prophy- 
lactic agent  for  the  control  of  hospital  gan- 
grene and  erysipelas: 

DlEECTIONS  rOB  UsB. 

1.  For  Fumigation. — Place  vessels,  con- 
taining one  ounce  of  the  solution  at  differ- 
ent points  of  the  ward,  and  in  number  suf- 
ficient to  secure  in  the  latter  the  constant 
presence  of  the  odor  of  bromine. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that,  if  the 
vapor  of  bromine  comes  in  contact  with 
the  vapor  of  water,  hydro-bromic  acid  is 
formed;  therefore,,  jvhen  there  is  much  of 
the  vapor  of  water  disengaged  in  the  apart- 
ment, the  quantity  of  the  vapor  of  bromine 
must  be  correspondingly  increased. 

2.  Topical  Application  of  the  Vapor. — A 
piece  of  drp  lint  is  to  be  placed  over  the 
diseased  part;  over  this  is  to  be  placed  an- 
other piece  of  lint,  moistened  with  the  solution 
of  bromine;  over  this,  a  third  piece  spread 
with  simple  cerate  ;  the  whole  to  be  covered 
with  oiled  silk  and  bandage,  so  arranged  as 
to  retain  the  vapor  in  contact  with  the  dis- 
eased surface  as  long  as  possible.  The 
solution  is  to  be  removed  as  often  as  it 
becomes  exhausted  by  evaporation. 

3.  The  Solution,  in  Substance,  as  a  direct 
Application,  in  Hospital  Gangrene,  Diph- 
theria, Gangrene  of  the  Tongue,  and  other 
diseases  of  this  nature: — The  parts  are  first 
to  be  dried  by  the  application  of  charpife; 
then  the  sloughs,  if  thick,  should  be 
trimmed  out  with  forceps  and  scissors  as 
much  as  possible,  for  the  thinner  the 
slough  the  more  effective  is  the  remedy. 
The  parts  having  again  been  dried,  the 
solution  is  applied  by  means  of  a  mop,  or 
a  pointed  stick  of  wood,  in  quantity  suffi- 
cient  to   saturate    the   sloughs.      If   the 


sloughs  undermine  the  skin,  or  dip  down 
into  intermuscular  spaces,  the  solution 
must  be  made  to  follow,  with  the  pointed 
stick,  or  by  means  of  a  glass  syringe. 

If  the  application  has.  been  effectual,  all 
odor  from  the  diseased  surface  ceases,  and 
the  sloughs  become  somewhat  hardened. 
The  remedy  should  be  reapplied  every 
second  hour,  as  long  as  any  odor  of  piltre- 
f  action  is  present,  or  as  long  as  the  sloughs 
appear  to  be  diffluent.  It  is  not  always  ne- 
cessary, especially  when  the  sloughs  are 
diffluent  and  thin,  to  use  the  solution  in  its 
fuU  strength;  it  may  be  weakened  by  the 
addition  of  water,  as  the  disease  subsides. 

The  points  to  be  especially  attended  to, 
in  the  use  of  the  solution  of  bromine,  are 
two:  1.  The  solution  should  be  applied  in 
strength  and  frequency  sufficient  for  the 
impregnation  of  the  whole  of  the  sloughs;  2. 
To  secure  this  end,  the  application  should 
be  made  by  the  surgeon,  himself,  and  never 
be  trusted  to  a  nurse.  If  the  sloughs  are 
thick  and  cannot  well  be  trimmed,  the 
bromine  may  be  introduced  into  the  thick- 
ness of  the  slough  by  means  of  a  hypo- 
dermic syringe. 

After  the  topical  application  of  the  so- 
lution, jjhe  parts,  when  so  situated  as  to 
render  it  practicable,  should  be  subjected 
to  the  influence  of  the  vapor.     (See  par.  1.) 

Surgeons  wiU  do  well  to  bear  in  mind 
that  bromine  is  a  new  remedy  for  the  pur- 
poses indicated  above.  The  directions  for 
its  use,  given  here,  are  those  followed  in 
the  military  hospitals  of  this  city;  it  may 
be  found  advisable  to  modify  them  as  ex- 
perience with  the  remedy  accumulates.  It 
is,  therefore,  earnestly  recommended  that 
the  subject  be  studied  diligently,  that  the 
effects  of  the  remedy  be  carefully  watched, 
and  that  the  application  be  varied  as  new 
facts  are  developed  in  its  use. 

The  investigation  of  the  evidences  re- 
specting the  antiseptic  and  prophylactic 
powers  of  this  new  disinfectant  has  reason- 
ably confirmed  the  opinion  of  its  great 
utility.  But  to  secure  its  beneficial  effects, 
its  application  should  be  made  with  proper 
care  and  thoroughness.  It  claims  to  ar- 
rest the  destructive  progress  of  gangrene, 
erysipelas,  etc.,  and  utterly  to  destroy  the 
personal  and  the  diffused  virus  of  such  mal- 
adies. To  accomplish  this  effectuallv,  the 
bromine  must  be  applied  to  ever^  ..  - 
oule  of  the  virus,  and  this  is  to  be  effected 
by  means  of  the  pipette  syringe,  the  point- 
ed stick,  the  scissors,  and  the  solution,  for 
local  applications;  and  by  its  pungent  and 
volatile  vapors  in  wards  and  other  infected 
places.  This  disinfectant  certainly  prom- 
ises to  be  a  great  boon  to  our  military  hos- 
pitals. 

Permanganate  of  Potassa. — A  special  or- 
der from  the  Medical  Bureau  at  Washing- 
ton [Giroular,  No.  12,1  calls  the  attention 


TJve  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


63 


of  medical  officers  to  "  the.virtues  of  per- 
manganate of  potassa  as  a  disinfectant  and 
deodorizer."    This  is  a  soluble  substance 
peculiarly  convenient  of  application  and 
remarkably  certain  and  •efficient  in  its  ef- 
fects as  a  disinfectant.    Its  employment  as 
a  deodorizer  and  prophylactic  is  limited 
mainly  to  topical  applications,  to  gangre- 
nous parts  or  putrescent  materials,  and  to 
general  effect  upon  the  atmosphere  of  con- 
taminated apartments,  by  means  of  evapo- 
rating cloths  saturated  with  a  strong'  solu- 
tion of  the  permanganate.     The  oxidizing 
and  antiseptic  effects  of  the  permanganate 
of  potassa  upon  organic  and  putrescent 
matter  are  remarkable.     It  is  the  most  sen- 
sitive test  for  the  presence  of'  organic  mat- 
ter, which  it  oxidizes  with  wonderful  facil- 
ity.    [See  remarks  upon  this  subject  in  Ham- 
mond's Hygiene.]     As  this  is  an  expensive 
and  deUcate  substance,  it  is  to  be  employed 
economically,  upon  saturated  cloths  or  in 
dilute  solutions  upon  plates.    For  purifying 
offensive  water  for  purposes  of  beverage, 
etc. ,  a  standard  solution  should  be  dropped 
into  the  vessel  of  water,  until  the  tinge  of  the 
permanganate  begins  to  appear.     The  rapid 
and  effectual  oxidation  of  the  organic  {pu^ 
triiX)  elements  of  impure  water  and  other 
substances,  even  of  the  atmosphere  itself, 
when  brought  in  contact  with  solutions  of 
this  salt,  and  the  consequent  and  almost 
instant  deodorization  of  such  impurities, 
render  this  disinfectant  of  priceless  value 
for  practical  purposes.    And  as  all  prepara- 
tions of  manganese  are  therapeutically  tonic, 
probably  the  minute  quantities  of  this  salt 
that  would  be  taken  in  drinking  the  water 
purified  as  above  described,  would  only  act 
beneficially.        "  Condy's    Disinfectant," 
"  Darby's  Fluid,"  and  aUthe  vaunted  prep- 
arations of    "Ozonized  water,"   etc.,    are 
but  soltitions  of  permanganates.    The  salts 
are  cheaper  and  more  reliable  than  such 
nostrums,  and  are  now  supplied  by  all  med- 
ical purveyors  in  the  army. 

Goal-tar  Compounds —  Garbolates.  — The 
carbolate  of  Hme  has  been  employed  to 
some  extent  in  our  camps  and  hospitals. 
McDougall's  powder  consists  of  carbolate 
of  lime,  sulphate  of  Hme,  quick-lime,  etc. 
The  Eidgewood  disinfectant  consists  of  car- 
bolic acid,  proto-chloride of  iron,  etc.,  com- 
bined with  fullers'  earth.  Either  of  these, 
which  are  furnished  by  the  medical  pur- 
veyors, appear  to  be  quite  as  valuable  as 
the  more  expensive  article  of  MM.  Come 
and  Demeaux,  which  is  used  at  the  Im- 
perial Oamp  at  Chalons,  and  was  found 
highly  serviceable  by  Barron  Larrey,  after 
the  great  battles  of  the  late  Italian  cam- 
paign. Coal-tar,  in  almost  any  form,  is 
available  for  disinfecting  sewers,  etc.,  and 
in  the  dry  powders  mentioned,  it  is  availa- 
ble for  delaying  the  process  of  decomm)- 
sition,  whether  in  a  corpse,  or  in  refuse 


material.  Carbolic  acid  has  the  antiseptic 
powers  of  creasote,  and  is  largely  sold  for 
that  article.  The  antiseptic  properties  of 
coal-tar,  its  effect  upon  mephitic  gases  and 
putrescent  material,  the  permanency  of  its 
operation,  and  the  cheapness  of  the  article, 
render  it  available  for  extensive  application 
in  neutralizing  and  arresting  cloacal  and 
noxious  effluvia  in  the  processes  of  animal 
decomposition.  A  distinguished  Medical 
Inspector  of  our  army,  when  cut  off  from 
ordinary  medical  supplies,  effectually  ■  and 
quickly  abated  the  nuisances  pertaining  to- 
an  extensive  old  fortress,  by  means  of  an 
extemporized  mixture  of  coal-tar,  procured 
from  the  gas-works  upon  the  premises.  For 
use  in  chamber  vessels,  close-stools,  etc.,  a 
neat  fluid  preparation  may  be  made,  after 
the  formula  of  M.  Demeaux,  by  mixing 
equal  parts  of  coal-t«r,  alcohol,  and  hot 
soft  soap.  With  the  progress  of  knowledge 
respecting  the  chemistry  of  coal-tar  and 
other  hydro-carbons,  the  precise  value  of 
this  class  of  disinfectants  will  be  better  un- 
derstood. Coal-tar  certainly  has  remarka- 
ble efficacy  in  arresting  putrescence  and 
controlling  its  effluvia. 

Heat. — ^As  a  means  of  immediate  disin- 
fection of  contaminated  garments,  bedding, 
and  even  of  close  apartments,  ships,  etc., 
heat  is  at  once  a  cheap  and  most  effectual 
method.  The  boiling  of  infected  clothing, 
etc. ,  is  admitted,  to  effectually  destroy  any 
contagious  poison.  And  practically,  upon 
a  large  scale  in  such  work,  experience 
proves  it  is  best  to  employ  Steam  as  the 
means  of  heating.  Upon  this  subject,  see 
remarks  and  plans  of  M.  Baudens  [Hospitals 
and  Health  of  Troops,  Am.  ed.,  pp.  238- 
204] ;  also,  a  Keport  on  Heat  as  a  disinf ec- 
tantj  in  the  Transactions  of  the  National 
Sanitary  Convention,  1860.  It  is  probable 
that  no  circumstance  contributes  more  di- 
rectly to  the  perpetuation  and  spread  of 
the  typhus  poison,  than  the  accumulation 
and  bad  management  of  contaminated 
clothing,  etc.,  that  ought,  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, to  be  purified  as  soon  as  it 
leaves  the  patient  or  the  bed. 

Frost  or  Low  Temperature,  when  contin- 
ued a  sufflcient  length  of  time,  will  effect- 
ually destroy  both  the  miasma  that  pro- 
duces yellow  fever,  and  the  paludal  malaria 
that  produces  intermittent  and  remittent 
fevers;  but  such  low  temperature  has  no 
effect  to  arrest  those  fevers  in  the  persons 
suffering  them.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that 
a  freezing  temperature  does  not  appear  to 
mitigate  the  activity  of  the  personally  in- 
fectious poisons,  or  contagions;  though, 
with  certain  exceptions,  it  arrests  putrefac- 
tion and  the- catalytic  or  fermentative  pro- 
cesses. 

For  the  Commission: 

ELISHA  HAEKIS,  M.D. 


64 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
Junei  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.     Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows : 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.£).,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

G.  W.  OuUom,  1J.  S.  A. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

K.  0.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Geu'l  tJ.  S.  A. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  K.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I.  ' 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati.  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  III. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binuey,  Jr. ,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass.  • 
Prof.  Pairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

OPFIOEBS; 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D-,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasm'er. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary, 

J.  8.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY.- 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously,, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States' 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the 
Hospitals  in  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Carolina,  South  Caro- 
lina, Florida  and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. " 

For  the  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  the  New  England  States,  address  "Office 
Women's  Central  Union,  No.  10  Cooper  Insti- 
tute, New  York." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  address 
"Office  Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  tiie  name,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be 
given,  and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from. 
If  the  application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will 
be  sent  by  return  of  mail;  if  in  person,  it  will 
be  answered  at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  an- 
swer will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  in- 
quirer's expense. 

^^'^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  ed/- 
itors,  and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause 
of  humanity  more  effectually  than  by  frequently 
and  widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the 
above,  among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — ^its  distributions  iieing  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
Societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  theu-  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 
•     Sanitary   Commission,    Branch   Depot,    No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vina 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0.         ♦* 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,'  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
LomsvlUe,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,,  and  is  WhoUy  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  snstaming  its  ope^-ations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasiuy  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Supeimtendent,  Eev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Washlna- 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Asaistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Eailroad  Depot,  Waahr 
ington,  D.  0. 

lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station, 

Nurses'  Home,  Waahington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadwaji •Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.— 0.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville',  Ky.— James  Malona,  Sup't 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  OleTeland,  Ohio— Claik  Warren,  Supl 
and  ReUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— 0."W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vioksburg,  Miss T.  Way,  Sup't 

AGBNOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  "S.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  a 

,    HOSPITAIi   CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— Sol.  Andrews , 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'- Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITABT  STBAMEBS, 

Mississippi  Elver— Olara  Bell;  Cumberland  Eiver— 
NewSuulelth;  Potomac  Biver—EUzabeth. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


VOL.L 


NEW  YORK,  DECEMBER  1,  1863, 


No.  3. 


The  Sanitakx  Commission  BuiiLBTdj  is 
published  on  the  jSrai  and  ffteenih  qf  every 
tnonth,  and  as  it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous 
•or  other,  of  above  10,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
tmtisuaUi/  valiuzhle  medivmifor  advertisiiig, 

A.U  communicaUons  m,vst  he  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,  and 
mvJst  he  avihenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

THE  GREAT  NORTHWESTERN 
SANITARY  FAIR. 

Some  hundred  thousand  people  of  the 
great  Northwest  have  just  been  drawn  to- 
gether at  ChicBigo  by  a  Pair,  under  the  im- 
mediate auspices  of  the  "Chicago  Branch 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission."  It 
has  been  glorious  I — ^this  great  tide,  not  of 
people  only  or  chiefly,  but  of  sympathy 
and  of  thought  and  of  feeling,  which  has 
rolled  in  from  hundreds  of  miles  over  those 
wide  prairies,  and  along  the  foot  of  the  dis- 
tant hUlsJ  To  one  who  stood  there,  look- 
ing on,  it  came  like  a  great  whelming  tor- 
rent of  lore  and  power,  and  solemn  earnest- 
ness, which  was  irresistible,  carrying  every- 
thing before  it.  All  who  were  present 
unite  in  saying  that  they  never  before 
realized  so  fuUy  the  consciousness  and  the 
exhilarating  and  invigoratiug  effect  of 
breathing,  as  it  were,  an  atmosphere  which 
was  literally  flUed  with  generous  emotions 
and  moral  earnestness,  and  where  every 
other  element  was  absorbed  or  neutralized. 

So  quietly  had  the  whole  affair  been 
arranged,  and  with  such  excellent  method 
conducted,  that  when  this  immense  con- 
course of  people  poured  in  from  THinois 
and  Indiana,  from  Michigan  and  Mis- 
souri, from  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  bearing 
'  their  gifts  with  them,  it  seemed  as  if  some 


sudden  and  mysterious  impulse  had  taken 
hold  of  one-quarter  of  the  whole  nation, 
who  had  suddenly  sprung  to  their  feet, 
seized  whatever  of  goods  or  riches  were 
nearest  at  hand,  and  rushed  forth  led  by 
music  and  banners;  and  when,  at  last,  from 
all  quarters  they  had  met  at  the  gathering- 
place,  to  which  they  had  been  instinct- 
ively drawn  in  their  hurried  march,  they 
had,  as  by  common  consent,  or  a  certain 
divine  impulse,  without  asking  why,  laid 
down  their  treasures,  simply  feeling  that 
God's  altar  needed  these  for  burnt-offer- 
ing— so  generous,  and  earnest,  and  full  of 
a  certain  kind  of  contagious  faith  seemed 
these  men  and  women  who  were  gathered 
there;  and  that  was  just  the  secret  of  the 
whole,  which  made  it  aU  so  real  to  every 
one  who  was  present,  while  to  those 
who  were  not  there,  the  narration  of  the 
facts  must  needs  seem  exaggerated  and 
unreal^  it  was  this  irresistible  evidence, 
told  by  eye,  and  step,  and  tongue,  and 
hand— evidence  of  an  immense  faith — im- 
mense as  taken  in  the  mass — faith  in  God, 
faith  in  the  nation's  life,  faith  in  our  ar- 
mies, faith  in  our  leaders,  faith  in  our  people 
at  home. 

The  contributions  to  the  Pair,  to  be  sold 
for  the  benefit  of  our  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers,  were  large,  were  munificent,  but 
it  was  this  tone  of  deep-seated  earnestness 
which  was  largest.  It  was  not  merely  what 
men  and  women  said  and  did,  but  the  way 
the  thing  was  done,  which  carried  with  it 
this  impression  of  wholesale  generosity  of 
spirit.  Delicately  wrought  articles,  such 
as  usually  adorn  the  tables  of  Fairs,  the 
work  of  ladies'  hands,  were  not  wanting; 
but  flien  the  farmers  from  miles  and  miles 
around  kept  coming  in  with  their  wagons 
by  twenties,   and   fifties,   and   hundreds. 


66 


TTie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


loaded  down  -with  their  bulky  farm  prod- 
uce; others  came  leading  horses,  or 
driving  before  them  eows,  or  oxen,  or 
mules,  which  they  contribiited  instead  of 
money,  of  which,  perhaps,  they  had  none; 
others  brought  live  poultry  which  had  been 
fed  for  months  by  the  poor  man's  door; 
they  brought  this  because  they  must  bring 
something,  and  this  was  all  they  had. 
Some  wagons  were  loaded  from  rich  dairies, 
with  butter  and  cheese  by  the  ton.  Then 
came  great  loads  of  hay  from  some  distant 
farm,  followed  by  others  just  as  large  from 
farms  farther  off.  The  mechanics  brought 
their  machines,  and  gave  them,  in,  one 
after  another; — mowing  machines,  reaper^ 
threshing  machines,  planters,  pumps,  fanA 
ning-miUs — ^until  a  new  building,  a  great 
storehouse,  had  to  be  erected  to  receive 
them;  and  here  were  ploughs,  and  stoves, 
and  furnaces,  and  miU-stones,  and  nails  by 
the  hundred  kegs,  and  wagons,  and  car- 
riage springs,— and  axes,  and  plate  glass, 
and  huge  plates  of  wrought  iron,  (one  the 
largest  that  was  ever  rolled  from  any  roll- 
ing-mill in  the  world,)  block  tin  and  enam- 
eled leather,  hides,  boxes  of  stationery,  and 
cases  of  boots,  cologne  by  the  barrel,  native 
wine  in  casks,  purified  coal-oil  by  the  thou-' 
sand  gallons — a  mountain  howilzer,  a  steel 
breech-loading  cannon,  a  steam-engine 
made  by  the  working-men  in  one  of  the 
manufactories  of  engines  in  Chicago — and 
on  it  this  inscription — "  This  engine  is  do- 
nated by  the  workmen  of  the  Eagle  Works 
Manufacturing  Co.,  every  man  contributing 
something — not  one  Copperhead  in  the 
whole  institiition. "  There,  too,  were  other 
machines  which  had  been  bwilt  by  em- 
ployes of  various  establishments,  who  had 
worked  "after  hours"  to  construct  some- 
thing for  the  Soldiers'  Fair.  Such,  with  a 
thousand  other  gifts  great  and  small,  filled 
this  new  storehouse,  where  liberal  pur- 
chasers were  found  waiting.  Then,  again, 
the  carpenters  and  joiners,  who,  in  the  press 
of  work  upon  unfinished  buildings,  could 
not  leave  their  hammer  and  saw  to  go  to 
the  Pair,  joined  together  by  tens  and  twen- 
ties, and  set  apart  a  day  of  which  they 
would  give  their  earnings  io  the  soldiers. 
In  like  manner,  different  firms  would  ad- 
vertise a  sale  for  the  benefit  of  the  Fair. 
Thus,    "To  the  Loyal  Stone-Masons  of 


Chicago:"  "We  propose  to  donate  to  the- 
Northwestern  Sanitary  Fair  the  entire  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sale  o;^  one  eanal  boat  load 
(20  tons)  of  our  first-pla'ss  rubble  stone. 
Bids  for  the  same  will  be  received  at  our 
office  till  Friday  next." 

Signed ,  &c. 

Then  loaded  wagons  came  in  long  pro- 
cessions, toiling  into  the  city,  from  far- 
off  country  places,  bearing  marks  of  fron- 
tier service,  and  the  horses  or  mules,  toge- 
ther with  the  drivers  themselves,  most  of 
them  told  of  wear.  Many  of  them  were 
sun-burnt  men,  with  hard  hands  and  rigid 
features;  and  a  careless  observer  would 
have  said  that  there  was  surely  nothing  in 
those  wagons,  as  they  passed,  to  awaken  any 
sentiment.  Yet  something  there  was  about 
it  all  which  brought  tears  to  the  eyes  of 
hundreds  as  the  old  farmers  with  their 
heavy  loads  toiled  by.  Among  the  crowd 
of  spectators  there  was  noticed  a  broad- 
shouldered  Dutchman,  with  a  face  expres- 
sive of  anything  but  thought  or  feeling;  he 
gazed  at  this  singular  procession  as  it  pass- 
ed,— the  sun-burnt  farmers,  and  the  long, 
narrow  wagons,  and  the  endless  variety  of 
vegetables  and  farm  produce, — he  gazed 
there  as  these  men  with  their  sober  faces 
and  their  homely  gifts  passed  one  by  one, 
until  when,  finally,  the  last  wagon  had 
moved  by,  this  stolid,  lethargic-looking  man 
"  broke  down''  with  a  fl,ood  of  tears,  and 
could  say  nothing  and  do  nothing  but  seize 
upon  the  little  child  whom  he  held  by  the 
hand,  and  hug  her  to  his  heart,  trying  ta 
hide  his  fiaanly  tears  belynd  her  floating 
curls. 

Among  these  wagons  which  had  drawn 
up  near  the  rooms  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission to  unload  their  stores,  was  one  pe- 
culiar for  its  exceeding  look  of  poverty;  it 
was  worn  and  mended,  and  was  originally 
made  merely  of  poles.  It  was  drawn  by 
three  horses  which  had  seen  much  of  life, 
but  little  grain.  The  driver  was  a  man 
past  middle  age,  with  the  clothes  and 
look  of  one  who  toiled  hard,  but  he  had 
a  thoughtful  and  kindly  face.  He  sat 
there  quietly  waiting  his  turn  to  unload. 
By  his  side,  with  feet  over  the  front  of  the 
wagon,  for  it  was  filled  very  full,  was  hi» 
wife,  a  silent,  worn-lookiAg  woman,  (niany 

of  l»v^..=x»^i.r.  V.a/1  tT.mv  W,-;,^.,  -^yjtT.  them  OH 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


6i 


the  loads;)  near  the  rear  of  the  wagon  -was 
a  girl  of  fifteen,  perhaps,  and  her  sister, 
dressed  in  black,  carrying  in  her  arms  a 
little  child. 

Spme  one  said  to  this  man,  (after  asking 
the  woman  with  the  child  if  she  would  not 
go  into  the  Commission  rooms  and  get 
warm:)  "My  friend,  you  seem  to  have 
quite  a  load  here  of  vegetables;  now  I  am 
curious  to  know  what  good  things  you  are 
bringing  to  the  soldiers;  will  you  tell  me 
what  you  have?"  "Yes,"  said  he:  "here 
ai'e  potatoes,  and  here  are  three  bags  of 
onions,  and  there  are  some  ruta-baga,  and 
there  a  few  turnips,  and  that  is  a  small  bag 
of  meal,  and  you  can  see  the  cabbages  fill 
in;  and  that  box  with  slats  has  some  ducks 
in  it,  which  one  of  them  brought  in." 
"  Oh!  then,  this  isn't  aU  your  load  alone, 
is  it  ?"  "  Why  no  !  our  region  just  where 
I  live  is  rather  a  hard  soil,  and  we  haven't 
any  of  us  much  to  spare  any  way,  yet  for 
this  business  we  could  have  raked  up  as 
much  again  as  this  is,  if  we  had  had  time; 
but  we  didn't  get  the  notice  that  the  wag- 
ons were  going  in  tiU  last  night  about  eight 
o'clock,  and  it  was  dark  and  raining  at  that, 
so  I  and  my  wife  and  the  girls  could  only 
go  round  to  five  or  six  of  the  neighbors 
within  a  mile  or  so,  but  we  did  the  best  we 
could;  we  worked  pretty  much  all  the  night 
and  loaded,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  get  out  to  the 
main  road  and  start  with  the  rest  of  them 
this  morning;  but  I  -can't  help  it  if  it  is 
little,  it's  something  for  those  soldiers." 
"Have  you  a  son  in  the  army?"  "No," 
he  answered  slowly,  after  turning  round 
and  looking  at  his  wife.  '  'No,  I  haven't  now, 
but  we  had  one  there  once ;  he's  buried 
down  by  Stone  River:  he  was  shot  there; 
— and  that  isn't  just  so  either — we  called  him 
our  boy,  but  he  was  only  our  adopted  son; 
we  took  him  when  he  was  Httle,  so  he  was 
just  the  same  as  our  own  boy,  and  "  (point- 
ing over  his  shoulder  without  looking 
back)  "that's  his  wife  there  with  the  baby! 
But  I  shouldn't  bring  these  things  any 
quicker  if  he  were  alive  now  and  in  the 
army ;  I  don't  know  that  I  should  think . 
so  much  as  I  do  now  about  the  boys  away 
off  there."  It  was  in  turn  for  his  wagon 
to  unload',  so  with  his  rough  freight  of 
produce,  and  his  rich  freight  of  human 


hearts^ 


IX,  ^T.«:^  J... 


mugi^m 


he  drove  on— one  wagon  of  a  hundred  in 
the  train. 

As  a  proof  of  the  interest  felt  by  the 
people  of  Chicago  in  this  Sanitary  Fair,  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  on  the  day  the  Fair 
opened,  October  27th,  the  several  courts 
of  the  city  adjourned  over  the  day,  the 
post-ofSoe  was  closed,  the  Board  of  Trade 
adjourned,  the  public  schools  were  not 
opened,  the  banks  of  the  city  closed,  busi- 
ness of  all  kinds,  whether  in  the  oflSces, 
stores,  shops,  or  manufactories,  was  sus- 
pended. , 

The  following  extract  from  the  Ohicago 
Tribune,  one  of  the  leading  papers  of  the 
West,  gives  a  living  pfcture  of  that  pro- 
cession as  it  gathered  up  its  forces  and 
moved  on,  three  miles  in  length: 

' '  Yesterday  will  never  be  forgotten  either 
in  the  city  of  Chicag'o  or  in  the  West. 
Memorable  it  will  remain  both  as  history 
and  as  patriotism.  Such  a  sight  was  never 
seen  before  in  the  West  upon  any  occasion; 
and  we  doubt  whether  a  more  magnificent 
spectacle  was  ever  presented  in  the  streets 
of  the  Empire  City  itself,  than  that  vast 
procession  of  chariots  and  horsemen,  coun- 
try wagons  and  vehicles,  civic  orders  and 
military  companies,  both  horse  and  foot, 
which  converted  Chicago  for  the  time  being 
into  a  vast  theatre  of  wonders. 

"  From  the  earliest  dawn  of  the  day  the 
heart  of  the  mighty  city  was  awake,  and 
long  before  eight  o'clock  the  streets  were 
thronged  with  people — ^citizens  hurried  ex- 
citedly to  and  fro;  and  country  women,  with 
their  children,  came  in  early  in  the  morning, 
with  colors  tied  to  their  bridles  and  decorat- 
ing their  wagons,  and  with  miniature  .flags 
and  banners  on  their  horses'  heads.  On  the 
house-tops,  on  the  public  buildings,  flaunt- 
ed the  glorious  flag  of  liberty.  By  nine 
o'clock  the  city  was  in  a  roar;  the  vast  hum 
of  multitudinous  voices  filled  the  atmos- 
phere. Drums  beat  in  all  parts  of  the  city 
summoning  the  various  processions,  or  ac- 
companying them  to  the  grand  central  ren- 
dezvous. Bands  of  music  playing  patriotic 
tunes — bands  of  young  men  and  women, 
singing  patriotic  songs,  enlivened  the 
streets.  Every  pathway  was  jammed  rap 
with  human  bodies,  so  that  it  was  witti 
extreme  difficulty  any  headway  could  be 
made. 

"  The  procession  was  advertised  to  assem- 
ble at  nine  o'clock  precisely,  and  was  com- 
posed of  nine  divisions,  formed  in  the  fol- 
lowing order; 

The  First  Division  formed  on  Michigan 
Avenue— "the  right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Second  Diwion  formed  on  Wabash 
Avenue — ^right  resting  on  Lake. 


88 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  Third  Division  on  State  Street — 
right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Fourth  Division  formed  on  Dear- 
born Street — right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Fifth  Division  formed  on  Clark 
Street — aright  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Sixth  Division  formed  on  Lasalle 
Street — right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Seventh  Division  formed  on  Wells 
Street— right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Eighth  Division  formed  on  Franklin 
Street,  the  right  resting  on  Lake. 

The  Ninth  Division  formed  on  Market 
Street,  the  right  resting  on  Lake  Street, 
extending  to  Madison  Street  Bridge. 

"As  near  ten  o'clock  as  possible  it  start- 
ed, banners  flying,  drums  rolling,  and  all 
manner  of  brazen  instruments  stirring  the 
air,  and  the  hearts  of  the  vast  multitudes  of 
people,  with  thrilling,  exciting  music.  On 
it  came,  that  mighty  pageant !  following 
the  course  laid  down  in  the  printed  pro- 
gramme: 

"From  Michigan  Avenue  west  on  Lake 
to  Market  Street;  on  Market  Street  south 
to  "Washington  Street;  on  Washington  east 
to  Clark  Street;  on  Clark  south  to  Harrison 
Street;  on  Harrison  Street  east  to  Michigan 
Avenue;  north  on  Michigan  Avenue  to 
Lake  Street;  west  on  Lake  Street  to  La- 
salle; south  on  Lasalle  to  the  Court-House 
Square. 

"  Such  earnest  enthusiasm  as  accom- 
panied the  procession,  from  first  to  last, 
has  rarely  been  witnessed  on  any  occasion. 
It  was  a  grand  and  sublime  protest  on  be- 
half of  the  people  against  the  poltroons  and 
traitors  who  were  enemies  to  the  Govern- 
ment, and  opposed  to  the  war.  Bursts  of 
patriotic  f eeliig  came  from  many  a  loyal 
bosom  on  that  memorable  and  never-to-be- 
forgotten  day.  The  people  seemed  to  over- 
flow with  loyalty,  and  could  not  contain 
themselves.  For  a  long  time  they  had  been 
silent,  nursing  their  wrath,  keeping  alive 
their  love  for  the  old  flag,  keeping  alive 
also  their  hatred  of  those  that  hated  it — 
who  had  so  long  flred  upon  it  in  the  rear — 
flnding  nowhere,  in  no  event,  in  no  news- 
paper, any  adequate  utterance  of  their  pas- 
sionate feelings.  Now  the  mighty  eloquence 
of  that  majestic  and  sublime  procession 
spoke  for  them  !  That  was  the  thing  which 
they  all  along  wanted  to  say — ^but  could 
not !  They  were  in  themselves  ciphers, 
mere  imits  of  the  nation;  but  there,  in  all 
tiiose  thousands  of  men,  they  saw  them- 
selves multiplied  into  an  incalculable,  irre- 
sistible host,  and  felt  that  their  hour  of 
triumphant  speech  had  come  at  last  I  That 
was  the  answer  which  they  thundered  out 
in  trumpet  tones  to  the  miserable  traitors 
who  had  so  long  fom  the  bleeding  heart  of 
their  country. 

"  'I  always  knew,'  said  one  old  man  at 
our  elbow,  in  the  orowd,  whilst  we  were 


watching  the  procession,  '  that  the  heart  of 
the  people  was  all  right.  They  didn't  know 
their  danger  for  a  long  while.  Now  they've 
found  it  out — and  this  is  what  they  say 
about  it  !' 

' '  This  procession  was  remarkable  in  many 
respects  as  a  pageant,  and  particularly  in 
the  number  of  fine  horses  which  accom- 
panied it.  A  larger  number  of  well-mounted 
men  has  rarely  been  seen  in  a  civic  proces- 
sion. The  police  came  at  the  head  of  it, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Nelson;  a 
fine  body  of  men,  with  capital  horses,  look- 
ing as  bold  and  brave,  as  heroes. 

"After  these  followed,  in  stately  march, 
the  Michigan  Sharpshooters;  the  1st  Regi- 
ment of  Illinois  State  Militia,  (Chicago  City 
Guard,)  a  fine  lot  of  fellows  !  and  the  whole 
of  the  First  Division,,  with  their  bands,  and 
flags,  and  panoply  of  war. 

"Amongst  these,  the  carriage  containing 
the  captured  rebel  flags  attracted  much 
attention,  and  excited  great  enthusiasm. 
These  were  the  flaunting  rags  which  the 
rebels  had  borne  on  many  a  battle-field, 
and  which  our  brave  Illinois  soldiers  had 
torn  from  the  hands  of  their  standard- 
bearers.  There  they  were,  heUoruTn  exuvice, 
spoils  of  war,  flaunting  no  longer  in  haughty 
defiance  at  the  head  of  rebel  armies,  but 
carried  in  triumph  at  the  head  of  a  civic 
procession  in  the  peaceful  streets  of  Chica- 
go. Many  a  tearful  memory  they  must 
have  conjured  up  in  the  minds  of  many  a 
spectator  there  present,  whose  sons  were  in 
the  battles  where  these  flags  were  taken; 
and  many  of  whom  are,  ere  now,  at  rest  for- . 
ever  in  their  bloody  soil. 

"The  Second  and  Third  Divisions  fol- 
lowed; and  it  was  a  most  picturesque  and 
pleasing  sight  to  behold  the  long  lines  of 
members  of  the  various  Lodges,  societies, 
and  associations  of  the  city,  in  their  many- 
colored  regalias.  Then  came  the  benevolent 
societies,  the  religious  orders  making  an 
imposing  spectacle,  which  it  would  require 
the  painter's  art  to  represent,  and  to  which 
no  words  could  do  anything  like  justice. 

"  The  Fifth  Division,  ushered  by  a  fine 
band,  and  headed  by  J.  Q.  Hoyt,  Esq.,  then 
came  trampling  by.  There  were  scores  of 
carriages,  containing  members  of  the  press, 
the  clergy,  the  municipal  authorities,  judges 
and  officers  of  the  courts,  governors  and  ex- 
governors  of  States,  &c.,  &c. 

"  One  of  the  most  strikingly  beautiful 
features  of  the  procession  was  a  superbly 
decorated  four-horse  car,  bearing  the  em- 
ployes of  the  Uberal-hearted  Wheeler  & 
Wilson  Manufacturing  Company,  repre- 
sented in  this  city  by  Geo.  E.  Chittenden, 
Esq.,  and  suggestive,  by  the  presence  of 
working  women  aiid  sewing  machines  at 
work  upon  soldiers'  overcoats,  of  theutUity 
of  the  sewing  machine  in  clothing  armies. 

"  Then  the  Sixth  Division,  consisting  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


69 


Bong  of  '  John  Brown's  Body  Lies  Moulder- 
ing in  the  Grave !' 

"  Then  the  Seventh  Division  of  butchers, 
horse-shoers — of  ponies  and  oxen,  contrib- 
uted; and  last,  but  not  least — nay,  greatest 
and  mightiest  of  all — ^the  sublime  spectacle 
of  the  Lake  County  Delegation. 

"  THE  LAKE  COUNTY  DELEGATION. 

"  A  striking  and  noticeable  feature  of  the 
procession  was  the  long  string  of  farmers' 
teams  from  Lake  County.  They  came 
into  the  city  at  an  early  hour  in  the  fore- 
noon, and  suffifciently  early  to  join  the  pro- 
cession. There  were  one  hundred  wagons, 
loaded  to  overflowing  with  vegetables,  the 
staid  old  horses  decorated  with  little  flags, 
atld  larger  flags  pendent  from  the  wagons 
and  held  by  the  stout  farmer  hands.  It  was 
a  great  and  beautiful  free-will  offering  of 
the  sturdy  farmers,  whose  hearts  ever  beat 
true  to  freedom  and  the  Union.  No  part 
of  the  procession  attracted  so  many  eyes, 
and  no  heartier  cheers  went  up  from  the 
thousands  who  thronged  the  streets  than 
those  given,  and  thrice  repeated,  for  the 
Lake  County  farmers  and  their  splendid 
donation.  There  were  no  small  loads. 
Every  wagon  was  filled  to  overflowing  with 
great  heaps  of  potatoes  and  silver-skinned 
onions,  mammoth  squashes,  huge  beets  and 
turnips,  monster  cabbages,  barrels  of  cider 
and  rosy  apples,  load  after  load,  with  many 
a  gray-haired  farmer  driving,  face  weather- 
beaten,  frame  rugged,  hands  bronzed,  his 
old  eyes  sparkling  with  the  excitement  of 
the  project  his  big  heart  conceived.  And 
back  of  the  farmer,  mounted  on  the  vege- 
tables, were  the  boys,  fiUed  to  repletion 
with  fun.  At  the  end  of  the  route  of  the 
procession,  the  teams  drove  up  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  rooms,  and  unloaded  their 
precious  freights  of  stores  into  the  garners, 
whence  they  will  go  to  the  boys  in  the  field. 

"  This  harvest  home  was  a  sight  to  bring 
tears  to  the  eyes  of  any  man  but  a  confirm- 
ed copperhead.  There  was  an  eloquence 
in  it,  a  moral  grandeur  which  spoke  louder 
than  any  words.  .  It  told  that  the  farmers, 
the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  country,  were 
yet  confident  of  success,  that  despair  or 
distrust  has  not  entered  into  their  calcula- 
tions, and  that  the  boys  in  the  field  were 
worthy  the  best  of  their  crops.  There  was 
no  display,  no  advertisement  lurking  be- 
hind their  contribution.  It  was  a  free-will 
offering  from  their  great,  generous  hearts, 
for  which  they  wiU.  have  no  recompense, 
sa^e  that  best  of  all  recompense,  the  bless- 
ings of  the  gallant  fellows  in  camp  and  in 
hospital.  God  bless  the  Lake  County 
farmers  ! 

"  The  procession  arrived  at  the  Court- 
House  about  one  o'clock,  when  the  bands 
struck  up  some  patriotic  tunes;  after  which 
Thomas  B.  Bryan,  Esq.,  addressed  the peo-» 
pie.  ***** 


******** 
"at  the  sanitabx  commission. 

"The  scene  presented  at  the  Sanitary 
Commission  rooms  was  worth  going  a  great 
distance  to  witness,  and  thousands  improved 
the  rare  opportunity.  Here  more  than  100 
wagons  were  drawn  up  before  the  Commist- 
sion,  delivering  their  treasures  to  the  agents 
who  are  to  forward  them  to  the  boys  in  the 
field.  The  sidewalks  and  street  were  filled 
with  boxes,  barrels  and  sacks,  and  scores 
and  hundreds  of  by-standers  eagerly  pat 
their  shoulders  to  the  work,  and  were  proud 
to  take  part  in  handling  some  of  this  sol- 
diers' produce.  Madison  Street,  for  nearly 
a  block,  was  blockaded  for  fully  half  an 
hour.  Judge  Puller  came  to  see  what  was 
the  matter — ^why  the  Madison  Street  oars 
were  so  long  delayed;  bijt  when  he  saw  tha 
cause,  and  the  effect  upon  the  people,  ha 
concluded  passengers  could  well  afford  -to 
walk  around  the  'blockade.'  This  grand 
donation  was  worth  about  $3,000 — an  im- 
mense amount  of  farm  products  of  every 
variety — ^better  than  gold  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  through  them,  for  the 
boys  in  the  fleld  and  in  hospitals." 

"The  back  room  of  the  'Commission' 
was  fiUed  with  wheat;  Mr.  McVicker  ten- 
dered them  the  use  of  his  cellar,  which  was 
soon  filled;  next,  B.  W.  Raymond  offered 
storage  room  in  one  of  his  large  cellars, 
which  was  gladly  accepted,  and  promptly 
used.  We  regret  that  some  photographist 
was  not  on  hand  to  take  a  view  of  that 
crowd,  and  present  duplicates  of  the  Fair. 
They  would  have  sold  by  thousands." 

"  While  unloading  their  golden  treasure, 
a  messenger  approached  the  farmers  with 
an  invitation  from  the  Lady  Managers  to 
come  to  Lower  Bryan  Hall,  and  partake  of 
a  dinner  in  waiting  for  them.  These  sturdy, 
warm-hearted  yeomen,  accompanied  by  the 
Marshals  of  the  several  divisions,  moved  to 
Bryan  Hall,  where  they  were  warmly  wel- 
comed by  the  ladies  and  all  who  were  pres- 
ent." 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  in  detail  the 
various  hails  occupied  by  the  Fair.  No 
one  hall  was  large  enough.  Bryan  Hall, 
beautifully  decorated,  was  filled  with  arti- 
cles such  as  usually  crowd  the  tables  of 
fairs— only  here  the  tables  were  burdened; 
and  each  morning  after  the  sales  of  the  pre- 
vious day,  the  abundance  was  renewed. 

This  haU  was  brilliantly  lighted  in  the 
evening,  and  crowded  from  nine  in  the 
morning  until  eleven  at  night. 

Among  the  articles  in  Bryan  HaU  which 
attracted  attention,  was  the  original  manu- 
script of  President- Lincoln's  "Proclama- 
tion of  Emancipation;"  a  gift  of  the  Presi- 


70 


The  Sanitary  Commission.  BvEetin. 


dent  to  the  Fair.  Some  thousands  of  dol- 
lars ■will  probably  be  realized  from  its  sale. 

In  the  large  hall  below,  in  the  same  build- 
ing, were  neatly  arranged  but  richly  loaded 
tables — each  table  seating  some  forty  per- 
sons; and  here,  every  day,  some  1,600  or 
2j000  persons  dined.  A  matron  presided 
over  each  table,  and  the  young  ladies  of 
the  city,  tastefully  attired,  were  the  "wait- 
ers "  of  the  tables.  It  was  a  sight  not  to  be 
forgotten.  All  these  supplies  were  "sent 
in"  from  the  homes  of  the  city  andvicinity. 
This  was  continued  with  unfailing  abund- 
ance during  the  two  weeks  that  the  Fair 
continued. 

A  third  hall  was  the  Supervisors' Hall — 
where  the  judge  not  only  adjourned  his 
court  and  gave  up  his  room  to  the  Fair, 
but  gave  himself  to  superintend  that  de- 
partment. The  following  notice  of  this 
ail  is  from  the  Chicago  Tribune,  as  before: 

THE   CUEIOSITT  BEOF. 

That  which  will  probably  prove  one  of 
the  most  attractive  features  of  the  Fair  is 
what  we  shall  call  the  "Curiosity  Shop,", 
which  is  located  in  the  Supervisor's  room, 
in  the  Court-House.  We  need  not  describe 
it  in  detail,  but  will  say  that  about  every- 
thing ever  seen,  or  read  of  in  modern 
books  or  newspapers,  can  be  found  there. 
First,  there  are  the  battle-torn  flags  of  the 
1st,  2d,  6th,  and  10th  Wisconsin  Regiments. 
On  the  first  is  inscribed,  "Chaplain  Hills;" 
on  the  second,  "Fourteen  Battles;"  on  the 
6th,  "  Five  Battles ;"  and  on  the  10th, 
' '  Chaplain  Hills. "  Then  there  are  the  bat- 
tered and  torn  flags  of  our  own  glorious 
Illinois  19th.  On  one  is  inscribed  the  un- 
dying words,  "  Who'U  save  the  left  ?"  and 
on  the  other — "Stone  River."  Side  by 
side  with  these,  are  the  blood-soiled  banners 
from  Stone  River,  Arkansas  Post,  Hatchie, 
Shiloh,  &o.  Here  are  also  flags  captured 
from  rebels  in  scores.  One  from  the  fa- . 
mous  "Mississippi  Devils,''  Wearing  the 
motto,  "Our  rights;"  a  Virginia  flag  cap- 
tured at  Gettysburg,  on  its  folds  "Dnlce  et 
decorum  patriamori;"  a  Virginia  State  flag, 
the  Rock  Rifleman's  flag;  the  flag  of  the 
Summit  (Miss.)  Rifles— "We  fight  for  our 
rights — presented  by  the  ladies  of  Summit. " 
Another  flag  is  suggestive  of  Floyd.  It 
bears  the  motto,  "We  collect  our  own  rev-' 
enue, "  and  it  might  have  been  added,  others 
too.  There  are  large  numbers  of  others  of 
this  description  pf  trophies  of  the  valor  of 
our  armies,  which  are  worth  a  long  voyage 
to  see.  Then  there  are  sewing  machines, 
photographs,rebel  butcher  knives,horse  pis- 
tols, books,  fancy  chairs,  paintings,  minerals, 


vases,  side  saddles,  bird-cages,  flower-pots, 
scimetars,  guns,  flower  vases,  trophies  by 
the  hundred,  &c.,  &c.,  almost  every  one  pf 
which  has  a  history  which  wiU  interest  the 
purchaser. 

A  fourth  haU  was  devoted  to  the  exhibi- 
tion of  works  of  art.  Here  were  eonected> 
and  admirably  and  tastefully  arranged, 
some  400  or  500  oil  paintings,  many  of 
them  works  of  great  merit;  carried  into 
the  Western  world  from  Eastern,  or  even 
transatlantic  homes.  Some  days  before  the 
close  of  the  Fair  it  was  stated  that  twenty 
thousand  persons  had  visited  this  gallery 
of  paintings.  Here,  as  in  the  other  halls, 
was  music,  added  to  the  presence  of 
ladies.  A  fifth  hall  was  the  new  building 
where  the  machinery  was  exhibited,  before 
referred  to. 

Besides  the  sales  in  the  various  halls  there 
was,  from  time  to  time,  an  auction  sale  in 
the  street,  of  hay  and.  grain,  and  horses, 
and  colts,  and  cows,  and  such  other  gifts  as 
were  not  fitly  placed  upon  tables. 

Thus  the  Fair  was  continued  until  Satur- 
day of  the  second  week,  Nov.  7th,  the 
tide  of  supplies  and  of  people  from  the 
Northwest  daily  flowing  in.  As  a  necessary 
guard  against  an  utterly  overbearing 
crowd,  different  days  were  assigned  to 
different  sections  of  the  country,  when 
they  were  notified  that  it  was  most  desir- 
able for  them  to  come. 

Each  evening  there  was  some  entertain- 
ment, which  "  paid,"  in  Metropolitan  HaU, 
(No.  6  in  order.)  One  evening  ladies  and 
gentlemen  came  down  from  Detroit,  bring- 
ing aU  appliances  with  them,  and  present- 
ed a  most  charming  set  of  tableaux. 
Another  evening  there  were  Shakespeare 
readings ;  another  evening.  Miss  Anna 
Dickinson  claimed  and  chained  a  throng- 
ed house,  and  so  on. 

Not  from  the  "Northwest"  only  did 
friends  and  gifts  appear.  But  there  were 
persons  and  greetings  from  every  loyal  State 
and  a  glad  quickening  of  patriotic  sympa^ 
thy  in  a  work  which  embraces  in  its  minis* 
try  of  mercy  a  nation's  army  fighting  in  a 
nation's  cause. 

Not'content  with  all  of  this  work  at  the 
Fair,  the  ladies,  as  a  fitting  and  beautiful 
close  to  their  two  weeks  of  toil,  gave  in  the 
lower  hall  a  bountiful  dinner  to  aU  the  in- 


Th&  Sanitary  Oomnission  BuUetin. 


71 


valid  soldiers  in,  that  vicinity  who  were  able 
ta  leave  tent  or  hospital  and  gather  there. 
It  was  a  glad  occasion,  blessing  and  blessed;. 

Enough  isj  sflid  of  the  marvelous  energy 
and.wise  business,  talent  displayed  by  the 
ladies  who  had  the  Fair  in  hand,  when  it  is 
fitfited  that  from  beginning  to  end,  for  two 
weeks,  there  was  perfect  system,  and  no 
break,  no .  jars  in  the  machinery. 

Altogether,  this  Fair,  independent  of  the 
money  realized  from  it  for  sick  m.A  wound- » 
ed  soldiers,  has  in  its  moral  effect  perform- 
ed a  gravid  work.  States  are  connected 
closer,  while  the  lines  between  them  as 
States  are  less  sharply  drawn,  and  loyalty 
to  the  great.idea  of  "  nationality  "  has  to- 
day a  deeper  holdupon  the  whole  North- 
west, and  upon  the  nation  itself,  than  it 
had  one  month  ago. 

THE  PRISONERS  ON  BOTH  SIDES. 
Whatever  the  merits  of  the  controversy 
between  the  two  Commissioners  of  Ex- 
<!ha,nge  may  be,  they  have  npt  the  smallest 
bearing  upon  the  treatment  of  the  pris- 
oners on  either  side.  The  claims  of  the 
latter  to.  food  and  shelter  are  in  no  way 
affected  by  the  circumstances,  let  them  be 
what  they  may,  which  have  for  the  present 
put  a  stop,  to  their  exchange.  Even  if  our 
Government  T^ere  ever  so  much  in  the 
wrong,  either  in  its  construction  of  the 
cartel,  or  in  its  computation  of  numbers, 
the  idea  of  coercing  it  into  the  concession 
of  the  rebel  claims  by  penalties  inflicted  on 
the  Union  prisoners,  would  be,  as  novel, 
and  as  tinprecedented,  a,s  it  is  inhuman. 
By  the  strict  rule  of  war,  neither  party  has 
the  right  to  have  its  prisoners  exchanged. 
Spldiers  captured  by  an  enemy  may  law- 
fully be  held  in  durance  until  the  war  is  over. 
The  custom  of  exchanging  them  owes  its 
origin  to  the  desire  which  happily  usually 
prevails  in  civilized  countries,  to  mitigate 
the  rigors  of  a  strict  assertion  of  right, 
whenever  it  can  be  done  without  injury  to 
either  of  the  combatants.  But  if  either  of 
them  could  believe  or  show  that  an  exchange 
would  serve  his  enemy  more  than  it  would 
serve  him,  or  that  the  refusal  to  exchange 
would  damage  his  enemy  more  than  it 
would  damage  him,  there  is  no  reason  in 
the  laws  of  war  why  he  should  not  hold 
his  prisoners  until  the  peace.     In  fact,  • 


prisoners,  for  whom  the  other  side  can  offer 
no  equivalent,  are  held,  even  when  there  is 
a  carM,  ancL  nobody  ■would  ever  think  of 
accusing  their  captors  of  cruelty  in  doing 
it.  Exchange  is,  in  short,  a  mere  conces- 
sion made  for  the  sake  of  sparing  brave 
men  the  burden  of  a  long  imprisonment  in, 
a  hostile  country;  and  if  a  belligerent  re- 
fuses for  any  cause  to  make  it,  nobody  has 
a  right  to  complain  except  its  own  prison- 
ers, and  least  of  all  the  eneiny.  It  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  treatment  to  which  our 
unfortunate  soldiers  are  subjected  at  Bich- 
mond  ias  not  even  the  poor,  excuse  of 
having  been  resorted  to  for  the  enforcement 
of  a  well-founded  claim.  It  is,  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  wantonj^nd  unjustifiable, 
and  the  violence  of  Mr.  Quid's  language, 
in  his  correspondence  with  General  Mere- 
dith, naturally  leads  us  to  suspect  tha.t  he 
knows  it  to  be  so.  Vituperation  is  rarely 
used  by  men  as  used  to  discussion  as  he  is, 
except  in  defence  of  things  which  are  not 
otherwise  defensible. 

What  renders  the  conduct  of  th^  Bich- 
mond  authorities  all  the  more  heinous  is, 
that  their  treatment  of  our  prisoners  stands: 
in  marked  contrast  to  that  which  they  have 
experienced  at  our  hands,  and  scarcity  of 
either  provisions  or  clothing  at  the  South 
puts  no  new  face  on  the  matter,  inasmuch 
as  the  Government  at  Washington,  and  the 
people  of  the  North  through  the  Sanitary 
Coinmission,  would  from  the  outset  have, 
on  the  slightest  hint  Qf  such  a  state  of 
things,  have  been  only  too  glad  to  take  the 
task  of  supporting  our  men  off  their  hands. 

We  sent  an  agent  to  the  hospital  at  An- 
napolip,  Maryland,  to  examine  the  condi- 
tion of  the  fresh  batch  who  came  from 
Eiohmond  by  the  flag  of  truce  on  the  29th 
Got.    He  says  in  his  Eeport: 

Of  the  185  who  escaped  with  their  lives 
from  the  prisons  of  the  rebel  capital,  eight 
died  on  the  passage  from  City  Point;  sev- 
.  eral,  a,lmo3t  immediately  after  landing,  ex- 
pired of  inanition.  Of  134  sent  to  the.  1st 
Division  Hospital,  43  had  died  up.  to  San- 
day  last;  and  many  more,  exhibiting  fright- 
fiiL  signs  of  starvation,  though  .stiU  aK-ve, 
are  destined  not  to  survive. 

On  their  arrival  at  the  landing,  many 
wei'e  in  a  dying  condition;  and  were  alivt 
with  vermin,  filthy,  and  almost  entirely 


T2 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEdin. 


destitute  of  clothing.  Some  had  only  nhreds 
of  a  single  shirt  remaining,  others  the 
remains  only  of  an  old  blanket  aroxmd  the 
body;  such,  in  fact,  was  their  condition  in 
this  respect,  that  the  Surgeon  in  charge  of 
the  Hospital  who  was  receiying  them,  had 
to  send  his  wife  and  a  female  nurse  away 
from  the  landing  for  decency'  nake, — so 
nearly  nude  were  these  half -famished  men; 
and  so  like  Uving  skeletons,  that  among 
them  "a  mother  would  not  have  not  known 
her  son. " 

Most  of  them  were  footsore;  120  were 
without  shoes;  and  so  reduced,  mamy  of 
them,  as  to  he  beyond  the  reach  of  food  or 
stimulants  to  restore  them. 

On  visiting  them  in  the  Hospital  wards, 
I  found  many  who  were  too  feeble  to  relate 
their  experience;  from  others  I  gathered 
that'  they  are  all  unclothed,  unsheltered 
and  unfed.  Knapsacks  are  always  taken 
from  prisoners,  and  their  contents  stolen. 
The  sick  only  are  sometimes  allowed  to 
retain  a  blanket;  other  clothing,  and  boots 
and  shoes,  almost  always  are  taken.  Upon 
BeUe  Island  there  is  no  shelter  for  the 
thousands  there,  most  of  whom  are  sick 
and  half  naked,  lying  upon  the  ground; 
sand  is  incrusted  into  the  sore  backs  of 
some;  and  the  unanimous  testimony  of  all 
with  whom  I  talked  about  the  food  was, 
that  it  was  a  "famine  ration;"  that  men 
"starved  upon  it." 

The  rations,  meagre  as  they  are,  are  not 
served  regularly, — but,  their  distribution 
is  dependent  upon  the  mismanagement  and 
caprice  of  officers  who  sell  them — thus  sacri- 
ficing the  very  lives  of  their  helpless  pris- 
oners for  paltry  gain.  "I  have  known," 
said  one  officer,  an  intelligent  Englishman, 
"I  have  known  the  Quartermaster  to  sell 
all  the  bread  he  could  find  sale  /oj-.and  send 
the  rest  to  the  prisoners. " 

Some  describe  their  imprisonment  as 
"a  long  struggle  with  hunger;"  and  say, 
that  all  who  arrive  "looking  well  and  ro- 
bust; soon  show  signs  of  physical  weakness 
and  exhaustion. "  In  answer  to  questions 
as  to  clothing  and  shelter  upon  Belle  Isl- 
and, one  mto  said,  "the  men  mostly  sleep 
in  the  sun  in  the  daytime,  and  walk  about 
all  night,  to  keep  warm."  Among  an  accu- 
mulation of  testimony,  sufficient  to  fill  a 
volume,  I  select  the  following,  as  bearing 


upon  the  treatment  and  rations  given,  and 
the  general  condition  and  prospects  of  our 
prisoners  in  Bichmond. 

George  A.  Kogers,  1st  Tt.  Cavalry,  (late 
Captain  of  Cavalry  in  the  British  Army,) 
was  wounded,  and  taken  prisoner  at  Brandy 
Station,  Va.,  Oct.  11th.  "Soon  as  I  was 
captured, "he  said,  "I was  sent  to  the  rear, 
where  my  wounds,  (one  a  severe  sabre' 
wound  of  the  seaJp,)  which  bled  furiously, 
were  dressed.  My  boots  were  taken  away, 
and  I  was  sent  to  Eichmond  to  the  Hos- 
pital, which  I  reached  on  the  14th."  He 
remained  there  17  days.  "Prisoners, "'he 
says,  "are  always  robbed  of  th-eir  shoes, 
boots  and  clothing,  often  all  except  the  cap 
and  jacket,  which  they  never  siesS,  for /ear 
they  wendd  be  mstakenfor  Yankees  and  bar- 
larously  treated. "  "  The  ration  in  Hospital 
is  1)4  ounces  of  meat,  J^  pint  of  their  bean 
soup,  and  3  slices  of  bread  daUy."  "A few 
fone  bandages  were  distributed  among  the 
badly  wounded,  but  no  Hnt,  and  no  medi- 
cines." In  answer  to  my  inquiries  whether 
food  and  clothing  sent  from  the  North  to 
prisoners  reached  thenr,  he  said,  "Sup- 
plies sent  directly  to  individuals,  to  men 
and  officers,  are  given  to  them,  bui  clothing' 
is  not."  He  had  " seen  rebel  officers  wear- 
ing' clothing  with  the  XJ.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission's mark  upon  them,  and  heard  men 
boast  of  having  stolen  them."  TMb  was 
corroborated  by  another  man,  a  prisoner 
from  Richmond,  who  heard  his  statement. 
"I  have  seen,"  he  added,  "half-starved 
fellows  from  Belle  Island  search  about  for 
crumbs  on  the  floor  on  reaching  the  Hos- 
pital, and  devour  their  first  scanty  meal 
like  hungry  dogs;  so  nearly  starved  are 
they  when  sent  to  Hospital,  that  none  of 
them  live  more  than  two  days.  They  aU 
die."  He  described  the  destitution  of  sol- 
diers in  Eichmond  (rebel  soldiers)  as  re- 
cently very  great;  "at  one  time  they  were 
on  }£  rations."  "I  saw  some  of  our  poor 
fellows  utterly  crazy  from  want  and  iU- 
treatment."  Others  had  forgotten  their 
names,  and  the  number  and  name  of  their 
regiment."  "The  antipathy  the  rebels  in 
Eichmond  feel  for  us  is  such  as  men  feel 
for  not  dogs  even,  unless  they  are  mad." 
"When  entering  Eichmond,  our  fellows 
were  half  dead  with  hunger  and  fatigue, 
and  one  of  the  rebel  chivalry  stuck  a  piece 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


73 


of  pork  upon  his  bayonet,  and  shouted 
"  Come  on,  you  dogs — follow  me!" 

"  On  coming  away,  185  of  us  •were  packed 
lite  herrings  in  a  long,  narro-w  barge,  ivith- 
out  clothes  and  without  shelter,   and  so 
filthy  that  I  OTerheaxd  one  of  their  officers 
say,  "  Don't  let  our  poor  fellows  go  on  that 
boat."    Both  Capt.  Sogers  and  others  con- 
firm the  statement  that  the  rule  is  to  search 
all  who  arrive,  and  take  money  and  other 
valuables;  and  books,  even  rings,  are  taken 
from  the  fingers.    The  Hospital  ration  is 
larger  than  it  is  on  the  Island,  and  at  the 
Libby  Prison,  3  slices  of  bread  being  given 
to  the  sick.    The  quantity  furnished  to  offi- 
cers is  also  larger  than  is  given  to  privates." 
Harrison    Merchant,    Private,    Co.    A, 
16th  Eegiment,  Maine  Vols.,  taken  prison- 
er at  Gettysburg  and  sent  to  Belle  Island, 
says,  "  They  had  some  old  tents  there,  but 
now  nothing  in  the  way  of  shelter  is  left 
but  some  old  strips  of  canvas."    The  daily 
ration, he  says,  "was  10  lbs.  of  beef  and 
bones  for  100  men.    It  was  sometimes  bad; 
but  we  never  minded  that.     One  loaf  of 
bread — often  it  was  sour,  and  had  Ume  in 
it — was  divided  in  6  slices;  two  slices  and 
about  ^  pint  of  boiled  dirty  water  with  a 
teaspoonful  of  beans  in  it,  was  all  we  got; 
but  sometimes  we  didn't  get  that.     The 
loaf  weighed  about  a  pound.     The  guard 
got  a  whole  loaf  a  day.     We  sometimes  got 
3  or  4  spoonsful  of  rice,  but  it  was  not  boiled 
enough." 

"The  soup  was  made  by  adding  IJ^ 
pails  fuU  of  soup  in  which  the  meat  and 
beans  were  boiled  to  20  pails  full  of  hot 
James  Eiver  water;"  surely  a  rare  work  of 
art,  to  show  how  thin  a  Yankee  soldier- 
could  grow  and  not  die !  One  man  said, 
"the  soup,  as  they  called  it,  was  so  thin, 
that  except  for  the  dirt  in  it,  it  would  not 
stain  a  white- handkerchief." 

Oscar  EcteU,  Private,  24th  Mich.  Vols., 
was  captured  at  Gettysburg,  July  1st.  On 
the  27th  arrived  at  Eichmond,  and  was 
sent  to  Belle  Island  with  500  other  prison- 
ers. "We  all  remained  without  any  shel- 
ter, lying  on  the  bare  ground;  my  blanket, 
rubber  blanket,  and  everything  in  my 
knapsack,  was  taken  away.  The  meat  that 
was  served  to  us  was  often  spoiled.  There 
was  such  sufifering  for  want  of  clothes,  that 
the  men  scrambled  for  the  rags  that  canfe 


off  the  dead;  sometimes  the  corpses  were 
robbed  of  all  they  had  on  ;  I  saw  a  good 
many  men  on  the  island  that  were  insane. 
The  food  we  got  wasn't  enough  to  keep  a 
baby  alive." 

William  Bead,  Corporal,  Co.  K,  162d 
Ee^ment,  N.  Y.  Vols.,  was  taken  prisoner 
at  Springfield,  near  Port  Hudson,  July  2d. 
"We  made  long  marches,  all  barefoot; 
many  died  on  the  marches  from  sun-stroke 
and  exhaustion,  for  we  had  no  food  for 
3  days. ''  He  reached  BeUe  Island  on  the 
6th  August,  and  describes  the  vermin  as 
"  so  great  a  curse,  that  the  men  tear  off 
their  only  remaining  rags,  cry  like  children 
and  go  about  naked,"  so  intolerable  is  their 
suffering  from  this  caiise;  the  whole  earth 
moves  with  them.  Men  could  get  paroled, 
first  by  paying  $5  or  $10;  one  squad  of  our 
men  raised  $280,  and  a  valuable  gold 
watch,  which  they  gave  to  the  rebel  officers 
for  a  first  chance  to  get  away.  The  Island 
is  very  sickly,  and  is  becoming  a  great 
grave-yard.  We  never  got  as  much  as  two' 
ounces  of  meat  at  a  time;  sometimes  we  got 
about  a  table-spoonful  of  beans,  or  rice. " 

Martin  Pennook,  Corporal,  Co.  G,  4th 
Michigan,  says:  "'The  dead  are  all  buiied 
by  our  own  men,  most  of  them  without  boxes. 
Sometimes  6  or  8  are  sent  down,  never 
enough  for  all  the  dead.  The  men  are 
fairly  worn  out  with  the  labor  of  burying 
the  dead.  There  is  no  register  of  deaths 
kept.  The  sick,  even  those  that  have  been 
paroled  a  second  time,  cannot  get  away, 
because  they  are  too  weak  to  walk.  To  find 
out  whether  men  have  money,  that  they 
may  steal  it,  they  allow  peddlers  to  come 
about  and  go  into  the  prisons  and  bring 
food  and  tobacco  for  sale,  and  a  spy  comes 
with  them." 

J.  W.  .Tailor,  who  was  both  in  the  Libby 
Prison  and  in  the  Alabama  Hospital,  says: 
"  There  were  sinks  in  the  prison,  but  most 
of  the  men  were  too  iU  and  weak  to  crawl  to 
them."  The  ration,  acccording  to  Tailor, 
is  1  ounce;  or,  as  he  added,  "only  one 
mouthful,"  about  J^  lb.  of  bread,  in  the 
morning;  at  night,  }4  pin-t  oi  soup;  at  the 
prison,  clothing,  blankets  and  clothes  are 
often  taken  from  our  men.  One  witness 
said  to  me,  ' '  Even  tin  cups  were  stolen  from 
us,  and  then  sold  back  to  the  owner  for  one 
doUar. "    Tailor  was  in  a  room  in  the  Hoa- 


74 


Th^  Sanitary  Gmiwhdon  BidlMn. 


pitai,  "  with,  284  others;  aU  -wounded,  and 
many -yith,. fey ers^  all  in  one  room,  without 
beds,  or  blankets,  or  straw  even  to  lie  upon. " 

"  Our  ration  was  bread,  and  apint  cup-full 
of  rye,  coffee,  or  the  same  quantity  of ;Soup 
made  of  rice  aiid:  turnip  leaves— /en-  tfjuehe 
men.  The  b^ans  we  got  were  always  musty. 
In  one  room  in  the  hospital  were  81 
patients  with  diarrhoea;  40  of  them  died. 
Sometimes  offlosEs  who  were  kept  in  a  room 
above  us  bought  fopdy-potatoes  and  bread 
— and  passed  it  down  through  holes  where 
chains  f  pr  hauling  up  tobacco  passed.  They 
often  poured  soup  down  to  the  hungry 
fellows,  but  they  had  to  knopk  on  theflpor, 
and  when  the  guard  fpund,  us  out  we  were 
deprived  of  our  rations. " 

Jiames  Harrison,  quarterniaster's,  clerk,' 
has,  scurvy;  was  sent  to  hospital,  and  re- 
mained there.  6  weeks;  was  i-n  charge  of  a 
rebel,  doctor.  "  They  had  no  lint  nor, band- 
age?, except  spme  dirty  strips  like  tent 
cloth.  There  were  300  cases,  the  doctor 
tojd,  me,  of  scurvy  much  worse  thain  mine. 
For  a  few  days  they  gave  us  raw  potatoes 
— a  few  slices — an^d  a  little  vinegar,  and 
some  tincture  of  iron,  but  they  soon  gave 
out.  We  then  hj^d  only  about  a  quarteii  of  a , 
pint  of  ripe  soup,  with  turnip-tops  boiled 
in  it,  and  a  sMce  ol  bread  and  a  little  rye 
coffee  once  daily;  that  was  all  we  got."  He 
had  np  money  \?hen  taken,  but  "5,  others 
captured  at  the  same  tinie  had  $100  robbed 
from  thpm.  One  man  had  a  $20  greenback 
exchanged  by  an  ojEper  for  $20  in  Oonfed. 
money;  that,  was  taken  charge  of  when  we 
go^tin  Eiohmond."  Before  going  tp  hos- 
pit^  he  ■'^as  in  Libby  prison,  and  says: 
"While  I  was  there,  the  room  I  was  in 
was  washed  out  every  day,  so  the  floor  was 
always  wet  and  muddy.  It  was  our  only 
bed.  Some  of  the  sick  kept  their  blankets. " 

One  of  the  prisoners  described  the  floors 
of  the  prison  as  being  "sometimes  ankle 
dffep  in  filth. "  Several  with  whom  I  talked; 
describe  the  hospital  ration  as  ba,rely  suffi- 
cient foi"  well  nien  "  to  keep  alive  upon;  the 
sick  were  all  too  bad  and  weak  to  be  bene- 
fited much  by  it."  "At  one  time  we  were 
a  week  without  salt,  and  then  used  to  get 
only  a  little  pinch  of  it, "  "  Nearly  900,  of 
us  were  crowded  in  a  room  8Q  feet  by  40, " 
"  The  water  of  the  James  River,  whicli  was 
made  into  soup,  when  it  was  taken  for  the 


use  of  our  men  on  the  island,  was  black : 
from  the  filth  of  sewers  which  empty  into 
it.j  The  bread  is  often  sour,  and;  the  meat 
that  we  get,  without  salt,  is  disgusljingly 
fresh.  The  rebel  officers,  when  they  can 
get  salt  for  us,  se§it.  Our  rice  is  al^feys 
given  to,  us  half  boiled.  The  quartermas- 
ter, after  the  bread  is  balwdi  sells:  all  he 
can  get  pay  for,  and  gives  us  our  ration  out 
of  what  is  left.  Our  rations  were  purposely 
served  after  dark,  and  pur  meat — a  mouth- 
ful apiece  for  16  men — was  thrown  upon 
the, floor  in  all  the  filth,  where  we  had  to 
divide  it,  The  authorities  and  officers  in 
Eichrooild  treated  us  worse  than  a  Christian, 
would  treat  a  mangy  dog." 

Krom  the  accounts  recently  published^ 
there  can  be  no  doubt  tha,t  there  is  great 
scarcity  of  food  in  Richmond.  But  our 
prisoners  had  only  10  lbs.  of  meat  for  100 
men;  their  guards  had  25  lbs.  Our  men 
had  their  scanty  ratio^i  served  twice  a  day; 
theirs,  three  times.  For  ours,  a  loaf  is,- 
divided  into  six  slices,  and  in  some  instances 
(when  the  rest  is  sold)  only  one  slice  i% 
given  daily;  at  the  same. time  their  mere  had 
a  loaf  apiece,  and  a  quantity  of  rice  besides. 
No  one  could  see  the  men  in  the  hospitals 
at  Annapolis  a,nd  doubt  they  were  perishing 
from  inanition.  1  spanned  tlye  thigh  of  a  man 
just  dead  with  iny  thumb  and  middle  finger. 
And  the  longing  eyes  with  which  those 
that  reached  the  hospital  watched  the  food, 
the  eagerness  with  which  they  devoured  it, 
all  told  of  starvation. 

The  Commission  has  caused  a  report  to 
be  mad,e  upon  the  condition  and  treatment, 
of  the  rebel  prisoners  at  Point  Lookout, 
Maryland,  one  of  the  principal  depots,  and 
it  IS  worthy,  of  attention,  if  only  for  the  sake 
of  the  cpntrast,  Of  the  hospital  the  re- 
port says: 

The  hospital  was  situated  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  encampment,  and  was  com- 
posed of  eighteen  hospital  tents  complete, 
arranged  two  together  end  to  end,  and 
placed  in  two  rows,  a  broad  street  inter- 
vening with  the  cook  and  dining  tent,  on 
the  eastern  end,  and,  facing  the  sti'eet.  In 
these  tents  there  were  one  hundred  patients, 
and  all,  with  the  exception  of  five  or  six, 
were  on  raised  bunks,,  and  all  were  lying 
on  mattresses,  with,at  least  one  blanket  fpr 


Hie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


75, 


covering.  Eight  of  their  own  men  were 
detailfed  to  take  care  of  them;  arid, although 
they  were  enlisted  men,  yet  six  were  grad- 
uates of  sojQe  medical  school,  and.tjhe  other 
two  had  been  students.  Tour  were  grad- 
uates of  the  University  of  the  City  of  New 
Yort;  one  of  the  School  at  New  Orleans; 
one  from  the  Eclectic  School,  Cincinnati; 
and  the  other  two  were  students  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania —  '  seceders;' 
still  little  or  no  attention  did  they  give  to 
their  sick  comrades,  and,  except  in  giving 
the  necessary  food  and  medicine,  they 
scarcely  ever  visited  them.  There  is  either 
a  lack  of  sympathy,  or  else  indolence  enters 
largely  into  their  composition;  and  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  it  is  the  latter,  for,  with 
the  accommodations  at  their  command, 
with  good  beds  and  shelter  for  the  sick,  if 
they  had  one  particle  of  pride  they  could 
render  them  much  more  conifortable,  es- 
pecially as  regards  cleanliness. 

Chronic  diarrhoea  is  the  most  prevalent 
disease,  yet  they  have  mild  oases  of  renxit- 
tant  fever  and  some  erysipelas. 

Mortality,  none;  for  when  any  cases 
assume  a  dangerous  character  they  are  imr 
mediately  removed  to  the  General  Hospital, 
and  they  generally  remove  from  twenty  to 
thirty  per  day  on  an  average,  leaving  in 
Camp  Hospital  eighty  sick." 

The  rations  are  very  good,  both  in 
quantity  and  quality  amply  sufficient  for 
any  sick  man;  but  there  are  exceptional 
oases  where  they  need  something  more 
delicate  than  the  regular  army  ration.  The 
majority  are  perfectly  weU  satisfied,  and 
very  little  complaint  is  made  in  this  par- 
ticular. I  win  here  give  the  quantities 
they  receive  in  full,  half,  a,nd  low  diet: 

FULIi  DIET.  HAliF  DIBT.  LOW  DIET. 

Dinner.  Dinner.  Dinner. 

Beef  or  pork,  4  oz.  Meat,  2  oz.  No  meat. 

Potatoes.  4  oz.  Potatoes,  3  oz.  Potatoes,  2  oz. 

Hard-f^ck,  3  oz.  Hard-tack,  2  oz.  Hard-tack,  1  oz. 

Breakfast  and  tea.  Breakfast  and  tea.  Breakfast  and  tea. 

Coffee  or  tea,  1  pt:  Cofi'ee  or  tea,  1  pt.  Coffee  or  tea,  1  pt. 

Eice,  2  gills.  Eioe,  1  gill.  Kice,  Igill. 

Molasses,  1  oz.  Molasses,  X  oz.  Molasses,  X  oz. 

Hard-tack,  3  oz.  Hard-tack,  2  oz.  Hard-tack,  1  oz. 

Soup  and  soft  bread  is  also  given  them 
at  least  once  a  week. 

Of  their  shelter  there  can  be  no  possible 
complaint,  for  they  all  have  good  tents, 
such  as  wall,  hospital,  Sibley,  wedge,  shel- 
ter, hospital^  and  waU  tent-flies.     The  ma- 


jority are  in  the  wedge  tent.  Average  in 
a.hospital  tent,  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
men;  in  wall  tent,  from  ten  to  twelve;  in 
shelter  tent,  three;  in  Sibley  tent,  from 
thirteen  to  fourteen;  in  wedge  tent,  five; 
under  hospital-fly,  from  ten  to  thirteen; 
under  wall  tent-fly,  from  three  to  eight. 
Of  the  shelter  tents,  only  a  very  few  are 
excavated  and  boarded  at  the  sides,  and  al- 
most every  tent  throughout  the  camp  has 
a  fire:place  and  chimney,  built  of  brick, 
made  by  them  from  the  soil  (which  is  clay) 
and  sun-baked.  In  a  few  of  the  Sibleys 
holes  are  dug,  fire  built,  and  covered  at 
the  top;  generally  the  tents  are  filled  with 
smoke. 
The  ration  to  the  w^  men  is: 


Pork,  3oz. 
Salt  or  Beef,  4  ozi 
Hard-tack,  10  oz. 
Coffee,  1  pt. 


-  A  day's  ration. 


Soup  ia  also  given  once  a  week,  potatoes 
and  beans  every  five,  days,  soft  bread  once 
a  week;  and  fresh  meat  had  been  issued  to 
them  once  a  week,  up  to  two  weeks  ago, 
when,  from  some  cause  I  could  not.flndout,, 
it  was  stopped. 

The  kitohenand  dining-rooms  are  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  camp,  and  eomposr 
ed  of  six  wooden  buildings  one  hjindred 
and  sixty  feet  in  length,  with  twenty  feet 
off  for  the^tehen.  Only  five  of  the  build- 
ings are  ia  use.  The  kitchen  arran,gement8 
are  very  good,  each  one  containing  four  cal: 
drons,  and  in  one  flye,  each  caldron  capable 
of  containing  frora  fifty  to  sixty  gallons. 
Breakfast  I  and  supper  they  relied,  uppi^ 
hard-tack,  tea  or  coffee,  and  there  is  no 
HkeHhood  of  their  starving.  The  dining- 
room  qontains  three  taibles,  and  each  house 
feeds  fifteen  hundred  and: twenty-nine  men, 
five  hiindred  at  a  time.  .  Seem  to  be  well 
supplied  with  all  necessary  articles  both  f  0.1^ 
kitchen  and  dining-room., 

I  will  make  allowance  for  the  condition  of 
the  kitchen,  as  they  were  just  through 
serving  dinner,  and  were  making  prepara,- 
tions  for  cleaning  up;  yet  there  was  evidence 
of  a  want  of  care  and  cleanliness;  still.  I 
found  them  in  much  better  condition  than 
I  expected;  there  was  such  a  vast  difference 
that  I  did  not  notice  as  much  the  number 
of  bones  thrown  from  kitchen  on  the  out- 
side; still  there  were  some. 


76 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


The  sick  in  quarters  average  from  one 
hundred  and  sixty  to  two  hundred,  prevail- 
ing disease  scurvy,  yet  a  great  many  are 
troubled  with  diarrhoea,  and  as  they 
gradually  grow  worse,  are  admitted  to  the 
hospital  to  be  sent  to  the  General  Hospital. 
Those  men  who  are  sick  in  quarters,  and 
who  are  unable  to  eat  the  rations  given 
them,  have  instead,  vinegar  3  oz.,  potatoes 
5,  rice  1  gill,  molasses  1  gUl — one  day's  ra- 
tion; each  man  cooks  for  himself..  They 
are  troubled  greatly  with  the  itch,  and  it 
is  spreading  throughout  the  camp ;  and  until 
sulphur  was  sent  them  by  the  Commission, 
they  had  nothing  for  it. 

They  have  abundance  of  water  in  the 
camp,  notwithstanding  that  several  of  the 
wells  are  unfit  for  use.  The  waters  of  those 
not  in  use  are  strongly  impregnated  with 
iron,  and  will  stain  white  clothing  a  yellow 
or  light  brown.  Outside  of  these  there  is 
an  abundance  of  good  water,  and  no  excuse 
whatever  for  being  otherwise  than  cleanly; 
but  they  seem  to  abhor  soap  and  water;  at 
least  their  appearance  so  indicates.  A 
great  many  are  employing  their  time  in 
making  brick,  and  have  now  a  great  quan- 
tity on  hand.  Others  employ  themselves 
in  making  rings,  chains,  seals,  &c.,  from 
bone  and  gutta  percha — and  notwithstand- 
ing the  complaint  that  they  do  not  get 
enough  to  eat,  you'll  find  them  on  the  main 
street,  which  they  call  the  '"Change," 
gambling  both  for  money  and  rations. 
They  have  games  at  cards,  reno,  sweat- 
cloth,  &o. ;  also,  on  this  street  they  do  their 
trading,  hard-tack  for  tobacco,  and  tobacco 
for  hard -tack.  It  is  here  that  you  wiQ  find 
them  in  crowds,  sitting  or  kneeling  in  the 
dirt,  eagerly  watching  the  different  games, 
and  see  them  arise  dissatisfied  at  having 
lost  their  day's  ration.  While  thus  en- 
gaged they  are  unmindful  of  the  cold. 

In  the  afternoon  visited  the  Small-Pox 
Hospital,  which  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
north  of  the  encampment,  among  the  pine 
bushes,  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  A.  Broad- 
bent,  Acting  Asst.  Surgeon.  This  hospital 
was  opened  two  weeks  ago,  and  up  to  to- 
day have  received  therein  one  hundred 
and  thirty-three  patients,  during  which 
time  thirty-three  deaths  have  occurred. 
The  sick  are  in  wedge  tents,  three  to  a  tent, 
lying  on  straw  on  the  ground,  with  a  blanket 


and  a  half  to  a  man.  Their  ration  is  the 
same,  and  bean  soup,  is  also  given  every 
day;  to  those  not  allowed  it,  coffee  in  its 
stead.  The  men  are  much  more  comforta- 
ble here  than  in  the  encampment,  and 
those  who  are  in  attendance  do  not  want 
to  go  back.  I  should  also  state  that  they 
occasionally  get  soft  bread.  No  complaints 
at  aU;  were  getting  along  as  well  as  they 
could  expect. 


THE    SUPPLIES     FOR    THE    RICH- 
MOND PRISONERS. 
The  following  letters  explain  themselves: 
FoBT  MoNKOE,  Nov.  20th,  1863. 
De.  J.  H.  Douglas, 

Associate  Seo'y  San.  Com.  .- 

Mt  Deab  Snt — As  I  said  in  my  last  tele- 
gram, we  were  unable  to  send  up  all  our 
stores  from  City  Point,  for  want  of  sufficient 
transportation.  As  the  Rebel  boat  could  not 
return  from  Richmond  until  Saturday,  the 
Colonel  commanding  the  Union  flag  of 
truce  boat  deemed  it  advisable  to  return 
to  Fort  Monroe  for  another  load;  Capt. 
Hatch,  of  the  rebel  boat,  having  promised 
to  bring  down  another  lighter,  which  would 
enable  him  to  take  up  aU  the  freight  our 
boat  could  carry.  The  convoy,  the  same 
boat  that  I  went  up  on,  wiU  return  to  City 
Point  to-morrow,  and  will  take  up  all  our 
stores  on  hand  at  Fort  Monroe.  The 
hospital  supplies,  such  as  beef-soup,  choco- 
late, condensed  mUk,  brandy,  &c.,  I  con- 
signed to  Dr.  Wilkin,  Surgeon-in-Chief  of 
the  hospital  for  prisoners,  he  having  as- 
sured Colonel  Irvine — ^la.te  of  Libby  Prison, 
and  now  commanding  flag  of  truce  boat 
Convoy — that  everything  sent  in  that  way 
should  be  devoted  to  the  exclusive  use  of 
our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers;  and  Capt. 
Hatch,  of  the  rebel  boat,  gave  me  the 
fullest  assurance  that  the  stores  would  be 
safely  delivered  to  Dr.  Wilkin. 

In  future,  stores  sent  to  the  prisoners  in 
Richmond  should  be  divided  into  two 
classes — substantial  food  for  the  weU  men, 
and  delicacies  for  the  sick.  The  first  should 
be  marked  "Libby  Prison,"  or  "Belle 
Island" — the  second,  "  Hospital  for  Prison- 
ers," Richmond,  Va.  The  Sanitary  Com,- 
mission  Stamp  should  be  marked  on  eac\ 
package,    and    the    packages    themselvej 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


77 


should  be  very  substantially  put  together, 
as  they  are  very  apt  to  get  broken  with  the 
many  handlings  which  they  undergo  before 
reaching  their  destination. 

Triplicate  invoices  should  be  sent  with 
each  lot  of  stores — two  to  General  Mere- 
dith and  one  to  me.  Give  the  contents  of 
each  package  and  the  number  of  packages 
sent.  As  the  New  York  does  not  go  up  to- 
morrow, I  shall  not  go  up  again  for  several 
days,  or  until  we  send  another  lot  of  stores. 
My  principal  object  in  wishing  to  go  up 
on  the  New  York  was  to  ascertain  aU 
about  her  accommodations  for  making  the 
returning  prisoners  comfortable.  I  believe 
they  are  quite  ample,  but  X  want  to  see  for 
myself.  Very  truly  yours, 

JAMES  GALL,  Jb. 


Mb.  F.  M.  Knapp, 

Associate  Sec'y  San.  Com.: 

Mt  Deab  Snt — The  flag  of  truce  New 
York  goes  up  to  City  Point  this  A.  M.,  tak- 
ing with  her  all  the  sanitary'stores  intended 
for  Bichmond,  that  have  accumulated  here 
during  the  week  .  General  Mere- 
dith says  he  will  send  the  flag  of  truce  boat 
any  time  with  a  load  of  Sanitary  supplies, 
and  as  the  New  York  will  be  ready  to  go  up 
again  Tuesday,  I  would  like  to  be  able  to 
send  a  large  supply  of  substantial  food — 
crackers,  beef,  potatoes,  onions,  &c.,  and 
of  under-clothing,  such  as  drawers,  shirts, 
stockings,  towels,  handkerchiefs,  &e.  A 
supply  of  soap  also  is  much  needed,  and 
would,  I  have  no  doubt,  be  gratefully  re- 
ceived. 

General  Meredith  says  that  for  the 
present  the  Government  will  not  send  any 
more  stores  to  the  prisoners,  as  the  proper 
disposition  of  those  already  sent  is  very 
much  doubted.  -^ 

The  General  says,  however,  that  he  has 
every  reason  to  believe  that  the  supplies 
sent  by  the  Commission  have  been  properly 
distributed.  I  will  make  every  eflbrt  to 
gain  information  on  this  point.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  Commission,  with  evidence 
before  it  that  some  of  the  goods  sent  have 
been  received,  should  send  forward  large 
supplies  of  aU  kinds  of  substantial  food  and 
comfortable  under-clothing,  blankets,  &c. 
Very  truly  yours, 

JAMES  GALL,  Jb. 


LiBBY  Pbison,  Eiohmond,  Va.,  ) 
November  12,  1863.      J 
To  the  Agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 

Norfolk,  Va.: 
I  have  written  you  more  than  once  through 
the  regular  channel,  but  fear  the  letters  may 
not  go.  A  private  opportunity  offers  now. 
The  goods  received  from  you  were  of  the 
utmost  service  to  the  oflScers  here,  a  great 
many  of  whom  were  in  very  sad  condition. 

We  need  about  200  more  shirts,  same 
number  of  drawers,  and  as  many  blankets, 
unless  we  are  to  be  exchanged  soon;  also 
some  socks.  We  have  only  corn  bread  (un- 
sifted), a  little  rice,  and  a  few  poor  sweet 
potatoes  and  water  for  our  rations.  The 
bread  is  about  half  a  p8und;  the  rice  half  a 
giU.  I  had  to-day  eight  potatoes;  only  two 
were  good  for  anything — medium  size — ^the 
others  not  larger  than  one's  finger  !  ! 

We  are  annoyed  and  indignant  that  while 
we  are  treated  in  this  manner  the  Confed. 
officers  in  our  hands  are  furnished  with 
abundant  rations,  excellent  in  quality  and 
variety,  with  good  quarters,  beds  and 
blankets;  while  we  are  turned  into  this 
building,  to  sleep  on  the  floor  without 
blankets.  Only  one  room  here  has  glass; 
all  the  other  windows  are  open  to  the  full 
sweep  of  the  north  wind.     No  fires. 

If  perfectly  convenient,  I  should  like 
from  the  Commission  a  small  box  of  pre- 
served meats,  fruits,  &c.,  &c. 

NEAL  DOW, 
Brig.  Gen.,  U.  S.  A. 


The  Bichmond  Examiner  publishes  the 
following  in  explanation  of  the  alleged  re- 
fusal of  the  Confederate  authorities  to  per- 
mit Colonel  Irvine,  in  charge  of  Govern- 
ment supplies  for  the  Union  prisoners,  to 
proceed  with  them  to  Eichmond  : 

General  Meredith,  on  the  12th,  inclosed 
to  our  Commissioner  the  following  letter, 
addressed  to  "  Captain  Edward  A.  Fobes, 
Libby  Prison:" 

"  FoBT  Monboe,  November  12,  1863. 
"  Captain  Edward  A.  Fobes,  Libby  Prison, 

Eichmond,  Virginia: 
' '  Sib — I  send  by  flag  truce,  this  day, 
twenty-four  thousand  rations,  the  distribu- 
tion of  which  I  authorize  you  to  superin- 
tend. You  will  please  forward  me  receipts 
for  the  same.  Should  the  Confederate  au- 
thorities allow  this  course  to  be  pursued  in 
subsisting  our  prisoners,  I  will  consider 


78 


The  Sanitary  Oomfnission  BvUetin. 


your  receipts  as  evidence  of  the  fact,  and 
win  keep  up  the  supply. 
"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 
[Signed]  S.  A.  Mbbedith, 

"Brigadier-General  and  Agent  of  Ex- 
change." 

Judge  Ould  promptly  returned  it  with 
the  following  endorsement: 

' '  Respectfully  returned  to  Brigadier- Gen- 
eral Meredith.  This  letter  Will  not  he  de- 
livered to  Captain  Fobes.  I  have  to-day, 
in  a  letter,  informed  you  that  the  rations, 
including  candles,  will  be  served  to  your 
soldiers.  The  manner  in  which  that  is  to 
be  done  will  be  governed  by  our  regula- 
tions, not  yours.  If  you  are  not  satisfied 
with  those  regulations,  you  can  take  back 
your  rations  and  withhold  any  in  the  fu- 
ture. [Signed]  Eo.  Ould, 

"Agent  of  Exchange." 

Another  letter,  written  by  our  Commis- 
sioner on  the  15th,  assured  General  Mer- 
edith that  whilst  our  authorities  would  not 
allow  directions  to  issue  from  Fortress  Mon- 
roe to  a  Federal  prisoner  in  Richmond  to 
attend  to  the  distribution  of  rations,  yet 
the  provisions  would  be  distributed  in  con- 
formity with  such  regulations  as  would  be 
established  by  the  prison  authorities. 

The  fact  of  the  case  is,  that  the  identical 
provisions  carried  back  to  Fortress  Monroe 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Irvine  were  imme- 
diately dispatched  by  the  same  hands  to  City 
Point,  to  be  received  upon  the  terms  pro- 
posed by  our  Commissioner,  and  at  th  .^  vary 
time  of  the  appearance  of  the  Herald's  edi- 
torial were  helping  to  fill  the  greedy  stom- 
achs of  the  Yankee  prisoners. 


REPORT  ON  THE  SANITARY  STATE 
OF  THE  TROOPS  AT  CHARLES- 
TON. 

Gen.  GiUmore  landed  on  FoUy  Island 
early  in  July,  his  army  being  composed 
mainly  of  the  troops  now  on  Morris 
Island.  On  the  10th  of  July  he  crossed 
over  to  Morris  Island  with  a  portion 
of  his  command.  On  or  previous  to  the 
18th  July,  the  day  of  the  unsuccessful 
assault  upon  "Wagner,"  —  of  the  —  regi- 
ments now  on  the  Island  had  come  over 
from  Folly.  The  remaining  —  regiments 
landed  subsequently,  after  the  evacuation 
by  the  enemy  of  "Wagner"  and  "Gregg." 
The  labors  and  duties  in  connection  with 
the  siege  have  thus    fallen    not  entirely 


equally  upon  the  regiments  now  on  Morris 
Island. 

Of  the  regiments, have  entered 

the  department  since  Januaiy  31st,  1863. 
Most  of  these  came  from  North  Carolina. 

The  —  regiments  on  FoUy  Island  reached 
the  department  between  the  Ist  and  17th 
August  last,  all  from  Virginia,  excepting 
the  two  colored  regiments,  the  1st  North 
Carolina  and  the  55th  Massachusetts. 

These  troops  have  been  subject  to  duties 
less  severe  and,  exhausting  than  those  which 
have  constantly  been  required  of  the  com- 
mand on  Morris  Island.  I  endeavored, 
but  unsuccessfully,toobtain  an  official  state- 
ment of  the  amount  and  character  of  the 
duties  imposed  upom  the  troops  on  Morris 
Island.  The  effect  of  these  duties  upon 
the  physical  and  moral  condition  of  the 
troops  has  been  great,  and  I  regret  exceed- 
ingly the  neces^ty  of  confining  myself  to 
merely  general  statements. 

An  important  circumstance  in  the  history 
of  this  command  is,  that  it  arrived  before 
Charleston  at  the  most  unhealthy,  sickly 
season  of  the  year,  after  a  summer  spent  in 
Virginia,  and  after  the  health  of  the  troops 
had  beg^in  to  suffer  from  unsuitable  rations 
and  the  hardships  of  field  service. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  these  troops 
immediately  before  they  came  to  South 
CaroUna  was  bad. 

MoKBis  Island. — Morris  Island,  or  that 
part  of  it  which  is  not  covered  by  tide-wa- 
ter, is  a  ridge  or  rainbow  of  sand  some  four 
miles  in  length,  with  an  average  breadth  of 
perhups  one-fourth  of  a  mile. 

It  presents  to  the  sea  a  broad,  firm  beach, 
varies  in  altitude  from  a  few  feet  to  neai'ly 
or  quite  sixty  feet,  and  has  a  westward 
slope  more  or  less  rapid  towards  the  marsh, 
which  embraoes  by  far  the  larger  portion 
of  the  Island,  spreading  out  for  miles  to- 
wards the  west  and  north,  and  intersected 
by  innumerable  creeks,  and  covered  with 
a  dense  growth  of  coarse  sea-grass. 

The  few  straggling  and  scraggy  palmet- 
toes  which  once  grew  just  above  the  west- 
ern limit  of  tide-water  have  been  cut  away, 
while  elsewhere  there  is  little  or  no  vegeta- 
tion of  any-kind. 

FoiiLX  IsLAKD. — FoUy  Island,  in  its  gen- 
eral foismation,  is  siinilar  to  Morris.    The 

3d 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


79 


away  by  the  imceasing  enoroaohmenta  of 
the  sea.  The  beach  is  narrower,  so  narro-w 
as  to  be  unavailable  for  camp  sites,  -while 
'the  western  slope  of  the  bluff  either  is,  or 
has  recently  been,  covered  more  or  less 
densely  withpines,  palmettoes,  myrtles  and 
other  indigenous  trees. 

Malaria. — Morris  Island  I  believe  to  be 
quite  free  from  malaria.  The  absence  of 
vegetation,  the  sandy  character  of  that  part 
of  the  island  occupied  by  our  troops,  the 
free  exposure  of  the  whole  island  surface 
to  the  sun,  and  the  almost  unfailing  breezes 
from  the  sea,  are  conditions  which  must  at 
least  modify  its  developments. 

Folly  I  cannot  regard  with  the  same 
favor.  The  part  of  the  island  above  tide- 
water rolls  in  ridges  towards  the  marsh  on 
its  western  border,  sinks  to  lower  levels,and 
is  more  frequently  swampy.  The  sand,  over 
a  consideable  part  of  the  island,  is  buried 
bensaih  a  stratum  of  rich  vegetable  mould. 

The  ridges  are  covered  with  pines,  and 
the  slopes  and  ravines  filled  with  palmettoes 
and  a  luxuriant  semi-tropical  vegetation. 

Watbb. — The  water  on  Morris  Island  is 
slightly  brackish  and  insipid,  although  I 
know  of  no  reason  to  believe  it  positively 
unhealthful. 

The  water  on  Folly  Island  is  quite  simi- 
lar, and  in  many  places  is  unpleasantly  im- 
pregnated with  organic  vegetable  matter. 

I  cannot  think  that  the  recent  interments 
on  Morris  Island  can  much  affect  the  health 
of  the  troops  ;  if  so,  it  is  not  by  poisoning 
the  water,  as  has  been  occasionally  reported. 
The  burial-grounds,  hemmed  in  by  sand- 
hills, are  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  nearest  camps,  while  the  dead 
buried  elsewhere  within  the  limits  of  our 
encampment  are  probably  few  in  number. 
I  believe  the  water  to  be  at  present  pretty 
much  in  itsTiatural  state.  How  long  it  may 
remain  so  depends  much  upon  the  cleanly 
habits  of  the  troops  and  the  attention  given 
to  camp  policing.  The  water  is  generally 
but  a  "few  feet  below  the  surface,  and  the 
slops,  refuse,  and  filth  of  our  undrained 
and  undrainable  camps  may  be  readily 
reached  through  the  finfe  silioious  sand. 

TbiSts. — The  wedge  tent  is  generally 
iised.  I  saw  no  Sibleys.  On  Folly  Island 
many  regiments  have  been  compelled  ito 
make  more  or  less  use  of  their  shelter  tents. 


One  regiment,  the  41st  N.  X,  is  scarcely 
provided  with  any  others.  The  tents  in  use 
on  Morris  Island  are,  for  the  most  part, 
very  good.  The  tents  on  Folly  are  by  no 
means  as  good.  Measures  have  already 
been  taken,  however,  to  furnish  the  whole 
command  with  new  tents,  so  far  as  they 
may  be  needed.  Several  regiments  have 
just  been  supplied. 

In  a  few  camps  attempts  have  been  made 
to  stockade  the  tents,  but  as  a  rule,  they 
have  been  pitched  directly  upon  the  ground. 
Most  of  the  tents  are  provided  with  burdks. 
In  many,  however,  the  earth  is  simply 
covered  with  straw,  palmetto  leaves,  &c. 

Policing. — Policing  is  too  miich  neglect- 
ed, as  I  have  observed  is  generally  the  case 
where  regiments  are  encamped  by  the  sea, 
and  waste  and  filth  are  quickly  trod  into  the 
ground,  or  covered  by  passing  sand-drifts. 

The  opportunities  for  policing  are  much 
better  on  Folly  than  on  Morris  Island. 
Still  the  work  is  too  frequently  but  indif- 
ferently done. 

Bathing. — However  much  the  troops, 
profiting  by  their  proximity  to  the  sea, 
may  have  been  inclined  to  indulge  in  bath- 
ing during  the  summer  months,  it  is 
very  evident  that  at  present  they  are  not 
disposed  to  avail  themselves  of  their  oppor- 
tunities. During  the  fortnight  I  was  with 
the  army,  I  do  not  remember  seeing  but 
one  person  taking  a  bath  on  the  beach. 
The  men  were  generally  represented  as 
washing  their  hands  and  faces  daily.  But 
even  this  is  by  no  means  universal  in 'any 
regiment. 

Oleahliness. — ^I  do  not  tliiiik  there  is 
the  same  general  regard  for  personal  clean- 
liness in  this  army  that  I  have  usually  ob- 
served in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The 
term  a'eerage,  which  I  have  frequently  used 
in  this  connection  in  my  tabular  abstracts, 
must,  therefore,  be  understood  as  referring 
to  a  local  standard. 

In  many  regiments,  the  apparent  want 
of  cleanliness  was  excused  on  the  ground 
of  inability  to  get  suitable  water.  The 
principal  causes,  however,  are  inattention 
to  these  matters  on  the  part  of  officers,  and 
indifference  on  the  part  of-  the  men — ^both 
occasioned  by  the  excessive  duties  necessa- 
rily exacted  Of  the  troops  during  an  active 
but  soiideiwhat  protracted  siegje. 


80 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


CLOTHiNa. — The  whole  command  appears 
to  be  very  well  supplied  mth  clothing.  In 
no  regiment  did  I  learn  that  there  ■was 
suffering  from  the  want  of  it.  Perhaps  the 
supplies  were  most  limited  in  the  1st  North 
Carolina  (colored).  In  the  hurry  of  leav- 
ing Newbem,  a  part  of  the  regimental  as 
well  as  personal  baggage  of  this  regiment 
was  left  behind.  Occasional  complaints 
were  made  concerning  the  quality  of  some 
of  the  new  issues,  and  so  far  as  they  re- 
ferred to  the  blankets,  certainly  with  much 
justice. 

Rations. — The  almost  uniform  response 
made  to  my  questions  relating  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  rations  issued  to  the  troops 
was,  that  they  were  now  fair  in  both  quan- 
tity and  quality— that  fresh  meat  was  issued 
twice  or  three  times  each  ten  days — that 
soft  bread  was  quite  generally  served  to 
the  men — that  fresh  vegetables,  potatoes 
and  onicns,  were  frequently  issued.  The 
troops  who  were  sent  from  Virginia  in 
August,  very  generally  stated  that  they  had 
no  where  been  furnished  with  better  rations. 
(In  the  tabular  abstracts,  I  have  uniformly 
represented  fresh  vegetables  as  "now  is- 
sued more  freely. ")  This  is  a  general  state- 
ment. Vegetables  have  not  been  equally 
distributed  to  the  ■Wtole  command.  Prob- 
ably no  regiment  has  received  less  than 
two  rations  weekly — several  have  received 
as  many  as  eight.  They  have  been  issued 
most  freely  when  there  appeared  to  be  the 
greatest  necessity  for  them.  Fiye  rations 
in  ten  days  may  approximate  the  average 
issues  now  made  to  each  regiment. 

During  the  first  fortnight  following  the 
landing  of  the  expedition,  the  whole  army 
appears  to  have  been  put  upon  rather  short 
rations,  the  issues  consisting  principally  of 
hard  bread  and  salt  meats  of  an  inferior 
quality — ^particularly  was  this  the  case  with 
the  former;  shortly  after  fresh  meat  began 
to  be  issued.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
some  time  in  September  that  the  Commis- 
saries appear  to  have  furnished  the  men 
with  fresh  vegetables. 

Nearly  the  whole  of  these  issues  were 
made  to  the  army  before  Charleston.  The 
first  potatoes,  however,  received  by  the 
brigade  or  post  division,  during  the  months 
of  June  and  July,  were  not  issued,  and 
were  only  obtainable  by  purchase.     (The 


private  soldiers  were  rarely  able  to  obtain 
a  ration  in  this  way.)  During  a  part  of 
this  time  vegetables  could  be  obtained  in 
very  limited  quantities,  and  at  very  high 
prices,  from  the  sutlers.  But  it  was  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission  that  the  army  was  for 
two  months  almost  entirely  indebted  for  its 
antiscorbutic  supplies. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  greatest 
want  of  fresh  vegetables  existed  at  a  season 
when  the  Government  agents  found  it  most 
difScult  to  obtain  their  usual  supplies  in 
the  markets,  and  that  the  want  was  by  no 
means  peculiar  to  the  Department  of  the 
South.  StiU  the  very  general  and  imper- 
ative nature  of  the  demand  should  stimu- 
late the  Subsistence  Department  to  either 
open  new  soiiroes  of  supply,  or  furnish 
some  antiscorbutic  equivalent. 

I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  ration 
which  has  been  issued  to  our  armies  during 
the  past  two  years  is  one  quite  unsuitable 
for  men  who  have  been  stationed,  and  are 
likely  so  long  as  the  war  may  last,  in  warm 
latitudes.  Meats  are  too  freely  used,  veg- 
etables too  sparingly.  There  is  an  excess 
of  carbon  in  the  food. 

A  very  considerable  proportion  of  the 
diseases  to  which  the  natives  of  the  North 
are  subject  within  the  tropics  originates  in 
a  violation  of  one  of  the  plainest  physio- 
logical laws,  that  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  the  food  necessary  to  maintain  the  phys- 
ical system  at  a  given  fixed  standard  of 
health  will  vary  as  the  mean  temperature 
of  the  atmosphere  varies.  Now  the  scor- 
butic taint  which  is  recognized  in  all  our 
armies  from  Virginia  to  Texas,  arises  quite 
as  much  from  an  excess  as  from  a  defioien- 
cy  of  certain  elements  in  the  blood;  a  fact 
which  we  lose  sight  of  too  readily. 

Cooking. — Bad  cooking  is  almost  as  great 
a  cause  of  disease  as  bad  rations.  I  do 
not  know  that  the  cooking  of  the  soldiers  in 
this  Department  has  been  worse  than  usual 
in  camps;  probably  it  has  been  about  the 
same;  still  the  Commanding  General  has 
thought  the  matter  of  sufficient  importance 
to  make  it  the  subject  of  a  recent  general  or- 
der, in  which  the  surgeon,  with  one  other 
officer  of  the  regiment,is  required  to  visit  the 
cook-houses  and  inspect  the  cooking,  giving 
directions  to  the  cooks,  if  necessary,  three 
times  4afl£._  When  visiting  the  camps.  I 


The  Banltary  ^Commission  Bvlletin. 


n 


often  found  the  surgeons  engaged  in  this 
work,  &nd  I  am  convinced  much  good  ■will 
result  from  it,  not  only  from  the  advice  of 
those  who  should  be  able  to  give  it,  but 
by  causing  the  cooks  themselves  to  feel 
that  they  have  been  placed  under  a  more 
(rigid  surveillance. 

Si-lBiTS  01'  THE  Men. — As  a  rule,  the  men 
■were  cheerful  and  hopeful.  This  feeling 
"was  most  apparent  among  the  old  regiments 
•which  came  to  the  Department  in  1861,  and 
among  the  colored  troops,  with  whom  it 
rose  to  enthusiasm.  Depression  of  spirits 
were  acknowledged  most  frequently  among 
the  troops  on  Folly  Island. 

Hospitals.— The  sick  in  hospital  were, 
without  exception,  treated  in  tents.  These 
were  generally  floored,  furnished  witli 
frame  bunks,  tolerably  supplied  with  bed- 
ding and  clothing,  and  on  the  whole  quite 
as  neat  and  comfortable  as  I  have  ever 
seen  regimental  hospitals  in  our  armies. 
The  condition  of  the  hospitals  on  Morris 
Island  was  perhaps  something  superior  to 
that  generally  observed  on  FoUy.  Sur- 
geons have  at  times  been  short  of  medical 
supplies  of  certain  kinds,  but  at  present 
there  is  no  want.  Some  difiS.oulty  is  stiU. 
experienced  in  obtaining  delicacies  for  the 
siokj  a  difficulty  which  would  be  most  .se- 
riously felt,  but  for  the  large  issues  which 
are  daily  made  to  the  hospitals  from  the 
storehouse  of  the  Commission. 

Sickness  Bates. — The  following  state- 
ment wiU  show  the  amount  and  per  oentage 
of  sickness  prevailing  among  the  troops 
inspected  on  Morris  Island  and  FoUy,  The 
inspections  were  concluded  during  the 
week  preceding  the  17th  October. 

Present  strength,  enlisted  men 

"Whole  number  of  sick 

No.  sick  in  hospital,  (regimental) ....      573 

Per  cent,  sick  in  hosp.  &  quarters. . .     17.8 

"     "       "  ♦'        (regimental)..      2.9 

"     "       "    Morris  Island 18.3 

«     "       "    FoUy  Island 17.2 

Highest  sick  rate,  FoUy  Island,  )       ,,  , 

144th  K  Y f      *^-^ 

Loweljt       "        "  "  107th  Ohio      2.5 

Highest  "  "  Morris,  10th  Conn.  70.1 
Lowest  "  "  "  3d  B.  I. . .  4.0 
Per  cent,  sick  in  colored  regiments . .  19. 3 
I  am  not  able  to  give  the  exact  number  qtf 
sick  who  have  been  sent  from  the  army  be- 


fore Charleston  to  the  General  Hospitals 
at  Beaufort  and  Hilton  Head.  They  can- 
not, however,  increase  the  average  rate  of 
sickness  more  than  two  per  cent.  This 
Would  give  20  per  cent,  as  the  sickness  rate 
in  the  army  before  Charleston  in  October 
last. 

In  estimating  the  percentage  of  sickness 
on  Morris  Island,  I  have  excluded  those 
under  treatment  for  wounds,  who,  if  in- 
cluded with  the  sick,  would  add  1. 1  per 
cent,  to  the  rate  of  sickness. 

The  great  difference  between  the  per 
centage  in  hospital  and  the  per  centage  ex- 
cused from  duty  :wili  be  at  once  observed. 
In  the  regiment  reportkig  the  largest  num- 
ber of  sick,  the  10th  Conn.,  only  4 per  cent. 
Were  in  hospital,  yet  70  per  cent,  of  the 
present  strength  of  the  regiment  were  on 
the  sick  list.  The  reports  from  other  reg- 
iments show  an  almost  equal  disparity  be- 
tween the  numbers  sick  in  hospital  and 
quarters.  The  only  conclusion  which  can 
be  drawn  from  such  facts  is,  that  the  dis- 
eases prevailing  among  the  troops  are  of 
a  mild  character. 

The  severe  service  exacted  of  the  troops 
on  Morris  Island  may  fully  account  for 
the  higher  rates  of  sickness  obtaining 
among  them,  and  yet,  excepting  two  or 
three  regiments,  such  as  the  10th  Conn, 
and  the  30th  N.  H.,  there  is  less  sickness 
than  on  FoUy  Island.  Thus,  eight  regi- 
ments, the  oOth  N.  H.,  Indep't  Battalion, 
N.  Y.,  N.  Y.  Engineers,  100th  N.  Y.,  52d 
Ohio,  47th  N.  Y.,  104th  Penn.,  3d  E.  I.,  re- 
port not  over  10  per  cent,  sick;  while  on 
Folly  Island  but  four  regiments:  107th 
Ohio,  41st  N.  Y.,  74th  Penn.,  13th  Indiana, 
report  under  10  per  cent.  sick. 

I  cannot  satisfactorily  account  for  the 
different  sickness  rates  in  the  107th  Ohio, 
and  the  144th  N.  Y.,  in  the  3d  E.  I.,  and 
the  10th  Conn. 

The  107th  Ohio  is  a  German  regiment, 
and  within  the  past  year  has  suffered  se. 
verely  from  disease.  This  fact  has,  no 
doubt,  much  to  do  with  the  present  immu- 
nity. 

The  8d  E.  I.  has  always  been  a  healthy 
regiment,  and  in  all  matters  of  cleanliness 
a  model.  Being  an  artillery  regiment,  its 
service  has  differed  from  that  which  has 
devolved  upon  the  infantry. 


82 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Peb  Centagb  of  Sickness  among  Coloeed 
Tecops.  — The  per  oentage  of  sickness  among 
the  colored  troops  was  above  the  average. 
They  have  been  heavily  tasked,  and  al- 
though suffering  much  less  from  diarrhoea 
and  dysentery  than  the  white  soldiers,  are 
more  subject  to  bronchitis  and  pulmonaiy 
difSoulties.  Moreover,  the  number  of  men 
suffering  from  chronic  disabilities,  which 
^hou]d  have  excluded  theni  from  the  ser- 
vice, is  unusually  large;  but  especially  is 
this  the  case  with  the  regiments  raised 
within  the  Department. 

Pbbvailing  Diseases — Camp  Diakbhosa. 
— The  prevailing  disease  not  only  in  the 
whole  command,  but  in  each  regiment,  is 
camp  diarrJicea.  Dysentery  is  also  very 
common,  often  following  an  attack  of 
diarrhoea,  frequently  preceding  it,  and 
unquestionably  arising  from  the  same 
causes. 

Camp  diarrhoea  is  a  disease  probably 
more  largely  occasioned  by  general  causes 
than  most  of  those  which  the  military  sur- 
geon is  called  upon  to  treat.  Let  an  army 
be  fed  upon  improper  or  scanty  rations, 
and  an  increase  in  the  number  of  diarrhoea 
cases  will  soon  follow.  Place  the  troops 
on  the  march  or  in  the  trenches,  and  diar- 
rhoea will  speedily  make  its  appearance,  and 
if  the  fatigue  duties  are  burdensome  and 
long  continued,  it  wiU  finally  outrank  all 
other  diseases  in  the  number  of  its  victims. 
In  a  word,  want — want  of  food,  want  of 
clothing,  want  of  rest,  want  of  spirits,  every- 
thing which  tends  to  break  down  the  vital 
power  of  the  soldier,  is  almost  certain  to 
occasion  diarrhoea,  and  it  is  produced  by' 
the  same  causes  with  equal  certainty,  if  not 
equal  severity,  in  all  our  armies,  whether  in 
Virginia,  Carolina,  or  the  States  bordering 
on  the  Gulf.  According  to  the  report  on 
sickness  and  mortality  of  the  army  during 
the  first  year  of  the  war,  "diarrhoea  and 
dysentery  caused  about  one-fourth  of  all 
the  sickness  reported.  On  the  Atlantic 
border  more  than  half  the  army  suffered, 
and  in  the  central  region  the  number  of 
oases  almost  equaled  the  mean  strength." 

I  believe  the  present  tendency  to  diar- 
rhoea and  dysentery  among  the  troops  in 
the  Department  of  the  South  to  be  attribu- 
table, in  no  inconsiderable  degree,  to  special 
causes,  but  to  result  from  a  combination  of 


such  general  causes  as  have  been  observed 
to  develop  elsewhere  a  similar  tendency. 
Perhaps  the  most  efficient  of  these  general 
causes  has  been  the  excessive  duty  which 
the  character  of  the  ^iege  has  exacted,  an,d 
which,  at  times,  has  f  ai|len  heavily  upon  the 
whole  army.  Prom  tl^e  commencement  of 
the  Teche  campaign  untU  the  fall  of  Port 
Hudson,  every  new  advance  and  every 
additional  imposition  of  field  duty  fiUed 
our  hospitals  and  our  camps  with  nerveless, 
spiritless,  exhausted  men,  sick  with  diar- 
rhoea. 

Another  cause  common  to  oxvc  whole 
army  is  to  be  found  in  the  unwholesonie 
and  unsuitable  ration  issued  by  the  Gov- 
ernment. This  subject  I  have  already  al- 
luded to. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  Why  do  these  gen- 
eral causes,  which  must  at  times  have  op- 
erated with  equal  force  iii  other  divisions  of 
our  army,  occasion  this  very  great  preva- 
lence of  diarrhoea  among  the  troops  before 
Charleston  ?  As  may  be  inferred  from  pre- 
ceding remarks,  I  qiiestion  whether  the 
present  prevalence  of  diarrhoea  in  the  army 
of  the  South  is  unusual  among  troops 
whose  general  history  has  been  the  same. 
I  believe  diarrhcea  to  have  prevailed  in  the 
army  before  Port  Hudson  in  July  last 
nearly,  if  not  quite  as  extensively  as  it  ever 
has  on  Morris  Island. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  compare  the 
reports  sent  from  the  two  armies  to  the 
Surgeon-General's  office. 

Still,  in  whichsoever  army  this  disease 
may  have  prevailed  most  extensively,  spe- 
cial and  local  causes  may  have  existed  in 
both. 

The  army  before  Charleston  is  subject  to 
the  effects  of  an  insular  and  semi-tropical 
climate,  the  characteristic  features  of  which 
are  a  hot  sun  and  a  humid  atmosphere, 
moving  in  strong  currents  inland  from  the 
ocean.  T'he  days  are  hot,  the  nights  cool 
and  damp.  Even  during  the  day,  although 
the  direct  and  reflected  heat  of  the  sun  may 
be  most  oppressive  in  the  shade,  the  sea- 
breeze  appears  delightfully  cool  (ismd  re- 
freshing. 

These  differences  of  temperature  of  day 
and  of  night,  in  the  sun  and  in  the  shade, 
cannot  but  unfavorably  affect  men  who, 
engaged  in  laborious  duties,  are  constantly 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


83 


exposed  to  them,  and  often  -without  the 
means  of  guarding  against  them. 

Again,  it  should  be  observed  that  the 
army  landed  before  Charleston  aad  oon- 
■duoted  its  difficult  and  laiaorious  siege  op- 
erations at  a  season  of  the  year  generally 
regarded  as  most  unfavorable  to  active 
campaigning. 

Fbvebs. — Fevers  have  occasioned  some 
sickness  and  considerable  mortality. 

The  fever  most  frequently  seen  is  that 
■called    typhoid,    or    typho-malarial;    the 
malarial   features   of    the   disease   being 
marked,  while  the  typhoid  predominate. 
Well-marked  cases  of  remittent  and  inter- 
mittent fever  oocasiojially  occur,  but  these 
■diseases  can  by  no  means  be  called  preva- 
lent.    Several  regiments  returned  but  a 
case  or  two,  and  one,  the  40th  Mass.,  re- 
ported not  a  case  of   either,  and  yet  this 
regiment  had  over  37  per  cent,  of  its  pres- 
ent strength  on  the  sick  Ust.     It  is  an  in- 
teresting fact,  that  not  a  single  case  of  per- 
nicious fever  was  reported  to  me  as  having 
occurred  on  Morris  Island  or  onFoUy  since 
the  occupation  by  our  forces  in   July  last. 
There  have  been  but  few  cases  of  this  form 
of  malarious  fever  reported  during  the  past 
three  months  in  the  Department,  and  the^ 
have,  for  the  most  part,  originated  on  Port 
Boyal  Island. 

Diarrhoea,  although  prevailing  exten- 
■sively,  is  neither  a  very  severe  nor  a  very 
fatal  disease.  It  prevails  rather  in  quarters 
than  in  hospitals.  During  the  first  year  of 
the  war,  the  mortality  from  diarrhoea  varied 
in  the  several  Departments  from  0.9  to  9.6 
■deaths  per  thousand  cases.  Fevers,  on  the 
other  hand,  more  generally  send  the  patient 
to  the  hospital.  While  they  constitute  but 
a  smaU.  proportion  of  the  whole  number  of 
cases,  they  exhibit  a  large  per  eentage 
among  the  sick  in  hospital,  as  weU  as  a 
large  relative  mortality.  During  the  first 
year  of  the  war  the  mortality  from  "  camp 
fever"  varied,  in  the  several  Departments, 
from  60.95  to  101.8  deaths  per  thousand 
cases. 

This  relation  is  very  well  illustrated  by 
the  following  abstract  from  the  records  of 
the  General  Hospital  at  Hilton  Head,  show- 
ing the  number  of  cases  and  diseases  ad- 
mitted into  the  General  Hospital  from  July^ 
1st  to  Oct.  20th,  1863,  together  with  the 


deaths  occurring  from  each  cause  during 
the  same  period; 

July,  1863.  Patients 

Diseases.  Admitted.       Died. 

Fevers 88  18 

Diarrhoea... 66  2 

Other  Diseases 64  4 

Bowels 265  17 

Total 483  41 

August 

Fevers 70  7 

Diarrhoea 27  5 

Other  Diseases 26  4 

Bowels 7  10 

Total 130  26 

SeptembeE. 

Fevers 41  4 

Diarrhoea 11  3 

Other  Diseases 8  2 

Bowels 2  0 

Total 62  9 

October, 

Fevers 22  1 

Diarrhoea 15  7 

Other  Diseases 19  1 

Bowels 2  0 

Not  diagnosed -18  0 

Total 76  9 

Recapitulation. 

Fevers. 221  30 

Diarrhoea 119  17 

Other  Diseases 117  11 

Bowels., 276  27 

Not  diagnosed , 18  00 

Total 751  85 

The  preceding  table  does  not,  however, 
fairly  exhibit  the  relative  prevalence  of  the 
diseases  now  under  treatment  in  the  gen- 
eral hospitals  of  Beaufort.  On  the  25th  of 
October  a  very  large  proportion  were  cases 
of  diarrhoea.  The  prevalence  of  diarrhoea 
has,  however,  only  been  remarkable  since 
about  the  1st  of  October,  at  which  time  a 
large  number  of  convalescents  were  sent 
North,  and  the  hospitals  filled  with  subjects 
of  chronic  diarrhoea,  who  were  gathered 
together  from  the  different  regimental  hos- 
pitals. 

Scurvy. — ^I  consulted  the  surgeons  of  41 
regiments,  including  the  surgeons  of  the 
3d  B.  I.  and  the  127th  N.  Y.,  with  refer- 
ence  to  the  existence  of  scurvy  among  the 
troops.  Of  these,  six  only  reported  one  or 
more  cases  of  scurvy  then  under  treatment; 
eight  others  had  seen  one  or  more  cases 
since  landing  before  Charleston.    Twenty- 


84 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


Beven  surgeons  had  not  seen  a  case  in  the  re- 
giments to  which  they  were  attached.  The 
only  cases  I  saw  were  in  the  First  North 
Carolina  Regiment  (colored. )  In  this  regi- 
ment there  was  probably  more  seorbutie 
disease  than  in  all  the  rest  of  the  command. 
The  disease,  however,  originated  in 
North  Carolina,  and  had  made  it?  appear- 
ance among  the  contrabands  on  Hatteras- 
Island,  before  they  were  enrolled  as  soldiers. 
The  disease  at  present  is  almost  entirely 
confined  to  the  recruits  from  that  island, 

The  11th  Maine  reported  more  cases  of 
scurvy  than  any  other  white  regiment. 
This  regiment,  just  arrived  on  Morris  Isl- 
and, had  been  stationed  for  a  long  time  at 
Fernandina,  where  it  appears  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  cut  off  from  its  supplies. 

Well-marJced  cases  of  scurvy  are  extremely 
infrequent,  and  always  Lave  been.  Indeed, 
the  disease  can  hardly  be  said  to  exist  at 
present;  and,  yet,  there  is  a  sub-seorbutic 
tendency,  or  cachexia,  resulting  from  the 
use  of  improper,  as  well  as  insufficient  ra- 
tions, which  more  or  less  modifies  the  type 
of  all  diseases. 

MoKTAiiTT. — ^I  have  not  the  data  for  es- 
timating the  rates  of  mortality  obtaining 
among  our  force  at  the  time  of  my  inspec- 
tion, or  during  any  portion  of  the  siege. 
The  deaths  reported  to  me  in  the  tabular 
abstracts  are  probably  much  below  the 
actual  number  occurring.  This  certainly  is 
true  of  several  regiments,  and  renders  com- 
parative estimates  impossible. 

CoNCLtJSiON. — From  the  facts  brought  to 
my  knowledge,  as  well  as  from  the  obser- 
vations personally  made  while  in  the  De- 
partment of  the  South,  I  am  led  to  the  fol- 
lowing conclusions: 

First.  That  the  duties  exacted  of  the 
army  before  Charleston,  difficult  and  ex- 
hausting although  they  may  have  been, 
have  not  been  heavier  than  those  which  at 
times  have  been  required  of  oiir  troops  in 
other  Departments. 

Second.  That  rations,  clothingi  medical 
stores  and  supplies  of  aU  kinds,  although 
QocasionaUy  of  an  inferior  quality  and  scan- 
tily issued,  have  yet  been  furnished  to  the 
troops,  whether  in  caanp  or  in  the  fi-eld,  as 
liberally  as  to  any  command  under  similar 
circumstances  in  any  Department  with 
which  I  am'  a«quainted. 


Third.  That  no  diseases  either  have  pre- 
vailed or  are  now  prevailing  to  an  extent 
greater  than  has  frequently  been  observed 
in  our  armies  either  during  or  subsequent 
to  active  campaigns;  and  that  the  prevail- 
ing diseases  have  originated  to  but  a  limit- 
ed degree  in  special  or  local  causes. 

Fourth.  That  the  hospitals,  both  general 
and  regimental,  are  in  a  most  creditable 
condition,  and  that  our  sick  and  wounded! 
soldiers  are  well  cared  for. 

Fifth.  That  the  sanitary  coadition  of  ther 
army  has  been  slowly  but  steadily  improv- 
ing for  several  weeks;  the  change. being 
not  less  marked  in  the  reduced  number  of 
cases  than  in  the  milder  forms  which  the 
prevailing  diseapes  have  assumed. 

With  supplies  now  more  abundant  as  the 
requirements  of  the  service  grow  less  rigor- 
ous, as  the  unhealthy  season  has  passed 
and  the  winter  approaches,  I  have  little  rea- 
son to  doubt  but  that  the  rates  of  sickness 
wiU  continue  to  be  reduced,  until  the  sani- 
tary condition  of  the  army  of  the  South 
may  become  as  satisfactory  as  usual. 

THE  COMMISSION  IN  SOUTH 
CAROLINA. 

Heab-Quabtebs  Thied  Eeghtekt*' 
New  Hampshire  Volttnteeks, 
MoKEisIstAHD,  S.  C,  Ott.  1,  1863, 
To  the  Sanitary  Commission: 

It  is  with  inexpressible,  yet  heartfelt  thank- 
fulness, that  we  leak  back  upon  the  few  weekas 
which  have  passed  since  our  entering  upon  thi» 
island,  and  mark  the  bountiful  and  benevolent? 
labors  of  the  Samitary  Conmiission. 

In  the  midst  of  excessive  labor,  danger  an3 
hardship,  when,  owing  to  unavoidable  circum- 
atanoes  always  attending  an  active  campaign, 
the  wants  of  the  troops'  can  at  least  be  but  im- 
perfectly supplied;  just  at  this  time  of  want,  the- 
CcHnmission  hailed  us  with  open  hands  and  a. 
liberal  heart.  The  wants  of  our  sick  an* 
wounded  were  met,  greatly  to  their  comforts- 
while  the  entire  regiment  soon  became  iadebt- 
ed  to  the  Commission  for  favors— in  view  of 
which,  it  is  -wift  great  pleasure  and  unanimity 
that,  as  a  regiment,  we  express  to  the  Commis- 
sion the  following,  resolutions,  our  high  appre- 
ciation of  their  work  of  benevolence,  together 
with  om-  most  sincere  thanks  for  the  many  fa- 
vors received  during  the  past: 


The  Sanitary  Commission  B-uUetin. 


85 


as  conducted  in  tMs  Department,  has  our  higb- 
«st  respect  and  entire  confidence. 

2.  Resolved,  That,  as  a  regiment,  we  tender 
a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Commission 
for  its  unprecedented  wort  of  benevolence,  and 
great  amount  of  good  already  accomplished, 
and  of  which  we  are  witnesses. 

J.  HOMEK  EDGEELY, 
2d  Lieut  and  Aci'g  Adft  M  N.  H.  Vohmteei-s. 

JAMES  P.  KANDLETT, 
Capt.  3d  JV.  S.  Vols.,  Commanding  Regiment 


THE  COMMISSION  AT  CHATTA- 
NOOGA. 

As  doubts  have  been  expressed  in  some 
quarters  touching  the  promptness  with 
which  the  Sanitary  Commission  met  the 
emergencies  arising  out  of  the  battle  of 
Chiokamauga,  there  cannot  be  a  better  way 
of  removing  them  than  the  publication  of 
the  following  testimonials: 

3d  Division  Hospttai, 
14th  Aemt  Coups, 
Chattauooga,  Od.  26f/i,  1863. 

I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  TJ.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  have  done  much  towards 
relieving  the  suffering  of  the  brave  soldiers  of 
the  3d  Division  of  the  14th  Army  Corps. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Chiokamauga 
our  men  were  thrown  togeflier  without  the  ne- 
cessary supplies  to  render  them  comfortable, 
and,  as  far  as  it  was  possible,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission supplied  their  wants. 

What  was  done  by  them  was  done  without 
any  reference  to  iooahty;  the  wounded  being 
cared  for  equally,  whatever  State  they  may  have 
originally  hailed  from.  The  sick  now  in  this 
Hospital  have  been  kindly  remembered  by  the 
Commission.  Friends  at  home,  speed  on  the 
good  work  so  gloriously  begun ! 

GEO.  E.  SLOAT, 
Burg.  t»  charge  3d  Div.  Hospital,  lUh  A.  G, 

Hospitaij  No.  3, 
Chattanooga,  Oct  26lh,  1863. 

It  is  with  feelings  of  the  deepest  gratitude 
and  admiration  that  I  recall  to  mind  the  dona- 
tions from  the  Sanitary  Commission  to  this 
Hospital,  immediately  after  its  opening. 

After  the  battles  of  the  19th  and  20th  ult.  out- 
side this  city,  the  wounded  were  brought  in  in 
thousands,  and  this  Hospital,  in  common  with 
the  rest,  was  filled  to  overflowing.  Here  was  a 
state  of  affairs  suddenly  brought  about,  and  to 
be  immediately  provided  for — and  here  was  the 
'Sanitary  Commission— here  the  hour  of  need — 
here  it  was  an  oasis  in  a  desert.     Here  we  re- 


ceived from  it  dressings  for  our  wounded  men, 
wines,  clothing,  and  several  luxuries  and  neces- 
saries. Ko  one  who  at  this  time  witnessed  the 
iimely  and  material  aid  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  but  must  say,  "It  is  truly  a  heav- 
enly institution — may  Heaven  bless  and  pre- 
serve its  supporters." 

PETER  H.  CLEAET, 
Surgeon  U.  8.  V.,  in  charge. 


TJ.  S.  Genekal  Hospital  No.  2, 
Chattanooga,  Oct.  26<A,  1863. 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  I  acknowledge 
the  great  and  substantial  benefit  the  sick  and 
wounded  under  my  charge,  since  the  late  battle 
of  Chiokamauga,  have  derived  from  the  kind- 
ness and  liberality  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission at  this  place,  undjt  the  charge  of  Mr. 
M.  C.  Read.  Although  their  amount  of  sup- 
plies has  necessarily  been  limited,  owing  to 
the  great  diflSculties  in  procuring  transporta- 
tion, and  the  large  number  of  wounded  requir- 
ing assistance,  yet  the  good  results  from  what 
they  have  been  able  to. accomplish  in  supplying 
the  wounded  and  sick  with  clothing,  dressings, 
necessaries  and  delicacies,  are  almost  incalcu- 
lable. A  great  deal  of  sufEering  and  destitution 
has  been  reUeved  through  their  kindly  minis- 
trations, that  (under  the  circumstances)  could 
not  otherwise  have  been  provided  for. 

It  is  a  glorious  institution,  and  deserves  the 
countenance  and  warm  support  of  every  Chris- 
tian and  philanthropist 

FRANKLIN  IRISH, 
Surgeon  in  charge  General  Hospital  No.  2. 


Hospital  No.  1,  1st  Div.  A.  C, 
Chattanooga,  Oct.  25th,  1863. 
It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  I  avail  myself  of 
this  opportunity  to  bear  testimony  to  the  great 
good  aocomphshed  by  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. The  benefits  conferred  upon  the  sick 
and  wounded  by  this  benevolent  institution  are 
far  greater  than  our  friends  at  home  can  imag- 
ine; and  even  laboring  under  the  many  difficul- 
ties by  which  they  are  surrounded,  they  still 
continue  their  good  work. 

Friends  of  the  soldier  and  the  soldier  himself 
should  feel  themselves  as  greatly  benefited  by 
this  Commission;  and  I  heartily  recommend 
that  all  "friends  of  the  soldier  "  co-operate  with 
the  Commission,  and  add  their  help  to  push  on 
the  good  work.  It  is  a  certain  medium  through 
which  the  soldier  receives  many  necessaries  for 
his  comfort,  while  sick  or  wounded. 

By  order.  E.  H.  DUNN, 

Surgeon  in  charge. 
Per  Packaed,  Clerk. 


86 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Ftkt,t>  Hosmtai,,  R.  C, 
Oct.  27ih,  1863. 
TT.  8.  Commission,  Chattanooga,  Tenn.: 

In  behalf  of  the  sturgeons  on  duty  in  this  hos- 
Ifttal,  and  of  the  sici  and  wounded,  I  take  oc- 
casion to  tender  grateful  aoknowledgmeats  for 
the  liberal  contributions  of  sanitary  stores 
which  have  upon  various .  occasions  been  fur- 
nished by  the  Commission  to  those  sick  and 
wounded  not  only  at  Chattanooga,  but  at  other 
points  in  the  sick  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  we  are  cut  off  from 
railroad  commxinication,  and  of  the  almost  im- 
passable condition  of  the  roads,  we  have  been 
surprised  that  such  liberal  contributions  could 
have  been  made.     It  is  a  fact,  however,  evinc- 
ing great  energy  on  the  part  of  the  agents  of 
the  Commission,  showing  them  to  be  living, 
feeling  men,  working  at  the  right  time  and 
place,  and  thus  have  they  been  able  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded. 
Very  respectfully, 
JOSEPH  G.  McPHEETEKS, 
Smrgeon  in  charge  Hospital  B.  C. 


Hospital  No.  1, 
Chattanooga,  Oct.  27th,  1863. 
I  have  had  charge  of  Hospital  No.  1  at  this 
place  since  the  late  battle.  Over  a  thousand  of 
the  wounded  have  been  received  and  treated  as 
well  as  our  limited  supply  would  allow.  Ow- 
ing to  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  transporta- 
tion, the  supplies  of  clothing,  dressings,  and 
suitable  food  was  very  inadequate,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  there  were  some  that  suffered. 
And  I  take  special  pleasure  in  stating  that  if  it 
had  not  been  for  the  timely  donations  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  many  more  would  have 
suffered.  Their  donations  of  delicacies,  dress- 
ings, and  clothing,  were  of  incalculable  benefit 
to  our  wounded.  There  was  not  enough  on 
hand  for  the  men  to  have  a  change;  hence  the 
supply  of  shirts  furnished  by  the  Commission 
was  a  gift  that  was  much  needed  and  deeply 
appreciated.  The  good  deeds  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  will  be  long  remembered  by  the 
suffering  wounded  of  this  hospital,  and  will 
ever  be  appreciated  by 

J.  Y.  FINLET, 
Surgeon  2d  Ky.  Cavalry,  in  charge. 


OrncEKs'  HospiTAii, 
Chattanoooa,  Oct.  2&ik,  1863. 
In  the  midst  of  the  confusion  and  suffering 
immediately  after  the  battle  of  Chickamauga, 


the  Sanitary  Commission  came  nobly  to  the 
rescue;  nourished  the  wounded  and  famished 
soldier,  pillowed  his  weary  head,  and  by  their 
timely  aid  saved  many  valuable  lives. 

C.  C.  BYENE, 
AssistanC  Surgeon  XT.  8.  Army,  in  charge. 

We  commented  in  the  second  number  of 
the  BuiiLBTiN  upon  the  difficulties  -we  had 
to  contend  with  in  the  West  in  obtainipg 
transport,  and'  the  almost  as  great  and  far 
more  provoking  difficulties  arising  out  of 
the  bad  character  of  the  teamsters,  and  the 
lamentable  want  of  proper  control  over 
them  on  the  part  of  the  military  authorities. 
The  following  letter  wiU  help  to  show  the 
energetic  nature  of  the  measures  taken  by 
our  Special  Belief  Agent  at  Chattanooga, 
Mr.  Bead,  to  meet  these  difficulties: 

Chattanooga,  Oef.  20th,  1863. 
F.  E.  Cbast,  Esq.,  Stevenson: 

I  telegraphed  you  last  night  in  regard  to  our 
train,  and  write  this  morning  more  particularly. 

I  have  just  seen  Col.  Hodges,  who  says  you 
will  need  no  further  orders  to  secure  the  20 
wagons  sis  soon  as  you  are  ready  to  load  them, 
and  can  have  them  permanently  until  further 
specific  orders;  thai  the  Sanitary  train  can  be 
attached  to  any  train  coming  through,  and  that 
if  there  should  be  any  difficulty  in  that  respect, 
telegraph  from  Stevenson. 

An  order  was  sent  to  Nashville  last  night, 
directing  two  (2)  car-loads  of  Sanitary  stores  to 
be  forwarded  at  once,  and  after  that,  all  that 
could  be,  and  never  less  than  half  a  ear-load 
per  day,  that  will  keep  us  moving.  For  fear 
my  letters  may  not  have  reached  you,  I  would 
repeat  my  previous  suggestions,  that  the  whole 
twenty  wagons  be  loaded  at  once  with  edibles, 
ten  with  vegetables  if  you  have  them,  or  with 
the  amount  of  ten  wagons,  making  each  load  as 
near  1,200 lbs.  as  you  can,never  over  1,400.  This 
may  be  arranged  by  mixing  the  leading  dried 
fruits  and  vegetables  in  the  same  wagon,  adding 
to  the  vegetables  and  dried  fruit  all  the  butter, 
ale,  stimulants,  farinaceous  delicacies,  codfish, 
oysters,  milk,  beef,  &c.,  &c.,  you  can,  taking 
an  inventory 'of  the  contents  of  each  wagon,  its 
number,  and  the  name  of  the  driver;  if  you 
have  them,  give  each  driver  a  few  vegetables. 
Secure,  if  you  can,  soldiers  or  enlisted  men  as 
drivers,  not  citizens,  and  tell  Pocook,  if  neces- 
sary, to  shoot  the  first  man  caught  stealing. 

It  is  essential  that  he  accompany  the  train 
through,  never  leaving  it  tiU  it  reaches  our  rorms. 
WheiLhe  eets  this  side  the  mountains,  let  him 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


87 


send  a  message  by  the  couriers  who  will  be 
passing  him,  stating  where  he  is,  and  when  he 
will  probably  be  in.  Telegraph  when  the  train 
starts,  and  keep  them  stirred  up  at  the  North, 
so  that  there  shall  never  be  a  want  of  stores  to 
load  the  train. 

If  surgeons  make  requisitions  from  here,  ei- 
ther in  hospitals  or  with  regiments,  furnish 
them  with  clothing  and  hospital  dressings  as 
liberally  as  you  can. 

*****  • 

Dr.  Newberry  writes  on  the  same  sub- 
ject: 

We  liad  the  entire  and  hearty  co-operation  of 
the  military  and  medical  authorities,  and  yet 
were,  of  course,  compelled  to  share  with  them 
the  ine-ritable  necessities  by  which  they  were 
controlled.  More  than  our  share  of  transporta- 
tion was  granted  at  once,  and  when  our  first 
train  of  seventeen  loaded  wagons  were  included 
in  the  destruction  of  the  three  hundred  loaded 
with  Grovermnent  stores,  another  train  of  twenty 
wagons  was  ordered  for  us,  and  from  that  time 
to  the  opening  of  the  river  we  fully  shared  all 
the  resources  of  the  military  and  medical  au- 
thorities. On  the  first  trip  of  the  steamboat,  by 
the  authority  of  Gen.  Meigs  himself,  who  was 
there,  we  were  allowed  to  make  up  a  liberal 
share  of  its  load,  and  from  that  time  to  this,  by 
special  and  comprehensive  orders,  we  have 
been  furnished  with  a  regular  allotment  of 
transportation  of  a  car-load  a  day  from  Nash- 
ville to  Chattanooga.  From  here  we  forwarded 
aU  and  more  than  could  by  any  possibilUy  reach  the 
scene  of  suffering.  In  addition  to  the  very  lib- 
eral stock  held  in  reserve  at  Nashville  and  be- 
low previous  to  the  battle,  we  have  since  for- 
warded there  over  5,000  packages. 


THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  AND 
THE  CHRISTIAN  COMMISSION. 
We  have  taken  from  the  outset  all  pos- 
sible pains  to  prevent  any  misapprehension 
as  to  the  relations  existing  between  our- 
selves and  the  Christian  Commission. 
What  these  relations  are  and  ought  to  be, 
is  clearly  pointed  out  in  the  following- 
letter  of  instructions  to  our  Inspectors,  is- 
sued last  December: 

Centeai  Oeeice,  Sanitakt  Commission, 
Washington,  Sec.  16Ui,  1862. 
To  each  Iru^peclor  of  the  Sanitary  (hmmission: 

The  Christian  Commission  isabody  designed 
to  supplement  and  assist  the  chaplain  service  of 


the  Army  and  Navy,  as  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion does  the  medical  service.  Its  accredited 
agents  in  the  field  are  termed  "Delegates  of 
the  Christian  Commission;"  they  distribute 
books  and  tracts,  and  also  give  spiritual  coun- 
sel verbally.  The  Secretary  of  the  Christian 
Commission  has  expressed  the  wish  that  their 
attention  should  not  be  distracted  from  this, 
their  ordinary  duty,  by  undertaking  personally 
the  distribution  of  supplies.  It  is  not  consid- 
ered best  that  they  should  attempt  to  perform 
their  ordinary  duty,  however,  during  the  tu- 
mult resulting  from  battles,  and  it  is  desired 
that  they  should  be  employed  in  giving  such 
assistance  as  they  can  in  the  measures  taken 
for  the  saving  of  life  and  mitigation  of  the  suf- 
fering of  the  wounded  on  these  occasions.  It 
is  proposed  that  they  should,  for  this  purpose, 
act  at  such  times  under  the  advice  of  the  Medi- 
cal Of&cers  of  the  Commission. 

You  are  therefore  instructed,  whenever  the 
delegates  of  the  Christian  Commission  offer  to 
give  you  their  aid  for  battle-field  relief  opera- 
tions, or  in  other  emergencies,  to  accept  it 
gratefully;  and,  for  the  time  being,  you  wiU  deal 
with  them,  as  far  as  possible,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  you  would  if  each  individual  had  been 
sent  to  you  for  special  battie-field  duty  by  ofl- 
cers  of  the  Commission. 

You  are  also  instructed  at  all  times  to  give 
special  attention  to  the  representations  of  the 
accredited  agents  of  the  Christian  Commission 
with  regard  to  the  wants  of  the  hospitals,  and 
will  meet  those  wants  to  the  extent  of  the  means 
at  your  control  as  far  as  possible,  oonsistentiy 
with  a  just  prospective  regard  for  the  wants  of 
others. 

FEED.  LAW  OLMSTED, 

General  Secretary. 

We  know  of  nothing  calculated  to  create 
an  impression  that  the  course  here  traced 
out  has  since  been  departed  from  either  by 
the  agents  of  the  Christian  Commission  or 
by  our  own;  nor  do  we  know  of  anything 
that  ought  to  lead  anybody  to  suppose  that 
'two  such  organizations  cannot  work  usefully 
side  by  side;  more  usefully,  in  fact,  side  by 
side  than  singly  or  apart.  It  is  not  always 
necessary,  however,  that  false  impressions 
should  have  foundation  in  fact  in  order  to 
obtain  currency.  We  heard  the  other  day 
that  the  salaries  paid  to  the  agents  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  California  alone 
amounted  to  $40,000  annually;  the  fact 
being  that  we  have  never  had  an  agent  in 
California,   and  consequently  no  salaries 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


863.) 


have  ever  been  drawn,  though  we  have 
received  immense  donations  from  that  State 
with  little  or  no  solicitation.  Reports 
equally  baseless  axe  frequently  put  in  eir- 
eulation  as  to  a  conflict  of  interests  and  of 
aims  between  us  and  the  Christian  Com- 
mission, and  we  shall  probably  be  compelled 
to  recur  to  the  subject  occasionally  for  the 
purpose  of  correcting  them. 

The  following  letter  shows  the  nature  of 
the  feeling  existing  between  the  two  bodies 
in  the  West: 

U.  S.  Christian  Commession, 
Bbanch  Offige, 
Nashvtt.t.t;,  Jvly  23,  1863, 
De.  J.  S.  Newbeket, 

Sec'y  West'n  Dep't  XT.  S.  Saniian/  Gomndsskm, 
Zcuismlle: 

My  Beab  Sm — I  desire,  on  behalf  of  the 
Christian  Commission,  to  render  grateful  ac- 
knowledgment for  the  imiform,  generous  and 
cordial  co-operation  of  yourself  and  the  agents 
of  your  Commission  in  our  wort  of  bringing 
spiritual  comforts  and  blessings  to  the  soldiers. 
But  for  your  assistance  at  the  first,  and  its 
continuance  aU  along,  our  work  would  have 
been  greatly  impeded  in  the  ai-my  of  the  Cum- 
berland. 

Also  in  my  recent  trip  to  Vicksburg,  in  the 
service  of  the  Christian  Commission,  I  was  at  all 
points  kindly  received  and  materially  aided  by 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  My  own  feelings — 
that  the  work  of  both  Commissions,  though 
wrought  in  different  departments,  should  be 
entirely  co-operative — were  fully  reciprocated 
by  your  agents  at  Cairo,  Memphis,  and  on  the 
Barge  on  Yazoo  Kiver. 

My  observations  of  your  work  on  that  Barge 
were  very  pleasant.  I  saw  stores  dispensed  to 
needy  apphcants  most  freely,  and  in  surprising 
quantity  and  variety;  and  when  I  got  back  to 
the  Bluffs,  where  the  sick  and  wounded  were 
coming  into  the  division  hospitals,  I  found  bed- 
ding with  your  mark,  dried  and  canned  fruit, 
and  lemons  and  chickens,  which  could  have 
been  furnished  from  no  other  source.  I  knew  / 
^at,  without  the  timely  help  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  there  would  have  been  destitution, 
and  consequent  suffering,  in  many  of  those  hos- 
pitals. 

I  want  to  bear  testimony  to  the  noble  Chris- 
tian philanthropy  of  the  men  in  charge  of  your 
Commission  in  that  department.  I  am  persuaded 
they  could  not  do  that  work  from  unworthy 
motives.  Money  could  not  procure  such  services 
as  you  are  receiving,  for  instance,  from  Dr. 
Warriner  at  Vicksburg. 


Every  week's  experience  in  my  army  work, 
bringing  me  among  the  camps  and  through  the 
hospitals,  and  giving  an  opportunity,  which  I 
always  improve,  to  look  in  at  the  different  quar- 
ters of  your  Commission,  leads  me  to  a  contin- 
ually higher  estimate  of  the  work  you  have  on 
hand.  I  am  satisfied  that  your  system  of  dis- 
tributing hospital  supplies  is  the  correct  one. 
Such  large  contributions  as  the  people  are  mak- 
ing cannot  be  handed  over  to  the  army  on  any 
volunteer  system,  unless  it  be  for  a  few  days 
amid  the  emergencies  of  a  severe  battle.  A 
business  involving  such  expenditure  would  be 
intrusted  by  a  business  man  only  to  permanent 
and  responsible  agents. 

That  among  all  your  employfe  there  should 
be  no  unworthy  man,  is  more  than  a  reasonable 
mind  can  ask.  The  Christian  Commission  and 
the  Christian  Church  would  go  down  under  that 
test. 

Let  me  close  this  letter  of  thanks,  my  dear 
brother,  with  my  daily  prayer — a  prayer  which 
I  learned  in  your  Soldiers'  Home  in  Louisville, 
and  have  often  repeated  since  in  the  Soldiers' 
E,est  at  Memphis,  on  the  Barge  in  Tazoo  River, 
in  the  division  hospitals  under  the  guns  of 
Vicksburg,  in  the  Nashville  Home  and  Store- 
room, and  in  the  camps  and  hospitals  at  Mur- 
freesboro' ;  a  prayer  fresh  on  my  lips,  as  I  have 
just  come  from  seeing  wounded  and  typhoid 
patients  at  Tullahoma  and  Winqhester  lifted 
from  rough  blankets  and  undressed  from  the 
soiled  clothes  of  march  and  battle,  and  laid  in 
your  clean  sheets  and  shirts  upon  your  comfort- 
able quilts  and  pilows— a  prayer  in  which  every 
Christian  heart  in  the  land  wiU  yet  join — God 
bless  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Most  cordially  yours, 

EDW.  P.  SMITH, 
Field  Agent,  U.  S.  Christian  Commissum. 

A  stm  fuller  explanation  of  the  relations 
of  the  two  bodies  is  afforded  by  the  follow- 
ing letter: 

U.  S.  Santtabt  Commission,         ) 
823  Bboadwat,        [ 
New  Yokk,  November  19th,  1863.  ) 
Eev.  Db.  Hawes: 

'Rev.  and  Deae  Sir— A  mutual  acquaintance 
having  informed  me  that  you  had  made  inquiry 
as  to  the  relations  existing  between  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  and  its  colleague  and  co- 
worker, the  U.  S.  Christian  Commission,  and  as 
to  the  different  modes  of  work  of  the  two  bodies, 
I  venture  to  make  to  you  the  following  state- 
ments: 

I  speak  first  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  Its 
functions  are  two-fold.     First,  in  the  discharge 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


89 


of  the  duty  imposed  by  its  charter  from  the 
'  President  of  the  United  States,  of  inquiry  and 
advice  in  respect  to  the  sanitary  interests  of  the 
United  States  forces,  it,  as  the  ground  of  its 
efforts  to  prevent  disease  in  the  army,  inspects 
the  condition  of  camps,  barracks,  transports, 
and  hospitals,  and  makes  report  of  deficiencies 
which  are  remediable  to  medical  and  military 
officers,  and  to  Heads  of  the  Governmental  ad- 
ministration,  when  necessary.     Being  by  its 
charter  placed  on  a  confidential  footing  with  the 
official  bureaux  of  the  Government,  it  has  thus 
been  enabled  to  secure  considerable  reforms 
affecting  the  health  and  efficiency  of  the  National 
Army.     It  also  prints  and  circulates  in  the 
army,  in  large  numbers,  treatises,  prepared  for 
it  by  eminent  medical  men,  on  the  chief  sources 
of  sickness  in  armies,  and  the  means  of  avoiding 
and  treating  them.  In  these  and  in  many  other 
ways  the  Commission  does  much  to  prevent 
disease  in  the  army — a   better    service   than 
relieving  it.      Secondly — recognizing  the  fact 
that  the  most  liberal  and  thoughtful  Govern- 
ment must,  in  time  of  war,  by  the  checks  re- 
stricting its  issues  for  the  comfort  of  its  troops 
— checks  rendered  necessary  to  prevent  fraud 
and  secure  aocountability — still,  whatever  its 
liberality  and  prevision,  leave  unrelieved  much 
suffering — it  seeks  to  be  the  minister  of  the 
people's  bounty  to  those  who  are  the  victims  of 
this  exceptional  working  of  the  Governmental 
machinery.     It  also  aims  to  relieve,  wherever 
.   it  can,  the  unavoidable  suffering  attendant  on 
battles  and  the  rapid  movements  of  armies; 
(e.  jr.,  at  the  sudden  evacuation  of  the  line  from 
Falmouth  to  Aquia  Creek,  iij  June,  the  Com- 
mission's agents  at  the  latter  place  were  called 
upon,  within  two  or  three  days,  to  feed  and 
otherwise  comfort  8,000  sick  in  transit  to  the 
hospitals  at  Washington.) 

It  also  gathers  into  temporary  "Homes"  and 
"  Lodges"  the  estrays  of  the  army,  discharged 
men,  soldiers  on  furlough  with  defective  papers 
which  obstruct  their  movements,  and  affords 
to  each  the  aid  his  necessity  requires,  taking 
good  care  that  it  harbors  no  deserters,  or  only 
for  the  purpose  of  returning  them  to  service. 

These  ends  it  accomplishes  through  the  bounty 
of  the  public,  wherever  the  National  Armies  go 
or  the  nation's  sick  are  gathered. 
•  It  exercised  its  functions  to-day  in  Kansas, 
in  Arkansas,  at  Chattanooga,  all  along  the  Mis- 
sissippi, from  Cairo  to  New  Orleans,  on  the 
Eio  Grande,  amid  the  baleful  swamps  of  Lou- 
isiana, in  the  trenches  before  Charleston,  in 
Florida  and  North  Carolina,  on  the  peninsula 
of  Virginia,  on  the  margin  of  the  Kapidan,  witfti 


our  recently  starved  and  prison-marked,  now 
paroled  and  dying  brothers  at  Annapolis,  and 
on  the  flag-of-truce  boats,  where  first  they 
realize  the  value  of  a  friend  in  need — on  every 
battle-field  and  in  every  hospital  claiming  its 
succor.  It  seeks  not  only  to  comfort  the 
individual,  but,  by  its  union  of  preventive  and 
alleviative  efforts,  it  effects  the  invigoration  of 
the  national  arm,  and  adds  to  the  national 
strength. 

In  its  ministrations  it  knows  no  State  lines, 
and  recognizes  in  the  national  uniform  only  the 
soldier  of  the  nation. 

It  has  thus  far  effected  the  objects  above 
mentioned  through  an  organization  constantly 
improved  by  experience;  and  now,  in  the  latter 
half  of  its  third  year,  points  to  a  great  army  of 
witnesses  to  its  beneficence  in  proof  that  it  has 
earned  and  justified  the  public  confidence  so 
generously  granted  to  it.  In  the  future,  as  in 
the  past,  it  must  depend  for  its  power  for  use- 
fulness on  the  free-will  contributions  of  money 
to  its  treasury,  and  of  supplies  of  hospital  food 
and  clothing  to  its  storehouse. 

Such  is  an  imperfect  sketch  of  the  objects  and 
methods  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

The  U.  S.  Christian  Commission  is  under- 
stood to  be  "a  body  designed  to  supplement 
the  chaplain  service  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  as 
the  Sanitary  Commission  does  the  medical 
service."  It  brings  to  our  troops  in  camp 
and  hospital,  in  the  persons  of  its  Delegates, 
spiritual  counsel  and  consolation,  and  seeks  to 
promote  in  the  army  the  religious  life  which 
struggles  there  against  such  fearful  odds.  Yet, 
in  ministering  to  the  soul,  it  does  not  despise 
its  tabernacle,  but  accompanies  its  visits,  and 
its  gifts  of  religious  books  and  papers,  with  the 
bestowal  of  food  and  raiment  for  the  suffering 
body. 

This,  however,  is  u,  duty  subsidiary  to  the 
prime  one  of  religious  ministration,  and  more 
than  one  officer  of  the  Christian  Commission 
has  expressed  his  anxiety  lest  it  should  distract 
the  mind  of  their  delegates  from  their  ordinary 
duties.  It  must  be  evident,  however,  that  to 
some  extent  it  all  the  better  prepares  the  way 
for  the  cordial  reception  of  their  offices. 

It  may  thus  be  seen  that,  while  each  of  the 
bodies  above  mentioned  engages,  to  some  de- 
gree, in  the  work  especially  characteristic  of 
the  other,  (for  the  Sanitary  Commission  .dis- 
tributes annually  tons  of  religious  and  miscel- 
laneous reading  matter,  and  the  army  chaplains, 
of  whatever  denomination,  will  tell  you  that 
they  have  found  it  no  languid  auxiliary  to  their 
work, )  yet  that  it  has,  by  virtue  of  its  animating 


90 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


principle,  an  essentially  distinct  work.  The 
■work  of  neither  can  be  left  tmdone.  It  cannot 
be  given  to  another.  Need  we  doubt  that  the 
Inspirer  of  all  good  thoughts  and  deeds  has,  by 
the  ordering  of  His  providence,  allotted  to  each 
its  proper  work?  Far  be  the  thought  that 
either  would  desire  aught  but  blessing  for  the 
other ! 

And  practically  I  do  not  find  in  the  army  any 
conflict  in  our  respective  spheres.  There  is 
more  than  enough  for  us  all  to  do,  each  in  his 
allotted  place.  Both  in  the  armies  on  the 
coast  and  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  the  repre- 
sentatives of  each  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
exchanging  offices  of  courtesy,  and  maintain 
cordial  personal  relations.  It  is  chiefly,  I  sus- 
pect, in  the  home  field  that  there  now  and  then 
appears  to  be  a  seeming  rivalry.  Until  the 
millennium  dawns  we  shall  all,  I  doubt  not,  have 
more  or  less  of  partisan  feeling  enlisted  for  our 
especial  work,  magnifying  its  claims,  and  de- 
manding that  they  shall  engross  public  atten- 
tion. The  susceptibilities  of  our  friends  take 
alarm  lest  we  hold  not  our  proper  rank  in  the 
public  esteem,  and  hence  what  may  be  an 
honorable  jealousy  for  our  respective  projects. 

I  cannot  believe  that  the  governing  boards  of 
either  the  Sanitary  or  Christian  Commission 
have  any  such  unbecoming  fear.  The  loyal 
public  which  supports  the  National  Govern- 
ment will  not  neglect  either  while  it  discharges 
its  work  vrith  zealj  economy,  and  discretion. 
It  will  give  to  each  its  alms  and  its  prayers,  and 
stay  not  any  effort  to  hasten  the  time  when  the 
need  for  each  shall  be  done  away. 

I  send  to  you  herewith,  in  support  of  what  I 
have  written,,  and  illustrative  of  the  work  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  a  collection  of  docu- 
ments, among  which  I  would  especially  call 
your  attention  to  the  letter  of  instructions  to  the 
Inspectors  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  written 
in  1862,  by  Fred.  Law  Olmsted,  Esq.,  General 
Secretary;  and  to  the  letter  of  Eev.  Edw.  P. 
Smith,  Field  Agent  of  the  U.  S.  Christian  Com- 
mission in  the  West.  (BanUary  Reporter,  Aug. 
15, 1863,  p.  54.)  Mr.  Olmsted's  letter  was  writ- 
ten after  a  very  cordial  and  mutually  satisfac- 
(bry  interchange  of  opinion  between  prominent 
ofSxiers  of  the  two  Commissions,  and  as  the 
partial  expression  of  a  compact  made  between 
them  as  to  their  respective  labors. 

The  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  considers  the 
obligations  it  assumed  as  still  binding,  and  so, 
from  time  to  time,  instructs  those  serving  it. 

I  could  wish  that  what  I  have  written  might 
move  you,  and  perchance  others,  to  a  still  more 
systematic  support  of  both  of  these  organized 
expressions  of  the  Christian  philanthropy  of  our 


people;  and  in  the  hope  that  it  can  in  no  way 
diminish  the  wide-spread  sympathy  for  either, 
I  am,  Eev.  Sir,  with  high  regard, 
KespectfuUy  yours, 

J.  FOSTER  JENKINS, 
General  Secretary. 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOBK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


President. 
Libtjt.-Gen.  WINPIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents . 

Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAL  DUPONT. 
BUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
KOBT.  B.  MINTUBN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

Hon.  E.  D.  morgan. 

"  GEORGE  OPDYKE. 

"  HIRAM  BARNEY. 

"  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN. 

Eev.  H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D. 

Ma.  JOHN  JACOB  ASTOE. 

"  JAMES  BEOWN. 

"  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL. 

"  JAS.  GALLATIN. 

"  HOWARD  POTTER. 

"  WM.  E.  DODGE,  Jb. 

"  THEODORE  EOOSEYELT. 

"  PETEE  COOPER. 

"  GEORGE  BANCROFT. 

"  DANIEL  LORD. 

"  WILSON  G.  HUNT. 

"  EOBT.  L.  STUAET. 

«  ALFRED  PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENBY  GEEENEIELD,  Seo'y, 
35  Chambbbs  Stebbt, 
New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bo  icnii/,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the,  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  andtheir 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


91 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  wiih  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation, were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

P.  L.  Olmsted. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.X).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

G.  W.  Cullom,  U.  S.  A. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  V.  S.  A. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  K.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Bt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
Hon.  B,.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Fenn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Bogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
officers: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Tice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the 
Hospitals  in  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Carolina,  South  Caro- 
lina, Florida  and  Louisiana,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,'  Washington,  D.  C. " 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. " 

For  the  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  the  New  England  States,  address  "Office 
Women's  Central  Union,  No.  10  Cooper  Insti- 
tute, New  York." 

For  the  Hespitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  address 
"Office  Sanitai-y  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all-  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be 
given,  and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from. 
K  the  application  is  by  letter,  the  'answer  will 
be  sent  by  return  of  mail;  if  in  person,  it  ■will 
be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  an- 
swer will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  in- 
quirer's expense. 

_^^~  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen;  ed- 
itors, and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause 
of  humanity  more  efi'ectually  than  by  frequently 
and  widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the 
above,  among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing,  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga— its.  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  oases. 
The  following  is  a  Ust  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  looahties, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  CommisBion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  Ml. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ofeio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubuc  for 
the  means  of  sustaming  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasiu'y  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Supenntendent,  Bev.  F.  K.  Knapp,  WasMng- 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B".  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimoi^e  Bailroad  Depot,  Wash* 
ington,  D.  C. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13tli  and  14th  Streets. 

liOdge  No.  5,  Mainland  Avenue,  near  Ballroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  T>,  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Oin- 
cinnati,  Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI. — C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers*  Home,  Louisville,  Ky, — James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Behef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  NashviUe,  Tenn. — ^L.  Ci'ane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Behef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.-^O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss. — T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AGENCY  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William.  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  J>.  C, 

HOSPITAL    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York — Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'— Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITABY  STEAMEItS. 

Mississippi  River— Clara  Bell;  Cumberland  Elver — 
NewDunleith;  Potomac  Biver— Elizabeth. 


92 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


STEINWAY  &  SONS' 


GRAND,  SQUARE  AND  UPRIGHT 


are  now  acknowledged  the  best  instruments  in  •  America,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  having 
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awarded  a 

FIRST    PRIZE    MEDAL 


at  the  Principal  Fairs  held  in  this  country  within  the-  last  seven  years;  and  in  addition 
thereto,  they  were  awarded  a 


AT  THE 


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IN  LONDON,  1862, 

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WITH  EXCELLENCE  OF  WOEKMANSHIP  AS  SHOWN  IN  GRAND  AND  SQUAEB 

:]F»  X  ^fik  3CV  O  SI  « 

There  were  269  Pianos,  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  entered  for  competition,  and  the 
special  correspondent  of  the  Times  says: 

"  Messrs.  Steinways'  endorsement  by  the  Jurors  is  emphatic,  and  stronger,  and  more 
to  the  point,  than  that  of  any  European  maker. 

"  This  greatest  triumph  of  American  Pianofortes  in  England  has  caused  a  sensation  in 
musical  circles  throughout  the  continent,  and  as  a  result  the  Messrs.  SrEiNWAYare  in  con- 
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Every  Pianoforte  Warranted  for  Five  Years. 

"W^arerooras  at  present, 
Nos.  82  &  84  WALKER  STREET. 

-A^fter  Febriaary  1st,  1864, 

At  71  &  73  East  14th  Street, 

A  few  doors  Bast  of  Union  Square, 


The  Sanitary ,  Commission  BuUetin. 


93 


OSBORN'S 

PREPARED 


Warranted  Superior  to  any  in  the  Market. 

ftim  Bi  Ctits  fm  Pwila 

Prepared  and  put  up  only  by 

LEWIS  A.  OSBORN, 

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NEW  YOKK. 

RECENT  lySILITARY  WORKS, 

PUBLISHED   BY 

D.  VAN  KOSTRAKD,  192  BROADWAY,  New  York. 


CAVALET— ITS  HISTOEY,  MAlTAGSMENT,  ANB 
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HINTS  ON  THE  PRESERVATION  OF  HEALTH  IN 
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MANUAL  OF  INSTEtJCTlONS  FOR  MILITARY  StJE- 

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atid  those  for  the  formation  of  the  Invalid  Corps,  &c., 
&-c.  Prepared  at  the  request  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
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MAKTT.iL  FOR  QUARTERMASTERS  AND  COMMIS- 
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Vouchers,  Abstracts,  Returhs,  &Ci,  embracing  all  the 
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94  The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 

im  NEW  AlHERICAllf  CYClOPiEWA. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO., 

PUBLISH  THE  NEW  AMERICAN  CYCLOPJIDIA, 
A  Popular  Dictionary  of  General  Knowledge, 

Edited  by  G-EORG-E  RIPLEY  and  CHARLES  A.  DANA. 

Aided  by  a  numerous  Select  Corps  of  writers,  in  all  Branches  of  Science,  Art,  and  Literature, 

In  16  LARGE  VOLUMES,  8vo,  750  double-oolumn  Pages  in  each  Volume. 

Among  the  large  Ijist  of  Contributors  who  have  furnished  Articles,  embracing  several 
hundred  names,  we  append  the  following : 


Hon.  George  Bancroft,  New  York. 

Hon.  Edward  Everett,  LL.  D.,  Boston. 

George  Ticknor,  LL.  D.,  Boston. 

William  Gilmore  Simms,  LL.  D.,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

Prof.  TheopMlus  Parsons,  LL.  D.,  Harvard  nniversity. 

Hon.  E.  G.  Squier,  New  York. 

John  Esten  Cooke,  Esq.,  Richmond,  Va. 

John  W.  Draper,  M.  D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Draper,  M.  D.,  New  York. 

Balph  Waldo  Emerson,  Esq.,  Boston. 

Prot  Jas.  D.  Dana,  LL.  D.,  Yale  College. 

C.  C.  Feltoa,  LL.  D. 

Charles  L.  Flint,  Esq. 

M^or-G«neral  William  B,  Franklin,  U.  S.  A. 

John  W.  Francis,  M.  D.  i 

Prof.  Josiah  W.  Gibbs,  LL.  D.,  New  Haven. 

Prof.  Henry  Goadby,  M.  D.,  Michigan  Universify. 

Prof.  Charles  C.  Haokley,  D.  D.,  Providence. 

lUchard  Hildreth,  Esq.,  U.  S.  Consul  to  Trieste. 

J.  C.  G.  Kennedy,  Esq.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

WUliam  C.  Prime,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Hon.  William  H.  Seward,  Washington. 


Prof.  B.  Silllman,  Jr.,  New  Haven. 

CoL  T.  B.  Thorpe,  New  Orleans. 

Henry  T.  Tuckerman,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Richard  Grant  White,  New  York. 

Prof.  E.  L.  Youmans,  New  York. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Cummings,  D.  D. 

Chas.  King,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Columbia  College. 

Prof.  A.  D.  Bache,  Sup't  U.  S.  Coast  Survey,  Wash. 

Edward  Brown-Sequard,  M.  D.,  London. 

Prof.  James  RusseU  Lowell,  Cambridge. 

George  Schedel,  Esq. 

Prof  Alexander  J.  Schem. 

Hon.  Francis  Schroeder,  Astor  Library. 

Prof.  Henry  B.  Smith,  D.  D.,  New  York. 

Rev.  William  B.  Sprague,  D.  D.,  Albany. 

Hon.  Wm.  Kent. 

Hon.  George  S.  HTUard,  Boston. 

Heniy  William  Herbert,  Esq.,  (Frank  Forrester.) 

Rev.  Samuel  Osgood,  B.  D. 

Rov.  Henry  N.  Hudson,  Litchfield,  Conn. 

Rev.  Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.  D. 

Rev.  Thomas  O.  Summers,  Nashville. 


R-om  Harper's  MoniUy. 
"We  consider  that  we  are  fully  warranted  in  saying  that,  for  all  the  practical  purposes  for 
which  such  a  work  is  designed,  the  New  Ameeican  0T0L0P.SDLi  is,  beyond  all  comparison  the  best 
in  our  language."  ' 

From  the  New  York  Timfs. 
"It  is  a  work  written  by  Americans  for  Americans.     It  proffers  them  the  knowledge  thev 
most  require,  selected  and  arranged  by  those  who  are  competent  to  the  task,  because  they  them- 
selves had  experienced  the  want  they  now  endeavor  to  supply." 

From  the  Boston  TraveUer. 
"  The  New  Ameeican  Cyolop2edia  is,  indeed,  a  publication  that  speaks  highly  JFor  the  enter- 
prise, the  skill  and  the  learning  of  the  men  who  planned  it,  and  who  have  carried  it  through  to 
completion  in  less  than  six  years,  in  a  manner  which  deserves  much  praise." 

From  the  Atlantic  Monthly. 
"The  promises  of  the  editors  on  the  score  of  impartiality  have  been  weU  kept" 

PRICE    OF    THE    WORK. 

In  Extra  Cloth,  per  vol $3  SO 

In  Library  Leather,  per  vol '.'.'.".".*.".... 4  00 

In  half  Turkey  Morocco,  black,  per  vol ..'. .  [ '.  \ ....'.'..'. 4  50 

In  Half  Eussia,  extra  gilt,  per  vol. ...'....'.' 5  00 

In  Full  Morocco,  antique,  gilt  edges,  per  vol ."......'."  i  []  | 6  00 

In  Full  Kussia ". 6  00 

The  price  of  the  work  will,  for  the  present,  remain  as  above,  but  if  there  shall  be  anv  ereat 
advance  in  paper  and  matenal  the  price  must  be  increased.  To  prevent  disappointment,  orders 
should  be  at  once  forwarded  to  the  publishers  or  to  the  agents  of  the  work  in  different  parts  of  th« 
oountry. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  SuUetin. 


95 


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96 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


MASON  &  HAMLIN'S 


O  ]SFE 

to 

TWELVE 


S85 

to 
S500 

Each.. 


Are  to  Smaller  ChurGhes  and  Halls  and  Private  Residences  what  the 
Larger  Pipe  Organs  are  to  Larger  Churches  and  Halls. 

Introduced  about  one  year  since,  they  have  been  'received  by  the  profession  with  the 
greatest  favor,  and  are  universally  recognized  as  embodying  very  Important  Im- 
provements over  all  other  Instruments  of  their  Class.    Their  value  is  en- 
■  hanced  from  the  fact  that  they  occupy  little  room,  are  elegant  as  pieces  of  furniture,  and 
are  not  liable  to  get  out  of  order. 


IVCJ^SON"   &  HAMLIN" 

CONTINUE  THE 

IViANUFAOTURE    OF    I^ELOOEOE^S, 

for  v?hich  they  have  invariably  taken  the  First  Premium  when  exhibited  m  competi- 
tion with  others. 


"I  congratulate  you  on  the  introduction  of  a  new  musical  instrument,"  long  wanted, 
and  sure  to  find  its  way  into  every  household  of  taste  and  refinement  which  can  possibly 
afford  its  moderate  expense. "  Your  CABINET  ORGAN  is  truly  a  charming  instniment, 
worthy  of  the  high  praise  it  has  received,  and  far  superior  to  everything  of  its  class  I  have 
seen.  I  take  pleasure  in  commending  it  most  heartily,  as  everywhere  worthy  a  place  be- 
side the  Pianoforte,  to  which  it  is  a  fine  complement,  from  its  capacity  for  rendering  much 
delightful  music,  sacred  and  secular,  classic  and  popular,  to  which  the  Piano  is  not 
adapted.  GOTTSCHALK. 

"New  YoEK,  Sept.  22,  1863." 

"We  regard  the  Instruments  of  Mason  &  Hamlin  as  the  best  of  their  class  of  which  we 
have  any  knowledge,  and  take  pleasure  in  recommending  their  CABINET  (JEGANS  es- 
pecially, as  very  admirable  and  desirable  for  both  private  and  public  nse."^Signed  by 
more  than  one  hundred  of  the  most  eminent  organists  and  artists  in  the  country. 

m-  FOR  PARTICULARS,  SEE  ILLUSTRATED  CATALOGUE.  °^ 

Warerooffls,  274  WASHINGTON  ST.,  Boston,  and  5  &  7  MERCER  ST,,  New  York. 
Address  DIASOX  &  HAMLIN,  Boston;  or,  MASON  BROTHERS,  New  York. 


MaU,  Clayton  &  Medole,  Prin 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vo£.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  DECEMBER  15,  1863. 


No.  4. 


The  Sanitabt  Commission  Btjli/Etin  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous 
•or  other,  of  aftooe  12,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
nnv^ually  valuable  inediumfor  advertising. 

All  communications  must  hi  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,  and 
must  be  authenticgfed  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

METKOPOLITAN  FAIR  AT  NEW  TOKK, 

WITH  HINTS  ITBOM  THE  CTKCCNNATI  FAIB,  TOB  THE 
BENEPir  OF  THEIE  BEiNCH  OF  THE  V.  S.  SAUITABY 
COMMISSION. 

We  have  just  seen  Josiali  Kirby,  Esq.,  a 
respected  and  influential  citizen  of  Cincin- 
nati, and  secretary,  if  we  mistake  not,  of 
tlie  "National  Union  Association,"  a  loyal 
political  body,  to  wbose  immense  exertions 
is  due  the  recent  entire  revolution  in  the 
Ohio  vote.  The  well-known  and  respected 
judge,  Edward  Woodruff,  is  the  president 
of  this  National  Union  Association,  and 
lends  it  all  the  weight  of  his  character.  In 
this  association  originated  the  idea  and  the 
inception  of  a  great  fair  for  the  benefit  of 
the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  in  which 
Cincinnati,  in  a  holy  emulation,  should 
endeavor  to  eclipse  the  splendid  example 
set  by  Chicago,  from  whom,  however,  can- 
not be  takes  away  the  glory  of  being  first 
in  the  field,  and  of  having  won  the  first 
victory  with  unfading  laurels. 
The  Cin^nnati  Eair,  on  the  model,  some- 
.  what  enlarged,  of  the  North- Western  Eair, 
js  to  take  place  during  the  ten  days  from 
the  2l8t  of  December  to  the  1st  of  January; 
two  great  dates,  the  first  being  the  anni- 
versary of  the  actual  landing  of  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers  on  Plymouth  Bock,  and  the 
second  the  opening  of  a  new  year.  Eumo:^s 
Vol.  L— No.  4.  7 


reach  us  that  the  who]*  City  and  State  is 
astir  with  active  sympathies,  and  that  every- 
body is  prepared,  first,  to  give  something; 
second,  to  buy  something;  third,  to  give 
back  what  they  buy;^and  fourth,  to  buy 
something  more,  and  keep  it !  All  classes, 
occupations,  trades — ^both  sexes  and  all 
ages — are  at  work  preparing  for  this  great 
and  humane  occasion.  And  it  is  expected 
that  the  results  will  be  as  much  greater  in 
a  pecuniaiy  respect,  (greater  as  a  patriotic 
expression  they  cannot  be,)  as  Cincinnati 
is  older  than  Chicago,  and  Ohio,  young 
and  blooming  mother  of  Western  States,  ia 
more  wealthy  than  Illinois,  or  Wisconsin 
and  Minnesota.  We  shall  wait  with  deep 
interest  to  see  this  difficult  feat  of  beating 
the  North- West  performed. 

We  hear  that  the  working  man  is  Mr.  Ed- 
gar Conklin,  chairman  of  the  Exec.  Com- 
mittee of  the  "Sanitary  Fair  Association," 
(for  this  is  the  baptismal  name  which  the 
National  Union  Association  gave  their 
child,  which  is  now  adopted  by  Ohio. 
John  D.  Caldwell,  of  Cincinnati,  is  the 
secretary.  Gen.  Eosecrans  is  the  highly 
ornamental  and  eminently  useful  president 
of  the  Fair,  lending  his  glorious  name  to 
the  enterprise,  the  importance  of  which 
none  but  a  great  and  humane  commander, 
long  in  the  field,  can  fitly  estimate.  It  is 
the  pride  and  boast  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,  that  its  fast  friends  are  the 
general  officers  in  the  army,  and  the  soldiers 
themselves.  They  alone  know  its  first 
works  and  its  last  works,  and  its  works  all 
the  time;  how  ubiquitous  it  is;  how  small 
a  part  of  its  doings  its  great  labors  on  battle- 
fields represent;  how  active  and  methodical, 
and  in  harmony  with  military  rules  and 
customs,  its  system. is;  and  how  sure,  when 
every  thing  else  £aals,  the  Sanitary  Com- 


98 


The  Sanitary  Commissum  BvUebin. 


mission  is  to  be  on  hand.  We  are  not  sur- 
prised to  find  Gen.  Bosecrans  using  his 
honorable  leisurej  after  the  tremendous 
labors  and  responsibilities  of  his  great  cam- 
paigns, in  fostering,  by  his  countenance  and 
sympathy,  his  experience  and  his  zeal,  an 
enterprise  necessary  to  keep  the  channels 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  open,  and 
full  with  the  beneficence  of  the  nation, 
whose  eons  are  in  the  camps  and  on  the 
battle-flelds  of  Tennessee,  the  Cumberland, 
and  Alabama. 

The  Mayor  of  Cincinnati,  Mr.  Harris,  is 
the  first  vice-president,  and  lends  municipal 
authority  and  support  to  the  Eair. 

We  understand  that  the  association  have 
engaged  the  two  largest  and  most  con- 
venient edifices  in  Cincinnati  for  the  central 
depot,  or  grand  exposition:  Mozart  HaU, 
with  its  numerous  and  roomy  apartments, 
and  Mechanics'  Institute,  (Greenwood's 
Hall,)  which  is  separated  from  it  by  an 
alley  of  twelve  feet,  which  can  be  easily 
-spanned  by  a  bridge  from  the  second  story. 
In  these  two  buildings  will  be  the  chief 
salerooms  for  fancy  and  portable  articles; 
■also  the  gallery  of  fine  arts,  towards  which 
the  citizens  will  lend  all  that  is  most  beauti- 
ful in  their  private  collections,  or  give  what 
they  may  choose.  It  is  proper  to  say,  that 
for  a  city  hardly  yet  as  venerable  in  years 
as  many  of  its  own  citizens,  there  is  a  re- 
markable taste  for  art  in  Cincinnati;  and  a 
surprising  coUeotion  of  fine  paintings  and 
beautiful  sculptures  might,  and  doubtless 
will  be  made  from  the  homes  of  that  now 
rich  and  populous  city.  The  most  beauti- 
ful private  collection  of  engravings  it  ever 
fell  to  our  lot  to  see,  belongs  to  an  apothe- 
cary in  Cincinnati,  whose  modest  home 
becomes  thus  a  casket  for  jewels  of  art 
which  a  prince  might  covet. 

One  square  off,  is  a  building  known  as  the 
Industrial  Palace — ^perhaps  70  x  100  feet  in 
\  dimensions,  where  the  working  machinery 
will  be  erected,  and  the  engines  and  heavier 
articles  sent  in  displayed  as  far  as  possible 
in  their  working  order. 

A  temporary  restaurant  is  now  erecting,  we 
hear,  on  Market  Square,  which  wiU  be  from 
60  feet  wide  to  300  long.  What  other  ar- 
rangements are  more  recently  made,  our  in- 
formant could  not  tell  after  ten  days'  ab- 
Bence. 


It  is  proposed  to  occupy  each  evening  of 
the  Fair  with  a  lecture,  concert,  or  other  in- 
nocent entertainment,  in  the  great  lectur»- 
room  of  Mozart  HalL 

Henry  Ward  Beecher,  who,  since  his  re- 
turn, has  made  himself  a  sort  of  patron- 
saint  of  the  sick  soldiers  and  the  Sanitary 
Comm^sion,  having  spoken  ■  already  three 
times  in  their  pecuniary  behalf,  with  a  re- 
sult of  over  $6,000,  is  earnestly  invited  to 
"visit  Cincinnati  and  speak  during  the  Fair. 
The  great  sacrifice  of  his  time,  and  strength, 
thus  demanded — after  a  six  months'  ab- 
sence— ^it  is  not  wholly  reasona.ble  to  ex- 
pect, yet  his  seU-denying  patriotism  may 
go  to  this  length.  It  is  commonly  felt  that 
he  will  not  complete  his  magnificent  round 
of  duty,  until  he  has  in  person  reported  in 
all  our  chief  cities  what  he  saw  and  felt  in 
the  high  places  of  Great  Britain,  where  be 
"came,  saw  and  conquered."  Other  dis- 
tinguished orators  are  expected  to  lend 
their  services. 

We  understand  that  the  Association  are 
making  arrangements  with  all  the  railroads 
centering  at  Cincinnati,  to  hire  out  to  them 
a  certain  number  of  cars  of  each  train  daily, 
at  about  half  rates.  These  they  propose  to 
fill  along  the  route  with  passengers  at  full 
rates, 'and  to  put  the  profits  into  the  treas- 
ury of  the  Fair. 

It  is  impossible  that  the  great  experience 
in  Chicago,  with  the  lessons  to  be  acquired 
this  month,  first  at  Boston,  where  the  Fair 
opens  on  the  14th  instant,  and  next  at  Cin- 
cinnati, only  a  week  later,  should  not  give 
an  enormous  impulse  to  the  Metropolitan 
Fair  in  New  York,  commencing  on  the  22d 
Feb'y.  Emulation,  patriotism,  humanity, 
will  all  combine  to  make  the  MetropoUtan 
Fair  one  worthy  of  the  commercial  heart  of 
the  nation.  Two  hundred  ladies,  selected 
for  their  representative  character,  their 
taste,  energy  and  talents,  without  regard  to 
sect  or  party,  are  already  enlisted  in  the  con- , 
duct  of  the  work.  They  have  a  Board  of 
Managers  of  twenty-five  ladies,  "crSm6  de 
lacreme"  in  experience,  administrative  abil- 
ity, and  social  sway,  over  them.  Twenty- 
nine  committees  of  ladies  are  already  <:»:- 
ganized  over  the  different  departments,  and 
are  at  work. 

Their  preliminary  meetings  have  been 
business-like  and  thoronghly  earnest,  and 


The  Samtary  Oommiaeion  BuHetm. 


99 


tprobably  bythe  appearance  of  this  number 
of  the  BjjiiiiETiN  their  plans  ■wiU  be  fully 
•before  the  public. 

A  business  meeting  is  called  for  Dec.  11th, 
consisting  of  three  hundred  gentlemen,  ee- 
lected  with  great  care,  as  representing  the 
'business  heads  of  all  the  various  industrial, 
commercial,  trading,  locomotive,  financial, 
«md  charitable  interests  of  the  metropolis. 
By  the  time  this  article  appears,  the  results 
of  that  important  meeting  may  also  appear 
in  these  columns.  But  writing  now,  on  Deo. 
5th,  we  venture  to  predict  that  that  meet- 
ing wUl  enter  heart  and  soul  into  this  work; 
that  an  effective  committee  of  the  most 
living  and  gifted  business  men,  say  of 
twenty-five,  will  be  selected  to  govern  and 
direct  the  masculiae  department  of  the  fair; 
to  solicit,  secure  and  harvest  the  donations 
of  all  trades  and  benefactors  willing  to  be- 
stow upon  the  sick  and  wounded  some  evi- 
dence in  the  line  of  their  own  trade  and 
calling,  of  their  devotion  and  affection. 
By  a  systematic  and  earnest  oaU,  backed 
by  the  universal  approbation  of  all  heads  of 
the  community,  its  bank  and  railroad  presi- 
dents, the  chiefs  of  great  manufactories, 
the  heads  of  trades,  unions,  and  the  leading 
spirits  in  commerce,  art,  pleasure  and  orna- 
ment, an  amount  of  valuable  contributions 
could  be  collected  which  would  astonish  the 
world;  make  it  a  duty  and  a  fashion  too, 
and  the  contagion  of  sympathy  and  human- 
ity, inspired  by  patriotism  and  pity,  wiU 
.carry  this  whole  community,  as  by  a  univer- 
sal impulse,  a  sea  swept  by  a  fragrant  spicy 
wind,  and  turning  its  sparkling  waves  all 
one  way,  in  the  direction  of  a  grand  pubUc 
beneficence  to  the  hospitals  and  battle- 
fields of  the  country. 

One  of  the  first  duties  the  gentlemen's 
committee  will  have  to  perform  will  be  the 
selection  of  a  place  in  which  so  great  a  mar- 
ket fair  can  be  held.  .  We  can't  roof  in  the 
Central  Park,  nor  cover  Union  Square  with 
glass.  If  we  could,  they  might  be  thought 
haardly  too  large  for  so  vast  an  exhibition. 

Difficulties  may  present  themselves,  such 
as  the  lack  of  an  appropriate  place,  the  pre- 
occupations of  a  great  city,  the  disintegra- 
Mon  of  our  community  into  parties,  sects, 
daases  and  interests.  Such  obstacles  are 
feel  and  formidable.  But  all  difficulties 
^OBld;give  way  before   the -strength   <ft 


-a  whole  and  splendid  populous  metropo- 
lis, moving-  with  sublime  unanimity  in 
jone  j)athway  of  ipfitriotic  charity.  Moun- 
tains would  become  mole-hills  in  the  road 
of  «ueh  a  -momentous  progress.  Things 
that  look  impossible  would  be  done  with 
ease — ^would  do  themselves.  So  great  a 
force  would  take  hold,  of  the  ropes,  that 
the  vast  engine  would  move  without  any 
single  arm  feeling  its  own  strain.  Iiet  not 
the  various  obstacles  now  invisaged  in  the 
natural  selfishness  of  proprietors  of  build- 
ings, look  serious.  Those  who  do  not  mean 
to  yield,  wUl  presently  beg  the  favor  of  hav- 
ing aU  their  facilities  accepted  by  the  Fair. 
Let  the  business  energy,  the  civic  pride, 
the  industrial  skill,  tlte  average  patriotism 
of  the  men  of  New  York,  be  added  to  the 
taste,  invention,  and  disinterestedness,  the 
humane  affections,  the  tender  pitj,  the  pa- 
triotic yearning  of  the  women  of  New  York, 
and  nothing  will  be  able  to  withstand  their 
combined  energy.  The  city  wiU  be  theirs 
to  sack  for  a  fortnight,  and  the  public  might 
as  well  compound  for  half  a  million  of  dol- 
lars before  hand.  AU  hail  to  the  Metropo- 
litan Fair!  We  predict  for  it  an  entire  and 
unexampled  success. 


A  WORD  TO  OUB  READERS. 
In  order  that  the  BuijIjEtin  may  com- 
pletely answer  its  purpose,  it  is  desirable 
that  it  should  not  contain  simply  such  infor- 
mation as  may  be  furnished  to  the  Com- 
mission by  its  regular  agents,  but  aU  that  can 
be  collected  from  the  friends  of  the  work, 
official  or  non-official,  all  over  the  country. 
We  can  supply  as  fuU  and  particular  ac- 
counts of  the  disposition  made  of  the  funds 
and  stores  intrusted  to  us  as  the  country 
can  require,  by  the  aid  of  those  whom  we 
employ  in  their  distribution.  But  there  is 
of  necessity  an  immense  mass  of  facts 
bearing  on  our  labors  and  their  results, 
which  we  have  no  organized  means  of  ob- 
taining, and  for  which  we  must  therefore 
rely  on  volunteers.  Nothing  could  serve 
better  to  quicken  the  zeal  of  the  people 
in  localities  in  which  little  has  been  done 
foi;  us  so  far,  oris  being  done  now,  than  ac- 
counts of  the  exertions  made  by  people  in 
other  places.  Everybody  knows  the  effect 
produced  on  one's  spirits  when  in  pMsuit 
of  any  enterprise,  by  the  knowledge  that 


100 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


there  is  a  multitude  engaged  in  the  same 
•work.  No  zeal  is  proof  in  the  long  run 
against  the  sense  of  weakness  or  of  isola- 
tion. 

There  is,  we  well  know,  behind 
our  armies  and  their  aohieTements,  extra- 
ordinary as  these  are,  something  still 
more  extraordinary,  and  that  is  the  spirit 
of  the  people  at  home.  We  shall  say 
nothing  now  of  the  fortitude  with  which 
they  have  supported  reverses,  and  delays, 
and  disappointments.  This  has  already 
commanded  the  admiration  and  aston- 
ishment of  the  world,  and  has  led  a  dis- 
tinguished foreign  writer  to  declare  that 
there  has  been  developed  in  the  United 
States  a  type  of  character  hitherto  un- 
known, and  generally  deemed  impossible — 
a  combination  of  French  lire,  and  excita- 
bility and  enthusiasni,  with  the  old  Anglo- 
Saxon  pertinacity  and  firmness.  This  is 
well,  but  this  is  not  enough.  Those  who 
are  interested  in  the  war,  as  much  for  the 
revelation  it  affords  of  the  moral  qualities 
of  the  American  people,  as  for  the  political 
results  which  it  promises,  have  found  in 
rich  abundance  better  things  than  even 
courage  and  tenacity.  What  our  people 
have  done  to  save — done  for  humanity's 
sake,  is  even  more  wonderful  and  more 
interesting  than  what  they  have  done  for 
conquest.  They  have  done  it,  too,  without 
the  intervention  of  legislature  or  tax- 
gather,  upon  DO  compulsion  whatever,  with 
nothing  to  gain  by  it  either  in  territory  or 
glory.  There  may  be  many  parallels  found 
for  our  demeanor  in  the  field,  but  we  doubt 
if  our  voluntary  efforts  to  mitigate  the  suf- 
fering arising  out  of  the  war  have  had  any 
ex  imple  in  history. 

It  is  desirable  that  the  details  of  this 
work  should  be  as  far  as  possible  placed  on 
record,  and  the  knowledge  of  them  dif- 
fused. We  should  like  to  be  able  to  say  in 
the  Bulletin  as  much  as  possible  of  the 
way  in  which  the  vast  amount  of  stores 
and  money  which  pass  through  our  hands 
are  collected.  There  is,  probably,  hardly 
a  box  which  reaches  us  which  has  not  a 
tale  of  its  own  well  worth  telling,  and 
which  is  not  the  result  of  efforts  or  sacrifices, 
or  enthusiasm,  of  which  we  should  aU  be 
the  better  of  knowing  something.  There 
are  incidents  occurring  every  day  all  over 


the  country  within  the  knowledge  of  those 
who  are  working  for  us,  which,  if  published, 
would  throw  valuable  light  upon  the  temper 

and  spirit  of  our  people.  We  have  a 
pamphlet  lying  before  us  at  this  moment, 
entitled  the  "  Philanthropic  Besults  of  the 
War,"  which  tells  a  marvellous  story  in 
round  figures.  The  sum  total  of  the  vol- 
untary contributions  of  the  public,  made 
for  purely  philanthropic  purposes  since  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  is,  as  we  have  already 
said,"  something  very  wonderful.  But  won- 
derful as  it  is,  we  are  inclined  to  think  that 
if  we  only  knew  the  details  of  the  process 
by  which  this  grand  result  has  been  brought 
about,  we  should  find  in  the  efforts  of  sin- 
gle villages  and  hamlets  and  congregations 
things  more  wonderful  still. 

Now  this  is  a  want  which  our  friends  be- 
longing to  the  branch  associations,  and  aU 
others  who  are  aU  over  the  country  inter- 
ested in  what  we  are  doing,  can  readily 
supply,  if  they  will  only  forward  us  as  oft- 
en as  the  occasion  may  arise,  anything 
relating  to  the  work  in  their  own  neighbor- 
hood, which  wiU  help  to  throw  light  on  the 
temper  with  which  the  people  of  the  North 
are  facing  this  great  crisis.  There  is  not 
half  enough  known  or  ever  will  be  half 
enough  known  of  the  fire  and  energy  with 
which  the  men  and  women  of  the  country 
districts  have  thrown  themselves  into  the 
task  of  supporting  and  encouraging  the 
army  by  kind  deeds  as  well  as  cheering 
words.  We  cannot  undertake  to  publish 
everything  we  receive,  for  our  space  is  lim- 
ited, but  we  will  promise  to  publish  all  that 
is  most  interesting.  It  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  call  forth  such  extraordinary  exhibi- 
tions of  enthusiasm  as  are  now  taking  place 
in  all  the  large  cities  in  the  shape  of  "  San- 
itary Fairs,"  if  there  were  not  behind  all 
this,  and  had  not  been  previous  to  aU  this, 
a  great  deal  of  work  full  as  good,  but  done 
on  a  smaller  scale  and  in  smaller  placesv 
We  ought  to  learn  more  about  it. 

We  should  wish  also  to  make  the  Bulletd* 
the  means  of  keeping  the  public  informed, 
as  far  as  our  space  and  opportunity  will 
allow,  about  the  fate  and  prospects  of  the 
thousands  of  soldiers  who  every  month 
wend  their  way  wearily  homeward,  to  car- 
ry on  in  obscurity  a  long  struggle  with 
wounds  or  disease,  and  too  often  to  siuJc 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin, 


101 


nnder  them.  The  Sanitary  Commission 
has  already,  as  most  of  onr  readers  know, 
established  organizations  to  assist  the 
friends  of  these  men  to  find  them  in  the 
hospitals,  and  to  assist  the  men  themselves 
in  reaching  their  homes.  But  it  is  desir- 
able that  they  should  not  aU  sink  completely 
out  of  the  sight  at  this  point.  Many  of 
them  have  to  fight  a  harder  fight  after  leav- 
ing the  army  than  they  ever  fought  while 
in  it — a  long  silent  struggle  with  suffering 
or  disability — a  struggle  too,  which  is  often 
hopdess,  and  which  at  best  promises  no 
glory  on  earth.  There  cannot  be  too  much 
said  or  done  to  encourage  and  console  those 
upon  whom  this  fate  has  come,  and  there  are 
amongst  them  thousands  of  cases  display- 
ing the  rarest  patience  and  the  rarest  her- 
oism; and  more  than  aU  this,  even  thepro- 
foundest  satisfaction  at  having  been  select- 
ed for  the  honors  of  this  great  martyrdom. 
God  only  knows  how  many  such  there  are 
scattered  through  the  farm-houses  and  vil- 
lages all  over  the  Union.  We  shall  never 
know  of  them  aJl,  but  it  might  be  well  for 
them  and  well  for  the  public,  if  we  could 
follow  at  least  some  of  them  into  the  fur- 
nace, and  keep  the  nation  in  mind  of  the 
vastneas  of  the  sacrifices  which  so  many 
gallant  hearts  have  made  for  its  salvation. 

Under  the  head  of  correspondence  in  the 
1st  number  of  the  Bukletin,  in  a  letter  from 
Dr.  E.  A.  Crane,  Inspector  of  the  Com- 
mission,, the  following  statement  occurs : 
"  Scurvy  does  not  now  exist  (Oct.  18th)  in 
the  command  before  Charleston,  nor  has 
it  existed  to  any  great  extent  among  our 
troops  since  operations  against  Charleston 
have  been  commenced." 

Dr.  C.  in  a  subsequent  report  corrects  the 
above  statement,  as  he  was  clearly  in  error. 
The  Commission  has  received  from  Dr. 
Marsh,  its  resident  Inspector  at  Charles- 
ton, abundant  proof  not  only  of  the  prev- 
alence of  cases  of  scurvy,  but  also  of  the 
scorbutic  taint  in  other  diseases. 


THE  HOSPITALS  AT  NASHVILLE. 

Nashtiucje,  Nov.  12tt,  186S. 
J.  S.  I7EWBSBBY,  M.D. : 

Deab  Snt — I  have  visited  each  and  aU  of 
the  hospitals  repeatedly,  and  have  done  so 
at  aU  times  and  seasons;  occasionally  i^th 


the  surgeons,  but  generally  alone  and  un- 
expected. And  I  have  not  only  offered  to 
all  the  surgeons  of  each  hospital  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  for  the 
health  and  comfort  of  their  patients,  but 
have  gone  from  room  to  room,  talking  with 
the  patients  themselves,  their  nurses  and 
ward-masters;  observing  closely  and  mak- 
ing inquiries  as  to  food,  diet,  medicine, 
nursing,  attendance,  ventilation,  sanitary 
supplies,  etc. ;  and  I  have  been  gratified  to 
see  the  general  good  condition  of  all  the 
hospitals  here.  My  impression  is,  that  with 
rare  exceptions,  every  surgeon  in  charge, 
and  every  assistant-surgeon,  is  earnestly 
desirous  of  doing  eveiything  within  his 
power  for  the  healt^  and  comfort  of  his 
patients.  In  some  cases  where  I  thought  I 
had  discovered  mismanagement  and  care- 
lessness, I  afterwards  found  that  there  had 
been  obstacles  which  the  surgeons  them- 
selves were  endeavoring  to  remove  with  as 
much  anxiety  as  any  one  could  have.  And 
I  perceive  that  almost  every  hospital  is  be- 
ing continually  improved  in  its  interior  ar- 
rangements for  ventilation,  comfort  or  con- 
venience. The  majority  of  the  hospital 
buildings  are  light  and  cheerful. 

The  general  sanitary  condition  of  the 
patients  in  the  iospitals  is  good.  As  I  have 
said,  the  surgeons  with  hardly  an  exception, 
do  everything  in  their  power  for  the  im- 
provement of  their  patients,  and  are  evi- 
dently very  grateful  for  every  aid  and  com- 
fort extended  to  them  from  the  Sanitary 
stores.  Not  only  are  they  willing  that  deli- 
cacies, such  as  wines,  cordials,  jellies,  &c., 
should  be  given  under  their  directions,  but 
their  expressions  of  gratitude  are  such  as 
can  come  only  from  the  heart.  Sometimes 
they  accompany  me  from  cot  to  cot,  when  I 
have  my  basket  of  deUcacies,  pointing  out 
those  who  need  this  or  that  the  most,  giv- 
ing orders  to  the  nurses  how  to  dispense 
them,  and  sharing  with  me  the  pleasure 
such  distribution  gives..  In  the  distribu- 
tion of  grapes  from  the  ladies  of  Cleveland 
and  Cincinnati,  none  more  than  the  sur- 
geons partook  of  the  little  excitement  and 
pleasure  it  afforded. 

Every  article  of  clothing  or  food  given  to 
hospitals  from  the  Sanitary  Commission,  is 
given,  not  upon  the  requisition  of  the  stew- 
ards or  nurses,  but  upon  that  of  the  surgeon 


102 


The  Scmita/fy^  Commission  BvUetin. 


in  charge  of  the  -vrhole  hospital  If  they 
are  delicacies,  snch  as  'wines,  cordials,  &c., 
he  orders  them  to  be  kept  for  the -ward  sur- 
geons to  distribnte;  and  it  is  certainly  the 
special  interest  of  those  surgeons  to  see 
that  their  o'vm  patients  receive  them;  and 
as  they  make  their  morning  rounds  they 
nsnaUy  make  such  inquiries.  If  it  is  edibles 
that  are  given,  such  as  potatoes,  onions^  dried 
inat,  berries,  pickles,  etc.,  they  are  given 
(the  surgeon  in  charge  having  drawn  them) 
into  the  steward's  charge,  with  orders 
that  they  shall,  if  necessary,  be  cooked  at 
snch  times  and  in  such  a  manner,  and  sent 
to  or  placed  on  the  tables  of  such  patients, 
as  he  directs;  and  he  usually  visits  the  tables 
or  makes  inquiries  to  see  if  his  orders  are 
carried  out.  The  nurses  are  themsdves 
convalescent  soldiers. 

There  are,  it  is  true,  female  nurses  in  ser- 
vice of  the  hospitals  who  do  all  that  they 
can  do.      But  those    peculiar    attentions 
which  none  but  a  wife,  a  mother,  or  sister 
could  with  propriety  give,  are  bestowed  by 
their  brother  convalescent  soldiei-s,  who  are 
detailed  for  such  duty.     And  when  I  have 
seen  these  poor  fellows,  themselves  still 
needing  nursing,  (for  as  soon  as  they  are 
strong  they  are  sent  to  the  "  front, ")  wearily 
dragging  themselves  up  and  down  the  two, 
tiiree  or  four  long  flights  of  stairs,  carrying 
food,  water,  or  medicines,  and  attending  to 
their  frequent  and  most  necessary  wants; 
oftentimes  called  from  their  own  meals, 
waiting  upon  them  in  their  turn  day  and 
night,  and  always  so  kind,  so  patient;  my 
eyes   have  filled  with  tears  of  gratitude, 
and  I  have  thought  that  if  mothers  and 
friends  at  home  only  knew  how  their  sons 
and  brothers  were  nursed  by  these  noble 
feUows,  there  would   be  no  more  boxes 
sent  to  the  Commission,  marked  "not /or 
the  nurses,"  but  sometimes,  a  full  box  marked 
"/or  the  nurses,"  with  warm  expressions  of 
giatitude  from  those  who,  when  a  member 
of  the  family  is  sick  at  home,  think  that 
nothing  is  too  good  for  the  refreshment  of 
the  self-denying,  weary  "  watcher,"  or  even 
the  watchful,  anxious  "Doctor"  himself. 
Of  course  there  are  in  every  hospital  some 
"grumblers"  —  those  who  had    "never 
themselves  received  any  good  things  from 
the  Sanitary  stores,  and  who  were  therefore 
firm  believers  in  the  surgeons  and  nurses 


eating  everything  all  up."    ButtheseiVBiy 
persons  I   have   generally  found  clothed 
almost  from  head  to  foot  in  Sanitary  under- 
(dothing,  having  just  partaken  of  Sanitary< 
potatoes,  onions,  or  dried  fruit,  and  whose 
very  sheets  and  pillow-cases,   slings  and 
crutches,  came  from  the  same  source,  all 
unbeknown  to  tiiem.     But  I  have  found 
that  their  only  idea  of  Sanitary  stores  was, 
cans  or  jars  of  preserves.     They  seemed  to 
think  that  because  their  own  good  moth- 
er's jar  of  preserves  (which  they  imagined- 
she  had  put  up)  had  not  been  sent  straight)' 
to  them,  that  neither  they  nor  any  one  else, 
had  ever  received  any  benefit  from  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.     It  was  all  a  humbug. 
One  of  these  grumblers,  who  had  just  eaten 
a  quarter  of  a  jar  of  peaches  from  the  Sani- 
tary stores,  complained  to  me  that  they  had 
not  enough  of  such  things.     He  thought 
that  they  ought  to  have  them  about  twice  » 
week;     I  asked  him  to  make  a  little  calcu- 
lation as  to  the  number  of  cans  it  would- 
require  for  the  hospitals  of  Nashville  alone, 
to  give  each  patient  a  taste  once  a  week. 
To  his  surprise  he  found  "it  would  take 
56,160  cans — or  at  25  cents  each,  at  a  cost 
of  above  $14,000.     On  the  contrary,  how- 
ever-, there  is  much  true  gratitude. 

I  hardly  need  say  to  you  that  the  import- 
ance and  blessedness  of  this  Commission 
grows  upon  me  every  day.  I  only  wish  that 
it  could  be  seen  as  it  is,  in  all  its  ramiflc»r 
tions.  But  God  alone  can  see  all  this.  Tha 
world  can  see  the  great  Eiver  of  Benevo- 
lence bearing  on  its  bosom  the  weU  freight- 
ed baskets  from  the  ten  thousand  little  riv- 
ulets of  Northern  chariigr, — love.  But  none 
but  the  eye  of  our  Heavenly  Father  can  see 
the  countless  bodies  and  souls  that  are 
blessed  by  timely  food,  assistance,  and  care; 
by  kind  words  spoken,  by  unwearied  efforts 
made,  and  which  are  stamping  with  the 
very  seal  of  Heaven  the  very  same  age  and 
generation  which  witness  this  fearful  civil' 
war. 

BespectfuUy  and  truly  yours, 
J.  P.  T.  Ingbaham, 

Bospital  ritUor. 


[Iktracts  from  Jetters  dated  Louisville 
and  Nashville  E.  R.  train,  up  trip,  Nov. 
27,  1863.] 

■»•»*•»# 

The    Commission's   hospital   visitor   at 


The  Scmitar^  OormmsBioa  BiMebin. 


103 


Kashville  is  a  very  modest  g^itlemau.    Any 
ineideot  Trhich  brings  in  himself  as  one  of 
the  actors,  is  a  contraband  topic  of  conver- 
sation.  But "  Yours  Truly  "  isn't  a  bit  mod- 
est, believing  that  in  many  cases  brass  is 
better  than  brains,  and  aetiqg  upon  the 
aforesaid  principle,  succeeded  in  drawing 
forth  the  living  eloquence  of  which  tiie 
following  is  but  a  lifeless,  fleshless  skeleton: 
Away  up  in  the  fourth  story  of  Hospi- 
tal No.  3,  and  in  a  far  corner  of  the  ward, 
Ue  noticed  one  day  an  old  lady  sitting  by 
the  side  of  a  mere  lad,  who  was  reduced  to 
the  verge  of  death  by  chronic  diarrhoea. 
She  was  a  plain,  honest-hearted  farmer's 
wifa,.her  face-all  aglow  with  motherly  love, 
and  who,  to  judge  from  appearances,  had 
likely  never  before  traveled  beyond  the 
limits  of  her  neighborhood,,  but  now  had 
come  many  a  long  mile  to  do  what  might 
be  done  for  her  boy.    In  the  course  of  a 
conversation,  she  informed  Mr.  Ingraham 
fliat  if  she  "  only  could  get  something  tiiat 
tasted  like  home — some  good  tea,  for  in- 
stance, which  she  could  make  herself,  and 
which  would  be  better  than  that  of  the 
liospital,  she  thought  it  might  save  her 
son's  life."    Of  course  it  was  sent  to  her, 
and  on  a  subsequent  visit  she   expressed 
her  hearty  thanks,  in  a  simple,  hearty  way, 
quite  itt  keeping  with  her  whole  appear- 
ance.    Still  she  seemed  sad;    something 
was  on  her  mind  that  evidently  troubled 
her,  and,  like  Banquo's  ghost,  "  would  not 
diowtt."    At  length  it  came  out,  in  a  confid- 
ing,  innocent  way — more,   evidently,   be- 
cause it  was  uppermost  in  her  thoughts 
i^an  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  sympa- 
thy— that  her  means  were  about  exhausted. 
"I  didn't  think  itwould  take  so  much  mon- 
esj;  it  is-  so  much  further  away  from  home 
than  I  had  thought,  and  board  here  is  so 
very  high,  that  I  have  hardly  enough  left  to 
take  me  back;  and  by  another  week  I  will 
have  to  leave  him;     I  havebeen  around  to 
t&e  stores  to  buy  some  little  things  that  he 
would  eat — for  he  can't  eat  this  strong 
fcjod — ^but  the  prices  are  so  high  that  I 
can't  buy  them,  and  1  am  afraid  that  if  I 
■go  arway,  and  if  he  doesn't  get  something 
Afferent  to  eat,  that,  maybe — "  and  the 
tears  trioMed  down  her  cheeks,  "he- won't 
— ^be-so  well.'" 
Mr.  Brgrahaim;  who  is  sen.  EpiseopaLnin- 


ister  of  the  warmest  hearted  kind,  thought 
that  difficulty  might  be  overcome;  and  if 
she  would  put  on  her  bonnet  they  would  go 
to  a  store  where  atrtieles  were  cheap.  Aor 
cordingly,  they  arrived  in  front  of  the  large 
three-story  buildingwhich  government  has 
assigned  to  the  Oommission,  and  the  old 
lady  was  soon  running  her  eyes-  over  tha 
long  rows  of  boxes,  bales  and  barrels  that 
stretched  fou  a  hundred  feet  down  th«r 
room,  but  was  most  fascinated,  by  the  botr 
ties  and  caua  on  the  shelves^  He  ordered 
a  supply  of  sugarj  teay  soft  crackers  and 
canned  fruit ;  then  chicken  and  oysters; 
iiien  jelly  and  winoy  brandy,  milk  and  un- 
der-clothing— ^antilthe  basket  was  full  Aa 
the  earlier  articles  n^tled  under  ita  Uda; 
hen  face  was  glowing  with  satisfaction;  but 
as  the  later  lots  arrived,  she  would  draw 
Viim  aside  to  whisper  that  it  was  too  much; 
"really  she  hadn't  enough  money;"  and 
when- the  more  expensive  items  came  from. 
the  shelves,  the  shadow  of  earnestness 
which  gloomed  her  countenance  grew  in- 
to one  of  perplexity,  her  soul  vibrating 
between  motherly  yearning  for  the  lad  on 
his  bed,  and  the  scant  purse  in  her  pocket, 
uatn,  slowly  andiwith  great  reluctance,  Etoar, 
began  to  return  the-  costliest. 

"Hadn't  you  better  ask  the  price?"  said 
her  guide.  "Howmuohisit?"  "Nothings" 
replied  the  storekeeper.  "Sir?"  queried 
she,  in  the  utmost  am^iizement,  "nathiag^ 
for  aU  this?" 

"My  good  woman,"'  asked  the  gaidsi 
"have  you  a  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  in  youc 
neighborhood?"  Yes,  they  had ;  she  be- 
longed to  it  herself.  "  Well,  what,  do  you 
suppose  becomes  of  the  garments  you  make, 
and  the  fruits  you  put  up?"  She  hadn't 
thought ;  she  supposed  they  went.,  to  the 
army;  but  -waa  evidently  bothered  to  know 
what  connection  there  could  be'  betwaMi 
their  aid' society  and  that  basket.  "  These 
gannents  that  you  see  came  from  your  so- 
ciety, or  other- societies  just  like  yours ;  eio 
did  your  boxes  and  baonrela;  that  milk  camo 
fronj.  New  York ;  those  fruits  from  Bostoiu^ 
that  wine  was  lively  purchased  with  gold 
from  OaUfomia ;  and  it  is  aU  for  sick  sol- 
diers,, your,  son  ■  aa  much  as  for  any  one  else. 
This;  ia.  the,  U.  S.  Sanitary  OommissiQji 
store-house;  you  must  come  here  whenever 
you  wish,  and  call  for  everything  you  want; 


104 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUdin. 


and  you  must  stay  -with  your  son  until  he 
is  able  to  go  home;  never  mind  the  money's 
giying  out;  you  shall  hare  more,  -which, 
■when  you  get  back,  you  can  refund  for  the 
use  of  other  mothers  and  other,  sons;  -when 
you  are  ready  to  go  I  'wiU  put  him  in  a 
berth  where  he  "can  lie  down,  and  you 
shall  save  his  life  yet!" 

She  did — God  bless  her  innocent,  mo- 
therly heart — when  nothing  but  motherly 
care  could  have  achieved  it;  and,  when  last 
seen,  on  a  dismal,  drizzly  morning,  was, 
with  her  face  beaming  out  the  radiance  of 
hope,  making  a  cup  of  tea  on  the  stove  of 
a  caboose  car  for  the  convalescent,  who 
was  snugly  tucked  away  in  the  caboose 
berth,  waiting  the  final  whistle  of  the  loco- 
motive that  would  speed  them  both  home- 
ward. 

The  benefit  of  the  Hospital  Directory, 
with  its  facilities  for  learning  through  the 
agents  who  are  at  the  front,  the  condition 
of  the  wounded,  is  illustrated  by  the  follow- 
ing telegrams  copied  from  the  dispatch- 
book  of  the  Nashville  office  U.  8.  Sanitary 
Commission: 

On  Oct.  29,  Gen.  Underwood,  of  Boston, 
received  information  that  his  son,  Col.  Un- 
derwood, was  mortally  wounded  in  Lookout 
Mountain.  Mr.  Walker,  of  the  same  city, 
received  similar  tidings  concerning  his  son. 
The  anxious  fathers  started  for  Chattanoo- 
ga, arriving  at  Nashville  Tuesday  night, 
Nov.  3d,  and  applied  to  the  agents  at  that 
poipt  for  information.  At  11  P.  M.  this 
message  was  sent  to  the  front: 

Nashttli;e,  Nov,  3. 
Db.  M.  C.  Bsed^ 

U.  3.  San.  Ci>m.,  Chattanooga: 
Eeport  immediately  condition  of  A.  B.  Un- 
derwood, Colonel  33d  Mass.,  severely  wounded 
on  28th;  also,  Oapt.  G.  M.  Walker,  Co.  "E," 
same  regiment.  General  Underwood  and  Mr. 
Walker  here. 

J.  0.    HOBUT. 

•Wednesday  morning  at  six  o'clock  the 
travellers  took  the  train  for  Stevenson.  At 
noon  the  foUovring  was  received  at  Nash- 
ville office: 

Chaotahooga,  Nov.  4,  1863. 
J.  C.  HoBUi, 

Nashvine. 
33d  Mass. —Capt.  Walker  is  slightly  wounded, 
getting  better.    Col.  Underwood  is  comfortable, 
but  in  critical  condition. 

M.  C.  BiasD. 


Two  hours  later. 

Chattahooga,  Nov.  4,  2  P.  M. 

J.  C.  HOBUT, 

Nasliville; 
Col.  Underwood,  33d  Mass.,  thigh  fractmred; 
says  he  is  contented  and  well  cared  for,  but 
longs  for  his  fiiends — wife,  mother,  fether. 

M.  0.  Eeed. 

Immediately  Nashville  forwards  this  trio: 

Nashvuxe,  Nov.  4. 
Joseph  Wai^eeb  k  C!o., 
Boston; 
Dispatch  just  received  from  Chattanooga,  says 
Col.  Underwood  comfortable,  but  in  a  critioal 
condition.      Capt.  Walker    slightly  wounded, 
getting  well.     Messrs.  Underwood  and  Walker 
left  here  this  morning  for  Chattanooga. 

J.  C.  HOBIIT. 

M.  C.  Reed, 

ChaUaTiooga: 

Underwood  and  Walker  left  here  this  morn- 
ing; have  telegraphed  Boston. 

J.  0.  HoiiBTT. 
San.  Com.  Agent,  Sletxnson: 

Underwood  and  Walker  on  road  to  Chatta- 
nooga. TeU  them  Col.  Underwood  comfortable, 
in  critical  condition.  Capt.  Walker  shghtly 
wounded,  getting  well. 

J.  C.  HOBIilT. 

Thus,  the  first  information  received  by 
the  travelers  after  leaving  Boston,  was  ob- 
tained late  at  night,  on  their  arrival  at  Stev- 
enson, while  their  families  were  cognizant 
of  affairs  that  afternoon,  and  the  wounded 
sufferers  made  acquainted  with  the  advent 
of  their  visitors  that  morning. 

Col.  Underwood  was  brought  to  Nash- 
ville. His  wife  and  father  were  with  him; 
but  probably  they  will,  day  after  to-morrow, 
be  on  this  same  up-train,  his  corpse  riding 
in  the  baggage-car. 

Just  as  Boston,  by  means  of  the  nation- 
wide appliances  of  a  Commission  that  is 
broader  in  its  sweep  than  aU  the  States  put 
together,  heard  speedily  from  far  off  Chat- 
tanooga, so  did  Wisconsin. 

A  poor  woman  therefrom,  whose  husband 
and  son  were  in  the  ranks,  learning  that  the 
latter  was  wounded  on  Lookout,  made  her 
way  to  Louisville,  from  whence  she  was  sent 
by  your  agents  to  Nashville.  It  was  abso- 
lutely impossible  to  get  her  further  front.and. 
the  Nashville  office  again  telegraphed  Dr. 
Beed  for  information.  The  next  day,  Thurs- 
day, it  was  answered  that  her  son  was  se- 
verely wounded,  and  had  been  placed  in  an 


The  Scmitwry  Commission  BuUetvn, 


105 


hospital  which  was  subsequently  captured 
by  the  enemy,  in  whose  hands  he  then  was. 
Sad  news,  butbetter  than  none.  It  was  com- 
municated to  her  as  kindly  and  gently  as  pos- 
sible, yet  drove  her  almost  frantic.  Several 
times  on  Friday  she  came  in  to  hear  more. 
There  was  nothing  to  hear;  Saturday,  noth- 
ing; Sunday,  nothing.  The  suspense  be- 
came terrible.  Was  he  alive?  "Were  his 
wounds  attended  to  by  the  rebels  ?  Was 
he  dead?  She  prayed  for  some  tidings, 
even  the  worst,  rather  than  the  agony  of 
suspense.  Late  Sunday  night  it  came, 
and  she  was  informed  "dead."  It  was  a 
terrible  stroke,  and  the  writhings  of  her 
soul  were  horrible,  even  to  behold,  much 
more  so  to  bear.  Monday  morning  she 
returned  to  the  office,  wofully  stricken 
in  heart,  but  calmer  than  on  the  previous 
evening,  and  said,  pointing  to  the  flag  over 
the  door,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  but  smiles 
streaming  through  the  tears,  "  That  Flag 

IS  DOTJBLT  DEAE  TO  MB  THIS  MOBNINa  It 
TTAR  COST  MB   SOMETHING." 

Her  means  were  exhausted,  and  the  Com- 
mission defrayed  her  expenses  home. 

Were  those  few  dollars  well  spent  upon 
such  a  mother,  wife,  martyr,  and  heroine? 

Sitting  over  the  way,  in  the  seat  by  the 
stove,  is  a  stout  farmer,from  Danvers,Mass. , 
who  is  constant  and  heartfelt  in  the  recital 
to  those  about  him  of  the  gratitude  which 
he  feels  to  the  Commission  for  the  assist- 
ance he  received  from  it  in  getting  to  the 
front  and  back.  He  says  no  other  power 
could  have  got  him  passes.  He  is  right 
about  that.  Government  refers  all  such 
applications  to  the  liOuisvUle  office,  and  has 
never  yet  refused  one  vouched  for  by  Dr. 
Newberry.  A  sword  and  haversack  are  in 
his  hands.  They  belonged  to  his  son. 
There  is  a  long  white  box  in  the  baggage 
car,  which  the  stout  farmer  goes  out  to  look 
at  when  we  stop.  It  is  a  very  quiet  box, 
too;  and  there  can  be  no  danger  of  its  mov- 
ing. Yours  truly. 


A  DAT  AT  THE  "NTIESES'  HOME"  AT 
WASHINGTON. 

Seven  women  and  ten  children  received 
to-day.  First,  a  mother  of  a  soldier;  next, 
a  soldier's  wife;  three  hospital  nurses;  then 
two  wives  of  refugees,  with  the  children. 

The  soldier's  mother  showed  me  this  tel-» 


egram  to  explain  to  me  who  she  was,  and 
why  she  was  in  the  city ;  it  was  from  her 
son,  "Mitohel's  Station,  Ya."  "I  am  to 
be  shot  on  Friday  next — can  you  do  any- 
thing for  me?  "  With  this  telegram  in  her 
hand  she  had  hastened  on  from  her  distant 
home  by  the  first  train  to  Washington,  to 
appeal  to  the  President  to  save  her  son. 
She  gathered  up  and  brought  with  her  such 
testimonials  as  she  could  obtain ;  also  evi- 
dence of  the  circumstances  connected  with 
her  son's  enlistment.  ■  She  was  a  poor  wo- 
man, but  neatly  clad,  and  with  an  honest 
and  earnest  face,  about  fifty  years  old.  Her 
husband,  it  seems,  was  so  much  shocked  by 
the  telegram  that  he  could  not  act,  so  she 
had  to  come  on.  As  she  came  to  the  Nurs- 
es' Home,  almost  utterly  exhausted,  she 
looked  like  one  who  had  been  through  a 
terrible  night  of  darkness,  watching  by 
what  seemed  a  death-bed,  but  had  sudden- 
ly caught  sight  of  a  bright  gleam  of  light, 
for  she  had  already  laid  her  case  before  the 
President,  with  such  testimony  as  paUiated 
the  act  of  "  desertion  "  on  the  part  of  her 
boy,  and  the  sentence  of  death  had  been 
revoked.  It  seems  that  some  months  ago 
her  son  had  run  away  from  home  to  enlist, 
(he  was  but  17  or  18  years  old,)  and  his 
parents  had  gained  no  inteUigenoe  of  him 
until  a  letter  came  in  his  handwriting  an- 
nouncing to  his  mother  that  he  was  in  the 
army  and^was  to  be  tried  as  a  "deserter," 
but  that  there  was  no  danger  but  what  he 
should  get  off.  His  mother  had  then  writ- 
ten, asking  him  to  tell  her  all  the  circum- 
stances of  his  enlistment.  The  letter  which 
he  sent  in  return  his  mother  brought  on  to 
Washington  with  her,  and  as  she  allowed 
me  to  copy  it,  I  insert  it  here. 

"Deab  Father  and  Motheb — ^I  now  take 
the  opportunity  of  writing  you  a  few  Unes, 
hoping  to  find  you  in  good  health.  I  had 
got  your  letter,  and  I  read  it;  then  I  gave 
it  to  the  Colonel,  and  I 'do  not  know  what 
he  will  do  with  it,  but  I  hope  he  wiU  not 
go  hard  on  me.  He  is  a  very  severe  man 
when  he  gets  angry,  and  a  very  good  one 
when  he  ain't  angry.  I  have  been  very  sick 
with  the  fever  and  ague,  and  I  am  out  in 
the  rain  here  ever  since  I  have  been  caught, 
without  even  a  tent.  All  the  house  we 
have  is  a  few  limbs  of  trees.  I  have  the 
shakes  every  other  day.    Where  we  are  in 


106 


The  Samtcury  CommisaOm  BiMetin. 


camp  is  a  very  sickly  place,  and  very  lousy. 
The  lice  is  taking  away  our  clothes.  It 
ain't  safe  to  put  down  our  crackers  without 
we  put  a  stone  on  them,  as  the  lice  would 
run  away  with  it.  I  am  now  getting  along 
first-rate.  I  just  now  got  your  letter  from 
honle.  While  I  was  writing  this  letter  I 
received  your  letter,  dear  mother,  and  read 
it.  And  now  I  wiU  teU  you  how  and  where 
r  enlisted.  The  day  that^  left  home  1  was 
made  acquainted  with  a  fellow  named,  as 
He  called  himself.  Captain  Cody,  and  he 
agreed  to  take  me  to  Pennsylvania  and  get 
me  three  hundred  dollars,  and  I  asked  him 
how,  and  he  told  me  when  I  got  there  I 
would  see.  When  I  got  there  he  took  me 
to  some  house  in  South  2d  Street,  as  he 
called  it,  in  Philadelphia,  and  we  stayed 
there  that  night,  and  in  the  morning  we  got 
our  breakfast;  then  he  gave  me  some  liquor 
to  drink,  and  I  did  not  know  where  I  was 
till  r found  myself  in  Norristown,.Pa.,  in 
the  Marshall's  office,  talking  to  the  doctor. 
I  was  asleep.  When  I  awoke  the  doctor 
told  me  that  I  was  an  enlisted  man,  and 
I  said  I  was  not,  and  he  showed  me  some 
papers  that  I  signed  when  I  was  drunk; 
but  I  do  not  believe  I  ever  signed"  a  paper; 
then  I  asked  him  where  was  the  money, 
when  he  told  me  that  the  boarding-master 
took  two  hundred  dollars,  and  said  I  owed 
tim  twenty-flve  more.  The  boarding-mas- 
ter was  Captain  Cody.  He  swore  that  I 
o-vyed'  him  the  money,  and:that  is  all  I  know 
about  it.  And  there  was  a  lieutenaiit  who 
said'  he  would  get  me  clear  for  ifwenty-flve 
dollars,  and  I  gave  it  to  him;  but  I  did  not 
see  him  any  more.  The  place  I  enlisted 
was  Norristown,  Pa.   That  is  aU  at  present. 

"I  send  my  best  love  and  respects  to 
youaU.    Goodbye. 

"If  you  have  got  one  of  John  Peterson's 
pictures  send  it  in  the  letter.     That- is  aU. 

"Direct  to  


Such  was  the  letteu  which  was  followed. 
by  the  brief  message  sent  to  his  mother^ 
"I  am.  to  be  shot  next  Eriday;  can  you  do 
something  fbr  me?"  Aa  she  handed  m& 
the  telegraamp,  although  her  son  was  now 
safe,  yet  heu  whole  frame  shook.  She  had 
fewo  other  sons,  ahe  said,  one  a.  little- feUow 
of  tea,  and  thet  thirdi  ati  honie,  disabled; 


from  wounds  received  in  the  battle;  ait" 
ChanoeUorsviUe.  Her  ]  ourney  and  expenses' 
had  used  all  the  money  she  had  been  abliS' 
to  bring  from  home  with  her,  and  it  was* 
a  real  joy  to  us  to  be  able  to  give  her  a- 
resting  place  aud  kind  care;  and  then  to^ 
morrow  we  shall  furnish  her  with  a  ticket 
to  her  home. 

The    soldier's    wife — ^very    young    aaid> 
frail— has  journeyed  alone  over  500  jaUea 
in  the  last  two  days-,  to  see  if  possible  her-- 
:  husband  alive. 

j  She  found  him  in-  the  hospital  near  by; 
has  been  with  him  aU  day,  and  has  now- 
come  in  to  the  "nurses' home"  full  of  hope> 
that  he  will  recover,  and  delightedfto  &a& 
the  admirable  and  kind  care  which  is  be- 
stowed by  the  General  Hospitals  upon 
those  who  are  sick;  she  had  heard  such- 
terrible  reports  of  neglect.  She  is  grate- 
Ail,  very,  for  the  shelter  and  the  hand  of 
sympathy  which  the  Home  offers  to  her. 

One  of  the  wives  of  the  refugees  with' 
the  four  children  was  brought  to  the 
office  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  by 
the  Provost  Ghiard,  early  this  momingt 
She  was  miserably  poor  and  destitute, 
and  with  her  children  sadly  in  need  of 
warm  garments.  According  to  the  papers 
which  she  carried  with  her,  and  her  own 
story,  she  had  come  on  all  the  way 
from  Tennessee  in  order  to  find  in  Alexan- 
dtia  some  relatives-  of'  her  husband  who 
were  said  to  live  there;  Her  husband  had 
been  shot  by  guerrillas  near  his  own\ouse; 
where  he  had  gone  on  a  sis  days'  furlough 
from  the  army,  not  very  distant.  As  she' 
had  nothing  to  live  on,  and  feared  for  her- 
own  life,  she  had  fled,  and  came  on  here. 
In  Alexandria  she  had  searched  in  vain  for- 
her  husband's  relatives.  She  brought  all 
her  goods  -with  her,  namely,  a  bed,  blankets-, 
and  some  clbthes,  in  four  dirty  bundles* 
She  now  wants  to  get  back  as  far  as  Ken- 
tucky. She  says  she  can't  feel  at  home 
"way  North;"  that  she  had  rather  stai-ve 
"down  South"  than  stay  up  here.  She 
and  her  children  -wiU  be  made  comfortable, 
and  then  sent  on  their  way.  She  is  not 
entirely  satisfied  with  her  treatment  at  the 
Home.  She  thinks  that  she  is  not  "  waited 
upon"  as  a^  soldier's  -wife  from  so  far  off 
ought  to  be,  and  that  she  has  received-very, 
little  attention;  and  that  if  this- bouse  jH:e- 


Tim  BamtaTf'  Gommissam^  BiiUetiw. 


107? 


tenda  to  be  a  kind  of  hotel  only,  wliere  they 
'don't  take  any  pay,  they  ought  to  look  a 
little  more  after  the  folks  they  emtertain; 
that  at  any  rate,  a  black  girl  might  be  sent 
to  taike  care  of  her  children;  and  that 
surely  it  is  a  great  place  where  a  body  has 
im  help  sew  upon  the  garments  which  are 
going  to  be  a  present  to  her  1  But  stiLL  upon 
tiie  whole,  she  is  glad- of  the  shelter  and  the 
gaimients,  though  hei^  pride  is  a^  little 
wounded;  and  most  certainly  the  poor 
Uttle  children  are  warmer  for-  the  flannels. 
and  shoes.  It  is  str-ange  how  these  "poor 
whites,"  who  haven't  energy  enough  ap- 
parently to  harvest  the  crop  which  is  to' 
keep  them  alive,  can  overcome  all  the  dif- 
ficulties of  such  a  ioumey  as  thisj  with 
baggage  and  children^  travelling:  athousaud' 
miles; 

The  other  woman,  wife  of  ai  refugee^ 
oaane  from  Culpepper  with  her-  sia  chil- 
dren; her  husbsundi  is  with  her.  They 
were  simply  "starved  out."  Atone  time 
ttie  place  was  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels, 
amd  they  couldn't  get  away;  at  another  time 
in  the.  hands  of  the  !Fedeials  and<  the;;:! 
hoped  not  to  be  obliged  to  go  away — and 
so  for  two  years  they  had  lived  on- — until 
at  last,  as  the  husband  told  me,  they  had 
but  "  half  a  gallon"  of  meal  left.  So  ttiey 
bad  to  give  up  their  home;  they  succeeded 
JA  escaping  the  guerrillas^  amd after  along 
amdi  terribly  wearisome  journey-on  f  oot  with 
tikese  six  ohildren>.  they  reached  a  place  of 
protection.  They  had  been  at  the  Sanitary: 
Lodge,  in  Alexandria,  resting  for>  a ;  day  or 
two  before  they  came  on  to  Washington. 
They  were  Methodists  and  persons  with 
dfeep  religious  faith.  Under  aU  their  labor 
and  sorrow  (for  they  buried  a  little  child 
shortly  before  they  left  their  home  in  Vir- 
ginia), they  were  quiet  and  cheerful,  aip- 
parently.  having  perfect  confidence  thart 
God  would  yet  give  them  a  home  and,  all 
the  happiness  which  was  best  for  them., 
The  children,  too,  in  their  gentleness  and 
^pression-  of  face,  bore  mark  of  the  d^iljf 
prayer  wMch  had  never  failed  ap  the  mother 
told  me,  to  be  offered  at  the  poop  man's 
altar.  This  family  had  seen  better  da^s, 
but  there,  was  no  complainti  at  theirr  lot; 
They.  aji!e<  grateltitfo];  the  kindnessr  we<  are 
able.  to.  show  to.  them,,  thougih  ttiey  are 
somewhat'  ofosefy  packed-  t^etheB-  ia-  two'' 


rooms.  Arrangements  are  made  to  ticket' 
the  whole  family  through  to  their  old  home- 
in  Western  Pennsylvania. 

Two  of  the  hospital  nurses  are  from  the' 
General  Hospital,  one  worn  down  by-  excess 
i  sive  labor  J  needing  a  few  days '  rest ;  the  other' 
has  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  her  home^ 
and  is  unable  to  go  over  to  Alexandria  to- 
night.   The  third. is  from  a  regimental  hos- 
pital, where  she  has  served  devotedly  for 
near  two  years^-and  she  is  ordered  in  by  the 
surgeon  of  the  regiment,  whether  she  will 
]  orino,  to  rest  for  at  least  one  week;  but  it- 
;  seems  as  if  resting  were  to  herthehardest- 
;  form  of  labor.    She  will  soon  be  really- siotei 
'  if  she  cannot  go  to  work. 


THE  REPORTS  OF  THE  FORTNIGHT. 

823  Broadway,  Nuw  Yore,  Dec.  4A,  ISSK 
To  (he  Standing  Oommtltee  of  tine:  Cr,  S.SemUainj  Commissiont 

Gbnthemen:  —  Since  your  last  weekly- 
i  meeting,  tidings-  have  reached  this'  office 
from  New  Orleans;  South  OaroKna;  Wash- 
I  ington  and  Norfolk,  in  the  Coast  .District; 
and  by  telegraph  and  by  letter  of  Eev^  J. 
H.  Heywood,  from  Louisville  and  Chatta- 
nooga, in  the  Western  District. 

Dr.  Blaise  wrote  from  New  Orleans  on  the- 
20th  of-  November ;  he  had  not-  ventured; 
;  in  the    absence   of    his   co-workers,   now^ 
doubtless  with  him,  to  absent  himself  from 
New  Orleans,  the  oenttre  of  his  field  of* 
work.    Ere  this,  he  has-,  I  doubt  not,  either 
gone  or  sent  to  our   forces-  on  the  Eio 
Grande,  conformably  to  his  previously  ex- 
pressed intentions.    His  five  helpers,  who 
sailed  from  New  York  on  the  14th  of  Nc 
■  vember,  must  have  joined  him  bythe  22d  of- 
that  month; 
Dr.  Blake  reports  our  relations- with  the 
i  agents-  of  the  Christian  Commission  in  New 
:  Orleans  to  be  cordial.     Souarvy  exists  -with- 
in the  department.    The  vegetables  aboul? 
I  to  be  forwarded  to  the  department,  tioim^ 
:  Maine,  in  addition  to  those  sent  in  suoces- 
;  sive  moderafte  consignments  from  this  port, 
I  and-  perhaps  also  a  cargo  or  part  of  on© 
1  from  up  the  Mlssissippii  -will  doubtless  ef- 
:  feet  for  our  troops  the  same  sanative  result* 
:  ais  similar  gifts  have  elsewhere  done. 
I      Dr.  Marsh  writes  from  Beaufort  on  the^ 
26th  of  November,  that  his  own  health  ia 
improving,  l^ough  he-  is-  yet  evidently  l^ 
no-means--W«H.    He-thinks  that- to  estebUaB: 


108 


The  Banitary  Gommission  B^Metin. 


a  vegetable  garden  for  the  army  in  South 
Carolina,  more  -would  be  reqtiired  of  the 
Commission  than  the  cost  of  seed.  The 
army  can  spare  no  labor  to  superintend  or 
cultivate  it.  Negro  help  can  probably  be 
procured  by  detail,  but  skilled  superinten- 
dence is  not  likely  to  be  afforded  by  the 
army. 

Eev.  Mr.  Low,  of  Massachusetts,  has, 
during  the  past  week,  called  at  this  office 
on  his  return  from  the  Department  of  the 
South,  to  express  his  strong  sense  of  the 
great  usefulness  of  the  Commission's  work, 
as  administered  by  Dr.  Marsh  in  that  de- 
partment. He  stated  that  his  conviction 
was  the  result  of  extended  application 
for  facts  to  both  medical  and  military  offi- 
cers, as  well  as  to  privates,  and  that  Dr. 
Marsh's  statements  as  to  the  value  of  our 
work  were  borne  out  by  the  testimony  of 
aJl  these  classes. 

Prom  Dr.  Page,  in  South  Carolina,  there 
is  stiU  nothing  later  than  the  last  of  Octo- 
ber. 

Prom  the  army  of  the  Potomac  we  have 
no  advices  since  our  compactly  stowed  wag- 
ons, one  for  each  corps,  were,  under  the 
charge  of  their  respective  Relief  Agents  and 
the  general  superintehdence  of  Mr.  John- 
son, cut  loose  from  communication  with 
their  rear,  about  the  time  of  the  late  gen- 
eral advance.  The  Elizabeth  has  been  for 
some  days  lying  with  an  assorted  cargo  of 
battle-field  stores  on  board,  ready  to  con- 
nect our  work  with  the  army  at  perhaps  a 
new  water  base,  while  a  considerable  depot 
has  been  maintained  at  the  B.  B.  station  in 
Alexandria,  if  perchance  communication 
might  be  resumed  with  the  army  by  the 
Orange  and  Alexandria  road. 

At  Portress  Monroe  Mr.  Gale  has  been 
active  in  pushing  on,  by  flag-of-truce  boat, 
the  supplies  of  food  and  clothing  sent  to 
him  by  the  Commission  for  that  purpose. 
From  the  17th  of  November,  inclusive,  the 
value  of  the  suppUes  sent  to  date  is  care- 
fully estimated  at  $28,000.  General  Mere- 
dith expresses  the  belief  that  our  consign- 
ments mainly  reach  our  men,  and  advises 
that  we  continue  to  forward.  He  cordially 
facilitates  our  plans,  and  offers  at  any  time 
to  send  up  the  flag  boat  for  the  conveyance 
of  our  stores.  Our  Philadelphia  associates 
have  expended  considerable  sums  to  this 


end,  and  for  zeal  and  promptitude  in  for- 
warding our  goods  our  EeUef  Agent  at  Bal- 
timore, Mr.  J.  T.  Panooast,  deserves  great 
praise. 

Mr.  Wm.  H.  Hadley  has  been  entirely 
successful  in  the  first  work  of  his  special 
mission  to  Maine.  He  has  engaged  the 
brig  WUliam  and  Mary,  of  2,200  bbls.  capa- 
city, to  sail  for  New  Orleans  on  or  before 
the  14th  inst. ,  with  ^  cargo  of  vegetables  for 
our  troops  there.  The  value  of  the  cargo 
at  Portland  is  estimated  at  $3,800.  Should 
not  insurance  be  "effected?  I  enclose  with 
this  report  Mr.  Hadley's  last  letter  and  the 
charter-party,  which  seems  to  be  arranged 
on  terms  favorable  to  the  Commission. 

Another  load  can  probably  be  obtained 
by  gift  from  the  people  of  Maine;  shall  it 
not  be  gathered  for  this  or  some  other  de- 
partment? 

In  the  Went,  the  attention  of  the  Com- 
mission, as  6f  the  whole  country,  has  been 
attracted  by  the  engagements  about  Look- 
out Valley  and  Mountain,  Tenn.,  and  at 
Einggold,  Ga.  Dr.  Newberry  was  with  the 
army  at  the  time  of  its  encounters  with  the 
enemy.  Bev.  Mr.  Heywood  forwards  tele- 
grams from  Mr.  Eno,  at  Bridgeport,  dated 
November  28th,  which  state  our  loss  to  be 

wounded.    Mr.  Heywood  also  writes 

from  Louisville,  that  large  supplies  were 
going  forward,  and  Chicago  had,  48  hours 
after  being  notified  of  the  need,  placed  in 
Louisville  40  tons  of  hospital  stores,  and 
added  in  the  next  three  days  five  car- 
loads more. 

EespectfuUy  yours, 

J.  FosTEE  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary. 


THE  HOSPITAL  DERECTORY. 

Mr.  Brown,  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Hospital  Directory,  at  Washingtonj  fur- 
nishes us  the  following  summing  up  of  its 
labors: 

The  'Washington  Bureau  of  the  Hospital 
Directory  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
was  opened  to  the  public  on  the  27th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1862.  In  the  month  of  December  follow- 
ing, I  was  ordered  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  to 
orgsmize  a  Directory  Bureau  for  the  'Western 
Department  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
in  January  ended  my  labor  in  that  department 
Betuming  to  Washington,  and  thence  proceed- 


The  Sawitary  Commission  BvMetim, 


109 


ing  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York  upon  the 
same  duty  performed  at  the  "West,  I  completed 
the  entire  organization  of  the  four  bureaus  by 
the  5th  of  March,  1863.  Since  the  Ist  of  June, 
at  these  several  bureaus,  the  returns  from  every 
TJ.  S.  deneral  Hospital  of  the  Army,  233  in 
number  have  been  regularly  received. 

The  total  number  of  names  on  record  is 
513,437.  The  total  number  of  inquiries  for 
information  has  been  12,884,  and  the  number  of 
successful  answers  rendered,  9,203,  being  72  per 
cent,  upon  the  number  received.  The  remaining 
28  per  cent.,  of  whom  no  information  could  be 
obtained,  are  of  those  who  perished  in  the 
Peninsvda  campaign,  on  the  field  before  Fred- 
ericksburg, Stone  River,  ChanoeUorsville,  Vicks- 
burg,  Gettysburg,  &c.  At  the  latter  place  the 
remains  of  those  who  fell  in  that  great  fight 
have  been  gathered  together  with  tender  care, 
and  rest  beneath  the  tombstone  bearing  the 
simple  but  expressive  inscription,  "The 
Unknown." 

'The  purpose  of  the  Hospital  Directory 
originated  in  the  humane  desire,  on  the  part  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  to  supply  a 
greatly  needed  want,  viz. ,  an  organized  bureau 
for  the  record  of  the  inmates  of  army  hospitals, 
whether  becoming  such  by  disease  or  from 
wounds  received  in  battle,  in  order  to  meet 
the  inquiries  of  the  friends  of  the  soldier  un- 
able to  obtain  any  knowledge  of  the  name  or 
locality  of  his  hospital— inquiries  often  painful 
to  hear  from  the  harrowing  anxiety  and  per- 
sistency with  which  they  are  presented.  But 
the  benefit  conferred  by  the  Directory  has  not 
been  merely  to  friends  of  the  soldier,  but  also 
to  the  soldier  himself,  becoming  as '  it  has  a 
medium  of  communication  for  wives  and 
mothers  searching  for  husbands  and  sons — a 
channel  through  which  has  flowfed  those  mes- 
sages of  love,  and  cheer,  and  hope  grateful  to  the 
fevered  brain,  soothing  to  the  agony  of  wounds. 
How  far  it  has  accomplished  its  aim  let  the 
figures  which  have  been  given  be  the  answer. 

In  the  nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  three 
answers  lies  hidden  a  history  which  no  human 
eye  shall  ever  read.  And  the  gratitude  with 
which  they  are  acknowledged  is  shown  by  the 
letters  on  file.  Mothers  write  of  their  "  undy- 
ing gratitude''  for  the  simple  announcement 
that  their  boys  are  doing  well  in  hospital; 
others  "invoke  the  blessing  of  God  upon  the 
labors  of  the  Commission,"  and  sisters  "will 
cherish  the  warmest  gratitude  while  memory 
lasts."  And  then  the  eagerness  with  which 
inquiries  are  made;  "By  the  love  you  bear  your 
own  mother  tell  me  where  my  boy  is ! "  "  Only 
give  me  some  tidings  I"  "Is  he  dead,  and  how 


did  he  die?"  "Is  he  alive,  and  how  can  I  get 
to  him?"  "I  pray  you  tell  me  of  these  two 
nephews  I  am  seeking  for.  I  have  had  four- 
teen nephews  in  the  service,  and  these  two  are 
the  only  ones  left." 

Of  the  many  scenes  witnessed  in  the  bureau, 
I  can  only  mention  a  few  without  attempting  a 
description.  A  mother  has  not  heard  anything 
of  her  son  since  the  last  battle;  she  hopes  he 
is  safe,  but  would  like  to  be  assured — there  is 
no  escape — she  must  be  told  that  he  has  fallen 
upon  the  "federal  altar;"  au  agony  of  tears 
bursts  forth  which  seem  as  if  it  would  never 
cease;  another  less  excitable  does  not  tire  of 
telling  "how  good  a  boy  he  was;"  "  no  mother 
ever  had  such  a  son  as  he,"  sobs  a  third.  A 
father  presents 'himself,  a  strong  man  and  yet 
young  in  years,  to  receivg  the  same  announce- 
ment, and  sinks  with  audible  grief  into  a  chair; 
another  with  pale  face  and  tremulous  voice, 
anxious  to  know,  yet  dreading  to  hear,  is  told 
that  his  boy  is  in  the  hospital  a  short  distance 
off;  he  grasps  the  hand  with  both  of  his,  while 
tears  run  down  his  cheeks,  and  without  utter- 
ing another  word  leaves  the  room.  "It  is 
very  hard,  my  friend,"  was  said  to  one  mute 
with  grief,  " but  you  are  not  alone."  "I  know 
it,  sir,"  was  the  prompt  reply,  "  but  he  was  the 
only  one  I  had." 

A  woman  of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence 
and  appearance,  with  almost  breathless  voice, 
"I  want  to  find  my  husband;  I  have  not  heard 
from  him  for  several  months.  I  have  written 
to  the  officers  of  his  regiment,  but  do  not  get 
any  reply;  can  you  teU  me  where  he  is  ?" 

"WiU  you  please  to  give  me  his  name 
and  number  of  his  regiment."  "0,  yes  sir." 
"You  win  find  him  at  Lincoln  Hospital; 
the  city  cars  pass  near  the  building,  and  the 
conductor  will  point  it  out  to  you."  A 
momentary  shade  of  incredulity  is  perceptible; 
then  turning  her  fuU  deep  eyes  swollen  with 
emotion,  she  gives  one  look— a  full  reward  for 
a  month  of  labor— and  in  an  instant  is  in  the 
street.  A  little,  wiry,  keen-eyed  woman,  in  a 
tone  between  a  demand  and  a  request,  wants  to 
find  her  husband.  He  is  not  far  ofi.  She  feirly 
screams  with  delight,  and  rushes  wildly  out  of 
the  office.  Thus-  the  varied  scene  goes  on. 
One  inquirer  leaves  the  room  grateful,  buoyant 
and  happy,  to  be  followed  by  another  equally 
grateful,  who  will  "  tread  softly"  the  remainder 
of  his  days,  for  the  "light  of  his  dweUing  has 
gone  out."  As* each  departs  another  figure  is 
added  to  the  Ustof  "inquiries  and  answers," 
and  the  seemingly  monotonotis  work  of  the 
bureau  is  resumed. 
The  Sanitary  Cozumission  has  a  history  to 


110 


The  Bamtavy  Comirmssim  BvMetin. 


which  it  may  point  with  pride  and  gratitude, 
-and  not  the  least  of  its  beneTolrait  features, 
not  the  least  of  its  works  of  mercy  and  of  com- 
fort, will  be  the  record  of  its  Hospital  Directory. 


THE  WOBK  IN  TENNESSEE. 

NiSHvni»,  Tbsh.,  Nov.  16a,  1868. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberbt, 

Sra: — ^Eetuming  to  Nashville  on  the  21st 
of  October,  after  near  three  weeks'  absence 
by  reason  of  sickness,  I  found  that  the  work 
of  the  Commission  ia  NashviUe  had  made 
good  progress — excepting  the  Soldiers' 
Home,  which  was  not  in  as  complete  order 
as  it  had  previondy  been  nnder  the  admin- 
istration of  Mr.  Crane. 

I  found  at  Stpvenson  and  Bridgeport  sni- 
ficient  stores  for  distribution,  but  was  pained 
to  learn  that  aU.  our  efforts  to  obtain  trans- 
portation to  Chattanooga  had  been  unsuc- 
cessful for  at  least  two  weeks.  I  should, 
perhaps,  reoaU.  to  your  mind  that  we  had 
succeeded  in  getting  eleven  wagon-loads  of 
stores  into  Chattanooga  previous  to  the 
battle — stores  which  had  been  not  only 
comfort,  but  life  to  the  wounded.  After 
the  battle  we  had  still  every  favor  from  the 
authorities,  and  our  full  share  of  the  re- 
sources of  the  Government;  but  we  were 
compelled  to  share,  also,  in  the  terrible 
straits  and  difficulties  which  the  army  suf- 
fered, and  which,  tiU  the  opening  of  the 
river,  combined  to  render  the  maintainance 
of  the  position  not  only  difficult  but  in  the 
highest  degree  doubtful. 

At  Chattanooga  there  were  about  1,400 
in  hospitals  of  the  most  severely  wounded 
— and  such  as  could  not  be  removed.  Our 
great  anxiety  was  to  send  more  stores  to 
these,  who,  without  a  full  supply  and  good 
variety  of  food  and  stimulants,  must  die. 
As  the  weU  men  must  be  fed,  we  promised, 
that  during  the  existing  pressure  upon  the 
transportation,  we  would  only  send  edibles. 
For  a  week  or  more  no  stores  of  any  kind 
were  sent  from  Nashville,  the  cars  being 
all  used  to  transport  Gen.  Hooker's  corps. 
When  they  began  to  carry  commissary 
stores,  Mr.  Bobiason  informed  me  that  he 
could  not  obtain  transportation,  as  the  Q. 
M.  was  ordered  by  Gen.  Thomas  to  ship 
only  those  stores.  I  at  once  called  upon 
the  Q .  M.  ia  charge  of  transportation,  show- 
ing him  the  following  order  from  Gen.  Bo- 


secrans,  which  I  supposed  provided  for 
just  such  genersd  orders  as  the  one  he  had 
now  received;  he  agreed  with  me  that  it 
did,  and  promised  transportation: 

OKDER  OF  GEN.  ROSECRANS. 

Head-Qitabtbbs  Dhp't  of  THB  CUMB'n,  \ 
Stetbhson,  AU.,  August  19tt,  1863.  J 

Sib: — ^The  General  commandiiig  authorizes 
the  use  of  half  a  car  daily  for  the  shipment  Of 
sanitary  stores  by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, from  NashviUe  to  such  points  South  as 
may  be  desired.  This  letter,  if  exhibited  to  the 
Quarter-Master  at  Nashville,  will  procure  you 
the  transportation  at  all  times,  unless  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  service  should  make  it  necessa^ 
temporarily  to  suspend  the  permission.  Gener- 
al directions  to  ship  nothing  but  government 
stores,  will  not  affect  this  permit  Should  it  be 
necessary  to  suspend  it,  special  directions  will 
be  given. 

I  am,  very  respectfolly, 
your  obedient  servant, 

0.   GrODDABD, 
Lieut.  Col.  and  A.  A.  G. 
Dr.  a.  N.  KreD, 
JT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

The  next  morning,  fearing  that  he  was 
wrong,  he  declined  to  send  our  stores.  I 
in  vain  assured  him  we  would  only  send 
something  for  the  wounded  men  to  eat, 
that  would  take  the  place  of  the  stores  he 
was  sending,  and  would  do  just  as  much 
toward  supplying  the  army,  while  it  gave 
to  the  wounded  a  more  palatable  and  nutri- 
cious  diet.  He  admitted  the  force  of  all 
this,  but  feared  he  should  be  disobeying 
orders.  Thus,  several  precious  days  were 
lost,  no  one,  perhaps,  censurable,  but  the 
wounded  were  suffering.  At  the  same  time 
we  had  a  similar  disappointment  at  Steven- 
son. Twenty  teams  were  given  to  us — or- 
dered at  Chattanooga  to  report  for  sanitary 
stores.  After  some  delay  they  reported, 
but  the  mules  were  so  poor,  that  it  was  ev- 
ident they  could  not  return  to  Chattanooga 
even  with  empty  wagons.  At  this  time  of 
discouragement  came  a  dispatch  to  send 
stores  to  Bridgeport,  that  they  might  be 
ready  for  the  iirst  boat ;  meantime,  by  a 
new  order  from  General  Thomas,  I  had  re- 
ceived the  use  of  one  car  a  day  from  this  place 
to  Bridgeport.  The  boat  would  take  stores 
only  from  Bridgeport  to  Eelley's  Feny, 
some  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Chattanooga. 
Bev.  Mr.  Kennedy,  who  had  tents,  and  the 
charge  of  the  Lodge  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  was  informed  that  he  was  more 
needed  at  the  Ferry— both  that  he  might 
aid  in  taking  oare  of  the  goods  as  they  weve 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeiin. 


Ill 


tinloaded  from  the  boats,  and  also  that  he 
-might  lodge  and  feed  the  sick  brought  to 
that  place  by  the,  ambulances,  and  'who 
-must  'wait  for  the  boat  to  return. 

Writing  to  Mr.  F.  E.  CraiT',  our  store- 
keeper at  Stevenson,  he  says,  "I  want  you 
to  be  here  -when  the  goods  arrive,  that  you 
may  enjoy  'with  me  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
these  hungry  men  receive  their  first  supply. 
The  want  of  food  here  is  so  pressing  that  I 
have  often  seen  the  soldiers  gathering  the 
grains  of  com  which  had  fallen  from  the 
feed  troughs  of  the  mules,  roasting  and 
eating  them." 

The  pleasure  alluded  to  they  have  ex- 
perienced, and  now  we  are  sending  to 
Bridgeport,  and  have  been  since  the  3d 
of  this  month,  one  car-load  each  day;  and 
these  stores  are  sent  promptly  from  Bridge- 
port to  Chattanooga.  The  amount  of  'work 
to  be  done  at  Chattanooga  'was  so  great, 
that  I  felt  compelled  to  provide  additional 
help.  In  this  emergency  I  applied  to  M.  • 
D.  Bartlett,  State  Agent  from  Wisconsin, 
to  aid  us  in  the  general  work.  He  prompt- 
ly consented  to  go,  and  is  now  rendering 
efficient  service  where  help  was  most  of  aU 
needed.  I  also  employed  Mr.  Wm.  A. 
SutUff  to  take  charge  of  the  depot  at  Kel- 
ley's  Ford,  while  Mr.  Sill  gave  his  entire 
attention  to  the  care  of  the  goods  from 
the  Ford  to  Chattanooga,  accompanying 
.and  staying  'with  the  teams. 

When  the  stores  leave  Bridgeport  by 
boat,  an  agent  goes  ■with  them  to  protect 
them  on  the  way.  Thus,  with  much  labor, 
the  way  is  now  open  for  the  speedy  and 
safe  transfer  of  stores  to  the  extreme  front 
of  our  army — and  we  are  improving  it 
faithfully.  The  Agents  of  the  Commission 
in  this  department  are  located  as  follows: 
Bev.  8.  C.  Hoblet,  Relief  Agent,  and  Eev. 
J.  P.  T.  Ingraham,  Hospital  Visitor,  in 
NashviUe;  Eev.  M.  F.  lioomis.  Hospital 
Visitor  on  the  line  of  the  railroad  between 
this  and  Bridgeport;  Capt.  Brayton,  in 
charge  of  Soldiers'  Home;  Mr.  Charles 
Bobinson  and  Mrs.  Hopkins,  in  charge  of 
store  room.  At  Bridgeport,  E.  H.  Pooook 
and  Dr.  Coates,  in  charge  of  depot.  At 
Kelley's  Ford,  Eev.  Mr.  Kennedy  in  change 
of  Lodge;  Wm.  A.  Sutliff  in  charge  of 
Depot.  At  Chattanooga,  M.  0.  Eeed,  M. 
*D.  Bartlett,  F.  Jl.   Graiy,  M.    Eeddin^. 


Ton  are  already  informed  the  work  each  of 
these  Agents  is  doing,  by  their  reports 
made  to  you.  To  the  best  of  my  knowl- 
edge, they  all  labor  kindly,  faithfully  and 
successfully.  Eev.  Mr.  Hobit  devotes  much 
of  his  time  to  answering  letters  and  tele- 
grams of  inquiries  sent  both  from  Louis- 
viQe  and  from  all  parts  of  the  States. 

In  addition  to  this,  he  is  particularly 
valuable  in  obtaining  passes,  transporta- 
tion, approval  of  requisitions,  &c. 

Eev.  Mr.  Ingraham  starts  nearly  every 
morning  with  a  basket  of  delicacies — goes 
to  some  one  of  the  24  hospitals;  and  after 
obtaining  permission  of  the  Surgeon,  ■visits 
all  parts  of  the  hospital;  looking  after  the 
quantity  of  the  food,  and  learning  the 
wants  of  the  sick,  and  if  he  finds  any 
special  cases  of  suffering,  does  aU  that  can 
be  done  for  their  relief.  At  the  same  time 
he  informs  the  Surgeon  that  there  are  many 
articles  at  the  sanitary  rooms,  ■which  are 
sent  expressly  to  aid  him  in  the  care  of  his 
sick,  and  that  he  can  always  have  them  for 
the  asking. 

He  leaves  his  delioafeies  'with  those  who 
are  most  sick  or  desponding,  but  never 
until  he  has  obtained  the  approval  of  the 
Surgeon  'who  has  charge  of  the  patient — 
thus  respecting  the  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  service,  and  insuring  the  sympathy  and 
hearty  co-operation  of  each  Surgeon  in  his 
work. 

Eev.  Mr.  Loomis  is  working  in  the  same 
kind  manner  in  aU  the  hospitals  at  Mur- 
freesboro',  TuUahoma,  Cowan,  Winchester, 
Stevenson  and  Bridgeport;  and  at  the  same 
time  visits  as  many  as  possible  of  the  regi- 
mental hospitals  at  the  different  posts. 

Under  the  care  of  Capt.  Brayton,  the 
New  Home  in  Nashville  'will  not  prove 
second  to  any  in  the  Nation.'  The  building 
is  well  adapted  for  the  purpose,  and  Capt. 
B.  'will  now  have  it  nicely  fitted  up.  He  is 
doing  a  glorious  work. 

Mr.  Eobinson's  duties  are  most  onerous; 
too  much  so  for  any  one  to  do,  and  do  'weU 
— ^for  any  length  of  time.  It  is  quite 
enough  for  one,  even  'with  the  exceUeht 
business  talent  of  Mr.  E. ,  to  keep  the  books, 
attend  to  recei'ving  the  goods,  and  the 
through  or  wholesale  shipments. 

The  many  calls  that  come  &6m  so  many 
quarters  every  day  besides  these,  are'more 


112 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


than  Mrs.  Hopkins  can  attend  to;  I  have 
therefore  asked  for  them  an  assistant,  so 
that  -when  Mr.  E.  is  compelled  to  go  to  the 
depot,  as  he  often  is,  then  there  may  be 
some  one  always  ready  to  receive  applica- 
tions for  stores,  and  to  wait  upon  them 
promptly.  I  have  informed  you  by  letter 
Mr.  Robinson  feels  able  to  do  all  this,  but 
his  friends  feel  that  it  is  too  much.  Mrs. 
Hopkins  gives  the  finishing  touches  of  a 
woman's  hand  in  the  arrangement  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  many  little  articles  pre- 
pared and  sent  by  the  ladies  at  home.  And 
for  every  marked  package,  where  the  label 
is  definite,  at  once  sends  a  letter  of  ac- 
knowledgment. 

Mr.  E.  I.  Eno,  sent  by  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois to  look  after  the  interests  of  her 
soldiers,  is  with  us  and  of  us,  and  ever  ready 
to  co-operate  in  the  general  work.  All 
stores  at  his  command,  and  they  are  many, 
are  turned  over  to  the  Commission  for 
general  distribution.  Mr.  Eno  also  left  his 
office  and  endured  great  personal  exposure 
and  hardships  in  organizing  our  depots  at 
Bridgeport  and  Kelly's  Ford — and  the  re- 
moval of  the  stores  from  Stevenson.  We 
are  under  very  great  obligations  to  him 
for  his  timely  and  valuable  assistance.  His 
acts  aU  show  that  he  regards  the  struggle 
in  which  we  are  now  engaged  as  National; 
and  that  our  sympathy  and  help  should  be 
given  alike  to  all  the  sufferers.  The  only 
questions  to  be  asked  in  the  distribution  of 
our  stores  being,  Is  he  a  soldier  of  the 
Nation?    Is  he  in  want? 

At  Mui-freesboro'  the  hospitals  are  again 
enlarged,  and  a  larger  number  of  the  sick 
and  wdunded  will  be  accumulated  there 
than  have  been  for  many  months. 

There  is  one  general  hospital  at  TaHaho- 
ma  in  charge  of  Dr.  Woodward,  otu-  excel- 
lent friend  because  he  is  the  true  friend  of 
his  patients.  As  usual,  his  hospital  is  in 
'  the  best  possible  condition.  At  Cowan 
there  is  also  at  this  time  a  large  number  of 
sick.  The  hospital  at  Stevenson  is  being 
removed.  At  Bridgeport  there  is  a  hospi- 
tal, where  those  brought  from  Chattanooga 
are  to  remain  until  taken  on  by  rail.  Here 
we  have  been  feeding  them  on  their  ar- 
rival. Mr.  Pocock  telegraphed  me  that  he 
fed  100  in  one  day,  which  he  did  with  very 
little  material  to  work  with;  had  a  toler- 


able supply  of  tin-cups,  but  had  no  spoons 
for  his  soup.  He  obtained  volunteer  help 
from  one  of  the  regiments  stationed  near. 

Mr.  Kennedy  is  also  doing  the  same  work 
at  KgUy's  Perry,  with  better  accommoda- 
tions. Mr.  Eno  informs  me  that  he  saw 
biTn  feed  about  100  as  they  lay  in  ambu- 
lances, too  badly  wounded  to  get  out,  but 
compelled  to  wait  for  the  boat.  The  pas- 
sage from  that  point  by  boat  to  Bridgeport 
is  made  wiih  little  comfort  and  great  expo- 
sure ;  but  it  is  luxurious  when  compared  with 
the  former  dreadful  ride  in  ambulances  over 
the  mountains,  a  distance  of  some  sixly 
miles ;  climbing  the  most  rugged  mountain 
sides  with  great  difficulty,  and  then  going 
down  the  other  side  as  rocky,  steep,  and 
rugged;  the  rocks  so  large  in  the  path  that 
the  patient  who  had  become  too  exhausted 
to  hold  on  to  the  sides  of  the  ambulance,  is 
from  the  motion  dashed  from  side  to  side; 
or  if  there  are  two,  they  are  thrown  alter- 
nately one  upon  the  other. 

Col.  Paine,  of  the  124th  O.  V.  I.,  shot 
through  the  thigh,  was  one  of  the  thousands 
that  took  such  a  ride — and  he  assured  me 
that  he  suflFered  ten  thousand  deaths — ^that 
he  would  much  prefer  death  to  such  a  ride 
again;  and  he  had  no  bones  broken. 

The  ride  now  by  river  occupies  about  12 
hours,  while  by  the  ambulances  over  the 
mountains  the  average  time,  I  have  been 
informed,  was  five  days,  and  sometimes 
much  longer. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  give  you  any  ac- 
count of  the  work  at  Chattanooga,  relying 
whoUyupon  your  agents  there,  who  I  doubt 
not  will  report  to  you. 

The  destitution  of  Chattanooga  has  been 
such  that  we  have  all  felt  more  than  usual 
responsibility,  to  do  our  utmost  for  its  re- 
lief; and  while  we  have  met  with  a  great 
deal  of  delay  in  shipping  our  stores,  and  not 
a  little  when  we  knew  the  decisions  of  the 
subordinates  were  not  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  the  General  commanding,  we 
have  at  aU  times  felt  that  all  were  disposed 
to  go  as  far  as  possible,  consistently  with 
their  understanding  of  their  orders,  to  aid 
us  in  our  work.  I  am  informed  that  Dr. 
Perin,  the  Medical  Director,  whom  I  have 
ever  found  ready  most  heartily  to  aid  in 
anything  which  he  believed  would  enable 
him  better  to  provide  for  the  sick  under  his 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


113 


care — ^has  given  tis  even  more  cordially  than 
ever,  every  assistance  in  Ms  power.    While 
he  does  not  believe  that  he  can  be  helped 
permanently,  except  by  those  -who  comply 
at  all  times  with  the  rules  and  regulations 
of  the  service,  he  is  decidedly  opposed  to 
duplicating  the  channels  of  supply  for  sani- 
tary stores,  as  well  as  to  our  sending  for- 
ward any  not  designed  for  general  distribu- 
tion.    I  cannot  in  justice  close  this  report 
without  expressing  my  thanks  for  the  lib- 
eral help  we  have  received  from  the  Tele- 
graph Company  in  this  place  and  in  Chat- 
tanooga, and  the  kind  manner  in  which 
that  help  has  been  given. 

We  have  used  the  telegraph  largely — 
most  of  our  communications  have  been  sent 
free — and  they  have  been  sent  from  the  of- 
fice with  but  little  delay. 

I  cannot  better,  illustrate  the  work  of  this 
'help  than  by  the  following  incident.  On 
the  12th  of  this  month  you  telegraphed, 
"  Sanitary  Commission,  NashviUe.  Answer 
immediately;  is  Henry  Ford,  Co.  F,  35th 
Ohio,  aHve  ?  hospital  13— Father.— J.  S. 
Newberry." 

Inquiry  is  at  once  made  at  the  hospital; 
and  I  answer  immediately— Henry  "Ford, 
Co.  F,  35th  Ohio,  is  alive,  slightly  better; 
says — TeU  father  to  come  as  soon  as  he 
can. "  This  soldier  whispered  in  his  feeble- 
ness, "I  can't  telegraph;  it  wiU  cost  too 
much. "  He  had  given  himself  to  his  coun- 
try, but  he  had  not  money  enough  left  to 
send  such  a  message  to  his  father.  This 
message  was  one  of  the  hundred  sent  free. 
I  have  found  time  to  make  but  few  care- 
ful inspections  of  the  diflferent  hospitals  of 
the  city — ^but  have  made  inspection  of  a 
part  of  them. 

The  large  Field  Hospital  known  as  Cum- 
berland Hospital  is  located  west  of  Nash- 
ville, about  one  mile  from  the  State  House. 
The  patient*  are  furnished  with  tents.  The 
cooking  is  done  in  wooden  buildings  erect- 
ed for  this  pmpose.  The  hospital  is  divid- 
ed into  4  divisions,  each  division  into  4  sec- 
tions, each  section  is  composed  of  4  wards 
of  25  patients  each.  Each  ward  has  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  attendants.  The  washing 
is  mostly  done  by  contrabands.  We  made 
a  donation  to  theni  through  "Sister  An- 
thony,"  of  Cincinnati,  of  something  Kke  150 
yards  cotton  cloth;  they,  like  many  others,* 
Voii.  L— No.  L  8 


have  worked  long  without  pay;  and  al- 
though they  are  used  to  it,  I  do  not  believe 
it  is  necessary.  There  are  60  of  them  in 
this  hospital.  The  total  number  of  patients 
treated  the  past  month  was  1,402 — 305  of 
which  were  surgical  oases.  No  hospital 
gangrene,  and  but  one  case  of  erysipelas. 

Twenty-eight  deaths  have  occurred  dur- 
ing the  month. 

Large  shipments  of  stores  are  now  being 
sent  daily  to  Chattanooga  and  Bridgeport, 
and  often  to  Murfreesboro'  and  Tallahoma. 
Very  respectfully,        A.  N.  Bbed. 

Dr.  Newberry  telegraphs: 

"I  have  just  returned  from  Chattanooga. 
Our  wounded  were  never  so  well  cared  for;  our 
own  work  never  better  done,  never  more  valua^ 
ble,  or  as  highly  appreciated.  Every  facility 
given  us  authoritatively,  and  especially  by  Gen- 
eral Meigs.  Supplies  were  in  abundance,  and 
no  hospital  requisition  left  by  us  unfilled.  Full 
stores  still  arriving  in  great  quantities.  Four 
thousand  packages  to  Nashville,  and  over  two 
thousand  down  flie  Mississippi  within  ten  days. 
I  have  sent  large  invoices  over-land,  and  also 
by  river  to  Chattanooga.  AH  our  hands  nearly 
worn  out  with  hard  work;  shall  write  as  soon 
as  able.  J.  S.  Neweebbt, 

^'Associate  Sec.  West'n  Dep't  U.  S.  Samtary  Ccymmission. 
To  Dr.  Bkllows,  Fresident." 


The  following  on  the  same  subject  has 
also  been  received: 

Genehai,  Field  Hospital,      1 
Stevenson,  Nm.  3, 1863.  J 
A.  N.  Eeed,  M.  D., 

IhspiKtfir  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Cnmrnv^sion: 
Snt — A  low  rate  of  mortahty  and  great  immu- 
nity from  suffering  have  attended  the  efforts  of 
the  Samtary  Commission  in  supplying  the  sicli 
and  wounded  brought  hither  from  Chattanooga, 
with  vegetables,  clothing  and  delicacies.  I  am 
happy  to  say  that  the  various  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission have  been  unremitting  in  their  atten- 
tions, and  success  has  been  their  reward. 
I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  serv't,     D.  J.  MoKiebin, 
Surg.  U.  S.  Y. 


THE  "HOMES"  AT  WASHINGTON  AND 
LOUISVILLE. 

WASHINGTON,  n.  C. 

"The  Home"  is  where  sick  and  disabled 
soldiers,  not  otherwise  provided  for,  are  shel- 
tered, and  fed,  and  cared  for;  where  discharged 
men,  waiting  for  their  pay,  can  be  protected, 
and  those  who  have  been  paid,  but  are  too 
feeble  to  go  on,  may  rest;  while  others  still, 
who,  in  reaching  this  point  on  their  homeward 
journey,  have  exhausted  all  the  hfe  they  had 
left  in  them,  may  quietly  die,  ministered  to  by 
the  hand  of  kindness.  These  buildings  are 
conveniently  located  near  the  railroad  station. 


114r 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUetin. 


«i  "oXV-JSTv   WS?CVA 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


117 


well  supplied  with  water,  light  and  air,  and 
contain  accommodation  for  three  hundred  and 
thirty  men,  besides  the  buildings  where  the 
wives,  mothers,  and  sisters  of  soldiers  are  pro- 
vided for  when  they  come  on  to  find  their  sick 
or  wounded  relatives  in  the  hospitals,  or  in  the 
army.  Where  there  is  now  the  "Home"  which 
has  given  in  the  last  year  some  35,000  nights* 
lodging  and  some  85,000  meals,  there  was,  two 
years  and  a  half  ago,  the  beginning  made  in  the 
work  of  "Special  Kelief"  A  single  room  was 
hired,  with  four  beds,  and  a  few  soldiers,  who 
were  otherwise  utterly  unoared  for,  were  here 
made  comfortable  until  they  could  be  sent  to 
their  homes,  or  hospitals,  or  regiments,  as  the 
case  might  be.  Thus  by  degrees  the  place  has 
grown  into  its  present  size.  The  "  Home"  is  con- 
ducted upon  principles  of  kind  humanity,  but 
with  a  strict  regard  for  all  rules  of  military  dis- 
cipline. It  never  seeks  to  make  pity  an  excuse 
for  false  tenderness,  but  rather  to  strengthen 
the  muscles  of  war.  For  a  report  of  the  working 
of  the  "Home"  during  a  given  period,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  Vol.  L,  No.  1,  of  Tta 
Sanhabt  Commission  BtrLLETm,  pp.  12-16. 

lyOUISVUIiE,    KY. 

The  objects,  methods,  and  workings  of  the 
Home  at  Louisville,  are  all  explained  by 
what  IS  said,  above  in  regard  to  the  Home 
at  Washington.  They  are  but  parts  of  the  same 
roof  which  would  protect  the  soldier  who  faints 
by  the  way,  and  without  weakening  his  energy, 
would  still  remind  him  of  those  who,  even  to 
the  distant  places,  reach  out  a  hand  from  home. 
At  this  Home,  since  January  last,  there  have 
been  over  25,000  nights'  lodging  given,  and 
about  100,000  meals  furnished.  For  more  de- 
tailed account  of  its  work  see  SiNiTiBY  Commis- 
sion BxasJErni,  Vol.  I.,  No.  2,  p.  51;  also  month- 
ly reports  in  the  "  Sanitary  Beporter." 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  "Home"' 
for  the  month  ending  November  30th,  1863: 

Whole  number  admitted 416 

Whole  number  lodged 3012 

Whole  number  meals 7530 

From  the  following  States: 

Maine 9 

New  Hampshire 16 

Vermont 12 

Connecticut. 8 

Khode  Island. 7 

Massachusetts * .     40 

NewXork 133 

Pennsylvania 41 

New  Jersey 3 

Delaware 17 

Maryland 7 


Michigan 13 

niinois 3 

Indiana 4 

Wisconsin 25 

Ohio 17 

Invalid  Corps. 39 

Eegular  Army 9 

Missouri 2 

Minnesota 2 

Citizens 8 


THE  AGENCY  FOK  THE  PUECHASE  OF 
FRESH  HOSPITAL  SUPPLIES. 

Six  months  ago  the  Sanitary  Commission  pro- 
posed to  act  as  thfe  unpaid  agents  of  the  hospi- 
tals in  Washington,  Georgetown  and  Alexandria, 
for  the  purchase  of  their  fresh  supplies.  The 
proposition  was  seoondf  d  by  maiiy  of  the  sur- 
geons in  charge,  cordially  endorsed  by  the  Sur- 
geon-General, and  immediately  accepted  by  Dr. 
Abbott,  Medical  Director;  and  a  general  order 
was  issued,  directing  all  surgeons  in  charge  of 
hospitals,  at  regular  times,  to  send  in  their  re- 
quisitions to  an  appointed  agent  of  the  Commis- 
sion, and  to  purchase  only  through  him. 

The  object  of  the  Commission,  in  tmdertaking 
this  work,  was  to  secure  to  the  soldiers  in  the 
hospitals  a  greater  amount,  with  larger  variety, 
and  better  quality  of  food  than  could  otherwisa 
be  purchased  by  the  hospital  fund;  for  pre- 
viously aU  supplies  had  to  be  bought  at  the 
Washington  markets,  which  are  extravagantly 
high,  and  limited  in  variety.  Most  of  the 
purchases  had  to  be  made  on  credit  instead  of 
afeoash  prices;  for  the  hospital  fond  by  which 
supplies  are  bought  is  not  credited  to  the  hos- 
pital until  the  end  of  the  mouth,  when  it  is 
known  how  many  of  the  rations  due  to  that 
hospital  have  not  been  drawn  from  the  Commis- 
sary. This  new  method  defended  the  in- 
mates of  the  hospitals  against  such  hospital 
stewards  (of  whom  there  were  too  many)  as 
made  their  purchases  in  such  a  way  that  they 
gained  money  themselves  at  the  expense  of  tha 
soldier. 

These  ends  were  secured  first  by  purchasing 
all  supplies  at  wholesale  prices  at  Philadelphia, 
where  the  whole  State  is  a  garden,  by  means  of 
our  agents,  who  had  no  single  interest  but  to 
obtain  the  very  best  materials  possible  at  the 
most  reasonable  cost,  at  cash  prices;  for  the 
Commission  advances  the  money  day  by  da  y, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  month  collects  it  fcosLtha 
Commissary,  by  orders  from  the  several  hospi- 
tals. 

These  supplies  are  brought  to  Washington  by 
Adams  Express  Company,  in  arctic  oars,  which 


118 


the  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetiri. 


mn  daily.     These  cars  are  refrigerators,  lined 
■with  zinc,  and  carry  ice. 

The  supplies  for  the  day,  bought  the  afternoon 
preTions  in  Philadelphia,  are  ready  for  delivery 
at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  wagons 
are  sent  from  the  hospitals,  each  for  its  invoice, 
as  ordered,  leaving  the  order  for  the  day  follow- 
ing. Thus,  with  perfect  system,  aU  wants  are 
met,  and  every  article  in  its  season  which  the . 
best  market  in  the  country  affords,  is  furnished 
to  the  soldiers  in  hospital. 

The  hospitals  say  that  their  meajwere  never 
before  so  well  fed,  with  so  good  *»ariety,  and 
at  such  reasonable  cost  The  aifeage  money- 
saving  to  the  hospitals  by  this  agency  is  esti- 
mated at  about  fifteen  or  eighteen  per  cent., 
with  a  corresponding  increase  of  food  for  the 
soldiers.  The  accompanying  report  for  Novem- 
ber will  indicate  somewhat  the  variety  and 
amount  of  supplies  purchased,  and  vriD  give  to 
the  friends  at  home  some  assurance  of  the  pro- 
vision which  is  made  for  the  soldiers  in  hospi- 
tiJ,  (especially  when  to  this  is  added  the  fact 
the  three  great  staples  of  nourishment,  beef, 
bread  and  potatoes,  are  obtained  direct  from 
the  Commissary.)  This  month  of  November 
has  been  the  month  of  smallest  orders  during 
the  six  months.  Some  previous  months,  when 
the  hospitals  were  fall,  the  amount  purchased 
was  nearly  one-half  greater  than  this. 


THE  EICBMOND  PKISONEES. 

The  rebel  authorities  seem  to  be  getting 
ashamed  of  their  treatment  of  our  prison- 
ers. If  we  are  to  judge  from  Mr.  Foote's  late 
speech  in  the  Confederate  Senate,  their 
own  public  are  shocked  by  it,  as  well  as 
that  of  the  North.  But,  in  the  meantime, 
there  is  little  <^ubt  that,  let  their  will  be 
ever  so  good,  our  men  are  not  likely  to  be 
by  any  means  well  off,  and  the  Commission 
continues  the  energetic  despatch  of  sup- 
plies; but  it  is  right  to  warn  our  readers 
that  there  is  some  reason  to  believe  that  no 
further  distribution  of  them  will  be  perm,it- 
ted  by  the  Richmond  government.  Mr. 
Gall,  our  agent  at  Norfolk,  reports,  on  the 
7th  inst. : 

' '  The  flag-of-tmce  boat  '  New  York '  will  start 
for  City  Pomt  sometime  this  P.  M.  Enclosed 
please  find  an  invoice  of  the  supplies  which  we 
Bend  by  her.  Maj.  J.  E.  Mulford,  commanding 
the  flag-of-truce  boat  'New  York,'  informed  me 
this  morning  that  substantial  food  would  be  more 
acceptable  to  our  prisoners  than  so  many  deli- 
cacies. This  was  suggested  to  him  by  the  rebel 
officers  of  exchange.  No  delicacies  should  be 
sent  except  those  intended  for  hospital  purpo- 


ses. I  had  an  interview  with  Gen.  Meredith 
this  moning,  who  assured  me  that  the  arran^ 
ments  for  distributing  the  supplies  to  the  pris- 
oners are  very  good,  and  that  he  has  no  doubt  that 
most  of  the  articles  sent  are  distributed  to  our 
men.  The  General  also  informed  that  the  offi- 
cials heretofore  in  charge  of  the  Kichmond 
prisoners  have  been  dismissed,  and  that  other 
and  more  humane  men  have  been  appointed  to 
take  their  places.  This  seems  to  augur  well  for 
the  better  treatment  of  our  poor  feUows.  The 
General  will  continue  to  send  supplies  of  food, 
&c.,  as  often  as  twice  a  week.  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Gen. Dow,  requesting  me  to  send,for  tho 
use  of  the  officers  in  Inbby,  about  a  dozen  boxes 
of  Seidlitz  powders.  I  will  write  to  Mr.  Pan- 
coast,  asking  him  to  send  them  from  Baltimore. 
The  New  York  wUl  probably  not  go  up  again 
before  Wednesday  or  Thursday  next" 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Irvine,  of  the  Tenth 
New  York  Cavalry,  Special  Agent  of  the 
Exchange  Bureau,  writes  from  City  Point, 
Va.,  23d  ult.,  as  follows: 

"For  the  last  ten  days  I  have  been  busily  en- 
gaged in  supplying  clothing,  commissary;  hos- 
pital and  medicsd  stores  to  our  prisoners,  offi- 
c«rs  and  soldiers,  and  citizens  of  Bichmond.  I 
do  not  doubt  but  a  nominal  degree  of  good  faith 
will  be  observed  by  the  rebel  authorities  in  dis- 
tributing our  supplies.  Our  intercourse  in  res- 
pect to  furnishing  and  the  distribution  of  sup- 
plies is  amicable,  and  the  rebel  authorities 
manifest  fair  intentions.  Our  general  govern- 
ment is  supplying  as  much  of  everything  need- 
ed as  the  rebel  authorities  can  provide  trans- 
portation for  from  this  point,  and  enough,  I 
think,  to  make  our  prisoners  measurably  com- 
fortable, so  far  as  food  and  clothing  are  con- 
cerned. The  Sanitary  Coiomission  and  Relief 
Association  in  Baltimore.  Philadelphia,  and 
other  cities,  are  also  sending  forward  supplies 
of  food,  clothing  and  medicines.  Hence  1  shall 
have  no  need  to  call  on  the  New  York  State 
Agency,  as  I  should  certainly  do  if  there  was 
any  occasion. 

Another  letter  says: 

' '  The  government  has  sent  up  rations,  blankets 
and  closing,  including  caps,  coats,  pante,  shoes', 
socks,  drawers,  and  shirte.  The  Sanitary  Com- 
mission is  sending  pillows,  ticks,  towels,  cloth- 
ing, dried  fruits,  &c.,  beef  stock  and  sugar. 
There  should  be  sent  vegetables  and  pickles. 
This  can  be  done  best  from  Baltimore.  There 
axe  not  less  than  two  thousand  New  York  offi- 
cers among  the  prisoners.  I  think  the  best 
way  will  be  to  send  one  thousand  dollars  to 
Baltimore,  to  be  used  in  the  purchase  of  pota- 
toes, cabbages,  onions,  pickles,  blacking  and 
brushes,  and  fine  combs.  If  monfey  is  srait  to 
the  men  they  cannot  use  it  themselves.  They 
have  to  send  out  by  the  guards  to  buy  things, 
and  the  gaards  make  just  such  returns  as  they 
please.  It  is  not  recommended  to  send  money 
to  the  men." 

' '  The  first  relief  got  through  was  from  the  San- 
itary Commission,  consisting  of  fifteen  large 
boxes  of  clothing  and  provisions.  This  was 
early  in  November.  The  Government  are  now 
supplying  the  regular  allowance  of  rations, 
clothiug,  &c." 


The  Samlary  Cbmrfdssion  Bulletin. 


119 


THE  FIELD  KELIEP  CORPS. 

Mr.  Jolmson,  the  superintendent  of  the 
Field  Belief  Corps,  writes: 

The  movements  of  the  Field  Rehef  Corps, 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  during  the  months  of 
October  and  November,  have  been  varied  and 
interesting,  embracing  those  operations  of  the 
army  which  began  with  the  evacuation  of  Cul- 
pepper, and  terminated  in  its  retreat  from  near 
Orange  Court  House;  of  the  military  incidents 
during  the  retreat  to  CentreviUe;  the  subsequent 
advance  to  Warrenton;  the  attack  at  Rappahan- 
nock Station,  and  the  recent  advance  across  the 
Rapidan,  by  the  lower  fords;  the  papers  of  the 
day  give  full  accounts.  The  Field  Relief  Corps 
■  during  these  movements  has  successfully  car- 
ried out  its  purposes. 

Attached  to  the  various  corps  ambtdance 
trains,  it  has  been  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  the 
battle-field,  but  has  escaped  any  losses  from  the 
bullets  of  the  enemy,  while  its  stores  were  freely 
offered  to  the  unfortunate  sufferers.  This  was 
particularly  the  case  with  the  second  corps 
agent,  when  the  engagement  near  Auburn  Mills , 
and  later  on  the  same  day  at  Bristow  Station, 
hazarded  for' a  time  the  safety  of  the  army. 
The  hurried  evacuation  of  Culpepper  was  ac- 
complished without  loss  of  importance,  the 
stock  in  depot  being  placed  in  cars  during  the 
early  hours  of  morning,  and  very  shortly  before 
the  place  was  occupied  by  the  rebel  forces. 
During  the  various  halts  of  the  army  and  the 
establishment  of  hospitals  in  the  field,  our 
stock  has  been  eagerly  sought  for  and  generally 
distributed  with  judgment,  to  gpod  effect.  Per- 
sonal intercourse  of  agents  -tnth  the  sick  in 
hospital  and  with  the  men  in  camp,  can  scarce- 
ly be  carried  to  too  great  an  extent.  The  more 
intimately  we  know  the  wants  of  the  sick  and 
of  the  healthy,  the  better  qualified  we  become 
to  apply  remedies  in  the  .one  case,  and  preven- 
tives in  the  other.  The  series  of  questions  to 
which  the  Chief  Inspector  has  urgently  called 
the  attention  of  the  ag'ents,  is  well  designed  to 
promote  the  good  of  the  soldier.  During  the 
late  campaign,  the  troops  who  were  exposed  to 
great  inclemency  of  wet  and  cold  weather,  to 
rapid  and  fatiguing  marches,  bore  up  bravely 
against  their  trials,  but  will  probably,  after  the 
excitement  has  passed  aw6,y,  suffer  in  sickness. 
The  substitution  of  fresh  beef,  driven  with  the 
army  and  slaughtered,  frequently  relieved  the 
soldiers  from  carrying  considerable  Weight  of 
pork,  and  furnished  a  much"  more  desirable  arti- 
cle of  food.  I  regret  to  report  that  Geo.  Longley, 
driver  in  the  5th  corps,  was  captured  vfith  his 
wagon  during  the  recent  advance.     The  latter 


was  recaptured,  but  Longley  remains  a  prisoner, 
in  whose  behalf  I  ask  the  aid  of  our  oflcers  to 
effect  his  release. 


THE  LODGES  AT  WASHINGTON. 

U.   S.   SaMTABT  OOMMISSIOII, 

Adams'  House,  244  I"  Stbeet, 
Washihqtok,  D.  0.,  Nov.  ZOth,  1863. 
P.  N.  TUsiSF, 

Special  Belief  Agent,  San.  Cam.: 

Deae  Sm — ^I  have  the  honor  to  report  the 
amount  of  labor  performed  at  Lodge  No.  4, 
Sanitary  Commission,  for  the  month  ending 
Monday,  November  30th,  1863.  The  first  part 
of  the  month,  the  work  was  much  diminished 
in  consequence  of  the  limited  number  of  dis- 
charged men,  but  since  the  middle  of  the  month 
we  have  been  very  busy.  A  large  number  of 
the  men  lately  dischffl'ged  are  "conscript 
substitutes."  The  applications  for  assistance 
from  females  have  been  less  than  usual,  but  ap- 
plications for  assistance  from  men  on  furlough 
have  been  numerous. 

Amount  of  money  collected $13,820.64 

No.  of  cases  in  which  pay  was  collected .    138 
No.  of  applications  for  assistance  in  col- 
lection of  pay  during  month 136 

No.  of  cases  where  papers  were  returned       2 

Amount  forwarded  by  draft $3,318.22 

No.  of  drafts  sent     31 

No.  of  letters  written , 218 

Cash  received  during  month $182.41 

Expenditures $152.70 

Balance  on  hand $29.71 

Of  the  amoimt  expended  $65.55  has  been 
loaned  to  persons  with  a  promise  to .  refund, 
$9.75  incidental  expenses  and  $77.40  expended 
on  "special  relief  cases.  $11.65  has  been  re- 
turned for  money  advanced  prior  to  and  during 
the  present  month. 

There  has  been  an  increased  number  of  ap- 
plications for  meals  from  members  of  the 
invalid  corps  who  were  down  in  the  city  on 
passes,  but  as  there  was  evidence  that  some  of 
the  men  were  clearly  not  entitled  to  be  admitted, 
the  rule  has  been  laid  down  to  refuse  them 
admittance,  with  exception  of  cases  where  there 
is  evident  need. 

No.  of  meals  furnished 7,805 

No.  of  lodgings  famished 1,099 

The  work  of  procuring  certificates  for  back 
pay,  under  charge  of  Mr.  Brown,  has  been  con- 
tinued, with  some  increased  help,  although  from 
the  short  space  of  time  the  new  men  have 
been  engaged  upon  it,  tlveir  work  would  not 
forward  matters  very  much.  Mi-.  Roys  wag 
assigned  to  duty  November  14th,  and  relieved 
November  30th.     F.  X.  Byrne  was  assigned  to 


120 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


duty  in  the  office  November  19th,  and  to  duty 
with  Mr.  Brown  November  27th.  Mr.  Brown 
will  report  to  you  the  amount  of  work  done  by 
him  in  detail,  as  by  your  order.  The  Special 
Relief  Office  has  been  papered  this  month,  and 
with  a  trifling  cost  the  comfort  and  cheerfulness 
of  the  same  is  much  increased. 

It  is  desirable  to  have  the  inmates  of  4Jie 
"clothing  establishment,"  in  the  rear  of  the 
buildings  occupied  by  the  Commission,  re- 
moved, with  their  goods  which  they  have  for 
sale.  How  this  is  to  be  done  I  am  unable  to 
Bnggest,  not  knowing  how  much  authority  the 
Commission  has  over  the  grounds,  or  how  far 
down  the  line  of  buildings  they  have  absolute 
control. 

The  employees  at  this  Lodge  have  generally 
shown  themselves  ready  for  all  work  assigned 
to  them,  and  have  done  all  in  their  power  to 
forward  the  same.  We  have  been  caUed  upon 
only  once  during  the  month  for  special  help. 
On  Sunday,  November  22d,  went  to  Alexan- 
dria with  Mr.  Kane  and  two  colored  men,  and 
came  up  from  there  along  with  sick  men  on  the 
cars,  remained  at  Maryland  Avenue  Lodge 
until  2.30  A.  M.,  and  assisted  in  supplying  at 
least  350  men  with  coffee,  bread,  &c.  Hoping 
the  management  of  affairs  during  the  past 
month  may  meet  with  your  approval,  and  ask- 
ing as  a  special  favor  to  all  the  employees  of 
of  this  lodge,  .that  Mr.  Abbott  may  be  speedily 
restored  to  the  command, 

I  remain,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Wm.   K.    NEAi. 


HOMAGE  DtTE  FROM  MAES  TO  HYGEIA. 
In  July,  1861,  orders  were  issued  for  the  erec- 
tion of  barracks  in  or  near  a  certain  city  in  a 
Northern  State,  to  be  used  as  a  rendezvous  for 
a  new  regiment  of  volunteers.  Adjoining  the 
city  was  a  beautiful  grove,  a  favorite  place  for 
occasional  resort  from  the  dust  and  heat  of  the 
town.  It  was  desired  that  the  barracks  be 
erected  in  the  grove.  An  Inspector  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  endeavored  to  show  the  unfit- 
uess  of  the  site,  urging  reasons,  the  force  of 
vi'hich  afterward  became  sufficiently  manifest, 
fhe  barracks  were  erected  on  this  thickly  shaded 
plain.  These  were  used  some  two  months  by 
this  regiment,  and  it  was  then  sent  to  meet  in 
ihe  field  the  enemy  which  its  mission  was  to 
oonquer.  But  before  leaving  its  camp  of  ren- 
.lezvous  it  had  already  met  another  foe,  against 
nhich  bayonets,  bravery  and  patriotism  were 
powerless.  A  protracted  rainy  season  filled  the 
camp  with  water  and  mud;  for  weeks  the  reek- 
ing atmosphere  was  saturated  with  poisonous 


exhalations;  and  before  they  had  seen  the  faces 
of  those  in  arms  against  their  country,  scores  of 
brave  men  had  yielded  to  an  adversary  which 
they  never  should  have  met.  Ticerdy  per  cent  of 
the  effective  force  of  that  regiment  was  urmeces- 
sariiy  lost  before  it  had  entered  the  field  for 
active  operations,  and  nearly  thirty-five  per  cent 
before  it  had  exchanged  shots  vnlh  fhe  enemy. 

This  is  given  not  as  a  solitary,  but  as  a  repre- 
sentative case.  Other  facts  were  given  in  the 
last  number  of- the  Beporter,  and  we  would  com- 
mend a  repemsal  of  the  article  from  the  Ameri- 
can Medical,  Times  to  those  who  are  influential 
in  the  formation  of  public  opinion,  especially  to 
such  as  reside  in  the  vicinity  of  recruiting  sta- 
tions. A  repetition  of  the  miserable  blunders 
of  the  past  two  and  a  half  years  would  nowbe  a 
crime  offensive  to  God  and  'disgracefcd  to  man. 
Medical  men  in  civil  life  owe  it  to  the  service 
and  to  humanity,  that^jhe  best  lights  of  sanitary 
science  be  made  available  in  the  preservation  of 
the  lives  and  health  of  those  who  are  to  fill  up 
the  depleted  ranks  of  the  old  regiments,  or  form 
the  complement  of  the  new. 

Surgeon-General  Hammond,  in  his  great  work 
on  "Military  Hygiene,'' gives  us  some  figures 
relating  to  the  money  value  of  a  soldier  :  "To 
put  a  soldier  into  the  field  costs  the  Go'vemment 
nearly  four  himdred  dollars;  should  he  die  or 
become  disabled  in  the  service  a  pension  is 
given."  The  cash  value,  then,  of  a  regiment  of 
a  thousand  men,  before  it  has  met  the  enemy, 
is  nearly  half  a  million  of  dollars,  and  by  the 
same  arithmetical  calculation,  each  life  in  that 
regiment  is  worth  more  than  one  thousand  dol- 
lars to  the  service,  if  that  life  can  be  preserved 
in  full  health  and  vigor  to  the  end  of  the  war, 
or  until  lost  in  battle.  ' '  Looking  at  the  matter, 
therefore,  in  a  financial  point  of  view,  we  per- 
ceive that  it  is  a  subject  of  serious  importance 
that  every  means  should  be  taken  to  preserve 
the  lives  and  health  of  those  who  come  forward 
to  fight  the  battles  of  their  country. " 

But  the  money  value  is  the  lowest  value  we 
can  attach  to  the  life  of  a  soldier.  Each  member 
of  a  regiment  is  a  citizen  of  the  conntry;  A  man, 
occupying  a  place  in  the  social  organism  which 
no  other  can  fill.  The  proper  care  of  these 
patriots  becomes  of  incalculable  importance, 
then,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  by  far  the  greatest 
portion  of  the  loss  to  the  service  by  death  or 
sickness  arises  from  causes  which  could  and 
should  have  been  prevented,  by  proper  and 
constant  attention  to  the  conditions  of  health 
during  the  first  few  months  of  the  existence  of 
the  military  organization. 

The  attention  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  was 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEeUn. 


121 


early  directed  to  barracks  and  camps  of  rendez- 
vous as  to  fruitful  sources  <Si  evil,  and  it  has 
constantly  called  the  attention  of  the  authorities 
to  the  &ct.  It  has  distributed  in  such  manner 
as  seemed  to  be  most  promising  of  good  results, 
several  hundred  thousand  pages  of  documents 
upon  sanitary  science,  and  tending  to  the  pre- 
vention of  such  diseases  as  soldiers  are  most 
liable  to  in  camp,  field  and  hospital.  It  is  always 
happy  to  famish  such  documents  gratuitously 
to  medical  and  military  men  in  charge  of  the 
lives  and  health  of  troops. 

Human  life  is  of  priceless  value;  and  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  Sanitary  Science  bears  the  same 
relationship  to  so-called  Sanitary  Stores*  that 
prevention  bears  to  aJUempts  at  cure,  we  com- 
mend this  subject  to  every  well  wisher  of  the 
soldier  and  of  the  country.  We  appeal  to  all 
whose  voices  are  potential,  and  can  reach  those 
who  are  now  crossing,  or  are  about  to  cross,  the 
perilous  gulf  which  separates  the  civil  from  the 
military  life,  to  give  the  note  of  warning,  and 
point  out  how  the  danger  may  be  escaped. 


AN  OFFICER'S  OPINIOIT,  AOT)  WHAT 
BECAME  OF  IT. 

"  The  Sanitaev  Commission  is  a  Humbug. 
It  has  done  no  good,  and  nevee  wiu,." — This 
was  the  remark  of  an  ofScer  lately  who  had  been 
in  this  hospital  for  some  time  sick;  and  perh^s 
I  can  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  and  the  coun- 
try in  no  better  way  than  by  repeating  the  con- 
versation which  then  took  place,  and  give  the 
results: — "You  think  so,  do  you?  What  was 
the  matter  with  you  when  you  came  here?" 
"Diarrhoea  and  scurvy."  "What  was  the  first 
thing  done  for  you  when  you  came  here  ?"  "I 
had  a  warm  bath  and  clean  clothes;  but  what 
has  that  to  do  with  the  Sanitary  Commission  ?" 
"  Never  mind,  we  will  see.  Are  you  better  than 
when  you  came  in?"  "Yes,  nearly  well."  "What 
has  cured  you ?"  "  The  vegetables,  I  believe." 
"Do  you  know  where  the  vegetables  came 
from  ?"  "  iTo. "  "  You  were  in  the  Commissary- 
room  to-day,  and  admired  the  stock  of  vegeta- 
bles, pickles,  cabbage,  cans  of  fruit,  bottles  of 
wine,  and  cordials,  did  you  not?"  "Yes,  but 
why?"  "  No  matter  why.  I  want  you  to  look 
at  file  shirt  and  drawers  you  have  on,  then  go 
through  the  hospital  and  see  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  men  with  clean  shirts,  drawers, 
sheets  and  "pillow  cases;  then  go  into  the  linen- 
room  and  I  will  show  you  enough  more  to 
change  every  man  and  every  bed,  and  the  whole 
of  it  came  from  the  Sanitary  Commission.  All 
the  pickled  cabbage  you  and  the  rest  have  eaten 
have  come  from  them,  and  they  are  ready  to 
furnish  as  much  more  if  I  need  it;  and  yet  you 
say,  without  knowing  what  you  talk  about,  that 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  a  humbug !  If  it 
had  not  been  for  this  Commission,  you  and  the 
rest  of  those  in  this  hospital  from  the  Army  of 

*  Many  of  these  are  "  Sanitary"  that  is  promotive  of 
health,  or  otherwise,  according  to  the  use  that,  is  made 
of  them.  *> 


the  Potomac,  who  have  been  suffering  from 
scurvy,  would  be  as  badly  off  as  you  were  when 
you  came  in.  You  have  abused  an  association 
which  has  put  comfortable  clothes  upon  you, 
has  provided  the  vegetables  you  needed  to  cure 
you,  and  has  done  the  same  for  thousands  be- 
sides you."  "Doctor,  I  never  knew  these  things 
before.  I  have  heard  that  all  they  did  was  for  the 
benefit  of  the  surgeons  about  the  hospitals;  but, 
to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  never  inquired.  There  is 
an  Aid  Society  in  our  place,  and  I  have  dis- 
couraged my  sisters  from  having  anything  to  do 
with  it;  but  no  such  word  shaU  come  from  me 
again." 

He  was  cured  of  his  folly,  humbled  and  sham^ 
ed,  for  it  was  at  the  dinner-table  that  the  con- 
versation took  place,  and  I  was  glad  that  others 
were  present.  This  is  not  a  solitary  instance. 
I  have  had  to  contend  with  just  such  perverse 
ignorance  for  the  past  two  years;  but  this  was  so 
striking  a  case  that  I  thought  it  might  do  good 
to  furnish  it  for  publication  in  the  Reporler. 
The  Commission  has  aiAed  and  blessed  me  in 
my  work  ever  since  November,  1861;  and  I  say 
again,  as  I  have  said  before,  "that  no  instru- 
mentality within  my  knowledge  has  done  so 
much  real  good  for  the  service  as  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Conmiission." 

Benj.  Woodwabd, 
Surgeon  22iJ  III.  Vol.,  in  charge. 
V.  S.  Genekai.  Hosfitai., 
TAI.LAHOUA,  Tehh.,  Nov.  17, 1863. 


MISS   NIGHTINGALE  ON  THE  SANITARY 
STATE  OF  THE  BRITISH  ARMY  IN  INDIA. 

When  the  Eoyal  Commission  on  the  San- 
itary State  of  the  Army  in  India  disclosed 
in  their  Report  the  painful  fact  that  in  In- 
dia a  regiment  of  1,000  men  loses  by  death 
100  men  every  twenty  months,  exclusive  of 
those  who  f aU  in  the  field,  a  feeling  of  hor- 
ror pervaded  all  classes.  We  knew,  how- 
ever, that  in  busy,  bustling  England,  emo- 
tions, even  the  strongest,  are  apt  to  fade 
away  rapidly  unless  kept  alive  by  contin- 
ual reminders.  It  is,  therefore,  with  thank- 
fulness that  we  welcome  the  publication  of 
the  present  pamphlet. 

Miss  Nightingale's  observations  may  be 
regarded  as  a  combination  of  an  epitome  of 
and  marginal  notes  on  the  Keport  of  the 
Eoyal  Commission,  and  will  be  read  by 
many  who  shrink  from  the  ponderous  dull- 
ness of  a  blue-book.  The  diseases  among 
the  troops  in  India  are,  she  justly  remarks, 
camp  diseases;  and  the  causes  of  them  are — 
1.  Bad  water;  2.  Bad  drainage';  3.  Filthy 
bazaars;  4.  want  of  ventUation;  5.  surface 
overcrowding  in  barrack-huts  and  sick- 
wards.  To  begin  with  the  first,  Miss 
Nightingale  exhibits  a  most  melancholy 
picture  of  the  supply  of  that  great  neces- 
sary, water.  It  is  no  fancy  sketch,  and 
is  thoroughly  borne  out  both  by  the  "  Sta- 
tional  Reports  "  and  the  experience  of  those 
who  have  served  in  India.  At  Hyderabad 
(in  Scinde)  the  water  swarms  with  animal 
life. 

That   terrible   infliction,  the    "guinea- 


122 


The  Sanitary  Corrdtiissitm  Bidkiin. 


worm  " — a  thread-like  animal  about  a  yard 
in  length,  -which  gets  into  the  legs  and  is 
wound  out  an  inch  or  so  daily — is  one  of 
the  consequences  of  the  bad  water  in  Scin- 
de.  "At  Bangalore,  the  Ulsoor  tank,  used 
for  drinking,  is  the  outlet  of  the  whole 
drainage  of  a  most  filthy  bazaar  (125,000 
inhabitants),  for  that  of  our  cavalry,  infan- 
try and  horse  artiUery  barracks,  and  of  the 
greater  portion  of  the  station. "  The  Com- 
inander-in-Chief  testifies  that  he  has  for 
the  last  four  years  and  a  half  frequently 
brought  the  subject  to  the  notice  of  the 
authorities,  but  without  result.  At  Secun- 
derabad  a  gallon  of  wat*  contains  119 
grains  of  solid  matter  and  30  grains  of 
organic  matter;  while  at  Surat  "no  one 
thinks  of  drinking  the  camp  water."  "At 
Asseerghur  the  same  tank  is  used  for  drink- 
ing and  bathing." 

Throiighout  India  the  troops  are  sup- 
plied with  water  by  water  carriers,  (bhees- 
tees,)  who  get  it  wherever  they  choose, 
and  carry  it  to  the  barracks  in  leathern  skin  s, 
which  are  never  cleaned  out.  No  systematic 
attempt  is  ever  made  to  iilter  the  drinking- 
water,  though  such  is  occasionally  done  by 
the  soldiers,  of  their  own  accord,  or  some- 
times under  the  direction  of  the  few  regi- 
mental officers  who  are  sufficiently  enlight- 
ened to  perceive  the  necessity  of  the  act. 
Now  for  this  neglect  there  is  no  excuse,  as 
the  process  can  be  effected  at  the  slightest 
possible  expenditure  of  time,  trouble  and 
monejr.  The  more  we  reflect  on  the  question 
of  dnnking  water,  the  more  we  are  struck 
with  its  great  importance,  and  the  culpable 
apathy  of  those  who  are  responsible  for  the 
terrible  state  of  things  disclosed  by  the  Re- 
port. The  impurity  of  the  water  consumed 
by  the  troops  is  of  itself  quite  sufficient, 
and  more  than  sufficient  to  account  for  the 
excessive  mortality  we  have  alluded  to 
above.  As '  a  matter  of  direct  economy 
even,  money  would  be  saved  to  Govern- 
ment by  substituting  for  the  uncontrolled 
water-carriers,  with  their  dirty  leathern 
bags — or  as  Miss  Nightingale  quaintly  calls 
them,  "  water-pipes  with  a  will,*' — a  system 
of  filtered  water,  conveyed  by  pipes.  In 
Fort  William,  Calcutta,  134Z.  per  annum  is 
paid  to  the  water-carriers,  with  the  most 
pernicious  results.  The  argument  is  power- 
fully stated  by  Miss  Nightingale  in  the  fol- 
lowing passage: — "The  reason  usually  as- 
signed for  employing  these  human  water- 
pipes  in  barracks,  is,  that  they  are  indispeii- 
sable  on  field  service.  But  so  are  tents; 
and  yet  nobody  proposes  to  barrack  men  in 
tents  in  time  of  peace. " 

The  subject  of  oleanUriess  in  so  hot  and 
dusty  a  country  as  India  is  scarcely  less  im- 
portant than  that  of  drinking  water  ;  and 
yet  it  will  scarcely  be  believed  that  as 
yet  the  matter  has  been  almost  entirely  ne- 
glected. Instead  of  offering  every  induce- 
ment to  the  soldier  to  keep  the  pores  of  his 


skin  free  from  impurity,  he  is  left  almost 
entirely  to  his  off n  resources  in  this  partiei- 
ular;  or  rather,  from  the  deficieincy  of  ao^ 
commodation  provided,  he  is  positively  dis- 
couraged from  keeping  himself  clean.  Ful- 
ly to  appreciate  the  extent  of  the  eyil,  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  even  during 
quiescence,  the  skin  is,  in  the  hot  season,  ia 
a  state  of  aetive  perspiration  throughout  al* 
most  the  whole  of  the  twenty-four  hours ; 
while  even  in  the  cool  season  the  sUghtesfe 
exertion  produces  profuse  perspiration.  lii 
the  dry  season,  moreover,  the  soldier  often 
arrives  in  barracks  at  the  end  of  a  march,  or 
after  a  field-day,  completely  coated  with 
the  fine  white  dust  which  penetrates  every- 
where. There  are  a  few  exceptions  to  these 
strictures,  but  so  few  are  they  as  not  to  af- 
fect the  general  correctness  of  our  stated 
ment.  In  one  or  two  cases  there  are 
plunge-baths,  but  the  stations  where,  with 
any  regard  to  privacy  and  decency,  the  sol- 
dier can  enjoy  a  good  comfortable  bath,  are 
extremely  rare.  Even  in  hospif^ds,  proper 
accommodation  for  washing  is  eiliier  very 
insufficient  or  altogether  deficient. 

Bad  as  is  the  water  supply  and  washing 
accommodation,  the  drainage  is  even  worse; 
and  after  reading  the  Report  of  the  Com- 
mission and  Miss  Nightingale's  remarks 
thereon,  our  astonishment  is  excitedj  not 
at  the  amount  of  mortality,  but  at  the  fact 
that  it  is  not  greater.  Let  Miss  Nightin- 
gale's facts  speak  for  themselves: 

"At  the  capital  of  the  Bombay  Presi- 
dency, where  civilization  has  introduced  a 
'main  drain,'  two  feet  square,  with  'a  flat 
bottom,'  this  'main  drain'  is  a  'great  nui- 
sance,' and  the  'stench  at  times  scarcely  to 
be  endured. '  At  Fort  George,  in  Bombay, 
the  latrines  are  not  drained  except  into  an 
open  ditch,  *  which  is  always  in  a  foul  state. ' 
At  Madras,  the  main  drain  of  the  town  is 
eighty  yards  distant  from  the  European 
fort ;  the  effluvia  from  it  is  very  offensive. 
*  *  At  BeUary  there  is  no  drainage,  except 
the  fall  of  the  ground. " 

The  following  paragraph  discloses  a  stat6 
of  affairs  which  is  a  disgrace  to  the  nine- 
teenth century,  and  an  argument  unworthy 
of  the  feeblest  intellects,  even  those  belong- 
ing to  people  sunk  in  the  intellectual  apa^ 
thy  of  India: 

"At  Secunderabad  there  is  no  drainage 
of  any  kind.  The  fluid  refuse  evaporates 
or  sinks  into  the  subsoil.  A  nullah,  which 
intersects  the  cantonment,  stinks.  The  ex- 
tent of  the  cantonment  is  so  enormous,  that 
it  is  said  '  to  preclude  any  general  surface 
draining,'— a  statement  which j  if  true, 
would  amount  to  this,  that  the  occupation 
of  gi-ound  by  human  beings  must  inevitai' 
bly  lead  to  disease;  a  statement  as  applicar 
ble,  or  rather  much  more  applicable  to  the 
area  of  London  than  to  that  of  Secundera- 
bad, and  yet  London  is  drained  both  ob 
the  surface  and  below  it." 


The  SdmMry  Commission  Bulletin. 


123 


Poor  humanity,  not  being  of  the  quality 
of  the  Olympian  gods  and  goddesses,  im- 
peratiT«ly  makes  demands,  for  the  satisfac- 
tion of  which  no  arraJigement,  or  worse 
than  none  is  made.  But  these  details  are 
too  terrible  for  us.  Let  us  pass  to  other 
matters. 

The  ventilation  of  barracks  is  clearly  a 
most  important  point,  and  One  which  in 
times  past  the  authorities  have  shamefally 
neglected.  Miss  Nightingale  tells  us  that  a 
similar  carelessness  prevails  in  India.  Here 
she  somewhat  exaggerates.  The  barracks 
in  India  are — ^whatever  their  other  defects — 
as  a  rule,  large,  airy  and  well  vehtUated. 
She  relies  for  the  truth  of  her  statements  on 
the  Station  Eeports  given  by  medical  offi- 
cers. It  must,  ho'^ever,  be  remembered 
that  army  surgeons  are  now,  almost  for  the 
the  first  time — alas!  that  it  should  be  so — 
consulted  about  other  matters  than  pills 
and  lancets.  Their  responsibility  is  no 
longer  limited  to  doing  the  best  they  can 
for  men  actually  sick;  they  are  expected  to 
pronounce  on  the  best  means  for  keeping 
them  healthy.  In  short,  their  functions  are 
preventive  as  well  as  curative,  instead  of, 
as  formerly,  purely  curative.  From  this, 
perhaps,  arises  a  little  natural  proneness  to 
exaggeration,  an  insensible  tendency  to 
raise  their  profession  at  the  expense  of  that 
impalpable  load-bearer.  Government.  We 
must  not  in  this  be  understood  as  depreci- 
ating their  zeal,  talent  and  conscientious- 
ness, or  undervaluing  the  importance  of 
their  object;  but  it  is  well  known  that  re- 
form long  delayed  is  somewhat  indiscrimi- 
nate in  its  attacks,  and  often  seeks  to  cut 
away  some  of  the  sound  timber  together 
with  that  which  is  unmistakably  rotten. 
In  her  remarks  on  "surface  over-crowd- 
ing," Miss  Nightingale  is  more  accurate. 
The  number  of  cubic  feet  of  air  allotted  to 
each  soldier  in  India  is  gelieraUy  ample,  but 
the  quantity  is  too  often  made  up  of  an  un- 
due proportion  of  height.  The  flooring  of 
the  barracks  is  also  extremely  objectionable, 
being  frequently  either  the  ground  bricked 
over  or  plastered  with  cow-dung.  Dirt  and 
vermin  are  the  natural  consequences  of  such 
a  construction.  Miss  Nightingale's  words 
in  this  place  state  the  whole  question  of 
barrack  accommodation  so  tersely  and  well, 
that  we  cannot  refrain  from  extracting  the 
passage:  "  To  sum  up:  it  is  not  economical 
for  Government  to  make  the  soldiers  as  un- 
civilized as  possible.  Nature  sends  in  her 
bill — a  bill  which  has  always  to  be  paid — 
and  at  a  pretty  high  rate  of  interest,  too." 
Let  us  add,  that  if  barracks  were  built  on 
arches,  a  free  current  of  air  would  circulate 
under  the  building,  give  facilities  for  venti- 
lation, and  raise  the  occupants  above  the 
adasma  which  floats  upon  the  surface  of 
ite  ground  during  a  g£eat  portion  of  the 
year. 

OvSt-indUlgenCe  in  iatoxioating  liquors  is 


the  greatest  bane  of  the  British  army  all 
over  the  world,  but  particularly  in  India, 
where  the  circulation  certainly  does  not  re- 
quire to  be  quickened,  nor  the  action  of  the 
Uver  to  be  stimulated.  We  fancy  that  there 
is  some  mistake  in  the  statement  extracted 
from  the  report  by  Miss  Nightingale,  that  the 
allowance  of  liquor  permitted  to  be  bought 
at  the  canteen  is  two  drams  of  spirit,  or  a 
quart  of  porter  in  the  place  of  each  dram. 
We  know  that,  at  all  events,  in  one  regiment 
in  the  Bengal  Presidency,  it  was  understood 
to  be  the  regulation  of  the  service  that  one 
pint  of  porter  was  the  equivalent  of  one 
dram  of  spirit.  However  that  may  be,  it  is 
certainly  very  important  that  tbe  consump- 
tion of  spirit  should  be  diminished.  The 
question  is,  would  the  prohibition  to  furn- 
ish spirits  at  the  canteen  *  produce  that 
effect?  Would  it  not  rather  lead  those 
men  who  had  a  hankering  after  spirits  to  a 
more  active  endeavor  than  at  present  to  ob- 
tain the  vile,  poisonous  arrack,  even  now 
frequently  bought  from  the  natives.  That 
is  the  argument  used  by  those  who  advo- 
cate the  sale  of  spirits  at  the  canteen.  There 
are  Kcensed  native  stills, — indeed,  it  would 
be  impossible  to  prevent  distiUing  did  we 
wish  to  do  So — and  who.could  prevent  a  na- 
tive from  depositing  in  some  spot  which 
might  be  agreed  upon,  the  poisonous  li- 
quor, which  is  even  now  furtively  sold  to 
the  soldiers  ?  The  reason  why  canteens 
have  been  established,  was,  that  the  dram- 
drinker  might  at  all  events  be  controlled, 
and  obtain  good  arrack.  To  abolish  dram- 
drinking  at  once  would  be  impossible,  for 
many  men  are  so  wedded,  so  long  accus- 
tomed to  it,  that  it  has  become  more  of  a 
necessary  of  life  than  food.  To  the  most 
confirmed  drinkers  the  cornmissariat  liquor 
is  not  a  sufficient  stimulus,  and  they  have 
recourse  to  a  mixture  comirounded  of  na- 
tive arrack,  chiUi-pepper,  and  other  hot  and 
stimulating  ingredients.  This  stuff,  which 
would  take  iiie  skin  08  the  throat  of  an  un- 
seasoned man,  is  not  inaptly  called  "  hell- 
fire."  No;  dram-drinking  cannot  be  stopped 
in  a  day,  but  it  may  gradually  be  extin- 
guished by  raising  the  tone  and  intelligence 
of  the  soldier,  and  by  always  substituting 
beer  for  rum  on  the  voyage  out,  and  thus 
preventing  him  from  contracting  the  habi^. 
Beer  or  porter  is  now  generally  to  be  met 
with  in  sufficient  quantity  at  all  stations, 
and  a  plentiful  supply  of  excellent  malt 
liquor  can  be  obtained  from  the  various 
hdl  breweries.  Pormerly  the  bulk,  and 
consequent  difficulty  of  transporting  En- 
glish beer,  formed  one  of  the  reasons  for  is- 
suing rum.  This  is  no  longer  so  much  the 
case,  though  even  now  the  supply  of  beer 
sometimes  runs  short.  LethOlbeerbeused 
for  the  future,  and  all  difficulties  of  this 
sort  will  vanish.  Certainly  the  statistics  of 
intemperance  demand  the  serious  considet- 
atiou  of  the  authorities.    The  average  of 


124 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


habitual  druid^aTds  in  some  European  rep- 
ments  is  not  less  than  15  per  cent.  Again, 
it  is  said,  "(at  Hazareebaugli,]  '  soldiers  as 
a  body  temperate,'  and  one-third  of  disease 
and  one-htdf  of  crime  produced  directly  or 
indirectly  by  drink."  Thirty-six  cases  of 
delirium  tremens,  five  of  which  were  fatal, 
occurred  at  Allahabad  in  one  year;  while  at 
Chunar  "  the  deaths  were  just  twice,  the 
crimes  just  ten  times,  as  many  among  the 
intemperate  as  among  the  temperate ."  Miss 
Nightingale  teUs  us,  that  "in  Eurmah, 
when  malt  liquor  could  be  had,  health  al- 
ways improved.  A  marked  change  for  the 
worse  took  place  when  spirit  was  issued  in- 
stead." 

Among  other  causes  of  disease  in  India, 
Miss  Nightingale  cites  the  cooking,  which, 
she  complains-,  is  conducted  without  Euro- 
pean appliances.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the 
result  is  excellent,  and  the  soldiers  take 
very  good  care  to  keep  the  cooks  up  to  their 
work.  As  regards  the  question  of  an  excess 
of  animal  food,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  soldier  in  India  does  eat  too  much  meat 
during  the  hot  weather,  and  that  extra 
bread  and  vegetables  might  be  with  advan- 
tage substituted.  At  present,  the  potatoes 
are  often  bad.  This  need  not  be  the  case: 
in  the  hills  some  of  the  best  potatoes  in  the 
world  are  grown. 

We  now  come  to  a  cause  of  disease  and 
demoralization  which  yields  to  none  in  im- 
portance; and  we  are  glad  to  find  Miss 
Nightingale  dwell  on  it  with  earnestness. 
This  is,  "  want  of  occupation  and  exercise. ' ' 
During  the  hot  season  the  soldier's  life  is 
positively  a  burden  to  him.  Confined  to 
his  barrack-room  from  about  7  a.m.  till  5  or 
6  P.M.,  during  that  interval  he  has  posi- 
tively nothing  in  the  world  to  do  except 
smoke,  lounge  on  his  bed,  sleep,  grumble, 
play  at  cards,  and  read.  Cards  are,  of 
course,  not  allowed;  but  under  the  circum- 
stances of  a  dearth  of  occupation,  their  use 
is  often  winked  at,  or,  where  ^ot,  the  pro- 
hibition is  evaded.  Everything  which  else- 
where he  does  for  himsell  is  in  India  care- 
fully done  for  him.  Native  servants  clean 
his  room,  cook  his  dinner,  fetch  his  water, 
wash  his  clothes,  and,  in  some  instances, 
even  clean  his  boots.  Now,  some  of  these 
things  he  could  very  well  do  for  himself,  at 
a  great  saving  to  Government,  and  a  consid- 
erable physical  and  moral  gain  to  himself. 
"\Vant  of  occupation  not  only  directly  pro- 
duces evU  effects  on  the  health  of  the  man, 
but  also  indirectly,  by  inducing  desponden- 
cy, predisposes  to  disease.  Now,  this  maybe 
easily  remedied.  Covered  gymnastic  courts, 
covered  fives  courts,  theatres,  covered  skit- 
tle-alleys and  rifle  galleries  would  afford  at- 
tractive and  wholesome  occupation,  which 
would  be  eagerly  taken  advantage  of  by  the 
soldiers.  The  construction  of  such  build- 
ings would,  no  doubt,  cost  money;  but  that 
money  would  be  an  excellent  investment, 


for  it  would  materially  diminish  the  annual 
cost  of  replacing  soldiers  dead  or  invalided. 

The  estabUsfinent  of  regimental  work- 
shops is  also  a  very  desirable  thing,  and 
very  properly  urged  by  Miss  Nightingale, 
as  well  as  in  the  Station  Reports.  We  think, 
however,  that  she  pushes  the  matter  rather 
too  far,  and  that  anything  more  than  earnest 
encouragement  and  small  loans  woidd  not 
be  advantageous.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  a  complete  and  organized  system  of 
workshops  is  surrounded  with  practical 
difficulties;  and  it  must  never  be  forgotten 
that  anything  of  this  sort  must  be  viewed 
as  secondary  to  the  principal  object  of 
making  the  men  efficient  soldiers.  There- 
fore we  would  recommend  that  any  im- 
provement in  this  respect  should  originate 
with  the  men,  be  conducted  regimentally, 
and  be  merely  fostered  by  the  authorities. 
Were  men  to  be  struck  off  duty  for  the 
sake  of  pursuing  their  trades,  the  military 
work,  such  as  guards,  &o.,  would  fall  the 
more  heavily  on  their  comrades.  A  man, 
also,  who  was  an  industrious,  skilled  artisan 
would  not  long  remain  in  the  army,  and 
would  possess  little  zeal  for  his  profession 
while  he  remained  in  it. 

Of  course,  in  the  matter  of  hospitals. 
Miss  Nightingale  may  justly  claim  to  be  an 
authority  ;  consequently,  that  part  of  the 
book  before  us  which  relates  to  them,  will 
be  read  with  attentive  interest.  The  state 
of  things  which  she  discloses  is  sad  indeed. 
She  says  they  "are,  as  a  rule,  exceedingly 
bad  as  regards  points  considered  essential 
to  health  and  administration,  even  in  this 
country.  What  would  be,  e.  ^.,  thought  in 
this  country  of  an  hospital  without  a  water- 
closet,  or  bath,  or  means  of  personal  clean- 
liness? Such  an  hospital  would  be  consid- 
ered as  a  mere  makeshift,  till  accommoda- 
tion fitter  for  recovery  could  be  provided." 

These  are  the  chief  objections  made  to 
the  hospital  accommodation  and  system  in 
India ;  but  there  are  other  minor  points 
which  we  have  not  here  room  to  touch  on. 
At  present,  in  severe  oases  of  sickness,  a 
man's  comrade  is  told  off  to  attend  him. 
This  we  object  to  ;  but  not  for  the  same 
reason  as  Miss  Nightingale.  She  asserts 
that  in  such  a  case  the  nursing  is  bad; 
drink  is  introduced,  and  hospital  discipline 
suffers.  Now,  under  the  supervision  of  the 
doctor's  apothecary  and  hospital,  sergeant, 
we  do  not  see  how  such  can  be  the  case. 
As  to  nursing,  a  comrade,  being  the  pa- 
tient's friend,  is  the  kindest  attendant  he 
can  have,  and  any  unskilfulness  can  be 
easily  remedied  and  removed  by  the  in- 
structions of  the  hospital  establishment. 
The  true  objection  is,  that  it  diminishes 
the  effective  strength  of  the  regiment,  and 
takes  the  men  from  their  proper  work. 
Miss  Nightingale,  in  speaking  of  the  native 
nurses,  alludes  to  the  difficulty  the  patients 
and  nurses  experience  in  communicating 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


125 


■with  each  other,  and  says  that  the  native 
makes  ' '  much  more  effort  to  learn  the  Brit- 
on's language,  than  does  the  Briton  to  learn 
the  native's."  Such  may  be  true  in  Bom- 
bay and  Madras.  We  believe  it  is ;  but  in 
Bengal  it  is-  not  the  case.  It  has  lately 
been  urged  that  the  number  of  hiU-stations 
should  be  increased  to  such  an  extent  that 
a  large  portion  of  the  army  might  be  quar- 
tered in  them  by  rotation.  At  present,  we 
believe  that  in  tiie  Bengal  Presidency  only 
two  regiments  at  a  time  can  be  so  located, 
the  remaining  hill-stations  being  occupied 
by  invalids.  The  Eoyal  Commission  re- 
commend that  one-third  of  the  European 
army,  should  be  kept  in  the  hills.  Miss 
Nightingale's  words  on  this  subject  deserve 
to  be  quoted: 

"It  strikes  one,  however,  that  it  would 
not  be  safe  to  depend  for  improvement  of 
the  health  of  troops  solely  on  occupying 
hill-stations,  with  such  an  overwhelming 
amount  of  evidence  as  to  the  bad  sanitary 
state  of  the  stations  on  the  plains,  and  even 
of  not  a  few  of  the  hill-stations  themselves, 
such  as  Darjeeling,  Landour,  Nynee  Tall." 

Sir  Eanald  Martin  thinks  that  the  best 
elevations  have  yet  to  be  determined  ;  but 
he  is  of  opinion  that  elevations  of  from 
2,000  to  4,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  will  be  found  the  best.  Those  at  pres- 
ent occupied  are  wet  and  changeable  in  cli- 
mate. The  change  from  the  plains,  more- 
over, is  too  sudden  for  many  constitutions. 
There  can,  however,  be  no  doubt  that  it  is 
very  desirable  to  place  a  large  portion  of 
the  army  in  such  high  stations  as  possess 
speedy  communication  with  the  important 
strategic  positions  in  the  plains.  At  the 
same  time,  too  inuch  must  not  be  expected 
from  the  measure;  the  hiUs  are  preventive, 
but  only  very  partially  curative. 

What  has  been  said  concerning  barracks 
may,  in  a  wider  and  fuller  sense,  be  repeat- 
ed of  native  towns,  with  whose  sanitary 
state  that  of  our  i^rpops  is  also  connect- 
ed, though  in  a  less  degree,  because  the 
barracks  are  generally  at  some  distance 
from  the  towns.  We  have  no  room  to  say 
more  than  that  small-pox  and  cholera  are  sel- 
dom absent  from  those  of  any  size,  and  that 
the  absence  of  all  drainage  and  sanative  ar- 
rangements is  most  disgraceful  to  otir  cen- 
tury of  absolute  rule.  The  condition  of 
married  soldiers  is  much  better  in  India 
than  at  home,  but  the  accommodation  grant- 
ed them  is  to  confined  for  health.  The 
plains  during  the  hot  season  are  not  places 
where  women  and  children  can,  generally 
speaking,  flourish.  The  large  mortality 
among  them,  compared  with  that  among 
the  soldiers,  proves  one  or  both  of  these 
facts.  Miss  Nightingale  complains,  and 
with  justice,  that  when  a  regiment  is  sent 
on  service,  the  women  and  children  are  not 
taken  proper  care  of.  It  is  impossiblip  to 
exaggerate  the  evils  and  immor^ty  wuch 


occur  under  the  present  system.  She  sug- 
gests that  a  picked  married  ofScer  should 
be  detailed  to  take  charge  of  the  families 
of  those  on  service,  and  that  arrangements 
should  be  made  for  a  regular  remittance  of 
pay.  To  this  there  can  be  no  possible  ob- 
jection; indeed,  to  neglect  it  after  the  ex- 
perience of  the  past,  would  be  criminal. 

We  win  not  follow  Miss  Nightingale  into 
considerations  of  the  consequences  of  a  vi- 
cious course  of  life  in  the  Indian  regiments. 
The  Commission  which  invited  her  obser- 
vations on  that  as  on  other  delicate  ques- 
tions, probably  thought  she  had  no  more 
sex  than  an  angel.  If  so,  she  seems  to  us 
to  have  accepted  the  repulsive  office  with 
the  sigh  of  a  mortal  woman,  and  to  have 
performed  it  with  the  courage  of  an  im- 
mortal angel. — AthenoRum. 


NOTteS  ON  NURSING. 

' '  The  very  first  canon  of  nursing,  the  first 
and  last  thing  upon  which  a  nurse's  atten- 
tion must  be  fixed,  the  first  essential  to  a 
patient,  without  which  all  the  rest  you  can 
do  for  him  is  as  nothing,  with  which  I  had 
almost  said  you  may  leave  all  the  rest  alone, 
is  this:  To  keep  the  aie  he  beeathes  as 

PUBE  AS  THE  BXTBENAL  ATR,  WITHOUT  CHU/L- 

iNO  TTTM.  Yet  what  is  so  little  attended  to? 
Even  where  it  is  thought  of  at  all,  the  most 
extraordinary  misconceptions  reign  about 
it.  Even  in  admitting  air  into  the  patient's 
room  or  ward,  few  people  ever  thiiJi  where 
that  air  comes  from.  It  may  come  from  a 
corridor  into  which  other  wards  are  ventila- 
ted; from  a  hall,  always  unaired,  always 
full  of  the  fumes  of  gas,  dinner,  of  various 
kinds  of  mustiness  ;  from  an  under-ground 
kitchen,  sink,  washhouse,  water-closet,  or 
even,  as  I  myself  have  had  sorrowful  expe- 
rience, from  open  sewers  loaded  with  filth; 
and  with  this  the  patient's  room  or  ward  is 
aired,  as  it  is  called — ^poisoned,  it  should 
rather  be  said.  Always  air  from  the  air 
without,  and  that,  _too,  through  those 
windows,  through  which  the  air  comes  fresh- 
est. From  a  closed  court,  especially  if 
the  wind  do  not  blow  that  way,  air  may 
come  as  stagnant  as  any  from  a  haU  or  cor- 
ridor. 

"  With  a  proper  supply  of  windows,  and 
f,  proper  supply  of  fuel  in  open  iSre  places, 
fresh  air  is  comparatively  easy  to  secure 
when  your  patient  or  patients  are  in  bed. 
Never  be  afraid  of  open  windows  then. 
People  don't  catch  cold  in  bed.  This  is  a 
popular  fallacy.  With  proper  bed-clothes 
and  hot  bottles,  if  necessary,  you  can  always 
keep  a  patient  warm  in  bed,  and  well  ven- 
tilate him  at  the  same  time. 

"  But  a  careless  nurse,  be  her  rank  and 
education  what  it  may,  will  stop  up  every 
cranny,  and  keep  a  hot-house  heat  when 
her  patient  is  in  bed, — and,  if  he  is  able  to 
get  up,  leave  him  comparatively  impro- 


126 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


tected.  Th"e  time  -when  people  take  cold 
(and  there  are  many  ways  of  taking  cold, 
besides  a  cold  in  the  nose,)  is  when  they 
first  get  up  after  the  two-fold  exhaustion  of 
dressing  and  of  having  had  the  skin  relaxed 
by  many  hours,  perhaps  days,  in  bed,  and 
thereby  rendered  more  incapable  of  re-ac- 
tion. Then  the  same  temperature  which 
refreshes  the  patient  in  bed  may  destroy 
the  patient  just  risen.  And  common  sense 
will  point  out,  that,  while  purity  of  air  is 
essential,  a  temperature  must  be  secured 
which  shall  not  chiU  the  patient.  Other- 
wise the  best  that  can  be  expected  will  be 
a  feverish  re-aotion. 

"  To  have  the  air  within  as  pure  as  the 
air  without,  it  is  not  necessary,  as  often 
appears  to  be  thought,  to  make  it  as  cold." 
— Mrs.  NighHngale. 

PENSIONS,  FUEIiOUGHS,  AKDBACK  PAY. 

TJnder  the  act  of  Congress  approved  July  14, 
1862,  pensions  are  granted  to  the  folio-wing 
classes  of  persons: 

I.  luvAiiiDS,  disabled  since  March  4,  1861,  in 
the  military  or  naval  service  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  hne  of  duty. 

n.  Wmows  of  officers,  soldiers,  or  seamen 
dying  of  wounds  received  or  of  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  military  or  naval  service,  as 
above. 

in.  Ghudben,  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  of 
such  deceased  persons,  if  there  is  no  widow 
surviving,  or  from  the  time  of  the  widow's  re- 
marriage. 

IV.  MoTHEKS  (who  have  no  husband  living) 
of  officers,  soldiers  qr  seamen,  deceased  as 
aforesaid,  provided  the  latter  have  left  neither 
widow  nor  children  under  sixteen  years  of  age; 
and  provided,  also,  that  the  mother  was  de- 
pendent, whoUy  5r  in  part,  upon  the  Heoeased 
for  support. 

V.  Skstebs,  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  of 
such  deceased  persons,  dependent  on  the  lat- 
ter, whoUy  or  in  part,  for  support,  provided 
there  are  no  rightful  claimants  of  either  of  the 
three  last  preceding  classes. 

The  rates  of  pension  to  the  several  classes  and 
grades  are  distinctly  set  forth  in  the,  first  seo- 
tion'of  the  act,  viz. :   ' 

Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  all  officers  of  a  high- 
er rank,  thirty  dollars  per  month;  Major,  twen- 
ty-five dollars  per  month;  Captain,  twenty  dol- 
lars per  month;  First  Lieutenant,  seventeen 
doUars  per  month;  Second  Lieutenant,  fifteen 
dollars  per  month;  and  non-commissioned  offi- 
cers, musicians  and  privates,  eight  dollars  per 
jRonth.  Only  one  fuU  pension  in  any  case 
will  he  allowed  to  the  relatives  of  a  deceas- 
ed officer,  soldier  or  seaman,  and  in  order  of 
precedence  as  set  forth  above.  When  more 
than  one  minor  child  or  orphan  sister  thus  he- 
comes  entitled  to  pension,  the  same  must  be 
divided  equally  between  them.  ^ 

InvaUd  pensions,  under  this  law,  will  oom- 
menoe  from  the  date  of  the  pensioner's  dis- 
charge from  service,  provided  application  is 
made  within  one  year  thereafter.  If  the  claim 
is  not  made  until  a  later  date,  the  pension  will 
commence  from  the  time  of  the  appUcation, 


and  will  .contiQue  for  life,  or  until  he  is  re-exa- 
mined. 

Pensions  of  widows  and  minors  wiH  commence 
from  the  death  of  the  officer,  soldier,  or  sea- 
man on  whose  service  the  claim  is  based,  and 
continue  for  widows  and  dependent  mothers 
until  remarriage,  and  for  children  until  they  ar- 
rive at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 

I)edar(ttwms  are  required  to  be  made  before  a 
court  of  record,  or  before  some  officer  of  such 
court  duly  authorized  to  administer  oaths,  and 
having  custody  of  its  seal.  Testimony  may  be 
taken  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  or  other 
officer  having  like  authority  to  administer  oaths, 
but  in  no  case  will  any  evidence  be  received 
that  is  verified  before  an  officer  who  is  concern- 
ed prosecuting  the  claim,  or  has  a  manifest  in- 
terest therein. 

In  support  of  the  allegations  made  in  the 
claimant's  declaration,  testimony  will  be  re- 
quired in  accordance  with  the  following  rules: 

1.  The  claimant's  identity  must  be  proved  by 
two  witnesses,  certified  by  a  judicial  officer  to 
be  respectable  and  credible,  who  are  present 
and  ^tness  the  signature  of  the  declarant,  and 
who  state,  upon  oath  or  affirmation,  their  behef,. 
either  from  personal  acquaintance  or  for  other 
reasons  given,  that  he  or  she  is  the  identical', 
person  he  or  she  represents  himself  or  herself 
to  be. 

2.  Every  appUcant  for  an  invalid  pension 
must,  if  in  his  power,  produce  the  certificate  of 
the  captain,  or  of  some  other  commissioned 
officer  under  whom  he  served,  distinctly  stating 
the  time  and  place  of  the  said  applicant's  hav- 
ing been  wounded  or  otherwise  disabled,  and 
the  nature  of  the  disabihty;  and  that  the  said 
disabiUty  arose  while  he  was  in  the  service  of 
the  United  States  and  in  the  line  of  his  duty. 

3.  If  it  be  impracticable  to  obtain  such  cer- 
tificate, by  reason  of  the  death  or  removal  of 
said  officers,  it  must  be  so  stated  under  oath  by 
the  applicant,  and  his  averment  of  the  fact 
proved  by  persons  of  known  respectabihty,  ytho 
must  state  particularly  all  the  knowledge  they 
may  possess  in  relation  to  such  death  or  remov- 
£il;  then  secondary  evidence  can  be  received. 
In  such  case  the  appUcant  must  produce  the 
testimony  of  at  least  two  credible  witnesses, 
(who  were  in  a  condition  to  know  the  facts  about 
which  they  testify, )  whose  good  character  must 
be  vouched  for  by  a  judicial  officer,  or  by  some 
one  knowQ  to  the  department.  The  -natnesses 
must  give  a  minute  narrative  of  the  facts  in  re- 
lation! to  the  matter,  and  must  show  how  they 
obtained  a  knowledge  of  the  facts  to  which 
they  testify.    . 

4.  The  surgeon's  certificate  for  discharge 
should  show  the  character  and  degree  of  the 
claimant's  disability;  but  when  that  is  wanting, 
and  when  the  certificate  of  an  army  surgeon  is 
not  obtainable,  the  certificate  of  two  respecta- 
ble civil  surgeons  will  be  received.  These  sur- 
geoUs  must  give  in  their  certificate  a  particular 
description  oi  the  woimd,  injury,  or  disease, 
and  specify  how  and  in  what  manner  his  pres- 
ent condition  and  disabihty  are  connected  there- 
with. The  degree  of  disabihty  for  obtainiiig 
subsistence  by  manual  labor  must  also  be  stated. 

5.  The  habits  of  the  appUcant,  and  his  occu- 
pation since  he  left  the  service,  must  be  showtt 
by  at  least  two  credible  witnesses. 

If  the  appUcant  claims  a  pension  as  tike 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


127 


\ridow  of  a  deceased  officer  or  soldier,  she  must 
prove  the  legality  of  her  marriage,  the  death  of 
her  husband,  and  that  she  is  still  a  widow.  She 
innst  also  famish  the  names  and  ages  of  her 
children  under  sixteen  years  of  age  at  her  hus- 
band's decease,  and  the  place  of  their  residence. 
On  a  subsequent  marriage  her  pension  ■will 
cease,  and  the  minor  child  or  children  of  the 
deceased  officer  or  soldier,  if  any  be  living,  un- 
der the  age  of  sixteen  years,  will  be  entitled  to 
the  same  in  her  stead,  from  the  date  of  such 
marriage.  > 

Proof  of  the  marriage  of  the  parents  and  of 
the  age  of  claimants  will,  in  like  manner,  be 
required  in  all  applications  in  behalf  of  minor 
children. 

The  legality  of  the  marriage  may  be  ascer- 
tained by  the  certificate  of  the  clergyman  who 
joined  them  in  wedlock,  or  by  Hie  testimony  of 
respectable  persons  having  knowledge  of  the 
fact,  in  default  of  record  evidence.  The  ages  and 
number  of  children  may  be  ascertained  by  the 
deposition  of  the  mother,  accompanied  by  the 
testimony  of  respectable  persons  having  Imowl- 
edgeof  them,  or  by  transcripts  from  the  parish 
or  town  registers  duly  authenticated. 

Similar  proof  will  be  required  of  the  mar- 
riage of  the  claimant,  if  the  mother  of  a  deceased 
.  officeE  or  soldier,  and  that  she  remains  avodow. 
If  the  claimant  be  a  dependent  sister,  Uke 
proof  will  be  required  of  the  marriage  of  her 
parents,  and  of  her  relationship  to  the  deceased. 
Guardians  of  minor  claimants  must,  in  all 
cases,  produce  evidence  .of  their  authority   as 
such,  under  the  seal  of  the  court  from  which 
their  appointment  is  obtained. 

Applicants  of  the  last  four  classes  above  giv- 
en, who  have  in  any  manner  aided  or  abetted 
the  rebellion  against  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, are  not  entitled  to  the  benefits  of  this  act. 
Attorneys  for  claimants  must  have  proper  au- 
thority from  those  in  whose  behalf  they  appear. 
Powers  of  attorney  must  be  signed  in  the  pres- 
ence of  two  witnesses,  and  acknowledged  be- 
fore a  duly  qualified  officer,  whose  official  char- 
acter must  be  certified  under  seal. 

In  all  cases  the  post-office  address  of  the 
claimant  must  be  distinctly  stated. 

Applications  under  this  act  will  be  numbered 
and  acknowledged,  to  be  acted  on  in  their  turn. 
In  filing  additional  evidence,  correspondents 
should  Sways  give  the  number  of  the  claim  as 
well  as  the  name  of  the  claimant. 

Applications  for  pensions  are  made  to  Son. 
Joseph  3.  Bwnett,  Commissioner  of  Pensions, 
Washington,  D.  C.  and  any  claimant  addressing 
him  in  person  or  by  letter,  vfill  receive  the  ne- 
cessary printed  forms  and  instructions.  Appli- 
cations are  QSHnmonly  made  through  attorneys, 
or  the  agencies  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
Washington  and  Philadelphia,  or  other  local 
agencies.  The  agency  in  Washington  at  389  H 
Street  is  intended  for  applicants  of  every  class, 
and  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  does  all 
the  business  necessary  to  secure  a  claim  in  as 
prompt  a  manner  as  is  possible,  wWwnji  any 
charge  to  the  claimants.  Persons  wishing  their 
el^iims  to.  be  prosecuted  by  this  office,  should 
iad^ess  Pension  Agency  of  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion; Washington,  D.  C.,and  everything  wiU  be 
done  for  theiu  in  the  promptest  manner  which 
&e  nature  of  their  evidence  permits. 

Claimants  who  have  recourse  to  local  attor- 


neys ought  tp  be  sure  that  they  are  dealing  with 
men  of  known  fidelity  and  honor.  The  fees  of 
agents  and  attorneys  are  fixed  by  law,  and  are 
as  follows: 

"  For  making  out  and  causing  to  be  duly  ex- 
ecuted a  declaration  by  the  applicant,  with  the 
necessary  affidavits,  and  forwarding  the  same  to 
the  pension  office  with  the  requisite  correspon- 
dence, five  dollars.  In  cases  whenever  addi- 
tional testimony  is  required  by  the  Commission- 
er of  Pensions,  for  each  affidavit  so  required 
and  executed  and  forwarded,  (except  the  affida- 
vits of  Surgeons,  for  which  such  agents  and  at- 
torneys shall  not  be  entitled  to  any  fees,)  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents,"  (see  Sec.  6,  Oct.  to  Gen'l. 
Pensions  of  July  14,  186?.)  The  7th  Section 
of  said  act  prescribes  a  penalty  for  illegal  fees, 
and  is  in  these  words,  viz. :  "  That  any  agent  or 
attorney  who  shall,  directly  or  indirectly,  de- 
mand or  receive  any  greater  compensation  for 
his  services  under  fliis  act  than  is  prescribed  in 
the  preceding  section  of  this  act,  or  who  shall 
contract  or  agree  to  prosecute  any  claim  for  a 
pension,  bounty,  or  other  allowance  under  this 
act,  on  condition  that  he  shall  receive  a  per 
centum  upon,  or  any  portion  of  the  amount  of 
such  claim,  or  who  shall  wrongfully  withhold 
from  a  pensioner  or  other  claimant  the  whole 
or  any  part  of  the  pension  or  claim  allowed  and 
due  to  each  pensioner  or  claimant,  shall  be 
deemed  guilty  of  a  high  misdemeanor,  and  upon 
conviction  thereof  shall  for  every  such  offence^be 
fined  not  exceeding  three  hundred  dollars,  or 
imprisoned  at  hard  labor  not  exceeding  two 
years,  or  both,  according  to  the  circumstances 
and  aggravations  of  the  offence.  The  require- 
ments of  the  law  are  often  evaded  notwith- 
standing the  heavy  penalties,  and  wiU  probably 
continue  to  be  evaded  so  long  as  invalids  and 
other  claimants  are  simple  enough  to  put  their 
trust  in  total  strangers,  of  whose  integrity  and 
competency  they  have  no  knowledge. 

rUKLOTJGHS.    ^ 

Applications  for  Furloughs  should  be  made 
to  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment  or  hospital.  If 
sent  to  the  Surgeon-General  or  War  Depart- 
ment, or  elsewhere,  it  is  immediately  referred  to 
the  surgeon  in  charge. 

The  limitations  to  granting  Furloughs  are 
very  stringent. 

Igt.  None  are  given  for  any  other  cause  than 
sickness  or  wounds. 

2d.  In  disability  arising  from  sickness,  the 
surgeon's  certificate  must  show  that  the  man 
cannot  reasonably  be  expected  to  recover  in 
General  Hospital. 

3d.  If  in  General  Hospital,  the  certificate 
must  be  approved  by  the  Medical  Director. 

4.  If  in  Begimental  Hospital,  certificate  must 
be  approved  by  Begimental,  Brigade,  Division, 
and  Corps  Commanders,  as  well  as  by  the  Medi- 
cal Director. 

BACK   PAY. 

Our  agent  repoiis: 

The  followifig  statement  shows  what  has  been 
done  during  the  month  of  November  in  procur- 
ing certificates  for  the  back  pay  of  invalid  sol- 
diers iji  the  fiospitals  of  Washington,  with  the 
exception  of  the  work  at  the  Columhian  Hos- 
pital, which  cannot  be  shovm  till  I  get  a  return 
of  the  list  of  certificates  sent  Hipx^,  with  the 
proper  endorsement  thereon. 


128 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtMetin. 


Whole  number  of  cases  taken  in  Nov 128 

Kumber  jof  cases  completed  by  delivery  I      ^y 
of  certificates,  j 

"  "        by  securing  pay  in  full    17 

"  "        No.  certificates  granted    10 

Total  number  of  cases  complete 74 

Amount  represented  by  tiie  complete  certifi- 
cates, S2813.82.  Number  of  letters  written  dur- 
ing tiie  month,  51. 

The  first  half  of  the  month  was  spent  in  get- 
ting through  some  '•  tough  cases "  which  had 
Tain  over  from  the  previous  month. 

The  month  of  November  not  being  a  muster 
month,  there  has  been  no  necessity  for  complet- 
ing the  cases  taken,  and  consequently  the  num- 
ber of  completed  cases  do  not  represent  the 
entire  work  of  the  month. 

There  have  been  some  applications  by  letter, 
for  assistance  in  collecting  back  pay,  by  sol- 
diers outside  of  this  department. 

Procured  a  certificate  for  over  four  months' 
pay,  for  a  soldier  in  McDougal  Hospital,  Fort 
Schuyler,  N.  X  I  have  assisted  several  cases 
of  special  hardship  in  the  Invalid  Corps.  One 
man  came  to  me  having  eighteen  monihs'  back 
pay' due,  and  as  he  told  me  of  his  service  dur- 
ing this  period,  and  of  his  poor  old  father  and 
mother  at  home,  writing  to  him  for  the  assistance 
which  he  was  unable  to  render,  vaept  at  the  in- 
justice of  the  regulation,  which,  while  it  com- 
pelled him  to  render  service,  still  failed  to  make 
provision  for  his  pay.  I  procured  him  a  certi- 
ficate with  considerable  trouble,  and  he  went 
on  his  way  rejoicing.  The  Hospitals  represent- 
ed in  the  work  of  the  past  month  are  Mt.  Fleas- 
ant,  Carver,  Columbian,  Des  Man-es,  Armory 
Square,  Douglas,  Stanton,  Harewood,  Con  valet - 
cent  Camp,  and  McDougal,  N.  Y.  I  am  happy 
to  say  that  arrangements  have  been  made  at  the 
Paymaster-General's  office  by  which  those  in 
the  Invalid  Corps  will  soon  have  their  accounts 
settled.  The  work  is  now  being  systematically 
prosecuted.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  provision 
will  soon  be  made  for  the  prompt  payment  of 
all  soldiers  in  the  army. 


THE  U.    S.    SANITAEY  COMMISSION.     A 
Sketch  of  its  Purposes  and  its  Work.     Com- 
piled from  documents  and  private  papers. 
Published  by  permission. 
This  book  contains  a  rapid  but  accurate  ac- 
count of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  of  its  organ- 
ization, of  its  branches,  of  its  department  of  in- 
q)ection,  of  its  fields  of  work,  namely:    1st. 
General  relief  in  the  armies  of  Virginia,  in  the 
armies  of  the  West,  in  the  armies  of  the  Gulf 
and  Atlantic  coast.     2d.  Special  relief  in  the 
Homes,  Lodges,  &c.,  &c.,  and  the  Hospital  Di- 
rectory.    It  is  written  and  published  for  the 
benefit  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

All  persons  desirous  of  knowing  the  truth 
about  the  Sanitary  Commission  are  requested 
to  read  it. 

All  persons  desirous  of  aiding  the  Sanitary 
Commission  are  requested  to  buy  it,  for  the  en- 
tire profits  of  the  book  will  be  given  to  the 
Treasury  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Price  75  cents.  For  sale  by  MessrS.  Littie  & 
Brown,  Publishers,  Boston,  Mass.  Orders  can 
be  sent  by  nuul  The  book  will  be  ready  for 
issue  December  18,  1863. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  TOKK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STEEET, 


President. 
Ltbut.-Gen.  WTNFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAIi  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

E.  D.  MOKGAN. 

GEOBGE  OPDYKE. 

HIKAM  BARNEY. 

JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN. 

H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D. 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOB. 

JAMES  BBOWN. 
"      WM.  H.  ASPINWALL. 
"      JAS.  GALLATIN. 
"      HOWAED  POTTER. 
"      WM.  B.  DODGE,  Je. 
"      THEODORE  ROOSEYELT. 
"      PETER  COOPER. 
"      GEOBGE  BANCBOFT. 
"      DANIEL  LORtt  ■ 
"      WILSON  G.  HUNT. 
"      BOBT.  L.  STUAET. 
"      ALEBED  PELL. 

Apply  in  pereon  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambebs  Street, 

New  York. 


Hos. 


Rev. 
Mr. 


OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  saihrs  and 
(heir families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  withovi  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Qovernmetd. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

ARTIFICIAL  LEGS  &  ARMS. 

SBI^PHO'S  PATBIVT,  316  BROADWAY. 

EeTABUSB£D  24  YeaBS. 

The  most  perfect  aubsUtntcs  for 
lost  limbs  the  world  of  scieiioe  has 
ever  invented,  can  be  had  only  of 
WM.  SELPHO  &  SON,  Patentoeb. 

N.  B.— A  Silver  Medal  awarded  at 
the  last  Fair  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute and  New  Haven  County  Fairs. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 

bulleti:n^. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  JANUARY  1,  1864. 


No.  5. 


The  Sahitaet  Commission  Bttlletin  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteeTdh  of  every 
moTvth,  and  as  it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous 
or  other,  of  above  12,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unusually  valuable  rnediumfor  advertising. 

AU  communications  must  be  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

THE  BATTLE  OP  CHATTANOOGA. 

V.  S.  Samitabt  Commission, 

LotnsTiLi^,  Kt.,  Dec.  Ith,  1863. 
Db-  J.  F.  jEjTsnrs, 

GcTieral  Secretary,  New  TorTc: 

Mt  Dbab  Doctoe — ^I  have  just  returned 
from  ChattaBOOga  where  I  have  passed  the 
last  two  weeks,  and  from  a  tour  of  inspec- 
tion through  the  chain  of  agencies  of  the 
Commission  which  extend  from  Louisville 
to  that  point.  It  chanced,  luckily  enough, 
that  I  was  at  Chattanooga  through  all  the 
exciting  scenes  of  the  recent  battles,  and 
was  able  to  contribute  something  to  the 
success  which  attended  the  efforts  of  the 
Agents  of  the  Commission  to  relieve  the 
wants  and  sufferings  of  the  wounded. 

As  you  are  doubtless  impatient  to  learn 
more  than  you  yet  know  of  the  recent  im- 
portant events  to  which  I  have  referred,  and 
more  particularly  how  fully  the  Commis- 
sion has  sustained  its  responsibilities,  I 
hasten  to  make  my  report  as  promptly 
as  possible,  and  shall  make  it  as  full  as 
the  great  pressure  of  other  duties  will 
permit. 

As  a  pre-requisite  to  a  clear  understand- 
ing of  the  military  operations,  the  work 
of  the  Commission  in  and  about  Chatta- 
nooga, and  a  proper  appreciation  of  the 
difficulties  overcome,  it  is  quite  necessary 
that  any  one  should  have  gone  over  the* 

Vol.  L— No.  5.  9 


ground  himseK;  and  I  trust  at  no  distant 
day  you  may  be  able  to  see  with  your  own 
eyes  some  of  the  enemies,  more  formidable 
than  rebel  hosts,  which  our  noble  army 
have  overcome  in  gainisg  and  holding  the 
positions  from  which  the  recent  battles 
were  fought  and  victories  won.  Until  I 
had  been  myself  to  Chattanooga,  I  had  no 
just  appreciation,  even  with  description 
after  description,  of  the  daring  and  energy 
which  had  led  General  Eosecrans  to  follow 
to  the  very  heart  of  its  mountain  fast- 
nesses, the  retreating  army  of  General 
Bragg;  and  after  overcoming  obstacles  at 
first  sight  insurmountable,  to  seize  and 
hold  the  key  to  all  the  lines  of  communica- 
tion through  this  great  mountain-labyrinth. 

From  near  Tullahoma  to  Chattanooga, 
the  whole  interval  is  occupied  with  moun- 
tains of  formidable  height,  terminating 
laterally  in  precipitous  escapements,  separ- 
ated by  deep  and  narrow  valleys,  over 
which  even  a  footman  finds  his  way  painful 
and  perilous.  In  justice  to  those  who 
planned  and  executed  the  military  move- 
ments prior  and  preparatory  to  the  late 
victories,  I  must  say  that  our  people  of  the 
Northern  States  have  no  just  conception 
-of  what  our  army  has  done  and  suffered  in 
reaching  and  holding  Chattanooga;  and  I 
am  sure  if  all  could  see  what  I  have  seen, 
of  difSoulties  overcome,  hardships  en- 
dured, and  privations  so  cheerfully  suf- 
fered, there  would  be  much' less  than  there 
has  been  of  flippant  criticism  of  the  soldiers 
and  the  Generals  of  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland. 

But  if  the  country  is  more  rough  and 
difficult  for  military  operations  than  any 
which  our  armies  have  before  occupied,  it 
is  also  picturesque  and  beautiftd  beyond 
anything  I  have  seen  in  the  valley  of  the 


130 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  BuUetin. 


Missiiisippi,  and  its  climate,  judging  by  the 
specimens  we  had  of  it,  is  in  the  highest 
degree  delightful  and  salubrious.  Chatta- 
nooga itself  mWt  have  been,  before  cursed 
and  blasted  by  rebellion,  one  of  the  most 


charming  places  on  the  continent.  It 
stands  in  the  valley  of  the  Tennessee,  shut 
in  on  all  sides  by  picturesque  mountains, 
from  a  thousand  to  two  thousand  feet  in 
height,  while  the  town  itseU   is  in  part 


W-«-WATEPiS'-SOH  SC— 3^E 


%.  SHERMANS  DIVISlOW    HOSPITALS 
A   FORT  WOOD 
B       .■       NEGLEE 
C        .r       PALMER  X 

E    MOCCASIN   POINT  -. V* 

BATTERY  0 

\V 


CUMBERLANIZ  MT 

ffOO  -/JSOO  /^j^OV£  K/ySfS  J  ^ 


E)tPLANATlON 

REBEL    CAMPS    &  PW5KETS 
^^      „         RIFLE    PITS 
ii         ,,       '^ATTtmES 

Bi^ORa  LATE    RATTLI 


ThB  Sanitary  Oommiesion  BvMetin. 


1  1 


perched  on  eminences  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred feet,  from  •which  the  lowlands,  reach- 
ing to  the  base  of  the  mountains,  are  all 
■clearly  -rasible.  When,  therefore,  I  tell  you 
"that  the  last  battles  were  fought  in  a  semi- 
circle around  the  points  of  view  in  the 
plain  or  on  the  mountain  side,  never  more 
than  three  miles  distant,  you  will  concede 
that  those  of  us  who  were  present  enjoyed 
an  pjportunity  of  witnessing  military 
evolutions — all  the  varied  phases  of  attack 
and  defence  by  artillery  and  infantry,  of 
assault  and  repulse,  of  victory  and  defeat — 
•such  as  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  since 
IPriam  watched  the  struggle  between  the 
Greeks  and  Trojans  from  the  walls  of 
Troy. 

Of  the  battles  themselves,  I  do  not  now 
propose  to  say  much,  as  it  will  be  foreign  to 
my  purpose,  and  they  have  already  been 
described  to  you  in  the  letters  of  Army 
Correspondents  and  the  admirable  tele- 
graphic summary  of  General  Meigs — so 
fully  that  it  would  scarcely  be  desirable  if 
possible.  I,  however,  enclose  a  topographi- 
cal map,  which  made  at  Chattanooga,  more 
fully  and  accurate  than  any  yet  published. 
With  this  and  the  descriptions  you  have  at 
command,  you  will  be  able  clearly  to  com- 
prehend the  successive  steps  by  which  our 
army  secured  its  final  victory,  and  appreci- 
ate, in  some  measure,«the  daring  bravery  of 
our  troops  in  scaling  the  heights  of  Lookout 
-Mountain  and  Mission  Bidge. 

My  business,  however,  is  with  the  noble 
spirits  -who /ell  in  these  glorious  charges, 
and  it  is  with  no  ordinary  satisfaction  that 
I  can  say  that,  thanks  to  the  proximity  of 
the  battle-fields  to  suitable  receptacles  for 
the  wounded,  and  to  the  wisdom  and  energy 
displayed  by  the  Medical.  Officers,  and  last, 
not  least,  the  prompt  and  potent  aid  that 
the  Sanitary  Commission  with  its  abun- 
dant stores  was  able  to  render,  none   of 
those  oases  of  neglect  or  protracted  suffer- 
ing which  have  been    considered  as  in- 
separable attendants  npon  the  carnage  and 
confusion  of  battle*flelds,  so  far  as  I  know, 
were  permitted  "to  occur.    I  am  quite  sure 
that  I  do  not  exaggerate  when  I  say  that 
'the  wounded  in  no  considerable  battle  since 
■the  wai  ^  began  have  been  so  well   and 
promptly  cared  for;  and  I  can  say  also-with 
equal  confidence, "that  the  aidifendered  'by 


the  Sanitary  Commission  has  never  been 
more  prompt  and  efficient,  more  heartily 
welcomed,  or  more  highly  appreciated. 

Owing  to  the  difficulties  of  transporta- 
tion— difficulties  which  had  prevented  the 
issue  of  full  rations  to  the  army  since  the 
battle  of  Chattanooga — our  stock  on  hand 
previous  to  the  battle  was  not  as  large  as 
I  could  have  wished;  but  we  were  accorded 
even  more  than  our  full  share  of  suoh 
facilities  for  transport  as  were  at  command 
of  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  and 
fresh  supplies  of  the  most  needed  articles, 
including  aU  the  staple  battle-stores,  con- 
tinued to  arrive,  so  that  our  warehouse 
was  constantly  replenished,  and  every 
requisition  was  promptly.  fiUed.  Of  con- 
centrated beef,  mUk,  stimulants  of  various 
kinds,  compresses,  bandages,  dried  fruit, 
vegetables,  shirts  and  drawers,  we -had  a 
suffioient.supply  to  meet  every  demand. 

In  order  that  you  may  see  precisely  how 
our  work  was  done,  permit  me  to  take  up, 
in  the  order  of  their  succession,  the  princi- 
pal events  connected  with  it  during  my  stay 
at  Chattanooga. 

Toward  midnight  of  Saturday,  the  20th 
of  November,  in  company  with  Dr.  Soule, 
I  arrived  at  Kelly's  Ferry,  ten  miles  below 
Chattanooga.      Here  we  were  hospitaMy 
entertained  by  our  agent,  Mr.  Sutliffe.    As 
I  shall  have  occasion  to  return  to  this  point 
in  the  course  of  my  narrative,  I  wiE  for 
the  present  defer  reference  to  the  g^eat 
good  which  he  has  been  doing  here.     On 
Sunday  morning  we  started  for  Chattanoo- 
ga on  foot.    Kelly's  Ferry  was  at  this  time 
the  head  of  navigation-^the  river  being 
blockaded  above  by  the  rebels — ^and  all  sup- 
plies were  transported  from  this  point  in 
wagons.    As  a  consequence,  we  found  the 
road  blocked  up  for  miles  by  trains  going 
and  returning,  aU  hurrying  to  accomplish 
their  almost  impossible  duty  of  preventing 
the  army  above  from  perishing  by  aetuid 
starvation.     Crossing  Eaecoon  Mountain, 
we  came  into  Will's  Valley,  where  we  fotmd 
Hooker's  forces    occupying  the  vantage- 
ground  gained  by'their  night-descent  of  the 
river,  and  came  into  fall  view  of  the  rebel 
encampments  on  the  side,  and  rebel  Ijst- 
teries  on'thesummit  of  Lookout  Mountain. 
From  the  latter,  from  tiiue'^to^time,  jeame 
a.  puff  of  <wkite  smoke,  and  ihe  «uUen  -booia 


132 


The  Sanitary  Gommissfion  Bulletin. 


of  the  forty  pound  Parrots,  which  had  con- 
tinued day  after  day  to  throw  shells,  fortu- 
nately without  practical  result,  sometimes 
into  Chattanooga  above,  sometimes  into 
Will's  VaUey  below  their  commanding 
position.  Descending  the  valley,  we  crossed 
the  river  at  Brown's  Ferry,  and  traversing 
an  isthmus  some  two  miles  in  width,  re- 
crossed  the  river  to  the  town.  At  this 
time  large  detachments  of  Sherman's  forces 
were  leaving  their  encapment  in  Will's 
Valley  and  moving  up  the  river,  nobody 
knew  whither. 

In  Chattanooga  I  found  our  Agency  in 
charge  of  Mr.  C.  Bead,  occupying  fine 
rooms  which,  with  characteristic  partiality, 
the  authorities,  had  assigned  to  our  use  by 
displacing  the  CMef  of  Police  who  had 
previously  occupied  them.  Soon  after  my 
arrival  I  called  on  the  Medical  Director, 
Dr.  Perin,  by  whom  I  was  most  cordially 
received,  and  was  gratified  to  hear  him 
express  not  only  a  high  respect  and  ap- 
preciation for  the  Commission,  but  bear 
strong  testimony  to  the  value  of  our  Agency 
at  this  point,  to  him  and  to  the  army,  as 
well  as  to  the  energy  and  discretion  of  our 
chief  representative,  Mr.  Bead.  The  c,orps 
of  agents  on  duty  here  were  as  follows:  M. 
C.  Bead  in  charge;  Bev.  W.  F.  Loomis, 
hospital  visitor;  P.  B.  Crarey,  store-keeper, 
with  two  detailed  men  as  assistants;  M.  D. 
Barilett,  agent  of  hospital  directory;  A. 
H.  Sill,  transportation  clerk.  With  Mr. 
Bead,  I  called  at  several  of  the  headquar- 
ters, and  from  all  the  officials  heard  only 
kind  words  for  the  Commission,  and  as- 
surances of  their  readiness  to  co-operate 
with  it  by  all  means  in  their  power. 

Chattanooga  was  formerly  a  town  of 
about  4,000  inhabitants,  containing  some 
fine  public  buildings  and  many  pleasant 
residences,  with  ornamented  grounds  and 
groves  of  beautiful  trees;  but  it  is  now 
terribly  desecrated  and  defaced,  fences  of 
all  enclosures  gone,  fruit  ajid  ornamental 
trees  alike  cut  down  for  fire-wood,  all 
vacant  spaces  covered  with  huts  an^  tents, 
the  more  prominent  points  crowned  with 
strong  fortifications,  the  whole  surrounded 
by  rifle-pits  and  lines  of  ciroumvaUation. 

On  Sunday  evening  a  large  part  of  the 
11th  Army  Corps  came  up  from  belov, 
passed  through  the^town,  with  three  days' 


rations  in  their  haversacks,  and  took  their 
position,  without  tents  or  baggage,  in  front 
of  the  fortifications.  On  Monday  our 
forces  moved  out,  formed  in  double  line  of 
battle,  with  a  front  several  miles  in  length, 
posted  reserves  in, the  rear,  threw  out 
skirmishers,  and  made  a  general  advance, 
taking  possession  of  the  first  line  of  the 
enemy's  entrenchments,  and  occupied 
Orchard  Enob  in  the  centre  of  the  valley, 
on  which  batteries  were  planted^  This 
advance  was  made  in  excellent  order,  and  the 
ambulances  following  close  in  the  rear  aijd 
through  the  skirmishing,  extended  along 
the  whole  Une!  The  number  of  wounded 
was  comparatively  small,  and  they  were  im- 
mediately picked  up  and  carried  to  the 
hospitals  in  time.  On  Tuesday,  Gener^ 
Sherman  having  crossed  the  river  three 
miles  above,  advanced,  and  without  serious 
opposition  took  possession  of  the  north 
end  of  Mission  Bidge. 

On  the  morning  of  the  same  day  General 
Hooker  moved  up  from  Will's  Valley  and 
attacked  the  rebel  forces  occupying  Look- 
out Mountain,  and  by  a  most  daring  assault 
gained  possession  of  all  the  northern 
portion,  with  the  capture  of  many  prisoners 
and  the  loss  of  250  killed  and  wounded. 
The  latter  were  immediately  carried  to  the 
hospital  established  near  his  headquarters, 
where  they  were  \yeU  cared  for  by  their 
own  officers,  supplies  being  sent  to  them 
from  our  depot  at  KeUy's  Ferry  near  by. 
Early  the  next  morning  Mr.  Bead  and  Mr. 
SiU  went  down  and  saw  that  all  the  aid 
which  the  Commission  could  render  was^ 
furnished  them. 

On  Tuesday  night  the  north  ends  of 
Lookout  Mountain  and  Mission  Eidge  were 
aglow  with  the  camp-fires  of  our  forces, 
and  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
by  the  briUiant  achievements  of  the  morn- 
ing the  blockade  of  the  river  was  raised, 
and  advantages  had  been  gained  which 
promised  important  results  in  the  impend- 
ing struggle  of  the  morrow. 

Wednesday  morning  our  flag  floated  from 
the  summit  of  Lookout,  and  our  forces 
advanced  on  the  rebel  stronghold  of  Mission 
Bidge,  from  our  right,  left,  and  front. 
After  much  severe  fighting  on  our  left,  in 
which  Sherman's  forces  suffered  very  heavy 
loss,  the  rebel  entrenchments  along  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtMetin. 


133 


base  of  Mission  Eidge  were  stormed  by  our 
•  advancing  lines,  and  thten  began  that 
perilous  but  glorious  ascent  of  its  slope  of 
1,000  feet  at  six  different  points,  -wliicli  so 
surprised  and  appalled  the  rebel  garrison, 
and  has  covered  with  glory  <fce  brave  men 
■who  dared  attempt  it.  ^ter  an  hour  of 
suspense,  inexpressibly  painful  to  the  thou- 
sands who  were  merely  powerless  specta- 
tors, the  summit  was  gained  and  held,  the 
roar  of  the  forty  pieces  of  artillery  which 
crowned  it  was  suddenly  silenced,  and 
we  knew  that  a  great  victory  had  been 
won. 

Two  wagcns  had  been  secured  before- 
hand, with  which  to  transport  stores  to  any 
point  where  they  might  be  required;  but 
no  part  of  the  battle-field  being  more  than 
three  miles  distant  from  headquarters,  and 
ample  provision  having  been  made  by 
the  Medical  Director  for  the  immediate 
removal  of  the  Wounded  to  hospital,  they 
were  held  in  readiness  to  use,  if  needed, 
while  Mr.  0.  Bead  and  myself,  with  a  small 
supply  of  stores,  went  over  to  the  battle- 
field along  the  middle  line  of  Mission  Kidge, 
and  Mr.  Loomis  went  toward  the  northern 
end,  to  see  if  any  help  were  required  by 
the  wounded  of  Sherman's  Corps.  By  mid- 
night all  the  union  wounded  men  on  that 
part  of  the  field  which  we  visited  had  been 
transferred  to  hospital,  and  such  of  the 
rebels  as  remained  in  the  houses  to  which 
they  had  been  carried  had  received  all  the 
aid  we  could  give  them,  and  so  at  1  o'clock 
we  returned  to  the  town.  Just  as  we  ar- 
rived, Mr.  Loomis  came  in  and  reported 
that  the  wounded  of  the  15th  Army  Corps 
had  all  been  gathered  into  the  Division 
Hospitals,  but  that  their  expected  supplies 
had  not  arrived,  and  they  were  greatly  in 
need  of  our  assistance.  A  wagon  load  of 
milk,  beef,  crackers,  tea,  sugar,  stimulants, 
dressings,  &o.,  was  immediately  dispatched 
to  them,  and  was,  as  may  be  imagined,  of 
priceless  value. 

Early  the  next  morning.  Thanksgiving 
Day,  Mr.  Eead  and  myself  visited  the 
hospitals  of  the  2d,  3d  and  4th  Divisions 
of  the  15  th  Army  Corps,  situated  three 
miles  up  the  river.  The  4th,  containing 
the  largest  number  of  wounded,  (399,)  we 
found  pretty  well  supplied,  for  the  time 
being,  with  the  stores  we  had  sent  up  the 


night  before;  but  these  were  rapidly  disap- 
pearing, and,  at  our  suggestion,  another 
load  was  sent  for  and  received  during  the 
day.  The  2d  and  3d  Division  hospitals, 
situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  contain- 
ing respectively  75  and  230  patients,  had 
received  up  to  this  time  no  other  supplies 
than  such  as  had  been  carried  in  their 
medicine  wagons,  sufBcient  to  meet  the 
first  wants  of  the  wounded,  but  by  this  time 
almost  entirely  exhausted.  Just  as  I  was 
o£fering  to  Dr.  Eogers,  the  Surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  3d  Division  hospital,  the 
resources  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  one 
of  the  assistant  surgeons  approached  and 
said  to  him,  "Doctor)! what  shall  we  do? 
Our  supplies  have  not  arrived,  oijr  men  are 
lying  on  the  ground,  with  not  blankets 
enough  to  make  them  comfortable.  We've 
no  stimulants,  or  dressings,  or  proper  food. 
Now,  if  the  Sanitary  Commission  only  had 
an  agent  here,  we  should  be  all  right."  I 
was  happy  to  inform  him  that  the  spirit  he 
invoked  had  come  at  his  call,  and  when  I 
promised  that  in  an  hour's  time  he  should 
have  concentrated  beef,  milk,  stimulants, 
dressings,  fruit,  vegetables,  clothing,  bed- 
ding and  some  "ticks  stuffed  with  cotton, 
his  satisfaction  shown  from  every  feature, 
and  both  he  and  the  surgeon  in  charge 
spontaneously  ejaculated,  "Bless the  Sani- 
tary Commission" — an  institution  of  which 
they  had  abundant  experience  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi, where  the  kind  and  efficient  minis- 
trations of  Dr.  Warriner  were  remembered 
with  pleasure  and  gratitude.  At  the  2d 
Division  hospital  I  met  two  old  profes- 
sional friends,  Dr.  Potter,  the  Division 
surgeon,  one  of  the  most  efficient  medical 
men  in  the  service,  and  Dr.  Mesainger, 
formerly  from  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  meet- 
ing, I  think,  was  mutually  pleasant,  and 
Dr.  Potter,  who  was  just  mounting  his  horse 
to  follow  his  division,  expressed  great  satis- 
faction in  leaving  his  men  with  some  other 
resources  than  the  light  stock  of  supplies 
which  they  had  brought  in  their  wagons 
aU  the  way  from  the  Mississippi,  and  most 
of  which  must  be  immediately  hurried  to 
the  advance,  for  other  battles  were  impend- 
ing. All  these  hospitals  continued  to  be 
supplied  from  day  to  day  with  such  things 
as  were  needed. 
In  these  remarks  I  would  not  be  under- 


lU 


The  Sanita/ty  Commission  BiMetin. 


stood  as  implying  any  neglect  on  the  part 
.of  the  responsible  medical  authorities,  for 
I  have  only  to  say  that  Gen.  Sherman's 
Medical  Director  is  Stirgeon  Moore,  U.  S. 
A.,  to  give  all  who  know  this  oflScer  assur- 
ance that  his  duty  was  done  fuUy  and  weU; 
but  as  a  consequence  of  the  difficulties  of 
transportation,  to  which  I  have  referred, 
and  which  especially  affected  the  newly-ar- 
rived troops,  his  supplies  were  delayed, 
and  there  was  an  opportunity  for  the  Com- 
mission to  render  its  assistance  in  the  man- 
ner I  have  described. 

On  Thanksgiving  afternoon  occurred  the 
bloody  fight  at  Binggold,  in  which  we  lost, 
ib  kiUed  and  wounded,  500  men.  Most  of 
those  wounded  were  soon  brought  into 
Chattanooga,  but  our  stores,  which  were 
promptly  sent,  and  iu  abundance,  reached 
them  in  good  time,  and  became  of  great 
value  to  them. 

During  the  week  succeeding  these  bat- 
ties,  through  which  I  remained  at  Chatta- 
nooga, large  quantities  of  stores  were  daUy 
ii^ued  from  our  rooms  to  all  the  hospitals  in 
the  vicinity;  timely  arrivals  of  the  more  im- 
portant articles  compensating  for  the  heavy 
drafts  made  on  our  stock.  Of  the  kind 
and  quantity  of  goods  thus  issued,  you  will, 
in  due  time,  get  a  full  account  from  the 
storekeeper,  Mr.  Crarey. 

The  subsequent  advance  of  our  forces 
towards  Knoiville  was  accompanied  by  two 
of  the  three  steamers  plying  on  the  river, 
both  loaded  with  supplies.  By  this  means 
our  transportation  was  again  reduced  to  its 
minimum,  and  for  a  fevF  days,  in  common 
with  all  departments  of  the  army,  we  shall 
be  able  to  get  forward  a  smaller  quantity  of 
suppUes  than  could  be  advantageously  used. 
We  can  calculate,  however,  upon  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  cordial  co-operation  of  Gen. 
Meigs,  Dr.  Perin,  and  the  other  military 
and  medical  authorities,  and  the  good  work 
which  we  have  been  doing  will  not  be  al- 
lowed to  languish. 

Before  leaving  Chattanooga,  I  must  again 
express  my  high  appreciation  of  the  profes- 
sional and  official  merit  of  the  responsible 
heads  of  the  medical  department.  Dr.  Perin, 
Medical  Director  of  the  Department  of  the 
Cumberland,  and  Dr.  Finley,  Post  Medical 
Pirector,  as  also  of  the  earnest  and  faithful 
corps  of  surgeons  by  whom  their  efforts  in 


behalf  oi.  the  wounded  have  been  so  abljr 
seconded.  At  the  risk  of  seeming  to  sea 
all  the  workings  of  the  medical  department 
at  this  point  en  couleur  de  rose,  I  must  say, 
that  no  instance  of  incompetence  or  un- 
faithfulness was  revealed  by  my  observa- 
tions; but,  on  the  contrary,  I  found  very 
much  to  admire  in  the  zeal  and  success  ex- 
hibited by  all  the  corps  of  surgeons,  who, 
with  inadequate  accommodations  and  Umit- 
ed  materials,  were  able  to  make  the  wound- 
ed more  immediately  and  entirely  comfort- 
able than  could  have  been  expected  or 
hoped.  I  am  sure  it  would  have  quieted 
some  of  the  fears  entertained  by  our  people 
in  regard  to  the  faithfulness  of  surgeons 
and  nurses  if  they  could  have  seen  with 
what  sincere  gratitude  they  accepted  at  our 
hands  the  means  of  administering  to  the 
wants  of  the  poor  fellows  in  their  charge; 
and  frequent  visits  to  the  hospitals  showed 
me  that  the  wounded  soldiers  did  actually 
receive  and  greatly  profit  by  the  gifts  of 
our  loyal  women  of  the  North.  "Whatever 
may  have  occurred  at  other  times  ajid  pla- 
ces, I  am  sure  that  after  the  battle  of  Chat- 
tanooga there  was  neither  the  opportunity 
nor  inclination,  on  the  part  of  surgeons  oi 
nurses,  to  misappropriate  stores  furnished 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission;  and  the  Me- 
tropolitan Police,  who  enabled  us  to  distri- 
bute to  the  sufferers  the  rare  and  much 
prized  gifts  of  sound,  fresh  lemons.  The 
loyal  women  who  stitched  the  shirts  and 
drawers,  who  rolled  the  bandages  and  made 
the  arm-shngs;  the  Aid  Societies  and  Branch 
Commissions  who  have  sent  us  so  liberally 
of  dried  and  canned  fruits,  of  milk  and 
beef,  wine,  spirits,  ale,  butter,  tea,  sugar, 
farina,  codfish,  and  other  precious  articles, 
which  we  were  able  to  distribute  in  abun- 
dance— may  rest  assured  that  here,  at  least, 
they  have  accomplished  aU  the  great  good 
which  they  had  hoped  of  them. 

As  I  expect  that  you  wUl  soon  have  a  f uU 
report  of  the  working  of  the  Commission 
in  this  department,  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  An- 
derson, it  seems  hardly  necessary  now  for 
me  to  do  anything  more  than  merely  allude 
to  the  other  stations  and  agencies  which  I 
have  just  visited. 

Kelly's  Ferry  was,  until  recently,  the 
head  of  navigation  for  our  steamers  on  the 
Tennessee,  and  is  still  a  very  important  de- 


Thfi  jBamtOtry.  Commisaim  BvEeUn. 


135 


BOt  for  the  traas-shipment  of  Government 
stores.  It  is  ten  miles  from  Chattanooga 
by  land,  £(nd  about  forty  by  the  river  from 
Bridgeport.  Immediately  after  the  battles 
at  CJhicaijaauga,  the  Rev.  0.  Kennedy  estalj- 
Jished  a  Lodge  here  for  ps^sging  soldiers,  and 
pince  he  rea^oved  to  Bridgepoijt,  the  work  of 
gupp^jring  their  wajitg,  and  of  attending  to 
the  reception  and  shipment  of  goods,  has 
been  most  faithfully  and  commendably  per- 
fpimed  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Sutliffe.  He  has 
been  aided  in  his  friendly  of^ces  for  sick 
and  -wounded  soldiers,  large  numbers  of 
whom  haye  at  times  been  at  this  point,  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Strong.  I  take  great  pleasure  in 
acknowledging  the  hearty  co-operation  of 
Dr.  Tailor,  the  zealous  surgeon  of  the  Post, 
and  of  Lieut. -Col.  Cahill,  of  the  16th  Uli- 
npis,  commandant  of  the  Post,  who  has 
been  £|lways  ready  to  aid  the  Agents  of  the 
Commission  in  every  way  possible,  and  has 
greatly  helped  us  in  forwarding  goods,  by 
detailing  men  to  serve  as  guards  for  our 
wagons,  and  likewise  for  the  accumulated 
gtores  at  the  landing. 

Bridgeport  is  a  very  important  point  in 
our  chain  of  Ageuoies — so  much  so,  that  we 
are  compelled  to  keep  a  strong  force,  and 
they  have  been  at  times  greatly  pressed  by 
their  duties.  There  is  here  a  large  fleld- 
ho^pital,  most  adpiirably  managed,  by  Dr. 
Wm.  Varian,  U.  S.  V.  To  him  we  are  in- 
debted for  the  most  valuable  aid  in  establisli- 
ing  our  depot  and  lodge.  The  warehouse, 
formed  of  several  large  hospital  tents,  has 
been  carefully  arranged  by  Dr.  Coates,  Mr. 
Pierce,  and  Mr.  Popoohe,  conveniently  near 
to  the  railroad  station  and  the  field-hospi- 
tal, while  the  lodge  under  the  care  of  Mr. 
]Kennedy,  assisted  by  two  detailed  men,  is 
close  upon  the  steaniboat  landing. 

At  Stevenson  we  have  now  no  agency; 
but  it  is,  expected  that  it  will  be  advisable 
to  re-establish  one  there  soon.  The  "Ala- 
bama House "  has  been  offered  by  the 
Quartermaster  to  the  Oommissipn,  to  be 
used  as  a  Soldiers'  Home,  and  it  is  proba- 
ble that  we  shall  avail  ourselves  of  the  op- 
.  portunity  of  at  the  same  time  abating  a 
nuisance  and  preating  a  blessing,  by  taking 
it.  Stevenson  is  becoming  an  important 
location,  and  now  has  no  suitable  place  for 
jthe  aceommpdation  of  either  officers  or 
.men,  well  or  sick. 


Murfreesboro'  was,  fpr  a  time,  virtually 
abandpned  when  the  army  advauced;  but 
large,  uumbers  of  hospital  patients  are 
henceforth  to  be  placed  there.  We  have, 
therefore,  re-established  our  agency',  and 
occupy  a  spacious  warehouSje,  T^th  Mr.  E. 
L.  Jones  in  charge. 

At  Nashville,  as  you  may  suppose,  there 
is  great  activity.  Dr.  !^ead  superintends 
the  midtiplied  branches  of  the  business; 
Mr.  Eobinson,  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  Mr.  Fpa 
attend  to  the  large  amount  of  stores  pass- 
ing into  and  out  of  the  warehouse ;  Mr. 
HobUt  and  Mr.  Ingraha,m  respond  to  the 
many  calls  made  upon  them  in  the  d.epart- 
ments  of  Hospital  and  Special  Belief,  while 
Capt.  Brayton  oversees  the  arrangements  of 
the  Home.  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  know- 
ing, from  personal  inspection  and  inter- 
course, that  the  varied  and  unceasing  du- 
ties of  these  officers  of  the  Commission  are 
faithfully  performed,  often  at  the  cost  of 
much  personal  discomfort,  annoyance  and 
fatigue. 

Yours  respectfully, 

J.  S.  Newbebet, 

Sec.  West'nDep't. 


THE  RELIEF  AGENCY. 

Mr.  Murray,  Belief  Agent  with  the  Seq- 
ond  Army  Corps,  writes: 

On  the  4th  of  Sept.  the  undersigned  re- 
turned from  a  short  furlough,  resumed  his 
duties  as  Belief  Agent  with  the  2d  Army 
Corps,  relieving  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Anderson, 
who  had  been  placed  in  charge  of  Sanitary 
affairs  in  the  12th  Corps.  The  ordinary 
duties  of  special  relief  and  of  distribution 
of  stores  continue  to  be  discharged  by  fre- 
quent visitations  to  regiments  and  inspec- 
tion of  hospitals.  On  the  12th  inst.  the 
corps  broke  camp  at  Morrisville  and  moved 
toward  the  river,  as  a  support  to  the  cavahy 
who  were  then  engaged  with  Stuart's  forces 
on  Mountain  Bun.  We  halted  for  the 
night  near  Rappahannock  Station,  and  re- 
sumed our  march  early  the  f oUpwing  morn- 
ing, crossing  the  river  on  pontoons  laid 
near  the  R.  R.  bridge. 

After  we  had  passed  three  miles  beyond 
the  riyejr,  the  enemy  were  found  strongly 
enkenched  on  the  heights  of  Brandy  Sta- 
tion, which  the  cavalry  division  pf  Cren. 
Buford  was  hotly  assailing.    Tiie  actiou 


136 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMeiin. 


■was  but  of  short  duration,  and  resulted  in 
the  dri-ving  of  the  Confederates  to  a  point 
beyond  Culpepper  C.  H.  The  ambulance 
train  to  -which  my  Tvagon  was  attached 
was  very  fortunately  parted  near  the  field 
hospital  established  by  the  cavalry,  and  I 
had  the  sitisfaotion  of  distributing  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  stimulants  and  old 
linen  to  the  surgeons  in  charge.  The  wag- 
ons containing  their  hospital  stores  and  ap- 
pliances had  been  left  beyond  the  river,  and 
they  were  almost  entirely  destitute  of  the 
commonest  hospital  necessities.  After  re- 
maining at  the  hospital  for  an  hour,  my 
wagon  rejoined  the  train  and  pressed  on  to 
Culpepper,  which  we  reached  the  same 
evening,  (13th.) 

I  was  thus  enabled  to  reach  ■  Culpepper 
and  afford  relief  to  the  sick  and  wounded 
in  hospital  at  that  place,  not  only  before 
the  wagons  of  this  or  any  other  "  Commis- 
sion "  had  reached  it,  but  before  even  the 
supply  "wagons  of  the  Medical  or  Subsist- 
ence Depts.  had  entered  the  town.  Our 
cavalry  had  already  driven  the  rebels  be- 
yond the  Bapidan  and  the  2d  Corps  con- 
tinued their  occupation  of  Culpepper  and 
vicinity  till  the  16th,  while  the  main  army 
was  being  brought  up  from  beyond  the 
river.  These  days  were  spent  in  visitations 
to  the  various  hospitals  occupied  by  the 
cavalry'  and  2d  Corps,  and  the  distribution 
of  such  stores  as  seemed  necessary  for  the 
comfort  of  the  men.  This  being  the  first 
test  of  the  new  relief  system  on  the  march 
and  in  action,  it  affords  us  pleasure  to  bear 
witness  to  the  almost  unanimous  verdict  in 
its  favor,  especially  from  the  surgeons  of 
the  cavalry  corps,  who  had  been  before  cut 
off  by  the  very  nature  of  their  movements 
from  all  assistance  from  us.  On  the  16th 
inst.  we  moved  out  from  Culpepper,  and  on 
the  following  morning  went  into  camp  at 
*Sommerville  Ford,  on  the  Bapidon.  Dur- 
ing the  whole  march  my  wagon,  being  on 
the  immediate  advance,  was  in  such  a  po- 
sition as  to  reach  cases  which  would  per- 
haps otherwise  have  been  neglected  entire- 
ly. More  than  once  has  my  wagon  been 
stopped  by  a  train  of  ambulances  bringing 
the  wounded  from  the  front,  and  a  requisi- 
tion supplied,  or  a  call  for  a  bandage,  etc., 
made  by  some  poor  feUow,  complied  with. 
We  remained  in  camp  at  the  aforemention- 


ed point  until  the  4th  of  October,  when 
the  batteries  opposite  invited  us  to  ske- 
daddle, which  invitation  the  representative 
of  Sanitary  Commission  was  not  the  last  to 
accept.  During  our  stay  upon  the  Bapidan, 
the  divisions  of  our  corps  were  so  widely 
separated  that  it  was  found  impossible  to 
supply  their  requisitions  from  my  wagon; 
I  therefore  requested  the  surgeons  of  each 
Brigade  to  notify  the  regiments  of  the  ex- 
istence of  our  storehouse  at  the  Court 
House,  and  requested  them  to  make  their 
requisitions  upon  it  for  supplies.  This  was 
generally  complied  with.  During  our  camp 
here,  the  3d  Division,  then  lying  upon  the 
Slaughter  Mountain  battle-field,  was  visit- 
ed, thus  completing  my  first  round  of  reg- 
imental visitations.  On  the  day  immedi- 
ately following  our  bombardment,  we  were 
relieved  by  the  6th  Corps,  and  fell  back  to 
the  Court  House;  here  we  imagined  we  were 
about  to  make  permanent  quarters,  and 
immediately  began  the  establishment  of 
division  hospitals  and  the  construction  of 
camps.  We  remained  in  this  position  un- 
til the  9th,  when  we  were  ordered  out  upon 
the  SperryviUe  Pike  to  relieve  the  3d  Corps. 

The  same  night,  about  twelve,  we  were 
ordered  to  evacuate  otir  position,  and  com- 
menced our  part  of  the  celebrated  run  to 
Centreville.  We  removed  all  our  sick  from 
the  Culpepper  hospitals,  and  resuming  our 
march,  reached  Brandy  Station  by  day- 
light. Continuing  our  retreat,  we  made 
camp  at  Bealeton  on  the  night  of  the  11th. 
The  next  morning  we  sent  our  sick  to  Wash- 
ington by  rail,  and  during  the  afternoon 
moved  again  toward  the  Bappahannock. 
The  troops  reerossed  and  moved  to  Brandy 
Station,  the  ambulances  and  other  trains 
remaining  on  the  north  side.  Before  day- 
light the  following  morning  we  were  arous- 
ed, and  again  fell  back  this  time  on  the  road 
to  Liberty  Church. 

Passing  the  church,  we  reached  3  Mile 
Station  on  the  Warrenton  Branch  B.  B. 
the  same  evening. 

During  the  night  we  marched  through  a 
dense  forest  to  Murray  HiU.  We  remained 
there  tiU  3  A.  M.  of  the  14th,  entirely  sur- 
rounded, as  we  afterwards  learned,  by  Hill 'a 
Corps,  whose  advance  lay  within  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  of  our  lines.  At  about  five  in  the 
morning,  as  we  were  passing  through  a 


The  Samtary  Commission  BuHetvn,. 


137 


ravine  near  Pox  Run,  our  train  of  ambu- 
lances, ■wMch  had  passed  out  of  our  lines, 
■were  opened  upon  by  rebel  batteries  plant- 
ed on  Auburn  Hills,  which  rise  beyond  the 
Bun.  Our  position  for  a  few  moments  was 
a  very  unpleasant  one,  between  the  bullets 
of  those  skirmishing  on  each  side  of  the 
train  and  the  shells  falling  around  us.  I 
had  no  doubt  for  a  short  time,  that  -wagon 
No.  14,  its  driver,  and  last,  but  not  least  to 
me,  the  agent,  had  purchased  tickets  for 
that  popular  route  to  Bichmond,  via  Gor- 
donsville. 

The  cavalry  succeeded  in  making  a  way 
for  us  to  fall  back,  which  we  rapidly  and 
immediately  did.  WJiUe  the  action  was 
going  on  in  front  of  us,  I  distributed  sev- 
eral articles  of  stores  to  the  ambulance  sur- 
geons, there  being  no  field  hospitals  estab- 
lished. We  were  able  to  resume  our  march 
in  about  two  hours,  when  we  continued  our 
retreat,  or  rather  run,  as  it  now  had  become. 

Our  fast  gait  enabled  us  to  reach  Centre- 
ville  at  7  P.  M.  of  the  same  day,  where  we 
went  into  camp.  The  fight  at  Bristow  Sta- 
tion took  place  on  this  afternoon,  lasting 
from  3  till  5  P.  M.  Our  ambulances  were 
considerably  in  advance  of  the  troops  when 
'  the  attack  commenced,  and  as  it  was  evi- 
dent that  our  troops  would  fall  back,  I  sent 
my  wagon  forward  with  the  majority.  I 
however  put  a  few  articles  in  one  of  the  de- 
tachment wagons  sent  to  the  front,  and  ac- 
companied them  till  I  met  Surgeon  Myers, 
in  charge  of  the  wounded  of  the  2d  Divi- 
sion, to  whom  I  delivered  them.  The  ac- 
tion at  this  time  being  nearly  over,  I  re- 
turned to  the  train,  which  I  reached  as  they 
were  making  a  park  beyond  the  Bull  .Bun. 
During  the  whole  of  this  night  and  the 
succeeding  day,  I  remained  distributing  and 
relieving  as  best  I  might,  the  loads  of  suf- 
fering wounded  men,  which  were  every 
hour  brought  to  the  ambulance  hospital. 

A  large  quantity  of  *  blankets,  shirts, 
drawers,  wine,  bandages,  &c.,  were  dis- 
tributed in  the  way  of  special  relief.  The 
Superintendent  of  Field  Belief  was  very 
fortunately  upon  the  gfround,  and  assisted 
me  greatly  by  his  advice  and  work.  On 
the  15th  the  camps  of  our  corps  on  the  run 
were  shelled  by  the  rebels,  who  fell  back 
the  following  morning,  thus  ending  t^ 
stage  of  the  fall  campaign. 


Our  five  days  of  retreat,  from  the  10th  to 
the  15th,  were  most  severe  in  their  character, 
wearing  out  both  officers  and  men.  The 
second  corps  were  assigned  to  the  duty  of 
covering  the  retreat,  which  gave  them  much 
more  severe  marching,  and  led  them  into 
two  actions  which  were  avoided  by  the 
other  corps. 

If  I  had  been  able  to  procure  a  new  sup- 
ply of  goods  while  at  CentreviUe,  such  as 
were  anti-scorbutic,  they  would  have  been 
of  great  use.  As  it  was,  I  was  compelled  to 
economize  my  stores.  On  the  19th  inst. 
we  moved  to  Bristow  Station;  on  the  20th 
to  Gainesville;  and  the  same  night,  over 
the  worst  road  I  ever  traveled,  we  rejoined 
the  main  body  of  the  corps  at  Auburn  Hills. 
We  changed  our  camp  from  this  point  to 
Turkey  Bend,  on  the  Warrenton  Branch 
B.  B.,  on  the  23d. 

On  the  28th  inst.  I  went  to  Gainesville, 
at  that  time  used  as  a  depot  by  the  Chief 
Quartermaster,  but  was  unable  to  procure 
any  stores,  and  returned  to  camp  the  fol- 
lowing day.  On  the  31st  I  started  for 
Washington,  and  returned  on  November 
4th  with  quite  a  large.stock  of  goods.  On 
the  7th  camp  was  broken  at  Turkey  Bend, 
and  the  hue  of  march  taken  for  Kelly's 
Ford.  During  our  stay  at  the  former  place 
a  second  visitation  to  the  regiments  was 
undertaken,  and  nearly  gone  through  with. 
We  crossed  the  Bappahannock  on  the  8th, 
with  no  serious  fighting,  and  passing 
through  the  lately  deserted  encampments 
of  the  rebels,  halted  near  Brandy  Station. 
On  the  10th  we  moved  to  Mountain  Bun, 
and  made  camp  on  its  banks.  Here  we 
remained  for  two  weeks,  and  while  here 
the  ordinary  duties  of  the  Belief  Agent 
were  discharged.  On  the  23d  we  received 
orders  to  move,  but,  after  passing  a  mile 
from  camp,  were  recalled  on  account  of  the 
severe  weather. 

On  the  26th,  Thanksgiving  Day,  we  at 
last  got  off,  and  moved  rapidly  toward 
Germania  Ford,  on  the  Bapidan,  which 
was  crossed  the  same  evening  without 
opposition.  On  the  next  day  we  reached 
Bobertson's  Tavern,  on  the  Orange  Pike, 
where  we  found  the  enemy  in  force.  There 
was  heavy  skirmishing  all  day,  but  no 
general  action  was  brought  on.  During 
the  night  the  enemy  fell  back  to  Old  Ver- 


138 


The  Sanitary  CoTfvip.issiim  BvUeim. 


diersville  and  bekiiid  the  entrenchinents 
on  Mine  Eun,  to  the  banks  of  ■which  stream 
■we  follo^wed  him.  On  the  morning  of  the 
29th,  the  2d  corps,  two  divisions  of  the  3d, 
and  one  of,  the  6th  corps,  all  under  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Warren,  were  ordered  to  the 
Plankroad  leading  to  Orange  Court  House. 
We  reached  Fairmont  Church  .in  the  even- 
ing, and  nioved  out  before  daylight  to  the 
front  of  the  enemy's  works. 

We  remained  on  their  front  till  December 
1st,  when  we  were  ordered  back  to  Ctdpep- 
per  Ford.  We  crossed  the  Ford  by  night, 
and  re-entered  our  old  camps  on  Mountain 
Eun  the  follo^wing  day.  The  loss  of  the 
corps  during  the  movement  was  about  five 
hundred  of  all  classes.  The  use  and  ad- 
vantage of  the  present  system  of  field  relief 
was  more  evident  to  me  than  ever  during 
this  short  campaign.  The  weather  was 
most  intensely  cold,  and  our  supply  of 
quUts  and  blankets  relieved  from  suffering, 
or,  perhaps,  preserved  the  lives  of  many 
wounded.  The  wounded  were  all  under 
tiie  charge  of  Surgeon  D-winalle,  to  whom 
many  articles  were  furnished.  I  made  it 
my  business  during  the  campaign  to  visit  re- 
peatedly the  field  hospitals,  which  duty  was 
particularly  arduous  after  our  movement  to 
the  right  had  left  me  the  only  representa- 
tive of  the  Commission  ■with  Warren's  large 
command.  I  have  the  pleasure  of  reporting 
that  my  stock  was  adequate  to  the  demand, 
and  in  no  case  was  a  proper  call  denied. 
During  our  movement  the  wounded  were 
the  major  portion  of  the  time  in  the  am.bu- 
lance  train.  I  was,  therefore,  able  from  my 
stores  to  furnish  them  daily  soft  crarkoes, 
tea,  mOk,  stimulants,  &c.  !|Every  evening 
milk  punch  was  made  by  the  attendants,  and 
distributed  to  those  needing  it.  Through 
my  observation  of  my  O'wn  as  ■sy ell  as  other 
corps,  and  from  the  expression  of  medical 
officers,  it  is  my  impression  that  the  Com- 
*mission  brought  itself  most  favorably  before 
the  army;  and,  what  is  better  still,  relieved 
a  mass  of  suffering  which  would  not  have 
otherwise  been  reached,  and  gave  many  a 
poor  fellow  another  sight  of  his  pweet 
northern  home  who  would  else  have  slept- 
under  the  forest  trees  of  the  wilderness.  On 
the  5th  we  moved  our  camp  to  Stevens- 
burgh,  and  on  the  7th  moved  to  Shephard's 
Grave,  where  the  camp  is  a  ];resent  situat- 


ed. On  the  6th  the  undersigned  was  relieved 
by  Dr.  G.  E.  Holbrook,  and  on  the  10th 
returned  to  Washington.  During  the  past 
quarter  it  has  been  his  endeavor  to  keep 
himself  as  much  as  possible  under  the  ^- 
rection  of  the  medical  staff  of  his  corps,  to 
whom  he  is  indebted  for  many  kindnesses 
and  much  valua,ble  advice.  In  fact,  as  a 
representative  of  the  Commission,  he  has 
met  -with  nothing  but  courtesy  from  aU  the 
officers  ■with  whom  his  duties  have  thrp^wn 
him;  apd  his  position  has  been  rendered 
doubly  pleasant  from  the  uniform.  kindi;te^ 
and  sympathy  of  those  under  whom  he  has 
been  acting.  He  has  to  return  his  thanks 
for  the  promptness  ■with  which  all  his  de- 
mands upon  their  time  were  met,  and  for 
the  amount  of  good  he  has  been  able  to 
accomplish  in  his  department. 

Mr.  Kurtz  ■writes: 

Having  just  returned  from  Brandy 
Station,  I  deem  it  a  privilege  no  less  ths^ 
a  duty,  to  lay  before  you  a  few  facts  ■with 
reference  to  my  field  experience.  Thurs- 
day, November  26,  1863,  we  received  the 
order  to  move.  It  was  jcay  lot  to  be  con- 
nected ■with  one  of  the  Field  Eelief  wagons, 
temporarily  attached  to  the  Ambulance 
train  of  the  1st  Di-vision,  6th  Corps.  Left 
camp,  accompanied  by  Captain  Harris, 
Assistant  Superintendent,  and  Mr.  D.  S. 
Pope,  Eelief  Agent,  6th  Corps,  at  6  o'clock, 
A.  M.  At  2  o'clock,  A.  M.,  (November 
27th,)  the  train  came  to  a  halt  on  the  plank 
road  leading  to  Germania  Ford.  An  hoipr 
afterwards  we  commenced  moving  agq.in, 
coming  by  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  within 
eight  miles  of  the  Ford.  Though  weary 
and. fagged  out,  we  still  preferred  moying 
on  to  an  uncertain  halt,  and  felt  no  little 
indignation  when  hour  after  hour  passed 
■without  being  able  to  put  our  teams  in 
motion.  At  hist,  at  8  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, the  wagon-master  concluded  to  en- 
camp for  the  night,  with  the  inten^iioE  of 
crossing  the  pontoon  bri4ge  at  dawn.  This 
intention  ■was  carried  out  at  2  o'clock,  A. 
M.,  (Nov.  28th,)  and  we  reached  Locust 
Grove  at  seven,  where  we  fed  our  horses 
and  breakfasted. 

Here  the  effects  of  the  march  upon  the 
men  began  to  be  seen.  Many  foot-sore, 
hungry,  sick  and  weary,lagged  behind  their 
regiments;  andhere  I  had  for  the  irsiticiJ 


The  Samtary  Commission  BvUetm., 


139 


the  satisfaction,  as  agent  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  to  speak  words  of  encourage- 
ment to  the  men,-  and  to  administer  to  tbe 
needs  of  those  who  -were  suffering  from 
diarrhoea,  &c.,  on  the  march.  By.  4 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  same  day,  we  arrived 
at  a  -spot  near  the  expected  battle-field — 
moving  by  way  of  the  Fredericksburg  and 
Orange  Turnpike.  Hospitals  were  im- 
mediately extemporized  for  the  various 
divisions  of  the  army,  and  the  men  wound- 
ed in  the  engagement  of  the  previous  day 
were  removed  into  them.  During  our  stay 
here  for  two  days,  I  visited  frequently  the 
hospital,  1st  Division,  6th  Corps,  and  find 
pleasure  in  stating  that  we  were  treated  by 
the  surgeons  of  the  Corps  with  kindness 
and  courtesy.  Indeed  every  medical  offi- 
cer whose  acquaintance  I  made  in  my 
capacity  as  agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, manifested  the  deepest  concern,  re- 
garding the  comfort  and  needs  of  the  men, 
and  almost  invariably  inquired  into  the 
variety  and  amount  of  stores  placed  in  my 
hands  for  distribution. 

December  1st,  we  started  on  our  return 
to  Brandy  Station.  About  midnight  the 
train  stuck  in  the  mud,  and  hundreds  of  the 
wounded  were  obliged  to  remain  in  the 
ambulances  during  the  night.  As  soon  as 
the  impassibility  of  the  roads  was  thus 
demonstrated,  an  order  was  given  to  camp, 
and  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  the  wound- 
ed inquired  with  a  loud  voice  for  the 
agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  At 
once  we  repaired  to  the  place,  and  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night  delivered  to  the 
medical  officers  such  stimulants,  condensed 
milk  and  crackers  as  they  needed  to  feed 
the  wounded  soldiers.  We  were  moved  to 
tears  at  the  sight  of  the  patient  heroism  of 
the  sufferers,  and  our  hearts  were  cheered 
■  beyond  expression  by  the  knowledge  that, 
through  the  aid  of  the  Sanitary  Comniis- 
sion,  the  darkness  and  gloom  of  the  night 
was  lighted  up  for  these  wounded  patients. 

At  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  resumed 
the  march.  By  order  of  the  surgeon, 
another  halt  was  made  a  short  distance  from 
Brandy  Station.  Here  again  the  assistance 
of  the  Commission  was  called  into  requisi- 
tion, and  the  remainder  of  the  beef  extract 
and  crackers  in  the  wagon  was  distributed. 
Aitc  r  the  wounded  had  been  refreshed,  we 


moved  again  until  we  reached  the  ground 
occupied  by  the  division  before  the  march. 
During  the  remainder  of  our  stay  with  the 
army  we  were  gratified  at  Ijeing  able  to 
furnish  the  medical  officers  with  socks, 
drawers,  &c.,  for  the  wounded,  prior  to  their 
transportation  to  Washington. 

Allow  me,  in  conclusion,,  to  state  that 
my  experience  as  pro  tempore  Field  EeUef 
Agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  brief 
as  it  was,  has  satisfied  me  that  the  value  of 
the  Commission  is  appreciated  by  both  men 
and  officers ;  so  that  I  can  well  understand 
the  truth  of  the  remark  made  by  Dr.  Clark, 
(1st  Division,  6th  Corps,)  after  we  had 
brought  him  socks  and  drawers  for  the 
hospital  under  his  chaf  ge :  "  I  do  not  know 
what  would  hwe  become  of  this  army  had 
it  not  been  for  the  Sanitary  Commission. " 
This  remark  simply  echoed  the  sentiments 
of  many  officers  and  privates  expressed  to 
us  at  various  times.  It  would  be  super- 
fluous in  me  to  dwell  upgn  the  importance 
of  the  field  organization  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  under  your  successful  supervis- 
ion. Thousands  of  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  throughout  the  land  have  spread 
the  fame  of  the  noble  and  self-denying 
worth  of  your  agents  in  the  field,  sharing 
as  they  do  many  of  the  dangers  and  all  the 
privations  and  inconveniences  of  camp  life; 
and  the  day  cannot  be  far  distant  when  a 
grateful*  nation,  redeemed  from  the  curse 
of  treason,  wiU  pronounce  the  name  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commissio;i  with  a  heart 
overflowing  with  gratitude. 

D.  S.  Pope,  (Belief  Agent,  6th  A.rmy 
Corps,)  speaking  in  his  report  of  the  move- 
ment, says,  with  reference  to  the  2d  of 
December:  * 

We  started  for  Brandy  Station,  The 
roads  were  in  a  horrid  condition.  *  *  *  About 
eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  stuck,  and 
remained  thus  until  moniing.  The  sick  in 
the  ambulances  suffered  a  great  deal.  The 
hard  tack  had  given  out,  and  also  thejj? 
beef  tea.  We  issued  the  crackers  from  Mr. 
Kurtz's  wagon,  and  beef  tea,  rum  and  milk 
from  mine.  Captain  Harris,  our  Assistant 
Superintendent,  made  some  hot  milk  punch 
for  them,  which  many  declared  did  them 
more  good  than  anything  they  could  have 
had. 

Captain  Isaac  Harris,  referring  to  the 


140 


The  Samta/py  Commission  BuUeUn. 


same  occasion  in  his  report,  says:  It  was 
here  that  the  Commission  was  appreciated. 
The  men  had  started  with  five  days'  rations, 
which  were  consumed  on  Monday  night; 
consequently  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the 
ambulances  would  have  been  without  food, 
had  it  not  been  that  they  were  supplied 
with  crackers,  beef  tea  and  mUk  punch  by 
the  agents.  The  following  morning  they 
were  served  with  beef-tea  and  crackers, 
and  again  at  noon,  when  the  army  had 
reached  its  former  camps. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  WOUNDS. 

liETTEB  FEOM  DEPUTY  INSPECTOB-OEN^BBAli  T. 
LONGMGEE,  PEOEESSOE  OE  MTT.TTABT'  BUBGEET 
AT  THE  AEMY  MEDICAZi  SCHOOL,  ENGLAHD,  TO 
EBEDESICK  Iii.W  OIjMSTED,  ESQ.,  SECEETAET  OS 
THE  SABITAEY  00MMI33I0N,  WASHINGTON. 

Netlet,  England,  November,  1863. 
370  the  Secretary  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington: 

SiE — ^Inspector-General  Dr.  Muir,Princi- 
pal  Medical  Officer  to  the  British  forces  in 
Canada,  has  forwarded  to  me  copies  of  the 
valuable  reports  which  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission has  issued  from  time  to  time, 
for  the  use  of  the  army  surgeons  in  the 
field.  He  has  also  sent  me  blank  copies  of 
the  returns  in  use  in  the  United  States 
Army,  among  others  the  form  of  the 
monthly  report  of  sick  and  wounded,  in 
which  occurs  the  tabttdab  statement  of 
GUNSHOT  WOTTNDS,  showLug  the  "seat  and 
character"  of  each  wound  inflicted,  the 
"side  of  the  body  wounded,"  "how  re- 
ceived, "  "  nature  of  missile, "  "  treatment, ' ' 
and  "result,"  with  a  column  for  short  re- 
marks. 

There  are  some  features  in  this  tabular 
statement  which,  it  appears  to  me,  are 
likely  to  impair  its  utility  for  comparison 
with  tabular  returns  of  injuries  of  a  Uke 
mature  in  other  countries,  and  believing 
the  subject  to  be  one  of  great  professional 
importance,  I  am  anxious  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  by 
its  means,  that  of  the  surgeons  of  the 
American  Army  at  large,  to  the  classified 
form  of  return,  or  tabidar  statement,  of 
grunshot  wounds  which  is  now  adopted  in 
England.  It  is  one  which  was  arranged 
by  an  English  surgeon  of  great  experience 
in  battle-fields,  but  who  has  lately  retired 


from   active     service  —  Inspector-General 
Taylor,  C.  B. 

I  trust  that  my  professional  colleagues 
across  the  Atlantic  wUl  pardon  the  liberty 
I  am  taking  in  sending  this  letter,  for'  the 
sake  of  the  motive  which  has  prompted  me 
to  write  it.  This  is  none  other  than  an 
earnest  desire  that  the  sufiferings  of  your 
brave  soldiers  now  in  the  field  may,  among 
other  rewards,  be  attended  with  this  good: 
that  the  additional  experience  in  military 
surgery  which  their  injuries  are  capable  of 
giving  to  the  stores  of  information  already 
accumulated  by  the  members  of  our  noble 
profession,  may  be  fuUy  gathered,  and  that 
in  this  way  the  labors  of  army  surgeons 
may  be  still  better  enabled  to  fulfil  their 
high  purpose  of  saving  lives  of  the  utmost 
value  to  their  country  in  its  hour  of  need, 
and  of  generally  lessening  the  unavoidable 
miseries  of  war. 

It  may  appear  to  some  surgeons,  at  first 
view,  a  matter  of  no  great  interest  what 
kind  of  arrangement  is  adopted  in  army 
returns  so  long  as  a  general  nomenclature 
is  used,  and  on  the  whole  correctly  applied; 
experience  has,  however,  taught  that  so 
far  from  this  being  the  case,  the  impor- 
tance of  precision  and  accuracy  in  clasifi- 
cation  is  just  as  great  as  correctness  in 
nomenclature,  and  that  the  nature  of 
statistical  and  professional  returns  will 
bear  exact  relation  to  the  degree  in  which 
this  importance  is  appreciated.  Such 
precision,  indeed,  is  especially  important  in 
the  army  returns,  with  which  military  sur- 
geons have  to  deal,  and  in  no  department 
of  the  military  surgeon's  practice  in  which 
detailed  returns  are  called  for,  is  this  im- 
portance more  obvious  than  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Wounds,  and  especially  of  gun- 
shot wounds.  In  time  of  war  these  in- 
juries usually  occur  in  large  numbers  to- 
gether; the  occasions  are  such  that  sur- 
geons have  no  time  to  spare  for  entering 
into  detailed  reports  of  each  particular 
case;  and  yet  the  nature  of  each  case  must 
be  defined  within  fixed  limits,  if  the  re- 
cords furnished  regarding  them  are  to  be 
turned  to  any  practically  useful  resultis, 
whether  as  regards  their  surgical  conse- 
quences, their  ultimate  results  in  disabling 
and  invaliding  soldiers,  or  in  establishing 
comparisons  between  the  effects  of  various 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Btdletin. 


141 


modes  of  treatment.  If  wounds  of  different 
characters  and  gravity,  -wounds  complicated 
with  serious  lesions,  and  others  simple  and 
uncomplicated,  are  mixed  together  under 
one  heading,  then  the  deductions  such  as 
I  have  indicated,  on  being  made,  must  be 
open  to  so  many  sources  of  error  that  no 
reliance  can  be  placed  upon  them. 

I  feel  assured  that  the  members  of  the 
Commission  will  fully  join  with  me  in  esti- 
mating as  extremely  important,  in  a  profes- 
sional point  of  view,  the  condition  that, 
whatever  form  of  classification  be  adopted, 
whatever  form  of  tabular  statement  framed 
in  our  returns,  these  forms  should  be  such- 
as  will  enable  surgeons  to  compare  with  ex- 
actness injuries  of  like  kinds  and  degrees 
of  gravity  as  regards  their  statistical  results, 
whether  in  respect  to  mortality,  or  the 
effects  of  operative  interference,  or  other 
treatment.  They  will  also  agree,  that  these 
means  of  exact  comparison  should  not  be 
Umited  to  the  tabular  statements  derived 
from  different  actions  in  which  one  and  the 
same  people  may  have  been  engaged,  but 
should  embrafte  a  far  wider  range;  indeed, 
should  be  capable  of  being  appHed  univer- 
sally, so  that  the  surgical  results  of  warlike 
operations  in  all  parts  of  the  world  might 
be  placed  side  by  side  and  compared.  It 
would  probably  be  attended  with  valuable 
practical  results  if  an  international  congress 
of  surgeons  were  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  agreeing  upon  a  common  classification 
and  form  of  return  of  the  mjuries  of  war; 
for  until  such  a  general  arrangement  be  de- 
termined, there  must  remain  a  certain 
amount  of  needless  imperfection  in  the 
statistical  information  derived  from  such 
sources. 

The  tabular  statement  in  the  report  of 
sick  and  wounde^  divides  the  seats  and 
characters  of  the  gunshot  wounds  into  four 
principal  sections,  viz.,  flesh  wounds, 
wounds  of  cavities,  fractures  of  bones,  and 
wounds  of  joints.  These,  again,  are  sub- 
divided into  regions,  or  into  particular 
bones  or  joints;  but  provision  is  not  made 
for  indicating  such  wounds  as  those  of  the 
larger  arteries,  nerves,  organs  of  special 
sense,  as  the  eye,  and  others.  These  inju- 
ries might  be  referred  to  in  the  accompany- 
ing remarks,  but  they  would  not  be  shown 
in  the  niimerical  returns.    A  gunshot  frac- 


ture of  the  cranium  with  depression,  but 
without  penetration  of  the  dura  mater,  is  a 
very  different  injury  in  its  essential  features 
than  another  injury  with  penetration  of  the 
dura  mater,  and  the  prospect  of  success 
from  elevation  or  trephining  in  the  one 
case  as  a  remedial  measure  is  widely  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  is  in  the  other.  But 
such  special  differences  would  not  appear 
in  the  tabular  statement,  and  without  such 
limitations  in  the  premises  the  conclusions 
shown  in  the  column  of  results  must  neces- 
sarily be  much  impaired  in  scientific  value. 
An  examination  of  the  tabular  statement 
wiU.  exhibit  many  other  deficiences  such  as 
I-  have  alluded  to:  but  I  wiU  not  dwell  on 
these,  as  they  wiU  njore  readQy  suggest 
themselves  perhaps  by  an  inspection  of  the 
'classification  I  am  forwarding  with  these 
remarks. 

Before  submitting  Inspector-General 
Taylor's  classification,  permit  me  to  take  a 
brief  review  of  what  had  been  done  in  this 
country  in  the  way  of  classifying  polemical 
wounds  previously  to  its  appearance,  and 
also  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  advan- 
tages of  its  arrangement. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  until  the  year 
1855,  and  until  several  months  after  the 
opening  battle  of  the  Alma,  there  was  no 
specific  classification  for  gunshot  wounds  in 
this  country.  These  injuries  were  shown 
numerically  in  the  ordinary  returns  under 
the  general  term  of  "Vulnera  Sclopito- 
rum,"  and  a  division  of  them  was  also  made 
after  each  action,  according  to  their  sup- 
posed gravity,  whether  slight  or  danger- 
ous. The  order  which  the  English  sur- 
geons received  at  the  commencement  of 
the  Crimean  War  for  the  classification  of 
the  killed  and  wounded  among  the  men  of 
their  regiments,  and  on  which  they  acted, 
was  the  following: 

"As  soon  after  an  action  as  possible, 
medical  officers  in  charge  of  corps  will 
make  out,  and  transmit  to  the  Inspector- 
General  of  Hospitals,  for  the  information 
of  the  General  Commanding  in  Chief,  re- 
turns of  casualties,  made  out  agreeably  to 
the  following  form:" 


142 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


EETURN  OP  TnT.T.Tr.T)  AND  WOUNDED  IN 
KEST.,  m  ACTION  OF 


Officers 

Non-conunission'd 
Officers  and  Men 


Wounded. 


s^ 


No  other  classified  return  of  gunshot  in- 
juries was  furnished.  This  was  the  general 
form  used  during  the  Peninsular  War,  and 
during  the  40  years  which  succeeded  the 
closing  scene  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington's 
final  success  at  Waterloo,  no  change  in  it 
was  made.  Such  a  form  of  return  was 
scarcely  in  advance  of  the  method  of  ar- 
rangement employed  by  Hippocrates  and 
Celsus,  into  "mortal"  and  "non-mortal" 
wounds,  of  each  class,  of  which  they  defined 
regular  lists  ;  and  scarcely  so  advanced  as 
those  employed  by  some  of  their  succes- 
sors, who  subdivided  the  mortal  wounds 
according  to  the  cavses  of  their  fatality — 
such  as  wounds  producing  death  by  imped- 
ing respiration,  by  depriving  the  body  of 
nutrition,  by  haemorrhage,  and  so  on. 

In  addition  to  the  numerical  and  descrip- 
tive return  above  mentioned,  it  was  ex- 
pected by  the  authorities  ,that  the  histories 
of  wounds  of  particular  interest  would  be 
furnished  in  the  monthly  or  annual  pro- 
fessional reports  of  corps,  but  the  regula- 
tions required  nothing  more.  Sometimes 
surgeons  of  their  own  accord  would  tabu- 
late the  cases  which  come  under  their  care, 
for  the  sake  of  conciseness  and  order;  but 
from  the  different  views  held  by  different 
surgeons,  and  the  tendency  that  would 
naturally  occur  to  put  prominently  forward 
some  specially  successful  results,  or  features 
having  a  particular  attraction  for  the  sur- 
geons who  reported  them,  no  fair  compari- 
sons could  be  instituted  between  the  tables 
from  different  sources.  Other  zealous  sur- 
geons, again,-would  gather  together  groups 
of  cases  from  a  wider  field  of  observation, 
for  the  purpose  of  investigating  special 
questions,  or  illustrating  particular  doc- 
trines; but  such  summaries  could  only  be 
made  by  an  expenditure  of  much  personal 
exertion,  and  they  also  too  often  contained 


the  same  elements  of  error  as  those  I  just 
now  adverted  to. 

The  following  is  an  example  of  individual 
arrangem£nt:  The  last  year  in  which  any 
considerable  body  of  soldiers  laboring  un- 
der the  effects  of  polemical  injuries  came 
to  England,  prior  to  the  Crimean  period, 
was  the  year  1848,  when  the  nuUtaTy  oper- 
ations in  India,  New  Zealand,  and  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  furnished  a  number  of 
cases  of  this  class.  The  medical  officer  in 
charge  6f  the  hospital  where  these  invalids 
were  received,  arranged  their  injuries  in  a 
special  return,  the  first  column  of  which 
was  intended  to  show  the  nature  and  situa- 
tion of  the  wounds,  and  the  remaining 
columns  the  yarious  ways  in  which  the 
patients  were  finally  disposed  of.  On  ex- 
amining the  column  of  "  Situation,"  in  the 
first  line,  wounds  of  the  head  and  face  were 
returned  together,  and  I  need  hardly  men- 
tion what  different  considerations  are  in- 
volved in  the  wounds  of  these  two  regions. 
Then  foUoWed  wounds  of  the  thorax: 
thirdly,  of  the  abdomen:  and  fourthly,  of 
the  back;  without  any  subdivisions  to  show 
whether  parietes  only,  or  the  cavities  con- 
nected with  them,  or  any  other  complica- 
tions were  involved  in  the  injuries.  Five 
headings  then  followed  for  wounds  of  the 
upper  extremity,  viz:  Shoulder,  arm,  el- 
bow, forearm,  and  hand ;  and  six  for 
wounds  of  the  lower  extremity,  viz :  Hip, 
thigh,  knee,  leg,  ankle,  and  foot;  without 
any  indication  to  point  to  particular  inju- 
ries of  bones,  nerves,  or  arteries,  with  which 
some  of  them  were  doubtless  complicated. 
.  The  returns  of  a  corresponding  kind 
which  have  been  handed  down  to  us  from 
the  Peninsular  campaigns,  are,  for  the  most 
part,  of  an  equally  unsatisfactory  nature. 
Inspector-General  Taylor  referred  to  this 
fact,  in  proposing  his  classification,  in  the 
following  remarks:  "  The  necessity,"  he 
writes,  "for  some  such  classification  as 
that  now  proposed,  is  obvious,  from  refer- 
ring to  the  returns  drawn  up  during  the 
Peninsular  War.  These  will  be  found 
nearly  uninteresting  and  uninstructive,  in 
consequence  of  the  want  of  due  distinction 
amongst  wounds  of  wholly  different  nature 
and  quality.  In  the  wounds  of  the  head, 
chest  and  abdomen  no  distinction  is  made 
between  simple  flesh  wounds  of  these  re> 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


143 


gions  and  injuries  of  the  more  important 
■viscera.  The  returns  do  not  even  distin- 
guish between  incised  and  gunshot  -wounds, 
■which  are  of  such  totally  different  value 
even  in  the  same  parts ;  all  kinds  of 
■wounds  seem  brought  together  simply  as 
'surgical  cases,'  and  in  some  of  the  returns 
of  'capital  operations,'  it  is  not  clear 
whether  fingers  and  toes  have,  or  have  not, 
been  included  under  the  terms  upper  and 
lower  extremities."  It  is  somewhat  im- 
portant that  the  fact  should  be  known  of 
these  uncertainties  and  serious  imperfec- 
tions existing  in  the  comparatively  recent 
professional  returns  referred  to,  for  in  al- 
most all  works  of  surgery  they  are  quoted 
as  standards  of  comparison,  with  a  ■^^ariety 
of  objects,  to  show  the  results  of  amputa- 
tion in  dififerent.fegions,  for  example. 

Inspector-General  Taylor  commenced  his 
classification  of  gunshot  wounds  in  India 
at  the  time  of  the  Sutlej  campaign;  but 
completed  it  in  the  present  shape,  while 
the  principal  medical  officer  at  Chatham, 
before  leaving  for  the  Crimea.  He  sub- 
mitted it  when  in  charge  of  the  3d  Division, 
before  Sebastopol,  to  the  head  of  the  medi- 
cal department  in  the  Crimea,  in  July,  1855, 
and  it  was  then  ordered  to  be  adopted  for 
the  army  returns  in  general.  A  few  months 
before  that  time  Deputy  Inspector-General 
Parry  had  employed  it  in  classifying  the 
wounded  under  his  charge  in  the  Surgical 
Di'vision  of  the  Invalid  Hospital  at  Port 
Pitt,  duriug  the  period  ending  31st  March, 
1855 — the  time  whdn  the  first  series  of 
wounded  invalids  from  the  Crimea  arrived 
in  this  country.  This  maybe  safely  said 
to  be  the  first  time  that  a  general  classifica- 
tion of  gunshot  wounds  at  all  approaching 
to  precision  was  employed  in  the  army 
returns  of  any  country.  The  purpose  of 
the  classification  is'  so  well  explained  in  the 
Deputy  Inspector's  Annual  Beport'for  the 
date  just  mentioned,  that  I  cannot  forbear 
quoting  a  few  of  his  remarks  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

"With  a'vie^w-  of  forming  something  sp- 
proslching  to  a  correct  estimate,  "he  ■writes, 
"of  these  various  wounds  and  injuries,  I 
have,  in  the  following  table,  claSsifiedthem 
aecoiding  to  different  regions  of  the  body 
in  -whidih  ■they  were  situated,  and  after- 
wards subdivided '  these '  under  ■  «ach  clsSsa 


into  sevei^l  species,  according  as  they  were 
either  confined  simply  to  the  soft  tissues,  ■ 
or  complicated  with  more  or  less  injury  of 
the  osseous  structures  and  articulations, 
or  with  lesion  of  important  organs,  vessels, 
or  nerves;  and  these  latter, again, according 
to  the  nature  and  degree  of  complication. 
This  classification  is  framed  according  to  a 
form  of  descriptive  return  of  wounds  which 
was  drawn  up  by  Deputy  Inspector-General 
Taylor  soon  after  the  arrival  of  wounded 
into  this  establishment,  but  is  extended 
more  in  detail." 

The  extension  to  which  Mr.  Parry  here 
refers,  he  adapted  to  the  particular  oases 
which  happened  to  fall  under  his  care. 
Thus,  under  Class  2,  ""Gunshot  wounds  of 
the  face,"  Mr.  Parry  extended  the  distinc- 
tions into  those  complicated  with  injury  to 
bones  and  lesion  of  one  eye,  lesion  of  both 
eyes,  lesion  of  one  ear,  lesion  of  eye, 
ear,  and  sense  of  taste,  and  so  on.  The 
classification  readily  admits  of  such  sub- 
divisions as  these,  and  this  one  of  'the  great 
advantages  of  its  arrangements. 

As  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  classi- 
fication, gunshot  wounds  are  divided  into 
12  classes.  Inspector-General  Taylor  sidded 
three  other  classes — one  for  sword  wounds, 
a  second  for  lance  and  bayonet  wounds, 
and  a  third  for  miscellaneous  wounds  not 
included  in  the  foregoing;  so  that  aU  the 
injuries  received  in  action  might  find  a 
place  in  the  returns. 

I  will  conclude  this  letter  by  appending 
Inspector-General  Taylor's  classification, 
arranged  in  form  for  a  descriptive  numeri- 
cal return.  (See  form  A.)  When  required 
for  a  detailed  description  of  particular 
cases,  the  headings  of  the  return  are  simply 
printed  over  a  wider  space,  so  as  to  leave 
room  for  remarks  under  each  heading. 
(See  form  B.)  Finally,  permit  me  to  ex- 
press the  hope  that  the  subject  may  be 
thought  not  unworthy  of  the  consideration 
of  the  members  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, and  that  the  remarks  I  have  made 
may  lead  to  discussion  of  the  qu6gtioix 
'whether  this  classification  is  best'  suited  to 
ensure  precision  of  tabulation,  or  requires 
"further  improvement. 

I  aiu,  fir,, your  obedient  servant, 

Thomas -XjoimuoBE. 


144 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bullefm, 


LForm  A.]  Deeorlptive  ]^Tiinerical*Betnm  of  Wounds  and  Ii^-nrieB  recedved  in  Acflon,  admitted  into  the 

,  between  t^ie of ,  and of ^  186-. 

_ ,  the rof 186-. 


diASSIFICATION  AND  SPECIFICATION  <jiF  WOTINDS  Am>  INJTJEIES. 


1. 

Gun-shot 

Woxmds 

cHT  the 

Hjead. 


Gun-shot 

Wonnds 

of  the 

Fax;e. 

3. 

Gtm-shot 

Wounds 

of  the 

Heck. 


4. 

Gnn-sliot 

Wonnds 

of  the 

Chest. 


5. 

Gnu-shot 

Wounds 

of  the 

Abdomea. 


Gun-shot 

Wounds 

of  Back  and 

Spine, 


1.  Contusions  and  simple  flesh  wounds  of  Scalp |  sTy^* 

2.  With  contusion  or  firacture  of  the  craninm,  without  depres- 

sion  

3.  Ditto,  with  depression  . . 
4:.  Penetrating  the  cranium 
5.  Perforating  do. 


1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  woimds A  oTy^ 

2.  Paaetraiihg,  perforating,  or  laceratiDg  the  bony  structures, 

without  lesion  of  important  organs^ 

3.  Ditto,  with  lesion  ( 

of  the 1 

i.  With  fracture  of  the  lower  jaw 

1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  wounds |  gT-f^e* 

2.  With  injury  of  the, . . 

1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  wounds I  grfg-g' 

2. 

3. 


With  injury  of  bony  or  cartilaginous  parietes,  without  lesion 

of  contents 

With  lesion  of  contents%y  contusion,  or  with  non-penetrating 

wound 

Penetrating,  and  ball  lodged,  or  apparently  lodged. 
Perforating  contents | Superficially. 


.  \Deeply- 

1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  wounds j  ^y^g 

2.  Contusion  or  non-penetrating  ( 

wound,  with  lesion  of \ 

3.  Penetrating    or    perforating,  J 

with  lesion  of \ 

1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  wounds I  gg5^g 

2.  With  fracture  of  vertebra,  -without  lesion  of  spmal  cord 

3.  With  lesion  of  spioal  cord 


7.  Gun-shot  Contusions  and  Wounds  of 
the  Perineum  and  Genital  and  Uri- 
ziary  Organs,  not  being  at  the  same 
time  Wounds  of  the  Peritoneum. . 

1.  Simple  flesh  contusions  and  wounds |  SfS^* 

2.  With  contusion  and  partial  fracture  of  long  bones,  induding 
fracture  of  the  davicle  and  spapula , 

3.  Simple  fracture  of  long  bones  by  contusion  from  round  shot . . 

I  Humerus 
Radius , 
TJlna" 
Ulna  and  Iladlus. 
All  three  bones  . . 
6.  Penetrating,  perforating,  or  lacerating  the  several  Btructures 

of  tiie  carpus  and  metocarpus 

6.  Dividing  or  lacerating  the  structures  of  the  fingers  or  tiiumbs 

1.  Simple  flesb  contusions  and  wounds |  °"S"t'- 

2.  With  contusion  and  partial  fracture  of  long  bones 

3.  With  simple  fracture  of  long  bones  by  contusion  of  round  shot. 

i  Femur 
Tibia  only 
Fibula  only 
Tibia  and  Fibula. 
All  three  bones.. 

5.  penetrating,  perforating,  or  lacerating  the  several  structures 
of  the  tarsus  and  metatarsus 

6.  Dividing  or  lacerating  the  structiures  of  the  toes, 

10.  Gun-shot  Wounds,  with  direct  injury  of  the  large  arteries,  not  being  at  the 

same  time  cases  of  compound  fracture 

11.  Gun-shot  Wounds,  with  ^ect  penetration  or  per- 1  Witii  fracture  of  bone. 

foration  of  the  larger  joints \  Without  fracture. 

12.  Gun-shot  Woimde,  with  direct  injury  of  the  large  nerves,  not  being  at  the 

same  time  cases  of  ccnnpound  fracture 

18.  Sword,  wounds  of , 

14.  Lwce  and  bayonet,  wounds  of , 

16.  Miscellaneous  Wounds  and  Injuries  received  inaction, 

Total  Wounds  and  Injuries  received  in  8 


8'. 

Gun-ahot 

Wounds 

of  the 

Dpper 

Extremities 


9. 

Gun-shot 

Wounds 

of  the 

Lower 

Extremities. 


a 


If 


:S  5b  ■si 
a  a<«  .is 


T&tSBeSBJLED 


o,  . 


rrj  ©  ■  O 

PI 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


145 


(Form  B.) 

CLASS  I. 

GtTNSHOT  •WOUNDS   OP  THE   HBAD. 
1. 

Oontnsions  and  simple  flesli 
wounds  of  the  scalp. 
SUght. 
Severe. 
2. 
With   contusion  oi*  fracture 
of    the  cranium,   without 
depression. 

3. 
With   fracture  of    cranium, 
with  depression. 

4. 
Gunshot   wound    penetrat- 
ing the  cranium. 

5. 
Gunshot  wound  perforating 
the  cranium. 

■       CLASS IL 

GUNSHOT  WOUNDS   OF   THE   FACE. 
1. 

Simple  flesh  wound. 

SUght. 
Severe. 
2. 
Lacerating  the  bony  struc- 
tures, without  lesion  of  im- 
portant organs. 

3. 
Laceration,  with  injury  to 

the  palate. 

4. 
Laceration  of     face,    with 
injury  to  the  tongue. 
5.. 
Gunshot    fracture   of  lower 
jaw. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
is  in  urgent  want  of  funds.  Its  operations 
for  the  relief  of  the  Army  were  never  more 
extensive  and  effective  than  now.  Its  de- 
pots and  agents  are  at  every  military  center, 
from  Washington  to  the  Eio  Grande.  The 
money  value  of  the  supplies  it  issued  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  during  and  imme- 
diately after  Gettysburg,  exceeded  seventy 
thousand  dollars.  Its  issues  at  Chatta- 
nooga were  on  a  like  scale.  Thousands  of 
men  needing  "  Special  Belief,"  are  daily, 
cared  for  in  its  "  Homes."    Its  steamboats 


and  wagon-trains  foUow  our  soldiers  every- 
where. Its  other  and  equally  important 
departments  of  work — sanitary  inspection, 
hospital  inspection,  hospital  directory, 
transportation  of  the  sick  and  wounded, 
&c.,  are  in  fuU  operation.  The  cost  of  all 
this  life-saving  work  is  not  less  than  forty- 
five  thousand  dollars  per  month. 

Its  funds  are  now  much  reduced,  and  im- 
mediate contributions  are  required  to  sus- 
tain it. 

The  Fairs  that  have  been  got  up  with 
such  admirable  and  unprecedented  energy 
and  success  at  Chicago,  Cincinnati, .  anc4 
Boston,  though  reported  everywhere  as 
"  for  the  benefit  of  th^  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion," have  not  as  yet  contributed  a  dollar  to 
its  treasury.  The  large  sums  thus  raised 
have  been  received  by  the  branches  of  the 
Commission,  at  those  cities  respectively. 
These  branches  apply  them  most  usefully, 
mainly  to  the  purchase  of  material  to  be 
made  up  into  clothing,  bedding,  &c.,  and 
for  like  purposes.  They  thus  relieve  the 
treasury  of  the  Commission  from  the  neces- 
sity of  purchasing  supplies  belonging  to 
certain  classes;  but  they  render  no  aid  to 
any  other  department  of  its  work. 

Those  who  desire  fuller  information  as  to 
the  organization,  methods,  and  cost  of  the 
Commission,  are  referred  to  a  statement  of 
its  system,  and  of  the  application  of  its 
funds,  just  published,  copies  of  which  may 
be  had  on  application  at  the  Office  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  823  Broad- 
way, and  at  the  book-store  of  A.  D.  F.  Ran- 
dolph, No.  683  Broadway. 

It  is  submitted  to  aU  humane  and  patri- 
otic men,  that  the  Commission  has  saved, 
and  is  daily  saving,  lives  the  country  can- 
not afford  to  lose.  What  it  is  doing  to 
economize  the  life  and  health  of  the  soldier, 
is  worth  to  the  country  ten  times  the  money 
the  Commission  has  received,  and  is  of 
direct  practical  importance  to  every  one 
interested  in  diminishing  the  cost  and  the 
duration  of  the  war. 

Contributions  may  be  sent  to  the  Treas- 
urer, at  No.  68  Wall  Street,  or  No.   823 
Broadway,  New  York. 
By  order  of  the  Standing  Committee, 
GEO.  T.  STRONG, 
Treasurer  U.  S.  San.  Com. 
Dec.  28, 1863. 


146 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  laCHMOND  PRISONERS. 
T.Timv  Pkisoh,  Bichmohd,  Va.,  Dec.  Ilh,  1863. 

Deab  Sxb  :  This  afternoon  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  receiving  your  kind  note  of  the 
23d  of  November. 

I  hope  the  people  ■will  not  make  contri- 
butions for  Libby  Prison.  By  so  doing, 
they  -will  be  likely  to  send  here  far  more 
supplies  than  wiU  be  needed.  Whatever 
the  people  may  choose  to  give,  let  it  be  to 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
■which  will  send  to  us  every  thing  that  ■we 
shall  require,  and  nothing  will  be  lost  or 
■wasted.  The  Sanitary  Commission  ■will 
distribute  its  benefactions  inteUigenrtly,  at 
the'poiuts  where  they  will  be  most  wanted. 

Will  you  please  have  the  above  pubUsh- 
ed  in  Boston,  New  ¥ork,  and  Portland  ? 

.  I  am  very  well  and  in  excellent  spirits. 
Remember  me  kindly  to  aU  my  temper- 
ance friends.  I  am  more  earnest  in  the 
good  cause  than  ever,  if  possible; and  when 
the  war  is  over,  which  will  not  be  far  off,  I 
shall  go  to  work  as  earnestly  as  ever. 
Truly  yours, 

Nbai  Dow,  Brig. -Gen.  TJ.  S.  A. 
H.  K.  MoEKELL,  Esq.,  Gardiner,  Me. 


THE    CASE    OF   SURGEON-GENERAL 
HAMMOND. 

Editors  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin: 

Gentlemen  :  I  am  interested  in  every  thing 
that  affects  the  efficiency  of  the  medical  seryice 
of  OUT  army,  inasmuch  as  I  have  kinsmen  and 
friends  in  its  ranks,  and  the  loss  or  the  preser- 
vation of  their  lives  may  at  any  moment  turn 
on  the  question  whether  the  Anny  Medical 
Department  is  well  or  ill  administered.  I 
make  no  apology,  therefore,  for  asking  informa- 
tion on  certain  points  connected  with  its  ad- 
ministration, in  which  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  the  people  feel  as  deep  an  interest  as  I  do. 

I  understand  that  the  President  and  Senate, 
more  than  a  year  ago,  appointed  a  certain  Dr. 
\Vm.  A  Hammond  to  be  Surgeon-General  of 
the  Army,  or,  in  other  words.  General  Superin- 
tendent of  all  that  our  Government  does  to 
protect  our  soldiers  against  disease,  and  to 
provide  them  well-ordered  hospitals  when 
eiok  or  wounded;  that  Dr.  Hammond  was  soap- 
pointed  because  the  President  and  Senate  were 
satisfied  that  he  was  pre-eminently  qualified  for 
the  duties  of  that  high  place — on  the  efficient 
performance  of  which  duties  the  life  and  the 
health  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our  sons  and 
brothers  so  largely  depend.  I  hear  that  his  ad- 
ministration has  been  energetic  and  efficient. 
On  this  point  I  may,  of  oourse,  be  misinformed; 
but  the  lai^t  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  as 
pul^lishedin  the  newspapers,  states  that  only 


about  eleven  per  cent,  of  our  soldiers  are  in 
hospital,  because  of  disease,  and  I  know  that 
this  is  iax  below  the  average  amount  of  sick- 
ness in  the  British  army  in  the  Crimea,  and  in 
any  foreign  army  about  which  I  have  been  ablei 
to  inform  myself ;  and  this  certainly  seems  to 
show  that  Dr.  Hammond  has  done  his  official 
duty  ■with  ability  and  with  unusual  success. 

It  now  appears  from  common  report  that  he 
has  incurred  the  displeasure  of  Mr.  Stanton, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  that  the  Secretary 
has  felt  himself  authorized  practically  to  nullify 
the  action  of  the  President  and  Senate  in  ap- 
pointing him  Surgeon-General,  and  has  ordered 
him  off  to  Chattanooga  or  KnoxviHe,  directing 
him  to  stay  there  until  further  orders,  without 
any  duty  to  perform,  and  lias  in  the  mean  time 
put  some  one  else  (I  do  not  know  whom)  into 
his  place  as  Acting  Surgeon-GeneraL 

Now  I  have  a  great  respect  for  the  Secretary 
of  War,  (as  every  loyal  American  orght  to  have 
in  these  times,)  and  that  respect  retti  mainly 
on  the  results  he  has  produced  and  the  general 
progress  our  armies  have  made  siface  he  took 
office,  in  our  war  against  rebellion.  But  I 
respect  our  lawful  Surgeon- General  for  just  the 
same  reason.  He  seems  to  have  been  at  least 
equally  successful  in  fighting  camp  disease,  and 
introducing  method,  economy,  and  efficiency 
into  our  militsiry  hospitals. 

What  I  want  you  to  tell  me  is — 

1.  Can  Mr.  Stanton  legally  remove  a  high 
officer  of  the  Government,  like  the  Surgeon- 
General,  and  put  some  one  else  in  his  place  ? 

2.  Supposing  Mr.  Stauton  to  have  no  legal 
right  to  do  so,  but  that  in  these  criticsd  and 
perilous  days  the  public  welfare  requires  him 
to  assume  it,  should  not  the  exercise  of  this  ex- 
treme and  almost  revolutionaty  power  be  at 
once  followed  up  by  a  demand  on  his  part  for  a 
Congressional  Committee  of  Inquiry,  or  for  the 
more  direct  and  prompt  process  of  a  Court- 
Mortial  or  a  Court  of  Inquiry  to  investigate  the 
charges  of  misconduct  on  which  he  feels  justi- 
fied in  thus  assuming  to  remove  from  his  place 
an  officer  whom  he  did  not  put  in  it  t 

His  action  seems  unjustifiable  unless  the 
Surgeon-General's  administration  has  been 
grossly  and  notoriously  corrupt  o  r  ineffieienti. 
Even  if  legal  e^ridence  of  such  corruption  or 
inefficiency,  such  as  would  satisfy  a  court,  can- 
not be  obtained,  there  must  be  moral  evidence 
of  it  that  would  satisfy  a  Congressional  Com- 
mittee. If  there  is  not,  how  did  Mr.  Stanton 
satisfy  himself  on  the  subject,  and  becomv 
convinced  that  it  was  his  duty  to  override  law- 
and  usage  by  practical^  dismissing  Dr.  Heoo- 
nunui&om  on  office' tp-wMoh  he^as  appoiniedl 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulhtin. 


14T 


Ds  the  best  man  for  it,  by  just  the  Bame  authority 
that  made  him,  Mr.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War  ? 
3.  Who  is  the  present  "Acting  Surgeon- 
General"  of  the  army  ?  Have  the  President  and 
Senate,  or  either,  ever  assigned  to  him  the  most 
responsible  duties  of  that  great  of&ce  ?  If  not, 
under  what  color  of  title  is  he  now  executing 
them?  What  is  the  Surgeon-General  doing  at 
the  Southwestern  frontier  post  to  which  he  is 
banished?  Who  had  the  right  to  send  him 
there  ?  What  good  does  the  country  get  &om 
the  soientilic  acquirements  and  the  administra- 
tive ability,  the  proof  of  which  made  him 
Surgeon-General,  while  he  is  thus  virtually  put 
under  arrest,  though  under  no  charge  of  mis- 
conduct? 

I  ask  these  questions  only  for  information. 
I  am  no  Copperhead.  I  stand  by  Government, 
right  or  wrong.  I  uphold  the  President  and 
all  his  Secretaries  jointly  and  severally,  because 
they  are  Government  officials,  and  because  it  is 
the  duty  of  every  loyal  citizen  to  uphold  them. 
But  when  they  seem  to  be  going  wrong,  and 
making  blunders,  I  feel  that  I  ought  to  lift 
my  own  insignificant  voice  in  warning.  Mr. 
Stanton  seems  to  be  going  very  wrong  and 
making  a  suicidal  blunder  in  these  dealings  of 
his  vrith  the  Medical  Bureau.  Perhaps  he  does 
not  fully  appreciate  the  intense'  interest  of  the 
people  in  the  health  of  the  army.  The  torrent 
of  army  relief  supplies  poured  into  the  depots 
of  your  Commission  ought  to  enlighten  him  on 
this  point.  If  he  appre&ate  in  any  degree  the 
intensity  of  public  feeling  on  this  subject,  he 
will  be  very  careful  how  he  offends  it  If  his 
sense  of  official  duty  compels  him  to  any  act 
which  looks  Uke  thwarting  the  Surgeon-Gene- 
ral, or  interfering  with  him  in  his  efforts  to 
preserve  the  health  and  lives  of  our  sons  and 
brothers,  he  ought  for  his  own  sake  to  let  the 
people  know  what  are  the  grounds  on  which  he 
proceeds,  and  to  let  them  know  it  at  once.  For 
if  the  people  began  to  suspect  that  he  is 
prompted  by  personal  or  political  feeling,  (and 
such  things  are  whispered,)  it  will  be  a  blow 
from  which  he  will  never  recover. 

But  I  am  wholly  ignorant  of  the  details  of 
this  business,  and  submit  my  inquiries  to  you 
in  hope  of  a  response. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

SEFUEIilCAir. 

We  have  not  space  in  this  issue  to  answer 
fully  the  questions  of  our  correspondent 
•f  Bepublican. "  There  is  a  justneeB,  eam- 
efstness,  and  pertinency  about  them,  how- 
ever, that  demand  a  reply,  even  thatjgb  it 
vaas  he  bxief  and  imperfecti. 


The  Surgeon-General  is  virtually  exiled 
to  Chattanooga,  bereft  of  his  legal  preroga- 
tive, while  ordered  ostensibly  upon  a  tour 
of  special  inspection. 

We  cannot,  although  anxious  to  do  so, 
find  any  apology  for  this  action  of  Mr. 
Stanton;  nor  does  our  inability  necessarily 
imply  any  want  of  unconditional  loyalty  to 
the  "powers  that  be."  If  Dr.  Hammond 
has  not  performed  his  high  functions  with 
honor  and  success,  we  agree  with  "  Bepub- 
lican" in  demanding  that  he  be  subjected 
to  a  lawful  ordeal;  if  he  has,  we  agree  with 
him  also,  in  insisting  that  no  artificial,  par- 
tisan, or  unjust  obstacle  be  placed  in  the 
way  of  the  immediate  reinstallment  of  the 
Surgeon-General  as  the  head  of  that  bureau 
which  owes  its  regeneration  and  brilliant 
character  to  his  scientific  and  honest  ad- 
ministration. 

From  every  quarter  we  hear  expressions 
of  respect  for  Dr.  Hammond  and  his  bu- 
reau. Sir  Henry  Holland,  on  his  recent 
visit  to  this  country,  remarked  that  he  had 
seen  nothing  during  his  sojourn  that  so 
excited  his  wonder  and  admiration  as  tha 
vastness,  completeness,  and  success  of  tho 
operations  of  the  Medical  Bureau,  and  the 
curative  touch  and  administrative  power  of 
the  Surgeon-General.  The  foreign  journala 
are  constantly  giving  utterance  to  spon- 
taneous tributes  of*  applause;  and  every- 
where in  our  own  country,  with  singular 
unanimity  of  opinion,  a  marked  approbation 
may  be  heard. 

The  following,  extracted  from  the  London- 
Medical  Times,  October  12th,  1863,  is  ao 
appropriate,  that  we  give  it  entire: 

"Verily  our  American  cousins  seem  9/ 
strange  race.  For  a  long  time  we  have  beeiji 
reading  tiat  Surgeon- General  Hammond  hatf 
been  working  wonders  in  the  Army  Medical 
Department,  having  restored  it  from  thci 
chaotic  and  disgracefiil  state  in  which  hei 
found  it,  to  one  of  admirable  order — an  ex- 
ample for  that  of  all  other  counlxies.  And 
making  allowance  for  the  usual  transatlantia> 
exaggerations,  he  really  seems  to  have  don» 
his  work  well.  Appointed  by  the  Presi- 
dent, in  spite  of  the  old  routine  custom,  over 
the  heads  of  many  seniors,  he  came  to  his  task 
full  of  vigor,  in  tiie  prime  of  life,  and  capable 
of  great  physical  endurance.  Wi&  a  bold 
hand,  he  surrounded  himself  with  trustworthy 
subordinates,  displacing^  many  who  he  did  not 
think  equal  to  the  ciisis,  and  proceeded  ener- 
getically with  his  work.  Large  armies  had  tg 
be  provided' for,  a  system  of  military^  hospit^ 
to  be  (ogaiiized,  the'examinitigiboaFdkto  Hwov^ 


148 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


constructed,  and  an  army  medical  school  and 
museum  to  be  founded.  With  all  these  vast 
and  useful  works  he  seems  to  have  succeeded 
oeyond  all  expectation,  and  the  confidence  of 
the  public  in  tiie  new  system  of  medical  organi- 
sation has  been  warmly  expressed;  and  yet,  by 
the  last  accounts,  we  learn  that  he  has  been 
easpended  from  his  office,  and  ordered  to  a 
distant  service,  a  commission  having  been 
appointed  to  inquire  into  the  conditions  and 
management  of  his  office.  No  charge  against 
hHO,  or  reason  for  the  investigation  has  tran- 
gpred." 

Indeed,  we  heai  of  nothing  wortiy  of 
record,  except  calm,  intelligent,  thoughtful 
expressions  of  approval  and  satisfaction  at 
the  course  of  Dr.  Hammond.  .  We  presume 
that  the  procedure  of  Mr.  Stanton,  alluded 
to  above,  may  he  considered  as  a  tentative 
one,  marked  by  a  cautious  reading  of  the 
popular  pulse.  We  have  Uttle  doubt  that 
the  record  of  those  pulsations  will  be  found 
of  such  a  character  as  to  lead  to  the  admin- 
istration of  justice. 

If  we  are  not  entirely  and  blindly  in  error, 
Dr.  Hammond  will  experience  no  detriment 
from  the  secret  decisions  of  ex  parte  inquisi- 
tors. The  American  people  have  a  national 
fondness  for  light  and  justice,  and  vrill  not 
willingly  or  tamely  permit  a  faithful  public 
officer,  particularly  one  who  has  applied  the 
highest  results  of  professional  skill  and 
hixmanity  to  the  relief  of  the  wounds  and 
diseases  of  their  relatives  stricken  in  battle, 
to  be  officially  garroted. 


THE  SOLDIEBS'  HOME  AT  NASHYILLE. 
The  reports  from  ' '  the  Home"  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  for  the  four  weeks  ending  November 
28,  show  that  during  that  period,  351  discharged 
soldiers,  and  408  furloughed,  were  admitted 
from  17  different  states.  The  number  of  meals 
furnished  was  3,819,  and  the  number  of  lodg- 
ings 1,484.  The  average  number  cared  for 
each  day,  was  170.  The  number  of  deaths  was 
4.  Transportation  was  procured  for  17 ; 
papers  were  sent  back  for  correction  for  4;  pay 
•^as  drawn  for  71.  The  total  amount  collected 
and  paid  over  being  $9,709.54.  The  reader 
•*ill  find  a  plan  of  the  "Home"  in  the  last  num- 
der  of  the  Bui^letin,  illustrating  the  arrange- 
ments by  which  this  work  is  carried  on. 


INTERNATIONAL     SANITARY     CONFER- 
ENCE. 

In  the  city  of  Geneva,  Switzerland,  there 
recently  assembled  an  International  Con- 
ference of  delegates  from  'several  nations 


of  Europe,  for  the  purpose  of  considering 
the  "means  of  providing  for  the  insufficiency 
of  the  sanitary  service  of  armies  in  the  field. " 
Unlike  most  of  the  international  congress- 
es that  have  been  convened  so  frequently 
in  years  past,  and  which  have  become  es- 
tablished institutions  in  Europe  for  dis- 
cussion of  social  as  well  as  political  ques- 
tions, the  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva 
seems  to  have  been  a  spontaneous  and 
hearty  response  to  the  suggestion  of  a 
single  individual,  and  he  an  untitled  and 
unpretending,  but  earnest-minded  citizen. 
The  nations  of  Europe  were  represented 
as  follows  : 

M.  le  docteur  TJnger,  from  Austria,  (Surgeon- 

in-Chief  of  the  Austrian  Army.) 
Surgeon-in-Chief  Steiner,  from  Baden. 

"  Theodore    Dompierre,    from 

Bavaria. 
"  Dr.  Lceffier,  from  Prussia. 

"  Dr.  Basting,  from  Holland. 

"  Don.   N.  A.  C.  Landa,  from 

Spain, 
"  Boudier,  from  France. 

M.  de  Preval,  from  France. 
M.  Chevalier,  (Consul,)  from  France. 
Dr.  Rutherford,  (Inspector-General  of  Hosp.,) 

from  England. 
Mr.  Mackenzie,  (Consul,)  &om  England. 
Dr.  Oelker,  from  Hanover. 
Major  Brodruck,  from  Hesse. 
M.  Capello,  (Consul, )  from  Italy. 
Prince  Hemy,  XTTT. ,  from  Prussia. 
Dr.  G.  HousseUe,  from  Prussia. 
Capt.  Van  de  Velde,  f^om  Holland. 
Dr.  Gunther,  from  Saxony. 
Capt.  Alex.  Kirriew,  from  Russia. 
M.  E.  Essakoff,  from  Russia. 
Dr.  Skoeldberg,  from  Sweden. 
Dr.  Edling,  from  Sweden. 
Dr.  Hahn,  from  Wurtemberg. 
Dr.  Wagner,  from  Wurtemberg. 
M.  F.  De  Montmollin,  from  Switzerland. 
Dr.  Lehmann,  from  Switzerland. 
Dr.  Briere;  from  Switzerland. 
M.  F.  De  G.  Montmollin,  fi-om  Switzerland. 
Prof.  Landoz,  from  Switzerland. 
M.  Moratel,  from  Switzerland, 
Dr.  Engelhardt,  from  Switzerland. 
M.  M.  General  Dufour,  President. 
Hemy  Dunaiit,  Secretary. 

After  spending  four  days  (October  26th, 
27th,  28th,  and  29th)  in  very  harmonious 
and  earnest  fliscussions  upon  the  main 
questions  that  had  called  them  together, 
they  embodied  the  more  definite  conclu- 
sions of  their  conference  in  the  following 
recommendations  or  resolutions: 

"The  International  Conference,  desirous  to 
render  aid  to  the  wounded  in  those  oases  where 
the  army  sanitary  service  is  insufficient,  adopt- 
ed the  following  resolutions : 

"1.  That  in  each  country  there  exist  a  com- 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  BuUetin. 


149 


mittee  whose  mission  is  to  assist  in  time  of  war, 
if  it  is  required,  in  providing  by  all  means  in 
its  power  for  the  sanitary  wants  of  the  armies. 
The  committee  will  organize  itself  inauoh  man- 
ner £ts  shall  seem  most  useful  and  convenient. 

"2.  Sections,  without  limit  in  number,  may 
be  formed  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  this  com- 
mittee, and  which  shall  act  under  its  general  di- 
rection. 

"3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  committee  to 
place  itself  en  rapport  with  the  government  of 
its  own  country,  in  order  that  its  service  may 
be  received,  if  there  is  need. 

"4.  In  time  of  peace,  the  committees  and  the 
sections  shall  look  for  the  best  means  for  ren- 
dering themselves  really  useful  in  time  of  war, 
especially  in  preparing  material  help  of  all 
kinds  (secours  materiels  de  toui  genre)  and  in  en- 
deavoring to  organize  and  instruct  volunteer 
nurses,  (infirmiers  volotdaires. ) 

"  S.  In  the  event  of  war,  the  committees  of  the 
belligerent  nations  shall  furnish,  according  to 
their  means,  relief  (secours)  to  the  respective 
armies;  their  particular  duty  is  to  organize  and 
set  at  work  the  volunteer  nurses,  (infirmiers  vol- 
ontaires,)  and  to  prepare,  in  accordance  with  the 
•military  authority,  the  places  in  which  the 
wounded  shall  be  attended. 

"They  may  solicit  the  co-operation  of  the 
committee  of  neutral  nations. 

"  6.  Upon  application  and  with  consent  of 
the  military  authorities,  the  committees  shall 
send  the  infirmiers  volontaires  upon  the  battle- 
field; they  shaU,  at  such  times,  be  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  chief  military  commander. 

"  7.  The  infirmiers  volontaires  who  follow  the 
army,  must  be  provided  by  their  respective  com- 
mittees with  aJl  necessary  means  for  their  sus- 
tenance. 

"8.  That  in  every  country,  they  wear  as  uni- 
form a  white  band  upon  the  arm,  with  a  red 
eross. 

"9.  The  committees  and  sections  of  the  va- 

.  rious  countries  may  assemble  an  International 

Congress  to  communicate  the  results  of  their 

experience,  and  to  consult  upon  the  measures 

to  be  pursued  in  the  interest  of  the  work. 

"10.  The  exchange  of  communications  be- 
tween the  committees  of  the  several  nations 
shall  be  provisionally  made  through  the  com- 
mittee at  Geneva. 

"  Jjesides the aboveresohdions,  the  Conference  ex- 
presses the  following  wishes : 

"  A.  Let  the  governments  grant  their  highest 
protection  to  the  •committees  of  relief  which 
shall  be  formed,  and  facilitate  as  much  as  pos- 
sible the  fulfillment  of  their  mission. 

"B.  Let  neutrality  be  proclaimed  in  time  of 
war,  by  belligerent  nations,  for  the  ambulances 
and  the  hospitals,  and  let  it  be  equally  admit- 
ted, in  the  most  complete  manner,  for  the  per- 
soreneJ  of  the  sanitary  staff,  (personnel  sanitaireoffi- 
ciel,)  for  the  infirmiers  volontaires,  for  the  coun- 
try people  who  may  go  to  assist  the  wounded, 
and  for  the  wounded  themselves. 

"0.  Let  a  uniform  distinctive  badge  (signs) 
be  recognized  for  the  sanitary  corps  of  all  ar- 
mies, or  at  least  for  the  persons  of  the  same 
army  who  are  attached  to  that  service.  Let  a 
uniform  flag  («re  drapeau  identique)  be  also  adopt- 
ed for  ambulances  and  hospitals  in  all  countiiea?" 

It  appears  that  it  -yaa  no  part  of  the 


design  of  the  Geneva  Conference  to  take 
up  any  of  the  great  questions  relating  to 
the  Sanitary  care  of  armies  excepting  those 
leading  points  that  relate  to  the  succor  of 
the  men  who  fall  in  battle-i-the  humane  and 
sanitary  provision  for  the  ambulance  and 
fleld-hospital  service;  and  upon  the  ques- 
tions that  were  raised  respecting  the  neces- 
sity or  duty  of  great  improvements  in  that 
service,  the  delegates  expressed  most  de- 
cided and  harmonious  sentiments.  The 
presence  of  such  veteran  campaigners 
and,  military  surgeons  as  MM.  Boudibb, 
Ungbr,  BiSTiNa,  and  Lceflek,  enabled 
the  most  experienced  class  of  delegates  to 
present  in  a  strong,  Iftit  true  light,  aU  the 
essential  difficulties  that  stand  in  the  way 
of  successfully  utilizing  the  offering— per- 
sonal  and  material — of  voluntary  aid  for 
the  relief  and  care  of  the  wounded  in  active 
armies.  The  positions  taken  by  the  ablest 
and  most  experienced  members  of  the 
Geneva  Conference,  strongly  corroborate 
and  sustain  the  established  policy  and 
works  of  the  United  States  Sanitabt 
Commission. 

Henri  Dctnant,  a  citizen  of  Geneva,  who 
was  traveling  as  a  tourist  in  the  regions 
occupied  by  the  vast  armies  that  met  at 
Solferino  and  Magenta,  had  his  soul  so 
stirred  by  the  scenes  of  carnage  and  war 
that  he  witnessed  there  immediately  upon 
the  cessation  of  the  conflict,  that  he  deemed 
it  a  duty  to  humanity  to  apply  such  volun- 
teered aid  as  he  was  able  to  organize  and 
put  into  operation  upon  the  spur  of  the 
occasion.  The  record  of  that  timely  and 
merciful  work  is  in  the  hearts  of  the  multi- 
tude of  mutilated  sufferers,  who,  but  for  the 
succor  which  that  noble  man  and  his  obe- 
dient helpers  rendered,  would  not  now  be 
able  to  recount  the  scenes  of  the  terrible 
battle-field  of  Solferino. 

Thus  naturally  this  noble-hearted  and 
earnest  man,  M.  Dtjnant,  was  led  by  his 
brief  and  thrilling  experience  to  reflect  upon 
the  practicability  of  calling  into  existence 
an  organized,  national,  and  international 
scheme  for  applying  the  services  of  trained 
corps  of  voluntary  nurses,  so  as  to  secure  a 
uniform  system,  rendered  by  study  and  ex- 
perience superior,  if  possible,  to  the  hastily 
extemporized  band  of  voluntary  attendants, 
organized  and  led  by  him  at  Solferiao.  Thia 


150 


The  Saniiary  Commission  BvUetin, 


gentleman's  little  book,  entitled  "  Souvenw 
ie  Solferino,"  embodied  many  of  the  resnlts 
of  his  study  and  experience.  This  unpre- 
tending little  ' '  Souvenir, "  accompanied  by 
a  circular  from  iihe  "  Society  of  Public  Vse- 
/vlness,"  of  Geneva,  was  transmitted  to  the 
various  Sovereigns  and  Ministers  of  War  in 
Europe,  and,  in  response  to  the  invitation 
of  the  ciroukor,  the  Conference  assembled. 

Several  of  the  questions  which  were  sub- 
mitted to  the  Geneva  Conference  had  al- 
ready been  brought  before  the  Statistical 
Congress  at  Berlin  a  month  previously. 

Unanimous  approval  was  given,  in  the 
deliberations  of  the  Conference,  to  the  pro- 
posed plan  for  encouraging  the  timely  pre- 
paration of  materiel  for  the  succor  of  the 
wounded,  and  especially  for  effectually  or- 
gmdzing  the  humane  endeavors  and  charities 
of  the  people.  Said  the  distinguished  rep- 
resentative of  the  Government  and  Army 
of  Prussia:  "Behold,  gentlemen,  the  great 
field  of  activity  for  permanent  '  Societies  of 
Belief,'  organized  in  time  of  peace,  and  pre- 
pared beforehand  with  all  suitable  means 
to  supply  the  work  of  official  authorities, 
smd  to  satisfy  the  wishes  of  a  truly  religious 
philanthropy. " 

The  medical  delegates  at  the  Geneva  Con- 
ference joined  heartily  with  the  non-medi- 
eal  delegates  in  aUthe  debates  and  purposes 
ef  the  Conferences.  Their  sentiments  in 
reference  to  such  works  of  life-saving  are 
happily  expressed  by  a  French  physician. 
Dr.  Henei  Navbe,  who,  as  a  public  jour- 
naliat,  has  earnestly  advocated  the  objects 
of  the  Conference.  He  writes:  "The  phy- 
sician has  science,  let  him  confer  with  the 
benevolent  and  sympathetic;  let  him  en- 
courage them  with  his  approbation,  and 
enlighten  them  with  his  counsels.  Knowl- 
edge will  thus  heighten  the  value  of  benevo- 
lence, and  the  result  will  be  beauiyful."  And 
*uetly  does  that  eloquent  physician  ask: 
"  Is  it  not  the  highest  mission  of  the  true 
physician  to  aid  with  his  professional  knowl- 
edge the  endeavors  of  the  benevolent  and 
self-sacrificing  ?"  Such  appears  to  have 
been  the  spirit  not  only  of  the  medical 
delegates  at  the  International  Conference, 
but  of  the  various  Sovereigns  and  Ministers 
of  War  who  sent  messages  of  counsel  and 
encouragement. 

There  is  no  difficulty  in  detecting  in  the 


spirit  and  discussions  of  the  Geneva  Con- 
ference the  germs  of  great  things  for  the 
science  and  art  of  battle-field  relief. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  find  them  taking 
up  and  discussing,  de  novo,  a  question  which 
the  U.S.  Sanitary  Commission  solved  nearly 
two  years  ago,  viz. :  How  to  organize  the 
outside  labors  of  the  people  for  the  rdief 
of  their  relatives  and  friends  stricken  upon 
the  battle-field,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
secure  a  commensurate  application  of  aid 
and  comfort,  without  invading  the  sphere 
of  military  discipline  or  ^weakening  either 
the  dependence  of  the  soldier  upon  the 
military  establishment  or  the  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility of  the  medical  officers. 

Difficulties  that  the  Geneva  Conference 
regarded  as  very  serious  and  almost  im- 
passable, we  have  met  and  readily  sur- 
mounted. We  have  demonstrated  how  the 
spontaneous  benevolence  of  the  people  may 
be  organized  in  time  of  war,  so  as  to  carry 
the  offerings  of  the  homes  upon  the  battle- 
fields, through  moving  armies,  and  into 
military  hospitals,  without  conflicting  with 
the  rigid  requirements  of  military  discipline. 
While  we  feel  great  interest  in  again  taking 
up,  with  our  foreign  friends,  the  rudiment- 
ary principles  of  the  matter,  we  regret  that 
the  light  of  American  experience  did  not 
shine  upon  the  debates  of  the  Geneva  Con- 
ference. 


THE  AMBULANCE  CORPS  IN  THE  ARMY 
OF  THE  POTOMAC. 
Although  the  necessity  for  an  ambulance 
corps,  or  in  other  words  a  trained  officered 
body  of  men,  under  military  discipline, 
supplied  with  aU  the  necessary  appliances 
for  the  conveyance  of  the  wounded  from  the 
spot  where  they  fall  to  the  field  hospital  in 
the  rear,  has  been  felt  ever  since  the  war  be- 
gan, it  was  not  completely  organized  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  until  August  of  laat 
year.  It  had,  however,  been  previously  ih 
process  of  formation,  awaiting  full  growth 
and  the  approbation  of  the  general  com- 
manding. Dr.  Letterman,  the  able  Medical 
Director,  has  been  steadily  working  at  the 
ambiilanoe  scheme  for  more  than  a  year, 
striving  to  meet  every  requirement  of  hu- 
manity without  confiicting  with  military 
discipline.  In  this  work  he  has  been  aided 
ii.Tifl  tiBR,rf.i1v  anstpined  bv  Surgeon-GfinerflJ 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bidldin. 


161 


Hammond,  whose  thorough  knowledge  of 
military  hygiene  and  discipline,  all  who  are 
at  all  familiar  with  the  medical  history  of  the 
war  must  know.  This  admirable  scheme 
of  organization,  set  forth  in  order  No.  85, 
is  one  of  the  striking  proofs  of  the  pro- 
fessional wisdom  and  humanity  of  the 
medical  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
It  only  remains  for  the  Government  to 
adopt  for  the  entire  army  of  the  nation  a 
similar  organisation.  Indeed,  we  know 
that  the  Surgeon- General  is  desirous  of 
carrying  throughout  the  entire  army  some 
such  uniform  plaii,  and  it  will  not  be  long 
before  the  loud  and  irresistible  expressions 
of  professional  and  popular  approbation 
for  his  official  greatness  and  success  in  this 
imd  other  medical  fields  will  relieve  him 
from  those  unjust  and  odious  restraints 
-which  now  seem  to  limit  the  range  of  his 
functions,  though  they  cannot,  in  fact,  en- 
tirely deprive  the  sick  and  wounded  na- 
tional soldier  on  the  field,  in  the  camp,  or 
in  quarters,  of  the  fruits  of  his  wisdom  and 
provisionary  care.  We  shall  have  more  to 
say  on  this  subject. 

Order  No.  85  is  as  follows: 

Genekal  Okdebs,  1 

No.  85.  j  August  24,  1863. 

The  followmg  revised  regulations  for  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Ambulance  Corps,  and  the 
management  of  the  Ambulance  Trains,  are  pub- 
lifihed  for  the  government  of  all  concerned,  and 
will  be  strictly  observed: 

1 .  The  Army  Corps  is  the  unit  of  organization 
for  the  ambulance  corps,  and  the  latter  will  be 
organized  upon  the  basis  of  a  Captain  as  the 
commandant  of  the  corps,  one  1st  Lieutenant 
for  each  division,  one  2d  Lieutenant  for  each 
brigade,  one  Sergeant  for  each  regiment. 

2.  The  privates  of  this  corps  will  consist  of 
two  men  and  one  driver  to  each  ambulance, 
and  one  driver  to  each  medicine  wagon. 

3.  The  two-horse  ambulances  only  will  be 
used,  and  the  allowance,  until  further  orders,  to 
each  corps,  will  be  upon  the  basis  of  three  to 
each  regiment  of  infantry,  two  to  each  regiment 
of  cavalry,  one  to  each  battery  of  artillery,  to 
which  it  -will  be  permanently  attached,  and  two 
to  the  Head-Quarters  of  each  Army  Corps,  and 
two  army  wagons  to  each  Division.  Each  ambu- 
lance will  be  provided  with  two  stretchers. 

i.  The  Captain  is  the  commander  of  all  the 
ambulances,  medicine  and  other  wagons  in  the 
corps,  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the 
Medical  Dii-ector  of  the  Army  Coips  to  which 
the  ambulance  corps  belongs.  He  will  pay 
special  attention  to  the  condition  of  the  ambu- 
lances, wagons,  horses,  harness,  te.,  and  see 
that  they  are  at  all  times  in  readiness  for  ser- 
vice; that  the  officers  and  men  are  properly  in- 
structed in  their  duties,  and  that  these  ^ties 
aie  performed,  and  that  the  regulations  for  iHe 


corps  are  strictly  adhered  to  by  those  under  his 
eommand.  He  will  institute  a  drill  in  his  corps, 
instructing  his  men  in  the  most  easy  and  ex- 
peditious method  of  putting  men  in  and  tak- 
ing them  out  of  the  ambulances,  lifting  them 
from  the  ground,  and  placing  and  carrying  them 
on  stretchers,  in  the  latter  case  observing  that 
the  front  man  'steps  off  with  the  left  foot  and 
the  rear  man  with  the  right,  &B. ;  that  in  ail 
cases  his  men  treat  the  sick  and  wounded  with 
gentleness  and  care;  that  the  ambulances  and 
wagons  are  at  all  times  provided  with  attend- 
ants, drivers,  horses,  &c. ;  that  the  vessels  for 
carrying  water  are  constantly  kept  clean  and 
filled  with  fresh  water;  that  the  ambulances  are 
not  used  for  any  other  purpose  than  that  for 
which  they  are  designed  and  ordered.  Previ- 
ous to  a  march  he  will  receive  from  the  MedS- 
cal  Director  of  the  Army  Corps  his  orders  for 
the  distribution  of  the  ambulances  for  gathering 
up  the  sick  and  wounded  ;  previous  to,  and  in 
time  of  action,  he  will  receive  orders  from  the 
same  officer  where  to  send  his  ambulances,  and 
to  what  point  the  wounded  are  to  be  carried. 
He  will  give  his  personal  attention  to  the  re- 
moval of  the  sick  and  wounded  from  the  field  in 
time  of  action,  going  from  place  to  place  to  as- 
certain what  may  be  wanted  ;  to  see  that  his 
subordinates  (for  whose  conduct  he  will  be  re- 
sponsible) attend  faithfully  to  their  duties  in 
taking  care  of  the  wounded,  and  removing 
them  as  qmckly  as  may  be  found  consistent 
with  their  safety  to  the  field  hospital,  and  see 
that  the  ambulances  reach  their  destination. 
After  every  battle  he  will  make  a  report,  in  de- 
tail, of  the  operations  of  his  corps  to  the  Medi- 
cal Director  of  the  Army  Corps  to  which  he  be- 
longs, who  will  transmit  a  copy,  with  such  re- 
marks as  he  may  deem  proper,  to  the  Medical 
Director  of  this  Army.  -He  will  give  his  per- 
sonal attention  to  the  removal  of  the  sick  when 
they  are  required  to  be  sent  to  general  hospi- 
tals, or  to  such  other  points  as  may  be  ordered.' 
He  will  make  a  personal  inspection,  at  least  once 
a  month,  of  every  thing  pertaining  to  the  ambu- 
lance corps,  a  report  of  which  will  be  made  to 
the  Medical  Director  of  the  Corps,  who  wiU 
transmit  a  copy  to  the  Medical  Director  of  this 
Army.  This  inspection  will  be  minute  and 
made  with  care,  and  will  not  supersede  the  con- 
stant supervision  which  he  must  at  all  times  ex- 
ercise over  his  corps.  He  will  also  make  a 
weekly  report,  according  to  the  prescribed  form-, 
to  the  same  officer,  who  will  forward  a  copy  to 
the  Medical  Director  of  this  .Army. 

5.  The  1st  Lieutenant  assigned  to  the  ambu- 
lance corps  for  a  Division,  will  have  complete 
control,  under  the  Captain  of  his  corps  and  the 
Medical  Director  of  the  Army  Corps,  of  all  the 
ambulances,  medicine  and  other  wagons,  horseS) 
&o.,  and  men  in  that  portion  of  the  ambu- 
lance corps.  He  will  be  the  Acting  Assistant 
Quartermaster  for  that  portion  of  the'corps,  and 
will  receipt  for  and  be  responsible  for  all  the 
property  belonging  to  it,  and  be  held  re- 
sponsible for  any  deficiency  in  any  thing  ap- 
pertaining thereto.  He  will  have  a  traveling 
cavaliy  forge,  a  blacksmith  and  a  saddler,  who 
will  be  under  his  orders,  to  enable  him  to  keep 
his  train  in  order.  His  supplies  will  be  drawn 
from  the  Depot  Quartermaster,  upon  requisi- 
tions approved  by  the  Captain  of  his  corps,  and 
the  Commander  of  the  Army  Corps  to  which  he 


152 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BuUetm. 


is  attached.  He  -will  exercise  a  constant  supervi- 
Bion  over  ids  train  in  every  particular,  and  keep 
it  at  all  times  ready  for  service.  Especially  be- 
fore a  battle  will  he  be  careful  that  every  tiling 
be  in  order.  The  responsible  duties  devolv- 
ing upon  him  in  time  of  action,  render,'  it  ne- 
cessaiy  that  he  be  active  and  vigilant,  and  spare 
no  labor  in  their  execution.  He  will  make  re- 
ports to  the  Captain  of  the  corps,  upon  the 
forms  prescribed,  every  Saturday  morning. 

6.  The  2d  Lieutenant  will  have  command  of 
the  portion  of  the  ambulance  corps  for  a  bri- 
gade, and  will  be  under  the  immediate  orders  of 
the  commanded  of  the  ambulances  for  a  divi- 
sion, and  the  injunctions  in  regard  to  care  and 
attention  and  supervision  prescribed  for  the 
commander  of  the  division  he  will  exercise  in 
that  portion  of  his  command. 

7.  The  sergeant  will  conduct  the  drills,  in- 
spections, &c.,  under  the  orders  and  super- 
vision of  the  Commander  of  the  ambulances  for 
a  brigade,  be  particular  in  enforcing  all  orders 
he  may  receive  from  his  superior  officer,  and 
that  the  men  are  attentive  to  their  duties. 

The  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers 
vrill  be  mounted.  The  noncommissioned  offi- 
cers will  be  armed  with  revolvers. 

8.  Two  Medical  Officers  and  two  Hospital 
Stewards  will  be  detailed,  daily,  by  roster,  by 
the  Surgeon-in-Chief  of  Division,  to  accompany 
the  ambulances  for  the  Division,  when  on  the 
march,  whose  duties  will  be  to  attend  to  the 
sick  and  wounded  with  the  ambulances,  and  see 
that  they  are  propferly  cared  for.  No  man  will 
be  ipermitted,  by  any  line  officer,  to  fall  to  the 
rear  to  ride  in  the  ambulances,  unless  he  has 
written  permission  from  the  senior  Medical  Of- 
ficer of  his  regiment  to  do  so.  These  passes 
vriU  be  carefully  preserved,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  march  be  transmitted  by  the  senior  Medi- 
cal Officer  with  the  train,  with  such  remarks  as 
he  may  deem  proper,  to  the  Surgeon-in-Chief 
of  his  Division.  A  man  who  is  sick  or  wound- 
ed, who  requires  to  be  carried  in  an  ambulance, 
will  not  be  rejected,  should  he  not  have  the 
permission  required  ;  the  surgeon  of  the  regi- 
ment who  has  neglected  to  give  it,  will  be  re- 
ported at  the  close  of  the  march,  by  the  senior 
surgeon  with  the  train,  to  the  Surgeon-iu-Chief 
of  his  Division.  When  on  the  march,  one-half 
of  the  privates  of  the  ambulance  corps  will  ac- 
company, on  foot,  the  ambulances  to  which 
they  belong,  to  render  such  assistance  as  may 
be  required.  •  The  remainder  will  march  in  the 
rear  of  their  respective  commands,  to  conduct, 
under  the  order  of  the  Medical  Officer,  such 
men  as  may  be  unable  to  proceed  to  the  ambu- 
lances, or  who  may  be  incapable  of  taking 
proper  care  of  themselves  until  the  ambulances 
cqpae  up.  When  the  case  is  of  so  serious  a  na- 
ture as  to  require  it,  the  surgeon  of  the  regi- 
ment, or  his  assistant,  will  remain  and  deliver 
the  man  to  one  of  the  Medical  Officers  with  the 
ambxilances.  At  all  other  times  the  privates 
will  be  with  their  respective  trains.  The  med- 
icine wagons  will,  on  the  march,  be  in  their 
proper  places',  in  the  rear  of  the  ambulances  for 
each  Brigade.  Upon  ordinary  marches,  the  am- 
bulances and  wiigons  belonging  to  the  train  will 
foUow  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  Division 
1.0  which  it  is  attached.  Officers  connected 
v.ith  the  corps  must  be  with  the  train  "when  on 
Che  march,  observing  that  no  one  rides  in  any 


of  the  ambulances  except  by  the  authority  of 
the  Medical  Officers.  Every  necessary  facility 
for  taking  care  of  the  sick'and  woimded  upon 
the  march,  will  be  afforded  the  Medical  Officers 
by  the  officers  of  the  ambulance  corps. 

9.  When  in  camp,  the  ambulances  will  be 
parked  by  Divisions.  The  regular  roll-calls,  r^ 
veiUe,  retreat  and  tattoo,  will  be  held,  at  which 
at  least  one  commissioned  officer  vriU  be  pres- 
ent and  receive  the  reports.  Stable  duty  will 
be  at  hom-s  fixed  by  the  Captain  of  the  corps, 
and  at  this  time,  while  the  drivers  are  in  at- 
tendance upon  their  animals,  the  privates  wUl 
be  employed  in  keeping  the  ambulances  to 
which  they  belong  in  order,  keeping  the  ves- 
sels for  carrying  water  filled  with  fresh  water, 
and  in  general  police  duties.  Should  it  become 
necessary  for  a  regimental  Medical  Officer  to 
use  one  or  more  ambulances  for  transporting 
sick  and .  wounded,  he  will  make  a  requisition 
upon  the  commander  of  the  ambulances  for  a 
Division,  who  will  comply  with  the  requisition. 
In  all  cases  when  ambulances  are  used,  the  offi- 
cers,non-commis!:ioned  officers  and  men  belong- 
ing to  them,  will  accompany  them;  should  one 
ambulance  only  be  required,anon-oommissioned 
officer  as  well  as  the  men  belonging  to  it,  vrill 
accompany  it.  The  officers  of  5ie  ambulance 
corps  wiU  see  that  ambulances  are  not  used  for 
any  other  purpose  than  that  for  which  they  are 
designed,  viz.,  the  transportation  of  sick  and 
wounded,  and  in  urgent  cases  only,  for  medical 
supplies.  All  officers  are  expressly  forbidden 
to  use  them,  or  to  require  them  to  be  used, 
for  any  other  purpose.  When  ambulances  are 
required  for  the  transportation  of  sick  or 
wounded  at  Division  or  Brigade  Head-Quarters, 
they  will  be  obtained,  as  they  are  needed  for 
this  purpose,  from  the  Division  train,  but  no 
ambulances  belonging  to  this  corps  will  be  re- 
tained at  such  Head-Quarters. 

10.  Good  serviceable  horses  will  be  used  for 
the  ambulances  and  medicine  wagons,  and  wiU 
not  be  taken  for  any  other  purpose  except  by 
orders  from  these  Head-Quarters. 

11.  This  corps  will  be  designated  for  ser- 
geants, by  a  green  band  li  inches  broad  ai-ound 
the  cap,  and  chevrons  of  the  same  material, 
with  the  point  toward  the  shoulder,  on  each 
arm  above  the  elbow.  For  privates,  by  a  band 
the  same  as  for  sergeants  around  the  cap,  and 
a  half  chevron  of  the  same  material  on  each 
arm  above  the  elbow. 

12.  No  person  except  the  proper  Medical  Of- 
ficers, or  the  officers,  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  of  this  corps,  will  be  permitted  to 
take  or  accompany  sick  or  wounded  to  the 
rear,  either  on  the  march  or  upon  the  field  of 
battle. 

13.  No  officer  or  man  will  be  selected  for  this 
service  except  those  who  are  active  and  efficient, 
and  they  will  be  detailed  and  relieved  by  Coi-ps 
Commanders  only. 

14.  Corps  Commanders  will  see  that  the  fore- 
going regulations  are  carried  into  effect. 

By  command  op  Majob  Gbneeai  Meade  : 

S.  Williams,  Assistant  Adjutani-GeneraL 

The  following  excellent  comments  on  the 
above  were  addressed  to  the  New  York 
Times,  and  published  a  fortnight  ago  by 
"  an  army  surgeon." 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetirt. 


153 


The  interest  whicli  professional  men  and 
others  have  lately  shown  in  an  ambulance 
system  for  the  Union  armies,  renders  it  worth 
whUe  to  present  to  those  who  may  have  any 
share  in  devising  a  new  scheme,  the  system 
now.  existing  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  It 
is  no  design  of  the  writer  to  present  this  with- 
out any  defects — or  to  discourage  the  zealous 
and  laudable  efforts  of  the  men  who  are  desirous 
to  mitigate  the  sufferings  of  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers.  The  object  is  merely  to  show  them 
what  exists — in  order  to  enable  them  to  remedy 
its  defects,  if  they  observe  any — to  devise  one 
upon  it  as  a  model — or  to  organize  a  scheme 
entirely  new  and  better. 

I.  — OBGiNIZiTION. 

The  organization  of  the  ambulance  corps  of 
this  army,  as  given  above  in  General  Order, 
No.  85,  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  is 
as  follows:  First,  the  corps  is  the  unit,  and  the 
supreme  control  of  the  ambulances,  as  regards 
their  use,  is  confided  to  the  Medical  Director 
of  the  army  corps. 

The  ambulances  are  in  the  proportion  of 
three  to  a  regiment.  Three  men  are  assigned 
to  an  ambulance — one  driver  and  two  stretcher- 
bearers.  This  gives  nine  men  to  a  regiment, 
who  are  commanded  by  a  non-commissioned 
officer,  mounted.  The  above  constitutes  the 
regimental  ambulance  corps,  whichj  consoli- 
dated by  brigades,  are  commanded  by  a  2d 
Lieutenant.  The  brigades  are  consolidated  into 
divisions  commanded  by  a  1st  Lieutenant,  who, 
consequently,  has  under  his  command  two  2d 
Lieutenants,  fifteen  Sergeants,  and  one  hnndi'ed 
and  thirty-five  men.  The  three  divisions  con- 
solidated make  the  corps  commanded  by  a  Cap- 
tain, under  the  immediate  command  of  the 
Medical  Director.  Add  to  the  above,  one  Hght 
medicine  wagon,  (Autenrieth's, )  and  one  four- 
horse  supply  wagon  for  each  brigade,  and  you 
have  the  full  ambulance  armament  independent 
of  the  regimental  hospital  wagons. 

H. — AMBULANCE   CAMP  AUD   DISCEPLrNi;. 

The  ambulances  encamp  or  park  by  divisions, 
and  where  there  are  efficient  officers,  the  cang) 
is  formed  equal  to  an  artillery  camp  as  to  the 
order  and  discipline  of  the  men,  the  grooming 
of  the  horses,  and  in  all  the  appliances  neces- 
sary to  keep  animals  and  wagons  always  effect- 
ive. Minute  inspections  by  the  proper  officers 
are  made  weekly;  negligence,  slovenliness  or 
unsoldierly  conduct,  are  punished  with  the 
same  rigor  as  iii  any  other  arm  of  the  service. 
The  drilling  practice  of  the  men  is,  of  course, 
conducted  with  a  view  to  their  efficiency  in  their 
own  department. 

TTT. — MARCHING   nr  ACTIVE   CAMPAIGNS. 

When  a  movement  is  ordered,  the  sick  are 
taken  up  by  the  train  of  their  respective  divis- 
ions, the  regimental  hospital  wagons  are  or- 
dered to  join  the  trains,  and  thus  the  whole  of 
the  hospital  appliances  of  each  division,  in  one 
compact  column,  follows  close  upon  its  own 
division,  under  the  command  of  the  Ambulance 
Ofdoer.  Two  medical  officers,  with  steward  and 
nurses,  are  detailed  to  accompany  the  train  and 
to  take  charge  of  the,  sick  in  it.  Upon  halting, 
hospital  tents  to  the  number  sufficient  to  ac- 
commodate the  sick,  are  pitched,  a  hospital  is 
rapidly  established,  all  the  aid  necessary  being* 
rendered  by  the  ambulance  corps.    The  train 


and  hospital  are  close  to  the  camp  of  the  divis- 
ion. This  plan  is  continued  day  after  day  in  a 
protracted  march. 

IV. — IN  BATTLE. 

The  train,  as  above  stated,  follows  close  upon 
its  division.  When  a  battle  is  expected,  and 
the  division  deploys  into  line,  the  train  halts  in 
the  rear.  Now  comes  the  most  difficult  and 
trying  time  of  handling  an  ambulance  corps 
effectively.  Those  who  are  interested  in  devis- 
ing a  system  of  ambulances  must  not  forget  in 
their  theories  without  experience,  this  critical 
time,  must  bear  in  mind  that  without  compe- 
tent and  tried  officers,  without  men  held  under 
the  strictest  military  rule,  their  finest  scheme 
will  prove  a  failure,  at  the  time  when  the  ser- 
vices of  the  ambulance,  corps  are  most  demand- 
ed. The  plan  of  handling  the  ambulance  corps 
in  an  action,  I  can  present  to  them  from  expe- 
rience in  all  the  battles  fought  since  the  present 
ambulance  system  was  adopted. 

In  the  first  place,  the  stfetcher-bearers  march 
with  the  regiments  to  which  they  belong  into 
the  action.  The  Medical  Director,  wiSi  the 
Captain  of  the  ambulance  corps,  are  with  the 
General  commanding  the  corps  at  the  front. 
As  soon  as  the  positions  into  which  the  divis- 
ions in  battle  will  be  thrown  are  ascertained, 
the  Medical  pirector  communicates  with  the 
Surgeon-in-Chief  of  Division,  designating  the 
places  where  the  division  hospitals  are  to  be 
located.  These  hospitals  are  composed  of  the 
hospital  tents  in  the  division,  together  with  a 
house  or  bam,  if  available.  The  ambulances 
are  drawn  up  between  hospitals  and  the  division 
in  front,  awaiting  orders.  One  officer  of  the 
ambulance  train  is  with  the  Division  Command- 
er, one  non-bommissioned  officer  with  each 
brigade.  The  Medical  Officers  who  accompany 
the  regiments  into  action  take  position  by  bri- 
gades, in  some  sheltered  location  contiguous  to 
their  respective  brigades.  This  position  is  known 
to  the  Sergeant  watching  the  brigade,  who 
directs  the  wounded  with  stretcher-bearers 
thither.  The  ambulances  are  ordered  up  to 
the  same  place,  to  take  the  wounded  to  the 
division  hospitals  in  the  rear. 

The  officer  at  division  headquarters,  as  soon 
as  the  action  begins,  orders  up  the  ambulances 
and  designates  the  point  to  which  they  are  to 
go.  He  learns  from  the  Medical  Director  or 
corps  officer,  the  various  positions  and  shifting 
of  the  troops,  and  acts  accordingly.  In  this 
maimer  the  operations  of  the  ambulance  corps 
are  conducted  throughout  the  action,  and  sub- 
sequent to  it,  until  all  the  wounded  are  removed 
from  the  field  t0;the  division  hospitals  in  the 
rear,  where  they  receive  professional  and  all 
other  treatment  necessary.  I  abstain  from  any 
description  of  the  division  hospitals  in  the  field, 
my  object  being  to  exhibit  the  ambulance  sys- 
tem as  it  is,  and  as  it  has  worked  in  this  army. 
Prom  more  than  a  year's  experience  in  the  hard- 
fought  engagements  of  this  army,  I  can  affirm 
that  I  have  not  known  wounded  to  lie  on  the 
battle-field  two  hours  after  their  injuries  were 
received.  I  must,  of  course,  except  the  battles 
of  last  May,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Kappa- 
hannock,  where  the  field  remained  in  possession 
of  the  enemy;  but  even  there,  in  one  engage- 
ment attended  with  success,  I  have  seen  over 
one  thousand  wounded  within  the  hospitals  of 
one  corps  two  hours  after  the  battle  was  over. 


154 


Tht  Sanitary  Gommhsion  BuJMin. 


I  beg  to  assure  men  now  interested  in  devis- 
ing an  ambulance  system,  that  any  scheme  of 
theirs  which  will  place  men  in  an  ambulance 
corps,  not  subservient  to  the  strictest  military 
rule,  not  bound  to  march  as  soldiers  under  fire, 
■with  their  regiments,  will  prove  a  failure.  Re- 
move once  from  officers  and  men  of  this  corps 
the  conviction  that  they  are  soldiers,  bound  to 
share  the  dangers  of  their  comrades  in  a  fight, 
and  the  whole  scheme— no  matter  how  perfect 
in  form  and  organization — will  prove  a  disas- 
trous failure,  at  the  very  critical  time  of  battle. 
Civilian  nurses  were  once  sent  to  the  army  and 
proved  a  nuisance;  an  ambulance  corps  with 
any  of  the  civilian  privileges  and  lighte  about 
it,  wiU  prove  a  still  greater. 

Senator  Wilson  will,  ere  this  reaches  oui 
readers,  have  introduoed  a  bill  organizing 
the  ambulance  corps  for  the  whole  axmy. 

The  following  are  its  leading  provisions: 

1.  The  supervision  of  all  ambulances,  medi- 
cine wagons,  &c.,  is  vested  in  the  Medical  Di- 
rector or  chief  medical  officer  of  each  army 

2.  One  Cf^tain,  one  First  Lieutenant  for  each 
•division,  one  Second  Lieutenant  for  each  bri- 
igade,  one  Sergeant  for  each  nBgiment,  three 
■privates  for  each  ambulance,  and  one  private 
for  each  medicine  wagon,  shall  be  detached  by 
each  corps  Commander,  the  officers  and  non- 
commissioned officers  of  such  corps  to  be 
mounted. 

3  Three  two-horse  ambulances  are  granted  to 
each  regiment  of  infantry,  two  to  each  regiment 
of  cavalry,  one  to  each  battery  of  artillery,  two 
to  the  headquai-ters  of  each  army  corps,  and 
two  army  wagons  to  each  division. 

4.  The  fourth  section  prescribes  the  duties  of 
■the  Captain  of  the  corps,  and  directs  the 
establishment  of  a  drill  in  service  for  removing 
eick  and  wounded,  requiring  the  exercise  of 
gentleness  and  care  under  strict  and  particular 
orders  of  the  Medical  Director  and  the  Secretary 
of  War. 

Sections  five  and  six  prescribes  the  duties  of 
other  officers  of  the  Corps. 

7.  The  Surgeon-in-Chief  of  the  division  is 
required  to  detail  two  medical  officers  and  two 
hospital  stewards  to  accompany  the  ambulances 
when  on  the  march. 

8.  The  use  of  ambulances  is  prohibited  for 
any  purpose  except  the  conveyance  of  the  sick 
and  wounded,  and  for  medical  supplies  only  in 
urgent  cases. 

9.  No  persons  other  than  those  connected 
with  the  ambulance  corps  are  allowed  to  re- 

,move  the  sick  and  wounded. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

VENTTLATION. 

Do  you  ever  go  into  the  bed-rooms  of  any 
persons  of  any  class,  whether  they  contain  one, 
two,  or  twenty  people,  whether  they  hold  sick  or 
well,  at  night,  or  before  the  windows  are  open- 
ed in  the  morning,  and  ever  find  the  air  any 
thing  but  unwholesomely  close  and  foul  ?  And 
why  should  it  be  so  ?  And  of  how  much  im- 
{)ortance  it  is  that  it  should  not  be  so  ?  During 
sleep,  the  human  body,  even  when  in  health,  is 


far  more  injured  by  the  influence  of  foul  air 
than  when  awake.  Why  can't  you  keep  the 
air  all  night,  then,  as  pure  as  the  air  without  in 
the  rooms  you  sleep  in  ?  But  for  this  you  must 
have  sufficient  outlet  for  the  impure  air  you  make 
yourselves  to  go  out;  sufficient  inlet  for  this 
pure  air  from  without  to  come  in.  You  must 
have  open  chimneys,  open  ■window  or  venfila- 
tor;  no  close  curtains  round  your  beds;  no  shut- 
ters or  curtains  to  your  windows,  none  of  the 
contrivances  by  which  you  undermine  your  O'wn 
health  or  destroy  the  chances  of  recovery  of 
your  sick. 

A  careful  nurse  ■wiH  keep  a  constant  -watch 
over  her  sick,  especially  weak,  protracted,  and 
collapsed  cases,  to  guard  against  the  effects  of 
the  loss  of  vital  heat  by  Qie  patient  himself. 
La  certain  diseased  states  much  less  heat  is  pro- 
duced than  in  health,  and  there  is  a  constant 
tendency  to  the  decline  and  ultimate  extinction 
of  the  vital  powers  by  the  call  made  upon  them 
to  sustain  the  heat  of  the  body.  Cases  where 
this  occurs  should  be  watched  -with  the  greatest 
care  from  hour  to  hour,  I  had  almost  said  from 
minute  to  minute.  The  feet  and  legs  should  be 
examined  by  the  hand  from  time  to  time,  and 
whenever  a  tendency  to  chilling  is  discovered, 
hot  bottles,  hot  bridis,  or  warm  flannels,  with 
some  warm  drink,  should  be  made  use  of .  until 
the  temperature  is  restored.  The  fire  should 
be,  if  necessary,  replenished.  Patients  are  fre- 
quently lost  in  the  latter  stages  of  disease  from 
want  of  attention  to  such  simple  precautions. — 
The  nurse  may  be  trusting  to  the  patient's  diet^ 
or  to  his  medicine,  or  to  the  occasional  doses  Of 
stimulant  which  she  is  directed  to  give  him, 
while  the  patient  is  all  the  while  sinking  from 
want  of  a  little  external  warmth.  Such  cases 
happen  at  all  times,  even  during  the  height  of 
summer.  This  fatal  chill  is  most  apt  to  occur 
toward  early  morning  at  the  period  of  the  low- 
est temperature  of  the  t^wenty-four  hours,  and 
at  the  time  when  the  effects  of  the  preceding 
day's  diets  is  exhausted. 

Generally  speaking,  you  may  expect  that 
weak  patients  will  suffer  much  more  in  the 
morning  than  in  the  evening.  The  ■vital  pow- 
ers are  much  lower.  If  they  are  feverish  at 
night,  -srith  burning  hands  and  feet,  (liey  are 
almost  sure  to  be  chilly  and  shivering  in  the 
morning.'  But  nurses  are  very  fond  of  heating 
the  foot-warmer  at  night,  and  of  neglecting  it 
in  the  morning,  when  they  are  busy.  I  should 
reverse  the  matter. 

All  these  things  require  common  sense  and 
care.  Yet  perhaps  in  no  one  single  thing  is  so 
litt||  common  sense  shown,  in  idl  ranks,  as  in 
numng.  With  private  sick,  I  think,  but  cer- 
tainly ■with  hospital  sick,  the  nurse  should  nev- 
er be  satisfied  as  to  the  freshness  of  the  at- 
mosphere, unless  she  can  feel  the  air  gently 
moving  over  her  face,  when  stiU. 

But  it  is  often  observed  that  the  nurses  who 
make  the  greatest  outcry  against  open  windows) 
are  those  who  take  the  least  pains  to  prevent 
dangerous  draughts.  The  door  of  the  patients' 
room  or  ward  must  sometimes  stand  open  to  al- 
low of  persons  passing  in  and  out,  or  heavy 
things  being  carried  in  and  out  The  care- 
ful nurse  •will  keep  the  door  shut  while  she 
shuts  the  windows,  and  then,  and  not  before, 
set  the  door  open,  so  that  a  patient  may  not  be 
left  sitting  up  in  bed,  perhaps  in  a  profuse  per- 


The  Baniiary  Commission  BuMetm. 


1S5 


spiration,  directly  in  .the  dsrauglit  between  the 
open  door  and  window.  Neither,  6f  course, 
should  a  paMent,  while  being  washed  or  in  any- 
way exposed,  remain  in  the  draught  of  an  open 
window  or  door. 

The  extraordinary  confusion  between  cold  and 
ventilation,  even  in  the  minds  of  well-educated 
people,  illustrates  this:  To  make  a  room  cold 
it  is  by  no  means  necessarily  to  ventilate  it.  Nor 
is  it  at  all  necessary,  in  order  to  ventilate  a 
room,  to  chill  it.  Yet,  if  a  nurse  finds  a  room 
close,  she  will  let  out  the  fire,  thereby  making 
it  closer,  or  ehe  will  open  the  door  into  a  cold 
room,  without  a  fire,  or  an  open  window  in  it, 
by  way  of  improving  the  ventilation.  The  safest 
atmosphere  of  all  for  a  patient  is  a  good  fire 
and  an  open  window,  excepting  in  extremes  of 
temperature.  (Yet  no  nurse  can  ever  be  made 
to  understand  this. )  To  ventilate  a  small  room 
without  draughts,  of  course  requires  more  care 
{han  to  ventilate  a  large  one.  Another  extraor- 
dinary fallacy  is  the  dread  of  ni^ht  air.  "What 
air  can  we  breathe  at  night  but  night  air  ?  The 
choice  is  between  pure  night  air  from  without 
and  foul  night  air  from  within.  Most  people 
prefer  the  latter.  An  unaccountable  choice. 
What  will  they  say  if  it  is  proved  to  be  true 
that  fully  one-half  of  all  the  disease  we  suffer 
from  is  occasioned  by  people  sleeping  with  their 
windows  shut  ?  An  open  window  most  nights 
in  the  year  can  never  hurt  any  one.  This  is 
not  to  say  that  light  is  not  necessary  for  recov- 
ery. In  great  cities,  night  air  is  often  the  best 
and  purest  air  to  be  had  in  the  twenty-four 
hours.  I  could  better  understand  in  towns 
shutting  the  windows  during  the  day  than  dur- 
ing the  night,  for  the  sake  of  the  sick  ;  the  ab- 
sence of  smoke,  the  quiet,  all  tend  to  making 
night  the  best  time  for  airing  the  patients. 
One  of  our  highest  medical  authorities  on  Con- 
sumption and  Climate  has  told  me  that  the  air 
in  London  is  never  so  good  as  after  ten  o'clock 
at  night. 

_  Always  air  your  room,  then,  from  the  outside 
air,  if  possible.  Windows  are  made  to  open; 
doors  are  made  to  shut — a  truth  which  seems 
extremely  difficult  of  apprehension.  I  have 
seen  a  careful  nurse  airing  her  patient's  room 
through  the  door,  near  to  which  were  two  gas- 
lights, (each  of  which  consumes  as  much  air  as 
eleven  men,)  a  kitchen;  a  corridor,  the  compo- 
sition of  the  atmosphere  in  which  consisted  of 
gas.paint,  foul  air,  never  changed,  full  of  efBuvia, 
including  a  current  of  sewer  air  from  an  ill- 
placed  sink,  ascending  in  a  continual  stream  by 
a  well-staircase,  and  discharging  themselves 
constantly  into  the  patient's  room.  The  win- 
dow of  the  said  room,  if  opened,  was  aU  that 
was  desirable  to  air  it.  Every  room  must  be 
aired  from  without — every  passage  from  with- 
out. But  the  fewer  passages  there  are  in  a  hos- 
pital the  better. 

If  we  are'  to  preserve  the  air  within  as  pure 
as  the  air  without,  it  is  needless  to  say  that  the 
.  chimney  must  not  smoke.  Almost  aU  smoky 
chimneys  can  be  cured — from  the  bottom,  not 
from  the  top.  Often  it  is  only  necessary  to 
Jiave  an  inlet  for  air  to  supply  the  fire,  which  is 
feeding  itself,  for  want  of  this,  from  its  own 
chimney.  On  the  other  hand,  almost  aU  chim- 
neys can  be  made  to  smoke  by  a  careless  niirse, 
who  lets  the  fire  get  low  and  then  overwhelms 
ji  with  coal;  not,  as  we  verily  beUeve,  in  order 


to  spare  herself  trouble,  (for  very  rare  is  un- 
kindness  to  the  sick,)  but  from  not  thinking 
what  she  is  about. 

In  laying  down  the  principle  that  the  first  ob- 
ject of  the  nurse  must  be  to  keep  the  air  breathed 
by  her  patient  as  pure  as  the  air  without,  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  every  thing  in  the 
room  which  caa  give  off  effluvia,  besides  the 
patient,  evaporates  itself  into  his  air.  And  it 
follows  that  there  ought  to  be  nothing  in  the 
room  excepting  him,  which  can  give  off  efflu- 
via or  moisture.  Out  of  all  damp  towels,  &e., 
which  become  dry  in  the  room,  thedftanp,  of. 
course,  goes  into  the  patient's  air.  Yet  this 
"  of  course"  seems  as  little  tbought  of,  as  if  it 
were  an  obsolete  fiction.  How  very  seldom  you 
see  a  nurse  who  acknowledges  by  her  practice 
that  nothing  at  aU  ought  to  be  aired  in  the  pa- 
tient's room,  that  nothing  at  all  ought  to  be 
cooked  at  the  patient's  fire !  Indeed  the  ar- 
rangements often  make  this  nde  inipessible  to 
observe.  • 

If  the  nurse  be  a  very  careful  one,  she  wiU, 
when  the  patient  leaves  his  bed,  brat  not  his 
room,  open  the  sheets  wide,  and  throw  the  bed- 
clothes back,  in  order  to  air  his  bed.  And  she 
win  spread  the  wet  towels  or  flannels  carefully 
out  upon  a  horse,  in  order  to  dry  them.  Now, 
either  these  bed-clothes  and  towels  are  not 
dried  and  aired,  or  they  dry  and  air  themselves 
into  the  jjatient's  air.  And  whether  the  damp 
and  efflnvia  do  him  most  harm  in  his  air  or  in 
his  bed,  I  leave  you  to  determine,  for  I  cannot. 

Even  in  health,  people  cannot  repeatedly 
breathe  air  in  which  they  live  with  impunity, 
on  account  of  its  becoming  charged  with  un- 
wholesome matter  from  the  lungs  and  skin.  In 
disease.where  every  thing  given  off  from  the  body 
is  highly  noxious  and  dangerous,  not  only 
must  there  be  plenty  of  ventiliation  to  carry  off 
the  effluvia,  but  every  thing  which  the  patient 
passes  must  be  instantly  removed  away,  as  be- 
ing more  noxious  than  even  the  emanations 
from  the  sick. 

Of  the  fatal  effects  of  the  effluvia  from  the  ex- 
creta it  would  seem  unnecessary  to  speak,  were 
they  not  so  constantly  neglected.  Concealing 
the  utensils  behind  the  vallance  to  the  bed 
seems  aU  the  precaution  which  is  thought  ne- 
cessary for  safety  in  private  nursing.  Did  you 
but  think  for  one  moment  of  the  atmosphere 
under  the  bed,  the  saturation  of  the  under  side 
of  the  mattress  with  the  warm  evaporations, 
you  would  be  startled  and  frightened  too ! 

The  use  of  any  chamber  utensil  vjUhout  a  lid 
should  be  utterly  abolished,  whether  among 
sick  or  well.  You  can  easily  convince  yourself 
of  the  necessity  of  this  absolute  rule,  by  taking 
one  with  a  lid,  and  examining  the  under  side  of 
that  lid.  It  will  be  found  always  covered,  when- 
ever the  utensil  is  not  empty,  by  condensed  of- 
fensive matter.  Where  dtoes  that  go,  when 
there  is  no  Hd? 

Earthenvrare,  or  if  there  is  any  wood,  highly 
polished  and  varnished  wood,  are  the  only  ma- 
terials fit  for  patients'  Utensils.  The  very  lid  of 
the  old  abominable  close-stool  is  enough  to 
breed  a  pestilence.  It  becomes  saturated  with 
•offensive  matter,  which  scouring  is  only  wanted 
to  bring  out.  I  prefer  an  earthenware  lid  as  be- 
ing always  cleaner.  But  there  are  various  good 
new-fasMoned.  arrangements. 

A  slop-pail  should  never  be  brought  into  a 


156 


Tlie  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


sick  room.  It  should  be  a  nile  invariable,  ra- 
ther more  important  in  the  private  house  than 
elsewhere,  that  the  utensil  should  be  carried  di- 
rectly to  the  water-closet;  emptied  there,  rinsed 
there,  and  brought  back.  There  should  always 
be  water  ajid  a  cock  in  every  water-closet  for 
rinsing.  But  even  if  there  is  not,  you  must 
carry  water  there  to  rinse  with.  I  have  actual- 
ly seen,  in  the  private  sick  room,  the  utensils 
emptied  into  the  foot-pan,  and  put  back  nnrins- 
ed  under  the  bed.  I  can  hardly  say  which  is 
most  abomiuBble,  whether  to  do  this  or  to  rinse 
the  utensil  in  the  sick  room.  In  the  best  hos- 
pitals it  is  now  a  rule  that  no  slop-pail  shall  ever 
be  brought  into  the  wards,  but  that  the  uten- 
sils shall  be  carried  direct  to  be  emptied  and 
rinsed,  at  the  proper  place.  I  would  it  were  so 
in  the  private  house. 

Let  no  one  ever  depend  upon  fumigations, 
"  disinfectants,"  and  the  like,  for  purifying  the 
air.  The  offensive  thing,  not  its  smeU,  must 
be  removed.  A  celebrated  medical  lecturer  be- ' 
gan  one  day,  "  Fumigations,  gentlemen,  are  of 
essential  importance.  They  make  such  an 
abominable  smeU  that  they  compel  you  to  open 
the  window."  I  wish  aU  the  disinfecting  fluids 
invented  made  such  an  "abominable  smeU" 
that  they  forced  you  to  admit  fresh  air.  That 
would  be  a  useful  invention. — Miss  Nighlingale. 

CKBONIC   DIASBHCEA. 

The  pathology  of  this  disease — ulceration  of 
both  small  and  large  intestines — points  out  the 
proper  treatment.  You  must  nourish  the  pa- 
tient with  food  that  is  easily  assimilated. '  He 
should  take  plenty  of  eggs — tender  beef  steak, 
mutton  chops — good  skUe  bread — sweet  milk — 
and  but  very  few  if  any  vegetables;  green  tea 
(genuine)  and  no{  coffee.  He  should  always  lie 
dovm  after  eating ;  walking  would  be  injuri- 
ous, but  riding  in  a  carriage,  or  rail-car,  bene- 
ficial. 

Thorough  mastication  of  the  food  must  be  in- 
sisted on.  The  drink  should  be  hot  tea,  not 
cold  water ;  whiskey  or  malt  liquors  only  in 
case  of  extreme  emaciation  and  weakness.  He 
should  lie  down  flat  on  his  back  while  in  doors 
— and  ride  in  wheel  carriages  when  in  the  open 
air. 

The  best  medicines  are  oil  of  turpentine  ten 
drops  every  four  hours,  or  J  gr.  niteate  of  sil- 
ver in  one  drachm  of  glycerine  every  four  hours, 
or  twenty  five  drops  of  laudanum  at  bed  time, 
{when  it  does  not  nauseate,  or  nothing.) 


A  writer  in  the  London  Medical  Times  and  Ga- 
zette for  Oct.  31st,  1863,  speaking  of  the  influ- 
ence of  drainage  and  good  water  upon  the 
•health  of  cities,  says,  that  in  the  case  of  Salis- 
bury, Eng.,  the  average  annual  number  of 
deaths  for  the  last  eight  (8)  years  preceding 
the  completion  of  the  drainage,  (excluding  the 
cholera  year,)  was  243,  or  27  in  1,000.  and  for 
the  same  period  since  193,  or  21  in  1, 000,  an  act- 
ual reduction  of  dknost  one-fourth  of  the  whole 
nurrAer. 


.^@~  The  price  of  the  work  on  "  The  U.  S.  San- 
itary Commission,"  noticed  in  our  last,  and  pub- 
lished by  Messrs.  Little  &  Brown,  was  erro- 
neously stated  to  be  75  cents.  It  should  have 
been  $1.25. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  YORK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


3SXBTW  -stork:. 


President. 
Lietjt.-Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

E.  D.  MORGAN. 

GEORGE  OPDYKE. 

HIRAM  BARNEY. 

JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN. 

H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D. 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOB. 
"      JAMES  BROWN. 
"      WM.  H.  ASPINWALL. 
"      JAS.  GALLATIN. 
"      HOWARD  POTTER. 
"      WM.  E.  DODGE,  Jk. 
"      THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 
"      PETER  COOPER. 
"      GEORGE  BANCBOET. 
"      DANIEL  LORD. 
"      WILSON  G.  HUNT. 
"      EOBT.  L.  STUART. 
"      ALFRED  PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambebs  Street, 

New  York. 


HOH. 


Eev. 

Mr. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  fromAmposture  and  fraud. 

Sd.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

ARTIFICIAL  LEGS  &  ARMS. 

SE:i4pHO*S  PATENT,  516, BROADWAY. 

EBTABIJ8HED  24  YEABS. 

The  most  perfect  substitutes  for 
lost  limbs  the  world  of  science  has 
ever  invented,  can  be  had  only  of 
WM.  SELPHO  &  SON,  Patentees. 

N.  B. — A  Silver  Medal  awarded  at 
the  last  Fair  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute  and  New  Haven  County  Fairs. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMdin. 


ISt 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  TJ.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
sation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

G.  W.  CuUom,  TJ.  S.  A. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  TJ.  8.  A. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.!).,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Et.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Pann. 

omcEEs: 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Tico-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  JenkinB,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J   S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Assooiate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the 
Hospitals  in  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Carolina,  South  Care- 
Una,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address ,"  Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Oface  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  the  New  England  States,,  address  "Office 
Women's  Central  Union,  No.  10  Cooper  Insti- 
tute, New  York."       .    _    ^       ^.    .   .     ^,. 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virgima,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  MiBsissippi  and  Arkansas,  address 
"Office  Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be 
given,  andwhere  he  was  when  last  heard  from. 
If  the  application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  vrill 
be  sent  by  return  of  mail;  if  in  person,  it  will 
be  answered  at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  an- 
swer wiU  be  returned  immediately  at  the  in- 
quirer's expense.  

^-  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  ed- 
itors, and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause 
of  humanity  more  effectually  than  by  frequentiy 
and  widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the 
above,  among  those  who  have  fiiends  m  the  anny. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga— its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
oompaiTson  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  hst  of  depots,  to  which  auxihary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  fer  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston^  Mass. 

Sanitai?  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
%outh  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore^  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Tine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sariitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  ith 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Ear- 
ned Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubfic  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 

RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendeiit,  Hev.  E.  N.  Knapp,  Trashing. 
ton,  D.  0.    Chief  Assistant,  J.- B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Eailroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maiyland  Avenue,  near  Bajlroad  Station. 

Nuises'  Home,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  "Cairo,  111 C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 

Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Loulsvjlle,  Ky.— James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— dark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Yioksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

t-assct  roB  pehsioss. 
WUliam'T.  bascom,  Pension  Agent,  WashingtoB,  D.  0 

HOSFITAIi    GABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  7ork— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  C,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  Louisville  and  Mur&eesboro' — Dr.  J.  P.  Ba» 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

■ASITABT  BTUUEBS. 

lUBsisBlppi  Blver— Clara  Bell;  CumbeiUnd  Blrep— 
Hew  Dunleith;  Fotosuo  River— SUzabetli. 


158 


Hue  Sanitwry  Commission  BvEdia. 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


GPBOM  JT7EIES  3  AOT)  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Beport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GEEAT  INTEBNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUBG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  deUcacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIE  of  the  NEW  TOEK  STATE  AGEICULTUBAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utioa,  N.  T.,- 
September,  1863,  received  both  Dieloma  and  Mbdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THB 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Non'istown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  Medaii. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premiiim  at  the  Ambkioan  Instetotb,  New  Tork 
City;  New  Jebset  Statb  Paib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  tojreoeive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Corn  Starch  and  aU  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer, 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Ckkesi  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauoesB, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  wiU  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &o. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Mausejia,"  with  direotioba 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  bj 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM.  DURYEAy  General  Assent. 


Tfi£  S^tary  Commission  BvEetin. 


15& 


EEGEJT    MEDICAL    ¥ORKS, 

PUBLISHED  BY 

BAILLIEEE  BEOTHEES, 

440  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


ON  MILITAKY  AND  CAMP  HOSPITALS,  AND  THE  HEALTH  OP  TROOPS  IN  THE  FIELD.  By  L.  Battobns* 
Medical  Director  of  the  French  Army,  kc,  &c.  Translatocl  and  Annotated  by  Fbanklin  B.  Hough,  M.  D.,  late 
Sanitary  Inspector  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.    12mo,  260  pages.    Price  %1  2&. 

*#*  The  above  work  is  the  result  of  a  commiaeion  sent  by  the  French  Government  to  the  Crimea  to  report  upon 
file  condition  of  the  Hospitals  and  troops  of  the  French  army,  and  incidentally  of  the  English  and  Sardinian  armies. 
it  is  written  in  the  form  of  a  nairative,  and  the  great  questions  of  the  prevention  and  control  of  disease  in  camps  and 
hotpita'M  are  thoroughly  discussed.  The  hygienic  conditions  of  the  United  States  Army  are  similar  to  those  of  fha 
armies  of  the  Crimea;  the  rules  and  prescriptions  given  in  the  book  will,  therefore,  be  found  perfectly  applicable. 
This  work  recommends  itself  to  commanders  of  regiments  as  well  as  army  surgeons. 

ON  DIPHTHERIA.    By  Edwabd  Headlam  Greenhow.    1861.    Pp.  160.    Price  $1.25. 

Our  readers  will  find  a  very  large  amount  of  information  in  the  twelve  chapters  of  which  the  volume  is  made  up. 
Perhaps,  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  on  the  subject  of  this  obscurely  understood  dlse^we,  little  more  can  bs 
saidbeyoud  what  may  here  be  found  written  down. — London  Medica'  Times  arid  Gaaette.        t 

We  have  only  been  able  here  to  refer  to  certain  of  the  more  prominent  facts  concerning  diphtheria;  but  we  believe 
we  have  said  enough  to  recommend  this  well-written  treaties  to  the  attention  of  the  profession. — British  Medical 
Journal. 
ADVICE  TO  A  MOTHER  ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  HER  OFFSPRING  IN  INFANCY,  CHILDHOOD  AND  YOUTH. 

By  P.  Henbt  ChaVasse,  M.  D.    Price  60c. 
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160 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Franklin  Squaee,  New  Yoek,  Dec.,  1863. 


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THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 

4 

BULLETIN. 


Vol,!. 


NEW  YORK,  JANUARY  15,  1864. 


No.  6. 


The  Santtabt  Commission  Bci.iiETiN  (.*■  pub- 
lished on  thejirst  andjifkertih  ef  every  month,  and 
as  U  has  a  circuiaiion,  gratvMous  or  other,  (^  above 
14,000  copies,  U  offers  an  wmsuaUy  valuable  me- 
etiumfor  advertising. 

All  communicaiions  must  be  addressed  to  tke 
Editor,  at  the  qgice  823  Broadway,  and  must  be 
authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the 
writers. 

We  shall  pvUMsh,  in  our  next,  exirads  from 
the  proceedings  of  the  quarterly  meding  of  the  Com- 
mission, now  being  hM  in  Washington. 

"  WHY  DOES  THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
NEED  SO  MUCH  MONEY?" 

If  the  people  furnish  supplies  liberally 
without  cost,  and  if  the  storehouses  and 
treasuries  of  the  various  Branches  of  supply 
are  full,  how  is  it  that  the  Central  Treasury 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  calls  for  and 
disposes  of  so  much  money  ?  This  is  a 
plain  question,  honestly  asked;  and  there  is 
e,  plain  and  honest  answer.  It  is  this:  a 
large  amount  of  money  is  needed,  because 
the  present  machinery  of  the  Commission, 
■which  is  supported  by  the  Osntral  Treasury, 
cannot  be  kept  in  motion  without  a  very, 
large  cash  expenditure;  and  the  judgment 
of  sagacious,  humane,  and  cai-efully  calcu- 
lating men,  to  whom  the  whole  matter  has 
been  submitted,  decides,  without  quahfioa- 
tion,  that  all  this  machinery  must  be  kept 
a-golng — that  large  as  its  cost  is,  the  results 
for  good  which  depend  upon  it  are  so  much 
larger,  that  the  Commission,  as  the  trustees 
►of  the  people's  bounty  and  representatives 
of  their  benevolence,  the  executors  of  their 
will,  could  not  find  a  justification  in  allow- 
ing the  expensiveness  of  the  system  to  cause 
its  discontinuance  until  a  fair  statement  of 
tiheir  intention  to  discontinue  it,  and  the 
reason  why  they  intended  to  do  so,  should 
have  been  laid  before  the  people,  and  the 
question  put.  Shall  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion,.or  shall  they  tint,  cm  on  with.this  work 

Vo: 


in  all  its  breadth,  involving  this  annual 
expenditure  ?  Shall  they  drop  all  other 
branches  of  their  work,  and  limit  themselves 
to  the  charge  of  merely  "  distributing  the 
supplies"  which  are  sent  to  them;  or  shall 
they  keep  up  their  entire  system,  embracing, 
with  this  distribution  of  supplies,  sanitary 
inspection  by  medical  men,  of  camps  and 
of  field  hospitals;  sanitary  inspection,  by 
medical  men,  of  general  hospitals;  special 
relief,  with  all  its  agencies,  and  in  all  its 
various  departments;  the  hospital  directory, 
with  its  register,  and  its  500,000  names  ? 

The  fact  of  the  case  is  this,  that  the  work 
of  distributing  supplies  to  the  sick  and 
wounded,  while  of  course  it  involves  much 
expense,  is  but  one  of  five  directions  in 
which  the  Sanitary  Commission  are  labor- 
ing to  ward  off  disease  and  death*from  the 
soldier,  to  insure  speedy  recovery,  to  re- 
lieve' the  anxiety  of  relatives  at  home,  to 
make  the  dear-bought  experience  of  regi- 
ments already  long  in  the  war,  available  to 
regiments  just  entering  the  field.'  Part  of 
this  work  suggested  itself  and  grew  up  as 
the  Commission  went  on,  but  most  of  it 
entered  into  the  original  plan  of  the  Com- 
mission, which  was  based  upon  the  idea 
that  what  the  ai'my  needed  from  outside  it- 
self, was  not  merely  additional  clothes,  and 
food,  and  care  in  times  of  emergency,  but 
a  better  understanding  of  the  conditions  for 
securing  health,  and  morel  urgent  induce- 
ments with  more  constant  constraints  and 
influences  to  lead  to  a  regard  for  every  pos- 
sible law  which  would  guard  against  or 
check  disease.  Hence  the  whole  depart- 
ment of  "  Sanitary  Inspection"  was  estab- 
lished in  field  and  hospital,  involving  large 
expense,  and  to  the  casual  observer  pro- 
''  ducing  no  very  important  results, — in  the 
whole  of  its  work  making  less  show  of  re- 


162 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


lief  or  aid  to  the  soldier  than  would  be 
made  by  the  ■  distribution  of  one  -wage  a 
load  of  supplies  to  wounded  or  dying  men — 
yet  in  its  actual  effects  probably  saving 
more  lives  to  the  army  and  to  friends  at 
home  ilian  has  ever  been  done  by  the  dis- 
tribution of  any  Ave  hundred  wagon  loads 
of  these  same  supplies. 

The  Special  Belief  department  also  in- 
volving now  in  its  constant  enlargement  a 
heavy  and  increasing  outlay,  is  one  of  the 
branches  of  the  Commission's  work  which 
has  very  little  to  do  with  supply  distribu- 
tion, and  was  not  indeed  embraced  in  the 
original  plan  of  organization.  Yet  this 
same  Special  Belief  work  with  its  ' '  Lodges" 
and  "Homes"  aU  along  the  Atlantic  coast, 
on  the  shores  of  the  Mississippi,  and  inland, 
wherever  an  army  is  found,  could  not  be 
given  up  to-day  without  to-morrow  and 
each  following  day  exposing  to  manifold 
evils,  at  least  three  thousand  men  who  now 
are  protected. 

So  of  the  "Hospital  Directory,"  with  its 
agencies  for  giving  prompt  and  accurate 
information  to  those  at  home  concerning 
the  sick  and  wounded  throughout  the  army; 
this  involves  large  expense,  so  nxuch  so  that 
a  few  months. since  those  who  hold  them- 
selves responsible  for  the  right  use  of  the 
money  put  into  their  hands  by  the  peSple, 

■  almost  decided  that  they  had  no  right  to 
continue  this  branch  of  the  Commission's 
work,  which  after  all  was  not  for  the  aid  of 
the  soldiers  so  much  as  for  the  relief  of  the 
anxious  solicitude  of  friends;  but  when  the 
proposal  to  give  it  up  was  discussed,  it  was 
found  that  there  was  an  immense  press- 
ure from  "  the  people,"  demanding  the 
continuance  of  this  servant,  and  friend, 
and  comforter  of  theirs.  This  too  had 
grown  up,  not  as  part  of  the  original  plan 
of  the  Commission,  and  surely  in  nowise 
connected  with  the  distribution  of  needed 
,suppli  s,  but  it  had  come  out  of  an  urgent 
call  of  the  people  that  those  who  in  thei;r 

'napie  were  helping  the  soldiers  in  the  field, 
should  now  also  help  them  at  home — the 
fathers,  wivee,  and  mothers — by  answering 
their  inquiries  about  the  sick  and  wounded. 
Thus  it  WHS  that  this  Hospital  Directory, 
with  uU  its  aids  for  securing  and  transmit- 
ting information,  had  sprung  up  out  of  the 
demands  of  the  people,  and  the  geople  ask 


to  be  and  are  called  upon  to  defray  the  ex- 
pease  of  its  continuance. 

Such  is  the  history,  brought  down  to  the 
present  time,  of  those  four  departments  of 
the  Commission's  labor,  additional  to  the 
work  of  "Supply  Distribution."  The  cost 
of  maintaining  these  four  departments  with 
the  largeness  which  the  interests  of  half  a 
million  enlisted  men,  and  half  a  million 
homes  ask  for,  and  with  the  thoroughness 
which  wise  economy  unites  with  medieal 
science  in  demanding,  cannot  be  less  than 
thirty  thousan4  dollars  each  month.  And 
it  is. with  the  express  understanding  that  to 
such  use  this  much  of  the  money  will  be 
appropriated,  that  funds  are  asked  for  and 
contri  buted  to  carry  on  "  the  work  of  the 
Commission."  The  detail  of  these  expen- 
ditures in  each  one  of  these  branches  is 
open  for  examination,  and  the  result  of 
such  examination  by  careful  business  men, 
who  have  themselves  contributed  largely  to 
the  very  money  thus  used,  and  who  measure 
also  the  work  which  is  done,  is  this:  Those 
men  say,  the  Sanitary  Commission  would 
be  false  to  duties  assumed,  and  to  duties 
providentially  laid  upon  them — false  also 
to  the  people,  whose  work  this  really  is — 
false  likewise  to  the  age  which  gives  the 
opportunity'  for  juat  this  work  of  filling  up 
generously  a  great  page  of  a  nation's  his- 
tory— an  opportunity  given  at  just  this 
time,  the  one  year  out  of  a  century — false 
to  aU  this,  they  say,  would;  the  Commission 
be  if  it  did  not  persevere  and  carry  on  all 
these  agencies  for  good,  confidently  and 
unhesitatingly  asking  the  people  for  what- 
ever money  is  really  needed,  with  fit  econ- 
omy, for  the  work. 

Thus  it  is  that  the  "  Central  Treasury," 
from  which  all  these  departments  of  th» 
CommisMon's  work  draw  their  support, 
needs  constant  renewal,  although  the 
Branches  of  supply  (lately  so  amply  fur- 
nished by  the  proceeds  of'  the  "Sanitary* 
Fairs"  held  in  various  sections  of  the  coun- 
try) may  be  stored  to  overflowing  with 
goods  and  money. 

But  the  whole  ground  is  not  covered  by 
this  statement.  All  persons  employed  by- 
the  Commission  in  every  part  of  the  vas,t 
field  draw  their  pay  from  the  Central 
Treasury.  Moreover,  it  has  become  th  e  set- 
tled poUoy  of  the  Commission  to  employ 


J.ive  immtary  uormntssion  jsuusttit. 


iH9 


paid  agents.    A  large  experience,  witk  a 
Jealous  regard  to  a  right  and  economical 
use  of  funds  entrusted  to  their  care,  h&s 
convinced  the  Commission  beyond  question 
that  in  a  work  continuing  thus  for  years, 
the  only  wise  method  is  to  employ  the  best 
miea  that  can  be  obtained,  -with  compensa- 
ting pay;  that  thus  «nly  can  be  secured 
continued  and  experienced  labor,  (one  of 
the  most  important  of  all  things  in  this 
work) — systematic  effort — a  sense  of  respon- 
sibility to  those  in  authority — entire  yield- 
ing up  of  time  and  strength  to  the  service 
— and  a  right  on  the  part  of  the  officers  of 
the  Commission  to  remove  any  person  from 
the  service  who  may  prove  to  be  incompe- 
tent or  ill  suited  to  the  work.     Under  the 
volunteer  system  of  agency,  which  may  an- 
swer well  where  a  comparatively  narrow 
field  is  covered,  and  for  a  work  which  is 
limited  to  weeks  or  months — none  of  these 
abscdutely  essential  ends  can  be  secured. 
And  although  this  work  of  the  Sanitary 
■Commission  is  a  benevolent  work,  and  its 
benefits  are  gratuitous  to  those  who  receive 
them,  yet  it  lias  to  be  conducted  in  its  large 
labors  with  thoro<agh  business  method.    This, 
too,  is  to  be  borne  in  mind,  that  this  sys- 
tem of  paid  agents  does  not  exclude  the  ad- 
vantage of  having  in  the  work  disinterest- 
edness and  religious  earnestness.     On  the 
contrary,  many  men  of  just  those  charac- 
teristics,  and  who  because  of  the   spirit 
which  was  in  them  entered  into  the  work, 
are  now  retained  among  the  paid  agents; 
they  were  men  who  could  give  a  few  months 
to  the  cause,  but  were  not  justified  in  giv- 
ing years.     And  in  selecting. persons  addi- 
tional to  be  employed,  the  aim  of  the  Com- 
mission is  always  to  get  men  whose  hearts 
ai'e  there  before  their  hands  are  called  to 
take  hold. 

But  once  more,  the  Central  Treasury  is 
drawn  Jipon,  not  only  for  maintaining  the 
various  departments  already  named,  and 
for  the  pay  of  all  the  persons  employed  by 
the  Commission  east  and  west — some  two 
hundred  men,  including  its  corps  of  Medi- 
cal Inspectors-^but  also  for  the  purchase  of 
such  supplies  as  are  needed  in  emergencies 
where  there  is  no  time  to  send  to  distant 
Branches  and  storehouses.  In  this  way 
after  a  single  battle,  sometimes  fifteen  or 
twenty  thousand  dollars  are  used,  e-^ry 


single  dollar  of  which  probably  helps  to 
meet  some  real  want  or  to  save  a  Ufa. 
From  the  Central  Troasuiy  also  comes  th» 
money  which  maintains  in  the  field  with 
each  army  corps  independent   means  of 
transportation  for  carrying  with  the  armjsr 
as  it  moves  and  distributing  there  sanitaigf 
supplies.     This  is  the  system  now  adopted 
by  the  Commission.    There  is  also  the  es- 
pense  incurred  of  purchasing  horses  and 
wagons  with  which  to'  transport  suppUea 
from  the  nearest  depots  to  battle-fields. 
This  expense  is  often  very  large,  but  it  has 
more  than  once   proved   of   incaleulabl*' 
benefit,  enabling  us  to  reach  the  wounded 
with  our  stores  on  the  field,!  long  in  advan«a 
of  the  Government  stores.    For,  as  is  waU 
known,  according  to   existing   laws,   the 
Medical  Department  can  draw  supplies,  but 
is  utterly  powerless  as  to  ordering  theio 
forward  to  the  field,  there  being  no  inde- 
pendent transportation  at  the  control  of  that 
Department .    The  Medical  officer  is  oblig^ 
to  make  over  his  supplies  to  the  Quarter- 
master's  Department  for   transportsition, 
where,  with  the  immense  burden  which  ,ia 
heaped  up  there,  there  is  often  an  unavoid- 
able delay  which  is  death  to  the  wounded 
'  who  are  waiting  upon  the  field.     So  lQM,g: 
as  this  law  continues,  by  which  the  hands 
of  the  Medical  Department  are  thus  tied* 
"  so  long" —  as  one  of  the  Medical  Bureau 
'  recently  said,  a  member  Oi  the  Eegulsr 
Army — "  isthere  an  absolute  necessity  that 
the  Sanitary  Commission  stand  ready  with 
its  independent  transportation  to  carry  for- 
ward at  the  earliest  moment  suppUes  to  tha 
battle-fields." 

Such  is  an  enumeration  of  some  of  th» 
principsil  demands  which  the  Central  Treas- 
ury of  the  Sanitary  Commission  must  al- 
ways be  prepared  to  meet.  In  their  aggre- 
gate these  demands  caU  for  a  monthly  de- 
posit in  the  Treasury  of  forty  thousand 
dollars. 

Such  is  the  record,  and  the  record  is  the 
appeal.  It  asks  whether  the  people  wish 
this  agency  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers  in  tent 
and  in  hospital,  and  on  the  battle-field-^at 
the  east,  and  at  the  west;  and  at  the  south 
— to  cease ;  or  whether  it  is  their  wiU  to 
have  it  continue  in  its  largeness  of  plan,  its 
scientific  exactness,  its  thoroughness  of  de- 
tail, fs  pron^ptness  in  meeting  emergen- 


164 


7%e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


•<iea,  its  abiMty  to  do  all  that  the  friends  at 
home  wotild  themselves  desire  to  do  for  our 
soldiers.  If  the  people  say  it  must  stU]  go 
on  •with  its  •work,  then  must  they  contribule 
liberally  not  only  to  the  Branches,  and  to 
the  local  sources  of  supply,  but  also  to  the 
Central  Treasury  of  the  Commission  ;  and 
as  long  aa'the  'wax  continues,  so  long  shall 
a  full  record  be  furnished  to  them. 


Ne7  tasKj  Jsmuary  7,  1861. 

My  Dhais  Mb,  Otis:  I  ackno-wledged by 
telegraph  to-day,  your  great  contribution 
of  $50,000,  being  the  January  and  Febru- 
aaty  installments  of  California's  support  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  opening  your  letter, 
With  its  now  •well-known  and  welcome  hand- 
■writing,  in  the  presence  of  half  a  dozen 
leading  merchants  of  ISew  York,  •who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  ofSce  at  the  time  on 
other  business ;  and  could  you  have  heard 
their  tributes  to  the  loyalty  and  generosity 
of  your  noble  State,  it  ■would  have  repaid 
you  for  your  long  and  devoted  attention  to 
our  interests,  and  partly  paid  the  people  of 
California  for  their  magnificent  behavior. 
The  constancy  and  methodical  liberality  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  to  our  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion as  their  almoner,  is  our  chief  de- 
pendence. You  •will  hear  a  great  deal  of 
the  vast  Sanitary  Fairs  at  Chicago,  Cincin- 
nati, Boston,  Buffalo,  Albany,  Washington, 
at  •which  very  large  sums  of  money  are  raised, 
and  you  may  very  naturally  think  that  it 
must  be  high  •water  in  our  Central  Ti'easury ! 
It  is  important  that  the  people  of  California 
diould  understand  that  all  this  money  is 
fitly  expended  by  the  Branches  themselves 
in  the  purchase  of  supplies — -which  supplies 
are  forwarded  to  our  receiving  depot  for 
distribution.  But  the  -whole  cost  of  distri- 
bmtion,  •with  the  men,  •wagons,  horses,  and 
machinery  of  every  kind  ■which  transports 
BuppUes  and  makes  them  useful  and  saving 
to  the  army,  all  these  accumulated  comforts 
and  necessaries  falls  upon  our  Central  Treas- 
ury ;  -which  has  more  to  do,  and  is  more  indis- 
pensable, precisely  according  to  the  amount 
of  supplies  that  are  furnished  to  it.  The 
more  money  the  Branches  have,  the  more 
supplies  ■we  have;  and  the  more  supplies  ■we 
have, -the  more  it  costs  to  forward  them,  dis- 


tribute and  supply  them  to  our  ■tast  army, 
scattered  over  our  ■wide  country. 

All  the  money  and  all  the  siipplies  that 
could  be  raised  and  furnished  ■would  be  as 
useless  to  the  army  without  us,  as  the  raina 
on  the  hill  sides  of  the  Croton  Biver  ■would 
be  to  the  city  of  New  York,  if  the  city  had 
not  built  an  expensive  aqueduct;  which  ac- 
cumulates, economizes,  and  distributes,  by 
an  intricate  and  costly  system  of  mains,  and 
gates,  and  trainers,  and  pipes,  and  stop-  cocks, 
this  water  to  every  house,  every  kitchen  and 
chamber,  every  wash-bowl  and  pitcher  and 
mouth  in  New  York! 

The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
is  the  aqueduct,  with  its  enormous  pipes  of 
supply,  and  its  diversified  pipes  of  distri- 
bution, now  laid  do^wn  over  the  whole  field 
of  wai-,  and  maintained,  with  all  the  neces- 
sary breakages  and  changes  of  position  and 
spread  of  operations,  from  Texas  to  Ken- 
tucky; from  Kansas  to  "Virginia;  from  the 
Potomac  to  the  Eio  Grande;  from  Portland 
to  Charleston,  and  Femandina^  and  Ship 
Island;  from  Chicago  to  Cleveland,  Cincin- 
nati, LouisviUe,  Cairo,  Memphis,  Nashville, 
Chattanooga,  and  wherever  the  army  stays 
or  goes.  Understand, then.that  the  wealth 
of  the  Branches  is  indispensable  to  the  sol- 
dier's relief,  but  that  their  wealth  only 
makes  us  poor — by  giving  us  more  to  do 
and  nothing  to  do  it  ■with!  We  are  like  a 
stage  company,  ■with  an  immense  number 
of  passengers,  but  left  without  forage  for 
our  horses,  or  horses  for  our  coaches;  or, 
rather, we  should  be  so  if  California  did  not 
make  herself  the  great  motive  power  for 
the  Central  Machinery  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  thus  furnish  horses  and 
forage,  by  which  our  overflow  of  passengers 
(the  supplies!)  are  all  expeditiously  trans- 
ported to  their  destination,  (the  sick  and 
wounded,  or  the  naked  and  hungry  sol- 
diers!) Don't  strain  what  I  say  too  far. 
We  are  not  so  ungrateful  as  to  say  that  the 
nation  has  left  us  without  support  for  our 
Central  Machinery;  for  we  have  received 
into  our  Treasury  about  a  million  of  dol- 
lars: but  of  this  million,  the  Pacific  Coast 
has  supplied  us  with  nearly  $700,000,  leav- 
ing only  $300,000  to  come  from  the  rest  of 
the  nation !  The  Atlantic  States  are  waking 
up  to  tliis  disproportion,  and  a  wholesome 
emulation  is^  aroused     They  are  now  pre- 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


165 


panng  a  great  National  Metropolitan  Fair 
at  New  Tort,  for  the  benefit  of  tlie  Central 
Treasury  of  the  Commission,  -which  will 
come  off  late  in  March ;  at  which  they  hope, 
at  one  blow,  to  raise  perhaps  a  half  million  of 
dollars,  and  so  equalize  the  contribution  of 
the  Atlantic  with  the  Pacific!  I  rejoice  at 
this  holy  jealousy.  I  have  told  our  able  and 
rich  men  that  if  they  wished  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  to  throw  itself 
into  the  arms  of  its  devoted  friends  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  depend  wlioUy  on  her  liberality 
for  the  support  of  its  Central  Machinery, 
that  we  were  not  afraid  of  the  result;  that 
the  newspapers  from  the  interior  of  that 
State  and  from  Oregon  and  Washington 
Territory,  as  well  as  private  letters,  were  all 
assuring  me  of  the  devoted  and  unstinted 
eympathy  and  pride  of  the  Pacific  Coast  in 
the  unexampled  work  of  mercy  and  love 
that  they  had  made  so  largely  their  own;  and 
that  the  nation  this  side  the  Eocky  Moun- 
tains had  only  to  give  us  one  cold  shoulder, 
or  to  indicate  its  fatigue  at  our  dependence 
upon  her,  to  make  us  very  sure  of  having 
the  whole  heart,  and  as  much  of  the  golden 
and  silver  veins  as  we  needed,  of  your 
young  and  generous  wealth,  put  at  our  dis- 
posal! But  our  i>eople  are  too  wise  and 
shrewd  to  allow  you  to  appropriate  this 
privilege  exclusively  to  yourselves! 

The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
our  Centrfl Board,  originated,  designed,and 
set  in  motion  all  this  now  vast  machinery, 
both  in  the  homes  and  peaceful  States, 
where  supplies  are  accumulated,  and  in  the 
field,  where  they  are  distributed.  Its 
operations  are  on  too  vast  a  scale,  its  re- 
lations to  this  war  too  momentous,  its  rec- 
ord too  honorable,  its  work  and  i  rinciples 
too  deeply  wrought  into  the  tender  experi- 
ences and  grateful  memori  s  of  nearly  a 
million  of  men,  who  in  the  field  and  in  the 
hospital  have  at  one  time  or  another  had 
their  hunger  and  nakedness,  their  wounds 
and  fatigues,  their  sore  feet  and  bleeding 
limbs,  ministered  to  by  this  Institution, 
not  to  make  the  sagacious  and  fore-looking 
think,  that  the  time  is  coming,  after  the 
hurry  of  this  war  is  over,  when  the  ques- 
tion will  be  carefully  asked,  who  planned, 
who  worked,  who  supported  this  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  who  suppliM 
the  brains,  and  who  the  heart  and  who  the 


■money  by  which  this  the  largest,  most  suc- 
cessful, and  most  beneficent  charity  which 
Christian  history  has  ever  seen,  was  set 
a-going  and  kept  i-going?  Ifhere  are  even 
people  who  begin  to  foresee  that  the  x>olitical 
value  of  a  good  record  in  this^ommission, 
is  worth  careful  consideration.  Now,  the . 
loyal  North  and  West,  numerous  as  the  de- 
mands which  the  bounties  and  the  supports 
of  soldiers'  families  and  aU  the  other  local, 
expenses  of  the  war  make  upon  them,  do 
not  mean  to  be  behindhand  in  their  sup-  . 
port  of  the  Commission.  They  are  begin- 
ning to  see,  too,  that  it  is  not  enough  to 
make  their  record  perfectly  clean  to  sup- 
port merely  the  home  Branches  generously, 
for  they  foresee  that  when  a  due  considera- 
tion is  given  to  the  subject,  it  will  appear 
to  all  that  the  Central  Machinery,  the  San- 
itary Commission  proper,  recognized  by 
the  Government,  co-ordinated  with  the 
medical  department,  welcomed  a,nd  trusted 
by  the  generals,  loved  and  relied  upon  be- 
cause alone  known  and  seen  by  the  soldiers 
themselves  in  hospital  and  camp,  is  the 
final  heir  of  whatever  interest,  or  national 
glory,  or  gratitude  this  movement  haa 
awakened,  as  it  is  the  sole  condition  of 
the  actual  serviceableness  of  the  branches 
themselves.  Accordingly,  the  country  here 
is  beginning  to  say  that  California  must 
not  run  away  with  all  this  gratitude  of  the 
soldiers,  must  not  fasten  on  herself  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  world  and  all  future  his- 
tory, as  the  head  nurse  of  the  great 
American  army  in  its  memorable  and 
glorious  war  for  the  permanent  establish- 
ment of  our  national  liberties.  We  hope, 
at  least,  that  this  is  the  growing  feeling. 
We  earnestly  and  fondly  desire  to  make  our 
support  national,  to  draw  no  more  from 
the  Pacific  than  from  the  Atlantic.  We  are 
anxious  to  see  the  account  squared,  and  as 
much  in  the  scale,  the  centre  being  the 
Eocky  Mountains,  which  hangs  on  this  side, 
as  on  yours  when  the  war  terminates.  If, 
however,  we  are  disappointed  in  this  hope, 
we  shall  not  be  discouraged;  for  we  shaQ 
not  be  without  your  enthusiastic,  yowr 
ever  growing  and  evermore  gracious  and 
cheerful  support.  If  I  were  not  properly 
and  sincerely  jealous  of  my  own  Atlantio 
region,  and  did  not  for  her  own  sake,  and 
for  the  sake  of  her  future  honor  and  dig>- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetim. 


vikg,  wish  to  see  her  abreast  •sniih.  the 
Pacific,  in  this  truly  national  enterprise, 
J  should  not  hesitate  a  moment  to  fling  the 
Commission  a^jd  the  soldiers,  sick  and 
•Wounded,  on  your  exclusive  nursing  and 
care.  I  believe  you  ■would  dq  it;  I  know 
you  would  do  it.  But  I  will  not  consent  to 
relinquish  to  California  this  imperishable 
bonor,  which  would  give  her  a.  political  and 
moral  pre-eminence  above  her  sisters  for 
•U  times,  without  a  struggle  for  New  York 
«nd  Massachusetts,  and  Ohio  and  Illinois, 
and  Bhode  Island  and  Pennsylvania,  and 
every  other  loyal  State  in  our  cis-alpine 
region.  But  if  the  hour  ever  comes  when 
the  Central  Machinery  of  the  United  States 
Banitary  Commission  loses  energy  and 
efficiency  through  the.neglect  of  its  patrons 
ttid  supporters  here  at  home,  you  may  be 
tare  that  we  shall  not  see  the  beautiful  and 
efiective  system  we  have  matured  impaired 
CSC  abandoned,  on  any  scruple  of  local  or 
Atlantic  pride.  No!  we  shall  seize  the  tele- 
^aph  wire,  attached  to  the  hearts  and  the 
coffers  of  California,  and  give  it  such  a 
null  as  will  be  felt  in  every  store,  and 
bouse,  and  hut,  and  mine,  and  ranche,  and 
heart,  and  hand  in  all  your  region;  and  at 
once,  from  the  other  end  of  that  magic  wire, 
■will  begin  to  drop  into  our  treasury  those 
big,  golden  heart-drops,  which  so  many 
times  have  raised  our  nearly  exhausted 
reservoir — the  rich  blood  of  California's 
patriotism  and  humanity  poured  out  hke 
water  to  assuage  the  wants  and  sufferings 
of  om-  noble  army.  With  our  hand  on  the 
telegraph  wire  that  ends  in  your  rich  hearts 
and  mines,  we  can  patiently  and  calmly 
wait  the  decision  of  the  loyal  people  of 
these  Golden  States.  Let  them  say,  "  We 
are  tired  of  your  demands;  turn  to  friends 
less  drawn  upon  than  we  are,"  and  we  shall 
dick  at  once  onr  despair  here  and  our  hope 
in  you,  ■with  a  faith  that  will  never  be 
^aken,  that  aU  the  silver  and  the  gold  in 
your  mountains  must  be  exhausted  before 
California  denies  one  request  of  ours  made 
In  the  name  of  our  sick  and  wounded  pa- 
triots. Bat  that  hour  is  not  come,  and  I 
hope  and  believe  it  never  will  oome.  I 
am,  however,  in  any  and  all  events,  grate- 
f^ully  and  affebtionately  yours,  for  the  army 
and  the  homes  and  the  cause  and  the  Com- 
migeion,       Henky  W.  Bellows,  President. 


SANITABY  MATTERS   IN  NORTH 
CAKOLINA. 

On  arriving  at  NewberB,  I  sought  the 
depot  of  the  Commission,  and  was  wdcom- 
ed  by  Dr.  Page,  the  gentlemanly  inspector 
of  that  district,  whose  services  in  the  de- 
partment of  the  South  have  secured  for  him 
a  reputation  for  probity  ajid  efSciency  which 
is  doubtless  merited. 

The  district  allotted  to  the  doctor  covera 
a  wide  range,  embracing  in  all  sixteen  gen- 
eral and  post  hospitals,  including  a  conva- 
lescent camp.  To  aU  of  these  stores  have 
been  supplied  upon  the  requisitions  of  the 
surgeons,  audi  am  happy  to  know  that  the 
most  cordial  relations  exist  between  the 
surgeons  and  the  Commission,  and  that 
they  co-operate  most  earnestly  to  promote 
the  well-being  of  our  troops.  During  my 
visit  it  was  my  privilege  to  accompany  Dr. 
Samuel  McCormick,  the  Medical  Director 
of  the  Department,  whose  inquiries  into 
the  condition  of  the  hospitals  were  thor- 
ough and  accurate.  It  was  eqnaUy  pleas- 
ing to  notice  the  readiness  with  which  the 
Medical  Director  of  the  post  and  his  asso- 
ciates not  only  responded  to  the  investiga- 
tions of  their  superior  officers,  but  were 
anxious  to  make  a  full  exhibit  of  all  the  af- 
fairs intrusted  to  them.  Dr.  Page  accom- 
panied the  Medical  Corps,  and  the  oc- 
casion presented  a  cheering  evidence  of  the 
unity  and  fellowship  existing  between  the 
surgeons  and  the  Commission,  and  their 
joint  efforts  to  aid  each  other  in  the  great 
work  of  promoting  the  comfort  of  our  sol- 
diers. 

The  Stanley  Hospital  at  Newbern,  the 
Mansfield  at  Morehead  City,  and  the  Ham- 
mond at  Beaufort;  are  the  chief  in  size  and 
importance.  The  two  first  are  erected  on 
the  pavilion  plan,  and  are  well  ordered  ia 
all  respects.  Dr.  McCormick  directed  the 
use  of  China  table  furniture  where  tin  was 
used,  because  of  its  wholesome  moral  in- 
fluence upon  the  troops.  It  is  more  home- 
like, and  promotes  the  reflection  that  the 
Goyernment  is  careful  for  the  comfort  and 
well-being  of  its  defenders. 

During  the  siege  at  Washington,  N.  C, 
the  agents  of  the  Commission  were  on 
hand  with  their  varied  stores,  and  their  use- 
fuln^^^M^^^^Mini  1       »r"->^    - 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


167 


pital  transports  were  well  supplied  with  the 
means  for  "aid  and  comfort"  from  the 
depot  at  Newbem.  About  forty  regiments 
have  been  under  inspection,  and  1  judge, 
from  an  examination  of  many  of  their 
cfamps,  that  they  are  well  policed  in  most 
regards.  I  was  particularly  impressed  with 
the  substantial  and  comfortable  appearance 
of  many  of  the  camps.  Log  houses,  with 
glazed  windows  and  open  fire-places,  are 
common.  The  regimental  hospitails  are 
generally  comfortable  and  well  supplied. 

In  the  marshy  district  between  Newbem 
and  Morehead  Gity,  and  on  the  line  of  the 
railroad  between  these  two  places,  there 
are  several  encampments,  in  which  there 
hoe  been  much  sickness.  At  Newport  bar- 
racks, especially,  the  men  have  suffered 
from  intermittent  fevers.  It  is  unsafe  to 
allow  the  same  troops  to  remain  long  at  a 
time  at  this  point.  Ifie  quinine  ration  has 
been  used  fredy,  and  in  some  localities  with 
marked  advantage.  If  company  officers 
were  held  to  strict  account  as  to  the  care  of 
their  men,  and  were  required  to  inspect 
each  one  daily,  with  reference  to  under- 
clothing especially,  cleanliness,  the  use  of 
prescribed  prophylactic  means,  the  tempera- 
ture and  ventilation  of  quarters,  &c.,  I  am 
satisfied  much  sickness  would  be  prevented. 
It  is  not  unfrequently  remarked  that  some 
companies  in  the  same  camp  are  more 
sickly  thflji  others,  and  the  difiierence  is 
doubtless  owing  to  the  difference  in  the  at- 
tention and  care  given  to  the  men  by  their 
officers. 

Last  year,  the  scurvy  commenced  among 
the  troops  in  ihis  district  as  early  as  July; 
and  though  it  did  not  prevail  to  an  alarm- 
ing extent,  it  was  sufficiently  prevalent  to 
indicate  the  importance  of  adoptibg  means 
for  its  prevention  this  year.  If  some  of 
the  land  now  vacant  in  the  vicinity  of  New- 
burij  could  be  granted  by  the  Government 
for  garden  pui-poses, under  the  management 
of  the  Commission,  I  am  satisfied  it  would 
be  a  great  blessing  to  the  army  in  that 
region.  The  land  is  a  sandy  loam,  with  an 
alluvial  sub-soil, containing  large  quantities 
of  shells  and  other  marine  deposits;  which, 
if  brought  to  the  surface  as  a  fertilizer, 
would  greatly  increase  its  productiveness, 
and  insure  iarge  crops  of  early  vegetables. 
The  ground  might  now"  be  prepared  for 


onions,  which  would  be  ready  for  use  in 
April.  Beans  would  ripen  in  May;  toma- 
toes in  June;  and  large  sujiplies  of  carrots 
and  potatoes  might  be  gathered  at  various 
times  during  the  growing  seaspn,  and  a 
considerable  crop  stored  for  winter  use. 
The  expense  and  labor  of  conducting  such 
small  farms  as  would  be  necessary  to  sup- 
ply the  several  posts  on  the  coast,  would  be 
very  small,  compared  with  the  immense  ad- 
vantage that  would  accrue  to  our  troops. 

The  prisoners  of  war,  confined  by  rebel 
authorities,  have  also  been  the  recipients 
of  aid  from  our  agents  in  this  department ; 
and  the  cases  of  individual  relief  afforded 
refugees  and  to  soldier^needing  transporta- 
tion, &c.,  are  not  a  few.  Mr.  Geo.  B.  Page 
acts  as  the  relief  agent,  and  is  an  earnest 
worker  in  the  cause. 

I  should  be  intruding  upon  the  province 
of  the  intelligent  representative  of  the  Com- 
mission in  North  Carolina,  if  I  attempted 
to  furnish  for  your  readers  the  incidents 
and  details  which  were  observed,  as  they 
will  be  presented, in  his  official  report;  but 
this  hasty  sketch  is  cheerfully  submitted. — 
Dr.  Parrish's  Report. 


THE  CrsrCINNATI  FAIR. 
The  Cincinnati  Sanitary  Fair  having  the 
experience  of  those  of  Boston  and  Chicago 
to  profit  by,,  seems  to  have  outdone  them 
both  in  the  variety  of  its  devices  for  the  rais- 
ing of  money,  and  in  the  products  of  the 
sales.  It  was  opened  with  speeches  from 
General  Eoseoranz,  Bishop  Mollvaine, 
General  Carey,  and  other  notables,  na- 
tional and  local.  Thfe  work  fairly  started, 
the  number  of  things  that  were  done  to 
secure  its  success  defy  all  description  oir 
enumeration.  .  There  was  an  Autograph 
Committee,  whose  business  it  was  to  hunt 
down  celebrities  all  over  the  country,  and 
extort  from  them  something  in  their  own 
handwriting  that  would  satisfy  the  public 
craving .  for  this  species  of  curiosity.  Of 
Dr.  Wendell  Holmes,  of  Boston,  they  re- 
quired that  he  should  be  funny  "over  hifi 
own  signature,"  for  this  special  occasion; 
and  difficult  as  it  is  to  make  people  laugh 
to  order,  Le  was  funny  accordingly.  There 
has,  we  venture  to  say,  been  nothing  in 
this  walk  of  comicality  equal  to  the  follow- 
iag  epistle  since  the  list  of  •  book-titles 


168 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiEetin. 


■which  Thomas  Hood    made  out  for  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire  : 

Boston,  December,  14,  1863. 

Deae  Sie  :  Ton  ast  me  for  a  list  of  questions 
in  Natnral  History,  -with  answers  subjoined,  for 
the'use  of  the  Instructor.  I  submit  a  few, 
which,  I  think,  will  serve  your  purpose  for  the 
proposed  examination  of  the  Scientific  Class : 

"1.  "What  animal  produces  one  of  its  own 
parents  ? 

"  Answer.;— The  beaver,  which  is  well  known 
to  construct  its  own  dam. 

"2.  Is  the  Dodo  extinct? 

"  Ans.  It  is  not,  as  shown  by  the  following 
bill  in  my  possession  : 

' ' '  111-. to  X .  Dr. 

One  mongrel  goose $3  00 

One        "  "     3  00 

$6  00 

"  3.  ."What  is  the  largest  quadruped  ? 

"  Anis. — The  mole  of  Adrian. 

"  4.  "What  is  the  lightest  quadruped  ? 

"Ans. — The  lynx.  The  lynx  weighs  less  than 
ttn  ounce.  ' 

"  5.  When  does  a  horse  stand  on  six  legs  ? 

"Ans. — When  he  stands  on  his/we  legs  and 
his  two  hind  legs  also. 

"  6.  "What  other  insect  is  the  bee  afraid  of? 

"Ans. — The  beetle— (scare-a  bee-us. ) 

"  7.  Is  the  otter  of  roses  obtained  from  that 
.  animal  when  fed  on  other  vegetables— cabbages 
for  instance  ? 

"  Ans. — Probably.  The  musk  deer  furnishes 
his  perfume  when  fed  on  vxifer  melons. 

"  8.  "What  instance  can  you  give  of  the  cun- 
ning of  serpents  ? 

"Ans. — The  simple  fact  that  they  secrete  their 
venom  where  ftey  can  find  it  when  wanted. 

"  9.  Why  do  the  above  questions  amuse  you 
more  than  the  answers  ? 

"Ans. — Because  the  person  who  asks  the 
question  is  the  querist. 

"  As  to  the  other  questions  about  which  you 
ask  my  opinion,  my  answer  must  be  brief. 

"  Eighteen  hours'  study  out  of  the  twenty- four 
is  too  much,  I  think,  for  delicate  young  per- 
sons. It  does  not  allow  sufficient  time  for 
sleep,  recreation,  and  meals. 

"  I  doubt  about  the  introduction  of  capital 
punishment  as  a  part 'of  the  oi-dinary  college 
disoipUue.  It  will  have  a  good  effect  on  the 
survivors,  no  doubt. 

' '  Oliveb  WendelIi  Holmes.  '' 

There  was  a  "Committee  on  Trees,"  whose 
business  it  was  to  dress  Christmas  trees, 
and  large  numbers  of  them,  we  need  hardly 
Ba,f,  were  disposed  of.  There  -ftras  a  Horti- 
cultural Department,  and  it  was  filled  with 
flowers  and  plants  from  various  parts  of  the 
State.  There  was  a  Refreshment  SAl,  and 
it  was  supplied  in  lavish  abundance  with 
every  variety  of  edible,  from  every  place  in 
the  neigliborliood.  The  city  and  its  vicin- 
ity was  divided  into  districts,  and  each  dis- 
trict covered  tlie  tables  with  cooked  dishes 
of  all  kinds  on  a  particulai-  day  assigned  to 


it — coffee,  oysters,  turkeys,  ducks,  chick- 
ens, ham&,  tongues,  beefsteaks,  cakes,, 
fruits — and  a  hundred  ladieS  waited  on  the 
guests.  There  was  a  Ladies'  Bazaar,  in 
■which  almost  evCTy  thing  that  ladies  can 
either  devise  or  manufacture,  or  that  they 
or  gentlemen  are  at  all  likely  to  require, 
■was  exposed  for  sale.  There  is  hardly  any 
art  or  manufacture  that  was  not  represented 
at  it,  and  hardly  any  department  of  indus- 
try in  the  "West  which  did  not  contribute  to 
it.  And  though  last,  not  least,  there  ■was 
an  Art  Gallery,  containing  all  the  most  valu- 
able pictures  to  be  found  in  Cincinnati  or 
its  neighborhood,  lent  by  their  o^wners  for 
the  occasion.  It  must  not  be  forgotten, 
too,  that  as  we  remarked  in  our  last,  Cincin- 
nati, young  as  it  is,  possesses  a  collection 
of  pictures  and  engravings  such  as  only  one 
or  two  other  cities  in  the  Union  can  boast. 
The  proceeds  of  the  fair  are  already  cal- 
culated in  the  rough  at  ^200.000.  This  is 
a  large  advance  on  that  of  Boston,  and  a 
still  larger  on  that  of  Chicago,  and  is 
doubtless  due  to  the  experience  gained  by 
the  example  of  these  cities,  as  well  as  to 
the  growth  of  the  enthusiasm  which  the 
success  of  the  earlier  efforts  in  this  direct 
tion  have  inspired.  There  is,  of  course, 
very  little  doubt  that  New  York  wiU  pro- 
duce a  result  in  money  which  will  far  sur- 
pass that  of  all  the  other  fairs  put  together, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not. 

But  our  readers  will  find,  on  our  .first 
page,  a  full,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  a  con- 
vincing explanation  of  the  fact,  that  all 
these  fairs,  so  far  from  lightening  the  press- 
ure on  the  central  fund  of  the  commission, 
increase  it. 


Dr.  E.  A.  Crane,  under  date  of  Dec.  26,1803, 
says  of  the  national  forces  at  New  Iberia:  "The 
sanitary  condition  of  the  army  is  remarkable. 
I  have  never  seen  in  any  of  our  armies  so  little 
disease.  But  little  ovev  four  per  cent.  (4.3)  of  the 
present  force  is  on  sick  hst.  Only  5.4  per  cent, 
have  been  reported  sick,  inchiding^those  sentto 
General  Hospital  since  Oct.  Ist.  The  highest 
rate  obtains  in  the  cavalry  division,  as  most  of 
the  picketing  now  falls  upon  it.  One  division 
of  the  army  reports  only  1.4 per  cent  sick.'' 

Dr.  Crane  attributes  this  remarkable  freedom 
from  sickness  to  "  light  duties, /air  raiiows,  in- 
cluding sweet  potatoes,  and  an  abundance  of  fresh 
meal,  and  a  liealthy  climate." 


Tlie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


169 


8HALL  CALIF0KNL4.be  ALLOWED  TO  SUP- 
POET  THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION? 
Tliere  seems  a  probability  that  if  tl^ 
Atlantic  States  do  not  bestir  themselves, 
they  may  find  that  California  will  take  the 
■whole  work  of  maintaining  the  Commission 
out  of  their  hands.  The  question  already 
seems  to  be,  not  whether  she  is  ready  to  un- 
dertake the  task,  but  whether  our  self-lqve, 
or  sense  of  duty,  will  allow  it  to  devolve 
upon  her.  At  a  large  meeting  held  in  San 
Francisco  a  few  weeks  ago,  Mr.  WiUiam  T. 
Coleman  said : 

I  was  somewhat  surprised  to  see  thfit  a' public 
announcement  wai  made  that  a  few  individuals, 

•mentioned  by  name,  including  myself  and 
"other  distinguished  speakers,"  should  address 
this  meeting.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me 
to  say,  that  public  speaking  is  not  my  forte;  and 
I  little  expected  that  my  name  would  be  an- 
nounced, as  it  was,  when  I  consented  to  come 
here.  Fortunately,  the  cause  requires  no  elo- 
quence; and,  if  it  did,  the  requirement  would 
be  satisfied  by  the  circulars  of  the  Committee, 
,  and  the  reverend  gentleman  who  is  to  make 
the  closing  speech.  It  was  cheering  to  Cidi- 
forniana  in  the  East,  to  witness  the  emulation 
and  spirit  caused  by  the  contributions  of  our 

'  state  to  the  Sanitary  Fundi  Never  did  a  people 
gain  so  much  at  so  small  a  price.  The  dona- 
tions coming  in  a  bulk,  appeared  to  be  large, 
but,  really,  this  State  has  given  very  little,  in 
comparison  to  others.  The  loyal  States  of  the 
East  have  all  been  called  upon  for  contributions 
in  many  ways  not  witnessed  here.  There 
were  soldiers  to  be  fitted  out,  wounded  soldiers 
to  be  received  on  their  return,  help  to  be  sent  to 
the  battle-field,  and  appeals  were  made  at  every 
corner.  People  have  not  stopped  to  inquire 
any  thing;  save  whether. the  sufferer  was  a  sol- 
dier and  in  need.  The  Government  provided 
arms  and  ammunition  in  abundance,  but  hospi- 
tal supplies  were  lacking;  the  cause  was  in 
danger  of  great  loSs  by  neglecting  wounded  men 
in  the  field  and  in  the  hospitals.  Then  it  was 
that  California  blazed  up  suddenly  with  a  bril- 
liant, a  golden  light,  and  our  State  gained  a  name 
of  which  Californians,  with  all  tEeir  vanity, 
may  well  be  proud.  Though  the  Eastern  States 
have  given  much  more,  their  gifts  were  not  in 
one  large  stream,  but  in  numberless  rivulets  — 
by  States,  by  cities,  by  villages,  by  societies. 
The  treasurer  of  no  eastern  association  has  had 
the  satisfaction  of  sending  $100,0.)0  at  one 
time.  But  if  California  should  give  $100,000 
per  month,  she  would  not  give  any  more  than 
her  share.  Congratulate  yourselves  that  you 
have  so  httle  to  do,  but  take  care  to  do  it  well. 
This  State  ought  really  to  bear  the  entire  ex- 
penses of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  Let  us 
Bmd  them  more  than  theyask.  We  opuld  do  it 
and  never  miss  it.  The  attention  and  favor  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  are  not  limited  to  any 
class  of  soldiers.  No  lines  are  drawn  of  nativ- 
ity, or  of  shades  of  rehgious  or  pohtical  opinion. 
Officers  of  the  Commission  do  not  turn  their 
backs  on  wounded  rebels,  but  supply  theiff 
wants  also,  and  God  grant  that  they  make  bet- 


ter men.  There  were,  not  long,  since,  2,500 
sick  and  wounded  rebels  at  New  York,  and  they 
were  not  neglected.  The  Sanitai-y  Commission 
has  saved  more  lives  and  spared.more  suffering, 
than  any  other  effort  of  that  kind  ever  made.  I 
now  ask  yon,  fellow-citizens,  to  again  come  for- 
ward with  your  contributions  and  subscriptions. 
Your  wealth  is  increasing  at  a  rats  unequalled 
in  the  world,  and  this  great  charity  is  ready  to 
relieve  you  of  part  of  the  responsibility  and 
burden.  Send  fifty  bars  of  gold  and  a  hundred 
of  Silver,  through  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co. ,  by  way  of 
steamer,  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  with  the 
compliments  of  California,  and  you  will  strength- 
en the  weU  with  confidence  and  renewed  zeal, 
and  the  wounded  will  find  their  cup  sweeter  and 
their  beds  softer,  while  they  bless  the  Golden 
State.     [Applause.] 

The  Sati  Francisco  News  Letter  and  Min- 
ing Journal,  commenting  on  this,  says: 

Why  should  not  CalifoAia  assume  the  entire 
expenses  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  ?  She  is 
able  to  do  it— she  should  be  willing.  Why? 
Through  the  Sanitary  Commission  alone  can 
our  people  adequately  and  effectively  give  ex- 
pression to  their  loyalty  and  generous  patriot- 
ism. We  .are  not  called  upon  to  sacrifice  our 
sons  on  the  battle-field,  in  the  swamps,  and 
on  the  tables  of  the  army  surgeons.  Our 
homes  are  not  draped  in  mourning  for  their 
noble  manhood  turned  to  dust  in  the  deadly 
conflict.  We  are  favored  of  Heaven  and  of 
men.  Why,  then,  as  our  flesh  and  blood  are 
spared,  our  property  secure,  our  hearts  and 
heEirths  safe  from  the  desolation  which  has 
hung  crape  on  neafly  every  door  in  the  East- 
ern States;  should  we  not  -willingly,  volun- 
tarily, reply  to  the  appeal  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission? Go  on  with  your  glorious  work 
— we  will  furnish  you  the  means.  This  shall 
be  our  contribution  for  nationality,  hberty,  and 
charity!  Oar  citizens  have  heretofore  given' 
liberally,  munificently.  Sam.  Brannan  is  re- 
ported to  have  given  a  thousand  dollars  recently. 
That  was  noblg.  That  was  probably  not  equal 
♦to  his  income  for  two  days,  yet  it  was  generous 
and  worthy.  Ah,  how  many  at  the  East  would 
gladly  give  their  entire  revenue  for  two  months, 
could  that  buy  for  their  property  and  homes  the 
immunity  and  prosperity  enjoyed  by  ourpeople ! 
Let  our  State  then  take  up  the  support  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  Its  forces  shall  be  CaU- 
fornia's  army.  The  sick  and  wounded  saved 
through  our  gifts  shall  be  the  crown  of  our 
glory,  the  laurels  of  our  victories.  Let.  us 
make  the  name  of  our  State  a  synonym  for  gen- 
erosity, which  every  soldier's  heart  shall  bless 
whenever  he  hears  it  uttered. 

It  would  certainly  be  a  very  noble  thing 
for  California  to  do,  but  it  would  not  be  a 
noble  thing  for  us  to  allow  her  to  do  it. 
The  expenses  of  the  Commission,  it  must 
not  be  forgotten,  have  so  far  been  regulated 
rather  by  its  receipts,  than  by  the  extent  of 
the  work  before  it.  It  has  never  yet  done 
half  what  it  might  have  done,  if  it  had 
more  money;  and  if  its  income  were  double 
what  it  has  ever  yet  been,  it  would  stiU  be 


170 


The  /Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


compelled  to  stop  far  short  of  meeting  all 
the  demands  on  its  stores  and  on  its  en- 
ergy. Consequently,  no  matter  how  much 
California  may  give,  there  will  stDl  be  a  vast 
amount  of  suflFering  left  unrelieved,  if  the 
East  does  not  likewise  do  its  part. 


HELP  FROM  ABEOAD. 

Everybody  knows,  although  we  possess  no 
statistics  on  the  subject,  that  there  is  hardly 
a  city  of  any  size  or  interest  in  Europe, 
which  does  not  possess  a  colony  of  Ameri- 
cans, who  have  gone  abroad  either  to  study, 
themselves,  or  to  educate  their  children,  or 
to  engage  in  business,  or  in  quest  of  health, 
or  simply  to  enjoy  themselves.  They  are 
to  be  found  in  London  and  Paris  by  the 
hundred,  in  Florence,  Rome,  Munich, 
Dresden  and  Berlin,  Baden  and  Pau,  by 
the  dozen,  and  are  nearly  all,  especially 
those  who  are  permanently  resident  in 
these  places,  persons  of  wealth,  or,  at  all 
events,  in  very  easy  circumstances.  They 
are,  generally,  remarkable  for  the  facility 
with  which  they  adapt  themselves  to  for- 
eign manners  and  custonjs,  but  are  equally 
remarkable  for  the  tenacity  with  which  they 
cling  to  their  nationality,  and  the  eager- 
ness, and  almost  ostentation,  with  which 
they  proclaim  it.  Their  love  of  their  coun- 
try, and  interest  in  its  fortunes,  in  fact,  as 
has  been  proven  by  their  demeanor  during 
the  war,  seem  to  gain  intensity  in  the  di- 
rect ratio  of  their  distance  from  it.  No 
Americans  have  been  so  zealous  in  their* 
support  of  the  Government,  so  uncompro- 
mising in  their  loyalty  to  the  Union,  as  those 
whose  lot  has,  since  our  troubles  com- 
menced', been  cast  in  foreign  lands  ;  and 
their  zeal  in  its  defence  has  probably  been 
quickened  by-the  fact  that  they  have  found 
themselves  for  nearly  three  years,  on  the 
continent  as  Well  as  in  England,  incessantly 
eiigaged  in  repelling  the  attacks  on  the  na- 
tional cause,  which,  strange  to  say,  most 
foreigners,  for  some  time  past,  seem  to  take 
special  delight  in  making,  whenever,  either 
in  steamboat,  train,  hotel,  or  even  in  or- 
dinary social  intercourse,  they  find  them- 
selves in  the  company  of  Americans. 

It  has  long  been  a  subject  of  regret  that 
this  patriotic  fervor  of  the  Americans 
abroad  could  not  be  made  to  display  itself 
in  something  more  substantial  and  service- 


able than  a  wordy  warfare  at  dinner  tables 
and  in  cafes,  and  that  some  means  could 
n*t  bg  provided  that  would  enable  them  to 
share  in  that  work  of  succoring  and  com- 
forting the  armies  in  the  field,  in  which 
everybody  at  home  is  in  one  way  or  other 
engaged.  We  are  glad  to  say  that  this 
want  has  at  last  been  supplied  by  the  es- 
tabKshraent  in  Paris  of  an  organization  to 
be  known  as  th^  "Edkopean  Beanch  ov 
THE  United  States  Santtaey  Commission." 
It  has  been  started  under  the  auspices,  and 
in  a  great  measure  owing  to  the  exertions  of 
Dr.  McClintock,  the  Minister  of  the  Amer- 
ican Chapel  in  the  Eue  de  Berri,  aided  by 
a  number  of  active  and  patriotic  Americans, 
either  temporarily  or  permanently  resident 
in  the  French  capital — and  there  are  a 
large  number  of  such.  They  have  ap- 
pointed a  Secretary,  hired  offices,  collected 
money,  and  are  establishing  bra;nches  in 
all  the  places  most  frequented  by  Ameri- 
cans in  other  parts  of  Europe,  and  have 
placed  themselves  already  in  communica- 
tion with,  and  under  the  control  of,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  here.  Money  they 
hope  to  be  able  to  send,  us  in  considerable 
sums — ^that  is,  considerable  for  the  number 
of  persons  from  whom  it  will  have  to  be 
collected  ;  and  offer  at  the  outset  to  con- 
tribute to  our  stores  what  it  is  difficult,  if 
not  impossible,  to  procure  here,  except  at 
very  high  prices — a  quantity  of  very  fine 
and  perfectly  pure  brandy.  .We  are  in 
hopes  that  they  may  be  able  to  do  much  in 
collecting  and  forwarding  contributions  to 
the  New  York  Sanitary  Fair  from  the  vari- 
ous European  countries.  There  is  one  ser- 
vice whiclr  they  will  undoubtedly  render, 
which  though  perhaps  not  so  immediate  in 
its  results,  may  be  of  more  permanent  ben- 
efit to  the  country  tlian  any  other,  by  the 
diffusion  of  information  in  Europe  touch- 
ing the  medical  and  sanitary  aids  which  the 
nation  has  provided  for  its  armies  during 
this  war.  There  is  certainly  nothing  in  our 
history,  or  in  our  actual  social  condition, 
entitling  us  to  so  high  a  place  in  the  seal© 
of  civilization,  as  our  efforts  to  save  life  dur- 
ing the.  last  three  years;  and  they  only  need^ 
we  are  quite  satisfied,  to  be  more  widely 
known,  in  order  to  secure  for  us  a  wider 
and  more  lasting  renown  than  will  ever  be 
won  for  us  .by  our  armies.     How  little  they 


The  Sanitary  Commisnon  BvEetin. 


171 


are  yet  known  in  Europe  is,  however,  re- 
vealed by  the  fact,  that  at  the  Sanitary  Gon- 
ferenoe  which  recently  met  at  Geneva, 
Switzeiiand,  and  -was  attended  by  all  the 
leading  army  surgeons  and  sanitary  re- 
formers in  Europe,  and  of  the  proceedings 
of  which  we  gave  a  summaiy  in  the  last 
number  of  the  Bulletin,  no  mention  what- 
ever was  made,  nor  did  any  thing  seem  to 
have  been  heard  by  the  members  of  it,  of 
the  fact  that  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission  had  for  over  two  years  been 
engaged  in  the  successful  prosecution  of 
the  very  work  of  which  the  Conference  met 
to  discuss  the  possibility ;  no  mention  of 
the  fact  that  we  had  rendered,  through 
three  campaigns,  that  very  aid- to  the  largest 
army  in  the  world,  of  which  they  spoke  in 
all  their  discussions  as  a  new,  unfamiliar 
problem  ;  no  mention  of  the  vast,  compli- 
cated, and  yet  perfectly  successful  organi- 
zation by  which  this  aid  has  been  afforded ; 
no  mention  of  the  great  mass  of  facts  of  the 
highest  interest,  and  of  the  compl&test 
novelty,  bearing  on  this  whole  question  of 
the  sanitary  condition  of  armies  in  the 
field,  which  we  have  collected  and  col- 
lated, and  which  are  to  be  found  in  the 
documents  which  we  have  for  the  last  three 
years  been  scattering  broadcast  over  the 
country.  Of  course,  this  extraordinary 
omission,  this  strange  spectacle  of  scientific 
men  meeting  to  discuss,  in  the  heart  of  Eu- 
rope, the  possibility  of  constructing  a  ma- 
chine which  had  been  for  years  in  success- 
ful operation  only  a  fortnight's  distance 
from  where  they  sat,  was  due  simply  to 
ignoi'ance.  We  owe  it  to  the  cause  of  sci- 
ence and  humanity,  therefore,-  not  less 
than  to  our  own  fame,  to  see  that  this  igno- 
rance is  removed  by  a  wider  diffusion  in 
Europe  of  the  printed  records  of  our  labors, 
and  this  the  "European  Branch"  wUl  aid 
us  materially  in  doing. 

OUR  DOINGS  IN  WASHINGTON. 
The  agency  established  by  the  Commis- 
sion for  the  purchase  of  supplies  for  the 
hospitals  in  Washington,  last  summer,  of 
the  nature  and  object  of  which  a  full  ex- 
planation will  be  given  in  No.  4  of  the 
Bulletin,  has  now  been  in  operation  six 
months,  and  the  report  of  the  agent  shows 
the  total  weight  ofi  the  supplies  purchased 


in  Philadelphia  and  delivered  in  Washing- 
ton during  that  period,  as  taken  from  the 
manifests  of  the  Express  Company,  was 
1,738^331  lbs.,  or  869  tons  331  fts.  This 
includes  the  weight  of  the  boxes,  barrels, 
&c.,  in  which  the  supplies  are  packed  for 
shipment. 

The  cost  of  the  above  supplies  in 
Philadelphia,  delivered  to  the  Ex- 
press Company,  was $87,361.10 

Amount  paid  Express  Company  for        ' 
Transportation 11,380  06 

Amount  paid  to  purchasing  agent  in 
Philadelpliia, 2,192.82 

Amount  paid  for  ofSce  and  expenses 
in  Philadelphia 1,567.02 

Amount  paid  in  Washington  for  in- 
suring,  , 721.21 

Total  amoxmt  of  cost  when  ready  for 
delivery  to  the  hospitals 113,222.21 

Although  there  was  considerable  com- 
plaint made  at  the  first  by  the  stewards  as 
to  various  ^articles  furnished,  and  also 
the  prices  of  some  of  the  supplies,  we  are 
convinced  it  was  partly  from  the  fact  that 
it  was  a  new  work,  and  that  we  started  be- 
fore we  were  fuUy  ready,  and  before  there 
was  a  definite  understanding  between  the 
purchasing  agent  in  Philadelphia  and  the 
agent  in  this  city,  who  was  assigned  to  this 
duty,  as  was  supposed,  onl^  temporarily. 

As  a  rule,  the  surgeons  of  the  hospitals 
seem  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  supplies 
which  they  receive  through  the  Sanitary 
Commission  are  of  better  quality,  and  at  a 
much  less  price,  than  they  could  have  ob- 
tained the  same  in  the  markets  of  this  city. 

Some  of  the  stewards  of  the  hospitals 
stiU  get  a  large  amount  of  their  supplies  in 
the  Washington  market ;  and  one  of  the 
reasons  that  led  the  Sanitary  Commission 
to  undertake  this  work  was,  to  prevent'  the 
.  stewards  from  receiving  a  per  cent  from 
the  dealers  there. 

If  the  order  issued  by  the  Medical  Di- 
rector to  the  surgeons  of  the  hospitals, 
bearing  date  of  June  23d,  1863,  in  which 
he  says:  "The  Surgeon-General  directs 
that  the  purchase  of  such  supplies  will  be 
made  by  yom  from  no  other  source,  except 
incases  of  emergency,"  was  obeyed  to  the 
letter,  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  men 
in  the  hospitals  would  get  a  larger  amount 
of  fresh  food  than  they  can  if  the  stewardis 
are  allowed  to  purchase  elsewhere,  and  in 
this  way  reducing  the  hospital  fund  lower 


172 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


than  it  would  have  been  had  they  "pur- 
chased through  the  Commission. 

If  the  hospitals  were  all  fully  supplied  by 
the  Commission,  it  would  be  no  extj;a  ex- 
pense, either  in  purchasing  or  in  insuring, 
as  the  force  which  is  necessary  to  do  the 
amount  of  wort  now  done,  could  do  what 
extra  work  there  would  be  from  the  in- 
crease of  orders. 

From  the  reports  of  other  departments 

of  ouJ  labor  at  Washington,  we  find  that 

the    organization  for  procuring    soldiers' 

pay,  in  connection  with  Lodge  No.  4,  has 

been  at  work  during  the  quarter  ending 

Deo.  31st,  1863,  with  the  following  results: 

Whole  number  of  oases  taken 457 

Number  completed  by  seouiing  certificates 

of  pay 291 

Number  completed  in  which  no  certificates 

were  granted 80 

Total  number  of  completed  cases 371 

Total  number  of  incompleted  cases 86 

Amount  represented   by  completed 

cases $12,201.00 

And  the  "Home,"  at  the  same  place, 
,has,  during  the  same  period,  given  food, 
shelter,  and  assistance,  in  the  following 
number  of  oases: 

Whole  number  admitted 1, 576 

"  lodged  .■ 9.954 

"  of  meals  furnished 24,885 

Number  admitted  to  the  hospital 198 

Number  of  deaths  in  hospital 8 

Of  the  extent  to  which  all  parts  of  the 
Union  are  benefited  by  this  department  of 
our  labors,  and  of  the  jealous  and  watchful 
indifference — if  we  may  use  the  expression 
— to  all  distinctions  of  birthplace,  status, 
or  political  creed,  with  which  it  is  carried 
on,  some  idea  may  be  formed  from  the  fol- 
lowing table.  There  is  but  one  valid  claim 
on  the  assistance  of  "The  Home" — that 
is,  sicltness,  or  destitution,  or  friendless- 
ness,  caused  by  the  war: 


Maine 59 

New  Hampshire. . .  46 

Vfermont 46 

Massachusetts 164 

Ehode  Island 24 

Connecticut 40 

New  York 102 

New  Jersey 15 

Iowa 1 

Minnesota C 

Missomi 14 

Colorado 1 

Political  prisoners    4 
Citizens 10 


Delaware 29 

.Pennsylvania 202 

Maryland 16 

Dist.  of  Columbia.  13 

Ohio 16 

Indiana 2i) 

Illinois 10 

Wisconsin 46 

Michigan 95 

Regular  army 77 

Invalid  corps 32 

Q.  i\l.  Department. .  25 
Nm-ses 2 


HOW  THE  EEBEL  PRISONERS  FARE. 

The  subjoined  communication  from  one 
of  our  inspectors  on  the  condition  of  the 
rebel  prisoners  at  Point  Lookout,  Md., 
is  a  very  emphatic  rejoinder  to  the  counter 
charges  of  ill  treatment  and  starvation  with 
which  the  liichmond  papers  are  now  seek- 
ing to  cover  up  the  misconduct  of  their  own 
officials  with  regard  to  our  men.  When  we 
last  wrote,  on  this  subject,  there  was  a  good 
deal  in  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  camp 
at  Point  Lookout  that  admitted  of  im- 
provement. In  ether  words,  there  was  a 
want  of  thorough  policeing,  though  not 
greater,  than  is  occasionally  seen  in -our  own 
camps,  where  officers  are  inattentive  to  one 
of  their  most  important  duties.  This  has 
now  been  remedied,  and  the  fact  ■with  re- 
gard to  the  prisoners'  increase  in  weight, 
which  our  inspector  produces,  proves  be- 
yond question  that  physically  the  condi-  ■ 
tion  of  a  Confederate  soldier  in  our  custody 
is  much  better  than  it  would  be  if  serving 
in  the  ranks  of  any  of  his  own  armies.  And 
this  is  something  that  nobody  will  regret. 
Nothing  can  aid  better  in  breaking  down 
the  military  power  of  the  Confederacy, 
which  is  now,  beyond  question,  all  that  re- 
mains of  the  rebellion,  than  the  kind  treat- 
ment of  the  men  who  fall  into  our  hands. 
Any  thing  like  retaliation  for  the  cruelties 
infiicted  on  our  prisoners  at  Richmond, 
would  only  be  excusable  on  the  ground 
that  it  was  necessary  to  secure  a  mitigation 
of  their  sufferings.  Eesort  to  it,  for  any 
other  reason,  woiild  not  only  evince  a  want 
of  self-respect  on  our  part,  but  would  be 
exceedingly  bad  policy. 

General  Butler  has,  we  believe,  sought  to 
fortify  his  position  in  the  negotiatibns 
now  pending  for  an  exchaiige  of  prison- 
ers, by  the  affidavits  of  several  rebel  non- 
commissioned officers,  touching  the  food 
and  clothing  of  the  prisoners,  and  we  are 
informed  their  tenor  is  very  similar,  and  on 
some  points  stronger,  than  that  of  the  re- 
ports of  our  agents. 

I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  six  hundred  (600) 
reports  of  individual  inspection  of  prisoners  of 
war  at  this  point.  My  work  goes  on  well.  On 
the  whole,  I  think  the  prisoners  are  satisfied 
with  their  rations  and  the  treatment  they  re- 
ceive from  the  officers  having  them  in  their 
charge. 

Some  interesting  facts  are  developed  in  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


173 


inspection  here,  I  was  struck  by  the  fact,  that 
nearly  every  man  examined,  expressed  surprise 
at  hi.f  not  weighing  more ;  it  was  quite  usual 
for  them  to  say,  "I  have  lost  twenty,  thirty,  or 
fifty  pounds. "  As  an  inducement  to  the  men 
to  be  examined,  I  have  permitted  them  (having 
been  already  examined)  to  use  the  scales,  the 
dinamometer  and  spirometer,  whenever  they 
are  not  in  use.  The  result  is,  I  find  they  have 
almost  uniformly  increased  in  weight  and 
Strength.  This  with  the  fare  and  comforts  of 
a  ' '  Yankee  prison ! "  Many  of  them  appreciate 
the  luxary  of  having  plenty  of  "Uncle  Sam's 
hard  tack"  and  salt  pork,  and  express  them- 
selves determined  never  to  go  back  to  Eebel- 
dom  and  short  rations. 

Under  the  excellent  management  of  Surgeon 
Thompson,  the  camp  hospital  is  very  much  im- 
proved, and  the  whole  camp  presents  a  much 
better  appearance  than  that  of  a  few  weeks 
since.  It  is  better  arranged,  better  •policed— 
better  in  every  respect.  Scurvy  has  nearly 
"made  its  disappearance."  I  think  the  condi- 
tion of  the  rebels  in  the  hands  of  the  United 
States  will  compare  very  favorably  with  that  of 
our  men  in  Kichmond,  allowing  that  the  re-, 
ports  received  from  there  are  foui-fifths  exag- 
gerated. 

I  hardly  think  our  men  in  "Libby"  and 
"  Castle  Thunder  "  are  growing  fal  on  rebel  ra- 
tions. 


THE  PROTECTIVE  WAR-CLAIM  AGENCY 
IN  PHILXDELPHIAj 
The  Protective  War-Claim  Agency  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  had  its  origin  in  the  de- 
sire to  effect  a  prompt  settlement  of  the  claims 
of  soldiers  and  their  relatives  upon  the  Govern- 
ment, and  to  afford  protection  against  the  ex- 
orbitant demands  too  often  made  by  claim 
agents.  The  measure  met  with  the  cordial  ap- 
proval of  the  departments  at  Washington, 
whose  labors  it  tended  to  facilitate  by  dimin- 
ishing the  opportunities  for  the  prosecution  of 
fraudulent  claims.  .A  board  of  managers  was 
organized,  and  an  examining  surgeon  and  soli- 
citor were  appointed  in  May,  1863,  and,  in  the 
same  month,  an  office  was  opened  in  the  build- 
ing occupied  by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
at  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia.  The 
result  has  fully  (Jemonstrated  the  value  of  the 
enterprise.  Without  any  special  effort  to  call 
public  attention  to  the  work  of  the  agency, 
nearly  one  thousand  claims  were  presented  to 
it  in  the  first  six  months  of  its  operation,  and 
the  business  has  shown  each  month  a  steady 
increase.  Two-thirds  of  these  claims  were  pre- 
ferred by  soldiers  coming  from  aU  parts  of  the 
loyal  States,  who  had  been  honorably  dis- 
charged from  the  United  States  service  by  rea- 
son of  wpunds  or  sickness  incurred  thereip,  and, 
the  remainder  were  made  by  the  relatives  of 
deceased  soldiers.  In  addition  to  its  regu^r 
work  of  prosecuting  claims  for  pension  and 


bounty,  the  agency  has  been  instrumental  in 
obtaining  their  descriptive  lists  for  soldiers  who 
had  lain  months  in  hospital  without  pay  for 
want  of  those  papers,  and  in  correcting,  through 
the  aid  of  its  correspondents  at  Washington, 
errors  in  the  final  statements  of  discharged 
soldiers,  which  would  otherwise  have  occasion- 
ed them  serious  loss.  By  an  arrangement  with 
the  paymaster,  Major  Taggart,  and  the  United 
States  District  Attorney,  the  back  pay  due 
prisoners  of  war  at  Richmond  is  also  procured 
for  their  wives  or  mothers  upon  sufficient  proof 
being  made  of  such  captivity  and  of  the  claim- 
ant's identity.  These  matters  are  all  adjusted 
and  payments  made  without  any  cost  to  the  ap- 
plicant, except  a  trifling  fee  paid  to  the  magis- 
trate for  executing  the  necessary  affidavits.  The 
saving  thus  effected  to  paiS^es  who  are,  in  near- 
ly every  case,  of  very  limited  means,  may  be 
computed  already  at  thousands  of  dollars.  A 
few  instances,  selected  at  random,  will  effect- 
ually prove  this  :  A  woman,  residing  in  Phil- 
adelphia, whose  husband  died  in  Ihe  service 
about  eighteen  months  ago,  applied,  shortly 
after  his  death,  to  a  firm  doing  business  as 
claim  agents,  who  engaged  to ijrocureher  pen- 
sion and  bounty  for  the  sum  of  ten  dollars;  !it 
the  end' jjf  eighteen  months  they  handed  over 
to  her  the  amount  of  her  claim  for  bounty,  less 
a  charge  of  twenty-five  dollars  for  their  services, 
and  then  told  her  that  they  had  overlooked  her 
claim  for  pension  altogether.  Another  lady, 
the  widow  of  an  officer,  to  whom  large  arrear- 
ages were  due,  but  whose  claim  required  very 
little  prooii  and  that  of  the  simplest  sort,  and 
was  prom^ly  adjusted  by  the  department,  was 
forced, to  pay  ten  per  cent,  to  a,  claim  agent, 
whom  she  had  employed  for  its  collection.  Al- 
though a  severe  penalty  is  imposed  by  the  act 
of  July  14, 1862,  where  the  charge  by  an  attor- 
ney for  prosecuting  a  pension  claim  exceeds  the 
sum  of  five  dollars,  the  provision  is  often  evad- 
ed, by  charges  for  additional  papers,  which 
are  seldom  requisite  if  the  claim  is  originally 
properly  prepared. 

One  great  hinderance  to  the  satisfactory  ad- 
justment of  claims  for  the  bounty  and  back  pay 
of  soldiers  dying  in  the  service,  and  it  is  feared, 
to  the  work  of  enlisting  recruits,  is  found  in  the 
tedious  process  to  which  those  claims  are  sub- 
jected before  final  action  upon  them  is  had  at 
the  Second  Auditor's  Department.  At  least  a 
year  usually  elapses  from  the  date  of  the  soU 
dier's  death  before  the  bounty  and  back  pay 
remaining  unsettled  can  be  secured  to  his 
widow  or  children.  This  period  is  usually  the 
one  in  which  his  loss  is  most  felt,  pecuniarily, 
by  his  family.    Legislation  upon  this  point, 


174 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin^ 


eltlier  iu  the  way  of  increasing  the  force  of 
dlerks  in  tha  dapavtm  ::nta  cUi.i'g3l  with  the  set 
tiement  of  these  claims,  or  in  that  of  simplify- 
ing the  aoooiiuts  of  tha  army,  is  Imperatively 
needed.  To  alleviate,  in  soins  degree,  the  disr 
tress  occasioned  by  this  delay,  it  is  designed  to 
set  apart  a  sum  from  the  funds  of  the  Commis- 
rfbii,  from  which  to  advance  small  sums  in  very 
necessitous  cases,  upon  claims  oh  iile  at  the 
agency;  but  the  relief  ithus  afford'ed;  it  is  mani- 
,  fest,  must  be  very  meagre  and  inadequate. 

The  value  qf  the  Protective  War-Clajm  Agency 
must  be  evident  from  this  statement  of  its  pur- 
poses and  principles.  If  any  further  evidence 
of  its  right  to  the  confidence  of  thesoldier,  and 
the  friends  of  the  soldier,  were  heeded,  it  would 
be  found  in  the  character  of  its  oScers.  Mr. 
Wm.  H.  Tilghmau  is  the  Dhairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee, and  among  its  directors  are  Horace  Bin- 
ney,  Jr.,  Alexander  Brown,  William  Welsh,  Hon. 
J.  J.  Clarke  Hare,  Charles  J.  ijtiUe,  iJenjaTuin 
Gerhard,  VVm.  L.  Eehn,  George  Irott,  Geoi'ge 
D.  Parrish,  George  M.  Conuarroe,  U.  Lennox 
Hodge,  M.  D.,  and  Atherton  ijlight.  Mr.  Wil- 
liam M.  Ashmaii  is  the  solicitor  Of  the  Agency. 
Tha  institution  has  been  quietly  doing  a  good 
wprk  for  some  months,  and  wo  think  it  right 
that  the  public  should  fiiUy  know  it 

Another  branch  of  the  same  institution  is  at 
work  in  New  York,  as  our  readers  Will  see 
by  reference  to  the  advertisement  in  our 
columns.. 


DEE3S  AND- HYGIENE  IN  THE  BRITISH 
ABMY. 
Whatever  errors  are  conspicuous  in  the  dress 
of  the  army  and  the  volunteer  forflte,  may  be 
traced  mainly  to  a  neglect  of  those  hygienic 
considerations  suggested  by  the  duties  peculiar 
to  the  soldier  and  the  volimteet.  The  foi-mer  is 
sacrificed  to  decorate  sartorial  effects;  the  lat- 
ter has  too  commonly  sacrificed  himself  by 
adopting  an  attire  which  i&but  a  mongrel  ver- 
sion of  the  dress  of  ttie  8oldi«r  of  the  line,  lack- 
ing the  relief  derived  from  brilliahcy  of  color 
and  ornamentation,  and  equally  unsuited  for 
active  service  in  the  field.  What  can  he  more 
lamentable,  from  an  sesthetical  point  of  view, 
than  a  volunteer  regiment  composed  of  the  long 
and  the  short,  the  meagre  and  the  stout,  the  an- 
gular and  the  rounded,  clad  in  tight-fitting 
and  straight>out  trowseis?  Fitted  only  for  the 
well-formed,  no  dress  more  fully  brings  irtto 
prominence  all  the  ugliness  of  the  ill -formed; 
dependent  upon  the  integrity  of  the  stiff  lines 
originally  devised  aind  set  up  by  the  tailor,  and 
not  on  easily  and  gracefully  flowing  folds,  for 
such  beauty  as  it  possesses,  none  is  more  un- 


suited for  the  rough 'wear  and  tear  of  cam- 
paigning. 

That  complete  diffusion  of  body  and  liifibs  on 
the- ground,  which  is  a  necessity  of  proper  rest 
after  marching  or  fighting,  is  an  impossibility 
While  the  body  and  extremities  are  so  tightly 
girthed;  and  comfort  in  squatting  on  the  hams 
or  kneeling  is  to  be  obtained  only  by  r^kless  in- 
difference to  the  original  formation  andintegrit^ 
of  the  inexpressibles. 

It  needs  but  a  glance  at  the  condition  of  dress 
of  the  regular  soldier  off  duty  at  nightfall,  in 
in  the  field,  in  camp,  or  in  barracks,  to  see  that 
the  tight-fitting  tunic  and  straight-cut  trowsers 
were  devised  only  for  the  erect  position.  Every 
button  unloosed,  to  secure  some  degree  of  free- 
dom to  his  limbs,  he  is  the  very  antithesis  of 
the  -orderly,  well-set  locomotive  uniform  which 
most  gratifies  the  eyes  of  the  martinet. 

The  loose  jacket  with  which  the  soldier  is 
permitted  to  indue  himself  in  the  intervals  of 
duty  is  not  merely  a  hygienic  requisite,  but  it  is 
also  necessary  as  a  preventive  of  mutiny. 

Previous  to  the  Crimean  war,  the  soldier,  sar- 
torioally  regarded,  was  simply  looke^d  upon  as  a 
tailor's  block,  and  not  as  a  living  sentient  being. 
It  was  anticipated  that  the  inquiries  of  the 
Koyal  Commission  of  18&7  on  the  sanitary  state 
•of  the  army,^ould  give  the  cofup  de  grace  to  this 
perverted  notion.  Certainly  they  led  to  the  ex- 
cision of  that.portentous  decoration  and  illimit- 
able expenditure  of  braid  and  gaudy  worsteds, 
which  had  previously  constituted  the  highest 
expression  of  military  iesthetics. 

But  the  great  piinciple  by  which  the  Com- 
mission sought  to  ballast  the  sartorial  vagaries 
of  the  Horse-Guards  has  proved  far  less  effect- 
ive than  was  to  have  been  desired.  "  Too  much 
importance,"  said  the  Commission,  "cannot  bo. 
attached  to  an  easy  adjusttnent  of  the  clothing, 
so  as  to  leave  to  'the  respiratory  and  other 
organs  of  the  body,  as  well  as  to  its  muscular 
development,  the  utmost  freedom."  Six  years 
have  elapsed  since  this  important  opinion  was 
eitUnoiated,  yet  we  find  a  recent  committee  of 
officers  formed  for  the  purpose  of  simplifying 
the  equipment  of  the  soldier,  occupied  chiefly 
with  the  following  questions:  The  substitution' 
of  a  loose  serge-jacket  for  the  tight-fit'ing  and 
•uncomfortable  shell-jacket,  now  in  use  for  sum- 
mer and  ordinary  field  days;  the  selection  of  a 
forage  cap  of  presentable  aspect  and  comfort^' 
able  for  wear,  the  Kilmarnock  cap  in  use  being 
aa  difficult  to  "set  up"  and  keep  in  order 
as  starched  linen,  and  when  set  up  destructive 
of  mental  and  cranial  comfort;  removing  the 
useless  hand-slash  of  the  tunic,  and  giving  a 
larger  and  more  comfortable  sleeve.     Other  al- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bvttetin. 


175 


terations  in  dress  and  equipments  are  pro- 
posed, all  tending  to  ease  somewliat  the  bound- 
up  limbs  of  the  unhappy  soldier.  la  there  no 
military  Teufeldrockh  to  show  that  ease  and 
freedom,  durability  and  military  smartness  and 
handsomeness,  are  not  inconsistent  -with  each 
■Other,  and  may  be  combined  in  one  attractive 
Whole? 

The  recent  Eoyal  Commission  on  the  Indian 
army  approached  the  subject  of  dress  with 
great  diffidence.  Admitting  there  had  been 
great  improvements  of  late  years,  it  gave  a 
qualified  approval  to  the  present  driss  of  the 
European  soldier  in  the  tropics,  and  limited  its 
suggestions  to  the  under-olothing,  the  head- 
dress, and  the  boots.  It  urged  that  the  use  of 
a  light  flannel  garment  next  the  skin  should  be 
made  imperative— an  admirable  suggestion,  if 
the  texture  of  the  material  be  such  as  not  to 
laake  its  adoption  a  torture. 

The  form  and  structure  of  the  boot  were  just- 
ly animadverted  upon.  The  English  gentle- 
men's broad-soled,  broad-toed,  flat-heeled  wa>k- 
ing  shoe  or  boot,  is  the  perfection  of  a  covering 
for  the  foot,  in  form,  ease,  and  utility.  'Why, 
then,  should  our  soldiers  be  condemned  to  the 
presentwretohed  shapeless  abortions  of  ammu- 
nition-boots ?  The  head-dress,  murderously 
perverted  too  often  at  home,  is  of  pre-eminent 
■  importance  in  India.  It  would  be  impossible, 
probably,  to  suggest  any  thing  to  surpass  in 
ease,  oomfort,  or  elegance,  a  modification  of  the 
r,  turban;  but  the  conventional  sartoiial  notions 
of  the  military  mind  seem  to  interpose  an  in- 
superable obstacle  to  its  adoption.  The  wicker- 
work  helmet  now  in  use  in  India  affords  con- 
siderable protection  to  the  head  against  the 
'  san'srays;  but  several  improvements  are  sug- 
gested by  Mr.  Julius  Jeffreys,  F.  B.  S.,  of  the 
Bengal  anny,  to  which  the  Commission  directs 
particular  attention.  "He  proposes  to  make 
the  outer  shell  of  the  helmet  double,  with  a  ven- 
tilated space  between  the  layers,  and  within  the 
shell  there  is  a  lining  to  fit  tight  to  the  head, 
leaving  another  ventilated  space  between  the 
inner  surfaice  of  the  shell  and  the  wearer's  head. 
The  object  of  the  contrivance  is  to  insure  the 
passage  upwards  of  two  distinct  currents  of 
heated  air  between  the  outer  shell  of  the  helmet 
and  the  head.  In  order  to  diminish  the  power 
of  the  outer  shell  to  absorb  the  sun's  rays,  the 
inventor  proposes  to  cover  it  with  a  thin,  high- 
ly-polished metallic  surface.  The  fatal  objec- 
tion to  this  helmet  is  its  ungainly  aspect.^ 

It  is  a  curious  and  somewhat  inexplicable 
feet,  tihat  Mr.  Merret's  ingenious  "YentilaHng 
Gusset"  should  not  have  received  the  attention 
of  the  Commission.    The  advantages  proposed 


to  be  derived  from  this  invention  are  best  set 
forth  in  a  report  on  an  experimental  trial  made 
with  it  in  the  7th  Eoyal  Fusiliers,  stationed  at 
Ferozepori.  The  commanding  officer,  in  his 
official  report,  states  that  the  gussets  had  the 
elfect  of  preventing  an  accumulation  of  perspi- 
ration ;  they  kept  the  parts  they  covered  cool 
and  clean,  and  they  strengthened  the  garment. 
Few  things  are  more  obnoxious  dming  active 
or  practical  exercise  in  hot  weather  than  pro- 
fuse perspiration  in  the  arm- pits,  overheating 
and  irritation  of  the  cleft  of  the  buttocks,  and 
chafing  of  the  upper  part  of  the  thighs.  The 
remedying  of  these  evils  must  be  a  boon  to  the 
civilian  as  well  as  thi>  soldier.  Many  of  the  for- 
mer, have  already  certified  to  the  efficacy  of  Mr. 
Merret's  invention  in  bringing  about  this  desir- 
able result,  and  it  is'  4o  be  trusted  that  the 
military  authorities  will  subject  it  to'  wide  exper- 
iment with  the  latter.  —Lancet. 


THE  GREAT  BKOOKLYN  AND  LONG 

ISLAND  PAIE. 
We  publish  below  a  circular  prepared  by  " 
the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Execu' 
tive  Committfee  of  the  great  Sanitary  rair, 
and  also  a  lull  list  of  the  committees  ap- 
pointed to  carry  its  objects  into  effect : 

CmCULAE. 

Deae  Sib:  In  the  terrible  conflict  now  being 
waged  for  the  preservation  of  our  Government 
and  Nationality,  every  thing  belonging  to  our 
personal,  social,  and  political  welfare  is  at  stake, 
and  the  brave  and  gallant  men  in  arms  are 
perilling  their  lives,  and  giving  up  the  comfort 
and  joy  of  their  homes  iUj  our  stead.  They 
fight  these  hard  battles  for  us.  They  endure  . 
severe  exposure  for  us  They  are  wasting  away 
in  the  tilth  and  starvation  of  rebel  prisons  for 
us.  And,  when  stricken  down  by  the'  diseases 
of  the  camp,  or  wounded  and  maimed  in  the 
field,  they  have  a  right,  sanctioned  by  every 
patriotic  and  humane  consideration,  to  expeot 
the  nation  to  come  to  their  succor.  The  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  by  its  most  disin- 
terested and  gratuitous  labors,  has  proved  it- 
self the  wise,  prompt,  laithful,  rehable,  and 
sufficient  agent  ol  the  nation  in  this  regard;  and, 
therefore,  by  a  Fair,  to  be  opened  on  the  birth- 
day of  the  Father  of  his  ■  Country,  the  22d  of 
Fsbruaiy  next,  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of 
Music,  we  purpose  and  confidently  expect  to 
secure  from  the  city,  and  the  entire  island,  a 
contribution  of  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  its  treasui'y.  The  inspiring 
examples  of.  other  cities,  Chicago,  Boston,  Cin- 
cinnati, should  excite  among  us  an  honorable 
emulation.  Let  it  be  seen  that  in  this  great 
national  crisis  we  are  at  least  as  generous,  self- 
sacrificing,  and  resolved,  as  the  foremost  of 
them.  This  enterprise  has  been  undertaken  at 
the  instance  of  the  Woman's  Belief  Association 
and  the  War  Fund  Committee  of  this  city.  As 
an  earnest  of  the  spirit  which  has  prompted  it 


176 


The  Sanitary^  Commission  Bulletin. 


and  will  carry  it  througli.  we  point  to  the  fact 
that  at  a  meeting  of  the  General  (Committee,  on 
the  19th  ult.,  twenty-five  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  were  subscribed  on  the  spot — an  amount 
already  increased  to  forty  thousand  dollars.  As 
a  further  pledge  that  the  enterprise  shall  not 
fail,  we  subjoin  the  names  of  those,  of  either 
sex  who  have  consented  to  share  its  manage- 
ment ;  with  those  of  the  various  sub-Commit- 
tees, who  are  responsible  for  the  complete 
working  of  the  several  departments  of  the  Fair. 
W.e  appeal  to  our  fellow-citizens  and  noble 
women  here  and  throughout  the  island,  and  to 
those  elsewhere  who  may  fairly  be  expected  to 
sympathize  with  us  in  our  undertaking,  to  lend 
their  aid  by  personal  efforts  and  by  the  largest 
contributions  of  material  and  money,  of  agri- 
cultural produce,  of  the  fi»iits  of  manufacturing 
and  mechanical  skill,  of  works  of  art,  of  any 
thing  and  every  thing  from  their  industry,  in- 
genuity, or  abundance,  which  may  swell  the 
grand  resiilt  for  which  we  loek. 

Further  particulars  in  relation  to  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  Fair  will  be  made  known  as  early 
aspoBsible,  by  circulars  from  the  several  special 
committees,  and  by  other  documents  from  the 
Executive  Committee. 

Meanwhile,  any  desired  information  in  regard 
to  the  Fair  may  be  had  of  the  Corresponding 
Secretary,  either  by  personal  application  at  the 
rooms  of  the  War  Fund  Committee,  16  Court 
street,  daily,  Sundays  excepted,  between  the 
hoiirs  of  9  and  II,  and  3  and  5  ;  or  by  mail  to 
his  address  ;  or,  for  ladies,  at  the  Depot  of  the 
Woman's  Belief  Association,  30  Court  street. 
Fkkdebick  a.  FAEI.ET,  D.  D. ,  Cor.  Sec. 

OmCEKS  AND  COMMITTEES. 

A.  Abbott  Low,  Chairman  of  the  General 
Committee. 

EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 

Gentlemm. — Dwight  Johnson,  Chairman  ;  F. 
A.  Farley,  D.  D.,  Cor.  Sec.  ;  AV.  S.  Grifath,  Eec. 
Sec;  Jas.  H.  Frothingham,  Treas  ;  lion.  Jas. 
S.  T.  Stranahan,  Messrs.  Sam.uel  B.  Caldwell, 
Ambrose  Snow,  Thomas  T.  Buckley,  A.  A.  Low, 
Henry  Sheldon,  Charles  A.  Meigs,  William  H. 
Jenkins,  Joseph  Wilde,  H.  B.  Clafln,  Elias 
Lewis,  Jr.,  Hon.  Edward  A.  Lambert,  Messrs. 
Thomas  Brooks,  Ethelbert  S.  Mills,  James  D. 
Sparkman,  Henry  K.  Pierrepont,  Arthur  W. 
Benson,  Hon.  John  A.  King,  Messrs.  S.  B. 
Chittenden,  John  D.  McKenzie,  Hon.  James 
Humphrey,  Messrs.  George  S.  Stevenson,  Ar- 
chibald Baxter,  Joseph  llipley,  Hon.  John  A. 
Lett,  Messrs.  Luther  B.  Wyman,  W.  W.  Arm- 
field,  Peter  Bice,  William  M.  Newell,  William 
Burdon,  S.  Emerson  Howard. 

Ladies. — Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan,  President ; 
Mrs.  H.  L.  Packfcr,  Cor.  Sec. ;  Miss  Kate  E. 
Waterbury,  Eec.  Sec. ;  Mesdames  G.  B.  Archer. 
E.  Anthony,  H.  W.  Beecher,  H.  Sheldon,  A.  W, 
Benson,  C.  J.  Bergen,  K.  C.  Brain  ard,  J.  0. 
Brevoort,  T.  T.  Buckley,  W.  J.  Buddington,  N. 
Burchard,  A.  Bradshaw,  S.  B.  Caldwell,  S.  B. 
Chittenden,  W.  J.  Coggeshall,  J.  P.  Duffin,  J. 
W.  Harper,  I^.  Harrington,  —  Huntsman,  f .  F. 
King,  E  S.  Mills,  —  Mon-ell,  W.  W.  Pell,  H.  E. 
Pierrepont,  E.  Shapter,  J.  C.  Smith,  J.  D. 
Sparkman,  G.  S.  Stephenson,  J.  S.  Swan,  A. 
Trask,  J.  Vanderbilt,  H.  Waters. 


FINANCE  AND  DONATIONS. 

John  D.  McKenzie,  Chairman;  Messrs.  S.  B. 
Chittenden,  A  A.  Low,  Abraham  B.  Baylis, 
Peter  C.  Cornell,  Edward  T.  H.  Gibson,  Eich'd 
P.  Buck,  Charles  E.  Bill,  Eeuben  W.  Eopes, 
Eufus  E.  Graves,  George  B.  Archer,  James  D. 
Sparkman,  (jharles  A.  Meigs,  Theodore  Polhe- 
mus,  Jr.,  Josiah  0.  Low,  E.  W.  DeLameter, 
Edward  W.  Corlies,  Charles  W.  Blossom,  Joseph 
Eipley,  Thomas  Messenger. 

BUSINESS  COMMITTEE. 

Mrs.  E.  Shapter,  Chairman;  Mesdames  Geo. 

B.  Archer.  N.  Bm-chard,  W.  I.  Buddington,  A. 
W.  "Benson,  C.  J.  Bergen,  S  B.  Chittenden,  J. 
P.  puffin,  T.  E.  King,  E.  S.  MiUs,  G.  S.  Ste. 
phenson,  A.  Trask,  H.  Waters. 

BIJILDINGS  AND  DECORATIONS. 

GenUemen. — Arthur  M.  Benson,  Chairman  ; 
Messrs.  J.  A.  Degraw.  John  Bullard,  Charles  J. 
Lowry,  William  BuiTeU,  James  How,  Corn.  J. 
Bergen,  E.  L.  Eoberts,  George  F.  Thomae, 
Thomas  Messenger,  Wm.  Hunter,  Jr. ,  Thomas 
Brooks,  Joseph  L.  Heath,  George  A.  Bell,  Wm. 
S.  Herriman,  Thomas  Sullivan,  Edwin  Beers. 

ladies. — Mrs.  T.  F.  King,  Chairman ;  Mes- 
dames A.  W.  Benson,  H.  Webster,  J.  Humphrey, 
H.  B.  Duryea,  J.  Bullard,  H.  B.  Starr,  Coe 
Adams,  N.  B.  Kittell,  W  S.  Griffith,  J.  W.  Gil- 
bert, H.  Laing,  Misses  Charlotte  Coles,  H. 
Hunter,  E.  B.  Litchfield,  Sarah  Boynton,  H.  L. 
Waterbury,  Phosbe  Hagnor. 

INTEENAl  ABBANGEMENTS  AND  EECEPTION  OP 
GOODS. 

Gerdlemen. — George  S.  Stephenson,  Chairman ; 
Messrs.  Alexander  M.  White,  I.  H.  Frothing- 
ham, L.  S.  Burnham,  E  H.  Manning,  George 
W.  Hennings,  J.  O.  Morse,  James  Myers,  Ed- 
ward Anthony,  George  T.  Hope,  John  L.  Wor- 
'den,  ( 'apt.  Kadford,  Theodore  Hinsdale. 

Ladies. — Mrs.  G.  B.  Archer,  Chairman  ;  Mes- 
dames G.  S.  Stephenson,  A.  M.  White,  S.  H. 
Low,  J.  P.  Van  Bergen,  E.  Shapter,  J.  D  Spark- 
man, N.  Burchard,  A.  Bradshaw,  M.  F.  OdeU, 
J.  S.  Morrell,  Miss  0.  Thurston,  Mesdames  S. 
McLean,  J.  Maxwell,  D.  Fairbanks,  J.  Eells,  J. 
W.  Emery,  J.  C.  Atwater,  0.  1  •.  Loomis,  T.  F. 
King,  A.  'jrask,  W.  J.  Buddington,  J.  Vander- 
bilt, Miss  Wyckoff,  Mesdames  —  Huntsman,  W. 
Coggeshal. 

BEPEESHMENTS. 

QenUemm. — Edward  J.  Lowber,  Chairman; 
Messrs.  Eufus  Crook,  John  Crook,  D.  H.  Gould, 
A.  Dorlon,  Amos  Eobbins,  Wm.  A.  Husted, 
Isaac  B.  Wellington,  Seymour  L.  Husted,  Alfred 
T^hompson,  Wm.  S.  Dunham,  John  B.  Wright, 
A.  E.  Sumner,  Eobert  G.  Anderson,  James  A. 
Carman. 

Xadics.— Mrs.  E.  S.  Mills,  Chairman;  Mes- 
dames H.  Waters,  L.  H.  Buckley,  H.  Marehant, 
E.  P.  Buck,  A.  W.  Leggett,  J.  C.Hmlbut.  W. 

C.  Bowers,  F.  H.  Trowbridge,  W.  J.  McClune, 
C.  Dinsmorp,  S.  B.  Gregory,  H.  Blanohard, 
George  Thrall,  A.  Burrows,  W.  Mai-Ston,  C.  H. 
Sands,  E.  Pish,  S.  C.  Blake,  L.  M.  Adams,  L 
Badeau,lT.  .W.Law,W.  0.  Goddard,W.  Lumby, 
L.  Boyes,  Wm.  H.  Jenkins,  N.  Putnam,  N.  E. 
Smith,  John  Greenwood,  J.  D.  Cooks,  Eli  Mer- 
rill, F.  E.  Taylor,  H.  P.  Messenger,  Edward 


Th£  Sanitary  Gommission  BuUetin. 


177 


Toung,  J.  B.  Hutchinson,  J.   W.   Sanford,  J. 
HalL 

iBT,   KEIiICa,  AND  CUItlOSITrES. 

GenUemen. — ^E.  S.  Mills,  Chairman;  Messrs. 
Eegis  Gignoui,  Charles  Condon,  Gordon  L. 
Ford,  John  Williamson,  E.  W.  Hubbard,  Chas. 
Parsons,  M.  F.  H.  De  Haas,  Samuel  Coleman, 
Seymour  J.  Guy,  Thomas  Le  Clear,  W.  H. 
Beard,  &  P.  Avery,  P.  P.  Eyder,  L  M.  Falctmer, 
I.  A.  Parkeii  Jr.,  H.  Carmienclse,  N.  B.  Kittell, 
Chas.  Burt,  James  B.  Blossom.  F.  A.  Chapman, 
John  W.  Frothingham,  E.  S.  Storrs,  Jr.,  D.  D., 
H.  W.  Beecher,  T.  L.  Lutkins,  Alonzo  Chap- 
pell,  J.-  B.  ■Whittaker,  H.  W.  Henick,  A.  W. 
Warren,  William  McEwan,  E.  W.  Hall,  0.  L. 
Elliott,  J.  Cai'son  Bennett. 

Ladies. — Mrs.  S.  B.  Chittenden,  Chairman; 
Mesdames  E.  S.  Storrs,  Jr.,  H.  E.  Pierrepont, 
Eegis  Gignoux,  J.  C.  Breevort,  E.  H.  Gibson, 
John  T,  Howard,  G.  L.  Ford,  A.  N.  Littlejohn, 
J.  O.  Low,  John  Eaymond,  Charles  Congdon, 
A.  W.  Henshaw,  E.  Vanderbilt,  C.  Eosire,  J.  H. 
Frothingham.  Alex.  McCulluni,  Helen  Couant, 
W.  H.  Dudley,  Francis  Vinton,  Miss  K.  Van 
Nostrand,  Mesdames  G.  S.  Stephenson,  Thomas 
Messenger,  Misses  Rose  Thomas,  Alice  B. 
Gary,  Kate  Eipley,  Kate  Treadway,  Kate  Tay- 
lor, —  Fay,  M.  H.  Chittenden,  Fannie  Gray,M. 
Stranahan,  Cornelia  King,  S.  Luqueer,  C.  M. 
Olcott,  F.  Bridges. 

MUSIC. 

L.  B.  Wyman,  Chairman;  Messrs.  A.  Cooke 
Hull,  E.  E.  Eaymond,  A.  V.  Blake,  C.  A.  Town- 
^end,  Willard  M.  Newell,  George  William  War- 
ren, William  Poole,  A.  V.  E  Van  Dyck,  J.  P. 
Talmage,  P.  K.  K.  WeiseL 

ENTEKTAINMENTS. 

Mesdames  E.  Anthony,  H.  Famham,*Miss 
Alice  B.  Cary,  Mesdames  J.  F.  Herriman,  N.  P. 
Waring,  Hosea  Webster,  S.  E.  Howard,  Misses 
L.  Oliver,  Kate  HiUard,  S.  0.  Anthony,  A.  An- 
thony, S.  Farrington,  Madame  Napoleon,  MUe. 
Millon,  Miss  Blunt,  Mrs.  McLean,  Misses  Col- 
ton  —  Marsh,  Mrs.  Lambert,  Miss  E.  C.  Victor, 
Mrs.  Hoyt,  Misses  M.  Dunning,  C.  Hoppin,  L. 
Tnpper,  M.  Luqueer,  Mesdames  W.  E.  St. 
Jobn,  A.  8.  Barnes. 

OEATION  AMD  IiECTnEES. 

H.  E.  Kerrepont,  Chairman;  Messrs.  James 
Humphrey,Benjamin  D.  Silliman,  Judge -Green- 
wood, E.  W.  Eopes,  Edward  Whitehouse,  Eev. 
Francis  Vinton,  D.  D. 

POST.  OFFICE  AND  NEWSPAPEBS. 

Mrs.  J.'  P.  Duffin,  Chairman;  Mesdames  L  K 
St.  John,  T.  J.  Conant,  J.  Humphrey,  T.  Hins- 
dale, J.  M.  Diamond,  William  Brooks,  S.  W. 
Putnam,  Misses  H.  Sladnin,—  Bi-igham,—  Har- 
rison,M.  E.  Thalheimer,A.  L.  Jones  (Prushiug), 
Kate  Hillard,  C.  Van  Cott,  M.  Stranahan,  Mes- 
dames George  R  Lincoln  and  William  E.  Eob- 
inson. 

BENEBTTS,   ENTBETAINMENTS,   AND  EXHIBmONS. 

Edward  A.  Lambert,  Chairman;  Messrs.  Ed- 
ward Anthony,  Charles  E.  Marvin,  Isaac  Hen- 
derson, John  D.  Cocks,  J.  E.  Southworth,  Pro- 
fessor Plimpton,  Henry  A.  Kent,  Benson  Van 
Vliet,  Livingston  K.  Miller,  Theodore  Tilton, 
Elias  Howe,  Jr.,  John  W.  Hunter. 


HEW  ENGI.AND  3EITCHEN. 

Mrs.  Ambrose  Snow,  Chairman;  Mesdames 
W.  W.  Goodrich.  E.  W.  Potter,  S.  J.  Peet,  L. 
W.  Serrell,  W.  B.  Ackley,  M.  A.  Bioknell,  M. 
Moore,  A.  F.  Stewart,  Ealph"  Cook,  C.  E.  Adri- 
ance.  Misses  M.  A.  Eich,  Sarah  Watson,  Mary 
Shepard,  M  Manning. 

LOOKS,    PrrBUCATIONS,    AND  PBINTINO. 

OenUemen. — Samuel  B.  Caldwell,  Chairman; 
Messrs.  A.  S.  Barnes,  J.  H.  Eaymond,  LL.D., 
George  B.  Lincoln,  Adrian  Van  Sinderen,  J.  M. 
Van  Cott,  Birdseye  Blakeman,  John  C.  Beale, 
W.  H.  Arthur,  John  N.  Taylor,  Geo.  W.  Parsons, 
W.  T.  Hatch,  Charles  Nordhoff,  T.  H.  Messen- 
ger, D.  Lansing  Lambert,  F.  J.  Hosford,  —  Me»- 
win. 

Ladies. — Mrs.  W.  L  Buddington,  Chairman; 
Mesdames  J.  W.  Haroer,  A  S.  Barnes,  C.  Nord- 
hoff, S.  E  Warner,  S.  N.  Cutter,  W.  W.  Eose, 
Isaac  Henderson,  Miss  Laura  Marsh,  Mesdames 
Daniel  Fairweather,  S.  ^.  Caldwell,  Wm.  Moses, 
E.  A.  Lambert,  Miss  Gascoigne,  Mesdames 
Dwight  Johnson,  Wm.  W.  Swayne,  J.  H.  Eich- 
ards. 

BEMINftBTTCS  AND  SOHOOIS. 

Mrs.  H.  L.  Parker,  Chairman;  Mesdames  0. 
J.  Bergen,  A.  Crittenden,  G.  F.  Dunning,  M. 
E.  Dunkley,  Wm.  Brooks,  Professor  Eaton, 
H.  C.  Osbom,  J.  D.  MoKenzie,  L.  Miller,  D.  M. 
Stone,  C.  E.  West,  J.  H.  Eaymond,  S.  G.  Tay- 
lor, Miss  H.  Garahan,  Mrs.  J.  0.  Whitcomb. 

DBT-GOODS  MEECHANTS'  COMMITTEE. 

Thos.  T.  Buckley,  Chairman  ;  Messrs.  H.  B. 
Claflin,  Nehemiah  Knight,  J.  B.  Hutchinson, 
W.  C  Sheldon,  K.  J.  Hunter,  Samuel  McLean, 
Jas.  S.  Noyes,  Henry  Collins,  Thomas  Achelis, 
S.  Hutchinson,  W.  B.  Kendall,  D.  H.  ConMing, 
James  Halschurst,  J.  C.  Atwater,  T.  W.  Prentice, 
Alexander  D.  Napier,  W.  B.  Leonard,  Charles  S. 
Baylis,  Eli  Mygatt,  Jr.,  George  jfygatt,  J.  L.  B. 
Willaird,  H.  P.  Morgan,  T.  K.  Horton,  Samuel 
B.  Stewart,  Walter  Lockwood,  Elijah  Lewis. 

PANCT  GOODS. 

Genflsmen. — §.  Emerson  Howard,  Chairman; 
Messrs.  J.  W.' Greene,  Henry  Sanger,  D.  C. 
Eobins,  J.  S.  Shapter,  Charles  Storrs,  D.  S.  Ar- 
nold, W.  H.  Lyon, ,  Abel  Dennison,  Alexander 
McCullum.  J.  (;harles  Berard,  James  E.  Taylor, 
G.  H.  Taylor,  H.  H.  Dickinson,  F.  Hinchman, 
T.  M.  Spelman,  A.  P.  Hayden,  Enos  Uichardson, 
George  S.  'Moiilton,  Carlos  Bardwell,  Benjamin 
Carter. 

Ladies. — Mrs.  Henry  Sheldon,  Chairman; 
Mesdames  E.  C.  Brainard,  S.  Gracie,  Bryant 
Smith,  Hugh  AUen,  Misses  Mary  S.  Griffith, 
Agnes  EusseU,  Mesdames  D.  S.  Mills,  Henry 
Sanger,  S.  M.  Beard,  H.  E.  Hunter,  J.  S.  Eock- 
well,  ■  Miss  Mary  Jarvis;  Mesdames  W.  G.  Shel- 
don, J.  Badeau,  A.  M.  Earle,  B.  P.  Luht,  Miss  E. 
Hone,  Mesdames  W.  C.  Perry,  Alexander  Purvis, 
T.  Achelis,  Miss  Bertschinger,  Mrs.  Uukhart, 
Misses  Susan  Nelson,  F.  C.  West,  J.  Buckmaster, 
Mary  Miller,  S.  Jolmson,  Helena  Duokwitz,  C. 
>J'ellows,  Madame  St.  Amant,  Miss  Maria  Mes- 
senger, Mesdames  W.  Godd&rd,  H.  W.  Beecher, 
W.  H.  Beare.  Horace  Warren,  S.  W.  Truslow, 
William  Raymond,  Misses  Harriet  Tucker,  Ad- 
die  Wright,  Mrs  Eobinson,  Misses  F.  Creagh, 
C.  Brush,  A.  J.  Berry,  G.  Eichardson,  Mrs.  Jo- 
seph Taylor. 


178 


TM  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BOOTS,  SHOES,  I^EATHEE,  HATS,  CAPS,  AND  CLOTHING. 

"W.  M.  Newell,  Chairman ;  Messrs.  Aaron 
Claflin,  JohnT.  Martin,  Isaac  Hyde,  Jr..  George^ 
Dickenson,  Koswell  S.  Benedict,  John  Bullard," 
Edward  A.  Nichols,  A.  0.  Baldwin,  Nathan 
gbuthwick,  John  F.  McCoy,  G.  B.  Caldwell, 
Alex.  Sudwell,  J'ona.  Ogden,  Alanson  Trask, 
Aaron  Healy,  C.  B.  Camp,  W.  B.  Button,  John 
O.  Whitehojise,  J.  C.  Sonthwick,  Granville 
Whittlesey,  William  Higbie,  James  M.  Hurt,  M. 
S.  Kerrigan,  James  M.  Griggs,  A.  D.  Wheelook, 
John  VV.  Lewis,  F.  H.  Biglow,  John  B.  Wood- 
ward, WiUiam  Evans. 

GliOCEES  AUD  HABBWABE  MEECHANTS. 

Henry  Sheldon,  Chairman  ;  Messrs.  John  J. 
Van  Nostrand,  H.  H.  Warden.  Frederick  Lacey, 
George  A.  Jarvis.  Theodore  Viator.  S.  M.  Beard, 
Francis  Hathaway,  Charles  E.  Hill.  Henry  K. 
Sheldon,  Solon  F.  Goodridge,  James  L.  Morgan, 
Kobert  S.  Bussing.  J.  S.  KockweU,  Alexander 
M.  Earle,  G.  L.  Hiieser,  E.  B.  Place,  Wm  0. 
Fowler,  Eugene  O'Snllivan,  Edward  B.  Mead,  A. 
S.  Perry,  Henry  VV.-  Banks,  Henry  Starr.  Edwin 
Atkins,  Franklin  H.  Lummus,  Jas.  C.  Wilson. 

MANUEACTUBES  AND  MEOHANIO  AETS. 

Western  District. — William  Burdon,  Chair- 
man ;  Messrs  B.  F.  Delno,  Eiehard  Poillon, 
William  Arthur.  Henry  Esler,  Abram  Inslee,  D. 
D.  Badger,  Jacob  Cutwater,  David  S.  Quimby, 
J.  S.  Bunoe,  Norman  Hubbard,  Charles  Monis, 
John  Firth,  Bdbert  Graves.  C.  Van  Dusen,  H. 
Jackson,  Albert  Bruen.  Charles  Howe,  Jr.,  Jas. 
Wilcox,  Thomas  Brooks.  Bryant  Stevens,  J  W. 
McNamee,  George  S.  Puffer,  Samuel  Vernon, 
William  C.  Dunton,  A.  H.  Barnes,  Birdsey  Blake- 
man,  William  Wise,  James  H.  Hart,  Hem-y 
Waldron,  John  S.  Maguiy,  James  Howe,  'Fisher 
Howe,  W.  M;  Thomas,  James  Seville,  John 
French,  Samuel  Booth,  John  Butler,  J.  Morri- 
son, S.  E.  Carll,  Jonathan  Stewart,  G.  M.  Wood- 
wBird,  James  0.  Morse,  James  K.  Wheatley,  T. 
A.  Havemeyer.  T.  E.  Jewell,  A.  Greenleaf,  Jr., 
J.  S.  Williams,  Thomas  T.  Knight,  Jas.  L. 
Moore,  Eobert  R.  Story,  J.  Johnston,  J.  A.  Ful- 
ler, Samuel  IngaHs,  George  Chappel,  Thomas 
Rowe,  A.  Thayer,  .James  Shurky, 'John  Shuster, 
D.  S.  Waring.  George  S.  Harding,  II.  T.  Ander-^ 
Bon,  Joseph  .\lumby,  A.  M.  Vail,  tdlvamis  White, 
Patrick  Cassidy,  WiUiam  Hagar,  Charles  E. 
Smith,  R.  H.  Hand,  Wright  Ramsden,  G.  J. 
Mining,  William  Brasher,  John  C.  Robbins, 
Charles  B.  'latham,  H.  B.  Whitty,  11.  L.  AUen, 
Hiram  F.  St.  John,  F.  S.  Otis,  W.  B.  Uiggins, 
Thomas  Carroll,  David  Fithian,  John  S  Loomis. 
A.  G.  Hicks,  G.  W.  Hubert,  J.  H  MoVViUiams, 
John  Philips,  Richard  R.  Flanders 

Sastern  Disliict. — ^WiUiam  H.  Jenldns,  Chair- 
laan;  Samuel  W.  Truslow,  Cordage;  Thomas 
Eowknd,  Ship  Builder;  C.  E,  liertrand.  Sugar; 
William  W.  Armfleld,  Coal  and  Wood;  James  A. 
Taylor,  Iron;  l.harles  W.  Fellows,  Qas  Fixtures; 
Heiiry  G.  Richardson,  Hardware ;  Joseph  L. 
Heath,  ISuilder;  Eokford  Webb,  Ship  Builder; 
A  Leininger,  Glass  Ware;  WiUiam  Tuttle,  Brass; 
J.  B.  Wickercham,  Iron  Rails;  Watson  Sauford, 
Stoves;  James  Hall,  Iron;  J.  A.  Heath,  Cooper; 
Joseph  W  ilde,  Coffee ;  G«orge  Wildey,  Ma- 
chinist; C  Dorlinger,  Glass  Manufa«turer;  W. 
Caljbla,  Wireworks;  GeOrge  C.  Bennett,  G.  W. 
Plimpton,  Hiram  M.  Varren,  Jose;^  Reaves, 
William  Coles,  Julius  Ives,  Jr.,  Christian  Neidig.  I 


MANUEAOTUEES. 

Mrs.  A.  Trask,  Chairman;  Mesdames  TJuke 
Hasaington,  Theo.  Polhemus,  Jr.,  Joha  Pren- 
tice, Thomas  Messenger,  David  Wesson,  A.  B. 
Baylis,  Coe  Adams,  Jos.  Kipley,  W.  J.  .Miller,  J. 
F.  Whitney.  A.  F.  Haaen,  J.  Curtis,  J.  P.  Wick- 
ham,  0.  Baylis,  A.  Oruikshanks,  Nathan  Beers, 

E.  E.  Estes,  W.  Spelman,  D.  Caven,-  —  Biden, 
Smith  Fancher,  A.  Jewett,  E.  L.  BushnellVPeter 
Rice,   L    B.  Shaw,  Wm.  Libby,  C.   H.   Mills, 

■  Theo.  Ovington,  Miss  Mary  Cosnel'f,  Mesdaines 

F.  H.  Bigelow,  N.  Curtiss,  E.  J.  Hoalett,  L. 
Burnham,  Miss  L.  P.  Henchmq,n,  MesdamfeS 
Charles  Marvin,  L,  Thomas,  P.  Wyckctff,  14.  H. 
Manning. 

PKOt)-DCE. 

Arch.  Baxtei,  Chairman;  Messrs.  James  P. 
Wallace  Sam.  A.  Sawyer.  Smith  J.  Eastman,  J, 
H.  Holoomb,  Curtis  Noble,  Seymour  Bun-eU, 
George  Douglas,  Fred.  Sherwood.  Harvey  E. 
Hicks.  Alex.  E.  Orr.  Smith  Fancher.  W.  D.  Man- 
gam,  Hugh  Allen,  Stephen  W.  Cary.  George 
Tucker,  Coe  Adams.  Franklin  Woodruff. 

KINGS   COXJNTI   TOWN    CONTKIBTn;iONS. 

Flatbush. — Mrs.  John  Vanderbilt,  Chairman; 
Mesdames  J.  A.  Lott,  J.  V.  B.  Martense,  J.  D. 
Prince,  J  Lefferts,  T.  J.  Bergen,  Dr.  Robinson, 
Wm.  WaU,  J.  M.  Hood,  W.  Murphy,  Miss  M.  S. 
Schuyler. 

WlaMarids  — Mesdames  A.  Hubbard,  E.  K.  Kim- 
ball, P.  Konenhoven,  —  Doolittle,  Miss  Annie 
Lott. 

Gravesend. — Mesdames  M.  G.  Hanson,  S.  Gar- 
retson,  Misses  E.  Lake,  J.  Cropsy. 

Bay  EttZjre.— Mesdames  J.  0.  Perry,  V.  Tracy, 
J.  .Van  Brunt, —  Fletcher,  Miss  M.^Musgrave, 
Mrs   W.  Sherman. 

East  New  York. — Mesdames  C.  R.  MiUer,  P. 
H.  Keed  A.  H.  W.  Van  Sicklen. 

Neio  Utreohi. — Mesdames  J.  €raue,  J. Van  Brant, 
Jr. 

QreenfieM  — Mrs.  G.  M.  Close. 

Fort  JIamUton — Miss  Brown. 

Windsor  Terrace. — Mrs.  Hudson. 

CHAIEMBN    OP   IiADIEs'    OANVASSINQ   COUMITTEBEk 

Mesdames  N.  Burchard,  W,  W.  PeU,  H.  Waters, 

A.  Bradshaw.  E.  C.  Brainerd,  J.  D.  Spafkman, 
Dr.  Morrell.  ' 

LONO  ISLAND  OONTBIBUXtONS. 

Elias  Lewis.Jr.,  Chairman;  Messrs.  C.  H.  Vic- 
tor Newtown;  Wm.  NicoU.  Huntington;  D  Bo- 
gart,  Jr.,  Eoslyn;  Hon.  Elias  J.  Beach.  Gien 
Cove;  Isaac  H.  Cocks,  Westbuiry;  S."  U.  Messe- 
reau,  Hempstead;  Jas.  Rider.  Jamaioa;  C.  ;S. 
Powell; Farmin^dale;  W.  W.  and  J.  Hobbins, 
Babylon;  Havens  &  Prince,  Shelter  Island;  C. 
N.  Brown,  Sag  Harbor;  J.  iVIadison  Hunting. 
East  Hampton;  H.  G.  Eeeve,'Mi»ttituck,  etc.; 
Goldsmith  &  Tuttle,  Cutohegen. 

MELITAEY,  FIB£  DEPABTMENT,  POLICE,  AND  OBDEBEk 

Hon.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan,  Chairman;  Gens.  IL 

B.  Duryea,  Philip  S.  Crooke.  J.  C.  Smith,  Cola. 
Calvin  E.  Pratt,  John  B.  Woodward,  .Majors  E. 

C.  V\  ard,  John  S.  Polk,  Messrs.  Eui'us  E.  Bel- 
knap, John  Cunningham,  John  Doyle.  ' 

AIIDITDJG. 

Ambrose  Snow,  Chairman;  Messrs^  Hiram 
Beuner.  Sidney  Green,  Wm.  Everdell,Jr.,  James 
Gridley,  Danl  Godwin,  Jojin  J.  Studwell,  W.  D. 
Gookin.  Ferdinand  A.  Grooter,  Henry  E.  Nes- 
mith,  Charles'  Dimdn. 


The  SaMtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


179 


A  meeting  was  held  on  Saturday  evening 
last,  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music, 
in  aid  of  the  Fair,  at  which  Henry  Ward 
Beecher  said : 

I  had  hoped  to  meet  several  gentjeraen  pres- 
ent whom  I  do  not  see,  and  who  were  to  bear 
their  welcome  part  of  this  tast,  which  is  not  a 
task,  not  even  a  duty,  ;hut  it  may  be  said  is  a 
necessary  pleasure.  There  are  some  things 
that  it  is  painf  al  to  do ;  there  are  some  things  that, 
because  they  are  painful,  bring  so  much  exer- 
tion to  the  doing  of  them,  that  men  are  thought 
to  do -them  with  a  will,  whereas  it  is  because 
they  are  painful  that  men  bear  up  toward  them 
with  such  earnest  effort.  But  to  stand  in  the 
midst  of  a  Christian  community,  known  and 
widely  reported  for  its  charity,  whose  example 
is  quoted  the  world  over— to  stand  in  such  a 
community  to  plead  for  such  a  charity  as  that 
we  now  meet  to  serve,  that  is  not  a  ta'<k,  or 
even  a  duty,  but  a  necessary  pleasure.  -  Allusion 
has  been  made  already  to  the  general  topics  of 
the  day,  the  conflict  which  is  waged  and  yet  to 
be  waged— that  which  gives  occasion  for  such  a 
meeting  as  this  ;  but  it  is  not  of  these  that  I 
would  or  shall  speak,  but  simply  a  word  or  two 
in  regard  to  those  that  have  gone  forth" and  are 
suffering  in  this  codfliot.  I  was  asked  to-day. 
hy  a  friend,  whom  I  see  present  tWs  evening, 
whether  I  thought  this  Sanitary  Oommission 
was  really  needed,  and  whether  there  was  not 
some  little  humbug  about  it ;  for,  he  said,  he 
was  told  by  a  friend  that  an  officer  in  the  arn^ 
had  informed  him  that  there  was  no  need  of  it, 
no  occasion  for  it.  I  oannat  say  who  that  of5- 
cer  was;  I  will  not  suppose  but  that  he  was  sin- 
cerely mistaken  ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  he 
was  mistaken,  wholly  and  absolutely,  for  I  do 
not  speak  merely  in  consequence  of  the  enthu- 
siastic utterances  which  you  as  well  as  I  heard 
here  last  year  from  that  most  laborious  public 
servant.  Dr.  Bellows,  nor  merely  from  the  re- 
ports in  the  papers.  It  has  been  my  good  for-' 
tune  to  have  a  brother-in-law  ealled  into  this 
service,  and  for  more  than  a  year  he  has  been 
laboring  in  behalf  of  the  sick  and  wounded  of 
our  ariny  in  Washington,  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more, New  York,  and  New  Orleans,  where  he 
now  is ;  and  it  is  through  him  that  I  learn  of 
the  interior  reality  of  this  great  mission  of 
mercy;  and  though  I  do  not  undertake  to  en- 
dorse that  which  needs  none,  yet  J.say  I  have 
no  more  doubt  of  its  necessity  and  mercy  than 
of  the  sun  that  shines  in  the  heavens,  by  day, 
or  any  other  fact  of  my  existence.  If  there 
lingers  in  any  mind  a  doubt — and  "he  that 
dbubteth  is  damned  already, "  it  is  said— of  the 
the  great  good  of  this  association^  let  the  doubt 
be  cleared  away  at  once.  I  have  oonfldence  in 
the  society  and  the  men,  who  manage  it,  and 
there  is  no  other  channel  through  which  you 
can  better  convey  your  help  to  those  who  need 
it  than  this.  I  have  sometimes  thought  that 
we  know  very  little  of  true  patriotism.  •  It  is 
not  such  as  we,  who  are  comfortable  at  home 
and  pitch  from  the  loaf  of  our  abundance  a 
crumb  here  and  thereto  large. crumb  perhaps 
from  the  individual,  but  how  smallin  tiie;  ag- 
gregate, when  compared  with  our  coprforts  and 
the  necessities  of  those  to  whom  it  is, given.  I 
was  conversing  tp-day;  ■jriih  a, friend  of  former 


years,  who  in  an  jncident  she  related  to  me  re- 
vealed the  temper  of  her  own  kind  heart.  Her 
little  boy,  not  able  to  speak  plainly,  seeing  a 
pale  soldier  on  the  street  before -her  house,  went 
up  to  him  and  asked  him  if  he  was  sick.  The 
soldier  replied,  No,  that  he  was  hungry.  The 
boy  lisped  out  in  his  broken  prattle,  "  Ma  keeps 
a  soldiers' hotel;  come  in."  He  came  in  and 
got  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  the  little  fellow,  en- 
couraged by  the  success  which  had  attended  his 
first  endeavor,  went  out  and  brought  in  twenty- 
seven  others.  They  had  been  on  a  boat  travel- 
ing from  Friday  until  Monday,  with  nothing-to 
eat  but  crackers  and  river  water,  and  were  quite 
ready  to  appreciate  the  excellent  breakfast  to 
which  they  soon  sat  down.  As  they  sat  at  the 
table,  the  good  lady  noticed  a  resemblance  bef- 
tween  two  of  them — they  were  brothers.  ' '  Ah; " 
said  she,  "how  pleasant  it  must  be  to  have  a 
brother  with  you  in  the  army."  "Oh,"  he  re- 
plied, "there  are  more* than  two,  there  are  five 
of  us  brothers  here. "  So  there  were;  five  stat 
wart,  brave  fellows  had  gone  together  from  one 
family.  There  was  another  Who  was  a  oripplS 
who  could  not  go,  and  another  who  was  too 
young,  but  it  was  all  they  could  do  to  prevent 
the  old  man  going  too.  That  I  call  patriotism. 
Who  of  us  have  done  any  thing  that  can  be  men- 
tioUed  in  the  same  day  as  that  ?  I  know  of  in- 
stances in  which  the  only  child  has  gone  and 
not  b&eu  taken  back;  and  when  one  and  another 
falls,  and  every  day  brings  nearer  the  prospect 
that  this  only  child  may  fall.  I  know  heroio 
mothers  who  stand  firm  to  the  offering  they 
have  made,  and  will  not  draw  back  their  gift. 
Who  of  us  is  patriotic  in  this  measure  ?  Let 
me  read  a  line  from  a  young  woman,  a  woman 
of  education  and  culture,  belonging  to  a  wealthy 
family  in  the  West,  who  has  given  most  of  her 
time  since  the  war  began  to  the  soldier's  ser- 
vice, having  gone  out  with  the  first  regiment 
from  that  noble  State,  Indiana: 

"  Nothing  ever  touched  me  so  much  as  cheers 
from  those  hospitaf  cots.  When  the  fall  of 
Vicksburg  was  announced  in  Jackson  Hospital, 
at  Memphis,  the  whole  great  building,  filled 
with  terribly  wounded,  rang  for  an  hour  with 
cheers  and  songs.  Some  sang  and  shouted  who 
never  had  strength  to  speak  again,  and  many 
who  knew  they  should  never  hear  of  auothei' 
victory  on  earUi. 

'  •  I  am  Ijrying  to  be  patient  and  stay  at  home 
without  fretting ;  but  I  can't  see  how  people  cau 
say,  '  Well,  you  ought  to  rest  and  enjoy  your- 
self awhile,  you  have  done  enough.'  All  the 
work!  ever  had  in  my  hfe  that  gave  me  full 
heart-room  and  the  best  of  rest  and  jcjy  is  that 
same  hospital  work,  and  nothing  could  induce 
me  to  endure  this  sort  of  '  rest'  a  minute  but 
that  father  needs  me,  and  my  duty  is  at  home 
for  the  present.  I  pray  every  hour  for  the 
9hauce  of  going  back  with  a  clear  conscience^ 
and  I  know  I  shall. 

' '  I  speak  of  it  as  '  work. '  It  isn't  work  to  me. 
I  love  everybody  who  has  raised  a  hand  for  true 
love  of  the  cause,  and  my  .first  enthusiasm 
never  wore  off.  Ignorant,  filthy,  and  coarse  as 
some  must  be  who  need  the  services  of  hospital 
nurse,  yet  always  the  first  sight  of  a  wound  or 
a  pale  face  that  is  the  price  of  a  service  to  ata 
country,  makes  its  owner  a  hero  to  me  at  once, 
andalll^bor  for  him.  an  honor  and  pleasnia..  I 


180 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


do  get  tired,  but  it  is  only  the  flesh,  and  that 
isn't  real  weariness." 

It  is  my  pride  to  believe  that,  there  is  not  a 
city  or  Tillage  in  the  land  that  has  not  such 
patriots  as  these;  and  where  such  natural  min- 
isters of  peace  are  stirred  up  at  once  to  such 
true  patriotism — where  they  give  not  merely 
their  possessions  and  their  labor,  but  their  own 
selves,  their  very  spirit  and  body  becoming  a 
hovering  and  ministering  presence  in  sickness 
and  the  camp— shall  we  doubt  one  single  mo- 
ment? There  is  a  zeal,  a  divine  spirit  of  patriot- 
ism in  the  country,  that  shall  bear  us  through, 
and  we  shall  be  true  to  every  duty  of  humanity, 
erery  instinct  of  pity  and  piety. 

I  might  add  some  considerations  drawn  from 
your  position  in  this  city  ;  but  though  I  do  not 
disregard  or  undervalue  them,  I  base  my  ap- 
peal to  you  on  higher  grounds.  I  should  be 
proud  to  have  Brooklyn  stand,  if  not  first,  at 
teast  high  up  on  the  roll  of  honor;  and  still  fur- 
ther should  be  proud  to  have  my  own  people 
stand  highest  among  you;  but  local  pride, 
though  it  might  have  a  subordinate  place,  is  not 
that  to  which  I  woiild  appeal. 

It  is  to  that  common  to  you  and  all  the  people 
of  New  York  and  the  whole  land;  our  common 
love  of  humanity,  our  common  love  of  country, 
our  common  love  of  God,  who,  in  the  person  oif 
his  Son,  our  Saviour,  went  about  doing  good, 
healing  the  sick,  and  comforting  the  sunering. 
It  is  to  these  higher  motives  that  I  'would  ap- 
peal, and  I  know  I  would  not  appeal  in  vain; 
and  when  Brooklyn  shall  have  accomplished 
her  labor  of  love,  I  know  there  wiU  not  be  one 
thing  to  be  ashamed  of,  but  much  to  be  proud 
of,  and  that  God  shall  be  pleased  with  tiie  of- 
fering we  shall  bring.     [Applause.] 

And  Mr.  Moses  F.  Odell  said:  ' 
I  was  at  the  White  House  nearly  two  years 
ago,  and  I  remember  to-night  very  well  my  sail 
up  the  Pamnnkey  River.  I  started  with  quite 
a  company  on  the  excursign,  and  we  very  soon 
came  up  to  a  vessel  with  the  flag  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  flying  at  her  mast-head, 
and  soon  another,  a  larger  steamer,  flying  the 
game  flag.  The  Daniel  Webster,  and  Wilson 
G.  Small,  and  the  Wissahickon,  a  littie  ten- 
der, and  several  others,  were  all  there  with 
the  flags  of  this  Commission  flying  from  their 
mast-heads.  I  thought  it  a  grand  affair;  very 
large  it  must  be,  to  employ  all  these  vessels,  ftit 
probably  very  useless;  but  before  I  had  been 
long  at  the  White  House  there  came  down  from 
Pair' Oaks  some  five  or  six  hundred  wounded 
soldiers  on  a  train  of  cars,  and  then  I  discover- 
ed the.  vast  resources  and  usefulness  of  this 
Commission.  I  found  on  board  those  steam- 
boats numbers  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  ready 
to  go  to  work  with  willing  hearts  and  able  hands 
to  administer  to  the  wants  of  those  wounded 
and  dying  men.  Now  the  Government,  I  have 
no  hesitation  in  saying,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  war  have  had  a  proper  appreciation  of  the 
needs  of  the  soldier,  and  have  done  all  in  their 
power,  but  under  such  circumstances  as  tbese 
the  Commission  was  ahead  of  them — hours  and 
days  ahead  of  the  Government  in  the  supply  of 
what  was  needed  on  that  occasion.  [Applause.  ] 
I  joined  this  Commission  then  at  once,  enrolled 
myself  as  a  working  and  active  member,  and 
remained  there  four  days  and  nights,  during 


which  time  there  were  3,465  wounded  men  re- 
ceived, their  immediate  wants  supplied,  andne- 
cessary  medical  assistance  famished  by  the 
Commission,  and  they  were  then  sent  from 
there  to  the  Washington  and  other  hospitals. 
And.  had  not  these  vessels  been  there  with  their 
bountiful  supplies  to  make  the  soldier  comfort- 
able in-  his  wants  and  sickness,  the  suffering 
would  have  been  untold.  .  I  shall  never  forget 
one  incident,  occurring  during  my  services  there. 
I  had  talien  in  my  hand  a  pail  of  iced  lemonade, 
prepared  ftom  the  stores  of  the  Commission  by 
some  ladies  from  New  York,  who  were  with  us, 
and  went  out  to  the  cars  to  distribute  it  among 
the  wounded.  I  never  shall  forget  one  poor 
fellow  I  saw  there.  He  had  been  left  for  dead 
on  the  field,  and  the  rebels  had  robbed  him  of 
everything — that  is  their  profession;  thfiy  have 
done  it  ever  since  the  beginning  of  the  war; 
they  had  taken  all  his  clothes,  and  he  was  wrap- 
ped in  a  blanket.  He  was  scarcely  able  to 
speak,  but  he  showed  me  his  wounds,  and  I 
gave  him  a  glass  of  lemonade,  for  which  he  re- 
turned a  look  of  inexpressible  gratitude.  A 
ball  had  taken  out  his  right  eye  and  came  out 
behind  his  ear,  and  he  was  not  expected  to  live; 
but  two  or  three  weeks  afterward,  in  a  hospital 
where  I  jvent  to  find  some  of  the  Fourteenth 
Kegiment  boys,  I  found  him  with  a  patch  over  ■ 
his  eye,  seemingly  getting  well,  and  he  said  to 
me  :  "Sir,  I  wish  I  had  a  house  and  lot  to  give 
you.  '■  Now  I  was  only  the  instrument  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission; it  was  their  ice  and  their 
lemonade,  and  I  was  simply  the  iastrument  to 
carry  it  from  their  boat  to  the  car,  to  this  poor 
fellow.  Yon  may  give  many  dollars,  but  cannot 
pay  for  or  balance  the  comfort  and  good  they  did 
that  man  and  thousands  of  others  lik^ebim.  And 
such  scenes  as  this  I  witnessed  constantly  during 
the  four  days  and  nights  I  remained  there. 

The  agents  and  employees  of  the  Commission 
(but  few  of  them  paid,  I  am  happy  to  say)  ren- 
dered most  eiBcient  and  faithful  service  the  whole 
time.  I  will  tell  you  another  instance  of  how 
good  a  thing  this  Sanitary  Commission  is.  A 
young  man  came  to  me  one  evening,  saying  : 
"  There  is  a  young  man  in  the  second  cabin  whom 
I  think  you  would  like  to  see."  "  They  are  rebels 
there,"  I  said.  "Yes,"  he  replied,  "they  are; 
but  come  and  see  the  man."  I  went  with  him, 
and  meeting  on  the  stairs  that  good  man  and  true 
philanthropist,  Mr.  Barclay,  of  Philadelphia,  he 
went  with  us.  Seeing  the  man's  condition,  I  said 
to  him  :  "  They  tell  me  you  are-badly  wounded." 
"Yes,  sir,"  said  he  :  '-J  don't  suppose  I  shall 
live  long-;  but  I  want  to  tell  you  that  ever  since 
I  have  been  brought  among  you  here  I  have 
been  treated  with  so  much  kindness — all  my 
wants  have  been  satisfied,  and  eveu  luxuries 
supplied  me,  so  very  different  from  what  I  had 
been  led  to  expect,  that  I  want  to  make  one  more 
request  of  you.  I  want  you  to  write  to  my  wife 
and  four  little  children,  and  say  I  died  penitent 
for  ever  raising  my  hand  or  gun  against  so  good  a 
people  as  you  are."  That  rebel's  heart  was  soft- 
ened by  the  kindness  of  this  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. I  saw  the  same  things  again  at  the  battle 
of  ftedericksburg.  The  Commission  was  there 
again,  long  ahead  of  the  Government,  with  all 
their  plenteous  bounty,  bestowing  it  with  a 
libera)  band  on  all  who  needed  it. 

Again  at  Gettysburg  I  saw  the  same  class 

of   inp.Mpnta       T  thprp  wynnt  tn  ft  hnnnital  ivhora  T 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


181 


was  informed  that  some  of  the  Fourteenth  Regi- 
ment wounded  were  lying,  and  I  found  on  the 
ground  floor  of  a  email  house  seventeen  men 
connected  with  that  regiment,  every  man  with  an 
arm  or  leg  off,  lying  upon  straw.  The  surgeon 
was  Itind,  and  did  all  he  could,  but  they  were,  as 
I  have  said,  lying  upon  straw,  and  all  as  they 
were  picked  up  off  the  field,  grimy,  bloody,  and 
dirty.  I  went  through  the  town  trying  to  buy 
seventeen  clean  shirts  for  them.but  could  not  get 
them  for  love  or  money.  I  at  length  went  to  the 
quarters  of  the  association,  and  told  Dr.  Bellows, 
whom  I  found  there,  of  my  need  of  shirts,  bed- 
ticks,  and  sheets.  "  Knock  open  that  box,  John,'' 
called  the  Doctor  to  an  assistant,  and  in  a  few 
moments  I  had  all  I  wanted.  And  it  you  had 
seen  me  then  in  Gettysburg,  you  would  have  seen 
a  man  not  very  fond  of  carfying  bundles,  by  the 
testimony  of  his  wife,  perfectly  happy  in  the  pos- 
session of  an  immense  bundle  of  all  those  poor 
fellows  needed.  How  their  countenances  lit  up 
with  joy  when  they  saw.  what  was  then  more 
to  them  thaft  houses  or  lands !  Why,  the 
$35-.000  you  raised  the  other  day  did  not  pay  for 
those  seventeen  shirts,  bed-ticks,  etc.  Mr.  Beeoher 
says  he  wants  Brooklyn  to  be  very  near  the  head 
of  the  roll.  I  want  her  away  up  head,  and  I  think 
we  will  get  there  if  this  same  spirit  lasts. 


THE  WORK  OF  RELIEF  IN  EASTERN 
VIRGINIA  AND  MARYLAND. 

Dr.  Steiner,  Chief  Inspector  of  Belief, 
has  made  the  following  very  interesting 
report  at  the  session  of  the  Commission  now 
being  held  in  Washington,  on  the  work 
of  relief  since  July  last,  in  the  armies  of 
Eastern  Virginia  and  Maryland,  excepting 
the  troops  in  Washington,  Baltimore,  and 
Maryland :' 

•  The  Meld  Belief  Corps,  placed  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  July  18,  1863,  has 
since  that  time  steadily  labored  in  that 
field,  down  to  the  date  of  the  present  Be- 
port,  gaining  the  respec*  and  confidence  of 
the  officers  of  the  army  as  well  as  the  good 
\ml  and  gratitude  of  the  tnen.  It  has  become 
an  '  Hnstituiion, "  so  to  speak,  in  the  army,  and 
has  adapted  itself  in  such  a  way  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  service,  that  the  plan  of  the 
Commission,  as  a  supplementary  organiza- 
tion to  the  medical  corps,  acting  with  its 
approbation,  and,  where  it  is  possible,  un- 
der its.  direction,  has  been  strictly  carried 
out.  Experience  has  been  gained  by  its 
members  which'  has  wonderfully  increased 
its  efficiency;  and  I  have  no  hesitation  now 
in  claipiing  for  it  the  right  to  be  considered 
one  of  the  best  modes,  if  not  the  very  best, 
of  administering  the  bounties  of  the  people 
to  the  soldiers,  without  interfering  Vith  the 


regular  routine  of  military  life  and  disci' 
pline  in  the  slightest  manner. 

The  operations  of  this  corps  have  bean 
conducted  up  to  date  in  the  manner  indi- 
cated in  document  No.  72,  viz. :  the  agents 
live  in  the  respective  corps  to  which  they 
have  been  assigned  by  the  superintendent, 
have  their  tents  pitched  along  with  the 
ambulance  corps,  where  their  wagons  and 
stores  are  generally  retained.  They  visit 
the  hospitals,  whether  division,  brigade,, or 
regimental,  find  out  wants  from  the  medical 
officers  or  from'  personal  inspection,  and 
then  see  that  these  are  supplied,  the  sur- 
geons generally  dispatching  ambulances,  or 
wagons  for  them;  or,in  case  of  their  inabil- 
ity to  obtain  this  tmnsportation,  the  agent 
employs  his  o-wn  wagon  for  the  purpose. 
When  the  army  moves  the  sanitary  wagon 
moves  with  it.  The  agent  looks  out  for 
cases  where  individual  relief  is  needed,  and 
furnishes  it  directly,  because  such  cases  ara 
sometimes  so  circumstanced  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  get  medical  attention  with- 
out long  delay.  By  his  acquaintance  with 
the  officers  of  the  corps  he  is  enabled  to 
move  along  the  marching  column  unhinder- 
ed by  questions  that  would  necessarily  meet 
the  stranger.  The  reports  of  the  agents, 
referring  to  the  movements  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  will  show  how  great  were  the 
opportunities  afforded  them  from  time  to 
time  of  bringing  kindly  relief  to  the  suf- 
fering and  wayworn  soldier. 

This  work  demands  not  only  zeal  and 
earnestness,  but  that  the  agent  should  ba 
possessed  of  a  good  judgment,  enabling  him 
to  distinguish  between  an  affectation  of 
suffering  and  distress  and  that  which  is  real 
and  unaffected.  The  former  can  be  assumed 
by  th^  malingerer  in  so  plausible  a  way 
that  the  novice  to  this  wort  of  philanthropy 
is  always  liable  to  gross  deception.-  Ha 
gives  because  the  demand  is  made.  Ha 
does  not  investigate  the  nature  of  this  de- 
mand, nor  the  probable  truth  on  which  it  is 
based.  He  gives  freely  and  without  stint 
The  undeserving  are  thus  rewarded  for 
their  cunning  and  lies,  and  the  stores  which 
thg  sympathizing  women  of  the  nation  have 
forwarded  for  "the  use  of  the  suffering,  are 
prostituted  to  satisfying  the  greed  of  the 
worthless.  This  is  especially  the  case  ■witix. 
lady  visitors  to  our  camps.    With  heart* 


182 


The- Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


full  of  generous  syrcpathy,  'aiid  spirits 
eager  to  relieve  Buffering — their  sole  desire 
being  to  aid  their  brothers  in  the  name  not 
only  of  a  common  national  cause,  but  in 
accordance  with  the  Christian  rule  that 
meat  should  be  given  to  the  hungry,  drink 
to  the  thirsty,  lodging  to  the  houseless, 
clothing  to  the  naked,  and  consolation  to 
those  in  prison.  The  idea  of  deception  on 
the  part  of  those  requesting  aid  is  never 
dreamed  of  by  these  ministers  of  charity. 
Their  mission  is  a  holy  one,  and  all  thought 
of  untruth  on  the  part  of  those  claiming 
assistance  is  necessarily  absent  from  their 
minds.  There  is  another  class  of  persons, 
also,  unfitted  for  the -work  of  relief — those 
proceeding  from  State  organizations,  and 
eager  to  give  publicity  to  the  results  of 
their  operations  in  the  army.  They  give 
to  every  one  asking,  give  freely,  and  thus 
do  injury  also  to  the  cause  of  relief.  The 
principle  underlying  the  work  of  the  Relief 
Agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission— that 
underlying  the  whole  design  of  the  Com- 
mission— is  to  work  as  far  as  possible  with 
the  approbation  of  the  Medical  Officers, 
furnishing  supplies  under  their  orders,  or 
directly  to  individiuil  cases  after  carefully 
examining  into  the  real  character  of  such. 
A  sound  judgment,  unaffected  by  mere 
sentimentalism,  or  unsuspecting  tenderness 
of  heart,  and  most  certainly  free  from  all 
desire  of  parade  and  show — a  sound  judg- 
ment, I  say,  conjoined  with  an  earnest  sym- 
pathy with  real  suffering,  and  a  holy  love 
of  the  Union  and  aU  its  defenders — this  is 
imperatively  demanded  from  every  one  who 
wi  hes  to  do  satisfactory  work  in  the  way 
of  Field  Relief. 

One  important  feature  in  our  operations 
is,  to  make  every  effort  so  that  the  soldier 
shall  receive  every  thing  to  which  he  is 
entitled  from  Government.  Whenever 
articles  are  properly  obtainable-  from  the 
purveyor,  quartermaster,  or  commissary, 
an  effort  is  always  made  to  aid  him  to  secure 
such  from  the  regular  sources;  and  when 
this  fails,  then  to  come  to  the  I'escue  with 
the  voluntary  bounties  of  the  people.  If 
the  want  is  so  imminent  as  to  demand  im- 
mediate attention,  the  needed  stores  are 
furnished  at  once. 

In  the  month  of  November  my  attention 
was  directed  to  a  plan  for  the  addition  of  a 


flying  ambulance  arrangement  to  the  Field 
Relief  Corps.  After  some  weeks'  considera- 
tion of  this  subject,  on  the  23d  of  the  same 
month  I  approved  a  plan  which  was  pro- 
posed by  a  Russian  physician,  Dr.  Herman 
Baalen,  who  was  represented  as  having  had 
considerable  experience  during  the  Crimean 
war  in  the  management  of  a  flying  ambu- 
lance depot.  This  plan  was  shortly  after- 
wards put  into  operation,  through  the  or- 
ders of  the  associate  secretary  in  Washing- 
ton, Mr.  Knapp.  Finding  on  my  return  to 
duty,  after  a  few  weeks'  leave  of  absence, 
necessitated  by  increasing  indisposition, 
that  this  flying  ambulance  arrangement 
would  not  be  required  during  the  winter, 
and  that  very  important  changes  would  be 
necessary  before  it  would  adapt  itself  to 
the  needs  of  the  Commission,  an  or^er  was 
issued  dispensing  with  it  on  December  11, 
1863. 

The  arrangements  for  the  Field  Relief 
Corps  during  the  coming  quarter  will  re- 
quire certain  changes,  which  economy  and 
the  character  of  the  needs  of  an  army  in 
winter  quarters  require.  It  is  intended 
that  the  agents  shall  have  the  field  store- 
house, which  is  generally  situated  at  the 
quartermaster's  depot  of  supplies,  as  their 
headquarters.  The  wagons  wiU  be  brought 
in  during  the  months  of  inactivity.  The 
agents,  with  their  saddle  horses,  will  move 
through  the  corps  as  occasion  shall  require, 
ascertain  what  wants  exist,  and  endeavor 
to  have  these  supplied,  either  through  the 
medical  officers,  or  by  personally  carrying 
the  stores  and  directly  meeting  individual 
want.  The  superintendent  will  have  the 
opportunity  of  learning  almost  daily  the 
condition  of  the  work  in  each  corps,  and%f 
giving  directions  continually  on  the  subject. 
The  whole  family  will  have  frequent  oppor- 
tunities of  profiting  by  each  other's  expe- 
rience, and  stimulating  each  other  to  con- 
tinuous good  work.  One  or  more  wagons 
will  be  retained  at  the  field  store-house  to 
meet  such  emergencies  as  may  require  the 
transfer  suddenly  of  stores  from,  one  point 
to  another.  When  active  operations  are 
once  more  resumed  in  the  army,  the  wagons 
wiU  be  replaced.  It  must  be  understood 
that  in  this  arrangement  it  is  not  necessary 
that  the  agent  should  reach  the  field  store- 
house every  night— indeed,  the  natuie  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


183 


his  business  may  require  him  to  remain 
away  from  the  headquarters  for  days  on  a 
trip — the  only  change  of  the  plan  as  re- 
gards the  quarters  of  the  agent  being  that 
these  shall  be  now  for  the  winter  at  the 
field  store-house,  and  not  separated  from 
the  rest  in  each  corps. 

An  earnest  efifort  has  been  made  to  keep 
the  expenses  of  this  corps  within  reasonable 
limits,  and  the  compensation  allowed  the 
agents  is  barely  enough  to  meet  the  ex- 
penses necessarily  incurred;  still  there  has 
been  no  complaint,  because  the  service  has 
been  entered  upon  with  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  the  Federal  cause,  and  an  anxious 
desire  to  aid  those  who  are  so  nobly  fighting 
in  its  defence.  The  ordinary  life  of  the 
army  when  inaotiTe  offers  no  attractions  to 
most  men,  although  the  promptings  of 
morbid  curiosity  will  bring  them  in  hosts 
to  battle-fields;  and  it  is  during  this  inactive 
life  that  our  relief  agents  are  called  upon  to 
do  yeoman's  service.  They  must  labor  so 
that  all  obstacles  to  health  shall  be  removed, 
and  that  the  soldier  shall  be  fitted  for  what- 
ever may  be  required  of  him.  A  strong 
sense  of  duty  must  be  the  ruling  motive,  or 
more  attractive  positions  would  draw  them 
off.  Again,  the  position  is  frequently  one 
of  danger.  Some  of  the  agents  have  been 
under  the  enemy's  fire  in  the  performance 
of  their  duty,  and  all  of  them  are  exposed 
to  capture  in  their  lonesome  rides  through 
the  corps  of  the  army.  Our  position  as  the 
almoners  of  a  people's  bounteous  considera- 
tion for  the  sick  and  wounded,  has  as  yet 
practically  not  been  recognized  by  the 
authorities  of  the  Confederate  Government. 
One  of  our  teamsters.,  attached  to  the  5th 
Corps,  George  W.  Loagley,  was  seized  by 
the  rebels  in  a  late  attack  on  the  army 
train,  and  is  now  believed  to  be  a  prisoner 
in  Kiebmond.  Considering  that  the  in- 
variable rule  of  the  Commission  has  been 
to  supply  the  wants  of  all  the  wounded  and 
suffering  within  thfe  Federal  Hues,  and  that 
the  eyes  of  all  Europe  have  been  turned 
toward  the  general  recognition  of  a  corps' 
of  Jnjirmiers  Volontaires  as  free  from  cap- 
ture in  time  of  war,  (as  specially  shown  in 
the  late  Congress  held  at  Geneva,)  it  is 
mortifying  to  find  that  a  similar  recogni- 
tion wiU  not  be  granted  by  the  Southern 
contestants    to   persons    holding   similar 


positions  in  our  own  armies.  It  is  shame- 
ful that  the  reward  for  bringing  succor  to 
the  wounded  should  be  incarceration  within 
the  walls  of  a  loathsome  prison,  and  expo- 
sure to  want,  hunger,  and  loathsome  dis- 
ease. As  the  matter  stands  now,  all  this 
reaUy  impends  over  every  one  who  works 
in  the  Field  Belief  Corps,  and  the  danger 
is  freely  and  fearlessly  braved. 

As  a  general  thing,  a  weekly  report  has 
been  made,  through  the  Superintendent,  on 
the  work  of  relief  in  his  corps  by  the 
agents.  These  reports  are  transmitted  here- 
with, without  correction,  or  alteration,  so 
that  the  record  may  exist  as  it  was  made  at 
the  time,  and  may  be  placed  in  the  Archives 
of  the  Commission  f (Jr  the  use  of  the  future 
historian  of  this  war. 

I  must  state  my  candid  opinion,  that  a 
more  energetic,  zealous  body  of  young 
men  I  have  never  met  with  than  those 
which  constitute  our  corps  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  The  pgsition  calls  out  all 
the  faculties  of  mind  and  body.  The 
agent  has  frequently  to  play  hostler,  cook, 
tailor,  shoemaker,  teamstsr,  and  indeed 
must  know  how  to  help  himself  out  of 
every  dilemma  in  which  a  man  can  possibly 
fall  who  is  in  the  field  away  from  the  aids 
as  weU  as  the  refining  influences  of  civiliza- 
tion. He  must  be  prepared  for  any  and 
every  form  of  accident  that  may  meet  him 
in  his  nomadic  life— undergo  all  the  hard- 
ships and  much  of  the  danger  of  a  soldier's 
life,  and  yet  be  unaffected  by  the  hope  of 
preferment,  the  increase  of  rank  or  pay,  or 
even  by  a  notice  in  a  general  order.  They 
labor  on  in  their  work  quietly  and  unob- 
trusively, scattering  the  handiwork  of  the 
sewing  circles  of  villages  and  country 
towns,  as  well  as  the  larger  stores  of  great 
cities-,  and  thus  making  available  what  the 
glorioas  charities  of  our  people  are  eager  to 
extend  to  the  suffering  soldier.  What  a 
uoble  work  is  thus  done  by  the  joint  aid 
of  the  furnishers  and  distributors  of  sup- 
plies, is  only  to  known  to  Him  who  knows 
all  things  ! 

In  this  connection  I  must  make  special 
mention  of  the  untiring  assiduity  of  Capt. 
Isaac  Harris,  the  Assistant  Superintendent 
of  the  Corps,  who  has  had  charge  in  the  field 
during  the  temporary  absence  of  Mr.  J.  W. 
Johnson.    His  vigilance  and  activity  are 


184 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


only  equaled  by  his  jealous  care  for  the 
good  reputation  of  the  Commission,  and 
his. resolute  determination  that  no  quasi- 
philanthropist  shall  use  it  for  his  own  per- 
sonal advantage  or  advancement.  It  is  a 
fortunate  occurrence  that  we  have  two  men 
BO  devoted  to  our  work  as  Mr.  Johnson  and 
Capt.  Harris  in  the  Field  Corps.  At  best, 
only  general  directions  for  this  work  can  be 
issued  by  the  Chief  Inspector,  and  it  is  a 
fortunate  circumstance  that  these  gentle- 
men have  taken  such  an  enthusiastic  hold 
of  their  duties.  Like  every  one  connected 
with  this  hard-working,  patient  army,  the 
love  of  country  and  of  doing  good  nerves 
them  to  meet  all  exigencies  as  they  arise. 

Since  the  first  formation  of  the  Field  Re- 
lief Corps  at  Boonsborough,  Md.,  July  17, 
1863,  in  addition  to  the  four  wagon  loads 
of  stores  first  sent  forth — of  which  no  ac- 
count was  made — the  following  articles 
have  been  issued  through  its  agents  up  to 
the  date  of  this  report: 

Brandy,  Rum,  and  Whiskey.  1,935  tottles. 
Foreign  and  Domestic  Wine .  1,271      " 

Jamaica  Ginger 840      " 

Exti-a'ct  of  Beef ^ 2,792  cana. 

Condensed  Milk 4,400      " 

Com  Starch,  &c.,  &c 4,533  pounds. 

Soft  Crackers 89^  barrels. 

Pickles 436  gallons. 

Jellies 610  jars. 

Dried  Fruit 21  barrels. 

Tea 223  ponnds. 

Chocolate 1,012      " 

Sugar. 1,074      " 

Chloroform 81      " 

Tamarinds 110  gallons. 

Tomatoes 156  cans. 

Shirts,  wool  and  coiton 6,301 

Drawers,  "  5,513 


Socks, 


4,739 


Bed-ticks 1,522 

Blankets  and  Quilts 2,310 

Pillow  Cases 1,712 

Handkerchiefs 1,414 

Tin  Cups 1,204 

Towels 3,547 

Slippers 841 

Pillows 992 

Sheets 1,017 

Work  Bags 200 

Tobacco 735  pounds. 

Buckets. 20 

i 

In  concluding  this  general  sketch  of  wliat 
the  Meld  Relief  Corps  has  been,  and  what  it 
has  done,  I  must  state  that  I  consider  my 
connection  with  it  as  one  of  the  most  satis- 
factory and  extended  opportunities  of  do- 
ing good  that  has  ever  faUen  to  my  lot,  and 
express  my  sense  of  thankfulness  to  Provi- 
dence for  the  great  privilege  I  have  enjoyed 
of  superintending  and  directing  its  opera- 
tions. 


On  the  8th  of  December,  1863, 1  was  put 
in  charge  of  a  district,  including  not  only 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but  all  the  troops 
in  "  Eastern  Virginia  and  Maryland,  (east 
from  Cumberland,)  excepting  those  con- 
nected with  the  defences  of  Washington, 
and  those  stationed  at  Baltimore  and  An- 
napolis." As  the  troops  in  the  western 
portion  of  this  district  are  mostly  station- 
ary, I  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  establish 
a  depot  of  stores  within  its  limits,  or  to 
keep  a  permanent  relief  agent  wit^  the 
command,  but  concluded  to  work  for  the 
present  through  the  reports  which  our 
Sanitary  Inspectors  would  make,  as  to  the 
needs  of  the  troops,  hospitals,  &o.,  on  their 
visitations,  intending,  in  case  there  should 
arise  any  special  need,  hereafter  to  detail  a 
relief  ageat  for  this  business.  Acting  in 
accordance  with  this  plan,  Dr.  W.  S.  Swalm, 
Sanitary  Inspector,  was  ordered  (Decem- 
ber 7,  1863)  "to  proceed  by  the  earliest 
train  to  Cumberland,  Md.,  with  the  view 
of  ascertaining  the  wants  of  the  troops  and 
hospitals  located  in  and  near  that  town  ; 
thence  to  proceed  to  Martinsbuxg,  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  Charlestown,  for  the  same  pur- 
pose," and  if  he  d;.ould  find  hospitals  at 
intermediate  points,  to  visit  them  also.  Dr. 
Swalm  reported  on  the  wants  as  he  found 
them  in  his  tour  of  inspection,  and  the 
needed  stores  were  forwarded  at  once  from 
the  storehouse  in  Washington.  From  time 
to  time  similar  visits  for  ascertaining  wants 
in  this  portion  of  my  district  will  be  made 
by  proper  officers. 

The  section  of  Norfolk,  including  so  much 
of  Major-General  B.  F.  Butler's  command 
(18th  Army  Corps)  as  is  stationed  in  Vir- 
ginia, has  been  under  the  special  care  of 
James  Gall,  Jr. ,  Belief  Agent,  whose  sound 
judgment,  kind  heart,  and  gentlemanly 
character  have  enabled  him  to  render  effi- 
cient aid  to  the  needs  of  this  section,  to 
support  and  give  additional  strength  to  the 
reputation  of  the  Commission,  and  to  gain 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  military 
officers  with  whom  he  has  come  into  con- 
tact. He  has  steadily  and  regularly  visited 
aU  the  regiments  and  hospitals  in  his  sec- 
tion with  promptness,  sent  in  his  weekly 
reports  of  the  nature  of  his  work,  furnished 
intelligible  and  accurate  vouchers  as  regarda 
expenditures  of  stares  and  moneys,  and,  in 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


185 


a  'word,  has  shown  himself  to  be  a  model 
Relief  Agent.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that 
our  work  has  been  done  most  thoroughly 
and  efficiently  in  this  section. 

When  there  was  an  opportunity  of  for- 
warding stores  to  .Biohmond,  he  acted 
promptly  in  this  matter  ;  and  abundant 
proof  has  been  afforded  us  of  the  accepta- 
bility of  this  work  through  the  letters  of 
Brigadier-General  Neal  Dow,  and  others, 
now  incarcerated  within  the  walls  of  Libby 
and  Castle  Thunder. 

The  stores  forwarded  from  the  Washing- 
ton storehouse  for  use  in  Mr.  Gall's  section, 
(large  quantities  were  also  dispatched  froni 
Baltimore,)  will  be  shown  by  the  abstract 
accompanying  this  report. 

I  also  ask  attention  to  the  Statement  of 
Issues  from  the  Norfolk  storehouse  during 
the  year  1863,  prepared  by  Samuel  Bacon, 
the  Commission's  Storekeeper  at  that  post. 

BEDDING  AND  HOSPITAl  FUBNITUBE. 

Issued. 

Air  Gusldons » 

Air  Beds        

Bed  Ticks 1089 

Bed  Pans 31 

Blanjzets 758 

Brooms 80 

Chambers 28 

Candlesticks 40 

Combs,  Coarse 140 

Hospital  Cots 8 

Cushions  ....•,.-. , 141 

Head  Rests '. 1 

Lanterns 8 

Medicine  Cups 

Medicine  Tubes ; ^ 

Netting,  Mosquito i pieces.    216 

OilSUk yards.      62 

Pillows 1632 

Pillow  Cases , 5936 

Pillow  Ticks 254 

Quilts 1579 

Rubber  Sheeting / yards.    '  32 

Bowls 22 

Sheets 4573 

Tin  Coffee  Pots 2 

Tin  Pails 17 

Sponges 124 

Soap lbs.    169 

Towels 7166 

Tin  Cups 920 

Tin  Basins 185 

Urinals 24 

Wood  Palls. 3 

Tin  Plates  .,-. 329 

Knives  and  Forks 12 

Spoons 84 

WashBoards 10 

Clothespins. 352 

Shelter  Tents 49 

WEAEING  APPABBL. 

Issued. 

Coats — Cotton.. » .'.pairs.    150 

Woolen. " 

Dbawees— Cotton "      3201 

Woolen "     2604 

;  ,  Canton  Flannel "      1245 

E4r-Laps 124 

Haimel  Bandages  174 

Hanheebchiefs — Pocket 4460 

Mittens pairs.    304 

<»  NcokTies *,      12 

'Arin  Shngs '....^ 50 


Panis— Cotton pairs.  165 

Woolen " 

Shibts — Cotton,  Convalescent . , ' 

"        Hospital 6168 

Woolen 3376 

Canton  Flannel '. 324 

"  "      Hospital 

Fancy  Caps 28 

Slippers pairs.  3104 

SpoKS— Cotton " 

Woolen "  4179 

Vests— Cotten  and  Woolen 116 

WuAPPEBS— Thin  and  Thick 641 

Mixed  Vegetables bbls.  '   13 

Herring boxes.  8 

Apple  Sauce -. gals.  53 

Eggs bbls.  1 

HOSPITAL  FOOD  AND  DELICACIES. 

Issued. 

BiceFlour '. lbs.  113 

Toast bbls.  3 

Apples,  dried "  105 

Arrow  Boot lbs.  917 

BeefSoup "  668 

Beef,  Cpnoentrated  Extract "  1383 

Brandy bottles.  666 

Butter lbs.  311 

Coffee «. "  394 

Canned  Meat,  Tripe cans.  87 

Tamaiinds gals.    230 

Canned  Vegetables cans.  277 

Cocoa lbs.  182 

Chocolate   "  2673 

Coffee,  Extract  of "  62 

Condensed  Milk ^ "  3955 

Crackers bbls.  .35J^ 

Com  Starch .• lbs.  1561 

Corn  Meal bbls.  19 

Dried  Fruit,  assorted "  68 

Kxtract  Jamaica  Ginger bottles.  650 

Farina   lbs.  1466 

Fruit  Cordial bottles.  66 

Gelatine pkgs.  36 

Jellies  and  Preserves bottles.  861 

Flaxseed  lbs.  24 

Maizena "  108 

Mustard ; "  19 

Lemons boxes.  2 

Oat  Meal bbls..     9 

Onions   "  10 

Pickles gola.  745 

Pepper lbs,  41 

Potatoes bbls.  13 

Sugar,  White , lbs.  1307 

Oranges box.  1 

Syrups.. bottles.  127 

'Spices lbs.  8 

Tea,Blacl£ "  265 

Tapioca "  121 

Tobacco "  48 

Vinegar ■ bottles.  90 

Vinegar,  Easpberry ",  101 

Wlne.Foreigu "  632 

Wine,  Foreign,  in  bulk gals.  84 

Wine,  Domestic bottles.  293 

Wine,  Domestic,  in  bulk gals.  7 

Whiskey    bottles.  835 

Whiskey,  in  bulk gals.  16 

Bum "  12 

Bum bottles.  193 

Ale   bbls."    10 

Porter gals.  279 

Brandy "  15 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Issued. 

Chloroform ■. bottles.  60 

Bay  Bum "  146 

Catsup "  11 

Cologne.. "  10 

Camphor,  Spirits  of "  .6 

Quinine "  22 

Crutches pairs.  23 

Apple  Juice.. cans.  8 

Fans    ....'.'. 461 

Ext.Fruit cans.  23 

Games    20 

Sago lbs.  32 

Lint ^.bblB.  5 

Candles „ lbs.  3 

Magazines,  &o boxes.  9 

Old  Linen .bbls.  13 


186 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BnUetin. 


Pincushions  and  Needle  BookB boxes.  3 

KollBandages bbls.  8 

Horse  Badlsli bottles.  2 

Hatches boxes.  144 

CodHsh lbs.  830 

Chicken cans.  48 

LagerBeer , bbls.  1 


STATIONEBT. 


Issned. 

2875 

bottles.      25 


Envelopes 

Ink    

Ijetter  Paper. 

^ote  Paper quires.    173 

Pencils     

Pen  Holders 105 

Pens .' 288 


As  regards  the  troops  in  the  defences  of 
Washington,  upon  -whose  condition  Dr. 
Steiner  does  not  tonch,  a  most  satirfactorj 
statement  is  made  in  a  report  from  Dr. 
Julius  Nichols,  one  of  our  inspectors, 
■which  has  also  been  read  at  the  present 
session  of  the  Commission.  He  gives  a 
consolidated  report,  showing  the  rate  of 
sickness  in  each  regiment,  furnishing  an 
exhibition  of  the  most  satisfactory  state  of 
health.  He  reports  the  prevalence  of  ex- 
cellent morals  among  the  men,  and  says 
that  there  is  no  tendency  to  any  form  of 
epidemic  disease.  Scarcely  any  typhoid 
exists,  and  there  is  a  universal  absence 
of  scurvy.  Everywhere  throughout  the 
forces,  the  greatest  satisfaction  was  expressed 
by  the  men  as  to  the  quality  and  quantity 
of  the  Government  rations;  and  in  every 
regiment  the  "  company  funds,"  well  gath- 
ered and  used,  provided  a  variety  in  the 
dietary  of  such  articles  as  butter,  miUi,  . 
eggs,  vegetables,  etc.,  etc.  A  very  gene- 
ral inclination  to  re-enlist  among  the  vete- 
rans is  reported  by  Dr.  N. ,  thus  confirming 
the  often-expressed  belief  of  patriotic  ob- 
servers of  the  national  army,  that  its  sol- 
diers are  thoroughly  in  earnest  in  their  de- 
votion to  the  good  cause,  and  determined 
"to  see  the  thing  out,''  as  some  of  them 
commonly  call  the  rebellion, 
a  What  Dr.  Nichols  says  of  the  high  mor- 
als of  the  forces  within  the  defences  of 
Washington,  is  true  of  the  entire  Federal 
army,  with  scarcely  an  exception.  The 
lapse  of  more  than  two  years,  and  the  trials 
of  repeated  and  severe  campaigns,  have  eli- 
minated from  the  army  much  of  the  poor 
material  that  clogged  its  ranks  during  the 
earlier  period  of  their  enlistment.  We 
have  now  a  rapidly  increasing  army  of  vet- 
erans. 


There  is  at  present  a  great  scarcity 
of  warm  mittens  in  the  storehouses  of  the 
Commission,  and  the  severity  of  the  weather 
of  course  makes  the  want  of  them  greatly 
felt  in  the  army.  It  is  earnestly  requested 
that  efforts  may  be  made  by  our  readers 
and  aU  friends  of  the  cause  to  supply  this 
want,  by  sending  forward  supplies  of  them 
ai  once  to  the  depots  of  the  branch  societies 
the  addresses  of  which  are  all  given  on  pag^ 
187  of  this  number  of  the  BniiLETiN. 


PROTECTIVE 

op  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


A.pply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENEY  GBEENEIELD,  Sec'y, 
SSChaiibebs  Street,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiei-s  and  saUors  and 
their  famiUes,  afiy  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  ckdmant. 

id.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4:ih.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  tJieir  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

BROOKLYN  AND  LONG  ISLAND  FAIR. 

The  LADIES  who  have  been  notified  of  their  appoint- 
ment as  Managers  of  the  Fair  in  aid  of  the  D.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,  to  be  opened  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of 
Music  on  the  22d  February  next,  are  respecttoUy  re- 
minded that  they  are  expected  to  take  immediate  meas- 
ures, within  their  respective  congregations,  and  social  or 
fiunily  circles,  according  to  their  own  best  judgment  and 
discretion,  for  insuring  ULe  largest  possible  amount  of 
aid  to  this  great  enterprise. 

Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  STRANAHAN,  President 

January  Gth,  1864. 

ARTIFICIAL  LEGS  &  ARMS. 

SBIiPHO*S  PATENT,  516  BROADWAY. 

Established  24:  Yeahs. 

The  most  perfect  substitatoa  for 
lost  linibs  tho  world  of  science  has 
ever  jjiventod,  can  be  had  only  of 
WM:.  SEU>H0  &  SON,  patentees. 

N.  B.— A  Silver  Modal  awarded  at 
tho  last  Fair,  of  tlio  American  Insti- 
tute and  Kew  Haven  Gountv  Faira. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulldin: 


187 


THE  U.  S.  SANITAry  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  ia 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  ■with  the  reoommen- 
dation  of  the  Sux^eon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Ateiy,  and  its  ap{)ointment  and  plan  of  oi^ani- 
zation  •were  apprdved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.'  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

G.  W.  CuUom,  U.  S.  A. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  0.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
0.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Et.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
•    Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman'Eogers,, Philadelphia,  Penru 

OFFICERS : 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  IJL-D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  8.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  aU  the  tlnited  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the 
Hospitals  in  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Carolina,  South  Caro- 
lina, Florida  and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
and  the  New  England  States,  address  "Office 
Women's  Central  Union,  No.  10  Cooper  Insti- 
tute, New  York." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illiiiois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky, 
Teimessee,  tossissippi  and  Arkansas,  address 
"Office  Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the-  naine,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be 
given,  andwhere  he  was  when  last  heard  from. 
If  the  application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will 
be  sent  by  return  of  mail;  if  in  person,  it  will 
be  answered  at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  an- 
swer will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  in- 
quirer's expense. 

^"Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  ed- 
itors, aijd  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause 
of  humanity  mpre  effectually  than  by  frequently 
and  widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the 
above,  among  those  who  have  £i,ieuds  in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive,  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  tlie  sick  and  wounded  at  pomts 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga— its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  aU  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelx}hia. 

Sanitary '  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixtli  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch.  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  NO;  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York.  , 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

'    Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depojj,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no,  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntai'y  contributions  of  the  pubho  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasmy  are  sohcited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  Gfiorge  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N..Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Kev.  r.  N.  Knapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  A'Bsistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltmiore  Bailroad  Depot,  Waah- 
mgton,  D.  C. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Eailioad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  Q.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI.— 0.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky James  Malona,  Sup't 

James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.- L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio-; ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Behef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W, 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers."  Lodge,  Ticksburg,  Miss.— T;  Way,  Sup't. 

AGESOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Eascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSFITAIi.CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York — Sol.  Andrews, 
K.  D.,  Sm-geou  in  charge. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro' — Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
nnm.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

eANITABT  BTEAMEBS. 

Mississippi  Biver— Clara  Bell;  Cumberland  Biver— 
Kew  imulelth;  Potomac  Biver— Elizabeth. 


188  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 

NEW     Y  O  E  K 

COMMERCIAL    ADVERTISER, 

^   Da^y    Evening    !I^^e-wspaper5 
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PREMIUM   BOSTON    CRACKERS, 

SUPERIOR  BOSTON  WATER  CRACKERS, 

Ship  and  Pilot  Bread.    All  kinds  of  Biscuit  and  Crackers., 
Orders  punduaUy  attended  to. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


189 


RECENT    MEDICAL    ¥ORKS, 

PUBLISHED  BY 

BAILLIEEE  BEOTHEES, 

440  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


ON  MILITAET  AKD  CAMP  HOSPITALS,  AND  THE  HEALTH  OF  TROOPS  IN  THE  FIELD.  By  L.  Baudens, 
Medical  Dixectbr  of  the  French  Army,  &c.,  &c.  Translated  and  Annotated  by  Euahklin  B.  Hough,  M.  D.,  late 
Sanitary  Inspector  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.    12mo,  260  pages.    Price  $1  25. 

***  The  above  work  is  the  result  of  a  commission  sent  by  the  Fi'ench  Government  to  the  Crimea  to  report  upon 
the  condition  of  the  Hospitals  and  troops  of  the  French  army,  and  incidentally  of  the  English  and  Sardinian  armies. 
It  is  written  in  the  form  of  a  narrative,  and  the  great  queBtions  of  the  prevention  and  control  of  disease  in  camps  arid 
hospitals  are  thoroughly  discussed.  The  hygienic  conditions  of  the  United  States  Army  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
armies  of  the  Crimea;  the  rules  and  •prescriptions  given  in  the  book  will,  therefore,  be  found  perfectly  applicable. 
This  work  recoramends  itself  to  commanders  of  regiments  as  well  as  army  surgeons. 

•  ON  DIPHTHERIA.    By  Etw^d  Headlam  Gbeenhow.    1861.    Pp.  160.    Price  $1.25. 

Our  readers  will  find  a  very  large  amount  of  information  in  the  twelve  chapters  of  which  the  volume  is  made  up. 
Perhaps,  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  on  tlie  subject  of  this  obscurely  undei^stood  disease,  little  more  can  be 
Bald  beyond  what  may  here  be  found  written  down. — London  Medical  Times  and  Gazette.       • 

We  have  on^  been  able  here  to  refer  to  certain  of  the  more  prominent  facts  concerning  diphtheria;  but  we  believe 
we  have  said  enough  to  recommend  this  well-written  treaties  to  the  attention  of  the  profession.— JJritoA  Medical 
Journal. 
ADVICE  TO  A  MOTHER  ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  HER  OITSPRING  IN  INFANCY,  CHILDHOOD  AND  YOUTH. 

By  P.  Hbnby  Chavabse,  M.  D.    Price  60c. 
Fifth  Edition.    HAND-BOOK  OF  SURGICAL  OPERATIONS.    By  Stephen  Smith,  M.  D.,  SurgeDn  to  Bellevue  Hosp. 

12mo,  280  pages,  and  237  Woodcut  Illustrations.    Price  $1  75. 
Just  received,  a  Fresh  Stock  of  "  BERNARD  &  HUETTE'S  OPERATIVE  SURGERY."    Colored  Plates.    Price  $20. 

MESSRS.  BAILLIERE  BROTHERS  beg  to  inform  the  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  and  STUDENTS,  that  having 
purchaaed  a  Stock  of  the  PubUcations  of  Messrs.  BLANCHARD  &  LEA,  LIPPINCOTT  &  CO.,  LINDSAY  &  BLAKISTON, 
&c.,  they  are  prepared  to  sell  all  the  pubhcations  of  these  Houses  at  a  veby  libebal  dibcoubt  fob  cash.  Prices  will 
be  given  on  application  and  orders  are  respectfully  solicited. 

Any  of  the  above  sent  free  by  mail  on  receipt  of  the  price. 


% 


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Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  Sl  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsburyj  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  2S2  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GREBNLBAP  &  CO.,  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicaga 
FAIRBANKS  &  EW^ING,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
,  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  circulars  famished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  abore. 


190 


2^  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


RECEIVED 

TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


(PKOM  JURIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


B^g  Sole  Awards  gained  byanytting  of  the  kind.    It  ako  received  Superlative  Report  of 
"EXCEEDIJVG  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utica,  N.  Y., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Diplosia  and  Medaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  IVorristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Amerioan  iNSTrrnTB,  Nevr  York 
City;  New  Jersey  State  Faib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Cora  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  egga, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  wiU  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maissena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM.  DURYE  A- «*»"«»»•«■  A  o-o-.* 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeiin. 


191 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS 

TO  SET  IJ\  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  Heatebs  known  for  warming 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Schools,  Vessels,  &c. 

Send  or  call  for  a  rtrLii  Descihption,  and  an 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  our 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BKICK. 


POBTABLE. 


SANFOUB'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

GLOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
all  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

Stare«,  Hotels,  R.  R.  Depote, 
Vessels,  &c. 

These  Heaters  are  used  by  the 

Hudsoa  Biver  and  other  Bah/- 

EOADS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 

Engine  Houses,  <&c.     Beware  of 

'  imitations  that  are  inferior. 

Extensively  used  in  Hospitals 

and  Barracks. 

GKT    SANFORD'S    MAMMOTH. 


THE 

KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 

masonry,    or     out 

on  feet ;  have  the 

^Largest   Ovens   of 

■  aiiyinmarket;bake 


perfieetly ;"     never 
failing  to  brown  at 

Ihe  bottom.     Boil, 

Boast  and  BroU.with  great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EooNOMT  or  Fuel.  A  most  de- 
sirable Bangefor  PrivcUe  Houses,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  So. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STOVE, 

TVitli  Radiator,  Ventilator,   and 
Gas  Burning  Attacbment. 

The  Leading  Stove  for 

PARLORS, 

SITTING-BOOMS, 

And  all  places  where  a  soft, 
PLEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all  winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly small  supply  of  coal. 


mi 


SUMMER  AND  WINTER 

PORTABLE    RANGE. 


A  very  popular  Bange, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Irons,  at  the  end. 


A  perfect  Appa- 
ratui/or  a/eie  dollars. 


Also  a  ereat  variety  of  COOKING  AND  HEATING  APPABATUS,  suited  to  every 
want.    Also;  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.    Get  description  of  above,  with  references, 

'"'"  SANFORD,  TRUSLOW  &  CO., 

'  239  and  241  Water  St.,  New  YorU. 


192 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


STEINWAY  &  SONS' 
GRAND,  SQUARE  AND  UPRIGHT 


are  now  acknowledged  the  best  instruments  in  America,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  having 
taken 


Twenty-Six  First  Prenuums,  G-old  and  Silver  Medals, 

airs  held  in  this  country  within  the  last  seven  year 
awarded  a 

FIRST    PRIZE    MEDAL 


at  the  Principal  Fairs  held  in  this  country  within  the  last  seven  years;  and  in  additioa, 
thereto,  they  were  awarded  a 


AT   THE 

IN  LONDON,  1862, 

FOR 

Powerfnl,  Clear,  Brilliant  and  Sympathetic  Tone, 

WITH  EXCELLENCE  OF  WORKMANSHIP  AS  SHOWN  IN  GRAND  AND  SQUARE 

3E=^  X  j^  3C«"  O  iS* 

There  were  269  Pianos,  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  entered  for  competition,  and  the 
special  correspondent  of  the  Times  says: 

"  Messrs.  Steinways'  endorsement  by  the  Jurors  is  emphatic,  and  stronger,  and  more 
to  the  point,  than  that  of  any  European  maker. 

"  This  greatest  triumph  of  American  Pianofortes  in  England  has  caused  a  sensation  in 
musical  circles  throughout  the  continent,  and  as  a  result  the  Messrs.  Steinway  are  in 
constant  receipt  of  orders  from  Europe,  thus  inaugurating  a  n,ew  phase  in  the  history  of 
American  Pianofortes,  by  creating  in  them  an  article  of  export." 

Every  Pianoforte  Warranted  for  Five  Years. 

"Warerooms    at    present, 

Nos.  82  and  84  WALKER  STREET. 

A.fter  .April  1st,  1864, 

At  71  and  73  East  14th  Street, 


A  few  doors  East  of  Union  Square, 


Bffi;x?«r  -sron-DK. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I.  NEW  YORK,  FEBRUARY  1,  1864.  No.  7. 


The  Sanitaby  Qommission  BtrLLBTm  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  cirotilation,  gratuitous 
or  other,  of  above  12,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unusuaUy  valuable  medium  for  advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

THE  WOMEN'S  COUNCIL. 

After  tlie  late  session  of  tlie  Board  at 
Waskiagton,  which  terminated  on  Friday 
evening,  January  15th,  a  Coiincil  of  Women, 
representing  the  various  Branches  of  the 
TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  assembled  at 
the  Central  Office,  and  were  in  session 
Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  Janu- 
ary 18th,  19th,  and  20th.  Maine,  Massachu- 
setts, Connecticut,  Vermont,  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Illi- 
nois, Maryland,  were  represented,  and — ^to 
name  some  cities  and  towns — -Portland, 
Boston,  Brattleboro',  Middletown,  (Conn.,) 
New  Havenj  Watertown,  (N.  Y.,)  Buffalo, 
Rochester,  New  York  city,  Philadelphia, 
Pittsburgh,  Elmira,  (N.  Y.,)  Wilmington, 
(Del.,)  Chicago,  Troy,  Sharon,  (Conn.) 
In  addition  to  the  ladies,  who  were  formal 
delegates  from  the  Branches,  the  wives  of 
some  Senatbrs  and  Representatives  most 
interested  in  the  war  were  present,  and  a 
few  ladies  distinguished  for  their  activity 
in  the  pubHc  service,  Miss  Dix,  Mrs.  Sena- 
tor Harlan,  Mrs.  Gibbons,  and  the  wives 
of  two  generals  in  the  army.  Besides  the 
President,  and  the.  General  Secretary  and 
Associate  Secretaries,  and  other  officers  of 
the  Commission,  several  medical  and  mili- 
tary gentlemen  attended  the  council. 

Ijj  was  no  part  of  the  design  qf  the  meet- 


■V^T.     T tin    T 


i.q  ■ 


ing  to  discuss  or  effect  any  change  in  the 
organization  of  the  Branches — ^which  have 
long  been  working  with  commendable  efflr 
cacy;  nor  to  bring  about  any  greater  con- 
formity in  the  details  of  local  work — ^there 
were  no  special  embarrassments  or  obsta- 
cles to  remove  or  overcome.  The  meeting 
of  women  held  under  Mr.  Olmsted's  super- 
intendence a  year  ago,  had  effected  all  that 
was  desirable  in  that  respect;  and  then  not 
by  force  of  any  compulsory  or  binding 
regulations— but  only  by  the  comparison  of 
views  and  the  diffusion  of  light.  One 
after  another  of  the  eastern  Branches  had 
voluntarily  adopted  the  general  method- 
first  assunied  by  the  Boston  Branch,  until 
there  was  little  to  choose  in  the  order  and 
success  of  their  operations.  Nor  were  the 
Branches  in  want  of  light  upon  the  views* 
the  plans,  and  the  machinery  of  the  Central 
Board.  The  numerous  and  thorough  pub- 
lications of  the  Commission  had  furnished, 
to  all  attentive  readers  of  them,  sufficient 
illumination  upon  these  points. ,  Yet  it  was 
not  vainly  thought,  that  the  meeting  of 
these  representative  women  would  bring 
out,  by  wholesome  friction  of  opinions  and 
exchange  qf  experience,  much  that  would 
be  both  new  and  interesting  to  themselves, 
and  valuable  to  the  Commission  itself ;  that, 
the  sight  of  each  other  would  be  gratify- 
ing and  stimulating;  and  especially  that 
the  bringing  of  the  experience  and  work  of 
the  Branches,  and  the  experience  and  work 
of  the  Commission  itself  in  the  hospitals  and 
the  field,  into  direct  contact  and  compari- 
son, or  rather  into  their  real  relationship  to 
each  other,  would  present  the  whole  work 
in  its  completeness,  and  give  to  the  usually 
divided  or  discriminated  halves  of  the  com- 
mon enterprise,  the  feeling  of  -vrholeness, 
in  which  our  nature  so  much  reJQipes. 


194 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  first  thing,  then,  attempted  in  the 
meeting,'  was  to  convey  to  the  women  in 
connoil  a  full  and  living  conception  of  the 
work  of  the  Commissiom,  in  the  hospiteil, 
the  field,  and  with  the  soldiers  everywhere. 
This  was  effected  in  various  ways  : — 1st. 
By  carefuUy  laying  out  in  words,  the 
distinction  between  the  objects,  and  meth- 
ods, and  duties  of  the  Branches — in  their 
collection  of  supplies — and  the,  objects, 
methods,  and-  duties  of  the  Commission  in. 
their  distribution  of  them.  2d.  By  lectur- 
ing from  a  gigantic  diagram,  in  which  each 
and  every  patt  of  the  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion is  laid  down  in  lines,  (of  different 
colors) — ^the  medical,  or  preventive  service, 
in  green,  the  special  relief  service  in  red, 
and  the  general  supply  service  in  black; 
and  by  which  diagram  the  system  of  re- 
sponsibility adopted  in  our  Commission 
service  is  illustrated.  3d.  By  lecturing  on 
the  black  board  on  the  geographical  posi- 
tion of  our  corps  and  on  our  relief  stations, 
with  illustrations  of  the  difficulties  of 
transportation  and  the  distance  of  four 
armies  from  their  base.  4th.  By  inviting 
questions  and  furnishing  answers,  or  by 
asking  questions  and  obtaining  answers 
from  the  ladies  present — ^iniany  of  whom 
had  been  in  the  field. 

The  chief  questions  the  Commission  had 
to  ask  the  Branches  were  : 

1.  As  to  the  efficiency  of  the  new  plan  of 
associate  managers. 

It  was  found  that  wherever  faith  and  zeal 
had  taken  hold  of  the  cause,  the  least 
patriotic  towns  and  neighborhoods  had 
yielded  to  the  efforts  of  the  single-handed 
ladies  who  had  championed  our  plan.  One 
lady  had  found  that  when  three  or  four 
letters  of  inquiry  and  entreaty  for  some  town 
orgajiizatiori  had  failed  to  effect  it,  the  fifth, 
sixth,  or  seventh  accomplished  it.  Another . 
(and  this  was  a  general  testimony)  had 
found,  that  where  all  letters  had  failed, 
personal  visits  succeeded.  One  manager 
had  visited  forty  different  towns.  Another 
had  quickened  loyalty  and  humanity  in  the 
very  nests  of  copperheadism,  and  made 
several  towns,  given  over  to  hopeless  hatred 
of  the  war  and  all  its  fruits,  take  to  active 
exertions  in  behalf  of  our  sick  and  suffering 
soldiers.  Twenty-seven  counties  in  New 
York,  with  associate  managers,  furnished 


three  times  the  amount  of  suppHes  of 
twenty-seven  other  equally  favorably  situat- 
ed counties  vrithout  associate  managers. 
It  was  fotmd  that  the  western  re^on  was 
more  generally  ircterested,  though  not 
so  systematically  at  work  as  the  east- 
ern; and  the  comparison  of  notes  between 
the  representations  of  different  districts  left 
an  impression  upon,  some  of  the  Branches, 
that  the  fields  that  they  now  tilled  needed, " 
and  would  bear,  much  .deeper  plowing 
and  a  wider  sowing. 

2.  The  influence  of  canvassing  agents 
was  a  point  on  which  the  Commission  need- 
ed information  from  the  Branches.  It  was 
generally  allowed  that  the  information 
communicated  by  the  living  voice,  by  well- 
informed  and  experienced  canvassers,  had 
done  great  good,,  and  that  documentary,  or 
even  newspaper  publications,  would  not 
take  its  place.  Many  communities  dated 
their  faith  in,  and  zeal  for,  the'  Com- 
mission, from  the  visit  of  some  earnest  and 
thorough  canvasser.  More  of  this  work 
was  asked  for. 

3.  The  influence  of  the  Bulletin  and  of 
our  documents  in  general,  jvas  another 
question  we  had  to  ask.  There  seemed  to 
be  a  divided  judgment  on  this  point. 
Those  who  were  comparatively  new  to 
our  work  valued  these  publications,  and 
thought  them  very  essential,  indeed  indis- 
pensable. Those  who  knew  it  best,  thought 
the  Bulletin  too  heavy ;  the  articles  not 
short  enough  ;  not  enough  crowded  with 
spicy  and  affecting  incidents  ;  too  much 
occupied  with  business  reports  and  scien- 
tific matter.  The  ladies  were  informed 
that  the  Bulletin  had  several  functions: — 1. 
To  take  the  place  of  other  and  expensive 
printing,  and  preserve  our  official  reports 
for  circulation  among  our  own  corps'  of 
workers.     2.  To  advance  sanitary  science. 

3.  To  communicate  with  the  medical  men 
in  the  army  and  the  profession  elsewhere. 

4.  To  keep  the  money-giving  public  posted 
as  to  the  substantial  nature  and  extent  of  our 
work.  5.  To  address  the  sensibilities  and 
affections  of  the  homes  of  the  land.  We 
could  not  sacrifice  the  other  four  objects 
whoUy  to  the  last ;  but  we  would  endeavor 
to  make  the  last  more  prominent. 

4  The  iiifluence  of  Sanitary  Fairs  upon 
our  future  prospect  of  supplies,   was  an-. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


195 


other  question  of  great  interest.  As  ^'in' 
dry  -weatlier  all  signa  fail,"  ao  it  -waa  com- 
Bionly  thoTight,  i*i  a^sritioal  and  exceptional 
period  of  our  national  history  like  this,  the 
■usual  rules  break  down  as  to  the  unfaTor- 
ableness  of  spasmodic  excitements  upon 
the  normal  interest  of  the  public  in  sani- 
tary work.  It  was  stated  that  in  Chicago 
arid  in  Boston  the  fairs,  very  unpopular 
among  business  men  atthe  start,  had  grown 
in  favor  as  th«y  came  to  tlie  practical  test ; 
that  the  business  interest  had  foundthem 
their  best  advertising  card;  and  that  trade, 
instead  of  suffering  by  their  competition, 
had  actually  thriven  in  a  marked  way  un- 
der their  stimulus.  Chicago,  it  was  repre- 
sented, was  quite  ready  to  have  another,  if 
meoessary.  The  amount  of  patriotism 
created  by  the  fairs  quite  overbalance 
any  loss  of  regular  industry  through  the 
temporary  exhaustion  caused  by  them. 
There  seemed  to  be  little  evidence  that  the 
usual  returns  of  the  receiving  depots  were 
lessened  by  the  existence  of  the  fairs, 
while  the  increase  of  numbers  freshly  in- 
terested in  the  work,  by  the  attention  thus 
called  to  th^  subject,  largely  exceeded,  in 
its  prospective  results,  all  possible  injury 
produced  by  these  local  excitements. 

The  main  questions  which  the  Branches 
had  to  put  to  the  Commission  were  these : 

1.  There  is  a  common  impression,*  in- 
dustriously increased  by  the  rivals  or  ene- 
mies of  the  €lommission,  that  the  cost  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  excessive — par- 
ticularly in  salaries  and  in  printing.  •  The 
ladies  present  had  no  misgivings  on  this 
point,  but  they  wished  to  be  able  to  answer 
the  gainsayers  with  authority.  It  was 
shown,  that  the  Sanitary  Commission  had 
received  (by  estimated  value)  about  seven 
miUions  of  dollars  in  supplies,  and  about  a 
mJillioh  doUars  in  money ;  that  the  money 
had  been  used,  about  half,  in  purchasing 
such  kinds  of  supplies  as  the  homes  of 
the  land  do  not  furnish — medicines  and 
food  necessary  for  the  sick  and  their  relief ; 
and  the  oth^r  half  in  distributing  efficiently, 
by  a  thoroughly  organized  and  necessarily 
costly  system,  the  seven  millions  of  sup- 
plies, or  in  maintaining  Homes  and  Lodges 
and  special  Belief.  It  was  shown  that  at  a 
cost  of  $15,000  a  month,  two  hundred  ex- 
tents, 


TyvQi3j/^o1       1T1  oi-.^ji4-f\T.a        ntnXAa^ 


clerks,  and  assistants  were  maintained  in 
the  field,  distributed  all  over  the  country, 
from  Texas  to  New  York ;  from  Port  Eoyal 
to  Kansas ;  that  these  men  did  not'average 
the  wages  of  carpenters  and  masons,  al- 
though most  of  them  were  men  of  educa- 
tion, taste,  and  skill,  who  could  earn  many 
times  over  their  salaries  in  other  fields  of 
labor ;  that,  for  instance,  the  Relief  Corps 
of  the  whole  army  of  the  Potomac  did  not 
average  $2.00  a  day  to  each  man,  and  that 
no  volunteer  service  could  take  its  place,  or 
compare  with  it  in  efficiency. 

2.  As  to  printing,  everybody  was 
amazed  to  learn  that  the  whole  cost  of 
printing  to  the  Commission,  for  its  whole 
existence,  three  years  nearly,  had  been 
about  $10,000,  including  advertising,  re- 
porter. Bulletin,  medical  tracts,  and  other 
documents.  The  Chicago  Branch,  by  its 
eloquent  and  enlightened  delegate,  Mrs. 
Hoge,  urged  that  advertisements,  by  news- 
paper, pulpit,  and  circular,  was  the  very  life 
of  all  success  ;  that  in  iheir  Branch  the 
matter  had  been  reduced  to  an  absolute 
system,  and  that  they  hesitated  at  no  ex- 
pense found  necessary  in  bringing  their 
wants  before  the  public.  She  urged  the 
importance  of  frequent  and  of  specific  caUs 
by  printed  circulars,  and  explained  the 
efficacy  of  an  "  Onion  Circular,"  only 
eight  lines  long,  which  brought  that  whole- 
some anti-scorbutic  on  strings  into  their 
depots,  till  hundreds  of  barrels  were  de- 
spatched. This  was  followed,  by  "a  Potato 
Circular,"  and  thstt  by  " a Pickel  Circular," 
with  similar  productiveness.  The  whole 
press,  secular  and  religious — the  whole 
clergy,  by  careful  lists  made  out  according 
to  denomination,  were  made  mediums  of 
advertising  in  the  West,  with  wonderful 
resTxlts. 

3.  The  question  of  security  in  the  trans- 
portation of  supplies,  and  of  a  prompt  and 
just  distribution  of  them  among  the  sick, 
without  ravage  from  surgeons,  stewards, 
and  nurses,  was  treated  with  great  copious- 
ness. The  Commission  exchanged  their 
testimony  with  those  ladies  who  had  been 
at  the  seat  of  war  in  quest  of  evidence  on 
this  vital  point.  The  Comnaission  has  al- 
ways assumed  the  general  trustworthiness 
of  the  Medical  Department,  the  army  sur- 
geons, and  stewards,  on  ordinary  grounds 


196 


The  Sanitary  Gmnmismm  Bulletin. 


of  confldence  in  the  decency  of  persons 
holding  responsible  stations.  It  has  ad- 
mitted a  smajl  per  centage  of  loss  and 
ravage.  -But  apart  from  this  general  trust, 
its  positive  watchfulness  and  direct  observa- 
tion have  warranted  none  of  the  suspicions 
so  vulgarly  prevalent  against  the  honesty 
and  ordinary  humanity  of  the  surgeons  of 
the  army.  Mrs.  Hoge  testified  that  with 
the  fullest  opportunities  of  tracing  sup- 
plies, she  had  not  been  able  to  see  how 
they  ooiild,  or  that  they  did  get  stolen, 
or  lost  on  their  way;  or  that  after  resich- 
ing  the  hospital,  it  was  possible  that 
they  should  be  misa,ppropriated  without 
producing  universal  scandal.  She  stated 
that  in  Memphis,  where  several  large  hos- 
jjitals  existed,  out  of  all  the  numerous 
wards  she  found  but  two  in  which  the 
least  complaint  existed  among  the  men 
that  the  supplies  did  not  reach  them,  and 
that  the  ward-masters,  in  these  two  cases, 
were  at  once  dismissed  on  her  complaint 
to  the  surgeon  in  charge. 

She  stated  an  a£fecting  anecdote  of  a 
surgeon,  worn  down  with  many  sleepless 
nights,  whom  she  had  exhorted  to  go  tc 
bed — who  said,  "How  dare  I  go  to  bed, 
with  these  rumors  constantly  circulating 
in  the  homes  that  we  surgeons  are  a  sloth- 
ful, self-indulgent  set ;"  and  in  another 
case,  when  she  begged  an  exhausted  sur- 
geon to  take  some  white  sugar  in  his  tea, 
he  exclaimed,  "No,  brown  sugar  for  me; 
I  must  deny  myself  the  ordinary  comforts 
provided  for  other  sick  men,  or  I  shall  be 
set  down  among  those  worthless  wretches 
called  surgeons,  who  are  eating  up  the 
poor  soldiers'  delicacies. " 

As  to  the  washing.in  the  army,  a  vast  im- 
provement was  recognized,  and  the  system 
appeared  to  be  working  well.  It  appeared 
to  be  even  better  in  the  hospitals  near  the 
fltld  of  war  than  nearer  home,  where  pure 
sloth — ^which  seemed  t'o  invade  alike  ward- 
masters  and  soldiers — kept  them  all  alike 
often  filthy  and  unwashed. 

Besides  the  President,  Dr.  Jenkins  the 
General  Secretary,  Dr.  Newberry  the  As- 
sociate Secretary  for  the  West,  Mr.  Knapp 
the  Associate  Secretary  for  the  East,  partici- 
pated largely,,  and  each  with  some  special 
contribution  of  experience.  Dr.  Newberry, 
whose  personal    experience  has  been   as 


vast  as  his  labors  have  been  abundant  and 
efficient,  was  specially  instructive  on  the 
topography  of  our  western  operations — 
illustrating  the  vast  difficulties  of  transpor- 
tation, and  the  length  of  the  lines  along 
which  we  forwarded  our  snppliess 

Miss  Dix  met  the  ladies  by  special  ap- 
pointment after  the  adjournment,  and  gave 
them  an  address  on  Hospital  Nursing  of 
great  interest  and  value. 

The  ladies  visited  "  the  Home,"  the 
"  Lodges,"  the  Store-houses,  the  Conva- 
lescent Camp,  the  Hospitals,  and  other  ob- 
jects of  interest,  including  the  President. 
Their  visit  appeared  as  eminently  satisfac- 
tory to  themselves  as  it  was  interesting 
and  instructive  to  the  Commission.  Those 
who  came  together  as  strangers,  parted  as 
warm  friends.  The  faith  of  the  highly  intel- 
ligent, practical,  and  useful  women  who  thus 
came  together — whose  judgment,  sound, 
sober,  and  experimental,  would  be  no  com- 
mon ordeal — was,  if  possible,  fixed  with 
firmer  roots  in  the  cause  of  that  Commis- 
sion which  they  had  trusted  and  labored 
for  so  long,  and  which  they  found  bore 
the  closest  scrutiny  and  the  most  punctil- 
ious questioning. 

Expressions  of  regard  for  Mr.  Olmsted — 
who  had  presided  at  the  last  meeting — 
were  heartily  united  in  by  the  Council  be- 
fore they  adjourned. 


An  address  was  delivered  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Commission  at  the  opening  of 
the  Council,  of  which  the  foUowing  is  the 
substance  : 

The  object  of  this  meeting  is  to  establish  the 
most  satisfactory  and  efficient  relation  between 
the  Central  Board  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
and  its  Branches. 

The  satisfactoriness  and  efficiency  of  this  re- 
lation depends — 

I.  Upon  a  clear  understanding  of  what  the 
distinctive  functions  of  the  Branches  aiid  of 
the  Central  Board  are. 

1HE  BBANOHES  ABS  DSSIQITEI}  : 

1.  To  organize  affiliated  societies  within  their 
own  geographical  districts  ;  afford  them,  by  cir- 
culars and  oorrespondenee,  by  lectures  and 
printed  matter,  aB  needed  information  and  in- 
citement to  intelligent  zeal  and  permanent 
effort. 


Th^  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


191 


and  forvrard  supplies,  to  the  order  of  the  Cen- 
tral Board,  through  its  General  Secretary. 

3.  They  attend  to  such  local  relief,  distribu- 
tion, and  hospital  care  of  sick  or  wounded 
soldiers,  as  may  be  needed  in  the  Home-field, 
Ivy  soldiers  in  transit,  or  ■while  in  process  of 
preparation  for  the  field  of  war,  and  supervise 
such  local  interests  of  the  Commission  as  may 
arise  in  their  special  spheres.  This  is  some- 
times under  the  separate  organization  of  a 
committee  of  associates,  and  sometimes  wholly 
without  it  The  principle  is  in  either  cases  the 
same. 

4.  The  Branches,  having  originated  under 
different  ciroumstandes,  two  at  least  even  before 
the  Commission  itself,  are  not  strictly  analo- 
gous, either  in  form  of  title,  or  methods  of  ope- 
ration, and  in  this  respect  follow  the  genius  of 
our  institutions ;  according  to  which  the  separate 
States,  while  all  loyal  to  the  Federal  G-overn- 
ment,  have  certain  special  ehataoleristios  and 
laws  suited  to  their  origin  and  circumstances. 
This  difference  in  unity  is  a  bond  of  strength, 
allowing  the  Branches  to  sway  v?ith  ease  in  the 
direction  of  the  local  winds  that  sweep  them, 
without  forsaking  or  endangering  the  common 
stock  into  which  they  are  grafted. 

5.  The  Branches  are  independent  in  their 
local  rule,  their  special  methods,  their  by-laws, 
their  treasury,  the  choice  Of  members,  and  ofS- 
cers.  They  are  bound  to  the  Central  Board 
only  in  this  : 

(1.)  An  engagement  to  distribute  supplies 
exclusively  through  the  Sanitary  Commission 
and  its  authorized  agents. 

(2. )  An  obligation  to  receive  and  acknowledge 
the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Commission, 
J.  e. ,  (a)  the  great  federal  principle  of.  absolute 
ignoring  of  State  or  local  claims,  in  favor  of  the 
National  or  United  States  soldier;  and  (&)  the 
co-operation  of  the  Commission  with  the  Medi- 
cal Department  and  the  Government,  as  a 
strengthener  and  supplementer  of  their  plans, 
and  rules,  and  method — not  their  rival,  antago- 
nistic, or  unfriendly  critic. 

■     THE   CENTEAIi  BOAED 

has  it  for  its  duty,  to  study  the  wants  of  the  army 
in  the  field : 

1.  To  see  its  dangers  to  health  and  life,  and 
to  prevent  them,  by  diffusing  information, 
warning,  and  anti-soorbutics,  sometimes  in  the 
form  of  food — fresh  vegetables  or  change  of 
diej; — and  sometimes  in  the  form  of  prophylactic 
medicines,  and  sometimes  in  the  dissemination 
of  vaccine  virus.  This  preventive  service  re- 
quires three  different  agencies : 

A.  A  Corps  of  Medical  ■  Inspectors,  whose 
time  is  passed  with  the  armies  in  the, field, 


visiting  camps,  hospitals,  and  transports  ;  ex- 
perts, who  watch  the  perils  from  climate,  mala^ 
rious  exposure,  from  hard  marching  or  active 
campaigning,  from  inadequate  food  or  .cloth- 
ing,' growing  out  of  imperfect  facilities  of  trans- 
portation, and  report  to  the  Associate  Secretary 
in  charge,  or  to  Belief  Agents  under  their  con- 
trol, what  is  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  supplies, 
cargoes  of  vegetable,  or  loads  of  clothing,  for 
their  protection.  This  preventive  service,  by 
its  processes,  collects  the  scientific  materials  for 
our  Bureau  of  Statistics,  by  which  we  reach 
those  generalisations  that  teach  us  how  to  do 
our  work  better  and  better.  The  comparisoil 
of  climates,  and  circumstances,  and  discipline, 
and  age  of  troops,  and  method  of  treating  them, 
forms  the  basis  of  instraction  which  must  influ- 
ence the  whole  future  oi  soldiers,  in  the  field. 

B.  A  Corps  of  Special  Hospital  Inspectors, 
selected  from  the  most  learned  physicians, 
make  from  time  to  time  the  circuit  of  all  the 
general  hospitals,  and  report  upon  their  wants, 
condition,  progress,  personnel,  and  capacity  for 
'improvement— the  substance  of  which  reports 
is  confidentially  made  over  to  the  Surgeon- 
General. 

C.  The  preparation  and  circulation  of  medi- 
cal tracts,  and  information  important  and  in- 
dispensable to  the  officers.  Soldiers,  and  especi- 
ally the  medical  men  in  &e  field. 

II.  We  pass  from  the  Preventive  to  the  Belief 
Service. 

This  is  divided  into  two  branches,  General 
and  Special  Belief. 

GBNEEAI,  EEUEP 

consisis  in  supplementing  such  ordinary  and 
recognized  wants  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  as 
our  Medical  Inspectors  and  Belief  Agents  may 
discover  to  exist,  or  as  experience  has  taught 
us  necessarily  must  exist.' 

These  wants  are  all  theoretically  met  by  the 
army  system;  and  if  it  worked  in  vacuo  without 
friction  or  disturbance,  there  would  be  no 
occasion  for  eking  out  its  deficiencies,  which 
would  not  then  exist.  But  in  the  two  first  years 
of  the  war  the  machinery  had  not  got  into 
gear  and  fuU  running  order ;  the  army  grew 
faster  than  the  medical,  or  any  other  military 
department  could ;  and  then  we  were  necessary 
to  take  the  place  of  great  vacancies  and 
acknowledged  breaks  in  its  true  order. 

These  grew  out  of  ignorant  and  untrained 
quartermasters,  unskilled  surgeons,  imperfect 
administration,  fallible  generals,  colonels,  and 
captains  ;  while  the  deficiencies  in  the  strained 
commissary  and  transportation  and  medical 
stores,  both  in  medicines  and  clothing,  added 
frightfully  to  the  embarrassment. 


198 


The  Sanitary  Oommiss-ion  JBuUetin. 


Then,  even  general  hospitals,  the  nearest 
home,  were  shabby,  ill-designed  buildings,  -with 
poor  kitchens  and  no  fit  arrangements  for 
■washing,  -without  adequate  hospital  clothing 
or  delicate  food,  and  with  too  much  ignorance 
to  accumulate  a  hospital  fund,  or  perhaps  un- 
able to  get  it  from  our  strained  Treasury,  when 
they  knew  better;  This  made  for  more  than  a 
year  our  work  in  furnishing  clothes  and  sup- 
plies to  general  hospitals  immense,  even  in 
Washington  itself.  What  must  it  have  been 
elsewhere  ? 

But  regimental  hospitals,  transports^  hospital 
cars,  and  sick  in  quaiters,  cannot  but  be 
pressed  for  supplies,  long  affcra  general  hospi- 
tals are  well  off;  and  the  further  from  their  base, 
the  worse  off  they  are.  There  is  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  but  .for  the  millions  of  supplies, 
clothing,  aiid  delicacies  distributed  to  these 
places  during  the  first  two  years  of  the  war, 
the  suffering  would  have  been  too  horrible  to 
relate. 

Oftentimes  our  store  and  supplies  have  been 
the  main  dependence  in  some  exigency  of 
transportation,  or  change  of  base,  or  other 
military  move. 

The  meeting  of  these  field  necessities  com- 
pels us  to  keep  a  corps  of  Belief  Agents  with 
every  considerable  body  of  troops  in  the  field, 
and  their  duties  are  as  regular  and  as  urgent 
now  as  they  ever  were. 

But  within  the  last  year,  we  may  concede 
that  the  military  preparations  of  the  Government 
are  complete;  that  the  Medical  Department  is 
working  as  nearly  according  to  theory  as  is 
.possible,  and  is  theoretically  able  to  meet  all 
demands.  Now,  we  are  discovering  that  a  state 
of  war,  in  a  countay  aS  wide  as  ours  and  on  so 
vast  a  scale,  creates  an  amount  of  misery  in 
the  army  which  the  most  perfect  machinery  of 
the  Government,  working  in  the  most  perfect 
way,  cannot  diminish  to  a  point  to  satisfy 
humanity.  We  find  that  the  exceptions  to  rules, 
■  which  must  be  broad  and  general  to  cover  a 
million  men,  are  suflBcient  to  require  a  special 
corps  like  ours  (as  large  as  a  whole  Medical 
Department  in  a  moderate  war)  to  meet  them. 
And  this  is  sufficiently  proved  by  the  feet,  that 
humSnity  requires  us  to  call  as  loudly  as  ever 
for  stores,  and  will  not  permit  us  to  diminish 
our  working  force. 

Turning  from  General  to 

BPECIAIi  EEMEF, 

we  have  perhaps  quite  as  large  a  department  as 
the  other. 

It  is  called  special,  not  because  adapted 
mostly  to  individual  cases,  but  because  it  is 


not  designed  to  eke  out  any  thing  which  the 
Government  undertakes  to  do  at  aU.  It  is  a> 
pture  invention  of  our  own,  and  consists:. 

1.  In  providing  Homes,  with  shelter  and 
food  and  medical  caie  and  general  superintend- 
ence, at  all  the  main  points  where  soldiers  are 
found  in  any  considerable  numbers,  for  those 
soldiers  who  are  not  yet  under  the  care  of  the 
Government,  or  have  just  got  out  of  their  care, 
or  have  somehow  lost  their  status  and  cannot 
immediately  regain  it, — recruits,  or  men  on 
leave,  sick-leave  or  furlou^,  going  to.  and  fro.; 
strays,  men  without  skill  to  care  for  them^ 
selves,  ignorant,  under- witted,  vicious.;  men 
discharged  prematurely  from  hospitals ;  men 
found  in  the  streets,  or  left  behind  by  their 
regiments.  It  ia  enough  to  say  that  we  esti- 
mate that  every  day  we  have.  2,300  such  men 
on  our  hands  at  night — ^in  our  beds,  and  at  our 
tables  at  each  meal  of  the  day.  To  see  one  of 
these  Homes  is  to  see  all ;  and  they  are  little 
military  towns,  with  barracks,  mess-rooms,  hos- 
pitals, arsenals, '  baggage-rooms,  acconvmoda- 
tions  for  visitors,  reading-rooms,,  places  for 
soldiers'  wives  and  children,  &c. 

2.  Besides  the  Hotae  proper,  come  "Lodges," 
which  are  miniature  Homes,  supplementary  to 
the  larger  one,  and  meeting  wants  of  a  local 
character.  We  have,  scattered  though  Wash- 
ington, Paymaster,  Pension,  and  Ticket-offices . 

3.  Under  the  name  of  Special  EeUef  must 
come  every  thing  done  to  secure  pensions,  or 
back  pay,  or  transportation,  to  correct  soldiers' 
papers,  save  them  £i;om  sharpers,  and  dispel 
their  ignorance  and  their  fears. 

To  this  is  to  be  added  our  Battle  Field  work, 
too  often  described  to  make  it  necessary  to  say 
any  thing  here;  then  our  Hospital  Transports; 
then  our  Hospital  Gars  and  Trains  ;  then  our 
Hospital  Directory. 

Now,  to  keep  all  this  machinery  in  motion, 
there  must  be  a  power  behind  it  to  animate  and 
direct  it.  This  power  is  made  up  of  men  and 
money.  The  men  are  :  The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission Board,  the  Standing  Committee,  the 
General  Secretary,  the  three  Associate  Sec- 
retaries, the  two  great  ctfSoes— one  Washington, 
two  Louisville — with  the  smaller  office  co-or- 
dinating them  at  New  York.  Then  the  Aledical 
Inspectors,  Kelief  Agents,  Ordinary  Clerks, 
Special  Aids  in  time  of  battle— about  200  in 
ordinary  times.  The  Board  has  no  salary. 
Cost  of  Agents  is  $15,000  a  month. 

Here  Dr.  B.  described  the  office  work  in  all 
its  variety,  by  the  diagram. 

MONET. 

This  great  work  cannot  go  on  without  money. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


199 


This  money  is  got  by  keeping  the  public  con- 
stantly informed  of  oui  wants  and  methods. 
Henee  our  advertising,  our  documents,  our 
Sanitary  Eeporter  and  Bulletin,  and  the  expense 
of  printing.  Hence  our  canvassing  agents  for 
money  and  supplies.  California  has  been  our 
principal  resource  for  money. 

OBraOXS  OP  THE  MEETING. 

Now,  after  this  explanation  of  our  work,  it 
seems  easier  to  come  to  the  objects  of  this  meet- 
ing : 

1.  Our  Branches  want  to  difiuse  a  spirit  of 
confidence  and  of  information  among  our  con- 
stituents in  all  parts  of  the  country,  as'  to  the 
■wisdom,  energy,  economy,  and  success  with 
which  their  supplies  are  disposed ;  and  this 
they  must  acq^uire  or  strengthen  hore. 

2.  To  interest  the  public  in  the  principles 
and  methods  of  the  Commission,  by  what  they 
leam,  or  add  to  their  previous  stock  of  learn- 
ing. 

3.  To  compare  notes  imth  us,  telling  us  from 
their  own  fields  of  sympathy  and  observation 
what  we  need  for  our  better  guidance,  and  le-, 
ceiving  such  information  from  us  as  may  help 
them  in  their  field. 

4.  To  compare  methods,  obstacles,  and  suc- 
cesses with  each  other,  so  that  each  may  have 
the  light  of  all ;  not  so  much  in  the  way  of 
agreeing  on  any  common  plan,  as  of  obtaining 
counsel,  inspiration,  and  light  upon  their  own 
chosen  path. 

5.  To  give  us  the  benefit  of  their  experience 
as  to  the  way  the  Fairs  are  going  to  affect  our 
fatuie  supplies. 

6.  To  tell  us  what  our  relations  on  the  Home 
field  are    with    other  Commissions    or  State 


7.  To  give  us  their  idea  of  what  canvassing 
agents  should  be  and  how  work,  and  what  they 
think  of  those  ihey  know. 

8.  To  suggest  any  improvements  in  their 
working  relations  to  the  Commission. 

9.  To  report,  as  far  as  they  are  prepared,  upon 
the  number  of  Societies  they  represent,  the 
amount  of  work  they  have  done,  their  past, 
present,  and  future,  and  to  make  any  special 
written  or  verbal  oommunicatious. 


TRANSPORTATION  IN  TENNESSEE. 
The  following  report,  addressed  by  Mr.  Butler 
to  Dr.  Newberry,  our  Associate.Secretary  in  the 
West,  December  26th,  may  serve  to  give  our 
readers  some  idea  of  the  difficulties  with  which 
the  Commission  has  to  contend  in  the  trans- 
portation of  supplies  for  the  army  in  Tennessee  : 


In  compliance  with  instructions  received 
on  the  eve  of  our  departure  for  Chattanoo- 
ga, 6,000  pounds  of  the  choicest  stores  were 
shipped  from  LouisviHe,  and  duly  received 
and  stored  at  Camp  Nelson,  to  await  trans- 
portation by  the  first  train  from  KnoxviUe, 
Tenn. 

On  my  arrival  at  Camp  Nelson  I  found 
that  a  large  shipment  of  stores,  much  more 
varied  in  kind,  had  been  sent  to  my  care 
for  the  same  destination  by  the  Cincinnati 
Branch.  Orders  for  transportation  for  both 
shipments  having  been  received  separately 
from  General  Burnside,  would  have  been 
promptly  honored  by  Capt.  Hall,  A.  Q.  M. 
at  Camp  Nelson,  had  not  the  presence  of 
Longsfcreet's  rebels  and  sundry  guerrilla 
forces  on  the  various  routes  forbidden 
transportation  to  Knoxville.  Under  these 
circumstances,  seven  or  eight  days  were 
unavoidably  lost ;  but  the  great  impedi- 
ments were  finally  Tbmoved  on  the  second 
day  of  the  present  month.  A  train  of 
seventy  teams  was,  in  the  space  of  one 
day,  prepared  for  the  journey,  six  of  which 
were  ordered  to  transport  our  stores. 

Having  previously  calculated  on  loading 
2,000  lbs.  to  each  team,  the  transportation 
furnished  might  have  been  sufficient,  but 
the  A.  Q.  M.  being  better  advised  of  the 
condition  of  the  roads,  imperatively  re- 
stricted each  team  to  1,200  lbs.,  thus  mak- 
ing it  necessary  to  leave  for  the  next  train 
some  of  the  less  important  boxes  and  bar- 
rels. 

Leaving  Camp  Nelson  on  the  3d,  we 
reached  the  foot  of  "  Big  Hill"  at  noon  on 
the  Yth  without  trouble  or  adventure;  not- 
withstanding that  the  guerriUfis  had  appear- 
ed in  Mount  Sterling,  Ky.,  and  were  fre- 
quently reported  in  the  vicinity  of  our 
train,  we  did  not  see  them.  We  had  been 
so  far  favored  with  a  good  road  that  we 
made  moderate  progress,  but  now  the  Big 
Hill  was  before  us.  The  ascent,  though 
only  one  mile,  occupied  two  of  the  hardest 
days'  work  that  we  had  yet  known,  and  in- 
volved considerable  destruction  of  mules, 
harness,  and  teams. 

From  the  foot  of  Big  Hill,  we  look  in 
vain  for  any  thing  but  rocks  and  ruts,,  con- 
sequently a  few  miles,  from  three  to  fifteen, 
suffice  for  a  day's  travel. 

Stores  are  ruinously  jolted  ;  boxes  and 
barrels  unavoidably  break  ;  while  rarely  a 
day  passes  without  a  team  being  capsized 
into  a  creek,  or  river,  or  down  a  precipice. 

We  reached  Camp  Pitman  on  the  I3th, 
distant  from  Camp  Nelson  about  eighty- 
five  miles. 

Through  the  wagon-master  of  our  train, 
I  obtained  an  order  from  Captain  Hall, 
which  made  our  train  independent  Of  the 
brigade  train,  and  consequently  put  an  end 
to  the  annoying  delays  to  which  we  had 
been  repeatedly  subjected. 


200 


Th£  SanOary  Commission  Bulletin. 


At  Camp  Pitman,  I  found  the  51st  New 
York  regiment  guarding  the  post,  and  the 
Assistant  Surgeon,  Dr.  Burd,  was  doing 
good  among  numberless  obstacles. 

In  nearly  every  house  from  the  top  of  Big 
Hill,  I  found  that  soldiers  in  every  degree 
of  disease  had  been  left  upon  the  hospitali- 
ty and  care  of  the  people.  In  one  house  I 
found  six  soldiers  occupying  beds,  and  the 
constant  attention  of  a  -widow  lady  Sind  her 
two  daughters.  The  poor  sick  and  weary 
men  were  unable  to  proceed  any  further, 
and  these  patriotic  Samaritans,  whose  bro- 
thers were  among  OTir  soldiers  in  the  field, 
were,  out  of  their  scanty  means,  administer- 
ing to  their  relief  and  comfort. 

Having  received  information  of  such 
necessities  before  leaving  Camp  Nelson,  I 
had  provided  a  quantity  of  beef  extract, 
milk,  crackers,  an  assortment  of  woollen 
under- wear,  and  sundry  other  things,  which 
I  found  were  actually  required  by  men, 
sick,  hungry,  and  naked. 

I  found  Dr.  Burd  collecting  these  poor 
fellows,  and  affording  all  aid  possible  with- 
in his  power.  He  had  procured  a  building, 
which  he  had  made  as  comfortable  as  his 
resources  would  allow,  and  he  strove  ardu- 
ously to  make  his  miscellaneous  hospital  as 
effective  as  the  emergency  demanded.  I 
was  gratified  in  being  able  to  furnish  him 
with  a  variety  of  stores  for  his  sick  patients, 
for  I  know  him  to  be  one  of  the  kindest 
and  most  faithful  of  men. 

During  the  forenoon  of  the  16th  instant, 
I  reached  a  house  on  Lincamp's  Creek, 
and  saw  two  men  working  at  a  coffin. 
After  some  inquiries,'  I  learned  that 
twelve  days  previously  a  soldier  had  stop- 
ded  at  the  house,  complaining  of  chronic 
diarrhoea  and  rheumatism.  The  people 
shared  their  morsel  with  him,  and  employ- 
ed their  limited  knowledge  of  medicite  for 
his  relief. 

The  poor  fellow  also  suffered  with  colic, 
which  finally  set  in  as  an  adjunct  to  his 
complicated  disorders,  and  tortured  him 
until  he  threw  his  armor  down  for  his  long 
rest  in  a  mountain  grave.  I  desired  the  ser- 
geant of  the  guard  to  ascertain  his  effects, 
and  finding  only  ninety  cents,  I  threw  the 
sum  over  to  the  poor  family,  as  a  very 
small  remuneration  for  their  attention  to 
the  soldier. 

Turning  one  day,  a  mile  from  the  road, 
I  foqfid  a  grave,  which  I  was  informed  con- 
tained six  soldiers  who  had  died  in  the 
neighborhood ;  but  no  human  scribe  was 
found  to  register  their  names  ere  death 
made  them  oblivious  to  aU  but  God.  And 
so  it  has  been  with  many  others,  how  many 
God  only  knows.  But  in  the  case  of  him 
whose  rude  colfin  was  being  made  before 
my  eyes,  I  especially  realized  my  duty  to 
the  soldier,  although  dead,  and  also  to  his 
parents. 
I  gleaned  from  the  family  aU  the  particu- 


lars necessary  to  advise  his  parents  of  his 
disease  and  death,  and  also  the  locality  of 
his  grave. '  I  wrote  at  BarboursviUe  to  his 
father,  Aaron  Bachtie,  Boanoke  Post  Office, 
Huntington  county,  Ind.  The  deceased 
soldier's  address  was  Hiram  Bachtie,  Com- 
many  C,  115th  Ind. 

While  so  many  soldiers,  sick  and  debili- 
tated, were  passing  over  the  mountains  to- 
ward Camp  Nelson,  in  most  cases  totally 
dependent  on  the  meagre  hospitality  of  the 
people,  I  ardently  wished  that  this  rude  sec- 
tion of  the  country  had  resources  similar 
to  those  of  more  favored  people  ;  for  with 
all  their  poverty  and  abject  indigence, 
which  nearly  every  dwelling  in  some  coun- 
ties presented,  I  never  knew  a  soldier  de- 
nied participation  in  their  meal  of  corn 
bread  and  bacon — vegetables,  milk,  butter, 
sugar,  and  coffee  being  great  rarities  among 
them. 

Dwelling  generally  in  what  we  would 
term  miserable  log  houses,  squalid  women 
and  children  live  month  after  month  on 
their  very  scanty  fare,  and  tell  the  stranger 
— soldier  or  citizen — of  the  fathers  and  sons 
in  the  TJnion  army. 

The  winter  is  now  upon  them,  and  they 
are  ragged.  Their  corn  is  about  eaten,  and 
they  have  little  or  no  money  to  buy  more, 
if  perchance  one  might  be  found  to  sell. 
The  alarming  alternative  is  only  too  visible, 
and  they  shrink  from  it  with  dread.  The 
necessities  of  the  Government  service  had 
aided  very  materially  in  the  exhaustion  of 
their  staple  product,  so  that  now  there 
is  almost  nothing  along  the  route  to  Cum- 
berland Gap  for  either  man  or  beast. 

That  they  wiU  need  much  and  suffer  ex- 
tremely if  unaided  in  their  need  during 
the  winter,  is  indisputable;  and  as  they  are 
proverbial  for  their  fidelity  to  the  Govern- 
ment, and  have  invariably  befriended  our 
sick,  straggling  soldiers,  they  should  re- 
ceive our  practical  sympathy  to  the  extent 
of  our  ability  and  their  necessity.  A  word 
to  phOantlu'opists  is  sufficient. 

Before  leaving  Camp  Pitman  we  obtain 
a  new  supply  of  mtdes,  harness,  and  wagon 
tongues,  also  a  large  amount  of  forage. 
No  event,  except  such  as  have  become  of 
common  occurrence,  transpired  until  we 
had  passed  through  Cumberland  Gap  on 
the  20th  inst.,  when  a  rumor  was  afloat 
that  no  train  would  be  allowed  to  pass  on 
the  direct  road  to  Knoxville,  as  the  rebels 
were  infesting  that  portion  of  the  country. 
By  the  advice  of  the  Post  Commandant  we 
took  the  Jaoksboro'  road,  though  twenty 
miles  further,  as  it  was  considered  safe. 

Leaving  Cumberland  Gap  on  the  even- 
ing of  21st,  we  made  better  progress,  while 
the  forty  guards,  who  had  heretofore  been 
employed  in  assisting  the  teams,  were  or- 
dered by  the  officer  in  command  to  march 
in  advance  of  the  train,  under  arms. 

Several  encounters  had  taken  place  in 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


201 


OTir  vicinity  between  General  Wilcox  and 
Longstreet  only  a  few  days  previously,  and 
others  were  pending,  while  the  caoinonad- 
ing  was  distinctly  audible  in  our  train. 

There  was  marked  anxiety  among  the 
guard  to  protect  the  train  to  KnoxviUe,  as 
they  knew  the  great  need  which  existed  in 
the  hospital  there. 

On  the  evening  of  the  24th  inst.  we  en- 
camped twenty-two  mUes  from  Knoxville, 
and  on  the  following  morning  I  started  on 
horseback,  arriving  in  the  recently  besieged 
city  before  noon . 

I  soon  met  with  our  agent  Mr.  R.  N. 
Strong,  who  was  expecting  me,  and  had 
procured  two  store-rooms  adjoining  each 
other.  The  train  arriving  on  the  foUowing 
evening,  the  stores  were  transferred  to  the 
building  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  inst. 
I  was  surprised  to  find  so  little  damage 
done  to  the  stores,  a  few  pounds  of  crack- 
ers and  dried  apples  were  the  amount  of 
the  loss,  after  so  long  a  journey  over  such 
miserable  roads. 

There  are  in  Knoxville  five  hospitals, 
having  their  branches,  and  containing  near- 
ly 2,000  patients.  While  the  Commissary 
has  been  recently  well  replenished,  the  sup- 
plies of  the  Medical  Department  were 
scanty.  Our  stores  were  anxiously  expect- 
ed, and  they  were  joyfully  received. 

On  Monday  the  28th  inst.,  Mr.  Crary 
arrived  from  Chattanooga  with  three  hun- 
dred packages  of  select  stores.  Other 
shipments  have  been  arranged  from  and  by 
way  of  Chattanooga.  I  am  gratified  with 
the  intelligence  tilat  the -river  is  opened 
for  transportation  from  Bridgeport  to 
Knoxville,  so  that  our  stores  may  not  be 
subjected  again  to  such  delay  as  on  this 
journey,  however  unavoidable. 


"HOWAEETOU?  SANITAET." 

ET  F.  B.  HAETE. 

Down  the  picket-guarded  lame, 
EoUed  the  comfort-laden  wain, 
Cheered  by  shouts  that  shook  tte  plain. 
Soldier-like  ^nd  merry  : 

Phrases  such  as  camps  may  teach, 
Sabre  cuts  of  Saxon  speech, 
Such  as  "Bully!  "Them's  the  peach!" 
.  ' '  Wade  in,  Sanitary ! " 

Eight  and  left  the  caissons  drew 
As  the  car  went  lumbering  through,' 
Quick  succeeding  in  review 

Squadrons  miUtary; 

Sunburnt  men,  with  beards  like  frieze,   . 
Smooth-faced  boys  and  cries  like  these— 
"TJ.  S,  San.  Com."  "That's  the  cheese!" 
"  Pass  in.  Sanitary."         * 


In  such  cheer  it  struggled  on 
TIE  the  battle  front  was  won, 
Then  the  oar,  its  journey  done, 
Lo,  was  stationary; 

And  where  bullets  whistling  fly 

Came  the  sadder,  fainter  cry, 

"  Help  us,  brothers,  ere  we  die — 

*  Save  us,  Sanitary!" 

Such  the  work.     The  phantom  flies. 
Wrapped  in  battle-clouds  that  rise  ; 
But  the  Brave,  with  dying  eyes. 
Veiled  and  visionary. 

Sees  the  jasper  gates  swung  wide. 
Sees  the  parted  throng  outside, 
Hears  a  voice  to  those  that  ride — 
"Pass in,  Saidtajy!" 

— San  M-ancisco 


THE  METEOPOLITAN  FATE. 

SCOPE   Am)  PI/AN  OF  THE  FATE. 

The  Metropolitan  Fair  is  not  designed  to 
be  a  mere  fancy  fair  on  a  large  scale.  In 
its  plan,  as  well  as  in  its  scope,  it  is  intend- 
ed to  be  worthy  of  the  great  city  in  which 
it  is  to  be  held,  and  of  ihe  great  occasion 
to  which  it  ministers.  To  that  end,  it  must 
be  universal  in  its  attractions,  enlisting  all 
sympathies,  pleasing  all  healthy  tastes,  and 
satisfying  all  honest  needs.  It  must  be 
democratic,  but  not  vulgar;  elegant,  but 
not  exclusive;  fashionable,  but  not  frivo- 
lous; popular,  but  not  mediocre.  There- 
fore, it  is  intended  that  this  Fair  shall 
afford,  in  its  getting  up,  something  for 
everybody  to  do;  something,  when  it 
opens,  for  everybody  to  buy;  something 
to  gratify  the  sober  and  please  the  gay,  to 
win  the  approval  of  the  serious  and  the 
utilitarian,  and  at  the  same  time  to  catch 
the  eye  and  suit  the  taste  of  the  young, 
the  light-hearted,  and  even  the  trifling. 
The  good,  the  rich,  the  well-to-do — ^those 
in  humble  life,  the  fashionable,  the  politi- 
cians, the. clergy,  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, the  Police,  the  Fire  Department, 
the  Trades'  Unions,  and  all  the  great  in- 
dustrial establishments,  should  be  inter- 
ested in  this  Fair. 

Chicago,  Cincinnati,  and  Boston  have 
done  nobly  in  this  direction,  and  it  be^ 
comes  New  York  to  do,  at  least,  as  well  in 
proportion  to  her  means  and  the  advan- 
tages of  her  position.    There  is  an  espe- 


202 


The  Sanitary  Commisswn  BiMelin. 


cial  reason,  too,  wliy  ■we  of  the  Atlantic 
seaboard  should  make  tmnsual  exertions 
to  fin  the  treasuiy  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission; and  this  is,  that  of  the  money 
received  by  the  Commission,  considerably 
more  than  one-half  has  been  contributed 
by  our  countrymen  upon  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific — CaUfomia,  alone,  hawig  sent  more 
than  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars. 

For  such  a  Fair  as  this,  those  who  have 
undertaken  its  management  mil  not  heg 
contributions.  They  would  not  so  insult 
the  community  of  which  they  are  a  part, 
and  of  which,  in  this  matter,  they  are  but 
the  servants  and  almoners,  richly  paid  for 
the  duties  they  perform  by  being  made  the 
channels  through  which  its  bounty  passes. 
And,  indeed,  such  is  the  alacrity  and  hearti- 
ness in  this  cause,  that  they  have  already 
received,  even  before  the  project  was  well 
brought  before  the  public,  such  handsome 
and  spontaneous  offers  from  representa- 
tives of  aU  departments  of  industry  and 
commerce,  that  it  is  plain  that  this  Fair 
will  be  not  only  an  adequate  expression  of 
the  loyalty,  love,  aind  devotion  of  the  peo- 
ple of  this  city  and  State  to  their  country 
and  its  defenders,  but  a  grand  and  worthy 
Ijxposition  of  the  Manufacturing,  Agricul- 
tural, Commercial,  Literary,  and  Artistic 
resources  of  New  York. 

The  Fair  being  planned  for  these  purposes, 
and  under  these  auspices,  its  Managers  invite 
aU  MEBCHAiiTS,  MAinxcACTimEBS,.  and  Abtisai!s 
to  contribute  of  their  wares  to  its  stores,  giv- 
ing just  such  goods  as  they  make  or  deal  in — 
no  matter  what  their  character — just  such  goods 
as  are  made  profitable  to  them  by  the  power 
and  prosperity  of  our  country,  which  our 
soldiers  and  sailors  are  now  fighting  to  main- 
tain^ 

They  invite  the  FiiBMEBS  from  all  the  country 
round  to  visit  the  Fair,  and  bring  with  them 
gif^  from  their  barns,  their  stalls,  their  dairies, 
and  their  poultry  yards. 

They  ask  the  Paintebs  and  Sculptobs,  who 
have  done  so  much  for  the  honor  of  our  country, 
and  all  who  are  connected  with  the  Funs  Abts, 
either  as  creators,  as  dealers,  or  as  amateurs 
fortunate  in  the  possession  of  Art  Treasures,  to 
send  their  contributions,  for  exhibition  or  for 
sale.  A  proper  gallery  will  be  erected  for  the 
display  and  the  due  preservation  of  such  works. 

The  peculiar  interest  which  attaches  to  Liter- 


ature, warrants  the  establishment  of  a  special 
department,  to  supply  which  Pcblishees  and 
BooKSEiJiEBS  are  confidently  looked  to.  In  this 
department  will  be  a  SECOKD-HiUD  Book  Stat.t., 
to  which  contribntions  are  asked  from  the 
shelves  of  those  who  are  cumbered  with  dupli- 
cate copies,  or  who  have  books  which  they  no 
longer  use. 

Connected  with  the  department  of  Xiiteratore 
will  be  a  table  for  the  e:^osition  and  sale  of 
valuable  Autogbaphs. 

On  the  MusiciAHS,  Mttsicaii  EisTEtrMENT 
Maxebs,  and  Music  Dealees,  the  Managers 
confidently  rely  for  a  worthy  representation  in 
this  Fair  of  the  beautiful  art  of  which  they  are 
the  ministers,  by  the  giving  of  Musical  perform- 
ances, and  of  instruments  and  music  for  sale. 

The  Managers  and  Artists  of  the  various 
Theatees  of  the  city  are  invited  to  follow  the 
example  already  set  by  some  of  their  number, 
in  offering  to  set  apart  one  evening  during  the 
Fair,  the  performances  on  which  shall  be  for 
the  benefit  of  its  fund. 

It  is  hoped  that  our  PuBiao  Schooib,  and 
PuBiiic  Institutions  of  a  benevolent  character, 
may  contribute  in  some  fitting  maimer  to  the 
interest  of  this  Fair. 

To  the  public  spirit  and  the  patriotism  of  the 
Fiee  Depaetment  and  the  Pouce,  the  Managers 
feel  that  they  may  look  for  even  more  than  that 
habitnaUy  honorable  and  efScient  discharge  of 
duty  on  their  part  which  would  insure  the  pres- 
ervation of  property  consecrated  to  the  use  of 
those  who  are  suffering  in  their  country's  cause. 
But  it  is  also  hoped  that  in  some  other  manner, 
as  may  be  most  agreeable  to  themselves,  they 
may  bear  a  part  in  this  patriotic  undertaking. 

As  appropriate  to  the  occasion  of  this  Fair  a 
department  of  Arms  and  Tbophtes  will  be 
established,  to  which  not  only  arms  and  flags 
captured  in  the  present  war,  but  all  articles  of 
this  kind  which  have  an  historical  or  an  intrin- 
sic interestf  will  be  acceptable  contributions, 
either  for  sale  or  for  exhibition. 

An  Ou)  Cueiositt  Shop  wiU  afford  aU  those 
persons  who  have  interesting  reUcs  of  the  past 
in  their  possession  to  enable  others  to  share 
the  pleasure  of  examining  them.  Contribu- 
tions of  noteworthy  character  and  value  Tiave 
aheadybeen  received  for  this  department.  It 
should  be  particularly  stated  whether  articles  of 
this  kind  are  for  sale  or  only  for  exhibition. 

A  Newspapee  will  be  pubUshed  daily,  which, 
in  addition  to  the  latest  telegraphic  news  up  to 
the  time  of  going  to  press,  will  contain  short 
and  piquant  articles  upon  incidents  of  the  day, 
and  especially  of  the  Fair. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


203 


A  Post  Office  will  be  established,  at  the 
illegality  "of  which  it  is  hoped  that  the  Honor- 
able the  Postmaster-General  will  wink,  if 
official  dignity  be  capable  of  such  an  act,  and 
at  the  novel  promptness  and  regularity  of  which 
it  is  believed  the  public  will  wonder. 

As  people  cannot  see  all  these  things,  and  do 
all  these  things,  and  buy  all  these  things,  with- 
out exhaustion  of  the  vital  forces,  a  Eestaubant 
of  corresponding  magnitude  and  completeness 
will  be  established,  the  arrangements  of  which, 
supervised  by  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  taste  and 
discretion  in  such  matters,  will  be  in  the  imme- 
diate hands  of  an  accomplished  public  caterer. 

The  accomplishment  of  this  grateful  but 
multitudinous  task  has  been  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  undersigned  Executive  Commit- 
tees, who  depend  chiefly,  however,  upon  the 
hearty  co-operation  of  the  General  Committee 
of  Managers,  from  which  the  body*  of  the 
various  Special  Committees  are  mainly  re- 
cruited. 

A  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  will  be 
at  the  head  of  each  Special  Committee,  wheth- 
er of  ladies  or  of  gentlemen.  It  is  expected 
that  the  members  of  the  ladies'  and  gentle- 
men's Special  Committees  wiU  be  in  constant 
communication  and  act  together,  reporting 
through  the  respective  heads  of  their  com- 
mittees to  the  respfective  Executive  Commit- 
tees. 

It  is  intended  that,  if  praeticable,  each  city 
in  the  State  which  desires  that  its  contributions 
shall  be  kept  together,  shall  have  a  separate 
table  or  space  specially  set  apart  for  them,  and 
that  each  of  these  cities  shaU  be  represented  in 
the  General  Committee  of  Management. 

A  certain  number  of  each  Executive  Com- 
mittee win  be  at  its  Office — the  Ladies'  at  No.  2 
Great  Jones  Street,  the  Gentlemen's  at  842 
Broadway,  every  day,  from  10  a.m.  to  4  p.m. 

Contributions  to  the  Fair  are  to  be  sent  to 
the  Keceiving  Depot,  No.  2  Great  Jones  Street, 
where  they  will  be  credited  to  their  givers,  and 
their  receipt  acknowledged  by  the  proper  com- 
mittee. 

It  is  particularly  requested  that  each  contri- 
bution be  plainly  marked  with  the  name  of  the 
contributor,  for  exposition  during  the  Fair,  and 
that  each  article  be  acwmpained  by  a  memo- 
randum of  its  value. 

To  carry  out  the  design  of  the  Fair  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  spirit  in  which  it  has  been 
planned,  it  has  been  thought  proper  to  adopt 
the  following 

EBGtTLATIONS. 

1. ^Every  application  by  note  for  contribu- 


tions shall  be  upon  paper  bearing  the  symbol 
of  the  Fair,  and  signed  in  writing  by  a  member 
of  the  Executive  Committee;  and  every  mem- 
ber of  a  Special  Committee  shall  be  provided 
with  a  similar  certificate  of  authority. 

2.— It  is  earnestly  requested  that  all  contribu- 
tions in  money  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer,  to 
whose  order  aU  checks  should  be  made  pay- 
able. 

3. — At  the  Fair  every  article  shall  be  sold  at 
its  current  market  value,  when  that  is  deter- 
minable. 

4. — In  all  Taffies  the  number  of  tickets  sold 
shaU  not  exceed  the  original  valuation  of  the 
articles  raffled  for. 

5. — No  person  shall  be  importuned  to  buy 
articles  or  tickets  for  raffles. 

6. — ^In  every  department  a  cashier  shall  be 
appointed  to  receive  money  and  make  change. 

7. — ^No  punch  shall  be  sold. 

OFFICERS. 

lADEEs'   ASS0C3IATI0N. 

President, Mrs.  Hamilton  Fish. 

First  Vice-President, . .     "  David  Lane. 

Second  Vice-President,      "  A  V.  Stout. 

Treasurer, "  EUen  E.  Strong. 

Secretary, "  John  Sherwood. 

Assistant  Secretary, Miss  Catherine  Nash. 

EXECUTIVE   COMMTTTEE. 

{Office  Wo.  2  &reat  Jones  Street.] 

Mrs.  Marshall  0.  Roberts,  Francis  Lieber, 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  Richard  M.  Hunt,  Jona- 
than Sturges,  Alfred  Sohermerhorn,  David  Dud- 
ley Field,  Samuel  G.  Courtney,  Daniel  Le  Roy, 
Benjamin  Nathan,  John  Jacob  Astor,  Gurdon 
Buck,  Qgden  Hoffman,  Josiah  S.  Colgate,  Frank 
E.  Howe,  John  A.  Dix,  Alexander  Hamilton, 
Jr.,  Thomas  F.  Meagher,  Philip  Hamilton, 
Frederick  Billings,  Morris  Ketohum,  Miss 
Catherine  Hone. 

gentlemen's  association. 

President, Major-Gen.  John  A.  Dix. 

First  Vice-JPresident, .  ..Mr.  Jonathan  Sturges. 
Second  Vice-President,.   "  James  T.  Brady. 
Chairman  of  Gen.  Com'ee  "  Wilson  G.  Hunt 

"  Rich'd  Grant  White. 


executive  committbe. 

[Office  No.  842  Broadway.] 

Mr.  George  Griswold  Gray, .  •.  Chairman. 
"  Richard  Giant  White, . . .  Secretary. 
Messrs.  Marshall  0.  Roberts,  Arthur  Leary, 
James  L.  Kennedy,  Charles  H.  Marshall,  Alex. 
Van  Renssalaer,  Nathaniel  P.  Hosack,  Peter 
Marie,  Abraham  M.  Cozzens,  Lawrence  R. 
Jerome,  William  T.  Blodgett,  Fletcher  Harper, 
Lloyd  AspinwaU,  William  Scharfenberg,  Levi 
P.  Morton,  Christian  E.  Detmold,  Heniy  Chaun- 
cey,  Charles  Astor  Bristed,  Thomas  Acton,  C. 
Godfrey  Gtmther,  Henry  S.  Fearing,  Augustus 
R.  Macdonough,  Francis  A.  Stout,  James  A. 
Roosevelt,  Le  Grand  B.  Cannoii,  Edward 
Delano,  John  F.  Kensett,  James  F.  Euggles, 
Moses  Lazarus,  Joseph  G.  Heywood,  Philetus 
T.  Holt,  Uriel  A.  Murdock,  Elliott  F.  Shepaid, 
Edward  Matthews,  S.  B.  Janes. 


204 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BuUetin. 


HEADS  OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEES.* 

''Arrangements. — Mrs.  B.  M.  Hunt.  Mr.  George 
Griswold  Gray. 

Art — Induding  Artists'  Materials. — Mrs.  Jona- 
than Stuges.    Mr.  John  F.  Kensett. 

Arms  and  Trophies,  induding  Sporting  Mati- 
rials.— Ml.  William  T.  Blodgett. 

AgrieuUural  Products  oniS  Implements. — Mr. 
Nathaniel  P.  Hosack. 

Bakers. — ^Mrs.  Kichard  M.  Hunt.  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Van  Kenssalaer. 

Boots  and  Shoes. — Mrs.'  D.  Bridgham.     Mr. 
Erancis  A.  Stout 
Building. — ^Mr.  George  Griswold  Gray. 
Gonfectionery. — Mrs.  H.  Fay.     Mr.  Alexander 
Van  Rensselaer. 

Cabinet  Work,  Upholstery,  Carpets,  and  LooMng- 
Glasses. — Mrs.  George  M.  Miller.  Mr.  James  A. 
Eoosevelt. 

Charity. — ^Mrs.  Ogden  Hof&nan. 
ComirvnAbTs  from,  vnthaut  the  OUy. — ^Mr.  Elliott 
T.  Shephard- 

Drama  and  Pvblic  Amusements. — Mrs.  John 
Sherwood.     Mr.  Kichard  Grant  White. 
Dress  Making. — Mrs.  G.  K.  Forsyth. 
Drugs  and  Feifumery. — Mrs.   Wm.   H.  Van 
Buren.     Mr.  James  L.  Kennedy. 

Furs,    Hats   and     Caps,  and    Clothing. — Mrs. 
Jaudon.     Mr.  Henry  S.  Fearing. 
Fcorists. — Mrs.  Frani  B.  Howe. 
Flour,    Grain   and  Provisions. — Mrs.  H.  K. 
Bogert.    Mr.  Philetus  H.  Holt. 

Finance. — Mr.  Leonard  W.  Jerome.  Mr. 
John  H.  Gourlie. 

Hardware,  House  Famishing,  and  Metals. — Mrs. 
Mitchell.    Mr.  Uriel  A.  Murdook. 

India  Rubber  Goods. — Mrs.  C.  E.  Degen.  Mr. 
FraSicis  A.  Stout. 

Jewelry  and  Retail  Fancy  Goods. — Mrs.  William 
Parker.    Mr.  Peter  Marie. 

Lingeries  and  Trimmings. — Mrs.  William  T. 
Blodgett. 
MiMinery. — Mrs.  Clymer. 
Music — Including  Musical  Instruments. — Mrs. 
H.  W.  Hills.     Mr.  William  Soharfenberg. 

Newspaper. — Mrs.  Charles  Butler.  Mr.  Augus- 
tus E.  Macdonough. 

Old  Curiosity  Shop. — Mrs.  Wolcott  Gibbs. 
Optical,  Mathematical,  and  Surgical  Instruments, 
Carriages  and  Saddlery. — Mr.  Christian  E.  Det- 
znold. 

Plumbing,  Gas-Fitting,  Stoves  and  Heaters. — 
Mr.  Edward  Delano. 

Porcelain  and  Glass. — Mrs.  Thomas  F.  Mea- 
gher.   Mr.  Abraham  M.  Cozzens. 
Police. — Mr.  Thomas  C.  Acton. 
Post   Office.— Ura.   Charles  E.    Strong.     Mr. 
Augustus  E.  Macdonough. 

Printing,  Stationery,  Photographs,  and  Playing 
Cfesr*. — Mr.  James  F.  Euggles. 
Private  Schools. — Mrs.  Vincenzao  Botta. 
Public  Charities. — Mrs.  D.  Fearing. 
Public   Conveyances  and  Transportation. — Mr. 
Le  Grand  B.  Cannon. 

Piiblic  Schools. — Mrs.  George  Vandenhoff. 
Mr.  Eichard  Grant  White. 

Publishers  and  Booksellers. — Mrs.  Francis  Lie- 
ber.     Mr.  Fletcher  Harper. 


*  List  of  the  members  of  the  General  Committee,  and 
of  the  TariouB  Special  Committees,  wiU  be  published  as 
soon  as  they  are  completed. 


Receimng  Committee. — ^Mrs.  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton.   Mrs.  Alfred  Schermerhom. 

Restaurant. — Mrs.  Marshall  O.  Eoberts.  Mr. 
AbiE^m  M.  Cozzens. 

Retail  Dry  Goods. — ^Mrs.  John  Van  Vechten. 

Retail  w-oceries. — Mrs.  De  La  Montaigne. 
Mr.  Joseph  C.  Heywood. 

Ships  and  Shipbuilding. — ^Mr.  Charles  H.  Mar- 

Stoneieork  and  Masonry. — ^Mrs.  Henry  A.  Coit. 

Ihread  and  Needles. — Miss  Oaiy. 

Tm/s  and  SmaU  Wares.— Mis.  Sidney  Ashmore. 
Mr.  James  L.  Kennedy. 

Visiting  Committee. — ^Mrs.  S.  G,  Courtney, 
Mrs.  Gurdon  Buck. 

Wholesale  Dry  Goods.— Mis.  A.  V.  Stout.  Mr. 
Levi  P.  Morton. 

Wholesale  Fxncy  Goods. — Mrs.  Frank  E.  Howe. 

Wholesale  Groceries. ^-Mia.  William  H.  Aspin- 
wall.    Mr.  Lloyd  AspinwaU. 

Wines,  Liquors,  Tobacco,  Fruits,  die. — Mr. 
Henry  Chatmcey. 

ELIZABETH  G.  SHEEWOOD, 

Sec.  Ladies'  Msec.  •Committee. 

KICH'D  GRANT  WHITE, 

Sec.  Gentlemen's  JEbxc.  Committee. 


THE  GEEAT  WESTERN  SANITARY  FAIR. 

CrscrmiATi,  January  14, 1864. 
Eev.  De.  H.  W.  BeU/Ows, 

Presideni  U.  S.  Sanitary  CammiliUm. 

My  Dbab  Sdb  :  Tour  manuscript  came  duly 
to  hand  some  days  since,  and  was  handed  to  the 
compiler  of  the  history  of  our  Fair. 

I  am  glad  to  see  the  movements  for  your  Metro- 
politan Fair.  It  ought  to  have  the  character 
from  our  chief  city,  and  greatly  exceed  all  that 
any  other  city  could  do.  We  here  feel  that 
those  who  have  contributed  have  done  nobly; 
but  there  are  many  who  have  up  to  this  time 
denied  themselves  the  satisfaction  of  having 
contributed  to  the  comfort  of  our  national  de- 
fenders, through  this  Fair,  the  greatest  ever  yet 
held  on  this  continent.  Such  may  yet,  by  act- 
ing promptly,  find  their  names  recorded  in  our 
history  as  friends  of  our  soldiers.  We  expect  to 
realize  at  least  $200,000  net.  Unavoidable  cir- 
cumstances have  operated  against  our  realizing 
the  sum  we  aimed  at  of  $250,000.  Those  partici- 
pating in  the  Fair  have  reason  to  be  grateful  for 
being  able  to  devote  that  sum  to  the  help  and 
comfort  of  men  who  deserve  tenfold  more  at  the 
hands  of  their  feUow-citizens. 

It  is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  as  yet  Cin- 
cinnati is  in  advance  of  all  others;  but  it  would 
afford  us  more  satisfaction  to  know  that  our 
Metropolitan  city,  so  indebted  to  our  Great  West 
for  its  wealth  and  prosperity,  would  average  at 
least  one  doUar  to  each  of  its  population,  and 
thus  raise  one  million  of  dollars.  The  large 
population  residing  without  the  city  limits,  yet 
depending  on  the  commerce  of  your  city,  ought 


The  Samtm-y  Commission  Bulletin. 


205 


to  contribute  at  least  enough  to  make  up  any 
deficiency  of  your  people  to  average  one  dollar 
each.  Suppose  they  should  thus  do,  how  small 
a  sum  would  that  furnish,  on  an  average,  to 
each  of  our  soldiers,  sacrificing  themselves 
that  our  and  your  lives  and  property  should  be 
sacred  ? 

Some  of  your  noble  merchants  and  citizens, 
with  a  few  of  such  in  Boston  and  Philadelphia, 
have  Uberally  contributed  to  our  efforts  to  sup- 
ply our  soldiers  without  regard  to  their  nativi- 
ty or  residence. 

The  moral  power  of  the  fairs  that  have  been 
held  is  doing  much  to  encourage  re-enlisting, 
and  to  convince  the  South  of  the  folly  of  per-, 
sisting  in  its  madness  against  a  united  North. 
It  is  beginning  to  be  seen  in  the  Horth  that 
voluntary  offerings  of  the  people  are  more 
economical  in  outlay  of  money  and  life,  than  to 
simply  depend  on  legal  requirements.  One 
million  of  dollars  furnished  by  your  city  as  a 
voluntary  offering,  will  carry  more  power  in  it 
than  an  outlay  of  one  hundred  millions  in  the 
usual  form  of  appropriations  that  the  people 
would  have  to  pay  at  last.  It  will  not  only  dis- 
courage the  rebels  in  the  South,  but  their  allies 
in  the  North.  As  a  people,  we  must  act  for  our- 
selves, and  thus  strengthen  our  Government, 
and  shorten  and  cheapen  the  war  in  treasure 
and  blood.  Sound  humanity  and  economy  de- 
mand this  of  us. 

Having  the  numbers,  wealth,  and  interests  to 
be.  promoted,  you  have  only  to  will  that  you 
may  thus  act  justly  toward  those  sacrificing 
their  all  for  you,  and  the  million  of  dollars  will 
promptly  come,  and  no  one  fisel  the  poorer  for 
it.    Less  thaii  that  would  not  supply  needed 
comforts  for  our  soldiers,  nor  be  a  fit  offering 
or  example  for  the  chief  oily  of  this  continent. 
All  Europe  would  be  forced  to  respect  you  for 
it,  while  our  Great  West  would  honor  and  be 
proud  of  you  for  sp  doing. 
I  trust  that  amount  wiU.  be  your  final  report. 
I  am,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
Edgab  Conkung, 
Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee 

of  the  Orecd  Western  Samiary  Mir. 


BELIEF  WOKK  AT  NEW  ORLEANS. 

Our  special  relief  agent  at  New  Orleans, 
Mr.  Bullard,  writes: 

I  herewiHi  sent  you  a  report  of  the  Special 
Relief  work  in  this  department  from  the  data  of 
our  organization  to  January  1st,  1864, 

My  communication  wiU  be  limited  to  a  statis- 
tical report  of  the  "Soldiers'  Home, '^  as  re- 
turned to  me  by  the  superintendent,  Mr.  Nute, 


since  the  transfer  from  the  Western  Sanitary 
Commission  ;  and  a  brief  record  of  the  work  in 
the  Special  Relief  Office.  The  necessity  for  this 
office,  and  the  importance  of  this  branch  of  the 
work,  were  apparent  from  the  first.  There  was 
some  delay  in  organizing  while  the  negotiations 
for  the  Home  were  pending,  since  the  question 
of  locality  was  one  of  considerable  importance. 
So  far  I  have  had  the  hearty  co-operation  of 
the  several  paymasters  with  whom.  I  have  come 
in  contact.  Every  facility  is  afforded  for  the 
prompt  and  favorable  settlement  of  all  claims 
of  invalid  discharged  soldiers,  and  for  the 
adjustment  of  aU  imperfect  papers  which  can 
be  given  in  a  department  so  far  removed  from 
Washington. 

As  it  becomes  known  that  there  is  an  office 
in  New  Orleans,  where  S)l  sorts  of  inquiries  are 
kindly  and  freely  answered,  there  is  a  daily 
increase  of  applicants  for  various  degrees  of 
assistance.  The  minor  cases  are  made  up,  in 
part,  from  discharged  soldiers,  by  questions  of 
transportation,  their  just  dues  in  mileage  and 
subsistence,  and  the  never-failing  subject  of 
bounties.  Furloaghed  soldiers  are  constantly 
applying  for  information  as  to  how  they  may 
draw  the  back  pay  on  which  Ihey  depend  for 
means  to  defray  their  expenses,  as  they  find 
themselves  bewildered  in  a  large  city,  and  uncer- 
tain about  the  matter  of  transportation.  Both 
of  these  classes  of  soldiers  are  deriving  a  great 
benefit  from  the  Home.  Many  of  them,  after 
reaching  New  Orleans,  perhaps  firom  a  distant 
part  of  the  department,  are  obliged  to  wait  here 
till  a  Government  transport  is,  ready  for  New' 
York  or  Cairo.  There  have  been  times  when 
"Military  necessity"  has  called  off  all  such 
boats  for  some  expedition.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, the  poor  feEows  must  stay  in  this  city 
at  their  own  expense,  perhaps  for  two  or  three 
weeks.  Without  the  "Home"  for  a  resting- 
place,  it  will  be  readily  understood  that  such 
delay  would  be  most  disastrous  to  them. 

When  the  cards  and  posters  for  this  office 
were  first  issued,  in  which  assistance  was 
promised  in  the  matter  of  arrears  of  pay, 
bounty,  and  pensions,  it  was  supposed  that 
very  little  could  be  done  in  this  department 
other  than  on  discharge  papers,  directly  through 
the  paymaster ;  and  by  directing  discharged 
soldiers  going  home  to  reliable  agencies  north. 
But  it  soon  became  apparent  that  a  large  mun- 
ber  of  applications  would  be  made  from  claim- 
ants for  the  pay  and  bounty  of  deceased 
Louisiana  soldiers,  and  for  pension.  These 
claimants  are  mostly  widows  and  dependent 
relatives,  really  needing  all  that  is'  due  fi:om 
Government, 


206 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


There  are  some  diffictilties  attending  this 
■work  here,  not  so  common  in  other  sections; 
some  nncertainty  as  to  what  wonld  be  accepted 
in  Washington ;  what  evidence  would  be  re- 
quired of  the  loyalty  of  the  claimants  and 
witnesses.  And  in  the  present  condition  of  the 
courts  in  this  State,  it  was  a  question  before 
whom  to  have  the  necessary  acknowledgments 
made.  I  have  arranged  with  the  Judge  of  the 
First  Justice  Court,  appointed  by  the  Military 
Governor,  who  has  very  kindly  offered  to  assist 
me  in  this  work ;  and  Governor-  Shepley  will 
attach  his  official  certificate  to  each  application 
going  to  the  Second  Auditor's  Office.  The  forms 
sent  me  do  not  indicate  the  necessity  of  such 
certificate  on  pension  claims. 

I  have  forwarded  applications  for  three  widows 
to  the  Second  Auditor's,  and  for  the  same  parties 
for  pensions.  One  of  these  was  a  free  colored 
woman;  her  husband  died  while  in  the  service. 
She  brought  a  certified  copy  of  marriage 
license,  and  record  of  marriage  ;  and  one  of  the 
witnesses  was  the  colored  pastor  who  married 
them.  We  sent  on  this  as  a  test  Probably 
there  will  be  some  trouble  in  famishing  satis- 
fikctory  evidence  of  marriage  relation  in  a 
majorify  of  cases  among  the  colored  people. 

Besides,  I  do  not  know  what  rule,  if  any,  has 
been  adopted  relative  to  the  Corps  d'Afrique 
touching  these  matters. 

Some  dozen  or  more  cases  are  either  waiting 
farther  action,  or  have  been  dismissed  as  too 
questionable. 

No  special  efforts  are  being  made  to  increase 
this  branch  of  the  work,  nor  is  it  thought 
expedient  to  do  so  till  we  learn  how  our  experi- 
ments have  been  received. 

The  office  was  opened  about  the  20th  of 
November.  But  little  was  done  during  the 
first  ten  days.  There  was  some  delay  in  getting 
cards  and  posters  printed  and  properly  circu- 
lated, and  considerable  time  necessarily  con- 
sumed in  completing  the  arrangements  relative 
to  the  Home. 

Up  to  January  1st,  1864,  the  number  of  cases 
recorded  in  the  joomal  is  forty-eight.  Of 
these,  *twenty-one  have  received  personal  aid  in 
the  collection  of  their  pay.  Amount  collected 
$3,289.44. 

The  Paymaster  prefers  that  all  soldiers  who 
are  able  should  present  their  own  papers.  He 
has  shown  great  kindness  in  farthering  my 
efforts  in  behalf  of  those  needing  assistance. 
I  therefore  make  it  a  point  to  send  to  him  such 
soldiers  as  can  comfortably  walk  the  short  dis- 
tance to  his  office,  providing  their  papers  are 
correct.  By  this  course  the  Major  understands 
that  my  object  is  simply  to  help  those  unable 


to  help  themselves.  I  am  seldom  denied  any 
reasonable  favor  for  a  sick  or  wounded  soldier. 

The  rule  here  with  a  discharged  soldier  is, 
for  the  Paymaster  to  give  him  an  order  for 
transportation,  either  to  New  York  or  to  Cairo, 
and  allow  him  mileage  for  the  rest  of  the  way 
to  the  place  of  enlistment,  with  the  usual  rate 
of  subsistence  for  the  whole  distance.  This 
order  the  Quartermaster  endorses,  giving  the 
name  of  the  transport  on  which  it  will  be  good  for 
passage.  The  man  gets  by  this  simply  steerage 
privileges,  and  takes  along  his  own  rations. 

The  very  feeble  can  hardly  endure  the  hard- 
ships of  such  transportation.  The  Paymaster 
makes  exceptions  in  favor  of  extreme  cases; 
and  when  I  have  stated  that  a  man  whose  pa- 
pers I  hand  in  is  not  able  to  go  by  Government 
transport,  he  allows  him  mileage.  I  use 
this  advantage  cautiously,  that  I  may  not  fail 
in  the  reaUy  deserving  cases. 

W.  S.  Billiard  is  acting  as  clerk  in  the  office 
of  the  Home.  The  experience  that  he  has  ac- 
quired in  Baltimore  with  soldiers'  papers,  en- 
ables him  to  be  of  considerable  service  to  the 
Special  Kelief  office  while  doing  his  work  for 
the  Home. 

He  is  instructed  to  examine  the  papers  of  the 
discharged  soldiers  as  they  come  in,  and  direct 
those  who  need  no  special  aid  to  the  Paymaster. 
This,  of  course,  reduces  the  number  of  ap- 
plicants at  my  office ;  but  the  work  is  done, 
and  another  object  is  attained.  The  soldier  is 
put  right  at  the  start.  If  there  is  any  thiiig 
vrrong  about  the  papers,  or  the  soldier  under 
false  impressions  thinks  there  is,  it  is  better 
that  these  things  be  looked  after  4)efore  a  col- 
lision with  officials.  I  have  during  the  past 
month  kept  approximate  notes  of  the  calls  at 
this  office  for  advice  or  direction,  when  not  of 
such  importance  as  to  require  record  in  journal. 
The  number  so  recorded  is  about  two  hundred, 

There  is  one  noticeable  point  of  difference 
between  the  Special  Belief  work  in  this  de- 
partment and  that  in  Washington.  So  far,  we 
have  had  no  cases  of  discharged  soldiers  with 
those  troublesome  records  against  them  on  the 
roUs,  of  absence  without  leave,  desertion,  &c. 
This  department  is  comparatively  isolated. 
The  men,  when  sick  or  wounded,  are  not  exposed 
to  an  indefinite  round  of  transfer  from  hos- 
pital to  hospital,  vrith  a  final  drifting  into 
Convalescent  Camp,  to  be  discharged  without 
descriptive  Usts.  The  surgeon  of  a  hospital, 
all  of  whose  inmates  are  from  the  department, 
can  generally,  with  proper  effort,  obtain  the 
military  history  of  each  man  before  discharg- 
ing him.    " 


The  Sanitary  Commissimi  Bulletin. 


207 


tremely  difficult  to  get  such  papers  corrected 
and  approved  at  this  distance  from  Washington. 
Under  the  present  arrangements  of  the  Home 
great  good  is  being  done  for  the  soldiers.  Im- 
provements in  the  working  will  be  introduced 
as  £9.st  as  they  can  be  judiciously  suggested. 


A  WOBD  ABOUT  SALARIES. 

Washington,  Januaxy  13, 1864. 
Dr.  C.  E.  Agnew, 

Mt  Deab  Sib  :  Ton  ask  me  to  give  you  some 
information  as  to  our  Field  Relief  Corps  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  which  I  shall  now  at- 
tempt in  as  few  words  as  possible. 

At  present  we  have  one  four-horse  wagon  and 
one  cart,  with  twelve  or  fourteen  team  and  sad- 
dle horses,  mostly  pretty  thoroughly  used  up 
by  hard  work  during  the  six  months'  service 
they  have  seen  in  the  army. 

Our  field  supply  store-house  is  at  Brandy 
Station,  where  the  agents  have  their  headquar- 
ters, andwhere  also  the  two  Sanitary  Inspectors, 
Drs.  Gordon  Winslow  and  Isaac  Fairchild,  have 
their  headquarters.  The  agents  move  from 
this  central  point  out  to  their  respective  fields 
of  duty,  on  horseback.  The  agent  of  the  Fifth 
Corps  is  at  present  an  exception  to  this  rule, 
because  that  corps — ^being  employed  as  railroad 
guard — ^is  scattered  over  a  very  wide  field,  and 
hence  tjie  necessity  that  he  should  live  in  it. 
Wien  at  headquarters,  they  are  aU  expected 
to  help  at  all  work  required  by  the  needs  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  family — to  build  houses, 
cut  wood,  cook,  issue  goods,  draw  water,  har- 
ness horses,  feed  and  nurse  wounded  men — ^in 
short,  to  do  good  Samaritan  work  generally. 

The  estimated  expense  for  the  maintenance 
of  this  corps  in  winter  is  about'$750  per  month, 
which  estimate  wUl  probably  cover  all  the  ex- 
pense of  the  machinery  for  distributing  sup- 
plies in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  I  give  the 
names  of  the  corps  and  the  pay  allowed  each 
man,  which  pay  will  hardly  cover  the  expenses 
of  clothing  and  sundries  that  are  needed  by 
these  gentlemen.  It  will  be  understood  that 
this  subsistence  is  furnished  by  the  Commis- 
sion : 
S.  Warner  Johnson,  Superintendent,  Volunteer. 

Capt.  Isaac  Harris,  Assist.  Supt., $60 

Charles  S.  Clampitt,  Field  Storekeeper. ....  45 
Assist.  "  ....  45 

Wm.  F.  Dnbosq,  Acting  Belief  Agent 45 

S.  M.  Blazier,  ^ 

Charles  0.  Harris, 45 

George  E.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent 45 

David  S.  Pope,  "        "        ^^ 

W.  C.  Whittelsey,  Messenger 45 


Henry  C.  Freeman,  Messenger. 

G.  W.  Norris,  Teamster 

Thomas  Mulkeam,     "     

John  Smith,  "    

Charles  Toft,  "     

Oscar  Little,  "     

Three  colored  men,  (temporarily) . 


...  30 
....  30 

...  30 
....  30 
....  30 

...  30 

...  50 
Subsistence  for  family  about 100 

$750 

The  number  of  teamsters  may  seem  large,  but 
the  men  were  each  in  charge  of  a  team  until  the 
first  instant;  and  rather  than  turn  them  adrift 
now  in  midr-winter,  I  propose  to  use  them  as 
cooks  and  general  assistants — thus  enabling  us 
to  get  rid  of  our  contraband  assistants  in  the 
field.  These  teamsters  also  act  occasionally  as 
messengers,  and  lend  some  help  at  the  central 
stables.  As  we  had  considerable  trouble  in 
securing  reliable  men  for  these  positions,  it  was 
thought  best  to  keep  them  in  places  where  we 
would  be  obliged  to  secure  other  labor. 

It  is  proper  to  state,  in  order  that  you  may 
understand  the  real  nature  of  the  pittance  paid 
this  corps,  that  laborers  in  Washington  re- 
ceive from  $1.25  to  $1.50  per  day;  carpenters 
from  $2.50  to  $3.00;  masons  $3.00,  and  paint- 
ers $3.00. 

I  should  have  stated,  as  the  First  Army  Corps 
is  quartered  around  Culpepper,  that  a  sub-store- 
house has  been  established  there,  which  is  man- 
aged by  Mr.  Dubosq,  aided  by  a  teamster. 

The  results  of  the  work  of  this  corps  can  best 
be  told  by  conversation  with  the  medical  direct- 
ors of  divisions  and  brigades,  who  have  per- 
sonally been  made  acquainted  with  it. 
Tours,  respectfully, 

Li^wis  H.  SnMEB, 

Chief  Inspector  IT.  S.  San.  Cam.,  Army  of  Potomac,  etc. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  the  Oommission 
spends  large  sums  of  money  for  salaries. 
The  above  simple  statement  may  be  taken 
as  indicative  of  the  principles  which  influ- 
ence the..Commission  and  its  employees  in 
the  matter  of  salaries.  The  sums  paid  to 
the  latter  are  such  as  would  not  secure  in 
any  industrial  field  the  services  of  persons 
actuated  merely  by  the  desire  to  obtain  a 
pecuniary  return  for  their  labor.  The  sums 
paid  by  us  are  barely  sufScient  for  the  main- 
tenance of  those  whom  we  employ,  most  of 
whom  carry  to  their  duties  a  degree  and 
character  of  self-denial  and  patriotic  devo- 
tion, to  which  common  delicacy  forbids  at 
this  time  prolonged  allusion. 


208 


TM  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


The  following  circular  has  been  addressed  to 
the  Field  EeKef  Corps  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission  by  the  Chief  Sanitary  In- 
spector of  the  Potomac  Army.  It  wiU  give  an 
idea  of  the  care  taken  by  the  Commission  in 
this  part  of  their  wort : 
■  It  is  desired  that  Tisits  on  the  part  of  the 
agents  be  not  only  made  to  division  hospitals, 
but  also  that  regimental  hospitals  be  Tisited; 
and  above  aU,  that  the  agents  become  acquainted 
■with  the  wants  of  the  Tncn.  "While  you  should 
cultiTate  the  most  intimate  relations  with  the 
oflicers,  you  must  recollect  that  the  relief  of  suf- 
fering and  want  among  the  men  is  the  end  and 
design  of  the  Field  Belief  Corps;  that  it  is  for 
this  the  liberal  people  of  our  land  are  freely 
spending  their  mOney,  and  to  this  object  every 
relief  agent  in  the  Field  Corps  must  consider 
himself  devoted.  "What  has  been  known  as 
special  relief,  that  is,  relief  to  individual  cases,  ^ 
must  be  frequently  administered.  Find  out' 
where  want  and  sttffering  exist,  try  to  alleviate 
them — through  the  surgeons,  if  possible — if  not 
in  this  way,  then  with  the  surgeon's  consent. 
Let  instances  of  this  kind  fill  your  reports. 
They  wiU  tell  in  the  way  of  stimulating  the 
people  to  additional  liberality.  And,  m'oreover, 
weekly  reports,  giving  a  journal  of  each  day's 
work,  must  be  sent  in.  This  rule,  as  I  have 
stated  in  my  letter  of  9th  inst.,  is  imperative. 

Your  attention  is  asked  to  the  following  rules, 
which  were  issued  July  30, 1863,  for  the  govena- 
ance  of  the  Field  Corps  : 

"  The  relief  agente,  after  their  assignment  to 
corps  by  the  superintendent,  will  remain  in 
coimection  with  the  same  until  relieved. 
Leaves  of  absence  for  twenty-four  hours  may  be 
granted  by  the  superintendent;  when  a  longer 
furlough  is  required,  it  must  be  approved  by 
the  CMef  Inspector,  or  some  one  representing 
him  at  his  ofBce.  In  every  case  of  a  visit  to 
"Washington,  the  agent  must  report  at  the  o&ce 
of  the  Chief  Inspector. 

"Although  relief  agents  may  have  been  as- 
signed to  corps,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  by 
them  that  their  duties  end  with  these.  "Where- 
ever  want  in  the  army  comes  to  their  knowledge 
in  field  hospital,  in  regiment,  or  in  the  single 
soldier  by  the  wayside,  it  is  their  duty  to  try 
and  alleviate  it. 

' '  The  agents  must  look  upon  themselves  as 
helpers,  and  not  interferers  with  the  routine  of 
military  duty.  They  have  no  time  for  what  is 
known  as  indolent  pleasure.  So  long  as  they 
remain  in  the  field,  energetic  work  is  required. 
"When  the  system  will  not  admit  of  this,  they 
should  ask  at  once  to  be  relieved  by  other  and 
fresher  spirite. 

"  As  most  of  the  acting  relief  agents  are  new 
to  *he  work,  it  has  been  deemed  proper  to  give 
the  views  held  as  regulating  and  governing  the 
corps  by  the  Inspector  in  charge. 


"SOLDIEES'  HOMES"  IN  TENNESSEE. 

The  reports  from  the  Soldiers'  Lodge  at  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee,  for  the  five  weeks  ending  Jan- 
uary 2d,  show  that  during  that  period  the 
number  admitted  was  1,962,  coming  from  seven- 
teen different  States.  The  number  of  meals 
famished  was  6,35i;  the  number  of  lodgings, 


1,849.  The  average  number  oared  for  each  day 
was,  the  first  week,  116;  the  second,  91;  the 
third,  103;  the  fourth,  136;  and  tlie  fifth,  99. 
Transportation  was  procured  for  59;  defective 
papers  were  corrected  for  14;  13  were  aided  in 
drawing  pay.  At  the  Nashville  Home  there 
have  been  admitted,  during  the  five  weeks  end- 
ing January  2d,  2,367,  coming  from  seventeen 
different  States.  The  number  of  meals  famish- 
ed was  8,149;  the  number  of  lodgings,  3,735. 
The  average  number  cared  for  each  day  was, 
the  first  week,  166;  the  second,  184;  the  third, 
155;  the  fourth,  201;  the  fifth,  159.  Transpor- 
tation was  procured  for  1,228,  and  107  were 
aided  in  drawing  pay.  The  total  amount  of 
pay  collected  and  paid  over  during  the  five 
weeks,  was  $15,215.45. 


COERESPONDENOE. 

Ievington,  West  Chester  Co., ) 
January  20th.  j 

To  the  Edibyt  of  the  Sanitary  BuUetin  : 

In  these  days  of  monster  city  fairs,  it  may 
interest  some  of  your  readers  to  hear  how  a  vil- 
lage fiiir,  recently  held  in  Irvington,  N.  T.,  was 
started  and  carried  through,  and  what  its  re- 
sults have  been:. 

This  village,  like  so  many  others,  began 
early  in  the  war,  with  sewing  circles  contrib- 
uting to  the  comfort  of  our  soldiers,  tijrough 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  As  times  went  on, 
the  interest  in  the  meetings  flagged;  they  grew 
smaller,  and  finally  ceased — when  last  summer 
the  ladies  again  took  hold  of  the  work  in  earn- 
est, and  reorganized  their  society,  adopting  a 
plan  circulated  by  the  Woman's  Central  Asso- 
ciation of  Eelief. 

The  principal  feature  of  this  plan  is,  to  make 
the  young  people  connected  with  the  society 
support  it,  by  collecting  a  monthly  subscription 
of  not  over  twenty  cents  a  head.  By  keeping 
strictly  to  the  rules  of  the  society,  and  enforc- 
ing them  in  a  business-like  manner,  a  matter 
which  "Soldiers'  Aid  Societies"  are  too  apt  to 
neglect,  the  new  society  worked  admirably. 
Its  meetings  were  so  well  attended,  that  the 
funds  proved  inadequate  to  supply  material  for 
the  ready  workers.  So  a  fair  was  proposed, 
was  planned,  and  worked  for  with  some  hesita- 
tions and  anticipations  of  small  resulte.  To  the 
surprise  of  those  engaged  in  it,  they  soon  found 
the  interest  of  the  whole  neighborhood  gather- 
ed around  their  modest  undertaking.  The 
whole  village  took  it  up  as  their  Fair.  Every- 
body wished  to  have  a  hand  in  it.  Some  one 
stood  ready  to  give  the  room;  another  to  fur- 
nish a  stove;  others  to  clean  the  room  and  get 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetki. 


209 


it  in  order;  and  so  on  down  to  the  very  boards 
that  made  the  tables.  Labor,  polioeing,  all — 
■was  freely  given,  with  a  heartiness  and  good 
Vrill  which  surprised  and  delighted  the  man- 
agers. The  result  was,  that  in  a,  village  of 
t-ffelve  years'  growth,  this  Fair,  open  only  for  one 
day,  seoui-edto  the  society,  with  all  expenses 
paid,  seventeen  hundred  dollars. 

Three  hundred  dollars  of  this  were  sent,  by 
a  unanimous  vote  of  the  ladies,  to  the  Treasurer 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  It  seemed 
but  little  to  send,  they  thought,  "  but  it  might 
make  three  hundred  men  a  little  more  comfort- 
able." 


To  J.  FOSTEB  JSSEtHS,   M.D. 

Qeneral  Secretary. 

DeaeSib:  AtElmira,  N.  T.,  the  Commis- 
sion has  a  home.  It  lives  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  of  that  enterprising  town.  The  follow- 
ing are  some  of  the  evidences  of  it:  On  the 
15th  of  July,  1862,  they  established  a  Soldiers' 
Home,  near  to  the  Kailroad  Depot,  famished  it 
with  cots,  beds,  &o.,  and  opened  it  for  the 
jeoeption  of  soldiers  -who  pass  over  the  great 
throughfare  to  the  Capital  from  Central  New 
York.  The  funds  for  its  organization  were  con- 
tributed by  a  dramatic  and  musical  associa- 
tion which  was  raised  for  the  purpose. 

The  Misses  Tyler  devote  their  time  to  the 
care  of  the  sick  and  homeless,  of  whom  five 
thousand  and  seven  hundred  have  been  cared 
for.  It  is  conducted  on  the  same  principle  and 
under  the  same  inspiring  genius  that  has  ani- 
mated and  sustained  all  the  Homes  and  Lodges 
pf  the  Commission  in  other  places.  The  State 
has  recently  appropriated  two  thousand  dollars 
for  its  support,  and  thus  the  people  are  set  free 
from  any  local  hinderauce,  to  their  laboring 
heartily  for  the  general  work.  As  the  average 
expense  of  maintaining  it  is  not  more  than 
seventy  dollars  per  nionth  the  State  appropria- 
tion will  sustain  it  for  a  long  time. 

On  Sunday  evening,  the  10th  inst.,  a  large  and 
enthusiastic  meeting  was  held  at  Ely  Hall,  and 
it  was  my  privilege  to  meet  the  various  clergy, 
men  and  a  multitude  of  citizens  there  in  be- 
half of  the  Commission.  The  churches  being 
generally  closed  by  common  consent,  there  was 
no  interruption  to  a  full  attendance.  The  Eev. 
Dr.  Lincoln  of  the  Baptist  church  presided. 
At  the  close  of  the  address  the  Kev.  Br.  Curtis 
offered  a  resolution  endorsing  the  piinciples 
and  plans  of  the  Commission,  and  urging  its 
iolaims  upon  tjie  people  by  forcible  remarks. 
Key.  T.  K.  Beecher  seconded  the  resolution, 
by  an  earnest  speech.  The  resolution  was 
adopted  by  the  standing  vote  of  the  great  oon- 
iT —    t'     xt«    t        ■      1A. 


gregation.  On  Monday  evening  a  conference 
of  some  iifty  or  more  of  the  leading  minds  of 
the  town  was  held  to  perfect  a  systematized 
plan  of  collecting  stated  subscriptions  from  the 
people;  and  the  ministers  of  the  different  con- 
gregations agreed  to  keep  the  people  educated 
to  the  work,  by  holding  quarterly  union  meet- 
ings, one  of  their  members  to  address  the  people 
on  the  current  history  of  the  war  and  the 
operations  of  the  Commission. 

Mrs.  A.  Stuart,  the  associate  manager,  and 
her  co-laborers  in  the  cause,  are  most  earnest 
and  thorough,  and  much  may  be  .expected  of 
them  in  the  future.  The  smaller  places  in  the 
surrounding  country  are  being  awakened,  and 
you  wiU  soon  hear  of  the  Southern  Tier  Sani- 
tary Fair  in  such  a  way  as  will  do  good  to  your 
honored  Treasurer.  lu.'mj  next  I  will  furnish 
you  with  an  account  of  the  Fair,  if  the  good 
ladies  of  Chemung,  will  have  it  completed  by 
that  time.  They  are  resolved  to  do  a  good 
work. 


HOBTH  PiTOHEB,  CHENANGO  Co.,  N.  T., 

January  16, 1861. 
Geobgb  T.  Stbono,  Ksq  : 

Deab  Sib  :  Enclosed  please  find  draft  for 
$146.15— the  result  of  a  festival  held  for  the 
benefit  of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  We 
did  not  know  whether  it  would  be  better  to  send 
the  cash,  or  purchase  goods  and  manufacture 
garments.  Will  you,  in  your  receipt,  please 
state  which  would  be  best,  as  it  may  govern  us 
in  the  future. 

This  contribution  is  :from  a  section  of  the 
country  that  is  sparsely  settled  ;  no  village — > 
but  a  farming  community.  It  is  nothing  more 
than  what  any  neighborhood  might  raise  by  a 
little  effort.  All  we  did  was  to  give  notice  that 
there  would  be  a  festival  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers,  and  all  that  attended  would 
be  expected  to  bring  in  some  refreshment?. 
Also,  the  young  people  got  up  a  little  entertain- 
ment, by  the  way  of  scenes,  tableaux,  &c.,  &c., 
at  the  conclusion,  solicited  donations,  the  re- 
sult of  which,  to  our  sarprise,  amounted  to 
over  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

AU  it  wants  in  almost  any  community,  is  for 
a  few  active  men  and  women  to  start,  and  the 
like  result  may  be  obtained. 

Yours,  truly,, 

J.  S.  BliA.CEMA]7. 


BONSOtrr,  IT.  T. 

"It  would  give  us  great  satisfaction  to  con- 
tribute to  the  BuUetin  some  information -^that 
would  encourage  and  stimulate  our  fellov 
workers    everywhere ;   but  unfortunately  pur 


^10 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Society  has  had  a  6trilggli»g  existence,  and  owes 
its  contimaanoe  to  a  faithful  few.,  We  have 
received  during  the  past  week  forty  dollars  from 
one  of  our  young  men,  the  amount  realized 
from  the  sale  of  an  old  watch  bequeathed  him 
by  his  grandfather,  and  for  many  years  an  heir- 
loom. Perhaps  this  may  remind  some  one  of 
some  like  treasure  hidden  and  useless  except 
as  an  heir-loom,  and  suggest  how  greatly 
enhanced  its~  value  as  such  must  be  by  being 
devoted  to  such  a  cause. " 


"WHY  DOES  THE  COMMISSIOK  PAY  SAL- 
ARIES TO  ITS  AGENTS?" 

The  Oommission,  has  from  the  first  enjoy- 
ed a  degree  of  public  favor  and  confidence 
greater  than  it  had  any  right  to  expect. 
Certain  obieotions,  however,  are  made  to 
its  system  and  methods  which  require  a 
brief  notice,  though  they  have  for  the  most 
part  been  already  anticipated.  - 

The  objection  that  has  been  made  to  its 
employing  permanent  salaried  officers,  in- 
stead of  unpaid  volunteers,  giving  a  fort- 
night or  a  month  each  to  the  work  of  Army 
Belief,  is  untenable  and  short-sighted. 
It  has  to  distribute  millions  of  ■  dollars 
worth  of  bulky  stores  over  an  area  of  many 
thousand  square  miles.  This  is,  in  a  mere- 
ly business  point  of  view,  a  work  of  seriou.s 
magnitude.  It  is,  moreover,  a  work  of  spe- 
cial delicacy  and  diflSculty,  because  it  must 
be  so  done  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  ma- 
chinery of  the  army,  or  weaken  the  reliance 
of  the  men  upon  their  officers.  Without  a 
corps  of  agents  who  understand  their  work, 
give  their  whole  time  to  it,  and  are  bound 
to  perform  definite  service  during  a  definite 
period,  loss,  waste,  and  misapplication  of 
supplies  are  inevitable.  This  branch  of  the 
Commission's  work  may  fairly  be  compared 
with  that  of  our  largest  railroads  and  ex- 
press companies,  and  is  at  least  as  worthy 
of  being  well  and  economicSilly  done.  But 
how  long  would  any  railroad  corporation 
keep  out  of  the  hands  of  a  Receiver,  if  it 
confided  its  freight  business  to  volunteers 
over  whom  it  could  exercise  no  real,  con- 
trol, and  who  felt  themselves  at  full  liberty 
to  leave  its  service  whenever  they  tired  of 
it,  or  whenever  they  thought  themselves 
oferworked  or  unfairly  criticized,  instead 
of  employing  superintendents,  clerks,  and 
porters,  engaged  in  the  usual  way  and  on 
the  usual  terms?  The  poetry  of  the  Re- 
lief Agent's  work  may  be  spoiled  if  he  re- 
ceive a  salary ,_  but  in  ninety-nine  cases  out 
of  a  hundred  its  practical  value  to  the  army 
is  doubled.  It  would  be  easy  to  name 
splendid  exceptions  to  this  rule,  but  they 
are  only  exceptions. 

The  work  of  Army  Relief,  like  every  other 
practical  and  serious  business,  requires  skill 
•which  can  be  got  only  by  experience,  and 


men  cannot,  as  a  general  rule,  be  secured 
for  service  long  enough  to  acquire  experi- 
ence and  skill,  unless  they  receive  moder- 
ate pay.  But  the  difference  between  a 
skilled  and  an  unskilled  agent  is  equal  to 
a  difference  of  at  least  fifty  per  cent,  in  the 
amount  of  practical  good  each  can  do  the 
soldier  with  the  stores  entrusted  to  him; 
and  it  costs  t]je  Oommission  less  than  two 
per  cent,  on  the  estimated  value  of  its  sup- 
plies to  distribute  them  through  skill- 
ed salaried  agents,  instead  of  unskilled 
volunteers.  This  is  not  all.  The  volun- 
teer is  necessarily  unacquainted  with  the 
complex  regulations  under  which  Govern- 
ment supplies  the  wants  of  the  Army,  for 
thorough  familiarity  with  their  practical 
working  can  be  acquired  only  by  months 
of  actual  contact  and  experience.  He  can- 
not tell,  therefore,  when  called  upon  to  re- 
lieve a  regiment  or  a  hospital,  whether  its 
officers  have  done  or  have  neglected  their 
duty,  and  whether  they  can  or  cannot 
promptly  obtain  what  is  needed  through 
regular  official  channels.  His  impulses 
prompt  him  of  course  instantly  to  relieve 
the  suffering  he  sees  before  him.  He  dis- 
tributes his  supplies  at  once,  asking  no 
questions,  and  goes  home  thankful  that 
he  has  been  enabled  to  relieve  so  much 
destitution  .and  distress.  But  he  has'  too 
often  been  merely  covering  up  the  short- 
comings of  some  inefficient  officer  paid  by 
Government  to  do  precis  ly  the  same  thing, 
and  has  thus  shielded  him  from  «sposure 
and  dismissal,  and  done  the  army  in  the 
long  run  more  harm  than  good. 

The  Commission  avoids  this  danger.  It 
reserves  its  supplies  for  the  cases  of  acci- 
dental failure  which  must  from  time  to 
time  occur  in  the  working  of  eveiy  military 
system,  and  especially  of  one  newly  organ- 
ized on  so  vast  a  scale  as  ours,  and  seeks 
rather  to  strengthen  the  official  agencies 
through  which  Government  provides  for 
the  army,  than  to  set  itself  up  as  a  rival 
source  of  supply,  and  thus  weaten  the 
confidence  of  the  men  in  their  military 
superiors. 

The  more  general  chai-ge  that  the  Com- 
mission's system  is  a  costly  one,  is  believed 
to  be  wholly  unfounded.  Its  salaries  are 
on  a  most  moderate  scale.  It  may  be  prop- 
er here  distinctly  to  state,  that  no  membeor 
of  the  Commission  receives,  or  ever  has 
received,  a  dollar  from  its  treasury,  or  from 
any  other  quarter,  in  the  shape  of  salary, 
or  compensation  for  his  services  as  Com- 
missioner. Four  of  its  members  hold 
office,  yiz. :  its  President,  Vice-President 
and  Treasurer,  and  its  Associate  Secretary 
at  LouisviUe.  Of  these,  the  first  three 
have  been  able  to  do  their  official  work 
without  absolutely  sacrificing  all  their  other 
duties,  and  they  have  done  it  without 
dreaming   of    "pay"    from   any  auartev 


The  Sanitary.  Commission  Bulletin. 


211 


SThe  Associate  Secretary,  -who^as  removed 
his  home  from  Cleveland  to  Louisville, 
abandoned  his  profession,  and  devoted  his 
■whole  time  and  energies  to  his  official  work, 
receives  a  moderate  salary.  Thanks  to  the 
co-operation  of  Grovernment  and  the  liber- 
ality of  Railroad,  Telegraph,  and  Express 
Companies,  and  other  private  agencies,  its 
expenses  for  transportation  and  telegraph- 
ing are  not  one-tenth  of  what  they  would 
otherwise  be.  A  reference  to  the  statistics 
given  in  Document  69  of  the  cost  of  its 
special  relief  system  at  Washington,  Alex- 
a,ndria,  and  ArinapoHs,  show  how  much 
work  it  has  done  at  comparatively  trifling 
expense.  The  value  pf  the  sappUes  it  has 
actually  issued  to  the  army  from  its  numer- 
ous depots.  East  and  West,  can  only  be  esti- 
mated, and  these  estimates  vary  largely,  the 
lowest  estimate  being  about  four  millions 
of  doUaxs,  and  the  highest  exceeding 
■seven. 

These  supplies  have  been  carried  all 
over  the  country,  from  Maina  to  Texas, 
and  from  Washington  to  Vioksburg,  in 
■charge  of  special  agents,  and  deposited  in 
Helief  Stations  where  store-keepers  are 
ziecessarily  engaged  to  protect  them,  and 
-Relief  Agents  to  distribute  them ;  yet  this 
great  mass  of  bulky  stores  has  been  moved, 
stored  at»the  depots,  moved  to  the  front, 
stored  again  in  temporary  depots,  and  then 
distributed,  at  a  total  expense  to  the  Cen- 
tral Treasury  of  less  than  one  and'  seven- 
eighths  per  cent  on  their  lowest  valuation. 

The  Commission  is  of  course  the  per- 
manent subject  of  a  due  proportion  of  the 
swarms  of  "authentic  statements,"  "valu- 
able reports,"  which  are  daily  put  in  circu- 
lation about  the  army  and  everybody  con- 
nected with  it;  and  that  as  regards  the 
Commission  many  of  them  are  disparaging, 
need  excite  no  surprise. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  work  of 
the  Commission  necessarily  makes  it  'ene- 
mies. Medical  and  other  officers  who 
know  that  their  incapacity  or  indolence  has 
been  detected  and  noted  by  a  relief  agent 
or  inspector,  naturally  think  it  a  meddle- 
some and  mischievous  organization,  and 
are  always  ready  to  report,  and  sometimes 
to  embeUdsh  and  magnify,  every  case  of 
failure  in  its  work.  Officers  of  the  Medi- 
cal Staff  who  stood  high  on  the  list,  and 
were  expecting  speed  promotion  and  addi- 
tional rank  and  emoluments,  when  Govern- 
ment was  prevailed  on  to  iill  the  higher 
effices  of  the  Medical  Bureau  according  to 
ability,  and  not,  as  before,  according  to 
seniority,  (or,  in  other  words,  by  selecting 
the  best  man  instead  of  the  oldest,)  cannot 
be  expected  to  admire  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. Some  of  them  think  (very  natu- 
rally) that  it  has  "ruined  the  service,"  and 
are  not  disinclined  to  believe  and?  to 
endorse  any  story  that  teUs  against  it. 
.   XT-  — -i-x^-i    -^   far- 


sighted  people,  misinformed  as  to  its  aim 
and  policy,  suppose  it  to  seek  nlerely  the 
immediate  relief  of  the  sick  or  wounded 
soldier,  at  any  cost  to  military  self-reliance 
■and  discipline,  and  distrust  it  accordingly. 
Thousands  of  warm-hearted  and  energetic 
men  and  women,  diligently  laboring  for 
portions  of  the  army  through  State  agen- 
cies and  local  societies,  find  the  Sanitary 
Commission  throwing  cold  water  on  their 
work,  because  it  is  not  (conformed  to  the 
system  which  the  Commission  holds  to  be 
the  most  economical,  the  most  National, 
and  altogether  the  best.  They  cannot 
help  becoming  more  or  less  prejudiced 
against  the  Commission,  which  seems  thus 
to  discourage  and  discredit  what  they 
rightly  feel  to  be  the  most  unselfish  and 
the  most  important  »work  of  their  lives, 
and  they  are  thus  unconsciously  predis- 
posed to  believe  any  thing  they  may  hear 
against  it. 

MISUSE  OF  SANITARY  STORES, 

Many  good  people,  and  a  still  greater 
number  of  that  class  to  whom  censure  and 
grumbling  and  the  rumination  of  troubles 
are  as  the  breath  of  life,  have  no  little  mis- 
giving as  to  the  final  disposition  made  of 
the  overflowing  bounties  distributed  to  the 
army  through  the  medium  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  Do  the  ones  for  whom  they 
are  meant  receive  them  ?  Do  they  get  the 
larger  part  of  them  even  ?  Or  does  the 
lion's  share  filter  out  iif  passing  through  the 
hands  of  various  officials,  between  the 
donor  and  the.  sick  soldier  in  hospital? 
We  have  labored,  and  still  labor,  and  shall 
so  continue  to  do,  to  give  the  public  aU  the 
light  we  can,  all  we  have  and  all  we  can 
obtain  on  the  subject.  None  can  feel  more 
solicitous  than  we  in  regard  to  it.  No 
insignificant  part  of  the  labors  of  our 
agents  in  the  field,  and  of  our  own  in  the 
collection  and  publication  of  reports  and 
statistical  information,springs  from  this  soli- 
citude. We  are  a  part  of  that  public  whom 
we  address,  and  share,  we  trust,  in  the  full- 
ness of  its  anxiety  respecting  the  welfare 
of  our  army  and  the  triumph  of  our  arms. 

But  aside  from  this,  our  official  relations 
to  Khe  sanitary  work  naturally  enough  give 
an  added  and  special  intensity  to  the  inter- 
est we  hold  in  common  with  others.  > 

Let  us  look  the  question  then  squarely 
in  the  face.  Oar  means  of  knowledge 
respecting  it  are  various,  and  not  lacking  in 
abundance.  We  have  well-organized  agen- 
cies, as  everybody  by  this  time  is  aware,  in 
all  parts  of  the  grand  army.  These  agen- 
cies are  intrusted  with  a  variety  of  duties. 
Prominent  among  these  is  hospital  visiting. 
That  is,  an  inspecting  from  day  to  day  and 
time  to  time,  of  the  personal  condition  of 
the  patients — the  food  they  eat,  the  cloth- 
ing they  wear,  the  general  comforts  with 


212 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuTMin. 


■which  they  are  surrounded  or  which  they 
lack.  Inquiring  as  to  the  sanitary  supplies 
on  hand  or  in  demand  is  included  in  this 
inspection.  And  to  this  the  number  of 
casual  visitors — persons  in  search  of  sons, 
brothers,  husbands,  or  persons  voluntarily 
spending  a  brief  period  of  observation  and 
of  benevolent  labor  in  aU  the  larger  hospitals 
within  and  beyond  army  linfes,  and  one  can 
see  that  it  would  be  not  a  little  surprising 
if  any  flagrant,  persistent,  or  very  consid- 
erable purloining  of  sanitary  stores  could 
escape  detection.  We  can  give  unquali- 
fied assurance  to  those  who  are  unaffectedly 
anxious  on  this  subject,  that  there  is  no 
difficulty  in  procuring  due  punishment  and 
adequate  prevention  where  detection  does 
occur.  Army  orders  in  regard  to  this  and 
all  other  kinds  of  plundering  from  hospital 
stores  are  stringent,  and  extremely  plain 
and  definite.  No  ofiicial  would  venture  to 
neglect  the  execution  of  them  on  others, 
where  occasion  required  it,  not  though  he 
should  chance  to  be  secretly  a  culprit  of 
the  same  sort  himself.  And  again,  it  must 
not  be  overlooked  that  Government  has  a 
corps  of  Medical  Inspectors — sixteen  in 
number — distributed  throughout  the  mili- 
tary districts  of  the  country,  a  part  of 
whose  duties  is  to  look  into  this  very  mat- 
ter of  the  appropriation  and  consumption 
of  hospital  stores.  In  addition  to  this, 
nearly  every  army  corps  has  one  or  more 
of  its  surgeons  detailed  to  inspection  duty, 
with  functions  every  way  similar  to  those 
of  the  regular  inspectors.  The  reader  will 
thus  perceive  that  the  means  of  detecting 
and  correcting  mal-practice  of  whatever 
kind  on  the  part  of  hospital  attendants  are 
not  wholly  omitted,  to  say  the  least.  And 
with  the  information  furnished  us  from 
these  several  and  important  sources,  we 
feel  qualified  to  answer  the  question:  "  Is 
there  any  considerable  or  constant  diver- 
sion of  sanitary  stores  from  their  legitimate 
destination  ?"  And  we  are  glad  to  be  able 
to  answer.  There  is  not.  Instances  of  plun- 
dering do  certainly  occur  from  time  to 
time,  both  in  hospital  and  whUe  the  stores 
are  in  transitu  between  donor  and  patient. 
Instances  of  the  former  kind  cannot  be 
many  times  repeated  without  detection, 
,  whilst  the  amount  of  loss  from  plundering 
during  transportation  is,  all  things  c5nsid- 
ai-isd,  surprisingly  small.  "Where  an  abuse 
of  the  kind  occurs  in  hospitals  and  is  found 
out,  the  people  at  home  are  pretty  sure  to 
hear  of  it,  whilst  the  correction  of  the 
aibuse,  however  prompt  it  may  have  been, 
is  not  so  likely  to  trau spire;  We  have  per^ 
sonaUy  known  instances  of  just  this  kind, 
vyhere  corrected  abuses  have  been  pub- 
lished— all  but  the  correction.  And  can 
readUy understand,  therefore,  howthe grav- 
ity of  such  cases  gets  overrated,  and  how 
the  cases  themselves  awaken  unnecessary 
Rpprehension  amongst  the  friends  and  con- 


tributors of  the  Commission,  and  furnish 
an  unfortunate  resource  to  captious  and 
inborn  fault-findings.  The  reader  will  see 
that  the  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard  in 
this  stealing  (to  put  it  in  square  honest 
Saxon)  of  sanitary  stores.  But  there  is 
unquestionably  a  small  per  centage  of  loss 
to  be  abstracted  as  a  constant  sum  from  the 
noble  bounties  of  the  Commission.  Tak- 
ing the  whole  army  and  the  entire  field  of 
war  into  account  at  once,  and  an  eye  that 
could  sweep  the  whole  at  a  glance,  would 
probably  witness  this  (aost  despicable  spe- 
cies of  theft  somewhere  _within  those  wido 
limits  as  a  constant  fact.  But  whilst  a  con- 
stant fact  to  the  witness,  it  would  be  a 
variable  one  with  any  given  offender  and 
in  any  given  locality. 

We  have  repeatedly  had  this  experience 
— too  often,  in  fact,  to  enable  us  to  recall 
any  signal  examples — ^namely  :  We  have 
asked  some  patient  in  a  hospital  if  he  ever 
received  any  thing  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  received  a  prompt  and  empha-. 
tic  "No"  for  an  answer.  Farther  inquiry 
developes  the  fact  that  he  has  been  foi: 
weeks  the  daily  recipient  of  sanitarj  stores 
^both  food  and  clothing.  We  have  known 
persons  of  irreproachable  integrity  perpe- 
trate just  this  absurdity,  (for  we  cannot  call 
it  falsehood.)  The  patient,  finding  his  own 
personal  condition  decidedly  uncomforta- 
ble, and  that  he  is  only  moderately  weU  off 
.  for  external  comforts,  not  unnaturally  con- 
cludes that  he  is  indebted  to  Government 
for  what  little  relief  he  does  receive.  Ho 
is  not  informed  by  nurse  or  surgeon  where 
a  given  article  administered  to  him  may 
have  come  from.  It  is  not  practicable  that 
he  should  be.  Surgeons  and  nurses  have 
enough  to  do  with  that  omitted.  And 
articles  of  diet  are  not  likely  to  bear  the 
Sanitary  stamp,  when  cooked  and  ready 
for  the  palate.  And  if  they  did,  many  a 
patient,  from  lack  of  observing  habits  or 
from  the  gravity  of  his  illness,  would  fail  to 
see  it.  Thejr  frequently  fail  to  see  it  on 
the  very  clothing  that  invests  their  persons. 
Many  a  rumor,  painful  and  mischievous  in 
its  effects,  has  had  just  this  kind  of  origin. 
We  have  never  when  in  the  field  neglected 
to  trace  up  aU  reports  of  the  plundering  of 
our  stores,  which  gave  the  least  promise  of 
having  a  foundation,  and  we  generally  find 
them  ending  in  some  such  smoke  as  this. 
And  if  otherwise,  and  an  offense  is  eventu- 
ally discovered,  we  have  never  encountered 
difficulty  or  delay  in  having  the  offender 
punished,  and  the  way  blocked  to  the 
repetition  of  the  offense. 

The  actual  percentage  of  loss  to  Sanitary 
stores  in  transit  from  donor  to  pati&t, 
"by  flood  and  field,"  it  is  impossible  to 
give  "with  any  considerable  accuracy.  But 
we  feel  justified  in  saying  with  absolute 
certainty  that  it  is  small ;  and  whatever  the 
amount  is  we   should  be  spurred   bv  it 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


213 


rather  than  depressed.  The  means  of  pre- 
■vention  being  as  nearly  complete  and  as 
extensively  applied  as  the  nature  of  the 
case  will  admit  of,  we  must  put  down  the 
losses  that  occur  in  spite  of  these  means, 
as  a  part  of  the  inevitable  course  of  things, 
an  item  in  the  inexorable  statistics  of 
crime. — Sanitary  Reporter. 


The  Obimeak  Wab^The  Beitish  Asms  and 
Miss  Nightingale.  By  Charles  Shrimp- 
ton,  M.  D. 

We  regret  that  we  have  not  space  for  a 
lengthened  review  of  a  pamphlet  bearing  the 
above  title.  The  following  quotations  contain 
many  principles  and  deductions  applicable  to 
our  present  national  experience: 

Doctor  Shrimpton  says:  "It  is  one  of  the 
greatest  characteristics  of  the  present  age,  that 
the  cause  of  humanity  is  become  identified  with 
the  strength  of  armies.  The  history,  then,  of  a 
war  can  no  longer  be  confined  to  bare  details  of 
the  plans  of  battles,  and  of  the  manoeuvres  of 
armies;  we  must  refer  to  other  elements,  and 
principally  to  the  sanitary  condition  of  troops,  as 
the  causes  of  our  victories,  or  the  reasons  for  our 
disasters.  The  historian,  in  following  soldiers 
in  their  campaigns,  should  note  every  thing 
that  may  be  favorable  or  unfavorable  to  their 
sanitary  condition;  and,  consequently, he  should 
not  neglect  any  opportunity  of  exposing  every 
error  that  may  be  committed  on  this  important 
point,  from  whatsoever  source  it  may  spring. 
There  are  particularly  two  important  results  to 
be  obtained  from  this  scrupulous  care  in  com- 
piling the  history  of  a  war.  The  first  is,  that 
of  reducing  to  less  than  half  the  mortality  of 
those  brave  soldiers  who  so  generously  shed 
their  blood  for  their  country;  the  second,mere- 
ly  a  corollary  of  the  first,  that  by  reducing  the 
mortality  of  soldiers  the  strength  of  armies  will 
be  proportionably  increased,  and  thus  very 
often  the  fortune  of  war  decided." 

Dr.  Shrimpton  then  alludes  to  some  of  the 
more  prominent  causes  of  the  fearful  sickness 
and  mortality  among  the  British  forces  during 
the  first  twelve  months  subsequent  to  their 
reaching  the  Crimea.  He  says  the  British  army 
was  deficient  in  "Military  Administration;"  that 
is,  in  a  method  of  co-ordinating  the  dififerent 
branches  of  administration— such  as  victualling, 
clothing,  forage,  hospitals,  campment,  trans- 
port service,  and  corps  of  workmen. 
•"Even  Malta,  a  British  colony,  was  taken, by 
surprise  by  the  arrival  of  the  British  troops; 
and  at  Gallipoli  the  same  neglect  was  repeated, 
the  British  Consul  there  was  not  informed  jjiat 
Enghsh  troops  were  to  arrive. " 


"When  the  British  *roops  arrived  at  Gallipoli, 
they  were  three  days  in  landing,  and  had  neither 
mattresses  nor  blankets  for  the  men,  nor  medi- 
cines nor  shelter  for  the  sick."  The  French 
did  not  suflfer,because  every  thing  had  been  pro- 
vided for  them  by  the  centralizing  power  of  the 
"  Intendant- General."  While  the  French  had 
plenty  to  eat,  the  wants  of  the  English  may  be 
described  by  tie  condition  of  the  men  of  the 
Ninety-third  Regiment,  "who  were  obliged  to 
kill  the  oxen  which  had  brought  their  baggage 
on  the  '  arabas'  or  rough  carts  of  the  country, 
and  thus  deprived  themselves  of  their  only 
means  of  transportation." 

While  our  armies  have  not  suffered  as  the 
English  army  did  in  the  Oriinea,  we  have  had 
abundant  reason  to  regret  the  want  of  some 
such  co-ordinating  funofionary  as  the  '•  Inten- 
dant-G^n6ral"  of  the  French  army,  an  officer 
only  subordinate  to  the  commanding  oflicer, 
and  charged  with  the  duty  of  having  food,  shel- 
ter, medicines,  clothing,  and  means  of  trans- 
portation at  the  right  place  at  the  right  mo- 
ment. 

Dr.  Shrimpton  attributes  the  fearful  mortality 
among  the  British  troops  to  the  great  want  of 
prevision  in  the  matters  alluded  to  above. 

Dr.  Shrimpton  testifies  as  to  the  absolute  ne- 
cessity of  having  female  nurses  in  the  General 
Hospitals,  "for,"  says  he,  quoting  from  Mr. 
Sidney  Herbert,  "  hospital  orderlies  must  be 
very  rough  hands. " 


DIMINUTION  OF  DKUNKENNBSS  IN    THE 
BRITISH  ARMY;  ITS  PROBABLE  CAUSES. 
[Extracted  from  Lonaon  I.ancet,  Dec'r,  1863,  p.  806.1 

It  is  difficult  from  a  mere  "  return  "  to  arrive 
at  any  just  conclusion  as  to  the  causes  which 
have  influenced  the  increase  or  decrease  of  intem- 
perance in  the  several  portions  of  the  army  lo- 
cated in  different  districts  of  the  kingdom. 
Diunkennees  is  a  vice  dependent  on  such  various 
causes  apart  from  locality,  that  it  would  be  sat- 
isfactory to  have  some  farther  particulars  on  the 
subject.  All  causes  which  have  a  tendency  to 
depress  the  mental  or  physical  condition  of  the 
soldier,  have  more  or  less  power  over  his  habits 
with  respect  to  drink. 

We  learn  that  the  annual  report  on  military 
prisons  presents  some  curious  statistics  of  the 
number  of  soldiers  committed  for  being  drunk. 
In  the  Ave  years,  1848-'52,  the  annual  commit- 
ments in  England  average  seventy  eight  in  ten 
thousand  on  the  force  stationed  in  England.  la 
I.Scotland  the  average  was  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-two in  tea  thousand  in  the  force  stationed 
there.  In  Ireland  two  hundred  and  one.  la  the 
next  five  years  the  average  fell  to  seventy-three  in 
England,  sixty-four  in  Scotland,  and  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  in  Ireland.  In  the  last  five  years 
it  has  been  seventy-nine  in  England,  only  twenty* 
nine  in  Scotland,  and  but  sixty-eight  in  Ireland. 


214 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


It  will  be  seen  that  the  declrae  of  the  commitmentB 
is  enormous,  but  still  greater  in  Scotland.  The  re- 
turns are  not  according  to  nationality  of  the  men, 
but  locality  of  station. 

Is  not  this  gratifying  result  due  te  the  im- 
provement in  the  construction  of  soldiers'  bar- 
racks, which  has  been  brought  about  by  the  in- 
telligent labors  of  the  first  Sanitary  Commission 
appointed  by  the  British  Government!  There  is 
no  measure  more  likely  to  lessen  the  vice  of 
drunkenness  amongst  soldiers  than  providing 
them  with  comfortable  quarters,  reading-rooms, 
and  innocent  amusements  for  their  leisure  hours. 

[Eds.} 


THE  NEGRO  TROOPS. 
The  French  Mexican  expedition  furnished  as 
additional  example  of  the  freedom  of  the  negro 
race  from  the  diseases  which,  in  hot  climates, 
exert  so  devastating  an  effect  upon  whites.  M., 
Eeynaud,  Inspector-General  of  the  Marine 
force  in  Mexico,  addresses  a  letter  to  the 
Academy  of  Medicine,  in  which  he  states  that 
the  last  epidemic  of  yeUow  fever  exemplifies 
the  above  fact,  just  as  did  that  of  1862;  while 
the  yellow  fever  produced  great  numhers  of 
victims  amongst  the  Europeans  employed  at 
Vera  Cruz  and  the  fort  St.  Jean  d'Ulloa,  not  a 
single  death  from  this  cause  occurred  among 
more  than  600  soldiers  and  sailors  from  the 
West  Indies,  almost  all  of  them  yet  undergoing 
the  most  trying  labor. — American  Medicai  Times. 

A  DINNER  IN  CAMP. 

Wagons  accompanied  by  strong  guards  have 
been  sent  out,  in  the  direction  of  saw-mills  and 
houses,  for  boards  and  briclcs.  Many  have  re- 
turned laden  with  these  rich  and  valued  spoils. 
Nothing  is  more  sought  after,  better  appre- 
ciated, or  more  ingeniously  used  in  this  army, 
than  boards.  With  a  few  of  these  for  his  bed, 
table,  chair,  kc,  and  a  few  bricks  for  bis  chim- 
ney, your  soldier  with  his  shelter-tent  builds 
him  a  comfortable  domicile,  and  lives  well. 

When  in  a  permanent  camp,  where  supplies 
are  readily  sent  to  the  army,  the  soldier  gets  his 
full  rations  and  is  satisfied  with  them.  Within 
the  last  few  days  he  has  been  drawing  in  the  way 
of  vegetables,  potatoes,  onions,  and  turnips. 

The  other  day  I  received  a  pressing  invitation 
to^ne  with  some  of  the  men.  "They  were 
nicely  fixed,  and  wanted  me  to  see  how  they 
liyed."  Some  dozen  or  fifteen  of  them  had  ob- 
tained permission  to  occupy  a  kind  of  barn, 
formerly  used  as  a  corn-house.  It  was  divided 
into  three  apartments;  the  men  divided  into 
three  messes.  With  one  of  these  I  dined. 
There  were  two  other  guests,  and  the  prepara- 
tions were  extensive.  Early  in  the  morning 
they  began  to  clear  up,  &c.  When  I  arrived  all 
hands  were  busy;  one  cooking  this  and  another 
fixing  that,  and  so  on.  The  most  noticeable 
thing  was  the  cook-stove;  which,  one  of  their 
number,  remembering  sufficient  of  the  craft  he 


used  to  practice  when  a  civilian,  extemporizes 
out  of  old  camp-kettles,  spades,  and  a  part  of  a 
mowing  machine,  and  an  excellent  thing  it  was 
both  for  warmth  and  utility. 

Our  dinner  was  well-eooked,  and  in  abun- 
dance. Bill  of  fare  consisted  of  soup,  beef- 
steak, fresh  bread  and  butter,  coffee,  mashed  po- 
tatoes, roasted  ditto,  fried  onions,  turnips,  ifec, 
and  peaches  and  milk.  The  latter  luxury  was 
obtained  in  this  way:  Mine  host,  the  sergeant 
— formerly  a  squire — a  man  of  good  education 
and  culture,  the  ruler  in  the  company,  the 
oracle,  consulted  on  all  affairs  of  general  in- 
terest, very  popular,  a  pleasant  talker.  The 
men  laugh  at  his  sayings,  quote  them,  and  love 
him.  He  is  very  generous  and  open-hearted. 
One  of  the  men  being  siet,the  squire  purchased 
some  peaches  for  him,  at  enormous  prices,  from 
the  fleecers  of  the  army,  (the  sutlers.)  The 
friend  recovered,  and.  the  peaches  were  forgotten 
until  to-day.  After  dinner  we  bad  music — the 
banjo — the  favorite  instrument  in  the  army — 
singing  and  dancing.  They  told  me  that  they 
managed  to  live  in  camp  right  along  in  this 
way.  None  of  them  liked  the  life  of  a  soldier, 
might  perhaps  re-enlist,  would  make  the  best  of 
events  that  turn  up,  were  sort  of  contented,  and 
would  live  as  joUy  as  they  could.  This  mess 
represents  a,  fair  average  of  what  might  be 
found  throughout  the  corps. — Edrad  from  Be- 
port  of  Ediefidgent,  Sisdh  Corps,  Arfm/ of  JPotomote. 


AN  OEPICER  ON  THE  COMMISSION. 

I  have  referred  to  the  Sanitary  Commission; 
and  no  one  could  visit  these  hospitals  without 
beoomins;  a  firm  believer  in  the  importance  and 
value  of  this  institution  as  supplementary  to 
the  regular  surgical  department. 

So  extensive  are  the  ramifications  of  this 
Commission,  and  so  thoroughly  have  its  agents 
been  drilled  in  the  good  work,  and  so  com- 
pletely has  it  the  confidence  and  aid  of  the  Gov- 
ernment officials,  that  one  dollar  expended 
through  its  channels  is  equal  to  three  expended 
by  private  benevolence  or  State  societies.  It  is 
natural  that  our  kind-hearted  women  should 
desire  that  their  offerings  should  go  to  their 
special  friends,  though  if  they  rSfiect,  they 
could  hardly  wish  that  one  man  should  enjoy 
these  delicacies,  while  his  brothers  in  p'atriotio 
devotion,  the  men  who  stood  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der with  him  in  the  hour  of  trial,  are  left  with- 
out them.  Surely,  if  there  be  a  place  in  the 
world  for  impartiality  in  the  distribution  of  ar- 
ticles of  comfort  and  solace,  it  is  the  hospital  of 
those  who  have  been  wounded  in  a  common 
cause;  besides,  this  private  bounty  is  simply 
impossible.  What  we  need  is,  to  have  these 
supplies  ready  at  once,  even  before  the  battle  is 
over,  and  this  is  the  weU-peiformed  office  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 

I  believe  that  this  Commission  is  one  of  the 
first  fruits  of  our  most  advanced  Christian 
civilization,  the  first  inroad  into  the  domain  of 
war  of  a  practical  Christianity  which  shall  yet 
throttle  and  destroy  this  demon  forever.  When 
I  seek  to  estimate  its  value  and  significance  uP 
its  various  supervisory,  reformatory,  and  scien- 
tific,, as  well  as  benevolent  operations,  to  say 
nothing  of  those  exceedingly  valuable  statistical 
collections  which  are  to  be  the  corner-stones  of 
future  history,  I  confess  I  know  of  no  onloulus. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


215 


by  whieli  correctly  to  compute  them.  Could 
the  tens  of  thousands  of  me  blue  uniformed 
sufferers  it  has  relieved  utter  their  testimony, 
we  might  reach  some  adequate  expression. — 
Captain  Noyes  in  the  "  Bivouac  and  the  JiatUe-field." 


QUININE  "AS  A  PKEVBOTIVE  OF  MALA- 
KIAL  DISEASE. 
Dr.  J.  W.  Page,  Inspector  for  United  States 
Sanitary  Oommissiou  in  Department  of  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia,  reports  that  the  greatest 
benefit  to  the  health  of  the  forces  stationed  in 
the  malarial  regions  about  Newbern,has  result- 
ed from  the  regular  administration  of  a  quinine 
ration  to  the  men.  It  is  gratifying  to  hear  this 
statement  from  Dr.  Page,  whose  long  residence 
in  the  malarial  regions  of  North  Carolina  makes 
him  a  critical  observer.  One  of  the  earliest  ef- 
forts of  the  Commission,  in  the  direction  of 
the  prevention  of  disease  in  the  army,  was  to 
impress  upon  commanding  officers  and  the 
Government  the  prophylactic  or  preventive 
powers  of  quinine.  All  who  are  familiar  with 
the  Medical  Documents  of  the  Commission, 
will  remember  the  able  and  exhaustive  Mono- 
graph by  Dr.  Wm.  H.  Van  Bureu  on  this  sub- 
ject. From  all  the  columns  operating  in  ma- 
larial regions,  we  have  heard  nothing  to  impair 
our  belief  in  the  value  of  quinine  as  a  prevent- 
ive of  malarial-disease.  It  should  be  taken  in 
doses  of  three  grains  at  bed-time,  and  two  or 
three  in  the  morning,  continuously,  through 
the  malarial  season.  Its  value  is  enhanced 
when  given  in  connection  with  coffee.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  state  that  the  curative 
power  of  qviinine  is  greatly  lessened  in  the  case 
of  tl^ose  who  have  become  saturated  with  fever 
and  ague  poison,  by  long  residence  in  malarial 
regions  ;  of  course,  the  experience  of  such  per- 
sons cannot  be  taken  as  impairing  one's  belief 
in  the  preventive  power  of  the  agent. 


THE  VENTILATION  OP  THE  IRON-CLADS. 

The  good  fortune  of  meeting  with  intelligent 
medical  officers  of  the  Navy  has  enabled  the 
writer  to  compare  notes  upon  important  ques- 
tions, that  relate  alike  to  military  and  to  naval, 
hygiene,  and  to  the  relative  status  of  medical 
officers  in  these  two  branches  of  national 
sei'vice.  In  this  letter  I  will  refer  only  to  one 
or  two  of  the  hygienic  questions.  In  a  number 
of  the  Medical  Times  some  time  ago,  •  you 
rather  sharply  called  attention  to  the  saiitary 
condition  of  the  Monitors  and  iron-clad  gun- 
boats. 'The  questions  to  which  you  then  soli- 
cited official  attention  were  at  that  time  receiv- 
ing the  earnest  and  intelligent  consideration  of 
the  best  men  in  the  medical  service  of  the 
navy.  We  hazard  nothing  in  asserting  that  the 
savant  or  the  mechanical  engineer  who  will 
devise  and  put  into  successful  operation  a  sys- 
tem of  ventilation  that  will  supply  fresh  air  to 
the  cabins,  quarters,  and  berth-decks  of  the 
Monitors,  at  the  rate  of  from  five  hundred  to 
■  one  thousand  cubic  feet  per  hour,  to  each  man 
of  the  ship's  company,  will  confer  a  priceless 
boon  upon  the  crews  and  officers  of  those  new 
war-Vessels,  and  at  the  same  time  will  do  his 
country  a  patriotic  service  scarcely  inferibr  to 


that  rendered  by  the  renowned  Eeicsson  him- 
self. 

Only  think  of  the  sanitary  prospects  of  eighty 
or  a  hundred  men  shut  up  in  a  submerged  iron 
encasement,  with  only  about  sixty-five  cubic 
feet  of  air-space  to  each*"  person,  and  that 
sepulchral  atmosphere  unchanged,  except  by 
the  very  imperfect  process  of  "blowing"  a  fee- 
ble current  from  the  "turret."  According  to 
bur  own  rough  estimate,  each  man  during 
battle,  or  in  a  sea  at  all  rough,  when  scuttles 
and  hatches  must  be  closed,  would  receive  less 
than  two  cubic  feet  per  minute  of  fresh  air  for 
respiration.  Add  to  this  the  inevitable  humidity 
and  the  excessive  heat  and  darkness  of  the 
Monitors,  and  you  have  the  elemental  and  ineui- 
,  table  causes  of  a  fearfully  high  invalid-rate. 

Is  there  no  intro-meohanist  who  will  immedi- 
ately device  the  means  for  remedying  this  evil  ? 
We  ventm-e  to  offer  the  clue  to  the  desired 
invention  by  saying  that  the  ventilation  must 
be  secured  upon  the  ■aacuum  principle,  or  by 
suction  of  the.foul  air,  and  not  by  the  present 
inoperative  plenum  or  blowing  method.  Even 
for  the  ventilatyjn  of  ordinary  transport  ships, 
the  problem  of  effective  ventilation  depends 
mainly  upon  the  means  p.hd  certainty  of  egress 
of  foul  air.  No  plenum  blowiag  in  a  Monitor 
will  ever  accomplish  the  desired  result,  except 
.  at  the  expense  of  the  invalnerability  of  the  war 
ship  itself."  Mr.  EntcssoN  has  provided  fans  in 
the  turrets,  but  it  is  not  pure  fresh  air  they  blow; 
and  even  the  broken  current  of  the  impure  air 
they  do  control,  is  sent  first  down  tothe  hold, 
then,  afte'r  feeding  the  furnace  fires,  it  slowly 
mixes  with  the  yet  impure  air  of  the  berth-deck 
alid  officers'  quarters. 

Nothing  is  plainer  than  that  there  must  be  a 
specific  method  and  power  of  egress  for  th6  foul 
air,  and  this  fact  is  so  well  stated  in  a  brochure 
just  placed  in  our  hands  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission [Medical  Document  S.  Hints  for  the  Con- 
trol of.  Infectious  Diseases  in  C'J,mps,  Transpoiis, 
and  Hospitals'],  that  we  beg  leave  to  quote  a 
paragraph  relating  to  this  point : 

"The  special  improvements  or  works  for 
ventilation  in  ordinary  transports,  consist 
mainly  in  greatly  increasing  the  area  and  the 
-places  of  egress  for  foul  air.  'This  is  best  effected, 
temporarily,  by  increasing  the  area  of  the  win- 
dovTS  and  air-shafts  at  the  .stern,  and,  if  admis- 
sible, elsewhere.  The  ingress  of  fresh  air  is 
easily  provided  for,  after  establishing  the  chan- 
nels and  amount  of  outlet." 

After  showing  how  egress  may  be  given  to 
the  foul  air.  of  a  ship's  decks,  the  author  says 
that  the  methods  he  advises  for  employment  in 
■crowded  transports, '"will  provide  1,000  cubic 
feet  of  fresh  air  per  hour  to  each  man,  in  a 
vessel  sailing  five  knots  an  hour ;  but,  if  no 
special  outlets  are  provided,  even  twice  the  number 
of  windrsails,  all  injecting,  would  fail  even  to  supply  • 
at  the  rate  of  100  eubic'feet  per  Iiour."  But  tha 
inventor  of  the  Monitors  has  attempted  to  venti- 
late those  remarkable  gunboats  by  the  hopeless 
plan  of  blowing  down  through  the  turret,  which 
is  like  blowing.into  a  bottle  through  its  neck. 

In  a  future  comniiinioation  your  readers  shall 
have  the  results  of  some  observations  upon  the 
ventilation  of  tents  and  barracks. 

— Medical  limes. 


216 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetm. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 


PETTY  MANAGEMEHT. 


.  All  the  results  of  good  nursing,  as  detailed  in 
these  notes,  may  be  spoiled  or  utterly  negatived 
by  one  defect,  ■viz.:  in  petty  management,  or  in 
other  words,  by  not  knowing  how  to  manage 
that  what  you  do  when  you  are  there,  shall  be 
done  when  you  are  not  tiiere.  The  most  devo- 
ted friend  or  nurse  cannot  be  always  there.  Nor 
is  it  desirable  that  she  should.  And  she  may 
give  up  her  health,  all  her  other  duties,  and  yet, 
for  want  of  a  little  management,be-not  one-half 
so  eflScient  as  another  who  is  not  one-half  so 
devoted,  but  who  has  this  art  of  multiplying 
herself — that  is  to  say,  the  patient  of  the  first 
will  not  really  be  so  well  cared  for  as  the  patient 
of  the  second. 

It  is  as  impossible  in  a  book  to  teach  a  person 
in  charge  of  sick  how  to  manage,  as"  it  is  to 
teach  her  how  to  nurse.  Circumstances  must 
vary  with  each  different  case!  But  it  is  possible 
to  press  upon  her  to  think  for  herself:  Now 
what  does  happen  during  my  absence  ?  I  am 
obliged  to  be  away  on  Tuesday.  But  fresh  air, 
or  punctuality,  is  not  less  important  to  my  pa- 
tient on  Tuesday  than  it  was  on  Monday.  Or: 
At  10  P.  M.  I  am  never  with  my  patient;  but 
quiet  is  of  no  less  consequence  to  him  at  10 
flian  it  was  at  5  minutes  to  10. 

Curious  as  it  may  seem,  this  very  obvious 
consideration  occurs  comparatively  to  few,  or, 
if  it  does  occur,  it  is  only  to  cause  the  devoted 
friend  or  nurse  to  be  absent  fewer  hours  or  fewer 
minutes  from  her  patient — not  to  arrange  so  as 
that  no  minute  and  no  hour  shall  be  for  her 
patient  without  the  essentials  of  her  nursing. 

A  very  few  instances  will  be  sufficient,  not  as 
precepts,  but  as  illustrations. 

A  strange  washerwoman,  coming  late  at  night 
for  the  "things,"  will  burst  in  by  mistake  to 
the  patient's  sick-room,  after  he  has  fallen  into 
his  first  doze,  giving  him  a  shock,  the  effects  of 
which  are  irremediable,  though  he  himself 
laughs  at  the  cause,  and  probably  never  even 
mentions  it.  The  nurse  who  is,  and  is  quite 
right  to  be,  at  her  supper,  has  not  provided  that 
the  washerwoman  shaU  not  lose  her  way  and  go 
into  the  wrong  room. 

The  patient's  room  may  always  have  the  win- 
dow open.  But  the  passage  outside  the  patient's 
room,  though  provided  with  several  large  win- 
dows, may  never  have  one  open :  because  it  is 
not  understood  that  the  charge  of  the  sick-room 
extends  to  the  charge  of  the  passage.  And' thus, 
as  often  happens,  the  nurse  makes  it  her  busi- 
ness to  turn  the  patient's  room  into  a  ventilating 
shaft  for  the  foul  air  of  the  whole  house. 

An  uninhabited  room,  a  newly- painted  room, 
an  unoleaned  closet  or  cupboard,  may  often  be- 
come the  reservoir  of  foul  air  for  the  whole 
house,  because  the  person  in  charge  never 
thinks  of  arranging  that  these  places  shall  be 
always  aired,  always  cleaned;  she  merely  opens 
the  window  herself  "when  she  goes  in." 

An  agitating  letter  or  message  may  be  deliver- 
ed, or  an  imjjortant  letter  or  message  not  de- 
livered; a  visitor  whom  it  was  of  consequence 
tosee,  may  be  refused,  or  one  whom  it  was  of 
still  more  consequence  to  not  see  may  be  admit- 
ted— because  the  person  in  charge  has  never 
asked  herself  this  question,  What  is  done  when 
I  am  not  there  ? 


At  all  events,  one  may  safely  say,  a  nurse  can- 
not be  with  the  patient,  open  the  door,  eat  her 
meals,  take  a  message,  all  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  Nevertheless  the  person  in  charge  never 
seems  to  look  the  impossibility  in  the  face. 

Add  to  this  that  the  attempting  this  impossi- 
bility does  more  to  increase  the  poor  patient's 
hurry  and  nervousness  than  any  thing  else. 

It  is  never  thought  that  the  patient  remem- 
bers these  things  if  you  do  not.  He  has  not 
only  to  think  whether  the  visit  or  letter  may  ar- 
rive, but  whether  you  will  be  in  the  way  at  the 
particular  day  and  hour  when  it  may  arrive.  So 
that  your  partial  measures  for  "being  in  the 
way"  yourself,  only  increase  the  necessity  for 
his  thought.  Whereas,  if  you  could  but  arrange 
that  the  thing  should  always  be  done  whether 
you  are  there  or  not,  he  need  never  think  at  aU 
about  it. 

For  the  above  reasons,  whatever  a  patient  can 
do  for  himself,  it  is  better,  i.  e.  less  anxiety,  for 
him  to  do  for  himself,  unless  the  person  in 
charge  has  the  spirit  of  management. 

It  is  evidently  much  less  exertion  for  a  pa^ 
tient  to  answer  a  letter  for  himself  by  return  of 
post,  than  to  have  four  conversations,  wait  five 
days,  have  six  anxieties  before  it  is  off  his  mind, 
before  the  personwho  has  to  answerit  has  done  so. 

Apprehension,  uncertainty,  waiting,  expecta- 
tion, fear  of  surprise,  do  a  patient  more  harm 
than  any  exertion.  Remember,  he  is  face  to 
face  with  his  enemy  all  the  time,  internally 
wrestling  with  him,  having  long  imaginary 
conversations  with  him.  You  are  thinking  of 
something  else.  "Eid  him  of  his  adversary 
quickly,"  is  a  first  rule  with  the  sick. 

For  the  same  reasons,  always  tell  a  patient 
and  tell  him  beforehand  when  you  are  going  out 
and  when  you  will  be  back,  whether  it  is  for  a 
day,  an  hour,  or  ten  minutes.  You  fancy  per- 
haps that  it  is  better  for  him  if  he  does  not  find 
out  your  going  at  all,  better  for  him  if  you  do 
not  make  yourself  "of  too  much  importance" 
to  him;  or  else  you  cannot  bear  to  give  him  the 
pain  or  the  anxiety  of  the  temporary  separation. 

No  such  thing.  You  ovght  to  go,  we  will 
suppose.  Health  or  duty  requires  it.  Then  say 
so  to  the  patient  openly.  If  you  go  without  his 
knowing  it,  and  he  finds  it  out,  he  never  will 
feel  secure  again  that  the  things  which  depend 
upon  you  will  be  done  when  you  are  away,  and 
in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  he  will  be  right.  If 
you  go  out  without  telling  him  when  you  will 
be  back,  he  can  take  no  measures  nor  precau- 
tions as  to  the  things  which  concern  you  both, 
or  which  .you  do  for  him. 

In  institutions  where  many  lives  would  be 
lost,  and  the  effect  of  such  a  want  of  manage- 
ment would  be  terrible  and  patent,  there  is  less 
of  it  ihau  in  the  private  house. 

But  in  both,  let  whoever  is  in  charge  keep 
this  simple  question  in  her  head  {not,  how  can 
I  always  do  this  ri^ht  thing  myself,  but)  bow 
can  I  provide  for  this  right  thing  to  be  always 
done? 

Then,  when  any  thing  wrong  has  actually 
happened  in  consequence  of  her  absence,  which 
absence  we  will  suppose  to  have  been  quite 
right,  let  her  question  still  be  {not,  how  'can  I 
provide  against  any  more  of  such  absences? 
"which  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable,  but)  how 
can  I  provide  against  any  thing  wrong  arising 
out  of  my  absence  ? 


The  BcCnitary  Oommismn  BvMetirii 


2l1 


K0I3E. 

TJnneoessary  noise,  or  noise  that  creates  an 
expectation  in  the  mind,  is  that  which  hurts  a 
patient.  R  is  rarely  the  loudness  of  the  noise, 
the  effect  upon  the  organ  of  the  ear  itself,  which 
ajipears  to  affect  the  sick.  How  well  a  jiaiient 
will  generally  bear,  e.  g.,  the  putting  up  of  a 
scaffolding  close  to  the  house,  when  he  cannot 
bear  the  talking,  still  less  the  whispering, 
especially  if  it  be  of  a  familar  voice,  outside 
his  door. 

Never  to  allow  a  patient  to  be  waked,  inten- 
tionally or  accidentally,  is  a  sine  qua  non  of  all 
goo|i  nursing.  If  he  is  roused  out  of  his  first 
sleep,  he  is  almost  certain  to  have  no  more 
sleep.  It  is  a  curious  but  quite  intelligible 
fact  that,  if  a  patient  is  waked  after  a  few  hours' 
instead  of  a  few  minutes'  sleep,  he  is  much 
more  likely  to  sleep  again.  Because  pain,  like 
irritability  of  brain,  perpetuates  and  intensifies 
itself.  If  you  have  gained  a  respite  of  either  in 
sleep,  you  have  gained  more  than  the  mere 
respite.  Both  the  probability  of  recurrence  and 
of  the  same  intensity  will  be  diminished ; 
whereas  both  will  be  terribly  increased  by  want 
of  sleep.  This  is  the  reason  why  sleep  is  so 
all-important.  This  is  the  reason  why  a  patient 
waked  in  the  early  part  of  his  sleep  loses  not 
only  his  sleep,  but  his  power  to  sleep.  A 
healthy  person  who  allows  himself  to  sleep 
during  the  day  will  lose  his  sleep  at  night.  But 
it  is  exactly  the  reverse  with  the  sick  generally; 
the  more  they  sleep, 'the  laetter  will  they  be 
able  to  sleep. 

I  have  often  been  surprised  at  the  thoughtless- 
ness (resulting  in  cruelty,  quite  unintentionally)  of 
friends  or  of  doctors  who  will  hold  a  long  con- 
versation just  in  the  room  or  passage  adjoining 
to  the  room  of  the  patient,  who  is  either  every 
moment  expecting  them  to  come  in,  or  who  has 
just  seen  them,  and  knows  they  are  talking  about 
him.  If  it  is  a  whispered  conversation  in  the 
same  room,  then  it  is  absolutely  cruel ;  for  it  is 
impopsible  that  the  patient's  attention  should  not 
be  involuntarily  strained  to  hear.  Walking  on 
tip-toe,  doing  any  thing  in  the  room  very  slowly, 
are  injurious,  for  exactly  the  same  reasons.  A 
firm,  light"  quick  step,  a  steady,  quick  hand,  are 
the  desiderata  ;  not  the  slow,  lingering,  shuffling 
foot,  the  timid,  uncertain  touch.  Slowness  is  not 
gentleness,  though  it  is  often  mistaken  for  such: 
quickness,  lightness,  and  gentleneps  are  quite 
compatible.  Again,  if  friends  and  doctors  did 
but  watch,  as  nurses  caU  and  should  watch,  the 
features  sharpening,  the  eyes  growing  almost 
wild,  of  fever  patients  who  are  listeriing  for  the 
entrance  from  the  corridor  of  the  persons  whose 
voices  they  are  hearing  there,  these  would  never 
run  the  risk  again  of  creati'ng  such  expectation, 
or  irritation  of  mind.  Such  unnecessary  noise 
has  Undoubtedly  induced  or  aggravated  delirium 
in  many  cases. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  the  other  common  cause, 
namely,  for  a  doctor  or  friend  to  leave  the  patient 
and  communicate  his  opinion  on  the  result  of  his 
visit  to  the  friends  just  outside  the  patient's  door, 
or  in  the  adjoining  room,  after  the  visit,  but 
within  hearing  or  knowledge  of  the  patient,  is,  if 
possible,  worst  of  all. 

It  is,  I  think,  alarming,  peculiarly  at  this  time, 
when  the  female  ink-botiles  are  perpetually  im- 
pressing upon  us  "  woman's  "  "  particular  worth 


aiid  general  missionarJness,"  to  see  that  the  dress 
of  woman  is  daily  more  and  more  unfitting  thenii 
for  any  "  mission,"  or  usefulness  at  all.  It  is 
equally  unfitted  for  all  poetic  and  all  domestic 
purposes.  A  man  is  now  a  more  handy  and  far 
less  objectionable  being  in  a  sick  room  than  a 
woman.  Compelled  by  her  dress,  every  woman 
now  either  shuffles  or  waddles— only  a  man  can 
cross  the  floor  of  asiok-rootti  without  shaking  it! 
What  is  beconie  of  woman's  light  step  ? — the  firm, 
ligt\t,  quick  step  we  have  been  asked  for? 

The  noiseless  step  of  woman,  th".  noiseless 
drapery  of  woman,  are  mere  figures  of  speech  id 
this  day.  Her  skirts  (and  well  if  they  do  not  throw 
down  some  piece  of  furniture)  will  at  least  brush 
against  every  article  in  the  room  as  she  moves. 

Again,  one  nurse  cannot  open  the  door  with- 
out making  every  thing  rattle.  Or  she  opeiis  the 
door  unnecessarily  often,  for  want  of  remember- 
ing all  the  articles  that  migh  t  be  brought  in  at  once. 
A  good  nurse  will  always  make  sure  that  no 
door  or  window  in  her  patient's  room  shall  rattle 
or  creak;  that  no  blin*  or  curtain  shall,  by  any 
change  of  wind  through  the  open  window,  be 
made  to  flap — especially  will  she  be  careful  of  all 
this  before  she  leaves  her  patients  for  the  night. 
If  you  wait  till  your  patients  tell  you,  or  remind 
you  of  these  things,wliere  is  the  use  of  their  having 
a  nurse  ?  There  are  more  shy  than  exacting  pa- 
tients, in  all  classes ;  and  many  a  patient  passes 
a  bad  night,  time  after  time,  rather  than  remind 
his  nurse  every  night  of  all  the  things  she  has 
forgotten. 

If  there  are  blinds  to  your  windows,  always 
take  care  to  have  them  well  up,  when  they  are 
not  being  used.  A  little  piece  slipping  down,  and 
flapping  with  every  draught,  will  distract  a  patient. 
All  hurry  or  bustle  is  peculiar'ly  painful  to  the 
sick.  And  when  a  patient  has  compulsory  occupa- 
tions to  engage  him,  instead  of  having  simply,  to 
amuse  himself,  it  becomes  doubly  injurious.  The 
friend  who  remains  standing  and  fidgeting  about 
while  a  patient  is  talking  business  to  him,  or  the 
friend  who  sits  and  proses,  the  one  from  an  idea  of 
not  letting  the  patient  talk,  the  other  from  an  idea 
of  amusing  him — each  is  equally  inconsiderate. 
Always  sit  down  when  a  sick  person  is  talking 
business  to  you,  show  no  signs  "of  hurry,  give 
complete  attention  and  full  consideration  if  your 
advice  is  wanted,  and  go  away  the  moment  the 
subject  is  ended. 

Always  sit  within  the  patient's  view,  so  that 
when  you  speak  to  him  he  has  not  painfully  td 
turn  his  head  round  in  order  to  look  at  you. 
Everybody  involuntarily  looks  at  the  person 
speaking.  If  you  make  this  act  a  wearisome  one 
on.  the  part  of  the  patient,  yon  are  doiflg  him 
harm.  So  also  if  by  continuing  tcf  stand  you 
make  him  continuously  raise  his  eyes  to  see  you. 
Be  as  motionless  as  possible,  and  never  gesticu- 
late in  speaking  to  the  sick. 

Never  make  a  patient  repeat  a  message  or  re- 
quest, especially  if  it  be  some  time  after.  Occu- 
pied patients  are  often  accused  of  doing  too  much 
of  their  own  business.  They  are  instinctively 
right.  How  often  you  hear  the  person,  charged 
with  the  request  9f- giving  the  mes.sage  or  writ- 
ing the  letter,  say  half  an  hour  afterwards  to  the 
patient,  "Did  you  appoint  12  o'clock?"  or, 
"What  did  you  say  was  the  address?"  or  ask 
perhaps  some  much  more  agitating  question- 
thus  causing  the  patient  the  effort  of  memory,  or 
worse  still,  of  deoisioH,  all  over  again.    It  ii 


218 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEMn. 


really  less  exertion  to  him  to  write  his  letters 
himself.  This  is  the  almost  universal  experience 
of  occupied  invalids. 

This  brings  us  to  another  caution.  Never 
speak  to  an  invalid  from  behind,  nor  from  the 
door,  nor  from  any  distance  from  him,  nor  wh'en 
he  is  doing  any  thing. 

The  official  politeness  of  servants  in  these 
things  is  so  grateful  to  invalids,  that  many  pre- 
fer, without  knowing  why,  having  none  but 
servants  about  them. 

These  things  are  not  fancy.  If  we  consider 
that,  with  sick  as  with  well,  every  thought  de- 
composes some  nervous  matter — that  decomposi- 
tion as  well  as  re-composition  of  nervous  matter 
is  always  going  on,  and  more  quickly  with  the 
sick  than  with  the  well — that,  to  obtrude  abruptly 
another  thought  upon  the  brain  while  it  is  in  the 
act  of  destroying  nervous  matter  by  thinking,  is 
calling  upon  it  to  make  a  new  exertion — if  we  con- 
sider these  things,  which  are  facts,  not  fancies,  we 
shall  remember  that  we  are  doing  positive  injury 
by  interrupting,  by  "  startling  a  fanciful "  person, 
as  it  is  called.    Alas!  it  is  no  fancy. 

If  the  invalid  is  forced,  by  his  avocations,  to 
continue  occupiitions  requiring  much  thinking, 
the  injury  is  doubly  great.  In  feeding  a  patient 
suffering  under  delirium  or  stupor  you  may  suf- 
focate him,  by  giving  him  his  food  suddenly,  but 
if  you  rub  his  lips  gently  with  a  spoon  and  thus 
attract  his  attention,  he  will  swallow  the  food 
unconsciously,  but  with  perfect  safety.  Thus  it 
is  with  the  brain.  If  you  offer  it  a  thought, 
especially  one  requiring  a  decision,  abruptly,  you 
do  it  a  real  not  fanciful  injury.  Never  speak  to 
a  sick  person  suddenly ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
do  not  keep  his  expectation  on  the  tip-toe. 

This  rule,  indeed,  applies  to  the  well  quite  as 
much  as  to  the  sick.  I  have  never  known  per- 
sons who  exposed  themselves  for  years  to  con- 
Btant  interruption  who  did  not  muddle  away 
their  intellects  by  it  at  last.  The  process  with 
them  may  be  accomplished  without  pain.  With 
the  sick,  pain  gives  warning  of  the  injury. 

Do  not  meet  or  overtake  a  patient  who  is  mov- 
ing about  in  order  to  speak  to  him,  or  to  give 
him  any  message  or  letter.  You  might  just  as 
well  give  him  a  box  on  the  ear.  I  have  seen  a 
patient  fall  flat  on  the  ground  who  was  standing 
when  his  nurse  came  into  the  room.  This  was  an 
accident  which  might  have  happened  to  the  most 
careful  nurse.  But  the  other  is  done  with  inten- 
tion. A  patient  in  such  a  state  is  not  guiug  to 
the  East  Indies.  If  you  would  wait  ten  seconds, 
or  walk  ten  yards  further,  any  promenade  he 
could  make  would  be  over.  Vou  do  not  know 
the  effort  it  is  to  a  patient  to  remain  standing  for 
even  a  quarter  of  a  minute  to  listen  to  you.  If 
I  had  not  seen  the  thing  done  by  the  kindest 
nurses  and  friends,  I  should  have  thought  this 
cautiou'%[uite  superfluous. 

It  is  absolutely  essential  that  a  nurse  should 
lay  this  down  as  a  positive  rule  to  herself,  never 
to  speak  to  any  patient  who  is  standing  or  mov- 
ing, as  long  as  she  exercises  so  little  observation 
as  not  to  know  when  a  patient  cannot  bear  it.  I 
am  satisfied  that  many  of  the  accidents  which 
happen  from  feeble  patients  turiibliug  down  stairs, 
fainting  after  getting  up,  &c.,  happen  solely  from 
the  nurse  popping  out  of  a  door  to  speak  to  the 
patient  just  at  that  moment;  or  from  his  fearing 
that  she  will  do  so.  And  that  if  the  patient  were 
even  left  to  himself,  till  he  can  sit  down,  such 


accidents  would  much  seldomer  occur.  If  the 
nurse  accompanies  the  patient,  let  her  not  call 
upon  him  to  speak.  It  is  incredible  that  nnrses 
cannot  picture  to  themselves  the  strain  upon  the 
heart,  thf!  lungs,  and  the  brain,  which  the  act  of 
moving  is  to  any  feeble  patient. 

Patients  are  often  accused  of  being  able  to 
"  do  much  more  when  nobody  is  by."  It  is  quite 
true  that  they  can.  Unless  nurses  can  be  brought  to 
attend  to  considerations  of  the  kind  of  which  we 
have  given  here  but  a  few  specimens,  a  very 
weak  patient  finds  it  really  much  less  exertion  to 
do  things  for  himself  than  to  ask  for  them.  And 
he  will, in  order  to  do  them,  (very  innocently  and 
from  instinct,)  calculate  the  time  bis  nurse  is  lijie- 
ly  to  be  absent,  from  a  fear  of  her  '•  coming  in 
upon"  him  or  speaking  to  him,  just  at  the  mo- 
ment when  he  finds  it  quite  as  much  as  he  can  do 
to  crawl  from  his  bed  to  his  chair,  or  from  one 
room  to  another,  or  down  stairs,  or  out  of  doors  for 
a  few  minutes. — Miss  JVightingale. 

PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  YOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Libut.-Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIBAIi  DUPONT. 
KUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEORGE  OPDYKE, 
HIRAM  BARNEY,  JaS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Rev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Mkssbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOR,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  JE.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETER 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT.ROBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFRED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENRY  GEEENEIELD,  Sec'y, 
35  Chambebs  Sibeet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Is*.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  daimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Oovernment. 

Ml.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and.  infor- 
mation  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


The  8anita/ry  Commission  Bulletin, 


219 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  "War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Sur^eon-Gjeneral  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  iilan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  tbe 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  "W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  "Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,'  CaUfomia. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha;  Harris,  M.D.^  New  York. 

"W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

G.  "W.  Oullom,  U.  s;  A.. 
A,  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

K.  C.  "Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. ,.  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.I).,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Bt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  K.  I. 
Hon.  R.  "W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  "Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

officers: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.«D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Tioe-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

3.  Poster  Jenldns,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  NewbeiTy,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

BTANDIKG  OOMMITTEB. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  "Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  K.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iu  aU  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  •*  Office  of 
Sanitary  CommiBsion,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia.".' 

For_th%  Hospitals  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  the 
New  Imgland  States,  address  '*  Office  Women's  Central 
Union,  No.  10  Cooper  Institute,  New  York." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky."  •  .     ' 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  shoiild  be  given,,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mall ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once,;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense.  .« 

tS"  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  h^ve  friends 
in  the  army. 


>     SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  aU  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  Stat'-.s  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanltaiy  Cominission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  i6 
South  Sharp  Street,  i^ltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  CommissiOTi,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  95 
Bank  Street,,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  59  1th 
Street;,  Pittsbjirg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  Gsorge  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaE  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  K.  Knappj  'Washing 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant;  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Eailroad  Depot,  Wash'* 
ington,  D.  G. 

liOdge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  IStb.  and  llth  Streets. 

Lodge  Ko.  5,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Railroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Wasbington,  D.  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Tbird  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI.— C.  N.  Sbipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.— James  Malona,  Sup't 
James  Morton,  Special  BeHef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nasbville,  Tenn. — ^L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Obio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
.  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W, 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Misa;— T.  "Way,  Sup't. 

AGENCY  FOB  PENSIONS, 

'William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSPITAL   OAnS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— Sol,  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge.    ' 

Between  Louisville  and  Mur&eesboro' — ^Dr.  J.  F.  Baiv 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge, 

BANITABY  BTEAMEB6, 

Mississippi  River- Clara  Bell;  Cumberland  BlTfir— 
New  Donleith;  Potomac  Biver— Elizabeth. 


220  The  Sanitary  Commiasidn  BuUetm. 

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FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN.  No.  118  Milk  Street.  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GREENLBAP  &  CO.,  No.  173  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EW^ING,  Masonio  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 
Descriptive  circulars  furnighed  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  appMcation  to  either  of 
the  above. 


The  JSanitary  Commission  jpuUefin. 


221 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS 

TO  SET  IN  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  Hbatees  known  for  warming 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Schools,  Vessels,  &c. 

Send  or  call  for  a  Full  Dbscjjiption,  and  an 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  our 
grst  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BEICK. 


POKTABLE. 


SANFORB'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

G-LOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
all  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

stores,  Hotels,  R.  R.  Depots, 
Vessels,  &c. 

These  Heaters  are  used  hy  the 
Hudson  Eiver  and  other  Eail- 
ROABS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 
Engine  Houses,  &c.  Beware  of 
imitations  that  are  inferior. 
Extensively  used  in  Hospitals 
and  Barracks. 

GUT    SANFORD'S    MAMMOTH. 


THB 


KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 

masonry,    or     out 

on  feet ;  have  the 

*  Largest   Ovens   of 

anyinmarket;  bake 


perfectly ;  never 
failing  to  brown  at 
the  bottom.  Boil, 
Boast  and  Broil  with  great  faciKty  and  dis- 
patch, and  EooNOMT  as  Fitel.  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Private  Houses,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  «6c. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STQVE, 

With  Radiator,   Ventilator,   and 
Gas  Burning  Attacbment- 

The  Leading  Stove  for 

PARLORS, 

SITTING-EOOMS, 

And  aU  places  where  a  soft, 
PLEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all  winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly small  supply  of  coal. 


SUMMEB  AND  WTNTBB 

PORTABLE   RANGE. 

A  very,  popular  Bange, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Lrons,  at  the  end. 

,^~  .a  perfect  apparatus  for  a  few  dollart 
and  well  suited  for  families,  restaurants,  bai 
racks,  Sfc. 


Also,  a  great  variety  of  COOKENG  AND  HEATING  APPAEATUS,  suited  to  ever 
want.    Also,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.    Get  description  of  above,  with  referencei 

''°"  SANFORD,  TKUSLOW  &  CO., 

^3    and  241  Water  St.,  New  York. 


The  Sanita/ry  Commission  BuUdin. 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FEOM  JUEIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  &f  the  kind.    It  ako  received  Superlative  Beport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GEEAT  INTEENATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUEG,  Jtdy,  1883,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delioacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIE  of  the  NEW  TOEK  STATE  AGEICULTUEAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Difloma.  and  Mia>Aii. 

MAIZEISTA, 

1  AT    'I'HM 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  Medal. 

"  MAIMENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  AitBRiOAir  Institutb,  New  York 
City;  Nkw  Jebset  State  Eaeb  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  IiJais  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  flsh  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,'  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WJH.  DURYEA,  G*>»»*>»'«i  ^ ^ 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


223 


EECEIT    MEDICAL    ¥ORKS, 

PUBLISHED  BY 

BAILLIEEE  BEOTHEES, 

440  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


ON  MILrrAET  AND  OAMP  HOSPITALS,  AND  THE  EEAITH  OF  TBOOPS  IN  THE  FIELD.  By  L.  Badbeks, 
Moflical  Dli'eotor  of  the  JFrenoh  Army,  &o.,  &o.  Translated  and  Ajonotated  by  Fbahklin  B.  Hotjgh,  M.  D.,  late 
Sanitary  Inspector  in  the  Army  of  the  Fotoniac.    12mo,  260  pages.    Price  $1  25. 

*»*  The  above  worli  is  the  result  of  a  commission  sent  by  the  French  Government  to  the  Crimea  to  report  upon 
the  condition  of  the  Hospitals  and  troops  of  the  Freneh  army,  and  incidentally  of  the  English  and  Sardinian  armies. 
It  is  written  in  the  form  of  a  narrative,  and  the  great  questions  of  the  preveTition  and  ccmtrol  of  disease  in  camps  and 
hospitals  are  thoroughly  discussed.  The  hyg^^enic  conditions  of  the  United  States  Army  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
armies  of  the  Crimea;  the  rules  and  prescriptions  given  in  the  book  win,  therefore,  be  found  perfectly  applicable. 
This  work  recommendB  itself  to  commanders  of  regiments  as  well  as  army  surgeons. 

ON  DIPHTHEKIA.    By  Edwakd  Headlam  Geeenhow.    1861.    Pp.  160.    Price  $1.25. 

Our  readers  will  find  a  very  large  amount  of  information  in  the  twelve  chapters  of  which  the  volume  is  made  up. 
Perhaps,  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  on  the  subject  of  this  obscurely  understood  disease,  little  more  can  be 
said  beyond  what  may  here  be  found  written  down. — London  Medical  Times  and  Gazetm. 

We  have  only  been  able  here  to  refer  to  certain  of  the  more  prominent  facts  concerning  diphtheria;  butwe  believe 
we  have  said  enough  to  recommend  this  well-written  treaties  to  the  attention  of  the  profession.— ^ri^uA  Medical 
Journal. 
ADVICE  TO  A  MOTHER  ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  HEE  OFFSPEING  IN  INFANOT,  CHILDHOOD  AND  YOUTH. 

By  P.  HEKKy  Chavasse,  M.  D.    Price  60o. 
Fifth  Edition.    HAND-BOOK  OF  SURGICAL  OPEEATIONS.    By  Stephen  Smith,  M.  D.,  Surgeon  to  Bellevue  Hosp. 

12mo,  280  pages,  and  237  Woodcut  Illustrations.    Price  $1  75. 
Just  received,  a  Fresh  Stock  of  "  BERNAED  &  HUETTB'S  OPERATIVE  SUEGEEY."    Colored  Plates.    Price  $20. 

MESSES.  BAILLIEEE  BROTHERS  beg  to  inform  the  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  and  STUDENTS,  that  having 
purchased  a  Stock  of  the  Publications  of  Messrs.  BLANCHAED  &  liEA,  LIPPINCOTT  &  CO.,  UNDSAY  &  BLAEISTOlC 
&c.,  they  are  prepared  to  sell  all  the  pubhcations  of  these  Houses  at  a  vert  ubekai.  discottst  fok  cash.  Prices  will 
be  given  on  application  and  orders  are  respectfully  solicited. 

^ny  of  the  above  sent  free  hy  mail  on  receipt  of  the  price. 


FRED'O   S.    OOZZENS, 


HEiiNiiT 


I 


73  W^^mrren  Street^  JTew  '^orU^ 

(Opposite  Hudson  Eirer  E.  E.  Depot,) 

AMD 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  V^ashington,  D.iC, 

(Two  doors  from-Willard'E.) 

OF  THE  PUBBST  QUALITT,  FOB 

MEDICINAL  km  SANITARY  PURPOSES, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

.And    by    tlie    SA^-ITAHY     COMiMISSIOlSr. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  York  and  Washington  for 

Long-worth's  Sparkling  and  Still  CatawM  Wine, 
-Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


224  The  Samiw^  i^omiimd(mB'Md,vn.. 


H  O 

[nMrana  Compng  of  %h  fork, 

OFFICE,  No.  135  BROADWAY. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  - $3,000,000  00 

ASSETS,  1st  January,  1864,      -----       3,286,270' 33 
LIABILITIES, 75,803  33 


ABSTRACT  OP  THE 

Twenty-First  Semi- Annual  Statement, 

SHOWING  THE    CONDITION    OF  THE    COMPANY    ON   THE 

FIRST  DAY  OF  JANUARY,   1864. 
ASSETS. 

Cash,  Balance  in  Bank, $875,680  45 

Bonds  and  Mortgages,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate 8i51,fi72  50 

Loans  on  Stocks,  payable  on  demand 376,012  50 

United  States  Stocks  (market  value) 673,588  52 

State  and  Municipal  Stocks  and  Bonds,  (jnarket  value) 190,159  00 

Bank  Stocks,  (market  value) 111,800  00 

Real  Estate 65,000  00 

interest  due  on  1st  January,  1864 17,896  21 

Balance  in  hands  of  Agents,  and  in  course  of  transmission  from 

Agents,  on  1st  January,  1864 , .  72,348  96 

Bills  Receivable,  (for  premiums  on  Inland  Risks) 24,773  90 

Government  Stamps  on  hand 96  62 

Other  Property,  Miscellaneous  Items 44, 117  87 

Premiums  due  and  uncollected  on  Policies  issued  at  Office . . .  3,123  80 

Total $3,286,270  33 

LIABILITIES. 

Claims  for  Losses  Outstanding  on  1st  January,  1864 $74,953  32 

Du%Stockholders  on  account  18th  and  19th  dividends 850  00 


FIRE  AND    INLAND   INSURANCE 

effected  on  favorable  terms. 

CHAS.  J.  MARTIN,  President. 

A.  P.  WILLMARTH,  Vice-Pres't, 
JOHN  MeGEE,  Secretary. 

New  Yobk,  Janua/ry  IWi,  1864. 


T   HE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I.  NEW  YORK,  FEBRUARY  15,  1864.  No., 8. 


The  Sasitaet  Commission  BuliiEIIN  is 
pubMshed  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  eiroulation,  gratuitous 
or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unustuHly  valuable  mediwmfor  advertising. 

All  communicaUons  must  he  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,'dnd 
must  be  aidhentioated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

A  FEW  "WORDS  MORE  ABOUT  THE 
MONEY. 

Bbooklyn,  February  3,  1864. 
Mt  Deae  Db.  Bellows:  I  think  great 
good  ■would  be  done  by  a  brief  statement  of 
the  mode  of  using  money  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

.There  is  great  ignorance  of  its  scope,  de- 
tails, and  need  of  vast  funds;  and  where 
ffl^e  is  ignorance,  there  wiU  be 'more  or 
less  fear  and  doubt  whether  such  volumes 
of'money  as,  in  the  imagination  of  the  peo- 
ple, are  rolling  into  its  treasury  from  these 
national  fairs,  can  be  needed  or  weU.  sp'ent. 
Can  you  give  a  brief  view  of  the  per  cent,  of 
*  expenses  to  your  receipts;  a  synopsis  of  the 
things  embraced  in  your  seva-al  depart- 
ments ;  some  facts  as  to  amounts  required  for 
particularized  articles,  such  as  clothes  de- 
partment, vegetables,  &c. ,  &o.  ?  I  want  what 
can  be  read  by  a  mechanic  or  laborer  in  two 
minutes,  to  give  him  an  idea  of  the  breadth 
not  only  of  your  sphere,  but  of  the  com- 
plexity of  things  required;  and  how  much 
it  requires,  for  instance,  to  care  for  a  thou- 
sand wounded  or  sick  men,  and  what  num- 
ber of  thousands  have  been  aided,  and  what 
proportion  you  have  borne.     Can  you  help 

me? 

Tours,  truly, 

H.  W.  Beechee.      I 
Veil.  I.— No.  8.  15 


New  YoBi,  February  8,  1864. 
Bbv.  H.  W.  Beecher  : 

Deab  Sib  :  At  my  first  leisure  I  proceed 
to  reply  in  full  to  your  note,  to  which  you 
have  already  receiVfed  a  condensed  reply, 
such  as  a  working  man  might  read  in  two 
minutes.  It  is  important  that  the  public 
should  understand  the  magnitude  and  ex- 
tent of  the  sickness  against  which  the 
Government  is  compelled  to  provide,  in 
order  to  understand  why  so  much,  such 
constant,  and  such  costly  supplementary 
assistance  is  required  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Our  hospital  record  shows  that  500,000 
men  passed  through  the  general  hospitals 
this  last  year !  We  have  no  record  of  the 
previous  year,  but  have  reason  to  think 
from  the  less  veteran  character  of  the  troops, 
that  the  number  could  not  have  been  less, 
but  rather  more.  The  first  year  fewer 
troops  were  in  the  field,  and  perhaps  there 
were  not  more  than  half  as  many  ill  in 
general  hospital.  But  already  you  have  a 
million  and  a  quarter.  Now  recall  the  fact 
that  only  those  too  ill  to  be  taken  care  of  in 
the  regimental  hospitals  go  to  the  general 
hospitals,  and  you  wUl  realize  that  proba- 
bly as  many  more  have  been  in  the  regi- 
mental as  in  the  general  hospitals. .  Here, 
then,  at  a  rough  calculation,  pretending  to 
no  precision,  but  near  enough  and  undeni- 
able enough  to  be  a  basis  of  practical  judg- 
ment, you  have  two  miUions  and  a  half  of 
men  sick  at  one  time  or  another  since  the 
war  began.  I  suppose  it  to  be  literally 
true,  that  as  many  men  have  been  in  the 
hospital  as  there  have  been  in  the  field,. 
Some  have  not  been  sick  at  all ;  others  have 
been  si(ik  twice,  thrice,  a  half  dozen  times. 
I  do  not  believe  it  would  be  a  misleading 


226 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  BuHeUn. 


reckoning  to  say  that  the  actual  count  of 
our  armies  each  year  in  the  field,  is  the 
tally  of  the  hospital.  This  is  not  strange, 
for  is  not  that  man  fortunate  who  stays  at 
home,  who  is  not  sick  once  in  the  twelve- 
month ?  What,  then,  must  the  exposures 
of  the  military  service  add  to  this  risk  ? 
Almost  every  man  in  our  army  has  had  to 
go  through  acclimation,  as  well  as  through 
the  hardening  process  of  an  untried  and 
exposed  life.  EecoUect  now  that  this  sick- 
ness is  not  scattered  among  a  sparse  popu- 
lation, but  thrown  upon  masses  of  con- 
densed humanity  ;  that  the  sick  men  are 
not  members  of  families,  with  wives  and 
mothers  to  take  care  of  them  ;  that  their 
care  is  an  encumbrance  to  military  move- 
ments, weakens  military  strength,  as  much 
by  the  care-takers  it  detaches  from  ordi- 
nary duty,  as  by  the  absence  of  the  sick 
themselves  ;  that  medical  stores/oZtoM  com- 
missary and  ammunition  stores.;  that  the 
medical  department  has  no  independent 
transportation,  and  cannot  have ;  that 
there  are  only  a  surgeon  and  assistant  sur- 
geon in  charge  of  a  regiment,  and  you  can 
judge  of  the  vastness  of  the  work  and  the 
difficulty  of  the  circumstances  under  which 
the  Government  labors  in  its  care  of  our 
sick. 

There  is  no  pretence  that  all  these  men 
are  very  sick,  although  those  who  go  into 
general  hospital  usually  are  so  ;  nor  that 
their  sicknesses  are  very  long.  They  vary 
from  three  daya  to  three  weeks,  to  three 
months.  What  the  average  number  of  sick 
at  all  times  is,  (allowing  for  variation  of  sea- 
sons,) it  is  not  perhaps,  for  military  reasons, 
expedient  to  say  just  now.  But  it  might  be 
justly  said,  that  not  half  the  force  on  the 
roUs  is  ever  in  actual  fighting  condition  ; 
and  that  the  population  of  the  general  and 
the  regimental  hospitals,  with  the  sick  in 
quarters,  presents  at  all  times  an  appalling 
aropunt  of  suffering  and  debility,  of  peril 
to  life  and  of  appeal  to  humanity. 

No  government  on  earth  ever  did  or  ever 
can  take  satisfactory  care  of  such  numbers 
of  sick  men.  An  epidemic  (cholera  or  yel- 
low fever)  in  a  great  city  presents  an  analo- 
gous case.  Suppose  all  the  care  of  the 
sick  was  thrown  at  such  time  on  the  doc- 
tors and  professional  nurses  !  Everybody 
has  to  turn  doctor  and  nurse  at  such  crises, 


and  everybody  has  to  become  everybody's 
else — ^brother  or  father,  or  sister 'or  mo- 
ther. 

The  amount  of  sickness  in  an  army  that 
has  to  be  scattered  over  so  many  degrees  of 
longitude  and  latitude  as  ours,  where  the 
men  are  always  acoUmating,  must  be  great, 
and  cannot  be  calculated.  Nor  can  any 
human  wisdom  tell  where  a  great  battle 
may  come  off  or  when,  or  what  its  result 
will  be,  or  how  many  wounded  men  may ' 
result  froia  it,  nor  which  side  will  have  the 
care  of  the  wounded — their  own  and  their 
enemy's  it  maybe. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  TJ.  S. 
Sanitary  Oommission  says  that  if  only  ten 
per  cent,  of  what  ordinary  humanity  re- 
quires to  be  done  for  500,000  cases  of  sick- 
ness in  the  year,  are  by  the  most  rigid  con- 
struction thrown  upon  its  care,  there  are 
50,000  cases  of  sickness  to  be  considered 
and  provided  against.  Now,  if  anybody  will 
think  what  amount  of  agency,  transporta- 
tion, clothing,  medicines,  stimulants,  deli- 
cate food,  50,000  sick  men  (supposing  each 
case  to  need  only  a  month's  care)  must  re- 
quire, they  may  see  how  two  millions  and 
a  half  a  year  may  be  expended  on  them. 
What  is  fifty  dollars  on  each  case  !  A  sick 
man,  sick  for  a  month,  is  clothed,  nursed, 
fed,  saved,  for  fifty  dollars.  The  country 
has  been  paying  out  of  its  local  beneficence 
three  and  four  hundred  dollars  bounty,  to 
send  a  man  to  the  war.  Is  it  economical 
or  not  to  pay  fifty  dollars,  to  save  his  life 
after  he  enters  the  service  ? 

Now,  because  there  are  no  given  50,000 
cases,  which  we  have  under  our  entire 
charge,  it  does  not  change  the  case.  All 
the  2,500,000  sick  cases  of  this  war  in  Gen- 
eral or  Eegimental  Hospitals  (not  to  speak 
of  sick  in  quarters)  have  come,  to  the  extent, 
I  don't  doubt,  of  20  per  cent. ;  but  let  us 
for  moderation  say  only  10  per  cent,  of  their 
hospital  wants,  upon  our  care,  and  this  care 
has  been  expended  upon  the  whole  army 
for  three  years,  at  a  cost  actually  to  the 
country  through  our  treasury  of  $3.20  per 
■  case,  (not  per  man.)  Such  is  the  immense 
addition,  held  so  extravagant  and  so  uncall- 
ed for  by  some,  which  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission has  made  to  the  regular  succor 
offered  by  the  Government  itself,  through 
the  Medical  Department. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin' 


227 


The  business  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission lies — 

I.  In  collecting  supplies.  This  is  done 
through  its  Branches.  During  the  first 
two  years  the  homes  of  the  country  sent  of 
their  superfluity  immense  quantities  of 
sheets,  pUlow- cases,  comforters,  blankets, 
shirts,  drawers,  socks,  &c.  This  superflui- 
ty is  long  ago  exhausted,  while  the  want 
continues.  Of  course  now  they  must  buy 
the  raw  material,  and  make  up  newly  what 
they  originally  could  take  out  of  their  clos- 
ets and  trunks.  Hence  the  necessity  of  the 
great  fairs  to  raise  the  money  to  purchase  the 
clothing  and  other  supplies  which  they  ob- 
tained formerly  in  another  way.  All  the 
money  raised  by  the  fairs  wiU  (with  small 
exceptions)  be  spent  at  home  in  creating 
supplies.  It  takes  about  flfteen-sixteenths 
of  all  the  cost  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission to  furnish  its  supplies  and  trans- 
portation. The  other  one-sixteenth  goes 
into  the  support  of  its  homes,  its  lodges, 
its  machinery  of  distribution,  its  hospital 
directory,  and  hospital  and  camp  inspec- 
tion. The  cash  which  actually  reaches  the 
Central  treasury  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,  ha*  in  three  years  amounted 
to  about  one  milUon  of  dollars,  of  which  the 
Pacific  Coasthasgivemiearly  three-quarters  ! 
It  would  be  well  for  those  who  on  the 
Atlantic  coast  sometimes  question  our 
economy,  to  consider  this  fact. 

Of  this  money,  more  than  half  has  been 
spent  in  the  purchase  of  such  supplies  as 
the  homes  of  the  land  do  not  and  cannot 
furnish,  and  in  the  transportation  of  them. 
Such  as 

Condensed  milk  by  the  ton. 
Beef-stock  "        " 

Wines  and  spirits  by  the  barrel. 
Crackers  and  farinaceous  food  by  the  ton. 
Tea,  coffee  and  sugar,  by  the  chest  and 
hogshead. 

Crutches,  bed-rests,  mattresses  and  bed- 
steads, by  the  100. 

Cargoes  of  ice,  potatoes,  onions,  and  cur- 
ried cabbage,  lemons,  oranges,  and  anti- 
scorbutics, and  tonics.  At  times  we  have 
supplied  not  only  the  sick,  but  a  whole 
army  threatened  with  scurvy,  with  the 
means  of  averting  it ;  and  we  have  averted 
it  at  Vioksburg,  at  Murfreesboro',  before 
Charleston.      Thousands    of    barrels    Bf 


onions,  thousands  of  barrels  of  potatoes, 
hundreds  of "  barrels  of  curried  cabbage, 
have  been  forwarded  to  various  corps,  even 
as  far  as  Texas,  to  appease  the  demon  of 
scurvy,  and  save  our  troops. 

The  other  half-million  has  been  used 
in  supporting  two  hundred  experts, 
medical  inspectors,  relief  agents,  clerks, 
wagoners,  and  accompanying  agents,  in 
the  field,  or  in  our  offices  and  depots, 
through  whom  our  work  is  done.  These 
two  hundred  men  receive,  on  an  average, 
$2.00  per  day  for  labor,  which  is,  say  half 
of  it,  highly  skilled,  sometimes  of  profes- 
sional eminence,  and  worth  from  five  to  ten 
times  that  amount.  Few  of  these  men 
could  be  had  for  th#  money,  but  they 
work  for  love  and  patriotism,  and  are  con- 
tent with  a  bare  support.  This  costs 
$12,000  a  month.  The  Board,  (all  includ- 
ed, twenty-one  in  number) — ^president,  vice- 
president,  treasurer,  medical  committee, 
standing  committee — give  their  services  and 
their  time  gratuitously.  They  receive  noth- 
ing. Their  traveling  expenses  alone  are  part- 
ly refunded  them,  and  these  are  trifling,  ex- 
cepting the  case  of  one  or  two  who  go  frequently 
on  tours  of  observation.* 

H.  The  next  large  expense  is  the  support 
of  twenty-five  soldiers'  homes,  or  lodges, 
scattered  over  the  whole  field  of  war,  from 
New  Orleans  to  Washington,  including 
Vioksburg,  Memphis,  Cairo,  Chattanooga, 
NashviUe,  LouisviUe,  Washington,  &c.,  &c. 
In  these  homes  and  lodges  twenty-three  hun- 
dred soldiers  (different  ones)  daily  receive 
shelter,  food,  medical  aid,  protection,  and 
care.  These  soldiers  are  such  as  are  crowd- 
ed by  the  rigidity  of  the  military  system 
out  of  the  regular  channels ;  soldiers  left 
behind,  astray,  who  have  lost  their  milita- 
ry status,  convalescents,  discharged  men, 
not  able  to  get  their  pay.  Of  these,  the 
average  length  of  time  they  are  on  our 
hands  is  about  three  days.  The.priceless 
value  of  this  supplementary  system  no 
tongue  can  tell.  The  abandonment  of  it 
would  create  an  amount  of  suffering  which 
a  multiplication  of  2300  by  365  days  in  the 
year,  wiU  but  serve  to  hint  at. 

*  TJp  to  the  first  of  Jaauaiy,  1864,  the  amount  drawn 
by  individufll  members  of  the  Board  for  traveling  ex- 
penses, did  not  exceed  one  hundred  dollars  a  yeiir  per 
member,  (say  $100,)  and  did^ot  cover  over  one-half  the 
actnal  expenditure  made  by  each. 


228 


■The  Samitary  Commission  BvEdin. 


In  connection  with  these  homes,  at  the 
great  military  centres,  New  Orleans,  Louis- 
ville, Washington,  are  bureaus  in  aid  of  the 
discharged  soldier's  great  necessities,  grow- 
ing out  of  his  loss  of  papers  in  battle,  or 
during  the  bewilderment  of  sickness,  or 
through  the  ignorance  of  his  superiors,  or 
his  own: 

1.  A  Claim  Agency,  to  secure  his  bounty. 

2.  A  Pension  Agency. 

3.  A  Back-pay  Agency. 

The  mercy  of  these  ministries,  by  which 
soldiers  and  their  families,  helpless  without 
this  aid — the  prey  of  sharpers,  runners,  and 
grog-shops — axe  put  in  speedy  possession  of 
their  rights,  is  inexpressible.  We  have 
often  $20,000  a  day  of  back  pay  ia  our  of- 
fice at  Washington  alone,  which  might 
have  been  lost  forever,  or  delayed  until  it 
was  no  longer  needed  by  the  soldier's  own 
family,  without  this  system. 

Sometimes  a  dozen  letters  must  pass 
back  and  forth  with  various  officials,  to  veri- 
fy a  single  claim.  By  these  agencies, 
wronged  men,  stricken  in  disgrace  from 
the  army  rolli^,  are  restored;  and  in  several 
cases  men  condemned  to  be  shot  as  desert- 
ers, have  been  saved  from  an  undeserved 
death. 

To  these  are  to  be  added — 

1.  A  special  provision  for  wives,  moth- 
ers, and  sisters,  who  have  expended  all  the 
little  means  of  home  in  getting  to  Wash- 
ington or  Louisville,  to  see  and  protect 
their  sick  relatives. 

2.  A  home  for  faithful  nurses  broken 
down  in  the  service. 

3.  Arrangements  for  sending  very  sick 
soldiers  home  under  escort. 

in.  A  hospital  directory,  by  which  the 
whereabouts  of  all  sick  men  is  determined. 
There  are  600,000  names  in  its  books.  It 
is  corrected  daily.  It  saves  endless  confu-* 
sion,  suspense,  and  misery;  prevents  need- 
dess  journeys ;  answers  the  most  urgent 
gaestions  ;  relieves  the  Homes  of  the  feel- 
ing that  their  boys  are  lost  in  the  crowded 
hospitals;  blesses  and  keeps  heart-whole 
hundreds  of  wives,  mothers,  and  sisters, 
every  day.  It  costs  $20, 000  a  year  to  main- 
tain it,  and  it  is  worth  a  mDlion,  if  human 
anxiety  can  be  estimated  in  money. 

rV.  Hospital  Inspection.  Sixty  of  the 
moat  skillful  surgeons  and  physicians  in  the 


nation  were — eight  or  ten  at  a  time — six 
months  engaged,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Commission,  in  a  systematic  and  scientific 
survey  of  all  the  general  hospitals.  They 
inspected  70,000  beds  ;  saw  200,000  pa- 
tients, and  reported  in  4,000  written  pages 
the  critical  results  of  these  inquiries.  Can 
any  body  estimate  the  scientific  and  hu- 
mane value  of  such  a  survey,  brought 
home  to  the  surgeon,  the  medical  authori- 
ties, and  the  Government  ?  Can  our  hos- 
pital system  dispense  with  such  a  review 
on  the  part  of  the  homes,  and  bjr  the  civil 
medical  profession  ? 

This  work  we  shall  resume  after  a  proper 
interval  Dr.  Newberry  reports  that  the 
best  hospital  he  has  seen  was  at  Bridgeport, 
near  Chattanooga — a  field  hospital  1  What 
a  pride  and  satisfaction  to  know  that 
science  and  humanity  are  in  the  very  front 
of  our  armies ! 

V.  The  transportation  of  the  sick,  car- 
ried on  by  us  for  the  Government  in  ves- 
sels from  the  Peninsula — ^from  which  we 
brought  8,000  men  in  a  comfort  wholly  un- 
attainable by  Government  transportation, 
aided  by  our  generous  medical  students 
and  our  heroic,  though  delicate,  women — 
we  have  since  largely  carried  on  in  our  pa- 
tent hospital  cars,  in  which  the  sick,  without 
jar,  can  be  conveyed  hundreds  of  miles 
with  Uttle  sufiering  or  injury.  We  have 
these  cars  on  the  main  lines,  east  and  west, 
along  which  sick  soldiers  are  carried. 

VI.  We  supply  the  barren  market  of 
Washington  with  daily  car-loads  of  fresh 
hospital  supplies  from  Philadelphia.  All 
the  beef,  mutton,  poultry,  butter,  eggs, 
vegetables,  used  in  cdl  the  hospitals  at 
Washington,  are  selected,  forwarded,  dis- 
tributed by  the  Sanitary  Commission — ^the 
Medical  Department  refunding  our  outlay 
at  the  end  of  each  month,  saving  the  profit 
made  \>j  ordinary  dealers,  and  securing 
wholesome  food  to  the  ^ck. 

Vn.  The  battle-field  service  of  the  Com- 
mission is  perhaps  too  well  known  to  re- 
quire any  elucidation.  But  let  us  take  the 
case  of  Gettysburg.  We  had  accumulated 
stores,  and  placed  agents  at  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  Frederick,  Md.,  and  Chambersburg, 
and  at  Baltimore,  to  watch  the  prob- 
able necessities  of  Meade's  army.  We  had 
inspectors  and  wagon-trains  marching  with 


The  Sanitary  Commisaion  Bulletin. 


229 


it;  one  with  each  column.  The  dreadful 
battle  came  off.  The  best  calculations  of 
the  Government  had  anticipated  the  -wants 
of  10,000  woTinded  men.  The  result  of 
that  glorious,  yet  horrible  contest,  left 
about  25,000  wounded  men  (our  own  and 
the  enemy's)  on  an  area  of  four  miles 
square.  Every  church,  private  house, 
barn,  shed,  was  crammed  with  wounded 
men — additional  to  field  hospitals  (in  tents) 
whitening  the  hill  sides,  and  drenching  the 
eoU.  in  the  blood  of  amputated  limbs.  The 
railroads  clogged  with  trains  forwarding 
troops  to  re-enforce  Meade  in  his  pursuit  of 
Lee;  the  bridges  burnt  by  the  enemy;  nei- 
ther oars  nor  locomotives  enough  to  do  half 
the  required  business  ;  the  surgeons  and 
stewards  compelled  largely  to  accompany 
the  troops,  who  expected  another  battle 
within  a  week — ^what  would  have  become 
of  those  noble  sufferers,  if  the  Aa^-prepa- 
ration  {not  half)  which  the  providence  of 
the  Government  had  made,  had  not  been 
supplemented  for  the  first  week  or  two, fuU 
one-half  by  the  Sanitary  Colnmission,  aided 
by  the  Christian  Commission  and  other 
Belief  Agencies  ?  Look  at  the  list  of 
things*  (appended)  furnished  them  alone, 
and  remember  that  this  was  one  single  bat- 

'*SnPFIJ£S  DiSTBIBXTTED  DUBING  ASS  LAOCEDIATELT  AF- 
TER THE  BATn^ES  AT  GETTTSBtTEG,  JuLY  IST,  2d,  AKD 

3d,  18B3. 

Of  Articles  qf  Chtking,  etc.,  viz.: 

Of  Drawers,  (woolen)  5,310  pairs $9,292  50 

■"         "        (cotton)  1,«33  pairs 1,833  00 

"  SMrts,  (woolen)  7,158 U,316  00 

■"      "        (cotton)3,26.6 3,26600 

•"  Pillows,  2,111..; 1,268  40 

"  PiUow  Cases,  264 105  60 

"'  Bed  Sacks,  1,630....: 3,463  75 

"  Blankets,  1,007 3,021  00 

-Sheets,274 274  00 

"  Wrappers,  508 1,498  60 

"  Handkerchiefs,  2,659 .319  08 

"  Stoddfigs,  (woolen)  3,560  pairs 1,780  00 

"        "            (cotton)  2,258  pairs 451  60 

"  Bed  Utensils,  728 182  00 

"  Towels  and  Napkins,  10,000 1,500  00 

"  Sponges,  2,300 -. 230  00 

"  Combs,  1,600 60  00 

"  BQokeia,  20at. . .' J  76  00 

"  Soap,  (Castile)  250  pounds. 50  00 

"  Oil  Silk,  300  yards 225  00 

"  Tin  Basins,  Cups,  ete.,  7,000 •  700  00 

"  Old  Unen,  Bandages,  etc.,  110  barrels 1,100  00 

<■  Water  Tanks,  7 70  00 

"  Water  Coolers,  46 230  00 

"  Bay  Rum  and  Cologne  Water,  225  bottles..  112  50 

"Fans,3,500 145  00 

"  Cliloride  of  lime,  11  barrels. 99  00 

"  Shoes  and  Slippers,  4,000  pairs 2,400  00 

"  Crutches,  1.,200 480  OO 

"  Lanterns,  180 90  00 

"^  Candles,  350  pounds ...*.  70  00 

"  Canvas,  300  square  yards 360  00 

"•  Musqulto  Netting,  648  pieces 810  00 

■"  Paper,  237  quires. ..', 23  70 

"  Pants,  Coats,  Hats,  189  pieces 96  75 

'"  Plaster,  16 rolls 4  00 


tie-field,  and  cost  the  Sanitary  Commission 
in  stores,  clothing,  food,  and  transporta- 
tion, 175,000.  Was  there  one  doUar  more 
spent  than  was  called  for  ?  Was  one  dollar 
misspent  ?  Was  not  the  moral  and  mate- 
rial economy  in  the  saving  of  life,  (I  be- 
lieve thousands  of  lives  were  literally  saved 
by  our  succor  on  that  occasion  alpne,)  and 
in  the  saving  of  pain  and  needless  misery, 
such  as  every  benefactor  of  the  Commis- 
sion must  forever  rejoice  in  ? 

Let  me  only  add,  that  one  dollar  in  hand 
before '  a  battle,  and  spent  in  providing 
against  its  wants,  by  posting  agents,  creat- 
ing depots,  and  arranging  for  the  relief  of 
the  expected  sufferers,  is  worth  five  dollars 
thrown  in  after  the  Jaattle,  to  meet  its 
dreadful  necessities.  For  economy's  sake 
we  nefed  a  full  treasury. 
.  It  is  this  sort  of  Providence  which  the 
Commission  is  always  practicing.  Its 
whole  machinery  is  adapted  to  prevent  dis- 
ease and  sickness,  by  a  department  which  I 
have  not  yet  mentioned — ^that  by  which  it 
circulates  through  the  army  by  means  of  its 
Sanitary  Inspectors,  constant  warnings,  by 
an  elaborate  system  of  verbal  counsel' and 

of  Articles  of  Sustenance,  viz.  : 

Of  Fresh  Poultry  and  Mutton,  11,000  pounds..  1,540  00 

"      "     Butter,  6,430  pounds 1,286  00 

'*      "      Eggs,  .(chiefly  collected  for  the  occa- 
sion at  &rm-houBes  in  Pennsylva^ 

nia  and  New  Jersey,)  8,600  dozens  1,700  00 

"     "     Garden  Vegetables,  675  bushels 337  60 

"      "      Berries,  48  bushels 72  00 

"      "      Bread,  12,900  loaves -. ■..  645  00 

"  Ice,  20,000  pounds     100  00 

"  Concentrated  Beef  Soup,  3,800  pounds 3,800  00 

"              Milk,  12,500  pounds.' 3,125  00 

"  Prepared  Farinaceous  Food,  7,000  pounds..  700  00 

"  Dried  Fruit,  3,500  pounds    350  00 

"  Jellies  and  Conserves,  2,009  Jars 1,000  00 

"  Tamarinds,  750  gallons 600  00 

"  Lemons,  116  boxes 580  00 

"  Oranges,  J6  boxes 230  00 

"  Coffee,  850  pounds 272  00 

"  Chocolate,  831  pounds ' 249  30 

"  Tea,  426  pounds. 383  40 

"  White  Sugar,  6,800  pounds 1,156  00 

'•  Syrups,  (Lemon,  etc.)  785  botfles 696  26 

"  Brandy,  1,250  bottles 1,250  00 

'■  Whiskey,  1,168  bottles 700  80 

"  Wine,  1,148  bottles 86100 

"  Ale,  600  gallons 180  00 

"  Biscuit,  Crackers,  and  Busk,  134  barrels ...  670  00 

"  Preserved  Meats,  600  poimds 125  00 

"  Preserved  Fish,  8,600  pounds 720  CO 

"  Pickles,  400  gallons 120  OO 

"  Tobacco,  100  pounds 70  00 

"  Tobacco  Pipes,  1,000 6  00 

"  Indian  Meal,  1,621  pounds 40  50 

"  Starch,  1,074  pounds 75  18 

"  Codfish,  3,848  pounds 269  36 

"  Canned  Fruit,  582  cans 436  50 

"      "       Oysters,  72  cans 36  00 

"  Brandy  Peaches,  303  jars : 303  00 

"  catsup,  43  jars  1100 

"  Vinegar,  24  bottles 3  00 

"  Jamaica  Ginger,  43  jars 37  25 

Total $74,838  52 


230 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


advice,  and  by  a  series  of  tygienic  and 
medical  tracts,  warnings  as  to  the  dangers 
from  bad  diet,  needless  exposurfe,  poor 
ventilation,  ill-selected  or  badly-drained 
camps,  and  the  neighborhood  of  infectious 
swamps  and  bottoms.  All  the  knowledge 
of  the  exposures,  wants,  sicknesses  of  the 
army  which  it  thus  obtains,  it  tabulates  in 
its  Statistical  Bureau,  both  for  its  own  in- 
formation and  guidance,  and  for  future 
scientific  use.  It  looks  with  the  utmost 
confidence  on  an  advancement  of  Sanitatry 
science  by  this  means — of  priceless  life-sav- 
ing value  to  all  future  military  movements. 

The  publication  of  appeals,  information, 
reports,  to  maintain  open  and  frank  rela- 
tions with  the  homes  and  the  public,  from 
which  its  pecuniary  and  moral  support 
must  be  derived,  completes  the  round  of 
the  Commission's  duties,  always  exceptiiig 
the  special  labors  in  behaK  of  disabled  sol- 
diers and  medico-military  interests  daily 
thrown  on  its  hands. 

To  recapitulate  with  sole  reference  to  ex- 
pense, in  round  numbers,  and  with  only  an 
approximation  to  exactness.  I  add  the  fol- 
lowing facts  : 

1.  The  Board  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, President,  Vice-President,  Treas- 
urer, Medical  Committee,  and  Standing 
Committee,  give  their  time  and  services 
gratuitously.  They  are  refunded  {in  part) 
their  traveling  expenses;  nothing  more. 

2.  Their  Agents,  two  hundred  in  number, 
General  and  Associate  Secretaries,  Medical 
and  Sanitary  Inspectors,  Relief  Agents, 
Clerks,  depot  and  store-house  keepers, 
wagoners,  &c.,  receiving  some  more  and 
some  less,  average  just  $2.00  per  day,  or 
less  than  ordinary  mechanics'  wages.  Total 
$12,000  per  month  for  the  vast  Tinman 
machinery  of  the  Commission,  stretching 
from  Texas  to  the  Potomac,  from  before 
Charleston  to  Kansas. 

3.  About  fifteen-sixteenths  of  aU  the  eight 
millions  the  Commission  has  received,  goes 
on  to  the  backs,  or  into  the  mouths  of  the 
soldiers. 

4.  The  cost  of  collecting  and  distribut- 
ing supplies  is  less  than  three  per  cent. 

5.  About  twenty- three  hundred  men  are 
now,  and  for  a  long  time  have  been,  in 
daily  use  and  enjoyment  of  the  Homes 
and  Lodges  of  the  Commission. 


6.  The  battle-field  service  of  the  Com- 
mission requires  a  large  accumulation  of 
funds  and  of  supplies.  At  Murfreesboro', 
Autietam,  Gettysburg,  Chattanooga,  Vicks- 
burg.  Port  Hudson,  sudden  and  vast  de- 
mands were  made,  and  are  always  likely  to 
be  made.  Fifty  thousand  dollars  would 
not  cover  the  cost  of  our  whole  service  in 
the  first  two  weeks  after  any  one  of  our 
great  battles;  at  Gettysburg  it  was  $75,000. 

7.  We  reckon  that  if  we  divided  aU  the 
aid  we  have  given  to  the  sick  in  regimental, 
general,  and  other  hospitals,  to  men  in 
peril  of  sickness  from  scurvy  and  exposure, 
it  would  amount  to  $3.20  a  case;  many  men 
having  received  this  several  times,  as  often 
as  they  were  sick.  The  seriously  wounded 
have  been  often— as  at  Gettysburg— the  re- 
ceivers of  as  much  as  $10  aid  per  man.  We 
mention  this  to  show  not  how  much,  but 
how  little,  this  sometimes  called  extrava- 
gant Commission  costs,  considering  the 
blessings  it  is  the  almoner  of. 

Finally,  the  only  uncertain  element  in 
these  calculations,  is  the  estimated  value  of 
our  supplies.  The  uncertainty  here  is  not 
due  to  want  of  great  pains  to  ascertain  the 
facts.  We  shall  very  soon  be  able  to  lay 
before  the  public  the  exact  estimates,  how 
many  shirts  and  their  estimated  value,  how 
many  drawers,  stockings,  sheets,  comfort- 
ers, &c.,  and  the  estimated  value  of  each; 
and  they  can  then  judge  for  themselves. 
Meanwhile  they  must  give  our  statement 
only  such  credit  as  they  may  think  our  op- 
portunity to  know,  and  ourdesire  to  state 
frankly  the  exact  truth,  entitle  it  to. 
With  great  regard, 

Tours,  truly, 

Henkt  ■^.  Bellows, 

President. 


THE  PEOPLE  AND  THE  ABMY  IN 
•  EUKOPE. 
It  is  the  custom  on  the  continent  of 
Europe  to  keep  up  the  organization  of  the 
army  in  all  its  branches  in  ticre  of  peace  as 
well  as  in  time  of  war.  The  stafi',  and  the 
quartermaster's  and  medical  department, 
are  maintained,  and  carry  on  their  work 
when  the  troops  are  in  garrison  as  well  as 
when  in  the  field;  and  it  has  always  been 
the  boast  of  continental  military  men,  when 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuXktin. 


231 


arguing  against  the  English  and  American 
custom  of    breaking  up  the  machine  as 
soon  as  the  war  is  over,  that  in  their  way 
much  suffering  and  confusion  and  short- 
coming are  avoided  whenever  there  is  a 
sudden  outbreak  of  hostilities.    And  there 
is  no  doubt  that  there  is  immense  gain  in 
having    the    whole  of   the  elaborate   ap- 
paratus required  for  the  feeding,   cloth- 
ing, doctoring,  and  lodging  of  the  troops, 
in  constant  readiness.  There  is  great  saving 
of  time  and  great  saving  of  money,  whenever 
the  emergency  arises  which  calls  for  its 
use.    The  persons  who  are  to  work  it  are 
on  the  spot,  trained  to  their  duties,  and  their 
superiors  are  familiar  with  their  character 
and  capacities;  and  there  is,  consequently, 
much  less  chance  of  fraud  or  corruption  in 
the  purchase  and  distribution  of  scores. 
The  privations  under  which   the    entire 
British  army  before  Sebastopol  came  very 
.  near  succumbing  in  the  first  winter  of  the 
siege,  were  due  almost  altogether  to  the 
fact,    that  the   commissariat  and  quarter- 
master's and  medical  department  had  to  be 
improvised  when  the  war  broke  out.  There 
was  hardly  a  man  in  theni  who  had  had 
any  experience  in  the  performance  of  the 
duties  which  then  devolved  on  him.     The 
quartermaster-general  had  to  rely  on  ofGl- 
cers  drawn  from  line  regiments,  and  who 
had  .every  thing  to  learn  as  regards  sup- 
plies  and  transportation  after  they  took 
the  field  ;  the  commissariat  was  served  by 
clerks  taken  suddenly  from  the  foreign  and 
other  government  offices  in  London  ;  and 
very  few  of  the  surgeons  had  ever  been  in 
charge  of  a  regular  hospital,  and  had  ever 
had  to  take  care  of  sick,  except  those  of  a 
single  battalion  in  barracks.     The  world 
knows  what  the  result  was. 

It  does  not  appear,  however,  when  the 
test  of  a  sudden  caU  for  active  service 
comes  to  be  applied,  even  to  the  best  organ- 
ized of  European  armies,  that  it  is  by  any 
means  an  easy  matter  for  the  Government 
to  provide  by  any  precautions,  however 
elaborate,  which  have  to  be  taken  on  a 
great  scaler— against  the  thousand  contin- 
gencies to  which  an  army  is  exposed,  once 
it  quits  its  qu?,rters  at  home.  There  is 
a  limit  to  the  efficiency  of  every  system, 
however  well-plaqned,  which  has  to  be 
worked  by  men  with  ordinary  nerv^  and 


ordinary  capacities.     There  is  sure  to  be  a 
weak  point  in  it — a  flaw  of  some  kind,  which 
reveals  itself  whenever  the  strain  begins  to 
be  felt,     f he  French  lost  a  whole  divi- 
sion from  cholera  or  fever,  in  the  Dobruds- 
cha,  in  the  summer  of  1854,  mainly  through 
the  want  of  shelter,  transport  and  medical 
attendance  ;  and  in  1856  their  army  in  the 
Crimea  began  to  suffer  severely  from  the 
lack  of  transportation  by  sea.    And  yet  the 
French   army  is  beyond  all  question  the 
best  organized  in  the  world  ;  the  one  for 
which  thorough  system  in  the  smallest  as 
well  as  greatest  things,  has  done  most.     A 
very  large  portion  of  the  talent  of  a  nation, 
in  which  talent  of  the  highest  order  abounds 
in  a  very   unusual    degree,  has  for    over 
half  a  century  beSn  devoted  without  stint 
to  the  task  of  perfecting  every  arrangement 
that  can  in  the  smallest  degree  contribute 
to  its  efficiency  as  a  fighting  machine.  And 
among     these     arrangements    it    is    well 
known  all  that  relates  to  the  health  of  the 
soldier  holds  the  highest  place. 

"We  have  now,  in  the  case  of  the  Prussian 
army  taking  the  field  against  Denmark,  a 
fresh  proof  that  when  the  military  author- 
ities have  done  their  best  under  the  com- 
pletest  of  military  organizations,  there  may 
still  remain  voids  which  private  benevo- 
lence can  alone  fiUup.  In  other  words,  even 
our  army,  composed  entirely  of  volunteers, 
raised  and  equipped  in  has'te,  with  an  im- 
provised administration,  and  without  many 
trained  officers,  is  jiot  by  any  means  the 
only  army  which  stands  in  need  of  a  Sani- 
tary Commission.  We  find  from  the  Co- 
logne Gazette  of  January  11,  that: 

"It  is  very  desirable  that  without  delay  vol- 
untary associations  should  be  made  by  the  pub- 
lic to  furnish  the  ffermaii  troops,  now  in  arms 
against  Denmark,  with  clothing  suited  to  the 
cold  weather.  Their  supply  is  not  enough  to 
protect  them  against  this  enemy.  The  subjoined 
letter  from  the  Prussian  Minister  of  War  is  a 
confession,  and  a  very  significant  one  too,  al- 
though not  nearly  broad  enough  in  its  state- 
ments. The  association  in  Halle  to  supply  the 
Prussian  troops  sent  to  Holstein  with"  warm 
winter  clothing,  asked  the  Minister  of  War 
whether  he  thought  their  purpose  commend- 
able and  useful.  He  answered:  '  It  is  true  that 
it  is  the  duty  of  this  department  to  give  out 
troops  clothing  suited  for  winter;  but  it  is 
equally  true  that  owing  to  the  suddenness  with 
which  we  have  been  obliged  to  move  our  army, 
it  will  be  difficult  to  give  the  men  a  fuU  supply 
of  proper  clothing,  unless  we  receive  the  patri- 
otic help  of  all  good  citizens.    For  these  rea- 


232 


The  Saniiary  Commission  BvHelin. 


sons  I  shall  be  very  grateful  to  your  associatio& 
for  a  fnll  and  prompt  supply  of  woolen  socks, 
gloves,  under-shirts  and  drawers,  and  for  arti- 
cles for  hospital  use;  and  those  who  have  money 
to  give,  can  direct  it  in  no  way  better  than 
through  your  society.' " 

Nor  is  this  movement  entirely  a  sponta- 
neous one.  TheGrOTemmentisptinmlating 
it  by  open  appeals.  The  same  joomal  of 
January  12th  says: 

"A  collection  'by  authority'  for  the  help  of 
Prussian  soldiers  excites  everywhere,  but  es- 
pecially in  the  States  outside  of  Prussia,  very 
great  feeling.  The  official  call  is  as  follows: 
*  Our  columns  aft  now  moving  towards  Lubeck, 
to  be  ready  to  enter  Holstein.  In  consequence 
of  excessive  cold  weather  the  men  suffer  terri- 
bly for  want  of  warm  clothing.  Many  of  the 
soldiers  have  no  woolen  socks,  and  only  a  little 
straw  or  a  few  rags  with  which  to  fill  their  shoes, 
and  are  in  great  danger  of  having  their  toes 
frost-bitten.  Very  few  of  them  have  shirts  of 
any  kind,  or  nearly  enough  under-clothing  to 
protect  them  from  the  cold.  I  propose  collect- 
ing articles  of  this  kind,  and  money  to  purchase 
and  have  made  others  as  &st  as  possible,  to  be 
forwarded  to  the  army.  I  therefore  appeal  to 
all  who  are  friends  of  our  soldiers.' 

"  BBEITENBAnCH,  KoTAi  COMMISSIONEK." 

And  in  the  same  paper  of  the  15th,  there 

is  a  long  report  of  a  debate  in  the  House 

of  Bepresentatives  at  Berlin  on  the  13th. 

Mr.  Becker  moved: 

' '  That  it  was  the  first  duty  of  the  Glovemment 
to  procure  at  once  a  fall  supply  of  stout  under- 
clothing suitable  for  the  use  -of  the  soldiers  in 
their  winter  campaign." 

Mr.  Bonne  said: 

"That  after  granting  300,000  thalers for  an  in- 
crease of  pay  in  the  army,  we  are  now  told  that 
our  troops  suffer  for  necessary  clothing,  that 
the  Government  has  been  obliged  to  appeal  to 
pnbUc  charity  for  help.  In  the  States  with 
which  we  were  in  alliance  these  facts  may  well 
excite  astonishment,  for  how  can  Prussia  pro- 
tect them  with  troops  when  our  army  is  already 
in  such  i  plight.  It  is  the  case  too  with  the 
armies  on  the  Polish  border,  as  well  as  with 
that  in  Holstein;  and  in  both  places  the  patriot- 
ism of  our  women  has  been  put  to  a  practical 
test  to  overcome  these  sad  necessities.  The 
)f  inister  of  War  tells  us  that  our  troops  are  sup- 
plied folly,  and  he  tells  the  women  who  offer 
their  help  quite  another  story.  I  agree  with 
him  "in  giving  them  the  heartiest  thanks  for 
their/^ast  labors  and  for  all  the  good  they  mean 
to  do  in  the  future,  but  the  Grovemment  must 
not  be  content  with  accepting  their  assistance; 
it  must  supply  all  that  is  wanted  for  a  winter 
campaign  promptly  and  plentifully." 

The  fact  is,  that  it  is  not  because  armies 
now  suffer  more  than  they  did  in  other 
■wars,  that  we  are  witnessing  both  here  and 
in  Europe  these  voluntary  efforts  for  their 
relief  on  the  part  of  the  people,  but  because 


the  world  has  in  the  last  fifty  years  made 
such  advances  in  humanity  that  the  public 
in  Christian  countries  will  not  loot  on 
calmly  while  scenes  of  horror  pass  before 
their  eyes,  which  in  former  times  excited 
no  comment  whatever,  and  were  deemed  in- 
evitable. During  the  great  struggles  which 
followed  the  French  revolution — to  go  no 
further  back — the  sufferings  and  losses  of  all 
the  great  armies  then  in  the  field,  from 
lack  of  supplies,  medicines,  attendance,  and 
sanitary  precautions,  were  prodigious.  But 
not  only  was  public  benevolence  at  that 
period  much  less  active  than  it  is  now,  and 
human  life  less  valued,  but  the  means 
either  of  obtaining  information  or  send- 
ing help  so  completely  wanting,  that  volun- 
taiy  organizations  in  aid  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  would  have  been  either  impossi- 
ble or  useless.  In  the  absence  of  newspa- 
pers, little  was  known  of  what  was  passing 
in  the  field;  and  that  little  came  at  irregu- 
lar intervals  by  private  letters,  which  were 
seldom  received  until  weeks  after  the  bat- 
tle had  been  fought  or  the  movement  been 
made,  which  left  its  victims  by  the  thou- 
sands on  the  field  or  the  roadside.  And  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say,  that  without 
the  electric  telegraph,  and  the  railroad, 
and  the  steamboat,  it  would  have  been  ab- 
surd to  have  attempted  to  follow  an  army 
up  either  with  sanitary  counsels  or  with 
actual  relief.  A  rrench  army  operating  in 
Germany  or  Italy,  an  English  army  operat- 
ing in  Spain  or  the  Crimea,  or  an  American 
army  in  Tennessee  or  Louisiana,  would 
have  been,  fifty  years  ago,  as  much  out  of 
the  reach  of  their  friends  at  home,  as 
far  removed  from  aid  or  advice,  as  they 
would  be  nowadays  in  China  or  Upper  In- 
dia. Sanitary  Commissions,  or,  in  other 
words,  attempts  on  the  part  of  people  at 
home  to  lessen  the  misery  of  war  by  volun- 
tary efforts,  are  new  mainly  because  they 
are  now  for  the  first  time  feasible.  The 
indifference  of  the  public  to  the  lot  of 
the  rank  and  file  which  shows  itself  in  the 
history  of  all  past  wars,  has  now  disap- 
peared; but  the  change  would  have  been 
of  little  value  if  science  had  not  smpplied 
the  means  of  exhibiting  it  in  action.  The 
army  would  profit  little  by  this  pity,  if  it 
too!^  three  weeks  to  go  from  New  York  to 
Tennessee. 


.The  Sanitary  Gommisaton  BiMetin. 


23a 


THE  PAIRS. 

The  public  mind  appears  seriously  exer- 
cised at  this  moment  upon  the  subject  of 
"Baffling,"  in  connection  with  "the  Met- 
ropolitan" and  other  Fairs.  The  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  representing  the 
beneficence  of  all  classes  of  the  community 
towards  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  and 
solicitous,  on  patriotic  as  well  as  humane 
grounds,  to  enlist  the  sympathies  and  co- 
operation of  the  largest  number  of  Ameri- 
can citizens  in  this  common  work  of  mercy, 
has  felt  it  to  be  necessary  to  establish  one 
rule  in  regard  to  the  source  of  its  support; 
I.e.,  to  accept,  without  question  and  from 
an  quarters,  suoh  gifts  as  were  brought  to 
its  treasury.  Accordingly,  neither  political, 
theological,  or  moral  questions  have  come 
before  it.  It  has  studiously  avoided  com- 
pUcation  with  the  methods  employed  by 
those  who  have  supplied  its  pecuniary  ne- 
cessities, declining  to  patronize  or  make 
itself  responsible  for  either  good  or  bad 
plans  for  raising  money,  and  simply  engag- 
ing, as  trustees  of  the  people's  bounty,  to 
spend  the  means  placed,  in  its  hands  in  the 
most  moral,  the  most  patriotic,  and  most 
faithful  manner.  It  holds  itself  strictly 
responsible  for  the  safe  custody,  the  wise 
and  economical  disbursment,  and  the  most 
humane  application  of  the  funds  committed 
to  it;  but  not  for  the  methods  by  which  they 
are  raised.  Any  other  course  would  make 
the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  the  moral 
censor  of  the  public,  and  out  off  the  sym- 
pathies of  large  bodies  of  people — a  loss 
even  less  important  in  a  pecuniary  than  in 
a  patriotic  light. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that' 
the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  is  indiffer- 
ent to  the  morals  of  the  community,  or  to 
the  ways  employed  to  aid  and  assist  its  own 
work.  While  it  cannot  prescribe  those 
ways,  or  go  behind  the  gifts  it  receives,  to 
catechize  the  motives  or  the  methods  of  its 
benefactors,  it  earnestly  desires,  as  a  body 
of  thoughtful  citizens  engaged  in  so  serious 
a  business,  to  see  a  careful  respect  for  the 
laws,  a  tender  regard  to  the  moral  interests 
of  society,  a  profound  reverence  for  God 
and  duty,  animating  all  its  suppQrters.  Con- 
fessing that  the  moral  interests  of  the  com- 
munity are  far  more  important  than  the 
success  of  its  own  work,  it  could  not  desire 


to  flourish  at  the  expense  of  any  permanent 
principle  of  truth,  justice,  and  religion. 

In  regard  to  the  "  Baffling,"  if  the  ques- 
tion were  one  the  Sanitary  Commission  had 
a  right  to  settle,  the  Board  could  not  hesi- 
tate to  decide  against  it,  as  not  being  strict- 
ly legal;  as  being  at  the  best  of  disputed 
mor^  complexion,  and'at  the  worst,  decid- 
edly evU  in  its  tendencies  if  not  wrong  in 
its  principle.  The  practical  settlement  of 
the  question  lies  with  the  gentlemen  and 
lady  managers  of  the  Fair.  They  have  thus 
far  endeavored  in  their  plan  to  free  raffling 
from  its  universally  recognized  evils,  judg- 
ing it  to  be  an  essential  in  some  form  to  the 
success  of  the  Fair.  That  they  may,  under 
the  discussion,  which  is  now  going  on,  see  it 
to  be  as  immediately  expedient  as  it  is  de- 
sirable on  several  grounds  to  abandon  it 
whoUy,  is  the  wish  and  hope  of  the  Board. 
The  Sanitary  Commission  is  perfectly  wiU-* 
ing  to  sacrifice  any  pecuniary  interest  in 
the  returns  of  the  Fair,  to  the  practical  test- 
.ing  of  the  question,  are  "Baffles"  neces- 
sary evils  ?    They  think  not. 

Knowing  the  conscientious  character  of 
the  ladies  who  have  the  Fair  in  charge,  and 
that  their  efforts  are  steadily  directed  by 
the  most  patriotic,  humane,  and  elevated 
feelings,  it  is  not  necessary  to  add  that 
we  utterly  repudiate  any  appearance  of  the 
least  question  of  their  own  high  motives  in 
the  course  hitherto  pursued  by  them  in  re- 
gard to  this  and  aU  matters  appertaining 
to  the  Metropolitan  Fair. 


THE  CAMPAIGN  AT  NEWBEBN,  N.  0. 
'  I  take  advantage  of  the  New  York  boat 
to-day  to  send  a  rapid  report  of  the  inter- 
esting events  now  traiispiring  here  (Feb.  2d) 
deferring  till  the  next  mail  the  subjects  of 
your  communications  of  December  16th 
and  31st,  which  a  protracted  pneumonic 
attack  has  prevented  me  sooner  responding 
to. 

The  enemy  came  down  upon  us  in  force 
yesterday,  about  3  A.  M.  They  attacked 
the  outposts  at  Bachelor's  Creek,  nine 
miles  up  the  railroad,  held  by  the  132d 
New  York,  under  Colonel  Claassen,  with  a 
company  also  of  the  1st  North  Carolina 
Union  Volunteers,  (whites.)  The  rebels  at- 
tacked in  overwhelming  numbers.  Eleven 
men  held  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  "  at 


234 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiHletin. 


bay,"  at  a  bridge  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  camp,  for  more  than  an  hour.  !Che 
rebels,  meanwhile  felling  trees  and  hanling 
rails,  constructed  a  temporary  bridge  below, 
and  crossed  over  cavalry,  infantry,  and  artil- 
lery. Five  companies  of  the  17th  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteers,  under  Liieut.- Colonel 
I'ellows,  were  already  on  the  way  from 
Newbem  to  re- enforce  Colonel  Claassen, 
but  were  not  in  season  to  interrupt  the 
crossing.  CoL  Claassen  fought  desper- 
ately for  his  camp,  the  best-regulated 
camp  I  have  seen  in  the  service.  At  9 
A.  M.  he  telegraphed  that  the  rebels  were 
across  the  creek,  pressing  him  hard,  and 
he  was  falling  back.  The  rebels  were  re- 
ported at  ten  thousand  to  twelve  thousand 
strong  ;  prisoners  say  twelve  thousand. 
Knowing  that  Col.  Claassen  had  but  a  sin- 
gle assistant  surgeon  with  his  command, 
•  I>r.  Groninger,  while  Lieut. -Col.  Fellows 
had  his  surgeon.  Dr.  GaUoupe,  I  started 
with  my  brother  at  10  A.  M.,  horseback,  in 
company  with  Dr.  CougiU,  medical  inspec- 
tor of  hospitals  of  this  department,  and  Dr. 
Morony,  acting  medical  purveyor,  with  in- 
struments and  battle-field  relief.  Three 
miles  out  we  encountered  our  infantry 
straggling  in  towards  town,  and  reporting 
themselves  pressed  by  numbers,  and  that 
the  artillery  had  fallen  back  from  Bachelor's 
Greek  and  taken  position  five  miles  oi^  at 
the  "  Cross  Boads;"  that  Dr.  GaRoupe  was 
a  mile  and  a  half  further  on  than  we,  at  a 
house  with  a  wounded  officer.  We  pressed 
on.  Soon  the  artillery  and  cavalry  passed 
us  in  retreat,  taking  position  at  the  rail- 
road crossing,  three  miles  from  town,  where 
the  infantry  had  rallied  in  some  numbers. 
We  continued  our  course  to  the  house 
where  Dr.  Galloupe  had  his  hospital  wagon 
and  patient.  Dr.  Cougill,  my  brother,  and 
myself  rode  up  to  the  house  and  went  in. 

We  found  him  attending  to  Adjutant , 

of  the  17th  M.V.,  severely,  and  apparently 
fatally,  wounded  in  the  region  of  the  stom- 
ach, and  suffering  extremely  from  the  shock. 
We  advised  his  immediate  removal  to  the 
wagon  and  quick  transmission  to  town.  Dr. 
Galloupe  was  already  making  his  prepara- 
tions for  it,  his  conveyance  being  excel- 
lently adapted  for  the  purpose.  We  were 
now  in  advance  of  any  supporting  force, 
and  the  enemy  rapidly  following  up  our 


retreating  soldiers.  As  we  turned  our 
horses  into  the  road,  after  leaving  Dr.  Gal- 
loupe and  his  patient  and  attendants,  we 
were  saluted  with  four  or  five  carbine  shots  - 
from  the  enemy,  who  filled  the  road  about 
three  hundred  yards  behind  us.  We  rode. 
rapidly  towards  town  trntil  we  got  to  the 
rear  of  our  battery  at  the  railroad  crossing, 
and  there  halted  until  the  rebels  came  in 
sight  again,  and  had  received  fifteen  or 
twenty  rounds  from  our  howitzers.  Dr. 
GaUoupe  and  the  wounded  adjutant  were 
taken  prisoners  a  minute  after  we  left  them. 
About  11  A.  M.  the  last  railroad  train  got 
in  from  Bachelor's  Creek,  with  the  sick, 
officers'  families,  &o.  They  were  fired  into, 
and  much  anxiety  was  subsequently  felt  for 
CoL  Claassen  and  the  rest  of  his  staff  and 
command.  He,  however,  had  taken  to  the 
swamp,  and  got  in  towards  evening  safely. 
At  roll-caU  seventy  of  his  command  were 
missing;  he  knows  that  about  thirty  were 
HUed  outright  by  the  enemy's  sharp-shoot- 
ers. There  were  comparatively  few  wound- 
ed. The  17th  M.  V.  report  about  sixty 
missing.  Only  six  or  seven  of  the  wounded 
are  within  our  lines.  Lieut. -Col.  Fellows, 
of  the  17th,  is  a  prisoner.  One  man  of  the 
132d  had  both  legs  taken  off  by  a  fence- 
rail,  which  was  struck  by  a  shell  and  swept 
against  him.  The  same  rail  struck  across 
the  legs  of  Major  Huston  and  disabled  him, 
but  not  so  as  to  prevent  his  attention  to 
duty  until  this  morning,  when  he  gave  him- 
self up  to  rest  and  medical  attention.  The 
fate  of  small  detachments  of  our  outposts, 
occupying  isolated  positions,  is  stiU  in 
doubt. 

The  enemy  followed  our  troops  to  within 
sight  of  our  defensive  works,  and  yesterday 
afternoon  were  shelled  from  Forts  Totteii 
and  Gaston.  Our  men  have  behaved  with 
gaUanta-y;  and  Gen.  Palmer,  now  in  com- 
mand in  the  absence  of  Gen.  Peck,  on  leave 
north,  has  the  defences  manned,  and  the 
whole  force  on  the  alert.  On  account  of 
the  superior  force  of  the  rebels  we  antici- 
pated a  night  attack,  which  woidd  bring 
most  of  the  casualties  within  the  intrench- 
ments,  and  make  most  of  the  relief  work 
at  the  general  hospitals  and  in  transitu 
from  the  intrenchments  and  posts  to  the 
wards.  My  brother  prepared  some  dozens 
of  small  hampers,  of  a  size  convenient  for* 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetm. 


235 


distribution  along  the  lines  of  defence,  and 
each,  containing  the  necessary  appliances  of 
a  field  hospital,  and  for  individual  relief  on 
the  field  or  on  the  road — such  as  stimulants, 
ansBsthetios,  Unt,  silk,  adhesive  plaster, 
bandages,  linen,  sponge,  &c.,  &c.  The 
agents  of  the  Okristian  Commission,  Eev. 
Messrs.  Sage  and  Hammond,  offered  their 
services,  and  held  themselves  subject  to 
call  at  any  moment  to  assist  in  the  relief. 
The  night  passed  off,  however,  -without  any 
demonstration  by  the  enemy  on  the  land. 
They  served  us,  however,  a  very  clever  and 
bold  trick  on  the  river — one  from  which  we 
can  derive  not  even  a  shadow  of  satisfaction, 
nor  consider  with  any  self-complacency. 
They  boarded  the  gunboat  Underwriter, 
lying  in  position  in  the  Neuse  Eiver,  and 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Stevenson  on  this 
bank  and  Port  Anderson  on  the  opposite 
bank;  took  off  all  her  officers,  and  aU  her 
crew,  except  some  six  or  eight  who  escaped, 
and  two  or  three  killed  on  deck;  set  the 
gunboat  on  fire,  and  she  burned  up.  Oapt. 
Westervelt,  who  commanded  the  gunboat, 
.  is  said  to  have  been  carried  off,  bound 
hand  and  foot.  They  had  previously  of- 
fered a  reward  for  his  capture,  on  account 
of  his  stringent  blockade  in  the  waters  of 
the  Albemarle.  The  Underwriter  had  a 
crew  of  some  seventy  to  eighty  men.  The 
town  were  awakened  about  4  A.  M.  to-day 
by  the  explosion  of  her  guns,  and  about  a 
quarter  past  five  her  magazine  blew  up  with 
a  terrific  explosion.  Several  of  the  boats' 
crew  jumped  overboard  and  swam  ashore; 
so  also  did!  some  five  or  six  of  the  rebels 
who  had  tarried  too  long  on  board.  They 
say  that  the  boarding  party  were  marines, 
engineers,  and  other  necessary  hands  for 
working  a  war  steamer;  •  that  they  were 
brought  on  from  Savannah  for  this  very 
purpose,  and  have  been  prowling  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  several  weeks,  awaiting 
their  opportunity.  Their  object  was  to  use 
her  at  once  in  a  raid  among  the  shipping 
in  the  harbor  and  about  the  wharves;  but 
the  proximity  of  the  forts,  "which  com- 
menced firing  on,  her  as  they  were  weighing 
anchor,  baffled  them.  They  numbered 
about  a  hundred  and  twenty.  One  of  our 
marines,  who  swam  ashore,  is  in  the  hospi- 
tal, with  a  bullet  wound  in  the  knee;  had 
the  ball  extracted  this  forenoon.   The  whole 


affair  of  the  g^unboat's  capture  was  a  well- 
managed  surprise,  awfully  discreditable  to 
our  flotilla. 

Yesterday  afternoon,  while  the  skirmish- 
ing was  going  on  in  the  broad  clearing 
between  Fort  Totten  and  the  woods,  and 
all  in  sight  of  the  traverse  parapet  of  the 
fort.  Dr.  Baker,  who  has  been  attending 
the  small-pox  hospitals,  started  out,  with 
three  ambulances  and  a  flag  of  truce,  to 
bring  into  town  the  inmates  of  the  white 
small-pox  hospital,  about  a  mile  in  front  of 
the  breastworks.  He  was  seen  to  parley 
with  the  enemy  for  some  time,  when  j;hey 
took  him  off  prisoner,  with  his  ambulances, 
drivers,  and  teams.  They  had  previously 
taken  away  the  negro  attendants  of  the 
hospital,  and  all  tJh  provisions.  Dr.  Baker 
is  assistant  surgeon  of  the  12th  New  York 
Cavalry. 

Last  night  I  learn  tlfat  our  independent 
scouts,  or  one  at  least,  ventured  in  a  boat 
up  the  river,  near  to  Bachelor's  Creek,  to 
try  and  discover  the  fate  of  some  of  our 
unaccounted-for  detachments.  He  heard 
towards  morning  discharges  of  rifles,  which 
leads  us  to  suppose  some  of  our  soldiers 
missing  still  retain  their  organization;  and 
the  report  this  afternoon  is,  that  Lieut. - 
Col.  Fellows  is  holding  them  together,  and 
endeavoring  to  fight  his  way  in. 

Our  cavalry  have  been  .skirmishing  all 
the  forenoon  in  front  of  Fort  Totten;  and 
occasionally  the  fort  has  thrown  a  heavy 
shell  over  their  heads  into  the  woods,  where 
the  enemy  are  sheltered.  My  brother  has 
just  come  in  (3  P.  M.)  from  Fort  Totten, 
and  says  the  enemy  are  reported  to  be 
throwing  up  breastworks  <at  the  railroad 
crossing,  three  miles  out  the  Neuse  Boad. 

The  forts  are  now,  (4^  P.  M.,)  at  inter- 
vals, firing  heavy  guns. 

We  have  had  no  communication  with  the 
enemy.  The  medical  director  thinks  Drs. 
Galloupe  and  Baker  (prisoners)  will  see 
that  our  wounded  captured  are  well  cared 
for;  and  the  General  is  not  inclined  at  this 
moment  to  parley  with  the  rebdls. — Br. 
Page's  Report. 

Mr.  Gordon  Grant,  Relief  Agent  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  left  Lakeport  on.the  16th 
ulfc.  with  vegetables  for  the  troops  at  Fort  Pitt 
and  Ship  Islaud.  Mr.  Grant  afterwards  went 
on  a  like  mission  to  the  Brashea^  City  Military 
Hospitals. 


236 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvBetin. 


THE  COMMISSION  AMONG  THE  CONVA- 
LESCENTS. 

At  the  late  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Com- 
mission, a  very  full  and  interesting  report 
•was  presented  by  Miss  A.  M.  Bradley,  the 
agent  of  the  Commission  at  the  Convales- 
cent Camp,  Alexandria,  Va.  It  covered  the 
operations  of  Belief  from  January  17th  to 
December  31st,  1863. 

During  this  period  of  twelve  months 
111,825  soldiers  entered  the  camp,  in  pass- 
ing from  the  military  hospitals  to  their  re- 
spective regiments,  or  to  their  homes  on 
certificates  of  permanent  disability.  To 
these  soldiers,  including  the  inmates  of  the 
Camp  Hospital,  Miss  Bradley  distributed 
the  following  "Sanitary  Stores"  among 
others  :  64  blankets,  67  quilts,  355  pairs  of 
slippers,  10,096  towels,  100  woolen  vests, 
850  woolen  mittens,  1,263  woolen  shirts, 
200  woolen  drawers,  600  cotton  drawers, 
24,200  envelopes,  1,272  cotton  shirts,  803 
coarse  combs,  178  fine  combs,  besides  com 
starch,  cocoa,  beef  stock,  brandy,  rice, 
sugar,  tamarind  vinegar,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

Miss  Bradley's  method  of  issuing  the 
stores  was  eminently  judicious,  and  may 
be  given  in  her  own  words  : 

"  I  arrived  on  the  17th  December.  On 
the  21st,  when  the  soldiers  were  aU  assem- 
bled in  line  for  inspection,  I  passed  around 
with  the  officers  and  supplied  seventy-five 
men  with  woolen  shirts;  I  worked  on  the 
principle  of  supplying  only  the  very  needy. 
The  same  day  I  visited  the  tents,  and  find- 
ing many  sick  men,  induced  the  command- 
ing officer  to  place  at  my  disposal  some  hos- 
pital tents.  I  soon  had  a  hospital,  and 
commenced  to  nurse  such  poor  fellows  as  I 
gathered  from  among  the  well  men  of  the 
camp.  I  found  others  whose  discharge 
papers  had  been  lying  in  the  office  for  some 
time;  these  men  being  too  feeble  to  stand 
in  the  cold  and  wet  and  wait  their  turn. 
I  carried  them  to  my  hospital  and  warmed 
stnd  clothed  them,  applied  for  their  papers, 
and  then  sent  them  into  Washington  on  the 
way  to  their  homes." 

In  order  to  g^uard  against  misapplication 
of  the  stores.  Miss  Bradley  prepared  cards 
to  be  used  as  requisitions  upon  her  Store- 
house, and  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  a 
selected  soldier  in  each  division  in  the  camp. 
This  soldier  or  wardmaster  examined  the 
knapsacks  of  the  men  in  his  division,  and 
thus  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  real  wants 


of  aU.  Having  ascertained  the  actual  wants 
of  the  men,  he  sent  them  to  the  quarter- 
master to  ascertain  whether  he  would  issue 
clothing  on  Government  account.  If  not, 
they  were  then  sent  to  Miss  Bradley  to  ob- 
tain clothing  or  other  necessaries  from  the 
Commission  storehouse.  By  constant  daily 
personal  inspection.  Miss  Bradley  rendered 
herself  familiar  with  the  wants  of  the  sol- 
diers, and  supplied  them  quickly  and  fully. 
She  says  that  from  May  1st,  1863,  to  De- 
cember 31st,  1863,  with  few  exceptions,  all 
the  soldiers  discharged  from  service  in  this 
camp  were  conveyed  by  her  to  the  Com- 
mission Lodges  at  Washington.  The  num- 
ber of  such  beneficiaries  was  over  two  thou- 
sand. When  it  is  remembered  that  the  vast 
majority  of  these  men  were  suffering  from 
incurable  disease,  prostrated  in  strength, 
and  rendered  excessively  sensitive  to  all 
the  trials  and  exposures  of  transporta- 
tion, the  value  of  Miss  B.  's  services  may 
be  in  some  sense  appreciated.  They  were 
conveyed  to  Washington  in  ambulances, 
and  transferred  to  the  comfortable  Lodges 
of  the  Commission  to  await,  in  comparative 
ease  and  comfort,  the  completion,  through 
Commission  agents,  of  their  discharge  pa- 
pers. Many  lives  were  thus  saved  and  in- 
calculable suffering  prevented. 


"I  have  never  carried  any  point  by  storm; 
the  commanding  officer  has  always  listened 
to  my  suggestions  and  examined  my  plans, 
and  then  accorded  full  approval  and  sup- 
port," says  Miss  B. 

*  «  «  *  « 

"  State  agents  and  others  have  sometimes 
tried  to  cause  me  to  leave  the  camp,  but 
my  methods  and  operations  have  always 
been  justified  by  the  countenance  and  or- 
ders of  the  military  authorities." 


Every  one  of  the  111,825  inmates  of  the 
camp  has  passed  under  Miss  Bradley's  ob- 
servation, and  had  his  wants  relieved,  with- 
out any  violence  done  to  military  discip- 
line, or  weakening  of  the  sense  of  respon- 
sibility on  the  part  of  the  officers  charged 
to  provide  for  the  welfate  of  the  camp. 
Her  acts  of  kindness  have  been  so  numer- 
ous and  complicated,  that  the  limits  of  the 
Bulletin  would  not  suffice  to  permit  them  to 
be  recorded  in  detail.  A. 


The  8amta/ry  Commission  BulMin. 


237 


THE  SANITABY  COMMISSION  AND  THE 

NAVY. 

TJ.  8.  Saottabt  Commission, 
823  Broadway, 
New  Yobk,  February  9th,  1864. 

Madam:  I  have  received  from  Mr.  Strong 
your  note  of  yesterday,  drawing  attention 
to  a  statement  that  alleged  neglect  by  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  of  the  claims  of 
the  navy  on  its  regard,  is  alienating  friends 
who  are  not  informed  as  to  the  facts  of  the 
Commission's  past  and  present' relations  to 
that  arm  of  the  publio  seiyice. 

Though  you  do  not  need  to  be  again  told 
what  you  know  so  weU,  that  the  Commis- 
sion has  from  the  first  sought  to  exercise 
its  functions  impartially,  as  a  "  Commission 
of  inquiry  and  ad-^jce  in  respect  to  the  sani- 
tary interests  of  the  United  States  forces,"* 
whether  afloat  or  ashore,  you  will  perhaps 
allow  ine  to  present  to  you  such  facts  perti- 
nent to  the  matter  as  now  occur  to  me,  for 
the  information  of  any  of  your  correspond- 
ents who  may  be  less  familiar  with  our  work 
than  you  are. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Com- 
mission in  1861,  its  good  oflSces  were  jpffi- 
cially  tendered  to  the  Hon.  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  and  its  practice  has  ever  since 
been  to  renew  to  the  chief  of  the  medical 
bureau  of'  the  navy  and  to  commanders  of 
squadrons,  as  occasion  has  arisen,  its  offers 
*of  service  and  assistance.  At  its  last  quar- 
terly meeting  in  January,  the  Commission 
appointed  a  committee  to  ■  confer  with  Dr. 
Whelan,  the  chief  of  the  naval  medical  bu- 
reau, concerning  the  present  sanitary  con- 
dition and  wants  of  the  navy.  That  its 
opportunities  have  been  vastly  fewer  to 
serve  the  navy  than  the  sister  service  in  the 
field,  detract  not  from  its  disposition  to 
minister  equitably  to  all  the  national  forces 
whenever  it  may  be  privileged  to  serve 
them.  The  Commission's  view  of  equity, 
in  assisting  the  two  branches  of  the  service, 
is  to  give  aid  in  proportion  to  the  need  of 
each. 

The  navy,  from  its  compact  organization, 
its  adequate  system  of  supply  vessels,  which 
besides  the  ordinary  stores  of  food,  cloth- 
ing, and  medicine,  regularly  take  to  each 


*  Authorimtion  of  the  Commitsiim,  by  ,the  Secretary  of 
Wai  and  the  President  of  the  United  States,  June,  1861. 


of  th8  blockading  squadrons,  ice,  fresh  , 
meat,  and  vegetables,  and  bring  home  its 
sick  men  to  its  well-provided  Maf  ine  Hos- 
pitals; and  its  small  percentage  of  casual- 
•ties  in  its  peculiar  blockade  duty,  has  much 
less  frequently  than  the  army  afforded  to 
the  Commission  the  opportunity  of  supply- 
ing any  lack  of  governmental  service.  The 
fact,  too,  that  every  sailor  is  at  home  on  ship 
board,  receives  regularly  his  food  and  clbth- 
ing,  and  generally  secures  his  sleep,  insures 
for  the  navy  an  average  sanitary  condition 
far  higher  than  the  army  often  attains. 

And  yet  the  occasions  are,  though  rela- 
tively, not  really  few,  in  which  the  Com- 
mission has  been  able  to  supplement  for 
the  navy  the  provision  which  the  best-or- 
dered bureaux  cannot  in  time  of  extended 
operations  secure  against  occasional  defi- 
ciencies. 

Without  referring  to  our  records  I  may 
mention  some  of  the  facts  of  which  I  am 
■  personally  cognizant,  which  illustrate  the 
above  statement. 

During  the  early  summer  of  1862,  the 
gunboats  in  the  Pamunkey  Kiver  guarding 
the  supply  depot  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, at  White  House  Va.,  received  not  un- 
frequently  ice,  and  wine,  and  delicate  food, 
for  the  comfort  of  their  sick.  So  in  the 
James  River,  for  a  month  after  the  memor- 
able "  seven  days,"  the  naval  flotilla  shared 
to  the  extent  of  its  needs  the  attention 
of  the  Commission,  required  fortunately 
far  less  by  it  than  by  thp  land  forces. 

In  Jidy  the  Commission  communicated 
to  Commodore  Wilkes-  its  willingness  to 
send  semi'weekly  a  steamboat  from  Hamp- 
ton Boads  to  the  uppermost  station  of  the 
James  Eiver  Flotilla,  which  should  visit 
each  gunboat  and  naval  vessel,  receive  its 
sick,  and  care  for  them  while  in  transit  to 
the  hospital  at  Portsmouth,  or  elsewhere, 
at  the  pleasure  of  the  Commodore. 

The  Blockading  Squadron  before  Charles- 
ton, and  the  commands  of  Admirals  Parra- 
gut  and  Porter  on  the  Mississippi,  have,  on 
many  an  occasion,  had  reason  to  bless  the 
kind  hearts  at  home  who  projected  and  sus- 
tain the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  whose 
open  hand  is  never  withheld  from  the  suf- 
ferers of  either  service,  when. once  their 
wants  are  known. 
You  recollect  the  occasion  when  during 


238 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BiMetin. 


the  bombardment  of  Forts  Jacison  and  St. 
Philip,  Mow  New  Orleans,  the  medical 
officers  of  the  navy  were  enabled  by  the 
assistance  of  Dr.  Blake,  the  Commission's 
Inspector,  to  establish  at  Pilot  Town,  in- 
the  Sonthwest'Passage,  an  hospital  for  the 
fleet,  and  to  furnish  it  liberally  with  sponges, 
chloroform,  oiled  silk,  adhesive  plasters, 
bai;dages,  lint,  sheets,  &c.,  &c.,  at  a  time 
when  the  destitution  of  the  fleet  as  regards 
these  articles  was  most  complete.* 

I  pick  up  the  "  Sanitary  Reporter"  of 
January  1st,  and  read  that  on  a  recent  trip 
of  the  Sanitary  steamer  Clara  Bell  down 
the  Mississippi,  the  Commission's  agent 
made  provision  of  fresh  vegetables  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  of  the  U.  S.  gunboats  about 
Vicksburg;  and  between  Natchez  and  New 
Orleans  furnished  similar  supplies  to  flve 
others,  the  Osage,  CMlicothe,  Choctaw, 
Lafayette,  and  Champion. 

While  I  am  writing  this  letter  a  report 
comes  in  from  a  Eehef  Agent  of  the  Com- 
mission, who  has  recently  visited  the  naval 
stations  at  and  about  Key  West,  Florida. 
I'make  a  brief  extract:  "We  also  found 

at  Tortugas  the  gunboat  • ,  Capt. 

commander,  no  surgeon  on  board,  number 

of  men  sixty-five.     Capt. staged  that 

there  has  been  no  vegetables  on  board  dur- 
ing the  past  six  weeks.  Consequently  I 
thought  it  proper  to  issue  to  the  men  a 
limited  supply,  which  was  very  gratefully 
received." 

I  have  frequent  reason  to  know  that  the 
officers  of  the  navy  themselves  do  not  share 
the  opinions  of  those  who  think  that  the 
Commission  neglects  the  navy.  That  some 
of  them  at  least  feel  differently,  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  on  the  last  day  of  National 
Thanksgiving  the  officers  of  the  sloop-of- 
war  Saratoga  made  a  generous  offering  in 
aid  of  the  treasury  of  the  Commission,  of 
whose  impartial  beneficence  they  had  been 
witnaeses;  and  by  the  other  fact  that  at 
the  late  fair  in,  aid  of  the  Cincinnati  Branch 
of  the  Commission,  both  officers  and  crews 
of  the  Northern  Mississippi  flotilla,  from 
the  Admiral  to  the  powder  boys,  cheerfully 
gave  a  day's  pay  to  swell  the  funds,  which 
were  to  return  in  part  to  them  converted  into 

*  See  The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commumm,  A  Sketch  of  Us 
Furpota  and  Work,  p.  202.  little.  Brown  &  Co.,  BOBton. 
16mo,  pp.  300. 


the  material  of  relief  for  their  future  neces- 
sities. 

Desiring  to  enable  you  to  set  right  yonr 
correspondents,  I  have  not  waited  to  seek 
evidence  from  our  archives,  but  hope  that 
I  have  been  able  to  sho\f  that  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  has  ever  desired  to 
lend  its  helping  hand  to  any  portion  of  the 
national  forces,  East,  West,  or  South,  afloat 
or  ashore,  that  requires  its  ministry. 
I  am,  madam,  very  truly  yours, 
J.  FosTEB  Jenkhts, 
General  Sec'y.  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com. 
Miss  LoTOSA  Tnar.  SoHrrELEE,  New  York. 


SANITART  CONDITION  OP  THE  TEOOPS 
IN  SOUTH  GAKOLINA. 

In  the  month  of  February,  1863,  the  un- 
dersigned, by  order  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Commission,  established  a 
depot  for  sanitary  and  hospital  stores,  at 
Beaufort,  S.  C,  in  this  department. 

The  Conmaission  previously  had  had 
agents  here,  but  no  perinanent  station. 
We  were  warmly  welcomed  by  Major- 
General  David  Hunter,  commanding  the 
department,  and  by  bim  sustained  until  he 
was  relieved  early  in  June  following. 

fb,  this  period  • regiments  were 

stationed  at  eleven  different  localities,  and 
extending  over  the  entire  department,  a 
distance  of  250  miles.  To  carefully  inspect 
these  regiments  was  the  first  business  of 
the  undersigned.  The  results  of  this  in- 
spection have  been  commimicated  to  the 
proper  department  of  the  Commission.  V 
may  here  state  a  very  noticeable  difference 
in  the  morale  of  the  two  corps  then  con- 
stituting the  command,  believing  that  neg- 
lect of  sanitary  laws,  quite  as  much  as  all 
other  circumstances,  had  to  do  with  the 
irregularities  and  dissatisfaction  prevalent 
in  certain  camps. 

The  larger  portion  of  this  command, 
mostly  from  New  England  and  New  York, 
had  been  here  from  the  occupancy  of  these 
islands  in  November,  1861.  They  were 
inured  to  toil,  obedient  to  discipline,  observ- 
ant of  sanitary  laws,  in  person  and  quarters, 
and  were  an  efficient,  contented  body  of 
men.  By  the  side  of  these,  were  regiments 
from  the army  corps,  who  were  discon- 
tented, and  occasionally  accused  of  a  tenden- 
cy to  insubordination,  neglectful  of  condi- 
tions essential  to  health.  Among  these  there 
was  a  much  greater  percentage  of  sickness 
than  in  other  portions  of  the  army  similarly 
situated.  The  first  business  of  the  inspector 
was  to  advise  officers  and  privates  of  the 
necessity  of  stricter  compliance  with  sani- 
tary laws,  to  secure  an  increased  standard 
of  health.    And  with  this  compliance  came 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


239 


not  health,  simply,  but  a^marked  improve- 
ment in  efficiency  and  'discipUne.  This 
fact  was  subsequently  acknowledged  by 
those  in  command.  We  are  justified  in  as- 
scribing  the  improved  morale  to  attention 
to  sanitary  rules,  hitherto  neglected,  by  the 

fact  that  in  this corps  were  regiments 

subjected  to  aE  the  conditions  of  locality, 
&c.,  which  produced  in  contiguous  regi- 
ments a  disorderiy  spirit,  but  which  were 
efficient,  contented,  and  happy ;  and  that 
these  were  the  regiments  most  remarkable 
for  personal  neatness,  and  for  the  cleanli- 
ness of  their  camps  and  quarters.  Tour  in- 
spector believes  that  not  the  least  of  the 
benefits  in  this  war  rendered  to  officers  by 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  has  been  its  indi- 
rect influence  in  promoting  discipline  by 
increased  attention  to  sanitary  precautions, 
among  the  men  of  their  respective  com- 
mands. 

Among  the  first  efforts  to  mitigate  suffer- 
ing in  this  department,  was  the  attempt  to 
alleviate  the  condition  of  the  soldier  going 
North,  discharged  from  the  service  in  con- 
sequence of  sickness.  Up  to  this  time,  the 
man  who  had  served  his  country  fault- 
lessly, and  sickened  in  her  service,  was  dis- 
charged; and  without  any  provision  for  his 
enfeebled  condition,  in  clothing  or  care, 
was  shipped  upon  any  Government  trans- 
port, as  a  thing  no  longer  useful.  The 
consequences  can  be  readily  seen — ^much 
suffering  and  many  deaths  in  transit.  The 
inspector  immediately  supplied  aU  that 
coidd  contribute  to  the  personal  comfort  of 
these  unfortunate  men;  and,  in  some  in- 
stances, sent  attendants  to  minister  to  their 
wants  upon  the  voyage.  This,  however, 
could  not  meet  the  exigency  entirely. 
Upon  these  transports  was  no  accommoda- 
tions, nor  proper  medical  care.  After  con- 
sultation by  your  inspector  with  members 
of  the  Commission,  and  subsequently  with 
Gen.  Hunter,  the  Cosmopolitan,  a  spacious 
steamer,  with  capacity  for  three  hundred 
and  twenty-five  beds,  was  set  apart  by  the 
General  as  a  hospital  ship,  for  the  purpose 
of  conveying  the  sick  or  wounded  to  their 
destination,  and  consigned  to  the  medical 
director  of  the  department. 

The  Commission  immediately  issued  to 
this  steamer  two  hundred  and  fifty  beds, 
and  other  requisites;  and  has  since  con- 
'  tinned  to  contribute  supplies.  This  pro- 
vision has  been  crowned  with  success;  and 
under  the  able  management  of  the  surgeons 
assigned  it  by  the  medical  director,  many- 
lives  have  been  saved  that  must  by  ordi- 
nary modes  of  transportation  been  sacri- 

ficea. 

The  last  two  weeks  in  March,  and  first 
two  in  April,  were  devoted  to  preparation 
for  the  first  Charleston  expedition.  Abun- 
dant preparations  were  made  by  us  for  any 
exigency;  but  happily  no  casualty  occur- 
red, nor  was  there  any  call  upon  our  stdl-es. 


A  schooner  of  ample  dimensions  had 
been  assigned  us  by  General  Hunter,  giv- 
ing, as  was  his  wont,  timely  notice  for  pre- 
paration. And  here  it  is  but  simple  justice 
to  this  officer  to  iremark,  that  there  has  been 
no  reticence  in  his  communications  to  the 
Commission  of  whatever  would  contribute 
to  an  early  preparation  for  any  emergency. 
Immediately  after  this  unsuccessful  move- 
ment, preliminary  steps  were  taken  towards 
a  repetition  of  the  advance  upon  Charleston, 
by  way  of  Morris  Island,  etc.  General 
Gnlmore  has  since  secured  Morris  Island 
as  the  base  for  further  advances. 

The  months  of  May  and  June  were  de- 
voted by  your  inspector  and  his  assistant  to 
the  wants  of  the  troops  conducting  offensive 
operations  against  Morris  Island,  and  of 
those  stationed  at  Hilton  Head,  Beaufort, 
Fernandina,  and  other  posts  in  the  depart- 
ment. « 

Very  early  in  July  active  operations  com- 
menced on  Folly  Island.  A  large  brig  (and 
a  tow)  had  been  assigned  us  by  the  general 
commanding, to  transfer  all*necessary  stores. 
On  the  8th  and  9th  we  took  in  cargo  from 
the  depot  at  Beaufort;  on  the  9th  left  Port 
Boyal  harbor;  and  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  10th,  in  the  waters  of  Stono,  threw  out 
to  the  breeze,  from  the  mast-head,  the  flag 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  The  success- 
ful assault  was  made  on  that  morning,  with 
trifling  loss  on  our  part.  The  circumstances 
connected  with  it  have  been  already  com- 
municated, and  I.will  not  repeat  them.  If 
is  proper,  however,  to  remark,  in  this  con- 
nection, that  the  Cosmopolitan,  which  was 
returning  from  a  trip  north  with  disabled 
men,  was  at  8  A.  M.  passing  off  Stono,  and 
noticing  what  was  transpiring,  ran  to  Hil- 
ton Head,  flfty-two  miles  distant,  reported, 
and  returned  to  the  scene  of  operationls 
before  4  P.  M. ;  thus  making  one  hundred 
and  four  miles  in  less  than  eight  hours.  I 
mention  this  to  show  the  zeal  of  the  medical 
department  in  the  discharge  of  its  obliga- 
tions. And  if  at  any  point  in  this  article 
I  speak  of  seeming  deficiencies  in  that  de- 
partment, I  wish  it  distinctly  understood 
that  these  arose  from  circumstances  beyond 
control,  and  not  from  any  lack  of  sympathy, 
activity,  or  intelUgenoe  on  the  part  of  the 
medical  staff. 

If  the  history  of  this  war  is  ever  properly 
written,  its  brightest  page  wiU  be  that  which 
recounts  (imperfectly  even)  the  untiring 
assiduity  and  self-denial  of  the  medical 
staff  in  the  discharge  of  its  immense  re- 
sponsibilities. V 

Dr.  Crane,  medical  director,  and  Dr. 
Dibble,  chief  medical  officer  of  the  island, 
with  ambulances,  immediately  proceeded 
to  the  upper  end  of  the  island,  where  early 
in  the  day  hospitals  had  been  improvised 
for  the  wounded,  principally  Confederates, 
few  of  our  men  having  suffered.  These 
wounded  were  consigned  to  your  inspector, 


240 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


who  transferred  them  to  the  Cosmopolitan, 
in  charge  of  Dr.  Bontacore,  for  -which  poiSi- 
tion  there  are  tew  so  well  qnaUfied  by  pro- 
fessional ability  and  energy. 

The  wounded,  comfortably  'placed  in 
berths,  were  the  same  night  removed  to 
Hilton  Head;  and  the  next  morning,  at 
eight  o'clock,  the  GosmopoUtan  entered 
the  harbor.  During  the  morning  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  boat  could  ascend 
Folly  Biver,  on  the  opposite  side  of'  the 
island,  within  a  half  mile  of  the  hospitals. 
At  ll  A.  M.  the  boat  was  anchored  there. 
At  12  M.  of  the  same  day,  (July  11,)  an 
unsuccessful  assault,  in  which  we  lost  one 
hundred  and  thirty-one  men,  was  made 
upon  Fort  Wagner,  to  which  the  enemy 
had  retired  the  morning  previous.  These 
wounded  were  first  cared  for  at  the  hospi- 
tals, and  thence  transferred  to  the  boat. 
And  here  I  ought  to  pay  a  tribute  to  the 
untiring  energy  and  tact  of  Messrs.  Hoadley 
and  Day,  of  the  Commission,  who,  with 
their  assistants,  met  the  necessities  of  every 
wounded  man  on  the  preceding,  on  this, 
and  on  subsequent  days;  administering  to 
their  wants  in  the  temporary  hospitals, 
supplying  clothing,  accompanying  the  am- 
bulances to  the  boat,  furnishing  extra 
clothing  and  stores  upon  it,  if  needed,  on 
its  passage  to  the  general  hospitals  at  the 
Head  and  Beaufort;  cheerful  under  ex- 
hausting labors,  and  inspiring  the  sufferer 
'  with  hope.  From  the  11th  to  the  18th  the 
willing  strength  of  the  whole  command  was 
taxed  continuously  in  preparation  for  the 
coming  assault.  Everj  particle  of  trans- 
portation was  necessaJrUy  devoted  to'  the 
munitions  of  war,  which  accounts,  in  part, 
for  any  deficiencies  that  may  have  been  ex- 
perienced in  the  medical  and  commissariat 
depsirtments.  In  this  interim  the  Commis- 
sion added  in  large  quantities  to  the  stores 
it  already  had  on  Morris  Island;  conveyed 
thither  by  a  circuitous  route,  not  less  than 
seven  mUes,  in  rowboats,  furnished,  and 
in  part  manned,  by  the  obliging  quarter- 
master. Captain  Dunton.  The  men  detail- 
ed for  this  unusual  and  somewhat  hazard- 
ous employment,  (the  enemy  holding  one 
bank  of  the  stream,)  worked  night  and  day 
with  a  will;  and  many  a  poor  fellow  who 
subsequently  received  the  benefit  of  the 
supplies  of  the  Commission,  may  thank 
these  soldiers  for  the  sole  and  laborious 
method  by  which  these  abundant  supplies 
were  placed  within  available  distance.  On 
the  evening  of  the  15th  our  tents  were  ar- 
ranged and  flag  floating.  After  consulting 
Brig. -General  Seymour,  commanding  the 
advanced  force,  it  was  resolved  to  supply 
every  man  in  the  front,  and  ultimately  aU 
who  should  participate  in  the  assault,  with 
tea,  Boston  crackers,  and«oncentrated  beef 
for  soup.  This  provision  was  absolutely 
essential,  from  circumstances  already  given; 
and  many  a  poor  fellow,  on  the  night  of 


the  18th,  fought  with  great  bravery,  aided 
by  the  encouragement  and  strength  afford- 
ed by  this  food,  continuously  bestowed  by 
the  Commission  for  nearfy  seventy-two 
hours  previous. 

The  manner  of  the  attack,  (on  Saturday 
night,  the  18th  July,)  incidents  connected 
with  it,  disposition  of  the  respective  forces, 
numbers,  &o.,  being  purely  mUitary  mat- 
ters, I  sB.aU.  pass  over.  The  participation 
of  your  employees  in  the  scenes  which 
transpired  I  will  briefly  describe. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  each  indi- 
vidual attached  to  the  Commission  had  his 
work  assigned,  and  the  means  with  which 
tq  accomplish  it  put  within  his  reach;  and 
greater  praise  cannot  be  given  than  the 
statement  of  the  simple  truth,  that  the 
next  morning  witnessed  that  each  man 
(With  one  or  two  exceptions,  and  for  a  few 
moments  only,  and  in  circumstances  of 
great  peril)  had  faithfully  discharged  the 
duty  appointed  him. 

The  Sanitary  ,corps  were  distributed  as 
follows:  A  portion  to  act  as  auxiliary  to  the 
medical  force  in  the  front  and  in  the  hospi- 
tals; another  to  assist  the  wounded  at  the 
hospital,  and  conduct  them  thence  to  the 
boats,  ,{two  beside  the  Cosmopolitan  had 
been  secured,)  which  were  to  convey  them 
to  the  general  hospitals  at  Beaufort;  and  a 
third  to  render  any  additional  assistance 
which  might  become  necessary  in  their 
transit.  This  terrible  repulse  illustrated 
the  benefits  and  defined  the  position  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  For  on  this  fatal 
night,  to  the  extent  of  my  knowledge,  not 
a  blanket  nor  change  of  apparel,  nor  bsd- 
sack  nor  pillow,  to  save  torn  limbs  or  frac- 
tured heads  from  the  crowded  decks,  but 
was  furnished  by  the  Commission.  As 
previous  to  the  assault  the  Commission  fed, 
so  now  it  supplied  whatever  could  mitigate 
the  sufferings  of  the  unfortunate  soldier. 
Abundant  changes  of  clothing  were  placed 
upon  each  boat,  to  use  if  necessary  during 
the  voyage.  In  anticipation  of  casualties 
the  Commission,  previous  to  the  expedi- 
tion, had  supplied  the  five  hospitals  in 
Beaufort  to  the  extent  of  their  capacity. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  wounded  six  more 
hospitals  were  opened,  and  fully  furnished 
from  our  stores. 

We  wiU^pass  over  the  interim  of  ten  days 
on  the  field.  Nature,  meanwhile,  is  not 
forgetful  of,  her  dues.  For  weeks  previous 
to  the  assault,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  toil 
and  confidence  of  triumph  she  had  given 
the  soldier  credit  for  her  expenditures;  but 
now  in  the  despondency  which  ever  follows 
defeat,  the  exhaustion  of  vital  force,  the 
scantily  furnished  and  unsuitable  diet, 
with  depressing  climate  and  continuous 
labor,  she  prosecutes  her  claim.  Decisive 
evidence  of  a  tendency  to  scurvy  becomes 
quite  general  throughout  the  command. 
And  although  inspired  by  the  unwavering 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetim. 


241 


liope  _  of  ultimately  reducing  Charleston, 
tjie  vital  forces  -were  conipeUed  to  succumiD, 
and  soon,  in  many  instances,  one  half  the 
regiment"  answered  to  the  sick  call.  Here 
^gain  the  iintrammeled  capacity  of  the 
Commission  ifor  immediate  action  demqn- 
strated  its  utility.  Your  inspector  made  at 
once  immense  requisitions  on  the  Commis- 
eion,  which  were  honored  with  a  liberality 
that  will  forever  endear  them  to  these  suf- 
fering patriots.  Tie  abundance  of  fresh 
vegetables  and  acid  fruits  which  they  fur- 
nished, soon  produced  a  decided  and  hap- 
py change.  And  here  it  may  be  remarked 
that  tbe  ordinary  diarrhoeas  and  even  dys- 
entery of  this  region  are  most  successful- 
ly treated  by  the  exhibition  of  acids. 
Pickles,  onions,  vinegar,  lime  juice,  the 
mineral  acids,  particularly  nitric  and  the 
"Liquor  Ferri  STitratis,"  proved  the  most 
certain  remedies.  A-t  this  point  was  intro- 
duced a  new  feature  by  the  agents  of  the 
Commission  in  this  department,  and  ulti- 
mately sanctioned  by  their  superiors.  This 
was  to  supply  with  vegetables  not  only  the 
sick  and  wounded,  but  all  on  dnty;  which 
seemed  the  only  way  to  check  the  prevail- 
ing malady.  The  malady  was  thus  not 
only  checked)  but  eradicated  ;  for  at  the 
present  time  not  one  well-marked  case  of 
scurvy — the  scourge  of  crowded,  ill-nour- 
ished troops^-is  reported  in  the  entire  com- 
mand. The  appreciation  of  this  act  of 
the  Commission  in  furnishing  these  abso- 
lutely essential  supplies,  cannot  be  better 
illustrated  than  by  the  congratulatory  or- 
der of  the  Maj.-Gen.  Commanding,  which 
was  read  at  the  head  of  every  regiment 
throughout  the  department;  unless,  indeed, 
the  voluntary  honor  paid  the  flag  of  the 
Commission  by  the  passing  salute  of  va- 
rious regiments  be  so  considered. 

Another  feature  peculiar  to  this  depart- 
ment has  been  a  liberal  supply  of  ice,  fur- 
nished by  the  Commission  to  all  privates 
in  the  command.  The  frozen  streams  of 
Maine  have  been  made  to  cool,  not  only  the 
burning  lips  of  fever,  but  to  assuage  the 
thirst  of  exhausting  toil  in  South  Carolina. 
It  is  believed  a  far  greater  amount  of  labor 
and  a  higher  standard  of  health  have  been 
secured  by  these  daily  issues  of  ice  to.  every 
soldier.       ->* 

There  are  two  points  in  connection  with 
this  campaign  that  deserve  special  nptice. 
One  the  constant  and  stiU  continued  aid 
rendered  your  employees  by  the  military 
authorities.  Not  a  wish  could  )pe.  suggest- 
ed but  it  was  complied  with,  and  not 
unfrequently  requests  were  anticipated. 
Pines  ^nd  goods  confiscated  for  infraction 
of  laws  of  trade  have  been  turned  over  to 
the  Commission  for  distribution  to  the 
soldier.  And  especially  has  the  ■nurtjiring 
care  of  the  hpad  of  the  department,  Maj.- 
Gen.  Q.  A.  Gillmore,  been  extended  to 
the  Commission. 

Vol,  L— No.  8.  16 


The  other  pqipt  to  which  I  would  call  at- 
tention is,  the  fraternal  welcome  and  as- 
sistance in  the  discharge  of  duty  extended 
by  the  entire  .medical  corps  in  the  depart- 
ment. Their  systematic  aid  has  rendered 
unnecessary  the  employment  of  numerous 
agents,  lightened  the  personal  labors  of 
your  inspector,  and  conferred  upon  him 
obligations  that  he  wiU  ever  remeniber. 
And  here  it  is  proper  to  state  that  the  de- 
vption  of  many  of  these  medical  men  to 
their  regiments  has  awakened  everlasting 
gratitude  in  the  hearts  of  the  recipients, 
and  called  fgrth  the  admiration  of  every 
beholder.  Though  not  so  directly  exposed 
to  the  bullets  of  the  enemy,  yet  to  a  danger 
even  greater,  by  constant  contact  with 
disease,  no  class  of  men  in  the  army  de- 
serves so  well  of  their  country  as  the  regi- 
mental surgeons. 

The  enthusiasm  that  fired  the  soldier  in 
the  earlier  period  of  the  siege  may  have 
somewhat  abated,  but  his  determination  to 
do  remains  unchanged.  Many  instances  of 
chivalrous  daring  could  be  given,  but  these 
belong  to  military  history.  The  health  of 
the  command  is  good ;  the  total  of  sick- 
ness and  casualties  at.present  not  exceed- 
ing &%  per  cent. 

The  amount  of  expenditures  during  the 
first  eight  weeks  of  the  siege  was  exceed- 
ingly liberal,  and  has  secured  for  the  Com- 
mission a  character  for  acute  discernment 
and  active  sympathy  with  the  suiffering  sol- 
dier that  will  ever  be  remembered  by  the 
army  in  this  department. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  necessity 
for  these  large  issues  was,  in  part,  occa- 
sioned by  the  accession  of  troops  from  the 
north,  in  a  most  destitute  and  enfeebled 
condition.  AU  the  receipts  and  issuer  for 
the  current  year  are  appended. 

Within  the  past  six  weeks  your  inspector 
has  visited  each  of  the  posts  in  the  depart- 
ment, and  has  been  exceedingly  gratified 
to  witness  the  improved  condition  of  the 
men,  their  buoyancy  of  spirit,  intention  to 
keep  the  field  while  their  country  needs 
their  services,  and  not  least,  the  almost 
paternal  confidence  with  which  they  regard 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 

BEGBIFTB  AITD  ISSITEB  IX  THE  DEPABTUENT  OF  BOTTTH 
CABOIilNA  FOB  THE  CUBBEMT  YEAB. 

Beceiveft.  Issued.  In  store,, 

Cotton  Blurts ,.  i,900  4,5M       366 

Woolen"       ;;..5;758  3,534  2,224 

Cotton  drawers ..3,163  3,013       160 

Cotton  flannel  drawers 668  406       162 

W;oolen                 "        2,676  li5B2  1,124 

Cottonsocks 2,107  1,890       217 

Woolen     "    ;...  3,632  1,271  2,261 

Slippers 2,736  2,499       237 

Wrappers 1,089  789       300 

Handkerclue& 9,164  6,814  2,340 

Otitside  clothing lioxes.        6  5          1 

Ped-saoks 1,472  1,360       122 

KUowtikoks ;..........  1,«88  1,617       371 

KUows.. 1,263  l;li8       145 

Pillowcases 3,206  2,396       610 

Sheets 2,859  2,531        328 

Blankets. 701  436       266 

Quilts...., 71^  662'       aa 


242 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Received. 

TowdB 9,116 

Gnsluoiis 2,213 

Unt. bblB.       39 

Bondages "  34" 

Oldcottov 112 

Qroceries,  xmsceUaneons Ks.      104 

Beef-stock "    3,629 

Dried&Tiit. bbls.       70 

"     apples "  87 

Green     "      "         209 

Ale. "  6 

Cracters "         392 

Sugar,  white "  3iii 

Vinegar "  36 

Gabliage  in  coirie "         255 

Onions "         219 

Hcfcles "         119 

JeUies  and  preserves boxes.       65 

Domestic  wine "  70 

Foreign       "    bottB.     619 

Brandy. "         612 

■Whisky ■. ■■         638 

Berry,  Cordial "         682 

•■      Shrub "         324 

Cherry  Brandy "         484 

Blackberry  "     "         184 

Ijemons i boxes.       40 

Conct.  Lemon "  6 

Cider cases.       16 

^rups boxes.         4 

Ext.  Ginger IB 

"  "       bbls.         2 

Arrow  Boot tts.     225 

Apple  Butter gaDs.       60 

Beef-stock Bs.  3,629 

Batter "        375 

Broma "       216 

Oodles "       108 

Cheese "       135 

Cocoa "       40O 

Chocolate "    1,400 

Coffee "    1,462 

Conds.Milk. "    4,002 

Cornstarch. '■     2,150 

Tapioca "        100 

Farina "     2,300 

Ext  Ginger. boxes.       15 

•<        "        barrels.         2 

Cider. cases.       16 

Gelatine boxes.       10 

Nutmegs Bs.         2 

OatMeaL "       160 

Tea "        560 

Tomatoes    boxes.      107 

•«         fresh bushels.       60 

Fish,  preserved £bs.  5,000 

Mustard "         25 

Tamarinds bbls.       10 

Lemons boxes.       40 

"      Concent. "  6 

Oranges bbls.       70 

Hospital  utensils doz.       12 

AlcohoL galls.       10 

Bay  Bum  and  Cologne.  ...botts.     200 

Fans 2,000 

Combs gross.       10 

Lanterns 26 

Sponges Bs.        8 

Tin  Cups 1,705 

'*    Fans  or  basins 804 

•'    Plates 925 

^"    Spoons 1,000 

Flannel  bandages 2,236 

Lime  and  Bist  Agents bbls.         8 

Pipes box.         1 

Cobacco,  papers doz.     205 

Beading  matter boxes.        6 

Ice tons.     890 

Quiniiie ozs.       62 

Uorphine "  3 

Chlorolbrm. lbs.       25 

Tannin ozs.        6 

liq.  Ferri  Nitratis Bs.       65 

Mosquito  Netting pieces.       60 

Eggs doz.       79 

*'   Hog boxes.         2 

CiieUk 70 

EubberCloth 63 

Miscellaneous boxes,       70 

Bops barrels.        2 

Fresh  garden  vegetables 15 

Potatoes ; . . . .     354 

—Dr. 


Issued.  In  store. 

7,106 

2,670 

2,023 

190 

32 

7 

31 

3 

91 

21 

104 

2,885 

744 

63 

7 

82 

6 

209 

,. 

S 

saaa 

61K 

32)^ 

2 

30 

6 

253 

2 

217 

2 

107 

2 

63 

2 

63 

7 

683 

36 

642 

70 

566 

72 

S26 

66 

30O 

24 

472 

12 

184 

40 

,, 

6 

,, 

15 

1 

3 

1 

13 

2 

2 

182 

43 

67 

3 

2,885 

744 

365 

20 

192 

24 

81 

27 

115 

20 

369 

41 

920 

480 

1,071 

381 

3,170 

832 

1,366 

784 

100 

1,436 

864 

13 

2 

2 

.. 

15 

1 

8 

2 

2 

.. 

150 

610 

60 

101 

6 

50 

., 

6,000 

,, 

22 

3 

10 

.. 

40 

.. 

6 

70 

,, 

12 

7 

3 

180 

20 

2.000 

6 

4 

22 

4 

6 

3 

1,693 

12 

792 

12 

920 

6 

978 

22 

1,911 

826 

4 

4 

1 

., 

206 

)t 

300 

90 

29 

33 

319 

63 

22 

3 

6 

■44 

11 

60 

., 

79 

2 

36 

34 

35 

28 

69 

1 

1 

1 

16 

364 

MarA't 

Seporfc 

THE  PENSION  AGENCY  AT  WASHINGTON. 

The  following  is  a  brief  statement  of  the 
■work  of  this  agency  for  the  part  of  the  year 
1863  in  -which  it  -was  in  operation,  to  -wit: 
from  February  10  to*December  31,  both  in- 
clnsive: 

mjMBKB  OP  APPLICATIONS  FOE  PEKSIOKS  MADE  OUT 
AND  FUJED  IN  THE  GOVEEKMENT  PENSIOH  OinCB. 

In  February 116 

"  March. * 121 

"  Apia 199 

"  May 133 

"  Jmie 87 

"  July * 67 

"  August 112 

"  September. 120 

"  October 64 

"  November 53 

"  December 69 

Total  number  of  claims. . .  .1,141 
No  exact  record  of  the  number  of  claims 
allo^wed  or  rejected  ■was  kept  previous  to  the 
first  of  July.     There  ■were  but  few: 

AHaiced. 
Estimated  number  decided 

before  July  1st 25  — 

No.  in  July 56  15 

August 59  10 

September 58  19 

October. 48  12 

November 98  13 

December. 73  31 

417  100 

Total  number  offclaims 

decided 517 

Leaving  yet  in  the  Pension 

Office  undecided  claims 624 

No  record  was  kept  of  the  amount  of  cor- 
respondence of  the  ofBce  previous  to  the 
month  of  October.  Since  then  it  has  been 
as  follows: 

Number  of  circular  letters  in  which  blanks  had 
to  be  filled  for  the  three  months,  October, 
November,  and  December: 

Inclosed  with  claims  allowed 215 

.     "  "  rejected 53 

To  officers  asking  certificates  for  claim- 
ants   387 

Total  of  circular  letters 655 

Number  of  letters  vyriiten  in  full  : 

To  office  claimants 286 

To  persons  having  claims  elsewhere.. . .  14 
In  reference  to  back-pay  and  bounty. . .  25 
To  Commissioner  of  Pensions,  8;  mis- 
cellaneous 50 68 

Total  letters  viriUen  in  fuU 383 

Total  number  of  letters  for  the  three 

months j^oSS 

The  correspondence  was  light  for  the  first 
four  or  five  months,  and  has  gradually  in- 
creased ever  since. 

Mr.  Bascom,  the  director,  adds  in  his  re- 
port: 

"  During  the  period  covered  by  this  report  I 
was  assisted  by  two  clerks;  the  first,  Charfes  M. 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


243 


Bliss,  of  Woodford,  Vermont,  who  came  into 
the  office  about  the  first  of  March,  and  left  for 
home  the  last  of  July;  the  second,  Albert  P. 
Macomber,  of  Westfield,  New  York,  who  came 
the  first  of  August.  The  latter,  who  was  a  young 
man  of  rare  worth,  continued  in  the  prompt  and 
faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  devolved  upon 
him  until  the  15th  day  of  December. 

"An  attack  of  small- pox,  which  began  on 
that  day,  and  was  severe  from  the  first,  termi- 
nated in  death,  after  twelve  days,  on  the  27th. 
His  loss  is  much  lamented  by  all  who  formed 
his  acquaintance  while  in  this  office." 


THE  HOSPITALS  AT  WASHINGTON. 

[Extracts  from  the  quarterly  report  of  G.  C.  Caldwell, 
Hospital  Visitor  of  Sanitary  GommiSBion  -within  defences 
of  Vaslilngton.] 

During  the  first  two  or  three  weeks  after  my 
return,  (Nov.  13th,)  the  wants  of  the  hospitals 
were  large  and  pressing,  owing  to  the  great 
number  of  sick  and  wounded  received  from  the 
army  within  a  short  time.  The  sick  sent  up 
when  the  army  made  its  last  advance,  were  de- 
posited in  Washington  hospitals,  while  such  of 
the  wounded  in  the  follomng  battles  as  were 
brought  from  the  front,  were  left  at  Alexandria. 
****** 

During  the  whole  six  weeks  since  my  return, 
.  woolen  under-clothing  has  been  in  most  constant 
demand — in  some  hospitals  to  be  used  only  in 
wards,  and  not  to  be  taken  away  by  men  when 
leaving;  in  others,  to  be  given  to  needy  men 
going  home  or  back  to  their  regiments.  I  have 
been  very  emphatic  in  my  stipulations  with 
those  to  whom  I  entrust  this  clothing  in  the 
hospitals  for  distribution,  that  it  shall  be  given 
only  to  NEEDY  MEN,  suoh  as  those  having  fami- 
lies whom  they  support,  or  who  have  not  re- 
ceived any  pay  for  several  months  and  are  des- 
titute of  means  :  and  I  think  that  this  stipula- 
tion has  in  general  been  complied  with. 

****** 

When  the  hospitals  were  filled  with  sick  and 
wounded,  four  or  five  weeks  ago,  there  were 
many  pressing  calls  for  head  rests  that  could 
•not  be  met  b^pause  there  were  none  in  store. 
In  other  respects  the  kind  of  articles  sought  for 
has  been  about  the  same  as  usual.  [Our 
Branches  will  understand  this.] 

Since  the  date  of  my  last  report,  eight  or 
ten  regiments  at  hospitals  have  been  added  to 
my  list;  several  of  them  belong  to  cavalry  regi- 
ments encamped  at  Camp  Stoneman.  Very 
pressing  wants  were  relieved  by  my  first  visits 
to  some  of  these  hospitals. 

Since  my  return  to  my  post  I  have  made  over 
one  hundred  and  ninety  visits  to  the  various 
general,  post,  and  regimental  hospitals  wil^n 


my  {each,  and  have  left  about  as  many  orders 
to  be  sent  in  to  the  Central  Office,  for  needed 
articles  of  food  and  clothing. 


YONKEES  SANITARY  EAUt. 

We  regret  to  have  been  obliged  to  post- 
pone Tintil  now  all  notice  of  the  Fair  in  aid 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  which  is  being 
held  in  the  village  of  Yonkers,  and  is  to 
continue  through  the  week  ending  Febru- 
ary 20th.  It  has  been  organized  in  the 
same  way  as  the  fairs  which  have  been  got 
up  on  a  larger  scale  in  the  great  cities, 
mainly,  we  need  hardly  say,  through  the 
exertions  of  the  ladies;  and  it  shows  how 
much  may  be  done,  even  in  small  places, 
by  a  few  earnest  and  energetic  men  and 
women. 

Contributions  of  all  kinds  have  been  so- 
licited and  accepted  ♦—  contributions  in 
money;  contributions  of  every  production 
of  the  farmers,  manufacturers,  machinists, 
mechanics,  merchants,  clothiers,  jewelers, 
milliners,  gardeners;  contributions  of  music, 
decorations,  fruits,  flowers,  and  refresh- 
ments; contributions  or  loans  for  exhibi- 
tion in  the  fine  arts  and  sciences — relics, 
memorials,  and  curiosities  of  every  sort; 
contributions  of  valentines;  contributions 
of  lectures,  concerts,  and  dramatic  enter- 
tainments. 

The  whole  arrangements  of  the  Fair  were 
assigned  to  committees  on  finance,  rooms 
and  decorations,  lectures,  music  and  enter- 
tainments, refreshments,  fancy  work,  val- 
entines, &c.,  war  memorials,  curiosities, 
&c.,  farmers'  products,  groceries  and  pro- 
visions, paintings  and  fine  arts,  mechanics' 
and  useful  arts,  flowers  and  fruits,  dry 
goods,  books  and  stationery,  and  printing 
— each  having  duties  corresponding  to  their 
titles. 


WHAT  THE  SURGEONS  SAY  OF  THE 
COMMISSION. 
[Extract  from  a  letter  from  Geobge  E.  Hoii- 
BBOOK,   Belief  Agent  Second  Army   Corps, 
(Potomac,)  dated  January  24th.] 

"  One  of  the  medical  officers  told  me  that  his 

hospital  had  been  inspected  by  General  

and  wife.  The  men  were  so  comfortably  situated 

that  Mrs.  inquired  how  the  men  could 

be  so  comfortable  here  in  the  field,  where  none 
of  these  things  could  be  obtained  by  money, 
and  were  not  furnished  by  the  Government 
She  went  to  the  head  of  one  of  the  men's  beds 
and  there  found  the  whole  mystery  solved  : — 
These  things  had  been  furnished  by  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  '  You  patronize  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  ?'  she  said.  '  Yes,'  replied  the 
surgeon,  '  I  don't  know  how  we  could  get  along 
without  it,  for  it  is  always  just  where  we  want 


244 


The  SanitOrry  Commission  BvUetin. 


it.'  Soon  after  she  had  gone  the  surgeon  re- 
ceiTed  a  number  of  pillow-cases  for  his  hospital 
from  her — many  more,  indeed,  than  he  needed, 
for  she  herself  had  brought  out  quite  a  stock 
of  goods  to  famish  the  hospital. 

"  I  find  among  the  surgeons  who  have  just  re- 
turned from  furloughs,  an  increase,  of  praise  of 
the  Commission.  They  say,  as  a  general  thing, 
that  while  they  were  at  home,  the  president  of 
this  or  that  society  came  to  them,  and  asked  if 
the  goods  sent  to  this  Goinmission  actually  did 
as  much  good  as  was  represented;  and  they  had 
taken  great  pains  to  give  the  necessary  explana- 
tions. One  of  them  told'me  that  while  he  was 
at  home  a  president  of  a  Soldier's  Aid  Society 
came  to  him  and  said  that  their  society  had  a 
package  and  a  large  box  to  send  to  the  soldiers, 
and  wanted  to  know  what  his  opinion  was  as  to 
the  best  place  to  send  it  She  said,  '  some  of 
our  members  say  they  wiU  leave  the  society  if 
the  goods  are  sent  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.' 

"  This  surgeon  labored  nearly  all  day  to  set 
theni  right  He  believed  that  the  goods  were 
sent  to  the  Commission,  and  that  the  society  still 
continues  in  its  work  of  benevolenee  through 
the  same  channel." 


OHIO  AISTD  THE  SANITAKT  COMMISSION. 
Mr.  Keck,  from  the  Committee  on  Mili- 
tary Affairs,  reported  the  following  as  a 
substitute  for  Mr.  Beber's  resolution  of 
thanks  to  the  ladies  of  Ohio  for  their  patri- 
otic services  : 

"  Besdved  ly  ihe  Oeneral  Assembly  cf  the  Stale 
cf  Ohio.  That  we  recognize  with  great  satisfac- 
tion and  pride  the  unfaltering  interest  taken  by 
the  people  of  the  State  in  the  noble  work  of 
contributing  to  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers  of  our  army,  and  acknowledge  with 
gratitude  the  munificent  benevolence  of  those 
who  have  thus  remembered  the  brave  men  who 
have  consecrated  themselves  to  the  work  of  de- 
fending our  imperilled  countiy. 

"We  also  gratefully  recognize  and  commend 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission  and  its 
branches,  through  whose  wide,  efficient,  and 
economical  agency  so  large  a  proportion  cf  the 
contributions  of  the  State  have  been  distrib- 
uted to  our  soldiers;  and  afio  the  Ladies'  Sol- 
diers' Aid  Sopieties,  and  similar  organizations, 
•which  have  so  generously  co-operated  in  this 
great  work." 

Bill  passed. 


A  TRIP  TO  CHATTANOOGA. 

How  I  happened  to  go  to  Chattanooga 
was  in  this  wise:  One  day  there  came  into 
camp  the  Bev.  Thomas  B.  Fox,  whom  Gov- 
ernor Andrew  had  sent  as  a  f  pecial  agent  to 
see  Massachusetts  regiments  and  Massachu- 
setts soldiers  in  hospital,  in  this  diviaion. 

The  agenfkindly  asked  me  to  accompany 


Jiim  to  Chattanooga,  and  addressed  a  re- 
quest to  that  effect  to  our  corps  commander, 
which  was  agreed  to. 

■  Mr.  Fox  and  myself  tried  to  go  on  Tues- 
day, Deo .  29,  •'but  the  train  did  not  stop ;  but 
we  succeeded  on  Wednesday.  The  train 
stops  at  Decherd  for  dinner.  If  anybody 
invites  you  to  do  so,  don't  you  do  it.  Be 
warned  in  time.  On  the  train,  the  civilian 
conductor  examines  your  transportation 
paper,  and  the  military  one  your  military 
pass.  The  civil  was  not  militai-y,  but  the 
military  man  was  civiL  Nevertheless,  he 
insisted  on  keeping  my  pass,  because  he 
argued  that  it  was  not  good>as  far  as  Ste- 
venson, on  the  ground  that  it  covered  ten 
miles  beyond!  I  afterwards  recovered  it, 
however,  by  arguments  effective  and  honest 
but  potent.  Mr.  Fox  had  no  trouble,  for 
he  was  loaded  with  all  manner  of  authority 
from  Gen.  Grant  and  a  crowd  of  others. 

It  was  after  dark  when  Stevenson  was 
reached,  and  it  was  raining.  No  passenger 
car  runs  further,  and  one  hunts  around 
until  he  guesses  which  baggage  car  (not  of 
the  train  just  arrived)  is  likely  to  go.  We 
luckily  discovered,  at  the  last  moment,  the 
right  car.  Ten  miles  on  is  Bridgeport — a 
town  without  a  house  in  it.  Darkness,  rain, 
and  mud  were  uncomfortable  to  total 
strangers.  But  we  found  the  Sanitaet 
Commission,  God  bless  it!  It  was  in  tents. 
But  what  a  change!  Out  oi  the  cold  and 
driving  storm,  into  warm  quarters,  with  a 
cup  of  excellent  tea  speedily  made  for  the 
writer's  racking  headache — excellent  blank- 
ets to  sleep  in,  on  a  hay-stuffed  bed,  and 
with  good  Dr.  Coates  as  the  presiding 
genius.  And  other  travelers,  and  suffering 
soldiers — aU  taken  care  of — fed,  clothed, 
wounds  dressed,  bed  furnished  at  the 
Home.  I  tell  you  people  at  the  North, 
pile  up  your  supplies,  give  your  money, 
strengthen  the  Commission  every  way. 
That  Commission  saves  life. 

From  Bridgeport  to  Chattanooga  as  yet, 
we  go  by  boat— the  boat  was  not  "in  "  the 
next  morning,  but  it  came  late  in  the  after- 
noon. It  would  leave  in  three  hours. 
Transportation  papers  must  be  had;  and  at 
the  ofBce,  far  away  from  the  boat,  they  said 
it  would  leave  in  Jive  hours.  We  go,  with 
others,  to  the  boat;  now  it  will  leave  in  the 
night  some  time.  The  Sanitary  has  a  Home 
there,  (not  the  headquarters,) 'and  we  go  in 
to  wait.  Before  midnight  we  find  the  boat 
will  go  in  the  morning.  In  the  various 
tents  of  the  Commission  are  two  hundred 
and  fifty  sheltered.  The  night  becomes 
savagely  cold.  It  is  impossible  to  keep 
warm  or  sleep.  In-  our  tent  are  men  wo- 
men, and  children — white  refugees  '  from 
Southern  tyranny  included.  For  the  fun 
of  the  thing,  just  fancy  your  correspondent 
chopping  wood  at  half- past  two  A.  M.,  with 
the  thermometer  down  out  of  sight  of  freez- 
ing.    But  in  the  group  was  a  pretty  little 


The  SamMary  Oomrmssion  BiMetin. 


245 


girl  of  two  years,  witb:  parents  escaping 
with  only  life,  from  tkeir  burning  house, 
fired  by  Southern  brutality. 

In  the  morning,  the  boat  will  leave  at 
eleven.  So  We  walked  back  to  Sanitary 
headquarters.  It  was  a  bitterly  cold  day. 
There  is  a  crowd.  Here,  a  soldier  to  go 
North,  his  arm  is  dressed,  he  is  fed;  thinly 
clothed — a  warm  Woolen  sack  is  buttoned 
on  him,  and  the  armless  sleeve  pinned  over, 
and  he  goes  off  happy.  Another  is  on 
crutches,  his  wound  is  cared  for,  he  is  sup- 
plied as  the  other,  and  is  helped  to  the 
ears.  Here,  a  lone  woman,  all  the  way  from 
New  Jersey,  to  find  her  sick-  husband — 
mild,  patient,  grateful,  careless  of  fatigue, 
with  miles  yet  to  go,  and  she  is  sheltered, 
fed,  and  directed;  a  good  woman,  she  says 
she  has  "found  only  Christian  people  aU 
the  way. "  A  mother,  who  has  come  to  see 
her  wounded  son,  an  officer ;  alas!  his  corpse 
has  passed  her  on  the  road,  and  she  is  to 
return.  And.  so  with  the  multitude.  But 
perhaps  as  near  to  the  heart  as  anybody — 
a  little  girl  of  five  years,,  who,  with  othits, 
had  sat  in  baggage  cars  all  the  cold  night, 
(in  which  time  three  soldiers  had  perished 
of  cold,)  the  managers  had  carelessly  un- 
fastened that  oar,  and  left  it.  The  little 
girl,  half  frozen  and  crying,  had  come  up 
with  the  others  to  the  Sanitary.  And  now, 
warmed  and  fed,  the  ohUd  was  happy,  and 
I  showed  her  the  picture  of  another  little 
gh.-l,  and  we  were  friends,  and  when  she  left 
they  wrapped  warm  things  around  her,  and 
puUed  socks  over  her  shoeSj  and  a  strong 
helper  carried  her  in  his  arms  to  the  train. 
The  Sanitary  cared  for  the  little  girl;  it 
was  somebody's  child;  mine  of  the  same 
age  might  have  been  there,  and  so  for  the 
love  of  a  blue-eyed  girl  at  home,  I  owe  just 
as  much  debt  as  anybody,  and  say  again, 
God  bless  the  Sanitary! 

On  the  boat.  It  is  to  leave  at  twelve. 
To  leave  at  two.  To  leave  at  five.  It  did 
leave  at  seven.  It  was  the  Paint-Eook,  a 
fiinny  old  two-=story  barn  with  a  wheezy 
tea-kettle  arrangement  for  running  it.  The 
weather  was  horribly  cold.  The  "cabin" 
was  a  canvas  box  on  the  top  of  the  afore- 
said barn.  A  few  inches  of  it  was  warmed 
'by  an  ancient  cooking-stove,  one  door  of 
'  which  had  departed.  It  is  sixty-two  miles 
to  Chattanooga  by  river,  it  is  twenty-eight 
by  rail. 

On  the  boat  were  some  delegates  of  the 
Christian  Commission.  They  had  some 
private  stores  of  food;  but  they,  in  the 
dearth,  shared  with  all.  They  made  tea — 
they  furnished  bread.  They  did  all  the 
good  possible.  The-  passengers  became 
their  warm  friends,  from  the  conduct  of 
these  delegates,  which  was  truly  Christian. 
I  was  glad  to  meet  Bev.  Calvin  Hohnan,  of 
New  Hampshire — an  experienced,  judi- 
cious, and  able  minister,  and  it  was  pleasant 
to  pass  much  of  the  night  together  in  dbm- 


mon  topics.  The  Commission  opened  its 
doors  here  to  shelter  to  its  utmost  capacity; 
and  there  the  soldier's  wife  found  friends 
to  help  her  to  her  husband, 

PuUed  up  the  rapids  by  ropes,  or  worked 
up  by  steam  far  higher  than  the  Govern- 
ment allowance  of  pressure;  sighting  bold 
Lookout,  the  scene  of  gaiUant  combat, 
around  its  base — and  so,  about  9  P.  M.,  we 
reached  Chattanooga.  Hospitable  doors 
are  open,  and  friends  are  found. 

Now  all  this  has  a  purpose.  It  took  four 
days  to  get  this  short  distance.  •  Just  con- 
sider that  this  is  the  main  way  of  getting 
supplies  here,  and  be  patient. — Chaplain 
Quint,  in  the  Gongregationalist. 


A  BELIEF  AGENT  AND  HIS  MULES 
"BEINGnSTG  UP  THE  KEAK" 

One  Sunday  morning  jji  October,  the  assist- 
ant superintendent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
Field  UeUef  Corps,  accompanied  by  the  Relief 
Agent  of  the  6th  Army  Corps,  was  pushing 
a  wagon  load  of  sanitary  supplies  from  At- 
erandria  to  the  front.  His  thoughts,  bent 
on  the  pleasant  business  of  carrying  relief 
to  the  suffering,  were  all  unmindful  of  dan- 
gers from  guerrillas,  or  any  such  hostile  folk. 
Suddenly  a  company  of  cavalry,  drawn  up 
in  hne  of  battle,  met  his  eye  when  about 
five  miles  this  side  of  Fairfax.  Inquiring  the 
reason,  he  ■v?as  ordered  to  return,  and  was  in- 
formed that  a  party  of  guerrillas  had  attacked 
the  cavalry  and  killed  the  captain  and  one 
private.  Obeying  the  order,  he  countermarch- 
ed his  mules  and  headed  for  Alexandria.  Soon 
the  cry  of  "  they  come"  reached  his  ear.  Vigor- 
ous were  the  blows  which  the  fleet-footed  mules 
received,  as  they  practiced  the  double-quiek 
towards  the  fortifications;  but  soon  It  was  evi- 
dent that  the  mules,  could  not,  with  all  their 
speed,  keep  up  with  their  more  noble  brethren, 
the  horses.  Then  there  was  a  John  Gilpin  race; 
the  cavalry  lead  the  advance,  the  assistant  super- 
intendent kept  the  mules  '■  well  up"  to  proper 
speed,  and  "ye  gaUiani  relief  agent"  guarded  the 
rear.  Thus  they  reached  Atexandria,  and  When 
next  they  run  may  we  be  there  to  tell  the  tale. 


WHAT  CAN  WOMAN  DO  ? 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Union  League,,  of 
the  women  of  Chester  County,  held  on 
Thursday,  the  23d  of  July,  a  member 
of  the  League,  after  making  the  following 
preliminary  remarks,  read,  to  the  great 
satisfaction  and  pleasure  of  all  present,  the 
appeal  to  the  women  of  Amerioa,  which  we 
give  below.' 

My  Fbibnds  :— I  had  intended  this  after- 
noon to  try  and  answer  the  question  now 
so  frequently  asked — What  can  woman  do 
in  these  sad  and  trying  times  ? — ^what  can 
woman  do  to  help  to  save  the  Nation? 
The  mere  fact  of  this  question  being  asked 
is,  I  think,  a  most  encouraging  sign.    It 


246 


The  Sanitary  Gomimismm  BvUetin. 


shows  that  we  are  becoming  awake  to  the 
great  interests  and  duties  of  the  hour. 

The  war  in  which  we  are  engaged  is,  as 
yon  all  know,  not  a  war  of  arms  only;  it  is 
a  war  of  opinion  also. 

The  force  of  arms  may  fail;  "  the  battle 
IB  riot  always  to  the  strong,"  but  the  power 
of  right  cannot  faU.  TMs  power  is  ours. 
The  power  of  principle,  of  virtue,  of  love, 
of  religion.  Who  can  measure  its  force  ? 
To  increase  this  moral  power  is  every  wo- 
man's duty.  Liet  us  then  unite  to  use  it. 
Let  it  not  lie  dormant  in  onr  hearts.  In 
this  time  of  our  country's  need,  let  us  not 
be  found  wantiDg.  -  Cast  aside  all  preju- 
dices and  selfish  indulgences,  andspeak  bold- 
ly, fearlessly  out,  Gtod's  holy  truths.  Be 
not  deaf  to  the  silent  pleadings  of  the  down- 
trodden and  oppressed.  "  Do  unto  others 
as  ye  would  that  they  should  do  unto  you. " 
Buckle  on  the  armor  of  truth,  and  with  all 
the  strength  that  is  in  you,  fight  with  the 
weapons  of  all-conquering  love  the  great 
fight. 

The  material  support  which  you  have 
given  the  cause  has  been  beautifnl  to  be- 
hold. 

We  ask  of  you  stOl  more. 

We  ask  for  all  the  moral  support  and  en- 
couragement which  every  true,  loyal,  earn- 
est woman  has  it  in  her  power  to  give. 

For  God's  sake,  for  the  sake  of  humaniiy, 
for  the  sake  of  your  country,  arouse  to  the 
call,  and  prove  yourselves  worthy  of  the 
name  of  women,  and  of  Christians. 

What  c ah  Woman  do  ? — ^Much,  every  way. 
Each  woman  has  her  appointed  work  in 
these  days,  and  God  helping  her,  can  no- 
bly fulfill  it.  For  these  are  strong,  earnest 
days,  and  woe  to  the  woman  or  man  who 
stands  idly  gazing  by  the  highway,  while 
the  chariot  wheels  of  destiny  roll  on  to  their 
grand  fulfillment. 

The  roar,  and  rush,  and  smoke  of  battle 
is  around  us;  our  first  morning  thoughts 
are  high  hopes  this  day  right  may  have 
might;  our  latest  waking  prayers  are  for 
those  known  and  unknown,  whose  weary 
heads  are  pillowed  only  on  mother  earth's 
cold  breast,  whose  unquiet  slumbers  Heav- 
en's canopies  and  the  stars  watch.  But  you 
and  I  sit  still  at  home,  oh  !  women  and  girls 
of  America,  under  the  same  home  roofs,  be- 
side the  same  sheltered  hearthstones  as  be- 
fore this  "  cruel  war"  began.  To  [pull  lint 
and  make  pillow  cases  is  not  the  noblest 
work  for  us;  noble,  I  grant  you,  and  neces- 
sary, but  not  the  only  work.  Neither  are 
prayers  all  the  soldiers  ask  for.  We  must, 
we  do  pray  for  them  in  an  exceeding  agony 
of  supplication,  asking  the  all-present  God 
to  care  for  those  gone  so  far  from  our  care, 
to  shield  those  so  fearfully  exposed,  to  save 
our  best  and  dearest. 

And  from  our  knees  we  must  rise  with 
new  strength,  and  though  through  tears  our 
eyes  may  be  dim,  and  the  lips  that  snule 


may  be  cold  and  white,  we  must  look  and 
speak  noble  words  of  encouragement,  say- 
ing— Go,  though  shells  fall  and  cannons 
roar.  Go  for  God  and  the  right.  He  wiU 
shelter  and  save  though  the  salvation  may 
be  in  another  world  than  this,  though  the 
shelter  may  be  a  nameless,  grave,  beside  an 
unkmown  tree.  We  must  let  them  go — our 
fathers,  husbands,  brothers,  lovers,  sons 
Does  it  seem  too  hard  ?  Are  we  only  weak 
and  loving,  and  so  leave  heavier  burdens  to 
be  borne  by  our  brave  defenders  ?  Our 
weakness  needs  their  strength;  strengthen 
we  then  their  hands  by  our  words,  and 
acts,  and  prayers. 

Make  a  true  man  to  feel  that  he  is  most 
worthy  a  true  woman's  regard  when  he 
most  unselfishly  forgets  all  but  the  great 
cause  of  this  day  and  hour. 

It  is  one  man's  duty  to  stay  at  home  as 
clearly  as  it  is  another's  to  go  forth.  Both 
can  do  duty  and  march  onward,  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer.  Fighting  with  moral 
as  well  as  material  weapons  for  Grod's  great 
cause — Freedom  !  Does  this  word  mean 
freedom  for  you  and  for  me,  and  not  for 
women  with  darker  skins,  but  as  tender 
hearts  ?  Oh  !  women,  with  mothers  and 
sisters,  and  children,  let  us  not  see  dimly, 
and  so  lose  our  slain  in  this  noble  strife. 

Behold  the  auroral  lights  of  victory 
breaking  over  the  eastern  hilL  Hearken, 
from  the  far  Judean  plains  comes  the  voice 
of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake. 
Through  and  over  the  strife  and  weariness 
of  long  centuries,  comes  to  me  with  its 
just  force  and  strength,  the  ever  new  and 
aU-comforting  utterance-' '  I  come  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captive,  to  set  at  Uberly 
them  that  are  bruised. " 

Shall  you  and  I  fail  to  do  our  part  in  this 
holy  work  ?  We  will  not.  Sacred  to  us 
shall  be  our  country.  Sacred  each  soldier 
fighting  for  her.  Sacred  the  truths  for 
which  they  fight.  No  word,  treasonable  or 
traitorous,  shall  be  breaftied  in  our  ears,  or 
uttered  under  onr  roof.  Let  no  sneers  at 
men  or  measures  make  us  forget  wht  this 
strife  rages.  Destroy  a  seditious  pamphlet. 
Bum  a  rebellions  paper.  Scorch  with  fire 
of  eye  and  glance  all  mtdcontents,  who 
cannot  look  beyond  the  narrow,  paltry 
range  of  party  and  of  self.  Have  no  fel- 
lowship with  those  who  are  content  to  sit 
stiU  and  question  the  ultimate  success  of 
our  arms.  These  are  exceptional  days,  ex- 
ceptional vices  seem  to  rage.  Let  each  wo- 
man show  her  love  of  loyalty,  her  devotion 
to  country,  her  readiness  to  do  and  give  aU 
for  the  cause. 

Are  honor  and  honesty,  purity  and  pa- 
triotism all  to  die  ?  and  we  only  of  all  na- 
tions lift  no  promise  to  the  future  ?  "To 
be  judged  by  the  event  is  the  inexorable 
law  of  history. " 

We  are  living  and  producing  events  each 
day.    Shall  not  each  day  see  us  with  words 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BuUetim. 


247 


of  mingled  pathos  and  strength,  holding 
up  to  view  the  noble  end  for  which  the  fight 
is  fought.  Truefreedojp, — real  liberty.  For 
these  let  us  live — ^for  these  be -willing  to  die. 

Then  shall  treason  and  traitors  cease,  and 
menlearn  to  remember  the  meaning  of  their 
prayers,  when  they  ask— "Prom  all  sedi- 
tion, privy  conspiracy,  and  rebellion,  good 
Lord,  deliver  us. "  Too  many  hearts  never 
utter  this  petition;  too  many  throb  coldly 
for  their  country,  beleagured,  sore  beset; 
too  many  are  more  ready  to  cavil  and  carp, 
than  to  do  and  die.  Put  before  all  such, 
before  all  you  can  influence,  the  great  ends, 
God's  designs,  to  work  out  by  this  purify- 
ing trial. 

Our  iniquities,  as  a  nation,  have  been 
heaped  up  abominations;  see  to  it  that  we 
receive  not  amiss  the  scourge  our  sins  de- 
serve. Dismayed,  ashamed,  afraid,  I  lis- 
ten to  too  many  who  cry  "peace,  on  good 
terms  it  maybe,  but  in  any  case  peace." 
I  hear  of  faUing  stocks  and  oonscripiion,  and 
habeas  corpus,  till  I  wonder  at  the  Divine 
patience.  It  is  as  if  people  gazed  at  the 
glimmer  of  a  night  lamp,  and  clamored  of 
darkness,  while  all  about  the  glad,  great 
sunshine  lay  without.  I  hear  women,  other- 
wise good  and  earnest,  say,  "  Perish  all 
things,  but  my  heart's  treasures  cannot  go." 
Do  we  need,  you  and  I,  born  to  the  fair 
heritage  of  titiis  fairest  land,  be  told  the 
grand  utterance  of  old,  which  even  heathens 
acted  on,  "  Blessed  and  glorious  is  it  to 
die  for  one's  country. "  Our  country  needs 
us— let  us  not  fail  it.  From  farm  house  and 
school  room,  from  city  home  and  village 
streets,  let  us  rise  mightily.  We  do  not 
know  our  influence.  Had  Eve  not  been 
dearer  than  God,  would  Adam  have  broken 
the  primal  law  ?  Use  nobly  the  God-given 
power.  Give  moral  aid,  and  material  help 
and  prayers,  and  cries  to  Heaven,  and  soon 
our  banners  shall  wave  in  victorious  breezes. 
Send  forth,  if  need  be,  each  woman  of  us 
all  our  best  and  dearest,  though^our  heart's 
blood  go  with  them.  They  may  come  back 
to  us  triumphant,  jubilant,  laurel-crowned. 
Or  from  fever  ward,  and  weary  hospital  bed, 
they,  returning,  totter  into  our  outstretched 
arms.  Or  never  more  may  they  come  again. 
Hope  may  fail,  expectation  die,  and  sus- 
pense end.-  The  familiar  foot- fall,  the  warm 
hand-clasp,  the  loving  eyes,  the  gentle 
speech  are  gone.  And  to  us  left  behind  no 
flower  is  ever ,  fragrant  again,  no  sunset 
ever  glorious,  no  moonlight  soft.    But 

"  Death's  consummation  crowns  completed  life." 

The  sun  shines,  and  the  rain  falls  on  the 
nameless  grave.  God's  help  is  for  aU  our 
deeds.  The  outstretched  arms  from  the 
cross  embrace  us  aU.  Very  near  are  the 
surging  waves  of  the  dark  river.  On  the 
other  side  is  only  light.  I  hear  the  divine 
melody  of  the  voice  that  calls — "Come un- 
to me  all  ye  that  are  weary,  and  I  wil|  give 


you  rest."  Best.  Only  to  be  won  after 
strife  for  God's  great  purposes.  Put  a  liv- 
ing action  into  this  miUion-fold  movement, 
this  tossing  sea  of  starry  flags.  "  The  day 
is  darkest  before  the  dawn."  That  morn- 
ing dawns  when  wars  and  battles  over,  the 
perfect  Light  of  Peace  shaU  flood  the  world 
immortal. 

"  We  women  wait,  and  watch,  and  pray, 
With  thrilling  pulse  from  day  to  day, 
Then  fold  our  useless  bands  and  say ; 
One  way  is  left — to  aid,  to  speak 
The  word  that  flushes  all  the  cheek. 

Our  God  is  here;  his  finger  shines 
Along  our  land  in  fiery  lines ; 
Arise !  obey  the  stem  command, 
Come  forth  I  'tis  Freedom  bids  you  stand. 
Go,  strike  for  God  and  Fatherland." 

When  this  League  was  organized  in 
AprU,  1863,  a  paper  was  read  by  Mrs.  Heis- 
ter  explanatory  of  its  objects,  the  foremost 
amongst  which  was,  of  course,  the  use  of 
such  influence  as  women  possess  for  the 
diffusion  and  encouragement  amongst  aU 
clashes  of  the  community  of  a  sound  and 
healthy  feeling  of  attachment  to  the  Gov- 
ernment and  the  laws.     And  she  added: 

"  And  lastly,  we  propose  to  give  our  un- 
ceasing efforts  for  the  support,  encourage- 
ment, and  comfort  of  our  soldiers  in  the 
field  and  in  the  hospital.  As  the  President 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  said  in  one  of 
his  addresses,  '  So  long  as  the  men  fight, 
the  women  miust  knit  and  sew. ' 

"Your  sympathy  has  ever  been,  and  stUl 
is  I  am  sure,  with  our  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers;  for  who  are  these  soldiers  but  our 
nearest  and  dearest  kindred  and  friends  ? 
The  tokens  of  affection  which  we  send  to 
them  not  only  evince  our  sympathy  in  their 
sufferings  and  privatipns,  but  give  to  them 
great  moral  support  and  encouragements, 
and  their  claims  to  our  continued  efforts  in 
their  behalf  wiU  not,  cannot,  must  not 
cease,  until  this  fearful  rebellion  be  crush- 
ed, and  peace  j>roclaimed. 


RELIEP  "WOEK  UNDER  A  FLAG  OP 
TRUCE. 

Mr.  John  Stevens,  Jr.,  one  of  our  Relief 
Agents  in  the  Southwest,  writes  fi:om  New 
Iberia : 

I  have  given  out  the  larger  portion  of  my 
stock,  and  am  now  packed  up  ready  to  leave 
for  Franklin  to-morrow,  if  possible.  I  have  de- 
termined to  make  this  move  after  consultation 
with  those  who  know  best  here.  There  will  be 
no  need  of  me  for  a  few  days  at  least,  and  I  can 
easily  return  if  necessary.  Nearly  all  the  sick 
have  already  been  sent  from  the  general  hospi- 
tal. When  the  vegetables  and  pickles  arrive  I 
wish  you  would  advise  me,  for  they  are  needed 
here,  although  there'  is  plenty  of  fresh  meat. 

On  Christmas,  at  the  invitation  of  Dr.  Sanger 


248 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bi^tin. 


and  CoL  Molynenz,  I  went  ont  with  a  flag  of 
truce  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  taking  sup- 
plies for  the  sick.  An  ambulance  for  cheete, 
and  a  horse  was  placed  at  my  disposaL  There 
was  quite  a  large  party  of  officers,  making  it 
very  agreeable.  We  took  out  some  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  rebels,  and  received  seven  hun- 
dred of  OUT  own  men.  They  were  a  most  for- 
lorn-looking set  of  men.  Covered  with  rags  and 
dirt,  many  of  them  foot-sore  and  worn  out  by 
the  long  march,  hardly  one  with  a  whole  pair 
of  shoes,  they  had  not  even  their  nakedness 
covered.  I  l^d  punch,  coffee,  and  beef  stock 
made  for  the  si^,  who  took  it  greedily  and 
seemed  refreshed.  The  rebel  officers  thought 
the  Sanitary  Commission  was  "  quite  an  instita- 
tionf  said  they  had  heard  of  it  before. 

NOTES  ON  NDBSING. 

NOISE. 

Every  thing  you  do  in  a  patient's  room,  after 
he  is  "  put  up"  for  the  night,  increases  tenfold 
the  risk  of  his  having  a  bad  night.  But,  if  you 
rouse  him  up  after  he  has  fallen  asleep,  yon  do 
not  risk,  you  secure  him  a  bad  night. 

One  hint  I  would  give  to  all  who  attend  or 
visit  the  sick,  to  all  who  have  to  pronounce  an 
opinion  on  sickness  or  its  progress.  Come 
back  and  look  at  your  patient  after  he  has  had 
an  hour's  animated  conversation  with  you.  It 
is  the  best  test  of  his  real  state  we  know.  But 
never  pronounce  upon  him  firom  merely  seeing 
what  he  does,  or  how  he  looks,  during  such  a 
conversation.  Learn  also  carefully  and  exactly, 
if  you  can,  how  he  passed  the  night  after  it 

People  rarely,  if  ever,  fiiint  while  mtiking  an 
exertion.  It  is  after  it  is  over.  Indeed,  almost 
every  effect  of  over-exertion  appears  after,  not 
during  such  exertion.  It  is  the  highest  folly  to 
judge  of  the  sick,  as  is  so  often  done,  when  you 
see  them  merely  during  a  period  of  excitement. 
People  have  very  often  died  of  that  which,  it 
has  been  proclaimed  at  the  time,  has  '■  done 
them  no  harm." 

As  an  old  experienced  nurse,  I  do  most  earn- 
estly deprecate  aU  such  careless  words.  I  have 
known  patients  delirious  all  night,  after  seeing 
a  visitor  who  called  them  "better,"  thought 
they  "only  wanted  a  little  amusement,"  and 
who  came  again,  saying,  "  I  hope  yon  were  not 
the  worse  for  iny  visit,"  neither  waiting  for  an 
answer  nor  even  looking  at  thg  cose.  No  real 
patient  wUI  ever  say,  "Yes,  but  I  was  a  great 
deal  the  worse." 

It  is  not,  however,  either  death  or  delirium 
of  which,  in  these  cases,  there  is  most  danger 
to  the  patient.  Unperceived  consequences  are 
far  more  likely  to  ensue.  Tou  will  have  impu- 
^nity— the  poor  patient  will  not.  That  is,  the 
patient  wiU  suffer,  although  neither  he  nor  the 
inflicter  of  the  injury  wiU  attribute  it  to  its  real 
cause.  It  will  not  be  directly  traceable,  except 
by  a  careful  observant  nurse.  The  patient  will 
often  not  even  mention  what  has  done  him 
most  harm. 

Bemember  never  to  lean  against,  sit  upon,  or 
unnecessarily  shake,  or  even  touch  the  bed  in 
which  a  patient  lies.  This  is  invariably  a  paiu- 
f  al  annoyance.  If  you  shake  the  chair  on  which 
he  sits,  he  has  a  point  by  which  to  steady  him- 
self, in  his  feet.  But  on  a  bed  or  sofa,  he  is 
entirely  at  your  mercy,  and  he  feels  every  jar 
you  give  him  all  through  him. 


Tn  all  that  we  have  said,  both  here  and  else^ 
where,  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that  we 
are  not  speaking  of  hypochondriacs.  To  dis- 
tinguish between  real  £tod  fancied  disease  forms 
an  important  branch  of  the  education  of  a  nurse. 
To  manage  fancy  patients  forms  an  important 
branch  of  her  duties.  But  the  nursing  which 
real  and  that  which  &ncied  patients  require  is 
of  different,  or  rather  of  opposite,  character. 
And  the  latter  will  not  be  spoken  of  here.  In- 
deed, many  of  the  symptoms  which  are  hera 
mentioned  are  those  which  distinguish  real 
from  fancied  disease. 

It  is  true  that  hypochondriacs  very  often  da 
that  behind  a  nurse's  back  which  they  would 
not  do  before  her  face.  Many  such  I  have  had 
as  patients  who  scarcely  ate  any  thing  at  their 
regular  meals;  but  if  you  concealed  food  for 
them  in  a  drawer,  they  would  take  it  at  night 
or  in  secret.  But  this  is  from  quite  a  different 
motive.  They  do  it  from  the  wish  to  conceaL 
"Whereas  the  real  patient  will  often  boast  to  his 
nurse  or  doctor,  if  these  do  not  shake  their 
heads  at  him,  of  how  much  he  has  done,  or 
eaten,  or  walked. — Miss  JVightingale. 

PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  TOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CH&MBESS  STREET, 


IMJziVi/    -S-OItK. 


President. 
Ltedt.-Gen.  WrNTTELD  SCOTT. 
Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIBAL  DUPONT. 
BUDOLPH  A.  WITTHATJS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoHS.  E.  D.  MOBGAN,  GEORGE  OPDYKE, 
HIBAM  BABNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Bev. 
H.  W.  BEIiOWS,  D.n.  Messbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOB,  JAMES  BKOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GAMiAim  HOWARD  POTTEB,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb^  THEODOBE  EOOSEVELT,  PETEB 
OOOPEE,  GEOEGE  BANCBOFT,  DANIeL  LOBD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  BOBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFEEI) 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENEY  GEEEKPIELD,  Sec'y, 
35  Chaubbbs  Stkeet,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  andtheir 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from,  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  irtfor- 
maiion  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  thfiir  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


The  Samta/ry  Commission  BiMeim. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  eonstitate'd  by  the  Seoretaiy  of  War  in 
Jnae,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Snr^eon-Greneral  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
'   A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  Ik  Olmsted,  CaHfomiiBte 
George  T.  StroSig,  Esq.,  New  ta&. 
Elftha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  Tork. 

W.  H.  Van  Bnreh,  M.D.,  New  ToiJk. 

G.  W.  OoUbm,  U.  S.  A. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  0.  Wood,  Assistant  Snrg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  Tork. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
0.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  K.  I. 
Hon.  B.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HL 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washin^n,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  FhUadelpMa,  Penn. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  LonisviUe,  Ky. 
J.  Hnntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Viot  Fairman  Bogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

c.  J.  mm.i,  ■   " 

OFFICEBS:         • 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  J).  Bache,  IAjS)^  Yice-President, 

George  'S,  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  JenMns,  M.D.,  Greneral  Secretary. 

3.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F,  N.  Enopp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDINa  COMMITTEE. 

HemT-  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Greorge  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  YanBuren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanltar^r  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  Bupplyjug  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iix  aU  tile  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
«0£&ce  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "  Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  FhUa- 
delphia." 

'  For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  HlSBOurf,  Iowa,  EentucKy,  Teonessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitaiy  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  coU^any,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired'  for  should  6e  glveln,  anct  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
It  wUl  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  tele|raiph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  mquirer's 
expense. 

flS"  Soldiers'*  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  cau  Scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectOaUy  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
in  the  army.  ^ 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Gommi^iOn,  niider  special  aaiboF- 
iiy  of  the  President  of  the  tJnitfed  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Oharleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  disoibutions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  ia  a  list  of  depote,  to  which  ausiliarj' 
societies  and-  all  disposed  to  aid  the  Sick  ana 
woonde^  without  reference  to  Stat'^a  or  lOcaBtie^ 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist 
ance,  are  mvited  to  send  their  o&riugs: 

Sanitary  Oonlmiteibn,  Branch  Depot,  No.-22  Bonf- 
mer  Street,  Boston,  SCass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commissionj  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  PhilaJdelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Hd. 

Sanitary  Commission,  i^ianch  Depot,  comer  Yine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0'. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chica^Oj  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn.  . 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street^  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbns, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
IionisviUe,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  whair 
ever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubnc  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  WasU-i 
ington,  D.  C. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets^ 

Lodge  No.  6,  Mfoyland  Avenue,  near  BailroadStatidnj 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  IH— C.  N.  SUpman,  Sagft  aid 
Belief  AgentI 

Sqldiers'  Home,  LcfalB7tUe,.Eyi^Jian^B  Malona,  Snp'f< 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent.  , 

Soldiers'  Home,  NashvilleyTenn,— L.  Crane,  Shp't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss. — T.  Way,  Snp't. 

AGEHOY  FOB  fEHSXOHS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  (i 

HOSFITAIi    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— SoL  Andrews, 
M.  J>.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  Loulrrille  and  Murfreesboro'— Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAHITABY  STEAUEB. 

CnmberUua  Blver— Ksw  Dnnleith. 


250 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMdHn. 


'^mu  and  ^m  f  ttjsntana. 
METROPOLITAN 

INSIBAiCE  COMPANY, 

108  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


CASH  CAPITAL, 
ASSETS,       -      .- 


$300,000.00. 
$542,541.85. 


This  Company  insures,  at  customary  rates  of  premium,  against  all 
MARINE  and  INLAND  NAVIGATION  RISKS  on  CARGO  or 
FREIGHT;  also,  against  loss  or  damage  by  FIRE. 

The  Assured  receive  75  per  cent,  of  the  net  profits,  \5ithout  incur- 
ling  any  liability,  or  in  lieu  thereof,  at  their  option,  a  liberal  discount 
upon  the  premium. 

Scrip  Dividend  declared  January  12,  1864, 
THIRTY-FIV^E  r»ER  CENT. 


DIRECTORS. 


JAMES  LORIMER  GRAHAM, 
JOSEPH  B.  VARNUM, 
FREDERICK  H.  WOLCOTT, 
WILLIAM  K.  STRONG, 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM, 
JOHN  C.  HENDERSON, 
DANIEL  PARISH, 
HENRY  V.  BUTLER, 
DUDLEY  B.  FULLER, 
.GILBERT  L.  BEECKMAN, 
JOSEPH  B.  VARNUM,  Jr., 
WATSON  E.  CASE, 


CHARLES  P.  KIRKLAND, 
EDWARD  A.  STANSBURY, 
GUSTAVUS  A.  CONOVBR, 
MARTIN  BATES,  Jr., 
PASCHAL  W.  TURNEY, 
FRANKLIN  H.  DELANO, 
BOWES  R.  McILTAINE, 
LORRAIN  FREEMAN, 
EDWARD  MACOMBER, 
JA'S  LORIMER  GRAHAM,  Jr., 
SAMUEL  D.  BRADFORD,  Jr., 
GEO.  W.  HATCH. 


JAMES  LORIMER  G-RAHAM,  Pres't. 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM,  Vice  Prpg't. 
EDWARD  A.  STANSBURY,  2d  Vice  Pres't. 
JOHN  C.  GOODRIDGE,  Sec'y. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  251 

OFFICE    OF    THE 

CiCcIttmWM  (^Mim)  §mMMu 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -       -     Sl,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 «. . $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  16 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  ovei"  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies , .      441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Tear,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Ms  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  lite  Gorrency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  ail  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Riska 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWB,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERtCK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  IIILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHbf  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Je., 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  ,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  BZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jll.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  •      ,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  0.  MORRIS,  President. 

■WM.  M.  WHITNEY^  2<J  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


252 


The  SanUary  Commission  BiMelm. 


UNITED    STATES 

LIFE  INSUBANOE  COMPANY, 

JOSEPH   B.    COLLINS,   President. 

Assets  Exceed  One  MQlion  of  Dollars. 


PROFITS   DIVIDED   EVERY  THREE  YEARS. 


BO-AJRID    OF    IDIHECTORS. 


JOSEPH  a  COLLINS, 
JAMES  SDYDAH, 
JAMES  HARSH, 

l^sas  J.  adoo, 

ISAAC  A.  SIOBH. 
SOSa  A.  MTQUeER, 
JOStAHKCH. 
aSAS.  ir.  CONKOLET,. 

■raoiu^  c.  cobeuds, 

B.  r.  WHEELWRIGHT, 


WnSON  G.  HDNT, 
DAS  H.  ARNOLD, 
W.  B.  VEKMILYE, 
WILLIAM  TDCKEB, 
SHEPHERD  KKAPP, 
EDWARD  S.  CLARE, 
ISAAC  K  PHELPS, 
CHARLES  E    BILL, 
JOHN  J.  PHELPS. 
CLINTON  GILBERT, 


WILLUM  B.  BOLLES. 
HANSON  K.  CORNING,- 
JOHN  C.  BALDWIN, 
EDWARD  MINTORN, 
AUGDSTOS  H.  WARD, 
JAMES  GALLATIN. 
JERE.  P.  ROBINSON. 
CHARLES  P.  LETERICH, 
WILLIAM  M.  HALSTED,  JE., 
HENET  W.  FORD. 


JAMES  W.  G.  CLEMENTS,  !£  D.,  Medical  Examinee,  (residence  19  Amity  St.,)  at  the  office  of 
the  Company  daily  from  12  to  1^  P.  M. 

Vrr.TiTAM  DETMOLD,  M.  D.,  Consulting  Physician. 
J.  B.  GATES,  General  Agent,  and  JAMES  STEWART,  HENBY  PEKEY,  ALBERT  O.  WILCOX, 
A.  WHITNEY,  HIRAM  P.  CBOZEER,  GRENTILLE  E.  BENSON,  and  CHARLES  NOETH- 
SHIKTiT),  Local  Agents,  in  the  City  of  New  York  and  vicinity. 
N.  G.  DE  GROOT  Act'y-  JOHN  SADIE,  Sec'y. 

m 

FRED'C    S.    OOZZENS, 


Wlii  MEiiMiiT 


9 


•73  JWarren  Street^  JVevp  ITortc^ 

(Opposite  Hadson  River  R.  R.  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Washington,  D.;.C., 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 

OF  THE  FDBEST  QUALITT,  FOB 

MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOSES, 

Sach  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

yiaiTi©    STJITES    l4®iPlf^Li 

.And   by    tlie    SAI^ITARY     OOIMMISSION". 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  York  and  Washington  for 

Longworth's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


The  Sardtary  Gomimasimt  BiMetAn, 


253 


iiA's  mmzi 

RECEIVED 

TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FBOM  JUEIES  3  AOT)  4) 

AT  TEE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  Mnd.    It  also  received  Superlative  Keport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLJENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GBEAT  INTEBNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUBG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  sm  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  TOBK  STATE  AGBICULTUBAL  SOCIETT,  ait  Utica,  N.  T,, 
September,  1863,  received  both  DiPiiOMA  and  Mbdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  M-btiat,. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Amemoan  Instetdtb,  New  York 
City;  New  Jbbset  State  Faib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  h^  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  aU  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disiaterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer, 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  .Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  e^g, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  moat  economic^.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauiseB, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  TnilTr  mU  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Mfdzena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  moBt.delieions  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 


WJH.  ]>VRYEA,  General  Agrent. 


254 


The  Sanitary  Comndssion  Bulletin. 


N"  E  w    Y  o  E  k: 

COMMERCIAL    ADVERTISER, 

-A.   Daily    Evening    ^STe^vs^spaper, 
PubUshed  at  1^,  2^,  and  4  P.  M.,, 

IM  A  EcAm^M  FQ)E.I©  SHEET  = 

.The  COMMERCIAL  ADVERTISER,  throngh  its  reorganization  and  enlarged 
facilities,  commands  a  position  in  advance  of  existing  commercial  papers,  while  it  abates 
no  claim  to  rank  on  terms  of  equality  with  the  most  popular  literary  and  the  most  tmst- 
worthy  political  journals. 

The  Price,  Three  Cents  a  Copy, 

At  which  rate  it  is  sold  -everywhere,  or  delivered  in  the  city  by  Carriers. 
A  Liberal  Discount  to  Newsmen. 


Annual  Mail  Subscription  Nine  Dollars  a  Year,  Strictly  in  Advance. 

NEW  YORK   SPECTATOR, 

SEMI-WEEKLY, 

THREE  DOLLARS  per  annum,  in  advance,  with  reduced  Rates  to  Clubs. 
Address, 

COMMERCIAL   ADVERTISER   ASSOCIATION, 

Cor.  Fine  and  William  Streets,  New  Tork. 


4^V 


;^ 


% 


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Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

,  MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
JAI?f  ANKS,  GRBBNLEAF  &  CO.,  No.  172  Lake  Street,. Chicago. 
PAIRBAl^S  &  EWINO,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  above. 


The  SanUary  Commission  Bidletin.  255 

THE  NORTH  AMERICAN  REVIEW, 


PUBLISHED   BY 


CROSBY  &  NICHOLS, 

117  WasMngton  Street,  Boston, 


EDITED    BY 


Professor  JIMES  RUSSELL  LOWELL  and  CHARLES  ELIOT  NORTON,  Esq. 


CONTENTS  OF  JANUARY  NUMBER. 


Abt.     I.  Life  of  William  H.  Presoott 

n.  The  Bible  and  Slavery. 

HL  The  Ambulance  System. 

IV.  The  Bibliotheoa  Sacra. 

V.  Immorality  in  Politics. 


Aet.     YX  The  Early  Life  of  Gov.  Winthrop. 
Vii.  The  Sanitary  Commission. 
VUL  Eenan's  Life  of  Jesus. 
IX.  The  Presid«it's  Policy. 
X.  Critical  Notices. 


EXTRACTS    FROM    NOTICES. 

Prom  the  COngregationoHist. 
The  January  Number  comes  out  in  a  revised  and  improved  dress,  in  admirable  taste,  and  with 
an  increase  of  readableness  which  can  hardly  fail  to  enlarge  its  subscription  list  without  detracting 
from  its  dignity  and  influence.     It  was  excellent  before,  but  one  could  help  reading  it.     Wow  U 
will  compel  Uself  to  be  read. 

From  the  Boston  Becorder. 

A  periodical  which  has  become  one  of  the  strong  pillars  of  our  literary  glory. 

From  the  Oindnnali  Gazette. 
More  competent  editors  could  hardly  be  found.    It  fills,  and  fills  well,  an  independent  and  im- 
portant place,  and  wiU  gain  new  laurels  under  its  present  administration. 

From  the  JVew  Yorker. 
The  iforift  American  Remew  for  January  may  be  justly  pronounced  the  finest  specimen  of  a 
Quarterly  yet  published  in  this. country. 

From  Harper's  Weekly. 
There  is  no  Review,  domestic  or  foreign,  that  we  could  more  heartily  commend  to  universal 
favor. 

TERMS — ^Five  Dollars  a  Tear.  Single  Numbers  One  Dollar  and  Twenty-five  Qpnts. 
Each  number  contains  about  three  hundred  pages,  making  in  a  year  an  amomit  of  matter 
equal  to  four  ordinary  octavo  volumes. 


— •♦-^^^-»-»— 


PAPERS   FOR  THOUGHTFUL   GIRLS, 

WITH  ILLUSTRATIVE  SKETCHES  OP  SOME  GIRLS'  LIVES. 

By   SARAH   TYTLER, 

With  niustrationsby  J.  E.  MILLAIS. 

Beautifully  printed  on  tinted  paper  and  elegantly  bound. 

Price,  Plain,  $1.25.    Gilt  Top,  $1.50.    FuU  GUt,  $2.00. 

This  is  one  of  tl^  most  charming  books  for  the  young  ever  published,  written  with  great 
beauty  of  style,  and  is  of  a  much  higher  order  than  most  of  our  juvenile  literature.  It  is  confi- 
dently recommended  to  the  public  as  a  work  of  unusual  merit,  attractive,  and  most  happy  in  its 
inculcation  of  moral  truths. 

CROSBY  &  NICHOLS,  Publishers, 

117  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


256 


The  Sanitaai'y  Oommismm  BvUestin. 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS 

TO  SET  IN  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  Heatebs  known  for  wanning 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Schools,  Vessels, '&c. 

Send  or  call  .for  a  Fuui  Description,  and  an 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  our 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BBICK. 


POBTABI/E. 


SANFORD'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

GLOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
dl  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

Stoxea,  Hotels,  R.  Ri  Depots, 

Vessels,  &e* 

These  Heaters  are  used  by  the 
Hudson  Biver  and  other  Eail- 
EOADS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 
Engine  Houses,  dtc.  Beware  of 
imitations  that  are  inferior. 
Extensively  used  in  Hospitals 
and  Barracks. 

GET    SANFORD'S    MAJtUIOTII. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STOVE, 

Witb  Radiator,  Ventilator,   and 
Gas  Burning  JLttaclunent. 

The  Leading  Stove  for 

PARLORS, 

SITTING-EOOMS, 

And  all  places  where  a  Soft, 
PLEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  aU  winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly small  jBupply  of  coal. 


'I'HI<'. 


.    KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 
masonry,  or  out 
on  feet ;  have  the 
Largest  Ovens  of 
any  inmarket;  bake 
perfectly ;  never 
failing  to  brown  at 
the  bottom.  Boil, 
Boast  and  Broil  with  great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EooNOMT  of  Fueii.  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Private  Houses,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  Sc. 


SUMMEK  AND   WINTER 

PORTABLE   RANGE. 

A  very  popular  Bangs, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Lrons,  at  the  end. 


■  .a  perfect  apparatus  for  a  few  dollars, 
and  well  suited  for  families,  restaurants,  bar- 
racks, fyc. 


Also,  a  great  variety  of  COOKING  AND  HEATING  APPABATUS,  .suited  to  every 
want.  Also,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.  Get  description  of  above,  with  references, 
from 


SANrORD,  TEUSLOW  &  CO., 

as    and  a41  Water  St.,  New  York. 


THE 

SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  MARCH  1,  1864. 


No.  9. 


The  Sakitaby  Commission  BtjliiEtin  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  drculaHon,  grcUuitous 
or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unusually  valuable  medium, for  advertising. 

All  communications  m,vsi  be  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office  823  Broadway,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers.  , 

-AT.  B.—yAttention  is  requested  to  the  extract 
from  the  minutes  of  the  Standing  Gomm,iitee, 
inserted  on  page  280. 

THE  USE  OF  THE  SAiJITAIlT  COMMISSION. 

Cl.EVxa.Ain>,  February  3d,  1864. 
Coji.  Chas.  'Whutlebet  : 

Deab  SiE-r-In  your  recent  visit  to  Ohat- 
tanooga,  you  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
something  of  the  workings  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  in  the  army  of  Gen.  Grant 
and,  from  your  extensive  military  expe- 
jdence,  are  specially  qualified  to  judge  of 
the  value  of  that  -work  to  the  soldier!,  May 
I  ask  you,  therefore,  and  especially  to 
answer,  as  far  as  you  can  conveniently  do 
po,  the  following  questions  upon  which  the 
public  desire  and  deserve  the  most  ample 
and  accurate  information. 

1st.  Does  the  benevolence  of  the  people, 
as  expressed  in  the  contributions  of  Hos- 
pital Stores,  made  through  the  Sanitalry 
Commission,  supply  a  real  and  important 
want  in  the  Army  ? 

2d.  In  the  work  done  by  the  other  Agen- 
cies of  the  Commission,  its  Soldiebs' 
Homes,  its  HospirAL  Cabs,  its  Hospitai  Di- 
EECTOBY,  &c.,  are  they  of  such  necessity, 
or  mercy,  as  to  render  them  worthy  of  ap- 
probation and  support  ? 

3d.  Are  the  methods  pursued  in  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Commission  in  the  Western 

Vol.  I.— No.  9.  17 


Department,  in  your  judgment,  judioionn 
and  economical  ? 

Tours,  respectfully, 

J.  S.  Nbwbebbi. 

• 

Oi.ETEi.Ain>,  FUmmry  iSh,  1861. 

DooTOB  J.  S.  Newbebby,  AisUtcmt  Secretary  Sanitary 
Cmnmission: 

Deab  Sib — When  your  note  of  yesterday 
was  handed  me,  I  was  engaged  in  writing 
a  communication  to  the  Executive  of  the 
State,  embracing,  by  his  request,,  nearly 
the  same  topics  which  you  mention.  Aa 
the  whole  subject  directly  concerns  the 
public,  I  do  not  think  there  will.be  any  ob- 
jections to  my  giving  you  a  transcript  of  a 
part  of  my  remarks  already  written,  as  a 
reply,  in  part,  to  your  inquiries.  Ili  refer- 
ence to  the  value  of  what  are  calleti  Sani- 
tary Supplies,  I  cannot  do  better  than  to 
quote  the  words  of  several  Surgeons,  in 
charge  of  hospitals.  Without  having  had 
any  previous  intercourse  with  the  Medical 
Staff  on  the  line  from  Louisville  to  the 
front,  I  expected  to  find  a  want  of  cordial- 
ity between  them  and  the  agents  of  States 
and  benevolent  societies,  and,  therefore, 
questioned  the  Surgedns  and  other  officers 
of  the  army  on  the  subject  of  these  extra 
official  efforts.  Dr.  McClure,  in  charge  of 
Hospital  No.  17,  Nashville,  replied  as  fol- 
lows: "  The  Sanitary  is  indispensable  to  us. 
At  Stone  River  we  could  not  have  done  at 
all  without  the  vegetables,  meats,  bandages, 
and  clothing  pushed  forward  by  them. " 

Dr.  Warriner,  in  charge  of  the  Field 
Hospital,  Bridgeport,  said:  "Most  of  the 
fruit  sent  forward  is  poorly  put  up,  and  so 
much  is  lost  that  it  would  be  better  to  use 
it  in,  the  rear,  and  not  burden  the  trans- 
portation with  it  while  it  is  so  difficult,  or 


258 


The  Sanitary  Commisaion  BuUdin, 


at  least,  the  fmit  should  be  re-canned  be- 
fore it  is  sent  to  the  front.  Dried  fruit  is 
far  preferable.  Pickles  and  butter  are 
greatly  needed.  The  Sanitary  supplies  are 
indispensable  to  us." 

Dr.  N.  H.  Townsend,  of  Lorain  Counly, 
Ohio,  one  of  the  Medical  Inspectors  of  the 
Army,  told  me  that,  "  In  Gien.  Banks'  De- 
partment, Sanitary  supplies  were  always 
ahead  of  the  regular  hospital  supplies,  on 
the  field  of  battle.  They  are  indispensa- 
ble. Onions,  pickles  and  butter  are  need- 
ed, more  particularly  onions.  Grated 
horse-radish,  put  up  in  small  cans,  with 
Tinegar,  is  a  most  excellent  thing,  and  so  is 
cheese.  Clean  clothing,  especially  xmder- 
alothing,  is  of  the  highest  importance, 
after  a  battle.  It  cannot  be  supplied 
through  the  regular  channels.  Men  are 
brought  from  the  field,  dirty  and  wet;  their 
clothes  saturated  with  blood,  which  should 
at  once  be  stripped,  or  cut  off  them,  and 
thrown  away.  For  both  sick  and  convales- 
cents, extra  food — something  more  than 
regular  hospital  supplies  are  necessary  to 
save  life.  Small  wounds,  gangrene,  scor- 
butic sores  appear,  and  the  stomach  be- 
comes torpid,  all  for  want  of  a  proper  va- 
riety of  food.  It  is  rather  medicine  than 
nutriment,  and  is  of  more  consequence 
than  either  attendance  or  medicine." 

Dr.  H.  S.  Hewitt,  Medical  Director  at 
Chattanooga,  said:  "Cranberries  in  cans, 
(dder,  dried  apples  and  peaches,  also  brandy 
peaches,  are  the  best  kind  of  extra  hospital 
supplies.  Blackberry  cordial  is  of  the 
utmost  consequence  in  diarrhoea.  Dried 
blackberries  are  not  as  good.  [Dr.  Hoven 
recommends  that  blackberry  cordial  be 
put  up  in  small,  strong  bottles  of  six  or 
eight  ounces,  so  that  the  soldier  may  cany 
it  in  his  pocket.]  Without  the  Sanitary 
Commission  we  should  not  be  able  to  get 
stimulants  sufBcient  for  our  hospital  pa- 
tients." 

Capt.  Johnson,  Quartermaster  of  the  41st 
Ohio  'Volunteers,  remarked  that,  "  The 
lives  of  men  could  be  saved  here  every 
day  if  they  could  have  the  food  they  crave 
when  they  are  sick.  It  is  the  want  of  va- 
riety that  causes  scorbutic  sores.  The  few 
Sanitary  supplies  we  are  able  to  get  are  of 
the  utmost  value  tons. " 

Other  Surgeons  and  ofiScers  gave  similar 


statements,  but  these  are  the  only  ones 
whose  expressions  were  noted  in  my  memo- 
randa at  the  time. 

Dr.  Harlow,  Surgeon  of  the  Officers'  Hos- 
pital at  Chattanooga,  and  Dr.  Bamum,  of 
the  Hospital  Train,  expressed  themselves  in 
a'  similar  manner. 

Gen.  Grant.  Gen.  Bosecrans,  Gen.  E.  W. 
Johnson,  and  Gen.  Turchin,  were  quite 
free  and  emphatic  in  expressing  the  same 
sentiments. 

An  officer  of  the  141st  New  Tor^legi- 
ment  is  reported  to  have  said  that  they  had 
not  drawn  a  full  vegetable  ration  for  a  year, 
and  that  scurvy  was  becoming  common 
among  his  men. 

Cren.  Hooker  begged  of  the  Sanitary 
Agent  an  order  for  some  potatoes  which 
were  at  Bridgeport,  as  a  vital  necessity  to 
check  the  progress  of  scurvy  in  his  com- 
mand. He  received  an  order  for  eight 
barrels,  and  sent  teams  for  them  at  once. 

Gen.  Turehin  was  stUlniore  importunate, 
having  fifteen  cases  of  scurvy  in  his  brig- 
ade, and  fifty  more  showing  signs  of  it.  as 
wiU  appear  by  a  copy  of  his  letter,  here- 
with. 

"I  saw  men  who  were  far  gone  with  this 
disease  begging  for  a  raw  potato,  or  an 
onion,  as  though  they  were  the  most  pre- 
cious gifts  in  the  World.  I  met  no  officer  of 
the  Army  or  Surgeon  who  expressed  them- 
selves otherwise  than  in  favor  of  the  plan 
of  extra  relief  for  our  men.  Among  the 
soldiers  in  camp  I  was  frequently  met  with 
the  reply,  "We  get  none  of  these 
THINGS,"  which  is,  no  doubt,  true.  Around 
Chattanooga,  since  the  battle  of  Chica- 
mauga,  in  September,  until  the  15th  of 
January,  1864,  the  Army,  sick  and  well,  has 
been  short  of  the  most  necessary  supplies. 
The  sick  could  not  be  safely  removed,  nor 
could  their  most  absolute  wants  be  fully 
met  for  want  of  transportation;  while  those 
IN  hospital  were  dying  for  want  of  extra 
Sanitary  supplies,  those  who  are  out  of 
hospital  could  scarcely  expect  luxuries  to 
be  delivered  to  them." 

The  above  extract  does  not  entirely  cover 
the  ground  of  your  inquiries,  but  I  will 
reply  more  fuUy  to  them  in  the  course  of 
a  few  days. 

Yours,  respectfully  and  truly, 

ChAS.  WhTTTIiESBX. 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


259 


LIFE  IN  A  HOSPITAIj  TKAIN. 
Owing  to  the  very  great  distance  ■which  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  has  penetrated  the 
country  of  the  enemy  during  the  present  year, 
leaving  at  times  its  hospital,  as  well  as  commis- 
sary depots,  far  in  the  rear,  the  work  of  remov- 
ing the  sick  and  wounded  has  assumed  propor- 
tions before  unknown.  Bach  mUe  of  advance, 
while  it  has  increased  the  number  of  patients, 
has  also  in  an  almost  equal  degree,  heightened 
the  difSoulty  of  their  removal.  The  distance 
being  too  great  for  wagon  transportation,  the 
railroads  being  either  destroyed  by  the  enemy 
on  their  retreat,  or  in  so  worn  out  a  condition 
as  to  render  the  work  of  destructioii  unneces- 
fiary,  attacks  being  frequent  by  guerrilla  bands, 
froja  these  and  other  causes,  the  mere  feeding 
of  the  army  of  well  men  became  a  gigantic  prob- 
lem, the  solution  of  which  seemed  next  to  im- 
possible. The  care  of  the  sick  was  hardly  to 
be  added  to  its  already  overwhelming  intrica- 
cies. 

Still,  they  have  not  been  sacrificed  to  the 
necessities  of  the  well  and  the  demands  of  mili- 
tary strategy  and  activity.  Something  of  the 
same  self-sacrifice  and  ch?irity  that  have  labored 
and  lavished  money  for  them  at  home,  has  kept 
company  with  them  in  their  suffering  and  weak- 
ness. Not  all  has  been  done  for  them  that  could 
have  been  wished,  but  much  more  than  might 
have  been  expected  under  such  trying  circum- 
stances. No  fame  follows  the  exertions  of  the 
surgeon;  no  promotion  heralds  his  worth  to  the 
world.  But  the  true  history  of  the  progress  of 
the  army  would  crown  many  a  surgeon,  young 
and  old,  with  honors  equal  to  those  of  much 
more  prominent  of&cers. 

To  meet  the  wants  of  the  service,  in  the  trans- 
portation of  the  sick  and  wounded,  various  plans 
have  been  tried,  both  by  the  Govemmeht  and 
the  Commission.  Hospital  boats  have  been  used 
on  the  Cumberland  -vrath  indifferent  success. 
Statistics  shoW  in  all  cases  un&vorable  results, 
and  in  some  the  mortality  has  been  fearful,  reach- 
ing ten  per  cent,  of  the  total  shipment  in  a  three 
days'  trip. 

Probably  most  of  this  can  be  attributed  to  the 
crowded  condition  of  the  boats,  the  slender  pro- 
tection against  change  of  temperature,  and  the 
invariable  dampness  of  the  cabin.  But  even  un- 
der the  best  of  circumstances,  "grave  cases  do 
not  do  well,"  said  a  distinguished  Surgeon  of 
NewTork.  Perhaps  the  constant  jarring,  gentle 
though  it  be,  of  the  machinery  for  the  length 
of  time  required  by  »  journey  on  our  crooked 
western  rivers,  may  have  much  to  do  with  it 

Then,  too,  the  seeds  of  malarious  disease  are 
sown  profusely,  to  develop  in  due  time,  amd  in- 


fectious diseases  have  a  most  favorable  opportu- 
nity to  deposit  their  poison.  The  report  of 
Surgeon  Brinton  to  the  Surgeon  General  on 
hospital  gangrene  at  Louisville,  gives  some  in- 
teresting remarks  on  this  point.    He  says: 

"  The  development  of  this  disease  on  the  route 
seems  to  have  been  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
transportation  of  the  wounded  was  effected  by 
means  of  crowded  and  ill-ventilated  boats,  and 
that  the  trips  by  the  Cumberland  and  Ohio  Kiv- 
ersfirequentlyocoupy  several  days.  During  this 
time  these  patients  who  had  already  undergone 
much  suffering,  were  exposed  to  all  the  influ- 
ences most  apt  to  engender  this  disease.  In 
contrast  with  this  fact,  it  was  found  that  as  soon 
as  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  Kaihoad  was 
opened  so  that  the  wounded  could  be  conveyed 
tram,  city  to  city  in  one  day,  all  importation  of 
gangrenous  sores  int<^ Louisville  ceased.  The 
development  of  hospital  gangrene  during  the 
boat  transportation  is  a  noticeable  fact,  and  is 
strikingly  analagous  with  the  same  phenomena 
observed  among  our  paroled  wounded  prisoners 
from  Bichmond,  received  into  the  Annapolis 
General  Hospital  some  months  since. 

A  Hospital  Train  was  fitted  up  in  this  depart- 
ment by  the  CcHnmission,  in  October,  1862,  and 
although  rude  in  its  accommodations,  such  sat- 
isfactory results  were  attained,  that  a  second 
and  third  were  added,  and  the  cooking  arrange- 
ments somewhat  improved.  These  ears,  by  one 
casualty  and  another,  have  all  been  rendered 
unsuitable,  and  given  place  to  more  perfect  and 
substantial  ones.  At  present,  there  are  in  use 
nine  hospital  cars — seven  on  the  Chattanooga 
road,  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  Myers,  Surgeon 
U.  S.  v.,  and  two  under  my  own  immediate 
supervision  on  the  Louisville  Koad, 

The  train  on  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga 
Kaihoad,  consists  of  one  passenger,  one  mail, 
three  box,  and  three  hospital  cars.  The  passen- 
ger coach  is  kept  scrupulously  neat,  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  patients  alone,  and  by  a  special 
arrangement  of  seats,  can  be  changed  in  a  few 
moments  to  a  bed-car,  if  necessary,  which, 
however,  cannot  often  occur,  as  every  load  of 
sick  will  contain  some  who  would  prefer  to 
sit. 

The  mail  car'is  fitted  up  for  store  room,  oflSce, 
and  Mtohen.  The  store  room  is  provided  with 
drawers  for  aU  the  smaller  supplies,  looker  for 
bread,  refrigerator  for  meat,  ice  .box,  water 
casks,  &c  Indeed,  there  is  room  for  one  thou- 
sand rations,  beside  some  Sanitary  stores,  with 
space  to  spare. 

The  ofice  is  neatly  fitted  up.  The  kitchen 
occupies  the  place  of  the  baggage-room,  where 
may  be  found  seyeral  disciples  of  the.  culinary 


260 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


art,  always  busy,  and  9,ltliough  laboring  under 
diffioulty,  preparing  articles  of  diet  which  would 
do  honor  to  many  of  the  best  arranged  hospi- 
tals. This  car  is  one  of  the  trophies  won  by  the 
immortal  Mitchell  in  his  successful  dash  on 
HuntsTUle,  in  1862. 

The  two  box  cars,  each  containing  twenty- 
four  beds,  arranged  during  a  pressing  necessity, 
last  fall,  are  entirely  imfit  for  the  purpose,  being 
destitute  of  ventilators,  means  of  heating,  and 
without  proper  springs.  Any  man  who  could 
ride  in  one  of  these  beds  safely,  is  able  to  sit  up 
in  a  passenger-coach,  and  the  removal  of  sick 
men  in  them  would  be  simply  murderous.  I  am 
happy  to  say  that  these  cars  are  for  the  future 
to  be  used  for  the  transportation  of  Sanitary  and 
hospital  supplies,  in  connection  with  the  Hospi- 
tal Train. 

The  three  new  hospital  cars  seem  to  meet  the 
demand  exactly,  combining  all  possible  free- 
dom of  motion,  the  least  jar,  good  ventilation,  a 
comfortable  degree  of  warmth,  and  expedition 
in  loading  and  unloading. 

Each  car  contains  twenty-four  stretchers  hung 
on  uprights  by  heavy  rubber  bands.  The 
stretchers  can  be  removed  from  the  car  without 
disturbing  the  occupant.  There  are  also  seats 
for  those  who  wish  to  sit  up,  and  a  sofa  for  the 
Surgeon  or  attendant,  beneath  which  is  a  ward- 
robe and  drawers  for  books,  newspapers,  &c. 
Opposite  the  sofa,  is  a  kitchen  only  six  feet  by 
three,  yet  it  contains  water-tank,  wash-basin, 
sink  for  washing  dishes,  cupboards  for  stores 
and  dishes,  and  two  large  lamps  heating  copper- 
boilers,  by  which  soup,  coffee,  tea,  &c.,  maybe 
quickly  and  nicely  prepared. 

The  '  'bumper-'  is  surrounded  by  a  stiff  spring, 
which  prevents  the  communication  of  the  jar 
when  the  motion  is  suddenly  stopped  or  applied. 
The  whole  interior  is  fitted  up  in  a  style  superior 
to  any  cars  in  use  in  the  Northwest 

Articles  of  clothing  are  kept  constantly  on  the 
train  to  be  given  to  those  needing  them,  and 
sanitary  stores  of  every  character  are  liberally 
supplied. 

Patients  speak  in  the  highest  terms,  and  with 
&e  deepest  feeling,  of  the  kindest  and  ef&ciency 
of  Dr.  Myers. 

¥rip3  are  made  tri-weekly  from  Bridgeport 
for  hospital  patients.  Large  numbers  of  dis- 
charged and  furloughed  soldiers  are  carried, 
but  many  more  of  the  latter  come  by  passenger 
and  box  cars. 

On  the  Louisville  Road  the  accommodations 
are  much  the  same  as  those  just  mentioned. 
The  arrangements  for  cooking  are  excellent, 
and  much  improved  during  the  last  month,  a 
fine  range  having  been  substituted  for  the  stove 


before  used.  The  food  prepared  is  of  good 
quality;  and  besides  Government  rations,  many 
delicacies — such  as  are  comprised  in  the  stores 
of  the  Commission — are  issued  in  any  amount 
required. 

Since  my  connection  with  the  Hospital  Train, 
I  have  removed  20,472  patients,  with  the  loss  of 
only  one  man,  who  was  removed  contrary  to  the 
wish  of  his  Surgeon,  and  my  own  judgment,  at 
his  earnest  desire  to  "  die  at  home." 


It  now  remains  to  give  the  reader  some 
idea  of  the  work  which  has  been  done  in 
these  trains. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  1862,  the  Sani- 
tary Agent  of  Illinois  fitted  up  two  cars^f  or 
use  on  the  Lebanon  Branch  of  the  Louis- 
ville and  NashviUe  EaUroad,  to  assist  in 
the  removal  of  the  sufferers  in  the  battle  of 
Perrysville.  After  being  used  a  little  more 
than  one  month,  they  were  transferred  to 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  has  since  that  time  had  the  super- 
intendence of  the  removal  of  sick  and 
wounded  in  this  department.  One  of  them 
was  an  old  smoking  and  baggage  car,  the 
baggage  room  being  fitted  up  with  eighteen 
bunks,  while  the  seats  in  the  other  part  re- 
mained as  before.  The  other  was  an  old 
baggage  car  stolen  by  the  rebels  from  the 
Louisville  and  Nashville  Bailroad,  and  re- 
captured by  the  lamented  General  Mitchell 
at  HuntsYille.  This  contained  the  same 
number  of  bunks,  the  remainder  of  the 
room  being  taken  up  with  stores,  baggage 
and  a  box-stove.  As  these  cars  were  in- 
tended for  short  trips  only,  no  provision 
was  made  for  cooking  food  beyond  the 
boiling  of  a  gallon  or  two  of  coffee  in  case 
of  an  emergency.  Another  baggage  car 
was  added  in  March. 

UntU  the  breaking  of  the  railroad  by 
Morgan,  which  occurred  during  the  battle 
of  Stone  Biver,  these  cars  were  used  occa- 
sionally on  the  Lebanon  Branch,  and  then 
on  the  main  stem  to  Bowling  Green.  The 
interruption  of  the  railroad  to  Louisville, 
and  the  rapid  accumulation  of  patients  at 
NashvQle,  rendered  transportation  by  the 
Cumberland  necessary,  but  on  the  re-open- 
ing of  the  railroad  on  February  3d,  1863, 
river  transportation  was  given  up,  and  it 
has  not  been  resorted  to  again. 

My  observation  begins  early  in  March. 
I  have  prepared  some  statistics,  but  many 
of  my  notes  of  cases  and  other  interesting 
memoranda  were  lost  in  the  confusion  fol- 
lowing the  battle  of  Chicamauga.  For 
some  time  after  the  battle,  yon  will  remem- 
ber, I  was  on  general  duty  in  Chattanooga. 

The  following  table  will  give  some  idea 
oi  the  magnitude  of  the  work  in  which  I 
have  been  engaged,  and  in  which  the  Sani- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


261 


tary  Commission  has  been  so  much  inter- 
ested: 

NUMBEB  01'  SIOK  AND  WOUNDED  PASSEKSEES  ON  THE 
HOSPITAL  TKAIN,  LOUISVILLE  AND  NASHVILLE  BAIL- 
EOAD. 

Hospital  Furloughed  and 

cases.  discharged.  ^ 

tJp  to  May  1st,  1863 5,254  l.odo 

May 919  untnown. 

June..... 1,983  661 

July 698  urJmown. 

August 256  35 

September 400  43 

October 1,230  593 

Kovember -. 1,075  630 

December 65  2,015 


11,880 
4^977 


4,977 


Total 16,857 

irUMBEB  OP  SICK  AXD  WOUNDED  PASSEN0EK3  ON  THE 
HOSPITAL  TBAIH,  NASHVILLE  AND  CHATTANOOGA 
BAELBOAD. 

Up  to  May  1st,  1863 547 

During  May 307 

June 668 

August , 350 

September 783 

October 960 


Total 3,615 

On  Louisville  and  Nashville  Kailroad 16,857 

On  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  Railroad 3,615 


Total 20,472 

Since  October,  my  duties  have  been  con- 
fined to  the  transportation  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  on  the  Louisville  and  Nashville 
Railroad.  The  distance  between  the  cities 
is  185  miles,  a  long  and  often  very  tedious 
journey  for  many  of  my  patients.  During 
the  year,  however,  but  two  have  died  on  the 
Hospital  Train,  both  being  cases  of  extreme 
exhaustion  from  chronic  diarrhcea  and,  in- 
deed, the  friends  of  one  man  assumed  the 
responsibility  of  his  removal  and  subse- 
quent medical  treatment. 

In  the  transportation  of  the  sick  we  have 
not  been  without  some  extraordinary  ad- 
ventures. Beside  sickness  and  wounds,  we 
have  had  to  contend  with  rebels.  On  April 
10th,  while  bringing  up  sick  from  Murfrees- 
boro'  to  Nashville  in  a  hospital  car  attached 
to  the  passenger  train,  we  were  attacked  at 
Antioch  Station,  eleven  miles  out,  by  the 
rebels,  who  had  drawn  the  spikes  from  the 
track,  and  thus  thrown  the  train  off.  The 
rebels,  who  were  in  a  wood  above  us,  began 
at  once  to  fire  upon  the  train.  The  bullets 
mostly  struck  the  roofs  of  the  cars  and  re- 
bounded, reminding  us,  who  were  still 
within,  of  an  attic  room  in  a  severe  hail- 
storm. The  small  guard  of  forty  were  soon 
overpowered  and  fled,  leaving  sixteen  of 
their  number  on  the  ground,  either  dead  or 
severely  wounded.  The  rebels  now  made 
a  rusii  for  the  cars,  and  began  robbing  the 
passengers  of  money,  watches  and  clothing. 
Several  Tennesseeans  made  a  dash  at  our 
car,   shouting,    "Get   out    of   there,  you 


-d  Yankees,"  and  flourishing  their 


pistols  and  knives  in  our  faces,  but  >vere 
immediately  driven  off  by  the  Eighth 
Texas,  who  formed  a  portion  of  the  attack- 
ing party.  These  men  showed  the  greatest 
consideration,  handling  our  sick  and 
wounded  as  tenderly  as  brothers  could. 
They  not  only  left  me  and  my  attendants 
undisturbed,  but  did  not  insist  on  paroling 
any  of  our  patients  who  were  with  us.  But 
several  sick  men,  who  left  the  cars  at  the 
first  onset,  were  carried  off  with  the  other 
passengers.  If  our  car  had  been  separated 
from  the  others,  I  think  that  we  should  not 
have  been  disturbed,  but  it  was  impossible 
to  burn  the  train  without  destroying  it. 
None  of  my  patients  were  injured.  'The 
passengers  were  marched  away,  the  cars 
fired,  the  booty  collected,  and  the  plunder- 
ers off  again,  as  if  by  magic,  leaving  my- 
self and  my  attendants  in  pcssession  of  the 
field.  • 

We  immediately  set'  to  work,  giving  the 
wounded  a  preliminary  dressing,  collecting 
the  scattered,  and  opening  McOann's  house 
as  a  hospital.  We  were  relieved  about  3 
A.  M.,  by  a  special  train  sent  from  Nash- 
ville for  us,  and  brought  in  all  of  our  pa- 
tients not  comfortably  provided  for,  who 
could  be  moved;  several  bushels  of  mail 
matter,  and  the  locomotive. .  At  7  A.  M.,  I 
left  NashviUe  for  Louisville  with  a  train  of 
three  hundred  patients. 

Early  in  May  the  remaining  two  old  hos- 
pital cars  were  destroyed  by  accident  at 
Brooks'  Station,  on  the  Louisville  Eailroad, 
and  as  but  three  new  ones  had  been  added, 
we  were  seriously  troubled  to  remove  men 
during  this  and  the  following  month. 

I  make  several  extracts  from  my.  report 
of  August  1st. 

An  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land had  been  determined  on.  May  19th, 
and  a  general  removal  of  the  sick  to  the 
rear  commenced.  First,  the  hospitals  at 
Murfreesboro'  except  the  general  field  hos- 
pital, which  was  commanded  by  the  guns 
of  the  fortification,  and,  in  fact,  almost 
within  them,  were  discontinued,  and  the 
patients  removed  to  the  latter,  which  was 
filled  to  its  utmost  capacity.  Then,  too, 
the  hospitals  at  Lavergne,  Brentwood,  and 
Franklin  were  broken  up,  the  patients 
being  i-emoved  to  Nashville.  The  regi- 
mental hospitals  of  our  right  wing  soon 
followed  on  the  massing  of  that  part  of  our 
Army  at  Triune. 

The  last  of  the  patients  were  received 
while  the  attack  on  Franklin,  by  Van  Dorn, 
was  going  on,  resulting  in  the  capture  of 
the  town  by  him,  and  its  re-capture  by  our 
forces.  We  had  but  one  hour's  start  of  the 
attacking  party,  but  were  able  to  remove 
every  sick  and  wounded  man. 

To  add  to  our  embarrassments,  the  regi- 
mental hospitals  of    our  main  body  were 


262 


The  Sdmtary  Commission  BiMetin. 


beginning  to  be  broken  up,  commemeing 
■with  those  of  the  cavalry.  The  field  hos- 
I)ital,  at  Murireesboro',  rfready  overerowd- 
^,  was  the  only  depot  for  the  constantly 
accumulating  mass  of  snifering  humanity. 

As  our  kitchen  car,  and  most  of  the 
train  had  been  either  destroyed,  or  so 
badly  injured  as  to  be  unsafe,  by  request  of 
the  Medical  Director,  Dr.  Thurston,  I 
made  application  to  the  LoiiisTille  and 
Nashville  BaUroad  for  additional  means  of 
transportation.  Mr.  Marshall,  the  Super- 
intendent, was  only  able  to  give  me  a  train 
of  box  cars.  These,  Dr.  Thurston,  with  his 
accustomed  care  for  the  sick,  declined  to 
use,  saying  that,  "Cars  which  would  be  un- 
comfortable for  a  well  man,  must  be  inju- 
rious to  a  sick  one."  But,  after  exhausting 
every  other  means,  on  June  6th,  when  a 
general  engagement  was  possible  any  day, 
and  probably  would  happen  soon,  a  train 
of  new  freight  cars  were  selected,  beds 
placed  in  them,  the  |)atienTS  carefully  cho- 
sen by  the  Surgeons  of  the  hospitals, 
whence  they  were  transferred,  and  none 
sent  unless  they  seemed  able  to  endure  the 
journey.  Of  these,  the  worst  cases  were 
placed  in  the  ambulance  car,  with  a  few 
discharged  men,  who  had  long  been  await- 
ing transportation. 

A  short  time  previous  to  this,  Adams' 
Express  Company  had  put  on  a  new  train, 
for  the  transportation  of  Army  freight. 
The  cars  were  new  and  clean,  had  stiff 
India-rubber  springs,  rode  easily,  and  ex- 
cept as  to  ventilation,  were  as  comforta- 
ble as  the  first-class  passenger  coaches. 
Through  the  assistance  of  CoL  Ander- 
son, Military  Superintendent  of  Bailroads, 
we  obtained  the  use  of  them.  We  placed 
straw  beds  in  them,  on  which  we  directed 
the  men  to  spread  their  blankets,  and  fur- 
nished comforts  to  those  who  had  none. 
We  added  the  articles  of  prime  necessity, 
for  an  ordinary  hospital  ward,  which,  with 
the  beds,  &c. ,  were  returned  in  the  ambu- 
lance ear.  We  were  able  to  move  one 
hundred  men  daily. 

In  addition  to  the  cooked  rations,  which 
the  men  brought,  the  store  rooms  of  the 
Commission  were  laid  under  contribution, 
and  any  proper  articles  of  diet  taken 
which  could  be  prepared,  without  fire.  On 
our  arrival  at  Bowlmg  Green,  hot  coffee  in 
large  quantities,  and  toast  for  those  who 
needed  it,  having  been  ordered  on  the  pre- 
vious trip,  were  furnished  immediately, 
and  the  "twenty  minutes  for  breakfast" 
spent  in  attending  on  those  who  needed 
extra  care. 

Unless  we  had  oases  of  unusual  severity 
I  came  up  only  to  MumfordsviUe.  By  this 
time  the  men  had  dined,  their  woun(&  had 
been  dressed,  and  but  little  remained  to  be 
done  beyond  the  common  services  of  a 
nurse.  If  a  medical  officer  was  with  us, 
the  men  were  left  in  his  charge;  if  not. 


with  some  attendants  in  whom  confidence 
could  be  placed,  and  I  returned  with  the 
down  train  to  Nashville.  Here,  the  neces- 
sary arrangements  for  the  next  days'  trip 
were  made  by  9  P.  M.,  between  which  time 
and  midnight  the  men  were  all  received, 
and  an  comfortably  cared  for  by  3  A.  M., 
our  time  for  setting  out. 

On  the  first  of  August  four  additional 
cars  were  fitted  up  for  temporary  use,  and 
on  October  1st,  the  new  hospital  cars  were 
furnished.  These  are  built  on  the  same 
plans  as  those  used  between  Washington 
and  New  York,  with  such  modifications  as 
the  tunnel  and  the  difference  in  the  width 
of  track  rendered  necessary.  The  draw-bar 
which  connects  the  "cars  together,  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  stiff,  spiral  spring,  which  pre- 
vents any  sudden  jerk.  Double  springs, 
are  under  the  trucks,  and  in  addition  the 
elUptic  spring  bar  on  the  side  to  guard 
against  lateral  motion.  Each  car  contains 
twenty-four  stretchers,  hung  by  stout  rub- 
ber bands  between  two  .uprights.:  The 
stretchers  are  supplied  with  hair  pillows 
and  comforts,  which  can  be  easily  renova- 
ted. They  can  be  removed  from  the  car, 
receive  the  patients,  be  re-placed,and  again 
bear  them  to  the  hospitals  when  the  jour- 
ney is  completed.  The  rubber  bands  pre- 
vent all  shock  and  jolting,  and  communi- 
cate a  gentle  motion,  which  usually  lulls  the 
patient  to  sleep. 

Perhaps  I  can  give  our  friends  at  home 
the  best  idea  of  our  work  by  describing  that 
of  a  single  day: 

Yesterday,  for  instance,  I  arrived  at  Nash- 
ville on  the  return  trip  about  midnight, 
being  delayed  by  an  accident.  After  "mak- 
ing up  my  train,"  receiving  my  clerk's  re- 
port, and  my  orders  for  the  morrow  from 
the  Medical  Director,  I  rolled  up  in  my 
blanket  for  a  nap.  But  5  A.  M.,  soon  came, 
and  with  it  the  y  eU  of  a  regiment  of  veteran 
volunteers  going  home  on  furlough.  Such 
a  yell!  Enough  to  raise  the  dead,  and  it 
did  raise  my  "seven  sleepers,"  who  were 
soon  at  work,  building  fires,  preparing  the 
cars,  and  making  breakfast  for  themselves 
and  the  men.  In  another  hour  the  plat- 
form of  the  depot  is  covered  with  soldiei-s 
from  the  front,  officers  on  leave  of  absence, 
citizens  and  oamp-foUowers.  The  veterans 
are  assigned  to  cars  by  themselves,  and  are 
joUy  and  noisy.  The  train  is  so  long  that 
it  is  divided  into  various  parts,  standing  on 
difierent  tracks.  Ambulances  loaded  with 
the  sick  from  the  hospitals  and  Soldiers' 
Home  potu-  in,  and  are  stopped  and  exam- 
ined by  my  steward,  and  if  the  occupants 
are  found  to  be  "all  right,"  are  furnished 
with  cheeks,  which  admit  them  to  the  cars. 
If  any  doubtful  cases  arise,  they  are  told  to 
report  to  me  at  the  cars,  where  we  are  busy 
putting  in  beds,  assisting  the  feeble  and 
disabled  to  seats,  and  looking  after  their 
baggage. 


The  8'amta/ry  Commission  EvRetin. 


All  may  have  goije  Well  thus  far,  but  at 
6  o'clock  the  ambulance  master  brings  us 
his  list,  -which  calls  for  200  men,  while  my 
steward  has  given  out  but  180  checks. 
Some  Jehu  of  a  driver^  partaking  of  the 
nature  of  the  beast  he  lashes,  has  managed 
to  deposit  his  load  of  men  at  the  wrong 
platform.  Two  of  us  at  once  push  through 
the  crowd,  inquiring  of  every  soldier, 
"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?"  "  Where 
are  you  going  ?"  "  Let  me  see  your  pa- 
pers. "  The  soldiers  think  it  none  of  our 
business,  and,  very  naturally,  answer  with 
emphatic  curses.  We  secure,  however, 
perhaps,  a  dozen  of  the  twenty  missing 
men. 

The  ticket  office  is  now  opened,  and  there 
is  a  great  rush  for  tickets.  About  200  fur- 
loughed  men  are  marched  down  from  the 
"  Home"  and  hospitals,  the  guard  clearing 
the  way  for  them,  and  they  are  soon  com- 
fortably seated.  As  the  passenger  coaches 
will  accommodate  but  400  of  the  600  wait- 
ing for  a  chance,  the  pressure  for  admission 
is  tremendous.  The  papers  of  military  men 
are  examined,  and  they  pass  in.  A  sutler, 
who  will  take  no  refusal  from  the  agent  to 
sell  a  citizen  a  ticket,  makes  an  attenipt  to 
dodge  in,  but  is  met  with  cold  steel;  while 
an  old  man,  who  is  carrying  home  the  re- 
mains of  his  son  who  has  died  in  hospital, 
is  told,  "You  can't  get  on  the  train,  if  I 
see  you."  And  yet  the  good  old  man  is 
found  at  night  ssife  at  Louisville.  The 
sharpest  eyes  will  wink. 

Only  three  minutes  to  seven.  Nearly  all 
the  blue  coats  aire  aboard.  My  missing 
eight  stragglers  are  found,  helpless  as  lost 
children,  in  some  out-of-the-way  corner, 
and  put  on  just  as  we  leave. 

Most  of  the  men  have  had  breakfast. 
The  rest  are  provided  with  coffee,  toa,st, 
crackers  and  cheese.  Then,-  there  are  pa- 
tients to  examine  and  to  prescribe  for, 
wounds  to  dress,  questions  to  answer,  trans- 
portation to  manage,  &o.,  &o.  This  takes 
up  the  first  three  hours,  tiU  we  arrive  at 
Bowling  Green.  Here  we  are  met  by  in- 
evitflible  boys,  with  their  white  oab  pies  and 
unsavory  chicken,  with  which  they  attempt 
to  supply  the  men.  My  diarrhoea  patients 
seem  to  have  an  unnatural  craving  for 
the  wretched  stuff.  The  boys  are  order- 
ed off,  but  will  return.  I  teU  the  vete- 
rans in  cars  ahead  to  confiscate  any  thing 
that  attempts  to  pass.  The  pie-boys  do 
not  take  the  hint,  are  top  venturesome,  and 
so  lose  all  in  the  handsome  charge  of  the 
ready  veterans.  On  one  occasion  they  ac- 
tually bagged  a  darkey,  with  his  pies,  who 
was  last  heard  of  somewhere  in  Ohio,  stout- 
ly asserting  that  he  was  "  'fisticated  by  the 
sojers." 

Each  man  is  looked  to  hourly.  As  din- 
ner-time approaches,  bread  is  cut  and  but- 
tered, meat  sliced,  pickles  and  apples  got 
out,  and,  from  the  large  tank  of  boUmg 


water,  tea  and  soup  are  prepared  by  th« 
barrel.  Each  man  is  furnished  with  plate, 
cup,  and  spx)on,  the  soUd  food  is  distribut- 
ed, and  the  moment  the  train  stops  the  tea 
and  soup  are  served  out,  k>Uowed,  perhaps, 
by  ale  and  fruit.  Those  who  need  special 
diet  are  carefully  attended  to. 

The  furloughed  men  in  the  passengei 
train  are  next  looked  after  and  fed.  Their 
destination  is  ascertained,  and  ambulances 
telegraphed  for  to  carry  those  who  wish  to 
go  on  without  stopping,  to  the  several  rail- 
road depots  in  the  city.  New  Albany,  and 
JeffersonviUe.  Those  too  iU  to  travel  fur- 
ther will  be  sent  to  hospital,  while  the) 
others  will  be  directed  to  the  Soldiers' 
Home. 

When  we  arrive  at  Louisville,  about  5 
o'clock,  those  of  my  patients  able  to  walk 
proceed  at  once  to  the  Simbulances.  The 
sickest  and  disabled  are  placed  on  hand- 
carts and  roUed  to  th«  front  of  the  depot, 
and  we  see  them  all  safely  delivered  at  their 
several  points  of  destination. 

When  the  cars  are  washed,  stores  obtain- 
ed for  to-morrow's  trip,  and  report  madA, 
to  the  Medical  Director's  Office,  we  may 
consider  our  day's  work  done. — Letters  from. 
Dr.  J.  P.  Barnum,  Surgeon  in  Charge. 


THE  COMMISSION  IN  TENNESSEE. 

Office  IT.  S.  Sahitabt  Commisbioh, 

NASHTiLiiE,  Jamimry  30, 1861. 

Db.  J.  S.  Newbehbt, 

^earUary  Western  Bepariment, 

ZT.  S.  Sanitary  Commissumj  Louisville 

Deab  Sib — -The  opening  of  the  railroad 
to  Chattanooga  has  enabled  us  to  forward 
an  increased  supply  of  stores.  Not  les^ 
than  ten  car  loads  have  been  sent  to  Chatr 
tanooga  since  the  1,5th  of  this  month. 

After  receiving  here  those  most  urgently 
needed,  and  securing  for  them  transporta- 
tion, I  obtained  from  the  authorities  a  prom- 
ise that  two  car  loads  should  be  promptly 
forwarded  to  Huntsville,  Ala.,  or  to  suck 
other  point  on  the  line  of  the  road  as  they 
were  found  to  be  most  needed  at.  Having 
made  this  arrangement,  leaving  the  cars  to 
be  loaded,  and  forwarded  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Tone.  I  preceded  them,  Jan.  18th,  thftlj  I 
might  learn,  by  inspection  so  far  as  possi- 
ble of  the  15th  Army  Corps,  where  they 
were  most  needed,  and  secure  storei  room 
and  quarters. 

I  reached  Soottsboro'  the  next  da,y;  CEilled 
at  Headquarters  and  saw  Surgeon  C^as. 
MoMillen,  Medical  Director  of  the  corps. 
He  informed  me  that  there  were  but  few 
sick  in  the  cominand;  that  at  that  post 
there  was  no  general  hospital;  that  lie  hs^d 
a  few  goods  from  ihe  Agent  of  the  West,e;cn 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  he  adyised  me 
that  X  sliQiilA  flhd  ours  most  needed  at 


264 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiHMin. 


Huntsville.  These  facts  I  learned  in  a  few 
moments  conversation,  and  went  on  in  the 
same  train  some  fifty  miles  to  Flint  Biver 
or  Brownsboro'  the  then  termination  of  the 
railroad,  the  bridge  over  the  river  not  being 
completed.  Brownsville  is  twelve  miles  \y^ 
wagon  road  from  HnntsviUe,  which  place  I 
reached  that  evening. 

The  next  day  I  called  at  the  oflSce  of  Dr. 
John  Moore,  Medical  Director  of  the  De- 
partment of  the  Tennessee,  who  was  absent, 
bat  in  his  place  found  Asst. -Surgeon  D. 
Ij.  Huntington,  U.  S.  A.  After  mutual 
consultation,  and  learning  that  a  general  or 
post  hospital  was  established,  and  that 
HuntsviUe  would  be  for  the  present  a  cen- 
tral point,  and  that  the  opening  of  a  store 
room  by  the  Commission  was  desirable,  I 
addressed  him  the  following  letter: 

V.  S.  Sasitast  Commissxof  Bbaitgh  Office, 

HimTEvm^E,  Jantiary  20,  1864. 
D.  If.  Httntingtok,  Surgeon  U.  S.  A., 

AiSistant  Medical  JHrecior^  Depart,  of  ibe  Tenneisee  : 

Dbab  Sib — I  respectfully  ask  that  a 
,  suitable  store  room  and  a  room  for  quarters" 
for  two  Agents,  be  assigned  to  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission;  and  that  transporta- 
tion be  furnished  for  two  car  loads  of  stores 
from  Brownsboro'  to  Nashville. 
Very  respectfully. 

Your  obd't  servant, 

A.  N.  Read. 

The  letter  was  endorsed  as  follows: 

Hbadqttabtkbs  Defabtment  of  Tenkessef, 

Medioaj,  Dikectob's  Office, 
'E.jnfTBVUJLX.,  Jamuary  20, 1861. 

Approved,  and  rffspeotfully  forwarded  to 
Ma].  B.  W.  Sawyer,  A.  A.  G.  Dept.  Ten- 
nessee, recommending  that  the  within  re- 
quest be  granted,  as  being  subservient  in 
the  highest  degree  to  the  interest  of  the 
troops. 

By  order  Medical  Director,  Dept.  Tennessee. 

D.  L.  Huntington, 

Asnstant  SurgeoTif  U.  S.  A, 

This  request  was  promptly  granted  by 
Major  Sawyer,  who  gave  me  promise  of  all 
needed  assistance,  and  remarked  that  if  it 
was  necessary,  the  Headquaiters'  train 
should  be  sent  for  the  goods. 

I  obtained  the  next  day  a  very  eligible 
store  room,  and  connected  with  it  were 
ample  quarters,  and  then  telegraphed  Sani- 
ta^  Commission,  Nashville: 

"Have  obtained  storeroom,  quarters, 
and  transportation  from  Brownsboro'  to 
Huntsville.     Send  on  the  two  ear  loads." 

Also,  to  Mr.  Tone,  care  of  Surgeon  Mc- 
Mnien,  Soottsboro' : 

"  Bring  your  goods  to  Huntsville.  Tele- 
graph Col.  Bingham,  Chief  Q.  M.,  when 
they  wUl  arrive  at  Brownsboro',  and  ask  him 
that  teams  be  sent  to  take  them  forward  to 
Huntsville." 

These   arrangements   being  completed, 


Surgeon  Huntington  very  kindly  gave  me 
access  to  the  weekly  reports  of  the  Surgeons 
in  the  command,  and  from  them  I  obtained 
the  following  statement,  which  shows  that 
the  command  is  in  good  condition,  and 
that,  after  making  all  due  allowance  for  the 
fact  that  previous  to  their  march  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  all  the 
sick  had  been  left,  an  unusual  degree  of 
health  prevails  at  this  time. 

***** 

[The  ratio  of  sickness  yielded  by  the 
figures  furnished  at  this  point  in  the  report 
is  a  little  over/oMr  per  cent,  of  the  entire 
command.] 

On  January  2d  there  were  sick  in  hos- 
pital at  Memphis,  1, 657.  During  the  week 
previous,  11  deaths. 

Gen.  Crook's  cavalry  command,  2d  Di- 
vision, was  also  stationed  here,  and  I  visited 
each  regiment  in  company  with  the  most 
excellent  Medical  Director  of  the  Division, 
M.  C.  CuykendoU. 

The  92d  Illinois  Mounted  Infantry, 

strong,  had  sent  only  seven  to  general  hos- 
pital during  the  last  six  months,  and  had 
but  two  sick  with  the  regiment,  and  no 
deaths  from  sickness.  This  is  unprece- 
dented good  health.  This  regiment  has 
been  moving  most  of  the  time,  and  has 
been  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  with 
the  enemy. 

The  Surgeon  of  the  80th  Ohio,  E.  P.  Bird, 
reports  present  strength ;  have  no  hos- 
pital tent,  and  six  men  in  quarters  who 
ought  to  be  in  hospital. 

In  the  15th  Iowa  we  saw  some  engaged  in 
policing  and  beautifying  their  camp — oth- 
ers playing  ball.  Of  the  first  party,  a  com- 
pany were  grubbing  a  large  green  oak 
stump  of  formidable  dimensions,  as  it 
marred  the  beauty  of  their  camp  street. 
The  regiment  have  had  no  issue  of  vegeta- 
bles since  July,  and  have  obtained  very  lit- 
tle by  foraging. 

They  obtained  a  few,  and  a  few  socks 
from  the  Sanitary  Commission.  They  have 
no  marked  cases  of  scurvy,  are  well  cloth- 
ed, lost' about  seventy  in  the  battle  of  Chat- 
tanooga and  Missionary  Bidge. 

I  would  make  no  further  report  of  regi- 
ments, only  stating  that  I  visited  all  in  the 
command  stationed  near  HuntsviUe,  and 
instead,  submit  the  following  report  of  the 
Medical  Director,  kindly  furnished  for  my 
use: 

Headquahtebs  Second  Division  Cavauit, 

Medicai.  Dikectob's  Office, 
Huntsville,  Ala.,  January  21. 
Dr.  Reap,  Sanitary  Inspec'or, 

Army  of  the  Cumberland  : 

Sib— As  you  requested,  I  herewith  trans- 
mit you  a  statement  of  the  sanitary  condi- 
tion of  the  2d  Division  Cavalry,  com- 
manded by  Brig. -General  Geo.  Crook,  and 
consisting  of  the  following  regiments  of 
cavalry,   to  wit :  4th  United  States,   ith 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUeHn. 


265 


Michigan,  5th  Iowa,  7th  Pennsylvania,  3d 
Indiana,  1st,  3d,  4:th  and  10th  Ohio,  and 
2d  Kentucky;  and  the  following  regiments 
of  mounted  infantry,  to  wit:  17th  and  72d 
Indiana,  92d,  98th  and  123d  Illinois,  and 
the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade. 

The  average  strength  of  the  command 
from  the  1st  of  August,  until  the  31st  of 
December,  1863,  inclusive,  in  the  field,  was 

about men,  and  the  average  number  of 

sick  report  daily  was ,  many  of  whom 

remained  off  dutj  but  one  or  two  days. 
(Omitted  figures  yield  less  than  2  per  cent, 
sickness.) 

There  have  been  ninety-three  sent  to 
general  hospital,  and  thirteen  deaths. 

At  the  present  time  the  command  is 
separated,  part  in  East  and  part  in  West 
Tennessee,  and  another  portion  near  this 
place,  hence  I  am  unable  to  give  report  in 
full.  I  have  the  date  from  about  one-haU 
of  the  command,  and  it  shows  a  sick  list  of 
less  than  twenty  at  the  present  time. 

This  statement  does  not  include  the  cas- 
ualties occurring  ia  battle,  or  by  accident, 
but  from  disease  alone. 

Very  respectfully,       - 

M.    C.    CuYKUNDOIJi, 
JfefZicaZ  Director,  2d  Division  CaeaHry, 
Army  of  the  Cumberland, 

Much  of  this  good  condition  is  undoubt- 
edly due  to  the  faithful  and  judicious  la- 
bors of  the  Medical  Director  and  the  other 
medical  officers  in  the  command. 

AU  seemed  to  be  working  in  harmony, 
and  with  a  single  eye  to  the  good  of  the 
whole. 

My  next  visit  was  to  the  post  hospital, 
which  is  a  very  large  three-story  brick 
building,  in  the  city,  known  as  the  Calhoun 
House,  (had  been  formerly  used  by  the  reb- 
els,) Surgeon  Dudley  Eodgers  of  the  59th 
Indiana  in  charge. 

The  house  is  a  magnificent  structure, 
rooms  large  and  airy.  It  contained  about 
twenty-five  patients;  these  had  comfortable 
beds,  but  their  diet  was  bad.  I  saw  their 
supper,  which  consisted  only  of  bread  made 
of  corn  meal  and  water,  fried  salt  pork,  and 
coffee  without  inilk.  Some  of  these  pa- 
tients w'ere  very  sick.  I  remarked  to  one 
of  the  patients,  "  you  have  good  quarters," 
"yes,"  he  rephed,  "but  that  is  all."  I 
saw  in  the  store  room  half  a  sheep,  and  at 
times  they  have  fresh  beef.  I  may  add 
here,  that  on  the  arrival  of  our  stores,  we 
gave  them  a  liberal  supply,  which  must 
have  been  essential  to  the  recovery  of  some 
of  them. 

The  next  day  I  caUed  on  Surgeon  J.  S. 
Protit,  Medical  Director  of  the  3d  Division, 
15th  Army  Corps,  and  with  him  visited  the 
regiments  of  that  command,  first  obtain- 
ing  from  him  the   following   statement. 

Strength  of  command .     On  the  5th  of 

January remained  unfit  for  duty; 


were  reported  unfit  for  duty  the  following 
week,  and  181  were  returned  to  duty.    Ee- 

maining  unfit  for  duty,  January  16, . 

(Three  and  a  half  per  cent,  from  sickness.) 
During  this  week  therii  were  issued,  7,898 
pounds  of  fresh  beef,  about  one  and  a  halt 
rations,  and  3,428  pounds  of  potatoes,  be- 
ing about  three-fourths  ration. 

IST  BBIOASE. 
Begiment.  Beef,  lbs.  Potatoes. 

59th  Indiana 1,000  

48th       "       ..550  441 

4th  Minnesota 715  

18th  Wisconsin 598  1,200 

63d  Illinois 

The  18th  Wisconsin  was  doing  provost 
duty,  and  probably  was  the  first  to  apply. 

2d  bbigadb. 
The  19th  Iowa  and  80th  Ohio,  1,950  ra- 
tions of  beef,  no  potatoes,  and  no  potatoes 
or  beef  reported  by  omer  regiments. 

3d  bkigade. 

Begiment.  Beef.  Potatoes. 

5th  Iowa; 993       750 

10th  "  600       800 

25th  Missouri 692  237 

93d  Illinois.. . ." 500  

From  the  Batteries  and  Pioneer  Corps  no 
reports.  I  found  very  few  sick,  with  the 
regiments,  and  notified  each  Surgeon  in 
charge  that  we  had  opened  a  store  room, 
and  that  they  could  have  any  goods  we  had, 
by  sending  for  them.  All  said  they  wanted 
them,  and  would  send  promptly. 

Mr.  Tone  coming  with  the  goods,  I  re- 
turned to  Brownsboro'  on  the  25th,  and 
found  there  the  10th  Missouri  and  56th  Il- 
linois; these  were  in  good  condition,  as  the 
others,  and  had  received  during  the  week, 
one  ration  of  potatoes  and  two  of  beef. 
All  were  well  clothed,  huts  good,  camps 
well  policed,  the  only  thing  that  seemed  to 
be  deficient,  was  the  ditching,  but  as  the 
weather  was  dry  the  camps  were  not  muddy. 

I  think  the  order  of  Surgeon  Moore  that 
aU  in  the  department  should  report  weekly 
the  issues. of  fresh  beef  and  potatoes,  must 
result  in  good ;  as  it  can  be  seen  at  once  who 
are  not  supplied;  and  by  bringing  it  weekly 
before  each,  officer,  will  prompt  them  to 
make  every  effort  to  obtain  them.  On  my 
return  to  Stevenson,  I  found  the  Alabama 
House  had  been  taken  possession  of  by  the 
Government,  and  was  to  be  used  for  a  Sol- 
diers' Home,  under  charge  of  Government 
officers.  I  have  since  requested  Mr.  Sut- 
liffe  to  remove  four  tents  from  Bridgeport 
there,  I  notified  him  that  we  will  send  him 
stores,  so  that  he  can  aid  the  officers  as  they 
may  desire. 

At  Stevenson  there  have  ^been  many  in- 
stances of  suffering  both  by  soldiers  and  by 
refugees.  The  trains  make  irregular  con- 
nections, those  coming  in  from  Huatsville 
(to  which  place  they  now  run,)  not  con- 


266 


The  Sanitary  ComrrdssUm  BvUetin. 


necting  for  many  hours,  witli  the  Nashville 
and  Chattanooga^  trains,  and  these  trains 
aje  often  so  full,  that  further  delay  is  un- 
avoidable. 

The  night  of  the  25th  was  clear  but  cold. 
As  most  of  our  company  could  not  find 
beds  and  food,  one  of  them,  Samuel  MoClel- 
lan,  was  making  his  way  to  a  little  fire  he 
saw  by  the  road-side,  that  he  might  make  a 
cup  of  coffee;  on  his  way,  he  found  by  the 
side  of  the  railroad  track,  the  body  of  a 
child,  about  eleven  years  old.  By  the  fire 
sat  an  old  lady,  her  head  as  white  as  cotton, 
with  two  children  of  her  niece's  in  charge. 
The  dead  child  had  been  one  of  their  num- 
ber; the  old  lady  and  children  had  been 
fed  by  the  soldiers,  and  she  was  doing  the 
best  she  could  to  live  through  the  night, 
with  her  children  aroumd  her  little  fire. 
She  was  put  under  shelter,  and  a  better 
fire  made  for  her,  but  no  bed  could  be  ob- 
tained. She  was  from  Chattanooga,  en- 
deavoring to  reach  her  brother  in  Colum- 
bus, Kentucky.  She  was  not  a  soldiei^  and 
I  only  refer  to  the  incident  to  show  the 
want  of  bettter  accommodations,  for  those 
who  are  compelled  to  stop  there.  Many  a 
soldier  has  been  compelled  to  walk  all 
night,  without  food  or  fire.  I  trust  the 
Alabama  House  will  soon  be  open  where 
they  can  find  both. 

I  expect  to  make  a  personal  inspection  of 
the  hospitals  and  their  wants,  at  Murfrees- 
boro',  TuUahoma,  Stevenson,  and  Bridge- 
port the  first  of  next  month. 

You  wiU  see  that  the  condition  of  this 
corps  is  much  better  than  those  in  Chatta- 
nooga. On  their  return  from  KnoxvUle, 
they  were  poorly  clad,  but  on  reaching 
Bridgeport  clotmng  was  soon  furnished, 
and  they  are  now  well  supplied. 

I  feel  it  to  be  my  imperative  duty  to  ask 
more  urgently  than  ever  before,  for  all  the 
vegetables  that  can  be  furnished,  knowing 
that  they  are  now  necessary  not  only  for 
the  strength  of  our  soldiers,  but  are  life  to 
them. 

A  command  just  sent  back  to  Bridgeport, 
have  sent  over  one  hundred  sick  to  the 
general  hospital  ia  charge  of  Dr.  Varian, 
every  one  of  whom  had  marked  indications 
of  the  scurvy.  I  have  persuaded  several 
Surgeons  to  direct  their  patients  to  eat  the 
potatoes  raw,  sliced  thin,  with  vinegar. 
They  inform  me  that  they  are  relished  in 
tliat  form.  Can  they  not  be  pickled  in 
vinegar,  and  thus  transportation  econo- 
mized, while  their  utility  is  increased  ten- 
fold, and  also  preserved  to  such  time  as 
they  cannot  be  furnished  fresh  ?  So  im- 
portant has  the  subject  appeared  to  me, 
that  I  have  addressed  the  following  letter, 
to  several  of  the  medical  ofScers  of  this 
army,  whom  I  chanced  to  meet  in  Nash- 
ville. I  was  particularly  fortunate  in  meet- 
ing with  Surgeon  B.  H.  CooUdge,  Medical 
Inspector  U.  S.  A.,  just  returning  from  an 


inspection  of  the  troops  in  KnoxvUle  and 
vicinity. 

I  would  ask  special  attention  to  the  state- 
ments of  Drs.  Phelps  and  Perkins,  Both 
have  been  long  in  the  field  and  have  been 
Medical  Directors  of  the  20th  and  4th  Army 
Corps. 

I  have  sent  the  same  note  of  inquiry  to 
Dr.  "VoUum,  Medical  luspeotor  of  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland,  and  to  Dr.  G.  Perin, 
Medical  Director.  I  wiU  forward  to  you 
their  answers  as  soon  as  received.  But 
there  can  be  but  one  opinion  in  regard  to 
the  danger  to  our  Army  from  scurvy,  and 
of  the  necessity  of  prompt  action  by  all,  to 
furnish  means  for  its  prevention  and  cure. 
This  induced  me  to  write  the  following 
letter  of  inquiry: 

Kashytlle,  January  31,  1864. 

Deab  Sns — For  want  of  sufficient  variety 
of  food,  and  of  fresh  vegetables,  scurvy  is 
beginning  to  appear  in  this  army. 

I  have  reason  to  believe,  both  from  the 
testimony  of  sea  captains  and  my-  own 
observation,  that  potatoes  pickled  in  vine- 
gar, orputupin  molasses,  as  for  sea  voy- 
ages, to  t)e  eaten  raw,  are  much  better  for 
the  cure  or  prevention  of  scurvy  then  when 
cooked. 

Please  inform  me  if  in  your  opinion  the 
Commission  should  furnish  the  potatoes  in 
these  forms,  and  if  there  is  a  necessity  of 
an  increased  supply  of  vegetables. 

Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 
A.  N.  Bead. 

To  this  letter  I  have  received  the  follow- 
ing replies: 

Nashville,  January  31, 1864. 

DocTOB — ^I  am  on  my  return  to  Washing- 
ton from  an  inspection  of  the  hospitals  and 
troops  at  and  near  Knoxville,  and  would 
represent  to  you  that,  in  my  opinion,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  can  do  a  great  deal 
of  good,  by  sending  to  that  point  anti-scor- 
butios  and  garden  seeds. 

The  troops  are  comparatively  healthy, 
but  they  have  been  deprived  of  vegetables 
so  long,  that  there  is  danger  of  scurvy; 
indeed,  some  of  the  premonitory  signs  of 
that  disease  are  now  apparent. 

In  reply  to  your  note  of  inquiry,  I  have  to 
state,  that  raw  potatoes,  sliced  and  pickled, 
or  preserved  in  molasses,  are  an  excellent 
anti-scorbutic.  Indeed,  when  I  have  the 
fresh  potato  and  can  have  it  cooked,  I  pre- 
fer using  it  raw,  sliced  and  dressed  as  SEdad, 
for  my  scorbutic  patients. 

I  have  advised  the  Medical  Director  at 
Knoxville  to  have  one  garden  made  for  the 
hospitals  in  that  city,  which  now  accom- 
modates 2,500  patients.  I  have  also  advised 
that  gardens  be  made  for  the  troops,  now 
in  winter  quarters  in  the  vicinity  of  Knox- 
ville, even  though  there  be  no  possibility 
of  ,th6  troops  remaining  long  enough  to 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BulMn. 


2€»l 


reap  the  fruit  of  their  labor  further  than 
relates  to  early  greens,  such  as  lettuce, 
turnip-tops,  spinach,  radishes,  mustard, 
&c. 

The  seeds  most  needed  are  lettuce,  beets, 
ttw'nips,  tomatoes,  radishes,  spinach,  mus- 
tard, pea,  early  cabbage,  onion  sets,  corn, 
potatoes,  and  a  general  supply  are  wanted. 

While  the  Tennessee  Kiver  continues  low, 
Sanitary  stores  and  especially  anti-scorbuT 
tics  should  be  sent  at  intervals  of  two  or 
ttree  days,  in  say  not  to  exceed  thirty  me- 
dium sized  packages,  so  that  the  boats  may 
take  them  without  detriment  to  other  de- 
mands of  the  service. 

I  think  much  good  would  result  if  an 
arrangement  were  made  between  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  and  Medical  Director 
Hewitt,  at  Knoxville,  for  the  services  of 
Mr.  Culbertson  as  Superintendent  of  the 
Hospital  Garden.  He  is  now  at  Knoxville 
in  the  employment  of  the  Commission,  is 
willing  to  do  the  work,  and  is  represented 
to  me  as  having  the  requisite  experience 
and  knowledge. 

Very  respect.,  your  obed't  servant, 

K.  H.  CooiiioaE, 

Medical  Insj^tarr  TT.  S.  A. 

£[badquabtebs  Depabtment  or  Ctjmbeblahi*, 

AssisxiJST  Medical  Dibectob's  Office, 
January  22,  1861. 

Db.  Read — Deab  Sib — At  your  request  I 
would  respectfully  report,  ths!,t  I  have  not 
had  any  personal  opportunity  to  learn  the 
effect  of  the  use  of  the  potato  prepared  as 
you  suggest,  in  cases  of  scurvy  and  where 
a  marked  tendency  to  this  disease  exists. 
The  chemical  constituents  of  the  potato, 
combined  with  vinegar,  furnish,  in  my 
opinion,  one  of  the  very  best  dietetics  I 
know  of,  both  for  the  arrest  and  cure  of 
scorbutus.  In  the  French  Army,  and  during 
the  insurrections  in  Sicily,  I  had  frequent 
opportunity  to  witness  the  good  effect  of 
the  potato  peeled  and  sliced  thin,  then 
dressed  with  vinegar,  salt,  pepper,  &c.,  as 
the  green  cucumber  is  usually  prepared  for 
table  use.  In  both  of  these  campaigns, 
there  was  no  other  treatment  rendered 
which  was  certain  to  prevent,  and  as  prompt 
to  cure  scurvy. 

I  am  sir,  very  respectfully,  yours, 

M.  CliBITOENNIN, 

Sv/rgeon  XT.  S.  F., 
Assf.  Med,  Director^' jbept.  of  Cumberland. 

The  troops  above  referred  to  have  been 
BO  long  deprived  of  an  adequate  supply  of 
fresh  Vegetables,  that,  unless  the  deficiency 
be  speedily  supplied,  scurvy  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  to  materially  impair  their  efSciency 
during  the  spring  campaign  is  inevitable. 
As  it  is  impossible  to  supply  them  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  in  the  ordinary  form,^I 


would  earnestly  recommend  the  plan  above 
referred  to  by  Dr.  Eead. 

J.  Peekins,  TJ.  8.  v., 

Medical  Director,  Wth  Army  Corps. 

From  what  I  know  of  the  condition  of 
the  troops  referred  to  above,  I  do  not  hea-. 
tate  to  recommend  that  potatoes,  prepared 
as  specified,  be  furnished  the  Anny,  as  ne- 
cessary to  place  it  in  condition  for  the  com- 
ing campaign.  *Fresh  vegetables  cannot 
be  Supplied  in  sufficient  quantities,  and  the 
necessity  of  such  diet  is  very  urgerit. 
A.  J.  Phelps, 

Medical  Director,  ith  ArmyOorpt'. 

In  addition  to  this,  I  would  also  suggest 
that  the  Commission  furnish,  say  one 
hundred  barrels  of  the  meal  of  parched 
com. 

Take  common  corn,  brownitin  thelatge 
oyliaders  used  for  brovgning  coffee,  until  it 
is  brittle,  then  grind  it.  I  believe  from  my 
own  observation  of  the  Confederate  sol- 
diers, and  of  the  negroes,  who  use  corn  meal 
instead  of  flour,  that  compared  with  flour 
it  is  anti- scorbutic. 

At  all  events,  this  would  make  a  nutri- 
tious and  pala,table  diet,  which  would  be 
sought  after  eagerly.  I  am  informed  by 
those  who  have  tried  it,  that  mixed  with 
cold  water  it  soaks  soft,  and  is  very  palata- 
ble, and  that  with  sugar,  it  makes  a  very 
good  pudding. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

A.  N.  Eead. 


A  VISIT  TO  THE  HOSPITAL  DIRECTOEY. 

The  Central  Office  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission  is  Itooated  at  the  old  residence 
of  John  Quincy  Adams,  No.  244  F  Street,  a 
short  distance  from  WiUard's  Hotel.  One  of 
the  upper  rooms  of  this  building  is  occupied  by 
that  department  of  the  Commission,  known  as 
the  ' '  Hospital  Directory. " 

At  this  office  four  or  five  clerks  are  employed, 
three  of  whom  are  regularly  engaged  in  enter- 
ing the  names  of  soldiers  in  large  books.  These 
names  are  copied  from  the  daily  reports  of  the 
hospitals  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  Balti- 
more, Chesapeake,  Beaufort,  Hilton  Head,  Fer- 
nandina,  St.  Augustine,  and  several  in  New  Or- 
leans, numbering  in  all  about  fifty.  Each  one 
of  these  books  numbers  about  three  hundred 
pages.  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  each  re- 
quiring two  volumes.  As  there  have  been  sick 
and  wounded  from  every  regiment  in  the  East- 
ern Department,  so  each  State  has  a  record  in 


.*  The  potato  pickled  or  preserved  in  molasses  is  dnly 
intended  to  be  used  when  it  cannot  be  fumisbed  fresbv 
But  so  difficult  mU  it  be  to  furnish  a  supply,  our  soldiers 
should  be  induced  to  eat  them  raw. 


268 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiEetin. 


one  or  more  of  tliese  books.  The  69th  New 
York  Volunteers,  for  instance,  we.  find  by  re- 
ferring to  the  index;,  is  on  the  — th  page.  Like 
every  other  page,  it  has  the  following  printed 
headings,  each  having  its  proper  space,  and  be- 
ing appropriately  ruled  off:  "  Date  of  Admis- 
sion," "Hospital,"  "Name,"  "Rank,"  "Com- 
pany," "Died,"  "Discharged,"  "Returned  to 
Duty,"  "Furloughed,"  "Deserted,"  "Trans- 
ferred." For  instance:  Patrick  Smith  is  re- 
ceived at  Lincoln  Hospital,  November  10.  The 
report  indicates  his  admission  at  that  date ;  so 
under  "date  of  admission,"  is  written  "No- 
vember 10;"  under  "hospital"  is  written  "Lin- 
coln;" under  "name"  is  written  "Smith,  Pat- 
rick;" xmder  "rank"  is  written  "P"  (for  "  pri- 
vate") and  under  "  company"  is  written  "F,"  or 
whatever  it  may  be.  Perhaps,  in  a  short  time  a 
morning  report  from  Lincoln  Hospital  informs 
the  clerks  that  Patrick  has  returned  to  duty. 
His  name  is  found,  and  under  that  heading  the 
date  is  written — say  December  15;  or,  Patrick 
may  have  received  a  furlough  to  visit  his  Mends. 
Then,  under  "furloughed"  is  written  "Decern-, 
ber  15."  Thus  it  wiU  be  seen  that  the  soldier 
who  gets  in  the  hospital,  however  rarely  he  may 
have  written  home,  or  however  widely  his  let- 
ters may  have  miscarried,  is  almost  certain  to 
be  easily  traced  out  by  any  anxious  friend,  or 
relative,  writing  or  applying  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  answers  are  given  free  of  all 
charge.  There  are,  however,  exceptions  to  this 
easy  method  of  finding  the  soldier.  It  some- 
times happens  that,  from  some  pecunar  whim 
or  other,  the  soldier  does  not  furnish  his  proper 
name  at  the  hospital.  Others  may  be  deli- 
riously ill  when  received,  and  unable  to  give  a 
reliable  name.  Some  of  the  Germans,  and,  in- 
deed Americans,  have  such  peculiar  sounding 
names,  that  they  get  sadly  misspelled  after  two 
or  three  copyings,  but  they  may  be  easily  iden- 
tified by  the  rank  and  company  *hey  were  in, 
and  by  their  "given"  name. 

We  think  that  many  in  the  country  would  be 
greatly  astonished  at  the  peculiarity  of  the 
names  of  some  of  our  brave  boys.  The  most 
remarkable  one  we  ever  saw  was  that  of  a  West- 
em  soldier,  who  was  bravely  defending  the  old 
flag  under  the  appellation  of  "January  Black- 
bird." The  number  of  names  now  registered 
upon  the  books  at  Washington  alone,  is  about 
200,000!  The  greater  portion  of  these  have 
been  returned  to  duty  or  honorably  discharged. 

The  correspondence  .of  the  Directory  is  one 
of  its  most  interesting  features.  When  inqui- 
ries are  received  asking  information  of  soldiers 
whose  names  are  not  on  the  books  of  the  ofioe, 
a  letter  is  addressed,  in  nearly  every  instance, 


to  the  Surgeon  of  the  soldier's  regiment,  or  to 
one  of  the  branch  offices  at  LouisviUe  or  Phila- 
delphia. The  method  and  detail  with  which 
this  is  done  challenge  oiSr  admiration,  as  indi- 
cating the  care  taken  to  secure  the  most  certain 
information.  For  instance :  a  letter  is  received 
from  Mi-s.  Jones,  a  lady  in  New  York  City,  who 
has  not  heard  from  her  son  Samuel,  a  private  in 
the  200th  New  York  Volunteers,  Company  B,  in 
five  months.  She  feels  an  intense  anxiety.  She 
has  heard  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
writes,  despondently,  for  information.  The  sol- 
dier's name  does  not  appear  on  the  books.  The 
Chief  Clerk  writes  to  the  Surgeon  of  the  regi- 
ment In  a  book  entitled  "Applications,"  he 
makes  the  following  entry:  First,  the  date  of 
application;  next,  the  name  of  the  soldier  in- 
quired for,  thus— Jones,  Samuel,  200th  New 
York  Volunteers,  Company  B;  next,  the  num- 
ber of  the  application,  say  2,400;  next,  the  ap- 
plicant, Mrs.  Jane  Jones,  274 Street,  New 

York;  next,  thus— Wrote  Surgeon  of  regiment, 
such  a  date;  then,  Mrs.  Jones'  letter  of  applica- 
tion is  endorsed  "2,400,"  and  carefully  filed 
away.  Then,  the  clerk  takes  a  blank  form,  the 
printed  and  written  matter  of  which  wiU  read 
substantially  as  follows:  "  Information  is  earn- 
estly desired  regarding  Samuel  Jones,  of  the 
200th  New  York  Volunteers,  Company  B.  When 
last  heard  from,  he  was  with  his  regiment  at 
New  Orleans,  La.,  which  was  five  months  since. 
His  mother  has  great  anxiety  about  him.  Please 
reply  upon  this  sheet  at  your  earliest  conven- 
ience." The  sheet  is  registered  at  the  top 
"2,400,"  and  addressed  to  the  Surgeon  of  the 
200th  New  York  Volunteers.  A  stamped  envel- 
ope, addressed  to  the  Hospital  Directory,  is  en- 
closed. In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  there  ar- 
rives one  day,  among  a  number  of  letters,  a 
sheet  headed  "  2,400."  It  is  thesame  the  clerk 
sent  to  the  Surgeon  of  the  200th.  The  Surgeon 
has  written,  "Samuel  Jones,  of  Company  E, 
200th  New  York  Volunteers,  of  which  regiment 
I  am  Surgeon  in  charge,  was  taken  sick  about 
four  months  since  and  sent  to  Barracks'  Hos- 
pital, New  Orleans,  and  only  last  week  returned 
to  duty,  and  is  now  with,  his  regiment.  Not 
getting  letters  from  home,  he  has  neglected  to 
write,  but  agrees  to  do  so  right  away."  The 
clerk  seeks  out  Application  No.  2,400,  that 
was  so  carefully  laid  away,  and  puts  with  it  its 
duplicate  number,  the  answer,  and  writes  the 
welcome  news  to  Mrs.  Jane  Jones.  He  then  en- 
dorses the  application  as  answered  at  such  a 
date,  turns  to  No.  2,400  in  the  "Application 
Book, "  and  in  a  blank  space,  left  for  the  purpose, 
writes  the  date  and  abstract  of  his  reply  to  Mrs. 
Jones.     When  we  say,  in  addition  to  this,  that 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


269 


the  letter  to  Mrs.  Jones  is  -written  in  copying 
ink,  and  afterwards  copied  into  a  book,  the 
reader  -will  see  the  vast  amount  of  care  and 
labor  bestowed  upon  Ihis  important  branch  of 
the  Hospital  Directory. 

We  have  merely  supposed  a  case,  but  it  is  in- 
tended as  an  easily  understood  illustration  of 
the  manner  in  which  every  letter  of  that  class 
is  attended  to.  It  is  true  that  sad  news  is  re- 
ceived sometimes,  which  it  is  not  pleasant  to 
communicate  directly  to  the  anxious  relatives; 
but  we  feel  convinced,  from  the  manifest  in- 
terest in  this  department,  that  sorrowful  things 
would  be  as  gently  imparted  as  possible,  and 
with  a  sympathetic  heart  for  the  mourning 
mother,  or  brother,  or  sister,  to  whom  t^e  letter 
might  be  written.    . 

When  the  Surgeon  writes  with  startling  brev- 
ity: "  John,  of  whom  you  inquire,  was  killed  at 
Chiokamauga,  September  20,  and  afterwards 
buried  on  the  field;"  or,  "  George,  of  whom  you 
desire  information,  was  severely  wounded  on 
the  2d  July  at  Gettysburg,  and  died  on  the  8th 
of  that  month  in  regimental  hospital,"  it  is  very 
sad  to  re-write  these  facts  to  the  widowed 
mother,  or  the  only  brother  and  sister,  whose 
hope  has  been  alive  at  all  times,  though  only 
upheld  by  uncertainty.  ' 

But  there  are  other  letters  than  these  that' are 
painful  to  write;  for  example,  "Private  Jacob 

,  of  the  — th  Maine  Volunteers,  Company 

K,  deserted  from  this  regiment  on  the  lOth  of 
November,  and  has  not  since  been  heard  from." 
The  clerk  teUs  us  that  he  had  rather  write  to 
such  a  man's  friends  that  he  had  died  of  the 
most  lingering  and  pa,inful  disease  than  to  send 
them  such  a  record.  Another  sad  case  is  such 
as  this,  and  not  Unfcequently,  we  understand: 
"  Henry  — - — ,  o{  the  — th  Iowa  Volunteers,  was 

last  seen  in  the  engagement  of ,  and, 

as  his  body  was  not  found,  is  supposed  to  have 
been  taken  prisoner  by  the  rebels." 

But  we  were  glad  to  learn  that  whatever  satis- 
faction there  may  be  in  allaying  the  anxieties 
and  fears  of  friends  with  even  the  worst  tidings 
— giving  them  gloomy  certainties  such  as  we 
have  noted — it>  is  much  oftener  the  pleasing 
task  of  the  clerk  to  write  such  a  letter  as  this : 
"  Tour  son  is  well  and  on  duty  with  his  regi- 
ment, as  late  as  two  weeks  since.  A  letter  ad- 
dressed   ,  wiU  be  quite  certain  to  reach 

him ;"  or  this :  "It  affords  me  pleasure  to  in- 
form you  that  your  brother,  though  severely 
wounded,  as  you  had  heard,  at  the  battle  of 
OMckamauga,  is  slowly  recovering  at  11th  Corps 
Hospital."  We  saw  some  of  the  letters  received, 
and  were  permitted  to  take  a.  few  notes.  A 
letter  from  Yorkshire,  England,  commences  its 


address  with  "  My  Lord,"  desiring  news  of 
John  0^ — ,  who  had  not  been  heard  of  for 
fifteen  months.    He  was  answered  that  John 

0 had  been  in  an  hospital  in  Arkansas,  but 

was  well  and  again  with  his  regiment. 

A  lady  in  Connecticut,  after  making  an  in- 
quiry, writes:  "A  few  days  ago  a  poor  woman 
told  me  these  things  about  her  son,  saying  she 
never  expected  to  hear  from  him  again — sup- 
posing he  was  dead.  She  was  told  about  the 
Sanitary  Commission — ^how  they  so  often  gave 
the  information  desired — and  I  offered  to  write 
for  her,  and  see  if  any  thing  reliable  could  be 
obtained  from  such  limited  knowledge  of  facts." 
The  son  was  found  in  a  Southern  hospital, 
where  he  had  been  for  some  time,  but  expected 
to  be  discharged  soon.  Upon  communicating 
the  facts  to  the  lady  who  wrote  for  the  informa- 
tion, another  letter  was  reo|ived  from  her,  which 
is  so  good  and  so  cheering  to  every  worker  in 
the  Commission  that  we  gladly  avail  ourselves 
of  the  permission  to  make  the  following  extract: 

"  I  have  not  yet  seen 's  mother,  but  will 

.venture  to  make  immediate  return  of  tlianks  in 
her  behalf  for  the  large  benefit  she  has  received 
through  your  instrumentality,  Had  I  a  friend 
in  such  a  case  I  should  consider  a  full  expres- 
sion of  my  gratitude  impossible;  or,  that  my 
best  efforts  in  behalf  of  such  an  organization, 
that  could  afford  such  relief,  could  never  com- 
pensate for  value  received.  I  confess  that,  with 
all  my  faith  in  the  Commission,  I  am  surprised 
and  no  less  gratified  at  the  success  of  your  in- 
vestigation, because  of  the  meagemess  of  the 
facts  I  sent  you.  As  long  as  there  is  need  for 
noble  effort  to  relieve  the  sorrows  of  our  Nation's 
mighty  heart  may  the  Sanitary  Commission  be 
sustained  and  blessed." 

A  Minister  writes:  "There  is  a  lady  in  my 
church  who  has  several  sons  in  the  Army,  one 

of  whom  has  been  missing  since  last .     He 

was  captured  by  Mosby,  I  think,  in  one  of  his 

raids.     Mrs. is  an  earnest  worker  for  the 

good  of  the  soldiers,  and  any  expense  you  may 
incur  in  ascertaining  his  whereabouts  will  be 
cheerfully  met. " 

A  letter  from  a  lady  in  Liverpool,  England, 
says:  "  Pardon  the  liberty  of  wiiting  to  you  if 
you  will  inform  me  if  you  have  any  connection 
with  the  American  War,  as  I  am  desirous  to  hear 

from  my  husband, ,  from  whom  I  have 

not  heard  since  Jime,  1862."  A  very  few  facts 
wire  given  as  a  basis  upon  which  to  find  him, 
but  in  a  few  weeks  she  was  answered  vrith  the 
very  gratifying  information  that  her  husband 
was  on  duty  with  his  regiment  in  December 
last. 

And  BO  might  we  give  many  more  extracts 


270 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUMin. 


from  many  other  letters,  all  showing  one  natu- 
ral andtiniform  feeling — ^that  of  anxiety.  If  it 
cost  something  to  pay  for  the  services  of  those 
who  are  discharging  the  duties  pertaining  to 
this  great  philanthropic  work;  if  it  cost  som&- 
thing  to  pay  for  the  postage  stamps  and  station- 
ery nsed,  who,  with  only  a  general  knowledge 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  work,  even  in  this  de- 
partment of  it,  who  shall  the  money  come  from? 
Who  shall  put  a  price  npon  the  relief  to  a 
mother's  aching  heart,  every  throb  of  which  is 
an  echo  to  her  constant  thought  of  her  son,  who 
went  from  her  to  fight  his  country's  battles  ?  If 
the  Sanitary  Commission  relieves  the  pain, 
with  certainty  of  his  present  health  and  honor- 
able conduct,  or  with  the  sad,  but  authenticated 
message  that  he  has  found  a  soldier's  grave; 
is  there  a  price  to  be  put  npon  it?  And  as  to 
one  is  brought  certainty,  so  it  is  brought  to 
thousands.  If,  in  giving  to  this  noble  cause, 
the  people  impoverish  themselves,  or  could  be 
said  even  to  "  feel"  the  amounts  which,  accord- 
•iTtg  to  their  various  pecuniary  conditions,  they 
may  contribnte,  there  would  be  a  plansible  ex- 
cuse for  censuring  what  may  be  termed  a  mis- 
taken philanthropy.  But,  thank  Heaven,  the 
National  outpouring  of  practical  philanthropy 
which  is  commanding  the  admiration  of  the 
whole  World  is  not  burdensome;  it  is  the  frank, 
ontspoten,  and  earnest  expression  of  the  loyal 
people — a  token  of  the  love  they  bear  to  their 
country  and  its  brave  defenders.  Let  us  hope 
that  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
may  retain  its  justly  earned  popularity  by  a 
continuance  in  its  present  sphere  of  usefulness, 
as  long  as  tiie  war  shall  cause  the  necessity  of 
its  existence. — WashxngUm  Chronicle,  I'Ki.  16. 


LETTEBS  m  OTXR  DKAWEE. 
We  have  in  our  hands  a  number  of  let- 
ters and  reports  from  varions  qnarters, 
for  whicli  we  cannot  find  space  in  this 
number,  and.  which  are,  nevertheless,  too 
interesting  to  be  passed  over  without  no- 
tice. Dr.  Newberry  writes  from  Louis- 
ville, (Feb.  11,)  that  Dr.  Warriner,  one  of 
J  his  Aids,  had  gone  to  Cincinnati  to  stimu- 
late the  exertions  of  the  Branch  Commis- 
sion ia  that  city,  in  forwarding  supplies  to 
the  force  which  General  Sherman  was  then 
collecting  at  Vicksburg  for  the  expedition 
whose  fate  we  are  at  this  moment  all 
watching  with  so  much  anxiety.  The  re- 
sult was  the  preparation  of  one  thousand 
packages,  which  were  sent  down  the  Missis- 
sippi by  a  steamer  chartered  for  the  pur- 


pose, and  which  took  in  additional  suppli^ 
at  Cairo  and  LouisviUe.  Dr.  Warriner 
went  down  in  her,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  tour  of  inspection  amongst  our 
agencies  in  MississippL  The  demand  for 
anti-scorbutics  in  the  Western  Armies  was 
more  urgent  than  ever,  and  continued,  in 
spite  of  the  dispatch  of  very  large  quanti- 
ties by  the  Commission,  to  be  far  greater 
than  the  supply.  But  Dr.  Newberry  was 
in  hopes  that  as  soon  as  the  weather  would 
permit  the  transport  of  vegetables  from 
the  North,  to  pour  in  such  a  supply  into 
General  Grant's  Army  as  would  give  scurvy 
its  quietus.  Beyond  some  changes  in  the 
position  of  our  agencies  in  Tennessee  and 
Kentucky,  and  the  establishment  of  a  new 
"Soldiers'  Home"  at  Camp  Nelson,  Ken- 
tucky, nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb  the 
ordinary  routine  of  our  wort  in  that  quar- 
ter. Our  relations  with  the  Christian  Com- 
mission and  the  military  authorities  were 
perfectly  harmonious. 

Dr.  Seymour  furnishes  some  interesting 
particulars  of  his  inspection  of  the  troops 
at  Knoxville.  He  reached  that  place  on 
the  24th  January,  after  the  usual  toils  and 
penis  on  the  road,  with  one  hundred  and 
eighty  packages  of  stores,  and,  as  usual, 
found  them  sorely  needed.  The  Surgeons 
reported  their  patients  as  in  "a  destitute 
condition,"  and  Dr.  Seymour  made  such 
distributions  amongst  them  as  the  emer- 
gency seemed  to  require  or  his  means 
would  permit.  He  has  succeeded  in  making 
arrangements  for  transport  from  Chatta- 
nooga, which  will  keep  him'  supplied  with 
sixty  or  ninety  packages  a  week.  Of  the 
hospitals  at  Knoxville,  he  says: 

I  have  made  a  thorough  iDSpection  of  all  the 
hospitals.  My  first  visit  was  made  immediately 
after  my  arrival  here.  I  found  the  hos^pitals  and 
men  in  a  sad  condition,  with  the  exception  of 
Hospital  No.  1  and  its  branch,  which  was  com- 
paratively very  comfortable.  In  the  others  more 
than  half  of  the  men  were  lying  on  the  floor  with 
nothing  but  blankets.  The  wards  filthy,  cooking 
and  washing  arrangements  bad,  and  in  many  in- 
stances no  accommodations  at  all  for  washino'. 
Police  of  grounds  bad.  Sinks  abominable,  and 
the  town  generally  the  most  filthy  of  any  I  ever 
had  the  misfortune  to  be  in. 

In  justice,  I  should  say  that  the  Surgeons  in 
charge  are  not  to  be  held  accountable  for  the 
condition  of  their  hospitals,  not  having  been  pro- 
vided with  the  means  to  remedy  the  evil. 

I  am  happy  to  say  a  great  change  has  taken 
place  within  a  few  days. 

Government  has  been  able  to  furnish  them 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMdin. 


271 


with  many  necessary  articles,  mach  needed, 
which,  with  the  aid  we  have  been  able  to  give 
them  in  stores,  the  efficient  efforts  of  the  Medical 
Director  of  the  department,  Dr.  Hewitt,  and  of 
the  Post  Director,  DrrShippan,  together  with  the 
united  efforts  of  the  Surgeons  in  charge,  the  hos- 
pitals are  now  in  a  very  fair  condition,  and  daily 
improving  in  every  respect. 

Of  articles  wanted,  I  may  say  every  thing. 
Those  most  needed  are  eatables  of  all  kinds. 
V^getable^  pickles,  krout,  fruit,  crackers,  delica- 
cies, stimulants,  ale,  cordials,  wines,  (blackberry 
wine  is  much  inquiied  for,)  bandages,  rollers, 
shirts,  drawers,  and  socks. 

'  The  general  health  of  the  men  in  this  depart- 
ment is  fast  improving.  The  last  ten  days  has 
given  them  rest,  which  is  what  they  very  much 
needed. 

The  matter  of  hospital  gardens  has  been 
engaging  the  attention  of  our  laborers  both 
East  and  West.  With  a  perennial  cry  for 
vegetables  coming  from  every  camp,  post 
and  hospital  at  the  seat  of  war,  it  has 
seemed  to  them  absurd,  with  a  teeming 
Boil  under  their  feet,  and  in  one  of  the 
finest  climates  in  the  world,  to  be  entirely 
dependent  on  the  scanty  contributions, 
•which  at  moat  seasons  are  all  that  our  frosty 
North  can  send.  Dr.  Newberry  says  in  the 
letter  mentioned  above: 

We  have  taken  up  the  matter  of  hospital  gar- 
dens with  considerable  energy;  have  sent  out 
seeds  and  tools  for  large  gardens  at  Murfrees- 
boro',  TuUahoma,  Chattanooga  and  Knoxville, 
and  shall  do  what  is  necessary  to  make  each  a 
success.  We  have  been  nrged  to  this  action  by 
all  the  medical  and  military  authorities,  and 
everything  indicates  that  our  prompt  intervention 
in  the  matter  is  called  for  by  both  our  humanity 
and  self-interest. 

Dr.  Page,  one  of  our  Inspectors,  writes 
from  Washington  on  the  same  subject: 

I  wrote  you  yesterday  a  hasty  line  in  reference 
to  our  projeeted  hospital  garden,  and  enclosed 
a  list  of  seed  wanted  to  c&rry  out  the  plan.  By 
the  interest  of  Gen.  Peck,  we  have  secured  the 
disposal  of  fifty  acres  of  good  land,  of  proper 
'  exposure  ;  some  of  the  coarser  implements, 
guch  as  ploughs,  hoes,  &o.,  have  been  obtained 
from  the  service.  Any  amount  of  manure  is  at 
hand,  and  the  transportation  furnished;  and 
the  labor  is«  secured  partly  by  volunteers  from 
the  soldiery,  and  partly  from  detailed  contra- 
bands. An  intelligent  Lieutenant  of  the  19th 
Wisconsin  has  charge  of  the  practical  working 
of.  the  farm,  and  there  is  much  of  emulation  and 
intelligent  zeal  among  the  volunteer  yeomen- 
soldiers  engaged.  It  wiU  teach  them  a  lesson 
of  the  yield  of  this  soil,  and  of  its  capabilities 
under  our  warm  sun  and  long ,  season,  which 
will  surprise  and  delight  them. 

I  am  encouraging,  in  every  way,  the  disposi- 
tion of  our  hospital  surgeons,  stewards,  and 
■  .others  to  estabhsh  gardens,  large  and  small. 
My  own  little  paJtch  of  last  year  and  this  winter 
seems  to   act   as  a    strong   stimulant.     The 


movement  will  be  a  6od-send,  literally,  to  our 
troops. 

I  hope  you  will  express  the  agricultural  mat- 
ters by  first  opportunity.  Perhaps,  itwotild  not 
be  unwise  to  suggest  to  seedsmen,  if  they  are 
desirous  to  have  any  untried  varieties  of  seeds 
given  a  fair  and  intelligent  trial  in  this  eUmate, 
that  they  forward  them,  with  the  proper  direc- 
tions. 

****** 

There  is  more  on  this  same  subject  in  the 
report  on  the  operations  of  the  Commisftion 
in  Tennessee,  to  be  found  elsewhere. 

The  want  of  a  Soldiers'  Home  in  Brashear 
City  has  been  long  felt,  for  the  comfort  and 
relief  of  soldiers  passing  to  and  fro  between 
the  T6che  country  and  New  Orleans,  many  of 
them,  of  course,  sick,  or  convalescent.  Mr. 
Abbott  accordingly  organized  one  about 
the  middle  of  last  December.  Chaplain 
Barker,  who  is  acting  as  our  Special  Belief 
Agent  in  that  quarter,  sends  us  some  infor- 
mation as  touching  its  condition  and  results. 
A  suitable  buUding  was  procured,  cleaned, 
and  fitted  up  with  conveniences  for  sleep- 
ing, cooking,  and  subsisting  the  men  as 
they  came.  A  colored  man  does  the  cook- 
ing, a  colored  woman  every  thing  else.  A 
private  of  the  91st  N.  Y.  V.  acts  as  a  guard 
and  works  as  a  carpenter.  A  Sergeant  of 
the  same  regiment  is  the  Superintendent; 
and  the  Chaplain  himself  is,  as  we  have 
said.  Special  Belief  Agent;  or,  as  he  calls 
himself,  "servant  of  all  work."  In  the 
first  fortnight  of  January,  231  men  were 
admitted,  671  meals  and  250  lodgings  fur- 
nished. The  Commission  had  done  some 
good  work  at  Brashear  City  before  this, 
however,  as  appears  from  the  following 
letter  to  Dr.  Blake,  our  Agent  at  New 
Orleans,  written  so  long  ago  as  November 
23d: 

Bbasheas  City,  La.. 

Novemier  23d,  1863. 

Deab  Sie — Your  prompt  response  to  my  ap- 
peal in  behalf  of  the  sick  of  the  91st  New  York 
Vounteers,  commands  my  respect  and  gratitude. 
The  sheets,  pillow  and  bed  ticks,  and  3ie  shirts, 
napkins  and  drawers,  could  not,  in  my  opinion, 
have  been  more  judiciously  bestowed.  For  ex- 
ample: prior  to  the  arrival  of  your  supply  there 
was  not  a  sheet,  nor  even  a  part  of  one  in  the 
hospital,  and  at  the  same  time  we  had  some 
seven  cases  of  typhoid  fever.  The  hospital 
stores  were  no  less  welcome,  and  all  of  them 
proved  to  be  of  the  very  best  quality.  The 
Sanitary  Commision,  through  its  private  agents, 
has  done,  and  is  still  doing  much  for  the  care 
and  comfort  of  the  sick  in  the  loyal  Umted 
States  Army.  It  cannot  be  otherwise  than  grati- 


272 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMeHn. 


fying  to  you  to  be  the  almoner  of.  such  a  benevo- 
lent Comlnission.  I  feel  under  many  obliga- 
tions to  you  for  your  kindness  to  my  patients, 
and  shall  always  remember  you  mth  emotions 
of  gratitude. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

BOEEBX  MOBBIS, 
Swrgeon  91ii  New  Torh  Volunteers. 

"An  Engineer  Officer"  on  PoUy  Island, 
S.C,  aends  ns  ten  dollars  for  the  foUowiBg 
reason: 

My  observation  of  the  practical  working  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  convinced  me  that 
it  is  in  every  way  deserving  of  the  aid  and  sup- 
port of  Christian  men  and  patriots. 

Inspectors  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  report 
much  to  its  Central  Office  that  is  "contraband," 
but  would  be  most  inspiriting  to  the  people, 
could  it  be  made  public.  For  instance,  a  regi- 
ment of  Union  recruits  from  a  camp  of  rebel 
prisoners — no  matter  where — ^has  been  duly 
visited  and  examined  on  the  course  of  the  Com- 
mission's work  of  Sanitary  Inspection — and  is 
reported  to  be  among  the  best  regiments  in  the 
national  service.  Its  men  think  secession  used 
up,  and  are  so  happy  with  the  clean  clothes  and 
the  sufficient  food  they  get  from  the  nation, 
that  they  are  prepared  to  fight  for  the  country 
to  the  death,  against  Secession  and  Eebellion. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  among  the  first 
questions  suggested  for  the  consideration  of  the 
recent  Sanitary  Conference  of  Representatives 
of  old  Christian  civilized  powers,  was  this: — ■ 
"If  a  wounded  soldier  seem  past  hope  of  re- 
covery, is  it,  or  is  it  not,  desirable  that  he  be 
killed  by  some  humane  process,  so  as  to  save 
him  from  suffering,  and  to  economize  the  labors 
of  attendants  on  the  sick  and  wounded  ?" 

Let  us  try  to  imagine  a  like  proposition  in- 
troduced at  a  session  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, or  of  some  Congressional  Committee ! 

Perhaps  we  Americans  are  not  utter  barba- 
rians after  all ? 


A  FOREIGN  OPINION  OF  THE  COMMIS- 
SION. 
We  Americans  are  not  yet  quite  rid  of  the 
habit  of  looking  anxiously  across  the  Atlantic 
for  a  word  of  approval  of  whatever  we  do,  as  a 
child  watches  the  eye  of  its  mother.  JThe  treat- 
ment we  have  rec'eived  from  that  quarter  during 
the  last  three  years  has  been  so  far  from  sym- 
pathetic or  maternal,  that  this  feeling  is  fast 
dying  out,  and  with  it  is  disappearing  much 
that  has  made  us  practically  provincial  and  too 
sensitively  uneasy  about  foreign  opinion.  But 
we  still  like  to  know  that  any  American  work  is 
commended  in  England,  which  has  found  so 
little  to  commend  in  our  sacrifices  to  sustain 
our  national  existence,  and  to  oppose  the  law- 


less aggressions  of  a  Slavery  system  which  shie 
forced  upon  us  when  we  were  her  colonies,  and 
educated  us  by  example,  argument,  and  invec- 
tive to  dislike  and  discourage  after  we  had  be- 
come an  independent  nation.  It  is  gratifying, 
therefore,  to  find  in  the  November  number  of 
&ood  Words,  (a  reUgiojis  magazine  of  very  great 
circulation,  published  in  London,  Edinburgh, 
and  Glasgow,)  at  page  814,  a  mosf  eulogistic 
notice  of  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
It  speaks  of  the  Commission  as  "the  most 
perfect  and  thorough  organization  which  has 
been  called  forth  by  the  needs  of  the  times  f 
and  proceeds  to  gay  that — 

' '  Under  its  auspices  the  sanitary  regulations  of 
the  Army  are  cared  for,  large  stores  and  supplies ' 
kept  ready  and  sent  forward,  whenever  a  battle 
is  looked  for,  so  that,  in  the  hurry  and  confu- 
sion which  ensues,  all  that  the  Surgeons  need, 
and  which  Government  cannot  always  supply, 
is  at  hand.  Mfher  for  amputations,  bandages, 
lint,  stimulants,  and  nourishment  of  every  sort, 
are  supplied. 

' '  Alter  the  terrible  battle  of  Gettysburg,  when 
the  fearful  storm  of  shot  a,nd  shell  had  left 
thousands  in  the  field,  and  the  Surgeons  were 
endeavoring  to  do  what  medical  skiU  might,  to 
save  life,  one  who  was  on  the  spot  says  he  can 
never  forget  the  gratitude  with  which  they  saw 
store-wagons  of  the  Sanitsiry  Commission  com- 
ing up. 

"  '  Thank  God,'  said  the  Surgeon,  'here  come 
the  Sanitary  supplies;  now  we  shall  do  well.' 

"The  Commission  has  its  Central  Office  in 
Washington,  and  from  thencS'  radiate,  as  from 
a  great  center,  streams  of  help  and  comfort, 
reaching  the  Army  wherever  it  is  doing  its  work, 
and  like  a  good  angel,  watching  and  waiting  to 
offer  blessings.  Under  its  direction  railway 
ambulance's  have  been  fitted  up  with  comfort- 
able beds,  arranged  for  the  transportation  of 
the  sick  and  wounded,  who  are  to  be  sent 
farther  north;  beds  hung  so  that  the  motion  of 
the  carriage  does  not  jar  them.  A  surgeon  and 
nurses  have  charge  of  these  ambulances,  and 
with  them  is  connected  a  newly-invented  cook- 
ing apparatus,  in  compact  form,  w^iere  food  can 
be  prepared,  water  boiled,  tea  or  gruel  made 
ready,  or  any  other  nourishment  required.  '  On 
one  occasion  fifty  men  were  brought  from  Wash- 
ington to  New  York,  a  distance  of  at  least  300 
miles.  Their  food  being  prepared  entirely  in. 
this  little  ea;  tempore  kitehen  connected  with  tlie 
railway  carriage,  exhaustion  was  avoided,  and 
in  some  cases  life  actually  saved.* 

»  It  is,  ptoliaps,  well  to  add  that  the  "United  States 
Sanitary  CommiSBion"  is  purely  voluntary,  organized  as 
an  aid  to  the  Government  in  its  immenBe  labor.  No 
service  done  ty  its  members  is  other  than  a  willing 
offering  to  the  good  pause,  and  this  gives  a  double  value 
to  its  far-reaohing  work.  One  tribute  to  its  worth  has 
come  fi'om  a  source  rather  unlocked  for,  and  may  be 
mentioned  here.  A  letter  has  been  sent  to  General  Lee, 
(rebel  commander-in-chief,)  signed  by  twelve  rebel  Sur- 
geons, now  prisoners  at  Gettysburg,  requesting  the  re- 
lease of  several  Sanitary  Agents  taken  in  battle,  and  now 
in  prison  at  Richmond.  They  say  that  the  wounded  of 
their  army  have  received  such  help  and  comfort  from 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  that  it  seems  only  justice  to' 
release  those  who  were  taken  while  engaged  in  a  work  of 
.  mercy,  and  to  recognize  fhem  as  non-combatants. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


27S 


'  'Another  good  arrangement  is  a  Lodge,  estab- 
lished ia  Washington,  where  the  discharged 
soldier,  waiting,"  perhaps,  for  his  pay,  may  go 
and  find' a  bed,  good  lodging,  and  meat,  free  of 
charge,  before  he  is  gent  on  his  way.  Some 
thousands  have  had  help  and  comfort  from  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  this  way,  and  been 
saved  from  temptation— perhaps,  from  ruin. 

"In  connection  with  the  Central  Office  of  the 
Commission,  at  Washington,  a  branch  is  estab- 
lished in  each  of  our  large  cities,  as  a  depot 
where  boxes  are  received  which  obme  in  from 
'  the  country.  Each  little  town  or  village  has  an 
Aid  Society,  as  an  auxiliary  to  the  great  center, 
where  clothing  is  made  up,  and  articles  of  vari- 
ous tinds  contributed.  Thus,  as  it  wei^e,  a 
great  net- work  is  formed  over  our  land;  or,  to 
express  it  better,  each  little  rill  pours  in  ita 
stream  to  the  main  ocean,  the  treasury,  whence 
it  flows  out  again,  ,to  refresh  and  sustain  the 
Army. 

"  The  boxes  which  arrive  are  opened,  tlie  con- 
tents assorted,  marked  with  the  stamp  of  the 
Commission,  and  re-paeked,  each  kind  of  article 
together.  Thus,  a  box  containing  five  or  seven 
hundred  shirts  can  be  sent  to  the  field  hospital, 
and  obviate  all  trouble  to  Surgeons  or  Sanitary 
Agents  on  the  spot.  Jellies,  wines,  brandies, 
and  preserved  fruits,  condensed  milk,  and  many 
similar  stores,  are  also  sent  in  this  way. 

"In  times  of  great  emergency,  the  Sanitary 
Commission  has  sent  out  supplies  to  the  amount 
of  S1,00U  (or  £200,)  a  d^y,  and  it  may  be  well 
to  mention  that  Califomia,  from  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  thousands  of  miles  distant,  has  sent 
her  offering  of  $500,000  (£100,000,)  to  aid  in 
this  good  work;  adding,  that  when  the  Com- 
mission needs  further  help,  the  "same  amount 
will  Be  sent  again,  The  proof  thus  given  of  the 
confidence  felt  in  -the  work,  and  of  tlie  value  of 
a  plan  working  on  so  large  a  scale,  is  very  en- 
eonraging. 

"The  Blanch  Office  sometimes  furnishes  a 
sort  of  center,  where  .soldiers  in  distress,  on 
their  way  home,  disch3rg6cl,  or  in  any  need, 
may  find  a  helping  hand.  Oae  little  incident 
which  happened  this  summer  will  prove  the 
truth  of  this  statement.  One  sultry  aiftemoon, 
just  before  the  hour  of  closing  the  rooms,  a 
soldier,  worn  with  tratel,  and  evidently  troub- 
led and  in  distress,  came  into  the  office.  He 
told  his  story.'  He  had,  he  said,  a  furlough; 
named  his  regiment;  but  on  the  way  his  trans- 
portation papers  and  furlough  had  been;  lost. 
He  was  a  stranger,  with  no-  one  to  prove  the 
t^th  of  his  story,  was  without  money,  and  his 
home  in  Maiine  was  at  least  500  miles  distant. 
Wliat  was  to  be  done?  Would  the  Sanitary 
Commission  help  him?  Foi^tunately,.  one  of 
the  gentlemen  connected  with  tiie  ofi^ce  was 
present;  and,  although  he  was  struck  by  the 
manner  and  bearing  of  the  man,  andinolined 
to  trust  hinIS  it  would  not  do  to  act  without  a 
telegram  to  the  Medical  Director,  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  the  story.  Iji  due  time  the  wires  sent 
back  the  reply,  the  mSn's  statement  was  con- 
firmed, his'  name,  regiment,  furlough,  were  all 
coWeot— he  was  sent  on  from  Washington  to 
his  home,  just  as  he  said.  The  Sanitary  Agent 
■then  offered  him  money  for  his  expenses  home; 
and  added,  that  he  must  receive  it  as  a  free  gift 
from  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 
He  had  been  unfortunate,  and  had  applied  to 

Vol,.  L— No.  9.  18 


those  whose  duty  and  pleasure  it  was  to  help 
the  soldiei-  in  his  time  of  need.  He  hesitated,  • 
seemed  much  touched  with  the  kindness,  and 
then  with  an  effort — 

"  '  God  bless  you,  sir,'  he  said.  '  I  see  now 
who  sent  this  help  to  me,  and  if  you'll  allow  me, 
sir,  I'll  tell  you  all.' 

"  He  then  said  that  he  was  in  great  distress, 
after  losing  his  papers;  he  was  a  stranger  in 
Philadelphia,  had  no  money,  and  did  not  know 
what  "to  do,  or  where  to  go.  As  he  walked 
through  the  railway  station  he  saw  a  roll  of 
papei:8  lying  on  the  ground;  on  picking  it  up, 
he  found  it  contained  the  furlough  and  transpor- 
tation papers  of  another  man,  dropped,  probaWy, 
just  as  his  own  had  been.  At  first,  he  thought 
nothing  of  it,  until  the  quick  suggestion  of  the 
Tempter  flashed  upon  him,  '  Why  not  use 
them?  lam  a  stranger  on  this  railway;  these 
papers  will  enable  me  to  gfet  home;  no  one 
knows  my  name,  why  not  use  them,  <fco.  ?'  and 
some  companions  with  him  told  him  not  to  be 
a  fool,  and  throw  away  hi%  good  luck.  He  hesi- 
tated, an,d  then  he  said  the  thought  of  his  wife 
came  to  him,  aud.how  she  had  told  him,  when 
.  he  went  to  the  War  two  years  ago,  that  she  gave 
him  to  his  country  without  grudging,  and  that' 
all  She  "asked  of  him  was  not  to  lose  his  love  of 
truth  and  of  hjs  duty  to  his  God,  and  '  How 
could  I  go  back  and  look  into  her  eyes,  if  I  had 
ousted  this  unti-uth  ?' 

"So  the  good  prevailed,  and  what  wonder  that 
the  God  whose  law  he  struggled  to  keep,  raised 
up  friends  for  him,  and  sent  him  on  his  way 
with  that  best  of  blessings — a  good  con- 
science ! 

"  Another  department  of  labor  which  should 
not  be  omitted,  is  the  removal  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  in  hospital  transports,  on  the  Ea^eru 
and  Western  rivers.  These  transports,  furnished 
and  fitted  up  by  the  Goinmission  With  every 
necessary,  supply  important  aid  to  the  Govern- 
ment in  its  arduous  work.  Eight  thousand 
wounded  men  were  thus  brought  home  ■  after 
the  terrible  battles  of  Fair  Oaks  aiid  the  Peniri- 
si;lar  battles  in  the  summer  of  1862 ;  the  details 
of  this  work  may  be  found  in  a  little  book  of 
much  interest,  made  up  of  extracts  from  the 
letters  written  by  nurses  and  surgeons  engaged 
in  it,  and  just  given  to  the  public. 

"The  Sanitary  Commission  does  not  want  its 
martyrs,  who  have  laid  down, their  lives  for 
their  country  as  nobly  and  as  truly  as  if  the 
cannon  ball  or  the  bayonet  had  seat  them  to 
their  last  account,  instead  of  the  slower  process 
resulting  from  exposure  or  malaria. " 


WESTERN  SOENEa— No.  1. 

A    DAT    AT     THE     BOOMS     OF     THE     SANITABI 
COMMISSION. 

It  is  early  morning — not  nineo'clooTk — 
for  the  ohildron  are  flocking  in  happy 
droves  to  school,  making  the  sweet  summer 
air  resonant  with  their  joyous  treble  and 
musical  laugh,  as  -with  clustering,  golden 
heads  and  interlacing  white  arms,  they  re- 
count their  varied  experiences  since  the 
parting  of  the  night  betore,  and  rapturous- 
ly expatiate  on  the  delights  of  a  coming 
excursion,  or  promised  picnic.     With  « 


274 


The,  Sanitary  Commissian,  JBiMetin. 


good-by  kiss,  we  launch  otit  own  little 
folks,  bonneted  and  sacqued,  and  baUasted 
with  books  like  the  rest,  into  the  stream  of 
childhood,  that  is  setting  in,  strong  and 
fnll,  tow'ards  the  school  room,  and  then 
catch  the  street  car,  that  leaves  ns  at  the 
rooms  of  the  "  Chicago  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion." * 

But  early  as  is  our  arrival,  a  dray  is 
already  ahead  of  us,  unloading  its.  big 
boxes,  and  little  boxes,  barrels  and  firkins, 
baskets  and  bundles,  at  the  door  of 'the 
Commission:  The  sidewalk  is  barricaded 
with  the  multiform  packages,  which  John, 
the  porter,  with  his  inseparable  truck,  is 
endeavqring  to  stow  away  in  the  "  Receiv- 
ing Boom."  Here  hammers,  hatchets, 
wedges  and  chisels  are  in  requisition,  com- 
pelling the  crammed  boxes  to  disgorge 
their  heterogeneous  contents,  which  aie  rap- 
idly assorted,  stamped,  re- packed,  re-box- 
ed and  re-shipped,  their  stay  in  the  room 
rarely  exceeding  a  few  hours. 

We  enter  the  office.  Ladies  are  in  wait- 
ing .  who  desire  information.  The  Aid 
•  Society  in  another  State,  of  which  they  are 
officers,  has  raised,  at  a  Fourth  of  July 
festival,  some  six  hundred  d^^llars,  and  they 
wish  to  know  how  it  shall  be  disposed  of, 
so  as  to  afford  the  greatest  amount  of  relief 
to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  our  Army. 
Th§y  are  also  instructed  to  investigate  the 
means  and  method  of  the  Commission,  so 
as  to  carry  conviction  to  a  few  obstinate 
skeptics,  who  persist  in  doubting  if  the 
Sanitary  Colnmission,  after  all,  be  the  best 
means  of  communication  with  the  hospi- 
tals. Patiently  and  courteously,  the  his- 
tory, method,  means,  aims  and  success  of 
the  Commission  are  lucidly  explained  for 
the  hundredth  time  in  a  month,  and  all 
needed  advice  and  instruction  imparted — 
and  the  enlightened  women  leave. 

An  express  messenger  enters.  He  brings 
a  package  of  moneys  obtains  his  fee,  gets 
receipted  for  the  package,  and,  without  a 
word,  departs.  Next  comes  a'  budget  of  let- 
ters— the  mowing's  mail.  One  announces 
the  shipment  of  boxes  of  hospital  stores 
which  will  arrive  to-day — another  scolds 
roundly,  because  a  letter  sent  a  week  ago 
has  not  been  answered — which  has  been 
answered,  as  the  copying-book  indisputably 
attests,  but  has  been  miscarried — a  third 
has  a  bug-a-boo,  mythical  story  to  relate  of 
%urgeons  and  nurses  in  a  distant  hospital, 
with  a  large  development  of  alimentiveness, 
who  care  little  for  their  patients,  being 
mainly  occupied  in  "  seeking  what  they  can 
devour"  of  the  hospital  delicacies — a  fourth 
pleads  earnestly  and  eloquently  that  the 
writer  may  be  sent  as  a  nurse  to  the  sad, 
cheerless,  far  away  hospitals— a  fifth  is  the 
agonized  letter  of  a  mother  and  widow, 
Mistered  with  tears,  begging  piteously  that 
the  Commission  wiU  search  out  and  send 
to  her  tidings  of  her  only  son. 


"  Scarce  more  than  a  boy  with  unshaven  fece. 
Who  marched  away  with  a  star  on  Ms  breast," 

and  has  not  been  beard  from  since  the  tat- 
tle of  Grand  Gulf— a  sixth  seeks  informa- 
tion concerning  the  organization  of  an  Aid 
Society  in  a  remote  town,  which  has  just 
awakened  to  its  duty — a  seventh  is  a  letter 
from  nine-year-old  little  girls  who  have 
earned  five  dollars  and  wish  it  spent  for 
the  "poor,  sick  soldiers" — God  bless  the 
dear  children! — an  eighth  begs  that  one  of 
the  ladies  of  the  Commission  will  visit  the 
Society  in  her  town,  and  re-kindle  the  flag- 
ging zeal  of  the  tired  workers,  who  forget 
fiiat  our  brave  men  stop  not  in  their 
marches,  and  postpone  not  their  battles 
and  their  victories,  because  of  the  heat  or 
of  weariness — a  ninth  announces  the  death 
of  one  of  our  heroic  nurses,  who-  was  sent 
by  the  Commission  a  few  months  ago  to 
Tennessee,  a  blue-eyed,  broad-browed,  seri- 
ous-faced, comely  girl,  with  heart  loyal  as 
steel,  and  soul  on  fire  with  patriotic  yeai^i- 
ing  to  do  something  for  her  country,  and 
who  has  now  given  her  life — and  so  on 
through  a  package  of  twenty,  thirty  and 
sometimes  forty  letters.  Now  commences 
the  task  of  replying  to  these  multitudinous 
epistles -^a  work  wMch  is  interrupted  every 
five  minutes  by  some  new  comer. 

A  venerable,  white-haired  man  enters. 
He  has  been  here  before,  and  we  immedi- 
ately recognize  him.  "Have  you  heard 
from  my  son,  in  Van  Buren's  Hospital,  at 
MiUiken's  Bend?"  "Not  yet,  sir;  yon 
know  it  is  only  nine  days  since  I  wrote  to 
inquire  for  him.  I  will  telegraph  if  yon 
are  not  able  to  wait  for  a  letter."  "No 
matter,"  and  the  old  man's  lip  quivers,  his 
figure  trembles  visibly,  his  eyes  fill  with 
tears,  he  chokes,  and  can  say  no  more. 
We  understand  it  aU — our  heart  warms 
towards  him,  for  oitr  father,  a  thousand 
miles  away,  is  like  him,  white-haired  and 
feeble — ^we  raise,  and  offer  our  hand.  The 
old  man's  hand  closes  convulsively ,upon  it; 
he  leans  his  head  against  the  iron  pillar 
near  our  desk,  and  his  tears  drip — drip — 
steadily  on-the  hand  he  holds. 

"He  has  only  gone  a  little  before  you," 
we  venture  to  say;  "it  is  but  a  short  dis- 
tance from  you  to  him  now." 

"Yes,"  adds  the  heart-broken  father, 
"  and  he  gave  his  Hfe  for  a  good  cause — a 
cause  worthy  of  it,  if  he  had  been  a  thou- 
sand times  dearer  to  me  than  he  was." 

"And  your  boy's  mother— how  ^es  she 
bear  this  grief  ?"  n 

He  shakes  his  head,  and  again  the  tears 
drip — drip — drip— on  the  hand  he  has  still 
retained.  -. 

"Sbe'H  see  him  before  I  do;  this  will 
kiUher." 

What  shall  assuage  the  sorrow  of  these 
aged  parents,  bereft  of  the  son  of  their  old 
age  by  the  cruel  war  which  Slavery  has  in- 
voked?   Sympathy,  teaxs,  comfort  is  prof- 


The  Sanitary  Commisswn,  BiMetin. 


275 


fered  the  aching  heart,  and  after  a  little, 
the  sorrowing  father  turns  again  to  hia 
desolate  home. 

A  childish  figxrre  drags,  itself  into  the 
room,  shufSLes  heayily  along,  sinks  into  a- 
chair,  and  offers  a'  letter.    What^  ails  the 

■  little  feUow,  -whose  face  is  so  bright  and 
beautiful,  and  yet  so  tinged  with  sadness? 
We  open  the  letter  and  read.-    He  is  a  mes- 

■  sage-boy  from  Admiral  Porter's  gun-boat, 
who  is  sent  home  -with  the  Admiral's  -writ- 

■  ten  request  that  the  chUd  be  properly 
taken  care  of.  Not  yet  thirteen  years  old, 
and  yet  he  has  been  in  battles,  and  has  run 
Che  gauntlet  of  the  Vicksburg  battles,  which, 
for  ten  miles,  belched  forth  red-hot  and 
steel-pointed  shot  and  shell,  which  yet 
failed  to  sink  the  dauntless  and  invulner- 
able iron-clads.  Fever,  too  much  medi- 
cine, neglect  and  exposure,  have  done  their 
worst  for  the  little  feUow,  who  has  come 
North,  homeless  and  friendless,  with  the 
left  side  paralyzed.  He  is  taken  tp  the 
exquisite  care  and  tenderness  of  the  "Sol- 
diers' Home,"  for  the  present. 

Who  next?  A  bevy  of  nurses  enter, 
bearing  carpet-bags,  shawls  and  bundles. 
We  have  telegraphed  thetn  that  the  hospi- 
tals at  Memphis  need  them,  and  straight- 
way they  have  girded  themselves  to  the 
work.  One.  is  a  -widow,  whose  husband 
fell  at  Shiloh — another  is  the  -wife  of  a 
Lieutenant,  at  Vicksburg — a  third  lost  her 
brother  at  ChancellorviUe,  and  almost 
hopes  through  the  -work  of  the  hospital,  to 
find  the  portal  of  the  "  happy  land,"  whith- 
er he  has  vanished.  They  receive  their 
instructions,  commissions  and  transporta- 
tion, and  hasten  onward.  God  guide  you, 
brave,  noble,^  little  women  ! 

Ah !  that  white,  anxious  mother's  face, 
whiter  and  more  anxious  than  ever,  is  again 
framed  in  the  door- way.  Is  there,  this 
time,  no  escape  from  it  ?  One,  two,  three, 
four  days,  she  has  haunted  these  rooms, 
waiting  the  answer  to  a  telegram  dispatch- 
ed to  Gettysburg,  where  her  darling  only 
boy  was  wounded,  ten  days  ago.  The  an- 
swer to  the  telegram  is  in  our  pocket — ^but 
how  shall  -we  repeat  its  steAi  speech  to  the 
white- faced  and  sorrow-stricken  mother  ? 
We  leave  our  desk,  and  involuntaiily  bus- 
tle about,  as  if  in  search„of  something,  for 
we  cannot  tell  her.  There  is  no  need — ^the 
morninig  papers  have  revealed -her  desola- 
tion to  her,  and  she  has  only  come  to  se- 
cure the  help  of  the  Coinmission  in  obtain- 
ing possession  of  the  remains  of  her  dead. 
There  are  no  tears,  no  words  of  grief,  only 
a  stiU  agony,  a  repressed  anguish^  which 
it  is  painful  to  -witness.  All  that  can  be 
done  is  freely  accorded  her,  and  bowed  and 
staggering  under  her  heavy  affliction, '  she 
goes  forth  on  her  sacred  pilgrimage  to  re- 
cover her  dead.  Alas  !  how  many  thou- 
sand mothers  are,  at  this  hour,  refusing  to 
be  comforted  because  their  children  are  not ! 


Soldiers  from  the  city  hospitals  nest  visit 
us,  to  beg  a  shirt,  a  pair  of  slippers,  a 
comb,  or  a  pin-cushion — and  to  talk  of  their 
sufferings  and  privations,  and  their  anxiety 
to  get  well  and  rejoin  their  regiments. 
They  are  praised  heartily,  petted  in  the 
most  approved  motherly  fasMon,  and  seni 
back  altogether  lighter  hearted  than  they 
came. 

And  so  the  day  wears  away.  More  load- 
ed drays  drive  up  to  the  door,  and  disbursB 
barrels  of  crackers,  ale,  pickles,  sour  kroali 
and  potatoes;  and  boxes  of  shirts,  drawers, 
tea,  condensed  milk  and  beef,  &c.,  -which 
are  speedily  set  en  rovie  for  the  hospitals. 
Men  and  women  come  and  go,  to  -visit,  to 
make  inquiries,  to  ask  favors,  to  offer  ser- 
vices, to  utter  complaints,  to  bring  news 
from  Vicksburg,  Memphis,  Murfreesboro' 
or  Nashville  hospitals,  to  make  donationa 
of  money,  to  retail  their,  sorrows,  and 
sometimes  to  idle  away  an  hour  in  the 
midst  of  the  -writing,  packing,  wheeling, 
nailing  and  hurrying  of  this  busy  place. 

The  sun  declines  westward — its  fervid 
heat  is  abating — the  hands  of  the  clock 
point  to  five  or  six  and  sometimes  seven — 
and  wearied  in  body,  and  saturated,  men- 
tally, -with  the  passing  streams  of  others' 
sorrows,  we  again  hail  the  street  car,  which 
takes  us  back  once  more  to  our  pleasant 
home,  with  its  cheerful  companionship, 
and  the  prattle  and  merriment  andthought- 
l&s  gaiety  of  children.  Mve  days  of  ths 
seven,  when  not  visiting  some  of  the  nu- 
merous auxiliaries  of  the  Commission, 
scattered  aU  over  the  Northwest,  we  spend 
in  these  rooms,  amid  scenes  like  those  we 
have  described,  which  must  serve  as  pur 
excuse  for  continued  neglect  of  friend^  a;id 
correspondents. — Mrs.  Mary  A.  Livernwre. 


THE  PEISONEBS  AT  BIOHMOND. 
The  following  correspondence  explaina 

itself  : 

n.  8.  Sahitabt  Commission, 

Adams'  House.  2iA  F  Sibkb^ 
Washihgtoh,  D.  O.,  tibruary  20, 1861. 
Db.  Jisswais, 

Qsneral  Secretary^  JT.  S.  Sanitary  Gommissum,  If.  Kc 
Mt  Deab  Sib — The  letter  referred  to  me  by 
you  makes  complaint  that  money  was  demand- 
ed of  the  officers  in  Libby  Prison,  for  clothing 
furnished  them  by  the  Agents  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Through  some  mistake.  Gen.  Neal  Do-sr, 
(wheu'  clothing  was  first  distributed  in  Libby 
from  the  Commission,)  informed  the  officers 
that  they  wpuld  be  expected,  when  convenient 
to  return  to  the  Commission  an  equi-ralent.  for 
the  clothing.  (He  supposing,  I  presume,  that 
.  these  supphes  were  entrusted  to  the  Commis- 
'sion  by  the  people  for  the  benefit  of  piiv^ea 
only.)  As  soon  as  this  was  known  at  this  offioe, 


276 


Tha  Sdmiary  Cbmmisswa  BiMetin. 


notice  was  sent  to  Gen,  Neal  Dow  and  otheis, 
that  nnder  no  circmnstances  would  money  be 
,TeceiTed  by  Jlgents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
for  clothing  or  sapplies  distribnted  by  them, 
(mdthat  the  ofGcers,  alike  with  piitates,  had  a 
^aim  npon  wbatever  we  had  in  stbife. 

The  accompanying  copies"  of  letters  will  ex- 
idain  this. 

An  officer  (Colonel,)  this  afternoon  in  this 
aiSce,  one  of  those  recently  escaped  ont  of 
liibby,  says  that,  "Some  two  or  three  months 
mnce  Gen.  Heal  Dow  annotmced  in  the  Prison, 
midm  his  hearing,  the  message  from  the  Com- 
mission— that  iio  pay  iBas  to  be  taken  for  Sani- 
ttzyst^pliea 

^  Bespectfally,  yonrs  truly, 

i^gned,)  F.  K.  isAPP, 

_  Aaociaie  Secrdary. 

,  heasOxrVi,  1863. 

fiiOB  Ga£l,  Jb., 

TJ.  S.  JSanttary  Oomviiaim,  ifmfoBe,  Va.: 
Dea^  StB — The  preyidus  letter  (one  received 
to-day,)  &6m  Gen.  Neal  Dow  to  you,  forwarded 
to  this  office,  referred  to  the  money  due  to  iha 
Cammisslon  by  officers  in  Richmond  Prison, 
toe  dothes,  &c,  famished  by  the  Commission. 
The  Commission  carmat  reemve  any  pay  for 
'iferticles  thus  famished;  they  are  a  gift,  alike  to 
'officers  and  men,  as  I  presume  you  have  your- 
self informed  'Gen.  Dow,  and  others  in  Bich- 
mond  Prison,  receiving  sapplies  from  the  Sani- 
teay  Commission. 

Will  you  send  me  a  copy  of  your  communi- 
Sotibn  to  tii^n,  or  others,  npon  this  point,  with 
Ihe  date  of  its  probaWe  delivery  to  hiin.  "We 
wish  to  assure  the  people  who  place  these  sup- 
plies in  our  hands  that  we  don't  allow  even  offi- 
cers, when  in  need,  to  make  any  mohey-retum 
to  the  Coliim|ssion. 

Already,  an  officer,  who  had  returned  to  his 
home  froin  Bichinond,  sent  in  money  for  cloth- 
ing received  there.  The  money  was  returned 
to  him-  Tours  truly, 

(Signed,)  F.  N.  Kmapp, 

AssaaaU  Secretary. 

Saiotaby  CoMMissxoir, 
NbBPOI.K,  TA.,  Deeanlxr  21,  1883. 
Kb.  F.  N.  Khapp, 
*  Astodate  Sardary,  SamUary  Commitsim  i 

Deab  Sib— Tours  of  the  15th  inst  is  just  re- 
sefved.  I  have  written  two  letters  to  Gen. 
Dow,  one  on  the  1st  and  the  other  on  the  8th 
inst.,  informing  him  that  in  no  case,  could  the 
Sanitary  Commission  receive  pay  for  articles 
dispensed  by  it  for  the  relief  of  snffeiing  sol- 
ders, be  they  officers'  br  privates.  I  stated  that 
tf  the  officers  should  See  fit  to  contribute  in  a 
g^eral  '^y  to  the  ftinda  of  the  Commission, 


witli  a  view  to  aid  in  carrying  out  the  work  of 
relief  with  which  the  Commission  is  changed, 
well  and  good,  but  that  no  specific  payment  could 
be  received  for  any  arficles  furnished  in  this 
way.  I  also  took  pains  to  inform  the  nine^- 
six  released  Surgeons  whom  I  accompanied 
from  City  Point  to  Washington,  that  no  recom- 
pense whatever  was  expected,  or  would  be  re- 
ceived, by  the  Sanitary  Gommissiou  for  the 
ai  tides  with  which  we  had  famished  them  in 
Piison. 

I  believe  that  our  position  in  this  respect  is 
pretty  well  understood  by  Gen.  Dow  and  his 
fellow  prisoners. 

Truly  yours, 
(Signed,)  James  Gaij^  Jb. 


OTJB  STJPPUES  IN  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Chief  Inspector  of  the 
Department  of  .the  South,  writing  nnder 
date  of  February  4th,  1864,  in  addition  to 
giving  a  full  report  of  his  operations  for 
Jamiafy,  1864,  ss^s: 

"  A  critical  re-iDspeetio&  of  most  of  the 
troops  (in  the  vicihify  of  Charleston,)  has 
been  made  within  the  last  four  (4)  weeks, 
their  wants  ascertained  and  supplied,  and 
their  sanitary  condition  closely  scrutinized. 
The  per  ceniage  of  sickness  in  the  force  is  very 
low.  It  would  not  be  proper  to  state  here 
how  low.  Almost  the  only  malady  is  chronic 
diarrhoea. " 

Dr.  Marsh  has  endeavored,  by  a  free  issue 
of  vegetables,  to  supplement  the  Govern- 
ment rations,  and  thus  diminish  the  ten- 
dency to  diseases  arising  from  a  want  of 
Variety  in  the  food  of  the  men.  [See  Kst 
of  issues  accompanying  this.] 

He  says:  "  The  Government  rations  are 
good;  vegetables,  however,  are  necessarily 
restricted  in  qnantily,  from  distaiit  trans- 
portation. 'The  "weather  is  delightful  and 
salubrious.  Small-pox  exists  among  the 
contrabands,  but  very  few  soldiers  have 
taken  the  disease,  thus  showing  the  pre- 
■  ventive  power  of  vaccination. "  [Additional 
■vaccine  virus  will  be  sent  to  Dr.  Marsh.] 
"  White  refugees  from  Florida  and  else- 
where are  amongst  us,  in  a  state  of  great 
destitution.  Very  naturally,  they  call  upon 
the  Commission  for  aid."  Dr.  Marsh  in- 
quires whether  such  aid  shall  be  contura- 
onsly  given.  The  answer  to  this  question 
must  depend  upon  the  extent  to  which  the 
people  pour  their  offerings  into  the  store- 
houses and  the  treasury  of  the  Commission. 
Of  course,  our  first  duty  is  to  the  Federal 
soldier;  but  shall  we  not  also  be  the  almoner 
of  the  people  for  such  way-worn  and  hun- 
gry fugitives  from  within  the  enemy's  lines 
as  would  otherwise  perish,  until  a  better 
method  of  relief  is  devised?     Indeed,  in 


The  Sanitary  Comrmssion  BiMdim,. 


m 


evexj  direotion  the  calls  upon  the  Belief 
Agents  of  the  Commission  are  becoming 
more  and  laore  varied  and  imperative,  and 
nothing  but  a  perennial  stream  of  stores 
and  money  oan  sustain  it  in  the  perform- 
ance of  its  legitimate  and  growing  func- 
tions; nor  do  we  extend  relief  to  any  who 
do  not,  in  some  way,  present  claims  that 
cannot  be  disregarded.  The  following  list 
wiU  show  the  issues  made  to  hospitals  and 
regiments  for  January: 


Issues  fob  Januaet,  1864. 


Dried  fruit 24 

Crackers 28 

Apples,  fresh 118 

Potatoes 130 

Other  vegetables 70 

Pickles 14 

Apple  butter 1% 

Tamarinds 2^ 

Hops 1 

Ginger,  extract 1 

Jellies 92 

Dom.Wine 70 

iP.  Wine 2 

liig.  Ferri  Nit.. 2 

Stimulants 13 

Cocoa. .' ■. .    1 

Coffee 48 

Chocolate 1 

Condensed  mUk 102 

Arrow  root 6 

Com  starch 12 

Parina 12 

Quinine 3 

Slippers,  calf 60 

Drawers,  woolen 100 

Pantaloons 6 

Shirts,  woolen 392 

Socks,       "      112 

Bandages,  woolen 446 

Quilts ;.....  44 

Blankets ^80 

TiUoTif  cases 76 

Pillows 17 

Towels 132 

Handkerchiefs  120 

Wrappers 34 

Coats 2 

Vests 7 

Bed  ticks ' 12 

Pillow  ticks  : . : 12 

Sheets.: 250 

Combs.../.. 192 


bbls. 


gross, 
cans, 
byttles. 


lbs. 


pairs. 


Db.  Blake,  Inspactor  United  States  Saniftary 
Commission,  in  the  Department  of  the  iTuif, 
writing  under  recent  date,  in  epeakijig  r  f  Ihe 
wants  of  his  department,  says  :  Fanui.ceoua 
food,  condensed  milk,  dried  fruit,  woolen  ^ocks," 
shirts  and  drawers,  are  ^ways  in  clvinand. 
Pieiles,  particularly  onions  and  cabbage,  are 
wanted,  in  large  quantities.  He  says  there  is  a 
great  demand  for  hospital  clothing.'  « 


SANITABY  APPAIRS  IN  NORFOLK. 
[Bxtrapt  of  Eeport  of  James  Gam-,  Jb.,  Belief 
Agent,  Norfolk,  Va.,   dated  January   26fli, 
1864,] 

"In  a  department  of  the  Army  where  the 
troops  are  chiefly  stationary,  as  in  my  depart- 
ment, and  where  the  Sanitary  Commission  has 
become  an  old-estabUshed  and  well  known  in- 
stitution, dispensing  its  supplies  regularly  and 
systematically,  in  quarters  where  they  are  most 
needed,  and  where  they  are  depended  upon, 
and  looked  for,  as  much  as  the  regular  Govern- 
ment supplies;  there  is  but  little  of  a  novel  or 
ptirring  character,  ts  record  in  the  weekly  re- 
port of  the  Belief  Agent.    But,  though  there  is 
nijt  much  for  the  agent  to  report,  unless,  per- 
haps, in  a  general  way,  there  is  nothing  monot- 
onous in  the  work  he  has  to  perform.    How- 
ever frequent  his  visits  to  regiments  may  be,  1m 
takes  the  same  interest  in  a  thoroughly  poUoed 
and  well  drained  camp;  in  neat,  comfortable, 
regimental  quartern;  in  well-conditioned  ho?- 
.pitals,  and  the  care  and  comfort  of  their  in- 
mates.    And  his  interest  makes  him  quick  to 
detect,  and  ready  to  suggest  an  improvement 
During  the  past  week  I  have  visited  many  of  tb» 
camps  and  hospitals  in  different  parts  of  the  de- 
partment, and  am  glad  to  be  able  to  report  a 
generally  improved  condition  of  both.  The  of- 
ficers and  men  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  clean- 
liness of  i>erson,  and  a  proper  regard  to  Qte 
sanitary  condition  of  the  camp,  are  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  preservation  of  health,  and,  as 
a  consequence,  the  suggestions  of  the  Surgeon, 
or  of  the  Sanitary  Conanission  Agent  are,  as  a 
general  thing,  readily  accepted  and  availed  ot 
"  The  suppUes  furnished  by  us  during  the  week 
tp  the  different  hospitals  have  been  particular- 
ly acceptable  and  beneficial,  for  the  reason  tiiai 
the  regular  quarterly  supphes  of  storey,  due  on 
the  1st  inst.,  have  not,  in  many  cases,  been  dg^ 
Uyered  to  the  Surgeons  yet,  and  for  certais 
much  needed  articles  they  had  to  depend  wholly 
on  us.      Thus,  the  Sanitary  Commission  has 
come  to  be  considered  an  indispensable  part  pf 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  Araiy. 

"  Said  an  enthusiastic  Surgeon  to  me  the  other 
day,  whilst  on  my  way  from  Torktown  to  For- 
tress Monroe.  'The  world  has  never  seen  as 
sublime  a  sight  as  that  presented  by  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  with  its  immense  and 
harmonious  machinery,  its  trained  agents,  its 
accomplished  and  sMllfol  medical  inspeotpra 
and  writers,  »;id  behind  all,  and  above  all,  th^ 
generous,  warm-hearted,  patriotic  peqpie,  who 
contribute  so  generously  the  immense  quanti- 
ties of  supplies  which  the  Sanitary  Commissioii 


278 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMdin. 


diBpenses  to  our  sick  soldieis.  les,  sir,  wheni 
think  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  I  am  prond 
of  my  comitry.' 

"The  Surgeon  just  qnoted  has  been  two 
years  in  the  Army;  is  a  man  of  large  sympathies 
and  high  professional  reputation;  has  seldom 
drawn  any  thing  firom  the  Commission,  bat  has 
watched  its  workings  closely,  and  appreciates  it 
foUy." 


THE  FIELD  EELIEE  ON  THE  POTOMAC. 

Mr.  Johnson,  our  Saperintendent  of 
Field  Kelief,  -with,  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, reports: 

The  demand  for  supplies  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  during  the  present  -winter  has 
been  constant  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  agents  who  have  been  -withdrawn 
from  their  location  in  the  various  corps  to 
the  depot  at  this  place,  have  been  busily 
employed  visiting  the  hospitals,  regiments, 
examining  into  the  condition  and  -wants  of 
the  sick,  and  giving  such  personal  atten- 
tion to  the  distribution  of  onr  supplies  as  , 
seemed  best  calculated  to  insure  their 
proper  application.  Although  instances 
■will  occasionally  occur  in  -which  our  bene- 
fits have  been  diverted  from  the  proper  ob- 
jects, it  is  a  satisfaction  to  believe  that  they 
are  daily  becoming  less  frequent,  and  of 
less  importance  in  their  extent,  and  that 
almost  the  entire  supplies  distributed  by 
-this  corps,  are  enjoyed  by  that  class  for 
\irliom  they  are  designed. 

***** 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  inst., 
rumors  reached  us  that  a  portion  of  the 
army  -was  on  the  move,  and  it  -was  soon 
made  known  that  the Corps  -was  advan- 
cing .in  the  direction  of  Raccoon  Ford,  and 
the  ——Corps  to-wards  Morton's  Ford,  both 
on  the  Bapidan,  south  of  the  Orange  and 
Alexandria  Badlroad. 

Heavy  artillery  firing,  abojit  noon,  show- 
ed that  the  enemy  had  been  found.   During 

the  afternoon  the Corps  went  forward, 

as  supports. 

Next  day,  in  company  -with  Dr.  Fair- 
(ihild,  one  of  the  Sanitary  Inspectors,  Mr. 
Holbrook  and  Mr.  Clampitt,  I  rode  to  tlie 
front,  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  move- 
ment and   pro-vide  what  was  required  for 

the  wounded.      It  appears  that  the  

Division  of  the Corps  forded  theBapi- 

dan  at  Morton's  Ford,  about  noon,  and  ad- 
vanced nearly  a  mile,  to  the  crest  of  the 
hills  beyond,  without  finding  the  rebels 
in  force.  Shortly  before  dark  they  were 
attacked  by  a  portion  of  EweU's  Corps, 
when  a  severe  engagement  ensued,  lasting 
until  after  dark,  and  resulting  in  the  -with- 
drawal of  the  rebels  to  their  earthworks. 

The  Division  of  the Corps,  now 

crossed  the  river  to  cover  the  return  of  the 


Division,  which  was    accomplished 

without  further  loss,  about  midnight.  Our 
dead,  some  fifteen  in  number,  were  buried, 
and  our  wounded,  nearly  two  hundred  in 
all,  were  carried  on  stretchers  across  the 
river,  and  placed  in  the  ambulances,  when 
they  were  taken  to  the  hospitals  of  one  of 

the  biigades- of   the  Division,  near 

.     At  the  time  of  our  visit  the 

wounded  were  being  taken  to  the  Corps 
Hospital.  We.  all  went  there,  found  that 
some  of  the  sufferers  had  preceded,  and 
that  others  were  follovring  us.  On  visiting 
the  hospitals,  and  upon  conversation  -with 
the    Surgeons    in   charge,  I  rotrNB   that 

WAEM  TJirolBB-CIiOTHENG  WAS  WAUTBD  BT 
HEABIjT  Alili  THE  NEW  AEKTVAiS. 

The  fight  occurred  about  dark  on  Satur- 
day. The  men  had  forded  the  river,  nearly 
waist-deep,  and  -without  any  means  of  dry- 
ing their  clothes,  had  gone  into  battle,  and 
many  of  them  had  fallen. 

Their  suffering,  in  this  state  of  discom- 
fort, from  wet,  cold  and  wounds,  continued 
-with  slight  alleviation  until  they  reached 
the  Corps  Ho^ital,  during  Sunday  after- 
noon, and  were  made  tolerably  comforta- 
ble. During  the  same  afternoon  our  sup- 
plies of  woolen  shirts,  drawers  and  socks, 
reached  them,  and  were  immediately  used 
in  exchange  for  the  garments  stained  and 
saturated  -with  blood.  Every  one  of  the 
many  -wounded  men  required  a  change, 
more  or  less  complete,  and,  of  course,  as 
Govemm^ent  furnishes  none  but  cotton  un- 
der-clothing, our  supply  was  almost  indis- 
pensable to  the  comfort  and  welfare  of 
the  patients.  Seeing  that  there  was  a  great 
deficiency  in  surgical  help.  Dr.  Fairchild 
very  kindly  assisted  Dr.  Dudley  in  dressing 
tlie  wounded  men,  and  spent  several  hours 
iu  this  humane  duty,  until  they  had  all 
been  attended  to.  I  believe  that  none  of. 
the  troops  of  the  First  and  Third  Corps  were 
under  fire  during  this  advance,  and  that  the 
cavalry  under  Gens.  Merritt  and  Eilpat- 
rick  escaped  serious  loss. 


BACK  PAT. 
Mr.  Bro-wn  reports,  February  2d: 
The  amoant  of  work  done  in  my  department, 

in  Lodge  No.  4.  during  the  month  of  January, 

has  been  as  follows: 

Whole  number  of  cases  for  back  pay 

taken 93 

■Whole  number  completed  by  securing 

pay ^ 60. 

Oflierwise  completed 23 

Total  number  of  completed  cases 83 

Amount  represented  by  the  sixty  cases 

compliited  by  securing  pay $2,744.90 

Number  of  letters  written 122 

.  Ton  -will  perceive  that  the  amount  secured  the 
past  moulli  is  less  than  half  what  was  collected 
in  December.  There  are  various  reasons  for 
this.     January  is  not  a  muster  month,  and  I 


The  Sanita/ry  Gommission  BvEdin. 


'279 


have  found  that  it  is  better  not  to  press  through 
new  cases  at  the  commencement  of  a  non-muster 
month,  for  it  frequently  happens  that  before  the 
muster-day  of  the  alternate  month  comes  round, 
that  the  man  is  transferred  to  some  other  de- 
partment, and,  there  is  a  difficulty  in  finding 
out  his  whereabouts.  This  would  not  occur,  if 
men  were  transferred  directly  to  their  regiments. 
I  find,  however,  that  I  can  employ  this  time 
profitably  in  looking  up  tough  cases,  which 
require  the  collection  of  a  large  amount  of  evi- 
dence in  order  to  establish  their  claim  to  back 

pay- 

The  first  nineteen  days  of  the  past  month 
were  entirely  spent  on  these  old  cases,  only  one 
new  case  being  taken  during  that  time. 

One  other  reason  for  the  diminished  amount 
received  has  been  that  Mr.  Pryme  has  been 
away  seven  or  eight  days  on  account  of  sick- 
ness, and  I  had  the  misfortune  to  contract  a 
severe  cold  in  the  early  part  of  the  month, 
which  has  necessitated  the  suspension  of  eve- 
ning work  for  a  large  share  of  the  time  since. 

Many  of  the  cases  recently  taken  are  from  the 
Invalid  Corps,  although  patients  in  the  various 
hospitals  here. 

The  accounts  of  these  men  are  in  a  very  com- 
plicated condition,  some  of  them  having  been 
transferred  from  regiment  to  regiment  several 
times.  Many  have,  been  the  rounds  of  a  large 
number  of  hospitals  and  camps  besides,  and 
their  condition  is  frequently  such  that  they  can 
give  no  intelligent  account  of  themselves. 

These  men,  having  been  away  from  their 

.  original  regiments  a  long  time,  are  frequently 

borne  on  the  rolls  as   "deserters,"   "absent 

without  leave,"  &c.,  &o.,  or  more  often  dropped 

entirely. 

In  either  case,  it  must  Jae  shown,  by  the  cer- 
tificates of  commissioned  officers,  ■  where  the 
man  has  been  for  every  day  of  the  missing  time. 

I  have  succeeded  in  getting  these  charges  re- 
moved in  a  number  of  cases  where  they  had  no 
foundation  in  fact.  The  accumulating  evidence 
in  some  of  the  other  cases,  however,  has  shown 
that  the  charges  were  well  founded.  These  I 
have  relinquished  on  becoming  satisfied  on  this 
point. 

The  correspondence  necessary  to  carry  on 
this  branch  of  the  work  has  been  constantly  in- 
creasing. 


SCURVY. 

Certain  portions  of  our  Army  in  the  Southwest 
begin  to  exhibit  a  taint  of  what  Doctors  oaU  a 
"scorbutic  taint,"  and  plain  people,  "a  ten- 
dency to  scurvy." 

Perhaps  some  one  of  our  readers  does  not 
understand  the  terrible  meaning  of  these  words, 
and  thinks  them  about  equal  in  significance  to 
a  "tendency  to  sore  throat,"  or  "diarrhoea." 
If  so,  let  him  ask  the  first  educated  physician, 
or  old  experienced  sailor,  whatscuEvris,  when 
it  finds  its  way  into  a  camp  or  a  whaling  ship. 
He  will  be  told  that  when  either  of  these  isola- 
ted little  communities  is  visited  by  this  fearful 
taint,  every  one  of  its  members,  soldier  or  sail- 
or, loses  a  certain  portion  of  that  unknown 
force  by  which  he  is  enabled  to  live,  and  in 
fact  begins  to  die.  He  becomes  listless,  languid, 
and  weary..  Every  wound,  even  a  cut  finger, 
refuses  to  heal.'    Every  trifling  ailment,  eyery 


cold  or  indigestion,  becomes  malignant,  and 
obstinately  resists  medicine.  Old  wounds  and 
bruises  that  were  forgotten  twenty  years  ago, 
prove  themselves  to  have  been  somehow  mys- 
teriously latent  in  his  body  aU  the  time,  for 
they  re-appear  and  re  open.  Then,  as  this  sub- 
tle taint  gains  further  grasp  of  the  patient,  it 
displays  its  own  independent  symptoms,  in  the 
form  of  ulcerations,  and  swellings,  and  lacer- 
ating pains  under  which  he  perishes,  inevitably 
by  slow  torture — gradually  decomposing  into 
death — unless  a  certain  infallible  remedy  reach 
him  in  season. 

Aud  what  is  this  remedy  ?  •  It  is  no  prescrip- 
tion that  can  be  ordered  at  the  apothecary's — 
no  combination  of  drugs  about  which  the  doc- 
tors can  differ,  but  simply  (hear  it,  ye  Farmers 
of  New  England  and  New  York,  and  the  great 
fruitful  West,)  a  supply  of  potatoes,  or  onions, 
or  cabbages,  or  fresh  vegetables,  or  fresh  or 
dried  fruits  of  toy  sort.  Physicians  call  these 
"anti-scorbutics,"  and  a  man  dying  of  scurvy  is 
restored  to  life  if  he  be  applied  with  them. 

The  Commission  has  long  been  sending  "  anti- 
scorbutics" to  the  Army  by  the  ton.  Just  at  this 
time  it  is  difficult  to  send  them  to  certain  points 
where  they  are  most  urgently  wanted,  because 
transportation  can  hardly  be  obtained  for 
"  Sanitary  stores"  of  any  class,  and,,  also, 
because  these  life-saving  vegetables  freeze  on  the 
road,  and  then  decay  and  become  worthless. 
But  as  the  season  grows  milder  this  latter  ob- 
stacle will  "cease  to  exist — and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  will  somehow  or  other  vanquish 
the  former,  and  find  or  make  means  of  oaxij- 
ing  help  to  our  soldiers.  Let  every  loyal  and 
humane  farmer  throughout  the  country  remem- 
ber that  a  month  hence  a  string  of  onions  or  a 
peck  of  potatoes,  sent  to  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, will  enable,  it  to  save  some  one  National 
soldier  from  death,  and  let  him  set  aside  what 
he  can  spare  from  his  stock,  accordingly. 

The  Commission  is  taking  steps  to  secure  a 
supply  of  vegetables  for  the  Army,  in  addition 
to  what  it  feels  certain  of  receiving  from  the 
people.  It  is  establishing  "  vegetable  gardens" 
for  the  Army  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  at 
Newbern  and  at  Hilton  Head  and  elsewhere. 
It  has  received  from  the  military  authorities 
tracts  of  farm -land,  abandoned  by  Secessionist 
proprietors.  It  has  sent  on  from  New  York 
seeds  and  agricultural  Implements.  Its  Inspec- 
tors and  Belief  Agents  have  secured  the  labor  of 
"contrabands,"  and  of  volunteers  from  oui 
Northern  regiments-r"  boys"  recruited  on  the 
hill-side  farms  of  Vermont  and  the  great 
prairie  "  lots"  of  Indiana.  But  the  fruit  of  these 
undertakings  at  the  front  is  necessarily  more  or 
less  uncertain.  What  the  Commission  has 
sown  may  be.  reaped  by  rebels  in  temporary  re- 
occupation  of  the  field.  The  Army  must  rely 
mainly  on  the  contributions  of  our  Northern 
farmers,  for  its  defence  against  the  insidious 
attacks  of  scurvy. 


G-.  G.  EDOEBiiET,  Esq.,  Agent  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, writing  from  Port  Hudson,  says,  that 
the  supplies  of  vegetables,  crackers,  farina  and 
woolen  shirts  Sent  by  the  Commission  to  the 
hospitals  of  that  post,  were  most  opportune. 
He  says  thai  pickles,  farinaceous- food,  and  wpohn 
shirts  are  still  in  demand. 


280 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


[Extract  from  the  MinuteB.of  the  StaBding  Comxoittee, 
February  233, 1864.] 

^SS"  As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of 
the  BtJU^TiN  is  nnoertain,  depending  on  that 
of  the  war,  and  on  the  resources  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee 
feels  a  certain  degree  of  refnctance  to  solicit 
i^bscriptions  for  it— and  thereby  to  pledge  the 
Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that 
some  of  their  friends  to  whom  i(  is  now  sent 
gratuitously,  express  a  Wish  to  pay  for  it,  and 
they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two 
dollars  remitted  to  the  Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steong, 
68  Wall  Street,  or  No.  823  Broadway,  New  York,) 
will  secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor 
during  tJie  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless 
its  publication  be  sooner  discontinued. 


,^~The  statement  has  of  late,  been  pretty  fre- 
quently made,  and  that,  too,  by  persons  whose 
official  position  is  calculated  to  give  weight  to 
their  opinions  and .  assertions,  that  the  Anny  is 
no  longer  in  want  of  supplies  from  the  people 
>t  home,  that  the  Government  is  able  to  pro- 
tide  and  does  provide  for  the  wants  of  all,  both 
sick  and  well,  and  that  the  work  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  now  a  work  of  supererogation. 
This  is  a  grave  mistake;  Every  body  connected 
with  the  Army  knows  that  the  troops  were  never 
in  greater  need  of  all  that  their  friends  at  home 
can  furnish.  Constant  and  urgent  appeals  are 
made  for  stores,  and  the  contribution^  of  all 
things  that  tend  to  the  health  and  comfort  of 
the  soldier,  both  in  the  field  and  hospital,  were 
never  more  precious  to  the  eyes  of  thS  medical 
and  military  ofScers.  We  call,  attention  to 
several  articles  in  this  number  as  part  of  the 
accumulated  proof  of  what  we  would  most  em- 
phatically impress  upon  our  readers.  General 
Grant's  great  and  increasing  Army,  in  order  to 
be  up  to  its  proper  efficiency,  needs  to-day  au, 
that  can  be  famished  by  the  .plow  and  hoe  of 
the  farmer,  the  needle  of  his  wife,  the  loom  of 
the  factory,  and  the  purse  of  the  rich. 


DISBURSEMENTS  AT   NASHVILLE. 
The  following  list  comprises  the  disburse- 
ments at  Nashville,  during  the  month  of  Janu- 
ary : 

Elaiiketa 171 

Comforls 196 

BedTioks 180 

PiUows 2,009 

Pillow  Cases 2,093 

abeets 719 

Shirts 6,546 

Drawers prs.3,061 


Cans  of  Fruit 1,831 

Concent'd  Beef...  lbs.  1,167 
Concent'd  Milk  . .  lbs.  3,176 

CracSers lbs.  9,817 

Dried  Beel lbs.     100 

Tea lbs.  1,631 

Sugar ibs.  3,900 

DrieflFruit lbB.13,762 

Dressing  Gowns 140    Fresh  Fruit bush.      162 


Coats  and  Vests  . 

Towels  and  Handk'&..3,009 

Socks prs.2,364: 

Slippers prs.    137 

Mittens prs.    3S3 

ArmSlings 167 


Light  Groceries.,  ibs.  2,212 

Codfleh ibs.  4,149 

Cheese lbs.       25 

Butter lbs.  2,743 

Eggs doz.       75 

Wine  &  Spirits..  bot«.  1,230 


Bandages  and  Pads..  .6,292  Apple  Butter. .  .galls.      274 

Compresses 168.1,907  Pickles". galls.  1,909 

Pincushions 300  Sour Krout galls.  8,742 

Crutches prs.     26  Potatoes bush.  3,423 

Books,  &c 725  Onions bush.  1,670 

Sundries 391  Ale  and  Cider  ..galls.     765 


PROTECTIVE 

or  THE  * 

STATE  OF  NEW  TOKK.' 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STEEET, 


"Prpsid-Snij 
LmrT.-GBN.  WINriELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAIi  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Tr63jSTirGr  > 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors.  

HoKS.  E.  D.  MOEGAN,  GEOBGE  OFDTKE, 
HTKAM  BAKNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Ket, 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messes.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GAILATIN,  HOWARD  POTTEK,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODOEE  EOOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPEE,  GEORGE  BANCEOFT,  DANIEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  EOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENET  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambebs  Stbbet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  hounty,  etc.,  withotU  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  etnd  fraud. 

3d  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

iih.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEEOANTILE  MAEINE 
INSURANCE     COMPANY. 

No.  33  Wnll  Street,  New  ITarfc. 

INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 
Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MABINE  and  iDlaiid  Transportation  risks  on  Vessels. 
Freight  and  Merchandise  insared  on  the  mvit  faTorahlff 
terms. 

■Policies  arp  iflRiied.  Iobb,  if  any.  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  office  of  RAIHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
de-fired. 

I'arties  eEFecting  Insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  protitH,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Fres't. 
OHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-PresX 
G.  3.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


Th&  Sanita/r^-' Gomntission  Bulletin, 


281 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of.  War  in 
■Tniae,  1861,  in  accordance  with  tfie  reeommen- 
datioH  of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.-S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D^D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

K  li.  Olnastedit  California. 

Geeirge  f.  Strong;  Esq*,. Sew  York. 

Elisha  Hsurrisj  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  MCK,  JiTew  York. 

A.  E.  Skiras,  U.  S.  A.  . 

B.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  K.  Agnew,  M-D.',  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Oleyeland,  Ohio. 

Et.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providenoe,  B.  I. 

Hon.  B.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinperi  Chicago,  HI. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binuey,  Jr.,' Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  StiM,  "      ■ 

OFPICEBS:  t 

r  ' 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  Presidenj;. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Tioe-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary.  ., 

t 

STANDINQ  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Yan  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
0.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Gomiaission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitouBly,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  Stertes  General  HoBpitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in;the  HospitalB  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  Inland  States,  East- 
ern Virginia,  Mao^nd,  District' of  Columbia,  North 
Oarolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Of&ce  of  "Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  J).  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "  OfBce  of 
Sanitary  Conunission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." .  "- 

For  the  Ht^itals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
nijnois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "OfiSce  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  an  cases  the.  name,  rank,  company,,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  Should  be  given,  and  where  he 
'was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  ing.uiriBr's 
expense. 

SSS"  Soldier^'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectU'aJly  than  by  frequently  and  widely  ^semiziatijig 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  CSbramisBion,  under  special  aathDCr 
ity  of  tlie  Fj^esideot  d  the  Wted  States,  maintain^ 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,"  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick -and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  iflth 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxihary 
societies,  ama;  aU  disposed  to  "aid  the  sick  anfl 
wounded,  witliout  reference  to  Stat'is  or  loeahtiea, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
auce,  are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,.N6. 22,:Sun).- 
mer  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Nq.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitaty  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

SanitaryCommission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinniti,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  66  Madr 
ison  Street,  Chicago,  lU, 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission',  Branch  Depot,  No.  69  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission^  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar^ 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Pepot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ey. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  wh9,t- 
ever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  dwend- 
ent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubuc  for 
'  the- means  of  sustainkig  its  operations,  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y.  "       >' 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Kev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Baih:oad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0.  ,. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston.- 

Lodge  No.  1,  B.  Street,  between  13th  and  lith  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  S,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Static^ 

NUTses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  a.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI C.  N.  Shlpman,  Snp't  and 

BelleftAgent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  L^cdsvUle,  Ey. — James  Malana,.Snp'|, 
James  Morton,  Special  Behef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Term. — L.  Crane,  Sup't  and  ' 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio -,  Sup't, 

Soldiers'.Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  gnp't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers' Lodge,  nearlanding,  Memphis,  Iemi,—0,W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  BeUef  Agent, 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksbni'g,  Miss,— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AGENCY  FOB  PENSIONS, 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Ag^it,  Wa^iin^n,  B,  Q 

HOSPITAI.    CABS, 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— SoL  Andrews, 
M.  D.,'  Surgeon  in  Charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'- Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
nnm,  Surgeoh  in  charge. 

SAmVABY  STXAMEB, 

OomberlanA  Blver-  New  Dunleith. 


282 


The  SanUary  Commission  BvUdin. 


METROPOLITAN 

INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

108  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


CASH  CAPITAL, $300,000.00. 

ASSETS,      -      -------         $542,541.85. 

/  This  Company  insures,  at  customary  rates  of  premium,  against  all 
MARINE  and  INLAND  NAVIGATION  RISKS  on  CARGO  or 
FREIGHT;  also,  against  loss  or  damage  by  FIRE. 

The  Assured  receive  75  per  cent,  of  the  net  profits,  vtrithout  incur- 
ring any  liability,  or  in  lieu  thereof,  at  their  option,  a  liberal  discount 
upon  the  premium. 

Scrip  Dividend  declared  January  12,  1864, 
THIRTY-FIVE  FER  CENT. 


DIRECTORS. 


JAMES  LOEIMER  GRAHAM, 
JOSEPH  B.  VARNUM, 
FREDERICK  H.  WOLOOTT, 
WILLIAM  K.  STRONG, 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM, 
JOHN  C.  HENDERSON, 
DANIEL  PARISH, 
HENRY  Y.  BUTLER, 
DUDLEY  B.  PULLER, 
GILBERT  L.  BEECKMAN, 
JOSEPH  B.  VARNUM,  Jr., 
WATSON  E.  CASE. 


CHARLES  P.  KIRKLAND, 
EDWARD  A.  STANSBURY, 
GUSTAVUS  A.  CONOVER, 
MARTIN  BATES,  Jr., 
PASCHAL  W.  TURNEY, 
FRANKLIN  H.  DELANO, 
BOWES  R.  McILVAINE, 
LORRAIN  FREEMAN, 
EDWARD  MACOMBER, 
JA'S  LORIMER  GRAHAM,  Jr., 
SAMUEL  D.  BRADFORD,  Jr., 
GEO.  W.  HATCH. 


JAMES  LORIMER  G-RAHAM,  Pres't. 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM,  Vice  Pres't. 
EDWARD  A.  STANSBURY,  2d  Vice  Pres't. 
JOHN  C.  G-OODRIDGE,  Sec'y. 


The  8anita/ry  Commission  BuUetin.  283 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


ClC0lttmliiM  (^mim)  §mmm(t 

(X)RNEIl  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -       -     Sl,000,000. 


Froia  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 «  . .  $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  TB 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,13'I,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  tTnadjnsted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
.    Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Tear,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

.Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders '  . . .      26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Rish  on  which  the  Fremiom  is  paid  in  like  Gurrency. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  iu  lieu  of  scrip,,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  aU  hew  risks  under  the.  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  YOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  sucli  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred' dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  ■  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORREON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICll,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  JE., 

WM.  H.  HAI^EY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND.G.  MFTUHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOSfNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESaON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  0.  MORRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  Zd'Vice-PresJdent  arid  Secretary. 


284  The  BavMary_  Gmimssicm  BvUktin. 

Thirteenth  Annual  Report 

OF  THE 

sn|attan  Jifi  Insurance 

COMPANY, 

Of  ISTET^^   YORK. 
Office,  No.  31  NASSAU  STREE^T,  opposite  the  Post  Office. 
wVete  ITm'U^  January  1,  1864.  * 


Net  Asgets,  January  1,  1863 $1,287,591  35 

RECEIPTS  DURING  YEAR: 

For  Preminms,  Extra  Premiums,  &c $644,856  92 

"    Interest  and  Rents , 93,195  90 

:'    Interest  and  Eents  accrued 14,348  56 

152,401  38 

$2,039,998  73 
DISBURSEMENTS:    . 

Paid  Claims  by  Death  on  Policies  and  Bonus,  a,nd  payment 

'  of  Annuities , . .......  .$153,654  21 

Paid  Expenses,  Salaries,  Taxes,  Medical  Examiners'  Fees, 

Commissions,  &c •..,■• 88,828  81 

Paid  Dividends,   Re-Insurance,   Purchased    Policies   and 

Bonus  and  Interest  on  Dividends 248,666  31 

— . 491,149  51 

assets:  ~^m^^ 

Cash  in  Bank; $  21,962  13 

B6nds  and  Mortgages 261,914  00 

Real  Estate , 146,618  14 

Premium  Notes  on  Policies  in  Force 595,945  34 

(The  Actuarial  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  Policies 

vrhich  secure  these  Notes  is  about $100,000) 

Quarterly  and  Semi- Annual  Premiums  Deferred 55,532  01 

ITnited  States  and- New  York  State  Stocks .' 210,416  25 

Premiums  and  Interest  in  the  hands  of  Agents  in  course  of 

collection  and  transmission,  secured  by  Bonds 119,442  13 

Temporary  Loans  on  Stocks  and  Bonds .'     56,550  00 

Interest  accrued  to  Ist  January,  and  all  other  property. . .     14,348  56 

$1,648,849  22 

J.  L.  HALSEY,  Ass't  Sec'y.  HENRY  STOKES,  Pros't. 

S.  N.  STEBBINS,  Actuary.  C.  Y.  WEMPL.E,  Secretary. 

A.  DU  BOIS,  Medical  Examiner. 
REYNOLDS  &  VAN  SCHAICK,  Counsel. 


The  8cm1m"y  GomJmiasidn  BiMeUn.  285 

PARTICIPATIOIM 

FIRE     INSURANCE. 

NORTH  AMERICAN 
FIRE   INSURANCE    COMPANY, 

Of  the  City  of  New  York, 

orrrcE,  No.  114  broadway. 


I]SrOORI»OTlA.TBr)   1833. 

CASH  CAPITAL,     ...        -        -      $500,000  00 

ASSETS,  604,535  59 

]¥0  CliAIjHS  FOR  LOSSES. 

Abstract  of  the  ElfififTT-THI RD  Semi-Apnnal  Statemeiit,  showiug  the  €on- 
ditioD  of  the  Company  on  the  Slst  day  of  December,  1863. 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate,  worth  over 

Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $157i360  00 

Stocks,  BondS)  and  qther  Setourities  owned  by  the  Company,  market  value . .  364,385  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 6,-603  11 

LoaBS  on  demand  with  collateral , ....     46,000  00 

Premiums  due  and  Onts|;anding .  , , 5,384  00 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course. of  transmission,  (business  of  December 

since  received, ) 10,220  39 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 13,788'  83 

Other  Property  of  Company 793  75 

$604,535  59 
Losses  unpaid,  none. 

Insures  Property  against  Loss  by  Fire  at  usual  rates,  at  the  Office  of  the  Company^  or 
through  their  Agents  in  the  principal  Cities  and  Villages -of  the  United  States;  adjusting 
-and  paying  Claims  with  the  liberality  and  <promptness  that  has  characterized  their  busi- 
ness during  the  past  Fnrly-one  Years. 

The  Customers  receive  Tliree-PoiirtJas  of  the  Net  Profits  of  the  business  each  year 
without  incurring  any  liability  whatever. 

R.  W.  BLEEOKEH,  Sec'y.  JAMES  W.  OTIS,  Pres't. 

R.  F,  MASON,  ^peiintendeat  of  Agencies. 


286 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FROM  JURIES  3  AOT)  4=) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION^ 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  Mnd.    It  also  received  Superlative  Report  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBJTION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food, 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  PAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETT,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DlKiOma  and  Mbdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristofvn, 

OoT.  3,  1863,  TOOK  Gou)  Mbdaii. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Abierican  Institdte,  Ne-w  York 
City;  New  Jebsbv  State  Paik  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  -where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stancE  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

» For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &o.  For  Ice  Cream,  notliing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  wiU  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use.  ,    , 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Draggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEFOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM.  DURYEA,  General  Agent. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUMin..  28T 

NEW    YORK 

COMMERCIAL    ADVERTISER, 

J^L.   Daily    Evening    ]N'eAvsp,aper, 
Published  at  1^,  2\,  and  4  P.  M., 

im  A  £.Am(^E  F©£.I©  SHEET.    * 

The  COMMERCIAL  ADVERTISER,  through  its  reorgamzation  and  enlarged 
facilities,  commands  a  position  in  advance  of  existing  commercial  papers,  while  it  abates 
no  claim  to  rank  on  terras  of  equality  with  the  most  popular  literary  and  the  most  trust- 
worthy political  journals. 

The  Price,  Three  Cents  a  Copy, 

At  which  rate  it  is  sold  everywhere,  or  delivered  in  the  city  by  Carriers, 
a®"  A  Liberal  Discount  to  Newsmen. 

Annual  Mail  Subscription  Nine  Dollars  a  Year,  Strictly  in  Advance. 

NEW   YORK   SPECTATOR, 

SEMI-WEEKLY, 

THREE  DOLLARS  per  annum,  in  advance,  with  reduced  Rates  to  Clubs. 
Address, 

COMMERCIAL   ADVERTISER   ASSOCIATION, 

Cor.  Pine  and  'William  Streets,  New  York. 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO;,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  Wo.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GREENLEAF  &  CO.,  No.  172  I>ake  Street,  CMcaga 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWING,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelpbia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  2^6  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  eircnlars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  above. 


288 


The  Stmitary  Commission  SvEetm. 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS 

TO  SET  IJV  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  Qeat£bs  known  for  warming 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Schools,  Vessels,  &c. 

Send  or  call  for  a  Puuj  Dbscriptiom-,  and  an 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  our 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BEICK. 


POETABIJl 


SANFORD'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

G-LOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
all  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

stores,  Hotels,  R.  R.  Depots, 
Vessels,  &c> 

These  Heaters  axe  used  by  the 
Hudson  Biver  and  other  Bahj- 
BOADS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 
Engine  Houses,  &c.  Beware  of 
imitations  that  are  inferior. 
Eictensivelyeused  in  Hospitals 
arid 'Barracks. 

GBT   SANFORD'S   DL^IIIOTH. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STOVE, 

With  Radiator,  Tentilator,   and 
Gfis  Burning  Attacbment. 

The  Leading  Store  for 

PARL.ORS, 

SITTING-BOOMS, 

And  all  places  where  a  soft, 
piiEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all  winter  witii  on. aston- 
ishingly small  supply  <sf  ,coal. 


KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Goal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 

masonry,    or     out 

on  feet ;  have  the 

*  Largest   Ovens  of 

anyinpaaxket;  bake 


perfectly ;  never 
failing  tol>rown  at 
the  bottom.  Boil, 
Boast  and  Broil  with; great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EcoNomr  of  Fttel.  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Privaie  Houses,  Hdtels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  <6c. 


^fov- 


STJMMEB  AND  WINTEE 

PORTABLE  RANGE. 

Avery  popular  Bai^e, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Irons,  at  the  end.' 


•  A  perfect  apparatus  for  a  few  dollars, 
and  welt  suited  for  familiei,  restaurants,  bar- 
racks,  S(c. 


Also,  a  great  variety  of  COOKING  AND  HEATING  APPABATUS,  suited  to  every 
want.  AlflO,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.  Get  description  of  above,  with  references, 
from. 


SANFOKD,  TEUSLOW  &  CO., 


23    and  241  Water  St.,  New  York. 


THE 

SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  MARCH  15,  1864. 


No.  10. 


The  Sanitabt  Commission  BttlIiEtin  is 
published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every 
month,  and  as  it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitovts 
or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an 
unusually  vcduahle  medium  for  advertising. 

AU  communicaHons  must  be  addressed  to 
the  Editor,  at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  the  writers. 

PLAIN  ANSWERS  TO  PLAIN  QUESTIONS. 

Four  qtiestions  about  the  U.  8.  Sanitary 
Commission,  which  are  asked  by  some 
people  who  are  not  so  much  carried  away 
by  the  excitement  of  the  Fairs  but  what 
they  can  stop  and  inquire  whether,  after 
ail,  there  is  any  sober  peoessity  or  fitness  in 
this  exertion,  to  sustain  an  institution  which 
aims  to  supplement  Government  supplies 
for  the  aid  or  relief  of  the  soldiers. 

First. — What  is  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, and  why  does  such  an  institution  ex- 
ist at  all  ? 

Second.  — Is  the  growth  of  this  Sanitary 
Commission  a  healthy  growth,  or  is  it  not 
rather  ministered  to  by  a  morbid  senti- 
ment ? 

T/iird. — ^Has  not  the  "  emergency''  passed, 
which  is  said  to  have  called  for,  and  justi- 
fied this  irregular  agency  ? 

Fourth. — If  the  emergency  has  not  pass- 
ed, three  years  having  elapsed,  what  pros- 
pect is  there  that  it  ever  will  be  passed  so 
long  as  the  war  continues? 

These  are  the  questions  which  some 
people  ask  —  the  birth,  the  pulse,  the 
muscle,  and  the  will  of  this  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, with  its  probable  length  of  liffii 

The  answers  are  as  follows: 

First.  — The .  Sanitary  ■  Commission  came 
into  existence  as  the  child  of  these  tiwo 

Vol.  I.— No.  10.  19 


pafents,  viz. :  ou  the  one  side,  the  motherly 
love  which  kept  swelling  up  night  and  day 
in  millions  of  hearts,  and  flowed  out  to* 
wards  the  tented  field  in  such  a  stream  as 
threatened  to  overrun  jU  bounds.  On  the 
other  side,  the  maiHy  demand  for  law  and 
system  to  guide  and  control  this  great  mov- 
ing tide.  The  marriage  of  these  two  gave 
birth  to  the  Commission.  Except  for  that 
union — the  masculine  with  this  feminine 
element — that  tremendous  tide  of  love,  and 
impulse,  and  anxious  tenderness,  would  ere 
long  have  been  met  by  pointed  bayonets  and 
turned  back,  and  forbidden  entrance  to  the 
camp  and  hospital.  This  would  have  been 
done  as  a  "military  necessity,"  to  save 
the  Army  from  thfe  embarrassment  and  the 
enervating  influence  of  this  rush  of  indis- 
criminate, irresponsible  charity. 

■  But  God,  in  his  mercy,  could  not  see  this 
mighty  heaving  of  human  hearts,  which 
might  become  such  a  real  power  for  good, 
lost  to  the  World;  so  He  wedded  it  to  that 
which  is  really  its  truest  lover  and  right- 
ful spoTise^ — ^law  and  system. 

Government  received  assurance  that  not 
obtrusively,  or  unwisely,  should  this  work 
of  charity  henceforth  be  done;  that  it  would 
ever  recognize  and  consult  military  author- 
ity and  the  necessity  for  military  rules  and 
discipline;  that  it  would  not  run  counter 
to,  or  parallel  with  (as  in  rivalry  of,)  the 
Medical  Department,  but  strictly  and  glad- 
ly in  co-operation  with  it — and'  to  supply 
what  that  Department  did  not,  or  could 
not,  readily  furnish,  whereby  to  add  to  the 
good  health  and  good  cheer  of  their  sons, 
fathers  and-  husbands,  who  meantime  did 
not  love  their  homes  less,  though  they 
loved  their  country  more. 

Thus,  the  Sanitary  Commission  ia  the 
blended  charity  of  all  the  Loyal  States, 


290 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


gathered  and  organized  according  to  care- 
fully studied  methods  approved  by  Govern- 
ment, so  as  best  to  guarantee  the  efficiency 
— to  economize  the  energy,  and  to  secure 
the  continuance  of  this  generous  love  which 
looted  out  with  aching  eyes  and  waiting 
hands  from  almost  every  house  in  the 
land. 

Thus,  is  the  Sanitary  Commission  the 
Agent  of  the  People,- — and  a  "  Trustee''  of 
their  bounty,  held  accountable,  and  wishing 
to  be  held  accountable  for  the  use  of  all 
that  is  committed  to  it,  of  love  and  of  op- 
portunity, as  well  as  of  money  and  of  sup- 
plies. It  is  the  office  of  the  Commission  to 
find  and  meet  those  many  needs  which,  as 
the  world  knows,  always  have  existed  ■with 
every  great  army,  in  spite  of  all  that 
Government  could  do. 

Its  office  embraces  not  merely  the  tem- 
porary alleviation  of  suffering,  but  by  care- 
ful investigation  and  wise  council,  it  aims 
to  introduce  reforms  and  new  methods,  and 
to  remove  many  of  the  causes  themselves 
of  disease  and  death — and  it  seeks  to  excite 
to  keener  watchfulness  and  larger  provision 
of  official  faithfulness. 

Thus,  in  another  form  of  phrase,  is  the 
Sanitary  Commission  the  hand  of  "the 
People, "  filled  with  bread  and  wine,  reached 
out  in  such  manner  as  not  to  be  refused; 
while  back  of  it,  giving  it  the  pulse  of  its 
daily  life,  is  this  great,  warm,  throbbing 
heart  at  home — which  must  throb  and  beat, 
and  will  not  be  stiU,  until  those  they  have 
sent  to  the  field  be  given  back  to  them  liv- 
ing or. dead;  and  this  they  do  not  ask  and 
woiild  not  accept  until  the  war  is  so  finish- 
ed that  Freedom  shall  be  borne  in  with 
Peace. 

Such  is  the  answer  to  the  first  question: 
What  is  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  why 
does  such  an  institution  exist  at  all? 

The  second  question  asks:  Is  this  con- 
jjtantly  increasii^  growth  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  a  healthy  growth,  or  is  not 
rather  ministered  to  by  a  morbid  senti- 
ment ?  The  answer  is:  It  is  peculiarly  free 
from  the  danger  or  tendency  of  running 
into  or  resting  upon  sentiment.  Its  whole 
system  of  action  is  reduced,  as  far  as  is  con- 
sistent -with  humanity,  to  business  rules. 
It  appeals  to  the  public  for  support,  not 
merely  on  the  ground  of  alleviating  the 


suffering  of  the  soldiers,  but  on  the  ground 
of  rendering  more  effective  the  men  who 
are  to  carry  on  the  war.  It  looks  upon 
each  man  saved,  or  restored  to  health,  as 
so  much  muscle,  or  will,  or  power  given  to 
the  Army,  as  well  as  a  husband  or  son  given 
to  his  home. 

The  next  question  asks:  Has  not  the 
"  emergency"  past  which  is  said  to  have 
called  for  and  justified  this  irregular  agency? 
The  answer  is  very  clearly:  No,  it  has  not 
past.  The  calls  for  the  agency  are,  indeed, 
different  from  what  they  were  at  first  in 
many  respects.  Government,  with  increas- 
ed facilities  and  larger  experience,  now 
embraces  in  its  regular  arrangements  pro- 
vision for  some  of  the  services  once  ren- 
dered by  the  Commission.  But  Govern- 
ment makes  no  provision  for  that  immense 
class  of  cases  covered  by  "  Special  Belief," 
requiring  "Houses,"  "Lodges,"  agencies 
for  correcting  defective  papers,  collecting 
back  pay  for  the  feeble,  obtaining  pensions, 
carrying  to  their  own  homes  the  sick, 
guarding  discharged  soldiers  from  knaves 
and  fiends,  distributing  clothes  and  com- 
forts to  individuals  who  are  destitute. 
Hence,  in  this  respect,  the  "  emergency" 
has  not  passed  which  called  for  this  irregu- 
lar agency.  Nor  has  Government  yet  ob- 
tained from  Congress  a  biU  granting  to  the 
Medical  Department  independent  trans- 
portation for  its  supplies;  and,  in  lack  of 
this,  it  is  absolutely  essential  that  there  be 
some  agency — efficient,  experienced,  and 
well  provided — to  stand  ready  to  bear  to 
the  battle-field,  without  a  moment's  wait- 
ing and  without  dependence  upon  Depart- 
ment supplies  for  the  wounded  and  ex- 
hausted; for  just  then  it  is,  in  the  first  few 
hours  after  a  battle,  thait  a  very  little  suc- 
cor saves  hundreds  of  lives;  an  hour  of 
time  then,  and  one  ton  of  supplies  then, 
are  worth  many  hours  and  many  tons  the 
day  following.  Nor  has  Government  yet 
provided  that  its  Surgeons  have  authority 
to  purchase,  at  discretion,  supplies  to  meet 
emergencies;  hence,  the  necessity  continues 
for  an  agent  close  at  hand  authorized  to  buy, 
to  any  amount,  from  the  nearest  source,  a 
supply — ^whatever  may  at  once  be  used  to 
feed  or  shelter  the  wounded  upon  the  field 
of  battle.  And  facts  show  that,  but  for  this 
agency  having  been  near,  -with  the  power 


The  Samtary  Comnmsion  BtMetin. 


291 


thus  to  purchase  supplies,  great  suffering 
and  loss  of  life  would  have  occurred  where 
food  and  blessing  were  by  this  means  given 
to  hundreds  and  even  thousands  of  our 
wounded  men. 

Th^efore,  so  long  as  these  two  obstacles 
continue  to  exist,  (which  the  Medical  De- 
partment havp  raideavored  to  have  remov- 
ed,) the  "emergency"  spoken  of  stillstands; 
and  so  important  to  the  saving  of  the  lives 
of  men  and  alleviating  their  sufferings  is  it 
to  meet  tiiis  emergency,  that  it  would  be 
guilt  to  neglect  maldog  the  largest  proyis- 
ion,  though  it  be  made,  as  it  now  is,  at  a 
heavy  cost. 

We  might  speak,  also,  of  the  work  of 
furnishing  to  tiie  general  and  regimental 
hospitals  home  comforts,  as  well  as  more 
usual  supplies  to  meet  special  deficiencies. 
While  these  "supplementary"'  supplies  give 
a  band  of  help  in  time  of  real  need,  these 
extra  home  comforts  restore  to  health  the 
soldier  in  his  weary  hospital  life.  We  must 
not  omit  mention  of  the  "  Hospital  Direc- 
tory." It  is  essential,  so  the  public  say,  to 
the  friends  at  home;  and,  therefore,  just 
here  an  "emergency,"  ojr  certainly  a  de- 
mand, exists  which  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion alone  attempts  to  meet. 

The  final  question  asks:  If  the  "  emer- 
gency" hais  not  passed,  three  years  having 
elapsed,  what  prospect  is  there  that  it  will  be 
passed  so  long  as  the  war  continues  ?  The 
answer  is:  We  see  no  prospect  that  the  need 
of  the  Commission  wiU  cease  while  the  war 
goes  on.  Most  of  the  conditions  enumer- 
ated in  answering  the  previous  questions 
will,  doubtless,  continue  to  the  end.  Some 
of  them  are  conditions  inseparable  from,  war, 
which  Government  cannot  attend  to,  which 
its  heavy  machinery  (necessarily  and  wisely 
made  heavy,  adapted  to  meet  permanent 
conditions,  not  emergencies,)  cannot  adapt 
itself  to. 

Some,  as  is  readily  seen,  are  conditions 
developed  as  the  war  goes  on.  Those  which 
exist  this  year  may  not  exist  next  year;  but 
others  will  arise  in  their  place,  unexpected 
now,  but  claiming  at  the  time  prompt  and 
ample  provision? 

And  it  becomes  a  question  wprth  consid- 
ering, whether,  even  if  it  were  possible,  it 
would  be  desirable  to  have  the  provisions 
of  Government  so  perfect  and  efficient  that 


there.w,ould,be,nq  necessity  or  opportunity 
for  this  voluntary  aid  of  the  people?  Who 
can  teU  how  'niuch  of  the  cheerful  and 
vigorous  life  of  our  Army,  now  years  away 
from  home,  may  be'  owing  to  the  constant 
recognition  by  the  soldiers  of  the  work  and 
love  of  the  people  ever  thinking  t)f  them. 

And  who  shaU  say  what  would  have  be- 
come of  the  people— the  mothers,  wives 
and  daughters  of  the  men  in  the  tents,  the 
hospitals  and  on  the  battle-fields— if  they 
had  not  been  allowed  to  spend  their 
thoughts  and  time  in  working  for  those 
they  love  better  than  Ufel 

F.  N.  K. 


SUKVET  OF  THE  FIELD. 
« 
No.  823  Bkoaewat,  N.  Y., 

.    Feiruary  itth,  1864. 
To  the  Standing  CoTtvmittee  ofiSvt 

United  States  Sanitary  Commission: 

GentijEMEN — A  survey  of  the  field  of  the 
Commission's  work,  as  furnished  by  com- 
munications received  at  this  office  since 
your  meeting  of  the  19th  instant,  shows  a 
varied  degree  of  activity  existing  in  its  dif- 
ferent Departmr  nts. 

At  the  West,  increased  attention  is  being 
given  to  the  hospital  centers  at  Memphis 
and  Vioksburg,  having  under  treatment 
2,500  and  2,000  sick*  respectively.  Vicks- 
burg  has  again  become  an  important  point, 
the  sick  and  wounded  of  Gen.  Sherman's 
forces  continuing  to  arrive  there  up  to  the 
17th  instant,  the  date  of  the  last  advices. 

The  steamer  Navigator,  chartered  by  Dr. 
Newberry,  for  transportation  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi Eiver,  became  disabled,  and  her 
first  load  was  transferred  to  the  Govern- 
ment transport  Mississippi,  by  which  it 
would  be  conveyed  from  Cairo  free  of  cost 
to  the  Commission,  to  various  points  on 
the  river. 

Dr.  Warriner  expected  to  send  a  portion  of 
the  vegetables  to  New  Orleans,  where  such 
supplies  were  much  needed. 

The  Samuel  HiQ,  sent  up  from  New  Or- 
leans to  Cairo,  with  sick,  was  also  provided 
at  that  point  with  a  considerable  stock  of 
vegetables,  to  be  distributed  within  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf. 

At  Chattanooga',  the  health  of  the  troops 
is  reported  as  improved.  Special  attention 
had  been  paid  to  scorbutic  patients, .  and 
the  issue  of  vegetables  had  effected  much 


292 


The  SanMary  Commisdon  BvUMn. 


good.  Dr.  Bamum  has  sent  the  report 
concerning  transportation  of  the  sick  asked 
for  by  the  Conunission  in  January.  The 
Assistant  Sargeon-G-eneral  has  adopted  Dr. 
B.  as  an  officer  of  the  Medical  Bureau,  hut 
proposes  that  he  shall  still  report  to  Dr. 
Newberry. 

Dr.  Newberry  is  at  Cleveland,  but  re- 
turns early  next  week  to  Louisville,  and 
thence  to  Nashville.  He  has  been  inform- 
ed of  the  appropriation  by  the  Commission 
for  the  building  of  Homes  at  Detroit  and 
Buffalo. 

Among  the  forces  in  Virginia,  there  has 
been  reported  little  but  routine  work.  At 
Portsmouth,  however,  a  Lodge  as  a  center 
of  the  work  of  special  relief  has  been  estab- 
lished by  favor  of^  the  military  authority, 
and  is  likely  to  render  a  much  needed  ser- 
vice. '  General  Butler  also  evinces  a  dispo- 
sition to  encourage  the  Commission  in  its 
proposed  care  for  the  sick  on  the  flag-of- 
truce  boats,'  should  exchanges  of  prisoners 
again  occur. 

In  North  Carolina,  Dr.  Page,  is  with  sys- 
tem, planting  hospital  gardens  with  appar- 
ent prospects  of  success.  He  is  much  con- 
cerned at  the  possible  spread  of  small  pox, 
owing  to  the  imperfect  character  of  the 
vaccine  matter  received  in  that  Depart- 
ment. He  will  be  furnished  weekly  with 
moderate  amounts  of  carefully  selected 
virus.  From  September,  1863,  to  January 
Ist,  in  666  cases — ^the  mortality  was  184, 
or  about  28  per  cent.  From  January 
to  February  13th,  of  285  new  cases  105 
died — a  mortality  of  about  37  per  cent.,  in- 
dicating, perhaps,  an  increased  intensity  of 
the  epidemic  influence. 

Dr.  Marsh  writes  from  Beaufort  of  much 
work  done  and  attempted  with  insufficient 
help  and  inadequate  strength.  He  pro- 
poses to  return  to  New  York  after  the 
present  campaign  is  over,  and  he  has  sup- 
•  plied  in  advance,  so  far  as  they  can  be  an- 
ticipated, the  wants  of  the  following  two 
months.  If  in  sufficifent  health  he  will  re- 
turn, and  would  like  to  be  accompanied 
with  one  medical  and  one  lay  assistant. 

Our  losses  of  stores  at  the  late  repulse 
at  Olustee,  Fla.,  are "  believed  to  be 
slight.  The  provision  of  stores  for  this 
Department  is  shown  to  be  good,  by  the 
fact  that  a  humane  and  careful  Inspector 


like  Dr.  Marsh  urges  us  not  to  send  out 
any  supplies  to  hiin  on  account  of  this 
engagement.  Dr.  Marsh  reports  a  state- 
ment of  casualties  in  Florida.  He  was  to 
return  there  on  the  23d  instant. 

There  are  no  reports  from  Louisiana 
within  the  week,  except  a  special  one  con- 
cerning aid  rendered  to  the  Navy  during 
the  past  year,  and  the  monthly  report  of 
stock  on  hand,  and  requisition  for  sup- 
plies. 

In  the  home  field  there  is  great  need, 
especially  at  the  East,  of  increased  effort 
for  the  production  of  material  supplies. 
The  three  principal  depots  at  Boston,  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  are  now  nearly 
empty,  and  the  prospect  of  their  speedy  re- 
plenishment, except  the  one  at  Boston,  is 
not  good.  The  diverting  influence  of  the 
present  and  projected  Fairs  accounts  for 
this,  to  some  extent,  in  New  York  and 
Pennsylvania. 

The  number  of  canvassers  employed  ia 
the  Eastern  States  is  now  considerable.  la 
New  England,  three;  in  New  York,  two; 
in  New  Jersey,  one;  and  visiting  several 
States,  two;  while  in  the  home  field  at  the 
West  three  aie  employed.  They  have  been 
generally  instructed  that  they  are  not  to 
consider  as  of  secondary  importanee  the 
increase  of  local  work,  and  not  to  solicit 
contributions  to  the  Central  Treasury, 
where  such  contributions  would  diminish 
the  local  imterest  in  the  work  of  supply  is 
kind. 

No  reports  of  Inspectors  have  come  is 
within  the  week.  Dr.  Graham  has  gone  to 
Enoxville. 

Eespectfully, 

J.  FosTBB  Jenkins, 

General  i^ecretery. 

THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  AND  THE 
MEDICAL  DEPABTMENT. 
[i^om  the  North  Amerlcoa  Beview.] 

It  is  not  the  fault  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission if  exaggerated  ideas  of  its  claims 
and  importance,  as  compared  with  those  of 
the  Medical  Department,  prevail  in  many 
quarters.  In  pt^bhc  addresses  in  all  the 
great  cities,,  in  published  letters  to  Gover- 
nors of  States  and  to  State  Sui^eon-Geiv- 
erals,  in  its  regular  reports,  and  under  all 
eircumstanees,  it  has  magnified  and  cele- 


The  Sanita/ry  Commission  BiMeUn. 


293 


bratedthe  growing  effieienoy  of  the  Medical 
Department,  chronicled  its  vast  and  benefi- 
cent reforms,  defending  the  Bureau  against 
unjust  charges,  shown  the  recklessness  of 
the  rife  rumors  as  to  the  general  negligence, 
cupidity,  and  impotence  of  the  Surgeons 
in  the  service,  and  endeavored  to  acquaint 
the  pubUc  with  th^  dependence  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  on  the  care,  pity,  and  gener- 
ous provision  of  the  Government  itself, 
rather  than  on  outside  aid  and  mercy. 

It  is  plain  how  exposed  to  misapprehen- 
sion the  Medical  Department  of  so  vast  an 
army  as  ours  is,  how  little  credit  it  gets  for 
the  regular  aad  successful  performance  of 
its  duties,  how  much  blame  for  its  occa- 
sional failures  to  meet  the  exigencies  that 
beset  its  affairs.  AU  the  while,  for  food, 
clothing,  shelter,  medical  care,  nursing, 
transportation,  the  siek  or  wounded  soldier 
is  dependent  upon,  and  actually  receives,, 
eeven-eighths  of  all  he  needs  from  the  Gov- 
ernment itself.  The  other  eighth  he  must 
owe  to  the  pity  and  care  of  some  outside 
beneficence.  He  himself  is  apt  to  accept 
only  as  his  due,  and  therefore  thoughtlessly 
and  ungratefully,  aH  Miat  the  Government 
does  for  him,  and  to  have  the  liveliest 
sense  only  of  what  it  does  not  do,  and  to 
utter  the  most  indignant  complaints  at  its 
neglect.  Of  course  he  gives  ^  correspond- 
ing gratitude  to  those  who  come  in  as 
volunteers  to  supply  the  neoessaiy  or  un- 
avoidable defects  and  omissions  from  which 
he  sufiers;  and  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
or  some  similar  organization,  gets  for  its 
comparatively  light  labors  the  praise  and 
the  gratitude  really  due  in  much  larger 
measure  to  the  Government  itself  and  the 

edical  Department — above  all,  to  the  la- 
Borious  and  devoted  Surgeons  themselves. 
It  is  the  old  fallacy — ^we  think  more  of  the 
two-penny  ounce  of  butter  than  of  the  ten- 
penny  loaf  of  bread;  because  one  merely 
satisfies  our  hunger,  and  the  other  gratifies 
our  palate.  The  Sanitary  Commission,  be- 
ing really  in  earnest,  laboring  not  for  praise, 
but  for  practical  results,  saw  the  vast  im- 
portance of  strengthening  and  stimulating 
that  system  to  which  the  soldier  must  owe 
seven-eighths  of  his  chances  of  escape  from 
sickness,  and  of  care  and  comfort  when 
sick;  and  that  no  skill  or  success  in  man- 
aging and  magnifying  its  own  contingemt 


work,  which  at  the  utmost  was  but  a  frac- 
tional interest,  could  be  any  sort  of  substi- 
tute for  the, zeal  and  efficiency  of  the  regu- 
lar Department.  It  saw  and  recognized  the 
value  of  the  loaf  of  bread,  and  determined 
not  to  allow  the  butter  question  to  blind  its 
own  or  the  public's  eyes. 

But,  after  all,  it  had  its  own  work  to  do, 
and  to  do  welL  It  was  plain  enough,  after 
a  very  short  study,  that  the  general  utility 
and  success  of  the  Army  system,  and  of  the 
Medical  Department  as  a  portion  of  it,  de- 
pended upon  rigidity  of  method.  Disci- 
pline is  the  soul  of  an  army;  strict  account- 
ableness  and  limited  responsibility  are  es- 
sential in  the  administration  of  military 
affairs.  ^  Eoutine  make^the  skeleton,  and 
red  tape  applies  the  ligaments  to  the  sys- 
tem. 

To  attempt  to  supply  an  army  as  a  family, 
or  a  village,  or  a  city  is  supplied,  or  to  carry 
civil  maxims  or  customs  into  the  camp,  is 
a  pure  impossibility.  Strict  rules  and  re- 
gulations, and  comptdsory  and  inevitable 
'  conformity  to  them,  are  the  conditions  of 
the  largest  good  to  the  largest  number.  It 
is  certain,  beforehand,  that  this  necessary 
system  will  presS  with  terrible  severity 
upon  a  considerable  class  of  exceptions; 
but  to  consider  these  exceptions,  a^id  bend 
the  system  to  accommodate  or  include  them, 
would  be  to  imperil  the  -advantage  of  that 
vast  majority  which  the  rule  is  established 
to  serve.  If  the  tape  is  so  loose  that  any 
one  paper  can  be  easily  pulled  from  the 
bundle,  all  the  _papers  are  Ukely  to  be  lost, 
or  found  scattered  by  the  wind.  The  Sani- 
tary Commission,  therefore,  has  never  join- 
ed in  the  popular  cry  of  too  much  red  tape; 
it  has  never  asked  for,  or  consented  to,  any 
scheme  for  conducting  medical  affairs  in  a 
free  and  easy  manner,  without  military 
subordination  and  carefully  limited  respon- 
sibilities. Whatever  evils  have  attended 
this  system,  have  been  less  than  those  its 
removal  would  instantly  evoke.  Indeed,  it 
was  mainly  to  enable  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment to  maintain  its '  own  rules  with  rigor- 
ous fidelity,  that  the  Commission  under- 
took to  look  after  only  these  individual 
wants,  and  those  exceptional  sufferings, 
which  grow  out  of  the  necessary  imperfec- 
tion of  all  large  systems,  and  which  have 
I  always  furnished  it  its  only  legitimate  and 


294 


'ITie  Sardtccry  Commission  BvEeUn. 


■wdoome  opportxmitiea  of  service.  That  the 
exceptions  in  an  army  of  a  million  and  more 
of  men,  at  one  time  or  'another  in  the  field, 
■with  an  average  sick  list  of  at  least  fifty 
thousand  men,  shonld  be'  numerous  in 
themselves,  however  small  relatively  to  the 
number  taken  care  of  by  the  Medical  De- 
partment itself,  is  what  the  most  thought- 
less might  anticipate.  They  have  been 
numerous  enough  and  oonstint  enough  to 
task  the  utmost  liberality  of  the  nation, 
and  to  afford  the  most  steady,  and  exhaust- 
ing labor  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.  At 
no  time  have  the  extra  supplies  furnished 
by  the  public  to  the  Commission,  or  to  any 
and"  all  outside  ministries,  been  fully  equal 
to  the  demands'.  Nor,  with  the  experience 
now  afforded  to  the  careful  students  of  army 
movements  and  exigencies,  does  it  appear 
at  all  strange  that  great  and  frequent  fail- 
ures should  attend  the  best  plans  of  the 
Medical  Department;  battles  proving  gen- 
eral, when  they  were  expected  to  be  skir- 
mishes or  reconnoissances;  the  wounded 
turning  out  twice  as  many  as  any  reason- 
able foresight  could  have  anticipated;  time 
and  place  of  fighting  being  both  suddenly 
changed;  transporbation  impeded  or  pre- 
occupied by  greater  necessities;  and  move- 
ments of  the  enemy,  instantly  defeating  the 
whole,  and  the  most  sagacious  arrange- 
ments made  by  Medical  Directors. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  the  first  of- 
fice of  an  army  is  to  fight,  and  that  the 
first  necessity  of  the  Government  is  to  look 
after  the  fighting  men,  providing  them 
with  adequate  ammunition,  food,  and  rein- 
forcements— that  at  the  time  of  an  impend- 
ing battle,  or  during  one,  the  chief  solici- 
tude is  not,  cannot,  and  ought  not  to  be 
about  the  wounded,  but  about  those  still 
able  to  fight— and  it  will  be  seen  how  per- 
plexed, delayed,  and  hampered  the  Medi- 
cal Department  must  be,  in  getting  for- 
•ward  its  stores,  in  removing  the  wounded, 
or  in  taking  care  of  them  promptly.  The 
first  interests  of  the  Army  require  that  the 
Medical  Department  should  be  left  in  this 
subordinate  and  dependent  position.  Tou 
cannot  afford  it  independent  transportation 
without  destroying  its  co-ordination  with 
the  other  departments,  and  embarrassing  it 
nine-tenths  of  the  time  with  the  care  of 
trains,  horses,  and  forage,  for  the  sake  of 


the  advantages  that  would  accrue  to  it  for 
the  othra:  tenth  of  the  time.  Nor  can  the 
Commanding-General  safely  allow  his-  hos- 
pital stores  to  be  jeoparded  by  advancing 
them  to  the  front,  which  doTibtless  would, 
if  safe,  be  the  most  convenient  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  wounded  or  the  siek.  Thus, 
after  tlje  battle  of  Gettysburg,  when  Meade 
was  pursuing  Lee's  flying  army,  and  anoth- 
er general  battle  was  hourly  expected  near 
the  old  field  of  Antietam,  the  General 
would  not,  and  could  not,  aHow*  the  vast 
medical  stores  required  in  case  "bf  a  battle 
to  be  brought  over  South  Mountain,  be- 
cause Boonsboro',  beyond  which  his  own 
headquarters'  lay,  and  where  the  Sanitary 
Commission  had  opened  its  store  houses, 
was  liable  any  day  to  be  attacked  and  ran- 
sacked by  the  enemy's  cavalry.  This  was 
prudent  and  hnmanef  and  yet  in  case  of  a 
great  battle  it  must  have  caused  enormous 
sufiering.  Now,  fen:  this  very  reason  that  it 
was  not  safe  for  the  Government  stores,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  determined  to  run  the 
risk  of  its  own  stores,  that,  if  a  battle  did 
occur,  it  might  alleviate  the  wants  of  the 
battle-field,  till  the  regular  medical  stores 
could  be  brought  up.  Thus  the  Medical 
Department  followed  itd'  legitimate  and 
bounden  course  of  duty  in  obedience  to  ju- 
dicious* orders  from  headquarters.  The 
Sanitary  Commission,  ■with  its  independent 
transportation,  and  independent  move- 
ments in  general,  followed  also  its  legjji- 
mate  and  necessary  duty,  and  stood  ready 
to  prevent  the  evils  which  must  otherwise 
flow  from  the  best  and  ■wisest  course  left 
open  to  the  Medical  Department. 

But  it  was  not  in  battlefields  and  exigen- 
cies chiefly  that  the  Commission  found  mos^' 
seriously  tested  its  principle  of  doing  noth- 
ing for  the  sick  and  ■wounded  soldiers  which 
it  could  induce  or  compel  the  Government 
to  do.  Regimental,  field,  and  general 
hospitals  have  been  the  steady  sphere 
of  its  labors.  It  has  spent  its  chief 
time,  supplies,  and  energies  in  satisfying 
the  wants  existing  there.  For  the  first 
year  of  the  war,  there  ■was  not  commercial 
industry  enough  in  the  country  to  supply 
the  actual  wants  of  the  Army.  Clothing 
could  not  be  manufactured  fast  enough  to 
meet  the  rapidly  recruited  ranks.  Cloths 
were  imported  by  the  Government,  as  a 


HvR  Sanitary  Commission  JBuUelm., 


295 


protection  against  the  enormous  rates 
■wMeh  holders  of  suitable  stuffs  were  sel- 
fishly exacting.  Besides,  the  ideas  of  the 
Government  Bureaus  ,did  hot  and  could 
not"  expand  as  fast  as  the  unprecedented 
wants  of  the  Army  did.  Timidity  and  cau- 
tion tied  up  even  the  boldest  hands.  The 
suffering  which  existed  in  the  rank  and  file 
from  want  of  blankets,  stockingSj  over- 
coats, and  tents  was  very  great.  The  regi- 
mental hospitals,  under  new  and  inexpe- 
rienced Surgeons,  without  acquaintance 
with  bureau  routine,  were  often  desperate- 
ly deficient,  both  in  what  they  jnight  have 
had,  if  at  the  proper  time  they  had  known 
how  to  ask  for  it,  and  in  what  no  skill  in 
asking  at  that  time  could  secure.  The 
general  hospitals  were  just  beginning'  to 
be  established.  Inconvenient  and  wholly 
unsuitable  buildings  were  the  only  ones 
within  reach,  and  the  Government  was  not 
then  aroused  to  the  necessity  of  creating 
proper  dfces.  The  Hospital  Fund,  the  usual 
adequate  resource  of  the  Surgeon  for  all 
ecuira  comforts  and  delicacies,  now  ex- 
tensively— nay,  universally — in  operation, 
could  not  at  once  be  inaugurated,  even  by 
experts,  and  was  utterly  beyond  the  man- 
agement of  novices.  It  afforded  no  de- 
pendence for  many  months,  and  was  of  lit- 
tle use  for  the  first  year  of  the  war..  The 
Sanitary  Commission  took  its  place,  and 
supplied  a  large  part  of  aU  which  the  best 
and  most  eflScient  management  could  have 
yielded.  It  came  in,  everywhere,  to  do 
just  what  Government  and  the  Medical  De- 
partment, in  the  sudden  expansion  of  the 
Army,  by  successive  monstrous  motions, 
from  75,000  to  300,000,  to  500,000,  to 
800,000  men,  could  not  so  adjust  means  to 
ends,  and  supplies  to  the  vast  wants  of  the 
hour,  as  effectively  and  humanely  to  accom- 
plish. But  it'  did  its  vrpA  on  system,  ac- 
cording to  analogous  rulesj  and  with  a  strict 
understanding  with  the  Department  and 
Bureaus,  so  as  to  discourage  the  imperfect 
preparations  or  inadequate  arrangements 
of  the  Medical  Bureau  or  Quartermaster- 
General;  to  make  neglect  hard  and  difficult 
and  disagreeable  for  them;  to  uphold  their 
efforts  for  reform  and  enlargement;  and  to 
emphasize  in  such  a  way  their  dependence, 
as  to  shame  them  into  efforts  to  break  loose 
from  it.      The  Commission  furnished  ^o 


hospital  supplies  except  on  requisition  of 
the  Surgeon  himself,  who  thereby  acknowl- 
edged his  dependence  on  outside  help  for 
what  it  was  his  pride  and  his  duty  to  obtain 
from  the  Department  he  repr€sented.  No 
distribution  by  outside  parties  was  allowed. 
The  discipline  of  the  hospitals,  with  the 
authority  of  the  officers,  medical  and  other- 
wise, was  to  be  carefully  upheld.  No  help 
that  could  be  extended  to  individual  cases 
of  suffering  would  atone  for  the  injustice 
done  the  general  principle  itself. 

That  which  has  often  been  made  an  ob- 
jection to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  that  it 
did  not  flu  the  hospitals  with  resident  re- 
lief agents,  or  nurses,  who  should  them- 
selves be  the  judges  •£  the  wants  of  the 
sick,  and  the  direct  vehicles  of  relief,  in  the 
form  of  clothing,  delicacies,  or  medicines, 
was  one  of  its  cardinal  virtues.  Such  in- 
trusion into  military  hospitals  was  not  only 
fatal  to  discipline,  to  due  responsibility,  to 
the  quietude  of  the  place,  and  the  control 
of  the  diet  and  treatment  of  the  sick,  but 
it  was  fatal  to  the  peace,  the  self-respect, 
and  the  esprit  de  corps  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment. Wherever  it  was  allowed,  it  did 
little  but  harm,  and  if '  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission had  encouraged  or  countenanced' 
it,  they  would  soon  have  lost  all  the  influ- 
ence they  had  with  the  Department  and 
the  Surgeons.  Instead  of  this,  they  ap- 
pointed experts  to  visit  the  hospitals,  ob- 
serve their  wants,  see  the  officers,  nurses, 
and  men,  and,  after  conference  with  the- 
Surgeon  in  charge,  to  obtain  from  him  a 
requisition  on  their  supplies  for  what  he 
felt  the  hospital  to  need — to  be  applied 
under  his  own  orders,  and  by  his  own 
agents,  to  his  own  patients.  Skilled  and 
■  judicious  women,  offering  their  services  as 
nurses,  and  accepted  through  the  free  and' 
hearty  consent  of  the  Surgeons  in  charge, 
have  rendered  invaluable  services  to  the 
sick  ever  since  the  hospitals  were  opened. 
But  they  have  owed  their  usefulness  to' 
their  strict  obedience  and  conformity  to' 
Army 'regulations,  and  only  those  docile 
and  wise  enough  to  respect  the  superior 
knowledge  and  authority  of  the  Surgeons 
have  been  for  any  considerable  time  able 
to  keep  their  places,  or  to  m'ake  themselves 
greatly  serviceable.  '  Perhaps  two  hundred 
such  women  exist  in  the  whole  Army;  to 


296 


The  SamUairy  Commission  BuUdin. 


\rho£e  noUe,  devoted,  and  gentle  hearts, 
BkiUful  hands,  and  administiatiTe  faculties 
are  due  a  considerable  part  of  the  success 
which  has  attended  the  operation  of  our 
military  nursing.  The  main  dependence 
is,  at  all  times,  on  detailed  or  enlisted  male 
nurses,  who,  to  the  number  perhaps  of  two 
thousand,  are  always  on  duty,  and  to  the 
unwearied  labors  of  our  Surgeons — ^who, 
as  a  class,  axe  not  only  utterly  incapable  of 
the  negligence,  drunkenness,  fraud,-  and 
greediness  with  which  they  have  been  pub- 
licly charged,  but  have  really  rendered 
Ulustrious  services,  not  only  by  gallant 
self-exposure  in  the  field,  but  in  watching 
and  waiting  on  their  charges  with  a  vigi- 
lance which  has  cost  many  of  them  their 
lives.  The  cruel  aspersions  with  which 
bigots  and  fanatics  have  often  visited  their 
conduct  on  battle-fields,  where  three  or 
four  consecutive  nights  have  passed  in  hard 
service,  with  only  two  or  three  hours'  sleep, 
has  made  their  ability  to  do  any  work,  or 
to  keep  themselves  aUve,  dependent  on  the 
use  of  stimulants— charging  them  with 
general  drunkenness,  as  at  Chancellorville — 
are  a  scandal  and  slander  which  the  closest 
and  longest  opportunities  of  observation 
enable  us  utterly  to  refute.  The,  ordinary 
per  centage  of  incompetency,  lack  of  prin- 
ciple, and  inhumanity  doubtless  exists 
among  the  Army  Surgeons;  but  on  the 
whole,  we  judge  them  to  be  sup^or  to 
any  other  equally  large  class  of  officers  in 
the  field,  while  their  duties  are  probably 
more  constant,  and  at  times  more  exhaust- 
ing, than  those  of  any  other  class. 

It  is  by  strict  fidelity  to  these  general 
principles  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has  endeavored  to  avoid  the  peril  which 
threatened  the  efficiency  of  the  Government 
service,  by  outside  interposition;  and  its 
success  as  an  organization  is  due  to  the 
genuineness  of  the  faith  in  which  it  has 
Qftrried  out-its  pledges  to  the  Government, 
to  be  a  strictly  subordinate  and  ancillary 
body — loyal  to  the  Medical  Department — 
its  fearless  critic,  but  never  its  rival  or  sup- 
planter — its  watchful  spur,  but  never  its 
sly  traducer  or  its  disgnui^ed  enemy. 


LETTEBS  IN  OUB  DBAWBR. 
It  is  no  part  of  the  business  of  the  Com- 
mission to  meddle  in  politics,  but  it  will  be 
seen  from  the  following  letter  that  we  have 
been  unconsciously  instrumental  in  secur- 
ing one  vote  for  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Ftbruary  25, 1864. 
Mb.  3.  B.  Abbott,  Waskmgton: 

Deab  Sib — I  received  the  statement  of  my 
inquiry  in  regard  to  my  back  pay,  ifec.,  which  I 
am  under  a  great  obUgatfon  to  you  for,  and  I 
hope  that  I  will  be  able  to  repay  you  some  day. 
I  will  aive  you  my  address  when  I  am  at  my  na- 
tive residence,  and  when  this  cruel  war  is  over, 
and  there  eve^should  be  any  way  that  I  could  re- 
pay you  and  you  let  me  know,  I  will  try  and  do 
it  for  yon.  I  am  now  a  private  soldier  in  the 
army,  and  expect  to  be,  tiU  ihis  war  is  over, 
Grod  permitting. 

My  address  is  William  Graham,  Temperance- 
viUe,  Alleghany  Co.,  Penn. 

It  was  not  for  the  amount  of  my  pay  that 
prompted  me  to  write  to  the  President  of  jour 
famous  institution,  but  for  the  disgrace  of  hav- 
ing me  marked  as  a  deserter  when  I  had  no  in- 
tentions of  any  such  a  tiling.  It  was  not  my 
wishes  to  be  discharged  from  the  seftice,  but 
Br.  Beiter  told  me  that  I  could  not  stand  it  at 
all ;  but  it  is  as  you  say,  that  it  is  more  satis- 
faction to  know  that  I  was  not  marked  as  a  de- 
serter, than  to  get  two  or  three  months'  pay.  X 
am  no  pohtician,  nor  neither  do  I  know  what 
politics  you  are,  but  if  Old  Abe  does  run  again, 
and  they  get  that  bill  passed  in  our  Legislatojce 
to  allow  us  poor  soldiers  to  vote,  I  will  give  him 
a  hoist  Bat  I  do  not  want  to  take  up  your 
time  with  nonsense.  I  wiU  close. 
Remaining  very  respectfolly, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

Wm.  Gbabam, 

Batten/  O,  Penn.  FoI». 

The  report  of  Mr.  Mijhleok,  one  of  the 
Belief  Agents  on  the  Potomac,  contains 
some  striking  illustrations  of  the  variety  of 
the  forms  and  degrees  of  suffering  which 
we  are  called  on  to  relieve — some  of  them 
touching  enough,  even  to  read  of. 

The  rumors  and  apparent  preparations  for  a 
move  prevented  me  from  leaving  the  store  house 
to-day.  But  I  would  feel  discontented,  should 
I  not  mention  that  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
doing  good  this  Suifday  afternoon.  A  young 
Sergeant  of  the  12th  Massachusetts,  pale  and 
emaciated,  stopped  at  our  door,  asking  for  some 
blackberry  syrup.  We  had  none;  and  he  was 
quietly  walking  down  the  street,  when  I  re- 
marked that  his  weakness  and  prostration  were 
so  great  that  he  could  hardly  walk.  I  called 
him  back,  and  inquired  what  he  was  suffering 
from.  He  answered,  from  "  chronic  diarrhcea. 
He  also  told  me  that  he  w^  reported  for  dis- 
charge, but  that  he  felt  that  imless  the  air  of 
his  home  and  a  mother's  care  should  very  soon 
reach  him,  he  would  die.  I  gave  him  some 
cordial,  filled  his  pockets  with  crackers  and  a 
piece  of  chocolate,  and  then  he  left  the  store. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUetin. 


297 


He  was  deeply  affected;  I  myself,  hardly  le&s 
than  he. 

At  night  fall,  most  of  the  3d  Corps  passed 
through  here.  Quite  a  number  of  them,  who 
felt  weak  and  siok,_  stepped  in  and  begged  for 
some  crackers,  and  in  some  instances,  for  stimu- 
lants. I  complied  with  promptness  and  dis- 
cernment. I  had  hardly  sat  down  again  to 
finish  this  report,  when  another  fine  young  fel- 
low from  the  10th  Vermont  helped  along  by  a 
Surgeon  of  his  regiment,  was  brought  in.     The 

goer  lad,  in  the  darkness,  had  fallen  down  a 
igh  and  steep  embankment,  fracturing  his  left 
arm,  and  probably  his  right  fore  arm.  He  was 
covered  with  dirt,  and  suffering  intensely. 
George  washed  his  face,  while  Norris  rushed 
for  bandages  and  rags,  and  I  was  helping  the 
Surgeon  in  cutting  his  blouse  and  shirt  off  his 
body.  I  gave  him  some  stimulants,  and  after 
he  got  examined  and  his  arms  partly  dressed,  I 
had  him  carried  to  the  nearest  hospital,  (First 
Division.)  His  Surgeon,  I  add  with  great  plea- 
sure, was  all  care  and  kindness  to  him.  Thus 
closes  the  first  week  of  my  new  duties,  although 
I  had,  previously  to  my  connection  with 
this  'Sanitfliiy  Commission,  an  idea  of  its 
work.  Yet,  I  confess,  I  never  appreciiated  the 
whole  extent  of  its  results  and  fruits.  Happy 
do  I  feel,  indeed,  to  be  an  instrument  in  thus 
dealing  out  the  gifts  of  a  grateful  nation  to  her 
brave  sons  in  the  field. 

Mr.    Warner  Johnson  writes  from  the 

Brandy  Station: 

Our  Lodge  at  Brandy  Station  has  been  found 
very  useful  to  soldiers  passing  to  and  from  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  One  a  wall  tent,  and 
two  hospital  tents,  have  been  provided  with 
bunks  and  supplied  with  abundant  clothing. 
Since  the  ICth  of  January,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  soldiers  found  shelter  for  the  nifht,  who 
would  otherwise  have  had  the  sky  or  their 
canopy,  and  no  protection  from  the  severity  of 
the  weather.  About  fifteen  civilians,  who  had 
been  benighted,  have  also  been  sheltered  by  us. 
Upon  one  occasion,  a  large  number  of  artillery 
recruits  reached  here  about  dusk,  whose  brigades 
were  scattered  in  various  directions.  In  number 
about  forty,  they  filled  our  three  tents,  and  the 
floor  of  our  main  room;  codked  their 'supper 
and  breakfast,  and  left  for  their  destination, 
well  pleased  with  their  accommodations.  Last 
night  about  twenty  soldiers  flUed  our  tents,  and 
left  this  morning  for  their  camps.  We  are  en- 
abled to  save  them  much  discomfort  and  suf- 
fering. 

We  find  in  the  New  Orleans  Sra  of  Peb- 
nary  6,  the  following  testimony  as  to  the 
labors  of  our  Agents  in  that  quarter: 

Dr.  Blake,  the  efficient  Agent  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  has  fitted  up  the  steamer  Laurel 
Hill  with  conveniences  for  the  transportation 
of  sick  and  discharged  soldiers  to  Cairo.  It  is 
his  intention  to  furnish  every  man  a  comfort- 
able cabin  passage  on  this  boat,  and  to  this  end 
has  had  the  state  rooms  put  in  order,  and  sup- 
plied with  new  bedding,  blankets,  &c.  In  ad- 
dition to  this  he  has  had  bunks  fitted  up  in  the 
saloon  capable  of  accommodating  eighty-eight 
passengers.  The  table  arrangements  will  admit 
of  a  large  number  to  be  seated  at  onc.e.    All  the 


provisions,  furniture,  towels,  bedding,  cooking 
utensils,  table  furniture,  &c.,  have  b^en  fur- 
nished by  th&  Sanitary  Commission,  and  are 
quite  new. 

The  advantages  of  a  cabin  passage,  with  Regu- 
larly cooked  warm  meals,  on  a  steamboat  to 
Cairo,  over  a  deck  passage  by  sea,  are  too 
obvious  to  need  pointing  out.  The  sick  de- 
fender of  the  flag  has  iSanA  a  friend  in  Dr. 
Blake,  whom  he  will  have  reason  to  long  re- 
member and  thank. 

The  Laurel  Hill  is  a  Government  transport,  , 
and  will  bring  freight  to  the  Quartermaster  oh 
her  return  from  Cairo,  which,  at  present  rates 
of  freight,  will  more  than  pay  her  running  ex- 
penses. It  will  be  remembered  that  she  was 
caught  in  a  gale  in '  he  GuH  last  September,  in 
which  she  lost  her  smoke-stacks,  and  was  dam- 
aged somewhat  in  her  upper  works.  She  has 
been  thoroughly  repaired  and  painted,  and 
being  a  very  staunch  vessel,  is  in  all  respects 
as  good  as  new.  It  was  expected  that  she  would 
leave  for  Cairo  last  ni^t,  under  command 
of  the  experienced  Captain  Thomas,  but  it  is 
likely  that  she  wiU  be  detained  until  some  time 
to-day. 

And  Mr.   BuUard.  writes  iis,  February 

20th: 

My  communication  with  General  Eej^olda, 
through  Dr.  Stipp,  has  resulted  quite  as  suc- 
cessfully as  could  have  been  anticipated.  A 
camp  of  distribution  has  been  organized,  under 
the  command  of  Lieut. -Colonel  Webb.  The 
Soldiers'  Home  has  been  as  fully  transferred  to 
my  care,  by  a  special  order  from  Gen.  Keynolds, 

as  under  the  oirbumstances  could  "be  desired. 

****** 

The  arrival  of  the  Pension  Agent,  Mr.  Seaton, 
and  his  clerk,  was  very  opportune.  He  already 
has  his  office  crowded.  There  will  be  more 
than  he  can  do  in  a  few  days.  We  shall  be 
obliged  to  get  for  him  more  clerks.  This 
"  Home,"  on  account  of  its  central  position  in 
this  Department,  where  necessarily  large  num- 
bers of  discharged  and  furloughed  men  gather 
and  sometimes  wait  for  transportation,  is  des- 
tined to  be  one  of  the  most  important  oonnebted 
with  the  Commission.  As  the  Pension  Office  is 
near  the  Home,  and  in  the  same  building  with 
the  Special  Eelief  Office,  which  is  already  pretty 
well  known  among  officials,  it  will  have  everjr 
facility  for  a  large  work. 


Good  Out  op  Evil. — On  the  last  trip  o'f  the 
transport  steamer  Cahawba  to  this  port,  a  party 
of  soldiers,  contrary  to  Army  regulations,  en- 
gaged in  gambling.  Col.  Stephen  'thomas,  of 
the  8  th  Vermont  Regiment,  fearing  trouble 
would  arise  from  this  evil  practice,  determined; 
to  initiate  the  soldiers,  who  were  new  recruits,! 
into  Army  rules  and  benefit  their  sufferiiig  com- 
rades at  the  same  time.  He  confiscated  all  the 
money  on  the  board,  and  on  arriving  at  the  city 
turned  it  over  to  Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake,  Chief  Agent 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  this  Department. 
The  fimds  seized  amounted  to  $135,  and  will  be 
used  for  the  relief  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 
This  is  a  practical  illustration  that  sometimes 
"Good  bonieih  out  of  evil."^jreW)  OrkanJs  Bra, 
Febi  12. 


298 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


THE  COMMISSION  IN  EUBOPE 
We  gave  some  aoooiint  in  No.  6  of  the 
BtntiLETiN  of  the  formation  in  Paris  of  an 
"  European  Branch  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission," owing  to  the  exertions  of  Dr. 
McClintodk,  and  expressed  the  hope  that 
we  should  before  very  long  begin  to  reap 
the  fruits  of  its  labors,  in  the  shape  of  con- 
tributions from  the  American  residents 
abroad.  It  wiU  be  seen  from  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter  just  received  from  the 
Secretary,  Mr.  Bowles,  that  these  expecta; 
tions  already  begin  to  be  realized: 

Enclosed  I  now  beg  leave  to  band  you  biU  of 
lading  of  one  case  of'books — German,  I  sup- 
pose— ^Whioh  has  been  sent  me  by  the  Eev.  L. 
S.  Jacoby,  of  Bremen.  In  writing  to  the  differ- 
ent German  cities  on  the  Continent,  I  mention- 
ed that  donations  of  German  books  would  be 
acceptable,  as  we  had  so  many  of  that  nation  in 
our  army.  I  have  another  lot,  which  I  expect 
to  forward  soon.  You  wiU  also  receive  some 
boxes,  which  I  shall  ship  this  week,  containing 
presents  for  the  Metropolitan  Pair  from  this 
city.  If  it  can  be  managed,  it  is  very  desirable 
that  these  boxes  be  not  opened  at  the  Custom 
House,  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  them  to  do 
so  and  return  the  goods  without  serious  break- 
age. I  shall  give  you  complete  lists  of  their 
contents,  probably  certified  by- our  Consul,  Mr. 
Bigelow.  You  will  also  receive  some  packages 
for  the  Pair,  which  are  not  sent  through  me,  and 
are  directed  to  private  individuals  who  are  to 
have  tables  at  the  said  Fair.  As  Dr.  Bellows' 
idea  seems  to  be  a  Paris  Table,  perhaps  it  would 
be  yreU  for  him  to  see  these  persons,  and  sug- 
gest that  these  be  added  to  the  general  contri- 
bution from  this  city,  and  I  think  the  ladies 
who  receive  them  would  expect  an  invitation  to 
attend  the  table. 

1  have  ordered  two  hundred  and  fifty  oases  of 
brandy,  one  dozen  litre  bottles  each  case,  which 
will  be  ready  in  about  ten  days.  We  have  chosen 
a  different  quaUty  from  that  about  which  I  last 
wrote,  this  costing  in  the  neighborhood  of  f.2.50 
per  Hire.  The  other  was  too  new,  and  we  were 
a&aid  to.  send  it. 

We  have  already  commented  upon  the 
singular  fact  that,  at  the  International  Sani- 
tary Conference  recently  held  in  Geneva, 
no  mention  was  made  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission;  nor  did,  as  far  as  we 
<»n  judge  from  the  report  of  the  proceed- 
ings, any  member  of  the  Conference  seem 
to  be  aware  that  ther6  was  any  such  body 
in  existence.  The  diffusion  amongst  these 
gentlemen  of  information  concerning  the 
amount  of  labor  we  have  already  accom- 
plished in  the  very  field  on  which  they  are 
just  entering,  is  one  of  the  tasks  which  the 
new  Branch  promises  to  perform  with  great 
efficiency.    Mr.  Bowles  has  already  com- 


menced the  distribution  of  our  documents. 
He  says,  in  the  letter  from  which  we  have 
•already  quoted: 

I  likewise  enclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  re- 
ceived from  M.  J.  Henri  Dunant,  (prominent  in 
the  Genevan  Sanitary  Congress, )  which,  you  wiH 
observe,  is  very  friendly  in  its  tone.  I  shall 
learn  if  there  is  another  Congress  to  be  held, 
and  when,  in  order  that  the  Commission  may 
send  delegates,  should  they  wish  to.  Some 
pubhcations,  also  received  from  him,  in  which 
.the  labors  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission are  recognized,  I  will  send  with  the 
other  goods. 

M.  Dunant's  letter  is  as  foUows: 

[TBANSLiTION.] 

SiB — I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  5th  inst.,  for  which 
I  cordially  thank  you. 

I  accept,  with  the  UveUest  gratitude,  the  offer 
which  you  make  in  behalf  of  your  Committee 
to  correspond  with  me,  and  to  send  me  the 
statistical  and  other  documents  now  in  your 
possession,  or  which  you  may  hereafter  reeeive, 
concerning  the  operations  of  the  Conmussion  in 
the  United  States. 

On  my  part,  I  shall  take  care  to  forward  you 
all  documents  which  I  shall  consider  of  a  nature 
to  interest  .you.  The  experience  which  you 
have  acquired  in  America  wiU  be  valuable  to 
us;  and,  unfortunately,  I  fear  we  shall  soon  be 
obliged  to  put  into  practice  in  many  countries 
of  Europe,  those  ideas  of  humanity  and  of  char- 
ity, the  success  of  which  we  have  all  of  us  so 
much  at  heart. 

I  am  rejoiced,  sir,  to  have  opened  relations 
with  you,  and  I  beg  to  present  my  best  thanks 
to  your  Committee. 

Keceive,  sir,  the  expression  of  my  high  con- 
sideration and  respectful  esteem. 

J.  Henbi   DnifANT, 
Secretary  cf  the  Intffi-national  European  Conference  omd 
Secretary  of  the  Genevan  International  Committee^ 

GElfTEVA,  Febrwiry  12,  1864. 


THE  WORK  OF  "EELIEF." 

Mb.  KJNAPP  reports  concerning  the  "  Ee- 
hef  Work"—"  general"  and  "  special"— of 
the  Commission,  during  the  month  of 
January. 

Although  the  hospitals  have  not  been 
fuU,  and  there  have  been  no  important 
movements  in  the  field,  yet  there  has  been 
found  constant  occasion  for  the  services  of 
the  Agents  of  the  Commission,  and  the  aid 
thus  rendered  has  met  real  needs. 

The  general  hospitals  have  been  visited 
once  each  week,  or  oftener,  and  their  actual 
wants  supplied,  while  the  aim  has  been 
constantly  kept  in  view  to  make  both  Sur- 
geons and  patients  feel  as  little  dependent 
as  possible  upon  any  outside  help,  but  rely 
upon  securing  the  supplies  furnished  by 
Government,  and  upon  the  proceeds  of  a 
well-regulated  "  Hospital  Fund. " 

The  regimental  hospitals  have  been  visit- 
ed  constantly  by  the  "  Field  Belief  Corps" 
stationed  .with  the  several  armies. 


The  Samtary  Commission  BvMetin. 


299 


For  the  Army  of  the  Foiomao,  the  report 
of  Dr.  Steiner,  Chief  Inspector,  will  show 
you  that  his  systematic  method  of  work 
has  aimed  to  keep  him  informed  of  the  con- 
dition of  all  the  regiments  in  that  army; 
he  embraces  also  in  his  care  the  troops  in 
the  vicinity  of  Harper's  Ferry,  of  Point 
Lookout,  of  Norfolk,  and  of  Fortress  Mon- 
roe. 

From  Newbern,  K  G.,  and.  Beaufort,  S.  G., 
no  regular  reports  for  the  month  have  been 
received,  but  letters  from  Dr.  Page  and  Dr. 
Marsh  indicate  that  the  relief  work  of  the 
Commission  at  both  these  stations  has  been 
conducted,  as  in  months  past,  with  faith- 
ful efficiency.  It  will  probably  be  neces- 
sary to  enlarge  our  work  in  Dr.  Marsh's 
Department  by  the  establishment  of  a 
"Home,"  and  an  Agency  for  Special  Be- 
lief at  Hilton  Head,  and  perhaps  at  one 
other  point  in  that  vicinity.  Dr.  Marsh 
has  requested  to  be  furnished  with  a  plan 
for  establishing  and  conducting  a  "  Home" 
or  "  Lodge"  at  that  place.  It  wiU  be  sent 
to  him. 

From  "  The  Department  of  the  Qulf" 
the  reports  are  quite  full,  and  very  satis- 
factory. They  indicate  increased  zeal  and 
efficiency  on  the  part  of  all  the  Agents  of 
the  Commission  there;  and  on  the  part  of 
soldiers  and  officers  a  continued  and  grate- 
ful recognition  of  the  good  service  render- 
ed by  Dr.  Blake  and  his  associates  in  labor. 

These  reports  cover  the  month  of  Janu- 
ary, but  date  back  some  of  them  info  De- 
cember. They  give  record  of  relief  ser- 
vice rendered  during  the  past  few  weeks,  to 
twenty-one  different  military  stations  by  per- 
sonal visit  by  our  relief  agents  with  stores, 
and  also  of  supplies  furnished  to  eleven  other 
stations.  Among  the  places  of  larger  im- 
portance are  New  Orleans,  New  Iberia, 
Brashear  City,  Baton  !&ouge.  Port  Hudson, 
Forts  Pike,  Pickens  and  Barrancas,  Decro- 
vas  Point,  Texas,  and  Brownsville. 

*  *  *  *  » 

The  vegetables  sent  in  such  abundance 
by  the  Commission  to  New  Orleans,  for 
distribution,  have  proved  of  immense  good. 
Other  supplies  have  been  promptly  received 
by  our  Agents  there  in  advance  of  needs. 
Dr.  Blake  makes  an  earnest  appeal  for  a 
boat,  whereby  independent  transportation 
can  be  secured  to  the  Commission  for  car- 
rying supplies  to  points  where  needs  exists, 
but  to  which  transportation  is  often  with 
great  difficulty  secured.  It  is  a  question, 
whether,  in  case  we  fail  to  obtain  such  boat 
from  Government,  it  will  not  be  wise  and 
right  for  the  Commission  to  purchase,  and 
place  there  a  sm'all  steamboat  for  this  ser- 
vice, especially  in  view  of  the  call  which 
will  probably  be  made  the  coming  Spring 
upon  the  Commission  for  supplies  to  be 
carried  to  various  points  from  New  Orleans 
as  a  base. 


Arrangements  have  been  completed  by 
which  an  Agency  of  the  Commission  for 
obtaining  pensions,  back  pay  and  bounty 
has  been  established  in  New  Orleans;  and 
an  experienced  man  (Mr.  Seaton,  recently 
of  the  Pension  Office,)  with  a  clerk,  has 
been  appointed  to  the  work  there,  with  all 
possible  facilities  secured  to  them  by  the 
Commissioner  of  Pensions  and  by  the  Sec- 
ond Auditor. 

In  connection  with  this  work,  Dr.  Blake, 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  Chief  Inspector 
for  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  has  been 
appointed  by  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions 
"Examining  Surgeon. " 

A  large  and  very  important  field  for 
special  relief  service  of  this  particular 
kind  (pensions,  back  pay  and  bounty,)  is 
opened  in  New  Orleans,  and  the  distance 
of  that  place  from  the  usual  sources  of 
assistance  and  information,  renders  the 
soldiers,  or  their  families,  stationed  there 
peculiarly  liable  to  those  unjust  dealings  of 
claim  agents  against  which  the  Commission 
seek  to  guard  all  who  need  help  and  pro- 
tection. 

The  branch  of  special  relief  work  at 
New  Orleans  and  vicinity,  which  embraces  _ 
"Homes"  and  "Lodges,"  is  very  satisfac-' 
tory.  The  "  Hoine"  at  New  Orleans  itself 
has  been  regularly  transferred  by  the  West- 
ern Sanitary  Commission  to  the  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

At  "  Brashear  City"  a  "  Home"  has  been 
established,  which  is  rendering  large  kind-' 
ness  to  many  way-worn  soldiers.  Aliange- 
ments  are  also  made  by  which  Lodges  will 
be  established  wherever  and  as  fast  as  the 
necessities  of  the  Army  in  that  region  call. 
for  or  admit  of  their  establishment.  AH 
the  material  for  fitting  up  such  Homes  are 
in  ^waiting  at  the  store  house  in  New  Or- 
leans. 

***** 

Provision  is  made  to  accumulate  a  some- 
what large  amount  of  supplies  a^  the  receiv- 
ing store  house  in  Washington,  to  meet, 
probably,  demands  made  by  ttie  Spring 
campaigns. 

During  this  month  no  opportunity  has 
been  offered  for  the  Commission  to  for- 
ward supplies  to  the  prisoners  at  Rich- 
mond. 

***** 

The  Hospital  Directory,  continues  its 
kindljr  service,  with  constantly  increasing 
facilities  for  usefulness. 


MY  EXPERIENCE  OP  THE  GREAT  FAIE. 
I  am  no  fabulous  personage,  neither  a  travel- 
ing smibeam,  nor  a  future  New  Zealander,  nor 
one  of  the  two  horsemen  who  might  have  been 
seen  coming  over  a  hill,  nor  Kobinson  Crusoe, 
nor  a  Bourbon  among  us,  nor  an  intelligent  and 
reliable  gentleman  just  escaped  from  EichmondJ: 


300 


The  SanUary  Commission  Bulletin. 


My  name  is  Watts.  My  wife  married  a  Watts — 
and  so  that  must  be  my  true  name.  The  stoiy 
I  shall  teU  is  equally  tme.  Some  tales  are  ad- 
mired because  they  abound  in  uncommon  inci- 
dents, sti-ange  personages,  original  thoughts. 
But  I  have  heard  it  said  that  the  greatest  pro- 
ductions of  genius  address  themselves  at  once 
to  the  common  experience  of  mankind.  The 
present  is  one  of  those  productions.  On  read- 
ing the  first  sheets  to  a  select  party  of  friends 
the  other  night,  I  was  OTerwhelmed  by  their 
exclamations  of  astonishment  and  indignation. 
Jones,  who  lives  at  152;  Spriggs,  who  resides 
at  118;  the  charming  widow  in  154.  and  the 
crusty  bachelor  of  146  (all  residents,  you  per- 
ceive, of  our  block),  charged  me  with  the  un- 
warrantable publication  of  their  own  private 
experiences.  I  quieted  their  turbulence  with 
one  remark:  "My  friends,"  said  I,  "in  regard 
to  the  Sanitary  Fair,  all  good  people  feel  and 
actraUke.  Portraying,  therefore,  in  this  respect, 
the  history  of  a  single  -virtuous  soul,  I  have  held 
a  mirror  to  all  virtuous  souls."  They  breathed 
assent — all  save  Jones,  who  muttered  "  hum- 
bug!" but  finding  himself  unsupported,  even 
by  the  crusty  bachelor,  relapsed  into  cynic 
silence. 

Not  being  one  of  those  distinguisjied  citizens 
who  provided  the  preliminary  $70,000  for  the 
Fair,  I  noticed  the  effects  of  its  approach  first 
of  all  in,my  wife.  We  are  ^  young  folks,  and 
our  family  consists  of  one  remarkable  boy.  My 
wife  had  always  had  a  weakness  for  worsteds, 
and  of  late  she  had  lavished  the  products  of  her 
skill  on  that  extraordinary  child.  Inasmuch  as 
Susan  was  not  extravagant  in  other  respects,  I 
had  hitherto  paid  without  a  murmur  her  worst- 
ed bUls,  though  in  some  families  the  introduc- 
tion of  so  much  zephyr  would  certaialy  have 
produced  a  storm.  But  now  I  saw  with  sur- 
prise that  operations  were  in  progress  for  which 
the  existence  of  that  inimitable  babe  was  no 
adequate  excuse.  Certainly,  an  infant  six  months 
old,  with  Afghans,  two  breakfast  capes,  eight 
sacks,  two  hoods,  an  opera  cloak,  a  pair  of  leg- 
gins,  a  red  Sontag,  a  brown  ditto,  a  pin  cushion, 
ten  pairs  of  socks,  and  knit  underclothes  innu- 
merable and  unmentionable,  was  sufficiently 
provided  for.  It  was,  therefore,  with  awe  and 
wonder  that  I  saw  the  beginning  of  a  huge 
Afghan,  which  assumed,  as  it  proceeded,  the 
hues  and  featores  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner. 
Now,  I  knew  that  a  certain  General,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  a  serenade,  had  brought  out  upon  a  bal- 
cony his  wife  and  baby,  the  latter  wrapped  in 
the  American  flag;  and  I  remembered  that  my 
Susan  reading  of  the  circumstance  in  the  news- 
paper, had  been  much  impressed  vrith    the 


beauty  and  sublimity  of  the  idea.  I  felt  a  fear- 
ful presentiment  that  she  was  about  to  try  its 
effect  upbn  our  infant.  I  knew  that  my  miUtary 
reputation  would  not  justify  such  a  step.  To 
be  sure,  I  joined  in  the  great  Pennsylvania 
campaign,  and  sojourned  a  month  in  the  hospi- 
tal with  other  rheumatic  warriors  in  the  gallant 
— th;  but  aU  this  did  not  prevent  me  from  say- 
ing on  the  present  occasion:  "My  dear,  what 
are  you  doing?  I  hope  that  isn't  for  the  baby !" 

Susan  having  a  gift  of  eloquence  equal,  I 
think,  to  Miss  Dickenson,  replied  impromptu: 
"Yes,  love!  isn't  it  beautifal!  and  Matilda  is 
going  to  make  one  just  like  it;  and  we  are  going 
to  have  a  table;  and  I  am  on  the  committed 
and  so  is  that  hateftil  Miss  Jewsharp— and  I 
want  fifty  dollars  to  buy  materials — and,  O, 
Augustus,  you  must  write  one  hundred  nice  let- 
ters in  poetry,  you  know — ^Mrs.  Duffin  says  so — 
and  aU  your  grandfather's  Revolutionary  clothes 
and  things,  you  know — and — " 

"  Susan!"  I  said  suddenly,  in  my  most  im- 
pressive tone,  "vnU  you  have  the  goodness  to 
tell  me  what  you  are  talking  about?" 

Thrown  a  little  off  her  guard,  she  replied: 
"Why,  don't  you  know!  It's  the  Sanitary 
Fair!"  For  this  direct  and  almost  manly 
reply,  I  rewarded  her  with  a  green-backed  fifty. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  beginning.  As 
for  the  end,  I  dimly  foresee  it,  and  long  for  it, 
but  it  tarries  afar  off. 

Thank  Heaven,  I  am  a  philanthropist  and  a 
patriot.  I  do  not  object  to  being  bled  for 
soldiers,  who  are  dally  bleeding  for  us  alL  It 
will  be  seen,  as  my  narrative  proceeds,  that 
beneath  a  graceful  exterior  of  trifling  mirthful- 
ness,  or  even  of  satire,  I  carry  a  remarkably  large 
and  generous  heart.  In  this  respect  I  resemble 
the  lam,ented  Thackeray. — From  the  Drum  Beat, 
published  by  the  Brooklyn  Sanitary  Shir. 


THE  SOLDIERS'  JOURNAL. 

The  first  number  of  a  new  military  periodical 
has  reached  us.  It  appeared  on  the  17th  Feb- 
ruary, under  the  style  of  The  Soldiers'  Joamai, 
and  is  published  at  the  Convalescent  Camp  near 
Alexandria,  Va.,  under  the  auspices  of  Miss 
AsiT  M.  Beadmtt,  the  admirable  and  efficient 
Superintendent  of  the  Relief  Agency,  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  at  that  important  center. 
It  aims  at  supplying  the  thousands  of  men 
assembled  there  with  wholesome  reading-mat- 
ter, and  their  friends  and  the  people  with  in- 
formation of  their  well-being  and  well-doing. 
This  first  number  promises  well,  and  the  un- 
dertaking deserves  support.  Periodicals  of  this 
class  should  be  collected  and  preserved,  as 
material  for  the  future  histories  of  this  great 
and  memorable  War.  Twenty  years  hence  stray 
numbers  of  them  wiU  be  worth  much  more  than 
their  weight  in  gold. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMdin. 


3(M 


WHO  EATS  THE  SANITAEY  SUPPLIES? 
The  folio-wing  testimony  from  Dr.  Town- 
ahend  is  ■worthy  of  attention: 

St.  Loots,  Mo.,,  lebruaru  8, 1864. 

MtDeaeWifje— Tour  letter  of  the  Istinst., 
referring  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  was 
received  to-day,  and  I  reply  immediately  that 
you  may  have  my  testimony  to  use  whenever  it 
•will  encourage  those  whose  hearts  and  hands 
are  already  in  the  work,  or  answer  the  ohjec- 
tions  of  those  who  have  listened  to  adverse  re- 
ports. 

And  let  me  remind  you  at  the  outset,  that  my 
opportunities  for  ohserving  are  not  simply  those 
of  a  common  soldier  or  line  officer  of  equal 
rank,  or  Army  Surgeons  even,  but  much  better; 
for,  as  Medical  Inspector,  I  have  vrider  range 
than  either  of  them,  and  nothing  else  to  do  but 
look  after  what  affects  the  health  and  comfort 
of  the  men,  including,  of  course,  food,  clothing, 
shelter,  surgical  and  medical  treatment  and 
nursing.  I  have  seen  not  less  than  25,000  sick 
and  wounded  men  in  hospitals,  and  have  there- 
fore many  opportunities  of  ju,dging  of  the  do- 
ings of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  now  I 
win  give  you  some  of  the  conclusions  at  which 
I  have  arrived. 

First. — I  think  it  is  far  the  best  medium 
through  which  to  send  material  comforts  to  the 
sick  of  the  Army,  and  greatly  preferable  to  State 
or  local  agencies.  The  Sanitary  Commission 
is  unitary  and  simple,  embraces  the  whole  field, 
and  therefore  overlooks  nothing  and  duplicates 
nothing.  Where  would  a  State  agent  find  his 
troops?  In  perhaps  twenty  different  army 
corps  in  every  Eebel  State.  A  local  agent,  who 
cannot  see  the  whole  field,  and  don't  know 
what  has  been  sent  here  or  there,  cannot  know 
where  succor  is  most  needed,  and  he  lacks  the 
facilities  for  communication  and  transportation. 

Second. — The  Agents  of  the  Conmiission  are 
not  paid  out  of  funds  which  you  in  Ohio  con- 
tributed, nor  do  they  consume  the  eatables 
which  Aid  Societies  have  sent.  The  salaried 
agents  are  paid  from  a  C^fornia  fund  devoted 
to  that  purpose.  I  have  often  taken  meals  with 
the  Agents  of  the  Commission  at  their  stations, 
and  have  invariably  had  set  before  me  only 
what  the  market  afforded,  or  the  Agent's  per- 
sonal resources  could  supply. 

Third. — I  have  no  evidence  that  line  officers 
ever  use  Sanitary  stores,  for  they  are  never  put 
under  ilieir  charge,  nor  can  they  obtain  posses- 
sion of  them  by  pilrchase  or  otherwise. 

Sanitary  stores  designed  for  distribution 
among  the  sick  of  a  hospital,  are  put  under  the 
control  of  the  Surgeon  in  charge,  « 


That  stores,  while  in  charge  of  the  Surgeon, 
may  in  some  instances  have  been  misapplied, 
or  used,  or  stolen,  is  possible,  as  of  the  stores 
belonging  to  the  Government,  but  that  the 
Surgeon  in  charge  of  any  hospital  has  shared  in 
or  connived  at  any  such  misappUcation,  I  have 
never  heard  charged  by  any  person  who  had  the 
means  of  knowing. 

Two  months  since  I  visited  (without  notice,} 
the  best  hospital  in  KnoxviUe.  Soon  after  I 
arrived  the  Surgeon's  dinner-beU  rang.  I  was 
invited  to  dinner.  On  the  table  was  a  clean 
table-cloth,  and  clean  plates,  and  knives,  and 
forks,  and  pork,  and  iran  bread,  and  nothing 
else.  The  bread  had  not  sufficient  flour  in  it  to 
hold  it  together ;  its  cohesion  appeared  to  depend 
on  a  little  molasses  used  in  the  manufacture.  I 
was  helped  bountifully..  We  all  ate  heartily, 
and  no  apologies  were  offered.  On  examining 
afterwards  the  food  of  several  of  the  patients,  I 
found  them  using  good  bread  and  crackers,  and 
on  inquiry  learned  there  was  not  then  (a  few 
days  after  Longstreet  left,)  enough  flour  or 
army  bread  for  all,  and  therefore  the  surgeons, 
the  nurses  and  the  patients,  whose  diseases 
would  permit,  used  the  bran  bread,  while  the 
fine  flour  bread  was  reserved  for  those  who  had 
affections  of  the  bowels.  Other  patients  I  found 
using  garden  vegetables  of  various  kinds,  and  I 
learned  that  the  supply  being  very  short  these 
were  reserved  for  cases  inclining  to  scurvy  and 
other  cases  specially  needing  them;  the  sur- 
geons, the/iurses  and  patients  who  had  nearly 
recovered  could  not  indulge  in  such  luxuries., 
Do  you  think  that  such  Medical  Officers  would 
rob  the  sick  soldier  of  a  few  delicacies  that 
might  be  sent  by  his  friends  ?  A  few  days  later 
I  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  two  hundred 
and  fifty  packages  of  Sanitary  stores,  in  addi- 
tion to  Government  supphes  sent  from  Chatta- 
nooga ;to  the  hospitals  at  IKuoxville,  and  I  have 
no  fears  that  the  doctors  ate  them  up. 

But  why  is  it  that  returned  soldiers  do  not 
more  frequently  express  their  gratitude  for  the 
comforts  sent  them  ?  Because  in  most  instances 
Sanitary  stores  are  not  distributed  to  the  men 
directly  by  the  Agent,  but  indirectly  through, 
'  the  Surgeon  in  charge,  and  this  is  the  only  safer 
rule.  Thousands  of  men  in  hospitals  are  wear- 
ing socks,  drawers,  shirts,  and  lying  on  beds, 
fed  with  food,  and  have  their  wounds  bound  up 
with  bandages,  all  from  the  Sanitary  Commisr 
sion,  without  a  suspicion  of  the  fact.  The 
Sanitary  Agent  tells  the  Surgeon  what  he  has — 
the  Surgeon  tells  the  Agent  what  he  wants,  and 
itisput  at  his  disposal  to  be  given  out  as  re- 
quired The  Sanitary  Agent,  in  his  frequent 
visits  to  the  hospitals,  sees  that  his  contribu- 


302 


The  Sanitary  Commismm  BvJletin. 


tions  are  properly  used;  while  the  recij)ient 
himself  may  not  know,  or  may  not  be  in  a  con- 
dition to  know,  whether  what  he  eats  and  drinks 
and  wears  comes  &om  Uncle  Samhimsel]^  or 
some  dear  annt  or  pretty  cousin. 

Bnt,  at  the  same  time,  scores  of  shirking 
loafers  who  are  not  sick,  but  pretend  to  a  lame 
back,  or  a  weak  stomach,  or  fainting  speUs,  are 
constantly  endeavoring  to  sponge  something 
out  of  Sanitary  Agents;  and  if  they  faU,  as  they 
nsnaUy  do,  for  these  cowardly,  grunting  melin- 
gerers  are  easily  recognized,  they  go  away  pre- 
pared to  tell  stories  about  the  misapplication  of 
Sanitary  stores. 

In  Aort,  I  am  satisfied  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  a  well  organized  and  well  man- 
aged institution,  and  that  it  is  the  best  possible 
agent  for  the  distribution  of  what  home  fingers 
can  prepare  for  the  soldier. 

I  think,  also,  that  for  the  coming  Spring 
^  campaign  we  shall  need  all  that  can  be  raised, 
and  I  don't  believe  we  shall  need  any  thing 
afterwards. 

As  ever,  yours, 

N.    S.    TOWNSHEND. 


BELIEF  AND  SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT  OP 
THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
Prom  Pebruary  15th  to  February  24:tti,  the 
stores  and  supplies  issued  to  the  Army  from  the 
New  York  office  of  the  Commission,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Standing  Committee,  have  been 
as  follows:  • 


Socks 8,079 

EedSacks 600 

Pillow  Cases 966 

Shirts 4,781 

Drawers 4,098 

Blankets 726 

Towels 3,998 

HandkercMei^ 2,641 

Uittens 638 


Slippers 768 

Farina '447 

DriedFrait 42 

Beef  Stock 906 

Jars  Jelly 879 

Cordial,  &c    1,036 

WliiteSngar 200 

Fickles 2,160 

Cond.  Miifr 6,668 


These  have  been  forwarded  to  the  points  at 
which  the  wants  of  the  Army  have  seemed  most 
urgent.  The  largest  portion  has  gone  to  Charles- 
ton Harbor,  to  North  Carolina,  to  New  Orleans, 
and  to  the  Associate  Secretary  at  Louisville,  to  be 
used  under  his  direction,  for  the  aid  and  comfort 
of  our  forces  at  Chattanooga  and  Knoxville. 
For  this  work  the  Central  Treasury  maintains, 
at  heavy  cost,  steam  transportation  on  the 
Western  waters. 

The  estimated  value  of  these  supplies  is 
$23,851.^8. 

They  have  been  mostly  drawn  from  the  depot 
of  the  New  York  Branch,  (the  admirable  and 
efficient  Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief, ) 
but  a  considerable  portion  of  them  has  been 
necessarily  purchased,  and  has  been  paid  for 
by  the  Central  Treasury.  It  is  hardly  necessary 


to  observe,  that  the  foregoing  list  does  not  in- 
clude such  supplies  (doubtless  of  at  least  eg;ual 
amount,)  that  have  been  drawn  by  the  Commis- 
sion from  its  other  Branch  Depots,  East  and 
West,  during  the  same  period. 

The  garden  seeds  that  have  been  sent  to  the 
South  and  Southwest  are  to  be  used  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  vegetable  gardens  at  Hilton  Head 
and  other  points,  that  will  supply  our  men  with 
anti-scorbutics,  and  thus  save  the  heavy  cost  of 
shipping  cargoes  of  potatoes  and  onions  to  the 
South ,  and  the  risk  of  spoiling  on  the  way. 


HOSPITAL  SUPPLIES. 

'WAsamoTOS,  February  1, 1864. 
P.  N.  KUATP, 

AuociaU  Seoretary: 
Bra— I  herewith  send  you  the  report  of  Fresh 
Hospital  Supply  Department  of  the  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission,  for  the  month  ending  Janu- 
ary 31,  1864: 

Dss! 


Batter,  print 686 

roll. 4,873 

tub 4,371 

Mutton 9,788 

Lamb 102 

Poultry 4,064 

Veal 637 

Lard 240 

Fresh  Fish 124 

Salt       •■     4,000 

Pork. 246)i 

Si;  Apples 1,632 

"    Peaches 10 

Dressed  Turkey .    337  Ji 
"       Duck. . .      68 
"       Geese . .      16K 

Eggs 3,912Xdoz 

Cabbage 3,638    '  ~ 

Oysters 5 

Cranberries 962 

Ale 2 

16 


Squash IXaoa 

Quails }i  " 

Herbs 461    bch 

Sage 5      " 

Celery 25       *• 

Oyster  Plant 20      " 

Lemons 6    bxs 

Apples 72    bus 

Tumipa 234>^  " 

Carrots *..  18      *• 

Onions. 117>C  " 

Beets 210      " 

Potatoes 311K  " 

Butabaga 36      " 

Parsnips 15      " 

Sweet  Potatoes..  64      " 

Oats ,  12)i  " 

hds' Live  Chickens...  113     pra 

gall  Prairie    "        ...  1       " 

qtaMackereL Kbbl 

bbls'Ale 10    doa 

lbs{ 

The  amount  of  weight  of  the  above  supplies 
as  taken  from  bills  of  Adams  Express  Co.,  is 
129,071  I>s.  or  64  tons,  1,071  fts. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 
J.  B.  CiiiBS, 

Superintendent. 

THE  "SOLDIERS'  HOMES"  IN  TEN- 
NESSEE. 

During  the  four  weeks  ending  January  80, 
there  were  received  at  the  "Soldiers' Lodge," 
Memphis,  1,096  men,  from  seventeen  States; 
3,926  meals  were  furnished,  and  1,205  lodgings. 
The  average  number  admitted  per  day  was:  Qie 
first  week,  90;  the  second  week,  — ;  the  third 
week,  91,  and  the  fourth  week,  116.  Papers  were 
corrected  for  14;  16  were  aided  in  drawing  pay, 
and  7  were  sent  to  hospitals. 

At  the  "Soldiers'  Home,"  Nashville,  during 
the  same  time,  there  have  been  admitted  2,478 
from  twenty  different  States;  9,818  meals  have 
been  furnished,  and  3,906  lodgings.  The  avei- 
ag;e  number  admitted  during  the  first  week  was 
286;  the  second,  191;  the  third,  228;  fourth,  196. 
Papers  ware  corrected  for  3,  and  113  were  aided 
in  drawing  pay. 


The  Samtary  Oommisaion  BvJkbin. 


303 


OOBEESPONDENOB. 

lissnaws,  FSmlary,  1864. 

Me.  EDrroBT-Taxrytown,  not  the  least 
among  the  many  charming  places  along  the 
borders  of  the  Hudson  Biver,  is  surely,  also, 
not  the  last  on  the  list  of  yiUages  noted  for 
a  sincere  and  devoted  patriotism. 

The  spot  where  Arnold's  treason  came  to 
shame  and  confusion  does  still,  it  seems  to 
us,  glory  in  an  atmosphere  of  a  pure  and 
earnest  love  for  our  country,  and  an  uncon- 
diUonal  loyalty  to  our  Government. 

We  were  impressed  with  this  conviction 
when  some  weeks  since  we  were  permitted 
to  attend  an  entertainment  given  for  the 
benefit  of  our  brave,  but  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers,  and  under  the  auspices  of  the 
"Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Tarrytown." 
This  society,  numbering  some  seventy 
members — a  branoli  of  that  giant  and  su- 
blime charity,  the  "  Sanitary  Commission," 
which  latter  scatters  its  blessings  over  half 
a  continent — is,  we  grant,  but  a  twig  as 
compared  with  many  sister  societies  in  the 
same  glorious  cause;  but  one  which,  from 
the  character  of  the  women  engaged  in  it, 
we  are  convinced  is  bearing  healthy  and 
plentiful  fcuits.  We  hope  we  may  be  par- 
doned for  employing  the  good  old  Saxon 
word  women  in  this  connection,  for  we 
believe  that  every  true  Northern  woman  is 
loyal  to  her  heart's  center.  We  can  imagine 
a  fine  lady,  of  the  genuine  Flora  McFlimsey 
pattern,  to  be  a  traitress;  but  a  true-hearted 
woman,  ' '  a  perfect  woman,  nobly  planned, ' ' 
with  a  copperhead,  except  in  the  shape  of 
a  husband,  would  be  as  monstrous  a  crea- 
tion as  the  Grecian  Sphinx,  and  one  that 
would  propound  to  us  a  riddle  as  deep  and 
as  unanswerable  as  did,  it  is  said,  the  above- 
mentioned  monstrosity  of  old. 

We  can  furnish  no  better  evidence  of  the 
working  efficacy  of  the  "  Soldiers'  Aid  So- 
ciety" of  this  place,  than  to  mention  that 
it  is  under  the  management  of  Mrs.*  Wm. 
S._Wilson,  as  President;  Mrs.Chas.  Ehind, 
Treasurer;  and  Miss  Christina  Wilson,  Cor- 
responding Secretary — as  able  an  adminis- 
tration as  may  be  found  fti  the  land; 

The  pleasant  musical  entertainment, 
which  we  intended  to  make  the  subject  of 
our  communication,  was  held  on  the  eve- 
^ning  of  the  22d  ultimo,  in  the  haU  owned  by 
the  Messrs.  Smith  &  Morris,  which  gentle- 
men, with  praiseworthy  and  patriotic  liber- 
ality, gave  the  use  of  the  house  free  of  all 
and  every  expense.  The  performers  were 
Mr.  D.  D.  Griswold,  the  well  known  and 
pleasing  baUad  singer;  and  a  Mr.  Jaoobsen, 
(a  resident  musician,  we  believej  assisted 
by  three  of  his  fair  pupils.  .  Mr.  Griswold's 
rendering  of  several  Scotch  and  Irish  bal- 
lads was  certainly  most  admirable,  and 
elicited  a  hearty  applause  from  the  large 
and  decidedly  appreciative  audience.  The 
instrumental  performers  did  themselves 
fair  credit,  and  had  it  been  otherwise,  ft 


would  be  very  ungracious,  indeed,"  to  criti- 
cise where  all  had  so  generously  volunteer- 
ed their  services.  Mr.  Wilson,  in  the  course 
of  the  evening,  offered  a  vote  of  thanks_  to 
Messrs.  Griswold  and  Jacobsen,  which 
was  carried  by  acclamation;  responding  to 
which,  Mr.  Jacobsen's  remarks  led  tS  to 
infer  that  he  is  not  a  lover  of  copperheads. 
The  net  proceeds  of  the  concert  were  $80, 
which  sum,  under  the  judicious  direetiop 
of  Mrs.  Wilson,  will  furnish  many  comforts 
for  our  gallant  but  suffering  soldiers.  God 
bless  the  noble  men,  women  and  children 
engaged  in  the  patriotic  work. 

Nesbocaj. 


THE  VITAL    AND   SANITARY  STATISTICS 

OF  THE  BkITISH  AeMT  IN  INDIA,  COMPAEKD  WITH 
THOSE  OP  THE  FRENCH  TkOOPSjUNDEB  UKE  CON- 
DITIONS OP  Climate  and  Locality. 
[Paper  read  before  the  Britisli  AsBOplation,  Angnst,  1863.] 

If  the  progress  of  intelligence  and  ad- 
vance of  civilization  have  widened  the 
source  of  some  diseases,  by  developing  to  a 
greater  extent  the  Jatal  results  of  vicious 
habits  and  disorderly  passions  among  the 
multitude,  some  compensation  for  such  will 
be  found  in  the  present  advanced  state  of 
the  several  sciences,  and  more  particularly 
of  preventive  and  curative  medicine,  to 
which  statistics  have  been  successfully  ap- 
plied, in  proof  of  the  deductions  that  are 
made  in  regard  to  health.  The  practical 
application  of  the  precepts  of  hygiine,  by 
removing  the  sources  of  many  diseases,  has 
rendered  them  less  frequent,  and  less  fatal, 
in  all  climates,  than  they  proved  to  be  in 
former  ages.  Since  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century,  a  remarkable  and  advanta- 
geous change  has  been  thus  effected ;  and, 
through  such  means  the  ravages  of  epi- 
demic diseases,  and  the  mortality-rate  of 
prisons,  hospitals,  _and  poor  houses,  exist- 
ing for  the  use  of  our  civU  population,  have 
been  greatly  diminished.  Thus  the  disturb- 
ing influence  of  burial  grounds,  filthy  and_ 
undrained  locaKties  in  London,  of  thepres-' 
ent  seasons,  and  overcrowding  on  the  life 
of  man,  which  gave  rise  to  prevaUmg  dis- 
eases from  the  plague  ye^s  1593,  1603, 
1625,  1636,  and  1665  to  that  of  1838,  "have 
been  so  far  ameliorated,  according  to  the 
second  report  of  the  Registrar- General,  as 
to  cause  a  reduction  of  the  mean  mortality 
from  25  to  2.81  per  cent.*  In  proportion 
also  as  the  salubrious  condition  of  London 
has  been  improved,  the  distribution  of 
deaths,  among  the, various  periods  of  the 
year,  has  been  more  and  more  equalized,  tiU 
the  maximum  of  mortality  for  late  years 
has  ceased  to  correspond,  as  formerly,  to 
the  hot  months  of  July,  August,  and  Sep- 
tember. 


*"Seooiid  BepOTt  of  the  KeglBtrar-Qeneral,"  p.  80, 
London,  1810. 


304 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUetin. 


What  has  been  so  happily  accomplished 
for  the  improved  health  and  comfort  of 
our  civil  population,  can  in  a  great  measure 
be  secured  for  our  soldiers,  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  The  practical  measures  car- 
ried out  after  the  report  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, appointed  in  1857,  to  examine  into 
the  condition  and  administration  df  our 
army  hospitals,  and  into  the  operation  of 
regulations  in  force  to  prevent  disease  in 
our  army,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  have 
been  foUowed  by  a  reduction  in  the  rate  of 
mortality  of  our  infantry  at  home,  from 
15.5  per  1,000  effective  men  in  1828,  to  8. 77 
in  1859  and  I860.*  Dr.  T.  Graham  Bal- 
four's report,  for  this  last  year,  has  al'  o 
stated  the  mortality  of  infantry  of  the  line 
at  horns,  for  fifteen  years,  1839-53  inclusive, 
to  have  been  16.9  per  1,000.  But  for  the 
credit  of  the  me(fieal  department  of  the 
Koyal  Army,  the  fact  must  not  be  passed 
over,  that  the  army  statistical  reports,  be- 
gun in  1835  by  Mr.  Henry  Marshall,  Deputy 
Ipspector-Generai  of  Hospitals,  while  asso- 
ciated with  Lieutenant  Tulloch,  45th  Begi- 
ment,  (now  Major-  General  Sir  A.  M.  TuUoch, 
K.C.B.,)  and  continued  by  the  latter,  with 
the  assistance  of  Dr.  T.  Graham  Balfour 
(now  Deputy  Inspector-General  of  Hospi- 
tals,) first  called  attention  to  the  condition 
of  the  soldier  in  regard  to  health,  and  the 
various  deteriorating  agencies  which  affect- 
ed it.  These  reports  led  to  the  expediency 
of  establishing  the  Eegistrar-General's  De- 
partment, through  which  accurate  informa- 
tion, on  the  extent  and  causes  of  mortality 
among  the  civil  population,  has  been  ob- 
tained. In  1838  the  Commissioners'  report, 
on  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  British 
Army,  was  published  and  laid  before  Parlia- 
ment, followed  by  that  on  the  organization 
of  the  Indian  Army  in  1859  ;  and  in  this, 
the  present  year,  1863,  we  are  favored 
with  the  very  valuable  and  elaborate  report 
of  the  Commissioners,  appointed  in  1859, 
to  inquire  into  the  sanitary  state  of  the 
army  in  India. 

•  In  endeavoring  to  bring  before  you  a 
short  digest  of  the  important  information, 
collected  in  these  voluines,  regarding  the 
influence  of  hot  climates  on  the  health  of 
Europeans,  and  more  particularly  India,  I 
propose  to  make  free  use  of  these  reports, 
and  of  the  statistical,  sanitary,  and  medical 
reports  of  the  Army  Medical  Department, 
•for  the  years  1859  and  1860  ;  as  weU  as  the 
collateral  information,  obtainable  from  the 
various  reports  on  the  mortality  and  sick- 
ness of  English  troops  in  India,  published 
in  the  several  volumes  of  the  Statistical 
Society's  Journal.  Eor  the  facts  on  which 
a  comparison  may  be  made  between  the 

*Tlio  former  is  the  death-rate  of  troops  serving  for 
thirty-two  years,  from  1797  to  1828.  See  Boudin's  "  Sta- 
"tistique  de  la  Mortalite  des  Armpes  de  Terre  et  de 
"Mer,"  Paris,  1816,  pi  2,  and  Dr.  Balfour's  "Statistioal 
"Eeport  for  1860,"  p.  iS;  where  the  mean  of  the  two 
years  is  as  stated. 


sanitary  statistics  of  English  and  French 
troops,  in  hot  climates,  I  shall  chiefly  have 
recourse  to  those  supplied  by  M.  Boudin  in 
his  "Traite  de  Geographie  et  de  Statistique 
M^dioales,  et  des  Maladies  Endemiques," 
Paris,  1857,  and  in  his  other  pubUcationa 
on  this  subject. 

We  can  scarcely  overestimate  the  import- 
ance of  ascertaining  the  causes  and  extent 
of  losses  sustained  by  armies,  even  in  their 
native  country,  and  in  times  of  peace,  from 
the  ravages  of  disease ;  inasmuch  as  we 
cannot  otherwise  determine  the  expense  of 
efficiently  maintaining  them,  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  Independently  of  the  annual 
decrements  in  armies,  produced  by  various 
contingencies,  as  the  good  and  bad  mate^- 
rials  that  compose  them,  their  ever-vary- 
ing conditions  under  service,  according  to 
time  and  place,  we  must  endeavor  to  fix 
the  rates  of  their  losses  from  disease,  ac- 
cording to  age  and  climate,  and  their  ever 
variable  reductions  by  war  and  invaliding. 
MiHtary  service,  when  performed  under  ap- 
parently most  salubrious  conditions  of  both 
locality  and  climate,  whether  at  home  or 
abroad,  is  generally  found  associated  with 
a  higher  rate  of  mortality  than'  that  inci- 
dent to  the  indigenous  inhabitants  of  the 
soil;  and  as  this  difference  is  not  so  strongly 
marked  among  officers,  subject  to  like  cli- 
matic influences,  as  among  the  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  men,  it  is  for  the 
most  part  produced  by  a  greater  amount 
of  intemperance  and  other  vicious  habits 
among  the  latter,  and  by  overcrowding  in 
the  barracks.  The  proof  of  this  wiU  be 
manifest  from  the  following  ratios  of  mor- 
tality among  the  civil  male  population  of 
England  and  Wales  generally,  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  Eoyal  ArtUlery  serving  in  Eng- 
land during  the  year  1860,  and  of  the  in- 
fantry of  the  line  from  1839  to  1853  : 

/  ifean  mortalUyf 

„,  .,  per  1,000. 
Civil  male  popul^ition,  England  and  Wales 

generally* 9.28      • 

Officers  of  the  foot  artillery,  at  home,  iSso.  7 .  04 
Infantry  of  the  line,  at  home,  for  fifteen 

years,  1889-53 » le.s 

The  proportion  of  mortality  among  the 
civil  population  of  France,  between  20  and 
30  years  of  age,  rises  to  12  per  1,000  ;  that 
of  the  infantry  of  the  army  at  home,  22.3 
per  l,000,t  and  of  the  non-commissioned 
officers  10.8. 

Since  the  sickness  and  sanitary  condition 
of  artnies,  therefore,  may  be  derivable  from 
mixed  causes  of  locality,  overcrowding  in 
barracks,  meteorological  climate,  dietetic 

*  The  data  for  England  and  Wales  generally,  have  been 
obtained  from  Dr.  Fiut's  life  table,  in  the  twelfth  volume 
of  the  Begistrar-Oeneral's  "Eeports,"  and  from  the 
"Army  Statistioal  and  Sanitary  Eeport,"  1860,  p.  141  and 
Table  65  in  Appendix  to  the  Sanitary  Commissioners'  Be- 
port,  "  On  the  Regulations  afPeoting  (te  Sanitary  Condi- 
tion of  the  Army,"  London,  1858,  p.  476. 

tM.  Boudin's  "Statistique  Mfdioale  des  Armt'es  "  p. 
8,  and  "  Statistique  de  I'E&t  Sanltaire  et  de  la  Mortalito 
"  des  Armees  de  Terre  et  de  Mer,"  Piiris,  1846,  p.  16 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


305 


errors,  and  vice,  it  is  necessary  to  carefully 
gift  and  separate  snch  mixed  causes,  and  as- 
sign to  each  their  due  influence,  in  the  pro- 
duction of  increased  ratios  of  military  sick- 
ness and  mortality.  Much  may  be  other- 
'wise  laid  to  the  deteriorating  iiufluences  of 
climate,  -which  are  only  effects  of  insalu- 
brious localities,  overcrowding,  dietetic  er- 
rors, and  vicious  habits. 

Sickness  and  increased  ratios  of  mortality 
among  European  masses,  removed  to  new 
climates,  seem  inseparably  associated  with 
smaller  numerical  degrees  of  latitude,  as 
we  advance  nearer  the  Equator;  and  even  in 
France  we  find  that,  for  the  provinces  of 
its  northern  latitudes,  the  average  mortal- 
ity is  1  in  44,  but  for  those  of  the  _south  1 
in  33.  How  much  more  then  must  such 
averages  increase  among  English  troops, 
serving  in  the  tropical  climates  of  India,  or 
of  French  troops  in  other  hot  climates, 
under  like  inssdubrious  -conditions.  The 
localities  occupied  by  either,  and  which 
come  properly  under  the  denomination  of 
hot  climates,  lie  from  the  Equator  to  the 
thirtieth  and  sometimes  the  thirty-flfth 
degree  of  north  or  south  latitude.  In  Asia, 
and  regions  of  the  south,  these  are  India  on 
this  side  and  beyond  the  Ganges,  Ceylcta, 
Arabia,  Persia,  and  Cochin  China;  in  North 
Africa,  Algeria,  and  on  the  west  Senegal; 
and  to  the  south,  the  African  islands  of 
Eeunion,  Mauritius,  Bourbon,  and  Mada- 
gascar ;  and  in  South  America,  Guiana, "the 
French  AntUles,  or  Martinique  and  Guade- 
loupe, and  the  English  Antilles,  or  islands 
in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  with  aU  that  part  of 
our  possessions  called  the  West  Indies. 

It  is  not  less  evident,  from  Dr.  Forry's 
report  of  the  sickness  and  mortality  in  the 
army  of  the  United  States,  that  the  ratios 
of  military  mortality  in  that  country  in- 
crease, as  we  proceed  from  the  north  to  the 
south : 

North. . ; 18 . 8.  deaths  for  1,000  effectivB  strength. 

South 52.8 

Center *4.2       "  "  " 

The  causes  for  such  increase  being  the 
combined  insalubrious  agencies  of  increased 
temperature  and  malarious  localities.  The 
greatly  indfeased  proportion  of  miasmatic 
endemic  diseases,  which  we  find  admitted 
into  hosjJitals  from  such  places,  clearly  in- 
dicates that  they  have  their  origin  more 
from  endemic  influences  of  locality,  than 
the  peculiar  meteorological  condition  of  the 
climate.  It  was  for  these  reasons  I  stated 
in  my  evidence  before  the  Eoyal  Commis- 
sion, appointed  in  1859,  "that  in  tropical 
"latitudes  the  mortality  must  be  higher 
"than  in  temperate  latitudes,  even  after  all 
"that  may  be  done  for  the  troops  by  the 
"  very  best  prophylactic  measures,  both  en- 
"  demic  and  dietetic. " 

After  these  preliminary  observations  on 
the  mortality  and  sanitary  state  of  Engyah 
and  French  troops,  .employed  in  their  iia- 

Voi..  L— No.  le.  20 


tive  country,  I  proceed  to  briefly  consider 
their  relative  mortality,  and  sanitary  con- 
dition, when  serving  in  tropical  climates, 
more  particularly  India ;  and  for  the  starte 
of  the  former,  past  and  present,  I  cannot 
do  better  than  refer  for  information  to  -the 
"Beport  of  the  Koyal  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion," just  published. 

The  ratios  of  mortality,  deduced  from 
given  numbers  of  men,  are  at  once  the 
measure  of  their  Hves  and  the  healthiness 
of  the  places  they  inhabit.  They  differ  for 
the  different  countries  of  Europe,  and  for 
the  localities,  according  to  the  greater  or 
less  salubrity  of  particular  regions  and 
their  geological  formation;  and  are  always 
lower  for  the  indigenous  inhabitants  of  the 
soil,  than  for  those  who  migrate  there  from 
other  countries.  Those  for  Europeans,  ex- 
posed to  the  climatic  vicissitudes  of  military 
life,  and  other  contingencies  of  service, 
show  an  increase,  in  proportion  to  the 
proximity  of  residence  to  the  Equator,  and 
unremoved  sources  of  ^demic  disease 
there,  as  bad  water,  bad  drainage,  filthy  lo- 
cality, overcrowded  and  ill-constructed  bar- 
racks, in  combination  with  dietetic  errors, 
vice,  intemperaaice,  and  want  of  suitable 
clothing,  occupation,  and  exercise,  accord- 
ing to  the  conditions  of  cUmate  and  sea- 
sons. It  would  be  quite  impossible,  amidst 
such  extended  subjects  of  inquiry,  to  select 
more  than  a  tithe  of  them  for  illustration 
on  this  occasion;  and  I  shall,  therefore,  con- 
fine myself  to  the  three  following  heads  : 

1st.  Mortality,  and  other  ratios  of  decre- 
ment of  the  effective  strength  of  European 
troops,  serving  in  India,  and  other  hot  cli- 
mates. , 

2d,  The  sanitai^  ameliorations  of  the 
sickness  and  mortality  effected  of  late  years. 

3d.  The  sanitary  measures  still  necessary 
for  application  to  English  troops  in  India. 

According  to  Table  I,  copied  from  No. 
10  in  the  Appendix  to  the  "  Report  of  the 
"  Commissioners  on  the  Sanitary  State  of 
"  the  Army  in  India,"  the  average  rate  of 
military  mortality  there,  for  eighty-six 
years,  is  given  at  67.9  per  1,000;  being  at 
the  same  time  stated,  in  the  body  of  the  ro^ 
port  at  69  in  1,000  during  the  present  cen- 
tury. The  following  are  the  words, of , the 
report:*  "The  dea/ths  in  the  fifty-six  years, 
"1800-56,  among  all  the  Company's  nbn- 
"  commissioned  officers  and  men,  including 
"  invalids,  in  India,  amounted  to  40,420  out 
"  of  an  aggregate  of  588,820  years  of  Ufe, 
"ebtained  by  adding  up -the  average  an- 
"nual  strength  in  those  years;  so  the  an- 
"  nual  rate  of  mortaUty  has  been  69  in  1,000 
"  during  the  present  century. 

"  The  mortality  rate  was  as  high  as  134 
"in  the  first  Mahratta  War,  and  it  was  as' 
"  low  as  41  in  1852.    It  was  high  again  ia 

'"Beport  and  Precis  of  IMdence,"p.  18. 


306 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


"  the  years  of  miitmy,  and  it  has  been  sub- 
"Bequently  lower  than  the -Indian  stand- 
"  ard.  From  the  rate  of  55  in  1770-99,  the 
"  rate  rose  to  85  in  the  thirty  years,  1800-29; 
"  and  the  mortality  fell  to  58  in  the  twenty-' 
"  seven  years,  1830-56;  so  that  the  death- 
"rate  of  the  British  soldier,  since  the  first 
"^occupation  of  the  country  down  to  the 
"present  day,  has  oscillated  round  69  per 
"1,000." 

Table  I. — Annual  rate  of  Mortcdity  in  pe- 
riods of  years,  from  1770  to  1856,  in  each 
of  the  Indian  Presidencies. 


iThe  Blege  of    Seringa- 
patam  and  conquest  of 
Mysore, 
r  General  war  in  the  Gar- 
1  natio. 
(Conquest  of  Duteh  and 
<  French   islands,   Mah- 
(  ratta  War,  and  cholera. 
Burmese  War, 

f 

1 

t-           t-           00        b-b--jlb- 

i    V.    i  sss's 

C9 

S- 

s 

37.6 
61.8 

97.0 

96.2 
66.6 
13.6 
11.3 

: 

1 
1 

1 

ei       IS       a     eicoeo-^ 

^    i    i  ^iid 

: 

1 

70.6 
91.6 

68.7 

81.6 
60.1 
79.6 
67.8 

i 

1 

•H            iH 

3 

ifofe.— This  table  Is  copied  from  Table  10  of  the  Frecia 
of  the  "  CommiBsionerB'  Seport  of  the  Sanitary  State  of 
Sie  Army  in  India,"  London,  1863,  p.  178. 

Table  n. — The  Mortality  '  of  the  French 
Army  in  Hot  Climaies,  eaxept.  Algeria,  for 
ten  years,  from  1838  to  1847,  is  thus  dis- 
tributed in  ratios  per  1,000. 


YSABS. 


■40. 
■11., 

■12. 

1843. 
■M. 
■45. 
■18. 
■17. 


Mean.. 


79.1 
166.2 
103.6 
102.8 


103.2 
78.0 
63.3 
93.6 
60.8 


90.1 


192.6 
158.8 
156.9 
129.6 
12.1 


72.1 
45.6 
25 
28.0 


89.0 


55 


48.0 
25.0 
19.1 
39.6 
26.6 

29.8 
19.2 
19.2 
16.6 
12.5 


26.3 


152.5 
43.1 
65.6 
75,2 
62.0 

82.6 
66.2 
11.8 
27.6 
38.9 


32.1 
25.6 
20.0 
81.8 
30.6 

15.6 
28.1 
13.6 
19.7 
26.5 


61.7      30.6 


110.6 
117.1 
98.1 
98.8 
62.1 

73.3 
58.8 
38.2 
37.1 
37.2 


69.6 


It  is  quite  true  that,  in  this  next  table 
for  Fieadb.  troops  in  tropical  climates,  a 


like  average  of  69.5  per  1,000  is  given;  and 
the  contrast  is  remarkable  to  show  how 
much  the  rate  is  caused  by  hot  climates 
and  localLties,  and  is  not  chiefly  caused 
there  by  intemperance  and  vicious  habits; 
a  conclusion  long  since  arrived  at  by  Dr. 
Edward  Balfour's  statistics  and  observa- 
tions on  the  means  of  maintaining  troops 
in  health,  read  before  the  Statistical  Sec- 
tion of  this  Association,  at  Swansea,  in 
Aug^nst,  1848.*  It  is  with  earnestness  he 
protests  against  partial  deductions  on  this 
subject,  and  says:  "Exertions  solely  de- 
"  voted  to  check  intemperance,  even  if  suc- 
"cessful,  can  only  palliate,  but  never  re- 
"move,  the  evLls"that  spring  from  climate. 
"  It  may,  likewise,  by  withdrawing  atten- 
"  tion  ixom  one  great,  and  I  believe  the 
"greatest  cause  of  sickness,  the  noixous  iu- 
"fluence  of  particular  localities,  tend  to  re- 
"tard  the  day,  which  I  hope  to  see,  when 
"healthy  sites  having  been  selected  for 
•'cantonments,  the  English  soldier  shall  en- 
"  joy,  in  India,  almost  as  good  health  as  in 
"  his  native  country. "  There  can  be  hardly 
a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  important 
part  vice  and  intemperance  play,  in  in- 
creasing the  sickness  and  mortality  of  Eng- 
lish soldiers  abroad,  and  for  the  imperative 
necessity  "of  discontinuing  the  sale  of 
"spirits  in  the  canteens  of  fidia,"  and  of 
adapting  the  soldier's  diet  to  season  and 
latitude.  Still  these  unremoved  sources  of 
the  sickness  and  mortality  there,  are  not 
the  main  causes  of  the  increased  ratios  of 
both;  as  Miss  Nightingale's  summary  of  the 
evidence,  in  the  stational  returns,  provesf 
that  the  miasmatic  diseases  of  fevers,  diar- 
rhoea,  cholera,  and  dysentery,  are  produced 
under  elevated  temperature,  by  bad  water, 
misplaced  lavatories  and  cesspools,  bad 
drainage,  filthy  bazars,  and  overcrowding 
in  barracks,  huts,  and  sick  wards. 

But  reverting  to  the  mortality-rate,  69 
per  1,000,  as  being  hitherto  the  normal  one 
for  sickness  and  disease  in  India,  it  ia 
scarcely  a  true  representation  of  the  deduc- 
tion that  should  be  drawn  from  the  facts 
collected  in  the  various  statistical  tables, 
published  in  the  Appendix  to  the  Commis- 
sioners' own  Report,  sufficient  allowance 
not  being  made  for  the  increased  casualties 
of  war,  cholera,  and  invaliding,  during  the 
period  of  fifty-six  years,  1800-56,  assumed 
for  the  basis  of  some  of  the  calculations  in 
the  report.  Of  these  fifty-six  years,  twen- 
ty-five, including  the  Sikh  War,  1845-46, 
and  the  Punjaub  campaign,  1848-49,  were 
periods  of  war  and  cholera ;  this  last  dis- 
ease, according  to  Inspector-Gen!  Burke's 
Indian  returns,  1826-82,  having  for  these 
six  years  increased  the  mortality  11.5  per 


•  "Jourtua  of  the  Statistical  Society,"  voL  lil,  p.  si, 
t  "»oy»l  CommiBBionerB^  Beport,  VOL  i,  folio,  p.  317. 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


307 


1,000  of  the|  effective  strength.*  Besides 
the  average  difference  of  mortality,  be- 
HiWeen  the  war-rate  and  that  of  peace,-  or  27 
per  1,000,  as  shown  in  the  following  table 
for  Madras  troops,  not  having  been  de- 
ducted, while  the  rate  of  invaliding  in  In- 
dia is  included,  and  thought  of  no  import- 
ance, the  assumed  average  of  death,  and 
jgeorements  from  natural  causes,  is  thus 
raised  to  69.  It  was  not  without  good  rea- 
son, therefoie.Tnat  the  Secretary  of  State 
lor  India,  in  his  place  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, the  23d  of  July  last^  said,  "  that  the 

Table  m. — Madi'ds  Troops. 


ooSSg 
BR"' 


'III     I 


1^ 


CD     -^  CO        Dl        fc>       ID 

to    fr-        eo     Qi     at     tm 


«o  t>  la  eo  10  •ri4 

o  «o  la  n  00  -^ 

to  Oa  OO  CO  U3  iH 

fS  ^  of  CO  CO  o 


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CO  T-H  09  CO 


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22 


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O       r-t       rH       M 


-ceaoo 


"general  conciusioir  as  to  the  mortality, 
'  "  being  based  on  facts  going  far  back,idoes 
"not  afford  a  very  good  index-  of  the  saai- 
"  tary  state  of  the  Indian  Army  at  the  prea- 
"ent  moment ."f  When  we  tarn  to  table 
rV  in  the  Appendix  of  the  Eeport,  in  which 
the  rates  of  mortality  for  periods  of  service 
in  the  three  presidencies,  1847-56,  are  given, 
we  find  that  51.2  per  1,000,  inclusive  of 
other  casualties,  was  the  average  annual 
inortality  of  the  late  East  India  Company's 
European  troops  for  those  ten  years.  It  is 
stated,  in  a  foot  note  to  the  table,  that  tiie 
mortality  for  this  period  was  considerably 


*  Quoted  by  K.  Boudin,  p.  52  of  liis  "  Etat  Sanitoire  ^t 
"WiiMite  deB  Aimees  de  Terre  et  de  Mar,"  Paris,  1826. 
t  "Times"  Dew^apa  of  tlie  aith  Joly,  1863,  p.  7. 


below  the  previous  average  in  Madras  and 
Bombay;  but  it  is  doubtless  a  more  close 
approsamation  to  the  true  rate  of  the  mor- 
tality in  India,  for  the  last  twenty-six 
■years,  than  the  one  taken  for  the  basis  of 
the  Sanitary  Commissioners'  Beport.  In 
Dr.  T.  G.  Balfour's  summary  of  the  health 
of  the  Boy al  Army  previous  to  1859,*  the  fol- 
lowing two  tables  give  the  rates  for  the  three 
presidencies: 

1830-37.  1838-86. 

Madras 62.2  per  1,000.  41.6  per  1,000. 

Bombay ,..., 33.1        "  60.9        " 

Bengal U.S       "  76.2       " 

ATerage 43.3       "  69.6       " 

(for  26  years.) 

The  mean  of  these  two  tables  being  51.4, 
or  the  average  mortality  of  the  late  East 
India  Company's  European  forces,  as  given 
in  the  table  of  the  report  before  quoted. 
Additional  proof  of  this  average  being 
nearer  the  true  one,  for  late  years,  than 
that  assumed  in  the  Commissioners'  Ee- 
port, may  be  drawn  from  the  rate  per  cent, 
of  invaliding  for  fifteen  years'  service. 

Among  the  effective  non-commissioned 
officers  and  men  of  the  late  Company's  Eu- 
ropean forces,  during  th«  years  1847-56,  as 
given  in  Table  IV;  and  which  rate,  27.8, 
deducted  from  64.3,  the  mean  casualty-rate 
of  the  last  twenty-five  years,  1838-62,  inclu- 
sive of  invaliding  and  cholera,  would  leave 
the  normal  de?.th-rate  of  late  years  for  In- 
dia 36.5  per  1,000:  the  mean  death-rate  of 
our  European  troops  in  the  three  presiden- 
cies from  1850-54,  being  only  40. 4.  f 

According  .to  that  table,  the  rate  per 
cent,  for  deaths  and  discharges,  among  men 
who  had  served  ten  to  fifteen  years,is  5  28  per 
cent. ;  which,  when  raised  for  1,000,  would 
give  52.8  as  the  mortality-rate.  In  the 
same  table  2. 78  is  given  as  the  rate  per  cent. ' 
of  invalidihg  at  the  above  period  of  ser- 
vice, and  when  this  is  raised  for  1,000  it 
gives  the  other  casualties  of  service,  27.8, 
the  difference,  as  already  shown,  between 
the  war  and  the  peace  rates  of  mortality  in 
India,  previous  to  the  year  1838.  Perfect 
reliance  cannot  then,  I  think,  be  placed  on 
the  returns  of  the  East  India  Company's 
troops,  prior  to  this  year,  as  the  mortality- 
rajtes  obtained  from  them  include  many  ab- 
normal casualties  of  service. 

But  descending  from  general  statistical 
principles,  for  securing  trustworthy  con- 

*  "  statistical.  Sanitary,  and  Medical  Reports  of  tlia 
"  Bptiah  Army  for  flie  Year  1860,"  pp.  133  and  138,  Lon- 
don, 1862. 

j-  This  is  the  mean  taten  from  the  Beport  of  the  Com- 
missioners appointed  to  inquire  into  the  organization  of 
the  Indian  Army,  presented  to  Parliament  in  1859  ;  and 
has  been  quoted  by  the  "Army  Statistical  Eeport,  1860," 
at  p.  111.  A  well'written  article,  in  the  "  Times  of  India," 
September  9th,  1863,  says,  "A  total  mortality  of  2,360 
"men,  upon  a  strength  of  73,000,  gives  about  32  per  1,000 
"  as  the  average  of  all  India  ;  the  Commissioners  make 
"it  70  ;  and  we  are  persuaded  that,  if  their  figure  be 
'  'diyided  by  2,  the  result  will  give  about  the  light  ayer- 
«'age." 


308 


The  Sanitary  Comndssian  BvUetin. 


Table  IV. — The  CasualUes  in  the  Bjjeviive- 
"Mon-commissioned  Officers  and  Men  of  the 
•    Local  European  Forces  in   India  durimg 
the  years  1847-56. 


0(»C30>CO        OtVS'#at 


s 


tOEo«ecs  » 


CO>OU3>)t-^        -^IO-«U 


I  e 


WiHjHi-i-*     ooot-eq 


S93  00O  CD  - 
C4  iH  t-  -^ 


ooodo     oocoa 


o>oo  c= 


-"iiii  llil 


^ofe. — ^Tliis -table  is  compiled  from  the  tables  of  caanal- 
ties  of  effeotlTes  in  the  presidencies.  Under  "  invalid- 
ed," are  included  here,  besides, the  true  inv^ds,  the  fol- 
lowing casualtiea  :  1.  Discharged  by  purchase.  2.  Dis- 
charged on  account  of  term  expired  or  otherwise.  8. 
Promoted.  1.  Transferred  to  town  moor's  list.  5.  Xrans- 
ferred  to  other  corps.  6.  Deserted.  1.  Missing,  &c.  8. 
'  Other  causes,  ^ose  on  the  town  moor's  list  of  Bengal 
■re  Included  among  the  effectires. 

<dusioiis  on  the  subject  of  military  mortali- 
ty, let  113  enter  on  the  statement  of  particu- 
lar facts,  regarding  the  increase  and  ^mi- 

tnution  of  military  death-rates  for  -war  and 
peace,  brought  together  in  Table  V. 

In  this,  the  annual  rate  of  mortality  per 
1,000,  for  the  line  forces"  of  India,  during 
the  thirty-nine  yearS,  from  1817  to  1855  in- 
clusive, is  oaloulaled  from  the  table  at  p. 
819  of  the  report.  We  here  see  that  during 
the  first  Burmese  War  and  the  siege  of 
Bhnrtpoor,  the  rate  rose  as  high  as  158  per 

-4,000;  andTaried  in  times  of  peace  from  an 
average  of  75  to  32.5  per  1,000.  For  seven- 
teen years  of  war  the  death-rate  was  80  per 
1,000;  and  for  twenty-two  years  of  peace. 


51.3;  averages  that  correspond  very  nearly 
with  those  given  in  Table  III. 

But  while  the  average  mortality  of  the 
Bri&sh  Army  in  India,  from  1830  to  183f , 
was  only  43.3  per  1,000,  according  to  Dr. 
Balfour's  summary  before  quoted;  jn  the 
next  period,  from  1838  to  1856,  it  rose  to 
59.5,  including  the  mortality  from  wounds 
and  service  during  the  Afghan  War,  the 
Cabul  massacre,  the  Sind  and  Gwalior  ca3- 
paigns,  the  Sikh  War,  18431^6,  andthePun- 
jaub  campaign,  1847-48,  with  the  Second 
Burmese  war,  1852-53;  and  when  we  deduct 
the  casualties  of  war  and  service  for  this 
last  period,,  the  n>ortalify'-rate,  42.5  per 
1,000,  would,  I  believe,  be  a  nearer  ap- 
proach to  the  normal  standard  of  Indui 
during  peace,  than  the  mean  o<£  the  two 
tables,  5L4. 

Table  V. — Showing  the  Annual  Sate  of 
Mortality  per  1,000,  for  ike  European  Line 
Forces  of  India,  during  Thvrty-nin9 
Years,  from  1817  to  1855  •mdusive. 


ITEAin. 

1817... 

1818... 
'19... 
'20..., 
'21.... 
•22. . . 
'23. . . 

1824.... 
'26.... 
'26.... 

1827. . . . 
■28.... 
'29... 
'30.... 
'31. . . . 


1834.. 
'35.. 
'86.. 
•Si.... 


1839.... 
'4». . . . 
'41.... 
'42.... 

184S.»... 
■44.... 

1846.... 
'4«.... 

1847.... 
■'48.... 

1849.... 

18S0. . . . 
'61  ... 

1862.... 
'63.... 

1864.... 
'66.... 


Rate  of  Deaths 
per  1,000 


85 
80 

77 

es 

73 
67 

12» 
167 

les 

76 
66 
60 
36 
41 
47 

«» 

70 
84 
43 
63 

62 

76 

96 

90 

107 

77 
81 

124 
8e 

47 
65 

67 

42 
42 


49 
36 


Bbkajeks. 


Pindaree  War. 


Average  moi'taUtj' 7S  per  \filM 
m  peace. 


Bnimese  War. 
Siege  ofBhurtpoor, 


Average  mmtaUtjr' S3  per  1,00* 
4n peace. 


CoOTgWor. 


I  Average  nurtality'  60  per  1,000 
f    in  peace. 


Afghan  War. 
Cabul  Massacre. 


1  Sind  Campaign. 
I  Gwalior    " 

I  First  SiUi  War. 
I  Second  SiUi  War. 


Aver»g» 
mortality 

74  per 

1,0001. 


j  Average  42  per  1,000  In  peao»^ 

I  Second  Burmese  Waar. 

I  Average  mortality  32.6  in  peam 


It  was  stated  by  Sir  Charles  Wood,  14  hi* 


Fh»  Satdta/ry  (hm/msmm  BvUhlm, 


309 


speech  already  referred  to,*  that  "during 
the  mutiny  in  India,  the  mortality  in  twen- 
ty regiments  which  were  sgnt  from  this 
cpuntry,  but  which  were  not  in  action,  was 
only  3f  per  1,000,"  which  must  be  excltisive 
of  war  easualties,  I  should  think  ;  and  in 
the  next  table,  or  No.  VI,  which  is  a  return 
of  mortality  and  invaliding  of  her  Majes- 
ty's troops  serving  in  India,  1861,  the  actual 
mortality  in  India  from  locality  and  climate 
is  35.3  per  1,000;  the  other  casualties  for  iij- 
validing  and  deaths  on  the  passage  home 
being  33.3.  All  such  sources  of  discrepan- 
cy, as  direct  and  indirect  results  from  war- 
fare, and  other  contingencies,  must  be 
eliminated  from  our  statistical  data  before 
a  true  estimated  rate  of  the  mx)rtality,  from 
natural  causes  of  locality  and  eliiaate,  is  at- 
tainable. If  such  peculiarities  of  service 
are  not  attended  to,  and  minutely  enumer- 
ated for  all  comparisons,  we  can  ai'rive  at 
only-vague  and  by  no  means  satisfactory 
conclusions. 

Table  VI. — Annual  Raste  of  MortalUy  and 
Invaliding  of  Her  Majesty's  Troops  serving 
in  India,  1861,  exclusive  of  late  Honorable 
East  India  Company's  Troops. 


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that  of  invaliding  2.884  per  cent.,  which 
rates,  when  raised  for- 1,000  men,  become 
respectively  54.09  and  28.84.  The  former 
rate,  however,  incluaes  7.24  per  1,000  of 
deaths  from  cholera ;  and  which,  when 
deducted  from  the  aggregate  death-rate; ' 
leaves  that  of  ordinary  deaths  from  other 
natural  causes  46.85  per  1,000.  The  rate 
for  invaliding  is  a  little  higher  than  that  I 
have  employed  for  deduction,  to  obtain  tie 
hitherto  normal  rate  of  European  mortality 
in  India. 

{To  be  concluded  in  our  next.) 


Colonel  Sykes'  paper,!  oi  tt^  Sickness, 
Mortality,  and  Invafiding  iu.the  East  India 
Company's  European. and  Native  Troops, 
from  1825-44,  the  last  being  the  year  pre- 
vious to  the  Sikh  War,  gives  the  rate  per 
.cent,   of    European  mdfrtality  5.409,   and 

*  "  Timefl"  Bflwspaper,  24tli' July,  1863.- 

t  This,  -wliich  is  quoted  from  tlie  Staiisitcal  Journal, 
vol.  X.,  p.  100,  forpis  Table  28;  "Appendix  of  the  Oamxals- 
cioners'  Saaitary  Bepoit^"  8vo,  p.  1^.  , 


IMPUTATIONS  ON  THE  COMMISSION. 

An  anonymous  imputation  on  the  integ- 
rity of  the  management  of  the  United 
States  Commission  has  obtained  some  cur- 
rency, lately.  ■  It  was  an  insinuating  fling 
making  no  charges  and  therefore  difficult 
to  be  met.-  This  is  no4  the  first  time  thai 
this  beneficent  enterprise  has  been  the  tar- 
get of  maUce,  envy,  or  something  equally 
mean  and  ungenerous.  There  may  be  ex- 
ceptional instances  of  misconduct  in  the 
agents  of  this  organization,  who  are  nu- 
merous, as  there  always  must  be  in  all  un- 
dertakings of  men,  while  men  are  human, 
but  the  generalconduct  of  the  Commission 
is  above  reproach;  nay,  it  merits  the  grate- 
ful approbation  of  the  American  people  for 
its  active,  timely  and  tender  charity  to- 
wards the  sick  and  wounded  men  in  our 
armies. 

The  Commission  has  performed  a  double 
duty,  with  admirable  fidelity  and  with  mu- 
nificent results  on  the  one  hand,  and  benefi- 
cent effects  on  the  other.  With  one  hand, 
and  -with  its  voice,  it  has  appealed. to  the 
people  ia  behalf  of  their  suffering  brothers^ 
who  are  stricken  in  the  discharge  of  their 
soldiers'  duty,  till  it  touched  their  hearts 
and  commanded  their  lavish  bounty  which 
the  necessities  of  iha  case  drew  so  largely 
upon.  With  the  other  hand  it  has  been 
the  almoner  of  the  noble  contributions. 
it  has  caused  to  be  made.  It  has  coi-, 
leoted,  preparediand  husbanded  these  till 
the  havoc  and  destruction  of  the .  battler- 
field  solicited  aid,  and  then  ha.s  sympa- 
thizingly  and  most  servioeably  distiibu- 
ted  them.  Its  chief  officers  have  served 
"  without  money  and  without  price."  Itft 
subordinate  agents  are  paid  \erymodera;te 
wages.  The  whole  expense  of  the  Com- 
mission is  as  scrupulously  kept  down  as  tha 
business  expense  of  a  snug  firm  in  trade. 

Not  lightly,  not  unjustly,  is  this  grand 
charitable  organization  to  be  spoken  of  to, 
the  detriment  of  its  self-sacrificing  char? 
acter  and'  of  its  means  for  continuing  ita 
needful  work.  While  the  war  lasts,  ita 
work  wiU  last.  While  the  war  lasts  it  must 
continue  to  appeal  to  the  generosity  of  our 
people  for  support,  and  to  bestow  thei.nieans 
for  relief  wliich  it  receives  as  it  has  hith- 


310 


The  i$anitary  Comndssion  BiMetm. 


erto  done.  We  have  always  applauded  the 
intrepid,  resolute  and  tender  heaited  ■wo- 
men who  administered  to  the  relief  of  the 
sick  and  distressed  men  in  Crimean  camps. 
We  can  refuse  to  do  no  less,  in  justice  to 
this  organization,  which  is  as  pure  in  mo- 
tive and  energetic  and  intrepid  in  work 
and  beneficent  in  results  as  the  single- 
handed  charity  of  the  English  Sanitao^ 
Gpmmission. 

We  may  exhibit  the  conduct  of  the  Com- 
mission in  its  financial  administration,  the 
point  where  it  is  covertly  attacked,  by  sub- 
joining the  following  statement,  from  the 
BduciEtin  of  the  Commission,  made  by  Dr. 
Bellows.  This  is  his  final  summing  up,  af- 
ter giving  some  details: 

1.  The  Board  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Yice  President,  Treasurer,  Medical 
Committee  and  Standing  Comnxittees,  give 
time  and  services  gratuitously.  They  are 
refunded  (in  part,)  their  traveling  expenses; 
nothing  more. 

2.  Their  agents,  twohundred  in  number, 
general  and  associate  secretaries,  medical 
and  sanitary  inspectors,  relief  agents, 
clerks,  depoif  and  store  house  keepers, 
■wagoners,  &c.,  receiving  some  more  and 
some  less,  average  just  $2  per  day,  or  less 
than  ordinary  mechanics'  wages.  Total, 
$12,000  per  month  for  the  vast  human 
machinery  of  the  Commission,  stretching 
from  Texas  to  the  Potomac,  from  before 
Charleston  to  Kansas. 

3.  About  fifteen-sixteenths  of  all  the  eight 
millions  the  Commission  has  received,  goes 
on  to  the  backs,  or  into  the  mouths  of  the 
soldiers. 

4.  The  cost  of  collecting  and  distributing 
supplies  is  less  than  three  per  cent. 

5.  About  twenty-three  hundred  men  are 
now,  and  for  along  time  have  been,  in  daily 
■use  and  enjoyment  of  the  homes  and  lodges 
of  the  Commission. 

6.  The  battle-field  service  of  the  Commis- 
sion requires  a  large  accumulation  of  funds 
and  of  supplies.  At  Murfreesboro',  Antie- 
tam,  Gettysburg,  Chattanooga,  Vicksbnrg, 
Port  Hudson,  sudden  and  vast  demands 
were  made,  and  are  always  likely  to  be 
made.  Fifty  thousand  dollars  would  not 
cover  the  cost  of  our  whole  service  in  the 
first  two  weeks  after  any  one  of  our  great 
battles— at  Gettysburg  it  was  $75,000. 

_  7.  We  reckon  that  if  we  divided  all  the 
aijlwe  have  given  to  the  sick  in  regimental, 
general,  and  other  hospitals,  to  men  in 
peril  of  sickness  from  scurvy  and  exposure, 
it  would  amount  to  $3.50  a  case;  many  men 
having  received  this  several  times,  as  often 
as  they  were  sick.  The  seriously  wounded 
have  been  often — as  at  Gettysburg — the  re- 
ceivers of  as  much  as  $10  aid  per  man.  We 
mention  this  to  show  not  how  much,  but 
how  little,  this  sometimes  called  extrava- 
gant Commission  costs,  considering  the 
blessings  it  is  the  aJ  moner  of . — Utica  Her' Id. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

noiss. 

Conciseness  and  decision  are,  above  aH 
things,  necessary  ■with  the  sick.  Let  your 
fhoaght  expressed  to  them  be  concisely  and  de- 
cidedly expressed.  What  doubt  and  hesitation 
there  may  be  in  your  owa  mind  must  never  bo 
communicated  to  tbeiis,  not  even  (I  would 
rather  say  especially  not)  in  httle  things.  Let 
your  doubt  be  to  yourself  your  decision  to 
them.  People  who  think  outside  their  heads, 
the  whole  process  of  whose  thought  appears, 
Uke  Homer's,  in  the  act  of  secietion,  who  tell 
every  thing  tiiat  led  them  towards  this  conclu- 
sion and  away  from  that,  ought  never  to  be  with 
the  sick. 

Irresohilfon  is  what  aH  patients  most  dread. 
Kather  than  meet  this  in  others,  they  ■wiH  col- 
lect all  their  data,  and  make  up  their  minds  for 
themselves.  A  change  of  mind  in  others, 
whether  it  is  regarding  an  operation  oi  re-writ- 
ing a  letter,  always  injures  a  patient  more  than 
the  being  called  upon  to  make  up  his  mind  to 
the  most  dreaded  or  difScnIt  decision.  Furthei 
than  this,  in  very  many  cases,  the  imagination 
in  disease  is  far  more  active  and  vivid  than  it 
it  is  in  health.  If  you  propose  to  the  patient 
change  of  air  to  one  place  one  hour,  and  to  an- 
other the  next,  he  has,  in  each  case,  immedi- 
ately constituted  himself  in  ima^nation  the 
tenant  of  the  place,  gone  over  the  whole  prem-- 
ises  in  idea,  and  you  have  tired  him  as  much 
by  displacing  his  imagination,  as  if  you  had  act- 
ually carried  him  over  both  places. 

Above  all,  leave  the  sick  room  quickly  and 
come  into  it  quickly,  not  suddenly,  not  -with  a 
rush.  But  don't  let  the  patient  be  wearily  wait- 
ing for  you  when  you  will.be  out  of  the  room  or 
when  you  will  be  in  it.  Conciseness  and  decis- 
ion in  yom-  movements,  as  well  as  your  words, 
are  necessary  in  the  sick  room,  as  necessary  as 
absence  of  hurry  and  bustle.  'To  possess  your- 
self entirely  will  ensure  you  from  either  failing 
^either  loitering  or  hurrying. 

If  a  patient  has  to  see,  not  only  to  his  own 
but  also  to  his  nurse's  punctuality,  or  persever- 
ance, or  readiness,  or  calmness,  to  any  or  all 
of  these  things,  he  is  far  better  without  that 
nurse  than  with  her — however  valuable  and 
handy  her  services  may  otherwise  be  to  him, 
and  however  incapable  he  may  be  of  rendering 
them  to  himself. 

With  regard  to  reading  aloud  in  the  sick  room, 
my  experience  is,  that  when  the  sick  are  too  ill 
to  read  to  themselves,  they  can  seldom  bear  to 
be  read  to.  Children,  eye-patients,  and  unedu- 
cated persons  are  exceptions,  or  where  there  is 
any  mechanical  difficulty  in  reading.  People 
who  like  to  be  read  to,  have  generally  not  much 
the  matter  ■with  them;  while  m  fevers,  or  where 
there  is  much  irritability  of  brain,  the  effort  of 
listening  to  reading  aloud  has  often  brought  on 
delirium.  I  speak  -with  great  diffidence;  be- 
cause there  is  an  almost  universal  impression 
that  it  is  sparing  the  sick  to  read  aloud  to  them. 
But  two  things  are  certain  : 

(1.)  If  there  is  some  matter  which  must  be 
read  to  a  sick  person,  do  it  slowly.  People 
often  think  that  the  way  to  get  over  it  with  the 
least  fatigue  to  him  is  to  get  it  over  in  least 
time.  They  gabble;  they  plunge  and  gallop 
throng  the  reading.    There  never  was.agreates 


The  Samtary  Commission  BuUeHn. 


311 


mistake.  Houdin,  the  conjuror,  says  that  the 
way  to  make  a  story  seem  short.is  to  tell  it  slow- 
ly. So  it  is  with  reading  to  the  sick.  I  have 
often  heard  a  patient  say  to  sueh  a  mistaken 
reader,  ' '  Don't  read  it  to  me;  tell  it  me."  TJn- 
consoipusiy  he  is  aware  that  this  will  regulate 
the  plunging,  the  reading  with  unequal  paces, 
slurring  over  one  part,  instead  of  leaving  it  out 
altogether,  if  it  is  unimportant,  and  mumbling 
another.  If  the  reader  lets  his  own  attention 
wander,  and  then  stops  to  read  up  to  himself, 
or  finds  he  has  read  the  wrong  bit,  then  it  is  all 
over  with  the  poor  patient's  chance  of  not  suf- 
fering. Very  few  people  know  how  to  read  to 
the  sick;  very  few  read  aloud  as  pleasantly  even 
as  they  speak.  In  reading  they  sing,  they  hes- 
itate, they  stammer,  they  hurry,  they  mumble; 
when  in  speaking  they,  do  none  of  these  things. 
Beading  aloud  to  the  sick  ought  always  to  be 
rather  slow,  and  exceedingly  distinct,  but  not 
mouthing — rather  monotonous,  but  not  sing 
song^rather  loud,  but  not  noisy — and,  above 
all,  ttot  too  long.  Be  very  sure  of  what  your 
patient  can  bear. 

(2.)  The  extraordinary  habit  of  reading  to 
oneself  in  a  sick  room,  and  reading  aloud  to  the 
patient  any  bits  which  will  amuse  him  or  more 
often  the  reader,  is  unaccountably  thoughtless. 
What  do  you  think  the  patient  is  thinking  of 
during  your  gap's  of  non-reading  ?  Do  you  think 
that  he  amuses  himself  upon  what  you  have 
read  for  precisely  the  time  it  pleases  you  to  go 
on  reading  to  yourself,  and  that  his  attention  is 
ready  for  something  else  at  precisely  the  time 
it  pleases  you  to  begin  reading  again  ?  Whether 
the.  person  thus  read  to  be  sick  or  well,  whether 
he  be  doing  nothing  or  doing  something  else 
while  being  thus  read  to,  the  self-absorption 
and  want  of  observation  of  the  person  who  does 
it,  is  equally  difficult  to  understand — although 
very  often  the  readee  is  too  amiable  to  say  how 
much  it  hurts  him. 

One  thing  more:  From  the  flimsy  manner  in 
which  most  modern  houses  are  built,  where 
every  step  on  the  stairs,  and  along  the  floors, 
is  felt  all  over  the  house;  the  higher  the  story, 
the  greater  the  vibration.  It  is  inconceivable 
how  much  the  sick  suffer  by  having  any  body 
overhead.  In  the  solidly  built  old  house,  which, 
fortunately,  most  hospitals  are,  the  noise  and 
shaking  is  comparatively  trifling.  But  it  is  a 
serious  cause  of  suffering,  in  lightly  built  houses, 
and  with  the  irritability  peculiar  to  some  dis- 
eases. .  Better  far  put  such  patients  at  the  top 
of  the  house,  even  with  the  additional  fatigue  of 
stairs,  if  you  cannot  secure  the  room  above  them 
being  untenanted;  you  may  otherwise  bring  on 
a  state  of  restlessness  which  no  opium  will  sub- 
due. Do  nptneglect  the  warning,  when  a  pa- 
tient tells  you  that  he  "  Feels  every  step  above 
him  to  cross  his  heart."  Kemember  that  every 
noise  a  patient  cannot  see  partakes  of  the  char- 
acter of  suddenness  to  him;  and  I  am  persuad- 
ed .'that  patients  with  thesgi  peculiarly  irritable 
nerves,  are  positively  less  injured  by  having 
persons  in  the  same  room  with  them  than  over- 
head, or  separated  by  only  a  thin  compartment. 
Any  sacrifice  to  secure  silence  for  these  cases  is 
worth  while,  because  no  air,  however  good,  no 
attendance,,  however  careful,  will  do  any  thing 
for  such  cases  without  quiet.  The  efleot  of 
music  upon  the  sick  has  been  scarcely  at  aU 
Eotioei    In  fact,  its  expensiveness,  as  iij,is 


now,  makes  any  general  application  of  it  quito 
out  of  the  question.  I  will  only  remark  here 
that  wind  instruments,  including  the  humaa 
voice,  and  stringed  instruments,  capable  of  con- 
tinuous sound,  have  generally  a  beneficial  effect 
—while  the  pianp-forte,  with  such  instruments 
as  haxe  no  continuity  of  sound,  has  just  tha 
reverse.  The  finest  piano-forte  flaying  will 
damage  the  sick,  while  an  air,  like  "Home, 
sweet  home,"  or  "  Assisa  a  pi^  d'un  salice,"  on 
the  most  ordinary  grinding  organ,  will  sensibly 
soothe  them — and  this  quite  independent  of 
association. 


To  any  but  an  old  nurse,  or  an  old  patient, 
the  degree  would  be  quite  inconceivable  to 
which  ,fli6  nerves  of  the  sick  suffer  from  seeing 
the  same  walls,  the  same  ceiling,  the  same  sur- 
roundings during  a  long  confineineut  to  one  or 
two  rooms. 

The  superior  cheerfidness  of  persons  suffering 
severe  paroxysms  of  pain  over  that  of  persons 
suffering  from  nervous  deBility  has  often  bpen 
remarked  upon,  and  attributed  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  former  of  their  intervals  of  respite. 
I  incline  to  think  that  the  majority  of  cheerful 
cases  is  to  be  found  among  those  patients  who 
are  not  confined  to  one  room,  whatever  their 
suffering,  and  that  the  majority  of  depressed 
cases  will  be  seen  among  those  subjected  to  a 
long  monotony  of  objects  about  them. 

The  nervous  frame  really  suffers  as  much 
from  this  as  the  digestive  organs  from  long 
monotony  of  diet,  as  the  British  soldier  from 
his  twenfy: one  years'  "boiled  beef." 

The  effect  in  sickness  of  beautiful  objects,  of 
variety  of  objects,  and  especially  of  brilUanoy 
of  color,  is  hardly  at  all  appreciated. 

Such  cravings  are  usually  called  the  "  fancies" 
of  patients.  And  often,  doubtless,  patients  hava 
"  fancies, '"as  e.  g.  when  they  desire  two  contra- 
dictions. But  much  more  often  their  (so  called) 
' '  fancies"  are  the  most  valuable  indications  of 
what  is  necessary  for  their  recovery.  And  it 
would  be  well  if  nurses  would  watch  these  (so 
called)  ''  fancies"  closely. 

I  have  seen,  in  fevers,  (and  felt,  when  I  was  a 
fever  patient  myself,)  the  most  acute  suffering 
produced  from  the  patient  (in  a  hut,)  not  being, 
able  to  see  out  of  window,  and  the  knots  in  the 
wood  being  the  only  view.  I  shall  never  forget 
the  rapture  of  fever  patieilts  over  a  bunch  of 
bright- colored  flowers.  I  remember  (in  my  own 
case, )  a  nosegay  of  wild  flowers  being  sent  me> 
and  from  that  moment  recovery  becoming  mora 
rapid.         ,  « 

People  say  the  effect  is  only  on  the  mind.  It 
is  no  such  thing.  The  effect  is  on  the  body, 
too.  Little  as  we  know  about  the  way  in  which 
we  are^iffeeted  by  form,  by  color  and  lightj  wa 
do  know  this,  that  they  have  an  actual  physical  • 
effect.  '  - 

Variety  of  form  and  brilliancy  of  color  in  the 
objects  presented  to  patients  are  actual  means 
of  recovery. 

But  it  must  be  slow  variety,  e.  g.,  if  you  show 
a  patient  ten  or  twelve  engravings  successively, 
ten-to-one  that  he  does  not  become  cold  and 
faint,  or  feverish,  or  even  sick;  but  hang  ona 
up  opposite  him,  one  on  each  successive  day, 
or  week,  or  ilionth,  and  he  will  revel  in  tha 
variety. 


312 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


The  folly  and  ignorance  which  reign  too  often 
Bupreme  over  the  sick  room  cannot  be  better 
exemplified  than  by  this.  While  the  nurse  will 
leave  the  patient  stewing  in  a  corrupting  atmos- 
phere, the  best  ingredient  of  which  is  carbonic 
acid,  she  will  deny  him,  on  the  plea  of  unhealthi- 
ness,  a  glass  of  cut-flowers,  or  a  growing  plant. 
Now,  no  one  ever  saw  "overcrowding"  by  plants 
in  a  room  or  ward.  And  the  carbonic  acid  they 
give  off  at  nights  would  not  poison  a  fly.  Nay, 
in  overcrowded  rooms,  they  actually  absorb  car- 
bonic acid  and  give  off  oxygen.  Cut-flowers 
also  decompose  water  and  produce  oxygen  gas. 
It  is  true  there  are  certain  flowers,  e.  g.,  lilies, 
the  smell  of  which  is  said  to  depress  the  nervous 
system.  These  are  easily  known  by  the  smell, 
and  can  be  avoided. 

Volumes  are  now  written  and  spoken  upon 
the  effect  of  the  mind  upon  the  body.  Much  of 
it  is  true.  But  I  wish  a  little  more  was  thought 
of  the  effect  of  the  body  on  the  mind.  You  who 
believe  yourselves  overwhelmed  with  anxieties, 
but  are  able  every  day  to  walk  up  Regent  Street, 
or  out  in  the  country,  to  take  your  meals  with 
others  in  other  rooms,  &c.,  &c.,  you  little  know 
how  much  your  anxieties  are  thereby  lightened; 
you  little  know  how  intensified  they  become  to 
those  who  can  have  no  change;*  how  the  very 
walls  of  their  sick  rooms  seem  hung  with  their 
cares;  how  the  ghosts  of  their  troubles  haunt 
their  beds;  how  impossible  it  is  for  them  to 
escape  from  a  pursuing  thought  without  some 
help  from  variety. 

A  patient  can  just  as  much  move  his  leg  when 
it  is  fractured  as  change  his  thoughts  when  no 
external  help  from  variety  is  given  him.  This 
is,  indeed,  one  of  the  main  sufterings  of  sick- 
ness ;  just  as  the  fixed  posture  is  one  of  the  main 
sufferings  of  the  broken  limb. 

It  is  an  ever  recurring  wonder  to  see  educated 
people,  calling  themselves  nurses,  acting  thus. 
They  vary  their  own  objects,  their  own  employ- 
ments, many  times  a  day;  and  while  nursing 
(!)  some  bed-ridden  sufferer,  they  let  him  lie 
there  staring  at  a  dead  wall,  without  any  change 
of  object  to  enable  him  to  vary  tis  thoughts; 
and  it  never  even  occurs  to  them,  at  least  to 
move  his  bed  so  that  he  can  look  out  of  win- 
dow. No,  the  bed  is  to  be  always  left  in  the 
darkest,  dullest,  remotest,  part  of  the  room. 

I  think  it  is  a  very  common  error  among  the 
weU  to  think  that  "with  a  little  more  self-con- 
trol" the  sick  might;  if  they  choose,  "  dismiss 
painful  thoughts"  which  "  aggravate  their  dis- 
ease,"&c.  Believe  me,  almost  any  sigk  person, 
who  behaves  decently  well,  exercises  more  self- 
control  every  moment  of  his  day  than  you  wiU 
ever  know  till  you  are  sick  yourself.  Almost 
every  step  that  crosses  his  room  is  painful  to 
him;  almost  every  thought  that  crosses  his 
^ainjs  painfnl  to  him;  and  if  he  can  speak 

•  It  is  a  matter  of  painful  wonder  to  the  sick  them- 
BBlves,  now  much  painful  ideas  predominate  over  pleas- 
nrahle  ones  in  their  Impressions ;  they  reason  with  them- 
selves; they  think  themselves  ungrateful;  it  is  all  of  no 
nse.  The  fact  is,  that  these  painful  impressions  are  Sa,v 
better  dismissed  by  a  real  laugh,  if  you  can  excite  one  by 
books  or  conversation,  than  by  any  direct  reasoning;  or 
IT  the  patient  is  too  weak  to  laugh,  some  impression  from 
nature  is  what  he  wants.  I  have  mentioned  the  cruelty 
or  letting  him  stare  at  a  dead  wall.  In  many  diseases 
especially  in  convalescence  from  fever,  that  wall  wui 
•ppeap  to  make  all  sorts  of  faces  at  him;  now  flowers 
never  do  this.  Form,  color,  win  free  your  patient  from 
Us  painful  ideas  better  than  any  argument. 


without  being  savage,  and  look  without  being 
unpleasant,  he  is  exercising  self-control. 

Suppose  you  havebeen  up  aU  night,  and  in' 
Stead  of  being  allowed  to  have  your  cup  of  tea, 
you  were  to  be  told  that  you  ought  to  "exercise 
self-control,"  what  would  you  saj  ?  Now,  the 
nerves  of  the  sick  are  always  in  the  state  that 
yours  are  in  after  you  have  been  up  all  night. 

We  will  suppose  the  diet  of  the  sick  to  be 
cared  for.  Then,  this  state  of  nerves  is  most 
frequently  to  be  relieved  by  care  in  affording 
them  a  pleasant  view,  a  judicious  variety  as  to 
flowers,'  and  pretty  things.  Idght  by  itself 
wiU  often  relieve  it.  The  craving  for  "there- 
turn  of  day,"  which  the  sick  so  constantly 
evince,  is  generally  nothing  but  the  desire  for 
light,  the  remembrance  of  the  relief  which  a 
variety  of  objects  before  the  eye  affords  to  the 
harrassed  sick  -mind. 

Again,  every  man  and  every  woman  has  some 
amount  of  manual  employment,  excepting  a 
few  fine  ladies,  who  do  not  even  dress  them- 
selves, and  who  are  virtually  in  the  same  cate- 
gory, as  to  nerves,  as  the  sick.  Now,  you  can 
have  no  idea  of  the  relief  which  manual  labor 
is  to  you — of  the  degree  to  which  the  depriva- 
tion of  manual  employment  increases  the  pecu- 
liar irritability  from  which  many  sick  suffer. 

A  little  needle-work,  a  little  writing,  a  little 
cleaning,  would  be  the  greatest  relief  the  sick 
could  have,  if  they  could  do  it;  these  are  the 
greatest  relief  to  you,  though  you  do  not  know 
it.  Beading,  though  it  is  often  the  only  thing 
the  sick  can  do,  is  not  this  relief.  Bearing  this 
in  mind,  bearing  in  mind  that  you  have  all 
these  varieties  of  employment  whach  the  sick 
cannot  have,  bear  also  in  mind  to  obtain  for 
them  all  the  varieties  which  iiey  can  eujoy. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  I  am  well  aware  that 
excess  in  needle-work,  in  writing,  in  any  other 
continuous  employment,  will  produce  the  same 
irritability  that  defect  in  manual  employment 
(as  one  cause)  produces  in  the  sick. — Miss 
Nightingale. 


EXTRACT  FROM  EEPORT  OP  EELIEF 
AGENT,  THIRD  CORPa 

"Friday,  being  Christmas  Day,  I  saw  the  pris- 
onersf  again  that  I  visited  early  in  the  week,  and 
furnished  them  some  articles  as  Indicated  in  the 
abstract. 

"I  was  much  amused  at  the  plan  adopted  by  the 
prisoners  in  order  to  get  tobacco.  The  prisoners 
have  formed  themselves  into  what  they  call  the 
'Tobaooo  Club,'  and  every  man,  on  his  arrival, 
must  either  pay  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  or  be 
tossed  in  a  blanket.  The  majority  willingly  pay 
the  amount  required.  The  money  goes  into  a 
common  treasury  to  be  expended  in  the  purchase 
of  tobacco,  which  is  divided  equally  among  all. 
The  other  night,  a  rough,  independent  sort  of  a 
fellow  was  brought  iq,  and  refused  peremptorily 
to  pay  the  amount  required,  ridiculing,  at  the 
same  time,  the  penalty  but  the  tossing  was 
resorted  to.  and  before  it  was  over,  he  would  have 
willingly  paid  the  fifty  cents,  could  he  have  been 
released  from  the  vigorous  exercise." 


'•No  one  who  has  watched  the  sick  can  doubt  the  fact 
that  some  feel  stimulus  from  looking  at  scarlet  flowers 
exhaustion  from  looking  at  deep  blue,  &c.  ' 

t  Deserters  and  dthers,  some  on  slight  charges. 


The  Smitary  Ootnmddsion  B'dtMin. 


%n 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  tlie  Sfecretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  {dan  of  orgiiffli- 
zation  were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  RD.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L..  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

EUsha  Harris,  M.I).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

K.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Et.  Eev.  T.  Ml  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Eon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywoodi  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  StiU6, 


H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache.  IJJ.D„  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  I'oster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Xewberry,  H.D.,  Associate  Secretary, 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.„  Associate  Secretary, 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STAKDINa  COMMITTEE. 


Hemy  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D, 
e.  E.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY, 

Th^  Sanitary  CommisBion  has  made  arrangements 
for  BTipplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iji.all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North. 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
''Office  of  Sanitai?  Commission,  Washington,: D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address.  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  ft^la- 
delphia."  _ 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,.  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
missiiou,  LouisviHej  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  aiid  regiment  6f 
the  person  ingiuired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,,  aa 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  ili<3[uirer's 
expense. 

4^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  Serve  the  cause  of  humantty  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 


The  Sanitairy-  CommjsBion,  under  speoit 
ity  of  the  Presijlent  of  the  United  States,  i 


)eoi»l  author- 
maintains 
an  extensive^  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity.at  aill  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga^-its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiUary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  ofTeriugs: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branoh  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
mer Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Bravn  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati^  Ol 

Sanitary  Commission;  Branch  Depot,  No,  95 
Bank  Street;  Cleveland  0.,  . 

Saniitai^  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No-  66  Madr 
ison  Street,  Chicago,  m. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No,  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4^ 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  peciiniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is'  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu>f 
tions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and-  may  ba, 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N,  Y, 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D:  0.    Chief  Assistant,  3.  B.  Abbotti 

Soldiers''Home,  near  Baltimore  Bflilroad  Depot,  Wash* 
ington,  D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H>  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets, 

Lodge  No.  S,  Maryland  Avenue,,  near  Bailroad- Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  WasidngtoUi  D.  O. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cah:o,  HI C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 

Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey. — James  Malona,  Sup't, 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief- Agent., 

Sol<^ers'  Home,  Nashville,  Telm.—L.  Orane,  Stip-'tiaiid 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohlo-^Clsrlt  Warren,  Bnp't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lod^e,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn,— a,W, 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't, 

AQEHOT  FOB  PEHSIOHS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D,  0 

EOSFrrAI.    OABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Tork— Sol.  An&ewi, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisyille  and  Murfceesboro'— Dr.  J,  P,  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAHITABY  BTEAMEB.. 

Onmberland  Blver— New  Dunleltb, 


314 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


President. 
Lebut.-Gen.  "WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

EOBT.  B.  MINTUKN,  Esq. 
Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEOBGE  OPDYKE, 
HIBAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Bet. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messks.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWABD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Je,,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETER 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCEOFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  EOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFRED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Ghambees  Steeet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  daims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3(i  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 


THE  MEEOANTILE  MAEINE 
INSURANCE     COMPANY. 

No.  35  \rall  Street,  Ne\r  York. 

INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 

Assets  over  $1,400,000. 

•  

MARINE  and  Inland  Tran8portation  risks  on  Vessels. 
Freight  and  Merdoandise  insured  on  the  most  favorable 
temiH. 

Policies  are  issued,  long,  if  any,  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  office  of  RAXHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
de»ired. 

Parties  effecting  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  profits,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Pres't. 
CHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-Pres't. 
C.  J.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


ARTICLES 


THAT  EVEBT 


GOOD  HOUSEKEEPER  SHOULD  USE 

AND  ETEBT 

GOOD  GROCER  SHOULD  SELL, 

Made  from  the  best  materials;  always  uniform  in  quality, 
and  Sixteen  Oonces  to  the  Pound. 

Pyle's  Dietetic  Saleratus, 

A  pure  and  wholesome  ai;tlc1e,  which  has  no  superior  for 
making  Biscuit,  Cake  and  Pastry  light  and  rich.  In  the 
New  England  States,  where  the  best  articles  are  required, 
it  takes  the  lead  of  all  others. 

Pyle's  Baking  Cream  Tartar, 

Put  up  solely  for  cooking  purposes,  and  warranted  to  suit. 
Most  cooks  know  the  difficulty  in  getting  good  Cream  Tar- 
tar, but  they  have  only  to  ask  for  Pyle's  and  be  suited. 

Pyle's  Baking  Soda, 

Full  strength,  pure,  and  suitable  for  Culinary  or  Medical 
use. 

Pyle's  Yeast  Powder, 

Put  up  in  Tin  Cans  and  Paper,  and  warranted  equal  to  any 
in  use,  at  reduced  prices,  never  fails  to  make  good  Biscuit, 
Cake,  or  Pastry,  without  Cream  Tartar  and  Soda.  Any  one 
can  use  it  with  success.    All  the  above  articles  are  put  up 

GOOD  WEIGHT. 

Pyle's  O.  K.  Soap, 

The  best  and  most  economical  Washing  Soap  now  in  use. 
It  is  the  Washerwoman's  Favorite,  and  pells  in  preference 
to  the  common  soaps,  wherever  known. 

Pyle's  Bluing  Povrder, 

The  most  complete  Washing  Blue  yet  known,  both  for  chqap- 
ness  and  efficacy.  It  also  makes  a  beautiful  blue  Writing 
Ink.    It  is,  indeed,  the  Ladies'  Favorite. 

Pyle's  Enamel  Blacking, 

A  splendid  Boot  Polish  that  never  gets  hard  nor  injures  the 
leather. 

Pyle's  Stove  Polish 

Makes  a  beautiful  PoUsli  on  Cast  or  Wrought  Iron,  and  pre- 
vents rust. 

Pyle's  Navy  Black  Ink 

Writes  jet  black  and  Qows  smoothly. 

Pyle's  Shaving  Soap 

Makes  a  rich  permanent  lather.    Competent  judges  call  it 
the  best  they  have  tried. 
These  articles  are  all,flrst  class,  and  need  odly  to  be  tested. 


^»» 


OOUNTET  MERCHANTS 

Will  find  a  full  supply  of  Commercial  Cream  Tartar 
and  Salcratns,  Bi*Carb.  Soda,  Sal  Sodaj 
Soap  Po  wileri  etc.  of  every  quality  and  style  required 
by  the  trade,  at  the  lowe.it  market  prices. 

TO  A  €  A.D  DIGS  of  all  sizes  always  on  hand. 

Address,       JAMES  PYLE,  Manufacturer, 

Cor.  Washington  and  Franklin  Sts.,  N.  Y. 
No9.  850,  352,  354,  h  350  Washington  St.  k  204  Franklin  St. 


The  Samta/ry  Commission  Bulletin. 


315 


mm  uA  ^iu  §mtmu.. 
METROPOLITAN 

INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

108  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


CASH  CAPITAL, $800,000.00. 

ASSETS,      - $542,541.85. 

This  Company  insures,  at  customary  rates  of  premium,  against  all 
MARINE  and  INLAND  NATIGATION  RISKS  on  CARGO  or 
FREIGHT;  also,  against  loss  or  damage  by  FIRE, 

The  Assured  receive  75  per  cent,  of  the  net  profits,  -without  incur- 
ring any  liability,  "or  in  lieu  thereof,  at  their  option,  a  liberal  discount 
upon  the  premium. 

Scrip  Dividend  declared  Janugfry  12,  1864, 

thirty-five:  per  cent. 


DIRECTORS. 


JAMES  LORIMER  GRAHAM, 
JOSEPH  B.  VARNUM, 
J^REDERICK  H.  WOLOOTT, 
WILLIAM  K.  STRONG, 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM, 
JOHn'o.  HENDERSON, 
DANIEL  PARISH, 
HENRY  Y,  BUTLER, 
DUDLEY  B.  FULLER, 
GILBERT  L.  BEECKMAN, 
JOSEPH  B.  YARNUM,  Jr., 
WATSON  E.  CASE, 


CHARLES  P.  KIRKLAND, 
EDWARD  A.  STANSBURY, 
GUSTAYUS  a;  CONOYER, 
MARTIN  BATES,  Jr., 
PASCHAL  W.  TURNEYj^ 
FRANKLIN  H.  DELANO, 
BOWES  R.  McILYAINE, 
LORRAIN  FREEMAN, 
EDWARD  MACOMBER, 
JA'S  LORIMER  GRAHAM,  Jr., 
SAMUEL  D.  BRADFORD,  Jr., 
GEO.  W.  HATCH. 


JAMES  LORIMER  GRAHAM,  Pres't, 
ROBERT  M.  C.  GRAHAM,  Vice  Pres't. 
EDWARD  a;  STANSBURY,  2d  Vice  Pres't. 
JOHN  C.  GOODRIDGE,  Se®'y. 


316^  The  Sanitary  Gomimssion  Bulletin^ 

OFJPIGE-  OF   THLE 

€!0lttmWM  (^Mm}  §nmtmu 

COMPANY, 

,      OOHITEH  or  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STKEETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amonnt  of  Assets,  January  1, 1«64 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

■Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

,  or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums , 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 

LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Bish  on  whicb  the  Premium  is-' paid  in  like  Gnrrency. 

1 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  wUl  be  aUowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  thelfEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  aU  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT.  .. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  "^OYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Suc^  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums,  upon,  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundi^ed  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWS,  M.  E.  MERICK,  ■     MOSES  MERICK, 

»  DANIEL  W.  LORD,.  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  »  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORMSON 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

TflOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREI?  J.  RICH;  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jr., 

WM.  H.  HALSEV,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jn.,  '  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MHOHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  O.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  NIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORDj  Vice-President.  B.  G.  MORRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  2d  Vice-Presiaent  and  Secretary. 


The  Samh/ry  Cofmmiaawn  JBidMn.  SlnT 


PARTICIPATION 

FIRE      INSURANCE.. 

NORTH  AMERICAN 
FIRE    INSURANCE    COMPANY, 

Of  the  City  of  New  York, 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


in^coki*otij^te;d  isas. 

CASH  CAPITAL, $500,000  00 

ASSETS, 604,535  59 

NO  CliAimS  FOR  •liOSlSES. 

Abstract  of  the  EIGHTT-THIRD  Semi-Annual  Statement,  showing  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Company  on  the  31st  day  of  December,  1863t 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate,  worth  over. 

'Mffcy:  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $15t,'360  00 

Stocks,  Bonds,  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  market  value . .  364,385  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office , 6,603  11 

Loans  on  demand  with  collateral 46,000  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding , 5,384  00^, 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission,  (business  of  December 

since  received,) 10,220  39 

Interest  accrued  on  Secul-itieB. 13,788  83 

Other  Property  of  Company. 193  15 

$604,535  59 
Losses  unpaid,  none. 

Insures  Property  against  Lags  by  Fire  at  usual  rates,  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or 
through  their  Agents'in  the  principal  Cities  and  Villages  of  the  United  States;  adjusting 
and  paying  Claims  with  the  liberality  and  promptness  that  has  characterized  their  busi- 
ness during  the  past  Forty-one  Years. 

The  Customers  receive  !]Hsree'»Potirths  of  the  Net  Profits  of  the  business  each  year, 
without  incurring  any  liability  whatever. 

r!  W.  BLEECfeER,  See'y.  JtAHIES  W.  OTIS,  Pres't 

R,  T.  MASON,  Snperintendent  of  Agencies. 


318 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulhtin. 


RECEIT    MEDICAL    ¥OEKS, 

PUBMSHED  BY 

BAILLIEEE  BEOTHEES, 

440  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


ON  WTT.TTABY  AKD  CAMP  HOSPITALS,  AND  THE  HEALTH  OF  TROOPS  IN  THE  FIELD.  By  L.  Battdenb^ 
Medical  Director  of  the  French  Army,  &c.,  &c.  Translated  and  Annotated  by  Frahkwh  B.  Hough,  M.  D.,  late 
Sanitary  Inspector  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.    12mo,  260  pages.    Price  $1  25. 

*»•  The  above  work  is  the  result  of  a  commission  sent  by  the  French  Govemmeait  to  the  Crimea  to  report  upon 
the  condition  of  the  Hospit^  and  troops  of  the  French  army,  and  incidentally  of  the  English  and  Sardinian  armies. 
It  is  written  in  the  form  of  a  narratlTe,  and  the  great  questions  of  the  prevention  aiid  control~of  disease  in  camps  and 
hospiU^s  are  thoroughly  diBCUSsed.  The  hygienic  conditions  of  the  United  States  Army  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
armies  of  the  Crimea;  the  rules  and  prescriptions  given  ui  the  book  will,  therefore,  be  found  perfectly  applicable. 
This  work  recommends  itself  to  commanders  of  regiments  as  well  as  army  surgeons. 

ON  DIPHTHEKEA.    By  Edwabd  TTTeAT^T-Aw  Gseenhow.    1861.    Pp.  160.    Price  $1.25. 

Our  readers  will  find  a  very  large  amount  of  information  in  the  twelve  chapters  of  which  the  Talnme  is  made  up. 
Perhaps,  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  on  tbe  subject  of  this  obscurely  understood  disease,  little  more  can  be 
said  beyond  what  may  here  be  found  written  down. — London  Medical  Times  and  Gazette. 

We  have  only  been  able  here  to  refer  to  certain  of  the  more  prominent  facts  concerning  diphtheria;  butwe  believe 
we  have  said  enou^  to  recommend  this  weU-written  treaties  to  the  attention  of  the  profession. — British  Medical 
Jofamal. 
ADVICE  TO  A  MOTHER  ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  HER  OFFSPRING  IN  INFANCY,  CHIUDHOOD  AND  YOUTH, 

By  P.  Henbt  Chavasse,  M.  D.    Price  %0c. 
Fifth  Edition.    HAND-BOOK  OF  SURGICAL  OPERATIONS.    By  Stephek  Smith,  M.  D..  Surgeon  to  Bellevue  Hoep. 

12mo,  280  pages,  and  237  Woodcut  mustrations.    Price  $1  75. 
Just  received*  aFresh  Stock  of  **  BERNARD  &HUETTE'S  OPERATIVE  SURGERY."    Colored  Plates.    Price  |20. 

MESSRS.  BAELUERE  BROTHERS  beg  to  inform  the  MEDICAL  PROFESSION  and  STUDENTS,  that  having 
purchased  a  Stock  of  the  Publications  of  Messrs.  BIANCHARD  &  LEA.,  LIPprNCOTT  &  CO.,  LINDSAY  &  BIAKISTON, 
Iec.,  they  are  prepared  to  sell  all  the  publications  of  these  Houses  at  a  veby  T.niT:TtAT.  discount  fob  cash.  Prices  will 
be  given  on  application  and  orders  are  respectfully  solicited. 

Any  of  the  above  sent  free  by  mail  on  receipt  of  the  price. 


<r 


'<E 


^ 


J         Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  k  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 

«f  JSS^S^^  *  °°-  No-  252  Broadway,  New  York. 

it™i  » S5?  *  BROVm.  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 

l^tSI  A  S5?'  GREBNLBAP  &  CO.,  No.  172  I^ake  Street,  Chicago.  * 

S  A  SS-^SS?  *  EWINO,  Masonic  HaU,  PhUadelphia.  ^ 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  B^fimore. 

thf  abo"^*'^*  Circulars  famished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


319 


RECEIVED 

TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


(PEOM  JUEIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  1KB 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Keport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZEWA, 

At  the  GBEAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  aju  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETT,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DipiiOMA  and  Mbdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

OoT.  3,  1863,  TOOK  GoiiD  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Amebican  Instetutb,  New  York 
City;  New  Jbrsbx  State  Faib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited.  '  ' 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested,  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &o.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Co£fee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &o. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directione 
for  use, 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTOM"  STREET. 


WM,  DURYEA.  Genera!  Ageat< 


320 


The  SanUary  Commiaaion  BvUebm. 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS, 

TO  SET  IJV  BRIOK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  Eeatkbs  known  for  wanning 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Scbools,  Ye^els,  &e. 

Send  or  call  for  &  Fcuj  DE^dcrpnoir,  and  an 
xmparaUeled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  onr 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  ON  BBICK. 


PORTABLE. 


SANFORD'S  MAMMOTH 

OB  , 

GLOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
all  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

Stores,  HoteU,  R.  R.  Depots, 
Vessels,  &c.     , 

These  Heaters  axe  used  by  the' 
Hudson  Biver  and'  other  Bail- 
bo  ass,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 
Engine  Houses,  &c.  Beware  of 
imitations  that  are  inferior. 
Bkstensively  used  in  Hospitals  * 
and  Barracks. 

GET   SAITFORD'S   HABUHOTH. 


THB 


KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 
masonry,  or  out 
on  feet ;  have  the 
Largest  Ovens  of 
any  in  market;  bake 
perfectly ;  never 
failing  to  brown  at 
the  bottom.  Boil, 
Boast  and  Broil  with  great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EcoNOMX  of  Fubl.  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Private  Houses,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  die. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STOVE, 

Witb  Radiator,  Ventilator,   and 
Gas  Burning  Attaclunent. 

The  licading  Stove  for 

PARL.ORS, 

SITTING-BOOMS, 

And  all  places  where  a  soft, 
PiiEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all  winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly small  supply  of  coal 


mmm  um^ 

STTMMEB  AKD  WINTEB 

PORTABLE    RANGE. 

A  very  popular  Eange, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes,  I 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  'with  I 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Irons,  at  the  end. 


mmt 


,  ^.A  perfect  apparatus  for  a  few  dollars, 
and  well  suited  for  families,  restaurants,  bar- 
racks, Sfc, 


Also,  a  great  J^irfety  of  COOKING  ANP  HEATING  APPARATUS,  suited  to  every 
want.    Also,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.    Get  description  of  above,  with  refe^enoe^ 


SANFOED,  TEUSLOW  &  CO., 

a39  and  041  Water  St.,  New  York.. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


YOL.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  APRIL  1,  1864. 


No.  11. 


,  The  Sanitary  CoMMisaioN  Btilmitin  is  pvblished 
on  the  firsl  and  ffteenth  0/  enery  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  circulation,  gralMitovs  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  a  offers  an  nmisiuiUy  valuaible  medmm  fori 


AH  comnmnications  must  &e  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  apd  must  6e  att- 
thentioated  by  the  names' and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  qf  the  publication  of  tfte.Buii- 
liETiN  is  imcerlain,  depervding  on  tJiat  of  die  wdr, 
•and  on  the  resources  of  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Gonnr- 
missixyn^—the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree cfreluctanae  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 


Tlie  Committee  undersiamd,  however,  that  somte  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  qf  two  dollars,  remitted  to  ike 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  SiBoifa,.  68  Wall  Stred,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  wiB  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  Us  pvblicalion  he  sooner  discon- 
tinued. .     ■ 

WHEREIN  WE  HAVE  TO  COMPLAIN  OP 
THE  PUBLIC. 

The  amount  of  support  which  the  Com- 
mission has,  ahnost  from  the  outset,  re- 
ceived from. the  publics  in  all  the  loyal 
States,  has,  we  need  hardly  say,  been 
tso^ething  unprecedented.  Voluntary  con- 
tributions for  a  humane  object  were  never 
before  made  on  such  a  scale,  within  the 
same  periods*  The  great  fairs,  which  are 
'taking  plaofe  in  various  parts  of  the  country, 
are  the  most  extraordinary,  as  well  as  most 
magnificent,  exhibitions  of  benevolence  of 
which  there  is  any  record.  The  quantity 
of  stores  and  the  sums  of  money  placed  at ' 
our  disposal  have  been  immense.  They 
have  not,*  so  far,  enabled  us  to  meet  all  the 
demands  upon  us;  but  they  so  far  surpass; 
fcoth  in  amount  and  in  the  alacrity  with 
wMch  they  have  been  bestowed,  all  other 

Vol.  I.— No.  11.  21  • 


contributions  in  the  whole  history  of  char- 
ity, that  the  nation  is  astonished  at  the  ex- 
tent of  its  own  efforts  for  the  relief  of  suf- 
fering, and  the  rest  of  the  world  is  begin- 
ning to  be  astonished  also. 

This  being  the  case^  what  have  we  to 
complain  of  ?  If  we  have  only  to  ask  in 
order  to  receive;  if  every  village,  town,  and 
city  responds  to  the  least  6f  our  calls,  what 
mora  do  we  want?  If  the  public  is  doing 
more  to  aid  us  in  our  work  than  any  public 
ever  did  before,  and  more  than  we  ven- 
tured to  hope  for  when  we  began  it,  what 
do  we  mean  by  the  heading  of  this  article? 
These  are  questions  which  wiU  suggest 
themselves  to  most  people  the  minute  they 
glance  at  this  page,  and  they  are  just  the 
questions  we  want  to  answer. 

As  the  enterprise  in  which  we  are  en- 
gaged grows  in  magnitude,  as  the  amount 
of  stores  sent  to  us  and  as  the  amount,  of 
money  given  us,  or  promised  to  us,  in- 
creases, the  spirit  of  criticism  on  the  part 
of  the  public,  of  course,  rises  higher.  The 
more  there  is  entrusted  to  us,  the  more 
jealously  we  are  watched.  The  larger  the 
field  of  our  labors,  the  greater  number  of 
points  of  attack  are  presented  to  our  ene- 
mies and  detractors.  When  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  in  every  body's  mouth,  and 
when  the  pojSulation  of  whole  cities  is  work- 
ing or  giving  to  swell  its  stores,  the  streets 
and  wharves  encumbered  with  its  supplies, 
of  course  a  greater  number  of  people 
than  ever  are  anxious  to  know  what  comes 
of  the  money,  and  are  prone  to  doubt  the 
wisdom  or  economy  of  those  who  spend  it. 
And- all  this  is  mogt  natural  and  most  rea- ' 
sonable.  No  body  ought  ever  be  entrusted 
with  even  one  hundred  dollars  of  the  public 
funds,  not  to  speak  of  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands, without  having  aU  his  operations 


322 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEeUn. 


carefully  senitinized,  and  fully  and  fear- 
lessly criticisfed.  So  far  from  feeling  this  , 
criticism  to  be  irksome,  w§  covet  and  en- 
courage it.  We  -want  to  keep  it  up.  We 
■want  the  public  to  know  what  we  do,  and 
to  pass  judgment  on  it.  We  inyite  exami- 
nation, a)nd  rigid  and  close  examinatiofi,  of 
our  manner  of  working,  and  of  the  results 
of  our  work.  If  any  body  tas  any  fault  to 
find  with  it,  we  are  desirous  to  have  him 

•  state  it  publicly,  either  that  we  may  pub- 
licly acknowledge  him  to  be  right,  or  pub- 
licly give  our  reasons  for  thinking  him 
wrong. 

But  what  we  have  to  complain  of  is, 
the  wide  diffusion,  particularly  in  the  great 
cities,  and  especially  in  this  city,  of  a  spirit 
of  cavilling  and  carping,  on  the  part  of 
tfiose  who  not  only  do  not  know  any  thing 
about  the  organization  of  the  Commission, 
or  the  results  of  its  labors,  but  who  will 
take  no  pains  to  learn.  If  such  an  organ- 
ization as  ours,  so  honored  and  trusted  by 
the  people,  had  neither  enemies  nor  assail- 
ants, it  would  prove  conclusively  that  hu- 
man nature  had  undei  gone  a  radical  change . 
We  have  hundreds,  and  they  are  actuated 
by'aU  sorts  of  motives;  but  the  hostile  crit- 
icisms of  at  least  two-thirds  of  them  are 
due  to  sheer,  unmitigated  ignorance.  We 
meet  people  every  day  who  ask  us,  what 
goes  with  all  this  money  which  the  Com- 
mission is  receiving;  whether  the  President 
does  not  receive  $10,000  a  year;  whether 
■the  stores  are  not  horribly  wasted;  whether 
enormous  sums  are  not  paid  in  salaries  to 
employes;  ■whether  there  is  now  any  need 
for  the  Commission;  whether  the  Govern- 
ment does  net  supply  «very  thing,  or  nearly 
every  thing,  the  soldiers  need.  When  we 
endeavor  to  ascertain  the  sources  from 
.which  these  objections  come,  we  find  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  that  they  have  been 
suggested  by  gossip  at  a  dinner  table,  or 

♦during  an  evening  call;  by  a  letter  from  a 
surgeon  in  the  army,  who  probably  never 
came  in  contact  ■with. the  Commission  at 
all;  or  an  ofBcer,  who  might  have  been  fed 
and  clothed  by  it  for  weeks  without  know- 
ing it.  And  tSiere  are  a  great  many  very 
honest,  well-meaning  men  and  ■women  ■who 
go  about,  week  after  week,  spreading  these 
accusations  from  house  to  house,  and  grow- 
ing bitterer  and  bitterer,  and  more  satisfied 


of  their  truth,  the  of  tener  they  repeat  them, 
■without  ever  giving  themselves  the  trouble 
to  devote  even  twenty  minutes  of  honest, 
patient  labor  to  the  task  of  finding  out 
whether  they  have  any  foundation  or  not. 

Now,  the  Commission  publish  the  Buxi/b- 
TUf  fortnightly,  and  distribute  about  14,000 
copies  of  it  for  the  express  purpose  of  an- 
swering these  questions — of  showing  what 
goes  ■with  the  money,  what  wants  itsupplies, 
what  the  army  think  of  its  work.  ■  They  are 
all  answered  in  its  columns,  month  after 
month,  with  tiresome  explicitness.  The 
Sanitary  Reporter  is  published  at  Louis- 
ville, for  precisely  the  same  purpose,  and 
distributed  in  great  quantities;  so  is  the 
Sanitary  Echo  at  Portland,  Me. ;  and  so  is 
the  Messeng^  in  New  Jersey.  They  are 
sent  to,  or  can  be  obtained  by,  nearly  every 
body  who  takes  the  slightest  interest  in  the 
Commission  or  its  work.  They  contain  its 
reports,  its  accounts,  its  movements  and 
doings  of  every  kind;  and,  in  addition  to 
these,  a  great  many  thousand'  pamphlets 
have  been  circtdated,  ■with  the  same  object 
— ^that  of  keeping  the  public  fully  and 
accurately  informed  of  the  nature,  and  ex- 
tent, and  result  of  the  work  to  which  they 
have  contributed  so  much  in  money,  goods, 
and  labor.  In  December  last  a  pamphlet, 
kno'wn  as  Document  69,  was  printed,  giving 
a  very  complete  statement  of  the  objects 
and  methods  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
— accounts  of  its  receipts  and  expenditure 
— and  it  was  sent  over  the  country  in  every 
direction,  to  every  body  who  was  kno'wn  to 
us  to  take,  or  be  likely  to  take,  any  interest 
in  what  we  were  doing. 

More  than  this  the  Commission  cannot 
do.  It  cannot  obtain  the  insertion  in 
the  newspapers  of  such  masses  of  matter  as 
its  reports,  except  as  advertisements;  and 
to  pay  for  them  as  advertisements  in  such 
a  number  of  papers  ajs  would  insure  their 
being  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  would 
cost  a  sum  of  money  which  it  would  be 
utterly  unwarrantable  to  expend,  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  securing  publicity. 

What,  then,  is  the  reason  that  there  is.  so 
much  ignorance  and  miscpnception  afloat 
about  the  needs  of  the  Cpmnission,  and 
the  extent  of  its  labprs?  It  is  simply  that 
people  do  not  read  -what  we  publish.  It  is 
easier  and  far  pleasanter  to  sit  and  listen  to 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


328 


the  chit-chat  of  somebody  who  denounces 
or  slanders  it,  than  to  sit  down  and  wade 
through  what  it  has  to  say  for  itself  in  its 
publications.  We  have  ourselves,  more 
than  once,  listened  to  accusations  against 
it  from  persons  on  whose  table  piles  of  the 
Bulletin  were  lying,  at  that  moment,  un- 
opened. Even  a  hasty  glance  at  them  Would 
have  cleared  up  the  very  points  on  which, 
the  owner  was  professing  ignorance  and 
alarm.  No  doubt  re]f)oi:ts  and  accounts  are 
dull  reading.  The  stories  of  inspectors, 
and  relief  agents,  and  hospital  visitors, 
and  ■  lists  of  supplies  do  not  always 
possess  the  charm  of  a  romance.  But, 
then,  there  is  no  way  of  making  them  any 
more  attractive,  except  by  the  sacrifice  of 
truthfulness;  and  we  hold  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  those  who  want  to  know  why  we. 
need  so  much  money,  and  how  we  spend 
it,  to  read  them  carefully  before  helping  to 
create  or  circulate  doubts,  with  regard 
either  to  the  wisdom  or  useftdness  of  our 
work.  ^  In  the  country  districts,  from  which 
our  suppUeS  generally  come,  we  have  little 
to  complain  of  on  this  score;  but  there  is 
in  the  cities  a  good  deal  of  misconception 
about  us,  which  a  very  ■little  time  spent, 
even  once  a  fortnight,  in  acquiring  infor- 
mation would  remove. 


WHAT  "WE  DID  AT  OLUSTEE. 
Dr.  Marsh  writes  from  Jacksonville: 
Allow  me,  'midst  these  constant  inter- 
ruptions, tt)   give  you  a  rapid  glance   of 
what  has  been  transpiring  during  the  last 
four  weeks. 

On  the  6th  of  February  I  received  offi- 
cial information  that,  on  the'  evening  of 
the  same  day,  an  expedition  would  leave  for 
Jacksonville,  Fla.  In  the  afternoon  of  the 
same,  we  were  prepared  to  accompany  it. 
Surmising,  however,  that  little  or  no  prep- 
aration'had  been  made  for  battle-field  cas- 
ualties, and  that  the  expedition  was  not  re- 
garded as  a  very  serious  enterprise,  I  sent 
for  the  brig  Mystic,  loaded  with  sanitary 
stores,  then  in  Light-House  Inlet,  62  miles 
distant;  and  for. A.  B.  Day,  of  tested  use- 
fulness, to  accompany  it. 

The  expedition,  with  little  hindrance, 
arrived  at  its "  destination,  losing  but  one 
man,  and  him  while  landing;  the  enemy 
retiiing  as  our  troops  took  possession  Af 


the  town.  After  a  little  delay  it-was  deter- 
mined to  foUow  the  line  of  the  railroad 
leading  to  Lake  City,  in  the  direction  of 
Tallahassee.  The  enemy  would  skirmish 
and  retire  as  we  approached.  A  few  ad- 
vantages were  gained,  which  have  been 
already  publicly  reported. 

Op.  the  18th  ult.  the  main  body  of  the 
army  took  its  line  of  march  from  Jack- 
sonville, and  bivoucked  three  miles  east  of 
Baldwin.  On  the  succeeding  day,  at  8 
P.  M.,  it  reached  Barber's.  The  next  day, 
at  7  A.  M.,  the  march  was  resumed,  and  the 
line  of  railroad  followed  to  the  point  where 
the  wagon  road  crosses  the  railroad  east  of 
Olustee;  -thence  following  the  wagon  road, 
leading  nearly  in  the  .game  direction,  to  a 
point  where  the  road  passes  between,  two 
Cyprus  swamps;  and  just  after  emerging, 
from  these  swamps,  and  to  the  north  of 
them,  we  met  the  enemy  in  position  and 
awaiting  us.  Our  march  aU  the  day  had 
been  a  narrow  path,  lined  by  almost  im- 
penetrable thickets,  some  parts  sandy  but 
often  swampy,  and  the  men  compelled  to 
march  in  water  from  one  to  two  and  a  half 
feet  in  depth ;  officers  in  stocking  feet, 
some  carrying  their  boots,  others  having 
thrown  them  away. 

In  passing  between  the  two  8w;amps,  the 
artillery  was  nearly  or  quite  abreast  of  the 
infantry,  and  in  this  relation  unexpectedly 
met  the  enemy.     Capt.  Hamilton,  of  the 
artillery,  asserts  that  when  he  first  saw  the  ■ 
enemy,  he  was  not  more  than  fifty  yards 
from  them,  and  too  near  to  work  his  guns; 
and  further  states  that  himself  and  evert 
OPPiCBE  of  his  command  had  been  picked 
off  previous  to  the  fire  from  the  enemy  in 
the  front.     The  enemy  were  securely  post- 
ed; hisanfantry  behind  a  breastwork  of 
logs  and  in  rifle  pits,  with  his  cannon  in 
position  in  the  rear  and  partly  on  one  side. 
Our  men  were  naturally,  by  such  iinexpect- 
ed  attack,  thrown  iato  disorder,  but  soon 
raUied,  inspirited  by  their  daring  comman- 
der.  Gen.   Seymour,   who  shared  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight.    From  the  nature  of 
the  ground  it  was  impossible  to  hold  our 
position,  and  a  retreat  was  ordered.    To 
secure  it  the  1st  N.  C.  C.  T.,  and  the  in- 
domitable   54;th    Mass.,     (colored,)    were 
brought  up  to  hold  the  field,  while  the 
main  force  retired-i-and  well  did  they  ] 


324 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


it,  until  the  retreat  was  secured.  Then,  and 
sot  till  ordered,  did  they  leave  the  fidd — 
a  field  covered  with  their  dead  comrades. 
The  54th  was  the  last  on  the  field,  and  cov- 
ered all  our  retiring  force,  and  itself  in  per- 
fect order,  and  could  at  any  point  have" 
been  turned  and  hurled  upon  the  foe. 

As  no  expectation  of  an  action  had  ex- 
isted, so  few  preparations  for  casualties  had 
been  made.  Each  man,  not  too  severely 
wounded,  in  the  best  way  he  could  with- 
drew from  the  field;  a  few  on  army  wagons, 
some  on  horses  and  mules,  and  the  larger 
portion  on  foot,  to  Barber's,  sixteen  or  sev- 
enteen miles  distant.  To  this  point  the 
cars  had  previously  proceeded  from  Jack- 
sonville, and  at  this  point  the  assistants  of 
the  Conmrission  had  halted,  (not  being 
allowed  to  proceed  farther,)  and  prepared 
to  receive  the  wounded.  I  need  not  detail 
the  work  of  the  Commission  here.  It  did 
its  duty;  it  left  no  portion  of  its  duty  im- 
DONE.  I  wiU  simply  state  that  from  Com- 
mission stores  we  fed  the  wounded,  clothed 
them,  placed  them  upon  beds,  improvised 
from  bed-sacks  and  hay,  and  then  forward- 
ed six  car-loads  of  them  to  Jacksonville. 
Three  loads  stiU  remained,  and  at  this 
juncture.  Gen.  Seymour,  having  ordered 
what  commissary  stores  had  there  accumu- 
lated t'o  be  burned,  advised  cur  corps  and 
their  noble  assistants  to  leave  the  remain- 
ing wounded  and  retreat,  or  they  would  be 
captured.  All  resolved  to  stay  with  the 
wounded,  and  if  these  were  captured  tb  go 
with  and  minister  to  their  wants.  Fortu- 
nately three  cars  soon  returned,  and  the 
wounded  with  our  remaining  stores  having 
been  placed  upon  them,  the  train  followed 
the  retreating  army.  Through  eagerness 
to  escape  the  supposed  pursuing  enemy, 
too  great  pressure  of  steam  was  employed, 
and  the  flues  collapsed.  And  here,  the  im- 
mortal 54th  (colored)  did  what  ought  to  in- 
lure  it  higher  praise  than  to  hold  ttie  field 
in  the  face  of  a  victorious  foe — with  ropes 
it  seized  the  engine  (nov  useless)  and  drag- 
ged it  with  its  doomed  freight  for  many 
miles,  into  Jacksonville.  They  knew  their' 
fate  if  captured;  their  l^umanity  triumph- 
ed.   'Does  history  record  a  nobler  deed  ? 

Thus  were  suddenly  thrown  upon  the 
medical  staff  several  hundreds  of  wounded 
and  famishing  men.    True,   for  want  of 


transportation,  ttie  medicines  of  five  regi- 
ments were  left  here,  but  there  was  abso- 
lutely no  other  provision;  and  wounded 
men  do  not  need  medicines.  Here,  again, 
the  stores  of  the  Commission  were  thrown 
open,  and  I  am  assured  by  the  chief  execu- 
tive medical  officer  (whose  statement  I  for- 
ward you)  that  he  needed  no  supplies,  med- 
ical or  other,  which  he  did  not  obtain  from 
the  Commission;  and  next  to  none  were 
used  which  the  Commission  did  not  fur- 
nish. 

The  wounded  have  been  removed  to 
Beaufort,  Hilton  Head,  and  St.  Augustine, 
from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  being 
retained  in  hospital  in  Jacksonville.  As 
no  shell  were  used,  the  wounds  were  less 
horrible  than  those  on  Morris  Island;  the 
plumber  of  wounded  greater.  Those  with 
slight  wounds  were  returned  to  their  regi- 
ments, not  included  in  the  estimate.  Those 
unfitted  for  duty,  with  the  loss  on  the  field 
by  death  and  capture,      *  *  * 

The  most  of  those  severely  wounded,  and 
who  could  not  withdraw  themselves  from 
the  field,  were  doubtless  on  the  following 
day  captured  and  cared  for  by  the  enemy. 

The  following  documents  explain  them- 
selves,'and  need  no  comment: 

Heahquakters,  Distkict  Flokida,     •  ) 

Dsf  ASTKCBNT  OF  THE  SoTJTH,  V 

JACESONYIU.E,  Fla.,  March  M,  1864. ) 

Genebal  Qbdbbs — No.  10. 

I.  The  Brigadier  Genera]  Commanding, 
gratefully  recalls  to  the  recollection  of  the 
troops  of  this  command,  the  debt  incurred 
by  fiiem,  during  the  recent  movements,  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission  and  its  agent, 
Mr.  A.  B.  Day.  Much  sufiering  has  been 
alleviated,  and  many  inconveniences  re- 
moved, by  the  energy  and  promptness  with 
which  the  supplies  of  the  Commission  have 
been  placed  at  the  control  of  our  medical 
officers;  and  for  those  who  have  been  so 
benefitted,  offlfeers  and  men,  the  Brigadier 
General  offers  his  own  and  their  most  sin- 
cere thanks. 

By  order  of  Brigadier  General  T.  Sey- 
mour. 

B.  M.  Hail, 

1st  Lieut.  Is*  U.  S.  ArUllery, 
Acting  Assistant  Ac^utani  General. 
Offxcul. 

Assistant  Adjutant  Generctl. 

HEADQITABXEltS,  1J.  S.  GeNERAIj  HOSFITAXS,      ) 

jA0KS0irra«.E,  na.,  Feb.  2«A,  1864.  J 
This  is  to  certify,  that  on  the  21st  day  of 
February  I  received  a  telegram  from  Dr. 
A.  Major,  medical  director  of  the  siok  of 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


326 


Florida,  then  at  Sanderson  Station,  Florida 
Bailroad,  ordering  me  to  forward  to  him, 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  certain 
medical  and  sanitary  supplies,  and  a  special 
train  of  cars,  as  we  had  a  large  number  of 
wounded  th^re. 

That  at  the  time  such  telegram  reached 
me  I  had  no  stores  or  supplies  whatever, 
except  such  as  belonged  to  five  regiments 
thdn  in  the  field,  and  they  not  embracing 
ihe  articles  required. 

That  in  this  emergency  I  called  upon  Mr. 
A.  B.  Day„age!Qt  in  charge  of  the  afiairs  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  in  this  dis- 
trict, and  made  a  requisition  upon  him  for 
the  articles. 

That  he  at  once  supplied,  from  the  stores 
of  the  Commission,  all  the  articles  specified 
in  my  requisition,  and  proceeded  himself 
with  them  to  the  front,  where  I  have  since 
learned  he  arrived  safely,  and  with  his 
assistants  rendered  valuable  service  in  tak- 
ing care  of  and  removing  our  wounded. 

That  within  the  ensuing  twenty-four 
hours  I  received  from  the  front  over  seven 
hundred  sick  and  wounded  men,  and  again 
drew  upon  the 'stores  of  the  Commission 
for  all  of  the  requisite  articles  for  theii 
proper  treatment  and  care,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  hospitals  in  which  they 
were  placed. 

'  That  my  requisitions  were  aU.  honored  by 
Mr.  Day,  and  that  without  the  Commission 
stores  furnished  by  him,  the  patients  undeV 
my  care  must  unavoidably  have  suffered 
very  severely.  ,    ■ 

That  my  large  requisitions  upon  the 
Commission  stores  were  rendered  unavoid- 
ably necessary,  from  the  fact  that  the  re- 
quired articles  could  not  be  obtained  from 
ajiy  other  sources.  ,  « 

'  That  J  received  from  the  stores  of  the 
Commission  an  abundant  supply  of  ■  all 
articles  embraced  in  my  requisitions,  and 
cheerfuUy'bear  testimony  to  the  great  ser- 
vice rendered  to  the  Medical  Department 
by  its  agents  on  the  occasion  named. 
Wm.  a.  Smtih, 
Surgeon  ilth  N.  Y.  F.,  in  t^rge  Post  Hospitals. 

jAOKSoitviLLE,  Florida,  mfk  Feb.,  1864. 
Me.  a.  B.  Day, 

Agent  XT.  S.  Scmitary  Commission, 

-  Jacksonville,  Florida: 

SiK — It  affords  me  pleasure  to  testify  to ; 
the  invaluable  aid  received  through  you 
from  the  Sanitary  Commission,  on  the  oc- 
casion of  our  late  engagement. 

To  your  prompt  response  to  my  requests 
for  sanitary  supplies,  and  the  personal  ex- 
.  ertions  of  yourself  and  assistants  in  the 
care  of  and  removing  of  our  wounded,  is 
due  the  prevention  of  very  much  suffering, 
which  would  otherwise  have  been  inevitable. 

That  I  found  it  necessary  to  draw  so 
.largely  upon  the  stores  of  the  Commission, 
is  explained  by  the  fact,  that  at  the  time 
our  wounded'  arrived  I  was  entirely  desti- 


tute of  aU  supplies  of  Govesnment  stores 
from  the  Medical  Department,  and  there 
was  no  means  of  obtaining  them  from  any 
other  source  than  the  noble  institution 
which  you  so  creditably  represented.  I  am 
happy,  also,  to  add  that  I  received  from  the 
Commission  a  full  supply  of  all  articles 
caUed  for  by  my  requisitions  upon  them. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,     . 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed,) 

De,  ADOliPH  Majob, 

Medical  Director,  District  of  Florida, 

Surgeon  XT.  S.  V. 

Nothing  is  included  in  the  following  re- 
turn that  was  used  on  the  battle-field: 

Hbadquabtehs,  v.  8.  Sanitaky  Commission,  1 
jAO^sottrnsiJi,  I'la.,  Feb.  Wth,  1861.     ) 
Dk.  M.  M.  Maksh, 

Inspector,  TJ,  S.  Samitaryi^ommission, 

'    Department  of  the  South,  Beaufort,  S.  C. : 

DoCTOE — I  have  the  honor  to  report,  as 
an  abstract  of  the  records  of  this  office,  the 
following,  as  the  issues  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  from  the  station  under  mjc 
charge,  for  the  last  half  of  the  current' 
month.  The  destitution  of  the  Medical 
Department  stores  in  this  district,  at  the 
time  of  the  recent  battle  of  Olustee,  wiU 
account  to  you  for  the  large  issues  of  Com- 
mission stores. 

I  beg,  in  this  connection,  further  to  state, 
that  no  attempt  was  made  upon  my  part  to 
do  more, than  provide  for  the  iTp/mediaie  and 
pressing  necessities  of  the  woifnded  men, 
who  were  so  suddenly  and  so  unexpectedly 
thrown  upon  our  hands. 


Blanketg 267 

Bed  sacks 682 

Pfflow  sacks .275 

Pfflows lis 

Sheets : 199 

Shirts 316 

Drawers,  pairs 367 

Socks,  pairs 306 

HQt,bbls m 

Bandages,  hbls 6^ 

Cloth  "pieces,  bbls  6J^ 

FiUow  cases \..  106 

Handkerctaiei^ 162 

Towels 648 

Slippers,  pairs 336 

Slings    for    wounded 

arms ; 39  - 

Cuslllons  for  wounded 

limbs,  bbls 2 

Crackers,  bbls 34>i 

Pried  apples,  bbls 6)^ 

Stimulus,  bottles 89 

Milk,  cans 345 


Coffee,  cans , 67 

CorTl  starch,  papers 262 

Farina,  papers ,.  141 

Chocolate,  lbs 30 

Pickles,  gallons , 48 

Vegetables,  bbls ..." 25 

Tea,  lbs,.... i 65 

Beef  stock,  lbs 297 

Tamarinds,  quarts 24 

^Ucups'.. ^ 9 

Tin  basins 4 

Sul.  morph.,  bottles  ....     3 
C!Moro&rm,  lib.' bottles    2 

Castile  soap,  lbs.  .*. 33 

Quinine,  bottles 2 

Ext.  ginger,  bottles 12 

Jellies,  can 1 

Tomatoes,  can's 8 

Eed  pepper,  ozs 4 

Sugar,  lbs.. 20 

Toumiquettes 12 

Sponges .'...■...  12 

Peaches,  cans 8 


I  have  the  pleasure  to  herewith  return 
you  vouchers  for  the  above  issues,  save  for 
such  things  as' were  <used  ,by  myself  and 
assistants  at  Baldwin  Station,  (where  we 
met  the  wounded.) 

The  number  of  wounded  or  disabled  men, 
whose  comforts  were  promoted,  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent,  by  the  stores  issued  as  above, 
was  something  over  seven  hundred. 

I  am,  doctor,  very  respectfully, 

'  Your  obedient  servant, ' 
A.  B.  DAT. 


326 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


LETTEES  IN  OUR  DEAWEE. 
Oui  readers  -will  perceive  from  the  re: 
ports  contained  in  this  and  previous  mirn- 
bers  of  the  BuiiLETIN,  that  the  greatest 
■want  of  our  Army  in  the  Southwest  just 
no-w,  is  fresh  vegetables.  Scurvy  is  mat- 
ing its  appearance  amongst,  the  men  in 
every  direction,  and  its  presence  renders 
■wounds  and  other  diseases  incurable. 
The  exhaustion  of  the  country  in  -which  -we 
are  opeiating  in  Tennessee,  the  length  of 
the  line  of  communication,  the  smallness 
of  the  means  of  transportation,  and  the 
recent  severity  of  the  weather,  have  -withal, 
rendered  it  very  difficult  to  supply  anti- 
scorbutics, in  quantities  even  nearly  ade- 
qua,te  to  the  emergency.  All  these  difficul- 
ties, except  one,  still  exist,  and  are  not 
litely  to  decrease  during  the  coming  cam- 
paign; and  it  has,  therefore,  appeared  to 
our  agents,  that  the  best  -way  to  meet  them, 
-was  to  raise  the  vegetables  on  the  spot. 
There  is  the  land  and  the  labor,  and  aU  that 
has  to  be  pro-vided,  are  the  seeds  and  tools. 
They  have  accordingly  gohe  to  -work  to 
raise  crops,  and  -with  every  prospect  of  suc- 
cess; We  have  already  recorded  the  com- 
mencement of  the  experiment,  and  aU  the  ac- 
counts -which  we  have  lately  received,  show 
it  to  be  progressing  favorably. 
-  Dr.  Hewit,  the  Medical  Director  of  the 
Department  of  the  Ohio,  -wrote  from  Knox- 
-vUle,  February  23d,  to  the  A.  A.  General, 
Captain  Dickson: 

Sib:  I  respectfully  recommend  that  a  suitable 
place  be  selected  for  a  kitchen  garden,  snflScientJy 
large  to  supply  fresh  vegetables  for  the  hospitals 
and  garrison  of  this  post,  and  that  the  necessary 
steps  be  taken  to  prepare  the  ground  and  pro- 
vide protection  for  the  crop.  TheU.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  will  furnish  all  the  seeds  that  may 
be  required. 

I  respectfully  recommend,  in  addition,  that  the 
loyal  citizens  in  the  neighborhood  be  encouraged 
to  raise  vegetables  for  the  market,  and  Be  grant- 
ed all  possible  security  in  so  doing;  and  that  a 
«upply  of  garden  seeds  be  obtained  for  gratuitous 
distributioii  through  the  Sanitary  Commission  and 
otherwise,  as  may  be  deemed  just  and  most  expe- 
ditious. /  ' 

This  was  emphatically  endorsed  by  Gen- 
eral Schofield,  as  follows: 

The  within  meets  the  approbation  of  the  Major 
General  Commanding  in  the  higljest  degree,  and 
the  military  authorities  will  do  all  in  their  power 
to  help  the  matter  along.        • 

Mr.  Seymour,  our  Agent  at  Knoxville, 


accordingly  writes,  March  1,  to  Dr.  New- 
berry: 

Mr.  Wm.  M.  Culburtson,  who  la  in  the  employ 
of  the  Commission,  I  have  sent  to  you  for  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  a  supply  of  seeds  and  imple- 
ments for  a  garden  at  this  place.  He  is  a  practi- 
cal gardener,  and  will  be  able  to  give  you  all  the 
necessary  information  respecting  our'plans.  We 
propose  to  have  put  under  cultivation  from  50  to 
75  acres,  and  if  it  meets  your  approbation,  to 
have  him  superintend  it.  I  think  it  very  impor- 
tant to  have  a  garden  at  this  place.  All  the  po- 
tatoes, onions,  and  other  vegetables  we  raise  here 
will  save  a  vast  amount  of  transporftition  and  ex- 
pense. 

Enclosed,  I  send  you  a  request  of  the  Medical 
Director  with  the  proper  endorsement. 

I  should  have  moved  in  this  matter  earlier  had 
we  not  have  been  in  so  unsettled  a  state  in  mili- 
tary affairs.  Now  that  Longstreet  has  retired 
and  our  army  advanced,  we  can  go  on  with  the 
work  without  molestation. 

Yegetables  and  all  eatables  are  very  much 
needed  here.  You  cannot  send  too  many  pota- 
toes and  onions,  also  crout.  Good  ale  is  much 
wanted  in  Hospitals.  We  want  all  the  socks  you 
can  send.  The  Government  is  wholly  destitute 
of  them.    Should  like  some  shoes,  hats  and  pants. 

Mr.  Grary  has  made  a  list  of  articles  wanted 
for  our  mess.  It  may  be  soon  necessary  to  estab- 
lish a  post  in  front. 

Mr.  Read  -writes,  Feb.  29,  as  follows,  res- 
pecting the  progress  made  in  the  same  work 
at  Chattanooga: 

And  I  must  still  continue  for  a  few  days,  gath- 
ering plows  and  harrows,  spades,  shovels,  axes, 
hatcliets,  seed-markers  and  seed-drills,  grind- 
stones and  whetstones,  -wrenches  and  hammers, 
material  for  hotbeds  and  frames,  and  the  1,001 
articles  necessary  for  a  gardener's  camp,  each  of 
which,  down  to  a  curry-comb  and  horse-brush,  I 
have  first  to  find,  and  then  get  an  order  for;  and 
must  get  all  my  general  official  orders  through 
before  I  can  devote  any  time  to  the  dear  people 
at  hoine. 

To-day  it  rained  too  much  to  plow;  to-morrow, 
I  think,  if  pleasant,  we  shall  have  nine  plows 
running.  I  have  twelve  horses  in  the  camp,  and 
shall  take  out. ten  tomorrow.  Teams  seem  the 
great  difficulty.  Gen.  Thomas'  Adj't  and  Chief 
Q.  M.,  both  said  it  was  not  possible  to  spare  a 
single  horse  or  mule  for  plowing,  and  to  avoid  a 
failure,  I  have  culled  the  best  from  the  convales- 
cent corralls,  and  as  I  work  them  with  convales- 
cent soldiers,  every  thing  corresponds. 

You  shall  hear  from  me  as  soon  as  possible, 
with  a  grist  for  your  mill,  but  be  patient. 

How  much  need  there  is  of  this  gardening, 
may  be  gleaned  from  the  following,  from 
Mr.  Carpenter,  our  agent  at  Memphis, 
(Feb.  24.) 

Since  my  last  report,  -upon  my  return  from  He.- 
lena,Dr.  Warriner  arrived  with  sanitary  stores, 
leaving  at  this  point  one  hundred  barrels  of  po- 
tatoes, and  twenty-five  of  onions.  The  potatoes 
are  peculiarly  acceptable,  as  scurvy  is  making 
its  appearance  quite  freely  in  several  of  the 
camps.    It  is  very  desirable  to  receive  a  supply 


The  Somita/ry  Commission  BuUeiin, 


327 


sufSoient  to  allow,  at  l^eaBt,  a  few  rations  for  gen- 
eral distributioa.  It  would  undoubtedly  have  a 
marked  effect  in  checking  the  spread-  of  diseases 
of  this  class. 

We  "have  still  the  same  wants  with  regard  to 
farinaceous  food,  stimulants,  sheets,  soaks,  Sfc. 

We  have  at  this  place  about  — —  white  troops 

and  about ■  colored  troops,  with  about  2,5U0 

>  sick  in  general  hospital  and  500  in  regimental 
hospitals. 

Small-pox  is  still  on  the  increase,  and  quite 
prevalent.  Pneumonia  and  diarrhea  are  still  In 
excess  of  any  prevailing  diseases.  The  regiments 
are  generally  reported  in  fine  sanitary  condition. 

Nor  is  it  in  the  West  alone  that  the  gar- 
dening goes  on.  The  movement  has  ex- 
tended to  North  Carolina,  and,  so  far, 
with  promising  results.  Dr.  Page  writes, 
March  6: 

Tour  note  of  the  27tli  reached  me  this  morn- 
ing, with  enclosed  vaccine  matter.  Its  reception 
has  created'  a  feeling  of  great  satisfaction  al- 
^  ready — more  especially  as  we  have  recently  had 
an  addition  to  our  surgical  corps  of  Dr.  Martin;^ 
a.medical  gentleman,  enthusiastic  on  the  subject 
of  small-pox  and  vaccination.  If  he  is  retained 
here,  I  look  forward  to  an  early  suppression  of 
our  terrible  pest. 

I  learn  some  express  matter  has  arrived  for 
me  in  the  Schooner  -'Pearl,"  at  Moorehead,  and 
will  be  up  to-morrow.  I  presume  that  the  gar- 
.  den  tools  and  the  remaining  seeds — Short  Corn, 
Mohawk  Beans  and  Champion  Peas,  and  Flat 
Dutch  Onion,  are  among  them.  Gardens  and 
garden-plots  are  springing  up  in  every  part  of 
the  service.  The  Generals  have  gardens,  the  A. 
A.  G's,  and  so  on  down.  The  crops  will  be  a 
glorious  relief  to  onr  service.  The  large  Hospi- 
tals are  supplied  with  the  early  seed,  and  stnall 
ones  are  preparing  the  ground  and  asking  for 
seed._  It  would  seem  that  every  soldier's  and 
officer's  mess  were  anxious  to  have  a  garden  patch 
at  their  kitchen  door.  When  you  "know  that  a 
wilted  cabbage-head  from  New  York  commands 
the  exorbitant  Sutler's  price,  of  sixty  to  eighty 
cents,  and  the  demand  not  supplied  at  that  price, 
you  will  not  be  surprised  at  the  soldier's  enthusi- 
asm for  gardens  and  green  sauce,  I  am  now  en- 
deavoring to  start  a  fine  garden  on  the  opposite 
bank'  of  the  Nense — within  the  enclosure  of  the 
Small-pox  Hospital,  which  Is  so  isolated  from  sO: 
ciety  and  the  markets.  Its  culture  will  be  a 
healthful  relief  to  the  convalescents  there.  It 
SOW  contains  some  two  hundred  patients  and  an 
exposed  camp  of  a  large  number. 

I  wish  you  could  send  me  a  re-supply  of  some 
varieties— say, 

2  lbs;  Scollop  Squash. 

2  "    Hubbard    " 

2  "    Boston  Marrow  Squash. 

J  bushel  JU  arrow  Peas. 

J      "      Champion  of  England  Peas. 

i  lb.  Cucumber. 

J    "    Red  Olive  Radish. 

I    "    Red  Turnip    " 

J    '•    jNutmeg  Cantelope. . 

1    "    Red  Turnip  Beet. 

1    "    Long  Blood     '• 

1    "    Orange  Carrot. 

1    "    Early  Dutch  Turnip.  * 


ilb.    Okra. 
i   "   Parsley. 

1  "    Ice  Cream  Watermelon. 
i    "    Gherkin  Cucumber. 

2  "    Cress. 

i  bushel  Tom  Thumb  Peas. 
1      "      Cranberry  Pole  Bean. 

The  twenty  barrels  Mercer  seed  potatoes  have 
arrived  in  good  order. 

We  shall  have  a  large  space  of  fine  land  in  our 
Hospital.  Garden  for  a  coarser  crop.  Can  you  not 
send  me  twenty-five  bushels  of  a  good  kind  of 
white-bread  corn  for  planting,  as  we  have  a  steam 
grist  mill?  The  crop  would  aiford  our  hospitals 
a  fine  quantity  of  sweet  corn  meal  in  the  fall 
and  winter. 

We  have  large  borders  on  the  ornamental 
grounds  of  the  Generiil  Hospital,  and  som^  ornate 

garden- work  for  floral  effect. 

](i  *  «  *  * 

To  show  you  the  zest  with  which  our  Hospital 
Surgeons  entertain  the  idja  of  a  Hospital  Gar- 
den, I  enclose  for  your  perusal  a  letter  of  ac- 
knowledgment received  this  morning  from  Dr. 
Bellangir,  U.  S.  V.,  Surgeon  in  charge  of  Mans- 
field General  Hospital  at  Moorehead  City. 

I  paid  thirty-seven  dollars  and  forty -six,  cents 
freight  (S37.46)  on  the  freight  of  the  '•Pdtrdl" 
on  her  last  trip.    Was  it  correct  ? 

This  letter  will  go  via  canal  and  Old  Point, 
with  some  danger  of  capture  by  the  rebel  guer- 
rillas, as  they  are  infesting  that  line  of  commu- 
nication, and  fired  on  the  boat  the  last  trip  down. 
If  the  letter  should  fall  into  their  hands  it  may 
sow  seeds  of  discontent  in  their  ranks.  At  any 
rate  they  will  be  as  much  interested,  in  this  part 
of  the  note  as  ourselves. 

We  are  still  ou  the  alert,  and  General  Peck  is 
pushing  on  strong  works  of  defence,  and  perhaps 
some  for  offence.  Our  3d  N.  Y.  Cavalry  are  not 
to  be  caught  napping,  nor  will  they  be  likely  to 
leave  much  neutral  ground  between  us  and  tl^e ' 
enemy. 

I  write  this  in  some  haste  and  violence  to  the 
chirography  and  style,  but  the  mail  closes  earlier 
than  I  anticipated. 

Mansfibld  Ges.  Hospital, 
■   March  5, 1864. 

Deaii  Doctor. — God  bless  the  Sanitary  Com 
mission,  and  its  efScierit,  able,  and  obliging  rep- 
resentatives in  this  District,  Dr.  J.  W.  Page  & 
Bro.  Such  a  choice  lot  of  garden  seeds,  so  neatly 
arranged  and  labelled,  as  I  received  yesterday, 
is  enough  to  make  an  amateur  gardener  quite 
happy  with  himself  and  the  rest  of  mankind.  I 
hope  if  you  favor  us  with  a  visit  during  the 
summer  to  show  you  some  of  the  things  growing- 
in  about  the  right  shape,  but  really  j  am-  unac- 
quainted with  some  of  .the  articles  sent.  What 
is'  the  Gherkin  Cucumber?  When  rnust  it  be 
planted?  When  do  you  plant  Okra,  and  what 
are  its  habits  about  coming  up  ?  The  other  seeds 
are  all  familiar.  I  will  ba  delighted  to  receive 
the  other  seeds  mentioned,  especially  the  Cham- 
pion of  England  Pea.  Will  send  you  up  the  fore 
part  of  next  week  a  mess  of  lettuce  and  radishes; 
that  is,  provided  you  have  not  already  plenty  of 
them;  do  not  intend  to  be  distanced  much  by 
eitlier  Newbern  or  Washingtop,  N.  0.  Doctor,  I 
have  set  a  clerk  at  work  on  your  blank  reports; 
hope  soon  to  have  our  hospital  properly  reported 
every  week.    .Am  mortified  at  our  mi|erable 


328 


The  Sanitary  GammissfUm  BvUetin. 


blaaderiag  in  that  matter.    Accept  my  warmest 
thanks  for  many  favors. 

Tonrs  trury, 

J.  B.  Beixangib, 
Surgeon  U.  S.  V.,  in  charge. 

From  other  quarters  we  have  nothing 
novel  to  report,  but  our  every  day  ■work 
goes  on  every  where  with  unabated  vigor. 

We  have  been  able  at  New  Orleans  to 

bring  about  an  improvement  in  the  Goy- 

emment  machinery,  whicb  will  save  a  vast 

deal  of  misery.     Dr.  Blake,  writing  from 

that  city  (March  8,)  says: 

Daring  the  month  of  February  much  was  ac- 
complished that  will  add  to  tibe  comfort  of  the 
soldier,  and  rewound  to  the  credit  of  the  Commis- 


A  communication  from  Mr.  Bullard  to  Major 
Brigham,  chief  paymaster,  was  the  occasion  of  an 
order  for  all  paymasters  to  pay  the  soldier's  mile- 
age and  subsistence  from  this  city  to  his  home. 
Before  this  he  received  an  order  on  the  quarter- 
master for  transportation,  and  was  given. what- 
ever happened  to  be  convenient,  without  any 
referenfe  to  his  personal  comfort.  Privates, 
maimed  and  enfeebled  by  disease,  have- been 
stowed  away  in  transports  like  cattle,  and  allow- 
ed to  find  a  resting  place  any  where,  on  cotton 
bales  or  in  the  hold;  to  subsist  as  best  they  might 
.  on  scanty  rations.  Now,  the  mileage  and  subsist- 
ence give  every  discharged  soldier  a  comfortable 
passage  home. 

Some  were  too  sick  to  go  on  the  ordinary 
transport,  and  hence  an  application  was  made  to 
the "  Quartermasters'  Department,  to  furnish  a 
special  steamer  for  the  purpose  of  a  hospital 
transport. 

The  Laurel  Hill  was  first  assigned,  then  with- 
drawn, and  finally  the  N.  W.  Thomas.  Both 
these  steamers  were  fitted  up  by  the  Commission. 
The  latter  will  run  to  Cairo,  carrying  discharged 
men  who  are  tod  sick  to  go  from  the  Department 
by  common  transports. 

And  in  the  report  of  Mr.  BuUard,  our 
relief  agent  at  that  point,  (March  4,)  we 
find  the  following: 

My  report  for  the  month  of  February  has  been 
unavoidably  delayed.  The  new  movement  bf 
troops  through  Brashear,  made  it  probable  that 
there  would  be  at  least  a  temporary  increase  of 
work  at  the  "  Soldiers'  Hest"  in  that  place. 

^       *  *  *  *  *  * 

w 

Late  Monday  night  a  squad  of  seventy-six 
recruits  for  a  New  York  regiment  arrived  in 
Brashear,  en  route  for  Franklin,  to  join  their 
regiment.  The  night  was  stormy;  some  of  the 
men  were  sick ;  all  without  experience  in  the 
service.  They  had  but  just  landed  from  the 
transport,  which  had  brought  them  from  New 
York,  when  they  were  started  for  the  field.  The 
officer  having  them  in  charge  asked  if  we  could 
cook  them  some  rations,  and  give  them  a  place 
on  the  floor,  or  any  where  under  cover,  for  the 
night. 

W*  prepai-ed  them  some  good  coffee,  gave  them 
an  abundance  of  excellent  bread  and  butter,  and 


then  made  the  best  arrangement  we  could  for 
sleeping.  Most  of  the  beds  were  already  occupied. 
The  sick  men  were  furnished  with  cots;  the  rest 
were  well  satisfied  with  the  floor. 

We  gave  them  breakfast  and  dinner  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  they  left  us  with  many  kind  wishes 
for  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

For  Tuesday  we  had.  in  many  respects,  a  re- 
petition of  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours. 
Eighty-three  men  were  received,  some  dropping 
in  as  late  as  11  P.  M.  A  squad  of  some  thirty 
men  came  in  about  10  P.  M.     , 

Tbey  were  from  various  regiments,  aiid  on  their 
way  to  New  Orleans  for- the  Invalid  Corps  Gamp. 
The  beds  were  already.fuU,  but  we  gave  them  a 
supper,  and  spread  them  on  the  floors. 

I  have  given  you  these  somewhat  extended 
details,  as  coming  under  my  own  observation, 
and  showing  about  the  character  of  the  work  in 
Brashear. 

The  officials  and  soldiers,  so  far  as  I  had  the 
opportunity  of  conversing  with  them,  express  the 
greatest  satisfaction,  and,  I  think,  appreciate  the 
benefits  resulting  to  soldiers  delayed  at  this 
point,  and  all  speak  well  of  the  superintendent," 
Mr.  Reynolds. 

I  gathered  the  following  statements  from  his 
journal: 

From  Febkuakt  14th  to  March  1st. 

Number  received  at  the  Soldiers'  Rest 569 

Number  of  meals 1,219 

Number  of  lodgings. 334 

Daily  average. , . .      39 

Whole  number  at  the  "  Rest"  daring  Febru- 
ary  , 802 

Whole  number  of  meals  during  February.  .1,956 
Whole  numlier  of  lodgings         "  . .    523 

Daily  average  "  . .      27 

Rations  drawn  "  . .    716 

****** 

Discharged  and  furloughed  soldiers  are  relieved 
at  the  Home  on  showing  their  papers.  Soldiers - 
just  arrived  in  the  city,  in  special  cases,  are  fed 
before  being  sent  to  the  "  Camp  of  Distribution." 
Stragglers  coming  too  late  to  be  sent  to  the  camp 
are  kept  till  morning,  and  after  breakfast  all  put 
on  their  way.  Any  soldier  bringing  an  order  from 
General  Reynolds's  headquarters  is  relieved,  in 
consideration  of  the  Government  providing  for 
the  Home  an  expensive  building, -in  a  central 
locality,  convenient  to  most  of  the  military 
oflBces. 

****** 

I  enclose  Mr.  Weaver's  report  for  the  month  ol 
February,  New  Orleans  "  Home:" 

BDBING  THE  MONTH  OF  FEBBDAET. 

Number  of  men  received 766 

Number  of  lodgings 4518 

Number  of  meals , 15,5^5 

Average  daily  number  of  men. 156 

Largest  number  for  one  day 220 

Smallest  "  " 85 

One  death  at  the  Home  in  February. 

In  the  Special  Relief  OfBce  I  have  to  report 
continued  activity. 

The  journal  shows  a  record  of  thirtv-two  cases. 
$4,307.60  ("  back  pay,"')  has  been  cofleoted.  The  ' 
correspondence  necessary  for   the  correction  of 
imperfect  papers,  coming  from  the  distant  regi- 
ments, is  increasing. 


The  Sanitary  Cqmmission  Bulhtin.^ 


329 


transportation,  for  several  parties  who  had  lost 
their  discharged  papers.  • 
'  So  far  I  have  had  every  facility  afforded  me  by 
officials,  that  could  be  reasonably  asked,  on  all 
my  applications  for  necessary  papers  or  informa- 
tion. 


WHAT  THE  SURGEONS  IN  THE  FIELD 
THINK  ABOUT  THE  COMMISSION. 

The  officers  and  medical  men,  who  are 
present  with  the  AJmy  in  the  field,  know, 
of  course,  better  than  anybody  else  can 
possibly  knoV,  what  are  the  wants  of  the 
men  under  their  care,  and  to  what  extent 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  been  able  to 
•  supply  them.  We  therefore  beg  for  the 
.  public  satisfaction,  no  less  than  for  our  own,- 
to  oaU  attention  to  the  following  testimony. 
It  will  be  seen,  by  those  who  will  have  the 
goodness  to  read  it,  that  the  condition  of 
the  government  storehouses  in  New  York, 
has  not  necessarily  any  bearing  on  the  ac- 
tual sanitary  state'  of  the  men  4n  camp  at 
the  seat  of  war. 

Mt  Dbab  Sib — I  have  just  been,  examining  the. 
consolidated  weekly  reports  of  sick  and  wounded 
of  the  divisions  comprising  the  IVth  Corps,  apd 
also  the  inspection  reports  of  the  surgeons-in- 
chief  of  divisions,  and,  so  far  as  made,  that  of 
the  'acting  medical  inspector  of  the  corps,  Sur- 
geon JohnM.  Woodvforth,  1st  Illinois  Artillery, 
and  am  so  gratified  'vrith  the  condition  of  health 
exhibited,  that  I  cannot  refrain  from  expressing 
my  thanks  and  obligations  to  the  United  States 
and  Western  Sanitary  Commissions ;  the  imme- 
diate and  active  agencies  which  have  been, 
under  Providence,  largely  instrumental  in  pre- 
serving the  health  of  the  troops,  and  thus  main- 
taining a  state  of  efficiency  rarely  equalled,  and 
-perhaps  never  surpassed. 

Coming  to  the  present  location  from  the  long 
march  of  nearly  eight  hundred  miles  from  Mem- 
phis to  Knoxville,  and  so  far  back;  and  fighting 
at  CoUiersville,  Cherokee,  Tuscumbia,  Lookout 
Mountain,  Missionary  Kidge  and  Einggold,  ahd 
losing  throughout,  in  killed,  wounded  and  miss- 
ing, nearly  two  thousand -men;  the  gratification 
of  the  gallant  corps  could  hardly  shape  itself  in 
words,  when,  on  reaching  at  last  a  resting  place 
'—weary,  worn,  ragged,  footsore  and  hungry^ 
it  found  the  ine'vitable  Sanitary  Commission, 
with  their  supplies  ■  of  vegetables,  delicacies, 
hospital  supplies  of  food  and  clothings  and  ex- 
perienced once  more  the  benefits  of  that  active 
and  loving  sympathy,  which,  in  its  organization 
and  results,  challenges  history  for  a  parell^, 
and  which,  in  its  never-wearying  love,  labor,  ' 


sacrifice,  hopefulness,  broa^  catholic  charity, 
and  courage-inspiring  words  of  'chebr,  corre- 
sponds fittingly  with,  and  is  a  glorious  pendant 
to,  the  patriotism,  valor,  endurance  and  high- 
heartedness  of  the  noble  army — bra-ving  disease 
and  death — enduring  all  things  in  the  present, 
and  hoping  all  things  in  the  future — fighting 
for  those  altars  and  fires,  at  and  around  which 
they  are  daily  ma.de  to  feel  they  are  perpetually 
remembered.  This  is  as  it  should  be.  The 
soldier  battling  for  his  co^untry  and  home;  and 
home,  stretching  out  its  hand  of  sympathy  and 
bountifulness  to  his  battle-cry  of  "Liberty  and 
Union,"  answering  with  words  of  love  and  hope; 
and  when,  through  wounds  and  sickness,  the 
arms  fall  from  the  manly  hands  which  haVe  car- 
ried them  so  often,  and  so  far,  into  the  ranks  of 
the  foe,  holding  out  unfailingly  those  loving 
and  untiring  arms  which  carry  cheer,  and  suc- 
cor, and  renovation  to  him,  whose  loss  might 
otherwise  be  certain  and  irremediable. 

This  view  of  the  far-reaching  and  beneficial 
influences  flowing  from  the  projection  (so  to 
speak,)  flf  home  into  the  field,  is,  I  am  con- 
•vinoed,  not  sufficiently  dwelt  upon.  During  a 
term  of  service  commencing  a  .few  days  after 
the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  and  nearly  all  the  time 
in  .the  field,  I  have  witnessed  both  its  patent 
and  palpable  effects,  and  those  moire  intangible 
and  recondite  results,  visible  !n  the  individual 
only  to  the  obseiwant  student,  but  known  and 
recognized  in  the  mass  as  the  base  and  ground- 
work of  the  efficiency,  tone,  moral  of  the  army. 
In  this  electric  chain  of  material  aid  and  sym- 
pathy— this  knowledge  and  confidence  that,  go 
where  he  may,  the  arms  and '  comforts  of  home 
are  extended  to  him — that  makes  the  soldier 
buoyant,  hopeful,  brave  — defiant  of  danger, 
because  he  knows,  if  sickness  or  wounds  result 
from  his  performance  of  duty,  that  preparations 
have  been  made  for  the  very  event  by  loving 
hands  of  mothers,  wives,  sweethearts  and  sis- 
ters; and  that  the  hoards  of  the  rich  and  the 
earnings  of  toil-worn  hands  are  freely  drawn 
Upon  to  support  and  renovate  the  dearly  remem- 
bered ones  who  have  'gone  forth  from  all  the  ' 
homes  of  the  land  to  fight  for  and  restore  the 
Union. 

I  am  satisfied,  from  this  long  and  familiar 
intercourse  .with  the  army  in  active  servicej 
that  mauy  are  brave,  even  reckless,  both  because 
of  the  knowledge  that  they  are  watched  by 
loviag  eyes,  that  fill  with  proud  and  happy  tears" 
when  they  do  nobly;' and  because  they  are 
'"sustained  and  soothed  by  an  unfaltering 
trust,"  that,  happen  what  may,  preparation  and 
provision  have  been  made  for  the  emergency, 


330 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BulMin. 


even  against  their  hour  and  manner  of  suffer- 
ing. 

The  soldiers  look  with  confidence  to  the' 
Commissions  for  prophylactics,  also;  and  the 
liberal  distribution  of  vegetables  has  been  pro- 
ductive of  incalculable  good,  by  preventing  that 
deterioration  and  deprivation  of  the  system, 
which  is  the  precursor  of  typhus,  scurvy  and  all 
those  formidable  evils,  which  arise  in  the  army 
from  derangements'  of  the  nutritive  function. 
The  Medical  Department  of  the  army  supplies 
bountifully,  now,  what  is  needed  in  the  way  of 
medicines  and  hospital  stores;  those  medical 
officers  whose  ideas  of  service  and  administra- 
tion were  found  incompatible  with  the  needs  of 
the  emergency  and  the  spirit  of  the  times,  having 
been  forced  to  yield  their  notions,  or  pushed 
aside  altogether.  So  fax,  then,  as  this.portiou 
of  the  army  is  concerned,  it  seems  to  me  that 
the  greatest  amount  of  good  may  be  done  in  the 
way  of  prevention;  and  I  would  respectfully 
urge,  as  my  opinion  of  the  method  of  bringing 
the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number,  that 
the  Commissions  should  direct  the  large-hearted 
liberality  of  the  soldiers'  friends  tbwards  gather- 
ing and  forwarding  to  the  army  those  vegetables 
which  are  the  most  difficult  to  proeiire  on  the 
part  of  the  Commissary  Department,  or  which 
are  not  in  the  army  ration,  and  which  have 
proved  so  valuable  hitherto  in  the  prevention 
of  disease,  arising  from  the  derangement  of  the 
function  of  nutrition  and  the  depraved  condi- 
tion of  system,  which  is  nearly  certain  to  foUow 
confinement  to  one  class  of  food.  The  occu- 
pancy for  a  long  time  past  of  this  part  of  the 
country  by  both  armies,  has  stripped- it  of  sup- 
plies, and  many  of  the  inhabitants  are  forced  to 
apply  to  the  Army  Commissary  for  subsistence. 

This  corps,  belonging  to  the  moving  column, 
and  "  Great  Class  in  Geography,"  under  the 
tuition  of  three  eminent  instructors,  Sherman, 
Blair  and  Logan,  the  constant  eUange  of  place 
has  enabled  it  to  gather  whatever  of  a  variety  a 
larger  space  of  country  afforded;  but  it/is  now 
dependent  upon  the  supply  brought  to  it  in 
ooAimon  with  the  Army  of  the  Cumberlandj 
over  a  heavily  burdened  railroad,  and  which, 
«though  good  in  quality  and  now  plentiful  in 
quantity,  is  stiU  limited  in  variety,  and  occa- 
sionally deficient  in  those  articles  which  are 
especially  desirable. 

The  health  of  our  troops  is  now  so  excellent, 
that  the  greatest  expectations  may  be  based 
upon  their  efficiency  in  the  coming  campaign; 
and,  if  the  articles  mentioned  can  be' furnished, 
I  have  no  fear  that  the  number  of  sick  will  ex- 
ceed the  four  per  ce^t.  now  reported,  although 
the  months  of  February  and  March  are  most 


trying  to  troops  who' are  allowed  to  deteriorate 
during  the  change  from  winter  to  spriiig.  ^ 

I  should  remark  that  only  four  per  cent,  are 
excused  from  duty,  and  only  two  per  cent,  are 
really  so  iU  as  to  need  medical  attendance.  In 
many  regiments  there  is  not  an  inmate  of  a 
regimental  hospital.  We  have  not  sent  a  man 
to  general  hospital  since  leaving  ffridgeport,  on 
Christmas,  ajid  have  at  this  place  a  post  hospi-  . 
tal  mainly  for  the  care  of  sick  belonging  to  the 
Provost-Guard,  on  duty  in  to-wn,  quartermaster 
and  citizen  employees,  &c. ;  less  than  twenty  in 
all,  being  reported  as  "remaioing  sick."  I 
know  that  this  information  will  be  gratifying 
to  those  who  bear  in  remembrance  the  patriotic 
citizen  who  has  become  a  soldier,  and  to  you, 
the  representatives  of  those  Sanitary  Commis- 
sions, whose  bounties  I  have  -witnessed  during 
BO  long  a  period,  and  under  so  many  trying  and 
desperate  circumstances.  And  it  is  -with  a  warm 
and  grateful  feeling  at  my  heart  that  I  declare, 
that  in  a  service  of  nearly  three  years,  performed 
in  the  States  of  Maryland,  Tennessee,  Virginia, 
Arkansas,  !|youisiana,  Mississippi,  Alabama  and 
Georgia,  I  have  never  been  in  circumstances, 
however  trying,  in  positions,  however  desperate 
and  hopeless,  or  in  places  of  danger,  however 
great  and  imminent,  but  either  preceding  us, 
Closeby  our  side,  or  folio-wing  in  oxtr  very  foot- 
steps, were  to  be  found  the  active,  self-sacrific- 
ing, ubiquitous  agents  of  the  IT.  S.  Shnitary 
Commission,  braving  disease,  and  danger,  and 
death,  in  the  pursuit  and  exercise  of  a  noble 
philanthropy,  which  -will  for  ever  entitle  them 
to  the  gratitude  of  their  country,  and  to  the 
proud  appellation  of  "  The -Soldiers' Friend." 

I  am,  sincerely  and  truly,  your  friend, 
(Signed,) 

CeCAIOLES  MnMTTT.tw, 
Surgeon  TT.  S.  Vols.,  Medical  Director  ISth  A,  C; 
Bb.  a.  N.  Bead, 

TT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 


Headquakteks  Medical  Depaktment,  ) 

99iH  Eegt.  Illinois  Infantbt  YoLirsTEEKa,  [ 

Ihsiasola,  Texas,  Feb.  IS,  1861.    ) 

Sir — Permit  me,  through  you,  to  return  my 
thanks  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  for  the 
benefits  derived  by  my  regiment,  from  it. 

The  following  statement  will  show  you  the  in- 
calculable value  of  your  Commission  to  troops  in 
the  field: 

I  have  three  men  whose  discharge  papers  I  had 
made  out  and  forwarded.  These  papers  came 
back  approved.,  and  an  order  for  the  men  to 
report  in  New  Orleans  for  their  final  discharge 
from  the  service,  on  account  of  chronic  diarrhea. 
In  the  meantime  I  had  procured  from  you  corn 
starch,  beef  stock,  condensed  milk,  and  sherry 


The  Samtary  Commissiott  Bulletin. 


S31 


wine,.  wMoh  I  had  prepared  for  them,  and  on 
this  diet  they  have  been  rapidly  reoovering^and, 
in  my  opinion,  will  be  fit  for  full  duty  in  thirty 
days;  thus  saving  three  good  soldiera  for  the 
Government. 

I  may  add,  that  in  no  other  way  could  I  have 
procured  these  articles,  as  they  are  not  supplied 
by  the.  Government  to  troops  in  the  field. 
Very  respectfully, 

J.  K.  Ledlte, 
Surgeon,  99iA  i2£^.,  Illinois  IvfaMry  Volunteers* 
To  Kdwasd  MiTOHSi,!.,  Esq., 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commisiwn  Agent. 

HlTRFBEESBOBO',  TEfTN., 

February  Wfh,  1861. 
To  Dr.  Reed,  Sanitary  Commission: 

Snt: — Having  lately  seen  various  newspaper 
articles  charging  the  Agents  of  the  Sanitary 
Conamission  with  carelessness  and  fraud  in,  the 
appropriation,  use,  and  distribution  of  supplies 
furnished  by  the  loyal  people  of  the  North,  for 
the  Army,  I  desire  to  assert,  on  my  own  know- 
ledge, that  these  charges,  as  far  as  they  relate  to 
certain  specific  times  or  places,  are  either  imin- 
tentiouaUy  or  WilfuUy  false. 

In  March  last  I  was  assigned  to  duty  upon 
the  staff  of  Major-Geueral  Bo'sencrans,  as  Med- 
ical Inspector— a  position  that  gave  me  ample 
opportunity  of  witnessing  the  Working  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission..  Prior  to  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  my  intercourse  with  the  Commis- 
sion was  slight;  but  afterwards  I  saw  sufficient 
to  warrant  me  in  declaring  that  not  only  does  a 
vast  majority  of  its  supplies  reach  those  for 
whom  they  are  intended,  but  that  the  amount 
■  of  good  done  by  them  is  beyond  compensation. 
I  know  that  from  their  depot  at  Stevenson,  Ala. , 
after  that  battle,  immense  quantities  of  supplies 
were  forwarded  to  Chattanooga  for  the  use  of 
the  wounded,  and  that  more  would  have  been 
sent  could  transportation  have  been  obtained, 
and  that  the  supplies  (save  such  as  were stolen) 
were  used  in,  and  were  a  perfect  God-send  to 
the  hospitals  there.  I  was  present  when  the 
-.supplies  &om  Stevenson  from  the  Quartermas- 
ter's, Commissary's  and  Sanitary  Commission, 
were  sent  to  Sequatchie  Valley,  to  establish  a 
Soldier's  Home  for  feeding  the  wounded  in  tran- 
sit -from  Chattanooga  to  the  hospitals  in  the 
rear,  and  I  know  that  they  were  put  in  the  hands 
d'  a  good  and  reliable  man,  who  had  been  tiie 
Medical  Director  of  the  Department,  and  de- 
tailed by  General- Kosencrans  to  take  charge  of 
the  post.  This  Home  was  afterwards  transfer- 
red to  KeUy's  Ferry.  In  my  capacity  as  Inspec- 
tor, and  in  obedience  to  orders,  I  visited  that 
■point  several  times.  It  was  under  the  charge  of 
Surgeon  Failor,  19th  A.  V.  I.,  and  Kev.  Mr. 


Kennedy,  and  no  wounded  or  sick  soldier  pass- 
ed that  point  without  receiving  all  the  care  and 
attention  that  circumstances  would  permit. 
That  many  "shoulder-strapped  gentry"  were 
also  fed,  is  true;  they  could  get  fopd  and  lodg- 
ing nowhere  else;  and  from  Major-Generals  to 
Second  Lieutenants,  were  most  thankful  for  the 
aid  and  comfort theyieoeiyed-  I  know  tl^at  after 
thebattles  of  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Bidge, 
Binggold,  &c.,  large  quantities  of  Sanitary  stores 
were  issued  to  the  sick  and  wounded.  Mr. 
Reed,  the  Agent  at  Chattanooga,,  received  every 
few  days  instructions  from  G.  Pierce,  Surgeon 
U.  S.  A.,  Medical  Director  of  the  Department, 
as  to  what- articles  to  bring  forward,  an(i  they 
were  distributed  to,  and  used  by  those  needing 
them,  and  for  whom  they  were  designed. 

In  Decemlber  last  I  tool^ charge  of  over-  200 
wounded  and  sick,  whom  it  was  necessary  to 
remove  from  Chattanooga  to  the  rear.  When 
the  boat  touched  at  Kelly's  Ferry,  the  Sanitary 
Commission's  Agent  there  gave  me  for  their  use, 
and;  they  got  them,  such  articles  of  food  aS' 
could  be  used,  and  a  liberal  supply.  When  I 
arrived  at  Bridgeport,  Ala.,  with  my  charge,  I 
was,  delayed  after  getting  my  men  into  the  cars 
for  nearly  a  whole  'day,  and  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission there  famished  them  with  coffee,  whis- 
ky, food,  blankets,  shirts,  socks,  drawers,  pants, 
&o. ,  to  every  man  who  expressed  a  wish  for,  qr 
had  need  of  such  articles.  On  leaving  Nash- 
ville for  Louisville,  I  found  attached  to  my  train 
a  Sanitary  Commission  car,  supplied  With  bunks 
'  clean  and  nice,  and  an  abundance  of  first-rate 
food  and  cooking  utensils,  and  every  man  on 
that  train  was  fed  with  food  as  abundant  as 
good,  and  as  weU  cooked  as  they  could  desire, 
and  I  doubt  not  would  take  great  pleasure  in 
branding  as  liars  all  who  traduce  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

I  make  this  statement  without  solicitation, 
and  as  a  mere  act  of  justice  to  parties  interested, 
and  conscientiously  believe  that  the.  abuse  be- 
stowed upon  the  Commissipn  owes  its  origin  to 
ignorance  of  what  it  really  does  do,  posiMve 
malevolence,  jealousy,  or  else  is  from  those  who 
have  sgught  for,  but  have  failed  to  receive  from 
the  Commission,  favors  to  which  they  had  no 
right,  and  have  thus  sought  to  vent  iheir  spite. 
Most  respectfully. 
Your  obfediant  servant, 

(Signed).       HenbtN.  Sbys, 

Surgeon  15th  Ohio  Volsi 

Nashvillb,  Fetruary  26, 1864. 
To  Dr.  J.'S.  Newberry f  Secretary 

Western,  Department  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sib: — I  take  pleasure  in  being  able  to  forward 
to  you  the  preceding  testimony.     It  is  specially 


382 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


valuable,  as  Dr.  Seys  has  been  for  the  last  year 
Medical  Inspector  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land, and  as  such,  has  been  constantly  yisiting 
camps,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  and  re- 
porting to  the  Medical  Director  the  condition 
and  wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded.  It  is  true 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  give  most  of 
their  goods  designed  for  the  slot  through  the 
Surgeons  in  charge.  The  Surgeons  are  the 
regularly  authorized  agents  of  tne  Government 
to  watch  over  tW  sick  and  wounded,  and  sup- 
ply their  wants.  As  a  class,  they  work  faith- 
fully, honestly  and  laboriously;  and,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  they  faithfully  distribute  the 
gifts  of  the  Commission.  What  person  of  good 
judgment  would,  if  he  could,  put  a  can  of  pre- 
served fruit,  a  bottle  of  wine,  or  other  articles 
in  the  hands  of  the  sick,  leaving  them  to  judge, 
how  much,  and  when,  they  should  use  them  ? 
It  is  not  safe  to  do  so.  We  are  compelled  to 
tfust  the  Surgeons.  We  can  do  so  safely. 
Tours  truly, 

A.  N.  Read. 


THE  AEMY  IN  TENNESSEE. 

The  past  month  has  brought  with  it  no 
great  battle  in  this  Department,,  yet  there 
have  been  constant  notes  of  preparation, 
and  the  agents  of  the  Commission  have 
been  unusually  active.  No  more  store- 
rooms have  been  opened,  and  there  has 
been  no  special  change  in  those  previously 
established.  Eev.  O.  Kennedy  reports  fa- 
vorably from  Murfreesboro'  and  from  the 
soldiers  in  the  hospitals  there.  I  have  re- 
ceived and  forwarded  to  you  valuable  testi- 
monials of  the  good  done  thei;e  by  the 
Commission.  These  were  given  unsought, 
and  disproved  the  false  statements  made 
by  letter-writers  that  Our  supplies  are  given 
to  the  officers. 

From  HuntsviUe  I  learn  by  Mr.  H.  Tone, 
in  charge  of  the  store-room,  that  he  has 
frequent  calls  for  vegetables  from  the  sur- 
geons, who  report  cases  of  scorbutis,  and 
on  this  account  are  urgent.  A  portion  of 
the  15th  A.  C.  have  left  HuntsviUe,  but 
their  sick  remain. 

Mr.  Wm.  A.  Sutliff  has  obtained  conven- 
ient store-rooms  and  quarters  in  Stevenson, 
and  his  work  there  is  generally  commend- 
ed. There  the.  Alabama  House  was  taken 
by  Government  for  a  Soldiers'  Home;  is  in 
charge  of  Government  Officers,  and  by 
their  request  we  have  furnished  a  large 
supply  of  bedding,  and  for  fiUing  the  bed- 


ticks  five ,  bales  of  straw,  which  we  could 
not  obtain  nearer  than  Louisville;  besides 
the  Commission  have  furnished  candle- 
sticks, sconces,  and  other  articles  of  furni- 
ture, as  well  as  vegetables  for  the  table. 

At  Bridgeport,  Mr.  E.  H.  Pocock  in 
charge,  is  working  with  his  accustomed 
gQod  judgment  and  energy.  At  least  thir- 
ty-five regiments,  and.  those  as  needy  as 
any  in  the  army,  look  to  that  depot  for 
their  supplies;  they  have,  perhaps,  receiv- 
ed their  share,  yet  it  has  been  but  little 
compared  with  their  wants. 

The  shipment  of  stores  to  Knoxville,  and 
an  attempt  to  identify  our  unburied  or  par- 
tially buried  dead  on  the  field  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  has  been  added  to  the  usual  work 
of  the  Commission  at  Chattanooga.  M.  0. 
Eead,  who  accompanied  the  burial  party 
for  this  purpose,  has  been  in  many  instan- 
ces successful.  He  has  also  given  personal 
and  special  attention  to  preparing  for  early 
planting  a  large  hospital  garden.  The 
number  of  discharged  and  ftu-loughed  sol- 
diers, returning  from  Knoxville  and  from 
our  divisions  now  advanced  beyond  Chat- 
tanooga, are  so  great  as  to  make  it  neces- 
sary to  establish  at  Chattanooga  a  "Sol- 
diers' Home. "  Our  agents  there  have  been 
offered  a  good  building,  which  I  hope  will 
soon  be  ready  for  use. 

In  Nashville,  during  the  past  month,  a 
most  excellent  field  hospital,  admirably 
planned,  has  been  rapidly  built  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  still  increasing  num- 
ber of  cases  of  small-pox.  The  numbei;  of 
the  other  hospitals  remains  the  same.  The 
new  small-pox  hospital  will  give  gleat  re- 
lief to  the  large  number  of  patients,  now 
over  seven  hundred.  The  rooms  previously 
used  had  been  so  over-crowded,  that  the 
mortality  had  beep  fearfully  large.  They 
were  more  dreaded  by  the  soldiers  than 
the  disease  itself,  and  when  they  were  told 
"You  have  the  varioloid,  and  must  be  sent 
to  that  hospital,"  the  answer  was,  "Then 
I  must  die,"  which  conviction  was  too 
•  often  verified.  This  is  all  changed,  and  I 
hope  to  be  able  to  report  ijiereafter  a  much 
less  percentage  of  deaths,  on  account  of 
improved  sanitary  condition  of  the  hos-. 
pital.  In  this  connection  it  may  not  be 
iinproper  for  me  to  state  that  I  inspected 
the  house  and  hospital,  all  in  one  building, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


333 


■where  tlie  refugees  are  receiTed  and  their 
sick  oared  for.  At  that  time  there  were 
over  four  hundred  inmates,  mostly  women 
and  children,  the  -wives  and  children  of 
Union  men,  and  of  rebels  now  in  arms 
against  the  Union.  They  are  here  because 
they  must  come  or  starve.  They  have 
been  made  thus  destitute  by  various  causes. 
One  Umion  woman  said  to  me,  "  They 
hung  my  husband  and  tooi  everything 
I  had,  because  he  was  a  Union  man." 
Our  Government  is  feeding  and  clothing 
them,  making  no  distinction  ■  between 
friends  and  enemies ;  and  they  are  sent 
North,  if  they  desire  to  go,  as  many  of 
them  do.  I  saw  that  these  poor,  ignorant, 
half-clad  sufferers  were  not. only  dreadfully 
exposed  to  smaU-pox  themselves,  but  were 
liable  to  spread  it  over  the  city  and 
throughout  the  Northern  States.  A  large 
proportion  of  them  had  never  been  vac- 
cinated, and  I  'applied  to  Gov.  Johnson  to 
furnish  vaccine  virus,  and  order  the  sur- 
geon  in  charge  to  vaccinate  aU  present  and 
each  day  all  who  came  in.  Mr.  Oviott, 
the  agent  of  Gov.  Johnson  in-  charge  of 
these  j)eople,  saw  at  once  the  importance 
of  the  measure.  On  his  application.  Sur- 
geon Clendennin,  Medical  Director,  signed 
the  necessary  order  to  obtain  the  vaccine 
virus  without  delay,  and  instructed  the 
surgeon  in  charge  to  vaccinate  all,  which, 
at  a  subsequent  visit,  made  a  few  days 
after,  I  found  had  been, done. 

The  "  Home "  in  NashviUe  has  been 
over-crowded  during  the  past  month;  they 
have  but  one  hundred  beds,  yet  they  have 
fed  and  lodged  about  two  hundred  'daUy. 
Within  "the  month  Gen.  Granger,  the  Post 
Commander,  doubting  his  authority,  re- 
fused to  issue  rations  or  fuel.  On  applica- 
tion to  Gen.  Grant,  he  replied  "Of  course 
it  must  be  done,"  and  gave  the  necessary 
order,  relieving  us  from  that  embarrass- 
ment. Soon  after,  our  agent  at  Chattanoo- 
ga wrote  me  that  the  authorities  there  were 
desirous  to  do  all  they  could  for  us  legally, 
but. could  find  no  authority  to  issue  forage 
for  our  horses.  We  had  then  but  two,, but 
we  must  have  them,  and  as  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  supply  ourselves,  I  again  re- 
sorted to  Gen.  Grant,  who  gave  an  order 
that  in  all  parts  of  his  command  forage  be 
issued  on  application  of  ;the  authorized 


agents  of  the  Commission,  approved  by 
the  Post-Commander.  I  have  sent  copies 
of  this  order  to  Chattanooga,  KnoxviUe, 
and  Louisville.  . 

For  the  past  eight  months  the  Commis-  • 
sion  in  Nashville  has  not  been  able  to  ob- 
tain comfortable  quarters.  The  city  is 
constantly  crowded  to  overflowing;  a  suit- 
able building  was  hardly  to  be  found. 
After  long  delay,  I  applied  to  Gen.  Grant, 
asking  for  a  large  house,  and,  if  practica- 
ble, plain  furniture.  By  the  assistance!  of 
Mr.  Soovel,  our  true  friend  and  a  good 
Union  man,  such  a  house  was  found,  and 
Gen.  Grant  promptly  put  us  in  possession, 
adding  to  this  favor  that  of  paying  the 
rent.  We  receive  such  qjd  with  gratitude, 
as  substantial  testimonials  from  the  Gene- 
ral whom  the  nation  delights  to  honor,  of 
the  value  of  oiir  work. 

The  forwarding  of  stores  from  Nashville 
the  past  month  has.  been  mostly  done  un- 
der the  superintendance  of  Mr.  Jones,  Mr. 
Eobinson,  being  absent  on .  furlough.  Mr. 
Tracker  has  given  his  attention  principally 
■to  the  retail  business,  in  which  business, 
however  judiciously  it  may  be  done,  it  is 
difficult  to  give  entire  satisfaction.  The 
requisitions  from  surgeons  are  often  much 
larger  than  we  have  the. means  of  filling, 
and  occasionally  soldiers  have  forged  or- 
ders. Both  branches  of  the  work  have 
been  well  done.  In  general  the  goods 
called  for  have  been. forwarded  promptly; 
and  when  requisitions  could  not  be  filled, 
so  far  as  possible  satisfactory  explanations 
have  been  made.  Eev.'  Mr.  Hoblit,  after  a 
short  leave  of  absence,  has  returiied  with 
new  zeal  to  his  work  of  "special  relief," 
and  in  this  work  no  one  can  be  more  suc- 
cessful. In  many  cases  of  inquiry  after 
friends  long  lost,  he  has  been  able  to  ob- 
tain satisfactory  answers,  affer  others  of 
less  experience  have  looked  in  vain.  In 
his  intercourse  with  the  officers,  careful  to 
ask  for  only  what  is  just,  he  obtains  aU  he 
asks.  We  have  not  in  this  department  a 
more  faithful  or  successful  worker. 

Eev.  Mr.  Ingraham  and  Hon.  Mr.  Eoot, 
both  of  MUwaukie,  are  engaged  in  visiting 
hospitals  and  camps  in  NashviUe  and  vi- 
cinity, looking  for  those  in  need  of  special 
relief,  listening  patientlj-  to  the  complaints 
of  the  sick  and  suffering,  and  encouraging 


334 


2%e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


them  to  bear  unavoidable  troubles  patient- 
ly; or  -when  they  can  be  relieved,  kindly 
fumisliing  help  from  the  stores  of  the  Com- 
mission; or  they  correct  the  evil  by  apply- 
ing to  the  nurse,  the  ward-master;  or,  if 
necessary,  to  the  surgeon  for  help.  In 
this  work  they  are  everywhere  welcomed 
by  the  surgeons. 

The  calls  for  help  are  sometimes  such 
that  it  is  difiScult  to  determine  whether  we 
can  aid  the  soldier  most,  by  furnishing  the 
article  required,  or  if  it  should  and  could 
have  been  procured  of  Government,  induce 
the  officer  in  charge  of  the  soldiers  to  obtain 
it  from  that  source.     There  is  such  a  thing 
as  making  our  gifts  too  cheap — so  cheap 
that  they  are  not  appreciated,  and  so  free 
and  easy  to  be  obtained,  that  sufficient 
effijrt  is  not  made  to  obtain  them  through 
Government  channels — ^which  are  a  little 
more  difficu],t.    I  have  even  heard  of  Sur- 
getos  who  think  it  too  much  trouble  to 
state  their  wants  in  writing  to  the  store- 
keeper, not  wishing  to  give  their  time  to 
such  smaJl  matters — that  being  rather  the 
business  of  the  Steward.    There,  are  Tjut 
few  such  Surgeons;  not  moile,  I  should 
judge,  than  those  who  misappropriate  San- 
itary stores.      Applications  from  Hospitals 
and  Convalescent  Camps  are  not  uncom- 
mon— ^the  reason  assigned  being  that  the 
patient  is  "  without  descriptive  roll."    In 
conversing  with  the  parties  who  make  these 
requests,  I  am  told  that  clothing  cannot  be 
issued  in  such  cases,  because  soldiers  some- 
times give  wrong  names,  or  make  false 
statements  as  to  the  regiments  which  they 
belong;  and  if  clothing. were  issued  to  such 
soldiers,  the  officers  issuing  would  be  per- 
sonally responsible,     However,  as  I  be- 
lieved the  record  upon  which  they  were  re- 
ceived was  prima  facie  evidence  that  they 
were  the  persons  they  represented  them- 
selves to  be,  and  if  it  was  legal  to  give  them 
rations  upon  this  evidence,  it  was  equally 
so  to  clothe  them,  I  addressed  a  note  to 
the  Assistant  Medical  Director  in  charge  of 
the  Hospitals  in  NashviUe,  asking  him  to 
inform  me  whether  clothing  Can  or  cannot 
be  issued  to'  patients  in  hospital  without 
their  descriptive  roUs.  He  replied,  "cloth- 
ing can  be  issued  to  all  enlisted  men  with- 
out their  descriptive  rolls;"   and  at  the 
same  time  he  sent  me  a  note,  asking  me  to 


inform  him  if  I  found  any  Surgeon  who 
refused  to  issue  to  any  needy  soldier.  At 
the  same  tirne  it  has  been  our  rule  to  sup- 
ply the  appUeants  at  once  from  our  stores, 
lest  they  might  suffer' by  the  delay. ,  There 
are  also  many  employees  of  the  Govern- 
ment in  hospital,  who  cannot  be  thus  sup- 
plied; not  being  enlisted  men.  I  hope  soon 
to  know  that  every  enlisted  soldier  needing 
clothing  in  ail  long-established  hospitals  is 
furnished,  and  that  the  same  will  be  done 
in  Convalescent  Camps. 

The  Hospital  Train  between  NashviUe 
and  Chattanooga,  in  charge  of  Surgeon 
Myers,  ip'in  excellent  order;  the  cars  and 
beds  are  clean,  and  the  sick  and  wounded 
are  well-fed,  but  all  sick  and  wounded  have 
not  had  the  benefit  of  this  train.  In  cold 
weather  some  have  been  passed  over  the 
road  in  box-cars  without  fire.  Several  in- 
stances of  suffering  from  this  cause  coming 
to  my  knowledge,  I  notified  Dr.  G.  Penn, 
Medical  Director,  asking  him  that  such 
men  be  retained  in  hospital  until  they  can 
be  sent  on  the  Hospital  Train;  or  if  this  is 
not  always  practicable,  that  the  best  seats 
in  the  passenger- cars  be  given  them  rather 
than  to  well  soldiers,  or  to  those  civilians 
who  are  visiting  the  Army  for  the  purpose 
of  speculation,  or  to  gratify  curiosity.  I 
have  not  yet  heard  from  my  request,  but 
believe  the  evil  will  be  corrected. 

The  Hospital  Cars  between  Nashville  and 
Louisville,  are  by  no  means  what  they 
should  be.  There  are  not  enough  of  them, 
and  they  are  not  good  enough.  Dr.  Bar- 
num,  who  has  long  had  charge  of  the  train, 
and  has  done  all  that  could  be  done  to  aid 
his  patients,  informs  me  that  he  expects 
soon  to  be  furnished  with  a  better-  train. 

By  telegrams  from  our  agents  at  Chatta- 
nooga, and  information  confidentially  fur- 
nished us,  we  have  learned  that  an  extra 
supply  of  stores  may  be  needed;  acting 
upon  this  information,  all  the  reserve  stores 
in  Nashville  have  been  forwarded.  More 
have  been  asked  for  from  Louisville,,  and 
are  already  on  the  way,  and  thus  I  trust  we 
shall  be  prepared  for  every  emergency. 

Mr.  Ingraham  informs  me  that  compara- 
tively few  of  the  soldiers  in  NashviUe  Hos- 
pitals know  that  they  receive  aid  from  the 
Commission.  So  long  have  the  Surgeons 
been  accustomed  to  draw  from  our  stores 


The  Sanitary  Gbmmission  Bulletin. 


335 


that  tlie  novelty  is"  gone.  Like  tte  air  we 
breathe,  although  used  daily,  they  are  used 
■without  any  special  thought,  but  as  a-mat- 
ter  of  course;  when  drawn,  they  are  placed 
with  those  drawn  from  the  Government 
Commissary  in  a  common  store  room,'  and 
issued  with'  them;  and  although  they  may 
be  used  with  strict  fidelity,  they  are  not 
known  to  the  patient  as  Sanitary  stores. 
The  novelty  of  receiving  t£em  has  passed, 
and  it  has  ceased  to  cause  remark  by  the 
attendants,  as  it  once  did— the  Surgeons 
resting  in  theT  knowledge,  as  we  have  also 
done,  that  the  stores  were  faithfully  used — ' 
have  not  given  sufficient  thought  to  the 
importance  of  aU  the  sick  and  wounded 
knowing,  and  even  testifying,  that  they 
receive  these  gifts,  in  order  to  satisfy  the 
contributors  at  home,  and  encourage  them 
in  their  work, 

Recently,  vegetables  have  been  issued  to 
regiments  in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville,  and 
as  their  reception  was  a  comparatively  new 
experience,  they  have  made  much  more 
impression,  and  cheerful  (testimony  oi  their 
value  is  being  furnished.  Sufficient  staple 
garden  seeds  for  large  hospital  gardens 
have  been  purchased  and  sent  to  Murf  rees- 
boro',  JTuUahoma,  Chattanooga,  and  Knox- 
ville.  Experienced  gardeners  have  also 
been  secured  to  take  charge  of  the  gar- 
dens. 

Eegimental  Hospitals  have  b^efi  discon- 
tinued, and  Brigade  Hospitals  are  to  take 
their  places.  These  are  to  be  furnished 
with  one  wall  tent  and  one  hospital  tent  for 
every  350  men  present  for  duty,  with  axes, 
spades,  camp-kettles,  &c.,  that  are  neces- 
sary. 

I"  have  found  time  during  the  past 
month  to  visit  several  of  the  Hospitals  of 
Nashville,  but  pot  all..  Hospitals,  Nos.  1, 
15,  8,  19,  and  the  Cumberland  Hospital,  I 
found  to  be  in  the  most  excellent  condition. 

1  . 

Improvements  in  heating  and  ventilation 
in  No.  1,  are  very  marked.  The  Cumber- 
land Hospital  is  in  beautiful  working  order; 
its  neat  and  comfortable  appearance  indi- 
cates an  unusual  degree  of  interest  and 
systematic  management  on  the  part  of  its 
Surgeons.  Connected  with  this,  as  well  as 
with  several  others,  is  a  light-diet  kitchen, 
in  charge  of  experienced  ladies,  who  receive 
the  siores  lunushed,  either  by  Hospital* 


fund  or  from  the.  Commission;  and  under 
the  dirtection  of  these  ladies  are  prejJared  all 
the  delicacies  which  each  Surgeon  orders 
for  his  sick.  Thus  the  sick  man  receives 
such  food  and  such  quantities  as  his  Sur- 
geon thinks  best  for  him,  and  so  well  are 
they  supplied,  that  a  lady  going  through 
one  division  found  but  one  grumbler,  and 
he  wanted  some  canned  peaches,  and  said 
his  mother  and  sisters  gave  him  preserves 
when  he  was  sick  at  home.  This  is  adarge 
hospital,  capable  of  containing  about  2,000 
patients.  It  has  no  chapel — no  reading- 
.  room — no  place  for  writing.  Its  Chaplain, 
Eev.  Mr.  Day,  Dr.  McDermant,  Surgeon 
in  charge,  and  his  Assistants,  have  asked 
that  the  Commission  ereat  a  suitable  build- 
ing for  these  purposes.  A  plain  one — ca- 
pable of  accommodating  250.  men — would 
not  only  be  a  means  qf  moral  improvement, 
but  would,  in  my  opinion,  by  giving  the 
sick  and  convalescing  a  place  to  retire  to, 
where  they  can  read  and  write  to  loved 
ones  at  home,  be  eminently  a  Sanitary 
measure. 

I  have  to  continue  to  report  that  the 
great  want  of  the  Army  is  fresh  vegetables.' 
The  calls  from  hospitals  and  rfegiments  are 
frequent  and  urgent,  and  compared  with 
the  demand,  but  few  are  furnished  by  either 
the  Government  or  the  Commission. 

Capt.  Lytle,  Chief  Coinmissary,.  informs 
me  that  about  the  first  of  January,  300,000 
pounds  of  potatoes  were  spoiled  by  frost, 
and  since  then  none  have  been  issued  from 
this  post  to  troops  in  the  field,  yet  there 
has  usually  been  a  supply  for  the, hospitals. 
There  are  but  JEew  on  the  way,  and  I  fear 
that  the  excessive  cold  at  the  North  has 
destroyed  a  large  part  of  the  crop,  and  with 
every  exertion  our  supply  wUl  be  hmited. 
The  regiments  that  have  gone  home  on 
furlough  are  returning  strengthened,  but  it 
should  be  remembered  that  only  the  strong 
could  or  would  re-enhst,  that  the  sick  and 
feeble  were  left  in  camp  or  hospital;  these 
with  the  regiments  remaining,  must  be  sup- 
plied. In  almost  every  camp,  if  they  have 
not  been  sent  to  ho^ital,  are  to  be  found 
some  with  gums  enlarged  and  softened, 
and  that  bleed  at  the  slightest  touch;  the 
teeth  are  loosened,  and  in  some  cases  are 
covered  by  spongy  gums.  The  legs  are 
full  of  pain,  swollen,  and  covered  with 


336 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


/ 


dart  blood- discolored  spots  under,  or  on  tlie 
skin.  Decomposition  of  the  blood  has  so 
far  progressed,  that  a  slight  wonnd,  a  vac- 
cine vesicle,  or  a  chronic  diarrhea,  -with- 
out vegetables,  cannot  be  cured.  And  worse 
than  aJl,  the  victim  is  so  depressed  in 
spirits,  that  life  to  him  is  a  burden.  Such 
cases  •will  continue  to  occur,  and  not  un- 
frequently,  and  such  can  be  cured  and  pre- 
vented by  a  few  rations  of  fresh  vegetabltes. 
I  hope  they  -will  be  furnished  yet  more 
abundantly. — Br.  Read's  Beport,  Feb.  29. 

THE  HOSPITAL. 

Narrow  beds  by  one  another — 

White  and  low ! 
Through  them  softly  as  in  church  aisles 

Hurses  go — ' 
For  the  hot  Ups  ice  drops  bringing, 

Cold  and  clear;  .  , 

Or  white  eye-lids  gently  closing, 

For  the  bier. 

Strong  men,  in  a  moment  smitten 

Ddwn  from  strength. 
Brave  men,  now  in  anguish  praying 

Death  at  length. 
Bums  the  night  lamp  where  the  watchers, 

By  the  bed. 
Write  for  many  a  waiting  loved  one — 

"He  is  dead!" 

One  lies' there  in  utter  weakness — 

Shattered,  faint — 
But  his  brow  wears  calm  befitting 

Martyred  saint; 
And  although  the  lips  must  quiver. 

They  can  smile, 
As  he  says,  ' '  This  wiU  be  over 

In  a  while. 

"  As  the  old  Crusaders,  weeping 

^  In  delight. 

Knelt  when  Zion's  holy  city 

Hose  in  sight, 
So  I  fling  aside  my  weapon, 

From  the  din,  * 
To  the  quietness  of  Heaven 

Entering  in. 

"Standing  in  the  solemn  shadow 

Of  God's  hand. 
Love  of  glory  fading  from  me. 

Love  of  land. 
I  thank  God  that  he  has  let  me 

•       Strike  one  blow 
For  His  poor  and  helpless  people, 

Ere  I  go." 

White  and  whiter  grows  the  glory 

On  his  brow. 
Does  he  see  the  Towers  of  Zion 

Rising  now  ? 
Stands  the  doctor,  weary,  hurried, 

By  his  bed: 
"  Here  is  room  for  one  more  wounded — 

He  is  dead." 

St.  Selma,  8.  C. 


"WHAT  NEED  IS  THEUE  FOR  THE 
SANITARY  COMMISSION?" 

The  following  will  show  that  there  is 
plenty  of  work  for  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission to  do.  The  Commission  is  making 
strenuous  efforts  to  supply  the  wants  in 
Western  armies.— Eds. 

Office  Kedicai.  BntEcroB,  T.t.kvknth  Cobps,  1 
Lookout  Valley,  Tenn.,  Jan.  11,  1864.    J 

SiE — In  accordance  with  your  desire,  ex- 
pressed during  your  visit  on  the  6th,  I  take 
pleasure  in  laying  before  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
non,  through  you,  the  following  statement  of 
the  present  hygienic  condition. of  the  Eleventh 
Army  Corps,  and  earnestly  solicit  any  assist- 
ance 4^at  the  Commission  may  be  able  to  fur- 
nish. 

Reports  from  regimental  medical  officers 
show  an  alarming  increase  of  sickness  during 
the  last  month,  the  number  daily  excused  from 
duty  on  this  account  varying  from  five  to  fif- 
teen per  cent,  of  the  effective  force,  while  the 
number  prescribed  for,  of  course,  much  exceeds 
this.  The  principal  disease,  that,  indeed,  which 
in  its  prevalence,  its  obstinacy  under  treatment, 
and  its  frequent  fatal  termination,  becomes 
our  most  dangerous  adversary,  is  chronic 
diarrhea. 

Within  the  last  three  months  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Forty-first  New  .York  Volimteers  has 
lost  from  this  cause  six  per  cent,  of  its  aggre- 
gate strength  present,  while  the  mortaUty  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-third  New  York  ■ 
Volunteers  is  even  greater  than  this,  amounting 
to  twenty-five  deaths  since  the  1st  of  November, 
1863,  to  an  average  strength  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty  men.  Of  those  remaining,  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-four  are  reported  sick  by 
Assistant  Surgeon  Croft.  Some  of  these  !have 
died  in  corps  hospital,  some  in  camp;  and  it 
has  been  observed,  as  a  strange  and  enigmatical 
feature  of  the  disease,  that  its  victims  have  been 
the  sturdiest  and  ruggedest  men  in  the  regi- 
ment. No  effect  whatever  has  resulted  from 
the  various  plans  of  treatment  tried.  Some  of 
the  men  did  duty  up  to  the  hour  of  their  death; 
and  several  surgeons  have  expressed  their  aston- 
ishment, that  so  near  the  end  men  could  display 
the  muscular  force  they  do.  Such  is  not  the 
character  nor  cause  of  ordinary  camp  diarrhea, 
and  it  leads  one  to  seek  some  complication 
which  may  explain  it. 

I  accordingly  sent  a  circular  to  each  senior 
regimental  medical  oflSoer  of  the  corps,  desir- 
ing him  to  search  with  care  for  any  symptoms 
of  a  scorbutic  taint  among  the  men,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  state  what  particular  articles  were 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


337 


most  needed  to  establish  healthy  vital  action. 
The  result  was  most  instructive.  Though  few 
oases  ofpositivelymarkedsouirvy  were  reported, 
the  symptoms  of  the  scorbutic  blood-poison, 
the  peculiar  gums,  the  hemorrhagic  cachexia, 
the  want  of  union  in  new,  and  the  reopening  of 
old  wounds,  the  listlessness  and  lassitude,  the 
purpural  discoloration  .of  the  skins,  &c.,  were 
noted  in  very  many  of  the  regiments  present, 
viz.:  in  Twenty-seventh  PeimsylVania  Volun- 
teers; Thirty- third  New  JSrsey  Volunteers;  One 
Hundred  tod  Thirty-fourth,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-first,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-third,  One 
'Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  New  York  Volun- 
teers; Twenty-first  Wisconsin  Volunteers,  and 
Sixty-first  Ohio  Volunteers. 

The  type  of  diseases  is  low,  the  fevers  of  a 
malarial  and  sporadic  character,  rapidly  assum- 
ing a  typhoid  aspect,  and  the  general  appear- 
ance of  the  men,  particularly  in  the  regiments 
comparatively  lately  enlisted,  is  depressed. 
They  are  in  need  of  clothing  and  blankets. 
Many  have  no  change  of  clothing,  nor  have  had 
for  n^ny  weeks,  consequently  they  are  filthy 
in  the  extreme.  This  is  especially  the  case 
with  the  Thirty-third  New  Jersey.  All  the 
hospital  stores  of  this  regiment — and  it  came 
out  excellently  provided  for  by  the  State  author- 
ities— were  lost  in  the  Tennessee  Kiver,  by  the 
capsizing  of,  the  boat  in  which  they  were. 
Shoes,  blankets  and  pants  have  not  yet  been 
furnished  in  sufficient  quantities  by  the  Quarter- 
master's Department,  and  changes  of  stockings, 
shirts  and  drawers  are  generally  wanted.  The 
Commissary  Department  is  tasked  to  its  utm&st 
to  furnish  the  absolute  necessaries  of  life,  and 
there  have  been  no  issues  of  potatoes  or  onions 
since  our  return  from  "the  fall  campaign.  A 
limited  supply  of  beans  and  rice  has,  as  far  as 
I  am  aware,  been  the  only  issue  of  Ary  vegeta- 
bles, and  one  three-fourths'  ration  of  whisky, 
partly  distilled,  the  only  issue  of  spirits  in  the 
same  time.  The  amount  of  fresh  meat  fur- 
nished has  also  been  liujited. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  reports  of ^ 
different  regimental  surgeons  will  illustrate  our 
present  condijiion: 

"Not  over  one- third  of  our  men  have  a 
change  of  under-clothing,  and  not  _  one-half 
have  sufficient  clothing  to  keep  them  warm 
when  on  duty;  nearly,  or  quite  all,  are  com- 
pelled to  do  their  cooking  in  parts  of  old  worn- 
out  canteens. "    [Surgeon Spooner,  61st  O.V.I.] 

"Diarrhea  prevails  to  an  alarming  extent, 
and  of  a  character  not  be  controlled  to  any 
great  extent  by  medicines.  About  two-thirds  of 
the  whole  command  are  more  or  less  affected 
by  it.    The  rations  are  scanty  and  411-cooked,  ^ 

Vol,.  I— No.  11.  22 


scarcely  any  vegetables  being  furnished."  [As- 
sistant Surgeon  Mathews,  143d  New  York  Volun- 
teers,] 

"For  nearly  a  year  no  full  rations  of  vegeta- 
bles have  bet n  issued  to  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-first  New  York  Volunteers.  During  this 
time  vegetables  have  not  been  issued  in  one- 
tenth  the  quantities  allowed  by  the  army  regu- 
lations to  men  in  the  field.  The  men  have  lost 
their  relish  for  hard  bread  and  bacon.  Their 
blood  is  impoverished,  and  symptoms  of  scor- 
butus appear.  When"  they  get  sick  it  is  impos- 
sible to  treat  them  with  desirable  success  from 
this  cause. "  [Surgeon  Beaks,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-first  New  York  Volunteers.] 

"The  prevailing  disease  is  diarrhea,  and 
other  affections  of  the  alimentary  canal,  which 
can  be  traced  directly  to  the  insufficiency  and 
irregularity  of  rations  and  poking,  and  partic- 
ularly to  having  been  without  any  vegetables.'  ' 
[Surgeon  Hiibschman,  Twenty-sixth  Wisconsin 
Volunteers.] 

"  An  unusually  larige  number  of  pur  men  are 
'  suffering  from  diarrhea,  and  of  that  character 
over  which  medical  skill  has  but  little  control.' 
We  can  attribute  the  condition  only,  I  think,  to 
■  an  impoverished  condition  of  blood  caused  by 
an  improper  and  too  scanty  diet."  [Assistant 
Surgeon  Hong,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  - 
New  York  Volunteers.]  -  ^ 

I  would  not  have  you  think  that  this  is  owing 
to  any  lack  of  efficiency  in  the  officers  manag- 
ing the  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Depart- 
ments, for  I  am  convinced  that  as  far  as  those  - 
in  this  corps  are  concerned,  no  exertion  has 
been  spared  and  no  trouble  avoided  to  remedy 
it;  but  such  are  the  facts,  and  I  state  them 
plainly,  in  order  to  explain  the  present  i^anitaiy 
condition  of  the  corps,  and  to  lay  its  claims 
fairly  before  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

The  articles  that  are  imperatively  needed,, 
both  as  prophylactics  with  the  well  and  remedies 
fijr  the  ill',  are  potatoes,  onions,  vinegar,  soft 
bread,  dried  and' sub-acid  fruits,  fermented 
cabbage,  pickles,  soup  and  spirits  in  diet,  £md 
shoes  and  under-clothing  of  aU  kinds,  in  quan- 
tities sufficient  to  restore  a.  normal  functional 
action  and  furnish  healthy  blood  for  .several 
thousand  men. 

Until  this  change  is  effected  the  surgeon  must 
continue  to  witness  his  most  approved  remedies 
fail,  and  see  his  cases  approach  an  ine^tably 
fatal  termination.    It  is  the  unanimous  opinion  ■ 
of  all  the  medical  officers  that  no  symptoms  of-, 
improvement  are  manifesting  themselves,  that, 
on  the  contrary,  the  hygienic  condition  of  the  , 
corps  is  deteriorating  day  by  day.    We  need 
help,  and  we  nee^it  soon;  and  I  cannot  re&ain 


338 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuHetin. 


rom  repeating  my  earnest  solicitations  to  the 
Sanitsury  Commission,  through  you,  that  early 
efforts  be  made  to  provide  at  least  to  sqftie 
extent  for  these,  our  urgent  necessities.     I  am 
aware  how  many  appeals  for  aid  the  Commission 
recdves,  bfit  I  am  also  aware  how  nobly  it  re- 
sponds to  them,  and  this  it  is  that  emboldens 
me  to  state  our  wants  fully,  and  perhaps  with 
some  importunity. 
With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 
Db.  G.  Beintok, 
Surgeon  U.  S.  Vol8.,  Medical  Director 
Eleventh.  Army  Cprpj. 
Db.  a.  N.  Bead, 

XT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Nashville,  Tenn. 


KAPFLING  AT  THE  FAIR. 

EEITEB  FBOM  THE  SANHABY  COMMISSIOK — ^ACTION 
OP  THE  ItADIES. 

The  following  letter  from  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee of  the  Sanitary  Commission,'  gives  the  rea- 
sons for  prohibiting  raffling  at  the  Sanitary  Pair, 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ladies  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board  have  abandoned  the  practice,  in  def- 
erence to  the  judgment  of  the  Commission: 

XT.  S.  Sahitabx  Commission,  No.  823  Broadway,  1 
New  Yobk,  Jan.  27, 1864.        J 

To  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Metropolitan  Fair: 

Ladies. — The  Standing  Committee  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  having  had 
the  subject  of  "raffling"  brought  before  them, 
ui  connection  with  the  Metropolitan  Fair,  desire 
to  say,  very  respectfully,  to  your  Committee,  as 
they  have  said  to  the  Gentlemen's  Committee, 
that  they  are  deliberately  opposed  to  any  resort 
to  this  questionable  means  of  disposing  of  any 
of  the  articles  on  sale. 

They  are  opposed  to  it  on  these  grounds: 

1.  It  is  illegal;  and  an  institution  lilie  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  designed  to  minister  to 
the  wants  of  those  who  suffer  in  maintaining 
the  cause  of  law  and  order  in  our  national  con- 
flict, ought  not.  directly  or  indirectly,  to  give 
the  least  countenance  to  an  illegal  proceeding, 
even  if  winked  at  by  the  authorities  or  author- 
ized by  custom. 

2.  Without  debating  the  principle  involved, 
the  actual  influence  of  an  appeal  to  the  lot  has 
been  found  so  perilous  to  the  social  and  moral 
interests  of  society,  that  its  disuse  is  precisely 
proportioned  to  the  advance  of  law,  order,  and 
moral  and  Christian  culture.  As  public  money 
lotteries  have  yielded  to  the  rise  of  moral  senti- 

,ment  in  this  community,  is  it  not  time  that  all 
other  kinds  should  follow  them,  and  is  not  the 
present  moment  a  good  one  to  strike  at  the  root 
of  the  custom  of  raffling  at  fairs,  which  has  sur- 
vived roost  other  forms  of  this  evil  ? 

3.  The  Sanitary  Commission,  owing  whatever 
pecuniary  or  other  support  it  has  received  to 
the  confidence  reposed  in  its  law-abiding  and 
moral  character,  feels  that  no  increase  in  the 
pecuniary  Jesuits  of  the  proposed  fair,  accruing 
from  the  use  of  any  means  subject  to  just  ques- 
tion on  either  ground,  conldi^epay  it  for  the  loss 
of  confidence  which  it  must  suffer  from  such 
support. 


It  cheerfully  accepts  any  deduction  from  the 
probable  returns  from  the  fair,  occasioned  by 
adherence  to  the  highest  principles  in  the  con- 
duct of  it.  Understanding  that  the  Ladies' 
Committee,  inspired  by  high  moral  considera- 
tions, have  already  adopted  rules  restraining 
the  more  obvious  evils  of  raflling,  we  cannot 
doubt  that  they  will  rejoice  to  perfect  their  good 
work,,  by  abolishing  the  custom.  They  have 
hesitated  to  do  this,  probably,  only  from  fears  of 
surrendering  the  pecuniary  interest  of  the  fair. 
They  will  no  longer  hesitate,  we  trust,  when  we 
express  our  fall  readiness  to  run  all  the  risk  of 
this  loss. 

Respectfully  yours, 

Henkt  W.  Bellows, 

W.  H.  Van  Bubeh, 

C.  K.  Agnew, 

G.  T.  Stbong, 

WOLOOIT  GiBBS, 
standing  Committee  of  the  U.S.  Sanitary  Commission, 


The  following  reply  to  the  above  communi- 
cation, without  the  date  of  its  passage,  was  re- 
ceived by  the  Eev.  Dr.  Bellows,  in  an  official 
communication  from  Mrs.  Hamilton  Fish,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Ladies'  Committee,  on  Friday,  Feb. 
19:  ^ 

Resolved,  The  ladies  of  the  Executive  Board, 
associated  in  a  great  enterprise  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  have 
resolved  that,  in  deference  to  a  formal  petition, 
sent  to  them  by  the  Standing  Committee  of  that 
Commission,  and  in  obedience  to  the  law,  they 
do  hereby  abandon  all  raffles  and  lotteries,  as  a 
means  of  raising  money  at  their  proposed  fair. 

letteb  fbom  bev^db.  bellows. 

New  Toek,  Feb.  22, 1864. 
In  sending  you  the  correspondence  between 
the  Standing  Committee  of  the  United  St-ates 
Sanitary  Commission  and  the  lady  managers 
of  the  Metropolitan  Fair,  on  the  subject  of 
"  raffling,"  I  beg  leave  to  say  that  when  the /air 
was  started  and  the  generous  services  of  the 
managers  were  obtained,  the  objections  to 
raffling  had  not  taken  so  clear  a  form  as  to 
give  any  body  the  impression  that  it  could  be 
abolished.  The  most  ttat  was  hoped  for  was 
that  the  practice  could  be  regulated,  and  to  this 
point  the  Ladips'  Committee  courageously  ad- 
dressed themselves.  It  was  well  known  that 
even.  Church  fairs  profited  by  this  custom,  and 
that  clergymen's  salaries  had  been  eked  out  by 
its  fruits.  It  is  not  surprising  that  a  'sudden 
and  vehement  expression  of  scruples,  imputing 
bluntness  to  the  consciences  of  the  managers  of 
the  fair,  should  have  aroused  some  indignation 
and  retarded  their  disposition  to  yield,  under 
moral  duress  and  threats  of  the  law,  to  such  an 
unexpected  outbreak  of  conscientiousness.  The 
truth  is,  the  subject  is  new.  The  moral  sensi- 
bility of  any  considerable  portion  of  the  public 
in  regard  to  it  is  new.  Pious  and  conscientious 
people  have  raffled  too  lately,  with  perfect  in- 
nocency  of  feeling,  to  be  able  at  once  to  ap- 
preciate the  moral  evil  of  the  usage,  or  the 
scruples  of  those  who  oppose  it;  and  there  are 
still  many  thorough  and  excellent  Christiaiis 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


339 


Who  regard  the  custom,  when  confined  to  bene- 
volent fairs,  as  wholly  unobjectionable. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  same  may  be  said  of 
most  of  the  evils  which  have  yielded  to  the  rising 
tide  of  Christian  sentiment.  They  have,  enjoyed 
the  countenance  of  many  of  the  excellent  and 
judicious,  up  to  the  very  hour  of  their  fall. 
Things  which  are  not  evil  in  themselves,  but 
only  made  evil  by  those  tendencies,  are  not 
easily  characterized.  Those  who  have  not  had 
special  reasons  for  considering  their  tendencies 
do  not  see  their  eviL  The  Standing  Committee 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  having  had  their 
most  anxious  attention  drawn  to  all  the  conse- 
c[uences  of  the  custom,  of  raffing,  have  thought 
it  their  daty  to  discourage  it,  on  the  grounds 
given  in  their  communication  to  the  ladies. 
They  desire,  however,  to  acknowledge  fheir  full 
appreciation  of  the  difficulties  which  have  em- 
barrassed the  managers  of  the  fair  in  adopting 
their  conclusion,  and  to  express  their  grateful 
sense  of  the  ladies'  compliance  with  their 
wishes. 

It  is  not  to  be  concealed  that  the  pecuniary  suc- 
cess and  immediate  interest  of  the  fair  are  greatly 
imperilled  by  the  abandonment  of  a  custom, 
wmch  has  enlivened  fairs  as  well  as  filled  their 
treasuries.  Let  those,  then,  who  with  ourselves 
have  felt  it  to  be  a  duty  to  discountenance 
"raffing,"  turn  their  minds  to  some  practical 
suggestions  for  supplying  innocent  substitutes 
for  the  custom.  Is  our  invention  so  poverty- 
stricken  that  we  cannot  devise  some  other 
means  than  this  for  giving  interest  to  our  fairs,? 
Above  all,  let  that  portion  of  the  public  who 
rejoice  in  this  effort  to  stop  a  practice  which 
was  at  least  first  cousin,  if  not  own  brother,  to 
the  "  lottery,"  see  to  it,  that  the  interests  of  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  do  not  suffer  by  the  high 
ground  nowtakenin  regard  to  raising  the  means 
for  their  succor. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Henet  W.  BBUiOwa. 


THE  COMMISSION  AND  THE  NAVY. 
From  September  13th,  1862,  to  February  16th, 
1864,  the  Sanitary  Commission  have  sent  to  the 
naval  hospital  at  New  Orleans,  and  to  twenty- 
three  different  Government  vessels,  the  follow- 
ing supplies:  129  cases  of  farina,  120  cases  of 
corn  starch,  264  cases  of  condensed  milk,  541 
cases  of  concentrated  lemonade,  95  cases  of 
chocolate,  70  bottles  of  wine  and  brandy,  and 
64  lbs.  of  arrowroot.  Also,  dried  and  cajsed 
fruit  and  vegetables,  tea,  tapioca,  pickles,  sugar, 
cocoa,  soap,  jelly,  £c.,  in  smaller  quantities. 
Also,  216  sheets,  106  fans,  186  handkerchiefs, 
64  pair  of  drawers,  137  pillow  cases,  154  hospi- 
tal shirts,  516  towels,  and  243  books. 


"PHILANTHROPIC  RESULTS  OF  THE 
WAR." 

Among  the  donations  to  the  Metropolitan 
Fair,  for  the  benefit  of  .the  Commission,  there 
is  one  which,  for  obvious  reasons,  deserves 
special  .mention.    A  merchant  of  this  city  has 


procured  the  preparation  of  a  little  volume, 
compiled  with  great  care  and  l^bor,  from  official 
and  other  authentic  sources,  entitled,  "The 
Philanthropic  Results  of  the  War  in  America," 
in  which  are  given,  with  much  interesting 
detail,  the  amounts  contributed  by  states,  coun- 
ties, towns,  and  individuals,  for  the  bounties, 
aid  to  families,  care  and  comfort  of  the  soldiers; 
and  brief  histories  of  the  numerous  organiza- 
tions, national  and  local,  for  the  relief  of  the 
sick  and  wounded,  assistance  to  freedmen,  to 
white  refugees,  &c.,  &c.  The  work  is  one  of 
material  interest,  and  will  have,  we  doubt  not,  a 
wide  sale.  The  generous  donor  has  given  the 
plates,  and  an  edition  of  5,000  copies,  to  the 
Commission.  It  is  a  neat  18mo  volume,  of 
about  160  pages,  and  is^sold  at  50  cents.  It 
is  for  sale  at  the  Fair,  and  is,  or  will  be  sopn, 
on  sale  by  the  booksellers  generally. 


COAL  FROM  ENGLAND  FOE  THE  FAIR. 

Office  of  the  Atlaiitic  Tei^eoraph  Co.,     \ 
22  Old  Broad  Street,  E.  C,  27«A  FOmMry,  1864.  J 

Mt  Deab  De.  Bsaiows— The  British  ship 
"•Gibraltar,"  Captain  Durham,  consigned  to  H. 
D.  Brookman,  37  South  Street,  New  York,  will 
leave  here  in  a  few  days  for  Sunderland,  to  take 
on  board  the  1,000  tons  of  coal  for  New  York. 
We  shall  raise  the  money  here  and  in  Paris  to 
pay  the  freight  and  insurance,  so  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  may  receive  the  entire  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sale  of  the  coals.  This  will  be  the 
very  best  quality  of  gas  coal,  and  I  most  sin- 
cerely hope  that  some  of  our  rich  gas  companies 
of  New  York  will  be  willing  to  pay  you  an  extra 
price  for  it.  Hoping  that  the  ship  "  Gibraltar' 
wiU  have  a  safe  and  rapid  passage  to  New  York, 
and  that  the  Almighty  will  shower  every  bless- 
ing upon  you,  and  your  noble  efforts  to  relieve 
our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers, 
I  remain, 

My  dear  Dr.  Bellows, 

Very  truly  your  friend, 
(Signed,) 

CyBUS  W.  Frar.Ti 
Kev.  Db.  Bellows, 

FresuLeni  of  the  V.  S.  Sanitary  CoTnmUgionf 
East  20ft  Street,  New  Tork. 


G.  G.  Bdgerly,  Esq.,  writing  from  Browns- 
ville, Texas,  under  date  of  February  20th^  1864, 
says  that  General  Herron,  as  well  as  the  officers 
and  men  in  his  command,  express  many  thanks 
for  the  stores  already  furnished,  and  are  very 
desirous  that  the  Commission  should  maintain 
a  permanent  department  at  that  post.  General 
Herron  has  authorized  the  Commission  to  ship 
stores  from  New  Orleans  on  any  Government 
transport  coming  to  this  point,  (Brownsville.) 


■^ 


84^0 


Th&  Samtary  Commission  B0etin. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeUn. 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  BtHletm. 


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SOLDIEB'S  HOME  AT  CAIRO,  ILL. 
The  above  is  the  plan  of  the  "  Home"  which 
has  just  been  established  at  Cairo,  for  the  relief 
of  the  discharged  and  furloughed  soldiers  and 
recmits,  passing  up  and  down  the  river.  It 
differs  little  in  arrangement,  though  in  many 
ways  a  great  improvement  upon  those  abeady 
in*  existence  at  Nashville  at  other  places.  Ex- 
cept in  the  relief  afforded  after  a  great  battle, 
there  is  probably  no  branch  of  the  labors  of  the 
Commission  in  which  so  much  is  done  for  the 
prevention  of  suffering  as  in  the  maintenance  of 
these  Homes.  The  eagerness  of  sick  or  wound- 
ed men  to  reach  home  is  so  great,  that  they  in 
a  vast  number  of  cases  leave  the  army  with  little 
thought  as  to  dif&cnlties  of  the  journey,  with 
very  little  preparation,  and  little  consideration 
for  their  own  strength;  and  where  they  do  not 


come  to  grief  through  physical  weakness,  they 
are  very  apt  to  do  so  through  ignorance  or 
thoughtlessness.  The  necessity  for  Stations 
along  the  great  routes,-  therefore,  in  which  tho 
sick  and  weary  can  find  rest  and  attention,  and 
the  estrays  can  find  counsel  and  shelter,  has 
been  manifest  from  the  outset.  The  Commission 
has  been  endeavoring  to  meet  the  want  as  £eit 
as  it  means  would  permit,  and  it  has  now 
"  Homes"  or  "  Lodges" — which  are  Homes  on  a 
small  scale,  a'  a  great  number  of  points.  Cairo 
is  a  very  important  Station,  as  nearly  all  the 
troops  going  South  and  West  pass  through  it, 
as  do  all  those  coming  up  the  river.  We  are 
sorry  to  be  compelled  to  omit  the  monthly  re- 
ports of  the  work  done  at  the  "Homes,"  at  Mem- 
phis and  Nashville,  in  this  number,  for  want  of 
space. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  BuUekn. 


343 


THE  COMMISSION  IN  KDSSIA. 

Legation  of  the  United  States,  ) 

St.  Peteesbdbo,  Feb.  19,  1864.      f 

Mt  Deae  Sm: — Although  not  personally  ad- 
dressed in  relation  to  the  subject  of  your  late 
communication  to  the  American  Minister  here, 
1  nevertheless  feel  too  envious  of  the  moral  dis- 
tinction of  being  useful — in  however  humble  a 
manner  to  the  cause,  with  which  you  have  so 
nobly  identified  your  honored  name,  and  given 
the  inestimable  benefit  of  your  untiring  ser- 
vices— to  spare  any  exertions  to  promote  its 
pious  purposes. 

With  this  view  I  have  addressed  myself  to 
several  loyal  Americans  here— and  I  am  happy 
to  add  there  are  none  in  Petersburg  but  loyal 
ones — who  have  generously  responded  to  my 
applications,' by  placing  at  my  disposal  sums  of 
money,  which  they  have  desired  me  to  expend 
along  with  Gen.  Clay's,  and  my  own,  in  such 
manner  as  I  deemed  best. 

I  have  accordingly  purchased  such  articles 
OTdy  as  are  manufadwred  in  Bussia,  and  which 
I  know  to  be  rare,  or  unknown  in  America.* 

It  is  important  that  I  say  a  word  concerning 
the  smallness  of  the  whole  contribution: 

Winter  is  upon  us,  in  all  its  Northern  rigors; 
the  communication  by  water  with  the  Western 
World  is  wholly  cut  off ;  and  even  by  land  is 
rendered  precarious  and  difficult.  Under  these 
circumstances  a  number  of  large  packages 
would— judging  by  my  past  experience — be  de- 
layed far  beyond  the  period  when  they  could 
be  turned  to  account. 

Fortunately  for  the  one,  which  I  have  the 
satisfaction  of  sending  now,  I  have  availed  my- 
self of  the  return  of  Mr.  Phelps,  our  Consul 
here,  who  will  deliver  it  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission in  person. 

The  number,  also,  of  the  contributors  is 
small,  but,  it  must  be  remembered  that  our 
countrymen  are  never  numerous  in  Russia — 
and  more  especially  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

With  these  preliminary  explanations,  I  pro- 
ceed to  subjoin  a  list  of  the  contents  of  the  case, 
praying  sincerely  for  the  perfect  success  of  the 
humane  and  patriotic  cause  in  which  so  many 
benevolent  and  loyal  men  and  women  of  my 
native  city  are  engaged. 

With  sentiments  of  the  highest  consideration, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be. 

Your" very  ob't  humble  servant. 

Henby  Bebgh, 

Secretary  of  Legation. 
The  Eeoerend 

Henky  W.  Bellows, 

President  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  && 


ooKTsiBtrnoirs  fbom  ambbican  citizens  in  bussia. 

TO  THE  V.  B.  SANITABY  OOMMISSION  FAIB. 

2  decorated  vases,  made  of  "felt;"  Kussian 
manufacture;  cost  $23.     (Marked  A.) 

2  dozen  photographs  of  Kussian  costumes;  cost 
here  $6.     (Marked  B.) 

2  elegantly  embroidered  smoking  caps — ^real 

gold  and  silver.     (Marked  C.) 

3  pairs  of  elegantly  embi;oided  slippers.  (Mark- 

ed D.)    From  Gen.  Clay. 

1  fire  gilt  bronze  of  a  water  carrier,  barrel,  two 
pails  and  sled.     (Marked  No.  1. ) 

1  fire  gilt  water  sled.    (Marked  No.  2.) 

1  fire  gilt  snow  sled,  (marked  No.  3,)  for  re- 
moving snow  from  streets  of  Petersburg. 

1  fire  gilt  model  of  great  bell  of  Moscow. 
(Marked  4.) 

1  fire  gilt  fancy  bell.     (Marked  No.  5.) 

1  fire  gilt,  representing  the  "  Pond,"  or  pound 

weight,  of  Russia.     (Marked  No.  6.) 

2  boxes  of  Eussian  "  Flower  Tea."    (Marked  7 

and  8.)  These  teas  are  very  expensive, 
costing  as  high,  sometimes,  a?$75  and  $100 
per  pound.    From  L.  Chandor,  Esq. 

2  models— patron  saints  of  Kussia  and  Peter  the 
Great.     (Marked  940.)    From  Mr.  Avery. 

1  Holy  Family,  or  ' '  Eussian  Saints, "  such  as  ara 
seen  in  every  palace,  cottage,  house,  and 
hovel.     (Marked  No.  11.) 

1  porte-monnaie,  of  workmanship  peculiar  to 
the  city  of  Moscow.  These  articles  are  very 
expensive,  often  costing  $20  and  $25  for 
even  smaller  samples.     (Marked  No.  12.) 

4  dozen  of  photographs  of  the  Imperial  Family, 

and  other  distinguished  Eussian  persons. 
(Marked  No.  13.) 
1  box  of  Eussian  tobacco.  (Marked  No,  14) 
1  "Samovar."  This  article  of  Russian  (Tomestio 
life  requires  comment.  .  It  is  of  universal 
use,  and  though  at  first  sight  it  appears 
more  complicated  and  less  available  than 
our  spirit  kettle,  yet,  upon  closer  acquaint- 
ance, it  is  found  to  possess  qualities  which 
ours  does  not.  It  ean  be  used  out  doors, 
when  the  wind  blows^as,  for  example, 
upon  the  piazza  of  a  country  house — ^will 
bum  a  great  while,  and  when  the  chimney 
is  removed,  any  thing  may  be  kept  hot  by 
being  placed  upon  it.  Charcoal,  already 
ignited,  or  set  burning  after  the  coal  is  put 
under  it,  is  the  fuel,  and  the  chimney  may 
be  removed  to  increase  the  draft.  Tho 
shape  is  the  ancient  Muscovite  form,  un- 
changed for  centuries.  There  are  belong- 
ing to  it: 

'l.  Urn,  itself. 
2.  Iiarge  cover  to  ditto. 


344 


Vhc  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


3.  Perforated  top,  (removable.) 

4.  Chimney. 

5.  Eey  to  the  spout. 

6.  Tray  to  stand  upon. 

(Marked  No.  15.) 
4  bottles  of  "Kuml."  This  is  also  of  Russian 
manufacture,  is  rarely  seen  in  other  parts 
of  Europe,  and  is  regarded  as  the  ihost 
delicate  Uyeur  in  existence.  This  sent  is 
the  best  quality  made — JRiga  manufacture 
— and  a  high  price  should  be  demanded 
for  it. 
2  copies  of  ia  Sevue  Amusante,  containing  a 
description  of  General  Clay's  great  ball,  in 
honor  of  the  anniversary  of  Washington's 
birthday. 

From 

Eenbt  Bebgh, 

Secretary  of  Legdtion  to  Russia, 


BOOKS  FOR  THE  ARMY. 

At  a  meeting  of  officers  of  the  6th  Corps,  held 
on  the  evening  of  the  23d  of  February,  Colonel 
■  T.  G.  Thoufes  was  chosen  chairman,  and  Adju- 
tant L.  W.  Beers  appointed  secretary.  The  fol- 
lowing resolutions  were  had: 

Resolved,  That,  in  the  name  of  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  6th  Corps,  we  accept  the  hand- 
some and  valuable  gift  of  six  hundred  volumes 
of  standard  and  miscellaneous  works,  tendered 
in  such  flattering  and  patriotic  teims  by  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission,  through  their  gentle- 
manly agent,  Mr.  Smith. 

Resolved,  That  the  generous  donors,  in  thus 
anticipating  and  removing  an  intellectual  want, 
BO  keenly  felt 'by  the  soldier  during  the  many 
hours  of  idleness  and  inactivity  and  camp  life, 
deserve,  and  we  hereby  tender  them,  our  heart- 
felt thanks. 

Resolved,  That,  learning  that  it  is  the  inten- 
tion of  the  Sanitary  Commission  shortly  to 
make  more  donations  of  reading  matter  in  other 
corps, 'we  extend  to  them  our  best  wishes  for 
their  future  welfare  and  success  in  the  good 
work,  which  has  been  the  means  of  so  much 
comfort  to  our  corps. 

Resolved,  That  we  tender  our  thanks  to  Mr. 
Smith,  for  the  very  kind  and  laborious  manner 
in  which  he  superintended  the  work  of  dis- 
tributing the  volumes  in.beEalf  of  the  Commis- 
sion. 

Resolved,  That  the  secretary  of  this  meeting 
eommuuioate  these  resolutions  to  The  New  Tork 
Daily  Tribune  for  publioatjon. 

On  motion,  these  resomtions  were  unani- 
mously adopted,*  after  which  the  meeting  ad- 
journed. 

L.  W.  Beers, 
,„  ,        „  .  .  Secretary  of  Mettivg. 

6(4  Army  Coriia,  Army  of  Potomac,  near  Brandy  Station,  Va. 


Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake,  Inspector,  writing  from 
New  Orleans,  under  date  of  March  5th,  1864, 
Bays  our  Home  has  proved  a  perfect  success. 
During  the  month  of  February,  15,^25  meals 
were  served,  and  4,508  lodgings  forwarded.  At 
Brashear  City,  our  Soldiers'  Rest  furnished 
about  two  thousand  (,2,000)  meals. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  TORK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STUEEI, 


Lieut. -Gen.  WINriELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEORGE  OPDYKE, 
HIEAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Ret. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messks.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOR,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL,' 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  PdTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETER 
CQOPEE,  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  EOBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFRED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENPIELD,  Seo'y,- 

35  Chambees  Stkeet,  New  York. . 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant; 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3rf.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4:th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infoir- 
motion  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MERCANTILE  MAEHiTE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

JVo.  35  Wall  Street,  New  York. 

INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 
Assets  over  $1,400,000. 

MARINE  and  TnlaDd  Transportation  risks  on  Veaselii. 
Freight  and  Mercbaadise  insured  on  the  most  favorable 
terms. 

Policies  are  issued,  loss,  if  any,  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  oflioe  of  EATHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
desired. 

Parties  elTecting  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  profits,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  P*es't. 
OHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vioe-Pres't        '.; 
C.  J.  Dbspakd,  Secretary.  i 


The  Eam&xj/ry  Comrh/isskm  Bulletin- 


3^5 


THE  U.  S,  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  Ijy  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,wl861,  in  aooordanpe  ■with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  th^  Priesident  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq. ,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B.  .0.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  TT.  S.  A. 
Woleott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

,    J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Cliarke,  I¥ovideilce,' E.  1, 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
•    Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ey. 

J.  Huntington  WoloOtt,.  Boston;,,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  EogerS,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  SgUe.  "    :  " 

Ezra  B.  MoCagg,  Chicago,  HL 

OFFICEBSI 
H.  W.  Bellows,  i).D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LIjjD.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General' Secretary, 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.Bj,  Associate  Secretary. . 
J.  H.  Douglas,!  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDDia  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
Wijliam  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gib6s,  M.D. 
C.  E.  Agnew,  M:.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commiasion  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with,  regaxd  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
ern Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  Nbtth 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
•'  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Peimsytvaiiia,  address  "OflBce  of 
SanitfUT'  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Fhila- 
delphi^'" 

For  the  Hospitals  in  "Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
niijiois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  S^tucli?,.  Tennessee,  Hissis- 
8ippi,'and  Arkansas,  address  "OfQice  Sanitary  Com- 
riiission,  Louisville,  Ey." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank^  company^  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail  wit  in  person, 
it  wifl.  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 


J9^  Soldiers'  Aid  Sociefxea,  clergyman,  editors,  and 
Others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effecttmlly  th^  by  frequently  and  wid^ely  dissemina^iig  ^ 
■fkho^edge  of  &e  above,  unong  thosdwho  h&ve  fHeh'ds 
in  the  anny. 


supplV  department. 

The  Sanitary' 6ommissroii,"uncler  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  Stales,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  diatrlbutibn  of,  ^oods  put 
in  its  ohoirge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before -Chairleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distribution's  beirig  governed  by  a 
Ifibriiparison  of  theifaiits  of  th'e  p'atients  in  aU  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  aU  disposed  to  aid  the  sick_  a^d 
wounded,  without  reference  to  Stat-os  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity,  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  22  Sum- 
iher  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Brttnoh  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Br^ch  Depot,  No.  16 
South  Sharp  street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0.     ' 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Banlt  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Braiich  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  ChioagOj  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Comniission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

"  Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Laav 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  ColumhUs, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Comniission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever ^from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntaiy  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaming  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Rev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  'Washing- 
fon,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Bailroad  Depot,  'Wash' 
ington,  D.  C.       , 

Soldier's  Lodge,  T6  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  0.  , 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  eaat  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  iaidrews,  Snp't. 
■  Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI.- C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Hom^,  Louisville,  Ey.— James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Aellef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn. — L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbns,  Ohio — — ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  BeUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis;  Tenn. — a.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent, ,  .    , 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Ylcksburg,  Miss;— T.  Way,  Sup'i 

ASEHCZ  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Fension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSPITAL    CA31B. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York — Sol.  AndreWs, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge.  , 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via' Springfield. 

Between  Lo,ui.^ville  and  Mur&eeBbdro' — ^Dr.  J.  p.  Bai^ 
nHim,  Sinrgeoh  iii  charge. 

SAHrrABV  STBAMEB. 

Cumberland  Elver—  New  Dunlelth. 


346 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ARTICLES 


THAT  ETEBT 


GOOD  HOUSEKEEPER  SHOULD  USE 

AND  EYEBT 

fflOD  GROCER  SHOULD  SELL, 

Made  from  tfae  beat  materials;  always  uniform  in  quality, 
and  Sectrex  Oonces  to  the  Pound. 

Pyle's  Dietetic  Saleratus, 

A  pure  and  wholesome  article,  which  has  no  superior  for 
making  Biscuit,  Cake  and  Pastry  light  and  rich.  In  the 
New  England  States,  where  the  best  articles  are  required, ' 
it  takes  the  lead  of  all  others. 

Pyle's  Balring  Cream  Tartar, 

Put  up  solely  for  cooking  purposes,  and  warranted  to  suit. 
Host  cooks  know  the  difficulty  in  getliug  good  Cream  Tar- 
tar, but  they  have  only  to  ask  for  Pyle's  and  be  suited. 

Pyle's  Baking  Soda, 

Full  strength,  pure,  and  suitable  for  Culinary  or  Medical 
use. 

Pyle's  Yeast  Powder, 

Put  up  in  Tin  Cans  and  Paper,  and  warranted  equal  to  any 
in  use,  at  reduced  prices,  never  fails  to  make  good  Biftcuit, 
Cake,  av  Pastry,  without  Cream  Tartar  and  Soda.  Any  one 
can  use  it  with  success.    All  the  above  articles  are  put  up 

GOOD  WEIGHT. 

Pyle's  O.  k.  Soap, 

The  best  and  most  economical  Washing  Soap  now  in  use. 
It  ia  the  Washerwoman's  Favorite,  and  sells  in  preference 
to  the  common  soaps,  wherever  known. 

Pyle's  Bluing  Powder, 

The  most  complete  Washing  Bl  ue  yet  known,  both  Tor  rheap- 
nesa  and  efficacy.  It  also  makes  a  beautiful  blue  Writing 
Ink.    It  is,  indeed,  the  Ladies'  Favorite. 

Pyle's  Enamel  Blacking, 

A  splendid  Boot  Polish  that  never  gets  hard  nor  injures  the 
leather. 

Pyle's  Stove  Polish 

Hakes  a  beautiful  Folisb  on  Cast  or  Wrought  Iron,  and  pre- 
vents rust. 

Pyle's  Navy  Black  Ink 

Writes  jet  black  and  flows  smoothly, 

Pyle's  Shaving  Soap 

Hakes  a  rich  permanent  lather.    Competent  judges  call  it 
the  best  they  have  tried. 
These  articles  are  all  drst  class,  and  need  only  to  be  tested. 


»«» 


COUNTRY  MERCHANTS 

Will  And  a  full  supply  of  Commercial  Cream  Tnrtnr 
and   Saleratus,    Bi.Carb._  Soda,     Sal    Soda, 
Soap  Fowdt-r,  etc.  of  every  ."quality  and  style  required 
by  the  trade,  at  the  lowest  market  prices. 
TEA  CADDIES  of  all  sizes  always  on  hand. 

Address,       JAMES  PYLE,  Manufacturer, 

Cor.  Washington  and  Franklin  Sts.,  N.  Y. 
Kos.  350,  352,  Zii,  &  360  Washington  St.  &  204  Franklin  St. 


ANNUAL-  STATEMENT 


OF   THE 


Liverpool  j^  London 

9 

Fire  and  Life 

Insurance  Company, 

45  William  Street,  New  York. 

Premiums  received  in  1863, 

Fire,  $2,610,51043 

Life,  719.703-31 

Loffes  paid  in  1863,  ' 

Fire,  $1,494,592.35 

Life,  347.903-3i 

Total  loffes  paid  from  1836  to  i863. 
Fire,  $11,331,697.98 

Life,  3,362,685.52 

Dividend  paid,  186^,  ) 
r        r  •  ^     '        -J  >■  40  per  cent 
tree  01  mcome  tax,    j  ^   ^ 

ALL    THE    ABOVE    SUMS    ARE    GOLD. 

No  portion  either  of  the  capital  or  of  the 
income  of  the  "  Globe  Infurance  Company," 
now  in  courfe  of  amalgamation  with  the 
"  Liverpool  and  London,"  is  included  in 
this  ftatement. 

The  Stockholders  are  perfonally  refponfible 
for  all  engagements  of  the  Company. 

March  19th,  1864. 

DIRECTORS    IN    NEW  YORK. 

Francis  Cottenet,  Esq.,  Chairman. 
Henry  Grinnell,  Esq.,  Dep.  Ch'n. 
E.  M.  Archibald,  H.B.M.  ConfuL 
Jos.  Gaillard,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Alex.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  Esq. 
E.  F.  Sanderson,  Esq. . 
Counfel,  Alex.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Refident  Sec'y,  Alfred  Pell,  Esq.; 


The  Samta/ry  Commission  BuUeim. 


347 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


CORNER  OP  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL, 


$1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of- Assets,  January  1, 1864 .IS.UO.gSO  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of 'same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  no* 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Rish  on  iM  the  Premium  is  paid  in  file  Currency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be*  allowed  the  option  (to  bo 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving, in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWBNTY-FIYB 

TEB-  CENT.     ' 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon.  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  pee  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persoils  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  sucli  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of , 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 


EDWARD  ROWE, 
DANIEL  W.  LORD, 
GEORGE  MILN, 
JOHff  ATKINSON, 
THOS.  A.  G.  COCHRANE, 
WM.  H.  HALSEY, 
THOS.  BARRON, 
ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL, 
ALBERT  G.  LEE, 
GEORGE  P.  DESHON, 
0.  L.  KIMS, 


M.  F.  MERICK, 
WM.  B,  OGDEN, 
JOHN  ARMSTRONG, 
B.  C.  MORRIS, 
ANDREW  J.  RICH, 
DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 
JOHSf  D.  BATES,  Jll., 
CHARLES  HICKOX, 
ROBERT  BOWNE, 
LAWRENCE  MYERS, 
S.  N.  DERRICK, 


THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President. 


MOSES  MERICEC, 
DAVID  J.  ELY, 
JOSEPH  MORRISON, 
WM.  H.  POPHAM, 
B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jk., 
EZRA  NYE, 
HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 
THOMAS  LORD,     ' 
ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 
J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


'WM.  M.  WHITNET  2d  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


3*48  ,      The  Samtary  GommUsioh  Bulletin. 

PARTICIPATIOIM 

FIRE     IN  Str  RANGE. 

NORTH  AMERICAN 
FIRE    INSURANCE    COMPANY, 

Of  the  City  of  New  York, 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


IlSrOORPOR^TED   1823. 

cash  capital, $500,000  00 

Assets, 604,53559 

]¥0  CI.AIitIS  FOR  I^OSSES. 

Abstract  of  the  EIGHTT-THIRD  Semi-Annaal  Statement,  showing;  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Company  on  the  31st  day  of  December,  18€3i 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate,  worth  over. 

Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $151,360  00 

Stocks,  Bonds,  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  market  value . .  364,385  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 6,603  11 

Loans  on  demand  with  collateral , '. 46]oOO  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding , 6  384  00 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission,  (business  of  December 

since  received,) 10,220  39 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities .....'..'.'!!.".'!."     13,788  83 

Other  Property  of.  Company ] . ' 793  15 

$604,535  59 
Losses  unpaid,  none. 

Insures  Property  against  Loss  by  Fire  at  usual  rates,  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or 
through  their  Agents  in  the  principal  Cities  and  Villages  of  the  United  States;  adjusting; 
and  paying  Claims  with  the  liberality  and  promptness  that  has  characterized  their  busi- 
ness during  the  past  Forty-one  Years. 

The  Customers  receive  Three-Fourths  of  the  Net  Profits"  of  the  busmess  each  year, 
without  incurring  any  liability  whatever. 

R.  W.  BLEEOKER,  Sec'y.  JAMES  W.  OTIS,  Prei't. 

j  R.  F.  MAdON,  Superlutendeat  of  Agencies. 


Th£  Slmi^a/fy  Qommissum  BiiMetin. 


349 


STEINWAY  &  SONS' 


Grand,  Square  and  Upright 


are  now  acknowledged  the**  best  instruments  in  America,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  having 
taken 

TWENTY-SIX  FIRST  PREMIUMS,  GOLD  AND  SILVER 'MEDALS, 

at  the  Principal  Fairs  held  in  this  country  within,  the  last  seven  years;  and  in  addition 
thereto,  they  were  awarded  a  ' 

FIRST   PRIZE   MEDAL 

AT  THE 

^xut  §\\UxMtifiiMl  §MVxtxm 

IN  LONDON,  1862, 

FOR 

Bowerftil,  Clear,  Brilliant  and  Sympathetic'  Tone,, 

WITH  EXCELLENCE  OF  WORKMANSHIP  AS  SHOWN  IN  GRAND  AND  SQUARE 

P  I^  IS^  o  s  . 

There  were  269  Pianos,  ftom  all  parts  of  the  world,  entered  for  competition,  and 
the  special  correspondent  of  the  Times  says: 

"  Messrs.  Steinway's  endorsemtnt  by  the  Jurors  is  emphatic,  and  stronger,  and 
more  to  the  poiat,  than  that  of  any  European  maker.  , 

"This  greatest  triumph  of  American  Pianofortes  in  England  has  caused  a  sensation 
in  musical  cijcles  throughout  the  continent,  and  as  a  result  the  Messrs.  Stbinwa^  are  in 
constant  receipt  of  orders  from  Europe,  thus  inaugurating  a' new  phase  in  the  history  of 
American  Pianofortps,  by  ereating  in  them  an  article  of  export.'' ^ 

Evexy  Pianoforte  Warranted  for  -Five  Years. 
"WAREROOMS, 

'  71  &  73  East  14th  Street, 

Between  Union  Square  and  Irving  Place, 


350 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


FRED'O    S.   OOZZENS, 


Wlii  liEi^MiiT 

•73  Warren  Street,  JVew  Y^orU, 


I 


(Opposite  Hudson  River  R.  B.  Depot,) 


PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Washington,  D..C., 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 

IzrLX>c32rted  "Whines,  ^r  a-n^aies,  cfso.. 


OP    THE    PnBEST  QDAMTr,  FOR 


MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOSHS. 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 


J 


Jsjxxdi    by   the    8^I^^IT^IlY     CO:\d:]Nd:iSSION. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  Tork  and  Washington  for 

Longworth's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawlsa  Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


^ 


^ 


<i 


'^ 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston.  • 

FAIRBANKS,  GREBNLEAF  &  CO.,  No,  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWINQ,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  circnlars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application^to  either  of 
the  above. 


The  S&mtary  Commission  BiiUdm. 


351 


RECEIVED 


TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


i>  -.'i: 


(FEOM  JUEIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  A-wards  gained  by  atfjrthing  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Beport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  TOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GEEAT  INTBENATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUEG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  deUoacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  TOEK  STATE  AGEICULTUEAL  SOOIETT,  at  Utioa,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DiPiiOMA  and  Medaii. 

MAIZEISTA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Pair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3, .  1863,  >rooK  Gold  Medai,. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  preinium  at  the  Ameeican  Instttdte,  New  York . 
City;  New  Jebsbt  State  Eaib  at  Trenton,  aiid  at  other  places— in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi^ 
tion  with  Com  Starch  and  aU  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges;  It  therefore  standa^ommended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  withouj'  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.    It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  m^at,  soups,  &e.    For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.    A 
,  little  boiled  in  milk  wUl  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &o. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  dir^tions 
>    for*use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale -by 
Gtrooers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

•  *'  WM,  DURYEA,  Geupra!  Agrcnt. 


362 


The  Sanitary  Commission  StdleHu,, 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS, 

TO  SET  IJf  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  powerful  TTBtfTEBS  known  for  warmiiig 

DWELLING'S,  CHITRCHES, 
Hospitals,  Schools,  >  Vessels,  &e. 

Send  or '  call  for  a  FuiOi-  DBSCKEPiioir,  and  an  | 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from -some.of  our 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BBICK. 


POETABiaL 


SANFORD'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

GLOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 

all  places  whepre  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

stores.  Hotels,  R.  R.  Depots, 
Vessels,  &c* 

These  Heaters  are  used  by  the 
Hudson  Biver  and  other  Kail- 
BOASS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Five 
JEhffine  Houses,  <fec.  Beware  of 
imitations  that  are  inferior. 

Fixtensiveli/  used  in  Hospitals 
cmdBarraaks. 

GEiT    SANFORD'S    MAMltlOTII^ 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  CQAL  STOIS^E, 

With  Radiator,   Ventilator,  and 
Gas  Burning  Attacbnient. 

The  Leading  Stove  for 
PARL,aRS,    . 

SITTING-ROOMS. 

And  all  places  where  a  soft, 
PLEASANT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all 'winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly,.small  supply  of  coaL 


THB 


KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  "Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 
masonry,  or  out 
on  feet ;  haVe  the 
*Lai^est  Ovens  of 
any  in  market;  bake 
perfectly ;  never 
failing  to  brown  at 
the  bottom.  Boil, 
Boast  and  Broil  with  great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EooNOMT  or  Fuel.  .  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Private  Houies,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  do. 


SUMMER   AND   WINTEB 

PORTABLE   RANGE. 

A  very  popular  Bange, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Irons,  at  the'  end. 


.4  perfect  apparatus  for  a  fem  dollars, 
well  suited  for  famMies,  restaurants,  har- 


and 

racks 


Abo,  a  great  variety  of  OOOKENG  AIIP  HEATING  APPAEATUS,  suited  to  every 
want.  Also,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.  Get  description  of  above,  with  references, 
from 


SANFOED,  TKUSLOW  &  CO., 

239  and  241  Water  St.,  New* York.       g 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  APRIL  15,  1864. 


No.  12. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Saottaet  Movement  in  Eubopean  Abmies 353 

Thinssto  be  Done 357 

Letteks  IN  Ode  Dkaweb .357 

BEPoaTs— 

Wajk  of  Belief  in  Eastern  Department 361 

Hospitals  in  the  West 362 

The  Work  of  Inspeotion 364 

Tfie  JEetumed  Prisoners 365 

How  Sanitaiiy  Siohes  ahe  Disteibdted 365 

Coebespondence — 

Letter  from  Charles  Butler 366 

'"         Surgeon  Henry  May 367 

Homes  and  Lodges 367 

Hospital  Gabdeks ; 368 

Genekai.  Meade  on  the  Sanitaby  Commis- 
sion  368 

Plan  foe  FobmatIon  Soldiees'  'Aid  Societies.  .  370 

Sanitaby  Science — 

Vital  and  Sanitary  Statistics  of  British  Army 
in  India 372 

The  Sanitaby  Commission  BviAjmmt  is  published 

on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as  it 

lias  a  cirovlation,  gratuitous  or  othei;  of  above  14,000 

copies,  it  offers  an  unvsuaMy  valuable  medium  for 

advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Sd- 
Uor,  at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
Oientieated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  (he  continuance  of  (he  pvXlioation  of  the  Bul- 
letin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  XT.  8.  Sanitary  Com- 
i"  Wssiow — the' Standi^  Committee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree ofreluctaftce  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it— and 
thereby  to  'pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
d^nUe  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  lioweeer,  thai  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  tlvey  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted;  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbono,  68  WaU  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  Tork,)  vnU  secure  its  being  sent 
to  »mh  contributor  during  the  remmnder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  wniess  its  publication  be  sooner  discon- 
tinued        >. 

Vol.  L— No.  12.  23  , 


THE  SANITARY  MOVEMENT  IN 
EUROPEAN  ARMIES. 

We  have  already  more  than  once  endea- 
vored to  impress  upon  our  readefs,  that 


onh 
lo* 


ed  for  by  the  existence  ol  any  peculiar  de- 
fects in  the  Medical  Department  of  our 
Army.  In  so  far  as  the  Medical  Department 
fails  to  meet  all  the  demands  upon  it,  it 
fails  in  common  with  that  of  every  other 
large  Army  in  the  world,  and  with  more 
and  better  excuses  for  failing  than  those  of 
other  armies  usually  have,  pwing  to  the 
nature  of  the  country,  and  the  immensity  of 
the  distances  on  the  theatre  of  our  military 
operations. 

In  the  minds  of  large  numbers  of  well 
meaning  people,  the  strongest  objection  to 
the  Commisson  lies  in  its  novelty;  They 
have  never  heard  of  any  thing  of  the  kind 
in  any  other  war,  and  conclude  that  it  is- 
either  not  called  for  in  this  war,  or  that  our 
medical  service  is  grossly  and  singularly  in- 
efficient. We  wish  now  to  take  this  oppor- 
tunity of  repeating  what  we  said  on  this 
same  subject  in  No.  8,  of  the  Bulletin,  that 
the  real  reason  for  the  attempt,  which  we 
are  now  making,  to  afford  voluntary  aid  to 
the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  is  not  by 
any  means  the  fact  that  our  sick  and  wound- 
ed are  worse  off  than  those  of  other  armies; 
but  the  fact  that  the  Christian  public  either 
in  this  or  any  other  country,  wiU  not  now 
aUow  men  to  suffer  and  perish,  as  in  all 
previous  wars  they  have  suffered  and  per- 
ished, without  making  an  effort  to  relieve 
them. 

The  number  of  sick  and  wounded  who 
have  ever  been  properly  taken  care  of,  in  any 
war,  by  che  regular  medical  organizktion 
has'  always  been  a  shockingly  small  proper- 


m 


354 


Thfi  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


tion  of  the  ■whole,  not  from  want  of  will, 
but  for  want  of  means.  This  was  the  case 
previous  to  the  French  Revolution,  when 
movements  were  slow,  sieges  numerous, 
and  winter  quarters  the  rule.  Since  the 
introduction  of  Napoleon's  strategy,  with 
its  rapid  marches,  frequent  bivouacking, 
winter  campaigns,  swift  concentration  of 
forces,  and  sanguinary  engagements,  the 
disproportion  between  the  capacity  of  the 
Medical  Staff  and  the  demands  on  it,  has, 
in  spite  of  the  prodigious  advance  made  in 
Sanitary  science  in  the  last  fifty  years,  re- 
mained undiminished. 

The  public,  however,  will  not  allow  sol- 
diers to  perish  before  their  eyes  as  they  did 
fifty  years  ago;  first,  because  we  are  all  more 
sensible  to  suffering  than  our  fathers  were; 
and,  secondly,  because  our  means  of  reliev- 
ing it  are  greater.  The  telegraph,  and  rail- 
road, and  steamboat,  have  placed  the  sol- 
dier in  the  field,  for  the  first  time,  within 
the  reach  of  his  friends  at  home,  and  there- 
fore his  friends,  for  the  firSt  time,  are  mak- 
ing an  orgaiiized  effort  to  reach  him,"  and 
succor  him;  and  they  make  a  stronger  and 
more  vigorous  effort,  for  exactly  the  same 
reason  that  we  have  more  hospitals,  more 
charitable  institutions,  better  prisons,  than 
we  ever  had  before;  or,  in  other  words,  be- 
cause the  world  is  more  easily  moved  by 
the  spectacle  of  human  miseiy  than  it  has 
ever  been. 

We  receive  from  Europe,  by  nearly  every 
mail,  proofs  of  the  correctness  of  this-theory 
of  the  origin  of  our  Sanitary  Commission. 
The  same  sacred  impulse  which  has  called 
it  into  existence,  is,  we  are  glad  to  say, 
stirring  the  hearts  of  aU  those  in  other 
countries,  who  find  themselves  brought 
face  to  face  with  the  horrors  of  the  battle- 
field .  A  Sanitary  Association  has  just  been 
formed  in  Prussia;  and  we  beg  to  remind 
our  readers,  that  Prussia  is  a  country  in 
which  the  best  modes  of  fitting  armies  for 
active  service,  has  for  a  century  and  a  half 
engaged,  what  may  be  fairly  called,  an  in- 
ordinate share  of  the  attention  of  the  Gov- 
ernment. The  following  explains  the  na- 
ture and  objects  of  the  Association;  the 
italics  are  ours: 

BebilIN  Santtabt  Association. 
In  all  wars  of  modern  times  it  has  been 
clearly  proven  t!iat  the  best  organization  of 


the  Medical  Department  fails  to  do  all  that 
is  necessary  for  sick  and  wounded,  un- 
less supplemented  by  voluntary  charity  and 
private  offerings.  This  well-established 
axiom  brought  together  a  number  of  expe- 
rienced persons  from  different  parts  of  Eu- 
rope, who  met  mainly  with  the  authority 
of  their  respective  Gbvernments,in  Geneva, 
last  fall,  to  advise  together,  and  to  ascertain 
the  best  way  of  supplying  help  and  of  or- 
ganizing to  do  good.  Acting  on  their  sug- 
gestions, the  undersigned  have  associated 
under  the  patronage  of  the  King  and  Queen 
of  Prussia,  in  order  to  put  in  practice  the 
rules  adopted  at  Geneva,  and  to  give  the 
greatest  possible  extent  to  that  patriotic 
voluntary  activity,  which  in  other  days,  and 
most  of  aU  in  our  own,  is  excited  by  the 
wants  of  our  national  defenders,  by  the 
largest  field  of  labor,  by  general  participa- 
tion in  it,  by  a  weU-organized  scheme,  by 
a  unity  of  purpose,  to  reach  the  necessities 
of  the  immediate  present,  and  to  estabUsh 
a  permanent  charity  for  all  future  contin- 
gencies. 

In  appealing  to  all  friends  and  lovers  of 
our  country  and  its  cause,  we  think  it  only 
necessary  to  give  the  subjoined  sketch  of 
our  plan: 

Dr.  targenbeck,  Med.  Dir.  ith  Corps. 

Prof.  Magnus. 

Mendelssohn,  Councillor. 

Dr.  Pelldram,  Chaplain. 

Prince  Eadzivill. 

Otto,  Count  Stolberg  Wernigernde. 

Thielen,  Chaplain. 

Wagner,  Bookseller. 

Dr.  Wendt,  Chief  City  Physician. 

Henry  the  13th,  Prince  Reuss. 

Abetans,  Privy  Councillor. 

Count  Arnim  Brytzenburg. 

Dr.  Bruggeman,  High  Privy  CouncilloT. 

V.  Derenthall,  Lieutenant- General. 

Baron  von  Haber. 

Hedemans,  Mayor. 

Dr.  Hoffman,  (xene^-al  Superintendent. 

Dr.  Housselle,  Chirf  Medical  Director. 

Appeal. 

The  Crimean  War  and  the  Italian  Cam- 
paigns prove  that  in  the  present  system  of 
carrying  on  War,  even  well-organised  Ar- 
my Medical  Departments  cannot  meet  the 
wants  of  sick  and  wounded  in  the  field.  In 
October  there  met,  at  Geneva,  a  number  of 
persons  who  had  practical  experience,  and 
who  represented  Baden,  Bavaria,  England, 
France,  Holland,  Austria,  Prassia,  Russia, 
Saxony,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  Spain, Wur- 
tpmberg,  and  other  governments,  to  confer 
and  ascertain  and  determine  "How  best  to 
help  the  medical  staff  of  every  army  to  pro- 
vide for  their  sanitary  duties,  and  to  give 
them  the  means  of  supplying  their  wants." 
This  conference  adopted  the  following  gen- 
eral regulations: 

1st.  In  every  state  there  should  be  a 


Hie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


355 


commission,  prepared  to  anticipate  and 
supply"  the  inevitable  wants  of  its  army. 

2d.  Each  commission  should  organize  its 
own  local  subdivisions. 

3d.  Every  such  division  should  be  duly 
established  by  (and  with  the  consent  of) 
the  local  authorities. 

4th.  In  time  of  peace,  the  members  pre- 
pare and  collect  material  for  use  in  war, 
and  learn  thoroughly  the  duty  of  nurses. 

5th.  In  time  of  war,  each  commission 
helps  freely  its  own  soldiers  with  a  supply 
of  nurses,  by  preparing  quarters  for  sick 
and  wounded,  and  by  getting  help  from 
their  associates  in  neutral  states. 

6th.  Nurses  and  help  of  all  kinds  to  be 
furnished  at  the  call  of  the  regular  medical 
authorities,  and  to  be  directed  by  them. 

7th.  Voluntary  nurses  to  be  fully  sup- 
plied by  the  locality  whence  they  are  sent, 
and  to  draw  all  articles  from  one  source. 

8th.  The  universal  insignia  to  be  a  white 
band  with  red  cross. 

9th.  The  commissions  and  local  commit- 
tees to  unite  in  an  International  Congress 
for  discussion,  improvement  and  advice. 

10th.  For  the  present  the  Geneva  Com- 
mission to  be  the  common  channel  for  all 
correspondence  between  different  coun- 
tries. 

The  following  are  its  officers:  General 
Dufour,  Gustav  Moynier,  Dr.  Mannoir,  Dr. 
Appia,  Henry  Dunan. 

The  Conference  also  make  pubUe  the 
following  requests: 

A.  That  the  Government,  in  every  case, 
give  to  Banitary  Commissions  authority, 
sanction,  and  protection. 

B.  That,  in  time  of  war,  the  privilege  of 
neutrality  be  extended  to  official  sanitary 
individuals,  voluntary  nurses,  people  who 
receive  the  wounded  in  their  own  houses, 
and  the  wounded  themselves. 

G.  That  common  insignia  of  persons 
doing  sanitary  duty,  and  a  common  flag  for 
hospitals,  be  adopted  in'  all  armies.  Al- 
though Prussia  is  universally  acknowledged 
to  be  in  the  eery  furthest  advance  on  all  mat- 
ters relating  to  military  hospitals,  and  the 
care  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  yet  there  is 
still  room  for  a  useful  activity  and  a  patriotic 
organization.  The  undersigned  are  there- 
fore agreed  to  form  associations  for  the 
care  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the 
field.  The  King  and  Queen  have  promised 
help  and  assistance. 

1st.  The  task  of  the  associations  is  to  sup- 
ply nursing  and  care  to  the  hospitals  now 
organized,  and  to  encourage  the  production 
of  all  kinds  of  articles  that  may  he  uspful  Or 
necessary. 

2d.  The  Central  Bureau  is  established 
in  Berlin. 

3d. '  Provincial  and  Local  Bui?eaus  shaU 
be  begun  in  all  parts  of  Germany. 

4th.  The  duties'  of  the  Association  are  to 
provide  for  active  work. 


(1.)  In  time  of  peace: 

a.  To  collect  money. 

b.  To  prepare  supplies. 

c.  To  train  nurses. 

d.  To  connect  aU  organized  charita- 

ble associations,  clerical  or  lay, 
to  the  Sanitary  Association. 
(2.)  In  time  of  war: 

a.  To  establish  hospitals  in  the  field. 

6.  To  supply  nurses. 

c.  To  have  trained  persons  to  give 

help  on  the  field. 

d.  To  forward  all  the  articles  needed 

for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
5th.  The  Central  Bureau  shall  consist  of 
twenty-five  active  members. 

6th.  The  duties  of  the  Central  Bureau 
shall  be — 

To  organize  Provincial  and  Local 
Bureaus. 

To  be  intermediary  Between  these 
subordinate  associations  and  the  official 
authorities,  by  pointing  out  to  the  for- 
mer the  services  required  of  them,  and 
by  supplying  the  latter  with  the  means 
furnished  for  their  use. 

To  establish  hospitals,  and  to  super- 
vise those  already  established. 

To  make  collections  for  them  through 
the  local  sub-divisions. 

To  maintain  an  intimate  correspond- 
ence with  all  branch  and  international 
associations,  and  to  keep  the  public,  as 
well  as  the  members  of  the  Commis- 
sion, thoroughly  acquainted  with  aU 
of  its  workings  and  results,  by  frequent 
r,eports. 
7th.  The  Central  Bureau  in  Berlin  shaE 
be   sub-divided  into  as  many  bureaus  as 
there  may  be  special  duties. 

8th.  Admissio'ii  shall  be  free  to  all  per- 
sons, and  members  of  the  Association  shall 
be— 

a.  AU  who  take  an  active  personal 
share  in  its  operations. 

b.  AU  who  subscribe  yearly,  at  least 
10  silbergroscher— $1.00. 

Patrons  of  the  Association  are  those 
whose  gifts  are  frequent  and  large. 

The  provincial  and  local  associations 
shaU  make  their  own  rules. 

9fch.  The  Central  Bureau  shaU  corre- 
spond with  other  national  associations, 
and  with  the  International  Committee  of 
Geneva, 

10th.  The  Association  affirms  the  resolu- 
tions adopted  at  Geneva,  and  announces 
its  purpose  to  put  them  in  practice  as  soon 
and  as  far  as  may  be  possible.  The  patri- 
otism of  the  Prussian  nation  is  appealed  to, 
not  only  on  the  ground  of  the  sacrifices  and 
duties  of  the  present  hour,  not  only  for  the. 
sake  of  diminishing  the  sickness  and  sufifer- 
ing  of  our  fellow-citizens  in  the  field,  the 
victims  as  well  as  the  heroes  of  the  existing 
wqjT,  but  on  the  high  authority  of  those 
practiced  and  erperienced  men  of  aU  na- 


S56 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tions,  who  have  joiued  unanimously  in  de- 
claring the  pressing  necessity  and  the  large 
usefulness  of  a  Sanitary  Association. 
(Signed,) 

The  Committee. 

BEELIS,  February  17,  1864. 

The  Prussian  "  Bureau  of  Military  Econ- 
cmy"  j)viblishes  the  following  notice,  by 
order  of  the  Minister  of  War— (Feb  16) 

Eeklisi,  Fet.  16,  '64. 

The  gifts  from  private  persons  and  associ- 
ations, forthebeneflt  of  the  wounded  Prus- 
sian soldiers,  are  supplied  to  an  extent,  and 
■with  a  steadiness,  that  renew  the  largest 
pledges  of  the  patriotic  sympathy  of  the 
whole  nation,  and  its  warm  love  for  the 
army.  Most  of  these  gifts  consist  of  arti- 
cles that  are  very  useful  for  the  sick, 
and  particularly  tor  the  wounded  ;  but 
not  unfrequently  they  show  that  the 
generous  giver  is  misled,  by  the  exag- 
geration of  newspapers,  to  believe  that 
the  valiant  defenders  of  the  country  suffer 
from  extreme  want,  and,  even  in  the 
hospitals,  are  without  the  commonest  ne- 
cessities. This  makes  it  necessary  to  de- 
clai'e  publicly,  especially  to  soothe  the 
many  families  whose  anxieties  are  kept 
alive  to  the  sufferings  of  their  sons  and 
brothers,  in  an  active  winter  campaign, 
that  there  never  has  been  any  real,  contin- 
uous want;  although,  owing  to  the  rapid 
movement  of  the  different  columns  of 
troops,  there  has  been  an  occasional  de- 
ficiency of  certain  articles;  and  in  spite  of 
the  largest  and  most  careful  anticipation 
of  all  kinds  of  supplies,  it  is  not  possible 
to  avoid  the  accidental,  and  therefore 
bearable,  deprivation  of  some  things. 
There  never  has  been  ,  any  unreasonable 
delay  in  the  care  of  the  sick  a  d  wounded, 
or  any  want  of  lareparation  for  them  in  the 
field.  In  the  Prussian  army,  there  ai-e 
always  Jour  light  liold  hospitals  for  200 
men  each,  which  follow  the  troops  into 
action,  even,  and  three  hosjiitals  tor  COO 
men  each,  established  a  little  in  the  rear. 
At  Kiel  there  is  an  hospital  for  1,000  men, 
and  all  of  the  hospitals. in  Prussia  are 
ready  to  receive  the  patient'i  sent  here. 
For  all  of  these  hospitals,  b.  jciro  the  war 
began,  there  was  a  full  sui'ply  of  bed- 
steads, hospital  vessels,  food  of  all  kinds 
that  could  be  earned,  uiodicii.n.s,  bandages, 
lint,  &c.  The  necessary  aduitions  of  lint 
and  bandages  have  been  fovwardod  from 
Berlin  on  every  train,  and  there  is  always 
on  hand  a  reserve  of  oO  cw.'s.  uf  lint  alone. 

This  announcement  wiJ  af..,uage  the  fear 
of  any  want  of  a  proper  pieparation  for 
the  wounded,  and  may  servi.'  to  poiut  out 
to  all  patriotic  persons,  who  ynt  their  sym- 
pathy for  the  PiTissian  soldiers  into  prac- 
tice, that  tli«ir  labors  may  bu  directed  to  a 


supply  of  those  articles  not  usually  sup- 
plied, or  absolutely  necessary,  but*  none 
the  less  grateful  to  the  sick  and  suffering. 
There  is,  however,  no  limit  prescribed  to 
the  army  surgeons;  they  are  authorized  to 
obtain,  at  the  expense  of  the  Government, 
any  articles  of  food  or  comfort  they  may 
want.  But  in  the  country  where  an  army 
is  operating,  it  is  not  easy  to  lay  hands  on 
anything,  and  what  can  be  had  is  not 
always  to  be  preferred.  Hence,  supphes 
of  soup,  wine,  preserved  and  fresh  fruits, 
cigars,  and  other  luxuries,  are  always  use- 
ful and  welcome.  There  are,  also,  articles 
for  comfort,  such  as  mattresses  and  piUows, 
flannels,  shirts,  and  under  clothing  of  all 
kinds,  which  cannot  be  too  abundant. 
The  War  Department  will  gladly  receive 
helps  in  the  shape  of  gifts  as  these,  and  will 
be  responsible  lor  their  careful  distribu- 
tion, besides  publicly  acknowledging,  as 
usual,  the  name  of  every  giver. 

The  noble  generosity  of  the  nation  has 
also  been  exhibited,  in  handsome  supphes 
of  money,  to  be  used  in  supporting  wound- 
ed men  discharged  from  hospitals,  and  the 
families  of  those  who  have  fallen. 

The  Government  has  made  full  provision 
for  invalided  soldiers,  and  for  the  children 
of  its  soldiers,  yet  this  field  is  open  to  the 
help  of  private  generosity  ;  all  moneys  for 
this  purpose  will  be  gladly  received,  and 
properly  disposed  of. 

With  patriotic  feeling,  there  have  been 
numerous  offers  of  help  in  the  field,  from 
both  clergy  and  laity,  as  nurses;  and 
so  many  volunteers  for  this  purpose,  are 
already  with  the  army,  that  it  is  requested 
that  all  who  desire  to  go,  or  to  send  fit  and 
proper  persons  for  this  work,  will  report 
to  the  War  Department,  in  order  to  be  as- 
signed to  places  where  their  services  are 
really  required. 
War  OMcc, 

Department  of  Military  Economy, 

Hbnhig  Ksevies. 


The  Dresden  News,  however,  priuts  the 
following  extract  frpm  the  letter  of  a  regi- 
mental surgeon.  It  serves  as  a  commentaiy 
on  the  above. 

Eendsbxjbg,  Feb.  6.— Although  we  Sax- 
ons have  not  been  in  action  yet,  and  are 
not  likely  to  be,  I  have  worked  as  hard  aa 
if  I  was  under  the  heaviest  fire.  At  11 
P.  M.  of  the  3rd,  there  arrived  the  first 
ambulance  train  of  wounded  Austrians  and 
Prussians,  from  the  battle-field;  and,  just 
think  of  it,  there  were  no  bandages,  no 
beds,  no  covering,  no  hospital  accommo- 
dations— not  even  an  empty  house— and, 
worst  of  all,  not  even  an  Austrian  surgeon. 
What  opuld  we  three  Saxon  surgeons  do,' 
with  230  severely  wounded  men,  many  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


357 


whonf  could  not  speak  a,  word  of  German, 
and  not  another  doctor  could  be  found  in 
the  place.  We  did  all  that  was  possible, 
and  by  10  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
ith,  every  patient  was  cared  for.  The 
Danish  balls  which  we  out  out,  are  twice 
as  heavy  and  as  big  as  the  Austrian.  The 
wounds  were  often  fearful,  frequently  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  body,  because  their 
weight  gives  the  balls  a  larger  arc,  and 
they  strike  the  men  in  the  breast  and  lodge 
under  the  shoulders.  In  spite  of  the  want 
of  all  preparation,  we  soon  got  help,  and 
to-day  every  one  of  the  423  wounded  men 
here  has  a  bed,  with  a  straw  ^nattress,  be- 
cause we  have  set  all  our  soldiers  at  work, 
and  the  women  fetch  in  lint,  old  linen, 
bandages,  and,  what  was  most  of  aU  wanted, 
food  of  all  kinds,  in  plenty.  Last  night 
there  were  eight  deaths.  All  our  Saxon 
surgeons  off  duty  have  their  hands  full  at 
the  hospitals. 

The  total  receipts  up  to  the  31st  Janiiary, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Schleswig  Holstein 
sufferers,  is  put  at  283,490  fl.— $150,000. 


The  "  Diakonissen  haus  (Society  of  Dea- 
conesses) Bethanien,"  of  BerHn,  has  pub- 
lished the  following  call: 

The  war  has  begun.  When  it  wiU  end, 
and  how  long  it  wiU  last,  God  only  knows. 
We  are  ready  to  care  foT  the  sick  and 
wounded.  The  Order  of  St.  John  has  pre- 
pared, a  hospital  for  fifty  beds  at  Altona, 
and  has  assigned  the  charge  of  it  to  us. 
We  have  accepted  the  work,  but  our  power 
is  already  exhausted;  and  we  appeal  to  all 
Prussian,  to  all  German  women  and  widows, 
who  are  free  from  family  cares,  to  share 
our  sacred  calling,  and  pray  for  their  help. 
All  whose  hearts  respond  to  this  appejJ, 
and  who  can  join  us,  wiU  report  to  me. 
It  is  desirable  that  every  application,  be- 
sides a  brief  statement  of  the  personal  re- 
lations of  each  individual,  be  accompanied 
by  a  copy  of  the  certificate  of  baptism,  the 
consent  of  parents,  a  testimony  of  good 
moral  conduct,  signed  by  the  pastor,  and  a 
physician's  certificate. 

•    (Signed,) 
Anna,  Countess  Stoubeeg, 

Superintendjeld, 
Bekun,  'Bktoasy,  lib.  B. 

The  Count  and  Countess  Stolberg  reached 
Altona,  on  the  day  of  the  1st  February,  ac- 
companied by  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Diaconate,  Bethany,  from  Berlin,  and  two 
deaconesses,  to  take  part  in  the  care  of  the 
hospital  established  at  that  place,  by  the 
Order  of  St.  John. 


THINGS  TO  BE  DOKE. 
Complaints  are  frequently  made  by  the 
inspectors  and  relief  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission, that  great  loss  occurs  in  the  trans- 
portation of  sanitary  stores  from  bad  paok- 

ING. 

Presei'ved  fruits  are  often  so  badly  put  up 
in  bottles  or  jars,  that  the  corks  come  out,  and 
the  contents  are  spoiled  or  spilled. 

It  is  useless  to  pack  sanitary  stores  in 
poor  barrels,  or  thin,  badli/  coopered  bosses. 
If  you  expect  your  contributions  of  food  to 
reach  the  needy  sufferers,,  over  the  hard 
roads  of  military  transportation,  you  must 
pack  in  strong  barrels,  well  strapped  and 
nailed,  or  in  boxes  secured  b§  careful  nailing, 
and  either  hickory,  raw  hide,  or  strap  iron 
straps.  • 

Dried  fruits,  for  many  reasons,  are  pre- 
ferable to  those  put  up  in-  the  moist  state 
with  sugar  syrap;  still  the  latter,  when 
carefully  packed,  are  of  great  value. 

Willi/  NOT  BVEKY  HOUSBWXPE  IN  THE  COTOl- 
TKT  PBEPAKE,  AT  iEAST,  TWO  BUSHELS  OP 
DBIED  APPLES,  PLUMS,  OB  PEACHES,  THIS 
TBAB,   AND   SEND  THEM   TO  THE   U.    S.    SaNI- 

TAEY  Commission,  thbough  theie  NEiaH- 

BOBHOOD  society,  OK  BRANCH  ?  BY  SO 
DOma,  HUNDBED3  AND  THOUSANDS  OP  BBAVB 
MEN  MAY  BE  SAVED  PBOM  WASTING  SOOBVY 
AND   PBBMANBNT  DISABILITY. 

The  CALL  PBOM  THE  HIGHEST  MILITABY 
AND  MEDICAL  AUTHOBITIBS  IN  THE  FIELD   IS 

CONSTANT  AND  LOUD  FOE  outons,  picklcs,  and 
potatoes.  Cannot  evbby  loyal  eakmbb  put 
in  half  an  acre  of  onions  and  potatobs, 

THE  BEST  PBEVENTTVES  OP,  OB  EEMEDIBS 
FOB  SCUEVY,  THAT  TEBRIBLJa  ENEMY  OF 
AEMIBS? 

In  this  way  a  great  blessing  will  be  con- 
ferred upon  the  National  Army,  and  the 
health  and  lives  of  the  brave  men  derive 
dae  protection  through  the  intelligent  so- 
licitude of  the  homes  of  the  land. 


LETTERS  IN  OUR  DRAWER. 
Dr.  Steiner,  our-  Chief  Inspector  in  the 
Armies  of  Eastern  Virginia  and  Maryland, 
has  sent  in  his  report  for  the  past  three 
months;  but  as  they  have  been  unusually 
quiet  months,  little  of  special  interest  has 
occurred.  The  Relief  Corps  with  the  Army 
of  Virginia  consists,   at  present,   of  one 


358 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BvEeUn. 


superintendent,  one  assistant  superintend- 
ent, five  relief  agents,  a  storekeeper  and 
assistant.     Dr.  Steiner  says: 

There  has  been  but  one  active  engagement  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  since  the  last  report, 
•which  is  kno-wn  technically  as  the  battle  of 
Morton's  Ford.  This  engagement  arose  during 
a  reconnoisance  made  by  the  Second  Corps.  It 
resulted  in  some  two  hundred  wounded  men 
being  thrown  into  the  hospitals  of  this  corps. 
Our  agents  report  that  they  were  on  hand,  and 
furnished  such  warm  under-clothing  as  was 
needed  bj  the  men,  as  also  the  requisite  amount 
of  stimulants  and  farinaceous  food.  It  was  for- 
tunate that  the  stores,  that  a  wise  forethought  of 
the  superintendent  had  collected  at  Brandy 
Station,  were  sufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of 
the  occasion.  Dr.  Isaac  Fairchild,  one  of  the 
inspectors,  was  on  the  ground,  and  afforded  the 
medical  officers  such  aid  as  they  needed  in  at- 
tending to  the  wounded. 

***** 

The  work  of  distribution  has  been  carried  on 
from  three  foci — the  main  storehouse  at  Brandy 
Station,  (headquarters  of  Field  Belief  Corps,) 
the  storehouse  at  Culpepper  Court  House,  and 
at  Catlett's  Station.  The  stores  have  all  been 
issued  on  receipted  requisilions  from  medical  offi- 
ters,  or  their  aecrediied  represenkitives,  except  where 
mdimdual  cases, requiringassista.ee,  camedirectly 
undtr  the  agenfs  oliservation.  Reforts  have  been 
rendered  weekly  of  the  work  of  each  officer  of 
the  corps,  and  whenever  these  contained  mat- 
ters of  public  interest,  extracts  have  been  made, 
and  forwarded  for  insertion  in  the  Bulletin. 
That  these  extracts  have  been  comparatively 
few  in  number,  can  be  accounted  lor  simply 
from  the  fact,  that  there  is  but  little  of  incident 
in  the  routine  of  winter-life  in  camp.  Still, 
sufficient  have  been  furnished,  I  trust,  to  show 
that  the  corps  is  fully  alive  to  the  work  entrust- 
to  it,  and  tiiat  this  work  has  been  cheerfully 
undertaken  and  unweariedly  performed. 

In  consequence  of  the  necessity  of  a  resting 
and  feeding  place  for  soldiers  and  officers, 
arriving  in  a  weak  and  prostrate  condition  at 
Brandy  Station,  an  arrangement  was  made  at 
Brandy  Station  for  a  species  of  field  lodge,  in 
connection  with  our  headquarters.  ■  This  has 
enabled  the  agents  to  give  a  comfortable  bed 
and  suitable  food  to  a  large  number,  who  would 
otherwise  have  suffered  for  the  want  of  such 
attentions,  at  a  merely  nominal  expense. 
«  *  *  *  » 

As  regards  our  work  in  Major  General  Kelly's 
command,  heretofoie  we  have  depended  upon 
occasional  visits  of  inspectors  to  ascertain  wants, 
which  have  then  been  supplied  by  issues  from 
Washington.  I  am  now  about  perfecting  ar- 
rangements for  the  location  of  a  permanent 
agent  in  Harper's  Ferry,  who  shall  have  this 
work  under  his  eye.  The  difficulty  of  securing 
agents  has  been  so  great,  that  I  have  preferred 
to  train  them  for  the  pui-pose,  in  the  Field  Re- 
lief Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Duiing  the  stay  of  Mr.  E.  B.  Fairchild,  as 
special  examiner  in  vital  statistics,  at  Point 
Lookout,  he  was  also  delegated  as  relief  agent. 
He  issued  such  stores  as  were  needed  for  the 
hospital,  and  occasionally  supplied  some  of  the 
more  urgent  needs  of  the  prisoners  in  the 
immense   prisoners'  camp,  established  there. 


Among  other  articles  forwarded,  I  may  mention 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  of  sulphur, 
with  a  view  of  stopping  the  ravages  of  the  itch, 
which  was  largely  prevalent  there  at  one  time. 

During  the  past  two  months,  in  addition  to 
the  numerous  duties  resting  upon  me  in  conduct- 
ing the  machinery  of  this  department,  I  have 
been  enabled  to  make  visits  of  inspection  to 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  the  Army  of 
Virginia,  and  to  satisfy  myself,  by  personal 
examination,  of  the  practical  execution  of  the 
plans  that  had  been  matured  by  me  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  department. 

The  demand  for  supplies  from  the  West 
still  continues  unabated.  The  negroes 
and  contrabands  from  the  enemy's  lines 
are  bringing  the  small  pox  with  them  as  they 
flock  in,  and  are  filling  our  hospitals,  and 
infecting  our  o-wn  men.  Our  agent  at  Mem- 
phis, Mr.  Carpenter,  reports  to  Dr.  New- 
berry, (March  11) — 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  number  of  sick 
in  General  Hospitals,  not  quite  2,500.  The  pre- 
vailing diseases,  pneumonia  -and  small  pox, 
very  much  on  the  increase. 

The  small  pox  increasing  fearfully  among  the 
refogees  and  contrabands.  I  wish  attention 
might  be  called  forcibly  to  the  dangerous  char- 
acter of  the  vaccine  virus  issued  to  Surgeons. 

A  great  number  of  the  troops  here  are  suffer 
ing  seriously  from  the  effects  of  inoculation. 

We  received  a  very  seasonable  supply  of  sani- 
tary stores  yesterday  from  Cairo.  We  received 
no  whisky  or  wines,  which  we  are  in  need  of, 
for  Kegimental  Hospitals.  We  are  entirely  out 
of  bedding,  also;  it  is  needed  badly;  woolxm- 
der-clothing,  socks  and  drawers,  cotton  shirts, 
we  have  a  supply  of  for  the  present;  towels  and 
handkerchiefs,  much  needed.  I  have  succeeded 
in  making  arrangements  with  Capt.  Tigh,  A.  Q. 
M. ,  by  which  the  effects  and  mementoes  of  de- 
ceased soldiers  in  General  Hospitals,  for  which 
he  is  not  obliged  to  account,  may  be  turned 
over  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  regis- 
tered and  preserved,  until  they  can  be  returned 
to  their  friends.  Under  th(B  present  system,  I 
have  found  it  impossible  to  iind  or  secure  any 
thing,  of  that  description,  after  the  effects  have 
once  gone  into  the  hands  of  the  Quarter- 
Master. 

I  have  also  been  trying  to  have  the  authori- 
ties open  a  mill,  to  grind  corn,  but  have  not 
succeeded  in  any  thing  yet. 

I  don't  know  but  it  may  be  best  for  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  to  do  something  about  it, 
if  we  can  succeed  in  no  other  way. 

It  seems  indispensable  to  the  colored  troops 
and  refugees,  to  have  corn  meal,  and  in  hot 
weather,  it  will  be  very  apt  to  sour,  in  bringing 
it  from  the  North.  Government  would  maie  a 
decided  saving  in  using  corn,  if  they  would  see 
it  so,  and  take  the  trouble  to  provide  it. 

Dr.  Lewis  Cox,  arrived  here  from  Philadel- 
phia, February  27th,  as  Medical  Inspector  of 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi. 

I  have  just  received  (since  I  commenced  this 
letter,)  a  requisition  from  Helena,  for  Sanitary 
supplies.  The  amount  of  supplies,  of  all  the 
leading  articles,  with  which  we  are  furnished  at 
this  point,  is  entirely  inadequate  for  the  supply 


Tha  Sanitary  Commission  BuHdin. 


359 


of   all  that    are    dependent  npon  this  post- 
Helena,  Goodrich  Landing,  Fort  Pillow,  and  the 
gun-boat  supplies. 
Helena  reports  to-day,  238  siok  in  hospitals. 

The  Commission  has  followed  up  the  ex- 
pedition to  Texas,  and  established  agencies 
and  stores  at  the  leading  points  occupied  by 
our  troops.  Mr.  Mitchell,  one  of  the  Re- 
lief Agents  there,  writes,  (January  20)  from 
Decron's  Point — 

On  the  15th  instant,  through  Dr.  White's 
courtesy,  I  secured  a  hospital  tent  for  our  stores, 
and  an  office.  The  substantial  casks  of  cab- 
bage, in  ourrie  and  vinegar,  the  goodly  row  of 
potato  barrels,  and  the  flag  of  the  Commission, 
more  conspicuous,  though  not  less  useful  in  its 
way,  fully  attest  that  even  on  this  "ultima 
thule,"  the  volunteer  soldier  shall  not  be  forgot- 
ten, or  neglected  by  those  who  owe  to  him  their 
present  security  and  prosperity,  and  for  whose 
present  and  future  welfare,  he  has  left  a  home 
and  all  its  comforts,  as  dear  to  him  as  theirs. 
Even  before  the  tent  poles  were  well  in  the 
ground,  there  were  several  Surgeons  at  hand 
asking  for  those  ordinary  necessities,  not  to  be 

obtained  elsewhere  at  present. 

****** 

As  I  have  already  mentioned  to  yon,  symptoms 
of  scurvy  are  said  to  exist  among  the  men,  and 
many  of  the  Surgeons  are  desirous  of  obtaining 
prepared  lemonade,  as  a  preventive.  If  you 
have  any  in  New  Orleans,  it  cannot  be  made  of 
more  use  elsewhere  in  the  Department  than 
here. 

****** 

^  And  he  adds,  writing  from  Indianola, 
(February  11) — 

■  The  cabbage  in  ourrie  is  tast<!d  with  a  slnack 
of  the  lips,  a  grunt  of  satisfaction;  then  a  more 
modest  expression  of  the  taste's  appreciation  of 

the  article  follows. 

****** 

The  monographs  of  the  Commission  are  high- 
ly prized  here  by  the  Surgeons,  and  are  in  great 
demand.  I  believe  that  I  have  already  request- 
ed that  complete  sets  be  sent  here.  I  would 
like  to  have  at  least  thirty.  The  Bttlletins  are 
also  received  here  with  pleasure,  by  both  offi- 
cers and  men — an  allowance  of  100  per  number 
can  be  well  distributed.  Please  to  send  as  large 
a  supply  of  other  reading  as  you  can  spare,  for 
this  command;  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  any 

thing  but  "  trash"  here,  from  any  other  source. 

****** 

The  following  furnishes  a  fresh  illustra- 
tion of  the  folly  and  absurdity  of  supposing 
that  the  condition  of  Government  store- 
houses, in  the  cities  of  the  North,  has  any 
necessary  bearing  on  the  condition  of  the 
troops  at  distant  points  in  the  field.  The 
great  difficulty  with  which  the  Government 
has  to  contend  is  not  the  accumulation  of 
ftores,  but  their  distribution  at  the  places 
where  they  are  most  needed.  It  is  certainly  ' 


strange  that,  at  this  stage  in  the  war,  atten- 
tion should  have  to  be  so  often  drawn  to 
this  point. 

Mr.  Edgerly,  one  of  our  relief  agents, 
writes  from  Brownsville,  Texas,   (January 

30:) 

*  *  «  *  » 

General  Herron  stated  that  his  men  in  hospi- 
tal were  greatly  suffering  for  want  of  sanitary 
stores,  and  that  he  had  already  written  to  you, 
requesting  a  donation  of  supplies  from  the 
stores  of  the  Commission.  He  further  stated, 
that  any  stores  that  the  Commission  could 
spare  for  the  benefit  of  the  siok  in  his  command, 
would  be  most  thankfully  received;  and  that  he 
should  be  most  happy  to  give  us  every  facility 
in  his  power  for  carrying  out  the  plans  and 
objects  of  the  Commission.  He  has  already 
given  orders  to  have  a  good  storehouse  imme- 
diately 4tted  up  for  the  use^f  the  Commission 
at  this  point. 

»  *  *  *  * 

The  Post  Hospital  is  in  one  of  the  best  build- 
ings in  town.  The  wards  look  clean  and  tidy, 
but  are  entirely  destitute  of  pillows,  sheets,  and 
hospital  clothing;  while  the  patients  are  sup- 
plied only  with  sach  diet  as  can  be  prepared 
from  army  rations,  which  consist  mostly  of 
bread,  beef,  flour,  rice,  and  coffee.  The  pre- 
vailing diseases  are  said  to  be  fever,  diarrhea, 
and  smaU-pox,  of  the  latter  of  which  there  ar  a 
some  thirty  cases. 

***** 

Mr.  Furness  writes  to  Dr.  Blake,  Chief 
Inspector  at  New  Orleans,  February  26. 

New  Obleahs,  February  '26, 18G4. 
la  accordance  with  your  instructions,  I  left 
New  Orleans  on  the  6th  February,  on  board  the 
"  Laurel  Hill,''  with  117  sick  and  furlougbed 
soldiers,  havitig  spent  the  previous  five  days  in 
fixing  up  berths,  dining  tables,  storeroom,  <tc., 
to  the  satisfaction  of  Dr.  Stipp,  Medical  Inspector, 
department  of  the  Gulf,  who  went  with  us  as  far 

as  Baton  Rouge. 

****** 

We  arrived  at  Baton  Rouge  early  on  Sunday 
morning,  when  We  took  on  board  twenty  men, 
making  a  total  of  137:  of  course,  they  could  not 
all  be  accommodated  in  staterooms,  as  there  were 
bnt  twenty-eight  available,  twenty  of  which  had 
two  berths  each,  and  eight  would  accommolate 
three  men  each.  I  suggested  a  plan  to  Ur.  Stipp, 
by  which  we  could  gain  eighty-eight  additional 
berths;  he  told  me  to  go  ahead  and  fix  up  the  boat 
as  I  thought  best.  A  row  of  berths  was  built  in  the 
centre  of  the  saloon,  eleven  feet  in  length,  two  in 
width,  and  four  in  height.  As  the  staterooms  are 
accessible  from  the  saloon  and  from  the  deck,  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  run  (he  dining  table  the 
whole  length  nf  the  boat,  fastening  it  to  the  frame- 
work of  the  stateroom.'!,  thus  closing  all  the  doors 
from  the  saloon  into  the  staie-roomg,  on  one  side 
of  the  boat.  A  good  bod,  clean  bedding,  and  a 
seat  at  the  table  was  provided  for  every'man. 
*  *  *  ^  *  * 

We  still  continue  to  receive  very  gratify- 
ing acknowledgments  of  the  va'.ue  of  our 
labors,  from  the  surgeons  in  the  field. 


860 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetiri. 


KoBPiTiL,  Sd  Divisioh,  2d  a.  C. 
March  12'A,  1864. 
Db.  Goedon  WrasLOW  : 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the 
many  obligations  I  am  under,  for  benefits  ren- 
dered this  hospital  by  the  U.  S.  S.  Commission, 
through  their  energetic  and  obliging  representa- 
tive, Mr.  Holbrook.  Through  this  agency,  this 
hospital  has  been  abundantly  supplied  with 
sheelB,  blankets,  quilts,  pillows,  underclothing,  of 
all  kinds;  milk,  farina,  corn  starch,  jellies,  reading 
matter,  and  other  materials,  which  were  obtain- 
able from  no  other  source.  They  have  also  been 
of  great  service,  in  taking  charge  of  disabled  and 
discharged  soldiers,  who  were  not  able  to  care 
for  themselves,  on  their  way  home. 

I  am.  also,  under  personal  obligations  to  their 
several  agents,  for  the  kind  and  courteous  manner 
in  which  these  services  have  been  rendered,  and 
sincerely  hope  they  may  prosper  in  the  good 
work  in  which  they  are  engaged. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 
Fred'e  a.  Dddlet, 

14ih  C.  v.,  in  charge  of  hospital. 

HEABQUABTEBS,  2d  DIV.  2d  COBPS  HOSFITAl., 

March  12th,  1864. 
Db.  Winslow  : 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  I  improve  the 
present  opportunity,  to  acknowledge  the  effi- 
ciency of,  and  benefits  arising  from  your  philan- 
thropic and  benevolent  body,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  the 
many,  very  many,  good  results  arising  from  its 
energetic  endeavors  to  benefit  the  sick  and 
wounded,  who  are  under  my  charge. 

We  have  received,  through  your  agent.  Air. 
Holbrook,  who,  I  am  glad  to  say,  is  a  young  man 
every  way  worthy  of,  and  competent  to  fill,  the 
responsible  position  which  he  occupies,  a  bounti- 
ful supply  of  sheets,  blankets,  pillow-cases,  un- 
derclothing, and  many  other  necessaries,  and 
luxuries,  which  have  enabled  us  to  make  the  sick 
and  wounded  comfortable  and  contented,  much 
more  than  is  generally  the  case  in  a  field  hos- 
pital. 

I  feel  grateful  for  the  uniform  kindness  .shown, 
not  only  to  the  suffering,  but  to  iis  all  who  are 
concerned  in  their  restoration  to  health.  I  must, 
also,  acknowledge  the  favors  shown  to  our  men, 
going  to  and  from  their  homes. 

That  yon  may  be  blessed  in  your  labors  of  love, 
and  that  the  medical  staff  of  the  army  may  never 
be  deprived  of  so  powerful  an  auxilliary  for 
good,  is  the  wish  of 

Yours  truly, 
John  Aikin, 

«  SurgeonllstPa.  Vol.,and 

in  charge  of  hospital, 

Mrs.  Stephen  Barker,  wlio  is  acting  as 
Hospital  Visitor  at  Wasliington,  furnishes 
an  interesting  report  of  her  labors  during 
the  past  mouth: 

During  the  month  of  Febraary,  my  visits  have 
continued  in  the  three  hospitals  for  the  Invalid 
Corps,  (Martindale,  Cliff  burn  and  Sheeburu,)  the 
stone  hospital,  (for  deserters,)  the  post  hospitals, 
for  the  Massachusetts  1st  Heavy  Artillery,  at 
Forts  De  Kalb  and  Albany,  and  for  the  New 
York  2nd  Heavy  Artillery,  at  Fort  Corcoran. 


Within  the  last  week  I  have  been  introduced  to 
two  new  hospitals;  one  at  Camp  Barry,  (for 
artillery  in.struction)  the  other  at  Fort  Sumner, 
garrisoned  by  the  Maine  1st  Heavy  Artillery. 

In  moft  of  these  visits  I  have  directed  my  at- 
tention principally  to  cultivating  an  acquaintance 
with  hospital  stewards,  wardmasters,  nurses, 
cooks,  and  attendants,  in  order  to  ascertain  their 
fitness  for  their  responsible  places. 

There  is  so  miich  opportunity  for  dishonesty 
and  neglect  in  these  departments,  which  may 
escape  the  notice  of  even  a  conscientious  surgeon, 
that  it  is  not  safe  to  infer  from  bis  integrity,  a 
similar  fidelity  in  his  employes. 

I  have  known  a  pious  class-leading  Methodist 
wardmaster,  to  hide  as  much  stewed  fruit  as  he 
distiibuted  for  supper,  in  order  to  regale  himself 
and  the  whole  kitchen  corps,  at  luncheon  the  next 
day. 

Sometimes  the  patients  fare  even  worse,  by 
getting  not  even  a  share  of  the  luxuries  intended 
for  them.  Whenever  there  is  reason  to  suspect 
snch  a  state  of  things  I  have  found  it  best  to  ask 
special  permission  from  the  surgeon,  to  distribute 
a  certain  delicacy,  then  to  te/1  the  patients  what 
they  are  to  receive,  and  when  I  go  the  next  time, 
to  ask  how  they  enjoyed  it.  If  they  never  had  it, 
they  are  very  ready  to  tell  me,  and  I  can  then 
find  out  the  reason,  by  general  questions,  which 
imply  no  particular  suspicions,  and  which  wound 
nobody's  pride.  When  a  wardmaster  or  steward 
discovers  that  he  is  looked  after,  he  is  sure  to  be 
very  careful.  So,  without  auy  disturbance  in  our 
friendly  relations,  a  power  is  exerted,  whereby 
the  rights  of  patients  are  protected,  and  the  Hos- 
pital Corps  become  responsible  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  their  own  reputation  and  dignity.  In  all 
the  hospitals  I  have  visited,  the  pleasantest  re- 
lations have  been  established  between  the  atten- 
dants and  myself,  and  everywhere  I  hear  most 
gratifying  acknowledgements  of  the  benefits  re- 
ceived from  the  Sanitary  Commission.  I  have 
found^the  employes  in  all  these  hospitals,  as  I 
think,  conscientious  and  reliable.  The  only  hos- 
pital about  which  I  have  had  some  doubts,  has 
now  come  under  a  new  surgeon,  and  I  will  make 
no  comment  until  I  have  further  opportunity  to 
study  its  management. 

On  my  daily  rounds,  I  have  carried  a  variety  of 
articles  in  my  wagon,  which  have  been  eagerly 
welcomed,  especially  fresh  cranberries,  canned 
fruit  and  tomatoes,  catsup,  &o. 

The  thread  bags  (containing  the  letters)  the 
brusljes,  combs,  cologne  and  national  songs, 
together  with  an  admirable  selection  of  books  and 
magazines,  lately  received  from  Massachusetts, 
have  given  more  pleasure  than  one  woiild  im- 
agine, who  did  not  witness  the  effect  of  their 
introduction  into  a  ward. 

Among  the  amusements  connected  with  the 
hospital  labor  of  this  month,  has  been  the  writing 
of  a  few  stories  for  the  ■•  Drum  Beat "  at  the  re- 
quest, and  solely  for  the  gratification  of  out  own 
distinguished  Secretary. 

Besides  these,  I  have  spent  several  hours  in  the 
study  of  anatomy,  as  illustrated  by  some  govern- 
ment drawer,',  to  which  ray  attention  was  mourn- 
fully called  by  a  oonscieAtious  wardmaster,  who 
pronounced  them  unfit  lor  use,  though  nearly  new, 
oningto  their  entire  dismi'mburment.  Really  I 
think  even  Professor  Agassiz  would  have  been 
puzzled  to  decide  at  a  glance  for  what,  race  of 
animals  they  wore  intended.     But   by   additions 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


361 


and  subtractions  according  to  accBpted  standards, 
we,  the  ladies  of  the  house,  shall  redeem  the  oou- 
demned  garments,  and  "return  them  to  their 
regiments." 


WORK  OF  RELIEF  IN  THE  EASTERN 
DEPAETllENT. 

So  far  as  known,  all  wants  of  sick  or 
wounded  soldiers  in  tliis  Department,  not 
provided  for  by  the  ordinaiy  Government 
Agencies,  have  been  met  by  the  Commis- 
sion. 

The  amonnt  of  supplies  distributed  in 
Washington  and  vicinity,  including  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  has  been  less  than 
in  some  previous  mouths — ^the  number  of 
inmates  of  General  Hospitals  being  at  pres- 
ent small. 

At  Newbern,  early  in  the  month,  at  the 
time  of  the  advance  of  the  Eebels  upon  the 
town,  and  the  engagement  which  followed, 
Dr.  Page,  Inspector  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, exhibited  to  advantage  the  sys- 
tem, efficiency  and  wise  provision  made  by 
the  Commission,  although  there  was  but 
little  caU  for  only  battle-field  service.  A 
large  amount  of  most  timely  aid  was  ren- 
dered to  the  regiments,  whose  supplies  had 
been  destroyed,  and  many  stores  judiciously 
distributed. 

At  Beaufort,  S.  C,  the  good  work  has 
continued,  as  has  already  been  shown  by 
the  published  reports  of  Dr.  Marsh.  Our 
agents  were  present,  with  supplies,  at  the 
battles  in  Florida — Dr.  Marsh  having  load- 
ed a  brig  of  350  tons,  with  Sanitary  supplies, 
which  accompanied  the  expedition  to  the 
Florida  coast.  The  supplies  furnished  by 
the  Commission,  after  the  battle  near  Olns- 
tee,  were,  for  a  time,  almost  the  only  stores 
for  the  relief  of  the  wounded  there.  The 
public  have  ere  this  seen  the  order  of  Gen. 
Seymour,  acknowledging  the  value  of  the 
services  of  the  Commission. 

At  New  Orleans,  the  General  Belief  work 
has  gone  on  satisfactorily.  Mr.  Abbott, 
recently  returned  from  New  Orleans,  gives 
very  gratifying  accounts  of  the  energy  and 
faithfulness  of  our  agents  there,  and  of  the 
acknowledged  good  which  the  Commission 
is  doing  in  that  Department  in  General  re- 
lief work. 

The  General  Relief  work  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  has  been  faithfully  and  ac- 
ceptably perfoimed — under  the  immediate 


direction  of  Dr.  Steiner,  Chief  Inspector  of 
the  Commission  in  that  Army. 

The  store  houses  in  Washington  are  accu- 
mulating supplies  in  anticipation  of  larga 
and  sudden  demands  upon  them  in  the 
spring — supplies  in  quantity  are  being  ship- 
ped to  the  Belief  Stations  on  the  coast. 

At  New  Orleans,  the  "Home"  has  in- 
creased facilities,  and  increased  demands 
upon  it.  Mr.  Nutb,  the  former  Superin- 
tendent, has  returned  to  his  regiment;  and 
Mr.  Weevee,  sent  from  the  Washington 
office,  is  now  Superintendent. 

The  office  for  pensions,  back  pay  and 
bounties,  at  New  Orleans,  has  been  opened 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Seaton — an  effi- 
cient man  from  the  Pension  Office  in  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  Seaton  reports  that  there 
were  150  oases  waiting  his  arrival. 

Arrangements  for  a  new  Lodge,  for  Spe- 
cial Belief  Service,  have  been  made  at 
Portsmouth,  Va.  A  large  and  conveniently 
located  building  has  been  assigned  to  the 
Commission  at  Portsmouth,  by  the  military 
authorities,  and  aU.  desired  facilities  secured 
to  our  agents  there.  It  is  likely  to  be  a  post 
of  importance  in  the  way  of  rendering  re- 
lief. 

A  distinct  Board  of  Special  Belief  haa 
been  found  necessary  at  the  office  in  Wash- 
ington; and  a  person  has  accordingly  been 
appointed,  whose  entire  time  is  devoted  to 
attending  to  the  claims  which  come  from 
the  Navy — including  the  claims  for  "  prize 
money. "  This  is  in  accordance  with  a  desire 
expressed  at  the  Fourth  Auditor's  office, 
where  these  claims  are  presented. 

Of  the  Hospital  Directory,  with  its  con- 
stantly enlarging  beneficence,  you  have  a 
report  from  Mr.  Bowne. 

The  Fresh  Hospital  Supply  Agency  con- 
tinues rendering  good  service.  According 
to  the  instructions  of  the  Board  a  letter 
was  sent  to  each  Surgeon  in  charge  of  a 
General  Hospital — thus  supplied  by  the 
Commission— asking  his  opinion  of  the 
value  of  this  agency.  Most  of  the  hospi- 
tals have  replied,  and  the  answers  indicate, 
in  general,  satisfaction  and  appreciation  of 
the  service  rendered.  Some  modifications 
may,  however,  be  desirable. 

There  has  been  no  oportunity  during  the 
past  month  for  rendering  aid  to  the  Bich- 
mond  prisoners  through  the  Commission. 


362 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeHn. 


As  soon  as  the  exchanges  are  recommen  ced, 
the  flag-bf-truce  boats  -will  be  supplied  by 
our  agents. 

During  the  inonth  there  have  been  no 
changes  of  importance  in  the  working  corps 
— excepting  the  additioQ  of  three  agents  in 
the  Special  Relief  work  before  referred  to. 
Mr.  Bascom,  the  faithful  Pension  Agent  of 
the  Commission,  has  resigned  his  place — 
his  business  at  home  demanding  his  pres- 
ence there.  Through  the  kindness  and  in- 
terest of  the  "Commissioner  of  Pensions," 
Mr.  Barrett,  another  man  of  large  experi- 
ence and  much  ability,  Mr.  Barry,  from 
the  Pension  Office,  has  been  appointed  in 
Mr.  Bascom's  place.  From  him  back  pay 
and  bounties  will  be  collected,  as  weU  as 
pensions,  at  Lodge  No.  4,  Washington. — 
Mr.  Knapp's  Report. 


HOSPITALS  IN  THE  WEST. 

The  hospital  room  in  Louisville  and 
Vicinity  has  remained  about  the  same  for 
many  months,  but  there  have  been  a  great 
many  changes  in  the  buildings  used..  The 
number  of  patients  for  some  time  tas  not 
been  greatly  different,'  for  the  beds  made 
vacant  by  transfers  to  other  hospitals,  and 
deaths,  are  iBlled  by  the  ceaseless  tidp  of 
sick  from  the  gradual  accumulation  in  the 
hospitals  at  the  front.  At  present  there 
are  about  two  thousand  patients  here,  leav- 
ing some  thirteen  hundred  vacant  beds; 
four  hundred  of  these,  howevesr,  are  at  the 
Jefferson  General  Hospital,  which  is  not 
yet  complete  in  its  an-angements. 

The  names  of  the  hospitals,  as  they  are 
now  arranged,  are — Clay,  (formerly  Nos.  1 
and  4,)  having  350  beds;  Crittenden,  (for- 
merly Nos.  3  and  18,  and  Officers'  Hospi- 
tal,) having  280  beds;  Brown  Hospital, 
(formerly  No.  7,)  having  700  beds;  Jeffer- 
son, at  Jeffersonville,  having  beds  at  pres- 
ent for  700  patients;  No.  16,  at  Jefferson- 
ville, with  beds  for  87;  at  New  Albany, 
General  Hospitals,  Nos.  4,  5,  6,  8,  and  11, 
with  capacity  for  840;  and  the  Eruptive 
Hospital,  (formerly  Nos.  5,  15,  19,  and  20,) 
having  250  beds. 

•  I  have  been  thus  explicit  in  recording 
these  changes,  as  the  information  may  be 
of  some  importance  to  those  who  have  now, 
or  may  hereafter  have,  friends  in  these 
hospitals.  Other  changes  will  probably 
occur  within  a  short  time,  as  soon  as  the 
large  hospital  at  Jeffersonville  is  ready  for 
patients  to  its  full  capacity. 

Taylor  General  Hospital  was  in  success- 
ful operation,  till  about  two  weeks  ago, 
when  the  patients  were  transferred  to  Jef- 
ferson Hospital.  This  hospital  had  about 
eix  hundred  beds,  was  pleasantly  situated, 


and  was  a  grand  improvement  from  the 
"  up  stairs  and  down"  of  many  of  the  hos- 
pitals in  the  city;  and,  besides  this,  it  had 
ample  grounds  within  and  around  it.  When 
these  buildings  were  erected,  as  was  sup- 
posed for  barra,cks,  aU  who  had  been 
through  the  houses  used  for  the  purpose 
in  the  city,  and  sympathized  with  the  con- 
valescents, rejoiced  at  the  thought  of  their 
change,  crowded  as  they  were  into  their 
three-story  double  bedsteads,  some  of  which 
ought  to  have  been  condemned  long  ago, 
even  as  a  place  for  so  many  prisoners.  But 
the  same  ill-ventilated,  dark  rooms  have 
been  used  to  the  present  time  for  barracks. 
There  is,  however,  the  hope  now,  these 
buildings  having  been  given  up  for  hospi- 
tal purposes,  that  the  poor  fellows  on  Main 
Street,  who  have  broken  out  the  windows, 
to  get  into  their  Calcutta-holes  fresh  air, 
will  be  able  to  walk  under  the  open  sky 
without  a  pass,  and  sleep  in  a  well-venti- 
lated'building. 

Of  the  hospitals  that  are  still  retained,  I 
have  spoken  before,  and  would  now  only 
say  a  few  words  concerning  them.  Brown 
is  about  three  miles  from  the  city,  com- 
posed of  one-story  buildings,  and  with  ex- 
tensive grounds.  The  Eruptive  Hospital, 
with  its  separate  buildings,  is  from  one  to 
four  miles  distant  in  another  direction. 
The  prevalence  of  the  small-pox  has  made 
it  necessary  to  occupy  two  of  the  largest  of 
these  buildings  for  those  afflicted  with  this 
disease.  The  capacity  of  aU  these  hospi- 
tal^,  however,  is,  as  I  have  mentioned, 
only  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  patients. 
The_  other  two  buildings  are  used  for 
measles  and  erysipelas  cases.  As  to  Hos- 
pital No.  18,  if  it  were  only  on  account  of 
the  awkward  arrangement  of  the  rooms,  I 
could  hope  it  would  soon  be  given  up,  for 
other  and  better  places,  that  are  being  pi-e- 
pared.  There  is  nothing  "ship  shape" 
about  it. 

Hospitals  No.  3  and  4  (old  numbers,)  are 
detached  from  other  buildings,  and,  having 
windows  upon  all  sides,  can,  with  care,  be 
easily  ventilated;  and  one.  No.  3,  has  quite 
a  large  space  around  it.  Hospital  No.  1  is 
near  the  Nashville  depot,  and  this  is  about 
all  that  can  be  said  in  favor  of  it.  The 
very  sick  and  wounded  men,  who  are  fee- 
ble after  a  long  railroad  journey,  can  be 
moved  to  this  hospital,  with  less  discomfort 
than  to  any  other;  and  yet  they  must  be 
carried  up  to  the  second  story  by  a  narrow 
flight  of  stairs.  There  are  no  grounds  about 
^his  hospital,  and  in  summer  the  dust  from 
the  street,  upon  which  the  windows  open, 
and  through  which  hundreds  of  vehicles 
pass  every  day,  going  to  and  from  the  de- 
pot, and  the  sun  beating  in  at  the  same 
window,  make  some  rooms  unbearable. 
The  kitchens  to  this  hospital  are  not  half 
as  large  as  they  should  be,  and  they  are 
Buffering  there  now  for  the  want  of  a  good 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


363 


range.  It  is  certainly  desirable  to  have 
some  place  near  tlie  depot  for  receiving 
patients,  who  may  possibly  arrive  late  at 
night,  or  are  very  feeble;  and  it  would  be 
an  unnecessary  cruelty,  after  they  had  en- 
dured so  much,  to  give  them  a  long  ride 
through  the  city;  but  it  seems  to  me  some 
more  comfortable  arrangement  could  be 
made  for  this  emergency,  and  that  the  time 
for  the  change  has  fully  arrived.  Lest, 
however,  I  should  have  given  a  wrong  im- 
pression of  the  care  and  cbmfort  of  the 
soldiers  in  this  hospital,  I  will  give  here 
the  opinion  of  a  father,  whose  son  had  been 
in  this  hospital  a  week  at  the  time  of  his 
making  the  statement,  and  had  been  in 
continual  attendance  upon  him.  His  son 
had  been  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  in  the  right  thigh,  and  had  been 
lying  ill  in  hospitals  ever  since.  He  was 
an  intelligent,  flne-looking  boy,  pale  from 
his  wound,  which  was  utill  a  running  sore. 
The  father,  who  exhibited  many  indica- 
tions of  the  tenderness  and  anxiety  of  a 
mother's  love  for  his  son,  said  he  had 
learned  of  his  severe  iUness,  and  he  could 
not  stay  away  from  him  longer.  He  found 
him  in  Nashville,  remained  with  him  a 
while  in  hospital  there,  and  finally,  upon 
a  cot  in  one  of  the  hospital  cars  of  the 
Commission,  he  had  gotten  him  to  Louis- 
ville. His  son  "  had.  brightened  up  a  good 
deal,''  and  he  believed  his  going  after  him 
had  saved  his  life.  When  he  arrived  at 
Louisville,  he  found,  that  the  descriptive 
roU  of  his  son  had  not  been  forwarded  with 
him,  and,  as  he  then  hoped  to  obtain  his 
discharge  immediately,  he  was  in  great 
trouble,  learning  that  this  would  delay  him. 
Some  one  told  him  of  the  aid  he  might 
obtain  from  the  Commission,  and  he  went 
to  the  Directory  and  made  known  his  dis- 
tress. A  telegraph  was  sent  to  Nashville, 
the  descriptive  roU  hunted  up,  and  the 
next  day,  or  the  day  following,  was  for- 
warded to  Louisville.  But  now  he  found 
that,  from  the  condition  of  the  wound,  his 
son  could  not  be  discharged  immediately; 
and  he  was  almost  in  despair,  for  his  heart 
was  set  upon  getting  him  home.  I  told 
him  I  could  probabl.y  get  a  furlough  for 
him;  biJt  at  first  he  did  not  know  how  to 
listen  to  any  thing  so  unsatisfactory.  Ulti- 
mately, however,  he  was  very  glad  to  take 
any  favor  that  would  allow  him  to  take  his 
son  home,  no  matter  for  how  short  the 
time.  The  surgeon  was  very  busy,  and  I 
filled  up  the  form  myself,  and,  upon  the 
surgeon's  signing  it,  took  it  to  the  Medical 
Director;  and  on  account  of  some  infor- 
mality, i)y  reason  of  a  new  order,  was 
obliged  to  take  it  back  to  the  hospital  for 
correction.  This  was  immediately  done, 
and  it  was  forwarded  to  headquarters  at 
Lexington,'  and  in,  a  few  days  there  came, 
what  was  then  considered  a  very  gj-eat 
boon — the  furlough.  'During  this  time  I 


often  came  in  contact  with  the  father;  he 
told  me  he  had  witnessed  from  day  to  day 
the  food  and  attentions  given  to  the  pa- 
tients, and  he  believed  they  were  as  com- 
fortable as  they  would  be  if  they  were  at 
home,  and  many  of  them  more  so;  he  had 
written  iiome  that  very  day  saying  so;  and 
he  added,  "So  far  as  he  had  observed, 
there  was  plenty  to  eat,  and  a  variety. "  Of 
the  surgeon  who  was  there  going  through 
the  ward,  he  remarked:  "  He  is  a  devoted 
man.  He  was  in 'the  ward  last  night-  at 
nine  o'clock,  and  again  about  twelve  o'clock, 
and  is  in  the  hospital  all  night,  if  there  is 
any  need."  He  .was  very  grateful  for  the 
aid  the  Commission  rendered  him,  and 
said,  "It  had,  indeed,  been  the  greatest 
comfdrt  and  assistance  to  him,  in  his  efforts 
to  get  his  son  home. "  He  was  particularly 
grateful  for  the  bed  for  his  son  in  the  hos- 
pital car  of  the  ComMssionfrom  Nashville. 
"  Withput  it  he  could  not  have  moved 
him." 

From  this  long  digression,  I  would  turn 
to  conclude  what  I  have  further  to  say  in 
description  of  the  hospitals. 

At  present,  there  are  five  hospitals  in  New 
Albany,  where  formerly  there  were  eleven. 
The  number  of  beds  being  in  all  840, 
and  the  number-  of  patients  450.  The 
public  school  buildings,  formerly  used  for 
hospitals,  have  been  given  up  there,  as  well 
as  at  Louisville.  Two  of  those  remaining, 
have  grounds  around  them  of  considerable 
extent,  and  in  many  other  respects  are 
better  adapted  for  hospitals  than  any 
others.  One,  No.  6,  has  a  fine  reading 
room,  for  papers,  periodicals,  and  books; 
and  lately,  they  have  procured  a  small 
hand  press  from  which  they  print  notices, 
and  have  issued  one  edition  of  a  monthly  . 
paper,  much  to  the  amusement  of  the 
soldiers.  They  furnish  the  original  matter 
and  set  up  the  type. 

Hospital  No.  16,  at  Jeffersonville^  has 
some  eighty-seven  beds;  it  is  near  the  depot, 
and  has,  to  some  little  extent,  ministered 
to  the  wants  of  sick  soldiers  who  were 
waiting  for  some  train,  or  were  too  feeble 
to  go  any  farther  without  attaining  more 
rest;  and  many  a  poor  fellow  on  his  way 
home,  has  lain  down  upon  a  bed  in  this 
hospital,  just  for  a  little  refreshment,  be- 
fore he  should  commence  his  weary  jour- 
ney again  to  reach  his  family,  and  has 
gone  in  a  few  days,  to  his  long  home,  and 
his  poor,  shattered  body  placed  under  the 
sod,  far  from  his  wife  and  little  ones.  I 
remember  one  that  was  brought  in  speech- 
less; no  one  could  tell  where  the  home 
was,  which  he  had  thus  vainly  struggled  to 
reach,  or  who  would  mourn  over  the  long 
silence,  and  in  coming  years  wonder,  with 
tearful  eyes,  where  his  life  closed,  and  where 
his  poor  body  was  lying.    < 

There  ought,  it  seems  to  me,  to  be  a 
home  established  at  this  point;  it  has  been 


364 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


a  sulaject  of  consideration  for  some  time, 
and  ■what  has  been  done  here,  has  been, 
I  believe,  through  the  influeDce  of  the 
Commission;  but  there  was  never  more 
need  than  now,  for  Jefferson  Hospital, 
about  a  mile  from  the  depot,  having  capa- 
city for  fifteen  hundred  patients,  would,  of 
itself,  make  it  necessary.  This  hospital  is 
altogether  the  largest  in  this  vicinity.  It 
has  now  some  two  or  three  hundred  pa- 
tients, but  is  in  a  crippled  condition,  be- 
cause all  of  its  arrangements  are  not  com- 
pleted. This  is  the  grand  idea  of  a 
hospital.  Every  thing  that  could  weU 
be  imagined,  every  thing  that  experience 
could  suggest,  or  money  procure,  is  here 
combined  in  the  way  of  conveniences,  for 
the  care,  and  comfort,  and  recovery  of  the 
sick  soldier.  The  wards  are  separate  build- 
ings for  about  sixty  patients,  with  a  room 
for  washing  dishes,  a  dining-room,  u  wash- 
room, bath-room,  wardmaster's  room,  and 
water-closets,  and  with  warm  and  cold 
water  supplied  to  every  ward.  A  steam- 
engine  forces  the  water  from  a  well  con- 
nected with  the  river,  into  a  large  reser- 
voir, and  from  thence  it  is  conveyed  to  all 
the  buildings.  There  is  to  be  a  steam 
laundry,  and  by  steam  the  wood  is  to  be 
sawed,  the  kettle  boiled,  and  sundry  other 
useful  and  necessary  things  accomplished. 
The  great  change  from  the  miserable 
rooms  now  used  as  barracks,  where,  upon 
the  first  opening  of  hospitals  in  this  city, 
the  sick  were  crowded  together,  depend- 
ing, in  great  measure,  upon  voluntary 
assistance.  This  magnificent  hospital 
must  rejoice  the  heart  of  every  philan- 
thropist, and  what  is  of  more  importance, 
the  hearts  of  all  those  who  have  sons  and 
brothers  in  the  army. 

The  patients  generally  in  our  hospitals, 
have  been  well  cared  for,  and  the  only  real 
cause  for  complaint,  it  seems  to  me,  has 
arisen  from  mismanagement,  bad  cooking, 
and  in  one  or  two  instances,  purloining. 
I  attempted  to  show  in  a  former  report, 
from  statistics,  that  if  a  hospital  is  econ- 
omically managed,  there  will  be  money 
enough,  generally,  from  the  hospital  fund 
for  all  the  luxuries  needed  for  the  very  sick. 
I  am  still  of  the  opinion,  where  there  is  good 
management,  very  little  is  required  beyond 
what  the  Government  supplies.  I  have 
'visited  the  hospitals,  generally,  in  connection 
with  oases  of  special  relief,  and  this  work 
has  been  a  ceaseless  call  upon  my  time.  I 
could  not  mention  the  almost  numberless 
instances,  in  which  I  have  rendered,  as- 
sistance and  relief.  Not  a  day  passes,  with- 
out having  some  of  this  work  to  do.  Since 
my  last  report  I  have  collected,  for  dis- 
charged men  in  hospital,  and  those  too  sick 
to  attend  to  their  Own  papers,  $1,790  37  ; 
and  since  this  month,  last  year,  $11,309  40. 
The  present  location  of  the  paymaster  at 
the  Soldiers  Home,  is  of  very  great  comfort 


to  the  feeble  soldier  going  there  for  his 
pay,  and  this  diminishes  the  number  of 
those  who  desire  attention  to  their  papers 
in  the  hospitals. 

I  have  alluded  in  other  reports,  to  the 
great  distress  to  soldiers  and  their  families, 
from  criminal  carelessness  and  neglect  in 
forwarding  to  the  hospitals,  with  the  men, 
their  descriptive  rolls.  I  have  obtained 
lately,  returns  from  nearly  aU  the  hospitals 
of  the  city,  and  of  1,400  men,  400  were 
without  their  descriptive  rolls.  There  can 
be  no  good  excuse  offered  for  this  dis- 
obedience to  orders  and  distress  of  families. 
Two  or  three  days  since  a  surgeon  was 
written  to  by  the  Secretary  of  the  "  Sol- 
dier's Aid  Society,"  that  was  supporting 
the  man's  family,    asking   "why  private 

did  not  send  money  to  his  family,' 

and  the  answer  was,  "  that  he  had  no  des- 
criptive roll,"  and  had  not  been  able  to  get 
it  for  nineteen  months.  He  is  in  the  In- 
valid Corps.  At  the  headquarters  of  this 
post,  in  the  discharging  office,  are  noiy 
lying  over  750  certificates  of  disability. 
Three-fourths  of  them  have  been  there 
over  a  year,  awaiting  the  descriptive  rolls, 
which  are  necessary  to  make  out  the  final 
statements  for  a  discharge,  and  settlement 
with  Government.  The  amount  of  distress 
represented  by  these  papers  can  scai'cely 
be  estimated.  Three  days  since  I  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  a  man  in  gTeat  distress. 
He  is  fast  losing  his  sight.  He  left  with 
me  power  of  attorney  to  collect  his  pay  ; 
but  his  certificate  of  disabihty  is  among 
the  750  mentioned  above,  and  without  his 
descriptive  roll,  his  final  settlement  cannot 
be  made  out.  Much  more  care  is  now  used 
in  the  hospitals  than  ever  before,  with  re- 
ference to  these  important  papers,  but  so 
much  distress  continually  arises,  that  a 
new  order  should,  without  doubt,  be  is- 
sued, or  some  definite  punishment  attached 
to  the  old  one.  I  have  visited  the  com- 
panies of  the  invalid  corps  stationed  across 
the  river,  from  time  to  time,  and  in  their 
need  extended  to  them  the  aid  of  the  Com- 
mission.— Mr.  Bushnell's  Report. 


THE  WORK  OF  INSPECTION. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  Dr.  Douglas, 
Associate  Secretary  and  chief  of  inspection, 
reported  the  following  inspectors  of  the 
Commission  as  at  work  in  their  respective 
fields: 

Inspector  Crane,  having  first  completed 
a  sanitary  inspection  of  the  army  of  occu- 
pation in  Texas,  and  reporting  a  very  high 
health  rate. 

Inspector  Marsh,  in  the  Department  of 
the  South,  as  engaged  in  the  duties  conse- 
quent upon  the  JFlorida  campaign. 

Inspector  Page,  engageid  in  his  usual 
duties  of  superintending  the  operations  of 
the  Commission  in  North  Carolina,  and 


The  Scirdtary  Commisaion  Bulletin. 


365 


meeting  the  emergency  springing  out  of 
the  rebel  attack  upon  Newbern. 

Inspectors  Winslow  and  Fairohild,  hav- 
ing first  completed  the  records  relative  to 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  sent  them  to 
the  actuary  of  the  Commission  for  tabula- 
tion. 

Inspector  Nichols  is  busy  in  a  minute 
inspection  of  the  sanitary  condition  of  the 
troops  in  his  circuit. 

Inspector  Castlem^n  is  engaged  in  a  sec- 
ond inspection  of  the  forces  in  Western 
Virginia. 

Inspector  Swalm  is  engaged  in  sanitary 
labors  in  the  Army  of  the  Ohio. 

Inspector  Read  is  with  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland. 

Dr.  N.  S.  Warren  goes  immediaiely  to 
the  aid  of  the  latter. 

Inspector  Coxe  reports  from  Memphis. 


THE  RETURNED  PRISONERS. 

Mr.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Assistant  S  ecretary, 
reports,  March  17th,  "That  General  Butler 
has  issued  a  special  order,  giving  the  agents 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  authority 
to  perform  relief  work  upon  the  flag  of  truce 
boats. 

"General  Butler  is  most  cordial  in  his 
readiness  to  afi'ord  facilities  for  the  Com- 
mission to  do  its  work  in  his  department." 
***** 

Mr.  Knapp  continues: 

"  About  6  P.  M.,  Tuesday,  (we  arrived  at 
Fortress  Monroe,  Tuesday  morning,)  the 
flag  of  truce  of  boat  from  City  Point  reached 
Fortress  Monroe,  with  some  five  hundred 
of  our  returned  prisoners.  Mr.  Abbott  and 
I  went  on  board,  and  acconipanied  them  to 
Annapolis.  On  account  of  some  delay  at 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  the  _heavy  wind  in 
the  night  making  it  very  ""rough  for  the 
boat,  {City  of  New  York,)  we  did  not  reach 
Annapolis  until  1)4  P.  M,,  Wednesday, 
(yesterday.)  Thence,  on  our  way  to  Wash- 
ington, we.  visited  Camp  Peroli. 

"The  condition  of  the  prisoners  on  the 
flag  of  tiuoe  boat  indicated  the  terrible 
sufferings  they  have  had,  upon  BeUe  Isle 
especially^exceedingly  weak  and  emaciat- 
ed. Of 'the  four  hundred  and  fifty  privates, 
some  seventy-five  were  in  the  so-called 
hospital  of  the  boat,  too  weak  to  sit  up 
•without  pain  and  exertion.  Yet  none  of 
these  were  from  the  hospitals  at  Bichmond; 
all  were  considered  well  men,  from  Belle 
Isle.  One  died  from  City  Point  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  during  the  night,  as  we  came  up; 
and  some  eight  or  ten  more  cannot  live 
long — all  apparently  the  result,  simply  or 
chiefly,  of  lack  of  food. 

"  The  provisions  made  upon  the  boat  for 
the  comfort  of  the  returned  prisoner's  are 
considerable.  The  surgeon  in  charge.  Dr. 
Elliot,  seems  humane,  and  desirous  of  per- 
forming his  duty.    He  has  a  hospital,  «^hich 


will  be  improved  by  a  wind-sail  he  purposes 
to  put  in.  I  have  sent  down  to-day  for  him 
to  di-aw  from  a  stock  of  '  supplementary 
supplies,'  deposited  at  Fortress  Monroe 
with  the  quartermaster,  on  the  wharf  build- 
ings. 

*'  Mr.  Abbott,  or  some  one  else,  will  go 
to  Fort  Monroe  to  come  up  with  the  next 
boatload  ;  after  which,  probably,  some 
agent  of  the  Commission  will  be  constantly 
on  the  boat  in  its  trips,  to  render  such  ser- 
vice as  he  may,  which,  I  think,  will  amount 
to  considerable.  The  arrangements  at  An- 
napolis are  good  for  receiving  the  prison- 
ers. 

"  Mail  compels  me  to  close  here. 
"  Truly  yoiirii,  &c., 

"F.  N.  Knapp, 

"  Assistant  Secretary," 


HOW  SANITARY  sfoEES  ARE  DISTRIBU- 
TED IN  THE  ARMY  01'  THE  CUMBERLAND. 

Tbey  are  placed  in  store-rooms  as  convenient 
as  possible  to  the  hospitalB  and  camps,  in  charge 
of  a  competent  store-keeper,  and  are  given  out 
by  him,  first  and  principally  on  the  written  re- 
quest of  the  surgeon  in  charge,  who  in  this  request 
states  the  number  for  whom  he  desires  to  procure 
stores,  and  the  special  wants. 

Secondly.  The  store-keeper  issues  stores  on  the 
application  of  the  ladies  in  charge  of  what  is 
called  the  '•  light-diet  kitchen,''  in  hospitals. 
Those  drawn  by  the  surgeon  are,  as  a  general 
rule,  placed  in  charge  of  tK'ose  ladies,  when  the 
hospitals  are  so  fortunate  as  to  have  such  help. 
These  Iddies  cook  and  disti-ibute  them  to  the  sick. 

Thirdly.  The  stores  are  given  to  "  Hospital  Vis- 
itors"— agents  who  go  to  hospitals  and  camps, 
seeking  out  from  every  possible  source  any  spe- 
cial cases  of  want,  and  supplying  them.  Such 
visits  are  made  as  often  as  possible. 

l^'ourthly.  The  store-keepers  fill  all  orders  given 
by  State  agents,  for  any  soldier  they  may  find  to 
be  needy,  cr-who  apply  to  them  for  relief.  They 
also  furnish  to  individual  soldiers,  who  may  apply 
to  any  of  the  agents  for  relief,  as  soon  as  it  can  be 
ascertained  they  are  really  needy.  Under  a  gen- 
eral order  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Department, 
they  extend  to  the  agents  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission the  same  privileges  as  are  enjoyed  by  our 
own  relief  agents,  distributing  to  them  to  supply 
any  individual  cases  of  neglect  or  suffering  which 
they  may  discover. 

Fifthly.  They  furnish  goods  to  the  "Soldiers' 
Homes"  and  to  the  "Hospital  Trains."  When 
application  is  made  by  the  surgeons  or  the  sol- 
diers for  such  articles  as  the  Government  has  for 
distribution,  eflbrt  is  made  by  the  agents  flf  the 
Commission  to  have  th«m  supplied  from  Govern- 
ment stores. — Sanitary  Reporter. 


366 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


LETTEB  OF  CHAHLES  BUTLEE,  Esq. 

[The  letter  given  below  was  written  by  Charles 
Butler,  Esq.,  of  Franklin,  Butler  Co.,  O.,  a  gen- 
tleman well  and  widely  known  in  the  region  in 
which  he  resides^  as  a  man  of  large  business  ex- 
perience, and  a  conscientious  and  earnest  Chris- 
tian. He  went  to  Nashville,  Chattanooga,  and 
ELnoxville,  in  behalf  of  the  Cincinnati  Branch 
Commission,  to  examine  into  the  wants  of  the 
Army,  and  the  character  and  ef&ciency  of  our 

work:] 

Chattanooga,  Tehu., 

Februai-)  22d,  1864. 

Mb.Editob,-^As  I  promised,  I  write  you,  giv- 
ing a  few  items  of  the  workings  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  that  the  "home  folks"  may  be 
encouraged  to  work  on  in  the  good  cause,  and 
particularly  that  they  may  be  assured  that  their 
efforts  to  reach  the  suffering  soldiers  are  sue- 
cessfaL 

The  great  difficulty  that  the  regiments  in  the 
front  have  to  contend  with  at  present,  is  a  ten- 
dency to  scurvy;  and  in  their  utter  inability  to 
procure  any  thing  in  the  shape  of  vegetables, 
there  will  be  seen  the  necessity  of  sending  any 
thing  and  every  thing  in  that  line  to  these  men. 
And  they  not  only  need  such  articles  of  diet, 
but  they  greatly  want  them.  One  Colonel  said, 
my  men  will  gladly  pay  twenty-five  cents  for  a 
potato,  and  ten  cents  for  an  apple.  The  pota- 
toes are  eaten  raw,  scraped  or  sliced  in  vinegar, 
and  much  relished  by  the  men. 

I  conversed  with  at  least  ten  Surgeons,  and 
the  universal  opinion  was,  that  raw  onions  and 
potatoes,  served  up  as  a  salad,  was  the  best  pre- 
ventative known  for  scurvy. 

I  find  almost  all  the  regiments  here,  and 
around  this  place,  have  lately  received  potatoes, 
onions,  sour  krout,  pickles,  etc. ,  that  have  been 
sent  from  the  Cincinnati  Branch  Sanitary  Com- 
mission— some  500  barrels  having  been  sent  to 
this  place.  I  found  one  regiment  that  had  re- 
ceived ten  ban-els  of  potatoes,  six  of  onions,  two 
of  krout,  and  two  of  pickles.  This  regiment 
had  thirty  oases  marked  scurvy,  and  upwards  of 
one  himdred  with  decided  symptoms  of  it.  In 
two  weeks  it  had  almost  disappeared,  and  the 
Surgeons  said  if  he  could  get  one  more  such 
supply  his  men  would  be  well.  He  used  the 
vegetables  raw. 

Could  the  people  at  the  North  see  the  soldiers 
as  they  receive  their  rations  of  vegetables,  read 
the  satisfaction  in  their  countenances,  and  notice 
the  care  with  which  they  dispose  of,  say  a  dozen 
potatoes  in  a  choice  place,  eating  one  at  a  meal, 
they  would  feel  doubly  paid  for  their  pains  in 
sending  to  tbem  these  luxuries. 

It  was  a  matter  of  special  interest  to  vi&it  the 


Soldiers'  Home,  and  as  the  men  came  in  to  their 
meals,  see  them  reach  out  and  take  two  or  three 
potatoes  each,  as  children  often  do.  I  have  never 
heard  the  Sanitary  Commission  lauded  more 
than  on  this  trip. 

Said  one  young  man  who  had  lost  his  leg, 
"  Had  it  not  been  for  the  Sanitary  Commission 
I  should  have  died."  Said  an  old  man  from 
Elinois,  who  was  bringing  away  bis  own  son 
and  the  sons  of  two  neighbors,  "I  have  worked 
for  the  Sanitary  Commission  always,  but  I  shall 
go  home  and  work  with  ten-fold  the  energy  I 
have  done  formerly.  I  see  what  good  it  has 
done  in  ministering  comfort  to  the  sick  and 
wounded,  and  saving  life." 

Said  one,  who  had  been  in  the  hospital  three 
months,  "We  had  supplies  from  the  Commis- 
sion every  day,  and,  but  for  that,  it  seems' to 
me  the  men  would  have  starved,  being  so  weak 
and  feeble  we  could  not  eat  the  Government 
rations." 

Wrote  a  fine  young  man,  who  had  lost  one 
leg,  "  I  cannot  feel  that  I  can  leave  these  scenes 
that  have  so  long  surrounded  me,  without  ex- 
pressing my  gratitude  to  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. I  had  heard  that  there  was  such  an  institu- 
tion in  the  Army,  but  now  I  feel  it;  for  I  believe 
it  has  been  the  means  of  saving  my  life.  I  am  an 
officer,  (Captain,  lOOth  HI.  Vol.,)emd  was  in  the 
same  hospital  as  the  privates,  and  we  all  alike 
received  daily  supplies  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. Wounded  men  need  nutritious  food, 
and  it  seems  to  me  that  many  of  the  men  must 
have  died  but  for  the  timely  aid  they  thus  re- 
ceived." 

I  found  one  man  not  a  member  of  the  Sani- 
taiy  Commission,  but  whose  whole  soul  is  in 
the  good  work  of  helping  the  soldier,  who  had 
gotten  three  bales  of  blankets  from  the  Commis- 
sion, justbefore  the  "  cold  spell"  in  January  last, 
and  who  says:  "I  distributed  those  blankets 
singly,  and  gave  them  all  to  soldiers  who  had 
neither  blanket  nor  overcoat  Some  of  the  men 
shed  tears  of  joy  and  gratitude  as  they  left  me." 

Allow  me  to  add  my  testimony,  after  visiting 
some  twenty  or  thirty  hospitals,  and  seeing  hun- 
dreds of  men,  and  talking  with  them;  and  my 
time,  for  two  weeks,  with  one  single  day's  ex- 
ception, has  been  spent  in  constant  inspection, 
and  efforts  to  ascertain  the  efficiency  of  the 
Commission. 

I  fully  believe  that  the  waste  or  misapplica- 
tion of  goods  sent  to  the  Army  by  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  does  not  amount  to  the  one 
hundredth  part  of  the  whole.  All  hospitals  are 
not  exactly  aUke,  but  at  the  Field  Hospital,  in 
Nashville,  in  charge  of  Dr.  M'Dermott,  where 
some  2,000  patients  now  are,  I  believe  not  as 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BtMe£n. 


367 


much  waste  occurs  as  in  many  of  our  large 
families  at  home.  We,  at  the  North,  hear  of 
the  misapplication  of  a  few  articles,  while  the 
thousands  that  go  directly  to  the  men  are  not 
heard  from. 

The  people  at  home  may  l^t  in  the  assurance 
that  they  are  relieving  multitudes  of  their  sons 
and  neighbors,  and  rather  than  relax  in  the 
least,  when  called  on  again,  they  should  double 
their  energies.  Chas.  ]Bcti.eb. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 
Reports  for  the  month,  from  the  following 
"  Homes"  and  "  Lodges,"  have  reached  us: 
Washington. 
The  number  admitted  to  the  "Home"  during 
the  month  of  February,  was  623;  number  lodg- 
ed, 3,096;number  of  meals  given,  7,224 — to  men 
from  twenty  different  States. 

At  the  "Lodge,"  the  number  of  applicants 
for  collection  of  pay,  was  180;  and  the  amount 
collected,  was  $21,006.66— the  applicants  were 
from  fifteen  different  States.  The  number  of 
meals  furnished,  was  6,926;  and  the  number  of 
lodgings, -1,299. 

At  the  "Home  for  Soldiers'  Wives  and  Mo- 
thers," from  December  26th  to  March  Ist,  there 
have  been  admitted  93  women  and  31  children, 
from  thirteen  States.  These  women  were  entire 
strangers  in  the  city,  and  in  nearly  every  case 
without  money. 

Alexandbia. 
The   number   of    meals   furnished   at   the 
"  Lodge"  in  Alexandria  during  the  month,  was 
1,450;  number  of  lodgings,  239. 

Bkasheb  City. 

At  the  "  Home"  in  Brasher  City,  the  number 

of  men  admitted  during  the  two  weeks,  from  the 

1st  to  the  15th  of  February,  was  257;  number  of 

meals  furnished,  797;  number  of  lodgings,  197. 

■•  NASHVIIiliE. 

At  the  Soldier's  Home  in  Nashville,  during 
the  four  weeks  ending  Feb.  27th,  7,406  meals 
and  3,581  lodgings  were  furnished  to  soldiers, 
from  twenty-one  different  States.  Ihe  average 
number  cared  for  per  day,  was  929;  transporta- 
tion was  procured  for  1,859;  pay  drawn  lor  95; 
and  the  amount  collected  and  paid  over  was 
$12,195.42. 

Memphis. 

At  the  Soldiers'  Home  in  Memphis  during 
the  same  time,,  4.639  meals  and  1,340  lodgings 
were  famished  to  soldiers,  from  seventeen  dif- 
ferent States.  The  average  number  cared  for 
per  day,  was  1,625,  and  paj  was  drawn  for  15. 

Pension  Agency. 

The  following  is  the  report  received  from  the 
above  office,  during  the  months  of  January  and 
February: 

Number  of  applications  for  pensions  made 
put;  145;  number  of  letters  written,  681. 

Back  Pat. 
The  report  of  the  Agent  for  procuring  certifi- 
cates for  the  back  pay  oi'  invalid  soldiers,  in  the 


Hospitals  of  Washington  and  vicinity,  during 
the  past  month,  shows  the  number  of  cases 
taken  and  completed,  was  134;  the  number  of 
letters  written  during  the  month,  was  175,  and 
the  amount  represented  by  the  cases  completed 
$6,766.24. 


We  find  the  foUowing  in  the  Elmira  Daily 
Advertiser  of  March  7th: 

It  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  as  activity  and 
interest  on  behalf  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
increases,  slander  and  detraction  should  also 
multiply,  and  the  faith  of  many  be  shaken  in  the 
good  accomplished  by  Ihe  efforts  of  the  Commis- 
sion. Under  these  circumstances  a  letter  was 
written  to  Surgeon  May,  Hospital  No.  1,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  by  a  friend  of  his,  asking  for  his 
experience  and  observation  in  the  matter.  The 
answer  was  a  detailed  account  of  all  the  Com- 
mission had  done  for  him,  and  for  those  to  whom 
his  .observation  had  extended.  For  the  sake  of 
the  doubtful  public  we  are  requested  to  publLsh 
a  condensed  statement  of  the  facts  contained  in 
his  letter: 

"  The  very  important  matter  concerning  which 
you  ask  me  my  experience  and  observation,  inter- 
ests me  very  much,  and  I  wish  I  could  tell  you  all 
I  feel,  for  the  pen  is  too  slow  and  dumb  a  tongue 
to  do  justice  to  this  most  noble,  benevolent  and 
comprehenfive  charity;  and  although  I  could 
grow  eloquent  on  the  Sanitary  Commission — its 
aim.s,  purposes,  and  expansiveness  are  too  well 
known  by  everv  intelligent  American  to  need  my 
feeble  encomiums — and  I  should  be  surprised, 
indeed,  that  any  soldiers,  for  whose  welCare  alone 
the  Commission  was  organized,  should  underrate 
its  excellencies,  were  I  not  conscious  that  there 
are  fault-finders  and  grumblers  every  where — the 
army  being  no  exception. 

"  On  the  13lh  of  June,  1862,  I  arrived  at  the 
'  White  House,'  from  the  Chickahominy  swamps, 
sick  with  fever,  as  helpless  as  a  child,  and  was 
carried  on  a  stretcher  into  the  cabin  of  the  Sani- 
tary boat— the  'Elgin.'  My  aching  head  was 
bathed  with  bay  rum,  one  lady  placed  an  orange 
to  my  fevered  lips,  while  another  prepared  a  cup 
of  tea  and  plate  of  toast;  every  attention  and 
kindness  was  shown  me  by  all — oh!  I  prayed  in 
my  heart  (hat  God  would  bless  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. But  at  Gettyeburg  we  learned  to  ap- 
preciate its  great  excellencies  and  wonderful  re- 
sources. Within  a  few  hours  after  the  battle, 
stores  of  the  Commission  began  to  reach  us; 
blankets,  shirts,  bandages,  sponges,  jellies,  crack- 
era,  fruits  and  fresh  bread  were  deal  t  out  by  ladies, 
to  the  wounded  and  the  most  needy.  At  the 
General  Hospital,  Camp  Letterman,  where  there 
were  one  thousand  eight  hundred  wounded  men, 
we  saw  the  mqre  perfect  working  of  the  Commis- 
sion. Here  they  had  several  large  tents  for  stor- 
age of  their  supplies.  Dr.  Winslow,  once  rector  of 
the  Elmira  Episcopal  church,  having  them  in 
charge.  His  aim  was  to  carefully  and  economi- 
cally distribute  the  goods  intrusted  to  him — 
jellies,  fruits, preserved  meats,  woolen  and  cotton 
goods,  lint,  bandages,  sponges,  fpliats,  fans, 
crutches,  canes,  straw  hats,  dressing  gowns,  apr 


868 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


pies,  oranges,  lemons,  and  vegetables  by  the  bar- 
rel, were  poured  out  like  water — not  to  surgeons 
and  attendants — but  to  the  wounded.  Ladies 
drew  these  tbingp,  and  a  surgeon's  order  was 
always  honored,  and  hundreds  of  poor  sufferers 
were  made  comfortable  by  the  thousand  things 
lavished  upon  them  by  the  kind  hearts  at  home, 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

'■  There  were  two  surgeons'  messes  there,  and 
at  diflerent  times  more  than  thirty  surgeons  on 
duty.  Their  tables  were  furnished  from  the 
Government  Icitchen,  but  they  were  taxed  S3  per 
week,  which  went  into  the  '  Hospital  Fund,'  to 
furnish  luxuries  for.  the  sick.  I  have  sat  down 
many  a  time,  tired  and  weary,  to  a  meal  of  tough 
meat,  cold  coffee  and  dry  bread,  but  would  not 
for  the  world  have  gone  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission for  a  thing  belonging  to  those  wounded 
heroes.  Here  in  Nashville,  the  greatest  care  is 
observed  in  distributing  Sanitary  stores.  Rev. 
Mr.  Ingraham.  brother  to  the  author  of  'Pillar 
of  Fire.'  and  other  works,  is  in  charge,  and  during 
my  sickness  the  past  weeli  there  came  along  a  lot 
of  well  packed  luxuries  from  the  Commission,  at 
the  very  moment  when  your  letter  reached  me, 
and  I  was  reading  what  the  defamers  of  the  Com- 
mission were  saying  of  it  at  home. 

"  We  are  proud  of  our  loyal,  patriotic  North,, 
for  these  great,  spontaneous,  successful  Sanitary 
Fairs,  and  trust  that  you  will  not  be  discouraged, 
because  a  few  crumbs  may  be  spilled  trom  your 
bountiful  boxes  and  barrels,  but  rejoice  that  the 
bushels,  and  barrels,  and  baskets  full  go  to  cheer 
the  hearts  and  heal  the  wonnds  of  those  noble 
boys  who  bare  their  breasts  to  the  shock  of  battle 
to  save  our  homes  and  country. 

''Surgeon  Hexrt  Mat, 

"NaamUe." 

GEN.  MEADE  ON  THE  SANITAEY  COMMIS- 
SION. 

the  wconded  at  the  batxle  of  oettysbtnto. 

Head-Quabtees  Abmy  of  the  Potomac,  \ 
Friday,  April  8,  1864.     ) 

L.  MONTGOMEKY  BoND,  EsQ.  : 

Deak  Sik— I  have  the  lionoi'  to  acknow- 
ledge the  receipt  of  your  communication 
of  the  6th  instant,  enclosing  circulars  of  the 
"  Committee  on  Labor,  Incomes  and  Eeve- 
nues"  of  the  Great  Central  Fair  for  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  I  feel 
very  much  flattered  and  complimented  at 
the  honor  conferred  on  me,  by  placing  my 
name  as  one  of  the  honorary  members  of 
this  important  Committee. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  assure  you, 
that  I  am  with  you  heart  and  soul,  in  the 
great  work  of  benevolence  and  charity, 
which  you  have  entered  on. 

It  has  been  my  duty  to  make  inquiry  as 
to  the  practical  working  and  benefit  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  and  it 
aflbrds  me  great  pleasure  to  bear  testimony, 
so  far  as  this  Army  is  concerned,  to  the  in- 
estimable benefits  and  blessings  conferi'ed 
by  this  noble  Association  on  the  suffering 
sick,  and  wounded  soldiers. 

A  few  facts  in  connection  with  this  point 
may  be  of  use  to  you. 


At  the  battle  of  Gettysburgh,  the  number 
of  wounded  of  our  own  Army  alone  amount- 
ed, by  official  reports,  to  thirteen  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  thirteen  (13,713);  those 
of  the  enemy  left  on  the  field,  were  estimated 
by  our  medical  officers,  as  amounting  to 
eight  thousand.  This  would  make  in  aU, 
nearly  twenty-two  thousand  suffering  be- 
ings, requiring  immediate  care  and  atten- 
tion to  save  life. 

Few  people  can  realize  such  large  num- 
bers, but  if  you  tell  them,  that  should  they 
fill  and  pack  your  Academy  of  Music  in 
Philadelphia,  (which  holds,  I  believe,  some 
thirty-five  hundred  people,)  six  times,  and 
then  imagine  every  soul  in  this  immense 
crowd  wounded,  they  will  have  a  chance 
idea  of  the  great  work  for  humanity  on  the 
field  of  Gettysburgh. 

Now,  although  the  Government  is  most 
libei?al  and  generous  in  all  its  provisions  for 
the  sick  and  wounded,  yet  it  is  impossible 
to  keep  c07istantly  on  /ianrf  either  the  ^erson- 
nel  or  supplies  required  in  an  emergency  of 
this  kind. 

In  addition  to  this  difficulty  at  Gettys- 
burgh, I  was  compelled  to  pursue  the  re- 
treating foe,  aud,  as  I  expected,  in  a  few 
days,  to  have  another  battle  a  some  distant 
point,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  I 
should  carry  away  the  greater  portion  of 
my  Surgeons  and  medical  supplies,  so  that 
the  wounded  at  Gettysburg  were,  in  a  mea- 
sure, dependent  upon  such  extra  assistance 
as  the  Government  could  hastily  collect, 
and  upon  the  generous  aid  so  cheerfully 
and  promptly  afforded  by  the  Sanitary  and 
Christian  Commissions,  and  the  various 
State  and  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies.  All  the 
additional  aid  from  every  source  was  here 
most  urgently  needed,  and  it  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  say  that,  from  the  reports  of 
my  medical  officers,  I  am  satified  the  Uni- 
ted States  Sanitary  Commission,  as  well  as 
the  others  above-named,  were  fully  up  to 
the  work  before  them. 

What  has  occurred  in  the  past,  may  occur 
in  the  future.  There  is  no  nobler  or  hoher 
work  of  Christian  love  or  charity,  and  if  the 
voices  of  the  brave  soldiers  are  of  any  influ- 
ence, you  may  rest  assured  you  have  their 
hearty  wishes  and  earnest  prayers. 

Most  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 
GBOEaE  G.  Meade, 

Major-Qsneval  Commcmding  Army  of  the  Fofomac 


WESTERN  SCENES.— No.  2. 

WOMEN  IN  AHE  HAKVEST-nELD. 

Of  late  we  have  been  called  much  into  the 
country.  Every  week  since  the  harvest  com- 
menced, we  have  been  more  or  less  into  the 
great  farming  districts  of  our  beautiful  prairie 
land,  and  have  seen  for  ourself  how  busy  a  time 
the  harvest  season  is  to  the  fEtrmers.    It  has 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


369 


seemed  to  us,  as  we  have  rushed  along  on  the 
railroad  for  forty,  sixty,  a  hundred  or  a  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  let  our  course  lie  in  whatever 
direction  it  might,  that  our  way  has  always  led 
through  one  Continuous  wheat  field.  Every- 
where the  golden  grain  was  waving,  and  the 
two-horse  reapers,  cutting  it  down  in  a  whole- 
sale fashion,  that  would  astonish  a  New  Eng- 
land farmer,  could  be  counted  by  hundreds  in  a 
ride  of  half  a  dozen  hours.  The  crops  are  gen- 
erally good,  and  in  some  instances  heavy,  and 
every  man  and  boy  are  pressed  into  the  service, 
to  secure  the  abundant  harvest. 

More  than  this,  we  found  women  extensively 
in  the  field,  driving  the  reapers,  and  binding, 
shocking  and  loading  the  grain — an  unusual 
sight  to  our  eyes.    At  first,  we  were  displeased 
with  it,  and  turned  away  in  aversion.     By  and 
by,  we  came  to  observe  how  skiUfuUy  they  drove 
the  horses  around  and  around  the  wheat  field, 
diminishing  more  and  more  its  periphery  at 
every  circuit,  the  glittering  blades  of  the  reaper 
cutting  wide  swathes  with  a  crisp,  oraunching 
sound,  that  it  was  pleasant  to  hear.   Then,  also, 
we  saw  that  when  they  followed  the  reapers, 
binding  and  shocking,  although  they  did  not 
keSp  up  with  the  men,  yet  their  work  was  done 
with  more  precision  and  nicety,  and  the  sheaves 
had  an  artistic  finish  that  the  others  lacked.  So 
we  said  to  ourself,   "  they  are  worthy  women, 
and  deserve  praise;  their  husbands  are  proba- 
bly too  poor  to  hire  help,  and  so  like  the  help- 
meets God  designed  them  to  be,  they  have  girt 
themselves  to  the  work  of  men,  and  are  doing 
it  famously.    Good  wives!  good  women!" 

Sometimes  in  our  journeys,  our  route  has  led 
off  from  the  railroad,  across  the  country,  six, 
ten  and  twenty  mUes — and  alwaysj  and  ever, 
through  the  same  fields  of  yellow  grain,  and 
green,  waving  corn.  Now  a  river  shimmered 
like  silver  through  the  gold  of  the  wheat  and 
the  oats — and  now  a  fine  growth  of  young  tim- 
ber made  a  dark  green  back-ground  for  the  har- 
vest fields.  And  here,  as  everywhere,  in  greater 
or  less  numbers,  women  were  busy  at  the  har- 
vesting. On  one  occasion,  the  carriage  came  to 
a  halt  opposite  a  field  where  some  half  a  dozen 
women  were  harvesting  with  two  men,  and  not 
a  little  curious  to  know  what  these  female 
reapers  were  like,  we  walked  over  and  accosted 
them. 

"  And  so  you  are  helping  to  gather  the  har- 
vest," we  said  to  a  woman  of  forty-five,  who  sat 
on  the  reaper  to  drive,  as  she  stopped  her  horses 
for  a  brief  rest.  Her  face  '^as  pleasant  and 
comely,  although  sun-burned,  with  honest, 
straight-forward  eyes,  a  broad  brow,  and  a 
mouth  of  more  sweetness  than  firmness.  Her 
Voi,.  I.— No.  12.  24 


dress,   a  dark  calico,   without  hoops,   strong 
shoes  and  a  shakSr. 

"  Yes,  ma'am,"  she  said;  "the  men  have  all 
gone  to  the  war,  so  that  my  man  can't  hire 
help,  and  I  told  my  girls,  we  must  turn  to,  and 
give  him  a  lift  with  the  harvestin'." 
'  "Have  you  sons  in  the  army  ?" 

"Yes,  ma'am,"  and  a  shadow  fell  over  the 
motherly  face ;  "  all  three  of  'em  'listed,  and  Ned- 
dy, the  youngest  was  killed  at  Stone  Kiver,  the 
last  day  of  last  year.  We've  money  enough  to 
hire  help,  if  it  could  be  had,  and  my  man  don't 
like  for  me  and  the  girls  to  be  workin'  out  o' 
doors;  but  there  don't  seem  no  help  for  it  now." 
We  stepped  over  where  the  "girls"  were 
binding'  the  fallen  grain.  They  were  fine  las- 
sies, with  the  sweet  eyes  and  honest  mouth  of 
the  mother,  but  brown  like^er,  and  clad  in  the 
same  sensible  costume. 

"Well,  it  seems  that  you,  like  your  mother, 
are  not  afraid  to  lend  a  hand  at  the  harvest- 
ing?" 

"No,  we're  wiUiug  to  help  out  doors  in  these 
times.  My  three  brothers  are  in  the  army,  my 
cousins,  and  most  of  the  men  we  used  to  hire — 
so  that  there's  no  help  to  be  got  but  women's, 
and  the  crops  must  be  got  in,  you  know,  all  the 
same." 

"I  tell  mother,"  said  another  of  the  girls, 
"  as  long  as  the  country  can't  get  along  without 
grain,  nor  the  army  fight  vri  thout  food,  that  we're 
serving  the  country  just  as  much  here  in  the 
harvest-field,  as  our  boys  are  in  the  battle-field, 
and  that  sort  o'  takes  the  edge  off  from  this 
business  of  doing  men's  work,  you  know,"  and 
a  hearty  Jaugh  followed  this  statement. 

Another  was  the  wife  of  one  of  the  soldier 
sons,  with  a  three  year  old  boy  toddling  beside 
her,  tumbling  among  the  sheaves,  getting  into; 
mischief  every  five  minutes,  and  "  causing  more 
plague  than  profit,"  as  his  mother  declared.  Prom 
her  came  the  same  hearty  assent  to  this  new 
work  which  the  strait  of  the  country  had  imposed 
upon  her,  and  she  added,  with  a  kind  of  homely 
pride,  that  "  she  was  considered  as  good  a 
binder  as  a  man,  and  could  keep  up  with  the  best 
of  'em.  I,  for  my  part,"  she  continued,  "am 
wiUing  to  do  anything  to  help  along  in  these 
war  times." 

We  would  have  talked  longer  with  these  wo- 
men, who  were  now  invested  with  a  new  an* 
heroic  interest — ^but  the  driver  calling  out  thai 
he  had  mended  the  broken  harness,  and  was 
ready  to  go  on,  we  could  only  assure  them 
' '  that  they  were  worthy  of  the  days  of  the  Revo- 
lution, and  that  we  were  proud  to  have-  met 
them, "  and  bade  them  ' '  good-by. " 
Now  we  saw  things  with  different  eyes.    Na. 


370 


Tha  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


longer  were  tlie  women  of  the  harvest- field  an 
unwelcome  sight.  Patriotism  inspired  them  to 
the  unusual  work,  and  each  brown,  hard-hand- 
ed, toiling  woman  was  a  heroine.  Their  hus- 
bands and  sons  had  left  the  plow  in  the  fur- 
row, and  the  reaper  in  the  grain,  at  the  anguish- 
ed call  of  the  country,  and  these  noble  women 
had  loyally  bidden  them '  'God-speed ! "  and  with- 
out weak  murmuring  or  complaint  had  put  their 
own  shoulders  to  the  hard,  rough  farm-work, 
feeling  that  thus  they  also  served  the  common 
cause.  Yes,  and  amid  all  this  weary  labor,  these 
women  find  time  for  the  manufacture  of  hospi- 
tal supplies,  which  come,  box  after  box,  filled 
with  shirts  and  drawers,  dried  apples  and  pic- 
kles, currant  wine  and  blackberry  jam,  to  be  for- 
warded to  the  poor  fellows  languishing  in  far-off 
Southern  hospitals.  All  honor  to  the  farmers' 
wives  and  daughters  of  the  great  Northwest! 
*'  Many  women  have  done  virtuously,  but  these 
excel  them  all ! " — Mrs.  lAvermore. 


PLAN  FOE  THE  FOKMATION  OP 
SOLDIER'S  AID  SOCIETIBS. 

We  publish,  by  request,  the  following  plan 
for  the  formation  of  Soldier's  Aid  Societies,  pre- 
pared by  the  Woman's  Central  Association  of 
Belief,  Branch  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion in  New  York.  It  has  been  in  successful 
operation  for  the  past  nine  months  in  parts  of 
Peimsylvania,  Connecticut,  and  the  State  of 
New  York: 

SOLDIEE'S  AID  SOCIETIES. 

Individual  and  desultory  labor  accomplishes 
but  little,  compared  with  that  which  is  system- 
atized and  concentrated.  One  earnest  woman, 
whose  heart  responds  to  the  appeals  made  in 
behalf  of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  can  do 
more  for  them  by  enlisting  the  active  symputhy 
and  co-operation  of  her  friends  and  neighbors 
than  by  days  and  nights  of  unassisted  toil. 

Let  her  call  together  three  or  four  of  the  most 
patriotic  and  energetic  women  in  the  village, 
and  consult  with  them  as  to  the  feasibility  of 
forming  a  Soldier's  Aid  Society.  Let  them  deter- 
mine upon  a  day  and  place  for  public  meeting, 
to  which  all  the  women  and  young  girls  of  the 
neighborhood  shall  be  invited.  The  Pastors  of 
every  church  should  be  requested  to  give  this 
invitation  from  their  pulpits  on  the  ensuing 
Sunday;  a  short  notice  should  be  put  up  at  the 
Post-Office,  and,  if  possible,  in  the  county 
paper. 

It  may  be  well  to  a»k  a  gentleman,  conver- 
sant with  the  ■  ordinaiy  rules  of  conducting 
meetings,  to  preside  on  this  occasion.  His  advice 
in  regard  to  the  forms  by  which  the  officers  of 
the  society  should  be  elected,  order  of  business, 
&c.,  will  be  valuable  for  those  who  are  unac- 
customed to  it.  This  formality,  which  may  ap- 
pear unnecessary  to  some,  is,  in  reality,  import- 
ant to  any  efficient  action  on  the  part  of  a 
society.  Every  Soldier's  Aid  Society,  however 
small,  should  have  its  regular  "  order  of  busi-- 
nesB,"  and  go  through  with  it  at  every  meeting. 


The  following  is  suggested  as  a 
Plan  of  Organization  fcfr  Country  Societies: 

The  name  of  this  Society  shall  be  the  SoL- 
diek's  Aid  Societt  op . 

Its  object  is  to  provide  supplies  for  the  aid 
and  comfort  of  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers 
of  the  United  States  Army. 

Its  officers  shall  consist  of  a 

President, 

Five  Vice-Presidents, 

Secretary  and  Treasurer  (the  same  person), 

Committee  on  Cutting  (five  members). 

Committee  on  Packing  (five  members). 

There  shall  be  an  annual  election  for  officers. 
AU  vacancies  occurring  during  tte  year  shall  be 
filled  by  the  President. 

The  President  shall  preside  at  the  meetings, 
and  have  the  general  interests  of  the  Society  in 
charge.  She  shall  purchase  all  materials,  and,  at 
every  monthly  meeting,  after  consultation  with 
the  Vice-Presidents  and  the  Treasurer,  present  a 
plan  of  work  for  the  ensuing  month. 

The  Vice-Presidents  shall  (one  of  them, )  pre- 
side in  the  absence  of  the  President.  They,  in 
connection  vfith  the  President  and  Secretary, 
shall  devise  ways  and  means  for  improving  and 
increasing  the  usefulness  and  efficiency  of  the 
Society.  At  the  meetings  the  Vice-Presidents 
shall  distribute  the  work,  have  the  general  su- 
pervision of  it,  and  collect  it  again.  It  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  Vice-Presidents  to  canvass  the 
village  and  neighborhood,  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining as  many  members  as  possible.  A  divi- 
sion into  districts,  will  facilitate  the  work. 
They  should  explain  the  objects  of  the  Sooiely, 
and  endeavor  to  enlist  the  sympathies  of  all  in 
its  behalf.  The  names  and  Post-office  address 
of  all  members  are  to  be  recorded  in  a  book,  kept 
for  that  purpose,  by  the  Secretary.  No  mem- 
bership fee  shall  be  required. 

The  Secretary  and  treasurer  shall  keep  all  the 
books  of  the  Society,  conduct  the  correspond- 
ence with  that  Branch  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion to  which  the  supplies  may  be  sent,  and  at- 
tend to  any  other  writing  which  may  be  neces- 
sary, such  as  serving  notices,  etc.  She  shall 
write  to  the  Commission  for  any  inlormation 
which  may  be  desired  by  any  one  member  of  the 
Society.  She  shall  give  a  receipt,  keep  an  ac- 
count, and  be  respon^ble  for  all  moneys  re- 
ceived by  her;  shall  pay  all  bills  marked  "cor- 
rect, "  and  signed  by  the  President  or  any  one  of 
the  Vice-Presidents;  make  a  statement  at  every 
monthly  meeting,  of  the  condition  of  the  trea- 
sury, and,  at  the  end  of  every  three  months, 
present  a  quarterly  report,  giving  in  detail  the 
amount  of  work  accomplished  and  where  sent, 
money  received  and  expended,  number  of  mem- 
bers, average  attendance,  and  any  other  infor- 
mation which  may  be  desired  and  interesting. 
At  every  meeting  the  Secretary  shall  record  the 
names  of  those  members  present 

The  (kiting  CommUtee  shall  cut  out  all  mate- 
rial according  to  approved  patterns,  and  shall 
have  a  sufficient  quantity  of  work  prepared  for 
every  meeting. 

The  Packing  OommUtee  shaU  elect  its  own 
Chairman,  who  is  to  make  a  detailed  and  accu- 
rate list  of  the  contents  of  each  box  while  it  is 
bein^  packed.  The  list  should  have  the  name  of 
the  Society  VTritten  upon  it,  with  iixe  name  and 
Post-office  address  of  the  Secretary,  and  should 
be  placed  just  under  the  cover  of  the  box  or 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


371 


barreL  A  duplicate  of  this  invoice  must  be 
sent  without  delay  to  the  Secretary,  who 
will  notify  the  Sanitary- Commission,  by  letter, 
of  every  consignment,  enclosing  a  list  of  the 
contents  of  each  package.  Every  box  or  package 
should  be  clearly  directed  and  marked  on  the 
<miside  with  the  name  of  the  iovm,  or  vSlage  from 
which  it  is  sent. 

_  Directions  in  regard  to  packing  may  be  found 
in  the  circulars  of  all  the  branches  of  the  sanitary 
Commission.  (When  sending  to  New  York,  the 
freight  charges  will  be  paid  upon  delivery  at 
No.  10,  Cooper  Union.) 

Meetings  shall  be  held  once  a  fortnight,  or 
once  a  week,  at  the  option  of  the  Society.  It  is 
better,  when  practicable,  to  have  thein  held  in 
some  regular  place  of  assembling— the  town 
hall,  court-house,  public  school-house,  the  ves- 
try of  a  church,  ic. 

MEETINGS. 

Order  of  Biisiness. 

I.  After  the  work  has  been  distributed,  the 
President  shall  call  the  meeting  to  order,  and 
open  it  by  calUng  the  loU  of  all  the  members  of 
the  Society,  made  out  alphabetically — those 
present  answering  to  '.heir  names. 

II.  The  PresidcTit  shall  read  the  names  of 
those  members  present  at  the  previous  meet- 
ing. 

Hr.  Eeport  of  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

IV.  Report  of  Cutting  Committee,  (number  of 
garments  cut). 

v.  Report  of  Packing  Committee. 

VI.  The  President,  or  any  member  deputed 
by  her,  shall  read  any  letters  or  printed  matter 
lately  received  from  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

'  VIE.  At  monthly  meetings  the  President  shall 
present  a  plan  of  work  for  the  ensuing  month. 

Vni.  Miscellaneous  business. 

HOW  IS  THE  TBEASUKT  TO  BE  SUPPLIED  ? 

The  following  jjlan  for  supplying  the  Treasury 
of  Village  Societies  has  been  in  successful  ope- 
ration for  the  past  two  years,  in  parts  of  the 
State  of  New  York  and  elsewhere: 

It  depends  for  its  efficiency  upon  the  zeal  and 
activity  of  the  young  people,  who  form  themselves 
into  an  association  having  for  its  object  the  col- 
lection of  funds.  We  want  the  little  girls,  and 
older  ones,  too,  who  often  ask  us  "if  .there  is 
any  thing  they  can  do  for  the  soldiers,"  to  feel 
that  we  are  now  answering  their  questions  and 
speaking  directly  to  them. 

As  the  "  Alert  Club,"  composed  of  the  little 
girls  and  young  people  of  Norwalk,  Ohio,  has 
been  one  of  the  most  active  and  successful  of 
these  assofciations— coUeoting  $560.12  in  seven 
months,  from  a  little  village  of  only  about  two 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  no  really  wealthy 
men  among  them — it  is  proposed  that  their 
name  should  be  adopted  for  all  similar  organiza- 
tions. 

The  following  plan  is  taken  almost  entirely 
from  a  newspaper  article,  published  by  the  Sol- 
dier's.Aid  Society  of  Northern  Ohio,  Branch  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanita^  Commission: 

AiiEET  Club. 
The  object  of  the  Alert  Club  is  to  furnish  the 
Soldier's  Aid  Society  with  funds  to  carry  on  its 
operations,  and  all  moneys  collected  for  this 
purpose  are  to  be  unconditionally  paid  into  the 
Treasury  of  the  Parent  Society.  * 


The  Club  should  have  a  President,  Secretary, 
two  Treasurers,  and  forty  Collectors. 

The  Club  appoints  its  own  Collectors,  who 
hold  office  for  one  year,  unless  re-elected.  There 
is  also  an  annual  election  for  President,  Secre- 
tary, and  Treasurers.  The .  President  shall  fill 
all  vacancies  which  may  occur  during  the  year. 

The  President  shall  preside  at  the  meetings, 
call  the  roll  of  the  members— those  present  an- 
swering to  their  names — and  shall  read  aloud  the 
names  of  those  members  present  at  the  previous 
meeting.    She  shall  also  read  any  letters  or 

Erinted  matter  which  may  have  been  received 
:0m  the  Secretary  of  the  Parent  Society. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Club  shall  record  the 
names  and  address  of  all  members,  and  at  every 
meeting  register  the  names  of  those  present. 
The  Secretary  shall  make  an  annual  report  to 
the  President  of  the  Soldier's  Aid  Society,  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society. 

The  President  is  to  divide  the  village  and 
neighborhood  into  ten  districts.  Four  collec- 
tors are  then  appointed  for  each  district — two 
for  the  "ladies'  monthly,"  and  two  for  the 
"gentlemen's  monthly."  They  are  to  obtain 
subscriptions  of  twenty  cents  per  month  among 
the  ladies,  and  from  the  gentlemen  a  monthly 
subscription  of  as  much  as  each  subscriber  is 
willing  to  place  against  his  name.  The  col- 
lectors are  to  call  at  every  house  in  their  res- 
pective districts.  Every  two  collectors  will  be 
furnished  with  a  little  bool^,  in  which  the  names 
of  their  subscribers  and  the  sums  collected  will 
be  entered.  The  President  of  the  Club  will  re- 
ceive books  and  pencils  for  this  purpose  from 
the  Treasurer  of  the  Soldier's  Aid  Society,  who 
will  gladly  give  the  Club  any  assistance  it  may 
need,  and  whose  interest,  aid,  and  encourage- 
ment may  always  be  relied  upon. 

The  collectors  are  to  go  with  their  books  ^o 
every  subscriber  immediately  after  the  first 
Monday  of  every  month,  and  on  the  following 
Saturday  render  their  accounts  to  the  Treasurers 
of  the  Club,  who  shall  examine  them,  record 
the  result  in  each  case,  in  a  book  kept  for  the 
purpose,  and  pay  over  the  sums  collected  to  the 
Treasurer  of  the  Parent  Society — not  later  than 
the  following  Monday. 

The  Alert  Club  shall  hold  its  monthly  meet- 
ings on  those  Saturdays  when  the  collectors 
make  their  returns.  If  desired,  meetings  may 
be  held  every  fortnight.  At  their  meetings  they 
make  slippers,  piece  quilts  and  quilt  them,  and 
perform  such  other  services  as  their  officers  or 
the  Parent  Society  may  suggest.  But  the  main 
object  of  the  Association  being  the  collection  cf 
funds,  they  are  not  expected  to  burden  them- 
selves by  other  labor. 

Where  Clubs  have  been  particularly  "  on  the 
alert,"  they  have  interested  themselves  in  get- 
ting up  entertainments,  concerts,  tableaux, 
strawberry  parties,  etc.,  besides  the  monthly 
subscriptions,  and  have  materially  increased 
the  funds  of  the  Society  in  this  way. 

L.  L.  S. 

June  8th,  1863. 


At  the  formation  of  an  Alert  Club,  it  haa  been  found 
best  for  tlie  of&cers  of  tbe  Club  to  make  the  first  call  at 
every  bouse,  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  ihe  object  of 
it,  and  to  obtain  the  names  of  subscribers.  This,  is  only 
necessary  to  be  done  once.  The  coUeGtora  will  imme- 
diately after  make  their  £rst  round. 


372 


The  Samtary  Commission  BiMetin. 


THE  VITAL    AND  SANITARY  STATISTICS 

,     OF  THE  BkITISH  AkMT  IN  INDIA,  COMPiBED  WITH 
THOSE  OF  THE  FrBNOH  TbOOPS,  UNDER  UKB  CON- 
DITIONS OF  Climate  and  Locality. 
(Continued  from  page  309.) 

The  Sanitary  Amdicyrations  of  the  Sickness 
and  Mortality  effected  of  late  Years. 

I  find,  in  regard  to  the  health,  of  the 
British  AJmy  at  home,  exclusive  of  the 
Horse  Artillery,  that  for  fifteen  years,  pre- 
vious to  1854,  the  average  death-rate  was 
14.7,  and  that  of  invaliding,  32.3  per  1,000; 
but  that  in  1860,  and  since  the  practical 
application  of  sanitary  measures,  adapted 
to  climate  and  locality,  these  rates  have 
'respectively  fallen  to  7.32  and  21.30,*  indi- 
cating a  gain  to  the  effective  strength  of 
18.38  per  1,000.  The  proportion  admitted 
for  enthetic  (or  syphiUtio)  diseases,  and 
constantly  in  hospital,  was  23.69  per  1,000. 
In  the  hot  climates  of  Jamaica,  Ceylon, 
and  Mauritius,  where,  from  the  1st  of  Jan- 
nary,  1830,  to  the  31st  March,  1837,  the 
death-rates  were  91.49  and  34.6  respective- 
ly; these  had  fallen,  in  the  year  1860,  to 
20.2,  19.6,  and  23.8  per  1,000. 

With  the  introduction  into  India  of  im- 
proved sanitary  improvements,  adapted  to 
climate  and  localities,  with  restraints  on 
vice  and  intemperance,  corresponding  de- 
creasing rates,  to  indicate  augmented  health 
among  our  troops,  must  follow  as  natural 
results.  The  present  army  medical  statis- 
tics, in  reference  to  India,  as  I  stated  in  my 
evidence,  are  not  of  any  value  in  deter- 
mining the  question  of  how  much  reduc- 
tion in  the  rates  of  mortality  may  be  ulti- 
mately effected  for  that  country;  for,  when 
unoombinedwith  meteorologieal  andmedi- 
-cal  observations,  on  the  physiological  and 
pathological  effects  of  localities  and  cli- 
mate, and  classified  arrangement  of  the 
prevailing  endemic  diseases,  they  are  but 
relative  proofs  of  hitherto  unremoved 
sources  of  such  diseases.  The  first  right 
step  in  this  direction  was  the  organization 
of  a  statistical  branch  of  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  army,  with  the  introduc- 
tion of  new  forms  of  returns,  after  the  re- 
port of  the  Sanitary  Commission  of  1858; 
but  a  sufllcient  period  has  not  yet  elapsed 
for  the  production  of  those  accurate  and 
trustworthy  statistical  data,  which  we  may 
confidently  look  for  in  the  course  of  time. 

Nevertheless  weU  marked  reductions  in 
the  death-rates  of  English  troops,  serving 
abroad,  have  been  effected.  During  the 
period  anterior  to  1836,  the  rates  for  the 
Mediterranean  stood  as  follows: 

Gibraltar 22.0  deaths  per  1,000 men. 

Malta 18.7  " 

Ionian  Islands 23.3  " 

Mean  death-rate 23.5 

*See  pp.  16  and  Ul  of  the  "Army  Sanitaiy  Report," 
1660. 


During  the  period  from  1844  to  March, 
1846,  the  mortality  had  fallen  to  the  follow- 
ing numbers: 


EffectiTB 

Mean  - 
Strength. 

MortaUty. 

Death 
rate 
per 

1811. 

181S. 

Total. 

1,000 
men. 

Gitoaltar 

3,371 
1,858 
2,637  ■ 

a 

36 
36 

41 
31 
S3 

82 
67 
68 

12.2 

Malta 

18. 

Ionian  Islands 

13.4 

Total    for     the) 
Mediterranean  > 

7,766 

112 

105 

217 

14.6 

For  the  period  again,  1859  and  1860,  the 
diminution  stood  thus: 


EflfectiTe 

Mean 
Strength. 

MortaXIty. 

Death 
rate 
per 

1869. 

1860. 

1,000 
men. 

Gibraltar 

.6,381 
6,630 
3,875 

40 
101 
46 

62 
63 
29 

9  a 

Malta 

18.8 

Tnninn  Tfflandfl 

9  S 

Mediterranean 

14,886 

187 

154 

12.6. 

The  results  of  these  two  last  periods  pre- 
sent in  their  favor,  when  compared  with 
1836,  the  following  diminution  of  the  mor- 
tality: 

Gibraltar 11.2  deaths  per  1,000 

Malta O.S  "■ 

Tlie  Ionian  Islands 11.2  " 

Mean  for  Mediterranean.  ...7.6  " 

The  annual  mean  difference  being  a  gain 
of  16  men  per  1,000  of  the  effective  strength 
in  our  healthy  colonial  commands. 

Turning  to  British  possessions,  reputed 
the  most  unhealthy,  we  find  according  to 
Sir  A.  Tulloch's  statistical  investigations, 
and  the  Army  Report,  1860,  that  the  results 
of  sanitary  ameliorations  there  have  been 
yet  more  striking  and  satisfactory ;  and  have 
followed  measures  for  abandoning  low,  un- 
drained,  and  filthy  stations,  and  occupying 
the  higher  ground  as  the  sites  of  well  con- 
structed barracks  and  hospitals,  with  atten- 
tion to  all  other  sanitary  precautions,  that 
have  of  late  years  been  deemed  necessary 
for  securing  the  health  of  our  soldiers 
abroad.  The  colonies,  in  which  such  im- 
provements have  been  carried  out,  are  Mau- 
ritius, Jamaica,  the  Antilles,  with  British 
Guiana,  and  Ceylon.  Previous  to  1836, 
the  mean  mortality  of  our  forces  occupy- 
ing these  colonies,  was  84.2  per  1,000; 
which,  during  the  period  of  1844-45,  on  an 
effective  strength  of  7,194  men,  had  been 
reduced  to  42.1  per  1,000  ;  and  in  the  last 
year,  1860,  for  which  we  have  authentic  re- 
turns, the  mean  mortality,  including  inva- 
lid deaths  of  the  four  stations,  was  only 
17.57  per  1,000  of  the  effective  mean 
strength.  In  applying  the  mortality-rate, 
before  1836,  to  an  effecti'^'e  strength  of  7,194 
men,  it  will  be  found  that  we  permitted 
1,212  of  these  to.  die  annually;  but  from 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


373 


1844  to  1845,  onljr  606  died;  and  in  1860 
less  than  303,  being  more  than  an  annual 
saving  of  life  of  1,000  men  for  every  effect- 
ive force  of  7,194  soldiers.  In  proof  of  the 
mortality- rate  for  1860,  it  maybe  well  to 
here  append,  froia  the  "  Army  Statistical 
Report,"  the  particulars  of  these  four  colo- 
nies: 

Effective       Mortality,  Beath-rate 
Meaji  StxeugOi.       1860.       per  1,000. 
Mean. 

UanritluB 1,886  46  23.86 

Jamaica 591  li  20.20 

Antilles  and  Guiana       1,255  7  5.58 

Ceylon 916  18  19.65 

Total 4,651  82  17.17 

With  regard  to  India  it  is,  as  M.  Boudin 
remarks;  that  part  of  the  English  Army 
over  which  military  authority  has  not 
hitherto  exercised  any  control,  regarding 
the  choice  of  places  of  encampment,  or  the 
duration  of  residence  in  certain  insalu- 
brious localities,  and  the  relief  of  the 
troops.  I  -would  speak,  says  he,  of  the 
Bast  Indian  Army,  as  that  part  of  the  Brit- 
ish Army,  which  is  far  from  having  gone 
through  those  sanitary  ameliorations,  which 
have  comparatively  followed  the  rules  of 
hygUne.  The  following  table  epitomizes, 
for  the  years  1845  anH  1846,  the  eifeotive 
strength  of  European  troops,  and  the  rate 
of  mor'^lity,  in  each  of  the  three  presiden- 
cies of  Bombay,  Madras,  and  Bengal : 

Effective.  Deaths. 

Bombay,  1845 6,321  824 

"  '46 4,710  337 

Madras,    1845 7,859  276 

'46 7,635  351 

Bengal,     1844 11,003  1,028 

■45 11,280  984 

Total 48,702  3,809 

According  to  this  document  it  follows 
that  from  an  effective  force  of  24,351  men, 
1,000  are  lost  annually  by  death,  or  78  men 
per  1,000.  Now,  though  M.  Boudin  is  per- 
fectly correct  as  to  the  rate  per  1,000  du- 
ring those  years,  yet  they  formed  the  pe- 
riod' of  the  Sikh  War,  and  27  or  28  for  cas- 
ualties of  wounds,  and  war  service  in  cli- 
mates not  Indian,  ought  to  have  been  de- 
ducted therefrom,  leaving  the  mortality, 
from  natural  causes,  at  50  per  1,000.  This 
is  a  further  illustration  of  the  necessity  of 
avoiding  all  sweeping  conclusions,  as  to  the 
mortality -rate,  without  perfect  records  and 
knowledge  of  aU  contingencies  influencing 
the  results.  Still  the  mortality- rate  of  50 
per  1,000,  as  caused  by  preventible  causes, 
is  much  beyond  what  it  ought  to  be  for  In- 
dia. The  Commissioners'  Sanitary  Report 
of  1863  presents,  on  this  subject,  an  over- 
whelming amount  of  evidence,  and  without 
exaggeration  shows  that  in  India  there  has 
been  a  fatal  neglect  of  the  conditions 
which  injure  the  health  of  soldiers  and  in- 
crease the  mortality;  and  that  the  Indian 
Government  have  not  hitherto  carried  oiit 


what  was  essential  to  improve  the  sanitary 
militaiy  state  and  well-being  of  their  sol- 
diers. ' 

It  is  but  just  to  say,  however,  that  no  in- 
considerable ameliorations  of  their  sani- 
tary state  have  been  effected  of  late  years, 
as  the  following  statistical  data  indicate. 
The  death-rate  for  five  years,  1850-54,  stood 
as  follows  for  the  three  presidencies: 

Bombay 26.09  deaths  per  1,000  men. 

Madias 39.76  " 

Bengal 65.56  " 

Mean 40.4  " 

In  1860,  these  proportions  for  the  British 
Army,  including  invalids,  were  considera- 
bly reduced,  giving  a  mean  diminution  of 
9.3  per  1,000  of  our  soldiers.  The  admis- 
sions and  deaths  occurred  in  the  following 
proportions,  the  mean  mortality  ratio  per 
1,000  being  less  than  tlfat  in  Table  VI  for 
1861: 


Batioper 

1 

1,000  of 

Admis- 

Deaths 

Mean 

Strength. 

tn 

sions 

^ 

■d 

'  £, 

into 
Hospifl 

& 

1 

i 

1    -4  1 

O 

H 

< 

0 

Bombay 

11,388 

22,013 

332 

29 

361 

1,933 

31.70 

Madras. 

10,696 

15,901 

193 

49 

242  1,487 

22.63 

Bengal . 

42,371 

*    85,693 

1,669 

99 

1,668  2,023 

39.37 

Total.... 

64,465 

123,607 

2,094 

197 

,2,271  6,643 

31.1 

In  thus  reviewing  the  rates  of  Indian 
mortality,  and  the  sanitary  aineHorations 
effected  of  late  years  for  the  British  Army, 
let  us  turn  for  a  moment  to  consider  the 
statistics  of  French  military  mortality  un- 
der like  conditions  of  climate  and  locality. 
I  have  already  noticed  that,  for  their  tropi- 
cal settlements  of  America  and  Africa, 
Table  II  sets  down  their  mean  mortality 
for  ten  years,  1838  to  1847,  at  69.5  per 
1,000.  While  the  mean  mortality  of  the 
civil  population  of  Trance,  at  the  soldier's 
age,  is  12  per  1,000,  that  of  the  infantry  of 
the  line  rises  to  22.3.  Erom  1819  to  1838, 
this  in  Senegal  became  123.8,  in  Guada- 
loupe  101.3,  in  Martinique  102.8,  in  French 
Guiana  32.3,.  and  in  Bourbon  25. 6  per  1,000. 
In  Algeria,  on  an  effective  strength  of 
108,000  men  for  ten  years,  from  1837  to 
1846,  the  mean  death-rate  was  75.8  per 
1,000;  from  which  probably  the  average 
casualty -rate  for  war  and  service  ought  to  be 
deducted.  This  would  reduce  themortaU- 
ty  to  nearly  the  same  standard  as  for  India; 
but  whether  such  reduction  is  allowable,  I 
know  not,  being  altogether  ignorant  of  the 
contingencies  of  that  period.  M.  Boudin, 
however,  adds  that  the. simple  comparison 
of  the  results,  with  those  among  English 
troops,  proves  better  than  all  reasoning 
how  much  of  the  way  is  yet  open  for  the 


374 


The  Sardtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Frenoli  to  accomplish  in  regard  to  military 
hygiine.  In  Table  VII,  which  I  have  co- 
pied from  him,  regarding  the  losses  of  the 
French  troops  in  Algeria,  1846,  it  would 
appear  that  from  an  effective  of  99,700 
men,  the  deaths  in  the  African  Hospitals 
were  6.88  per  1,000;  and  that  the  other 
casualties  of  discharged  and  sent  to  France, 
tUled  in  battle,  deaths  in  the  hospitals  of 
Prance,  pensioned  and  invaJided,  amount- 
ed to  28.3;  and  would  raise  the  total  decre- 
ments of  the  troops  to  97.1  per  1,000. 

Table  Yn..—  Of  ihe  Losses  of  the  French 
Troops  in  Algeria,  for  1846,  on  a  Mean 
Effective  Strength  of  99,700  Men. 

•       Numbers.  Batio  per  1,000 
Strength. 
Aamitted  into  the  A&icaii  Hos- 

Pitala 121,138 

Number  of  days  under  treat- 
ment in  Africa 2,497,181 

Discharged  and  Bent  to  France.        2,089  20.9 

Deaths  in  the  African  HospitalB       6,862  68.8 

EiUed  in  battle 116  1.1 

Deaths  ill  the  Hospit's  of  France  246  2.4 

Pensioned 130  1.5 

InTaJidfid. 267  2.6 

The  Sanitary  Measures  still  necessary  for 
English  Troops  in  India. 
My  great  object  by  the  preceding  obser- 
vations has  been  to  show  "  that  the  present 
death-rate  for  the  whole  of  India,"  instead 
of  being  69  per  1,000,  as  assumed  in  the 
Sanitary  Commissioners'  Eeport,  has  been, 
for  many  years  past,  little  more  than  half 
this  rate  of  death  from  ordinary  and  na- 
tural causes;  inasmuch  as  the  above-men- 
tioned high  rate  is  not  simply  the  mortality, 
but  includes  other  rates  of  decrement  from 
the  effective  strength,  as  those  of  invaliding, 
and  of  extraordinary  war-service,  ui  climates 
and  localities  not  Indian.     The  high  death- 
rate  given  is  that  of    Bengal    European 
troops,  rather  than  that  of  soldiers  serving 
at  Madras  and  Bombay.     It  was  chiefly 
caused  by  extraordinary  war-sei-vioe  of  the 
former,  during  the   Cabul  Massacre  and 
Afghan  War,  and  in  the  Burmese  and  Chi- 
nese Campaigns.     A  comparison,  then;  of 
the  death-rate  of  troops,  so  employed  out 
of  India,   with  the  death-rate  of   troops 
more  comfortably  housed,  and  adequately 
provided  in  the  garrisons  and  stations  of 
India,  is  manifestly  a  vague  representation 
of  Indian  mortaUty,  and  must  necessarily 
mislead  as  to  what  that  rate  is.    At  the 
commencement  of  the  report  the  death-rate 
among  the  Company's  troops,  including  in- 
valids, from  1800  to  1856,  is  stated  at  69  per 
1,000;  but  while  recapitulating  this  state- 
ment, at  p.  165,  it  is  said: 

"  The  annual  death-rate  for  the  whole  of 
India  has  hitherto  been  about  69  per  1,000. 
The  proposed  European  establishment  is 
73,000  men,  and  will,  at  the  present  rate  of 
mortality,  require  5,037  recruits  per  annum, 
to  fill  up  the  vacancies  caused  by  death  alone." 
This  rate  of  decrement,  for  both  mortali- 


ty and  invaliding,  might  be  certainly  taken 
as  a  basis  for  correctly  estimating  the  num- 
ber of  recruits  hitherto  necessary  to  fill  up 
vacancies,  but  is  not  so  far  the  mortality 
alone.  Indeed,  there  is  good  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  2,518,  or  half  the  Commissioners' 
flg^es,  would  be  sufScient  to  make  good 
the  annual  losses  by  death;  and  are  yet  fur- 
ther susceptible  of  great  reduction,  by  the 
introduction  into  India  of  improved  sani- 
tary appliances,  adapted  to  climate,  locality, 
and  seasons,  and  with  restraints  on  vice  and 
intemperance.  By  the  latest  return  of  the 
British  Army  in  India,  exclusive  of  the  late 
Company's  troops,  the  death-rate  had  sunk 
to  35.3  per  1,000;  and  the  invaliding,  with 
deaths  on  the  passage  home,  caused  a  fur- 
ther loss  of  33.3  per  1,000;  being  altogether 
a  decrement  of  the  whole  strength  of  68.6 
per  1,000.  Invaliding,  even  at  home,  has 
hitherto  caused  a  decrement  of  32.3  per 
1,000,  so  that  this  cause  of  loss  in  India  is 
not  greatly  in  excess. 

While  I  have  thus  fairly  stated  my  objec- 
tions to  the  manner  in  which  the  Commis- 
sioners' Eeport  has  brought  forward  the 
death-rate  of  India,  as  hitherto,  69  per 
1,000,  I  cannot  help  noticing  the  inconsist- 
ency of  this  assumption  with  the  facts  set 
forth  in  other  tables,  appended  to  the  re- 
port; Table  IV  of  which  shows  that,  for  all 
India,  1847-56,  it  was  only  51  per  1,000. 
This  was  seven  years  ago;  and  from  which 
time- the  ameliorations  have  been  progres- 
sive. 

In  regai'd  to  the  other  matters  of  the  re- 
port, the  causes  of  sickness  and  mortality, 
and  the  means  of  preventing  them,  I  en- 
tirely agree  with  the  view  taken  by  the 
Commissioners.  1st.  That  by  far  the  larger 
proportion  of  the  mortality  and  ineflBeien- 
cy  of  the  Indian  Army  has  arisen  from  en- 
demic diseases,  and  notably  from  fevers, 
diarrhea,  dysentery,  cholera,  and  from 
diseases  of  the  liver.  2d.  That  the  predis- 
position to  these  diseases  is,  in  part,  attrib- 
utable to  malaria,  in  conjunction  with  ex- 
tremes of  temperance,  moisture,  and  varia- 
bility. 3d.  But  that  there  are  other  causes 
of  a  very  active  kind  in  India,  connected 
with  stations,  barracks,  hospitals,  and  the 
habits  of  the  men,  of  the  same  nature  as 
those  which  are  known,  in  colder  climates, 
to  occasion  attacks  of  these  very  diseases, 
from  which  the  Indian  Army  suffers  so  se- 
verely. In  examining  into  these  causes, 
we  flad,  say  they  that  the  stations,  generally 
have  been  selected  without  reference  to 
health,  and  mainly  from  accidental  circum- 
stances, or  for  political  and  military  reasons. 
Many  of  them  are  situated  at  low,  damp, 
unhealthy  positions,  deficient  in  means  of 
natural  drainage,  or  on  river  banks,  close  to 
unwholesome  native  cities  or  towns.  Both 
barracks  and  hospitals  are  built  at,  or  close 
to,  the  level  of  the  ground,  without  any 
thorough  draught  between  the  floors  and 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


2,15 


the  ground.  And  tlie  men,  both,  in  bar- 
rack rooms  and  sick  wards,  are  exposed  to 
damp  and  malaria  from  this  cause,  as  well 
as  from  want  of  drainage.  The  ventilation 
is  generally  imperfect,  and  from  the  ar- 
rangement of  doors  and  windows,  men  are 
exposed  to  hurtful  draughts.  Many  of  the 
rooms  are  too  high,  and,  as  a  consequence, 
there  is  much  surface  overcrowding  both  in 
barracks  and  hospitals,  although  with  large 
cubic  space.* 

The  greater  or  less  sickness  and  mortality 
of  all  races  in  India  are  in  proportion  to 
the  bad  or  good  sanitary  conditions,  with 
moderate  elevation  of  the  site  and  locali- 
ties where  they  live;  and,  in  the  present 
state  of  Indian  drainage  and  agriculture, 
the  Commissioners  truly  say,  "that  for  all 
practical  purposes,  heat,  moisture,  and 
malaria  are  constantly  present,  and  every- 
where influencing  the  sanitary  condition  of 
the  country,  aided  by  fllthiness  of  the  sta- 
tions, impurity  of  the  air  in  certain  stag- 
nant states  of  the  atmosphere,  by  surface 
overcrowding  and  want  of  ventilation  in  a 
barrack,  by  impurity  of  the  water  supplied, 
and  occasionally  unsuitable  di^t." 

No  stronger  evidence  can  be  given  in 
support  of  the  truth  of  the  above  conclu- 
sions, that  those  are  the  chief  causes  of 
disease  among  European  soldiers  in  India; 
that  the  statistical  data  which  show  the 
rates  of  sickness  and  mortality,  from  rtiias- 
mic  diseases,  are  greater  or  less  in  propor- 
tion to  the  unimproved  or  improsed  sanitary 
condition  of  places  and  localities.  In  the 
Bengal  and  Northwest  presidencies,  the 
most  malarious  districts  of  India,  the  mor- 
tality for  Dum  Dum  and  Calcutta  is  cited 
at  77  per  1,000;  at  Hazareebaugh,  1,900  feet 
above  the  sea,  during  two  years,  34  in  1,000; 
at  Meerut,  for  nineteen  years,  32  per  1,000, 
and  JulluHder,  37  per  1,000. 

The  most  frequent  cause  of  epidemic 
outbreaks  of  Indian  cholera  and  fever  will, 
I  believe,  be  found  in  certain  stagnant  con- 
ditions of  the  atmosphere,  which  favor  the 
accumulation  of  putrid  animal  matter  in  the 
air  of  barracks  and  of  stations,  rendering 
it  impure.  When,  in  addition  to  this  cause, 
bad  food  and  bad  water  are  allowed  to  con- 
tribute their  share  in.  Impairing  the  nutri- 
tion of  the  system,  and  sapping  the  foun- 
dation of  bodily  strength  among  troops, 
the  very  worst  features  of  sickness  and 
mortality  among  them  become  manifest. 
These  facts  are  prominently  set  forth  in 
Dr.  Hathway's  Punjaub  Sanitary  Report, 
lately  published;  where  he  judiciously  rec- 
ommends that  all  barracks  should  be  pro- 
vided with  flues,  and  that  the  barrack  air 
should  be,  at  all  times,  tested  by  an  instru- 
ment invented  by  Dr.  Angus  Smith. 

The  great  defect,   in  most  Indian  bar- 


*  "Report  of  tlie  Commissioners,  with  Precis  of  Evi-* 
denoe,"  8yo.|  pp.  160—162. 


racks,  is  that  the  superficial  area  per  bed 
by  no  means  corresponds  with  the  cubic 
contents,  and  is  sure  to  be  followed  by  all 
the  disastrous  effects  of  surface  overcrowd- 
ing, when  larger  numbers  of  European  sol- 
diers are  assembled  at  stations,  than  can  be 
conveniently  accommodated  in  the  barracks 
and  hospitals. 

European  troops  are  exposed  to  other 
causes  of  disease  than  those  before  enumer- 
ated; such  as  intemperance  and  syphiliUo 
diseases.  And  while  both  greatly  increase 
the  numbers  on  the  sick  list,  they  ultimately 
tend  to  swell  the  rates  of  mortality  and  in- 
validing. They  are  not,  indeed,  the  more 
immediate  and  chief  causes  of  Indian  inor- 
tality,  though  oontribujting  largely  to  it, 
and  should  never  be  allowed  to  withdraw 
sanitary  attention  from  those  more  general 
and  prominent  causes  of  sickness  and  mor- 
tality that  require  special  measures  of  pre- 
vention. 

With  a  view  of  removing  aU  preventible 
causes  of  disease  in  India,  the  Commission- 
ers' recommendations  are  embodied  in 
thirty -nine  suggestions,  which  are  set  down 
without  any  order  as  to  the  importance  or 
priority  of  either.  Having  endeavored  to 
point  out,  in  the  preceding  observations, 
that  diseases  of  miasmatic  origin  are  the 
main  causes  of  the  mortality,  I  may  enu- 
merate in  abstract  the  more  prominent  of 
these  suggestions,  and  in  their  relative 
order  of  importance. 

First.  As  to  morbid  causes,  associated 
with  season,  localities,  and  barracks,  the 
Commissioners  recommend — 

That  no  recruit  be  sent  to  India  under 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  nor  until  he  has 
completed  his  drill  at  home;  and  that  re- 
cruits be  sent  direct  from  home  to  India  so 
as  to  land  there  early  in  November. 

That  the  strategical  points  of  the  country 
which  must  be  occupied,  be  now  fixed,  with 
special  reference  to  reducing,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible,, the  number  of  unhealthy  stations  to 
be  occupied. 

That  hill  stations,  or  stations  on  elevated 
ground,  be  provided;  and  that  a  third  part 
of  the  force  be  there  located  in  rotation. 

That  the  period  of  service  be  only  ten 
years  in  India. 

And,  That  the  sanitary  regulations,  now 
in  force  in  England,  be  applied  to  India, 
along  with  the  extension,  to  all  Indian 
stations,  of  the  present  system  of  army 
statistics,  and  a  code  of  sanitary  regulations 
issued  under  authority. 

In  connection  with  this  part  of  the  sub- 
ject there  are  also  recommendations  for 
remedying  defective  drainage,  for  supply- 
ing pure  water,  for  erecting  barracks  and 
hospitals  on  raised  basements,  with  air  cir- 
culating under  the  floors;  that  the  ventila- 
tion of  barracks  and  hospitals  be  sufficient- 
ly secured,  independently  of  doors  and  win- 
dows; and  that  ablution  and  bath  accom- 


376 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


mbdation  be  provided  for  both  these  classes 
of  buildings. 

Second.  In  regard  to  dietetic  errors  and 
clothing,  they  recommend — 

That  no  spirits  be  issued  to  troops  on 
board  ship,  except  on  the  recommendation 
of  the  medical  officer  in  charge. 

That  the  sale  of  spirits  at  canteens  be 
discontinued,  except  in  specific  cases,  on 
the  recommendation  of  the  medical  officer, 
and  only  malt  liquor  or  light  wines  allowed. 
That  the  rations  be  modified  to  suit  the 
season;  and  that  flannel  be  introduced  as 
under-clothing,  and  a  better  system  of  sup- 
plying boots  introduced. 

That  the  hospital  diet  tables,  in  use  at 
home  stations,  be  adopted  in  India,  as  far 
as  practicable,  and'  the  hospitals  supplied 
■with  properly-trained  cooks. 

Third.  In  regard  to  exercise  and  recrea- 
tion, it  is  recommended — 

That  the  means  of  instruction  and  recrea- 
tion be  extended  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  each  station.  That  covered  sheds  for 
exercise  and  gymnastics  be  provided,  and 
that  such  gymnastic  exercises  be  made  a 
parade.  That  reading-rooms,  with  books 
and  periodicals,  be  provided,  and  lighted 
at  night.  That  only  coffee,  tea  and  other 
non-intoxicating  drinks  be  sold  to  the  men 
at  those  rooms.  And  that  workshops  and 
soldiers'  gardens  be  established,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  stations,  wherever  practica- 
ble. And  lastly,  that  soldiers  of  good  char- 
SMjter  should  be  selected  and  educated  for 
subordinate  offices  of  the  administrative 
departments. 

Fourthly.  That,  with  the  most  reasonable 
hope  of  lessening  intemperance,  and  dimin- 
ishing the  prevalence  of  syphilitic  diseases, 
the  soldiers'  condition  in  the  way  of  occu- 
pation, instruction,  and  recreation  be  im- 
proved, as  the  most  moral  and  rational 
means  of  leading  men  away  from  the  can- 
teen and  vice.  They  also  recommend  that 
additional  means  of  cleanliness  should  be 
provided  for  the  men  in  a]l  barrack  lava- 
tories; and  that  the  reorganization  of  re- 
pressive measures  of  police,  formerly  adopted 
in  the  three  presidencies,  for  lessening  the 
scourge  of  syphilitic  diseases,  should  be 
carried  out,  according  to  the  necessities  of 
each  locality.  Although  police  supervi- 
sion of  prostitution  for  the  large  cities  of 
Europe  has  proved  an  entire  failure,  yet 
the  condition  of  native  society  in  India  is 
Buch  as  to  promise  better  and  less  embar- 
rassing expectations  of  success. 

Fifthly.  That,  in  order  to  secure  the 
gradual  introduction  of  the  above-men- 
tioned sanitary  improvements  for  barracks, 
hospitals,  and  stations,  whether  at  the  seats 
of  Government,  or  throughout  towns  in 
proximity  to  military  stations,  "  Commis- 
sions of  Public  Health"  should  be  appointed, 
and  that  they  should  be  so  constituted  as 
to  represent  the  various  elements  of  civil, 


military,  engineering,  medical  and  sanitary 
knowledge. 

Sir  Hugh  Eose,  the  Oommander-in-Chief 
in  India,  by  issuing  orders,  in  July  last, 
headed  "  Sanitary  and  Conservancy  Regu- 
lations,'' has,  in  a  great  measure,  antici- 
pated the  practical  execution  of  this  lasfc. 
recommendation  for  Bengal-,  where  it  was 
most  needed,  and  wUl  probably  be  follow- 
ed by  correspondingly  successful  results. 

PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  TOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBESS  STREET, 


^Prssidsnt 
LiEwr.-GBN.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAITS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 
Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENRY  GREENEIELD,  Sec'y, 
35  Chambers  Stkebt,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

\st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

Id.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

Sd.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

Ath.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
maiion  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEEOANTILE  MAEIHE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

No.  33  IVall  Street,  New  ITork. 


INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 
Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MARINE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  on  Vessels, 
Freight  and  Merohandiae  insured  on  the  most  favorable 
terms. 

Policies  are  issued,  loss,  if  any,  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  office  of  RATHBONE,  BKQTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if^ 
desired. 

FartioB  effecting  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  profits,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELL  WOOD  WALTEB,  Pres't. 
OHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-Pres't 
C.  J.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


877 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
Jmie,  1861,  in  accordance  ■with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  XJ.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.C,  Washington,  D.  0. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  l. 

B.  0.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.!).,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Et.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Perm. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Woloott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  FairmEm  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
C.  J.  Stille,  "  " 

Ezra  B.  MoCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFFICEBS; 

H.  W.  BeEows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Yioe-PreBident. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  JenMns,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Aaaooiate  Secretary. 

3.  H.  Douglas,  U.D.,  Associate  Secretary, 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STASDINO  OOMMTTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sajiiitary  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
ern Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"  O^ce  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address'  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phllar 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  'Westem  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentut^,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, LouisviUe,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  ;name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  shoiiid  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense. 

JSS^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  frieiias 
in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMjENT, 
The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintama 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  mith 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  aU  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga— its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxmary 
societies,  and  aU  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  locahues, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary 'Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,807 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltlmme,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Oommiasionj  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sauitary  Commission,.  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


REUEF   DEPARTMENT. 

Geneia.1  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  VasMng- 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Eajjroad  Depot,  Wash* 
ington,  D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  ij  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Hth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Ballroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  G. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HL — C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
EeHef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey. — James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn. — ^L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent.' 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AGENOY  FOB  FENSIONS. 

WiUiam  T.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  T>.  0 

HOSPITAI.   CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Betvreen  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro' — ^Dr.  J.  F.  Bar- 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAHITABT  STEAM2B. 

Cumberland  Biver— New  Dunleith. 


378 


The  8anita/ry  Commission  BvUeiin. 


ARTICLES 


THAT  EVERT 


GOOD  HOUSEKEEPER  SHOULD  USE 

AND  ETEEY 

GOOD  GROCER  SHOULD  SELL, 

Made  from  the  best  materials;  always  uniform  in  quality, 
and  Sixteen  Ounck  to  the  Pound, 

Pyle's  Dietetic  Saleratus, 

A  pure  and  wholesome  article,  which  has  no  superior  for 
making  Biscuit,  Cake  and  Pastry  light  and  rich.  In  the 
New  England  States,  where  the  best  articles  are  required, 
it  takes  the  lead  of  all  others. 

Pyle's  Baking  Cream  Tartar, 

Put  up  solely  for  cooking  purposes,  and  warranted  to  suit. 
Most  cooks  know  the  difficulty  in  getting  good  Cream  Tar- 
tar, hut  they  have  only  to  ask  for  Pyle's  and  be  suited. 

Pyle's  Baking  Soda, 

Full  strength,  pure,  and  suitable  for  CuHnary  or  Medical 
use. 

Pyle's  Yeast  Powder, 

Put  up  in  Tin  Cans  and  Paper,  and  warranted  equal  to  any 
in  use,  at  reduced  prices,  never  fails  to  make  good  Biscuit, 
Cake,  or  Pastry,  without  Cream  Tartar  and  Soda.  Any  one 
can  use  it  with  success.    All  the  above  articles  are  put  up 

GOOD  WMGET. 

Pyle's  O.  K.  Soap, 

The  best  and  most  economical  Washiog  Soap  now  in  use. 
It  is  the  Washerwoman's  Favorite,  and  sells  in  preference 
to  the  common  soaps,  wherever  known. 

Pyle's  Bluing  Powder, 

The  most  complete  Washing  Blue  yet  known,  both  for  cheap- 
ness and  efficacy.  It  also  makes  a  beautiful  blue  Writing 
Ink.    It  is,  indeed,  the  Ladies'  Favorite. 

Pyle's  Enamel  Blacking, 

A  splendid  Boot  Polish  that  never  gets  hard  nor  injures  the 
leather. 

Pyle's  Stove  Polish 

Makes  a  beautiful  Polish  on  Cast  or  Wrought  Iron,  and  pre- 
vents rust. 

Pyle's  Navy  Black  Ink 

Writes  jet  black  and  flows  smoothly. 

Pyle's  Shaving  Soap 

Makes  a  rich  permanent  lather.    Competent  judges  call  it 
the  best  they  have  tried. 
These  articles  are  all  Brst  class,  and  need  only  to  be  tested. 


'»•» 


COUNTRY  MERCHANTS 

win  find  a  fall  supply  of  Commercial  Cream  Tartar 
and   Saleratns,    Bi-Carb.    Soda,     Sal    Soda, 
Soap  Powder,  etc.  of  every  quality  and  style  required 
by  the  trade,  at  the  lowest  market  prices. 
TKA  CAD  DIES  of  all  sizes  always  on  hand. 

Address,       JAMES  PYLE,  Manufacturer, 

Cor,  Washington  and  Franklin  Sts.,  N.  T. 
Nos.  360,  352,  354,  &  350  Washington  St.  &  204FrankHn  St. 


ANNUAL  STATEMENT 

OF   THE 

Liverpool  am,  London 

Fire  and  Life 

Insurance  Company, 

45  William  Street,  New  York. 

Capital  and  accu-  )   (n,    o  -  £. 

^  mulations,       [  ^7^832.171.06 


Net  profits  added  ) 


to  Capital  in  1863,  [       743'i28.98 

Premiums  received  in  1863, 

Fire,  $2,610,510.43 

Life,  7i9'703-35 

Loffes  paid  in  1863, 

Fire,  $1,494,592.35 

Life,  347.9°3-3o 

Total  loffes  paid  from  1836  to  i863. 
Fire,  $11,331,697.98 

Life,  3,362,685.52 

Dividend  paid,  186'^,  ) 
r       r  •         ^    -^M-  40  per  cent, 
free  or  income  tax,    )  ^   ^ 

ALL    THE    ABOVE    SUMS    ARE    GOLD. 

No  portion  either  of  the  capital  or  of  the 
income  of  the  "  Globe  Infurance  Company," 
now  in  courfe  of  amalgamation  with  the 
"  Liverpool  and  London,"  is  included  in 
this  ftatement. 

The  Stockholders  are  perfonally  refponfible 
for  all  engagements  of  the  Company. 

March  19th,  1864. 

DIRECTORS    IN    NEW  YORK. 

Francis  Cottenet,  Esq.,  Chairman. 
Henry  Grinnell,  Esq.,  Dep.  Ch'n, 
E.  M.  Archibald,  H.B.M.  Conful. 
Jos.  Gaillard,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Alex.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  Esq. 
E.  F.  Sanderson,  Esq. 
Counfel,  Alex.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Relident  Sec'y,  Alfred  Pell,  Esq. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  '  379 

OFFICE    OF    THE 

^tfltttttHM  (^mm)  §nmxmct 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     Si, 000,000. 


From  Statement  for  tlie  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 .*.  .$3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums : 3,252,256  t6 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  OTer  Losses,  &c 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 

LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  npon  Rish  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  like  Gnrrency. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  aUowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application. for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF,  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  YOYAGB  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a'  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PEE  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
S^j^Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HtrLLS,  a  return  of  TEN  pee  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWAED  EOWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEOEGE  MILN,  JOHN  AEMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MOERISON, 

JOHN  ATiaNSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM  ' ' 

THOS.  A.  C.  COOHEANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb', 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jls.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

,  ROLAND  6.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LOED, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  EOBEET  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT 

GEOEGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWEENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GKIFFIN.     ' 

0.  L.  NIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  VioePresident.  B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  2d  •^ice-President  and  Secretary. 


380  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 

PARTICIPATION 

FIRE      INSURANCE. 

NORTH  AMERICAN 
FIRE    INSURANCE    COMPANY, 

Of  the  City  of  New  York, 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


I]NrOORI»OTiA.TEr)   1823. 

CASH  CAPITAL, $500,000  00 

ASSETS, 604,535  59 

nro  ciiAiJiis  FOR  jlosses. 

Abstract  of  the  EIGHTT-THIRD  Semi-Annnal  Statement,  showing  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Company  on  the  31st  day  of  December,  1863i 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate,  worth  over 

Fifty  per  cent.  aboTe  the  amount  loaned $157,360  00 

Stocks,  Bonds,  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  market  value . .  364,385  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 6,603  11 

Loans  on  demand  with  collateral 46,000  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding 5,884  00 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission,   (business  of  December 

since  received, ) 10,220  39 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 13,788  83 

Other  Property  of  Company 793  75 

$604,535  59 
Losses  unpaid,  none. 

Insures  Property  against  Loss  by  Fir.e  at  usual  rates,  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or 
through  their  Agents  in  the  principal  Cities  and  "Villages  of  the  United  States;  adjusting 
and  paying  Claims  with  the  liberality  and  promptness  that  has  characterized  their  busi- 
ness during  the  past  Forly-one  Years. 

TheCustomers  receive  Three-Fourths  of  the  Net  Profits  of  the  business  each  year, 
without  incurring  any  liability  whatever. 

R.  W.  BLEECKER,  Sec'y.  JAMES  W.  OTIS,  Pres't. 

R.  F.  MASOIT,  Sapeiintendent  of  Agencies. 


The  Sanitary  Commisiion  BtdkUn. 


381 


SANFORD'S  CHALLENGE  HEATERS 

TO  SET  IN  BRICK,  OR  PORTABLE. 


The  most  po'werful  Heatebs  known  for  wanning 

DWELLINGS,  CHURCHES, 
Hospitals,  Sebools,  Vessels,  &.c. 

Send  or  call  for  a  Fuiiii  Dbsckhtion,  and  an 
unparalleled  mass  of  testimony  from  some  of  onr 
first  citizens. 


TO  SET  IN  BBICK. 


POBTABLK 


SANFOKB'S  MAMMOTH 

OB 

GLOBE  HEATERS, 

Of  great  power  and  economy  of  fuel,  for 
sJl  places  where  great  heat  is  wanted,  as 

stores.  Hotels,  R.  R.  Depots, 
Vessels,  &e. 

These  Heaters  are  used  by  the 

Hudson  Kiver  and  other  Bahj- 

BOADS,  most  of  the  Ferries,  Fire 

Engine  Houses,  &c.     Beware  of 

'  imitations  that  are  inferior. 

Extensively  used  in  Hospitals 

arid  Barracks. 

6E:t    SANFORD'S    HASIMOTH. 


THE    COSMOPOLITE 

PARLOR  COAL  STOVE, 

With  Radiator,  Ventilator,   and 
Gas  Burning  Attacluuent. 

The  Leading  Stove  for 

PARLORS, 

SITTING-BOOMS, 

And  all  places  where  a  soft, 
PLEASAUT  HEAT  is  desired.  Fires 
kept  all  winter  with  an  aston- 
ishingly small  supply  of  coal. 


THE 


KITCHEN  RANGES, 

For  Coal  or  Wood,  set  in  fire-places  without 
masonry,  or  out 
on  feet ;  have  the 
'Largest  Ovens  of 
any  in  market;  bake 
perfectly ;  never 
failing  to  brown  at 
the  bottom.  BoU, 
Boast  and  Broil  with  great  facility  and  dis- 
patch, and  EcoNoinr  or  Fuel.  A  most  de- 
sirable Range  for  Private  Howes,  Hotels, 
Hospitals,  Barracks,  &c. 


STJMMBB  AND  WHJTEB 

PORTABLE   RANGE. 

A  very  popular  Bange, 
with  Six  Boiler  Holes, 
one  Large  Oven  that 
bakes  perfectly,  with 
an  arrangement  for 
Boasting,  or  Heating 
Irons,  at  the  end. 


■  .^  perfect  apparatus  for  a  few  dollars, 
and  well  stated  for  families,  restaurants,  bar- 
racks, Sfc. 


Also,  a  great  variety  of  COOKING  AND  HEATING  APPABATUS,  suited  to  every 
want.  Also,  the  UNION  STOVE  POLISH.  Get  description  of  above,  with  references, 
from 


SANFORD,  TEUSLOW  &  CO., 

.a39  and  241  Water  St.,  New  York. 


382 


The  Sanitwry  Commission  BiMetin. 


FRED'O    S.    OOZZENS, 


liE  HEiOlliiT 

73   lW*arren  Street^  JYew  ^orU^ 


I 


(Opposite  Hudson  River  R.  E.  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Washington,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 

OF  THE  PnEEST  QUALITT,  FOB 

MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOS  .^ 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

^nd    by    tlie    JSAnSTIT^RY     00]VI]y:iSSION. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  York  and  Washington  for 

Long-worth's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  "Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


^V 


^^jp 


^^^^^^^Se 


"U 


^ 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
■  FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GREBNLEAF  &  CO.,  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWING,  Masonic  Hall,  PhUadelphia.' 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descript'iTe  circulars  famished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  above. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


383 


iA'8  B&IZ19& 

RECEIVED 

TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FEOM  JURIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Eeport  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAIZKNA, 

At  the  GEEAT  LNTEENATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUEG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  PAIE  of  the  NEW  TOEK  STATE  AGEICULTUEAL  SOOIETT,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Dikloma  and  Medaii. 

MAIZEISTA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristoivn, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gouj  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  American  iNSTiTnTE,  New  York 
City;  New  Jebset  State  Faib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  oompeti^ 
tion  with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  pubKo  aa  tiie  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  flsh  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  wQl  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocoliite,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  aad  invalids  of  aU  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM,  DURYEA.  GeiK^ra!  Agent. 


384 


Tha  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


STEINWAY  &  SONS' 


Grand,  Square  and  Upright 


0 


are  now  acknowledged  the  best  instraments  in  America,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  having 
taken 

TWENTY-SIX  FIRST  PREMIUMS,  GOLD  AND  SILVER  MEDALS, 

at  the  Principal  Fairs  held  in  this  country  within  the  last  seven  years;  and  in  addition 
thereto,  they  were  awarded  a 

FIRST   PRIZE   MEDAL 

AT  THE 

IN  LONDON,  1862, 

FOR 

Powerful,  Clear,  Brilliant  and  Sympathetic  Tone, 

WITH  EXCELLENCE  OF  WORKMANSHIP  AS  SHOWN  IN  GRAND  AND  SQUARE 

P  I  A^  IST  O  S  . 

There  were  269  Pianos,  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  entered  for  competition,  and 
the  special  correspondent  of  the  Times  says : 

"Messrs.  Steinway's  endorsemtnt  by  the  Jurors  is  emphatic,  and  stronger,  and 
more  to  the  point,  than  that  of  any  European  maker. 

"  This  greatest  triumph  of  American  Pianofortes  in  England  has  caused  a  sensation 
in  musical  circles  throughout  the  continent,  and  as  a  result  the  Messrs.  Steinway  are  in 
constant  receipt  of  orders  from  Europe,  thus  inaugurating  a  new  phase  in  the  history  of 
American  Pianofortes,  by  creating  in  them  an  article  of  export." 

Every  Pianoforte  Warranted  for  Five  Years. 
WAREROOMS, 

71  &  73  East  14th  Street, 

Bet-ween  Union  Square  and  Irving  Place, 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  MAY  1,  1864. 


No.  13. 


TABLE  OP  CONTENTS. 


Page. 


The  way  is  ivhich  PiiSB  Impebssioxs  get 

Afloat 385 

The  Sakitaey  Motesient  m  Etieope 389 

Eepobts — 

Work  Belief  in  the  Annies  of  Yirginia  and 

Maryland 390 

Sanitary  Affiiirs  on  the  MiaaiaBippi 395 

The  Distribntion  of  Stores 398 

Homes  andliodges 400 

■\ferk  of  the  StaMatioal  Burean 401 

Hospitals  in  Tennessee 404 

The  Cheistiak  Commission  and  the  SANrrABi 

OoMjnssios 396 

Vegetables 398 

Oiaojss  roB  the  SoiiDiEES 399 

Ijbgislatobe  op  Wisconsin  and  the  Commission.400 

POETBT — 

In  the  Hospital..  . , 403 

Pattekss  eoe  Hospital  Clothisq 405 

SuEGEos's  Testimonials 406 

Hospital  Gaedens 408 

coebespohdenoe-^ 

Pestival  at  Sing  Sing 408 

Paseiotio  Unity.. 409 

Notes  on  Nuesing ^ 410 

The  Sanitaey  Commission  Bulletin  is  jpiiOiisAed 
on  ilie  first  and  fifteenth  of  eoery  month,  and  as  it 
Jias  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  ofc^ove  14,000 
copies,  it  offers  an,  unusually  valuable  mediwm  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Hd- 
itor,  at-  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  he  au- 
tli£nticated  by  tlw  names  and  addresses  cftlie  vyrilfirs. 
As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bul- 
letin is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resowces  of  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission— the  Standing  Committee  feds  a  certain  de- 
gree qf  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  Us  issue  for  a 
d^mite  period. 

The  CommiSee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  U  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  tltey  fher^ore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  qf  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steong,  68  WaV.  Street,  or  No. 
823  .Broadway,  New  York,)  vM  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  Hie  remainder  of  (he  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  publication  be  sooner  discon- 
timied.  .  ..  * 


Vol.  I.— No.  13. 


25 


THE   WAY   m  "WHICH   FALSE   IMPEES- 
SIONS  GET  AELOAT. 

The  State  of  Ohio,  ) 

ESfiOUTIVB  Bepabiment,  \ 

OolvniBtJS,  April  2, 1864. ) 
Txi  the  Sanitary  Assodatiom  of  Ohio : 

I  invite  your  attention  to  the  following 
communieation*  from  our  very  intelligent 
and  active  Agent  at  Memphis.  In  a  former 
letter  Mr.  Brigham  says:  "The  Sanitary 
Commission  here  has  always  shown  a  read- 
iness to  snp^y  our  wants,  but  the  Branch 
here  has  received  httle  or  no  supplies  fbi 
thei  last  six  months."  Our  Agent  wants 
help  at  Memphis,  and  he  very  clearly  de- 
signates the  most  desirables  articles.  WUl 
our  local  societies  assist  our  soldiers  under 
this  oaU?  If  so,  they  will  report  their  con- 
tributions to  the  Quartermaster-General;  I 
will  provide  transportation,  and  send  a 
citizen  of  the  State  in  charge  of  them  to 
Memphis,  so  as  to  ensure  their  safe  transit 
and  prompt  delivery.  Prominent  citizens 
are  constantfy  offering  to  perform  this  kind 
of  service,  without  compensation  for  time 
or  labor.  So  that,  in  like  manner,  and  by 
payment  of  expenses  only,  I  can  send  simi- 
lar contributions  to  other  points  whenever 
desired.  I  ask  the  co-operation  of  our  San- 
itary Associations. 

Very  respectfully, 

John  Bbottgh. 

To  Oie  EdUort  of  tlu  Cincinnati  Commercial: 
Banitabt  Commission. 

liODlSTlLLE,  Apra  5, 1864. 

I  observe  in  your  issue  of  yesterday,  a 
letter  from  Gov.  Brough,  on  the  want  of 
Sanitary  supplies  at  Memphis,  and  contain-  '^ 
ing  an  appeal  to  the  "  Sanitary  Associations 
of  Ohio,"  to  send  stores  to  the  Ohio  Mili- 
tary Agent  at  that  point. 

*  The  purport  of  the  commDnication  referred  to  c&a  be 
gieaned  from  the  Gotbihoi's  letter. 


386 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


As  the  Sanitary  Commission  lias  been 
made  the  almoner  of  the  bounty  of  the 
people  of  Ohio,  and  has  become  responsible 
for  the  just  and  equitable  distribution  of 
their  gifts,  since  the  efSciency  of  its  admin- 
istration has  been  called  into  question,  it  is 
but  proper  that  some  report  of  its  work  at 
Memphis  should  be  made,  in  order  that  it 
may  be  seen,  -whether  it  has,  or  has  not 
sustained  the  responsibilities  it  has  as- 
sumed. 

With  your  permission,  therefore,  I  'will 
crave  space  in  your  columns  for  a  brief 
statement  of  -what  the  Commission  has 
done,  and  is  doing  for  the  relief  of  the 
•wants  of  the  soldier  at  this  point.  Since 
the  occupation  of  Memphis  by  our  troops, 
an  agency  of  the  U.  8.  Sanitaiy  Commis- 
sion has  been  maintained  there,  including 
a  Soldiers'  Lodge,  and  a  depot  of  supplies, 
■with  a  varying  number  of  agents,  under  the 
general  supervision  of  Dr.  H.  A.  Warriner, 
Chief  Inspector  of  the  Mississippi  Depart- 
ment. During  the  time  of  its  continuance, 
the  distributing  depot  has  issued  a  large 
amount  of  hospital  stores  to  hospitals,  reg- 
iments, and  gunboats;  of  all  of  -which,  accu- 
rate repoi-ts  are  on  record  at  this  office,  and 
will  be  cheerfully  furnished,  if  desired. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Memphis  was 
for  a  short  time,  a  great  military  centre — 
was  surrounded  by  a  large  army,  and  held 
several  thousand  sick  and  wounded  in  its 
hospitals.  At  that  time  the  issues  from  the 
depot  of  the  Commission  were  very  large. 
With  the  advance  of  the  army  to  Vicks- 
burg,  this  in  turn  became  the  centre  of 
military  activity,  and  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
ion  work  in  that  Department  and  Mem- 
phis lost  its  relative  iniportance,  never  to 
regain  it.  After  the  fall  of  Vicksburg,  came 
the  battle  of  Chickamauga — the  withdraw- 
al of  a  large  part  of  the  army  of  Gen.  Grant 
from  the  Mississippi — the  battle  of  Chatta- 
nooga, and  all  the  exciting  scenes  of  that 
memorable  campaign.  The  terrible  battles 
fought  by  our  troops,  the  unparalleled 
hardships  and  privations  they  bore,  as  well 
as  the  great  concentration  of  force  near 
Chattanooga,  turned  the  tide  of  benevo- 
lence for  a  time,  all  in  that  direction — and 
this  was  as  it  should  be. 

None  of  our  men  at  Chattanooga,  had  any 
thing  like  the  comforts  which  the  Govern- 


ment furnished  to  those  at  Memphis.  The 
issues  of  sanitary  stores  made  by  the  Com- 
mission— great  as  they  were — ^have  never 
kept  pace  with  the  demand,  and  both  jus- 
tice and  humanity  have  compelled  us  to 
give  most  KberaUy  to  the  most  needy, 
wherever  found. 

For  this  reason,  much  was  sent  to  Chat- 
tanooga, and  comparatively  little  to  Mem- 
phis. That  comparatively  little,  however, 
was  not  exactly  "  almost  nothing,"  as  re- 
ported in  the  letter  of  the  Ohio  Agent,  as 
win  appear  from  the  following  statement 
taken  from  our  books  of  the  disbursements 
from  our  depot  at  Memphis,  during  the 
six  months  alluded  to  by  the  Ohio  State 
Agent: 

34  blankets,  322  bed-ticks,  2,545  sheets, 
9,405  shirts,  427  dressing-gowns,  7,724  tow- 
els and  hdkfs.,  50  night  caps,  35  eye-shades, 
6,090  cushions  and  pads,  212  pin-oushiona, 
1,634  lbs.  corned  beef,  7,679  lbs.  crackers, 
736  comforters,  2,501  pUlows,  3,832  pUlow- 
cases,  5,631  pairs  of  drawers,  158  coats  and 
vests,  1,194  pairs  of  socks,  460  pairs  of  dip- 
pers, 63  pairs  of  mittens,  9,627  lbs.  com- 
presses, 1,868 lbs.  condensed  milk,  1710 lbs. 
dried  beef,  482^  lbs.  tea,  3,384  lbs.  sugar, 
23,420  lbs.  dried  fruit,  85  bush,  fresh  fruit, 
1,589  lbs.  Jight  groceries,  5,271  lbs.  codfish, 
52  lbs.  cheese,  1,769  lbs.  butter,  1,200  doz. 
eggs,  1,455  bot.  wine  and  spirits,  33  gaUs. 
apple  butter,  2,474  gaUs.  pickles,  515  gaUs. 
sour  kraut,  4,476  bush,  potatoes,  1,317  do. 
onions,  928  gallons  ale  and  cider,  643  lbs. 
farina  and  barley,  875  fans,  10  boxes  of 
lemons,  3,156  cans  fruit. 

In  addition  to  previous  shipments  made 
to  Memphis  by  the  Sanitajy  Commission, 
by  Government  transports— on  the  10th  of 
Februaiy,  the  Navigator,  chartered  for  the 
purpose,  went  down  the  Ohio  with  a  load 
of  stores  for  the  Mississippi  Department — 
three-fourths  of  which  were  furnished  by 
the  Cincinnati  Branch  Commission— and  of 
this  load  a  fair  share  was  left  at  Memphis; 
and  on  the  23d  of  March,  the  Dunleith  was 
sent  with  another  full  load,  from  which  Dr. 
Waarriner — ^who  was  in  charge — ^reports  as 
follows: 

Memphis,  April  1, 1864. 
Ds.  J.  S.  Newbebby, 

Secretary t  t&c. 

We  are  putting  off  the  last  of  the  lot  as- 
iigned  to  this  place,  via: 


The  Scmitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


387 


330  barrels  of  potatoes,  200  do.  onions, 
100  do.  sour  kraut,  150  do.  apples,  2,000 
shirts,  1,000  pairs  of  drawers,  and  a  fair 
proportion  of  whatever  else  we-  have  on 
board.  There  are  — -  troops  here,  and 
2,1^0  ,  in  General  Hospital.  I  have  our 
store  room  thoroughly  stuffed. 
Yours,  &c., 

H.  A.  Wabkineb. 

Prom  this  it  would  seem  that  there  are  now 
sufficient  Sanitary  stores  at  Memphis  to 
supply  the  want  at  that  point.  It  only  re- 
mains to  show  that  they  are  available  for 
the  supply  of  wants  of  Ohio  men. 

The  reports  of  our  Agents  at  Memphis, 
and  the  letters  of  Judge  Brigham,  the  State 
Military  Agent  there,  all  indicate  that  per- 
fect harmony  and  concert  of  action  have 
prevailed  between  them,  and  that  whatever 
our  depot  contained,  was  subject  to  the 
draft  of  the  State  Agent  for  the  supply  of 
any  wants  of  Ohio  men,  which  he  might 
discover,  and  that  he  has  been  in  the  habit 
of  drawing  from  the  depot  since  he  has 
occupied  his  present  position. 

Learning,  however,  that  he  had  reported 
a  wfmt  of  stores  for  distribution^  I,  last 
month,  sent  him  a  special  authorization, 
which  should  mate  him  feel  free  to  draw 
from  our  agency  of  the  abundance  of  stores 
which  I  knew  had  been  sent  there.  My 
letter  is  as  follows: 

Louisville,  Kt.,  Marcli  li,  1864. 
F.  W.  Bkioham,  Esq.  : 

Dbab  Sib — Mrs.  Rouse  has  shown  me  a 
copy  of  your  letter  to  the  Governor,  in  re- 
gard to  your  experience  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission  at  Memphis.  I  am  gratified  to 
learn  that  you  have  been  able  to  derive  as- 
sistance from  our  resources  in  supplying 
the  wants  of  Ohio  men,  and  I  trust  the 
pleasant  relations  that  have  subsisted  be- 
tween yourself  and  our  agents,  may  be  un- 
^  interrupted;  and  that  they  may  continue  to 
be,  as  they  have  been,  mutually  profitable. 
I  enclose  a  letter  to  Mr.  Carpenter,  our 
agent,  which  will  enable  you  at  aU  times 
to  share  any  means  of  relieving  suffering, 
which  may  be  at  our  command. 
Yours,  very  cordially, 

J.  S,  Newbeeet. 

This  letter  contained  the  following  en- 
closure: 


Hb.  D.  B.  Cabkbhteb, 

Memphis,  Tess. 

Deab  Sib— This  will  be  handed  you  by 
my  friend,  F.  W.  Brigham,  Esq.,  Ohio 
Military  Agent,  who  is  doubtless  already 
well  known  to  you.  Mr.  B.  is  an  acquaint- 
ance and  friend  of  many  years  standinjg, 
and  I  take  pleasure  in  commending  him  to 
your  kind  offices — unless  greatly  changed, 
he  is  in  all  things  worthy  of  our  respect, 
and  I  beg  of  you,  so  far  as  may  be  in  your 
power,  to  co-operate  with  him,  in  the  care 
of  Ohio  men. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

J.  S.  Nbwbbbby. 

From  this  exhibit,  it  appears — 

1st.  That  the  supply  of  Sanitary  stores 
received  and  issued  at  the  depot  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  at  Memphis,  dur- 
ing the  six  months  referred  to  by  the  Ohio 
State  Agent,  was  far  from  "  almost  noth- 
ing," but  in  fact  was  large,  and  always  ac- 
ceptable to  Ohio  men. 

2nd.  That  the  present  supply  at  that 
point  is  ample,  and  that  it  has  been  by  spe- 
cial authorization,  made  subject  to  the 
draft  of  the  Ohio  State  Agent. 

This,  it  seems  to  me,  is  aU  that  is  re- 
quired to  show  that  the  Sanitary  Commia- 
sion  has  fully  met  its  responsibilities  at 
Memphis,  both  as  regards  efficiency  of  ad- 
ministration, and  generosity  of  spirit. 

Some  better  plea  therefore,  than  that 
made  by  Governor  Brough,  would  seem  to 
be  necessary  to  afford  pur  auxiliaries  good 
reason  for  departing  from  their  present 
mode  of  working. 

Should  any  persons  or  associations  choose 
to  send  aU,  or  part  of  their  stores,  to  Judge 
Brigham,  for  distribution  among  Ohio 
men,  I  would  not  dissuade  them  from  it; 
but  let  it  not  be  on  the  plea  that  the  San- 
itary Commission  has  proved  inadequate  to 
their  wants. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  S.  Newkeebi. 

Headquabtebs,  Med.  Dept.,  ) 

108th  Ills.  Ihtahtei,  } 

MempSis,  Tehu.,  Apra  20, 1864. ) 

D.  B.  Caepentek,  Es(J., 

Agent  V.  S.  Sanitar  Commission: 

Sib — I  take  great  pleasure  in  complying 
with  your  request,  and  in  answering  so  far  as  I 
may  be  able,  the  questions  you  were  pleased 
to  submit  to  me  a  few  days  since. 


888 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  Bulletin. 


If,  in  any  way,  I  can  contribute  to  the 
removal  of  the  erroneous  impressions  which 
evil  disposed  persons  at  the  North — ^who, 
I  greatly  fear  are  strongly  tinctured  with 
treason — ^have  persistently,  and  maliciously 
I  think,  endeavored  to  make  upon  the 
minds  of  those  at  home,  whose  duty  to 
their  country,  humanity,  and  God,  is  to 
make  the  burden  the  soldier  bears  lighter. 
And  when  sickness  and  wounds  come  to 
him,  away  from  home  and  friends,  and  all 
ho  holds  BO  dear  in  life,  to  lend  a  tear  of 
sympathy,  to  cool  the  fevered  brow,  and 
soothe  the  pain,  I  shall  be  amply  repaid  the 
little  labor  and  less  trouble,  in  giving  my 
testimony  in  behalf  of  the  noble  men,  wo- 
men, and  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
don. 

In  answer  to  your  first  question  I  would 
Bay,  that  during  my  connection  with  the 
army,  and  at  every  point  or  station  at  which 
our  regiment  has  been  statiqned,  I  have 
never  failed  to  obtain  a  fuU  supply  of 
Sanitary  stores  as  the  Commission  could 
famish,  when  the  goods  were  in  store.  I 
have  uniformly  found  the  agents  of  the 
Commission  not  only  willing,  but  anxious 
to  furnish  them  to  the  soldiers.  My  hospi- 
tal has  rarely  been  without  such  stores  as 
were  necessary,  and  frequently  the  well  men 
in  camp  have  had  issued  to  them  a  plenti- 
ful supply. 

To  your  second  question.  That  the  sick 
have  undoubtedly  been  greatly  benefited. 
The  good  done  in  the  prevention  of  disease 
can  never  be  computed. 

To  your  third  question.  That  never  to 
any  extent,  or  under  any  oiroumsfcances, 
have  I  known  the  supplies,  appropriated  in 
aayother  way  than  the  one  known  to.  the 
donors. 

To  your  fourth  question.  Every  medical 
man  knows  the  great  importance  of  fresh 
vegetables  in  the  prevention  of  scorbutic 
diseases,  and  to  the  supply  furnished  by  the 
Commission,  are  we  indebted  for  the  im- 
munity the  army  has  enjoyed  from  such  di»- 
eases. 

Living  as  the  soldier  is  upon  the  salt  ra- 
tion furnished  by  the  Commissai-y,  and  the 
■mpply  of  fresh  beef  frequently  limited,  by 
:h.e  distance  from  the  base  of  supply,  and 
lifiicultieB  of  transportation,  without  the 


aid  of  the  Sanitary  Gommission,  he  would 
lose  much  of  his  vigor  and  efSciency. 

Your  fifth  and  sixth  questions  wiU  be 
best  answered  together.  The  necessity  for 
sanitary  aid  will  continue  so  long  as  the 
war  lasts.  The  circumstances  which  ren- 
dered the  Sanitary  ConunissixiB^  necessity 
in  this  war,  will  continue  to  l^se;  as  fast 
as  their  kindness  may  remove  the  call  for 
it,  some  new  call  will  be  heard.  The  min- 
istering angels  of  the  Gommission,  the  kind 
hearts  that  truly  pulsate  in  response  to 
their  country's  wants,  must  not  cease  their 
ministrations,  nor  withhold  their  kind 
words  of  cheer,  or  their  indispensible  do- 
nations. Let  the  brother  at  home  not  for- 
get his  brother  in  the  army.  Sister,  your 
brother  is  sick  in  hospital,  send  to  him 
some  little  delicacy.  The  assurance  that 
he  is  kindly  remembered  wiU  cheer  him, 
will  put  new  resolution  in  his  weak  frame. 
Feel  no  fear  that  it  will"  not  reach  him. 
Tour  particular  jar  of  jelly  may  not  reach 
your  particular  brother  or  friend,  but  some 
one's  will  flU  its  place. 

From  the  immense  storehouse  of  the 
great  free  North,  let  our  fathers,  mothers, 
brothers,  and  sisters  send  their  potatoes, 
onions,  pickles,  kraut,  fruits  in  their  va- 
rious preparations,  through  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  The  agents  wQl  properly 
distribute  whatever  you  send;  and  although 
the  soldier,  in  the  excitement  of  army  life, 
may  forget  to  thank  you,  or  the  amount  of 
good  done  cannot  be  seen  or  computed,  or 
the  amount  of  disease  prevented  realized 
yet  an  efficient  army,  strong  in  the  arms, 
free  from  disease,  and  acting  in  the  holiest 
of  all  causes,  will  soon  roll  back  the  tide  of 
treason  and  rebellion,  and  a  great,  free  and 
peaceful  nation  bless  the  agents  of  its  sal- 
vation. 

Let  the  hands  of  the  Sanitary  Gommis- 
sion be  upheld,  the  consciousness  of  good 
done  will  be  the  reward  in  time,  and  eternity 
will  complete  the  recompense. 
Very  respectfully, 

E.  A.  CONOVEB, 
Surgeon  108M  Illinoii  Infantry  Volvntttn. 


Surgeon  Oonover's  letter  did  not  form  part 
of  the  oorrespondenee  arising  out  of  Governor 
Bioogh's  appeal,  but  its  bearing  on  the  subject 
is  plain. 


Ths  "Sanitary  Gonmission  Bulletin. 


389 


THE  SANITARY  MOVEMENT  IN  EUROPE. 
Mr.  Bowles,  the  Secretary  of  the  "Eu- 
ropean Branch"  of  the  Commission,  con- 
tinues to  distribute  our  documents  and 
reports  amongst  the  savans  and  philanthro- 
pists, who  have  been  instrumental  in  setting 
on  foot  the  sanitary  movement  for  Euro- 
pean armies,  of  which  we  have  already  more 
than  once  spoken.  He  has  received  very 
gratifying  replies,  copies  of  which  he  has 
forwarded  ua — thanking  him  for  the  docu- 
ments, asking  for  a  continuance  of  their 
transmission,  and  expressing  warm  interest 
in  the  operations  of  our  Commission — from 
M.  de  Preval,  Sous-intendant  Militaire  of 
the  French  Army;  M.  Cochin,  the  distin- 
guished author  of  the  "  Kesults  of  Eman- 
cipation;" Dr.  Basting,  Surgeon  Major  of 
the  "Regiment  d'Elite  of  the  King  of 
Holland;  Dr.  Sanda,  Surgeon  Major  re- 
presenting the  "Sanitary  Corps  of,  the 
Spanish  Army;"  and  from  M,  Capello,  the 
Italian  Consul  at  Geneva. 

The  work  of  establishing  a  vast  Inter- 
national Sanitary  Commission  for  Euro- 
pean armies,  with  branches  in  every  coun- 
try, which  was  planned  at  the  Conference 
at  Geneva,  of  which  we  have  already  given 
some  account,  continues  to  progress  fa- 
vorably, and  has  received  a  great  impulse, 
as  might  have  been  expected,  from  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  in  Schleswig  Holstein. 
M.  Henri  Dunant,  the  author  of  the  little 
work  entitled  Un  Souvenir  de  Sol/mno,  to 
whose  humane  zeal  the  ihovement  is  in  the 
main  due,  has  received  the  following  letter 
from  the  Emperor  Napoleon: 

Sra — The  Emperor  has  considered  the  re- 
quests made  by  the  International  Conference, 
which  took  place  at  Geneva,  nuder  the  presi- 
dency of  General  Dufour,  for  the  study  of  the 
question  of  supplying  international  relief  to  the 
wounded  soldiers  on  the  field  of  battle. 

His  Majesty  highly  approves  of  the  object  of 
the  Conference,  and  of  the  suggestions  made 
for  its  attainment.  He  desires  to  assist  you  in 
your  work,  by  favoring  the  fosmation  of  a  Com- 
mittee of  Relief  in  Paris,  and  cheerfully  author- 
izes you  to  make  known  his  sympathy  with 
your  undertaking. 

The  Emperor  has  also  desired  me  to  write  to 
the  Minister  of  War,  directing  him  to  authorize 
some  general  officers  to  join  the  committee 
which  you  are  organizing. 

Eeceive,  &o.,     V'fiSfe 


Shortly  after  the  Conference   held 


Geneva,  in  the  month  of  October,  M.  Moy- 
nier.  President  of  the  Society  of  Public 
Utility,  who  had  presided  at  the  Confer- 
ence, published  an  account  of  the  deliber- 
ations; and  an  official  oiroular  was  then'  sen* 
to  the  different  European  Governments, 
containing  the  following  inquiries: 

1.  Is  the  Government  disposed  to  accord  its 
^otectlon  to  the  Committee  of  Eelief  for  the 
wounded,  which  ia  being  formed  within  its 
jurisdiction,  as  the  result  of  the  resolutions  of 
the  Genevan  Conference,  and  to  aid  as  much  as 
possible  the  accomplishment  of  its  designs  ? 

2.  Will  the  Government  take  part  in  an  in- 
ternational convention,  having  for  its  object: 

(a.)  The  conferring  neutrality  in  time  of  war 
upoQ  ambulances  and  miUtary  hospitals,  the 
personnel  of  the  sanitary  official  service,  the 
volunteer  nurses,  &c.,  reorufted  by  the  Commit- 
tee of  Relief,  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
who  shall  go  to  aid  the  wounded,  and  tha 
wounded  soldiers. 

(6.)  The  adoption  of  a  uniform,  or  of  a  dis- 
tinctive sign  for  the  persons  attached  to  the 
service,  and  for  a  flag  which  shall  be  the  same 
for  ambulances  and  hospitals. 

If  this  last,  proposition  should  be  favorably 
received,  would  there  be  any  objection  to  a 
badge  on  the  arm,  and  a  white  flag  with  a  red 
cross  ? 

Several  Governments  have  already  sent 
official  answers.  The  Swiss  Federal  Coun- 
cil authorizes  the  War  Department,  to  carry 
out  the  wishes  expressed  in  the  circular,  on 
condition  that  the  States  nearest  Switzer- 
land shall  also  agree  to  the  proposition. 
Favorable  answers  were  also  received  from 
Wurtemberg,  Prussia,  France,  and  Den- 
mark. At  Stuttgard  an  important  com- 
mittee has  been  formed,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Dr.  Hahn,  with  an  auxiliary  branch 
of  ladies,  from  among  the  highest  nobility 
of  Wurtemberg,  and  appeals  have  been 
published  and  widely  circulaited  in  the 
country.  The  King  of  Prussia  has  ex- 
pressed his  lively  sympathy  for  the  work, 
and  has  taken  it  under  his  protection. 
The  Danish  Minister  of  War  has  signified 
the  desire  of  Denmark  to  adhere  to  the 
propositions  of  the  committee,  and  asso- 
ciations have  been  formed  in  Denmark,  in 
Sweden  and  in  Norway.  The  ladies  havB 
also  formed  themselves  into  associationi^ 
and  have  begun  by  making  and  sending 
to  the  Danish  soldiers,  woolen  soeks  and 
other  warm  garments;  and  they  have  also 
prepared  lint,  bandages,  compresses,  aaij 
have  gathered  all  kinds  of  medicines  ancl 
refreshments  for  the  army, 

Mr.  Bowles  reports,  as  the  pecuniary 


»90 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


result  of  the  labors  of  tte  "European 
Branch  "  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
the  collection  up  to  March  1st  of  $18,843 
75,  and  the  branch,  it  must  be  remember- 
ed, is  not  over  three  months  old. 

In  oonaection  with  the  foregoing,  vre 
have  received  the  following  letter  from 
Mr.  Upton,  the  United  States  Consul  at 
Geneva:  Jf 

U.  B.  OOHSULATE,  ) 

Geneva,  April  6!7i,  1864. ) 

Kev.  asd  Deab  Sm — It  straek  me,  on  reading 
the  subjoined  paragraphs  in  to-day's  Journal  Ck 
Genevt,  relative  to  the  war  in  Denmark,  that 
they  might  ■  interest  your  Committee;  I  have 
therefore  copied  and  translated  them. 

"  The,  delegate  of.  the  International  Commit- 
tee for  the  ReUef  of  the  Wounded  of  the  Austro- 
Prussian  Army,  Dr.  Appia,  has  been  for  some 
time  past  upon  the  theatre  of  the  war,  where 
ervery  thing  concurs  to  assure  the  success  of 
his  mission.  Eeceived  with  the  greatest  kind- 
ness by  the  miUtary  authorities,  and  especially 
by  Marshal  Wrangle,  he  has  obtained  aU  de- 
sirable facilities  for  psissing  freely  over  the  ter- 
ritory occupied  by  the  allied  army.  Wearing 
the  white  badge  with  a  red  cross,  adopted  by 
the  Conference  of  Geneva,  he  has  had  access 
wherever  his  mission  required  his  p/esence, 
and  has  procured  some  reUef  to  the  wounded 
in  the  name  of  the  Geneva  Committee. 

"The  work  of  the  Conference  meets  on  all 
sides  the  greatest  sympathy,  and  its  resolutions 
are  generally  recognized  as  very  acceptable.  A 
certain  number  of  volunteer  nurses  (d'infirmiers,) 
have  already  had  experience  in  Sohleswig,  and 
their  services  have  been  much  appreciated;  they 
have,  in  particular,  triumphantly  solved  the 
great  question  of  ascertaining  whether  their  in- 
tferveution  might  not  be  troublesome  on  the 
field  of  battle. 

"At  the  latest  date,  (1st  of  April, )  M.  Appia 
was  at  the  advanced  post,  at  the  moment  when 
a  brisk  cannonade  was  about  to  open  from  both 
sides." 

Very  truly  yours. 

In  the  bonds  of  the  Union, 

Chas.  H.  Upton. 
K»T.  H.  W.  Bellows, 

Neut  York, 

WORK  or  RELIEF  IN  THE  ARMIES  OF 
EASTERN  VIRGINIA  AND  MARYLAND. 

Dr.  Steiner,  our  Chief  Inspector  of  Be- 
Itef,  reports  as  follows: 

Since  my  assignment  to  duty,  (December 
8,  1863,)  as  "  Chief  Inspector  for  the  Com- 
mission in  the  armies  of  Eastern  Virginia 
and  Maryland,  (excepting  those  connected 
with  the  defences  of  Washington,  and  those 
stationed  at  Baltimore  and  Annapolis,)  "I 
have  been  endeavoring  to  organize  my  corps 
of  agents,  so  as  to  command  the  whole  of 
this  field,  and  to  bring  the  relief  work  of 
the  Commission  within  the  reach  of  aU 
who  might  be  entitled  to  it.  The  duties 
of  a  chief  inspector,  as  laid  down  in  the_ 


executive  orgardzation  of  the  Commission, 
are  "to  direct  the  work  of  the  Commission" 
in  the  Military  department  to  which  he 
has  been  assigned.  EeeHng  the  full  re- 
sponsibility which  these  duties  impose  on 
an  officer,  no  labor  has  been  spared  in  the 
organization  of  the  work,  which  has  been 
effected  by  the  establishment  of  three  dis- 
tinct dismcts.  Ihe  Middle,  (comprising 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac;)  The  Lower, 
(comprising  as  much  of  the  Eighteenth 
Corps  as  is  stationed  in  Virginia  and  Mary- 
land;) and  The  Upper,  (comprising  the 
forces  in  and  near  Cumberland,  and  east- 
ward to  the  Monocacy  Junction. )  The  first 
of  these  has  always  been  employed  as  a 
species  of  school  of  instruction  for  the  re- 
lief agents  that  have  been  afterwards  em- 
ployed in  the  other  two.  The  results  of 
nearly  three  years'  relief  work  are  thus 
made  available  in  quickly  training  men  for 
wort,  in  accordance  with  the  best  plans 
practicable. 

The  Middle  Disteict. — Field  Relief 
Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac. — The  reor- 
ganization of  this  army  has  required  a  re- 
organization of  the  Edief  Corps.  It  con- 
sists of  the  same  agents  that  were  reported 
at  the  first  of  last  month,  with  sUght 
chajiges  in  their  assignments.  The  direc- 
tion during  the  past  month  has  been  en- 
tirely under  the  care  of  Capt.  Isaac  Harris, 
whose  active  business  habits  have  given  a 
special  nerve  to  everything  done  by  the 
corps.  Its  present  constitution  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

,J.  'Wamer  Johnson,  Superintendent. 

Captain  Isaac  Harris,  Assistant  Superintendent. 

George  E.  Holbroofe,  Selief  Agent  2d  Corps. 

iofG^r^^eok,}  ■■         «.Co^. 

%.^.f^-  \  "         ^"'Oorps. 

H.  K.  Wilcox,  Relief  Agentf  Cavalry  Corps. 

^  f'S^ioT"'**'  I  ^'^  ^'^^  ^-^-'- 

W.  C.  WMttelsey, 
H.  C.  Freeman, 


[  Messengers. 


The  size  of  the  corps  of  this  army  being 
so  large,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  two 
agents  assigned  to  each,  and  therefore  the 
present  arrangement  is  not  as  complete  as 
I  hope  to  have  it  in  a  short  time. 

The  arrangements  for  the  spring  cam- 
paign are  now  being  made  by  the  corps. 
The  wagons  are  being  repaired,  and  put 
into  condition  for  active  employment.  Most 
of  the  agents  hfive  undergone  a  training, 
which  will  make  them  most  useful  in  their 
work  of  charity;  and  there  is  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  our  machinery  wUl  be  such  as  the 
recent  indications  of  confidence  in  the  Com- 
mission, from  the  loyal  people  of  the  coun- 
try, has  a  right  to  demand.  While  the  in- 
dustrious zeal  of  the  women  of  America  is 
being  so  enthusiastically  exhibited  all  over 
the  land,  it  is  felt,  by  those  who  represent 
them  in  the  field,  that  every  exertion  is 
rennivfifl    to    riravRnt    inisa,pnrnrn-iR.HnTi    of 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  BiMetin. 


391 


stores,  and  to  aid  the  medical  officers  in 
their  ministrations  to  the  sick  and  suffer- 
ing. Constant  visitations  of  hospitals  and 
associations  Tvith  those  having  in  charge 
the  various  departments  of  the  army,  are 
required,  in  order  to  give  them  intelligent 
command  of  the  relief  work  entrusted  to 
them.  With  the  view  of  showing  the  na- 
ture of  their  work,  I  ask  attention  to  the 
accompanying  reports — in  some  instances, 
diaries — of  the  agents,  furnished  me  weekly 
as  required  by  the  rules  of,  the  corps.    / 

I.  Report  of  W.  F.  Dubosci,  Belief  Agent,  let  Cavpa> 

Jaauary  2, 1861. 
SL  Eeport  of  W.  P.  Duboscj,  Belief  Agent,  Ist  Corps, 

,  January  6, 1864. 
a.  Report  of  W.  P.  Dubosq,  Relief  Agent,  Ist  Corps, 

January  9, 1864. 
K.  Report  of  W.  P.  Dubosq,  Relief  Agent,  1st  Corps, 

January  17, 1S64. 

5.  Eeport  of  Colonel  George  A.  MuUeck,  Belief  Agent, 

let  Corps,  February  7, 1864. 

6.  Report  of  Colonel  aeorge  A.  MuMeok,  Belief  Agent, 
.    lat  Corps,  February  14, 1864. 

7.  Eeport  of  Colonel  George  A.  MuMeoIi,  Belief  Agent, 

1st  Corps,  February  21, 1864. 
a  Report  of  Colonel  George  A.  Mubleok,  Belief  Agent, 

1st  Corps,  February  28, 1864. 
9.  Eeport  of  Colonel  George  A.  Mubleck,  Belief  Agent, 

1st  Corps,  February  29, 1864. 
10.  Report  of  Colonel  George  A.  MuMeck,  Belief  Agent, 

1st  Corps,  Marob  7, 1864. 

II.  Report  of  Colonel  George  A.  Mubleok,  Belief  Agent, 

Ist  'Corps,  Marob  17, 1864. 

12.  Eeport  of  Colonel  GeOrge  A.  MuMeok,  Relief  Agent, 

lat  Corps,  Marob  20,  1864. 

13.  Report  of  Colonel  George  A.  Mubleck,  Belief  Agent, 

lat  Oorpa,  Marob,  23a,  1864. 

14.  Eeport  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  EeUef  Agent,  2d  Cor 

January  4, 1864. 

15.  Report  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  EeUef  Agent,  2d  Cor 

January  9, 1864. 

16.  Report  of  George  fi.  Holbrook,  EeUef  Agent,  2d  Corps, 

January  16, 1864. 

17.  Report  of  George  B.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent,  2a  Corps, 

January  24, 1864. 
IS.  Report  of  George  B.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent,  2a  Corps, 

January  30, 1864. 
19.  Eeport  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent,  2a  Corps, 

February  6,  1864. 
aa  Eeport  of  George  E.,Holbrook,EeHef  Agent,  2a  Corps, 

February  13, 1864. 
ZL.  Eeport  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  Eebef  Agent,  2d  Corps, 

February  20, 1864. 
23.  Eeport  of  George  K.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent;  2a  Corpa, 

February  27, 1864. 
S3.  Report  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  Relief  Agent,  2a  Corps, 

Marob  etb,  1864.  -«      .  t-  . 

2t  Eeport  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  Belief  Agent,  2d  Corps, 

March  13, 1864:  • 

25.  Eeport  of  George  B.  Holbrook,  E»li6f  Agent,  23  Corps, 

Marob  19,  1864. 

26.  Report  of  George  E.  Holbrook,  EeUef  Agent,  2d  Corps, 

Marcb  26, 1864. 

27.  Eeport  of  S.  M.  BlaaaOr,  EeUef  Agent,  Sd  Corps,  Jan- 

uary 4, 1864. 

28.  Eeport  of  S.  M.  Blazier,  ReUef  Agent,  33  Corpa,  Jan- 

uary ll,i.l86iir 

29.  Eeport  of  S.  M.  Blazier,  ReUef  Agent,  3d  Corps,  Jan- 

uary vr,  1864. 

30.  Report  of  S.  M.  Blazier,  BeUef  Agent,  33  Corps,  Jan- 

.  uary  25, 1864. 

31.  Report  of  8.  M.  Blazier,,  ReUef  Agent,  3d  Oorpa,  Jan- 

uary 31, 1864. 

32.  Eeport  of  8.  M.  Blazier,  EeUef  Agent,  33  Corps,  Feb- 

ruary 7, 1864. 

33.  Eeport  of  S.  M.  Blazier,  ReUef  Agent,  33  Corps,  Feb- 

ruary 15, 1864. 

34.  Report  of  8.  M.  Blazier,  EeUef  Agent,  S3  Corps,  Marob 

14, 1864. 

35.  Eeport  of  8.  M.  Blazier,  Belief  Agent,  33  Corps,  Marob 

21, 1864. 
38.  Eeport  of  8.  M.  Blazier,  ReUef  Agent,  33  Oorpa,  Marob 
27, 1864. 

37.  Eeport  of  Obarles  C.  Harris,  Acting  ReUef  Agent,  5tb 

Corps,  January  3, 1864. 

38.  Eeport  of  Obarlea  0.  Harria,  Acting  Relief  Agent,  6tb 

Ooirpa,  January  9, 1864. 


39.  Report  of  Cbarlea  C.  Harria,  Acting  ReUef  Agent,  6th 

Corpa,  January  lOtb,  1864. 

40.  Report  of  Cbarlea  0.  Harris,  Acting  ReUef  Agent,  6tb 

Corps,  January  23, 1864. 

41.  Report  of  Cbarlea  C.  Harris,  Acting  EeUef  Agent,  6th 

Corpa,  January  30, 1864. 

42.  Eeport  of  Obarles  C.  Harria,  Acting  EeUef  Agent,  6th 

Corps,  February  6, 1864. 

43.  Eeport  of  Charles  C.  Harris,  Acting  EeUef  Agent,  Stb 

Corps,- February  l4, 1864. 

44.  Eeport  of  Charles  C.  Harris,  Acting  EeUef  Agent,  6th 

Corps,  February  15, 1864. 

46.  Eeport  of  Charles  C.  H^ris,  Acting  BeUef  Agent,  5tb 

Corps,  February  27, 1864. 
A6.  Report  of  Charles  C.  Harris,  Acting  EeUef  Agent,  Stb 
•         Corpa,  March  6th,  1864. 

47.  Eeport  of  B.  M.  Barton,  EeUef  Agent,  6th  Corpa, 

Marcb  14, 1864. 

48.  Eeport  of  E.  M.  Barton,  BeUef  Agent,  6th  Corps, 

Mai'ob  20, 1864. 

49.  Eeport  of  E.  M.  Barton,  ReUef  Agent,  6tb,  Corps, 

March  28, 1864. 

50.  Eeport  of  B.  M.  Barton,  EeUef  Agent,  on  140tb  N.T.  V., 

March  21, 1864. 

61.  Eeport  of  David  S.  Pope,  EeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corps,, 

January  17, 1864. 

62.  Eeport  of  Davia  8.  Pope,  I^ef  Agent,  6th  Corps, 

,  January  25, 1864. 

63.  Report  of  Davi3  8.  Pope,  ReUef  Agent,  6th  Corps, 

January  31, 1864. 
54.  Eeport  of  Charles  M.  Betta,  EeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corpa, 
February  16, 1864. 

65.  Report  of  Charles  M.  Betta,  EeUef  Agent,  6th  Corps, 

February  22, 1864.  \ 

66.  Eeport  of  Cbarlea  M.  Betta,  EeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corpa, 

February  27, 1864. 

57.  Eeport  of  Cbarlea  M.  Betta,  EeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corps, 

Marcb  7, 1864. 

58.  Eeport  of  Charles  M.  Betts,  BeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corps, 

March  14th,  1864. 
69.  Eeport  of  Cbarlea  M.  Betts,  BeUef  Agent,  6tb  Corpa, 
Marcb  21, 1864. 

60.  Eeport  of  Cbarlea  M.  Betta,  EeUef  Agent,  6th  Corps, 

March  26, 1864. 

61.  Report  of  Captain  leaac  Harris,  Aasis^nt  Superin- 

tenaent,  Fieia  ReUef  Corpa,  January '14, 1864. 

62.  Eeport  of  J.  W.  Jobnaon,  Superintendent,  Field  Ee- 

Uef Corpa,  February  10, 1864. 

63.  Eeport  of  J.  W.  Johnson,  Superintendent,  Field  Re- 

Uef Corpa,  February  12, 1864.       "- 

64.  Eeport  of  3.  W.  Johnaon,  Superintendent,  Fiel3  Be- 

Uef Corpa,  February  28, 1864.     • 
65  Eeport  of  Captain  Isaac  Harris,  Aaeiatant  Superin- 
tenaent,  Fieia  ReUef  Corpa,  March  24  ana  25, 1864, 

[We  have  published  some  of,,  these  re- 
ports, and  now  give  the  list,  as  au  index  of 
the  system  in  vogue  to  ensure  accurate  re- 
cords of  labor  done.] 

These  reports  wiU.  give  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  the  work  .of  the  agents,  and  in- 
clude the  work  done  at  the  engagement  at 
Morton's  Ford,  as  well  as  that  at  the  Field 
Lodge,  kept  at  Brandy  Station. 

The  field  quarters  of  the  Corps  at  Brandy 
Station  consists  of  a  storehouse  and  a  num-  ■ 
ber^  of  tents,  occupied  for  lodging  the 
agents,  the  sick  and  needy  who  may  be 
detained  at  the  station,  and  such  friends 
of  the  soldiers  as  may  from  time  to  time 
visit  the  army.  The  red  iiag  of  the  Com- 
mission, floating  from  the  top  of  the  house, 
can  be  seen  for  miles. 

With  the  view  of  showing  the  issues 
made  by  the  Field  Belief  Corps,  since  the 
first  of  January,  I  ask  your  attention  to  the 
accompanying  abstract,  (No.  66.)  Thefiles 
of  the  corps  exhibit  weekly  abstracts  of 
issues;  and  the  receipted  requisitions  are 
contained  in  the  archives  of  our  work  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  These  requi'sii 
tions  are  mostly  signed  by  medical  officers 
—save  such  issues  as  have  been  made  by 


392 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtMetioh 


the  agents  to  individual  cases  of  need,  for 
the  tune  not  under  any  special  control,  and 
which  have  always  been  accounted  for  as 
individual  relief.  An  effort  has  been  made 
to  secure  these  receipted  requisitions 
■wherever  possible,  so  that  we  might  have 
in  our  archives  written  testimony  as  to  th« 
disposal  of  our  stores,  always  ready  for 
those  who  are  curious  and  ready  for  such 
investigations. 

The  liOWEB  Disteict. — Major  General 
Butler's  covimand  in  Virginia  and  Mary- 
land.—^xximq,  the  i^ast  month,  David  S. 
Pope  has  acted  as  relief  agent  in  charge  of 
our  work  in  and  near  Norfolk,  and  through- 
ont_  the  district.  As  he  has  expressed  a 
desire  for  another  iield  of  labor,  I  detailed 
E.  C.  Nevin,  on  the  29th  ult.,  to  relieve 
him.  Mr.  Pope,  after  making  Mr.  N.  ac- 
quainted with  the  nature  of  our  operations 
in  this  district,  will  report  for  duty  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Our  relief  work  hasjbeen  so  systematized 
by  the  plans  of  the  relief  agents  lately  in 
charge,  that  the  gi-eatest  possible  amount 
of  good  has  been  accomplished.  A  large 
warehouse.  No.  15  Wide  Water  Street,  was 
assigned  to  the  use  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
'mission,  by  command  of  Brig.  Gen.  E.  A. 
WUd,  on  the  3d  of  March,  1864.  This  is 
occupied  by  the  relief  agent  and  the  store- 
keeper, (Samuel  Bacon,)  and  is  the  depot 
for  sanitary  stores. 

An  abstract  of  the  stores,  forwarded  from 
the  central  storehouse  for  the  use  of  this 
portion  of  my  department,  accompanying 
this  report,  (No.  67,)  will  show  the  nature 
of  the  supplies  which  have  been  required. 

The  agent  has  been  instnicted  to  adopt 
the  same  plan  of  weekly  reports  which  has 
obtained  in  the  Potomac  Army  Eehef 
Corps.  These  reports,  with  the  receipted 
requisitions,  have  always  been  forwarded, 
on  the  first  of  the  week,  to  the  Chief  In- 
spector. You  will  find  the  following  re- 
ports among  the  accompanying  documents: 

68.  Eeport  of  James  Gall,  Jr.,  Belief  Agent,  January  17, 

1864, 
89.  Eeport  of  James  Gall,  Jr.,  Kelief  Agent,  January  26, 

7a  Eeport  of  James  Gal],  Jr.,  Kelief  Agent,  January  31, 
1864. 

71.  Beport  of  James  Gall,  Jr.,  Belief  Agent,  February  7, 

186-i. 

72.  Eeport  of  David  S.  Pope,  Kelief  Agent,  February  11, 

1864. 

73.  Eeport  of  David  g.  Pope,  Belief  Agent,  March  5, 

1864. 

74.  Eeport  of  .David  S.  Pope,  Belief  Agent,  March  13, 

1864. 

75.  Eeport  of  David  S.  Pope,  Belief  Agent,  March  13, 

1864. 

76.  Eeport  of  David  S.  Pope,  Belief  Agent,  March  20, 

1864. 

PoDfT  Lookout.— During  the  stay  of  Mr. 
E.  B.  Pairchild,  as  examiner  in  vital  statis- 
tics, among  the  rebel  prisoners  at  Point 
Lookout,  Maryland,  he  acted  also  as  rehef 
agent,  distributing  stores  to  the  needy  in 
the  General  Hospital,  and  to  such  extreme 
cases  among  the  sick  prisoners  as  claimed 


his  attention.  His  report  wiU  show  the 
nature  of  the  work,  and  how  acceptable  it 
must  have  been  to  the  sick.  The  transfer^ 
rence'of  Mr.  E.to  the  West,  deprives  us  of 
his  services  at  Point  Lookout.  It  is  desira- 
ble that  occasional  communication  be  had 
with  this  point,  by  means  of  special  visits, 
so  as  to  ensure  our  supplying  whatever  may 
be  needed.    (No.  77.) 

At  the  present  time  a  force  is  said,  by  the 
newspapers,  to  be  collecting  at  Annapolis, 
for  offensive  "operations,  under  Major  Gen. 
Bumside.  It  may  possibly  be  tiiat  this 
force  shall  operate  in  Eastern  Virginia. .  la 
this  case,  it  will  be  necessaiy  to  organize 
some  plan  to  meet  the  relief  work  that  wfll 
be  unavoidable,  when  the  campaign  is  once 
entered  upon.  I  shall  take  care  to  see  that 
som6  proper  persons  be  ready  to  undertake 
the  work,  and  that  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion be  fitly  represented. 

Indeed,  in  any  plnn  of  operations  that 
may  be  adopted  for  Eastern  Virginia,  it  is 
evident  that  hard-fought  battles  mil  result. 
Both  sides  are  nerving  themselves  for  a 
severe  contest.  The  rest  of  the  winter  has 
enabled  them  to  gather  strength,  and  it 
would  seem  now  as  though  the  final  strug- 
gle was  near  at  hand,  A  wise  providence 
as  regards  the  accumulation  of  stores  at 
depots,  and  the  perfection  »f  aU  arrange- 
ments for  relief  work,  is  required  at  the 
hands  of  the  officers  of  the  Commission. 
We  have  experience  now  in  the  work,  and 
that  experience  should  be  made  to  tell  in 
the  way  of  improved  plans  and  enlarged 
preparations. 

The  TJppee  Disteict — Major  Oeneral 
SigeVs  command,  from  Cumberland  east- 
wards.— The  relief  work  in  this  district  has 
been  very  irregularly  perfofmed  until  lately, 
Eeliance  was  placed  on  occasion.al  visits 
from  the  inspectors  of  the  Commission  to 
the  regiments  and  hospitals  of  the  com- 
mand, and  on  applications  made  directly 
on  our  Washington  storehouse  for  stores. 
In  this  way,  quite  a  large  amount  of  stores 
was  issued.  (No.  78.)  The  ai-rangements 
now  entered -into  will  enable  us  to  work 
this  field  as  well  as  that  embraced  in  the 
other  two  districts.  On  the  19th  ult,  Mr. 
Charles  O.  Hai-ris  went  to  Harper's  Ferry, 
and,  through  the  kindness  of  the  military 
authorities,  was  supplied  with  proper  ac- 
commodations for  a  storehouse.  Since  that 
time,  a  f uU  supply  of  stores  has  been  for- 
warded to  him,  and  it  is  intended  that  this 
storehouse  shall  be  the  depot  of  supphes 
for  the  Upper  District  of  my  Department. 
Mi\  Harris  wi-ites  of  the  courteous  recep- 
tion he  has  met  at  the  hands  of  the  officers; 
and  how  wide  a  field  for  active  phUanthro- 
pio  labors  has  been  opened  before  him.  I 
refer  you  to  his  report  for  a  fuller  state- 
ment of  the  nature  of  his  arrangements  in 
Harper's  Feriy.  (No.  79.) 
I  intend  that  Mr.  H.  shall  remain  at  the 


The  Samtafy  Commission  BiSIetm. 


393 


Ferry,  in  the  capao%  of  local  relief  agent 
and  storekeeper.  His  time  can  be  profit- 
ably spent  in  yisiting  the  regiments  in  his 
neighborhood,  finding  out  their  wants  and 
supplying  them  from  the  storehouse.  His 
past  experience  in  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, pre-eminently  fits  him  for  the  duties. 
The  work  of  the  Commission  in  this  Up- 
per District  I  have  placed  in  charge  of  Col. 
Poten,  lately  of  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corjw. 
Col.  Poten  has  served  with  distinction  in 
Several  Missouri  regiments,  having,  as 
Major,  led  one  of  them  in  the  famous  en- 
gagement at  Pea  Eidge.  In  order  to  fit 
himself  specially  for  his  work,  he  spent 
^ome  time  with  the  Relief  Corps  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  From  his  expe- 
rience of  army  life,  knowledge  of  men  and 
Bound  common  sense,  and  his  acquaint- 
ance with  the  nature  of  the  Commission's 
work,  I  have  eveiy  reason  to  expect  that 
be  will  prove  to  be  one  of  our  most  valu- 
able oificers.  My  past  experience  as  re- 
gards the  value  of  army  officers  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Commission,  is  so  favorable, 
that  I  feel  the  importance  of  securing  such 
officers  as  have  had  a  good  record  during 
their  term  of  service  in  the  army. 

Since  sending  in  my  report,  on  the  1st 
of  March,  I  have  made  a  visit  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  found  that  our  agents 
have  carried  on  the  duties  assigned  them 
faithfully,  and  to  the  decided  benefit  of 
the  soldier  as  well  as  the  credit  and  good 
reputation  of  the  Commission.  It  has  been 
my  pleasure  to  bear  testimony  to  their 
faithfulness  in  previous  reports.  I-  do  not 
wish  to  change  the  record  in  their  favor 
One  iota.  They  are  firm  and  true,  shrink 
from  no  labor,  and  avoid  no  necessary  re- 
SpoisibOity.  The  same  testimony  I  must 
bear  to  my  faithful  clerk,  E.  B.  Cornwall, 
to  Mr.  Hoag,  (the  city  storekeeper,)  and  to 
Mr.  L.  V.  Beebe,  whose  energy  has  enabled 
me  in  so  many  cases  to  get  stores  off  with 
dispatch,  when  they  were  sadly  needed  at 
the  front.  Nor  have  the  officers  connected 
with  the  transportation  department  been  at 
fill  indisposed  to  assist  us,  but  have  aided, 
as  far  as  in  their  power,  in  all  our  work. 

With  the  hope  that  the  future  record  of 
this  department  may  be  even  more  satis- 
factory than  its  past,  and  that  the  relief 
work  may  remove  much  of  the  suffering  of 
the  waa'. 

We  annex,  also,  the  report  of  Captain 
Harris,  the  Assistant  Superintendent  of 
Field  EeUef,  (April  15:) 

Oh  the  27th  of  Feb'ry,  on  my  return  from 
furlough,  I  reported  for  duty  to  Mr.  J.  W. 
Johnson,  at  Brandy  Station.  The  follow- 
ing Tuesday,  Mr.  Johnson  left  for  Wash- 
ington. Since  which  the  superintendence 
of  affairs  in  the  field  has  devolved  upon 
me^  „ 

Early  in  March,  several  reconnoissances 


were  undertaken,  by  both  Cavalry  and  in- 
fantry; but  as  the  troops  went  in  the  light- 
est possible  marching  order,  unencumbered 
by  trains  of  supply  wagons,  and  accompa- 
nied by  the  fewest  possible  number  of  am- 
bulances, it  was  deemed  inexpedient  to  send 
out  any  of  our  wagons  with  supplies. 

The  most  we  could  do  was  to  collect  from 
Washington  a  sufficient  supply  of  stores  to 
meet  the  emergency. 

Happily  these  goods  were  not  called  into 
requisition — ^the  infantry  returning  without 
a  man  less;  and  the  oavaJry,  which  accom- 
panied them,  with  only  a  few  cases  of 
wounded,  whose  wants  were  easily  supplied 
at  the  hospital. 

The  cavalry  expedition  under  Kilpatriofc, 
whatever  may  have  been  its  lolses,  and 
the  number  of  wounded  rescued  from  the 
enemy,  passed  into  another  department, 
where  I  trust  the  wan  A  of  the  sick  and 
needy  were  not  overlooked  by  the  agenta 
of  the  Commission  stationed  there. 

Nothing  beyond  th«  ordinary  routine  of 
supplying  the  wants  of  the  hospitals  has 
characterized  the  work  in  this  corps  during 
the  past  six  weeks,  ualess  it  is  that  of  sup- 
plying the  necessities  of  prisoners  confined 
at  the  various  Provost  Marshal's  quarters, 
who,  on  account  of  their  peculiar  situation, 
are  not  allowed  to  draw  clothing  or  pay. 
To  these  men  has  the  Commission,  through 
the  assiduity  of  its  agents,  been  of  great 
benefit.  Most  of  the  prisoners  were  held 
awaiting  trial,  or  decisions  of  the  Courts 
Marshal,  which  had  for  some  reason  been 
withheld.  To  these  men  were  furnished 
underclothing  and  blankets,  and  frequently 
that  panacea  for  all  ills-— tobacco.  If  the 
•  avidity  with  which  they  chewed  it  was  an 
index  of  their  thankfulness,  then  there  is 
little  danger  of  the  Commission  being  styled 
a  gigantic  humbug,  by  those  for  whose  wel- 
.  fare  it  claims  its  origin  and  existence. 

The  storehouse  at  this  station,  under  the 
excellent  management  of  Mr.  C.  S.  Clam- 
pitt  and  his  assistants,  with  one  or  two  ex- 
ceptions, and  those  owing  to  some  delay  on 
the  raih'oad,  has  been  able  to  supply  the 
necessities  of  the  hospitals,  some  of  which 
have  drawn  quite  heavily  for  clothing  and 
articles  of  diet.  The  abstracts  of  issues 
which  have,  from  week  to  week,  been  for- 
warded to  the  Central  Office,  will  show  you 
the  amount  of  work  done. 

At  Culpepper,  the  agency  under  Col.  Q. 
A.  Miihleok,  has  been  of  great  advantage 
to  the  sick  of  the  1st  corps,  as  well  as  of  one 
division  of  cavahy,  whose  illness  would  hot 
warrant  a  removal  to  the  Corps  Hospital  at 
this  station^  and  were  accordingly  treated 
at  their  quarters,  but  who,  n«verthdess, 
urgently  required  those  articles  of  diet, 
which  it  was  happily  the  power  oiE  the  Com- 
mission to  supply. 

The  5th  coi^s,  which  since  the  1st-  of 
January  has  been  guarding  the  O.  &  A.  R. 


S94 


The  iSamcary  Liommi^ston  ujuuebtn. 


R.j  was  so  widely  scattered,  tliat  it  was 
deemed  advisable  to  establish  a  store  at 
Catlett's  Station,  which  was  accordingly- 
done  by  Mr.  Charles  0.  Harris,  the  Acting 
EeUef  Agent  attached  to  the  corps.  For 
foil  particulars  regarding  his  work,  I  am 
compelled  to  refer  you  to  his  weekly  re- 
ports, his  situation  being  such  that  I  was 
unable  to  see  hitn  as  frequently  as  I  3idthe 
other  agents. 

On  the  5th  ulfcimo,  the  -regnlar  agent  of 
the  corps,  Mr.  E.  M.  Barton,  relieved  Mr. 
H.,  who  reported  at  Washington  for  orders. 
It  was  soon  alter  decided  to  discontinue 
the  storehouse  at  Catlett's,  and  accordingly 
Mr.  B.  removed  to  Eappaiannock  Station, 
where  he  was  able  to  make  better  arrange- 
ments for  himself  and  horse,  and  from 
which  point  he  was  in  easy  communication 
by  rail  with  the  different  regiments  and 
brigade  and  division  generals.  The  requi- 
sitions from  the  corps  are  now  filled  at  this 
storehouse,  which  plan  works  very  well — 
the  stewards  finding  no  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing transportation  for  their  stores  by  the 
cars. 

Early  in  January,  a  Lodge  for  the  accom- 
modation of  sick  and  benighted  soldiers 
was  established,  there  being  no  accommo- 
dation of  any  kind  provided  by  the  Govern- 
ment. Here,  nearly  one  thousand  men  have 
found  shelter  and  comfortable  beds,  whereas 
they  would  otherwise  have  been  compelled, 
on  many  nights,  to  pass  the  dreary  hours  in 
cold,  driving  storms  or  freezing  weather, 
without  shelter. 

Many  a  father  and  brother,  yes,  and  mo- 
ther, too,  who  had  travelled  hundreds  of 
miles  to  visit  some  sick  or  dying  relative, 
have  had  occasion  to  bless  the  tents,  or  rather 
the  agency  which  placed  them  there,  which 
provided  them  little  comforts,  which  mo- 
ney can  scarcely  command  in  this  inhospi- 
table land. 

More  than  three  hundred  meals  have 
been  furnished  to  soldiers  who  were  with- 
out, and  unable  to  obtain  rations.  Civil- 
ians in  quest  of  sick  friends,  and  whoUy  un- 
acquainted with,  and  unprovided  for  a  trip 
to  the  "  front,"  have  always  been  cordially 
received  at  our  table. 

On  the  4:th  ultimo  I  i?eceived  a  commu- 
nication from  Gen.  Patrick,  Provost  Mar- 
shal-General of  this  Army,  and  Dr.  McPar- 
lin,  Medical  Director,  recommending  for 
charitable  notice  the  family  of  Strother 
Jacobs,  a  refugee,  formerly  living  near  the 
Eapidan.  Mr.  Jacobs,  who  had  been  for 
some  time  in  the  Confederate  service,  was  so 
unwell  at  times  as  to  be  confined  to  his  bed 
during  the  day,  and  was  little  calculated  to 
attend  to  the  business  of  shipping  his  few 
household  goods  to  Washington.  They  re- 
mained with  us  three  weeks,  dming  which 
they  were  rendered  as  comfortable  as  pos- 
sible. 

On  the  27th  ultimo,  the  ladies  of  the 


family  were  accompanied  to  Washington 
by  E.  G.  Holbrook,  Agent  of  the  2d  corps — 
the  husband  having  preceded  thither  a  few 
days  previous.  The  goods  were  safely  trans- 
ported under  the  charge  of  H.  C.  Freeman, 
messenger. 

What  the  plan  of  operations  for  the  com- 
ing season  will  be,  it  is  impossible  to  fore- 
see. All  we  can  do  is  to  prepare  ourselves 
for  the  move,  which  must  soon  take  place. 
The  wagons,  with  their  supplies,  wiU  all  be 
stationed  with  their  respective  corps  during 
the  next  week  or  ten  days.  Three  of  the 
wagons  can  go  out  on  an  hour's  notice, 
should  it  be  required.  The  hurry  and  ha- 
bility  of  losing  stores,  should  a  move  take 
place,  has  decided  me  to  break  up  the 
storehouse  at  Culpepper  within  a  few  days, 
to  be  substituted  by  the  corps  wagons, 
which  shall  be  placed  there  immediately  on 
the  return  of  Col.  Miihleck. 

It  would  be  unnecessary  for  me  to  parti- 
cularize any  of  the  employees  of  the  Com- 
mission under  my  charge,  as  having  done 
his  work  well.  All  agents,  storekeepers  and 
teamsters,  have  at  all  times  showed  a  wil- 
lingness to  carry  out  the  objects  of  the 
Commission,  wluch  needs  no  special  com- 
mendation. 

All  having  had  a  furlough,  and  none  hav- 
ing any  special  cause  of  grievance,  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  work  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  in  this  army  during  the  com- 
ing campaign  will  compare  well  with  that 

in  other  departments. 

***** 

On  the  24th  instant  the  more  serious  cases 
from  the  hospitals  of  the  2d  and  3d  corps, 
began  to  arrive  at  Brandy  Station,  for  ship- 
ment to  Alexandria  and  Washington. 

The  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
attached  to  the  1st,  2d,  3d  and  6th  corps, 
were  present,  and  did  good  service  in  assist- 
ing the  men  from  the  ambulances  to  the 
cars. 

We  not  having  suitable  apparatus  for 
cooking  food,  in  sufficient  quantity,  in  a 
short  time,  the  ladies  representing  Maine 
and  New  York,  Mrs.  Painter  and  Mrs.  Hus- 
band, made  application  at  the  storehouse 
for  beefstock,  crackers,,  tea  and  sugar, 
which  were  furnished  them,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  dis- 
tributed. 

Three  long  trains,  loaded  with  sick  and 
wounded  men,  were  thereby  provided  with 
a  substantial  meal.  The  benefit  which  they 
derived  may  be  estimated,  when  it  is  known 
that  they  had  breakfasted  before  daybreak, 
andhadlaeen  conveyed  over  corduroy  roads 
to  the  station,  and  would  not  arrive  at 
Alexandria  until  nearly  dark.  In  addition 
to  the  above,  a  few  bottles  of  stioaulants 
were  furnished  to  the  surgeons  who  were 
to  accompany  them,  on  theit  requisitions, 
which  no  doubt  proved  very  beneficial.  I 
have   every  reason   to   bdieve  from  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMiM. 


395 


kno-wn  character  ol  these  Surgeons,  that  the 
liquor  was  not  misappropriated. 

On  the  folio-wing  day  the  sick  of  the  1st 
and  6th  corps  were  removed,  and  they  were 
supplied  in  the  same  manner,  as  far  as  lay 
in  our  power. 


BAKITAB:£  AFFAIES  on  the  MISSIS- 
SIPPI. 
We  have  published  on  another  page  a 
correspondence  relative  to  the  work  per- 
formed by  the  Commission  at  Memphis, 
and  intended  to  illustrate  the  way  in  which 
very  erroneous  impressions  are  constantly 
set  afloat,  often  by  the  admission  of  a  sin- 
gle unguarded  expression  in  a  letter,  or 
report.    Mr.  Carpenter,  our  agent  at  that 
point,  with  the  view  of  shedding. still  fur- 
ther light  on  the  general  subject   of  the 
operations  of  the  Commission  m  the  West, 
addressed  a  circular  to  a  number  of  s,ur- 
geons  in  the  department,  asking  for  their 
opinion.    We  have  annexed  to  Dr.  New- 
berry's letter  to  the  Gincinnati  Commercial, ' 
tbe  reply  received  from  one  of  them,  Sur- 
geon  Conover  of  the  108th  Illinois.     Those 
of  the  others  will  reach  us  in  due  cotirse. 
Mr.  Carpenter  himself  writes  April  20th: 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  affairs  in  this 
department  in  the  same  quiet  and  favora- 
ble condition  as  at  my  last  report,  and  the 
number  of  patients  in  hospitals  and  sick  in 
camps  without  material  change  ;  there  is 
still  an  increase  of  smaU-pox,  otherwise  the 
dasses  of  diseases  remain  the  same. 

I  received  on  the  31st  of  March,  of  Dr. 
Warriner,  per  steamer  Dunleith,  323  bbls. 
potatoes,  200  bbls.  onions,  120  bbls.  apples, 
100  bbls.  kraut,  86  boxes  shirts,  drawers, 
&c.,  and  3  boxes  fruit,  which  were  a  very 
seasonable  supply,  and  much  needed.  Ow- 
ing to  the  pressing  call  from  the  different 
Burgeons  in  camps  for  vegetables — as  scor- 
butic tendencies  were  becoming  generally 
manifest — I  issued  them  imniediately  in 
the  ratio  of  10  bbls.  potatoes,  5  bbls.  on- 
ions, and  2  bbls.  kraut  per  regiment,  for 
general  distribution  in  the  regiments. 
Small  as  the  supply  was,  its  ameliorating 
effects  are  very  marked. 

Iliave  delayed  my  report  somewhat,  in 
order  to  be  able  to  give  some  expression  as 
to  the  value  of  potatoes  pickled  in  viaegar. 
I  regret  to  say  that  it  appears  to  be  upi^ 
versally  unfavorable,  as  the  men  cannot  be 
induced  to  make  sufficient  use  of  them  to 
derive  any  marked  benefit  from  them;  the 
onion  is  not  subject  to  the  same  objection, 
as  they  would  be. eaten  with  avidity.  I  re- 
ceived yesterday  per  steamer  St.  Cload, 
from  Gincinnati,  7  bbls.   onions,  2  bbls. 


dried  fruit,  1  bbl.  crackers,  49  boxes  fruity 
cordial,  farina,  &c.— from  Cairo,  120  bbls. 
potatoes,  16  bbls.  onions,  83  bbls.  and  kegs 
pickled  potatoes,  86  boxes  dry  goods  and 
fruit,  which  give  us  a  very  good  assort- 
ment. We  shall  always  need  a  large  sup- 
ply of  "eatables"  here,  as  our  hospitals 
are  situated  so  far  from  our  markets,  that 
they  have  not  the  same  facilities  for  mak- 
ing a  "  fund"  with  which  to  supply  needed 
delicacies,  as  those  farther  North,  where 
articles  can  be  purchased  at  far  less  cost, 
consequently  wiU  need  to  be  supplemented 
quite  extensively  by  the  Commission.  We 
need  now  especially  a  supply  of  rags,  band- 
ages, and  more  sheets  ;  the  great  increase 
of  smaU-pox  case^,  and  the  reception  of 
wounded  at  this  point,  make  a  large  supply 
indispensable. 

We  have  also  received  a  report  from  Dr. 
Warriner,  written  April  15th,  at  Louisville, 
after  his  return  from  a  general  tour  of  in- 
spection. It  wiE  be  seen  that  at  that  date, 
although  the  disaster  to  General  Banks' 
expedition,  of  which  we  have  since  received 
the  news,  was  not  anticipated,  every  thing 
was  ready  at  Vicksburg  to  foUow  it  up  with 
relief,  whenever  an  emergency  arose.  Dr. 
Warriner  says: 

I  have  just  returned  from  the  expedition 
to  Vicksburg  and  intermediate  military 
posts  in  the  Mississippi  Department,  whith- 
er I  went  in  charge  of  a  fuU  cargo  of  sani- 
tary stores.  I  distributed  these  according 
to  need,  to  gunboats  and  garrisons,  at  aH 
points  occupied  by  Federal  troops,  leaving 
the  great  bulk  of  the  cargo,  of  course,  at 
the  two  points— Memphis  and  Vicksburg 
— ^where  we  stiU  keep  up  our  agencies.  I 
have  already  informed  you  of  the  supplies 
left  at  Memphis.  The  quantities  reserved 
at  Vicksburg  where  somewhat  larger  in  re- 
spect of  aJl  articles,  except  fresh  apples. 
I  found  these  were  not  likely  to  keep  suffi- 
ciently weU  to  justify  their  transportation 
beyond  Memphis.  I  left  at.  Vicksburg 
some  700  barrels  of  vegetables,  200  barrels 
kraut  and  pickled  potatoes,  1,500  drawers, 
2,500  shirts,  200  comforts,  150  sheets,  50 
barrels  dried  fruit,  and  a  goodly  number 
of  boxes  of  canned  fruit,  the  quantity  or 
condition  of  which  I  ;am  not  now  able  to 
give  you  with  accuracy. 

The  vegetables  will  be  issued  promptly 
and  freely,  by  Mr,  Way,  to  regiments  as 
weU  as  hospitals.  I  left  Vicksburg  on  the 
5th  inst .  At  that  time  the  news  from  the 
Red  Eiyer  expedition, was  meagre  and  de- 
void of  specif  interest,  as,  also  of  definite 
indications  respecting  future  movements. 

The  Eed  River  was  rising,  and  the  gun- 
boats were  pushing  on  towards  Shreveport. 
No  decided  encounter  with  the  enetoy, 
and  no  marked  incidents,  had  occurred  by 


396 


The  Samiary  Commission  BuUeiiin. 


land  or  -water  since  the  capture  of  Port  de 
Eussey.  Land  forces  -were  iidvancing  si- 
multaneoaslj  -with  the  gunboats,  a  large 
sick  list  was  reported,  and  the  day  of  my 
arrival  at  Vicksburg,  the  painful  rumor  of 
the  loss  of  the  hospital  steamer  Woodford, 
by  a  snag,  was  received.  The  rumor  was 
believed,  although  not  made  absolutely 
certain  at  the  time  I  left.  No  supplies  had 
been  sent  of  any  kind  from  Vicksburg  up 
to  that  time.  On  that  day  the  "  Ike  Har- 
ris," an  ocean  going  steamer,  was  seized  by 
tie  quartermaster,  and  sent  to  Fort  de 
Eussey  to  bring  away  conti-abands.  It 
only  took  the  supplies  necessary  for  the 
subsistence  of  these  on  the  return  voyage. 
There  was  understood  to  be  a  collection  of 
1,500  of  them  at  that  point.  The  Harris, 
from  its  structure,  would  be  unable  to  go 
up  higher  than  the  Fort.  There  seemed 
to  be  no  intention  of  sending  supplies  to 
the  troops,  either  commissary  or  medical, 
without  further  orders.  I  considered  the 
propriety  of  attempting  to  reach  the  expe- 
dition with  the  Dunleith,  and  a  goodly 
portion  of  her  cargo,  but  decided  adversely 
to  it.  The  boat  itself  was  not  adapted  to 
such  a  trip.  Its  motive  powers  were  feeble, 
and  its  capabihties  of  resistance  and  endur 
ranee,  when  assailed  by  rough  weather,  are 
shaky  and  uncertain. 

But,  aside  from  this,  the  trip  itself,  with 
the  best  of  facilities  therefor,  was  not  yet 
advisable,  as  there  was  no  information  yet 
current  or  attainable  that  we  would '  not 
meet  the  whole  expedition  on  its  return. 
Mr.  Way,  and  his  assistants  at  Vicksburg, 
have  aU  needful  vigilance,'  fidelity,  and  en- 
terprise, and  will  go  forward  with  stores 
whenever  it  becomes  desirable  and  prac- 
ticable to  do  so. 

I  found  abovit  1,000  patients  in  general 
hospital  at  Vicksburg,  and  twice  the  num- 
ber at  Memphis.  One  lialf,  or  more,  of  the 
former  are  cases  of  small-pox.  This  is  now 
the  only  disease  displaying  itself  in  an 
epidemic  form  in  the  army.  It  has  been 
terribly  prevalent  for  many  months  at  all 
points  on  the  river,  where  there  are  either 
troops  or  inhabitants.  Yet  there  has  been 
a  surprisingly  small  number  of  deaths  from 
it,  taking  this  epidemic  feature  into  ac- 
count. It  would  seem  as  if  the  Beneficent 
Powers  were  determined  that  the  whole 
army  should  have  the  disease,  once  for  all, 
and  so  get  through  and  beyond  one  great 
pern  to  its  career,  if  not  existence.  One 
may  almost  believe  that  every  man  in  the 
army  has  taken  his  turn,  (who  was  suscep- 
tible of  the  disease,)  during  the  winter. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  decline  to  the  epi- 
demic up  to  the  time  of  my  leaving,  but 
the  advancing  heat  of  the  season  ■•mH.,  of 
course,  produce  its  accustomed  results  in 
checking  it. 

I  found  the  affairs  of  the  Commission,  at 
both  Memphis  and  Vicksburg,  in  a  hfghly 


prosperous  condition,  and  excellently  well 
.managed.  After  the  Bed  Eiver  espedilaon, 
I  imagine  the  sanitary  work  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, this  side  of  New  Orleans,  wiU  mato- 
riaUy  decline.  That  is,  should  that  expe- 
dition prove  a  success,  and  no  reverses  be 
met  with  elsewhere  on  the  river,  of  such 
magnitude  as  to  call  for  the  return  of  troops 
that  have  been  removed  to  ffther  depart- 
ments. 

We  have  received,  though  too  late  for 
insertion  in  this  number,  very  full  reports 
of  the  work  performed  by  our  agents  in 
relieving  the  sick  and  wounded  after  tha 
great  battle.  In  the  meantime,  we  find 
the  following  general  'Statement  on  the  sub- 
ject in  the  correspondents  of  the  New  York 
Herald,  from  New  Orleans: 

Since  the  recent  battles,  Dr.  Crane,  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission;  the  Mayor,  Capt.  Hoy^ 
ilr.  Tucker,  General  Banks'  private  secretary, 
and  other  gentlemen,  have  worked  indefatiga- 
bly  day  and  night  in  gathering  together  and 
transporting  stores  to  the  sick  and  wounded. 

Before  the  news  of  the  engagement  arrived, 
upwards  of  three  hundred  boxes  and  barrels  of 
clothing,  wines,  and  delicacies  for  the  sick  were 
forwarded;  and  withm  an  hour  after  intelK- 
genoe  had  reached  this  city  of  a  battle  having 
been  fought  at  Mount  Pleasant,  fifty  cases  of 
lemons,  wine,  ice,  &o. ,  were  shipped  on  a  des- 
patch boat  for  Alexandria;  and  since  that  tima 
scarcely  a  boat  has  left  this  city  for  the  front 
without  taking  up  large  quantities  of  all  neeeS"; 
sary  hospital  suppUes,  deUoacies,  &a.,  for  the 
sick  and  wounded.  Ten  or  twelve  agents  of 
the  Commission  are  now  with  the  army. 

On  Monday  night  last,  a  benefit  was  given  at 
the  Varieties  Theatre,  in  behalf  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  a  subscription  Ust  opened  at 
the  box  office.  By  this  means  upwards  of  two 
thousand  dollars  have  already  been  subscribed. 


THE  CHRISTIAK  COMMISSION  AND  THE 
SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

The  following  letters  explain  themselves^ 

AmfAPOLrs,  Md.,  1 

ApHl  Isi,  1864     } 
Mb.  Wm.  a.  Hovey, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  ConimissUm, 

Mt  Dear'  Sib— I  have  just  received  your 
letter,  and  am  exceedingly  pained  that  the 
statement  in  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer  of 
March  19th,  should  have  arisen  from  any 
thing  I  had  written  to  Philadelphia.  Soi 
far  from  detracting  from  the  good  work  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  at  this  point,  and 
all  others  where  I  have  labored  during  the 
war,  I  can  say  that  they  have  done  nobly, 
and  promptly  met  thejdemands  made  upon 
them  for  .Stores  in  behalf  of  our  soldiers. 


The  SomMavy  Commismm  BvMetin. 


397 


The  article  in  the  Inquirer,  I  suppose, 
driginated  from  what  I  may  have  Trritten 
about  the  presence  of  a  member  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commisaion  in  the  Naval  School  Hos- 
pital. But,  I  assure  you,  I  had  no  inten- 
tion of  conveying  the  imiwession  that  your 
noble  organization  was  not  at  work  here. 
I  am  well  aware  that  you  have  your  agents 
on  the  ilag  of  truce  boat,  and  that  frequent 
visits  are  made  to  this  point  by  members 
of  your  Commission.  You  have  always 
bad  a  storehouse  at  this  hospital,  which  is 
always  filled  with  goods;  and  at  Camp 
Parole  you  have  several  ladies,  who  are  rep- 
resentatives of  youi'  Commission.  I  trust 
that  Mr.  Knapp  and  yourself  wiU  not  think 
that  I  intended  to  give  the  impression,  that 
the  Christian  Commission  was  the  only 
organization  at  this  post..  Far  from  it;  a 
wrong  impression  was  received. 

Wherever  I  have  been — on  the  Peninsula, 
at  Antietam,  Gettysburg,  &o. — I  have  al- 
ways found  the  Sanitary  Commission  at 
work.  We  are  both  laboring  in  the  same 
noble  cause;  we  should  rather  help  each 
other,  than  seem  to  lessen  the  good  influ- 
ence which  we  would  exert. 

I  am,,  very  truly  and  re^ectfuUy  yours, 
J.  O.  SiiOAir. 

V.  S.  Cheistiak  CouMiesiOH, 

No.  11,  Bake  Sibeet, 

PHTTiAriELPHIA,  April  1th,  1861. 
Hies  H.  D.  Wiuoums, 

Agent  U.  S.  Son.  Com.,  Camp  Parble,  JUd. 

It  is  with  the  greatest  possible  regret 
that  I  write,  to  correct  a  mistake  into  wMch 
we  have  been  unfortunately  led  by  inf dr- 
mation  from  Annapolis,  to  the  effect  that 
there  was  no  agency  of  the  Sanitary  Com-' 
mission  in  your  place. 
-^  We  have  received  from  Rev.  J.  O.  Sloan, 
our  agent  at  Annapolis,  in  Naval  School 
Hospital;  also  from  Rev.  G.  R.  Brent,  of 
Camp  Parple,  letters  which  speak  in  the 
strongest  possible  terms  of  your  "  constant 
efforts  to  relieve  the  distressed;"  and  espec- 
ially of  your  own  labors,  and  those  of  Miss 
Phillips. 

Rev.  Mr.  Sloan  says:  "There  has,  un- 
doubtedly, been  a  wrong  impression  made 
at  Philadelphia.  I  have  corrected  aU,  how- 
ever. " 

I  write  to  exonerate  ourselves  from  the 
suspicion  of  having  desired  to  cast  even 
the  slightest  idea  of  disparagement  upon 
the  labors  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
Annapolis.  The  mistake  on  our  part  arose 
from  entirely  wrong  information. 

WiE  you  pardon  our  mistake,  and  accept 
this  poor  apology,  with  our  kindest  regards 
and  good  wishes  foj"  your  success. 

W.    E.    BOABDMAN, 

Sa.*U.  a.  c.  c. 

y  GENZIUI,  HOBPITAI.,  TniJ.AEOMA,  Tekk.,  1 

Jlimiiar!/  W,  18^     /     ^ 

Mt  Deab  Db.  Bead— It  is  farthest  from 


my  wish  to  array  our  two  organisations, 
having  a  common  good  at  heart,  one  against 
the  other;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  pub- 
lic mind  needs,  in  some  respects,  to  be  in- 
structed as  to  the  best  means  of  doing  good 
in  the  army.  There  are  at  present  two 
great  organizations  in  the  country,  having- 
this  great  end  in  view,  viz.,  "The  TJ.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,"  and  the  "  Christian 
Commission."  Having,  as  yon  know,  had 
a  somewhat  extensive  experience  during 
the  past  twenty-eight  months,  the  most  of 
that  time  on  the  "front,"  where  aid  has 
been  most  needed,  and  having  seen  and 
felt  the  practical  workings  of  both  bodies, 
I  trust  I  may  be  pardoned,  if,  in  a  spirit  of 
kindness,  I  point  out  what  appears  to  me 
"to  be  an  error"  in  one,  contrasted  with 
the  more  instructed  experience  of  the 
other.  The  Sanitary  Commission  was  in- 
stituted to  supply,  in  part,  and  as  supple- 
mentary to  the  services  of  the  Medical 
Corps,  the  wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
of  the  army,  which,  from  the  nature  of  the 
case,  the  General  Government  could  not 
always  do.  This  it  has  done,  and  is  doing, 
to  an  extent  never  before  known  in  the 
history  of  war.  AU  the  patriotism  and 
benevolence  of  the  people  has  been  aroused, 
and  they  have  poured  upon  the  army  the 
full  stream  of  their  bounfrf ,  trusting  to  the 
integrity  and  wisdom  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
pommission  to  distribute  it.  And  weU  has 
it  fulfilled  the  trust.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  rebellion,  there  were  misgivings  among 
the  people,'  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  army, 
on  the  other,  lest  these  bounties  should  be 
misapplied;  but  the  day  of  such  evil  fore- 
bodings has  gone  by.  I  am  free  to  confess, 
that,  on  the  part  of  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  army,  there  was  a  fear  lest  it 
and  the  Sanitary  Commission  shotdd  coma 
in  collision;  but  the  Commission  adopted 
the  only  true  and  safe  course,  which  was 
"  to  issue  their  supplies  on  the  requisition 
of  surgeons,  and  leave  them  to  use  them  as 
the  exigencies  of  the  case  might  demand." 
The  wisdom  of  this  course  has  been  ftdly 
estabUshed,  the  Sanitaary  Commission  ac- 
knowledging "  that  those  having  the  im- 
mediate charge  of  the  sick  being  the  only 
proper  judges  of  what  was  best  for  them  to 
have,"  and  the  Medical  Department,  in 
"looking  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  as 
a  fountain  whence  the  wants  of  the  sick 
could  be  suppUed  "  In  this  way  a  mutual 
esteem  and  confidence  has  been  establish- 
ed, and  the  two  now  work  together  har- 
moniously. The  Christian;Oommissifla,  if 
I  understand  it,  w»s  instituted  to  supply 
the  "reli^us  and  moral  wants  of  the 
army."  So  far  as  it  has  confined  itself  4o 
this  work,  the.  surgeons,  whether  of  xeci- 
ments  or  in  charge  of  hospitals,  have  been 
ready  to  extend  the  hand  o/  welcome,  and 
aid  the  agents  of  the  society  in  their  "work 
and  labpr  of  love;"  b»rf  when  the  agents 


398 


The  Scmitary  Comtmsdon  BuUetm,. 


come  into  hospital,  and  propose  to  issue 
articles  of  diet  to  "this  man,"  or  "that 
man,"  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the  surgeons 
to  be  firm,  and  say,  "  No  one  is  competent 
to  judge  as  to  what  is  fit  aud  proper  for  the 
sick  or  convalescent  to  have,  but  the  medi- 
cal officer  having  them  in  especial  charge. " 
It  is  but  a  few  days  since  that  an  agent  of 
the  Christian  Comn^ission,  whom  I  can  but 
esteem  for  his  honesty  of  purpose,  and  his 
zeal  for  the  welfare  of  soldiers,  came  to  this 
hospital,  and  requested  the  privilege  of 
giving  to  various  individuals,  sick  in  the 
hospital, -articles  of  diet  which  had  been 
confided  to  him.  I  was  obliged  to  say  to 
him,  "  Sir,  we  do  not  know  one  man  from 
another;  neither  you  nor  I  are  competent 
to  judge  what  is  proper  in  any  individual 
case.  That  must  be  left  to  the  judgment 
of  the  medical  officer  in  charge  of  the 
wards;  he  knows  every  individual  case. 
Leave  the  things  you  have  to  distribute 
with  the  steward.  They  wUl  then  go  into 
the  commissaries'  room,  and  the  attending 
sui'geon  will  order  them  on  the  diet  table, 
day  by  day,  as  they  are  needed."  He  did 
not  "  see  it  in  that  light,"  and  nothing  was 
left.  It  should  be  understood  "  that  no 
articles  of  diet  for  the  sick  can  or  should 
be  distributed,  any  more  than  an  outsider 
could  come  into  a  hospital  and  prescribe 
medicines."  Let  the  people  at  home  pour 
their  benefactions  into  the  general  store, 
to  be  used  as  wisdom  and  experience  shall 
dictate,  and  let  them  send  their  agents  into 
the  field  to  do  their  moral  and  Spiritual 
work;  then  there  wiU  be  no  clashing,  and 
the  temporal  and  moral  wants  of  the  army 
will  be  supplied. 

Yours  truly, 

Benjamin  Woodwabd, 

Surgeon  in  Clw/rge. 


THE  DISTEIBTJTION  OF  STOKES. 

Stevbsson,  Ala.,  Feb.  26, 186i. 
Db.  a.  N.  Beed: 

Dbae  Sm— Day  before  yesterday,  when 
your  letter  came,  I  was  absent  at  Lookout 
In  search  of  relics,  and  yesterday  there  was 
no  mail  to  Nashville,  so  my  letter  wiQ  not 
reach  you  as  soon  as  expected.  Late  letters 
from  Nashville  are  not  as  long  in  coming  as 
others  were  two  years  since. 

All  the  stores  sent  from  LouisviUe  for  the 
Home  and  for  me,  also  those  from  Mr. 
Joijes,  baye  come  to  hand  in  good  condi- 
tion. I  would  have  been  glad  to  receive  a 
greater  amount  of  stimulants,  if  you  had 
had  them  to  spare,  as  every  requisition 
asks  more  or  less.  Wines  especially  are  ia 
demand,  and  at  this  season  of  the  year  the 
sour  native  wines  are  particularly  suitable 
to  the  relaxed  condition  of  the  system. 

Tour  remarks  in  regard  to  misapplication 
of  sanitary  stores,  and  the  care  desirable  in 
their  distribution,  are  very  just  and  neces- 
sary.   I  win  send  out  to  all  the  hospitals. 


from  which  issues  are  made  from -this  posfo 
circulars  similar  to  the  one  in  pamphlet  for 
the  signatures  of  private  soldiers,  and  wiU, 
as  far  as  possible  visit  the  hospitals  myself, 
or  send  some  person  to  coUeot  the  desired 
testimony.  My  own  observations  lead  mfi 
to  conclude — 

1st.  That  the  amount  of  sanitary  stores 
consumed  by  sanitary  agents,  given  by  them 
in  reciprocation  of  official  courtesy,  or  di-'' 
rectly  misapplied,  is  infinitesimal. 

2d.  That  the  favors  received  by  officers 
are  very  few,  and  the  amount  of  stores  con- 
sumed by  officers  so  small  as  to  be  scarcely 
appreciable. 

3d.  That  there  is  sometimes  misapplica- 
tion of  stores  by  surgeons  and  hospital  at- 
tendantSj.but  by  no  means  to  the  extent 
supposed,  or  to  such  a  degree  as  to  prevent 
the  vast  bulk  of  the  stores  from  reaching 
the  sick. 

The  first  conclusion  needs  scarcely  any 
explanation.  The  Sanitary  Commission  is 
dependent  at  every  post  for  its  successful 
operations  upon  the  courtesy  of  the  officers, 
and  they  have  it  in  their  power  to  render  a 
thousand-fold  for  all  the  favors  they  receive. 
I  think  the  course  of  proceeding  of  agents 
in  such  cases  is  uniform,  but  the  amount  of 
stores  thus  expended  is  too  slight  for  men- 
tion. Few  officers  receive  favors  directly 
frOnj  the  Commission,  and  never  to  the 
neglect  of  privates.  At  Kelly's  Ferry  I 
never  accommodated  well  men  to  the  ne- 
glect of  the  sick,  or  officers  to  the  neglect 
of  privates.  Of  the  officers  who  stopped 
with  me,  I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying  scarcely 
a  dozen  had  ever  received  a  meal  at  the 
expense  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  or 
who  would  be  so  situated  as  to  receive  a 
similar  favor  again.  It  shows  a  great  dis- 
regard for  truth  to  say  that  the  Commis- 
sion is  a  "good  thing  for  the  officer," 
when  the  aggregate  of  officers  favored  is  so 
small. 

I  could  have  collected  an  abundance  of 
the  evidence  from  privates,  which  you  de- 
sire, at  the  Ferry,  but  my  opportunities 
now  are  not  so  good.  Mast  close  now  as 
the  train  is  coming. .  Will  write  more  to- 
morrow. Cannot  send,  quite  yet,  amount 
and  list  of  seeds. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

Wm.  a.  SuTlilFPE. 


VEGETABLES— VEGETABLES— TEGE- 
TABLBS. 

BtHQaoLC,  Qi..,  April  i,  1864, 
Mr.  D.  B'artlett, 

Agent  Sa/fiitary  Commission : 

Sns — The  28  barrels  of  potatoes,  4  bar- 
rels of  kraut,  and  1  barrel  of  sliced  pota- 
toes, (in  vinegar,)  which  you  sent  to  be  dis- 
tributed to  the  men  of  the  1st  Brigade,  3d 
Division,  14th  A,  C,  have  been  received 
aud  distributed. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


399 


Permit  me  to  express  my  thanks  in  be- 
half of  the  brigade  for  this  liberal .  supply 
of  vegetables. 

No  vegetables  except  those  received  from 
the  Sanitary  Gormnission,  have  been  issued, 
for  several  months.  , 

In  conseqi*enoe  of  our  brigade  not  being 
supplied  with  vegetables,  we  have  had  a 
good  many  cases  of  scurvy,  and  a  scorbutic 
tendency  in  almost  all  of  our  diseases.  For 
about  a  month  before  we  left  Chattanooga, 
we  were  supplied  very  liberally  with  vege- 
tables by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  the 
result  was,  a  rapid  improvement  in  almost 
every  case  of  sickness.  There  were  a  good 
many  cases  of  diarrhea,  in  which  medicine 
would  do  no  good,  but  which  a  few  meals 
of  kraut  would  cure — thus  showing  that  it 
was  change  of  diet  rather  than  medicine, 
that  was  needed. 

Our  brigade  is  now  in  a  very  healthy  con- 
dition, although  there  is  some  tendency  to 
scurvy  stUl  manifest.  I  attribute  in  a  great 
measure,  the  present  healthy  condition  of 
the  brigade,  to  *the  liberal  supply  of  vege- 
tables from  the  Sanitary  Commission.  We 
are  now  camped  in  a  healthy  location,  with 
plenty  of  good  water,  and  if  we  can  have 
vegetables  to  issue  with  the  rations  now 
supplied  by  the  Government,  there  is  no 
reason  why  our  brigade  should  not  remain 
in  healthy  condition. 

I  hope,  therefore,  you  wO  be  able  to 
supply  us  with  vegetables,  so  that  "we  can 
issue  them  to  the  men  at  least  once  a  week. 
The  old  saying,  "that  an  ounce  of  pre- 
ventive is  worth  a  pound  of  cure,"  is  very- 
applicable  to  the  army,  for  it  certainly  is 
much  better  to  supply  the  men  with  proper 
food,  to  prevent  their  getting  sick,  than  it 
is  to  supply  them  with  both  food  and  medi- 
cine to  cure  them  after  becoming  sick,  and 
lose  their  services  at  the  same  time. 

Yours,  truly,       Josiah  D.  Colton, 

Swr  92(i  S^gt.  0.  Y.  I., 
.  Act.  Sur.  Ut  BH.  3d  JHv.,  lith  A.  C. 


ONIONS  FOE  THE  SOLDIERS. 

A  OOTraTKX  GIEL    TO    COUimiT    GDRLS    AUD    BOYS. 

Not  long  since  I  heard  a  soldier  say  that 
soldiers  like  onions;  that  he  had,  at  one 
time,  paid  twenty-flve  cents  for.  an  onion. 
Onions  are  good  for  soldiers,  and  many  of 
thefn  crave  them.  You  and  I  don't,  maybe; 
we  like  them  only  a  long  way  off;  but  the 
soldiers  do.  Down  in  a  corner  of  our  gar- 
den, behind  the  bushes,  in  what  I  recognize 
from  surroundings  as  a  long  neglected  cor- 
ner—a  spot  unoccupied  save  by  ou-' dogs, 
who  have  considered  it  their  own  p-.euliar 
pKy-ground,  and  from  which  our  h^s  ^^ 
taken  many  a  load  of  bones  of  their  strew- 
ing—I  see,  in  vision,  the  morning  sun  gleam 
brightly  on  rows  of  tiny  green  blades;  and, 
as  I  look,  the  rows  seem  to  form  themselves 
into  great  characters,  which  presently  I  see 
■are,  Fob  jthb  Soldiees.    Henceforth,  foa- 


thfe  season,  at  least,  that  bone- strewed  plot 
has  a  nobler  destiny.  The  vision  shaU  be 
realized.  The  dogs  must  seek  another  play- 
ground; this  spot  is  to  bear  onions  for  the 
soldiers.  Where  now  is  stiff  sod,  shall  in- 
deed be  mellow  soil,  where  onions  may  takei 
to  themselves  size  and  sap  and  odor.  In 
due  time  the  green  tops  may  flavor  soup 
for  the  Home  Guard;  but  every  bulb  lying 
concealed  in  the  dark  mould  shall  be  sacred 
to  such  as  have  seen  actual  service,  i^ever, 
since  exjled  Israelites  landed  and  sighed 
for  the  leeks  and  onions  of  Egypt,  has  there 
been  so  great  a  glorification  of  the  odorous, 
tear-provoking  bulb,  as  there  shall  be  in  this 
garden  corner.  ' 

.  This  sounds  well,  say  you;  but  talklna 
breaks  no  bones,  and  that  frozen  sod  is  not 
broken  yet  for  those  onion  beds.  You're 
right.  When  the  barrel,  (or  shall  it  ordy 
be  barrel?)  containing  tjiem  shall  have  been 
directed  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
will  be  a  better  time  for  talking  of  these 
onions  of  mine.  But  just  one  word  to  you, 
girls  and  boys.  Have  you  a  neglected  cor- 
ner in  your  garden,  in  your  yard,  or  a  place 
hitherto  given  to  the  cultivation  of  flowers 
only?  That  patch  is  not  yours,  I  beg  leave 
to  inform  you.  The  soldier  has  a  mortgage 
on  it.  Waste  soil  is  not  to  be  tolerated 
about  our  homes,  in  these  times,  and  the 
tulip;  though  a  lovely  ministrant,  must  give 
place  to  a  root  which  may  be  put  to  nobler 
uses.  Dear  friends,  can't  you,  won't  you 
work  these  spots  for  the  soldiers?  Think! 
for  any  slight  weariness  we  shall  so  suffer, 
they  have  known  the  hard  endurance,  the 
wear  of  long  marches;  for  every  drop  of 
oozing  sweat  while  bending  at  our  toil,  the 
crimson  life-current  streams  from  them  for 
country,  for  home,  that  we  may  have  them. 
Let  us  give  freely  what  we  can  to  those  who 
are  giving  life,  some  of  them,  for  us. 

Glancing  over  a  newspaper,  my  eye  faUs 
upon  a  statement  that  in  the  Axmj  of  the 
Cumberland  there  is  much  suffering  for 
want  of  vegetables.  In  several  regiments 
scurvy  has  broken  out;  and  an  urgent  ap- 
peal is  made  to  the  Sanitary  Commissign 
for  vegetables.'  Should  each  of  us  country 
girls  and  boys  furnish  a  bushel,  even,  of 
vegetables — we  won't  insist  upon  the  onions 
from  all,  if  some  of  you  prefer  potatoes  for 
your  peculiar  patch — and  put  them  aU  to- 
gether, /those  from  each  village  sending 
their  barrels — ^how  the  barrels  would  roll 
in?  This  seems  humble  work  for  some  of 
us,  does  it?  No  work  for  country  is  mean; 
no  work  for  its  defenders  is  mean.  Let  us 
pledge  ourselves,  girls  and  boys,  that  we 
will  do  what  we  can,  and  that  with  the. 
enthusiasm  with  which  we  pieced  together, 
and  flung  out  to  the  breeze,  our  first  mini- 
atures of  the  "Dear  Old  Flag,"  in  the  be- 
ginning of  these  strange  times,  when  it  is 
defended  from  these  whom  it  has  so  long 
sheltered. — The  Independent. 


400 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


THE  LEGISLATUBE  OF  WISCONSIN  aSd 
THE  COMMISSION. 

Besolutions  introduced  by  Mr.  Hubbell 
were  adopted,  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  the  TJ.  S,  Sanitary  Com- 
mission commends  itself  to  the  good  will 
and  hearty  support  of  this  Legislature,  and 
that  we  hereby  testify"  on  behalf  of  the  sol- 
diers and  people  of  Wisconsin,  to  the  com^ 
prehensive  benoTolence  of  its  principles, 
and  the  efficiency  of  its  plans  as  a  means  of 
promoting  the  welfare  of  the  army. 

Resolved,  That  we  especially  value  the 
nationality  of  its  views,  by  which  aU  our 
soldiers,  without  distinction  of  place  or 
race,  are  regarded  as  TJ.  S.  soldiers,,  and 
treated  as  such  in  all  respects. 

Resolved,  That  the  Ladies'  Aid  Societies 
of  Wisconsin,  acting  as  they  do,  in  co-ope- 
ration with  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
are  heartily  commended  to  the  continued 
support  of  our  people,  as  the  most  suitable 
tributaries  through  which  the  contributions 
of  Wisconsin  may  find  their  way  to  the  hos- 
pitals and  camps  of  the  army. 

Resolved,  That  the  fidelity  and  generosity 
with  which  the  efforts  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  have  been  sustained  by  citi- 
zens of  this  State,  and  especially  by  its 
noble  and  patriotic  women,  is  worthy  of  the 
highest  commendation. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 

We  have  reports  from  the  following  Homes 
and  Lodges: 

Memphis. 

At  the  Lodge  at  Memphis,  during  the  four 
weeks  ending  April  3d,  there  have  been  admit- 
ted 1,833  men,  from  twenty-two  States — ^majking 
an  average  per  day  of  531.  1, 660  lodgings  have 
been  provided,  and  1,833  meals;  transportation 
has  been  procured  for  104 

Cahso. 

The  report  from  the  Soldier's  Home  at 
Cairo,  is  as  follows: 

11,303  men  have  been  admitted — making  an 
average  of  1,613  per.  day;  22,835  meals  have 
been  given,  and  7,764  lodgings. 

NASHVnjiE. 

At  the  Soldier's  Home  in  Nashville,  during 
the  month  of  March,  5,047  men  have  been  ad- 
mitted, from  twenty-three  States;  11,732  meals 
4pd  4,236  lodgings  have  been  given;  transpor- 
tation has  been  procm'ed  for  3,742,  and  $20,- 
225.22  have  been  drawn,  and  paid  over  to  108 
men. 

LomsvnjjE. 

The  Kelief  Agent  of  the  Kentucky  Branch  of 
the  U.  S.  C,  reports  as  follows: 

From  the  Home  at  Louisville,  number  of 
rations  served  during  the  two  first  weeks  of 
March,  31,982;  number  of  lodgings  during  the 
same  time,  7,182.  The  Agent  says:  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Home,  in  the  way  of  providing  foR 
and   accommodatjjQg   soldiers,  has   ijicreasea 


steadily,  and  judging  from  the  demands  of  the 
past  week,  bids  fair  to  continue  to  increase. 
Bkasheae  Citt. 
At  the  Home  at  Brashear  City,  during  the 
two  first  weeks  of  March,  628  soldiers  have  been 
received;  1,641  meals  and  415  lodgings,  have 
been  given.  j  • 

Dbtboit. 
The  report  for  the  month  of  February,  of  the 
Soldier's  Rest,  at  Detroit,  shows  that —  . 

639  soldiers  have  been  admitted;  and  3,374 
meaJs  and  740  lodgings,  have  been  given. 
Camp  Nelson. 
Mr.  ■  Butler,  our  Agent  at  Camp  Nelson,  re- 
ports for  the  fifteen  days  ending  March  31 : 

March  commenced  exceedingly  wintry,  a 
heavy  and  contiuuous  storm  of  snow  came  with 
it,  making  Camp  Nelion,  and  I  presume  sundry 
other  places,  very  miserable  and  dangerous, 
without  a  shelter. 

.  The  buildings  were  by  this  time  so  far  com- 
pleted, that  when  the  bed-saeks  arrived,  which 
they  did  On  the  morning  of  March  1st,  a  large  de- 
tail of  energetic  soldiers  prepared  the  Home 
for  the  reception  of  ^60  men,  who  would  others 
wise  have  had  no  shelter  from  the  intensely  in- 
clement weather. 

The  Home  would  not  have  been  opened  so 
early,  had  not  the  sudden  return  of  winter 
forced  every  door  open,  and  filled  most  of  the 
beds— for  every  portion  of  it  was  incomplete,  , 
and  in  the  hands  of  the  mechanics.  The  hasty 
opening  was,  however,  a  matter  of  necessity;  for 
not  only  were  the^  health  and  comfort  of  260 
men  in  jeopardy,  but  their  very  lives. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  days  when  the 
Home  was  being  completed,  the  month  has  been 
full  of  interesting  labors  to  us,  and  I  have  rea- 
son to  know  of  much  profit  to  the  soldiers  who 
have  sojourned  with  us.  During  this  month, 
April,  I  trust  that  the  Home  wiU  be  finished 
in'every  particular,  and  increase  in  facilities  for 
the  comfort  and  cleanliness  of  the  soldiers. 

During  the  last  fifteen  days  of  March,  we  fur- 
nished: lodgings,  1,849;  meals,  5,628 — com- 
prising a  total  for  the  month  of  March,  of  lodg- 
ings, 3,657;  meals,  16,995. 

A  great  change  has  taken  place  in  this  Camp 
dviring  the  last  month.  The  immense  business 
and  traffic  which  a  month  ago  were  so  lively, 
and  the  daily  influx  of  strangers,  which  ones 
was  so  great,  have  departed,  leaving  Camp 
Nelson  comparatively  dull,  and  shorn  of  its  im- 
portance. The  long  trains  of  wagons,  trans- 
porting Government  stores  to  the  front,  have 
almost  entirely  disappeared;  also,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  multifarious  employees  of  the  Camp. 
The  change  has  been  sudden  and  disastrous 
to  several  enterprises,  both  miUtary  and  civil — 
leaving  the  f  ature  character  of  the  Camp  unset- 
tled and  unknown. 

The  hospitals  are  still  in  fuU  operation.  Dis- 
ease in  its  most  malignant  shapes,  is  unusually 
rife ;  cases  of  smaU  pox,  measles  and  fevers  pre- 
vail more  than  ever,  and  results  are  uncommon- 
ly fatal. 

The  hospitals  through  this  district,  notwith- 
standing what  the  Hospital  Fund  is  expected 
to  do,  are  very  needy.  Suffering,  in  a  variety  of 
characters,  makes  frequent  calls  upon  us. 

There  is  any  amount  of  work.  We  need 
material. 


The  Sqmtary  Commission  Bidktin. 


WORK  OF  THE  STATISTICAL  BUREAU. 

Immediately  after  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run, 
(July  2l8t,  1861,)  a  number  of  inspectors  were 
sent  out  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  troops 
that  took  part  therein,  before,  during,  and  After, 
the  engagement;  and  to  investigate  the  causes 
which  gave  rise  to  the  sudden  panic  among  the 
men,  wLich,  it  is  believed,  resulted  in  their  de- 
•  feat.  The  facts  thus  collected  were  arranged 
and  tabulated  in  this  ofiBcc,  and  a  report  of  the 
results  deduced  therefrom  published  (see  appen- 
dix Doc.  40). 

CA»n»  iNSPEcrroxs. 

About  the  end  of  July,  1861,  the  Commission 
adopted  a  system  of  Camp  Inspections,  for  the 
duties  of  which  a  number  of  Inspectors  were 
appointed. 

Among  the  subjects  into  which  they  were  di- 
rected to  inquire,  and  to  report  thereon,  were 
the  character  of  camp  sites  as  to  elevation,  and 
their  liability  to  malarial  influences;  drainage 
and  policing  of  camp;  ventilation  of  tents  and 
quarters;  cleanliness  of  men;  quality  of  food 
and  water;  system  of  cooking  generally  em- 
ployed; quality  and  sufficiency  of  clothing  of 
men;  management  of  field  hospitals;  sufficiency 
of  medical  supplies;  sickness  and  mortality  of 
troops,  &c.,  &c.  In  short  everything  that  aflect- 
ed  the  health  and  discipline,  and  consequently  the 
efficiency,  of  the  men  was  to  be  noted,  the  atten- 
tion Of.  the  officers  directed  thereto;  and  advice 
offered,  and  suggestions  made,  whenever  in  the 
opinion  of  the  inspectors,  the  ignorance  of  the 
officers,  medical  or  otherwise,  of  sanitary  laws, 
rendered  it  necessary. 

Of  these  inspections  we  have  received  up  to 
date  1,463  (representing  860  organizations). 

Number  received  in  1861 ..555 

"  "   18G2 547 

"  "  "   1863 ; 361 

These  returns  are  subjected  to  three  processes 
-of  tabulation.  First,  on  preliminary  sheets,  for 
our  own  facility  as  office  reference,  and  also  to 
enable  us  to  give  snch  general  information  in  re- 
gard to  the  location  and  military  status  of  each 
regiment  as  may  be  proper. 

Secondly,  in  a  condensed  form,  where  the  con- 
dition, individually  and  collectively,  of  twelve 
regiments,  in  regard  to  the  information  required 
by  inspectors;  (Doc.  19  a,)  is  seen  at  a  glance; 
and  ihe  information  thus  presented  may  be  readi- 
ly made  use  of  as  the  Commission  may  see  fit  in 
correcting  such  abuses  as  come  within  the  ob- 
servation of  the  Inspectors,  and  in  improving  and 
ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  soldier  gen- 
erally. 

Thirdly,  on  a  State  register,  where  all  the 

Vol.  I.— No.  13.  26 


questions,  embodied  in  Doc.  19  a,  are  arranged 
under  their  respective  heads,  so  as  to  give  a 
monthly  summary  of  replies,  t)btained  thereto 
by  our  Inspectors,  of  the  regiments  of  each  State, 
visited  by  them ;  these  an  again  presented  by 
groups  of  States  ;  and  finally,  a  grand  aggregate, 
showing  the  total  number  of  replies,  or  items  of 
information,  collected  from  all  the  organizations 
in  the  U-  S.  service,  visited  by  our  Inspectors 
during  e'ach  month. 

There  have  been  recorded  on  the  State  register 
up  to  date  about  700  returns,  leaving  still  about 
763  to  be  entered  thereon. 

The  results  to  be  obtained  from  the  facts  re- 
corded in  this  register,  will  be  of  inestimable 
value  in  determining  and  reducing  to  a  scientific 
basis,  those  general  laws  by  which  future  mili- 
tary operations  shall  be  governed,  in  regard  to 
the  economy  of  human  life.  Indeed  this  value 
has  already  been  recognized,  from  the  favor 
with  which  certain  partial  results,  derived  from 
facts  collected  in  the  inspection  of  the  fi^^t  200 
regiments,  and  embodied  in  Doc.  40,  were  re- 
ceived by  statisticians  and  scientific  men,  not  only 
in  the  United  States,  but  also  in  France  and  Eng- 
land. 

HOSPITAL  STATISTICS. 

In  the  summer  of  1862,  we  copied  from  the 
records  of  the  Surgeor*General's  Office,  the  con- 
solidated reports  of  hospitals  (including  those  of 
a  few  general  hospitals)  of  the  different  depart- 
ment?, as  far  as  they  had  been  received.  They 
all  possess  more  or  less  value,  according  to  the 
accuracy  and  consistency  of  each  monthly  re- 
port, one  with  another,  in  determining  the  ave- 
rage duration  of  treatment;  ratio  of  deaths  to  100 
cases  treated;  ratio  of  sickness  to  1,000  mean 
strength,  and  numbers  furloughed,  discharged 
and  deserted.  The  reports  of  hospitals  in  the 
West  are  a  great  deal  more  incomplete  than 
those  In  the  East.  The  value  of  this  data  will 
be  of  use  in  giving  approximating  estimates  of 
the  number  of  men  treated,  in  all  the  hospitals 
of  the  United  States,  regimental  and  general  or 
otherwise,  since  the  commencement  of  the  war. 

QAISJ  AND  LOSS,   SICKNESS  AND  MCRTALITr,    FIEST 
FIFTEEN  MONTHS  OF  THE  WAB. 

Another  source  for  the  collection  of  data  is  the 
Adjutant  General's  Office. 

The  facts  obtained  there  are  of  the  first  value, 
whether  we  consider  thnm  with  regard  to  their 
vastness,  or  to  the  gradually  increasing  regular- 
ity of  their  returns,  by  which  previous  error  is 
readily  detected,  and  a  greater  accuracy  se- 
cured. 

In  the  beginning  of  April,  1862,  we  set  to 
work  to  determine  the  sickness  and  morlality  ot 


iQ2 


The 


Cofnmisswn  Bu0.eiin. 


the  whole  army,  from  the  begianing  of  the  war, 
to  the  time  the  last  leturns  had  been  received  in 
the  Adjutant  General's  Office.  The  rolls  from 
which  these  results  were  to  be  elicited,  are  the 
returns  of  gain  and  loss  of  each  regiment, 
usaally  made  out  by  the  Adjutant,  and  supposed 
to  be  forwarded  monthly  to  the  Office  of  the  Ad- 
jutant General.  At  first  they  were  irregular  and 
incomplete;  but  as  time  elapsed,  and  their 
length  of  service  increased,  the  officers  gradually 
awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  duties,  and  the  re- 
turns came  in  more  and  more  regularly;  until 
now  irregularity  in  their  transmission  is  perhaps 
rather  the  exception  than  the' rule. 

Commencing  with  June,  1861,  we  exhausted 
all  the  rolls  received  in  the  office  from  that  time 
up  to,  and  including  August,  1862— a  period  of 
fifteen  months — and  comprises  over  2,400  reports 
from  the  different  organizations  in  the  service. 

The  collection  of  this  vast  quantity  of  facts  ; 
their  arrangement  by  States,  and  by  groups  of 
States;  and  their  classification  by  months  and 
seasous;  together  with  a  large  number  of  other 
combinations,  which  are  always  suggested  to  the 
inquiring  mind  of  the  statistician,  required  the 
constant  services  of  one  clerk  for  over  six 
month^!.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  deduc- 
ons  thus  obtained,  involved  over  one  million 
figures. 

The  results  elicited  from  the  above,  in  relation 
to  the  first  nine  months  of  the  war,  (June,  1861, 
to  March,  1862,)  have  been  published,  with  illus- 
trative diagrams  [Doq.  46]. 

In  this  pamphlet  are  ^iven  the  annual  mortal- 
ity rates  of  the  volunteer  army  by  seasons  and 
by  rank,  and  by  location  whence  recruited  ;  the 
constant  sickness  rates  of  the  army  East  and 
West;  and  also  comparisons  between  the  si&k- 
ness  and  mortality  of  the  troops  in  the  East  and 
those  in  the  West. ,  Elaborate  comparisons  are 
likewise  instituted  between  the  sickness  and  mor- 
tality of  the  present  volunteer  army,  and  our 
army  at  different  other  periods  of  our  history — 
particularly  that  engaged  in  the  Mexican  cam- 
paign; and  also  with  .the  British  army  at  va- 
rious periods — and  more  especially  during  the 
Peninsular  and  Crimean  campaigns. 

It  has  also  elaborate  calculations,  based  on 
these  returns,  showing  the  rate  o'  recruiting  ne- 
cessary to  supply  given  losses  from  mortality, 
discharges,  desertions,  and  other  causes;  and  also 
showing  the  number  of  men  required  to  keep  up 
a  given  constant  force  of  effective  men,  when  a 
given  per  centage  of  mca  are  constantly  sick. 

rHYSIOLOOIOAI,  EXAMINATIONS  01?  BOLDIEBS. 

In  January,  1863,  we  commenced  the  social  and 
pl^ysiological  examinations  of  soldiers;  and  since 
ihea  have  been  constantly  receiving,  and  con- 


tinue to  receive,  these  returns  from  our  agents, 
Messrs.  Buckley  and  Fairchild.  The  former  hag 
confined  himself  exclusively  to  the  examination 
and  measurement  of  Union  soldiers,  and  the  lat- 
ter has  been  similarly  employed  on  rebel  soldiers 
at  Point  Lookout.  Tl:e  number  of  individual 
examination  returns  received  up  to  date  is,  of 
Union  soldiers,  4,078,  and  of  rebels,  1,970 — mak- 
ing in  all  6,048  returns. 

These  we  tabulate  as  they  come  in,  distinguish- ' 
ing  those  in  usual  good  health  from  those  suffer- 
ing from  disease,  exhaustion  or  otherwise. 

Being  fully  impressed  with  the  great  value  of 
this  work  in  establishing  comparisons  between 
the  physical,  social,  and  moral  condition  of 
northern  soldiers,  with  those  of  the  south;  and 
between  both  and  those  of  European  armies,  we 
have  succeeded  in  placing  the  aggregate  facts  in 
as  forward  a  state  as  passible,  so  that  results 
may  be  deduced  therefrom  with  comparatively 
little  delay  and  trouble. 

THE  IKFLUBKCE   OF  MIUTART  Um  ON  MEN  OF  mt- 
FEBENT  AGES. 

Another  subject  of  investigation  is  to  ascertain 
the  average  age  of  the  soldiers  of  the  volunteer 
service,  by  States;  to  find  out  what  ages  predom- 
inate in  the  national  army;  and  through  these 
means,  by  connecting  them  with  other  facts,  to 
determine  the  relative  efficiency  of  men  in  active 
military  life,  at  different  ages. 

With  regard  to  the  average  age  of  the  volun- 
teers, we  are  now  engaged  in  collecting  all  the 
available  data  in  the  Adjutant  General's  Office 
on  this  point,  and  have  completed  that  of 
the  soldiers  of  the  following  thirteen  States, 
namely : 

Maine,  New  Jersey, 

New  Hampshire,        Pennsylvania, 
Vermont,  Maryland, 

Rhode  Island,  Illinois, 

Massachusetts  Iowa, 

Connecticut,  and 

New  York,  California. 

We  have  thus  far  investigated  the  records  of 
about  900  organizations  or  bodies  of  troops,  in- 
volving the  examination  of  10,000  muster  rolls — 
representing  an  aggregate  force  of  nearly 
800,000  men. 

There  yet  remain  to  be  examined,  in  order 
that  each  State  may  be  represented,  the  rolls  of 
sixteen  States  and  Territories,  beside  the  differ- 
ent State  and  United  States'  organizations  of  co- 
lored troops. 

In  regard  to  the  question,  as  to  the  relative  ef- 
ficiency of  men'  in  active  service  at  different 
ages,  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  data  for  its  dis- 
cussion, makes  it  not  an  easy  matter  to  couclu- 


The  Sdrdiary  Commismm  BiMdm. 


m 


sively  determine.  The  only  available  informa- 
tion, likely  to  throw  light  on  this  subject,  was^ 
derived  from  records  of  deaths  and  burials,  now 
being  collected  and  recorded,  under  the  official 
management  of  Brigadier-General  Rucker.  As 
these  records  are  received,  entries  are  made  on 
a  large  register,  of  the  name  of  the  deceased  sol- 
dier, his  age,  regiment,  and  cause  of  death;  to- 
gether with  such  other  information  as  will  ren- 
der it  not  only  a  means  of  future  identification, 
bub  also  a  document  of  considerable  historic 
value. 

Having  obtained  permission  to  make  such  use 
of  the  facts  contained  thereifi  as  we  saw  fit,  we 
exhausted  all  the  infdrmation  relating  to  the 
age  of  the  soldier,  and  the  cause  of  death. 
Somewhat  over  2,000  deaths  were  recorded. 

The  results  seemed  to  indicate  that  the  mor- 
tality was  less  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
twenty,  than  between  twenty  and  twenty-five, 
but  greater  than  among  those  of  twenty-flve 
and  thirty-five. 

Whether  the  facts  obtained  from  the  records 
of  2,000  men  are  sufficient  to  establish  a  question 
of  such  scientific  importance,  it  is  difficult  to 
say;  we  understand,  however,  that  they  have 
been  considerably  iucrsased  since  then.  We  know, 
also,  that  Mr.  Elliot,  previous  to  his  departure 
for  Europe,  was  about  to  make  arrangements  for 
the  collection  of  data  from  other  sources,  and  in 
sufficient  quantity,  to  enable  us  to  arrive  at  con- 
clusive results  on  this  point. 
PENSIONS.  . 

We  have  likewise  collected  from  time  to  time , 
such  other  statistics  of  the  volunteers,  as  were 
afforded  by  the  rolls  in  the  Adjutant  General's 
Office,  such  as,  nativities,  occupations,  heights, 
complexion,  color  of  hair,  eyes,  &c. ,  The  number 
of  men  of  whom  we  have  obtained  such  descrip- 
tions is  69,000— of  whom  18,000  are  drafted  men 
and  substitutes;  and  the  number  of  rolls  ex- 
amined, to  get  at  this  information,  was  at  least 
6,000.  In  these  descriptions  are  comprised  sol- 
diers of  the  following  States,  namely: 
Maine,  New  Jersey, 

New  Hampshire,    Pdnnsylvania, 


Vermont, 

Maryland, 

Ehode  Island, 

Illinois, 

Massachusetts, 

Iowa, 

Connecticut, 

Indiana,  apd 

New  York, 

Minnesota. 

As  the  rolls  from  which  these  facts  are  de- 
rived, are  constantly  being  received,  the  work  of 
collecting  them  may  be  prolonged  indefinitely. 

EFFECTS  OF  LONG  MAKCHE3  AND  *  IMPEOPEE  FOOD  ON 
THE  HEALTH  OF  THE  MEN. 

Soon  after  the  battles  Of  Gettysburg,  another 


subject  of  investigation  was  entered  upon.  This 
was  to  ascertain  the  effect  of  long  marches  and 
improper  or  insufficient  food,  on  the  health  of 
the  men  who  took  part  in  the  engagement. 

For  the  purpose  of  collecting  the  necessary 
facts  to  aid  in  its  discussion,  forms  (3,  }\  & 
J2)  were  prepared,  and  given  to  Inspectors  with 
such  instructions,  in  relation  to  their  collection, 
as  should  render  the  information  to  be  obtained 
of  greater  value. 

We  have  received  up  to  date  141  of  these  re- 
turns, (Dr.  Swalm  50,  Dr.  Win  ilow  69,  and  Dr. 
Fairchild  25,)  which  we  have  arranged,  classi- 
fied and  tabulated;  and  which  await  scientific 
analysis,  to  elicit  just  and  correct  conclusions  ia 
relation  to  the  subjects  under  discus  ilon. 


IN  THE  H9SPITAL. 

BY  THE  AUTHOE  OF   "A  BAINY  DAY  IN  CAMP." 

S.  S ,  a  Massachusetts  Sergeant,  worn 

out  with  heavy  marches,  wounds  and  camp 

disease,  died  in General  Hospital,  in 

November,  1863,  in  "perfect peace."  Some 
who  witnessed  daily  his  wonderful  sweet 
patience  and  content,  through  great  languor 
and  weariness,  fancied  sometimes  they 
"could  already  see  the  brilliant  par-tiolea: 
of  a  halo  in  the  air  about  his  head." 

I  lay  me  down  to  sleep, 

With  little  thought  or  care, 
■Whether  my  waking  find 

Me  here — or  Thbee  ! 

A  bowing,  burdened  head, 
,y  That  only  asks  to  rest, 

Unquestioning,  upon  - 
A  loving  Breast.  •  ' 

My- good  right-hand  forgets 

Its  cunning  now — 
To  march  tlfb  weary  march 

I  know  not  how. 

I  am  not  eager,  bold. 
Nor  strong — all  that  ia  past: 

I  am  ready  not  to  do 
At  last — at  last! 

My  half- day's  work  is  done, 

And  this  is  all  my  part; 
I  give  a  patient  God  ^ 

My  patient  heart. 

And  grasp  his  banner  still. 

Though  all  its  blu%  be  dim; 
These  stripes,  no  less  than  starts 

Lead  after  Him. 


The  following  was  found  in  a  pair  of  sani- 
tary socks  Recently : 

The  fortunate  owner  of  these  socks  is  secreBy 
informed,  that  they  are  the  one  hundrecUh  ana 
ninety-first  pair  knit  for  our  '  Brave  Boys'  by 
Mr^.  Abuer  Bartlett,  of  Medford,  Mass.,  now 
aged  85  years.    January,  1864. 


404 


7%e  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


HOSPITALS  IN  TENNESSEE. 

(CONTDTOED.) 

Since  my  connection  -with  the  United 
Btates  Sanitary  Commission  as  hospital 
■visitor,  Mr.  Ingraliam  and  myself  have 
visited  the  general  hospitals  in  Nashville 
as  often  as  once  a  week.  In  these  visits  I 
have  endeavored  to  make  myself  fully  ac- 
quainted with  the  wants  Of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  in  the  various  hospitals, 
*nd  to  furnish  supplies  to  relieve  their 
wants,  to  the  full  extent  of  their  claims 
npon  the  aid  of  the  Commission. 

No  case  has  presented  itself,  within  my 
knowledge,  that  has  been  passed  by  with- 
out proper  attention  and  relief.  The  af- 
fairs of  the^e  hospitals  appear  to  be  ad- 
ministered with  care  and  ability  by  the 
Burgeons  in  charge.  Neatness,  cleanliness, 
and  order  characterize  all  their  depart- , 
ments.  I  have  discovered  no  want  of  at- 
tention to  the  wants  of  the  patients.  They 
have~wholesome  food  and  suitable  clothing. 
As  a  general  thing,  the  wards  are  well 
ventilated,-  and  kept  at  a  proper  tempera- 
ture. 

Strangers  have  often  visited  the  hospitals 
with  me,  and  in  every  instance  have  ex- 
pressed gratification  at  the  excellent  man- 
ner in  which  they  are  provided,  and  the 
healthful  condition  in  which  they  are  kept. 
Not  long  ago,  a  father  came  here  to  visit 
his  son,  who  was  a  wounded  soldier  in  one 
of  the  hospitals.  He  came  with  the  inten- 
tion of  taking  his  son  home  with  him. 
After  spending  two  days  at  the  hospital, 
lie  said  to  me  that  he  should  leave  his  son 
there,  for  he  was  satisfied,  from  what  he 
had  seen,  that  his  son  was  better  cared  for 
there  than  he  could  be  at  home. 

That  you  may  have  a  correct  general 
idea  of  the  work  done  by  the  Commission 
m  these  hospitals,  I  will  Enumerate  the 
various  articles  that  have  been  distributed 
in  them  during  the  months  of  January  and 
February.  The  amount  distributed  in  the 
month  of  March  will  be  ascertained  and 
included  in  the  next  report.  I  will  also 
state  the  number  ojE  patients  in  each  hos- 
pital for  the  same  time,  and  from  what 
States  of  the  Union  they  have  come. 

This  will  be  instructive,  and  serve  to 
illustrate  the  necessity  of  such  an  organ- 
iza^on  as  the  United  States  Bonitary  Com- 
mission. 

During  the  months  of  Jamiary  and  Feb- 
ruary, there  were  distributed  to  Hospital 
No.  t,  321  shirts,  105  pairs  of  drawers,  107 
towel*,  52  pairs  of  socks,  11  pairs  of  slip- 
pers, 95  cans  of  fruit,  8  cans  of  condensed 
beef,  1,760  poui^ds  of  dri;  d  fruit,  24'8 
pounds  of  groceries,  54  bottlrs  of  wine  and 
spirits,  30  cans  of  condensed  milk,  30  gal- 
lons of  apple  butter,  162  gallons  of  pickles, 
360  gallons  of  krout,  804  bu^  hels  of  pota- 
toes, 62  bushels  of  onions,  63  gallons  of 


ale,  15  bushels  of  green  apples,  265  pounds 
of  crackers,  41  pounds  of  codfish,  124  band- 
ages, 48  pUlow  cases,  and  other  small 
articles.  This  distribution  was  made,  for 
the  most  part,  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  Mr.  Ingraham  and  myself,  and 
the  soldiers  in  the  hospital  received  the 
full  benefit  of  it.  I  have  not  the  slightest 
idea  or  suspicion  that  a  single  article  was 
inisapplied  or  wasted. 

In  a  conversation  I  had  last  week  with 
Dr.  Horner,  the  surgeon  in  charge,  he  said 
publicly,  in  the  presence  of  a  number  of 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  that  the  United 
States  Sanitaiy  Commission  had  rendered 
the  greatest  possible  service  to  Hospital 
No.  1;  that  it  saved,  if^  last  winter  from 
going  down;  that  he  found  it  greatly  in 
debt,  and  was  only  able  to  sustain  it  by  the 
aid  received  from  the  Commission;  and  that 
it  was  now  but  of  debt,  and  able  to  take 
care  of  itself.  To  show  how  highly  he  ap- 
preciated the  service  rendered,  he  directed 
a  number  of  his  assistants  to  procure  a 
letter  of  thanks  from  the  inmates  of  the 
hospital  to  the  Commission,  for  the  sup- 
plies received  at  their  hands.  That  letter 
has  been  forwarded  to  you. 

The  number  of  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers in  this  hospital,  who  participated  in 
the  supplies  above  mentioned  in  the  months 
of  January  and  February,  and  the  States 
from  which  they  were  mustered  into  the 
Federal  service,  will  be  found  in  the  fol- 
lowing table,  furnished  by  the  hospital 
clerk: 

} 


U.  S.  A.,  GENEBAti  Hospital  No.  1, 

Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  26, 1864. 


Number  of  patients  from  the  different  States  in  hospital^ 
January  1st,  1864,  also  the  number  received  in  January 
and  February: 


BegularArmy. 

Ohio 

Indiana 

Illinois 

Tennessee 

Michigan 

Kentucky 

Wisponsin 

Minnesota  . . . 

Kansas 

Missoiiri 

Pennsylvania  . 

New  York 

Massachusetts. 
New  Jersey . . . 

Iowa 

Miscellaneous. 

Total 


January  1, 

Eeoeived 

Received  i 

1864. 

in  Jan. 

in  Feb.  , 

16 

6 

10 

237 

105 

161 

126 

70 

66 

89 

59 

109 

15 

6 

12 

67 

17 

41 

80 

25 

50 

18 

8 

14 

1 

2 

0 

2 

2 

6 

S 

3 

15 

26 

6 

12 

15 

8 

14 

5 

3 

0 

1 

1 

1 

15 

1 

10 

8 

1 

11 

726 

312 

632 

32 

603 

252 

257 

33 

126 

165 

40 

3 

10 

23 

43 

'      37 

8 

3 

20 

20 

1,670 


From  this  eshibit  it  will  be  readily  per- 
ceived, that  no  mere  State  agency  would  be 
adequate  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  soldiers 
in  this  hospital;  neither  would  it  be  ade- 
quate for  any  army  hospital,  for  a  similar 
state  of  facts  exists  in  all.  Here  are  fifteen 
hundred  and  seventy  soldiers,  from  fifteen 
different  States  of  the  Union,  brought  to- 
gether, by  the  casualties  of  war,  in  the  same 
hospital 


The  Sanitary  Commission,  Butletin. 


406 


They  are  all  United  States  soldiers,  and 
were  fighting  under  the  same  flftg  when 
founded  or  disabled.  Surely  a  Commis- 
sion must  be  national  in  its  character,  and 
"not  hemmed  in  by  State  lines,"  to  pieet 
the  wants  of  such  a  case.  In  the  struggffi 
that  exists,  the  political,  social,  and  indi- 
vidual interests  of  the  whole  people  are  at 
stake;  and  it  should  make  no  difference 
with  patriotic  citizens  from  what  State  the 
heroes  come  who  fight  their  battles  for 
them;  and,  when  su^ering,  there  should 
be  no  partiality  in  the  relief  that  is  extend- 
ed to  them. 


The  United  States  Sanitary  Oommission 
was  founded  upon  this  >broad  and  compre- 
hensive principle  of  patriotism  and  bene- 
volence; and  the  good  it  has  done,  and  ia 
doing,  over  the  whole  extent  of  the  theatre 
of  war,  fully  vindicate  the  wisdom  of  its 
organization. — Report  of  Hospital  Visitor. 


PATTERNS  FOK  HOSPITAIi  CLOTHINff. 

The  following  patterns  have  been  adopted  M 
the  best  and  most  economical  by  the  New  Eng- 
land Branch  of  the  .Sanitary  Commission,  after 
an  experience  of  more  than  two  years,  diuinj; 
which  over  45,500  garments  have  been  out 


Half  of  Front 


.S^/A/. 


FLANNEL  SHIBT. 


Ealf  of  Sleere. 


Half  of  Back. 


1     J^r""^ 

r:<??£/ff._ 

*           

/S  /ff. 

Half  of  Collar. 


20  w. 


Required  for  each  Shirt — 3  skeins  linen  thread, 
5  black  bone  buttons,  7  stays,  tape  or  silesia. 

Directions  for  Maldng. — The  dimensions  given 
above,  are  for  flannel  twenty-six  inches  wide. 

The  opening  in  the  front  should  be  fourteen 
inches  long,  and  should  be  faced  on  the, left 
side  with  silesia,  two  and  one-half  inches  wide. 
There/should  be  two  button-holes  on  this  side. 
A  flap  of  silesia,  two  and  one-half  inches  wide, 
when  doubled,  should  be  put  on.  the  right  side 
for  the  buttons,  and  stitched  linder  the  left  side 
at  the  bottom  of  the  opening.    The  colla^should 


cover  the  flannel  entirely  on  the  left  side,  but 
the  silesia  flap  should  project  beyond  it  on  the 
right  side.  There  should  be  one  button  and 
button-hole  in  it.  The  shoulder  seams  should 
be  strengthened  by  a  crosswise  binding  of  sile- 
sia, and  stays  should  be  put  on  at  the  flaps  and 
at  the  opening  in  the  sleeve.  The  sleeve  should 
be  faced  at  the  wrist  with  silesia,_ three  inbhes 
wide,  and  fastened  with  one  button.  The  open- 
ing at  the  wrist  should  be.  one  finger  long.  The 
flaps  should  be  two  fingers  long. 


406 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


S/IOf 


IXANNEL  DBAWEBS. 
One  Leg  of  Draweis. 


s/tc/f 


Half  of  Waistbana. 


/^/!o/vr 


Bequired  for'  each  pair  of  Drainers. 

1  tape  stay,  one  inch  long,  (for  opening  in 
back.) 

3  knots  linen  thread. 

3  black  bone  buttons. 

Narrow  tape,  for  back  of  waistband  (18  inches 
long.) 

Directions  for  Making. — If  the  flannel  to  be 
used  is  less  than  thirty  inches  wide,  put  the 
point  at  the  back  close  to  the  edge  of  the  flan- 
nel and  piece  the  fronts,  as  shown  by  the  dot- 
ted lines  above. 

The  opening  below  the  waistband  in  theb^ck 
should  be  four  inches  long.  The  opening  in 
front  should  be  seven  inches  long  and  faced 
with  flannel  or  silesia,  two  inches  wide.  Two 
buttons  should  be  put  on  the  waistband  in 
front,  and  one  on  the  opening  below.  There 
should  be  four  eyelet  holes  on  eaqh  side  of  the 
waistband  behind.  Waistbands  should  be  lined 
with  silesia.  Drawers  to  be  dosed  to  the  ankle, 
and  finished  with  hem. 

To  cut  a  piece  of  flannel  economically,  draw- 
ers and  shirts  should  be  out  together. 

Put  the  bottom  of  one  leg  against  the  bottom 
of  the  other,  and  two  long  triangular  pieces  of 
flannel  will  be  left  on  each  side,  out  of  which, 
with  the  other  small  pieces,  cut  the  collars  and 
wrist-facings  for  shirt,  and  waistband  for  draw- 
ers. In  cutting  the  second  pair  of  drawers,  be 
careful  that  the  slanting  line  of  the  top  meets 


the  slanting  line  left  by.  the  first  pair,  and  go  on 
as  before.  • 

Begin  to  cut  the  shirts  at  the  o,ther  end  o ftihe 
piece  of  flannel,  tearing  off  two  yards  for  the 
body  of  each  shirt.  One  sleeve  and  a  half  can 
be  cut  out  of  the  width  of  the  flannel,  and  in 
■butting  a  number  of  sleeves,  one  may  be  made 
to  fadge  into  the  other. 

Pieces  of  flannel  are  usually  from  45  to  52  or 
53  yards  long  and  26  inches  wide. 

Cut  by  the  above  patterns,  it  will  take  about 
5J  yards  for  a  shirt  and  pair  of  drawers.  The 
diagrams  allow  for  seams. 


SUEGEON'S  TESTIMONIALS. 

HEA33QUABTEBS  3D  J>TV.  15TH  A.  C,  ) 

HuMTSVlUiE,  Ala.,  March  6, 18€4.  j 

Mt  Dear  Sib — I  have  received  lately  two 
numbers  of  Jbhe  Sanitary  Beporter,  th/B  last 
of  the  15th  of  Februajy,  for  -which,  sup- 
posing that  you  sent  them,  accept  my 
thanks.  I  have  often  wished  that  I  could 
receive  aJl  the  publications  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  especially  such  as  the 
above.  The  last  number  was  especially 
interesting,  as  containing  your  report  of 
your  visit  here.  As  it  may  be  interesting 
to  you,  I  will  give  you  some  figures  in  re-  - 
speot  to  the  command  since.  I  will  enclose 
the  total  of  my  weekly  reports  since  your 
visit.  Between  the  20th  and  last  of  Feb- 
ruary, I  inspected  the  camps  of  eight 
organizations — seven  regiments  and  the 
batteries — aU  that  were  accessible.  I  will 
give  you  the  results  as  to  sickness.  The 
strength  present  was  2,556;  number  of  sick 
(unfit  for  duty,  rather,)  at  date  of  inspec- 
tion, 87;  average  number  for  the  preceding 
week,  95  3-7;  giving  on  this  average  a  ratio 
per  thousand  of  mean  strength  37.33 — dif- 
fering but  little  from  the  proportion  -when 
you  were  here,  (3J^  per  cent.) 

We  have  as  yet  had  scarcely  any  symp- 
toms of  scurvy.  One  cause  for  this,  per- 
haps, is  the  frequent  foraging  expeditions, 
io  which  the  men  get  articles  of  food 
not  otherwise  easily  procured.  The  details 
for  duty  are  large,  and  prevent  sickness 
from  idleness.  In  my  inspections  I  found 
that  7,053  rations  of  fresh  beef,  and  7,078 
rations  of  soft  bread,  or  flour,  had  been 
issued  during  the  preceding  week.  You 
■will  .perceive  by  the  copy  enclosed,  that  in 
the  regular  way  we  get  very  few  vegetables. 
The  potatoes  issued  have  at  times  been 
damaged.  The  agents  of  the  Sanitary 
Oommission.have  issued  quite  largely.  To 
them  we  are  compelled  to  look  for  our 
supplies.  I  am  glad  to '  see  my  idea  con- 
firmed by  your  opinion  of  the  anti-scorbu- 
tic properties  of  corn  meal.  It  was  at  my 
suggestion  that  it  "was  added  to  the  articles 
to  be  reported  weekly  as  issued.  I  would 
like  to  see  the  meal  of  parched  corn  issued. 
It,  I  presume,  would  keep  as  well  as  flour. 
As  fresh  potatoes  cannot  be  procured  in 
any  thirtg  like  an  adequate  supply,  I  wish 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bidtetin. 


407 


very  much  that  your  Buggestions  as  to 
"  potatoes,  piokled  in  vinegar,  or  put  up  in 
molasses,  as  for  sea  voyages,  to  be  eaten 
raw,"  could  be  carried  out.  Our  Post  Hos- 
pital is  now  in  much  better  condition  than 

i  ■when  you  saw  it.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  and 
Mrs.  Porter  reached  here  in  the  latter  part 
of  January,  and  soon  caused  a  very  decided 
change  in  the  condition  of  affairs.  Mrs. 
Porter  is  stUl  there.  Dr.  Bogers,  of  the 
69th  Indiana,  who  then  had  charge,  went 
home  with  his  regiment,  (veteran,)  early  in 
February,  audit  is  now  under  the  charge  of 
Surgeon  Early,  of  the  17th  Iowa,  an  ener- 
gectic  and  efficient  officer.    It  now  (March 

'  18th,  1864,)  contains  1,828  patients. 

This  has  been  delayed  so  long,  because 
some  days  ago  Mr.  Tour  told  me  that  he 
expected  you  here  in  a  few  days.  I  was 
told  at  his  office  to-day,  though,  that  your 
coming  was  uncertain;  I  therefore  send  you 
this  as  it  is.  We  have  twelve  or  fifteen 
cases  of  small-pox.  A  separate  hospital 
has  been  established  for  them.  The  dis- 
ease does  not  seem  to  increase.  I  com- 
menced to-day  to  make  a  second  inspection 
of  our  troops.  If  it  is  satisfactory  to  you, 
I  will  continue  at  intervals  to  keep  you  in- 
formed of  our  condition,  &c.  Knowing 
how  oonstaatly  your  time  is  occupied,  I 
cannot  expect  the  picture  of  a  reply  from 
you,  though  your  doing  so  would  give  me 
great  pleasure. 

I  am,  most  respectfully^  &c., 

J.  S.  Pbout, 

Surgeon  2SUi  Me.  VoU.^  and  Surgeon  in  Chief. 
To  Db.  i..  N.  Beed, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commimion,  NathvilU,  Term. 


V.  S.  Senebai;  Hosfitai.,  PArrsBsoH'e  Fase,  ) 
Bai-tiuobb,  April  Bth.  j 

Deab  Sib — ^I  received  your  note  some 
days  ago;  delayed  the  answer,  because  I 
wished  to  take  time  to  reply  at  length — to 
answer  your  query  as  I  think  it  should  be 
answered.  I  hope  to  do  so  yet,  but  am  ex- 
ceedingly busy  just  now. 

In  the  mean  time,  accept  my  grateful 
assurances  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  mission 
of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
is  a  noble  one;  that  its  members  have  ever 
done  theirMuty  well;  and  that  very  much 
sufferfia^  among  the  soldiers  has  been  alle- 
viated through  their  instrumentality,  that 
could  not,  under  the  circumstances,  have 
been  reached  by  any  means  in  possession 
of  surgeons  in  the  field. 

It  is  true  that  the  Government  provides 
liberally,  very  liberally,  for  the  sick  and 
wounded;  but  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has,  to  my  knowledge,  provided  for  them 
when  the  Government  could  not;  and  it  is, 
to  say  the  least,  ungrateful  on  the  part  of 
officers,  as  well  as  men,  to  refuse  to  ac- 
knowledge the  benefits  received. 


God  speed  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
until  yoti  hear  from  me  again. 
Believe  me,  yours  truly, 
(Signed,) 

Thos.  Sim, 

Surgeon  U.  S.  Vols.,  in  charge  ofPaUenon  Park 
'  BoviUa,  late  Medical  JHrector  3rclA.O. 
Db.  SiBoniB, 

0#«  San.  Com.,  Wathington. 

V,  S.  A.  QxsEBAJU  Hospmi,  ) 

Camden  Stbebt,  Bai/eiuobe,  Md.,  > 

Marek  HSlh,  1861.        ) 

Mb.  J.  T.  Fahooasi,  , 

Agent  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission: 

Sib— I  take  this  method  of  expressing  to 
you  my  personal  thanks,  for  the  prompt 
manner  in  which  you  have  at  all  times  filled 
all  requests  for  sanitary  clothing  and  sup- 
plies, which  from  time  to  time  I  have  made 
for  ttie  benefit  and  use  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  in  this  hospital;  and  I 
take  this  occasion  to  "reiterate  what  I  have 
often  before  declared,  that,  from  nearly 
three  years'  varied  experience  in  hospital 
and  field,  I  am  f  uUy  convinced  that  clothing 
and  other  contributions  from  the  people  to 
the  soldiers  are,  with  much  more  facility, 
uniformity  and  certainty,  distributed  among 
the  sick  soldiers  in  the  field  and  hospitals, 
through  the  medium  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, than  by  any  other  means  hereto- 
fore adopted. 

I  am,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed,) 

Z.  E.  Bliss, 

Surgeon  U.  S.  Vols  ,  in  charge  ofHospitaL 


Headquastebs,  HosfitaZi  Ibt  DiT.  2d  Cobfs,  ) 
March  liCh,  1861.    '  j 

DocTOB — I  desire  to  express,  in  a  more 
tangible  manner  than  by  words,  my  appre- 
ciation of  the  Sanitary  Commission  as  an 
institution.  The  amount  of  good  which  is 
being  done  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
daily  by  the  Commission,  cannot  be  over- 
estimated. Although  I  have  never  been 
visited  officially  by  the  agent  of  this  corps, 
since  I  have  been  in  the  charge  of  this 
hospital,  yet  I  have  been  able  to  procure 
an  abundance  of  supplies  of  aU  kinds  from 
the  officer  at  Brandy  Station,  by  which 
means  I  am  not  only  enabled  to  make  the 
patients  under  my  charge  comfortable,  but 
to  afford  them  a  degree  of  luxury.  When 
the  history  of  this  war  shall  have  been 
written,  it  will  be  found  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  has  acted  no  mean  part  to- 
wards putting  down  the  rebellion. 
I  am.  Doctor, 

Very  respectfully  yours, 
(Signed,) 

W.    W.    POTTEE, 

Eurgeon  in  Charge, 
Db.  Wikslow, 

Iiapedor  Samiiajry  Commtuum. 


40S 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  following  extracts  are  from, a  letter 
written  by  Mr.  F.  C.  Sessions,  of  Columbus, 
Ohio,  who  has  lately  visited  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  to  look  into  the  condition  of 
troops  from  that  State,  at  the  request  of  the 
Governor.    Speaking  of  Ohio  soldiers,  he 


These  regiments  have  been  remarkably 
healthy  for  the  last  year.  The  4th  has  not 
lost  a  man  by  disease  since  a  year  ago  last 
December.  The  8th  has  lost  but  two  by 
disease.  This  speaks  well  for^^  Ohio  sur- 
geons. A  more  faithful  and  intelligent  class 
of  men  I  never  saw — enthusiastic  and  de- 
voted to  their  profession;  I  have  noticed 
them  now  in  nearly  all  of  our  armies,  east 
and  south,  with  pride  and  satisfaction. 
They  all  express  themselves  in  the  highest 
terms  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  its 
noble  work;  and  but  for  its  labors,  many  a 
poor  soldier,  now  serving  his  country,  would 
have  been  in  hiB^grave.  Its  business  with 
this  army  is  immense.  Each  station  is 
charged  with  every  article  sent  them;  and 
the  agents  are  obliged  to  report  vouchers 
from  the  surgeons  of  the  regiments  receiv- 
ing articles  for  every  thing  given  out,  and 
make  a  weekly  report  of  all  their  expenses, 

&c. 

«  *  »  *  « 

I  examined  the  report  of  the  agents  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  at  Culpepper  and 
Brandy  Station,  and  found  our  Ohio  regi- 
ments had  been  supplied  with  all  that  the 
surgeons  desired.  Every  requisition  had 
been  promptly  filled  by  the  Commission, 
and  the  surgeons  expressed  themselves 
highly  grateful  for  their  generous  aid. 

One  reinarked:  "God  only  knows  how 
we  should  have  suffered  at  Antietam,  Get- 
tysburg, and  other  battle-fields,  without 
their  assistance. "  He  mentioned  the  nu- 
merous articles  supplied  by  the  Commis- 
sion, which  the  Government  do  not  fur- 
nish. Each  surgeon  is  obliged  to  give  a 
receipt  for  each  article  that  they  receive, 
and  that  they  will  honorably  distribute  the 
same  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  their  re- 
spective regiments  or  hospitals.  Captain 
Harris,  the  efficient  and  gentlemanly  super- 
intendent of  the  Relief  Corps,  was  formerly 
from  Ohio,  and  takes  special  pleasure  in 
caring  for  Ohip  men;  he  was  for  two  years 
ancaptain  in  the  ai-my.  Col.  Poten,  former- 
ly commander  of  Camp  Chase,  has  charge 
of  the  Commis,sion  in  Gen.  feiegel's  depart- 
ment, at  Hsirpei"s  Ferry.  The  army  has 
been  remarkably  healthy  this  winter,  and 
never  stronger,  morally  or  physically. 


HOSPITAL  GAEDENS. 

These  laudable  institutions  floui'ish  apace, 
and  promise  to  be  of  the  greatest  utility  to 
the  army. ,  Of  that  at  Chattanooga,  Mr.  M. 
C.  Eeed  writes  as  follows :     ' '  The  garden  of 


one  hundred  acres  and  a  little  more  is  now  . 
fenced,  and  arrangements  taiade  for  all  the 
land  we  may  desire  to  use  adjoining  jt.  It 
is  well  furnished  with  tools  of  all  kinds. 
To-morrow  I  shall  send  out  an  additiontd 
harrow  just  finished,  and  a  portable  black- 
smith's forge  for  repairs.  It  remains  only 
to  secure  the  erection  of  barracks  for  the 
men,  gardeners,  store-room  for  the  seeds 
and  tools,  and  a  shelter  for  the  horses,  and 
my  work  for  providing  material  will  be 
nearly  finished.  The  fencing  party  wUl  go 
to  work  at  the  vineyard  to-morrow.  We 
intend  to  make  the  garden  and  the  vine- 
yard supply  fully  the  wants  of  all  the  sick 
and  wounded  accessible  from  this  point,  so 
far  as  vegetables  are  concerned,  from  mid- 
summer until  late  in  the  fall;  and  although 
it  requires  quite  a  large  expenditure  for 
seed,  it  seems  to  me  it  is  good  economy  to 
put  under  cultivation  as  much  of  this  splen- 
did sou  as  we  can  cultivate  well. " 

Mr.  Thomas  Wills,  the  superintending 
gardener,  writes  at  a  later  date,  March  25: 

I  am  getting  along  well.  We  have  planted 
some  forty-five.bu^els  of  potatoes,  twelve 
of  onions,  seven  of  peas — some  of  which  are 
up — and  have  in  our  hot-beds,  cabbage, 
mustard,  lettuce  and  tomatoes,  all  growing 
fijaely.  I  have  twenty-five  men  and  thirty- 
six  horses  on  the  land,  which  is  most  beau- 
tifully situated,  and  very  rich.  We  have 
also  two  vineyards,  one  of  sixteen  acres,  the 
other  containing  fourteen  thousand  eight 
hundred  vines. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

FESTIVAL   AT   SING  SING. 

Editor  San.  Com.  Bulletin: 

I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  receive,  and 
publish,  communications  even  from  vil- 
lages; and  as  the  little  rills  all  contribute 
to  swell  the  volume  of  our  noble  Hudson, 
as  it  pours  into  the  great  Atlantic,  so  do 
the  contributions  Irom  hamlet  and  village 
aid  in  the  great  work  done  by  the  Wo- 
man's Central  Association;  may  we,  loyal 
women  of  Sing  Sing,  have  a  little  space  to  ^ 
tell  of  our  festival  ?  In  February  last, 
fearfully,  and  with  but  little  hope  of  suc- 
cess, one  of  our  directresses  suggested  a 
Festival,  and  a  meeting  of  the  young  ladies 
from  each  of  the  village  churches  was 
called.  The  enthusiastic  manner  in  which 
they  responded  to  the  call :  banished  all 
fear — "No  such  word  as  fail,"  they  said, 
and  valiantly  they  sallied  forth;  loyal  men, 
fearful  men,  half-way  patriots,  whole  cop- 
perheads,' no  one  was  passed  by,  and  if 
there  was  a  single  man,  woman,  or  child, 
who  refused  their  mite,  we  don't  know, , 
and  don't  wan't  to  know  who  they  are. 
For  two  days  before  the  festival,  down 
poured  the  rain,  and  painfully  through 
mud  of  tho  thiokesb  kind  plowed  the 
horses,  and  yet  thera  were  young  men  and  , 


The  Saniixiry  Cotnmissim  BiiUetin. 


409 


maidens  from  miles  back  in  the  country 
working  at  wet,  cold  evergreens,  that, made 
one  shiver  to  look  at.  The  great  day 
arrived— long  tables  were  set,  and  so  the 
good  things  came  with  a  perfect  rush. 
Huge  turkeys,  chickens,  hams,  tongues, 
rounds  of  beef  garnished  with  exquisite 
flowers  in  full  bloom,  and  budding  japon- 
icas  red  and  white — "from  whose  green 
house  did  they  come  ?"  Why  -they  are 
made  of  homeliest  materials — turnips  and 
beets  t  chicken  pies,  tarts,  great  milk  pans 
full  of  doughnuts,  crullers,  jumbles,  and 
a  dozen  different  kinds  of  real  home-made 
cakes,  biscuits,  loaves  of  home-made  bread, 
pine-apples  of  golden  butter,  oysters,  ice- 
cream, jellies,  blano  mange,  tea,  coffee, 
fruits— will  they  never  cease  coming  ? 
•Every  table  is  groaning  under  the  weight 
of  delicacies.  Distracted  women,  with 
huge,  white  aprons,  rush  about,  and  won- 
der where'  they  wUl  stow  the  supplies; 
young  girls  mischievously  titter  at  their 
perplexity,  and  feel  elated  at  the  success  of 
their  exertions;  efficient  young  men  come 
to  the  help  of  the  matrons,  improvising  on 
the  stage  that  occupies  one  end  of  the 
spacious  hall,  a  store-rooin.  Three  o'clock 
comes  very  early;  the  young  gjrls,  each 
with  a  white  apron  tied  about  the  trim 
waist,  and  the  dear  colors,  the  red,  white, 
blue  on  their  loyal  bosoms,  take  their 
stands.  At  the  head  of  the  room  is  a  smaU 
table  of  fancy  woi'k,  got  up  in  haste,  but 
creditable  to  the  taste  and  industry  of  the 
fair  fingers.  The  two  large  military 
schools  are  among  the  first  visitors,  and 
linger  until  discipline  obliges  their  exit ; 
they  are  staunch  patrons  and  loyal  boys — • 
each  boy  averaging  three  suppers,  at  least; 
he  is  good  for  that  amount,  or  more. 
Nearly  one  hundred  well-behaved  lads  are 
there,  and  the  feast  and  the  fun  goes  on — 
until  twelve  o'clock  the  "  cry  is  still  they 
come,"  provisions  and  guests,  and  the  h'aU 
is  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity  ;  the 
wonder  grows  how  the  children  can  eat  so 
much,  and  the  managers  feel  that  a  sepa- 
rate donation  and  vote  of  thianks-^ should 
be  sent  by  the-  physicians  of  the  village, 
all  that'  week,  for  cases  of  surfeit  and'  jndi- 
gestion.  There  will  surely  be  an  increased 
practice  for  them.  Early  the  next  morn- 
ing, a  faithful  few  appear  on  the  scene  of 
action.  The  evei'greens  are  stiU  beautiful, 
the  canary  birds  ara  singing  shrilly,  the 
pictures    and   banners  are  all  right,   the 

__store-house  is  full.  True,  all  the  bouquets 
are  sold,  the  fancy  table  is  cleared,  but 
there  are  eatables  enough  to  warrant  an- 
oiher  evening's  entertainment.  '  So  they 
set  to  work  resolutely,  and  the  debris  of 
the  feast  is  cleared  away,  and  by  five 
o'clock  the  tables  again  are  filled,  and 
again  the  crowd  pour  in.    An  auction  sale 

'  colicludes  the  evening,  and  the  tired  man- 
agers, too  tired  to  count  their  gains,  gladl^ 


divide  the  surplus  of  meats  among  the 
poor  and  needy.  In  donations  and  sales 
they  Jiad  taken  in  $820  !  Think  of  that  in  ' 
proportion  with  Chicago,  Albany,  and  Bos-. 
ton;  they  had  done  well— a  little  village, 
destitute  of  the  summer,' visitors,  who 
always  give  so  liberally  to  fairs  and  festi- 
vals, the  roada  in  a  fearful  state,  too.  It  was 
a  great  success,  and  most  thankfully  was  it 
felt  to  be  such  by  the  managers,  who  knew 
of  an  empty  treasury,,  and  the  sore  need 
of  our  war-worn  and  sick  soldiers.  A  com- 
mittee of  gentlemen  have  organized  a 
series  of  lectures  in  aid  of  the  Sing  Sing 
Society,  and  Mr.  Belden,  Dr.  Fox,  and 
George  Wm.  Curtis,  have  delivered  lec- 
tures to  good,  and  appreciative  audiences, 
refusing  all  compensation  for  their  services. 
Dr.  Foster,  the  loyal  and  eloquent  Me- 
thodist clergyman,  closes  the  ootirse  nisxt 
week.  Mr.  Editor,  dqps  not  Sing  Sing 
deserve  a  corner  in  the  Bulletin  ? 

OsSETfttNG. 


PATRIOTIC  UNITY— HOW  IT  IS  TO  BE 
FOSTERED. 

AU  true  friends  of  their  country,  desire 
to  see,  at  this  moment  above  all,  united  de- 
votion to  her  cause — and  they  rejoice  at" 
every  effort  to  avert  discord.  For  this 
reason  many  readers  were  glad  to  see  this 
extract  repeated  in  your  editorial  column: 

,We  believe  the  great  body  of  the  Demo- 
crats of  the  North  are  at  heart  loyal;  tens 
of  thousands  of  them  are  in  the  field  to-day 
— Heaven  shield  them! — we  are  proud  to 
name  such  men,  and  to  be  defended  by  them 
in  this  trial  hour. — Democrat,  April  4d:hl 

It  was  as  just  asit  was  generous.  Thought- 
ful men  prize  and  applaud  such  utterances, 
for  they  know  our  country  needs  them  now. 
In  the  same  spirit  and  to  the  sanie  end,  is 
your  vindication  of  the  motives  and  aims  of 
the  friends,  promoters,  and  managers  of 
the  great  Sanitary  Fairs.  And  it  was  this 
that  prompted  me  to  take  up  my  pen  this 
morning,  and  that  has  led  me  to  ask  the 
insertion  of  this  article: 

Let  me  quote  you  here  again — 

"When  we  think  of  the  earnestness,  the 
Christian  benevolence,  the  self-sacrificing 
devotion,  with  which  the  kind-hearted  la- 
dies of  our  city  engaged  in  the  Sanitary 
Pair;  when  we  think  of  the  generosity  with 
which  the  good  and  pure-minded,  without 
distinction  of  party.or  sect,  contributed  to 
its  success;  when  we  recall  the  emotions  of 
pleasure  with  which  the  proceeds  were  for- 
warded to  the  relief  of  the  prostrate  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  in  our  hospitals,  the 
heart  is  filled  with,  gratitude  to  the  kind 
Author  of  our  existence  for  having  created 
us  with  benevolent  hearts  and  generous  im- 
pulses.        ' 

' '  We  regkrd  themunificent  contributions 
for  the  relief  of  the  suffering  heroes  of  the 


410 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuB/Mn. 


battle-field,  as  one  of  fhe  most  praiseworthy 
exhibitions  of  the  Kind-heartedness  of  this 
noble  people.  Of  their  unspeakable  bene- 
fit to  the  soldiers,  no  one  wiU  doubt.  In 
short,  we  have  heard  a  most  intelligent 
army  surgeon,  high  in  position,  remark, 
that  without  the  aid  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission the  sick  and  wounded  could  not  be 
treated  with  common  humanity.  ' '  In  fact, " 
said  he,  ' '  I  doubt  whether  we  should  carry 
on  the  war  without  it!" 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  Mr.  Editor, 
has  been  singularly  fortunate  in  escaping 
.  insinuations  of  sinister  design  and  selfish 
purpose,  which  any  unusual  efforts  of  hu- 
man zeal  are  pretty  sure  to  draw  from 
those  who  have  no  faith  in  lofty  motives. 
I  have  heard  them,  in  whispers,  here  and 
there.  But  the  first  and  only  formal  em- 
bodiment of  them  which  }ias  met  my  eyes, 
la  in  the  malignant  extract  which  drew 
forth  your  remarks — started  in  some  New 
Hampshire  paper.  May  I  ask  you  to  re- 
print it  here,  aq  a  specimen  "to  send  to 
the  Fair,"  and  to  elucidate  my  argument. 

"  By  the  way,  we  notice  that  these  great 
so-called  Sanitary  Fairs,  purporting  to  be 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  aid  and  com- 
fort for  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  are 
having  an  extensive  run  through  the  coun- 
try. The  alleged  object  maybe  a  good  one, 
but  in  looking  over  the  names  of  the  mana- 
gers in  every  instance,  we  are  led  to  believe 
that  the  whole  thing  is  a  political  trick, 
very  much  like  the  Kansas  Aid  Societies  of 
1855-56,  to  raise  funds  for  the  Abolitionists 
to  carry  the  Presidential  election.  These 
managers  are  leading  Administration  men, 
with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  those  political 
nondescripts  called,  for  the  want  of  a  bet: 
ter  name,   '  War  Democrats. '  " 

The  author  of  this  ungenerous  calumny 
has  doubtless  long  ago  been  answered  by 
New  Hampshire  women.  For  they  have 
been  among  the  foremost  in  personal  inter- 
est and  work,  and  furnishing  supplies  to  the 
distributing  hand  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. 

I  remember  well  the  comfort  that  was 
given  at  one  of  the  Commission's  depots, 
during  the  rain  and  mud,  on  the  dark  and 
memorable  night  of  re-crossing  the  Rappa- 
hannock from  ChanoeUorviUe,  as  I  dealt 
out  a  box  of  New  Hampshire  supplies,  and 
read  aloud  the  greetings  from  those  who 
sent  them,  which  I  found  enclosed  in  some  of 
the  New  Hampshire  "feetings."  And  they 
were  New  York  soldiers  who  received  them, 
as  it  happaned;  and  I  wa?  a  New  Yorker, 
dealing  them  out.  I  felt  towards  New 
Hampshire  then,  as  a  part  of  our  common 
country,  as  nothing  else  could  have  made 
me  feel.  And  I  "  took  to"  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  as  being  (over  and  above  its 
imAediate  utility  as  a  healer  to  the  bodies 
of  the  soldiers,)  a  great  institution  for  a 
moral  end;  for  fostering  a  national  spirit. 


No  agency  has  been  so  promotive  of  a  pure 
patriotic  spirit  in  this  war;  of  a  national 
patriotism;  of  loyal  sympathy  with  Govern- 
ment, irrespective  of  political  affinities;  and 
of  enthusiastic  interest  in  our  armies,  as 
contending  for  the  nation's  life.  It  accepted 
war,  and  armies  in  the  field,  as  a  fact.  It 
took  up  the  saving  of  life  and  health  in  the 
armies  of  the  nation  as  a  duty.  It  rejoiced 
in  being  tiie  ministering  servant  of  the 
homes  of  our  soldiers,  in  carrying  to  them 
the  solaces  of  home. 

It  eschewed  all  differences  and  questions 
of  opinion  in  politics  and  religion,  and  sup- 
pressed their  manifestations,  to  the  utmost 
of  its  power,  as  I  know,  in  its  counsels  and 
among  its  agents. 

Democrats,  Eepublicans,  Radicals — yes, 
and  Copperheads,  Boman  Catholics  and 
Presbyterians;  Unitarians,  Methodists, 
Episcopalians,  Baptists — men  and  women 
of  aU  varieties  of  creed  and  opinion,  have 
met,  and  consulted,  and  labored,  and 
given  together,  and  hence  learned  to  res- 
pect and  esteem  each  othesr,  and  to 
draw  nearer  to  each  other;  lowering  the 
fence  of  separation,  and  mollifying  the 
harshnesses  of  antagonism,  on  this  broad 
platform  of  national  patriotism  and  hu- 
mane sympathy.  And  very  many  of  them 
have  learned  to  prize  the  privilege  as 
providential,  and  as  a  compensation  to  be 
made  much  of,  amid  all  the  alienation,  and 
grief,  and  havoc,  which  war  inevitably 
brin^^  along  with  it. 

You  wiU  not  wonder,  then,  that  the  wri- 
ter should  sympathize  in  your  endeavor  to 
repel  insinuations  of  unworthy  aim,  from 
this  great  agency  for  promoting  and  foster- 
ing patriotic  unity.  Yours, 

J.  V. 
— Rochester  Democrat. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

TAKING  POOD. 

Every  careful  observer  of  the  sick  will  agree 
in  this,  that  thousands  of  patients  are  annually 
starved  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  from  want  of 
attention  to  the  ways  which  alone  make  it  pos- 
sible for  them  to  take  food.  This  want  of  at- 
tention is  as  remarkable  in  those  who  urge  upon 
the  sick  to  do  what  is  quite  impossible  to  them, 
as  in  the  sick  themselves,  who  will  not  make  the 
effort  to  do  what  is  perfectly  possible  to  them. 

For  instance,  to  the  large  majority  of  very 
weak  patients  it  is  quite  impossible  to  take  any 
solid  food  before  11  a.  m.,  nor  then,  if  their 
strength  is  still  further  exhausted  by  fasting  till 
that  hour.  For  weak  patients  have  generally 
feverish  nights  and,  in  the  morning,  dry  mouths; 
and,  if  they  could  eat  with  those  dry  mouths, 
it  would  be  the  worse  for  them.  A  spoonful  of 
beef-tea,  of  arrowroot  and  wine,  of  egg  flip, 
every  hour,  wiU  give  them  the  requisite  nourish- 
ment, and  prevent  them  from  being  too  much 
exhausted  to  take  at  a  later  hour  the  solid  food, 
which  is  necessary  for  their  recovery.  And 
every  patient  who  can  swallow  at  all  can  swallow 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


411 


these  liquid  things,  if  he  chooses.  But  how 
often  do  we  hear  a  mutton-chop,  an  egg,  a  bit 
of  bacon,  grdered  to  a  patient  for  breakfast,  to 
whom  (as  a  moment's  consideration  would  show 
us)  it  must  be  quite  impossible  to  masticate  such 
things  at  that  hour. 

Again,  a  nurse  is  ordered  to  give  a  patient 
a  tea-cup  full  of  some  article  of  food  every 
three  hours.  The  patient's  stomach  rejects  it. 
If  so,  try  a  table-spoon  full  every  hour;  if  this 
will  not  do,  a  tea-spoon  fuU  every  quarter  of  an 
hour. 

I  am  bound  to  say,  that  I  think  more  patients 
are  lost,  by  want  of  care  and  ingenuity  in  these 
,  momentous  minutiae,  in  private  nursing  than  in 
public  hospitals.  And  I  think  there  is  more  of 
the  entente  cordiale  to  assist  one  another's  hands 
between  the  doctor  and  his  head  nurse  in  the 
latter  institutions,  than  between  the  doctor  and 
the  patient's  fi:iends  in  the  private  house. 

If  we  did  but  know  the  consequences  which 
may  ensue,  in  very  weak  patients,  from  ten 
minutes'  fasting.or  repletion,  (I  call  it  repletion 
when  they  are  obliged  to  let  too  small  an  inter- 
val elapse  between  taking  food  and  some  other 
oiertion,  owing  to  the  nurse's  unpunctuality,) 
we  should  be  more  careful  never  to  let  this  oc- 
cur. In  very  weak  patients  there  is  often  a 
nervous  difficulty  of  swallowing,  which  is  so 
much,  increased  by  any  other  call  upon  their 
strength  that,  unless  they  have  their  food 
punctually  at  the  minute,  which  minute  again 
must  be  arranged  so  as  to  fall  in  with  no  other 
minute's  occupation,  they  can  take  nothing  tiU 
the  next  respite  occurs — so  that  an  unpunc- 
tuality or  delay  of  ten  minutes,  may  very  well 
turn  out  to  be  one  of  two  or  three  hours.  And 
why  is  it  not  as  easy  to  be  punctual  to  a  minute  ? 
Life  often  literally  hangs  upon  these  minutes. 
In  acute  cases,  where  life  or  death  is  to  be 
determined  in  a  few  hours,  these  matters  are 
very  generally  attended  to,  especially  in  Hos- 
pitals; and  the  number  of  cases  is  large  where 
the  patient  is,  as  it  were,  brought  back  to  life 
by  exceeding  care  on  the  part  of  the  Doctor  or 
Nurse,  or  both,  in  ordering  and  giving  nourish- 
ment with  minute  selection  and  punctuality. 
But  in  chronic  cases,  lasting  over  months 
and  years,  where  the  fatal  issue  is  often  deter- 
mined at  last  by  mere  protracted  starvation,  I  had 
rather  not  enumerate  the  instaiices  which  I 
have  known  where  a  little  ingenuity,  and  a 
great  deal  of  perseverance,  might,  in  aU  prob- 
ability, have  averted  the  result.  The  consult- 
ing the  hours,  when  the  patient  can  take  food ; 
the  observation  of  the  times,  often  varying, 
when  he  is  most  faint;  the  altering  seasons  of 
taking  food,  in  order  to  anticipate  and  prevent 
Buch  times— all  this,  which  requires  observa- 
tion, ingenuity,  and  perseverance,  (and  these 
really  constitute  the  good  nurse,)  might  save 
more  lives  than  we  wot  of. 

To  leave  the  patient's  untasted  food  by  his 
side,  from  meal  to  meal,  in  hopes  that  he  will 
eat  it  in  I  he  interval,  is  simply  to  prevent  him 
from  taking  any  food  at  all.  I  have  known 
patients  literally  incapacitated  from  taking  one 
article  of  food  after  another,  by  this  piece  of  ig- 
norance. Let  the  food  come  at  the  right  time, 
and  be  taken  away,  eaten  or  uneaten,  at  the 
right  time;  but  never  let  a  patient  have  "some- 
thing always  standing"  by  hiip,  if  you  don't 
wish  to  disgust  him  of  everything. 


On  the  other  hand,  I  have  known  a  patient's 
life  S9.ved  (he  was  sinking  for  want  of  food)  by 
the  simple  question,  put  to  him  by  the  doctor, 
"But  is  there  no  hour  when  you  feel.you  could 
eat?"  "  Oh,  yes,"  Jie  said,  "  I  could  always,  take 
something  at  —o'clock  and  —  o'clock."  The 
thing  was  tried  and  succeeded.  Patients  very 
seldom,  however,  can  tell  this;  it  is  for  you  to 
viratch  and  find  it  out. 

A  patient  should,  if  possible,  not  see  or  smeU 
either  the  food  of  others,  or  a  greater  amount  of 
food  than  he  himself  can  consume  at  one  time, 
or  even  hear  food  talked  about,  or  see  it  in  the 
raw  state.  I  know  of  no  exception  to  the  above 
rule.  The  breaking  of  it  always  induces  a  great- 
er or  less  incapacity  of  taking  food. 

In  hospital  war&  it  is  of  course  impossible 
to  observe  all  this;  and  in  single  wards,  where  a 
patient  must  be  continuously  and  closely  watch- 
ed, it  is  frequently  impossible  to  relieve  the  at- 
tendant, so  that  his  or  her  own  meals  can  be 
taken  out  of  the  ward.  But  it  is  not  the  less  true 
that,  in  such  cases,  even  whae  the  patient  is  not 
himself  aware  of  it,-  his  possiDUity  of  taking  food 
is  limited  by  seeing  the  attendant  eating  meals 
under  his  observation.  In  some  cases  the  sick 
are  aware  of  it,  and  complain.  A  case  where 
the  patient  was  supposed  to  be  insensible,  but 
qomplained  as  soon  as  able  to  speak,  is  now 
present  to  my  recollection. 

Remember,  however,  that  the  extreme  punc- 
tuality in  well-ordered  hospitals,  the  rule  that 
nothing  shall  be  done  in  the  ward  while  the  pa- 
tients are  having  their  meals,  go  far  to  counter- 
balance what  unavoidable  evil  there  is  in  hav- 
ing patients  together.  I  have  often  seen  the 
private  nurse  go  on  dusting  or  fidgeting  about 
in  a  sick  room,  all  the  while  the  patient  is  eat- 
ing, or  trying  to  eat. 

That  the  more  alone  an  invalid  can  be  when 
taking  food,  the  better,  is  unquestionable;  and, 
even  if  he.  must  be  fed,  the  nurse  should  not  al- 
low him  to  talk,  or  talk  to  him,  especially  about 
food,  while  eating. 

"When  a  person  is  compelled,by  the  pressure 
of  occupation,  to  continue  his  business  while 
sick,  it  ought  to  be  a  rule,  without  ant  exception 
WHATEVEE,  that  no  one  shall  bring  business  to 
him  or  talk  to  him  while  he  is  taking  fpod,  nor 
go  on  talking  to  him  on  interesting  subjects  up 
to  the  last  moment  before  his  meals,  nor  make 
an  engagement  with  him  immediately  after,  so 
that  there  be  any  hurry  of  mind  while  taking 
them. 

Upon  the  observance  of  these  rules,  espec- 
ially the  first,  often  depends  the  patient's  capa^ 
bility  of  taking  food  at  all,  or,  if  he  is  amiable, 
and  forces  himself  to  take  food,  of  deriving. any 
nouiishment  from  it. 

A  nurse  should,  never  put  before  a  patient 
milk  that  is  sour,  meat  or  soup  that  is  tunned, 
an  egg  that  is  bad,  or  V9getables  underdone. 
Yet  often.  I  have  seen  these  things  brought  in 
to  the  sick  in  a- state  perfectly  perceptible  to 
every  nose  or  eye  except  the  nurse's.  '  It  is  h.ere 
the  clever  nurse"  appears;  she  will  not  bring  in 
the  peccant  article,  but,'  not  to  disappoint  the 
patient,  she  will  whip  up  something  else  in  a  few 
minutes.  Remember  that  sick  cookery  should 
half  do  the  w.prk  of  your  poor  patient's  weak 
digestion.  But  if  you  further  impair  it  .with 
your  bad  articles,  I  know  not  what  is  to  become 
of  him  or  of  it. 


412 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


it  thQ  nurse  is  an  intelligent  being,  animot 
a  mere  carrier  of  diets  to  and  from  the  patient, 
let  her  exercise  her  intelligence  in  these  thiigs. 
How  often:|re  hitve  known  a  patient  eat  nqth- 
&ig  at  all  iulthe'dLiy,  bec£|tise  one  meal  was  left 
'qntasted,  (f^ptbat  time  he  Jras  incapable  of  eat- 
ing,) at  anailMsr  the  mil?  was  sour,  the  third 
■was  spoile<^|jy  some  otMr  accident.  And  it 
never  ocourywl  to  the  irarse  to  extemporize 
sdme  expediei^^it  never  ojscurred  to  her  that  as 
h^  had  had  TC^'.solid  food  that  day  he  might 
eat  a  bit  of  tba«tl  (say)  with  his  tea  in  the  even- 
15.5,  or  he  migiht  have  some  meal  an  hour  ear- 
■h^.  A  patient  who  cannot  touch  his  dinner 
at  two,  will  often  accept  it  gladly,  if  brought  to 
him  at  seven.  But  somehow  nurses  never 
"  think  of  these  things."  One  would  imagine 
they  did  not  c6nsider  themselves  bound  to  exer- 
cise their  judgment;  they  leave  it  to  the  patient. 
Now  I  am  quite  sure  that  it  is  better  for  a  pa- 
tient rather  to  suffer  these  neglects  than  to  try 
to  teach^is  nurse  to  nurse  him,  if  she  does  not 
know  how.  It  ruffles  him,  and  if  he  is  ill  he  is 
in  no  condition  to  teach,  especially  upon  him- 
self. The  above  remarks  apply  much  more  to 
private  nursing  thbn  to  hospitals. 

I  would  say  to  the  nurse,  have  a  rule  of 
thought  about  your  patient'.s  diet;  consider,  re- 
member how  much  he  has  had,  and  how  much 
he  ought  to  have  to-day.  Generally,  the  only 
rule  of  the  private  patient's  diet  is  what  the 
nurse  has  to  give.  It  is  true  she  cannot  give 
him  what  she  has  not  got,  but  his  stomach  does 
not  wait  for  her  convenience,  or  even  her  ne- 
oessi^ty.  "Why,  because  the  nurse  has  not  got 
some  food  to-day  which  the  patient  takes,  can 
the  patient  wait  four  hours  for  food  to-day,  who 
could  not  wait  two  hours  yesterday?  Yet  this 
is  the  only  logic  one  generally  hears.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  other  logic,  viz.,  of  the  nurse 
giving  a  patient  a  thing  because  she  has  got  it, 
is  equally  fatal.  If  she  happens  to  have  fresh 
jelly,  or  fresh  fruit,  she  will  frequently  give  it 
to  the  patient  half  an  hour  after  his  dinner,  or 
at  his  dinner,  when  he  cannot  possibly  eat  that 
and  the  broth  too — or  worse  still,  leave  it  by  his 
bedside  tiU  he  is  so  sickened  with  the  sight  of 
it,  that  he  cannot  eat  it  at  all.  If  it  is  used  to 
having  its  stimulus  at  one  hour  to-day,  and  to- 
morrow it  does  not  have  it,  because  she  has 
failed  in  getting  it,  he  will  suffer.  She  must  be 
always  exercising  her  ingenuity  to  supply  de- 
fects, and  to  remedy  accidents  which  will  hapT 
pen  among  the  best  contrivers,  but  fropS  which 
the  patient  does  not  suffei^  tbo,  less,  because 
"  they  cannot  be  helped." 

One  very  minute  caution, — take  (jare  not  to 
spill  into  your  patient's  saucer,  in  other  words 
take  care  that  the  out-side  bottom  rilm  of  his 
cup  shall  be  quite  dry  and  clean;  if,evtery  time 
he  lifts  his  cup  to  his  lips,  he  lias  to  carry  the 
saucer  with  it,  or  else  to  drop  the  liquid  upon, 
and  to  soil  his  sheet  or  I^is  bed-gown,  or  pillow^ 
or  if  ho  is  sitting  up,  his  dress,  you  have  no 
idea  what  a  difference  this  minute  want  of  care 
on  your  part  makes  to  his  comfort  and  even  to 
his  willingness  for  food. — Miss  NighiingaU. 


j(^*  Wq  BlialL  publish  in  our  next  a  number  of  protests 
from  Surgeons  of  tho  Army  of  the  Fotomao  against  the 
statement  of  a  correspondent  of  the  Evening  Post  of  April 
Ist,  that  certain  Generals  deny  that  the  Commission  has 
tendered  any  Important  sorvico  in  this  army. 


PROTECTIVE 

or  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Lieut. -Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT.      ' 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
BUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS.  Esq. 

Treasurer, 
BOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MOKGAN,  GEOBGE  OPDTEB, 
HIEAM  BAENEY,  JA8..  W.  BEEKMAN.  Bev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messks.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOTOURD  POTTEE,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODOEE  EOOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPEE,  GEOEGE  BANCBOFT,  DANIEL.LOBD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,EOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENBY  GBEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambeks  Sp;BEET,  New  York, 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

\sl.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  front  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  thbir  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEEOANTILE  MAEINE 
INSUBANCE    COMPANY. 

No.  35  Wall  Sireet,  Now  IToik. 


INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 


Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MARINE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  on  Vessels. 
Freinht  and  Merchandise  insured  on  tho  most  favorahl* 
terms. 

Policies  are  issned.  loss,  if  anv.  payable  in  Geld,  or  at 
the  ontoe  of  RAIHBONE,  BROTHERS' 8i  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
doKired.  . 

Parties  effecting  insurance  at  this  oflice  may  participatj 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  pro  ft  tR,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  riali  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Pres't. 
OHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-Pres't 
0.  J.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


413 


THE  U.  S.  S'ANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accoi  dance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U..  ^. 
Army,  and  its  appain'ment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United-  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  Hj.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Kew  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 
W.fH.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
A.-S;.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B.  b.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

^.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
e.  K.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Rt  Eev.  T.  M^  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
Hon.  K..  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Eon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  PeiSn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  LouisviUe,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  Stille.  "  " 
JEzra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFFIOEBS: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  t).  Bache,  Lli.D.,  Tice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S:  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Dougla^,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

P.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE, 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong.  , 

William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D, 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agriew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  CommlsBlon  has  made  ffirrangements 
for  BupplyiDg  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"  Of&ce  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "OfBceof 
Sanitary  Oommission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
xnission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  oases  the  name',  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquu-ed  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
It  will  be  answered  at  once  ;  or  if  by  telegraph,-  an 
answer  wiU  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense. 

O-  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  frienas 
in  the  army:  — ' 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  Stales,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  seeming  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  "of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  .sick  and  wounded  at  pomts 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
tiqual  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Chafleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  aU  cases. 
The  following  is  a  Ust  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to»Statns  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  invited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10'  3d 
Avenue,  New  York.  •  j 

Sanitary  Cotomission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  W6.. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cuicinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch.Dspot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubhc  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Washing 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 
'  Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot.  Wash* 
ington,  p.  C. 
>  Soldier's  Lodge.  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

I/odge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  i4th  Streets, 

Lodge  No.  5,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Railroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  "Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Homey  Caoro,  HL — O.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky. — James  Malona,  Sup't, 
James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn. — L.  Crahe,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent.    ' 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren.  Sup't 
and  Behef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

A6ENCT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSPITAL   CAES. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Tort — Sol,  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'— Ui.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

,.  BANITA&Y  STEASIEB. 

Ctuaberland  Blyer— Nev  Dunleith. 


414  The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUeHn. 

OFFICE   OF   THE 

dCoIttrnWrni  i^mm)  §mmm 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAFITAL,  -       -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Skth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums .' 3,252,256  ta 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  '&c -. 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Mi  on  which  the  PremiDm  is  paid  in  like  Gnrrenej. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OP  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PEK  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shaU  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHM  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

TH03.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  0.'  MORRIS,  Jit , 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MrrCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORO, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOVNE,  ROBERT  S.  fiOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  0.  MORRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITmST'  2d  Vice-President  and  Secretaiy. 


The  Banitary  Commission  BvEetin.  415 

PARTICIPATION 

FIRE      INSURANCE. 

NORTH  AMERICAN 
FIRE    INSURANCE    COMPANY, 

of  the  City  of  New  York, 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


IN^OORI^OTI^TEID   1823. 

CASH  CAPITAL, $500,000  00 

ASSETS, 604,535  59 

TiO  CliAIillS  FOR  liOSSES. 

Abstract  of  the  EIGHTT-THIRD  Semi-Annnal  Statement,  showing  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Company  on  the  31st  day  of  December,.  1S63. 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate,  worth  oyer 

Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned ' $157,360  00 

Stocks,  Bonds,  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  market  value . .  364,385  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 6,608  11 

Loans  on  demand  with  collateral 46,000  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding , 5,384  00 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission,  (business  of  December 

since  received,) , 10,220  39 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 13,788  83 

Other  Property  of  Company 793  75 

$604,535  59 
Looses  unpaid,  none. 

Insures  Property  against  Loss  by  Fire  at  usual  rates,  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or 
through  their  Agents  in  the  principal  Cities  and  Villages  of  the  United  States;  adjusting 
and  paying  Claims  with  the  liberality  and  promptness  that  has  characterized  their  busi- 
ness during  the  past  Forty-one  Years. 

The  Customers  receive  Three-Fourths  of  the  Net  Profits  of  the  business  each  year, 
without  incurring  any  liability  whatever. 

R.  W.  BLEEOKER,  Sec'y.  ^  JAMES  W.  OTIS,  Pres't. 

R,  F.  MASOIT,  Superintendent  of  Agenciea 


416 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


RECEIVED 

TWO  PRIZE  MEDALS 


(PROM  JUEIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awaxds  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Report  oi 
"EXCEEDIJVG  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA,  ^  '    ■» 

At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  rec^ved 
tha  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DrPLOMA  and  Mbdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  Medal. 

"  MATZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Ambkican  iNsuftrTB,  New  York 
City;  New  Jbesex  State  Eaib  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Corn  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c. ,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It'is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothiag  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  wDl  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM.  1>URYEA,  Genera!  Agent. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  MAY  15,  1864. 


No.  14. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 

The  Effects  of  the  Taies  on  otjb  Fukds 417 

Kepoets— 

General  Survey  of  Operations  in  the  De- 
partment of  the  East 429 

Preparations  for  the  Campaign  in  Virginia. 435 
The  Work  of  the  Commission  in  Pbeventino 

Disease 419 

What  the  Commission  ttah  done  foe  Gbant's 

Abmy 424 

Belief  Agents  Ddeinq  a  Eaileoad  Accident.  .426 

The  aBspiTALs  at  Washinqton 426 

Besult?  of  the  Faie 429 

The  Sanitaey  and  Chbistian  Commissions 419 

The  Commission  on  the  Bed  Bivee 431 

The  Commission  and  the  Sueoeons 434 

Hospitals  and  Sanitaey  Stations  in  Tennes- 
see  438 

Homes  AND  Lodges , 441 

U.  S.  .Sanhahy  Commission  in  Boston 442 

Mabeed  Articles 443 

Notes  on  Nuesino 444 

The  Sanitaey  Commission  Bulletin  is  jntWisAeol 
on  die  jirsl  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  dvcuLoMon,  gratwiioua  or  other,  o/a6oi)e  14,000 
copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
adveiitising. 

AH  communications  must  5e  addressed  to  (he  Edr 
itor,  at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  <ind  must  he  au- 
fhenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  loriters. 

As  the  continuance  of  tlie  ptMicaiion  of  the  Bul- 
letin is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war, 
amd  on  the  resources  o/  the  TT.  8.  Sanitary  ffam- 
ntission — the  Standing  Committee  feds  a  certain  de- 
gree of  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
t  definite  period. 

Tljfi  Committee  understand,  however,  thai  some  of 
(heir  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ea> 
press  a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  tiieytJier^ore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steono,  88  WaU  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  will  secure  its  being  sent 
to  meh  conirSnUor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  piMieattbn  be  sooner  discon- ' 
timied. 

Tr_.      T      -V™    -H  n" 


THE  EFFECTS  OF  THE  FAXES  ON  OUB. 
FUNDS. 
It  will  surprise  the  jountry,  no  doubt, 
but,  it  is  nevertheless  strictly  true,  that 
however  great  the  credit  done  by  the  Sani- 
tary Fairs  to  the  charity  and  patriotism  of 
the  people,  they  have  thus  far  resulted  in  loss 
rather  than  in  gain  to  the  Sanitary  Oom- 
missioft.  So  far  from  assuring  its  future, 
they  have  placed  it  in  some  peril.  Instead 
of  filling  the  treasury  to  overflowing,  as 
many  people  imagine,  they  bid  fair  at  this 
moment  to  be  instrumental  in  bringing  our 
funds  down,  during  the  coming  summer,*  to 
a  lower  point  than  they  have  ever  reached 
before. 

This  is  in  a  great  measure  due  to  the  ex- 
aggerated estimate  of  their  returns,  which 
the  public  has  formed.  The  Pairs  have  been 
attended,  and  naturally  so,  with  a  great 
deal  of  enthusiasm,  and  have  been  got  up 
and  conducted  by  great  exertions  on  the 
part  both  of  managers  and  contributors. 
They  have  been,  perhaps,  the  most  remark' 
able  exhibitions  of  benevolence  ever  wit- 
nessed, and  have  produced  a  profound  im- 
pression on  the  public  mind,  and  they  have 
brought  us  in  a  large  sum  of  money.  We 
have'' received  from  all  of  them,*  so  far, 
$429,000;  we  expect  to  receive  from  the  New 
York  Pair  over  $1,000,000— in  all,  about 
$1,400,000.  Now  this,  in  addition  tO'  what 
we  have  been  receiving  hitherto,  would 
have  not  only  placed  our  existing  opera- 
tions on  a  firm  .basis  during  the  coming 
year,  but  would  have  enabled  us  to  extend 
them  considerably,  which  there  is  great 
need  of  our  doing.  Our  receipts  in  sup- 
plies last  year  amounted  to  $2,000,OOOj  ai 
the  rate  at  which  they  have  been  coming  ia 
during  the  last  four  months,,  tl^ey  wilTuot 


418 


The  Sanitfiry  Commission  BuUebin. 


this  year,  amount  to  more  than  $1,000,000; 
in  other  words,  they  have  fallen  off  .exactly 
one-half.  This  leaves  the  value  of  our  re- 
ceipts, including  those  derived  from  the 
Fairs,  nominally,  -what  it  was  in  1863,  but 
in  reality  much  lower.  The  miUion  dol- 
lars worth  of  supplies  which  we  received 
last  year,  we  have  this  year  to  purchase  our- 
selves, at  prices  which  are  certainly  twenty- 
five  per  cent,  higher  than  they  were  twelve 
months  ago,  so  that  instead  of  being  so 
rich  that  we  do  not  know  what  to  do  with 
our' money,  we  are  suffering  from  the  Fairs 
a  deduction  from  our  previous  income  oi  at 
least  $250,000. 

This  is  a  result  we  need  hardly  say, 
which  was  not  foreseen  when  the  Fairs  were 
started.  If  the  public  now  cease  to  sup- 
port us  asbefore,  it  would  have  been  vastly 
better  for  the  soldiers  that  not  one  of  them . 
had  ever  been  held.  And  unless  the  people 
resume  their  contributions  of  supplies,  and 
leave  us  the  proceeds  of  the  Fairs  as  a  clear 
addition  to  our  income,  we  shall  have  to 
curtail  our  operations  instead  of  extending 
them. 

There  is  a  good  deal  of  pains  taken  i^ 
many  quarters  by  persons  who  have  never 
given  the  matter  five  mintites'  examination, 
to  spread  this  misapprehension  as  to  the 
extent  of  our  resources.  It  is  constantly 
stated  in  public  and  private,  that  we  have 
more  money  than  we  need,  and  that  not 
only  ought  there  be  no  more  contributions 
made  to  us,  but  a  portion  of  those  which 
■we  have  actually  received  ought  to  be  de- 
,  Voted  to  the  establishment  of  an  asylum  for 
invalid  soldiers.  There  is  nothing  that  we 
desire  more  than  to  be  able  to  provide  an 
institution  of  this  kind.  The  subject  has 
been  long  under  consideration,  and  we  are 
ready  to  take  up  work  the  moment  we  find 
we  have  something  to  spare  after  meeting 
»the  necessities  of  the  battle-lisld.  But  we 
doubt  if  anybody  will  assert  that  the  man 
•who .is  lying  mangled  on  the  field,  or  in  the 
hospital,  has  not  the  first  and  strongest 
claim  on  our  assistance.  As  long  as  bat- 
tles are  occurring  or  likely  to  occur,  such 
as  the  recent  ones  in  Virginii;,  lasting  twice 
as  long  and  disabling  t>vice  as  many  men 
as  anybody  expected,  and  leaving  miles  of 
country  covered  with  dead  and  dying,  we 
certainly  cannot  take  upon  ourselves,  and 


the  public  will  not  expect  us  to  do  ,so,  to 
withhold  from  one  sick  or  wounded  "man, 
on  any  pretence  whatever,  any  assistance 
which  he  needs  and  which  it  is  in  our  power 
to  render.  Our  first  duty  is  to  assist  in  cur- 
ing him  of  Mis  wound,  or  his  fever ;  our  nest, 
to  assist  in  taking  care  of  him  afterwards. 
At  present,  we  are  only  equal  to  the  dis- 
charge of  one  of  them;  it  remains  with  the 
public  to  say  whether  we  are  to  discharge 
both. 

We  do  not  doubt  that  much  of  the  fall- 
ing off  in  the  contributions  of  goods,  is  due 
to  the  exhaustion  of  household  stores  and 
the  enormous  rise  in  the '  price  of  nearly 
every  article  of  general  consumption.  To 
the  mass  of  people  throughout  tlje  country 
it  is  undoubtedly  harder  to  give  now  than 
it  was  two  years  ago.  AU  we  can  say  on 
this  point  is,  that  an  increase .  of  sacrifice 
and  privation  is  the  inevitable  consequence 
of  the  prolongation  of  the  war.  The  longer 
it  lasts,  the  more  we  must  all  suffer,  the 
citizen  at  home  as  well  as  the  soldieitin  the 
field.  We  shall  have  every  week  a  'greater 
number  of  wounded  and  disabled  men  on  our 
hands,  whom  it  is  our  duty  to  take  care  of, 
and  it  is  a  duty  which  we  cannot  and 
ought  not  to  shirk.  It,  no  doubt,  every  day 
■costs  more  to  do  it,  but  it  is  none  the  less 
sacred  and  imperative  for  aU  that.  .  To  this, 
people' must  make  up  their  minds.  We  as 
well  as  the  army  in  the  field,  have  enlisted 
for  the  war,  be  it  long  or  short. 

We  are  glad  to  say  the  indications  now 
are  that  it  will  be  very  short.  There  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  the  coming 
summer  will  put  an  end  to  all  fighting  on 
a  great  scale.  If  the  military  operations 
continue  as  they  have  begun,  it  is  aU  but 
certain  that  we  shall  see  them  reduced  by 
next  November  to  mere,  police  duty 
against  guerriUas,  leaving  the  Medical  De- 
partment abundantly  able  to  meet  aU  de- 
mands on  it,  whether  ordinary  or  extraor- 
dinary. During  the  interval  between  now 
and  then,  however,  the  Sanitary  Commis-P 
sio^n  wiU  need,  and  earnestly  requests  from 
the  public  the,  same  amount  anfl.  the  same 
hind  of  support  which  it  has  hitherto  re- 
ceived. In  other  words,  the  Fairs  have 
not  rendered  the  regular'  collection  and 
transmission  of  clothing,  vegetables,  stim- 
ulants, delicacies,  linen,  lint,  and,  in  f  ac<i, 


of  every  article  that  sick  or  wounded  men 
can  need,  one  whit  less  necessary  than 
ever. 

The  General  Secretary  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  nas  addressed  the  following 
letter  to  the  Boston" /ournaZ,  in  correction 
of  some  recent  statements  of  that  paper; 
giving  also  an  interesting  account  of  the 
general  results  of  the  fairs  lately  held  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Sanitary  Commission: 

U.  S.  Saniiabt  Commission,  823  B'way,  ) 
New  Yobk,  April  29,  1864.     ) 

'  To  the  Editor  of  the  Boston  Journal: 

In  the  Journal  of  the  27th  inst.  is  an 
article,  headed  "The  Sanitary  and  Chris- 
tian Commissions,"  in  which  you  remark, 
after  a  well- deserved  commendation  of  the 
Christian  Commission  and  its  peculiar 
work,  that  the  "  Sanitary  Commission  has 
now  more  funds  than  it  can  judiciously  , 
spend,  if  the  war  continues  a  year  longer; 
that  its  storehouses  are  fiUed  with  goods, 
and  its  .treasury  is  overflowing."  This 
statement  is  very  erroneous,  and  of  a  char- 
acter to  injure  the  cause  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission.  The  store- 
houses of  the  Commission  are  not  "filled 
with  goods."  The  series  of  fairs  has  ar- 
rested the  flow  of  sanitary  stores  to  such 
an  extent,  that  the  receipts  at  the  store- 
houses of  the  Commission  have  for  some 
months  past  been  at  least  fiftt/  per  cent,  less 
than  for  a  corresponding  period  of  1863. 
Previously  to  the  series  of  fairs  lately  held, 
the  Sanitary  Commission  received  aboT;it 
six  dollars'  worth  of  stores  to  every  dollar 
in  money,  and  could  barely"  meet  the  urgent 
demands  for  supplies  in  the  field  and  hos- 
pitals, by  economizing  its  expenditures, 
and  by  very  large  purchases  of  such  articles 
as  condensed  milk,  condensed  coffee,  stim- 
ulants, anti-scorbutics,  bed  clothing  and 
hospital  clothing. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  not  re- 
ceived into  its  treasury  all'  the  funds  raised 
by  the  fairs;  more  than  half  has  goile  into 
the  treasuries  of  branch  association^,  and 
been  expended  in  the  purchase  of  supple- 
mentary stores.  If  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion had  received  all  the  money  raised  by 
the  various  fairs,'  it  stiU  would  be  straitened 
in  its  means  by  the  great  falling  ofi"  in  the 
I  supply  of  supplementary  stores.  As  the 
flow  of  supplies  into  the  storehouses  has 
fallen  off  more  than  fifty  per  cent.,  while 
the  demands  upon  the  Commission  have 
everywhere  increased,  you.  can  readily  un- 
derstand that  the  necessity  of  purchasing 
out  of  the  funds  of  the  Commission,  at  the 
present  high  prices  of  everything,  not  only 
prevents  any  thing  like  an  "overflowing," 
treasury,  but  threatens  a,  rapid  exhaustion. 
The  Sanitary  Commission  has  now  existed 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


419 


nearly  three  years,  and  attained  a  large 
measure  of  the  confidence  of  the  pubUc 
•and  of  the  national  forces.  Its  operations 
reach  every  column  of  the  army,  and  meet 
a  corresponding  dependence  on  the  part  of 
the  soldiers.  If  the  people  are  persuaded 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  grown 
rich,  and  therefore  in  need  of  nothing',  in 
less  than  two  months  the  storehouses  of 
the  Commission  will .  be  empty  and  its 
treasury  exhausted,  in  the  vain  attempt  to 
eke  out  the  funds  raised  by  the  fairs  in  the 
purchase  of  the  supplies  of  flannel  under- 
clothing, dried  fruits,  blankets,  stimulants, 
&c.,  &c. 

The  people  all  over  the  country  must  be 
stimulated  to  continue  their  contributions 
of  stores,  or  else  the  victims  of  the  fearful 
campaigns  now  pendijjg  will  fail  to  receive 
the  full  measure  of  succor  and  comfort  that 
they  have  heretofore  received  from  the 
homes  of  the  land,  through  the  agency  of 
the  United  States  Sapitary  Commission. 
Let  the  Christian  Commission  be  sustained 
in  Its  glorious  work,  but  let  it  not  be  by 
any  diversion  of  either  stores  or  money  for 
such  a  purpose  from  the  channels  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

Gen.  ^ec.  of  the  XJ.  S.  Sanitary  Com'n. 


THE  WOBK  QP  THE  COMMISSION  IN 
PREVENTING  DISEASE. 

As  the  sickly  season  in  the  regions  occu- 
pied by  our  armies  is  again  approaching,  and 
large  numbers  of  raw  troops  are  going  into 
camp,  we  deem  it  well  to  caU  aittention  to  the 
preventive  department  of  our  work — that 
of  "inspection,"  which,  in  the  excitement 
caused  by  the  sufferings  of  those  who  have 
fallen  in  action,  is  apt  to  be  overlooked, 
and  yet  the  gaps  made  in  our  ranks  by  dis-  ■ 
ease  are  far  greater  than  those  caused  by 
even  bullets  or  bayonets. 

A  large  portion  of  the  national  army  is  in 
a  section  of  country  notorious  for  the  pro- 
duction of  malaria,  an  enemy  more  insidious 
and  more  dangerous  than  aU  the  physical 
forces  that  the  rebels  can  bring  to  bear 
against  the  loyal  troops.  The  records  of  the 
human  race  are  filled  with  instances  which 
prove  the  truth  of  which  we  speak;.  The 
rapid  and  overwhelming  disaster  to  the 
forces  of  Sennacharib  is  familiar  to  readers 
of  history,  but  it  was  scarcely  more  rapid  or 
more  crushing  than  the  malarious  destruc- 
tion of  the  French  army  in  1528,  which, 
while  preparing  to  besiege  the  forts  pro- 


420 


The  Sanitary  Commission  B^etin. 


tecting  Baiee,  was  almost  totally  destroyed 
by  disease.  Of  28,000,  but  4,000  remained 
alive,  and  they  were  helpless. 

In  "Wellington's  Peninsular  Campaigns, 
from  January,  1811,  to  1814,  the  battle  of 
Albuera,  (one  of  the  most  desperate  and 
bloody  of  the  Peninsular  War,)  Salamanca, 
Vittoria,  the  Pyrenees,  NiveUe,  Mve,  Or- 
thes,  and  Toulouse,  were  fought,  and  Bad- 
ajos,  Ciudad  Bodrigo  and  San  Sebastian 
were  stormed,  besides  many  skirmishes  not 
included  in  the  list  of  battles,  the  entire 
loss  in  battles  was  2,550,  whUe  that  from 
sickness  was  7,257. 

The  average  annual  loss  of  the  whole 
British  Army  during  the  Peninsular  War 
was  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  men  out  of 
every  thousand.  Of  these,  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  died  by  disease  or  accident. 

From  1803  to  1812,  the  average  aimual  ' 
death-rate  of  the  whole  British  Army 
"  abroad"  was  80  per  1,000 — 71  by  disease, 
and  9  by  wounds  in  action.  In  the  war 
with  Burmah,  the  loss  by  military  forces 
was  thirty -five  per  thousand,  and  from  sick- 
ness the  loss  was  four  hundred  and  fifty 
per  thousand. 

In  July,  Aug.  and  Sept.,  1854,  the  British 
Army  in  the  Crimea  lost  at  the  rate  of  two 
■  hundred  and  ninety -three  men  out  of  every 
thousand  per  annum.  Ninety-six  per  cent, 
of  this  loss  was  from  disease.  During  the 
next  three  months,  October,  November  and 
December,  1854,  their  loss  was  at  the  annual 
rate  of  five  hundred  and  eleven  out  of  every 
thousand — seven^eighths  of  which  loss  was 
by  disease.  In  January,  1855,  it  was  at 
the  rate  of  1,174  per  1,000  per  annum — 97 
per  cent,  of  this  loss  being  due  to  disease. 
During  the  first  three  months  of  that  year 
it  was  at  the  annual  rate  of  912  per  1,000— 
and  ninety- eight  per  cent,  of  the  loss  was 
due  to  disease. 

•  While  the  armies  were  encamped  in  the 
valley  of  Varna,  ' '  in  the  midst  of  large  shal- 
low lakes,  surrounded  by  level,  spongy 
lands,  indented  with  little  hollows,  dried 
and  cracked  by  the  recession  and  evapora- 
tion of  the  winter  floods — low  brushwood, 
rank  in  vegetation,  bounding  uplands,  a 
deficiency  of  potable  water,  with  a  high 
temperature,  we  have  all  the  elements  of  a 
devastating  sickness.  In  the  high  temper- 
ature of  the  day,  heavy  masses  of  steam 


spread  themselves  over  the  camps,  and  at 
night  heavy,  chilling  dews  invaded  every 
part  of  the  camp,  and  carried  poison  to 
every  sleeper.  The  tents  were  thin  and 
permeable,  the  rations  exe^raUe,  and  no 
protecting  care  was  exercised."  A  medical 
philosopher,  with  these  f acijs  before  him, 
knows  the  result  ah-eady.  The  French  and 
Turks  suffered  terribly.  Macleod  says  the 
hospitals  recalled  the  horrors  of  Boccaccio. 
Half  of  the  army  of  Espinasse,  in  the  Dob- 
rutcha,  disappeared  as  by  a  whirlwind,  and 
the  panic  among  the  survivors  was  beyond 
description.  Cholera,  intermittent  and  re- 
mittent fever,  typhus^  and  dysentery  took 
possession  of  the  camps — ^the  encampment 
was  broken  up,  and  the  army  fled  precipi- 
tately from  the  scene  of  the  disaster — ^but 
the  enemy  retained  possession  of  the  men, 
and  the  horrors  of  Varna  continued  to  fol- 
low them.  The  survivors  continued  for 
years  to  feel  the  dreadful  visitation  of  the 
Dobrutcha,  and  those  who  seemed  to  have 
passed  unscathed,  showed  in  subsequent 
wounds  that  the  seeds  of  the  poison  of  the 
camp  had  been  merely  latent.  Among  the 
English,  tliere  were  in  three  months  897 
deaths  from  cholera,  and  75  from  dysen- 
tery and  diarrhea.  Dr.  Aitkin  says:  "My 
estimates  lead  with  stiU  greater  force  to  the 
conclusion,  that  the  amount  of  sickness  at 
Varna  was  greater  than  that  of  the  French 
army  in  Spain,  and  nearly  as  great  as  the 
army  of  Portugal  while  engaged  in  very 
active  campaigns,  and  this,  too,  though  not 
a  soldier  on  Lord  Raglan's  army  had  fixed  a 
shot. "  From  October,  1854,  to  April,  1855, 
the  army  of  23,775  men,  lost  9,248  by  sick- 
ness, and  608  by  wounds.  In  the  last  sis 
months  of  the  Crimean  campaign,  including 
the  final  assaults  which  carried  Sebastopol, 
the  French  had  21,957  men  wounded,  and 
101,128  cases  of  sickness. 

Now,  the  great  mass  of  this  sickness  was 
avoidable,  and  should  have  been  prevented. 
In  the  Italian  campaigns.  Napoleon  guarded 
his  troops  against  the  disasters  connected 
with  localities.  He  never  encamped  his 
armies  in  the  neighborhood  of  malarial 
sources  when  he  coulil  avoid  it,  and  when 
compelled  to  make  such  an  encampment, 
he  always  built  fires  at  night  between  his 
army  and  the  sources  of  this  poison.    We 

cni-nastlv  iviHh    that  we    could    flncTflvft  in 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEdim,. 


421 


vivid  letters  upon  the  memories  of  those 
who  have  the  management  <5f  the  American 
camps  the  following  truths  of  SirBaltingall. 
He  says:  "  The  experience  of  all  ages  has 
proved  that  the  neighborhood  of  marshes, 
grounds  subject  to  overflow  by  large  rivers, 
surrounded  by  foul  stagnating  water,  or 
low  places  covered  with  wood,  are  most  in- 
jurious to  health,  and  the  noxious  effluvia 
arising  from  these  situations  are  augmented 
in  proportion  to  the  heat  of  the  climate  or 
the  season  of  the  year." 

In  all  perils  of  this  kind,  the  camp  should 
be  pitched  so  that  the  evening  wind  wiU 
blow  the  marsh  air  in  an  opposite  direction 
from  the  camp.  When  this  cannot  be  done, 
fires  should  be  burned  all  night  between 
the  sources  of  the  malaria  and  the  camp. 
Malaria  never  acts  in  daytime  nor  at  night 
upon  a  wakeful  person  in  motion.  Senti- 
nels may  walk  in  safety  where  a  sleeping 
army  may  be  almost  destroyed.  No  garbage 
should  be  permitted  about  camps.  Let  it 
be  buried  or  thrown  into  running  water. 
It  should  not  be  burned  in  camp. 

As  the  sun  climbs  the  ecliptic,  he  scatters 
the  seeds  of  sickness  northwaid.  Eio  Ja- 
neiro, Pernambuco,  Cuba,  Tampico,  Vera 
Cruz,  New  Orleans,  Vicksburg,  and  places 
farther  northward  take  their  turn.  The 
cause  of  pestilence  is  now  incubating  in 
the  regions  held  by  our  armies.  They  can 
and  must  be  protected  from  the  pestilence 
that  walks  in  darkness  only  to  those  who 
wilfully  shut  their  eyes.  The  men  must  be 
well  fed,  for  there  is  a  great  truth  in  the 
aphorism,  "  that  the  first  condition  of  health 
is  the  good  condition  of  the  stomach."  M. 
Worms,  in  his  work,  "  Bes  Maladies  de  la 
Province  de  Consianiine,"  says  :  "  Those 
who  are  well  nourished  pass  through  or 
even  sojourn  with  impunity  in  localities 
where  others  meet  with  disease  and  death. 
In  the  army,  where  soldiers  and  oflScers  are 
exposed  to  the  same  morbid  influences,  the 
average  deaths  are  one  in  twelve  of  the 
former  to  one  in  fifty-four  of  the  latter. 
The  officers,  by  the  proper  nourishment 
and  the  use  of  fermented  liquors,  sustain 
the  vital  energy,  which  has  a  tendency  to 
fall  into  inertia,  and  so  escape  the  efiects 
of  malaria,  which  makes  ravages  around 
them.  The  Commissioners  of  Inquiry  of 
the  British  Army  of  Sierra  Leone  fouAd 


that  the  main  cause  of  the  fearful  mortality 
from  diseases  of  the  digestive  organs  there, 
two-fifths  of  the  cases  having  proved  fatal, 
arose  from  the  use  of  salt  rations,  and  that 
by  the  substitution  of  a  fresh  meat  diet,  the 
mortality  from  these  diseases  was  reduced 
to  one-tenth  of  its  former  amount.  Hali- 
day's  testimony  is  to  the  same  effect.'' 

Up  to  May  18,  1862,  our  armies  had  lost 
at  the  rate  of  fifty -three  per  thousand  per 
annum,  and  only  forty-four  per  cent,  of 
that  loss  was  by  disease  and  accident. 

The  last  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
states  the  number  of  patients  in  General 
Hospital,  June  30,  1863,  as  9.1  per  cent., 
and  in  Field  Hospital  4.4  per  cent,  of  the 
whole  national  forces;*and  that  of  this,'  ag- 
gregate of  13.5  per  cent.,  11  were  cases  of 
sickness,  and  2.5  of  wounds  or  other  casu- 
alties. This  is  a  most  gratifying  statement, 
especially  when  contrasted  with  the  sick- 
ness rates  of  foreign  armies  in  the  field;  and 
of  our  own  during  the  Mexican  war. 

In  estimating  the  value  of  these  figures, 
,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  conditions 
under  which  our  soldiers  serve  have  been 
generally  unfavorable.  Their  field  of  ope- 
rations includes,  as  we  have  said,  large  dis- 
tricts quite  a^  insalubrious  as  any  part  of 
Spain,  Portugal,  or  the  Crimea.  There  has 
at  all  times  (and  especially  during  the  first 
year  of  the  war)  been  among  them  a  large 
proportion  of  half-disciplined  recruits  and 
of  inexperienced  officers,  while  the  soldiers 
of  Great  Britain,  in  the  Peninsula  and  the 
Crimea,  were  regulars  under  high  discipline, 
and  commanded  by  professional  officers. 
The  Commissariat  and  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  British  Army  *ere  parts  of  a 
system  long  estabhshed  and  matured.  In 
May,  1862,  ours  were  newly-organized,  (for 
the  purposes  of  this  war,)  and  not  yet  in 
perfect  working  order.  The  Peninsular 
and  Crimean  Armies  had,  therefore,  ma- 
terial advantages  over  our  own.  Yet  we 
have  lost  far  fewer  men  by  disea3.e. '  Even 
on  Morris  Island,  and  in  the  pestilential 
swamps  of  the  lower  Mississippi,  our  loss 
by  disease  has  been  smaller  than  that  of  any 
army  about  which  we  have  authentic  infor- 
mation. For  this  great  fact — equivalent  to 
the  addition  of  hundreds  of  millions  to  our 
national  resources — the  nation  cannever  be 
i  sufficiently  thankful.    No- human   agency 


422 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


could  have  insured  it.  Though  the  average 
iaitelligeiice  and  culture  of  oar  common 
soldiers  are  beyond  those  of  kny  army 
ever  yet  put  into  the  field,  and  though  the 
medical  staff  and  the  Sanitary  Commission 
have  worked  diligently  in  their  respective 
spheres,  a  blessing  so  great,  exceptional, 
and  unhoped  for  can  be  attributed  to  none 
but  the  Highest  cause. 

And  yet  the  Commission  claims  credit 
for  having  contributed  in  some  degree  to 
this  happy  result,  by  its  system  of  sanitary 
inspection  of  camps,  posts  and  hospitals. 

•  This  was  the  chief  object  contemplated 
"by  the  Commission  when  it  was  created  by 
Government.  As  has  already  been  stated, 
our  armies  were,  during  the  summer  o£ 
1861,  in  serious  danger  of  destruction  by 
epidemic  disease.  Modern  sanitary  science 
was  hardly  recognized  in  the  ancient  regu- 
lations of  the  medical  bureau.  Its  officers 
could  not  be  expected  to  go  beyond  the 
strict  line  of  official  duty  when  that  duty 
was  more  than  quadrupled.  The  first  busi- 
ness of  the  Commission,  therefore,  was 
to  awaken  general  attention  to  the  sanitary 
interests  of  the  army,  and  to  do  what  it 
could  to  improve  the  sanitary  condition  of 
camps,  quarters,  "hospitals,  and  men. 

It  sent  out  medical  inspectors  forthwith 
to  warn  inexperienced  officers  of  the  peril 
to  which  filth,  bad  ventilation  and  bad  food 
exposed  their  men  and  themselves.  It 
brought  to  bear  upon  Government  the  in- 
fluence of  the  medical  profession  through- 
out the  country,  effecte'd  the  extension  and 
invigoration  of  the  medical  bureau,  and 
secured  the  express  recognition  of  the  pre- 
vention of  disease,  no  less  than  its  cure, 
as  among  the  functions  of  the  medical  staff. 
Government  now  enjploys  its  own  sanitary 
inspectors,  and  does  a  certain  portion  of 
the  preventive  work  which  the  Commission 
did  during  the  first  year  of  its  existence. 
But  the  Commission  stiU  keeps  up  an  in- 
spectorial corps,  auxili&ry  to  that  of  Gov- 
ernment, for  the  latter  is  numerically  une- 
qual to  its  great  work,  and  there  are  spe- 
cial causes  beside  that  have  thus  far  inter- 
fered with  its  efficiency. 

Each  inspector  on  visiting  a  camp  or 
post  puts  himself,  in  the  first  place,  in 
communication  with  its  mihtary  authori- 
ties,  and  asks  their  co-operation  in  his 


work.  This  being  secured,  he  proceeds  to 
investigate  the  condition  of  the  men  in 
every  particular  that  bears  on  their  liability 
to  disease,  and  the  sufficiency  of  the  reme- 
dial agencies  within  their  reach.  He  in- 
quires into  the  quality  of  their  water-sup- 
ply, food,  cooking  and  clothing — ^the  ven- 
tilation and  the  cleanliness  of  their  camp 
or  quarters — the  position  of  their  latrines 
— the  provision  for  the  removal  and  de- 
struction of  refuse  and  offal— the  equip- 
ment of  their  field  or  post  hospital — their 
ambulance  service — the  competency  of 
their  medical  officers — the  salubrity  or  in- 
salubrity of  their  camp-site  or  post — the 
sufficiency  of  their  bedding  and  blankets, « 
the  character  of  the  diseases  that  have  pre- 
vailed among  them,  and  the  precautions 
thus  indicated.  On  these  points  he  advises 
the  medical  and  military  authorities  of  the 
corps  as  a  sanitary  expert.  His  inspection 
generally  discloses  something  that  can  be 
done  to  promote  the  health  of  the  com- 
mand. He  finds,  for  instance,  that  there 
are  tendencies  to  malarious  disease  that 
call  for  quinine  as  a,  prophylactic,  or  ten- 
dencies to  scurvy,  that  require  supplies  of 
fresh  vegetables,  or  that  there  is  a  deficien- 
cy of  stimulants,  bedding,  articles  of  hos- 
pital diet,  or  disinfecting  material.  If  the 
want,  whatever  it  is,  can  be  promptly  sup- 
plied through  the  regular  official  channels, 
he  sees  that  .this  is  done — ^but  if  it  cannot, 
or  if  (as  is  often  the  case)  something  is  re- 
quired which  Government  does  not  under- 
take to  supply,  he  calls  on  the  relief  de- 
partment of  the  Commission,  which  sup- 
plies it  according  to  its  ability.  If  the  offi- 
cer who  should  obtain  it  be  inexperienced 
in  requisitions  and  supply  tables,  the  in- 
spector is  able  to  assist  him.  If  the  defect 
arise  from  corruption  or  incapacity,  he  re- 
ports the  fact.  It  sometimes  happens  that 
the  health  of  a  camp  is  endangered  by 
want,  not  of  supplies,  but  of  some  work 
for  which  authority  cannot  at  once  be  ob- 
tained. In  this  case  money  is  appropriated 
by  the  standing  committee,  or,  in  case  of 
emergency,  by  the  associate  secretary,  on 
the  inspector's  report.  The  Commission 
has  done  much  work  of  this  class.  It  has 
improved  the  ventilation  of  hospitals,  dug 
wells  to  improve  the  water-supply  of  camps, 
built  temporary  hospitals  and  quarters,  to 


The  Samtm-y  Gormnission  BuUetin. 


423 


replace  unwliolesome  and  dangerous  build- 
ings, furnished  and  fitted  up  hospital  trans- 
ports, and  converted  ordinary  railroad  cars 
into  railroad  ambulances,  -with,  cooking 
apparatus  and  store-rooms,  and  litters  hung 
on  springs,  in  -which  thousands  of  men  -with 
fractured  limbs  h&ve  traveled  thousands  of. 
miles  without  suffering  or  injury. 

The  results  of  every  inspection  are  noted 
on  blanks  provided  for  the  purpose,  and* 
are  severally  reported.  Each  report  covers 
about  two  hundred  distinct  points  affecting 
the  sanitary  condition  and  wants  of  the 
force  inspected.  More  than  2,000  of  these 
reports  have  been  accumulated.  They  are 
digested  and  tabulated,  as  receivefl,  by  a 
competent  actuary.  It  is  believed  that  the 
body  of  military  and  medical  statistics  thus 
collected  is  among  the  largest  and  most 
valuable  in  existence.  It  can  hardly  fail 
to  furnish  conclusions  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance to  sanitary  science. 

The  Commission  employs  other  agencies 
also  for  the  prevention  of  disease.  It  urges 
measures  of  sanitary  reform  o'n  the  atten- 
tion of  Government.  It  furnished  mate- 
rial for  the  vaccination  of  thousands  of 
men  at  a  time,  now  happily  past,  when  the 
medical  bureau  was  unable  to  supply  the 
tenth  part  of  what  was  needed,  and  issued 
what  it  had  only  after  a  fortnight's  delay. 
It  has  thus  stayed  the  ravages  of  small-pOx 
in  regiments  crowded  on  board  transports, 
after  that  disease  had  actually  begun  to 
spread  among  their  men.      • 

It  has  done  much  beside  to  protect  pur 
soldiers  against  this  peril.  During  the  first 
year  of  the  war,  for  instance,  all  cases  of 
".eruptive  disease"  in  one  of  our  most  im- 
portant military  departments  were  consign- 
ed indiscriminately  to  a  single  hospital, 
from  which  men  were  "  discharged  cured  " 
of  mumps  or  measles,  and  rejoined  their' 
regiments  to  sicken  and  die  of  smaU-pox 
contracted  in  this  "hospital,"  so  called, 
and  to  infect  and  kill  their  comrades.  It 
was  through  the  persevering  remonstrance 
and  protest  of  the  Commission  that  this 
murderous  abuse  was  at  last  gorreoted. 

The.  Commission  has  also  circulated 
throughout  the  army,  and  especially  among 
the  m«dical  staff,  many  hundred  thousand 
copies  of  its  medical  documents.  This  se- 
ries now  numbers  eighteen  pubHeatioSs, 


each  devoted  to  some  special  point  of  pre- 
vention or' cure.  Some  of  them  are  ad- 
dressed to  the  individual  soldier,  but  the 
great  ma:jcTrity  are  for  ths  use  of  the  medi- 
cal staff,  and  relate  to  the  prevention  or 
treatmeft  of  the  diseases  to  which  camps 
are  specially  exposed,  and  to  sundry  opera- 
tions of  military  surgery  with  which  it 
cannot  be  expected  that  surgeons  recently 
appointed  from  civil  life  should  be  gener- 
ally familiar.  These  monographs  have 
been  prepared  at  the  request  of  the.  Com- 
mission, by  some  of  the  most  eminent  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons  of  the  country.  Em- 
bodying, in  a  condensed  form,  the  latest 
results  of  science,  they  have  been  of  great 
use  to  our  army  surgA)ns,  who  often  en- 
counter cases  for  which  their  previous 
practice  has  fiot  specially  prepared  them, 
and  who  have  neither  medical  libraries  nor 
opportunities  for  consultation. 

The  Commission  institutes  special  inspec- 
tions, also,  from  tibie  to  time,  outside  of  its 
general  inspection  system.  It  employs 
medical  agents  to  look  into  the  condition' 
of  such  camps  or  hospitals  a^  seem  to  re- 
quire special  attention,  and  to  ascertain 
and  report  the  wants  of  our  armies  during 
or  immediately  after  a  trying  campaign. 
■Within  the  past  year  it  has  made  a  thorough 
inspection  of  all  general  military  hospitals, 
east  and  west,  emt)loying  for  this  purpose 
medical  practitioners  of  the  highest  profes- 
sional standing.  Their  recommendations 
of  improvement  in  our  hospital  system  and 
its  administration  have  been  submitted  to 
'  the  proper  authorities. 

The  relief  agents  of  the  Commission  are 
not  expressly  charged  with  the  office  of 
sanitary  inspection,  but  their  reports  and 
journals,  sent  in  at  short  intervals,  help  to 
keep  the  Commission  informed  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  army,  and  of  the  measiires  rQ? 
quired  to  maintain  it  in  health,  at  every 
point  from  Annapolis  to  New  Orleans. 

As  has  been  already  stated,  it  is,  from  the 
nature  of  the  case,  impossible  accurately  to 
estimate  how  many  men  have  been  saved 
from  death  or  disease,  and  how  much  eifi- 
cienCy  has  been  economized  for  the  country 
by  this  preventive  service,  for  though  the 
results  of  the  treatment  of  disease  can  be 
more  or  less  accurately  recorded,  the  result 
of  measures  for  its  prevention  cannot  be 


424 


The  Sanitary  Commission.  Bulletin. 


stated  ■with  any  kind  of  certainty.  The  only 
attainable  data  are  the  percentage  of  disease 
among  men  to  'nhom such  preyentive  meas- 
ures have  been  applied,  and  among  those 
to  -whom  they  have  not.  Though  infere'nces 
from  a  comparison  of  the  two  are  nSt  abso- 
lutely to  be  relied  on,  (because  we  can  never 
be  quite  sure  that  the  conditions  of  any  two 
cases  have  been  precisely  the  same,)  a  com- 
parison of  the  mortality  rates  of  our  army 
with  those  of  the  British  armies  in  the  Cri- 
mea and  during  the  Peninsular  war,  which 
we  have  given  above,  will,  nevertheless, 
throw  some  Ught  on  the  question. 


WHAT  THE  COMMISSION  HAS  DONE  FOR 
GRANT'S  ARMY. 

Some  account  will  be  foimd  in  Dr.  Stei- 
ner's  report  on  another  page,  ®f  the  prepara- 
tions made  by  the  Field  Belief  Corps  of  the 
Commission  for  the  movement  in  Virginia. 
What  we  have  done,  and  .are  doing  for  the 
wounded  of  Grant's  glorious  "  eight  days" 
may  be  gleaned  from  the  follQwing  extracts 
from  our  reports.  Mr.  Knapp  writes  from 
Washington,-  May  11 : . 

"You  were  informed  by  Dr.  CaldweU 
yesterday  that,  at  12  M.,  we  sent  to  Belle 
Plain  the  Mary  F.  Eapley,  steam  transport, 
with  sixty  relief  agents  and  seventy-five  or 
eighty  tons  of  assorted  sanitary  stores,  the 
vessel  having  in  tow  a  barge  with  twenty- 
one  horses  and  five  strong  wagons.  We 
have  loaded  to  day  another  barge  with  six- 
teen horses  and  four  purchased  wagons, 
carrying  the  necessary  forage,  and  to-night, 
or  at  daylight  in  the  morning,  she  will  go  * 
down,  towed  by  the  tugboat  Gov.  Curtin, 
also  chartered  for  the  purpose.  With  these 
nine  teams  the  supplies  can  go  on  to 
Fredericksburg  rapidly,  where  there  is  need 
of  them,  I  can  assure  you,  although  Govern- 
mei^t  is  making  every  exertion  to  supply 
the  needs,  and  is  constantly  showing  in- 
creased ability  to  put  in  practice  what  were 
last  year  regarded  as  only  experiments. 
Thus  the  Government  hag  prepared,  and 
admirably,  two  large  hospital  transports, 
and  has  also  arranged  for  feeding  the  sick 
on  board  the  other  boats  which  are  not 
regular  floating  hospitals,  A  relief  agent 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  came  up  last 
Bight  with  a  large  party  of  the 'wounded. 
They  arrived  here  at  2  A.  M.,  having  left   ' 


Fredericksburg  yesterday.  He  says  our  re- 
lief agents  who  accompanied  the  army  with 
their  wagons  and  stores,  rendered  invalu- 
able service,  of  which  he  is  writing  now  a 
brief  report,  which  I  will  send  you  to-mor- 
row. He  returns  on  our  tugboat  leaving 
to-night  or  in  the  morning. 

"  To-morrow  we  hope,  at  Baltimore,  to 
hire  a  boat  with  which  to  carry  another  load 
pf  suppUes  up  the  James  Kiver,  where  there 
is  hard  fighting,  and  likely  to  be  more  of 
it,  and  where,  doubtless,  the  needs  must 
be  great.  That  boat,  if  obtained,  will  take 
up  a  quantity  of  the  saurkraut,  vegetables, 
pickles,  &c.,  ordered  for  Norfolk.  ThiswiU 
save  D^.  McDonald  the  necessity  of  leaving 
his  post  with  his  storeboat.  Twenty-five 
relief  agents  either  have  started,  or  will 
start,  for  Belle  Plain  this  -afternoon.  We 
shall  send  some  more  to-morrow.  Our  sup- 
plies are  thus  far  abundant."     ' 

Dr.  Steiner  reports: 

BeUe  Plain,  Va.,  May  11. — We  steamed  down 
the  Potomac  without  any  ocourrence  of  interest 
until  we  passed  a  transport  filled  with  troops, 
bound  for  Washington,  who  gave  the  flag  of  the 
Commission  three  hearty  cheers.  Soon  after 
dark  we  reached  6ur  fleet  of  hospital  steam- 
boats and  barges,  at  the  wharf  of  Belle  Plain. 
Here  I  went  ashore  with  Mr.  Fay,  and  saw  Med- 
ical Inspector  Wilson,  to  whom  I  introduced 
myselt  H«  said:  'You  see  there  is  enough 
work  to  be  ckme  here;  I  need  not  point  it  out; 
look  around  and  jou  wiU  find  it'  No  sooner 
said  than  done.  Fay's  Auxihary  Relief  Coips 
Immediately  took  holA  '  It  is  divided  into  fi-ve 
divisions.  That  section  nuider  charge  of  Le 
Barrens  supplied  the  men  on  the  barges  with 
hot  coffee,  be^  tea  and  crackers,  while  the 
squad  under  charge  of  Mr.  Denniston  pitched  a 
large  tent,  and  made  arrangements  for  getting 
things  to  rights.  Thus  they  worked  until  more 
than  nine  hundred  wounded  men  were  sent  off 
in  one  boat,  andiothers  prepared  to  go.  These 
labors  have  bean  of  the  most  heartrending 
description,  though  the  wounded  were  handled 
with  all  possible  tenderness. 

We  have  sent  off  *)ur  wagons  to  Fredericks- 
burg loaded  with  sanitary  suppUes.  The  neces- 
sities of  this  post  will  require  me  to  remain 
here  to-day.  Dr.  Cuyler  will  be  in  charge,  and 
is  here  already;  and  Wilson  will  go  to  Freder- 
ieksbm-g,  whither  Douglas  has  already  gone. 
Pope  goes  with  the  ti-ain  as  storekeeper,  and 
Fay  will  secure  a  storehouse  for  him  in  some 
part  of  the  town.  On  the  whole,  the  wants  of 
the  wounded  at  this  point  are  so  great  that  help 
is  as  imperatively  demanded,  as  it  must  be 
freely  given.  The  army  may  have"  started  with 
splendid  supplies,  but  such  an  tmprecedented 
series  of  engagements  have  never,  heretofore, 
been  known,  and  hence,  any  amount  of  regular 
supplies  would  be  too  small  to  meet  thffemer- 
gency.  I  have  heard  that  our  Field  Relief 
Corps  was  working  in  the    neighborhood  of 


The  Samtary  Commission  BuLhtwi. 


425 


Fredericksburg,  although  a  report  reaches  me 
that  Wiloox— one  of  the  Second  Corps  Belief 
Agents  was  captured  with  his  wagon  while 
coming  in  from  the  front.  I  have  sent  messages 
in  all  directions  for  the  ageiits  to  report  here,  if 
possible,  with  their  wagons,  so  as  to  secure  all 
the  necessary  supplies  for  our  wounded  in  the 
hospitals.  I  presume  to-morrow  thoy  will  be 
here. 

Eroin  Mr.  Wilcox,  in  charge  of  tlie  Field 
Belief  Agency,  with,  the  Third  and  Fourth 
Divisions,  Second  Corps,  -we  get  the  fol- 
lowing: . 


May  4. — ^Accompanying  the 
ambulance  trains,  under  charge'of  Lieut.  Shook, 
of  the  Third  Diyision,  Second  Army  Corps,  (a 
part  of  which  had  moved  the  evening  previous, ) 
we  took  up  the  line  of  march  from  our  camp 
near  Brandy  Station,  proceeding  to  Ely's  Ford, 
■which  point  we  reached  at  dark,  crossed  the 
run,  and  bivouacked  near  the  river. 

Thursday,  May  5. — ^We  continued  our  march 
toward  *hancellorsviUe,  which  point  we  reach- 
ed at  9  o'clock  A.  M.,and  bivouacked.  After 
an  hour's  rest,  the  march  was  resumed  in  the 
direction  of  Todd's  Tavern.  Up  to  3  P.  M., 
nothing  indicating  the  whereabouts  of  the 
enemy  wi.s  apparent  at  the  point  of  the  column 
occupied  by  us;  but  on  arriving  at  a  point  with- 
in about  three  miles  north  of  Todd's  Tavern, 
skirmishing  with  musketry,  and  occasional  ar- 
tillery shots  began  to  be  heard.  At  this  time 
an  order  was  received  from  Gen.  Hancock  to 
change  route.  We  then  retraced  our  steps,  and 
countermarched  about  two  miles,  to  a  point 
where  a  road  bearing  to  the  right  of  Toad's 
Tavern  -fras  met,  which  we  took.  Marching  in 
this  direction  severg,l  miles,  we  came  upon  the 
rear  of  our  lines,  where  the  wounded  were  be- 
ing brought  in;  and  a  point  was  here  desig- 
nated as  the  hospital  of  the  Third  and  Fourth 
Divisions,  where  I  located  my  wagons  and 
pitched  my  hospital  tent.     « 

It  was  now  quite  dark,  and  the  fighting  had 
.'been  conducted  with  vigor  in  our  front  all  day, 
.-continuing  until  about  9  o'clock.  The  wounded, 
were  already  numerously  strewn  through  the 
grove  -where  our  hospitals  were  located,  and 
the  demands  for  our  sanitary  stores  became 
frequent  and  large.  The  sanitary  supplies  were 
acknowledged  ■  by  the  surgeons  in  charge  as 
most  timely  and  prompt.  Underclothing  and 
blankets. were  the  first  articles  in  demand — the 
need  for  the  latter  being  particularly  urgent. 

It.  may  here,  be  properly  remarked,  that 
throughout  the  line  of  march  from  camp  at 
Brandy  Station,  a  great  waste  of  blankets  could 
be  noticed.  The  day  was  warm,  and  the  soldiers . 
■wished  to  enter  the  battle  unincumbered.  The 
roads  were  strewn  with  blankets  to  ah  extent 
■which  warrants  the  belief  that  enough  were 
thrown  away  to  have  amply  provided  for  every 
man  who  was  wounded;  whereas, .o^wing  to  this 
waste,  hundreds  were  obliged  •to  lie  in  the 
ni^t  air  almost  naked,  with  wounds  exposed. 

Friday,  May  6.— The  battle  raged  to-day  in 
our  front  -wifli  terrific  fury,  during  which  our 
forces  were  obliged  to  relinquish  (Iiree  sueces- 
Bive  advantages  gained  on  the  previous  day. 
The  business  of  dispensing  sanitary  supplijp 
was  carried  oh  briskly  all  day,  requiring  every 


•  effort  to  fill  the  demands.  The  wagons  attached 
to  the  First  and»  Second  Divisions  of  our  army 
corps,  under  Mr.  Holbrook,  were  located  at  a 
short  distance  from  my  own,  though  the  de- 
mands upon  them  not  being  so  great  as  on 
miAe.  At  the  close  of  this  day  my  supplies  of 
clothing,  stimulants,  &o.,&c.,  were  almost  en- 
tirely exhausted. 

Sakirday,  May  7. — Little  fighting  took  place 
to-day,  but  the  wounded  of  yesterday  still  poured 
into  our  hospitals.  My  stock  of  clothing  and 
other  articles  was  in  a  measure  renewed  by 
supplies  from  Mr.  Holbrook's  wagons.  Mr. 
Jdhnson  and  Captain  Harris  spent  a  portion  *)f 
the  day  at  my  depot,  and  the  work  progressed 

well.  ; 

Sunday,  May  8. — Broke  camp  with  division 
hospital  supply  train,  and  went  to  Ohaneellors- 
ville,  and  subseqjiently  to  Fredericksburg,  (for 
fresh  supplies,)  where  we  bivouacked.  On  the 
route  from  Ohancellors-ville  to  Fredericksburg, 
we  accompanied  a  train  o|  ambulances  and  army 
wagons,  loaded  with  wounded  soldiers  and  offi- 
cers. The  sufferings  of  these  men  cannot  in 
any  degtee  be  realized.  The  road — an  old 
plank  road — wag  in  a  wretched  condition,  and 
the  groans  and  shrieks  of  the  sufferers  were 
truly  heaft-rending.  On  this  march  the  pres- 
ence of  the  sanitary  supplies  were  acknowl- 
edged by  the  pbor  men  to  be  a"  godsend,  inas- 
mijch  as  ours  were  jthe  only  supplies  in  a  train 
of  two  hundred  wagons  and  ambulances.  Crack- 
ers and  stimulants,  judiciously  dispensed,  gave 
relief  to  many  suffering  soldiers  during  that 
tedious  march  of  twelve  hours.  We  arrived  at 
Fredericksburg  at  midnight,  the  head  of  the 
column  having  reached  that  place  at  noon  on 
Sunday,  and  the  work  of  transferring  the  wound- 
ed to  the  houses  was  commenced.  A  tedious 
and  painful  work  was  this.  A  former  acquaint- 
ance with  the  town  enabled  me  to  point  out  the 
most  suitable  houses  for  hospital  purposes,  and 
among  these  the  Planters'  Hotel,  containing  a 
large  number  of  rooms  furnished  with  beds, 
,&c.  This  proved  g,  great  advantage  as  a  ready 
means  of  making  many  wounded  comfortable. 

The  following  letters  from  Washington 
explain  themselves: 
Mb.  Knapk 

Deab  Sib— Four  boatloads  of  wounded  men 
arrive.d  during  the  night,  viz. : . 

Connecticut,  1,300;  Key  Port,  425;  Wanasett, 
350;  Daniel  Webster,  400.     Total,  2,475. 

One-fourth  part  were  severely  wounded." 
Three  hundred  or  more,  were  brought  ashore 
■  on  stretchers.  The  surgeon  of  the  Connecticut 
says  he  is  deeply  indebted  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission for  their  aid  and  kindness.  The  sur- 
geon of  the  Key  Port  says;  "  He  does  not  know 
what  he  should  have  done  had  it  not  been  for 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  who  furnished  him 
■with  stimulants  at  Belle  Plain  for  the  wounded; 
he  brought  up." 

We  gave  chocolate  this  moming'to  nearly  five 
hundred  veteran  soldiers  of  the  Sixty-seventh 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  They  are 
on  their  way  to  the  front. 

We  have  distributed  since  last  night — ■ 
5  barrels  of  crackers, 
50  gallons  of  coffee, 
50  gallons  of  chocolate, 


■-?!ff 


426 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


150  gallons  of  lemonade, 
30  gallons  of. milk  punch. 
We -have  fed  the  ambulance  drivers,  at  the 
request  of  Mr.  Tucker,  Superintendent  of  the 
Ambulance  Corps  of  Washington.  Most  of 
these  drivers  have  been  on  duty,  night  and  day, 
for  the  last  four  days,  and  I  have  yet  to  hear 
the  first  one  grumble. 

Mr.  Staoy  merits  much  praise  for  his  seal  in 
the  work  of  feeding  and  looking  after  the  wound- 
ed men  here. 

Tour  obedient  servant, 
,  J.  B.  .Abbott. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Tlmisaay,  Map  12. 
/  Mr.  Knapp  again  asks  me  to  give  you  a  short 
account  of  the  condition  of  our  work.  The 
Kapley  sailed  again  this  afternoon,  loaded  with 
seventy  or  eighty  tons  of  stores.  Mr.  Fairchild 
"went  with  her,  in  charge  of  thirty  volunteer 
nurses,  including  Miss  Woolsey. 

A  barge,  with  eighteen  horses  and  four  large 
wagons,  went  down  yesterday.     Offers  of  as- 
.  sistance  from  all  the  departments  are  coming  in 
all  the  time.  » 

I  enclose,  by  Mr.  Khapp's  direction,  three 
letters,  which  will  give  you  a  good  sftcount  of 
the  work  done  at  the  front. 

The  wounded  that  have  arrived  thus  fax  are 
but  slightly  injured,  and  are  very  well  cared  for 
on  the  boat. 

Yours  respeotfillly, 

(Signed,)  G.  C.  Caldweil. 


RELIEF  AGENTS  ASSIST  DITRING  A  KAIL- 
EOAD  ACCIDENT. 

David  S.  Pope,  Belief  Agent,  in  his  account 
of  a  trip  to  Washington  with  the  surplus  furni- 
ture, &a.,  of  the  Sanitary  Station,  which  was 
broken  up  at  Brandy,,  on  the  moving  forward  of 

■  the  army,  says: 

"About  six  o'clock  next  taorning,  a  train 
passed  us  at  almost  lightning  speed,  and  then 

■  came  a  crash.  We  looked  out  of  the  car,  and 
saw  the  wreck  of  five  or  six  cars  heaped  tip 
alongside  of  the  track  just  a  few  feet  beyond  us, 
and  soldiers  crawling  out  from  under  the  ruins, 
Mr.  Marfh,  Mr.  Dubosq,  aiid  myself  went  up, 
and  aided  in  removing  the  wounded,  six  or 
seven  of  whom  were  very  seriously  injured;  one 
oifthem,  more  than  likely,  died  before  he  reached 
Alexandria;  ano&er  will  have  to  suffer  amputa- 
tion of  his  leg,  which  was  fearfully  crushed. 

"  We  were  the  fortunate  instruments  of  allevi- 
ating their  sufferings  to  a  great  extent.  Although 
a  surgeon  was  present,  he  was  unable  to  do 
m«ch,  his  stores  and  instruments  having  passed, 
his  regiment  being  on  the  move.  With  our 
stimulnuts,  mattresses,  cots  and  blankets,  we 
made  the  poor  fellows  comparatively  comfort- 
able, but  they  were  probably  without  surgical 
attendance  until  they  reached  Alexandria."  - 


HOSPITAL  CLOTHING. 

.^®"  The  length  of  lower  line  of  the  diagram 
giving  the  pattern  of  flannel  drawers,  in  No. 
13,  was  omitted.  It  should  have  been  marked 
18  inches. 


THE  HOSPITALS  AT  WASHINGTON. 
The  quarterly  report  of  Mf .  Caldwell,  one 
of  our  Hospital  Visi tors  in  Washington,  con- 
tains some  valuable- hints  for  our  branches 
of  supply.     He  says:! 

Sib — During  the  quarter  ending  with 
this  date,  (March  31st,)  I  have  made  nearly 
three  hundred  visits  in  the  General,  Post 
and  Kegim-ental  Hospitals  in  this  Depart- 
ment. 

In  March,  the  two  hospitals  at  Annapolis 
and  one  at  Annapolis  Junction,  were  added 
to  my  list,  it  seeming  to  be  desirable  that 
such  important  points  as  those  should  be 
regularly  visited  by  some  one  from  Wash- 
ington, whence  their  supplies  were  drawn. 

At  no  time  during  the  quarter  has  the 
number  of  patients  in  the  hospitals  in  the 
Department  gjt  Washington  been  large,  and 
the  proportion  of  quite  sick,  or  ba^  fast. 
Such  as  are  usually  most  in  need  ofthe  as- 
sistance furnished  by  the  Commission,  has 
been  aU  the  time  very  small;  consequently, 
the  issues  to  these  hospitals  have  been 
smaU. 

The  two  hospitals  at  Annapolis  have  been 
partially  filled  with  the  sick  among  the  re- 
leased prisoners,  and  have  needed  more  aid 
than  those  in  Washington  and  Alexandria;  ■ 
even  these  have  twice  received  aU.  the  sick 
from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

On  my  first  visit  to  Annapolis  I  found 
one  of  the  hospitals  very  much  in  need  of 
delicacies,  and  a  liberal  order  was  made  out;, 
in  the  other,  I  was  much  pleased  with  the 
admirably  arranged  storeroom  well  stocked 
with  most  of  the  Commission  supplies;  and 
a  large  invoice  was  daily  expected  from 
Washington,  of  s*ioh  things  as  were  want- 
ing. 

The  regiments  garrisoning  the  defences 
of  Washington,  have  received  a  large  num- 
ber of  new  recruits;  and  their  sick  lists 
have  been  larger  in  proportion;  'and  con- 
sequently the  issues  to  them  have  been 
larger  in  like  proportion.' 

Most  of  the  hospitals  depend  upon  the 
Commission  for  their  supply  of  brandy; 
surgeons  in  charge  understand  that  they 
cannot  get  it  from  the  Medical  Purveyor. 
The  issue  of  this  precious  article  has,  how- 
ever, been  small,  and  very  carefully  made. 
Cherry  cordial  and  blackberry  brandy  are 
much  esteemed  wherever  they  have  been 
introduced;  there  should  .be  a  good  supply 
of  these  stimulants  on  hand  for  issue  in  the 
summer,  when  the  complaints  for  which 
they  contribute  so  serviceable  a  remedy, 
are  most  prevalent. 

In  all  cases  where  brandy  is  called  for,  I 
endeavor  to  substitute  wine  therefor,  and 
with  various  success.  Some  surgeons  like 
it  quite  as  well,  while  others  can  make  but 
little  use  of  it. 

Dried  apples,  pickles  and  porter,   have 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


427 


been  issued  to  some  hospitals  when  the 
funds  were, low.  ' 

The  pickles  are  always  very  acceptable, 
and  their  quality  is  very  highly  praised; 
they  are  usually  much  better  than  those  ob- 
tained ?ii  the  market  or  from  the  Coinmis- 
sary. 

A  few  cases  of  peaches  that  happened  to 
come  this  way,  were  most  Aighly  prized, 
being  far  better  than  any  That  could  be 
bought  here;  they  were  issued  only  where 
I  felt  sure  they  would  be  well  used. 

Domesiio  wines  are  but  little  used.  Their 
quality  anji  strength  are  too  uncertain,  and' 
they  cannot  he  depended  upon. 

The  Boston  crackers  are  very  much  val- 
ued, and  the  issue  of  them  is  quite  con- 
stant. 

There  is  a  constant  call  for  white  sugar; 
itj  is  so  fitly  used  in  many  oases  in  the  cook 
room,  where  the  low  diet  is  prepared,  for 
dishes  that  would  be  half  spoiled  by  the 
brown  sugar  of  the  Commissary. 

Lemons  and  dried  beef  are  often  asked 
for. 

Of  assorted  dried  fruits,  there  is  always 
too  little  in  store;  a  good  cook  can  with 
these,  make  very  good  substitutes  for  jelly; 
and,  considering  the  sad  waste  of  this  arti- 
cle in  the  course  of  transportation,  the 
people  at  home,  the  Commission,  and  the 
soldier,  would  all  be  gainers,  if  the  fruit 
were  dried,  instead  of  being  converted  into 
jelly.  ■  Then  there  would  be  no  waste,  and 
far  less  difficulty  and  lab.or  in  packing  and 
transportation.  Would  it  not  be  well  to 
recommend  this  change  to  the  branches? 

At  my  suggestion,  a  small  supply  of  yarn 
has  been  put  in  store  for  issue  for  mending 
socks;  those  issued  by  Government  are  of 
an  inferior  quality,  and  need  much  mend- 
ing. Quite  as  necessary  as  yarn  is  6otton 
thread,  for  repairing  cotton  garments;  the 
calls  for  ft  are  frequent,  and  I  should  be 
glad  to  be  able  to  give  it. 

Woolen  underclothing  has  not  been  is- 
sued largely.  The  wool  shirts  issued  by 
Government  aire  often  half  cotton,  and  very 
rough  and  harsh;  some  men  who  need 
woolens'cannot  wear  them. 

For  such  cases,  when  the  men  have  not 
the  means  to  buy  for  themselves,  Or  have 
families  to  whom  they  have  to  send  their 
spare  earnings,  I  allow  to  be  given  freely. 
Pillow-  pases  are  often  called  for,  and  I 
supply  but  a  small  portion  of  the  der&and, 
for  the  reason  that  they  are  furAished  to  a 
certain  extent  by  the  Government. 

But  the  Government  supply  is  based  upon 
but  one  pillow  to  a  man;  of  those  small  pil- 
lows, two  or  three  are  hardly  enough  for 
common  comfort.  Moreover,  the  Govern- 
ment arrangement  for  condemning  worn 
out  hospital  clothing  is  not  prompt  and 
sufficient;  and  a  hospital  sometimes  has  to 
'  wait  .six  or  nine  months  before  it  can  have 
such  clothing  put  aside  as  unfit  for  use;  and 


till  then',  it  can  ask  for  no  more  to  take  its 
place. 

Of  towels-  and  handkerchiefs,  the  issue 
hasjpeen  constant;  a  great  inany  are  given 
to  the  men  for  their  own  property. 

The  slippers  supplied  by  Government  are, 
like  our  own,  cloth  or  carpet  ones,  of  very 
iittle  use  to  a  man  who  is  about  on  his  feet; 
they  are  soon  worn  out. 

The  attendants  have  to  move  about  in 
their  heavy  shoes,  and  have  not  usually  nmch 
time  to  spend  in  walking  on  tip-toe;  the  . 
noise  they  cannot  but  make,  must  be  an, 
annoyance  to  sick  men,  if  not  positively 
harmful.  I  wish  there  might  be  a  supply 
of  good  leather  soled  slippers  on  hand,  to 
be  used  for  that  purpose  only.  They  would 
not  be  needed  in  every  hospital,  since  in 
some  a  strip  of  mattine  is  put  down  where  ' 
the  attendants  walk. 

I  am  often  asked  why  these  things  are 
not  b6ught  with  the  hospital  fund.     They 
cannot  be  to  the  extent  that  is  desirable,  , 
for  two  reasons: 

1st.  Surgeons  are  prohibited  from  pur- 
chasing any  thing  but  eatables,  and  a  few 
articles  of  a  perishable  nature,  with  the 
hospital  fund. 

2d.  At  the  present  high  rates  of  pro- 
visions, it  requires  the  best  of  management 
to  get  for  the  men  all  that  the  Snrgeon- 
GeneCral's  diet- table  requires,  and  all  that 
the  men  ought  to  have  of  the  staple  articles 
of  food. 

Under  such  cirfumstances,  a  small  quan- 
tity of  good  things  placed  in  the  hands  of 
women  nurses,  or  Sisters  of  Charity,  serves 
to  make  many  a  meal  more  palatable  and 
strengthening. 

I  frequently  receive  testimonials  to  the 
efficiency  of  the  service  of  the  Commission, 
which  it  would  be  out  of  place  to  repealt  here. 
Eespectfully  submitted,  ' 

G.    C.    CAIiD-WBIil, 
Hospital  Visitor  Sanitary^  Commission. 

Mr.  Stephen  Barker  writes  us: 
Having  already. explained  my  way  of  mak- 
ing acquaintance  with  officers  and  patients 
in  hospitals,  I  need  only  say  that  my  last 
month's  work  has  in  no  way  differed  from 
that  of  previous  months. 

I  have  received  more  expressions  of  gra- 
titude than  formerly;  but  I  attribute  this 
entirely  to  the  fact  of  having  transacted  all 
my  hospital  business  in  the  wards,  where 
the  patients  could  hear  the  conversations 
between  the  ward  master,  or  cook,  or  hos- 
pital steward  and  myself,  concerning  the 
wants  of  the  hospital  and  the  sanitary  stores. 
Patients  manifest  great  interest  in  these 
subjects;  and  when  I  sit  down  to  make  out 
my  order  for  supplies,  they  cluster  round  as 
if  this  part  of  my  business  were  one  of  their 
chief  entertainments.  In  this  way  the  pai- 
"f  ti^nts  seem  to  have  realized,  for  the  first 
timie,  where  the  delicacies  come  from  which 


428 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


they  enjoy  so  much,  and  which  they  have 
hitherto  carelessly  attributed  either  to  the 
kindness  of  private  individuals,  or  to  the 
agents  of  the  Christian  Oommission,  or  to 
their  regular  medical  supplies.  I  have  bsen 
made  to  realize  this  fact,  by  being  so  often 
obliged  to  disclaim  the  personal  thanks, 
which  reaUy  belonged  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Lately,  every  visit  has  brought  me  some 
pleasant  expression  of  thanks  for  comforts 
received.  Sometimes  by  tearful  silence; 
sometimes  by  a  hearty  otftburst  that  the 
"  Sanitary  Commission  is  the  greatest  in- 
stitution in  the  United  States."  My  last 
was  a  slip  of  paper,  tucked  into  the  thumb 
of  my  glove,  with  a  ' '  God  bless  you, "  which 
means  some  thing  from  a  "Down  Easter," 
who  wrote  it. 

In  order  to  bring  the  benefits  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  before  a  larger  circle  than 
hospitals  afford,  Xiave  lately  begun  to  dis- 
tribute papers,  magazines,  and  comfort  bags 
in  camps. 

The  supply  of  newspapers,  in  large  quan- 
tities,' has  been  furnished  by  contributions 
from  Vice  President  Hamlin,  and  by  Hon. 
Charles  Sumner,  Hon.  Alex.  H.  Rice,  and 
Hon.  Oakes  Ames. 

Mrs.  Hamlin  and  Mrs.  O.  Ames  have  also 
assisted  me  in  the  distribution  of  these 
favors.  ^ 

One  very  pleasant  scene  occurred  at  Camp 
Barry,  in  the  distribution  of  comfort  bags 
at  the  barracks  of  the  9tl)i  and  11th  Mass. 
Batteries,  under  Capt.  Jones.  By  previous 
programme,  my  friend  and  I,  with  the  ward 
master  and  driver,  had  each  a  box  at  our 
feet,  containing  a  hundred  bags  apiece,  with 
some  papers  and  magazines.  The  men  were 
aU  out  (playing)  kicking  football.  I. said, 
"  Here,  boys,  are  some  gifts  for  you,  from 
Massachusetts  girls,"  accompanying  the 
words  with  a  salute  of  bags,  needlebooks, 
and  pincushions,  from  all  sides  of  the  wagon, 
into  the  crowd.  The  men  immediately  took 
the  joke,  and,  with  a  shout,  rushed  towards 
ns,  while  we  kept  up  the  fire,  and  they 
rushed,  and  scrambled,  and  clutched  at  the 
flying  gifts,  like  children  after  sugar-plums 
on  a  Thanksgiving  eve.  When  at  last  the 
boxes  were  all  emptied,  and  one  red  sugar- 
plum was  all  I  had  to  put  into  the  fifty  out- 
stretched hands  around  us,  the  captain  ap- 
^ared,  and  thanked  us,  in  behalf  of  his 
men,  for  our  visit,  npt  only  for  its  imme- . 
diate  benefits,  but  for  affording  pleasant 
memories,  and  material  for  letters  for  weeks 
to  come.  Here  again  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
disclaiming  all  personal  thanks,  and  turning 
them  over  to  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
where  they  rightfully  belong.  Hesaidmore 
pleasant  things,  and  ended  by  proposing 
three  cheers  for  Massachusetts  ladies,  which 
the  soldiers  gave  with  swinging  hats,  and 
prolonged  into  three  times  three  for  the 
pleasure  of  using  their  lungs  once  more  in 


good  old  Massachusetts  fashion.  In  my 
last  visit  to  Camp  Barry,  I  learned  that  most 
of  those  bags  contained  letters,  which  have 
been  answered  by  the  soldiers,  which  have 
also  been  answered  by  the  original  writers. 
I  could  distribute  ten  thousand  bags  fn  this 
way,  to  good  advantage.  I  regret  to  say  I 
have  exhausted  our  supply. 

Mr.  Brown  liports  as  the  result  of  his 
labors  for  the  month  of  March  in  the  mat- 
ter of  back  pay  for  soldiers  in  the  hospitals 
of  Washington  and  vicinity: 

Whole  number  of  cases  taken  during  tlie  moqj^ 96 

Number  of  cases  completed  by  Beciiring  pay 96 

"  "        otherwise  coippleted 24 

Total  number  of  completed  cases 120 

Number  of  letters  written  during  the  month 218 

Amount  represented  by  the  ninety-six  complet- 
ed cases $5,907.58 

This  is  an  average  of  nejarly  five  months' 
pay  for  every  successful  case. 

You  will  perceive  that  the  completed 
cases  are  in  excess  of  the  number  of  cases 
taken.  The. present  being  a  non-muster 
month,  I  have  taken  less  ne^w  cases  than  I 
otherwise  should,  and  devoted  my  time  to 
a  large  number  of  complicated  cases  lying 
over  from  last  month.  The  result  is  that 
we  now  have  a  less  number  of  uncompleted 
cases  on  hand  than  we  have  had  at  the 
writing  of  any  previous  report,  being  now 
only  fifty-four  in  number. 

The  work  of  the  past  month  has  been 
of  a  more  complicated  character  than  any 
previous  one.  Many  of  the  hospitals  in 
Washington  have  arrangements  with  the 
Pay  Department  for  fixing  up  the  accounts 
of  the  men,  and  as  a  consequence  our  ser- 
vices are  not  needed,  except  in  such  cases 
as  are  not  easily  traced  on  the  regiment 
rolls,  or  which  require  evidence  which  is 
not  on  file  at  the  Pay  Department.  It  is 
the  usual  custom  of  the  Paymaster  Gene- 
rals Office  to  refer  cases  of  this  character 
to  this  office. 

We  have  had  quite  a  large  number  of 
cases  the  past  month  where  the  men  were 
charged  wrongfully  with  "desertion,"  and 
have  succeeded  in  most  instances  in  get- 
ting the  charge  removed,  and  in  securing 
the  men  their  rightful  dues.  One  man  of 
this  class  I  secured  twenty  months'  back  pay 
for,  after  he  had  been  to  a  great  amount  of 
trouble  to  get  it  through  other  sources,  with- 
out success.  Have  had  several  cases  where 
the  men  had  18  months  due,  aU  of  wholn 
were  wrongfully  charged  with  desertion. 

To  one  unacquainted  with  the  manner 
in  which  the  accounts  of  the  Government 
are  kept,  it  seems  strange  that  men  who 
are  serving  their  country  for  the  pittance 
of  $13.00  per  month,  should  be  compelled 
to  wait  so  long  for  their  pay. 

The  fact  is  not  to  be  disguised  that  this 
state  of  affairs  is  often  the  result  of  the  ig- 
norance or  indifference  of  officers,  who  are 
paid,  and  weU  paid,  for  attending  to  this 


The  Sanitary,  Commission  Bulletin. 


429 


business.  A  short  time  ago  a  Paymaster 
showed  me  a  company  roll  bearing  sixty- 
seven  names.  Out  of  that  sixty-seven  only 
four  could  be  paid,  the  other  sixty-three 
being  incorrectly  mustered  by  the  com- 
manding officer.  These  men  must  now 
■wait  two  months .  longer,  not  only  for  the 
last  two  months'  pay  due,  but  also  for  all 
that  was  previously  due,  and  the  next  mus- 
ter may  find  them  in  as  bad  condition  as 
they  now  are.  It  frequently  happens  that 
a  man  is  tiiken  prisoner,  and  on  his  next 
subsequent  rolls  charged  with  desertiqn, 
which  has  the  efifect  of  stopping  all  pay 
that  is  duo  or  that  may  become  due,  till 
the  charge  is  removed. 

Not  one  soldier  in  a  thousand  is  acquaint- 
ed with  the  method  of  removal,  and  conse-  ^ 
quently  many  innocent  men  suffer  in  their 
reputation,  as  well  as  lose  their  pay;  for, 
according  to  military  law,  the  charge  of  de- 
sertion is  prima  facie  evidence  that  the  man 
did  desert. 

The  preliminary  steps  have  been  taken 
for  extend,ing  this  work  to  Baltimore  and 
Philadelphia,  and  I  would  suggest  that 
New  York  be  included  in  this  arrangement. 
There  has  been  no  way  heretofore  for  men 
without  description  Usts  to  get  their  back 
pay,  if  they  have  been  oiitside  of  Washing- 
ton. The  new  arrangement  will  be  a  great 
advantage  to  this  class  of  men. 

The  bulk  of  the  work  will  have  to  be  done 
through  this  office.  AU  that  is  required  for 
cities  outside  of  Washington,  is  some  one 
to  look  up  the  cases  at  the  hospitals,  which 
is  comparatively  little  work. '  Mr.  Ashman, 
of  Phitodelphia,  has  sent  us  on  some  cases, 
and  promises  to  send  more  soon.  I  went  to 
Baltimore  yesterday,  to  make  the  arrange- 
ments for  starting  the  work  in  that  city. 

Saw  Dr.  Bliss,  the  surgeon  in  charge  of 
the  Camden  Streeit  Hospital;  also.  Rev.  Mr. 
Bower,  the  chaplain.  They  seemed  willing 
to  do  every  thing  in  their  power  to  co-ope- 
rate in  the  work.  I  find  that  nearly  all  the 
men  have  description  lists,  and  that  they 
are  mustered  on  there  without  any  further 
evidence;  therefore  the  number  who  will 
require  assistance  there  wiE  be  smaller  than 
here,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  pa- 
tients. 


KESULTS  OF  THE  EAIB. 
I  take  the  liberty  of  sending  to  you  for  pub- 
Ucation  in  your  journal  the  follqwing: 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Ladies'  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Metropolitan  Fair,  held  May  13, 
1864,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  John  H.  Gourlie,  Chairman  of 
the  Finance  Committee  of  the  Metropolitan  Fair, 
be  requested  to  place  one  million  doUars  in  the 
hands  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. I  • 
By  order  of  the  Board. 

(Signed,)  CAiHAimraiC.  Hunt. 


In  accordance  Vith  the  above  resolution,  I 
liave  handed  over  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer  of  the  United  States  Sanitaiy  Com- 
mission, the  above-named  sum  of  one  miUion 
dollars.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  his  receipt 
for  the  same: 

,  New  Yoek,  May  17, 1864. 

Received  from  John  I|.  Gomlie,  Chairman  of 
the  Finance   Committee   of  the  Metropolitan 
Fair,  one  million  dollars,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
United  btates  Sanitary  Commission. 
(Signed,) 

Geobge  T.  Stbong,. 
$1,000,000.  Treasv/rer  of  Vie  Sanitary  Commission. 

I  take  the  liberty  of  stating,  for  public  infor- 
mation, that  the  above-named  amount  is  the 
firsi  instalment  of  the  results  of  the  Metropolitan 
Fair.  Its  financial  affairs  cannot  be  completely' 
closed  for  some  time  to  come^  as  contributions 
known  to  have  been  made  have  not  yet  been 
sent  into  the  Treasurer's  Department;  besides, 
there  are  other  contributions,  still  on  their  way 
from  Europe,  (a  cargo  of  coal,  valued  at  $12,500, 
the  generous  gift  of  Geo.  ElUott,  of  Liverpool,) 
and  paintings,  and  works  of  art,'  still  xmsold, 
the  probable  value  of  which  is  $20,000. 

A  detailed  statement  of  the  receipts  and  dis- 
bursements will  be  made  as  soon  as  practica- 
ble. 

I  congratulate  the  public  on  the  noble  results 
of  their  generous  contributions  to  the  Metro- 
pohtan  Fair. 

The  receipts  over  and  above  all  expenses  will 
not,  I  venture  to  say,  fall  far  short  of  $1,100,000; 
still,  all  sums  over  one  million  at  present  can 
only  be  roughly  estimated. 

A  committee  are  now  engaged  in  examining 
the  accounts  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and 
I  trust  that  their  report  will  be  satisfactory  to 
the  public. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
* 
John  H.  Goukmb, 
Chairman  Fi/na/nce  CoTnmittee,  Metropolita/n  Fair. 
TS^w  YoKK,  May  11,  1861. 


GENERAL  SURVEY   OF   OPERATIONS  IN 
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST. 
Washihgtoh,  D.  C,  May  1st,  18&L 

DB.  J.  EOSTEXt  jENKniTB,  ' 

General  Secretary,  U.  S.  San.  Com.: 

SiB — ^I  submit,  as  Associate  Secretary  for 
the  East,  the  following  report.  It  embraces 
the  time  from  January  1st  to  present  date. 

The  monthly  reports  sent  to  you,  with 
the  frequent  letters  forwarded,  have  already 
furnished'  to  you  all  the  detail  of  what  I 


430 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


now  simply  present  as  a  summary  of  the 
whole. 

During  these  four  months  there  has  been 
no  essential  change  in  the  methods  adopted, 
the  character  of  the  demands,  the  ability 
to  meet  all  claims,  and  the  working  force 
itself.  •• 

There  has  been  a  constant  tendency  to 
enlargement,  both  in  the  Field  Belief  Corps 
and  in  the  Special  Relief  Department. 

At  Washington  and  vicinity,  the  long 
existing  systematic  provision  for  rendering 
aid  to  general  and  regimental  hospitals  has 
continued.  There  has  in  that  section  been 
no  important  movements  in  the  field.  Here, 
however,  as  elsewhere*,  large  provision  has 
'  been  made  to  meet  the  demands  which  may 
arise  from  great  battles.  (Accompanying 
are  papers  of  stock  with  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, stock  sent  to  Norfolk,  stock  sent  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  stock  in  storehouse  at 
Washington  and  on  the  way,  as  by  invoice.) 
Accompanying,  also,  is  report  of  Dr. 
Steiner,  Chief  Inspector  of  Army  of  Poto- 
mac, covering  the  months  of  January,  Feb- 
ruary, and  March. 

Thus,  at  Washington;  at  Newbem,  N.  C. ; 
at  Olustee,  Florida;  in  Texas,  and  at  Grand 
Bcore,  Louisiana,  during  this  same  period, 
the  Commission  has  had  large  opportunity 
to  show  its  preparation  to  meet  urgent 
needs,  and  its  ability  to  render  efficient 
help  in  emergencies. 

In  each  instance  its  preparations  were 
larger  than  the  needs,  and  its  help  followed 
close  upon  the  emergencies. 

You  have  herewith,  or  previously  for- 
warded to  you,  the  reports  from  these 
several  s^ct^ons. 

These  reports  indicate,  also,  efficiency 
and  earnest  zeal  on  the  part  of  all  the 
agents  of  the  Commission  employed  in  their 
respective  fields;  and  their  labors  have  been 
•recognized  and  appreciated  by  the  officers 
and  military  authorities,  as  weU  as  by  the 
men  receiving  "  aid  and  comfort." 

The  amounts  of  supplies  with  the  army; 
value  of  the  same;  issues  to  the  depots  at 
Washington,  Newbem,  Hilton  Head,  (from 
which  the  Florida  supplies  were  sent,)  and 
New  Orleans,  for  the  quarter  ending  April 
1st,  accompany  this.  Marked  valuation, 
$117,683.50. 
At  Newbern,  N.  C,  at  the  present  time, 


preparation  is  made,  by  two  additional  re- 
lief agents  recently  sent,  and  a  large  invoice 
of  stores,  to  meet  the  probably  large  de- 
ipands  which  may  soon  arise  there. 

At  Hilton  Head  and  Beaijfort,  the  pres- 
ent demand  is  comparatively  limited,  with 
diminished  forces. 

At  New  Orleans  and  beyond,  the  working 
force  of  the  Commission  has  been  increased 
by  efficient  men,  some  sent  from  the  North, 
some  found  there;  and  stores  are  constantly 
forwarded  by  almost  every  steamer.  The 
right  granted  to  the  Chief  Inspector  to 
purchase  in  New  Orleans,  when  necessary 
to  meet  emergencies,  (a  right  which  he  has 
judiciously  exercised,)  adds  to  the  efficiency 
and  real  sto^k  there  of  the  Commission. 

Homes  or  Lodges  have  flowed  the  army 
in  Louisiana  and  Texas  whenever  it  has 
moved,  or  else  beep  ready  to  meet  return- 
ing men  sick  or  discharged.  These  Lodges 
have  aU  done  a  valuable  work.  When  the 
army  left  a  given  region,  rendering  a  Lodge 
further  unnecessary  at  that  point,  the  same 
men  and  material  constituting  this  station 
have  been  moved  on  and  planted  else- 
where, as  the  need  required. 

The  permanent  Home  at  New  Orleans  is 
doing  a  very  large  and  very  beneficent 
work.  It  has  every  aid  from  the  mili- 
tary authorities  there  which  can  be  asked 
for.     Reports  submitted. 

The  "Pension  and  Claim  Agency"  at 
New  Orleans  is  full  of  work,  and  recogniz- 
ed by  officers  and  public  men  as  meeting  a 
large  and  long- existing  need. 

The  agents  in  charge  have  proved  com- 
petent and  faithful.     Reports  siibmitted. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  establish- 
ing a  Home  at  Hilton  Head,  (this  special 
relief  work  hitherto  having  been  performed 
under  great  disadvantages,)  but  the  recent 
removal  of  heavy  forces  from  the  depart- 
ment has  deferred  for  the  present  the  exe- 
cution of  the  plan. 

At  Washington,  Alexandria,  Annapolis, 
Convalescent  Camp,  Camp  Parole,  Balti- 
more, Philadelphia,  and  Boston,  the  spe- 
cial relief  work  of  the  Commission  has  con- 
tinued much  as  heretofore,  with  these  ex- 
ceptions, viz. : 

Alexaudbia. 

At  Alexandria  increasing  demands  have 
called  for  increased  accommodations. 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


431 


Camp  Paeolb. 
At  Camp  Parole  new  portable  houses 
have  been  put  up  for  the  relief  agents  and 
for  a  storehouse.  In  connection  with  this 
station  we  have  also  a  carpenter's  shop,  with 
suitable  tools,  where  many  of  the  invalids 
find  amusement  and  occupation.  A  garden 
is  also  started  here. 

PhILADEI/PHIA. 

At  Philadelphia  the  special  reKef  work 
13  under  Col.  Soert,  (formerly  relief  agent 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,)  who  has  been 
appointed  and  whose  labors  are  wisely  di- 
rected by  the  Philadelphia  Branch.  Col. 
Soert,  as  I  understand,  is  doing  a  very  val- 
uable work — similar  in  general  terms  to 
the  work  undertaken  at  Lodge  No.  4  in 
Washington. 

Boston. 

Prom  Boston  a  report  has  been  receiv- 
ed, which-  is  herewith  submitted.  It  shows 
continued  earnestness,  wise  and  efficient 
action,  joined  to  the  most  carefully  elabo- 
rated and  perfect  system,  which  has  yet 
been  seen  in  any  section  of  the  Commis- 
sion's work. 

POETLAND,  Me. 

A  Home  or  Lodge  has  been  established 
at  Portland,.  Me.,  where  none  existed  be- 
fore.   It  does  good  service. 

Portsmouth,  Va. 

A  new  Lodge  has  also  been  opened  with- 
in three  months  at  Portsmouth,  Va.,  with 
large  facilities  and  corresponding  opportu- 
nities for  usefulness.     Report  appended. 

The  "Agency  for Presh  Hospital  Supply 
Purchases  "  has  been  discontinued.  Dur- 
ing its  continuance,  the  advantages  which 
had  been  secured  to  the  Hospitals  were 
evident  and  real;  The  Medical  Director 
estimated  that  ten  per  cent,  of  their  entire 
Hospital  IPuiid  had  been  saved  to  the  Hos- 
pitals by  this  Agency. 

"Canvassing  Agents." 

Of  Canvassing  Agents,  there  are  in  the 
East,  as  follows: 

Dr.  Parish,  with  a  wide  field. 

Dr.  Van  Ingen,  in  Northern  New  York. 

Mr.  Hadly,  in  Maine. 

Eev.  Mr.  Tuttle,  in  New  Jersey. 

Mr.  Eathburri,  in  Western  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Ball,  in  Massachusetts.  '    « 

Major  Bush,  in  Western  New  York. 


Besides  these,  there  are  sojme  persons, 
mostly  women,  employed  by  the  various 
"  Branch  Societies,"  as  at  Philadelphia  and 
Boston. 

The  theory  is,  for  these  agents  above 
named,  to  receive  their  appointment  and 
assignment  to  duty  from  this  office,  but 
their  special  instructions  from  the  mana- 
gers of  that  branch  of  the  Commission 
whose  supervision  covers  the  special  field 
to  which  the  Agent  is  assigned.-  ' 

It  is  believed  that  the  work  of  these 
Agents  has  been  productive  of  good,  Botli 
in  imparting  information  and  correcting 
prejudices,  and  also  in  stimulating  sup- 
plies. « . 

The  reports  of  Dr.  Parish  and  of  Dr. 
Van  Ingen  accompany  this. 

I  wish  to  suggest  the  importance  of  add- 
ing to  the  Agents  thus  engaged,  and,  per- 
haps, to  .systematize  the  work  more  fuUy, 
by  placing  the  responsibility  of  its  conduct 
upon  one  person,  who^shall  also  be  ^  lec- 
turer, but  whose  duty  it  will  be  to  keep  in- 
formed of  the  condition  and  demands  of 
the  field. 

Yours  respectfully, 

P.  N.  Knapp, 

Associate,  Secretary. 


THE  COMMISSION  ON  THE  EED  EIVEK. 
Dr.    Crane  writes    from    New  Orleans, 
April  21st: 

In  my  letter  to  you  of  the  15th,  I  fur- 
nished you  with  a  general  summary  of  our 
recent  work  up  to  that  date.  We  have  sub- 
sequently continued  our  operations  upon 
pretty  much  the  same  scale. 
"  Five  invoices  of  stores  have  been  sent 
forward  to  Mr.  Mitchell  since  the  15th. 
They  will  average  about  fifty  boxes  and 
barrels  each. 

I  proposed  forwarding  to  you  by  this 
inail  coruplete  lists  of  these  shipments. 
But  copies  are  not  made,  or  if  made,  Can- 
not be  found  this  morning.  We  have  now 
sent  to  the  front  most  of  our  stock  on  hand 
in. this  city.  I  shall  reserve  the  balance, 
issuing  more  sparingly,  particularly  such 
stores  as  cannot  be  replaced,  except  from 
the  North.  Indeed,  I  think  that  the  neces- 
sities resulting  from  the  late  engagements 
have  already,  for  the  most  part,  been  sup- 
plied either  through  the  ordinary  channels, 
or  by  the  recent  efforts  of  the  Commission. 

I  am  happy  in  being  able  to  inform  you, 
that  Dr.  Sheldon,  Acting  Medical  Director 
here,  has  succeeded  finally  in  obtaining  for 


432 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUettn. 


the  Quartefmaster's  Department,  a  few 
thousand  dollars  of  that  hospital  tax  fund, 
which  now  amounts  in  this  Department  to 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  miUion  of  dollars 
— and  of  which,  I  shall  have  something  to 
say  some  day. 

With  this  assistance,  Dr.  S.  has  been  able 
to  make  purchases  of  fruit,  milk,  stimu- 
lants, which  will  probably  obviate  the  ne- 
cessity of  our  purchasing  largely  hereafter, 
especially  as  Dr.  Sheldon,  has  not  only  en- 
gaged heartily  in  this  work,  but  has  exhib- 
ited towards  the  Commission  the  most 
liberal  and  generous  feeling.  ^ 

I  hear  from  the  army  the  most  glowing 
accounts  of  our  good  work.  Stevens  is 
securing  golden  opinions;  Barnard  is  splen- 
did, and  Edgerly  the  subject  of  almost  un- 
measurable  praise.  But  it  is  quite  invidi- 
ous to  mention  a  few  names  when  our  whole 
force  has  worked  most  untiringly,,  and  every 
man  has  tried  at  least  to  do  his  duty. 

In  my  letter  of  the  15th,  I  alluded  to  the 
interest  taken  by  Mayor  Hoyt  in  our  Com- 
mission. 

I  forward  to  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  writ- 
ten to  him  on  the  following  day;  it  may 
prove  of  interest  as  a  part  of  the  history  of 
recent  events. 

Mr.  Baker,  of  the  "Varieties,"  informs 
me  that  the  result  of  the  6enfl^* given  me  in 
our  behalf  on  Monday  evening  last,  was 
much  less  satisfactory  than  he  expected, 
but  that  he  has  succeeded  very  well  with 
the  subscription  list  opened  at  the  office  of 
the  theatre.  He  thinks  that  he  will  be  able 
on  Monday  to  place  in  my  hands  ($2,000) 
two  thousand  dollars,  as  the  result  of  this 
eifort  in  behalf  of  the  Commission. 

I  make  a  requision  on  Mr.  Collins  by  this 
•  mail,  for  a  new  and  large  supply  of  stores. 

When  the  hurry  has  passed,  I  wiU  endea- 
vor to  furnish  Mr.  Knapp  with  some  sort  of 
a  general  sketch  of  our  work. 

Dbpaktmest  of  the  Gvhv,      ) 
New  Obleans,  AprU  10, 1864.  j 
Stephen  Hoit,  Captain  U.  S.  Army, 

Acting  Mayor  of  New  Orleans: 
Deab  Sir — I  am  sorry  that  I  have  been 
unable  to  comply  with  your  request  at  an 
earlier  hour.  I  have  the  pleasure,  however, 
of  now  forwarding  to  you  the  enclosed  list  • 
of  stores  issued  from  the  depot  of  the  U?_S. 
Sanitary  Commission  in  this  city,  and  ship- 
ped to  Alexandria,  for  the  use  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  in  our  armies  during  the 
present  campaign. 

60  Woolen  Shirts, 
100  Canton  Flannel  Shirts, 
220  Cotton  do. 

420' Hospital  do. 

100  pair  Woolen  Drawers; 
217  pail  Canton  M.  Drawers, 
200  pair  Cotton  Drawers, 
817  Woolen  SocOiB, 
112  Wrappers, 
110  pair  Slippers, 
360  Sheets, 


7  kegs  Pickles, 
13  jars       do. 
236  barrels  Vegetables  and 
Pickles, 
16  do.  do. 

2  bbls.  Potatoes, 
6   do.    Cabbage  In  cur- 

rie, 
1  bbl.  Dried  Fruit, 
1  box         do. 
41  cans  Fruit, 


3  bbls.  Dried  Apples, 
32  do.    Crackers, 
100  lbs.  Barley, 
200  do.  Corn  Staiob, 
98  do.  Farina, 
600  do.  Soft  Bread, 
15  do.  Arrow  Boot, 
48  do,  Beefstock, 
3  Sugar-cured  Hams, 
7  boxes  Codfish,  ■ 

1  bbl.  Eggs, 

48  cans  Tomatoes, 
160  lbs.  Chocolate, 

30  do.  Cocoa, 
864  do.  Cond.  Milk, 

2  kegs  Butter,  , 

3  bbls.  White  Sugar, 
■   1  bbl.  Sugar, 

72  boxes  Lemonade, 
30  cases  Lemons, 

1,000  lbs.  Ice, 
12  lbs.  Soap, 
15  do.  Chloroform, 
12  bottles  Chlorate  Soda, 
15     do.     Bed  Pepper, 
62  lbs.  Tobacco  (chew'g,) 
60      do.  (smok'g,) 

1  gross  Pipes, 
}^  Beam  Letter  Paper, 

650  Sheets         do. 

1,250  Envelopes, 
3  bottles  Ink, 

1  gross  Pens, 

2  boxes  Beading'Matter. 

Tin  Basins,  Towels,  Con- 
densed Coffee,  and  many 
other  articles,  of  which  Mr. 
Grant  has  the  list. 


100  Blankets, 

88  Bed  Sacks, 
106  Pillows, 

91  Quilts, 
250  Towels, 
292  Cushions. 

1  bbl.  Cotton  pieces, 

2  bbls.  Lint, 
2  bbls.  Bandages, 

1  bbl  Bags, 
6  bbls.  Lint  and  Bandages. 

25  Flannel  Bandages, 
20  yds.  OU  SUk, 
4  yds.  Rubber  Cloth, 
60  Musquito  Bars, 
10  pieces  Musquito  Netting, 
600  Fans, 
20  Sick  Feeders  (Medicine 

Cups,) 
18  Catheters, 
73  Sponges, 

2  Bed  Pans, 
20  TinElaaius, 
18  Laaitems, 

1  TTrinali 

4  Tin  Buckets, 
1  Water    do. 

124  Tin  Cups, 
20  lbs.  NaSls, 
48  bottles  Brandy, 

5  gallons     do. 
48  bottles  Sheri^, 
64      do.    Whisky^ 

73^  gallons        do. 
24  bottles  Domestic  Wine, 
16  Cases  Claret, 
60  gallons  do. 

3  bbls.  Ale, 
36  battles  Bay  Bumi 

Additional  stores  were  placed  on  the  Lau- 
rel Hill,  to  be  issued  on  the  boat,  by  one  of 
the  agents  well  acquainted  with  the  hospi- 
tal transport  service,  who  wUl  return  with 
the  wounded  she  may  bring;  to  tills  city. 

Thus  much  has  already  been  done.  More 
still  remiins  to  ba  done. 

The  greatest  necessities  wiich  it  is  our 
mission  and  duty  to  meet,  will  probably 
arise  from  a  want  of  sulBoient  hospital 
clothing,  as  also  from  a  want  of  proper 
hospital  food.  • 

Of  clothing,  we  have  now  on  hand  a  very 
gpod  stock,  blankets  and  bed-sacks  except- 
ed, which  we  are  e.xpecting  to  receive  from 
a  sliip  now  many  days  dae. 

Our  supplies  of  hospital  food  and  deli- 
cacies have  been  relatively  smaller;  suffi- 
cient to  meet  ordinai-y  demands,  but  quite 
insufficient  for  an  emergency  like  the  pres- 
ent. 

I,  therefore,  was  compelled  immediately 
I  heard  of  the  necessities  of  our  hospital 
service,  to  make  purchases  in  this  city  of 
some  lemons,  milk,  ice,  &o.,  to  the  amount 
of  seven  hundred  dollars.  Most, of  these 
articles  have  already  been  sent  to  the  front. 

With  reference  to  the  future,  I  intend  to 
repeat  my  recent  purchases,  and  send  for- 
ward sanitary  supplies  on  every  available 
boat,  so  long  as  the  want,  sunering  and 
wretchedness,  consequent  upon  the  late 
engagements  may  continue  to  claim  our  aid- 
and  succor. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  at  the  present 
moment,  to  say  precisely  what  amount  of 
money  it  may  be  necessary  to  expend.  Two 
thousand  dollars  may  be  sufficient — ^it  may 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


433 


not  be ;  no  definite  exact  statements  of  either 
the  number  or  condition  of  the  wounded 
have  as  yet  reached  me. 

I  have  received  several  communications, 
the  last  dated  at  Alexandria,  on  the  13th 
instant,  from  our  agents — six  or  seven  of 
■whom  are  now  either  at  Alexandria,  or  with 
the  army  beyond.  From  these  despatches 
I  infer  that  there  is  little  danger  of  our 
overdoing  for  many  days  to  come — the  sub- 
stance of  them  is,  provide  everything  for 
2,500  wounded  men. 

I  shall,  so  far  as  possible,  make  my  issues 
continuously,  believing  that  any  efforts  we 
may  make,  weU  and  judiciously  sustained, 
are  much  more  likely  to  accomplish  the 
greatest  good,  than  a  hundred  attempts  to 
do  every  thing  at  once.  I  have  made  ar- 
rangements for  sending  a  ton  of  ice  to  the 
front  every  day,  if  possible. 

I  shall  have  a  large  shipment  ready  for 
the  next  boat,  which  will  leave  to-morrow 
or  next  day — a  trusty  agent  will  go  with 
them. 

Irf  conclusion,  I  can  only  return  to  you, 
sir,  in  behalf  of  tlje  Commission,  my  most 
sincere  thanks  for  the  aid  which  you  have  so 
promptly  and  so  generously  extended  to 
me. 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 
Edwaud  a.  Cbane, 

Agent  of  the  U.  8.  San.  Com., 

Department  of  the  Gvlf. 

Mr.  Barnard  writes  from  Alexandria, 
April  13: 

My  visit  to  the  army  has  been  attended 
with  much  to  depress  and  distress  the  mind 
of  one  anxious  for  his  country's  welfare. 

Nothing  of  moment  transpired  on  the 
way  up.  We  expected,  and  were  somewhat 
disappointed  in  not  meeting  with  some  op- 
position from  the  Bushwaokers,  at  the  many 
dark  and  woody  points  that  favored  an  am- 
bush. 

We  felt  prepared  for  them,  as  we  had  a 
full  complement  of  ready-loaded  muskets, 
besides  our  guard.  There  were  on  board 
some  twenty  sutlers  and  their  clerks,  all 
ready  to  show  their  markmanship.  The 
monotony  was  broken  by  shooting  at  the 
numerous  alligators  that  line  the  banks, 
many  of  them  being  of  vast  size. 

On  Monday  morning,  the  hospital  boat. 
Laurel  HiU,  was  ordered  'to  prepare  to  re- 
ceive the  wounded.  I  delivered  a  portion 
of  the  sanitary  stores  taken  up  to  Mr. 
Stevens,  reserving  the  balanpe  for  use  on 
the  Laurel  Hill.  I  went  on  shore,  and 
assisted  Mr.  Stevens  to  distribute  the  sup- 
plies to  the  different  hospitals;  visited  his 
camp;  was  shown  under  what  disadvan- 
tages he  labored  in  transporting  goods  to 
the  army. 

■  Mr.  Stevens  is  the  right  man  in  the  right 
nlanA      TTft  eniova  the   confidence  nf  *>"» 


oflBloers,  and  receives  every  attention,  and 
particularly  from  the  quartermaster.  He 
could  afford  much  more  relief  had  he  the 
supplies  necessary. 

About  ten  o'clock,  the  mournful  ambu- 
lances, with  their  living,  diing  contents,, 
darkened  the  road  leading  to  the  boat,  who 
were  transferred,  some  in  stretchers;  others 
hopping  on  one  foot,  sustained  by  two 
men ;  tMs  one  carried  in  the  arms  of  friends; 
that  one  hobbling,  along  on  two  sticks, 
picked  up  for  the  occasion,  that  answered 
for  crutches.  Some  walked  on  board,  with- 
out help,  with  mutilated  arms,  hands,  head, 
neck,  nose,  ear,  mouth,  breast  and  eye. 

The  temporary  berths  in  the  middle  of 
the  hall  were  first  flUed,  then  the  state 
rooms,  then  the  floors,  afterwards  the  spa- 
ces on  the  outside  of  the*cabin — the  ladies' 
cabin  was  occupied  for  General  Eemson 
and  another  wounded  officer — ^the  engine- 
room  was  next  called  into  requisition;  thus 
the  entire  gua,rds,  the  wood  racks,  cock- 
lofts, the  spaces  under  the  wheel-houses, 
and  finally  the  Texas  haU  and  sky-Ught 
decks  were  required  to  hold  the  500  man- 
gled beings  who  were  seeking  to  escape 
death's  door,  by  a  passage  on  the  Laurel 
HiU — numbers  of  whom  were  without  blan- 
ket, without  coat,  without  baggage,  and 
almost  sans  culottes,  sans  every  thing,  hav- 
ing left  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  rebels. 
WeU,  here  was  a  field  open  for  prompt  ac- 
tion— "  hie  opus  est,  hie  labor  " — only  three 
or  four  surgeons  on  board,  minus  surgical 
instruments,  medical  chests,  or  in  fact,  any 
appliances  to  make  the  wounded  comforta- 
ble— off  coat  and  at  it,  was  the  word.  But 
who  can  describe  the  sufferings  of  these 
poor  soldiers,  most  of  whom  had  been 
three  days  without  nourishment  or  atten- 
tion, riding  over  a  rough  road  of  35  miles. 

We  put  to  their  parched  lips  cups  of 
milk  punch,  wine  and  water,  as  their  case 
demanded,  and  oh,  what  heart-felt  thanks 
would  greet  our  ears:  "God  bless  you, 'J 
" That  is  worth  $5,"  "How  good  and  kind 
you  are."  When  told  that  their  friends  at 
home  had  furnished  these  things,  tears 
would  weU  up,  their  countenance  brighten, 
and  expressions  of  gratitude  would  fall 
from  their  quivering  lips.  One  man  said: 
"Little  did  I  think  that  when  I  and  wife 
were  donating  our  mite  in  Ashtabula,  Ohio, 
that  I  should  be  one  of  the  recipients; 
God  bless  the  folks  at  home." 

WhUe  the  nurses  and  surgeons  were 
dressing  their  wounds,  we  would  adminis- 
ter hot  coffee,  tea  and  chocolate,  with  a 
Boston  cracker,  and  with  what  relish  would 
they  partake !  Some  whose  teeth  were  shot 
out  were  served  with  gruels  and  soups. 
Pickles  and  vinegar  were  freely  distributed; 
a  smaU  piece  of  soap  was  handed  with  a 
•  clean  towel  to  him  who  was  able  to  help 
himselfp  this  man  had  a  pair  of  drawers, 
that   one   a   clean    shirt   to   renlanp.    t/hoiv 


434 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


bloody  ones;  a  sweet  smelling  sheet  was 
placed  under  this,  a  soft  piUow  or  cushion 
Tinder  that;  a  warm  clean  blanket  spread 
OYcr  their  persons  appeared  to  give  them 
comfort,  a  comb  assisted  their  toilet,  a  book 
or  paper  or  pamphlet  was  given  tiiem  to 
read,  to  begiule  the  lonesome  hour;  some 
asked  for  pen  and  paper  to  address  a  hasty 
line  home,  informing  the  folks  that  they 
were  among  the  living.  ^ 

Many  of  the  officers,  coming  on  board 
all  worn  down  and  covered  with  dust,  after 
receiving  a  generous  cup  from  the  Sanitary, 
would  extol  in  language  not  to  be  misun- 
derstood the  members  and  friends  of  our 
institution. 

Your  agent  here,  Mr.  Edward  Mitchell, 
stands  head  and  shoulders  over  aJl,  posses- 
sing the  esteem  and  good  will  of  the  army 
and  people.  He  chafes  under  a  curb  bit; 
he  wants  to  administer  free  waters  to  all 
the  thirsty  of  the  army. 

Mr.  Mitchell  writes  from  the  same  place 
five  days  later: 

Tours  of  13th  and  15th  received,  also 
stores  in  generous  quantities,  and  with 
prompt  dispatch,  by  the  Hattie  GUmore, 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Foote,  by  the  Laurel  HUl, 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Edgerly,  and  just  now  by^ 
Chateau,  in  charge  of  Philip.  I  thank 
you  for  responding  as  you  have  done  so 
promptly  to  my  requests  for  stores.  Edg- 
erly tells  me  you  directed  him  to  return 
with  the  Laurel  Hill. 

Most  of  the  stores  will  be  needed,  and 
will  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  transportation 
can  be  procured  to  the  front,  with  Mr. 
Foote  in  charge,  to  report  to  Iilr.  Stevens. 
Mr.  Barnard  I  sent  up  on  Saturday  with 
all  but  a  scanty  supply  of  stores  I  retained 
here,  in  case  of  emei-gency;  he  will  return 
as  soon  as  possible.  Dr.  Alexander  will 
tell  you  how  opportune  was  the  arrival 
there  of  our  little  supply  and  our  agents; 
the  army  and  its  officials  are  grateful  in- 
deed for  what  we  have  done  and  are  doing. 
To-day  seventy-five  men  have  been  given 
dean  underclothes;  some  came  in  with  no 
socks,  others  no  shirts,  and  yet  others  with 
no  drawers  on;  the  number  at  the  counter 
threaten  to  break  the  bank  'before  we  are 
an  hour  older.  No  stores  will  come  amiss 
%ere  for  a  week  to  come  at  least. 

I  think  that  a  "Best"  of  some  kind  may 
become  desirable  in  case  of  an  advance  at 
or  beyond  Grand  Ecore.  Iwould  put  Edg-i 
erly  in  charge,  and  let  Mr.  Foote  report  to 
Stevens  in  the  field.  Mr.  Stevens  I  have 
not  heard  from  since  he  left  on  the  flag  of 
truce  expedition. 

Mr.  Edgerley  says: 

Agreeable  to  your  instructions,  I,  on  Fri- 
day the  15th  instaut,  with  stores  as  per  in- 
voice, left  New  Orleans  on  the  hospital 
transport  Laurel  Hill,  for  Alexandria,  at 


which  point  we  arrived  on  the  morning  of 
the  17th.  After  delivering  to  Mr.  Reynolds 
the  stores  designed  for  the  Home,  and  re- 
serving a  few  supplies  for  the  use  of  the 
sick  and  wounded  on  the  Laurel  Hill,  I,  at 
Mr.  Mitchell's  request,  turned  over  to  him 
the  balance  of  the  stores  in  my  charge.  Af- 
ter receiving  on  board  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  soldiers,  sick  and  wounded,  we, 
the  same  evening,  left  Alexandria  for  this 
city.  Owing  to  the  energy  of  Dr.  McClel- 
lan.  Surgeon  in  charge,  the  Laurel  HUl  had 
been  well  fitted  out  with  bunks,  mattresses, 
ratioDS,  cooking  arrangements,  &c.,  which, 
with  the  addition  of  Sanitary  stores,  fur- 
nished by  the  Commission,  rendered  the 
condition  of  patients  on  boaid,  very  com- 
fortable, compared  with  that  of  those  first 
brought  to  this  city  from  the  recent  field  of 
action.  As,  has  always  been  the  case  in 
every  transport  filled  with  sick  and  wound- 
ed, we  found  an  abundant  opportunity  to 
lend  a  helping  hand,  which  we  endeavored 
to  do  by  the  way  of  dressing  wounds,  pre- 
paring cooling  drinks,  and  supplying  many 
of  the  destitute  with  comfortable  under 
clothing,  for  which  more  than  one  disabled 
soldier,  with  moistened  eyes  and  faltering 
voice  said:  "God  bless  the  dear  ladies  at 
home,  and  the  Sanitary  Commission."  Ar- 
riving in  this  city  at  an  early  hour  this 
morning,  the  wounded  men  were  promptly 
removed  to  the  hospital,  and  the  Iiaurel 
HUl,  after  undergoing  a  thorough  cleansing, 
will  return  to  .Mexandria  for  another  load 
of  our  wounded  veterans. 


THE  COMMISSION  AND  THE  STTEGEONS. 

Camp  nsab  Bbakdt  Statioit,  Va.,  \ 
AprO,  6<A,  1861.        ) 
Db.  Lewis  H.  STEimsB, 

Chief  Inspedor,  Sanitary  Commission^ 

Army  of  the  Fatomac: 

Snt — My  attention  has  been  attracted  by 
an  article  in  the  New  York  jEvening  Post  of 
the  1st  inst.,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  cer- 
tain general  officers  of  this  army  "  do  not 
acknowledge  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has  rendered  any  important  service"  in  this 
army. 

I  regret  much  to  see  such  an  article  pub- 
lished in  an  influential  paper,  as  it  does 
gross  injustice  to  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  has  rendered  incalculable  service  to 
this  army;  and  any  thing  done  to  weaken 
the  hands  of  its  friends,  is  an  injury  to  the 
cause  of  humanity, 

I  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at 
Harrison's  Landing  in  July,  1862,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present,  have  seen  food, 
clothing  and  delicacies,  that  could  not 
otherwise  be  obtained,  distributed  liberally 
and  impartially  to  wounded,  sick,  and  en- 
feebled soldiers;  and,  to  my  certain  know- 
ledge, much  suffering  has  been  alleviated 
and  prevented  by  the  forethought  and  enr 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiUdin. 


435 


ergy  of  the  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Cornmis- 
sion,  in  having  constantly  on  hand,  and 
accessible,  such  supplies  as  were  most 
needed. 

I  have  drawn,  from  the  storehouses  of 
the  Commission  in  the  army,  supplies  for 
several  different  regiments  and  hospitals 
during  that  time,  and  have  always  found 
the  agents  of  the  Commission  in  possession 
of  such  supplies  as  were  most  needed,  and 
ready  to  distribute  them  to  the  suffering, 
whether  oflScers  or  enlisted  men. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
J.  N.  Fbebman, 

Surgeon  IMth  N.  Y.  Infantry. 

Camf  Uth  Eegt.,  N.  J.  Vols., 

16X  Bbiq.,  3d  Div.,  6th  C.  A.  P., 
April  m,  1861. 
X>B.  Lewis  H.  Stedtsb; 

Dbab  Sib— Having  had  my  attention 
called  to  an  article  in  the  New  York 
Evening  Post  of  April  1st,  1864,  regarding 
the  efficiency  of  the  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, I  beg  to  state,  that  during  the 
marches  the  past  summer,  when  it  has  been 
very  difficult,  or  even  impossible,  to  obtain 
sanitary  stores  for  the  sick  in  ambulance 
trains,  or  even  in  hospitals,  when  estab- 
lished, I  have  never  failed  to  obtain  such 
stores  as  required  by  calling  upon  the  Com- 
mission. Their  supplies,  always  keeping 
with  the  train,  were  ever  at  hand.  I  wiU 
also  state,  that  on  several  occasions  during 
the  past  winter,.  I  have  called  upon  Mr.  8. 
M.  Blazier,  Sanitary  Agent,  3d  Corps,  for 
such  articles  as  were  required  in  our  regi- 
mental hospital,  and  could  npt  be  obtained 
elsewhere,  and  have  been  promptly  sup- 
plied. 

Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  S.  MAKTm, 

Surgemlithlf.  J.  K 

138th  Beot.,  Pensa.  VoIiS.,  .) 

2d  Bbiq.,  3d  Div.,  6th  Oobfs,  J 

ith  Mo.  em,  1861.        ] 

Deab  Doctob — Mr.  Blazier  called  upon 
me  this  morning,  and  exhibited  an  extract 
from  a  New  York-  paper,  which,  in  effect, 
stated  that  several  of  the  prominent  gen- 
erals of  this  army  have  declared  the  Com- 
mission of  no  "  benefit  in  their  depart- 
ments," &c.  What  may  have  been  the 
ground  for  this  declaration,  of  course  I 
know  nothing;  but  being  connected  with 
the  department  in  which  the  Commission  is 
mainly  intended  to  operate — i.  e.,  among 
sick  and  wounded — and  having  witnessed 
in  so  many  instances  its  beneficial  opera- 
tions, I  most  cordially  bear  my  testimony 
in  its  favor.  Not  only  have  I  witnessed 
these  good  effects  in  the  field,  but  also  in 
general  hospitals.     The  sick  of  my  own 


} 


from  the  stores  of  the  Commission.  In  an 
enterprise  of  the  magnitude  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  where  its  operations  extend 
over  so  wide  a  field,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  errors  and  irregularities  should  creep 
in;  but  they  are  of  minor  importance,  when 
compared  with  the  great '  good  accom- 
plished. 

I  am,  doctor. 

Your  friend, 

Chablbs  E.  Cabt, 

Surgeon,  138th  Begt.  Penn.  Vols. 
To  Da.  Lewis  H.  Steikeb, 

•mF  Street,  Washington,  D.  O. 

The  following,  also,  will  not  be  out  of 
place  here,  though  not  from  a  Surgeon: 

Headquabxbbs  101th  Dekh a.  Vols,, 

MOESIS  ISLAMD.,  8.  0.,  Noi).  16,  1863. 

Db.  Kabsh, 

Inspecttrr  Sanitary  Commission. 

Snt — I  feel  jt  a  duty  as  well  as  a  pleasure, 
to  make  some  acknowledgment  for  the  many 
favors  received  from  your  truly  benevolent 
Commission,  by  the  men  of  my  command, 
during  the  operations  against  Charleston. 
Since  our  arrival  on  Morris  Island,  in  Au- 
gust, the  men  of  my  command  have  been 
on  duty  almost  continuously  of  the  most 
hazardous  character.  The  supply  of  vege- 
tables received  from  the  Commissary  was 
totally  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands. 
Your  Commission  has  kindly  supplied  to 
meet  the  deficiencies.  We  have  been  sup- 
plied almost  daily  with  ice,  and  upon  the 
return  of  the  men  from  duty  in  the  trenches, 
as  they  clustered  around  the  barrel  for 
their  cups  of  ice  water,  the  feeling  of  all 
was,  God  bless  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Trusting  that  you  may  stiU  go  on  with  your 
work,  and  that  the  men  in  other  Depart- 
ments of  the  Army  may  receive  like  ad- 


I  remain,  &c.. 


Edwabd  L.  Booebs, 

Maj .lOitK  Pmna.  ToJs., 

CoTnmanding  Regiment. 


PEEPABATIONS  FOR  THE  CAMPAIGN  IN 
^EGINIA 
Dr.  Steiner  reports  May  1st: 
Since  sending  in  my  report  for  the 
quarter  ending  April  1st,  the  operations 
of  my  department  have  been  confined  to 
the  distribution  of  stores,  as  needs  might 
arise,  the  organization  of  corps  to  meet  the 
emergencies  of  the  spring  campaign,  and 
the  collection  of  supplies  at  local  depots  for 
subsequent  use.  In  the  bustle  and  con- 
fusion consequent  upon  preparations  for 
active  work  throughout  this  wide  field;  it 
iWUl  be  impossible  to  furnish  a  very  fuU  r»- 
,port..  What  I  have  to  gi'^e  must  be  mora 
^f  a  sketchy  character  than  in  detail.  I  shall 
mvide  it  into  three' portions,  corresponding, 
with  the  three  districts  composing  the  da* 


436 


The  Sanitcury  Gommission  Bulletin. 


1.  The  Upper  District,  Maj.  Gen.  F.  SigeVs 
command,  from  Cumberland  Eastwards. — 
Our  operations  here  were  commenced  by 
Charles  0.  Harris,  as  stated  in  my  last  re- 
port, on  the  19th  of  March,  and  were  after- 
wards some\?hat  more  fully  organized  un- 
der l!he  direotion'of  Col.  A.  H.  toten,  whose 
previous  position  as  one  of  General  Sigel's 
officers,  gave  him  special  advantages.  The 
fullest  privileges  we  could  ask  were  granted 
by  the  General  commanding,  and  it  was 
hoped  that  the  labors  of  Col.  Poten  would 
continue  of  avail  to  the  Commission,  but 
the  health  of  his  father,  Maj.  Gen.  Poten, 
of  Hanover,  Germany,  requiring  him  to 
visit  Germany,  he  resigned  his  position,  and 
his  resignation  was  accepted  on  the  16th  of 
April.  Col.  George  A.  Muhleok,  (formerly 
Col.  73d  Pa.  Vol.,)  late  attached  to  the  1st 
Army  Corps,  as  EeUef  Agent,  has  been  ap- 
pointed Superintendent.  Col.  M.,  is,  how- 
ever, now  absent,  in  consejjuenoe  of  sickness 
in  his  family,  and  Mr.  Harris,  the  Acting 
Superintendent. 

The  storehouse  established  at  Harper's 
Ferry  is  located  in  one  of  the  Government 
buildings,  which  was  placed  at  our  disposal 
by  the  Commanding  General,  and  has  been 
kept  pretty  well  supplied  with  stores  from 
Washington.  The  oflScers  of  this  district 
are  exceedingly  courteous,  and  well  dis- 
posed towards  the  Commission.  Every 
facility  has  been  extended  to  make  our 
work  effective  and  useful.  Mr.  Boberts 
is  the  migratory  agent  along  the  rail- 
Toad,  and  will  most  likely  accompany  the 
expedition  of  Gen.  Sigel  to  AVinchester. 
Mr.  Harris  acts  as  Hospital  Visitor  in  the 
region  around  Harper's  Ferry,  where  most 
of  the  hospitals  are  aggregated.  These  gen- 
tlemen have  been  only  assigned  to  duty 
■within  the  last  few  days,  but  have  shown 
an  earnestness  which  gives  me  the  right  to 
expect  good  work  from  them. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  that  Mrs.  Poten, 
having  acted  as  a  volunteer  aid  at  our  depot 
in  the  Ferry  for  some  weeks,  is  anxious  to 
continue  in  that  capacity  during  Col.  Po- 
ten's  absence  from  the  country.  If  arrange- 
ments can  be  made  to  retain  her  services, 
we  shall  do  so. 

2.  The  Middle  District— Arm;/  of  the  Po- 
tomac— Field  Relief  Corps. — Some  slight 
changes  have  been  made  in  this  corps  since 
my  last  report.  Charles  8.  Betts  was  trans- 
ferred on  the  2l8t  of  April  to  the  E.  Va. 
Corps.  Selah  HoweU  was  appointed  Relief 
Agent  on  the  19th  ultimo,  and  William  B. 
Marsh  on  the  26th.  Mr.  Johnson  returned 
to  duty  on  the  20th,  and  resumed  his  posi- 
tion as  Superintendent. 

In  addition  to  their  ordinary  duties  of 
"visiting  regiments,  the  Belief  Agents  have, 
lieen  actively  engaged  in  getting  wagons 
and-  teams  ready  for  the  approaching  cam- 


^r\ntrfY\ 


«1,     n»„i„J..      TT„ 


been  laboring  with  his  usual  zeal  and  fidel- 
ity. Five  wagons,  stout,  strong  and  sub- 
stantial, with  good  fpur-horse  teams,  and 
well  supplied  with  assorted  supplies,  are 
now  with  the  army  on  the  march.  The  two 
superintendants  accompany  them,  and  will 
lend  assistance  wherever  it  may  be  needed 
in  the  work.  Great  care  has  been  taken  to 
make  the  Sanitary  outfit  of  such  a  character 
as  will  enable  the  agents  to  supplement  the 
stores  which  the  Medical  Department  take 
with  them.  The  medical  stores  carried  by 
the  army  in  the  present  campaign  exceed 
by  far  those  carried  in  previous  campaigns. 
These  are  so  liberal  in  the  6th  Corps,  that 
its  Medical  Director,  Dr.  Holman,  dechned 
giving  his  consent  or  permission  for  a  San- 
itary wagon  in  his  hospital  train.  He  claims 
that  he  has  stores  ■  sufficiently  large  to  sup- 
ply five  thousand  men  for  fl,ve  days.  Should 
he  succeed  in  providing  for  the  wants  of 
his  wounded  without  extra  assistance,  he 
will  have  acquired  a  reputation  of  which 
any  Medical  Director  might  be  proud; 
should  he  fail,  the  country  will  not  -be  like- 
ly to  overlook  his  disregard  of  that  assist- 
ance which  was  freely  offered  him.  It  is  weU 
to  add,  that  I  have  been  informed  that  aU 
the  medical  officers  of  the  3d  Division,  6th 
Corps,  have  entered  an  urgent  application, 
approved  by  Gen.  Bicketts,  that  a  Sanitary 
wagon  might  accompany  them. 

The  breaking  up  of  our  station,  familiarly 
caUedthe  "Sheborg,"  by  the  Field  Belief 
Corps,  at  Brandy,  closes  a  four  months  of 
good  honest  work  by  this  Corps, — of  work 
which  has  brought  the  comforts  of  our  stores 
to  hundreds  and  thousands  of  the  sick  and 
suffering;  the  advantages  of  a  lodge  and  rest- 
ing place  to  over  a  thousand  way-worn  and 
exhausted  soldiers  and  their  friends,  and  a 
place  of  resort  for  all  who  wished  help  and 
assistance,  in  addition  to  that  furnished  by 
the  regular  army  supplies.  There  is  a  his- 
toric interest  about  the  old  house,  which 
formed  the  centre  of  our  quarters,  that  wiU 
make  it  of  special  attraction  hereafter  to 
those  who  have  derived  benefit  therefrom, 
as  well  as  to  the  laborers  who  have  faith- 
fully worked  under  directions,  and  with 
stores  issued  from  it. 

With  the  view  of  meeting  the  wants  of  a 
large  battle,  on  the  15th  of  AprU  last  I  pre- 
pared a  list  of  articles  presimied  to  be  neces- 
sary, on  the  basis  of  ten  thousand  wounded. 
I  suggested  that  these  stores  should  be  held 
in  depot,  subject  alone  to  orders  for  the 
coming  exigency.  The  Associate  Secretary, 
with  great  promptness  and  readiness,  for- 
warded a  requisition  for  the  same,  and  I 
am  pleased  to  know  that  we  have  the  ma- 
terials in  the  storehouses  with  which  relief 
can  be  brought  to  the  needy  and  suffering. 
The  only  problem  to  be  solved  is,  "  How 
shall  transportation  be  secured  to  the  point 
wli  nre  the  need  exists  ?"    Should  the  battle 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


437 


tion,  we  have  the  assurance,  freely  given, 
of  the  Provost  Marshal  General  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  that  a  car,  or  oars,  will  be 
placed  at  our  disposal.  Should  the  new- 
base  of  supplies  be  on  the  water,  it  wiQ  be 
absolutely  necessary  that  we. have  a  boat  at 
our  disposal,  so  as  to  aUow  us  independent 
means  of  transportation.  This  subject  de- 
serves the  most  careful  study  and  prompt 
action,  if  the  conclusion  be  arrived  at  to 
procure  a  boat.  It  may  be  well  to  state, 
that  the  indications  now  justify  the  opinion 
that  the  railroad  will  be  deserted.  It  is 
true  that  some  three  hundred  empty  cars 
have  been  sent  to  the  front, — these  may  be 
intended  to  bring  in  to  Washington  the 
wounded  and  prisoners  from  the  first  en- 
gagement, or  to  transport  a  portion  of  a 
corps.  In  any  case,  it  is  evident  that  the 
intention  of  the  military  authorities  is  not 
to  retain  the  wounded  in  the  field,  but  to 
transport  to  Washington  as  speedily  as 
possible. 

Notwithstanding  the  views  contained  in 
the  preceding  paragraph,  I  have  deemed  it 
well  that  a  corps  of  ready  and,  to  a  certain 
extent,  trained  workers  should  be  formed, 
whose  duties  should  be  to  take  charge,  so 
long  as  supplementary  assistance  is  need- 
ed on  any  field,  of  the  sanitary  work.  It  is 
proposed  that  they,  under  a  proper  super- 
intendent, should  subordinate  all  their 
work  to  the  wishes  and  orders  of  medical 
■  officers,  and  their  duties  are  expressly 
stated  to  be  non-interference  with,  but  aid 
to  the  latter  in  affording  relief  and  comfort 
to  the  suffering.  After  due  consultation 
with  the  Associate  Secretary,  and  an  ex- 
pression of  approval,  the  Hon.  Frank  B. 
Pay,  of  Chelsea,  Mass.,  whose  name  has 
almost  been  the  synonyme  for  honest,  con- 
scientious, loving  care  of  our  sick  and 
wounded  in  the  hospitals,  after  all  our  large 
battles  in  the  East,  wa;  appointed.  The 
Auxiliary  Relief  Corps  will  consist  of  some 
voluntgers,  who  have  engaged  to  give  up 
the  comforts  of  home  and  family  for  this 
grand  work  of  charity,  and  twenty-four 
theological  students  from  Princeton  and 
New  York,  who  have  applied  for  position 
in  the  same;  believing  that  it  was  a  duty 
peculiarly  fitting  for  those  who  have  the 
holy  ministry  in  view,  to  administer  to  the 
needy,  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked, 
and  smooth  the  pUlow  for  tlTe  dying. 

Mr.  Fay  is  here  now,  and  has  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  fitting  his  corps  for  the 
field  with  an  alacrity  and  zeal  that  demon- 
strates the  fact  that  he  is  the  man  for  the 
place,  and  his  corps  show  a  spirit  that 
satisfies  us  their  enlistment  in  the  cause 
will  redound  to  the  benefit  of  the  Commis- 
sion and  the  good  of  the  soldiers.  He  is 
meeting  them  at  stated  hours  during  the 
day,  and  imparting,  from  the  rich  stores 
of  his  own  personal  experience,  such  in- 

at.rnnt.iriTis  as  will    diveat  them  nf  +>io  i'mo- 


rance  which  marks  all  new  men  endeavor- 
ing to  act  as  nurses. 

With  these  two  corps,  the  Field  Belief 
Corps — moving  with  the  army,  the  Auxiliary 
Relief  Corps — ready  to  do  work  whenever 
the  emergency  demands  it,  and  as  soon  aa 
the  field  of  its  operations  can  be  reached, 
— with  a  vast  accumulation  of  stores  at  our 
depots  ready  for  use, — with  the  securing  of 
such  transportation  as  may  be  practicable 
or  attainable, — the  Commission  may  safely 
say  it  has  left  no  stone  unturned  to  make 
the  way  open  for  the  full  performance  of 
its  duty.  Whatever  be  the  result,  .the 
Chief  Inspector  feels  that  all  efforts  will 
have  been  made,  as  far  as  human  judgment 
can  aid,  to  be  prepared  for  the  emergency. 
God  grant  us  the  means  of  doing  all  He 
has  put  it  in  our  hearts  to  do  for  our  suf- 
fering soldiers! 

3.  the  Lower  District. — Major  (xeneral  B. 
F.  Butler's  Command. — Mr.  R.  Cecil  Nevin 
has  fitted  himself  for  his  duties  as  relief 
agent,  in  charge  of  the,  department  of 
Norfolk,  with  commendable  alacrity  and 
promptness.  His  reports — dated  April  9, 
16,  23  and  30 — show  an  increasing  fitness 
for,  and  execution  of,  the  duties  assigned 
him.  The  Norfolk  ReUef  Corps  at  present 
consists  of  three  gentlemen. 

The  amount  of  stores  kept  in  stock  here 
has  been  largely  increased  of  late,  in  order 
to  meet  the  wants  of  an  army  which  has 
been  collecting  for  some  time  past  at  or 
near  Yorkto  wn,  on  the  Peninsula.  Finding, 
some  two  weeks  since,  that  it  would  be 
necessary  to  have  a  separate  organization 
with  this  army;  I  proceeded  to  organize  the 
Peninsula  Relief  Corps.  This,  with  various 
changes  and  modifications  required  by  the 
demands  of  this  army,  consists  at  present 
of  ten  gentlemen. 

Some  of  these  are  on  the  field,  and 
the  others  are  on  their  way  thither.  An 
order,  dated  May  4,  separates  this  dis- 
trict from  my  department,  and  plapes  it 
under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  A.  McDonaJd, 
Sanitary  Inspector.  I  part  with  it  with 
great  regret,  as,  under  much  difficulty,  a 
systematic  organization  of  the  Norfolk  work 
had  been  effected  during  the  past  winter, 
and  a  similar  result  was  being  attained  for 
the  Peninsula  Corps;  but  the  selectipn  of 
Dr.  McDonald  as  the  immediate  chief  in- 
spector on  the  ground,  will  ensure  the 
greatest  possible  success  to  the  work  of  the 
Commission,  and  will  enable  him  to  carry 
out  his  own  noble  and  earnest  desire  to  aid 
the  hearts'  desires  of  the  people  of  our  great 
nation. 

Issues  made  by  the  Field  Belief  Corps,  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, during  the  months  of  January,  February  and 
March,  1864  r 


1,041  Bed  Ticks, 
130  Cusliions, 

1,378  Pillows, 

2,492  Pillow  Cases, 
716  Pillow  Ticks, 
1?R  OuUts. 


462  Cotton  Socks,  pairs. 
3,456  Woolen  Socks,  pairs 

324  bottles  Brandy, 
3,609  lbs.  Cond'd  MUk, 
1.200  lbs.  Com  Starch, 

1.29fi  IhH.  Farina,. 


438 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUetin. 


1,388  Sheets, 

402  Spoons, 
2,370  Towels, 

368  Tin  Pans, 
3,092  ■wroolen  Drawers, 
1,162  EandkercMefs, 
1,770  Mittens, 
3,158  Woolen  Shirts, 
1,125  Slippers,  pairs. 


697  bottles  Jellies  &  Pre- 
serves. 

100  lbs.  Salt  Ksh, 

600  lbs.  Sugar. 

486  bot.  Foreign  Wine, 

498  bote.  Wines  &  liq'rs, 
1,864  Heedle  Books, 

154  lbs.  Soap, 
1,600  Bnvelopes. 


Issues  made  from  storehouse  of  IT.  S.  Sanitaiy  Commis- 
sion to  troops  from  Cumberland,  Md.,  eastwards  to 
Monocacy,  during  months  of  January,  February,  and 
March,  1864: 


364  Woolen  Shirts, 
278  Drawers, 
273  Pillows, 
138  lbs.  Chocolate, 
160  lbs.  Com  Starch, 
240  cans  Beef  Stock, 
200  lbs.  Oatmeal, 
231  lbs.  Sugar, 
220  Bedticks, 
116  Blankets, 
170  Cushions, 
299  Pillow  Cases, 
160     "       Ticks, 
629  Towels, 


374  Cotton  Drawers, 
324       "      Shirts, 
142  Slippers, 
286  Woolen  Socks, 

2'5  lbs.  Arrowroot, 
344  Needle  Cases, 
100  Tin  Plates, 

77  Sheets, 

74  cans  Tomatoes, 
2,760  Envelopes, 
108  cans  Milk, 
800  Handkerchief^, 
100  Eye  Shades, 
192  bbls.  Eariua. 


Issues  made  from  storehouse  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  during 
months  of  January,  February,  and  March,  1864: 


307  Woolen  Shirts, 
619       "      Drawers, 
144  bottles  Brandy, 
228  lbs.  Farina, 

88  jars  Jelly, 
120  gallB.  Pickles, 

72  bottles  Jam.  Bum, 
166      "     Wine,  for'n, 
442  lbs.  Sugar, 
250  Bedticks, 
660  PiUow  Cases, 
432  suppers, 
935  Woolen  Socks, 


72  bottles  Bay  Bum, 
100  Quilts, 

69  bottles  Cologne, 
2,376  sheets  Note  Paper, 
197  cans  Beef  Stock, 
300  Tin  Cups, 
386  Sheets, 
2,660  Envelopes, 
240  cans  Milk, 

50  Games, 

12  bottles  Spirits  Camp'r, 
100  Tin  Basins. 


A  variety  of  articles  issued  in  smaller 
quantities  are  omitted  from  the  above  list. 


THE  HOSPITALS  AND  SANITARY  STA- 
TIONS IN  TENNESSEE. 

Dr.  Read  gives  the  following  account  of 
a  tour  of  inspection  lie  has  just  made: 

Soon  after  my  last  report  I  left  Nashville 
for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  different 
posts  of  the  Commission  in  this  depart- 
ment, and  the  hospitals  and  camps  in  their 
vicinity,  that  I  might  learn  the  condition 
of  the  soldiers,  what  Government  is  doing 
to  supply  their  wants,  the  efficiency  of  the 
work  of  the  Commission,  and  what  sup- 
plies are  most  needed  for  present  and  fu- 
ture use. 

I  first  visited  Chattanooga,  where  I  found 
,  our  agents  working  up  to  their  full  strength. 
The  store-room,  in  chaxge  of  M.  D.  Bart- 
lett,  was  clean,  and  all  the  goods  arranged 
in  order.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  kind,  courteous, 
patient,  ready  to  investigate  carefully  every 
caU  for  help,  and  is  eminently  quaUfled  for 
his  place. 

The  Hospital  Visitor  there,  Kev.  Prof. 
Hosford,  is  well  received,  and  is  a  valuable 
member  of  the  Commission. 

Dr.  Hazen,  Special  Relief  Agent  of  the 
Commission,  has  gone  home  on  furlough 
on  account  of  ill-health. 

Mr.  Worth,  the  Transportation  Agent, 
is  sick,  and  wiU  leave  as  soon  as  he  is  able 


to  bear  the  ride  home.  M.  C.  Read,  while 
he  has  an  eye  to  all  parts  of  the  work,  was 
at  the  time  of  my  visit  much  occupied  with 
the  large  hospital  gardens.  Two  hundred 
acres,  including  forty  acres  of  vineyard, 
wiU  soon  be  planted.  This  land  had  to  be 
fenced  and  plowed.  The  seed  and  many 
garden  implements  were  furnished  by  the 
Commission  by  purchase;  but  many  more 
implements  were  obtained  by  order  of 
Gen.  Thomas  from  the  abandoned  farms 
in  the  vicinity,  most  of  which,  within  five 
or  six  miles,  were  visited  for  that  •  pur- 
pose. 

The  land  selected  is  of  excellent  quality, 
and  we  have  reason  to  expect  a  yield  suffi- 
cient to  supply  all  the  wants  of  the  hos- 
pitals in  the  vicinity,  at  a  time  when  vege- 
tables cannot  be  obtained  from  the  North. 

The  hospitals  I  found  in  an  improved 
condition.  Many  of  the  sick  have  been 
removed,  and  several  hospitals  have  been 
broken  up  since  my  last  visit.  The  Gen- 
eral Field  Hospital,  in  charge  of  C.  E. 
Byrne,  Ass't  Surg.  IJ.  S.  A. ,  on  April  5th, 
contained  555  patients,  including  the  small- 
pox ward,  which  had  55.  The  mortality 
had  been  large,  143  deaths  in  March,  in- 
cluding all  cases,  refugees  and  negroes,  as 
well  as  soldiers.  Total  number  of  cases 
treated  was  959.  There  were  white  sol- 
diers remaining  sick  the  last  of  February, 
467 — ^wounded  71;  admitted  during  March, 
sick,  400,  wounded,  21.  Returned  to  du- 
ty, 263;  sent  to  other  hospitals,  128;  fur- 
loughed,  5;  discharged,  2;  died,  78;  re- 
maining sick,  440 — wounded,  43. 

Some  of  the  principal  diseases  were  as 
follows:  small-pox,  30  cases;  varioloid,  19 
— of  these  there  were  13  deaths;  measles, 
76,  and  29  deaths;  inflammation  of  the 
lungs  39,  and  15  deaths.     No  scurvy. 

U.  S.  Colored  Troops — number  treated 
during  March,  105;  returned  to  duty,  19; 
sent  to  other  hospitals,  2;  died,  23;  re- 
mainkig  sick,  51;  wounded,  4. 

Citizen  employees  treated  during  the 
month,  53;  returned  to  duty,  19;  sent  to 
other  hospitals,  19;  died,  6;  remaining,  9. 

No  special  wants,  except  vegetables,  in 
this  hospital,  the  surgeon  having  suppUed 
many  delicacies,  and  many  others  were 
drawn  from  the  Commission. 

Preparations  are  being  made  to  build 
hospitals  on  Lookout  Mountain.  Th.e  Offi- 
cers' Hospital  has  been  removed  there. 
Gen.  Thomas  advised  me  to  make  a  gar- 
den also  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  as  he 
thought  it  would  be  very  convenient,  and 
the  land  could  be  made  to  produce  well  by 
sending  up  fifty  or  a  hundred  loads  of  ma- 
nure. I  mention  this  to  show  that  he  was 
ready  to  give  all  necessary  assistance. 

The  troops  in  the  field  were  in  better 
condition  than  in  January  or  February. 
There  was  less  scurvy,  which  very  many 

SB 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BvUetin. 


439 


tables  received  from  the  Commission.  I 
made  an  effort  to  obtain  the  amount  of 
fresh  vegetables  issued  by  the.  Commissa- 
ries, and,  from  the  statements  received,  I 
judge  that  but  few  rations  have  reached  the 
soldiers  for  the  last  six  months;  not  much 
more,  in  the  aggregate,  than  was  sold  to 
the  ofBcers  of  regiments.  Some  regiments 
had  not  received  one  full  ration  of  vegeta- 
bles since  the  battle  of  Chiokamauga,  ex- 
cept what  had  been  furnished  by  the  Com- 
mission. 

_  The  camps  that  I  visited  were  well  po- 
liced and  the  men  weU.  clothed.  The  14th 
tJ.  S.  Colored  Troops  were  commanded  by 
Col.  Thomas  Morgan.  The  regiment  was 
organized  February,  1864,  and  on  March 
1st  contained  1,000  men,  including  officers. 

Fisher  W.  Aines  is  surgeon.  I  did  not 
see  him;  but  the  colonel  informed  me  that 
the  soldiers  had  all  been  systematically 
vaccinated.  The  camp  was  beautifully  laid 
out,  streets  and  ditches  clean;  everything 
in  as  good  condition  as  any  other  regi- 
ment. Indeed,  the  camp  was  a  model  of 
order  and  neatness,  and  the  black  man,  as 
he  stood  erect,  bearing  the  arms  and  dress- 
ed in  the  uniform  of  our  country,  bore 
witness  to  a  redeemed  manhood. 

Upon  consultation  with  Dr.  Perin,  Med- 
ical Director,  I  telegraphed  our  agent  at 
Bi-idgeport  to  break  up  camp  and  bring 
his  tents  and  all  the  goods  to  Chattanooga, 
which  he  did;  at  the  same  time  it  was 
thought  best  to  continue  the  depot  at  Ste- 
venson. On  my  subsequent  visit  at  Ste- 
venson I  found  everything  in  most  excel- 
lent condition.  Mr.  Wm.  A.  Suthflfe,  the 
agent,  has  not  been  liberally  furnished 
with  goods,  but  had  improved  his  time  in 
attending  to  their  careful  distribution,  and 
preparing  comfortable  quarters,  which  he 
had  accomplished  with  no  expense  and 
very  little  help;  his  accommodations  for 
himself  and  others  show,  to  great  advan- 
tage, how  much  can  be  done  by  ingenuity 
and  industry.  I  visited  with  him  the  bur- 
ial ground,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a 
list  of  the  dead,  but  did  not  succeed  to  any 
great  extent;  if  one  was  kept,  it  was  by  the 
undertaker,  whose  books  were  in  Hunts- 
ville. 

I  sent  to  him  to  obtain  the  list,  which,  if 
obtained,  I  will  forward  to  you  promptly. 
I  found  graves,  fourteen  in  number,  en- 
closed by  a  Hght  railing,  two  of  which  were 
marked  as  foUows:  Joseph  Littlejohn,  Co. 
H,  18th  Ohio,  died  July  7th,  1862,  and 
Isaac  Johnson,  Co.  D,  61st  Ohio,  died  July 
30,  1862.  No  others  were  marked.  These 
were  undoubtedly  with  Gen.  Mitchell  when 
he  made  his  advance  there. 

The  "Home,"  in  Stevenson,  established 
by  Government,  is  in  charge  of  Capt.  Park 
Wheeler,  149th  N.  Y.  During  the  return 
of  troops  to  and  from  their  homes,  he  has 
fed  about  1,000  per  day;  lodging  about  300 


each  night,  while  aboutlOO  have  been  com- 
pelled to  sleep  in  the  open  air  without  cov- 
ering. He  has  received  bed-sacks,  com- 
forts, candlesticks,  sconces,  and  other  arti- 
cles of  furniture  from  the  Commission,  as 
well  as  a  liberal  share  of  vegetables  to  feed 
his  men.  He  wants  several  other  articles, 
which  I  informed  him  would  be  furnished 
on  a  proper  order. 

Promising  Mr.  Sutliffe  a  more  liberal 
supply  of  stores,  I  went  on  to  Huntsville. 
There  I  found  btit  one  General  Hospital,  in 
charge  of  J.  H.  Early,  17th  Iowa,  with  one 
assistant,  and  no  lack  of  caoks  and  nurses. 
There  were  53  patients.  In  the  same  build- 
ing, mentioned  in  my  last  report  as  the 
"  Calhoun  House,"  in  which  one  of  the  pa- 
tients said,  "we  have  a  good  house,  but- 
that  is  all;  nothing  gpod  to  eat,  and  hard 
beds,"  they  now  have  comfprtable  beds,  the 
surgeon  remarking,  "Sanitary  has  given 
to  us  all  the  comforts,  and  without  them  we 
should  be  comfortless." 

The  rooms  of  the  Commission,  in  charge 
of  Mr.  May  and  Mr.  Norton,  are  well  kept, 
but  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  they  had  few 
goods,  and  the  calls  for  help  were  frequent. 

The  Western  Sanitary  Commission  have 
a  room  next  door,  and  seemed  to  have  a 
better  supply,  yet  not  near  enough  for  the 
demand. 

Beturning  to  Nashville,  I  visited  Mur- 
freesboro,  April  18,  where  are  six  hospitals, 
one  for  small-pox,  and  one  for  contrabands, 
containing  760  patients  in  all,  with  the 
prospect  that  the  number  wiU  be  increased 
rather  than  diminished. 

Rev.  Mr.  Kennedy  and  Mr.  Hogue  are 
doing  all  that  could  reasonably  be  asked  of 
any  man;  Mr.  Kennedy  co-operating  with 
the  Post  Chaplain,  with  him  visiting  the 
hospitals,  and  often  preaching  for  him  on 
invitation.  The  hospital  garden  in  Mur- 
freesboro'  is  much  larger  than  last  year, 
and,  under  the  care  of  John  Harmon,  the 
same  gardener,  is  even  in  better  condition. 
It  is  mostly  planted.  Peas,  onions,  lettuce, 
beets,  cabbage,  &c.,  were  up,  and  gave  pro- 
mise of  an  abundant  and  early  harvest. 

The  hospitals  in  Nashville  remain  about 
the  same  as  at  my  last  report.  The  num- 
ber of  sick  is  (April  20)  4,282,  in  charge  of 
Surgeon  Clendennin,  Assistant  Medical  Di- 
rector of  the  department.  The  small-pox 
hospital  is  much  better  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  patients  than  the  old  one,  and 
the  mortality  is  less. 

There  are  ten  hundred  and  forty- three 
vacant  beds.  There  are  also  four  hundred 
and  twenty-seven  contrabands  in  hospital, 
about  one-half  of  them  soldiers. 

The  soldiers  in  the  field  are  well  clothed, 
and  have  no  lack  of  good  food,  except  fresh 
vegetables.  But  few  of  these,  compared 
with  the  demand,  are  yet  furnished;  as 
proof,  I  select  one  letter  from  many  of 
similar  import: 


440 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiMdin. 


.  "Whiteside,  Tenn.,  April  12, 1864. 
Sanitary  Commissiotij  Nashville,  Tenn. : 

Out  command  is  suffering  much  for  want 
of  vegetables.  I  have  made  every  effort 
through  our  commissaries,  and  through 
your  agents  at  Bridgeport  and  Chattanoo- 
ga, to  obtain  them,  but  so  far  in  vain.  We 
report  twenty  to  fifty  cases  of  scurvy  from 
two  regiments  alone,  and  those  cases  are 
on  the  increase.  If  you  ca^  send  me  direct, 
or  through  your  agents,  a  few  barrels  of 
potatoes  and  onions,  you  will  much  oblige. 
Your  ob't  serv't,. 


<  The  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  furnish- 
ing a  supply  is  want  of  transportation,  the 
demand  for  which  is  urgent  from  all  points 
of  the  army,  and  we  are  obtaining  perhaps 
our  fuU  share. 

The  commander  at  Knoxville  telegraphs: 
"  Send  vegetables  in  preference  to  other 
commissary  stores."  Dr.  Perin,  the  faith- 
ful Medical  Director  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland,  promises  to  aid  us  in  procur- 
ing transportation  for  all  we  can  fiu-nish. 
Dr.  Kitto,  who  has  recently  inspected  the 
11th  and  15th  Army  Corps,  assures  me  that 
the  great  want  is  fresh  vegetables,  although 
there  are  but  few  well  marked  cases  of 
scurvy. 

They  are  now  going  forward  quite  freely; 
on  the  20th,  five  car  loads;  on  the  21st, 
seven;  and,  in  addition  to  the  order  to  give 
us  at  least  two  cars  daily.  Captain  Lyttle 
has  promised  to  load  two  for  Pulaski,  and 
two  for  Decatur,  which  will  be  distributed 
by  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  and  Mrs.  Porter. 

Having  forwarded  the  large  amount  of 
vegetables  now  here,  and  on  the  .way,  we 
must  next  turn  our  attention  to  securing 
in  Chattanooga  a  large  amount  of  reserved 
battle  stores,  and  obtain  for  them,  if  possi- 
ble, from  that  post,  transportation.  This 
wiU  be  the  most  difficult  part  of  our  work. 
We  cannot  procur'e  teams,  or  feed  them, 
without  difficulty,  if  indeed  it  can  be  done 
at  all,  independently  of  the  Government 
officers.  'And  upon  consultation  with  Gen. 
Webster,  Gen.  Sherman's  chief  of  staff,  to 
whom  we  are  under  many  obligations  for 
past  favors,  I  have  decided  to  depend  on 
Government,  and  to  offer  to  each  medical 
director  of  divisions  one  wagon  load  of  such 
stores  as  he  may  select,  in  addition  to  all 
1;he  medical  sujjplies  he  is  permitted  to  take, 
to  go  forward  as  sanitary  stores. 

In  conclusion,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  as- 
suring you  that  the  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion is  vastly  increased,  and,  so  far  as  I  can 
judge,  is  prosperous  in  all  departments. ' 

There  are  several  Medical  Inspectors  in 
the  Department,  who  report  to  Dr.  Doug- 
las, but  Drs.  Castleman  and  Parker  have 
rendered  me  essential  service  in  obtaining 
full  statements  from  many  brigades  of  the 
amount  of  vegetables  issued  by  the  Govern- 
ment. 


There  is  not  a  General  Hospital  in  the 
Department  that  is  not  visited  often  by 
one  of  our  hospital  visitors. 

The  special  relief  agents  are  constantly 
employed,  and  find,  and  often  relieve,  every 
variety  of  suffering. 

Mothers  coming  for  their  children,  wives 
seeking  their  sick  husbands,  are  helped  on 
their  way;  soldiers  furloughed  and  dis- 
charged, are  helped  on  their  way  to  the 
homes  they  are  so  anxious  to  reach.  Or  a 
little  girl  comes  and  asks,  "  Where  is  my 
father?"  Agent  answers,  "Don't  know;" 
she  repKes,  "  Well,  you  ought  to,  you  must 
have  seen  him;  he  wears  Co.  G.,  83d  Indi- 
ana, on  his  cap. "  Poor  girl,  she  was  not 
permitted  to  go  to  her  father. 

The  Home  in  Nashville  has  been  over- 
crowded, but  is  admirably  managed  by 
Capt.  Bray  ton. 

In  addition  to  the  one  estabhshed  by 
Government  at  Chattanooga,  which  is 
only  common  barracks,  one  is  needed  there 
to  receive  the  sick,  discharged,  and  fur- 
loughed soldiers  who  are  sent  back  from 
the  advance,  and  compelled  to  remain  there 
awaiting  "transportation.  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  secure  some  better  accommodations  for 
them. 

The  transportation  agents  are  taxed  to 
their  utmost  in  order  to  secure  transporta- 
tion where  there  is  so  much  competition, 
and  where  success  very  much  depends  upon 
personal  effort,  even  where  the  most  Uberal 
orders  are  maintained;  but  with  all  the  dif- 
ficulties, vegetables  are  being  sent  forward 
liberally,  and  I  hope  by  securing  a,  large 
supply  of  reserve  stores,  to  be  in  readiness 
for  impending  movements. 

Mr.  Boot,  our  Hospital  Visitor  at  Nash- 
ville, also  writes  as  follows  on  the  condition 
of  the  troops  encamped  near  that  city,  and 
the  contribution  of  stores  amongst  them  by 
the  Commission  in  Jan.  and  Feb.  last: 

The  number  of  men  in  these  regiments, 
the  number  of  sick  and  the  character  of 
their  diseases,  and  the  condition  of  the 
camps,  I  stated  in  a  former  report.  The 
regiments  that  were  stationed  here  for  the 
time  above  specified,  were  from  Ohio,  In- 
diana, Illinois^  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Mis- 
souri, Kentucky,  and  Tennessee;  besides 
detachments  from  other  States.  In  many 
of  them  were  regimental  hospitals,  and  in 
all  of  them  sick  soldiers,  under  treatment 
by  regimental  surgeons.  Prom  the  com- 
manding officers  and  surgeons  of  these 
regiments  I  obtained  information  of  the 
wants  of  their  men  in  camp,  and  have  from 
time  to  time  furnished  them  with  such 
sanitaiy  supplies  as  were  required. 

•Prom  my  frequent  visits  to  their  camps, 
I  know  that  the  supplies  furnished  were 
faithfully  applied;  and  the  officers  and 
soldiers  in  many  of  them  have  voluntarily 


The  Sanitmry  Commission  BuUetin. 


441 


tmited  in  letters  of  thanks  to  the  Aid 
Societies  and  ladies  of  the  Northern  States, 
for  the  supplies  received  through  their 
agency.  Those  letters  I  have  forwarded 
to  you,  and  many  of  thAn  are  published 
in^  supplement  to  the  Sanitaru  'Reporter. 

If  any  one  doubts  the  good  that  is  done 
through  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
let  him  read  the  effusions  of  thankfulness 
from  the  warm  hearts  of  our  gallant  soldiers. 
Testimony  to  the  same  effect  could  be  had 
from  thousands  more,  if  it  were  desired. 

The  following  articles,  irom  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  were  distributed 
among  the  soldiers  of  the  regiments  around 
Nashville,  during  the  months  of  January 
and  February,  1864: 

Blankets,  42;  comforts,  158;  bedticks,  62; 
pillows,  121;  pillow  cases,  249;  sheets,  212; 
shirts,  908;  drawers,  672  pairs;  towels,  688; 
socks,  636  pairs;  slippers,  38  pairs;  mittens, 
150  pairs;  fruit,  351  cans;  condensed  beef, 
134  cans;  dried  fruit,  5,800  lbs. ;  groceries, 
855  lbs. ,  such  as  farina,  &c. ;  wine  and  spirits, 
272  bottles;  condensed  milk,  48  cans;  apple 
butter,  88  gallons;  pickles,  512  gallons; 
kraut,  2,150  gallons;  potatoes,  623  bushels, 
onions,  231  bushels;  ale  106  gallons;  green 
apples,  14  bushels;  crackers,  612  lbs.;  tea, 
50  lbs. ;  sugar,  370  lbs.  Besides  a  variety 
of  smaller  articles. 

The  supplies  furnished  to  State  agencies 
from  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  which 
are  considerable,  are  not  included  in  the 
above  list  of  articles  distributed.  The 
greatest  need  I  found  to  exist  amongthe 
regimefits  from  East  Tennessee.  The  men 
of  these  regiments  have  been  compelled  to 
carry  on  a  desultory  warfare  with  the  rebels, 
many  months  before  Gen.  Burnside  reach- 
ed Knoxville. 

.  They  had  suffered  every  thing  but  the 
loss  of  their  lives  and  honor.  Their  prop- 
erty had  been  plundered  or  destroyed,  ftnd 
they  had  been  driven  from  their  homes,  to 
find  shelter  and  a  precarious  subsistence  in 
the  mountains. 

When  protection  came,  they  rallied  un- 
der the  federal  flag,  with  brave  hearts,  but 
in  a  weak  and  exhausted  bodily  condition. 
'  Owing  to  these  circumstances,  sickness 
had  been  more  fatal  among  them,  than 
among  the  ilien  of  other  regiments.  In 
talking  upon  this  subject  with  Dr.  Mitchell, 
the  Surgeon  of  the  102d  Ohio  regiment  of 
infantry,  whose  camp  was  near  them,  and 
who  had  often  visited  them  when  sick,  he 
remarked,  that  when  any  of  them  had  a 
severe  attack  of  disease,  they  were  sure  to 
die,  not  only  for  the  reason  above  mention- 
ed, but  for  another  reason  which  he  stated, 
to  this  effect:  they  have  no  home,  no  pleas- 
ant future  in  anticipation;  the  mothers,  and 
sisters,  wives  and  daughters,  of  many  of 
them,  have  perished;  while  those  that  sur- 
vive are  houseless  wanderers,  within  th^ 
rebel  lines,  from  whom  no  tidings  can  be 


had,  or  pining  and  starving  amidst  the  des- 
olations of  their  once  happy  country. 

Such  is  the  picture  that  continually  pre- 
sents itself  before  the  minds  of  the  East 
Tennessee  soldiers;,  and  when  disease  seizes 
upon  them,  it  is  no  wonder  that  it  should 
prove  fatal,  aggravated,  as  it  must  be,  by 
sickness  of  heart  that  no  medicine  can  cure. 

The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  has  done 
for  them  what  it  could,  and  I  have  the  sat- 
isfaction of  knowing  it  has  done  very  much 
to  relieve  their  sufferings. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 

NASHVILLE, 

During  the  four  weeks  ending  April  30,  4, 760 
soldiers  have  been  admitted  from  twenty-four 
different  States;  4, 867  lodgings  have  been  fur- 
nished, and  18,525  meals.  Transportation  has 
been  furnished  for  4,31#;  and  pay,  to  the 
amount  of  $8,328.04,  has  been  drawn  and  paid 
over. 

MEMPHIS. 

At  the  Lodge  at  Memphis  there  have  been 
admitted,  during  the  four  weeks  ending  May 
1st,  1,444  men,  from  twenty  different  States; 
4,389  meals  were  furnished,  and  1,169  lodgings. 
Transportation  was  procured  for  117. 

CAMP  NELSON. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Home  at  this  Post,  for  the  month  of 
April  1864. 

The  uncertain  destiny  of  Gamp  Nelson  for  the 
past  month,  seems  to  have  suspended  its  usual 
operations,  and  also  to  have  directed  trade  and 
travellers  from  the  Camp. 

However,  Camp  Nelson  is  not  now  the  scene 
of  the  gigantic  business  which  it  once  was,  oon- 
sequentlj',  we  have  to  report  a  smaller  number 
of  inmates  of  the  Home  for  the  month,  of  April. 

Number  of  lodgings  for  the  month  of  April, 
2, 484.  Number  of  meals  for  the  month  of  April, 
7,455. 

On  the  18fch  of  April,  Chaplain  Henderson,  of 
the  112th  Illinois  Regiment,  advised  me  that 
(14)  fourteen  barrels  of  potatoes,  (2)  two  k'egs  of 
pickles,  and  one  box  of  sundries,  were  at  Paris, 
Ky.,  for  his  regiment,  and  he  desired  me  to  pro- 
cure them  for  distribution,  as  Sanitary  stores. 
I  immediately  telegraphed  for  the  stores,  to  be 
sent  on  to  me  at  Camp  Nelson. 

This  evening.  Chaplain  Pell,  of  the  12th  Beg- 
iment  of  Cavalry,  who,  on  the  28th  of  last  De- 
cember, left  Knoxville,  with  me  for  Louisville, 
came  to  camp  and  informed  me  that  for  four 
months  he  had  been  lecturing  in  behalf  of  his 
special' object,  viz.:  to  raise  Sanitary  stores  for 
his  regiment,  and  his  success  had  attained  (16) 
.  sixteen  boxes,  and  (5)  five  Barrels,  which  he  ex- 
pected by  Government  transportation  the  same 
evening.  Finding  that  his' regiment  had  gone 
two  days  previous  for  Loudon,  Term,  he  very 
wisely  turned  over  the  shipment  to  the  depot 
here,  taking  my  receipt  for  it. 

The  sterling  philanthropy  of  Chaplain  PeU  is 
highly  commendable.  For  four  months  he  had 
labored  assiduously  to  collect  these  stores  for 
his  regiment,  and,  doubtless,  looked  forward 
with  much  pleasure  to  the  time  when  he  should 
dispense  them  to  the  greedy  men  under  his  care. 


442 


TJie  8cmita/ry  Gorhmission  Bulletin. 


Ascertaining  that  transportation  oould  not  be 
procured,  he  expressed  himself  equally  recom- 
pensed by  the  assurance  that  the  soldier  in  his 
sickness  and  need,  whether  from  Michigan  or 
Maine,  or  any  other  loyal  State,  might  be  com- 
forted by  them.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  justice 
and  true  benevolence. 

I  had  thought  that  the  good  people  who  labor 
incessantly,  and  contribute  so  abundantly  and 
generously  for  the  soldier,  had  learned  long  ago 
the  great  impropriety  and  wastefulness  positive- 
ly incurred,  by  shipping  stores  to  regiments. 
While  at  Murfreesboro',  last  summer,  I  re- 
ceived over .  a  hundred  boxes,  for  individuals 
and  companies  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
three-fourths  of  which  were  worthless,  ere  the 
owner  coald  be  found.  So,  in  the  shipment 
from  Illinois  for  the  112th  Regiment,  the  boxes 
regarded  by  the  Chaplain  as  most  valuable,  were 
not  worth  a  half  dollar,  while  some  of  the  bar- 
rels were  damaged  by  long  delays  and  careless 
handling.  These  consequences,  so  far  as  my 
experience  extends,  almost  invariably  attach  to 
private  shipments  to  State  troops. 

In  conclusion,  I  will  state  the  Home  at  Camp 
Nelson,  is  the  Post  Church.  We  have  regular 
services  morning  and  evening,  every  Lord's 
day,  and  a  prayer  meeting  every  Wednesday 
evening.  Several  protracted,  meetings  have 
already  been  held.  Chaplains  who  remain  in 
camp  with  their  comrades,  are  tendered  the  use 
of  our  large  dining  hall,  which  is  frequently 
filled  with  solfljers,  employees  and  visitors, 
both  white  and  otherwise. 

Dr.  Woods,  Chaplain  U.  S.  A.,  and  Bev.  L. 
A.  Payson,  Hospital  Visitor  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, are  our  regular  preachers;  while  a 
strani^er  generally  appears  every  week  to  aid 
them. 

The  Home  is  now  thoroughly  whitewashed, 
and  the  soddiag,  &c.,  wiU  be  completed  this 
week. 

WASHINGTON. 

The  following  is  some  of  the  labor  performed 
in  this  office  for  the  quarter  ending  April  1st: 
Amount  of  money  collected  upon  four  hundred 
and  sixty-six  cases,  $58, 49.3. 21 ;  amount  of  money 
forwarded  upon  eighty  drafts,  $8,321.20;  num- 
ber of  men  lodged,  4,203;  number  of  meals  fur- 
nished, 20,915;  number  of  letter^s'written,  1,116; 
number  of  letters  received,  233. 

ANNAPOLIS. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Hennis  reports: 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  the  Home  in 
this  city,  established  by  your  direction  for  the 
benefit  of  nurses,  mothers,  wives,  and  relatives 
of  soldiers  located  in  this  vicinity,  more  espe- 
,  cially  for  the  sick  and  wounded  in  our  hospitals, 
is  in  successful  operation,  meeting  with  general 
favor  from  those  who  viiit  it  and  know  person- 
ally of  its  operations.  During  the  latter  part  of 
January  and  the.  month  of  February,  we  had  but 
very  few  visitors;  as  the  exchange  of  prisoners 
was  suspeilded,  our  hospitals,  which  are  prin- 
cipally for  the  reception  of  paroled  prisoners, 
being  nearly  cleared,  and  consequently  there 
was  little  to  call  the  relatives  of  soldiers  to  this 
point.  During  the  month  of  March  there  has 
been  a  large  increase,  and  at  present  the  Home 
is  well  filled ;  and  I  cannot  convey  to  you  any 
adequate  conception  of  the  gratitude  manifested 
by  those  who  share  the  benefits  of  the  Home, 


and  believe  that  it  is  exerting  a  good  influence, 
in  recommending  the  Commission  to  the  favor- 
able consideration  of  those  who  have  known  but 
little  of  its  operations  in  detail. 

"the  number  of  meals  and  lodgings  afforded 
since  the  Ist  of  January  to  the  1st  of  Aprii  are 
as  follows:  Meals,  1,221;  lodgings,  408;  besides 
a  large  number  of  meals  which  have  been  given 
to  the  male  relatives  of  our  soldiers,  and  others 
who  have  visited  by  invitation.  I  would  sug- 
gest that  permission  be  asked  to  purchase  stores 
from  the  commissary  of  this  post  for  the  Home, 
on  the  same  conditions  as  they  are  afforded  to 
officers,  which  would  be  quite  a  saving  to  the 
Commission. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION  IN 
BOSTON,  MASSACHUSETTS. 

A  meeting  of  the  Associate  members  of 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission  was 
held  a  fortnight  ago  in  the  rooms  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  No.  76  Kingston  Street, 
to  listen  to  a  report  concerning  the  Special 
Relief  Service  of  the  Commission  in  this 
ojty,  for  the  year  ending  March  31,  1864. 
H.  B.  Eogers,  Esq.,  presided; 

John'B.  Blatchford,  Esq.,  on  behalf  of 
tte  Executive  Committee  of  the  Boston  As- 
sociates, presented  a  report  concerning  the 
Special  Relief  of  the  Commission  for  the 
year  ending  March  31,  1864. 

"  The  service  was  established  April  1, 
1863.  Rooms  located  at  No.  76  Kingston 
Street  were  furnished  for  the  purpose.  The 
establishment;  as  now  equipped  consists  of 
an  office,  reception  room,  sleeping  rooms, 
containing  60  beds;  a  hospital  ward,  with 
12  beds,  with  convenient  wash  rooms,  bath 
rooms,  and  water  closet;  capacious  closets 
for  hospital  stores,  clothing,  and  linen,  and 
a  room  appropriated  for  the  use  of  the 
wives,  mothers,  and  sisters  of  sick  soldiers, 
■who  often  accompany  them  on  their  return 
to  their  homes. 

"  The  first  applicant  for  aid  was  received 
April  7,  1863.  Since  then  11,190  soldiers 
have  received  aid,  as  classified  in  the  fol- 
lowing statement: 

"Secured  transportation  at  reduced  (gov- 
ernment) rate  to  4,990;  furnished  transpor- 
tation paid  by  the  Commission  to  193;  se- 
cured transportation  by  U.  8.  Quartermas- 
ter for  781 ;  furnished  carriage  within  the 
city,  for  sick  and  feeble,  for  1,627;  special 
attendance  to  their  homes  in  charge  of  mes- 
sengers to  85;  furnished  lodging,  6,305; 
number  of  meals,  16,351 — to  7,945;  clothing 
— number  of  garments,  677 — to  355;  aid  in 
arranging  papers,  147;  aid  in  obtaining 
pay,  190;  medical  advice,  400;  wounds 
dressed,  279;  procured  commutation  of  ra- 
tions, 75;  loaned  money,  51;  gave  money, 
85;  sent  to  hospital,  100;  referred  to  local 
relief  associations,  42;  secured  re-enlist- 
ment, 20;  amount  of  Ijack  pay  collected, 
$20,559  16;   furnished  undertaker's  servi- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


443 


"In  addition  to  tlie  above,  a  considera- 
ble amount  of  aid  has  been  rendered  to  res- 
ident, discharged,  disabled  soldiers  and 
their  familiesj  permanent  and  remunera- 
tive employment  having,  in  some  instances, 
been  obtained  for  disabled  men,  who,  oth- 
erwise, woufil  remain  a  helpless  burden 
upon  our  charities. . 

"  Of  the  whole  number  thus  aided,  Maine 
has  furnished  4,086;  New  Hampshire  768; 
Vermont  121;  Massachusetts  4,422,  Con- 
necticut 51;  Ehode  Island  50;  New  York 
140;  New  Jersey  2;  Pennsylvania  34;  Mary- 
land 3;  District  of  Columbia  34;  Ohio  86; 
Kentucky  18;  Michigan  7;  Indiana  7;  Illi- 
nois 15;  Kansas  7;  Iowa  10;  Minnesota  24; 
"Wisconsin  17;  Missouri  5;  Tennessee  2; 
Louisiana  4;  Alabama  2;  Virginia  2;  Geor- 
gia 2i  Delaware,  California,  North  Caro- 
lina, Mississippi,  Florida,  and  rebel  army, 
1  each;  U.  S.  regulars^  550;  TJ.  S.  Navy, 
102;  veteran  reserve  corps,  608;  corps  d'- 
Afrique,  18. 

"  The  Hospital  Car  service  between  New 
York  and  Boston,  established  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Commission  in  this  city,  Nov.  2,  1864,  has 
been  attended  with  satisfactory  results, 
4,805  soldiers  having  been  transported. 

"  The  total  expenditure  for  the  year,  as 
shown  by  the  Treasurer's  account,  has  been 
$15,478.30,  classified  as  follows:  Bent  and 
taxes,  $640. 49 ;  furnishing  repairs,  $2, 613. 42 ; 
salaries,  $2,148.61;  traveling  expenses, 
$212.57;  advertising,  $242.67;  stationery 
and  printing,  $512.69;  postage,  $14;  tele- 
grams, $6.64;  hospital  stores,  $238.59;  su- 
perintendent's expense  account,  $6,877.07; 
miscellaneous,  $240.67;  hospital  car  trans- 
portation, $1,730.88. 

"  The  average  cost  per  man  of  the  ser- 
vice for  the  first  quarter,  ending  June  30, 
1863,  was  $2.35;  for  the  second  quarter, 
ending  September  30,  1863,  $1.28;  for  the 
third  quarter,  ending  December  31,  1863; 
$1.15;  and  for  the  fourth  quarter,  ending 
March  31,  1864,  $1.08. 

"  The  necessary  funds  for  the  support  of 
the  '  Special  Belief  Service '  of  the  Com- 
mission in  this  city  are  drawn  from  the 
Treasurer  of  the  Boston  Branch,  J.  Hunt- 
ington Woloott,  Esq.  $10,000— being  a 
portion  of  the  proceeds  of  the  Pair  held  in 
this  city  in  December  last,  in  aid  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission — was  donated  for  the 
support  of  this  service,  by  the  N.  E.  Wo- 
man's Auxiliary  Association.  The  amount 
in  the  treasury,  ApriU,  1864,  was  $6,863.32, 
which,  at  the  current  rate  of  expenditures 
for  the  last  quarter,  will  suffice  to  meet  the 
expenses  of  the  next  four  months. 

"  The  rooms  are  open  at  all  hours  of  the 
day  and  night,  and  provision  is  made  at  the 
principal  railway  stations  to  meet  such  sol- 
diers as  may  require  aid  upon  the  arrivj,! 
of  trains,  and  convey  them  to  the  rooms  or 
to  connecting  trains. 


"It  is  the  poHcy  of  the  Commission  to 
facilitate  the  return  of  all  soldiers  to  their 
homes  or  camps  with  the  least  possible  de- 
lay, but  during  their  delay  they  enjoy  the 
comforts  of  a  home,  with  cheerful  surround- 
ings, and  ever  ready  hands  to  minister  all 
needed  aid  and  comfort.  Their  frequent 
and  earnest  expressions  of  pleasure  and 
gratitude  evince  their  appreciation  of  the 
beneficent  services  thus  rendered  them." 

To  illustrate  the  great  variety  of  cases  in 
which  the  Commission  has  been  of  service 
to  the  soldier,  Mr.  Blatchford  read  several 
extracts  from  the  record  book,  in  which  is 
recorded  the  name  of  every  man  who  is  in 
any  way  aided  by  the  Commission,  together 
with  a  sketch  of  the  particular  kind  of  help 
given  him.  These  records  were  deeply  in- 
teresting, and  gave  copious  proofs  of  the 
efficiency  of  the  organization. 


MARKED  ARTICLES. 

Some  of  the  marks  which  are  fastened  on 
the  blankets,  shirts,  &c. ,  sent  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  for  the  soldiers,  show  the 
thought  and  feeling  at  home.  Thus — on  a 
home-spun  blanket,  worn,  but  washed  as 
clean  as  snow,  was  pinned  a  bit  of  paper, 
which  said:  "  This  blanket  was  carried  by 
MUly  Aldrich,  (who  is  ninety-three  years 
old,)  down  hill  and  up  hiU,  one  and  a  half 
miles,  to  be  given  to  some  soldier." 

On  a  bed  quilt  was  pinned  a  card,  saying: 
"  My  son  is  in  the  army.  Whoever  is  made 
warm  by  this  quilt,  which  I  have  worked 
on  for  six  days  and  almost  aU  of  six;  nights, 
let  him  remember  his  own  mother's  love." 

On  another  blanket  was  this:  "This 
blanket  was  used  by  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
1812 — it  may  keep  some  soldier  warm  in 
this  war  against  traitors." 

On  a  pillow  was  written:  "This  piUow 
belonged  to  my  little  boy,  who  died  resting 
on  it;  it  is  a  precious  treasure  to  me,  but  I 
give  it  for  the  soldiers." 

On  a,  pair  of  woolen  socks  was  written: 
"  These  stockings  were  knit  by  a  little  girl 
five  years  old,  and  she  is  going  to  knit  some 
more,  for  mother  says  it  will. help  some 
poor  soldier. " 

On  a  box  of  beautiful  lint  was  this  mark: 
"Made  in  a  sick  room,  where  the  sunlight 
has  not  entered  for  nine  years,  but  where 
God  has  entered,  and  where  two  sons  have 
bid  their  mother  good-bye,  as  they  have 
gone  out  to  the  war." 

On  a  bundle  containing  bandages  was 
written:  "  This  is  a  poor  gift,  but  it  is  all  I 
had.  I  have  given  my  husband  and  my  boy, 
and  only  wish  I  had  more  to  give,  but  I 
haven't." 

On  some  eye-shades  were  marked :  ' '  Made 
by  one  who  is  blind.  Oh,  how  I  long  to  see 
the  dear  old  flag  that  you  are  aU  fighting 
under. " — Sanitary  Reporter.  '   • 


444 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetih. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

WHAT    FOOD  ? 

I  will  rcention  one  or  two  of  the  most  common 
errors  among  women  in  charge  of  sick  respecting 
sick  diet.  One  is  the  belief  that  beef  tea  is  the 
most  nutritive  of  all  articles.  Now,  just  try  and 
boil  down  a  pound  of  beef  into  beef  tea,  evaporate 
your  beef  tea,  and  see  what  is  left  of  your  beef. 
You  will  find  that  there  is  barely  a  teaspoonful  of 
solid  nourishment  to  half  a  pint  of  water  in 
beef  tea; — nevertheless  there  is  a  certain  repara- 
tive quality  in  it,  we  do  not  know  what,  as  there 
is  in  tea;  but  it  may  safely  be  given  in  almost 
any  inflamatory  disease,  and  is  as  little  to  be  de- 
pended upon  with  the  healthy  or  convalescent 
where  much  nourishment  is  required.  Again, 
it  is  an  ever  ready  saw  that  an  egg  is  equivalent 
to  a  pound  of  meat — whereas  it  is  not  at  all  so. 
Also,  it  is  seldom  noticed  with  how  many  pa- 
tients, particularly  of  nervous  or  bilious  temper- 
ament, eggs  disagree.  All  puddings  made  with 
eggs,  are  distasteful  to  them  in  consequence. 
An  egg,  whipped  up  with  wine,  is  often  the  only 
form  in  which  they  can  take  this  kind  of  nour- 
ishment. Again;  if  the  patient  has  attained  to 
eating  meat,  it  is  supposed  that  to  give  him 
meat  is  the  only  thing  needful  for  his  recovery; 
whereas  scorbutic  sores  have  been  actually 
known  to  appear  among  sick  persons  living  in 
the  midst  of  plenty  in  England,  which  could  be 
traced  to  no  other  source  than  this,  viz. :  that 
the  nurse,  depending  on  meat  alone,  had  allow- 
ed the  patient  to  be  without  vegetables  for  a 
considerable  time,  these  latter  being  so  badly 
cooked  that  he  always  left  them  untouched. 
Arrowroot  is  another  grand  dependence  of  the 
nurse.  As  a  vehicle  for  wine,  and  a  restorative 
quickly  prepared,  it  is  all  very  well.  But  it  is 
nothing  but  starch  and  water.  Flour  is  both 
more  nutritive,  and  less  liable  to  ferment,  and 
is  preferable  wherever  it  can  be  used.     . 

Again,  milk  and  the  preparations  from  milk, 
are  a  most  important  article  of  food  for  the  sick. 
Butter  is  the  lightest  kind  of  animal  fat,  and 
though  it  wants  the  sugar  and  some  of  the  other 
elements  which  there  are  in  milk,  yet  it  is 
most  valuable  both  in  itself  and  in  enabling  the 
patient  to  eat  more  bread.  Flour,  oats,  groats, 
barley,  and  their  kind,  are,  as  we  have  already 
said,  preferable  in  all  their  preparations  to  all 
the  preparations  of  arrowroot,  sago,  tapioca, 
and  their  kind.  Cream,  in  many  long  chronic 
diseases,  is  quite  irreplaceable  by  any  other  arti- 
cle whatever.  It  seems  to  act  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  beef  tea,  and  to  most  it  is  much  easier  of 
digestion  than  milk.  In  fact,  it  seldom  disagrees. 
Cheese  is  not  usually  digestible  by  the  sick,  but 
"it  is  pure  nourishment  for  repairing  waste;  and 
I  have  seen  sick,  and  not  a  few  either,  whose 
craving  for  cheese  showed  how  much  it  was 
needed  by  them. 

In  the  diseases  produced  by  bad  food,  such  as 
scorbutic  dysentery  and  diarrhea,  the  patient's 
stomach  often  craves  for  and  digests  things, 
some  of  which  certainly  would  be  laid  down  in 
no  dietary  that  ever  was  invented  for  sick,  and 
especially  not  for  such  sick.  .  These  are  fruit, 
pickles,  jams,  gingerbread,  fat  of  ham  or  bacon, 
suet,  cheese,' butter,  milk.  These  oases  I  have 
seen  not  by  ones,  nor  by  tens,  but  by  hundreds. 
And  the  patient's  stomach  was  right  and  the 


book  was  wrong.  The  articles  craved  for,  in 
these  cases,  might  have  been  principally  arrang- 
ed under  the  two  heads  of  fat  and  vegetable 
acids. 

There  is  often  a  marked  difference  between 
men  and  women  in  this  matter  of  sick  feeling. 
Women's  digestion  is  generaU^slower. 

But,  if  fresh  milk  is  so  valuable  a  food  for  the 
sick,  the  least  change  or  sourness  in  it,  maies  it 
of  all  articles,  perhaps,  the  most  injurious; 
diarrhea  is  a  common  result  of  fresh  mili  allow- 
ed to  become  at  all  sour.  The  nurse,  therefore, 
ought  to  exercise  her  utmost  care  in  this.  In 
large  institutions  for  the  sick,  even  the  poorest, 
the  utmost  care  is  exercised.  Wenham  Lake 
ice  is  used  for  this  express  purpose  every  sum- 
mer, while  the  private  patient,  perhaps,  never 
tas  tes  a  drop  of  milk  that  is  not  sour,  all  through 
the  hot  weather,  so  little  does  the  private  nurse 
understand  the  necessity  of  such  care.  Yet,  if 
you  consider  that  the  only  drop  of  real  nourish- 
ment in  your  patient's  tea  is  the  drop  of  milk, 
and  how  much  almost  all  English  patierits  de- 
pend upon  their  tea,  you  will  see  the  great  im- 
portance of  not  depriving  your  patient  of  this 
drop  of  milk.  Buttermilk,  a  totally  different 
thing,  is  often  very  usefiil,  especially  in  fe- 
vers. 

In  laying  down  rules  of  diet,  by  the  amounts 
of  '■  solid  nutriment"  in  different  kinds  of  food, 
it  is  constantly  lost  sight  of  what  .the  patient  re- 
quires to  repair  his  waste,  what  he  can  take  and 
what  he  can't.  You  cannot  diet  a  patient  from  a 
book,  you  cannot  make  up  the  liuman  body  as 
you  would  make  up  a  prescription — so  many 
parts  "carboniferous,"'  so  many  parts  "nitro- 
genous" will  constitute  a  perfect  diet  for  the 
patient.  The  nurse's  observation  here  will  mate- 
rially assist  the  doctor — the  patient's  "  fancies" 
will  materially  assist  the  nurse.  For  instance, 
sugar  is  one  of  the  most  nutritive  of  all  articles, 
being  pure  carbon,  and  is  particularly  recom- 
mended in  some  be  oks.  But  the  vast  majority 
of  all  patients  in  England,  young  and  old,  male 
and  female,  rich  and  poor,  hospital  and  private, 
dislike  sweet  things — and  while  I  have  never 
known  a  person  take  to  sweets  when  he  was  ill 
who  disliked  them  when  he  was  well,  I  have 
known  many  fond  of  them  when  in  health,  who 
in  sickness  would  leave  off  anything  sweet,  even 
to  sugar  in  tea — sweet  puddings,  sweet  drinks, 
are  their  aversion;  the  furred  tongue  almost 
always  likes  what  is  sharp  or  pungent.  Scorbu- 
tic patients  are  an  exception,  they  often  crave 
for  sweetmeats  and  jama. 

Jelly  is  another  article  of  diet  in  great  favor 
with  nurses  and  friends  of  the  sick;  even  if  it 
oould  be  eaten  solid,  it  would  not  nourish,  but 
it  is  simply  the  height  of  folly  to  take  ^  oz.  of 
gelatine  and  make  it  into  a  certain  bulk  by  dis- 
solving it  in  water,  and  then  to  give  it  to  the 
sick,  as  if  the  mere  bulk  represented  nourish- 
ment. It  is  now  known  that  jelly  does  not 
nourish,  that  it  has  a  tendency  to  produce 
diarrhea — and  to  trust  it  to  repair  the  waste  of 
a  diseased  constitution,  is  simply  to  starve  the 
sick  under  the  guise  of  feeding  them.  If  one 
hundred  spoonfuls  of  jelly  were  given  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  you  would  have  given  one 
spoonful  of  gelatine,  which  spoonful  has  no 
nutritive  power  whatever. 

And,  nevertheless,  gelatine  contains  a  laree 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


445 


quantity  of  nitrogen,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  elements  in  nutrition;  on  the  other 
hand,  beef  tea  may  be  chosen  as  an  illustration 
of  great  nutrient  power  in  sioknfess,  co-existing 
with  a  very  small  amount  of  solid  nitrogenous 
matter. 

Dr.  Christison  says  that  "  every  one  will  be 
struck  with  the  readiness  with  which"  certain 
classes  of  "patients  wiU  often  take  diluted  meat 
juice  or  beef  tea  repeatedly,  when  they  refuse  all 
other  kinds  of  food."  This  is  particularly  re- 
markable in  "  cases  of  gastric  fever,  in  which," 
he  says,  ' '  little  or  nothing  else  besides  beef  tea 
or  diluted  meat  juice"  has  been  taken  for  weeks 
or  even  months;  "and  yet  ",  pint  of  beef  tea 
contains  scarcely  \  oz.  of  any  thing  but  water. " 
The  result  is  so  striking,  that  he  asks  what  is 
its  mode  of  action?  "Not  simply  nutrient — \ 
oz.  of  the  inost  nutritive  material  cannot  nearly 
replace  the  daily  wear  and  tear  of  the  tissues  in 
any  circumstances.  Possibly,"  he  says,  "it 
belongs  to  a  new  denomination  of  remedies. " 

It  has  been  observed,  that  a  small  quantity  of 
beef  tea,  added  to  other  articles  of  nutrition, 
augments  their  power  out  of  all  proportion  to 
the  additional  amount  of  solid  matter. 

The  reason  why  jelly  should  be  innutritions 
and  beef  tea  nutritious  to  the  sick,  is  a  secret 
yet  undiscovered ;  but  it  clearly  shows  that 
careful  observation  of  the  sick  is  the  only  clue 
to  the  best  dietarj-. 

Chemistry  has  as  yet  afforded  little  insight 
into  the  dieting  of  sick.  All  that  chemistry 
can  tell  us  is  the  amount  of  "  carboniferous"  or 
"nitrogenous"  elements  discoverable  in  differ- 
ent dietetic  articles.  It  has  given  us  lists  of 
dietetic  substances,  arranged  in  the  order  of 
their  richness  in  one  or  o&er.  of  these  princi- 
ples; but  that  is  aU.  In  the  great  majority  of 
cases,  the  stomach  of  the  patient  is  guided  by 
other  principles  of  selection  than  merely  the 
amount  of  carbon  or  nitrogen  in  the  diet.  No 
doubt,  in  this  as  in  other  things,  nature  has, 
very  definite  rules  for  her  guidance  ;  but  these 
rules  cam  only  be  ascertained  by  the  most  careful 
observation  at  the  bedside.  She  there  teaches 
us  that  living  chemistry,  the  chemistry  of  repa- 
ration, is  something  different  from  the  chemis- 
try of  the  laboratory.  Organic  chemistry  is 
useful,  as  all  knowledge  is,  when  we  come  face 
to  face  with  nature;  but  it  by  no  means  follows 
that  we  should  learn  in  the  laboratory  any  one 
of  the  reparative  processes  going  on  in  disease. 
Again,  the  nutritive  power  of  milk,  and  of  the 
preparations  from  milk,  is  very  much  under- 
valued; there  is  nearly  as  much  nourishment 
in  half  a  pint  qf  milk  as  there  is  in  a  quarter  of 
a  pound  of  meat.  But  this  is  not  the  whole 
question  or  nearly  the  whole.  The  main  ques- 
tion is  what  the  patient's  stomach  can  assimilate 
or  derive  nourishment  from,  and  of  this  the 
patient's  stomach  is  the  sole  judge.  Chemistry 
cannot  tell  this.  The  patient's  stomach  must 
be  its  own  chemist.  The  diet  which  will  keep 
the  healthy  man  healthy,  will  kill  the  sick  one. 
The  same  beef  which  is  the  most  nutritive  of 
all  meat,  and  which  nourishes  the  healthy  man, 
is  the  least  nourishing  of  all  food  to  the  rick 
man,  whose  half-dead  stomach  can  assimilate  no 
part  of  it,  that  is,  make  no  food  out  of  it.  On 
a  diet  of  beef  tea  healthy  men,  on  the  other 
hanjJ,  speedily  lose  their  strength. — Miss  NigM- 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Fr6sid.6ii1j 
Lietjx.-Gbn.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

"Vice-Presidents . 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

KOBT.  B.  MIN^UEN,  Esq. 
Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MOEGAN,  GEORGE  OPDYKE, 
HIEAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  .Rev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messes.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOB,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Je.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCEOPT,  DANIEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,EOBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFRED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENPIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Ohambbes  Stbeet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiers-^  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  olaimani. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gt-atuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEEOANTILE,  MAEINE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

JVo.  35  Wall  Street,  Nevr  'Fork. 


INCOEPORATBD  APRIL,  1842. 
Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MAKINE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  on  Vessels. 
Freight  and  Merchandise  insured  on  the  most  favorable 
terms. 

Policies  are  issued,  loss,  if  any,  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  of6ce  of  RATHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
desired. 

Parties  effecting  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  profits,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their,  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Pres't. 
CHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-Pres't 
C.  J.  Despaed,  Secretary. 


446 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  oonstitaled  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  vrith  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

'A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.I).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  B.  Shiras,  TJ.  S.  A. 

E.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  TJ.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I, 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Oincannati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,. Chicago,  lU. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.j  Philadelphia,  Fenn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  LouisviUe,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

0.  J.  SUM. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

offecebb: 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  IJj.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary, 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Assooiate  Secretary, 
J.  H.  Douglas,  U.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary.  - 

STANDINO  OOSTMITTEE. 

Hemy  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
0.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

Tbe  Sanitary  CommisBion  lias  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patieiits  in  all  the  United  States  General  HospitalB. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  M^land,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  In  Pennsylvania,  address  "  OfBce  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Westem  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentuolcy,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
Bippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "Of&ce  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  Immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense, 

gef  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  dissemmating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friendB 
In  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distributiou  of,  goods  jrat 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  pomtg 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxihary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  ana 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  lo'calitieB, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York.  ' 

Sanitary  Commission,  branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  48 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Oommissicm,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  ith 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  hai- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Saniiaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
LouisviUe,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  bo 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Rev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Bailroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  lU C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 

Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey James  Malona,  Sup't. 

James  Morton,  Special  BeUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio  ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AOSNOV  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  WashlngtAn,  D.  G 

HOBPITAl.    OABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Tork— Sol.  Audrewii 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Mur&eesboro' — ^Dr.  J.  P.  Bu> 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITAAT  STSAMBB. 

OumbflrlaniBlser^^New  riKmiei**. 


The  Sanitary  Cormnission  Bulletin, 


447 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FBOM  JUEIES  3  AM)  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERI^ATIOIMAL    EXHIBITIOiy, 


Being  Sole,  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Report  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAiZENA, 

At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  PAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOOIETT,  at  Utica,  N.  Y., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Diploma  and  Mhdaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  GoiiD  Medai. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  American  Institdtb,  New  York 
City;  New  Jbeset  State  Fair  at  Trenton,  and  at  ^ther  places — in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stan£  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
littie  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &o. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM,  niJRYEA.  GeiK^ral  A^cat. 


448  The  Sanitary  Commxaum  BvUetin. 

OFFICE    OF   THE 

0^0lttmWatt  (^Mm)  ^ummtt 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,      -  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Skth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  T9 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over.Los^s,  &c 1,13'I,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies , .      441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not ■      269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividehd  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  le  Currency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  YOYAGB  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
■     3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME"  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 


EDWARD  EOWE, 

M.  F.  MERICK, 

MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD, 

WM.  B.  OGDEN, 

DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN, 

JOHN  ARMSTRONG, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON, 

B.  C.  MORRIS, 

WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE, 

ANDREW  J.  RICH, 

B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

WM.  H.  HALSEY, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON, 

JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr., 

HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MTTOHELL, 

CHARLES  mCKOX, 

THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

ROBERT  BOWNE, 

ROBERT.  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON, 

LAWRENCE  MYERS, 

J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  NIMS, 

S.  N.  DERRICK, 

. 

THOS.  LORD,  VioePresident.  B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 

■WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  2d.  Vice-P™ '■=''"*  -"•'  =- — * — ' 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIlsr. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  JUNE  1,  1864. 


No.  15. 


CONTENTS. 

Pago. 
Ekpokts— 

A  Few  Days  amongst  our  Wounded. .   ....  4i9 

Diary  of  a  Belief  'Agent  on  the  Bappahan- 

noek 455 

General  Banks's  Army 458 

Operations  at  Belle  Plain 461 

The  Western  Department 463 

Back  Pay 465 

A  PfiisosEE'a  Testimony 463 

COKBESPONDENCE — 

Letter  from  Dr.  Hewitt 463 

Letter  from  G.  J.  Abbott 464 

Newbeek  Waifs 464 

A  Guy  foe  Help : 464 

Soldiee's  Gifts .•. 465 

Sanitary  Science  Peaotically  Applied 465 

The  Hospital  Dikectoey ,  467 

The  Situation  in  the  West 467 

POETEY— 

A  Soldier's  Tribute 470 

A  Day  in  the  Cbnteal  Ojtfioe 470 

Camp  Cookinq 471 

Notes  on  Ndesins , 472 

The  Sanitaey  Commission  Bulletin  is  puOiisJied 
on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  U  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

AB,  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
Oienticated  by  the  nam^s  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bul- 
letin is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  XX.  8.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission— the  Standing  Gommittee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree of  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex-- 
press  a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum,  of  two  doUars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steono,  68  Wall  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  will  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  remmnder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  publication  be  sooner  discon- 
'  iimied.  »  , 

Vol,,  I.— No.  15.  29 


A  PEW  DAYS  AMONGST  OUB  WpUNDED. 

New  Tokk,  Moa/  21, 1864. 
Dh.  Fosteb  Jenkins,  General  Secretary, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission; 

My  Dbae  Snt — Pur^iant  to  the  request 
of  the  Standing  Committee,  I  beg  leave  to 
present  the  following  informal  report  (ne- 
cessarily imperfect  from  the  haste  with 
which  it  has  been  prepared,)  of  the  organ- 
ization and  operations  of  the  relief  system 
of  the  Commission  in  N.  E.  Virginia  since 
the  opening  of  the  present  campaign. 

I  left  New  York  on  the  afternoon  of  Tues- 
day, May  10th,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a  personal  examination  of  the  working  of 
the  Commission  for  the  aid  and  relief  of  the 
wounded  by  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness 
and  Spottsylvania.  At  Washington,  I 
learned  that  the  wounded  had  collected  in 
immense  numbers  at  Fredericksburg,  and 
were  already  being  transported  to  Belle 
Plain,  on  their  way,  by  hospital  transports, 
to  Washington  and  Alexandria.  Up  to 
Sunday  night,  the  8th,  everybody  in 
Washington  expected  that  the  wounded 
would  be  sent  to  the  rear  via  Rappahannock 
Station  and  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
-Eailroad,  and  to  this  end  great  preparations 
had  been  made  by  the  Quartermaster's- 
Department  under  advice  from  the  Medical 
Bureau.  Immense  trains  of  cars,  with  a 
full  corps  of  surgeons,  were  sent  out  to  the 
Kappahannock  Station  on  that  day. 

There  they  waited  until  the  next  day, 
when,  it  having  been  ascertained  that  the 
wounded  were  already  in  very  large  num- 
bers at  Fredericksburg,  the  trains  were 
ordered  back  to  Alexandria. 

I  make  this  introductory  statement  with 
some  precision,  since  it  furnishes  a  key  to 
the  difficulties  which  attended  the  care  of 
the  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  during  the 


450 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


period  from  May  8th  to  Thursday,    May 
12th. 

Fredericksburg  is  about  ten  miles  from 
Belle  Plain,  and  as  the  railroad  from  Aquia 
Creek  had  been  thoroughly  destroyed,  the 
most  direct  and  available  access  to  the 
thousands  of  wounded  already  gathered  at 
the  former  place,  was  via  Potomac  Creek 
and  BeUe  Plain  Landing.  The  rebels  had 
long  ago  destroyed  the  wharves  at  BeUe 
Plain,  but  during  the  8th  and  9th  of  May, 
most  vigorous  efforts  were  made  by  the 
Quartermaster's  Department  to  prepare  a 
temporary  landing.  To  this  landing,  on 
Monday  and  Tuesday,  (9th  and  10th  of 
May,)  came  a  fleet  of  transports  conveying 
ordnance  stores,  fighting  rations,  hospital 
appliances,  and  means  of  shelter  for  the  in- 
coming wounded.  The  dock,  a  most  credit- 
able structure,  considering  the  time  within 
which  it  was  built,  but,  perhaps,  hardly 
large  enough  for  the  demands  made  upon 
its  capacity,  presented  a  fearful  scene  when 
I  arrived  at  BeUe  Plain  on  Wednesday  after- 
noon. 

I  found  one  of  our .  supply  barges,  the 
Kennedy,  at  the  dock,  and  Dr.  Steiner 
directing  the  operations  of  the  Commission. 
Down  the  right-hand  side  of  the  U-shaped 
dock,  slowly  moved  a  single  file  of  army 
wagons  filled  with  wounded  men  ;  at  the 
end  or  corner  of  the  dock,  by  the  gangway 
of  a  large  Government  transport,  stood 
that  most  efBcient  and  admirable  officer, 
Dr.  Cuyler,  Acting  Medical  Inspector  Gen- 
■eral,  U.  S.  A.,  receiving  thewounded,  and 
superintending  their  removal  from  the 
•wagons  to  the  deck  of  the  transport,  pre- 
paratory to  their  transfer  to  the  hospital 
steamboats  that  lay  in  the  offing.  After 
each  wagon  had  deposited  its  living  freight, 
it  passed  around  the  end  of  the  dock  to  the 
lef-thand  side,  and  there  took  in  ammunition 
or  fighting  rations,  the  orders  being  imper- 
ative to  return  to  the  front  only  with  full 
loads  of  these  indispensable  supplies. 
Crowding  along  the  narrow  margin  of  the 
dock  were  continuous  lines  of  men  carry- 
ing litters  and  stretchers  on  which  were 
such  of  the  more  severely  wounded  as  had 
been  removed  from  the  wagons  at  the 
hospital  tents,  on  the  hUl-side  above  the 
plain.  Hour  after  hour,  for  several  days,  was 
this  fearftd.  procession  kept  up.      It  would 


not  be  proper  for  me  to  state  how  many 
thousands  thus  passed  under  Dr.  Cuyler's 
inspection,  but  I  cannot  forbear  mention- 
ing the  most  distinguished  zeal,  energy  and 
self-devotion  with  which  his  arduous  duties 
were  performed.  His  administrative  skill, 
his  quick  and  ready  humanity,  his  almost 
ubiquitous  presence,  his  self-denying  ex- 
posure to  the  pelting  rain,  while  laboring 
to  secure  prompt  shelter  to  the  wounded, 
his  night  work  and  day  work,  his  personal 
attentions  to  even  the  little  wants  and 
minor  discomforts  of  each  individual  suf- 
ferer, were  the  subjects  of  universal  admira- 
tion. Dr.  Brinton,  (Medical  Purveyor  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,)  was  also  there, 
working  with  vigor  in  the  difficult  under- 
taking of  forwarding  medical  supphes 
to  Fredericksburg. 

By  the  end  of  the  pier  lay  the  barge  Ken- 
nedy, the  storeboat  and  headquarters  of  the 
Commission.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  every 
thing  was  astir.  Gen.  Abercrombie,  com- 
mandant of  the  post,  was  making  it  his 
temporary  headquarters.  Out  in  the  stream, 
amid  a  promiscuous  collection  of  transports, 
lay  the  steamboat  Bapley,  loaded  with 
stores  from  the  Washington  storehouses  of 
the  Commission.  Near  her  lay  the  barge 
Washington,  with  a  load  of  army  wagons 
and  horses  for  the  Commission's  service. 
After  great  difficulty,  and  the  exercise  of 
no  little  ingenuity,  the  stores  from  the 
Bapley  were  put  ashore,  half  a  mile  up  the 
creek  in  small  boats,  and  the  wagons  loaded 
and  sent  to  Fredericksburg.  Capt.  J.  W. 
Clarke,  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department, 
and  Capt.  Lubey,  15th  Eegiment  NeW  York 
Engineer  Corps,  gave  us  most  cheerful  and 
essential  aid  in  this  work.  Indeed,  from 
all  the  officers  at  the  post  of  the  Commis- 
sion we  received  nothing  but  kind  services 
and  expressions  of  the  heartiest  good-wUl. 
Captains  Pitkins  and  Lacey,  of  the  Quar- 
termaster's Department,  provided  every 
facility  in  their  power,  and  from  General 
Abercrombie  and  Colonel  Cuyler,  do-*^n, 
every  body  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  aid- 
ing us.  From  Monday  the  9th,  until  this 
time,  incessant  exertions  have  been  made 
by  the  officers  of  the  Medical,  Quarter- 
master's, Commissary's  and  Ordnance  De- 
partments, to  remove  the  wounded  from 
the  rear  of  the  army  and  replenish  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


451 


trains  for  forward  movements.  No  one  at 
home  can  form  any  idea  of  the  labors  of  the 
oflScers  in  these  departments,  day  after  day 
and  night  after  night,  oftentimes  living 
meanwhile  on  the  scantiest  subsistence, 
such  as  coffee  and  crackers,  and  these  hur- 
riedly taken.  We  are  oftentimes  loud  in 
our  praises  of  military  commanders  for 
achieving  victory,  but  seldom  give  due 
credit  for  the  result  to  the  quartermasters, 
who  work  with  almost  superhuman  energy 
at  some  base  of  supplies,  and  on  whose 
talent,  energy  and  fertility  in  resources  the 
very  existence  of  the  army  depends.  The 
agents  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
formed  no  mean  feature  in  this  scene  of 
energy  and  successful  labor.  Up  to  May 
21st,  the  Commission  sent  nearly  200  tons 
of  sanitary  stores,  including  stimulants, 
farinaceous  food,  beef  stock,  condensed 
milk,  bandages,  &c.,  from  Belle  Plain  and 
Fi-edericksburg.  It  will  be  interesting  to 
note  the  fact  here,  that  the  relief  service  of 
the  Commission  has  involved,  since  Gen. 
Grant  crossed  the  Bapidan,  and  Gen.  But- 
ler went  up  the  James  Eiver,  the  use  of 
four  steamboats,  three  barges  and  two 
schooners,  for  the  transportation  of  its  stores 
from  Washington  to  Belle  Plain,  and  from 
Baltimore  to  Norfolk,  the  latter  being  the 
Commissioa's  base  of  supplies  for  Butler's 
army. 

At  Belle  Plain,  in  addition  to  a  relief 
station  on  the  barge  by  the  wharf,  the 
Commission  has  maintained  a  corps  of  re- 
lief agents  at  a  feeding  station  near  the 
hospital  depot,  providing  food  for  thou- 
sands of  weary  and  hungry  men  who  arrive 
there  in  ambulances  and  wagons,  and  an- 
other at  White  Oak  Church,  half-way  from 
BeUe  Plain  to  Fredericksburg,  where  hot 
coffee,  soft  crackers,  and  beef  soup,  have 
been  issued  to  wounded  and  disabled  men 
on  their  way  to  hospital,  many  of  whom 
have  not  tasted  food  for  hours. 

The  operations  of  the  Commission  at 
BeUe  Plain,  including  the  movements  of 
trains  of  supply  wagons,  have  been  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  F.  N.  Knapp,  whose  experi- 
ence in  every  branch  of  relief  service  has 
made  his  name  the  synonym  for  energy  and 
beneficence  wherever  the  Commission  is 
known. 

At   Fredericksburg,    the    Commission's 


work  under  the  able  direction  of  Dr.  Doug- 
las, Chief  Inspector,  is  three-fold:  First, 
there  is  a  large  storehouse  on  Commerpial 
Street,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Johnson,  from 
which,  since  the  9th  of  May,  about  200  tons 
of  sanitary  stores  have  been  issued  to  hospi- 
tals upon  the  requisitions  of  surgeons. 
Secondly,  a  corps  of  relief  agents  number- 
ing from  160  to  225,  under  the  leadership 
of  Mr.  Fay,  divided  into  squads  and  as- 
signed to  the  various  division  hospitals. 
These  relief  agents  report  the  wants  of  the 
hospitals  to  Mr.  Fay,  perform  the  duties  of 
nurses,  and  seize  every  opportunity  to 
minister  to  the  complicated  and  various  ne- 
cessities of  the  wounded,  as  indicated  by 
the  advice  or  orders  of  *the  surgeons  in 
charge  of  them.  Thirdly,  special  diet  kitch- 
ens under  the  administration  of  Miss  Wool- 
sey,  Mrs.  Gen.  Barlow  and  Miss  Gilson,  while 
Mrs.  Gibbons  and  daughter  and  Mrs.  Hus- 
band, lend  their  expert  services  to  thei  hos- 
pitals. The  special  diet  kitchens  are  tents 
with  ample  cooking  arrangements,  pitched 
on  the  roads  from  the  front  to  Fredericks- 
burg or  Belle  Plain.  From  these,  soup, 
coffee,  stimulants,  soft  bread  and  other  food 
are  isstied  to  thousands  of  passing  wounded. 
With  the  army,  seven  four  horse  wagons 
carrying  food,  stimulants,  underclothing 
and  surgical  dressings,  constantly  move 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Steiner,  the 
Commission  Inspector  for  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  Mr.  Johnson,  whose  services 
at  Gettysburg,  and  now  at  Fredericksburg, 
form  a  bright  record  in  the  special  relief 
work  of  .the  Cotnmission.  I  should  say 
here  that  these  wagons  moved  with  the 
army  from  Brandy  Station,  dispensing 
stores  during  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness, 
and  then,  passing  with  the  wounded  to 
Fredericksburg,  went  on  to  Belle  Plain  to 
re-load. 

The  Commission  has  now  forty  odd  four- 
horse  wagons  of  its  own,  carrying  sanitary 
stores  from  BeUe  Plain  to  Fredericksburg. 
On  Monday,  May  23d,  thirty-one  of  these 
wagons,  carrying  nearly  forty  thousand 
pounds  of  sanitary  stores  went  in  one  train 
from  BeUe  Plain  to  Fredericksburg.  On 
the  same  day,  our  steamboat,  the  Eapley,* 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Anderson,  with  the  barge 
Kennedy  in  tow,  cleared  from  Belle  Plain 
'  and  went  up  the  Eappahannock  to  add 


452 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuJktin. 


still  more  largely  to   our  Bupjilies.      Our 
■work  then  for  the  sick  and  -wounded  of 
the    army    of    General    Meade    may    be 
summed    up,    briefly,    as    foUows :     Two 
steamboats  and  two  barges  for  conveying 
sanitary  stores  from  Washington  to  Belle 
Plain;  forty-four  four-horse  ■wagons  for  con- 
veying sanitary  stores  from  Belle  Plain  to 
Fredericksburg  and  the   front;  over  t^wo 
hundred  tons   of  sanitiiry  stores  sent   to 
Belle  Plain  and  Fredericksburg;  over  200 
trained  relief  agents  lending  their  best  ener- 
gies to  the  hospitals  aijd  feeding  stations. 
The  outlay  for  the  month  of  M^j,  so  far, 
has  been  over  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars for  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  alone. 
You  ■will  remember  that  aU  these  operations 
are  in  addition  to  ■what  is  being  done  by 
the  Commission  at  Washington,  for  Gen-, 
eral  Sherman's  army,  and  at  Ne^w  Orleans 
and  on  the  Red  River. 

I  should  say,  that  at  Fredericksburg  the 
medical  affairs  ■were  under  the  able  manage- 
ment of  Dr.  Dalton,  Medical  Director, 
while  large  numbers  of  medical  men  from 
Boston,  Ne^w  York,  Philadelphia  and  else- 
■where,  served  day  and  night  in  the  hospi- 
tals, aiding  those  devoted,  men,  the  army 
surgeons,  in  their  exhaustive  and  most  se- 
rious and  self-denying  duties.  Who  can 
sum  up  the  value  of  the  services  of  the 
army  surgeons  ?  Who  can  describe  in  be- 
coming phrases  a  tithe  of  what  they  do  for 
the  thousands  of  suffering  men  thrown  upon 
their  care  and  skill  by  the  fearful  casualties 
of  an  active  campaign.  I  never  witness 
their  conduct  without  a  sense  of  the  pro- 
foundest  admiration  and  a  renewed  convic- 
tion that  the  best  work  of  our  Commission 
is  that  by  which  we  endeavor,  even  in  an 
humble  way,  to  strengthen  their  hands  by 
supplementary  assistance. 

Sincerely  yours, 

C.  E.  Agnbw. 

17.  S.  SAKtTABT  COMUISSIOH,  ) 

B£Li.£  Plain,  May  IE,  1861.  / 

My  Deab  Db.  Jenkins— I  cannot  con- 
dense within  the  limits  of  such  a  note  as 
can  be  written  now,  an  account  of  the 
operations  of  the  Commission  at  this  point. 
You  know  the  relations  of  Belle  Plain  land- 
ing to  Fredericksburg;  it  is,  in  brief,  that 
of  a  temporary  base.  The  fearful  accumu- 
lation of  our  wounded  at  Fredericks bure 


made  it  imperative  to  open  communications 
again  with  sources  of  supply,  and  this  point 
was  selected.     A  temporary  pier,   in  the 
form  of  a  U,  was  hastily  constructed  on 
Monday,  at  the  terminus  of  the  Fredericks- 
burg wagon  road.     Over  this  pier  and  road 
a  mingled  crowd  of  army  wagons  and  am- 
bulances, stragglers  and  walking  wounded, 
has  passed  since  Monday  last,  forming  a 
spectacle    beyond    description.      We    are 
using  every  hand  and  heart  to  their  utmost 
■power  to  meet  our  responsibilities  to  the 
wounded.      We  have  used,  in  the  trans- 
portation of  our  sanitary  stores,  two  steam- 
boats and  two  baxges.     The  Eapley,  a  fast 
steamboat,  of  about  150  tons,  is  plying  con- 
stantly between   BeUe  Plain  landing   and 
Washington.     She  is  chartered  to  convey 
stores  by  us,  and  carries  not  only  stores, 
but  constant  additions  to  our  Field  EeUef 
Corps.     We  have  over  two  hundred  active 
and  able  men  in  this  corps,  who  give  them- 
selves night  and  day  to  the  work  of  feeding 
the  wounded,  both  at  Fredericksburg  and 
at  Belle  Plain  landing. 

The  dock  space  here  is  so  inadequate, 
that  the  landing  of  our  stores  has  been  a 
work  fraught  -with  immense  difBoulty.  This 
difficulty  is  increased  by  the  character  of 
the  ground  near  the  base  of  the  pier.  Wag- 
ons cannot  turn,  except  on  the  dock,  and 
even  then  they  must  move  in  a  continuous 
single  line  around  the  £)[.  Owing  to  this 
peculiarity,  there  was  on  Wednesday  a 
"jam"  of  wagons,  loaded  with  wounded, 
all  along  the  road  from  the  landing  to 
Fredericksburg,  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten 
miles.  These  wagons  bring  in  wounded 
and  carry  out  ordnance  stores  and  fighting 
rations.  During  this  jam,  and,  indeed, 
ever  since,  we  have  been  compelled  to  con- 
fvey  our  stores  in  small  boats  up  Potomac 
Creek  a  considerable  distance,  to  a  point 
on  the  shore  where  the  wagons  can  get 
across,  and  thus  escape,  to  as  great  a  degree 
as  possible,  the  stagnation  and  confusi6n  of 
the  landing. 

A  barge  arrived  on  Thursday  ■with  four 
additional  four-horse  wagons  and  eighteen 
horses,  in  addition  to  our  previous  stock  of 
twelve  wagons  and  forty-eight  horses.  It 
was  necessary  to  put  these  wagons  over- 
board, and  obtain  a  gang  of  t^wenty  colored 

from 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


453 


which  the  horses  could  haul  them.  Capt. 
J.  W.  Clark,  a  noble  specimen  of  the  Quar- 
termaster's Department,  gave  every  facility 
and  furnished  the  gang  of  men. 

Just  as  this  work  was  done,  the  Eapley 
came  down  with  a  load  of  stores,  and,  not 
being  able  to  get  to  the  pier,  discharged 
into  pontoon  boats,  furnished  by  Captain 
Timothy  Lubey,  15th  R.giment  N.  Y.  En- 
gineer Corps,  aided  by  a  gang  of  laborers 
furnished  by  Captain  Clark. 

It  has  required  constant  ingenuity  and 
forethought  to  surmount  these  and  similar 
difficulties;  and  yet  we  have  sent  thii-ty 
four-horse  wagon  loads  of  condensed  milk, 
beef  stock,  woolen  clothing,  stimulants, 
crackers,  &c.,  &c.,  to  Fredericksburg,  over 
a  most  horrid  road. 

By  a,  rough  estimate,  I  suppose  the 
amount  of  sanitary  stores  sent  forward  since 
Tuesday  to  be  about  35,000  pounds.  To-day 
we  have  sent  for  sis  additional  four-horse 
wagons  and  twenty-four  horses,  so  that  our 
train  will  consist  of  about  twejity-two  wag- 
ons and  nearly  one  hundred  horses. 

We  have  a  stationary  barge  here  at  the 
landing ;  a  large  feeding  station  also, 
where  thousands  of  men  have  received  cof- 
fee, or  punch,  or  crackers;  and  a  special 
relief  corps,  consisting  of  students  from 
Princeton  and  Union  Theological  Semina- 
ries, and  the  Episcopal  Seminary  of  New 
York,  with  others  from  Boston,  New  York, 
Washington,  &e. ,  &c.  This  relief  corps  is 
mainly  operating  at  Fredericksburg,  under 
Mr.  Fay;  say  about  130  al^ Fredericksburg, 
and  the  balance  at  the  feeding  station  here. 
I  give  these  numbers  in  round  terms,  as 
the  roster  is  not  at  hand  at  this  moment. 
My  figures  will  not  vary  half  a  dozen  from 
the  actual  number,  and  I  have  endeavored 
to  under-state  rather  than  over-state.  We 
are  endeavoring  to  gain  upon  the  demands 
at  Fredericksburg,  but  as  yet  the  calls  are 
fearfully  beseeching  and  exhaustive.  Ten 
wagon  loads  of  stores,  sent  on  Wednesday 
to  Fredericksburg,  were  .issued  in  less  than 
four  hours.  This  will  serve  to  show  the 
demand.  I  go  to  Fredericksburg  to- day, 
not  having  been  able  to  move  from  this 
point  since  my  arrival  on  Wednesday.  Dr. 
Steiner,  our  Chief  Inspector  for  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  has  been  here,  hard  at  work, 
since  Tuesday;  and  Mr.  Knapp  takes  charge, 


from  to-day,  of  the  whole  scheme  of  special 
relief  and  supply  work.  I  cannot  now  say 
more;  but  must,  before  I  close,  say  just  one 
word  concerning  that  noble,  self-sacrificing 
man.  Col.  Cuyler,  M.  D.,  U.  S.  A.,  who  has 
conducted  all  the  operations  for  the  removal 
of  the  wounded  by  the  hospital  transports. 
I  should  fail  in  any  attempt  to  describe  his 
services.  Day  and  night  he  has  worked, 
not  only  in  directing  the  movements,  but 
in  dressing  wounds  and  giving  personal 
and  ingenious  attention  to  the  comfort  and 
safety  of  the  pressing  crowd  of  the  weary, 
wounded  and  exhausted.  Dr.  Cuyler  is  ably 
assisted  by  Dr.  Thurston,  Staff  Surgeon. 

But  not  a  moment  remains  to  re-read  this 
or  add  more.  StiU  the  clatter,  and  rush, 
and  confusion  continue,  and  I  wonder  how 
I  have  managed  to  write  even  as  much  as 
this.     Love  to  the  brethren. 

Yours  affectionately,  , 

C.  R.  Agnew. 

N.  B. — 1  must  say  further,  that  our  barge 
lies  next  to  that  of  the  Medical  Purveyor; 
the  old  flag  is  flying,  and  we  constitute  a 
general  intelligence  office  and  mail  agency. 
Yesterday  a  bushel  and  a  half  of  letters 
were  deposited  in  our  box  by  the  soldiers 
for  those  at  home.  We  send  off  one  mail  a 
day,  and  pay  for  such  soldiers'  letters  as 
are  not  prepaid.  Gen.  Abercrombie,  the 
commandant  of  the  post,  made  our  barge 
his  headquarters  for  twenty-four  hours,  and 
we  have  furnished  tents  for  the  quarters  of 
several  of  the  principal  officers  forming  the 
military  establishm  ent  at  the  landing.  O  ur 
agent  is  put  taking  nanfes  at  Frederioks- 
barg  for  the  Hospital  Directory. 

Yours,  C.   E.   A. 

Dr.  Steiner  writes,  May  23d: 

We  are  now  twenty-five  miles  from  Rich- 
mond; have  been  in  the  saddle  every  day 
since  we  left,  living  as  best  we  can  on  the 
army  rations  and  such  few  articles  as  could 
be  picked  up  on  the  road.  We  are  now 
halted  at  Carmel  Hill  Church,  and  expect 
to  cross  the  North  Anna  River  this  after- 
noon. 

Dr.  Stevens  reported  yesterday,  and  was 
ordered  to  follow  Abbott,  in  the  9th  Corps, 
to  turn  over  his  wagon  to  him  and  then  to 
devote  himself  to  his  special  business  in  the 
9th  Corps  and  whatever  other  corps  might 


454 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


be  next  him.  Thus  far  I  have  kept  with 
the  5th  Corps.  Harris  haying  been  detailed 
on  other  duty,  I  have  been  deprived  of 
my  ordinary  assistant  in  keeping  up  the 
communication.  I  am,  however,  satisfied 
that  the  work  is  b  ing  well  done. 

3  o'clock,  P.  M. — I  have  just  com  3  down 
to  the  North  Anna;  th3  army  is  just  cross- 
ing. No  opposition  has  been  offered.  The 
fight  is  expect  d  to  take  place  somewhere 
about  Hanover  Court  House. 

6  o'clock,  P.  M. — The  rebels  have  made 
their  appearance  in  the  woods,  and  have  at- 
tacked our  troops  hardly  in  line  of  battle, 
with  great  vigor  and  spitef  nlness.  Happen- 
ing to  be  within  ten  feet  of  the  rear  of  the 
lineof  battle  when  themusketry  ope  ed,  Mr. 
Marsh  and  ,  had  a  splendid  opportunity  of 
hearing  A.  P.  Hill's  bullets  and  shells.  We 
didn't  avail  ourselv  s  of  the  privilege  for  a 
very  long  time, but  beat  a  retreat  to  the  river, 
re-crossed,  and  reached  the  hospitals  of  the 
corps,  which  had  just  been  established  by 
the  medical  officers.  The  result  of  the  bat- 
tle of  North  Anna  was  the  frustration  of  the 
rebel  design  of  destroying  one  of  our  corps, 
our  driving  them  about  a  mile  from  their 
field  of  battle,  leaving  two  hundred  and 
twenty-four  wounded  and  a  few  killed,  and 
taking  about  three  hundred  prisoners. 
This  morning  the  rebels  have  disappeared. 

The  6th  Corps  crossed  last  night  to  sup- 
port the  5th — our  corps,  as  I  now  call  it. 
Hancock  crossed  somewhere  below  yester- 
day, and  judging  from  the  booming  of  can- 
non all  the  morning,  he  must  now  be  en- 
gaged with  the  enemy.  The  firing  has  been 
incessant  for  some  hours. 

The  next  fight,  unless  this  operation  of 
Hancock's  brings  it  on  to-day,  will  take  ' 
place  at  Hanover  Court  House. 

The  work  from  here  on  is  Ukely  to  be  ter- 
rific. 

Only  be  prepared  for  the  new  base.  You 
don't  know  how  grateful  a  thing  it  was  to 
me  to  see  almost  every  needy  in  the  hospi- 
tals of  the  5th  Corps  supplied  with  our 
shirts.  Give  us  large  supplies  from  the  new 
base.    I  shall  need  Freeman  for  my  own  use. 

Mr.  Marsh  is  now  taking  the  names  of 
the  wounded  at  the  battle  of  North  Anna. 

Our  clothing  left  by  the  wagons  in  the 
15th  Corps  Hospital  is  doing  splendid  duty 
now. 


The  New  York  Times  correspondent  says, 
writing  from  Port  Boyal,  May  28: 

The  wounded  began  to  arrive  on  Wednes- 
day evening,   and  as  good  luck  or  good 
inanagement  would  have  it,  two  steamers, 
two  barges',  a  schooner,  and  a  tug  boat,  all 
heavily  with  the  stores  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission,  got  here  in  advance, 
and  more  than  a  hundred  willing  men  and 
women  were  ready  to  administer  to  the 
comfort  of  the  sufiering,  who  were  faint 
and  exhausted  by  a  long  ride  of  twenty  or 
thirty  miles  from  the  front,  some  in  ambu- 
lances, but  more  in  the  springless  army 
wagons.     Every  wounded  man  was  kindly 
eared  for,  and  the  good  work  has  been  kept 
up  night  and  day,  until  now  it  is  announc- 
ed that  all  those  wounded  up  to  yesterday 
have  been  sent  here,  and  that  probably  no 
others  will  come  to  this  point.     The  "men 
have  been  mainly  left  in  the  vehicles,  until 
sent  on  board  the  arriving  boats,  to  be  car- 
ried direct  to  Washington.     The  Sanitary 
Belief  Corps  have  gone  from  wagon  to 
wagon  carrying  coflee,   beef   tea,   farina, 
milk  punch,  &e.,  and  giving  out  crutches, 
and  affording  other  relief  as  needed.     I 
estimate  the  number  of  wounded  arriving 
here  at  about  2,000.  As  I  said  of  both  BeUe 
Plain  and  Fredericksburg,  I  say  here,  that 
the  relief  and    comfort   afforded    to   the 
sick  and  wounded  at  this  point  alone  have 
abundantly  repaid  all  the  eiforts  ever  made 
to  put  funds  into  the  treasury  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.     I  doubt  not  that  hun- 
dreds of  lives  have  been  saved.     If  any 
others  arrive,  there  are  now  complete  hos- 
pital boats  ready  to  receive  them;  and  at 
least  part  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  forces 
and   supplies  will  soon  move  to  another 
point,   (where  you  will  announce  in  due 
time,  if  not  proper  now. ) 
****** 
AU  seem  cheerful  and  confident  of  suc- 
cess; even  the  wounded  express  unbound- 
ed confidence.       Every  inch    of    ground 
gained  by  our  ttoo^s  forward,  whether  for 
strategical  or  other  purposes  on  the  part 
of  the  army,  gives  confidence  to  the  men. 
The  next  field  of  operations  for  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  will  probably  be  well  to- 
ward Richmond.     The  present  volunteer 
force  have  worked  unceasingly  night  and 
day  for  three  weeks,  and  many  of  them  will 
continue  in  the  field  as  long  as  possible. 
The  present  expenditures  of  the  Commis- 
sion  are  on  a  vast  scale,   the  managers 
deeming  it  their  duty  to  spare  no  expense 
to  give  the  most  prompt  and  eificieut  re- 
lief to  every  wounded  man  over  the  vast 
field  now  covered  by  our  extensive  military 
operations.       Everybody  connected  with 
the  Commission  is,  I  know,  too  busy  to  stop 
to  render  any  account  of  their  stewardship 
just  now.     The  soldiers  and  the  country 
will  rnva  them  a  oreat  deal  of  e-ratitude  for 


The  Sanitary  Gommisdon  BvRetin. 


455 


the  earnestness  and  fidelity  with  which 
they  are  executing  their  heaven-born  trust. 
Below  I  send  you  a  list  of  soldiers  buried 
at  Port  Eoyal.  They  are  all  buried  in  one 
spot,  and  their  graves  are  numbered  in  the 
order  that  I  have  numbered,  the  names 
below. 

1.  S.  V.  Martin,  Co.  I,  87tli  Penn.— died  May  25. 

2.  Morris  Cauain,  ijattery  M,  7tli  N.  Y.  Artillery— died 
May  28. 

8.  James  Ferrell,  Co.  C,  104th  N.  Y.— died  May  26. 
i   Serg't  a.  Pritohard,  Co.  D,  143d  Penn.  Vols.— died 
May  25. 

5.  Henry  C.  Memess,  Co.  C,  12th  Ky.,  2d  Bat.  TJ.  S.  In- 
fantry— died  May  26. 

6.  Michael  Drew,  Co.  C,  9lBt  Penn.  Vols.,  of  Bichmond, 
Penn.— died  May  26. 

7.  B.Merithan,  (lat  SergHjCo.1, 4th  Me.— diedMay26. 

8.  Henry  W.  Toye,  Co.  A,  16th  Penn.  Cav.,  Venango 
County,  Penn. — died  May  26. 

9.  John  Hannum,  Co.  D,  1st  N.  Y.  Artillery — died 
May  26. 

10.  Capt.  Henry  W.  Davis,  1st  N.  Y.,  Battery  E^^died 
May  27. 

11.  Alexander  De  Forrest,  10th  Mass. — died  May  27. 

12.  Unknown,  9th  Mass.  Vols.,  (residence.  Maiden) — 
died  May  27. 

13.  Thomas  B.  Story,  Co.  H,  102d  Penn.  Vols.— died 
May  27. 

14.  A.  P.  Matton,  Co.  C,  105th  Penn. Vols.— died  May  27. 

15.  Joseph  Vaughn,  Co.  E,  61st  Penn.  Vols.— died 
May  27. 

16.  Unlmown,  anchor  and  shield  on  left  arm  in  TnHiii. 
Ink— died  May  27. 

17.  Unkno^vn,  7th  Loyal  Virginia  Vols.— died  May  27. 

18.  James  Grrace,  €:ld  N.  Y. — died  May  27. 

19  C.  Lewis  granklin,  Co.  F,  7th  B.  I.  Vols.— died 
May  27. 

20.  Unknown— probably  of  Howlyton,  Broome  County, 
N.  Y.— died  May  27. 

21.  Unknown. 

22.  Unknown. 

23.  Unknown. 

The  above  were  on  their  way  home,  and 
died  before  or  after  arriving  at  Port  Eoyal. 
They  were  buried  by  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion Corps,  with  religious  services  at  the 
graves.  The  graves  are  neatly  rounded 
up,  with  headboards  having  the  above 
markings.  A  beautiful  large  bouquet  of 
fresh  flowers  was  planted  upon  the  head  of 
each  grave,  and  the  whole  left  in  the  charge 
of  George  Smith,  a  good  old  colored  man 
residing  near,  who  promised  to  do  all  he 
would  be  allowed  to  to  keep  the  graves  in- 
violate and  in  order.  A  more  interesting 
spot,  and  a  more  affecting  interment  I 
never  witnessed.  There,  at  least,  is  "sa- 
cred soil. " 

The  following  list  of  the  principal  arti- 
cles carried  to  Port  Boyal  by  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  on  Wednesday 
evening.  May  26,  wiU  show  what  is  being 
done  with  the  "  funds,"  and  what  the  Field 
Relief  Corps  have  to  work  with  among  the 
sick  and  wounded: 


425  bed  ticks. 

265  blankets.        ' 

696  coarse  combs. 

120  fine  combs. 

132  medicine  cups. 

80  pieces  mosquito  net. 

331  pillows. 

556  pillow  ticks. 

210  towels. 

2,320  tin  cups. 

650  tin  plates. 

250  tin  basins. 

115  tin  buckets. 

C41  tin  spittoons. 


45  tin  dippers. 
115  mattresses. 
148  candlesticks. 
494.koives  and  forks. 
112  wooden  pails. 
90  stretchers. 
50  canes. 
1,830  crutches. 
2  bales  oakum. 
62  urinals. 
264  chambers. 
'250  bed-pans. 
/2  spittoons. 
.61  spit  cups. 


1,000  feet  lumber. 

50  barrels  cabbage  or  curry. 

218  barrels  sanrkraut. 

5,676  cans  tomatoes. 

443  pounds  butter. 

455  pounds  cheese. 

24  barrels  potatoes. 

10  cases  smoking  tobacco. 

2  boxes  pipes. 

702  pounds  tamarinds. 

168  lanterns. 

571  woolen  drawers. 

874  canton  flannel  drapers. 

67  pants. 

1,762  handkerchiefs. 

3,781  woolen  shirts. 

290  canton  shirts. 

206  hospital  shirts. 

84  blouses. 

492  shoes.  I 

12  pairs  low  boots. 

540  sUppers. . 

2,470  woolen  socks. 

313  wrappers  of  cotton. 

4,032  cans  condensed  milk. 

1,728  cans  beef. 

336  cans  meats. 

72  cans  mutton. 

528  cans  poultry. 

60  poundB  extra  coffee. 


3,132  pounds  chocolate. 
80  pounds  dried  apples. 
326  gallons  pickles. 
28  boxes  corn  starch. 
8  barrels  white  sugar. 
8  barrels  bro-wn  sugar. 
6  chests  tea. 
132  bottles  vinegar. 
720  bottles  brandy. 
600  bottles  wine. 
1,360  bottles  whisky. 
47  K  barrels  porter. 
120  bottles  alcohoL 
108  bottles  Jamaica  mm. 
108  bottles  bay  rum. 
102  bottles  cologne 
1,000  pills  camph.  et  opii. 
36  pounds  chloroform. 
160  pounds  candles. 
402  palm  fans. 
15  barrels  bandages. 

13  barrels  old  linen. 
Splints. 

15,500  envelopes. 
31>^  reams  paper. 
157  dozen  pen  holders. 

14  m?oss  pens. 
168  bottles  ink, 

300  new  newspapers. 


A  dispatch  to  the  Associated  Press  from 
Washington,  May  31,  says: 

The  Sanitary  Commission's  steamer  John 
E.  Thompson,  left  Baltimore  last  evening 
with  sanitary  stores,  (her  second  load,) 
bound  for  Bermuda  Hundred,  where  she 
has  been  stationed  for  the  past  fortnight. 

The  propeller  EUzabeth,  one  of  the  Bal- 
timore and  Philadelphia  line,  has  also  been 
chartered  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
was  last  night  loaded  with  soms  forty  tons 
of  ice  and  eighty  tons  of  assorted  sanitary 
stores,  and  dispatched  to  the  James  Eiver, 
The  Thompson  and  Elizabeth  each  carried 
its  corps  of  relief  agents.  Three  other  boats 
in  the  employ  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
left  the  mouth  of  the  Eappahannock  at 
daylight  yesterday  morning,  for  the  new 
base  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 


DIARY  6F  a  belief  AGENT  ON  THE 
BAPPAHANNOCK. 

Belle  Plats,  Va.,  May  23, 1864. 
It  was  impossible  to  get  a  clearance 
and  away  before  9  A.  M.  I  spent  the 
morning  in  writing  orders  and  digesting 
plans.  On  arrival  at  Aquia  Creek,  found 
every  indication  of  an  early,  if  not  imme- 
diate relinquishment  of  that  point.  Mr. 
Clampitt  had  gone  to  Fredericksburg  to 
come  down  with  a.  train  of  wounded,  and  I 
was  unable  to  see  him;  but  left  Mr.  Wood 
and  Chaplain  Conwell  with  "Mac,"  to  take 
care  of  matters.  Arriving  at  this  place, 
was  greatly  perplexed  by  finding  that  the 
tug  which  towed  down  the  Hoboken  was  a 
Government  one,  and  had  gone  off  on  Gov- 
ernment business.  Further,  that  nothing 
would  be  left  here  at  10  A.  M.,  Tuesday. 
The  Washington,  Hoboken,  and  Kennedy, 
with  all  our  stores  and  employees,  would, 
if  I  followed  your  instructions,  be  left  with- 
out any  certainty  of  removal;  and  though 


456 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


I  earnestly  feel  the  necessity  for  pushing 
on,  yet,  in  view  of  the  probability  thai  the 
Kent  will  be  at  Port  Royal  on  Tuesday 
evening,  and  in  view  of  the  unexpected 
state  ol  things  here,  I  assumed  the  respon- 
sibility of  providing  for  the  barges  and  the 
agents  ■nho  have  worked  so  faithlully,  fear- 
ful that  assistance  from  Washington  might 
arrive  too  late,  as  you  did  not  know  the 
change  wrought  in  twelve  hours. 

Being  unable  to  find  Captain  Pitkin,  I 
consulted  his  assistant  in  reference  to  tow- 
ing the  barges  to  a  safe  place,  where  you 
could  pick  them  up;  but,  first,  he  couldn't 
tell  where  a  safe  place  was;  second.  Gov- 
ernment had  more  than  use  for- its  tows; 
and,  third,  we  might  leave  to-night.  After- 
wards finding  Captain  Pitkin,  he  asked  me 
about  our  baj-ges,  and  said  he  wanted  one, 
but  wouldn't  take  her  off  our  hands,  as  his 
necessities  were  but  for  a  few  days.  I  re- 
quested him  to  accept  the  loan  of  the  Wash- 
ington as  long  as  he  wished  it,  and  if  he 
would  put  freight,  not  men,  aboard,  part  of 
the  Hobokeuwas  at  his  disposal.  "  Good! 
that's  the  way  to  talk!  V\\  tow  all  your 
barges  to  Port  Eoyal  for  you,"  was  the 
reply.  I  then,  feeling  that  it  was  the  best, 
though  we  may  not  need  all  the  barges  at 
P.ort  Eoyal,  handed  over  the  Washington 
and  Hoboken.  The  Eapley  had  already 
towed  the  Hoboken  out  beyond  the  gun- 
boats, and  was  making  for  the  upper  wharf 
after  the  Washington,  when  Captaiti  Pitkin 
ordered  a  httle  tug  to  countermand  my 
order,  which  the  little  tug  vainly  supposed 
it  could  do  by  shooting  off  its  shrill  little 
whistle  in  all  imaginable  and  non-imagin- 
able manners.  In  the  mean  time.  Captain 
Harris  aiiived,  and  accepted  an  appoint- 
ment as  superintendent  of  land  transporta- 
tion. I  placed  him  in  full  charge  of  the 
trains,  empowering  him  to  appoint  such 
assistants,' and  establish  such  regulations, 
as  he  may  deem  expedient.  It  will  be  his 
duty  to  take  supplies  from  the  water  base, 
and  to  forward  them  to  such  point,  or 
points,  an  may  be  conveniently  reached  by 
the  Auxiliary  and  Eelief  Corps.  He  re- 
ported that  his  train  of  twenty-eight,  I 
think,  wagons  was  i-eady  to  start  with  sup- 
plies tor  Fredericksburg;  also,  that  three 
horses  and  two  wagons  were  unable  to  stand 
t  the  trip;  that  every  thing  at  his  camp  was 
removed,  except  some  water  casks.  I  ran 
up  with  the  Eapley  to  take  the  wagons  and 
horses  on  board;  but  finding  Captain  Strick- 
land, Quartermaster,  in  charge,  for  whom 
Captain  Pitkin  had  procured  the  Washing- 
ton from  me,  and  learning  that  he  was  send- 
ing stock  to  Washington,  requested  him  to 
take  ours  along,  which  he  promptly  agreed 
to  do.  The  last  load  of  tents  from  Harris 
Camp  was  brought  aboard  the  Eapley  by 
Mr.  Whittelsey,  in  the  small  boat  Quinta, 
and  we  pulled  for  the  lower  wharf.  Every 
thing  had  beeii  gotten  aboard,  except  the 


tent  loaned  to  General  Abercrombie,  and 
one  to  the  telegraph  operators.  As  Mr. 
Williams  had  spokeh  to  the  General,  I  did 
not  think  it  advisable  to  bother  him  again. 
Leaving  Whittelsey  and  Freeman  in  charge 
of  the  Kennedy,  together  with  Mrs.  Spen- 
cer's men  and  our  own  laborers,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams took  aboard  his  corps,  and  we  ran  up 
the  Aquia.  I  had  been  informed  by  Captain 
Clark  that  nothing  was  safe  there  long,  and 
was  in  the  act  of  pulling  down  Clampitt's 
tents,  when  I  heard  you  asking  questions 
about  it.  Clampitt  was  put  aboaid  your 
tug,  Governor  Ourtin.  After  you  left,  we 
were  detained  some  time  by  a  piece  of  old 
pile  which  got  jammed  between  the  arms 
of  the  port  wheel  and  the  hull;  and,  as  we 
lay  within  hailing  distance,  were  yelled  at 
by  some  body,  to  the  effect  that  fifteen 
hundred  wounded  would  come  down  by 
railroad,  and  would  need  feeding.  Fearing 
that  theTe  might  be  as  many  thousands  at 
Port  Eoyal  awaiting  us,  and  having  been 
told  by  the  surgeon  that  they  were  not  suf- 
fering in  the  slightest,  as  you  remember,  I 
replied  that  you  would  be  back  in  an  hour 
on  the  tug;  that  our  "  small  issue"  barge 
was  at  Belle  Plain,  and  that  you  would  get 
them  every  thing  they  could  possibly  need. 
So  soon  as  the  wheel  was  cleared,  we  steam- 
ed off  for  the  head  of  Kettle  Bottom  Shoals, 
and  tied  to  a  schooner,  it  being  impossible 
for  us  to  pass  the  shoals  at  night.  Several 
barges  were  there,  and  by  12  o'clock  aU  hands 
were  asleep.  Mr.  Williams' and  I  spent  the 
evening  in  discussing  our  work  and  digest- 
ing details.  We  have  twenty- six  Sanitary 
Commission  people  aboard,  and  twenty-one 
of  a  crew.  It  is  hard  to  tell  which  party 
has  been  worked  the  hardest;  and  the  "  hu- 
man form  divine"  may  be  seen  sprawled, 
knotted,  and  almost  dangling  on  and  from 
decks,  boxes,  bales  of  straw,  and  guards. 
They  need  it,  poOr  fellows,  for  they  have 
worked  gloriously.  It  wouldn't  have  been 
a  remarkable  surprise  to  have  seen  some 
body  asleep  on  top  of  the  smoke  stack. 
For  myself,  I  succeeded  in  gaining  a  sky- 
light for  a  pillow.  The  cabin  was  surren- 
dered to  Mrs.  Spencer.  To-day,  Tuesday, 
May  24,  we  gqt  away  at  4.30;  at  1,  had 
Point  Lookout  abeam;  and  now,  3  P.  M., 
are  heading  for  the  Eappahannock.  For- 
tunately the  bay  is  comparatively  smooth, 
though  there  are  some  pale  faces,  and  we 
are  making  a  good  run. 

I  have  appointed  Mr.  Williams,  General 
Superintendent  of  the  work  of  the  San- 
itary Commission,  at  the  water  base  on 
the  Eappahannock,  and  Mr.  Thompson, 
Superintendent  of  Special  Eelief  at  the 
water  base — designing  in  case  Mr.  Fay 
should  be  with  us  there,  to  place  Mr.  T. 
under  his  orders,  and  in  case  he  should 
not,  to  have  Mr.  T.  supervise,  and  be  re- 
sponsible for  the  feeding  of  the  wounded. 
TTo  iH  ant.liorized  to  appoint  such  assistants 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


457 


and  secure  such  aid  as  may  be  found  neces- 
i  ary;  and  will  be  kept  near  at  band  to  us, 
ready  for  emergencies.  He  has  selected 
nineteen  of  the  force  abroad,  eleven  to  aid 
with  himself,  and  the  rest  to  be  with  Mrs. 
Spencer,  who  is  under  his  charge.  My 
plan  ;is  to  divide  the  work  into  appropriate 
departments — place  a  reliable  man  at  the 
head  of  each,  and  while  giving  him  every 
facility  possible,  yet  hold  him  responsible 
for  the  work.  Accordingly,  Mr.  T.  is  di- 
rected to  be  able  to  detail  at  any  moment, 
a  captain,  who  can  break  in  new  men,  and 
run  a  new  squad.  He  is  also  directed  to 
Yeport  semi-weekly  aU  the  facts  and  inci- 
dents of  his  department.  He  .estimates 
that  he  fed  22,000  at  Belle  Plain.  I  have 
requested  him  to  write  up  a  report  of  that 
work.  I  shall,  so  far  as  possible,  secure 
full  reports  from  the  various  agents,  in 
order  that  you  may  know  what  we  are 
about. 

About  4.30  P.M.,  we  rounded  the  guard- 
ship  at  the  mouth  of  the  Eappahannock, 
and  were  ordei-ed  to  anchor  and  await  a 
convoy.  The  Medical  Purveyor's  tug  was 
close  by,  and  a  Sanitary  Commission  pen- 
nant was  fluttering  from  the  Kent,  along- 
side of  which  we  anchored.  Mr.  Clark 
came  aboard  to  report — ^I  showed  him  my 
instructions;  he  had  arrived  Tuesday  24th, 
at  11  A.  M.,  and  received  similar  orders 
from  the  gunboats.  Boarding  her  I  found 
her  tonnage  to  be  260;  her  invoice  admi- 
rably selected  and  fuU;  Mr.  Clark  in 
charge,  with  Capt.  Grofts,  as  Quartermas- 
ter; Mr.  Beck  and  Mr.  Swan,  as  assistants, 
together  with  a  crew  of  seventeen  men — 
charter,  $225.  The  saurkraut  schooner 
had  received  orders  to  make  sail  from  Fort 
Monroe  for  Eappahannock.  She  had  not 
arrived,  nor  had  any  of  our  barges,  but, 
doubtless,  would  obey  her  instructions, 
and  anchor  till  further  orders.  I  shall 
probably  dispatch  the  tug  Curtin  for  her, 
after  the  Kennedy  is  landed  at  Port 
Eoyal. 

Wedheeidat,  Hay  25, 1864. 

Obeying  orders  from  the  gunboat,  we 
were  under  weigh  at  5  A.  M. ,  with  quite  a 
respectable  fleet  of  transports  and  tows,  the 
gunboat  Dragon  acting  as  convoy.  The 
river  is  broad,  water  good,  and  banks 
fringed  with  green  foliage,  which  also  acts 
as  a  beautiful  frame  to  the  occasional  white 
farm-houses.  About  8,  the  gunboat  stop- 
ped to  wait  for  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  and 
the  Kapley  and  Kent  followed  in  the  wake 
of  a  large  transport  sea  propeller.  The 
City  of  Albany  is  far  ahead  of  the  trans- 
port. I  have  had  certain  persons  selected 
as  suitable  men  to  place  on  transports  re- 
turning with  wounded;  and  also,  a  table  of 
euppUes,  calculated  for  one  hundred  men 
for  one  day.  Should  emergencies  arise, 
we  can  speedily  determine  from  the  num* 
ber  of  patients  and  their  destination,  the 


amount  and  kind  of  stores  to  be  put  on 
board,  and  the  agent  to  go  with  them.  On 
arrival,  unless  affairs  at  Port  Eoyal  change 
the  decision,  I  shall  have  the  cargo  of  the 
Eapley  discharged  into  the  Kent,  retain  the 
Kent  until  the  barge  arrives,  and  send  back 
the  Eapley  in  charge  of  Mr.  Clark.  Will 
most  probably  place  Mr.  Beck  in  charge  of 
the  Kent,  and  Mr.  Swan  as  his  as.'-istant. 
Purpose  to  retain  the  Kent  until  the 
barge  arrives,  and  then  dispatch  her,  unless 
there  is  a,  great  demand.  I  can't  keep 
feeling  apprehensive,  and  yet  I  agreed  with 
Harris  that,  so  far  as  we  could  tell,  the 
Fredericksburg  route  was  the  safest  and 
speediest.  That  Harris  is  a  noble  man. 
At  11  A.  M. ,  passed  Eappahannock  village. 
Some  negroes  waving  handkerchiefs;  the 
gunboats  will  probably  pick  them  up.  4 
P.  M., — are  just  roundijjg  into  Port  Eoyal; 
have  passed  one  of  the  most  elegant  houses 
on  the  South  shore.  Some  ladies  and  a 
couple  of  gentlemen  sitting  on  the  veranda, 
waved  handkerchiefs  to  them,  "which, 
they  didn't  see  it,"  as  Artemus  Ward  re- 
marks. Plenty  of  contrabands  have  welcom- 
ed us  at  many  points,  but  no  white  people. 
Several  vessels  are  lying  at  Port  Eoyal, 
gunboats  among  others.  Have  passed  some 
elegant  places  for  guerrillas,  but  fortunate- 
ly without  disturbance.  State  of  Maine 
just  gone  with  wounded,  saluted  us.  On 
a,rrival,  directed  Mr.  Clark  to  lower  his 
boat  and  visit  the  steamers  in  port,  to  see 
what  ones  would  grant  us  transports,  and 
what  ones  woidd  need  supplies.  At  the 
same  time  I  took  the  Juniata,  which  we 
had  towed  from  Belle  Plain,  and  naUing  a 
crutch,  with  a  Sanitary  Commission  flag  to 
her,  put  out  to  Port  Eoyal  in  search  of  our 
men.  Getting  no  trace,  I  crossed  over  the 
river,  and  proceeding  to  Gen.  Abercrom- 
bie's  headquarters,  informed  him  of  our 
arrival  and  desire  to  facilitate  matters. 

Learned  from  him  that  a  train  of  wound- 
ed would  likely  arrive  during  the  evening. 
Eecrossed  the  river;  and,  by  the  way,  it 
was  pouring  rain  all  the  at'ternoou  and 
night.  I  succeeded  in  finding  Dr.  Cuyler, 
on  a  search  for  houses  suitable  for  hospi- 
tals. He  greeted  us  most  cordially.  We 
arrived  an,  hour  before  his  barges,  and 
about  an  hour  after  General  Abercrombie 
— long  before  his  train  was  in.  Dr.  Cuyler 
asked  me  what  we  wanted,  and,  of  course, 
we  preferred  a  house,  whereupon  he  assign- 
ed one  to  us;  but  finding  from  his  staff, 
(Captains  Pitkin  and  Clark,)  that  there  is 
no  probability  at  present  of  our  remaining 
longer  than  four  or  five  days,  I  have  not 
yet- used  it. 

On  returning  to  the  wharf,  I  met  Mr.  Le 
Baron,  who  had  left  Fredericksburg  Tues- 
day evening,  bringing  a  note  to  you  from 
Mr.  Fay,  requesting  that  the  Eapley  be 
sent  up  to  bring  our  agents  off.  Coming 
aboard,  I  directed  Mr.  Thompson  to  tak 


458 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ashore  Ms  corps,  and  proper  material  for 
feeding  six  hundred  wounded  about  to  ar- 
rive. Palling  to  Captain  Hookiss's  gun- 
boat, on  which  Mr.  Le '  Baron  had  come 
down,  had  quite  a  talk  with  Captain  H., 
arid  learned  that  the  Weems  would  proba- 
bly go  up  to-night.  Beturned,  relieved 
Mr.  Clark,  and  directed  him  to  turn  over 
the  Kent,  to  Mr.  Williams.  Requested  Mr. 
Williams  to  proceed  with  her  in  the  wake 
of  the  Weems,  and,  under  convoy,  to  Fred- 
ericksburg. Wrote  to  Captain  Harris  and 
Dr.  Douglas.  Sent  the  Kent  instead  of  the 
Kapley,  because,  first,  she  is  larger,  and  is 
not  so  crowded  with  stores;  second,  has 
more  coal;  and,  third,  runs  fast. 

Captain  Harris  had  arrived  at  Fredericks- 
burg Tuesday,  10  or  11  A.  M.,  and  I  am. 
greatly  perplexed  to  know  what  he  ought 
to  do.  I  think  he  had  better  come  here, 
unless  he  has  pushed  on  to  Millford.  I 
went  ashore  in  hopes  of  finding  him,  and 
tramped  all  around  the  country.  Thompson 
had  got  an  old  house;  and  lanterns,  buck- 
ets of  oofifee  and  crackers  were  constantly 
accompanying  pairs  of  legs  in  and  out. 

On  the  hearth  was  a  bright  fire  of  wood 
and  a  brighter  fire  of  womanhood,  both  of 
them  boiling  cofi^ee  and  dispensing  cheer- 
fulness. 

The  wounded  were  in  army  wagons,  and 
had  come  from  a  point  a  mile  and  a  half 
beyond  the  North  Anna  Elver,  a  ride  of 
thirty  miles.  They  had  had  nothing  to 
eat,  by  their  report,  for  some  time. 

Mr.  Bloor  came  with  the  train.  They 
were  thoroughly  fed,  our  men  being  at 
work  until  3  A.  M. 

Thtjesdat,  May  26. 

Kent  sailed  for  Fredericksburg,  in  charge 
of  Mr.  Williams,  at  5  A.  M.  Six  hundred 
more  wounded  had  arrived. 

We  have  given  out  two  thousand  six  hun- 
dred meals.  At  12,  seventy-five  ambulances 
are  reported  as  expected.  We  are  all  work- 
ed terribly.  I  pray  that  some  of  them  may 
come  froBtt  Fredericksburg  to-night. 

Dr.  Ouyler  wishes  to  supply  us  with  stove, 
cauldrons,  bread,  &c.  I  accepted.  Got  a 
guard  to  bury  six  men  who  had  died  en 
route.  Commissary  is  not  issuing.  Have 
had  to  supply  Captain  Pitkin  and  several 
quartermasters  with  food,  also  gunboats, 
your  dispatch  is  received.  Curtin  not  ar- 
rived; when  she  does,  will  send  the  schooner 
back.  You  had  better  have  a  steamer,  with 
cargo,  anchored  at  mouth  of  YorkEiver,  to 
go  up  as  soon  as  White  House  is  garrison- 
ed. Appearances  may  changes  but  at  pres- 
ent nothing  indicates  a  week's  delay  here. 

By  midnight  we  will  have  given  four 
thousand  six  hundred  meals. 

Key  Port  and  Lizzie  Baker  just  arrived 
from  Fi'edericksburg;    but  no   transports 
here  to  take  off  their  wounded. 
In  great  haste,  yours, 

J.  A.  Andbkson. 


N.  B. — Hurriedly  written  to  catch   the 
mail.  CoPTisx. 


GENERAL  BANKS'S  ARMY. 

Dr .  Crane  writes  from  New  Orleans,  April 
29: 

Since  writing  you  on  the  22d  inst.,  little 
has  occurred  here  of  interest.  I  have  re- 
ceived from  the  front  four  letters — two  from 
Mitchell  dated  on  the  21st  inst.,  one  from 
Mitchell  and  one  from  Stevens  dated  on 
the  26th.  These  four  letters  I  now  enclose 
to  you. 

Mr.  Chad  wick,  agent  for  the  Cincinnati 
Branch,  returned  from  Alexandria  to-day. 
He  gives  good  accounts  of  the  work  done 
by  our  agents.  I  shall  send  up  to-morrow 
by  Mr.  Edgerly  a  pretty  large  supply  of 
vegetables,  dried  fruit,  &c.,  for  general  dis- 
tribution in  camp. 

Mitchell,  Stevens,  Barnard,  Foote,  Mil- 
ler, Hildreth  and  Eeynolds,  are  at  Alexan- 
dria. Edgerly  goes  on  the  Laurel  HUl. 
Grant  and  Kimball  are  in  the  storehouse. 
Furniss  attends  to  securing  transportation, 
&c .,  &o.  Boltwood  is  now  in  the  storehouse 
awaiting  transportation  to  Pensacola.  The 
condition  of  the  refugees  at  .that  station — 
women  and  helpless  children — who  have 
come  within  our  lines,  demands  immediate 
attention.  Gen.  Asboth  has  written  to  me 
about  it,  and  I  have  directed  Mr.  Boltwood 
to  proceed  to  Pensacola  and  investigate  the 
matter. 

I  have  written  somewhat  at  length  about 
the  subject  to  Dr.  Jenkins.  It  is  an  im- 
portant one,  and  I  hope  the  Commission 
will  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  act  upon  it 
directly. 

The  Tempest  has  arrived,  and  we  have 
been  receiving  her  cargo  to-day.  The  in- 
voice is  a  splendid  one  ;  it  mea-surably  fills 
the  great  gap  created  by  the  recent  run 
upon  our  stores. 

The  net  result  of  the  recent  benefit  and 
subscription  list  in  our  behalf  was  $2,052.25. 

I  send  you  a  copy  of  the  Era  of  the  26th 
inst.,  which  will  give  you  the  former  state- 
ment. 

The  weather  is  now  quite  hot  and  sum- 
mer is  in,  and  the  demands  for  ice  are  fre- 
quent. It  can  be  obtained  in  this  city  for 
lj4  cents  per  lb.,  delivered  in  quantities  to 
suit.  Should  a  shipment  be  considered  de- 
sirable there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  ob- 
taining an  ice-house. 

The  accounts  from  the  Red  Eiver  are  sad 
enough.  Mr.  Mitchell,  writing  from  Alex- 
andria, April  21,  says:  -" 

As  Mr.  Foote  was  unwell,  I  concluded  to 
send  Mr.  Chadwick  with  a. large  supply  of 
stores  to  the  front  to  communicate  and  act 
with  Messrs.  Stevens  and  Barnard.     Yes- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


459 


for  transportation  to  the  army,  a  large 
quantity  of  potatoes,  pickles,  lemons,  claret, 
condensed  milk,  beef  stock,  farina,  band- 
ages and  other  field  supplies,  which  I  knew 
■would  be  needed  in  view  of  the  abandon- 
ment and  legitimate  consumption  of  medi- 
cal supplies  during  the  two  days'  fight.  In 
the  evening,  much  to  our  annoyance,  we 
received  information  that  no  stores  would 
be  sent  forward  until  further  orders.  A 
boat  loaded  with  commissary  stores  return- 
ed to  the  Falls  stiU  loaded,  and  it  soon  be- 
came quite  evident  that  the  intention  of 
our  commanders  is  to  return  at  least  as 
far  as  this  point.  The  troops  here  were 
under  arms  until  4  A.  M.  to-day,  and  the 
Superior  has  just  arrived  here,  having 
been  fired  into  at  Bayou  Sara  and  15  miles 
below  this  place,  with  artillery,  killing  two 
men  of  the  3d  B.  I.  Cavah-y  and  wounding 
sixteen. 

The  gunboats,  numbering  some  twenty 
in  all,  with  many  of  our  large  transports, 
will  be  ujiable  to  cross  the  Palls  from  above. 
The  Navy  I  propose  to  look"  after,  and  to 
issue  to  it  a  large  portion  of  our  stores  at 
the  Ejpids,  which  they  may  stand  in  need 
of,  and  which  we  cannot  get  to  the  army. 

The  potatoes  by  the  Chateau  are  just 
unloaded  to-day.  I  will  issue  them  to-mor- 
row to  hospitals  and  trpops.  Have  heard 
nothing  from  Stevens  or  Barnard  Poote 
is  sick.  Chadwick  is  under  orders  to  com- 
municate with  Stevens  with  stores,  but,  as 
I  have  explained,  is  unable  to.  I  will  re- 
tain him  to  assist  at  the  storehouse  until 
Mr.  Foote  is  able  to  take  charge.  ' '  PhUip, " 
"Jim"  and  "Charlie,"  are  all  kept  busy. 
I  have  had  not  an  hour  unoccupied  in  day- 
light as  yet,  and  this  fact  must  apologize 
for  my  hurried  and  disconnected  communi- 
cations. 

On  the  26th,  he  adds: 

Thanks  to  the  courtesy  of  Gapt.  Welch, 
Quartermaster  at  this  point,  I  turned  over 
to  him  for  transportation  to  Mr.  Stevens, 
at  Grand  Eoore,  a  large  amount  of  all  kinds 
of  hospital  stores,  potatoes,  lemons,  milk, 
farina,  corn  starch,  sugar,  ice,  tobacco, 
pipes,  clothing,  &o.,  &c.  All  these  were 
sent  above  the  Palls  on  Priday,  22d  inst. 
Mr.  Chadwick  was  to  have  gone  up  with 
them,  and  to  have  aided  Mr.  Stevens  in 
the  distribution;  he  was  also  to  have  com- 
municated with  Mr.  Barnard,  to  whom  I 
sent  word  to  return,  that  he  might  assist  at 
this  point. 

On  the  evening  of  the  22d  Oapt.  Welch 
told  me  that  he  had  orders  to  send  no  more 
boats  up  the  river.  This,  we  concluded, 
meant  that  the  army  was  to  return.  On 
the  morning  of  the  23d  I  sent  Mr.  Chad- 
wick to.  the  Palls  to  distribute  such  of  our 
stores  to  the  gunboats  at  that  point  as  th^ 
might  need.  He  was  prevented  from  ac- 
complishing this,  as  the  stores  were  sent 


back  to  me  before  he  arrived  there.  Mr. 
Chadwick,  however,  succeeded  in  render- 
ing aid  to  the  550  sick  on  board  the  Ew- 
ing,  by  distributing  stores  brought  back 
for  want  of  transportation  by  Mr.  Barnard. 
Mr.  Barnard  was  already  on  board,  hard  at 
work  and  faithful  to  his  mission. 

On  the  24th  inst.  we  were  all  busy  in 
looking  after  the  sick  on  the  Ewing,  the 
wants  of  the  hospitals,  and  the  various 
calls  made  on  us  by  the  detachments  of 
sick  on  board  some  seven  transports,  sent 
down  from  Gen.  Smith's  fleet.  We  also 
issued  to  every  company  of  Gen.  Grover's 
command  half  a  barrel  of  potatoes,  for 
which  we  were  often  thanked. 

The  convalescent  men  on  board  the  seven 
transports  were  sent  to  the  Best,  where  Mr. 
Eeynolds  was  kept  continually  busy  in  pro- 
viding them  meals.  Mr.  Eeynolds  has  had 
probably  as  vn&nf  as  200  boarders  at  the 
Best. 

On  board  the  Ewing,  Mr.  Barnard  and 
Mr.    Chadwick  have  worked   incessantly. 

The had  made  no  provision  for 

feeding  his  men.  Philip  made  some  20 
gallons  of  corn  starch,  and  this,  with  cherry 
wine,  crackers  and  claret  punch,  has  been 
served  out  at  every  meal  to  all  the  men  on 
board. 

This  morning  the  surgeon  went  with  me 
to  the  Commissary's,  where  I  drew  full  ra- 
tions of  fresh  beef,  potatoes,  rice,  flour, 
&c. ,  &c.  With  Mr.  Chad  wick's  assistance 
we  set  up  a  hospital  cook-stove,  lying  un- 
used on  board,  and  having  selected  conva- 
lescent men  on  board,  set  them  to  work 
to  prepare  a  good  soup  for  ajl  on  board. 

Yesterday  morning  Gen.  Banks  and  staff 
rode  in.  Soon  the  army  was  coming  in, 
and  Mr.  Stevens  reported. 

The  Bed  Chief  soon  after  came  down, 
with  a  number  of  wounded  on  board,  and 
then  again  all  hands  went  at  work.  We 
gave  to  every  man  on  board  iced  punch  or 
brandy  and  water  and  soft  crackers,  before 
they  were  removed  to  the  hospital.  Mr. 
Mudge,  of  the  Christian  Commission,  did 
valuable  service,  in  washing  and  dressing 
the  sore  and  sick  men  on  board  the  Ewing. 
He  is  a  good  practical  worker,  and  recog- 
nizes the  need  of  administering  physical 
comforts  before  spiritual  exhortations  to 
men  suffering  from  empty  stomachs  and 
dusty  persons. 

To-day  the  army  is  all  back  here,' having 
had  to  fight  its  way  through  a  force  at 
Caney  Eiver,  while  its  rear  was  compelled 
to  repulse  continuous  attacks.  It  was  in  a 
hazardous  position,  and  we  aU  thank  God 
and  Gen.  Smith  that  it  is  here  in  compara- 
tive safety.  It  is  said  there  was  fighting 
near  here  this  morning,  and  as  I  write  1 
hear  the  booming  of  distant  reports  of  ar- 
tillery. There  is  also  a  small  force  of 
rebels  opposite  us  at  PineyviUe;  last  night 
the  gunboats  here  punished  their  audacity 


460 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


by  slielling  them  and  killing  a  small  num- 
ber. '  What  movement  will  next  take  place 
no  one  seems  to  know,  although  the  gene- 
ral impression  is  that  we  will  leave  for  New 
Orleans.  We  still  have  some  supplies,  but 
can  use  all  you  can  send  us. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  with  the  army  during 
the  retreat,  and  gives  the  following  account 
of  his  operations  during  the  march : 

Tour  favor  of  13th  inst.  was  received 
upon  my  arrival  at  this  place  yesterday. 
Duriucf  my  stay  at  Grand  Ecore  I  received 
from  Mr.  Mitchell  two  loads  of  supplies, 
and  have  been  in  direct  communication 
with  him  since,  as  you  suggest  in  your  let- 
ter. My  last  to  the  office  was  dated  the 
15th  inst.  The  next  day  I,  sent  supplies 
per  flag  of  truce  to  our  wounded  left  be- 
hind at  Mfc.  Pleasant,  and  made  some  other 
distribution  to  our  forces  around  me,  but 
being  under  marching  orders,  could  not  do 
much.  On  the  21st  Gen,  Smith  took  pos- 
session of  Natchitoches,  and  next  day  at  5 
P.  M.  we  started  on  our  retreat.  On  ac- 
count of  the  burning  of  several  houses  the 
enemy  must  have  been  made  aware  of  our 
movements,  for  they  were  soon  pressing 
Gen.  Smith  in  his  rear.  At  the  last  cross- 
ing of  Caney  "River,  upon  some  high  bluffs 
which  commanded  a  wide  range  of  coun- 
try, we  found  seven  or  eight  guns  planted, 
thus  menacing  iis  in  front  and  rear  at  the 
same  time.  Smith  drove  them  back,  while 
Gen.  Berge,  crossing  the  river  and  making 
quite  a  detour,  took  them  by  surprise,  driv- 
ing them  away  from  their  strong  position. 
Our  loss  was  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
wounded.  Thbse  were  brought  over  and 
cared  for,  keeping  us  at  work  all  night. 
I  had  a  box  packed  with  those  things  en- 
cessary  and  taken  to  the  hospital,  thus  be- 
ing reidy  before  the  wounded  came  in. 
The  next  morning,  the  enemy  still  pursu- 
ing, we  hurried  the  men  into  ambulances 
and  passed  the  river,  stopping  all  night  at 
Henderson's  Hill,  and  arriving  here  yester- 
day about  noon. 

I  found  the  Commission  hard  at  work, 
and  many  are  the  words  6f  praise  I  have 
heard  from  men  and  officers  as  well  as  sur- 
geons. The  men  seemed  to  be  astonished 
that  the  Commission  could  "come  clear  up 
here." 

*No  one  can  tell  how  long  we  may  remain 
here,  or  that  "the  object  of  the  expedition 
is  accomplished."  The  whole  affair  has 
been  sad  enough. 

It  would  seem  from  the  following  from 
Mr.  Mitchell  that  the  Union  stiU  has  some 
friends  left  even  in  Western  Louisiana: 

I  have  the  gratification  of  acknowledg- 
ing to  you  the  receipt  from  William  5. 
Primer,  Esq.,  of  Alexandria,  La.,  of  four 
gallons  domestic  wine,  and  through  the 


Rev.  Thomas  Bacon,  D.  D.,  of  the  same 
place,  the  amount  of  the  Easter  contribu- 
tion, viz.,  $14.20. 

This,  for  a  place  not  six  weeks  in  our  pos- 
session, encourages  the  hope  that  Union- 
ism, genuine  and  devoted,  still  breathes  at 
the  South,  smothered  though  it  may  be 
for  a  time  by  the  strong  hand  of  military 
despotism.  The  numerous  enlistments  in 
the  "Louisiana  Scouts,"  commonly  called 
" bushwackers,"  indicates  clearly  tuat  there 
are  many  men,  who,  having  opposed  this 
despotism  as  far  as  they  were  able  unaided, 
are  ready  to  fight  for  the  Union,  now  that 
they  have  a  support  on  which  they  can 
rally  with  confidence. 


OUB  OPERATIONS  AT  BELLE  PLAIN. 

The  following  reports  contain  a  number 
of  interesting  details  of  our  operations  dur- 
ing General  Grant's  "  Eight  Days": 

,  United  States  Sanitabt  Commission,  ) 

'  Washington,  D.  C,  May  23, 1864.     ( 

Db.  F.  Jenkins, 

Gene,  at  Secretary,  t£c.,  i£c.: 

Deab  Sib — I  sent  you  a  telegram  this 
morning  giving  you  a  general  summary. 
Yesterday  we  ran  up  to  Aquia  Creek  and 
pitched  our  tents,  for  a  relief  station,  near 
the  old  spot  where  a  year  ago  we  had  our 
station  for  feeding  the  wounded.  We  left 
supplies  there  with  five  relief  agents.  The 
train  went  up  to  Falmouth  at  43^  P.  M., 
and  it  was  thotight  that  the  cars  might 
bring  back  the  wounded. 

Returning  to  Belle  Plain,  we  found  that 
in  our  absence  of  four  hours,  information 
had  been  received  which  indicated  a  speedy 
removal  of  medical  quarterma.ster  and  com- 
missary stores  from  Belle  Plain  to  Port 
Royal,  on  the  Rappahannock.  We  made  our 
arrangements  accordingly,  leaving  stores 
enough  only  at  the  upper  wharf  to  load  the 
trains  of  thirty  wagons  which  will  be  there 
to-day  for  their  last  trip  to  be  made  to 
Fredericksburg. 

The  balance  of  stores  upon  the  shore, 
together  with  the  tents  and  material  used 
at  the  feeding  station,  &c.,  &c,,  are  loaded 
on  the  barges  to-day — provision  still  being 
made  at  the  former  relief  station  to  feed 
any  wounded  who,  by  chance,  may  yet 
come  in  that  way.  Judging  it  important 
to  make  arrangements  for  another  boat 
beside  the  Rapley,  I  came  up  last  evening 
with  Mr.  Anderson,  and  have  to-day  found, 
by  telegram,  that  the  Kent  is  at  Norfolk, 
well  stored,  still,  after  having  supplied  our 
boat  on  James  River,  the  Thompson,  which 
came  down  for  stores  a  day  or  two  since. 
I  have  ordered  the  Kent,  with  the  schooner 
in  tow,  loaded  with  anti-scorbutic  supplies, 
to  go  at  once  to  _ Port  Royal.  After  we 
arrived  last  night'  at  1  A-  M-,  the  Rapley 
was  coaled  and  loaded,  and  at  daylight  this 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


461 


morning  she  started  for  the  base.  This 
afternoon  I  go  down  on  a  tugboat,  Gov. 
Ourtin,  -which  I  have  chartered  for  as  long 
a  term  as  we  need  her.  After  supplying 
the  demands  at  Aquia  Creek  for  Fredericks- 
burg, the  tug  win  take  one  of  the  barges, 
the  Kennedy,  with  her  stores,  to  Port  Royal. 
The  Kennedy  is  the  barge  which  has  been 
at  the  wharf  at  Belle  Plain,  near  the  Medi- 
cal Purveyor's  boat,  and  which  has  beer^ 
headquarters  for  the  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion while  there,  and  also  a  distributing 
station.  I  should  have  sent  this  barge  off 
early  this  morning,  except  for  the  fact  that 
we  had  promised  to  receive  from  soldiers 
stationed  in  the  vicinity,  passing  through 
Belle  Plain,  such  valises  and  little  packages 
as  they  found  themselves  unable  to  carry, 
or  which  they  wished  to  deposit  in  a  safe 
spot  before  going  into  battle — and  so  we 
wanted  to  let  this  storehouse  remain  tiUthe 
last  moment.  I  may  just  mention  here, 
that  during  the  past  two  days  the  aggregate 
of  these  packages  and  bundles  which  we 
have  thus  taken  charge  of,  and  which,  in 
most  cases,  would  have  been  simply  aban- 
doned— the  men  unable  to  march  carrying 
the  load — amounted  to  not  less  than  twenty 
tons.  Straight  through  the  day  and  night 
there  was  one  unbroken  stream  of  men 
bringing  what  they  wished  to  preserve. 
But  to-night  the  barge,  which  had  been 
Buch  a  comfortable  home  at  Belle  Plain, 
and  which,  beside  ou¥  own  agents,  has 
"  slept  and  fed"  at  least  two  hundred  other 
State  and  local  relief  agents  and  those  seek- 
ing wounded  friends— to-night  the  barge 
goes  for  its  new  wharf  at  Port  Royal.  The 
relief  agents  who  have  fed  the  wounded  as 
they  arrived  from  Fredericksburg,  will  go 
on  with  the  barge,  and  be  ready  to  continue 
their  work  on  the  other  river  bank.  It 
cannot  be  a  more  lovely  spot  than  that 
where  our  tents  and  little  frame  house 
clustered  linder  the  great  tulip  tree  all 
full  of  flowers,  and  covered  with  that  enor- 
mous growth  of  vine.  Mr.  Anderson  will 
take  charge  for  the  present  at  Port  Royal 
of  the  work  of  receiving  and  forwarding 
our  supplies,  and  establishing  the  stations 
for  feeding  the  wounded  as  they  come  in 
by  ambulance.  Mr.  Anderson's  energy  and 
wise  jtudgment,  Tinited  to  a  generous  hu- 
manity and  religious  purpose,  -make  him 
just  the  kind  of  man  we  want  for  that  work. 
The  agents  of  the  little  feeding  station  at 
White  Oak  Church  wiU  fall  back  into  Fred- 
ericksburg. You  have  no  idea  of  the  amount 
of  comfort  and  relief  which  have  been  given 
at  the  rough-looking  station  during  the  past 
three  days.  Being  half  way  between  Fred- 
ericksburg and  Belle  Plain,  aU  the  slightly 
wounded  who  are  sent  on  to  walk  down, 
getting,  of  course,  jnuch  exhausted,  have 
found  here,  in  food  and  drink  and  a  n^ace 
to'rest  for  a  half  hour,  just  the  help  TOioh 
gave  them  strength  to  go  on. 


Captain  Harris  will  take  charge  of  the 
transportation  wagons  and  get  thtm  over 
to  Port  Royal,  except  those  needed  for  a 
while  between  Falmouth  depot  and  Fred- 
ericksburg hospitals. 

If  we  can  get  the  Elizabeth,  with  her 
large  capacity  for  storage,  I  propose  to 
load  her  and  let  her  take  the  place  of  the 
Kent,  which,  though  large,  is  not'  conve- 
niently arranged  for  carrying  supplies. 

The  barge  Hoboken  will  be  lelt  at  Aquia 
Creek  until  we  learn  what  the  needs  are 
there. 

Truly  yours,  &c.,  &c.. 

Feed.  N.  Knapp, 

Associate  Secretary, 


WASHmoTON,  D.  C,  May  U,  1864. 
To  F.  N.  Khapp,  Esq.,        |. 

Associate  Secretary,  dec.: 

SiK — A  brief  report  of  some  of  the  past 
week's  work  may  serve  as  a  record  of  what 
should  not  be  forgotten. 

Under  your  direction,  I  went  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  on  Saturday,  April  30 ; 
visited  the  station  at  Brandy  and  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army,  for  such  suggestions 
from  the  Provost  Marshal  General  as  might 
guide  your  work  on  the  eve  of  battle. 

These  were  fully  communicated  to  the 
Board  in  sessioh  here,  on  my  return.  May 
3.  Every  thing  was  in  readiness  to  pro- 
ceed at  once  to  the  scene  upon  the  first 
news  of  battle. 

On  Sunday,  at  noon,  ^  having  the  only 
pass  then  issued,  I  proceeiJed  on  your  order 
to  Alexandria,  with  hospital  supplies  for 
Rappahannock  Station.  These  were  at 
once  taken  on  boai:d  a  train  for  the  front, 
in  charge  of  a  band  of  fifteen  nurses  and 
attendants,  under  the  orders  of  Surgeon 
Mitchell,  in  charge  of  the  Cavalry  Corps 
Hospital,  who  received  me  into  his  com- 
pany. 

Milk  punch  in  bottles,  crackers,  soft 
bread,  and  coffee  were  prepared,  in  the 
hope  of  being  able  to  supply  them  to  the 
in-coming  wounded  and  sick  upon  the  train 
from  the  rear  of  the  army. 

We  waited  in  the  cars,  hour  after  hour, 
for  the  signal  to  go  forward,  and  I  kept 
you  constantly  advised  of  the  state  of 
affairs. 

Meanwhile  the  Lodge  at  Alexandria  was 
thronged,  and  all  things  in  active  and 
abundant  preparation  for  the  tide  of  suffer- 
ing expected. 

As  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  on  Monday 
that  no  wounded  were  to  come  in  by  rail, 
that  BeUe  Plain  would  probably  be  the  new 
base,  I  so  advised  you  by  telegram;  and  as 
I  was  ordered  to  Washington  on  Tuesday 
morning,  your  steamer  and  a  barge,  both 
well  laden,  and  bearing  your  own  wagons 
and  horses  for  independent  transportation, 
were  ready  at  an  early  hour  to  go  forward. 


462 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


and  moved  off  as  soon  as  the  necessary 
passes  could  be  obtained  for  the  large  band 
of  helpers  who  had  been  held  here  in  readi- 
ness. 

We  reached  Belle  Plain  at  twiUglit;  were 
soon  moored  at  the  temporary  wharf,  and 
every  appliance  was  in  instant  requisition. 
The  separate  bands  of  young  men,  under 
their  several  captains,  were  assigned  to  va- 
rious tasks. 

A  large  hospital  tent  was  pitched  under  a 
venerable  tree  on  shore,  and  the  fires  soon 
blazed  under  the  camp  kettles,  filled  with 
coffee.  The  large  supply  of  lanterns  were 
a  Godsend  to  the  officers  engaged  in  ex- 
ploring the  crowds  of  wounded  who  had 
been  aU  day  streaming  in,  and  during  the 
entire  night  in  guiding  them  on  board  the 
barges,  serving  as  lighters  to  convey  them 
to  the  transports  in  deep  water  in  the 
offing.  This  service  of  the  young  men, 
under  the  order  of  Mr.  Fay — in  forming 
a  line  of  lanterns,  assisting  the  crippled 
soldiers  to  the  boats,  feeding  them,  and 
going  with  them  on  the  barges  and  aiding 
in  re  noval  to  the  transports — was  cordially 
accepted  by  the  officers  in  charge;  and,  as 
the  uospital  tents  of  the  medical  officers 
were  directly  opposite  the  tent  under  the 
tree,  much  and  very  welcome  assistance  and 
solace  was  furnished  to  it,  both  to  surgeons 
and  sufferers. 

During  the  night  a  train  of  ambulances 
was  gotten  into  line,  loaded  with  stimu- 
lants, and  having  on  board  a  band  of  sur- 
geons specially  deputed  from  several  States. 
The  intense  darkness,  and  the  badness  of 
the  roadi,  as  well  as  their  unguarded  con- 
dition, detained  this  train  until  dawn,  and 
our  young  men  supplied  the  surgeons  with 
lanterns,  bread  and  coffee. 

Nearly  all  of  us  were  at  work  during  the 
entire  night,  and  alL  rejoiced  in  the  abun- 
dant opportunity  afforded  of  hard  and  tiring 
service. 

With  the  break  of  dawn,  the  horses  and 
wagons  were  brought  on  shore  from  the 
barge,  and  the  work  of  loading  them  with 
assorted  stores  for  Fredericksburg  pressed 
forward,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Steiner  and 
Mr.  Fay. 

About  noon  Mr.  Fay  left,  with  this  train 
and  a  portion  of  our  sixty  helpers,  for  Fred- 
ericksburg, taking  with  them  seven  sur- 
(geons,  and  Mrs.  Husband  and  Miss  GUson, 
who  had  come  down  with  us  upon  the 
steamer  to  take  up  again  their  invaluable 
work  in  the  new  scenes  of  suffering  at  Fred- 
ericksburg. 

The  entire  freight  of  your  steamer,  the 
Mary  Eapley,  was  transferred  to  the  barge, 
and  the  steamer  dispatched  for  another 
cargo  and  barge  load  to  Washington. 

Meanwhile  other  tents  had  been  pitched 
on  shore,  and  one  wagon  assigned  to  carry- 
ing supplies  to  the  workers  in  and  around 
them;  and  during  the  entire  day,  (Wednes- 


day,) the  crowds  of  wounded,  either  on  or 
in  the  baggage  wagons  now  thronging  in 
for  army  stores,  left  no  intermission  of 
labor,  and  menaced  exhaustion  both  to  sup- 
plies and  workers. 

Bands  of  volunteers  from  various  locali- 
ties cheerfully  took  work  in  harmony  with 
your  organizations,  and,  lifting  at  the 
stretcher,  supporting  the  crippled  soldiers 
to  the  boat,  aiding  to  dispose  his  shattered 
form  upon  the  deck,  carrying  bread  and 
crackers  and  coffee,  bathing  his  wounds  or 
readjusting  his  bandages,  served  to  re- 
double the  efficiency  of  aU.  your  means  of 
succor;  while,  on  the  one  hand,  the  officers 
of  Government  both  accepted  cordially 
your  services  and  added  in  many  things  to 
your  material,  especially  in  supply  of  bread, 
soft  as  well  as  hard.  The  members  of  the 
Christian  Commission  harmoniously  co- 
operated in  all  your  work. 

From  Wednesday  morning  to  Friday 
morning,  when  helpless  exhaustion  com- 
pelled me  to  go  on  board  the  Connecticut 
and  return  to  the  city,  seems  now  one  un- 
broken interval,  in  which  rest  was  scarce 
thought  of,  and  the  varied  activities  which 
I  have  described  went  on  continuously — 
chief  officers  of  the  Commission  arriving  to 
work,  and  counsel,  and  direct — new  cargoes 
unloading,  new  bands  of  workers  coming  in; 
and  the  barge,  over  which  floated  the  flag 
of  the  Commission,  moored  in  the  very 
focus  of  activity,  forming  the  rendezvous  for 
information,  consultation,  and  supply. 

I  cannot  close  this  hasty  record  without 
making  mention,  with  admiration  and  grati- 
tude, of  the  urbane  and  cordial  temper  in 
which  (amid  the  distractions  of  the  scene,) 
the  Medical  Director  in  charge,  (Colonel 
Cuyler,)  and  the  medical  officers  under  him, 
welcomed  and  seconded  your  service  and 
promoted  its  efficiency. 

Of  the  energy  and  decision,  tempered 
with  humane  consideration,  of  Col.  Cayler, 
and  of  his  unflagging  labor  by  night  and 
day,  all  will  bear  witness.  It  was  every 
thing  to  us  and  to  the  wounded  soldiers — ■ 
unraveling  intricacies  and  shedding  sun- 
shine over  the  scene.  The  action  of  the 
entire  medical  staff  was  in  harmony  with 
this  example.  , 

The  laborious  and  responsible  duties  of 
quartermaster  were  in  the  hands  of  Capt. 
JH.  B.  Lacy,  temporarily  detailed  from  G 
Street  Wharf,  Washington,  for  the  difficult 
occasion;  and  there  are  few  men  in  his  de- 
partment with  the  heart  and  energy  and 
administrative  skiU  which  enabled  Captain 
Lacy  to  crowd  the  work  of  a  month  into  a 
week. 

Yours, 

J.  V.  Van  Ingbn. 

We  have  the  following,  also,  from  Mr. 
Abbott,  in  Washington,  dated  May  16: 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


463 


Since  my  report  of  yesterday,  three  boats 
of  wounded  have  arrived,  viz. : 

Number. 

Lizzie  Baker 280 

Connecticut 600 

Utica 400 

Total 1,280 

Three-fourths  of  the  whole  number  were 
severely  wounded,  and  at  least  one-sixth 
part  were  cases  of  amputation. 

The  men  were  in  excellent  spirits,  for  men 
so  severely  wounded.  W®  supplied  them 
abundantly  with  every  th'ing  they  needed, 
until  they  could  be  comfortably  placed  in 
hospital,  for  which  they  were  exceedingly 
thankful.  We  fed  this  morning  a  detach- 
ment of  one  hundered  men  from  the  1st 
Eegiment  of  Veteran  Eeserve  Corps,  who 
have  been  sent  down  to  Belle  Plain  to 
guard  prisoners.  They  were  unexpectedly 
ordered  away,  and  did  not  have  time  to 
prepare  themselves  any  food.  To-night  I 
will  try  and  furnish  you  a  report  of  the 
work  accomplished  for  the  week. 


A  PRISONEB'S  TESTIMOXY. 

New  Tobk,  May  2, 18M. 
I  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg, and  spent  over  eight  months  in  Libby 
Prison,  Bichmond. 

During  my  stay  there  I  had  the  best  practical 
knowledge  of  the  beneficial  working  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission. 

To  their  kind  offices,  I  and  hundreds  of  others 
are  indebted  for  almost  every  particle  of  decent 
food  and  all  the  delicacies  that  we  enjoyed.  To 
them  we  are  indebted  for  all  the  clothing  and 
blankets  which  ,we  received  while  in  the  prison, 
as  also  our  books,  papers,  and  other  reading 
matter. 

Stephen  Kovlcs, 
Major  SUh  Begt.,  N.  T.  T.,  Paro.ed  Prisoner. 


LETTEB  PEOM  De.  H.  S.  HEWITT. 

Headquabteks  Dep't  of  the  Ohio, 
Medical  Dibectob's  Office, 
MobbistjWH,  Tenn.,  March  17, 1864, 

Sir — I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt,  at  this  point,  of  80  barrels  of 
potatoes  and  33  barrels  of  kraut,  for  gratui- 
tous distribution  to  the  forces  of  this  De- 
partment now  in  the  field. 

This  supply  is  timely  and  valuable,  in  a 
very  high  degree,  and  wiU  be  cordially  ap- 
preciated by  our  soldiers. 

With  very  great  respect, 

H.  S.  Hbwett,  Surg.  XT.  8.  V., 

Med.  Director. 
M.  M.  SETMOtrB,  Agent  V.  S.  San.  Com. 


Disbursements  in  cash  of  the  Commis- 
sion during  the  month  of  May,  $262,898. 77. 
This  does  not  include  supplies  received  in 
kind.  . 


THE  WE3TERX  DEPARTMENT. 
Mr.  Read's  reports  to  Dr.  Newberry,  from 
Chattanooga,  gives  the  history  of  our  op- 
erations with  Sherman's  army,    down  to 
May  18.    Writing  May  lOfch,  he  says: 

Drs.  Read,  Seymour  and  Warren  ;  Messrs.  Hob- 
lit,  Bartell,  Bruiidsitt,  Fairchild,  Tone,  Hosford, 
Prindle,  Murray,  Crary,  Place  and  Barrett,  are  at 
the  front. 

We  have  sent  large  supplies  to  Ringgold,  and 
are  now  sending  a  car  load  a  day  to  Tunnel  Hill. 
Our  line  of  communication  with  the  front  is  com- 
plete, and  we  can  have  there  all  (he  teams  we  need 
or  ask  for.  All  we  shall  need  now  to  have  the 
work  thoroughly  done  is  a  constant  Bnpply  of 
stores.  We  have  to  gues=i  how  many  of  any  kind 
we  shall  need.  There  was  heavy  i-kirmishing  all 
djiy  yesterday,  and  this  morning  orders  have  been 
sent  to  prepare  for  four  thousand  wounded  in 
Chattanooga.  Probably,  f  severe  battle  to-day. 
We  telegraph  as  plainly  as  we  are  permitted  to 
do.  All  our  shirts,  drawers  and  sheets,  with  the 
greater  part  of  the  rags  and  bandages  have 
already  gone  to  the  front,  beside  the  moat  of  the 
concentrated  milk,  beef,  tea,  sugar,  stimulants, 
&c. 

We  want  all  the  milk  and  stimulants  asked  for, 
and  a  proportionate  supply  of  clothing  of  all 
kinds  for  wounded  men,  large  supply  of  dress- 
ings, a  hundred  barrels  of  crackers,  two  tons  of 
butter-^I  deem  this  very  important;  five  hundred 
pounds  of  green  tea,  a  general  supply  of  all  fari- 
naceous delicacies,  a  supply  of  flavoring  extracts 
for  the  use  of  the  ladies  of  the  light  diet  kitchens, 
three  or  four  thousand  palm  leaf  fans  ;  and,  as 
there  is,  and  can  be  no  ice,  a  supply  of  tamarinds, 
and  other  artiolesfor  cooling drmks,  with  lemons 
and  loaf  tugar.  Calculate  on  eight  to  ten 
thousand  woundea,  but  I  hope  we  shall  not  have 
so  many.  Every  thing  is  yet  uncertain,  but  we 
can  scarely  fail  of  severe  fighting. 

Hospitals  are  established  at  Ringgold  and  Tun- 
nel Hill, but  we  know  nothing  as  to  the  numbers 
admitted. 

Add  bed-sacks  to  the  above  partial  list,  and 
consider  it  only  a  partial  list,  as  we  shall,  pro- 
bably, need  every  thing  required  to  make  wound- 
ed men  comfortable. 

And  May  18th,  after  the  battle  of  Eesaca, 
we  hear  from  him: 

There  is  a  lull  in  the  battle.  Our  troops  are 
marching  on  below  the  Resaca.  They  have  taken 
two  of  the  strongest  places  for  defense  in  the 
world — Buzzard's  Roost  and  Resaca.  Our  loss 
in  wounded  will  be  about  3,000.  They  were  in 
all  cases  promptly  attended  to,  their  wounds 
dressed,  aud  they  themselves  fed  as  soon  as 
brought  from  the  field  ;  and  in  all  corps,  sanitary 
stores  were  ready  for  them,  and  in  all  but  one  in 
sufficient  quantities.  This  one  would  have  been 
supplied,  had  teams  I  obtained  and  sent  with 
much  labor,  been  loaded.  This  was  a  misfortune, 
but,  as  much  the  fault  of  the  teamsters  as  of  our 
agents.  This  corpAhad  the  fewest  wounded,  and 
so  bad  lees  need  of  the  stores. 

*  *  *  *  » 

The  list  of  casualties  has  been  perfected  as  far 
as  po.«sible  on  the  field,  aud  we  have  had  a  repre- 
sentative in  every  Division  hospital. 


464 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  railroad  bridge  at  Resaca  is  destroyed — 
will  be  re-built  soon.  Our  policy  is,  to  keep  onr 
goods,  sufficient  for  the  field,  at  the  terminus  of 
the  road,  and  from  that  point  we  were  to  have 
transportation  ihiough  the  general  supply  train 
of  the  Medical  Department.  So  far,  I  have  ob- 
tained it  much  .sooner  than  I  could  otherwise,  by 
being  on  the  field  at  the  commencement  of  the 
battle.  While  the  tents  were  being  put  up,  I 
could  obtain  a  Division  team  to  go  at  once  for  san- 
itdry  stores,  and  they  returned  with  them  nearly 
as  soon  as  the  wounded  of  that  day  were  brought 
in. 

Dr.  Thompson  and  his  associates,  were  here  just 
at  the  ripht  time  to  see  our  work  to  advantage. 

I  say  to  all  the  agents  of  the  Christian  Gommis- 
eion,  "You  can  have  goods  at  any  time,  subject 
only  to  the  rules  required  of  our  agents."  And, 
although  this  gives  them  nothing  more  than  they 
have  always  bad,  it  puts  it  in  such  a  form  that 
they  cannot  oliject  to  us. 

There  were  no  goods  on  the  field  except  ours, 
unless  the  Western  Commission  had  some  for 
McPherson's  corps. 

I  return  again  at  once  to  the  front,  and  if  my 
health  permits — and  I  am  better — shall  remain 
there  until  the  close  of  the  campaign.         *        * 

I  commenced,  feeling  that  the  Uifliculties  in  ob- 
taining transportation  were  so  great  that  they 
could  hardly  be  overcome.  I  tound  the  Medical 
Director  unusually  kind,  and  more  disposed  than 
ever  to  aid  us,  and  by  hard  work  have  succeeded 
much  better  than  ever,  in  which  yon  will  rejoice 
with  me.  ' 

Dr.  Perin,  the  Medical  Director  of  the 
Department  of  the  Cumberlancl,  has  been 
relieved  by  request,  but  before  leaving  he 
sent  the  following  testimonial  to  our  agents: 

Messbs.  a.  H.  Bsad  akd  M.  C.  Bead, 

Agents  U.  S.  Sanitary  CommissUm: 
Gextlkmen — In  leaving  the  Department  of  the 
Cumberland,  I  feel  it  but  due  to  you  that  I  place 
upon  record  my  approbation  of  your  conduct  of 
the  affairs  of  the  Sanitary  Commijsioa  during  the 
period  that  I  have  served  as  Medical  Director. 

I  will  timply  say  that  this  judgment  is  based 
upon  personal  observation  of  the  ability,  zeal  and 
energy  that  have  characterized  your  labors. 
-  Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

G.  Perin, 

Surgeon  U.  3,  A, 

The  following  is  a  list  of  our  shipments  down 
the  ri  ver  from  Cairo  to  Vicksbarg,  Memphis  and 
New  Orleans,  from  May  7  to  May  16 : 

28  boxes  (100  lbs.  each,)  codfish, 
850  barrels  potatoes, 
lt)5  barrels  and  35  kegs  pickles, 
125  barrels  crackers, 
19  kegs  butter, . 
5  barrels  cornmeal, 
7  boxes  milk, 
3  barrels  eggs, 

3  boxes  pearl  barley, 

4  barrels  (iraoked  wheat. 

Another  -  large  shipment  to  Vicksburg  was  to 
have  been  made  on  the  17th  lastaat. 


A  CRY  FOE  HELP. 
The  Michigan  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  says: 
Will  not  each  farmer's  household  pledge  at 
least  one  barrel  of  potatoes  or  onions  for 
the  soldiers  ?  If  barrels  are  not  conven- 
iently obtained,  send  them  in  sacks ;  we 
will  return  them,  if  desired,  and  barrel  the 
vegetables.  These  articles  are  pressingly 
wanted,  but  not  these  alone.  We  quote 
from  the  appeal  of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  So- 
ciety at  Cleveland:  "It  is  a  significant  fact 
that  rags,  cotton  and  linen  pieces,  and 
bandages,  are  just  now  demanded  in  large 
quantities.  Will  not  all  housekeepers,  and 
others,  lay  aside  for  us  the  old  cotton  and 
linen  that  in  the  spring  house-cleaning  and 
re-arranging  are  sure  to  come  to  light  ? 
Pieces  of  any  size  will  answer,  only  let  them 
be  clean  and,smouik,  and  rolled  into  bundles. " 

"  NEWBERN  WAIFS." 
The  VegetabijE  Gabdbns.  — Newbern  and 
its  surroundings  is  one  complete  vegetable 
garden.  There  are  some  fine  gardens  in 
town — that  of  Dr.  Page,  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  is  ahead  of  all  competition. 
He  has  peas  in  full  blossom  and  radishes, 
lettuce  and  asparagus  ready  for  the  table. 
His  garden  at  the  "  Old  Fifth"  Camp  is 
splendidly  arranged,  and  will  be  very  pro- 
ductive. He  has  arranged  a  "  stealing 
patch" — a  novel  idea — where  it  is  expected 
all  soldiers  will  do  their  "lifting" — those 
who  feel  maliciously  inclined  can  help 
themselves  to  green  com,  watermelons,  &c., 
and  be  entirely  welcome.  The  soldiers  will 
bless  the  doctor  for  giving  them  this  oppor- 
tunity to  "help  themselves,"  and  "no 
questions  asked." — North  Carolina  Times, 
April  27. 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

Washington,  May  8, 1864. 
Bev.  F.  Knapp, 

Sanitary  Commission: 

Dear  Sir — Inclosed  please  find  $20 — being 
a  part  of  the  sum  of  $100 — which  was  sent  to  me 
by  Mr.  Goddard,  our  Consul  General  at  Constan- 
tinople, at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Emmanuel,  who 
holds  a  subordinate  post  in  the  corps  of  officers 
attached  to  the  offiae  of  the  Consul  General, 
which  Mr.  Emmanuel  desires  to  have  expended 
for  the  benefit  of  our  sick  soldiers. 

It  is  proper  that  I  should  say  that  this  sum  of 
$100  thus  contributed  by  this  foreigner,  who, 
at  his  distant  post,  has  seen  nothing  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  our  gallant  boys,  wlvoh  are  so  familiar  to 
you,  is  one-sixth  of  his  annual  compensation. 
Who,  of  our  own  countrymen,  holding  office  un- 
der the  Government,  have  done  more? 

Yours,  always  truly,  G.  J.  Abbott. 

If  I  can  be  of  service  during  this  coming  week, 
when  our  wounded  boys  arrive,  please  send  me 
word  at  the  StateDepartment. 


Thj&  Samtary  Commission  BiMelm. 


465 


SOLDIEE'S  GIFTS. 
The  following  letters  explain  themselves: 

CHABI.EB  B.  FOSDIOE, 

Corr.  Sec,  San.  C<rm.,  Cinciimati: 

Deak  Sm — Inclosed  please  find  draft  on 
Wayne  Comity  Bank  for  one  hundred  dollars, 
being  a  donation  from  Lient.  Wm.  Henderson, 
9th  Ohio  Cavalry,  to  the  IT.  S.  Sanitai-y  Com- 
mission. This  Mr.  Henderson  enlisted  as  a 
private,  and  received  the  inclosed  amount  as 
his  local  township  bounty,  and  he  requests  me 
to  forward  it  as  above,  as  he  says  he  has  seen  so 
many  evidences  of  the  usefulness  and  good  re- 
sulting from  the  efforts  of  the  Commission,  that 
he  desires  to  aid  ia  its  good  work.  Will  you 
please  make  me  a  written  acknowledgment  of 
the  receipt  of  it,  and  oblige, 

Kespeotofully, 

D.  KoBiNsoN,  Jr. 

■WoOBTEB  O.,  Ma/y  10. 

No.  1307  Chestntjt  Street,  \ 

Phuladelphia,  May  li,  1864.  | 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin: 

Deab  Sib— Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  ac- 
knowledge, through  the  columns  of  your  jour- 
nal, the  donation  to  the  funds  of  the  Commis- 
sion of  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one 
dollars,  the  amount  of  bounty  and  back  pay  due 
the  estate  of  Samuel  F.  Bolton,  deceased,  late  a 
sergeant  in  Co.  H.,  23d  Eegt,  Penn.  Vols., 
who  died  in  action  May  31,  1862.  The  claim 
was  collected  by  this  agency,  for  Joseph  E. 
Bolton,  Esq.,  of  this  city,  the  father  of  deceased, 
who  generously  gave  it  to  the  cause  of  our  suf- 
fering soldiers.  Such  a  gift  certainly  deserves 
of  the  Commission  honorable  mentioii. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

W.  N.  Ashman, 
Solicitor  of  War  Claim  Agevffg,. 


BACK  PAY. 
The  foUowiog  correspondence  explains 
itself: 

AlbxasdEia,  Va.,  Afril  15,  1864,        1 
PrinfieSireet  Branch HospUaX. ] 

Tour  kind  letter  of  the  11th  instant  I  have  re-', 
ceived,  and  I  beg  you  accept  my  best  thanks  for 
your  favor.  Concerning  my  pay  I  have  to  state, 
that  I  have  not  my  deBoriptive  list,  (that  is  to  say, 
it  is  not  at  the  office,)  and  that  I  do  not  expect 
the  same,  as  in  all  probability  I  shall  be  well 
enough  to  join  my  regiment  in  about  two  or  three 
weeks.  Should  I  be  mustered  on  the  hospital  pay- 
roll, it  is  very  likely  that  I  am  gone  before  the 
paymaster  comes  round  to  pay  off  the  hospitals, 
which  he  generally  does  between  the  10th  and 
15th  of  the  moB* — not  being  then  here,  and  not 
being  mustered  on  the  regimental  pay-roll,  I  can- 
not draw  my  pay  then,  and,  so  you  will  perceive, 
how  it  comes  that  men  have  due  tothem  their  pay 
sometimes  for  six  months.  Now,  if  I  am  not  ask- 
ing too  much  of  your  kindness,  please  see  the 
Paymaster,  Major  Webb,  and  ascertain  if  I  can 
come  to  Washington  and  draw  my  pay  and  bounty. 
At  the  same  time,  I  would  ask  you  to  procure  for 
me  the  neCesaary  permission  to  visit  Washington. 

Before  concluding  my  letter,  let  me  express  to 
you  the  high  admiration  I  entertain  of  this  noble 
institution  o^f'.  yours.  I  have  seen  nia/ay  armies 
of  the  European  Cpntiiieat,  have  served  myself 
in  the  Polish  and  Freoch  Armies  in  Algiers,  and  I 
Vol.  I.— No.  15.  30 


wish  to  God  there  would  be  only  a  shade  of  a 
like  society,  caring  for  the  poor  soldier  like  a 
mother  only  would  do  for  her  children,  shielding 
soldiers  from  imposture  and  helping  them  along 
in  almost  any  conceivable  way. 

Great  as  the  American  nation  is,  it  brings  forth 
only  great  things.  Great,  beyond  comparison,  is 
this  unholy  war;  great,  without  parallel,  the  sacri- 
fice and  sufferings  of  the  people,  and  great  the 
noble  institution  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  I  pray  to  God  may  prosper  and  accom- 
plish their  great  and  inestimable  designs. 

Accept  the  assurance  of  my  highest  esteem  and 
respect,  in  which  I  remain 

Your  obedient  servant, 

John  Werner. 

Washington,  D.  C,  April  16, 1864. 
Mk.  John  'Webhbii, 

Co.  C.SthJf.J.  Vols., 

Prince  Street  Hospital^  Alexa,,  Va.: 

Sir — Your  letter  in  regar^to  your  back  pay  is 
received.  I  have  been  to  Major  Webb,  and  he 
says  that  you  are  mustered  all  rightfor  your  pay 
and  bounty,  and  that  if  you  will  come  to  his 
office  he  will  pay  you. 

I  have  no  doubt  but  that  your  surgeon  will  give 
you  a  pass-  to  come  for  it  on  showing  him  this 
letter. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your-obedient  servant, 

J.  B.  Abbott. 


A  COMPLETE  EXAMPLE  OF  SANITARY 
SCIENCE  PBACTICALLY  APPLIED  IN 
CAMPS  AND  HOSPITALS. 

"  That  the  prevention  of  disease  is  possible, 
but  its  suppression  diftfcult  and  uncertain,"* 
was  the  very  first  postulate  laid  down  by  the  XJ. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  at  the  commencement 
of  its  labors.  Acting  upon  this  principle  by 
most  practical  methods,  and  with  an  unflinch- 
ing determination  not  to  be  thwarted  in  the  pur- 
pose to  insure  for  the  soldiers  in  camp  and  in 
hospital  all  the  means  of  sanitary  protection 
which  the  combined  intelligence  and  liberality 
of  the  Government  and  the  people  could  apply, 
the  results  are  such  as  will  forever  be  remem- 
bered with  gratitude  by  our  people  and  by  the 
philanthropic  minds  of  every  country. 

Theirs*  comply  example  of  practical  applica- 
tion of  samtary  science  in  camps  and  hospitals, 
during  a  long  war,  is  now  being  wrought  out  in 
our  Federal  army.  But  Great  Britain,  in  the 
recent  campaign  of  its  army  in  China,  has  fur- 
nished a  very  instructive  illustration  of  the  life- 


*  General  Instructions  for  Camp  Inspectors;  Sanitary 
GonnnusBion,  Document  51. 

A. writer  in  the  N'orth  American  Review  states  tliat,  "In 
the  Mexican  war  our  volunteer  forces  lost,  from  disease 
alone,  at  the  rate  of  152  per  1,000  per  annum,  and  the 
regulars  at  the  ra,te  of  81,  from  the  same  cause.  In  Wel- 
lii^ton's  entire  campaign  in  the  Peninsu^,  his  losses 
from  disease  were  113  per  1,000  strength.  In  time  of 
peace,  our  regular  army  lost  annually  ,at  the  rate  of  26 
per  1,000  strength;  and  the  British  infantry,  serying  at 
home,  annually  lost  about  18  per  1,000  from  disease,  until 
Lord  Herbert's  great  reforms  were  instituted;  but  by 
those  reforms,  which  mainly  consist  in  supplying  fresh 
air  and  an  improved  diet,  the  annual  loss  is  reduced  to 
about  8K  per  1,000  strength;  and  the  entire  loss  in  the 
British  army  dialing  the  past  four  years,  &om  ail  disease, 
«is  less  than  the  annual  losspreviouslyfcom  disease  of  the 
limg^^onli/."    (9ee  Nt^^Americcm  Smiew,  April,  1864.) 


466 


The  Samta/fy  Commission  Bulletin. 


saving  power  of  the  improved  sanitary  system 
that  has  been  established  in  the  British  forces 
since  the  Crimean  campaign,  and  we  cannot 
more  forcibly  illustrate  the  practical  value  of 
that  improved  system  than  by  quoting  state- 
ments from  Miss  Nightingale's  tribute  to  Sir 
Sidney  Herbert's  administration  and  the  reform 
that  he  officially  ordered.     She  presents  the 
statistical  evidence  that  even  during  the  first 
three  years'  experience  of  that  reform,  viz. ,  1859, 
1860  and  1861,  the  mortality  among  the  "in- 
fantry of  the  line  serving  at  home"  was  dimin- 
ished from  17.90  deaths  to  1,000  living,  to  8.56 
to  the  1,000,  which  is  less  than  half  the  standard 
death  rate  previous  to  the  reform.  *    Truly  does 
Miss  Nightingale  remark,  that  the   "faithful 
records  of  all  wars  are  records  of  preventable 
suffering,  disease  and  death.     It  is  needless  to 
illustiate  this  truth,  for  we  all  know  it.     But  it 
is  only  from  our  latest  sorrow,  the  Crimean 
catastrophe,  that  dates  the  rise  of  any  sanitary 
administration  in  this  country. "  [Great  Britain.  ] 
The  latest  returns  of  sickness  and  mortality 
in  the  British  forces,  at  those  permanent  sta^ 
tions  abroad  where  the  Ipsses  have  always  been 
quite  unifoim,  present  to  us  the  most  remark- 
able results,  cpnfirming  all  that  Lord  Herbert, 
Miss  Nightingale,  and  the  advocates  of  sanitary 
reform  ever  claimed,  and  proving  that  the  work 
and  purpose  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  of  our 
army  are  based  upon  soundest  reasoning  and 
the  most  philanthropic  designs.     We  quote  the 
following  illustration  of  the  latest  results  of  life- 
saving  in  the  British  army  by  means  of  simple 
BanitM-y  improvements  in  camps,  barracks,  hos- 
pitals, and  the  care  of  troops: 

"The  last  official  returns  of  sickness  and 
mortality  among  the  British  forces  present  the 
best  argument  upon  this  subject,  m  Jamaica, 
the  death  rate  from  disease  has  iallen,  since  the 
recent  reform  was  carried  into  effect,  from  260 
per  1,000  to  20;  in  Trinidad,  from  106  to  0  (in 
1860);  in  Barbadoes,  Trom  58  to  6;  in  St.  Lucia, 
from  122  to  1;  in  British  Guiana,  from  74  to  6; 
in  Canada,  from  16  to  10;  in  Nova  Scotia,  from 
15  to  7;  in  Newfoundland,  from  11  to  4;  in  Ber- 
muda, from  28  to  8;  in  Gibraltar',  from  11  to  7; 
in  Malta,  from  15  to  10;  in  Ionia,  from  15  to 
7."t 

Here  we  see  the  mortality  reduced,  at  ten 
military  stations,  from  70.5  to  the  1,000  living, 
to  6.9.  Let  us  now  look  at  a  summary  of  the 
results  of  the  British  Sanitary  Commission's 
work  in  the  Crimea  during  the  years  1855-6. 

For  the  following  brief  synopsis  of  the  results 
of  the  operations  of  the  British  Sanitary  Com- 
mission in  the  Crimea,  we  are  indebted  to  a 
member  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. 

The  following  tables  exhibit  the  total  and 
comparative  statistics  of  sickness  and  mortality 
in  the  British  army  in  the  Crimean  campaign, 
and  the  rate  per  cent,  of  the  diseases  and  deaths 
of  all  the  forces,  for  first,  a  period  of  six  months 
just  previous  to,  and  at  the  commencement  of 
the  works  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  viz. : 
from  January  to  June,  1855;  and,  second,  a 
period  of  six  months,  from  January  to  June, 
1856,  after  those  works  for  sanitary  improve- 
ment had  produced*  their  legitimate  results. 
[All  sickness  and  deaths  in  the  Medical  StaJBf, 


*  See  North  American  Biview,  April,  186i, 


tib. 


among  Commissioned  Officers,  the  Land  Trans- 
port, and  the  Mounted  Corps,  as  well  as  oH 
martial  wounds  or  deaihs  in  batUe,  are  excluded 
from  these  tables;  also  nearly  5,000  cases  of 
sickness  that  failed  to  be  properly  registered 
during  the  early  period  of  the  campaign.] 

JReturn  showing  total  sickness  and  mortality  frvra  Disea-^e  in 
British  Army  va  the  East,  from  April  lOiA,  1854,  (o  July 
1st  1866. 


NtTMBEK  OF  CASES  OF  SIGKKESS. 

DK4TH8. 

Pi-nm  T^ovprp  .           

31,230 

12,382 

56,765 

7,674 

2,096 

3,301 

12,542 

37,553 

3,462 

644 

6,950 

4,602 

178 

"     Diseases  of  Lungs 

"                  "    Bowels 

"     Cholera 

'*     Scurvy 

**     Ophthalmia 

"     trioers  and  Boils 

'*     all  other  diseases 

37 
3,295 

Total  number  cases, . 

162,473 

18,058 

The  ratep^  cent,  of  the  entire  army — sicJc  and  dying  frmn 
disease — during  two  periods  of  six  months  each,  as  above 
staied. 


1855. 

1866. 

Bate 

p'r  cent. 

sick. 

Bate 
perct.  of 
deaths. 

Bate 
p'r  cent. 

sick. 

Bate 
perct.  of 
deaths. 

.TjiTmji.Ty 

34.8 
23.0 
19.3 
14.3 
16.2 
28.3 

9.78 
8.16 
4.68 
1.86 
1.69 
2.65 

9.3 
7.7 
8.1 
1.- 
6.- 
8.6 

—.18 
—.08 
—.09 
—.07 
06 

February 

March 

April 

May 

,TuT>e  , ,   , , 

09 

Total 

136.9 

28.82 

41.7 

—.6* 

Thus  the  fact  is  demonstrated,  by  the  most 
unerring  statistics,  that  during  the  period  be- 
ginning eight  months  after  the  commencement 
of  reforms  by  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  the 
Crimea,  the  sickness  in  the  army  was  reduced 
to  less  than  one-tiiird  of  that  which  prevailed 
until  those  reforms  were  inaugurated,  the  exact 
ratio  of  that  decrease  being  as  1,359  to  417,  or 
139-453!  While  the  mortality— which  is  the 
more  significant  test  of  the  utility  of  sanitary 
improvements — presents  the  marvelous  con- 
trast of  28.82  to  —.5,  or  5,364  to  100 ! !  i.  e.,  the 
rate  of  mortality  from  disease  in  the  army,  after 
the  work  of  sanitary  reform  had  been  fully  in- 
augurated, was  less  than  one  fifty-seventh  of  the 
rate  of  mortality  that  prevailed  during  the  same 
length  of  time  preceding  the  reform. 

It  is  worthy  the  remark,  that,  while  the  sta- 
tistics show  that  considerable  sickness  con- 
tinued to  prevail  during  the  latter  or  im- 
proved period,  the  records  of  the  army  hos- 
pitals exhibit  the  fact  that  the  particular 
diseases  that  were  most  remarkably  dimin- 
ished were  those  which  sanitary  measures  are 
known  to  prevent  or  greatly  diminish,  viz.,  the 
zymotic  diseases,   such  as  fevers,  and  those 

*  This  ( — .6)  shows  that  the  mortality  during  those 
last  six  months  was  only  half  of  one  per  cent,,  or  at  the 
rate  of  exactly  one  per  cent,  per  annwm,  which  would  give 
ten  deaths  to  every  1,000  men  in  service. 


The  Sardtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


467 


maladies  that  are  so  largely  represented  in  the 
list  given  in  the  foregoing  table. 

That  this  wonderful  improvement  in  health, 
whioii  was  the  salvation  of  the  British  forces 
in  the  Crimea,  was  directly  and  positively  de- 
pendent upon  sanitary  works  and  preveniive 
hygieriic  measures,  is  a  fact  confessed  alike  by 
the  military  and  medical  officers  of  those  forces. 

And  in  further  corroboration  of  that  fact,  it 
should  be  stated  that  while  the  British  troops 
were  thus  being  rescued  from  the  fatal  disease 
that  had  threatened  to  make  their  encampment 
a  Golgotha,  the  French  camps,  though  located 
more  favorably,  and  within  a  rifle's  range  of 
the  British,  continued  to  grow  more  and  more 
sickly  during  all  the  time  of  the  grand  improve- 
ment in  the  camps  of  their  alUes.  In  the 
latter,  the  best  sanitary  board,  while  in  the 
former  (the  French  camps)  such  regulations 
were  utterly  neglected,  "until,"  as  a  distin- 
guished historian  of  the  war  has  said,  "with 
the  French  army,  peace  become  a  mUUary  neces- 
sUy." 

Xhe  Crimean  Sanitary  Commission  consisted 
of  three  gentlemen,  viz.,  Dr.  Sutherland,  Dr. 
Milroy,  and  Mr.  Rawlenson,  a  civil  engineer. 
Hach  of  these  commissioners  had,  for  several  years, 
made  sanitary  science  and  its  applications  a  special 
study.  They  proceeded  to  the  Crimea  in  April, 
1855,  taking  with  them  upwards  of  thirty  sk&led 
assistants  and  laborers,  together  with  such  im- 
plements and  apparatus  as  they  knew  would  be 
required  in  the  ventilation  and  sewerage  of  hos- 
pitals and  barracks,  the  cleansing  and  drainage 
of  encampments,  and  the  purification  and  disin- 
fection of  transports  and  ships.  Among  these 
means  were  pipe  tubing,  drainage  pipes,  filters, 
ten  thousand  square  feet  of  perforated  zinc 
plates  for  ventilation,  hinges,  pulleys,  window 
fixtures,  a  ship  load  of  peat  charcoal,  &a.,  &c. 
Immediately  upon  arrival  on  the  Bosphorus 
and  in  the  Crimea,  the  sanitary  works  were 
commenced;  first,  by  thorough  cleansiag,  both 
within  and  without,  the  hospitals,  barracks, 
and  tents,  and  in  these  works  nearly  one  hun- 
dred men  were  employed  for  many  months;  old 
sewers  were  cleaned  and  flushed;  new  drains 
were  made;  surface  filth,  refuse,  and  decaying 
materials  by  thousands  of  cartloads,  were  remov- 
ed, and  such  sources  of  offense  as  could  not  be 
removed  were  deeply  covered  with  dry  earth  and 
peat  charcoal.  Water  courses,  springs,  and  the 
water  supply  were  cleansed  and  conteoUed;  the 
tents  and  camping  grounds  were  rigidly  in- 
spected and  purified,  and  an  abundant  supply 
of  fresh  air  and  pure  water  was  every  where 
secured  in  hospital  and  in  camp,  and,  so  far  as 
practicable,  the  diet  and  general  comfort  of  the 
soldiers  were  improved.  ' 

The  results  of  this  simple  and  inexpensive 
labor  astonished  the  world,  though  sanitary 
science  has  always  promised,  and  its  advocates 
prophesied  just  such  results. 

Says  Miss  Nightingale:  "It  is  the  whole 
•experiment  of  sanitary  improvement  upon  a 
•colossal  scale.  «         »  •  *  « 

We  had,  in  the  first  seven  months  of  the 
Crimean  campaign,  a  mortality  of  sixty  per  cent. 
per  annum  among  the  troops /rom  disease  alone; 
'  *  *  we  had  in  the  last  six 

months  a  mortality  not  much  greater  than 
among  our  healthy  Guards  at  home." — Frord 
JVarrative  Sanitary  Commission,,  Mpvendix  E. 


THE  HOSPITAL  DIEECTOKT. 
Of  the  magnitude  of  this  work  some  idea  may 
be  formed  from  the  following  ' '  Summary  of  the 
Superintendent's  Report,"  which  was  presented 
at  the  late  meeting  of  the  Commission  in  Wash- 
ington: 

Number  of  hospitals  now  reporting 88 

Number  of  regiments  reported 968 

Number  of  names  on  record. 360,060 

Whole  number  of  inquiries 10,984 

Whole  number  of  successful  returns 7, 523 

Number  of  personal  inquiries  answered.     6,111 

Number  of  inquiries  by  letter 2,231 

Number  of  inquiries  by  letter  answered.     1,412 
Number  of  letters  written  regarding  in- 
quiries      5,081 

These  regiments  are  distributq^  among  twenty- 
five  States,  beside  twenty-nine  from  the  Regular 
Army.  There  are,  also,  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty  names  from  Colorado,  twenty-five  hun- 
dred from  the  Navy,  and  thirty-five  hundred  of 
the  rebels  upon  the  books  of  the  Directory. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  estimate  the  amount 
of  comfort  which  the  establishment  of  this  source 
of  information  has  given  to  the  friends  of  the 
soldier  left  at  home,  uncertain  of  his  fate. 


THE  SITUATION  IN  THE  WEST. 

Our  readers  wUl,  perhaps,  not  be  dis- 
pleased to  have  us  give  them  a  brief  sum- 
mary of  the  recent  progress  and  present 
condition  of  our  work  in  all  parts  of  the 
field.  In  no  other  way  can  they  get  a  clear 
idea  of  the  state  of  the  great  enterprise  in 
which,  probably,  the  most  of  them  are  tak- 
ing an  active  part;  We  therefore  present 
for  their  consideration  an  outline  sketch  of 
the  present  attitude  of  our  sanitary  affairs; 
referring  all  those  who  have  sufficient  in- 
terest in  the  subject  to* lead  them  to  pursue 
it  further,  to  the  detailed  reports  of  geo- 
graphical districts  or  departments  of  our 
work,  which  wUl  be  published  hereafter. 

•Let  us  premise  by  saying,  that  for  several 
weeks  and  months,  an  unusual  degree  of 
quiet  has  prevailed  throughout  nearly  all 
the  military  departments,  the  whole  ener- 
gies of  the  Government  being  devoted  to 
preparation  for  the  great  struggle  known 
to  all  to  be  impending.  This  state  of  things 
has  produced  a  certain  degree  of  monotony 
in  our  work,  which,  for  the  most  part,  has 
consisted  in  the  supply  of  the  current  wants 
of  hospitals  and  camps,  the  maintenance 
in  full  strength  and  activity  of  our  con- 
stantly increasing  system  of  Special  Belief, 
our  Hospital  Directory  and  Inspectorial 
Department.  "With  the  exception  of  the 
ill-fated  Red  Eiver  expedition,  there  has 
been  really  no  military  movement  calling 
fen:  special  aetioh  on  our  part,  and  the  only 
emergency  which  we  have  been  called  on 
to  meet  is  that,  if  it  may  be  so  called. 


468 


The  Sanitary,  Commission  Bulletin. 


created  by  the  discoTery  of  a  wide-spread, 
indeed,  almost  universal,  scorbutic  taint 
among  our  troops.  This  cause,  though 
operating  insidiously,  was  most  pregnant 
of  evil,  as  it-  sapped  the  very  foundations 
of  health  and  vigor  in  those  who  were  to 
need  so  much  of  both,  for  the  arduous 
duties  assigned  to  them.  Unless  corrected, 
this  scorbutic  tendency  would  not  only  im- 
pair the  efficiency  of  our  troops  in  every 
movement,  but  would  increase  the  mortal- 
ity from  wounds  received  on  the  battle- 
field to  a  frightful  degree.  This  impending 
evil  was  so  formidable,  that  it  demanded 
the  most  energetic  measures  for  its  eradica- 
tion. 

In  this  effort,  the  army  officers  of  every 
grade  united  in  the  most  harmonious  co- 
operation with  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
and  through  the  combined  efforts  of  the 
people  at  home,  the  Commission  in  the 
field,  and  the  inilitary  and  medical  author- 
ities, the  tide  of  evil  was  arrested  and  rolled 
back. 

The  part  taken  by  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion in  this  great  work  may  be  inferred 
from  the  amount  of  their  issues  of  anti- 
scorbutics, which  have  been  made  since  the 
1st  of  January  in  the  Western  Department, 
as  follows: 

80,640  gaUons  of  kraut,  33,702  gallons  of 
pickles,  25,000  bushels  of  potatoes,  4,600 
bushels  of  onions,  8,500  gallons  of  ale, 
25,143  -pounds  of  cod-fish,  158,828  pounds 
of  dried  fruit,  43,477  pounds  of  condensed 
milk,  27,108  pounds  of  condensed  beef, 
16,343  cans  of  fruit;  1,160  bushels  of  fresh 
fruit,  1,500  gallons  of  apple-butter,  1,676 
pounds  of  tea,  19,560  pounds  of  sugar,  83 
boxes  of  oranges  and  lemons,  747  cans  of 
oysters,  10,500  pounds  of  butter,  with  va- 
rious other  articles  which  might  be  properly 
included  in  this  category,  furnished  in 
smaller  quantities,  but  which  need  not  be 
enumerated.  From  all  sources  we  have 
testimony  that  this  liberal  supply  of  anti- 
scorbutics has  been  most  efficient  in  check- 
ing the  prdgress  of  scurvy,  and  in  preparing 
our  men  for  the  hardships  and  casuaities  of 
the  impending  campaign. 

The  quantities  cited  above  wiU  doubtless 
appear  respectably  large,  and  yet,  when  it 
is  remembered  that  they  have  been  distrib- 
uted to  an  army  of  two  hundred  thousand 
men,  it  will  be  seen  that  each  one's  share 
has  been  small  indeed.  In  former  times 
our  efforts  were  limited  to  that  portion  of 
our  army  occupying  the  different  military 
hospitals,  but  the  splendid  liberality  ex- 
hibited by  the  people  has,  more  recently, 
enabled  us  to  reach  witji  our  gifts  a  large 
part  of  the  troops  in  the  field;  among  whom 
the  vegetables,  kraut,  pickles,  dried  fruit, 
&c.,  enumerated  in  the  list  given  above, 
have  been  dist  s  ibuted  with  a  generous  hand. 
With  all  our  resources,  and  with  every  ef- 
fort, however,  we  have  not  been  able  ta 


reach  all,  and  have  fully  supplied  the  wants 
of  but  few.  Let  no  one,  therefore,  who  has 
failed  to  receive  any  share  of  the  gifts  of 
the  Commission,  or  has  received  what  he 
h^s  thought  an  inadequate  quantity,  not 
hastily  conclude  and  assert  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  is  a  humbug,  but  remem- 
ber how  immense  is  the  demand  it  is  ex- 
pected to  supply,  and  how  many  there  are 
whose  claims  upon  its  charities  are  no  less 
valid  and  pressing  than  his  own. 

In  Kansas,  the  extreme  limit  of  the  west- 
ern .  operations  of  the  Commission,  there 
has  been  prolonged  quiet.  Most  of  the 
troops  have  been  removed  farther  south. 
Some  forces,  however,  are  left  at  impor- 
tant points.  To  the  soldiers  stationed  near 
Leavenworth  and  at  Fort  Scott,  pur  agent, 
Mr.  J.  B.  Brown,  assisted  by  Dr.  Slocum, 
has  distributed  whatever  stores  he  has  had 
control  of.  These  have  not  been  equal,  by 
any  means,  to  the  demand.  It  is  hoped 
that  with  the  progress  of  the  season  his 
supply  will  increase.  Mr.  Brown's  labors 
have  been  lauch  enlarged  by  the  multitu- 
dinous calls  made  upon  him  by  the  contra- 
bands and  Southern  refugees  who  have 
flocked  into  Kansas,  without  support,  and 
utterly  dependent  upon  charity. 

In  West  Yirginia,  Mr.  Price  still  acts,  as 
agent  at  Wheeliiig.  A  new  agency  has  been 
established,  and  storehouses  opened  by  Mr. 
Fracker,  at  GaUipolis, 

Mr.  Butler  superintends  the  distribution 
of  stores  as  weU  as  the  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Camp  Nelson,  where  Rev.  A.  Payson  has 
been  assigned  to  duty  as  hospital  visitor, 
and  is  doing  excellent  service. 

At  Cairo,  Mr.  Shipman  has  been  thorough- 
ly occupied  with  the  large  and  numerous- 
shipments  made  for  points  on  the  river  be- 
low. No  steamer  has  been  in  the  charter 
of  the  Commission  since  Dr.  Warriner's 
recent  visit  to  Vicksburg; — an  account  of 
which  we  gave  in  the  last  number  of  the 
Reporter.  Goods  are  now  sent  from  Cairo 
as  often  as  possible  by  the  regular  boats. 
Most  of  them  go  no  farther  than  Vicksburg, 
although  some  have  been  forwarded  to  New 
Orleans.  The  Cincinnati  Branch  has  sent 
to  that  point  a  liberal  supply. 

To  his  varied  and  engrossing  duties  a» 
general  agent  at  Cairo,  Mr.  gWpman  adds 
that  of  superintendent  of  the  Soldiers' 
Home — no  sHght  work  in  itself.  Every  one 
bears  witness  to  the  thoroughness,  system 
and  good  order  which  characterize  his  man- 
agement, and  to  his  kindness  and  polite- 
ness to  all  who  come  in  contact  with  him. 
At  Memphis,  Mr.  Carpenter  stiU  has 
charge  of  the  storeroom,  and  Mr.  Christy 
of  the  Lodge.  The  relative  importance  of 
Memphis  has  very  much  diminished,  but 
the  returns  show  thiat  the  Lodge  is  still  en- 
joyed by  a, large  number  of  soldiers  other- 
wise unprovided  for;  and  the  issue  of  stores 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


469 


The  call  from  the  hospitals  there  is  likely 
to  be  large,  as  they  will  always  have  many 
inmates  as  long  as  battles  take  place  below. 
Mr.  Carpenter  has  recently  left  for  Eed 
Kiver  with  all  available  stores,  and  it  is 
hoped  will  do  much  to  relieve  the  suifering 
in  that  comparatively  remote  region. 

Mr.  Way  has  charge  of  the  storeroom  at 
Vioksburg,  and  from  this  place  or  directly 
fromi  Cairo,  Natchez  is  furnished.  At  last 
accounts,  there  was  a  good  supply  at  these 
places. 

The  hospital  steamers  that  ply  up  and 
down  the  Mississippi  frequently  obtain  sup- 
plies of  vegetables  and  delicacies  at  Cairo. 
It  is  seldom  that  they  make  their  appear- 
ance on  the  Ohio.  A  short  time  ago,  how- 
ever, the  admirable  and  most  comfortably 
managed  hospital  steamer  E.  C,  Wood,  after 
imdergcriiig  repairs  at  New  Albany,  was 
ordered  to  Bed  Biver  to  receive  a  load  of 
the  wounded  in  the  late  expedition.  It  was 
the  privilege  of  the  Commission  to  add  to 
her  supplies  by  such  contributions  as  the 
surgeons  and  experienced  female  nurses 
made  requisitions  for. 
^vln  addition  to  the  special  efforts  made  to 
check  the  progress  of  scurvy,  to  which  ref- 
erence has  already  been  made,  our  work  in 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  has,  of  late, 
been  almost  entirely  what  may  be  termed 
current  business.  This,  consisting  in  the 
maintenance  of  the  numerous  stations  with 
all  the  different  departments  of  the  Com- 
mission's labor  represented  by  them,  has 
now  assumed  proportions,  which,  compared 
with  our  operations  in  past  years,  renders 
them  almost  insignificant. 

The  agency  at  NashviUe,  under  the  gene- 
ral supervision  of  Mr.  Boot,  Dr.  Bead  hav- 
ing gone  to  the  front,  has  been  so  managed 
as  to  elicit  warm  commendation  from  the 
mOitary  and  medical  departments,  and  from 
numerous  civilians  who  have  inspected  its 
work,  and,  so  far  as  known,  without  a  lisp 
of  criticism  from  any  source.  The  store- 
house has  been,  as  in  months  and  years 
past,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Eobin- 
son,  who,  with  his  assistants,  has  received 
and  shipped  the  immense  amounfc.of  stores 
passing  through  his  hands  with  an  accu- 
racy and  dispatch  in  the  highest  degree 
creditable. 

The  Home,  under  the  management  of 
Capt.  Brayton,  has  greatly  grown  in  use- 
fulness, and  now  accommodates  in  comfort, 
almost  in  luxury,  about  two  hundred  dis- 
charged and  furloughed  soldiers  a  day. 

At  Murfreesboro',  Stevenson  and  Hunts - 
viUe,  our  agencies,  in  the  hands  of  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  experienced  and  trusty 
men,  have  been  doing  each  its  part  in  the 
great  work  of  the  Commission. 

At  Chattanooga  our  operations  have  been 
constantly  expanding,  until  it  has  now  be- 
come second  to  none  of  the  agencies  of  the 
Coiniiiission  iii  magnitude  and  importance. 


Dr.  Bead,  as  Chief  Inspector  of  the  Depart- 
ment, has  made  this  his  headquarters,  while 
the  business  affairs  of  the  agency  have  been, 
as  heretofore,  under  the  supervision  of  M. 
C.  Bead,  assisted  by  a  large  corps  of  our 
most  efficient  and  faithful  agents.  Nowhere 
has  the  value  of  the  Commission's  work 
been  more  generally  recognized  than  at 
Chattanooga,  and  nowhere  have  the  med- 
ical and  military  authorities  given  us 
more  unmistakable  evidence  of  their  appre- 
ciation and  good  will.  The  hospital  gar- 
dens at  this  point  are  fully  realizing  our 
most  sanguine  anticipations.  They  embrace 
over  two  hundred  acres  now  in  cultivation, 
and  are  already  furnishing  large  quantities 
of  early  vegetables  for  the  use  of  the  trobps. 
At  KnosviUe,  the  agency  has  continued 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  M.  M.  Seymour, 
and  if  we  may  believe  the  testimony  of  the 
Commanding  General  of  the  Department, 
his  Medical  Director,'  Dr.  Hewitt,  the  sur- 
geons in  charge  of  hospitals,  and  others,  it 
has  done  much  for  the  comfort  and  well- 
being  of  the  troops,  both  in  camp  and  hos- 
pital, in  that  department. 

The  hospital  garden  of  about  a  hundred 
acres  at  KnoxviMe,  in  charge,  of  Mr.  Cul- 
bertson,  is  said  to  be  the  admiration  of  all 
beholders. 

Within  the  last  few  weeks  the  energies  of 
the  representatives  of  the  Commission  have 
been  directed  toward  a  thorough  prepara- 
tion for  the  struggle  which  seemed  to  be 
impending  between  the  Union  and  Con- 
federate forces  in  Northern  Georgia.  With 
this  object  in  view,  our  force  at  Chattanoo- 
ga and  vicinity  was  largely  increased,  a  re- 
lief corps  organized  to  accompany  the  army, 
and  a  large  amount  of  battle  stores,  gather- 
ed by  contributions  from  our  Branch  Com- 
missions and  by  purchase,  transported  to 
the  front.  The  great  battles  expected  have 
not  yet  occurred,  but  sooner  or  later  they 
are  sure  to  come.  It  is  believed  that  our 
preparations  are  ample.  Among  the  stores 
now  held  in  readiness  for  this  expected  de- 
mand maybe  enumerated:  5,000  shirts,  5,000 
pairs  of  drawers,  with  other  articles,  of  bed- 
ding and  clothing  in  like  proportion;  5,000 
pounds  of  concentrated  beef,  10,000  pounds 
of  condensed  milk,  100  barrels  of  crackers, 
2,000  pounds  of  dried  fruit,  5,000  bottles  of 
wine  and  spirit,  2,  OOp  pounds  of  butter,  500 
pounds  of  tea,  1,000  pounds  of  sugar,  with 
Oranges  and  lemons,  codfish,  oysters,  ale, 
farina,  pickles,  saurkraut,  vegetables,  eggs, 
,  compresses,  bandages,  and  whatever  goes 
to  make  up  the  long  list  of  articles"  needed 
to  mitigate  the  sufferings  of  those  who  are 
destined  to  fall  in  the  struggle. 

With  the  advance  of  the  army,  frontier 
stations  have  been  established  at  Cleveland, 
Binggold  and  Dalton,  where,  while  we 
write,  an  efficient  corps  of  field  agents  are, 
•  as  we  know,  engaged  in  their  work  of 
mercy. — Sanitary  Reporter. 


-  J(T] 


470 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuHdin. 


A  SOLDIEES  TRIBUTE. 
The  following  poem  was  addressed  to  Mrs. 

,  by  a  private  of  the  16th  Eegt.  New  York 

Vols.  He  had  been  in  her  care  on  board  of  a 
Sanitary  Commission  boat  at  White  House,  Va. 
After  he  returned  to  the  regiment  he  sent  her 
these  lines.  •  Surely  no  lady  has  ever  received 
a  more  graceful  acknovrledgment  of  kindness: 

From  old  St.  Paiil  tiU  now. 

Of  honorable  women  not  a  f^w 

Have  left  their  golden  ease,  in  love  to  do 

The  saintly  work  which  Christ-like  hearts  pursue. 

And  such  a  one  art  thou — God's  fair  apostle, 
Bearing  His  love  in  war's  horrific  train; 
Thy  blessed  feet  follow  its  ghastly  pain. 
And  misery,  and  death,  without  disdain. 

To  one  borne  from  the  sullen  battle's  roar. 
Dearer  the  greeting  of  thy  gentle  eyes. 
When  he,  aweary,  torn,  and  bleeding  lies. 
Than  all  the  glory  that  the  victors  prize. 

When  pea£e  shall  come,  and  home  shall  smile  again, 
A  thousand  soldier-hearts,  in  Northern  chmes. 
Shall  tell  their  little  children  in  their  rhymes. 
Of  the  sweet  saint  who  blessed  the  old  war-times. 

Cm  the  CHicsAHoaiiNY,  Jrnie  12, 1862. 


A  DAY  IN  THE  CENTRAL  OFFICE  DURING 
GRANT'S  ADVANCE. 

Wabhihgton,  D.  C,  May  23,  1864. 

I  sit  down  for  a  moment.  Mr.  Editor,  in  the 
main  bupineFS  room  of  the  Central  Office  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  244  F  Street. 

Groups  of  inquirers,  in  asteady  stream — fathers, 
brothers,  wives,  sisters,  mothers — are  entering, 
and  are  referred  to  the  spacious  office,  up  stairs, 
of 

THE   HOSPITAL  DIKECTOKT. 

All  night  clerks  have  been  engaged  in  enrolling 
in  huge  registers,  of  which  each  State  bas  one  or 
more,  the  names,  receivtd  promptly  and  daily 
from  the  Medical  Bureau,  of  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed who  have  been  brought  in  to  general  hospitals, 
and  of  the  location  and  subsequent  history  of  each. 
These  are  arranged  under  the  regiments  to  which 
they  belong,  so  that  inquiries  should  always  state 
the  number  of  a  wounded  or  deceased  soldier's 
regiment,  and,  if  possible,  the  letter  of  his  com- 
pany. 

A  sufficient  force  sits  ready  at  the  several  desks 
to  make  the  needed  reference  and  reply.  Arid 
each  inquirer  goes  away  relieved  of  suspense  by 
certainty  ;  aijd  in  a  majority  of  cases  a  clue  has 
been  obtained  to  guide  to  the  couch  of  the  sufferer 
sought,  or  to  the  head-board  of  his  new-made 
grave.  Often  It  is  suggested,  wheu  the  individual 
name  is  not  found,  to  take  from  the  register  a 
name  or  two  from  the  list  of  his  regiment,  and  so 
to  leain  from  a  wounded  officer,  mes.smate  or 
kinsman,  the  last  that  was  known  of  his  fellow- 
soldier  on  the  battle-field. 

SUDDEN  HEMOKRUAGE. 

I  am  called  away.  A  soldier,  furloughed  at  a 
hospital,  iiChesititing  compliance  with  his  long- 
ings for  his  home  in  ,  (A B ,  — .th 

Vols.,)  has  been  suddenly  stopped,  while  in 


search  of  his  pay.  by  hemorrhage  of  the  brachial 
artery.  A  bullet  had  gone  through  his  arm  above 
the  elbow,  diagonally,  while  he  was  putting  a  cap 
upon  his  gun-lock,  and  there  is  a  call  for  lint  and 
bandages,  with  the  words,  "  I  knew  the  Sanitary 
Commission  would  take  care  of  him."  He  has 
been  carried  into  Dr.  Stone's  office,  and  is  soon 
kindly  cared  for  by  him,  and  then  conducted  to 
the  Lodge  on  H  Street,  where  he  will  be  put  all 
right  and  in  due  time  forwarded  on  his  way.  He 
is  pretty  well  bleached  by  loss  of  blood,  and  his 
hard  hand  lily-white. 

"  I  wanted  'em,"  he  said,  "just  to  cut  in  and 
tie  the  artery,  and  make  all  tight;  but  the  women 
told  the  doctor  they  thought  it  would  get  on  with- 
out; and  he  ought  not  to  have  minded  them.  I 
have  it  tied  now,  any  way.  They  put  off  another 
fellow  that  way,  till  he  bled  and  bled — and  hi« 
arm  mortified,  and  then  they  cut  it  off,  and  then 
he  died." 

Well,  A will  get  his  ligature  and  a  new 

shirt  into  the  bargain,  and  his  transportation — 
perhaps  his  back  pay,  if  the  rolls  of  his  regiment 

are  in — and  then  in  the  fresh  air  of he  will 

soon  be  "  fighting  his  battles  o'er  again,"  and  a 
hero. 

By  the  way.  in  ba^daging  his  arm  there  was  a 
revelation  that  furnishes  a  hint  to 

MAKING  OF   BANDAGES. 

I  had  started  with  a  pocket  fullfrom  the  ready 
stores  in  the  office  ;  and,  to  the  gi'eat  annoyance 
of  the  operator,  (though  borne  with  a  patience  that 
satisfied  itself  with  some  allusion  to  '•  the  inex- 
perienced good  intention  of  some  country  girl,") 
an  entangling  fringe  of  loose  threads  bothered 
prodigiously. 

Bandages  are  to  be  made  by  tearing,  not  Sy 
cutting,  the  cloth  ;  and,  second,  all  the  loose 
threads  are  to  be  picked  away,  either  before  or 
after  rolling. 

If  the  Directory  for  Sick  and  Wounded— con- 
stantly guiding  inquiries  by  letter,  by  telegraph, 
and  by  mail — were  the  only  instruments  of  the 
Commission's  function,  it  would  well  repay  aU 
outlay. 

An  agent  of  the  Christian  Commission  comes 
in,  memorandum  book  in  hand.  He  desires  to 
learn  the  whereabouts  of  a  list  of  wounded.  He 
is  asked  by  me  to  write  out  their  names  and 
belongings  distinctly  on  a  slip  of  paper,  and  then 
goes  up  to  the  Directory.  He  returns  in  five 
minutes.  "  Did  you  find  your  men  ?"  "  Yes,  sic, 
all  of  them — all  right." 

"  Three  thousand  gone  already  to-day." 

Many  bags,  full  of  letters,  are  now  in  the  pro- 
cess of  being  sorted  in  my  sight.  They  have  been 
handed  in  at  the  tents  and  sheds  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  at  Belle  Plain  and  Fredericksbui^ 
—and  at  "  White  Oak  Church  Shanty,"  half  way 
between — by  the  wounded,  and  by  the  reinforce- 
ments pass-ing  to  the  front,  and  brought  up  here 
in  the  steamers  of  the  Commission. 

Some  have  po.-tage  stamps:  others,  and  a  very 
large  portion,  have  none.  They  are  carefully 
assorted  here,  postage  stamps  are  attached  at  the 
expense  of  the  Commission,  and  they  are  forward- 
ed without  delay.  What  fitter  return  to  the  homes 
that  have  filled  the  treasury  could  be  made  ? 

JACOB  ,  OF  MICHIGAN. 

Do  you  see  that  bright-eyed,  well-formed  boy, 
of  ten  years  old — the  quickest,  gayest,  aptest  of 
the  workers  in  the  letter  room — plying,  with  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ill 


quick  stroke  of  a  trip-hammer,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission stamp. with  liis  nimble  baad,  and  whistling 
at  his  work  ? 

It  is  "  Jacob."  He  came  in  here  from  a  trans- 
port load  of  wounded,  soiled,  begrimed,  and  foot- 
worn; the  son  of  a  soldier,  whom  he  had  followed 
in  the  army,  and  who  had  fallen — leaving  Jacob 
fatherless. 

What  could  be  done  but  to  wash,  and  clothe, 
and  welcome  him,  and  give  him  tasks  level  to 
his  powers  ?    And,  now,  the  brightest,  happiest, 

most  touching  sight  la  the  office  is  "  Jacob , 

of  Michigan."  J.  V. 


t  CAMP  COOKINa. 

Below  is  an  order  issued  over  a  year  ago  to 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  It  contains  some 
hints  of  great  value  to  the  new  troops  who  are 
now  taking  the  field. 

A  great  military  chieftain  once  said,  that 
"  beans  had  killed  more  men  than  bullets."  If 
this  be  true,  it  is  not  because  of  any  inherent 
unwholesomeness  in  the  beans,  but  because  of 
the  imperfect  manner  in  which  they  were  then 
and  are  now  usually  prepared  for  use.  Very 
few  of  the  articles  used  for  food  are  deleterious 
in  themselves;  there  are  none  which  may  not 
be  made  so  by  improper  preparation  or  combi- 
nation. Perhaps  there  is  no  one  mode  of  cook- 
ing more  universal  and  more  mischievous  than 
that  of  frying  instead  of  broiling,  and  we  re- 
spectfully suggest  this  as  the  point  scarcely 
second  in  importance  to  the  proper  preparation 
of  "soup" — which,  according  to  the  French 
maxim,  "  makes  the  soldier": 

Gbnebal  Obdebs,  No.  76. 

To  preserve  as  far  as  possible  the  health  of 
the  troops  of  this  army,  the  following  regula- 
tions, in  regard  to  diet,  are  prescribed: 

1  When  in  camp,  cooking  will  be  done  by 
companies  instead  of  squads. 

II.  Soup,  made  according  to  the  following 
recipes,  will  be  served  up  to  the  men,  as  fol- 
lows: 

1st.  Beef  soup,  when  fresh  beef  can  be  pro- 
cured, twice  a  week. 

2d.  Soup  made  from  beans  or  peas,  twice  a 
week,  or  oftener  if  desired  by  the  men. 

Beef  and  Vegetable  Soup  for  Mfly  Men. 

Beef,  (cut  in  pieces  of  4  or  5  pounds  each)  35   lbs. 

Desiccated  vegetables 3   lbs. 

Bice 4   lbs. 

Flour,  sugar  and  salt,  each J  lb. 

Pepper J  oz. 

Water 8   lbs. 

Directions. — Soak  the  desiccated  vegetables 
from  reveille  until  after  breakfast.  Immediately 
after  breakfast  put  all  the  ingredients  into  ket- 
tles at  once,  except  the  flour;  set  them  over  the 
fire,  and  when  beginning  to  boil  diminish  the 
heat,  and  simmer  down  until  eleven  o'clock, 
then  add  to  the  soup  the  flour,  which  has  bein 


first  mixed  with  enough  water  to  form  a  thin 
batter,  mix  well  together,  and  boil  until  noon. 
Sufficient  hot  water  mayjbe  added  from  time  to 
time  to  replace  that  lost  in  boiling.  The  soup 
should  be  stirred  occasionally,  to  prevent  burn- 
ing or  sticking  to  the  sides  of  the  kettK 

Note. — To  make  good  beef  soup,  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  ingredients  are  put  into 
cold  water,  and  the  heat  gradually  applied  until 
near  the  boiling  point,  then  simmer  for  several 
hours.  By  brisk  boiling  the  exterior  or  the 
meat  is  hardened,  and  its  juices  will  not  be 
mixed  with  the  water,  but  retained.  The  meat 
will  also  be  tough  and  unpalatable.  The  desic- 
cated vegetables  should  be  well  separated  when 
put  in  water  to  soak. 

Bean  Soup  for  Fifty  Men. 

Beans 3    qts. 

Bacon  or  pork 15    lbs. 

Onions 3    do. 

Pepper ^ ^  oz. 

Water .♦. 8   galls. 

Directions. — Soak  the  beans  over  night;  at 
reveille  in  the  morning  put  them  into  vessels 
carefuUy  cleaned,  and  boil  steady  until  noon; 
then  mash  them  with  a  spoon,  or  masher  made 
for  the  purpose,  and  strain  through  a  cullender 
if  practicable. 

Immediately  after  breakfast  put  the  bacon, 
(or  pork,)  cut  in  pieces  of  firom  three  to  five 
pounds  each,  into  another  kettle  with  water, 
and  boil  for  an  hour;  pour  off  the  water,  add 
the  bacon  to  the  soup,  with  onions  (chopped 
fine)  and  pepper,  ^nd  boil  until  noon.  Remove 
the  bacon,  and  out  into  smaller  pieces,  suitable 
for  serving  with  the  soup. 

Note. — In  the  preparation  of  this  soup,  soft 
or  rain  water  should  be  used  where  practicable, 
and  if  a  less  quantity  than  that  directed  be  put 
into  the  vessel,  or  if  it  becomes  necessary,  from 
long  boiUng,  to  add  more,  it  should  be  boiling 
and  not  cold  water.  The  bacon,  after  par-boil- 
ing, can  be  placed  near  the  fire  if  the  beans  are 
not  sufficiently  soft  to  mash  well.  The  reason 
for  directing  that  the  bacon  be  added  after  the 
beans  are  done,  is  that  grease  of  any  kind 
hardens  them. 

When 'peas  are  used  in  lieu  of  beans  they 
should  be  treated  in  the  same  manner. 

III.  All  commanding  officers  are  charged  to 
see  that  these  orders  are  strictly  enforced,  and, 
that  there  may  be  no  negligence  on  the  part  of 
company  cooks,  company  officers  will  inspect 
the  cooking  every  day,  and  see  that  it  is  prop- 
erly done.  ' 

IV.  The  special  attention  of  officers  of  the 
Inspector  General's  Department  will  be  given 
to  this  matter,  and  they  are  directed  to  report 
the  execution  or  neglect  of  these  orders,  by 
every  regiment  in  the  department,  in  Oieir 
semi-monthly  inspection  reports. 

V.  The  senior  medical  officer  on  duty  with 
each  regiment,  will  make  a  written  report,  on 
Monday  of  each  week,  to  the  Medical  Director 
of  the  Department,  through  the  intermediate 
medical  officers,  stating  the  number  of  times 
soup  has  been  served  to  the  men  during  the 
week,  the  kind,  and  the  quality  qf  the  cooking. 

The  impoitauce  of  wholesome  food  cannot  be 
over-estimated,  and  the  General  Commanding 
enjoins  upon  the  commanding  officer  of  evety 
regiment  the  necessity  of  enforcing  these  orders. 


472 


2^  Sanitary  Commission  BrMebin. 


Improper  and  badly  cooked  food,  eaten  at  un- 
seasonable tours,  is  the  cause  of  much  of  the 
sickness  which  thins  our  ranks  and  fills  our 
hospitals. 


NOTES  ON  NUKSING. 


■WHAT  FOOD. 


I  hpve  known  patients  live  for  many  months 
■without  touching  bread,  because  they  could  not 
eat  baker's  bread.  These  were  mostly  country 
patients,  but  not  all.  Home-made  bread  or 
brown  bread  is  a  most  important  article  of  diet 
for  many  patients.  The  use  of  aperients  may 
be  entirely  superseded  by  it.  Oat  cake  is 
another. 

To  watch  for  the  opinions,  then,  which  the 
patient's  stomach  gives,  rather  than  to  read 
"  analyses  of  foods, "  is  the  business  of  all  those 
who  have  to  settle  what  the  patient  is  to  eat — 
perhaps  the  most  important  thing  to  be  pro- 
Tided  for  him  after  the  air  he  is  to  breathe. 

Now  the  medical  man  who  sees  the  patient 
only  once  a  day,  or  even  only  once  or  twice  a 
week,  cannot  possibly  tell  this  without  the  as- 
sistance of  the  patient  himself,  or  of  those  who 
are  in  constant  observation  on  the  patient.  The 
utmost  the  medical  man  can  tell  is  whether  the 
patient  is  weaker  or  stronger  at  this  visit  than 
he  was  at  the  last  visit.  I  should  therefore  say 
that  incomparably  the  most  important  office  of 
the  nurse,  after  she  has  taken  care  of  the  pa- 
tient's air,  is  to  take  care  to  observe  the  effect 
of  his  food,  and  report  it  to  the  medical  atten- 
dant. 

It  is  quite  incalculable  the  good  that  would 
certainly  come  from  such  sound  and  close  ob- 
servation in  this  almost  neglected  branch  of 
nursing,  or  the  help  it  would  give  to  the  medi- 
cal man. 

A  great  deal  too  much  against  tea  is  said  by 
wise  people,  and  a  great  deal  too  much  of  tea 
is  given  to  the  sick  by  foolish  people.  When 
you  see  the  natural  and  almost  universal  crav- 
ing in  English  sick  for  their  ' '  tea, "  you  cannot 
but  feel  that  nature  knows  what  she  is  about. 
But  a  httle  tea  or  coffee  restores  them  quite  as 
much  as  a  great  deal,  and  a  great  deal  of  tea, 
and  especially  of  coffee,  impairs  the  little  power 
of  digestion  they  have.  'Vet  a  nurse,  because 
she  sees  how  one  or  two  cups  of  tea  or  coffee 
restores  her  patient,  thinks  that  three  or  four 
cups  will  do  twice  as  much.  This  is  not  the 
case  at  all;  it  is,  however,  certain  that  there  is 
nothing  yet  discovered  which  is  a  substitute  to 
the  English  patient  for  his  cup  of  tea;  he  can 
take  it  when  he  can  take  nothing  else,  and  he 
often  can't  take  any  thing  else  if  he  has  it  not. 
,  I  should  be  very  glad  if  any  of  the  abusers  of 
tea  woijld  point  out  what  to  give  to  an  English 
patient,  after  a  sleepless  night,  instead  of  tea. 
If  you  give  it  at  five  or  six  o^look  in  the  morn- 
ing, he  may  even  sometimes  fall  asleep  after  itj 
and  get  perhaps  his  only  two  or  three  hours' 
sleep  during  the  twenty-four.  At  the  same 
time,  you  never  should  give  tea  or  coffee  to  the 
flick,  as  a  rule,  after  five  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon. Sleeplessness  in  the  early  night  is  from 
excitement  generally,  and  is  increased  by  tea  or 
co^ee;  sleeplessness  -which  continues  to  the 
early  morning  is  from  exhaustion  often,  and  is 
relieved  by  tea.     The  only  English  patients  I 


have  ever  known  refuse  tea,  have  been  typhus 
cases,  and  the  first  sign  of  their  getting  better 
was  their  craving  again  for  tea.  In  general,  the 
dry  and  dirty  tongue  always  prefers  tea  to  cof- 
fee, and  will  quite  decline  milk,  unless  with  tea. 
Coffee  is  a  better  restorative  than  tea,  but  a 
greater  impairer  of  the  digestion.  Let  the  pa- 
tient's taste  decide.  You  wiU  say  that,  in  cases 
of  great  thirst,  the  patient's  craving  decides 
that  it  will  drink  a  great  deal  of  tea,  and  that 
you  cannot  help  it.  But  in  these  cases  be  sure 
that  the  patient  requires  diluent  for  quite  other 
purposes  than  quenching  the  thirst;  he  wants  a 
great  deal  of  some  drink,  not  only  of  tea,  and 
the  doctor  will  order  what  he  is  to  have,  barley 
water  or  lemonade,  or  soda  water  and  milk,  as 
the  case  may  be. 

It  is  made  a  frequent  recommendation  to  per- 
sons about  to  incur  great  exhaustion,  either 
from  the  nature  of  the  service,  or  from  their 
being  not  in  a  state  fit  for  it,  to  eat  a  piece  of 
bread  before  they  go.  I  wish  the  recommenders 
would  themselves  try  the  experiment  of  substi- 
tuting a  piece  of  bread  for  a  cup  of  tea  or  coffee, 
or  beef-tea,  as  a  refresher.  They  would  find  it 
a  very  poor  comfort.  When  soldiers  have  to  set 
out  fasting  on  fatiguing  duty,  when  nurses  have 
to  go  fasting  in  to  their  patients,  it  is  a  hot 
restorative  they  want,  and  ought  to  have,  before 
they  go,  not  a  cold  bit  of  bread.  And  dreadful 
have  been  the  consequences  of  neglecting  this. 
If  they  can  take  a  bit  of  bread  vAih  the  hot  cup 
of  tea,  so  much  the  better,  but  not  instead  of  it. 
The  fact  that  there  is  more  nourishment  in 
bread  than  in  almost  any  thing  else,  has  proba- 
bly induced  the  mistake.  That  it  is  a  fatal 
mistake,  there  is  no  doubt.  It  seems,  though 
very  little  is  known  on  the  subject,  that  what 
"assimilates"  itself  direct jy,  and  with  the  least 
trouble  of  digestion  with  tiie  human  body,  is 
the  best  for  the  above  circumstances.  Bread 
requires  two  or  three  processes  of  assimilation 
before  it  becomes  like  the  human  body. 

The  almost  universal  testimony  of  English 
men  and  women  who  have  undergone  great 
fatigue,  such  as  riding  long  journeys  wifliout 
stopping,  or  sitting  up  for  several  nights  in  suc- 
cession, is  that  they  could  do  it  best  upon  an 
occasional  cup  of  tea,  and  nothing  else. 

Let  experience,  not  theory,  decide  upon  this 
as  upon  all  other  things. 

Lehman,  quoted  by  Dr.  Christison,  says  that, 
among  the  well  and  active,  "the  infusion  of  I 
oz.  of  roasted  coffee  daily  will  diminish  the 
waste"  going  on  in  the  body  "by  one-fourth," 
and  Dr.  Christison  adds  that  tea  has  the  same 
property.  Now  this  is  actual  experiment.  Leh- 
man weighs  the  man,  and  finds  the  fact  from 
his  weight.  It  is  not  deduced  from  any  "anal- 
ysis" of  food.  All  experience  among  the  sick 
shows  the  same  thing. 

In  making  coffee,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
buy  it  in  the  berry  and  grind  it  at  home.  Other- 
wise you  may  reckon,  upon  its  containing  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  chicory,,  at  least.  This  is  not  a 
question  of  the  taste,  or  of  the  wholesomeness 
of  chicory.  It  is  that  chicory  has  nothing  at  all 
of  the  properties  for  which  you  give  coffee.  And 
therefore  you  may  as  well  not  give  it. 

Again,   all  laundresses,  mistresses  of  dairy- 
farms,  bead  nurses,  (I  speak  of  the  good  old 
sort  only — women  who  unite  a  good  deal  o 
hard  mEoiual  labor  with  the  head-work  neoes- 


The  Sanitary  Commisdon  BuUMin. 


473 


sary  for  arranging  the  day's  business,  so  that 
none  of  it  shall  tread  upon  the  heels  of  some- 
thing else,)  get  great  value,  I  have  observed, 
upon  having  a  high-priced  t^.  This  is  called 
extra'vagant.  But  these  women  are  "  extrava- 
gant" in  nothing  else.  And  they  are  right  in 
this.  Real  tea-leaf  tea  alone  contains  the  re- 
storative they  -want;  which  is  not  to  be  found 
in  sloe-leaf  tea. 

The  mistresses  of  houses,  who  cannot  even  go 
over  their  own  house  once  a  day,  are  incapable 
of  judging  for  these  women.  For  they  are  in- 
capably l£emselves,  to  all  appearance.  Of  the 
spirit  of  arrangement  (no  small  task)  necessary 
for  managing  a  large  ward  or  dairy. 

Cocoa  is  often  recommended  to  the  sick  in 
lieu  of  tea  or  coffee.  But,  independently  of  the 
feict  that  ^English  sick  very  generally  dislike 
cocoa,  it  has  quite  a  different  effect  &om  tea  or 
coffee.  It  is  an  oily,  starchy  nut,  having  no 
restorative  power  at  all,  but  simply  increasing 
fat.  It  is  pure  mockery  of  the  sick,  therefore, 
to  call  it  a  substitute  for  tea.  For  any  renovat- 
ing stimulus  it  has,  you  might  just  as  well  offer 
them  chestnuts  instead  of  tea. 

An  almost  universal  error  among  nurses  is  in 
the  bulk  of  the  food,  and  especially  the  drinks, 
they  offer  to  their  patients.  Suppose  a  patient 
ordered  4  oz.  brandy  during  the  day,  how  is  he 
to  take  this  if  you  make  it  into  four  pints  vrith 
diluting  it?  The  same  with  tea  and  beef- tea, 
with  arrowroot,  milk,  &c.  You  have  not  in- 
creased the  nourishment,  you  have  not  increased 
the  renovating  power  of  these  articles,  by  in- 
creasing their  bulk — you  have  very  likely  di- 
minished both  by  giving  the  patient's  digestion 
more  to  do,  and  most  likely  of  all,  the  patient 
will  leave  half  of  what  he  has  been  ordered  to 
take,  because  he  cannot  swallow  the  bulk  with 
which  you  have  been  pleased  to  invest  it.  It 
requires  very  nice  observation  and  care  (and 
meets  with  hardly  any)  to  determine  what  will 
not  be  too  thick  or  strong  for  the  patient  to 
take,  while  giving  him  no  more  than  the  bulk 
which  he  is  able  to  swallow.  ' 

BED  AND  BEDDING. 

A  few  words  upon  bedsteads  and  bedding; 
and  principally  as  regards  patients  who  are 
entirely,  or  almost  entirely,  confined  to  bed. 

Feverishness  is  generally  supposed  to  be  a 
symptom  of  fever— in  nine  eases  out  of  ten  it  is 
a  symptom  of  bedding.  The  patient  has  had 
re-introduoed  into  the  body  the  emanations 
from  himself  which  day  after  day  and  week 
after  week  saturate  his  unaired  bedding.  How 
can  it  be  otherwise  ?  Look  at  the  ordinary  bed 
in  which  a  patient  lies. 

If  I  were  looking  out  for  an  example  in  order 
to  show  what  rwt  to  do,  I  should  take  the  speci- 
men of  an  ordinary  bed  in  a  private  house:  a 
wooden  bedstead,  two  or  even  three  mattresses 
piled  up  to  above  the  height  of  a  table;  a  val- 
ance attached  to  the  frame — nothing  but  a 
miracle  could  ever  thoroughly  dry  or  air  such  a 
bed  and  bedding.  The  patieni  must  inevitably 
alternate  between  cold  damp  after  his  bed  is 
made,  and  warm  damp  before,  both  saturated 
with  organic  matter,  and  tins  from  the  time  the 
mattresses  are  put  under  him  till  the  time  they 
are  picked  to  pieces,  if  this  is  ever  done. 

If  you'  consider  that  an  adult  in  health  exhalee 
by  the  lungs  and  skin  in  the  twenty-four  hours 


three  pints  at  least  of  moisture,  loaded  with 
organic  matter  ready  to  enter  into  putrefection; 
that  in  sickness-  the  quantity  is  often  greatly 
increased,  the  quaMty  is  always  more  noxious- 
just  ask  yourself  next  where  does  all  this  mois- 
ture go  to  ?  Chiefly  into  the  bedding,  because 
it  cannot  go  any  where  else.  And  it  stays 
there;  because,  except  perhaps  a  weekly  change 
of  sheets,  scarcely  any  other  airing  is  attempted. 
A  nurse  will  be  careful  to  fidgetiness  about 
airing  the  clean  sheets  from  clean  damp,  but 
airing  the  dirty  sheets  from  noxious  damp  will 
never  even  occur  to  her.  Besides  this,  the  most 
dangerous  effluvia  we  know  of  are  from  the 
excreta  of  the  sick — these  are  placed,  at  least 
temporarily,  where  they  must  throw  their  efflu- 
via into  the  under  side  of  the  bed,  and  the  space 
under  the  bed  is  never  aired;  it  cannot  be,  with 
our  arrangements.  Must  not  such  a  bed  be  al- 
ways saturated,  and  be  always  the  means  of  re- 
introducing into  the  system  of  the  unfortunate 
patient  who  lies  in  it,  tjiat  excrementitioijs 
matter  to  eliminate  which  from  the  body  nature 
had  expressly  appointed  the  disease  ? 

My  heart  always  sinks  within  me  vrhen  I  hear 
the  good  house-wife,  of  every  class,  say,  "I 
assure  you  the  bed  has  been  well  slept  in,"  and 
I  can  only  hope  it  is  not  true.  What  ?  is  the 
bed  already  saturated  with  somebody  else's 
damp  before  my  patient  comes  to  exhale  in  it 
his  own  damp  ?  Has  it  not  had  a  single  chance 
to  be  aired?  No,  not  one.  " It  has  been  slept 
in  every  night." 

The  only  way  of  reaUy  nursing  a  real  patient 
is  to  have  an  iron  bedstead,  with  rheocline 
springs,  which  are  permeable  by  the  air  up  to 
the  very  mattress,  (no  valance,  of  course,)  the 
mattress  to  be  a  thin  hair  one;  the  bed  to  be 
not  above  3J  feet  wide.  If  the  patient  be  en- 
tirely confined  to  his  bed,  there  should  be  tvoo 
such  bedsteads;  each  bed  to  be  "made"  vrith 
mattress,  sheets,  blankets,  &c.,  complete — the 
patient  to  pass  twelve  hours  in  each  bed;  on  no 
account  to  carry  his  sheets  with  him.  The 
whole  of  the  bedding  to  be  hung  up  to  air  for 
each  intermediate  twelve  hours.  Of  course 
there  are  many  cases  where  this  cannot  be  done 
at  all^many  more  where  only  an  approach  to 
it  can  be  made.  I  am  indicating  the  ideal  of 
nursing,  and  what  I  have  actudly  had  done. 
But  about  the  kind  of  bedstead  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  whether  there  be  one  or  two  provided. 

There  is  a  pr^udice  in  favor  of  a  wide  bed?-^ 
I  believe  it  to  be  a  prejudice.  All  the  refresh- 
ment of  moving  a  patient  from  one  side  to  the 
other  of  his  bed  is  far  more  effectually  secured 
by  putting  him  into  a  fresh  bed;  and  a  patient 
who  is  really  very  iH  dbes  not  stray  far  in  bed. 
But  it  is  said  there  is  no  room  to  put  a  tray 
down  on  a  narrow  bedl  No  good  nurse  will 
ever  put  a  tray  on  a  bed  at  all.  If  the  patient 
can  turn  on  his  side,  he  will  eat  more  comfort- 
ably from  a  bed- side  table;  and  on  no  account 
whatever  should  a  bed  ever  be  higher  than  a 
sofa.  Otherwise  the  patient  feels  himself  "  out 
of  humanity's  reach;"  he  can  get  at  nothing  for 
himself;  he  can  move  nothing  for  himself.  If 
the  pa,tient  cannot  turn,  a  table  over  the  bed  is 
a  better  thing.  I  need  hardly  say  that  a  patient's 
bed  should  never  have  its  side  against  the  wall. 
The  nurse,  must  be  able  to  get  easily  tb  both 
sides  of  thi  bed;  aiid  to  reach  easily  fevery  part 
of  the  patient  without  stretohing— a  thing  im- 


474 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


possible  if  the  bed  be  either  too  wide  or  too 

*"g^-  .         .  .  . 

When  I  see  a  patient,  in  a  room  nine  or  ten 

feet  high,  upon  a  bed  between  four  and  five  feet 
high,  with  his  head,  when  he  is  sitting  up  in 
bed,  actually  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the 
ceiling,  I  ask  myself,  is  this  expressly  planned 
to  produce  that  peculiarly  distressing  feeling 
common  to  the  sick,  viz.,  as  if  the  walls  and 
ceiling  were  closing  in  upon  them,  and  they 
becoming  sandwiched  between  floor  and  ceiling, 
which  imagination  is  not,  indeed,  here  so  far 
from  the  truth?  If,  over  and  above  this,  the 
•  window  stops  short  of  the  ceiling,  then  the  pa- 
tient's head  may  literally  be  raised  above  the 
stratum  of  fresh  air,  even  when  the  window  is 
open.  Can  human  perversity  any  farther  go; 
in  unmaking  the  process  of  restoration  which 
God  has  made  ?  The  fact  is,  that  the  heads  of 
sleepers,  or  of  sick,  should  never  he  higher  than 
the  throat  of  the  chimney,  which  ensures  their 
being  in  the  current  of  best  air.  And  we  will 
not  suppose  it  possible  that  you  have  closed 
your  chimney  with  a  chimney  board. 

If  a  bed  is  higher  than  a  sofa,  the  difference 
of  the  fatigue  of  getting  in  and  out  of  bed  will 
just  make  the  difference,  very  often,  to  the  pa- 
tient (who  can  get  in  and  out  of  bed  at  all)  of 
being  able  to  take  a  few  minutes'  exercise,  either 
in  the  open  air  or  in  another  room.  It  is  so 
very  odd  that  people  never  think  of  this,  or  of 
how  many  more  times  a  patient  who  is  in  bed 
for  the  twenty-four  hours  is  obliged  to  get  in 
and  out  of  bed  than  they  are,  who  only,  it  is  to 
be  hoped,  get  into  bed  once  and  out  of  bed  once 
during  the  twenty-four  hours.    "*■ 

A  patient's  bed  should  always  be  in  the  light- 
est spot  in  the  room;  and  he  should  be  able  to 
see  out  of  window. 

I  need  scarcely  say  that  the  old  four-post  bed 
with  curtains  is  utterly  inadmissible,  whether 
for  sick  or  well.  Hospital  bedsteads  are  in  many 
respects  very  much  less  objectionable  than  pri- 
vate ones. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  not  a  few  of 
the  apparently  unaccountable  cases  of  scrofula 
among  children  proceed  from  the  habit  of  sleep- 
ing with  the  head  under  the  bed  clothes,  and  so 
inhaUing  air  already  breathed,  which  is  farther 
contaminated  by  exhaltatious  from  the  skin. 
Patients  are  sometimes  given  to  a  similar  habit, 
and  it  often  happens  that  the  bed  clothes  are  so 
disposed  that  the  patient  must  necessarily 
breathe  air  more  or  less  contaminated  by  ex- 
halations from  his  skin.  A  good  nurse  will  be 
careful  to  attend  to  this.  It  is  an  important 
part,  so  to  speak,  of  ventilation. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  remark,  that  where 
there  is  any  danger  of  bed-sores  a  blanket  should 
never  be  placed  under  the  patient.  It  retains 
damp  and  acts  like  a  poultice. 

Never  use  anything  but  light  Whitney  blankets 
as  bed  covering  for  the  sick.  The  heavy  cotton 
impervious  counterpane  is  bad,  for  the  very 
reason  that  it  keeps  in  the  emanations  from  the 
sick  person,  while  the  blanket  allows  them  to 
pass  through.  Weak  patients  are  invariably  dis- 
tressed by  a  great  weight  of  bed  clothes,  which 
often  prevents  their  getting  any  sound  sleep 
whatever. 

One  word  about  pillows.  Every  weak  pa- 
tient, be  his  illness  what  it  may,  suffers 
more  or  less  from  difficulty  in  breathing.    To 


take  the  weight  of  the  body  off  the  poor 
chest,  which  is  hardly  up  to  its  work  as  it  is, 
ought  therefore  to  be  the  object  of  the  nurse  in 
arrangin  g  his  pillows.  Now  what  does  she  do  and 
what  are  the  consequences?  She  piles  the  pil- 
lows one-a-top  of  the  other  lite  a  wall  of  bricks. 
The  head  is  thrown  upon  the  chest.  And  the 
shoulders  are  pushed  forward,  so  as  not  to  aUow 
the  lungs  to  expand.  The  pillows,  in  fact,  lean 
upon  the  patient,  not  the  patient  upon  the  pil- 
lows. It  is  impossible  to  give  a  rule  for  this, 
because  it  must  vary  with  the  figure  of  the  pa- 
tient. And  tail  patients  suffer  much  more  than 
short  ones,  because  of  the  drag  of  the  long  limbs 
upon  the  waist.  But  the  object  is  to  support, 
with  the  pillows,  the  back  below  the  breathing 
apparatus,  to  allow  the  shoulders  room  to  fall 
back,  and  support  the  head,  without  throwing 
it  forward-  The  suffering  of  dying  patients  is 
immensely  increased  by  neglect  of  these  points. 
And  many  an  invalid,  too  weak  to  drag  about  his 
pillows  himself,  slips  his  book  or  anything  at 
hand  behind  the  lower  part  of  his  back  to  sup- 
port it. 

UQHT. 

It  is  the  unqualified  result  of  all  my  experi- 
ence with  the  sick,  that  second  only  to  their 
need  of  fresh  air  is  their  need  of  light;  that, 
after  a  close  room,  what  hurts  them  most  is  a 
dark  room.  And  that  it  is  not  only  light  but 
direct  sun-light  they  want.  I  had  rather  have 
the  power  of  carrying  my  patient  about  after  the 
sun,  according  to  the  aspect  of  the  rooms,if  cir- 
cumstances permit,  than  let  him  linger  in  a 
room  when  the  sun  is  off.  People  think  the 
effect  is  upon  the  spirits  only.  This  is  by  no 
means  the  case.  The  sun  is  not  only  a  painter 
but  a  sculptor.  You  admit  that  he  does  the  pho- 
tograph. Without  going  into  any  scientific  ex- 
po-iitions  we  must  admit  that  light  has  quite  as 
real  and  tangible  effects  upon  the  human  body. 
Bat  this  is  not  all.  Who  has  not  observed  the 
purifying  effect  of  light,  and  especially  of  direct 
sunlight,  upon  the  air  of  a  room?  Here  is  an 
observation  within  everybody's  experience.  Go 
into  a  room  where  the  shutters  are  always  shut, 
(in  a  sick  room  or  a  bed  room  there  should 
never  be  shutters  shut,)  and  though  the  room 
be  uninhabited,  though  the  air  has  never  been 
polluted  by  the  breathing  of  human  beings,  you 
will  observe  a  close,  musty  smell  of  corrupt  air, 
of  air  i.  e.  unpurified  by  the  effect  of  the  sun's 
rays.  The  mustlness  of  dark  rooms  and  cor- 
ners, indeed,  is  proverbial.  The  cheerfulness  of 
a  room,  the  usefulness  of  light  in  treating  dis- 
ease is  all-important. 

A  very  high  authority  in  hospital  construc- 
tion has  said  that  the  people  do  not  enough 
consider  the  difference  between  wards  and  dor- 
mitories in  planning  their  buildings.  But  I  go 
farther,  and  say,  that  healthy  people  never  re- 
member the  difference  between  bed-rooms  and 
sicfc-rooms,  in  making  arrangements  for  the 
sick.  To  a  sleeper  in  health  it  does  not  signify 
what  the  view  is  from  his  bed.  He  ought  never 
to  be  in  it  excepting  when  asleep,  and  at  night. 
Aspect  does  not  very  much  signify  either,  (pro- 
vided the  sun  reaoh  his  bed-room  some  time  in 
every  day,  to  purify  the  air,)  because  he  ought 
never  to  be  in  his  bed-room  except  during  the. 
hours  when  there  is  no  sun.  But  the  oase  is 
exactly  reversed  with  the  sick,  even  should  they 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvlMln. 


475 


be  as  many  homs  out  of  their  beds  as  you  are 
in  yours,  which  probably  they  are  not.  There- 
fore, that  they  should  be  able,  without  raising 
themselves  or  turning  in  bed,  to  see  out  of 
window  from  their  beds,  to  see  sky  and  sun- 
light at  least,  if  you  can  show  them  nothing 
else,  I  assert  to  be,  if  not  of  the  very  first  impor- 
tance for  recovery,  at  least  something  very  near 
it.  And  you  should  therefore  look  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  beds  of  your  sick  one  of  the  very 
first  things.  If  they  can  see  out  of  two  windows 
instead  of  one,  so  much  the  better.  Again,  the 
morning  sun  and  the  mid-day  sun — the  hours 
when  they  are  quite  certain  not  to  be  up,  are  of 
more  importance  to  them,  if  a  choice  must  be 
made,  than  the  afternoon  sun.  Perhaps  joti  can 
take  them  out  of  bed  in  the  afternoon  and  set 
them  by  the  window,  where  they  can  see  the 
6un.  But  the  best  rule  is,  if  possible,  to  give 
them  direct  sunlight  from  the  moment  he  rises 
tUl  the  moment  he  sets. 

Another  great  difference  between  the  hedr 
room  and  the  sicfc-room  is,  the  sfeeper  has  a  very 
IsCrge  balance  of  fresh  air  to  begin  with,  when 
he  begins  the  night,  if  his  room  has  been  open 
all  day  as  it  ought  to  be;  the  sick  man  has  not, 
because  aU  day  he  has  been  breathing  the  air  in 
the  same  room,  and  dirtying  it  by  ^he  emana- 
tions from  himself.  Far  more  care  is  therefore 
necessary  to  keep  up  a  constant  change  of  air 
in  the  sick  room. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  there  are 
acute  cases,  (particularly  a  few  ophthalmic 
cases,  and  diseases  where  the  eye  is  morbidly 
sensitive,)  where  a  subdued  light  is  necessary. 
But  a  dark  north  room  is.inadmissible  even  for 
these.  You  can  always  moderate  the  light  by 
blinds  and  curtains. 

Heavy,  thick,  dark  window  or  bed  curtains 
should,  however,  hardly  ever  be  used  for  any 
kind  of  sick  in  this  country.  A  light  white  cur- 
tain at  the  head  of  the  bed  is,  in  general,  aU 
that  is  necessary,  and  a  green  blind  to  the  win- 
dow, to  be  drawn  down  only  when  necessary. 

One  of  the  greatest  observers  of  human  things, 
(not  physiological,)  says,  in  another  language: 
"  Where  there  is  sun  there  is  light/'  All  physi- 
ology goes  to  confirm  this.  Where  is  the  shady 
side  ot  deep  vallies,  there  is  cretinism.  Where 
are  cellars  and  the  unsunned  sides  of  narrow 
streets,  there  is  the  degeneracy  snd  weaklines 
of  the  himian  race— mind  and  body  equally  de- 
generating. Put  the  pale  withering  plant  and 
human  being  into  the  sun,  and,  if  not  too  far 
gone,  each  will  recover  health  and  spirit. 

It  is  a  curious  thing  to  observe  how  almost 
all  patients  lie  with  their  faces  turned  to  the 
Ught,  exactly  as  plants  always  make  their  way 
.towards  the  light;  a  patient  will  even  complain 
that  it  gives  him  pain  "lying  on  that  side." 
"  Then  why  do  jcm.  lie  on  that  side?"  He  does 
not  know— but  we  do.  It  is  because  it  is  the 
side  towards  the  window.  A  fashionable  physi- 
cian has  recently  published  in  a  government 
report  that  he  always  turns  his  patient's  faces 
from  the  light.  Yes,  but  nature"  is  stronger  than 
fashionable  physicians,  and  depend  upon  it  she 
turns  the  faces  back  and  towards-  such  light  as 
she  can  get.  Walk  through  the  wards  of  a  hos- 
pital, remember  thebed  sides  of  private  patients 
you  have  seen,  and  count  how  many  sick  you 
ever  saw  lying  with  their  faces  toward  the 
windows.  — Miaa  J^ightingale .  * 


PROTECTIVE 

or  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOBK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Libtit.-Gen.  WmriELD  SCOTT. 

"Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAi  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS.  Esq. 

EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 
Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEOEGE  OPDTKE, 
HIBAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Rev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jr.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETES 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  EOBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFBED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambebs  Street,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

\st.  To  secure  ihe  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  heing 
made  against  the  Government. 

4:th. ,  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
jnation  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEKOANTILE  MAEIKE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

Wo.  35  Wall  Srreet,  New  York. 

INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 


Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MARINE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  on  Vessels. 
Freight  and  Merchandise  insured  on  the  moat  favorable 
terms. 

Policies  are  issued,  loss,  if  any,  payable  in  fiold  or  at 
the  office  ot  RATHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
desired.  . 

Parties  effectiug  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  profits,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTEE,  Pres't. 
CHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Tice-Pres't 
C.  J.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


476 


The  Sanita/ry  Commission  BtiMetin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  oonstdtuted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
Jrme,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  tlie  V.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

EUsha  Harris,  M.I).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Bnren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

R.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Snrg.-Gen'l  V.  S.  A. 

Woloott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.Di,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Kev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Perm. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Lomsville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

O.  J.  Stills.  "  " 

E2xa  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  lU. 

officers: 
H.  W.  BeiloWB,  D.D.,  President.' 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
3.  Foster  JenMns,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
3.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
3.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDINO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  K.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  ill  all  the  TTnited  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
Kew  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "  OfBce  of 
Banifary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Hljnois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "0£&ce  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, LouisTiUe,  Ey." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  seilt  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once  ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  wiU  be  returned  immediately  at  the  Inquirer's 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitaiy  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  pomts 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  witii 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — ^its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auzihary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist, 
ance,  are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

,  Sanitary  Commissioni  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitai7  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depotj  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich, 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbos, 
Ohio. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pnbUo  for 
the  means  of  sustaming  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


S^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
in  the  army. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Eev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistani  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Bailtimore  Bailroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

Soldier's  Lodge,-  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  1,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets,  . 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  m.— 0.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey. — James  Malona,  Sup't, 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenu.— O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AOENOY  rOB  PEH8I0SS. 

William  F.  Basoom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  C 

HOSPITAl,    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Xork— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreosboro'— Dr.  J,  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAHITABV  BIEAUBB. 

Cumberland  Biver-  New  Dunlelth. 


The  Samtary  Commission  BiMeUn. 


477 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FROM  JURIES  3  AND  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gaiaed  by  anything  of  the.  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Report  of 
"EXCEEDING  EXCELLENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DmoKA  and  Medaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Goid  Medai. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  Amebioak  Institutb,  New  York 
City;  New  Jbbsby  State  Fatb  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Corn  Starch  and,  all  articles  of  Uke  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Exaiaination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  publio  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZEWA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  m0at,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use.  ' 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM,  DURYEA,  General  A^ent. 


478  The  Sanitary  Commission  BiHMin. 

OFFICE    OF   THE 

OCoIumlrOT  {^mm)  ^xmxmtt 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     Sl,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  t6 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c.  , 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAI9  IN  GOLD  npon  Risks  on  vhicli  the  Premini  is  paid  in  le  Currency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  wUI  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  aU  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  foUows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PEK  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
npon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  P.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  JIY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  0.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COOHRAKB,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  JB., 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  BZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  JE.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  VioePresident.  B.  0.  MORRIS,  President. 

'WM.  M.  'WHITNE7',  2d  '^ice-Fresident  a||gyg|fj||]i|jmt 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin.  479 

NORTH  AMERICAN 

Fire  Insurance  Company^ 

IN   THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


II^OORFORAlTEr)   1823., 

CASH   CAPITALjMaylJ 

AND   SURPLUS,!  1864,  j*''^^'"^^  ^"^^ 


30©00G>gXD0eeX£>0 


ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Eeal  Estate, 

worth  OTcr  Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $173,160  00 

Stocks,  Bonds  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  mar- 
ket value 365,960  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 24,232  15 

Loans  on  demand  with  collaterals. 71,400  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding ~. . 3,820  81 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission  [business  of  April 

received] 13,491  57 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 21,684  60 

Other  Property  of  Company 1,21)5  00 

$675,014  13 

Losses  unadjusted , $10,500  00 


Insures  Property  against  Loss  or  :Damage  by  Fire  at  usual  rates, 
arid  returns  three-fourths  of  the  net  Profits,  each  year,  to  the  As- 
sured. 

Policies  Issued  and  Losses  paid  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or  at 
its  various  Agencies  in  the  prinqipal  cities  in  the  United  States. 

JAMES  W.  OTIS,  President. 
R.  W.  BLEECKER,  Secretary. 

R.  P.  MASON,  Sup't  Agencies. 


480 


The  Scmitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


E.  &  H.  T.  ANTHONY, 

MMIIFIDTIIRBRS  OF  PHOTOGRiPBie  MiTERIilS, 
501  Broadway,  New  York. 


m 


Our  Catalogue  now  embraces  considerably  over 

FOUR    THOUSAN  D 

different  subjects,  (to  which  additions  are  continnally  being  madej  of  Portraits  of 
Eminent  Americans,  etc.,  viz.: 


550  Statesmen, 
130  Divines, 
116  Authors, 

34  Artists, 
120  Stage, 

66  Prominent  "Women. 


110  Major  G-enerals, 
330  Brigadier  Generals, 
270  Colonels, 

90  Lieut.  Colonels, 
250  Other  Officers, 

82  Officers  of  the  Navy, 

147  Prominent  Foreign  Portraits. 
2,500  COPIES  OF  WORKS  OF  ART, 

Inclnding  reprodncti^ns  of  the  most  velekated  Eagrarings,  Paintings,  Statncs,  iic. 

CATALOGUES   SEJVT   OJV  RECEIPT  OF  STAMP. 
Ab  order  for  One  Dozen  PICTUBES  from  oar  Catalogue  will  be  filled  on  receipt  of  $1.80,  and  sent  bj  mail,^«. 


Of  these  ve  manufacture  a  great  variety,  ranging  in  price  from  50  cents  to  $60  each. 
Our  ALBUMS  have  the  reputation  of  being  superior  in  beauty  «nd  durability  to  any  others. 
Tbey  can  be  sent  by  mail  at  a  postage  of  one  cent  per  oz. 


We  also  keep  on  hand  a  large  assorlmeut  of 

STEREOSGOPES  AND  STEREOSDOPIC  VIEWS. 

Our  Catalogue  of  these  will  be  sent  to  any  address  on  receipt  of  stamp. 

E.  &  H.  T.  ANTHONY, 

Manufacturers  of  Photographic  Materials, 

501  BROADWAT,  SEW  TOItK.. 

Friends  or  Relatives  of  Prominent  Military  Men  will  confer  a  favor  hj  sending  us  their 
likenesses  to  copy.    They  will  be  kept  carefully,  and  I'eturned  uninjured.  '  n 


■  FINE  ALBUMS  MADE  TO  ORDER  for  Congregations  to  present  to  their  Pastor, 
or  for  other  purposes,  with  suitable  inscriptions,  &C.  •  ■  .        .' 

A  fine  assortment  of  stereoscopic  Views  of  the  Battle  FiBldSj  &c,  of  the  present  War.  .' .   .' 


THE 

SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  JUNE  15,  1864. 


No.  16. 


CONTENTS. 

The  Month's  Work 481 

The  SiSnTABY  CoacaiasioN  and  the  Medioai/ 
Depabtment 482 

Eepobts — 

Sherman's  Army 485 

Scenes  at  the  Base 489 

Issues  of  Stores  to  Army  in  Virginia   493 

Ebt.  Db.  Wrsstow 493 

The  Philabeuhia  Faib  494 

OtTE  Consuls  Abboab 495 

A  Lesson  Weli.  Leabnt 495 

How  Beooklyn  Monet  Goes 498 

The  Pope  and  the  Santtaet  Commission 501 

Pobtet — 

A  Message  from  the  Army 501 

SiAOBAMS  Hospital  Shiets 502 

Westeen  Scenes— No.  3 503 

Notes  on  Ntjesinq }  504 

The  Sanitaby  Commission  Bitlletin  isp«OZis/ie(J 
on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  circulaUon,  gratuiious  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  it  offers  an  unusuaUy  valuable  medium,  for 


All  oommunieaMons  must  be  addressed  to  the  Sd- 
Hor,  at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
thenticated by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 
As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bul- 
laiTiN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  V.  8.  Sanitary  Gomr- 
mission — the  Standing  Committee  feds  a  certain  de- 
gree ofrductance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
defimie  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  howeuer,  thai  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  doUars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbono,  68  Watt  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  TorTc,)  wUl  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  tlie  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  Us  pubiioalion  be  sooner  discoh-^ 
tinned. 
You  I.— No,  16.  31 


THE  MONTH'S  WORK. 
Subjoined  is  a  statement  of  the  .disburse- 
ments  made  by  tbe  Commission,  during  the 
month  of  May,  for  the*  national  forces  in 
Virginia.  It  will  be  seen  that  of  $328,351, 
there  has  been  expended  in  cash  drawn 
from  the  Central  Treasury  $236,349,  or 
over  two-thirds  of  the  total  amount.  And 
it  must  be  remembered,  too,  that  this  is 
for  the  relief  of  only  one  of  our  armies.  It 
does  not  include  any  portion  of  the  outlay 
incurred  on  behalf  of  General  Sherman's 
army  in  Georgia,  or  on  behalf  of  General 
Banks's  army  in  Mississippi.  Nor  does  it 
include  the  expenses  of  the  "  Homes"  and 
"  Lodges"  scattered  all  over  the  country, 
nor  of  the  work  of  sanitary  inspection.  It 
has,  in  fact,  been  called  forth  'by  the  sick 
and  wounded  of  the  forces  in  Virginia,  and 
during  only  the  opening  month  of  what 
promises  to  be  a  long  and  bloody  cam- 
paign. 

We  call  attention  to  these  facts  for  the 
benefit  of  those — and  their  name  is  legion 
— who  are  possessed  with  the  belief,  that, 
inasmuch  as  the  Commission  has  received 
a  million  and  a  half  from  the  fairs,  it  has 
now  money  enough,  and  the  tide  of  public 
charity  may  be  turned  in  some  other  direc- 
tion.    A  quarter  of  a  million  is  gone  in. 
Virginia  alone  in  four  weeks.     At  this  rate, 
the  fund  now  in  the  treasury,  or  likely  to 
come  into  it,  would  not  nearly  meet  aU  the 
wants  of  General  Grant's  army  only  be- 
tween now  and  the  first  of  November,  for 
we  are  constantly  forced  into  extending  the 
field  of  our  operations.  There  is  constantly 
a  vast  deal  of  suffering  which  the  Medical 
Department  cannot  prevent,  and  which  we, 
let  us  be  ever  so  well  supported  by  the 
country,  cannot  nearly  relieve. 


482 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


On  a  subsequent  page  of  the  present 
number  will  be  found  a  statement  in  detail 
of  the  issues  of  supplies  in  Virginia  during 
the  month  of  May,  as  well  as  of  the  anti- 
scorbutic stores,  now  on  hand,  that  have 
been  forwarded  to  our  depots  in  Maryland 
and  Virginia.  About  the  latter  we  will 
only  say,  that  they  fall  very  far  short  of 
meeting  the  call  upon  them.  One  of  the 
greatest  dangers  with  which  the  army  has 
to  contend,  is  the  scorbutic  tendencies 
created  by  the  want  of  vegetables.  We 
have  so  often  set  forth  in  these  pages  the 
effects  upon  the  soldier's  health  and  effi- 
ciency, and  his  recuperative  power  when 
wounded,  of  the  scorbutic  taint,  that  it  is 
not  necessary  that  we  should  now  go  over 
the  ground  again.  But  we  must  once  more 
earnestly  appeal  to  the  public  for  contribu- 
tions of  onions  and  potatoes.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  every  barrel  of  either  of  these 
vegetables  forwarded  to  us  may  be  the 
means  of  saving  a  life.  With  such  a  vast 
extent  of  fertile  soil  as  is  at  the  command 
of  two-thirds  of  our  population,  there  ought 
to  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  more  of 
these  things  than  we  can  possibly  use. 
Will,  therefore,  everybody  who  has  either 
a  garden  or  a  farm,  remember  that  a  very 
small  patch  of  it  may,  by  a  very  small 
amount  of  labor,  be  made  to  rescue  a  sol- 
dier from  death? 

Statement  of  Disbursements  during  the  month 
of  May,  1864,  for  the  National  Forces  in  Vir- 
ginia: 

SUPPLTES. 

Amount  paid  for  ■purcliaseB  at— 

New  York $57,942  38 

Washington 28,758  68 

Baltimore 43,404  64— $130,106.60 

Distribution. 
Expenses,  including  subsistence,  transporta- 
tion and  compensation,  of  over  two  hundred 
Belief  Corps  Agents :  forage  for  horses;  ma- 
terials necessary  for  the  work  of  agents 17,150  17 

HoHSES,  Wagohs,  and  Habsess, 

Amount  paid  for 31,755  43 

/  Tbanspobtation. 

•  Amount  paid  for  Charter- 
Steamer  "  Kent,"  20  days,  to  June 

1st $4,600  00 

Steamer  "J.  B.  Thompson,"  27 

days,  to  June  Ist 3,375  00 

Steamer  *'  Mary  Rapley,"  24  days 

to  June  1st 2,400  00 

Steamer  "  Phcenlx,"  7X  days,  to 

June  1st 690  00 

Barge  "Washington,"  —  days  to 

Junelst 420  00 

Schooner   "Ridley,"  16  days,  to 

Junelst 300  00 

Steamer  "Gov.  Curtin,"  8  days, 

to  June  Ist 800  00 

Barge  "Hobokeni"  10  days,  to 

June  1st 276  00 

Coal,  labor,  &o ?. ..  2,378  21—  16,133  21 


4,206  80 


SfeciaIi  Belief. 

Amount  during  the  month 

Estimated  value  of  additional  supplies  con- 
tributed to  the  Commission  and  issued  to 
the  Army  in  Eastern  Virginia ' 130,000  00 

Total, $328,361  21 


THE  SANITAEX  COMMISSION  AND  THE 
MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT. 

The  following  letter  has  been  addressed 
to  the  editor  of  the  WasTiiTigton  Chronicle, 
by  Mr.  Enapp,  our  Associate  Secretary: 

My  attention  has  been  called  to  the  tone 
of  exaggeration  in  which  some  persons 
speak  of  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, as  if  the  Commission  was  doing  every- 
thing and  the  Government  nothing  for  the 
wounded  soldiers.  These  statements  do 
not  emanate  from,  nor  are  they  endorsed 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission.  On  the  con- 
trary, while  the  Commission  records,  and 
is  glad  to  be  able  to  record,  the  aid  it  has 
rendered  to  the  wounded,  and  while  it 
seeks  by  public  reports  to  assure  the  peo- 
ple that  it  is  alive  and  worthy  the  trust 
placed  in  its  hands,  it  is  never  found  de- 
preciating the  vastly  greater  service  render- 
ed by  the  Government,  through  the  regu- 
lar channels  of  aid  and  supply. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  gives  no  coun- 
tenance to  that  tone  of  wholesale  denunci- 
ation in  which  "visitors"  to  the  army 
speak  of  the  neglect  and  utter  delinquenoy 
of  public  officers  in  caring  for  the  wounded. 
The  Commission  sees  what  it  considers  de- 
fects, and  it  is  forced  to  recognize  in  indi- 
vidual officers  and  on  specified  occasions 
what  it  believes  to  be  delinquencies  and 
neglect,  and  the  suffering  consequent;  but 
it  also  sees  and  recognizes,  as  few  others 
can,  the  immense  labor  which  devolves  upon 
the  Medical  Department  in  times  like  these, 
and  the  immense  work  which  is  done.  It 
realizes,  as  others  may  not,  that  the  trans- 
porting of  twenty-five  thousand  wounded 
men  from  the  battle-field  to  distant  hospit- 
als, involves  iinavoidable  delays  and  suffer- 
ing; especially  when,  as  now,  the  army  is 
moving  rapidly  forward,  with  a  frequent 
change  of  base,  compelling,  as  a  "military 
necessity,"  the  instant  transportation  of 
wounded  from  the  vicinity  of  previously 
occupied  fields  to  general  hospitals,  no 
matter  how  severe  may  be  the  wounds,  or 
how  impassable  the  roads,  or  how  deficient 


The  Stmitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


483 


the  means  of  transportation  at  command. 
No  man -who  has  not  beenupon  the  ground, 
and  day  after  day  seen  the  labor  to  be  un- 
dergone, and  the  difficulties  to  be  met,  can 
form  the  slightest  idea  of  the  terrific  work 
laid  upon  the  medical  officers  after  a  great 
battle. 

Sometimes  at  a  single  wharf,  as  was  the 
case  at  Belle  Plain,  a  business  equal  to  that 
of  a  city  of  fifty  thousand  inhabitants  has 
to  be  carried  on.  There  are  the  Quarter- 
masters and  the  Commissaries,  ■with  their 
crowds  of  boats  and  immense  stores,  wagons 
in  trains  a  mile  long  pushing  in  from  the 
shore,  and  impatiently  waiting  to  be  load- 
ed; re-enforcements,  five  to  ten  thousand 
men  in  one  single  day,  arriving  to  be  dis- 
embarked and  moved  forward  to  the  bat- 
tle-field; prisoners,  by  the  thousands  also, 
to  be  brought  down  to  the  boats  under 
guard;  and  meantime,  with  it  all,  at  this 
same  wharf  must  place  and  time  be  found 
for  receiving  the  wounded  as  they  are 
brought  in,  two  or  three  hundred  ambu-, 
lances  and  wagons  at  once,  followed  imme- 
diately by  as  many  more — with  a  crowd  of 
those  men,  who  with  wounds  less  severe, 
have  walked  in  with  slow  steps  from  corps 
and  division  hospitals.  This  is  a  mere  out- 
line sketch,  to  be  filled  in  with  the  break- 
ing down  of  wagons  on  shore,  blocking 
whole  trains ;  tearing  up  the  corduroy  roads, 
opening  thus  the  way  to  mud  and  quick- 
sands; the  arrival  of  unexpected  wounded, 
and  non-arrival  of  expected  boats;  the  rush, 
and  moving  to  and  fro  of  these  masses  of 
men  and  teams  and  stores;  the  slow,  cau- 
tious handling  upon  stretchers,borne  down 
in  long  file,  of  men  with  amputated  limbs 
or  terrible  wounds;  the  feeding  of  the  hun- 
gry and  trying  to  alleviate  their  sufferings; 
all  this  continued  by  night  the  same  as  by 
day,  through  the  darkness  and  the  rain. 
A  person  who  has  never  been  in  the  midst 
of  all  this,  and  who  has  not  repeatedly 
been  in  the  midst  of  all  this,  has  no  power 
and  no  right  to  judge  of  what  the  officers 
of  the  medical  and  of  other  departments 
are  doing.  Still  less  power  or  right  to 
judge  and  criticise  belong  to  the  individual 
who  with  excited  feelings  of  philanthropy 
goes  from  some  quiet  home  of  his  own 
down  to  the  "front,"  expecting  by  a  weed's 
work  of  humane  and  irresponsible  labor  to 


set  everything  to  rights  and  relieve  all  suf- 
fering. To  such  a  man  the  whole  scene  is, 
of  course,  confusion  and  neglect  and  ruin, 
while  in  reality  it  is  simply  Wae,  with  what 
in  a  great  measure  are  its  unavoidable  con- 
sequences. The  Sanitary  Commission 
knows  from  long  acquaintance  with  such 
scenes  the  work  which  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment has  to  do,  and  the  embarrassments 
under  which  it  labors. 

With  a  steady  hand  in  its  own  assigned 
place  does  the  Commission  seek  to  co-ope- 
rate with  the  Medical  Department.  All 
the  employees  of  the  Commission  are  in- 
structed not  to  criticise  but  to  work;  and 
to  work  subjecting  tljpmselves  to  military 
rule.  So  far  as  I  know,  a  spirit  of  cordial 
good-will  is  felt  by  all  the  officers  and  real 
workers  of  the  Commission  in  the  field  for 
the  medical  staff,  with  whom  they  have  di- 
rect relations. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  in  proper  place 
and  in  authorized  manner  does  not  hesi- 
tate to  point  out  the  deficiences  and  neg- 
lects which  it  sees.  It  seeks  honestly  and 
earnestly  to  secure  needed  reforms;  it  ad- 
vocates constantly  what  it  constantly  sees 
the  call  for,  as,  for  instance,  a  larger  provis- 
ion for  the  sick  and  wounded,  embracing  a 
larger  corps  of  surgeons  and  of  nurses; 
more  hospital  transports,  exclusively  assign- 
ed for  the  whole  term  of  war  to  the  Medical 
Department;  and  an  independent  and  ample 
transportation  train,  involving  a  large  out- 
lay, as  entirely  under  the  control  of  the 
Surgeon-General  and  his  officers,  as  is  the 
ambulance  train.  The  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion thus  points  out  what  it  considers  de- 
fects, and  seeks  to  secure  reform ;  yet  it 
works  in  good  faith  and  cordial  earnestness, 
in  its  own  more  humble  way,  with  the  Med- 
ical Department  as  a  whole. 

In  order  to  -illustrate  this,  let  me  call 
your  attention  to  the  following  extracts 
from  letters  and  reports  concerning '  the 
work  of  the  Commission,  in  which  refer- 
ence is  made  to  Medical  Officers.  You  will 
see  that  the  tone  is  that  of  co-operation. 

I  wiU  turn  first  to  the  last  report  received 
from  the  agent  of  the  Commission  in  charge 
of  the  work  at  Port  Royal,  Virginia,  a  day 
or  two  since.     He  says: 

"  All  day  Friday  we  fed,  and  issued  sup- 
pJies  to  the  wounded,  without  stint.    All 


484 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMeUn. 


the  departments  have  treated  us  witli  a 
cordiality,  and  more  than  oordiaJity — a 
■wHiing  confidence  and  cheer — that  makes 
one  quite  buoyant  in  approaching,  them 
and  working  -with  them.  Dr.  Ouyler,  Dr. 
Phillips,  the  representative- of  Dr.  Parian, 
at  this  post,  and  Dr.  McKay,  have  been 
especially  obliging.  Dr.  Ouyler  on  finding 
us  so  diligently  at  work,,  told  me  to  draw 
on  him  for  anything  I  needed.  He  loaned 
lis  additional  stores,  cauldrons,  furnished 
us  beef  stock  and  coffee  to  any  extent  that 
■we  desired,  and  facilitated  our  operations 
in  aU  proper  ways,  giving  us  information 
of  the  arrival  of  trains  freely  and  promptly. 

"I  have  never  before  seen  the  organic  and 
proper  relations  between  the  Medical  De- 
partment and  the  Commission  so  smoothly, 
thoroughly,  and  harmoniously  adjusted — 
It  was  official  and  responsible — we  were 
supjdementers  not  supplanters,  and  the  at- 
taches of  each  seemed  to  have  a  strong  feel- 
ing of  mutual  respect  and  heartiness." — 
Report  of  John  A.  Anderson,  Port  Moyal, 
Va.,  May  28,  1864. 

To  this,  I  add  extracts  from  recently 
printed  records — some  of  them  official  re- 
ports, some  hastily  written  letters. 

"  May  11, 1864. 

*  *  *  "It  should  not  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  the  labors  of  the  Commis- 
sion are  subordinate,  and  only  auxiliary  to 
the  va'ster  and  more  perfectly  organized 
system  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
Army,  with  which  it  works  in  complete 
accord.  Col.  Barnes,  acting  Surgeon  Gen- 
eral, gives  to  the.  Commission  and  its 
agents  such  facilities  as  are  asked  for,  and 
from  the  Quartermaster's  Department  val- 
uable aid  is  received." 

*  *  *  * 

"With  these  nineteen  teams  the  sup- 
plies can  go  on  to  Fredericksburg  rapidly, 
where  there  is  need  of  them.  I  can  assure 
you,  although  Government  is  making  ex- 
ertions to  supply  the  need,  and  is  con- 
stantly showing  increased  ability  to  put  in 
practice  what  were  before  regarded  as  only 
experiments.  Thus,  the  Government  has 
prepared,  and  admirably,  two  large  hospi- 
tal transports,  and  has  also  arranged  for 
feeding  the  sick  on  board  some  of  the 
other  boats  which  are  not  regular  floating 
hospitals." 

"  May  22, 1864. 

"  Bands  of  volunteers  from  various  lo- 
calities cheerfully  took  work  in  harmony 
with  your  organization,  and  lifting  up  the 
stretcher,  supporting  the  crippled  soldier 
to  the  boat,  carrying  bread,  crackers  and 
coffee,  bathing  the  wounds,  or  re-adjusting 
bandages,  serve  to  redouble  all  your  means 
of  succor.  The  officers  of  the  Government 
both  accepted  cordially  your  seivioe%  and 
added  in  somei^  things  to  your  material, 
especially  in  supplies  of  bread,  soft  as  weU 


hard, ,  and  the  members  of  the  Christiaa 
Commission  harmoniously  co-operated  in 
your  work." 

*  *  * 

"I  cannot  close  this  hasty  record  with- 
out making  mention,  with  admiration  and 
gratitude,  of  the  urbane  and  cordial  tern-- 
per  in  which  the  Medical  Inspector  in 
charge,  and  the  medical  officers  under  him, 
welcomed  and  seconded  your  service,  and 
promoted  its  efficiency.  Of  the  energy 
and  decision,  tempered  with  humane  con- 
siderations of  Col.  Cuyler,  and  of  his  un- 
flagging labor  by  night  and  day,  aU  will 
bear  glad  witness.  It  was  everything  to 
ns,unraveling  intricacies,  and  shedding  sun- 
shine over  the  scene.  The  action  of  the 
entire  medical  staff  here  present,  was  in 
harmony  with  this  example.  The  laborious 
and  responsible  duties  of  quartermaster 
were  in  the  hands  of  one  competent  to 
meet  the  demands  of  this  difficult  occasion, 
and  there  are  few  men  in  his  departmeni 
who  could  have  discharged  the  duty  with 
the  heart  and  energy,  and  administrative 
skill  which  enabled  him  to  crowd  the  work 
of  a  month  into  a  single  week." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  ac  letter 
of  Doctor  C.  E.  Agnew,  of  the  Commis- 
sion, dated  May  24th,  1864,  describing  the 
work  at  Belle  Plain: 

*  *  *  "  Down  the  right  hand  side  of 
the  '  U'-ahaped  dock  slowly  moved  a  single 
file  of  army  wagons  filled  with  wounded 
men;  at  the  end  or  corner  of  the  dock,  by 
the  gangway  of  a  large  Government  trans- 
port, stood  that  most  efficient  and  admir- 
able officer,  Dr.  Cuyler,  acting  Medical 
Inspector  General  U.  S.  A.,  receiving  the 
wounded,  and  superintending  their  re- 
moval from  the  wagons  to  the  deck  of  the 
transport,  preparatory  to  their  transfer  to 
the  hospital  steamboats  that  lay  in  the 
offing.  After  each  wagon  had  deposited 
its  living  freight,  it  passed  around  the  end 
of  the  dock  to  the  left-hand  side,  and  then 
took  in  ammunition  or  fighting  rations — 
the  orders  being  inoperative  to  return  to  the 
front  only  with  full  loads  of  these  indispen- 
sable supplies.  Crowding  along  the  nar- 
row margin  of  the  dock  were  continuous 
lines  of  men  carrying  letters  and  stretchers, 
on  which  were  such  of  the  more  severely 
wounded  as  had  been  removed  from  the 
wagons  at  the  hospital  tents,  on  the  hill- 
side above  the  plain;  hour  after  hour,  for 
several  days,  was  this  fearful  procession 
kept  up.  It  would  not  be  proper  for  me  to 
state  hew  many  thousands  thus  passed 
under  Dr.  Cuyler's  inspection,  but  I  cannot 
forbear  mentioning  the  moat  distinguished 
zeal,  energy,  and  self-devotion  with  which 
his  arduous  duties  were  performed.  His 
administrative  skiU,  his  quick  and  ready 
VmTna.Tiit,v   hia  a.lmnat  nhinnitcma  nTPaRni:>.ft. 


The  Samtary  Comrmssion  Bidletm. 


485 


his  seK-denying  exposure  to  the  pelting  rain 
■while  laboring  to  secure  prompt  shelter  to 
the  wounded,  his  night  work  and  day  work, 
his  personal  attention  to  even  the  little  wants 
and  minor  discomforts  of  each-  individual 
sufferer,  were  the  subjects  of  universal  ad- 
miration. Dr.  Brinton  was  also  there,  work- 
ing with  signal  efficiency  and  vigor  in  the 
difficult  undertaking  of  forwarding  medical 
supplies  promptly  to  Fredericksburg  and 
the  front" 

"Oapt.  Clark,  of  the  Quartermaster's  De- 
partment, and  Capt.  Lubey,  15th  Eegiment 
N.  Y.  Engineer  Corps,  gave  us  most  cheer- 
ful and  essential  aid  in  this  work.    Indeed, 
from  all  the  officers  of  the  post  we  received 
nothing  but  kind  services  and  expressions 
of  goodwill.     Capt.  Pitkin,  of  the  Quarter- 
master's Department,  provided  every  facil- 
ity in  his  power,  and  from  Gren.  Abererom- 
bie  and  Col.  Cuyler  down,  everybody  seem- 
ed to  take  pleasure  in  aiding  us.    From 
Monday,  the  9th,  until  this  time,  incessant 
exertions  have  been  made  by  the  officers  of 
the  Medical,  Quartermasters',  Commissaries 
and  Ordnance  Departments  to  remove  the 
wounded  from  the  rear  of  the  army,  and 
replenish  the  trains  for  forward  movements. 
No  one  at  home  can  form  any  idea  of  the 
labors  of  the  officers  in  these  departments, 
day  after  day  and  night  after  night,  often- 
times living,  meanwhile,   on  the  scantiest 
subsistence,  such  as  coffee  and  crackers, 
and  these  hurriedly  taken.     We  are  often- 
times loud  in  our  praises  of  military  com- 
manders for  achieving  victory,  but  seldom 
give  due  credit  for  the  result  to  the  quar- 
termasters, who  work  with  almost  super- 
human energy  at  some  base  of  supplies, 
and  on  whose  talent,  energy  and  fertility 
in  resources,  the  very  existence  of  the  army 
depends." 

***** 
"  I  should  say  that  ait  Fredericksburg  the 
medical  affairs  were  under  the  able  manage- 
ment of  Dr.  Dalton,  Medical  Director,  while 
large  numbers  of  medical  men  from  Boston, 
New  York,  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere, 
served  day  and  night  in  the  hospitals,  aid- 
ing those  devoted  men,  the  army  surgeons, 
in  their  exhaustive  and  most  serious  and 
self-denying- duties.  Who  can  sum  up  the 
value  of  the  services  of  the  army  surgeons? 
Who  can  describe,  in  becoming  phrases,  a 
tithe  of  what  they  do  for  the  thousands  of 
suffering  men  thrown  upon  their  care  and 
skill  by  the  fearful  casualties  of  active  cam- 
paigns. I  never  witness  their  conduct  with- 
out a  sense  of  the  profoundest  admiration, 
and  a  renewed  conviction  that  the  best 
work  of  our  Commission  is  that  by  which 
we  endeavor,  even  in  an  humble  way,  to 
strengthen  their  hands  by  supplementary 

assistance." 

*  *  *  *  * 

I  add  likewise  this  extract  from  a  Special 


Belief  Eeport  of  the^  Commission,  dated 
October  1, 1863,  expressing  the  feeling  with 
which  the  Commission  still  regard  the  Med- 
ical Bureau: 

«  *  »  *  *  *  "And  in 
this  connection  I  may  fitly  refer,  both  for 
the  sake  of  justice  to  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment and  as  an  apology  for  our  own  exist- 
ence, to  the  freqiient  inquiry,  uttered  often 
in  a  tone  of  censure.  How  is  it  possible,  if 
the  medical  officers  do  their  duty,  there  can 
be  any  opportunity  even  for  this  supple- 
mentary work  of  relief? 

"  The  question  shows  utter  ignorance  of 
the  terrific  weight  of  work,  of  the  most 
complicated  and  dehoate  character,  which 
the  officers  of  the  Medical  Department  have 
upon  their  hands,  and  of  their  constant 
liability  to  be  called  mpon  at  any  moment 
to  meet  great  and  unexpected  emergencies. 
The  fact  is  simply  this,  that  while  the  Med- 
ical Department  has  made  a  larger  and 
wider  provision  for  the  comfort  of  the  sick 
and  the  wounded  than  the  world  ever  be- 
fore saw,  there  is  not,  and  cannot  be,  a 
minuteness  of  detail  and  awaiting  at  every 
corner  to  give  to  a  fainting  soldier  a  cup  of 
water,  such  as  friends  at  home,  in  their 
anxious  love,  ask  for. 

"Yet  this  work  needs  to  be  done,  and 
therefore  we,  who  are  simply  the  hands  to 
the  people's  heart  and  bounty,  do  the  work. 
But  if  the  Medical  Department  were  to  at- 
tempt it  in  aU  its  minutiae  of  detail,  their 
J)ower  for  their  own  hundredfold  greater 
work  would  be  weakened  in  a  way  that 
would  find  no  justification." 


SHERMAN'S  ARMY. 

We  must  warn  our  readers  that  as  long 
as  active  operations  are  going  on  in  the 
field,  it  is  impossible  for  our  agents  to 
forward  full  and  correct  accounts  of  what 
they  are  doing.  Their  energies  are  taxed 
to  the  uttermost  night  and  day,  in  attend- 
ing to  the  sick  and  wounded,  so  that  we 
are  obliged  to  wait  for  complete  reports 
until  there  comes  a  luU.  For  the  use 
of  Gen.  Sherman's  Army,  goods  are  con- 
stantly going  forward.  No  pains  are  spared 
to  make  the  supply  ample. 

Daring  the  month  of  May,  in  addition  to 
the  heavy  shipments  that  have  gone  from 
Cincinnati,  and  other  points  by  river  to 
Nashville,  there' have  been  sent  from  Louis- 
ville by  rail  the  following  amount  of  arti- 
cles, besides  large  supplies  of  those  less 
essential  at  this  particular  time: 

536  blankets  and  comforts,  127  bedticks, 


486 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin, 


703  pillows  and  1,094  pillow  oases,  2,86 
shirts,  1,931  pairs  of  drawers,  1,480  coats 
and  vests,  1,552  towels,  490  pairs  of  socks, 
100  pairs  of  slippers,  495  cushions,  11,783 
pounds  of  bandages  and  compresses,  839 
cans  of  fruit,  5,675  pounds  concentrated 
beef,  30,304  pounds  condensed  milk,  14,530 
pounds  of  crackers,  840  pounds  of  tea, 
2,861  pounds  of  sugar,  14,491  pounds  of 
dried  fruit,  25  boxes  oranges  and  lemons, 
3,161  pounds  codfish,  1,718  pounds  butter, 
720  dozen  of  eggs,  7,449  bottles  of  wine 
and  spirits,  4,715  gallons  of  pickles,  4,430 
gallons  of  sauer  kraut,  10,462  bushels  of 
potatoes,  1,280  gallons  of  ale,  300  cans  of 
oysters,  20  tons  of  ice  and  2,000  fans. 

The  following  letters  have  reached  us 
from  Sherman's  front: 

EXKGSTON,  GrK  ^f^V  23, 1864. 
De.  J.  S.  Newibekbt.  Secretary: 

My  Dbae  Sik — I  start  this  morning  with 
the  Army,  not  knowing  where  I  am  going 
or  when  I  can  return. 

At  Tunnel  Hill  we  had  otir  goods  ready 
before  there  were  any  wounded  at  Buzaard 
Roost.  At  Resaca  we  had  abundant  sup- 
plies on  the  field.  When  the  wounded 
were  moved  from  the  field  to  the  railroad, 
our  supplies  were  a  little  behind,  but  very 
soon  brought  up.  Then  I  had  abundant 
supplies  on  the  way,  but  sent  them  back, 
with  the  exception  of  a  good  supply  of 
mUk,  beef  and  whisky.  Mr.  CoUins,  of  the 
Western  Commission,  had  two  oar  loads  of 
very  good  stores.  I  joined  with  him  in 
distributing  to  each  corps  or  division  as 
they  would  appropriate  transportation.  We 
gave  all  a  large  supply,  and  have  but  little 
left. 

Dr.  Kitto  and  Gen.  Sherman  advise  send- 
ing all  our  stores  not  distributed  back  to 
Resaca  until  the  result  ©f  this  movement 
is  determiaed,  which  we  shall  probably 
do. 

•  We  have  now  a  storeroom  at  Dalton  aad 
Resaca,  and  have  had  one  at  Ringgold  anA 
Tunnel  Hill,  which  we  have  abandoned  as 
the  army  has  moved. 

My  plan  will  be,  as  it  has  been,  to  keep 
stores  at  the  terminus  of  the  railroad,  and 
by  being  with  the  army,  I  can  obtain  teams, 
at  least  have  thus  far,  to. bring  forward 
goods  as  soon  as  wanted. 

The  weather  is  dry,  dusty  and  hot.    Dr. 


Webster,  with  Mr.  Hoblit,  Fairchild,  and 
Poeock,  go>  with  the  army. 
Most  truly  yours, 

A.  N.  Read. 

iH  THE  FSSLD,  JUXD  KBAB  1)AU.A5,  \ 

May  29, 1B64.     ) 

Mt  Dbab  Db.  Nbwbbeby — As  I  have  writ- 
ten you,  we  loaded  all  the  teams  we  couhi 
obtain  at  Kingston  with  sanitary  stores, 
and  by  order  sent  the  balance  back  to  Res- 
aca. We  sent  a  load  with  each  corps,  and, 
in  some  cases,  one  with  each  division. 

We  have  had  more  fighting  here,  and  the 
battle,  yet  undecided,  may  be  said  to  be  ia 
progress.  We  are  very  near  the  line  with 
the  hospitals.  The  goods  of  the  Commis- 
sion have  come  in  good  time,  and  the 
wounded  so  far  have '  been  well  care(J 
for  except  in  transportation.  Most  have 
been .  sent  back  from  Resaca,  and  to-day 
army  wagons  take  back  the  dightly  wound- 
ed and  sick  from  here. 

If  you  will  give  ua  the  stores,  we  will  make 
them  useful,  and  will  keep  up  the  credit  of 
the  Commission.  Our  having  them  in  the 
field,  all  the  way  from  Chattanooga,  and 
carrying  them  to  the  hospitals  in  the  ex- 
treme front,  and  being  fully  represented 
by  the  agents  of  the  Commission,  has  given 
it  a  new  place  in  the  hearts  of  many  who 
had  before  doubted  of  its  usefulness.  But 
our  supplies  must  be  large.  Each  division, 
on  the  average,  will  use  one  box  of  milk  a 
day  to  good  advantage.  This  requires 
about  700  pounds  per  day. 

The  supply  of  fresh  beef  has  been  good, 
and  promptly  furnished,  so  that  beef  stock 
has  not  been  in  quite  so  much  demand,  but 
yet  has  been  largely  used.  Rags  and  band- 
ages are  also  wanted,  as  well  as  clothing. 
So  are  the  arm-slings.  As  I  write,  a  soldier 
comes  in  with  his  hand  off,  and  he  is  sup- 
plied with  one  of  them.  They  are  of  great 
value. 

Most  truly  yours, 

A.  N.  Read. 

We  have  a  depot  at  Dalton,  Resaca,  and 
shaU  open  again  in  Kingston  as  soon  as 
possible. 

Chatfahoosa,  June  2, 1864> 
Db.  J.  S.  Newbemit; 

Mt  Dear  Sie — We  have  little  time  for 
writing,  trusting  to  the  telegraph,  and  send- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


487 


ing  as  definite  information  as  -we  are  per- 
mitted to  do. 

The  demand  for  all  battle  stores  and  for 
laborers  has  vastly  increased  at  the  front. 
We  liave  kept  a  good  supply  of  stores  at 
the  front  at  all  times,  as  near  the  army  as 
we  safely  could,  and  on  the  first  train  to 
Kingston,  after  our  army  left  that  point, 
■we  sent  forward  three  oar  loads.  Three 
hundred  car  loads  of  army  stores  are  order- 
ed to  that  point  now  for  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  to-morrow.  We  cannot  have  transpor- 
tation to-day,  but  expect  it  to-morrow,  and 
one  more  shipment  will  exhaust  our  stock. 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  telegraphing  di- 
rect to  Cincinnati,  as  the  agents  from  there 
have  requested  me  to  do,  and  to  Chicago, 
and  Cleveland.  All  the  stores  you  can 
send  are  needed. 

Our  stock  of  milk  and  whisky  is  now  the 
largest  of  any,  but  we  shall  need  more,  and 
of  everything  else  which  wiU  add  to  the 
comfort  of  sick  and  wounded  men  in  the 
field  and  in  the  hospitals;  we  need  large 
supplies  as  fast  as  they  can  be  got  through. 

We  are  paying  large  amounts  of  postage 
to  forward  soldiers'  letters  from  home,  and 
packages  from  hospitals  containing  descrip- 
tive rolls  and  discharge  papers. 

I  wish  that  through  the  BtiliiBtin,  you 
would  call  especial  attention  of  the  friends 
of  the  soldier,  to  the  necessity — 

1st.  Of  sending  no  letters  to  the  army 
without  paying  postage,  under  the  idea 
that,  if  marked  ' '  soldiers'  letter, "  they  will 
go  through  and  may  be  paid  at  the  end  of 
the  route.  In  all  cases  they. will  be  de- 
tained at  the  Postoffice  here,  and  will  be 
forwarded  by  no  military  postbag  until  the 
postage  is  paid. 

2d.  Of  fully  paying  postage  on  aU  letters 

and  packages.     For  all  deficiencies  double 

rates  will  J>e  charged,  and  the  mail  matter 

detained  until  this  double  postage  is  paid. 

In  haste,  yours  truly, 

M.  C.  Bead. 


Bk.  J.  S.  Newbebbt: 

Deab  Sib — 


CWATTAKOCOA,  JwiS  3,  1864. 


I  have  been  through  the  wards  of  the 
post  hospitals  to-day,  containing  the  most 
severely  wounded.  There  are  very  many 
■whose  lives  wiU  depend  upon  a  conetant 


supply  of  the  most  generous  diet;  and 
there  are  many,  who,  from  their  wounds, 
ought  to  die  in  accordance  with  the  ordi- 
nary results  of  army  surgery,  who  on  a 
generous  diet  wiU  get  well — ^men  with  frac- 
tures, and  amputations  of  the  thigh,  &o. 
Indeed,  I  never  saw  so  many  severely 
wounded  men,  whose  prospects  were  so 
good,  and  the  surgeon  in  charge  attributes 
this,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  stores  fur- 
nished through  the  Commission. 

Yours,        M.  C.  Bead. 

Kingston,  &a..  May  22, 1864. 
Dn.  J.  S.  Newbbebt,  Sso'y  U.  S.  San.  Com,: 

Deab  Sib — After  a  very  active  campaign 
of  two  weeks,  we  have  come  to  a  halt  for  a 
few  days.  In  these  two  weeks  we  have 
marched  about  sixty  miles,  and  fought  four 
battles,  in  every  case  defeating  the  enemy. 
We  have  lost  about  five  thousand  in  killed 
and  wounded.  It  has  been, a  series  of  suc- 
cesses. To-morrow  morning  the  order  is 
to  march  again,  and  with  twenty  days  ra- 
tions, leaving  aU  who  are  not  able  for  a 
long  march.  I  have  been  with  the  army 
aU  the  time  from  the  first  advance  from 
Ringgold.  At  Tunnel  Hill  I  immediately 
procured  store  room,  and  returned  to  Ring- 
gold for  stores  and  helpers.  By  the  time 
the  wounded  began  to  come  in  to  the  Hos- 
pitals there,  we  were  on  the  ground  ■with 
our  stores.  Dr.  Read  soon  came  up,  and 
aU  went  on  weU.  We  fed  hundreds  of  sick 
men,  also  those  who  were  sent  to  the  rear, 
and  while  they  were  waiting  transportation, 
to  Chattanooga,  we  made  and  gave  them 
coflfee,  &o. 

At  the  battle  of  Resaca  we  were  promptly 
on  the  ground,  and  ■with  six  loads  of  sani- 
tary stores  for  those  divisions  that  suffered 
most.  Dr.  Read  and  I  rode  through  the 
army  from  the  right  toward  the  left.  Mon- 
day morning,  on  arriving  at  the  first  Di- 
vision Hospital,  4th  A.  C,  the  doctor  re- 
mained, and  I  went  on  to  find  the  20th 
A.  C.  This  was  about  1  o'clock.  Coming 
upon  the  extreme  left,  I  found  Hooker 
hotly  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and  just  at 
that  time  the  wounded^were  beginning  to 
come  in.  I  rode  down  toward  the  field  of 
conflict,  and  discovered  that  the  wounded" 
were  being  brought  off  the  field  by  the 
hundreds.      (The  loss  in  the  Corps  was 


488 


The  Sanitary  Gomrmssion  BvUetin, 


about  twelve  hundred.)  I  immediately 
f otmd  the  Medical  Director  of  the  Corps, 
got  an  order  from  Gen.  Hooker  for  three 
wagons,  one  for  each  Division  Hospital,  to 
retiirn  to  Dalton,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles, 
and  bring  up  battle  stores.  This  was  done 
promptly,  and  the  next  morning,  by  8 
o'clock,  the  stores  were  on  the  ground,  and 
were,  as  many  said,  a  God-send.  I  worked 
with  aU  the  surgeons  that  were  within 
reach,  those  of  the  ith  Corps'  coming  to 
assist,  and  also  all  our  agents  on  that  part 
of  the  field,  tiU  after  midnight,  in  making 
the  wounded  com  crtable.  The  battle 
ended  Saturday  night,  after  Hooker's 
storming  and  capturing  the  rebel  fort. 

The"  next  day  I  went  to  Resaca  and  got 
rooms.  The  ambulances  were  bringing  in 
the  wounded,  to  be  put  on  the  cars  and 
sent  to  Chattanooga.  The  cars  were  not 
there  to  receive  them.  The  ambulances 
must  return  to  the  field  by  order  of  the 
General.  There  was  no  hospital.  There 
were  some  buildings,  but  all  were  filled 
with  rubbish.  I  got  a  detail  of  twelve  men, 
and  Dr.  Hazen  joined  me  in  cleaning  out  a 
large  building  and  putting  the  wounded 
into  it.  There  were  no  stores,  either  med- 
ical or  Sanitary,  with  which  to  feed  the 
m,en.  Neither  were  there  at  that  time  any 
commissary  stores  there,  and  the  wounded 
were  calling  for  something  to  eat.  Oh,  I 
did  long  for  our  stores.  But  the  water- 
tanks  had  given  out,  and  for  a  few  hours 
the  cars  were  detained.  In  the  emergency, 
I  went  to  the  bridge  building,  and  procur- 
ed coffee  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  wound- 
ed, then  lying  on  the  hard  floor. 

The  next  day  Dr.  Coolidge  came  and  had 
the  field  hospital  brought  up  from  Ring- 
gold. Then  I  came  on  to  this  place.  We 
have  secured  as  promptly  and  fully  as  pos- 
sible the  list  of  deaths  on  battle-field  and 
of  the  wounded.  I  shall  return  to  my  post 
in  Nashville  as  soon  as  my  place  can  be 
suppUed  here.  I  go  out  on  this  expedition 
with  the  4th  and  20th  Corps.  We  are  or- 
dered to  take  thirty  days'  rations.  This 
will  be  a  long  and  hard  march,  and  a  very 
important  campaign. 

I  must  close,  as  Mr.  Eno  goes  on  the 
train  to  Chattanooga. 

Yours  respectfully, 

J.    C.   HoBIilT. 


TSiBsviLLE,  May  i1, 1861. 
Bb.  3,  S.  Nxiwbzbbt: 

Deae  Sib — ^At  the  request  of  M.  0.  Read, 
I  write  you  to  give  a  short  synopsis  of  the 
Sanitary  work  at  the  front.  Everything 
was  done  that  could  be  before  the  advance, 
to  hurry  forward  stores  to  Chattanooga, 
and  have  them  ready  to  send  to  points 
most  needed.  Dr.  Read  kept  well  up  with 
the  advance,  and  secured  room  for  stores 
the  very  day  the  army  entered  Ringgold, 
Tunnel  HiH,  Dalton,  Resaca,  and  Kings- 
ton; besides  this,  several  wagon  loads  were 
sent  on  to  the  field,  and  were  on  hand  to 
be  used  when  the  first  wounded  were 
brought  in.  The  Government  was  prompt 
in  giving  transportation,  and  stores  were 
sent  to  each  of  the  above  places  as  soon  as 
there  were  wounded  to  need  them;  and 
without  the  Sanitary 'supply,  there  would 
reaUy  have  been  more  suffering.  By  the 
advice  of  the  Medical  Director,  the  stores 
at  Kingston  were  returned  to  Resaca;  at. 
this  place  a  sufficient  quantity  of  staple 
articles  will  be  kept  to  send  forward  at  a 
moment's  notice.  There  is  a  field  hospital 
established,  in  which  it  is  expected  there 
will  be  at  least  one  thousand  for  some  time. 
On  Monday  there  was  one  thousand  in  it, 
and  Division  Hospitals  near  by.  The  sur- 
geons have  drawn  freely,  and  been  supplied 
liberally;  just  now  they  are  most  in  need 
of  mosquito  bars,  ale,  and  sponges;  there 
is  not  one  sponge  to  ten  men.  These  have 
been  telegraphed  for,  and  I  hope  wiU  be 
forwarded. 

At  Dalton,  the  principal  work  has  been 
to  feed  the  wounded  on  trains  passing  up; 
they  usually  malce  long  stops,  and  we  found 
the  men  very  thankful  for  hot  coffee,  beef- 
soup,  and  crackers;  about  fifteen  hundred 
men  were  fed  there  last  week.  Mr.  Bar- 
rett, a  thorough  worker,  is  there,  and  does 
the  work  well.  I  left  Dr.  Read  at  King- 
ston, prepared  to  advance  with  the  army; 
there  was  also  an  agent  to  go  with  each 
corps. 

Mr.  Collins,  of  the  Western  Sanitary 
Commission,  got  two  cars  through  to  Kings- 
ton, which  came  very  opportunely.  He  gave 
an  equal  portion  to  each  of  the  corps.  Dr. 
Bead  added  milk,  beef,  and  stimulants.  It 
was  pleasant  to  see  the  two  Commissions 
co-operating  and  working  cordially  togeth- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetim. 


489 


er.  This  feeling  I  believe  can  be  maintain- 
ed, and  each  Commission  be  made  to  do  its 
full  share  of  good. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  frienS, 

Edwakd  I.  End, 

Ittinms  State  Agmt. 


SCENES  AT  "THE  BASE." 

WiSHiHGXOH,  D.  0.,  Hay  14, 1864. 

Deab  Mes. ,  I  haive  just  come  up 

from  the  rear  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  there  mil  at  least  be  some  variety  in 
my  correspondence  with  you  if  I  teU  you 
what  I  saw  at  Belle  Plain,  instead  of,  as 
usual,  repeating  my  Oliver  Twistian  cry  of 
"  more!  more!" 

The  day  before  yesterday  I  started  from 
Washington  with  four  volunteers,  two  ladies 
and  two  gentlemen,  three  of  the  party  being 
from  your  city;  and  several  being  accus- 
tomed to  army  traveling  and  hospital  nurs- 
ing. One  of  the  ladies  is  the  wife  of  one 
of  our  generals,  and  the  other  is  the  writer 
of  that  excellent  little  pamphlet — "  Three 
Weeks  at -Gettysburg."  The  steamer  we 
were  on  was  well  loaded  with  supplies — 
somewhere  about  sixty  tons — and  a  score  or 
two  of  relief  agents  to  reinforce  those  al- 
ready on  the  field  and  at  Fredericksburg. 
Beaching  BeUe  Plain — so  called  from  its 
being  a  series  of  high  hills — ^just  as  the  twi- 
light was  setting  on  the  beautiful  and  vaiied 
tints  of  verdure  with  which  the  last  week  or 
two  of  summer  weather  have  covered  its 
slopes,  we  found  a  repetition  of  the  scenes 
I  have  before  witnessed,  at  the  same  place, 
in  the  spring  of  last  year,  and  at  various 
other  places  on  the  Peninsula  and  else- 
where, during  the  different  campaigns  of 
the  war.  A  couple  of  rudely  constructed 
wharves,  a  mUe  or  two  apart,  jut  out  into 
the  placid  waters  of  the  broad  creek,  and 
lying  against  these,  four  or  five  deep,  are 
steamers  and  barges  of  aU  kinds  aad  sizes, 
loading  and  unloading  so  busily  that  you 
might  imagine  yourseK  on  the  docks  of 
Boston,  New  York,  or  Philadelphia.  Boxes, 
barrels,  and  bales  pass  from  the  holds  and 
decks  of  the  vessels,  on  the  shoulders  of 
long  strings  of  contrabands,  or  on  trucks, 
along  the  crazy  wharf  of  the  beach,  and  are 
there  transferred  to  army-wagons,  which, 
after  being  filled,  join  the  procession  of* 


similar  vehicles,  each  drawn  by  four  stout 
horses,  that,  with  few  gaps  in  the  long  road 
up  the  ascent  and  along  its  crest,  wind 
slowly  and  toilsomely,  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach,  towards  Fredericksburg  and  the  ad- 
jacent camps.  So  far  as  the  vessels  and 
wharf  are  concerned,  the  scene  resembles 
the  unloading  of  vessels  in  a  seaport  town; 
but  in  a  seaport  town  one  does  not — in 
peace  times  at  least — see  hosts  of  uniformed 
and  armed  men  tramp  from  the  decks  along 
the  wharves  to  join  the  hosts  preceding 
them;  nor  does  one  see  regiments  of  troop- 
ers tugging  at  the  rein^  of  unmanageable 
horses  that  plunge  fiercely  among  the  sway- 
ing masses  of  humanity  and  the  unflinching 
masses  of  merchandise  tUat  line  their  way. 
But  what  can  there  be  to  load  vessels  with 
in  an  out-of-the-^ay  creek,  running  up  into 
a  country,  from  the  hills  of  which  one  may 
look  aU  round  to  the  horizon  without  one's 
eye  resting  on  a  human  habitation? — a  per- 
manent habitation,  I  should  say,  for  every 
strip  of  land  in  sight  that  is  not  covered 
with  trees  is  dotted  with  tents  and  bivouacs 
and  army-wagons,  beneath  the  canvass  and 
boughs  of  which  are  sheltered — as  much  as 
may  be  in  the  fast-falling  rain — multitudes 
of  weary  men,  as  if  collected  into  houses 
and  streets  would  fill  many  villages,  and 
turn  the  wilderness  into  a  populous  iown. 
Thank  goodness,  when  the  spectator  next 
wa/tches  the  loading  of  a  vessel  in  a  com- 
mercial town,  he  wiH  see  nothing  of  what 
.he  now  sees  at  this  warfaring  port  of  BeUe 
Plain.  All  day  long,  and  the  day  before, 
and  several  days  before  that,  the  ascending 
procession  of  wagons  flUed  with  rations, 
and  of  infantry  and  cavalry  that  have  gone 
to  reinforce  Grant,  have  been  met  by  a 
parallel  line — a  little  way  off,  for  the  im- 
promptu roads  are  too  narrow  to  admit  of 
vehicles  passing  eachothsr-^of  ambulances 
filled  with  wounded  men;  and  it  is  with 
these  men,  carried  on  stretchers  from  the 
ambulances,  that  the  "outward  bound" 
vessels  are  loaded. 

It  is  indeed  a  sad  sight;  but  there  is  a 
great  satisfaction  in  reflecting  that  one  is 
standing  in  the  midst  of  aU  kinds  of  com- 
forts and  delicaeies  to  reinforce  the  stock 
which  has  already  been  provided  for  these 
very  men;  and  in  recognizing  within  hail- 
ing distance  a  handsome  flag,  inscribed 


490 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvJMin. 


with  the  words,  "U.  8.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion," streaming  from  its  staff  on  the  deck 
of  a  portly  barge,  comfortably  lined  with 
numberless  good  "things  for  wear  and  diet, 
at  that  very  moment — we  can  imagine  with 
a  strength  equal  to  conviction,  for  not  even 
"  with  the  aid  of  a  powerful  glass"  can  our 
point  of  sight  enable  us  to  discern  behind 
the  intervening  boxes  and  barrels — ^under 
process  of  distribution  to  the  poor  fellows 
as  theyare  carried  past  to  the  boats  that 
are  about  to  convey  them  to  Washington. 

It  is  now  dark.  The  rain  has  somewhat 
abated,  but  even  if  it  poured  as  much  as 
ever  it  would  not  be  possible  to  restrain 
the  ladies  from  entering  at  once  on  their 
self-imposed  duties.  So  I  help  them  into 
a  boat  and  we  are  rowed  to  the  dock,  and 
are  soon  on  board  our  barge,  or  storeboat 
as  it  is  called.  But  the  procession  of 
wounded  men  is  over  for  the  night;  and 
those  that  have  come  before  are  on  their 
way  to  Washington,  while  those  in  transitu 
from  the  battle-fields  are  resting  in  wayside 
stations,  or  in  the  ambulances  conveying 
them — a  poor  way  for  wounded  and  sore 
men  to  pass  the  night,  but  such  as  the 
cruel  necessities  of  war  render  unavoidable. 
Dr.  Steiner  tells  us  that  the  nearest  of  the 
Commission's  feeding  lodges  is  some  half 
mUe  up  the  hill,  and  that  its  capacity  wUl 
not  admit  of  any  more  attendance  than  that 
which  is  already  supplied.  As  the  ladies 
came  to  render  aid  where  it  is  needed,  not 
to  supplant  that  which  is  previously  pro- 
vided, they  think  it  advisal;)le  not  to  wade 
up  to  the  lodge  knee-deep  in  Virginia  mud, 
nor  do  they  consider  the  cause  of  humanity 
demands  the  waking  up  of  some  poor  fel- 
lows who  are  waiting  the  next  boat,  and 
the  administering  to  them  of  pound  cake, 
pies,  and  surreptitious  draughts  of  bad 
whisky;  so  we  presently  get  into  the  row- 
boats,  and  ladies  are  before  long  occupying 
the  pilothouse — the  polite  and  ejected  cap- 
tain seeking  other  quarters — whUe.the  men 
dispose  themselves  for  the  night  upon  the 
decks,  those  that  have  rubber  coats  or 
blankets  to  keep  off  the  rain,  now  descend- 
ing faster  than  ever — feeling  their  great 
advantage  over  those  who,  rubberless,  vain- 
ly seek  dry  spots  wherever  there  are  no 
leaking  places  in  the  ceiled  roof. 

The  next  morning — ^very  early  indeed, 


sleeping  accommodations  offering  few  in-  , 
ducements  to  people  of  sybaritic  tendencies 
— the  relief  agents  are  almost  all  started  to 
Fredericksburg,  and  our  small  Jiarty  enter 
the  lists  as  relief  agents  on  the  spot.  The 
scene  of  yesterday  is  renewed  in  aU  its  de- 
tails, and  as  the  wounded  men  are  borne  • 
in,  hour  after  hour,  in  one  long  string,  the 
pale  and  often  blood-stained  occupant  of 
every  stretcher  is  furnished,  according  to 
his  needs,  by  one  or  other  of  the  party, 
with  crackers,  beef-tea,  coffee,  wine,  water, 
or  lemonade.  The  wine  and  lemonade  are 
given  only  on  the  advice  of  a  medical  man, 
and  sometimes  the  one  is  intensified  into 
brandy,  and  the  other  into  the  unmixed 
juice  of  lemon.  But  for  men  exhausted 
with  lying  on  the  battle-field  for  many 
hours,  sometimes  for  a  day  or  two,  without 
food  or  drink,  thence  to  the  operating  table 
and  thence  to  the  ambulance,  the  other 
things  may  be  given,  in  most  instances,  in 
such  quantities  as  they  crave.  Poor  fel- 
lows, they  clutch  at  them— but  always  with 
a  "thank  you" — as  if  they  thought  they 
could  swallow  the  basket  or  bottle  along 
with  the  contents,  but  a  few  mouthfuls  is 
generally  aU  they  have  strength  to  manage. 
It  is  best  for  each  one  of  such  a  relief 
party  to  confine  oneself  to  the  distribution 
of  a  single  article,  the  cracker  man  never 
trenching  on  the  lady's  coffee  pail,  and  the 
coffee  ;lady  leaving  the  beef  religiously  to 
another.  Infinitely  more  may  be  done  by 
systematically  pursuing  this  plan  of  spe- 
ciality. If,  when  the  beef  tea  is  being  car- 
ried round,  some  poor  fellow  shakes  his 
head  and  imploringly  asks  for  water  or 
stimulant,  one  must  not  set  down  the  beef 
tea  to  be  kicked  over  before  one  gets  back, 
and  rush  off  to  spend,  half  an  hour  in 
searching  for  water  or  Stimulant,  so  depriv- 
ing a  hundred  men  of  beef  tea  for  the  sake 
of  trying  to  get  something  which  will  pro- 
bably be  furnished  him  by  the  allotted 
water  or  whisky  bearer  in  three  minutes 
after.  One  must  humanely  harden  one's 
heart,andsay  with  stern  tenderness:  "  Yes, 
i;Qy  boy,  aU  right,  a  lady  will  be  along  with 
some  delicious  iced  water  in  a  minute  or 
two,"  and  he  wiU  probably  smile  and  say, 
"  Thank  you,  sir,  all  right — I  can  wait. 
Say,  mister,  there's  a  fellow  right  across 
there — ^that  on6  with  his  leg  of^  and  his 


The  Sanita/ry,  Commission  Bulletin. 


491 


head  bound  up — ^he  belongs  to  my  codit 
pany — lie  ain't  had  nothing  to  eat  since  the 
day  before  yesterday.  I  guess  he'd  like 
some  o'  that  ere  stuff.  Won't  you  please 
give  him  some?" 

But  the  giving  of  sustenance  is  not  all 
the  work.  One  man  complains  of  his  head, 
being  too  low,  and  his  overcoat  has  to  be 
rolled  up — or,  failing  in  that,  the  straw 
round  him  has  to  be  gathered  up  to  form  a 
piQow  for  him.  (The  pallets  and  bedding 
have  given  out,  though  the  first  Ijoat's  load 
sent  off  were  as  comfortably  provided  for  as 
if  in  the  wards  of  a  general  hospital,  and  the 
men  we  are  tending  are  lying  on  the  decks 
on  straw,  but  this  they  count  luxury  after 
the  battle-field  and  ambulance.)  Aliother 
wants  a  handkerchief,  and  another  a  pair  of 
socks.  This  man's  shirt  is  all  tpm  and 
bloody,  and  must  be  replaced  by  another. 
One  man  complains  of  the  intolerable  heat, 
and  some  of  his  clothing  must  be  removed; 
another  is  shivering  with  cold,  and  more 
clothing  or  an  extra  blanket  must  be  pro- 
vided for  him.  Here  is  one  who  feels  the 
hand  of  death  upon  him,  and  the  head  of 
that  one  of  our  party  who  is  with  him  is 
bent  down  to  catch  from  his  white  Hps  his 
last  message  to  his  friends.  Five  minutes 
after,  the  blanket  is  drawn  smoothly  over 
the  face,  and  the  quiet  of  the  lately  restless 
limbs  shows  that  the  weary  soldier  has 
fought  his  last  battle,  and  entered  into  his 
rest. 

Continually  through  the  day  our  party 
has  met  others  engaged  in  a  like  work,  'but 
all  too  busy  and  pre-occupied  to  notice 
each  other,  unless  to  render  some  necessary 
act  of  joint  assistance  to  a  sufferer,  till  one 
is  noiet  who  labored  with  some  of  the  party 
at  Gettysburg,  and,'  perhaps,  elsewhere. 
He  joins  us  in  our  rounds,  and  when  at 
night  I  ask  hini  if  he  knows  what  has  been 
done  with  the  bodies  of  those  I  have  seen 
die  through  the  day  on  the  boats  and  on 
the  wharf,  he  tells  me  that  he  has  helped 
that  day  to  bury — and  has  read  the  funeral 
service — over  the  bodies  of  over  sixty 
soldiers.  He  is,  or  is  going  to  be,  a  clergy- 
man. 

We  have,  thus,  administering  to  the  poor 
fellows'  needs,  traversed  the  decks  and 
cabins  and  every  foot  of  superficies,  avail- 
able for  the  outstretched  or  partially  re- 


cumbent form  of  a  man,  of  four  vessels;  and 
now  for  some  cause  there  is  a  luU  in  the  ar- 
rivals and  the  turmoil.  This  gives  us  titne 
to  look  at  our  watches,  and  to  our  amaze- 
ment we  find  it  is  five  o'clock,  instead  of 
.eleven  or  twelve,  as  we  fancied.  Thereup- 
on we  apprehend  it  is  no  wonder  we  are 
faint,  considering  we  have  been  working  so 
hard  all  day  on  our  six  o'clock  breakfast  of 
crackers  and  ham.  A  sumptaous  repast  of 
crackers  is  not  indeed  the  magnificent  Bos- 
ton edible,  but  a  softer  and  inferior  sort-^ 
coffee  is  forthwith  disposed  of,  and  during 
the  repast  we  discover  that  there  is  a  sus- 
pension of  ambulances  and  stretchers  to  al- 
low the  passage  of  some  thousands  of  rebel 
prisoners  from  Dixie  to  tht  land  of  the  free 
in  Fort  Delaware  ajnd  elsewhere — ^the  free- 
dom of  such  strongholds  being  the  kind 
they  seem  most  to  appreciate.  Pretty  soon 
there  marched  along,  under  guard,  three 
men  dressed  in  rebel  grey  and  unairmed. 
Except  for  the  black  feather,  cavalier  fash- 
ion, across  the  front  of  the  hat,  and  for  the 
three  stars  on  the  upturned  collar  of  one  of 
them,  they  might  have  been  taken,  so  far 
as  dress  was  concerned,  for  privates,  but 
these  insignia  showed  the  rank  of  a  Briga- 
dier-General in  the  Confederate  service. 
This  was  General  Stuart,  a  handsome  fel- 
low, some  thirty-five  years  old,  I  should 
judge;  and  who  endeavored  to  conceal  his 
feelings  beneath  a  jaunty  and  somewhat  de- 
fiant tnanner.  His  older  companion,  wrap- 
ped up  in  a  grey  overSoat,  without  any  in- 
signia of  rank  visible,  and  whose  grizzly 
hair  showed  through  sundry  rents  in  the 
most  "shocking  bad  hat"  I  ever  saw,  is 
Maj  or-General  Johnson ;  and  the  third  pris- 
oner is  his  adjutant-general.  Being  brought 
to  a  halt  they  sit  down  on  some  boxes,  and 
Johnson  draws  from  his  pocket  a  copy  of 
the  Washington  Morning  Chronicle,  and 
picking  out  the  war  news,  reads  something 
in  a  low  tone  to  Stuart,  who  nervously 
laughs.  Not  placing  implicit  confidence 
myself  in  the  war  news  of  most  of  our  news- 
papers, I  fancy  they  may  have  discovered 
some  slight  mistake,  and  therefore  feel  no 
inclination  to  resent  their  raillery;  but  the 
crowd  around  are  not  so  lenient,  probably 
thinking  strongly  on  the  subject  of  Belle 
Island  and  Port  Pillow;  and  the  murmurs 
increase  until  there  is,  for.  a  minute,  dan- 


492 


The  Sanitary  Comniission  BuUetin. 


ger  of  violence  being  offered  to  the  prison- 
ers; but  a  few  stern  words  from  the  captain 
of  the  guard,  and  the  ringing  of  the  bayon- 
ets of  the  latter,  soon  restores  order,  and 
the  Generals  and  Adjutant  are  marched 
quietly  off  to  the  boat  that  is  to  convey 
them  to  Fort  Delaware  or  wherever  else. 
In  a  little  while  they  are  followed  by  a  mul- 
titude of  rebel  officers — four  hundred  in 
number,  it  is  said — ^of  every  rank,  from 
colonel  to- second  lieutenant,  but  none  with 
any  marks  of  rank  detectable  except  in  few 
cases  where  the  coat  collar  was  turned  up, 
where  one  or  two  more  dandyfied  than  the 
rest  had  decorated  the  lapels  of  their  coats 
with  their  insignia.  At  first  I  thought  they 
were  privates;  for,  even  apart  from  their 
dress,  they  presented,  in  the  mass,  little 
evidence  of  superiority  to  the  rank  and  file 
of  our  men:  but  I  was  told  tiat  the  large 
body  of  their  fellow  prisoners  of  the  rank 
and  file  who  followed  them — they  came 
shortly  after,  but  I  was  too  busy  to  look  at 
them — -were  decidedly  inferior  to  them  in 
all  respects.  One  of  them,  almost  a  boy, 
entered  into  a  political  argument  with  one 
of  his  guaxd,  an  old  sergeant  from  New 
York  who  stood  by  me,  embracing  the 
questions  of  slavery,  the  constitutional  right 
of  secession,  etc. ;  and  which,  notwithstand- 
ing my  suggestion  that  if  verbal  argument 
had  proved  of  any  avail  to  settle  the  differ- 
ence between  the  North  and  the  South  they 
would  not  have  been  called  upon  to  fight 
each  other,  finally  grew  general  and  warm, 
and  was  only  finished  by  the  party  being 
marched  off  to  their  quarters. 

The  arrival  of  the  prisoners  had  brought 
a  new  set  of  claimants  on  the  stores  of  the 
Commission — not  wounded  nor  sick,  but 
very  hungry  men,  who  had  been  guarding 
the  prisoners  since  the  evening  before,  and 
many  of  whom  had  nothing  to  eat  during 
that  time.  Considering  that  the  mission 
of  the  Commission,  like  that  of  quinine,  is 
not  only  curative,  but  rather  and  mainly 
prophylactic,!  dispensed  to  them  of  crackers 
according  to  their  needs;  butjthey  made 
no  demand  of  course  on  the  delicacies. 

Meanwhile  the  rest  of  the  party  had  re- 
newed on  another  boat  which  was  prepar- 
ing to  leave,  and  was  fast  being  filled  up 
with  fresh  arrivals  of  wounded,  their  labors 
of  the  f  orepart  of  the  day.  I  returned  hither 


with  a  boat  load  of  woundedj  leaving  Belle 
Plain  between  10  and  H  P.  M. ,  and  getting 
to  Washington  in  the  early  morning. 

When  I  left  it  was  quite  dark,  and  after 
helping  my. last  case  aboard — a  handsome 
boy  who  told  me  he  would  be  "  seventeen 
come  next  birth-day" — and  changing  the 
shirt  he  had  not  changed  for  three  weeks, 
after  washing'  away  from  a  wound  in  his 
side  the  blood  that  soiled  the  skin,  looking 
so  fair  and  white  beneath  in  contrast  to  his 
sunburnt  face  and  neck,  I  watched  for  a 
few  minutes  the  scene  spread  out  before  me 
as  the  vessel  receded  from  the  dock.  All 
over  the  water  twinkled  the  lights  from  the 
many  vessels,  some  stationary,  and  some 
steaming  to  and  fro,  while  far  up  the  hill- 
sides gleamed  the  lights  through  the  can- 
vas of  the  tents,  giving  the  appearance  of 
a  large  city  illuminated  for-  some  festival, 
the  effect  being  heightened  by  the  broad 
aad  high  flickering  flames  of  innumerable 
camp  fires,  like  so  many  feux-de-joie.  So  we 
steamed  up  the  quiet  rivei?,passing  by  and  by 
the  house  of  the  great  man  who  so  toUf  ully 
won  for  his  national  children  the  rich  herit- 
age some  of  them  would  now  rend  asunder; 
and  the  moon,  struggling  every  now  and 
then  through  the  clouds  which  stiQ  sailed 
across  the  sky,  looked  do-wn  on  the  white 
faces  and  ghastly  wounds  of  those  whom 
their  brothers  had  stricken  do-wn.  The 
night  watch  was  but  a  repetition  of  the 
work  of  the  day,  and  during  its  weary 
hours  the  same  wonderful  fortitude  amid 
their  wounds  and  sufferings  was  observable; 
hardly  a  groan  or  sigh  to  be  heard,  except 
from  two  or  three  who  were  delirious;  and 
even  as  I  sat  by  the  driver  on  the  ambu- 
lance which  conveyed  some  of  them  from 
the  Washington  wharf  to  the  hospital  to 
which  they  were  assigned,  I  only  heard  a 
low  moan  now  and  then,  as  the  horses 
struggled  through  the  pitfalls  of  the  city  of 
magnificent  distances. 

My  next  letter  will  be  -written  to  you,  I 
think,  from  Fredericksburg,  and  I  will 
finish  this  by  calling  your*  attention  to  the 
care  -with  which  I  have  kept  my  promise  of 
not  asking  for  more.  Nevertheless,  after 
premising  that  the  medico-mUitary  author- 
ities caution  us  not  to  be  too  profuse  at  the 
beginning,  for  that  the  real  fighting  has 
not  yet  begun,  I  cannot  do  less  than  point 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


493 


my  story  "with  a  moral;  but  "what  the  moral 
is,  I  wiU  leave  to  your  own  reflections. 
Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

AiFBED   J.  BIjOOB, 

Assistamt   Secretcery, 


ISSUES  OF  STORES  TO  THE  AEMY  IN 

VIRGINIA. 
The  foUowing  statement  shows  the  issues 
made  by  the  U.  S.  Samtary  Commission  to  the 
Armies  of  Virginia  in  the  field  during  the  month 
of  May,  1864: 


180  air  cushions. 
10  air  beds. 
8,541  bed  tic3£S. 
265  bed  pans. 
2,932  blankets. 
271  chamberB. 
312  candlesticks. 
2,508  combs,  coarse. 
1,720      "        fine. 
6,817  Giisliions. 

110  bead  rests. 

376  lanterns. 

315  medicine  cups. 

288  "        tubes. 

268  pes.  mosquito  netting, 

162  rolls  oil  silk. 

3,394  pillows. 

1,424  pillow  cases. 

3,800  pillow  ticks. 

1,203  quilts. 

654  ring  cusbions.. 

1,416  sheets. 

265  spittoons. 

494  spit  cups. 

7,798  towels, 

7,406  tin  cups. 

1,225  tin  wash  basins. 

1,893  tin  plates. 

262  urinals. 

144  ma/ttresses. 

1,114  knives  and  forks. 

2,905  spittoons. 

45  stretchers. 

100  dippers.  . 

3,427  pes.  cotton  drawers. 

12,304  pes.  woolen  drawers. 

14,991  handkerchiefs. 

2,950  forage,  (oats)  bushels. 

15,000  lbs.  hay. 
.  6  bbls.  salt  beef. 

6  cases  dessicated  veg. 

1,857  lbs.  ham. 

12  shaving  brushes. 

12  razors. 

127  lbs.  lard. 

67  pes .  cotton  pants. 

6,403  cotton  shirts. 

19,507  woolen  shirts. 

472  shoes. 

2,909  slippers. 

3,208  cotton  socks. 

9,451  woolen  socks. 

648  wrappers. 

696  pails. 

67  canes, 

6  pocket  flasks. 

30  cots. 

39  bbls.  ale.    [See  porter.] 

144  bottles  ale. 

181  bbls.  dried  apples- 

100  lbs.  arrow  root. 

8,165  lbs.  beef  stock. 

2,514  bottles  brandy. 

4,532  lbs.  canned  meat. 
■  2,254  lbs.  camied  Suit. 

4,252  lbs.  canned  vegetables, 

312  bottles  cherry  rum. 

326  lbs.  cocoa.       •  * 

8,584  lbs.  sweet  chocolate. 

1,266  lbs.  ext.  coffee.    [See 
Coffee.] 

949  lbs.  dried  beef. 

22  hammers. 


40  axes. 

18  hand  saws. 

44  hatchets. 

405  lbs.  nails. 

38  shovels. 

9  spades. 

3,106  lbs.  ground  coffee. 

18,912  lbs.  condensed  milk. 

853  bbls.  crackers, 

3,582  lbs.  com  staxch. 

13  bbls.  corn  meal. 

2  bbls.  dried  peaches. 

2,628  bottles  ext.  ginger. 

6,480  lbs.  farina. 

24  packages  gelatina. 

48  bottles  gin. 

62  hot.  jellies  and  preserves, 

408  boxes  lemons. 

600  bottles  lemon  syrup. 

1,854  lbs.  maizena. 

350  lbs.  mustard. 

20  lbs.  nutmegs. 
2,344  lbs.  oat  meaL 
942  gals,  pickles. 
70  bbls.  porter. 
60    *'     potatoes. 
400  lbs.  rice. 

12  bottles  N.  E.  rum. 
1,068  "      Jamaica  mm. 
11,868  lbs.  sugar. 
119  lbs.  spices. 
511X  g^*  tamarinds. 
1,488  lbs.  black  tea. 
1,200  lbs.  green  tea. 
3,306  lbs.  tobacco. 
258  gals,  vineg^. 
24  bots.  raspberry  vinegar. 
3,960  bots.  foreign  wine. 
119  coffee  pots. 
2  bbls.  flour. 

13  reams  wrapping  paper. 
182  galls,  mouses. 
17  >^  gaUs.  kerosene  oil, 
1  chisel. 
1  screw-driver. 
12  gimblets. 

975  bottles  domestic  wine. 
3',520  bottles  whisky. 
23  galls,  whisky. 
280  bottles  .alcohol. 
38  bbls.  bandages. 
699  bottles  bay  run^ 
1,047  body  bands. 
5  boxes  books. 
620  bottles  cologne. 
2,843  crutches. 
7,750  fans. 
51  games. 

21  bbls.  lint. 
29  bbl.  old  hnen. 
2,266  slings. 
953  lbs.  soap.  , 
309^  lbs,  sponges. 
1,945  lbs.  candles. 
3,858  lbs.  butter. 
1,645  lbs.  cheese. 
2,619  doz.  eggs. 
5,387  loaves 'bread'. 
735  papers  pins. 
21,325  envelopes., 
320  bottles  ink. 
58  reams  writing  paper. 
5,328  pencils. 


1.288  pen  holders. 

1.288  pens. 

1,300  lbs.  oakum. 

4,000  pipes. 

540  lbs.  chloroform. 

45  bottles  spirits  camphor. 

12  cook  stoves  and  fixtures. 

17  wall  tents. 

1  quire  sand  paper. 

9  can  openers. 
49 >^  lbs.  twine. 
40  corkscrews. 
242  prs.  scissors. 

8  pepper  boxes. 

10  lbs.  saleratus. 
70  lbs.  pepper. 

22  tin  pans,  for  wash'g  dishs 
1,488  lbs.  salt. 
54  boxes  oranges. 
100  camp  kettles. 
17  frying  pans. 
44  rolls  adhesive  plaster. 
4  nutmeg  graters. 
80  camp  stools. 
12  baskets. 
6,000  feet  lumber. 
16,000  lbs.  straw. 
24  china  plates. 
20  yds  oil  doth. 
200  cathartic  pills. 
,  6,000  opium  pills. 
2,000  opium  and  camp,  pills. 
60  smoked  tongues. 
221  rubber  blankets. 
252  open  links. 
14  feed  troughs. 

9  boxes  splints. 
36  gross  matches. 
682  yds.  rubber  cloth. 
17  oz.  morphine. 

20  yds.  white  flannel. 
1,870  lbs;  chloride  of  hme. 


8>|  lbs*  hgature  silk, 
150  haversacks. 
84' blowers. 
100  hospital  car  loops. 
8  water  coolers. 
2  lbs,  bromine. 
60  lbs.  patent  lint. 
24  dressing  fauceps. 
16  papers  tacks. 
100  yards  wire. 
6  door  mats. 
1  gros^  needles. 

56  lbs.  mutton  tallovf. 
1  piece  sheeting. 

1  refrigerator. 

2  stove  boilers. 

boxes  chlorinium.  ^<« 
6  boxes  clothing. 
6  rocking  chairs. 

57  bottles  cider. 
12  faucets. 

2  faucet  augurs. 

1  pump. 

224  canteens. 
72  boxes  blackiug. 
362  boxes  sardines. 
300  paper  bags. 

3  washMg  machines. 
12  blank  books. 
97K  tons  ice. 

12  bottles  copperas. 
3  bottles  chloride  soda. 

2  medicine  chests. 
6  stove  brushes, 

1  bbl.  salt  pork. 

12  stew  pans. 

12  frying  pans. 

2,200  lbs.  fresh  beef. 

36  four-horse  wagons-,  with 
harness,whips,  extra  whif- 
fletrees,  &c.,  complete. 

156  two-horse  wagons,  do. 


The  foUowing  anti-scorbutic  stores  were  sent 

from  New  York  and  stored  in  Baltimore.     About 

'one-third  of  these  were  loaded  on  board  the 

Kidley,  and  taken  to  Norfolk  in  tow  of  the  Kent. 

4,291  galls,  pickled  tomatoes. 
51,812  lbs.  canned  tomatoes. 
1,106  galls,  curried  cabbage. 

671  bbls.  dried  apples. 
15,168  galls,  saur  kraut. 
4,162  galls,  pickles. 
3,580  gaUs.  pickled  onions. 
12,060  lbs.  apple  pulp. 
2,400  boxes  portable  lemonade. 
1  tub  apple  butter. 
1  doz.  ginger  wine. 


REV.  DR,  WINSLOW. 

A  lairge  circle  of  friends  and  the  public  will 
deeply  mourn  the  death  of  the  Rey,  Gordon 
WiNSLOw,  M.  D.,  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
He  fell  overboard  from  a  transport,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  7th  of  June,  and  was  drowned  in  the 
Potomac,  At  the  time  he  was  accompanying 
his  wounded  son,  Col.  Cleveland  Winslow,  (Dur- 
yea  Zouaves,)  to  "Washington,  and  was  engaged 
in  various  duties  attendant  upon  his  position. 

Dk.  Winslow  was  bom  in  Vermont,  in  1804, 
prepared  for  Yale  College  at  Andover,  Mass,, 
and  graduated  at  that  institution.  Soon  after  his 
attention  was  drawn  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  - 
and  he  became  rector  of  a  church  in  Troy,  New 
York,  and  subsequently  in  Annapolis,  After- 
wards-, he  was  for  many  years  rector  of  St. 
**Paur8,  Staten  Island,  and  Chaplain  of  the  Quar- 


494 


The  Sanitary  Commi:  ion  Bulletin, 


antme.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion  he  was 
appointed  Chaplain  of  the  Duryea  Zouaves,  and 
accompanied  that  regiment  in  all  its  trying 
scenes  and  hard-fought  battles.  He  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  bravery,  and  his  services 
gained  for  him  high  credit  and  renown  among 
the  army.  He  also  served  on  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  when  his  regiment  returned  last 
year  he  was  appointed  Inspector  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  His  efSeiency  and  valuable  ser- 
vices will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 

Db.  Winslow  possessed  a  fine  social  nature, 
full  of  good  heart  and  noble  soul.  His  traits  of 
character  were  remarkably  well  blended.  All 
his  motives  and  plans  were  of  a  high  and  noble 
cast.  His  mind  was  acute,  active  and  fertile. 
He  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  literature 
and  science,  and  he  often  contributed  for  the 
press  and  various  literary  publications.  But  he 
has  departed,  cut  down  in  the  midst  of  useful- 
ness, and  his  loss  will  be  felt  by  friends  and  the 
public.  A  pure  and  true-minded  man,  sincere 
Christian,  noble  soul,  and  generous  nature  have  . 
passed  from  earth  to  Heaven.  Dr.  Winslow 
leaves  a  wife  and  two  sons,  both  of  whom  are 
officers  in  the  army.  He  was  a  brother  of  the 
Bey.  Hubbard  Winslow,  T>.  D.,  and  of  the  emi- 
nent missionary,  Dr,  Myron  Winslow. 


cents. 


THE  PHILADELPHIA  PAEB. 
The  buildings  for  the  fair  are  enormous,  oc- 
cupying all  of  Logan  Square,  a  space  of  nearly 
six  by  five  hundred  feet.  There  are  ninety 
separate  departments  in  the  fair,  and  to  travel 
through  each  will  be  about  -  two-mile  walk,  to 
the  anxious  spectator.  A  fifty  cent  ticket  ad- 
mits a  -risitor  to  eighty-one  of  these  depart- 
ments, the  other  nine  are  extra.  They  are  as 
follows,  and  the  admittance  to  each  is  as  speci- 
fied: 

Art  Gallery 25 

Horticulture 25 

Indian  Department 25 

Signor  Blitz 25 

Arms  and  Trophies 20 

Belies  and  Curiosities 20 

William  Penn  Parlor 10 

Skating  POnd 10 

Divan. -.  10 

Total .,.$1  70 

Por  the  sum  of  S2  20  a  visitor  sees  the  whole 
"  sight,"  which  may  be  truly  designated  a  min- 
iature world. 

The  buildings  are  light,  airy,  and  comfort- 
able ;  far  more  pleasant  inside  than  their  appear- 
ance outside  would  betoken.    The  decorations 


ins .  de  are  most  complete,  the  several  wings 
being  gaUy  plumed  in  red,  white,  and  blue, 
presenting  pleasing,  patriotic,  and  beautiful 
pictures.  Standing  at  the  main  or  eastern  en- 
trance of  the  great  arched  building  known  as 
"Union  HaU,"  we  have  to  our  right  and  left 
the  sections  for  Delaware  and  New  Jersey,  and 
directly  in  front  a  continuous  view  to  the  ex- 
tent of  five  hundred  feet  of  Gothic  archway,  the 
base  line  being  sixty-four  feet,  and  the  apex 
being  an  elevation  of  fifty  feet. 

The  large  collection  of  banners,  flags,  and 
paintings  have  been  used  with  admirable  judg- 
ment, and  the  firemen  may  well  challenge  com- 
parison with  the  decorations  in  any  other  de- 
partment. The  goods  offered  for  sale  in  this 
portion  of  the  building  are  among  the  most  at- 
tractive of  the  fair.  Union  Avenue  centains  a 
great  variety  of  articles,  and  as  the  exhibitors 
have  been  left  to  their  own  fancy  in  the  matter 
of  decorations  for  the  counters  and  shelves,  the 
display  is  varied,  and  no  better  place  could  have 
been  selected  for  the  opening  ceremonies. 

For  the  accommodation  of  the  speakers,  in- 
vited guests,  &c. ,  a,  large  platform  was  erected 
in  the  western  end  of  the  avenue,  which  was 
decorated  in  keeping  with  the  main  body  of  the 
haU.  The  crowd  began  to  pour  in  long  before 
the  time  announced  for  the  commencement  of 
proceedings,  and  when  the  hour  of  four  arrived 
every  spot  along  the  whole  avenue  was  occupied. 
The  scene  presented  was  most  pleasing  indeed, 
especially  to  those  who  were  favored  with  a 
position  on  the  platform,  where  they  could 
freely  scan  all  before  them.  The  exercises  were 
opened  by  music,  "Hail  Columbia,"  by  a  full 
orchestra. — Philadelphia  Inquirer. 


Dr.  Alexander  McDonald,  Inspector  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  in  letter  of  June  2cl, 
Bermuda  Hundred,  says:  '\We  have  just  arrived 
at  the  Hundred,  9  A.  M.  Stopped  last  night  at 
Wilson's  Landing,  and  left  saur  kraut,  potatoes 
and  onions  for  the  forces  there  and  at  Fort  Pow- 
hatan, and  are  now  making  arrangements  for 
having  supplies  at  Bermuda  Hundred." 


SOLDrEK'S  HOME  AT  CAIRO. 

The  reports  for  the  five  weeks  ending  May 
2nd,  show,  that  during  that  period  10,423  men 
were  admitted;  7, 941  lodgings,  and  20, 305  meals 
were  furnished,  while  transportation  was  pro- 
cured for  829. 

The  advance  of  Sherman's  Aripy  into  Geor- 
gia, leaving  a  very  long  Hne  through  a  wasted 
country  in  his  rear,  wiU  render  the  establish- 
ment of  a  number  of  new  "Homes"  along  it 
necessary. 


The  Smdtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


495 


OUR  CONSULS  ABROAD, 

The  European  Branch  in  Paris  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  have  frequently  had  occa- 
sion to  acknowledge  the  valuable  aid  rendered 
by  the  American  Consuls  in  Europe  to  the  Com- 
nuBsion,  and  have  made  particular  mention,  in 
this  relation  of  James  O.  Putnam,  Consul  at 
Havre;  Mr.  Thaddeus  Hyatt,  at  KocheUe;  and 
Mr.  James  Lesby,  at  Lyons. 

Our  countryman,  Mr.  John  K.  Tait,  resident 
at  Dusseldorf,  has,  by  unceasing  exertions,  ob- 
tained very  large  and  valuable  donations  from 
a  great  number  of  nobleminded  and  generous 
artists  in  that  place. 


A  LESSON  WELL  LEARNT. 
Prom  Charles  Dickens's  "All  the  Year  Eonnd." 

"Wlien  the  shadow  of  death  hung  over 
the  Italian  campaign,  from  which  Italy 
knew  how  to  take  more  liberty  than  it  was 
meant  that  she  should  have,  a  citizen  of 
Geneva,  M.  Henri  Dunant,  had  his  heart 
strengthened  for  noble  labors  by  the  recol- 
lection of  the  work  done  by  Florence  Night- 
ingale in  the  Crimea.  If  there  must  be 
wars,  why  may  they  not  be  fought  out  by 
civilized  nations  with  common  recognition 
of  the  common  duties  of  humanity  ?  What 
if  there  were  a  General  European  Sanitajry 
Commission  ?  By  his  energetic  labor  com- 
petent men  of  many  countries  were  brought 
together  last  year  in  tjie  International  Con- 
gress upon  this  question  at  Geneva — our 
Inspector  General  of  Hospitals,  then  rep- 
resenting Great  Britain,  by  authority  of 
our  Secretary  of  War,  with  competent  offi- 
cial deputies  from  France,  and  from  Aus- 
tria, and  from  Bussia,  and  from  Prussia, 
Italy,  Spain,  Sweden,  Bavaria,  Wurtem- 
burg,  Baden  and  Hesse,  Hanover  and  Hol- 
land. 

We  know  not  what  may  come  of  the 
movement  thus  commenced,  but  we  are 
glad  to  learn,  from  a  little  book  called  "A 
Woman's  Example  and  a  Nation's  Work," 
(published  by  Bidgway,)  that  in  the  midst 
of  all  the  miseries  of  civU  war  in  America, 
the  lesson  taught  by  Florence  Nightingale 
has  not  been  lost  upon  a  kindred  people. 
The  newspapers  tell  aU  the  battle  stories, 
and  have  enabled  us  to  sup  full  of  the  hor- 
rors of  the  strife.  Of  the  pity,  and  the 
deeds  of  mercy  it  engenders,  we  have  not 
been  told  all  we  might  hear. 

The  women  on  each  side  connected  them- 
selves at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  the 
great  work  of  healing  and  solace.  The 
South  has  assuredly  and  certainly  not  been 
behind  the  North  in  generous  self-sacrifice, 
but  from  the  South  few  records  come  to  us 
ak  yet;  at  present  it  is  only  of  what  has 
been  done  in  the  North  that  we  can  tell 
the  tale. 


The  women  began  their  work  of  mercy 
by  filling  churches,  schoolrooms,  and  the 
large  houses  of  many  wealthy  persons,  with 
lint-scrapers,  cutters,  folders,  and  packers 
of  the  linen  they  gave  to  the  use  of  the 
wounded.  Then  they  organized  themselves, 
first  in  New  York,  into  a  "Woman's  Cen- 
tral Association  of  Belief;"    like   bodies 
were  constituted  elsewhere,  and  advice  was 
sought  from  men  of  experience.      They 
were  advised  to  ascertain  what  government 
could  and  would  do  in  the  direction   to 
which  their  work  tended,  then  to  work 
with  it,  and  by  their  own  Kberality  of  gifts 
and    labor,    supplement    its    unavoidable 
short-comings.      The  -clergyman  of   New 
York  who  was  foremost  in  giving  this  coun- 
sel, the  Eev.  Dr.  Bellows,  accoiapanied  by 
three  of  the  chief  physicians  of  New  York, 
Drs.  Van  Buren,  Harris,  ^d  Harsen,went, 
therefore,  in  deputation  to  Washington  for 
conference  with    the    Secretary  of   War. 
They  represented  not  only  the  "Woman's 
Central  Association,"  but  also  the  Advisory 
Committee  of  the  Boards  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  of  the  New  York  Hospitals, 
and  the  New  York  Medical  Association  for 
furnishing  Hospital  Supplies  in  aid  of  the 
Army.     The  three  bodies  were  all  acting 
harmoniously  together  in  turning  to  the 
best  account  the  free  gifts  from  the  city 
and  State  of  New  York,  designed  in  aid  of 
the  comfort  and  security  of  the  troops. 
They  petitioned  for  some  rigor  in  inspec- 
tion of  volunteers,  that  unsuitable  persons 
might  not  be  sent  to  certain  death  in  the 
Aitaiy;  the  Woman's  Association  was  about 
to  send  for  service  in  the  general  hospitals 
of  the  Army  one  hundred  picked  and  train- 
ed female  nurses,  and  they  asked  that  the 
War  Department  should  be  content  to  re- 
ceive on  wages  during  actual  duty  as  many 
of  such  nurses  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
campaign  might  require.     They  suggested, 
also,  the  appointment  of  a  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, which  President  Lincoln  scofied 
at  as  a  "fifth  wheel  to  the  military  coach." 
This  memorial  was  very  coldly  received  by 
the  War  Department  and  the  Medical  Bu- 
reau of  the  Army.     The  United  States  San- 
itary Commission,  which  has  by  this  time 
turned  to  right  use  in  works  of  health  and 
mercy,  voluntary  contributions  amounting 
to  about  two  millions  of  money,  got  its'first 
lift  towards  existence  in  a  note  of  recom- 
mendation from  Dr.  E.  C.  Wood,  Acting 
Surgeon    General    to   the    United    States 
Army. 

The  four  delegates  then  at  once  sent  in  a 
sketch  of  the  plan  of  such  a  Commission, 
specifying  all  they  asked  for  it  from  the 
Government;  no  new  legal  powers  whatever, 
and  none  of  the  pubHc  money;  but  simply 
official  public  recognition  during  the  war, 
or  until  it  should  be  found  unserviceftble, 
!  I  and  a  room  in  one  of  the  pubHo  buildings 
in  Washington  or  elsewhere,  with  station- 


496 


The  SanitcM-y  Commission  BuUetin. 


ery  and  other  ioBignia  of  a  recognized  pnh- 
lic  office.  The  object  of  the  desired  Com- 
mission -would  be  '*to  bring  to  bear  upon 
the  health,  comfort  and  morale  of  the 
troops,  the  fullest  and  ripest  teachings  of 
sanitary  science  in  its  application  to  mili- 
tary life;"  directing  particular  attention, 
for  example,  to  the  material  of  the  volun- 
teer force,  and  to  such  subjects  as  diet  and 
cookery,  clothing,  and  precaution  against 
damp,  cold,  heat,  malaria,  infection,  &o. ; 
tents,  camping  ground,  transports,  ia-ansi- 
tory  depots  with  their  exposures,  camp 
police;  organization  of  hospitals,  hospital 
supplies,  regulations  of  the  patriotic  ser- 
vice of  the  capable  women  offering  them- 
selves as  nurses;  the  questions  of  ambu- 
lances, of  field  service,  of  extra  medical  aid, 
and  whatever  else  relates  to  the  care  or 
cure  of  the  sick  and  wounded. 

Reluctant  consent  was  at  last  given  to 
the  establishment  of  such  a  Commission,  in 
a  document  of  which  the  last  paragraph 
thus  expressed  the  official  contempt  it  ex- 
cited: "The  Commission  will  exist  until 
the  Secretary  of  War  shaU  otherwise  di- 
rect, unless  sooner  dissolved  by  its  own  ac- 
tion." It  is  something  to  know  that  there 
is  a  circumlocution  office  across  the  At- 
lantic. 

Yet  at  that  time  the  army,  suddenly  quad- 
rupled, was  deflcjent  in  the  commonest  re- 
quisites of  clothing,  bedding,  and  hospital 
staff,  while  the  local  soldier's  aid  societies 
founded  in  different  districts  for  the  succor 
each  of  its  own  peculiar  body  of  volunteers; 
bewildered  by  the  marching  and  counter- 
marchings  of  the  distant  regiments,  were 
wasting  much  good  energy.  One  of  the 
first  difficult  labors  of  the  Commission  was 
to  prove  to  these  local  bodies  the  short- 
sightedness of  their  provincial  allies,  and 
get  them  to  throw  aU  their  resources  into 
the  organization  of  one  common  national 
work.  One  by  one  the  work  of  woman's 
love  that  strove  to  f oUow  the  particular  for- 
tunes of  brothers  and  friends  was  gathered 
into  one  great  national  effort,  and  the  local 
aid  societies  became  blanches  of  the  Com- 
mission, with  Mr.  Frederick  Law  Olmsted 
for  its  secretary,  that  strove  to  secure  the 
well-being  of  the  Army,  and  detect  the 
more  unwholesome  blots  upon  its  discipline 
wherever  they  might  be.  Influential  men 
•in  every  part  of  the  country  now  became 
unpaid  advocates  of  the  Commission  as 
"  Associate  Members ;"  circulars,  setting 
forth  the  wants  of  the  Ai'my,  were  widely 
diffused;  sanitary  agitation  was  kept  up; 
directors  of  insurance  companies  were  made 
to  understand  theiiT  interest  in  the  well- 
being  and  the  health  of  the  volunteer. 

Then  it  was  found  necessary  to  break 
down  the  exclusiveness  of  State  sovereignty, 
and,  for  right  organization  of  the  convey- 
ance of  the  bales  provided  for  use  of  the 
sick,  establish  central  depots  for  districts. 


determined  not  by  political  predilections, 
but  by  the  course  of  railways,  rivers  and 
canals.  One  hundred  and  twenty  towns 
thus  became  auxiliary  to  Cleveland  in  Ohio, 
and  twelve  hundred  and  twenty-six  accepted 
the  City  of  New  York  as  their  centre.  The 
Commission  sent  also  sanitary  inspectors  to 
the  camps  and  camp  hospitals,  and  has  re- 
ceived and  tabulated  some  fifteen  hnndred 
of  their  reports,  each  consisting  of  answers 
to  a  set  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  printed 
questions.  ' 

Meanwhile,  the  Government  had  taken 
no  step  towards  the  organization  for  war 
purposes  of  the  Medicsd  Bureau,  beyond 
the  appointment  of  a  Surgeon  General,  who 
at  once  pronounced  against  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  declared  that  "  he  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it;"  for  it  was  "  a 
perilous  conception  to  allow  any  such  out- 
side body  to  come  into  being;"  The  Com- 
mission, however,  having  been  already  au- 
thorized by  Government,  he  consented  to 
its  action  for  the  volunteers,  on  condition 
that  it  never  meddled  with  the  regular 
troops. 

This  wonderful  gentleman  confined  him- 
self to  the  maintenance  of  every  old  regula- 
tion, and  resisted  every  attempt  at  "inno- 
vation" to  adapt  what  might  have  sufficed 
for  the  case  of  a  bush-fighting  army  of 
twelve  thousand,  to  the  greater  needs  of  a 
tremendous  civil  war.  So  there  arose  civil 
war  between  the  Sanitary  Commission  and 
the  Surgeon  General;  and  the  Commission, 
working  by  deputations  to  the  Government, 
complaints  from  Army  officers,  and  memo- 
rials to  Congress,  procured  the  passing  of  a 
bill,  drawn  up  by  its  own  Executive  Com- 
mittee, reorganizing  fundamentally  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  Army,  appoint- 
ing a  body  of  Genera]  Inspectors,  and  sub- 
stituting for  the  old  system  of  seniority, 
promotion  for  competency  without  regard  ■ 
to  graide  or  age.  This  victory  over  routine 
having  been  won,  the  Commission  itself 
sought  the  most  competent  man  for  Sur- 
geon General,  and  endeavored  to  forestall 
any  chance  of  an  appointment  by  favoritism 
into  which  the  Secretary  of  War  might  be 
tempted.  The  Commission  again  won  its 
battle,  and  secured  the  promotion  of  Dr. 
W.  A.  Hammond,  Assistant  Surgeon  on  the 
Medical  Staff,  to  the  post  of  Surgeon  Gene- 
ral, an  advance  from  the  rank  of  first  lieu- 
tenant, with  charge  of  a  single  hospital,  to 
that  of  brigadier  general,  with  the  entire 
control  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
Army.  With  its  own  man — a  competent 
man,  who  had  every  reason  to  be  grateful 
to  it--thus  in  authority,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission had  its  way  made  very  straight. 
Dr.  Hammond  revised  his  list  of  subordi- 
nates with  a  bold  hand,  got  rid  of  the  ob- 
structive and  incompetent  men,  and  honest- 
ly soiight  the  best  help  in  organization  of 
hospitals,  foundation  of  an  army  medical 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


497 


scliool,  and  so  forth.  Before  the  civil  war, 
theUnited  States  Army  rivalled  the  Austrian 
in  exclusiveness  and  firm  adherence  to  rou- 
tine; and  who  can  teU  what  tales  of  pesti- 
lence we  might  have  heard,  but  for  the 
victory  thus  won  on  behalf  of  women's 
work  in  time  of  peril? 

A  part  of  the  business  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  was  to  diffuse  gratuitously 
among  the  army  surgeons,  practical  pam- 
phlets of  information  upon  military  hygiene, 
and  the  most  important  points  of  army 
medicine  and  surgery.  Such  pamphlets 
were  the  "  Directions  to  Army  Surgeons  on 
the  Battle-field,"  by  our  own  Guthrie,  and 
the  "  Advice  as  to  Camping,"  issued  by  the 
British  Sanitary  Commission  at  the  time  of 
the  Crimean  War;  pamphlets  on  "Pain  and 
Anaesthetics,"  and  on  "  Hemorrhage  from 
Wounds,  and  the  best  Means  of  Arresting 
it,"  by  the  father  of  American  surgery,  Dr. 
Valentine  Mott;  pamphlets  on  Army  vacci- 
nation, amputations,  treatment  of  fractures, 
scurvy,  fevers,  &c.  The  largely  increased 
number  of  Army  surgeons  had  to  be  drawn 
from  civil  Ufe,  and  really  needed  informa- 
tion as  to  the  new  forms  of  practice  in  the 
field;  while  everywhere  the  teachings  of 
Florence  Nightingale  were  actively  diffused. 
ALgain,  over  the  wide  surface  of  the  States 
involved  in  war,  there  was  great  variation 
of  latitude,  and  almost  evei^^  imaginable 
difference  of  ground,  producing  local  dif- 
ferences in  the  character  and  aspect  of  dis- 
ease. Special  investigation  was.  made  of 
this  subject,  not  only  for  the  information  of 
the  Medical  Staff,  but  as  a  necessary  guide 
to  the  right  distribution  of  the  requisite 
supplies. 

When,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  the 
lines  of  action  corresponded  with  the  course 
of  navigable  rivers,  floating  hospitals  ac- 
companied the  armies.  Here,  with  perhaps 
five  hundred  or  a  thousand  sick  soldiers 
arranged  in  a  single  river  steamer,  well- 
born American  women  and  some  English 
volunteers  were  fearless  and  faithful  nurses. 
Let  us  see  them  at  work.     A  lady  speaks: 

' '  We  were  called  to  go  on  board  the  Wis- 
sahickon,  from  thence  to  the  Sea  Shore,  and 
run  down  in  the  latter  to  West  Point,  to 
bring  off  twenty-five  men  said  to  be  lying 
there  sick  and  destitute.  Two  doctors  went 
with  us.  After  hunting  an  hour  for  the 
Sea  Shore  in  vain,  and  having  got  as  low 
as  Cumberland,,  we  decided  (we  being  Mrs. 

and  I,  for  the  doctors  were  new  and 

docile,  and  glad  to  leave  the  responsibility 
upon  us  women,)  to  push  on  to  the  tug, 
rather  than  leave  the  men  another  night  on 
the  ground,  as  a  heavy  storm  of  wind  and 
rain  had  been  going  on  aU  day.  The  pUot 
remonstrated,  but  the  captain  approved; 
and  if  the  firemen  had  not  suddenly  let  out 
,  the  fires,  and  detained  us  two  hours,  we 
might  have  got  our  men  on  board  and  re- 
turned comfortably  soon  after  dark.  But 
Vol..  I.— No.  16.  32 


the  delay  lost  us  the  precious  daylight.  It 
was  night  before  the  last  man  was  got  on 
board.  There  were  fifty-six  of  them — ^ten 
very  sick  ones.  The  boat  had  a  little  shel- 
ter cabin.  As  we  were  laying  mattresses 
on  the  floor,  whilst  the  electors  were  finding 
the  men,  the  captain  stopped  us,  refusing 
to  let  us  put  typhoid  fever  below  the  deck, 
on  account  of  the  crew,  he  said,  and  threat- 
ened to  push  off  at  once  from  the  shore. 

Mrs. and  I  looked  at  him.     I  did  the 

terrible  and  she  the  pathetic,  and  he  aban- 
doned the  contest.  The  return  passage  was 
rather  an  anxious  one.  The  river  is  much 
obstructed  with  sunken  ships  and  trees; 
the  nigl^t  was  dark,  and  we  had  to  feel  our 
way,  slackening  speed  every  ten  minutes. 
If  we  had  been  alone  it  wouldn't  have 
mattered;  but  to  have  fifty  men,  unable  to 
move,  upon  our  hands,  was  too  heavy  a 
responsibility  not  to  mike  us  anxious.  The 
captain  and  pUot  said  the  boat  was  leaky, 
and  remarked  awfiiUy  '  that  the  water  was 
six  fathoms  deep  about  there;'  but  we  saw 
their  motive  and  were  not  scared.  We 
were  safe  alongside  the  Spaulding  by  mid- 
night; but  Mr.  Olmsted's  tone  of  voice,  as 
he  said,  '  You  don't  know  how  glad  I  am  fo 
see  you,"  showed  how  much  he  had  been 
worried.  And  yet  it  was  the  best  thing  we 
could  have  done,  for  thrfee,  perhaps  five, 
of  the  men  would  have  been  dead  before 
moming.^  To-day  (Sunday,)  they  are  liv- 
ing, and  likely  to  Uve." 

A  plan  for  the  swift  construction  of  a 
good  receiving  hospital,  the  notion  of  great 
soup  caldrons  on  wheels  for  feeding  the 
sick  and  wounded  pifter  battle,  scrofulous 
inspection,  active  agitation  and  investiga- 
tion of  the  question  of  what  is  to  be  done 
in  the  future  with  the  disabled  soldiers  of 
three  years  of  war,  are  among  the  whole- 
some work  of  the  Commission,  which  has 
been  able,  after  every  great  battle,  to  dis- 
patch a  voluntary  contribution  of  neces- 
saries, in  addition  to  the  provision  made  by 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  Army.  Thus, 
after  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Bun — when 
General  Pope's  army,  with  a  loss  of  sixteen 
thousand  in  kiUed  and  wounded,  ^aa  in  re- 
treat— the  Confederates  had  captured  forty- 
three  wagon  loads  of  medical  stores.  With- 
in three  days,  sixteen  wagon  loads  of  drugs 
and  medicines,  the  gift  of  the  country 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission,  were  at 
the  disposal  of  the  army;  and  at  Centpr- 
viUe,  on  the  road  from  BuU  Eun  to  Wash- 
ington, the  Commission's  agents  served  out 
to  the  wounded,  who  came  fainting  in  by 
hundreds,  hot  beef  tea,'  soup  and  bread, 
and  stimulants — gathered  them  into  am- 
bulances or  hospitals — and  otherwise  helped 
them  on  to  Washington.  .  The  Commission 
has  always  extended  such  help  alike  to  friend 
or  foe;  the  wounded  Confederate  who  has 
been  captured  has  been  simply  regarded  as 
a  sufferer; 


498 


The  Sanitarf  Commission  BuUefin, 


These  laborers  on  behalf  of  humanity, 
even  work  tinder  fire  in  the  field  relief  corps 
that  trot  up  their  light  wagons  with  stores, 
bandages,  or  other  aid  to  the  surgeons, 
wherever  men  fall  fastest,  and  after  the 
battle  hunt  indefatigably  for  the  straggling 
wounded.  The  Commission  has  organized, 
also,  a  distinct  department  of  Special  Re- 
lief for  care  of  the'  sick  among  newly- 
arrived  regiments;  for  providing  tempqrary 
and  gratuitous  shelter  and  food  to  the  sol- 
dier honorably  discharged,  while  he  is 
waiting  in  any  city  for  his  papers  and  his 
pay;  for  helping  the  helpless  soldier  in 
any  conceivable  way,  by  acting  as  his  un- 
paid agent,  or  attorney;  for  protecting  him 
against  sharpers,  or  getting  railway  tickets 
at  reduced  rates.  With  such  views  sol- 
diers' "  Homes"  have  been  established 
throughout  the  North,  and  at  the  principal 
Home  in  Washington,  about  a  hundred 
thousand  nights'  lodgings,  and  three  or 
four  hundred  thousand  meals,  have  been 
gratuitously  provided.  The  Commission 
has  obtained  Homes,  too.  for  its  own  and 
the  Army's  nurses  when  not  in  attendance 
on  the  sick,  or  preparing  to  depart  for  dis- 
tant stations.  Finally,  the  Commission 
charges  itself  with  the  duty  of  seeing  that 
every  soldier  is  decently  buried,  with  a 
headstone  over  his  grave,  and  that  a  record 
is  kept  of  the  place  of  burial;  or,  that  his 
body  is  forwarded  to  his  friends. 

The  funds  that  support  all  this  good 
work  are  voluntary  gifts. '  The  people  of 
California  sent;  in  one  sum,  the  gold  of 
their  soil  to  the  value  of  a  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds  English  money.  Sanitary 
fairs  -have  been  lately  held  at  different 
towns,  at  6hicago,  Cincinnati, .Rochester, 
Washington,  &c.  Brooklyn  Pair  lately 
contributed  four  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars; and  from  the  great  fair  held  at  New 
York,  a  million  dollars  were  expected. 

The  Commission  works  openly;  any  one 
who  will,  may  inspect  its  books.  It  pays 
its  officers,  buys  wagons,  charters  ships, 
feeds  horses  and  mules,  pays  rent  of  offices 
and  warehovises,  yet  the  entire  cost  of  its 
management  is  under  three  per  cent,  of  its  » 
income.  When,  at  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg, a  wagon  load  of  the  Commissioners' 
stores  was  captured,  with  three  of  its 
agents,  the  Secretary  of  the  Commission 
•sked  and  obtained  from  the  Confederate 
authorities  their  release,  on  the  ground 
that  they  were  non-combatants,  and  that 
throughout  the  war  "the  Sanitary  Oom- 
ipission  had  ne\er  made  any  distinction 
in  its  benevolence  between  friend  and 
foe," 

If  any  one  would  estimate  the  value  of 
such  work  in  pursuance  of  a  good  example, 
let  him  remember  that  Miss  Nightingale 
and  the  Crimean  Commission  found  the 
British  army  in  the  East  dying  from  dis- 
ease at  the  rate  of  sixty  per  cent.,  or  more 


than  half  its  whble  strength,  in  the  year; 
and  that,  sanitary  care  having  been  taken, 
the  death  rate  was  reduced  in  the  last 
five  months  of  the  campaign  to  twelve  in  a 
thousand !  The  army  was  made  fifty-two 
times  healthier!  Our  whole  average  yearly 
loss  by  disease  in  the  Peninsular  war,  was  a 
hundred  and  thirteen  in  a  thousand;  and 
the  sanitary  reforms  made  by  Lord  Her- 
bert in  the  home  life  of  our  infantry  are 
saving  us  now,  every  year,  one  life  in  every 
hundred  men.  The  whole  loss  in  our  army  by 
all  diseases  has  been  less  in  each  of  the  last 
four  years  than  it  used  to  be  from  diseases 
of  the  lungs  alone. 

Most  nobly  have  the  American  people 
struggled  to  amend  this  part  of  the  record 
of  their  own  disastrous  struggle.  We  read 
much  of  sharp  trading  and  selfish  grasping, 
of  bopts  with  paper  soles,  and  other  cruel 
dealings  of  the  wooden  nutmeg  school;  but 
the  support  given  by  the  American  people, 
(not  the  American  contractors,)  to  their 
armies,  through  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
tells  a  nobler  tale.  Thus,  for  example,  it 
may  seem  a  small  matter  that  the  Commis- 
sion makes  part  of  its  preventive  work  to 
consist  in  the  raising  of  fresh  vegetables 
for  Army  use;  but  without  fresh  vegetables 
troops  can  hardly  be  saved  from  scurvy. 
Dr.  Frank  H.  Hamilton,  a  distinguished 
Medical  Inspector  in  the  army  of  Rosen- 
crans,  expressed,  in  a  report,  his  full  belief 
that  "  one  barrel  of  potatoes  per  annum  is 
to  the  Government  equal  to  one  man."  At 
one  time,  when  the  success  of  the  Western 
Army,  in  a  hazardous  operation,  was  be- 
coming helpless,  by  reason  of  scurvy  among 
the  troops,  and  when  the  consequent  adver- 
tisement of  a  commissary  for  fifty  thousand 
bushels  of  potatoes,  and  a  corresponding 
supply  of  other  vegetables,  found  no  trader 
able  or  wiUing  to  be  responsible  for  their 
delivery,  the  Commission  set  to  work,  and, 
collecting  voluntary  gifts  in  kind  from  the 
fields  and  gardens  of  the  districts,  supplied 
gratuitously,  within  a  month,  six  thousand 
barrels  of  fresh  vegetables,  restored  the 
health  of  the  troops,  and  so,  though  a  non- 
combatant,  did  really,  by  a  brisk  discharge 
of  potatoes,  change  in  that  campaign  the 
fortune  of  the  war. 


HOW  BROOKLYN  MONEY  GOES. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Brooklyn  Union: 

.  The  undersigned  citizens  of  Brooklyn 
and  New  York,  sympathizing  deeply  with 
the  intense  interest  that  exists  in  the  hearts 
of  our  citizens  to  know  to  whafr  extent  this 
institution  has  been  enabled  to  afford  aid 
and  comfort  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  since  they  crossed 
the  Rapidan,  visited  the  Headquarters  of 
the  Commission  during  their  recent  visit  to 
Washington,  to  solicit  information  as  to  the 
details  of  their  labels,  &c.    Their  records 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


499 


•were  submitted  to  ub  for  inspection,  and 
every  facility  afforded  to  give  us  an  insight 
into  all  the  departments  of  their  work.  We 
feel  it  a  duty  as  well  as  a  privilege  to  lay 
before  the  public  the  information  we  thus 
obtained,  especially  as  in  consequence  of 
the  engrossing  labors  of  the  members — 
officers  and  agents  of  the  Commission, 
night  and  day,  the  last  three  weeks — in 
providing  for  the  emergency  forced  upon 
them,  by  the  series  of  battles  which  have 
occurred,  .but  little  official  information  as 
to  the  extent  and  variety  of  their  labors  in 
behalf  of  the  wounded  and  sick  of  our  brave 
defenders  has  been  made  public.  It  is  pro- 
per to  say  that  we  do  this  without  intima- 
tion or  solicitation  from  any  one,  and  only 
because  we  believe  the  simple  statement  of 
facts  communicated  to  us  will  give  comfort 
and  consolation  to  many  anxious  and  bleed- 
ing hearts. 

[The  writers  here  quote  entire  the  letter 
of  Mr.  Van  Ingen,  published  in  No.  15.] 

The  following  extracts  from  the  diary  of 
one  of  the  principal  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion at  Washington  wiU  help  the  reader  to 
form  an  idea  as  to  the  extent  of  the  supplies 
furnished  by  the  Commission: 

"  Monday,  May  9. — ^Reliable  information 
just  received  that  the  wounded  were  to 
come  by  way  of  Belle  Plain.  The  loading 
of  the  Eapley,  which  had  been  already 
commenced,  was  completed,  and  a  barge 
was  chartered  to  carry  horses  and  wagons. 

Tuesday,  May  10.— The  Mary  F.  Eapley 
sailed  with  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
tons  of  stores  oil  board,  and  sixty  relief 
agents,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Agnew,  Dr.  Steiner, 
and  Mayor  Fay,  of  Chelsea.  Mrs.  Hus- 
band and  Miss  GiUson,  who  have  long 
served  with  the  army  in  the  field,  went  also. 
The  Eapley  had  in  tow  a  barge  loaded  with 
twenty-one  horses  and  five  large  wagons, 
for  transportation  of  the  stores  from  Belle 
Plain  to  the  army. 

Wednesday,  May  11.— Three  boat  loads 
of  wounded  arrived  and  were  fed.  The 
barge  Washington  was  chartered  and  loaded 
with  sixteen  horses,  four  wagons  and  forage, 
and  sailed  in  the  afternoon  in  tow  of  the 
tug  Governor  Ourtin.  Twenty-four  relief 
agents  went  down  by  Government  trans- 
port. In  the  afternoon  the  Eapley  return- 
ed. ,   , 

Thursday,  May  12.— The  Eapley  sailed 
again,  having  been  loaded  in  the  night  with 
from  eighty  to  one  hundred  tons  of  stores. 
Dr.  Pairchild  went  with  her,  in  charge  of 
thirty  relief  agents. 

Friday,  May  13.— Twenty  relief  agents 
went  dawn  in  Government  boat. 

Saturday,  May  14— The  steamboat  Phoe- 
nix chartered,  loaded  with  hospital  stores, 
lumber,  and  a  construction  corps  to  build  a 
smaU  wharf,  if  needed,  and  storehouse. 

Mr.  Knapp  went  with  "the  Phoenix,  in 


charge  of  thirty-two  relief  agents.  The 
schooner  Sarah  Lavinia  was  offered  to  the 
Commission  free  of  charge,  by  a  citizen  of 
the  place,  for  temporary  use,  and  is  being 
loaded.     The  Eapley  arrived. 

Sunday,  May  15.— The  Eapley  loaded 
again  this  forenoon  and  dispatched  The 
Sfirali  Lavinia  sailed. 

Monday,  May  16.— The  Eapley  arrived 
in  the  night,  was  loaded  again  to-day  and 
sailed.  The  Phoenix  arrived,  was  reloaded 
and  sent  off.  The  Eapley  took  down  five 
wagons  and  twenty  horses,  besides  hospital 
stores. 

Tuesday,  May  17.— All  quiet. 
Wednesday,  May  18. — The  Eapley  ar- 
rive4  last  night.  The  Phoenix  also  came 
in.  No  departures.  Horses  and  wagons 
being  bought  to  send  to-morrow.  Dr.  Jen- 
kins "went  to  the  front.    , 

Thursday,  May  19.— The  Phoenix  and 
Eapley  sailed  at  about  ten  o'clock,  the  for- 
mer with  five  wagons  and  twenty  horses, 
the  Eapley  loaded  with  stores  only. 

A  barge  was  chartered  to  be  loaded  with 
more  teams. 

Friday,  May  20. — The  barge  sailed  with 
ten  wagons  and  forty  horses.  Dr.  Jenkins 
and  Dr.  Agnew  returned  with  the  Phoenix. 
So  much  for  the  work  that  has  been  done 
here,  and  besides  all  this  our  agents  have 
been  constantly  on  the  watch  at  the  landing 
for  the  Government  boats,  so  as  to  be  ready 
to  feed  the  wounded  as  they  arrived. 

The  surgeons  of  the  hospital  transports 
State  of  Maine  and  Connecticut  expressed 
their  gratitude  to  the  Commission  for  what 
had  been  done  on  board  their  boats,  the 
latter  saying  he  did  not  know  what  he 
should  have  done  without  the  Commission. 
Our  agents  who  were  at  the  front  say 
that  the  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  de- 
pend largely  and  constantly  upon  the  Com- 
mission. G.  C.  C." 

On  the  21st  of  May  one  of  our  company 
left  Washington  with  Dr.  Knapp,  the  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  the  Commission,  on  the 
steamer  Mary  F.  Eapley,  to  visit  Belle 
Plain,  the  base  of  supplies  for  our  army. 
On  our  arrival  there  in  the  evening,  some 
four  hundred  wounded  soldiers  were  being 
transferred  from  the  ambulance  train  to 
the  barg^,  and  the  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion were  on  hand,  distributing  to  every 
ambulance  all  needed  supplies  of  stimulants, 
food,  &o.  At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  22d  inst.,  thirty-one  wagons,  fully 
loaded  (four  horses  each)  with  sapitary 
stores,  left  Belle  Plain  for  Ifredericksburg. 
The  Sanitary  Commission  had  an  ample 
supply  of  large  tents  at  Belle  Plain  for  the 
accommodation  of  their  nurses,  agents,  and 
for  preparing  coffee,  stimulants,  &c.,  for 
the  wounded,  in  addition  to  a  large  barge 
filled  with  assorted  sanitary  stores,  and 
,  ►  large  tents  to  store  their  supplies  as  receiv- 
ed from  the  steamers. 


500 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


On  the  evening  of  the  22d  inst. ,  telegrams 
were  received  at  Belle  Plain  that  the  base 
of  supplies  would  be  at  once  changed  to 
Port  Boyal.  We  conclude  with  extracts 
showing,  in  part,  the  operations  of  the 
Commission  since  the  23d: 

Sanitabt  Commission,  Central  Office,     ) 
No.  2M  r  Stkeet,  Washington,  May  27,,  1864. ) 

"A  train  of  twenty-nine  wagons  hav- 
ing gone  from  BeUe  Plain  to  Fredericks- 
burg with  supplies,  the  balance  of  all  sup- 
plies were  loaded  on  the  barges,  the  tents 
struck  and  stored,  the  wooden  feeding  sta- 
tion taken  down  and  packed  in  the  hold  of 
the  boat,  the  various  lost  boxes  of  the  sol- 
diers taken  on  board,  and  the  Bapley 
started  for  Port  Royal. 

In  the  meantime,  the  wounded  coming 
down  from  Fredericksburg  by  way  of  Aquia 
Creek,  were  fed  there  before  going  on  to 
the  boats,  and  supplies  with  relief  agents 
put  on  board  each  of  the  boats  going  to 
Washingt6n. 

On  the  24:th,  the  tug-boat  Governor  Cur- 
tin,  after  carrying  additional  stores  and 
agents  to  Aquia  Creek  for  service  on  the 
boats  of  wounded,  took  the  storeboat  Ken- 
nedy, with  eight  more  relief  agents,  and 
started  for  Port  Royal,  a,i,  3  P.  M.,  the  other 
barge  loaded  being  in  tow  of  a  Government 
tug. 

At  Fredericksburg  the  work  of  relief 
continued  till  May  26th,  in  the  afternoon. 
The  stores  were  then  quite  abundant  and 
the  numbers  needing  aid  decreasing,  yet 
relief  was  given  each  day  to  many. 

The  wounded  gathered  at  Falmouth  pre- 
paratory to  taking  the  cars  for  Aquia  Creek, 
were  cared  for  day  and  night,  and  the  suf- 
fering unavoidably  incident  to  such  a  hur- 
ried move,  greatly  alleviated  by  various 
ministries. 

Some  twenty-six  horses  of  the  Commis- 
sion with  wagons,  were  furnished  thrd'e 
days  since  to  the  Quartermaster  to  enable 
him  to  go  out  into  the  "Wilderness"  to 
look  up  wounded,  a  report  having  come  in 
that  some  of  the  wounded  were  still  there. 
These  wagons  had  not  returned  on  the 
morning  of  the  26th. 

26th. — AU  the  woUnded  removed  from 
Fredericksburg.  A  train  of  wagons  is  to 
start  for  Port  Eoyal.  The  Kent  and  Rap- 
ley,  both  chartered  by  the  Commission,  run 
up  for  Port  Eoyal  to  Fredericksburg  and 
take  on  some  of  the  relief  corps.  The 
Kent  takes  on  also  100  wounded  men. 

Others  of  the  relief,  corps  go  on  two 
large  hospital  transports,  which  are  admi- 
rably fitted  up  by  Government,  as  nurses 
on  the  trip  from  Fredericksburg  to  Wash- 
ington. At  Washington,  meantime,  a  corps 
of  twenty  relief  agents  have  been  busily  at 
work  on  the  boats  running  between  Aquia 
Creek  and  Washington.  These  boats  being 
called  in  for  temporary  service,  ;were  not 
fitted  up  by  Government  for  transports,  and 


had  nothing  but  hay  on  board  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  men;  consequently  the  lemon- 
ade, wine,  crackers,  &o.,  together  with  the 
personal  ministrations  of  our  men,  were  pe- 
culiarly serviceable.  On  most  of  these 
boats  there  were  also  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Commission  and  of  the  various  relief 
associations  returning  from  Fredericks- 
burg. They  aU  took  hold  of  the  work  at 
hand  with  cordial  good  will. 

With  large  stores  at  Port  Royal  and  more 
on  the  way,  we  wait  to-morrow's  work. 
What  has  been  done  during  the  pafet  few 
days  by  the  reUef  agents  who  move  with 
the  moving  army,  I  cannot  say,  as  no  report 
has  been  received  from  them.  They  start- 
ed with  wagons  well  supplied. " 

When  it  is  understood  that  the  statements 
made  above  merely  relate  to  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  behalf  of  the 
wounded  and  siek  of  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac this  month,  and  that  large  supplies 
of  sanitary  stores  have,  during  the  same 
time,  been  forwarded  to  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland,  Fortress  Monroe,  and  other 
divisions  of  our  army,  the  question  asked 
by  so  many  that  have  not  seen  Bulletins 
from  the  Sanitary  Commission,  What  is  the 
Sanitary  Commission  doing  with  their 
abundant  stores  at  this  crisis  ?  is  fuUy  an- 
swered. 

But  for  the  length  of  this  communication, 
we'  should  take  pleasure  in  enumerating  de- 
tails of  the  system  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commissi6n,  the  keeping  fuU 
daily  records  of  all  the  sick  and  wounded 
of  our  armies  received  into  Hospital  at 
Washington  or  elsewhere,  the  time  of  their 
reception,  date  of  their  discharge,  <fec.,  so 
that  by  giving  the  name  of  any  soldier,  his 
regiment .  and  company,  full  information 
can  at  once  be  obtained,  and  many  an  anx- 
ious inquiry  answered. 

We  were  also  much  interested  in  the 
Lodges  and  Homes  of  the  Commission, 
where  soldiers,  disabled  and  discharged,  or 
absent  on  furlough;  are  accommodated  with 
meals,  lodging,  &c. ,  while  detained  to  per- 
fect their  papers,  collect  dues  from  the 
Government,  &c.  All  back  pay  and  pen- 
sions are  collected  by  the  Commission,  and 
papers  home  furnished  to  the  soldier  with- 
out any  charge.  The  extent  of  the  labors 
of  the  Commission  in  this  direction,  may  be 
estimated  from  the  fact  that. the  Commis- 
sion have  had,  the  last  year,  in  all  their 
lodges,  at  different  stationg,  an  average  of 
two  thousand  soldiers  on  their  hands  every 
night. 

We  cannot  close  this  report  without  ex- 
pressing our  gratification  at  learning  of  the 
cordial  co-operation  between  the  Sanitary 
and  Christian  Commissions.  The  delegates 
of  the  Christian  Commission  from  Brook- 
lyn assure  us  that  all  their  requisitions  for 
sanitary  stores  were  most  readily  respond- 
ed to. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


501 


The  united  testimony  of  tlie  surgeons, 
agents,  and  delegates,  of  both  the  Sanitary 
and  Christian  Copimissipiis,  can  leave  no 
doubt  that  the  timely  sanitary  stores  so 
freely  furnished  on  the  front  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Belle  Plain,  .&o.j  have  saved  to  their 
country  and  friends  thousands  of  lives. 

DwiGtHT  Johnson,  Brooklyn. 

JosiAH  O.  Low,  Brooklyn. 

GBOBaE  S.  Stephenson,  Brooklyn. 

John  J.  Obane,  New  York. 


THE  POPE  AND  THE  SANITABT  COMMIS- 
SION.—A  DONATION  OF  FIVE  HUNDEED 
DOLLARS. 

Prom  the  following  corresppndenoe  it 
will  be  seen  that  a  liberal  contribution  has 
been  received  by  the  General  Aid  Society 
in  Buffalo  from  the  Pope: 

BuFFAiO,  May  17,  1864. 
Madam — The  Sovereiga  Pontiff  Pope  Piua  IX., 
has,  through  his  Bminenoe,  Cardinal  Barnabo, 
notified  me  that  with  the  deepest  sorrow  and  witli 
the  most  fraternal  interest  he  has  heard  of  the 
number  of  gallant  soldiers  wounded  in  our  many 
battles,  and'  that  he  desires  me  to  give  in  his 
name,  and  out  of  his  private  purse,  $500,  as  some 
aid  to  alleviate  their  sufferings. 

Your  truly  providentially  organized  society 
has  done  very  much  to  aid  our  wounded  soldiers; 
hence  it  seems  to  me  that  there  can  be  no  better 
means  of  accomplishing  the  kind  and  paternal 
wish  of-  his  Holiness,  than  to  hand  over  to  you 
this  check  for  $500,  ^ith  ray  humble  and  fervent 
prayers  that  God's  blessing  may  not  only  rf  st  on 
our  gallant  wounded  soldiers,  but  also  on  the 
honored  members  of  your  Commission  who  aid 
them  so  generously. 

AccepI  the  expressions  of  respect  and  esteem 
with  which 

■  I  have  the  honor  to  be. 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 
t  John, 

'  Bishop  ofBuffoXo. 

Mbs.  Hobatio  Setmotjh, 

President  of  B.  U.  S.  SajnMa/ry  Cowmission. 

Genekal  Aid  Society  for  the  Aniiinr,  j 
BuErALO,  Jfo!/-18, 1864.        J 
Et.  Rev.  John  Timos: 

Deak  Sib — It  is  with  no  ordinary  feelings  we 
sspknowledge  the  receipt  at  your  hands  of  $500' 
from  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  Pope  Pius  IX,,  for 
the  relief  of  our  wounded  soldiers.  Large  con- 
tributions have  been  received  from  foreign  coun- 
tries for  this  'humane  object.  We  are  d.eeply 
-  touched  by  such  pvidenoes  of  interest  in  our  pres- 
ent straggle  for  national  life,  and  the  indorsement 
of  this  national  channel  for  our  charities,  which 
we  believe  to  be  the  most  direct,  humane,  and 
efficient  one  through  which  the  goo4  will  of  a 
Christian  people  can  be  conveyed  to  the.wounded 
patriots  in  field  or  hospital.  Please  present  out 
thanks  to  his  Holiness,  and  accept,  for  your  part 
in  this  manificent  act,  the  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments of  the  society.  With  sentiments  of  the 
highest  regard, 

Yours  truly, 

Mrs,.  Hobatio  Seymour  , 

President. 


A  MESSAGE  PROM  THE  ARMY. 
[The  following  lines  are  from  the  pen  of  the 
Author  of  "A  Rainy  Day  in  Camp,"  as  also  of 
those  exquisite  verses  on  the  ' '  Death  of  a  Massa- 
chusei^s  Sergeant,"  which  we  published  a  few 
weeks  ago.  Many  of  our  readers  are  doubtless 
already  familiar  with  this  "Message,  from  the 
Army,"  but  it  derives  a  fresh  and  touching  in- 
terest from  the  fact  that  the  gifted  writer  is  no 
more.  There  can  be  no  harm  now  in  according 
her  the  honor,  which,  while  living,  she  always 
shrank  from  claiming,  by  saying  that  it  is  to  the 
late  Mrs.  Robert  S .  Ho  wland  that  we  are  indebted 
for  it.  She  was  one  of  the  most  earnest,  enthu- 
siastic and  accomplished  laborers  for  the  Me- 
tropolitan Fair,  and  we  almost  fear,  we  may  add, 
one  of  its  victims.  Her  interest  in  the  war, 
and  in  the  welfare  of  the  army,  was  intense,  but 
most  of  the  many  good  deeds  in  which  it  was 
manifested,  were  done  so  quickly  and  unobtru- 
sively, as  almost  to  make  them  secret.  ] 

Oh,  FhiendsI  our  eoldier-hearts  cry  out 

From  all  the  far-off  camps  ; 
From  lonely  watcli-fires  in  the  West, 

From  Southern  woods  and  swamps. 

/ 

Whereyer  ia  tteir  windy  tents  i 

Brave  boys  are  gathering, 
There,  E^un-'browiied  faces  smile,  and  bless 

Your  Christ-lite  ministering. 

Blow !  blow,  March  winds  I  from  mountain  forts. 

From  gulf  and  river  banks ; 
And  carry  to  those  Northern  homes 

Our  thousand,  thousand  thanks  I 

And  we  who  lie  in  narrow  beds 

AU  over  the  sa4  land,— 
From  stricken  rows,  in  dreary  wards 

We  stretch  a  paUid  hand, 

And  grasp  the  palm  whose  clasp  we  Imow— 

The  generous,  tender  palm ! 
Whose  every  touch  on  heart  and  head 

Is  spitie,  and  oil,  and  balm  1 

And  we  whose  beds  are  narrower  yet,  , 

Beneath  the  sun  and  rain; 
"Who  never  more  may  carry  arms 
;  Though  spring  has  come  again. 

We  too  would  tell  how  loving  bands 

Shut  down  our  dying  eyes. 
And  send  a  blessing  from  the  dead 

On  all  your  sacrifice ! 

Oh  earnest  hearts  I  oh.  generous  hands  I 

What  better  thanks  can  be 
Than  His,  who  said— *' Wlien  I  was  sick 

Te  came  to  visit  Me  I" 

Work  on  1  Pray  on  I— No  beart  may  faint. 

No  hand  shall  work  in  vain. 
Soon  Pain  shall  concLuer  us  a  Peace 

AnA  Peace  shall  heal  our  Pain. 

Marcht  1864. 


502 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


^i 


HOSPITAL  COTTON  SHIRT, 

HAIiF  OF  FEONT.  HAI-F  OF  SLEEVE. 

ff/Af.  _ 


s 


i/ 


j.„„„.. 


/S/A/. 


SHOULDEB  PIECE. 

////v. 


COLLAB. 


^O  IN. 


■WEISTBAKD. 
///M 


Mequired  for  each  Shirt. 

5  white  bone  buttons,  (3  for  front,  2  for 
sleeves. ) 

4  tape  stays,  1  inoli  long,  (for  flaps  and  open- 
ing of  sleeves. ) 

2  skeins  thread. 

The  back  of  the  shirt  is  out  by  the  same  pat- 
tern as  the  front,  though  not  sloped  quite  so 
*muoh  on  the  neok. 

The  opening  in  front  is  15  inches  long,  faced 
on  one  side  with  cotton  2  inches  wide,  and 
hemmed  on  the  other.  The  shirt  is  gathered 
into  the  collar  both  in  front  and  behind. 

The  shoulder-pieces  are  faced  under  .the 
shoulder  seams,  and  out  down  one  inch  at  one 
end,  as  per  diagram,  to  fit  under  the  collar. 

The  arm  sizes  are  strengthened  with  binders 
2  inches  wide,  out  circular,  as  per  dotted  line  in 
diagram.  The  sleeve  is  gathered  into  the  wrist- 
band and  gathered  a  little  at  the  top. 


Two  gussets  are  added  to  each  sleeve,  as  per 
diagram.     The  flaps  are  two  fingers  long. 

The  above  pattern  is  for  cotton  one  yard  wide. 
After  the  front,  back  and  sleeves  have  been  cut 
out,  a  strip  6  inches  wide  will  be  left,  out  of 
which  can  be  cut  all  the  small  pieces.  Cut  in 
this  way  it  wiU  take  less  than  three  yards  of 
cotton. 

Hospital  Cotton  Drawers. 

Cotton  drawers  should  be  cut  by  the  saoae 
pattern  as  flannel  drawers,  (toi  which,  see  Bul- 
letin, No.  13.)  The  pattern  should  be  laid  on 
the  cloth  in  the  same  manner,  the  smallest  part 
of  one  leg  to'  the  smallest  part  of  the  other,  leav- 
ing a  piece  on  each  side  for  the  double  waist- 
bands. 

The  diagrams  allow  for  seams. 

N.  B.— Owing  to  blurred  type,  the  dimen- 
sions on  the  lower  line  of  diagram  for  flannel 
drawers,  in  No.  13  of  the  Bulletin,  are  illegi- 
ble.    They  should  read  18  inches. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiMetin. 


503 


WESTERN  SCENES,  No.  3. 

♦'Wheee  these 's  a  Wiiiii,  thebb's  a  "Way."' 

In  nothing  is  this  more  strikingly  exem- 
plified, than  in  the  history  of  the  cause  of 
hospital  relief.  Wliile- indolence,  selfish- 
ness and  disloyalty  intrench  themselves 
behind  frivolous  excuses,  to  shield  them 
'  from  doing  their  duty  towards  our  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers,  the  generous,  active  and 
patriotic  are  fertile  in  inventions  to  obtain 
means  for  their  relief,  and  glory  in  labors 
and  sacrifices  that  carry  plenty  and  com- 
fort to  the  hospitals. 

Some  two  or  three  months  ago,  a  poor 
girl,  a  seamstress,  came  to  the  rooms  of 
the  Chicago  Sanitary  Commission.  "  I  do 
not  feel  right,"  she  said,  "that  I  am  doing 
nothing  for  our  soldiers  in  the  hospitals, 
and  have  resolved  to  do  something/  immedi- 
ately .  Which  do  you  i^ref er — that  I  should 
give  money,  or  buy  material  and  manufac- 
ture it  into  garments  ?" 

"You  must  be  guided  by  your  circum- 
stances," was  the  answer  made  her;  "we 
need  both  money  and  supplies,  and  you 
must  do  that  which  is  most  convenient  for 

you." 

"I  prefer  to  give  you  money,  if  it  will 
do  as  much  good." 

"Very  well;  then  give  money,  which  we 
need  badly,  and  without  which  we  cannot 
do  what  is  most  necessary  for  our  brave 
sick  men. " 

"TheuIwiU  give  you  the  entire  earn- 
ings of  the  next  two  weeks.  I'd  give 
more,  but  I  have  to  help  support  my  moth- 
er, who  is  an  invalid.  Generally,  I  make 
but  one  vest  a  day,  but  I  will  work  earlier 
and  later  these  next  two  weeks. " 

In  two  weeks  she  came  again,  the  poor 
sewing  girl,  her  face  radiant  with  the  con- 
sciousness of.  philanthropic  intent.  Open- 
ing her  port-monnaie,  she  counted  out — 
how  much  do  you  think,readers  of  the  New 
Covenant? — nineteen  dotlws  and  thirty-seven 
cents !  Every  penny  was  earned  by  the 
slow  needle,  and  she  had  stitched  away  into 
the  hours  of  midnight,  on  every  one  of  the 
working  days  of  the  week.  We  call  that 
an  instance  of  patriotism  married  to  gen- 
erosity. 

Some  farmers'  wives  in  the  north  of  Wis- 
consin, eighteen  miles  from  a  railroad,  had 
given  to  the  Commission  of  their  bed 
and  table  linen,  their  husbands'  shirts  and 
drawers,  their  scanty  supply  of  dried  and 
canned  fruits,  tiU  they  had  exhausted  their 
ability  to  do  more  in  this  direction.  Still 
they  were  not  satisfied.  So  they  cast  about 
to  see  what  could  be  done  in  another  way. 
They  were  all  the  wives  of  small  farmers, 
lately  moved  to  the  West,  living  all  in  log 
cabins,  where  one  room  sufficed  for  kitch- 
en, parlor,  laundry,  nursery  and  bed-roojn, 
doing  their  own  house- work,  sewing,  baby- 


tending,  dairy-work  and  aU.     What  covM 
they  do  ? 

They  were  not  long  in  devising  a  way 
to  gratify  the  longings  of  their  motherfy 
and  patriotic  hearts,  and  instantly  set  about 
carrying  it  into  action.  They  resolved  to 
beg  wheat  of  the  neighboring  farmers,  and 
oonvert  it  into  money.  Sometimes  on  foot, 
and  sometimes  with  a  team,  amid  the  snows 
and  mud  of  early  spring,  they  canvassed;^ 
the  country  for  twenty  and  twenty-five 
miles  around,  everywhere  eloquently  jjlead- 
ing  the  needs  of  the  blue-coated  soldier 
boys  in  the  hospitals,  the  eloquence  every- 
where acting  as  an  open  sesame  to  the  gran- 
eries.  Now  they  obtained  a  little  from  a 
rich  man,  and  then  a  great  deal  from  a  poor 
man — deeds  of  benevolence  are  half  the 
time  in  an  inverse  ratio  to  the  ability  of 
the  benefactors — ^till  ^ey  had  accumulated 
nearly  five  hundred  bushels  of  wheat.  This 
they  sent  to  market,  obtained  the  highest 
market  price  for  it,  and  forwarded. the  pro- 
ceeds to  the  Commission.  As  we  held  this 
hard-earned  money  in  our  hands,  we  felt 
that  it  was  consecrated — that  the  holy  pur- 
pose of  these  noble  women  had  imparted 
an  almost  sacredness  to  it. 

A  little  girl  not  nine  years  old,  with  sweet 
and  timid  grace,  came  into  the  rooms  of 
the  Commission,  and  laying  a  five  dollar 
gold  piece  on  our  desk,  half  frightened, 
told  us  its  history.  "My  uncle  gave  me 
that  before  the  war,  and  I  was  going  to 
keep  it  always;  but  lie  's  got  kUled  in  the 
army,  and  mother  says  now  I  lAay  give  it 
to  the  soldiers  if  I  want  to — and  I'd  like  to 
do  so.  I  don't  suppose  it  will  buy  much 
for  them— will  it  ?" 

We  led  the  child  to  the  storeroom,  and 
proceeded  to  show  her  how  valuable  her 
gift  was,  by  pointing  out  what  it  would 
buy — so  many  cans  of  condensed  mUk,  or 
so  many  bottles  of  ale,'  or  pounds  of  tea,  or 
codfish,  &c<  Her  face  brightened  with 
pleasure.  But  when  we  explained  to  her 
that  hej  five  dollar  gold  piece  was  equal  to 
seven  dollars  and  a  half  in  greenbacks,  and 
told  her  how  much  comfort  we  had  been 
enabled  to  carry  into  a  hospital  with  as 
smaU.  an  amount  of  stores  as  that  sum  would 
purchase,  she  faiiSy  danced  for  joy.  "Oh, 
it  will  do  lots  of  good,  won't  it?"  And 
folding  her  hands  earnestly  before  her,  she 
begged  in  her  charmingly  modest  way, 
"  Please  tell  me  something  that  you've 
seen  in  the  hospitals."  A  narration  of  a 
few  touching  events,  not  such  as  would  too 
severely  shock  the  little  creature,  but  which 
plainly  showed  the  necessity  of  continued 
benevolence  to  the  hospitals,  fiUed  her  sweet 
eyes  with  tears,  and  drew  from  her  the  re- 
solution "  to  save  all  her  money,  and  to  get 
all  the  girls  to  do  so,  to  buy  things  for  the 
wounded  soldiers."  And  away  she  flew, 
revelling  in  the  luxury  of  d,oing  good,  and 


504 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


happy  in  the  formation  of  a  good  resolu- 
tion. 

A  ragged  little  urchin,  who  thrusts  his 
uhiempt  pate  daily  into  the  rooms,  with 
the  shrill  cry  of  "  Matches!  matches!"  had 
stood  watching  the  little  girl,  and  listening 
to  the  talk.  As  she  disappeared,  he  fum- 
bled in  his  ragged  pocket,  and  drew  out  a 
small  handful  of  crumbled  and  soiled  postal 
currency.  "  Here,"  said  he,  "  I'll  give  you 
so  much,  for  them  ere  sick  fellers  in  the 
hospitals,"  and  he  put  fifty-five  cents  into 
our  hand,  all  in  five  cent  currency.  We 
hesitated.  "No,  my  boy,  don't  give  it. 
You're  a  noble  little  fellow,  but  I'm  afraid 
you  can't  afford  to  give  so  .  much.  You 
keep  it,  and  I'll  give  the  fifty-five  cents,  or 
somebo'dy  else  wUl." 

"Oh,  no,"  he  replied,  "yon  keep  it. 
P'raps  I  ain't  so  poor  as  yer  think.  My 
father,  he  saws  wood,  and  my  mother,  she 
takes  in  washin',  and  I  sells  matches — and 
p'raps  we've  got  more  money  than  yer  think. 
Keep  it!"  And  he  turned  his  dirty,  but 
earnest  face  up  to  us  with  a  most  beseech- 
ing look.     "  Keep  it-^do!" 

We  took  the  crumbled  cun-ency — we  for- 
got the  dirty  face  and  the  tattered  cap — we 
forgot  that  we  called  the  little  scamp  a 
"  nuisance"  every  day  for  months,  when  he 
had  made  us  fairly  jump  from  our  seat  with 
his  shrill,  unexpected  ciy  of  "Matches! 
matches!"  and  made  a  dive  at  him,  to  kiss 
him.  But  he  was  too  quick  for  us,  and 
darted  out  of  the  room,  as  if  he  had  been 
shot.  Ever  since,  when  he  meets  us,  he 
gives  us  a  wide  berth,  and  walks  ofi'  the 
sidewalk  into  the  gutter,  eyeing  us  with  a 
suspicious,  sidelong  glance,  as  though  he 
suspected  we  still  meditated  kissing  inten- 
tions towards  him.  If  we  speak  to  him,  he 
looks  at  us  shyly,  and  offers  no  reply — but 
if  we  pass  him  without  speaking,  he  chal- 
lenges us  with  a  hearty  "  halloo,  you!"  that 
brings  us  to  a  halt  instantly. 

Had  we  space,  we  might  continue  similar 
narrations  through  half  a  dozen  columns. 
All  who  will,  can  do  something  for  our  poor 
boys  in  hospitals.  If  it  be  little,  "  mony  a 
mioklemakes  amuokle" — and  if  it  be  much, 
it  will  cause  the  blessing  of  many  ready  to 
perish  to  come  on  the  donor.  But  aU  can 
do  SOMETHING.  "Where  there's  a  wUl, 
there's  a  way. " — From  the  New  Covenant. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

CLEANLnnSSS   OF  BOOMS   AND  WALLS. 

It  cannot  be  necessary  to  tell  a  nurse  that  she 
should  be  clean,  or  that  she  should  keep  her 
patient  clean,  seeing  that  the  greater  part  of 
nursing  consists  in  preserving  cleanliness.  No 
ventilation  can  freshen  a  room  or  ward  where 
the  most  scrupulous  cleanhness  is  not  observed. 
Unless  the  wind  be  blowing  through  the  win- 
dows at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  dusty 
carpets,  dirty  wainscots,  musty  curtains  and 


furniture,  will  infallibly  produce  a  close  smeU. 
I  have  lived  in  a  large  and  expensively  furnish- 
ed London  house,  where  the  only  constant  in- 
mate in  two  very  lofty  rooms,  with  opposite 
windows,  was  myself,  and  yet,  owing  to  the 
above-mentioned  dirty  circumstances,  no  open- 
ing of  windows  could  ever  keep  those  rooms 
free  from  closeness;  but  the  carpet  and  curtains 
having  been  turned  out  of  the  rooms  altogether, 
they  became  instantly  as  fresh  as  could  be  wish- 
ed. It  is  pure  nonsense  to  say  that  in  London 
a  room  cannot  be  kept  clean.  Many  of  our  hos- 
pitals show  the  exact  reverse. 

But  no  particle  of  dust  is  ever  or  can  ever  be 
removed  or  really  got  rid  of  by  the  present  sys- 
tem of  dusting.  Dusting  in  these  days  me.ans 
nothing  but  flapping  the  dust  from  one  part  of 
a  room  on  to  another  with  doors  and  windows 
closed.  What  you  do  it  for  I  cannot  think.  You 
had  much  better  leave  the  dust  alone,  if  you  are 
not  going  to  take  it  away  altogether.  For  from 
the  time  a  room  begins  to  be  a  room  up  to  the' 
time  when  it  ceases  to  be  one,  no  one  atom  of 
dast  ever  actually  leaves  its  precincts.  Tidying 
a  room  means  nothing  now  but  removing  a 
thing  from  one  place,  which  it  has  kept  clean 
for  itself,  on  to  another  and  a  dirtier  one.  Flap- 
ping, by  way  of  cleaning,  is  only  admissible  in 
the  case  of  pictures,  or  any  thing  made  of  paper. 
The  only  way  I  know  to  remove  dust,  the  plague 
of  all  lovers  of  fresh  air,  is  to  wipe  every  thing 
with  a  damp  cloth.  And  all  furniture  ought  to 
be  so  made  as  that  it  may  be  wiped  with  a  damp 
cloth  without  injury  to  itself,  and  so  poUshed  as 
that  it  may  be  damped  without  injury  to  others. 
To  dust,  as  it  is  now  practised,  truly  means  to 
distribute  dust  more  equally  over  a  room. 

As  to,  floors,  the  only  really  clean  floor  I  know 
is  the  Berlin  lackered  floor,  which  is  wet  rubbed 
and  dry  rubbed  every  morning  to  remove  the 
dust.  The  French  parquet  is  always  more  or 
less  dusty,  although  infinitely  superior,  in  point 
of  cleanliness  and  healthiness,  to  our  absorbent 
floor. 

For  a  sick  room,  a  carpet  is  perhaps  the  worst 
e^jedient  which  could  by  any  possibility  have 
been  invented.  If  you  must  have  a  carpet,  the 
only  safety  is  to  take  it  up  two  or  three  times  a 
year,  instead  of  once.  ^  A  dirty  carpet  literally 
infects  the  room.  And  if  you  consider  the 
enormous  quantity  of  organic  matter  from  the 
feet  of  people  coming  in,  which  must  saturate 
it,  this  is  by  no  means  suiprising. 

As  for  walls,  the  worst  is  the  papered  wall; 
the  next  worst  is  plaster.  But  the  plaster  can 
be  redeemed  by  frequent  lime  washing;  the 
paper  requires  frequent  renewing.  A  glazed 
paper  gets  rid  of  a  good  deal  of  the  danger. 
But  the  ordinary  bed-room  paper  is  all  that  it 
ought  not  to  be. 

The  close  connection  between  ventilation  and 
cleanliness  is  shown  in  this.  An  ordinary  light 
paper  will  last  clean  much  longer  if  there  is  an 
Arnott's  ventilator  in  the  chimney  than  it  other- 
wise would. 

The  best  wall  now  extant  is  oil  paint.  From 
this  you  can  wash  the  animal  exuvae. 

These  are  what  make  a  room  musty. 

The  best  wall  for  a  sick  room  or  ward  that 
could  be  made  is  pure  white  non-absorbent 
cement  or  glass,  or  glazed  tiles,  if  they  were 
made  slightly  enough. 

Air  can  be  soiled  just  like  water.  If  you-blW 


The  Bcmita/ry  Commission  BvRdm. 


505 


into  water  you  will  soil  it  with  the  animal  mat- 
ter from  your  breath.  So  it  is  with  air.  Air  is 
always  soiled  in  a  room  where  walls  and  carpets 
are  saturated  with  animal  exhalations. 

Want  of  cleanliness,  then,  in  rooms  and  wards, 
which  you  have  to  guard  against,  may  arise  in 
three  ways: 

1.  Dirty  air  coming  in  from  without,  soiled 
by  sewer  emanations,  the  evaporation  from  dirty 
steeets,  smoke,  bits  of  unbumt  fuel,  bits  of 
straw,  bits  of  horse  dung. 

If  people  would  but  cover  the  outside  walls 
of  their  houses  with  plain  or  encaustic  tiles  what 
an  incalculable  improvement  would  there  be  in 
light,  cleanliness,  dryness,  warmth,  and  con- 
sequently economy.  The  play  of  a  fire  engine 
would  then  effectually  wash  the  outside  of  a 
house.  This  kind  of  waUing  would  stand  next 
to  paving  in  improving  the  health  of  towns. 

2.  Dirty  air  coming  from  within,  from  dust, 
which  you  often  displace,  but  never  remove. 
And  this  recalls  what  ought  to  be  a  sme  qua  non. 
Have  as  few  ledges  in  your  room  or  ward  as 
possible.  And  under  no  pretence  have  any 
ledga  whatever  out  of  sight.  Dust  accumulates 
there,  and  will  never  be  wiped  off.  This  is  a 
certain  way  to  soil  the  air.  Besides  this,  the 
animal  exhalations  from  your  inmates  saturate 
your  furniture.  And  if  you  never  clean  your 
furniture  properly,  how  can  your  rooms  or 
wards  be  anything  but  musty?  Ventilate  as 
you  please,  the  rooms  wiU  never  be  sweet.  Be- 
sides this,  there  is  a  constant  degradaHon,  as  it 
is  called,  taking  place  from  everything  except 
polished  or  glazed  articles — e.  g.,  in  coloring 
certain  green  papers  arsenic  is  used.  Now  in 
the  very  dust  even,  which  is  lying  slbout  in 
rooms  hung  with  this  kind  of  green  paper,  arse- 
nic has  been  distinctly  detected.  .  Tpu  see  your 
dust  is  anything  but  harmless;  yet  you  will  let 
such  dust  lie  about  your  ledges  for  months, 
your  rooms  for  ever. 

Again,  the  fire  fills  the  room  with  coal-dust. 

3.  Dirty  air  coming  from  the  carpet.  Above 
all,  take  care  of  the  carpets,  that  the.  animal 
dirt  left  there  by  the  feet  of  visitors  does  not 
stay  there.  Floors,  unless  the  grain  is  filled 
up  and  polished,  are  just  as  Jgad.  The  smeU 
from  the  floor  of  a  sehool-room  or  ward,  when 
any  moisture  brings  out  the  organic  matter  by 
whioh  it  is  saturated,  might  alone  be  enough  to 
warn  us  of  th'^  mischief  that  is  going  on. 

The  outer  air,  then,  can  only  be  kept  clean 
by  sanitary  improvements,  and  by  oonsumiug 
the  smoke.  The  expense  in  soap,  which  this 
single  improvement  would  save,  is  quite  incal- 
culable. 

The  inside  air  can  only  be  kept  cle^n  by  ex- 
cessive care  in  the  ways  mentioned  above — to 
rid  the  walls,  carpets,  furniture,  ledges,  &c.,  of 
the  organic  matter  and  dust— dust  consisting 
greatly  of  this  organic  matter — ^with  which  they 
become  saturated,  and  which  is  what  really 
makes  the  room  musty. 

Without  cleanliness,  you  cannot  have  all  the 
effect  of  ventilation;  without  ventilation,  you 
can  have  no  thorough  cleanHneas. 

Very  few  people,  be  they  of  what  class  they 
may,  have  any  idea  of  the  exquisite  cleanliness 
required  in  the  sick-room.  For  much  of  what 
I  have  said  applies  less  to  the  hospital  than  to 
the  private  sick  room.  The  smoky  chimn^, 
the.' dusty  furniture,  the  utensils  emptied  but 


once  a  day,  often  keep  the  air  of  the  sick  room 
constantly  dirty  in  the  best  private  houses. 

The  well  have  a  curious  habit  of  forgetting 
that  what  is  to  them  but  a  trifling  inconven- 
ience, to  be  patiently  "  put  up  "  with,  is  to  the 
sick  room  a  source  of  suffering,  delaying  recov- 
ery, if  not  actually  hastening  death.  The  well 
are  scarcely  ever  more  than  eight  hours,  at  most, 
in  the  same  room.  Some  change  they  can  al- 
ways make,  if  only  for  a  few  minutes.  Even 
during  the  supposed  eight  hours,  they  can 
change  their  posture  or  their  position  in  the 
room.  But  the  sick  man  who  never  leaves  his 
bed,  who  cannot  change  by  any  movement  of 
his  own  his  air,  or  his  light,  or  his  warmth; 
who  cannot  obtain  quiet,  or  get  out  of  the 
smol^,  or  the  smell,  or  the  dust;  he  is  really 
poisoned  or  depressed  by  what  is  to  you  the 
merest  trifle. 

"What  can't  be  cured  must  be  endured,"  is 
the  very  worst  and  most  dangerous  maxim  for 
a  nurse  whioh  ever  wag  made.  Patience  and 
resignation  in  her  are  but  other  words  for  care- 
lessness or  indifference — contemptible,  if  in  re- 
gard -to  herself;  culpable,  if  in  regaid  for  the 
sick. 

PEESONAIi   CIJEANLINESS. 

In  almost  all  diseases,  the  function  of  the 
skin  is,  more  or  less,  disordered;  and  in  many 
most  important  diseases  nature  relieves  herself 
almost  entirely  by  the  skin.  This  is  particular- 
ly the  case  with  children.  But  the  excretion, 
which  comes  from  the  skin,  is  left  there,  unless 
removed  by  washing  or  by  the  clothes.  Every 
nurse  should  keep  tms  fact  constantly  in  mind-^, 
for,  if  she  allow  her  sick  to  remain  unwashed, 
or  their  clothing  to  remain  on  them  after  being 
saturated  with  perspiration  or  other  excrfetion, 
she  is  interfering  injuriously  with  the  natural 
processes  of  health  just  as  effectually  as  if  sh« 
were  to  give  the  patient  a  dose  of  slow  poison  by 
the  mouth.  Poisoning  by  the  skin  is  no  less  cer- 
tain than  poisoning  by  the  mouth — only  it  is 
slower  in  its  operation. 

The  amount  of  relief  and  comfort  experienced/ 
by  sick  after  the  skin  has  been  carefully  wash- 
ed and  dried,  is  one  of  th^  commonest  observa- 
tions made  at  a  sick  bed.  But  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  comfort  and  relief  so  obtained 
are  not  all.  They  are,  in  fact  nothing  more  than 
a  sign  that  the  vital  powers  have  been  relieved 
by  removing  something  that  was  oppressiiag* 
them.  The  nurse,  tMferefore,  must  never  put 
off  attending  to  the  personal  cleanliness  of  her 
patient  under  the  ,plea  that  all  that  is  to  be' 
gained  is  a  little  relief,  which  can  be  quite  as 
well  given  later. 

In  all  well-regulated  hospitals  this  ought  to 
be,  and  generally  is,  attended  to.  But  it  is  very 
generally  neglected  with  private  sick. 

Just  as  it  is  necessary  to  renew  the  air  round 
a  sick  person  freqitently,  to  carry  off  morbid 
efSuvia  from  the  lungs  and  skin,  by  maintain- 
ing free  ventilation,  so  it  is  necessary  to  keep 
the  p'ores  of  the  skin  free  from  all  obstructing- 
excretions.  The  object,  both  of  ventilation  and; 
of  skin-eleanliness,  is  pretty  much  the  same — to 
wit,  removing  noxious  matter  from  the  system 
as  rapidly  as  possible. 

Care  should  be  taien  in  all  these  operatiops 
of  sponging,  washing,  and  cleansing  the  skin,, 
not  to  expose  too  great  a  surface  at  once,  so  as 


506 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BuUetin. 


to  check  the  perspiration,  which  would  renew 
the  eyil  in  another  form. 

The  various  ways  of  washing  the  sick  need 
not  here  be  specified — the  less  so  as  the  doctors 
ought  to  say  which  is  to  be  used. 

In  several  forms  of  diarrhea,  dysentery,  &c., 
where  the  skin  is  hard  and  harsh,  the  relief  af- 
forded by  washing  with  a  great  deal  of  soft  soap 
is  incalculably.  In  other  cases,  sponging  with 
tepid  soap  and  water,  then  with  tepid  water  and 
drying  witii  a  hot  towel  will  be  ordered. 

Every  nurse  ought  to  be  careful  to  wash  her 
hands  very  frequently  during  the  day.  If  her 
face  too,  so  much  the  better. 

One  word  as  to  cleanliness  merely  as  clean- 
liness. 

Compare  the  dirtiness  of  the  water  in  which 
you  have  washed  when  it  is  cold  without  soap, 
cold  with  soap,  hot  with  soap.  Tou  will  find 
the  first  has  hardly  removed  auy^dirt  at  all,  the 
second  a  little  more,  the  third  a  great  deal  more. 
But  hold  your  hand  over  a  cup  of  hot  water  for 
a  minute  or  two,  and  then,  by  merely  rubbing 
with  the  finger,  you  will  bring  off  flakes  of  dirt 
or.  dirty  sMn.  After  a  vapor  bath  you  may  peel 
your  whole  self  clean  in  this  way.  What  I  mean 
is,  that  by  simply  washing  or  sponging  with  water 
you  do  not  really  clean  your  skin.  Take  a 
rough  towel,  dip  one  comer  in  very  hot  water — 
if  a  little  spirit  be  added  to  it  it  wiU  be  more 
effectual — and  then  rub  as  if  you  were  rubbing 
the  towel  into  your  skia  with  your  fingers.  The 
black  flakes  which  will  come  off  will  convince 
you  that  you  were  not  clean  before,  however 
much  soap  and  water  you  have  used.  These 
flakes  are  what  require  removing.  And  you  can 
really  keep  yourself  cleaner  with  a  tumbler  of 
hot  water  and  a  rough  towel  and  rubbing,  than 
with  a  whole  apparatus  of  bath  and  soap  and 
sponge,  without  rubbing.  It  is  quite  nonsense 
to  say  that  anybody  need  be  dirty.  Patients  have 
been  kept  as  clean  by  these  means  on  a  long 
voyage,  when  a  basin  full  of  water  could  not  be 
afforded,  and  when  they  could  not  be  moved 
out  of  ther  berths,  as  if  all  the  appurtenances  of 
home  had  been  at  hand. 

Washing,  however,  vrith  a  large  quantity  of 
water  has  quite  other  effects  than  those  of  mere 
cleanliness.  The  skin  absorbs  the  water  and 
becomes  softer  and  more  perspirable.  To  wash 
with  soap  and  soft  water  is,  therefore,  desirable 
from  other  points  of  view  than  that  of  clean- 
liness. 

CHATTEETNG  HOPES  AND  ADVICES. 

The  sick  man  to  his  advisers. 

"  My  advisers !  Their  name  is  legion.  *  *  * 
Somehow  or  other,  it  seems  a  provision  of  the 
universal  destinies,  that  every  man,  woman  and 
aJiild  should  consider  him,  her,  or  itself  privi- 
leged especially  to  advise  me.  Why?  That  is  pre- 
cisely what  I  want  to  know."  And  this  is  what 
I  have  to  say  to  them.  I  have  been  advised  to  go 
to  every  place  extant  in  and  out  of  England — 
to  take  every  kind  of  exercise  by  every  kind  of 
cart,  carriage — ^yes,  and  even  swing  (! )  and  dumb- 
bell (! )  in  existence  ;  to  imbibe  every  different 
kind  of  stimulant  that  ever  has  been  invented. 
And  this  when  those  best  fitted  to  know,  viz., 
medical  men,  after  long  and  close  attendance, 
had  declared  any  journey  out  of  the  question, 
had  prohibited  any  kind  of  motion  whatever, 
had  closely  laid  down  the  diet  and  drink.  What 


would  my  advisers  say,  were  they  the  medical 
attendants,  and  I  the  patient  left  their  advice, 
and  took  the  casual  adviser's  ?  But  the  singu- 
larity in  Legion's  mind  is  this:  it  never  occurs 
to  him  that  everybody  else  is  doing  the  same 
thing,  and  that  I  the  jpatient  must  perforce  say; 
in  sheer  self-defence,  like  BosaUnd,  "I  could 
not  do  with  all. " 

' '  Chattering  Hopes"  may  seem  an  odd  head- 
ing. But  I  really  believe  there  is  scarcely  a 
greater  worry  which  invalids  have  to  endure 
tiian  the  incurable  hopes  of  their  friends.  There 
is  no  one  practice  against  which  I  can  speak  more 
strongly  from  actual  personal  experience,  wide 
and  long,  of  its  effects  during  sicbiess,  observed 
both  upon  others  and  upon  myself.  I  would 
appeal  most  seriously  to  all  friends,  visitors, 
and  attendants  of  the  sick  to  leave  off  this  prac- 
tice of  attempting  to  "cheer"  the  sick  by  mak- 
ing light  of  their  danger  and  by  exaggerating 
their  probabilities  of  recovery. 

Par  more  now  than  formerly  does  the  medical 
attendant  tell  the  truth  to  the  sick  who  are 
really  desirous  to  hear  it  about  their  own  state. 

How  intense  is  the  folly,  then,  to  say  the 
lep.st  of  it,  of  the  friend,  be  he  even  a  medical 
man,  who  thinks  that  his  opinion,  given  after 
a  cursory  observation,  will  weigh  with  the  pa- 
tient, against  the  opinion  of  the  medical  atten- 
dant, given,  perhaps,  after  years  of  observation, 
after  using  every  help  to  diagnosis  afforded  by 
the  stethoscope,  the  examination  of  pulse, 
tongue,  &c. ;  and  certainly  after  much  more 
observation  than  the  friend  can  possibly  have 
had. 

Supposing  the  patient  to  be  possessed  of  com- 
mon sense,  how  can  the  "favorable"  opinion, 
if  it  is  to  be  called  an  opinion  at  all,  of  the 
casual  visitor  "  cheer"  him,  when  different  from 
that  of  the  experienced  attendant?  Unques- 
tionably the  latter  may,  and  often  does,  turn 
out  to  be  wrong.  But  which  is  most  likely  to 
be  wrong  ? 

The  fact  is,  that  the  patient  is  not  "cheered" 
at  all  by  these  well-meaning,  most  tiresome 
friends.  On  the  contrary,  he  is  depressed  and 
wearied.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  he  exerts  himself 
to  tell  each  succe^ive  member  of  this  too  num- 
erous conspiracy,  whose  name  is  legion,  why 
he  does  not  thirik  as  they  do — in  what  respect 
he  is  worse — what  symptoms  exist  that  they 
know  nothing  of— he  is  fatigued  instead  of 
"  cheered,"  and  his  attention  is  fixed  upon  him- 
self. In  general,  patients  who  are  really  ill  do 
not  want  to  talk  about  themselves.  Hypochon- 
driacs do,  but  again  I  say  we  are  not  on  the 
subject  of  hypochondriacs. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  and  which  is  much 
more  frequently  the  case,  the  patient  says  no- 
thing, but  the  Shakespearian  "Oh!"  "Ah!" 
"Go  to!"  and  "In  good  sooth!"  in  order  to 
escape  from  the  conversation  about  himself  the 
sooner,  he  is  depressed  by  want  of  sympathy. 
He  feels  isolated  in  the  midst  of  friends.  He 
feels  what  a  convenience  it  would  be,  if  there 
were  any  single  person"to  whom  he  could  speak 
simply  and  openly,  without  pulling  the  string 
upon  himself  of  this  shower-bath  of  silly  hopes 
and  encouragements;  to  whom  he  could  express 
his  wishes  and  directions  without  that  person 
persisting  in  saying,  "I  hope  that  it  will  please 
God  yet  to  give  you  twenty  years,"  or,  "You 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiHMin. 


507 


have  a  long  life  of  activity  before  you. ''  How 
often  we  see  at  the  end  of  biographies,  or  of 
cases  recorded  in  medical  papers,  "  after  along 
illness  A.  died  rather  suddenly,"  or,  "unexpect- 
edly both  to  himself  and  to  others."  "Unex- 
pectedly" to  others,  perhaps,  who  did  not  see, 
because  they  did  not  look;  but  by  no  means 
"unexpectedly  to  himself,"  as  I  feel  entitled  to 
believe,  both  from  the  internal  evidence  in  such 
stories,  and  from  watching  similar  cases;  there 
was  every  reason  to  expect  that  A.  would  die, 
and  he  knew  it;  but  he  found  it  useless  to  insist 
upon  Ms  own  knowledge  to  his  friends. 

In  these  remarks  I  am  alluding  neither  to 
acute  cases  which  terminate  rapidly  nor  to 
"  nervous"  cases. 

By  the  first,  much  interest  in  their  own  dan- 
ger is  very  rarely  felt.  In  writings  of  fiction, 
whether  novels  or  biographies,  these  death-beds 
are  generally  depicted  as  almost  seraphic  in 
lucidity  of  intelligence.  Sadly  large  has  been 
my  experience  in  death-beds,  and  I  can  only 
say  that  I  have  seldom  or  never  seen  such.  In- 
difference, excepting  with  regard  to  bodily  suf- 
fering, or  to  some  duty  the  dying  man  desires 
to  perform,  is  the  far  more  usual  state. 

The  "nervous  case,"  on  the  other  hand, 
delights  in  figuring  to  himself  apd  others  a 
fictitious  danger. 

But  the  long  chronic  case,  who  knows  too 
weE  himself,  and  who  has  been  told  by  his 
physician  that  he  will  never  enter  active  life 
again,  who  feels  that  every  month  he  has  to  give 
up  something  he  could  do  the  month  before — 
oh !  spare  such  sufferers  your  chattering  hopes. 
Ton  do  not  know  how  you  worry  and  weary 
them.  Such  real  sufferers  cannot  bear  to  ti.Ik 
of  themselves,  still  less  to  hope  for  what  they 
cannot  at  all  expect. 

So  also  as  to  all  the  advice  showered  so  pro- 
fusely upon  such  sick,  to  leave  off  some  occu- 
pation, to  try  some  other  doctor,  some  other 
house,  climate,  pill,  powder,  or  specific;  I  say 
nothing  of  the  inconsistency — for  these  advisers 
are  sure  to  be  the  same  persons  who  exhorted 
the  sick  man  not  to  believe  his  own  doctor's 
prognostics,  because  "doctors  are  always  Inis- 
takeri,"  but  to  believe  some  other  doctor,  be- 
cause "  this  doctor  is  always  right."  Sure  also 
are  these  advisers  to  be  the  persons  to  bring  the 
sick  man  fresh  occupation,  while  exhorting  him 
to  leave  his  own. 

Wonderful  is  the  face  with  which  friends,  lay 
and  medical,  wiU  come  in  and  worry  the  patient 
with  recommendations  to  do  something  or  other, 
having  just  as  little  knowledge  as  to  its  being 
feasible,  or  even  safe  for  him,  as  if  they  were  to 
recommend  a  man  to  take  exercise,  not  knowing 
he  had  broken  his  leg.  What  would  the  friend 
say,  if  he  were  the  medical  attendant,  and  if  the 
patient,  because  some  other  friend  had  come  in, 
becaxise  somebody,  anybody,  nobody,  had  re- 
commended something,  anything,  nothing,  were 
to  disregard  his  orderfi,  and  take  that  other  body's 
recommendation?  But  people  never  think  of 
this. 

To  me  these  commonplaces,  leaving  their 
smear  upon  the  cheerful,  single-hearted,  con- 
stant devotion  to  duty,  which  is  so  often  seen 
in  the  decline  of  such  sufferers,  recall  the  slimy 
trail  left  by  the  snail  on  the  sunny  southern 
garden-wall-  loaded  vrith  fruit. — Miss  NigMin- 
gak. 


PROTECTIVE 

op  THE  ^ 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOBK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


IPrQsidsiit 
Lieut. -Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT, 

"Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIBAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAU8,  Esq. 

EOBT.  B.  Ik^pfTUEN,  Esq. 
^3  JT6  ctors 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEOEGE  OPDTKE, 
HIKAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Rev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOR,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETER 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,ROBT.  L.  STUART,  ALEBED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  lette^^to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  &c'y, 

35  Chambebs  Stbbet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
fheir  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claim,s  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEECANTILE  MAEINE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

IVo.  33  Wall  Street,  IVew  Tork. 


INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 
Assets  over  $1,400,000. 


MAEINE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  on  Tessels. 
Freight  and  Merchandise  insured  on  tho  most  favorable 
terms. 

Policies  are  issued,  loss,  if  any,  payahle  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  office  of  RATHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
desired. 

Parties  effecting  insurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend* of  profits,  or  receive  an  eq^uivalent 
cash  discount,  at  their  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Fres't. 
CHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vice-Pres't. 
C.  J.  Despabd,  Secretary. 


508 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Siirgeon-General  of  the  V.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  ajid  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Ohnsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Bureu,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Cren'l  U.  S.  A. 
Woleott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Kt.  Kev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R  I. 

Hon.  B.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnaiti,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  lU. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,'  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Fhdladelphi,a,  Penn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Woleott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prot  Fairman  Bogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  Stillf. 

Ezra  B.  MoCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

«IL        officbbb: 
H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  IJL.p^  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDDIO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Woleott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Saailtary  OommlBsion  lias  made  arrangementB 
for  supplying  iiiformation  gratuitously,  Witt  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  TTuited  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Mori^and  liouislanft,  address 
"OfSoe  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  ad,dress  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

:^r  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, BHi  Arkansas,  address  "Ofloe  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, LouiBTUle,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  ^ank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  appUoation  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  he  sent  by  return  of  maU  ;  if  in  pwson, 
it  wiU  be  answered  at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  mquirer's 
expense.  ^ 

JB- Soldiers'  Aid  BooletioB,  olergyiaen,  editors,  and 
othSs,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectuauFthan  by  Weo'ly  and  widely  dissemtoating 
S  tamrtedge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  fnends 
In  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maiatains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in.its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  pomts 
w^re  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
egual  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga^-its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies^  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  locaJitieB, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for.  assist- 
ance, are  invited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Oommissipn,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  CommisBion,  BrE^ch.  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md.  • 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0.        • 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,,  Buffalo,  New  York._ 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  1th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
LouisviUe,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

Oeneral  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Bailroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  MaryWd  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  O. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— CoL  Q.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  m.— 0.  N.  Shlpmam,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky James  Malona,  Sup't 

James  Morton,  Special  Belief  A^ent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
anc^  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers',  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— O.W. 
Oluisty,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vioksburg,  Miss.- T.  Way,  Sup't. 

ACIEITOV  FOB  PENSIONS. 

WiHiam  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

BOSFITAIi    OASa. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'— Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SAHITABX  STKftMU'.a. 

Cumberland  Blver^New  Dnnleitb. 


Th£  SamVairy  Oomrmssim.  BiMetin. 


I 


FRED'O    S.    OOZZENS, 


J   liiiiNiiT 

73  Warren  Street^  JVew  ^nr/e. 


9 


(Opposite  Hudson  River  R.  R.  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Vy/ashifigton,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard'e.) 

OF  THE  PUREST  QUALITt,  FOR 


OS,  dSSG., 


MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOO, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

A.iid   by   the    S^I^ITARY     003y:]Sd:iSSI0]S'. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  York  and  Washington  for 

Long-worth's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawfea  Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


^V 


^ 


^^^^^^^^ 


M. 


'^ 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnshury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBAITKS  &  CO ,  No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BRCWN  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
PAIRBANKS,*GRBBWt.BAP  &  CO.,  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BWING,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

DescriptiTe  circulars  famished  or  njailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  above.  , 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FKOM  JUKIES  3  Am)  4) 

AT   THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Eeport  of 
"EXCEEDIJVG  EXCELLENT  FOR   FOOD." 


MAIZENA, 

M  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOOIETT,  at  Utica,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Diploma  and  Medai. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

OoT.  3,  1863,  TOOK  Gold  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  tal^en  the  first  premium  at  the  American  Institctb,  New  York 
City;  New  Jmiset  State  Fair  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  beei)  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Corn  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to 
the  public  as  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &o.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
little  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &o. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "  Maizena, "  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Grocers  and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WM,  OURYEA.  Geiipral  Agcist, 


The  Sanitmry  Commission  BvEetin.  511 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


dCoIumWau  {^um)  ^mxmtt 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     Sl,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 |3,U0,9ap  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,236  T6 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  TJnadjustM  and  other  Contingencies , . : 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  ^holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Ms  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  le  Cnrreney. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the 'option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  iu  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OP  POLICY,  as  foUows: 

1st.  Upon  aU  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-EIVB 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  KOWE,  M.  F.  MEKIOK,  MOSES  ilERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVm  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  0.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM,- 

THOS.  a.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  JB., 

WM.  H.  HAI;3EY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHM  D.  BATES,  JR.,  ^  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  inrcHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIEFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.         ^  B.  C.  MOKEUS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  2d  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


^^  ^rh£  Samtary  Commission  BuTMin. 


KOETH  AMERICAN 

Fire  Insurance  Company, 

IN  THE  CITY  OP  NEW  YOBK. 

« ,,^ .^^^w^,.,,^,^,,^ 

OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


II^OORP'OTl^TED   1823. 

CASH   CAPITALfMaylJ 

AND  SURPLUS,!  1864,  ^^^^^^^^  ^^' 

ASSETS: 

Loans  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being  first  lien  on  Real  Estate, 

worth  over  Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $173,160  00 

Stocks,  Bonds  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  mar- 
ket value ] 365,960  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 24,282  15 

Loans  on  demand  with  collaterals. 71,400  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding .■ 3,820  81 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission  [business  of  April 

received] 13,491  57 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 21,684  60 

Other  Property  of  Company I,2ti5  00 

1675,014  13 
Losses  unadjusted $10,500  00 


K 


Insures  Property  against  Loss  or  Damage  by  Tire  at  usual  rates, 
and  returns  three-fourths  of  the  net  Profits,  each  year,  to  the  As- 
sured. "  ^ 

Policies  Issued  and  Losses  paid  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or  at 
its  various  Agencies  in  the  principal  cities  in  the  United  States. 

JAMES  W.  OTIS,  President. 
R.  W.  BLEECKER,  Secretary. 
R  p.  MASQN,  Sup't  Agencies. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  JULY  1,  1864. 


No.  17. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Bepobts — 

Sherman'B  Department S13 

Belief  Work  at  Port  Boyal 522 

Point  Isabella  Hospital,  Ky 535 

Abmi  S-dboeons, 523 

HospiTAii  Clothing — Correction 525 

SOEITES  IN  Fkedebicksbxteg   526 

Lettee  Wbiting  in  Camp 531 

What  is  BEisa  done  foe  Siok  and  Wounded 

soldiebs 531 

Homes  and  Lodges 534 

Notes  on  Nubsino 536 

The  Sanitabt  Commission  Bitlletin  is  published 
on  tJte  fir  si  and  fifteenth  of  emery  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  it  offers  an^musuaUy  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

AR  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
Sientieated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bitl- 
IiEtin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  (hat  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Oom- 
mission — tlie  Standing  Committee  feds  a  certain  de- 
gree of  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
definite  period.  * 


■  The  Committee  understand,  however,  thai  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  thai  the  sum  of  two  doUars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steong,  68  WaU  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  vnB  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  coniribvior  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  publication  be  sooner  discon- 
tinued. 
Vol..  I.— No.  17.  33 


SHERMAN'S  DEPARTMENT. 

iSSUSa  4.T  CHATTANOOaA. 

Dr.  Bead  reports  to  Dr.  Newberry,  from 
Chattanooga,  June  12: 

For  a  long  time  eveSts  have  so  crowded 
upon  each  other,  in  this  department,  and 
my  work  has  been  of  such  a  miscellaneous 
character,  that  it  has  been  impossible  for 
me  to  give  you  any  detailed  statement  of 
that  part  of  the  work  especially  under  my 
observation. 

A  brief  allusion  to  the  more  prominent 
occurrences  of  the  past,  and  to  the  lessons 
they  seem  to  teach,  would,  perhaps,  be  all 
you  would  care  to  read  during  the  stirring 
events  of  the  present. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1863, 
the  Commissary's  Department  ^nd  the 
Commission  furnished  a  large  supply  of 
vegetables  to  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  and' 
when  in  midsummer  the  army  advanced' 
from  Murfreesboro',  the  men  were  in  good 
condition,  and  though  the  long  march  to 
Chattanooga  was  a  tedious  one,  over  mounr 
tain  roads,  it  was  through  a  country  "where 
green  com,  potatoes,  fruits  and  berries 
were  comparatively  abundant. 

In  getting  into  Chattanooga,  our  army 
met  the  rebels  in  overwhelming  numbers  on 
the  bloody  field'  of  Chiokamauga,  and 
though  they  retired  from  the  battle-field, 
they  won,  at  a  terrible  loss,,  a  substantial 
victory,  and  Chattanooga  was  firmly  held." 

But  our  army  there  was  reaUy  besieged; 
the  soldiers  there,  to  a  great  extent,  had 
lost  their  clothing,  tents,.,  and  blankets. 
The  means  of  transportation  Were  so  limits 
ed,  that  the  loss  could  not  be  supplied. 
During  the  cold  wet  weathec  that  followed 
•after,  fences,  shade  trees,  aiid  all  spare  build- 
ings were  consumed.  Camp-fires  were  verjj 


514 


The  Sanitary  Commission^  BvEetin. 


rarely  kindled,  either  for  warmth  or  for  cook- 
ing, on  account  of  the  want  of  wood. 

The  severely  wounded  were  returned 
here  in  crowded  hospitals,  sparingly  pro- 
Tided  with  the  articles  of  diet,  clothing, 
etc.,  which  such  men  need,  although  every 
available  means  was  employed  to  get  stores 
through  from  Stevenson,  and  the  hospitals 
were  much  better  suppUed,'  than  any  other 
part  of  the  army.  I  was  enabled  to  get 
though  a  large  supply  of  condensed  milk, 
an  article,  in  such  an  emergency,  of  ines- 
timable value,  used  freely  in  tea  and  coffee, 
as  a  dressing  for  toast  and  rice,  and  for 
making  mQk  punches;  it  alone  I  have  no 
'floubt,  saved  hundreds  of  lives,  and  this 
was  the  testimony  of  all  the  surgeons  whom 
I  heai'd  speak  of  it. 

In  the  meantime  our  brave  soldiers  have 
exhibited  the  highest  types  of  heroism. 
Inadequately  clothed,  many  without  blank- 
ets, with  leaking  tents,  or  none  at  all,  on 
half  and  quarter  rations,  of  the  current 
articles  of  diet  alone;  their  pitiful  allowance 
of  hard  tack,  frequently  wet  and  mouldy, 
gathering  from  the  streets  the  scattering 
grains  of  corn  "to  parch,"  and  thus  eke 
out  their  scanty  allowance;  encamped  in  a 
sea  of  mud,  exposed  to  the  constant  fall 
rains  without  flre;  their  encampments  a 
daily  target  for  the  enemy's  shells,  their 
confidence  in  their  cause,  and  in  their  com- 
mander was  unshaken,  and  the  determina- 
tion to  endure  this  and  more,  as  long  as  it 
might  be  necessary,  wa^  universal.  In 
riding  through  the  camps  complaints  and 
murmjirings  were  unheard,  and  I  doubt  not 
had  the  vote  of  the  soldiers  been  taken,  in 
the  most  untoward  circumstances,  the  de- 
cision would  have  been  nearly,  or  quite 
unanimous,  "to  die  in  Chattanooga,  rather 
than  abandon  it." 

The  deliverance  for  which  they  waited, 
came  in  the  series  of  brilliant  battles  in 
November,  with  such  a  loss  as  was  of 
course  inevitable;  and  our  hospitals  were  • 
again  crowded  with  wounded.  Communi- 
cation was  opened  by  river  and  by  railroad, 
and  the  stores  accumulated  at  Stevention, 
NashviUe,  etc.,  were  brought  forward  in 
abundance. 

The  hospitals  were  all  supplied  with  all 
articles  of  necessity  and  luxury,  yet  the  per 
centage  of  deaths  from  hospital  was  much 


greater  than  after  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga. 

After  the  battles  of  Chattanooga,  the 
want  of  all  means  of  transportation  render- 
ed another  period  of  repose  inevitable  for 
that  part  of  the  army  which  was  confronting 
the  rebel  Gen.  Johnson,  and  an  effort  was 
made  to  vary  the  hard  fare  of  the  soldiers 
by  the  addition  of  potatoes,  onions,  pick- 
les, etc. 

Never  before  in  this  department  were  so 
large  amounts  of  these  articles  distributed 
by  our  Commission;  and  they  were  made 
to  reach  the  entire  army.  Larger  quanti- 
ties than  are  ordinarily  issued  were  for- 
warded by  the  commissaries;  and  now 
when  active  operations  are  resumed,  and  our 
hospitals  are  again  crowded  with  wounded, 
a  marked  change  in  the  physical  condition 
of  the  men  is  apparent.  Patients  are  rap- 
idly recovering  from  wounds  now,  who 
wounded  in  like  manner,  in  the  battles  of 
November,  would  certainly  have  died. 

THE  LESSON   OF  BXPBBIENCE. 

The  lesson  it  seems  to  me,  we  should 
learn  from  this,  is  one  which  has  often 
been  urged  by  the  Commission,  and  cannot 
be  repeated  too  often,  "that  the  time  to 
care  for  our  wpunded,  is  before  they  are 
wounded" — the  time  to  care  for  wounds,  is 
be^fore  they  are  made.  This  can  only  be 
done  by  a  constant  and"  liberal  issue  of 
vegetable  food  to  the  men  in  the  field,  and 
to  be  effectually  done,  and  at  the  least  ex- 
pense, should  never  be  deferred  until  the 
appearance  of  scurvy  admonishes  us  that 
our  work  has  been  neglected. 

It  seems  to  me  also,  that  during  these 
periodic  seasons  of  repose,  we  should  accu- 
mulate larger  supplies  of  "battle-stores," 
at  the  extreme  front,  or  at  the  nearest 
place  to  the  front  where  they  wiU  be  safe. 
The  greater  part  bi  the  stores  which  are 
of  special  necessity,  during  battles,  and  im- 
mediately after  them,  such  as  milk,  beef 
tea,  stimulants,  shirts,  drawers,  rags,  band- 
ages, compresses,  sheets,  pillows,  pads, 
arm-slings,  etc.,  will  keep  an  indefinite 
length  of  time,  and  it  would  be  a  great 
relief  at  all  times,  to  those  of  us  at  the 
front,  if  we  could  feel  that  from  the  accu- 
mulation of  these  stores  here,  a  rebel  raid, 
the  failure  of  a  bridge,  a  military  necessity, 
requiring  all  the  transportation  in  the  rear 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


515 


for  days  or  -weeks,  for  troops,  eqtiipages,  mu- 
nitions or  f  orage,"-woiild  not  deprive  us  of  the 
power  of  aiding  the  wounded.  The  interrup- 
tion of  transportation  for  the  past  week,  by 
the  failure  of  a  bridge,  has  seriously  embar- 
rassed us,  by  making  it  impossible  to  re- 
ceive stores,  which  we  are  exceedingly 
anxious  to  shijito  the  front,  where  they  are 
greatly  needed,  and  which  we  could  readily 
push  forward  at  any  time  from  this  point. 

THE  BEAB   AT   OBtlCKAMATJGA. 

After  the  extraordinary  demand  upon  our 
stores  and  time,  incident  to  the  battles  of 
November,  had  somewhat  diminished,  an 
inquiry  was  received  with  regard  to  an 
officer  of  a  Missouri  Begiment,  who  was 
supposed  to  have  fallen  on  the  battle-field 
of  Chickamauga,  accompanied  by  an  ur- 
gent request  from  his  father,  a  resideijt  of 
New  Jersey,  that  his  fate  be  ascertained, 
and  his  body  recovered,  if  possible.  The 
task  at  first  seemed  a  hopeless  one,  but 
after  a  little  time  such  information  was  ob- 
tained as  rendered  success  probable,  and 
an  expedition  was  started  for  the  battle- 
field under  command  of  Capt.  Barber,  of 
the  Ohio  Sharp-shooters,  and  an  escort  of 
his  men.  The  Captain  was  also  instructed 
by  Gen.  Thomas  to  btiry  any  of  our  dead 
who  might  be  found  on  the  field,  and  make 
report  on  his  return  to  the  headquarters  of 
the  department.  The  expedition  was  suc- 
cessful, the  body  sought  for  found,  and 
clearly  identified,  and  is  now  deposited  in 
the  National  Cemetery  here. 

But  so  many  of  our  dead  were  found  en- 
tirely unburied,  and  the  work  of  previous 
burial  parties  so  imperfectly  done,  (the 
rains  having  washed  away  the  scanty  cov- 
erings of  earth,  so  that  hands,  feet,  and 
skulls  protruded  from  almost  every  grave,) 
that  the  Captain  concluded  not  to  attempt 
to  finish  the  work,  and  returned  on  'the 
second  day,  and  made  report  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  field.  This  reportlnduced  the 
General  Commanding  to  issue  his  order  to 
Capt.  Barber,  to  take  the  greater  part  of 
his  command,  proceed  to  the  battle-field, 
encamp  there,  and  continue  his  work  until 
all  the  dead  were  buried.  What  I  had  seen 
on  the  previous  expedition  induced  me  to 
accompany  this,  to  work  with  the  Captain, 
and  as  far  as  possible  identify  the  remains 
of  the  fallen,  mark  their  restiag  places,  and 


save  for  the  friends  all  personal  mementoes 
that  could  be  gathered  up.  During  the 
fifteen  days  spent  upon  the  field,  between 
800  and  900  of  our  dead  were  buried;  some 
had  never  been  buried,  and  part  had  been 
imperfectly  buried  by  our  own  men  after 
the  battle^  of  November.  The  only  in- 
stance indicating  that  the  rebels  had  buried 
any  of  our  dead,  was,  where  the  men  were 
found  buried  in  one  grave,  aU  shot  in  the 
head,  a  strap  buckled  around  the  arm  of 
one  and  the  legs  of  another  tied  together 
with  a  strap.  It  was  evident  they  had  been 
shot  after  they  were  captured. 

The  whole  battle-field  was  carefully  pa- 
trolled by  Capt.  Barber's  men,  a  grave  dug 
for  each  soldier,  his  remains  carefully  de- 
posited and  covered,  and  when  by  a  care- 
ful examination  of  clothing,  contents  of 
pockets,  or  in  any  other  way  the  identity 
of  the  body  could  be  ascertained,  the  grave 
was  marked  with  his  name. 

The  inscription  on  the  "head-boards  and 
the  location  of  the  graves  of  all  who  were 
buried  by  our  men  during  the  battle, 
or  from  the  rebel  hospitals,  were  also  care- 
fully noted,  and  the  bodies  of  many  have 
been  thus  recovered  and  forwarded  to  their 
friends  through  this  office. 

One  instance  will  illustrate  the  nature  of 
this  work:  Two  miles  south  of  Crawfish 
Springs  we  found  the  body  of  a  man  whose 
clothing  indicated  that  he  was  a  Union  offi- 
cer, a  Lieutenant  or  Captain,  as  indicated 
by  his  coat;  an  artillery  or  cavalry  officer, 
as  indicated  by  his  pants.  Near  him  was 
found  a  private  soldier,  with  a  sutler's 
check  of  the  4th  Ohio  Cavalry  in  his  pock- 
et. A  large  number  of  the  officer's  teeth 
had  been  fiUed  with  gold.  As  these  were 
loose  in  the  jaws,  only  the  skeleton  and 
clothing  remaining,  they  were  taken,  with 
a  description  of  the  light  color  of  hair  and 
every  particular  which  could  identify  the 
remains.  Upon  our  return  to  Chattanoo- 
ga, I  ascertained  that  Chaplain  Van  Home 
had  received  a  letter  of  inquiry  from  the 

mother  of  Lieut. ,  ith  Ohio  Cavalry, 

who  was  supposed  to  have  fallen  in  the 
neighborhood  where  this  body  was  found. 
A  minute  description  was  returned,  and  in 
response  a  friend  of  the  deceased  comes 

down  from and  clearly  identifies  the 

remains,  and  takes  them  to  the  mother. 


516 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


Others  were  also  identified,  and  many 
preserved  mementoes  gathered  up  which 
■were  sent  to  the  Cleveland  Fair,  to  be  de- 
livered to  friends,  if  found. 

During  the  first  occupation  of  this  place 
there  was  no  general  system  of  burials, 
and  the  dead  were  deposited  in  scattered 
groups,  graves  imperfectly  marked,  or  not 
marked  at  all,  and  no  general  register  kept 
any  where.  All  this  is  now  changed.  A 
most  desirable  location  has  been  selected 
for  a  National  Cemetry,  which  has  been 
placed  in  charge  of  Chaplain  Van  Home, 
specially  detailed  by  Gen.  Thomas  for  that 
duty;  the  grounds  are  being  regularly  and 
beautifully  laid  out,  with  streets  and  ave- 
nues, the  whole  surrounded  by  a  substan- 
tial stone  wall,  now  nearly  completed,  the 
summit  of  the  hUl  to  be  crowned  by  a  suit- 
able monument,  and  the  whole  of  the 
grounds  to  be  filled  with  ornamental  trees 
and  shrubs,  at  the  proper  season.  A  com- 
plete register  of  all  burials  is  now  kept, 
and  every  possible  precaution  taken  to  se- 
cure absolute  accuracy. 

The  frequent  loss  of  hospital  records 
after  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  and  the 
fact  that  there  were  many  Division  Hos- 
pitals at  the  post  which  did  not  report  to 
the  Medical  Director,  induced  us  to  keep 
at  our  office  a  register  of  all  hospital  cases 
here,  and  adding  to  it  so  far  as  we  could  a 
record  of  all  deaths  in  regimental  hospitals 
and  of  the  killed  in  action.  This  has  been 
of  so  much  service  to  us  in  atiswering  special 
inquiries  from  the  Hospital  Directory,  and 
from  friends  at  home,  that  we  have  felt 
compelled  to  continue  it,  and  keep  at  the 
office  a  full  register  of  all  patients  at  this 
post.  We  add  to  it  ajso  the  location  of  all 
gTaves,  as  far  as  we  can,  from  the  regular 
reports,  and  from  copies  of  the  inscriptions 
of  all  head-boards  of  scattered  graves. 

MAIL   MATTEBS. 

•The  detention  of  letters  and  papers  in 
the  post  office  here  directed  to  soldiers  and 
commanding  officers  of  companies  has  been 
a  great  evil,  and  cannot  be  avoided,  unless 
aU  will  learn  to  prepay  fully  all  mail  mat- 
ter sent  to  soldiers  in  the  field,  or  unless 
some  one  wiU  pay  the  daily  postage  on  the 
packages  underpaid.  The  letters  to  sol- 
diers are  usually  from  friends  at  home,  and 
the  failure  to  receive  them  frequently  pre- 


vents the  soldier  from  writing  home.  The 
packages  to  officers  of  companies  very  often 
contain  descriptive  rolls  and  discharge  pa- 
pers, and  great  loss  and  annoyance  must 
frequently  occur  from  their  detention. 
Under  your  instructions  I  have  already 
paid  the  postage  on  6,130  letters  and  pack- 
ages, which  would  otherwise  have  been  de- 
tained, the  postage  amounting  to  $418.41, 
and  have  to-day  also  directed  the  postmas- 
ter to  pay  the  postage  on  newspaper  pack- 
ages sent  from  the  office  of  publication, 
which  could  not  otherwise  be  forwarded. 
As  it  will  require  a  large  amount  to  keep 
lip  these  payments,  I  trust  you  wiU  call 
attention  to  the  importance  of  having  aU 
maU  matter  to  soldiers  in  the  field,  includ- 
ing newspax>ers  and  magazines  from  the 
offices  of  publication /liZZy  prepaid.  This, 
also,  should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  double 
rates  are  charged  on  all  deficits,  and  that 
no  postmaster  has  any  discretion  allowed 
him.  He  must  collect  it  or  lose  it,  or  have 
the  package  on  which  it  is  charged  in  his 
office. 

We  have  forwarded  as  requested  from 
time  to  time,  to  various  points  in  the  North, 
the  bodies  of  officers  and  soldiers  who  have 
been  killed  in  action  or  who  have  died  in 
hospitals,  and  I  believe  in  every  instance 
the  remains  have  reached  the  proper  des- 
tination in  safety.  You  wiU  see,  however, 
from  a  General  Order,  which  I  send  you, 
marked  "A,"  that  this  part  of  our  work 
must  be  suspended  until  after  the  31st  day 
of  October  next. 

TEE   GABDEN3. 

Under  some  discouragements,  and  as  the 
result  of  much  labor,  the  hospital  gardens 
of  the  Commission  are  proving  eminently  a 
success.  The  ground  has  not  been  accu- 
rately measured,  but  it  is  estimated  between 
150  and  200  acres,  in  addition  to  about  40 
acres  of  vineyards  of  Catawba  vines,  which 
are  now  in  good  condition,and  fruitingwell. 
The  general  and  special  orders,  of  which 
the  copies  enclosed  are  marked  E,  C,  D  & 
E,  will  show  how  fuUy  we  have  been  aided 
and  sustained  in  this  part  of  our  work  by 
Major-General  Thomas,  commanding  the 
Department,  and  by  Major-General  Stead- 
man,  commanding  the  post.  An  additional 
order  was  published  in  the  paper  here, 
which  effectually  prevents  all  trespassing. 


The  Sanitary  C<ymmission  BvEdin. 


51.7 


We  have  one  company  of  the  31st  Indiana 
permanently  detailed  as  a  guard.  Have 
about  30  men  as  a  permanent  detail  for 
■workmen  and  to  gather  the  vegetables,  and 
a  daily  detail  from  a  colored  regiment,  of 
from  50  to  75  men.  We  have  had  made  at 
the  Government  shop  1  roller,  1  hand  and 
1  horse  "marker,"  4  harrows,  some  300 
feet  of  hot-bed  frames,  and  various  other 
•articles.  Have  received  many  tools  from 
the  country,  and  have  a  fuU  supply  of  hor- 
ses, harness,  and  aU  tools  except  hoes,  of 
which  we  need  two  or  three  dozen  more. 

We  have  issued  thus  far  only  mustard, 
lettuce,  radishes,  peas  and  onions,  and  are 
now  distributing  of  these  to  aU  soldiers  in 
and  out  of  hospitals  at  this  post,  and  have 
shipped  twice  to  the  hospitals  at  Eesaca. 

Tbe  total  issues  to  date  have  been  2,319 
bushels.  ■  While  entering  up  the  issues  for 
the  day,  last  evening,  an  orderly  from  De- 
partment .  Headquarters  brought  in  the 
note  of  which  the  copy  is  enclosed,  marked 
"P."  It  is  evident  now,  unless  some  un- 
expected accident  happens,  that  the  gar- 
den will  furnish  a  continuous  and  full  sup- 
ply of  vegetables  for  all  the  sick  and  woun- 
ded at  the  post,  through  the  summer  and 
early  fall  months,  with  a  constant  surplus 
for  convalescent  camps  and  men  in  the 
field.  I  send  you  enclosed  a  statement 
of  the  issues  of  this  post,  and  of  the  ship- 
ments to  the  front,  of  the  most  important 
articles  for  the  month  of  May.  The  aggre- 
gate of  some  of  the  articles  are  very  large, 
but  never  before  has  there  been  such  a 
large  and  long-continued  demand  for  these 
articles,  a  demand  which  wiU  continue 
and  probably  increase  for  many  days  to 
come. 

Of  the  n^ore  recent  work  at  the  front, 
those  who  are  on  the  field  have  or  will  give 
you  full  reports.  As  soon  as  it  was  evident 
that  an  immediate  advance  of  the  army 
was  contemplated,  a  depot  of  stores  was 
opened  at  Einggold,  forces  called  in  from 
Nashville,  Knoxville  and  Huntsville,  all 
gathering  at  the  point. 

The  details  of  the  work  there  they  will 
narrate.  I  will  only  add,  that  it  is  certain 
our  stores  have  been  of  inestimable  value. 
They  have  been  pushed  on  from  point  to 
point,  as  the  railroad  has  been  opened, 
going  on  by  the  first  train,  and  at  eviry 


battle  have  been  taken  by  teams  from  the 
terminal  depot  to  the  field  and  distributed 
to  the  wounded,  frequently  under  fire,  and 
always  as  fast  as  they  were  gathered  into 
the  Field  Hospitals. 

The  steady  advance  of  the  army  has  pre- 
vented gathering  comi^lete  lists  of  casual- 
ties; but  the  name,  rank,  company,  regi- 
ment, and  nature  of  wound  of  all  who  have 
been  admitted  into  the  temporary  field  hos- 
pitals, have  been  forwarded  to  you,  with 
copies  of  the  inscriptions  of  all  head  boards 
on  the  battle-field  this  side  of  Kingston,  the 
lists  of  the  deaths  in  hospitals  at  the  front, 
etc. 

All  statistics  are  forwarded  to  the  office 
of  the  Hospital  Directory  as  fast  as  receiv- 
ed, and  every  eflfort  is  made  to  bring  up  the 
reports  of  the  changes  in  the  hospitals  here, 
which  are  now  long  in  arrears.  I  have  as- 
surance that  this  difficulty  will  be  immedi- 
ately remedied. 

My  co-laborers  here  are  Mr.  Bartlett, 
Store-keeper,  assisted  by  Mr.  Bindle,  Trans- 
portation Agent,  Prof.  H.  B.  Hosford,  Hos- 
pital Visitor,  Mr.  Miney,  and  Mr.  Hough- 
ton, who  have  charge  of  special  inquiries 
and  the  reports  for  the  Hospital  Directory, 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Wills,  Gardener,  aU  emi- 
nently fitted  for  the  duties  assigned  them, 
and  all  laboring  beyond  their  strength  in 
the  discharge  of  their  duties.  Mr.  Werth 
is  also  here,  and  did  good  service  as  Trans- 
portation Agent,  until  sickness  rendered 
him  incapable  of  discharging  the  duties  of 
his  office.  He  is  assisting  in  the  store- 
room, but  will  leave  soon  for  his  home. 

Oar  main  want  is  now,  a  constant  and 
large  supply  of  all  battle  stores.  We  have 
sent  everything  to  the  front,  and  oui-  agents 
and  ~the  Medical  Director  are  calling  for 
more.  We  expect  six  car-loads  this  P.  M. 
from  Nashville,  and  shall  send  at  least  four 
of  them  immediately  to  the  front. 

The  ice  you  sent  came  in  excellent  con- 
dition, and  I  hope  more  wiU  be  forwarded. 
Of  all  we  have,  we  need  a  larger  supply 
than  we  have  received  for  a  long  time,  and 
of  our  cooking  utensils,  cups,  plates,  coffee 
boilers,  camp -kettles,  a  large  number  are 
required.  But  you  know  fuUy  our  wants 
from  the  telegrams  and  letters  already  for- 
warded, and  a  repetition  of  them  is  unne- 
cessary. 


518 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


AT  THE  iHONT. 

Mr.  Bead  writes: 

HOSPITAI,  IteST  DiVISIOH,  4th  A.   C, ) 

Neab  BujjlS,  June  1st,  1864.  j 

Here  we  are  and  here  we  have  been  for 
eight  days.  Constant  firing  on  our  front 
and  to  the  right  and  left  of  us.  The  enemy 
reached  this  place  one  day  in  advance  of 
Tis,  put  up  their  works,  and  so  far  have 
stopped  our  progress.  There  are  not  un- 
frequent  assaults  on  both  sides,  and  each 
side 'has  so  far  been  repulsed.  We  are  mov- 
ing our  line  farther  to  the  left  and  nearer 
to  the  railroad,  while  McPherson,who  is  on 
our  extreme  right,  can  neither  advance  nor 
get  away;  neither  can  the  enemy  drive  him 
away. 

I  think  we  have  had  not  less  than  

wounded  since  we  left  Eesaea.  We  have 
had  no  rain  for  a  week,  and  the  weather  is 
very  hot;  thermometer  95°  in  the  shade  to- 
day. 

Yesterday  we  received  three  loads  of 
stores  from  Kingston.  Pocoek  going  after 
them,  but  he  was  compelled  to  leave-  them 
some  nine  miles  back.  The  wagons  had  to 
take  in  ammunition,  so  that  he  came  here 
leaving  the  stores  under  guard.  Tobtained 
other  wagons  of  the  Medical  Purveyor. 

The  hospitals  of  the  15th  and  16th  Corps 
have  been  moved  with  their  wounded  eight 
miles  to  the  left  of  where  they  were  first  es- 
tablished. This,  of  course,  is  hard  and  in- 
jurious for  the  bad  cases.  The  light  cases 
have  been  sent  back  to  Eingston,  and,  in 
some  cases,  the  very  bad  ones,  but  this  was 
done  but  by  order  of  Dr.  Kitto.         *        * 

By  being  on  the  field  as  we  are,  we  can 
secure  all  needed  transportation. 

***** 

Dr.  Hazen  is  in  the  sickirain  this  side  of 
Chattanooga;  FairchUd  with  the  14th  Corps; 
Brundsitt  with  the  20th;  HobUt  with  the 
4th  and  23d;  and  I  go  from  one  to  the 
otfier,  doing  what  I  can.  The  lists  of  cas- 
ualties have  all  been  forwarded,  and  goods 
have  been  brought  forward  promptly. 

Ghaxtahoooa,  June  4, 1864. 

We  have  sent  two  car-loads  of  stores  to 
Kingston  to-day,  and  have  but  little  left 
here.  Thirty-six  boxes  containing  shirts, 
.drawers,  rags  and  bandages,  are  on  the  way 
from  KnoxvUle.  I  have  purchased  and  had 
made  $200  worth  of  cooking  utensils,  cups, 


cofifee  pots,  pails,  wash  basins,  &c.,  &c. 
and  sent  them  to  Kingston,  where  the 
wounded  come  in  by  thousands,  and  where, 
without  this  provision,  little  food  could  be 
prepared  or  served.  Mr.  Enos  and  Mrs. 
Dickinson  have  gone  down  tO-day.  I  have 
asked  Mr.  Tone  to  take  all  available  help 
and  cooking  utensils  from  Besaca  to  that 
point,  turning  over  all  needed  stores  to  the 
General  Hospital  remaining  there,  and  enr 
gaging  some  one  connected  with  it  to  an- 
swer promptly  all  special  inquiries  and  fur- 
nish us  reports. 

We  need  hospital  and  battle  stores  c^  aU 
kinds.  TJie  call  upon  us  has  been  larger  than 
ever  before  in  this  department,  and  we  have 
more  nearly  than  ever  before  supplied  the  de- 
Tnand.  The  daily  demand  will  not  diminish, 
but  rather  increase  for  weeks.  Bo  not  let  us 
lack  supplies.  The  comfort  of  all  and  the 
lives  of  many  will  depend  on  the  suppUes 
you  send  us.  When  one  man  or  a  thousand 
actually  needs  our  stores  to-day,  we  cannot 
keep  them  for  the  thousands  who  will  need 
them  more  to-morrow.  We  look  for  new 
shipments  for  them. 

The  continued  rains  interfere  somewhat 
with  gardening  operations  and  the  gather- 
ing of  vegetables;  but  all  the  time  the 
weather  permits,  from  twelve  to  twenty 
men  are  gathering  fresh  vegetables,  which 
are  taken  by  our  own  men  to  the  various 
hospitals,  in  quantities  to  reach  all  who 
oarefuUy  use  them.  And  nothing  we  fur- 
nish is  more  gratefully  received  or  more 
beneficial.  Two  double  wagons  are  employ- 
ed for  this  work,  and  are  rarely  diverted,  to 
any  other  duty. 

We  send  you  lists  of  deaths  to  date  in 
Besaca  hospitals,  and  additional  lists  of 
those  killed  in  action  near  Besaca,  gathered 
with  much  labor,  by  Mr.  Tone,  from  the  in- 
scriptions on  the  headboards  of  the  scat- 
tered graves. 

***** 

THE  HOSPITAIiS  AT  CHATTANOOSA. 

The  Bev.  H.  B.  Hosford  reports,  June 
12: 

I  can  hardly  call  what  I  intended  to 
write,  a  report,  as  I  know  of  nothing  which 
I  have  done,  or  failed  to  do,  whUe  con- 
nected with  the  Commission,  which  seems 
to  me  to  be  in  any  special  manner,  worthy 
of  record. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


519 


I  chose,  therefore,  to  write  of  the  hospi- 
tals of  Chattanooga  themselves,  rather 
than  anything  which  I  haye  done  or  at- 
tempted to  do  in  connection  with  them. 

The  recent  movements  of  the  army  and 
the  battles  consequent  thereupon,  have 
■wrought  great  changes  in*  the  hospitals  at 
this  point.  The  General  Haspital  has  been 
enlarged  by  means  of  tents,  near  the  hos- 
pital buildings  erected,  and  left  for  our  use 
by  Gen.  Bragg,  upon  the  crest  of  a  hill,  a 
few  rods  west  of  the  raUroad  depot,  and 
also  by  the  establishment  of  General  Hos- 
pital, Division  No.  8,  located  upon  a  high 
bank  of  the  Tennessee  river,  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  north  of  the  city.  The 
number  of  patients  in  General  Hospital 
this  morning  was . 

A  new  hospital  was  also  established  upon 
Lookout  Mountain,  in  which  there  are  at 

the  present  time patients.     The  OfB- 

cer's  Hospital  has  been  removed  from  its 
former  location  id  Chattanooga  to  Lookout 

Mountain,   and  has patients.      The 

Field  Hospital  near  the  base  of  Lookout 
Mountain  has  been  much  mlarged,  and 
otherwise  improved  in  accommodations^ 
but  not  increased  to  any  considerable  ex- 
tent in  numbers,  in  consequence  of  the 
constant  and  large  transfers  made  to  North- 
em  Hospitals.    It  numbers , 

A  new  Field  Hospital  pertaining  to  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee,  has  been  estab- 
lished and  located  about  three-quarters  of 
a  nule  east  of  General  Field  Hospital. 
There  are  also  several  convalescent  camps, 
and  hospitals  connected  with  certain  bri- 
gades, or  detachments  from  brigades  on 
duty  at  this  post. 

The  daily  changes  made  in  transfers  at 
all  of  these  hospitals  have  been  great,  for  a 
week  or  two  past,  in  consequence  of  almost 
constant  arrivals  and  departures  of  trains 
of  sick  and  wounded  from  the  boat,  or  to 
the  hospitals  at  the  North,  especially  at 
Nashville.  All,  with  few  exceptions,  who 
are  able  to  bear  with  safety  the  journey, 
are  transferred,  leaving  the  room  and  cots 
which  they  occupied,  for  those  who  should 
the  same  day  arrive  from  the  field.  Many 
of  the  latter  remain  here  but  for  a  day. 
Others  are  sent  immediately  to  the  conva- 
lescent camps,  from  which  some  of  them, 
are  soon  returned  to  duty.  ' 


The  whole  number  now  in  hospital  here 
and  in  the  convalescent  camps,  is  not  far 
from ,  of  which  a  very  large  propor- 
tion are  very  slightly  wounded,  or  lightly 
affected  by  disease.  Most,  however,  are  in 
one  way  or  another  unfit  for  duty  in  the 
field,  while  many,  very  many,  are  lying 
upon  their  low  cots  dreadfully  mangled 
and  maimed,  or  wasting  under  the  power 
of  dangerous  or  fatal  disease;  most  of  them 
manfully  bearing  their  sufferings,  as  for 
their  country's  sake,  or  manifesting  day  by 
day,  by  their  patient  fortitude,  as  much 
true  heroism  as  it  is  possible  for  any  man 
to  manifest  in  the  fore-front  of  the  battle. 
Their  cheerful  hope  and  uncomplaining 
fortitude,  as  well  as  4he  intense  earnestness 
with  which  they  inquire  for  any  news  from 
the  front  which  may  indicate  the  progress 
of  our  arms,  or  launch  forth  their  hearty 
invectives  upon  the  enemies  of  our  coun- 
try, whether  rebels  in  the  field  or  sympa- 
thizers with  them  at  home,  show  that  the 
soldiers  of  the  Northern  Army  are  no  mer- 
cenary horde,  but  are  worthy  of  the  proud 
position  which  they  hold,  not  only  as  sol- 
diers of  the  American  Army,  but  as  Ameri- 
can citizens.  After  every  battle  they  in- 
quire eagerly  what  part  their  own  corps 
has  taken  in  it,  if  any;  who  of  their  own 
regiment,  company  or  comrades  have  been 
particularly  heard  from  since.  They  talk 
with  subdued  voice  of  the  number  of  woun- 
ded; they  say  little  of  the  numb  rs  killed, 
but  the  lines  of  their  countc  lances  show 
that  they  are  not  forgetful 

'*  Of  the  brave  hearts  that  never  more  shall  heat,  ^ 
The  eyes  that  smile  no  more,  the  imretuming  feet." 

The  location  of  the  hospitals  at  Chattan- 
ooga could  not  in  the  main  be  better. 
Most  of  them  are  upon  high  ground,  fann- 
ed by  the  breezes  from  the  mountains,  and 
commanding  views  of  scenery,  which  both 
by  their  intrinsic  beauty  and  by  their  pa- 
triotic associations  can  but  be  health-in- 
spiring to  those  who  are  able  to  look  upon 
them  from  their  narrow  cots,  or  through 
the  open  door,  or  as  with  feeble  and  aided 
steps  they  take  their  seats  Apon  the  out- 
side, and  gaze,  as  they  often  do  for  hours 
in  some  cases,  upon  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  otherwise  interesting  pictures 
ever  spread  out  to  the  view  of  man. 

From  almost  every  point  of  the  hill  where 


520 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


stands  the  General  Hospital,  and  the  same 
is  true  to  a  considerable  extent  of  the  other 
locations,  there  looms  np  in  close  proximi- 
ty upon  the  south  the  bold  and  rocky  front 
of  Lookout  Mountain,  presenting  to  the 
immediate  view  below  the  palisades  the 
slopes  over  which  Hooker's  brave  soldiers 
charged  upon  the  enemy  and  drove  them 
from  their  entrenchments.  Immediately 
in  the  rear  of  the  General  Hospital,  and 
distant  but  a  few  hundred  yards,  flows  the 
Tennessee,  and  doubling  back  upon  itsplf, 
at  the  north  end  of  Lookout  Mountain, 
and. presenting,  as  in  a  picture,  the  whole 
scene  of  that  wonderfully  successful  mid- 
night descent  of  the  pontoon  boats,  with 
1,250  picked  men,  directly  under  the  rebel 
batteries,  _to  the^  place  where  the  boats 
were  anchored,  and  our  hosts  went  over  to 
battle  and  to  victory.  All  along  in  front 
stretches  the  ever-to-be-remembered  Mis- 
sion or  Missionary  Bidge,  presenting  to 
the  looker-on  the  scene  of  that  noble  dar- 
ing by  which  the  rebels  were  finally  driven 
from  the  strongholds  of  Chattanooga.  The 
thoughts  gliding  at  wiU.  over  the  ridge  in  a 
southeasterly  direction  from  the  hospital, 
dwell  upon  that  plain  of  terrible  interest  to 
many  a  soldier,  the  field  of  Chickamauga. 
Immediately  in  front  of  the  Hospital, 
and  near  the  base  of  Mission  Bidge,  too 
remote  to  suggest  by  any  object  which  can 
be  seen,  unpleasant  or  saddening  associa- 
tions, and  yet  capable  of  being  easily  seen 
in  its  graceful  outlines,  and  contemplated 
by  those  who  may  find  a  solemn  pleasure 
in  doing  so,  stands  the  National  Cemetery, 
where  thousands  upon  thousands  are  to  lie 
in  glorious  dust.  "When  ornamented  by 
aU  that  American  genius  or  patriotism  can 
furnish,  through  all  coming  time 

"  The  heavens  their  dews  shall  shed 
On  the  patriot  martyr's  bed. 
And  the  rocks  shall  raise  their  head 
His  deeds  to  tell." ' 

• 

The  hospitals  of  Chattanooga  are  almost 
without  exception  under  the  control  and 
direction  of  able  surgeons,  who  have  a 
true  and  hearty  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  those  who  come  under  their  charge. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  with  the  General 
Hospital.  No  one  can  pass  through  its 
wards  from  day  to  day,  beholding  every- 
where order,  cleanUness  and  quiet,  and 


hearing  from  the  lips  of  sick  and  wounded 
men  lying  there  frequent  and  heartfelt 
expressions  of  gratitude  for  the  kind  atten- 
tion bestowed  upon  them,  needs  any  other 
testimony  to  the  skill  and  fidelity  of  the 
surgeon  in  charge,  and  of  those  whom  he 
has  associated  with  him.  The  supplies  by 
the  Governme»t,  supplemented  daily  in  no 
small  degree  by  the  contributions  of  the 
Northern  Aid  Societies,  are  ample  for  all 
that  medicinej  food  and  clothing  can  do 
for  the  comfort  and  recovery  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldier.  The  distribution  of 
reading  matter,  both  religious  and  secular, 
in  the  hospitals  is-quite  liberal,  but  prob- 
ably might  be  largely  increased  with  ad- 
vantage among  the  convalescents. 

A  better  system,  or  rather  some  system  of 
securing  good  nurses  and  cooks,  and  possi- 
■  bly  some  other  attendants  for  the  hospitals, 
other  than  that  of  depending  upon  detailed 
soldiers,  seems  to  me  to  be  the  most  impor- 
tant thing  wanting  to  mSke  the  hospitals  at 
this  point  as  nearly  perfect  as  they  can  be. 
In  regard  to  these  there  exists  in  almost 
aU  cases  one  or  the  other  of  two  unhappy 
liabilities.  Either  the  person  detailed  be-, 
longs  to  the  great  class  of  shirks,  and  is 
therefore  morally  unfit  for  the  position,  or 
he  may  be  ordered  to  duty  in  the  field  at  a 
time  when  his  services  are  most  valuable 
and  needed  in  hospital.  It  has  seemed  to 
me  worthy  of  consideration  whether  the 
expense  of  maintaining  a  small  hereof 
cows,  in  connection  with  each  hospital  in 
a  place  like  this,  would  not  be  abundantly 
and  over  and  over  again  returned,  in  the 
healing  and  comfort  which  fresh  milk 
would  afford  to  the  sick  and  wounded. 
There  is,  moreover,  material  enough  daily 
wasted  from  hospitals — pieces  of  bread, 
vegetables,  &c. — to  furnish  no  inconsidera- 
ble portion  of  the  keeping  of  cows. 

The  hospitals  are  now  receiving  in  quite 
large  instalments  dividends  from  the  gar- 
dens. Fresh  salad,  peas,  radishes,  mus- 
tard and  onions,  are  daily  gathered  and 
distributed  among  the  hospitals,  at  present 
averaging  about  400  bushels  per  day,  much 
to  the  comfort  and  health  of  the  men.  In 
conclusion,  I  would  say  of  my  observation 
of  the  working  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
at  this  point  during  the  last  four  mouths, 
has  been  on  the  whole  to  my  own  mind 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


521 


satisfactory  and  gratifying.  I  know  that 
great  pains  and  indefatigable  labor  are  be- 
stowed by  the  agents  here  to  secure  to  the 
fullest  extent  possible  the  proper  care  and 
distribution  of  the  stores  committed  to 
their  trust  by  the  benevolent  and  patriotic 
friends  of  the  soldier  at  home. 

Whatever  may  in  truth  be  said  of  waste 
and  loss  and  misconduct  of  incompetent 
and  dishonest  men,  occasionally  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Commission,  pertains  alike, 
though  in  many  cases  to  a  far  greater  de- 
gree, to  all  the  operations  of  business  con- 
nected with  the  army.  The  waste  and  loss 
which  oTJCur  are  in  a  great  measure  abso- 
lutely unavoidable,  and  compared  with  the 
good  accomplished,  not  as  much  as  the 
light  dust  of  the  balance. 

Let  carping  pharisees  cry,  "Why  was 
all  this  waste  made  ?"  It  is  enough  for  the 
friends  of  the  Commission  to  know  that 
they  have  wrought  a  good  work,  and  that 
wherever  the  gospel  of  benevolence,  patriot- 
ism and  humanity  shall  be  spread  through- 
out the  whole  world,  this  which  they  have 
done  shall  be  spoken  of  as  a  memorial  of 
them. 

VEGETABLES. 

Mr.  Seymour  says,  June  14: 
Since  my  last  report  I  have  spent  most 
of  my  time  at  the  front,  with  the  army  ad- 
vancing on  Atlanta,  until  I  was  compelled 
to  abandon  the  field  on  account  of  a  severe 
attack  of  dysentery,  from  which  I  am  now 
recovering.  Before  I  left  KnoxviUe,  and 
since,  we  issued  vegetables  quite  liberally, 
not  only  to  men  in  hospitals,  but  to  those 
in  the  field.  On  the  moving  of  the  Army 
from  the  Department  of  the  Ohio  to  the 
Cumberland,  under  Gen.  Sherman,  we  had 
,  just  received  from  you  a  liberal  supply  of 
potatoes  and  kraut,  and  I  succeeded  in 
issuing  the  latter  to  the  men  before  the 
army  left.  I  was  requested  by  Gen.  Scho- 
field  not  to  issue  the  potatoes,  as  the  men 
would  be  on  the  move  the  next  day,  and 
would  not  have  means  of  transportation. 
Generals  Cox  and  Judah  were  ve^y  anxious 
that  their  men  should  have  them,  as  they 
were  suffering  for  want  of  vegetable  diet. 
They  stated  that  at  a  certain  day  they 
should  reach  Charleston,  about  one  hun- 
dred miles  in  advance,  and  hoped  I  should 
be  able  to  reach  them  there  with  the  pota- 
toes, when  they  would  rest  a  day  or  two. 
Af  the  proper  time  I  succeeded  in  procur- 
ing from  Gen.  Schofield  an  order  for  cars 
to  transport  to  Charleston  one  hundred 
barrels  of  potatoes.  I  dispatched  Mr. 
Crary  in  charge  of  theln;  he  succeeded  jjn 
reaching  Oharlesto»  just  as  the  army  ar- 


rived, and,  I  assure  you,  he  and  the  pota- 
toes met  with  a  hearty  reception. 

The  troops  remaining  at  KnoxviUe,  Lon- 
don and  Strawberry  Plains,  as  also  those  in 
hospital,  have  been  well  supplied  with 
vegetables,  and  the  hospitals  with  fruit 
and  other  delicacies. 

The  garden  of  from  seventy-five  to  a 
hundred  acres,  is  progressing  finely  under 
the  supervision  of  Mr.  Culbertson.  I  left 
Mr.  J.  H.  Milliken,  a  faithful  and  judicious 
man,  assisted  by  two  detailed  men,  in 
charge  of  the  store  at  Knoxville.  Mr. 
Crary  is,  for  the  present,  at  the  front,  ren- 
dering good  assistance  in  that  great  field  of 
labor  in  the  Georgit  campaign. 

I  proceeded  to  the  front  and  remained 
with  the  army,  rendering  such  assistance 
as  was  in  my  power,  until  after  the  battle 
of  Kesaca,  when  I  was  severely  attacked 
with  dysentery.  Aftdt  controUing  the  dis- 
ease for  three  days,  I  was  reluctantly  com- 
pelled to  abandon  the  fieild.  I  returned  to 
Nashville,  when  I  was  confined  for  more 
than  a  week  to  my  room,  receiving  from 
the  members  of  the  Commission  there  the 
most  cordial  syinpathy  and  attention.  I 
am  happy  to  state  that  my  health  is  now 
rapidly  improving. 

I  have  deemed  it  not  within  my  province 
to  enter  into  details  of  the  working  of  the 
Commission  at  the  front,  it  being  in  the 
department  of  Dr.  Kfead,  from  whom  you 
will  undoubtedly  have  full  particulars. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  no  intelligent  and 
candid  observer  can  say  otherwise  than 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  been  to 
that  army  everything  that  a  reasonable 
person' could  expect.  There  undoubtedly 
have  been  individual  cases  which  the  Com- 
mission has  not  reached.  But  that  the 
great  mass  of  our  noble  sick  and  wounded 
men  have  received  bountifully  of  the  muni- 
ficent gift  of  our  generous  people,  no  one 
can  in  justice  deny. 

THE     MISSISSIPPI. 

Mr.  Way  writes  from  Vicksburg  May  30: 
Since  the  Red  Biver  expedition  return- 
ed we  have  issued  vegetables  to  the  whole 
command,  at  the  rate  of  one  barrel  to  sixty 
men,  which  took  all  we  had  on  hand.  Since 
then  we  have  received  250  bbls.  and  75 
sacks  of  potatoes,  50  bbls.  of  piokles.mostly 
pickled  potatoes,  and  25  kegs  of  assorted 
pickles. 

I  have  just  received  a  request  from  Sur- 
geon Lace,  Surgeon-in-Chief  at  Natchez, 
for  Sanitary  Stores.  I  immediately  turned 
over  to  the  Quartermaster  ten  sacks  of  po- 
tatoes, which  held  about  a  barrel  each,  and 
fifteen  barrels  of  pickles,  consigning  them 
to  the  surgeon-in-chief. 

.  Yesterday's  maU  brought  me  a  notifica- 
tion from  Mr.  Shipman  of  the  shipm,ent  of 
200  bbls.  and  500  sacks  of  potatoes,  50  bbls. 
and  20  kegs  of  pickles,  6  bbls.  of  eggs,  2. 


522 


The  Sanita/ry  Gommission  BvEetin. 


boxes  of  "sheets,  2  boxes  of  butter,  7  boxes 
of  dried  fruit,  7  boxes  of  horseradish,  and 
1  keg  of  butter.  All  will  come  in  good 
time. 

I  have  issued  freely  of  all  the  stores  we 
had  to  the  Bed  River  expedition,  as  I 
thought  the  men  were  very  needy.  I  now 
have  vegetables  enough  to  make  another 
issue  to  the  troops  here,  and  expect  to  do 
so,  for  they  will  keep  but  a  short  time,  it 
is  so  very  warm.  We  are  having  much 
warmer  weather  than  at  this  time  last  year. 

Smmnary  of  Shipment  of  Supplies  from  Ctucago  made 
Jxme  10, 1864,  to  Gen.  Sherman's  Army. 


4,580  lbs.  bandages  and  com- 
presses. 
6  bed  sacks. 
12  body  wrappers. 
79  comforts. 
422  prs.  drawers. 
67  dressing  gowns. 
1155  handk'&  and  towels. 
463  pads. 
239  pillows. 
495-pillow  cases. 
233  sheets, 
1,009  shirts. 
62  pairs  slippers. 
151    "     socks. 
1  package  pin  cushions. 
1,043  lbs.  barley. 
45  lbs.  com  m^ 
473  lbs.  corn  starch. 
550  lbs.  &rina. 
2,000  lbs.  com  grits. 
2.335  lbs.  dried  fruit,  asstd. 
735  lbs.  dried  peaches. 
3,183  lbs.  dried  apples.       , 
1,793  lbs.  dried  blackberries. 
1,028  lbs.  prunes. 
100  lbs.  tamarinds. 
5  gallons  plum  butter. 
180  cans  canned  fruit. 
10  boxes  lemons. 
120  lbs.  cider  jelly. 
3.754  lbs  Boston  cracky. 
17,666  lbs.  soda  "   ' 

1,731  bushels  potatoes.. 
1,175  galls.  pidUes. 


"fto  doz.  eggs. 

1,587  lbs.  butter. 

5  galls,  horse  radish. 

324  lbs.  green  tea. 

40  lbs.  dried  beef. 

10,000  lbs.  codfish. 

944  lbs.  crushed  sugar, 

1,507  lbs.  best  brown  sugar. 

50  lbs.  cheese. 

40  lbs.  herbs. 

80  lbs.  candles, 

15  lbs.  soap. 

24  bots.  spirits  camphor. 

181    "    domestic  wine. 

24     "    bay  rum. 

120    "    raspberry  vinegar. 

20  bbls.  ale. 
50  half  bbls.  ale. 
324  bots.  whiskey. 
124     "    catawba. 
2  washing  machines. 
2  wringers. 

21  doz.  tea  spoons. 
2  cork  screws. 

5  reams  letter  paper. 
5,000  envelopes. 

6  gross  pens. 
1  gross  pen  holders. 
12  doz.  fine  combs. 
36  doz.  coarse  combs. 
6  doz.  bottles  ink. 
1  doz.  Lanterns. 
1  doz.  candlesticks. 
500  3  cent  postage  stamps, 
120  cans  cove  oysters. 


BELIEF  WORK  AT  POBT  EOYAL. 

Post  BoTii,  Va.,  May  28, 1864. 

Mr.,  Anderson  reports: 

I  hardly  know  when  I  wrote  to  you  last, 
what  I  said,  what  I  did'nt  say,  or  what  re- 
mains^o  be  said;  things  have  been  in  such 
a  brilliantly  unsettled  "condition,  expecta- 
tions of  sudden  movements  have  been  so 
strong,  and  uncertainties  have  been  so 
abounding,  that  we  have  had  a  grand  com- 
bination of  the  perplexities  of  establishing 
a  base,  those  of  breaking  up  a  base,  and 
those  of  doubt  as  to  whether  we  should  do 
either.  You  can  fancy  how  much  time  one 
would  have  to  write,  and,  not  having  writ- 
ten, how  difficult  it  is  to  recall  and  system-- 
atise  the  varied  events  and  doubts  of  each 
day;  Bloor  and  Dr.  Harris  would  have 
posted  you,  up  to  their  departure.  Dr. 
Harris  arrived  from  Fredericksburg,  Tues- 
day noon,  as  did  Oapt.  Evans,  in  charge  of 
Mr.  Fay's  Corps.  They  were  a  godsend, 
as  the  men  whom  I  had  organized  under 
Mr.  Thompson,  were  worn  down  by  twenty- 
four  hours  steady  labor,  in  feeding  the 


wounded.  Mr.  Thompson's  men  were  im- 
mediately relieved;  and  since  then  regular 
watches  have  been  kept. 

About  4  P.  M. ,  the  Kent  returned  with 
Dr.  Douglas,  Mr.  Fay,  and  all  the  Freder- 
icksburg party,  except  Harris's  train. 

We  had  long  and  free  interchanges  of 
news  and  plans;  and,  as  I  could  not  well 
change  your  instructions,  I  retained  the 
nominal  charge  of  this  as  the  water-base, 
but  you  must  distinctly  understand  that 
whatever  of  success  may  attend  our  move- 
ments and  operations  is  to  be,  in  the  far 
larger  degree,  ascribed  to  the  experiencei 

skill  and  maturity  of  Dr.  D and  Mr.  F. 

All  the  feeding  department  was  assiglied 
unreservedly  to  Mr.  Fay,  and  Mr.  Thomp- 
son was  instoucted  to  report  to  him.  Dr. 
Douglas,  with  his  thorough  willingness, 
does  evepT^thing  in  and  out  of  his  general 
line  that  he  can  best  do;  and  we  hold  council 
of  war  unceasingly.  AU  day  Friday  we  fed 
and  issued  supplies  to  the  wounded  with- 
out stint.  All  the  departments  have  treat- 
ed us  with  a  cordiality — and  more  than 
cordiality — a  willing  confidence  and  cheer, 
that  makes  one  quite  buoyant  in  approach- 
ing them,  and  working  with  them.  Dr. 
Cuyler,  Dr.  PhiUips,  the  representative  of 
Dr.  McParlan,  at  this  post,  and  Dr.  McKay, 
have  been  especially  obliging;  and  Dr. 
Cuyler  on  finding  us  so  diligently  at  work, 
said  ft)  me  to  draw  on  him  for  any  and 
everything.  He  lent  us  stoves,  cauldrons, 
&c.,  furnished  beef  stock,  coffee  and 
milk,  and  facilitated  our  operations  in  all 
proper  ways,  giving  us  information  of  the 
arrival  of  trains,  &c.,  freely  and  promptly. 
»  •  «  » 

The  journals  have  been  kept  up,  and 
when  there  is  time  we  will  return  to  you 
full  account  of  the  feeding  and  burial  de- 
partments— and  indeed  of  all.  I  have  no 
idea  how  many  meals  were  given;  but  every 
wounded  man,  officers  of  trains,  teamsters, 
in  fact  the  army  generally  patronized  us. 
The  Commissary's  small  issuing  boat,  was 
not  issuing  for  the  first  day  or  two,  and  in 
addition  to  supplying  some  of  the  quarter- 
master's and  other  messes,  we  had  hteraUy 
to  take  care  of  hundreds.  They  were 
brethen  of  our  common  cause  in  distress, 
and  I  treated  them  accordingly,  as  far  as 
our  supplies  would  permit.  On  the  even- 
ing of  Friday,  the  tug  Curtin  arrived  with 
the  Kennedy,  and  shortly  after  the  Hobo- 
ken  loomed  up  through  me  air.  All  appre- 
hension of  running  short  was  removed — 
and  except  fears  for  Harris's  safety,  were  in 
good  position,  and  the  same  evening 
brought  Mr.  Briggs,  and  Dr.  McMartee,  of 
California — the  former  of  whom  I  knew 
well  in  that  State. 

*  *  »  * 

I  also  took  them  up  to  the  feeding  station 
where  six  60-gallon  cauldrons,  one  stove  and 
one  large  fireplace  ■v^re  turning  out  soup. 


The  Sanitwry  Commission  Bulletin. 


523 


coffee,  tea,  farina,  port,  &o.;  some  o£  the 
catddrona  had  been  filled  four  times'that 
forenoon.  Three  times  ■would,  perhaps,  be 
an  average— giving  1,080  gallons  of  edibles. 
A  train  having  arrived — at  Dr.  Douglas's 
request,  I  got  it  a  good  camp  ground,  and 
then  a  large  party  of  us  fed  the  wounded — 
our  Californians  seeing  and  doing  regular 
work.  It  was  3  A.  M.  before  we  got  done. 
Saturday  was  spent  in  getting  everything 
ready  for  the  movement.  1M&.  Fay  took 
charge  of  his  establishment,  also  of  deter- 
mining whom  we  should  take  and  who  not. 

*  *  *  * 

We  are  anchored  at  the  mouth,  and  hope 
to  start  for  Yorktown  at  1  A.  M.  Ought  to 
reach  "White  House  or  the  new  base  by  4 
P.  M.,  Monday.  You  can  rely  upon  our 
being  in  among  the  first.  Did  I  tell  you 
that  Harris  arrived  last  night  with  all  his 
train  safe  and  sound.  He  was  very  tired, 
and  had  had  a  hard  time.  He  rests  to-day, 
and  leaves  to-morrow  with  the  trains  for 
White  House,  under  escort  of  2,000  or  3,000 
strong. 

*  *  *  * 

He  has  just  brought  in  twenty-eight 
wagons  loaded  with  stores,  worth  many 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  that,  too,  from  a 
difficult  region.  Those  that  know  his  pre- 
vious history,  very  well  know  that  not 
once  nor  twice,  but  many  times,  he  has 
risen  superior  to  the  enaergency,  and  got- 
ten supplies  through,  under  great  hazard. 

THE  ARMY  SUKGEONS. 
The  strong  testimony  borne  to  the  char- 
acter and  qualifications  of  the  Army  Sur- 
geons, by  Mr.  Bloor,  in  the  admirable 
letters  which  we  publish  on  another  page, 
reminds  us  how  strong  and  widely  diffused 
is  the  prejudice  against  them.  We  have 
left  nothing  in  our  power  undone  to  refute 
it,  by  the  diffusion  of  the  strong  testimony 
on  the  other  side  which  daily  reaches  us 
from  our  agents.  And,  in  view  of  the  tre- 
mendous responsibilities  which  are  at  this 
moment  pressing  upon  the  Army  Surgeons, 
we  think  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  take  this 
opportunity  of  republishing  what  one  of 
their  number.  Surgeon  Beach,  of  the  40th 
Begiment  Ohio  Volunteers,  said  on  their 
behalf,  before  the  Medical  Society  of  Gen- 
eral Granger's  Army,  nearly  a  year  ago. 

The  character  of  army  surgeons  has  been 
so  misrepresented,  and  so  misunderstood 
by  the  public,  away  from  the  scene  of  their 
labors,  that  a  word  from  one  of  their  num- 
ber maybe  considered  an  apology  for  their 
shortcomings;  but,  notwithstandang  this,  I 
propose  briefly  to  sketch  their  charactei»as 
it  is  understood,  and  as  it  is. 


No  reader  of  the  Northern  daily  papers 
during  the  last  yedr  can  be  ignorant  of  the 
opinion  generally  entertained  of  army  sur- 
geons, and  of  the  management  of  the  med- 
ical department  of  the  army.  Inefficiency, 
gross  carelessness,  heartlessness  and  dissi- 
pation are  intimately  associated  in  the 
minds  of  the  Northern  public  with  the 
medical  officers  of  the  army.  Doubtless 
each  surgeon  has  a  circle  of  friends  who 
exonerate  him  from  these  charges;  but,  as 
a  body,  this  is  the  character  attached  to  us 
by  our  Northern  friends. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  inquire, 
for  a  moment,  what  causes  have  led  to  this 
state  of  public  opinion.  First  among  the 
causes  we  will  place  the  fact  that  in  our 
vast  armies  large  numbers  die  from  dis- 
ease. The  pubUc  knows,  that  four  thou- 
sand of  our  soldiers  *are  buried  at  Nash- 
ville; that  ten  thousand  have  found  a  final 
resting-place  on  the  banks  of  the  Missis- 
sippi ;  that  twenty  thousand  more  have 
sickened  and  died  in  our  armies  in  Virginia; 
and  at  every  place  occupied  by  our  troops 
the  green  hillock  and  narrow  board  alone 
tell  of  some  friend  who  went  out  from  the 
home  circle  but  recently.  Without  know- 
ing, or  without  stopping  to  consider,  if  the 
ratio  of  deaths  be  less  or  greater  in  our  ar- 
mies than  in  others,  this  large  mortality  is 
associated  in  the  minds  of  the  public  with 
want  of  capacity,  or  want  of  attention  on 
the  part  of  surgeons. 

Another  fact  is,  individual  cases  in  which 
there  has  been  apparent  neglect,  and  which 
from  want  of  proper  explanation  are  given 
as  positive  evidence  of  the  heartlessness  of 
our  profession.  As  an  example,  an  inti- 
mate friend  of  mine  was  wounded  at  Rich- 
mond, Ey.,  and  died  in  hospital  at  Dan- 
viUe.  "He  died  alone  at  night."  I  knew 
nothing  of  the  circumstances  attending  his 
death,  only  that  somebody  wrote  to  his 
wife  that  the  nurses  found  him  dead  in  his 
bed,  and  nothing  can  ever  eradicate  from 
her  mind  the  belief  that  he  was  totally 
neglected,  and  that  the  surgeons  and  hos- 
pital attendants  were  brutes.  A  case  came 
under  my  own  observation  a  few  weeks 
since  which,  if  reported  without  explana- 
tion, would  cause  the  same  feelings  in  the 
minds  of  friends  as  did  the  case  above 
mentioned.  Stopping  temporarily  at  a 
large  hospital  in  Kentucky,  the  surgeon 
invited  me,  late  at  night,  to  see  two  cases 
with  him,  both  of  whom  were  in  a  critical 
condition.  We  entered  the  ward,  and 
stopped  at  the  bed-side  of  patient  No.  1. 
An  e:£amination  and  the  opening  of  a  large 
abscess  probably  occupied  five  minutes, 
and  during  those  five  minutes  the  only  two 
nurses  on  duty  at  that  time  were  required 
in  attendance  on  the  surgeon.  Immedi- 
ately after  the  operation,  while  the  surgeon 
was  absent  from  the  room  cleansing  his 


524 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


hands,  I  -walked  leisurely  around  the  room, 
and  stopped  at  the  bed-side  of  patient  No. 
2.  The  man  was  dead.  He'  had  died 
"^lone  ajid  at  night." 

In  addition  to  these  and  similar  cases, 
distorted  facts,  are  the  monstrous  fabrica- 
tions of  the  newspaper  correspondents, 
which,  more  than  aU  other  causes  combin- 
ed, contribute  to  the  character  we  sustain 
at  home.  It  is  but  charitable  to  suppose 
that  these  gentlemen  have  some  founda- 
tion in  fact  for  their  statements.  It  is 
scarcely  credible  that  they  would  dehber- 
ately  manufacture  sensational  letters  of 
this  kind,  unless  they  had  a  grain  of  truth 
to  fall  back  upon.  We  take  it  for  granted, 
then,  that  they  do  not  wUlfuUy  trifle  with 
a  subject  so  intimately  mixed  with  all  the 
finer  feelings  of  our  nature,  but  that  they 
take  one  case  as  a  type  of  the  whole. 
Adopt  this  rule,  and  how  easily  may  injus- 
tice be  done  to  our  profession. 

I  remember  distinctly  the  impression 
made  in  a  community  where  I  resided,  a 
year  since,  by  the  statement  of  a  Cairo  let- 
ter-writer. The  letter  was  a  scathing  arti- 
cle on  the  surgeons  and  the  bad  manage- 
ment of  the  hospitals  at  some  point  in  the 
West;  and  among  other  statements  that 
left  the  reader  to  dream  of  untold  horrors, 
was  pne  that  a  "patient  in  the  last  agony 
called  the  surgeon  to  him,  raised  himself 
in  bed,  struck  the  surgeon  with  all  his 
force,  and  with  a  smile  of  content  upon  his 
face  sank  back  and  died."  This  was  given 
as  evidence  of  the  feeling  engendered  by 
the  brutality  of  surgeons.  Now,  suppos- 
ing this  incident  really  occurred,  which  is 
not  at  aU  probable,  is  it  just  that  the  act 
of  a  delirious  man  should  be  cited  as  an 
index  of  the  feelings  generally  entertained 
by  the  patients  in  our  hospitals  toward 
their  surgeons  ? 

Another  cause  of  this  misunderstanding 
of  our  true  character  is  found  in  the  letters 
home  of  a  certain  class  of  patients,  both  in 
hospitals  and  out.  They  are  chronic  grum- 
blers; disappointed  applicants  for  a  dis- 
charge or  furlough;  men  who  see  only  the 
surgeon  between  them  and  the  accomplish- 
ment of  their  ends.  I  have  very  frequently 
been  approached  by  this  class  of  soldiers, 
and  been  told  that  their  "doctors"  paid 
no  attention  to  the  sick  men;  that  "they 
would  see  a  sick  man  die  rather  than  to 
discharge  him,  or  let  him  go  home  on  a 
sick  furlough."  How  much  weight  should 
be  given  such  testimony  ? 

iUid  again:  People  of  the  North  think 
they  have  the  evidence  of  their  own  senses, 
and  that  they  cannot  be  mistaken  in  the 
fact  that  army  surgeons  are  careless,  indif- 
ferent and  heartless.  A  great  many  visit 
our  large  general  hospitals,  and  of  course 
find  their  sick  friends  very  differently 
situated  from  what  they  would  be  at  home. 
They  find  them  in  large  :ward8,  containing 


perhaps  one  hundred  patients.  Of  this 
number,  some  are  reading,  some  writing, 
others  engaged  in  cheerful  conversation; 
whUe,  perhaps,  the  friend  so  anxiously 
sought  for  is  dying.  The  whole  scene  is  so 
different  from  anything  they  ever  associated 
with  the  sick  chamber,  that  they  go  away 
with  painful  impressions.  Such,  doubt- 
less, would  be  the  feelings  of  many  upon 
visiting  our  elegant  hospitals  in  Nashville; 
and  how  much  more  would  their  sensibili- 
ties be  shocked  could  they  visit  some  regi- 
mental hospitals,  far  away  from  sanitary 
supplies,  and  where  the  hospital  supplies 
of  beddong,  etc.,  were  insufficient  for  the 
proper  accommodation  of  the  sick.  They 
would  find  them  in  rude  bunks  filled  with 
straw,  their  bedding,  their  blankets,  and 
with  their  knapsacks  for  their  pillows. 
They  would  forget  that  the  sick  had  the 
benefit  of  pure  air,  attentive  nurses,  and 
the  best  food  that  could  be  procured  for 
them;  they  would  forget  that  the  sick  them- 
selves were  contented;  and  would  go  away 
with  the  impression  that  this  was  horrible 
treatment  of  sick  men,  and  that  the  surgeon 
in  some  way  was  responsible  for  it. 

Such,  gentlemen,  I  imagine,  are  some  of 
the  causes  giving  rise  to  the  not  very  envi- 
able reputation  we  sustain  at  home. 

Before  defining  what  I  take  to  be  the 
real  character  of  army  surgeons,  we  will 
inquire  what  character  they  might,  a  priori, 
be  expected  to  sustain.  In  Ohio,  and  I 
believe  in  nearly  all  of  the  States,  no  phy- 
sician can  receive  a  commission  as  surgeon 
until  he  has  passed  a  satisfactory  examina- 
tion by  a  competent  board.  To  be  admitted 
to  this  examination,  the  applicant  must  not 
only  have  graduated  in  medicine,  but  he 
must  bring  certificates  that  he  has  sus- 
tained himself  creditably  for  a  certain  num- 
ber of  years  as  a  practitioner,  and  that  he 
is  of  good  moral  character.  These  condi- 
tions, if  observed — and  I  believe  they  are, 
as  a  rule — offer  almost  perfect  security  to 
the  public  that  no  considerable  number  of 
army  surgeons  enter  the  service  inefBoient 
or  dissipated.  Ought  we  not  to  expect 
from  a  body  of  men  who  enter  the  army 
only  on  the  presumption  that  they  are  of 
liberal  education,  skill  in  their  profession, 
and  of  good  moral  standing  in  the  commu- 
nities in  which  they  have  lived,  using  in- 
dustry and  a  conscientious  attention  to  the 
responsible  duties  assigned  them?  Most 
assuredly:  and  such,  I  am  convinced,  is  the 
character  we  sustain  with  those  acquainted 
with  all  the  facts  connected  with  our  posi- 
tion in  the  army. 

My  own  term  of  service  in  the  army  ex- 
tends through  the  past  year.  Daring  that 
time  I  have  been  associated  with  the  medi- 
cal officers  of  the  troops  in  Eastern  Ken- 
tucky, those  collected  at  GaUipolis,  Ohio, 
last  September,  and  more  recently  in  Ten- 
nessee.   And  among  them  all  I  have  met 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


525 


■witli  but  one  drunken  surgeon,  and  but  few 
who  were  not  making  use  of  all  the  means 
in  their  power  to  prevent  disease  and  re- 
store health.  I  have  visited  many  hospi- 
tals where  there  was  a  lack  of  many  things 
for  the  comfort  of  the  sick,  bat  none  where 
the  surgeons  were  careless  or  unkind. 

I  confess,  gentlemen,  that  when  ordered 
to  this  department  I  expected  to  find  disor- 
der and  confusion — not  from  want  of  ca- 
pacity or  honesty  on  the  part  of  surgeons, 
but  as  a  necessary  feature  of  a  large  army. 
I  expected  to  find  some  grounds  for  the 
clamor  against  army  surgeons  in  the  want 
of  accommodations  for  the  large  number  of 
sick  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.     But 
in  this  I  was  disappointed.  Instead  of  find- 
ing crowded  and  poorly  furnished  hospi- 
tals in  Nashville,  I  found  them  arranged 
on  the  most  magnificent  scale,  fitted  up 
with  every  comfort,  and  in  a  style  that  is 
thought  luxurious  by  soldiers  accustomed 
to  camp  life.     During  a  stay  of  some  days 
in  Nashville  I  visited  many  of  the  hospitals, 
and  for  my  own  satisfaction  inquired  of  the 
many  acquaintances  I  found  there  among 
the    patients     how    they    were    treated; 
and  the  answer  invariably  was,  "  We  are 
treated  well;  surgeons  and  nurses  are  very 
attentive." 

Another  grave  charge  against  the  surgeon 
is,  the  using  for  his  own  comfort  and  to 
gratify  his  own  appetite  the  delicacies,  etc., 
furnished  by  friends  at  home  to  the  sick 
soldier!  This  charge  is  as  void  of  founda- 
tion in  fact  as  the  charge  of  drunkenness 
and  brutality,  and  arises  from  a  "want  of 
correct  knowledge  of  the  manner  such 
things  are  distributed  to  the  sick.  Through 
the  agency  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
these  things  are  distributed  to  the  various 
general  and  regimental  hospitals,  where 
they  are  served  out  to  the  men  as  the  judg- 
ment of  the  surgeon  would  direct;  the  men 
consume  them  without  knowing  where 
they  come  from.  In  after  correspondence 
with  their  friends  the  soldier  is  asked,  ' '  Did 
you  get  the  box  of  "  something?  The  an- 
swer is  "  No" — when  the  fact  is,  he  had 
consumed  it,  if  it  was  of  suitable  nature  for 
him  in  his  condition:  and  if  not,  he  had 
used  of  some  other  soldiers'  delicacies, 
while  they  had  used  his.  All  the  potatoes, 
onions,  dried  applies,  etc.,"  used  in  this 
great  army  at  this  time,  are  not  from  the 
quartermaster,  but  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, which  is  to  the  sick  soldier  as  the 
good  Samaritan  to  "  him  who  fell  among 
thieves." 

The  duties  of  the  army  surgeon  are  so 
many  and  various  that  it  is  impossible  to 
more  than  mention  them  here.  The  sur- 
geon who  only  attends  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  his  command,  and  thinks  he 
has  done  his  whole  duty,  has  a  very  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  his  obligations. 
The  first  and  most  important  duty  of  the 


surgeon  is,  to  prevent  disease;  curing  it  is 
a  secondary  matter.  The  surgeon  who  pre- 
vents disease  by  a  careful  study  of  the 
causes  operating  to  produce  it,  and  who 
takes  steps  to  remove  these  influences,  is 
much  more  deserving  of  credit  than  he  who 
thinks  only  of  curing.  In  the  discharge  of 
this  duty  it  often  becomes  necessary  to 
change  the  locality  of  the  camp,  to  make 
changes  in  the  cooking  and  habits  of  the 
men,  to  enforce  what  seems  to  them  a  rigid 
system  of  cleanliness  of  their  persons,  the 
tents  and  entire  camp — and  in  doing  these 
things  we  are  frequently  brought  into  un- 
pleasant collision  with  our  officers.  It  is 
not  every  military  commander  that  under- 
stands the  laws  of  hygiene,  or  who  has  the 
leisure  or  inclination  to  study  them  very 
carefully;  and  the  number  is  equally  small 
who  do  not  regard  those  surgeons  who  are 
always  making  changes  and  suggestions 
troublesome  at  least.  Doubtless  every  sur- 
geon present  has  at  some  time  in  his  expe- 
rience met  with  opposition  from  his  com- 
manding officer,  or  at  least  had  his  sug- 
gestions treated  with  an  indifference  almost 
insulting  to  himself.  I  acknowledge  that 
I  do  not  know  exactly  where  our  authority 
stops,  or  rather  begins,  in  this  matter;  but 
I  think  I  know  what  our  duty  is — and  that 
is,  never  to  yield  a  point  that  involves  the 
health  of  the  men  under  our  charge. 

One  word  as  to  our  duty  to  the'  men 
themselves,  and  I  am  done.  There  is  much 
in  our  daily  routine  of  duties,  and  in  our 
relative  position  to  the  men,  calculated  to 
make  us  abrupt  in  our  treatment  of  them, 
uoless  we  guard  against  it.  We  should 
treat  a  sick  soldier  with  the  same  courtesy, 
and  give  the  same  attention  to  his  com- 
plaints, that  we  would  to  a  sick  citizen.  In 
the  daily  examination  of  three  or  four  score 
of  men  we  meet  with  a  few  humbugs — men 
who  are  trying  to  avoid  duty  by  getting  on 
the  sick  list.  These  old  soldiers  may  be  dis- 
missed in  a  manner  the  circumstances  may 
seem  to  require.  But  the  soldier  who  is  sick, 
or  who  thinks  he  is,  is  deserving  of  a  care- 
ful examination  that  wiU  allow  us  to  pre- 
scribe understandingly,  and  not  that  hasty 
disposal  of  the  case  that  I  know  I  am  some- 
times guilty  of  myself,  and  which  must  be 
bitterly  felt  by  a  patient  whose  feeUngs  are 
at  all  sensitive. 


HOSPITAL  CLOTHIXG. 

Corredion.— In  the  pattern  for  Flannel  Shirt  in 
No.  13  of  the  Bulletin,  the  slope  for  the  neek 
in  "Half  of  Back"  should  be  one  inch  instead 
of  three  inches,  as  given. 

'  The  drawing  of  the  diagram  for  "  Half  of 
Sleeve  "  is  erroneous  as  regards  the  slope  at  the 
top  of  sleeve.  The  dimensions  as  given,  are, 
however,  correct.  Also,  this  sleeve  shoiild  be 
faced  at  the  wrist  ■mthflarmd  instead  of  silesia. 
In  catting  sleeves,  pat  the  wrist  of  one  against 
the  wrist  of  anotiiter,  and  the  long  triangular 


526 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUeUn. 


piece  of  flannel  left  at  the  side  will  out  a  collar. 
Wrist  facings,  by  joining  in  the  middle,  can  be 
cnt  off  the  pieces  cut  out  of  the  front  of  the  shirt 
in  arm  size. 


SCENES  m  PREDEEICKSBURG. 

FBntAY,  May  20, 1861. 

Deab  Mrs. You.  have,  I  suppose,  by 

this  time,  receiTed  the  duplicate  of  a  letter 
I  wrote  some  days  ago  to  one  of  the  Com- 
mission's supply  correspondents,  giving 
an  account  of  a  trip  I  had  just  made  to 
Belle  Plain,  with  reference  to  the  relief 
work  of  the  Commission  in  the  field. 

I  left  Washington   again,  on    Tuesday 
moming,  and  getting  to  BeUe  Plain  in 
company  with  Mrs.  Gibbons,  (of  army  hos- 
pital fame,)  and  of  Eev.  Mr.  Channing,  of 
"Washington,    and    others;    and   there,   in 
their  company,    feeding  and  ministering 
to  the  ghastly  crowds  that  were  lifted  out 
of  the  constantly-arriving  ambulance  trains 
into  the  boats  assigned  to  convey  them  to 
the  hospitals  in  Washington,  I  passed  to 
the  hospital  tents  "onthehUl"— a  little 
way  from  the  dock — ^two  long  parallel  rows 
of  them,  commencing  on  the  aide  with  the 
kitchen  and  feeding  lodge  of  the  Commis- 
sion, whence  they  were  without  trouble 
constantly  supplied  with  hot  coffee  and 
beef  tea,  iced  water  and  lemonade,  milk 
punch,  wines  and  stimulants,  farina,  and 
whatever  else  in  the  way  of  prepared  sus- 
tenance was  needed.     Bedding,  clothing, 
sponges,  towelling,   bandages,   lint,  uten- 
sils of  all  kinds  and  whatever  else  is  re- 
quired in  a  sick  tent,  were  bountifully  dis- 
pensed by    Mr.   Knapp — of  long    experi- 
ence   in    the    Peninsular    campaign    and 
elsewhere  in  similar  work — and  his  assist- 
ants, from  the  store  barge,  a  few  yards  off, 
alongside  the  dock — ^which  barge  is  con- 
tinually  replenished    by    steamers    from 
Washington  to  the  amount  of  some  fifty  tons 
a  day.     The  steamer  on  which  our  people 
principally  relied  during  the  Peninsular 
<!ampaign,  (the  Elizabeth,)  has  become  a 
household  word  among  sanitarians,  and  I 
may  therefore  mention  that,  (true  to  all 
the  experience  of  the  Commission,)  whether 
as  regards  the  intelligent  ooUeotors  and  for- 
warders, or  the  inanimate  vehicles  of  sup- 
plies, that  the  feminine  element  is  their 
main  support  ?    The  name  of  our  new  boat 
is  the  Mary  S.  Bapley. 


It  was  an  hour  or  two  after  midnight  be- 
fore I  had  gone  the  rounds  of  the  hospitals, 
and  then  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
most  of  the  inmates  comfortably  sleeping — 
after  the  refreshment  of  having  their  hunger 
and  their  thirst  assuaged,  their  wounds 
dre  3sed,  and  above  all,  perhaps,  the  cessation 
from  their  hprrible  journey  over  the  rutty 
hiUs,  and  interlying  quagmires  between  the 
battle-fields  and  their  present  place  of  rest. 
By  six  o'clock  the  next  morning,  (after  a 
night  mainly  occupied,  so  far  as  I  was  con- 
cerned, in  strenuous  efforts  to  go  to  sleep 
in  the  midst  of  the  hubbub,  and  in  involun- 
tary listening  to  the  extraordinary  remarks 
of  the  contrabands,  who  kept  up  a  constant 
stream  of  boxes,  barrels,  conversation  and 
guffaws  past  the  place  where  I  lay  on  deck,) 
we  began  the  journey  to  Fredericksburg  our- 
selves in  empty  returning  ambulances,  and 
as  the  hours  and  our  bruises  increased  we 
had  an  opportunity  of  testing  the  probable 
feelings  of  wounded  men  undergoing  such 
an  ordeal.  But  the  fault  is  in  the  roads, 
not  the  vehicles.  I  think  the  four-wheeled 
ambulances  as  good  a  compromise  as  pos- 
sible between  the  conditions  desirable  for 
wounded  men,  and  the  impossibility  of 
using  lighter-springed  wagons  over  army 
roads. 

Arriving  at  Fredericksburg  in  the  middle 
of  the  day,  we  found  it  one  vast  hospital. 
Its  principal  street  is  some  mile  or  more  in 
length,  with  several  parallel  and  a  number 
of  cross  streets,  and  nine  out  of  ten  of  the 
houses  and  shops,  and  all  the  churches  and 
public  buildings  that  are  not  demolished  by  ■" 
shell  or  riddled  by  bullets,  are  filled  with 
wounded  men.  Even  the  store  occupied 
by  the  ' '  Embalmers  of  the  dead, "  has  many 
living  subjects  among  the  dead  ones; 
though  accustomed  as  they  are  to  death  on 
every  side,  the  patients  do  not  consider  the 
proximity  in  such  an  unfavorable  light  as 
civilians  would.  A  few  doors  from  the 
house  in  which  Washington's  early  days 
were  passed,  (and  the  gai'den  of  which  was, 
I  presume,  the  scene  of  the  cutting  of  the 
fruit-tree  by  his  juvenile  hatchet,)  Dr. 
Douglas,  Chief  of  Inspection  of  the  Com- 
mission, and  the  volunteer  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen who  so  zealously  assist  in  the  good 
■work,  have  their  quarters,  and  thither  on 
the  day  I  was  there,  a  number  of  patients, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  'BvRetin. 


527 


requiring  the  constant  supervision  of  some 
of  them  had  been  removed.  Through  the 
open  windows  of  the  rear  rooms  float  the 
odors  of  the  flowers  of  early  summer  to  the 
patients  within,  and  those  whose  oool  pal- 
lets are  in  the  wide  hall,  with  its  old-fashion- 
ed paneUing  of  wood  meeting  the  wooden- 
black  cornice  of  the  ceiling,look  out  through 
the  open  back-door  upon  a  wilderness  of 
roses — a  large  basket  fuU  of  which  has  just 
been  distributed  to  the  poor  fellows 
throughout  the  town — most  of  them  grasp- 
ing at  them  more  eagerly  tlj^iU  at  the  milk- 
punch — ^by  one  of  the  kind  hearted  gentle- 
men of  our  party.  If  their  time  were  not 
80  much  more  valuable  by  the  side  of  the 
impromptu  cooking  aflfairs  and  couches 
they  have  evoked  from  chaos,  the  roses 
should  of  course  have  been  presented  by 
the  ladics-rbut  at  all  events,  they  came 
originally  from  a  lady:  not  one  of  "our" 
women,  but  the  owner  of  the  house — a 
widowed  gentlewoman,  who  sighs  that  such 
evil  days  should  have  fallen  on  the  close 
of  her  eighty  years'  pUgrimage — and,  Kke 
Washington's  mother,  thinks  that  it  may, 
perhaps,  be  a  good  thing  to  be  a  great  gen- 
eral, but  that  for  her  part  she  thinks  that 
Lee  and  Grant  had  both  much  better  be  at 
home  attending  to  their  farms  than  engaged 
in  such  dreadful  doings.  The  North  and 
South  have  lived  in  peace  all  these  years, 
and  why  can't  they  continue  to  do  so  ? 
What  dreadful  things  she  could  tell  me  of 
the  division  of  families  caused  by  this 
wicked  war.  So  and  So  has  two  sons  in 
the  Confederate  army  and  two  in  the  Fed- 
eral. Such  a  happy  family  they  were  once, 
and  now  trying  to  take  each  other's  life; 
and  for  her  part  she  had  been  stripped  of 
almost  every  thing.  The  houses  and  stores 
in  the  town  from  which  she  derived  her  in- 
come, have  been  destroyed,  or  are  appro- 
priated to  their  own  uses,  without  payment, 
now  by  one  army  and  now  by  the  other.  I 
heard  similar  talk  in  Culpepper  whUe  our 
army  held  it,  and  one  hears  it  every  where 
throughout  the  border  States;  and  it  is 
only  here  that  the  full  horrors  of  this  cruel 
war  can  be  appreciated.  It  is  impossible — 
as  I  think  it  would  be  unnatural — ^for  the 
majority  of  the  91d  people  either  North  or 
South,  to  take  the  partizan  view  which  is 
necessarily,  for  the  purposes  of  Providence, 


taken  by  the  young  and  middle-aged  in  the 
two  contending  sections. 

Bound  the  comer  from  the  poor  old  la- 
dy's house  is  the  store-house  of  the  Com- 
mission, besieged  every  day  on  the  arrival 
of  our  wagon  loads  of  supplies — generally 
some  twenty — from  the  base,  with  such 
crowds  as  compel  an  officer  of  the  Commis- 
sion to  enter  by  the  back  way,  if  he  wants 
to  get  in  without  waiting  for  an  hour  or 
two.  Next  door  to  this  is  a  large  store 
used  as  a  hospital  by  one  of  our  volunteer 
ladies;  and  at  the  back  of  both,  aoirvej}.- 
iently  accessible  to  both  supplies  and  pa- 
tients, is  the  tent  she  uses  as  a  cook-house. 
A  door  or  two  off  is  a  shop  used  as  an  office 
by  the  Relief  Force,  of  which  there  are  at 
present  distributed  throughout  the  army 
of  the  Potomac  some  two  hundred  mem- 
bers, under  the  superinteiidenoe  of  Mr.  Fay, 
of  Massachusetts,  a  volunteer  throughout 
the  war  in  such  work.  Several  other  la- 
dies and  a  number  of  physicians  from  civil 
life  have  charge  of  hospitals  in  different 
parts  of  the  town  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Commission;  and  the  Relief  Agents  zeal- 
ously assist  them  in  their  labors,  which  are 
herculean,  as  each  fresh  train  of  ambulan- 
ces arrives  from  the  field,  and  in  those  hos- 
pitals where  the  Government  supply  of  sur- 
geons is  generally  equal  to  the  demand  on 
their  skill,  they  stiU.  continue  such  minis- 
trations as  may  be  carried  on  without  med- 
ical co-operation,  and  these  are  many. 

We  are  in  one  of  the  church  hospitals, 
we  wiU  suppose.  The  pews  are  set  two  to- 
gether, and  .the  backs  taken  off  when  ne- 
cessary, to  form  couches  for  the  patients. 
The  vestry  is  turned  into  an  operating 
room.  In  one  corner  of  the  church  is  a 
good  woman  who  has  not  quitted  the  half- 
deUrious  patient  whose  brow  she  is  bath- 
ing with  bay  water  for  one  hour  in  the  last 
twenty.  The  altar  is  put  to  one  side,  and 
in  ,its  place  two  pews  cradle  a  young  boy 
who  does  not  s^em  to  be  over  fifteen  years 
old.  He  was  brought  in  it  was  supposed 
in  a  dying  condition;  but  the  good  Samar- 
itan who  is  just  directing  to  the  far  West  a 
letter  he  has  written  to  the  boy's  mother 
at  his  dictation,  has,  with  his  good  things 
and  better  words,  brought  such  a  light  into 
the  boy's  eyes  that  he  expresses  the  utmost 
confidence  that  he  wiLL  be  able  to  write  to 


528 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUebin. 


his  mother  himself  the  next  day,  and  tell 
her  that  he  is  safe  from  the  effects  of  this 
■wound,  and  ask  her  to  pray  that  he  may 
be  spared  in  future  battles,  and  rejoin  her 
and  his  sisters  and  brothers  in  their  happy 
Wisconsin  home  "  when  his  time  is  out." 

Further  down  the  town  and  not  far  from 
the  unfinished  tomb  of  Washington's 
mother,  standing  ostensibly  as  a  monument 
to  her.worth,  but  practically  as  a  monu- 
ment to  the  genius  of  the  universal  Yankee 
nation  for  chipping  and  whittling,  is  a  large 
old-fashioned  mansion,  rich  in  pannelled 
wainsooating,  carved  wooden  chimneys, 
plaster  arabesque  ceilings  and  tablets,  and 
landscaped  wall  paper;  and  in  one  of  its 
rooms  lies  a  gray-haired  man,  looking 
dreamily  otit  through  the  open  window  by 
which  his  pallet  is  set,  on  a  beautiful  lawn 
thickly  shaded  with  fine  old  trees,  which 
slope  down  to  the  swampy  meadow  and 
heights  beyond,  which  drank  up  so  rnuch 
precious  blood  in  the  terrible  charge  of  De- 
cember, 1862.  Perhaps  the  fair  scene  be- 
fore him  is  like  that  on  which  he  has  so 
,  often  looked  from  the  porch  of  his  quiet 
house  in  his  far  off  little  Vermont  farm. 
But  he  will  never  look  on  it  again — at  least, 
with  his  earthly  eyes.  He  will  never  again 
look  at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  which  is  now 
with  its  setting  beams  gilding  the  tree-tops 
and  falling  through  them,  checkered  with 
waving  shadows  on  the  lawn  beneath.  The 
wound  from  which  most  of  his  life  -blood 
has  flowed,  has  left  him  white  and  weak, 
but  it  does  not  pain  him:  so  he  looks  qui- 
etly round,  thanking  one  for  'having  writ- 
ten his  last  letter  to  his  "folks;"  another 
for  shading  his  eyes  from  the  sun  with  the 
fan  which,  until  complaining  of  the  cold 
creeping  over  him  has  been  used  to  cool 
him;  and  another  for  offering  the  further 
assistance  which  he  does  not  need.  He  is 
only  a  sergeant,  but  "  had  as  lief  be  a  pri- 
vate in  such  a  cause."  He  was  a  deacon  in 
his  town,  and  "done  the  biggest  part  in 
getting  up  a  company  "  from  it,  the  cap- 
taincy of  which  was  offered  him;  but  he 
thought  he  hadn't  "  edication  "  enough  to 
do  the  "  writin'  part  of  the  business,"  and 
declined.  But,  thank  God,  he  had  "  edi- 
cated"  his  sons,  and  one  of  them  who  had 
entered  the  company  with  himself  had  been 
promoted,  grade  after  grade,  from  the  oor- 


poralship  to  the  captaincy.     His  wife  had 
dissuaded  him  from  "jining  "  the  army  at 
that  time — but  after  the  Peninsular  cam- 
paign,  "he  couldn't  stand  it  no  longer: — 
had  helped  to  get  up  another  regiment  in 
his  township,  and  now  here  he  was.     Well, 
he  was  satisfied  he  wa§  in  the  Lord's  hands,' 
and  he  would  die  in  the  faith  that  the  Lord 
would  stand  by  the  Union  and  the  stars  and 
stripes  to  the  end.     He  hadn't  a  speck  of 
doubt  about  it."    He'd  like  to  know  if  his 
son,  the  Captain,  whose  regiment  had  been 
in  the  fight  with  his  own,  was  stiR  alive, 
but  he  couldn't  find  out;  and  he  would  give 
all  he  was  worth  to  see  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter once  more;  but  he  had  alwa.ys  told  them 
to  prepare  for  this,   and  hoped  the  Lord 
would  give  them  strength  to  bear  the  news. 
I  had  intended  to  tell  you  of  many  other 
incidents  which  would  interest  you,  but 
time  fails.     A  mail  carrier  is  about  to  take 
his  chance  of  rebel  scouts  and  guerrillas,  and 
this  wiU  go  with  him.     If  you  get  it,  I  wiU 
ask  you  to  return  me  a  copy  when  I  let  you 
kn(?w  that  I  have  got  back  to  Washington. 
I  left  Fredericksburg  yesterday  morning 
by  daybreak,  and  am  now  seated  a  few  rods 
from    the    head- quarters    of    Grant    and 
Meade,  in  front  of  the  tent  of  a  hospitable 
yoTing  officer  from  your  city.    At  this  time 
yesterday,  the  woods  around  reverberated 
with  the  cannonading  and  musketry  of  the 
fight  on  the  right  of  our  Une,  between 
Gen.  Tyler's  Division  and  the  enemy,  and 
to-day,  the  surgeons  have  been  busy  with 
several  hundred  wounded  men.     Another 
letter,  either  to  yourself,  or  in  copy,  when 
I  get  back  to  Washington,  wiU.  tell  you 
something  more  of  what  I  have  seen. 

In  BiTorAO,  neab  the  Nobth  Amiii  Riveb,  Va.,  1 
May  '21,  1861.     J 

My  last  letter  gave  an  account  of  the  way 
in  which  I  "  assisted,"  as  the  French  would 
say,  at  the  fight  between  the  forces  of  Gen. 
Warren,  of  the  5th  corps,  with  the  help  of 
part  of  the  6th,  and  the  rebel  Gen.  HiU, 
on  the  evening  of  yesterday,  the  23d  inst. 
After  our  day-break  breakfast  the  next 
morning  I  made  my  way  to  the  hospitals, 
which  had  been  established  while  the  en- 
gagement was  going  on  in  an  open  grassy 
space,  interspersed  with  Wushes  and  young 
trees,  and  skirting  the  road  which  crossed 
the  North  Anna  River  about  a  mile  and  a 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


529 


quarter  (I  should  think)  ahead.  They  oon- 
sisted'of  a  number  of  good-sized  tents, 
spread  with  pine  boughs,  and  scattered 
about  the  grounds  were  the  operating  ta- 
bles, portable  dispensaries,  &o.  '  I  met  a 
number  of  the  wounded  men  I  had  helped 
along  the  night  before,  and  was  glad  to 
hear  many  of  them  express  their  apprecia- 
tion of  the  kindness  and  care  with  which 
they  had  been  attended  to  by  the  surgeons. 
These  latter  had  been  up  all  night,  but 
there  was  as  yet  no  relaxation  to  their  la- 
bors, for  the  ambulances  were  still  coming- 
in  with  the  wounded.  I  do  not  know  that 
I  shall  have  a  better  opportunity  than  the 
present,  and  I  desire  therefore  to  record 
here  my  conviction,  in  opposition  I  think 
to  the  general  impression  in  the  commu- 
nity, and  particularly  to  the  female  portion 
of  it,  that  there  is  nowhere  to  be  found  a 
body  of  men,  who,  as  a  class,  are  more  un- 
tiring, devoted  and  self-sacrificing  in  the 
discharge  of  duties — the  most  responsible, 
exacting  and  exhausting — than  army  sur- 
geons. There  are  exceptions,  too  many  of 
which  I  have  encountered  in  an  official  in- 
tercourse with  them  of  three  years  standr 
ing;  but  during  that  time  my  estimate  of 
them  as  a  body  has  steadily  increased,  and 
this  my  last  experience  with  them  in  the 
field  has  confirmed  and  heightened  all  my 
previous  good  impressions.  I  take  pleas- 
ure as  a  non-medical  man,  in  expressing 
emphatically  my  opinion  as  to  the  high 
standard  of  mental  and  moral  qualities 
they  apply  to  their  professional  duties — 
(without  being  competent  to  judge  of  their 
professional  qualities  pure  and  simple) — 
the  more  so  because  my  official  correspon- 
dence has  shown  me  how  much  they  have 
been  suspected  and  undervalued  by  the 
home- staying  oonlmuuity — while  in  gene- 
ral culture  they  compare  most  favorably 
with  any  class  of  officers  in  the  army. 

Thaiiks  to  the  untiring  zeal  of  the  sur- 
geons and  their  assistants;  and  to  their  be- 
ing well  stocked  in  the  field  with  GoTern- 
mental  medical  supplies,  those  of  the  pa- 
tients who  had  been  already  operated  upon 
were  lying  on  the  fresh,  soft  fragrant  pine 
boughs,  with  which  the  tents  were  thickly 
strewn;  in  a  condition  of  tdetable  comfort 
— those  at  least  whose  wounds  admit  of 
any  comfort,  and  fortunately,  where  well 

Vol..  I.— No.  17.  34 


cared  for,  these  are  the  majority.  WeU 
washed,  and  dressed  in  clean  shirt  and 
drawers — every  one  marked  with  the  "  TJ. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  "  stamps,  for  the 
lack  of  these  was  one  of  the  gaps  we  had 
bridged  over — ^and  many  of  them  enjoying 
their  pipes  or  cigars,  and  chatting  over 
their  experience  in  the  "imminent  deadly 
breach"  of  the  evening  before — the  scene 
of  the  whole,  however  terrible,  was  not  al- 
together unrelieved  in  parts.  It  is  amus- 
ing to  see  the  affection  they  bear  for  their 
pipes.  One  man  I  saw  seriously  wounded 
in  most  of  his  limbs,  lifted  out  of  one  of 
the  ambulances  that  had  just  arrived.  His 
first  thought  was  for  his  pipe,  but  he  had 
no  hand  in  which  to  carry  it,  so  he  desired 
it  to  be  put  in  his  mcmth,  and  carrying  it 
between  his  Ups  was  himself  borne  to  the 
operating  table. 

One  young  lad  I  found  reading  a  hymn 
book, which  he  said  had  probably  saved  his 
life  the  night  before.     It  was  in  his  waist- 
coat pocket  during  the  engagement,  and  a 
minie  ball,  which  would  otherwise  have 
gone  into  his  breast,  had  glanced  against 
its  cover  and  faU?n  to  the  bottom  of  his 
pocket.    He  showed  me  the  baU  with  much 
satisfaction,  and    told   me   he   hoped   he 
should  live  to  get  back  to  Wisconsin  and 
show  it  to  his  mother,  who  had  given  him. 
the  hymn  book.     He  had,  however,  a  few. 
minutes  before  been  shot  in  the  leg.     A,, 
man  lying  with  one  of  his  arms  off  next  the 
narrator,  was  very  anxious  that  I  should,, 
provide  him  also  with  a  hymn  book,  but 
whether  he  was  influenijed  most  by.  pity  oi 
by  prudence,  I  shall  not  pretend,  to  say.. 
There  was  one  young  fellow  from  your  sec- 
tion' of  country — though  I  cannot  recall, 
the  name  of  the  town  or  village  he  men; 
tioned — he  was  severely  but  not  painfull^ 
wounded,  who  seeing  some  clean  linen  rag 
which  one  of  the  doctors  had  left  on  *he 
ground  a  little  distance  off,  asked  i^  to., 
tear  him  off  a  piece  that  would  serv^  him 
as  a  pocket  handkerchief.     Thinkifg  the 
surgeon  might  have  set.  apart  the  Unen.foi. 
some  special  purpose,  and  prefjfring  in. 
any  case  to  give  him  a  bona  ^rfrfhandker- 
chief,  if  I  had  one  left,  I  felt  iiJny  pocket, 
and  there  at  its  bottom  was  tly  last  of  m,J. 
small  store.    It  was  rather  s  nice  affair,, 
the  cambric  not  of  the  fi^^st,  but  w^tli. 


530 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


quite  a  stylisli  border  round  its  edge,  and 
he  pronounced  it  "buUy"  as  I  handed  it 
to  him.  The  outside  fold  had,  as  usual, 
the  Commission's  stamp,  but  it  soon  ap- 
peared that  there  was  still  another  mark 
on  it,  for  he  had  scarcely  unfolded  it,  and 
held  it  out  for  an  admiring  inspection,  be- 
fore he  uttered  quite  a  shriek  of  delight, 
and  asked  me  if  I  knew  his  folks  at  home, 
and  if  they  had  given  me  the  handkerchief 
to  hand  to  him.  It  appeared  that  besides 
our  mark,  there  was  worked  in  thread 
the  name  of  a  relief  society  in  his  native 
place,  and  he  gave  sundry  reasons  for  his 
positive  assertion  that  the  marking  must 
have  been  done  by  none  other  than  his  lit- 
tle sister  Lizzie.  Without  perhaps  fully 
appreciating  his  arguments,  I  saw  no  good 
reason  for  disturbing  his  impression,  and 
left  him  quite  happy  in  its  indulgence. 

Passing  from  one  tent  to  another,  I  found 
a  Chaplain  standing  by  two  stretchers,  the 
, occupant  of  each  lying,  with  stiff  out- 
stretched limbs,  and  the  quiet  upturned 
face  covered  with  the  blanket,  which  was 
now  to  serve  as  a  winding  sheet.  Another 
Chaplain  appeared  in  a  moment,  with  two 
men  bearing  another  stretcher,  the  corpse 
covered  with  the  old  grey  overcoat  which 
had  shielded  him  from  so  many  storms, 
and  served  him  so  often  for  blanket  or  pil- 
low. The  bearers  pick  up  the  stretcher, 
and  they,  the  two  Chaplains,  and  myself, 
are  all  that  follow  the  warriors  to  their 
grave.  A  few  paces  off,  in  a  little  space 
between  two  clumps  of  bushes  and  sap- 
lings, the  wide  grave  is  being  dug — there 
1  isbut  one  for  the  three  comrades  in  battle 
\p,nd  death — ^by  the  three  men,  who  take 
^eir  turn  in  digging  and  resting  beneath 
tte  burning  rays  of  the  unclouded  over- 
powering sun.  It  is  evidently  a  matter  of 
prile  and  conscience  with  them  to  dig 
deep  and  make,  as  one  terms  it,  "a  hand- 
some 'grave."  Their  oaths  and  rough  talk 
&'e  siltnced.  The  youngest  of  them,  rather 
a  smartyoung  sergeant,  is  obviously  bent 
oil  makii,g  a  good  impression  on  the  chap- 
lains, and'  talks  somewhat  learnedly  and 
sentimentaW  on  the  way  in  which  they 
must  have  deceived  their  wounds,  and  on 
our  all  having  to  come  to  this,  on  the  field 
or  in  our  beig,  he  does  not  see  that  it 
makes  much  diSerenee— but  he  talks  quiet- 


ly and  soon  stops,  working  sieadily  with 
the  others,  who  have  nothing  to  say  except 
to  interchange  some  undertoned  remark 
as  to  the  earth  being  loose  in  this  spot,  or 
a  stone  being  in  the  way  there.  Just  as 
they  are  giving  the  finishing  strokes,  some 
one  hurries  up,  claims  one  of  the  bodies 
to  be  sent  home  to  his  friends,  and  the  two 
men  with  him  carry  it  off.  The  diggers 
agree  to  leave  a  third  of  the  space  unfilled 
with  soil  for  some  other  body — "there  will 
be  a  many  graves  wanted  through  the  day" 
—they  leap  up  from  the  grave  and  tell  the 
chaplains  it  is  ready,  then  lean  on  their 
spades  and  uncover  their  heads.  We  also 
uncover,  and  one  of  the  chaplains  reads 
aload  from  his  little  pocket  bible,  "  Now 
is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become 
the  first  fruits  of  them  that  slept — for  since 
by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead,"  and  the  rest 
of  the  chapter.  He  is  followed  by  the 
other  chaplain  in  a  short  address,  followed 
by  a  prayer,  then  the  uncoffined  forms  are 
lowered,  the  fresh  earth  covers  them  more 
closely,  (and  more  kindly  it  seems  to  me,) 
than  a  wooden  box  would — i'»e  empty  space 
left  by  their  side  for  whoever  shall  come 
next, — wooden  boards  inscribed  with  their 
names,  companies  and  regiments,  are  placed 
at  their  heads,  and  there  we  leave  them  to 
their  long  rest,  one  wi'apped  in  his  blanket, 
while  the  other — 

"  Lay  lihe  a  "warrior  taMng  his  rest, 
"  With  ll.s  martial  doaJi  around  him," 

Coming  out  of  the  inclosure,  I  stopped 
to  talk  to  several  of  a  crowd — some  three 
hundred — of  rebel  prisoners,  who  stood  or 
sat  in  two  groups  under  guard — some  of 
them  in  gi-eat  trepidation  lest  the  shells 
sent  by  their  own  people  thould  reach 
them.  (The  shelling  and  musketry,  but 
more  especially  the  cannonading,  goes  on, 
more  or  less,  all  the  time.)  One  of  them 
was  a  South  Carolina  Colonel,  named 
Brown,  I  am  told,  who  sat  on  the  ground 
whittling  a  piece  of  stick  with  his-  pen- 
knife, which  induced 'a  fat  officer  who  stood 
over  him,  and  probably  resented  the  cut- 
ting down  from  its  maximum  proportions 
of  even  a  piece  of  wood,  to  inform  him 
that  he  would  certainly  be  taken  for  a 
Yankee  if  he  persisted  in  whittling.  The 
Colonel  only  grinned,  however,  and  went 


The  Sanitary  Comy;i,ission  BvEetin. 


531 


on  paring;  perhaps,  beginning  to  enter- 
tain the  idea  that  worse  things  might  befall 
him  than  to  be  taken  for  a  Yankee.  One 
of  them,  an  innocent  looking,  mild  eyed 
young  lad--^as  many  of  them  are — ^is  the 
son  of  the  woman  who  lives  in  the  log-cabin 
by  the  side  of  which  I  am  now  writing,  and 
is  now,  therefore,  a  prisoner  within  a  few 
yards  of  his  mothers'  house.  The  poor 
woman  has  been  to  see  him  and  declares, 
with  many  tears,  that  he  was  led  away  by 
his  neighbors  against  her  entreaties.  Her 
trouble  is  shared  by  the  boy's  grandfather, 
and  by  several  young  sisters,  very  pretty 
and  delicate  looking,  notwithstanding  that 
they  have  no  shoes,  and  wear  such  unorin- 
olined  gowns  of  striped  home-made  stuff  as 
a  Biddy  would  scorn  to  use  for  scrubbing 
cloth  in  the  North,  and  live  in  a  cabin  of 
two  rooms,  log-ceiled,  and  logwalled  in- 
side as  well  as  outside,  and  hardly  anything 
in  it  but  an  old  wardrobe,  a  ricketty  table, 
a  couple  of  beds,  with  the  inevitable  coun- 
terpane of  checkered  stuff,  and  equally  in- 
evitable spinning-wheel. 

An  ambulance  train,  loaded  with  wound- , 
ed,  leaves  here  probably  this  afternoon  for 
Fredericksburg  or  Port  Royal,  whichever 
way  is^most  free  from  guerrillas — and  by 
this,  if  it  goes,  I  shall  seek  an  outlet  from 
the  field — but  I  shall  trust  this  to  head- 
quarters' mail-bag  rather  than  carry  it  my- 
self to  Washington,  for  I  think  it  likely  it 
will  thus  pass  through  there  on  its  way  to 
yon  sooner  than  I  shall  reach  the  place. 
Verj  truly  and  respectfully  yours, 

AsiFEBD  J.  Bloob,        ' 

Assistant  Secretary. 


LETTER  VVKITINa  IN  CAMP. 
A.  special  aid  strolling  about  the  extensive 
grounds  occupied  by  the  hospitals,  finds  many 
duties  presenting  themselves,  of  a  different 
character  from  the  nursing  and  feeding  which 
most  pertain  to  his  office;  his  badge  brings 
him  many  a  call  from  those  who,  far  from  home 
and  friends,  want  to  send  "line"  to  those;  for 
one  he  will  write  a  letter,  to  another  furnish 
mail  facilities  for  a  letter  already  written;  an- 
other has  gone  so  far  as  to  indite  as  well  as  he 
can  his  messages  of  love  to  those  at  home,  and 
wants  it  directedin  a  more  legible  hand;  another 
wants  a  sheet  of  paper  and  an  envelope.  It  is 
an  important  part  of  our  duties  in  the  hospitals 
to  attend  to  the  correspondence  of  the  sick  ^nd 


wounded,  and  many  a  touching  message  are  we 
called  upon  to  convey.  I  was  impressed  by  the 
simple  honesty  and  prudence  of  >•■  private  who 
was  lying  in  one  of  the  tents,  sick  with  a  dan- 
gerous disease;  I  asked  him  if  I  should  say  to 
his  wife  that  he  was  better?  "No,"  said  he, 
"don't  give  her  anything  to  be  laying  out 
upon."  He  evidently  thought  his  disease  might 
,prove  fatal,  and  any  encouraging  words  would 
be  building  up,  perhaps,  a  false  hope.  There 
is  great  delicacy  of  feeling  exhibited  by  many 
of  these  suffering  men,  and  often  a  reluctance 
to  divulge  their  private  griefs,  in  strong  con- 
trast to  the  "mockery  of  woe,"  not  unfrequent- 
ly  met  with  among  the  more  educated  classes. 
Let  not  this  secretiyeness  be  too  summarily 
placed  to  the  account  of  insensibility;  the 
soldier  is  not  apt  to  be  a  man  pf  words;  he  is 
ashamed  to  betray  a  tenderness  of  feeling  which 
may  appear  faint-hearted;  as  one  said  to  me, 
when  I  spoke  of  his  endurance  under  suffering, 
"it  does  not  become  a  soldier  to  complain." 

A  regiment  of  infantry  from  the  front,  after  a 
long  march  of  seventeen  miles  on  a  dusty  road, 
almost  without  food,  passing  our  tent  saw  some 
of  the  aids  with  the  badge  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission on  their  hats,  "  Ah,"  says  one  wayworn 
veteran,  ' '  there's  the  Sanitary;  that's  what  I've 
been  wanting  to  see."  These  poor  fellows  im- 
mediately wanted  soft  bread,  and  in  the  ab- 
sence of  any  supply  of  this,  were  provided  with 
Boston  soft  crackers,  to  their  great  relief,  wash- 
ing them  down  with  the  best  coffee,  prepared  at 
one  of  the  feeding  stations. 


WHAT  IS  BEING  DONE  FOB  OUR  SICK 

AND  WOUNDED  SOLDIERS^. 

[From  the  Agriculturist.] 

White  House,  Va.,  June  9iA,  1864. 
[The  readers  will  please  give  the  entire  credit 
of  the  June  and  July  numbers  of  the  Agricul- 
turist to  my  worthy  editorial  associates,  Prof. 
Thurber,  Col.  Weld,  Mr.  Fitch,  and  their  assis- 
tants and  correspondents.  Five  weeks  ago  to- 
day, I  left  home  to  personally  aid  for  a  few  days 
in  the  care  of  the  wounded.  The  days  have 
lengthened  to  weeks,  and  I  cannot  yet  consent 
to  leave  this  important  and  interesting  field  of 
labor.  I  evdn  begrudge  the  brief  time  devoted 
to  this  hasty  letter,  for  every  moment  I  can  be 
in  the  camp  gives  opportunity  to  contribute 
something  to  the  comfort  of  a  suffering  fellow. 
I  may  perhaps  run  home  for  a  day  or  two,  to  at- 
tend to  some  important  business,  but  with  this 
exception,  I  feel  it  a  daty,  as  weU  as  the  high- 
est pleasure,  to  remain  near  the  battle  fields,  so 
long  as  hundreds  of  men  are  almost  daily  struck 
down,  and  while  so  much  can  be  done  to  allevi- 


532 


The  Sanitary^  Commission  Bvlletin. 


ate  their  suflferings.  It  is  the  more  my  duty,  as 
my  health  continues  veiy  good,  notwithstand- 
ing the  severity  of  the  night  and  day  labor,  the 
absence  of  regular  wholesome  meals,  of  beds,  or 
of  any  of  the  comforts  of  home,  or  civilization 
even.  I  have  so  far  felt  none  of  the  evil  influ- 
ences of  th(se  malarious  regions,  which  seri- 
ously affect  so  many  others.  I  doubt  not  our 
readers  will  readily  excuse  me  for  present  in-. 
attention  to  correspondence,  to  busiuess,  and  to 
the  reading  columns.] 

My  notes  last  month  to  my  associates,  which 
I  see  they  took  the  liberty  to  print,  left  me  at 
Fredericisburg.  Since  then  we  have  been  to 
Belle  Plain  again,  to  Acquia  Creek,  (May  22,) 
down  the  Potomac  and  up  the  Esppahannock  to 
Port  Royal,  (May  25, )  and  to  Fredericsburg  again, 
(May  26, )  to  bring  away  the  last  of  the  wound- 
ed; back  to  Port  Royal,  then  down  the  Rappa- 
hannock and  Chesapeake,  up  the  York  Eiver, 
and  to  this  point,  W  hite  House,  on  the  Pamun- 
key  River,  wheie  we  arrived  Monday,  May  30, 
The  work  at  these  several  points  has  been  much 
the  same,  viz.,  the  reception  and  care  of  wound- 
ed and  sick,  sent  to  the  rear  from  the  battle 
field.  At  each  place,  and  especially  at  Freder- 
icksburg and  here,  -ne  have  heard  the  almost 
constiint  roar  of  cannons,  sometimes  in  too 
Tapid  succession  to  admit  of  coantiag  the  dis- 
tinct discharges  of  the  heavier  guns,  even,  and 
we  have  almost  learned  to  plan  our  work  ahead 
for  a  given  number  of  wounded,  by  the  charac- 
ter and  direction  of  the  firing. 

Of  the  character  of  our  work,  any  one  can 
judge,  by  thinking  what  would  be  done  in  a 
household  where  one  of  its  members  had  been 
maimed  by  accident.  How  many  attentions 
would  be  bestowed,  how  many  comforts  would 
be  planned,  how  would  the  sympathies  of  the 
whole  neighborhood  be  called  foith  for  miles 
around.  Here  we  have  thousands  of  maimed 
men,  some  of  them  pierced  and  torn  in  evei-y 
conceivable  manner — not  one  in  a  house,  but 
often  a  score  or  more,  on  the  ground,  under  a 
single  large  tent.  \Vhen  soldiers  are  disabled, 
they  are  sent  to  the  rear,  where  the  surgeon 
performs  such  hasty  dressing  and  other  opera- 
tions as  may  be  most  needed.  As  soon  as  oir- 
cifmstances  allovsr,  they  are  then  sent  to  the  base 
of  supplies,  in  ambulances,  (covered  spring 
wagons,)  or  often  in  springless  army  wagons. 
The  guenillas  that  hover  around  the  rear,  make 
it  necessary  to  send  a  strong  military  guard 
along  with  each  train  of  wounded,  and  also  pre- 
clude the  attendance  of  civilians  to  feed  and  care 
for  the  wounded  while  on  the  way.  Such  help 
only  is  given  as  can  be  afforded  by  the  drivers 
and  the  soldiers  detailed  to  attend  them.     The 


comparatively  few  Sanitary  Commission  wagons 
and  relief  men  allowed  at  the  front,  do  what 
they  can  for  the  men  before  they  leave  the  field 
hospitals.  It  is  these  famished,  weary,  hungry, 
often  tired  and  fainting  men,  that  we  are  try- 
ing to  receive  and  provide  for  to  the  utmost  of 
our  ability.  And  God  be  thanked  for  the  noble 
enterprise  of  the  U  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
and  for  fhe  patriotic  hearts  and  hands  that  have 
supplied  its  treasury  with  the  means  for  carry- 
ing abundant  supplies  to  the  points  where  need- 
ed. I  have  sent  yon  a  pai  tial  list  of  the  stores 
brought  to  this  point,  which  is  but  one  of  the 
fields  of  labor.  I  cannot  begin  to  describe  the 
work  done.  My  note  book,  and  the  broader 
pages  of  memory,  would  famish  details  enough 
to  fill  a  hundred  columns  in  the  Agriculturist 
A  few  items  must  suffice. 

At  Belle  Plain  a  large  force  of  men,  in  alter- 
nate squads,  were  occupied  night  and  day,  from 
May  10  to  May  25,  in  feeding  the  men  with  coffee, 
milk  punch  to  the  fainting,  soft  bread  and 
crackers,  medicines,  and  many  deUcacies— in 
giving  clothing,  crutches,  arm  slings,  blankets, 
etc. ;  in  dressing  wounds,  in  cheering  the  des- 
ponding, in  conversing  with  the  dying,  in  writ- 
ing letters  for  tliose  unable  to  write  for  them- 
selves, in  receiving  and  forwarding  letters,  par- 
cels, etc. ;  in  short,  in  everyway  in  which  they 
could  comfort  the  living,  and  in  burying  those 
who  diedwhen  thus  far  on  their  way  home.  The 
work  done  at  that  point  alone,  a  thousand  times 
repaid  all  the  great  and  small  Sanitary  Fuirs 
ever  held,  and  all  the  home  efforts  ever  put 
forth. 

At  the  same  time,  32  four-hoise  wagons  were 
engnged  in  hauling  supplies  to  the  army,  and 
especially  to  Fredericksburg,  where  the  same 
kind  of  work  was  going  on,  but  on  a  still  larger 
scale,  if  possible.  Central  distributing  stores 
were  established,  and  the  city  was  districted 
off,  and  squ^s  of  relief  men  assigned  to  each 
district.  (The  agents  of  the  Commission  ac- 
companying the  army,  are  called  the  Relief 
Corps,  and  those  at  the  rear  with  the  wounded, 
are  termed  the  Auxiliary  Relief  Corps.)  These 
latter  consist  partly  of  regularly  employed  men, 
(who  ai'e  previously  trained  to  the  work  of 
dressing  wounds,  preparing  food  for  the  sick, 
etc.,)  but  more  largely  of  volunteers,  who  give 
their  time  and  best  energies  freely,  but  who 
work  entirely  subject  to  the  regular  Auxiliary 
Relief  Corps. 

These  companies,  with  temporary  captains  to 
direct,  went  from  house  to  house  in  their  seve- 
ral beats,  and  commenced  their  good  work. 
Though  numbering  over  one  hundred  and  fifty, 
there  was  at  one  time  an  average  of  nearly  fifty 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BvUetin. 


533 


for  each  one  to  look  after.  Those  skilled  in  that 
branch,  assisted  in  dressing  wounds;  others 
canied  aiound  and  dispensed  prepared  foods 
and  drinks,  etc.,  from  the  sanitary  stores.  The 
memory  of  the  hours  and  days  occupied  in  this 
will  never  dim.  That  clean,  nice  flannel  shirt, 
made  perhaps  by  your  hands,  gentle  reader,  or 
at  least  bought  with  your  money  or  work,  and 
put  in  place  of  a  blood  or  dirt-soiled  one,  by 
the  hand  that  writes  this,  perhaps  comforted  a 
son,  or  brother,  or  relative  of  the  maker  her- 
self. I  see  a  pair  of  bare  feet  of  a  noble  man 
stretched  upon  the  floor,  unable  to  raise  himself 
up ;  I  hasten  to  put  upon  them  a  pair  of  home- 
knit  socks.  Who  knit  them  ?  Perhaps  the  one 
that  reads  this.  Somebody  knit  them  for  some- 
body's sou — and  that  is  enough.  Never  shall  I 
forget  one  pair  given.  A  mark  on  them  indi- 
cated the  knitter's  name.  The  soldier  took  them 
in  his  hands,  looked  them  over  and  over  again 
— then  kissed  them,  hugged  them  to  his  bosom, 
and  turning  upon  his  side,  wept.  I  could  not 
stay  there,  to  ask  what  were  his  thoughts. 
These  hands  of  mine  are  hallowed  by  the  hun- 
dreds of  pairs  of  socks,  the  shirts,  the  drawers, 
the  arms-slings,  the  crutches,  the  pillows,  the 
ring-cushions,  tbe  slippers,  etc.,  that  they  have 
been  permitted  to  give  to  such  men  during  five 
weeks  past.  And  every  hanU  that  has  helped 
to  make  these  things,  or  helped  by  work,  or 
dimes,  or  dollars,  to  buy  them,  is  a  nobler 
hand  therefor.  I  wish  I  could  give  a  thousandth 
part  of  the  items.  I  have  said  nothing  of  the 
tens  of  thousands  of  cups  of  good  coffee,  pre- 
pai'ed  with  pure  milk,  brought  condensed  in 
canp,  and  sweetened  with  good  sugar;  of  other 
thousands  of  cups  of  tea;  of  milk  punch  when 
stimulants  were  most  needed;  of  farina,  of  beef 
or  chicken  broth,  which  modern  invention  en- 
ables us  to  carry  fr^sh  to  the  field.  Imagine  at 
least  a  hundred  persons  constantly  preparing 
and  bearing  these  things  to  our  sick  and  wound- 
ed and  brave  men,  far  from  home  and  home 
comforts  and  care,  and  again  with  me  thank 
God  that  it  was  put  into  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  to  work  in  fairs  and  at  home  for  our 
soldiers,  and  that  you  and  I  have  been  privileged 
to  bear  some  part  in  this  noblest  enterprise  of 
this  or  any  other  age.  Let  us  keep  on  doing. 
We  are  in  the  midst  of  the  mightiest  struggle 
the  world  has  even  seen.  For  thirty-six  days 
an  almost  incessant  battle  has  gone  on,  and  the 
end  is  not  yet.     Bat  I  must  hasten. 

At  Port  Royal,  Va.,  the  same  work  was  re- 
peated for  three  days  and  nights.  The  Sanitary 
Commission  steamer,  loaded  down  with  stores 
and  with  relief  men,  were  on  hand  two  hours 
before  the  first  wounded  man  arrived,  and  we 


fed  and  oared  for  all  who  came  in,  until  they 
were  sent  for  from  Washington,  whither  they 
were  carried  direct  by  water,  ini  comfortable, 
commodious  steamers. 

At  this  point,  (White  House,)  we  arrived  two 
days  in  advance  of  the  wounded.  You  should 
see  our  eight  distributing  and  feeding  tents  on 
shore,  and  the  busy  relief  agents,  cooking, 
hastening  f  roln  tent  to  tent  with  pailsfuU  of  the 
best  nutriment,  bundles  of  clothing,  etc.  Shall 
I  speak  of  a  single  day's  work  of  my  own,  in 
illustration  ?  The  men  had  for  thirty  six  days 
been  away  from  their  usual  access  to  suttlers, 
or  other  sources  of  supply,  I  found  a  great 
eagerness  for  tobacco,  among  those  accustomed 
to  use  this  narcotic;  the  longing  seemed  to  be 
intensified  by  their  condition.  Yesterday  I 
went  around  with  a  basket  on  each  arm,  and  a 
haversack  on  my  necH.  A  rough  estimate  of 
the  day's  work,  from  the  morning  and  evening's 
stock  on  hand,  showed  that  I  had  given  out 
writing  paper  and  envelopes  to  about  700  men; 
pencils  to  90;  a  large  lot  of  newspapers  sent  di- 
rect to  me  by  Mr.  Felt,  of  Salem,  Mass. ;  crutch- 
es, to  136  wounded  below  the  knee,  who  were 
thus  enabled  to  get  up  and  move  about;  arm- 
slings  to  115  wounded  in  the  arm,  (perhaps  you 
made  one  of  these  reader;)  a  piece  of  chewing 
tobacco  each,  to  about  370;  smoking  {obacco 
and  matches  to  about  450,  and  pipes  to  73  who 
had  lost  theirs.  (A  wounded  man  seldom  brings 
anything  from  the  field  except  what  is  in  his 
pockets.)  This  is  the  only  day  I  have  attempted 
to  keep  an  account  of  the  work  done.  With  my 
outfit  of  baskets,  etc. ,  I  looked  like,  and  was  not 
inappropriately  dubbed  a  "Yankee  Pcdler."  I 
doubt  if  any  other  Yankee  Pedler  ever  did  u 
better  business  in  one  day,  or  one  that  paid  a 
thousandth  part  as  well.  The  pleasant  running 
conversation  kept  up  all  day  was  cheering,  to 
myself  at  least,  and  the  "  God  bless  yous"  and 
cheerful  "good  mornings"  or  "good  even- 
ings" responded  from  every  tent  as  I  left  it, 
was  good  pay.  Everywhere  I  met  others  of  our 
relief  agents  bearing  other  things,  or  bending 
over  the  wounded  men,  dressing  their  wounds, 
and  literally  "pouring  in  oil  and  wine."  The 
sleep  of  that  night  was  sweetened  by  bearing 
out  thirty-eight  nice  warm  new  blankets  to  as 
many  blanketless  men  whom  I  found,  as  I  came 
from  a  distant  part  of  the  camping  ground  at  a 
late  hour  in  the  evening.  These  men  had  been 
brought  in  after  dark,  and  had  got  separated 
from  the  rest  of  their  train.  I  am  sure  some 
of  their  lives  were  thus  saved.  I  speak  thus  par- 
ticularly of  my  own  work  because  I  can  speak  of 
that  best..  Almost  two  hundred  others  are  ear- 
nestly and  feelingly  laboring  to  the  utmost  of 


534 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


their  strength  in  the  different  departments. 
Such  is  the  work  at  "White  House  Lauding  to- 
day. May  I  nob  neglect  the  Agriculturist  an- 
other month,  if  need  be  ? 

Okange  Jtjdd. 

Mr.  Judd  adds,  "writing  from  Whitehouse, 
June  7: 

It  will  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  contrib- 
utors to  the  funds,  and  especially  to  the  friends 
of  the  soldiers,  to  know  what  is  supplied  by  the 
TT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  The  following  is 
only  a  partial  list  of  the  supplies  on  hand  at 
this  place,  yesterday.  They  are  on  board  of 
half  a  dozen  steamers,  barges  and  schooners  in 
the  river,  and  are  being  caiTied  on  shore,  part 
to  eight  distributing  tents,  and  part  to  some 
forty  four-horse  wagons,  which  are  carrying 
them  to  the  "front."  There  are  about  100 
teamsters,  porters,  etc.,  engaged  in  handling 
the  stores,  mi.nning  the  boats,  etc.,  and  150  or 
more  of  the  hired  and  volunteer  relief  corps, 
engaged  in  distributing  directly  to  the  wound- 
ed and  sick,  and  in  dressing  wounds  and  caring 
for  the  men  otherwise.  These  articles  are  all 
needed;  the  use  of  most  of  them  will  be  obvious 
to  every  one;  others  are  required  for  tents  and 
other  work. 

This  list  contains  an  assortment  forwarded 
from  the  general  storehouses,  about  in  the  pro- 
portion they  are  expected  to  be  needed.  Daily 
orders  go  off  for  each  article  of  which  the  stock 
is  being  drawn  down. 


6,288  cans  condensed  milk. 
2,612  lbs.  soft  crackers. 
1,856  lbs.  fariaa. 
4,656  lbs.  sugar, 
16,207  cans  tomatoes. 
794  lbs.  corn  starcb. . 
3,310  lbs.  prep'd  chocolate. 
804  lbs.  ground  coffee. 
192  lbs.  extract  coffee. 
60  lbs.  cocua. 
1,000  lbs.  oat  meal. 
400  lbs.  com  meal. 
24  lbs.  gelatine. 
100  lbs,  maccaroni. 
80  lbs.  arrow  root, 
200  lbs,  rice. 
180  lbs.  butter. 

11  bbls.  flour. 

447  cans  peaches,  (2  lb.  c.) 
160  cans  pears,  (2  lb.  cans.) 

160  doz.  fresh  eggs. 

161  cans  green  beans. 

216  cans  roast  chicken,2  lb.  c 
600  cans  roast  turkey,  2  lb.  c. 
2,402  cans  roast  beef,  2  lb.  c. 
33Acans  conds'd  beef  soup. 
2,200  c.  other  canned  meats. 
2  bbls,  hams. 
516  bottles  Jamaica  rum. 
840  bottles  brandy. 
600  bottles  sherry  wine. 
1,475  bottles  whiskey. 

12  bottles  cheri'y  brandy. 
10  gallons' foreign  wine. 
87  gallons  domestic  wine, 
67  bottles  cider. 

216  bottles  ale 'hoi. 

1  package  spirits. 

2  bbls.  molasses. 

1,128  bottles  ex.  of  ginger. 


360  bot.  bay  rum,  for  bathing 

166  boxes  lemons. 

368  bottles  lemon  syrup. 

81  bbls.  porter,  in  ^  bbls. 

65  lbs.  spices. 

135  gallons  tamarinds. 

785  lbs.  tea. 

30  lbs.  mutton  tallow. 

18  bedsteads. 

907  bed  ticks. 

11  bales  of  straw. 

758  pillows. 

1,346  pillow  cases. 

312  pillow  ticks. 

115  mattresses. 

264  chambers. 

248  candlesticks. 

5  large  boxes  cushions. 

477  ring  cushions. 

510  sheets, 

480  woolen  blankets. 

46  rubber  blankets. 

393  quilts. 

50  head  rests. 

139  stretchers, 

100  lanterns,  for  night  work, 

200  medicine  cups. 

48  scissors,  for  nurses, 

776  hair  combs. 

419  pieces  musquito  net. 

44  pieces  old  silk. 

2  bales  oakum,  for  woimds. 

328  spit  eups. 

1,562  handkerohie&, 

3,609  towels.  * 

2,320  tin  cups. 

712  tin  plates. 

250  tin  basins, 

8  ku'ge  water  tankd. 

541  tin  spoons. 


115  tin  buckets. 
9  cooking  stoves. 
39  camp  kettles. 
192  knives  and  forks. 
12  cheap  carvers. 

6  frying  pans. 

16  large  coffee  pots. 

7  nutmeg  graters,    i 

12  boxes  assorted  tin  ware. 

1  hhd.  assorted  tin  ware. 

2  bbls.  assorted  tin  W£u:e. 
50  lbs.  saleratus. 

30  baskets. 

4,469  wcolen  shirts. 

1,804  cotton  shirts. 

1,153  hospital  shirts. 

671  woolen  drawers. 

847  Canton  flannel  drawers. 

1,945  cotton  socks. 

1,645  woolen  socks, 

893  wrappers. 

733  pairs  slippers. 

5  boxes  shoes. 

1  box  boots. 

1  large  box  pants. 
269  gallons  pickles. 

60  bbls  curried  cabbage. 
218  bbls.  saur  kraut. 
525  lbs.  smoking  tobacco. 
200  lbs.  cheese. 

2  sacks  salt. 

60  wooden  pails. 

4  medicine  boxes. 

2  lbs.  bromine. 

60  lbs.  chloroform. 

1  box  quinine. 

1,000  camphor  et  opii  pills. 

5  bbls.  chloride  of  lime. 
15,600  envelopes. 

15  reams  letter  paper. 
1, 116  lead  pencils. 
167  dozen  pen  holders. 
14  gross  pens. 
108  bottles  ink. 

3  boxes  assorted  stationery. 


420  palm  fans. 

29  baJes  hay. 

12  bales  straw. 

400  bushels  oats,  for  teams. 

1  fire  proof  safe. 
40  camp  stools. 

Large  lot  assorted  lumber. 

2  kegs  nails, 

10  lbs.  spikes. 
24  shovels. 

6  axes. 

12  hatchets. 

2  saws. 

12  hammers. 

112  brooms. 

24  bbls.  bandars. 

6  hhifi.  old  linen. 

2  bbls.  home-made  lint. 
60  lbs.  patent  lint. 
2  lbs  silk  ligature. 
196  bottles  cologne. 
Camphor. 

11  boxes  reading  matter. 
Large  bundles  newspapers. 
714  arm  slings. 

1,400  pair  crutches. 

67  canes. 

224  lbs.  soap. 

14  tents. 

727  lbs.  candles. 

140  pads. 

2  bales  sponges. 

2  boxes  sponges. 

26  lbs  sponges. 

144  gross  matches. 

Ill  brooms, 

100  hospital  lamps. 

7  large  camp  chests.with  full 

assortment  of  everything 
in,  for  field  use  on  the  in- 
stant. 
Extra  harness,  saddles,  bri- 
dles, flags,  razors,  shav- 
ing bm^es,marklng  pots^ 
etc.,  etc. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 
Cairo. 
During  the  nine  weeks  ending  June  1,  the 
number  admitted  was  17,469,  from  23  different 
states;  of  meals  furnished,  38,892;  of  lodgings, 
13,062;  1831  were  aided  in  procuring  transpor- 
tation. 

NASirVIIiLE. 

During  the  five  weeks  ending  June  4,  the 
number  admitted  was  4611,  from  25  diflerenfc 
states;  of  meals  furnished,  16,353;  of  lodgings, 
4967;  transportation  was  secured  for  3939,  and 
$7527  of  pay  was  collected  and  paid  over. 

LouisviLiiE. 
The  number  of  meals  furnished  during  the 
month  of  May  has  been  19,790;  of  lodgings, 
6,327. 

New  A14BANY,  (Ind.) 
Number  admitted  during  May,  800;  of  meals 
furnished,  1,868;  of  lodgings,  557. 

Camp  Nelson,  (Kx.) 
Number  of  lodgings  famished   during  the 
month,  7,526;  of  meals,  23,604. 

Detroit. 

During  the  months  of  March  and  April  there 
were  admitted  1,134;  the  number  of  meals  fur- 
nished was  4,864,  atid  of  lodgings,  1,416. 

Memphis. 
During  the  five  weeks  ending  June  4,  the 
number  admitted  has  been  1542,  from  19  dif- 
ferent states;  of  meals  furnished  4289;  of  lodg- 
ings 1296;  transportation  was  procured  for  241. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuTMin. 


535 


Mr.  Christy  reports: 

The  adoption,  in  March  last,  of  a  system 
of  registration  additional  to  the  general  reg- 
ister of  the  "  Lodge"  of  the  work  of  Special 
relief  at  this  point,  makes  it  possible  to  famish, 
from  time  to  time,  a  more  extended  showing  of 
■what  has  been  done  in  that  department  than  has 
heretofore  been  given  in  my  weekly  reports. 
Believing  that  such  a  showing  may  contain 
some  items  of  interest,  I  have  collected  the 
materials  for  it  from  my  books,  and  herewith 
Bend  them  for  your  perusal. 

The  period  of  time  embraced  is  from  April 
1st  to  April  30tla,  inclusive  of  both  dates. 

The  whole  number  registered  during  that 

period  is 1,420 

Furloughed    354 

Discharged 32 

Becruiting  Service ". .  97 

Convalescents '. 292 

Keoruits  218 

Guards 222 

Detached  Service 73 

From  States,  as  follows: 

Illinois,  455;  Iowa,  184;  Ohio,  146;  Missouri, 
75;  Indiana,  97;  Michigan,  75;  Minnesota,  69; 
Wisconsin,  64;  Kentucky,  39;  New  York,  38; 
New  Jersey,  32;  Pennsylvania,  13;  Mississippi 
Marine  Brigade,  11;  Kansas,  10;  Tennessee,  7; 
Massachusetts,  5;  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  3; 
Eegular  Army,  2;  Nebraska,  2;  New  Hamp- 
shire, 1;  Maine,  1;  Connecticut,  1;  Louisiana, 

(A.  a,)  1. 

Of  these,  forty-one  were  sick,  ten  crippled  in 
various  ways,  one  sick  and  crippled,  and  two 
wounded. 

Number  of  lodgings  furnished 1,324 

Number  of  meals  furnished. 4,802 

Besides  furnishing  lodgings  and  meals  as 
above,  we  have  given  additional  relief  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  out  of  the  one  thousand 
four  hundred  and  ninety- two  men,  as  follows: 

Furnished  transportation  at  Govern- 
ment rates,  through  Quartermaster  .  127 
Transportation  paid  by  Commission . .  2 

Carriage  within  the  city  to 24 

Clothing  to 6 

Aid  in  correcting  papers 9 

Aid  in  drawing  pay 13 

Amount  drawn  and  paid  over $2,632.77 

Medical  advice  furnished  to 3 

Money  given  to 5 

Sent  to  hospital 13 

Eeferred  to  local  relief  associations ...  6 

Eations  famished  to  seventeen  enlisted  men 
on  leaving  who  could  not  draw  them'  "from  the 
Commissary. 

You  will  have  noticed  that  the  work  of  the 
Lodge  has  been  gradually  diminishing  for  three 
months.  I  had  supposed  that  this  decrease 
would  continue.  Movements  of  troops  along 
the  Mississippi,  and  in  the  adjacent  section, 
warranted  this  expectation,  I  think.  But  the 
failure  of  both  the  Ked  Eiver  expeditions — that 
under  General  Steele  and  that  under  General 
Banks — making  necessary  another  campaign, 
and  the  concentration  of  troops  here,  will,  I 
think,  not  only  check  this  decline,  but  rather 
increase  our  work. 


POmr  ISABELLA  HOSPITAL,  KENTaOKY. 

Mr.  Payson  reports: 

By  the  kindness  of  Gj.ptain  T.  S.  Hall,  I 
was  famished  with  an  ambulauoe,  and  tak- 
ing such  stores  as  were  thought  to  be  need- 
ed, I  started  for  Camp  Burnside  on  the 
morning  o£  the  16th.  On  reaching  Hiill's 
Gj,p,  I  found  the  post,  which  had  heretb- 
fore  been  somewhat  extensive,  broken  up, 
and  the  stores  on  hand  removed  to  Grab 
Orohai'd.  On  the  following  day  I  readied 
Somerset,  where  I  expected  to  And  a  hos- 
pital, bat  was  int'ormed  that  in  Mireh  last 
it  was  given  up,  and  the  patients  were  re- 
moved to  Point  Isabella,  which  place  I 
reached  at  7  P.  M.  I  was  most  cordially 
received  by  Dr.  0.  W.  Laonard,  of  the  lOth 
Michigan  Cavalry,  now  acting  as  pojt  sur- 
geon. 

As  the  former  supply  of  stores  which  have 
been  sent  to  this  pqst,  aud  which  was  very 
liberal,  was  now  entiirely  exhausted,  the  men 
were  very  grateful  for  the  articles  I  took 
them. 

From  Dr.  Leonard  I  learned  that  in  Jan- 
uary last  the  hospital  was  establisherl  and 
put  under  the  immediate  care  of  Dl'.  H  irris, 
of  the  7th  B'aodi  Island.  Hi  remiiajd  in 
charge  till  the  I9th  of  March,  when  Dr. 
Leonard  was  ordered  to  break  up  the  hos- 
pital of  which  he  had  charge  at  Somerset 
and  take  charge  of  that  at  the  Point. 

From  the  establishment  of  the  hospital 
there  have  been  three  hundred  pfitients;  of 
these,  thirty-four  have  died.  The  prevail- 
ing diseases  have  been  typhoid  and  pneu- 
monia. 

The  site  for  the  hospital  -was  doubtless 
thought  to  be  as  desirable  as  at  that  time 
could  be  selected.  It  is  ou  an  emineuoe 
some  three  huadred  feet  above  the  river. 
The  ground  being  very  uneven,  the  hospi- 
tal tents  were  pitched  in  a  hollow,  although 
raised  some  three  feet  from  the  ground, 
They  are  all  floored,  and  at  present  dry. 
Two  hospital  tents  embrace  a  ward,  and  in 
each  is  a  large  stone  fire-place.  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  when  the  heavy  rains  set  in,  the 
water  will  stand  under  the  tents,  unless 
great  care  is  taken  to  have  proper  drainage. 
The  location,  with  the  best  of  care,  is  not 
desirable. 

I  am  happy  to  say  that  Dr.  Leonard  is 
unremittingin  his  care  of  his  patients.  He 
visits  them  regi  1  urly  twice  a  day,  and  all 
special  cases  three  or  four  times  a  day.  His 
labors  are  very  arduous,  having  now  neither 
clerk  nor  assistant. 

The  police  of  the  hospital  is  good.  Every 
man  is  required  to  wash  twice  a  week. 
There  is  great  fear  that  the  hospital  wiU 
suffer  for  the  want  of  good  wholesome 
water.  They  are  obliged  to  haul  all  they 
use  from  a  spring  half  a  mile  distant,  and 
keep  it  in  barrels.  As  there,  oau  be  no  ice, 
it  is  all  important  that  they  should  be  fur- 


636 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuEetin. 


nisLed  with  dried  currants,  raspberry  vine- 
gaj-,  and  lemons,  for  cooling  di-inka.  In 
the  gf  neral,  I  can  say  that  all  is  done  for 
the  comfort  and  restoration  of  the  patients 
that  can  be,  under  the  circumstances. 
There  has  been  a  great  deficiency  of  med- 
ical mpplies,  -which,  it  is  hoped,  will  be 
speedily  met.  As  the  great  majority  of  the 
cases  are  of  a  low  form,  the  hospital  should 
be  provided  with  a  good  supply  of  stimu- 
lants. 

There  is  connected  with  the  hospital  a 
post  burial  ground.  It  contains  about  half 
an  acre  uninclosed,  and  has  twenty- nine 
graves.  The  names  and  numbers  I  will 
endeavor  to  send  you. 

At  present  the  hospital  has  a  capacity  of 
ninety-two  beds,  all  of  which  are  occupied. 
Efi'orts  are  -being  made  to  erect  suitable 
buildings  on  an  adjoining  hill,  near  a  line 
cool  spring.  Should  this  effort  be  success- 
ful, it  will  be  of  great  advantage  to  the 
health  of  the  men. 

Of  the  patients,  fifteen  are  from  Indiana, 
nine  from  Illinois,  fifteen  from  the  10th 
Michigan  Ca^ali-y,  and  fifty-four  from  Ken- 
tucky. 

I  also  visited  the  49th  Kentucky,  the  only 
regiment  nowatthepost.  It  has  only  seven 
in  the  hospital.  At  the  sick  call,  they  have 
some  twenty  five  or  thirty  cases,'  mostly 
diarrhea  and  intermittent.  Although  the 
health  of  this  regiment  has  been  uncom- 
monly good  heretofore,  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  if  they  continue  in  their  present 
camping  ground  through  the  hot  season, 
that  sickness  will  increase,  as  there  is  much 
of.malarial  influence. 


NOTES  ON  NUESING. 

CHATTEEENG   HOPES  AND  ADVICES. 

No  mockery  in  the  world  is  so  hollow  as  the 
advice  showered  upon  the  sick.  It  is  of  no  use 
for  the  sick  to  say  any  thing,  for  what  the  ad- 
viser wants  is,  not  to  know  the  truth  about  the 
state  of  the  patient,  but  to  turn  whatever  the 
fiick  may  say  to  the  support  of  his  own  argu- 
ment, set  forth,  it  must  be  repeated,  without 
any  inquiry  whatever  into  the  patient's  real 
condition.  "But  it  would  be  impertinent  or 
indecent  in  me  to  make  such  an  inquiry,"  says 
the  advLser.  True;  and  how  much  more  im- 
pertinent is  it  to  give  your  advice  when  you  can 
know  nothing  about  the  truth,  and  admit  you 
couid  not  inquire  into  it. 

To  nurses  I  say— these  are  the  visitors  who 
do*  your  patient  harm.  When  you  hear  him 
told:  1.  'I  hat  he  has  nothing  the  matter  with 
him,  and  that  he  wants  cheering.  2.  That  he 
is  ceinmitting  suicide,  and  that  he  wants  pre- 
venting. 3.  That  he  is  the  tool  of  somebody 
who  makes  use  of  him  for  a  purpose.  4.  That 
he  will  listen  to  nobody,  but  is  obstinately  bent 
upon  his  own  way;  and  5.  That  he  ought  to  be 
called  to  a  sense  of  duty,  and  is  flying  in  the 
■face  of  Providence;  then  know  that  your  patient 
■is  receiving  all  the  injtiry  that  he  can  receive 
from  a  visitor. 


How  little  the  real  sufferings  of  illness  are 
known  or  understood.  How  little  dpes  any  one 
in  good  health  fancy  him  or  even  Aerself  into 
the  life  of  a  sick  person. 

Do,  you  who  are  about  the  sick  or  who  visit 
the  sick,  try  and  give  them  pleasure;  remember 
to  tell  them  what  will  do  so.  How  often  in 
such  visits  the  sick  person  has  to  do  the  whole 
conversation,  exerting  his  own  imagination  and 
memory,  while  y6u  would  take  the  visitor,  ab- 
sorbed in  his  own  anxieties,  making  no  efl'ort  of 
memory  or  imagination,  for  the  sick  person. 
"  Oh !  my  dear,  I  have  so  much  to  think  of,  I 
really  quite  forgot  to  tell  him  that;  besides,  I 
thought  he  would  know  it,"  says  the  visitor-  to 
another  friend.  How  could  "he  know  it?" 
Depend  upon  it,  the  people  who  say  this  are 
really  those  who  have  little  "to  think  of." 
There  are  many  burthened  with  business  who 
always  manage  to  keep  a  pigeon-hole  in  their 
minds,  full  of  things  to  tell  the  "  invalid." 

I  do  not  say,  don't  tell  him  your  anxieties — 
I  believe  it  is  good  for  him  and  good  for  you 
too;  but  if  you  tell  him  what  is  anxious,  surely 
you  can  remember  to  tell  him  what  is  pleasant 
too. 

A  sick  person  does  so  enjoy  hearing  good 
news;  for  instance,  of  a  love  and  courtship, 
while  in  progress  to  a  good  ending.  If  you  tell 
him  only  when  the  marriage  takes  place,  he 
loses  half  the  pleasure,  which  God  knows  he 
has  little  enough  of;  and  ten  to  one  but  you 
have  told  him  of  some  love-making  with  a  bad 
ending. 

A  sick  person  also  intensely  enjoys  hearing  of 
any  material  good,  any  positive  or  practical 
success  of  the  right.  He  has  so  much  of  books 
and  fiction,  of  principles,  and  precepts,  and 
theories;  do,  instead  of  advising  him  with  ad- 
vice he  has  heard  at  least  fifty  times  before,  tell 
him  of  one  benevolent  act  which  has  really  suc- 
ceeded practically,  it  is  like  a  day's  health  to  him. 
You  have  no  idea  what  the  craving  of  sick, 
with  undiminished  power  of  thinking,  but  httle 
power  of  doing,  is  to  hear  of  good  practical  ac- 
tion, when  they  can  no  longer  partake  in  it 

Do  observe  these  things  with  the  sick.  Do 
remember  how  their  life  is  to  them  disappoint- 
ed and  incomplete.  You  see  them  lying  there 
with  miserable  disappointments,  from  which 
they  can  have  no  escape  but  death,  and  you 
can't  remember  to  tell  them  of  what  would  give 
them  so  much  pleasure,  or  at  least  an  hour's 
variety. 

They  don't  want  you  to  be  lachrymose  and 
whining  with  them,  they  like  you  to  be  fresh 
and  active  and  interested,  but  they  cannot  bear 
absence  of  mind,  and  they  are  so  tired  of  the 
advice  and  preaching  they  receive  from  every- 
body, no  matter  whom  it  is,  they  see. 

There  is  no  better  society  than  babies  and 
sick  people  for  one  another.  Of  course  you 
must  manage  this  so  that  neither  shall  suffer 
from  it,  which  is  perfectly  possible.  If  you 
think  the  "air  of  fiie  sick  room"  bad  for  the 
baby,  why  it  is  bafl  for  the  invaUd  too,  and, 
therefore,  you  will  of  course  correct  it  for  both. 
It  freshens  up  a  sick  person's  whole  mental  at- 
mosphere to  see  "the  baby."  And  a  very 
young  child,  if  tmspoiled,  will  generally  adapt 
itself  wonderfully  to  the  ways  of  a  sick  person, 
it  the  time  they  spend  together  is  not  too  long. 
If  you  knew  how  unreasonably  sick  people 


) 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


537 


Buffer  from  reasonable  causes  of  distress,  you 
would  take  more  pains  about  all  these  things. 
An  infant  laid  upon  the  sick  bed  nill  do  the 
sick  person,  thus  suffering,  more  good  than  all 
'  your  logic.  Apiece  of  good  news  will  dn  the 
same.  Perhaps  you  are  afraid  of  "  disturbing" 
him.  You  say  there  is  no  comfort  for  his  pres- 
ent cause  of  affliction  It  is  perfectly  reason- 
able. The  distinction  is  this,  if  he  is  oblig'd 
to  act,  do  not  "  disturb"  him  with  another  sub- 
ject of  thought  just  yet;  help  him  to  do  what 
he  wants  to  do;  but,  if  he  has  done  this,  or  if 
Hothiug  can  be  done,  then  "  disturb"  him  by 
all  means.  You  will  relieve,  more  effectually, 
unreasonable  suffering  from  reasonable  causes 
by  telling  him  "the  news,"  showing  him  "the 
baby,"  or  giving  him  something  new  to  think 
of  or  to  look  at,  than  by  all  the  logic  in  the 
world. 

It  has  been  very  justly  said  that  the  sick  are 
like  children  in  this,  that  tliere  is  no  prnporiion 
in  events  to  them.  Now  it  is  your  business,  as 
their  visitor,  to  restore  this  right  proportion  for 
them— to  show  them  what  the  rest  of  the  world 
is  doing.  How  can  ihey~find  it  out  otherwise? 
You  will  find  them  far  more  open  to  conviction 
than  children  in  thip.  And^  you  will  find  that 
their  unreasonable  intensity  of  suffering  from 
unkindness,  from  want  of  sympathy,  &c.,  will 
disappear  vrith  their  freshened  interest  in  the 
big  world's  events.  But  then  you  must  be  able 
to  give  them  real  interests,  not  gossip. 

OESEKVATION   OE  THE   SICK. 

There  is  no  more  silly  or  universal  question 
Boarcely  asked  than  this,  "Is  he  better?"  Ask 
it  of  the  medical  attendant,  if  you  please.  But 
of  whom  else,  if  you  wish  for  a  real  answer  to 
your  question,  would  you  ask  ?  Certainly  not 
of  the  casual  visitor;  certainly  not  of  the  nurse, 
while  the  nurse's  observation  is  so  little  exer- 
cised as  it  is  now.  What  3  ou  want  are  facts, 
not  opinions— for  who  can  have  any  opinion  of 
anj  value  as  to  whether  the  patient  is  better  or 
worse,  excepting  the  constant  medical  atten- 
dant, or  the  really  observing  nurse  ? 

The  most  important  practical  lesson  that  can 
be  given  to  nurses  is  to  teach  them  what  to 
observe — how  to  observe — what  symptoms  in- 
dicate improvement— what  the  reverse — which 
are  of  importance— which  are  of  none — which 
are  the  evidence  of  neglect— and  of  what  kind 
of  neglect. 

All  this  is  what  ought  to  make  part,  and  an 
essential  part,  of  the  training  of  every  nurse. 
At  present  how  few  there  are,  either  profes- 
sioniil  or  unprofessional,  who  really  know  at  all 
whether  any  sick  person  they  may  be  with  is 
bettei:  or  worse. 

The  vagueness  and  looseness  of  the  informa- 
tion one  receives  in  answer  to  that  much  abused 
^[uestion,  "  Is  he  better  ?"  would  be  ludicrous,  if 
It  were  not  painjul.  The  only  sensible  answer 
(in  the  present  state  of  knowledge  about  sick- 
ness,) would  be,  "How  can  I  know?  I  cannot 
tell  how  he  was  when  I  was  not  with  him." 

I  can  record  but  a  very  few  specimens  of  the 
answers  which  I  ha^e  heard  made  by  ftiends 
and  nurses,  and  accepted  by  physicians  and 
Burgeons  at  the  very  bedside  of  the.  patient,  who 
could  have  contradicted  very  word,  but  did  Hot 
— sometimes  from  amiability,  oiten  Irom  shy- 
ness, oftenest  from  languor ! 


"  How  often  have  the  bowels  acted,  nurse?" 
"Once,  sir."  This  generally  means  that  the 
utensil  has  been  emptied  once,  it  having  been 
used  perhapt  seven  or  eight  times. 

"Do  you  think  the  patient  is  much  weaker 
than  he  was  six  weeks  ago  ?"  "  Oh  no,  sir;  you 
know  it  is  very  long  since  he  has  been  up  and 
dressed,  and  he  can  get  across  the  room  now." 
This  means  that  the  nurse  has  not  observed 
that  whereas  six  wetks  ago  he  sat  up  and  occu- 
pied himself  in  bed,  he  now  lies  still  doing  noth- 
ing; that,  although  he  can  "get  across  the 
room,"  he  cannot  stand  for  five  seconds. 

Another  patient  who  is  eating  well,  recover- 
ing steadily,  although  slowly,  from  fever,  but 
cannot  walk  or  stand,  is  represented  to  the  doc- 
tor as  making  no  progiexs  at  all. 

Questions,  too,  as  asked  now  (but  too  gener- 
ally) of  or  about  patients,  would  obtain  no  in- 
formation at  all  about  them,  even  if  the  person 
asked  of  had  every  information  to  give.  The 
question  is  geneially  a  lea(1ing  question;  and  it 
is  sii  gular  that  people  never  think  what  must 
be  the  answer  to  this  question  before  they  ask 
it:  for  instance,  "Has  he  had  a  good  night?" 
Now,  one  patient  will  think  he  has  a  bad  night 
if  he  has  not  slept  ten  hours  without  waking. 
Another  does  not  think  he  has  a  bad  night  if  he 
had  intei-vals  of  dosing  occasionally.  The  same 
answer  has  actually  been  given  as  regarded  two 
patients — one  who  had  been  entirely  sleepless 
for  five  times  twenty-four  hours,  and  died  of  it, 
and  another  who  had  not  slept  the  sleep  of  a 
regular  night,  without  waking.  Why  cannot 
the  question  be  asked,  How  many  hours'  sleep 

has had  ?  and  at  what  hours  of  the  night  ?* 

"I  have  never  closed  my  eyes  all  night,"  an  an- 
swer as  ftequently  made  when  the  speaker  has 
had  several  hours'  sleep  as  when  he  has  had 
none,  would  then  be  less  often  said.  Lies,  in- 
tentional and  unintentional,  are  much  seldomer 
told  in  answer  to  precise  than  to  leading  ques- 
tions. Another  frequent  error  is  to  inquire 
whether  one  caiise  remains,  and  not  whether 
the  effect  which  may  be  produced  by  a  great 
many  different  causes,  not  inquired  after,  re- 
mains. As  when  it  is  asked,  whether  there  was 
noise  in  the  street  la*t  night;  and  if  there  were 
not,  the  patient  is  reported,  without  more  ado, 
to  have  had  a  good  night.  Patients  sfre  com- 
pletely taken  aback  by  these  kinds  of  leading 
questions,  and  give  only  the  exact  amount  of 
informatioa  asked  for,  even  when  they  know  it 
to  be  c6mpletely  misleading.  The  shyness  of 
patients  is  seldom  allowed  for. 

How  few  there  are  who,  by  five  or  six  point- 
ed questions,  can  elicit  the  whole  case,  and  get 
accurately  to  know  and  to  be  able  to  report 
where  the  patitntis.. 

I  know  a  very  clever  physician,  of  large  dis- 
pensary and  hospital  practice,  who  invariably 
began  his  examination  of  each  patient  with 
"Put  your  finger  where  you  be  bad."  That 
man  would  never  waste  his  time  with  collecting 

*  This  is  important,  because  on  this  depends  what  the 
remedy  will  be.  If  a  patient  sleeps  two  or  three  hours 
early  in  the  night,  and  then  does  not  sleep  again  at  all, 
ten  to  one  it  is  not  a  narcotic  he  wants,  but  food  or  stim- 
ulus, or  perhaps  only  warmth.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
is  restless  and  avfsike  all  night,  and  is  drowsy  in  tho 
morning,  he  probably  wants  sedatives,  either  quiet,  cool- 
ness,  or  medicine,  a  lighter  diet,  or  iH  four.  -  Now  tho 
doctor  should  be  told  1^,  or  how  can  he  judge  what  to 
give? 


538 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


inaccurate  information  from  nurse  or  patient. 
Leading  questions  always  collect  inaccurate  in- 
formation. 

At  a  recent  celebrated  trial,  the  following 
leading  question  was  put  successively  to  nine 
distinguished  medical  men :  "  Can  you  attribute 
these  symptoms  to  anything  else  Imt  poison  ?" 
And  out  of  the  nine,  eight  answered  "No!" 
without  any  qualification  wh-itever.  It  appear- 
ed, upon  cross-examination:—!.  That  none  of 
them  had  ever  seen  a  case  of  the  kind  of  poi- 
soning supposed.  2.  That  none  of  them  had 
ever  seen  a  case  of  the  kind  of  disease  to  which' 
the  death,  if  not  to  poison,  was  attributable. 
3.  That  none  of  them  were  even  aware  of  the 
main  fact  of  the  disease  and  condition  to  which 
the  disease  was  attributable 

Surely  nothing  stronger  can  be  adduiied  to 
prove  what  use  leading  questions  are  of,  and 
what  tliey  le-id  to 

I  had  ralher  not  say  how  many  instances  I 
liave  known,  where,  owing  to  this  system  of 
leading  questions,  the  patient  has  died,  and  the 
attendants  have  been  actu^dly  unaware  of  the 
principal  feature  of  the  case. 

It  is  useless  to  go  through  aU  the  particulars, 
besides  sleep,  in  which  people  have  a  peculiar 
talent  foe  gleaning  inaccurate  information.  As 
to  food,  for  instance  I  often  think  that  most 
common  question.  How  is  your  appetite?  can 
only  be  put  because  the  questioner  believes  the 
questio  led  has  really  nothing  the  m  itter  with 
nim,  which  is  very  often  the  case.  But  where 
there  is,  the  remark  holds  good  which  has  been 
made  about  sleep.  The  same  answef  will  often 
be  made  as  regards  a  patient  who  cannot  take 
two  ounces  of  solid  food  per  diem,  and  a  pa- 
tient who  iloes  liot  enjoy  five  meals  a  day  as 
inuoh  as  usual. 

Again,  the  question.  How  is  your  appetite? 
is  often  put  when  How  is  your  digestion  ?  is  the 
question  meant.  No  doubt  the  two  things  de- 
pend on  one  another.  Bat  they  are  quite  dif- 
ferent. Many  a  patient  can  eat,  if  you  can  only 
"tempt  his  appetite."  The  fault  lies  in  your 
not  having  got  liim  the  th'ng  thxt  he  fancies. 
But  many  another  patient  does  not  care  between 
grapes  and  turnips — everything  is  equally  dis- 
tasteful to  him.  He  would  try  to  eat  anything 
which  would  do  him  good;  but  eveiything 
"  makes  him  worse."  The  fault  here  generally 
lies  in  the  cooking.  It  is  not  his  "appetite" 
which  requires  "  tempting,"  it  is  his  digestion 
which  requires  sparing.  And  good  sick  cook- 
ery will  save  the  digestion  hiilf  its  work. 

There  may  be  four  ditferent  causes,  any  one 
of  which  will  produce  the  same  result,  viz  ,  the 
patient  slowly  starving  to  death  from  'Want  of 
nutrition : 

1.  Defect  in  cooking; 

2.  Defect  in  choice  of  diet; 

•    3.  Defect  in  choice  of  hours  fir  taking  diet; 

4.  Defect  of  appetite  in  p  itient; 
Tet  all  these  are  generally  comprehended  in  the 
one  s  weeping  assertion  that  the  patient  has  ' '  no 
appetite. " 

yurely  ma.ny  lives  might  be  saved  by  drawing 
a  closer  distinction;  for  the  remedies  are  as  di- 
verse as  the  causes.  The  remedy  for  the  first 
is  to  cook  better;  for  the  second,  to  choose  other 
articles  of  diet;  for  the  third,  to  watch  for  the 
hours  when  the  patient  is  in  want  of  food;  for 
the  fourth,  to  show  him  what  he  likes,  aud  some- 


times unexpectedly.  Batno  one  of  these  reme- 
dies will  do  for  any  other  of  the  defects  not 
corresponding  with  it. 

I  cannot  too  often  repeat  thatpatients  are  gen- 
erally either  too  languid  to  observe  these  things, , 
or  too  shy  to  speak  about  them;  nor  is  it  well 
that  they  should  be  m  ide  to  observe  Ihem,  it 
fixes  their  attention  upon  themselves. 

Again,  I  say,  what  is  the  nurse  or  friend  there 
for  except  to  take  note  of  these  things,  instead 
of  the  patient  doing  so? 

It  is  commonly  supposed  that  the  nurse  is 
there  to  spare  the  patient  from  making  physical 
exertion  for  himself— I  would  rather  say  that 
she  ought  to  be  th-ire  to  spare  him  from  taking 
thought  for  himself  And  I  am  quite  sure,  that 
if  the  patient  were  spared  all  thought  for  him- 
^  self,  and  not  spared  all  physical  exeitioa,  he 
would  be  infinitely  the  gainer.  The  reverse  is 
generally  the  case  in  the  private  house.'  In  the 
hospital  i  t  is  the  relief  from  all  anxiety,  afforded 
by  the  rules  of  a  well-regulated  institution, 
which  has  often  such  a  beneficial  effect  upon 
the  patient. 

Again,  the  question  is  sometimes  put,  "Is 
there  diarrhea?"  And  the  answer  will  be  the| 
same,  whether  it  is  ju-it  merging  into  oholtra, 
wheth  :i  it  is  a  trifling  degree  brought  oh  by 
some  trifling  indiscretion,  which  will  cease  the 
moment  the  cause  is  removed,  or  whether  there 
is  no  diarrhea  at  all,  but  simply  relaxed  bowels. 

It  is  useless  to  multiply  instances  of  this 
kind.  As  long  as  observation  is  so  little  culti- 
vated as  it  is  now,  I  do  believe  that  it  is  better 
for  the  physician  not  to  see  the  friends  of  the 
patient  at  all.  They  will  oftener  mislead  him 
than  not.  And  as  often  by  making  the  patient 
out  worse  as  better  than  he  really  is. 

In  the  case  of  infants,  everything  must  de- 
pend upon  the  accurate  observation  of  the  nurse 
or  mother  who  has  to  report.  And  how  seldom 
is  this  condition  of  accuracy  fulfilled. 

A  celebrated  man,  though  celebrated  only  for 
foolish  things,  has  told  us  that  one  of  his  main 
objects  in  the  education  of  his  son,  was  to  give 
him  a  ready  habit  of  accurate  obssrvation,  a 
certainty  of  perception,  and  that  for  this  pur- 
pose one  of  his  means  was  a  month's  course  as 
follows:— He  took  the  boy  rapidly  past  a  toy- 
shop; the  father  and  son  then  described  to  each 
other  as  many  of  the  objects  as  they  could, 
which  they  had  seen  in  passing  the  windows, 
noting  them  down  with  pencil  and  paper,  and 
returning  afterwards  to  ve-rify  tlieir  own  accu- 
racy. The  boy  always  succeeded  best,  e.  g. ,  if 
the  father  described  30  objects,  the  boy  did  40, 
and  scarcely  ever  made  a  mistake. 

I  have  of  I  en  thought  how  wise  a  piece  of 
education  this  would  be  for  much  higher  ob- 
jects; and  in  our  calling  of  nurses  the  thing 
itself  is  essential.  For  it  may  safely  be  said,  not 
that  the  habit  of  ready  and  correct  observation 
will  by  itself  make  us  useful  nurses,  but  that 
without  it  we  shall  be  useless  with  aU  our  devo- 
tion. 

I  have  known  a  nurse  in  charge  of  a  set  of 
wards,  who  not  only  carried  in  her  head  all  the 
little  varieties  in  the  diets  which  each  patient  was 
allowed  to  fix  for  himself,  but  also  exactly  what 
each  patient  had  taken  during  each  day.  I  have 
known  another  nurse  in  charge  of  one  single 
patient,  who  took  away  his  meals  day  after  day 
all  but  untouched,  and  never  knew  it. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


539 


If  you  find  it  helps  you  to  note  down  such 
things  on  a  bit  ofpuper,  in  pencil,  by  all  means 
do  so.  I  think  it  more  often  lames  than 
strengthens  the  memory  and  observation.  But 
if  ytin  cannot  get  the  habit  of  observation  one 
■way  or  the  other,  you  had  better  give  up  bsing 
a  nurse,  for  it  is  not  your  calling,  however  kind 
and  anxious  you  may  be. 

Surely  you  can  learn  at  least  to  judge  with 
the  eye  how  much  an  ounce  of  solid  food  is, 
how  much  an  ounce  of  liquid.  You  will  find 
this  helps  your  observation  and  memory  very 
much,  you  will  then  say  to  yourself,  "  A.  took 
about  an  ounce  of  his  meat  to-day;"  "B.  took 
three  times  in  24  hours  about  J  pint  of  beef 
tea;"  instead  of  saying  '•  B.  has  taken  nothing 
all  day;"  or  "I  gave  A.  his  dinner  as  usual." 

I  have  known  several  of  our  real  old-fashion- 
ed hospital  "sisters,"  who  could,  as  accurately 
as  a  measuring  glass,  measure  out  all  their  pa- 
.  tients'  wine  and  medicine  by  the  eye,  and  never 
be  wrong.  I  do  not  recommend  this,  one  must 
be  very  sure  of  one's  self  to  do  it,  I  only  men- 
tion it,  because  if  a  nurse  can  by  piactioe  mea- 
sure medicine  by  the  eye,  surely  she  is  no 
nurse  who  cannot  measure  by  the  eye  about 
how  much  food  (in  ounce)  her  patient  has 
taJien.  In  hospitals  those  who  cut  up  the  diets 
give  with  sufSoient  aoouraov,  to  his  patient,  his 
12  ounces  or  his  6  ounces  of  meat  without 
weighing.  Yet  a  nurse  will  often  have  patients 
loathing  all  food  and  incapable  of  any  will  to 
get  well,  who  jnst  tumble  over  the  contents  of 
the  plate  or  dip  the  spoon  in  the  cup  to  deceive 
the  nurse,  and  she  will  take.it  away  without 
ever  seeing  that  there  is  just  the  same  quantity 
of  food  as  when  she  brought  it,  and  she  wiU  tell 
the  doctor,  too,  that  the  patient  has  eaten  all 
his  diets  as  usual,  when  all  she  ought  to  have 
meant  is  that  she  has  taken  away  his  diets  as 
usual. 

Now  what  kind  of  a  nurse  is  this? 

I  would  call  attention  to  something  else,  in 
which  nurses  fiequently  fail  in  observation. 
There  is  a  well  maiked  distinction  between  the 
excitable  and  what  I  will  call  the  accumulative 
temperament  In  patients.  One  will  blaze  up  at 
once,  under  any  shock  or  anxiety,  and  sleep 
very  comfortably  after  it;  another  will  seem 
quite  calm  and  even  torpid,  under  the  same 
shook,  and  people  say,  "He  hardly  felt  it  at 
all,"  yet  you  will  find  him  some  time  after 
slowly  sinking.  The  same  remark  applies  to 
the  action  of  narcotics,  of  aperients,  which.  In 
the  one,  take  effect  directly,  in  the  other  not 
perhaps  for  twenty-four  hours.  A  journey,  a 
visit,  an  unwonted  exertion,  will  affect  the  one 
immidiately,  but  he  recovers  after  it;  the  other 
bears  it  feiy  well  at  the  time,  apparently,  and 
dies  or  is  prostrated  for  life  by  it.  People  often 
say  how  difficult  the  excitable  temperament  is 
to  manage.  I  say  how  difficult  is  the  accumu- 
lative temperament.  With  the  first  you  have 
an  out-break  which  you  could  anticipate,  and  it 
is  all  over.  With  the  second  you  never  know 
where  j'ou  are  —you  never  know  when  tbe  con- 
sequences are  over.  And  it  n  quires  your  closest 
observation  to  know  what  are  the  consequences 
of  what— for  the  consequent  by  no  means  fol- 
lows immediately  upon  the  antecedent — and 
coarse  observation  is  utterly  at  fault. — Wiss 
JVightingale. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOKE. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


President. 
Lieut. -Gen.  "WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vioe-Presidents. 
Hon,  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIKAL  DUPONT. 
BUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer- 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUKN,  Esq. 

Directiprs.  ■ 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN.  GEOEGE  OPDYKE, 
HIEAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Eev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messks.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOR,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jr.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT.  PETEB 
COOPER,  GEOEGE  BANCROFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,KOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  See% 

35  Chambers  Stkeet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  vnthout  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2rf.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

Zd.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 

THE  MEEOAUTILE  MAEINE 
INSURANCE    COMPANY* 

No.  35  Wall  Sfrect,  Vfetr  York. 

INCORPORATED  APRIL,  1842. 


Assets  over  $1,400,000. 

MAKIXE  and  Inland  Transportation  risks  oh  Vesselet^ 
Freight  and  Uerchandise  insured  on  the  most  favorable 
ternifl. 

Piilieies  are  iflsued,  losa,  if  anv.  payable  in  Gold,  or  at 
the  office  of  RAlHBONE,  BROTHERS  &  CO.,  Liverpool,  if 
desired. 

i'arties  effecting  innurance  at  this  office  may  participate 
in  the  scrip  dividend  of  proGtH,  or  receive  an  equivalent 
cash  discount,  at  thtir  own  option. 

The  risk  of  war  covered  at  the  lowest  current  rates. 

ELLWOOD  WALTER,  Pres't. 
GHAS.  NEWCOMB,  Vioe-Pres't. 
G.  J.  Debpabd,  Secretary. 


540 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  U.  S."  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
iTnne,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  Tork. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.I).,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
A-  E.  Shiras,  TJ.  S.  A. 

B.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  E.  A^ew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Et  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  ni. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  Stille.  "  " 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFFIOEBS: 

H.  W.  BeUowB,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.B.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treaaurer. 

3.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  Genera]  Secretary, 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Asaooiate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary, 

STAHDINO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 

» 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iu  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  Information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Oarolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  'Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 

Siljnoia,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
ppi,  and   Arkansas,    address    "Office   Sanitary  Com- 
nussion,  liOnisville,  Ky."         "^ 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mall ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once  ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  wiU  be  returned  immediately  at  the  mquirer'B 
expense. 

tBf  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  mure 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  dlssemluatlug 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
lu  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Oomraiaaion,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
aafe  conveyance  to,  and  (tiatribution  of,  goods  put 
in  ita  charge  for  the  aick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  pointa — at  New  Or- 
leana  and  at  Waahington,  before  Charleaton  and  at 
Chattanooga — ita  diatributiona  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wanta  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
Tlie  following  ia  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
aocietiea,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  aick  ana 
woniided,  without  reference  to  Statis  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  invited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commiaaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commiaaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South j^hirp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commiaaion,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streeta,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commiaaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitai-y  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  III. 

Sanitary  Commiaaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Bnffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commisaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  Ith 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commisaion,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Oliio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louiaville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  ia  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  meana  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  ba 
tranamitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Eaq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Eev.  V.  N.  Knapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  A.<ipiatant,  .1.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers*  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  Wash* 
ington,  D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  4,  U  Street,  between  ISth  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  5,  Maryland  Aveune,  near  Railroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Wiwhiugton,  D.  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G,  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI. — C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Relief  Agent, 

Soldiers'  Home.  Louisville,  Ky. — James  Malona,  Sup't, 
James  Morton.  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tunn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Snp't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Snp't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vioksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't 

AGENOV   FOR  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Basoom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  O 

HOSPITAL    CABS. 

Between  '  ashingtan  and  New  York— SoL  Andrews, 

M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 
Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield, 
Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'- JUr.  J.  P.  Bar- 

num.  Surgeon  in  cl^^rge. 

SANITARY  8TEAMBB. 

Onmberland  Blvet—  New  Dunlelth. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUeiin. 


541 


FRED'O   S.    COZZENS, 


I 


WINE   MEiOMiNT 

•73  f^arren  Street,  JVew  York, 

(Opposite  Hudson  River  R.  R.  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Washington,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  Irom  Willard'f.) 

Ixnijor  ted.  "^TVlnes,  UBr^-ndies,  dE30., 

OP  TUE  PDKKST  QUALITY,  FOE 

MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOSES, 

Such  as  are  exteusivel;  used  ia  t&e  • 

M!«»Tii    STATES    HOSPITALS 

^nd    by   the    SANITARY     OOIMnVlISSlON'. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  Yorl;  and  Wasbington  for 

*  Long-wortli's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


-^V 


^ 


^^i^^  ^""^^^  se^ 


"k 


=% 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSKS: 

PA.rBBANKS  &  CO ,  Wo.  252  Broadwav,  New  Tork. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN  No.  118  Milk  Street.  Boston. 
C  '    1  FAIRBANKS,  GRBBNrjBAP  &  CO.,  No  172  Oake  Street,  Chicaga 

FAIRBANKS  &  BWING,  Masmio  Hall,  PhUadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO,,  No.  216  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of 
the  above.  •  • 


542 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


RECEIVED 

TWO   PRIZE  MEDALS 


(FBOM  JUBIES  3  AJSTO  4) 

AT  THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 


Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by  anything  of  the  kind.     It  also  received  Superlative  Beport  of 
"EXCEEDIJVG  EXCELLENT  FOR  FOOD." 


MAIZEN^., 

At  the  GREAT  INTEKNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBUBG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

MAIZENA, 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGBIGULTUEAL  SOCIETT,  at  Utioa,  N.  T., 
September,  1863,  received  both  DrPLOMA  and  Medaii. 

MAIZENA, 

AT  THE 

Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  Norristown, 

Oct.  3,  1863,  took  Gold  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  aJso  taken  the.  first  premium  at  the  Amekican  Institute,  New  York 
City;  New  Jersey  State  Fabb  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — ^in  every  instance  where 
it  has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competi- 
tion with  Com  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical 
and  Analytical  Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stan(£  commended  to 
the  public  a&  the  best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manu- 
facturer. 

MAIZENA, 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs, 
at  a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economioaL  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  notliing  can  compare  with  it.  A 
Uttle  boiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "Maizena,"  with  directions 
for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by 
Gfrooers  and  Druggists  everywhere, 

WHOLESALE  DEPOT,  166  FULTON  STREET. 

WJH,  DURYEA,  General  Agent. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  543 

NORTH  AMERICAN 

Fire  Insurance  Company^ 

IN   THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  No.  114  BROADWAY. 


IN^CORPOTli^LTED   1823. 

• 

CASH   CAPITAL  (May  IJ 

AND  SURPLUS,  I  1864,  p^^^^^^*  ^  ^• 


ASSETS: 

Loans  on '  Bond  and  Mortgage,  being,  first  lien  qn  Real  Estate, 

worth  over  Fifty  per  cent,  above  the  amount  loaned $173,160  00 

Stocks,  Bonds  and  other  Securities  owned  by  the  Company,  mar- 
ket value 365,960  00 

Cash  in  Bank  and  Office 21,232  15 

Loans  on  demand  with  collaterals. 71,400  00 

Premiums  due  and  outstanding 3,820  81 

Cash  in  Agents'  hands  in  course  of  transmission  [business  of  April 

received] : 13,491  57 

Interest  accrued  on  Securities 21,684  60 

Other  Property  of  Company 1,2  5  00 

t675,014  13 

Losses  unadjusted $10,500  00 


Injures  Property  against  Loss  or  Damage  by  Fire  at  usual  rates, 
and  returns  three-fourths  of  the  net  Profits,  each  year,  to  the  As- 
sured. 

Policies  Issued  and  Losses  paid  at  the  Office  of  the  Company,  or  at 
its  various  Agencies  in  the  principal  cities  in  the  United  States. 

JAMES  W.  OTIS,  President. 
R.  W.  BLEECKER,  Secretary. 

R.  P.  MASON,  Sup't  Agenciea.     . 


544  -  The  Sanitary  Commission  BuBetin, 

OFFICE    OF   THE 

Cp0lumbi«tt  i^^imm)  §\mm\m 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1,  1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,2.'i(i  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,1 37,0()3  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  le  Cnrrency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  tlie  end 
of  each  year,  RETURN;?  IX  CASFI,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  A'EW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon   FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERTCK, 

PaNIKL  W.  LORD,  WM    B.  UGliEM,  DAVID  J.  hLY, 

*  GEORGE  SlILN,  JOHN  ARVISTRO.VG,  JOSEPH  MORKI.=ON, 

JOHN  ATKI.VBON,  B.  C.  MUKIUS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THO.^.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  JR  , 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THUS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATfS,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANM,  ~ 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERf   BOiVNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DERHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 
0.  L.  MMS,                                       ,        S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  C.  lyiGRRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNET,  2d  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  JULY  15,  1864. 


No.  18. 


.       CONTENTS. 
/  Page. 

Two  Month  *  Wokk  in  Tiboinia. 545 

The  SiNiTAKT   Commission  fbom  a  Fbench 

Point  of  View 546 

Scenes  and  Incidents 548 

Amti-Scoebdtios 550 

Peepay  TonE  Lettees. 554 

Santtaby  Gabdens  at  Chattanooqa 555 

Testimony  of  Sukobon  Habt 556 

Causes  of  Moetauty  in  HospitaIjS 557 

Bbfobts — 

Operations  in  Georgia 561 

Operations  in  Mississippi 562 

The  Commission  on  the  James  Eiver  and 
,  the  Appomattox 564 

Testimony  of  Db.  Wheelweioht 564 

liETTEB  FEOM  JOHN  StDAET  MtT.T. 564 

NotESON  NUESING 570 


The  Santtaby  Commission  BirnLETiN  is  published 
on  tli£  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  clrctdatlon,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  ii  ojers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
thentioated  by  tlie  nam£s  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  piMieaiion  of  the  Btn.- 
letin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  tlte  war, 
and  on  jfte  resources  of  the  XT.  8.  Sanitary  Cknn- 
mission-4he  Standmg  Gommittee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree qfreluotanoe  to  sjlicil  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 


TWO  MONTH'S  WOKK  IN  VIRGINIA. 


The  Gommittee  understand,  however,  thai  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbono,  68  Wall  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  wHl  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  reminder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  publicati^^e  sooner  discon- 
tinued. ,  J 


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The  entire  expenditiire  in  money  for  the 
■whole  work  of  the  Commission,  East,  South 
and  West,  ■was 

In  May $262,898 .  77 

In  Jime 252,275.87 


Voiu  I.— No.  18. 


35 


Total  for  two  months $515,174.64 

It  should  be  considered  that  during  a 
campaign,  characterized  by  the  frequency 
of  its  change  of  base,  the  relative  cost  of 
transportation  is  much  increased.  The 
single  item  of  charter  of  vessels,  from  the 
scarcity  gro^wing  out  of  claims  of  Govern- 
ment service,  necessaidly  becomes  a  very 
large  one. 


546 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


It  may  be  noticed  that  the,  amount  of 
supplies  contributed  to  the  Commission  in 
kind,  during  June,  ■was  but  about  one-third 
the  value  of  similar  contributions  in  May. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  direct  money  ex- 
penditure from  the  Treasury. 

Owing  to  the  pressing  call  for  anti-scor- 
butics, the  Commission  have  recently  issued 
very  largely  of  vegetable  food,  as  is  shown 
by  the  f oUowing  list  of  supplies  forwarded 
during  the  month  of  June. 


207.166  lbs.  canned  tomatoee, 

(over  103  tons.) 
1S,060  lbs.  canned  fruit. 
574  cans  "     jellies. 

S6,273  galls,  picbled  cnciun- 

bers,  (about  1,200  bbls. 
13,334  gaUs.  picfaled  onions. 
4,719,     "  '•     tomatoes. 

1,106     "    cnrried  cabbage. 


16,218  galls,  sanr  kraut. 

100  bbls.  fresh  onions. 

70  bbls.  potatoes. 

242  bbls.  dried  apples. 

32      "     other  dried  fruit. 

301  boxes  lemons. 

2,400  boxes  portable  lemon- 


25  boxes  oranges. 

This  includes  the  lot  distributed  on  the 
3d  inst.,  which  reached  the  men  in  the 
trenches  in  time  for  their  Independence 
day  dinner.  During  the  last  fortnight 
prices  of  vegetables  have  been  proportion- 
ately much  larger  than  hitherto.  Three 
steamers  and  a  barge  have  already  sailed 
for  the  army  with  an  aggregate  cargo  of 
over  5,000  barrels  of  vegetables  and  delica- 
cies. 

*  Every  precaution  has  been  taken  by  the 
Commission  to  insure  an  accurate,  compre- 
hensive, and  impartial  distribution  of  their 
precious  contributions  to  the  dietary  of  the 
army. 

Gen.  Grant  has  always  highly  approved 
the  work,  and  has  given  it  his  aid,  order- 
ing additional  transportation  to  enable  the 
Commission  trains  to  go  at  once  to  the 
front,  and  as  near  the  trenches  as  possible. 
The  plan  o'f  distribution  has  been  to  send 
the  wagons  either  to  corps  or  division  com- 
manders, in  charge  of  an  adequate  number 
of  the  relief  agents  of  the  Commission. 
The  commander  of  each  respective  corps 
division  having  detailed  an  officer  from  his 
staff  to  attend,  sends  the  wagons  to  the 
rear  of  their  trenches,  and  their  contents 
*  are  given  to  the  men,  either  in  the  works, 
or  as  thtey  return  after  dark  to  the  camps 
of  the  Beserves. 

The  enthusiasm  is  always  great  when  it 
becomes  known  that  such  abundant  sup- 
plies of  acid  fruits  and  vegetables  are  to  be 
distributed  in  the  trenches.    , 

It  is  difficult  for  the  inexperienced  reader 
to  form  a  sufficiently  profound  appreciation 


of  the  value  of  this  anti-scorbutic  food.  It 
should  be  remembered  that  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  having  passed  through  a 
campaign  of  the  severest  character,  having 
depended  mainly  for  food  upon  the  fight- 
ing ration  of  pork,  hard  bread  and  coffee, 
arrived  before  Petersburg  in  a  state  of 
great  exhaustion.  Every  consideration  of 
humanity,  patriotism  and  military  economy 
made  it  the  duty  of  the  Commission  to 
give  it  at  once  such  sdd  and  comfort  as  their 
experience  and  means  rendered  possible. 
They  knew  that  the  sickness  and  mortality 
rates  would  inevitably  increase  unless  the 
exhausted  bodies  of  the  soldiers  could  be 
brought  rapidly  under  the  influence  of 
well-selected  anti-scorbutics.  They,  there- 
fore, sent  to  the  army  a  sufficient  quantity 
and  variety  to  give  every  man  a  daily  ration 
of  fresh  food  for  at  least  ten  days.  The 
above  lists  will  show  the  principal  articles  - 
distributed;  the  quantities  stated  do  not, 
however,  show  the  entire  issues  to  date,  as 
all  the  returns  are  not  yet  in.  A  complete 
report  of  this  work  will  be  presented  in  due 
time  to  the  public,  whose  almoner  the 
Commission  is. 


THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  PROM  A 
FRENCH  POINT  OF  VIEW. 

The  Revue  des  JDeux  Mondes,  for  May  1, 
has  a  long  and  eloquent  article  on  the  San- 
itary Commission  and  its  work;  and  though 
most  of  its  facts  are,  of  course,  familiar 
enough  to  our  readers,  the  comments  of  an 
intelligent  French  critic  upon  an  organiza- 
tion.-which,  to  anybody  with  the  ordinary 
French  ideas  of  the  relations  of  the  people 
and  the  Government,  must  seem  one  Of  the 
strangest  facts  of  the  day — must  contain 
a  vast  deal  that  is  in  the  highest  degree 
interesting. 

Speaking  of  that  intense  individualism 
to  which  the  Commission  owed  its  origin — 
the  writer  says:  ' 

"  The  great  problem  which  political  science 
has  to  solve  in  our  age,  is  evidently  to  re- 
concile the  personal  initiative  of  the  citizen 
with  the  prerogatives  of  the  entire  i^cial 
body,  represented  byits  Government,  *  * 
Nothing  but  the  long  habit  of  liberty, 
in  aU  countries  in  the  world,  will  ever  siff- 
fioe  to  trace  accurately  the  ever-shifting 
line  which  separates  the  domain  of  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


547 


citizen  from  that  of  the  State.  It  is  then 
very  important  to  study,  from  this  point 
of  view,  the  political  customs  of  those 
societies  -whose  individtial  members  are 
distinguished  in  a  high  degree  by  the  spirit 
of  individual  initiative.  The  American  re- 
public affords  above  all  others  the  most  re- 
markable examples  of  the  right  reserved  by 
individuals  of  forming  coalitions  or  inde- 
pendent associations,  either  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  their  support  to  the  Government, 
of  turning  it  aside  from  a  false  path,  or 
even  of  opposing  it.  A  single  man  rises 
up,  and  sets  on  foot  an  agitation  in  favor 
of  a  reform  or  of  an  amelioration;  if  his  pro- 
jects are  received  by  a  certain  number  of 
citizens,  they  make  common  cause  with 
him,  furnish  him  with  platforms,  pulpits, 
newspapers,  and  never  cease  to  struggle 
until  either  th^ey  have  accomplished  theiri 
object,  or  a  sudden  change  in  public  opinion 
has  modified  their  views." 

"  One  of  the  most  remarkable  institutions 
produced  by  the  spontaneous  action  of  the 
American  people,  since  the  commencement 
of  the  civil  war,  is  the  Sanitary  Oommis- 
siori,  which,  -without  waiting  for  any  appeal 
from  the  Government,  was  voluntarily  estab- 
lished for  the  purpose  of  seeing  after  the 
health  and  material  interests  of  the  sol- 
diers, the  cure  of  the  wounded,  and  the 
support  of  the  invalids.  Citizens,  -women, 
children,  without  any  other  warrant  than 
their  patriotism,  exercise  surveillance  over 
the  conduct  of  the  State,  in  that  very  one 
of  its  functions  -which  it  usually  most 
jealously  guards  against  intrusion — the 
organization  of  the  national  forces.  Without 
fearing  the  relaxation  of  military  discipline, 
they  have  their  civUian  agents,  their  doc- 
tors, their  inspectors  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
armies.  They  plant  their  volunteer  organ- 
ization in  the  camp  in  which  the  inflexible 
■will  of  a  general,  sending  his  soldiers  to 
victory  or  death,  reigns  as  the  supreme  law. 
One  sees,  then,  that  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  is  interesting,  not 
simply  as  a  work  of  patriotic  charity;  it 
deserves  also  to  be  studied  -with  attention 
as  one  of  the  most  curious  results  of  indi- 
vidual jntiative." 

Of  the  share  of  the  women  in  originating 
and  carrying  on  the  -work  of  the  Commis- 
sion— the  writer  says: 


"  The  honor  of  having  ■  given  the  first 
impulse  to  this  national  work,  belongs  to 
the  American  women.  The  war  had  hardly 
begun  when  ladies'  societies- were  formed 
in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  to  aid  the  soldiers 
who  responded  to  the  Presidentls  call.  Con- 
fused, naturally  enough,  by  the  rising  tu- 
mult of  the  revolution,  the  female  relatives 
and  friends  of  the  volunteers  did  not  very 
well  know  how  to  act.  They  work  some- 
what at  random, .  without  any  systematic 
combination  of  their  efforts.      *        *        * 

In  a  few  days  after  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter^ 
before  the  civil  war,  which  was  destined  to 
prove  so  sanguinary,  had  cost  a  single  life, 
the  American  women  were  on  foot  in  all  parts 
of  the  Union,  proving  th%  sincerity  of  their 
patriotism  by  the  abundance  of  their  gifts. 
Most  of  the  politicians  at  the  North  affect- 
ed to  see  in  the  rebeUion,  but  an  unimport- 
ant rising.  Mr.  Seward  himself  looked  for 
its  repression  in  ninety  days;  but  the 
women,  as  if  warned  by  a  prophetic  in- 
stinct, were  preparing  patiently  for  long 
years  of  struggle,  of  suffering,  and  of  an- 
guish. 

*  *  *  The  accredited  agents  of  the 
Commission  with  each  corps  are  bound  to 
make  no  distinction  between  soldiers  from 
Massachusetts  and  those  from  Illinois;  be- 
tween Native  Americans  and  emigrants  from 
-  the  old  world,  between  whites  and  blacks; 
on  the  battle-field  they  have  to  refuse  to 
see  in  the  wounded  they  pick  up  and 
nurse,  either  unionists  or  rebels.  Of  all 
the  nurses  provided  by  the  Commission, 
those  who  best  understand  the  mission  of 
universal  charity,  on  -which  they  are  sent, 
the  most  devoted,  the  most  conscientious, 
the  most  beloved  by  the  sick,  are  certainly 
the  women.  Many  of  them,  following  the 
example  given  during  the  Crimean  war  by 
the  excellent  Miss  Nightingale,  have  bid- 
adieu  to  aU  attractions  of  happy  homes, 
and  of  refined  and  elegant  Ufe,  to  cpnse- 
crate  themselves  to  the  service  of  military 
hospitals  and  ambulances.  They  prove  by 
their  acts  that  it  is  not  only  anxiety  about 
their  own  salvation  that  can  enable  one  to 
breathe  without  repugnance  the  tainted 
atmosphere  of  an  hospital.  An  ardent  love 
of  country,  and  a  profound  sentiment  of/ 
the  fraternity  of  the  human  race,  are 
that  are  needed  to  make  their  devo/ 


548 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEelin. 


easy;  modest  'heroines  of  tenderness  £md 
of  grace,  they  fulfill  their  mission  with  a 
joyous  enthusiasm  and  simplicity  which 
charms  all  hearts.  When  the  war  shall 
haye  ceased  to  desolate  the  United  States, 
thousands  of  soldiers  of  the  two  hostile 
armies,  will  remember  with  emotion  the 
care  these  women  have  bestowed  on  them," 

The  article  then  enters  at  some  length 
into  an  account  of  the  organization  of  the 
Commission,  and  its  manner  of  working, 
and  gives  a  number  of  details  of  the  results 
it  has  accomplished,  and  then  makes  the 
following  remarks  apon  its  peculiarly 
American  character: 

"  One  sees  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
is  a  pecuharly  American  institution. 
There  ia  no  doubt  the  chiefs  of  the 
various  !Eiuropean  armies  would  not 
tolerate  at  aiiy  price  the  formation  of  a 
free  sociely  of  hospitallers,  chaxging  itself 
with  the  duty,  not  only  of  taking  care  of 
the  sick  and  wounded,  but  of  making  army 
censuses;  obtaining  transportation  for  the 
soldiers;  pursuing  deserters;*  examining 
the  cause  of  punishments  inflicted,  and  de- 
fending the  interests  of  the  troops,  not 
only  against  speculators,  but  even  in  case 
of  need,  against  the  Government  itself.  In 
England,  not  less  than  on  the  Continent, 
any  association  of  individuals  putting  for- 
ward any  such  pretensions,  would  certainly 
be  accused  of  madness  or  wickedness.  So 
true  it  is,  that  American  manners  owe  their 
peculiarities  rather  to  the  long  enjoyment  of 
free  institutions  than  to  the  Anglo  Saxon  or- 
igin of  the  people.  After  that  terrible  Cri- 
mean winter,  during  which  the  English 
troops  lost  one-half  of  their  effective  force, 
the  British  Government  decided,  it  is  true, 
to  appoint  a  Sanitary  Commission,  in  order 
ia  save  the  remains  of  its  army,  which 
threatened  to  melt  away  entirely;  but  that 
Commission  had  to  confine  itself  to  the  re- 
organization of  the  medical  department, 
and  the  'recommendation  of  hygeinio  pre- 
cautions. The  European  work  which  most 
resembles  that  of  the  American  patriots,  is 
that  of  the  international  association  of 
nurses,  established  at  Geneva,  by  M.  Henri 
Dnnant.     Under  certain  aspects,  the  enter- 

*  This  ia  of  course  an  error  of  the  writer;  the  Com- 
mission charges  itself  with  no  such  duty, — [Eds.] 


prise  set  on  foot  by  this  noble-hearted  man 
is,  perhaps,  greater  and  more  humane 
than  that  of  the  American  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, for  it  rises  above  the  narrow  con- 
siderations of  local  patriotism,  and  hoists 
the  flag  of  universal  charity  over  all  armies 
engaged  in  mutual  slaughter;  but  does  not 
this  International  Association  of  Belief,  by 
the  very  extent  of  the  plan  which  it  traces 
out  for  itself,  .condemn  itself  to  be  misun- 
derstood? It  has  had  official  encourage- 
ments, approvals,  more  or  less  vague,  from 
vaJ:ious  crowned  heads,  in  abundance,  but 
unfortunately  it  has  not  yet  received  the  all- 
powerful  support  of  popular  enthusiasm." 

SCENES  AND  INCIDENTS. 

Abky  of  the  Potomac,  Jmu,  1864. 

Two  men  are  before  me.  One  of  a  ner- 
vous, irritable  temperament,  with  a  slight 
wound.  His  wife  and  family  wiU  be  troub- 
led, his  life  is  in  danger,  he  must  go  home, 
he  must  have  somebody  to  .wait  on  him,  he 
is  fretful.  It  is  his  first  hospital  experi- 
ence; his  first  sickness  from  home.  He 
wiU  fall  into  line  in  a  day  or  two,  and  be 
more  cheerful.  The  example  of  brave  men 
about  him  will  arouse  his  better  nature, 
and  he  will  'overcome  his  irritation. 

Another  is  a  veteran.  Has  seen  battles, 
fought  in  them,  been  in  hospitals  before. 
He  has  both  legs  amputated  above  the 
knees.  Look  at  him.  He  is  sitting  up  in 
his  blanket,  with  a  basin  of  water  at  his 
side  and  a  sponge  in  each  hand,  pressing 
the  water  in  little  drops  from  the  sponge 
'  on  his  stumps,  to  soften  the  dressings  and 
have,  them  ready  for  the  surgeon  to  re- 
move. He  turns  upon  his  axis  from  side 
to  side,  wets  his  sponges,  laughs  at  his 
stumps,  calls  them  "  buUy, "  and  only  wishes 
that  he  had  two  good  wooden  ones,  that 
he  might  be  "on  to  Eichmond." 

A  XOUNG   HUSH   SOLDIEB  HiOM   PENNSSIi- 
VANIA. 

Says  one  of  the  Kelief  Agents:  "As  I  sat 
in  my  room  after  the  labors  at  the  hospital, 
there  was  a  modest  rap  at  the  door.  I 
opened,  and  an  Irish  boy  leaned  against 
the  post  supporting  one  arm  with  the  op- 
posite hand.  His  only  clothing,  pants  and 
'  shirt,  were  dusty  and  wori^  He  had  nei- 
ther hat  nor  shoes,  and  had  walked  eleven 
miles  from  the  field.  The  sweat  of  battle  was 
still  on  his  brow;  a  baU  from  the  foe  had 
penetrated  his  shoulder,  and  the  pain  of 
the  wound  was  severe.  In  a  tremulous 
voice  he  said,  "Please,  sir,  can  I  get  some- 
thing to  eat?"  Hungry  and  his  rations 
gone,  he  was  taken  in  and  fed.  His  ward- 
robe tattered  and  lost,  he  was  clothed  and 
comforted.  'Wounded  and  suffering,  he  was 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


549 


bound  np  and  restored.  The  good  that 
was  done  to  the  boy  was  something;  the 
good  to  me  went  as  deep  as  my  heart.  The 
good  in  this  work  is  imparted,  but  there  is 
more  of  it  received.  '  It  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive.'" 

A  LAD  FROM   MAINIi. 

He  was  just  fifteen.  Two  of  his  brothers 
had  fallen  in  battle;  one  was  still  left,  un- 
less he  too  had  fallen  recently.  This  boy 
was  wounded  in  the  hand,  the  left  ear,  and 
through  the  left  thigh;  the  ball  had  broken 
the  bone  and  cut  the  femoral  artery.  The 
boy  was  a  lovely  one,  of  delicate  frame,  fair 
hair,  sweet  soft  voice,  and  innocent  expres- 
sion. One  evening  he  had  a  severe  hem- 
orrhage, and  the  surgeon  determined  to 
amputate.  He  beckoiied  to  me,  and  said, 
"  They  are  going  to  take  oflf  my  leg;  stand 
by  me  all  the  time;  pray  for  me  too." 
Chloroform  was  administered,  and  the  sur- 
geons gathered  around.  Upon  renewing 
the  examination,  it  wa«^  determined  not  to 
amputate,  as  there  was  no  chance  for  his 
life.  The  influence  of  the  chloroform'  pass- 
ed away,  and  his  first  inquiry  was,  "Is  it 
off  yet  1"  He'  found  it  was  not,  learned 
the  reason,  and  looking  solemnly  in  my 
face  and  raising  his  hand,  said:  "  Will  you 
pray  for  me,  pray  for  me,  and  when  I  am 
deaid  do  not  bury  me  in  a  blanket.  Put  me 
in  a  box,  as  my  mother  would  do.  Let  it 
be  done  right."  In  a  few  hours  he  was 
sleeping  in  the  arms  of  death.  His  rest- 
ing-place is  with  his  comrades.  His  coun- 
try has  had  the  baptism  of  his  young  blood, 
and  to  the  cause  of  human  freedom  he  has 
sacrificed  his  life. 

THE   CUKNOWK. 

While  upon  the  wharf  recently  at  Fort- 
ress Monroe,  a  gentleman  came  to  me  and 
asked  if  it  would  be  possible  for  him  to  ex- 
amine the  records  of  the  medical  depart- 
ment, that  he  might  possibly  find  the  name 
of  a  relative,  who  had  not  been  heard  of 
since  the  peninsular  campaign  of "  1862. 
He  was  directed  to  the  proper  office, 
searched  and  found  the  name  of  the  young 
man  as  ha/ving  been  in  an  hospital,  &a.,. 
but  the  time  and  place  of  his  burikl  he 
could  not  discover.  In  the  wanderings 
and  searchings  of  this  gentleman  among 
the  graves  of  soldiers  in  different  places  on 
the  peninsular  he  was  unable  to  find  any 
trace  of  the  resting  place  of  his  relative. 
He  saw,  however,  here  and  there  written 
on  the  little  head-boards  "unknown;"  and 
conscious  that  he  for  whom  he  sought  was 
among  them,  he  gave  up  the  search  as 
hopeless.  Conversing  together  on  the  sad 
feelings  which  have  beclouded  many  a 
home  since  the  war  began,  and  participat- 
ing himself  to  some'  extent  in  the  same 
afflictive  dispensation,  he  wrote  the  follow- 
ing lines,  and  presented  them  to  me.         * 


THE  tTNKNOWN. 

UitJcnown  !  and  this  sad  word  records  the  fame 
Of  one  whose  breast  received  the  foeman's  steel 

On  his  unconscious  form;  no  mark,  no  name, 
Told  of  the  dear  one's  home,  who'stUl  shall  Imeel 

And  supplicate  for  him  a  other's  throne; 
He  died  in  stranger  arms — ^he  died  urihiwwn. 

Unknown  to  %er  his  death,  and  she  will  try 
With  breaking  heart  to  solve  the  mysteiy. 

"Absent 'thout  leave,"  will  be  the  Clirt  reply, 
And  darker  still  the  inference  may  lie 

All  near  his  name.    One  I  am  proud  to  own 
Has  this  record,  for  he  too  died  unknown. 

Unknown  defenders  of  our  country's  life 
We  bare  our  heads,  and  to  thee  bend  the  knee; 

Our  faith  looks  up,  beyond  this  fearful  strife, 

.  Into  the  realms  of  blest  eternity, 

Wbere  through  the  merits  of  our  Christ  alone 
Blood-washed  are  ye,  who  here  have  died  unAmown. 

KUTDNBSS. 

WhUe  examining  a  fearful  wound  in  a 
young  soldier  i^  one  of  the  hospitals  the 
other  day,  I  was  astoi^hed  at  the  rapid 
progress  towards  recovery,  as  well  as  at  the 
patient's  unusually  vigorous  condition,  con- 
sidering the  nature  of  the  wound — a  com- 
pound fracture  in  the  upper  third  of  the 
right  thigh.  The  following  statiement  which 
he  gave  me  accounts  for  this  man's  good 
fortune:  He  was  wounded  wbile  in  the 
skirmish  line  the  3d  of  June,  at  Coal  Har- 
bor, Va.  His  comrades  had  him  carefully 
conveyed  to  the  rear,  and  as  soon  as  per- 
mission could  be  obtained  after  the  battle, 
eight  of  those  comrades  undertook  the  task 
of  transporting  him  on  a  litter,  borne  upon 
their  own  shoulders,  from  Qqal  Harbor  to 
Whitehouse,  22  miles  by  the  road  they 
traveled.  Carefully  they  kept  step  as  they 
went  onward  to  the  new  base  for  the  trans- 
ports, and  when  they  reached  the  hospitiEil 
boat  in  the  Pamunkey  Biver  the  field  litter 
and  its  precious  bprden  were  deposited 
without  having  been  jostled  or  the  wounded 
parts  injured.  The  physicians  promised 
that  the  noble  object  of  this  tender  care 
should  be  transported  to  the  hospital  wharf 
at  Washington,  and  from  thence  to  some 
general  hospital,  without  being  disturbed 
■from  the  carefully  prepared  Ijed  upon 
which  he  had  been  brought  from  the  bat- 
tle-field. The  pledge  has  been  fulfilled, 
and  if  those  affectionate  comrades  live  to 
reach  Jefferson  County,  N.  T.,  again,  there 
is  reason  to  believe  they  will  find  there  the 
noble  man  who  was  borne  upon  their 
shoulders  from  Coal  Harbor  to  the  White 
House.  H. 

A  SOIiDIBK'S  SUBSCBIPTION. 

One  little  incident  should  be  mentioned 
here  which  happened  recently.  A  soldier 
handed  us  $2  to  be  presented  as  a  donation 
to  the  Commission.  Reason,  he  had. been 
taken  good  care  of  in  a  hospital  by  one  or 
more. of  the  agents  there.  Furthermore, 
he  gives  $2  every  month,  and  intends  to  do 
so.  The  suffering  soldier  wiU  ^ver  be  the 
best  witness  as  to  mho  helps  him  most. 


550 


The  Sanitary  Commission  SvMetin. 


The  thin  shirts  and  drawers  issued  in 
such  large  quantities  for  a  few  da^s  past, 
are  just  the  thing.  It  is  really  refreshing 
to  see  |the  wounded  men  in  the  tents  and 
all  those  who  are  able  to  hobble  about, 
sporting  thin  white  clothing,  in  place  of 
those  cruel,  hot,  dirty  flannels. 

ANTI-SCORBUTICS. 

Our  readers  may  be  pleased  to  see  the 
fo^owing  extracts  from  the  Commission's 
Journal,  kept  at  City  Point,  together  with 
a  few  testimonial  letters,  indicating  what 
we  are  doing  in  supplying  the  army  with 
anti-scorbutic  food. 

On  the  6th  Dr.  Douglas  sent  from  City 
Point  to  the  front  1,150  bbls.  of  vegetables, 
and  8,000  heads  of  cabbages,  not  less  than 
one-half  of  which  constituted  the  CommiE- 
sion's  part  of  the  cargo  of  the  "Belvi- 
dere,"  sent  from  New  York  by  the  Onion 
Fund  Committee,  under  the  direction  of  G. 
W.  Blunt  and  Captain  Charles  G.  Mar- 
shaU. 

As  we  write  (July  8th)  three  Commission 
steamers  are  loading  with  vegetables,  and 
will  leave  to-morrow. 

CiTX  FoniT,  Va.,  June  28, 1864. 

Capt.  Harris'  teams  are  loading  up  to- 
day for  the  Point,  with  large  quantities  of 
saur  kraut,  curry,  pickles  and  dried  apples; 
there  has  been,  perhaps,  one  loaded  with 
an  assortment.     There  are  16  or  17  wagons. 

The  troop^  in  the  vicinity  and  the  army 
in  front  too  are  beginning  to  smell  out  our 
stores  of  anti-scorbutics.  Ten  barrels  of 
saur  kraut  were  issued  at  the  end  of  our  gang 
plank  yesterday,  in  small  quantities.  It 
seems  to  please  the  soldiers  like  a  thanks- 
giving dinner.  Hard  tack  and  salt  pork 
and  beef  will  not  satisfy  the  stomach  for 
month  after  month,  much  less  palate;  these 
articles  are  here  at  the  right  time. 

June  29, 1864. 

■  Two  wagon  loads  of  fresh  vegetables  went 
to  the  front  this  P.  M. ;  cabbages,  radishes, 
beans,  peas,  &c.,  to  the  9th  Army  Corps, 
20  barrels. 

The  Commission  is  now  doing  splendid 
work  in  the  front;  it  may  now  pour  in  a 
stream  of  its  supplies  into  the  very  trenches 
in  front.  Those  who  come  in  say  that 
fresh  and  pickled  vegetables  are  what  are 
most  needed  among  our  famishing  men. 

7  o'clock,.  P.  M.    Wagons  are  still  load- 


ing up  with  saur  kraut,  fresh  vegetables, 
ale,  &c.  The  bees  in  the  hive  are  hard 
at  work,  but  we  need  more. 

July  Itt,  1864. 

The  following  order  was  issued  by  Major 
Gen.  Hancock,  a  copy  of  which  was  receiv- 
ed here  to-day: 

Heas-Qitaxtebs,  2d  Abmt  Gobfs,     ) 
July  1, 1864.  ] 
Special  OrdeTS,  No.  170. 

EXTEACT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  having  turned 
over  for  the  use  of  the  troops  of  this  Corps 
140<boxes  tomatoes,  (about  4,000  lbs.,) 
19  boxes  lemons, 
5  bbls.  pickled  onions, 
320  lbs.  chewing  tobacco, 
they  will  be  distributed,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Chief  Commissary  of  the  Corps, 
only  to  the  men  of  the  different  divisions 
and  artillery  now  occupying  the  line  of 
works.  , 

By  order  of  Major-Gen.  Hancock, 

W.  P.  Wilson, 

A.  Alit  AAj't  Gm'l. 

Dr.  Smith  delivered  the  above  goods  di- 
rectly to  Gen.  Hancock,  who  expressed 
himself  as  greatly  gratified,  and  immedi- 
ately issued  the  above  order. 

July  2, 1864. 

Messrs.  Judd  and  Smith  returned  this 
A.  M.  Mr.  Judd  reports  that  he  delivered 
his  five  loads  in  person,  taking  regiment 
by  regiment.  He  went  along  the  trenches 
of  the  18th  Corps,  settled  his  business  with 
each  commander  of  a  regiment,  met  with  a 
cordial  reception  by  the  rank  and  file,  and 
had  the  satisfaction  to  know  that  his  goods 
were  in  a  way  to  reach  19,000  men. 

His  mission  was  entirely  successful.  He 
was  some  of  the  time  under  fire,  and  much 
exposed  to  danger. 

Early  in  the  evening  an  examination  was 
made  to  see  how  much  of  the  anti-scorbu- 
tic stock  could  be  made  out  for  the  army. 
It  was  found  that  there  was  at  hand,  pro- 
vided transportation  could  be  obtained, 
400  barrels  pickles, 
125      "       pickled  onions, 
98      "      fresh  onions, 
60      "  *    potatoes, 
75      "       dried  apples. 

758  total  barrels, 
and  90  boxes  lemons. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


551 


Dr.  Douglius  and  Dr.  McDonald  have  just 
returned  from  a  -visit  to  Gen.  Grant.  The 
General  will  fvirnish  transportation  to-mor- 
row morning,  and  proceed  wiCh  this  stock 
immediately  to  the  trenches.  It  will  take, 
if  carried  6  bbls.  to  a  load,  with  lemons 
scattered  through,  about  125  teams. 

July  3, 18S1. 

Mr.  De  Long  reports  that  five  Sanitary 
Commission  wagons  were  loaded. 
72  boxes  tomatoes, 
24     "      chicken, 
228  lbs.      chocolate, 
72  cans     peaches, 
156    "       pears, 
12  boxes  sherry, 
6      "      milk, 
1  sheep  and  100  lbs.  ice. 
Also,  1  wagon  for  9th  Army  Corps,  and  five 
for  the  different  Belief  Agents,  making  a 
total  of  eleven  .wagons. 

One  ought  to  see  the  boys  who  came  up 
from  the  front  out  of  the  trenches  "  pitch 
into  "  the  acids,  such  as  saur  kraut  and  pick- 
les. It  reminds  one  of  Dr.  Kane's  party 
in  the  arctic  regions,  who  having  been  a 
long  time  without  food,  "gobbled  up" 
raw  seal  and  walrus,  even  while  the  life- 
currents  were  yet  flowing.  The  boys  are 
frantic  for  acids. 

The  following  are  the  stores  ordered  by 
Lieut. -Col.  B.  M.  Morgan,  Chief  Commis- 
sary: 

400  barrels  pickled  cucumbers, 
122       "       pickled  onions, 
"94      "       fresh  onions, 
54      "       potatoes, 
73      "       dried  apples, 

743  barrels. 
89  boxes  lemons. 
The  above  are  equivalent  to  about  120 
wagon  loads.  Eighteen  of  the  Commission 
men  will  go  with  them  to  the  trenches  this 
P.  M.,  and  be  assigned  in  squads  to  the 
respective  corps  to  aid  the  Government  in 
the  distribution,  and  to  act  as  a  corps  of 
observation. 

City  Ponrr,  July  S,  1864. 
Us.  ESAfP: 

Dbab  Sir— We  sent  to  the  army  day  be- 
fore yesterday  about  twenty-flve  tons  of 
supplies.  Among  them  were  11,000  lbs.  oft 
tomatoes  and  800  lbs.  of  tobacco. 


We  send  to-day  800  bbls.  and  boxes  of 
vegetables,  pickled  and  fresh.  They  are 
distributed  through  the  Commissaries  of 
Divisions,  as  being  the  most  expeditious 
and  sure  way  of  doing  the  work.  General 
Grant  finds  us  the  transportation.  The 
articles  are  now  being  loaded  on  the  cars. 
They  will  be  delivered  at  the  farther  end 
of  the  railway  to  Division  Commissar^. 
We  expect  that  they  wUl  be  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  soldiers  to-morrow  morning. 
Every  corps  in  all  its  appointments  will  be 
reached  speedily  in  this  army. 
Tours,  truly, 
(Signed,)  J.  H.  Douglas. 
—  » 

Extract  from  a  letter  dated  near  Peters- 
burg, June  29,  1864: 

Deab  Sib. — ^Twelve  barrels  each  of  kraut 
and  dried  apples  were  turned  over  to  me 
last  evening  for  the  9th  Army  Corps.  I 
saw  Generals  Burnside  and  Parks,  also  the 
chief  of  the  Commissary  Department,  Col. 
Coles,  who  wlQ  with  myself  see  that  it  is 
sent  to  the  trenches  this  day. 

General  Burnside  called  on  me  night  be- 
fore last.  I  was  not  at  home,  but  I  was 
told  that  he  expressed  himself  as  more 
than  satisfied  with  the  labors  of  the  Com- 
mission in  ameliorating  the  condition  of 
his  command. 

Other  Generals  have  told  me  within  two 
days  that  the  donations  of  apples,  pickles, 
ale,  &o.,  to  the  men  in  the  trenches,  have 
made  a  perceptible  improvement '  in  their 
condition;  and  General  Hurteaudf  t,  of  the 
3d  Division,  pointed  to  a  man  who  he  be- 
lieved had  been  saved  to  the  service  by  the 
timely  aid.       ^ 

Now  with  this  evidence  and  kindly  feel- 
ing manifested,  I  am  stimulated  to  exer- 
tion for  those  in  front,  to  prevent  sickness 
by  some  addition  to  the  present  "  rations," 
in  the  form  of  acid  fruits  and  pickles,  and 
very,  very  much  will  have  been  done. 
Dried  apples,  pickled  onions,  canned  to- 
matoes and  kraut,  in  the  order  named,  I  be- 
lieve the  best. 

Most  rcEfpectfully  yours, 

N.  C.  Stevens. 

June  so,  IBM. 
SB.  Saaai.iB: 

Deab  Sib.^-I  went  to  he^tdquarters  last 


552 


The  Sanitary  Commisswn,  BvUdin. 


evening,  and  the  officers  declined  using  any 
of  the  vegetables,  saying  that  the  men  in 
the  treiiches  needed  them  more  than  they 
do,  and  that  they  did  not  have  the  resour- 
ces they  had.  .  They  say,  take  care  of  the 
men  in  the  trenches.  Indications  of  scurvy 
are  beginning  to  be  developed,  ■which  -will 
be  counteracted  by  prompt  aid  from  anti- 
s^rbutics.  In  conference  vdih'  three  of 
the  Medical  Directors  of  the  Corps,  it  was 
thought  that  canned  tomatoes  were  the 
most  convenient  form  of  vegetables  that 
could  be  used,  as  they  need  no  cooking, 
and  one  box  of  2  lbs.  will  give  a  mess  to  six 
persons.  Next  pickles,  kraut  and  vegeta- 
bles. Vegetables  are  so  perishable,  that  if 
not  used  while  fresh,  they  are  not  worth 
much.  Send  anything  your  wisdom  may 
suggest.  I  assure  you  it  will  be  most  hear- 
tily appreciated  by  officers  and  men. 
Tours,  in  haste, 

N.  0.  Stevens. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  Major-General 
Smith: 

HllADQrABTEBS  18TH  AbMT  CoBFS,  ) 

In  the  Fi^j)^  heab  Petebsbdbo,     ( 
Julyl.iau.] 
To  Dr.  J.  H.  Douglas, 

Associate  JSec'y  Sanitary  Com'n: 

Dbak  Sns— The  supplies  kindly  forward- 
ed by  you  from  the  Sanitary  Commission 
have  been  received  at  these  headquarters, 
and  wiUat  once  be  distributed  as  requested. 
The  Major-General  commanding  the 
Corps  desires  me  to  express  to  you  his  ap- 
preciation of  this  donation  to  his  command 
by  the  Commission  you  represent,  and  to 
say  that  there  perhaps  has  never  been  a 
time  when  thfey  could  be  of  greater  benefit, 
or  that  their  want  has  been  more  felt  by 
the  troops. 

He  also  desires  me  to  express  to  you,  and 
through  you  to  the  Commission  you  repre- 
sent, his  thanks  for  the  interest  they  have 
^ever  shown  for  the  welfare  and  weU-being 
of  the  troops  in  the  field,  and  his  appreci- 
ation of  the  work  in  which  they  are  engag- 
ed and  the  labors  they  have  performed. 
I  am,  dear  sir,  yours  very  truly,  &c., 
Wm.  EuesELL,  Jb., 

liajor  and  Aa't  Adj't  Gen'l. 

Hkasqvastkbs,  8d  Drr.,  6th  k.  C,        \ 
June  27, 1861.     J 

SOBGZON  B,  BaBB, 

Surgeon  in  Chief  Bd  Div,,  6th  Corpt: 

SiE — Please  present  my  best  thanks  to 


Dr.  Steiner,  Chief  Inspector  Sanitary  Cam- 
mission,  and  Mr.  Blazier,  agent  for  the  6th 
Corps,  for  the  very  acceptable  and  liberal 
donation  of 'two  wagon  loads  of  anti-scor- 
butics to  this  Division;  and  while  I  am 
grateful  on  the  score  of  health,  the  men 
feel  this  tangible  proof  of  the  benefits  of 
the  Commission. 

Very  respectfully, 

James  B.  Kicketts, 

Brigadier  GeneraJ. 

HOSPITAI,,  3i>  DiT.,  6tb  Cobps,        1 
June  37. 1861.     f 
Mb.  Blazxeb,  Agent  U.  S.  S.  C: 

I  take  great  pleasure  in  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of  the  Sanitary  Stores  furnish- 
ed recently  for  the  use  of  the  men  of  this 
Division.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  Com- 
manding General  Eicketts,  that  great  good 
is  done  by  this  one  issue  of  vegetables  to 
the  troops  under  his  command.  I  feel  sat- 
isfied myself  that  a  judicious  and  timely 
supply  of  sttch  articles  will  go  far  to  restore 
that  healthy  condition  of  system  which  can 
only  be  maintained  by  such  means.  If 
such  articles  as  we  have  received  can  be 
supplied  again,  while  the  troops  remain 
quiet,  I  will  see  they  are  brought  forward 
•  and  promptly  distributed. 

Let  me  return  you  my  sincere  thanks 
for  the  great  good  done,  and  to  say  nothing 
has  ever  been  more  welcome  to  the  men, 
for  which  they  feel  truly  thankful. 

B.  Babb, 

Surgeon  in  Chief,  3d  Div.,  6th  Corps. 

HZASQTJABTEBS,  BISSSY'S  DiT.,  2I>  COBFS,      ) 

July  i,  1861. ; 

Dr.  D011GI.A8, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Committion: 

Deae  Sib — It  affords  me  pleasure  to  ac- 
knowledge the  extensive  benefit  derived  to 
the  sick  and  wounded  of  the  3d  Division, 
2d  Corps,  since  crossing  the  James  Kiver. 
WhUst  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
army  has  furnished  us  promptly  and  in 
abundance  all  needful  surgical  and  medical 
supplies,  with  many  extras,  in  fact  to  the 
full  amount  of  transportation  allowed  to 
our  department,  the  timely  addition  of  such 
supplies  as  we  have  received  from  the  San- 
itary Commission,  into  which  all  local, 
"State  EeUef,"  or  other  divided  efi'ort 
should  be  merged,  has  added  vastly  to  the 
comfort  and  welfare  of  the  soldiers  who 


The  Samtary  Commission  BvtteUn. 


553 


have  passed  from  the  front  through  the 
hospitals  to  the  rear.  That  a  -whole  peo- 
ple should  '  organize  themselves  into  a 
grand  voluntary  benevolent  society,  as  our 
people  have  done  through  the  Sanitary 
Conjmission,  is  no  less  a  wonder  to  the 
■world  than  the  other  events  of  transpired 
history.  • 

From  my  own  observation  of  the  supe- 
rior working  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
owing  to  its  organization  and  superior 
facilities,  I  have  only  to  regret  that  all  the 
supplies  of  materials  donated  hy  the  peo- 
ple for  the  army  are  not  distributed  through 
your  agency. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
Very  respectfully, 

AliPHEUS  EVBBTS, 
Surg.  20i*  Jmd.  V.  V.,  and  Chief  qfZd  Div.,  2d  Corps. 

As  we  go  to  press  we  receive  the  follow- 
ing letters  from  Maj.  Gen.  Burnside  and 
the  Surgeons  and  Chaplains  of  9th  Army 
Corps;  also,  one  from  Dr.  Douglas  to  Lieut. 
Gen.  Grant,  accompanying  transmission  of 
vegetables  shipped  on  the  "Belvidere," 
from  New  York. 

Mrad'-Qvultesb,  9th  a.  C, 

Camp  bsfObe  FETEBSBUBa.  Va., 
Ju  y  lit,  1864. 

Snt — ^It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  ac- 
knowledge herewith  the  receipt  of  an  issue 
of  vegetables  for  my  command,  contributed 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

My  command  is  already  indebted  to  you 
for  several  issues  of  vegetables  and  anti- 
scorbutics, and  I  cannot  let  this  opportu- 
nity pass  without  expressing  my  sincere 
thanks  and  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the 
services  which  your  Commission  has  so 
generously  rendered. 

I  am  sir,  very  respectfully,  ' 

A.  E.  BuBNsrDB, 

/  Ml^jor  General. 


OPS,  ) 

Va., 
d,  18M. ) 


FiEij>  HOBPiTAi,,  9th  ABU7  Cobps, 
Kbab  FzTEBSBtma,  V 
July  2d, 

DB.  3.   H.  DOTIGUS, 

Associate  Secretary  XJ.  S.  Samitary  CommissUm: 

Snt — As  Surgeons  and  Chaplains  of  the 
9th  Army  Corps,  it  gives  us  great  pleasure 
to  acknowledge  to  yon  and  to  the  many 
friends  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  our 
great  indebtedness  to  this  Commission  dur- 
ing the  present  campaign,  for  the  sujjply 
of  numerous  articles  so  essential  to  the 


comfort  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  demon- 
strating the  exceeding  value  of  this  charity. 

It  affords  us  unqualified  pleasure  to  bear 
testimony  to  the  energy  and  faithfulneea 
of  your  Agent,  Dr.  N.  C.  Stevens,  in  dis- 
pensing the  stores  committed  to  his  trust. 

Especially  do  we  commend  his  judgment 
in  the  distribution  of  large  quantities  of 
anti-scorbutics  to  the  men  in  the  trenches, 
where  the  utility  of  such  material  is  #|te,b- 
lished  in  the  prevention  of  sickness  and  the 
regulation  of  the  system,  rendering  their 
recovery  when  wounded,  more  probable 
and  speedy. 

We  trust  that  the  Commission  will  coii- 
tinue  its  work  in  this  direction,  so  favor- 
ably  begun. 

Most  respectfully  yours, 

EOBAOE  LcsmcTON,  Surg.  lOOih  Pa..  Vols.,  in  change 
1st  Div.,  9tli  A.  C,  Field  Hospitala. 

John  W.  Snow,  Surgeon  35tli  Mass.  Vols. 

J.  O.  MuiiiiEN,  Surgeon  14th  N.  T.  Artillery. 

A.  H.  D.ismEiii.,  Chaplain  67th  Mass.  Inf. 
.T.  Fi^TOHEB  Oases,  Surg!  56th  Mass.,  Ass.  Surg. 
Hosp.  Ist  Div.,  9th  A.  C. 

W.  V.  White,  Surgeon  S7th  Mass. 

E.  W.  MoBTOHi,  AsBt.  Surg.  59th  Reg.  Me.  Vols. 

HOBACE  B.  DuBAKT,  Asst.  Surg.  100th  Beg.  Penn.  V. 

William  A.  Websteb,  Surg.  9th  Beg.  N.  H.  Vol. 

Theo.  J.  CaajsT,  Surg.  45th  Reg.  Penn.  Vol. 

J.  D.  MiLWAL,  Surg.  31st  Reg.  Me.  Vol. 

Shebman  Coofeb,  Surg.  6th  Reg.  N.  H.  V9I. 

POBEBT  T.  Paihe,  Je.,  Surgeou  2d  Eeg.  N.  T.  M. 

E.  B.  PiEBCE,  Asst.  Surgeon  17th  Beg.  Vt.  VoL 

H.  M.  G.  MiLLsEN,  Asst.  Surg. 

£.  G.  Mbssengbb,  Asst.  Surgeon       Penn.  VoL 

Clabe  C.  Hafton,  Surgeon  32d  Beg.  Me.  VoL 

H.  S.  B.  Smith,  Asst.  Surgeon  32d  Beg.  Me.  Vol. 

J.  S.  DowE,  Chaplain  6th  Beg.  N.  H.  Vet  VoL 

E.  Z.  Dyeobd,  Chaplain  11th  Beg.  N.  H.  Vol. 

Geo.  C.  Gbacefob,  Chaplain  31sl;,Reg.  Me.  Vol. 

Wm.  a.  Stabt,  Chaplain  58th  Reg.  Mass.  VoL 

Wm.  B.  D.  Blackwood,  Surgeon  48th  Eeg.  Fenn.  V. 

L.  B.  Becklez,  Chaplain  48th  Reg.  Penn.  Vol, 

L.  W.  Bliss,  Surgeon  51st  Reg.  N.  T.  VoL 

E.  J.  Bonine,  Surgeon  2d  Reg.  Mich.  Vet.  VoL 

S.  S.  Fbenoh,  Surg.  24  Brig.,  3d  Div.,  9th  A.  0. 

Wills  B.  Fox,  Surg.  1st  Brig.,  3d  Div.,  9th  A.  C. 

H.  E.  Smith,  Surgeon  27th  B;eg.  Mich.  VoL 

D.  E.  RotiNDT,  Surgeon  37th  Keg.  Wis.  VoL 

W.  E.  Shubloce,  Surgeon  51st  Beg.  Fenn.  Vet.  V. 

A.  F.  Whelan,  Surgeon  1st  Beg.  Mich.  Sharp  Sh. 

Chables  E.  Ames,  Surgeon  60th  Beg.  Ohio  Vol. 

Eabbisoh  H.  Powebs,  Asst.  Surg.  27th  Reg.  Mich.y. 

H.  L.  BniTEBEiELD,  Surgeon  38th  Beg.  Wis.  VoL 

L.  L.  Doolittle,  Surgeon  24th  Beg.  N.  Y.  Cav. 

JOSEPH  James,  Chaplain  20th  Beg.  Mich.  VoL 

S.  S.  HuNTniG,  Chaplain  27th  Aeg,  Mich.  VOL 

J.  D.  Bbvise,  Surgeon  17th  Eeg.  Mich.  Vol. 


Gehebal: 


OiTZ  PoiHT,  Ta.,  July  6,  1864. 


I  have  just  received  from  "Sew  York  an 
invoice  of  fresh  vegetables,  consisting  of 


554 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


four  hundred  and  twenty  (420)  barrels  of 
potatoes,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty-four 
(354)  barrels  of  onions,  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  desire  to  have  distributed 
among  the  men  in  the  armies  operating 
-  before  Bichmond. 

I  have  the  honor  of  forwarding  to  yon 
the  accompanying  letter  from  Mr.  Blunt 
and  Mr.  Marshall,  of  New  York,  which  has 
been  placed  in  my  hands,  together  with  an 
invoice  of  vegetables  sent  on  the  steamer 
Belvidere,  with  those  coming  from  the  San- 
itary Commission. 

I  respectfully  request  that  these  vegeta- 
bles, in  all  1153  barrels  and  7000  heads  of 
cabbages,  may  be  distributed  among  the 
men  in  these  armies. 

The  people  at  home  send  them  to  their 
brothers  in  the  army,  as  an  expression  of 
their  profound  admiration  and  unbounded 
confidence. 

Very  respectfully, 

Tour  obedient  Servant, 
J.  H.  DouGiiAS,  M.  p. 
Gen.  Grant  ofdered  Col  Morgan,  of  his 
staff,  to  take  charge  of  the  goods. 

They  were  immediately  loaded  on  the 
cars  for  the  front.  The  condition  of  the 
vegetables  seemed  to  be  good. 


PRE-PAT  YOUR  LETTERS. 

We  wish  to  call  special  attention  to  the 
necessity  of  pre-paying  the  full  amount  of 
posta,ge  on  letters  intended  for  soldi&s. 
As  will  be  seen  by  the  accompanying  com- 
munication frqm  Mr.  Kelly,  and  the  circu- 
lar he  has  issued,  no  letters  can  be  allowed 
to  go  to  ofScers  or  soldiers  in  the  field,  un- 
less the  entire  postage  is  paid.  No  matter 
how  valuable  they  may  be,  the  postmaster 
has  no  discretionary  power.  The  law  in 
this  respect  is  absolute,  The  entire  post- 
age must  be  paid  before  letters  are  suffered 
to  leave  the  nearest  post-office  for  the  front. 
More  than  this,  if  a  fraction  only  of  the 
amount  due  on  a  letter  is  pre-paid,  double 
the  remaining  fraction  must  be  paid  when 
the  letter  is  taken  from  the  office.  If  the 
wife  of  a  soldier,  thinking  her  letter  to  her 
husband  in  the  field  with  Sherman,  is  of 
single  weight,  happens  to  drop  it  into  the 
office  with  only  a  single  three  cent  stamp 
upon  it,  and  it  should  be  a  grain  heavier 
than  half  an  ounce,  the  letter  must  lie  in 
ttie  office  at  Chattanooga  until,  not  three, 
but  six  cents  additional  are  paid  for  post- 
age due  on  it.  It  is  not  carried  to  the  sol- 
dier in  the  regimental  post-bag,  and  the  op- 
portunity given  him  of  paying  the  amount 


due  on  seeing  it,  but  he  must  be  notified  of 
the  letter  by  the  postmaster  at  Chattanooga, 
must  answer  the  notification -with  the  re- 
quisite postage,  and  then  be  obliged  to 
wait  days,  and  perhaps  weeks,  in  his  vari- 
ous movements  before  the  letter  can  over- 
take him.  Meanwhile,  what  anxiety  and 
disappointment  may  have  been  endured  by 
the  wife  and  family  at  home,  because  of 
this  carelessness  or  ignorance! 

There  certainly  can  be  no  excuse  for  the 
failure  of  officers  to  pre-pay  postage  on  let- 
ters to  soldiers.      It  must  come  from  gross 
carelessness    and   indifference.      No    one 
knows  how  many  waiting  and  suffering  men 
in  hospitals  and  at  home  are  longing  for 
"descriptive  rolls"  and  "discharge  papers," 
which  are  lying  with  "  postage  due"  mark- 
ed upon  them  in  some  distant  office.    With 
so  much  good  and  so  much  evil  necessarily 
dependent  upon  so  small  a  matter  as  an 
additional  postage    stamp   or  two, '  those 
writing  to  soldiers  cannot  be  too  careful 
to  pre-pay  the  full  amount  of  all  their  letters. 
The  number  of  "unpaid  letters  accumula- 
ted at  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  a  short 
time  ago  was  very  large.     The  Sanitary 
Commission  has   recently  undertaken  to 
discharge  this  debt  of  so  many  soldiers  to 
the  Government,  and  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  the  amount  of  comfort  thus  promoted, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  material  gain  in  real- 
ly valuable  letters,  will  be  proportionate  to 
the  hundreds  of  dollars  expended. 


Db.  J.  S.  NewbeobT; 


Louisviujl,  Ey,  May  20, 1871. 


Deab  Sib — I  am  Special  Agent  of  the 
Post  Office  Department  for  the  Military 
Department,  and  have  just  returned  from 
a  tour*  of  inspection  to  Chattanooga.  I 
found  at  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  quite 
an  accumulation  of  mail  for  the  soldiers 
under  Gen.  Sherman,  detained  for  unpaid 
postage. 

Under  his  oath  of  office,  the  postmaster 
has  no  discretion ;  he  cannot  permit  unpaid 
mail  to  pass  from  his  possession  without 
the  money  due  is  first  paid.  Both  offices 
sent  out  notices  to  the  front,  but  for  some 
cause  only  a  small  proportion  of  this  mail 
ever  reaches  the  soldier. 

Under  these  circumstances  I  determined 
to  appeal  to  that  great  charity  with  which 
you  are  connected,  to  add  one  other  to  its 
many  claims  upon  the  gratitude  of  the 
army  and  the  people,  by  paying  these  un- 
paid letters. 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  teU  you  what 
joy,  what  faith,  what  courage,  you  will 
thus  be  the  means  of  imparting  to  many  a 
war-worn  soldier,  by  sending  promptly 
forward  the  letter  from  wife  or  child,  which, 
otherwise,  would  be  left  to  await  the  tardy 
process  of  notification. 

I  am,  very  respectfully  yours, 

Wm.  L.  KetiTiT. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvJktin. 


555 


FOBI  OFFIOK  OlBOTTIiAB. 

Surgeoas  in  charge  of  hospitals,  and  offi- 
cers of  posts  and  barracks,  having  occasion 
to  address  official  communications  to  offi- 
cers and  othiers  in  the  field,  will  be  careful 
to  pre-pay  infuU  the  postage  when  intend- 
ed to  be  sent  by  mail. 

Failure  to  do  so  subjects  such  matter  to 
double  charges,  and  causes  its  detention  at 
the  post  office  until  the  persons  addressed' 
shall  pay  the  amount  due,  and  in  many 
cases  results  in  its  total  failure  to  reach  its 
destination. 

Wm.  L.  KbiiIiY,  ' 

Spicial  Agm'.  P.  O.  Dtpa^tment, 
In  charge  of  Mails,  Military  Division  of  tie  Miss. 
NASHTn-LE,  TsHH.,  May  31,  1861. 

— Sanitary  Reporter. 


THE  SANITABT  GARDENS  AT 
CHATTANOOGA. 

None  but  those  who  have  visited  the 
South  and  have  followed  the  course  of  our 
armies,  can  realize  the  desolation  which  this 
terrible  war,  now  in  progress,  has  brought 
upon  the  /land,  and  especially  upon  th^ 
once  fertile  valley  and  pleasant  homes  of 
East  Tennessee.  Wherever  the  army  has 
swept,  a  thunderbolt  of  just  revenge,  it  has 
left  behind  it  traces  of  its  wrath  in  desola- 
ted, ruined  homes — ^in  houses  burned  to 
the  ground,  the  two  chimneys  at  either 
hand  left  standing  like  solemn  upward 
pointing  fingers,  calling  to  God  to  look 
upon  the  misery  that  man's  evil  passions 
have  -wrought — ^ia  fences  torn  down,  trees 
uprooted,  and  in  bare  stubble-fields  whero 
ones  were  rich  harvests  of  grain  and 
cotton. 

Chattanooga,  situated  in  the  midst  of  the 
valley,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tennessee,  and 
surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre  of  hiUs,  was 
once  noted  for  its  beauty.  Shady,  carefully 
kept  groves  of  ancient  trees  covered  the 
hiUs  and  plains,  and  the  houses  were  sur- 
rounded by  gardens  that  bloomed  with  the 
most  exquisite  flowers.  The  plains  around 
the  houses  were  dotted  with  fine  planta- 
tions, where  were  raised  the  magnificent 
crops  for  which  East  Tennessee  is  so  justly 
celebrated.  Now  the  plains  are  swept  liter- 
ally bare,  so  that  guns  on  Port  Wood  can 
command  the  whole  vaUey,  from  Mission 
Bidge  around  to  Cameron  Hill,  and  the  town 
itself  is  reduced  to  an  army  post,  hot, 
dusty,  and  swarming  with  soldiers.  A  walk 
in  any  direction  brings  you  into  a  deserted 
camp,  and  you  stumble  over  old  shoes, 
ragged  torn  coats  and  rusty  canteens,  telling 
of  where  our  soldiers  lived,  before  follow- 
ing the  universal  custom  of  Yankees  on  the 
first  of  May,  they  "moved"  in  search  of 
better  quarters  at  Atlanta.  But  one  thing 
redeems  this  sad  picture  of  the  havoc  that 
war  has  made  at  Chattajiooga,  and  that  is 
the  Sanitary  Gardens,  consisting,  of  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres,  given  by  Gen,  Thomas 


to  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
to  be  cultivated  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  These  gardens  lie 
along  the  banks  of  the  Tennessee,  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  town,  up 
the  river.  The  only  approach  to  them  is 
across  a  narrow  bridge  over  a  little  creek, 
and  should  you  attempt  to  enter,  an  imper- 
ative "halt"  from  the  sentry  with  leveled 
bayonet,  disagreeably-  reminds  you  that 
passes  anywhere  and  everywhere  and  for  all 
sorts  of  reasons,  are  the  most  essential 
things  in  Dixie.  Once  through  that  bar- 
rier, you  find  yourself  upon  a  level  plain, 
with  long  rows  of  onions,  beets,  turnips, 
parsnips,  etc.,  stretching  away  from  you  on 
either  hand — ^in  one  corner  of  the  field  you 
notice  a  detachment  of  Uncle  Sam's  "  un- 
bleached American"  children  in  their  neat 
blue  uniforms,  hoeing  away  for  dear  life  at 
the  potatoes,  as  they  never  hoed  before  at 
"  the  cotton  and  the  corn."  The  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  do  not  lie  together,  but  are 
separated  by  a  creek  or  arm  of  the  river 
into  different  fields,  so  that  Mr.  WUls,  the 
head  gardener,  has  been  abld  to  separate 
his  crops,  taking  one  entire  field  for  potatoes, 
another  for  corn,  and  stiU  another  for 
onions,  etc.  The  whole  garden  ip  now 
planted.  Nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  gar- 
den is  an  Indian  mound,  so  elevated  above 
the  plain,  that,  standing  on  its  top,  you 
can  at  a  glance  take  in  the  whole  magnifi- 
cent scenery.  At  your  left  lies  the  blue 
Tennessee,  glittering  out  from  beyond  Mis- 
sion Bidge,  and  winding  through  the  val- 
ley to  the  base  of  Lookout,  tangling  the 
hUls  in  a  silver  braid;  opposite,  on  the 
Bidge,  is  that  fatal  cornfield  where  Sher- 
man fought  so  long  and  so  well,  and  the 
heights  our  brave  men  stormed  and  won, 
and  farther  on  towards  the  right  stands  old 
Lookout,  a  great  sentinel,  visible  for  mUes 
away.  The  sides  of  this  beautiful  mound 
are  now  green  with  lettuce,  radishes,  mus- 
tard, etc.,  but  when  these  are  gone  the 
mound  will  be  a  fragrant  bouquet  of  flowers 
from  foot  to  summit.  In  the  centre  of  the 
level  space  on  the  top  is  a  tent  with  rustic 
seats  around,  and  the  Sanitary  Commission 
propose  to  give  Cleveland  the  honor  of 
placing  a  Union  flag  over  the  tent,  an  em- 
blem of  the  benevolence  as  well  as  the 
patriotism  of  the  loyal  North.  Near  the 
mound  are  the  tents  and  accommodations 
for  the  workmen  and  teams.  Besides  a 
large  force  permanently  employed,  Mr. 
M.  0.  Bead,  of  Hudson,  the  Agent  of  the 
Commission,  to  whom  the  success  of  the 
gardens  is  chiefly  due,  has  obtained  from 
the  Government  one  company  to  be  station- 
ed there  as  guards,  and  also  a  company 
from  one  of  the  colored  regiments  to  assist 
in  cultivating.  He  employs  from  twenty 
to  thirty  horses  and  mules  in  "ploughing 
and  teaming..  Every  day  ambulances  from 
the  various  hospitals  are  sent  to'  the  gar- 


556 


The  Sanitary,  Commission  BvUetin. 


dens,  and  return  laden  with  the  bounties 
nature  so  readily  yields  to  a  willing,  indus- 
trious hand,  ^ready  hundreds  of  bushels 
of  lettuce  and  other  greens  have  been  given 
to  the  hospitals  at  Chattanooga  and  on 
Lookout,  and  should  the  abundant  harvests 
that  are  now  promised  grow  to  a  reality, 
there\will  be  vegetables  enough  to  supply 
all  the  hospitals  at  that  point  during  the 
coming  summer  and  fall.  Early  in  April, 
Mr.  Bead  discovered  four  fine  vineyards 
along  the  line  of  the  railroad  beyond  Mis- 
sion Eidge,  and  on  application  to  General 
Thomas,  they  were  confiscated,  and  placed 
at  his  control.  The  vines  are  cultivated  on 
'short  poles,  and  when  I  saw  them  a  few 
weeks  ago,  the  grapes  were  set  in  large 
quantities.  How  refreshing  to  our  suffer- 
ing soldiers,  who  have  lain  for  nearly  three 
months  in  crowded  wards  under  the  burn- 
ing Southern  sun,  will  be  this  delicious 
fruit  next  fall!  For,  sad  to  say,  it  takes 
months  for  a  wound  to  heal,  and  the  pa- 
tience of  a  soldier  must  be  even  greater 
than  his  bravery. 

This  rambling  letter  wlQ,  I  fear,  give  you 
a  very  inadequate  idea  of  the  beauty  and 
usefulness  of  the  Sanitary  gardens  at  Chat- 
tanooga; but  I  send  it  in  the  hope,  that 
from  it  your  numerous  readers  will  be  able 
to  judge,  in  some  measure,  of  the  noble 
work  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
there.  The  gardens  are  but  a  single  depart- 
ment of  this  work,  and  if  I  have  not  wearied 
you  too  much  with  this  letter,  I  hope  to 
have  the  opportunity  of  giving  you  some 
account  of  the  Cbmmission  in  connection 
with  the  hospitals,  and  with  the  battles 
which  have  recently  taken  place  at  Buz- 
zard's Boost,  Besaca,  and  elsewhere — Cleve- 
land Herald. 


TESTIMONY  OF  SUEGEON  HABT. 
The    Soldier's   Aid   Society,    Northern 
Ohio,  is  the  Cleaveland  Branch  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Gebebai.  Fieu>  Hosfitai.,  Depabtueht) 
,         OF  THE  CuMBESLA»D,  BE8ACA,  6a.,  June  16. 1 
Secretary  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Surrounded  as  I  am  upon  every  side  by 
the  generous  gifts  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion to  our  -wounded  soldiers,  marked 
"  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  Northern  Ohio," 
if  occurs  to  me  that  perhaps  no  word  of  en- 
couragement has  gone  back  to  you  in  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  large  disbursements 
of  ^our  noble  charity  at  Siis  point,  and  of 
the  invaluable  contributions  you  have  made 
to  the  comfort,  of  the  wounded. 

This  hospital  is  the  largest  field  hospital 
in  the  department,  and  has  one  hundred 
hospital  tents,  with  cots  and  appliances  to 
match,  and  after  the  battle  of  Besaca,  a 
month  since,  received  over  three  thousand 
wounded.      Under  the  efficient   manage- 


ment of  Surgeon  M.  C.  Wadsworth,  of 
Warren,  Ohio,  the  straggUhg  materials 
from  which  the  organization  of  nurses  and 
attendants  had  to  be  made  up,  were  speed- 
ily reduced  to  complete  order  and  effioie* 
cy.  Seldom  do  our  wounded  receive  so 
careful  attendance  and  nursing  immedi- 
ately after  a  great  battle  as  have  been  fur- 
nished them  at  this  hospital,  and  their  fre- 
quent expressions  of  satisfaction  with  the 
care  given  them,  would  go  far  to  dispel 
dread  often  felt  at  home  at  the  word  Hos-  • 
pital.  As  fast  as  cars  could  be -furnished, 
the  oases  admitting  of  removal  were  sent 
back  by  railroad,  as  in  most  instances  box 
cars  had  to  be  empltjyed.  They  were  made 
as  clean  as  possible,  and  hay  plentifully 
supplied.  In  hundreds  of  cases  the  patient 
was  placed  in  the  car  in  his  cot,  and  in  that 
manner  sent  safely  and  comfortably.  In 
every  instance  a  surgeon  accompanied  the 
train  to  Chattanooga,  with  nurses,  food, 
stimulants  and  medicines,  while  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  furnished  hot  coffee 
and  refreshments  '  at  Dalton  whenever 
needed. 

The  sanitary  stores  here  are  in  charge  of 
Dr.  E.  C.  Warren,  Sanitary  Inspector,  who 
has  also  labored  as  surgeon  among  the 
wounded.  By  far  the  largest  part  of  the 
supplies,  and  especially  of  the  clothing, 
came  marked  as  the  contributions  of  your 
society.  Without  them  no  effort  of  the 
surgeons  could  have  rendered  the  wounded 
comfortable.  This  has  been  the  source  of 
our  bountiful  supply  of  milk,  which  I  think 
one  of  the  first  blessings  to  the  wounded, 
after  shelter  and  a  comfortable  bed.  Most 
of  our  extract  of  beef,  which  is  an  indis- 
pensible  necessity  in  our  circumstances, 
they  have  furnished.  Also  a  large  amount 
of  dried  fruits  of  aU  kinds,  apples,  peaches, 
pears,  blackberries,  cherries,  &c.,  and 
canned  fruits  in  every  variety.  Then' all 
our  choice  stimulants — cherry  brandy,  do- 
mestic wines,  &c.  Some  of  our  patients 
live  for  days  on  little  else  than  the  ale  re- 
ceived from  the  Commission.  From  the 
Sanitary  Garden  at  Chattannoga  we  have 
had  suppUes  of  green  peas,  onions,  salad 
and  radishes. 

The  larger  part  of  our  roller  bandages, 
all  our  cloths  for  dressings,  pads,  hundreds 
of  sheets,  and  di'awers,  socks,  handker- 
chiefs,'^ pillow-oases,  dressing-gowns,  these 
constitute  but  a  part  of  the  wounded  sol- 
diers' indebtedness  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. ,  I  particularly  noticed  a  large  in- 
voice of  quilts  from  your  society,  received 
here  just  when  the  fly-blown  blankets  could 
not  be  endured  another  day,  and  one  of  the 
most  timely  of  all  of  your  favors. 

Attending  to  the  wounded  in  one  of  the 
wards  under  my  care  one  morning  I  was 
amused  at  the  comments  they  made.  Their 
breakfast  had  been  m£ide  palatable  with 
"  Sanitary  mUk, "  and  they  had  just  been 


The  SanMarry  Commission  BjMeHn. 


557 


furnished  with  clean  shirts,  drawers,  sheets 
and  handkerchiefs  from  sanitary  supplies. 
Of  this  they  were  talking,  and  one  of  them, 
taking  u^  a  bush  to  keep  off  the  flies,  put 
on  a  comical,  fault-finding  look  and  tone, 
and  exclaimed,  "Well,  I'm  sure  those  la- 
dies have  sent  us  everything  else  we  want, 
and  I  think  they  might  have  put  in  some 
fans  to  keep  us  cool  this  hot  weather." 

Our  army  had  only  time  to  bury  their 
dead  and  get  the  wounded  to  the  hospitals 
when  it  was  ordered  to  pursue  the  enemy. 
In  many  instances  no  opportunity  was 
given  for  regimental  officers  or  surgeons 
to  make  out  lists  of  killed  and  wounded. 
The  omission  was  supplied  here  as  soon  as 
possible  by  E.  8.  Tone,  agent  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  who  went  patiently  over 
the  extended  Une  of  battle,  sought  out  the 
resting  place  of  the  dead,  and  made  full 
records  of  the  name  and  regiments  of  the 
fallen.  He  procured  the  lists  of  wounded 
from  the  records  qf  the  Division  Hospitals. 
The  lists  thus  obtained  were,  in  many  in- 
stances, the  first  reliable  inteUigenoe  rcr 
ceived  by  friends  at  home. 
,  One  word  as  to  the  manner  in  which  san- 
itary stores  are  expended.  Do  they  go  to 
the  objects  intended  by  the  donors?  Here 
at  least  they  have  been  faithfully  expended. 
I  shall  not  pretend  that  ev'ery  article  and 
item  is  applied  to  the  best  possible  purpose, 
but  if  one  of  those  noble  women  who  make 
you  the  channel  of  their  gifts  to  our  wound- 
ed could  attend  in  person  to  their  distribu- 
tion, I  feel  assured  she  would  need  to  be 
often  checked  .by  the  surgeon  in  the  libe- 
rality of  her  disbursements,  lest  the  sight 
of  the  destitution  all  around  should  lead 
her  to  speedily  exhaust  her  stores. 

Those  whom  you  represent  would  feel 
themselves  repaid  for  their  labor  and  self- 
denial  could  they  fuUy  know  what  suffer- 
ings are  palliated,  rej[ieved  or  prevented 
through  their  efforts. 

Too  high  terms  cannot  be  used  in  speak- 
ing of  the  patient  endurance  of  the  wound- 
ed. Their  fortitude  in  their  sufferings  must 
be  seen  in  order  to  be  appreciated,  and 
when  every  means  we  employ  fail  to  bring 
relief  to-day,  the  surgeon  often  secures 
patienee  and  hope  to  his  patient  by  the 
balm  of  to-morrow. 

lu  behalf  of  three  thousand  wounded 
soldiers  of  our  army,  Surgeon  Woodworth 
requests  through  you  to  thai^k  the  donors 
.  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  liberal 
and  opportune  supplies,  which  have  enabled 
us  to  make  them  by  far  more  comfortable 
than  they  could  have  been  done  had  we  re- 
lied exclusively  upon  the  appliances  fur- 
nished by  the  Government. 
Very  truly  yours, 

A.  G.  Haet, 

Surgem  Ott  O.V.  /. 


CAUSES  OF  MOBTAIilTY  IN  THE  MILI- 

TAEX  HOSPITALS— MEANS  OE 

DIMINISHING  IT. 

A  large  share  of  the  Commission's  efforts,, 
since  the  commencement  of  the  present 
campaign,  has  been  directed  to  the  miti- 
gation of  suffering  and  the  saving  of  life  in 
field  and  hospital,  by  timely  and  intelligent 
aid  to  badly  wbunded  men,  and  especially 
to  those  compelled  by  the  cruel  necessities 
of  war  to  be  transported,  often  in  rough 
and  clumsy  conveyances,  with  frequent^ 
shif  tings  and  changes  before  reaching  their 
destinations  in  an  Army  General  Hospital 
It  is  truly  the  period  which  elapses  be- 
tween the  soldier's  fall  on  the  field  and  his 
consignment  to  the  hospital,  that  the  real 
bitterness,  the  deep  agony  of  war  is  crowd- 
ed. The  hardships  of  campaigning  are  no 
doubt  great,  but  robust  men^and  those 
who  pass  through  the  first  two  months  are 
generally  robust — can  endure  them,  and 
often  thrive  under  them;  but  where  a  man 
is  struck  down,  with  the  hospital  which  is 
finally  to  shelter  him,  it  may  be,  a  hundred 
miles  away  in  the  rear,  soldiering  assumes 
an  aspect  to  him  which  it  never  wore  be- 
fore. 

The  greatest  amount  of  suffering  and  loss 
of  life  falls  to  the  lot  of  those  who  have 
broken  bones  or  wounded  joints,  especially 
of  the, lower  limbs,  for  whom  absolute  quiet 
is  the  most  needed  remedy,  and  to  whom 
every  jar  or  motion  involves  anguish  and 
danger,  perhaps  of  lock-jaw  or  fatal  inflam- 
mations. This  sad  necessity  of  transport- 
ing badly  wounded  men  explains  in  a  great 
degree  the  increased  mortality  of  late  in 
the  military  hospitals  at  Washington,  and 
the  unusual  prevalence  amongst  the  woun- 
ded of  those  fatal  diseases  tetanus  and  pyae- 
mia, which,  with  exhaustion  from  chronic 
diarrhea,  seem  to  be  the  moat  frequent 
causes  of  death. 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  from 
one  of  the  medical  members  of  the  Com- 
mission, in  daily  conference  witli  wounded 
soldiers,  and  their  surgeons  in  hospitals 
and.  in  transitu,  wiU  afford  to  our  readers^ 
direct  and  reliable  information  as  to  their 
wants,  and  serve  as  a  prefacie  to  a  state- 
ment of  the  means  which  the  Commission 
is  employing  to  relieve  them. 


558 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMebin. 


GeNEEAIi  CoNDEnON  OS    THE  WoUNDED. 
Washington,  Jimt  16, 1864. 

In  all  the  hospitals  there  is  great  atten- 
tion given  to  the  wounded.  The  special 
care  which  the  stumps,  compound  fractures 
and  severe  wounds  receive,  is  usually  as 
complete  as  could  be  desired.  But  in  al- 
most every  ward  are  found  patients  whose 
vital  powers  are  too  low  to  permit  the  pro- 
gress of  recuperative  processes.  This  I 
will  mention  more  particularly  under  the 
head  of  pyaemia,  secondary  hemorrhage, 
&c. 

MoBTAiiEnr. 

Tie  death-rate  is  very  high,  and  the 
causes  are  obvious;  many  of  them  are  pre- 
ventible.  Pyssmia,  and  excessive  exhaus- 
tion [from  long  fatigue  of  transportation, 
from  excessive  suppuration,  etc.,]  are  chief 
causes  of  the  excessive  mortality.  Out  of 
300  patients  among  latest  arrivals  from  the 
Pamunkey,  at  a  single  hospital,  14  died 
within  twenty -four  hours.  There  is  abund- 
ant evidence  of  inadequate  care  and  sub- 
sistence of  wounded  men  during  their 
transportation.  Some  estimate  of  the  svif- 
ferings  endured  in  transportation,  at  the 
present  time,  may  be  formed  from  a  re- 
mark just  made  to  me  by  Dr. ,  sur- 
geon in  charge  of  Hospital.     He 

says:  "On  hearing  some  of  these  men 
speak  of  their  sufferings  whQe  being  trans- 
ported from  the  battle-fields,  and  in  their 
trans-shipment,  I  confess  I  can  scarcely  re- 
strain myself  from  weeping." 

The  greatest  sufferers  are  those  who 
have  compcfund  fractures  of  the  thigh.  The 
means  of  support  for  such  fractures  are 

utterly  inadequate.     Drs. , ,  and 

many  hospital  surgeons,  bear  testimony  to 
the  needless  waste  of  life,  and  the  terrible 
increase  of  suffering,  in  consequence  of 
the  want  of  adequate  means  for  support 
and  care  of  thigh  fractures,  and  the  severe 
wounds  of  the  leg  and  knee. 


The  OiiASSBs  Ains  Sbvbritt  of  Wounds. 

The  average  grade  of  the  severity  of 
wounds  now  seen  in  the  Hospitals  of  the 
Department  of  Washington  is  peculiarly 
severe.  For  example — in  a  hospital  that 
I  have  visited  this  evening,  there  are  1,600 
patients;  and  among  them  have  been  seen 
107  compound  fractures  of  the  femur  and 
42  severe  injuries  of  the  knee-joint.  The 
number  of  amputated  hmbs  in  that  hospital 
is  iiot  less  than  225.  * 

Conservative  surgery  has  a  wide  field  in 
such  hospitals,  and  when  we  note  the 
death-rate,  we  intuitively  judge  that  the 
proportion  of  limbs  transported  northward 
from  the  field,  for  the  benefit  of  such  con- 
servative treatment,  is  far  too  large.  But 
this  hasty  judgment  may  be  erroneous,  for 


the  surgeon  in  charge  of  -the  107  broken 
f  empra  and  the  42  gun-shot  knee  wounds, 
says  he  hopes  to  save  many  of  these  men 
who  have  survived  five  days  after  arrival; 
yet  he  has  seen  45  patients  die  in  hospital 
in  a  single  day — nearly  all  from  the  exhaus- 
tion of  transportation. 

The  fact  respecting  these  severe  wounds 
of  the  femur,  &c.,  appears  to  be  that  there 
is  an  enormous  waste  of  life  and  an  amount 
of  bodily  anguish  that  cannot  be  describ- 
ed, that  we  may  do  much  to  prevent.  I 
confess  that  until  adequate  means  to  this 
end  are  appKed,  my  sleep  at  night  will  be 
disturbed  by  thoughts  upon  the  subject. 

Any  successful  efforts  that  may  be  put 
forth  by  surgeons  or  the  Commission  to  at- 
tain the  object  I  now  mention,  will  be  to  me 
a  cause  of  greater  gratification  than  the  re- 
ception of  any  favors  the  world  can  bestow 
upon  myself. 

You  may  judge  that  every  surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  hospitals  here  urges  that 
something  be  done  quickly  and  effect- 
ively for  improvement  in  the  transporta- 
tion of  patients  who  must  be  sent  north- 
ward from  the  field  with  such  wounds. 

Our  efforts  to  supply  materials  for  splints, 
&c.,  are  not  in  vain.*  The  zinc  will  be  at 
first  most  used,  but  the  gypsum,  and  the 
board  splint  and  litter  for  lashing  both 
limbs  and  pelvis  will  be  found  more  valua- 
ble. A  large  number  of  stout  tin  cans  (3 
galls,  each)  have  been  sent  forward  to-day, 
filled  with  calcined  gypsum,  &c.,  &c. 
***** 

*  SUGGESTIONS  TO  THOSE  TiVHO  PEEPABE  PEOVISIOKAI. 
SPLIHTS. 

As  the  object  sought  is  to  afford  a  suitable  su^ 
port  to  fractured  limbs  during  transportatiOD,  it 
may  be  desirable  to  make  the  spliuts  longer  and 
stronger  than  would  be  necessary  for  patien,ta  in 
hospital.  To  add  strength  to  the  perforated  zino 
splint,  the  strips  may  be  doubled,  or  a  light  strip 
or  wood  may  be  appUed  externally  in  the  direction 
of  the  shaft  of  the  bone.  The  cut  edges  of  the 
zinc  may  be  pressed  back  by  applying  the  back  of 
the  shears  against  the  margin  of  the  metal  when 
resting  upon  the  angle  of  a  board  or  table.  Angles 
in  the  spUnts  may  be  made  by  cuts  or  by  Y's  in  the 
margins.  Fine  oakum  or  old  cloths  may  be  used 
for  padding. 

Tne  firmness  of  the  Gypsum  Splints  may  readily 
be  increased  by  increasing  the  number  of  thick- 
uesses  of  the  saturated  cloth. 

THE  MODE  OF  APPLTTNG  THE  GYPSUM  SPIilBTB. 

The  following  plain  directions  have  been  suggest- 
ed by  a  surgeon  who  has  had  ample  experience  in 
their  use: 

"  The  limb  is  first  shaven  or  slightly  oiled;  apiece  of 
old  coarse  washed  muslin  is  next  selected,  of  a  size  so 
that  when  folded  about  four  thiclmesses  it  is  wide  enough 
to  envelop  more  than  half  of  the  circumference  of  l£a 
limb.  The  solutibn  of  plaster  is  then  to  be  prepared. 
Fine,  well  dried,  white  plaster  had  better  be  selected, 
and  before  using,  a  small  portion  should  be  mixed  with 
water  in  a  spoon  and  allowed  "  to  set,"  with  a  view  of 
ascertaining  tiie  length  of  time  requisite  for  that  process. 
If  it  is  over  five  minutes,  a  small  quantity  of  common 
salt  had  better  be  dissolved  in  the  water  before  adding 
the  plaster.  The  more  salt  added,  the  sooner  will  the 
plaster  "set."  If  delay  be  necessary,  the  addition  of  a 
few  drops  of  carpenter's  glue  or  mucilage  will  subserve 
that  end.    Equal  parts  of  water  and  planter  aie  the  best 


The  Sanifmry  Commission  BiMetin. 


559 


This  is  the  greatest  source  of  mortality 
in  the  hospitals  here.  It  .is  found  every- 
where, and  is  the  greatest  source  of  con- 
cern to  all  intelligent  targeons.  *  *  * 
In  this  class  of  patients  the  powers  of  as- 
similation break  down,  and  unless  rallied 
before  the  initial  chiU,  aU  chances  of  life 
are  lost.  For  a  certain  class  of  such  pa- 
■tienta  the  Sanitary  Commission  must  sup- 
ply a  pure  brandy,  and'  otherwise  aid  in 
providmg  special  diet. 

Among  the  best  informed  surgeons,  the 
opinion  prevails  that  the  only  preventive 
measures  that  can  be  successfully  adopted 
against  this  blood-poisoning,  &c.,  which  is 
termed  pycemia,  must  be  such  as  will  for- 
tify the  wounded  man  against  morbid 
changes,  and  give  him  vigor  and  appetite, 
anti-scorbutic  and  appetizing' diet,  in  short. 
And  this  is  demanded  in  the  field,  in  ambu- 
lances, and  on  transports,  no  less  than  in  the 
General  'Hospitals.  Let  fresh  vegetables 
and  fruits,  and  easily  assimilated  nourish- 
ment be  always  at  hand  for  the  wounded  if 
we  would  hope  to  diminish  the  prevalence 
of  pyaemia. 


proportions.  The  plaster  is  sprinMed  in  the  water  and 
gradnally  mised  with  it.  The  cloth,  unfolded,  is  then 
immersed  in  the  solution  and  well  saturated;  it  is  then 
to  be  quickly  folded  as  before,  arranged  and  laid  on  a  flat 
surface,  such  as  a  board  or  a  table,  and  smoothed  once 
or  twice  with  the  hand  in  order  to  remove  any  irregu- 
laritiee  of  its  surface,  and  then,  with  the  help  of  an  as- 
sistant, applied  to  the  posterior  surface  of  the  limb.  The 
portion  extending  below  the  heel  is  turned  up  on  the 
sole  of  the  foot,  and  the  sides  folded  over  the  dorsum 
and  a  fold  made  at  the  anMe  on  either  side,  and  a  roller 
bandage  applied  pretty  firmly  over  all.  The  Kmb  is  then 
to  be  held  in  a  proper  position,  (extension  being  -made 
if  necessary  by  the  surgeon,)  until  the  plaster  becomes 
hard.  The  time  required  in  preparing  the  cloth,  mixing 
the  plaster,  and  applying  the  casing  to  the  hmb,  need 
not  to  take  more  than  fifteen  minutes.  After  the  plaster 
is  firm  and  the  bandage  removed,  we  will  have  a  solid 
plaster  of  Paris  case  partially  enveloping  the  limb,  leav- 
ing a  portion  of  its  anterior  surface  exposed  to  view.  If 
any  swelling  occurs,  evaporating  lotions  can  be  applied 
to  the  exposed  surface,  and  we  can  always  easily  deter- 
mine the  relation  of  the  fractured  ends.  If  necessary, 
an  interior  splint  made  of  the  same  material,  can  be  ap- 
plied, and  then  both 'bound  together  vrith  adhesive  plas- 
ter, and  if  desirable  a  roller  bandage  over  all.  If  the 
anterior  splint  is  not  used,  two  or  three  strips  of  adhe- 
sive plaster,  one  inch  wide,  or  bands  of  any  Mud,  may 
be  applied  around  the  casing,  and  will  -serve  to  keep  it 
firmly  adjusted." 

Ordinarily  the  gypsum  and  the  water  are  mixed 
in  equal  proportions,  but  they  maybe  varied  to  suit 
the  mampulator.  Very  ligM  and  porous  splint  casts 
may  be  made  by  preparing  the  plaster  paste,  as 
follows: 

Gypsum,  75  parts,  by  weight. 
,    Water,  100  parts,  '^ 

Starch,  li  to  2  parts,  " 
The  starch  to  be  boiled  clear,  in  a  small  quantity 
of  water.  If  the  "setting"  of  the  plaster  is  too 
slo*,  a^d  a  httle  salt.  A  small  proportion  of  viscid 
starch  tends  to  delay  the  "  settmg  "  of  the  plaster, 
and  it  may  be  used  for  that  purpose  instead  of  glue. 
Alter  the  strips  of  cloth  are  cut  and  all  is  ready, 
the  application  of  the  materials  and  the  completion 
of  ithe  work  need  not  occupy  more  than  ten'mmutes. 
Fenestrse  or  windows  for  drainage  or  for  observa- 
tion may  be  provided  beforehand,  by  cutting  the 
proper  apertures  in  the  strips  of  cloth  before  im- 
mersing them  in  the  plaster  paste. 


Seoonsaby  Heuobbhage. 

The  frightful  frequency  and  fatality  of 
this  accident  is  manifestly  owing  to  patho- 
logical, or,  rather  to  physiological  causes, 
which  the  best  surgery  cannot  prevent.  It 
results  more  from  low  vitality  than  from 
any  fault  of  surgeons.  The  ligated  arteries 
and  the  clot- plugs  in  them,  in  patients  dy- 
ing of  secondary  hemorrhage,  so  far  as  I 
have  examined,  exhibit  the  evidences  of  de- 
generation, and  the  failure  of  reparative 
processes,  simply  a  result  of  defective  vi- 
tality and  consequent  delav  of  physiologi- 
cal repair  in  the  wounded  and  ligated 
blood-vessel. 

Whatever  we  can  do  to  keep  up  healthy 
nutrition  and  the  vigor  of  wounded  men 
before  and  during  their  treatment  in  hos- 
pital tends  directly  to  diminish  this  fearful 
accident,  which  by  a  sudden  gush  termi- 
nates the  life  of  thep^ient  and  the  fondest 
hopes  of  the  faithful  surgeon. 

Low  VlTAUTT — AnTNiEMlA. 

Many  days  usually  intervene  between  the 
reception  of  the  patient  from  the  trans- 
ports and  the  beginning  of  recuperative 
processes  in  wounded  parts.  Secondary 
amputations  of  course  do  very  badly  in 
such  conditions.  In  this  period  of  low 
vitality  from  exhaustion,  tetanus  is  daily 
occurring  in  the  hospitals. 
Tetaitos. 

The  more  I  see  of  tetanus  here  the  more 
evident  it  is  that  its  prevention  is  peculiarly 
dependent  upon  the  adequacy  and  faithftd- 
ness  of  supply  from,  the  sanitary  stores  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  Warm  clothing, 
quilts  and  bedding,  with  more  care  of 
wounded  parts,  wiQ  diminish  the  frequen- 
cy of  tetanus  among  the  wounded.  I  see 
some  cases  daily.  The  number  of  cases 
rapidly  diminishes  with  the  general  im- 
provement of  the  wounds. 

A  certain  per  centage  of  cases  of  tetanus 
among  such  severe  wounds  may  be  inevita- 
ble, but  the  cold  current  of  damp  air,  the 
exposure  of  the  back,  uncovered  during 
transportation  and  in  the  ward;  the  want 
of  sleep  and  want  of  digestive  power,  are 
among  the  conditions  that  the  suppUes  and 
agencies  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  most 
directly  react.* 

The  regular  returns  will  be  made  from 
all  the  hospitals,  and  next  year  it  wiU  be 
ascertained  and  reported  that  pyaemia,  te- 
tanus,  secondary  hemorrhage,   and   fatal 

*  Under  the  auspices  of  the  Commission  the  dis- 
tinguished physiologist  and  physician.  Dr.  C.  E. 
Brovm-S^quard,  was  induced  to  visit  Washington 
to  lecture  on  tetanus  and  the  effects  on  the  nervous 
system  of  severe  hemorrhage.  The  substance  of 
the  lecture,whioh  was  deUvered  on  the  14th  of  June 
to  a  large  body  of  the  mediapj  staff  of  the  army  and 
navy  at  the  Smithsonian  iSstitution,  the  Commis- 
sion is  about  to  publish  for  distribution  to  medical 
ofScers,  as  one  or  its  series  of  medical  and  stirgical 
monographs. 


560 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


diarrhea  were  very  prevalent,  and  caused 
most  of  the  deaths  in  the  hospitals.  Bat 
inadequate  efforts  will  be  made  this  year  to 
remove,  diminish,  or  anticipate  the  causes. 
.  The  latter  is  a. legitimate  function  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission^ 

***** 

In  reference  to  the  second  point,  viz., 
improvement  of  the  local  atmosphere  of 
wards,  a  barrel  of  carbolic  acid  has  been 
received,  and  turned  over  to  the  proper 
oflScer  for  experimental  use,  in  accordance 
with  Prof.  Gibbs'  suggestion  that  it  prom- 
ises more  than  any  other  disinfecting  agent. 
The  result  will  be  definitely  noted.  The 
Phenol  iSodique,  which  the  same  person  has 
distributed  to  the  hospitals,  is  a  weak  solu- 
tion of  crude  caxboUe  acid,  (15  per  cent.,) 
and  soda  (8-  per  cent.)  Prof.  Gibbs'  sug- 
gestion maide  two  years  ago,  to  use  carbolic 
acid  upon  the  walls  of  wards,  as  a  paint  or 
wash,  is  worthy  of  trial. 

The  fourth  point — means  of  support  for 
fractured  Umbs:  30  sheets  of  perforated 
zinc  (7  feet  by  10}^  inches,)  with  shears 
for  cutting  aha  fitting  the  metal,  have  been 
sent  to  the  sanitary  depot  in  front  for 
splints;  3  bbls.  of  statuary  plaster,  coarse 
cotton  cloth,  etc.,  1  ton  of  oakum;  and  to- 
day a  quantity  of  fracture  litters,  sent  after 
consultation,  to  Dr.  and  other  ac- 
tive men  in  the  Medical  Staff. 

The  importance  of  this  subject  is  im- 
pressive and  clear  when  studied  in  connec- 
tion with  recent  battle  reports  of  the  Med- 
ical Bureau. 

In  20,930  wounds,  749  were  compound 
fractures  of  femur;  and  of  this  number  480 
were  transported  unamputated. 

Again,  of  the  knee  there  are  242  wounds, 
and  of  these  138  were  transported  unam- 
putated. Of  the  leg,  there  were  948  gun- 
^  shot  fractures,  of  which  650  remained  un- 
amputated. There  were  at  the  same  time, 
566  gunshot  wounds  in  the  lungs  and  tho- 
'     rax. 

The  1st  Division,  6th  Corps,  in  the  Wil- 
derness, (Fredericksburg  observations,)  had 
34  compound  fractures  of  the  thigh,  living, 
20  am/putations,and  14  transported  unampu- 
tated. It  has  been  found  that  any  one  of 
these  transported  fractures  must  be  moved, 
off  and  on,  (unless  the  bunt  or  bed  goes 
with  the  suflerer,)  at  least  14  times  before 
resting  in  a  general  hospital.  Often  the 
Bumber  of  movements  is  much  more ! 
Very  few  of  the  wounded  thighs  and  knees 
now  and  recently  brought  to  Washington, 
have  any  supporting  appliances. 


WABHraoTON,  Jwie  23, 1864. 

My  Dbab  Dootok — Since  I  last  wrote  to 
you  there  have  been  several  practical  ques- 
tions examined  in  the  hospitals  here,  with 
reference  to  improved  means  and  more 
successful  efforts  to  save  life  and  mitigate 


suffering.  Let  me  briefly  mention  a  few 
points  which  I  think  should  be  acted 
upon  by  the  Executive  Committee  without 
delay. 

How  can  the  Commission  aid  in  prevent- 
ing the  present  fearful  rate  of  inortality  from 
pyeemia  in  these  hospitals? 

Whatever  we  would  successfully  attempt 
for  this  purpose  must  be  brought  to  bear 
before  the  fatal  blood-poisoning  and  deatli 
of  bone  occur  in  the  patient. 
/  I  have  just  been  examining  the  official 
report  of  some  thirty  deaths  from  pyaemia 
in  a  single  hospital  of  1,200  beds,  and  one 
of  the  best  in  the  department.  Nearly  aU 
of  these  have  occurred  since  the  1st  of 
June.  AU  occurred  in  patients  who  had 
fractured  or  amputated  bones.  The  greater 
proportion  of  the  oases  occurred  in  patients 
that  had  good  chances  of  surviving,  had  not 
the  malady  here  mentioned  supervened. 

No  medication  nor  care  has  yet  saved 
a  single  life  among  the  hundreds  I  have 
seen  suffering  from  pyaemia. 

Declining  all  discussion  of  the  histology 
and  the  causes  of  this  fatal  pest  of  the  hos- 
pitals, let  me  say  that  good  reasons  exist 
for  believing  that  the  only  ^available  means 
of  diminishing  the  prevalence  of  this  acci- 
dent, (as  it  may  justly  be  termed,)  of  the 
surgery  and  wounds  of  bone,  are — 

1st.  Improvement  of  the  diet  of  the 
patients  from  the  hour  of  their  becoming 
accessible  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  on 
the  field,  in  transports,  and  in  hospitals. 

2d.  Special  means  for  improving  the 
local  atmosphere  of  the  wards,  etc..  in  hos- 
pitals. 

3d.  The  estabhsliment  of  hospitals  at 
higher  altitudes  and  in  healthier  localities. 

4th.  By  supplying  more  adequate  mate- 
rial aid  to  the  surgeons  in  the  field  for  the 
support  and  care  of  fractured  bones. 

To  each  of  these  four  points  1  beg  that 
the  Commission  give  intelligent  attention. 

To  the  first,  second  and  fourth,  I  am 
giving  close  attention;  the'  third  cannot  be 
reached,  except  through  the  War  Depart- 
ment and  the  Medical  Bureau.  But  I 
know  that  Drs.  Cuyler,  McDougaU,  Hamlin, 
and  the  best  oflicers  of  the  Staff,  hold 
the  same  views  that  I  shall  soon  express  to 
the  Commission  on  this  subject. 

Now,  what  can  we  do  to  meet  the  first 
want  of  the  patients  whoSure  liable  to  the 
occurrence  of  pyaemia?  We  can  do  much.* 

*  To  insure  the  army  a  more  varied  diet  when  it 
shodld  reach  its  new  base  on  the  James  Eiver,  the  fol- 
lowing anti-soorbutio  stores  were  sent  in  May,  from 
New  Yorlc,  aild  stored  in  Baltimore : 
4,291  galls,  piokl'd  tomatoes,  I  4,162  galls.  picMes, 
61,812  lbs.  coumd  tomatoes,  8,580  galls,  pickl.  onions, 
1,106  galls,  curried  cabbageJl2,U60  lbs.  apple  pulp, 

671  bbls.  dried  apples,  2,400  boxes  portable  lem- 

16,168  galls,  saur  kraut,         Jonade. 

In  addition  to  the  tibove,  the  following  consign- 
ment of  similar  food,  has  thus  far  during  June, 
(25th  instant,)  been  sent  to  the  Army  in  Tirginia : 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Budetln. 


561 


The  Commission  can  at  once  procure 
and  offer  to  the  hospitals,, a  car  load  of 
fresh  vegetables  and  the  best  fruits  of  the 
season,  daily. 

Secondly,  we  may  greatly  improve  the 
special  diet  of  each  hospital  by  systematiz- 
ing our  special  diet  kitchens,  and  by  giving,- 
through  those  kitchens,  the  aid  that  is 
needed  in  the  preparation  and  distribution 
of  the  fruits  and  the  more  important  vege- 
tables. *  *  »  « 


WESTERN    DEPARTMENT. 

OTTR  OPEBATTONS  IN  OEOBGIA. 

Dr.  Bead  -writes  to  Dr.  Newberry,  from 
Chattanooga,  June  2: 

Goods  as  needed,  have  been,  with  few 
exceptions,  promptly  furnished.' 

Gen.  Hooker  and  Gen.  Schofleld  have 
each  furnished  one  team,  to  be  used  under 
the  direction  of  the  agents,  connected  with 
the  respective  corps,  while  the  surgeons  of 
the  4th  and  14th  corps,  in  charge  of  divis- 
ion hospitals,  are  furnished  with  orders  on 
the  storeroom  at  Acworth,  and  they  send 
directly  for  such  stores  as  they  need. 

Goods  distributed  to  the  wounded  the 
very  hour  they  are  brought  from  the  battle- 
field, are  much  more  highly  appreciated  by 
them  and  by  their  surgeons,  than  when 
given  to  them  a  week  later,  at  hospitals 
in  the  rear. 

I  am  not  sure  they  do  more  good;  only  as 
they  come  when  all  is  confusion — come  un- 
expectedly, and  thus  show, 
"  'Tis  not  the  extent  of  aid  that  ^amps  its  worth, 
Bat  the  nice  hoar,  at  whieh  that  aid  is  bestowed." 

As  I  passed  on  my  return,  the  rooms  we 
have  occupied  and  vacated  successively  as 
the  army  advanced,  I  was  more  forcibly 
than  ever  impressed  with  the  magnitude 
of  our  work. 

First,  a  storeroom  and  hospital  at  Bing- 
gold;  then  one  at  Dalton,  from  which 
goods  in  large  quantities  are  taken  to  the 
field  hospitals  west  of  Eesaoa;  then  the 
wounded  were  moved  to  Besaca,  and  rooms 
opened  there;  soon  the  army  passed  on  to 


23,789  galls,  pick,  cucumbers, 
8,550  gaUs.  pickled  onions, 
1,050  galls,  sauer  kraut, 
428  galls,  pick,  tomatoes, 
li%i4A  lbs.  canned  tomatoes, 
180  lbs.  tamarinds, 
235  bbls.  dried  apples, 
19  bbls.  dried  fruit. 


73  bbls.  potatoes, 
8  bbls.  prunes, 
100  bbls.  onions, 
301  boxes  lemons, 
26  boxes  oranges, 
60  half  bbls.  porter, 
2,010  botUts  ess.  ginger, 
90  bottles  lemon  juice. 

And  beyond  this,  the  Associate  Secretary  for  the 
East  has  been  directed  to  send  to  that  army,  for 
twenty  days  to  come,  $1,000  worth  of  fresh  vege- 
tables daily. 

Vol,.  L— No.  18.  36 


Kingston,  and  halting  for  a  day  or  two  to 
load  stores,  ours  were  forwarded  and  rooms 
opened.  Here,  again,  teams  were  loaded 
for  the  advance,  and  what  storfes  could  not 
be  carried  were  sent  back,  and  we  were  to 
leave  the  railroad  and  our  base  of  supplies, 
not  expecting  for  sometime  to  communicate 
with  the  rear. 

Passing  over  Fumpkinvine  Creek,  ws 
again  have  severe  fighting,  lasting  sev- 
eral days,  in  the  vicinity  of  Dallas. 
This  resulted  in  giving  us  the  railroad  to 
Acworth,  and  soon  after,  for  five  miles 
further  to  Big  Shanty.  Acworth  is  our 
last  depot,  where  we  have  now  ample  sup- 
plies for  present  want*  We  shall  work 
and  trust,  hoping  that  as  more  are  wanted, 
they  will  be  furnished.  But  we  have  often 
been  so  nearly  exhausted,  that  we  have 
suffered  greatly,  lest  we  should  be  called 
upon  for  help  and  not  be  able  to  afford  it. 

Gen.  Howard  has  supplied  his  corps  by 
giving  one  of  his  teams  from  headquarton 
loading  at  Kingston,  and  sending  back 
there  again  when  necessary. 

I  left  D|r.  Bruoedritt  with  Gen.  McPhei- 
son's  command;  Mr.  Fairchild  with  Gen. 
Palmer's;  Mr.  Crary  with  Gen.  Schofield's, 
and  Mr.  Hobblet  with  Gen.  Hooker's  and 
Gen.  Howard's — who  wiU  also  in  my  ab- 
sence, have  general  supervision  of  the 
work.  Every  possible  effort  has  been  made 
to  furnish  the  goods  promptly,  and  the 
efforts  have  been  successful. 

The  list  of  casualties  has  never  been  so 
promptly  obtained;  it  has  been  furnished, 
and  forwarded  in  almost  every  instance,, 
within  twenty-four  hours  from  the  time  of. 
action.     The  list  is  obtained  from  the  hoB." 
pital  rec!t>rd,  or  from  the  slips  used  by  the 
surgeons  for  their  entries,  as  the  wounded, 
were  taken  from  the  ambulances.      But. 
since  I  have  come  back  here  I  have  been 
astonished  and  sadly  disappointed  to  find, . 
ihat  lists  which  I  supposed  had  already 
reached  you,  had  just  arrived  here. 
»  *  *  *  « 

So  long  as  we  continue  to  fight  this 
battle,  so  long  must  we  have  alarge  amount, 
of  supplies,  of  the  sante  kind  as  previously 
indicated,  viz. :  milk,  beef,  spirits,  crackers,, 
rags  and  bandages,  lemons,  farina,  sugar,, 
tea,  eto.  Nothing  that  we  have  comes, 
amiss.    Aim-slings  are  of  special  value. . 


562 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


We  shall  aid  in  feeding  men  on  the  road 
between  Acworth  and  Nashville. 

The  number  of  sick  and  wounded  is  large, 
but  seems  to  me  to  be  small,  when  we  take 
into  account  what  the  army  has  done.  For 
forty-flre  days  they  have  been  constantly 
fighting,  or  living  prepared  to  fight.  Some 
have  fought  each  day;  they  have  made  many 
miles  of  fortifications;  have  slept  with  little 
covering  in  the  trenches,  and  for  most  of 
the  time  there  has  been  constant  rain  and 
deep  mud,  but  they  live  in  hope,  and  are 
kept  up  by  excitement.  A  successful  result 
to  the  campaign  will  see  many  more  sick 
than  now,  while  defeat,  with  all  its  distress- 
illg  influences,  would  be  disastrous. 

But  we  hope  for  success,  and  expect  it. 
I  send  this  by  Prof.  Hosford.  I  shall  wait 
here  a  day  or  two,  and  if  better,  return  to 
the  front;  if  unable  to  do  that,  shall  go  to 
Louisville,  expecting  to  go  home  for  a 
time.  I  do  not  desire  to  do  this,  until  this 
campaign  is  ended. 


THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

Mr.  Way  writes  from  Memphis,  June 
24th: 

We  have  had  no  great  battles  fought  in 
this  department  during  the  past  month; 
still  we  all  have  been  kept  quite  busy. 

First,  came  the  troops  from  the  ill-fated 
Red  Eiver  expedition,  who  had  been  on  the  i 
move  for  the  past  few  months,  without  be- 
ing where  they  could  obtain  a  supply  of 
vegetables,  and  for  weeks  on  short  rations. 
We  were  able,  on  their  arrival  here,  thanks 
to  our  kind,  generous  friends  at  the  North, 
to  issue  a  bountiful  supply  of  vegetables  to 
the  regiments,  and  to  give  to  their  sick  del- 
fcaoies  and  other  things  needed  in  the  regi- 
mental hospitals. 

Next  came  the  survivors  of  the  expedi- 
tion under  Gen.  Sturgis,  defeated  at  Gun- 
town,  Mississippi,  These  men  were  in  a 
terrible  condition  after  a  running  fight  of 
over  a  hundred  miles,  and  many  of  them 
without  food  for  three  days.  We  issued 
largely  to  them  on  their  arrival  here. 

In  the  meantime,  a  large  number  of  hun- 
dred day  troops  have  arrived,  and  the 
change  of  habits  and  climate,  with  mumps, 
measles,  &c.,  has  caused  a  large  amount  of 
sickneBS.    These  as  well  as  other  troops 


are  appealing  to  us  for  supplies  for  their 
regimental  hospitals.  There  are  in  this  vi- 
cinity over  thirty  thousand  troops;  of  these 
about  three  thousand  are  sick  in  general 
and  regimental  hospitals.  In  supplying 
the  great  demand  on  us  for  all  these,  our 
stores  are  nearly  exhausted. 

We  ask  that  our  necessities  may  not  be 
forgotten,  as  the  importance  of  having  a 
good  supply  has  not  been  so  great  for  the 
past  fifteen  months  as  at  present. 

Another  large  expedition  left  here  four 
days  ago  and  are  opening  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  railroad  towards  Corinth.  The 
advance  is  about  fifty  miles  from  here. 
They  are  skirmishing  continually,  and 
every  train  brings  in  more  or  less  wounded. 

[Large  shipments  have  been  made  and 
were  on  the  way  when  this  letter  was  writ- 
ten.] 

%,  Mr.  Grant  writes  from  the  same  place, 
June  17th,  1864: 

I  have  been  intending  every  day  since  my 
return  from  St.  Louis  to  send  you  a  report 
of  my  operations  at  this  point,  but  for  va- 
rious reasons  have  delayed  it  until  now. 
We  have  had  a  constant  influx  of  sick  and 
wounded  from  the  army  of  the  lower  Miss- 
issippi, besides  many  from  the  late  expedi- 
tion to  Corinth.  Our  General  Hospitals 
are  now  quite  full,  containing  in  the  aggre- 
gate, more  than  2,200  patients.  The  num- 
ber of  late  has  greatly  increased  in  all  of 
them,  except  the  small-pox,  in  which  there 
has  been  a  rapid  dimunition,  as  you  wiU 
observe  by  reference  to  the  hospital  reports. 
This  is  usually  the  case  during  the  warm 
weather  of  summer.  Thus  you  see  there  is 
abundant  work  for  all  hands,  and  as  work 
is  more  important  than  reports,  I  hope  you 
wiQ  excuse  the  delay  in  writing. 

To  make  a  second  or  third  report  is  a 
matter  of  some  difficulty,  for  the  reason 
that  day  after  day,  and  week  after  week, 
our  work  is  the  same.  Always  similar,  yet 
never  monotonous,  because  it  is  constantly 
changing.  I  am  aware  that  this  sounds 
paradoxical,  yet  it  is  strictly  true. 

Please  listen  for  a  moment  to  an  account 
of  the  daily  work  of  a  hospital  visitor.  He 
goes  to  one  of  the  hospitals  at  8  A.  M.  and 
begins  his  labors,  talking  with  the  sick  and 
wounded,  cheering  the  despondent  with 
hopes  of  better  days,  always  turning  to 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


56B 


them  the  bright  side  of  the  picture,  and 
anon,  comforting  the  dying  with  those  con- 
solations which  Christianity  alone  can  giye. 
Again,  in  the  convalescent  ward,  he  mast 
listen  to  the  complaints  of  those  who  are  no 
longer  sick,  and  to  the  accounts  of  their 
wants,  fancied  or  real,  explaining  to  some 
that  the  regulations  complained  of  are  ab- 
solutely necessary,  and  consoling  others 
with  the  promise  of  speedy  relief. 

Occasionally  with  pencil,  he  makes  mem- 
oranda of  what  needs  further  attention. 

To-morrow  it  will  be  the  same;  yet  as  he 
is  conversing  with  different  men,  and  en- 
oountering  constantly  varying  difficulties, 
the  work  is  always  changing.  At  times  his 
duty  takes  him  to  the  room  of  the  surgeon 
in  charce,  an^  as  delicately  as  possible  he 
calls  attention  to  certain  oases.  "Here  is 
tf^oor  fellow  who  will  die  if  he  stays  here; 
but  if  he  could  go  home  to  his  wife  or 
mother  for  30  or  GO  days,  he  would  recover. 
The  Northern  air  would  brace  him  up. 
Would  it  be  contrary  to  regulations  to  grant 
him  a  furlough?" 

This  is  a  delicate  duty  and  requires  care 
a,nd  tact.  Here  is  another  man  in  the  con- 
valescent ward  who  has  received  a  wound 
in  the  knee,  and  the  sinovia  has  escaped 
from  the  joint.  He  is  permanently  disabled 
and  wants  a  discharge,  and  when  obtained, 
he  needs  some  help  in  getting  started  home. 
Cases  requiring  any  articles  from  the 
sanitary  stores  are  supplied  after  consulting 
with  the  Agent  of  the  Commission. 

I  have  made  no  mention  of  the  instances 
of  special  relief,  for  the  furloughs  and  dis- 
charges are  in  the  morning  reports  of  the 
General  Hospitals,  and  the  stores  distribu- 
ted are  on  the  returns  of  Capt.  Way. 

This  work  is  fatiguing,  and  after  a  day's 
labor  the  mind  and  body  need  rest.  In 
visiting  our  army  hospitals  one  finds  some 
things  to  condemn,  and  which  it  would  be 
well  to  remedy  if  ifc  were  possible. 

Unfortunately  they  are  beyond  the  con- 
trol of  the  Sanitary  Commission  and  its 
agents.  One  of  these,  is  the  rough  man- 
ner in  which  some  surgeons  talk  to  and 
handle  the  sick  and  wounded.  Such  con- 
duct in  private  practice  would  not  be  toler- 
atad.  They  surely  have  forgotten  the  old 
adage — "  A  kind  word  to  the  sick  is  better  • 
than  physio."    In  other,  respects  our  hos- 


pitals are  well  kept,  being  under  the  con- 
trol of  military  officers,  and  subject  to  mil- 
itary regulations,  there  is  great  uniformity 
in  all  their  proceedings.  Neatness,  clean- 
liness, careful  attention  to  the  wants  of  the 
sick,  are  the  order  of  the  day. 

Tou  are  aware  that  the  General  Hospi- 
talshave  what  isealled  a  "  Hospital  Fund," 
produced  by  commutation  of  surplus  ra- 
tions. This  meets  some  of  the  pressing 
necessities  of  the  sick,  but  I  am  informed 
by  the  surgeons,  that  owing  to  the  high 
prices  of  everything  in  Memphis,  it  only 
buys  about  one-fourth  of  what  it  would 
purchase  in  the  North.  The  deficiency  13 
made  up  by  the  U.  S.  "Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. I  have  carefully  sovghtfor  instances  of 
■misapplication  of  said  stores  by  officers,  with- 
out finding  a  single  instance,  and  am  satis- 
fied so  far  as  this  post  is  concerned,  the 
charge  is  a  gross  slander.  I  write  this  be- 
cause, having  nothing  to  do  personally 
with  the  stores  of  the  Commission,  I  feel 
free  to  speak  of  the  use  made  of  them. 

The  vegetables  distributed  have  been  of 
incalculable  advantage  to  the  troops,  espe- 
cially those  who  have  returned  from  the 
Eed  River  Expedition,  many  of  whom 
showed  strong  symptoms  of  scurvy. 

The  defects  in  the  hospital  records  have 
given  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  Some- 
times I  find  a  man's  name  aud  the  date  of 
his  admission,  but  no  record  of  what  be- 
came of  him  afterwards.  Of  some  who  are 
credibly  reported  by  friends  as  sent  to 
a  certain  hospital,  there  is  no  record  what- 
ever. This  was  frequently  the  case  when 
the  hospitals  were  first  established  here; 
latterly,  the  registers  have  been  kept  with 
greater  care;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  in 
the  future,  we  may  not  meet  with  the  same 
difficulty  in  tracing  the  sick.  There  has 
appeared  in  the  eye  ward  of  one  of  our  hos- 
pitals a  few  cases  of  that  peculiar  afiection 
of  the  visual  organs  called  by  medical  men 
"  hemeralopia,"  and  always  in  those  pa- 
tients having  scorbutic  symptoms.  As  the 
disease  is  of  obscure  origin,  its  duration 
uncertain,  and  the  rationale  of  its  treatment 
not  well  understood,  it  is  to  be  hoped  .that 
some  of  our  surgeons  who  are  competent  to 
the  task  wUl  carefully  investigate  the  mal- 
ady, with  the  view  of  elucidating  its  ob- 
scurities. 


564 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


TESTIMONY  OF  MR.  WHEELWRIGHT. 

June  7,  186*. 

JOBEFH  P^BIBB,  M.  D., 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Camvmissian: 

Sib — Having  just  concluded  a  visit  to  the 
"front,"  and  particularly  to  the  9th  Army 
CorpB,_  made  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Oommission  you  represent,  and  which  was 
rendered  comparatively  easy  by  the  kind 
attention  of  its  ^officers,  I  beg  to  state,  in 
■  gfeneral,  that  having  been  furnished  by 
Major-General  Burnside  with  ample  facili- 
ties for  visitation  and  inspection,  the  ob- 
jects of  my  journey  have  been  satifactorily 
accomplished. 

I  have  had  occasion,  during  several  days, 
to  notice  the  demeanor  of  ofBcers  and  men, 
not  only-  "under  fire,"  but  while  encoun- 
tering some  of  those  hardships  which  are 
almost  inseparable  from  war,  and  whOe  ex- 
pecting to  witness  courage,  endurance  and 
-patient  submission  to  fearfal  privations,  I 
.oonfe  ss  I  was  not  prepared  for  the  cheerful 
alacrity,  very  eagerness,  with  which  aU 
were  met.  And  now  at  ttie  conclusion  of 
my  visit,  I  can  appreciate  fully  a  remark  of 
Gen.  Burnside,  when  speaking  to  me  of  a 
veteran  regiment  which  had  just  returned 
from  its  furlough  to  the  field  with  but  80 
men,  "  Eighty  guns!  that  is  equal  to  4,000 
men." 

I  have  found  no  such  patriotism  at  home 
as  I  have  witnessed  in  the  field,  and  return 
to  Massachusetts  to  urge  my  fellow-citizens 
to  redouble  their  exertion  to  mitigate  the 
Bufferings,  and  as  far  as  possible,  present 
the  hardships  of  these  gallant  inheritors  of 
the  spirit,  fortitude,  and  devotion  of  their 
fathers.  -A  most  noticeable  fact  was  the 
gratitude  of  the  soldiers  (and  officers  as 
well,)  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  for  its 
efficient  and  abundant  labors.  "  We  never 
should  have  got  along  without  them,"  was 
the  universal  testimony  of  high  officials, 
medical  and  military;  and  the  warm  greet- 
ing of  the  private,  "How  are  yon  Sani- 
tary?" bore  witness  that  th^  fierce  rage  of 
battle  had  not  blunted  the  finer  feelings  of 
his  heart. 

With  many  th  anks  for  the  facilities  afford- 
ed me  by  the  Oommission,  and  the  cour- 
tesies extended  by  officials. 

Very  faithfully  yours, 

H.  B.  Wheelwright, 

aeneraX  Agent,  Board  ofStaU  Charities,  for  Mauachmttti. 

A  LBTTEE  FROM  JOHN  STUAET  MILL, 
The  editorial  eommittee  of ' '  Our  Daily  Pare, " 
of  Philadelphia,  have  received  the  following  ad- 
mirable letter  from  John  Stuart  Mill: 

I  am  sincerely  thankful  to  the  editing  com- 
mittee for  including  me  among  those  from  whom 
they  have  invited  a  public  expression  of  sym- 
pathy with  the  cause  in  which  the  free  states  of 
America  are  bo  heroically  shedding  their  best 

The  war,  justifiable  and  laudable  even  if  it 


had  continued  to  be,  as  it  was  at  first,  one  of 
mere  resistance  to  the  extension  of  slavery,  is 
becoming,  as'  it  was  easy  to  foresee  it  woiild, 
more  isind  more  a  war  of  principle  for  the  com- 
plete extirpation  of  that  curse.  And  in  propor- 
tion as  this  has  become  apparent,  tbe  sympa- 
thies of  nearly  all  in  Europe  whose  approbation 
is  worth  having,  are  resuming  their  natural 
course,  and  the  cause  of  the  North  wiU  soon  have 
no  enemies  on  th  is  side  of  the  Atlantic,  but  those 
who  prefer  any  tyranny,  however  odious,  to  a 
triumph  of  popular  government. 

It  would  be  unpardonable  did  I  omit  on  an 
occasion  like  this,  to  express  my  warmest  feel- 
ings of  admiration  for  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
History  has  afforded  no  other  example — though 
it  is  to  he  lioped  that  it  will  hereafter  afford 
many — of  so  great  a  work  of  usefulness  extem- 
porized by  the  spontaneous  self-devotion  and 
organizing  genius  of  a  people,  altogether  inde- 
pendently of  the  government. 

But  while  the  present  struggle  has  called  into 
brilliant  exercise  aU  the  high  quaUties  which 
the  institutions  of  the  American  repi^lic  have 
made  general  among  her  citizens,  it^as  also 
laid  open — as  it  is  the  nature  of  trjing  times  to 
do — all  the  weak  points  in  her  national  habits, 
and  in  the  working  of  her  institutioDs. 

These  are,  doubtless,  far  better  known  to 
thoughtful  Ainericans  than  they  are  likely  to  be 
to  any  foreigner;  and  this  great  historical  cri- 
sis will  be  doubly  blessed  if  it  directs  attention 
to  them.  In  all  states  of  society  the  most  seri- 
ous danger  is  that  the  national  mind  should 
gu  to  sleep  on  the  self-satisfied  notion  that  all 
is  right  with  it;  but  the  great  awakening  of  the 
public  conscience  which  is  taking  place  on  the 
one  political  and  social  abomination,  which  has 
done  more  than  aU  other  causes  together  to  de- 
moralise American  politics,  has  probabJy  remo- 
ved all  danger  of  this  sort  for  one  generation  at 
least,  and  warrants  the  hope  that  me  American 
people  will  not  rest  satisfied  with  the  great  ad- 
vantages -which  no  other  people  and  no  other 
Government  possesses  in  so  high  a  degree,  but 
will  resolve  that  their  democracy  shall  not  be 
behind  any  nation  whatever  in  those  elements 
of  good  government  which  have  been  thought 
to  iind  a  more  congenial  soil  in  other  states  of 
society,  and  under  other  political  institutions. 
John  Stuabt  Mnji. 

Ateqhoh,  Hay  26, 1864. 


THE  COMMISSION  ON  THE  JAMES  RIVEK 
AND  THE  APPOMATTOX. 

The  following  are  extracts  from  an  inter- 
esting series  of  letters  from  Dr.  Parrish: 

James  RrraB,  Va.,  Jont  17, 1864. 
Having  been  furnished  with  a  pass  from" 
the  Secretary  of  War  and  of  tie  Navy,  our 
little  fleet  took  a  new  start  this  moraing 
from  the  "Eoads,"  from  which  J  wrote 
last;  and  we  are  now  passing  up  the  James. 
InteUigenoe  has  been  received  by  the  arri- 
val of  an  agent,  that  our  advance  boat, 
which  left  Whitg  House  on  the  12th  instant, 
has  iiot  only  reached  City  Point  with  her 
stores  and  agents,  bitt  has  sent  forward  men 
to  the  front  with  com'forts  and  support. 
This  waji  nprnmulished  before  the  Armr  of 


The  Samtary  Commission  BttMin. 


565 


the  Potomac  had  crossed  the'  James,  and 
the  wisdom  of  the  expedition  is  thus  fully- 
justified.  Had  there  been  twelve  hours 
delay,  it  is  probable  the  pontoon  bridges 
would  have  obstructed  the  passage  of  the 
river,  and  our  stores  would  not  have  gone 
forward.  It  was  known,  however,  that  at 
Bermuda  Hundred  there  was  already  a 
Sanitary  base,  with  a  branch  at  City  Point, 
and  another  at  Point  of  Bocks,  which  was 
doing  good  service  for  the  Army  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina,  and  which  would  with- 
hold nothing  that  it  could  give  for  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

We  have,  however,  saved  that  necessity, 
being  in  advance  with  a  boat  load  of  sup- 
plies and  thirty-three  auxiliary  relief 
agents. 

We  run  up  the  river  at  about  eight  miles 
an  hour,  passing  Harrison's  Landing  and 
Powhattan  Fort,  and  found  an  anchorage 
near  where,  but  yesterday,  the  last  train  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  crossed  the  south 
side  of  the  James.  Not  far  from  this  spot 
was  lying  the  late  rebel  ram  Atlanta,  with 
her  Ingrjr  guns,  and  most  awkward  decks. 
Evening  is  upon  us,  and  our  family  gather 
in  the  still  twilight,  for  their  aooustomed 
devotions,  the  opening  hymn — 

"  I  wonld  not  live  alway." 

Most  of  the  company  appreciated  the 
appropriateness  of  this  selection.  It  was 
sung  with  solemnity.  After  the  prayer,  it 
was  stated  that  a  young  comrade  of  the 
auxiliary  relief  corps,  who  but  a  few  days 
since  had  left  the  White  House  for  his 
home  in  Massachusetts,  had  died  a  few 
hours  after  reaching  there.  Appropriate 
remarks  were  made  by  those  who  knew 
him  best,  and  his  calm  and  confiding  resig- 
nation was  tonchingly  described  by  the 
friend  who  attended  him  on  his  homeward 
journey.  The  following  preamble  was 
unanimously  adopted: 

Whereas,  God,  who  ordereth  all  things, 
has  seen  fit  to  take  to  himself,  Charles  H. 
Stanley,  our  brother  and  co-laborer  in  our 
Christian  work;  therefore, 

1.  Resolved,  That  we  express  in  a  public 
manner,  our  great  sorrow  at  the  loss  of  one 
whose  life  was  so  full  of  hope  and  promise. 

2.  Resolved,  That  we  consider  Ms  faith- 
fulness in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  in 
the  hospitals,  his  hearty  co-operation  in 
all  plans  for  the  comfort  of  our  wounded, 
and  especially  his  love  for  their  souls,  an 
example  to  be  followed  by  every  member  of 
the  Commission. 

3.  Resolved,  That  by  this  sudden  death, 
we  are  warned  that  the  time  for  life's  work 
is  short,  for  the  night  cometh,  wherein  no 
man  can  work;  and  that  we  endeavor  by 
our  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  suffering,  to  ad- 
vance the  Gospel  of  Christ,  whom  the  de- 
ceased loved,  and  to  whose  service  his  Ufe 
was  devoted.  * 


4.  Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  reso- 
lutions be  sent  to  the  parents  of  the  de- 
ceased, as  expressive  of  our  deep  sympathy 
in  their  great  affliction,  and  also  that  they 
be  published. 

Our  young  friend  Stanley  has  left  behind 
him  an  influence  for  good;  that  will  be 
felt  by  all  who  treasure  the  memory  of  his 
virtues. 

June  18th.— To-day  we  reach  City  Point. 
The  river  is  active  with  stirring, vessels; 
troops  are  arriving,  hospitals  are  transfer- 
red from  the  White  House  to  this  new  base, 
and  the  wharves  are  being  loaded  with 
stores  and  ammunition  from  Government 
steamers,  while  the  Commission  fills  its 
modest  place  in  the  lively  panorama.  Can- 
nonading is  heard  in  the  vicinity  of  Peters- 
burg, a  few  wounded  are  coming  in,  and 
the  benevolent  visitors  ^rom  all  quarters, 
are  beginning  their  work.  The  Commis- 
sion has  had  its  agents  and  stores  here  for 
more  than  six  weeks.  A  new  feeding 
station  is  established  from  the  steamer 
Grey,  which  arrived  on  Tuesday  last,  and 
to-day  the  bountiful  supplies  from  oiir  fleet 
are  being  called  for.  The  Elizabeth  will 
be  away  to-morrow,  for  a  load  of  anti-scor- 
butics, which  awaits  her  at  Norfolk.  The 
front,  some  six  miles  away,  is  also  supplied, 
and  immediately  on  our  arrival  an  addi- 
tional supply  was  sent  forward.  Our  dres- 
sers were  going  about  among  the  hospitals 
very  soon  after  our  landing,  and  are  now  still 
occupied.  Thus  the  work — the  old  work, 
at  the  new  place,  has  commenced,  and  there 
will  be  much  service,  even  before  the  corps 
hospitals  are  located. 

Cm  PoiHT,  Va.,  June  19, 1864. 

My  last  closed  with  our  arrival  at  this 
place,  and  you  will  now  expect  an  account 
of  the  situation.  From  the  anchorage  it 
may  be  discovered  in  its  general  aspect. 
City  Point  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  James 
Biver,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Appomattox. 
Two  miles  distant,  on  the  opposite  shore, 
is  Bermuda  Hundred,  situated  on  the  curve 
which  unites  the  line  of  the  two  rivers. 
The  James  pursues  its  northwatd  course, 
and  is  imposing  and  inviting.  The  Appo- 
mattox is  the  water  route  to  Petersburg, 
and  is  a  winding  stream  lined  with  pines 
and  cypress.  The  currents  of  both  are 
united  at  the  little  promontory,  on  the  sum- 
mit of  which  stands  the  town,  the  most 
attractive  building  and  grounds  being  on 
the  extreme  point,  a  part  of  which  is  used 
as  headquarters  by  the  general-in-chief. 
The  houses  are  shell -marked,  and  deserted 
by  the  citizens,  and  are  now  chiefly  used  as 
hospitals. 

So  far  as  the  Commission  is  concerned,  the 
situation  is  interesting,  and  should  be  un- 
derstood before  the  establishment  of  a  new 
base.    As  yOu  know,  this  department  is 


566 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BvEdin. 


designated  the  "  Department  of  the  Penin- 
sula and  Norfolk,"  and  is  under  the  charge 
of  Dr.  McDonald.  Its  base  of  Bupplies  is 
Norfolk.  Its  line  begins  at  Wilson's  Land- 
ing on  the  James,  about  twenty-five  miles 
below  City  Point,  embracing  Port  Powhat- 
tan,  Bermuda  Hundred,  and  following  up 
the  James  to  Dutch  Gap,  where  lies  the 
extreme  right  of  Maj.-Gen.  Butler's  line. 
Running  up  the  Appomattox  from  City 
Point  it^  takes  in  Spring  HiU,  crosses  the 
river  at  Point  of  Eooks,  and  then  continues 
overland  to  Dutch  Gup  again.  The  line  of 
earthworks  covers  about  seven  and  a  half 
miles,  and  the  line  from  the  base  to  the 
extreme  point  northward  is  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles.  The  Commission 
has  three  static  ns  in  this  department,  not 
includi^ig  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth,  viz.: 
at  City  Point,  Bermuda  Hundred  and  Point 
of  Bocks.  There  are  thirteen  relief  agents, 
who  feed  the  wounded  as  they  come  in; 
and  when  they  are  not  coming,  visit  the 
different  regiments  and  garrisons  to  ascer- 
tain the  wants  of  the  men  and  supply 
them,  read  and  write  for  them,  and  hold 
religious  meetings  among  them.  I  think  I 
mentioned  in  a  lite  letter,  that  no  meetings 
were  held  by  the  Commission  for  soldiers 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but  I  find 
that  it  is  the  custom  to  do  so  in  the  Penin- 
sular and  Norfolk  Department.  The  re- 
ligious work  at  White  House  and  other 
places,  has  been  mainly  private,  quiet,  and 
unobserved  by  those  who  are  not  familiar 
with  it.  The  propriety  of  holding  meet- 
ings in  hospit^  is,  to  say  the  least,  very 
doubtful,  as  the  men  require  rest  and  quiet; 
and  yet  the  testimony  of  those  who  have 
made  more  through  trial  of  them  is  consid- 
ered favorable. 

At  Point  of  Kocks  there  is  a  provisional 
and  a  depot  Hospital,  at  Norfolk  and  Ports- 
mouth four,  besides  a  Lodge,  at  which  there 
were  dispensed  in  the  month  of  May  1,112 
meals  and  386  lodgings.  At  Yorktown  and 
Bermuda  there  are  hospitals  also,  and  at 
Williamsburg  the  Asylum  for  the  Insane, 
which  is  supplied  from  this  department. 
Each  regiment  has  a  hospital  for  the  sick 
only,  the  wounded  being  carried  from  the 
front  where  their  wounds  are  first  dressed, 
to  Point  of  Bocks.  There  they  receive  a 
second  dressing,  and  are  sent  to  Fortress 
» Monroe.  The  supplies  are,  of  course,  dis- 
tributed from  Norfolk  by  steamer,  the  John 
R.  Thompson  being  in  the  service  of  the 
Commission  for  that  purpose. 

To-day  I  took  a  tour  of  observation  from 
this  place  to  Point  of  Bocks,  Bermuda,  Hun- 
dred and  Jones'  Landing,  the  latter  about 
fifteen  miles  above  here  on  the  James.  A 
number  of  gunboats  on  the  way  needed 
supplies,  and  in  obedience  to  the  recent 
order  concerning  the  Navy,  they  were  fur- 
nished with  what  they  required.  At  Jones' 
Landing  a  small  force  was  stationed  to 


guard  the  forage  and  stores  which  are  ship- 
ped to  that  point,  and  an  expedition  about 
starting  out  through  a  wasted  country,  was 
furnished  with  a  few  comforts  that  they 
will  need  before  their  return.  At  Point  of 
Bocks  and  Bermuda  Hundred  there  are 
stations  adjacent  to  hospitals  from  which 
the  Commission  dispenses  its  stores  di- 
rectly to  the  men  in  the  wards. 

I  have  referred  to  a  provisional  Hospital; 
the  term  may  need  some  explanation.  As 
the  General  Hospitals  at  Washington  and 
other  points  become  crowded  for  room, 
those  who  are  in  condition  for  it  are  sent 
to  Convalescent  Camps,  where  they  remain 
in  process  of  recovery,  and  as  these  in  turn 
become  crowded,  such  as  are  the  nearest 
well  are  sent  to  provisional  Hospitals,  and 
kept  till  they  are  able  to  rejoin  their  regi- 
ments. The  men  using  such  establish- 
ments maybe  from  a  great  number  ot  regi- 
ments, and  are  under  care  of  surgeons  spe- 
cially detailed  for  the  service.  As  they 
have  no  regular  organization,  they  have  no 
opportunity  of  drawing  in  the  regular  mjin- 
ner  from  Quartermaster  or  Commissary, 
except  for  army  rations.  Being  often  fee- 
ble men,  or  men  with  wounds  partially 
healed,  scarcely  sick  enough  for  hospital 
or  well  enough  for  service,  they  frequently 
suffer  for  want  of  the  proper  kind  of  sup- 
plies, and  the  Commission  may  be  espe- 
cially serviceable  under  such  circumstances. 
This  is  one  of  the  peculiar  cases,  of  which 
but  little  is  known  by  the  public.      *    * 

The  hospitals  will  be  located  from  one 
to  two  mUes  up  the  Appomattox.  The  tents 
will  be  pitched  very  soon;  we  must  find 
wharfage  at  City  Point,  as  there  can  be  no 
landing  place  above,  more  than  will  be 
needed  for  hospital  transports  and  purvey- 
or's boats,  and  every  wharf  must  be  buUt. 
The  whole  ground  has  been  carefiilly  sur- 
veyed. I  had  the  pleasure  of  accompany- 
ing the  surveying  party.  Open  fields, 
swamps,  forests,  roads,  ravines,  &c.,  were 
all  traversed,  and  the  conclusion  reached 
that  we  must  locate  barges  at  the  Point, 
and  transport  supplies  to  hospitals  by  wag- 
ons. Feeding  stations  are  temporarily 
placed  at  the  Point,  to  supply  any  immedi- 
ate or  temporary  want,  but  as  the  several 
corps  locate  on  their  new  ground,  we  shall 
follow  and  be  ready  to  serve  them,  and 
place  the  feeding  stations  on  the  routes  to 
steamboats.  The  auxiliary  relief  corps 
wUl  soon  be  on  the  hospital  ground,  and  the 
system  formerly  described  will  be  at  work. 

In  observing  and  locating,  we  discover 
a  few  trains  of  wounded  coming  in,  and 
the  tents  are  beginning  to  be  occupied. 
The  dressing  party  are  out  with  their  lint 
and  1)andages,  rendering  proper  aid.  Many 
of  the  troops  are  colored  men.  They  en- 
dure their  wounds  as  they  have  endured 
the  struggles  of  the  field,  and  with  an  en- 
durance and  heroism  that  is  alike  honora- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


567 


ble  to  their  manhood  and  to  their  patriot- 
ism. By  common  consent  it  is  admitted 
that  no  troops  are  more  willing,  none  more 
valiant  or  victorious,  than  those  of  sable 
skin. 

You  will  expect  from  me  to-day  some  ac- 
count of  the  hospital  ground  at  this  base. 
I  premise  my  observations  on  this  subject 
by  the  general  remark  that  compared  with 
the  White  House,  it  is  far  inferior.  The 
fields  are  large,  and  the  corn  on  some  of 
them'' is  about  three  feet  high.  This  is  a 
fine  chance  for  the  horses,  and  will  do  them 
good.  It  is  perhaps  quite  as  agreeable  to 
them  as  strawberries  and  ice-cream  would 
be  to  us,  whoj  with  dried  apples  and  pota- 
toes as  our  only  stock  of  fruit  and  vegeta- 
bles for  table  use,  are  content.  The  soil 
of  the  hospital  tract  is  light  and  sandy, 
much  like  that  of  New  Jersey  on  the  Dela- 
ware shore.  As  the  hospitals  have  no  floors, 
and  the  dust  is  very  Ught,  there  may  be 
some  disadvantage  to  the  wounded  on  that 
account,  as  no  one  can  pass  to  and  fro 
among  them  without  disturbing  the  dust, 
even  within  the  wards.  This  wiU  be  reme- 
died in  a  few  days,  after  time  is  allowed  to 
tramp  and  harden  the  ground. 

Among  the  very  first  things  to  be  done 
in  locating  a  hospital  is  to  find  a  burial 
spot.  Already  it  has  been  chosen  here.  Just 
upon  the  crown  of  a  slope  that  falls  gently 
toward  a  wooded  ravine,  a  little  cemetery 
has  been  provided.  Before  sun-set  to-day 
seven  soldiers  were  buried.  As  our  party 
passed  over  the  ground  these  men  were  em- 
ployed in  the  sad  work  of  burial.  They 
were  covering  one  poor  fellow  under  the 
sand,  and  two  more  were  lying  blanketed 
on  the  ground.  As  I  lifted  the  cover  from 
the  face  of  one,  the  expression  of  compo- 
sure was  most  striking.  The  dust  and 
sweat  of  battle  were  still  upon  his  brow, 
the  wound  upon  the  shoulder  was  carefuUy 
dressed,  and  he  had  died  doubtless  with 
but  little  suffering  of  body  or  mind. 
***** 

The  arrangement  of  the  hospitals  into 
corps  and  their  division  into  separate  de- 
partment!^ is  similar  to  that  at  the  White 
House.  Their  organization  and  that  of 
the  Commission  maintain  their  previous 
relation  to  the  hospitals,  and  it  only  re- 
mains for  me  to  notice  particularly  the 
main  feature  of  difference  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  floating  hospital.  You  remem- 
ber the  large  North  Biver  steamer  "  New 
World."  She  was  hauled  up  to-day  to  a 
landing  on  the  Appomattox  to  take  on  her 
freight  of  lacerated  humanity.  This  is  a 
great  institution,  free  from  dust  and  op- 
pressive heat,  yet  rather  too  close  in  some 
parts  for  wounded  men;  yet  it  is  an  im- 
provement. It  has  now  about  one  thou- 
sand beds,  which  may  be  increased  in  an 
emergency  to  twelve  or  flfteen  hundred,  f. 
spent  some  hours  on  board  of  her  to-day, 


during  the  receipt  of  her  patients,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  conducting  the  labors  of  a 
party  of  dressers,  detailed  from  the  auxil- 
iary corps  of  the  Commission,  in  the  most 
valuable  service  of  dressing  wounds  and ' 
feeding  men.  They  labored  assiduousty 
from  early  in  the  afternoon  till  towards 
midnight,  and  the  blessing  conferred  upon 
the  sufferers  was  incalculable.  The  sur- 
geon in  charge  and  his  assistants  kindly 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  these  workers 
whatever  they  need  to  complete  this  sup- 
plementary labor.  Letters  were  written  to 
absent  families,  spiritual  comfort  adminis- 
tered to  the  dying,  and  the  evening  closed 
with  much  enduring  satisfaction.  I  note 
below  a  few  instances  of  personal  interest: 

No.  1. — A  strong  man,  with  both  eyes 
blinded.  A  ball  passed  into  the  left  teme 
ple,  and  had  evidently  destroyed  or  greatly 
injured  the  visual  nerves.  The  eyes  were 
protruded  and  closed — closed  forever. 
Leaning  over  him  to  comfort  him,  by  ap- 
plications to  the  inflamed  and  protruding 
parts,  the  following  conversation  was  had: 

"  My  friend,  you  are  seriously  hurt.  Do 
you  simer  much  pain?" 

"I  suffer  some,  but  I  consider  myseH 
very  fortunate  in  not  being  as  bad  off  as  I 
hear  some  of  my  comrades  are." 

"That  is  very  good  of  you,  but  really  the 
loss  of  sight  is  a  great  affliction,  and  I  feel 
for  you.  very  much." 

"Yes,  I  know  ybu  do,  but  I  am  pretty 
lucky;  I  had  six  balls  through  my  hat  be- 
fore I  stopped  this  one,  and  now  I  have  it 
in  my  head.    I  suppose  I  must  keep  it  for 


No.  2. — A  boy  of  sixteen.  He  enlisted 
as  a  drummer-boy,  and  as  the  regiment  to 
which  he  was  attached  were  advancing,  ha 
pressed  forward  further  than  was  prudent, 
and  received  a  shot  in  the  right  arm.  It 
was  not  a  serious  wound,  but  stiU  caused 
much  pain.  He  was  asked  if  he  did  not 
want  to  go  home  now  that  he  had  suffered 
from  the  enemy.  "Oh,  no,"  said  he, 
"  That  ain't  me;  I  wouldn't  shirk  because 
I  was  hit ;  I  mean  to  stick  to  it  till  the  end ." 

"  Bat  would  you  not  rather  be  at  home 
with  your  mother,  and  let  her  dress  your 
wound?" 

"Well,  sir,  I'm  willing  to  take  my  luck 
with  the  rest  of  'em;  I  didn't  come  to  fight; 
but  as  they  did  knock  me,  I  won't  com- 
plain." 

"Dress  my  wound  easy,  sir;  hold  her  up 
careful,  and  then  let  me  sleep." 

No.  3. — An  aged  man,  shot  in  his  breast, 
and  dying.  He  is  the  father  of  nine  living 
children.  His  wife  is  living,  and  she  does 
not  know  his  conditio)!.  After  his  wound 
is  soothed  and  he  is  fed  as  far  as  he  can 
bear^  he  is  asked  what  else  he  wUl  have 
done.  The  answer  is,  ' '  write  to  my  family 
if  you  please,  sir;  tell  them  about  me,  and 
teU  them  that  I  will  soon  see  them  at  home. " 


5^8 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


He  was  informed  thsjt  he  would  never  see 
his  earthly  home  again.  "  Well,  if  that  is 
BO,"  said  he,  "  I  must  be  content.  I  have 
tried  to  do  right,  and  in  serving  my  country, 
■I  hope  I  have  done  right,  though  I  have 
often  thought  that  if  we  were  all  what  we 
should  be,  there  would  be  no  fighting  with 
carnal  weapons.  Beligion  is  love,  the  right 
hind  of  love;  the  best  kind,  sir,  and  I  hope 
I  love  oven  my  enemies,  though  I  find  it 
very  hard  to  do  so,"  &c.,  &c. 

No.  4. — A  slightly  wounded  man,  young 
and  vigorous.  "What  do  you  need,  my 
friend?"  "  Only  one  thing,  sir,  beside  my 
supper,  which  hasn't  come  round  to  me 
y'et,  and  that  is,  that  you  will  write  to  my 
wife,  who  wiU  see  that  our  regiment  has 
been  in  the  fight,  and  will,  of  course,  think 
the  rebs  have  hit  me.  TeU  her,  with  my 
love,  that  they  did,  but  they  didn't  do  it  to 
hurt;  that  I'm  her  husband  yet,  and  the 
country  is  our  country  yet,  and  our  flag  is 
our  flag  yet,  and  I  mean  to  stick  to  her, 
and  the  country,  and  the  flag,  till  the  very 
last." 

So  I  might  go  on  enumerating  case  after 
case  of  interest,  but  wiU  mention  but  one 
more. 

A  lad  of  seventeen  years,  full  size,  and  of 
older  appearance;  a  bad  wound  in  thigh. 

"  How  came  you  into  the  service,  my 
friend,  so  young  as  you  are?" 

"I  wanted  to  come,  sir;  I  thought  I 
eduld  do  as  well  as  some  I  knew  that  are 
older." 

"  Where  are  you  from?" 

"I  was  born,  .sir,  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
when  I  am  at  home,  I  am  a  Pennsylvanian, 
but  when  I  enlisted,  I  enlisted  for  my 
country;  and  now  that  I  am  here,  my  home 
is  here;  I  belong  to  Uncle  Sam,  sir." 

I  furnish  below  a  list  of  articles  sent  up 
with  our  dressers  to  the  wounded  in  the 
boat.  It  is  the  flrst  contribution  towards 
the  outfit  for  the  vessel.* 

June  22d. — A  detail  of  dressers  went 
again  to  the  floating  hospital,  having  been 
assigned  by  the  surgeon  in.  charge  to  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  boat,  so  that  there  should 
be  no  confusion,  the  kindly  OfSces  of  dele- 

fates  of  the  Christian  Commission  were 
armoniously  incorporMed  with  those  of 


*  BeqiilBitlon  for  1,200  putients  on 
New  World." 


'Hoatisg  EoBpltal 


•2  bbls.  bandages. 
2    **     old  rage. 
31  bed  pans. 
4  boxes  lemona. 
6  bbls,  crackers. 
Sponges  and  bed  sacks  in 

quantity. 
2  boxes  sherry  wine. 
2     "      candles. 
12  bottles  brandy. 
20  prs.  crutches. 
220  pillow  cases. 
1  roll  rubber  doth. 
200  splints. 
6  dippers. 
36  table  sppons. 
12  urinals. 


1  box  tea  and  coffee. 

608  cotton  shirts. 

250      •*      drawers. 

344      ■■      socks. 

144  lbs.  farina. 

100  tin  cups. 

24  wooden  buckets. 

48  lanterns. 

12  bottles  whiskey. 

400  fans. 

200  sheets. 

8a  cushions. 

Quantity  mosquito  netting. 

6  tin  pans. 

6  tin  pails, 

120  lbs.  com  starch. 


our  own  organization,  and  all  together  suc- 
ceeded in  supplementing  the  over-taxed 
service  of  the  medical  officers,  so  that  all 
were  attended  to  before  they  were  re-ship- 
ped on  the  transports  for  Washington. 

One  word  about  the  "New  World." 
She  is  three  stories  high,  the  state  rooms 
being  used,  as  of  old,  and  the  grand  saloon 
and  machinery  deck  being  now  fitted  out 
with  rows  of  iron  bedsteads,  with  white 
sheets  and  pillows,  and  fine  white  double 
blankets.  An  elevator  is  placed  near  the 
centre,  between  the  gangways,  for  elevating 
the  woimded  from  the  first  to  either  of  the 
upper  stories;  the  hatchway  is  large  enough 
to  take  two  stretchers  or  cots  at  a  time.  A 
detail  of  men  work  the  ropes,  while  others 
are  in  readiness  to  carry  them  away  to  their 
respective  wards. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  witness  the  compar- 
atively complete  arrangements  thus  fur- 
nished by  the  Medical  Department,  which, 
with  every  other  branch  of  the  service  has 
been  improving  constantly,  with  the  ever- 
developing  experiences  of  the  trying  years 
through  which  we  have  been  passing. 

Crrr  Point,  Ya.,  Junt  23d,  1864. 
***** 

When  men  are  disabled  by  wounds,  the 
first  thing  is  to  get  them  off  the  field. 
Their  comrades  cannot  stop  to  do  this,  their 
business  being  to  fill  the  vacant  spaces  in 
the  ranks  and  press  on  with  the  conflict. 
Here  then  is  the  necessity  for  a  separate 
organization.  The  army  regulation  pro- 
vides for  it,  by  directing  six  stretcher  bear- 
ers to  go  with  each  regiment,  of  not  less 
than  flve  hundred  men  and  then  ambulan- 
ces, with  two  men  attached  to  each.  It  is 
the  duty  of  the  stretcher-bearers  to  pick  up 
the  fallen  and  carry  them  to  the  ambulan- 
ces, which  are  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
scene,  and  return  rapidly  for  others.  They 
are  then  carried  directly  to  the  hospitals, 
which  may  be  a  mile  or  more  from  the  bat- 
tle line,  and  placed  in  the  wards,  there  be- 
ing another  train  of  ambiilances  to  carry 
those  who  have  been  attended  to  in  hospi- 
tals to  the  base,  which  is  several  miles  dis- 
tant. Here  they  are  classified;  those  who 
are  but  slightly  wounded  are  retained  to  be 
sent  back  to  servvioe  again ;  when  others  who 
are  able  are  distributed  by  transports  to 
Northern  hospitals.  Following  them  from 
the  very  beginning,  are  surgeons  and  assist- 
ant surgeons,  the  whole  organization,  its 
discipline,  &o.,  being  under  the  charge  of 
the  Medical  Director. 

There  is  a  Chief  of  Corps  Ambulance 
Train  with  the  rank  of  Captain;  another 
who  is  chief  of  Brigade  Ambulance  Train, 
and  a  third  who  has  charge  of  the  Begimen- 
tal  Train  with  the  rank  of  first  and  second 
Lieutenant,  respectively.  A  fact  in  this 
connection  has  been  demonstrated  in  this 
campaign  which  is  so  noteworthy  that  I 
wiU  insert  it.    It  is  this :  that  the  stretcher- 


The  Sdmtary  Oomnmaion  BvRetin. 


bearers  have  been  unusually  venturesome 
and  brave,  so  much  so,  that  in  their  eager- 
ness to  bring  the  -wounded  off  without  de- 
lay, several  have  lost  their  lives  under  the 
fire  of  the  enemy. 

Another  fact  equally  praiseworthy  is, 
that  surgeons  have  sometimes  entrenched 
themselves  temporarily  and  in  advance  of 
their  allotted  places,  so  as  to  be  foremost 
in  rendering  relief,  and  that  none  of  the 
wounded  have  been  sent  to  the  base  who 
have  not  been  properly  examined  and  at- 
tended to.  An  important  feature  of  the 
field-hospital  is  its  operating  tent,  and  its 
medicine  wagons.  The  tent  has  a  table  and 
a  few  needful  appliances  under  the  care  of 
a  man  whose  duty  it  is  to  keep  it  and  the 
surgical  instruments  in  good  order  and 
ready  for  service  at  any  time.  A  medicine 
wagon  is  a  curiosity,  containing  all  the  va- 
riety of  medicines  and  utensils  that  are 
suitable  for  any  ordinary  drug  shop.-  The 
bottles  are  compactly  arranged  in  slides,  so 
that  they  may  be  seen  and  handJ.ed,  and 
yet  be  secure  from  breakage  while  on  a 
march. 

There  are  three  chief  operating  surgeons 
selected  to  do  the  surgery  of  the  corps,  each 
one  having  an  assistant,  and  all  of  them 
being  chosen  for  their  professional  abiUty 
without  reference  to  rank. 

A  steward  is  selected  to  collect  patholo- 
gical specimens,  to  prepare  and  preserve 
them.  Another  to  make  the  record  of 
wounds,  deaths,  &c.,  and  report  daily  to 
the  Medical  Director. 

A  lieutenant  of  the  line  is  chosen  as 
commissary  of  hospital,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
keep  on  hand  one  thousand  rations  and  a 
small  herd  of  beef  cattle,  of  which  there  is 
no  scarcity.  Indeed,  the  men  are  asking 
for  salt  pork,  and  it  would  be  a  luxury  for 
them  in  the  way  of  change.  The  cattle  are 
in  good  condition,  and  are  kUled  as  they 
are  needed,  so  that  the  beef  is  fresh  and 
good.  The  Commission  is  now  furnishing 
to  the  men  in  trenches  and  field,  quantitiei^ 
of  "saur  kraut,"  as  a  convenient  and  ac- 
ceptable form  of  vegetable  diet.  A  few  po- 
tatoes are  occasionally  allowed  in  the  ration, 
but  too  seldom  to  be  of  much  service. 
Plenty  of  coffee  and  sugar  are  issued.  Ice 
is  common.  It  is  abundant  in  hospitals 
and  may  be  had  by  well  troops.  The  ice- 
houses of  the  farmers,  many  of  which  are 
large  and  well  fitted,  furnish  the  supply. 

I  think  I  stated  in  a  former  letter  that 
each  Army  Corps  had  two  wagons  belong- 
ing to  the  Commission.  If  so,  I  was  in 
error.  There  is  one  wagon  and  one  Belief 
Agent  with  each  corps  permanently.  The 
agent  occupies  a  tent  alongside  of  the  wa- 
gon, from  which  stores  are  issued  to  the 
different  divisions,  on  the  requisitions  of 
surgeons  or  chaplains,  or  any  responsible 
and  trustworthy  representative  of  the  men. 
The  delegates  of  the  Christian  Commission 


have  the  liberty  of  drawing  from  our  stores, 
and  of  acting  as  distributors  at  their  pleas- 
ure; and  they  use  the  privilege  no  more 
freely  than  it  is  granted.  Each  wagon  may 
be  replenished  ^very  other  day  by  the  sup- 
ply train,  which  leaves  the  base  to  a  de- 
signated spot  in  the  vicinity  of  the  hospit- 
als every  twenty- four  hours,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  filling  the  demand.  The  base  draws 
upon  Washington ;  Washington  receives 
from  the  people;  and  the  people,  true  to 
the  instincts  of  humanity,  true  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  country,  have  never  yet  with- 
held.    They  never  wiU. 

One  feature  may  be  noticed  in  what  I 
have  written  concerning  the  front,  that  is 
not  sufficiently  regarded,  viz.,  the  purpose 
to  keep  the  well  men  from  getting  sick,  as 
they  lie  in  the  trenches  and  under  shelter 
tents  within  reach  of  the'  enemy's  guns. 
Many  persons  think  ffliat  the  supplies  of 
the  Commission  are  exclusively  for  the  sick 
and  wounded;  and  while  it  is  true  that  the 
hospital  delicacies,  &c.,  are  reserved  for 
hospital  cases,  it  is  equally  true  that  saur 
kraut,  pickles,  &c.,  are  not  adapted  to  hos- 
pital use.  They  are  purchased  ioi  those 
who  are  not  on  sick  call,  but  who  might  be, 
but  for  the  vegetable  diet  which  they  so 
much  need.  There  are  now  in  store  at  this 
point  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  bar- 
rels of  pickles,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  barrels  of  saur  kraut,  and  forty  kegs 
of  curry  and  cabbage,  subject  to  orders  from 
^e  front  exclusively.  Perhaps  the  greatest 
necessity  of  the  exposed  men  is  woolen  un- 
der clothing,  of  which  large  quantities  are 
issued.  The  Government  furnishes  cotton 
clothing,  but  it  is  not  so  valuable  as  a 
health-preserver  in  this  climate  as  woolen. 
There  wiU  be  a  large  demand  for  flannel 
shirts  and  drawers,  in  addition  to  those 
needed  for  hospitals. 

The  spires  and  buildings  of  Petersburg 
are  in  view.  The  fortifications  of  the  ene- 
my are  formidable  in  extent  and  construc- 
tion. Having  been  routed  from  their  outer 
Hues,  the  opportunity  for  observing  the 
works  is  undisturbed.  That  our  forces 
captured  them  by  a  charge,  is  an  evidence 
of  valor  for  which  the  Union  troops  have 
already  earned  an  unexampled  reputation. 
A  few  faint  and  weary  ones  are  found  strug- 
gling back  to  the  hospitals,  or  seeking  rest 
and  sleep  in  the  tall  pine  forests  which  line 
the  roadways.  Ambulances  are  coming  in 
and  discharging  their  wounded,  and  other 
ambulances  are  going  to  the  base  with  their 
loads  of  patient  sufferers.  Great  trains  of 
forage  and  ammunition  are  coming  and 
empty  ones  going,  tiU  the  roads  are  crowd- 
ed and  jammed  with  the  cumbersome  trains; 
the  air  is  filled  with  dust,  and  the  harsh 
roar  of  the  guns  rumbles  among  the  pines 
with  fearful  power.  Horsemen  and  footmen 
move  along  amid,  the  cloMs  of  sand, and 
are  almost  unperoeived.    While  Generals 


570 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMdin. 


and  Colonels  and  troops  are  fighting,  sur- 
geons and  stewards  and  Commissions  are 
binding  up  the  wounds  and  restoring  the 
faint.  Fields  are  desolated,  houses  are 
burned  and  burning,  the  population  scat- 
tered, and  thousands  of  widows  and  or- 
phans are  being  made,  for  the  breath  of 
■war  breathes  waste  and  destruction.    *  *  * 

At  this  base  the  labors  of  Sanitary  agents 
are  more  arduous  than  at  the  White  House. 
The  hospitals  are  about  two  miles  from  the 
supplies  on  the  boats.  All  the  stores  have 
to  be  transported  by  wagon  for  this  dis- 
tance, and  when  they  reach  their  destina- 
tion they  are  carried  to  the  wards  through 
clouds  of  dnst  and  the  most  enervating 
heat,  to  the'  men  directly.  It  is  a  matter 
of  surprise  that  being  unaccustomed  to 
this  kind  of  exposure,  the  (gentlemen  of 
the  Commission  endure  as  they  do.  The 
heat  is  most  exhausting,  the  water  poor, 
and  the  dust  almost  Intolerable.  One 
thought,  however,  sustains  the  heart  and 
strengthens  the  will,  and  that  is  that  the 
soldiers  suffer  far  more,  and  endure  suffer- 
ing with  a  patience  that  forbids  complaint 
on  the  part  of  those  who  minister  to  them. 

I  will  close  by  noticing  a  little  visitor 
who  presented  himself  on  board  the  barge 

this  P.  M.     Oonstantine  J ,  a  boy 

who  says  he  is  "eleven  going  on  twelve;" 
his  home  is  Indianapolis,  lud.,  his  mother 
not  living.  Oonstantine  is  a  very  small 
boy,  light  hair,  blue  eyes,  freckled  face, 
bare  footed  and  almost  without  clothing; 
he  has  been  with  the  Second  Penn.sylvania 
Heavy  ArtUlery,  and  was  brought  here  by 
its  chaplain.  The  little  fellow  was  enticed 
away  from  his  home  a  year  ago  by  soldiers, 
and  has  been  following  the  army  ever  since, 
finally  finding  protection  with  fhe  artfllery. 
He  is  not  home-sick;  says  he  sometimes 
feels  like  going  home,  but  likes  the  army 
very  much.  He  describes  the  battle  of 
Mine  Hill  with  peculiar  interest;  says  that 
several  shell  burst  not  far  from  hiin  and 
scared  him  a  little,  but  he  "  would'nt  run." 
He  says  a  Dutch  captain  tried  to  get  him 
to  run,  but  he  would'nt  do  it,  preferring  to 
shield  himself  behind  a  stump  and  see  it 
through.  He  is  getting  washed,  and  some 
clothing  ia  being  shortened  to  fit  him,  that 
he  may  be  forwarded  by  to-morrow's  meg- 
senger  to  the  Washington  office,  and  thence 
to  his  home. 

I  cannot  well  forbear  writing  an  incident 
which  touched  me  very  much  a  few  days 
since.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Commis- 
sion does  not  issue  army  clothing  to  men 
in  the  field,  and  yet  if  a  soldier  is  pantless, 
he  ia  very  apt  to  come  to  the  Commission 
to  be  supplied.  One  such  came  a  few  days 
since,  and  applied  at  the  counter  for  a  pair 
of  pantaloons.  There  were  none  for  him, 
*nd  as  he  was  fuming  away  disconsolate, 
one  of  the  auxiliary  corps  stepped  up  and 
said,  "I  have  on  a  good  pair  of  drawers 


besides  these  pants,  you  shall  have  the 
pants,"  and  off  they  came,  and  were  in  a 
few  moments  on  the  soldier.  By  the  aid 
of  a  few  buttons  the  drawers  were  convert- 
ed into  respectable  trousers,  and  the  giver 
was  more  delighted  apparently  than  the  re- 
ceiver. 

A  few  days' since  I  saw  a  poor  little  drum- 
mer boy  come  to  the  counter  for  a  pair  of 
shoes.  He  asked  modestly,  and  on  being 
told  that  the  last  pair  had  been  sent  away, 
he  replied,  "  Well,  I  can  get  along  a  little 
while  longer  with  these,  but  they  are  hardly 
worth  putting  on,"  and  was  about  to  go 
away,  and  I  noticed  the  eyes  of  an  agent 
to  fill  with  the  swelling  tide  from  his  heart 
as  he  called  the  boy  back,  and  said,  "Here, 
my  good  feUow,  you  shan't  go  without  new 
shoes,  tiake  mine."  He  was  not  permitted, 
however,  to  part 'with  them,  but  another 
stepped  forward  and  furnished  the  means 
of  purchasing  a  pair,  (not  soldiers'  shoes,) 
from  a  party  who  had  them  for  sale,  so  that 
the  drummer  boy  went  away  satisfied. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

OBSBRVATION  OF  THE  SICK. 

Almost  all  superstitions  are  owin^  to  bad  ob< 
serration,  to  the  post  hoc,  ergo  propter  hoc  ;  and 
bad  observers  are  almost  all  superstitioas.  Far- 
mers used  to  attribute  disease  among  cattle  to 
witchcraft;  weddings  have  been  attributed  to 
seeing  one  magpie,  deaths  to  seeiner  three  ;  and 
I  have  heard  the  most  highly  educated  now-a- 
days  draw  consequences  for  the  sick  closely  re- 
sembling these. 

Another  remark:  although  there  is  unquestion- 
ably  a  physiognomy  of  disefise  as  well  as  of 
health  ;  of  all  parts  of  the  body,  the  face  is  per- 
haps the  one  which  tells  the  least  to  the  common 
observer  or  the  casual  visitor.  Because,  of  all 
parts  of  the  body,  it  is  the  one  moat  e^tposed  to 
other  influences,  besicjf  s  health.  And  people  never, 
or  scarcely  ever,  observe  enough  to  know  how  to 
distinguish  between  the  effect  of  exposure,  of  ro- 
bust health,  of  a  tender  skin,  of  a  tendency  to 
congestion,  of  suffusion,  flushing,  or  many  other 
things.  Again,  the  face  is  often  the  last  to  show 
emiciation.  I  should  say  that  the  hand  was  a 
much  surer  test  than  the  face,  both  as  to  flesh, 
color,  circulation,  &o.  It  is  true  that  there  are 
some  diseases  which  are  only  betrayed  at  all  by 
something  in  the  face,  e.  g.,  the  eye  or  the  tongue, 
as  great  irritability  gf  brain  by  the  appearance  of 
the  pupil  of  the  eye.  But  we  are  talking  of  cas- 
ual, not  minute,  observation.  And  few  minute  ob- 
servers will  hesitate  to  say  that  far  more  untruth 
than  truth  is  conveyed  by  the  oft  repeated  words, 
he  looks  well,  or  ill,  or  better  or  worse. 

Wonderful  Is  the  way  in  which  people  will  go 
upon  the  slightest  observation,  or  oft^n  upon  no 
observation  at  all,  or  upon  some  saw  which  the 
world's  experience,  if  it  had  any,  would  have  pro- 
nounced utterly  false  long  ago. 

I  have  known  patients  dying  of  sheer  pain,  ex- 
haustion, and  want  of  sleep,  from  one  of  the  most 
lingering  and  painful  diseases  known,  preserve, 
till  within  a  few  days  of  death,  not  only  the 
healthy  cblor  of  the  cheek,  but  the  mottled  ap- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


571 


pearance  of  a  robust  child.  And  scores  of  times 
have  I  heard  these  unfortunate  creatures  apsailed 
witli,  "  I  am  glad  to  see  you  looking  so  well." 
"  I  see  no  reason  why  you  should  not  live  till 
ninety  years  of  age."  "  Why  don't  you  take  a 
little  more  exercise  and  amusement,"  with  all 
the  other  commonplaces  with  which  we  are  so 
familiar. 

There  is.  nnquestionably,  a  physiognomy  of 
disease.     Let  the  nurse  learn  it. 

The  experienced  nurse  can  always  tell  that  a 
person  has  taken  a  narcotic  the  night  before  by 
the  patchiness  of  the  color  about  the  face,  when 
the  re-action  of  depression  has  set  in  ;  that  v^ry 
color  which  the  inexperienced  will  point  to  as  a 
proof  of  health. 

There  is,  again,  a  faintness,  which  does  not  be- 
tray itself  by  the  color  at  all,  or  in  which  the 
patient  becomes  brown  instead  of  white.  There  is 
a  fainlness  of  another  kind,  which,  it  is  true,  can 
always  be  seen  by  the  palenes.'i.         ' 

But  the  nurse  seldom  distinguishes.  She  will 
talk  to  the  patient  who  is  too  faint  to  move, 
without  the  least  scruple,  unless  he  is  pale,  and 
unless,  luckily  for  him,"the  muscles  of  the  throat 
are  affected  and  he  loses  his  voice.  * 

Yet  these  two  faintnesses  are  perfectly  distin- 
guishable, by  the  mere  countenance  of  the  pa- 
tient. 

Again,  the  nurse  mnst  distinguish  between  the 
idiosyncracles  of  patients.  One  likes  to  suffer  out 
all  bis  suffeiing  alone,  to  be  as  little  looked  after 
as  possible.  Another  likes  to  be  perpetually  made 
much  of  and  pitied,  and  to  have  some  one  always 
by  him.  Boih  these  peculiarities  might  be  ob- 
served and  indulged  much  more  than  they  are. 
For  quite  as  often  does  it  happen  that  a  busy  at- 
tendance is  forced  upon  the  first  patient,  who 
wishes  for  nothing  hut  to  be  "  let  alone,"  as 
that  the  second  is  left  to  think  himself  neglected. 

Again,  I  think  that  few  things  press  so  heavily 
on  one  suffering  from  long  and  incurable  illness, 
as  the  necessity  of  recording  in  words  from  time 
to  time,  for  the  informationof  the  nurse,  who  will 
not  otherwise  see,  that  he  cannot  do  this  or  that, 
which  he  could  do  a  month  or  a  year  ago.  What 
is  a  nurse  there  for  if  she  cannot  observe  these 
things  for  herself?  Yet  I  have  known — and 
known  too  among  those — and  chiefly  among  those 
< — whom  money  and  position  put  In  possession  of 
every  thing  which  money  and  position  could 
give — I  have  known,  I  say,  more  accidents,  (fatal, 
slowly  or  rapidly.)  arising  from  this  want  of  ob- 
servation among  nurses  than  from  almost  any- 
thing else.  Because  a  patient  could  get  out  of  a 
warm  bath  alone  a  month  ago — because  a  patient 
could  walk  as  far  as  his  bell  a  week  ago,  the  nurse 
concludes  that  he  can  do  so  now.  She  has  never 
observed  the  change  ;  and  the  patient  is  lost  from 
being  left  in  a  helpless  state  of  exhaustion,  till 
some  one  accidentally  comes  in.  Aud  this  not 
from  any  unexpected  apoplectic,  paralytic,  qr 
fainting  fit,  (though  even  these  could  be  expected 
far  more,  at  least,  than  they  are  now,  if  we  did 
but  observe.)  No,  from  the  unexpected,  or  to  be 
expected,  inevitable,  visiljle,  calculable,  uninter- 
rupted increase  of  weakness,  which  none  need  fail 
to  observe. 

Again,  a  patient  not  usually  confined  to  bed,  is 
compelled  by  an  attack  of  diarrhea,  vomiting,  or 
other  accident,  tp  keep  his  bed,  for  a  feyv  days;  he 
gets  up  for  the  first  time,  and  the  nurse  lets  him 
go  into  another  room,  without  coming  in,  a  few 


minutes  afterwards,  to  look  after  him.  It  never 
occurs  to  h>:r  that  he  is  quite  certain  to  be  faint, 
or  cold,  or  to  want  something.  She  says,  as  her 
excuse,  Ob,  he  does  not  like  to  be  fidgetted  after. 
Yes.  he  said  so  some  weeks  ago;  but  he  never 
said  he  did  not  like  to  be  "  fidgetted  after."  when 
be  is  in  the  state  be  is  in  now;  and  if  he  did,  you 
ought  to  make  some  excuse  to  go  in  to  him.  More 
patients  have  been  lost  in  this  way  than  is  at 
all  generally  known,  viz.,  from  relapses  brought 
on  by  being  left  for  an  hour  or  two  faint,  or  cold, 
or  hungry,  after  getting  up  for  the  first  time. 

Yet  it  appears  that  scarcely  any  improvement 
in  the  faculty  of  observing  is  being  made.  Vast 
has  been  the  increase  of  knowledge  in  pathology 
— that  science  which  teaches  us  the  final  change 
produced  by  disease  on  the  human  frame — scarce 
any  in  the  art  of  observing  the  signs  of  ihe  change 
while  in  progress.  Or,  rather,  is  it  not  to  be 
feared  that  observntion.  as  an  essential  ^rt  of 
medicine,  has  been  declining? 

Which  ,of  us  has  not  heal0  fifty  times,  from  one 
or  another,  a  nurse,  or  a  friend  of  the  sick,  aye, 
and  a  medical  friend,  too.  the  following  remark  : 
"  So  A.  is  worse,  or  B.  is  dead.  I  saw  him  the 
day  before  :  I  thought  him  so  much  belter:  there 
certainly  was  no  appearance  from  which  one 
could  have  expected  so  sudden  ( ?)  a  change."  1 
have  never  heard  any  one  say,  though  one  would 
think  it  the  mor'?  natural  thing,  ''  There  must 
have  been  some  appearance,  which  I  should  have 
seen  if  I  had  but  looked;  let  me  try  and  remember 
what  there  was,  that  I  may  observe  anothef 
time."  No,  this  ip  not  what  people  say.  They 
boldly  assprt  that  there  was  nothing  to  observe, 
not  that  their  observation  was  at  fault. 

Let  people  who  h^ve  to  observe  sickness  and 
death  look  back  and  try  to  register  in  their  ob- 
servation the  appearances  which  have  preceded 
relapse,  attack,  or  death,  and  not  assert  that 
there  were  none,  or  that  there  were  not  the  right 
ones. 

It  falls  to  few  ever  to  have  had  the  opportunity 
of  observing  the  different  aspects  which  the  huT 
man  face  puts  on  at  the  sudden  approach  of  cer- 
tain forms  of  death  by  violence;  and  as  it  is  a 
knowledge  of  little  use^  I  only  mention  it  here  as 
being  the  most  startling  example  of  what  I  mean. 
In  the  nervous  temperament  the  face  becomes 
pale,  (this  is  the  only  recognized  effect;)  in  the 
sanguine  temperament  purple;  in  the  billious 
yellow,  or  every  manner  of  color  in  patches. 
Now,  it  is  generally  supposed  that  paleness  is  the 
one  indication  of  almost  any  violent  change  in  the 
human  being,  whether  from  terror,  disease,  or 
anything  else.  There  can  be  no  more  false  ob- 
servation. Granted,  it  is  the  one  recognized  livery, ' 
as  I  have  said — de  rigueur  in  novels,  but  nowhere 
else. 

A  want  of  the  habit  of  observing  conditions! 
and  an  inveterate  habit  of  taking  averages  are 
each  of  them  often  equally  misleading. 

Men  whose  profession  like  that  of  medical  men 
leads  them  to  observe  only,  or  chiefly,  palpable 
and  permadent  organic  changes  are  often  jiist  as 
wrong  in  their  opinion  of  the  result  as  those  who 
do  not  observe  at  al}.  For  instance,  ther^  i^  a 
broken  leg;  the  surgeon  has  oply  to  look  at  i^ 
once  to  know;  it  will  not  be  different  if  he  sees  it 
in  the  morning  to  what  it  would  have  been  had  he. 
seen  it  in  the  evening,  And  ift,  whatever  cona- 
tions the  patient  is,  or  is  lil^elj  to  be,  there  71U 
still  be  the  broken  leg,  until  it  is  set.    The  same 


672 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


with  many  organic  diseases.  An  experienced 
physician  has  but  to  feel  the  paiee  once,  and  he 
knows  that  there  is  aneurism  which  will  kill  some 
time  or  other. 

But  with  the  great  majority  of  cases,  there  is 
nothing  of  the  kind;  and  the  power  of  forming 
any  correct  opinion  as  to  the  result  must  entirely 
depend  upon  an  inquiry  into  all  the  conditions  in 
which  the  patient  lives.  In  a  complicated  state 
of  society  in  large  towns,  death,  as  ev.ery  one  of 
great  experience  knows,  is  far  less  often  produced 
by  any  one  organic  disease  than  by  some  illness, 
after  many  other  diseases,  producing  just  the  sum 
of  exhaustion  necessary  for  death.  There  is  noth- 
ing so  absurd,  nothing  so  misleading  as  the  ver- 
dict one  so  often  hears:  So-and-so  has  no  organic 
disease — there  is  no  reason  why  he  should  not 
live  to  extreme  old  age;  sometimes  the  clause  is 
added,  sometimes  not:  Provided  he  has  quiet, 
good  food,  good  air,  &o.,  <fco,,  ifcc;  the  verdict  is 
repeated  by  ignorant  people  without  the  latter 
clause;  or  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  conditions 
of  the  latter  clause  being  obtained;  and  this,  the 
only  essential  part  of  the  whole,  is  made  of  no 
effect.  I  have  heard  a  physician,  deservedly  em- 
inent, assure  the  friends  of  a  patient  of  his  recov- 
ery. Why?  Because  he  had  now  prescribed  a 
course,  every  detail  of  which  the  patient  had  fol- 
lowed for  years.  And  because  he  had  forbidden 
a  course  which  the  patient  could  not  by  any  pos- 
sibility alter. 

I  have  known  two  cases,  the  one  if  a  man  who 
intentionally  and  repeatedly  displaced  a  disloca- 
tion, and  was  keptand  petted  by  all  the  surgeons; 
the  other  of  one  who  was  pronounced  to  have 
nothing  the  matter  with  him,  there  being  no  or- 
ganic change  perceptible,  but  who  died  within 
the  week.  In  both  these  cases,  it  was  the  nurse 
who,  by  accurately  pointing  out  what  she  had 
accurately  observed,  to  the  doctors,  saved  the  one 
case  from  persevering  in  a  fraud,  the  other  from 
being  discharged  when  actually  in  a  dying  state. 

I  will  even  go  further  and  say,  thai  in  diseases 
which  have  their  origin  in  the  feeble  or  irregular 
action  of  some  function,  and  not  in  organic 
change,  it  is  quite  an  accident  if  the  doctor  who 
Bees  the  case  only  once  a  day,  and  generally  at 
the  same  time,  can  form  any  but  a  negative  idea 
of  its  real  condition.  In  the  middle  of  the  day, 
when  such  a  patient  has  been  refreshed  by  light 
and  air,  by  his  tea,  his  beef-tea,  and  his  brandy, 
by  hot  bottles  to  his  feet,  by  being  washed  and 
by  clean  linen,  you  can  scarcely  believe  that  he 
is  the  same  person  as  lay  with  a  rapid  fluttering 
pulse,  with  puffed  eyelids,  with  short  breath,  cold 
limbs,  and  unsteady  hands  this  morning.  Now 
what  is  a  nurse  to  do  in  such  a  case  ?  Not  cry, 
"Lord,  bless  you,  sir,  why  you'd  have  thought 
he  were  a  dying  all  night."  This  may  be  true, 
but  it  is  not  the  way  tu  impress  with  the  truth  a 
doctor,  more  capable  of  forming  a  judgment  from 
the  facts,  if  he  did  but  know  them,  than  you  are. 
What  he  wants  is  not  your  opinion,  however  re- 
spectfully given,  but  your  facts.  In  all  diseases 
it  is  important,  but  in  diseases  which  do  not  run 
a  distinct  and  fixed  course,  it  is  not  only  impor- 
tant, it  is  essential  that  the  facts  the  nurse  alone 
can  observe,  should  be  accurately  observed,  and 
accurately  reported  to  the  doctor. 

I  must  direct  the  nurse's  attention  to  the  ex- 
treme variation  there  is  not  unfrequently  in  the 
pulse  of  such  patients  during  the  day.  A  very 
common  case  ia  this :  Between  3  and  4  A.  H.,  the 


pulse  becomes  quick,  perhaps  130,  and  so  thready 
it  is  not  like  a  pulse  at  all,  but  like  a  string  vi- 
brating just  underneath  the  skin.  After^  this  the 
patient  gets  no  more  sleep.  About  mid-day  the 
pulse  has  come  down  to  80;  and  though  feeble 
and  compressible,  is  a  very  respectable  pulse. 
At  night,  if  the  patient  has  had  a  day  of  excite- 
ment, it  is  almost  imperceptible.  But,  if  the  pa- 
tient has  had  a  good  day,  it  is  stronger  and 
steadier,  and  not  quicker  than  at  mid-day.  This 
is  a  common  history  of  a  common  pulse;  and  oth- 
ers, equally  varying  during  the  day,  might  be 
given.  Now,  in  inflammation,  which  may  almost 
always  be  detected  by  the  pulse,  in  typhoid  fever, 
which  is  accompanied  by  the  low  pulse  that  noth- 
ing will  raise,  there  is  no  such  great  variation. 
And  doctors  and  nurses  become  accustomed  not 
to  look  for  it.  The  doctor  indeed  cannot.  But 
the  variation  is  in  itself  an  important  feature. 

Cases  like  the  above  often  "  go  off  rather  sud- 
denly," as  it  is  called,  from  some  trifling  ail- 
ment of  a  few  days,  which  just  makes  up  the  sum 
of  exhaustion  necessary  to  produce  death.  And 
everybody  cries.  Who  would  have  thought  it?  ex- 
cept the  observing  nurse,  if  there  is  one,  who  had 
always  gxpected  the  exhaustion  to  come,  from 
which  there  would  be  no  rally,  because  she  knew 
the  patient  had  no  capital  in  strength  on  which  to 
draw,  if  he  failed  for  a  few  days  to  make  his 
barely  daily  income  in  Bleep  and  nutrition. 

I  have  often  seen  really  good  nurses  distressed, 
because  they  could  not  impress  the  doctor  with 
the  real  danger  of  their  patient;  and  quite  pro- 
voked because  the  patient  "  would  look  "  either 
"so  much  better','  or  "so  much  worse"  than  he 
really  is  "when* the  doctor  was  there."  The 
distress  is  very  legitimate,  but  it  generally  arises 
from  the  nurse  not  having  the  power  of  laying 
clearly  and  shortly  before  the  doctor  the  facta 
from  which  she  derives  her  opinion,  or  from  the 
doctor  being  hasty  and  inexperienced,  and  not 
capable  of  eliciting  them.  A  man  who  really 
cares  for  bis  patients,  will  soon  learn  to  ask  for 
and  appreciate  the  information  of  a  nurse,  who  is 
at  once  a  careful  observer  and  a  clear  reporter. 

Undoubtedly  a  person  of  no  scientific  knowl- 
edge whatever,  but  of  observation  and  experience 
in  these  kinds  of  conditions,  will  be  able  to  arrive 
at  a  much  truer  guess  as  to  the  probable  duration 
of  life  of  members  of  a  family  or  inmates  of  a 
house,  than  the  most  scientific  physician  to  whom 
the  same  persons  are  brought  to  have  their  pulse 
felt ;  no  inquiry  being  made  into  their  condi- 
tions. 

In  Life  Insurance  and  such  like  societies^  were 
they  instead  of  having  the  person  examined  by 
the  medical  man,  to  have  the  houses,  conditions, 
ways  of  life,  of  these  persons  examined,  at  how 
much  truer  results  would  they  arrive!  W.  Smith 
appears  a  fine  hale  man,  but  it  might  be  known 
that  the  next  cholera  epidemic  he  runs  a  bad 
chance.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  are  a  strong  healthy 
couple,  but  it  might  be  known  that  they  live  in 
such  a  house,  in  such  a  part  of  London,  so  near 
the  river,  that  they  will  kill  four-fifths  of  their 
children;  which  of  the  children  will  be  the  ones 
to  survive  might' also  be  known. 

Averages  again  seduce  us  away  from  minute 
observation.  "Average  mortalities"  merely 
tell  that  so  many  per  cent,  die  in  this  town  and 
so  many  in  that,  per  annum.  But  whether  A  or 
B  will  be  among  these,  the  ."  average  rate  of 
coarse  does  not  tell.    We  know,  say,  that  from 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRdin. 


573 


22  to  24  per  1,000  will  die  ia  LoadoQ  next  year. 
But  miaute  inquiries  into  conditioas  enable  us  to 
know  that  in  such  a  district,  nay,  in  such  a  street 
— or  even  on  one  side  of  that  street,  in  such  a  par- 
ticular house,  or  even  on  one  floor  of  that  partic- 
ular house,  will  be  the  excess  of  mortality,  that 
is,  the  person  will  die  who  ought  not  to  have 
died  before  old  age. 

No>y,  would  it  not  very  materially  alter  the 
opinion  of  whoever  were  endea  voriag  to  form  one, 
if  he  knew  that  from  that  floor,  of  that  house,  of 
that  street  the  man  came. 

Much  more  precise  might  be  our  observations 
even  than  this,  and  much  more  correct  o'Jk  con- 
clusioDs. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  same  names  may  be 
seen  constantly  recurring  on  workhouse  books 
for  generations.  That  is,  the  persons  were  bora 
and  brought  up,  and  will  be  born  and  brought 
up,  generatioa  after  generation,  in  the  conditions 
which  make  paupers.  Death  and  disease  are  like 
the  workhouse,  they  take  from  the  same  family, 
the  same  house,  or  in  other  words,  the  same  con- 
ditions. Why  will  we  not  observe  what  they  are? 
The  close  observer  may  safely  predict  that  such 
a  family,  whether  its  members  marry  or  not,  will 
become  extinct;  that  such  another  will  degener- 
ate morally  and  physically.  But  who  learns  the 
lesson  1  On  the  contrary,  it  may  be  well  known 
that  the  children  die  in  such  a  house  at  the  rate 
of  8  out  of  10;  one  would  think  that  nothing  more 
need  be  said;  for  how  could  Providence  speak 
more  distinctly?  yet  nobody  listens,  the  family 
goes  on  living  there  till  it  dies  out,  and  then  some 
other  family  takes  it.  Neither  would  they  listen 
"  if  one  rose  from  the  dead." 

In  dwelling  upon  the  vital  importance  of  sound 
observation,  it  must  never  be  lost  sight  of  what 
observation  is  for.  It  is  not  for  the  sake  of  piling 
up  miscellaneous  information  or  curious  facts, 
but  for  the  sake  of  saving  life  and  increasing 
health  and  comfort.  The  caution  may  seem  use- 
less, but  it  is  quite  surprising  bow  many  men 
(some  women  do  it  too,)  practically  behave  as  if 
the  scientific  end  were  the  only  one  in  view,  or  as 
if  the  sick  body  were  but  a  reservoir  for  stowing 
medicines  into,  and  the  surgical  disease  only  a 
curious  case  the  sufferer  has  made  for  the%ttend- 
ant's  special  information.  This  is  really  no  ex- 
aggeration. Ton  think,  if  you  suspected  your 
patient  was  being  poisoned,  say,  by  a  copper  ket- 
tle, you  would  instantly,  as  you  ought,  cut  off  all 
possible  connection  between  him  and  the  sus- 
pected source  of  injury  without  regard  to  the  fact 
that  a  curious  mine  of  observation  is  therebj 
lost.  .But  it  is  not  everybody  who  does  so,  and  it 
has  actually  been  made  a  question  of  medicail 
ethics,  what  should  the  medical  man  do  if  he  sus- 
pected poisoning?  The  answer  seems  a  very 
simple  one — insist  on  a  confidential  nurse  being 
placed  with  the  patient,  or  give  tfp  the  case. 

And  remember  every  nuroe  should  be  one  who 
is  to  be  depended  upon,  in  other  wbrds,  capable 
of  being  a  '■  confidential "  nurse.  She  does  not 
know  how  soonshe  may  find  herself  placed  in  such 
a  situation;  she  must  ba no  gossip,  no  vain  talker; 
she  should  never  answer  questions  about  her  sick 
except  to  those  who  have  a  right  to  ask  them;  she 
jnnst,  I  need  not  say,  be  strictly  sober  and  honest; 
but  more  than  this,  she  must  be  a  religious  and 
devoted  woman;  she  must  have  a  respect  for  her 
o^a  calling,  because  God's  precious  gift  of  life  is 
often  literally  placed  in  her  hands',  she  must  be 


a  sound,  and  close,  and  quick  observer;  and  she 
must  be  a  woman  of  delicate  and  decent  feeling. 
To  return  to  the  question  of  what  observation 
is  for:— It  would  really  seem  as  if  some  had  con- 
sidered it  as  its  own  end,  as  if  detection,  not  dure, 
was  their  business;  nay  more,  in  a  recent  celebra- 
ted trial,  three  medical  men,  according  to  their 
own  account,  suspected  poison,  prescribed  for 
dysentery,  and  left  the  patient  to  the  poisoner. 
This  is  aii  extreme  case.  But  in  a  small  way,  the 
same  manner  of  acting  falls  under  the  cognizance 
of  us  all.  How  often  the  attendants  of  a  case 
have  stated  that  they  knew  perfectly  well  that 
the  patient  could  not  get  well ,  in  such  an  air,  in 
such  a  room,  or  under  such  circumstances,  yet 
have  gone  on  dosing  him  with  medicine,  and 
making  no  effort  to  remove  the  poison  from  him, 
or  him  from  the  poipon  which  they  knew  was  kill- 
ing him;  nay,  more,  have  sometimes  not  so  much 
as  mentioned  their  conviction  in  the  right  quarter 
— that  is,  to  the  only  person  who  could  act  in  the 
matter. — Miss  JVightingffle. 

PROTECTIVE 

op  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Pr6  sidsuij 
Lieut. -Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoNS.  B.  D.  MOEGAN,  GEOBGE  OPDYKB, 
HIEAM  BABNEY,  JA8.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Eev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Mbssbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAfi-  GALLATIN,  HOWAED  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODOEE  E00SE7ELT,  PETEB 
COOPEE,  GEOEGE  BANOEOFT,  DANIEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUN'S,  EOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFEED 
PEIxL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambeks  Stbebt,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Is*.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  lovmty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  ar.dthei^ 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d  To  prevent,  false  claims  from  being 
'  made  agaiiist  the  Government. 

Uh.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


574 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bidletin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
jtme,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S, 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
Kition  were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York, 

Elisha  Harris,  Mil).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  1^.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Geu'l  U.  S.  A, 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  K.  Agnew,  M  D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Kt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  B.  I. 
Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Peun, 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
3.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn, 
0.  J.  Stillfi.  "  " 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFITCEBS: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D„  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  JenMna,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDINa  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Comzniasion  liaa  made  arrangements 
tor  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iu  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiaua,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  In  Westem  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Bftlnoia,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Miasis- 
sippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  Is  by  letter, 
tjie  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  If  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once  ;  or  If  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  mguirer'a 
expense. 

J8^  Soldiers*  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
In  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  Umted  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity"  at'  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  dismbutions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  oases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiUaty 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
woui^ed,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  Cmply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ancAare  invited  to  send  their  ofE^riugs: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  96 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  ChicagOj  IU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  oonbibutions  of  the  public  for 
tlie  means  of  sustaming  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Rev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  WashingM 
ton,  D.  0.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Bailroad  Depot,  Wasljki 
ingtorff  D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

ifuraea'  Home,  Washington,  D,  0. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — Col.  G.  W,  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111. — C.  N.  Shlpman,  Sup't  and 
Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky. — James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent, 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L;  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cohimbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers*  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers*  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — CW. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AQENOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSPITAIi    GABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— flol.  Andrews, 

M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 
Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield, 
Between  Louisville  and  Murfree^boro' — vi*  J.  F.  Baiv 

num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITABT  BTBAMEBi 

Cumberland  Blve^-^ew  Bunleltb. 


The  Samtary  Gommission  BvUetin. 


575 


FRED'O   S.    COZZENS, 

WliE   ilEiOMiiT, 

•73  Jf*arren  Street^  JVew  ^orU^ 

(Opposite  Hadson  River  K.  R.  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE,  Washington,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 

OP    THE    PDKEST  QDAUTT,  FOR 

MEDICINAL  AND  SANITARY  PURPOSi^, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

yiaiTE©    STATES    84®SPIT^Li 

-A^nd    by   the    ISAK"IT^IIY     COM]>d:iSSION'. 

ALSO,  AMERICAN  WINES  OF  THE  HIGHEST  GRADES. 

Sole  Agent  in  New  York  and  Washington  for 

Longworth's  Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 
Brandies,  etc.,  etc. 


^V 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN.  No.  118  SliW  Street,  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GRBENLBAF  &  CO.,  No.  172  Lake  Street;  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWINQ,  Maaonic  Hall,  PhUadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Biseriptire  circulars  famished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  ou  application  to  either  o^ 
the'  above. 


576  The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


OFFICE    OF   THE 


Cl^oIttmMau  (^mm)  ^mxmm 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,13'I,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies. ^  , .      441,206  49 

G-uaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  like  Gnrrency. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS   COMPANY  vill  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 

signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  aU  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIYE 

FEB  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWB,  M.  F.  MfiRICK,  MDSES  MERIflP, 

•  DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM,  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GBORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

TH03.  A.  0.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb  ,  ' 

WM.  H.  HALSET,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  '  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITOHKLL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  •  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  ORIFHN. 

0.  L.  NIHS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  VioePresident.  B.  G.  MORRIS,  President. 

Vna.  M.  WUiUUTETj  2d  Vioe-Fresldent  and  Secretary. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  AUGUST  1,  1864. 


No.  19. 


CONTENTS. 

■ '  Page. 

Sakitasy  Faie  at.  DtTBTjijoE,  Iowa 577 

BEPORTg — 

Late  Military  MovemeAt  oil  St.  John's  Isl- 
and:.'.  ..;...^..i...   ....  579 

Distribution  of  Anti-Soorbutics  in  the  Army . 
of  theEotomac , 680 

Work  of  Belief  in  Grant's  Army 585 

The  Western  Department 593 

Special  BELiEP— Homes  and  LoDOEa 589 

The  Sanitakt  ahd  CHBisjtiAN  Opimnss^oNS. . .  592 

HospiTAii  Sketches ., 597 

A  Eeasonable  Bemonstbance 598 

Os  A  HosprfAL  Tbaih  599 

PoiyrET^ 

The  Blue  Coat  of  the  Solclier 601 

The  Leoislatube  of  New  Hampshiee  on  the 

Sajsitaey  Commission. i  601 

Notes  on  NtmsiNO , 602 

The  SANruiBY  Gomiiasiiois  JS/m^Tins  is  publis/igd 
on  the  first  and  fifteenili  of  eoery  month,  omd,  as  it 
hflsa  circviadon,  gratuitous  or:  othp-,  of  qiiove  li,000 
copies,  a  offers  an  unusually  valuablis  medimif,  for 
advertising. 

All  communioations  must  he  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  offloe,  823  Broadieay,  and  must  be  au- 
thentloated  hy  the  names  and  addt-esses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  oorUikaance  of  the  publicclMon  of  the  Btn,- 
LETiN  is  uncertain,  dep'ending  on  that  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  TT.  S.  Sanitary  Oom^ 
mission— the  Standing  Gommittee  feels  a  certainide- 
gree  of  reluctance  to  solicii  subscript^nsfor  U—and 
thereby  to  pledge  tfie  Cdmmission'to  Us  issue  for  d 
definite  period. 

The  GoinrnMee  understand,  however,  (hat  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  new  sent  graivatoasly,  eaj- 
press  a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  'and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  'doUfirs,  remiUed  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbonq,,  6,8,  W0.  Street,  or.  JiJ?. 
&2Z-Broadwai,  New  Tork,}wiUseoureift?  being  sent 
to  such  contributor' during  the  remainder  of  [the  our- 
rpit  year,  unless  its  publication' be  sooner  discon-. 


SANiTABY  FAIlt  AT  JDUBUQUE,  IOWA., 

If  the  value  qf  eeijvices  were  measured 
by  tke  extent  of  the  saoriflce  made  in  ren- 
dering them,  it  would  probably  be  found 
that  no  State  in;  the  IJnion  had  done  so 
much:te  the.war  as  Iowa.  She  has  sent; 
up  to  the,  present,;  nearly  one-seventh  of 
her  entire  population  to  the  field.  Some 
districts  have  5riea;fly  all  their  men  in  the 
army;  and  in.  most  of  them  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  farm  labor  has  devolved 
on  the  women;  and  on  women,  too,  it  must 
n'bt  be  forgotten,  whose  ordinary  duties  are 
as  heavy  ^aa  ever,  and  who  are  entirely  un- 
used to  the  extrflprdiijary  ones  with  whi{ih 
they  now  find  themselves  burdened.  And 
when  it  is  remembered  that  all  this  is  dpne 
and  endured  not  for- gafely,  or  for  inde- 
pendence, or  gain,  but  for  the  perpetuation 
of  the  blessings  of  free  government,  or  in 
other  wprds,  for  a  remote  good — that,  it 
wiU  be  the  future  genera.tjpn,  rather' than 
this  one,  which  'wJH  reap  the  full  benefit  of 
these  great  efforts*-itis  d-oubtful  if  there  is 
on  record  any  other  so  splendid  example  of 
the  heroism,  'farsightedness,  and  self-abne.- 
gation  with  which  freedom  long  enjoyed, 
can  gift  a  whole  eomuiLUnity. 

After,  having  given  So  many  men  to  the 
rants,,  it  need  not  have  exftited  any  gresa,!; 
staprise  if  a  comparativelyy  poor  St%te 
like  Iowa,  which  is  still  struggling  with  the 
usual  difficulties  of  frontier  Uf e,  had  left  to 
others  the  t&sk  of  migastering  to  the  sol- 
diers' comfort.  But  go  far  from  this,  her 
exertions  for  the,  relief  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  have  been  just  as  remarkable  as 
her  exertions  in  recruiting.  Some  of  the, 
incidents  connected  with  the  present  fair 
belong  to  the  romance  of  oheucity.. 
rcbeie  is  an  amount  of  devotion  behind 


Vol.  I.— No.  19. 


37 


578 


Tlie  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


svLoh  contributions  as  twenty  dollars  from  a 
man  whose  threeTions,  (all  he  has,)  are  in 
the  army,  "  whose-  wife  has  to  drive  his 
reaper,"  and  whose  "daughters  assist  in 
binding  his  grain, "  and  of  more  than  a  dollar 
"  from  every  human  being  residing  within 
the  limits  of  a  country  away  two  hundred 
miles'in  the  interior,"  of  which  the  accounts 
of  philanthropy  do  not  furnish  many  in- 
stances; of  which  people  living  in  a  com- 
mercial community,  where  money  and  labor 
.  are  generaJly  plenty,  can  form  but  little  idea. 
Whatever  the  results,  of  this  war  may  be, 
this  much  is  certain,  that  no  community 
ever  made  such  efiforts  and  sacrifices  as  are 
recorded  in  the  history  both  of  our  volun- 
teering and  of  our  Sanitary  fairs  without 
being  elinobled  and  purified  by  them.  And 
the  fact  that  they  have  been  so  widely  and 
fteely  made  at  the  North,  certainly  goes  far 
to  refute  the  generally  received  notions  of 
the  debasing  efiect  on  the  character  of  long 
absorption  in  money  getting. 
Mr.  Norris  says: 

"  The  Northern  Iowa  Fair  Association  was 
organized  on  the  1st  of  March  last.  Gen.  S. 
A.  WUtse,  U.  S.  Sur.-Gen.  of  this  District, 
was  selected  as  President,  whoj  with  an  effi- 
cient Board  of  Managers,  has  had  the  direc- 
tion and  control  of  its  affairs,  and  who  have 
devoted  their  active  energies  to  its  interests, 
^.t  the  time  of  its  organization,  s,  resolu- 
tion was  adopted,'  pledging  its  proceeds  to 
the  Northwesterii  Branch  of  the  U.  8.  Sani- 
tary Commissioji. 

My  time  during  the  month  preqeding  the 
Fair,  was  devoted  largely  to  exciting  the 
public  mind  upon  the  subject,-and  prepar- 
ing it  for  such  a  movement.  My  hopes  and 
designs  in  regard  to  the  results  of  the  Fair, 
were  not  measured  by  the  amount  of  money 
that  would  be  raised  by  it,  but  I  believed 
it  could  be  made  instrumental  in  reviving 
our  work  throughout  the  whole  north  half 
of  the  State;  amd,  also,  of  attaching  our 
;()eople  in  their  Sanitary  operations  to  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommissi'on.  In  allmy  op- 
erations for  the  Fair^  this  object  was  kept 
steadily  in  view.'  A  few  facts  wiU  show  the 
extent  to  which  my  anticipations  have  been 
realized. 

The  shipment  of  hospital  supplies!  to  the 
Chicago  Oommission,  which  had  become 
very  light  from  this  State,  woe  immediately 


/ 


ro  stimulated;  that  in  the  month  of  March 
we  sent  to  that  Commission  202  packages. 
In  the  month  of  ^ April,  their  receiptsi  from 
us  amounted  to  364  packages,  136  more  than 
from  the  whole  State  of  Illinois.  For  May, 
they  received  from  us  near  700  packages, 
171  more  than  from  Illinois.  I  have  not 
the  figures  for  June;  they  are,  I  am  how- 
ever aware,  equally  large;  and  some  200 
packages  more  were  shipped  from  Dubuque 
after  the  Fair,  -s^hich  reached  Chicago  too 
late  to  be  embraced  in  the  June  report.  -  It 
ought  to  be  remarked  that  nearly  the  whole 
of  these  supplies  were  designed  to  be  sent 
to  the  credit  of  the  Fair.  .Many  of  the  re- 
ceipts credited  by  the  Northwestern  Com- 
mission reports  to  local  aid  societies  were 
designed  by  the  societies  to  have  been 
credited  to  the  Fair,  but  they  neglected  to 
give  notice  to  that  effect  at  Chicago,  hence 
they  were  credited  tb  them  instead  of  the 
Fair,  as  intended. 

Four  months'  incessant  and  active  toil 
for,  and  the  gift  of  thousands  of  dollars  to 
the  U.  8.  Commission,  through  the  Failj, 
have  identified  our  aid  societies  and  people 
fully  with  that,  institution.  At  the  last 
meeting  of  the  State  Commission. at,  Des- 
moines,  the  delegates  to  which  were  from 
nearly  all  the  aid  societies  that  were  at  work 
for  our  Fair,  a  resolution  was  almost  unan- 
imously adopted,  advising  all  sanitary  so- 
cieties in  the  State  to  send  their  supplies  to 
the  Northwestern  Branch  of  the  U'.  S.  Com- 
mission. 

Fears  have  "been  entertained  that  there 
would  be  a  relapse  of  effort  on  the  part  of 
of  our  sanitary  societies  after  tlie  Fair  was 
over.  Every  precaution  has,  however,  been 
taken  to  prevent  such  a  contingency,  and 
our  noble  women  of  Iowa  feel,  I  think,  that 
the  present  is  no  time  for  relaxation  of  ef- 
fort. 

Large  receipts  ought  not  to  be  antic- 
ipated from  us  at  Chicago  for  a  month  or 
two  to  come,  not  because  labor  wiU  be  sus- 
pended, but, because  all  supplies  on  h^pd 
have  been  exhausted  for  the  Fair,  and  our 
people  will  have  to  begin  entirely  anew. 
The  business  of  the  Fair  is  not  entirely 
closed  up  to  enable  me  to  give  you  precise 
results,  yhe  expenses  .have ,  been  less  in 
proportion  to  receipts,  than  any  other,,  of 
the  great  fairs.     The  receipts,  it  is  hoped. 


The  Samtary  Oommissiok  BMmk. 


579 


■will  reaohfrbm  $75,000  to' $80;  000,  and  the 
net  proceeds  will  not  be  fat  from  $7O,l00O. 
This  result  seems  small-' -when  compared 
with  the  results  of  the'  New  York  or  Phil- 
adelphia Wiitei,  but  it  must  be  recollected 
our  population  is  light,  our  country -new, 
and  our  people'  generally  poor.  If  real 
ability  iff  taken  itato  account,  I  am  satisfied 
that  our  gift  upon  this  holy  altar  will  be 
justly  regarded  as  greater  thaji  that  of  .^.ny 
other  fair  that  has  been  held  for  the  Sani- 
tary cause.  As  was  well  remarked  by  Pres- 
ident Wiltse,  in  his  opening  address,  "Kb 
donatioSia  have  been  sanctified  by  greatsr 
sacrifices  than  those  made  to  our  Fair." 
I  have  been  surprised  by  a  great  many  facts 
connected  'with  its  history.  Neighborhoods 
whose  entire  male  population,  almost  had 
gone  to  the  war,  and  whose  crops  have  to 
be  rai'sedi  anjd  >  harvested'  by  the  females, 
have  contributed  largely  to  its  funds.  One 
farmer  who  gave  $267  told  me  that  his  three 
boys,  '(all  he  had,)  were  in  the  army,  and 
that  his  wiffe  would-  be  compelled  to  'd?ive 
his  reaper  iij:  the  hafveat  .field,  and  his 
jdaughter|,aissist;4i|. binding  his  grain,  and 
in  secpring  his  h^vest..  Kossuth  County, 
away  two.  hundred  miiles  ;in.  thsr  interior; 
g9,ve  more  than  a  dollar  for  every  human 
being  residing  'wit}^  its  lim,its. 

The  ^air  over,  I  shall  extend  my  labors 
m.pre  into  the  southern,  portion  of  ^the 
State,  though  the;  principal  itpwns  in  the 
northern  part  will  require  consideirabls,  aitv 
tention.  The  history  of  our  ^Eair  wiU  ba 
published  in  a .  few,  days.  Many  items  of 
idterest  omitted  in  this  brief  report  will  be 
found  in  it.  To  that  history  for  numerous 
pair^idijlars,' you  are' respectfully  referred. " 

"  '    L.i.TE  MlblTARY  MQ^MENT  ON 
'ST.v  JOHN'S  ISM.ND,  3.0. 
Dr.  Marsh  repoirts  fiHiiBeaufcirt,  8.0,^ 

Julyig:  J  .„.",'"■'      '  ^    ' 

'Near  the  close  of  June,  the  General  coin' 
manding 'gave  uS  timsly  notice  to' prS^Saire 
for  an  expedition.  Oh  the  Ist  July,'r'<;he 
expedition,  comprising  all  ,the  available 
force  of  th6;Departtment,  left  Hilton  Head, 
and  on  the  morningr  of  the  2d  anchored,  in 
North 'Edi'sto harbot)  OwSilg t(!j\teabselice 
gf'jfield  bal|eries^  ^^'9!^  an  accident  had 
Retained,  we  Were  kept,  the^entire  day  in  an 
enemy's  country,  aridonot 'fl-j-e'iniileS  ftrom 


his  entrenchments.  Towards  eveiiing,  a 
brigade  under  Geh.  Birnejr,. unsuccessfully- 
met  the  fenemy  entrenched,  and  were  r6- 
pulaed  and  returned.  '  On  the  day  follow- 
ing, (July  3d,)  the  brigades  Under  Generals 
Saxton  &nd  Hatch,  disembarked;  and  on 
that  arid'the  day  following,  traversed  Sea- 
brook  and  St.  John's  Islands,  by  different 
routes,  and  on  the  5th  concentrated  their 
forces  in' the  neighborhood  of  Legare-nlle, 
on  St.'  John's  Island. 

CaptJJ  Low,  the  obliging  Quartermaster 
at  Beaufort,  had  assigned  us  transportation 
"to  any  extent  desired"  upon  the  steamer 
Peconic,  and  when  the  troops  took  up  their 
march  inland,  we,  by  aSvice  of  the  Com- 
mander of  the  expedition;  Gen.  Hatch,  re- 
mained in  harbor,  as ^i  hospital  ship,  to 
which  the  weaffy,  wounded,  and  those  suf- 
fering from  sun-stroke  could  be  gathered. 
Medical  aid  not  being  abundant;  the  whole 
care  naturally  fell 'upon  the  Cominissibn. 

In  the  march  across  the  two  islands,  *thb 
troops  suffered  severely^-the  thermometer 
for  hours  standing^  from  95°  to  103°.  More 
or  less  skirmishingi  constantly  occurred; 
and  whatever,  disabilities  followed  of' any 
nature,  Surgeons  and  Line  OflScers  sent 
•back  to  us,  often  with  a  commendatory 
note — those  requiring  our  care. 

On  the  5th,  this  march  having  been  com- 
pleted, and  the  base  of  operations  changed 
to  the  north  part  of  St.  John's  Island,  near 
LegarevUle,  we  were,  ordered  to  proceed  to 
sea/  and  into  Stono'  River,  opposite  to  our 
forces;  This  was  accomplished,  and  a  portion 
of  the  accumulated  sick  were  transported  to 
another  steaimer,  about  midnight  of  the  6th . 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th  we  constructed 
quarters  upon  shord;  and  through  the  day 
oared  for  the  disabled,  and  assisted  in  erect- 
ing hospitals  for  wounded .  expected  from 
the  froi\t.  In  these  labors  we  were  greatly 
a^sted  by'  Dr.  Mudge,  of  the  New  York 
Engiueems,  professionally,  and  by  volunteer 
aid  from  the  same  Eagineers  in  pitching 
tents  and  arranging  quarters.  And  here  it 
is  proper  to  remark,  that  on  three  expedi- 
tions we  have  experienced  the  generous  aid 
of  these-'same  noble  men;  they  seek  Tis  outj 
ascertain  our  wants,  and  their  skiU  suppEes 
every  deficiency.  On  the  evening  of  this  day 
a'  scenb  was  presented,  that  if  witnessed', 
would  have  '  strehgsthened  many  a  weary 


582 


The  Smit0'y\Q(m^lfi/isdm.BvV£tWt, 


anything.  This;  must  have  been  the  fault  of, 
the  Division  Commissary,  and  so  I  tpld 
(Jen.  Wilcox's  Adjutant.  He  is  now  at  City 
Point,  and  a  new  Commissary  has  been  ap- 
pointed. -„ 

•    *  «  *  *  *  , 

The  Government  was  issuing  potatoes  in 
about  the  same  quantity  as  the  Sanitary  is- 
sues of  onions — a  potato  to  a  man.  These 
■were  48  hours'  rations.  TheCprnmissarysaid 
that  he  could  not,  as  I  advised,  issiie  beets  to 
one  reginlfeht,  beans  to  another,  <feo. ,  so  as 
to  make  a  good  mess  of  some  one  kind  for 
each,  there  would  be  top  much  grugiljjing. 
The  Second  Brigade  Commissary  said  that 
the  saur  kiaut  had  come  in  sufficient  quan- 
tities for  the  eastern  regiments,  but  was 
only  ah  aggravation  to*  the  western,  accus- 
tomed to  quantities  of  this,  so  that  he 
finally  sent  the  wliol^  of  a  small  ration  to 
the  latter. 

i*  *  * 

Lempns  are  the;  inpst  gijateful  of  all  gifts, 
as  they  not  only  prevent  scurvy,  &c.,  like 
onions,  but  are  a  great  luxury,  an,d  cheer 
^d  refresh  the  men,  who  make  them  into 
lemonade. 

Mr.  Potter  reports,  from  the  same  Corps, 
July  6th: 

The  following  are  the  essential  facts  to 
be  reported  concerning  the  Sanitaiy  sup- 
plies of  anti-scorbutics  sent  to  tho  Ninth 
Corps  in  the  field: 

Th^  train,  loaded  with  if)ickles,  fre$h  on- 
ions and  dried  apples,  left  City  Point  land- 
ing at  12  M.  3d  Of  July.  The  Sanitary 
Agents  detailed  to  look  after  these  supplies 
left  later  in  the  day,  camped  out  near  the 
9th  Corps  headquarters  that  night,  and  re- 
ported to  Gen.  Burnside  at  8  o'clock  the 
next  morning,  July  4.  The  General  re- 
ceived us  very  cordially,  and  spoke  of  the 
work  of  the  Commission  in  the  highest 
termg.  He  Isnew.of  the  train,  of  supplies 
that  had  been  sent  up  the  day  before;  the 
portion  assigned  to  the  9th  Corps  (96  bbls.)! 
had  been  delivered,  and  already  by  his 
Commissary  sent  to  the  "different  Divisions. 
He  spoke  very  strongly  of  the  good  effects 
which  former  supplies  of  this  kind  had  had 
upon  the  men,  and  hoped'  the  Commission 
would  continue  to  send  them,  c^nd  even  more 
extensively.  It  had  been  his  opinion;  he 
s»id, '  from  the  first,  -  that  th-e  sendihg  of 
Such  articles  to  the  soldiers  in' the  field  be- 
fore they  get  sick,  aild  particularly  when; 
aa  now,  they  are  so  much  confined  to  the 
trenches,  is  one  of  the  most  important 
ways  in  which  the  Sanitary  Commission 
can  work. 

From  the  corps  headquarters  we  went  to ■ 
the  several  division  headquarters.  In  each 
the  supplies  had  been  received  in  gpbd  or- 
der, and  were  to  be  distributed  tp  the  men 
with  their  ratipns  either  fpr  dinner  or  sup- 


per, and  everywhere  theyiiwerei  most  wel- 
opme.  Both  officers  and  men  spoke  pf 
those  formerly  sent,  as  jiist^  the  things 
wanted,  The  tomatoes,  particularly,  were 
very  acceptable,  and ,  went  .  through  the 
■^hole  porps,  giving  a,  largp^^jafeion  to  eaat 
man.  ^Pne.plour  agents  remained  witii 
each  division.  I,  went  to  the  1st,  Gen. 
Ledlie's..  ,Gen.  Ledlie  takes  a  special  ^d 
perspnal  interest  in  this  wprk  pf  the,  Cpni-^ 
mission,  and  spoke'  most  heaj^tUy  of. the 
good  it  was  dping.  He  has  the  supplies 
brought  directly  to  headquarters,  and  put; 
under  the  charge  of  his  PrpiJipst  Marshal, 
through  whpm  they  are  distributed  pro  rati^ 
to  the  brigades  find:regiment8j  His  reason 
for  this  is,  that  the  men  may  know  thai  these 
articles  are  not  supplied  ,as  regular  army  ra- 
tions, but  that  iltey  come  directly  from  the  peo- 
ple at  h(jn),e,  tfirqiigh  the^  Sanitary  Comipission; 
and,  he  added,  /^lai  this  knowledge  by  the  men 
of  the  interest  taken  in  their  welfare  by  friend^ 
at  home  would,  increase  the  good  effect  of  the 
articles.  At  dinner,  time  I  went  through! 
most  of  the, regiments  in  both  the  second 
and  first  lines  of  rifle  pits  of  this  division. 
Tlie  men  were  eating  the  pickles  which 
had  be,en  sent  from  our  barge  at  npon  the 
day  before,  and  they  ate  them  with  the 
greatest  relish,  and  praised  the  good  peo- 
ple who  had  sent  them,  and  said  they  wish- 
ed they  could  have  some  such  thing  every- 
day. There  was  the  greatest  call,  I  think, 
for-  tomatoes  and  fresh  onipns,  especially 
fcr  the  latter.  An  pnipn  pr  a  pickleseems 
a  small  thing  tp  us;  but  it  is  a  great  thing 
to  a  man  who  has  to  lie  there  in.thpse  rifle 
pits  for  four  days  in  succe^ssion,  with  the 
buUets  whistling  over  his  head,  especially 
if  he  feels  that  it  comes  in  some  sense  as  a 
present  from  home.  TJie  commanding  offl- 
cerp  and, surgeons  all  said  "Send  more — 
send  as  many  as  ypu  can."  Since  these 
articles  began  to.  be  received,  only  six  diays 
before,  the  silk  report  of  thal.st  Division 
of  the  9,th  Corps  had  been  reduced,  from 
355  tp  -J.8,  a  reduction  whicti  Gen.  Ledlie 
and  his  Medical  Dijeotor  both  attributed 
mainly  tp  this  change  of  diet.  Ordinarily 
they  said  they  should'  expect  sickness,  .to; 
inGi;esJS0  the  longer  the  men  are  in  trench- 
es. ,  Several  effioers  assured  me  that  in 
their  own  cases  diarrhea  bad  been  cured 
by  eaiting  freely  of  the  tomatoes  sent  them, 
by  the  Commisgipn.'  And  generally  all  that, 
I,saw  myself  and  learned  frem  pthers,  ivj- 
ing  the  twp  days  I  was  at  the  frpnt,  con-, 
vinced  me  that  this  new,  wprk  which  thet 
Cpmmissipn  has  undertaken  of  caring  for 
the  needs  of  the  well  men  in  the  field — not 
waiting  .for  them  tp  thin  the  ranks  pn  ac- 
cpunt  of  sickness — is  one  of  the  greatest, 
perhaps  the  greatest,  sanitary  works  of  the. 
wai);  and  in  iny  mind  there  is  np  dpubt  pf . 
the' expediency  pf  continuing  and  increas-, 
ing  it. 
Mr^  Leavens  wmites,  July  5th:  ,( 


2Vj6  Sanitary  ^omirdssion  BuUeUit:. 


583 


We  reached  the  front  late  in  the  evening. 
After  ■  losing  our  way  and  nearly  -apSetting . 
the  wagon,  we  eamped  for  the  night  by  the 
road-side.  Next  morning  we  found  Gen. 
Burnside's  headquarters,  where  we  left  two 
portions  of  our  goods,  one  for  him  and  one 
to  be  sent  to  Gen.  Ferrefo,  of  the  4th  Di- 
■^^on,  (colored:)  A  third  share'we  left  at 
Gen.  Potter's  headquai'terSj  2d  Division. 
It  was  given  to  me  to  remain  in  this  Di- '' 
vision.    ■ '  ' 

My  reception  by  Gen'.  Potter  was  very 
courteous.  He  kindly  granted  me  the  es- 
cort of  a  staff  officer  to  the  Brigade  Head- 
quarters, with  permission  to  make  such  in- 
quiries as  my  duty  required.  The  officer 
who  attended  nle  also  very  politely  showed 
the  various  objects  of  interest  at  the  front. 

I  found  our  stores  of  pickles,  onions,  &:o. , 
in  the  hands  of  the  Division  Commissary, 
to  be  distributed  during  the  day.  Later 
in  the  day  I  was  informed  by  soldiers  with 
whom  I  conversed  that  they  had  received 
such  articles.  I  had  conversation  with 
Gen.    Potter,   commanding  the  Division, 

Gen.  Griffin,  ;of  theilst  Brigade,  Dr. , 

and  many  other  officers  and  men  in  regard 
to- the  sanitary  condition  of  the  Division. 
All  agreed  that  the  Government  rations 
were  now  abundant  and  of  good  quality; 
beef,  pork,  soft  bread?  beans,:  rice,  &c. ,  be- 
ing named.  Nothing  was  more  needed 
than  such  articjles  as  our  stores  contained, 
pickles,  onions,  &o.  .  Almost:  any  strong 
acid  was  much  craved  and  needed  by  the 
men. 

The  Commission  can  do  nothing  that  wiU 
be  more  grateful  to  the  men  or  more  cor- 
dially approved  by  the  officers,  than  to 
send  on  aU  sucTi  articles  possible.  The 
main  articles  spoken  Of  were  pickles,  onions, 
saur  kraut,  and  lemons.  Doubtless  stores 
of  siniilar  quality  might  be  add^.     /.^  ^ 

Gen.  Griffin  spoke  of  ale  as  a  drink, 
thinking  it  would  be  better  than  the  whis- 
key ration. 

***** 

The  men  at  the  ftont  seemed  active  and 
healthy.  The  Division  Hospital  was  nearly 
free  from  wounded.  I  think  the  Commis- 
sion may  rest  confident  that  its  goods  i-each 
the  men',  as  totendBd,  and  may  also  have 
satisfaction  in  the  wisdom  and  beneficence 
of  sending  forward  such  supplies. 

VBTBEAN  BBSBKVE  COBPS. 

Dr:  Macgowan,  Acting  Brigade  Surgeon' 
of  the  VfeterahBeaerve' Corps,  also  Sends  us 
the  fpllpwing  strong  testimony: 
:  But,  to  the  subject  b;ef ore, ipe.  .  When 
Gen.  Grant  changed  his  base  to  Port  Koyal, 
ten  companies  of  this  corps  were  sent  from 
Alexandria  to  protect  the;  new;  base,  They 
W^re  absent  on,  that. duty  a, little  less  thaa 
a  month, .  during  which  time,  their  food. 


consisted  of  pork,  beans,  and  hard  tack  ex- 
oliisively,  save  on  two  oocasidns,  when  fresh 
beef  was  served  out.  The  deprivation  of 
fresh  vegetables,  induced,  before  the  close 
of  the  period,  incipient  scurYy  in  the  com- 
mand, to  the  extent  of  twenty-five  per  cent. 
in  some  companies,  and  forty  per  cent,  in 
others.  Spongy  gums  were  so  prevalent  as 
to  indicate  that  the  deprivation  if  continiied 
a  little  longer,  would  have ,  rendered  one- 
half  the  force  whoUy  unfit  for  duty. 

On  their  return  I  made  a  requisition  for 
lemons,  pickles,  and  such  yegetatles  as 
were  on  hand  at  your  agency  here,  ■which 
was  instantly  complied  with,  and  which 
afforded  timely  rel^ef.^  These  men  recuper- 
ated in  part  by  your  bounty,  have  again 
deserved  well  of  the  Country,  by  aiding  to 
drive  the  rebels  from'  tte  threshold  of  the 
Qapitol.  « 

It  inust  be  borne  in  r&ind  tliat  this  prev- 
alence of  scurvy,  so  excessive,  and  of  such 
rapid  ^development,  was  among  men  who 
had  been  more  or  less  disabled  by  wounds 
or  disea.se  before  they  had  earned  a  place 
in  this  American  Legion  of  Honor.  Some 
of  them  had  suffered  from  scorbutic  affec- 
tions in  Tennessee  land  at  White  House; 
they  were  on  duty  every  other  day,  and.' 
often  several  dajs  in  succession.  Oonse-!  : 
quently,  this  statement  is  presented,  not  as 
I  a  criterion  whereby  to  gauge  the  needs  and 
I  dangers  .of  our  armies  in  thisregard,  but  to 
show  that  yoiir  prophylactic  labors  are 
called  for,  and  to  apprise  a  generous  pub- 
lic of*the  fact.  So  long  aa  our  "boys" 
,  have  the  assurance  that  they  are  supported 
'  in^ood,  faith  by^he  pation,  they  will  not 
grow  weary  of  battling  for  the  Eepubho, 
even  if  the  conflict  should  be  carried  into 
the  next  century. 

Vegetables  and  other  anti-scorbutic  arti- 
cles are  stiU  daily  issued  in  large  quantities 
to  the  Arjny,  outside  of  the  regular  issues 
to  Hospitals,  and '  the  acknowledgments 
from  surgeons,  officers  and  privates,  indi- 
cating how  higHly  they  are  appreciated  an^ 
how  beneficial  are  their  effects,  are  as  reg- 
ularly received. 

It  being  impossible  to  get  a  statement  in 
full  of  issues  for  current  month,  before 
going  to  .press,  we  repeat:  the  list  published 
in.  last  number  of .  Btolbtin,  adding  a  let- 1 
ter  from  Dr.  Douglas,  explaining  manner 
of  distribution,  and  one  from  the  corres- 
pondent of  the  New  York  Times  relative  to 
this  part  of  the  Commission's  work. 

Anti-scorbutics  forwarded  during  the 
month  of  June: 


207,156  lbs.  oanned  toma- 

toee,  (over  103  tbnej.^ 
15,060'  Itis.  canned  ftuit. 


674  cans 


jeUiep. 


36,273  gslla.  pickled  oTioun-, 
bers,  X^bout  1,M0  bbls.)' 
13,334  galls,  f  iekUd  onions. 
4,7l9  •*    .      tomatoes. 


584 


The  Sanitary  Oommis^on  Bulletin. 


l.lpegalls.  cnirlBd  oaljlbage. 
16jil8  galls,  aaur  kraut. 
idObblB.  fr§Bli  onions. 
7D  bbls.  potatoes. 
ai2  bbls.  (Med  apples. 


32bbls.  otb«r  dried ;?nlit,  ,  . 
301  boKes  ieinons. 
2,i00  boxes  portable  lemon- 
ade. 
25  bqxes  oranges. 


City  Pom*,  JiAy  9ffl. 
Dfl.  N.  C.  STE-raNB,  ' .  ■  .   .  J   .. 

Dkab  Sm — I  propose  to  make  the  nexti 
issue  to  9th  Corps,  and  shall  be  prepared,  I 
think,  to-morrow.     I  have  on  hand  of 
Pickled  Ououmbers,  200  barrels.  •  ' 
,      "       Onions,  150      " 

Potatoes,  100      " 

If  a  barrel  of  pickled  cucumbers  -will  suf- 
fipe  500  men,  50,  barrels  ■wiU;  cerfainly  give 
a  good  ratiqn  to  every  man'  ici  the  9th 
Corps;  the  same  of  pickled  I  nions.  Of  po- 
tatoes, the  Army  ration  is  3  barrels  to  100 
men.  Oui:  barrels  -will  weigh  ;  bout  130  lbs. 
If  I  send  you  of  pdtatoes  75'lDH'8.,ypu 
will  have  about  10,000  Vc)s.  -of .  potatoes,* 
which  will  give  you  a  good  ration.  .  ^ 

Say  then — 50  bbls.  CHOumbers,  pickled.,  t 
50,    "     Onions,  'U    '  ; 

75     "     Potatoes,  fresh. 

.         '    '  "*' 

Total,  175  bbk  ,  i'  ' 

It  will  require  twenty -five  wagons  to  take 

tkem  to  the  front.     Please ,  procure  them, 

and  telegraph  me  whemtheyare:  on  the  way. 

. Yours,, &o., 

.  J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D. 

The  NeiD   York    i^lmes    correspondent, 
writing  from  camp,  July  20,  says:       , 

The  pathetic  note  from  George  Eodgei*, 
of  Sheridan's  cavalry,  printed  in  last  Svn- 
day's  Times i  has  attracted  my  'attention. 
It  is  evident  that  he  and  his  comrades  have 
been'  "shared  out"  in  the  general  distribu- 
tion of  onions.  That  the  savory  anti-scor- 
butics did  pot  come  their  way  is  certain  to 
be  regretted,  and  without  stopping  to  in- 
qtiil'e  who  was  guilty  of  the  oversight,  I 
■must  oorr-eot  the  false  inipression  this  Com- 
plaint has  doubtless  left' upon  the  minds  oi) 
miiny  whp  read  it.  I  can  do  .this  without 
much  troiible,  and  the  kind-hearted  public 
who  have  subscribed  so, generously  for  the 
pTirchase'of  the  vegetables,  and  the  little 
children,  who  sacrificed  their  pyrotechnic 
pleasures  on  the  Fourth  of  July, , for  the 
same  worthy  object,  yill  be  glad  to  know 
that  their  bounty  was  not  misapplied.'  The 
^anitary  Commission  has  been  the  faithful 
agent  in  the  distribution.  For  this  asser- 
tion I  hav.S;  r^ad  the  proof  in  ha-ndsome 
notes  of  acknpwledgment  fropa  Major-Gen- 
erals  Warren)  Smith,  Burnsicle,  and  a  jialf 
score  mord  of  Division  and  Brigade  Com- 
manders. Quantities  of  vegetables  arrived  at 
City  Point  about  the  2d  of  July, and  throiigh 
the  cheerful  exertions  of  Dr.,J.  H^  Doagjas,, 
the  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Commission;' 
Drs,  Macdona,ld,  Stevens  and  SSvalm,  Irl- 
Bpeotors;  Mr.  Anderson,  the  tjjansportation. 
agent,  and  the  othen  employees,  wittout 


any  exception,  the  onions  were  apportion- 
ed and  delivered  to  the  Division  Commissa- 
ries of  the  respective  corps,  in  time  to  make 
part  of  the  Fourth  of  July  dinner. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  rSeceived  SIA, 
barrels. 

The  Eighteenth  Corps  received,  102  bar- 
rels.     ',.'■,■ 

The  T«Bth  Corps  received;  107  barrels.; ,- 
.  Wilson's  jCavaliy,  division    received  .12 
barrelSi  ;         .:  ..j     ;u        <   i  < 

i      The  aggregate  number  of  barrels  distri- 
buted for  that  occasion  was  743^  '  ■ 

,On4he6th  of  July  another  distribution  of 
1,153  barrels  was  made  under  the  direction 
of  Lieut.  Col.  Morgan,  Chief  Coinmi^sary 
of  the  armies  in  the  field. 

Sincethat  date  there  have  been  very  large 
supplies  received,  not  only  onions,  ,but  of 
potatoes,  cabbages,  green  and  dried  apples, 
canned  tomatoes  and  ipickles,  all  of  which 
have ^ been  distributed  among  the  Inen  in 
the  ..Garapfei  and  trenches,  and  the  patients 
in  the  hospitals.  The  figures  show  that  for 
the  eighteen  days,  beginning.  July  1,  the 
Commission  distributed  3,353  banela  of 
potatoes,  ;  2,719  barrels  of  onions,  1,44S 
Barrels  of  pickles,  865  barrels  of  assorted 
vegetables,  141  barrels  of  dried  apples,  — 
barrels  .of  green  apples,  and  still  have ,  a 
quantity  of  the  less,  perishable  stores  on 
hand  to  be  disposed  of  among  the  various 
corps. 

From  a  personal  investigation,  I  am  able 
tp  say  that  the  soldiers  appreciate  to  the 
full  extent  the  thoughtJulntess  of  their 
■  friends,  and  from  a  hygienic  point  of  view> 
the  advantages  of  this  liberal  supply  of  fresh 
vegtftables,  is  incalculable.  Sheridan's  cav- 
alry are  the-only  men  in  all  the  army  from 
whoili  there  has  been  heard  a  whisper  of 
complaint,  and  that  they  were  overlooked 
in  the  distribution,  was  not  the  desire,  as 
I  am  certain  it  was  not  the  fault,  of  the 
agents  of  the  Commission.  The  failua-e,  if 
traced  to  its  causes,  would,  be  found  to  rest 
upon  the  Commissary  Department  of  that 
organization;  or,  still  more  probable, in  the 
misoairiage  of  the  notification  to  send  fbr 
the  portion  assigned  if  or  the  oaynlry. 
-For  a  very  good  reason,  the.  Sanitary 
Commission  at  present  will  send  no  more 
vegetabtes  to  the  artiiy;  the  Government 
having  a  sufBcient  supply  on  hand  to  hold 
out  until  the  end  of  this  month.  After  the 
first  of  August,  however,  the  Commissaries 
will  no  longer  issue  a  ration  Of  fresh  vege- 
tables to  the  soldiers;  and'j,  by  an  prder  of  the 
War  Deparfcmeat,  a  very  general  reduction 
of  the  entire,  schedule  pf  rations  is  to  take 
place  from  that  date.  The  amount  thus 
far  issued  duringthe  war  has  been  proved 
from  actual  experience  to  have  Keen  ex- 
travagantly large — far  larger  thail  'the  Inen 
could  coMsuttie.  Now  the  soldiers,  in  lieu 
pf  'the  curtailed  rations,  are  :to  receive  fl6 
per  month,  instead  of  $13  as  heifetofore. 


The  Sanitary  Oonmdssion  BvUetin. 


585 


Theitems  of  potatoes,. molasses  and,  option- 
ally, rice,  or  beans,  are  to  be  altogether  cut 
off,  and  the  ration  of  flour  or  bread  is  to 
be  reduced  from  twenty-two  to  eighteen 
ounces  per  diem.  Here  then  is  the  op- 
portunity for  exercise  by  the  public  of  a 
commendable  generosity.  Let  the  people 
promptly  step  in  with  their  munificent 
offerings  to  supply,  what  the  Government 
willnot.  If  fresh  vegetables  are  so  highly 
appreciated  now,  when  an  occasional  and 
limited  quantity  is  furnished  by  the  Oom^ 
missariat  Department,  will  not  the  appre- 
ciation be  immeasurably  greater  Under  the 
new  order  of  matters  next  month?  The 
people  have  only  to  understand  these 
things,  and  feel  confident  that  their  gifts 
are  properly  applied,  to  insure  no  lack  of 
these  coveted  and  health^sustaining  articles 
of  diet.  These  vegetables  must  be  fur^ 
nished  to  the'  Soldiers,  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  will  doubtless  in  some  way  see 
to  that;  but  how  can  it  add  this  immense 
tax  upon  its  means  without  retrenching  its 
disbursements  in  other  directions?  It  is 
the  privilege  of  friends  at  home  to  ameli- 
orate by  every  method  the  hardships  en- 
dured by  their  brave  defenders  in  the  field, 
and'  the  past  gives  ample  proof  that  they 
mU.  not  fail  to  exercise  it  with  enthusiasm. 


WOKK  OF  RELIEF  IN  GRANT'S  AEMZ, 
Mr.  Smith  reports  from  City  Point,  June 
22: 

1 1  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  of  my  work  in  the  field  since  leaving 
Washington  for  Belle  Plain,  May  11,  1864: 
*     '       «  *  *  * 

Finding  that  there  was  much  to  do 
for  every  one  desirous  of  alleviating  thej 
wants  and  sufferings  of  our  wounded 
men,  I  felt  that  the  severity  of  the  storm 
could  offer  no  excuse  for  my  delay  iu 
doing  all  in  my  power  to  comfort  them.  I 
f  ousad  many  of  our  men  quite  badly  wound- 
ed,, lying'by-the  road  side  in  the  mud  and 
rain,  without  rubber  or  woolen  blankets  to  '■■ 
protect  them.  Many,  who  were  niore 
seriously  wounded,  "I  discovered  lying  in 
army  wagons  in  bad  condition,  as  nearly 
all  had  been  pooped- \ip  in  them  for  from 
twenty -four,  to  forty-eight  hours,  and  had 
b^en  carried  over  very  ro,i;igh  roa^s,  in 
very  uhcbinf ortable  positions,  for  a  distance 
of  twenty-five  miles,  without  once  Jiaving 
had  ,the  primary  dressings  of  their  wouni^s 
removed,  or  wet  oftener_than  twice  since 
starting  on  their  journey.  The  bandages, 
were  found  very  much  displaced  and-  soil- 
ed; and  in  consequence  there  was  miich 
suffering  from  the  heat  and  painfulness  of 
wounds.  It  *as  my  work;  to  relieve  these 
men,  as  well  as'  I  was  afele,  by  changing"  " 
the  positions  in  which  their  woanded  audi ' 
weari«d-  lim'bs  had  been  lying  for  manfr 
htrtM-s;  and  to  dress  and  wet  sueh  wouiid^- 


as  seemed  to  have  been  Ibngest  neglected, 
and  gave  rise  to  most  suffering.  AH  I  met 
with  were  bearing  their  fate  with  indescri- 
bable calmness  and  fortitude. 

*  *  *  *    ■      ' 

Coffee,  tea,  and  crackers  were  freely  dis- 
tributed by  the  agents  of  the  Commission, 
whose  headquarters  were  established  at  a 
point  favorably  located  for  the  work. 

The  wounds,  as  far  as  niy.  observations 
extended,  were  generally  doing  remarkably 
well. 

In  the  afternoon  of  May  12th,  I  found  in 
one  wap-on,  Lieut. ,  20th  Massachu- 
setts Volunteers,  who  was  shot  by  guerril- 
las, while  lying  in  the  wagon  on  his  way  to 
Belle  Plain.  He  was  in  a  ositical  condition,' 
having  been  woundecl  at  the  frorft  in  an 
engagement,  and  being  On  his  ■  way  to  hos-' 
pital  when  he  was  sh^t  again.  This,  tO' 
me,  was  a  heart  rending  case;  the  former 
wound*  not  being  fatal,  and  honorably  re- 
ceived, while  the  latter  would  without 
dOubt  cost  him  his  life.  I  gave  him  some 
wine  and  soft  crackers,  and  ordered  some 
beef  tea,  and  dressed,  his  wounds.  .Same 
day  I  went  to  ambulance  pai'k  of  5th  ahd' 
9th  Corps,  with  Dr.  B.  Harris.  Here  I 
found  600  men  seriously,  wounded,  many 
hsMng  had  their  limbs  amputated. 

-*.  «  *  •* 

'  The  sapae  supplies,  in  kind,  were  given 
to  wounded  of  5th  Corps.  All  these  men 
were  in  a  very  destitute  condition,  a-id  the 
surgeons  of  the  5th  Corps,  and  the  steward 
of  9th,Baid  the  men  must  have  suffered  much 
for  want  of  food,  but  for  the  timely  arrival 
of  our  stores.  The  wounded  in  9  th  Corps 
told  me  they  had  received  no'f ood,  of  sub- 
stantial character,  in  thirty-six  hours  pre- 
vious to  my  visit,' and  that  their  woudds 
had  rernaine.d  unlooked  at  for  forty' eight 
hours..  These  men  and  their  wOunds 'and 
stumps  ■  were-  in  bad  condition  in  all  re- 
spects; and-thus  they  woUld  be  compelled, 
probably  to  lie  eighteen  hours  longer  before 
they  could  reach  the  wharf  'and  the  trans- 
ports. I  left  bandages,  lint,  and  adhesive 
pl'aster,also,  foTtheir  use. 

On  May'  I3th'  I  started  on  foot,  in  mud' 
and  rain,  for  Fredericksburg,  and  after  going 
some'  distance  fell  in  with  Mr.  Holbrook, 
who  kindly  offered  me  his  horse  for  part  of 
my  journey.  'When  about  half  way  to  the 
ci'ty,    met    several '  large-  sqiids  of   rebel 

!  prisoners.  This  evidence  of  pur  success 
brought  much  cheerfulness  and  apparent 
satisfaction' to  our  men,  both' -thoss  who 
were  tTUdging  along  with  moderately  severe 
wounds,  apd  "those  on  their  way  to' the 
"front,"  who.  seemed  now.  to  be  over- 
anxious    to    push     along    with    alaoi"ity. 

,  Arrived  in  city  ^t  214  P-  M: ,'  pretty  WeU 
drenche.d  with  rain.  Exported  to  Dr.  Dal- 
ton,  at  your  request.  He  assigned  me  to 
'  "  ^  '  '         '  ' 

*  Compound  fracture  of  lo^r  jaw.  '' 


586 


The  Samtmry  Commiasion  Bulletin. 


duty  in  diarge  of  two  hospitals  off  1st  Div. 
of  6th  Corps.  I  commenced  work  in  the 
hospitals  by  dressing,  that  evening,  such 
wounds  as  imperatively  needed  attention, 
and^rdering  from  the  storehouse  of  the 
Commission  such,  supplies"  and  articles  as  I 
felt  would  make  my  men  oomiortable. ; 
There  were  in  the  hospital  106  men— of 
these,'  69  were  slightly,  wounded,  and  37 
very  seriously.  3?he  ipHowing  morning 
dressing  of  all  the  wounded  by  mjaself  had 
been  entered  upon,  and  I  worked  hard 
from  83^  A.  M.  till  nearly  2,i^  P.  M.  This  hav- 
ing been  done,  I  was  well  satisfied  with  the 
condition  of  all  the  wounded,and  of  the  cases 
which  it  was  necessary  I  should  personally 
attend  to  daily;  the  jithers, being  turned 
over  to  dressers  and  rrarses.  By  this  plan 
I  saved  much  time,  and  in  course  of  three 
or  four  days  all  was  going  on  so  nicely  that 
one-half  of  the  afterijoon  of  each  day  was 
spent  in  dressing  tliev wounds  of  inen,  who 
were  to  be  found  lying  on  nearly  every 
street  corner,  without  having  had  their 
wounds  attended  to'  from  forty-eight  to 
seventy-tw6  h,ours.  Many  poor  follows 
were  crowded  into  damp,  dark,  iU,  venti- 
lated stores,  of  which  there  are  a  great 
numjber  in  the  city.  These  men  frequently 
were  found  suflfering  much  from  long  lyiiig 
in  one  position,  or  from  hunger  or  thirst, 
oi  painfulness  of  their  wounds.  _  In  the 
half  afternoons  which  I  spent  in  going 
around  looking  after  the  wants  of  these 
neglected  cases,  and  in  relieving  them,  I 
am  c.onscious  of  having,  done  much  good  in 
the  name  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
***** 

Soon, after  flur ; arrival  at  Port  Eoyal  I 
went  ashore,  and  inquired  into  the  condi- 
tion and  needs  of  the  wounded.  Found 
most  were  lying  in  army  wagons, ,  parked 
about  the  supply  depot  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,,  which  had  been  established 
at  this  point  before  our  advent.  ,  All  the 
wounded  with  whom  I  conversecj  acjinowl- 
edged  they  had  enough  to  eat,  and  more; 
and  expressed  much  gratitude  toward^  the 
Sanitary  Commission  for  the  prompt  man- 
ner in  which  its  agents  had  come  tp,  tjieir 
relief.  Part  of  the  materials  of  which  the 
food  was  prepared  were,  I  believe,  furnish- 
ed us  by  the  Army  Medical  Department, 
under  Dr.  Cuyler,  bat  the  preparation  and 
distribution  were  done  by  the  agents  of  the 
Commission.  These  labors  here  were  highly 
appreciated  by  our  soldiers. 

One  of  the  most  gratifying  features  of 
the  Commission's  work  at  this  point  was 
the  intermeht  of  the  dead,  under  the  im- 
mediate supervision  of  Mr.  HoUtein,  in  a 
manner  so  orderly,  respeptf ul  and  spjeifin, 
that  it  attracted  the,  attention  pf  all,  and 
elicited  many  expressions  of  gratitvide,  sat- 
isfaction and  reverence,  from  the  witnesses . 
of  these  unpretending  scenes  of  loyal'de- 
Totion.    No  more  imposing  obsequies  have 


I  ever  observed,  and  never  have  I  experi- . 
enced  a  more  uncontrollable  thrill  of  so- 
lemnity, than  when  I  saw  the  bodies  of  our 
men,  shrouded  in  their  blankets,  lowered 
into  graves,  unseen  by  friends  and  unknown 
to  those  whose  loyal  hearts  urged  them  to 
this  last  sad  but  sanctifying  duty.  When 
I  last  visited  the  grounds  there  had  been 
twenty-three  interments.  The  graves  were 
tastefully  arranged  in  rows,  and  to  each 
was, a  head-board,  on  which  was  inscribed 
the  name,  rank,  company,  regiment,  and 
date  of  death  of  the  deceased. 

From  Portlloya]  I  accompanied  the  party 
to  White  House,  which  landing  we  reached 
in  the  afternoon  of  May  29th.  There  had 
been,n6  considerable  number  of  troops  at 
this  point  until  about  two  hours  previous 
to  our  arrival.  I  was  soon  assigned  to  duty 
on  shore.  For  several,  days  I  made  it  my 
business  to  look, to  the  wants' of  our  woun- 
ded and  supply  them,  or  direct  such  as 
were  able  where  to  find  what  they  wanteid. 
One  long  train  of  badly  i  wounded  men, 
numbering  about  1,500,  came  in  June  2d.i 
I  .visited  nearly  all  the  ambulances,  and 
asked  the  occupants  if  they  had  been  fed, 
and  had  received  coffee  or  beef-tea,  Ac. 
In  every  instance  the  reply  was  "Yes,  the 
Sanitarymen  gave  us  something>.to  eat," 
or  words  conveying- the  same  meaning. 

Up  to  June  4th  I  continued  doing  such 
work  as  came  within  ray  sphere,  .and  in  the 
doing  of  which  benefit  accraed  to  our  sick 
and  wounded  men.  My  work  for  several 
d^ys  previous  to  this  date  was  not  done 
with  the -alacrity  it  demanded,  for  the  rea- 
son that  I  did  not  feel  well.  The  malaise, 
previously  experienced,  seemed  to  have 
culminated  on  afternoon  of  June  4th,  and 
a  severe  attack  of  dysentery  was  the  conse- 
quence. From  this  date  till  June  12th  I 
was  whoUy  unfit  for  any  Service,  and  then  c 
I, should  have  declined  work  had  not  Dr. 
Fairchild  been  suddenly  taken  iU  and 
started  for  Washington.  I  then  succeeded 
him  in  duty  on  our  boats,  in  which  capacity 
Lhave  remained  up  to  present  date. 

The  foUpwing  extracts  from  Superin- 
tendent Harris's  report,  may  serve  to  illus- 
trate the  difficulties  of  transportation  with 
which  the  Field  Belief  Corps  of  the  Com- 
mission havfe  to  contend  in  ^pUowihg  the 
Army  with  supplies: 

Fkom  BkliiE  PiiAiN  TO  White  Hotjsb.' 

On '  May  23d,  Mr.  John  A.  Anderson, 
Actipg  Associate  Secretary  in  charge  of  the 
work  of  the  Commission  at  iPelle  Plain,  on 
the  Potomac,  ^t  tlj;a,t  tim"  the  base  of  sup-, 
plies  for  the  .^r.my  of,  the  Potpmac,  placed 
me  in  charge  of  the  lai^d  transportation  of 
the  Commission,  then  consisting  of  thirty- 
,  t^o  four-horsQ  wagons,  exclusiT^  pf  those 
at  front,  'vrith  instructions  to  exercise  my 


I!M  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin), 


&&t 


qwn  jadgment  aljput  conjiuctiiig  tbe  train, 
to  the  next  baaa,  whicti  would  probably  be 
?ortBoyal,  on  tlie  i^appahannpcik,  twenty 
milee-  below  Fxed©rickjsburg<  The,  same 
day  I  received  the  following  telegram  from 
lfi.]c.  Knapp,  dated  ■Washingtp.n: — "Send, 
the  loaded  wagons  to  Frederioiksburg.  Use 
your  own  judgment  about  the  others;  '^ut 
supply  Fredericksburg  if  you  can," 

AH  th^  ^agpps  were  Ipadedj  artd  at  6.30, 
P.M.j.tfee'train  ptsj:ted  in  chaifge  of  Clai'k 
Emmons,  wagon  master,  with  orders  to 
halt  for  the  nighijat  White  Oak  Church. 
Jn  the  morning  the,  feeding,  station  there, 
in  charge, of  Mr.  Dpolittle,  was , l:\rpken  up,, 
the  goods  put  in  the  wagons^  and  the  train; 
aisfted  for  Fredericksburg,  where  I  report- 
ed, to  Dr.  Douglas,  Associate  Secretary,  at 

IQ  A.M.  ■  .      ,        ,       „.    .  „;,       , 

The  Post  Quartermaster, ,  Captain  ^one, 
being  in  want  of  teams  to  moye  the  .wound- 
ed to  the  statjLpn  afFalmouth,  the  Govern- 
ment horses, being  eihausted  by  the  work 
put  upon  theni,  made  a  request  for  twenty- 
five, of  the.  Commissions'  teams,  which  was 
granted  by  Dr.  Douglas.  These  ,teaB(i8;  were 
engaged  aU  night,  makipg  several,. trips 
from  the  various  hospitals  in  the  town  to 
Fjdmouth.  ^.      •'  .         -     Ti-;,.    ,  ,,;    ■  ,'7; 

The  next  day,:.(^5th,)  a  simjlw  ,rgguest' 
was  made  for  ten  teams,  ^thich  ;Wasifl,l6Q 
granted  by  Dr.  Douglas.  These  ,w,er^  .at,, 
work  aU  day, and  night,  the  Commission 
drivers  remaining  with  their,  own  teams, 
refusing,  although  nearly  exhausted,  tp  let 
strange  men  drive.         ,  , 

On. the  26th,  the  Sanitary  Commission 
steamer  Kent  ar,rived  from  Port  Eoyal,  in, 
charge  of  Mr.  Williams,  and  reported  the 
other  boats  of  the  Commission  at  that 
place. .  ,     ..  •      .;■  .  : *., 

On  the  27,th  a  force  was  sent,,ou,t  to  the 
Wilcferness,  to  attempt  the  recovery,  of  some 
of  i  our  wounded,,  aba,ndoned  there  several 
days  previously,  and  then  in  thei  hands  pf 
the  enemy.  A  train  of  ambulances  accom- 
panied the  expedition,  to  wtich  was  adde.d 
a  Commission  four-horse  wagon  loaded 
with  soft  crackers,  milk, and  stiniulants,  in 
pharge  of  Mr.  Wilcox,  agent  of  the  aecond 
Corps.  .,,,.,,    !•....    ,      ,    11^      '.■::',! 

The  wounded  were  recovered  and  brought 
ill,  the  stpre^being  distributed!  to.  them  on 
the  road,  '    ,  i.--  .       '    .  . " 

On  the  28th,  Fredericksburg  was  aban-, 
doned:  by  our  forces.  Leayingrait  5  A.M., 
we  arrived , at  Port  Royal  sbprfcly  afterdark, 
and  reported  to  Dr.  Douglas.  Befpre  jstart^, 
iHg  in  the  morning,  jDr.  , . ,  ,  -  informed 
me  that  his  brother,,  whOiwaa,.recpvering 
from  the ,  small  pox,,  had  been  left  in ,  0B,e'  of 
the  houses  in  town,  an,4'fihat  he  was  unable 
to.  get  him  in  an  ambulance  or  on  board, the, 
hospital  boat,  and  that  unless  I  could  carry 
him  in  one  of  tlie,M^agons,  he  would  be  left 
behind.  ,,  ■  .  ••  ^ 

I  had  him  placed  in  a  spring  wagon,  and, 


rnade  him  as  cqmf prtable  as  ,possible,  and-, 
the  next  morning  had  the  satipfactipn  of 
seeing  him  placed  on  board  a  boat  bound 
for  Washington.  • 

,  The.  next  day,  (Sunday  29th,)  thp  boats 
of  the  Commission  left  for  White  House, 
to' which  place,  the  base  qf  supplies' was. 
being  changed.     The  wagons  were  loaded 
■sfith  a  few  additional  sacks  of  giain  each, 
ajijd  preparations  rftade  for  starting  the  fol- 
lowing mofning:,.,  At  2  A.  M.,    Monday,; 
the  train  was  in  readiness  to  staxt,  but 
ha,ving, received  permission  from  the  Quar- 
termaster, Cnpt.  Blood,  to  ship  a  portion  of 
thoi.gopds.  on  a  Government  bpat,  I, sent  i 
sixteen  wagons  to  the  river  which  were  un- 
loaded, with,  the  exception  of  a  few  oases 
Oi£,  underclothing,  shoes,    articles  of    diet 
ajid  stimulants,    and  the  goods  placed,  in' 
charge  of  William  S.  M.  Blazier,  agent  of 
ti^  Commission  in  th^6th  Corps.     ;, 

Having  reloaded  the  wagons  with  for- 
age, ah  effort  was  made  to  overtake  the, 
baianpe  of  the  train,  which  had  a  start,  of 
about  an  hour.  On  reaching  the  picket-' 
line  the  oiBcer  in  charge  refused  to  allow 
the  train  to  pass,  considering  the  danger  too 
grpat.  Consequently,  we  returned  to  camp 
to  wait  for  the  next  escort,        ... 

The  next  day  the  place  was  evacuated  by 
our  forces,-.  The  train,  consisting  of  about 
one  hundred  and  ;Sfty  wagons,  an(l '.guard- 
ed by  a  brigade  of  infantry  and  several; 
regiment's  of  cavalry,  was  in  motion  at  3 
A.  M. ,;  and  we  were  at  last  on  th^  road  to 
White  House,  Wl^en  about  si^  miles  from 
!^ort  Eoyal  we,  came  across  the  remains  pf, 
a  train  which  had  been  attackeid  two  nights 
previously  by  guerrillas.  A  number  of 
wagonp  had  been  burned,  w^hile,  a  few  re^ 
mained  uninjured.  HSjlf ,,  a  dozen  dead; 
mules  were  lying  around,  whilp  a  few 
others  were  quietly  cropping  thpi' grass. 
The  most  horrible  sight  was  three  of  our 
men  lying  on  the  ground  dead — On-e  with 
his  head  split  open  with  an  axe— to  all  ap- 
pearances brutally. murdered.  .Scouts  were 
immediately  sent  out,  and  shortly  returned 
bringing  a  man  whom  they  found  at  a 
house,  npar  by. 

At  .first  he  denied  having  had  anything  toi 
do  with  the  attack.  After  being  que^tiojied 
closely,  however,  he  .admitted  that  he  ,was; 
aware  pf  the  intentions  of  the  party  wiiohf 
made  the  attack,  bu,t  had  no  power  to  pre- 
vent it.  Five  minutes  were  aUpwe.d.him  to 
prepare  for  death,  which  had  the  effect  of 
bringing  ojit  his,  political  .sentiments. .  The 
moments  of  grace  were  spent  in  cursing 
th0t ' '  Yank?!,w  -  Seven  fe^jUs ,  through^  jus 
br.Ba^t  soon  sent  him  to  account  for  it  be- 
fore a  higher  tribunal. 

•      *  »  *  »  « 

Thursday,  June  2- — Reveille. at  1  A.;M. 
On  the  march  at  daylight.  Reached  the 
bank  of  the.  North  Anna -by  9,*  andi  crossed 
at  11  o'clock,    A,t  2  P.  M.,  arrived  at  Haa- 


588 


The  Samtary  Gommismon  BvUetin. 


over  Court  House,  having  traveled  several 
rniles  off  tlie  direct  road,  being  led  by  a 
guide  whose  proclivities  were  a  little  of  the 
"secesh  order,"  and  who  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  of  leadi'flg  the  train  where 
it  would  stand  a  fair  chance  of  being  cap- 
tured. The  plan  was  discovered  in  time, 
and  the  man  properly  taken  care  of. 
•  At  Hanover  Court  House  were  stationed 
the  cavalry  pickets  on  the  extreme  right  of 
Gen.  Grant's'  Army,  which  caused  us  to 
feel  that  we  were  near  our  jontney's  end. 
Parking  the  train,  the  teams  were  fed,  and 
preparations  were '  made  for  passing  the 
night  comfortably,  with  a  heavy  rain  pour- 
ing down.  At  6  P.  M. ,  however,  such  hap- 
py thoughts  were  dispelled,  by  the'  order 
to  *' hitch-up  immediately."  In  a  great 
hurry  the!  train  was  put  in  nxotion,  which 
continued /through  the  night,  the  teams 
being  driven  on  a  trot  wherever  the  condi- 
tion of  the  road  allowed  it.  At  daylight, 
halted  three  miles  from  Old'  Church,  and 
remained  in  park  a  few  hours,  when  the 
firing  being  rather  too  near,  a  move  was 
made  towards  the  rear  for  abbut  a  mile, 
where  we  were  out  of  range.  The  fighting 
continued  all  day,  during  which  I  issued  to 
various  surgeons  the  goods  remaining  in 
the  wagons. 

Saturday,  June  14th. — Ten  miles  from 
White  House;  At  9  A.  M.  started,  and  on 
the  road  all  day,  arriving  at  dark,  when  I 
reported  to  Dr;  IVouglas. 

The  balance  of  the  train  arrived  two 
days  before,  having  come  down  the  north 
bank  of  the  Pamunkey,  a  much  shorter 
route  than  th&t  by  which  we  came. 

Everything  in  the  train  was  in  good  order, 
owing  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Wagon  Mas- 
ter, Clarke  Emmons. 

,  Fbom  Whitb  ,HotrsB  to  City  Point. 
*  *  «  «    :         * 

After  the  arrival  of  the  Commission  trsiin 
at  White  House,  the  wagons  were  engaged 
in  hauling  stores  to  the  front  to  supply  the 
various  hosjjitals  and  the  wagons"  in  the 
Field  Belief  Corps. 

On  the  19th  ultimo,  there  were  remain- 
ing at  White  House  '  sixteen  four-horse 
wagons — the  ba.lahce  of  the  train  having 
been  sent  to  the  front  several  days  pre- 
vious, with  orders  to  follow  the  army  across 
the  Peninsula  to  tlie  new  base,  wherever  it 
"inight  be.  The  boats  of  the  Commission 
left  a  week  previous,  and  I  was  ■waiting  the 
first  opportnnity  to  start  with  the  remain- 
ing wagons.     ■   ,  .' 

Having  been  assigned  a  posi^ti  in  the 
Cavalry  Corp's  train,  I  drew  the  wagons  in 
their  proper  place,  and  with  others,  pa- 
tiently waited  the  return  of  Geh.  Sherman's 
command,  which  was  on  a  raid  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Staunton,  and  which  was  to  escort 
the  train.  On  Sunday,  (19,th  ultimo,)  he 
■was  reported  to  have  arrived  at  Dunkirk, 


eighteen  miles  north  o%  White  Housed  and 
was  expected  in  the  next  day. 

Monday  morning,  shortly  after  daylight, 
the  entire  camp  was  aroused  by  VoHeys  of 
musketry  and  cannonadiiJg,  but  a  heavy 
mist  prevented  aiiything  being  seen  -beyond 
a  few  rods.      '  ■  !      > 

Eiding  out  to  the  outer  line  of  intrench-C 
ments,  I  found  the  troops  in  line  expecting 
an  attack-.  The  enemy  had  drl-frea/in'  the 
pickets,  wounding  one  and  capturing  sev- 
eral. Returning  to  camp,  I  found  that  no 
orders  had  as  yet  been  received;  but  in 
view  of '  a  sudden  move,  I  had  the  teams 
watered  and  everything  packed  ready  to  be 
loaded.  At  6.30  A.  M.,  orders  were  received 
to  hitch-up,  and  move  the  train  across  the 
river  over  the  railroad  bridge.  After  re- 
maining there  a  few  minutes  watching  the 
enemy,  who  appeared  to  be  very  busy 
about  something,  we  saw  their  aftillery  run 
out  from  the  woods  and  unlimbered.  Im- 
mediately they  opened  fire  from  six'gunS, ' 
posted' by  sections  in  three  different  places, 
paying  thelp  compliments  to  the  train  which 
was  huddled  together  on  the  open  plain, 
presenting  a  beautiful  mark. 

*,  *     ■      *  *  » 

While  here  fourteen  shells  passed  through 
the  train,  only  two  of 'which  took  effect,  one 
striking  a  team  horae^  and  killing  himj  and 
the  other  passing  through  a  wagon  and  out 
by  the  driver,  doing  no  damage. 

None  of  the  men  were  injured,  although 
several.  had--narrow  escapes. 

By  one  o'clock  the  entire  train  was  oyer 
the  river  in  a  place  of  safety-,  and  the  fl.ring 
nearly  ceased,  the  enemy  having  lost  a  cais- 
son, and  apparently 'had  rather  the  worst 
of  the  fight. 

Sheridafl's  command  arrived  during  the 
afternoon  and  attacked  the  rebels,  and  by 
night  succeeded  in  driving  them  beyond 
TunstaU's  Station,  on  the  Eichmond  and 
York  Eiver  Railroad. 

The  following  day  the  wound-ed  of  the 
cavalry  began  to  arrive.  Mrs.  Husband, 
and  Miss  Hancookj  of  Philadelphia,  imme- 
diately began  to  prepare  food  for  them.. 
Happily  we  were  able  to  sir^ply  them  with 
plenty  of  crackers,  milk,  stimulants,  and 
canned  ineats.  For  several  days  previous 
to  this  these  two  ladies  had  nursed  and  fed 
some  twenty  or  thirty  sick  in  the  13th  Ohio 
cavalry.  ,  ,   '       . 

In  feeding  these  men  our  own  rations 
were  used,  so  that  we  were  compelled  to 
draw  from  the  commissary. 

Oa  the  22d  the  train  re-crossed  the  river, 
and  remained  near  the  landing  until  12 
o'clock,  (midnight,)  when  the  entire  com- 
mand'began  to  move.  The  train,  consist- 
ing of  860  wagonSi'  stretched  out  along  the 
road  for  eight  or  nine  miles,  and  required 
nearly  four  houts  for  aU  of  it  to  get  in 
motion,  consequently,  as  the  Commission' 
train  broughtup  the'  rear,  it  did  not  start 


The  Bmiiciry  ^Cpnmdssion  BtiUetm. 


58« 


until  daylight.  Reaching  New  Kent'Court 
House  about  noon,  a  short  halt  was  made 
,to  feed  and  rett.  4*  2  p.  M.,  the  march 
■was  resumed,  and  continued  tq  the  Chiok- 
ahominy,'  which  was  crossed  at  JoheS' 
Bridge. 

The  train  parked  for  the  night  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  river,  with  plenty  of 
wood  and  water  near  at^hand.  ,, 

The  advance  had  considerable  skirmish- 
ing this  day  ■'with  the  enemy,  in  which  the 
5>8th  colored  ,  r^giiDent  behaved  well  jfor 
their  first  fight,  charging  ind  driying  thj3 
reljels.' , 

Thitrsdiiy,  23d. -^ The  order  of  march  was 
to  Chatles  City  Court  House,  then  on  the 
'  river  Toad,  via  Westover  Church  aHd' Shir- 
ley to  Haxall'S,  on  the  James.  The  train 
was  in  motion  at  2  A.  M.^  and  marched 
about  five  miles,  when  a  halt  was  ordered, 
which  pQptinued  several;  hours,  until  the 
iroad  could,  be  cleared  of  the  enemy,  who 
was  niakin'^'  strenuous  eSfqrtIs  to  cut  and 
captu're  the'tiainv  ''  '   '    ' 

After  six  houis  we  started  again,  pasfeilig 
through.  Charles  ;Oity  Court  House  lanid 
along  the  river  road,  but  the  enemy  finally 
compelled  the  train  to  haul  ih  close  to  the 
river  at 'a  place  called  Wilcox's  Landing, 
,where  preparations , were  made,  for;  passing 
the  night.  TJiat  night,  I  sent.a,  note  by^^^a 
tug  going  up,  to  Dr.  Douglas,  announcing 
our  safe  arrival.  '    '  ^ 

■Before  the  men  had  finished  sti{)p'eii'j 
orders  were  ■  received  to  hiteh  up  and  'get 
but  of  that  place  as  soon  as  possible.  March- 
ing down  the  riyer  by  the  road  we  came, 
and  bearing  to  the  right  at  Charles  City 
-  Court  House. .  Murndng  found  us  at  a  place 
called  Wyanpke.  ,    ,|  :,•■< 

T  .  The  fighting  of,  yesterday  .was  very  heavy, 
,and  our  loss  .  considerable, .  especially  in 
Gregg's  cbnimand. 

At  Wyahoke,  boats  Tvere  in  readiness  to 
ferry  the  wagons  across  the  river.  'The 
Commission,  train  was,  the  first  to  cross. 
On,  the  south,  ba«ak,were  twp  canal  boats, 
oyer  which  the  horses  and  wagons  h9.d  to 
be  landed.  The  drivers  went  to  work  with 
a  .willj  and  in  an  hour's  tiine  built  a'  sub- 
stantial''  bridge,  by  which  the  tralin  was 
safely  put  ashore. 

The  heatithat  day  was, intense,  andthree 
of;  the  tea,msters  'were  overcome  'by  the 
effects  of  the  sun,  but  soon  recovered. 

Selecting  a  good  camping  ground,  we 
inade  preparations  to  stay  a  fe,w  days,  pro- 
vided th%  rebels  did  not  interfere,  which 
we  oould*not  have  offeiried  much  opposition 
to,  as  not  one  man  had  been  sent  dver  to 
guard  the,  wagons.  The  same  afternoon 
Mr.  Anderson  came  down  on  tho'  tug  Cur- 
tjn?,  bringingja  supply  o| ,  rations  for,  the 
inen'i 'an,d' of  stores,  f  01' the  wounded  in  the 
ho^itals  6u  iije  other  side  of  the  river.  ', 

The'-'-iiext 'May,  (Sundd,;^,)  Dr.' Dou^als 
eanie  down'  on  'tte  propeller  'TliompsoB, 


and  proppsed  sending  dqwn  boat^  the  next 
day,  to  carry  the  horses  ?#d  vagens  up  to 
City  Point,  deeming  it  unsafe  to  attempt  to 
go  up  the  road  without  a  guard.  '  It  was 
necessary  to  hajje^the  wagons  at  City  Point 
as  soon  as  possible,  to  haul  to  the  front 
store's  which  were'  rapidly ' accumulating 
there.  .'      ■ 

Ascertaining  frorn  contrabands  in  the 
vicinity  that  no  rebels  had'  been  seen 
around  there  for  several  days, ,  and  sup- 
posing there  were  none  there,  from  the 
fact  of  their  not  showing  tliemselves  when 
twenty  of  them  :eould,ihave  captured  the 
train,  J  coneljided  ,to  start  in  the  mo,[i;ning 
and  take  the  chances.  There  were  two 
Government  wagons  waiting  to  go  through 
with  the  mail.  Joining  with  them  we  raised 
quite' a  formidable  party — and  at  daybreak 
on  Monday,  started,  and  arrived  at  ©ity 
Point  at  8. 3£),  A.  M. ,  wiftiout  any  adventure. 

To  Messrs.  ;Doqlittle,  Davis,  and  Oscaa: 
Little,  I  am  much  indebted  fffi  the  kind  as- 
sistance they  Have  rendered  on,  the  march. 


SPECIAL  RELIEF— HQMES  AND  LODGES. 

,  ,  ,  WfASHINGTOJJ-.      , , 

Mr.  Abbott  reports  of  fiie  work  accomplished 
at, thp, Special  Belief  Office  at.  Washington,  a,nd 
the  Homes  and  Lodges  under  his  .supervision, 
for  the  quarter  ending  June  30th,  1864:    ,. 

SpEciaii  Keliep  '  OmcE. 
■  Discharged  Soldiers. 
Number  of  discharged  soldiers  whose  pap'ers 
have  been  received  and  acted  upon. . : . .  447 
Number  of  .cases,  adjusted .  and'  applicants  •  • 

paid :  ;';'i''326 

AmoTinfr  collected  for  the  three  hundred  and 
■  .'twenty  six .  applicants $43,937.30 

Number  of  applications  from  men  in  hospitals 
for  aid  in  obtainiiig-the  back  pay  due 
them, .:t;.-.>.  r}. ... . .: .-.■ : ; . ; '.":.■: . . .'. . .;,.  670 

Number  of  certificates  secured  for  back  j: 
pay .f.:vi  .-;.■.'. :'.-.  .j.:;  657 

Arfount  secured  on,  jCprti^ftoates,, $25,107.48 

i  ■■         '■       •-'■     .'     -  ■  NaVMj   CtAIMS.  .,lii"    '!'•:!  -' 

Number  pfnavSl  claiins'filed : :  '  63 

Number  'Sdj'iisted. ...:...  .^'.  . ':.' '. ;     43 

Amount  collected  Pn  naval  claims . .  .$'  5,525.01 
Total  amount  collectea  for  the  quarter, 

through  the  agency  of  the  offio'e! .  $76,591:11 
Number  of  drafts 'Secured  and  forWarded. .  154 
Amount  of  fee  154  drafts . . .' $13,964. 96 

The  number  who  are  availing  themselves  of 
this  privilege,  afforded  by  'the  Commission,  of 
sending  their  money  home  by  drafts,  lihus  say- 
ing them  'the  risk  of  losiig^or'hEjjviing! it  swin- 


5S0 


TJie  &anita/ry  Gomrriiasion  BvUdfyi. 


died  from  tllem,  is  inei'easiflg;  buring  'the  last 
mbntli  the  number  is  nearly  twice  as  great  as 
any  month  previous. 

COBEESPONDENCB. 

Najnber  of  letters  wi-itten  in  adjtisting  th?  cases 
acted  upon,  of  sufficient  importance  to 

make  a  copy  n6cess9,ry,.;..,.. v. . ..  ..1,G65 

A  large  number  have  -been  written,  of  which 

no  copy  has  been  taien. 

Bension  Oeeiob. 

Number  of  pension  claims  filed 357 

Number  of  claims  for  arrears  of  pay  and 

bounty 47 

Claims  forpensions  completed  and  allo-wed  189 
Claims  for  ajrears  of  pay  and  bounty  allow- 
ed.....  6 

Claims  for  pensions  rejected Bl 

Number  of  letters  written  in  full  in  adjust- 
ing the  above  oases 476 

Elanksfilled' • 689 

*  'WTiole  number  of  letters. v 1,165 

Tke  Home.  '"' 

The  report  of  jlr.  P.  J.  McHenry,  Assistant 
Superintendent,  shows  the  amount  of  Work  ac- 
complished at  the  Home,  for  the  last  quarter; 
to  be  as  follows : 

Whole  number  admitted. . ; 2,692 

Number  of  lodgings  furnished 7,767 

Number  of  meals  furnished 18, 190 

Home  fob  Soidibes'  Wxveb  and  Mothebb. 

Number  adiaitted 444 

Women . . . .;..,, 333 

Children.,.', Ill   ; 

Nurdber.  of  meals  furnished  for  May  and 

(    June ..2,797 

Number  of  lodgings  ^^iiinished  for  May  and 

June '...". ..'..'. 1,017 

Lodge  No.  i. 
Number  of  meals, furnished  to  soldiers 

and ^ambnlauGer drivers. . :. 20,510 

Number  of  lodgings. 4,706 

Mr.  John  Kane,  Superintendent  of  the  Lodge 
since  July  10,  1863,  was  discharged  on  the  23d 
pf>  June,  for  disloyfiluttfirancss.,  His  services 
fed  management  of  the  Lodge  were  entirely 
satisfactory,  but  his , sentiments,  were  altogether 
too  rebellious  to'  be  tolerated  during  the  last 
few  weeks  of  his  services. 

Mr.  John  Savall  was  placed  temppTarily  ,in 
charge,  and  thus  far  I  am  well  pleased  with  his 
management  of  the  Lodge. 

y  ,  LoDQB  No.  5. 

The  work  of  "this  Lodge  has  been  principally 
the  furnishing  of  food,  coffee,  lemonadejl  and 


stimulants  to  the  sick  &u(i  woimded,  arrivitf^ 
on  the  cars  and  hospital  boa,t8  and  trainspdfle, 
and  while  waiting  to  be  removed '|o  General 
Hospital.  Not  less  than  gevpn.ty  or  eighty  bar- 
rels of  crackers,  and  from  six  to  eight  thousand 
gallons  of  coffee,  chocolate,,  lemonaidje  &nd  stim- 
xUants  have  been  distributed  to  iJie  sick  and 
wounded  from  this  Lodge. 

AusiiAjJBBiA  Lodge. 

The  importance  of  this  Lodge' has  greatly  di- 
ininished  since  the  army  moved  its  base  of  sup- 
plies from,the  Orange  and  Al,exandria  Bailroad. 
However,  its  records  will  show  that  more  than 
-20,s000  soldiers,  sick  and  woundpdj  ha^e  been 
provided  With  food  and  drinks  from  this  Lodge, 
and  more  than  1,000  lodged  during  the  last 
quarter. 

The  wounded  that  have  been  brpught  up  pn 
t^e  hospital  boats  and  ,5tianspor^s,  and  seiit 
into  the  general  hospital  of , Alexandria,  have 
all  been  provided ;  with  food  and'  stimulants 
from  this  Lodge,  whenever  they  have  required 
them.  . 

Home  roE  Invalid  Soi/DIebb,,  Baitimohb. 
This  Home  has  not  been  in  dperation  two 
mbnth^'  yet  its  record  shows  the  foUbwing 
amount  of  work  accomplished   since  it  w;as 
opened:    ,  ,  ,,  ,   , 

Number  of  spldiers  admitted ... 32 

Number  of  soldiers  vrives  admitted. 30 

Number  of  refugees  admitted ,27 

Total 89 

Number  of  meals  furnished 615 

Number  of  lodgings  furnished. 187 

Number  farmshed  Government  transporta'n  2,3  • 
Number    furpishe^, ,  transportation  ^  by  -  t£e 
Commission 19 

The  Home  is  situated  at  No.'  62  Conway 
Street,  near  the  Camden  station;  a  toiivenieiit 
two-story  brick 'house,  w6U  arranged  for  the 
work,  for  which  a  rent.qf  $350  per  year  is  to  be 
paid.  It  has  aooonimodations  for  about  fifty 
persons. 

The  number  of  meals  furnished  at  the  Homes 
and  Lodges  in  this  city,  Alexandria;  and  Baltii 
more,  during  the  last  quarter,  bf  which  a  record 
has  been  :Uept,  was  42,112;  number- of  lodgings, 
14,677.  The'numter  of  meals  does  npt'include 
the  thowapds  that  have  been  fed  at  the  rail- 
road stations  and  boat  landings  in,  this  iC^tj 
and  Alexandria,  while  waiting  to  be  removed 
to  General  Hospitals.  ' 

This' report  bf  the  operatibnk  of  the  Special 
Belief  Office  a»4  p^?  several  Homes\aiid|LbdgeS( 
is  far  from  being  complete.  There,  are  thou- 
s^ds  of  lititle  acts  of  kindness,  relief  ^anij,  ai^ 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bullelin. 


5.91 


furnished  wliich  really  miLke  up  the  best  part 
of  the  special  relief -woik,  that  it  is  impossible 
to  enter  into  our  record?,  and  consequently  the 
most  jntereBting  portion  of  the  -Viork  is  never 
exhibited  in  a  report. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  a  pleasant  duty  to  bear 
te'Stimony  to  the  faithfulness  and,  zeal  of  my 
associates  in  the  work  of  special  relief,  in  the 
performance  of  their  duty,  and  also  the  uniform 
kindness  with  ■whiih  we  hare  been  treated  by 
the  officers  and  clerks  in  the  various  depart- 
ments of  the  Government,  and  all  others  with 
whom  our  business  has  brought  us  in  contact. 

Home  Hospitai.. 
Surgeon  Nichols  reports  of  the  Home  Hos- 
pital under  his  charge  for  the  month  of  June, 
1864: 

Cases  treated  . . . .' 183 

Different  diseases 18 

States  represented. , . .' '.......  i  ..*,  ,17 

Deaths. .  ■. 2 

Visits  to  Soldiers'  Kest > 10 

Outside  prescriptions. <.  ....j 60 

Wounds  dtessed ; ^ 500 

NEW  OBLEANS. 

Mr.  Bullard  reports : 

The  "Soldiers'  Home  has  been  eminently  sue-- 
eessful  during  the  past  month,  and  its  utility 
has  manifested  itself  with  unusual  foifoe  at  this 
particular  season,  when,  oji  account  of  the  ad- 
Ta,ncing  hot  weather,  many  men  were  being 
farloughed  and  discharged  from  the  diffferenit 
sections  of  the  Depattmeiit,  of  ocmrse  i  daily 
gathering  jn  New  Orleans,  to  Secure  their  pay 
and  transportation.  18  is  painful  to  think  of 
the  suffering  that  must  have  resulted  from  the 
entire  absence  of  any  such  ■  source  of  relief  in 
this  oityjast  summer.,  Our  experience  this  year 
is  an  index,  in  a  degree,  of  what  must  have  been 
last  year;  and  probably  the  active  campaign 
towards  and  at  Port  Hudson  last  year  brought 
a  \3fge  number  of  men  to.  this  city,  who  found 
neither  Soldiers'  Home  nor  other  source  of  re- 
lief, in  a  community  for  the  most  part  literally 


The  various  movements  of  the  army  T^ifhin 
the  last  few  wgeks,  the  apparent  necessity  to 
furlough  or  discharge  many,  from  the  large 
numbers  of  men  already  brpken  down  by  dis- 
ease in  this  trying  cliAate,  and  the  recent.iur 
terruptions  in  the  usual  njeans  of  transporta- 
tion, resulting  from  theaeizpreof  boiits  fonmil- 
itai^  purposes,  tave  so  crowded  the  Home  that 
I  found  it  necessary  to  enlarge  the  means  of 
'  accommodation.  More  particularly  the  hospi- 
tal' ward  was  found  insufBoient.  Some  of  the 
furloughed  and  discharged  men  f;:pm  the  i;egi- 


ments  were  barely  able  to  reach  the  city,  and 
in.  many  eases  they  have  been  compelled  to  re- 
main with  us  several  days,  waiting  for  pay  or 
,  transportation.  The  only  apparent  remedy 
seemed  to  be  to  hire  the  building  between  the 
Soldiers'  Home  and  our  office.  This  additional 
building  costs  the  Commission  $30  pel'  month. 

The  expenses  of  the  Home  have  been  larger 
the  past  month  than  usual.  We  have  had  more 
men  to  care  for,  and  there  have  been  more  sick 
on  our  hands  ;than  during  any  month  h^eto- 
fore.  Mr.  Weaver  and  all  the  employees  have 
worked  faithfully,  and  have  done  themselves 
credit  by  their  ready  efforts  to  help  the-  sick 
and  needy.  Our.  faithful  little  matron)  Miss 
James,  has  been  untiring. in  her  attention  to  the 
sick,  aud  many  a  poor  fellow  has  left  the  Home, 
blgSBing  her  for  her  kindness. 

It  may  be  necessaiy  to,  modify  operations  in 
the  matter  of  exchanging  .certain  rations,  which 
heretofore  have  helped  reduce  the  expenses  of 
the  Home. 

I  enclose  Mr.  Weaver's  report.  It  speak^  for 
itself,  and  shows  a  good  month's  record. 

The  whole  amount  of  rations  bought  and 
issued  to  the  men  going  home,  via  Cairo  and 
TiJew  York,  in  June,  is  ^598.63;  of  this  amount, 
$501.65  was  refunded  by  those  having  money. 
About ,  thirty  men,  who  were  destitute,  -harte 
been  furnished  with'  sim.ilaii;  rations,  at  a  cost 
of  $97  to  the  special  relief  fund.  Spme  of  these 
cases  were  sick  furlougbefl/men,  who  oaiild  not 
.eat  the  coarse  Government  rations  usually 
drawn  on  furloughs.'  I  think  these  funds  have., 
be^n,  well  and  "charitably  invested. 

In  the  office  work  of  the  special  relief  ifidi- 
vidiiftl  cases  of  advice  aid  assistance,  a,side 
from  mere  collection  of  pay,  are  constantly  in- 
creasing. Much"  thaf'is  perplexing  and  "un- 
pleasant helps  fill  the  daily  office  experience. 
Enough  success  cro-wns  our  efforts  to  bring  in- 
creasing numbers '  of  applicants.  ■ ' :  L      . .  r 

During  thei  month  165  cases  have,  passed 
through  the  office  for  collection  of  pay.  Amount 
cplleotEd,  $26,649.10.  .        , 

During  thpmpnth  of  J\iue  the  number  of 
admissions  has  been  968;  of  meals  furnished, 
5,713;  of  lodgings,  17,193.  Amount  of  money 
deposited  for  safe  keeping;  $22,396.48. 


During  the  month  ending  JtaySd  the  num- 
ber'of  adiriissions  has  iaeen  1,592;  of  meals  fi- 
nished, 3,894;  of  lodgings,  918;  the  ^amount,  of 
pay  coUeoted  aid  paid  over,  ^832^39. 

WAtllTVTT.T.-g 

During  the  month  ending  July  26i^ihe.njim^ 
ber  of  adtaiBsionshas  been  3,?04;  tif  meals  .foi- 


592 


The  StmUary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


nished,  9,921 ;  of  lodgings,  3,413.  Transporta- 
tion has  been  prociired  for  2,482;  and  the 
amgimtof  pay  collected  and  paid  over  has  been 
$2,568.48. 

CAI^O. 

During  the  month  ending  June  27  the  num- 
ber of  admissions  has  been  6,696;  qf  meals  fur- 
nished, 14,046;  of  lodgings,  3,338;  and  trans- 
portation has  been  furnished  fpr  289. 

DETEOIT. 

11,885  meals  and  4,704  lodgings  have  been 
famished. 


THE  S-iHITAET  AND  CHRISTIAN  COM-' 
MISSIONS. 

'Rev.  J.  P.  Thompsoli,  of  New  Tort,  hav- 
ing lately  returned  from  a  visit  to  General 
Sherman's  army,  as  a  delegate'  of  the  Chris- 
tian Commission,  has  ■written  for  the  Con- 
gregationaliit  several  articles,  giving  an  ac- 
count of  his  experience  at  the  ftont.  Dr, 
Thompson  had  very  favorable  opportuni- 
ties for  :?eeing  the  methods  and  working  of 
both  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commis- 
sions, although  his  stay  was  short.  He 
was  present  at  the  battle  of  Eesaea,  and 
had  much  to  do  in  alleviating  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  wounded,  and  in  soothing  the 
spirits  of  the  dying.  He  was  in  many  hos- 
pitals all  the  way  from  Louisville  down, 
and  saw  and  helped  with  his  words  of 
good  cheer  many  sick  and  discouraged 
soldiers. 

Dr.  Thompson's  opinions  are  so  widely 
and  so  highly  valued,  that  the  follp;^ing 
e3^tra,Cit  frpm  one  of  his  communications  to 
the  Congregationalist  wiU  be  read  with  in- 
terest by  all  the  friends  of  the  soldiers  who 
wish  them  to  receive  the  largest  benefit 
possible  from -the  efforts  made  in  their  be- 
half. Di.TChompson  says  of  the  two  Com- 
missions: 

Our  personal  observation,  and  an  exten- 
sive comparison  of  views  with  those  most 
competent  to  judge,  have  convinced  us 
that  sqjne  arrangement  must  be  made  at 
•  headquarters  of  the  Christian  and  Sanitary 
Commissions,  to  ensure  their  harmonious 
working  upon  the  field.  In  the  West  this 
,  harmony  already  exists  to  a  commendable 
degree.  It  is  favored  by  the  leading  minds 
of  both  Commissions,  and  is  practically 
hindered  only  by  the  incompetent  or  iU- 
advised  subordinates  of  either. 

A  few  simple  facts  and  principles  in  this 
matter  are  so  obvious,  that  the  public  wiU 
insist  upon  their  being  regarded  by  th^ 
two  Commissions. 


1.  The  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
is  indispensable  to  the  best  physical  condi- 
tion of  the  army,  and  to  the  prompt  succor 
and  relief  of  the  wounded. 

2.  Its  purely  humane  object  enables  "it 
to  appeal  to  the  widest  range  of  sympa- 
thies, and  to  draw  from  the  amplest  fifeld 
of  resources. 

3.  Its  thorough  systemization  enables  it 
to  act  with  a  high  degree  of  efficiency,  and 
with  a  small  percentagB  of  waste. 

4.  Its  principle  of  distribution,  through 
the  ofiicial  requisition  of  the  medical  direc- 
tion of  the  army,  with  a  limited  discretion 
of  personal  distribution  by  its  agents,  fe 
obviously  the  sound  principle,  and  secures 
to  this  Commission  the  proper  facili^es  for 
access  to  the  arfaiy.'      ••  - 

.,  5.  The  composition  of  the  Commission 
is  a  guaranty  against  either  sectarianism  or 
irreligion  in  its  prevailing  tone.  That  fjome 
members  of  the  Commission  may  have 
sou_ght  to  give  it  a  sectarian  bias  is  possi- 
ble; that  some  of  its  agents  have  been  men 
of  irreligious  character  is  true;-  but  these 
are  evils  that  can  and  wiU  be  rectified  by 
the  Commission  itself  under  the  healthy 
action  of  .public  opinion.,  t 

6.  The  Christian  Commission  is  of  incal- 
culable importance  to  the  moral  and  spir- 
itual welfare  of  the  army.     It  can  hardly 

■  be  over-estimated.  For  its  long  winter 
ministrations  when  the  army  is  in  quarters, 
and  for  its  steady  work  in  hospitals,  as  also 
for  the  general  superintendence  of  a  de- 
partment, it  should  have  men  of  wisdom 
and  experience,  who  wiU  devote  tKeir  time 
to  the  work  for  months  and  even  for  years. 
Such  men  are  the  Eev.  E.  P.  Smith  at 
Nashville,  and-  his  worthy  coadjutor,  Mr. 
Ewing.  Some,  however,  have  been  em- 
ployed in  this  work  who  had  nothing  to 
recommend  them  but  religious  zeal.  The 
special  ministration  of  the  Commission 
when  the  army  is  in  an  active  campaign, 
opens  a  field  for  temporary  agents,  and  es- 
pecially for  pastors,  who  know  how  to  deal 
with  the  souls  of  men,  under  every  variety 
of  experience.  .. 

7.  To  further  their  spiritual  ministra- 
tions, the  agents  of  th^  Christian  Commis- 
sion should  be  furnished' with  sanitary 
stores,  and-  should  be  able  to  contribute  to 
the  physical  comfort  of  the  soldiers  ■  upon 
equal  terms  with  the  agents  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

8.  But  in  order  to  do  this,  it  is  not  neces- 
sary that  there  should  be  two  sets  of  ware- 
houses, two  systems  of  transportation,  two 
distributing  ageHQies  over  all  the  arlny 
field,  nor  that  the  Christian  Commifesioii 
should  enter  into  competition  with  %he 
Sanitary  Commission  in  raising  material 
stores  for  the  army.  A  compact  can  be  ' 
made  between  the  two  Commissions  by 
which  the  agents  of  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion shall  draw  supplies  from  the  Sahitary, 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


593 


as  a  matter  of  rule  and  of  right,  to  be  dis- 
tributed under  regulations  jointly  agreed 
upon. 

9.  By  this  system  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion can  stand  before  the  churches  upon 
the  high  ground  of  its  blessed  spiritual 
work,  and  for  this  it  -will  draw  to  it  all  the 
resources  that  it  can  possibly  expend. 

10.  Pastors  and  churches  must  and  will 
insist  upon  this  common  sense  economy  in 
the  administration  of  these  two  great  kin- 
dred charities.  AH  which  is  submitted 
with  deference  to  whom  it  may  concern. 

New  York.  June  6. 


THE  WESTEEN  DEPAHTMENT. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  reports 

of  our  agents  will  serve  to  give  an  idea  of 

how  our  work  is  progressing  in  this  quarter: 

M.  C.  Keab. 

Chaitamooga,  July  1, 1864. 
I  have  telegraphed  you  in  regard  to  a 
supply  of  smoking  and  chewing  tobacco, 
and  a  supply  of  anti-scorbutics  at  this  point. 
Tobacco  may  seem  to  be  of  little  import- 
ance,' but  very  many  of  the  men  have  been 
long  accustomed  to  its  use;  they  have  been 
fighting  almost  constantly  for  weeks,  con- 
structing earth-works  at  night,  sleeping  in 
the  trendies,  and  with  arms  in  their  hands 
most  of  the  time.  Sutlers  are  not  allowed 
to  foUow  the  army,  and  men  have  no 
means  of  supplying  themselves  with  this 
article  which  custom  has  made  a  necessity. 
Ought  we  not  to  famish  it  for  them? 

The  want  of  vegetable  food  is  a  more 
serious  matter  stUl.  The  constant  excite- 
ment and  constant  labor  of  the  campaign, 
ara  telling  upon  the  strength  and  health  of 
the  men.  ' '  Scurvy"  is  becoming  a  frequent 
word  in  hospital  reports,  and  calls  from  the 
front  for  vegetables  for  distribution  to  the 
regiments  are  becoming  very  urgent.  Yes- 
terday a  surgeon  came  in  on  order  from 
General  Thomas,  for  transportation  for 
three  car  loads  of  sanitary  stores  for  his 
division. 

Our  efforts  have  been  so  long  directed 
for  providing  for  the  wounded  and  sick, 
that  we  had  nothing  to  send. 

So  urgent  is  the  demand,  that  after  ad- 
vising with  Dr.  Wright,  the  Assistant 
Medical  Director,  I  have  ordered  one  car 
load,  (three  hundred  bushels  of  onions,)  to 
•  be  gathered  from  the  garden  to-morrow, 
and  sent  forward  to  the  regiments  needing 
them  most;  true,  in  three  weeks  these 
three  hundred  bushels  would  make  six 
hundred  or  more,  if  allowed  to  mature,  but 
I  believe  they  will  be  of  more  value  now 
than  they  would  then.  Ten  thousand  bar- 
rels of  pickles,  kraut,  and  cabbage,  with  a 
good  supply  of  ale,  would  be  worth  ten 
thousand  men  if  they  could  be  got  to  the 
■Vol.  I,— No.  19.  38 


army  at  once.     Cannot  something  be  dono 
in  this  matter,  and  at  once? 

I  am  confident  I  can  get  transportation 
for  that  amount  immediately,  and  that  it 
can  be  pushed  promptly  through  and  dis- 
tributed to  the  men.  It  wiU  involve  a 
large  outlay,  but  it  wiU  pay,  and  a  thou- 
sand fold,  if  it  can  only  be  done.  If  a  move- 
ment is  made  in  this  direction,  and  you 
will  telegraph  me  how  many  cars  are  need- 
ed, and  where,  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
the  necessary  orders  can  be  secured  to  ob- 
tain them  promptly,  or  you  can  doubtless 
secure  them  through  the  Assistant  Surgeon 
General. 

Mr.  Sutliffe  and  Bev.  O.  Kennedy  have 
reported,  and  go  down  to-night,  one  to 
take  charge  of  the  station  at  Dalton,  and 
the  other  at  Kingston.  We  have  three 
stations  (at  Kingston,  DaHon,  and  Besaca,) 
for  feeding  the  wounded  in  transit  from 
the  front,  while  the  prompt  attention  that 
aU  receive  on  arriving  here,  through  ar- 
rangements made  by  the" Post  Medidal  Di- 
rector, Dr.  P.  Salter,  renders  additional 
help  at  'this  poiiit  to  the  men  coming  in 
and  going  out  unnecessary.  The  prepara- 
tions are  now  ample  for  securing  refresh- 
ments to  the  men  in  transit,  and  there 
can  be  no  just  complaints,  except  in  rare 
instances. 

Por  the  wounded,  we  need  milk  and  beef 
in  large  quantities,  and  large  shipments  of 
stores,  in  variety.  Beef  is  indispensable 
at  aU  stations  for  the  refreshment  of  the 
■^^ounded,  as  it  can  be  promptly  prepared 
and  there  are  many  who  can  take  Kttle 
else. 

I  have  such  word  from  the  front  that  I 
shaU  delay  sending  the  onions  for  a  day  or 
two.  But  all  reports  confirm  the  idea  that 
it  is  essential  that  something  on  a  large 
scale  be  done  for  the  men  not  yet  sick. 

Db.  Bead. 
Is  THE  Field,  neae  Ksnesaw  Mt. 

So  far  as  I  could  by  telegraph,  I  inform- 
ed you  why  I  took  the  responsibility  of 
coming  here,  instead  of  meeting  you  in 
Nashville,  as  directed. 

Telegrams  from  the  Medical,  Director 
asking  us  to  aid  in  feeding  the  wounded  to 
be  sent  back  immediately,, and.  again  the 
great  number  of  wounded,  seemed  to  me 
to  require  aU  my  attention  heie. 

The  feeding  of  the  wounded  on  the  road, 
from  Big  Shanty  to  Chattanooga  is  now, 
perhaps,  the  most  important  part  of  our 
vfork.  The  trains  are  run  with  great  irrea- 
ularity,  being  sometimes  forty-eight  hours 
in  making  a  hundred  miles.,  Th&men  have 
been  sent  sometimes  without  rations  and 
have  not  been  always  sure  of  drawing  them' 
on  the  way  Such  is  the  irregularity  that 
It  is  deemed  necessary  to  keep-  open  three 
refreshment  stations,  one  at  Kingston,  at 


594 


The  8(inUary  Commission  BuHebi/n. 


Besaca,  and  at  Dalton.  Mr.  Eno  has  im- 
dertaken  to  superintend  this  work,  and  to  do 
it  reasonably  "well  will  require  great  effort, 
as  we  have  not  and  cannot  immediately  ob- 
tain sufficient  cooking  utensils.  We  make 
beef  soup,  coffee,  and  milk  punch,  and  fur- 
nish soft  crackers.  Sometimes  the  trains 
cannot  stop  long  enough,  and  thus  we  are 
defeated  in  our  best  efforts.  But  applica- 
tion has  been  made  to  the  MedicaiDirector 
to  secure  a  longer  stoppage  of  trains. 

I  find  a  large  general  hospital  at  Big 
Shanty.  The  surgeon  in  charge,  Dr. 
Woodward,  offered  me  rooms,  and  I  sent 
back  to  Acworth  for  stores,  as  the  wants  of 
this  hospital,  and  the  gradual  advance  of 
our  army,  seemed  to  demand  that  our 
stores  should  be  brought  nearer. 

Mr.  Tone  I  found  quite  unwelL  Mr. 
Mason  goes  to  his  aid.  I  also  telegraphed 
our  ^ents  in  Stevenson  and  Huntsville  to 
come  to  Chattanooga,  bringing  all  that  be- 
longs to  the  Commission;  they  are  wanted 
much  more  here  now. 

The  sick  and  wounded  are  to  be  sent 
back  as  soon  as  possible,  but  only  that 
they  may  make  room  for  others.  The 
campaign  is  arduous  beyond  description. 
There  is  a  good  deal  of  scurvy  among  the 
men.  Everything  possible  should  be  done 
to  bring  forward  stores,  especially  milk, 
beef,  and  crackers. 

These  are  the  staple  articles.  So  far,  we 
have  clothing  sufficient,,  and  no  more  men 
need  be  sent  back  without  a  change,  if 
reaUy  destitute. 

Fans  are  much  in  demand.  Ice  at  Chat- 
tanooga is  a  great  blessing,  and  is  faithfully 
appropriated."  It  has  come  through  in  good 
condition,  with  little  waste. 

Within  a  few  days  at  furthest,  large  de- 
mands are  likely  to  be  made  on  us  for 
stores, /md  everything  possible  should  be 
done  to  furnish  means  for  curing  or  pre- 
venting scarry  as  well  as  for  taking  care  of 
the  wounded. 

Bev.  Mb.  Ingbahau. 

NAJBHVI1.LE,  JvJy  1,  1864. 

One  who  is  earnestly  engaged  in  the 
work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  finds  but 
little  time  to  write.  There  is  so  much  to 
be  done,  such  a  field  of  labor  before  him, 
that  he  begrudges  the  very  time  it  takes  to 
write,  for  as  long  as  he  can  move,  he  feels 
that  he  must  be  at  work,  doing  some  one 
good,  and  when  he  can  no  longer  work, 
then  he  cannot  write,  and  yet  writing  is 
work,  and  a  good  work. 

There  are  many  incidents  every  day 
occurring  which,  if  recorded  and  publish- 
ed, would  make  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers' 
friends  most  gratified. 

An  instance  of  this  kind  occurred  to-day. 
Vhad  been  telegraphed  early  in  the  morn- 
■"  ^the  Medical  Director  and  to  the 


Sanitary  Commission,  that  trains  of  wound- 
ed men  would  be  in  during  the  day.  '  At 
once  the  Sanitary  Commission  made  its 
arrangements  to  receive  them  with_  some 
little  refreshments. 

Drs.  Castleman  and  Webster,  two  gentle- 
men untiring  in  their  labors  at  all  times  for 
the  sick  and  wounded,  obtained  a  detail  of 
half  a  dozen  soldiers  to  assist,  with  one  or 
two  of  the  young  men  of  the  Commission, 
and  hastened  to  the  depot.  There  wer^ 
already  their  boxes  and  barrels,  their  buck- 
ets and  cups.  Very  soon  the  barrels  were 
filled  with  water  and  ice.  Baskets  were 
filled  with  fine  soda  and  other  delicate 
crackers.  Cans  of  condensed  milk  were 
opened  and  poured  into  buckets.  Then 
bottles  of  pure  whisky  were  emptied  into 
a  barrel  of  iced  water,  and  when  this  was 
sufficiently  strong,  then  the  milk  was  pour- 
ed in,  stirred  up,  and  presto! — ihwe  was  a 
barrel  of  the  finest  iced  milk  punch — ^punch 
that  made  some  of  the  gasping  bystanders 
almost  wish  that  they  lliemselves  were 
wounded  in  their  countiry's  cause. 

Scarcely  were  the  preparations  comple- 
ted than  a  train  came  rushing  up  to  the 
platform.  This  in  a  few  minutes  time  was 
followed  by  another,  .and  then  not  long 
after,  by  a  third,  the  whole  number  of 
wounded  being  between  three  and.  four 
hundred;  and  this  is  the  way  they  have 
been  coming  in  here  for  a  week  or  two 
past.  For  they  are  clearing  out  all  the 
hospitals  at  the  front,  those  who  can  be 
moved,  as  well  as  sending  up  the  later  cases 
of  men  slightly  wounded. 

One  of  these  trains  was  the  regular  Hos- 
pital Train,  containing  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  patients,  (forty-two  of  these 
having  each  lost  an  arm,  and  twenty-three 
having  each  lost  a  leg,)  under  the  charge  of 
Dr.  Bamum,  and  whose  wounded  have 
therefore  needed  but  little  at  our  hands. 
Every  man  had  been  carefully  watched  _and 
provided  for  the  whole  distance  from  Chat- 
tanooga through.  The  other  cars  were  box 
or  freight  cars,  some  of  them  irith  rough 
seats  made  of  boards  nailed  temporarily  to 
cleets,  and  others  were  provided  with  shuck 
mattresses,  on  which  the  worst  wounded 
were_  laid.  There  were  sixteen  of  these 
cars  in  one  train,  and  all  filled  with  wound- 
ed men.  These  cars  are  very  close  and  hot. 
There  are  no  conveniences  for  sick  men — 
no  communication  from  one  <^r  to  another, 
and  when  the  train  is  in  motion,  if  water  or  - 
food  is  to  be  taken  to  the  men,  it  has  to  be 
carried  along  the  top  of  the  cars,  and  then 
handed  in  at  the  little  windows  at  either 
end,  or  reached  down  into  the  doorway, 
and  of  course,  with  the  best  of  surgeons 
and  nurses,  but  little  can  be  done  for  their 
comfort;  and  when  the  trip,  which  is  sel- 
dom less  than  twenty-four  hours  from  Chat- 
tanooga, is  unusually  long,  the  suffering  is 
very  great. 


The  Banitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


595 


On  one  of  these  trains  that  came  in  with- 
in a  day  or  two,  the  men  had  had  nothing 
to  eat  for  twenty-four  hours.  The  Sanita- 
ry Commission  had  provided  refreshments 
at  one  Oi  the  stations,  but  through  some 
cause  the  train  did  not  stop. 

Ton  can  easily  imagine  how  such  refresh- 
ments as  those  above  mentioned  were  re- 
ceived at  the  depot  here.  Being  so  simple, 
all  of  both  sick  and  wounded  could  partake 
of  them.  As  soon  as  the  train  stopped, 
each  car  was  entered  with  a  basket  of  crack- 
ers, and  a  basket  of  punch.  The  crackers 
were  tirst  distributed.  The  poor  fellows 
seemed  thoroughly  exhausted.  They  look- 
ed surprised  at  our  entrance,  but  said  noth- 
ing. "Have  you  had  anything  to  eat 
lately  ?"  Not  since  yesterday  noon.  "  Have 
you  had  any  water  ?"  Tes,  some.  "  Well, 
here  are  a  few  crackers  for  you. "  "  Thank 
you."  They  were  too  much  exhausted  to 
waste  strength  in  words.  A  large  handful 
was  given  to  each  man,  as  he  stretched  out 
his  hand  for  them,  or  asked  to  have  them 
laid  at  his  side. 

Then,  "here  is  some  wiilfe  for  you." 
Again  a  few  feeble  ' '  I  thank  yon's, "  as  cups 
brimming  full  were  handed  to  each  man. 
One  good  swallow  and  a  change  came  over 
them.  "That's  first  rate."  "Bully  for 
you — ^hav'nt  tasted  anything  so  good  in  a 
year,"  &c.,  &c.  One  of  them  was  an  Irish- 
man; he  drank  and  smacked  his  lips,  and 
says  he,  "  that  is  good  nxilk,"  it  tastes  just 
like  the  Tnilk  from  my  own  mother's  cow. 
"I  reckon  it  does,"  answered  another, 
"for  yer  own  mother's  cow  was  a  whiskey 
barrel,  wasn't  it  ?"  And  so  their  jokes  and 
spirits  rose,  as  they  felt  the  effect  of  the 
stimulating  "  spirite  "  that  had  gone  doim. 
Now  all  this  was  but  a  comparatively  little 
work,  and  one  hardly  worth  writing  about, 
only  that  it  is  just  such  little  attentions  on 
the  part  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  or  any 
one  else,  and  attentions  which  they  who 
bestow  do  not  like  to  write  about,  that  the 
friends  of  the  soldiers  at  home  desire  to 
know  are  given,  and  the  knowledge  of 
which  gladdens  and  encourages  their 
hearts. 


Ebv.  J.  H.  Hazen. 

NashttUiE,  Jttne  25th,  1861. 

After  my  trip  in  the  hospital  train,  whi6h 
I  have  already  noticed,  according  to  your 
request,  I  reported  to  JndgeRoot,  at  Nash- 
ville, who  sent  me  forward  to  Chattanooga. 
On  arriving,  I  received  a  telegram  from 
Dr.  Bead,  then  at  Dalton,  calling  for  all 
the  help  that  could  be  spared.  I  started 
immediately,  arriving  at  Dalton  at  10  P. 
M. ;  found  that  Dr.  Read  had  already  nine 
wagons  loaded  with  battle-stores  for  the 
field,  which  he  requested  iae  to  take  Charge 


of  and  go  forward  to  the  battle  ground  of 
the  previous  day,  near  Besaca.  About  11 
P.  M.,  in  company  with  Mr.  Brundritt,  Po- 
cock,  Murray  and  others,  we  started,  trav- 
eling all  night,  most  of  the  distance  on 
foot.  We  arrived  just  at  daylight  at  the 
hospital  of  the  3d  Division  of  the  4th  Corps. 
Left  Mr.  Pocock  with  a  wagon-load  of 
stores  and  proceeded  to  the  1st  Division. 
Left  Murray  with  another  load  and  went 
to  the  2d  Division,  where  I  remained  with 
two  loads,  one  for  reserved  supplies,  and 
sent  Mr.  Brundritt  with  three  other  men 
to  the  23d  Corps. 

I  commenced  my  work  of  distribution, 
and  continued  it  personally  until  all  of  my 
division  was  well  supplied.  I  then  took  a 
list  of  all  casualties  in  my  division,  four 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  names,  made  my 
report  to  Mr.  Hoblit,  and  remained  witib 
my  division  until  the  hospital  was  broken 
up.  I  then  superintended  the  removal  of 
the  men  to  the  railroad  at  Besaca,  furnish- 
ing every  one  not  able  to  sit  up  with  a  good 
comfortable  bed,  and  making  others  as 
comfortable  as  possible  under  the  circum- 
stances. Having  sent  back  the  wounded 
from  Besaca,  I  secured  rooms,  and,  in  com- 
pany with  our  good  and  most  efficient 
agent,  Mr.  Tone,  cleared  them  and  opened 
the  goods  we  hsid  left,  for  the  purpose  of 
feeding  the  men  on  the  way  to  Chattanoo- 
ga. At  the  request  of  A.  A.  Medical  Di- 
rector, Dr.  Hubbard,  and  of  Dr.  Coolidge, 
Medical  Inspector,  I  superintended  the 
loading  of  the  cars  with  the  wounded,  and 
in  two  days  we  transported  more  than  two 
thousand  men. 

This  work  done,  a  good  supply  of  stores 
having  arrived^  Mr.  Tone  and  I  turned  our 
attention  to  furnishing  the  hospitals  about 
town  and  in  the  field.  While  engaged  in 
this  work,  I  received  a  telegram  from  you, 
directing  me  to  report  to  Dr.  Barnnm  for 
duty  on  hospital  train,  which  order  I  obey- 
ed forthwith,  and  ever  since  have  been 
doing  what  I  could  as  an  assistant. 

Mb.  OdiiBebtson. 

aKorTTT.T.n,  June  30»,  1864. 
I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  the  gar- 
den will  not  be  so  much  of  a  success  as 
others  and  I  have  anticipated,  the  ground 
being  much  poorer  than  it  was  thought  to 
be  when  selected.  Besides,  the  worms  and 
bugs  have  been  very  numerous,  so  much  so 
as  to  destroy  even  onions  and  beets — a 
thing  I  never  knew  before. 

The  first  beans  I  planted  failed  to  come 
up,  but  the  second  planting  are  up  nicely. 
Had  the  first  come  up  and  done  well,  I 
think  that  I  could  have  issued  at  least  a 
hundred  bushels  a  week,  for  the  last  two 
and  the  coming  two  weeks.  The  lettuce 
•and  radishes  proved  almost  an  entire  fail- 
ure, seed  being  bad,  and  the  ground  poor. 


596 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Onions  will  -  show,  perhaps,  a  third  of  a 
crop;  dry  weather,  together  with  the  worms 
•which  eat  off  the  tap  roots,  having  nearly 
destroyed  them.  Peas  did  as  well  as  could 
be  expected  in  such  ground,  and  I  am 
sorry  that  I  had  no  seed  to  plant  a  late 
patch.  The  "boys"  enjoyed  what  there 
were  much,  and  often  speak  of  the  benefit 
derived  from  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Early  cabbages  are  looking  finely.  The 
past  few  days  there  has  been  a  small  black 
bug  working  on  them,  but  I  think  that  they 
■will  come  out  all  right  as  they  have  so  good 
a  start.  Tomatoes  look  very  well,  and  I 
have  some  five  acres  in.  Potatoes,  I  hope, 
■will  be  a  fine  crop;  it,  of  course,  depends 
on  the  future  season  entirely;  taey  have 
suffered  much  and  still  do.  I  have  ground 
prepared  for  late  cucumbers,  and  am  wait- 
ing for  rain  to  plant.  I  want  to  get  as 
many  turnips  in  as  I  possibly  can,  and 
think  that  they  will  be  among  the  most 
profitable  vegetables  for  hospitals. 

Mr.  Beown. 

Leatenwobth,  Jaily  Ist,  1864. 

Both  Post  and  General  Hospitals  at  Fort 
Leavenworth  are  full,  and  many  have  to  be 
treated  outside.  Lawrence,  Olatha,  Paola, 
Humboldt,  and  Pleasant  Grove,  are  field 
hospitals,  with  very  poor  accommodations. 
r  found  both  officers  and  sick  men  very 
glad  to  see  an  agent  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. Everything  that  I  furnished  was 
very  thankfully  received. 

Fort  Scott  Hospital  is  full,  and  tents  are 
being  used  for  those  that  are  being  con- 
stantly sent  in  from  below.  Dr.  C.  C.  Slo- 
eum  has  gone  again  to  Fort  Gibson,  and 
Tallagua  hospitalB — will  report  when  he  re- 
turns. I  have  requisitions  from  Kansas 
City,  Independence,  Westport,  and  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  but  am  out  of  supplies  of  such 
kinds  as  are  most  needed.  The  conntiy  is 
so  new,  that  all  articles  of  the  fruit  kind 
are  difficnlt  to  obtain,  and  our  sick  men 
suffer  with  all  that  class  of  diseases  indu- 
ced by  constant  use  of  bacon.  Again,  we 
have  been  threatened  with  raids  of  bush- 
whackers along  the  entire  border  of  the 
State,  which  has  kept  our  soldiers  con- 
stantly on  rapid  movements,  many  times 
far  beyond  their  power  of  endm-ance.  The 
state  militia  and  citizens,  in  many  parts  are 
called  out  to  aid  in  defence  of  the  border 
against  these  desperate  bushwhackers,  that 
spare  no  man  when  they  get  into  Kansas. 
All  this  extra  exposure  is  bringing  with  it 
much  sickness  and  consequent  need  of  sup- 
plies. 

Eefugees,  both  white  and  colored,  are 
now  flooding  Kansas — eight  hundred  and 
forty-one  came  in  with  the  last  return  train 
from  Fort  Smith,  ov,r  five  hundred  with 
the  train  before,  and  we  have  advices  that 
thousands  more  will  come.  These  are  most- 


ly women  and  children,  and  in  most  desti- 
tute, sick,  and  wretched  condition.  Offi- 
cers in  charge  are  constantly  appealing  to 
us  as  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
for  relief  for  these  unfortunate  people,  and 
I  do  wish  it  was  in  my  power  to  do  more 
for  them  than  ,is  possible  with  my  present 
help,  or  supply  of  stores. 

Me.  Jones. 

Decheed,  Jv3y  Bth,  1864. 
The  work  here  consists  in  providing  food 
and  drink  for  the  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers going  North  on  freight  trains,  mostly 
box  cars,  sometimes  furnished  with  straiSr 
or  leaves,  and  often  without  either.  There 
pass  from  one  to  three  of  these  trains  daily, 
each  carrying  from  one  to  three  hundred 
men.  To  enable  us  to  do  this  work  we 
have  procured  two  box  cars,  one  of  which 
we  use  as  kitchen  and  pantry,  and  the  other 
as  storeroom  and  sleeping  room  for  four 
detailed  men.  The  kitchen  is  furnished 
with  a  convenient  stove  and  furniture,  and 
everything  necessary  to  enable  us  to  pre- 
pare soup  and  coffee  promptly  for  any  rea- 
sonable number  of  men  that  a  single  train 
can  bring.  The  officers  of  the  army  at  this 
post  sympathize  with  our  work,  and  cheer- 
fully render  all  needed  assistance.  CoL 
McOonnell,  commanding,  is  building  an 
ice-house,  mostly  with  material  abandoned 
by  former  secesh  owners,  and  with  no  ex- 
pense to  us,  except  for  nails,  &c. 

The  Assistant  Quartermaster  hauls  our 
water  from  a  Spring  half  a  mile  distant,  and 
the  institution  is  now  in  very  good  working 
condition.  If  the  management  was  to  be 
permanent  or  to  continue  through  the  win- 
ter, larger  and  more  comfortable  quarters 
would  be  necessary,  but  for  the  summer 
campaign,  I  think  the  proposed  results  can 
be  achieved  with  our  present  accommoda- 
tions. 

There  seems  to  be  necessary  some  man- 
agement by  which  we  shall  receive  reliable 
advices  by  telegraph  of  the  coming  trains. 
Sunday  we  received  a  dispatch  saying  that 
two  trains,  filled  with  wounded  men,  would 
be  due  here  at  11  P.  M.  We  made  suitable 
preparations,  but  they  did  not  come.  Such 
circumstances  occasion  much  waste  and 
loss  of  time.  Then,  again,  trains  come  in 
without  notice,  and  we  are  unable  to  pro- 
vide for  them  as  bountifully  as  we  should 
be  glad  to.  T\'e  are  trying,  however,  to 
have  this  matter  arranged. 

Last  evening  at  11  o'clock,  a -train  came 
in  with  about  three  hundred  wounded  and 
sick  men.  We  gave  them  beef  soup,  crack- 
ers, and  coffee.  Their  crowded,  uncom- 
fortable, and  exhausted  condition  indicated 
great  need  of  such  refreshment — the  eager- 
ness with  which  ft  was  received,  and  the 
expressions  of  satisfaction  and  gratitude 
which  it  ettcited,  could  not  fail  toTvarm  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


597 


hardest  heart  with  the  consciousness  that 
it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive, 
and  with  the  conviction  that  there  is  an 
element  of  Divinity  in  goodness. 

Besides  the  four  detailed  men  »we  have 
four  colored  men.  We  board  on  the  car. 
I  sleep  at  the  tavern. 

Mk.  Eno. 

■  KiNGSTOH,  Ga.,  July  Sth,  1864. 

The  enclosed  report  of  disbursements  at 
this  place  to  1st  July,  shows  for  itself  what 
has  been  done  at  one  of  the  stations  in 
front.  I  presume  you  have  the  report  from 
Einggold,  Tunnel  Hill,  Kesaca,  and  Dal- 
ton,  aa  they  were  left  in  Chattanooga. 

The  stores  forwarded  to  stations  in  front 
from  this  place  wUl  appear  in  Mr.  Van 
Dyke's  next  report. 

Besides  distributing  sanitary  stores,  a 
very  important  work  is  being  done  in  pre- 
paring and  giving  refreshments  to  the 
wounded  on  trains  going  to  Chattanooga. 

The  first  was  prepared  at  Dalton  on  the 
17th  of  May,  and  the  first  four  days  1,500 
were  supplied  with  hot  coffee,  soup,  and 
crackers.  Each  of  the  stations,  Dalton, 
Eesaca  and  Kingston,  are  now  well  pre- 
pared to  feed  any  number  at  short  notice. 
Another  station  will  be  arranged  to-day  at 
Marietta,  Mr.  Kennedy  or  Norton  in 
charge. 

In  doing  this  work,  it  is  no  more  than 
justice  to  say  that  the  Government  are  giv- 
ing us  every  facility  necessary,  and  we  are 
also  under  many  obligations  to  the  gentle- 
manly officers  of  the  different  posts,  and  at 
Eesaca  and  Kingston,  the  Christian  Com- 
mission have  rendered  very  efficient  aid  in 
distributing  to  the  sick  and  wounded. 

The  importance  of  provision  being  made 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  on  trains  can  only 
be  fairly  estimated  by  those  who  know  and 
feel  the  vexatious  delays  on  the  road.  They 
are  from  24  to  48  hours  in  reaching  Chat- 
tanooga, and  all  this  time  riding  in  freight 
cars,  without  a  blanket  for  a  bed,  and  no 
chance  for  refreshments  except  at  Sanitary 
stations. 

Men  in  such  situations  fully  appreciate 
the  work,  and  bless  their  friends  at  home 
for  sustaining  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Besides  coffee,  soup,  and  crackers,  we  now 
give  them  sandwiches,  pu,nch  or  ale,  and 
the  men  are  also  instructed  to  furnish 
plenty  of  fresh  water  to  wash  their  wounds 
and  fiU.  canteens. 

Up  to  1st  July  there  had  been  ^ven  out 
at  this  station, 

495  gallons  of  coffee, 

243         "  ale, 

175         "  punch, 

465  lbs.  crackei's, 

To  5,630  sick  and  wounded.    The  station 

was  out.of  crackers  a  few  days  and  had  to 

use  hard  bread.    Arrangements  are  now 


made  for  light  bread,  which  will  be  used 
with  cold  ham  to  make  sandwiches. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Van  Dyke  has  been  in  charge 
of  the  station  since  Mr.  Barret  left.  In  him 
the  soldier  has  a  good  friend  and  the  Com- 
mission a  very  efficient  agent. 


HOSPITAL  SKETCHES. 

Nashville,  July  6, 1864. 

To-day,  visited  Hospital  No.  — .  Nearly 
all  the  patients  that,  but  a  few  days  since 
were  there,  have  now  gone,  and  new  faces 
everywhere  not  "greeted,"  but  gazed  at 
me.  And  so  many  of  them!  Every  bed, 
every  ward,  and  even  the  halls  were  filled 
with  the  newly  wounded.  As  there  was 
either  a  nurse  or  a  patient  in  every  ward 
who  knew  me,  it  was  soon  whispered  among 
them,  that  their  visitor  belonged  to  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission*  and  that  he  was 
a  clergyman  also.  Very  soon  his  kind  in- 
quiries after  their  health  and  comfort  were 
returned  by  questions  on  their  part.  "Do 
you  belong  to  the  Sanitary  Commission?" 
"  Well,  that's  good."  "  Can  you  get  me  a 
pair  of  crutches?"  "  Can  you  get  me  an 
arm-sling?"  "  Could  you  get  me  some  let- 
ter-paper and  stamps,  I  hav'nt  had  a  chance 
to  write  home  for  three  months." 

"  Chaplain,  will  you  please  to  come  this 
way?"  The  Chaplain  goes.  "  Please  stoop 
down."  The  Chaplain  begins  to  expect 
some  expression  of  religious  feeling.  "  Did 
I  understand  that  you  belong  to  the  San- 
itary Commission?"  "  Yes,  sir. "  "  Well, 
that  is  just  the  best  institution  that  ever 
was.  I  believe  that  some  of  us  would  have 
died  at  Eesaca,  but  for  that.  Bat  Chap- 
lain, do  you  think  you  could  do  me  a 
great  favor?"  "I  will.  try.  What  is  it?" 
"  Why,  I  am  almost  dead  for  a  chew  of  to- 
bacco. Hav'nt  had  any  for  two  months,  • 
and  hav'nt  got  a  cent  of  money.  I  know 
'taint  just  right.  Chaplain,  for  a  man  to  have 
such  habits,  but  then  when  a  fellow's  got 
soused  to  it,"  etc. 

The  Chaplain  promises  all  these  men, 
and  many  others,  that  their  wants  shall  be 
soon  supplied,  and,  having  made  a  note  of 
aU,  passes  on  into  other  wards,  with  a  kind 
word  and  inquiry  at  almost  every  bed. 
Directly  he  observes  a  patient,  who  seems 
to  take  but  little  interest  in  anything  about 
him.  Here  is-  a  case  that  requires  more 
particular  att&ition,  for  he  is  evidently 
very  sick.  Stooping  down  at  his  bed-side, 
the  Chaplain  asks  him,  in  a  very  kind 
voice,  how  he  gets  along.  "Very  badly, 
sir."  What  is  the  matter?  "Fever,  sir, 
the  doctor  says."  And  fever  it  is,  sure 
enough.  The  man  is  burning  up  vrith 
typhoid  fever,  which  he  took  after  having 
waded  through  a  river  breast-deep,  and 
then  being  sent  out  to  do  picket  duty, 
without  an  opportunity  of  drying  his 
clothes.     The  Chaplain  sits  silently  by  his 


598 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


side,  thinking  what  he  can  do  for  him. 
"  Please  give  me  some  water."  The  water 
is  given  him,  but  it  is  warm  and  insipid. 
"Nurse,  have  you  no  ice?"  "No,  sir." 
"  Have  you  no  acid  or  cooling  drinks  for 
such  cases  as  this?"  "  No,  sir,  we  are  all 
out.  The  surgeon  was  saying  to-day  he 
wished  we  had  some.  When  he  comes 
around  again  I  will  remind  him  of  it." 

"Very  good.  But  we  cannot  wait  for 
that  now.  Take  this  order,  and  send  it  to 
the  Sanitary' storeroom  for  a  couple  of  bot- 
tles of  raspberry  syrup,  and  make  a  drink 
for  each  of  your  fever  patients."  For  the 
surgeon  had  assured  the  Sanitary  visitor 
that  he  would  be  obliged  to  him  for  sup- 
plying any  such  want,  whenever  he  should 
see  it  to  be  a  case  of  need.  Therefore  the 
order  wa9  written  and  given  to  the  errand 
boy;  but  before  he  leaves,  the  order  is  in- 
creased to  one-half  dozen  bottles  of  black- 
berry cordial  for  the  diarrhea  cases,  a  few 
lemons  for  the  scorbutic,  a  few  slippers, 
and  some  dozen  of  fans  for  the  fly-torment- 
ed wounded. 

These  wants  attended  to,  a  nurse  ap- 
proaches saying,  ' '  Chaplai^i,  that  man  in 
the  corner  wants  to  see  you."  The  Chap- 
lain goes  to  him.  He  reaches  out  his  thin 
■withered  hand,  and  says:  "Chaplain,  I  am 
pretty  sick.  I  don't  allow  that  I  shall  get 
T^ell.  I've  got  consumption,  and  can't  last 
long,  and  thought  I  would  like  to  have  you 
write  to  my  woman  and  children  for  me,  if 
it  ain't  too  much  trouble. "  "Certainly  I 
will  with  pleasure,  my  friend.  What  is  her 
name  and  address?"  This  being  all  care- 
fully written  out— "What  shall  I  say  for 
you?"  "  Tell  her  that  I  didn't  get  shot,  but 
I  did  my  duty  in  every  fight,  and  never 
shirked.  But  I  took  cold  and  got  sick. 
Tell  her  that  I  did  want  to  get  home  to  see 
her  and  the  children,  but — but — ,"  and 
here  the  poor  fellow  broke  down;  soon, 
however,  he.  recovered  himself,  and  con-  , 
tinned;  "But  God  knows  best.  Tell  her  I 
havn't  much  for  her.  I  made  some  little 
trinkets  for  keepsake,  out  of  shell  at  Stone 
Eiver;  they  are  in  my  knapsack,  and  there 
is  my  testament,  and  there  will  be  a  little 
money  coming  to  her.  Tell  her  I  have  had 
everything  done  for  me  here.  They  have 
been  very  kind.  And  tell  her  to  kiss  the 
dear  children  for  me,  and  to— to— meet  me 
in  Heaven." 

He  could  say  no  more.  Indeed,  it  was  all 
he  had  to  say.  Having  written  the  letter 
at  his  bed-side,  and  then  after  allowing  him 
time  to  rest,  the  Chaplain  returned  to  him 
and  said:  "Since  jou  have  made  such 
thoughtful  preparations  for  leaving  this 
world,  my  friend,  have  you  made  any  pre- 
parations for  entering  the  next?"  "Yes, 
sir.  I  have  tried  to  do  so.  I  have  prayed; 
I  have  asked  God's  forgiveness  for  all  the 
wickedness  I  have  done,  for  Jesus'  «ake. 
He  knows  it  all.   He  knows  how  I  feel.  He 


knows  I  am  sorry  enough.  Will  you  pray 
for  me?"  After  some  further  conversation, 
and  reading  from  his  testament,  the  Chap- 
lain knelt  and  offered  up  a  Simple)  earnest 
prayer.  -  The  man  was  very  much  afl'ected, 
and  yet  comforted.  He  thanked  the  Chap- 
lain more  by  manner  than  by  words,  and 
begged  him  to  come  again  very  soon.  The 
Chaplain  returned  the  next  morning;  the 
sick  man's  bed  was  vacant — he  had  died 
during  the  night. 

"  Your  visit  did  him  so  much  good,"  said 
the  nurse.  ' '  It  seemed  to  be  all  he  wanted, " 
said  another.  Each  one  had  a  word  to  say, 
until  requesting  that  all  should  be  silent, 
the  Chaplain  addressed  all  within  the  ward 
upon  the  true  hope  of  man  in  death,  and 
then  offering  up  prayers  for  each  and 
all,  he  left  them  for  awhile  to  their  own 
thoughts. 

Such  is  but  a  brief  paragraph  in  the 
chapter  of  one  day  spent  in  hospital,  by 
one  of  the  hospital  visitors  and  Chaplains 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 


A  REASONABLE  KEMONSTRANCE. 
The  following  extract  is  from  a  letter 
written  by  one  of  the  most  intelligent  of 
the  Associate  Managers  of  the  "  Women's 
Central  Belief  Association." 

"In  one  of  the  late  Btoletins,  (I  think 
April  15th,)  I  noticed  a  request  that  each 
housewife  in  the  country  should,  during 
the  coming  summer,  prepare  'at  least  two 
bushels  of  dried  fruit.'  Now  it  is  evident 
that  the  person  who  made  it  knew  very  lit- 
tle about  his  subject.  He  could'nt  have 
been  a  countryman.  In  the  first  place,  it 
is  the  farmer's  wives  from  whom  such  sup- 
plies must  come.  The  demands  upon  their 
time  and  strength,  always  heavy,  are  doub- 
ly oppressive  in  just  the  season  when  fruits 
are  to  be  prepared,  and  it  would  take  eight 
•  or  nine  bushels  of  the  fresh  fruit  to  make 
the  quantity  named.  It  half  a  bushel  had 
been  asked  of  each  one,  the  amount  would 
probably  be  larger  than  that  you  wiU  now 
receive,  for  people  always  like  to  be  prstised 
for  doing  better  than  was  asked  of  them. 
The  already  over-burthened  housewife  who 
hears  herself  coolly  called  upon  for  'at 
least'  a  month's  labor,  looks  around  upon 
her  five  or  six  little  children,  on  the  piles 
of  accumulating  sewing,  on  the  ten  or 
twelve  'hands'  whose  daily  meals  she  is 
to  provide,  on  the  heavy  work  attendant 
upon  the  cheese-press  or  the  butter-mak- 
ing, and  on  the  necessary  preparations  to 
subsist  the  household  during  a  long  and 
tedious  winter,  and  says,  'Well,  I  couM 
prepare  a  little,  but  those  Sanitary  folks  ask 
for  so  much  that  it's  no  use  for  me  to  try, 
let  somebody  else  do  it  who  has  more  time.' 
"Bui  I  must  tell  you  of  one  or  two  in- 
stances of  ^elf-devotion  which  have  come 


jTfe  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


599 


to  my  knowledge.  The  wife  o£  a  small 
farmer,  in  delicate  health,  with  a  large 
family,  last  summer  gathered  and  prepared 
with  her  own  hands,  and  sent  two  gallons 
of  jeJly,  one  of  currant  wine,  five  of  pre- 
pared laokspur,'^(for  vermin,)  a  bushel  of 
dried  fruits,  and  a  barrel  and  a  forty  gallon 
cask  of  pickles,  besides  sending  her  daugh- 
ters to  walk  two  or  three  miles  to  an  Aid 
Society  to  bring  home  sewing.  Another  is 
of  a  lady  eighty-five  years  old,  whose  fam- 
ily have  during  the  last  winter  rttade  thirty 
bed- quilts,  to  more  than  one-third  of  which 
she  made  the  linings  from  almost  invisible 
pieces,  besides  knitting  several  pairs  of 
socks.  Such  labors,  althdugh  they  may 
not  amount  to  much  in  money,  are  no  tri- 
fles to  those  who  perform  them. 

"As  'countryfolks'  must  be  better  ac- 
quainted with  such  matters  than  city  ones, 
I  have  ventured  to  speak  of  the  request  in 
the  BuiiLBTiN,  in  the  hope  that  if  further 
demands  are  made  for  pickles,  &c.,  the 
quantity  named  may  be  more  in  propor- 
tion to  the  abilities  of  the  hou^wife." 


ON  A  HOSPITAL  TEAIN. 

Riding  on  a  raU  in  the  "Sunny  South" 
is  not  the  most  agreeable  pastime  in  the^ 
world.  Don't  understand  me  to  refer  to 
that  favorite  argumentum  ad  hominem  which 
a  true  Southerner  applies  to  all  who  have 
the  misfortune  to  differ  from  him,  especial- 
ly to  Northern  abolitionists;  1  simply  mean 
tbat  mode  of  traveling  that  Saxe  in  his 
funny  little  poem,  calls  so  "pleasant." 
And  no  wonder!  To  be  whirled  along  at  the 
ralte  of  forty  miles  an  hour,  over  a  smooth 
road,  reposing  on  velvet  cushioned  seats, 
with  backs  just  at  the  proper  angle  to  rest 
a  tired  head — ice- water,  the  last  novel  or  pe- 
riodical— all  that  can  tempt  your  fastidious 
taste,  or  help  to  while  away  the  time  offered 
at  your  elbow,  is  indeed  pleasant;  but  woe 
to  the  fond  imagination  that  pictures  to 
itself  such  luxuries  on  a  United  States 
military  railroad.  Be  thankful  if  in  the 
crowd  of  tobacco- chewing  soldiers  yon  are 
able  to  get  a  seat,  and  grumble  not  if  the 
pine  boards  are  hard  and  narrow.  Lay  in 
a  good  stock  of  patience,  for  six  miles  an 
hour  is  probably  the  highest  rate  of  speed 
you  will  attain,  and  even  then  you  shudder 
to  see  on  either  hand  strewn  along  ^e 
road,  wrecks  of  cars  and  locordotives  smash- 
ed in  every  conceivable  manner,  telling  of 
some  fearful  accident  or  some  guerrilla  fight. 
These  are  discomforts  har^  to  bear  even 
Ivhen  one  is.  well  and  strong;  how -much 
worse  for  a  sick  or  wounded  man.  But 
thanks  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
and  to  those  gentlemen  belonging  to  it, 
Whose  genius  and  benevolence  ori^nated, 
planned,  and  carried  it  out,  a  Hospital 
Train  is  now  running  on  almost  all  the 
roads  over  which  it  is  necessary  to  trai*- 


port  sick  or  wounded  men.  These  trains 
are  now  undt-r  the  control  of  Government, 
but  the  Sanitary  Commission  continues  to 
furnish  a  great  part  of  the  stores  that  are 
used  in  them.  My  first  experience  of  them 
was  a  sad  one.  A  week  before  the  ariny 
had  moved  forward  and  concentrated  near 
Tunnel  HUI.  The  dull,  monotonous  rum- 
ble of  army  wagons  as  they  rolled  in  long 
trains  through  the  dusty  street;  the  mea- 
sured tramp  of  thousands  of  bronzed  and 
war-worn  veterans;  the  rattle  and  roar  of 
the  guns  and  caissons  as  they  thundered 
on  their  mission  of  death;  the  glittering 
sheen  reflected  from  a  thousand  sabres, 
had  all  passed  by  and  left  us  in  the  desola- 
ted town.  We  lived,  as  it  were,  with  bated 
breath  and  eager  ears,  our  nerves  tensely 
strung  with  anxiety  and  suspense,  waiting 
to  catch  the  first  sound  of  that  coming 
strife,  where  we  knew,  so  many  of  our 
bravest  and  best  must  fall.  At  last  came 
the  news  of  that  terrible  fight  at  Buzzard's 
Boost  or  Eooky  Face  Eidge,  and  the  even- 
ing after,  in  came  Dr.  8 ,  straight  from 

the  front,  and  said,  "  the  Hospital  Tra;in 
is  at  the  depot,  wouldn't  you  like  to  see 
it!"  "  Of  course  we  would,"  chorused  Mrs. 

Dr.  S and  myself,  a  d, forthwith  we 

rushed  for  our  hats  and  cloaks,  fiUed 
two  large  baskets  with  soft  crackers  and 
oranges,  and  started  off.  "  A  walk  of  a  mile 
brought  us  to  the  depot,  and  down  in  the 
farther  corner  of  the  depot  yard  we  saw  a 
train  of  seven,  or  eight  bars  standing,  ap- 
parently unoccupied.  "  There  it  is,"  said 
Dr.  S.  "Why,  it  looks  Hke  any  ordinary 
train,"  I  innocently  remarked,  but  I  was 
soon  to  find  out  the  difference.  We  chanced 
to  see  Dr.  Myers,  the  surgeon  in  charge,  on 
the  first  car  into  which  we  went,  and  he 
made  us  welcome  to  do  and  to  give  what- 
ever we  had  for  the  men,  and  so,  armed 
with  authority  from  the  "  powers  that  be," 
we  went  forward  with  confidence. 

Imagine  ai  car  a  little  wider  than  the  or- 
dinary one,  placed  on  springs,  and  having 
on  each  side  tbree  tiers  of  berths  or  cots, 
suspended  by  rubber  bands.  These  cots 
are  so  arranged  as  to  yield  to  the  motion  of 
the  car,  thereby  avoiding  that  jolting  ex- 
perienced even  on  the  smoothest  and  beslt 
kept  road.  I  didn't  stop  to  investigate  the 
plan  of  the  car  then,  for  I  saw  before  me, 
on  either  hand,  a  long  line  of  soldiers,  shot 
in  almost  every  conceivable  manner,  their 
wounds  fresh  from  the  battle-field,  and  aU 
were  patient  and  quiet;  not  a  groan  or 
complaint  escaped  them,  though  I  saw 
some  faces  twisted  into  strange  contortions 
with  the  agony  of  their  wounds.  I  com- 
menced distributing  my  oranges  right  and 
left,  but  soon  realized  l3ie  smallness  of  Ely 
basket  and  the  largeness  of  the  demand, 
and  sadly  passed  by  all  but  the  worst  cases. 
In  the  third  car  that  w6  entered  we  found 
the  Colonel,  Lieut.  Colonel  and  Adjutaiit 


600 


The  Sanitary  Commission  ByEetin. 


of  the  29tli  Ohio,  all  sererely  'wtnmded. 
We  stopped  and  talked  awhile.  Kindfnl 
of  the  motto  of  my  commission,  to  give 
"  aid  and  comfort,"  I  trickled  a  little  sym- 
pathy on  them.  "  Poor  feUows!"  said  L 
"  No,  indeed,"  said  th^.  "  We  did  suffer 
riding  twenty  miles" — ^it  conldn't  have  been 
more  than  fourteen  or  fifteen,  bnt  a  shat- 
tered Umb  or  a  ball  in  one's  side  lengthens 
the  nules  astonishingly — "in  those  horrid 
ambulances  to  the  cars."  "We  cried  last 
night  like  children ,  some  of  us, "  said  a  Lien- 
tenant,  "but  we're  all  right  now.  This 
Hospital  Train  is  a  joUy  thing.  It  goes 
like  a  cradle."  Seeing  my  sympathy  wast- 
ed, I  tried  another  tack.  "  Did  you  know 
that  Sherman  was  in  Dalton."  "  No!" 
cried  the  C!olonel,  and  all  the  men  who 
could,  raised  themselves  up  and  stared  at 
me  with  eager,  questioning  eyes.  "  Is  that 
so?"  "Yes,"  I  replied,  "It  is  true." 
"  Then  I  don't  care  for  this  little  wound," 
said  one  fellow,  slapping  his  right  leg, 
which  was  pierced  and  torn  by  a  minnie 
baU.  Brave  men!  How  I  longed  to  take 
our  whole  North,  and  pour  out  its  wealth 
and  luxury  at  their  feet. 

A  little  farther  rn  in  the  car,  I  chanced 
to  look  down,  and  there  at  my  feet  lay  a 
young  man,  not  more  than  eighteen  or 
nineteen  years  old;  hair  tossed  back  from 
his  noble  white  brow;  long  brown  lashes 
lying  on  his  cheek;  face  as  delicate  and  re- 
fined as  a  girl's.  I  spoke  to  liiTn  and  he 
opened  his  eyes,  but  could  not  answer  me. 
I  held  an  orange  before  him,  and  he  looked 
a  Yes;  so  I  cut  a  hole  in  it  and  squeezed 
some  of  the  juice  into  his  month.  It  seem- 
ed to  revive  him  a  little,  and  after  sitting  a 
short  time  I  left  him.  Soon  after,  they 
carried  him  out  on  a  stretcher — poor  fel- 
low! He  was  dying  when  I  last  saw  him, 
and  I  could  but  think  of  his  mother  and 
sisters  who  would  have  given  worlds  to  stand 
beside  him  as  I  did.  By  this  time  it  was 
growing  dark,  my  oranges  had  given  oat, 
and  we  were  sadly  in  the  way;  so  we  left, 
to  be  haunted  for  many  a  day  by  the  terrible 
pictures  we  had  seen  on  our  first  visit  to  a 
Hospital  Train. 

My  next  experience  was  much  pleasanter. 
I  had  the  privilege  of  a  ride  en  one  from 
Chattanooga  to  Nashville,  and  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  the  plan  of  arrangement  of 
the  train.  There  were  three  hundred  and 
fourteen  sick  and  wounded  men  on  board, 
occupying  nine  or  ten  cars,  with  the  sur- 
geon's car  in  the  middle  of  the  train.  This 
car  is  divided  into  three  compartments;  at 
one  end  is  the  storeroom,  where  are  kept 
the  eatables  and  bedding;  at  the  other  the 
kitchen ;  and  between  the  two  the  surgeon's 
room,  containing  his  bed,  secretary,  and 
shelves  and  pigeon  hcdes  for  instruments, 
medicines,  etc  A  narrow  haU  connects 
the  storeroom  and  kitchen,  and  great  win- 
dows or  openings  in  the  opposite  sides  of 


the  car  give  a  pleasant  draft  of  air.  Sitting 
in  a  comfortable  arm-chair,  one  would  not 
wish  a  pleasanter  mode  of  fxaveling,  especi- 
ally through  the  glorious  mountains  of 
East  Tennnesse,  and  farther  on,  over  the 
fragrant,  fertile  meadows,  and  the  rolling 
plains  of  Northern  Alabama  and  Middle 
Tennessee,  clothed  in  their  fresh  green 
garments  of  new  cotton  and  com.  This  is 
aU  charming  for  a  passenger,  but  a  Hospi- 
tal train  is  a  busy  place  for  the  surgeons 
and  nurses. 

The  men  come  on  at  evening,  selected 
from  the  different  hospitals,  according  to 
their  abUity  to  be  moved,  and  after  having 
had  their  tea,  the  wounds  have  to  be  fresh- 
ly dressed.  This  takes  till  midnight^  per- 
haps longer,  and  the  surgeon  must  be  on 
the  watch  continually,  for  on  him  falls  the 
responsibility,  not  only  of  the  welfare  of 
the  men,  but  of  the  safety  of  the  train. 
There  is  a  conductor  and  brakeman,  and 
for  them,  too,  there  i^  no  rest.  Each  finds 
enoogh  to  do  as  nurse  or  assistant.  In  the 
morning,  after  a  breakfast  of  delicions  cof- 
fee or  tea,  dried  beef,  dried  peaches,  soft 
bread,  cheese,  etc.,  the  wounds  have  to  be 
dressed  a  second  time,  and  again  in  the 
afternoon,  a  third. 

In  the  intervals  the  surgeon  finds  time  to 
examine  individual  cases,  and  prescribe 
especially  for  them,  and  perhaps  to  take  a 
little  rest  To  fulfill  the  duties  of  surgeon 
in  charge  of  such  a  train,  or  endure  the  ter- 
rible strain  on  brain,  and  nerves  and  mus- 
cles, require  great  skill,  an  iron  will,  and  a 
mind  undaunted  by  the  shadow  of  any 
responsibility  or  danger.  All  this  and  more 
has  Dr.  J.  P.  Bamnm,  who  has  charge  of 
the  train  formerly  running  between  Louis- 
ville and  Nashville,  but  now  transferred  to 
the  road  between  Nashville  and  Chattanoo- 
ga. With  a  touch,  genUe  as  a  woman,  yet 
with  manly  strength  and  firmness,  and  nn- 
tiring  watchfulness  and  thoughtful  care,  he 
seems  wholly  devoted  to  the  work  of  bene- 
fiting our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  All 
on  board  the  train  gave  him  the  warmest 
thanks.  As  I  walked  through  the  car,  I 
heard  the  men  say,  "  we  haVnt  lived  so 
well  since  we  joined  the  army.  We  are 
better  than  we  were  ever  before.  This  is 
the  nicest  place  we  were  ever  in,"  etc. 
Should  the  Doctor  chance  to  see  this,  be 
will  be  shocked,  for  modesty,  I  notice, 
goes  in  hand  with  true  nobility  and  gene- 
rosity; but  I  risk  his  wrath  for  the  selfish 
pleasure  that  one  has  in  doing  justice  to  a 
good  man. 

After  breakfast,  in  the  morning,  when 
the  wonnds  were  aU  dressed,  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  carrying  into  one  car  a  pitcher 
of  delicious  blackberry  wine  that  came 
from  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Northern 
Ohio,  and  with  the  advice  of  Dr.  Yates,  the 
assistant  surgeon,  giving  it  to  the  men. 
The  car  into  which  I  went  had  only  one 


The  Sanitary  Commission  JBrtRetin. 


601 


tier  of  bertha,  supported  like  the  others  on 
rubber  bands.  Seyeral  times  during  the 
day  I  had  an  opportunity  of  giving  some 
little  assistance  in  taMng  care  of  wounded 
men,  and  it  was  very  pleasant.  My  jour- 
ney lasted  a  night  and  a  day,  and  I  think  I 
can  never  again  pass  another  twenty-four 
hours  sb  fraught  with  sweet  and  sad  memo- 
ries as  are  connected  with  my  second  and 
last  experience  on  a  Hospital  Train.         C. 


THE  BLUE  COAT. 
The  foUowing  ballad  is  &om  the  pen  of  Bish- 
op Burgess,  of  Maine,  and  was  contiibnted  by 
Mm  to  the  book  published  and  sold  at  the  late 
Sanitary  F&ir  in  Baltimore,  under  the  sanction 
of  the  State  Fair  Association  of  the  Women  of 
Maryland. 

THE  BLUE  COAT  OF  THE  SOLDIES. 
You  asked  me,  little  one,  why  I  bowed, 

Thongh  never  I  passed  the  man  before? 
Becanse  my  heart  was  full  and  proud, 
When  I  saw  the  old  bine  coat  he  wore; 
The  blue  great  coat,  the  sky  bine  coat. 
The  old  bine  coat  the  soldier  wore. 

I  knew  not,  I,  what  weapon  he  chose. 
What  chief  he  followed,  what  badge  he  wore; 

Enough  that  in  the  front  of  foes 
His  country's  blue  great-coat  he  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

Perhaps  he  was  bom  In  a  forest  hut. 
Perhaps  he  had  danced  on  a  palace  floor; 

To  want  or  wealth  my  eyes  were  shot; 
I  only  marked  the  coat  he  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

It  mattered  not  much  if  he  drew  his  line 
From  Shem  or  Ham,  in  the  days  of  yore; 

For  surely  he  was  a  brother  of  mine, 
Who  for  my  sake  the  war  coat  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

He  might  have  no  skill  to  read  or  write. 

Or  he  might  be  rich  in  learned  lore; 
But  I  knew  he  could  make  his  mark  in  fight. 

And  nobler  gown  no  scholar  wore 
Than  the  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

It  may  be  he  could  plunder  and  prowl. 
And  perhaps  in  his  mood  he  scoffed  and  swore; 

But  I  would  not  guess  a  spot  eo  foul 
On  the  honored  coat  he  bravely  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

He  had  worn  it  long,  and  borne  it  far; 

And  perhaps  on  the  red  Virginian  shore. 
From  midnight  chiU  till  the  morning  star 

That  worn  great-coat  the  sentry  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

When  hardy  Butler  reined  his  steed 

Through  the  streets  of  proud,  proud  Baltimore, 
Perhaps  behind  him,  at'his  need, 

Marched  he  who  yonder  blue  coat  wore. 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c,  » 


Perhaps  it  was  seen  in^nmside's  ranks. 
When  B&ppahannock  ran  dark  with  gore; 

Perhaps  on  the  mountain  side  with  Banks 
In  the  hurning  sun  no  more  he  wore 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

Perhaps  in  the  swamps  was  a  bed  for  bis  form. 
Prom  the  seven  days'  battling  and  marching  sore; 

Or  with  Kearney  and  Pope  'mid  the  steely  storm 
As  the  night  closed  in,  that  coat  he  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

Or  when  right  over  as  Jackson  dashed. 
That  collar  or  oape  some  bullet  tore; 

Or  when  far  ahead  Antietam  flashed, 
He  flung  to  the  ground  the  coat  that  he  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

Or  stood  at  Gettysbnrgh,  where  the  graves 

Bang  deep  to  Howard's  cannon  roar; 
Or  saw  with  Grant  the  nnchained  waves 

Where  conquering  host*  the  blue  coat  wore. 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 
That  garb  of  honor  tells  enough, 

Thongh  I  its  story  guess  no  more; 
The  heart  it  covers  is  made  of  such  stnfi^ 

That  coat  is  mail  which  that  soldier  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

He  may  hang  it  up  when  the  peace  shall  come, 
And  the  moths  may  find  it  behind  the  door; 

But  his  children  will  point  when  they  hear  a  drum 
To  the  proud  old  coat  their  father  wore, 
The  blue  great-coat,  &c. 

And  so,  my  child,  will  you  and  I, 

For  whose  fair  home  their  blood  they  pour, 
Still  bow  the  head,  as  one  goes  by. 
Who  wears  the  coat  that  soldier  wore; 
The  blue  great-coat,  the  sky-blue  coat. 
The  old  blue  coat  the  soldier  wore. 


THE  liEGISLATUKE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIKE 
ON  THE  SANITAKT  COMMISSION. 

STA.XE   OF  NEW  HAMPSHIKE, 

In  the  year  of  onxr  Lord  one  ihousand  eight  hundred 
and  sixty-four : 

Besdved,  By  the  Senate  and  House  of  Bep- 
resentatives  of  New  Hampshire,  in  General 
Court  convened. 

That  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
commends  itself  to  our  hearty  support,  and  that 
we  hereby  testify  on  behalf  of  the  soldiers  and 
people  of  this  State,  to  the  benevolence  of  its 
principles  and  efficiency  of  its  plans,  as  a  means 
of  promoting  the  welfare  of  the  army. 

Resolved,  That  we  especially  esteem  the  nti- 
tionality  of  its  views  and  declarations,  by  which 
all  our  soldiers,  without  distinction  of  place, 
are  regarded  as  United  States  soldiers,  and 
treated  as  such  in  aU  respects. 

jBesoi'ued,  That  the  Ladies'  Aid  Societies  of 
New  Hampshire,  acting  as  they  do  in  co-opera- 
tion with  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, *are  heartily  commended  to  the  continued 
support  of  our  people,  as  the  most  suitable  trib- 
utaries through  which  the  contributions  of  New 
Hampshire  may  be  distributed  to  the  hospitals 
and  camps  of  the  army. 


602 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BiMetin. 


NOTES  ON  NURSING. 

CONOLUSION. 

The  whole  of  the  preceding  remarks  apply 
even  more  to  children  and  puerperal  woman 
than  to  patients  in  general.  They  also  apply 
to  the  nursing  of  surgical,  quite  as  much  as  to 
that  of  medical  cases.  Indeed,  if  it  be  possible, 
cases  of  external  injury  require  such  care  even 
more  than  sick.  In  surgical  wards,  one  duty  of 
every  nurse  certainly  is  prevention.  Fever,  or 
hospital  gangrene,  or  pyoemia,  or  purulent  dis- 
charge of  some  kind  may  else  supervene.  Has 
she  a  case  of  compound  fracture,  of  amputation, 
or  of  erysipelas,  it  may  depend  very  much  on 
how  she  looks  upon  the  things  enumerated  in 
these  notes,  whether  one  or  other  of  these  hos- 
pital diseases  attacks  her  patient  or  not.  If  she 
allows  her  ward  to  become  filled  with  the  pecu- 
liar close  fetid  smeU,  so  apt  to  be  produced 
among  surgical  oases,  especially  where  there  is 
great  suppuration  and  discharge,  she  may  see  a 
vigorous  patient  in  the  prime  of  life  gradually 
sink  and  die  where,  according  to  all  human 
probability,  he  ought  to  have  recovered. 

Nevertheless  let  no  one  think  that  because 
stmiton/ nursing  is  the  subject  of  these  notes, 
therefore,  what  may  be  called  the  handicraft  of 
nursing  is  to  be  undervalued.  A  patient  may 
be  left  to  bleed  to  death  in  a  sanitary  palace. 
Another  who  cannot  move  himself  may  die  of 
bed-sores,  because  the  nurse  does  not  know 
how  to  change  and  clean  him,  while  he  has 
every  requisite  of  air,  light,  and  quiet.  But 
nursing,  as  a  handicraft,  has  not  been  treated 
of  here  for  three  reasons:  1.  That  these  notes 
do  not  pretend  to  be  a  manual  for  nursing,  any 
more  than  for  cooking  for  the  sick;  2.  That  the 
writer,  who  has  herself  seen  more  of  what  may 
be  called  surgical  nursing,  i.  e.  practical  manual 
nursing,  than,  perhaps,  any  one  in  Europe, 
honestly  believes  that  it  is  impossible  to  learn 
it  from  any  book,  and  that  it  can  only  be  thor- 
oughly learnt  in  the  wards  of  a  hospital;  and 
she  also  honestly  believes  that  the  pe^rfection  of 
surgical  nursing  may  be  seen  practised  by  the 
old-fashioned  "  Sister"  of  a  London  hospital, 
as  it  can  be  seen  nowhere  else  in  Europe.  3. 
While  thousands  die  of  foul  air,  etc.,  who  have 
this  surgical  nursing  to  perfection,  the  converse 
is  comparatively  rare. 

To  revert  to  children.  They  are  much  more 
susceptible  than  grown  people  to  all  noxious 
influences.  They  are  affected  by  the  same 
things,  but  much  more  quickly  arid  Seriously, 
viz.,  by  want  of  fresh  air,  of  proper  warmth, 
want  of  cleanliness  in  house,  clothes,  bedding, 
bi?-body,  by  startling  noises,  improper  food,  or 
want  of  punctuality,  by  dullness  and  by  want 
of  light,  by  too  much  or  too  little  covering  in 
•bed,  or  when  up,  by  want  of  the  spirit  of  man- 
agement generally  in  those  in  charge  of  them. 
One  can,  therefore,  only  press  the  importance, 
as  bein^  yet  greater  in  the  case  of  children, 
'  greatest  in  the  case  of  sick  children,  of  attend- 
ing to  these  things. 

That  which,  however,  above  all,  is  known  to 
injure  children  seriously  is  foul  air,  and  most 
Benously  at  night.  Keeping  the  rooms  where 
they  sleep  tight  shut  up,  is  destruction  to  them. 
And,  if  the  child's  breathing  be  disordered  by 
disease,  a  few  hours  only  of  such  foul  air  miay 
endanger   its   lifd,    even  where   no   inoonre- 


nience  is  felt  by  grown-up  persons  in  the  same 
room. 

The  following  passages,  taken  out  of  an  ex- 
cellent "  Lecture  on  Sudden  Death  in  Infancy 
and  Childhood,"  just  published,  show  the  vital 
importance  of  careful  nursing  of  children.  "  In 
the  grea,t  majority  of  instances,  when  death 
suddenly  befalls  the  infant  or  young  child,  it  is 
an  accident;  it  is  not  a  necessary  rebult  of  any 
disease  from  which  it  is  suffering." 

It  may  be  here  added,  that  it  would  be  very 
desirable  to  know  how  often  death  is,  with 
adults,  "not  a  necessary,  inevitable  result  of ' 
any  disease."  Omit  the  word  "sudden,"  (for 
svdden  death  is  comparatively  rare  in  middle 
age;)  and  the  sentence  is  almost  equally  true  for 
all  ages. 

The  following  causes  of  ' '  accidental"  death 
in  sick  children  are  enumerated: — "Sudden 
noises,  which  startle— a  rapid  change  of  tem- 
perature, which  chills  the  surface,  though  only 
for  a  moment — a  rude  awakening  from  sleep — 
or  even  an  over-hasty,  or  an  overfull  meal" 
— "  any  sudden  impression  on  the  nervous  sys- 
tem— any  hasty  alteration  of  posture — in  short, 
any  cause  whatever  by  which  the  respiratory 
process  may  be  disturbed." 

It  may  again  be  added,  that,  with  very  weak 
adult  patients,  these  causes  are  also  (not  often 
"  suddenly  fatal,"  it  is  true,  but)  very  much 
oftener  than  is  at  all  generally  known,  irrepa- 
rable in  their  consequences. 

Both  for  children  and  for  adults,  both  for 
sick  and  for  well,  (although  more  certainly  in 
the  case  of  sick  children  than  in  any  others,)  I 
would  here  again  repeat,  the  most  frequent  and 
most  fatal  cause  of  all  is  sleeping,  for  even  a 
few  hours,  much  more  for  weeks  and  months 
in  foul  air,  a  condition  which,  more  than  any 
other  condition,  disturbs  the  respiratory  pro- 
cess, and  tends  to  produce  ' '  acoidentiil"  death 
in  ilisease. 

I  need  hardly  here  repeat  the  warning  against 
any  confusion  of  ideas  between  cold  and  fresh 
air.  Xou  may  chill  a  patient  fatally  without 
giving  him  fresh  air  at  all.  And  you  can  quite 
well,  nay,  much  better,  give  him  fresh  air 
without  chilling  him.  This  is  the  test  of  a  good 
nurse. 

In  oases  of  long  recurring  faintness  from  dis- 
ease, for  instance,  especially  disease  which 
affects  the  organs  of  breathing,  fresh  air  to  the 
lungs,  warmth  to  the  surface,  and  often  (as  soon 
as  the  patient  can  swallow,)  hot  drink,  these  are 
the  right  remedies  and  the  only  ones.  Yet, 
oftener  than  not,  you  see  the  nnrse  or  mother 
just  reversing  this;  shutting  up  every  cranny 
through  which  fresh  air  can  enter,  and  leaving 
the  body  cold,  or  perhaps  throwing  a  greater 
weight  of  clothes  upon  it,  when  already  it  is 
generating  too  little  heat. 

"Breathing  (JarefuUy,  anxiously,  as  though 
respiration  were  a  function  which  required  all 
the  attention  for  its  performance,"  is  cited  as  a 
not  unusual  state  in  children,  lind  as  one  call- 
ing for  care  in  all  the  things  enumerated.above. 
That  breathing  becomes  an  almost  voluntary 
act,  even  in  grown  up  patients  who  are  very 
weak,  mu^  have  bee^  remarke(31,        , 

"Disease  having  interfered  with  the  perfect 
accomplishment  of  the  respiratory  function, 
some  sudden  demand  for  its  completB  exercise, 
issues  in  the  sudden  stand-still  of  the  whole 


J%e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


603 


maohinery."  is  given  as  one  process ; — "life  goes 
out  for  want  of  nervous  power  to  keep  the  vital 
functions  in  activity,"  is  given  as  another,  by 
which  "accidental"  death  is  most  often  brought 
to  pass  in  infancy. 

Also  in  middle  age,  both  these  processes  may 
be  seen  ending  in  death,  althoiigh  generally  not 
suddenly.  I  have  seen,  even  in  middle  age, 
Hie  "  svdden  stand-still"  here  mentioned,  and 
from  the  same  causes. 

To  sum  up:— the  answer  to  two  of  the  com- 
monest objections  urged,  one  by  women  them- 
selves, the  other  by  men,  against  the  desirable- 
ness of  sanitary  knowledge  for  women,  phis  a 
caution,  comprises  the  whole  argument  for  the 
art  of  nursing. 

(1. )  It  is  often  said  by  men,  that  it  is  unwise 
to  teach  women  anything  about  these  laws  of 
health,  because  they  will  take  to  physicing — ■ 
that  there  is  a  great  deal  too  much  of  amateur 
physicing  as  it  is,  which  is  indeed  true.  One 
eminent  physician  told  me  that  he  had  known 
more  calomel  given,  both  at  a  pinch  and  for  a 
oontinuaudfe,  by  mothers,  governesses,  and 
nurses,  to  children,  than  he  had  ever  heard  of  a 
physician  prescribing  in  all  his  experience. 
Another  says,  that  women's  only  idea  in  medi- 
cine is  calomel  and  aperients.  This  is  undeniably 
too  often  the  case.  There  is  nothing  ever  seen 
in  any  professional  practice  like  the  reckless 
physicing  by  amateur  females.  But  this  is  just 
what  the  really  experienced  and  observing  nurse 
do'.s  riot  do;  she  neither  physics  herself  nor 
others.  And  to  cultivate  in  things  pertaining 
to  health,  observation  and  experience  in  women 
who  are  mothers,  governesses  or  nurses,  is  just 
the  way  to  do  away  with  amateur  physicing, 
and  if  the  doctors  did  but  know  it,  to  make 
the  ilurses  obedient  to  them— helps  to  them  in- 
stead of  hindrances.  Such  education  in  women 
wotild  indeed  diminish  the  doctor's  work — but 
no  one  really  believes  that  dootpts  wish  that 
there  should  be  more  illness,  in  order  to  have 
more  w(fl:k. 

I  have  known  many  ladies  who,  having  once 
obtained  a  "blue  pill"  prescription  from  a 
phjteician,  gave  and  took  it  as  a  common  ape- 
rient two  or  three  times  a  week — with  what  ef- 
fect may  be  supposed.  In  one  case  I  happened 
to  be  the  person  to  inform  the  physician  of  if, 
who  substituted  for  the  prescription  a  compar- 
atively harmless  aperient  pill.  The  lady  came 
to  me  and  complained  that  it  "  did  not  suit  her 
half  so  well." 

If  women  wiU  take  or  give  physic,  by  far  the 
safest  plan  is  to  send  for  "the  doctor."  every 
time — for  I  have  known  ladies  ^fho  both  gave 
and  took  physic,  who  would  not  take  the  pains 
to  learn' the  names  of  the  commonest  medicines, 
and  confounded,  e.  g.,  oolocynth  with  colohi- 
cum.  This  is  playing  with  sharp-edged  t6ols 
"with  a  vengeance." 

There  are  excellent  women  who  will  write  to 
London  to  their  physician  that  there  is  much 
sickness  in  their  neighborhood  in  tlje  country, 
and  ask  for  some  prSscription  from  him,  which 
they  used  to  like  themselves,  and  then  give  it 
to  ail  their  friends  and  to  all  their  poorerneigh- 
bors  who  will  take  it.  Now,  instead  of  giving 
medicine,  of  which  you  cannot  possihly  know 
the  exact  and  proper  application,  nor  all  its 
consequences,  would  it  not  be  better  if  you  were 
to  persuade  and  help  your  poorer  neighbor  to 


remove  the  dung-hill  from  before  the  door,  to 
put  in  a  window  which  opens,  or  an  Arnott's 
ventilator,  or  to  cleanse  and  lime-wash  the  cot- 
tages ?  Of  these  things  the  benefits  are  sure. 
The  benefits  of  the  inexperienced  administra- 
tion of  medicines  are  by  no  means  so  sure. 

Homoebpathy  has  introduced  one  essential 
amelioration  in  the  practice  of  physic  by  ama- 
teur females;  for  its  rules  are  excellent,  its 
physicking  comparatively  harmless — the  "glo- 
bule" is  the  one  grain  of  folly  which  appears 
to  be  necessary  to  make  any  good  thing  accep- 
table. Let  then  women,  if  they  will  give  med- 
icine, give  homoeopathic  medicine.  It  won't 
do  any  harm. 

An  almost  universal  error  among  women  is 
the  supposition  that  everybody  must  have  the 
bowels  opened  once  in  every  twenty  four  hours, 
or  must  fly  immediately  to  aperient's.  The  re- 
verse is  the  conclusion  of  experience. 

This  is  a  doctor's  subject,  and  I  will  not  en- 
ter more  into  it;  but  will  simply  repeat,  do  not 
go  on  taking  or  giving  to  your  children  abomi- 
nable "courses  of  aperients,"  without  calling 
in  the  doctor. 

It  is  very  seldom  indeed,  that  by  choosing 
your  diet,  you  cannot  regulate  your  own  bow- 
els; and  every  woman  may  watch  herself  to 
know  what  kind  of  diet  will  do  .this;  I  have 
known  deficiency  of  meat  produce  constipation 
quite  as  often  as  deficiency  of  vegetables;  ba- 
ker's bread  much  ofteuer  than  either.  Home 
made  brown  bread  will  oftener  cure  it  than  any- 
thing else. 

(2. )  It  is  often  said  by  women,  that  they  can- 
not know  anything  of  the  laws  of  health,  or 
what  to  do  to  preserve  their  children's  health, 
because  they  can  know  nothing  of  "  Patholo- 
gy," or  cannot  "dissect," — a  confusion  of 
ideas  which  it  is  hard  to  attempt  to  disentangle. 
Pathology  teaches  the  harm  that  disease  hag 
done.  But  it  teaches  nothing  more.  We  know 
nothing  of  the  principle  of  health,  the  positive 
of  which  pathology  is  the  negative,  except  from 
observation  and  experience.  And  nothing  but 
observation  and  experience  will  teach  us  the 
ways  to  maintain  or  to  bring  back  the  stats  of 
health.  It  is  often  thought  that  medicine  is 
the  curative  process.  It  is  no  such  thing; 
medicine  is  the  surgery  of  functions,  as  surgery 
proper  is  that  of  limbs  and  organs.  Neither 
can  do  anything  but  remove  obstructions; 
neither  can  cure;  nature  alone  cures.  Surgery 
removes  the  bullet  out  of  the  limb,  which  is  an 
obstruction  to  cure,  but  nature  heals  the  wound. 
Soitis  with  medicine;  the  function  of  an  organ 
becomes  obstructed;  medicine,  so  far  as  we 
know,  assists  nature  to  remove  the  obstruction, 
but  does  nothing  more.  And  what  nursing  has 
to  do  in  either  case,  is  to  put  the  patient  in  the 
best  condition  for  nature  to  act  upon  him. 
Generally,  just  the  contrary  is  done.  You 
think  fresh  air,  and  quiet  and  cleanliness  ex- 
travagant, perhaps  dangerous,  luxuries,  which 
should  be  given  to  the  patient  only  when  quite 
convenient,  and  medicine  the  sirie  qua  non,  the 
panacea.  If  I  have  succeeded  in  any  measure 
in  dispelling  this  illusioii,  and  in  showing  what 
true  nursing  is,  and  what  it  is  not,  my  object 
will  have  been  answered. 

Now  for  the  caution: — 

(3.)  It  seems  a  commonly  received  idea 
among  men ,  and  even  among  women  thems^yes, 


604 


The  Sanitary  Ctymrfiission  BvEetin. 


that  it  requires  nothing  but  a  disappointment 
in  love,  the  want  of  an  object^  a  general  dis-. 
gust,  or  ineapaoiiy  for  other  things,  to  turn  b, 
woman  into  a  good  nurse. 

This  reminds  one  of  the  parish  where  a  stu- 
pid old  man  was  set  to  be  schoolmaster  because 
he  was  "past  keeping  the  pigs." 

Apply  the  above  receipt  for  making  a  good 
nurse  to  making  a  good  servant.  And  the  re- 
ceipt will  be  found  to  fail. 

Yet  popular  novelists  of  recent  days  have  in- 
vented ladies  disappointed  in  love  or  fresh  out 
of  the  drawing-room,  turning  into  the  war-hos- 
pitals to  find  their  wounded  lovers,  and  when 
found,  forthwith  abandoning  their  sick-ward 
for  their  lover,  as  might  be  expected.  Yet  in 
the  estimation  of  the  authors,  those  ladies  were 
none  the  worse  for  that,  but  on  the  contrary, 
were  heroines  of  nursing. 

What  cruel  mistakes  are  sometimes  made  by 
benevolent  men  and  women  in  matters  of  busi- 
ness about  which  they  can  know  nothing  and 
think  they  know  a  great  deal. 

The  everyday  management  of  a  large  ward, 
let  alone  of  a  hospital— the  knowing  what  are 
the  laws  of  life  and  death  for  men,  and  what 
the  laws  of  health  for  wards — (and  wards  are 
healthy  or  unhealthy,  mainly  according  to  the 
knowledge  or  ignorance  of  the  nurse) — are  not 
these  matters  of  sufficient  importance  and  di£&- 
culty  .to  require  learning  by  experience  and 
careful  inquiry,  just  as  much  as  any  other  art? 
They  do  not  come  by  inspiration  to  the  lady 
disappointedinlove,  nor  to  the  poor  workhouse 
drudge  hard  up  for  a  livelihood. 
'  And  terrible  is  the  injury  which  has  followed 
to  the  sick  from  such  wild  notions ! 

In  this  respect,  (and  why  is  it  so  ?)  in  Boman 
Catholic  countries,  both  writers  and  workers 
are,  in  theory  at  least,  far  before  ours.  They 
would  never  think  of  such  a  beginning  for  a 
good  working  Superior  or  Sister  of  Charity. 
And  many  a  Superior  has  refused  to  admit  a 
Postvlard,  who  appeared  to  have  no  better  "  vo- 
cation" or  reasons  for  offering  herself  than 
these. 

rt  is  true  we  make  "no  vows."  But  is  a 
"  vow  "  necessary  to  convince  us  that  the  true 
spirit  for  learning  any  art,  most  especially  an 
art  of  charity,  aright,  is  not  a  disgust  to  every- 
thing or  something'  else  ?  Do  we  really  place 
the  love  of  our '  kind  (and  of  nursing,  as  one 
branch  of  it)  so  low  as  this  ?  What  would  the 
MJre  Ang^lique  of  Port  Royal,  what  would  our 
own  Mrs.  Fry  have  said  to  this? 

NoTi.  — I  would  earnestly  ask  my  sisters  to 
keep  clear  of  both  the  jargons  now  current 
everywhere,  (for  they  are  equally  jargons;)  of 
the  jargon,  namely,  about  the  "rights"  of  wo- 
men, which  urges  women  to  do  all  that  men  do, 
including  the  medical  and  other  professions, 
merely  because  men  do  it,  and  without  regard 
to  whether  this  is  the  best  that  women  can  do; 
and  of  the  jargon  which  urges  woman  to  do 
nothing  that  men  do,  merely  because  they  are 
women,  and  should  be  "recalled  to  a  sense  of 
their  duty  as  women,'"  and  because  "this  is 
women's  work,"  and  "that  is  mep's,"  and 
"  these  are  things  which  women  should  not  do," 
which  is  all  assertion,  and  nothing  more. 
Surely  woman  should  bring  th3  best  she  has, 
whatmer  that  is,  to  the  work  of  God's  world, 
without  attending  to  either  of  these  cries.    For 


what  are  they,  both  of  them,  the  one  jusl  as 
much  as  the  other,  but  listening  to  the  "what 
people  will  say,"  to  opinion,  to  the  "voices 
from  without?"  And  as  a  wise  man  has  said, 
no  one  has  ever  done  anything  great  or  useful 
by  listening  to  the  voices  from  without. 

You  do  not  want  the  effect  of  your  good 
things  to  be,  "How  w(|nderful  for  a  woman!" 
nor  would  you  be  deterred  from  good  things  by 
hearing  it  said,  '■  Yes,  but  she  ought  not  to 
have  done  this,  because  it  is  not  suitable  for  a 
woman."  Bat  you  want  to  do  the  thing  that  is 
good,  whether  it  is  ' '  suitable  for  a  woman  "  or 
not. 

It  does  not  make  a  thing  good,  that  it  is  re- 
markable that  a  woman  should  have  been  able 
to  do  it.  Neither  does  it  make  a  thing  bad, 
which  would  have  been  good  had  a  man  done 
it,  that  it  has  been  done  by  a  woman. 

Oh,  leave  these  jargons,  and  go  your  way 
straight  to  God's  work,  in  simplicity  and  sin- 
gleness of  heart.  — Miss  Nighiingah. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  TBTE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOKE. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


Fr6sid6iit 
Lietjt.-Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT, 

Vic3e-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS.  Esq. 

EOBT.  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 
^DiTGctors 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GEORGE  OPDTKE, 
HIRAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Rev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messes.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOB,  JAMES  BROWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JA.1  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DUDGE,  Jr.,  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETER 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCROFT.  DANIEL  LOK^ 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  ROBT.  L.  STUART,  ALFRED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
flENRY  GREENFIELD,  Sec'y, 
35  Chambebs  Stbbbt,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
(heir  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc. ,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


605. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  T>.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

EUsha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G,  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  K  Agnew,  MD.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Kt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Fenn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
3.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
C.  J.  StiUe.  "  " 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFFICEBS; 

H.  W.  Bellowg,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  .M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  8.  Newberry',  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEB., 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Woloott,Gibba,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Oommission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  aU  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
ern Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia, .  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ey." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
ttie  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense. 

J8®-  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  eerve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  sanong  those  who  have  ftrienda 
In  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  aU  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  Statos  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Sti'eet,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltifcore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111.' 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  BofTalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  public  for 
the  means  of  sustamiug  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George' T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Rev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, J>.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13tb  and  14th  Streets^ 

Lod^e  No.  S,  Maryland  Avenue,  nesir  Kailroad  Station. 

Nurses*  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio — CoL  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  lU. — C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey. — James  Malona,  Sup't. 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  NashvUle,  Tenn.^L,  Gruie,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent.  ^ 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers*  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Clark  Warren,  Sup't 
and  ReUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Yicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

AGENCY  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D,  0 

HOSPITAL   GABS. 

Betfreen  Washington  and  New  York— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro' — Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
num,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  BTKABIEB. 

Otunberland  Biver— New  Dnnleith. 


606 


The^anitary  Commission  SvRetin. 


FBED'O  g.  COZZENS, 

73  WARREN  STREET, 

(Opposite  Hudson  Kiver  Railroad  Depot,) 

AND 

•PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE, 

'Wasliing^toii,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 


Imported  Wines. 
Brandies,  &c.f 

OF  THE  PUREST  QUALITY, 


FOB 


Medicinal  &  Sanitary  Purposes, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

UNITED  STATES  HOSPITALS, 


AKD  BT  THE 


SANITAny  COMMISSION^ 


^  *»^  ^ 


ALSO, 

American  Win^s, 

or  the  Highest  Grades. 


SOLE  AGENT  IN  NEW  YORK  AND  WASHINGTON  FOR 

LONG-WORTH'S 

Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 

Brandies,   &c.,   &o. 


FAIBBAE'S 


Adapted  to  every  Brancli  of 
Business. 


MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY 

THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

EiT.MIRBAlS^Ca, 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 


PRINCIPAL   WAREHOUSES: 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO.^ 

No.  252  Broadw^ay,  New  York. 

FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN,  , 

No.  U8  MUk  Street,  Boston. 

FAIRBANKS,  GREENLEAF  &  Co., 
No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 

FAIRBANKS  &  EWING, 

Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 
No.  246  Baltimore  St.,  Baltimore. 


Descriptive    Ciradars  furnished  or 
to   any   address,    on  application  to 
either  of  the  above. 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BiMeHn.  607 

OFFICE    OF   THE 

^0lmuHM  {^mm)  §mm\m 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 .' ^3. 140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3.252,256  16 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,131, 063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 

Paid  Premioms  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued  ' 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 

LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Bisks  on  whidi  the  Freminm  is  paid  in  like  Cnrrenc;. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  wQl  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  g*  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IX  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  uuder  the  KEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  aU  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIYB 

PEK  CEXT.  * 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  sucli  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  IIERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDE>f,  .  DAVffi  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MItN,  JOHN  ABJfcTRONG,  JOSEPH  1I0Rr'l«0N, 

JOHS  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb', 

WM.  H.  HAISEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHS  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MTTCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.   ^  B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 

^  .  WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  23  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


608 


The  Sanitary  Com.'fnission  BiMetin. 


E.  &  H.  T.  ANTHONY, 

MMUFiCTOREKS  OF  FflOTOGBlPHIG  MITERULS, 
501  Broadway,  New  York. 


Oar  Catalogue  now  embraces  considerably  over 

FOUR    THOUSAND 

different  subjects,  (to  which  additions  are  continually  being  made,  j  of  Portraits  of 
Eminent  Americans,  etc.,  viz.: 


110  Major  G-enerals, 
230  Brigadier  Generals, 
270  Colonels, 

90  Lieut.  Colonels, 
250  Other  Officers, 

82  Officers  of  the  Navy, 


550  Statesmen, 
130  Divines, 
116  Authors, 

34  Artists, 
120  Stage, 

66  Prominent  "Women. 


147  Prominent  Foreign  Portraits. 
2,500  COPIES  OF  WORKS  OF  ART, 

Inchding  reproduclitns  of  the  most  celebrated  Engravings,  Paintings,  Statncs,  &c. 

CATALOGUES    SEJVT  OJV  RECEIPT  OF  STAMP. 
An  order  for  One  Dozen  PICTURES  from  our  Catalogue  will  be  ailed  on  receipt  of  $1.S0,  and  sent  by  mail,/™ 


Of  these  we  manufacture  a  great  variety,  ranging  in  price  from  50  cents  to  $50  each. 
Our  ALBUMS  have  the  reputation  of  being  superior  in  beauty  and  durability  to  any  others. 
They  can  be  sent  by  mail  at  a  postage  of  one  cent  per  oz. 


We  also  keep  on  band  a  large  assortment  of 

STEREOSCOPES  AND  STEREOSCOPIC  V/EIVS. 

Our  Catalogue  of  these  will  be  sent  to  any  address  on  receipt  of  stamp. 

E.  &  H.  T.  ANTHONY, 

Manufacturers  of  Photographic  Materials, 

501  BROADWAY,  JVBAV  YORK.. 

Friends  or  Relatives  of  Prominent  Military  Men  will  confer  a  favor  by  sending  us  their 
likenesses  to  copy.    They  will  be  kept  carefully,  and  returned  uninjured. 

.^>  PINE  ALBUMS  MADE  TO  ORDER  for  Congregations  to  present  to  their  Pastor, 
or  for  other  purposes,  with  suitable  inscriptions,  &o. 

A  fine  assortment  of  Stereoscopic  Views  of  the  Battle  Fields,  &c.,  of  the  present  War. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


NEW  YORK,  AUGUST  15,  1864. 


No.  20. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Ebpobt  ov  E.  B.  MoOAoa  amd  E.  W.  Blatoh- 

EOKD,  OF  THE  NoBTH-WeSTEEN  BbANOH  OF 

THE  Sakitaby  Commission 609 

County  Cotjnoils. 612 

In  Memoeiam— 

Professor  HacUey 614 

Mrs.  Arabella  G.  Barlovr. 615 

Mr.  G.  C.Edgerley 617 

Mr.  William  Wilson 617 

Field  Belief  Coeps 618 

Heboig  Bbateby 619 

Blaokbebkies 619 

cobeeotion    619 

Issues  of  Anti-Sooebutios 619 

Bepobts — 

Hospitals  at  Wasljington ."f 620 

What  the  Aujdliary  Belief  Corps  has  done.  620 

How  WE  Lived 632 

Hospital  Notes  foe  Pbiends  at  Home 633 

extbacts  fbom  oue  jouenal 635 

Belief  Woe^  in  Boston _. 636 

The  Sanitaey  Commission  Bulletin  is  puUis/ied 
on  the  firsl  and  fifteenth  of  emery  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  cireulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  ofahove  li.OOO 
copies,  it  offers  an  unusuaUy  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

ATI  communications  must  he  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  6e  au- 
thenticated by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  Oie  publication  of  the  Bul- 
letin' is  uncertain,  depending  on  thai  of  the  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission— the  Standing  Oommittee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree ofrductance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  .pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
defimie  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
(heir  friends  to  wKom  it  is  now  sent  gratvMously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  cf  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbons,  68  WaU  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  vrill  seowre  ■Us  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  wntess  its  puMication  be  sooner  discon-  * 
tinued. 

Vqi._I — Sc  20.  39 


BEPOBT  OF  B.  B.   MoCAGG  AND 
E.  W.  BLATCHFOBD, 

FBESTDENT   AND    TBEASUEEE  OF  THE  NOBTH-WBST- 
EBN  BEANCH   OF   THE   SANITAEY   COMMISSION. 

During  th.e  montlis  of  May  and  June  we 
made  a  brief  visit  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  in  the 
West,  and  a  rapid  tour  through  its  field  of 
operations  in  the»Army  of  the  Cumberland. 
We  submit  the  following  brief  report  of  our 
observations,  which  may  not  be  whoUy  de- 
void of  interest  or  practical  utility  to  our 
numerous  co-laborers  through  the  North- 
West. 

Our  object,  in  this  visit,  was  to  look  into 
the  Sanitary  Commission  in  its  details — to 
examine  the  manner  in  which  it  performs 
its  work — to  observe  the  character  and  eflS- 
ciency  of  the  agents  employed  at  various 
points — in  particular,  to  lodk  carefully  and 
critically  into  its  method  of  forwarding 
and  distributing  sanitary  stores,  and  to  as- 
certain what  is  the  per  oentage.  of  loss,  (if 
any,)  between  the  first  receipt  of  supplies 
from  the  Aid  Societies,  and  their  final  dis- 
tribution by  the  Commission  to  those  for 
whom  they  are  intended.  In  our  investiga- 
tion we  applied  to  the  Commission  the 
same  rules  of  criticism  by  which  any  pri- 
vate business  is  judged. 

We  followed  along  the  entire  line  of  san- 
itary operations  from  Louisville  to  Kings- 
ton, Ga  ,  talking  with  almost  every  agent 
between  the  two  places,  examining  critical- 
ly and  systematically,  their  books  and  ac- 
counts, inspecting  their  biUs  of  lading  and 
memoranda  of  articles  shipped,  and  observ- 
ing for  ourselves  in  what  manner  and  spirit  ' 
they  disbursed  their  stores  to  the  hospitals 
and  hospital  trains,  to  soldiers  in  the  "rests'' 
or  "  homes,"  and  to  those  in  transitu. 


610 


ITie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


At  Louisville,  Nashville,  and  Chattanoo- 
ga are 'the  principal  depots  or  bases  of  sup- 
plies, the  radiating  centres  of  the  Commis- 
sion. The  amount  of  labor  necessarily  per- 
formed at  these  points  is  very  arduous,  but 
only  the  smallest  amount  of  clerical  and 
other  force  is  employed,  consistent  with  the 
proper  and  prompt  performance  of  the 
•work;  and  no  man  is  employed  who  is  not 
selected  and  retained,  because  of  his  emi- 
nent fitness  for  his  position.  It  would  be 
too  much  to  say  that  no  mistakes  are  made 
by  the  Commission  in  the  selection  of  its 
agents,  but  we  think  these  mistakes  are 
rare. 

The  dstributing  agents  are  more  often 
than   otherwise  men  of  education,  accus- 
tomed to  the  comforts  of  home,  and  the  re- 
finements of  social  life.     13ut  in  the  service 
of  the  Commission  they  endure  an  amount 
of  discomfort  for  lack  of  the  means  and  ap- 
pliances of  living,  which  negatives  the  idea 
that  they  have  accepted  their  positions  for 
selfish  ends.     They  live  in  narrow  and  con- 
fined quarters,  sleeping  three  and  four  in  a 
room,  and  not  unfrequently  on  boxes  and 
counters,  subsisting  on  fare  at  times  un- 
pleasantly frugal,  separated  from  their  fam- 
ilies, foregoing  society,  ignoring  recreation 
and  amusement,  dwelling  in  an  atmosphere 
of  suffering,  turmoil  and  strife,  and  forced 
by  the  circumstances  in  which  they  are 
placed,  to  practice  patience   and  forbear- 
ance, even  after  they  cease  to-be  virtues. 
All  this  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated  or 
believed. 

These  agents  keep  up  with  the  army,  and 
as  it  moves  forward  and  takes  possession  of 
a  place,  there  the  agents  follow,  with  a  sup- 
ply larger  or  smaller,  as  is  deemed  advisa- 
ble, and  it  it  be  a  point  to  which  sick  or 
wounded  men  can  be  sent,  the  agency  is 
maintained  there,  and  kept  constantly  sup- 
plied. Where  the  army  encamps  in  the 
morning,  the  Commission  has  pitched  its 
tent  long  before  night.  Operating  at  the 
front,  a  prominent  and  experienced  agent 
accompanies  each  division  of  the  army, 
with  wagons,  supplies,  and  such  assistance 
as  he  may  need.  The  danger  and  hardship 
attendant  on  this  employment  may  be  im- 
agined. 

As  soon  as  Gen.  Sherman  began  his  ad- 
vance from  Chattaupoga,,  the  Commission, 


anticipating   severe  fighting,    commenced 
collecting  at  that  point  a  large  surplus  of 
battle  supplies,  and  were  thus  enabled  to 
render  assistance  to  some  five  or  six  thous- 
and wounded  men  promptly  and  efficiently. 
All  the  wounded  that  will  bear  transporta- 
tion, during  the  present  campaign,  are  sent 
as  speedily  as  possible  to  the  more  import- 
ant and  well  regulated  hospitals  at  Louis- 
ville, Nashville,   and   Chattanooga.     They 
are  there  placed  in  circumstances  where 
they  are  comparatively  independent  of  the 
Commission — the  provisions  of  government, 
and  the  hospital  fund,  in  the  main,  sufficing 
for  their  needs.     But  on  the  battle-field, 
where  the  wounded  soldier  sometimes  waits 
for  hours  his  turn  to  be  removed  from  the 
rear  to  the  field  hospital,  or  from  the  am- 
bulance to  the  hospital  train,  or  where  the 
crowded  hospital  trains,  with  their  living 
freight  of  misery,  wait  at  a  station  hours 
for  orders  to  move  forward,  there  the  agents 
of  the   Commission   are  systematically  at 
work,    supplying  the   soldier's  immediate 
wants,  and  furnishing  him  with  the  food 
and  stimulants  necessary  to  keep  him  alive. 
It  is  here  that  the  value  of  the  Commission 
is  most  vividly  realized,  and  its  noble  ser- 
vices most  gratefully  acknowledged. 

When  one  comes  to  understand  what  an 
enormous  labor  it  is  to  supply  the  army 
proper — the  fighting  men,  and  their  neces- 
sary complement  of  horses,  mules,  &c. — 
with  food,  forage,  powder  and  lead  in  such 
a  country  as  that  through  which  Sherman 
is  advancing,  and  which  taxes  the  govern- 
ment almost  beyond  description,  one  real- 
izes the  special  need  of  the  Commission, 
and  feels  that  the  beneficent  work  which  it 
is  now  doing  must  be  left  undone  were  the 
Commission  not  in  existence,  thereby  en- 
tailing a  more  fearful  loss  of  life  on  the 
country,  and  a  more  frightful  amount  of 
suffering  on  her  brave  defenders. 

It  is  sometimes  objected  by  the  captious, 
that  thfe  supplies  of  the  Commission  are 
tardily  forwarded  to  their  destination.  But 
we  could  find  no  reasonable  ground  for 
such  a  charge.  There  is,  and  there  has 
been,  at  times,  difficulty  in  obtaining  trans- 
portation, which  becomes  more  serious  as 
the  army  advances  farther  from  its  base  of 
supplies,  arising  from  the  fact  that  govern- 
ment taxes  to  the  utmost  all  the  means  of 


The  Sanitary  Commisawn  BuOMin. 


611 


transportation,  in  maintaining  the  army  in 
good  fighting  condition.  Bat  there  is  no 
delay  in  the  transmission  of  sanitary  stores 
that  is  not  shared  by  the  stores  of  the  Gov- 
ernment; while,  ■wherever  there  is  alack  of 
railroad  facilities,  the  Commission  pushes 
on  itj  supplies  by  me  ins  of  wigoas. 

The  railroad  from  Nashville  to  Chatta- 
nooga, built  before  the  ■war,  ■was  badly  con- 
structed, poorly  ballasted,  and  intended 
only  for  small  travel.  Of  course  it  is  no-w 
inadequate  to  the  carrying  of  the  immense 
supplies  for  Sherman's  army,  and  accidents, 
repairs  and  d  elays  are  inevitable.  Six  miles 
an  hour  is  about  the  highest  rate  of  speed 
attained;  and  then,  on  either  side,  are 
seen,  stre^sm  along  the  road,  wrecks  of  cars 
and  locomotives,  smashed  in  every  conceiv- 
able manner,  teUing  of  some  fearful  acci- 
dent, or  guerrilla  fight.  Impossibilities 
should  not  be  demanded  of  the  Government 
or  the  Commission;  and  the  only  matter  of 
■wonder  is,  under  all  the  circumstances,  that 
transportation  to  the  front  of  Sherman's 
army  is  as  rapid  and  safe  as  it  is. 

So  also  of  the  loss  and  waste  of  supplies. 
It  would,  of  course,  be  too  much  to  say  that 
nothing  is  lost.  But  our  examination  led 
us  to  the  conclusion  that  we  had,  in  our 
statements,  over-estimated  the  per  centage 
of  waste,  misappropriation,  and  loss  in 
transmission.  Almost  universally  supplies 
reach  the  different  points  of  distribution 
nearly  to  the  full  measure  in  which  they 
are  sent,  and  the  loss  and  waste  are,  at  the 
largest,  not  over  six  per  cent,  of  the  sup- 
plies. The  nurses  in  the  hospitals  are  very 
generally  convalescent  soldiers,  with  per- 
haps one  or  mor^  women  to  act  as  matrons, 
or  to  have  charge  of  the  linen  department. 
If,  not  yet  robust,  and  stUl  unfit  for  duty 
with  their  regiments,  these  soldier  nurses 
sometimes  use  sanitary  stores,  they  must 
not  be  too  severely  blamed,  for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  they  also  need  recupera- 
tion and  strength,  in  common  with  their 
feebler  patients. 

At  Chattanooga  the  Commission  has 
under  cultivation  an  immense  vegetable 
garden  for  the  use  of  the  hospitals.  There 
are  200  acres  in  aU — 160  in  vegetables,  and 
40  in  grapes;  the  land  being  that  of  an 
abandoned  plantation.  It  is  worked  by  de- 
tailed soldiers,  one  company  being  station- 


ed as  guards,  with  20  or  30  horses  and  mules 
for  plowing  and  teaming,  all  without  charge 
to  the  Commission,  except  for  head  gar- 
dener's wages  and  cost  of  seed.  Its  worth 
to  the  hospitals  is  almost  beyond  computa- 
tion. Several  thousand  bushels  of  green 
vegetables  have  already  been  distributed  to 
the  hospitals  froin  this  garden,  and  it  ■will 
continue  productive  to  the  very  last  of  the 
season.  A  similar  garden  is  cultivated  at 
Knoxville,  and  other  places. 

The  hospital  cars  for  the  transportation 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  men,  are  also  due 
to  the  genius  and  benevolence  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  Sanitary  Commission. 

Imagine  a  car  a  Uttfe  ■wider  than  the  or- 
dinary one,  placed  on  springs,  and  having 
on  each  side  three  tiers  of  berths  or  cots, 
suspended  by  rubber  bands.  These  cots 
are  so  arranged  as  to  yield  to  the  motion  of 
■the  car,  thereby  avoiding  that  jolting  ex- 
perienced even  on  the  smoothest  and  best 
/kept  road.  There  are  usually  several  of 
these  cars  in  a  hospital  train,  with  the 'Sur- 
geon's oar  in  the  middle.  The  car  is  divi- 
ded into  three  compartments;  at  one  end 
is  the  store  room,  where  are  kept- the  eat- 
ables and  bedding;  at  the  other,  the  kitch- 
en; and  between  the  two  the  surgeon's 
room,  containing  his  feed,  secretary,, and. 
shelves  and  pigeon-holes  for  instruments,, 
medicines,  &c.  A  narrow  hall  (ionnects  the  • 
store-room  and  kitchen,  and  great  windo^ws 
or  openings  in  the  opposite  sides  of  the 
car  give  a  pleasant  draft  of  air. 

The  men  come  on  at  evening,  selected' 
from  the  diiferent  hospitals,  according  to 
their  ability  to  be  moved,  and  after  having 
had  their  tea,  the  wounds  have  to  be  freshly 
dressed.  This  takes  till  niidnight,  perhaps 
longer,  and  the  surgeon  must  be  on  the 
watch  continually,  for  on  him  falls  the  res- 
ponsibility, not  only  of  the  welfare  of  the 
men,  but  of  the  safety  of  the  train.  There 
is  a  conductor  and  brakeman,.and  for  them,, 
too,  there  is  no  rest.  Each  finds  enoughi 
to  do  as  nurse  or  assistant.  In  the  morn- 
ing, after  a  breakfast  of  delicious  coffee  or 
tea,  dried  beef,  dried  peaches,  soft  bread, 
cheese,  &c.,  the  wounds  have  to  be  dress- 
ed a  second  time,  and  again  in  the  after- 
noon, a  third.  As  the  trains  arrive  at 
Kingston,  Dalton,  Besaca,  and  other  points 
agents  are  waiting  its  arrival,  wio  have 


612 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


been  telegraphed  of  its  coming,  having 
■with  them  a  supply  of  food,  drink,  and 
clothing  for  the  men,  which  they  distribute 
to  the  poor  fellows  as  they  have  need'. 

The  Hospital  Directory,  located  at  Lou- 
isville, is  another  department  of  the  Com- 
mission, ,  which  is  of  unspeakable  value. 
Its  specialty  has  been  so ,  often  described, 
and  is  so  well  understood  and  appreciated, 
as  to  need  no  words  of  ours  at  this  time. 
Daily  the  agents  of  the  Directory  answer 
hundreds  of  inquiries,  by  letter  or  tele- 
graph, concerning  sick  or  wounded  sol- 
diers, whose  whereabouts  is  lost  to  their 
friends  at  home;  and  the  anxiety,  which  is 
thus  relieved,  cannot  be  computed. 

There  is  extreme  good  feeling  between 
the  Medical  Department  and  the  Commis- 
sion, the  former  rendering  the  latter  every 
possible  ai^  in  prosecution  of  their  humane 
work.  The  greatest  courtesy  is  also  shown 
to  the  representatives  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission by  the  army  and  railroad  employ- 
ees, who  facilitate  their  labors  in  every  way 
within  their  power. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  gay,  that  our 
visit  to  the  Commission,  not  only  at  its 
head-quarters,  but  throughout  its  various 
departments,  gave  us  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion.    Any  waste,  or  loss,  or  evils  attend- 
ant on  the  workings  of  the  Commission, 
are  not  worth  mentioning,  compared  with 
the  good  accomplished.     We  have  return- 
ed, happy  in  our  connection  with  this  co- 
lossal humanitarian   movement,  proud  of 
the  good  it  is  accomplishing,  and  satisfied 
with  its  efficiency,  honesty  and  usefulness. 
E.  B.  McCago,  President. 
E.  W.  BiiATCHFOBD,  Treas. 
N.  W.  San.  Commission. 
June  15th,  1864. 


COUNTY  COUNCILS. 
',  We  have  received  the  official  report  of  a 
County  Council  recently  held  at  Tarrytown, 
Westchester  County,  New  York.  It  was 
composed  of  delegates  from  the  various  Sol- 
diers' Aid  Societies,  and  as  this  is  the  first 
one  of  the  kind  we  have  heard  of,  we  pub- 
lish the  entire  report,  hoping  thereby  to 
incite  similar  gatherings  throughout  the 
country.  We  commend  it  to  the  serious 
consideration  of  our  readers,  and  hope  the 
plan  may  be  generally  adopted.    Erom  per- 


sonal experience  of  the  Branch  Councils, 
held  in  Washington  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, we  know  how  pleasant  and  how 
stimulating  it  is  to  meet  and  shake  hands 
with  those  who  have  been  united  in  the  same 
great  and  good  work  which  has  so  grown 
into  our  hearts  and  lives  these  past  years. 

The  following  is  the  letter  of  invitation 
addressed  to  the  Presidents  of  the  Soldier's 
Aid  Societies: 

Jwne  lath,  1864. 

Madam — In  accordance  with  the  sugges- 
tion contained  in  the  Third  Annual  Report 
of  the  Woman's  Central  Association  of  Ee- 
Hef,  it  is  proposed  to  hold  a  County  Coun- 
cil of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  of  West- 
chester and  Putnam  Counties,  at  Tarry- 
town,  July  5th,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  This 
day  has  been  selected,  as  a  very  large  Fair 
for  the  benefit  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers,  will  be  held  at  Tarrytown  during 
the  week,  and  many  delegates  would  prob- 
ably attend  it. 

It  is  requested  that  short  reports  be  pre- 
sented by  each  Society  of  what  has  been  ac- 
complished since  the  beginning  of  the  war; 
but  the  main  object  wiU  be  "to  difiitee  in- 
formation about  the  work  and  the  wants  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  as  fully  and  wide- 
ly as  possible,"  and  to  bring  into  personal 
contact  the  earnest  workers  for  this  cause. 
We  ask  that  you  will  lay  this  proposition 
before  your  Society,  and  send  to  the  meet- 
ing five  delegates.  We  shall  be  glad  to  see, 
beside  these,  any  persons  interested  in  the 
cause. 

The  meeting  wiU  be  held  in  the  basement 
of  Christ's  Church,  Tarrytown. 

Mes.  Piebeb  Van  Cobtlandt, 

Assoc.  Manager  W.  C.'B.  A.  for  Putnam  Co. 
a'nd  NorViem  Westchester  Co. 

Miss  G.  B.  Schtjyibe, 

Assoc.  Manager  for  Southern  Westchester  Co. 

Miss  Fanny  Abnold, 

Assoc.  Managtr  for  Eastern  Westchester  Co. 

Kbpobt: 

County  Council  of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of 
Westchester  and  Putnam  Counties,  J!^.  Y. 

The  First  Council  of  the  Soldiers'  Belief  So- 
cieties of  the  Counties  of  Westchester  and  Put- 
nam convened  at  Christ  Church,  in  Tarrytown, 
on  the  5th  of  July  inst.,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Mrs. 
Pierre  Van  Cortlaudt,  and  Mrs.  G.  Hilton 
Soribuer  was  appointed  secretary. 

The  roll  of  the  Societies  in  the  two  counties 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetm. 


613 


oieties  of  the  following  places  were  represented 
by  delegates  in  the  Council,  yiz. : 

Sing  StNo— No.  of  delegates,  5— Mrs.  Camp- 
bell, Mrs.  Pentz,  Mrs.  Cox,  Miss  Carpenter,  and 
Mrs.  Cunningham. 

Gakbison— No.  of  delegates,  5— Mrs.  Belcher 
and  Mrs.  Livingston. 

Taebttown  Union  Keuep  Societt — No.  of 
delegates,  4— Mrs.  Knowlton,  Mrs.  Wilson,  Mrs. 
Eyder,  and  Miss  C.  Wilson. 

,  TaBEYTOWN    SOLDIEIIS'     AlD    SoCIETT    OI'  Ke- 

POBMED  Dutch  Chdbch — No.  of  delegates,  2 — 
Miss  Cobb  and  Miss  Thompson. 

PEEKSEHi— No.  of  delegates,  3— Mrs.  D.  L. 
Seymour,  Mrs.  Stewart,  and  Mrs.  Hussy. 

YoEKTOWN — No.  of  delegates,  2 — Mrs.  Tomp- 
kins and  Miss  Tompkins. 

Ibtcngton — No.  of  delegates,  4 — Mrs.  Irving, 
Miss  Irving,  Mrs.  Crosby,  and  Mrs.  Sturgis. 

White  Plains — No.  of  delegates,  4— Mrs. 
Berrian,  Mrs.  Clapp,  Miss  TJnderhiU,  and  Mrs. 
Fisher. 

DoBBS  Febbt — No.  of  delegates,  3 — Mrs.  Ack- 
erman,  Miss  Laight,  and  Miss  Hotchkiss. 

Yonkebs — No.  of  delegates,  5 — ^Mrs.  Everett 
Clapp,  Miss  M.  Walsh,  Mrs.  Justus  Lawrence, 
Mrs.  Brett,  and  Mrs.  G.  Hilton  Scribner. 

Each  Society  was  then  called  upon  to  report. 
The  reports  of  the  several  Societies  show  them 
to  be  in  a  prosperous  condition  as  regards  finan- 
ces, the  amount  of  work  accomplished,  and  the 
good  feeling  existing  between  the  earnest  co- 
workers in  the  cause. 

It  was  peculiarly  refreshing  for  these  dele- 
gates from  the  various  societies  to  meet  and 
each  gather  encouragement  from  the  stimula- 
ting example  of  the  oth^ers  in  this  great  work, 
wherein  woman  may  show  at  once  her  sympa- 
thy with  suffering  humanity,  and  her  love  of 
country.  The  White  Plains  Society  deserves 
especial  mention  from  the  fact  that  t^y  have 
been  contending  with  many  discouragements, 
but  have  still  keptthe  good  work  moving. 

The  Alert  Clubs  form  a  prominent  feature  in 
some  of  the  Societies,  and  seem  to  be  a  most 
decided  success,  well  worthy  recommendation. 
We  were  happily  surprised  at  the  large  number 
of  articles  of  clothing  made  in  all  these  Socie- 
ties. Many  hands  must  have  worked  diligent- 
ly to  have  accomplished  so  much. 

After  the  reading  of  the  Beports,  the  Presi- 
dent read  a  most  interesting  and  pithy  letter 
from  Miss  G.  B.  Schuyler,  depicting  in  graphic 
terms  the  sacrifices  made  by  our  sisters  in  the 
West,  compared  with  whose  noble  deeds  our 
own  seemed  to  pale  into  insignificance. 

Dr.  Frank  H.  Hamilton,  Medical  Inspector 
under  Gen.  Bosecrans,  was  then  introduced, 
and  addressed  the  Council,  giving  us  his  expe- 
rience from  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Bun  down  to 
a  recent  date,  showing  the  great  sufferings  that 
necessarily  followed  every  battle,  before  the  al- 
leviating hand  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  was 
stretched  forth,  and  the  comparative  comforts 
that  the  suffering  soldiers  now  enjoy  as  the 
blessed  fruit  of  its  noble  work. 

The  Doctor  was  interrogated  as  to  the  work- 
ings of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  all  of  which 
interrogatories  were  satisfactorily  answered. 
Some  questions  were  also  asked  relative  to  the 
efdciency  of  the  Christian  Commission.  A  brief 
discussion  then  ensued  touching  the  followipg 
subjects: 


Vice-Presidents. 


1st.  As  to  the  proper  mode  of  organizing  and 
conducting  Alert  Clubs  as  auxiliaries  to  the  So- 
cieties. 

2d.  As  to  whether  the  several  Societies  com- 
posing this  Council,  when  considered  as  branches 
of  the  Woman's  Central  Belief  Association,  are 
subordinate  to  or  co-ordinate  with  that  Associ- 
ation, in  their  powers  of  contributing  directly 
to  any  object  deemed  worthy  of  their  support. 

Upon  the  suggestion  of  the  President,  the 
thanks  of  the  Council  were  unanimously  ten- 
dered to  Dr.  Hamilton  for  his  able  and  eidight- 
ened  address  before  the  Council,  after  which, 
on  motion,  the  Council  adjourned  to  meet  on 
the  first  Tuesday  of  October,  with  the  Society 
at  Sing  Sing. 

Mbs.  Ptebeb  Vak  CoetijAndt,  Pres't. 
Mes.  G.  Hilton  Sceibnee,  Sec'y. 

We  annex  the  report  of  the  Society 
■which,  upon  compari^n  ■with  the  others, 
■was  found  to  have  accomplished  the  great- 
est amount  of  ■work  in  proportion  to  its 
population. 

Annual  Report  of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Ir- 
vington,  Westchester  County,  M.  Y.,  June  16th, 
1864: 

Officees. 
Mes.  John  E.  Williams,  President. 
Mes.  Oscab  Ieving, 
"    J.  J.  Banta, 
"    Cbosbt, 
■  "    woodfobd, 
Miss  MuLHOLLBaf, 
Miss  Saeah  Ievino,  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

OmcEES  OF  Aleet  Club: 
Mes.  Stuegis,  President. 
Miss  Stoeeow,  Secretary. 
Miss  Ltdia  Bbown,  Treasurer. 

Ebpobt: 
There  have  been  made  and  sent  to  the  Wo- 
man's Central  Association  of  Belief,  Branch  of 
the  U.   S.  Sanitary  Commission,   during  the 
year: 

Cotton  Drawers 473  pairs. 

Flannel      "        709     " 

Socks 77     " 

Slippers 53     " 

Sheets 523 

Arm  Slings 44 

Thread  Cases 16 

Whole  number  of  articles .  1895 

Also,  a  quantity  of  bandages,  lint,  old  linen 
and  cotton,  books,  magazines  and  newspapers; 
also,  a  large  amount  of  dried  fruits,  jellies, 
pickles,  currant  shrub  and  raspberry  vinegar, 
backgammon  boards  and  dominoes. 

The  number  of  members  at  the  present  time 
is  44,  being  an  increase  of  10  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  organization. 

The  weekly  average  attendance  of  members  of 
the  Society  for  the  whole  year  is  33. 

It  will  be  remembered  tliat  work  for  our  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  has  been  going  on  in  this 
Tillage  from  the  commencement  of  £e  war,  but 


614 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


o-wing  to  the  imperfect  system  of  the  earlier  ef- 
forts, less  -was  accomplished  in  two  years  than 
has  now  been  performed  in  one. 

For  our  present  most  successful  plan  of  or- 
ganization, we  are  indebted  to  the  Woman's 
Central  Association  of  Relief,  10  Cooper  Union, 
N.  ¥.  (See  Sahitaet  CoMMist-ioN  Btjlletin, 
No.  12.) 

Etinice  WTT.T.TAivra,  President. 

Tbeasukeb's  Eepoet. 
The  receipts  in  money  during  the  past  year 
have  been  from 

Alert  Club  Subscription $635  21 

Donations 417  36 

Net  Proceeds  of  "  The  Fair  " 1,717  39 

Sale  of  Rags 3  00 

Total $2,772  96 

Expended  for  materials $2,341  11 

Sent  to  Treasurer  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission          300  00 


Total $2,641  11 

Balance  on  hand $131  85 

As  we  have  had  no  other  expenses,  the  whole 
amount  of  funds  received  has  been  applied  di- 
rectly to  the  objects  of  the  Society ,  and,  we 
trust,  in  the  most  economical  manner. 

Sabah  Ibytng,  Treasurer. 

"We  understand  that  the  population  of  the 
village  of  Irvington  numbers  about  800. 
In  comparing  this  report  with  what  has 
been  done  in  other  parts  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  the  peculiar  advantage  of  these 
suburban  villages  of  New  York  City,  as  re- 
gards wealth,  should  be  taken  into  consid- 
eration. 


m  MEMOEIAM. 

It  is  our  melancholy  duty  to  record  in  this 
number  of  the  Bpt.t.t.tin  the  death  of  four  Agents 
of  the  Commission;  three.  Mis.  Gen.  Barlow, 
Prol  Hadley,  of  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
and  Mr.  G.  C.  Edgerley,  stricken  down  by  disease, 
induced  by  severe  and  long  continued  labors  ia 
an  unfriendly  climate,  and  one,  William  Wilson, 
wounded  by  a  shot  from  the  enemy's  battery, 
while  on  board  .the  Commission's  supply  steam- 
er, and  dying  ia  a  few  hours. 

To  give  testimony,  as  observers,  to  the  Chris- 
^an  devotion  of  these  noble  friends  of  our  suf- 
fering soldiers,  is  a  duty  willingly  performed, 
for  we  have  taken  note  fi:om  week  to  week  of 
their  fidelity  which  counted  self  denial  a  delight, 
if  only  life  to  the  living  could  be  made  tolera- 
ble, and  death  to  the  dying  more  peaceful. 
Their  works  do  follow  them. 

Like  brave  soldiers  they  have  fallen  at  their 
posts.  Many  to  whom  they  brought  succor 
and  relief  still  live,  and  we  wish  it  were  in  our 
power  to  record  here  their  tearful  tribute  of 


thanks  for  those  tender  ministrations,  bringing 
comfort  and  cheering  the  long  night  watches. 

Dr.  Douglas,  the  Associate  Secretary  in 
charge  at  the  front  sends  us  the  following  brief 
notice : 

P30FESS0B   HaDI^ET. 

Professor  Hadley  arrived  at  City  Point  "the 
last  of  June,  and  was  immediately  assigned  to 
daty  among  the  relief  agents  of  the  Commission, 
attached  to  the  depot  hospital  of  the  Ninth 
Army  Corps.  His  devotedness  was  the  remark 
of  all  with  whom  he  was  associated.  Laboring 
early  and  late  throughout  the  day,  and  often 
throughout  the  night,  going  wherever  duty 
called  him,  unmindful  of  fetigue,  or  the  exhaust- 
ing character  of  his  labors,  in  a  climate  and  a 
season  alone  sufficient  to  tax  the  powers  of  the 
strongest  constitution,  he  toiled  on  with  an  ear- 
nestness and  energy  which  was  a  part  of  his  na- 
ture, until  sickness  overtook  him.  Unwilling 
to  leave  the  field,  he  lingered  among  the  hos- 
pitals, eager  to  return  to  work,  struggling 
against  fever,  and  hoping  for  a  renewal  of 
strength,  till  the  advice  of  his  medical  attend- 
ant pointed  the  way  to  a  return  home,  as  the 
surest  means  of  recovery.  It  was  on  his  return 
home,  August  2d,  (just  after  arrival  of  transport 
at  Washington,)  that  his  exhausted  nature  gave 
way,  and  he  sank  into  an  early  grave. 

The  following  is  handed  us  by  a  Belief 
Agent,  Rev.  E.  A.  Smith,  who  accompanied 
Prof.  Hadley  to  the  army,  and  was  with  him  at 
the  time  of  his  death: 

Prof.  H.  was  assigned  to  duty  with  the  Relief 
Agents  of  the  9th  Corps'  Hospital.  There  he 
continued  from  June  30th,  the  time  of  his  arri- 
val, until  his  final  sickness. 

The  great  characteristic  of  his  life  there  was 
his  quiet,  incessant  working.  He  said  so  little 
of  what  he  saw  and  did,  that  we  can  get  an  idea 
of  his  work  only  from  incidental  clues.  One  of 
these  was,  that  he  was  very  seldom  seen  resting 
himself,  or  lounging  about  the  store  tent.  We 
saw  him  rather  going  in  and  out  of  his  wards, 
or  coming  to  our  tent,  getting  what  supplies  he 
needed,  and  going  quickly  back  again.  Se  never 
went  to  the  front  The  curiosity  which  has  at 
sometime  impelled  most  of  us  to  go,  that  we 
could  take  home  stories  of  bullets  and  shells, 
never  seemed  to  influence  him.  He  came  to  work, 
not  to  see.  This  he  acted,  though  he  never  said 
it.  Great  eagerness  was  shown  during  his  sick- 
ness by  certain  of  his  former  patients,  to  be  of 
service  to  him  in  turn.  During  his  passage  on 
the  hospital  boat,  it  was  pleasant  to  see  certain 
of  the  sick  stop  as  they  recognized  their  former 
"  Sanitary  man,"'  and  aSk  after  his  welfare.    As 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuJktin. 


615 


they  inquired  more  about  him  they  were  sur- 
prised to  learn  his  profession.  The  conversa- 
tion with  them  had  always  been  such  that  they 
had  never  suspected  their  having  a  Hebrew 
Professor  for  a  "  Sanitary." 

He  seemed  to  be  so  occupied  in  thought  with 
the  suffering  that  he  could  not  relieve — that  he 
never  seemed  to  consider  what  he  had  done, 
and  never  seemed  disposed  to  criticise  others 
uncharitably. 

In  one  case,  when  a  newly  appointed  nurse 
showed  himself  grossly  unfit  for  his  place,  Prof. 
H.  said  very  little  about  it  to  others,  but  ^et 
himself  to  work  to  make  up  the  short  comings. 
His  habit  was  to  remedy  evils  and  not  to  de- 
claim about  them.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that 
Prof.  H  brought  on  him  his  last  sickness.  His 
repeated  watchings  with  a  lad  sick  with  typhoid 
fever,  so  prostrated  him  he  never  rallied.  This 
illness  we  all  expected  would  pass  off  in  a  day 
or  BO,  but  it  soon  took  the  form  of  a  fever,  and  it 
was  decided  that  he  must  return  home.  He  be- 
gan the  journey  under  as  favorable  conditions  as 
one  could  choose  for  a  sick  friend.  The  steamer 
Connecticut  is  as  comfortable  a  boat  and  as 
much  fiUed  with  the  atmosphere  of  kindness  as 
one  would  think  possible  for  a  hospital  boat 
The  first  day  Prof.  H.  seemed  to  improve,  but 
on  the  next  sank  so  rapidly,  that  by  noon  he 
had  ceased  to  breathe.  His  body  was  taken 
charge  of  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
after  being  embalmed,  was  forwarded  to  his 
friends,  who  met  it  at  New  York.  He  was 
buried  in  New  Haven,  on  Thursday,  August  4. 

The  New  York  Eoeidng  Post,  August  8,  says: 
The  sad  intelligence  comes  from  Fortress 
Monroe  of  the  death  of  Professor  Henry  Hamil- 
ton Hadley,  of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary 
in  this  city,  while  on  his  way  from  the  front, 
where  his  health  had  become  shattered  in  the 
discharge  of  his  arduous  duties  as  a  relief  agent 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  with  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Among  the  many  noble  lives 
that  have  been  laid  upon  the  country's  altar  in 
this  war  none  was  a  costlier  sacrifice  than  his, 
though  none  has  been  more  freely  offered.  A 
ripe  scholar,  an  accomplished  instructor,  and 
an  earnest  Christian  patriot,  he  counted  his  life 
as  nothing,  If  it  could  advance  the  cause  in 
which  his  sympathy  was  ho  warmly  engaged. 

Professor  Hadley  was  a  son  of  President 
Hadley,  of  Geneva  College  in  this  State,  and  a 
younger  brother  of  Professor  James  Hadley,  of 
Yale  College.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  the 
class  of  1847  with  all  the  highest  academic  and 
literary  honors  of  his  class,  and  even  now  his 
remarkable  ability  and  the  ease  with  which  he 
carried  off  the  palm  in  all  the  college  contests 
for  superiority  are  traditions  in  that  institution. 
He  subsequently  studied  divinity  in  New  Ha- 
ven, and'became  a  tutor  in  the  under  graduate 
department  of  the  college  in  1850,  which  posi- 
tion he  occupied  for  about  three  years.         * 


Many  men,  under  whose  eye  this  brief  notice 
will  fall,  will  remember  with  affection  the  slight, 
delicate  looking  little  tutor  of  Greek  and  Math- 
ematics of  their  Freshman  and  Sophomore 
ytars  in  college,  and  the  respect  he  eommajaded 
by  his  profound  scholarship  and  sound  judg- 
ment. 

At  a  later  period,  he  was  Professor  of  Hebrew 
at  Yale  Divinity  School,  and  at  the  Union  The- 
ological Seminary  in  New  York,  alternating  be- 
tween the  two  places— but  he  finally  resigned 
the  former  position,  and  held  the  latter  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  His  whole  heart  was  enlist- 
ed in  the  cause  of  his  country,  and  he  was  on 
one  or  two  occasions  only  deterred  from  enter- 
ing the  service  as  a  private  by  the  earnest  rep- 
resentations of  his  friends  of  the  consequences 
that  would  result  to  one  of  so  delicate  a  consti- 
tution as  his.  He  sent  a  substitute  every  year, 
however,  and  finally  unable  to  endure  inaction 
longer,  entered  the  service  of  the  Saniti#y  Com- 
mis^ion,  and  devoting  himself  to  his  duties  with 
all  the  earnestness  and 'energy  of  his  nature, 
sank  under  them  into  an  early  grave.  The 
country  can  ill  aftbrd  to  lose  such  men,  but  the 
cause  is  doubly  hallowed  that  receives  the  sac- 
rifice of  a  life  so  upright  and  noble. 

Mbs.  Bablow. 

Died  at  Washington,  July  27,  1864,  Mrs.  Ar- 
abella Griffith  Barlow,  wife  of  Brigadier  Gener- 
al Francis  C.  Barlow,  of  fever  contracted  while 
in  attendance  upon  the  hospitals  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  at  the  front. 

With  the  commencement  of  the  present  cam- 
paign she  became  attached  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  entered  upon  her  sphere  of  active 
work  during  the  pressing  necessity  for  willing 
hands  and  earnest  hearts,  at  Fredericksburg. 
The  zeal,  the  activity,  the  ardent  loyalty  and 
the  scornful  indignation  for  everything  disloyal 
she  then  displayed,  can  never  be  forgotten  by 
those  whose  fortune  it  was  to  be  with  her  on 
that  occasion.  Ever  watchful  of  the  necessities 
of  that  trying  time,  her  mind,  fruitful  in  re- 
sources, was  always  busy  in  devising  means  to 
alleviate  the  discomforts  of  the  wounded,  attend- 
ant upon  so  vast  a  campaign  within  the  enemy's 
country,  and  her  hand  was  always  ready  to  car- 
ry out,  the  devices  of  her  mind. 

Many  a  fractured  limb  rested  upon  a  mattress 
improvised  from  materials  songM  out  and 
brought  together  &om  no  one  knew  where  but 
the  earnest  sympathizing  woman  who  is  now  no 
more. 

At  Fredericksburg  she  labored  with  all  her 
heart  and  mind.  The  sound  of  battle  in  which 
her  husband  was  engaged,  floating  back  &om 
ChanoeUorsville,  stimulated  her  to  constant  ex- 
ertions. She  faltered  not  an  instMifc  Bemain- 
ing  till  all  the  wounded  had  beenremoved  from 
Fredericksburg,  she  left  with  the  last  hospital 
transport  for  Port  Eoyal,  where  she  again  aided 


616 


T?)£  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


in  the  care  of  the  wounded,  as  they  were  brought 
in  at  that  point.  From  thence  she  went, to 
White  House,  on  one  of  the  steamers  then  in 
the  service  of  the  Commission,  and  immediate- 
ly going  to  the  front,  labored  there  in  the  hos- 
pitals, after  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor.  From 
White  House  she  passed  to  City  Point,  and  ar- 
rived before  the  battles  in  front  of  Petersburg. 
Going  directly  to  the  front,  she  labored  there 
with  the  same  energy  and  devotion  she  had 
shown  at  Fredericksburg  and  White  House. 

Of  strong  constitution,  she  felt  capable  of  en- 
during all  things  for  the  cause  she  loved;  but 
long-continued  toil,  anxiety  and  privation  pre- 
pared her  system  for  the  approach  of  fever, 
which  eventually  seized  upon  her. 

Yielding  to  the  solicitation  of  friends  she  im- 
mediately returned  to  Washington,  where,  after 
a  serious  illness  of  several  weeks,  she,  when  ap- 
parently convalescing,  relapsed,  and  fell  another 
martyr  to  a  love  of  country.  J.  H.  D. 

The  following  extract  from  a  private  letter 
expresses  the  grateful  emotions  of  many  fami- 
lies whose  loved  ones  came  under  Mrs.  Barlow's 
devoted  care: 

' '  We  were  shocked  to  hear  yesterday  of  Mrs. 
Gen.  Barlow's  death.  We  knew  Mrs.  Barlow 
well,  and  have  felt  a  peculiar  interest  in  her,  as 
she  was  with  my  cousin  the  night  before  he 
died,  after  Gettysburg,  ministering  most  ten- 
derly to  him.  She  and  her  heroic  husband 
have  presented  a  rare  picture  of  unselfish  patri- 
otism ever  since  the  commencement  of  the  war; 
it  is  such  examples  which  incite  anew  our  faith 
in  the  holiness  and  final  triumph  of  our  cause." 

We  add  two  notices  which  have  appeared  in 
the  papers.  The  initials  will  be  recognized  as 
those  of  Dr.  Francis  Lieber,  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege: 

To  the  Editors  of  the  Evening  Post: 

I  received  yesterday  a  telegraphic  despatch 
informicg  me  of  the  death  of  Mrs.  Gen.  Barlow. 
She  died  yesterday  morning  of  typhus  fever  at 
Washington. 

Mrs.  Bailow,  (Arabella  Griffith  before  she 
married, )  was  a  highly  cultivated  lady,  full  of 
iife,  spirit,  activity  and  charity. 

General  Bai  low  entered  as  private  one  of  our 
New  York  volunteer  regiments  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war.  The  evening  before  he  left  New  York 
for  Washington  with  his  regiment,  they  were 
married  in  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Lafayette 
Place.'  Barlow  rose,  and  as  Lieutenant  Colonel, 
made  the  Peninsular  campaign  under  General 
McClellan.  He  was  twice  severely  wounded, 
the  last  time  at  Antietam.  Since  then  we  have 
always  read  his  name  most  honorably  mention- 
ed, whenever  Major-General  Hancock's  corps 
was  spoken  of.     Mrs.  Barlow  in  the  meantime 


entered  the  Sanitary  service.  In  the  Peninsular 
campaign  she  was  one  of  those  ladies  who 
worked  hard  and  nobly,  close  to  the  battle-field, 
as  close  indeed  as  they  were  permitted  to  do. 
When  her  husband  was  wounded  she  attended, 
of  course,  upon  him  In  the  present  campaign 
of  General  Grant  she  has  been  >t  Belle  Plain, 
White  House,  and  everywhere  where  our  good 
Sanitary  Commission  has  comforted  the  dying 
and  rescued  the  many  wounded  from  the  grave, 
which  they  would  otherwise  have  found.  The 
last  time  I  heard  of  her  she  was  at  TP  hite  House, 
and  now  I  am  informed  that  she  died  of  typhus 
fever  in  Washington.  No  doubt  she  contracted 
the  malignant  disease  in  performing  her  halloa- 
ed and  self  imposed  duty  in  the  field. 

Her  friends  will  mourn  at  the  removal  from 
this  life  of  so  noble  a  being.  All  of  us  are  the 
poorer  for  her  loss;  but  our  history  has  been 
enriched  by  her  death.  Let  it  always  be  remem- 
bered as  one  of  those  details  which,  like  single 
pearls,  make  up  the  precious  string  of  history, 
and  which  a  patriot  rejoices  to  contemplate  and 
to  transmit  like  inherited  jewels  to  the  rising 
generations.  Let  us  remember,  as  Amer- 
ican men  and  women,  that  here  we  behold  a, 
young  advocate,  highly  honored  for  his  talents 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He  joins  the  citizen 
army  of  his  country  as  a  private,  rises  to  com- 
mand, is  wounded  again  and  again,  and  found 
again  and  again  at  the,  head  of  his  regiment  or 
division,  in  the  fight  where  decision  centres. 
And  here  is  his  bride — accomplished,  of  the 
fairest  features,  beloved  and  sought  for  in  so- 
ciety— who  divests  herself  of  the  garments  of 
fashion,  and  becomes  the  assiduous  nurse  in 
the  hospital  and  on  the  field,  shrinking  from 
no  sickening  sight,  and  fearing  no  typhus — 
that  dreadful  enemy,  which  in  war  follows 
the  wings  of  the  angel  of  death,  like  the 
fever-bearing  currents  of  air — until  she,  too,  is 
laid  on  the  couch  of  the  camp,  and  bidden  to 
rest  from  her  weary  work,  and  to  let  herself  be 
led  by  the  angel  of  death  to  the  angel  of  life. 
God  bless  her  memory  to  our  women,  our  men, 
our  country. 

There  are  many  glories  of  a  righteous  war. 
It  is  glorious  to  fight  or  fall,  to  bleed  or  to  con. 
quer,  for  so  great  and  good  a  cause  as  ours ;  it 
is  glorious  to  go  to  the  field  in  order  to  help  and 
to  heal,  to  fan  the  fevered  soldier  and  to  com- 
fort the  bleeding  brother,  and  thus  helping, 
may  be  to  die  with  him  the  death  for  our  coun- 
try. Both  these  glories  have  been  vouchsafed 
to  the  bridal  pair.  F.  L. 

The  Herald  correspondent,  writing  from  Pe- 
tersburg, July  31,  says: 

General  Miles  is  temporarily  in  "command  of 
the  First  Division  during  the  absence  of  Gene- 
ral Barlow,  who  has  gone  hoiiie  for  a  few  days 
for  the  purpose  of  burying  his  wife.  The'seri- 
ous  loss  which  the  gallant  young  general  and 
an  extensive  circle  of  friends  in  social  life  have 
sustained  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Barlow,  is  largely 
shared  by  the  soldiers  of  this  army.  She  smooth- 
ed the  dying  pillow  of  many  patriotic  soldiers 
before  she  received  the  summons  to  follow  them 
herself;  and  many  a  surviving  hero  who  has 
languished  in  army  hospitals  will  tenderly  cher- 
ish the  memory  of  her  saintly  ministrations 
when  they  were  writhing,  with  the   pain   of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


617 


wounds  received  in  battle  or  lost  in  the  deliri- 
um of  consuming  fevers. 

Mb.  G.   C.   Edgbelby. 
[Extract  of  a  letter  from  Dr.  E.  A.  Crane, 

dated  New  Orleans,  July  20,  1864.] 

I  have  already  alluded  in  some  of  my  com- 
munications to  the  Central  Office— if  not  to 
yourself,  to  the  illness  of  several  members  of  our 
corps,  resulting  from  overwork  and  exposure, 
while  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  in  which 
they  have  engaged.  While  most  have  recovered, 
and  are  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  fair  measure 
of  health,  I  am  exceedingly  pained  to  be  com- 
pelled to  announce  to  you  the  death  of  one  of 
our  most  valued  agents,  Mr  G.  0,  Edgerley. 

He  returned  to  this  city  from  Cairo  on  the 
hospital  transport,  N.  W.  Thomas,  feeble  rather 
than  sick,  convalescent  from  an  attack  of  meas- 
sles,  contracted  during  the  voyage  up  the  river. 
His  symptoms  were  neither  regarded  by  him- 
self or  others  as  likely  to  prove  serious,  until  a 
few  days  previous  to  his  death,  when  by  our 
advice  he  went  to  the  "  Home,"  where  we  were 
better  able  to  render  to  him  that  service,  atten- 
tion and  good  nursing,  which  we  believed  to  be 
chiefly  essential  to  his  recovery. 

While  at  the  "Home"  he  grew  rapidly  worse, 
and  continued  to  sink  until  the  morning  of  the 
15th  instant,  when  he  quietly  and  peacefully 
left  us  for  that  brighter  and  better  wqrld,  where 
there  is  no  more  pain  and  trouble,  and  all  is 
peace. 

Mr.  Edgerley  was  always  regarded  as  one  of 
our  most  valuable  and  efficient  employees,  and 
his  loss  is  one  wjiioh  falls  heavily  upon  us,  as 
also  upon  the  large  circle  of  friends  and  the 
many  acquaintances  he  had  formed  while  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  as  Agent  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

To  you  as  well  as  to  us,  it  may  be  a  satisfac- 
tion to  know,  that  nothing  was  spared  which 
might  contribute  to  his  well-being  and  comfort 
while  sick — that  dying  he  was  surrounded  by 
those  whorfi  he  knew  and  loved  best — that  the 
last  sacred  offices  of  burial  were  conducted  in. 
the  presence  of  friends,  who  had  learned  to 
know  him,  to  esteem  him,  and  to  love  him. 

A  correspQndent  of  the  New  York  Tribune, 
under  date  of  July  26th,  thus  alludes  to  Mr. 
Edgerley's  death: 

The  Commission  lately  met  with  a  serious 
loss,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Edgerley,  of  New 
Hampshire,  who  came  to  this  city  a  year .  ago, 
and  has  labored  since  in  the  work  of  (he  Com- 
mission, with  unflagging  assiduity  and  zeal. 
He  was  taken  sick  while  engaged  in  taking  oai* 


of  the  sick  ajid  wounded  on  board  the  hospital 
boat  N.  W.  Thomas,  while  on  her  way  hence  to 
Cairo,  a  few  weuks  si[ice,  and  returned  to  this 
city  soon  afterward  to  die.  His  loss  is  much 
regretted  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  by 
many  friends  in  this  city,  as  well  as  among  the 
soldiers  whom  he  had  ministered  to  in  the  army; 
In  so  noble  a  work  it  seems  almost  an  enviable 
thing  thus  to  die  with  the  harness  on  one's 
back.  J,  B.  C. 

WHiMAM  WHiSON. 
William  Wilson  was  a  resident  of  this  city. 
He  was  probably  the  youngest  in  the  Relief 
Corps,  and  on  applying  to  enter  the  service  of 
the  Commission,  was  considered  too  young,  but 
he  manifested  such  an  appreciation  of  the  pro- 
posed duties,  that  he  was  accepted.  He  did  not 
disappoint  our  expectations,  and  the  record  he 
made  for  himself  in  a  gbod  work  may  well 
be  a  consoling  thought  to  his  parents  and 
friends  in  this  great  bereavement. 

We 'add  a  letter  from  Dr.  Parrish,  giving 
somewhat  In  detail  the  circumstances  attending 
the  attack  on  the  steamer,  on  which  William 
Wilson  was  fatally  wounded: 

City  Point,  Va.,  August  i,  186*. 
To  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.  D,,  General  Seo  etai-y^ 

Xf.  S.  Sanitary  Commission: 

Deae  Sib— I  have  to  record  a  sad  accident  in 
the  history  of  the  Commission.  In  consequence 
of  the  extreme  heat  of  the  weather,  and  of  the 
over-worked  condition  of  everybody  who  will 
and  can  work,  since  the  battle  of  Saturday  last, 
I  determined  to  give  as  many  of  our  agents  as 
could  be  relieved,  an  excursion  up  the  river, 
and  directed  that  the  tug-boat  should  be  in 
readiness  at  two  o'clock  to-day  for  that  purpose. 

I  went  with  the  boat  to  the  hospital  landing, 
and  received  on  board  the  S.  E.  Brown  about 
twenty  of  our  Eelief  Corps,  three  ladies,  and  a 
number  of  invalid  soldiers,  placed  them  and  the 
boat  under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  Swalm,  and  bade 
them  a  good  trip  for  their  health  on  the  James. 

When  about  seven  miles  above  City  Point,' 
they  were  fired  upon  by  guerrillas  from  the' 
shore,  and  before  they  could  receive  the  pro-' 
tection  of  the  gun  boats,  two  of  our  valuable 
co-laborers  were  seriously  injured,  and  the  en- 
gineer of  the  boat  instantly  killed. 

1.  G.  Mayo,  of  Milo,  Piscataqua  County, 
Maine.  Ball  passed  into  the  left  side,  just  above 
the  hip,  injuring  somewhat  the  crest  of  the  illi- 
um,  and  creating  much  suffering.  Mr.  Mayo  is 
doing  well. 

2.  William  Wilson,  No.  68  Grove  Street,  New 
York  City.  Ballpassed  through  the  right  illi- 
um,  entering  the  peritoneal  cavity,  and  perhaps 
will' terminate  fatally.     (Since  dead.) 


618 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


3.  John  Hamlin,  Engineer,  Brooklyn,  shot 
through  the  hea4,  and  killed  immediately. 

I  must  acknowledge  gratefully  the  unremit- 
ting attention  of  Dr.  Thomas  Haigh,  Acting 
Assistant  Surgeon,  and  Dr.  T.  W.  Swalm,  both 
of  whom  accompanied  the  excursion';  and  did 
much  toward  the  relief  of  the  suffering.  They 
were  supplied  with  bandages,  lint,  etc.,  from  the 
gunboat  Piquot,  and  were  accompanied  to  Ber- 
muda Hundred  by  the  Commodore  Morris,  un- 
der the  command  of  Oapt.  E.  G.  Lee. 

Poor  Hamlin's  body  was  carried  to  the  hos- 
pital landing,  and  wiU  be  embalmed  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  P.  B.  Fay.    It  awaits  orders. 

The  boat  was  sailing  under  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission flag,  and  the  ladies  were  sitting  on  the 
bow,  in  full  view  of  the  shore.  The  wicked 
daring  of  the  attack  is  characteristic  of  the  foe, 
whom  we  have  fed  and  nourished  as  our  own 
men,  when  they  have  been  suffering  and  helpless. 
Yours  respectfully, 

Joseph  Pabiush, 

Acting  Associate  Secretary. 


FIELD  BELIEF  CORPS. 

Hospital  5th  Cobfs,  July  20, 1864. 
Followiiig  instructions  of  Dr.  Jenkins, 
General  Secretary  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, whicli  were  received  during  a  brief 
visit  to  my  home,  I  reported  to  you  on  my 
arrival  at  City  Point,  on  the  25th  ultimo,  to 
resume  my  duties  as  Superintendent  of  the 
Meld  Belief.  The  absence  from  the  store- 
house of  several  efficient  assistants,  making 
my  presence  at  that  place  desirable,  it  was 
not  until  the  8th  of  July,  that  I  returned 
to  the  front. 

Since  then  my  time  has  been  fully  occupied 
in  the  duties  connected  with  the  very  large 
distribution  of  vegetables  and  other  sup- 
plies, and  in  an  effort  under  your  instruc- 
tions to  make  this  Commission  better  known 
\to  the  soldiers,  as  the  ever  ready  and  liberal 
almon«r  of  the  bounty  of  the  country.  To 
secure  this  latter  object,  an  agent  has  been 
assigned  to  each  division  of  the  Field  Hos- 
I  pitalof  every  corps,  whose  time  is  to  be  de- 
voted to  such  assistance  to  and  intercourse 
■with  the  patients,  as  will  best  promote  their 
comfort,  whilst  his  continued  presence  and 
observation  will  tend  to  correct  whatever 
inclination  may  exist  on  the  part  of  the 
hospital  attendants,  to  misapply  the  arti- 
cles obtained  from  the  Commission.  At 
present  this  field  of  labor  is  comparatively 
unproductive,  owing  to  the  small  number  of 


cases  under  treatment,  and  the  convalescent 
condition  of  a  large  portion  of  these.  The 
wounded,  of  whom  there  have  been  but 
few  recently,  are  generally  removed  to  the 
hospitals  near  City  Point. 

Should  an  engagement  fill  these  field 
hospitals,  there  will  be  abundant  opportu- 
nity for  efficient  service  by  the  entire  corps. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  gentlemen 
sent  here  for  this  duty  are  prepared  to  give 
so  short  a  time  to  its  discharge,  as  a  familiar 
acquaintance  with  the  Surgeons  and  at- 
taches greatly  increases  their  opportunities 
for  usefulness,  and  experience  adds  so  much 
to  their  ability.  It  having  been  deemed 
by  you  advisable  to  make  our  issues  of 
vegetables  to  the  troops  in  the  trenches 
more  direct  and  with  greater  liberality,  I 
commenced  with  the  extreme  left  wing  of 
the  army,  and  arranged  to  issue  orders  on 
our  supplies  at  City  Point,  in  favor  of  the 
Commissaries  of  the  1st  and  2d  Divisions 
of  the  Sixth  Corps.  The  march  of  these 
troops  during  the  ensuing  night  to  Harper's 
Ferry,  prevented  the  execution  of  our  plan. 
This  was  on  Satatday,  July  9th.  The  ra- 
tion proposed,  and  afterwards  given  to 
other  corps,  was  one  pint  of  'pickles  to 
every  man  in  the  front. 

On  the  following  day,  one  hundred  bar- 
rels of  pickles  were  turned  over  to  the  Corps 
Commissary  of  the  Second  Corps;  on  the 
11th  of  July,  the  same  amount  was  deliver- 
ed pro  rata  to  the  Commissaries  of  Division 
and  Artillery  Brigade  of  the  Fifth  Corps. 
About  the  same  time  the  Ninth  Corps  was 
supplied  through  Dr.  Stevens,  with  one  hun- 
dred barrels  each  of  vegetables  and  pickles. 
During  the  same  day  I  called  on  General 
Martindale,  in  command  of  the  18th  Corps. 
He  appeared  to  approve  very  highly  of  the 
distribution  of  this  class  of  supplies,  and 
issued  an  order,  to  be  read  to  the  troops, 
stating  that  the  Sanitary  Commission  had 
delivered  a  ration  of  a  pint  of  pickles  to 
every  man  in  the  corps;  this  consumed  an 
additional  hundred  barrels. 

It  is  probable  that  this  order  never  reach- 
ed the  troops  in  the  trenches,  but  its  pub- 
lication did  good,  and  showed  the  animus 
of  the  General. 

On  my  way  next  morning  to  Point  of 
Bocks,  I  met  Dr.  McDonald,  and  learning 
from  hinj  that  a  supply, of  fresh  vegeta- 


The  8anita/ry  Commission  BvEetin. 


619 


bles  were  subject  to  my  order  at  City 
Point,  I  added  them  to  the  distribution  for 
the  10th  Corps,  making  out  orders  for 
eighty-eight  barrels  of  pickles  and  one 
hundred  barrels  of  vegetables.  This  com- 
pleted one  full  issue  of  pickles  to  the  entire 
army,  and  of  vegetables  to  the  9th  and  10th 
Corps. 

General  Butler  issued  an  order  somewhat 
similar  to  that  of  General  Martindale.  For 
supplies  distributed  since  that  issue,  a  tab- 
ular statement  is  appended. 

The  same  liberality  that  has  marked  our 
distribution  of  vegetables  to  the  troops, 
has  been  extended  to  the  sick  in  the  Field 
Hospitals,  and  to  those  who  while  unable  to 
do  duty  are  not  ordered  to  tlie  rear. 

"Weekly  visits  to  the  front  Unes  by  tha. 
Field  Agent,  have  brought  the  supplies  o£ 
the  Sanitary  Commission  prominently  be- 
fore the  Surgeons  on  duty,  and  enabled  us 
to  meet  with  preventives  a  large  number 
of  cases  that  otherwise  might  have  proved 
serious.  These  visits  have  shown  us,  that 
the  distribution  of  supplies  has  reached 
the  men  in  the  trenches,  and  been  of  great 
benefit  to  them. 

KeUef  Agents  have  been  assigned  to  the 
*various  Army  Corps,  one  to  each  Division 
Hospital,  as  stated,  'and  efforts  have  been 
made  through  them,  and  by  the  direct 
action  of  the  Superintendent,  to  encourage 
a  liberal,  yet  prudent  application  of  sani- 
tary stores.  In  many  instances,  supplies 
of  fruits  or  vegetables  of  a  delicate  character 
were  received,  in  smaller  quantities  than 
were  required  for  issue  to  the  troops.  These 
were  divided  among  the  various  hospitals, 
to  the  great  satisfaction,  we  may  hope,  of 
all  the  inmates. — Superintendent  Johnson's 
Report. 

HEROIC  BEATEKY— THE  BROKEN 
FLAGS*  AEF. 

Dr.  Marsh,  Sanitary  Commission  Inspector 
in  South  Carolina,  relates  the  following  inci- 
dent connected  with  the  late  miUtary  move- 
ment which  he  accompanied: 

"The  enemy  having  got  the  range  of  qui 
flagstaff,  cut  the  halyards  by  a  piece  of  shell, 
and  the  flag  fell  immediately.  Private  Tibbitts, 
Company  M,  Third  Rhode  Island  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, seized  the  fallen  flag,  cUmbed  the  staff, 
and  holding  to  it  with  one  arm,  with  the  oppo- 
site hand  held  the  flag  to  its  place,  until  new 
halyards  were  obtained  and  &e  flag  secured; 
the  enemy  meanwhile  fixing.'" 


BLACKBERRIES. 
In  addition  to  the  frequent  calls  for  prepara- 
tions of  Blackberry,  we  are  advised  from  our 
issuing  storehouses  to  repeat  the  appeal,  as  the 
demand  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  will  continue 
through  all  the  winter  as  well  as  summer 
months. 

The  Dried  Fruit  will  be  of  the  greatest  value, 
and  many  families  who  cannot  afford  to  purchase 
the  sugar  needed  in  preparation  of  the  Wine  and 
Syrup,  and  much  less  the  Spirits  for  Blackberry 
Brandy,  can  collect  many  pounds  of  the  fruit 
and  dry  it 

Of  the  four  preparations  Brandy  is  the  most 
valuable;  it  being  less  exposed  to  fermentation, 
and  in  most  cases  more  highly  prized  by  the 
Surgeons.  The  loss  on  the  Wine  and  Syrup, 
through  fermentation  aftA  bottling ,  is  large 
and  it  is  desirable  that  the  Branches  do  not  re- 
lax their  efforts  to  secure  more  perfect  prepara- 
tion and  packing,  and  increase,  if  necessary, 
the  unwelcome  labor  of  carefully  examining 
every  bottle  before  repacking.  Such  expendi- 
ture of  time  and  money  is  true  economy,  as 
a  glance  at  many  boxes  of  empty  or  broken  bot- 
tles with  the  bills  for  their  transportation,  would 
convinoe  any  observer.  We  would  suggest  that 
the  Aid  Societies  during  the  fmit  season,  take 
up  the  manufacture  of  the  Wine,  or  Brandy,  or 
Syrup,  collecting  the  fruit  from  the  country  in 
their  vicinities,  and  miking  the  articles  and 
packing  under  their  own  direction,  or  employ- 
ing a  skillful  person  for  the  work. 

Much  might  well  be  put  up  in  kegs  instead  of 
bottles. 

It  is  advisable  that  if  a  good  stock  is  secured, 
the  Societies  put  in  store  a  portion  of  it,  three- 
quarters  at  least,  for  issue  daring  the  winter 
and  spring  months,  when  the  risk  of  loss 
through  fermentation  is  much  less.  The  motion 
and  exposure  connected  with  transportation,  it 
will  be  remembered,  stimulate  the  fermenting 
process. 

^- k  report  on  the  "Work  of  ReUef  in 
Grant's  Army,"  on  p.  585  (No.  19)  of  BuLLETru, 
was  erroneously  attributed  to  Mr.  Smith,  in- 
stead of  Dr.  T.  B.  Smith,  one  of  our  old  and 
valued  inspectors. 

Itma  of  Aidi-ScorbaKcs  at  City  Point,  7a.,  ehiring 
July,  1864. 


3,520  bbls.  potatoes. 

66  "     fresh  tomatoes. 
780  boxes      "  " 

100  000  lbs.  canned  " 

67  bbls.  pickled       " 
2,600  bbla.  feesb  onions. 
12  boxes  " 

448  bbls.  pioiled  onions. 
1,480  bblB.    "    cucumbers. 
366       ''     sanr  kiaat. 


64  bbls.  cuMed  cabbage. 
8,930  heads  fresh         ■' 
363  bbls.  fresh  beets. 
133    "         "    tiimipa. 
68      "         "     beans. 

"        "    peas. 
162    "    assorted  vegetables 
2V      "    green  apples. 
451    •<    dried       "  ' 

11      "    cranberrieB. 


620 


The  8anita/ry  Commission  BuUetm. 


HOSPITALS  AT  WASmNGTON. 

Mr.  Caldwell  reports: 

Sib — From  April  1st  to  this  date,  (June 
24th,)  of  my  resignation  of  my- position  in 
the  service  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, I  have  made  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  visits  to  general  and  post  hospitals,  in 
and  about  Washington,  Alexandria  and  Bal- 
timore. For  nearly  four  weeks  between 
these  dates  I  was,  as  you  know,  very  close- 
ly confined  at  the  desk  of  the  Chief  Clerk, 
and  no  visitor  of  the  Commission  went  the 
rounds  of  the  hospitals. 

During  the  month  of  April,  there  was 
but  little  call  for  supplies  at  the  hospital. 
While  I  was  at  the  Chief  Clerk's  desk  in 
May,  the  calls  were  large,  and  some  hospi- 
tals that  for  months  had  needed  almost 
nothing,  drew  largely  upon  the  Commission. 

Since  resuming  my  work  of  hospital  visit- 
ing, about  thres  weeks  ago,  I  have  dis- 
pensed with  liberal  hanfl  wherever  I  was 
satisfied  as  to  the  need,  and  have  requested 
the  purchase  of  many  articles  not  usually 
supplied  by  the  Commission,  such  as  green 
cambric  for  curtains,  life-preservers  for  ring 
cushions,  charcoal  powder  for  a  preventive 
against  gangrene,  etc.  One  large  Barrack 
Hospital,  newly  opened  in  Alexandria,  situ- 
ated on  a  plain,  bare  of  trees,  has  thus  been 
supplied  with  curtains,  that  were  indispen- 
sable for  the  well  being  of  the  patients,  and 
could  be  obtained  in  no  other  way. 

In  April  I  began  to  distribute  among  the 
patients  in  the  hospitals  a  small  circular, 
giving  a  full  account  of  what  is  done  in  the 
Special  Belief  Department — so  that  they 
might  know  where  to  apply  for  aid  in  get- 
ting claims  settled.  This  will  be  carried 
on  by  my  successor,  and  I  know  will  be  of 
great  benefit  to  the  soldiers. 

The  aid  we  were  able  to  give  so  abun- 
dantly during  these  memorable  months  of 
May  and  June,  has  been  gratefully  acknowl- 
edged by  many  Surgeons  in  charge  of  hos- 
pitals. 

The  demand  has  been  most  heavy  for 
head-rests,  air-cushions,  spit-cups,  shirts, 
drawers  and  socks,  (cotton,)  slippers,  thin 
wrappers,  blackberry  cordial  ot  brandy, 
brandy,  crackers,  dried  fruits,  jellies,  lem- 
ons, oranges,  pickles,  porter,  ale,  ^ugar, 
tea,  lint,  old  linen  bandages,  crutches, 
fans,  slings,  stationery,  handkerchiefs  and 
towels.  Thin  wrappers,  arm-slings,  jeUies, 
bandages  and  old  linen,  I  have  not  been 
able  to  supply  as  wanted;  none  of  these 
articles  can  be  had  of  the  Medical  Purvey- 
or, except  bandages— and  the  old  cloth 
bandages  of  the  Commission  are  greatly 
preferred  by  all,  to  the  new  cloth  ones  fur- 
nished by  Government.  I  am  doing  all 
that  I  can  to  induce  Surgeons  in  charge  to 
prevent  aU  possible  waste  of  bandages,  and 
in  almost  every  hospital  they  are  washed, 
when  not  from  gangrenous  wounds. 


Of  pickles,  and  particularly  pickled  cu- 
cumbers, we  should  have  a  good  supply;  of 
Blackberry  Cordial  or  Brandy,  and  Cherry 
Bum,  we  cannot  have  too  much — and  the 
same  may  be  said  of  head-rests;  and  I 
would  recommend  that  the  Commission 
have  made  for  issue  "bed-tables" — to  put 
on  the  bed  before  the  patient,  from  which 
to  eat,  or  for  writing;  a  pattern  can  be 
found  in  the  Camden  Street  Hospital,  Bal- 
timore. 


WHAT  THE   AUXILIAKT  KELIEP  CORPS 
HAS  DONE. 

Mr.  Fay,  the  Superintendent,  reports: 

As  Superintendent  of  the  Auxiliary  Belief 
Corps  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  I  beg 
leave  to  submit  the  following  report: 

In  April  I  received  a  request  to  go  to 
Washington  to  assist  in  the  organization 
and  take  charge  of  the  Auxiliary  Corps. 
Twenty-five  gentlemen,  mostly  students 
from  the  Princeton  Theological  Seminary, 
New  Jersey,  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
New  York,  and  the  General  Theological 
Seminary,  New  York,  were  employed  for 
four  months'  service  in  this  corps.  Other 
gentlemen,  volunteers  from  Boston  and 
vicinity,  were  sent  for  and  joined  the  corps, 
so  that  it  "had  about  forty  members  when  it 
started  for  the  field.  There  were  25  Divin- 
ity Students,  5  Clergymen,  1  Physician,  1 
Professor  of  Natural  History,  1  Teacher, 
1  Shipmaster,  1  Editor,  3  Clerks,  and  1 
Merchant.  These  men  were  organized  into 
separate  divisions,  or  squads  of  six  to  ten 
each,  under  the  charge  of  a  captain,  who 
should  control  their  action  after  being  as- 
signed to  duty  by  the  Superintendent. 

While  at  Washington  the  corps  were 
called  together  repeatedly,  for  instruction 
in  their  duties  as  nurses,  and  in  general 
hospital  work. 

We  left  Washington,  May  10th,  on  the 
Eapley,  arrived  at  Belle  Plain  at  night — 
found  wounded  men  on  barges  and  on 
shore.  Detailed,  first  and  second  divisions 
to  feed  them  with  crackers  and  coffee. 

In  the  morning  established  a  feeding 
station  on  the  shore.  Left  second  division, 
(10  men)  in  charge;  and  the  rest  of  the  corps 
started  on  food  for  Fredericksburg.  On  arri- 
val there  found  wounded  in  houses,  church- 
es, stores,  etc.  Reported  to  Dr.  Dalton, 
and  obtained  permission  to  carry  out  our 
plan.    I  immediately  detailed  four  men. 


Ti.e  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


621 


second  division,  second  corps;  six  men, 
fourth  division,  second  corps;  nine  men, 
first  and  second  divisions,  sixth  corps;  five 
men.  Asylum  Hospital,  sixth  corps,  -who 
became  at  once  nurses,  cooks,  dressers,  as- 
sistant stewards,  etc. 

We  remained  at  Fredericksburg  seven- 
teen days,  during  which  time  twenty  thou- 
sand wounded  men  passed  ^rough.  The 
Auxiliary  Corps  served  them  in  trains  as 
they  arrived— at  the  boats,  as  they  were 
sent  away,  and  also  at  the  cars  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river,  at  Falmouth.  We  were 
called  upon  also  to  furnish  nurses  on  the 
transports  at  Washingtoii,  which  we  were 
able  to  do. 

Our  next  point  was  at  Port  Eoyal,  where 
we  remained  but  two  or  three  days;  about 
two  thousand  wounded  passing  through.  A 
feeding  station  was  established  on  shore, 
and  this,  with  the  care  of  trains  arriving, 
covered  our  labor  here. 

We  next  went  to  White  House  and  estab- 
lished our  system  of  Auxiliary  Corps  tents 
and  regular  field  hospitals.  It  was  the  first 
attempt,  and  was  generally  successful.  We 
arrived  in  half  an  hour  after  the  Medical 
Director,  and  established  a  feeding  station 
in  a  few  hours  afterwards.  Not  less  than 
ten  thousand  wounded  passed  through  this 
point.  Remained  till  Sunday,  June  12th, 
when  a  small  party  were  started  in  the  Eap- 
ley,  alias  James  Guy,  with  a  smaU  quantity  of 
supplies,  and  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe  to 
meet  the  Superintendent,  who  had  been 
temjSbrarily  absent.  We  proceeded  to  Ber- 
muda Hundreds.  This,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, was  before  any  considerable  portion 
of  the  army  had  crossed  the  James  River. 
Leaving  a  few  supplies  here  and  at  Point 
of  Rocks,  on  the  Appomattox,  we  made 
headquarters  at -City  Point,  which  had  not 
then  beea  taken  as  a  base  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  Served  a  few  hundred 
wounded,  who  came  in  from  the  18th 
Corps,  and  sent  two  or  three  loads  to  the 
front  to  supply  the  wounded  of  the  18th 
and  2d  Corps,  which  had  arrived  and  been 
engaged. 

When  the  supplies  on  the  Eapley  were 
nearly  exhausted,  the  other  boats  and 
barges  not  arriving  from  White  House,  I 
went  down  the  river  about  fifteen  miles,  to 
the  pontoon  over  which  the  army  was  cross- 


ing, and  learned  that  the  boats  were  de- 
tained at  Fortress  Monroe  by  the  ,Provost 
Marshal,  upon  a  general  order  of  General 
Butler.  I  returned,  immediately  applied 
to  General  Grant,  who  had  then  established 
his  headquarters  at  City  Point,  and  obtain- 
ed a  telegraphic  order  for  all  Sanitary 
boats  to  be  allowed  to  come  up.  On  the 
same  day,  however,  you  had  obtained  an 
order  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  the 
same  effect,  and  arrived  with  the  boats  and 
barges,  and  the  balance  of  the  Relief 
Agents:  As  soon  as  the  hospitals  were 
established  at  a  point  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  up  the  Appomattox,  the  plan  of 
Auxiliary  Corps  tents  was  again  put  in 
operation,  and  has  contmued  to  the  present 
time,  more  successfully  even  than  at  White 
House,  as  we  profit  by  our  past  experience. 

Up  to  the  present-time  from  eight  to  ten 
thousand  men  have  arrived  at  this  base, 
and  more  or  less  have  been  subject  to  our 
care. 

System  of  Woek. 

The  Auxiliary  Corps  is  divided  into 
divisions  of  six  to  ten  men  each,  under  the 
command  of  a  captain.  Upon  the  estab- 
lishment of  hospitals,  each  division  is  as- 
signed to  a  corps,  and  directed  to  pitch  a 
tent  within  the  limits  of  the  hospital.  Re- 
quisitions of  supplies  are  made  by  the  cap- 
tain, which  are  used  by  the  Superin- 
tendent. '' 

This  is  done  daily,  or'oftener,  if  needed. 
It  is  designed  to  keep  a  small  assortment  of 
every  kind  of  sanitary  supplies  in  each 
corps  hospital,  and  that  all  requisions  upon 
the  supply  barge  shall  come  from  the  cap- 
tain, rather  than  from  the  surgeon.  The 
surgeons  of  course  having  permission  to 
draw  upon  the  tent  supply  at  any  time. 
The  principal  distribution  of  the  goods  is 
made  by  our  own  men,  who  are  assigned 
each  to  a  certain  number  of  tents,  with  di- 
rections to  confine  his  labors  to  his  ward, 
and  to  see  to  the  special  needs  of  the 
patients  in  that  ward.  By  this  system  prop- 
er distribution  of  the  supplies  is  secured. 

When  special  diet  kitchens,  for  which 
the  Sanitary  Commission  furnish  cooking 
stoves,  are  established  for  the  preparation 
of  farina,  corn  starch,  soups,  toast,  etc., 
they  are  supplied  with  aU  needed  articles, 
when  the  Government  supply  fails.     It 


622 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BitUetin, 


frequently  happens  tliat  the  whole  'supply- 
comes  from  the  Sanitary  Commission's 
tent.  Our.  men  prepare  and  administer 
milk  punch  or  lemonade,  at  regular  hours, 
under  the  direction  of  the  surgeon.  On 
the  arrival  of  trains  of  -wounded,  the  Aux- 
iliary Corps  are  always  ready  to  assist,  feed- 
ing and  otherwise,  caring  for  the  patients. 

By  this  system  we  feel  confident  that 
every  patient  will  be  visited,  that  his  wants 
and  that  of  the  surgeons  wiU  become 
known,  and  can  in  due  time  be  met. 

Of  course,  this  added  facility  in  obtain- 
ing supplies  will  add  largely  to  the  demand, 
but  so  the  work  is  wisely  done,  and  the 
articles  confer  comfort  and  save  and  pro- 
long life,  no  demand  can  be  too  great  for 
the  Commission  to  strive  to  supply. 

We  have  now  at  this  point  a  tent  in  the 
2d,  5th,  6th  and  9  th  Corps'  Hospitals,  and 
in  the  Colored  Hospital  and  that  of  the 
Cavalry  Corps. 

In  the  10th  and  18th  Corps,  they  being 
in  another  department,  the  auxiliary  work 
has  not  been  introduced.  In  addition  to 
these,  we  have  a  feeding  station  near  the 
hospital  landing,  designed  to  feed  trains  of 
wounded  who  come  down  directly  from  the 
field,  without  passing  through  the  Corps 
Hospitals,  and  also  to  supplement  the 
Corps  Stations  when  a  large  train  arrives 
atjiospital. 

Feeding  Stakon  neab  Baeges. 
To  relieve  the  table  of  the  hotel  barge 
from  the  large  number  of  calls  from  hungry 
soldiers,  a  station  has  been  established  on 
the  shore,  where  a  very  simple  meal  is  pre- 
pared of  hard  tack,  crackers,  coffee,  pickles. 
Since  that  time,  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
two  hundred  men  have  been  daily  fed,  and 
one  day  when  a  division  passed  by,  about 
seventeen  hundred  men  received  more  or 
ijless  aid  from  the  tent.  There  is  no  eating 
house  here,  and  many  men  who  are  left  in 
charge  of  stores  or  horses,  or  are  dropped 
here  from  barges  or  steamers^  and  are  de- 
layed in  getting  to  their  regiment,  have 
need  of  just  this  kind  of  aid.  It  is  not 
rendered  attractive,  and  none  but  a  hungry 
man  will  avail  himself  of  it. 

Nearly  300  different  men  have  served  in 
the  Auxiliary  Corps  for  a  longer  or  shorter 
time  within  the  last  sixty  days. 


OuB  Standabd. 
I  have  endeavored  to  impress  upon  the 
minds  of  the  Auxiliary  Corps  that  "home 
comforts  "  should  be  our  standard  in  our 
efforts  for  the  sick  and  wounded.  Not  that 
we  expect  to  reach  or  nearly  approach  it, 
but  let  us  keep  it  constantly  before  us.  If 
one  of  these  wounded  men  were  our  brother 
and  were  in  our  own  home,  how  many 
hours  of  how  many  members  of  our  family 
and  of  the  neighborhood  would  be  devoted 
to  his  comfort?  He  is  "somebody's 
brother;"  more,  he  is  ours,  suffering  for 
us,  and  because  he  is  uncomplaining  and 
content  with  little,  shall  we  cease  our  at- 
tentions ?  The  American  citizen  gives  lit- 
tle, who' gives  only  his  time,  his  money,  or 
his  sympathy  in  this  hour,  compared  with 
the  soldier  who  gives  his  life  or  his  limbs. 
It  is  not  "sickly  sentimentality,"  it  is  not 
"excessive  benevolence,"  that  calls  upon 
us  to  do  the  best  we  can  for  these  men.  It 
is  simple  justice. 

Relations  with  Medioaij  Officebs. 

We  have  every  reason  to  be  gratified  at 
the  harmonious  relations  existing  between 
the  Commission  and  the  Medical  OfiScers. 
The  Auxiliary  Corps  have  in  nearly  all  in- 
stances, been  cordially  received  and  encour- 
aged in  their  work. 

I  cannot  avoid  naming  Dr.  Dalton,  Med- 
ical Director  of  all  the  Hospitals  at  the  sev- 
eral bases,  who  has  not  only  extended  to 
us  the  courtesies  natural  to  him  as  a  gen- 
tleman, but  has  granted  us  almost  as  many 
favors  officially. 

"  How  HAVE  WE  Lived  ?" 
At  Fredericksburg,  I  think  I  may  safely 
say,  that  more  than  half  the  time,  a  blanket 
and  a  floor  were  the  only  b5d  of  the  Auxil- 
iary Corps.  Two  empty,  unfinished,  un- 
clean houses  were  obtained,  swept  out  and 
called  "Homes."  Stewards  were  appoint- 
ed from  our  own  number,  and  a  Commis- 
sary to  pj^ovide  food.  The  diet  for  the  first 
few  days  was  crackers,  farina,  and  coffee. 
There  was  no  Government  Commissary  of 
whom  to  purchase,  and  the  larder  of  the 
Commission  was  not  extensive.  Later,  we 
lived  better,  but  never  with  any  approach 
to  home  'Comforts.  On  the  barges,  the  ta- 
ble variet:v  has  been  comparatively  gnnd. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


623 


the  sleeping  accommodations  not  luxuri- 
ous. (See  letter  from  Bev.  Mr.  Potter,  p. 
632.)  The  men  permanently  assigned, 
sleep  in  the  tents  at  the  field  hospitals. 
When  there  is  a  change  of  base  a  floating 
home  is  necessary,  as  well  as  for  unassign- 
ed  men,  and  for  those  coming  and  going. 
Becently,  -we  have  had  a  hotel  barge,  which 
is  comfortable,  though  too  small. 

But  all  our  discomforts  have  been  met  by 
the  Auxiliary  Corps  without  complaint, 
which  among  so  many  men  is  remarkable. 

Bttbials. 

By  reference  to  report  of  Bev.  Dr.  Stone, 
it  appears  that  we  began  to  superintend  the 
burial  of  the  dead  at  Fredericksburg,  al- 
though we  had  participated  in  it  at  Belle 
Plain  with  the  Christian  Commission.  Since 
that  time,  at  Port  Eoyal,  White  House,  and 
City  Point,  we  have  had  entire  charge,  se- 
lecting the  burial  place,  performing  the 
service  and  erecting  and  marking  the  head 
boards.  A  record  is  kept  and  forwarded  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission  Directory,  at 
Washington. 

At  Belle  Plain,  Bev.  S.  H.  Thompson 
ofSciated;  at  Fredericksburg,  Bev.  Dr. 
Stone;  at  Port  Boyal,  Bev.  Mr.  Thompson 
and  Mr.  W.  H.  Holstein;  at  White  House, 
Mr.  Holstein;  at  City  Point,  (on  first  arri- 
val,) Mr.  W.  P.  Webster;  at  City  Point  at 
Hospital,  Mr.  Holstein.  Mr.  Holstein  has 
been  assisted  by  Mr.  Allen,  Mr.  Griffith, 
and  Mr.  Eggleston.  At  Port  Boyal,  the 
burial  ground  was  surrounded  by  a  suitable 
fence,  and  a  bouquet  laid  upon  every  grave! 

The  whole  number  buried  under  our  Su- 
perintendence at  the  points  named,  has 
been  about  600. 

We  have  of  late  furnished  some  suitable 
head-boards,  sent  from  Washington,  but 
there  is  still  great  need  of  them.  The 
graves  are  numbered  and  head-boards  can 
be  erected  whenever  a  supply  is'  obtained. 
A  private  accustomed  to  lettering  has  been 
detailed,  and  this  part  of  the  work  will  be 
well  done. 

None  have  been  buried  in  coffins  since 
the  campaign  commenced.  It  is  not  usu- 
ally so. 

Lettees. 

A  letter  box  has  been  kept,  a,t  each  Aiy- 
iliary  Corps'  tent  and  on  the  barge,  and  up 


to  the  present  time  nearly  150,000  letters 
have  been  forwarded  to  Washington  in  the 
last  sixty  days.  They  have  been  received 
whether  paid  or  unpaid,  and  pre-payment 
made  at  the  Central  Office. 

It  has  been  a  source  of  great  comfort  to 
the  soldiers,  and  the  expenditure  is  a  most 
wise  one.  Many  of  the  letters  are  sent  from 
regiments,  being  directed  to  wounded  men 
who  have  been  sent  to  the  rear. 

"  MrLK-puNCH  Wagon." 

Appreciating  the  sufferings  of  the  wound- 
ed in  being  transported  in  army  wagons 
and  ambulances  from  the  field  to  the  base 
without  suitable  nouri^ment  or  stimulants, 
I  sent  from  White  House  out  to  the  front 
a  wagon  loaded  with  crackers,  milk,  whis- 
ky, utensils  and  empty  bottles,  and  five 
Belief  Agents  to  meet  the  incoming  trains 
and  distribute  in  each  wagon  and  ambu- 
lance, a  bottle  of  milk-punch  and  some 
crackers.  It  was  entirely  successful  and 
should  be  followed  hereafter  when  oppor- 
tunity offers. 

Washing. 

There  has  always  been  a  great  waste  of 
clothing  in  hospitals,  for  want  of  means  of 
washing.  They  cannot  ordinarily  be  sup- 
plied for  some  weeks  by  Government.  I 
recommend  that  the  Commission  make  pre- 
paration for  a  movable  washing  establish- 
ment entire,  to  be  put  in  operation  as  soon 
as  a  hospital  is  organized.  By  it,  the  whole 
expense  of  it  could  be  saved  in  a  single 
week. 

We  haTe  already  fitted  out  two  small  af- 
fairs at  this  point,  and  Governinent  are 
adding  others,  but  better  preparations 
should  be  made  for  it  hereafter. 

Conclusion. 

In  behalf  of  the  members  of  the  Auxilia- 
ry Corps,  I  desire  to  say,  that  their  reports 
are  less  numerous  and  less  interesting  on 
account  of  the  nature  of  the  work.  Every 
moment  is  occupied  during  the  day,  and 
they  are  too  wearied  at  night  to  write.  Nor 
do  I  believe  that  one  can  fitly  describe  his 
own  labor  in  a  work  like  this,  as  it  seems 
too  much  like  self-commendation. 

They  have  exhibited  a  spirit  of  self-sacri- 
fice, and  an  earnestness  none  can  questioa> 


624 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BiMetm. 


The  Commission,  the  community,  and  the 
soldiers  are  deeply  indebted  to  them. 

They  have  continued  to  labor  in  these 
unhealthy  localities,  without  desertion. 
Many  have  lost  their  health  and  been  obli- 
ged to  leave,  and  are  now  upon  sick  beds, 
hovering  between  life  and  death.  One, 
Charles  H.  Stanley,  of  Beverley,  Mass.,  has 
laid  down  his  life,  as  truly  a  sacrifice  for 
his  country,  as  the  men  who  die  upon  the 
field.  He  was  a  devoted  worker,  fell  sick 
from  over-exertion  at  Belle  Plain,  went  to 
Washington  on  furlough,  returned  too  soon, 
was  immediately  sent  to  his  home,  but  lived 
only  ten  hours  after  his  arrival.  Appropri- 
ate resolutions  were  passed  by  the  Corps 
upon  receipt  of  notice  of  his  death.  (See 
Bulletin,  No.  18,  p.  568.) 

Let  us  cherish  his  memory,  as  one,  who 
in  his  efforts  to  save  the  lives  of  others  lost 
his  own. 

We  subjoin  copious  extracts  from  the 
reports  of  various  members  of  the  corps — 
aU  volunteers — serving  under  Mr.  Fay's 
direction: 

•  De.  NBrLSON. 

SCENES   ON  THE    "NEW   WOBXiD." 

I  arrived  at  City  Point,  Va.,  on  the  21st 
of  June,   1864,  and  immediately  tendered 
my  services  to  the  Acting  Relief  Agent  for 
the  Commission.      He  accepted  my  offer, 
and  requested  me  to  pro'oeed  at  once  to  the 
steamer  New  World,  (then  used  as  a  Gov- 
ernment hospital  ship,)  with  a  number  of 
nurses,  dressers,  etc.     Went  accordingly, 
and  found  the  steamer,  a  large  three-story 
boat,  was  crowded  by  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed.    Cots  were  placed  as  close  as  could  be 
together,  leaving  barely  room  for  the  at- 
tendants to  pass  between  the  rows — even 
the  little  state-rooms,  close,  and  not  venti- 
lated at  all,  contained  each  four  patients. 
In  fact,  the  whole  boat  was  crowded  to  ex- 
cess, the  number  of  Government  attendants 
jcere  limited  and  overworked,  and  I  can 
say  that,  had  it  not  been  for  the  Sanitary, 
the  amount  of  suffering  would  have  in- 


creased tenfold.  Oh!  could  you  have  seen 
and  heard  the  constant  outpouring  of  grati- 
tude of  the  poor  fellows;  their  eager  watoh- 
ings  of  the  agents  of  the  Commission,  as 
they  moved  among  them  in  the  discharge 
of  their  duties,  you  would  have  felt  more 
than  repaid  a  thousand  times  for  every 
exertion  made  for  them.  "  God  bless  the 
Sanitary  Commission"  was  the  constant 


cry  from  the  poor  fellows,  as   one  after 
another  their  wounds  were  dressed   and 
their  wants  supplied.     "If  it  were  not  for 
them  we  would  die!"    This  is  not  intended 
to  oast  any  slur  on  the  Government  offi- 
cials— they  were  overworked,  and  in  the 
pressing  calls  made  by  the  sudden  arrival 
of  a  large  number  of  wounded  from  the 
battle-field,    could  not,  -in  the  nature  of 
things,  be  otherwise,  and  it  is  in  emergen- 
cies of  this  kind  that  the  true  value  of  the 
Commission  is  shown.     With  their  large 
and  well  organized  band  of  assistants,  they 
step  in  and  fill  the  gaps,  which  the  best 
efforts  of  the  Government  must  ever  leave 
unfilled,  and  I  do  not  think  their  efficacy 
was  ever  more  displayed  than  on  the  "above 
occasion. 

On  the  22d  I  first  noticed  the  appearance 
of  that  dreaded  disease,  hospital  gangrene. 
It  spread  rapidly,  and  on  the  24th,  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  clear  her  of  all  the 
patients,  and  haul  her  out  into  the  middle 
of  the  stream.  The  odor  of  the  disease 
affected  every  part  of  the  boat,  and  made 
some  of  the  attendants  sick;  but  in  despite 
of  the  dangers  to  which  they  were  exposed 
from  infection,  not  one  of  the  agents  in  the 
Commission  faltered  in  his  duties.  They 
bravely  stood  up  to  their  posts,  and  some 
of  them  staid  by  the  boat  until  she  was 
nearly  cleared  of  the  patients  and  anchored 
in  the  stream. 

My  experience  has  been  short,  but  I  saw 
enough  to  cause  me  heartily  to  join  in  the 
prayer  of  the  poor  soldiers,  "God  bless 
the  Sanitary  Commission." 


Mk.  S.  T.  Keese. 

THE    GENEEAIi   FEEDING   STATION. 

I  reported  to  you  soon  after  our  arrival 


at  White  House,  and  the  day  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  a  squad  of  eight  per- 
sons.    We  reported  immediately  to  Feed- 
ing Station,  No.  1,  near  the  railroad  bridge, 
and  were  engaged  tiU  late  in  the  evening 
assisting  in  the  care  of  a  large  number  of 
wounded  men  lying  in  wagons  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river.     The  next  day,  June  3d, 
we  were  ordered  to  report  to  Capt.  Evans, 
at  Feeding  Station,  No.  2,  situated  about 
300,  yards  above  the  landing  place  of  the 
Sanitary  boats,  and  in  a  central  location. 
The  labor  of  feeding  and  caring  for  the 
wounded  men  at  that  time  arriving,  so  far 
as  the  Commission  undertook  to  act,  de- 
volved chiefly  upon  this  feeding  station, 
and  the  consequent  labor  was  very  great. 
Capt.  Evans  was  soon  worn  out  by  the  worry 
and  responsibility  incident  to  such  a  place, 
and  was  compelled  to  resign  his  charge,  to 
which  I  succeeded.     I  wish  to  say  of  Capt. 
Evans,  that  I  have  seen  no  man  whose 
heart  was  more  fuUy  in  the  work,  or  any 
one  who  has  exhibited  so  great  tenacity  and 


The  Samtary  Commission  BidleUn. 


625 


industry.  In  this  opinion,  all  my  men 
agree  heartily  ■with  me.  For  some  time  af- 
ter I  had  assumed  charge  of  the  post,  the 
labor  continued  to  be  severe  and  without 
intermission.  We  supplied  the  wounded 
men  with  soft  crackers,  coflfee,  soup,  lemons, 
and  various  relishes.  We  fed  many  well 
men  from  the  front,  going  or  returning; 
we  dealt  out  shirts,  drawers,  stockings, 
handkerchiefs,  shoes;  we  kept  a  post  office; 
we  dressed  wounds;  we  dispensed  simple 
medicines;  we  answered  innumerable  ques- 
tions.   '         *       _    *  *  * 

Mb.  John  Stiles. 

THE    "WATBB   BASb"   BEEDINO  STATION. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  in  compliance  with 
instructions  from  you,  a  feeding  station 
was  opened  here,  to  furnish  meals  to  hun- 
gry soldiers  not  otherwise  provided  for. 
Three  days'  experience  gives  the  following 
result: 


No.fei  Ut  day,  307. 
X  bbl.  crackers. 

I  box  "haxdtack." 
9  lbs.  ground  coffee. 

8  cans  condensed  milk. 

II  lbs.  sn^ar. 


2d  day,  263. 

1  bbl.  crackers. 
Ibox  "hardtack." 
6  lbs.  ground  coffee. 
6  cans  milk. 

2  bbls.  aanr  kraut. 
10  lbs.  ice; 


3(Z  day,  319. 
1  bbl.  crackers. 
Ibox  "hardtack." 
10  cans  milk. 
16  lbs,  brown  sugar. 
10  lbs.  ground  coffee. 


Total,  8M  men. 


Of  the  above  goods,  there  is  on  hand — 
%  bbL  saur  kraut,  1  box  hardtack,  1  bbl. 
crackers,  4  cans  inilk,  3  lbs.  coflfee,  5  lbs. 
sugar. 

Tent  ancl  Utensils. 

Tent  16  by  16,  under  which  is  a  table  and 
benches  for  12  men. 

The  coflfee  boiler  is  under  a  small  "fly." 
The  only  additional  articles  used  are — 24 
tin  cups,  12  spoons,  2  tin  pails,  1  wooden 
bucket,  6  towels,  a  broom,  and  an  axe — all 
of  which  can  probably  be  turned  in  at  the 
breaking  up  of  the  Station. 

Two  men  attend  the  Station  and  furnish 
meals  to  those  only  who  have  previously  re- 
ceived tickets. 

Mb.  J.  F.  B.  Mabshalii. 

AT  EEBDEBIOKSBUEG. 

May  So. 

In  accordance  with  your  request  I  submit 
herewith  a  brief  report  of  the  doings  of  the 
11th  Auxiliary  Relief  Corps,  assigned  by 
you  to  the  hospitals  on  the  heights  of 
Fredericksburg,  of  the  second  division,  9th 
Army  Coiys.  This  hospital  comprised 
several  buildings,  the  principal  of  which 
was  the  Mansion  on  St.  Mary's  Heights, 
formerly  an  elegant  residence,  but  now  so 
defaced  by  shot  and  shell  as  to  be  almost 
untenable;  other  houses  and  cottages  com- 
prised within  a  range  of  half  a  mile  were 
filled  with  wounded.    The  daily  changes  of 

Vol..  I.— Ko.  20.  40 


men  rendered  it  impossible  to  keep  an 
accurate  record. 

One  train  of  ambulances  left  about  five 
hundred  men,  all  of  whom  were  suflfering 
from  lack  of  attention.  The  average  num- 
ber in  the  hospital  was  between  five  hun- 
dred and  six  hundred.  Some  four  hundred, 
who  were  wounded  in  the  attack  by  Ewell 
on  our  wagon  train,  were  left  over  night  in 
the  ambulances  in  front  of  our  hospitals, 
and  though  we  were  all  fatigued  by  our 
day's  work,  we  gave  the  most  of  the  night 
to  these  men.  The  next  morning  at  6  A.M., 
the  train  moved  on  towards  the  city,  and 
every  man  had  something  in  the  way  of  re- 
freshment before  he  left.  We  then  buried 
eight  poor  fellows  who  had  died  either~on 
the  road  or  during  the  night.  Eev.  Mr. 
Channing  performed  a  most  impressive 
ceremony. 

Their  effects  were  ofiUected  and  sent  to 
their  friends.  With  all  our  labors  early 
and  late,  we  could  only  feel  that  we  had 
done  but  a  small  part  of  what  was  needed 
to  be  done  to  make  these  wounded  suffer- 
ing men  comfortable. 

The  patient,  heroic  endurance  with  which 
they  bore  their  sufferings,  and  the  want  of 
the  camforts  and  almost  the  necessaries  of 
life,  was  beyond  all  praise.  They  fully  ap- 
preciated all  that  was  done  for  them,  and 
were  overflowing  in  their  expressions  of 
gratitude  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  and 
its  agents. 

We  found  these  poor  fellows  lying  on 
bare  floors  mostly  without  blankets,  pillows, 
mattresses,  or  even  straw.  Their  clothing 
fetid  with  filth  and  blood,  without  proper 
or  suflftcient  food.  Although  the  depot  of 
the  Commission  had  been  almost  drained  of 
supplies  by  the  great  demand  from  the  city 
hospitals  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  some  tea,  coffee,  oat- 
meal, farina,  and  sugar,  and  left  at  once, 
and  the  same  evening  came  that  wonderful 
relief  chest,  containing  a  little  of  almost 
everything  that  could  be  thought  of  for 
hospital  uses.  But  for  the  aid  afforded  to 
this  hospital  by  the  efforts  of  the  Commis- 
sion, the  sufferings  of  the  inmates  must 
have  been  very  much  greater,  and  I  feel 
confident  that  many  lives  were  saved  by  its 
humane  interposition. 

The  Government  supplies  were  wholly  in- 
adequate to  the  wants  of  these  men  even  had 
they  been  not  wounded.  Coffee,  and  occa- 
sionally salt  pork  or  salt  beef,  or  fresh  beef, 
which  latter  was  generally  served  out  in  a 
very  greasy  soup,  which  seemed  to  give  the 
men  bowel  complaints,  whenever  they  par- 
took of  it.  I  was  called  upon  for  nothing 
more  eagerly  than  for  medicine  to  stop  the 
diarrhea,  which  was  a  very  prevalent  com- 
plaint. 

The  medicines  found  in  the  relief  cheat, 
for  this  purpose,  I  used  with  remarkable 
success. 


626 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiEetitb. 


The  Government  had  do  medical  sup- 
plies for  several  days,  and  my  remedies 
were  their  sole  dependence;  and  I  was  told 
over  and  over  again  by.  the  men  who 
insisted  upon  giving  me  the  title  of  doctor, 
that  they  had  never  had  any  medicine  that 
acted  BO  "  like  a  charm"  upon  them.  It 
would  be  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  many 
lives  were  saved  by  the  instrumentality  of 
the  Auxiliary  Belief  Corps,  which  has 
proved  its  great  value  most  thoroughly  and 
satisfactorily  during  the  fortnight  of  hospi- 
tal service  at  Fredericksburg. 

Mr.  J.  F.  B.  Maesham,. 

IN   THE  I'lELD. 

June  21, 

We  left  City  Point  on  Thursday,  June 
16th,  at  noon,  with  one  four- horse  wagon 
load  of  sanitary  stores.  My  Corps  consist- 
ed of  eight  men,  viz. :  Messrs.  McMurty, 
Bates,  Eggleston,  Francis,  King,  Suther- 
land, Hammer  and  myself.  ,  Mrs.  Barlow 
and  Mi?s  Gilson  also  accompanied  the  ex- 
pedition. Col.  Band,  of  the  4th  Mass.  Cav- 
alry, who  was  in  command  of  the  post,  and 
for  whose  ready  courtesies  we  were  much 
indebted,  furnished  the  wagon  for  the 
stores,  a  horse  and  vehicle  for  the  ladies, 
and  an  escort  of  cavalry  for  our  protection. 
The  gentlemen  were  on  foot,  and  the  march 
of  seven  or  eight  miles  over  a  very  dusty 
road  and  under  a  hot  sun,  was  a  slow  and 
fatiguing  one.  We  were  also  delayed  by 
falling  in  with  the  9th  Army  Corps  on  the 
march. 

Beached  the  Hospital  of  the  18th  Army 
Corps  about  4  o'clock,  where  we  learned 
that  a  general  engagement  was  expected  to 
commence  about  5  P.  M.  I  found  at  this 
Hospital  two  wagons  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission. The  Hospital  was  not  established 
until  after  we  had  arrived.  I  sent  round  to 
fiud  the  different  hospitals,  and  which  was 
in  most  need,  and  was  indebted  to  the 
Christian  Commission  for  finding  a  messen- 
ger acquainted  with  their  location.  As  nay 
Corps  were  very  much  fatigued  with  the 
march,  we  went  to  a  house  near  by,  and 
prepared  to  pass  the  night.  About  9  o'clock, 
however,  the  messenger  returned  and  re- 
ported that  the  Hospital  of  the  2d  Division, 
ad  Army  Corps  was  very  much  in  want  of 
hospital  supplies,  none  of  the  wagons  hav- 
'  ing  arrived,  and  the  wounded  being  brought 
in  in  great  numbers.  The  Hospital  of  the 
18th  Corps,  where  we  first  stopped,  was 
also  in  urgent  need  of  some  articles.  I 
started  at  once  with  the  wagon  and  three 
men,  leaving  four  to  sleep  off  their  fatigues 
so  as  to  be  able  to  relieve  us  in  the  morn- 
ing. Left  at  the  18th  A.  C.  Hospital  a  part 
of  our  supplies,  as  per  annexed  list,  and 
started  with  a  guide  for  the  2d  Division^  2d 
Corps.  After  losing  our  way  in  the  woods, 
■we  reacted  the  hospital  about  midnight, 


and  never  were  sanitary  supplies  more 
needed  than  at  this  place.  None  of  the 
wagons  had  come  up;  the  hospital  was  filled 
with  the  wounded,  who  were  constantly  be- 
ing brought  in,  and  the  Surgeons  in  need 
of  stimulants  for  the  operating  table,  cloth- 
ing for  the  men,  many  of  whom  were  shiv- 
ering in  the  dews,  without  coat  or  blanket. 
We  were  busy  for  several  hours,  issuing 
supplies  and  caring  for  the  wounded,  till 
about  3  A.  M.,  when  we  were  compelled 
from  exhaustion  to  turn  in.  The  next 
morning  the  Sanitary  Commission  wagon 
of  the  Field  Corps  arrived,  with  but  few 
supplies.  The  ladies  visited  the  hospitals 
of  the  1st  and  3d  Divisions,  of  this  Corps, 
and  reporting  that  the  1st  Division  was  in 
great  need,  I  sent  over  an  ambulance  load 
of  supplies  to  that  hospital,  which  took 
nearly  all  I  had.  Mr.  Eggleston  having 
over-taxed  his  strength  in  working  all  night 
among  the  wounded,  I  sent  him  in  with  the 
wagon  to  City  Point.  Our  supplies  being 
nearly  exhausted  and  the  wagon  not  hav- 
ing arrived,  which  we  learned  had  been 
sent,  I  concluded  that  not  being  able  to  find 
us,  its  contents  had  been  distributed  at  some 
other  hospital,  which  proved  to  be  the  case. 
I  concluded  we  had  better  return  to  City 
Point,  and  we  were  to  start  on  Saturday 
morning,  June  18th.  Before  we  got  off, 
however,  Mr.  Vassan  arrived  with  a  two- 
horse  wagon,  partly  loaded,  and  the  infor- 
mation that  a  four-horse  wagon  load  was  on 
its  way.  I  concluded  to  go  with  these  sup- 
plies to  the  Ist  Division  Hospital.  Just  as 
I  was  starting,  I  met  Dr.  Steiner,  who  re- 
ported that  he  had  abundant  supplies  in 
his  wagons  of  the  regular  Field  Corps,  but 
that  they  had  been  detained  in  the  rear,  as 
the  roads  were  blocked  up  by  troops  and 
ammunition  trains.  We  were  most  heartily 
welcomed  at  the  1st  Division  Hospital  by 
Dr.  Potter,  Surgeon-in- charge,  who  fur- 
nished a  store-room  and  guard,  a  tent  for 
the  ladies,  and  one  for  the  gentlemen,  and 
ofiered  us  every  facility  we  could  desire. 
Here  we  found  1,000  wounded  and  sick, 
and  more  coming  in  hourly.  The  Hospi- 
tal was  the  best  ordered  and  most  perfect 
in  its  system  of  any  one  I  have  seen,  and 
the  corps  of  surgeons  humane,  gentleman- 
ly, and  efficient.  Our  supplies  were  in 
great  demand,  and  our  efibrts  most  readily 
rec3ived  and  seconded  by  the  officers  in 
charge.  We  found  enough  here  to  do  to 
keep  us  all  busy. 

The  next  day,  Sunday,  June  19th,  we 
were  early  at  work,  a^  a  train  of  ambulan- 
ces and  wagons  were  being  loaded  for  City- 
Point.  All  day  we  were  busy  preparing 
and  distributing  milk  punch,  farina,  lem- 
onade, crackers,  &c.,  &o.  About  1,000 
wounded  were  sent  in,  leaving  but  a  few 
serious  cases,  and  the  sick.  Fresh  arrivals, 
from  the  field  were  taking  place  hourly,  and 
they  had  to  be  cared  for. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUdin. 


627 


Kbv.  J.  A.  Stone. 

THE   BUBIAIi    OP   SOIiDrBES    AT    FEEDEKECKS- 
BUBG. 

Agreeably  to  your  request  I  make  the 
following  report  in  reference  to  the  burial 
of  the  soldiers  here.  Having  been  accus- 
tomed to  witness  the  celebraJiion  of  Chris- 
tian rites  at  the  burial  of  the  dead,  and 
being  sent  here  by  those  who  were  likewise 
accustomed  to  see  them,  I  could  not  bear 
to  see  brave  men  placed  in  their  graves  like 
animals,  without  any  religious  service  what- 
ever. I  therefore  made  application  to  the 
Provost  Marshal  for  authority  to  ofiSciate 
at  the  burial  of  those  soldiers  who  were  to 
be  buried  within  the- military  limits  of  the 
city.  This  authority  was  not  only  readily 
but  thankfully  granted,  as  I  had  been  the 
first  and  only  person  who  had  made  such 
an  application.  The  Military  Governor, 
Col.  Shriver,  also  most  cheerfully  approved 
and  signed  this  authority. 

I  have  officiated  up  to  the  present  time 
at  the  burial  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  officers  and  privates.  The  whole  num- 
ber buried  at  the  General  Burial  Ground  is 
two  hundred  and  two.  The  soldiers  are 
buried  in  their  clothing  and  blankets,  just 
as  they  are  brought  from  the  hospitals. 
No  proper  headboards  or  coffins  are  pro- 
vided, but  we  use  shingles,  with  the  names 
written  thereon,  and  placed  at  the  heads  of 
the  dead  as  carefully  as  possible,  so  that 
friends  can  readily  find  the  bodies  of  those 
they  seek. 

Me.  W.  Aikman. 
at  beli/e  plain. 

We  went  out  on  a  delegation  from  the 
"  Delaware  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,"  and  for 
the  purpose  of  primarily  caring-  for  the 
wounded  of  Delaware,  but  also  for  any 
service  and  for  any  of  our  suffering  men. 

On  our  arrival  in  Washington,  we  were 
satisfied  that  we  could  accomplish  the  ob- 
ject of  our  mission  far  better  by  putting 
ourselves  in  connection  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission  than  in  any  other  way. 

At  BeEe  Plain  we  put  ourselves  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  Steiner,  who  requested 
us  to  relieve  a  party  of  overworked  young 
men,  who,  at.  the  tent  and  on  the  hill,  were 
endeavoring  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  ten 
thousand  sufferers  who  were  passing  in  one 
continuous  stream.  We  took  charge  of  this 
work,  and  began  to  see  the  beneficent 
work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

It  were  a  piteous  tale  to  speak  of  the  seem- 
ingly interminable  mass  of  human  suffering 
which  we  witnessed  there — the  road  'for 
miles  crowded  with  ambulances  and  wag- 
ons, filled  with  wounded  and  dying  men, 
and  almost  every  yard  of  roadside  lined 
with  pale  and  wearied  men,  leaning  on 
sticks,  or  on  the  shoulders  of  companions- 
less  severely  wounded;  all  making  their 


way  painfully  to  the  boat.  Por  the  relief 
of  these  men,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  the  only 
provision  was  that  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  had  made.  How  often  I  bless- 
ed it,  as  the  abundant  stores  enabled  us  to 
feed  and  refresh,  and  cheer  our  noble  fel- 
lows, and  made  it  possible  to  dress  wounds, 
festering,  and  some  of  them  undressed  for 
nearly  a  week.  The  amount  of  suffering 
assuaged  then  and  there  gave  me  new  ideas 
of  the  work. 

The  next  day  we  passed  on  to  Fredericks- 
burg. We  know  in  what  an  inexpressibly 
dreadful  condition  our  wounded  men  were, 
in  the  crowded  churches  and  houses  of  that 
town,  and  for  the  first  few  days  the  only 
means  of  relief  for  the  sufferers  was  obtained 
through  you;  the  bandages  and  lint,  and  the 
stimulants,  and  the  disinfectants,  as  well 
as  the  soft  crackers,  and  the  farina  and 
milk.  % 

Every  blanket  and  shirt,  and  every  pair  of 
drawers  or  socks,  we  were  able  to  get,  came 
from  you  long  before  the  Government 
stores  had  arrived.  Here  again,  and  again, 
while  we  saw  some  poor  fellows  made  a  lit- 
tle comfortable,  or  heard  his  warm  thanks, 
we  blessed  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

My  sympathies  were  stronger  elsewhere, 
but  I  have  seen  so  much  of  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  that  I  cannot  but 
feel  the  deepest  interest  in  and  admiration 
for  it,  and  am  exceedingly  glad  that  it  was 
my  privilege  to  spend  a  couple  of  weeks  in 
connection  -with  it.  I  shall  esteem  it  a 
privilege  to  labor  -with  you  again,  and  hope 
to  be  called  upon  by  you  in  time  of  need. 

Mft.  J.  O.  Denniston. 

We  disembarked  at  midnight, .  pitched 
our  tent  and  fed  with  bread  and  coffee  the 
wounded  men  who  came  straggling  in. 
The  operations  of  the  Corps  until  the  fol- 
lowing Friday,  consisted  almost  entirely  of 
feeding  the  wounded  and  hungry  soldiers 
who  came  along.  On  Wednesday  morn- 
ing. May  12th,  our  labors  properly  began, 
for  then  the  Corps  was  specially  assigned 
for  duty  at  this  station.  At  halif  past  four 
in  the  morning,  camp  kettles  were  procur- 
ed, and  the  work  of  feeding  began.  Wound- 
ed men  and  soldiers  not  wounded  came 
pouring  in  by  the  thousand,  all  hungry  and 
in  need  of  food.  Bread  and  coffee  were 
served  out  to  them  all  as  fast  as  the  coffee 
could  be  made.  The  number  of  those  fed 
it  is  impossible  to  determine.  AU  were  fed. 
who  could  be  served  with  the  force  in  hand.. 
The  best  estimate  which  can  be  made,, 
places  the  number  of  those  fed  from  Wedr- 
nesday  morning  until  Friday  night  at  five- 
thousand  daily.  These  men  were  mostly-' 
wounded  men,  who  came  by  foot,  wagons- 
and  ambulances,  from  the  front,  but  very 
many  were  qnhurtj  but  came  as  guards,., 


628 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bvttetin. 


and  -were  in  need  of  food.  We  labored 
under  great  inconvenience  from  the  rain 
and  the  mud;  our  tent  was  pitched  in  a  lo- 
cation which  was  very  accessible,  but  very 
muddy  in  wet  weather.  It  is  believed, 
however,  that  no  inconvenience  resulted  to 
any  wounded  men  from  this  cause.  The 
members  of  the  Corps  were  ever  found 
ready  to  go  through  the  deepest  mud  when 
necessary  to  the  relief  of  those  in  need.  It 
is  thought  that  since  Friday  morning  last. 
May  13th,  no  wounded  men  went  on  to  the 
boats  without  being  fed,  the  exceptions 
were  of  those  who  were  slightly  wounded, 
and  who  <rf  their  own  choice  passed  by  the 
feeding  stations  in  order  to  quietly  reach 
the  boats.  Previous  to  Friday  it  was  abso- 
lutely impossible  to  feed  all.  It  would  be 
very  unjust  to  claim  all  this  for  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  The  Christian  Commis- 
sion and  Dr.  McKay's  and  Father  Gilroy's 
stations,  each  did  their  fuU  share  of  the 
work.  We  have  freely  furnished  deUoacies, 
such  as  milk  punch,  oranges,  farina.  The 
milk  punch  has  been  specially  acceptable 
to  all  wearied  by  their  long  journey  from 
the  front.  During  the  present  week  every 
man  unable  from  mouth  wounds  to  eat 
solid  food  has  been  supplied  with  farina. 
A  large  number  of  shirts,  drawers,  and 
stockings,  have  been  supplied  to  those  in 
need.  Many  bushels  of  letters  have  been 
received  at  our  tent  for  the  mail.  We 
have  also  fed  a  large  number  of  delegates 
and  of  officers  who  were  hungry. 

The  work  of  burying  the  dead  has  been 
attended  to  by  Mr.  Thompson,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Christian  Commission;  the 
graves  have  been  marked  and  a  record  kept. 
The  Corps  has  also  aided  in  giving  break- 
fast to  the  wounded  who  have  remained 
over  night  in  the  hospitals.  This  work  has 
been  very  well  supervised  by  Mr.  Stanly. 
It  is  impossible  to  give  a  very  explicit  re- 
port of  our  whole  work,  because  of  the  in- 
definite nature  and  magnitude  of  it.  We 
have  been  treated  in  the  kindest  manner 
by  the  Government  officers;  especially  are 
we  indebted  to  the  Quartermaster  Com- 
pany and  to  Dr.  Cuyler.  We  have  obtain- 
ed from  them  many  thousand  rations  of 
bread,  coffee  and  sugar,  for  distribution. 
We  have  also  been  aided  greatly  by  the 
common  soldiers,  who  have  always  been 
ready  to  do  the  heavy  work  of  carrying  and 
lifting  stores,  &c.  During  the  present 
week  a  wooden  shanty  has  been  erected  at 
our  station,  which  has  added  to  our  com- 
fort. The  tents  have  also  been  floored. 
The  gratitude  of  the  wounded  men  to  us 
all  for  our  aid  has  been  very  demonstra- 
tive. The  Commission  has  achieved  for 
itself  at  Belle  Plain  the  good  will  of  aU. 
The  Corps  has  been  at  a  disadvantage  from 
lack  of  experience;  during  the  last  few  days 
we  have  been  able  to  do  more  with  less 
fatigue,  by  better  system,  and  by  securing 


the  aid  of  others.  I  cannot  too  highly  ex- 
press my  conviction  of  the  usefulness  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  The  Christian 
Commission  and  the  Government  agency 
have  worked  very  harmoniously  with  us. 


Mk.  Geo.  Febguson. 

at  fbbdbkicksbtjeo. 

After  leaving  Washington,  on  the  10th 
inst. ,  the  first  work  in  which  I  was  engaged, 
was  in  feeding  several  hundred  wounded 
men  at  Belle  Plain  landing,  many  of  whom 
had  had  no  food  for  two,  three,  and  even 
four  days. 

On  the  next  day  we  arrived  in  Freder- 
icksburg, when  I  was  assigned  to  duty  in 
the  2d  Corps,  2d  Division  Hospital,  where 
I  still  work.  We  have  always  been  gladly 
received  by  those  in  authority.  The  Sur- 
geons have  continually  worked  with  us, 
looking  to  us  for  many  things  that  the 
Government  did  not  provide,  or  were  be- 
hind hand  in  providing,  and  always  got 
what  they  looked  for. 

The  room  that  we  took  possession  of  and 
fitted  up  for  sanitary  stores,  has  become 
the  constant  resort  for  aU  the  Surgeons  in 
the  hospital,  nurses.  Christian  Commission 
men,  and  all  and  every  little  thing  they 
want,  they  have  learned  can  be  had  there. 
It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  attempt 
to  make  a  statement  of  the  articles  that 
have  been  distributed  froni  this  place. 

Among  the  men,  the  blessings  that  are 
given  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  are  not 
a  few.  Many  say  that  they  would  have 
starved  had  it  not  been  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  In  the  eight  days  that  I  have 
been  working  here,  I  have  written  33  let- 
ters to  soldiers'  friends,  have  had  three  men 
baptized  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stone,  two  of 
whom  have  died,  and  the  third,  who  was 
baptized  to-day,  is  now  dying. 

The  condition  of  the  men  generally,  has 
been  much  improved.  At  first,  the  men 
were  sadly  in  want  of  under-clothing,  but 
now  there  are  hardly  any  calls  for  this;  and 
though  beds  are  stiU  much  needed,  the  men 
are  as  comfortable  as  in  their  wounded  con- 
dition they  can  be.  It  is  not  until  aU 
these  greater  wants  are  supplied  that  men 
think  of  calling  for  pipes  and  tobacco. 
These  are  constantly  in  demand  now,  and 
as  I  go  among  them  with  tobacco  and 
matches,  having  previously  distributed 
pipes,  I  find  many  takers.  The  comfort 
derived  from  this  source  is  great,  and  the 
gratitude  of  the  men  for  aU  these  things, 
though  quiet,  is  heartfelt.  Another  source 
of  pleasure  to  the  soldier  has  been  sing- 
ing. A  small  company  of  us,  myself  their 
leader,  have  gone  from  one  hospital  to  an- 
other in  the  evenings,  and  sang  to  the  men, 
which  they  have  always  been  much  pleased 
with,  begging  us  to  come  again. 


The  Scmitary  Commisaion  BtiUetin. 


629 


Eev.  J.    O.    Means. 

I  received  a  telegram  from  you  on  Sun- 
day afternoon  as  I  was  entering  my  pulpit 
at  Roxbury,  asking  me  to  come  to  Wash- 
ington that  night.  Missing  the  evening 
train,  I  started  the  next  morning,  and 
reached  Washington  in  season  to  come 
here  in  company  with  the  first  who  came 
to  the  relief  of  our  wounded. 

After  spending  Wednesday  forenoon  in 
feeding  the  poor  men  who  had  come  to 
Belle  Plain,  and  assisting  the  severely 
wounded  out  of  the  army  wagons  and  am- 
bulances, I  started  with  my  co-laborers  and 
walked  to  this  city  in  the  afternoon,  and 
began  systematic  work  the  next  morning. 
I  ^ve  been  particidarly  impressed  by  four 
things  in  my  experience: 

1st.  The  admirable  system  by  which  the 
efforts  of  tlje  Sanitary  Commission  have 
been  made  most  practically  useful. 

2d.  The  absolute  nep essity  of  this  auxili- 
ary labor  for  the  lives  and  welfare  of  the 
wounded. 

3d.  The  heartiness  with  which  the  medi- 
cal officers  of  the  army  have  received  and 
welcomed  us,  and  allowed  us  to  co-operate 
with  them.     And 

4th.  The  opportunity  of  relieving  the 
spiritual  as  well  as  the  physical  necessities 
of  the  sufferers. 

First.  There  was  a  systematic  distribution 
of  our  company  of  fifty  on  board  the  steam- 
boat on  the  way  from  Washington.  Six 
gentlemen  were  placed  in  charge  of  a  chief, 
made  in  a  measure  responsible  to  him,  to 
labor  under  his  general  supervision,  to  re- 
ceive directions  from  him;  thus  on  arriving 
at  Belle  Plain,  each  corps  was  at  once  able 
to  go  to  work  with  least  loss  of  time,  or 
waste  of  strength  or  confusion.  On  reach- 
ing Fredericksburg,  each  corps  took  its 
hospital  or  district  of  labor,  and  became 
responsible  for  it.  This,  I  think,  has  secured 
to  an  unusual  degree  economy,  efficiency, 
ease  and  rapidity  in  relieving  the  great 
disabilities  we  found  existing. 

Second.  As  to  the  absolute  necessity  of 
this  auxiliary  labor,  I  am  sure  I  should  have 
had  no  conception  of  it,  if  I  had  not  been  en- 
gaged here  for  those  first  most  pressing 
days  which  immediately  succeeded  the 
great  battle.  As  I  write  this,  matters  wear 
so  different  an  aspect  in  this  city,  that  we 
can  hardly  believe  what  the  condition  was 
ten  days  since.  Our  corps  was  assigned  to. 
the  Female  Orphan  Asylum  Hospital. 

No  surgeon  had  yet  been  ordered  to  the 
h^jspital,  though  Dr.  Terhune,  Surgeon  of 
the  Third  New  York  Volunteers,  was  tempo- 
rarily looking  after  matters.  Some  seventy- 
five  men,  among  them  ten  or  twelve  cases  of 
amputation  of  legs  above  the  knee,  or  arms 
at  the  shoulder,  several  with  severe  wounds 
in  the  head,  groin  and  body,  and  others  of 


great  severity  in  other  places,  were  in  press- 
ing need  of  attention.     The  wounds,  when 
we  came  to  drels  them,  we  found  had  not 
been  attended  to  for  four,   seven,  and  in 
some  cases  even  nine  days.    Nothing  had 
been  done  to  organize  the  hospital.    The 
floors  of  the  building  were  covered  with 
filth  to  an  indescribable  degree,  exuviae  of 
rebel  troops,  who  had  littered  in  them  for 
previous  months.    Dr.  Terhune  had  no  as- 
sistants, and  desired  us  to  undertake  the 
whole  work.    We  began  to  feed  the  men, 
and  place  them  in  as  comfortable  a  position 
as  possible.  With  no  details  of  soldiers,  for 
the  pressure  was  so  great  in  every  direction 
that  none  could  be.fumished,  we  took  hold 
with  our   own  hands  and  performed  the 
most    disagreeable    scavenger   work,    and 
cleaned  the  rooms.     The  Surgeon  started 
us  with  such  instructions  as  seeing  and_  as- 
sisting him  in  half  a  dc^en  cases  could  give; 
and  then  we  continued  and  went  through 
dressing  the  wounds  of  the  poor  sufferers. 
Our  chief  of  corps  was  made  steward  of  the 
hospital  to  procure  supplies.   The  Sanitary 
Commission  was  drawn  upon  for  the  first 
essentials,  and  for  the  largest  part  of  our 
necessaries.      No  lint,  bandages,  plaster, 
blankets,  or  stimulants  could  be  procured 
from  the  army  stores  for  many  days.  With- 
out what  the    Sanitary  Commission  fur- 
nished, I  do  not  see  how  anything  could 
have  been  done.     When  Dr.  Terhune  left 
for  the  front,  he  said  in  my  hearing,  to  Dr. 
Sturtevant,  who  relieved  him,  four-fifths  of 
aU  that  had  been  done  here,  has  been  by 
the  Sanitary  Commission,   and  four-fifths 
of  our  supplies  came  through  them.     Gen- 
tlemen, I  do  not  repeat  this  out  of  compli- 
ment to  us,  but  it  seems  right  that  the 
Commission  should  have,  if  it  needed,  the 
advantage  of  such  explicit  indorsement. 
For  the  first  four  days  and  nights  our  labor 
was  well  nigh  prostrating.      Since  then  as- 
sistance has  come,'  in  admirable  volunteer 
surgeons  and  assistants,  gentlemen  from 
the  Auxiliary  Commission  and  other  bodies, 
and  nurses  have  been  detailed  by  the  Med- 
ical Director,  so  that  our  work  is  less  ardu- 
ous in  certain  forms. 

Third.  We  have  had,  as  has  been  already 
intimated,  the  fullest  and  most  hearty  wel- 
come from  the  medical  and  other  officers  of 
the  army.  They  have  even  devolved  upon 
us  duties  and  responsibilities  from  which 
we  should  have  been  glad  to  have  been  re- 
lieved, and  the  constant  consultation  as  to 
what  should  be  done  and  how,  and  their 
ready  compliance  with  our  suggestions  and 
deference  to  our  judgment,  would  have 
flattered  us  if  there  had  been  room  left  in 
such  work  for  any  personal  feeling.  I 
think  it  very  remarkable  that  not  any  sign 
of  friction  in  any  direction  has  appeared 
for  one  moment;  but  we,  in  our  humble 
measure,have  been  recognized  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  ought  to  satisfy  any  reasonable  man. 


630 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Fourth.  I  had  not  anticipated  so  large  an 
opportunity  of  promoting  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  sufferers.  While  it  was  indis- 
pensable first  to  make  them  in  some  mea- 
sure comfortable  in  body,  (and  every  effort 
must  take  that  direction,)  by  words  of 
cheer,  and  by  suggestions  in  various  ways 
while  about  our  work,  it  seemed  as  though 
many  a  poor  sufferer  was  receiving  spiritual 
strength  and  consolation. 

Our  interviews  with  the  men,  as  they 
saw  and  felt  us  seeking  their  good,  so  open- 
ed their  hearts  that  they  received  gladly 
all  we  had  to  say  to  them.  In  writing  let- 
,  ters  to  friends  at  home,  speaking  of  the 
gospel  salvation  to  the  dying,  and  praying 
■with  them,  helping  their  thoughts  upward, 
there  has  Ijeen  a  most  delightful  and  bless- 
ed opportunity  of  doing  in  some  small 
measure  what  our  Lord  and  Master  did. 
With  daily  prayers  in  each  ward,  and  spe- 
cial Sabbath  services,  most  kindly,  joyfully 
and  thankfully  received  by  the  men,  it 
may  be  hoped  that  it  will  be  found  at  last 
that  something  has  been  done  for  the  high- 
est and  best  interests  of  our  noble,  patient, 
and  uncomplaining  men. 

No  pressure  of  other  cases  has  prevented 
us  from  performing  decently  the  last  rites 
over  the  dead,  taking  care  of  the  precious 
mementoes  which  the  soldiers  have  left  for 
transmission  to  their  homes,  and  writing 
letters,  in  all  cases  communicating  such 
particulars  as  we  could  give  them,  and 
speaking  such  words  of  comfort  as  might 
be  possible. 

If  it  were  not  absolutely  imperative  that 
I  should  return,  I  should  count  it  special 
felicity  if  I  might  spend  some  of  the  com- 
ing months  in  this  new  philanthropy. 

Mb.  a.  M.    Spbbbx. 

I^EDEBIOKBBUKQ,  May  18,  186i. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th,  the  3rd 
Division  of  the  Eelief  Corps  was  assigned 
to  duty  in  the  1st  Division  of  the  6th  Army 
Corps.  We  found  in  the  hospital  not  less 
than  seven  hundred  men,  and  the  number 
soon  rose  to  eight  hundred,  while  the  con- 
stant arrivals  and  departures  made  the  grand 
total  of  wounded  men  very  much  larger. 

The  first  few  days  were  so  occupied  in 
^fforts  to  feed  the  hungry,  and  to  dress 
wounds  untouched  for  deys,  that  any 
attempt  at  statistics  would  have  been  a 
wicked  waste  of  time,  nor  am  I  aware  that 
the  Surgeon  in  charge  attempted  anything 
of  the  Mnd. 

We  have  now  in  nearly  every  ward  a 
regular  system  of  morning  reports,  and  aU 
the  main  features  of  an  organized  hospital. 
In  this  work  of  organizing,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  Belief  Corps  has  been  of  much 
assistance. 

Even  now,  in  one  instance  at  least,  a 


member  of  this  Corps  makes  out  the  morn- 
ing report  of  his  ward.  But  it  was  "when 
there  were  none  to  help,"  when  all  but 
God  had  apparently  deserted  these  men, 
that  our  work  was  most  valuable.  Brought 
in  and  laid  upon  the  floor  of  damp  un- 
wholesome stores,  or  small  dark  rooms  in 
the  poor  dwelling-houses  on  Caroline 
Street,  they  lay  for  days  with  only  a  blank- 
et under  them,  often  covered  with  blood 
and  filth  from  their  wounds,  or  saturated 
with  water  and  often  with  urine. 

For  the  first  ten  days  the  work  was  to 
cover  the  naked,  only  those  absolutely  des- 
titute or  worse  than  destitute,  being  sup- 
plied. Slowly  and  surely  their  condition 
was  improved;  as  soon  as  possible  noble- 
hearted  volunteer  Surgeons  dressed  their 
wounds,  soldiers  were  found  for  'nurses, 
blankets  at  first  from  the  Commission, 
afterward  from  the  Medical  Purveyor,  took 
the  place  of  those  covered  with  filth  and 
vermin,  and  shirts  and  drawers  in  limited 
quantities  were  supplied.  The  number  at 
present  remaining  in  the  hospital  is  per- 
haps five  hundred.  These  are  in  many 
different  buildings,  and  probably  forty 
rooms.  Hardly  one  of  these  is  fit  for  a 
hospital  ward.  Insufficient  light;  damp 
and  decaying  floors;  lack  of  proper  drain- 
age and  sinks  for  the  use  of  the  men;  little 
or  no  ventilation,  aU  contribute  to  the 
general  unhealthfulness  of  their  condition. 
It  seem  impossible  that  erysipelas  and  gan- 
grene can  long  be  kept  away;  even  now 
cases  are  coming  to  notice. 

The  system  under  which  we  have  worked 
has  in  the  main  proved  successful.  If  it 
be  the  theory  that  we  are  to  look  to  the 
wants  of  the  men  not  supplied  through  the 
regular  channels,  then  it  seems  the  best 
way  to  do  by  assigning  men  to  different 
wards,  where  by  long  acquaintance  "they 
may  be  able  to  judge  of  each  man's  condi- 
tion and  wants  correctly.  '  Where  also,  by 
his  personal  presence,  he  may  keep  a  con- 
stant restraint  upon  those  inclined  to  be 
unfaithful  in  duty,  or  in  the  use  of  stores. 
So  far  as  practicable,  all  stores  taken  in 
hand  by  our  men,  have  been  followed  di- 
rectly to  the  soldiers  for  whom  they  were 
intended. 

Hundreds  of  men  in  this  city  to-day  owe 
their  lives  to  the  stores  furnished,  and  the 
work  done  by  the  Auxiliary  Eelief  Corps 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 


Me.  W.  Dana. 
When  I  entered  the  service  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  I  cams  with  a  prejudice 
against  this  organization — a  prejudice  held 
in  common  with  many  others  who  have 
thought  that  a  large  portion  of  the  com- 
forts and  money  given  so  freely  by  the 
people  never  reached  the  soldier.   I,  there- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRebin. 


631 


fore,  watched  those  at  the  head  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  with  a  jealous  eye,  as 
well  as  those  who  were  at  the  heads  of  the 
different  departments,  and  I  must  say  I  am 
greatly  disappointed.  I  have  yet  to  meet 
one  who  is  not  a  gentleman,  wifio  to  all  ap- 
pearance is  not  an  honorable  man,  and  who 
has  not  the  true  interests  of  the  soldier  at 
heart.  I  say  this  freely,  as  I  think  I  may 
have  done  the  Sanitary  Commission  an  in- 
justice through  ignorance  heretofore. 

My  experience  in  working  for  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  thus  far  is  very  brief,  one 
night  at  BeUe  Plain,  and  six  days  in  the 
hospital  at  Fredericksburg.  Yet,  even  this 
has  been  sufficient  to  convince  me  that  the 
Sanitary  Commission  is  filling  a  gap,  and 
meeting  a  great  want  which  it  is  impossible 
for  the  Government  to  do. 

Eor  my  part  I  do  not  see  what  the  sol- 
diers could  have  done  in  these  hospitals  with- 
out its  aid.  While  the  Government  was 
using  all  transportation  for  the  supplies  of 
the  army  at  the  front,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission was  relieving,  by  their  stores  and 
agents,  the  sufferings  of  the  wounded  and 
dying. 

I  have  had  connection  with  but  one  hos- 
pital— ^that  of  the  Second  Division,  Second 
Corps,  and  here,  though  the  Surgeon  in 
charge  has  been  doing  all  he  can  for  the 
comfort  of  those  under  him,  yet  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission  he  looked  for  a 
large  share  of  the  stimulants,  clothing,  etc. , 
even  now,  though  the  Government  is  fur- 
nishing a  large  quantity  of  necessary  and 
substantial  articles,  yet  it  is  from  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  that  they  draw  those  arti- 
cles of  delicate  food  which  are  so  much 
relished  by  a  sick  man. 

As  for  the  work,  I  for  one,  have  enjoyed 
it  exceedingly.  I  have  always  found  the 
soldiers  glad  to  see  me,  and  they  have  been 
exceedingly  grateful  for  anything  I  could 
do  for  them. 

The  medical  attendants  have  met  me 
kindly,  and  are  apparently  glad  of  reliable 
assistance.  In  fact,  I  am  now  convinced, 
the  longer  I  work  here,  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  one  of  the  noblest  charities 
of  our  land,  and  that  it  opens  a  broad  field 
for  humane  and  Christian  efforts. 


»  Mb.  J.  P.  MabshatiTi. 

To  cheer  the  loneliness  of  the  invalid 
soldier;  to  make  him  feel  that  he  is  still  an 
object  of  tender  solicitude — to  nourish, 
sustain  and  encourage,  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission comes  like  an  angel  of  mercy.  The 
eye  of  the  sufferer  lights  up  with  sudden 
.joy,  at  the  first  appearance  of  the  long- 
hoped  for  aid,  and  from  his  Ups  come  such 
expressions  as  these:  "  God  bless  the  San- 
itary Commission;"  "The  wounded  would 
f  are  hard  if  it  were  not  for  the  Sanitary 


Commission;"  "Government  does  all  it 
can,  but  it  is  good  to  see  somebody  from 
home;"  "  What  should  we  do  without  the 
Sanitary  Commission."  Every  one  who  has 
spent  a  few  hours  even  in  the  hospitals  has 
heard  many  such  testimonials  of  grateful 
feeling  from  the  sick  and  wounded. 

Such  were  the  glad  expressions  that  sa- 
luted our  first  advent  into  the  hospitals  of 
Fredericksburg,  after  a  tiresome  walk  from 
Belle  Plain,  on  the  afternoon  of  May  11th, 
1864.  The  smiles  that  greeted  us  from 
long  rows  of  sunburnt  men,  stretched  upon 
fioors  of  the  stores,  with  nothing  but  a 
bloody  blanket  beneath  them,  was  ample 
compensation  for  the  fatigueof  our  journey. 

The  4:th  Corps  of  EeKef  Agents,  was 
assigned  to  the  Fourth  Division  Second 
Corps  Hospital,  located  principally  on  Car- 
oline Street.  The  hospital  was  already 
well  organized  and  divided  into  twelve 
wards.  Dr  Ewing,  the  Surgeon  in  charge, 
received  us  kindly,  and  assigned  us  a  room 
in  the  second  story  of  the  building  at  the 
corner  of  George  and  Caroline  Streets, 
over  ward  four  of  our  hospital.  We  re- 
mained there  until  the  effluvia  from  the 
ward  below,  and  from  another  which  had 
been  established  in  the  rooms  in  the  rear, 
on  the  same  floor,  compelled  us  to  evacuate 
the  premises. 

Our  corps  originally  consisted  of  John  P. 
Marshall,  of  College  Hill,  Massachusetts; 
Dr.  Daniel  A.  Johnson,  Rev.  Dr.  Stock- 
bridge,  Capt.  John  C.  Hubbard,  and  John 
S.  Bent,  all  of  Chelsea,  Massachusetts,  and 
Mr.  Noble,  Jr.,  of  New  York  City.  Miss 
Helen  L.  GUsoa,  was  also  assigned  to  our 
hospital.  Dr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Noble  were 
removed  from  our  corps  for  special  service 
elsewhere.  The  remaining  members  were 
organized  into  a  working  party,  as  fol- 
lows: 

John  P.  Marshall  had  supervision  of 
corps  and  charge  of  arrival  diet;  Captain 
Hubbard  had  charge  of  vegetable  diet; 
Rev.  Dr.  Stoekbridge  had  charge  of  sol- 
diers'correspondence;  Mr.  Bent  had  charge 
of  stimulants;  Miss  Gilson  had  supervision 
of  the  cooking  department,  and  distribution 
of  clothing,  etc.  Captain  Hubbard  was 
healthy,  faithful  and  active.  Mr.  Bent, 
though  not  well,  much  of  the  time,  bore  up 
manfully,  and  by  his  devotedness,  won  the 
affectionate  regard  of  all  connected  with 
the  hospital. 

Dr.  Stoekbridge  conducted  the  corres- 
pondence with  fidelity,  writing  some  days 
as  many  as  thirty  letters. 

Upon  Miss  Gilson's  services,  we  scarce- 
ly dare  trust  ourselves  to  comment.  Upon 
her  experience  we  relied  for  counsel,  and 
it  was  chiefly  due  to  her  advice  and  efforts, 
that  the  work  in  our  hospital  went  on  so 
successfully.  Always  quite  self-possessed 
and  prompt  in  the  discharge  of  duty,  she 
accomplished  more  than  any  one  could  for 


632 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  BvUetin. 


the  relief  of  the  wounded,  besides  being  a 
constant  example  and  embodiment  of  ear- 
nestness for  ^  Her  ministrations  were 
always  grateful  to  tbe  wounded  men,  who 
devotedly  loved  her  for  her  self-sacrificing 
spirit.  Said  one  of  the  5th  New  Jersey  in 
our  hearing,  "  There  isn't  a  man  in  our 
regiment  who  wouldn't  lay  down  his  life 
for  Miss  GUson." 

We  have  seen  the  dying  man  lean  his 
head  upon  her  shoulder,  while  she  breathed 
into  his  ear  the  soothing  prayer  that  calm- 
ed, soothed  and  prepared  him  for  his  jour- 
ney through  the  dark  valley. 

The  Surgeons  of  our  hospital  were  kind- 
hearted,  active  young  men.  The  wounded 
and  sick  were  taken  just  as  good  care  of,  by 
them  and  their  assistants,  as  the  state  of 
the  supplies  would  permit.  The  nurses 
were  generally  attentive  and  careful.  When 
one  neglected  his  duty,  he  was  at  once  dis- 
charged. The  ward-masters  of  ward  1  and 
2  were  men  whom  we  shall  always  remem- 
ber with  gratitude,  for  their  unwearied 
labors  in  behalf  of  the  badly  wounded  men 
under  their  charge. 

We  were  not  required  to  dress  a  single 
wound,  while  connected  with  the  hospital. 
In  answer  to  an  inquiry,  if  it  was  expected 
of  us,  the  Surgeon  assured  us  it  was  not, 
but  if  we  desired  some  experience,  we  were 
at  liberty  to  dress  some  simple  wounds  un- 
der the  direction  of  his  assistants.  The 
wounds  were  dressed  regularly  once  a  day 
in  the  forenoon,  except  one  or  two  days, 
when  no  supplies  of  lint  and  bandage  could 
be  procured.  As  a  proof  of  the  superior 
care  taken  of  the  wounded  men  in  our  hos- 
pital, we  do  not  remember  a  single  case  in 
which  the  wounds  became  infested  with 
maggots.  Out  of  eleven  hundred  men  who 
were  temporary  inmates  in  the  hospital, 
,  only  fourteen  died. 

Under  the  direction  of  Miss  Gilson,  the 
special  diet  was  prepared,  and  we  cannot 
strongly  enough  express  our  sense  of  the 
invaluable  service  she  rendered  in  this  de- 
partment. The  food  was  always  eagerly 
expected  and  reHshed  by  the  men,  with 
many  expressions  of  praise.  Dr.  Ewing 
prescribed  the  diet,  and  the  hours  of  serv- 
ing it,  which  were  very  faithfully  observed 
by  the  agents. 

After  Dr.  Ewing  was  summoned  to  the 
front.  Dr.  Bibble  took  charge,  maintaining 
ttie  same  excellent  supervision  that  char- 
acterized his  predecessor. 

These  medical  men  were  glad  to  avail 
themselves  of  our  services,, and  from  the 
first  treated  us  with  marked  respect  and 
kindness — a  proof  that  they  recognized  the 
utiUty  of  the  work  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion was  created  to  do. 

We  can  but  feel  that  the  presence  of  ju- 
dicious and  cultivated  agents  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  wiU  do  much  to  impress 
more  fuUy  upon  the  Surgeons  and  nurses 


the  sacred  obligation  they  are  under,  to 
treat  with  the  utmost  tenderness  the  com- 
monest soldier,  who  falls  in  the  service 'of 
our  common  country. 

At  the  same  time  too  much  care  cannot 
be  exercised  by  the  agents,  not  to  interfere 
with  the  Surgeon's  appropriate  duties.  By 
showing  a  disposition  to  help  without  in- 
terfering, by  doing  much  and  talking  little, 
the  agents  can  soon  inspire  confidence,  and 
gain  the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  medical 
authorities,  in  any  wise  measure  for  the  re- 
lief of  the  suffering. 

The  wounded  men  need  more  nourishing, 
or  at  least  a  more  palatable  diet,  than  is 
provided  by  the  Government  authorities. 
We  often  found  men  in  a  weak  and  feverish 
state,  with  their  beef  soup  and  hard  tack 
untasted  near  them,  but  glad  to  get  a  dish 
of  farina  or  some  little  article  of  diet  pre- 
pared by  Miss  Gilson.  The  lives  of  men, 
under  such  circumstances,  are  often  saved 
by  some  simple  kind  of  food,  which  the 
hospital  stores  do  not  furnish,  or  the  cooks 
do  not  know  how  to  prepare. 

If  all  the  hospital  nurses  were  honest, 
they  might  be  intrusted  with  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  special  diet.  But  without  any 
intention  of  reflecting  very  severely  upon 
the  general  character  of  the  men  employed 
by  Government,  we  do  know  from  per- 
sonal observation  that  all  cannot  be  trusted 
with  the  delicacies  intended  for  the  wound- 
ed. It  becomes  necessary  that  responsible 
men  should  have  charge  of  the  extra  diet, 
and  see  faithfully  that  each  wounded  or 
sick  man  has  his  share  of  the  nutriment, 
upon  the  proper  and  regular  supply  of 
which  his  life  depends. 

Nor  is  it  strange  that  some  soldiers,  who 
act  as  nurses,  long  deprived  of  luxuries, 
shoxdd  be  unable  to  resist  temptation,  and 
sometimes  appropriate  to  their  own  use 
the  delicacies  intended  for  the  wounded. 

The  Agents  of  the  Commission,  by  the 
faithful  discharge  of  their  duties,  can  pre- 
vent all  such  abuse  of  trust,  and  guard  the 
interests  of  the  invalid  soldier. 

[Remajuder  in  our  next  number.] 


HOW  WE  LIVED. 

liETTES  FBOM  BeV.  MB.  FOITEA. 

White  House,  Va.,  June,  1864. 
I  hardly  know  whether  to  laugh  or  to  feel  in- 
dignant at  the  reports  I  hear  concejiping  the 
luxurious  habits  of  living,  in  which  the  Sanitary 
Agents  indulge.  I  did  laugh  at  first,  for  the 
thought  of  luxury  was  so  incongruous  with  all  my 
surroundings  at  the  moment,  and  so  far  from  any 
thing  in  my  experience  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, that  I  could  hardly  beUeve  the  charge  of 
luxurious  living  was  made  seriously.  But  when 
I  saw  that  it  was,  I  was  incUned  to  wax  indig- 
nant, and  to  wish  that  the  people  who  circulate 
and  believe  such  charges,  would  come  out  her  e 


The  Scmita/ry  Com/mission  BuHdin. 


633 


to  see  and  try  this  luxurious  service  them- 
selves.  When  I  read  the  letter,  we  had  just 
dined,  sitting  on  boxes,  off  a  table  constructed 
of  rough  boards  laid  on  barrels.  Our  table  fur- 
nishings are  all  tin — ^just  such  as  the  soldiers 
have.  Our  food  is  very  often  served  in  washba- 
sins— precisely  such  as  we  may  have  used  half  an 
hour  before  in  dressing  wounds — and  very  sug- 
gestive also  of  the  morning  toilet.  The  dinner, 
to-day,  was  the  beat  I  have  seen  since  leaving 
Washington.  It  consisted  of  canned  chicken, 
potatoes,  apple-sauce,  pickles,  bread  and  but- 
ter, and  coffee,  served  in  a  good  deal  of  confu- 
sion, and  with  no  very  special  regard  to  neat- 
ness. Nothing  but  the  good  appetites  that 
most  of  us  possess,  could  possibly  overcome  the 
obstacles  of  such  a  dining  table. 

I  suppose  some  would  say  that  canned  •chick- 
en was  a  luxury,  and  that  we  are  eating  up  the 
stores  sent  for  the  wounded  and  sick  soldiers. 
But  the  canned  chicken,  tell  the  carpers,  was  a 
rarity.  I  have  never  seen  it  on  the  table  but 
once  before.  Our  usual  meat  is  salt  ham.  We 
do  not  complain,  though  we  do  not  always 
relish  our  meats;  we  expected  such  discomforts. 
Here,  we  have  been  provided  for  rather  better 
than  at  Fredericksburg  or  Port  EoyaL  It  is 
necessary  for  the  health  of  the  agents.  They 
camiot  long  work,  without  good  and'  sufficient 
food,  and  here  some  things  which  would  not  be 
provided  for  them  elsewhere  are  put  upon  the 
table,  because  of  the  natural  unhealthiness  of 
the  location.  It  is  a  malarious  district,  and  it 
is  not  well  to  drink  much  of  the  water.  We 
sometime  have  ale.  Whatever  we  have,  of 
course  comes  out  of  the  sanitary  stores;  and 
this,  of  course,  the  public  muS  know,  when 
they  contribute  the  funds.  The  agents  can  live 
in  no  other  way,  and  the  funds  cannot  be  used 
without  the  agents.  And  whoever  could  see 
how  these  men  work  here — working  many  of 
them  night  and  day,  and  sleeping  only  when 
and  where  they  can — could  never  begrudge 
them  their  roughly  served  and  often  neglected 
meals.  And  as  for  luxury  in  any  other  shape, 
the  term  is  still  more  ridiculous,  at  least  as  far 
as  the  ageflts  who  follow  the  army  are  concern- 
ed. Even  I,  who  expected  hardship,  am  sur- 
prised to  find  how  little  provision  is  made  for 
their  comfort.  The  barges  and  steamboats  are 
filled  everywhere  with  stores,  and  passengers 
must  get  along  as  they  can.  We  sleep,  a  hun- 
dred or  more  of  us,  counting  all  hands,  wher- 
ever we  can  crowd  a  straw  mattress  down,  on 
the  floor,  or  on  boxes  of  goods.  The  mattresses 
and  choice  places,  (if  any  there  be,)  are  free  to 
those  who  can  first  get  them — the  agents,  boat- 
men, or  contraband  cooks.    One  night,   com- 


ing on  board  rather  late,  I  was  so  unfortunate 
as  to  get  only  the  edge  of  a  bale,  where  I  was 
conscious  all  night  of  an  effort  to  hold  on,  lest 
I  should  slip  over  the  railing  of  the  deck.  It 
may  have  been  an  attitude  of  luxury,  but  it  did 
not  strike  me  so  at  the  time?  And  whatever  the 
attitude  maybe  at  night,  comfortable  or  uncom- 
fortable, and  however  well  disposed  one  may 
be  to  sleep,  there  is  always  the  possibility,  very 
frequently  made  actual,  of  being  called  up  at 
any  hour,  to  go,  it  may  be  a  mile  or  more, 
through  rain  and  dark  and  mud,  to  feed  &  train 
of  wounded  and  suffering  men.  This  is  a  part 
of  the  work  we  came  to  do,  and  we  do  it  un- 
complainingly, but  we  do  not  call  it  a  luxurious 
mode  of  life. 

Nor  did  those  of  our  number  who  were  detailed 
the  other  day  to  go  up  to  JVashington  as  nurses 
on  a  boat,  where  there  were  only  three  surgeons 
with  four  hundred  wounded  men,  and  who  were 
almost  the  only  nurses  on  board,  and  who  had 
to  do  every  kind  of  service  for  thirty-six  hours 
for  these  men,  dressing  their  wounds,  cooking 
for  them,  as  weU  as  for  themselves,  and  serving 
them,  not  only  as  care-takers  but  in  the  most 
menial  ways,  consider  their  service  as  a  mode 
of  luxury.  They  were  glad,  and  felt  honored, 
to  perform  it,  there  being  no  one  else  to  do  it. 
But  I  did  not  intend  to  go  into  this  long  story. 
It  will  serve,  however,  to  show  you  something 
of  our  style  of  living,  which  was  what  you  Vfish- 
ed  to  know.  I  felt  moved,  too,  to  defend  these 
Sanit&ry  Agents  whom  I  know  about,  against 
■  BO  false  a  charge,  not  on  my  ovni  account,  for  I 
am  but  a  temporary  volunteer  among  them,  but 
because  of  their  own  long  and  faithful  service.. 


HOSPITAL  NOTES  FOR  FECENDS  AT 

HOME. 

Eappahannock  Eiveb,  Steamer  Kent,  ) 
StrsDAY  P.  M.,  May  29, 1864.        J 

After  my  experience  here  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  I  only  vrish  I  had  the  "gift  of 
tongues,"  that  I  might  place  a  fair  record  on 
paper  of  its  operations,  and  give  some  hints  by 
which  you  at  home  could  realize  the  work  it  is 
doing  for  the  nation,  for  the  army,  for  the  hos- 
pitals and  for  the  wounded.  But  ev«ti  now, 
with  all  my  intimate  connection  with  these  ac- 
tive operations  in  this  gigantic  eampadgn,  I  de- 
clare to  you  that  I  do  not  know  where-  to  begin 
in  my  eulogy,  for  I  do  not  yet  begin  to  realize 
myself  one  half  of  its  beneficent  work.  In  the 
first  place  it  is  always  ahead  in  every  thing.  It 
reaches  a  new  base  as  soon  as  there  are  soldiers 
to  protect  it;  it  is  at  work  establishing  hqspit;i 
als  and  providing  necessary  stores  Ibn^  before 
the  government  machine;^beginstomove;  and. 


634 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


its  red  flags  are  seen  every  where  with  the  stars 
and  stripes,  establishing  its  feeding  stations, 
and  its  depots  of  supplies. 

WHAT  BECOMES   OP   THE  MONEY? 

People  ask  at  home,  and  it  is  a  natural  ques- 
tion, for  they  can  form  no  conception  of  the 
vast  field  it  covers  in  its  operations,  "what  can 
the  Sanitary  do  with  all  this  money?  Their 
present  funds  should  last  them  till  the  war  is 
over."  Let  them  try  to  realize  the  wants  and 
necessary  comforts  to  be  supplied  to  a  hundred 
wounded  men.  The  rolls  of  bandages  to  cover 
legs,  arms  and  bodies;  the  lint,  clothing,  shirts, 
drawers,  and  stockings;  the  pillows  and  pads 
for  stumps;  the  bedticks,  slings,  and  bedpans; 
the  hay  for  bedding,  the  tents,  blankets  and 
slippers;  the  oakum  for  wounds;  the  crutches, 
fans  and  basins;  sponges,  drinking  cups  and 
spoons,  each  man  requiring  more  or  less  of  each 
of  these  and  a  hundred  other  things  for  his  out- 
ward comfort,  for  the  soothing  of  shattered 
limbs  or  aching. wounds.  And  then  the  articles 
of  food,  embracing  every  necessary  stimulant, 
oranges,  lemons,  soft  bread,  oat  meal  for  gruel, 
farina,  cordials,  canned  and  dried  fruits,  vege- 
tables and  meats,  condensed  milk  and  coffee, 
sugar  and  tobacco,  eggs  and  crackers,  and  a 
long  list  besides,  and  aU  this  not  for  one  man, 
nor  a  hundred,  nor  a  thousand,  but  for  tens  of 
thousands  in  one  department  only  of  the  vast 
campaign. 

It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that  in  Virginia 
the  work  is  not  simply  with  or  in  the  midst  of 
the  army,  nor  alone  upon  the  battle  field;  it  is 
spread  over  vast  tracts  of  country  through  which 
the  army  sweeps,  where  has  been  left  its  wound- 
ed, in  the  wilderness  or  on  the  plains.  Its  sta- 
tions are  established  not  only  where  it  is  abso- 
lutely known  they  will  be  needed,  but  where 
there  may  be  a  possibility  of  waut.  All  this  re- 
quires comprehensive  forethought,  prompt  and 
energetic  action,  unwearied  labor  in  an  infinite 
detail.  Of  some  articles  the  requirements  are 
enormous.  Condensed  milk  by  the  ton.  Shirts 
by  the  tens  of  thousands,  ice  and  hay  by  the 
cargo,  and  so  on  with  the  long  list  of  supplies. 
And  this  material  has  to  be  transported  by 
Vagon  trains  from  one  base  to  another,  forage 
for  horses  has  to  be  provided,  drivers  have  to 
be  paid,  steamers  chartered,  and  coal  consumed; 
indeed  it  is  a  gigantic  machinery,  and  as  bene- 
ficent in  its  ministry  as  it  is  vast  in  its  propor- 
tions. I  understand  thiCt  the  cash  expenditure 
for  May  will  be  $250,000,  and  this  does  not  in- 
clude the  material  contributed,  nor  the  supplies 
sent  to  its  central  depots  as  a  gift;  and  all  this 
is  well  applied;  the  percentage  of  waste  is  very 
B  mall;  indeed,  I  have  yet  to  see  the  first  can  of 


meats  or  coffee  misused,  the  first  bottle  of 
liquors  uselessly  consumed,  or  the  first  article 
which  is  placed  thus  in  the  hands  of  its  agents 
sacrificed  either  by  careless  or  injudicious  use. 

ITS   MANAGEMENT. 

If  I  had  the  time,  I  would  go  into  some  de- 
tail of  the  hospital  management  in  Fredericks- 
burg, but  I  can  only  say  that  on  our  arrival 
there,  the  military  authorities  took  possession 
of  houses,  stores,  churches  and  all  public  build- 
ings. Each  Army  Corps  had  its  hospital  de- 
partment, the  city  being  divided  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  each  wounded  man  as  he  arrived  was 
sent  to  the  street  or  building  which  represented 
the  Division  of  the  Corps  to  which  he  belonged. 
These  buildings  were  divided  into  wards,  and 
corps  of  nurses  were  assigned  to  them  and  held 
responsible  for  their  proper  management.  Gar 
Ninth  Corps'  Hospitals  on  the  Heights  of  Fred- 
ericksburg were  sadly  destitute.  Our  buildings 
were  overcrowded.  From  mansions  of  grand- 
est proportions,  to  leaky  sheds  and  out-houses, 
crumbling  to  decay,  our  wounded  men  found 
shelter.  But  it  was  little  more  than  shelter. 
As  closely  as  men  could  lie  side  by  side,  they 
were  packed  in  upon  the  hard  floors,  some  with- 
out blankets  and  many  without  shirts.  I  can- 
not tell  the  story  of  individual  suffering;  I  can- 
not tell  how  we  lived  and  worked  through  those 
days  and  nights,  bringing  order  out  of  chaos 
and  comparative  comfort  out  of  the  most  fear- 
ful suffering.  I  can  only  remember  scenes  and 
sounds  and  smells  as  we  sometimes  look  back 
upon  some  long  agony.  Men  feverish  and 
weary,  with  aching  wounds  and  shattered 
limbs,  so  patient,  hopeful,  resigned  and  uncom- 
plaining. As  the  days  passed  by,  each  hour 
brought  a  more  liberal  supply  of  hospital  stores, 
and  before  the  evacuation  we  had  our  more  im- 
mediate wants  supplied.  The  central  store  of 
supplies  of  the  Sanitary,  occupied  the  warehouse 
of  the  infamous  Mayor  Slaughter;  it  was  here 
that  the  wagon  trains  were  unloaded  as  they 
came  up  from  Belle  Plain,  and  from  these 
stores  our  requisitions  were  answered  for  every 
variety  of  supplies  which  our  hospitals  required. 

I  have  in  my  book  a  memorandum  of  our  re- 
quisitions for  our  five  or  six  hundred  men,  and 
in  looking  it  over  I  am  amazed  to  see  how  large 
our  daily  drafts  were  upon  this  central  store. 

HUNDKEDS  OF  LIVES  SAVED. 

It  is  an  unquestionable  fact  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  has  saved  in  this  campaign  hun- 
dreds of  lives  simply  from  its  food.  There 
would  have  been  deaths  without  number  from 
actual  starvation,  if  we  had  not  had  an  abun- 
dance of  stores  upon  the  spot,  for  I  saw  and  fed 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


635 


many  who  were  in  the  last  stages  of  exhanstiou 
and  who  must  have  died  if  we  had  not  been  able 
to  relieve  them. 

Aside,  however,  from  any  personal  matters, 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  done,  perhaps,  the 
noblest  Christian  work  of  any  age.  Always 
fresh  with  warm  and  tender  sympathies,  ever 
constant  with  its  sweetest  ministries,  never 
£9iling  with  its  living  consolations,  it  comforts 
Borrowing  homes,  it  whispers  to  dying  hearts, 
and  it  bends  with  an  untiring  devotion  over 
those  who  have  seemed  to  be  on  the  verge  of 
the  dark  valley,  but  who  have  come  out  at  last 
into  the  bright  sunlight  again,  in  God's  good 
Providence  and  love;  and  if  there  is  one  song 
on  earth  which  the  angels  may  also  chant  in 
heaven,  it  is,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  the 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me." 

K., 

Relief  Agent 


EXTBACTS  PKOM  OUH  JOUENAL. 


AT   CITY  POINT. 


Three  cars  were  loaded  for  Cedar  Level 
to-day,  consigned  to  Mr.  Butler,  at  the 
Commissary  Depot  at  that  place,  where  we 
have  a  Field  Depot.     They  contained: 


74  bbls.  potatoes. 
63    '*      onions. 
27    "      green  apples. 
1    "     tomatoes  in  cans. 


10  bbls.  cranberries. 
53    '*      pickled  cuciunbers. 
27    "     pickled  tomatoes. 
2    "     beets. 


Making  257  bbls.  in  all. 

Dr.  Douglas  visited  the  hospitals  of  the 
10th  A.  C.  at  Point  of  Bocks.  The  arrange- 
ments are  excellent,  and  the  use  of  FUes 
alone  for  hospital  purposes  appeared  to  be 
most  admirable.  Inquired  of  Dr.  Potter, 
Surgeon-in-charge,  what  views  he  had  as 
the  result  of  his  experience  in  regard  to  the 
use  of  Flies  alone.  He  highly  approved 
of  their  use  for  aU  cases  of  sicknets  or  of 
wounds  at  this  season  of  the  year.  Said 
they  furnished  during  yesterday's  rain  quite 
as  complete  a  protection  as  the  tent. 

The  working  organization  of  the  Com- 
mission at  this  point  is  as  follows: 

Dr.  J.  H.  Douglas,  Associate  Secretary 
in  charge. 

Dr.  Alexander  McDonald,  Inspector  and 
Executive  Officer. 

Dr.  Wm.  F.  Swalm,  Inspector  and  Con- 
troller of  Issues. 

Mr.  Jno.  A.  Anderson,  Supt.  of  Trans- 
portation and  Supplies. 

Mr.  Chas.  S.  Clampitt,  Chief  Storekeeper. 

Mr.  Jas.  J.  Brooks,  Purveyor. 

Mr.  J.  Warner  Johnson,  Superintendent 
Field  EeUef. 

Mr.  Frank  B.  Fay,  Superintendent  Aux- 
iliary Belief. 

The  whole  force  here,  including  all  em- 
ployed by  the  Commission,  numbers  about 
220  men. 


There  were  sent  to  the  front  via  Cedar 
Level  this  P.  M. : 

268  bbls.  potatoes. 
148    "     onions. 
46    "     beets.    Total,  462  bbls. 

Jvly  Tad,  1864. 

Last  night  about  eleven  o'clock  the  re- 
port was  brought  to  the  office  that  the  Ken- 
nedy was  filling  with  water  rapidly.  AU 
hands  were  roused,  and  the  cargo  which 
had  been  transferred  from  the  Liberty  and 
Thomson  was  rapidly  put  back  upon  the 
Thomson,  until  the  water  ceased  to  gain 
upon  the  pumps.  It  was  long  after  mid- 
night when  work  ceased.  It  is  gratifying 
to  record  that  every  man  worked  with  a 
will  and  an  energy  which  is  rarely  witness- 
ed, showing  a  personal  interest  in  the 
saving  of  the  cargo. 

We  were  requested  jesterday  by  Capt. 
Pitkin,  A.  Q.  M.,  to  loan  one  tug,  8.  E. 
Brown,  to  bring  up  a  schooner  of  supplies 
for  Gen.  Grant  and  Stafi:  The  tug  was  im- 
mediately turned  over  temporarily  to  Capt. 
Pitkin,  and  received  her  sailing  orders  to 
proceed  to  the  Potomac  Eiver,  and  even  to 
Alexandria,  in  seareh  of  the  said  schooner. 

Sent  to  Cedar  Level  to-day: 

494  bbls.  potatoes. 
303    "      onions. 
142    "      beets. 

1  bbL    saur  kiaut. 

1   "      pickles.    Total,  941  bbls. 

July  TSd,  1864. 

Sent  by  rail  to  Cedar  Level: 

45  bbls.  tomatoes. 
IbbL         "  (large.) 

780  boxes      " 

2  bbls.  potatoes. 
5    "     onions. 

3  "     beets. 

1  bbL  cranberries. 

•    Total,  837  bbls.  and  boxes. 

Vegetables  for  want  of  wharf  room  are 
sent  to  Cedar  Level,  subject  to  the  order  of 
Mr.  Johnson,  who  goes  from  Division  to 
Division  of  the  Army,  and  gives  orders 
upon  our  Vegetable  Depot,  as  he  in  his 
judgment  deems  best.  To-day  we  have 
supplied  our  own  Field  Stations  belonging 
to  the  5th,  9th,  and  18th  Army  Corps,  and 
to  the  Stations  in  the  Depot  Hospital  at 
this  point,  attached  to  the  10th,  18th,  2d, 
9th,  and  5th  Army  Corps;  also  to  the  Post 
Hospital  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  at  City 
Point,  and  at  Wilson's  Landing. 

Secretary  Seward  and  daughters  were  here 
to-day.     Left  about  noon. 

Two  rebel  batteries  are  planted  on  the 
river  above  Bermuda  Huncired  and  below 
our  fleet.  The  dispatch  boat  is  fired  at 
every  day. 

City  Poikt,  Jvly  24tt,  1864. 

Drs.  McDonald,  Swalm  and  Douglas  went 
to  the  front.  Visited  the  Field  Stations  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  of  the  5th  and 


636 


The  Smvitary  Oommssion  Bulletin. 


9th  Corps.  Called  at  the  head-quarters  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Had  a  very 
satisfactory  interview  with  Dr.  McParlin. 
Called  on  Dr.  McDonald,  Medical  Direc- 
tor 9th  A.  C.  Learned  from  him  that  the 
most  marked  effects  had  been  observed 
npon  the  health  of  the  troops  after  the  in- 
troduction of  vegetables.  Dr.  McParlin 
said  that  the  army  was  improving  in  health 
at  the  present  time. 

Most  of  the  cases  of  siciness  were  mild 
cases  of  fever,  or  exhaustion  which  would 
yield  with  quiet  and  rest  in  hospital.  The 
hospitals  in  the  front  are  admirably  man- 
aged; in  most  respects  more  comfortable 
than  those  at  City  Point. 

The  army  is  well  supplied  with  vegeta- 
bles with  the  exception  of  onions,  which 
have  always  been  scarce,  though  more  de- 
sired than  any  other. 

Lettek  fkom  Beig.  Gen.  Cutter. 

Head-Quaetees  4th  Div.,  5th  A,  0.,  \ 
July  JM,  1864.     J 
J.  W.  JOHUSOU,  Esq., 

Agent  Sanitary  Com/taission: 

Sib — ^I  have  received  your  order  for  a 
supply  of  fresh  vegetables  to  be  issued  to 
the  men  of  my  command;  allow  me  to  say 
that  in  my  judgment,  the  Commission  can- 
not do  better  than  to  continue  their  efforts 
in  that  direction.  A  supply  of  vegetables 
not  only  contributes  to  the  present  comfort 
of  the  men,  but  it  is  the  surest  preventive 
of  those  army  scourges,  diarrhea,  scurvy 
and  dysentery.  Three  years'  service  with 
this  army  has  very  fully  confirmed  me  in 
the  opinion  that  no  where  can  men  be  more 
healthy  than  in  the  army,  with  a  proper 
diet,  of  which  vegetables  are  an  indispen- 
sable element. 

Your  Commission  seem  to  be  acting  upon 
the  adage  "  that  an  ounie  of  prevention  is 
worth  a  pound  of  cure."  I  hope  they  will 
adhere  to  that  opinion. 

Very  respectfully, 

L.  Ctjtteb, 

Brig.  Qen.  Commanding  Divin&n, 

The  following  letter  was  sent  in  by  Mr. 
Johnson : 

Head-Qttabtebs,  18th  A.  0.,  seas,  Petebsbubq,  1 
July  ilth,  1864.        } 
Mb.  J.  Wabheb  Johhsoh, 

Supt.  Field  JReliefj  Samitary  Commission: 

,  Snt — Please  present  the  thanks  of  the 
men  and  officers  of  this  Corps  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  for  the  very  large  and 
seasonable  supply  of  fresh  vegetables  just 
received  from  you.  The  potatoes  and  on- 
ions were  much  wanted,  as  scurvy  began 
to  threaten,  and  the  two  hundred  and  fifty 
boxes  of  tomatoes  answer  the  same  purpose, 
as  well  as  prevent  the  men  feeling  heavily 
the  recent  reduction  in  the  rations. 
I  am,  sir,  with  respect. 

Yours  truly, 
E.  O.  C.  Obd.    * 


BELIEF  WOBK  IN  BOSTON. 

Boston;  July  1st,  1864. 
E.  N.  Knapp, 

Associate  Secreia/ry,  Washington: 

Mt  Deab  SrE — On  behalf  of  the  Executive 
Committee  of  Boston  Associates,  I  submit  here- 
with a  Eeport  oonceming  the  Special  Belief 
Service  of  the  Commission  as  administered  in 
this  city,  under  the  direction  of  our  Committee, 
for  the  quarter  ending  June  30,  1854 

The  number  of  recipients  for  this  period  has 
been  5,416  as  compared  with  5,455  for  the  pre- 
vious quarter,  and  the  total  number  registered 
for  the  fifteen  months  during  which  the  service 
has  been  administered,  is  16,606. 

For  the  quarter  ending  June  30,  1864,  the 
following  is  the  record  of  "aid  rendered:" 

Furnished  Transportation  at  GoTemment  rate  to. .  1,735 
"  ••  paid  by  Commission .. .       21 

"  "  by  tJ.  S.  Quarter-Master      64 

"       Carriage  within  tile  city 1,283 

"       Special  attendance  to  their  homes 7 

"       lodging 3,109 

"       Meals 3,904 

Clothing 137 

"      Aid  in  arranging  papers 25 

«       Aid  in  obtaining  pay 32 

"       Medical  advice 142 

Wounds  Dressed 1,565 

Procured  Commutation  of  Bations 1 

Loaned  Money 51 

Gave  Money 26 

Sent  to  Hospital 18 

Beferred  to  Local  Belief  AssociAtions 2 

Deaths 1 

Furnished  Undertaker's  services 1 

Amount  of  Pay  collected $4,030  91 

Daily  average  number  of  Soldiers  Begistered  . .        59X 

These  are  apportioned  to  their  respective 
States  as  follows:  Maine,  2,121 ;  New  Hamp- 
shire, 231;  Vermont,  24;  Massachusetts,  2,229; 
Connecticut,  13;  Ehode  Island,  15;  New  York, 
37;  New  Jersey,  1;  Pennsylvania,  8;  Mairyland, 
2;  District  of  Columbia,  23;  Ohio,  3;  lUinois,  8, 
Iowa,  3;  Minnesota,  2;  Wisconsin,  4;  Missouri ; 
6;  Indiana,  3;  North  Carolina,  2;  Georgia,  2; 
Louisiana,  Michigan,  Arkansas,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  Alabama,  1  each;  U.  S.  Army,  137; 
IT.  S.  Navy,  56;  Veteran  Beserve  Corps,  478; 
Corps  D'Afrique,  2.     Total,  5,416. 

The  following  supplies  have  been  drawn 
from  the  Supply  Department  of  the  "New  Eng- 
land Women's  Auxiliary  Association:" 

12  woolen  shirts,  24  cotton  shirts,  24  woolen 
drawers,  24  cotton  drawers,  60  pairs  socks,  469 
sUngs,  1  dressing  gown,  5  lots  bandages,  and  6 
pairs  crutches;  also,  1  lot  of  old  rags  for  use  of 
Pemberton  Square  (Mason  General)  Hospital. 

1,735  orders  have  been  issued  upon  respect- 
ive roads  for  transportation  at  Government 
rate,  and  61  furnished  by  the  U.  S.  Quartermas- 
ter. 

8, 080  meals  have  been  furnished  to  3, 904  men, 
at  a  cost  of  $2,700.79,  showing  an  average  of 
2^  meals  per  man,  and  an  average  cost  of  33^ 
cents  per  meal. 

$143.94  has  been  loaned  or  given  to  35  men, 
being  an  average  of  $4.11  per  man.  Of  this 
amovmt  $52.78  has  been  returned,  being  Aths 
of  the  whole  amount,  16  of  the  35  men  Tiave 
returned  the  amounts  loaned  them. 

137  men  have  been  furnished  with  382  arti- 
les  of  clothing,  being  an  average  number  of 
f  articles  per  man. 

The  total  cost  of  the  service  for  the  quarter 
has  been  $6,070,23,  classified  as  follows: 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


63'T 


Eent  and  Taxes $247  00 

FumlsMng  and  Eepaira 200  60 

Salaries 718  65 

Traveling  Expenses 45  DO 

Advertising 3100 

Stationery  and  Printing 575  47 

Postage 22  00 

Hospital  Stores 106  94 

•Superintendent's  Expense  Account 8,643  81 

Miscellaneous 104  40 

$6,070  23 

The  average  cost  per  man  of  the  service  for 
the  quarter,  as  shown,  is  $l,04f,  as  compared 
■with  $1,08  for  the  previous  quarter,  showing  a 
reduction  of  3  J  cents. 

The  average  cost  per  man,  of  the  service  for 
the  successive  quarters  since  its  inauguration, 
is  as  follows: 

Quarter  ending  June  30, 1863 $2  35 

Sept.  30,  1863 128 

Dec.31,1863 115 

March31,1864 108 

■•        June  30, 1864 1  W/i 

The  following  statement  exhibits  the  result 
of  the  Hospital  Car  Service  between  New  York 
and  Boston  for  the  quarter  ending  June  30, 
1864: 

Number  of  Soldiers  transported 3,405 

Total  cost  of  the  Service $373  86 

Average  cost  per  mam,  lO^c,  which  is  a  re- 
duction of  lOJCi^from  the  previous  quarter. 

The  following  supplibs  have  been  furnished 
for  use  on  these  cars,  viz. :  Brandy,  whisky  and 
wine,  5  bottles  each;  1  bottle  cologne,  1  bottle 
ammonia,  1  roU  plaster,  1  bottle  piUs,  1  bottle 
cough  mixture,  1  dozen  cakes  soap,  2  gallons 
oil,  1  dust  brush,  1  feather  duster,  2  packages 
lint  and  bandages. 

During  the  last  quarter  the  Special  Belief 
Service  at  this  point  has  assumed  increased  im- 
portance. The  movement  of  well  soldiers,  upon 
furlough,  has  almost  entirely  ceased,  and  whUe 
the  number  of  arrivals  continues  nearly  as  great 
as  at  any  previous  time,  they  are  almost  exclu- 
sively wounded  or  sick  men  going  to  their 
homes  upon  short  furloughs,  to  recruit,  or  in 
process  of  transfer  from  one  hospital  to  an- 
other. 

The  emergencies  which  the  establishment 
has  proved  itself  able  to  meet,  without  disturb- 
ing its  ordinary  routine,  has,  of  late,  been  strik- 
ingly illustrated.  Upon  one  occasion,  within  a 
space  of  an  hour  and  three-quarters,  390  wound- 
ed men  were  received,  their  wounds  dressed, 
and  dinner  given  them  (each  man  selecting,  ac- 
cording to  his  taste,  from  a  bill  of  fare. )  At 
the  appointed  hour  every  man  was  comfortably 
aboard  the  train  provided  for  their  transporta- 
tion to  Augusta,  Maine,  and  the  train  supplied 
through  our  agency  with  requisite  appliances 
for  their  comfort.  Of  this  number,  301  re- 
quired to  be  brought  to  our  rooms  in  carriages, 
and  so  taken  again  to  their  train.     The  regular 

*  Olasslftcafdon  of  Superintendent's  Expense  Account: 

Transportation $36100 

Traveling  Expenses 98  27 

Meals 2,709  79 

'  Furniture «.         8  56 

Fuel 65  80 

Washing 170  66 

Salaries 80  00 

Money  loaned  and  given 143  94 

Postage 6  *6 

Sundries 9' "9 

Undertaier's  Services 27  60 


ordinary  record  was  made  in  the  case  of  every 
man.  His  name,  repment,  company,  name  of 
officer,  place  of  residence,  wound  and  condi- 
tion, and  aid  rendered  being  correctly  entered 
upon  the  register. 

An  arrangement  has  been  recently  concluded 
by  which  we  are  enabled  to  draw  rations  from 
Government  for  all  furloughed  men,  whom  we 
furnish  with  meals.  Our  communication  with 
the  Commissary  Department  at  Washington  in 
relation  to  this  matter,  has  been  of  the  most 
satisfactory  character,  our  views  having  been 
met  in  the  most  cordial  and  liberal  manner. 
It  gives  us  pleasure,  also,  to  add  that  our  rela- 
tions with  all  Government  and  State  officers  at 
this  point  are  altogether  satisfactory  and  agree- 
able. 

I  am,  my  dear  sir,  with  great  regard, 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

Jno.  S.  Biatchfobd, 
For  Exec.  Com.  ofBoiUm  Associates  of 
XT.  S.  Sanitary  CoTnmissum. 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  TOEK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 


President. 
Lietjt.-Gen.  "WINFrEIiD  SOOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIBAIi  DUPONT. 
KUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
BOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

1^  11*6  C^OTS 
HoNS.  E.  D.  MOKGAN,  GEOEGE  OPDTKE, 
HIEAM  BAENEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Eev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Messes.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BKOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JA»,  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTEE,  WM.  B. 
DODGE,  Jk.,  THEODOEE  EOOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPEB,  GEOEGE  BANOEOPT,  DANIEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,EOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALPEBD 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
HENBY  GBEENPIELD,  Sec'y, 
35  Chambbes  Stebbt,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION, 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
thsir  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  hovmty,  etc. ,  witJiout  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


638 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
"Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  €. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  Califomia. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  a  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 

Wolcnti  Uibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Hove,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Et.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 

Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  lU. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof  Fairmau  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

O.  J.  Stille. 

tezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

oincEKs: 
H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary, 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE, 

Henry  W.  BeUows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
WilUam  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Gominission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East* 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "Office  of 
Sanitary  Comroission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phlla- 
elphia." 

*  For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  OhVo,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Aj'kausas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  wlU  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  bsx 
answer  will  be  returned  Immediately  at  the  Inquirer's 
expense. 

M^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  ^nong  those  who  have  fntenda 
in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  aU  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  Wants  of  the  patients  in  aU  cases. 
The  foUowing  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and ,  aU  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  States  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  ofiEeriugs: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  FhUadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Shaip  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Tine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  lU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  1th 
Streetj,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
LouisvUle,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  whoUy  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubuo  for 
the  .means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Washing* 
ton,  D.  C.     Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Ballroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Lodge  No.  4,  U  Street,  between  I3th  and  i4th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Railroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers*  Home,  Cairo,  HI.— 0.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky. — James  Malona,  Sup't. 
Jambs  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio — Joseph  Jo-ome,  Sup't 
and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way.  Sup't. 

AGENCY  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F,  Basoom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSPITAL   CAKS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York— SoL  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Murfreesboro'-'Ur.  J.  P.  Baz^ 
num.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITABY  SCTAlrfBB. 

Cumberland  Blver—New  Dunleith. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


639 


FRED'O  S.  OOZZENS, 

73  WARREN  STREET, 

NEW    "yOKK, 

(Opposite  Hudson  RiveT  Railroad  Depot,) 


AND 


PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE, 

'Wasbingtou,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 


Imported  "Wines, 
Brandies,  &c., 

OF  THE  PUREST  QUALITY, 


FOE 


Medicinal  &  Sanitary  Purposes, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

UNITED  STATES  HOSPITALS, 


AKD  BY  THE 


SANITAHV  COMMtSStON* 


<  ■»»  ^ 


ALSO, 

American   Wines, 

Of  the  Highest  Grades. 


SOLE  AGENT  IN  NEW  YOflK  AND  WASHINGTON  FOR 

LONaWORTH'S 

Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 

Brandies,  &c.,   &o.. 


FilRME'S 


Adapted  to  every  Branch,  of 
Business.  '   . 


MANUFACTaRED  ONLY, BY 

THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

EiT.FMRBAlSICO., 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 


PRINCIPAL   WAREHOUSES: 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 

No.  252  Broad-way,  New  York. 

FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN, 

No.  U8  Milk  Street,  Boston. 

FAIRBANKS,  GRBENLEAF  &Co., 
No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 

FAIRBANKS  &  EWING, 

Masonic  Hall,  Phi.adelphia. 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 
No.  246  Baltimore  St.,  Baltimore. 


Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or 
mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to 
dther  of  the  above. 


640  The  Samtarij  Oommissidn  BuUetin. 


OFFICE    OF   THE 


(I!0lttmHM  i^mm)  ^wxum 

Vi    xj    JurX   JL     xx   IN.     X   9 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  -     Sl,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  Y6 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  otter  Contingencies , .      441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Tear,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  whieli  the  Fremiam  is  paid  in  like  Gnrrency. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  aUowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  iu  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
Bd.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  sucli  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to'the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B.  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  0.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  0.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  JE , 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  jE.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  6.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  6.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  NIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  O.  MORRIS,  President. 

■WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  2&  Vioe-PreaMent  and  Secretary. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  L  new  YORK,  SEPTEMBER  1,  1864,  No.  21. 


CONTENTS. 

Page. 

"Fedebai  ATBoomzs " 641 

Bepobts — 

Dr.  A.  N.  Bead,  Western  Department 644 

A  Trip  up  the  Miasisaippi 657 

Whatthe  Auxiliary  Belief  Corps  has  done.  666 

Tee  Pbisoh  at  AirDEBSoimLi.E,  Oa. 652 

TTnurnH  AITD  liODaES .' 655 

WiscoKanr  Solsieb's  Am  Sooietz 656 

ACKSOWIiEDailENTS 656 

DiAEY  OF  Mes.  E.  C.  Pobteb 659 

Westebn  DepabTment  Issdes 668 

Depabtment  op  the  Gulf  Issoes 668 

The  Saiiitaby  CoimaaBioN  Buixethj  ie  published 
on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  eoary  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  ciroulalion,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium,  for 
advertising. 

An,  eommunioations  mvtt  he  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
^or,  at  (he  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
ttmnticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  (he  publication  of  the  Bw- 
I.ETIN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  o/  (he  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  TT.  8.  Sanitary  C^mi- 
mission — the  Standing  Oommittee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree of  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and 
thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  (hat  some  of 
Vheirfrimds  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ea> 
press  a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  tlwr^ore  give 
notice  that  (he  sum  cf  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treamrer,  (G.  T.  Stboko,  68  WaU  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadiuiay,  Weta  York,)  wid  secure  Us  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  (he  owr- 
rent  year,  unless  its  publioalion  be  sooner  discoor 
Unued,  /    ■ 

Yoiu  L— No.  21.  41 


"FEDERAL  ATROCITIES." 
The  London  Times  says  that  we  carry  on 
our  war  against  the  Slaveholders'  BebeUion 
"with  a  cruelty  that  far  surpasses  anything 
that  can  "be  laid  to  the^harge  of  England, 
though  the  lapse  of  eighty  years  has  soft- 
ened war's  manners  and  has  caused  hu- 
manity to  be  respected  even  in  the  camp." 
This  is  the  repetition  of  an  old  story.  For 
the  last  three  years  English  peers  and 
statesmen  in  Parliament  and  out  of  it  have 
been  making  the  "unprecedented  inhu- 
manity and  barbarity''  of  our  soldiers  a 
most  telling  point  in  their  oratorical  apolo- 
gies for  slavery. 

All  this  talk  has  had  some  effect  in  the 
circle  of  gentle  and  kind-hearted  women 
in  my  little  town,  who  have  been  busily 
working  for  the  relief  of  our  army,  through 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  ever  since  the 
war  began.  They  look  ^at  each  other  and 
ask  in  whispers,  are  we  really  working  for 
an  army  of  cut-throats  and  ruffians,  whose 
brutalities-  and  atrocities  exceed  even  those 
of  the  British  soldiers,  who  stormed  Bada- 
jos  and  Ciudad  Bodrigo  ?  We  know  war 
is  a  cruel  business,  but  are  the  violence  and 
brutality  of  our  armies  really  unprecedent- 
ed P  If  what  these  disinterested  English 
outsiders  say  be  true,  we  feel  as  if  we 
ought  to  do  no  more  work  for  men  whose 
atrocities  actually  exceed  the  incredible 
horrors  of  which  we  read  in  history. 

This  is  natural  enough.  We  were  aU 
brought  up  to  reverence  England,  and  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Sniperfldgets,  Presi- 
dent of  our  Soldiers'  Belief  Society,  is  said 
to  have  been  fourth  cousin  to  the  brother- 
in-law  of  a  gentleman  quite  nearly  related 
to  the  British  Peerage.  She  is  therefore 
naturally  regarded  as  an  authority  as  to  the 


642 


The  Sdmita/ry  Oommiaaion  BiiUeUn. 


opinions  of  the  aristocracy  of  Europe,  arid 
she  assures  us  that  we  are  regarded  in  the 
"highest  circles"  abroad  as  conducting 
this  war  in  a  spirit  of  fiendish  atrocity  and 
ferocity,  untnown  since  the  days  of  Louis 
XIV.  and  the  devastation  of  the  Palatin- 
ate, and  which  British  humanity  could  not 
endure  for  a  single  day. 

Now  it  is  quite  true  that  soldiers  in  ac- 
tive service  are  sometimes  guilty  of  crimi- 
nal violence.  No  doubt  there  have  been 
such  cases  among  our  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  enlisted  men — ^though  the  only 
reason  I  have  for  so  believing  is  the  ap- 
pearance tjf  an  occasional  newspaper  para- 
graph, at  long  intervals,  stating  that  Private 
so-and-so  was  duly  hanged  day  before  yes- 
terday for  some  such  offence.  But  this 
misfortune  occasionally  happens  to  people 
in  civil  Ufe. 

I  wish.  However,  to  show  my  humane  and 
sensitive  friends  through  the  columns  of 
the  BuIiIjBtin  that  whatever  "atrocities 
and  barbarities  "  our  soldiers  have  commit- 
ted are  not  in  the  least  degree  "unprece- 
dented," and  that  the  worst  charges  ever 
brought  against  them,  true  or  false,  fall  far 
short  of  what  a  British  historian  records 
of  British  soldiers,  in  a  campaign  of  which 
he  was  an  eye  witness,  and  which  was  con- 
ducted not  "eighty  years  ago,"  but  six.  , 

I  have  before  me  a  copy  of  "My  Diary 
in  India,  in  the  year  1858-9,  by  WiUiam 
Howard  BusseU,  IjL.D.,  Special  Corres- 
pondent of  'The  Times.'  In  two  volumes. 
London:  Eoutledge  &  Co.,  1860."  Mr. 
Eussell  is  a  cool  man  of  the  world,  and  an 
experienced  observer  of  campaigns,  and 
this  is  the  last  considerable  war  in  which 
our  peace-loving  philanthropic  British  crit- 
ics have  thought  it  profitable  to  engage. 

Their  persecution  of  the  Maoris  and  their 
shelling  and  burning  of  a  Japanese  port  or 
two,  are  more  recent  to  be  sure,  but  these 
I  are  mere  retail  transactions,  charged  to 
the  account  of  "petty  cash,"  and  are  not 
entered  in  detail  in  the  books  of  the  Brit- 
ish Empire.  Let  us  see  with  what  entire 
freedom  from  "cruelty"  this  East  Indian 
campaign  against  native  princes,  whose  ti- 
tles date  back  for  centuries,  and  who  had 
risen  against  a  foreign  commercial  tyranny, 
established  among  them  partly  by  force 
and  partly  by  fraud,  was  conducted  by  the 


humane    and   merciful   armies   of   Great 
Britain.  - 

On  page  222,  Vol.  I,  Mr.  Bussell  tells  ua 
that  "when  NeDl  marched  from  Allahabad, 
his  executions  were  so  numerous  and  indis- 
criminate, that  one  of  the  officers  attached 
to  his  column  had  to  remonstrate  with  him, ' 
on  the  ground  that  if  he  depopulated  the 
country  he  could  get  no  supplies  for  the  men." 

Just  imagine  one  of  Gen.  Sherman's 
staff  advising  him  that  if  he  would  persist 
in  exterminating  all  the  people  on  his  line 
of  march  through  Tennessee  and  Georgia, 
he  would  have  difficulty  in  obtaining  sub- 
sistence and  forage  ! 

At  Lucknow,  Mr.  BusseU  informs  us, 
(Vol.  I,  p.  301,)  a  certain  house,  occupied 
by  rebels,  was  desperately  defended.  It 
was  shattered  by  artUlery  at  last,  and  then 
stormed.  "  Some  of  the  Sepoys  were  still 
alive,  and  they,"  we  are  told,  "wereTnerei- 
fuUy  killed.  But</or  some  reason  or  other, 
which  could  not  he  explained,  one  of  the 
number  was  dragged  out  to  the  sandy  plain, 
outside  the  house,  he  was  puUed  by  the 
legs  to  a  convenient  place,  where  he  was 
held  down,  pricked  in  the  A,ce  and  body  by 
the  bayonets  of  some  of  the  soldiery,  while 
others  collected  fuel  for  a  small  pyre,  and 
when  aU  was  jeady,  the  man  was  roasted 
aUve.  There  were  Englishmen  looking  on. 
More  than  one  officer  saw  it.  No  one  of- 
fered to  interferoi  The  horror  of  this  in- 
fernal cruelty  was  aggpravated  by  an  attempt 
of  the  miserable  wretch  to  escape  when  half 
burned  to  death.  '  By  a  sudden  effort  he 
leaped  away,  and  with  the  flesh  hanging 
from  his  bones  ran  a  few  yards  ere  he  was 
caughli,  brought  back,  put  on  the  fire 
agfin,  and  held  there  by  bayonets  till  his 
remains  were  consumed.  'And  his  cries, 
and  the  dreadful  scene,'  said  my  friend, 
'  will  haunt  me  to  my  dying  hour. '  '  '  Why 
did'nt  you  interfere?'  'I  dared  not.'" 
Mr.  BusseU  adds,  in  a  footnote,  "I  saw 
the  charred  bones  some  days  after,  on  the 
plain."     (P.  302.). 

There  is  no  evidence  that  any  officer  or 
soldier  of  our  army,  who  renounced  his 
aUegiance  and  mUitary  fidelity,  (hke  this 
unlucky  Sepoy,)  and  went  over  to  the  reb- 
els, has  up  to  this  time  been  roasted  aUve 
by  any  squad'  of  patriotic  and  zealous  Un- 


The  Soimtary  Commission  BvUetin. 


ionists,  belonging  to  a  New  York  or  Nev 
England  Begiment. 

"I  must  confess,"  says  Mr.  Russell,  on 
p.  320  of  the  same  voliune,  "that  I  do  not 
altogether  approve  of  anything  but  the  ex- 
traordinary courage  and  self-possession 
which  marked  his  {Hodson's)  conduct  in 
shooting  down  the  sons  of  the  King  of 
Delhi,  but"  &o. 

If  one  of  our  Colonels  should  capture  a 
batch  of  blue-blooded  rebel  "  Congress- 
men,"  and  finding  it  doubtful  whether  he 
could  carry  them  safely  to  headquarters, 
should  proceed  to  blow  their  brains  out, 
seriatim,  I  think  the  London  Times  and 
Lord  Brougham  would  see  little  to  approve 
in  his  "courage  and  seU-possession." 

It  would  seem  that  the  armies  of  Eng- 
land made  a  most  ungenerous  use  of  the 
religious  superstitions  of  these  luckless 
Orientals,  to  render  their  death  more  bit- 
ter. Mr.  Russell  is.  unfortunately  not  very 
explicit  on  this  subject,  but  his  remarks 
suggest  a  great  deal.  "All  these  kinds  of 
vindictive,  unchristian  Indian  torture,"  he 
says,  (vol.  2,  p.  43,)  "such  as  sewing  Mo- 
hammedans in  pig-skins,  and  smearing 
them  with  poik-f at  before  execution,  and 
burning  their  bodies,  and  forcing  Hindoos 
to  defile  themselves,  are  disagraceful,  and 
ultimately  recoil  on  ourselves.  They  are 
spiritual  and  mental  tortures  to  which  we 
have  no  right  to  resort. " 

So  England  treats,  her  Oriental  rebels. 
What  would  she  say  if  we  followed  her  ex- 
ample, (at  a  remote  and  humble  distance,) 
and  obliged  every  ohivalrio  South  Caroli- 
nian prisoner  to  take  a  liberated  black  man 
for  his  chum  and  bed-fellow  ? 

"  One  of  the  civilians  of  the  station  who 
visited  me,"  says  Mr.  Russell,  (vol.  2,  p. 
82,)  "boasted  that  he  had  hanged  fifty- 
four  men  in  a  few  hours,  for  plundering  a 
village.''  Mr.  R.  thought  the  proceeding 
rather  strong,  but  his  friend  regarded  it 
with  "intense  satisfaction,  and  regretted 
that'he  had  not  more  of  the  same  work  to 
do."  Suppose  General  Rosecranz  should 
"hang  fifty-four  men  for  plundering  a  vil- 
lage in  Missouri !" 

On  page  295  of  vol." 2  Mr.  Russell  says: 
"  I  heard  a  man  teU  a  Story  which  aston- 
ished me,  not  the  tale  so  much,  for  I  had 
heard  many  of  them,  as  the  way  he  tol^  it 


— a  very  worthy  man,  no  doubt,  but  what 
he  said  was  this:  On  a  certain  occasion,  in 
a  recent  celebrated  action,  a  place  to  which 
I  shall  not  more  particularly  allude,  [poli- 
tic Russell !]  was  strongly  occupied  by  the 
enemy.  Our  men  carried  it  with  great  gal- 
lantry, and  bursting  in,  proceeded  to  kiU 
all  whom  they  found  inside.  The  work 
was  nearly  completed,  when  this .  officer 
perceived  a  number  of  Sepoys  crouching 
upon  the  fiat  roof  of  the  enclosure.  They 
ha4>been  firing  on  our  men,  but  seeing  the 
terrible  fate  of  their  comrades,  they  sought 
to  escape  notice,  and  had  taken  to  this 
place  of  refuge.  They  made  signs  to  the 
officer  that  they  would  surrender,  and  ho 
ordered  them  to  come  down  the  narrow 
staircase  leading  from  the  roof,  and  as  the 
first  Sepoy  appeared,  he  told  the  man  to 
take  off  his  belt  and  pouch  and  to  lay  it 
with  his  musket  down  upon  ttie  ground. 
The  same  thing  he  did  with  each  succeed- 
ing Sepoy,  tUl  he  had  got  them  all,  fif<^- 
seven  in  number,  upon  which,  he  said,  I 
fell  them  in  against  the  wall,  and  told  some 
Sikhs,  who  were  handy,  to  polish  them  off. 
This  they  did  immediately,  shooting  and 
bayoneting  them,  so  that  altogether  they 
were  disposed  of  in  a  couple  of  minutes." 
This  prompt  execution  of  justice  was 
doubtless  inost  creditable  to  Gre&t  Britain. 
Our  national  soldiers  have  never  ventured 
on  anything  so  masculine  and  vigorous. 

At  Lucknow,  Mr.  R.  tells  us,  (vol.  1,  p, 
348,)  "after  the  FusUeers  had  got  to  the 
gateway,  a  Cashmere  boy  came  toward  the 
post,  leading  a  blind  and  aged  man,  and 
throwing  himself  at  the  feet  of  an  officer, 
asked  for  protection.  That  officer,  as  I 
was  informed  by  his  comrades,  drew  his 
revolver,  and  snapped  it  at  the  wretcheil 
applicant's  head.  The  men  cried  '  shame 
on  him.'  Again  he  puUed  the  trigger, 
again  the  cap  missed — again  he  pulled,  and 
once  more  the  weapon  refused  its  task. 
The  fourth  time; — thrice  had  he  time  to  re- 
lent— the  gallant  officer  succeeded,  and  the 
boy's  life-blood  flowed  at  his  feet !" 

Whether  this  ornament  to  the  service 
was  promoted  for  his  "distinguished  con- 
duct "  in  this  affair  does  not  appear,  but 
what  would  we  American  barbarians  have 
said,  if  Gen.,  Butler,  for  example,  walking 
through  the  streets  of  Npw  Orleans  the  day 


644 


The  Sanitary  Commiadon  SiMddn. 


after  its  surrender,  had  encoantered  an 
elderly  secessionist  -with  a  young  son  or 
nephew  of  12  or  14  accompanying  him,  and 
had  thereupon  produced  his  revolver  and 
blown  out  the  child's  brains  ? 

I  think  the  humane  and  patriotic  women 
who  work  for  our  soldiers  need  give  them- 
selves no  concern  about  foreign  lamenta- 
tions over  their  violence  and  cruelty.  No 
armies  have  ever  shown  themselves  so  for- 
bearing and  merciful  as  ours.  Our  na- 
tional soldier  is,  in  the  language  of  ^he 
Morte  d'Arthur,  "the  kindest  man  that 
ever  struck  with  sword."  England,  at 
least,  has  no  right  to  charge  us  with  inhu- 
manity, while  Mr.  Russell's  record  of  her 
dealings  with  a  rebellious  colony  at  the  an- 
tipodes remains  uncontradicted. 

A  "DlSHiLUSIOlIATED"  AuGIiOMAUIAO. 


THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT. 
In  the  FrBiiD. 

Dr.  A.  N.  Bead,  writes  from  Nashville, 
on  the  3d  August,  as  follows: 

According  to  your  instructions  I  left 
Nashville  the  last  of  April,  to  give  attention 
to  the  work  of  the  Commission  in  the  field. 

On  my  arrival  at  Chattanooga,  I  con- 
sulted with  Surgeon  G.  Perin,  U.  S.  A., 
and  Medical  Director,  and  subsequently 
with  Gen.  Thomas,  as  to  the  best  manner 
in  which  the  Commission  could  aid  in  the 
care  of  the  sick  and  wonndted. 

The  great  difficulty  was  to  secure  trans- 
portation, and  the  question  arose  as  to  the 
practicability  of  the  Commission  furnish- 
ing their  own.  It  was  deemed  best  not  to 
do  this,  but  to  depend  upon  Government 
teams.  As  it  was  expected  that  soon  after 
the  movement  of  the  army,  large  supplies 
of  stores  would  be  needed,  J  sent  you  on 
the  27th  the  following  telegram: 

"  Can  you  send  twelve  thousand  pounds 
of  milk,  eight  thousand  bottles  of  spirits, 
and  a  general  supply  of  delicacies  ?  How 
*soon  ?"  Dr.  Perin,  added  the  following 
indorsement:  "Please  forward  as  soon  as 
possible." 

>v      G.  Pebin,  tr.  S.  A.,  Medioal  Director, ) 
'  Medical  Director's  Office,  April  27, 1864.     J 

I  then  visited  a  portion  of  the  troops  in 
the  field,  and  at  Ottawah  a  Brigade  Hospital 
in  charge  of  Dr.  F.  M.  Cook,  Surgeon  101st 
OhioBegiment.  It  contained  only  forty-four 
patients,  but  they  yrere  from  different  States, 


as  follows:  Ohio,  thirteen;  Indiana,  ten;  Il- 
linois, four;  Pennsylvania,  one;  Iowa,  five; 
Michigan,  two;  Kentucky,  nine.  I  mention 
this,  as  the  doctor  showed  me  a  letter  from  a 
friend  of  State  Agencies,  asking  him  to 
send  for  stores  for  Ohio  soldiers  •xclusive- 
ly,  which,  as  you  can  see  by  the  inmates  of 
his  hospital,  he  justly  declined  to  do.  This 
hospital  had  received  some,  outside  of  the 
brigade.  The  patients  aU  had  beds  and 
bed-ticks  fiJled  with  straw.  The  bunks 
were  made  by  the  Surgeon  and  his'attend- 
ants;  every  sick  man  had  a  pillow;  the 
beds  were  clean,  the  food  good,  with  a 
liberal  supply  of  vegetables,  such  as  pota- 
toes, onions,  pickles,  etc.  They  sdso  had 
mUk,  and  every  day  each  man  was  served 
with  stewed  fruit.  The  Surgeon  remarked 
that  "  all  these  were  obtained  from  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  could  be  had  in 
no  other  way.'' 

Soon  after  this  visit,  the  army  advanced, 
and  on  May  1st,  in  company  with  Dr. 
Perin  and  my  brother,  I  visited  Ringgold, 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  suitable 
room  for  medical  and  sanitary  stones.  We 
took  an  order  from  Gen.  Thomas,  that 
rooms  should  be  furnished  us,  and  secured 
a  suitable  one  for  the  Purveyor's  stores 
and  our  own.  This  accomplished,  we  re- 
turned, and  immediately  175  packages  of 
stores  were  forwarded. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Perin,  by  his  own 
request,  was  relieved  from  his  duties  as 
Medical  Director.  We  parted  from  him 
with  sorrow;  he  had  been  a  faithful  and 
efficient  officer,  ever  ready  to  aid  us  in  our 
work,  and  to  give  us  a  reason,  if  he  could 
not. 

As  most  of  the  troops  had  left  Knoxville 
and  joined  this  army,  I  telegraphed  Dr.  M. 
M!  Seymour,  Sanitary  Inspector,  in  charge 
of  the  work  in  the  Department  of  Ohio, 
asking  him  to  come  and  aid  us  in  the  anti- 
cipated work.  He  came  promptly,  and  until 
he  was  disabled  by  sickness,  gave  invalu- 
able assistance.  Mr.  F.  R.  Croy  also  came 
back  with  him,  and  for  a  time  took  charge 
of  the  s|ioreroom  at  Ringgold. 

Our  plan  for  the  campaign  was  to  have 
an  Agent  of    the  Commisaion  with  each  . 
Army  Corps,   and,  if  possible,  with  each 
Division,  whose  business  should  be  to  sup- 
ply them  with  stores  and  attend  to  their 


The  Scmtmry  Commission  BiMetin. 


645 


distribution,  and,  as  soon  as  possible,  make 
lists  of  casualties;  the  stores  to  be  obtained 
from  the  nearest  railroad  depot  to  the 
army. 

During  my  visits  to  the  regiments  I  found 
much  complaint,  and  much  cause  of  com- 
plaint, of  the  fraud  practiced  by  send- 
ing inefScient  men  for  the  new  recruits. 
Some  •were  sent  who  had  been  twice  dis- 
charged for  disability,  others  were  deform- 
ed— one  was  blind  in  one  eye — ^had  double 
scrotal  hernia,  and  deformed  hands.  Of 
one  squad  of  men  driUing,  none  were  over 
fifteen  years  of  age,  by  their  own  confes- 
sion. 

On  May  6th,  our  army  had  passed  Bing- 
gold,  and  a  battle  was  daily  expected.  For 
several  days  there  had  been  skirmishing, 
and  many  wounded  were  brought  to  Eing- 
gold  hospitals.  Many  Surgeons  called  and 
anxiously  inquired  what  we  could  do  for 
them.  We  had  only  enough  for  present 
use  on  hand,  and  I  could  only  tellthem  that 
stores  were  expected  daily  in  much  larger 
quantity. 

About  this  time  I  invited  Bey.  Mr.  Smith 
and  Mr.  Lawrence,  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission, to  join  us  in  our  work,  assuring 
them  that  aU  ouj  stores  should  be  as  freely 
given  to  their  agents  as  to  ours,  and  upon 
the  same  terms.  This  invitation  was  ac- 
cepted, and  we  worked  in  harmony. , 

I  cannot  better  give  you  a  knowledge  of 
our  work  at  this  time  than  by  extracts  from 
my  journal:     ' 

"  May  7th,  telegraphed  to  Nashville,  for 
paUs,  cups,  brooms,  spoons,  lanterns,  and 
other  hospital  stores. 

"May  9th, 'sent  back  stores  to  Tunnel 
TTill — Mr.  H.  Tone  arrives,  and  goes  with 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  The  same  day, 
350  wounded  men  were  placed  in  the  hos- 
pitals at  Tunnel  Hill;  a  storeroom  had 
already' been  opened  there,  and  milk,  beef, 
ale,  crackers,  oranges,  lemons,  clothing, 
rags  and  bandages  were  ready  and  freely 
used. 

"  On  the  10th,  Mr.  Croy  brought  up  all 
the  stores  left  at  Binggold,  and  during  the 
day  a  list  of  wounded  was  taken  and  sent 
to  the  Hospital  Directory  at  Louisville." 

At  evening  I  was  informed  by  Dr.  Kil- 
ton.  Medical  Inspeotor,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Gen. 
Sherman's  Medical  Adviser,  that  a  move- 


ment of  the  army  was  being  made,  which 
would  expose  our  goods  to  raids  from  the 
enemy;  tl^at  the  wounded  would  be  imme- 
diately sent  to  Chattanooga,  and  our  goods 
should  be  sent  to  Binggold.  Ten  wagons 
were  procured  of  the  Medical  Purveyor, 
and  such  goods  as  were  not  distributed,  or 
could  not  be  taken  with  the  army,  were 
returned. 

Many  goods  were  distributed,  and  the 
Agents  of  the  Christian  Commission  joined 
us  in  the  work.  We  gave  to  wounded  men 
goods  ^marked,  "  Cincinnati  Branch  U.  S. 
San.  Com.;"  "Boston  Branch,"  "  Pitts- 
burg San.  Com.;"  "Soldiers'  Aid  Society 
of  Northern  Ohio,"  "  Chicago,"  or  "  West- 
em  Branch,"  etc. 

The  freewill  offerin%s  of  the  people  from 
aU  parts  of  the  country,  were  thus  brought 
together,  and  given  in  the  most  CathoUo 
manner,  even  as  they  have  given  their 
sons. 

On  the  11th,  Government  stores,  sanitary 
stores,  and  the  wounded,  were  all  sent  to 
the  rear. 

As  we  were  greatly  distressed  lest  a  bat- 
tle should  occur,  and  we  should  not  be  f  uUy 
supplied  with  stores,  on  the  12th  instant  I 
sent  you  the  following  telegram:  "  In  case 
of  a  battle  we  have  barely  sufficient  stores 
at  the  front  for  two  or  three  days.  There 
are  none  at  Chattanooga.  The  wounded 
have  been  sent  there,  and  we  cannot  aid 
them  further.  Are  there  sufficient  stores  on 
the  way  ?  The  articles  wanted  are  milk, 
beef,  spirits,  tea,  sugar,  oranges,  lemons, 
farina  and  ale.  They  are  most  wanted  in 
the  order  mentioned." 

Most  of  the  agents  went  to  the  right  with' 
the  army.  I  remained  with  that  portion  left 
in  front  of  Buzzard's  Boost  Gap,  where  every 
day  some  were  killed  or  wounded,  until  the 
13th,  when  our  army  had  left  Snake  Gap, 
and  the  rebels  left  their  strong  position  in 
front  of  us.  At  10  o'clock  of  that  day,  I 
engaged  a  storeroom  in  Dalton,  and  sent 
back  for  stores.  The  stores  engaged  con- 
tained some  private  goods,  including  several 
boxes  of  tobacco.  This,  with  other  stores, 
was  taken  a  few  hours  later  by  our  soldiers, 
and  the  goods  appropriated,  for  some 
time  it  was  passed  by.  I  had  thrown  open 
the  doors,  put  up  a  small  sign,  that  ;t  was 
taken  by  the  Sanitary  (jommissiou-^aQd 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BulMin. 


standing  in  the  door  as  the  soldiera  would 
'  attempt  to  rush  in,  it  •was  sufficient  to  say, 
"This  is  a  Sanitary  -  Commission  Store- 
room," and  they  passed,  notwithstanding 
the  crowd  became  every  moment  more  ex- 
cited and  more  dense.  ^However,  an  en- 
trance was  effected  at  a  back  door,  that  I 
could  not  guard,  and  the  goods  were  taken. 
After  this  was  done,I  made  arrangements  for 
putting  the  room  in  order — ^telegraphed  to 
Binggold  for  stores,  and  then  returned  with 
the  Kev.  J.  C.  Hoblit  to  that  portion  of 
our  army  which  had  made  the  flan^moye- 
ment,  and  passed  Snake  Gap. 

As  we  came  within  hearing,  we  found 
that  a  battle  was  in  progress.  We  hasten- 
ed on,  found  the  hospitals  of  the  different 
diTisions  aJong  the  line  of  battle;  secured 
teams  to  go  to  Dalton  for  goods,  and  re- 
turned with  them;  found  our  goods  already 
arrived,  and  loaded  six  teams  that  night, 
which  started  back  without  delay.  At  this 
time,  I  had  the  pleasm^e  of  meeting  with  the 
Eev.  Geo.  B.  Bacon,  of  Orange,  N.  J. ;  Rev. 
John  Milton  Holmes,  Pastor  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Jersey  City;  Eev. 
Dr.  J.  P.  Thompson,  of  New  York  City, 
and  Rev.  Dr.  J.  W.  Buddington,  of  Brook- 
lyn. The  two  last  mentioned  gentlemen 
were  agents  of  the  Christian  Commission, 
and  came  with  kind  feelings  to  all  who 
were  laboring  for  the  soldiers.  They  were  fa- 
tigued, as  they  had  ridden  the  two  previous 
nights  in  box-cars,  but  decided  to  go  on 
with  our  goods  the  same  night.  We  could 
give  them  no  better  conveyance,  and  they 
rode  in  army  wagons  with  Dr.  Hazen,  Mr. 
Brandreth,  Mr.  Pocock,  and  Mr.  Murray, 
Agents  of  th^  Commission.  They  started 
at  half -past  ten. 

Not  knowing  whether  there  was  commu- 
nication between  Ringgold  and  the  army 
by  the  way  of  Snake  Gap,  I  telegraphed 
the  agents  there  to  ascertain,  and  if  there 
was  none,  to  transfer  the  goods  to  Dalton, 
Having  made  the  arrangements,  Mr.  Hob- 
lit  and  myself  slept  until  4  o'clock  the  next 
morning,  when  I  mads  a  cup  of  coffee, 
while  he  fed  the  horses,  and  we  started  in 
season  to  reach  Wood's  Division  Hospital 
at  7  o'clock.  One  load  of  stores  was  un- 
loaded there,  and  Pocock  left  in  charge  of 
them,  and  to  collect  a  list  of  the  wounded; 
before  8  o'clock  another  load  was  left  with 


Stanley's  Division,  in  charge  of  Murray, 
and  about  the  same  time  two  loads  reached 
the  two  divisions  of  the  23d  Corps,  which 
had  been  in  the  battle,  in  charge  of  fSx. 
Brandreth,  while  Dr.  Hazen  took  two  loads 
to  Morton's  Division,  holding  one  load  in 
reserve.  The  fighting  continued  all  day, 
and  the  stores  were  ready  when  most  want- 
ed. Drs.  Thompson  and  Buddington  re- 
mained with  the  23d  Army  Corps,  where 
we  joined  them  about  the  time  of  their 
-arrival.  Here  many  wounded  were  lying 
on  the  ground,  outside  of  the  tents,  their 
wounds  still  undressed,  although  all  were 
at  work.  At  the  same  time,  the  woimded 
continued  to  arrive.  I  introduced  my 
friends  to  Surgeon  Hewitt,  Medical  Direc- 
tor of  the  Department,  and  also  in  charge 
of  these  hospitals.  They  placed  themselves 
imder  his  direction,  and  he  seeing  that  they 
were  much  fatigued,  advised  them  to  sleep 
a  few  hours,  which  they  did  under  a  friend- 
ly shade  tree. 

Leaving  these  two  hospitals  thus  pro- 
,  vided,  I  passed  on  to  others,  but  not  before 
I  saw  many  oranges  and  lemons  in  the 
hands  of  the  wounded  and  thirsty,  as  well 
as  the  more  substantial  articles  of  milk, 
beef,  crackers,  etc. 

This  visit  of  the  clergymen  just  men- 
tioned, was  just  in  time  to  be  of  much  good 
to  the  wounded,  and  it  was  very  pleasant 
and  did  much  to  encourage  and  strengthen 
us.  It  was  good  to  have  the  sympathy  of 
good  and  wise  men,  to  be  t&sured  by  them 
that  they  fully  approved  our  plan  of  work. 
They  saw  at  a  glance  the  great  benefit  of 
working  under  the  direction  of  the  Sur- 
geons; they  felt  as  they  said,  more  at 
home — avoided  confusion  by  interference 
with  others,  and  were  enabled  to  accom- 
plish much  more  than  they  could  by  an  in- 
dependent effort. 

This  day  I  visited  twelve  hospitals  of 
divisions  on  the  field,  saw  that  the  six  loads 
brought  reached  their  destination,  and 
made  necessary  arrangements  with  my  as- 
sociates to  ooUeot  and  forward  lists  of  the 
wounded.  But  the  work  was  not  yet  done. 
Just  at  night,  there  was  severe  fighting  by 
the  20th  Army  Corps,  in  which  they  had 
over  twelve  hundred  wounded  in  two  divi- 
visions,  and  a  less  number  in  another  divi- 
sioQ.    I  secured  three  teams  to  go  to  Dal- 


The  SanUary  Gommisaion  BvUetin^ 


647 


ton  that  night  for  stores;  brought  up  those 
held  in  reserve  on  the  field,  and  obtained 
volunteer  help  from  the  1st  Division  Hos-, 
pital  Qf  the  4th  Corps,  to  aid  in  feeding 
the  wounded.  So  -well  waa  the  hospital 
supplied  with  help,  that, this  was  scarcely, 
needed,  and  by  ten  o'clock  they  were  all  well 
fed,  the  work  being  greatly  facilitated,  or 
even  made  possible,  by  the  supply  of  extract  - 
of  beef  and  condensed  milk  on,  the  field. 
By  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  next- 
day,  complete  lists  of  the  wounded  were  on 
the  way  to  Louisville.  The  same  day  the. 
three  wagons  sent  to  Dalton  returned, 
loaded  with  valuable  supplies,  sufficient  to 
last  until  the  hospitals  were  moved,  to  the 
railroad  at  Besaca.  The  enemy  left  our 
front  the  same  day,  and  leaving  my  associ-, 
ates  with  these  hospitals,  I  rode. to  Besaca, 
and  the  same  day  to  Dalton,  that  I  might 
hasten  forward  stores  to  Besaca,  where  the 
next  hospitals  were  to  be  established.  Here, 
the  wounded  were  brought  from,  Division 
Hospitals  and  placed  in  General  Hospital, 
previous  to  being  sent  back  to  Chattanoo-. 
ga  on  the  cars.  ' 

At  Dalton,  I  found  it  necessary  to  go. 
back  to  Chattanooga,  after  leaving  direc- 
tions to  send  forward  all  the  stores,  reserv-. 
ing  only  sufficient. to  feed  those  sent  back. 

On  the -18th,  the  hospitals  were  estab- 
lished in  Besaca,  and  Dr.  Hazen  telegraph-, 
ed  me  that  stores  were  very  much 'wanted, 
that  the  men  were  starving.  For  two  or 
three  days  there  was  a  deficiency  of  stores, 
as  it  was  found  impossible  to  obtain  a  suffi- 
ciency of  transportation,  but  ^^^  that  the 


Surgeons  in  charge  assured  me  they  had 
all  they  wanted. 

While  in  Chattanooga,  I  visited  the  Hos- 
pital Grarden,  found  that  it  had  sufiered 
from  frost,  drought  and  hail,  the  frost  kill- 
ing several  thousand  tomato  plants  the 
night  after  they  were  planted  from  the  hot- 
bed. The  drought  has  checked  the  growth 
of  many  early  vegetables,  and  the  day  pre- 
vious there  had  been  a  severe  rain  with 
haU,  which  was  so  violent  as  to  wash  a 
large  part  of  the  onion  sets  out .  of  the 
ground,  and  apparently  to  cut  the  tender 
vegetables  aU  to  pieces.  The  gardener 
was  very  much  discouraged,  but  the  rain 
was  just  what  was  needed,  and  I  saw  at  a 
glance  that  the  vegetables  would  recover 


from  the  effects  of  the  hail,  and  there  were 
sufficient  tomato  plMits  to  replace  those 
that  were  Idlled  by  frost. 

So,  I  assured  bim  while  he  was  fretting 
as  badly  as  a  niother  over  a. sick  babe,  that 
in  two,  weeks  he, would  feel  as  well  as  that 
mother  would  on  her  babe?s  recovery — .. 
that  the  rain  would  more  than  compensate 
for  the  damage  done  by  the  hail;  that  the 
only  evil  was  to,  make  more  work,  and  to 
check  the  issues  for  a  few  days,  and  then 
the  garden  would  be  better  than  before. 

On  the  19th,  in  company  with  two  of  our 
agents,  Mr.  Craiy  and  Mr.  Barrett,  I  re- 
turned to  the  front,  but  left  Bey.  Mr.  Bacon 
and  Dr.  Seymour,  sick  at  Chattanooga. 
Soon  after  a  storeroom  was  fitted  in  Besaca; 
then  Kingston  was  tak^,  and  a  depot  taken 
and  filled  there.  At  this  place,  the  army 
was  ordered  to  take  twenty  days'  rations, 
and  leave  the  railroad.  Before  starting, 
each  division  was  notified  that  they  could 
be  famished  with  a  load  of  stores  to  take 
with  them.  Many  sent  teams,  and  they 
were  loaded.  Where  this  amoimt  of  trans- 
portation could  not  be  furnished,  a  team 
was  obtained  for  the  Corps,  thus  taking  a, 
load  which  was  to  be  divided  with  its  Divi- 
sion Hospitals.  Gen.^  Howard,  being  very 
short  of  transportation,  gave  one  of  his 
headquarter  teains  to  take  goods  for  the  4th 
Corps. 

Many  of  the  goods  taken  at  this  time 
were  furnished  by  the  Western  Sanitary 
Commission.  Such  goods  as  could  not  bp. 
taken  and  were  not  distributed,  were  sent 
'  back  to  Besaca  for  safety,  as  Kingston  was 
to  be,  left  liable  to  raids.  From  this  place 
Dr.  Webster  started  with  the  20th  Army 
Corps;  Eev.  Mr!  Fairchild,  with  the  14th; 
Mr.  Brandreth,  with  the  23d;  Bev.  J.  C. 
i  Hoblit,  with  the  4th,  and  Mr.  Pocock  with 
the  15th.  We  left  to  take  the  fortunes  of 
the,  army,  not  knowing  when  we  could 
again  communicate  with  the  rear. 

The  first  night  after  leaving.  Dr.  Webster 
was  taken  sick,  and  not  deeming  it  prudent 
to  go  on,  the  next  morning,  he  returned. 
The  same  morning,  under  a  covered  bridge 
over  the  Etowah  Biver,  was  found  a  wound- 
ed soldier.  We  learned,  by  letters  in  hia 
pocket,  that  his  name  was  Chas.  E.  Eteler, 
Company  E.,  15th  Ohio,  and  that  his  wife 
lived  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Jefferson  County, 


648 


Hie  Sdidtarif  Cornmisaion  Bulletin. 


Ohio.  Arrangements  ■were  made  to  notify 
her,  and  to  send  a  lock  of  his  hair,  -which 
was  cnt  off  and  washed  from  his  blood.  I 
left  him  in  the  care  of  a  good  man  of  the 
Christian  Commission,  who  was  fanning 
him,  giving  him  ocoasionallj  a  little  brandy 
and  water,  and  making  efforts  to  rouse  him, 
'but  he  died  without  making  an  intelligent 
sign. 

We  rode  on,  and  reached  Baccoon  Creek 
at  night,  but  could  not  find  shelter,  and 
were  separated  from  our  wagons,  begged  a 
cup  of  coffee  from  our  soldiers,  and  ate  our 
hard  bread  for  supper.  A  severe  thunder 
storm  came  up,  and  we  took  shelter  under 
one  of  the  wagons  which  had  been  parked 
on  the  bottom  near  the  creek,  after  having 
sought  in  vain,  by  the  light  of  the  "storm 
fire,"  for  something  better.  After  staying 
there  a  part  of  the  night,  and  until  the 
storm  passed  over,  I  was  invited  into  the 
tent  of  Lieutenant  Ayres,  of  the  Sixth  Ohio 
Battery. 

The  next  day  in  tlie  afternoon  commenced 
that  series  of  battles  near  Dallas,  which 
were  continued  with  greater  or  less  severity 
until  the  5th  of  June — ten  days.  The  hos- 
pitals were  located  south  of  Pumpkinvine 
Creek,  on  or  near  the  Marietta  Boad.  At 
the  commencement,  they  yrere  well  sup- 
plied with  the  stores  they  brought  from 
Kingston,  as  well  as  with  fresh  beef,but  sub- 
sequently the  great  number  of  the  wounded 
exhausted  the  stores,  and  team9  were  ob- 
tained and  sent  back  for  more  supplies. 
This  was  repeated  sufBciently  often  to  isup- 
ply  all  the  most  urgent  wants.  In  these 
woods  were  located  the  hospitals  of  the 
20th,  23d,  14th  and  4th  Army  Corps;  and 
a  little  later  those  of  the  Army  of  the  Ten-  • 
nessee,  even  brought  from  the  extreme 
right  to  the  left,  and  located  with  them. 
The  soldiers  had  been  at  all  times  well  sup- 
plied with  rations,  except  fresh  vegetables, 
but  during  this  time  the  horses  were  re- 
duced to  four  pounds  of  grain  a  day,  and 
for  three  days  many  of  them  had  none,  and 
could  obtain  but  very  little  grass.  Froin 
these  woods,  the  wounded  of  the  20th  Army 
Corps  were  sent  back  to  Kingston  in  am- 
bulances and  army  wagons.  They  suffered 
dreadfully  by  the  movement,  several  of 
them  dying  by  the  way.  Although  several 
of  the  worst  cases  were  sent  to  the  First 


Division  Fourth  Army  Corps'  Hospital  to 
remain — men  were  sent  with  compound 
fractures,  recent  amputations,  gunshot 
wounds  through  the  body— over  -twenty 
miles  or  more  of  rough  road — and  when 
they  reached  Kingston  there  was  inade- 
quate hospital  accommodations  for  them, 
and  for  a  time  many  of  them  had  no  beda. 
but  the  ground,  and  no  shelter. 

It  is  but  just  to  Dr.  KUton,  to  say  that 
he  disapproved  of  this,  and  assured  me  it 
was  done  without  orders  from  headquar- 
ters, and  that  he  thought  it  would  have 
been  better  if  they  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  The  officers  of  the 
Corps  and  the  wounded  men  both  thought 
differently.  It  is  difficult  to  say  which  were 
right.  In  such  a  campaign  where  changes 
are  unavoidable,  there  must  be  much  suf- 
fering. During  these  ten  days  before  we 
reached  the  railroad  at  Acworth,  we  dis- 
tributed not  less  than  twenty-four  large 
army  loads  of  sanitary  stores,  along  the 
line  of  battle.  Estimate  who  can  the  worth 
of  these  at  such  a  time. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  there 
was  more  than  the  usual  sound  of  battle, 
and  the  Surgeons  had  been  notified  the 
night  previous  to  make  additional  prepara- 
tions for  more  wounded.  While  this  is 
being  done,  stragglers  come  back  from  the 
front,  some  sick,  others  shirking  duty  in 
the  hour  of  danger,  leaving  their  compa- 
nions to  stand  or  fall  alone;  some  pleading 
a  lame  back,  others  lame  arms  from  bad 
vaccine  pustules,  some  sore  feet,  others  had 
been  ailin^lbr  several  days,  and  had  "  gin- 
rot,"  coul^'not  march,  but  had  marched 
back  more  than  a  mUe — could  have  found 
the  enemy  by  going  forward  half  that  dis- 
tance. These  were  examined  by  a  Surgeon 
appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  the  shirk- 
ers sent  back  under  guard. 

As  the  battle  progresses,  the  wounded 
are  more  rapidly  brought  in;  and  I  saw  one 
placed  upon  the  tables,  chloroform  admin- 
istered, his  arm  examined,  and  amputated. 
As  he  comes  to  himself,  he  says,  "you  had 
to  take  it  off,  doctor;  I  did  not  feel  it,  but 
every  one  likes  to  have  his  arm,  if  he  can." 
His  torn  and  bloody  shirt  is  taken  off,  and 
a  clean  one  from  the  Commission  stores 
takes  its  place. 

They  aire  soon  brought  in  faster  than 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


649 


their  wounds  can  be  dressed,  the  ground 
for  some  distance  around  the  tables  being 
covered.  Most  of  them  are  cheerful,  now 
and  then  I  hear  a  stifled  groan.  I  notice 
one  with  face  and  hands  blacl^  with  powder 
and  dust,  lying  upon  his  back,  resting  -pat- 
tially  upon  his  elbows,  his  hands  uplifted, 
slowly  approach  each  other,  and  then  as 
slowly  separate — ^his  face  is  calm,  and  his 
lips  move  slowly  as  if  in  prayer;  no  groan 
escapes  him,  although  his  wound  was  fright- 
f uL  Is  it  for  himself,  victory  for  his  com- 
rades, or  some  dear  friend  at  home,  that  he 
prays  ?  So  great  is  the  number  of  wound- 
ed, that  Mr.  Focock  goes  back  to  Kingston 
for  more  stores.  In  the  meantime  I  send 
a  telegram  to  Chattanooga,  to  be  repeated, 
if  deemed  ne.cessary,  to  Louisville,  urging 
the  necessity  of  keeping  up  our  supplies; 
that  we  want  at  least  sixteen  hundred 
pounds  of  milk  and  beef  at  the  terminus  of 
the  railroad  aU  of  the  time.  This  will  not 
give  to  each  hospital  more  than  one  box  a 
day  for  four  days. 

During  the  ten  days  of  fighting  there 
were  frequent  changes  of  the  hospitals 
made  necessary,  as  the  army  took  di£fereqt 
positions.  As  soon  as  we  had  possession 
of  Acworth  the  wounded  were  moved  there, 
to  await  the  opening  of  railroad  and  trans- 
portation to  prominent  hospitals.  This 
movement  again  caused  much  suflfering. 

We  opened  a  storeroom  in  Acworth, 
but  before  goods  were  brought  by  rail, 
several  loads  were  brought  from  Kingston 
by  teams.  Our  goods  had  soittetime  pre- 
viously been  brought  back  to  that  place. 
Within  a  few  days,  tha  army  again  ad- 
vanced, and  every  thing  connected  with  the 
hospital  was  moved  with  it,  except  tents, 
barely  sufficient  to  cover  the  wounded,  a 
few  Surgeons  and  nurses,  ai^d  a  very  little 
hospital  furniture.  Those  who  remained 
were  left  very  destitute,  were  oveirworked, 
and  had  very  little  to  work  with.  At  no 
time  was  help  from  the  Commission  more 
needed,  or  more  freely  and  liberally  given. 
This  help  may  be  forgotten,  but  it  was  ap- 
preciated at  the  time.  From  the  storeroom 
at  Acworth,  not  only  the  hospitals  there 
but  at  Altona,  and  those  with  the  army 
during  the  long  serie^  of  battles  at  Kenesaw 
and  Lost  Mountain,  were  supplied.  For  a 
time  the  Western  and  Sauitaiy  Commis- 


sions put  their  goods  in  the  same  room, 
and  they  were  issued  as  common  stock,  but 
subsequently  they  removed  to  Big  Shanty, 
and  to  avoid  duplicating  our  issues,  they 
gave  mostly  to  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 
while  we  distributed  alike  to  the  rear,  and 
to  those  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
and  of  the  Ohio  in  the  field. 

On  the  13th  of  June,  the  number  of 
wounded  in  the  field  and  at  Acworth  and 
Altoona,  was  two  thousand  three  hundred 
and  seventy-nine;  of  these  six  hundred 
and  forty-nine  only  were  wounded,  aU 
others  had  been  sent  to  the  rear.  This 
was  the  condition  of  the  hospitals  jiist  be- 
fore the  fighting  before  Marietta  and  Kene- 
saw  Mountain,  which  continued  from  June 
11th  to  the  27th,  witnout  interruption. 
Almost  daily  the  troops  took  some  new 
positions,  and  the  hospitals  were  moved  to 
accommodate  them,  and  every  day  each 
hospital  was  visited  by  our  agents,  lists  of 
casualties  taken,  and  as  stores  were  wanted, 
teams  were  obtained  and  sent  to  Acworth 
for  them.  Subsequently  the  advance  of 
the  right  wing  made  it  necessary  to  open 
a  store  room  at  Big  Shanty.  A  room  was 
obtained,  cars  loaded,  but  the  evacuation 
of  Kenesaw  by  the  rebels  enabled  us  to 
take  {hem  to  Marietta. 

Thus  again,  during  sixteen  daiys  more  of 
fighting,  day  and  night,  including  that  ter- 
rible assault  on  the  works  of  the  enemy, 
were  our  goods  placed  in  the  hands  of 
Surgeons,  or  distributed  to  individuals  by 
our  agents,  along  the  line  of  battle,  and 
frequently  under  heavy  fire.  The  Surgeons 
construed  an  order  of  Gen.  Sherman's  to 
require  them  to  place  their  hospitals  much 
nearer  to  the  Utie  of  battle,  although  pre- 
viously one  man  had  beefi  wounded  while 
in  hospital,  and  the  whistle  of  mini^  balls 
was  not  uncommon,  yet,  during  these  days 
here  they  were  placed.  While  Mr.  HobUt 
was  copying  lists  of  wounded,  a  ball  passed 
through  the  tent  close  by  his  side.  One  of 
the  hospitals  of  the  20th  Corps  was  broken 
up  in  confusion— so  thick  did  shot  and 
shell  fall  among  theml  There  was  constant 
rain,and  the  roads  were  almost  impassable, 
thus  increasing  the  difficulties  of  transpor- 
tation, but  by  the  constant  efforts  of  the 
agents  witib  the  different,  divisions,  goods 
were  brought  forward,  and  the  wounded 


650,. 


The  Sanitary  Gojnmission  BiMeUn. 


■were  thus  from  day  to  day  supplied .  at 
a  time  when  only  the  army  ration  could  be 
otherwise  obtained.  There  they  were  most 
wanted,  and  most  gratefully  received. 

The  strong  expressions  of  thankfulness 
at  the  unexpected  gift  of  a  drink  of  water, 
a  lemon  or  orange,  a  dish  of  soup,  a  cup  of 
coffee,  or  a  clean  shirt,  a  pair  of  drawers,  a 
blanket  or  a  pillow,  would  seem  to  dispar- 
age thp  work  done  by  the  Government, 
■v^ich,  after  all,  is  the  soldiers'  best  friend, 
and  his  chief  support.  Compared  with 
what  he  receives  from  this  source,  all  is  but 
a  trifle.  ,• 

Each  division  of  the  army  has  a  large  num- 
ber of  teams  devoted  exclusively  to  hauling 
hospital  tents  and  hospital  stores,  besides 
which  there  is  a  reserve  train  of  over  forty 
wagons  for  the  Army  of  the  Oumber- 
.  land.  Those  with  the  divisions  accompany 
the  troops,  and '  move  up  to  the  places 
selected  for  hospitals.  This  is  usually 
so  near  the  line  of  battle,  that  the  wound- 
ed may  be  carried  but  a  little  distance,  and 
get  out  of  reach  of  shot  and  shell,  that 
they  may  not  be  disturbed,  and  the  Sur- 
geons and  nurses  may  work  without  dan- 
ger. It  must  be  near  water,  as  that  is  in- 
dispensable. 

Suitable  ground  having  been  selected, 
men  are  d'etailed  to  make  the  necessary 
preparations.  They  have  usually  been 
established  in  d^nse  woods,  and  one  set 
begin  to  cut  up  by  the  roots  the  dense  un- 
derbrush, others  make  brooms  of  the 
twigs,  sweep  and  level  the  ground,  and  re- 
move the  stpnes;  another  set  pitch  the 
tents,  or  build  arbors  when  there  is,  not 
likely  to  be  sufficient  canvas  to  cover  the 
wounded;  others  make  bunks  of  poles  to 
make  the  beds;  another  set  pick  the  green 
leaves  of  the  oak,  the  chesnut,  or  the  pine, 
to  fill  the  bed  ticks,  or,  if  the  ticks  are  not 
to  be  had,  the  leaves  are  placed  on  the 
poles,  or  on  the  ground.  In  front  of  the 
'  tent  large  piles  of  leaves  are  laid,  upon 
which  the  wounded  are  to  be  laid  to  be  ex- 
amined and  dressed.  There  are  three  piles 
for  each  Division  Hospital,  corresponding 
to  the  Brigades,  and  before  them  are  three 
strong  tables — provided  with  a  pillow,  and 
covered  with  a  rubber  cloth — "  the  ope- 
rating tables."  Tentsufor  cooking  must  be 
pjit  up,  sacks  must  bS  dry — and,  while  all 


are  busy,  and  before  the  work  is  half 'done,, 
the  wounded  may  sometimes  be  brought 
in.  They  either  walk  back  as  they  are 
able,  or  are  sent  back  in  ambulances.  If 
the  battle  is  severe,  the  leaves  prepared 
are  soon  covered,  and  hundreds  are  laid 
upon  the  ground  around  the  tents,  as  was 
done  at  Besaca,  where  not  less  than  twelve 
hundred  were  brought  to  two  hospitals  in 
a  few  hours. 

Among  the  sufferers,  most  are  quiet; 
some  are  crying  from  pain;  some  caUing  for 
water,  and  some  for  a  blanket  to  cover 
them;  others  for  the  Surgeon;  and  amidst 
all  this  comes  the  Agent  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  with  loads  of  mUk,  beef,, 
crackers,  spirits,  tea,  blankets,  pillows, 
bandages,  and  perhaps  a  few  boxes  of  lem- 
ons and  oranges. 

With  the  beef,  soup  can  be  made  at  once. 
Coffee  is  made  rieh  with  the  milk,  or  mUk 
punch;  and  many  among  this  number,  wiU 
be  found^  to  be  cold,  shivering,  thirsty,  life 
faiUng  from  the  first  shock  of  injury;  but, 
by  the  administration  of  these  timely  stim- 
ulants they  revive.  A  lemon  or  orange  is 
given,  and  with  eagerness  is  pressed  to 
their  thirsty  lips,  and  they  thank  God  for 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  regard  it  as 
home  following  them  to  battle  and  to  death. 
They  do  this  justly,  and  it  is  good  to  be  the 
dispenser  of  such  help  at  such  a  time. 

Over  three  hundred  of  such  hospitals  as 
I  have  attempted  to  describe,  have  been 
put  up  during  this  campaign,  so  long  has 
been  the  line  of  march,  and  so  frequent  the 
change  of  position,  and  every  one  of  these 
has  been  visited  by  the  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission with  stores,  and  to  obtain  lists, 
and  to  learn  the  condition  of  the  wounded. 

But  what  has  the  Government  done  ? 
Let  the  tents  erected,  beds  prepared,  med- 
icines and  food  furnished,  ambulances 
which  have  brought  them  in  from  the  field, 
nurses  who  wait  upon  them-r-Surgeons  who 
work  day  and  night  until  all  are  dressed-^, 
answer.  And  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  faith- 
ful Surgeons  who  have  done,  or  superin- 
tended the  doing  of  all  this,  and  continue 
to  do  it  from  day  to  day,  are  just  a  little 
disturbed;  when  their  work  seems  to  be 
less  appreciated  than  ours. 

But  it  seldom  disturbs  them,  and  they 
regard  us  as  their  best  friends. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvBMn,. 


651 


From  the  storeroom  established  in  Mari- 
etta, each  division  "was  again  furnished 
■with  a  load  of  stores,  previous  to  crossing 
the  Chattahooehie;  and  large  suppliesvere 
distributed  to  the  hospitals  in  town. 

The  wounded  have  been  well  cared  for, 
considering  the  frequent  changes,  and  the 
great  distance  from  permanent  hospitals. 
True,  there  has  been  great  suffering  during 
transportation,  both  in  ambulances,  army 
wagons  and  railroad  cars.  Some  have  been 
sent  without  suitable  food  or  drink,  and 
sometimes  a  Surgeon  has  been  sent  in 
charge,  who  was  selected  for  duty,  simply 
because  "  he  was  of  no  use  here,  and  could 
be  as  well  spared  as  not."  But  such  ap- 
pointments have  been  few,  as  there  are  but 
few  such  Surgeons  to  be  found.  As  to  the 
lack  of  food  and  drink  on  the  cars,  the 
cause,  on  inquiry,  has  never  been  found  to 
have  been  from  want  of  interest  in  the 
comfort  of  the  men.  I  will  cite  an  instance: 
As  the  wounded  were  sent  from  one  of  the 
divisions  of  the  Fourth  Army  Corps,  at  Big 
Shanty,  an  order  was  given  by  the  Medical 
Director  to  send  rations.  It  was  found  that 
there  were  none  in  camp,  but  the  teams 
were  starting  to  obtain  them.  Then  an 
order  was  given  to  supply  the  men  before 
they  took  the  cars;  but  it  was  not  done — 
why,  I  do  not  know.  Perhaps  the  teams 
could  not  meet  ia  time.  The  Surgeon  had 
given  the  necessary  ordfef,  and,  perhaps, 
even  now  believes  it  was  obeyed.  At  no 
time  have  the  wounded  been  as  promptly 
brought  from  the  field  to  the  hospitals. 
From  this  I  judge  that  the  ambulance  or- 
ganization is  a  success. 

To  the  men  sent,  as  these  were,  the  aid 
of  the  Commission  is  inestimable.  At  the 
feeding  stations  established  at  Kingston, 
Besaca,  and  Dalton,  over  seventeen  thou- 
sand meals  were  furnished  up  to  the  first 
of  July,  consisting  of  beef-soup,  milk 
punch,  soft  bread  or  crackers,  and  boiled 
ham.  Mr.  E.  J.  Eno,  State  Agent  from 
IlIinoii#  also  an  agent  of  the  Commission, 
has  had  the  superintendence.  He  and  his 
agents  have  been  aided  by  agents  of  the 
Christian  Commission.  I  left  Eev.  J.  0. 
Hoblit,  Messrs.  Eno,  Mason,  and  Brand- 
reth  with  the  troops  in  the  field,  assisted 
for  a  time  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Wolcott,  of 
Cleveland,  Oiiio;  Messrs.  Van  Dike,  John- 


son and  Sutliffe,  in  charge  of  the  feeding 
stations. 

From  the  Hospital  Garden  in  Chattan- 
ooga as  many  as  six  thousand  bushels  of 
vegetables  have  been  issued.  The  one  in 
Murfreesboro'  waa  furnishing  more  than 
could  be  used  in  the  hospitals  in  that 
place,  and  thpy  ask  for  a  large  number  of 
cans  to  put  up  tomatoes. 

From  Chattanooga  to  Nashville  trans- 
portation has  been  much  better  than  be- 
fore; a  feeding  station  has,  however,  been 
established  on  this  line  at  Dechard,  in 
charge  of  Dr.  Hillman.  I  should  not  omit 
to  state  that  these  stations  have  been  es- 
tablished by  request  of  the  Medical  Direc- 
tor of  the  Department,  and  rai;ions  have 
been  furnished  by  Gotemment.  I  have 
failed  to  receive  a  full  account  of  the  , 
amount  of  stores  issued  during  the  cam- 
paign, but  it  has  been  large,  and  in  many 
cases  has  been  life  to  the  wounded. 

Scurvy  is  largely  on  the  increase,  com- 
pared with  the  commencement)Of  the  cam- 
paign. Perhaps  it  is  not  increasing  as 
much  now,  as  a  few  vegetables  have  been 
gathered  by  the  troops.  As  the  campaign 
continues  vegetables  wiU  be  more  wanted, 
and  I  would  earnestly  ask  that  an  effort  be 
made  to  furnish  a  few  rations  of  onions  to 
the  troops  in  the  field.  Surely  they  are 
more  needed  here  than  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  where  so  many  have  been  sent, 
inasmuch  as  they  have  been  much  longer 
deprived  of  them.  Those  for  whom  I  ask 
this  favor  have  endured  hardships  as  good 
soldiers.  They  have  for  nearly  three 
months  worked  and  fought  day  and  night, 
without  rest.  They  have  driven  back  a 
stubborn  enemy  over  100  miles,  while  the 
ground  was  contested  inch  by  inch.  They 
have  taken  seventeen  lines  of  fortifications, 
and  as  strong  natural  positions  as  apy  in 
the  world.  They  have  made  over  150  miles 
of  fortifications,  and  the  work  is  not' yet 
done.  They  are  cheerful,  in  good  spirits, 
strong  in  faith,  both  of  the  justice  of  their 
cause  and  their  ability  to'  conquer.  They 
continue  to  need  onr  help. 

We  have  other  interesting  reports  from- 
the  Western  Department,  but  are  obliged 
to  postpone  their  publication  ii^til-  the 
succeeding  number. 


652 


The  Sanitary  Cmnmiamon  BvUetin. 


PRISON  AT  ANDBRSONTELIiE,  GA. 

CAMP  SUMTBB. 

The  followiag  statement  was  drawn  up 
for  the  Commission  and  sworn  to  by  the 
parties  signing  it.  They  were  exchanged 
on  the  16th  of  August,  and  with  three  oth- 
ers were  appointed  by  their  companions  in 
prison  as  a  deputation  to  see  President 
Lincoln  in  their  behalf. 

I  am  a  private  in  82d  N.  T.  Eegiment  of 
Volunteers,  Co.  G.  Was  captured  with 
about  800  Federal  troops,  in  front  of  Pe- 
tersburg, on  the  22d  of  June,  1864.  We 
were  kept  at  Petersburg  two  days,  at  Eioh- 
mond,  on  Belle  Isle,  three  days,  then  con- 
veyed by  rail  to  Lynchburg.  Marched  75 
mUes  td  Danville,  thence  by  rail  to  Ander- 
Bonville,  Ga.  At  Petersburg  we  were  treat- 
ed fairly,  being  under  the  guard  of  old  sol- 
diers of  an  Alabama  Begiment;  at  Bich- 
mond  we  came  under  the  authority  of  the 
notorious  and  inhuman  Major  Turner,  and 
the  equally  notorious  Home  Guard.  Our 
ration  was  a  pint  of  beans,  4  oz.  of  bread, 
and  3  oz.  of  meat  a  day.  Another  batch  of 
prisoners  joining  us,  we  left  Eichmond 
1,600  strong.  AH  blankets,  haversacks, 
canteens,  money,  valuables  of  every  kind, 
extra  clothing,  and  in  some  cases  the  last 
shirt  and  drawers  had  been  previously  ta- 
ken from  us.  At  Lynchburg  we  were 
placed  under  the  Home  Guard,  ofiBcered  by 
Major  and  Capt.  Moffett.  The  march  to 
Danville  was  a  weary  and  painful  one  of 
five  days,  under  a  torrid  sun,  many  of  us 
falling  helpless  by  the  way,  and  soon  filling 
the  empty  wagons  of  our  train.  On  the 
first  day  we  received  a  little  meat,  but  the 
sum  of  our  rations  for  the  five  days  was  13 
crackers.  During  the  six  days  by  rail  to 
Andersonville,  meat  was  given  us  twice,  and 
the  daily  ration  was  four  crackers. 

On  entering  the  Stockade  Prison,  we 
found  it  crowded  with  28,000  of  our  fellow 
soldiers.  By  crowded,  I  mean  that  it  was 
diflScult  to  move  in  any  direction  without 
jostling  and  being  jostled.  This  prison  is 
an  open  space,  sloping  on  both  sides, 
originally  17  acres,  now  25  acres,  in  the 
shape  of  a  parallelogram,  without  trees 
or  shelter  of  any  kind.  The  soil  is  sand 
over  a  bottom  of  clay.  The  fence  is 
'  •  made  of  upright  trunks  of  trees,  about 
20  feet  high,  near  the  top  of  which  are 
small  platforms,  where  the  Guards  are  sta- 
tioned. Twenty  feet  inside  and  parallel 
to  the  fence  is  a  light  railing,  forming  the 
"dead  line,"  beyond  which  the  projection 
of  a  foot  or  finger  is  sure  to  bring  the  dead- 
ly bullet  of  the  sentinel.  Through  the 
grounds,  at  nearly  right  angles  with  the 
longer  sides,  runs  or  rather  creeps  a  stream 
through  an  artificial  channel,  varying  from 
five  to  six  feet  in  width,  the  water  about 


ankle  deep,  and  near  the  middle  of  the  en- 
closure, spreading  out  into  a  swamp  of 
about  six  acres,  filled  with  refuse  wood, 
stumps,  and  debris  of  the  camp.  Before 
entering  this  enclosure  the  stream,  or  more 
properly  sewer, 'passes  through  the  camp 
of  the  Guards,  receiving. from  this  source 
and  others  farther  up  a  large  amount  of  the 
vilest  material,  even  the  contents  of  the  sink. 
The  water  is  of  a  dark  color,  and  an  ordi- 
nary glass 'would  collect  a  thick  sediment. 
This  was  our  only  drinking  and  cooking 
water.  It  was  our  custom  to  filter  it  as  best 
we  could,  through  our  remnants  of  haver- 
sacks, shirts  and  blouses.  Wells  had  been 
dug,  but  the  water  either  proved  so  produc- 
tive of  diarrhea,  or  so  limited  in  quantity, 
that  they  were  of  no  general  use .  The  cook 
house  was  situated  on  the  stream  just  out- 
side the  stockade,  and  its  refuse  of  decay- 
ing offal  was  thrown  into  the  water,  a  greasy 
coating  covering  much  of  the  surface.  •  To 
these  was  added  the  daily  large  amount  of 
base  matter  from  the  camp  itself.  There 
was  a  system  of  policing,  but  the  means 
were  so  Umited,  and  so  large  a  number  of  the 
men  was  rendered  irresolute  and  depressed 
by  imprisonment,  that  the  work  was  very 
imperfectly  done.  One  side  of  the  swamp 
was  naturally  used  as  a  sink,  the  men  usu- 
ally going  out  some  distance  into  the  water. 
Under  the  summer  sun  this  place  early 
became  corruption  too  vile  for  description, 
the  men  breeding  disgusting  life,  so  that 
the  surface  of  the  water  moved  as  with  a 
gentle  breeze. 

The  new-comers  on  reaching  this  would 
excMm,  "  is  this  hell;"  yet  they  soon  would 
become 'callous,  and  enter  unmoved  the 
horrible  rottenness.  The  rebel  authorities 
never  removed  any  filth.  There  was  sel- 
dom any  visitation  by  the  officers  in 
charge.  Two  surgeons  were  at  one  time 
sent  by  President  Davis  to  inspect  the 
camp,  but  a  walk  through  a  small  section 
gave  them  all  the  information  they  desired, 
and  we  never  saw  them  again. 

The  Guards  usually  numbered  about  64; 
8  at  each  end,  and  24  on  a  side.  On  the 
outside  within  300  yards,  were  fortifications, 
on  high  ^ound  overlooking  and  perfectly 
commanding  us,  mounting  24  121b.  Napo- 
leon Parrots.  We  were  never  permitted  to 
go  outside,  except  at  times,  in  small  squads, 
to  gather  our  fire  wood.  During  the  build- 
ing of  the  cook-house,  a  few,  who  were  car- 
penters, were  ordered  out  to  assist. 

Our  only  shelter  from  the  sun  an3  rain 
and  night  dews,  was  what  we  could  make 
by  stretching  over  us  our  coats  or  scraps  of 
blankets,  which  a  few  had,  but  generally 
there  was  no  attempt  by  day  or  night  to 
protect  ourselves. 

The  rations  consisted  of  8  oz.  corn  bread, 
(the  cob  being  ground  with  the  kernel,)  and 
generally  sour,  2  oz.  of  condemned  pork, 
offensive  in  appearance  alid  smelL    Occa- 


The  Bounitary  Commiasum  BiiBetm. 


653 


sionally,   about  twice  a  week,  two  table 
spoonftils  of  rice,  and  in  place  of  the  pork 
the  same  amount  (2  table  spoonfuls)  of  mo- 
lasses W9S  given  us  about  twice  a  month.* 
This  lation  was  brought  into  camp  at  4 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  thrown  from  the  wagons 
to  the  ground,  the  men  being  arranged  in  di- 
visions of  270  subdivided  into  sqiiads  of  nine- 
ties and  thirties.     It  was  the  custom  to  con- 
sume the  whole  ration  at  once,  rather  than 
Have  any  for  the  next  day.    The  distribu- 
tion   being    often    unequal,   some    would 
lose  the  rations  altogether.     We  were  al- 
lowed no  dish  or  cooking  utensil  of  any 
kind.     On  opening  the  camp  in  the  winter, 
the  first  2,000  prisoners  were  allowed  skil- 
lets, one  to  50  men,  but  these  were  soon 
taken  away.     To  the  best  of  my  knowledge, 
information  and  belief,  our  ration  was  in 
quality  a  starving  one,  it  being  either  too 
foul  to  be  touched  or  too  raw  to  be  digested. 
The  cook-house    went    into    operation 
about  May  10th,  prior  to  which  we  cook- 
ed our  own  rations.     It  did    not  prove 
at  aU.  adequate  to  the  work,  (30,000  is  a 
large  town,)   so  that  a  large  proportion 
were  stiU  obliged  to  prepare  their  own 
food.    In  addition  to  the  utter  inability  of 
many  to  do  this,  through  debility  and  sick- 
ness, we  never  had  a  supply  of  wood.     I 
have  often  seen  men  with  a  little  bag  of 
meal  in  hand,  gathered  from  several  ra- 
tions, starving  to  death  for  want  of  wood, 
and  in  desperation  would  mix  the  raw  ma- 
terial with  water  and  try  to  eat  it.  ^ 

The  clothing  of  the  men  was  miserable 
in  the  extreme.  Very  few  had  shoes  of  any 
kind,  not  2,000  had  coats  and  pants,  and 
those  were  the  late  comers.  More  than, 
one-half  were  indecently  exposed,  and  many 
were  naked. 

The  usual  punishment  was  to  place  the 
men  in  the  stocks,  outside,  near  the  Cap- 
tain's quarters.  If  a  man  was  missing 
at  roll-call,  the  squad  of  90  to  which  he  be- 
longed was  deprived  of  the  ration.  The 
"dead  line"  bullet,  already  referred  to, 
spared  no  offender.  One  poor  fellow,  just 
from  Shermstn's  Army,  his  name  was  Rob- 
erts, was  trying  to  wash  his  face  near  the 
"dead  line"  railing,  when  he  slipped  on 
the  clkyey  bottom,  and  fell  with  his  head 
just  outside  the  fatal  border.  We  shouted 
to  him,  but  it  was  too  late — "  another  guard 
would  have  a  furlough,"  the  men  said.  It 
was  a  common  belief  among  our  men,  aris- 
ing from  statements  made  by  the  guard, 
that  Gren.  Winder,  in  command,  issued  an 

*  Our  regular  Army  Batibn  is : 
%  ft.  Pork  or  l>i  ft.  Fresh  Beef. 
18  oz.  Hard  Bread,  or  20  oz.  Soft  Bread  or  Flour. 
1-10  ft.  Coffee. 
1-6   ft.  Sugar. 
1-10  ft.  Bice,  or 
1-10  ft.  beans  or  Hominy.  < 

Vegetables— Fresb  or 

Desslcated. 

Molasses. 

Vinegar. 


Irregolaily. 


order  that  any  one  of  the  guard  who  should 
shoot  a  Yankee  outside  of  the  "dead 
line"  should  have  a  month's  furlougli, 
but  there  probably  was  no  tnjth  in  this. 
About  two  a  day  were  thus  shot,  some 
being  cases  of  suicide,  brought  on  by 
mental  depression  or  physical  misery,  the 
poor  fellows  throwing  themselves,  or  madly 
rushing  outside  the  "line." 

The  mental  condition  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  men  was  melancholy,  beginning  in  des- 
pondency and  tending  to  a  kind  of  stolid 
and  idiotic  indifference.  Many  spent  much 
time  in  arousing  and  encouraging  their  fel- 
lows, but  hundreds  were  lying  about  mo- 
tionless, or  stalking  vacantly  to  and  fro, 
quite  beyond  any  help  which  could  be  giv- 
en them  within  their'  prison  walls.  Thes0 
cases  were  frequent  among  those  who  had 
been.imprisoned  but  a  short  time:  There 
were  those  who  were  captured  at  the 
first  Bull  Bun,  July,  18^,  and  had  known 
Belle  Isle  from  the  first,  yet  had  preserved 
their  physical  and  mental  health  to  a  won- 
derful degree.  Many  were  wise  and  reso- 
lute enough  to  keep  themselves  occupied — 
some  in  cutting  bone  and  wood  ornaments, 
making  their  knives  out  of  iron  hoops — 
others  in  manufacturing  ink  out  of  the 
rust  from  these  same  hoops,  and  with  rude 
pens  sketching  or  imitating  bank  notes  or 
any  samjde  that  would  involve  long  and 
patient  execution. 

Letters  from  home  very  seldom  reached 
us,  and  few  had  any  means  of  writing.  In 
the  early  summer  a  large  batch  of  letters, 
5,000  we  were  told,  arrived,  having  been 
accumulating  somewhere  for  many  months. 
These  were  brought  into  camp  by  an  Offi- 
cer, under  orders  to  collect  10  cents  on 
each — of  course  most  were  returned,  and 
we  heard  no  more  of  them.  One  of  my 
companions  saw  among  them  three  from 
his  parents,  but  he  was  unable  to  pay  the 
charge.  According  to  the  rules  of  trans- 
mission of  letters  over  the  lines,  these  let- 
ters must  have  already  paid  10  cents  each 
to  the  Eebel  Government. 

As  far  as  we  saw  Gen.  Winder  and  Capt. 
Wirtz,  the  former  was  kind  and  consider- 
ate in  his  manners,  the  latter  harsh,  though 
not  without  kindly  feeUng. 

It  is  a  melancholy  and  mortifying  fact, 
that  some  of  our  trials  come  from  our  own 
men.  At  BeUe  Isle  and  Andersonville 
there  was  among  us  a  gang  of  desperati^ 
men,  ready  to  prey  on  their  fellows.  Not 
only  thefts  and  rcjbberies,  but  even  murders 
were  committed.  Affairs  became  so  seri- 
ous at  Camp  Sumter  that  an  appeal  was 
made  to  Gen.  Winder,  who  authorized  an 
arrest  and  trial  by  a  criminal  court. 
Eighty-six  were  arrested,  and  six  were  hung, 
beside  others  who  were  severely  punished. 
These  proceedings  effected  a  marked  change 
for  the  better. 

Some  few  weeks  before  being  released  I 


,654 


The  Samtary  Commissidh  BtiUdin. 


■was  ordered  to  act  as  a  clerk  in  the  Hospital. 
This  consists  simply  of  a  few  scattered 
trees  and  fly  tents,  and  is  in  charge  of  Dr. 
White,  an  excellent  and  considerate  man, 
■with  very  limited  means,  but  doing  all  in 
his  power  for  his  patients.  He  has  25 
assistants,  besides  those  detailed  to  exam- 
ine for  admittance  to  the  Hospital.'  This 
examination  ■was  made  in  a  small  stockade 
attached  to  the  main  one,  to  the  inside 
door  of  which  the  sick  came  or  were 
brought  by  their  comrades,  the  number 
to  be  removed  being  limited.  Lately,  in 
consideration  of  the  rapidly  increasing 
sickness,  it  was  extended  to  150  daily. 
That  this  was  too  small  an  allowance  is 
sho^wn  by  the  fact  that  the  deaths  ■within 
our  stockade  were  from  30  to  40  a  day. 
I  have  seen  150  bodies  waiting  passage  to 
the  "dead  house,"  to  be  buried  with  those 
■who  died  in  hospital.  The  average  of 
deaths  through  the  earlier  months  was  30 
a  day;  at  the -time  I  left  the  average  was 
over  130,  and  one  day  the  record  showed 
146. 

The  proportion  of  deaths  from  starvation, 
not  including  those  consequent  on  the  disea- 
ses originating  in  the  character  and  limited 
quantity  of  food,  such  as  diarrhea,  dysen- 
tery, and  scurvy,  I  cannot  state,  but  to  the 
best  of  my  knowledge,  information  and  be- 
lief, there  were  scores  every  month.  We 
could  at  any  time  point  out  many  f  (f  whom 
such  a  fate  was  ine^ntable,  as  they  lay  or 
feebly  walked,  mere  skeletons,  whose  ema- 
ciation exceeded  the  examples  given  in 
Leshe's  lUuMrated,  for  June  18,  1864.  For 
example,  in  some  cases  the  inner  edges  of 
the  two  bones  of  the  arm,  between  the  el- 
bow and  ■wrist,  ■with  the  intermediate  blood 
vessels,  were  plainly  visible  when  held  to- 
ward the  light.  The  ration  in  quantity  was 
perhaps  barely  sufficient  to  sustain  life,  and 
the  cases  of  starvation  were  generally  those 
whose  stomachs  could  not  retain  what  had 
become  entirely  indigestible. 

For  a  man  to  find  on  waking  that  his 
comrade  by  his  side  was  dead,  was  an  oc- 
currence too  common  to  be  noted.  I  have 
seen  death  in  almost  all  the  forms  of  the 
hospital  and  battle-field,  but  the  daily 
scenes  in  Camp  Sumter  exceeded  in  the 
extremity  of  misery  all  my  previous  expe- 
rience. 

The  work  of  burial  is  performed  by 
our  own  men,  under  guard  and  orders, 
twenty -five  bodies  being  placed  in  a  single 
pit,  without  head-boards,  and  the  sad  duty 
performed  ■with  indecent  haste.  Some- 
times our  men  were  rewarded  for  this  work 
with  a  few  sticks  of  fire-wood,  and  I  have 
known  them  to  quarrel  over  a  dead  body 
for  the^'06. 

Dr.  White  is  able  to  give  the  patients  a 
diet  bu^  little  better  than  the  prison  ration 
— a  little  fiour  porridge,  arrow-root,  whisky 
and  wild  or  hog  tomatoes.    In  the  way  of 


medicine,  I  saw  nothing  but  camphor,  whis- 
ky, and  a  decoction  of  some  kind  of  bark, 
white  oak,  I  think.  He  often  expressed 
his  regret  that  he  had  not  more  medicines. 
The  limitation  of  military  orders  under 
which  the  surgeon  in  charge  was  placed,  is 
shown  by  the  following  occurrence:  A  sup- 
posed private,  wounded  in  the  thigh,  was 
under  treatment  in  the  hospital,  when  it 
was  discovered  that  he  was  a  Major  of  a 
colored  regiment.  The  Assistant  Surgeon, 
under  whose  immediate  charge  he  was, 
proceeded  at  once  not  only  to  remove  him, 
but  to  kick  him  out,  and  he  was  returned 
to  the  stockade  to  shift  for  himself  as  well, 
as  he  cotdd.  Dr.  White  could  not  or  did 
not  attempt  to  restore  him. 

After  entering  on  my  duties  at  the  hos- 
pital I  was  occasionally  favored  ■with  dou- 
ble rations  and  some  ■wild  tomatoes.  A  few 
of  our  men  succeeded,  in  spite  of  the  clos- 
est examination  of  our  clothes,  in  secreting 
some  greenbacks,  and  ■with  these  were  able 
to  buy  useful  articles  at  exorbitant  prices, 
a  tea  cup  of  flour  at  $1.00;  eggs  $3  to  $6  a 
dozen;  salt  $4  a  pound;  molasses  $30  a 
gallon;  nigger  beans,  a  small  inferior  arti- 
cle, (diet  of  the  slaves  and  pigs,  but 
highly  relished  by  us,)  50  cents  a  pint. 
These  figures,  multiplied  by  ten,  ■will 
give  very  nearly  the  prices  in  Confederate 
currency.  Though  the  country  abounded 
in  pine  and  oak,  sticks  were  sold  to  us  at 
various  prices,  according  to  size. 

Our  men,  especially  the  mechanics,  were 
tempted  ■with  the  ofier  of  hberty  and  large 
wages,  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
Confederacy,  but  it  was  very  rare  that  their 
patriotism,  even  under  such -a  fiery  trial, 
ever  gave  way.  I  carry  this  message  from 
^ne  of  my  companions  to  his  mother:  ' '  My 
treatment  here  is  killing  me.  Mother,  but  I 
die  cheerfully  for  my  country." 
,  Some  attempts  were  made  to  escape,  but 
wholly  in  vain,  for  if  the  prison  walls  and 
guards  were  passed  and  the  protecting 
woods  reached,  the  blood  hounds  were  sure 
to  find  us  out. 

Tunnelling  was  once  attempted  on  a 
large  scale,  but  on  the  afternoon  preceding 
the  night  fixed  on  for  escape,  an  officer 
rode  in  and  announced  to  us  that  the  plot 
was  discovered,  and  from  our  huge  pen  we 
could  see  on  the  hiU  above  us  the  regi- 
ments just  arriving  to  strengthen  the 
guard.  We  had  been  betrayed.'  It  was 
our  belief  that  spies  were  kept  in  the  camp, 
which  could  very  easily  be  done. 

The  number  in  camp  when  I  left  was 
nearly  35,000,  and  daily  increasing.  The 
number  in  Hospital  was  about  5,000.  I 
was  exchanged  at  Port  Boyal  Ferry  August 
16th. 

Pbescott  Tbaot, 
82dBeg'tW.  Y.  Vol. 

City  and  County  of  New  York,  ss:  H.  0. 


The  Sanitary'  Commission,  Bulletin. 


'655 


HiggiDEon  and  S.  Noirot  being  duly  sworn, 
say:  That  the  aboye  statement  of  Prescott 
Tracy,  their  fellow  prisoner,  agrees  with 
their  own  knowledge  and  experience. 

H.    C.    HiGGINSON, 

Co.  K,  19ft  lUinois  Vol. 

SniTBSTBE  NOIBOT, 

Go.  B,  5th  N.  J.  Vol. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 

CilBO. 

Daring  the  month  of  July,  1864,  the  nnmber 
admitted  was  6,923,  fromi  23  different  States;  of 
meals  famished,  15,281;  of  lodgings,  4,374; 
aided  in  procuring  transportation,  1,722. 

NABKTILUE. 

Mr.  Brayton  makes  the  following  report  of 
the  business  of  £he  Soldier's  Home  from  'So- 
vember  1,  1863,  to  July  31,  1864: 

Ko.  of  Discharged  Soldiers  admitted 1,286 

No.  of  Furlonghed  Soldiers  and  trayeling 

nnder  orders  admitted 30,661 

Total,  from  29  States 31,947 

No.  of  Meals  famished. .102,942 

"     Lodgings  famished ; 34461 

"     Deaths 10 

"     for   whom    Transportation    has 

been  procured. 25,638 

"     for  whom  Back  Fay  has   been 

drawn 789 

Amount  of  Money  drawn  and  paid 

over. $120,005  38 

Of  the  number  entertained  5,731  were  sick, 
and  2,592  were  wounded.  There  were  many 
more  going  home  on  sick  furlough,  who  need- 
ing no  particular  attention,  were  not  number- 
ed with  the  sick.  Chronic  diarrhea  has  been 
the  prevailing  complaint.  As  soon  as  practica- 
ble after  the  arrival  of  the  sick,  they  are  as- 
signed to  beds  and  carefully  attended  to.  The 
wonnded  have  their  wounds  dressed,  and  if 
they  desire  it,  have  beds  furnished  them.  Such 
as  are  able  eat  at  the  pubhc  table;  all  others 
take  their  meals  in  their  rooms. 

All  soldiers  on  arrival  report  to .  the  clerk, 
who  examines  their  authority  for  traveling, 
registers  their  names,  and  procures  them  trans- 
portation on  their  papers,  ready  for  the  next 
train,  unless  there  is  good  reason  for  stopping 
longer.  The  sick  and  wounded  are  carried 
from  the  Home  to  the  cars,  in  ambulances  fur- 
nished by  the  Government.  'When  a  soldier  is 
too  sick,  or  his  wound  is  in  a  condition  that 
renders  it  unsafe  for  him  to  continue  his  jour- 
ney, he  is  taken  care  of  for  a  few  days  at  the 
Home,  or  sent  to  the  hospital,  as  the  case  may 
xequire. 

The  deaths  that  have  occurred  here,  in  neatly 
aU  cases,  have  been  of  men  who  were  too  weak 
to  be  removed  after  arrivaL 

We  have  only  13  rooms,  containing  80  beds, 
for  the  accommodation  of  travelers,  and  we 
are  sometimes  required  to  entertain  300  men, 
two  hundred  and  twenty  of  whom  occupy  the 
floors  and  piazzas,  and  sleep  on  blankets.  Most 
soldiers  prefer  blankets  to  beds,  and  the  sound- 
ness of  tiieir  slumbers  gives  evidence  of  their 
comfort.    Of  course  we  cannot  entertsdn  regi- 


ments in  our  narrow  limits;  we  therefore  con- 
fine ourselves  to  forloughed  and  discharged 
men,  and  such  as  are  traveling  under  orders  la 
small  squads. 

The  business  of  collecting  back  pay  for  dis- 
charged soldiers  has  increased  of  late.  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  about  one  in  four  of  the  dis- 
charge papers  that  come  from  the  front  are  in- 
correct This  adds  greatly  to  our  labo^,  and 
subjects  the  soldiers  to  the  hardship  of  return- 
ing to  their  commands  to  have  them  corrected, 
often  a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles. 

When  the  soldier  is  wounded,  or  too  unwell 
to  return,  we  send  a  messenger,  if  practicable. 
One  has  just  returned  with  papers  on  which 
nothing  could  be  collected  when  presented;  but 
being  corrected,  we  have  drawn  for  him  $181.21, 
and  sent  the  sick  man  on  his  way  to  Louisville 
rejoicing,  by  the  hospital  train.  Not  long  since 
we  persuaded  -  an  oldr  crippled  soldier  to  go 
back  to  his  regiment  twice  with  his  papers. 
The  first  time  he  reported  that  his  Colonel 
abused  him,  and  sent  h4m  back  to  Nashville 
without  correcting  his  papers.  The  second 
time  we  wrote  the  Colonel  a  kind  explanatory 
letter,  and  the  papers  were  returned  corrected, 
and  back  pay  was  drawn  amounting  to  $^0.00,4 
which  raised  the  soldier's  spirits  from  a  point 
near  despair  to  the  fall  fever  heat  of  joy.  On 
one  occasion  eighteen  out  of  twenty  papers 
were  sent  back  in  one  day. 

Very  large  numbers  of  furloughed  wounded 
soldiers  are  passing  daily  fi:om  the  Hospitals  in 
front  to  their  homes  in  the  North,  two-thirds  of 
whom  are  destitute  of  the  most  essential  arti- 
cles of  clothing.  No  provision  is  made  to  sup- 
ply their  wants,  because  they  have  not  their 
descriptive  hsts.  Many  have  neither  hats, 
pants,  coats,  socks,  or  shoes.  Cotton  shirts  and 
drawers  furnished  by  the  Sanitary  Commission 
are  all  their  covering.  To  such  we  have  given 
during  the  last  montii,'  seven  hundred  and  one 
shirts  and  drawers,  sixty  pairs  of  pants,  and 
fifty  pairs  of  shoes.  We  could  have  issued 
twice  that  number,  but  our  stock  has  beem  re- 
duced by  the  unusually  heavy  draft  from  the 
front. 

If  the  Governors  of  the  States  could  witness 
the  condition  of  their  forloughed  wounded  sol- 
diers as  they  arrive  at  the  Home,  with  their 
shirts  and  drawers  saturated  with  sweat  and 
dust,  and  rehdered  offensive  with  the  discharge 
from  their  wounds,  I  am  sure  their  infinence 
would  procure  an  order  for  a  supply  of  cloth- 
ing, at  least  necessary  to  cover  Uiem,  and  the 
young  men  of  the  North  who  are  now  being  so- 
licited to  fill  their  places  around  Atlanta,  would 
be  spared  the  mortification  of  seeing  their 
brothers  and  friends  hobbling  home  on  crutch- 
es, and  being  carried  on  htters  indecently 
clothed.  The  brave  fellows  do  not  ask  to  have 
clothes  given  them.  The  Goverimient  owes 
them,  and  though  they  have  lost  their  garments 
in  battle,  or  had  them  cut  from  them  by  sur- 
geons who  dressed  .their  wounds  in  the  field, 
they  are  ready  to  pay  for  them. 
•  Justice  alone  requires  that  a  Quartermaster 
should  be  appointed  for  Nashville,  who  shall  be 
required  to  keep  open  of&ce  from  morning  till 
night,  and  issue  clothing  tofurloughed  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers.  No  loss  can  accrue  to  Gov- 
ernment by  so  doing,  as  the  clothes  could  be 
charged  on  their  furloughs,  and  their  Captains 


656 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


could  be  notified  (as  in  case  of  having  descrip- 
tive lists, )  of  the  amoiint  fmniahed.  Nothing 
short  of  this  will  do  justice  to  the  suffering 
'lironnded,  or  the  people  who  send  and  pay  them. 

liOxnsvUiLi;. 
During  the  month  of  July,  1864,  15,929  meals 
and  8,427  loggings  were  furnished. 

NEW  AI.BANT,    (IND.) 

During  the  month  of  Jiily,  1864,  the  number 
entertained  was  962;  of  meals  furnished,  2,372; 
of  lodgings,  762. 

CAMP  NEIfON,  (KT.) 

During  the  month  of  July,  1864,  the  number 
of  meals  furnished  was  37,179,  and  13,470  lodg- 
ings. 


During  the  four  weeks  ending  July  30th, 
1864,  the  number  admitted  was  1,392,  from  16 
different  States;  of  meals  furnished,  4,176;  qf 
lodgings,  913;  and  furnished  with  transporta- 
tion, 52. 

DETBOIT. 

During  the  month  of  June,  1864,  the  number 
'  admitted  was  682;  of  meals  famished,  7,414;  of 
•lodgiftgs,  2,054. 

EABBISBUIia. 

Extract  from  a  letter  of  J.  Jewitt  Parks,  dated 

Soldier's  Best,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  Aug.  17,  1864: 

***** 

We  have  our  Soldier's  Rest  now  fully  under 
way.  Opened  it  on  last  Saturday,  and  since 
that  date,  a  space  of  four  and  a  half  days,  we 
have  lodged  and  otherwise  given  aid  and  com- 
fort to  thirty-one  soldiers  passing  through  this 
city.  The  most  of  our  guests  come  on  the  8 
P.  M.  train  from  Baltimore,  and  leave  on  the 
2.30  A.  M.  passing  West,  so  that  much  of  the 
night  is  taken  up  in  attention  to  them.  We  try 
to  dress  their  wounds  as  far  as  possible,  give 
them  something  to  eat,  and  send  them  on  their 
way  feeling  more  comfortable.  We  do  not  have 
a  great  many  during  the  daytime,  but  there  is 
always  a  press  of  business  on  hand.  Some  are 
without  transportation ;  others  come  in  to  have 
wounds  dressed,  &c.  The  city  doctors  have 
volunteered  their  services,  and  are  glad  to  come 
in.  There  are  three  ladies  who  are  greatly  in- 
terested in  the  welfare  of  the  soldi^s,  and  come 
down  to  do  all  they  can  for  us. 

***** 

Have  visited  all  Hospitals  in  the  vicinity, 
some  of  them  several  times,  and  they  are  now 
well  supplied.,  There  has  been  a  convalescent 
camp  opened  across  the  Susquehanna,  which  I 
shall  visit  shortly. 


WISCONSIN  SOLDIEB'S  AID  SOdETY. 

The  half-yearly  report  of  the  Wisconsin  Sol- 
dier's Aid  Society,  of  July  1st,  shows  that  it  has 
been  no  languid  auxiliary  of  the  Commission. 
Its  gifts  to  the  Army  through  the  Northwestern 
Branch  of  the  Commission  exceed  ,$60,d00  a 
year. 

-Dr.  Woloott,  Surgeon-General  of  Wisconsin, 
writes  to  the  Society  the  result  of  several  month's 


observation  of  the  working  of  the  Commission 
at  the  front  with  Gen,  Sherman's  Army: 

Believing  that  doubt  still  exists  in  the  minds 
of  some  of  our  people,  not  only  as  to  the  utility 
and  necessity  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  but 
especially  as  to  whether  the  means  so  liberally 
aishtributed,  reach  their  proper  destination, 
having  witnessed  the  workings  of  the  Commis- 
sion tmrough  most  of  its  ramifications,  and  on 
a  scale  sufficiently  extensive  to  speak  with  con- 
fidence, I  avail  myself  of  this  favorable  oppor- 
tunity to  say,  that  in  my  opinion  no  depart- 
ment of  the  service  is  managed  in  a  more  thor- 
oughly business-like  maimer,  or  more  perfectly 
meets  the  designs  and  objects  of  its  organiza- 
tiob. 

If  in  this  I  am  correct,  it  needs  no  argument 
to  prove  both  its  utility  and  necessity.  If  it  be 
desirable  to  aid  and  comfort  men  who  have  laid 
us  under  obligations  so  deep,  that  our  utmost 
efforts  can  never  cancel  them,  how,  twould  ask, 
can  wo  better  begin  than  by  flirnishing  for 
their  use,  such  articles  as  contribute  to  both 
comfort  and  recovery,  when  confined  by  wounds 
and  sickness  in  Hospitals,  far  from  friends  and 
home.  It  is  through  this  channel  alone,  that 
donations  can  be  successfully  conveyed  to  their 
proper  destination. 

I  trust  therefore,  that  all  who  have  heretofore 
given,  will  feel  under  renewed  obligations  to 
continue  to  give,  and  those  whose  doubts  on 
this  question  have  caused  them  to  withhold  do- 
nations heretofore,  will  endeavor  by  greater  zeal 
hereafter,  to  atone  for  past  neglect  of  duty. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

Oamp  Basbt,  .^ti;.  20, 1861. 
To  the  Sanitary  Oommitsion:  ' 

Having  re-enlisted  from  Massachusetts,  in 
Battery  L,  3d  U.  S.  Artillery,  and  appreciating 
as  I  do  the  benefits  you  have  conferred  upon 
the  soldiers  since  this  war  commenced,  allow 
me,  a  private  soldier,  in  acknowledgment,  to 
contribute  my  humble  mite  to  your  good  work. 
Truly  yours, 

Keuben  Libby. 

Sd  DmsioN,  2d  Oobfs,  ) 
Aug.  6th,  1864.     j 
1  take  great  pleasure  in  testifying  my  high 
appreciation  of  tha  services  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  during  the  present  summer. 

The  supplies  furnished  not  only  the  sick  and 
wounded  as  heretofpre,  but  the  well  soldiers, 
also,  were  most  opportune;  and  the  liberal 
issues  of  vegetables,  &o.,  made  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission  to  the  whole  army,  I  have  every 
reason  to  believe  aided  materially  in  preserving 
the  health  of  the  men. 

Wishing  you  continued  success  in  your  ines- 
timable labors, 

I  am  very  truly  yours, 

John  Gibbon, 
Major  Gm'l  Foil,,  comd'g  Din, 
To  Mr.  3,  Wabhbb  Johssoh, 
Sup:  ion.  Com.,  fblla. 


PRISON    AT    ANDERSONVILLE,    Ga. 


y 

; 


W—  VIMTZRS  ^  05OIV.SS  OTi— £ 


(Sani/dr;^  B^ltKn,  Vol.  t,  JV'a.  21^ 


The  Scmtary  Commission  BuHeUn. 


657 


A  TBIP  UP  THE  MISSISSIPPI 

The  manner  in  which  enfeebled  men, 
weak  from  •wonnda  and  diseases,  received 
and  contracted  in  the  service,  after  being 
discharged  or  fnrloughed,  have  been  fur- 
nished transportation  from  the  Department 
of  the  Gulf  to  their  homes  in  the  North  and 
Northwest,  have  often  claimed  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Commission. 

Prior  to  this  spring  we  have  only  been 
able  to  contemplate  the  evil,  foreseeing  no 
power  to  remedy  it.  Of  course  a  discharged 
soldier  has  not  the  same  claim  on  the  Gov- 
ernment for  protection  as  when  he  was  in 
the  service;  but  if  justice  was  meted  out  to 
him  before  his  discharge  in  the  true  letter 
and  spirit  of  the  regulations,  he  could, 
with  the  money  received  for  mileage  and 
subsistence,  be  able  to  obtain  a  comfort- 
able passage  to  his  home.  Even  then  it  is 
not  difficult  to  conceive  that  men  may  be- 
come so  enfeebled  by  disease  or  disabled  by 
wounds,  as  to  be  unable  to  care  for  them- 
selves, and  to  require  medicines  and  care- 
ful nursing.  Here  would  be  a  legitimate 
field  of  labor  for  charitable  and  benevolent 
institutions,  supplying  an  original  vacancy,* 
and  by  extending  a  protecting  arm,  render 
efficient  service  to  our  country's  braves. 
Under  existing  circumstances  we  must 
work  in  unison  with  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment, and  with  all  the  means  we  have  help 
to  do  justice  to  the  soldier. 

At  this  point  I  wish  again  to  impress  you 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  good  that  has 
been  accomplished  through  our  agency  in 
this  Department,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
soldier  in  this  one  particular. 

The  difiference  between  receiving  money 
for  subsistence  and  mileage  for  the  whole 
distance  to  a  Northern  home,  and  for  only 
a  portion  of  the  distance,  with  an  order  on 
the  quartermaster  for  transportation  for 
the  balance,  is  better  appreciated  by  the 
soldier  than  by  any  one  else;  it  is  simply 
the  difference  between  ^he  value  of  subsist- 
ence and  mUeage  for  over  two  thousand 
miles  and  over  two  hundred  mUes. 

The  practice  prevailed  in  this  Depart- 
ment up  to  the  past  spring,  of  paying  the 
soldier  mileage  and  subsistence  oiMy  from 
New  York  and  Cairo'  to  their  homes,  in- 
stead of  from  New  Orleans  or  the  place  of 
their  discharge,  and  in  lieu   of  that  afi. 

Vol..  L— No.  21.  42 


order  was  given  on .  the  quartermaster  for 
transportation.  That  settled  his  account 
with  the  Government,  and  whether  maim- 
ed, halt  or  blind,  he  must  find  the  quarter- 
master, and  if  fortunate  enough  to  find  him 
in  good  humor,  ascertain,  if  possible,  when 
transportation  can  be  afforded  him.  He 
may  be  obliged  to  wait  a  week,  perhaps 
longer.  In  the  meantime  what  is  to  become 
of  him?  he  is  not  allowed  in  camp,  and  is 
shut  out  of  the  hospitaL  He  is  discharged, 
and  has  no  claim  on  any  official  save  the 
quartermaster  for  his  transportation  ticket.' 
Subject  to  the  temptations  and  vices  inci- 
dent to  a  large  city,  he  may  squander  his 
money  and  contract  habits  to  be  followed 
by  a  Uf  etime  of  woe. 

Our  Soldiers'  Home  is  the  only  institu- 
tion that  can  afford  him  a  refuge,  and  pro- 
bably all  would  not  avail  themselves  of  its 
privileges. 

The  manner  in  which  our  sick  and 
wounded,  furlonghed  and  discharged  sol- 
diers are  shipped  home,  is  too  revolting  to 
contemplate.  A  safe  shipment  of  high- 
blooded  stallions,  cotton,  sugar  and  other 
products  of  the  tropics,  seemed  to  receive 
more  attention  than  any  circumstances 
that  could  conduce  to  the  comfort  of,  and 
do  justice  to  the  soldier. 

The  remedy  to  this  evil  was  accomplish- 
ed by  bringing  the  facts  to  the  notice  of 
the  Chief  Paymaster,  who  issued  an  order 
that  all  Paymasters  should  pay  to  the  sol- 
dier subsistence  and  mileage  at  current 
rates  for  the  whole  distance  between  New 
Orleans  and  the  place  of  muster. 

About  the  last  of  January,  through  the 
influence  of  Dr.  Stipp,  Medical  Inspector  of 
the  Department,  the  Quartermaster  as- 
signed to  the  Medical:  Department  the 
steamer  Laurel  HOL  Under  the  direction 
of  the  Commission  she  was  fitted  up  com- 
pletely for  a  hospital  boat,  and  made  one 
trip  to  Cairo  successfully.  Our  ^gent,  Mr. 
Fumess,  and  a  colored  cook  accompanied 
this  trip.  In  addition  to  that,  I  wiU  say 
that  two  Surgeons  were  detailed  by  the 
Medical  Director  to  have  special  charge 
of  the  sick,  and  general  charge  of  the  boat. 
They  received  their  orders  from  the  Medi- 
cal Director.  At  the  sametime  orders  were 
issued  by  the  Quartermaster  to  the  captain 
of  the  boat  to  turn  his  boat  over  to  the 


658 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


Quartermaster  at  Cairo,  to  be  loaded  by 
him,  without  any  reference  to  the  wishes 
of  the  Medical  Department.  Accordingly, 
between  four  and  five,  hundred  recruits 
were  ordered  aboard  on  her  return  trip. 
The  tables  that  had  been  erected  were  des- 
troyed, and  some  damage  and  loss  accrued 
to  our  stores. 

It  was  confidently  expected  by  the  Medi- 
cal Departmentl  that  the  Laurel  HUl  on  her 
return  to  New  Orleans  would  immediately 
make  another  trip,  as  about  two  hundred 
discharged  and  furloughed  soldiers  were 
awaiting  transportation.  But  by  the  order 
of  the  Chief  Quartermaster  the  bunks  were 
removed  as  a  military  necessity,  and  the 
steamer  detained  for  transportation  of 
troops  within  the  Department. 

About  the  first  of  March,  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Maj.-Gen.  Reynolds,  and  Dr. 
Stipp,  the  Medical  Department  obtained 
from  the  Quartermaster's  Department 
another  steamer,  the  N.  W.  Thomas,  to  be 
fitted  up  and  used  as  a  hospital  boat,  and 
the  assistance  of  the  Commission  was  again 
solicited. 

Our  experience  with  the  Xianrel  Hill  was 
sufficient  to  convince  me  that  a  copartner- 
ship between  the  Quartermaster  and  Medi- 
cal Departments  was  not  desirable,  and 
ought  not  to  exist,  except  tmder  the  con- 
trol of  the  latter. 

There  could  be  no  objection  to  the  trans- 
portation of  freight  and  a  limited  number 
of  passengers,  but  an  indiscriminate  use 
of  the  boat  for  anything  and  everything, 
anybody  and  everybody,  was  absurd,  and 
I  declined  taking  any  part  in  the  matter, 
unless  some  arrangement  could  be  made 
more  favorable  to  the  Medical  Department. 

Being  assured  that  the  boat  should  be 
under  my  control,  carpenters  were  at  once 
employed,  and  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Fumess,  two  rows  of  bunks  were  oonstruct- 
^  ed  in  the  centre  of  the  cabin,  three  berths 
high,  to  accommodate  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men.  With  these,  and  the  unoccu- 
pied staterooms,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
could  be  comfortably  provided  with  beds. 
A  temporary  storeroom  was  built  on  the 
port-guard,  and  a  kitchen,  provided  with  a 
range,  was  constructed  on  the  lower  deck- 
Tables  were  arranged  on  the  boiler-deck  in 
front  of  the  cabin,  to  accommodate  eighty 


men.  The  more  feeble  were  fed  in  the 
back  cabin  and  in  their  berths,  according 
to  circumstances.  Two  Surgeons  were  de- 
tailed to  have  special  charge  of  the  sick;  and 
I  received  an  order,  (which  I  append,)  from 
Dr.  Stipp,  to  take  full  charge  of  the  steamer 
except  as  to  its  running. 

The  captain  of  the  boat  received  orders 
from  the  Quartermaster  to  report  to  the 
Quartermasters  at  Yicksburg  and  Memphis 
for  fuel,  and  at  Cairo  for  fuel  and  freight, 
' '  not  to  interfere  with  the  sanitary  purposes 
of  the  boat.'' 

Two  thousand  rations  were  drawn  from 
the  Commissary,  including  one  thousand 
rations  of  fresh  beef.  The  beds  and  bed- 
ding, everything  that  pertains  to  a  hospi- 
tal ward,  kitchen  and  table  furniture,  as- 
sorted vegetables,  delicacies  and  stimu- 
lants, were  all  provided  from  our  store- 
room— (a  list  of  which  I  append,) — ^the 
gifts  of  loyal  hearts,  and  work  of  loyal 
sinew  in  the  Northeast  and  Northwest — 
another  instance  of  the  universatility  of 
the  Commission,  recognizing  no  sectional 
differences,  succoring  aUke  the  soldier  from 
Maine  and  Iowa,  and  every  intervening 
locality. 

With  our  flag  flying  at  the  fore,  at  five 
o'clock,  P.M.,  March  12th,  we  moved  from 
our  moorings,  and  steamed  up  the  river. 
It  was  fitting  that  our  flag,  the  symbol  of 
this  great  charity  of  the  American  people, 
should  wave  over  us.  Supported  and  sus- 
tained by  generous  hearts  and  the  earnest 
prayers  of  millions,  it  was  a  guaranty  of 
safe  transit  in  a  long  journey  through  a 
section  infested  by  guerrillas. 

The  knapsacks  and  baggage  belonging  to 
the  men  were  checked,  and  stored  away,for 
protectionj  I  persuaded  the  men  not  to 
carry  much  money  on  their  persons,  offer- 
ing to  take  it  and  give  a  receipt  of  safe- 
keeping. Between  five  and  six  thousand 
dollars  was  intrusted  to  my  care,  and  de- 
livered again  to  the  owners  on  their  arrival 
at  Cairo.  The  sickest  men  were  arranged 
in  the  staterooms,  and  especially  provided 
for  by  careful  nurses,  who  bestowed  every 
attention.  The  services  of  Miss  Trotter,  of 
Bloomington,  Illinois,  were  secured,  who 
rendered  efficient  service  towards  the  most 
feeble.  • 

At  Baton  Bouge  we  landed  the  next  day 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bidletin. 


659 


and  received  aboard  a  fewfurloughed  men. 
Here,  the  boiler  of  our  boat  was  discovered  to 
be  leaking,  and  we  were  obliged  to  ' '  tie  up" 
for  repairs,  and  wait  for  assistance  to  come 
to  us  from  New  Orleans.  This  delay  was 
discouraging  aid  disheartening  to  the  men, 
and  the  occasion  of  some  uneasiness.  The 
furloughs  of  those  who  were  looking  for- 
ward to  a  respite  at  home,  were  expiring  in 
a  place  and  condition  unenviable.  The  de- 
lay, too,  served  to  depress  the  spirits  of 
those  more  feeble,  who  only  hoped  to  reach 
home  to  die  in  the  midst  of  their  families. 
At  this  place,  two^  who  had  clung  to  the 
elastic  thread  of  a  hope  of  once  more  meet- 
ing their  friends  at  home,  died,  and  were 
interred  in  the  Soldiers'  Burying  Ground. 

After  four  days' delay  we  again  proceeded 
np  stream,  and  landing  next  at  Fort  Hud- 
son, we  received  aboard  all  the  discharged 
and  furloughed  soldiers  at  this  post.  On 
route  to  Vicksburg  another  soldier,  from 
the  interior  of  Indiana,  died,  and  was 
buried  there. 

The  personal  effects  of  all  those  who  died 
were  intrusted  to  my  care,  and  forwarded 
by  me  on  arrival  at  Cairo,  per  Adams'  Ex- 
press, to  their  friends,  as  generally  direct- 
ed by  them  before  death. 

At  Yicksburg  and  Memphis,  I  was  able  to 
obtain  some  stores  from  our  own  storeroom, 
but  was  obliged  to  purchase  others  to  eke 
out  the  long  journey  stiU  before  us. 

After  leaving  Memphis,  nothing  of  inter- 
est or  regret  occurred  to  vary  the  monotony 
of  a  long  trip  up  the  river. 

Among  the  men  a  spirit  of  contentment 
and  thankfulness  was  exhibited  that  was 
refreshing  to  witness,  and  many  benedic- 
tions were  pronounced  on  the  ever -provi- 
dent U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.' 

My  arrival  at  Cairo  at  this  time  was  op- 
portune, as  I  niet  Dr.  Warriner  in  charge 
of  steamer  JJunleith,  loaded  with  stores,  en 
route  for  all  the  posts  on  the  river,  includ- 
ing New  Orleans.  Instructions  having  been 
given  to  the  Quartermaster  not  to  interfere 
with  the  sanitary  purposes  of  the  boat,  I 
was  enabled  to  take  what  stores  were  des- 
tined for  New  Orleans,  aboard  the  Thomas, 
thus  making  the  trip  of  the  Dunleith  below 
Vicksburg  unnecessary,  and  less  expensive 
to  the  Commission.  I  received  from  Dr. 
Warriner,  at  this  time,  about  one  thousa^ 


barrels  of  pickles  and  vegetables,  thirteen 
barrels  of  ale,  and  other  stores  needed  in 
the  Department  of  the  Gulf.— i)n  Blake's 
Report. 

DIABY  OP  MRS.  E.  0.  POETEE, 

AOENT  OF  THE  SANrrABT  COMMISSION  IN  THE 
ABM;   of  the  CUMBEBIiANO. 

Mrs.  Porter  accompanies  Mrs.  Bickerdyke 
in  her  arduous  labors  at  the  front,  among 
the  wounded,  where  both  have  labored  in- 
defatigably  these  last  two  months.  To  give 
some  idea  of  the  kind  of  service  they  rend- 
er our  wounded  men,  their  method  of  work, 
and  how  indispensable  are  sanitary  stores 
in  times  of.  battle,  we  publish  Mrs. Porter's 
diary,  written  during  ^he  month  of  May. 
Its  interest  wiU  be  sufficient  excuse  for  the 
publication  of  so  interesting  a  document. 

N£ab  the  Battle  Gbound,  SuqaS  Cbeee,  Oa.  1 
Gen.  Logan's  Headquabtebs,  May  15, 1861.  J 

I  have  just  reached  this  place,  where  1 
hear  the  constant  roar  which  tells  of  battle 
and  of  death.  The  battle  has  just  com- 
menced, and  several  wounded  have  been 
brought  in  who  are  to  be  sent  north.  Our 
batteries  are  engaged.  The  poor  privates 
who   are  wounded  cannot  leave   at  once. 

Mrs.  Bickerdyke  left  on  the  10  th  for  Chat- 
tanooga. I  followed  on  Wednesday,  in 
company  with  Bev.  Drs.  Budington  and 
Thompson,  N.  Y.  agents  of  the  Christian 
Commission,  sent  here  on  a  tour  of  observ- 
ation. We  reached  Chattanooga  yesterday 
morning.  I  found  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  had 
gone  on  to  Binggold,  and  so  I  took  the 
noon  train  and  came  down  to  Ringgold, 
where  I  found  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  in  the  San- 
itary rooms,  preparing  supplies  to  take  for- 
ward in  teams  that  were  going  out  in  the 
morning.  We  slept  in  a  soldier's  tent  that 
night  and  were  in  readiness  to  start  in  the 
morning.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  had  sent  for- 
word  the  evening  before  such  sanitary 
stores  as  could  be  taken  in  the  teams. 

I  wish  I  could  give  you  a  description  of 
our  mule  train — a  long  solemn  train  of  mule 
teams!. most  of  them.looking  as  if  dragging 
heavily,  and  many  making  a  mighty  effort 
to  take  their  last  load  to  the  scene  of  strife. 
Can  you  imagine  such  a  train?  reaching  all 
the  way  from  Einggold  to.  Sugar  Creek,  a 
distance  of  twenty-five  miles  2  Such  a  train 
has.  almdst literally  filled  the  way  with  sup- 


660 


The  Sanitary  Commisaion  Bulletin. 


plies  to  our  army  to-day.  The  supplies  are 
to  go  by  railroad  soon,  and  the  mules  which 
are  falling  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left,  from  over-work,  poor  fare  and  exhaust- 
ion, will  be  relieved. 

We  reached  Sugar  Creek  about  six 
o'clock,  and  were  most  kindly  received  at 
Gen.  Logan's  headquarters — where  I  am 
now  writing — by  Gen.  Smith  and  others  of 
his  staff.  They  informed  us  that  Gen.  Lo- 
gan had  been  on  the  battle-field  since  last 
evening.  The  enemy's  guns  are  loud  and 
rapid  now,  and  although  I  do  not  think  we 
can  go  to  the  battle-field  to-night,  it  will 
be  difficult  to  stay  away  from  it  while  this 
roai  of  artillery  continues,  knowing  that 
many  poor  fellows  are  needing  our  care 
and  attention. 

Col.  Smith  has  assured  Mrs.  Bickerdyke 
that  the  ambulance,  or  anything  else  which 
he  can  furnish,  shall  be  supplied  to  aid  her 
in  her  work.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  was  very  de- 
sirous of  going  to  the  hospital  in  the  field 
immediately  to  night,  but  it  was  not.  best. 
It  is  five  nules  distant,  and  she  needs  rest. 

Monday,  May  17; 

Never  have  I  passed  such  a  Sabbath  as 
yesterday,  and  I  wish  I  could  believe  there 
never  would  be  such  another.  We  rose 
very  early,  after  hearing  the  artillery  all 
night  as  the  fight  went  on,  terrible  in  its 
echo,  and  terrible  not  only  to  our  enemies, 
but  to  many  of  our  noble  brothers,  who 
have  suddenly  fallen,  or  are  left  mutilated 
to  languish  in  an  extempore  hospital  at  the 
front. 

Gen.  Logan's  headquarters,  where  we 
passed  the  night,  are  about  four  miles  from 
the  battle-fi«ld.  The  wounded  were  brought 
into  hospitals,  quickly  and  roughly  prepar- 
'ed  in  the  forest,  as  near  the  field  as  safety 
would  permit.  Upon  arriving  at  the  place 
for  the  First  Division  Hospital,  we  were 
'  anet  by  the  familiar  face  of  Dr.  Woodworth, 
of  vChicago,  whom  we  knew  would  do  all  in 
his  power  to  relieve  the  suffering.  What  a 
scene  was  presented !  Precious  sons  of 
northern  mothers,  beloved,  husbands  of 
northern  wives  were  already  here  to  under- 
dergo  amputation,  to  have  wounds  probed 
and  dressed,  or  broken  limbs  set  and  band- 
aged. Some  were  writhing  under  the  sur- 
geon's knife,  but  bore  their  suffering  brave- 


ly and  uncomplainingly.  There  were  many 
whose  wounds  were  considered  slight,  such 
.  as  a  shot  through  the  hand,  arm,  or  leg, 
which  but  for  the  contrast  with  severer  ca- 
ses, would  seem  dxeadfuL  Never  was  the 
presence  of  women  more  joyfully  welcom- 
ed. It  was  toiicbing  to  see  those  precious 
boys  looking  up  into  our  faces  with  such 
hope  and  gladness.  It  brought  to  their 
minds  mother  and  home,  as  each  testified 
while  his  wounds  were  being  dressed; 
"This  seems*  a  little  like  having  mother 
about,"  was  the  reiterated  expression  of  the 
wounded,  as  one  after  another  was  washed 
and  had  his  wounds  dressed.  Mrs.  Bicker- 
dyke and  myself  assisted  in  the  operation. 
Poor  boys !  how  my  heart  ached  that  I 
could  do  so  little. 

After  doing  what  we  could  in  HospitE^ 
No.  1,  to  render  the  condition  of  the  poor 
fellows  tolerable,  we  proceeded  to  No.  2, 
and  did  what  we  could  there,  distributing 
our  sanitary  comforts  in  the  most  economi- 
cal manner,  so  as  to  make  them  go  as  far 
as  possible.  We  found  that  what  we  brought 
in  the  ambulance  was  giving  untold  com- 
fort to  our  poor  exhausted  wounded  men, 
whose  rough  hospital  couches  were  made 
by  pine  boughs  with  the  stems  cut  out, 
spread  upon  the  ground,  over  which  their 
blankets  were  thrown.  This  forms  the 
bed,  and  the  poor  fellows'  blouses,  saturat- 
ed with  their  own  blood,  is  their  only  pil- 
low, their  knapsacks  being  left  behind  when 
they  went  into  battle.  More  sanitary  goods 
are  on  the,  way,  and  will  be  brought  to  re- 
lieve the  men  as  soon  as  possible. 

Now  all  the  supplies  of  this  immense  ar- 
my are  brought  from  Binggold  by  teams, 
and  food  for  the  army  must  be  forwarded 
first.  I  have  seen  no  bread  for  several 
days  but  army  hard  tacki  The  dear  boys 
think  it  good,  and  so  it  is  to  the  hungry 
men,  and  when  cooked  in  soups  and  pa- 
nada. 

We  found  in  the  Third  and  Fourth  Hos- 
pitals much  the  same  condition  of  things; 
all  doing  what  they  could  to  perfect  the 
hospital  arrangements,  and  extemporizing 
kitchen  tents  and  beds  by  the  hundred,  all 
made  as  I  have  described. 

The  young  surgeons  are  most  of  them 
doing  themselves  great  credit  by  their  at- 
tention to  the  euffeiing,    I  hare  seen  as 


The  Semitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


661 


yet  but  few  except  young  men  in  the  hos- 
pitals. There  are  some  venerable  workers, 
who  should  have  ihe  grateful  thanks  of  the 
nation  for  their  devotion  to  the  suffering. 

This  evening  we  were  cheered' by  the  ar- 
rival of  the  sanitary  goods,  which  were 
loaded  at  Binggold,  under  Mrs.  Bicker- 
dyke's  direction.  They  are  the  only  sani- 
tary goods  here,  except  the  delicacies 
brought  by  us  in  the  ambulance,  which 
were  sent  us  direct  from  Chicago.  From 
them  every  wounded  man  had  not  only  a 
cooling  draught  of  lemonade,  but  many 
other  comforts  which  seemed  to  be  just 
what  was  needed,  and  which  have  called 
forth  repeated  blessiugs  upon  the  Sanitary 
Commision. 

Last  night  there  was  sharp  fighting  again, 
if  the  constant  roar  of  heavy  artillery  tells 
truly.  Our  tent  was  spread  near  the  wound- 
ed and  the  dying,  and  was  filled  with  bar- 
rels of  lemons,  pickles  and  various  other 
articles  of  comfort.  Our  bed  was  compos- 
ed of  di7  leaves,  spread  with  a  rubber  and 
soldier's  blanket — «ur  own  blankets,  with 
pillows  and  all,  having  been  given  out  to 
sufferers  long  before  night.  Our  tent  is  lo  - 
cated  about  two  miles  from  the  seat  of 
action,  and  every  discharge  is  distinctly 
heard.  This  morning  report  says  the  ene- 
my are  going  toward  Atlanta. 

Several  wounded  men  have  died  during 
the  night.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  and  myself  are 
goiug  out  to  look  after  another  division  of 
wounded  men.  Mr  Tone,  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  has  just  arrived,  to  make  some 
arrangements  for  getting  forward  the  sup- 
plies which  are  now  so  much  needed,  and 
will  be  demanded  yet  more  in  a  day  or 
two. 

May  Uth. 

I  wrote  the  above  two  days  since,  and 
have  had  no  more  time  to  write  untU  now. 
Bat  sines  then  I  have  passed  through  ' 
thrilling  scenes,  and  have  witnessed  many 
deaths,  which  have  left  fond  wives  in  wid- 
owhood and  made  many  children  father- 
less, who  had  looked  forward  to  July  with 
fond  hopes.  "Then  father's  time  in  the 
army  will  be  out,  and  we  will  be  so  glad !" 

Yesterday  there  was  a  Sanitary  agent 
here,  Mr.  Tone,  and  we  received  from  him 
a  few  articles,  such  as  crackers,  canned 
milk,  bandages,  and  a  ieyi  bottles  of  rasp- 


berry vinegar,  all  so  very  acceptable  to  our 
suffering  patients,  four  of  whom  have  pass- 
ed beyond  our  care,  and  already  lie  in  the 
newly  opened  burying  place.  Yesterday, 
Mr.  Smith,  of  the  Christian  Commission  at 
Nashville,  was  here,  and  Mr.  Lawrence, 
froni  Chattanooga.  With  his  usual  care- 
fulness for  the  comfort  of  others,  he  left 
with  ns  his  rubber  and  woolen  blankets, 
which,  as  we  had  put  our  last  piece  of  bedr 
ding  under  the  wounded  men,  were  grate- 
fully received.  He  has  gone  for  more  sup^ 
pUes.  When  he  returns,  we  hope  the  wants 
of  our  boys  will  be  met. 

Tou  cannot  imagine  the  condition  of  our 
wounded  men  who  have  had  no  ehange  of 
clothing.  Think  of  a*  wounded  man  lying 
in  his  shirt  saturated  with  blood,  and  wearing 
it  until  it  becomes  dry  and  hard,  his  blan- 
ket in  the  same  condition,  and  he  lying  on 
the  ground  without  pillow,  except  his  knap- 
sack. We  brought  several  pOlows,  and 
when  I  put  one  of  them  under  the  head  of 
a  great  sufferer,  he  said,  "  Oh,  that  is  so 
soft !"  As  I  passed  along,  yesterday,  one 
of  the  boys  looked  up  imploringly,  and 
said,  "  Oh,  my  bed  is  hard  !"  I  had  just 
taken  a  pillow  fom  the  bed  Of  a  man  just 
dead,  and  laid  it  out  to  dry.  I  asked, 
"shall  I  bring  that?"  "Yes,"  he  said, 
and  when  I  brought  it,  stained  with  his 
comrade's  blood,  and  laid  his  weary  aching 
head  upon  it,  he  replied,  "  Oh,  that  is  such 
a  relief !"  We  know  there  are  sanitary- 
stores  in  abundance,  and  that  they  are  on 
the  way,  and  we  also  realize  the  difficulty  of 
getting  anything  to  us,  in  our  remote  lo- 
cality, so  far  from  the  railroad,  where  ev- 
ery thing  must  be  brought  by  teams.  We 
are  hourly  expecting  sanitary  goods,  which 
will  furnish  the  boys  with  comforts  that 
mothers,  wives  and  sisters  have  prepared. 

Mrs.  Bickerdyke  has  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing about  a  little  more  order  to-day  in  feed- 
ing these  three  hundred  men.  The  painful 
work  has ,  commenced  of  removing  these 
men  to  Besaca,  about  three  miles  from  the 
place  where  they  were  first  received.  This 
arrangement  is  deemed  best,  as  it  brings 
them  at  once  upon  the  railroad,  where  they 
can  be  sent  North  at  some  time,  and  I  am 
told  that  most  are  to  be  sent  North  as  soon 
as  practicable.  •  No  one  who«has  not  seen 
the  immediate  effects  of  a  battle  can  have 


662 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


any  idea  of  its  horrors.  I  ain  daily  grate- 
ful to  God  for  having  raised  up  and  strength- 
ened for  the  work  of  comforting  the  wound- 
ed "Mother  Bickerdyke,"  as  the  soldiers 
truly  call  her.  She  has  followed  them  with 
a  mother's  self-saiorificing  devotion,  and  the 
high  patriotism  and  benevolence  which  ex- 
ist in  her  nature.  She  never  fails  in  the 
time  of  the  soldier's  iiecessij;y,  no  matter 
what  that  necessity  may  be.  Like  a  true 
mother  she  is  ready  for  it.  She  is  ready  to 
contend  for  his  rights,  as  many  in  authority 
have  been  made  to  feel,  and  she  is  sustain- 
ed in  labors  which  seem  supernatural.  I 
hope  mothers,  wives  and  sisters  will  appre- 
ciate her  services,  and  give  to  her  dear 
fatherliBBS  boys  aid  when  needed,  as  she  has 
rendered  it  to  theirs. 

To  day  every  kettle  which  could  be  rais- 
ed has  been  used  in  making  coffee.  Mrs. 
Bickerdyke  has  made  barrel  after  barrel, 
and  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that  multitudes 
are  reached,  and  cheered,  and  saved.  Two 
hundred  and  sixty  slightly  wounded  men 
just  came  to  this  point,  on  the  cars  on  their 
way  North,  all  hungry  and  weary,  saying, 
"We  are  so  thirsty,"  "Do  give  us  some- 
thing to  eat."  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  was  engag- 
ed in  giving  out  supper  to  the  three  hun- 
dred in  wards  here,  and  told  them  she  could 
not  feed  them  then.  They  turned  away  in 
sorrow  and  were  leaving,  when  learning 
who  they  Were — wounded  men  of  the  20th 
Army  Corps — and  'their  necessity,  she  told 
them  to  wait  a  few  moments,  she  would  at-' 
tend  to  thein.  She  gave  them  coffee,  krant, 
and  potato  pickles,  which  are  never  eaten 
but  by  famished  men,  and  for  once  they 
were  a  luxury.  I  stood  in  the  room  where 
our  supplies  were  deposited,  giving  to  some 
crackers,  to  some  pickles,  and  to  each  hun- 
gry man  something. 

One  of  the  green  cards  that  come  on  all 
the  stores  of  the  Northwestern  Commission 
"Mrs.  Bickerdyke  had  tacked  upon  the 
wall,  and  this  told  the  inquirers  from  what 
branch  of  the  Commission  the  supplies 
were  obtained.  The  men  were  mostly  from 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey, 
and  most  grateful  recipients  were  they  of 
the  generosity  of  the  Northwest. 

You  can  imagine  the  effort  made  to  sup- 
ply two  barrels  of  coffee,  with  only  three 
eamp  kettles,  two  iron  boilers,  holding  two 


pailfuls,  one  small  iron  teakettle;  and  one 
saucepan  to  make  it  in.  These,  aU  placed 
over  a  dry  rail  fire,  were  boiled  iii  double 
quick  time,  and  were  flUed  and  refilled  till 
aU  had  a  portion.  Chicago  canned  milk 
never  gave  more  comfort  than  on  this  oc- 
casion, I  assure  you.  Our  cooking  conve- 
niences are  much  the  same  as  at  Missionary 
Bidge,  but  there  is  to  be  a  change  soon. 
The  Medical  Director  informs  me  that  this 
is  to  be  a  recovering  hospital,  and  cooking 
apparatus  will  soon  be  provided. 

'ExELD  HospiiAi.,  Besaca,  Ga.,  May  WOi. 

All  convalescents  are  this  morning  order- 
ed from  this  hospital.  Mrs.  B.  and  my- 
self feel  that  we  must  leave  these,  now  com- 
paratively provided  for,  and  hasten  to  the 
front,  to  those  who  are  in  the  condition  in 
which  we  found  these.  Many  of  the  wound- 
ed are  doing  well.  All  who  will  recover 
are  improving.  Yesterday  we  received  from 
government  tents,  cots  and  other  comforts 
for  the  relief  of  our  wounded,  who  have 
beeil  lying  on  the  groimd,  though  bunks 
have  been  prepared  for  taany. 

Mrs.  Bickerdyke  -is  moving  among  the 
wounded,  and  is  doing  good  as  she  has  op- 
portunity. Last  night  as  I  slept  in  my  t&nt, 
surrounded  by  the  wounded,  I  was  awak- 
ened by  dreadful  cries  and  groans,  as  if  of 
one  in  distress.  It  continued,  seeming 
like  the  death  agonies  of  a  strong  man. 
My  first  impulse  was  to  go  to  him,  but  that 
I  could  not  do.  At  length  the  groans 
ceased,  and  when  I  inquired  of  our  sur- 
geon, from  whose  tent  they  proceeded,  he 
said  it  was  a  wounded  rebel  prisoner,  who 
died  in  the  night.  The  rebel  wounded 
bear  their  sufferings  less  bravely  than  Our 
men. 

KiKGSTOM,  Geobgia,  May  23d. 

Yesterday  morning  we  arrived  at  Kings- 
ton, sleeping  in  cars,  and  accompaiiied  by 
ofSoers,  and  a  minister  sent  by  the  Chris- 
tian Commission.  The  cars  were  filled 
with  sacks  of  com  upon  which  we  rested. 
We  reached  here  and  took  breakfast  with 
agents  of  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Com- 
missions. There  is  great  hurrying  to  and 
fro,  for  an  order  has  been  issued  for  a  for- 
ward move  to-morrow,  and  all  are  making 
preparations.  Bations  for  twenty  days  are 
ordered.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  took  an  ?,mbu- 
lance  and  rode  out  to  Gen.  McPherson's 


The  Sanitary  Cdmmisaton  Sulhtin. 


head-quarters,  to  learn  from  tiim  what  we 
should  plan  to  do.  The  General  encour- 
aged our  going  forward,  by  assuring  us 
that  transportation  should  be  furnished  for 
our  sanitary  goods.  On  the  matter  of 
transportation.  Col.  Smith,  or  rather  the 
Quarter-Master  of  the  corps,  informed  us 
that  the  best  ambulance  and  driver  should 
be  at  our  command,  if  we  would  go  for- 
ward, and  that  our  services  were  apprecia- 
ted so  highly,  that  everything  should  be 
done  to  facilitate  and  aid  us  in  our  work. 
From  other  officers  we  received  the  same 
assurance.  We  took  out  a  few  comforts  to 
the  batteries,  and  found  them  in  remarka- 
ble health  and  spirits,  considering  the 
struggle  through  which  they  had  passed. 

May  33d. 
Sanitary  agents  have  issued  several  tons 
of  vegetables  and  other  sanitary  goods,  to- 
day, to  the  different  divisions  of  this  great 
army.  Mrs.  Biokerdyke  has  received  this 
morning  a  large  supply  for  our  use  among 
the  wounded,  which  are  to  be  sent  forward 
to  be  in  readiness  for  the  next  contest, 
which  is  no  doubt  near  at  hand.  The  In- 
diana agent  sent  us  supplies  at  Besaca 
which  we  have  reserved  for  the  coming 
want.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  was  greeted  on 
the  street  by  a  soldier  on  horseback: 
" Mother,"  said  he,  "  is  that  you  ?  Don't 
you  remember  me  2  I  was  in  the  Hospi- 
tal, my  arm  amputated,  and  I  was  saved  by 
your  kindness.  I  am  so  glad  to  see  yoa," 
giving  her  a  beautiful  bouquet  of  ros^s,  the 
only  token  of  grateful  remembrance  he 
could  command.  Mrs.  B.  daily  receives 
such  greetings  from  men,  who  say  they 
have  been  saved  from  death  by  her  efforts. 
The  blessing  of  many  ready  to  perish  is  no 
small  reward,  and  it  is  hers  in  overflowing 
measure. 

itav  MOt. 

Last  evening  two  or  three  hundred  ex- 
hausted men  were  sent  here  faint  and  weary. 
Mrs.  B.  and  myself  tried  with  what  means 
we  had,  to  meet  their  necessities.  Mrs.  B. 
made  them  coffee,  and  we  gave  them  pic- 
kles and  other  food,  which  refreshed  them 
greatly.  They  felt  that  if  they  could  rest 
and  have  enough  to  eat,  such  as  they  need- 
ed, they  would  soon  be  able  to  do  duty. 
This  morning  the  surgeon  of  a  hos^tal 


called  to  ask  that  we  would  go  and  help  him 
in  his  work,  which  we  promised  to  do. 

About  an  hour  ago  a  great  excitement 
prevailed,  as  it  was  said  the  rebels  were 
coming  upon  us  with  a  dash.  Such  a 
stampede  among  the  stragglers,  and  so 
many  pale  faces  I  have  not  before  seen. 
We  were  having  our  boxes  shipped  for  Be- 
safla.  Hastened  by  the  fright  most  of  them 
were  shipped,  but  four  or  five  valuable 
packages  remain,  and  we  design  to  get  them 
off  as  soon  as  possible,  ,as  it  is  thought  gu- 
errillas will  make  another  attempt  here. 

FZSIJ>  HoSFZTAXi  T7MDEB  OABS  OF  Db.  WBIQHT^  1 

May  iSth.  j 

Yesterday,  as  the  trains  were  passing 
about  four  miles  from  here,  they  were  at- 
tacked by  our  enemies.  Four  soldiers  who 
had  dismounted  were  killed,  first  slightly 
wounded,  then  evidently  knocked  on  the 
head  with  a  gun  or  club.  That  was  the  sur- 
geon's testimony,  and  the  most  inexperi- 
enced observer  would  come  to  the  same  con- 
clusion, who  looked  upon  their  bruised, 
broken  faces.  What  exhibitions  do  we 
daily  receive  of  the  chivalry  of  our  high- 
minded  southern  foes  ?  Could  Satan  him- 
self give  stronger  proofs  of  his  love  of  evil 
than  these  devoted  servants  of  their  master  ? 

Last  evening,  having  seen  most  x>i  our 
sanitary  goods  on  the  cars,  I  left  the  town, 
which  it  was  thought  might  be  filled  with 
rebels  to-day,  and  came  to  this  field  hospi- 
tal. Mrs.  Bickerdyke  had  taken  a  few  ar- 
ticles and  gone  up  in  the  morning,  with 
men  and  women  to  clean  and  put  things  in 
order  to  feed  and  comfort  the  sad,  exhaust- 
ed and  wounded  soldiers.  I  found  the 
house  filled  with  such  already.  The  beau- 
tiful, but  fiJ.thy  premises,  under  her  direc- 
tion had  been  made  comfortably  clean,  and 
now  the  floors  were  covered  with  soldiers, 
resting  their  weary  heads  on  knapsacks  or 
blouses,  many  of  them  without  blankets 
even.  On  the  march  they  have  thrown 
everything  away,  because  they  are  so  bur- 
dened. They  often  start  with  very  heavy 
burdens,  unwilling  to  give  up  any  of  the 
little  comforts  they  have .  gathered  about 
them,  but  as  the  heat  increases  and  the  sol- 
diers become  weary,  one  thing  after  another 
is  thrown  away,  until  only  their  knapsacks 
which  contain  their  rations,  and  their  cups 
remain. 


664 


The  Scmitary  Commission  BvRebin. 


The  failing  and  faint-hearted  are  con- 
stantly coming  in.  They  report  themselves 
sick,  and  a  few  days  of  rest  and  nourishing 
food  will  restore  most  of  them,  but  some 
have  made  their  last  maich,  and  will  soon 
be  laid  in  a  soldier's  grave!  Mrs.  B.  has 
sent  gruel  and  other  food,  which  I  have 
been  distributing  according  to  the  wants  of 
the  prostrate  multitude,  all  on  the  floor. 
Some  are  very  sick  men!  It  is  a  pleasure 
to  do  something  for  them.  They  are  all 
dear  to  some  circle,  and  are  a  noble  com- 
pany. Two  hundred  are  gathered  here. 
Sanitary  goods  are  our  dependence  in  tak- 
ing care  of  them.  We  have  received  lib- 
erally from  the  Western  Commission,  and 
some  very  valuable  articles  from  the  Chris- 
tian Commission,  and  have  made  them  tell 
upon  the  comfort  of  those  ready  to  perish. 
How  often  do  I  hear  the  remark,  "What 
should  we  have  done  but  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission  ?"  We  suffer  the  greatest  in- 
convenience from  the  want  of  cooking 
utensils.  It  is  very  hard  work  to  provide 
food  for  so  many  hundreds,  without  any 
other  convenience  than  an  out-door  fire, 
under  the  heat  of  a  summer  sun.  A  tent 
does  not  exclude  this  heat.  Soup  kettles 
and  large  ranges  would  diminish  the  labor, 
and  add  greatly  to  our  ability  to  be  useful. 
Mrs.  Bickerdyke  applied  to  LouisviUe  for 
such  aid,  knowing  by  experience  the  hard 
service  which  must  be  required,  but  they 
have  not  come,  probably  on  account  of  dif- 
ficulty in  the  way  of  transportation,  and 
she  will  toil  on  without  them  uhtU  her 
strong  constitution  is  undermined,  I  fear. 

Wednesday. 

Heavy  firing  was  heard  in  front  yester- 
day. To-day  three  hundred  and  twelve 
men  have  been  fed  and  comforted  here. 
This  morning  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  made  mush 
for  two  hundred,  having  gathered  up  in 
various  places  kettles,  so  that  by  great  ef- 
fort out  of  doors  she  can  cook  something. 
Potatoes,  received  from  Iowa,  and  dried 
fruit  and  canped,  have  been  distributed 
among  the  men.  Many  of  them  are  from 
Iowa.  "What  could  we  do  without  these 
stores  ?"  is  the  constant  inquiry. 

May  36. 

I  have  visited  the  deserted  hospitals  near 
us,  erected  after  Chattanooga  was  shelled 


by  our  troops,  as  I  was  informed  by  a  lady 
who  lives  near.  They  are  of  sufficient  size 
to  accommodate  1,000  sick  and  .wounded 
men,  are  built  according  to  the  directions 
of  their  Medical  Board,  ajad  are  altogether 
the  best  arrangements  for  a  temporary  hos- 
pital which  I  have  seen,  nothing  wanting 
for  convenience  or  comfort,  and  the  loca- 
tion one  of  the  best  that  could  have  been 
chosen.  The  rebels  know  how  tof  take  care 
of  themselves.  They  were  hurried  out  of 
the  hospital  last  week,  and  as  they  evacu- 
ated took  their  sick  with  them.  The  place 
we  occupy  is  by  no  means  as  convenient, 
this  being  a  private  residence  merely.  But 
the  plan  is  to  send  our  men  North,  if  they 
cannot  go  forward.  Hundreds  have  al- 
ready gone,  and  multitudes  are  on  the  way. 
A  company  of  poor  white  women  came  to 
see  us  this  morning,  who  said,  "  Georgia 
never  went  out  of  the  Union  of  her  own 
free  wiU,  but  she  could  not  help  herself." 
They  say,  '"  our  children  are  to  be  bound 
out  to  the  planters-,  and  we  put  into  the 
hospitals  to  do  the  work,  and  thus  be  sep- 
arated from  our  children;  we  know  they'll 
do  it  if  they  can.  The  ladies  say  that  they 
will  have  our  children  for  servants  if  they 
can't  get  the  niggers,  and  they  will." 

May  270. 

Andrew  SomervDle,  a  faithful  soldier,  who 
went  down  to  Beseca  with  our  sanitary 
goods,  after  having  put  them  into  Mr. 
Jones  (the  agent's]  hands,  was  overpowered 
by  a  band  of  drunken  soldiers,  who  were 
on  a  wild  robbing  expedition.  They  took 
some  things  after  having  knocked  him 
down.  A  guard  was  called  and  military 
power  exerted  to  arrest  them.  A  telegranx 
from  Bome  asking  for  sanitary  goods.  I 
shall  go  to  Besaoa  for  them  as  the  wounded 
are  suffering. 

May  28(A. 

There  is  heavy  firing  in  the  direction  of 
Bome.  I  concluded  to  telegraph  to  Be- 
saca  and  wait  until  to-day.  Everything  in- 
dicates the  necessity  of  comforts  for  the 
wounded.  There  is  a  sharp  contest  going 
on  to  protect  a  gap  in  the  mountains. 

Maty  Wek. 

Last  evening,  in  view  of  the  wants  of  the 
wounded,  who  were  reported  coming  in  to 
be  sent  .forward,  I  went  to  Besaca  to  get 
supplies,  and  returned  this  morning. 


The  Sanitary  Commiaaion  BvRebm. 


665 


To-day  we  hear  of  dreadful  dangliter 
and  suflfering,  and  we  are  told  that  a  train  of 
ambulances  is  on  its  way  to  this  point  with 
the  wounded.  The  Colonel  of  the  83d  Ohio 
Begiment  ran  into  our  room  to  ask  for  sup- 
plies to  go  out  to  his  regiment;  Dr.  Everett 
of  the  10th  Iowa  also.  We  shall  give  them 
all  we  can  spare.  But,  if  our  supplies 
were  increased  four-fold,  we  could  easily 
use  them. 

In  another  letter,  dated  Kingston,  Geo., 
June  1st,  Mrs.  Porter  says:  "We  have  re- 
ceived, fed,  and  comforted  at  this  hospital, 
during  the  past  week,  between  4,000  and 
5,000  wounded  men,  and  still  they  come. 
Our  sanitary  stores  are  just  what  we  need, 
and  to-day  we  have  received  a  quantity 
from  Besaca,  and  a  telegram  from  Mr. 
Bead,  United  States  Sanitary  Agent  at 
Chattanooga,  requesting  us  to  draw  upon 
that  depot  for  anything  we  need,  which  we 
shall  be  glad  to  do.  All  the  food  and  cloth- 
ing have  passed  under  our  supervision, 
and,  indeed,  almost  every  garment  has  been 
given  out  by  our  hands.  Almost  every  ar- 
ticle of  special  diet  has  been  cooked  by 
Mrs.  Bickerdyke  personliUy,  and  aU  has 
been  superintended  by  her.  I  speak  of 
this  particularly,  as  it  is  a  wonderful  ful- 
fillment of  the  promise,  'As  thy  day  is,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be.'  " 

Again,  writing  from  Alatoona,  Ga.,  June 
14th:  "I  have  just  visited  a  tent  fiUed  with 
•amputated  cases.'  They  are  noble  young 
men,  the  pride  and  hope  of  loving  families 
at  the  North,  but  most  of  them  are  so  low 
that  they  wiU  never  again  return  to  them. 
Each  had  a  special  request  for  '  something 
that  he  could  relish.'  I  made  my  way 
quickly  down  from  the  heights,  where  the 
hospital  tents  are  pitched,  and  sought  for 
the  food  they  craved.  I  found  it  among 
the  goods  of  the  Sanitary  Commission — 
and  now  the  dried  currants,  cherries,  and 
other  fruit  are  stewing;  we  have  unsoldered 
cans  containing  condensed  milk  and  pre- 
served fruit — and  the  poor  fellows  will  not 
be  disappointed  in  their  expectations." 

We  refrain  from  saying  much  that  we 
know  about  Mrs.  Porter's  labors  in  the 
Western  Department,  where  she  has  b^n 


most  of  the  time  since  the  war  began,  her 
modesty  even  in  the  foregoing  report  lead- 
ing her  to  speak  of  others  rather  than  her- 
self, but  as  children  often  illustrate  the 
parents,  we  insert  an  incident  of  the  late 
severe  battle  before  Atlanta,  as  we  find  it 
described  by  a  correspondent  of  the  New 
York  Tribune: 

"Speaking  of  artillery  and  heroism,  I 
should  notice  the  gallant  conduct  of  private 
James -B.  Porter,  of  Battery  A.,  1st  Illinois 
Light  Artillery,  on  the  22d.  This  young 
man,  who  has  served  his  country  over  three 
years,  having  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  has 
won  the  love  and  respect  of  both  officers 
and  privates  by  the  modest  bravery  he 
has  from  time  to  timeiczhibited.  On  the 
22d  instant  his  section  was  posted  near  our 
skirmish  line  in  front  of  Gen.  Morgan  L. 
Smith,  2d  Division,  15th  Corps,  when  the 
111th  lUinois  and  53d  Ohio,  Col.  Jones, 
were  driven  in  by  a  superior  force  of  the 
enemy,  who  made  a  dash  at  the  two  guns  and 
captured  them.  Young  Porter  remained 
faithfully  at  his  post  till  the  rebels  fairly 
swarmed  over  the  battery,  when  he  deter- 
mined not  to  surrender,  and  fell  as  though 
mortally  wounded  at  the  side  of  a  dead 
comrade,  and  for  half  an  hour  he  feigned 
to  be  dead,  during  which  time  he  was  kick- 
ed twice,  and  was  nearly  crushed  to  death 
by  the  crowd  of  rebels  flocking  to  examine 
the  guns. 

The  tide  of  victory,  it  will  be  remember- 
ed, suddenly  turned,  and  our  troops  were 
pursuing  the  retreating  foe.  As  soon  as 
Porter  discovered  that  the  "  Johnnies" 
were  falling  back  pretty  rapidly,  he  seized 
a  musket  belonging  to  a  dead  infantryman 
who  lay  close  beside  him  in  a,  pool  of  blood, 
and  gathering  up  a  handful  of  cartridges, 
he  was  not  long  in  loading  the  musket  and 
sending  its  leaden  messengers  after  the  de- 
ceived "chivalry."  Yesterday  young  Por- 
ter was  Acting  Orderly  Sergeant,  and  had 
charge  of  two  pieces  of  artillery  which  were 
held  in  reserve  in  rear  of  our  main  line. 
Private  James  B.  Porter  is  a  son  of  the 
Eev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  now  serving  as 
Chaplain  of  the  same  battery  to  which  his 
son  is  attached.  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Porter  has 
devoted  her  services  for  the  past  six  months 
to  the  care  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers 
in  this  army,  enduring  untold  hardships. 
The  three  members  of  this  family  are  all 
with  this  army  at  the  present  time.  Young 
Porter  is  an  educated  Christian  gentleman, 
and  a  fine  specimen  of  the  true  American 
volunteer  soldier,  having  graduated  with 
high  honors  at  Beloit  College." 


666 


The  Sanita/ry  Commisawti  BiiUetiru 


WHAT   THE  AUXILIABT  RESiIEP  PORPS 
HAS  DONE. 

"We  conclude  in  the  present  number  the 
extracts  from  the  interesting  letters  from 
the  Auxiliaxy  Belief  Corps,  publication  of 
which  was  commenced  in  the  BpttiKtik  of 
Angnist  15. 

Mb.  S.  F.  Jaymu. 
a  coloked  hospitad. 

About  the  20th  of  June  last  a  special 
field  hospital  for  colored  troops  was  estab- 
lished at  this  place.  A  squad  of  Sanitary 
Relief  Corps,  under  direction  of  Miss  Helen 
L.  Grilson,  has  been  here  for  three  weeks, 
giving  attention  in  various  ways  to  the  sick 
and  wounded — ^in  the  same  manner  as  to 
white  soldiers.  It  has  in  this  time  admin- 
istered to  some  three  hundred  sick  and 
wounded  men.  It  has  furnished  all  of  the 
light  diet  for  the  hospital. 

A  large  majority  of  those  admitted  to  this 
hospit^  have  been  the  sick;  therefore,  the 
demand  for  light  diet  has  been  greater  than 
for  the  same  number  of  wounded  men.  In 
many  respects  the  work  here  is  peculiar. 
While  the  men  are  patient  in  their  suffer- 
ings, they  are  generally  otherwise  childish, 
with  little  judgment  in  taking  care  of  them- 
selves. It  is  often  difficult  to  ascertain 
their  diseases;  and  they  give  vague  and 
unsatisfactory  answers  when  questioned  in 
regard  to  them. 

Nearly  aU  complain  of  "misery  in  the 
breast,"  and  very  many  have  diseases  of 
the  lungs  added  to  other  troubles.  It  is 
evident  that  many  have  been  allowed  to 
enter  the  service  who  are  physically  inca- 
pable of  performing  the  duties  of  the 
soldier. 

The  hospital,  until  lately,  has  been  quite 
deficient  in  the  means  necessary  for  mak- 
ing the  men  comfortable.  Many  were  for 
a  long  time  without  beds.  The  wards  were 
not  supplied  with  cups  and  spoons,  and 
other  conveniences  for  feeding  the  men. 
Many  of  these  things  we  have  furnished 
for  them.  Among  other  things,  some  two 
hundred  tin  cups,  one  hundred  spoons, 
thirty  wash-basins,  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five beds,  two  hundred  shirts  and  drawers, 
a  large  number  of  blankets,  socks,  towels, 
handkerchiefs,  head -rests,  fans,  oranges, 
lemons,  etc. 

Few  of  the  nurses  are  fit  for  their  duties, 
being  entirely  without  experience  in  taking 
care  of  the  sick.  ^Many  of  them  were  near- 
ly sick  when  assigned  to  duty.  Few  of 
them  can  read  or  write,  and  it  was  deemed 
unsafe  to  intrust  them  with  the  administra- 
tion of  medicine. 

The  hospital  has  suffered  from  want  of 
sufficient  help  to  do  the  police  and  other 
work  necessary  to  keep  things  orderly  and 
clean. 


Besides  the  daily  amount  of  light  diet, 
we  have  several  times  furnished  crackers  in 
bulk  to  the  steward,  upon  his  requisition  to 
supply  deficiencies  in  his  bread  rations. 
We  furnish  stimulants  twice  a  day  to  all  of 
the  low  cases  that  need  it.  Besides  a 
liberal  distribution  of  indispensable  arti- 
cles, many  little  comforts  have  been  fur- 
nished to  the  men.  Letters  have  been 
written  for  them,  for  which  they  appear 
especially  grateful.  The  Bible  has  been 
read  to  them,  and  some  religious  instruc- 
tion given  to  them,  which  they  always 
listen  to  with  interest  and  delight.  Many  of 
those  who  cannot  read  express  a  strong 
desire  to  learn,  and  in  order  to  encourage 
this  feeling,  some  two  hundred  spelling 
books  have  been  ordered  for  them. 

It  is  hoped  that  opportunity  may  be 
found  to  afford  them  systematically  some 
instruction,  religious  and  otherwise,  for 
which  their  simple-hearted  and  childish 
natures  are  ever  eager.  It  is  also  hoped 
that  our  efforts  for  these  men  may  become 
constantly  more  effective. 

Besides  the  sick  and  wounded,  there  are 
in  camp  here  about  fifty  fugitive  slaves, 
women  and  children.  They  are  very  desti- 
tute, and  we  have  supplied  them  to  some 
extent  with  needed  articles.  They  now 
receive  rations  from  the  Government,  and 
some  of  the  women  are  employed  in  wash- 
ing and  cooking  for  the  hospitaL 

Rev.  W.  J.  PoTTEK, 

AT  VAEIOUS    "bases." 

I  entered  the  service  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  at  Fredericksburg,  about  the 
20th  of  May.  The  Commission  had  done 
its  greatest  work  there  before  my  arrival, 
but  stiU  its  agents  were  very  busy.  The 
wounded  men  being  removed  to  Washing- 
ton, and  one  element  of  the  Commission.'s 
work  to  which  I  was  first  introduced,  was 
the  caring  for  the  sufferers  while  they  were 
being  transported  from  the  hospitals  to  the 
boats  and  cars.  The  trains  particularly 
were  very  irregular  in  their  times  of  run- 
ning, and  in  their  capacity  for  carrying. 
Several  times  wounded  men  were  taken 
over  the  river  for  a  particular  train,  who 
had  to  wait  several  hours,  or  the  whole 
night  without  any  provision  for  rations  or 
shelter,  until  the  train  should  leave.  Once 
a  train  was  loaded,  and  for  some  reason  the 
men  were  again  taken  out  and  placed  on 
the  ground  for  the  night.  A  certain  num- 
ber of  the  Commission  were  called  upon 
for  several  nights  in  succession  to  go  over 
and  feed  and  care  for  the  men  the  best 
way  they  could. 

It  was  a  hard  service;  the  nights  were 
dark,  once  or  twice  rainy,  and  the  ground 
was  very  muddy;  there  was  nothing  to 
make  the  service  pleasant,  save  the  con- 
sciousness that  many  a  poor  sufferer  was 


The  Sanitary  Commiaaion  BiiUeHn. 


667 


relieved  of  some  of  His  wretchedness,  and 
many  a  one  who  must  otherwise  have  per- 
ished, was  saved  to  life.  The  Government 
had  done  little  or  nothing  for  these  detained 
men.  It  was  left  for  the  Sanitary  and 
other  charitable  Commissions  to  provide 
for  their  wants. 

I  worked  also  at  Fredericksburg,  in  the 
6th  Corps'  Hospital,  during  the  last  few 
days  that  Fredericksburg  was  held  by  our 
army.  ^  The  Sanitary  Commission  furnish- 
ed largely  to  this  hospital,  both  in  the  way 
of  articles  of  food  and'clothing,  and  its 
agents  were  indefatigable  as  nurses. 

.At  Port  Boyal,  the  next  base,  no  hospi- 
tals were  established,  and  our  work  was  to 
care  for  the  wounded  from  the  general 
feeding  station,  as  they  came  in,  and  dur- 
ing the  day  or  two  that  they  might  remain 
in  the  viUage  before  being  sent  North. 
We  met  the  wagon  trains  with  their  suffer- 
ing freight,  half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  our  station,  with  buckets  of  soup  and 
tea,  and  milk  and  punch,  and  crackers. 

pztensr  than  not,  the  train?  arriyei  by 
night,  so  that  our  work  was  quite  as  much 
by  night  as  by  day.  Some  of  our  party 
carried  merely  water  for  Wetting  wounds — 
a  service  that  was  welcome  as  any — others 
were  dressers,  and  dressed  the  wounds  of 
the  men  in  the  wagons  or  by  the  way-side. 

The  houses  and  stores,  too,  were  filled 
with  wounded,  and  these  also  were  looked 
np  and  cared  for,  untU  they  were  removed. 

At  White  House  the  same  work  was  re- 
newed— only  the  hospitals  took  more  per- 
manent shape,  and  more  system  could  be 
introduced.  I  was  here  assigned  to  service 
under  Mr.  Marshall,  in  the  9th  Corps,  with 
which  I  have  since  been  connected. 

On  coming  to  City  Point,  the  withdrawal 
of  Mr.  Marshall  left  me  in  charge  of  the 
Sanitary  work  for  the  9th  Corps'  Hospital. 
We  established  our  tent  on  Sunday,  June 
19fch;  only  a  few  hospital  tents  had  then 
been  erected,  and  there  were  only  sixty 
patients  present.  These  were  but  slightly 
wounded,  and  were  able  to  walk.  The 
next  day  a  train  of  three  hundred  more 
severely  wounded  arrived,  and  in  a  few 
days  our  number  went  up  to  twelve  hun- 
dred, but  the  hospital  is  now  reduced  by 
removals  to  three  hundred  and  thirty-eight, 
according  to  this  morning's  report.  I  esti- 
mate that  there  have  been  something  over 
two  thousand  different  patients  in  the  hos- 
pital during  the  three  weeks.  During  the 
first  two  weeks  we  issued  very  largely  of 
all  kinds  of  sanitary  stores,  particularly'of 
clothing.  Most  of  the  men.  On  account  of 
the  long  campaign,  and  the  heat  and  dust, 
came  in  very  needy.  We  gave  all  the 
worst  cases  clean  clothing.  It  has  not 
been  possible  to  keep  an  accurate  account 
of  all  the  stores  delivered,  but  I  judge  we 
have  given  out  at  least  one  thousand  shirts 
and  one  thousand  pairs  of  drawers.    The 


great  demand  is  now  over,  and  the  Govern- 
ment is  aLo  better  provided  with  supplies 
of  all  kinds  than  at  first.  The  tents  are 
now  all  furnished  with  bedsteads,  and  most 
of  them  with  mattresses.    - 

The  grounds  are  are  well  policed,  and 
the  hospital  is  being  put  into  the  condition 
of  a  permanent  general  hospital- as  rapidly 
as  possible.  On  an  average  we  have  had 
here  a  force  of  eight  or  nine  Sanitary 
agents.  These  are  assigned  to  sections  of 
five  or  six  wards  each,  and  attend  to  the 
distribution  of  sanitary  articles  through 
their  respective  sections,  and  somewhat  to 
cases  of  special  diet  and  to  the  wants  of 
the  patients  generally,  so  far  as  they  can  be 
supplied  from  dur  stores  or  by  personal 
care. 

One  of  our  number  has  busied  himself 
for  two  days  past  in  making  foot-tubs  for 
his  wards  out  of  tan^rind  kegs.  They 
prove  an  excellent  thing,  and  I  would  sug- 
gest whether  it  would  not  be  well  for  the 
Commission  to  furnish  foot-tubs  to  every 
hospital,  so  that  each  ward  may  have  one, 
or  something  that  will  answer  for  one. 


Eev.  a.  B.  Htdb. 
in  the  second  cobps. 

I  arrived  at  City  Point  June  24th.  Be- 
ing presented  to  Mr.  Fay,  and  finding  my 
old  college  friend.  Orange  Judd,  present, 
already  initiated  and  full  of  labers,  I  waa 
able  at  once  to  commence  some  efforts  to 
be  useful. 

That  evening  we  made  our  way  through 
"  a  hundred  circling  camps,"  reaching  the 
hospital  of  the  2d,  5th,  6th,  and  9th  Corps. 
For  two  hours  we  distributed  little  com- 
forts, newspapers,  tobacco,  etc.  The  next 
day  I  was  early  sent  to  the  ground,  and  had 
a  f  uU  view  of  the  work. 

To  bring  at  least  6,000  (we  counted  5,924 
without  counting  the  negro  cavalry)  suffer- 
ing men  to  anything  like  home  comfort, 
seemed  an  impossible  task. 

But  I  found  in  the  2d  Corps,  to  which  I 
was  assigned,  faithful  and  experienced 
men,  from  whom  I  learned  what  to  do  and 
.how  to  do  it.  To  feed  and  bathe,  to  get  a 
fan,  a  hat  and  handkerchief,  to  furnish 
paper  and  pencil,  perhaps  to  write  for  a 
helpless  man,  to  pity  and  pray  for  the  sick 
and  dying,  those  things  filled  up  the  day 
very  full. 

Pain  in  all  its  forms  was  before  us,  and 
as  we  tried  to  mitigate  it,  constant  bless- 
ings were  showered  on  the  Commission  and 
its  labors.  As  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  their 
maladies  allowed,  the  patients  were  remov- 
ed to  General  Hospitals.  But  there  waa 
yet  enough  to  be  done.  My  work  grew 
dearer  as  I  comprehended  it  better.  It  was 
with  pain  that  I  found  my  own  health  rap- 
idly failing,  and  obtaining  no  relief,  I  felt 


668 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


it  my  duty  to  return  home.  I  had  learned 
to  feel  the  highest  respect  for  my  fellow- 
workers,  and  had  seen  with  my  own  eyes 
the  excellent  humanities  of  tiie  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Mr.  a.  W.  Spebet. 
AT  crrr  point. 

I  have  to  report  that  the  members  of  the 
Belief  Corps  attached  to  the  6th  Corps'  Hos- 
pital at  the  base  arrived  at  this  place  on  the 
18th  ult.,  and  on  the  20th  took  up  its  place 
in  the  hospital  then  erecting. 

No  sick  or  wounded  arrived  for  several 
dajfs,  giving  us  time  for  preparation  to  re- 
ceive them.  Several  wards  of  tents  were 
erected,  bedsteads  of  poles  with  bed-sacks 
filled  with  hay  were  furnished,  and  the 
kitchen  pul  in  order.  When,  at  length, 
■wounded  and  sick  did  come  in,  they  were 
placed  in  comfortable  quarters  and  oared 
for  immediately.  We  have  thus  far  been 
able  to  keep  in  advance  of  the  demand  upon 
us.  Several  hundred  beds  are,  and  have 
been  in  constant  readiness.  The  largest 
number  of  patients  at  any  one  time  has 
been  about  eight  hundred. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  this  hospital 
is  excellent.  The  camp  has  been  thorough- 
ly policed,  the  sinks  kept  free  from  odor, 
and  the  wards  have  been  carefully  cleansed 
of  impurities..  No  cases  of  camp  disease  of 
any  kind  have  occurred.  Men  come  in 
stripped  of  everything,  without  as  much  as 
a  tin  cup,  and  with  clothing  dirty  beyond 
description.  In  several  instances  they  have 
arrived  when  there  were  no  Government 
stores  to  draw  upon.  Then  our  men  have 
gone  about  among  them,  and  with  their  own 
hands  furnished  nice  clean  shirts,  drawers, 
and  socks,  in  exchange  for  those  covered 
■with  blood,  dust  and  vermin;  and  cups  and 
spoons  with  which  to  take  their  food. 

To  the  "light  diet"  kitchen,  we  have 
furnished  delicacies  and  vegetables,  and 
two  kettles  for  cooking  them.  Personal  in- 
fipection  has  proved  that  the  food  furnished 
has  been  well  cooked,  as  a  rule,  and  that  it 
has  reached  the  men. 

In  many  ways  the  men  feel  the  influence 
of  the  Commission  besides  in  diet  and  cloth- 
ing. In  our  daily  visits  to  the  wards,  we 
carry  soap,  towels,  handkerchiefs,  tobacco, 
pipes,  sponges,  letter-paper  and  envelopes, 
Oranges,  lemons,  sugar,  &c.,  &c. 

A  full  supply  of  checker-boards  and  puz- 
zles kept  the  convalescents  busy  for  days, 
while  last,  but  not  least,  a  half  hundred 
Jews-harps  made  the .  camp  musical  to  the 
point  of  genuine  fun. 

At  Fredericksburg,  as  a  private  arrange- 
ment, we  employed  colored  women  to  wash 
clothing  that  would  not  otherwise  have 
been  washed.  At  White  House  the  enter- 
prise was  undertaken  by  the  Commission, 
bat  the  change  of  base  prevented  anything 


being  done  befoje  coming  here)  the  work 
was  again  taken  up.  After  the  first  few 
days  a  washing-machine  was  furnished,  two 
caldrons  were  set  up,  and  three  colored 
women  employed-  at  an  expense  of  eight 
dollars  per  month,  the  Government  giving 
them  rations.  Although  unable  to  get  suf- 
ficient water,  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
pieces  have  been  washed  daily;  and  now, 
with  additional  women,  furnished  by  Gov- 
ernment, fifty  blankets  and  a  hundred  pie- 
ces of  clothing  can  be  washed  each  day. 

No  enterpise  has  paid  as  well  for  the 
money  invested.  Although  a  proportion 
of  the  clothing  washed  thus  far  would  have 
been  thrown  away  had  it  not  been  for  the 
conveniences  furnished  by  the  Commission, 

In  conclusion,  experience  has  thus  far 
shown,  that  except  in  extreme  cases,  when 
there  is  a  large  and  sudden  influx  of  pa- 
tients, the  work  of  dressing  and  nursing 
pan  be  weU  performed  by  the  regular  hos- 
pital attendants,  while  personal  attention 
is  given  to  the  diet  kitchen  and  the  distri- 
bution of  miscellaneous  articles  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Commission.  In  this  way 
we  can  be  certain  that  the  right  things 
reach  the  right  men  at  the  right  time. 

WESTERN  DEPARTMENT. 

The  following  list  gives  the  principal 
shipments  from  the  Depot  at  Louisville  to 
Gen.  Sherman's  army,  from  the  2d  of  June 
to  the  25th  of  July: 


113  blankets. 

198  bed  ticks. 

2,107  pillows. 

2,990  pillow  cases. 

1,GOO  sheets. 

8,963  shirts. 

6,531  pairs  drawers. 

285  dressing  gowns. 

1,249  pairs'slippers. 

9,165  towels  and  handk'chs, 

263  pairs  socks. 

15,321  lbs.  bandages  &  rags. 

1,047  cushions  and  pads. 

241  pin  cushions. 

60,447  lbs.  crackers. 

45,986  lbs.  dried  fruit. 

12,306  lbs.  cod  fish. 

7,620  lbs  butter. 

12,047  bota.  wine  k  spirits. 

74  galls,  apple  butter. 


3,611  galls,  pickles. 

4,119  bush,  potatoes. 

1,874  galls,  ale  and  cider. 

3,110  lbs.  pearl  barley. 

1,886  lbs.  corn  starch. 

4,623  lbs.  farina. 

920  mosquito  bars. 

231  arm  slings. 

276  finger  stalls. 

3,466  tma. 

162  bota.  lime  Juice. 

980  cans  oysters. 

80  tons  ioe. 

3,690  lbs.  concen'd  beef. 

25,920  lbs.      "        milk. 

317  lbs.  dried  beef. 

77  boxes  oranges  &  lemons. 

2,370  doz.  eggs. 

2,279  cans  £rult. 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  GULF. 

IThixed  Statbb  Sasitabt  Commissios,! 
Depabtmbht  of  the  Gulf,     J 
New  Obleahb,  July  28M,  1864. 
T.  W.  Shebuah,  Brig.-Gea., 

Commanding  D^fmtes  of  New  Orleans: 
GENEBAii — I  have  to-day  the  honor  of 
submitting,  in  accordance  ■with  your  re- 
quest, the  enclosed  schedule  of  issues  from 
the  depot  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion in  this  city  to  the  troops  -within  this 
Department,  for  the  quarter  ending  July  1, 
1864. 

It  represents  very  fairly  the  character  of 
our  supplies,  as  weU  as  the  average  rate  of 
their  disbursement. 


The  Sanitary  Commisswn  Bulletin.  ' 


669 


The  market  value  of  these  issues  ■would, 
probably,  somewhat  exceed  seventy-flve 
thousand  dollars. 

About  30  per  eent.  of  our  issues  have  been 
used  in  the  general  hospitals  of  the  Depart- 
ment, or  have  been  employed  in  furnishing 
and  equipping  the  boats  engaged  in  the 
hospital  transport  service. 

Most  of  our  stores,  however,  are  sent 
directly  into  the  field,  and  in  the  hands  of 
responsible  agents,  are  distributed,  mainly 
through  the  Medical  Department — ■wher- 
ever and  whenever  there  may  be  an  occa- 
sion for  the  use  of  extraordinary  supplies. 

It  has  never  been  the  purpose  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  at  any  time  to  com- 
pete ■with  the  Government  in  the  very  lib- 
eral provision  it  has  made  for  the  comfort 
and  health  of  our  armies.  The  distribution 
of  supplies  constitutes  but  one  of  the  agen- 
cies of  the  Commission.  In  many  ■ways  it 
has  endeavored  to  aid  the  soldier,  and  pro- 
mote and  encourage  the  eflSciency  of  the 
service.  Still  I  am  happy  in  beibg  able  to 
assure  you  that  it  is  a  matter  of  no  little 
satisfaction  that  the  more  material  results 
of  our  efforts  should  have  been  included 
among  the  "  resources"  of  the  military  au- 
thorities in  this  Department. 
Yours  very  respectfully, 

Ed^wabd  a.  Granb, 

Agent  XT.  S.  Sa/nitary  ComwMsiim, 

Issues  from,  ihi  Depot  of  the  V.  S.  Scmitary  CommisHon  at 
New  Orle  ins.  Department  of  the  Gu%  for  the  Quarter 
ending  Jvme  30,  1864. 

HOaPZTAI.  FlTBNITUIlE,  &C. 

2,2U  towels. 
399  tin  cups. 
63  tin  basins. 
24  urinals. 

60  flannel  bandages. 
16  eye  shades. 

61  prs.  crutches. 
16  lbs.  chloroform. 
36  bots.  chloride  of  soda. 
1,412  fans. 
16  bblg.  old  linen  &  cotton 


446  blanhets. 
862  bed  ticks. 
11  bed  pans. 
862  cushions. 
2  head  rests. 

19  lanterns. 
72  medicine  cups. 
699  mosquito  bars. 
623  pillows. 
2,318  pillow  cases. 
143  pillow  ticks. 
426  quilts. 

2,627  sheets. 
98  sponges. 

20  yds.  oil  silk. 

4  yds.  rubber  sheeting. 
137  lbs.  soap. 


lOK  bbls.  roll  bandages. 
21  arm  slings. 
20  lbs.  candles. 
13  catheters. 


4,871  prs.  cotton  drawers. 
999  prs.  woolen         '* 
740  prs.  canton  flannel  do. 
3,446  handkerchief 
343  prs.  pants. 
6,603  cotton  shirts. 
1,663  woolen      " 
682  canton  fl.    " 

HospiTAi.  Food 
860  lbs.  beef  stock. 
1,463  lbs.  chocolate. 
3,942  lbs.  condensed  milk. 
1,867  lbs.  com  starch. 
1,748  lbs.  farina. 
310  cans  canned  fruit. 
621  cans  canned  tomatoes. 
1  bbl.  pop  cotn. 
30  casts  lemons. 
600  cases  bread. 
3  kegs  butter. 
66  bottles  bermo  plant. 
39  lbs.  arrow  root. 
66  lbs. ,  cocoa. 


OloIthihg. 


1,639  combs. 
172  prs.  shoes. 
1,726  prs.  slippers. 
2,414  prs.  socks. 
934  wrappers. 
181  coats. 
19  vests. 
139  hair  brushes. 

AND  DZI.1CACIES. 

X  bbl.  cracked  wheat. 

21  papers  black  pepper. 

29  papers  ginger. 

10  bottles  "pain  killer." 

67  bottles  horse  radish. 

57  bottles  lemon  syrup. 

24  bottles  cologne. 

3,660  lbs.  cod  flsh. 

120  lbs.  tea. 

213  lbs.  tobacco. 

1  bbl.  vinegar. 

12  bbls.  ale. 

660  doz.  eggs. 

95  bottles  bay  nuu. 


202  bbls.  crackers. 

2  bbls.  corn  meal. 

102  bbls.  dried  fruit. 

171  jars  jellies. 

714  lbs.  pearl  barley. 

22  hams. 

386  boxes  prep'd  lemonade. 

84  bottles  mustard. 

44  bottles  cayenne  pepper. 

1,723  bbls.  vegetables, 

mostly  potatoes. 
89  bbls.  cabbage  in  currie. 
26  bbls.  saur  kraut, 
396  bbls.  or  kegs  pickles* 
\1yi  bbls.  white  sugar. 
7  cans  extract  of  coffee. 
2  bbls.  oat  meaj. 
1  bbL  tongues. 


1  bbL  Byrup. 

1  bbl.  ginger  snaps. 

a  bbls.  lager  beer. 

4  boxes  catsup. 

12  kegs  jellies. 

1  keg  blackberry  cordial. 

196  botts.    "  " 

3,088  bottles  claret. 

60  bottles  port  wine. 

347  bottles  whisky. 

108  bottles  sherry. 

300  bottles  brandy. 

140  bottles  bitters. 

908  bottles  assorted  wines. 

71  bots.  ext.  Jamaica  ginger 

272  bots.  raspberry  vinegar. 

1,600  lbs  ice. 

15  lbs.  sago. 


3  gross  pens. 
60  reams  writing  paper, 
^0,000  envelopes. 
%y,  bbls,  lint. 


M1B0EIjI.ANEDTTB. 

6  boxes  old  magazines  and 

papers. 
2  gross  pipes. 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOBK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAUBEBS  STSEET, 


President. 
Lieut. -Gen.  WrNriELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUBN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoNS.  E.  D.  MOEGAII,  GEORGE' OPDTKB, 
HIBAM  BAKNEY,  JAS.  ^.  BEEKMAN.  Bev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Mbssbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOR,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS  GALLATIN,  HOWABD  POTTER,  WM.  E. 
DODGE,  Jb.,  THEODORE  ROOSE"VTELT,  PETEB 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCBOFT,  DANIEL  LORD, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,ROBT.  L.  STUART,  ALEEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambiebs  Stbeet,  Ne^w  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st'  To  secure  the  soUUers  and  sailors  and 
their  families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  proteiA  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  fals&  claitns  from  being 
m^ade  against  the  Government. 

Uh.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  fami- 
lies needing  it. 


670 


The  Samtary  Commission  BiilMin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  bjs  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization,  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LI1.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  li.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Now  York. 

Blisha  Harris,  M.I>.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  TJ.  S.  A. 

B  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gren'l  U.  S.  A. 

Wolooti  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Ho-ne,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  K.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  IiI.D.,' Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Kt.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  B.  L 

Hon.  B.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Eon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  BL 

Eon.  Joseph  Eolt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Fenn. 

Bev.  J.  E  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Bogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

0.  J.  Still6. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFFICEBS: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.l).,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache.  LL.D.,  Tice-Freaident. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  JenMns,  M.D.,  General  Secretary, 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STAMDntO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Siinitary  Commission  has  mside  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hoapitalfl, 

For  Information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
ern Tirginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
«<  Office  of  Samtary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "Office  of 
Bsnltary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  In  Western  Virginia,  OMo,  Indiana, 
Jlnois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  beard  from.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mall ;  if  In  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  Inquirer's 


\A 


4^  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually 'than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
in  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Samtary  Commission,  unuer  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  esbensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  td,  and^  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  pomta 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — its  dis&ibutions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  anxiliiuy 
societies,  and  aU  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
'wounded,  without  reference  to  Statos  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assist- 
ance, are  invited  to  send  their  ofieriugs: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  4fi 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  CbicagOj  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street^  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubhc  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  0.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Lodge  No.  i,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  Uth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— CoL  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  m. — C.  N.  Shipman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey.— Jaines  Malona,  Sup't 
James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tens L.  Crane,  Snp't  and 

Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio  ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Joseph  Jerome,  Sup't 
and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vlcksbnrg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans,  La. — C.  F.  Howes,  Sup't. 

AOBirOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

HOSFITAI,    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Tork— Sol.  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga— Dr.  J.  ^P.  Bar. 
nnm.  Surgeon  In  charge. 

SANITABX  SIEAUKB. 

James  Biver — Elizabeth. 


,\ 


Thb  Samtary  Commission  BvUetm. 


671 


FRED'O  S.  COZZENS, 

73  WARREX  STREET, 

(Opposite  Hudson  River  Railroad  Depot,) 


AND 


PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE, 

Washington,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 


Imported  Wines, 
Brandies,  &c., 

;0F  THE  PUREST  QUALITY, 


FOB 


Medicinal  &  Sanitary  Purposes, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

UNITED  STATES  HOSPITALS, 

AKD  BT  THE 

0A«ITAnV  COMMtSStON. 


FAIIBAE'S 


Adapted  to  every  Brancli  of 
Business. 


ALSO, 

American   Wines, 

or  the  Hig^hest  Grades. 


SOLE  AGENT  IN  NEW  YORK  AND  WASHINGTON  FOR 

LONG-WORTH'S 

Spaing  and  Still.  Catawba  Wine, 

iBrandieSj  &g.,  &g. 


MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY 

THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

EiT.FAIRBAlS^CO., 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 


♦«» 


PRINCIPAL    WAREHOUSES: 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 

No.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN, 

No.  U8  Milk  Street,  Boston. 

FAIRBANKS,  GREENLEAF  &  Co., 
No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWING, 

Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 
No.  246  Baltimore  St.,  Baltimore. 


Descriptive  Cirmla/rs  fmnisAed  or 
mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to 
dther  of  the  above. 


672  The  Sanitary  Gmamiamm  BuHetm. 

OFFICE   OF   THE 

0[ioIttmHM  i^mm)  ^xmxmct 

COMPANY, 

CORKER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAFITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount,  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 $3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums , .' 3,252,256  16 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,131,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  TJnadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not ". 269,614,  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Fremiam  is  paid  in  le  Gnrrency. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  wUl  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OE  POLICY,  as  foUows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

,  DANIEL  W.  LORD,  *  WM.  B,  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONO,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,       .  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  e.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  mCKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

O.  L.  IJIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President,  B.  C.  MOMUS,  President. 

■WM.  M.  WHITNEY  2d  Vioe-Preside  t  and  Secretary. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  L  new  YORK,  SEPTEMBER  15,  1864.  No.  22. 


CONTENTS. 

■Page. 

A  WOBD  TO  THE  AlD  SoCTBTIBS 673 

The  iNTKBNiLTIONAIj  COSOEESS  AT  GENEVA 674 

The  AxTXHiiAEY  Eeliep  Cobps....- 678 

Tbstimoht  of  Coii.  StTMMEBS,  XT.  S.  A. 682 

Kansas 682 

BiALLY  Ou)  LnrBH 683 

Westeen  Department — 

Nash-riUe 683 

Decherd,  Tennessee 686 

Hospital  Visiting '. 686 

Hospitals 689 

The  Bed  Kiver 692 

TAI.rE  OF  THE  HoSFITAIi  DiEEOTOBX 694 

Poetet — 

A  Eainy  Day  in  Camp 695 

WoBDS  OF  Cheeb 696 

Pattebns  foe  Hospital  Clothinb-^No.  3 696 

The  Sanitaby  Moybment  m  Italy 697 

The  Sanitaby  Commission  Bvi.is.tis  is  pvblished 
on  (he  flrsC  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  ae  it 
has  a  ciroidaiion,  gratwitous  or  other,  of  aixyee  14,000 
oo]^^,  it  offers  an  imusaaUy  valudble  medium  for 
adoertising. 

AH  oomrAunicaiions  must  he  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  office,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
Bumticaied  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  (he  publication  of  tlie  BtJi,- 
i,btin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  (lie  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  TT.  8.  Sanitary  Gom- 
mission-rthe  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree cf  reluctance  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it— and 
(hereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
AeftnUe  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  Oier^ore  give 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  doUars,  remitted  to  the. 
Treaawer,  (G.  T.  Steono,  68  WaM  Street,  or  No. 
833  Broadway,  New  Tork,)  toiH  secure  its  being  sent 
to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  vmless  its  piMication  be  sooner  discon- 
tinued. , 

Vol..  L— No.  22.  43 


A  WORD  TO  THE  AID  SOCIETIES. 

The  appeal  made  to  the  public,  some 
weeks  ago,  for  blackberries  and  blackberry 
cordial,  has  been  anst^red  in  a  way  that 
leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  Bivers  of 
blackberry  iuiee  have  flowed  in  npon  the 
Commission  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  a  more  grateful  or  appropriate  or  use- 
fvd  flood,  it  would  be  hard  to  think  of. 
Our  friends,  we  trust,  however,  wUl  bear 
with  us  patiently,  when  we  say  that  we  are 
still  not  satisfied;  that' though  we  have  had 
blackberries  enough,  we  are  now  craving 
for  other  fruit,  or  in  other  words  that  we 
now  want  peaches.  The  season  of  black- 
berries is  past,  and  the  season  of  peaches 
is  at  its  height,  and  we  therefore  beg  our 
contributors  to  turn  their  attention  to  the 
latter.  They  have  never  been  cheaper  or 
more  plentiful,  and  there  has  never  beaa 
a  year  when  they  could  be  turned  to  better 
account.  The  army  is  still  in  as  much  want 
of  fruit  as  ever.  It  is  leading  the  same  life, 
eating  the  same  food,  and  incurring  the 
same  risks.  But  we  shall  save  our  friends 
some  trouble,  and,  at  present  prices  ofsugar, 
a  great  deal  of  expense,  by  saying  that  we 
do  not  want  canned  peaches,  and  we  cannot 
do  better  than  give  the  reason  why,  in  the 
words  of  Dr.  Woodward,  our  Sanitary  In- 
spector at  Nashville: 

You  inquire  what  is  my  opinion  as  to  the 
value  of  canned  fruits  for  hospital  purpo- 
ses. I  beg  leave  to  state,  so  far  as  my  own 
experience  goes,  they  are,  as  a  class,  the 
most  useless  supplies  that  can  be  distribu- 
ted, and,  in  many  cases,  absolutely  injuri- 
ous. As  a  rule,  the  peaches,  plums,  ohep* 
ries,  &o.,  put  up  for  the  market,  undergo  a 
process  of  decomposition,  which,  thougk' 
not  absolutely  fermentative,  renders  them 
productive  of  derangements  of  the  stomach 
and  bowels,  inducing  diarrhea  and  chol- 


674 


The  Samtary  Commission  BvEetin. 


eraio  forms  of  .disease.  Eitensite  inqui- 
ries among  surgeons  of  great  experience 
m  hospitals  show  that  they  have  no  confi- 
dence in  them  as  a  recuperative  diet,  and 
that  then-  use  depraves  the  appetite,  and 
destroys  the  relish  for  more  simple  fare. 

It  may  seem  "a  hard  saying,"  but  I  am 
convinced  that  the  demand  for  them  is 
kept  up  by  the  patriotic  and  -well  Hifeaning 
ladies,  who,  in  the  fuUness  of  their  benevo- 
lence, wish  to  give  to  the  sick  in  hospitals 
all  the  comforts  of  home,  but  who  lack  that 
knowledge  of  physiological  and  pathologi- 
cal principles,  which  would  make  theln  safe 
judges  of  what  is  beneficial  or  injurious. 

Fresh  fruits,  in  their  season,  I  regard  as 
highly  salutary,  as  are  also  well  dried 
fruits,  which  have  been  cured  without  any 
decomposition  taking  place.  Well  made 
jellies  are  valuable,  not  as  food,  but  drink, 
to  mix  with  water  for  the  sick.  Tomatoes, 
well  canned,  are  very  valuable  in  winter  to 
ward  off  scorbutic  disease,  and  to  keep  up 
the  healthy  functions  of  the  liver,  but  I  be- 
lieve it  would  be  far  better  if  canned  fruits 
were  entirely  prohibited. 

Testimony  of  the  same  kind  will  be  found 
in  the  letter  of  Lieut.  Colonel  Summers,  on 
page  682. 

What  we  want  is  dried  peaches.  Those 
who  have  quantities  of  the  fruit  which 
they  are  wiUing  to  contribute,  can,  no  doubt, 
readily  find  willing  hands  to  "store  and 
dry  "  all  they  can  spare. 

The  fruit  need  not  be  preserved  with 
sugar;  in  fact,  no  money  need  be  expended 
in  its  preparaidon.  Let  each  individual 
peach  be  carefully  divided,  and  the  "  stone" 
or  "pit"  taken  out.  Then  the  two  halves 
should  be  laid  on  clean  boards,  (the  top  of 
a  shed,  or  lean-to,  sloping  to  the  South  is  a 
capital  place,)  and  permitted  to  dry  thoi- 
oughly  in  the  sun,  if  possible.  Or,  in  wet 
weattier,  they  may  be  dried  in  slightly 
heated  ovens,  or  by  the  side  of  the  fire- 
place, or  stove.  In  whatever  manner  the 
drying  is  accomplished,  it  should  be  thor- 
oughly done — the  juices  should  be  com- 
pletely dried,  as  a  veiy  slight  degre6  of 
'  moisture  engenders  mould,  and  attracts  in- 
sects. 

Too  many  dried  peaches  cannot  be  sent 
to  the  army.  They  are  most  valuable  in 
the  hospitals  and  for  convalescents,  as  a 
curative  agent,  and  are  a  great  treat  for 
well  men,  when  there  is  a  surplus  sufficient 
to  allow  them  a  share. 

Send  on  the  dried  peaches.  The  children 
will  be  active  and  useful  agents  ia  preparing 


them,  and  the  older  folks,  whose  stronger 
hands  are  needed  in  the  harvest-field,  need 
give  but  little  of  their  time  to  the  task. 
Now  is  the  time  to  do  a  great  and  good 
work.  The  peach  crop  has  seldom  been  so 
abundant,  the  surplus  seldom  so  great. 
Now,  as  a  work  of  humanity,  charity  and 
patriotism,  let  this  surplus  be  so  prepared 
and  sent  as  that  the  soldiers  in  the  field 
shall  have  their  full  share. 

Send  parcels  and  packages  to  the  nearest 
branch  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  or  its 
Central  Office,  No.  823  Broadway,  New 
York. 


THE  INTERNATIONAL  SANITAET  CON- 
GRESS AT  GENEVA. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Neie  York  Even- 
ing Post  transmits  the  following  very  inter- 
esting account  of  the  labors  of  the  Inter- 
national Sanitary  Conference,  which  met 
at  Geneva,  (Switzerland,)  on  the  8th  of 
August.  Our  readers  are  already  famUiar 
with  the  movement  which  led  to  this  Con- 
ference: 

The  organization  and  complete  success 
of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
have  awakened  throughout  Europe  a  warm 
and  intelligent  sympathy,  which  is  likely  to 
result  in  immense  benefit  to  humanity  at 
large.  Stimulated  by  the  example  thus 
thrown  out  in  benevolent  challenge  to  the 
world,  Mr.  Henry  Donant,  of  Geneva,  whose 
admirable  brochure  on  the  Italian  war, 
"  Un  Souvenir  rfe  Solferino,"  has  made  his 
name  famous  in  the  annals  of  philanthropy, 
started  as  early  as  1862  a  movement  look- 
ing to  the  development  of  similar  sanitary 
agencies  in  Europe.  Under  his  lead  an 
association  was  formed  under  the  title  of 
"  Society  of  Public  Usefulness  of  Geneva." 

PBEHEMINABT  MBKTINQ. 

A  circular  was  issued  on  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, 1863,  by  this  society,  addressed  to 
the  several  Governments  of  Europe  and  to 
leading  philanthropists,  inviting  their  co- 
operation at  an  International  Conference 
or  Convention,  and  particularly  requesting 
the  representation  of  the  different  Govern- 
ments by  delegates,  to  convene  at  Geneva, 
on  the  26th  of  October,  of  the  same  year. 
This  preliminary  convention  was  well  at- 
tended, nearly  all  the  principal  European 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BitUetin. 


675 


countries  being  ably  represented.  The  two 
points  -which  then  came  specially  under 
discussion  were,  first:  the  expediency  of 
organizing  a  system  of  volunteer  sanitary 
service,  analogous  with  that  in  operation  in 
the  United  States;  and,  second:  the  pro- 
priety of  securing,  by  mutual  treaty  be- 
tween the  several  Governments,  the  declar- 
ing as  neutrals,  and  the  consequent  mili- 
tary protection  in  time  of  war,  of  all  per- 
sons and  things  employed  for  the  succor  of 
the  wounded. 

After  a  most  interesting  session,  in  which 
the  discussions  were  marked  by  great  good 
feeling  and  harmony,  the  suggestions  of  the 
Committee  of  the  Geneva  Society  were 
cordially  adopted.  On  the  fourth  day  of  the 
session  a  series  of  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted,  embodying  distinctly  the 
idea  of  the  immediate  formation  of  Sani- 
tary Belief  Associations,  and  detailing  the 
proposed  plan  of  their  organization  and  co- 
operation under  the  direction  of  the  Cen- 
tral Committee  at  Geneva.  The  Conven- 
tion decided  to  append  further  to  these 
resolutions  a  series  of  "recommendations," 
especially  intended  to  awaken  a  concordant 
action  on  the  part  of  the  Government  of  aU 
nations. 

BECOMHENDATIONS. 

These  resolutions  were  couched  in  the 
following  terms: 

1.  Let  Governments  grant  their  highest 
protection  to  the  Committees  of  Belief 
which  shaU.  be  formed,  and  facilitate  as 
much  as  possible  the  fulfilment  of  their 
mission. 

2.  Let  neutrality  be  proclaimed  in  time 
of  war,  by  belligerent  nations,  for  the  am- 
bulances and  the  hospitals,  and  let  it  be 
equally  admitted  in  the  most  complete  man- 
ner for  the  personnel  of  the  sanitary  staff, 
for  the  volunteer  aids,  for  the  country  peo- 
ple who  go  to  assist  the  wounded,  and  for 
the  wounded  themselves. 

3.  Let  a  uniform  distinctive  badge  be 
recognized  for  the  Sanitary  Corps  of  aU 
armies;  or  at  least  for  all  the  persons  of  the 
same  army  who  are  attached  to  such  service. 
Let  a  uniform  flag  be  also  adopted  for  am- 
bulances and  hospitals  in  all  countries. 

The  action  of  the  Conference  excited  a 
profound  interest  throughout  Europe.  The 
high  character  and  eminent  services  of 
many  who  took  part  in  its  proceedings  were 
a  sufficient  guaranty  of  the  complete  prac- 
ticability of  the  plans  and  recommendations 


suggested.  A  warm  response  to  the  appeal 
thus  made  was  given  by  many  Governments. 

The  Emperor  of  France  wrote  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Dunant,  expressing  his  "  hearty  ap- 
proval of  the  resolutions  and  recommenda- 
tions adopted  by  the  Conference." 

The  Emperor  of  Bussia  was  no  less 
prompt  in  testifying  his  approval,  giving 
immediate  authorization  to  the  Grand  Duke 
Constantino  to  assume  the  direction  of  an 
Auxiliary  Belief  Association,  under  the  spe- 
cial patronage  of  the  Emperor  and  Empress. 

Erom  Prussia,  Saxony,  Wurtembttrg,  Den- 
mark, Spain,  and  several  other  Govern- 
ments, similar  evidences  of  interest  were 
communicated  to  the  Committee  at  Geneva, 
and  in  a  very  brief  period  after  the  final 
adjournment  of  the  Conference,  SoiAeti^ 
and  Committees  for  Sanitary  Belief  were 
put  in  practical  operation. 

The  Swiss  Federal  Council,  wishing  to 
give  a  tangible  realization  to  the  important 
recommendations  adopted  by  the  Confej;- 
ence,  issued  an  official  invitation  to  the 
several  Governments  of  the  civilized  world, 
inviting  them  to  send  delegates  to  a  diplo- 
matic International  Congress,  to  convene  at 
Geneva  on  the  8th  of  August,  1864,  to  con- 
sider a  project  of  convention  or  draft  of  a 
treaty  substantially  embodying  the  points 
recommended  by  the  preliminary  confer- 
ence of  last  October:  In  the  preparation 
of  the  "Articles"  of  this  rough  draft,  the 
special  point  of  volunteer  sanitary  service 
was  omitted,  on  the  ground  that  this  was  a 
matter  faUing  more  particularly  within  the 
domain  of  the  domestic  attributes  of  each 
country,  and  could  not,  therefore,  be  im- 
posed upon  Governments  in  advance  by 
any  outside  dictation. 

THE   CONaBESS. 

The  International  Congress  held  its  first 
session  on  the  day  appointed,  in  the  JElotel 
de  ViUe  of  Geneva,  and  daring  the  past  ten 
days  has  been  engaged  in  an  animated  dis- 
cussion of  the  various  points  of  the  pro- 
posed draft.  To  this  Congress  none  but 
delegates  holding  official  credentials  from 
the  several  Governments  are  admitted.  In 
most  instances  the  delegations  present  are 
composed  of  one  diplomatic  delegate,  and 
of  one  delegate  experienced  in  military, 
medical,  or  sanitary  matters.     Some  of  tie 


676 


The  Sanitwfy  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


GoTeruments  have  accredited  their  repre- 
sentatives with  plenary  powers  to  sign  a 
diplomatic  treaty. 

The  foUowing  is  a  list  of  delegates: 

Babbn — Dr.  Steiner,  Surgeon-Major,  and 
Dr.  Volz,  Medical  Counsellor  and  Chief  of 
the  Medical  Bureau. 

Bblgitim — Mr.  Aug.  Visschers,  member 
of  tig  Belgian  Superior  Council  of  Hygiene 
and  Counsellor  of  the  Board  of  Mines. 

Denmabk — Dr.  Fenger,  Councillor  of 
State. 

Spain — ^Mr.  De  Quevedo,  Spanish  Minis- 
ter at  Berne. 

United  States — Hon.  George  G.  Fogg, 
Minister  Resident  at  Berne,  and  Charles  J. 
P.  Bowles,  Esq.,  European  Agent  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 

Fbance— Mr.  Jagerschmidt,  Sub-Director 
in  the  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs;  Mr. 
dePreval,  Military  Intendant,  and  Dr.  Boii- 
dier,  Surgeon-in-Ohief  of  the  French  Aimy- 

Gbbat  Bkitaxn — ^Mr.  Lougmore,  Deputy 
Inspector-General  and  Professor  of  Sur- 
gery; Dr.  Eutherford,  Deputy  Inspector- 
General  of  Hospitals. 

He«se — Major  Brodriick,  Chief  of  Bat- 
talion on  Major-General's  Staff. 

Italx— The  Chevalier  Baroffio,  Medical 
Chief  of  Division  of  the  Italian  Army. 

Holland — Mr.  Westenburg,  Secretary  of 
the  Dutch  Legation  at  Franktort. 

PoBTUOAii — Dr.  Marques,  Chief  of  the 
Sanitary  Department  of  the  Portuguese 
Army. 

Pbussia — M.  de  Kamptz,  Prussian  Min- 
ister at  Berne;  Dr.  LoefQer,  Surgeon-in- 
Chief  of  the  Fourth"  Army  Corps  of  the 
Prussian  Army;  Mr.  Bitler,  Select  Coun- 
sellor to  the  Prussian  War  Department. 

Saxony — ^Dr.  Gunther,  Surgeon -General 
of  the  Saxon  Army. 

Sweden — Major  Staaf,  Attach^  of  the 
Swedish  Legation  at  Paris. 

Switzerland — Gen.  Dufour,  Command- 
er-in-Chief of  the  Swiss  Army;  Mr.  Moy- 
nier.  President  of  the  Genevan  "Society  of 
Public  Usefulneas;"  Dr.  Lehmann,  Sur- 
geon-General of  the  Swiss  Army. 

Wdktbmbeko — Dr.  Hahn. 

Cotemporaneously  with  the  Congress 
there  has  been  also  in  session  an  adjourned 
» meeting  of  the  Conference  of  last  year. 
This  body  is  composed  of  all  persons  inte- 
rested in  sanitary  matters  who  have  been 
invited  by  the  Central  Sanitary  Committee 
of  Geneva.  Its  sessions  have  been  held  in 
the  Atheneum,  and  here  has  been  done  the 
main  labor  of  preparing  suggestions  for  the 
action  of  the  International  Congress.  Mr. 
Bowles, who  represents  in  Europe  the  Unit- 
ed States  Sanitary  Commission,  has  done 


much  good  by  setting  forth  in  the  Confer- 
ence the  extent  and  scope  of  the  work  ac- 
complished in  America,  and  also  by  the 
distribution  of  vaxious  important  pam- 
phlets, medals  and  photographs,  illustra- 
tive of  the  American  Commission. 

THE    TEEATX. 

The  Congress,  after  a  mutual  comparison 
of  views  among  the  members,  and  a  discus- 
sion during  six  days  upon  the  varipus 
points  suggested  for  deliberation,  conclud- 
ed upon  a  protocol  of  an  international 
treaty,  which  was  signed  upon  the  22d  of 
August.  This  "Convention,"  as  finally 
adopted,  differs  very  much  from  the  first 
rough  draft,  prepared  by  the  Swiss  delega- 
tion as  a  preliminary  basis  of  deUberation, 
and  which  has  been  published  already  in 
the  English  journals.  The  foUowing  is  a 
translation  of  the  document,  which  receiv- 
ed the  signatures  of  the  plenipotentiaries 
from  Italy,  Baden,  Belgium,  Denmark, 
Holland,  Spain,  Portugal,  France,  Prussia, 
Saxony,  Wurtemburg  and  Switzerland: 

CONVENTION  EOB  THE  AMELIOBATION  OE  THE 
CONDITION  OF  WOUNDED  SOLDIEES  OF  AB- 
MIES  IN  THE  FIELD. 

Abticlb  I. — The  ambulances  and  milita- 
ry hospitals  shall  be  recognized  as  neutral, 
and  as  such,  so  long  as  they  shall  be  occu- 
pied by  wounded  or  invalid  soldiers,  shall 
be  protected  and  respected  by  the  belliger- 
ents. The  neutrality  to  cease  in  case  the 
ambulances  or  hospitals  are  guarded  by  a 
military  force. 

Art.  II. — The  personnel  of  the  hospitals 
and  ambulances,  including  the  staff,  the 
sanitary,  administrative  and  transport  ser- 
vice of  the  wounded,  and  also  chaplains, 
shall  participate  in  the  benefits  of  the  neu- 
trality so  long  as  it  shall  be  exercised,  or 
so  long  as  there  shall  remain  any  wounded 
to  be  collected  and  succored. 

Abt.  III. — The  persons  designated  in  the 
article  preceding  shall  be  at  liberty,  even 
after  the  enemy's  occupation,  to  continue 
the  exercise  of  their  functions  at  the  hos- 
pital or  ambulance  to  which  they  are  at- 
tached, or  to  withdraw  in  order  to  rejoin 
the  corps  to  which  they  belong.  In  such 
circumstances,  when  these  persons  shall 
have  ceased  to  exercise  their  functions,  they 
shall  be  transferred,  under  the  direction  of 
the  occupying  army,  to  its  outposts. 

Abt.  IV. — The  materiel  of  the  military 
hospitals  being  subject  to  the  laws  of  war, 
the  persons  attached  to  said  hospitals  shall 
not  be  permitted,  on  withdrawing,  to  carry 
with  them  any  articles,  except  such  as  form 
part  of  their  personal  property. 


The  SatUtarp  Commission  BvUeti/n, 


677 


Ott  the  contrary,  under  the  same  oircum- 
Btances,  aa  ambulance  shall  preserve  its 
materiel  undisturbed.  (Conserve  son  mate- 
riel. ) 

Aet.  v. — The  country  people  who  shall 
bring  succor  to  the  wounded  shall  be  re- 
spected, and  shall  remain  .free  from  moles- 
tation. The  generals  of  belligerent  powers 
shall  make  it  their  mission  to  inform  the 
inhabitants  of  the  appeal  made  to  their 
generosity,  and  of  the  neutrality  secured 
to  them  in  consequence. 

Every  wounded  soldier  transported  to 
and  cared  for  in  any  dwelling  shall  serve  as 
a  protection  to  such  dwelling.  Any  inhab- 
itant who  shall  have  received  wounded  sol- 
diers into  his  house,  shall  be  released  from 
the  obligation  to  lodge  troops,  and  shall 
also  be  exempted  from  paying  a  portion  of 
the  contributions  of  war  that  shaE  be  levied. 

Abt.  VI. — The  wounded  or  invalid  sol- 
diers shall  be  collected  and  oared  for,  irre- 
spective of  their  nationality. 

Commanders-in-chief  shall  be  at  liberty 
to  transfer  soldiers  wounded  in  an  engage- 
ment to  the  enemy's  outposts,  when  the 
circumstances  will  permit,  and  with  the 
consent  of  both  parties. 

Those  of  the  wounded  who,  after  treat- 
ment, shall  be  deemed  incapable  of  further 
military  service,  shall  be  returned  to  the 
country  to  which  they  belong.  The  others 
may  be  likewise  returned  on  giving  parole 
to  not  take  up  arms  again  during  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  war. 

The  military  evacuation  of  hospitals,  with 
the  personnel  in  charge,  shall  be  covered  by 
an  absolute  neutrality. 

Abt.  VII. — ^A  distinctive  uniform  flag  is 
hereby  adopted  for  Ambulances,  for  the 
hospitals,  and  for  their  evacuation.  It 
must,  however,  be  accompanied  in  all  oases 
by  the  national  flag. 

A  badge  for  the  arm  shall  be  worn  by 
the  personnel  declared  neutral,  the  delivery 
of  said  badge  to  be  left  to  the  military  au- 
thority, 't 

The  flag  and  the  badge  shall  bear  a  red 
cross  on  a  field  of  white. 

Abt.  VIII.  The  executive  details  of  the 
present  convention  shall  be  regulated  by 
the  commanders-in-chief  of  the  belligerent 
forces,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
of  their  respective  governments,  and  in  con- 
formity with  the  general  principles  set  forth 
in  the  present  convention. 

Aet.  IX.  The  high  contracting  powers 
hereby  undertake  to  communicate  the  pres- 
ent convention  to  the  other  governments 
who  have  not  sent  plenipotentiaries  to  the 
International  Congress  of  Geneva,  with  the 
invitation  that  they  accede  to  the  same; 
and  for  this  end  the  protocol  is  left  open. 

Aet.  10.  The  present  convention  shall 
be  ratified,  and  the  ratifications  shall  be 
exchanged  at  Berne  in  three  months  from 
this  date,  or  earlier  if  possible.  • 


BNTEBTAINMBNTS, 

As  an  evidence  of  their  cordial  sympathy 
with  the  objects  proposed  to  be  accomplish- 
ed, the  people  of  Switzerland,  and  of  Ge- 
neva particularly,,  have  surpassed  them- 
selves in  the  generous  civilities  which  they 
have  extended  to  the  members  of  the  Con- 
gress. The  Swiss  Federal  Council  tender- 
ed the  compliment ,  of  a  grand  banquet  at 
the  "Hotel  de  la  Metropole,"  and  the 
"Conseil  d'Etat"  (the  official  representa- 
tive body  of  the  canton  of  Geneva,)  have 
imitated  the  example.  Mr.  Gustave  Moy- 
nier,  President  of  the  Geneva  International 
Sanitary  Committee,  (the  first  sanitary  or- 
ganization formed  in  Europe,)  invited  thle 
members  to  a  "tea  parjy"  at  his  villa  on 
Monday  evening. 

The  following  evening  Colonel  Edward 
Favre,  aide-de-camp  to  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  Swiss  army,  gave  a  magnificent 
f&te  champStre  at  his  famous  country  seat 
"De  la  Grange,"  on  the  Italian  side  of  the 
Lake  of  Geneva.  It  is  one  of  the  loveliest 
of  the  many  lovely  villas  near  Geneva,  and 
not  far  from  the  Villa  Diodati,  so  associat- 
ed with  the  name  of  Byron.  The  house, 
which  is  a  model  of  elegant  taste,  is  enrich- 
ed with  a  series  of  capacious  rooms,  the 
suite  on  the  ground  fluor  being  devoted  to 
reception-rooms,  drawing-rooms,  dining- 
rooms,  reading-rooms,  and  library.  All  of 
these  are  well  stored  with  fine  paintings  by 
Galame,  original  statuary  by  Canova,  ex- 
quisite bronzes  and  objets  'd'art,  and  books 
of  rarest  value  in  every  department  of 
knowledge.  Through  these  rooms,  most 
brilliantly  lighted,  poured  a  stream  of  grat- 
ified guests  aU  the  evening. 

On  Thursday  evening.  Monsieur  Theo- 
dore Vernes,  one  of  the  millionaires  of  Ge- 
neva, gave  a  similar  fete  at  his  villa, 
"Flenr  d'Eau,"  on  the  French  side  of  the 
lake.  A  large  steamer  with  a  fine  military 
band  was  placed  at  the  disposition  of  the 
invited  guests  to  escort  them  to  the  place, 
and  to  reconvey  them  to  Geneva.  As  part 
of  the  decorations  at  various  points  of  the 
groiinds  were  seen  floating  the  flag  propos- 
ed by  the  International  Congress  for  the 
sanitary  service-corps  of  armies,  namely,  a 
red  Greek  cross  in  the  centre  of  a  white 
ground.  The  whole  entertainment  waa  a 
complete  success. 


678 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  series  of  private  entertainments  cul- 
minated on  Friday  evening,  in  a  grand/Ste 
champUre  at  the  villa  of  Monsieiir  Francis 
Barthalony,  the  celebrated  banker  of  Paris, 
and  one  of  the  chief  members  of  the  Paris 
Central  Sanitary  Committee.  Descended 
from  an  old  Waldense  family,  M.  Barthal- 
ony went  originally  to  Paris  a  poor  lad, 
having  to  rely  on  the  benevolence  of  some 
friends  to  furnish  him  means  to  reach 
there.  By  dint  of  industry,  business  tact 
and  zeal,  he  has  achieved  a  very  high  social 
and  financial  position,  and,  with  an  abund- 
ant fortune,  the  result  of  an  honorable  ca- 
reer, he  has  devoted  himself  to  the  promo- 
tion of  every  movement  of  public  and  pri- 
vate philanthropy.  His  country  seat  at 
S^ch^ron,  near  Geneva,  by  the  edge  of  the 
lake,  is  perhaps  only  surpassed  by  that  of 
the  Princess  Borghese  at  Borne,  or  that  of 
the  PaUavioini  family  at  Pegle. 

On  the  day  of  the  fete  in  question  noth- 
ing seemed  to  have  been  omitted  that  could 
add  to  the  happiness  of  those  present.  Just 
at  sunset  a  regatta  of  the  crack  yachts  of 
Geneva  competed  for  a  series  of  prizes 
offered  by  the  Amphytrion  of  the  occa- 
sion. As  the  fairy-like  vessels  started  off 
and  spread  their  canvas  to  the  breeze,  the 
lake  was  a  perfect  picture,  the  charm  of 
which  was  much  heightened  by  the  fine 
view  of  Mont  Blanc,  which  was  tinted  over 
with  that  rare  roseate  hue,  the  Alpenglithen, 
which  CaJame  has  caught  so  finely  in  his 
great  picture  of  Mont  Bosa.  As  the  boats 
come  back  their  arrival  was  greeted  with 
cheers.  As  the  twilight  ended,  the  large 
and  beautiful  trees  which  form  an  amphithe- 
atre of  a  large  velvet  lawn,  closed  in  on 
either  side  and  open  toward  the  lake,  were 
lighted  with  thousands  of  variegated  spher- 
ical Chinese  lanterns.  The  rows  of  orange 
trees  lining  the  walks  close  to  the  house 
were  decorated  with  what  seemed  like  illu- 
•  minated  oranges.  The  rustic  urns  on  the 
broad  portico  were  filled  with  gigantic  arti- 
ficial lilies  and  tulips,  all  lighted  by  lamps 
inside;  whilst  moving  to  and  fro  on  the 
lake  before  the  grounds  were  two  large 
steamers,  covered  froln  stem  to  stern  with 
festoons  of  brilliant- colored  lanterns,  and, 
as  they  rose  and  fell  with  the  undulating 
swell  of  the  waves,  made  the  whole  scene 
fairy -like. 


Certainly  the  members  of  this  Interna- 
tional Congress  have  reason  for'congratu- 
lation  that  they  held  th  ir  deliberations  in 
so  hospitable  an  atmosphere;  and  perhaps 
their  success  in  endeavoring  to  mitigate 
the  horrors  of  war,  may  be  traced  more  or 
less  to  this  hospitality  and  universal  sym- 
pathy in  their  important  mission. 


THE  AtJXILIABY  KELIEP  COEPS. 

Acting  Superintendent  Sparry  reports, 
August  4: 

The  quiet  that  has  prevailed  during  the 
most  of  this  time — the  suspension  of  active 
operations  by  the  army — ^has  given  oppor- 
tunity for  that  advancement  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Corps,  which  was  impossible 
when  every  energy  was  strained  in  the  work 
of  instant  relief  to  the  suffering. 

This  work  of  organizing  is  now  so  far 
complete,  that  we  are  able  to  define  with 
exactness  the  work  of  the  whole  Corps,  and 
the  place  and  duty  of  each  man  in  it. 

To  this  work  and  to  these  duties  I  would 
call  your  attention:  first,  premising  that 
any  changes  that  have  been  made  are  rather 
the  growth  of  experience  than  the  result 
of  mere  theory. 

Accompanying  the  report  will  be  found 
a  plan  of  the  hospitals  at  this  point.  . 

This  plan  shows  the  divisions  and  sub- 
divisions of  each  hospital.  It,  at  the  same 
time,  shows  the  plan  of  our  own  operations, 
since  these  are  dependent  upon  the  general 
plan  of  the  whole. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  whole  hospital 
is  divided  into  "Corps  Hospitals,"  organ- 
ized with  reference  to  Army  Corps,  as  is 
the  usual  custom  in  this  Department  at 
depot  hospitals.  Also,  we  have  the  usual 
sub-divisions  into  divisions  and  wards,  or 
sections.  • 

In  each  Corps  Hospital  we  have  a  relief 
tent,  and  a  complement  of  men  sufScient  to 
put  one  in  each  ward  or  section.  These 
wards  are  usually  capable  of  acconimo- 
dating  one  hundred  and  fifty  patients,  but 
are  rarely  full.  In  this  elaboration  of  our 
work  we  bring  our  agents  into  direct  con- 
tact with  every  man  in  the  hospital.  Very 
soon  each  agent  becomes  acquainted  with 
every  man  in  his  ward,  knows  his  condi- 
tion, his  wants,  finds  out  the  salient  points 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiUdin. 


679 


of  his  character,  and  often  something  of 
his  history. 

Where  the  right  man  is  found  for  the 
work,  he  soon  gains  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  those  under  his  charge;  and  as 
time  passes  the  feeling  deepens  into  friend- 
ship. This  is  not  theory  merely,  though  re- 
sulting naturally  from  the  laws  of  human 
intercourse,  but  is  the  concurrent  testi- 
mony of  our  most  reliable  and  trustworthy 
men.  In  this  connection  I  beg  leave  to 
call  attention  to  the  report  of  one  of  the 
agents  of  the  Corps  made  to  the  Superin- 
tendent, July  30,  containing  many  valuable 
hints  bearing  upon  the  number,  character, 
and  work  of  our  Belief  Agents.  Its  author 
is  a  man  of  refinement  and  culture,  and  of 
holiest  aspirations  to  do  the  utmost  good. 
Three  months  of  constant,  self-denying 
toil  in  his  quiet  corner,  entitle  him  to  be 
heard.  I  call  attention  to  his  statement, 
that  "  our  personal  intercourse  with  the 
men,  and  possession  of  their  confidence, 
secure  that  they  ask  for  nothing  but  what 
they  need,  and  so  indirectly  contribute 
largely  to  the  treasury  of  the  Commission. " 

So  f  uUy  do  I  believe  this  statenlent,  that 
I  have  no  hesitancy  in  asserting,  that  were 
all  our  men  like  him,  each  one  would  be  a 
source  of  pecuniary  profit  to  the  Commis- 
sion, saving  from  waste,  through  the  care- 
lessness of  men  and  improper  requisitions 
by  Surgeons,  very-  much  more  than  his  sal- 
ary and  other  expenses  would  cost.  But 
"  confidence"  must  be  gained  by  qualities 
fitted  to  command  it.  A  large  warm-heart- 
edness, with  generous  culture  and  good 
common  sense,  are  among  the  essential 
qualities  of  a  Belief  Agent.  So  much  de- 
pends upon  the  personal  character  of  our 
agents  that  our  success  or  failure  will  be 
determined  by  that  alone.  Are  such  men 
difficult  to  obtain  ?  Then  let  fewer  be 
used,  but  let  the  rule  be,  good  men  qr  none. 
***** 

While  the  organization  of  the  Corps  is 
uniform  in  theory,  in  practice  it  adopts 
itself  to  circumstances.  Since  a  hospital 
.takes  its  tone  from  the  temper  of  the  Sur- 
geon in  charge,  so  naturally  does — must — 
our  work.  Where  the  Surgeon  is  self- 
reliant,  methodical,  punctilious—"  capable 
of  running  his  own  hospital  !"  we  agree 
with  him,  and  with  a  well-stocked  tent  and 


few  men,  quietly  help  him  to  do  it,  content 
to  see  a  good  hospital,  even  if  the  Sanitary 
Commission  be  informed  that  it  could  be 
dispensed  with,  but  is  allowed  to  stay, 
through  a  kindly  feeUng  toward  the  peo- 
ple at  home !  Better  thus  to  see  a  poor 
hospital  feebly  managed,  than  hear  mur- 
murs that  the  Sanitary  Commission  acts  as 
if  its  stores  were  its  own  and  not  the  peo- 
ple's !  while  we  pour  out  lavishly  with  a 
feeling  that  we  are  aiding  some  unworthy 
Surgeon  or  steward  in  his  neglect  of  duty. 
I  am  glad  to  say  that  this  latter  is  rarely 
the  case;  sometimes  it  is.  Surgeons,  as  a 
rule,  are  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties.  Many  are  among  the  noble  men  of 
the  profession.  We  studiously  discoui-age 
faultfinding,  as  also  that  other  evil  fallen 
into  by  our  enthusiastic  friends,  a  belief 
that  we  do  all  the  work — the  Government 
nothing.  Our  work  is  supplementary — it 
can  be  nothing  more.  Such  exaggerated 
statements  falsify  facts,  and  excite  the  dis- 
trust of  Surgeons. 

As  the  campaign  drags  on  into  the  sickly 
season,  we  begin  to  feel  heavily  the  loss  of 
our  tried  and  faithful  men.  So  many  hava 
gone  home  sick,  that  but  few  who  came  out 
in  May  now  remain.  The  remainder  will 
soon  go  by  reason  of  the  expiration  of  their 
term^  of  service.  Soon  the  Corps  must  be 
filled  up  with  new  men.  Would  it  not  be 
wise  to  take  this  opportunity  of  securing 
men  for  a  longer  term — for  the  campaign 
or  for  the  war. 

The  attention  called  to  the  necessity  for 
good  men  should  not  be  construed  that  we 
have  not  had  good  men  in  our  service.  As 
a  rule  they  have  been  earnest,  active  and 
successful.  To  this  there  have  been  and 
are  exceptions.  The  living  members  of  the 
Corps  must  be  content  to  labor  on  quietly, 
with  no  reward  but  the  consciousness  of 
having  done  their  duty.  To  the  dead  let 
us  pay  a  tribute  justly  deserved. 

Professor  H.  H.  Hadley,  of  Union  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  came  into  the  service  ah 
the  30th  of  June,  intending  to  stay  until 
tiie  15th  of  September. 

As  we  came  to  know  him  we  forgot  the 
scholar  in  our  regard  for  the  man.  Laying 
aside  for  the  time  his  lite-work  as  student 
and  teacher,  he  consecrated  head,  heart, 
and  hand  to  the  work  of  alleviating  the 


680 


The.  Sanitary  Commisskm  BvBetin, 


suffering  with  -whioli  he  saw  himself  sur- 
rounded. While  other  men  rested  he  wori- 
ed,  while  others  slept  he  watched,  until  at 
hist,  after  two  nights  of  care  over  desperate 
oases  of  fever,  holding  his  last  watch  amid 
a  cold,  driving  storm,  he  laid  down  him- 
self to  struggle  with  the  same  disease. 
Always  cheerful,  always  hopeful,  he  did 
not  wish  to  go  home.  At  last,  when  he 
grew  worse  und  it  was  plain  he  could  not 
recover  here,  he  was  placed  on  board  the 
hospital  transport  Connecticut,  to  be  sent 
home.  He  died  soon  after  the  boat  reached 
the  wharf  in  Washington. 

No  truer  spirit  has  ever  laid  its  clay  tene- 
ment on  the  altar  of  our  country.  To  those 
who  knew  him,  his  memory  will  be  sacred 
forever.  Nor  will  his  death  be  in  vain, 
unless  lofty  self-sacrifice  has  lost  its  power 
over  human  h®arts.  Requiesceet  in  pace 
scarce  need  be  written  on  his  grave,  for  he 
laid  his  body  down  in  the  spirit  of  Him 
who  said:  "He  that  loses  his  life  for  my 
sake  the  same  shall  save  it." 

I  call  attention  to  the  accompanying  re- 
ports. They  are  selected  from  the  many 
in  this  office,  simply  because  each  presents 
some  points  worthy  of  your  attention.  The 
remainder  contain  only  such  details  as  are 
of  minor  importance. 

THE   COLORED   HOSPlTAIi. 

Three  weeks  later,  August  27,  Mr.  Sperry 
writes: 

The  Colored  Hospital  was  removed  Au- 
gust 13th  to  the  ground  and  tents  formerly 
used  for  the  hospital  of  the  6th  Corps.  At 
this  time  I  was  assigned  to  the  charge  of 
the  Sanitary  Station  connected  with  it. 

In  the  confusion  incident  to  the  remov- 
al, many  of  the  patients  passed,  for  some 
days,  from  under  the  notice  of  our  agents, 
and  were  only  found  after  a  new  acquaint- 
ance with  the  whole  hospital  had  been 
formed.  Little  or  no  suffering,  however, 
resulted  from  the  change,  while  there  was 
a  positive  gain  in  the  superior  accommoda- 
tions acquired.  The  number  in  hospital 
was  then  quite  large — about  eleven  hun- 
dred— but  was  soon  after  reduced  nearly  to 
its  present  dimensions,  three  hundred  and 
seventy  men. 

Previous  to  this  removal  we  had  no  reg- 
ular station  in  the  hospital.  Stores  were 
issued  to  the  light  diet  kitchen,  and  two 


agents  were  at  work  in  the  wards,  and  this 
was  deemed  sufficient  for  the  existing  con^ 
dition  of  the  hospital.  But  the  bloody 
disaster  of  the  30th  July,  and  the  growing 
importance  of  the  colored  branch  of  the 
service,  made  it  desirable  that  we  should 
have  the  same  representation  here  as  in 
other  hospitals.  This  is  now  the  case.  We 
have  stores,  tents,  and  mess  arrangements 
capable  to  meet  any  exigencies  that  may 


ihe  relations  existing  in  this  hospital 
between  the  agents  of  the  Commission  and 
the  surgeons  are  very  satisfactory.  The 
Surgeon  in  charge  is  a  man  of  character, 
and  does  not  attempt  to  use  his  authority 
for  the  advancement  of  his  own  interests 
at. the  expense  of  the  Commission.  AU  ar- 
ticles of  diet  are  issued  directly  to  the  light 
diet  kitchen,  and  thence  to  the  patients; 
and  such  are  our  relations  with  the  noble- 
hearted  woman  in  charge  of  the  kitchen, 
that  nothing  remains  to  be  desired,  perfect 
sympathy  and  co-operation  being  the  es- 
tablished rule. 

All  issues  of  liquors  are  made  by  our  own 
agents.  The  Surgeons"  orders  for  stimu- 
lants are  sent  to  us  each  day,  and  the  pa- 
tients are  supplied  by  our  own  hands  or 
under  our  personal  supervision.  The  fact 
is,  that  too  few,  rather  than  too  many,  are 
upon  these  surgeons'  lists.  At  this  station, 
at  least,  the  charge  that  "the  doctors  drink 
all  the  liquor,"  must  be  false,  for  they  get 
none  of  it  to  drink!  In  making  milk  punch, 
the  milk  and  whisky  are  drawn  from  the 
Dispensajy,  but  it  is  my  conviction  that 
we  had  better  furnish  our  own  liquor,  using 
Government  milk.  My  recent  experience 
with  Government  whisky  has  caused  this 
reversal  of  judgment.  Perhaps  it  is  not 
always  of  its  present  "Hue  ruin"  qual- 
ity. The  whole  question  of  the  liquor,  sup- 
ply is  at  present  one  of  quality  rather  than 
quantity.  Shall  we  substitute  a  good  arti- 
cle for  a  poor?  Whisky  and  brandy,  (usu- 
ally very  bad,)  are  to  be  had  at  the  Medical 
Purveyor's  in  sufficient  quantity.  We 
should,  I  think,  be  able  always  to  supply 
an  article  of  und'oubted  quality  to  all  se- 
vere cases,  leaving  others  to  be  cared  for 
by  the  surgeons. 

l^he  total  amount  of  our  issues  is  small, 
compared  with  the  earMer  part  of  th-e  cam- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


681 


paign.  The  terrible  exigencies  of  that 
time  are  past.  No  such  destitution  is  found 
among  the  soldiefs,  and  the  Government 
supply  is  ample.  Doubtless  some  issues 
are  still  made  unnecessarily,  yet  most  such 
are  ■to  be  referred  to  the  difficulty  inherent 
in  any  system  of  charitable  supply,  and  can 
only  be  reduced  to  a  minimum  by  care  and 
experience  in  giving. 

Good  men  in  the  wards  are  always  need- 
ed ;  especially  is  that  the  case  here.  Most 
nurses,  among  soldiers,  are  deficient  in  the 
higher  qualities  of  tact,  patience,  and 
■warm-hearted  sympathy — with,  of  course, 
noble  exceptions.  Colored  nurses  add  to 
these  deficiencies  the  greater  one  of  a  lack 
of  soldierly  fellow-feeling  for  their  sick  and 
wounded  comrades.  It  seems  a  general 
fact  that  colored  people  are  cruel  toward 
each  other.  A  white  soldier  sees  in  a  suf- 
fering soldier  a  "partner  "  in  distress.  The 
word  "  partner  "  is  not  in  a  negro  soldier's 
vocabulary!  In  these  the  barbarism  of 
heathenism  has  been  replaced  by  a  barbar- 
ism of  civilization,  -but  little  more  refined 
and  scarcely  less  cruel.  The  one  positive, 
and  seeking  victims;  the  other  negative, 
and  neglecting  its  victims.  As  our  denial 
of  a  common  humanity  to  slaves  has  taught 
them  inhumanity  to  each  other,  so  we  need 
to  teach  them  by  long  years  of  example, 
perhaps,  that  as  free  men  they  can  claim  a 
common  human  nature  only  by  being  hu- 
mane. In  our  work  as  "Sanitary  men," 
we  need  a  full  comprehension  of  this  part 
of  their  nature,  that  while  we  may  detest 
their  vices,  we  may  remember  that  they 
are  very  much  what  we  have  made  them 
be.  The  same  spirit  that  is  allowed  full 
play  in  a  charge  that  gives  no  quarter, 
must  needs  sometimes  appear  when  no 
such  terrible  necessity  calls  it  forth. 

From  the  agent's  reports  referred  to  by 
Mr.  Sparry,  we  select  the  following: 
Mb.  Obbis. 

July  30. 

The  nature  and  extent  of  my  work  are  as 
when  I  last  reported.  Chiefly  sick,  not 
wounded,  are  those  on  whom  I  wait.  The 
length  of  time  they  have  been  here  has  fur- 
nished me  an  opportunity  of  becoming 
quite  intimately  acquainted  with  them  all. 
The  interest  which  frequent  intercourse 
and  personal  acquaintance  with  each  has 
awakened  on  their  behalf,  lends  wings  to  oUr 
efforts  and  fervor  to  our  prayers  for  th^ 


restoration.  As  I  stated  a  few  weeks  ago, 
our  personal  intercourse  with  the  men  and 
possession  of  their  confidence,  secure  that 
they  ask  for  nothing  but  what  they  need, 
and  so  indirectly  contribute  largely  to  the 
treasury  of  the  Commission.  Where  there 
are  thousands  of  sufferers  who  remain  but 
a  short  time,  this  saving  of  our  funds,  this 
indirect  contribution  to  our  treasury,  could 
be  secured  by  multiplying  the  number  of 
our  Sanitary  Agents.  For  the  agents  being 
more  in  number,  and  being  each  assigned 
to  fewer  wards,  could  visit  the  sufferers 
more  frequently  in  a  less  space  of  time, 
form  their  personal  acquaintance,  gain  their 
confidence,  learn  their  actual  wants,  guard 
against  the  tricks  and  selfishness  of  the 
nurses,  and  so  secure  to  the  Commission 
all  the  benefits  that  a  fewer  number  of 
agents  among  an  ordinary  number  of  more 
permanent  patients  would  secure. 

This  multiplication  (^  agents  for  hospi- 
tals burdened  and  groaning  with  transient 
sufferers,  would  also  result  in  a  multiplica- 
tion of  ministrations  and  benefits  to  both 
the  bodies  and  minds  of  the  sufferers  them- 
selves. And  yet  the  utility  of  such  a  multi- 
plication of  agents,  would  justly  be  brought 
into  question.  For  if  thpre  be  agents 
enough  to  do  aR  the  service  that  may  be 
done  when  the  ground  is  blotted  out  with 
sick  and  wounded  men,  there  wiU,  if  arith- 
metic is  true,  be  supernumaries  when  on  a 
sudden  a  large  proportion  of  sick  and 
wounded  are  taken  away.  So  that  what 
a  multiplicity  of  agents  would  save  the 
Commission,  through  personal  acquaint- 
ance, etc.,  ■with  the  patients  and  nurses, 
and  what  additional  benefits  they  would 
confer  on  the  patients  and  nurses  them- 
selves, might  in  the  end  be  counterbalanced 
by  the  additional  cost  of  these  multiplied 
agents,  the  consequent  diminution  of  the 
treasury,  and  therefore  of  the  supplies  for 
future  sick  and  wounded. 

*  *  *       ,    *  * 

As  ever,  I  am  persuaded  of  the  broad  and 
mighty  work  the  Commission  are  accom- 
plishing. Like  every  work  for  immortality, 
it  is  largely  silent  and  unknown.  In  that 
land  where  the  wars  of  time  shall  have 
yielded  to  eternal  peace,  and  where  the  in- 
habitant never  says,  I  am  sick,  the  extent 
of  our  work  wiU  be  known. 

*  *  *  *  » 

Aitgust  6. 

I  have  nothing  to  say  in  regard  to  my 
work,  except  that  recently  it  has  been  too 
great  for  my  powers  of  endurance.     ^ 

It  is  known  that  all  we  have,  except  arti- 
cles of  food,  we  distribute  to  the  soldiers 
personally  in  the  wards.  I  have  found  it 
discreet  to  distribute  but  one  thing  at  a 
time  in  order  through  the  wards  in  which  I 
IK  wait.  I  have  also  found  it  profitable  to 
state  to  the  soldiers  in  the  wards  and  flies, 
the  modes  of  our  operations,  the  delicate 


682 


The  Sanitary  Commiaaion  BiMetin. 


nature  of  our  duties,  the  grounds  on  which 
•we  have  to  exercise  discriminating  judg- 
ments; the  grounds  on  ■which  we  have  to 
say  yes  to  one  man,  and  no  to  another. 
With  such  an  explanation,  kindly  and  pleas- 
antly made,  a  no  imparts  as  great  satisfac- 
tion, as  a  yes  without  it.  It  also  convinces 
the  convalescents  ot  the  impropriety  and, 
inutility  of  their  flocking  to  our  tent  and 
troubling  our  storekeeper  there. 


Mb.  J.  T.  Peek. 

July  16. 

As  an  Agent  of  the  Commission  and  work- 
ing under  your  supervision,  it  is  not  neces- 
sary that  I  should  render  a  detailed  report 
of  the  manner  in  which  its  stores  are  dis- 
tributed, nor  need  I  refer  to  their  great 
abundance  and  adaptability  to  the  necessi- 
ties and  comfort  of  the  patients.  Permit 
me,  however,  to  say,  that  during  an  experi- 
ence of  two  years  in  the  field  and  general 
hospitals,  I  never  saw  either  sick  or  wound- 
ed soldiers  as  favorably  situated  as  they 
are  here.  Sometimes  I  find  some  who  are 
anxious  to  get  to  Washington,  but  know- 
ing the  unsanitary  condition  of  said  city, 
and  the  worth  of  pure  air,  I  have  in  all 
such  cases  endeavored  to  persuade  them  to 
be  content  to  remain  here,  and  I  have  suc- 
ceeded in  almost  all  instances  in  convincing 
them  that  they  are  better  off  here  than  they 
would  be  there.  ^ 

The  work  of  personal  relief,  as  day  after 
day  has  passed,  has  been  well  done,  and  if 
the  present  facilities  but  continue,  there 
need  be  no  fears  for  the  future.  How  much 
good  the  liberal,  palpable  sympathy  of 
the  loyal  North  has  accomplished  here  1 
Through  it  we  have  been  enabled  to  dis- 
tributute  material  aid,  together  with  cheer- 
ing words. 

Sir,  we  "  working  men,"  find  that  we  are 
quite  contented,  and  even  happy  at  our 
work.  The  craddem  flush  of  gratitude,  the 
quick,  grateful  glances  of  eyes  that  will 
speak,  though  the  tongue  may  be  silent. 
We  treasure  them  up.  They  are  not  to  be 
found  in  the  civilized  conventional  world. 

You  have  given  us  home  comforts  as  our 
aim.  We  are  nearer  to  that  aim  than  may 
be  imagined.  With  the  exception  of  the 
familiar  faces  and  associations,  it  is  gener- 
ally already  attained. 

•  I  have  seen  no  State  Agent  at  work,  but 
have  met  delegates  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission when  they  were  holding  religious 
services  in  the  tents. 


KANSAS. 

Several  letters  from  Mr.  Brown,  at  Lea- 
venworth, tell  of  great  suffering  and  desti- 
tution in  his  district.  Crowds  of  refugees 
flock  into  the  neighborhood,  and  almost  all 
of  them  are  helpless,  inefficient,  and  utter- 


ly dependent  upon  charity.  These,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  patients  in  hospitals,  over- 
whelm him  with  demands  for  assistance. 
Supplies  have  reached  him  from  Cleveland, 
Chicago,  and  St.  Louis,  and  others  are  on 
the  way.  These,  Mr.  Brown  says,  "  are 
sent  out  to  the  hospitals  as  soon  as  trans- 
portation can  be  procured.  The  want  of 
transportation  is  the  great  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  rendering  speedy  relief  to  the  sick 
in  distant  hospitals.  I  would  keep  a  team 
moving  constantly,  but  there  is  now  no 
safety  in  sending  goods  without  an  escort. 
I  improve  every  opportunity  that  is  safe  to 
forward  supplies  to  the  outposts,  but  I  am 
not  able  to  fill  all  requisitions.  I  have 
another  good  invoice  from  Chicago,  with  a 
very  kind  letter — goods  not  yet  arrived.  I 
have  one  Befugee  and  Soldiers'  Home  start- 
ed— have  two  very  good  buildings  leased. 
Freedmen's  Department  filling  up  fast." 


TESTIMONY  OF  LIEUT.  COL.  SUMMEBS, 
MEDICAL  INSPEOTOE  U  S.  A 

Memphis,  Tzhh.,  Auffust  2i,  1861. 
Dk.  L.  Lkvis  Con;,  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Irupector 
for  the  Valley  of  the  Mitt.: 

Deab  Sib — In  reply  to  your  request,  ask- 
ing what  my  observations  had  been  in  my 
tours  of  inspection  regarding  the  distribu- 
tion and  use  made  of  the  "people's"  gifts 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission,  I  take 
pleasure  in  stating  that  I  have  almost  al- 
ways found  more  or  less,  and  generally  a 
liberal  supply  of  them  in  the  General  Hos- 
pitals of  this  city,  and  in  those  at  Yicks- 
burg  and  Natchez,  as  well  as  the  Begimen- 
tal  Hospitals  (in  the  camps)  at  the  two  lat- 
ter places. 

With  the  occasional  exception,  which 
occurs  in  camps,  they  invariably  reach 
their  ^proper  destination,  and  are  consumed 
by  those  for  whom  they  are  intended.  I 
take  pleasure  in  making  this  statement,  for 
the  reason  that  the  impression  has  been 
made  to  a  very  considerable  extent,  that 
the  medical  officers  on  duty  in  General 
Hospitals  get  and  consume  the  lion's  share 
of  them.  /  know  that  this  is  not  the  case 
where  I  have  inspected,  for  the  officers 
board  out  in  the  cities,  and  the  exception 
is  only  where  the  Hospital  is  isolated  and 
at  a  distance  from  such  accommodations. 

Pardon  me  for  the  introduction  in  this 
note  of  an  opinion  I  entertain  regarding 
canned  fruits  generally.  I  do  not  think 
that  they  are  so  healthful  or  well  adapted 
ioi  the  sick  as  those  that  have  been  dried. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


683 


The  preparation  of  the  latter  for  table  use 
is  very  simple,  and  can  almost  always  be 
done  without  difficulty.  There  is  a  very 
great  loss  in  the  canned,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  the  contents  are  damaged  to  some 
extent,  which  is  not  discovered  by  our  ar- 
my cooks,  and  it  has  a  very  bad  effect  on 
those  who  eat  of  it. 

The  anti-scorbutics  have  been  a  special 
boon.  The  amount  of  fresh  vegetables, 
more  particularly  potatoes,  have  been  the 
means,  together  with  those  furbished  by 
the  Commissary  Department  of  the  Army, 
of  saving  the  lives  of  vast  numbers,  and 
keeping  up  a  good  sanitary  condition  of 
the  troops.  The  ratio  of  sickness  and  per 
centage  of  mortality  has  been  materially 
diminished,  falling  far  short  of  that  which 
took  place  last  year  during  the  corre^ond- 
ing  months  of  March,  April,  Majj,  June, 
and  July.  This  is  to  be  ascribed,  in  some 
degree,  to  the  officers  and  men  having 
learned  the  better  how  to  take  care  of. 
themselves.  *        *        * 

I  am  Doctor,  yours  very  respectfully, 
Jno.  E.  Summers, 
Med.  Inspec.  U.  S.  A. 

REALLY  OLD  LINEN. 

The  New  Haven  Auxiliary  Society  writes : 
"  We  have  a  contribution  of  some  antedilu- 
vian linen,  with  the  following  history.     I  send 
it  thinking  it  may  be  made  an  item. 

."The  Imen  sheet  made  into  two,  anarked 
I*E,  belonged  to  Jehosaphat  and  Elizabeth 
8tarT.  fie  was  estabhshed  in  business  in  Guil- 
ford, 1732;  they  were  married  in  1734.  She 
was  daughter  of  Buggies,  one  of  the  early  cler- 
gymen of  this  old  town,  and  the  sheet  must  be 
130  years  old.  Two  of  these  old  family  treas- 
ures descended  to  Mr.  Henry  B.  Starr.  One  he 
gave  me  a  year  ago,  and  a  few  days  since 
brought  me  ihe  pair  of  linen  piUow-cases  and 
this  old  sheet." 


WESTERN  DEPARTMENT. 

AT  NASHVILLE. 

Mr.  Boot  reports,  July  30: 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present 
campaign  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
we  had  in  store  at  this  place,  about  three 
thousand  barrels  of  vegetables,  consisting 
of  potatoes,  kraut,  and  pickles;  also,  a 
large  stock  of  condensed  milk,  whisky, 
condensed  beef  and  fruits,  besides  shirts, 
drawers,  sheets,  pillows,  and  piUow-sUps, 
rags  and  bandages. 

These  stores  had  been  accumulate^  by 


request  o|  Gen.  Sherman,  for  the  use  of 
the  army  when  the  campaign  should  open. 
Every  facility  necessary  for  the  rapid  trans- 
portation of  the  goods  to  the  front  has  been 
furnished  by  the  Government. 

In  addition  to  this  stock,  then  on  hand, 
large  supplies  have  since  been  continually 
coming  forward  from  Louisville,  at  the  rate 
of  one  hundred  tons  per  week,  and  have 
been  shipped  to  Chattanooga  as  fast  as  re- 
ceived. There  has  been  no  complaint  on 
the  subject  of  transportation,  since  the 
army  commenced  its  march.  The  Govern- 
ment has  fully  anticipated  and  provided 
for  the  wants  of  the  campaign;  three  thou- 
sand cars  are  now  daily  running  between 
NashviUe  and  the  front,  and  army  stores 
of  all  descriptions  and  sanitary  stores  find 
an  easy  transit  to  the  scene  of  conflict  and 
suffering. 

In  order  that  the  sanitary  stores  might 
be  distributed  where  they  were  most  need- 
ed, and  where  they  would  best  answer  the 
ends  for  which  the  Commission  was  insti- 
tuted, I  conferred  at  the  opening  of  the 
campaign  with  the  Medical  Director,  and 
the  Medical  Purveyor  and  the  Post  Com- 
missary at  this  place,  as  to  the  course  best 
to  be  pursued.  The  sick  and  wounded  that 
had  been  previously  patients  in  the  hospi- 
tals at  Chattanooga  and  other  points  be- 
yond this,  were  In  May  transferred  to  this 
place,  and  to  hospitals  farther  North;  cre- 
ating while  in  transitu  an  increased  de- 
mand' for  sanitary  snf^lies  here;  and  this 
demand  was  largely  increased,  as  soon  as 
the  wounded  from  the  battles  of  the  cam- 
paign "began  to  arrive. 

A  large  Corps  of  Sanitary  Agents  had 
gone  to  the  front,  in  May,  and  were  keep- 
ing pace  Vith  the  progress  of  the  army. 

These  agents  were  sending  back  daily 
the  most  urgent  requests  to  hurry  forward 
supplies  to  them.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, how  could  all  the  wants  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  in  General  Hospital, 
here  and  at  the  front,  be  met?  To  this 
inquiry  I  gave  the  most  careful  attention. 
The  Medical  Director,  the  Medical  Pur- 
veyor and  Post  C^mmissary,  advised  me 
that  sanitary  stores  were  needed  more  at 
-the  front  than  at  any  other  place;  that  all 
the  general  hospitals  were  supplied  by 
Government  with  everything  actually  ne- 


684 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


ceasary;  that  at  the  front,  where  the  storm 
of  battle  was  actually  raging,  exigencies 
were  continually  arising,  beyond  the  organ- 
ized means  of  the  Government  to  provide 
for;  and  that  there,  at  or  near  the  field  of 
battle,  was  the  appropriate  sphere  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission  to  discharge  its  hu- 
mane duties  of  love  and  mercy. 

Dr.  Clendenin,  the  Medical  Director, 
clearly  defined  to  me  the  duties  of  Surgeons 
in  charge  of  hospitals,  and  pointed  out  the 
manner  in  which  they  could  and  should 
provide  with  whatever  is  necessai-y  for  their 
patients  from  the  Oovernment;  and  in  con- 
nection with  the  subject,  he  furnished  me 
with  the  following  written  orders,  which  I 
deemed  of  sufficient  importance  to  have 
printed  for  the  information  of  our  own 
agents: 


Office  Asst.  Med.  Dnt.,  D.  C 
Nashvujub,  June  15,  1864. 

CIBCirLAB. 


1 


The  attention  of  Medical  Officers  is  re- 
spectfully directed  to  circular  No.  6,  Sur- 
geon-General's Office,  April  13,  1863,  viz. : 

The  Senior  Medical  Officer  of  hospitals, 
regiments,  posts,  or  detached  commands, 
will  make  their  requisitions  for  medical  and 
hospital  supplies  upon  the  Medical  Director 
whom  they  may  be  serving. 

*  *  *  *  * 

It  is  not  the  design  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission to  perform  the  duties  which  belong 
to  the  officers  of  the  Medical  Department, 
nor  to  furnish  those  medical  stores  which 
ordinarily  are  supplied  by  this  Depart- 
ment, when  properly  asked  for,  or  when 
needed. 

*  *  »  *  * 

The  supplies  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
then,  will  not  be  drawn  upon  by  Medical 
Officers  to  meet  the  current  expenditures  of 
their  hospitals;  and  Medical  Officers  who, 
previous  to  the  issue  of  this  circular,  have 
been  in  the  habiJ  of  asking,  without  the 
necessity,  for  these  gratuitous  issues,  are 
believed  to  have  done  so  through  ignorance 
of  the  proper  means  of  obtaining  their  hos- 
pital stores,  or  prompted  by  the  desire  to 
cltear  themselves  from  a  responsibility  to 
which  they  would  be  held  by  this  Bureau,  • 
for  culpable  negligence  in  the  use  and  waste 
of  supplies  received  from  the  regular  pur- 
veying officers  of  the  Medical  Department. 

*  *  *  *  # 

(Signed,)        W.  A.  Hammond, 

Silrgean-Gtneral, 
W.  CliENDENIN, 

Surgeon  U.  S.  V.,  Aut.  Med.  Dir., 

Department  o/Ute  Cumberland. 


Office  Asst.  Med.  Dnt.,  ) 

TJASTTVTT.T.y.,    JuHB   15,    1861.  J 

CIBCDIiAE. 

The  following  instructions  are  again  fur- 
nished for  the  information  of  "  Surgeons 
in  charge,"  who  are  charged  with  the  faith- 
ful execution  of  the  same:  ' 

All  issues  of  clothing  made  to  patients  in 
hospital,  should  be  noted  on  the  descriptive 
roUs  of  the  man  receiving  the  clothing. 

In  cases  where  no  descriptive  roU  has 
been  furnished  by  the  company  command- 
ers, the  clothing  needed  should  be  issued 
at  once,  and  such  issues  noted  on  a  partial 
descriptive  rolL  This  partial  roll  should 
be  made  out  by  the  Surgeon  in  charge, 
giving  the  name,  rank,  reputed  company, 
regiment,  age,  height,  complexion,  color  of 
eyes,  hair,  and  such  other  facts  as  may  be 
obtainable  at  the  time,  and  which  would 
assist  in  a  legal  identification  of  the 
name. 

If  a  fuU  descriptive  roU  should  be  re- 
ceived from  the  company  commander  be- 
fore the  man  leaves  the  hospital,  all  issues 
made  to  him  should  be  noted  on  this  roll, 
and  the  partial  descriptive  roll  should  be 
destroyed  at  once. 

It  has  been  officially  reported  to  this 
office,  that  a  number  of  sick  and  wounded 
men  have  been  transferred  from  hospitals 
in  Nashville  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  without 
any  other  clothing  than  drawers  and  shirts. 
It  is  hoped,  that  under  no  circumstances 
will  "  Surgeons  in  charge"  again  permit 
any  man  to  ba  sent  out  in  such  condition. 
The  Goveriiment  has  made  liberal  pre- 
vision for  issuing  clothing  to  troops,  es- 
pecially to  men  in  hospitals;  consequently, 
there  can  be  no  excuse  whatever  for  sol- 
diers of  the  United  States  Army  being 
sent  out  of  hospital  without  clothing,  in  a 
half  nude  state. 

(Signed,)        W.  Cibndbnin, 

Surgeon  C  S.  V.,  Asit.  Med.  Dir., 

Department  of  the  Cumberland. 

As  the  work  of  the  Commission  is  sup- 
plemental to  that  of  the  Government,  we 
have  been  governed  by  these  orders,  (in 
the  distribution  of  our  atores,)  wherever 
general  hospitals  have  been  established, 
and  the  Government  has  had  sufficient 
time  to  supply  them  with  their  full  com- 
plement of  hospital  stores. 

This  has  been  our  general  rule,  subject 
to  such  exceptions  as  the  necessities  of  the 
case  often  required.  When  Government 
supplies  can  be  had,  and  sufficient  time 
afforded  to  reach  them  through  author- 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


685 


ized  channels,  the  distribution  of  sanitary 
stores  is  unnecessary.  In  the  transfer  of 
patients  from  one  hospital  to  another,  suf- 
ficient time  is  not  always  given  to  supply 
patients  with  necessary  clothing,  through 
the  established  army  regulations.  In  such 
cases  the  Sanitary  Commission  comes  to 
the  relief  of  the  needy.  Individual  appli- 
cations for  relief  have  been  always  disposed 
of  according  to  the  wants  of  the  applicant, 
^kere  those  other  wants  cannot  properly 
be  relieved. 

Confining  our  distributions  in  general 
hospitals  to  the  above  order  of  the  Medi- 
cal Director,  we  have  been  enabled  to 
send  to  the  front,  a  much  larger  amount 
of  supplies,  than  otherwise  have  been  done; 
at  the  same  time,  the  aid  rendered  by  the 
Commission  here  to  hospitals,  to  indi- 
vidual soldiers,  to  parts  of  regiments  on 
detached  duty,  and  to  regiments  guarding 
.the  railroad  and  river,  between  Nashville 
and  Chattanooga,  has  been  constant  and 
of  very  considerable  niagnitude.  We  have 
always  endeavored  to  regulate  our  distri- 
butions by  the  comparative  wants  and  ne- 
cessities of  the  different  parts  of  the  field 
to  be  supplied.  I  do  not  know  that  the 
work  could  have  been  better  done  than  it 
has  been. 

For  a  more  particular  statement  of  the 
relation  that  the  Sanitary  Commission  bears 
to  general  hospitals,  I  refer  you  to  the 
communication  of  Dr.  Woodward,  drawn 
up  by  my  request,  to  accompany  this  re- 
port. 

About  the  time  that  wounded  soldiers 
began  to  arrive  in  considerable  numbers 
from  the  front,  application  was  made  to 
me  by  Surgeons  and  other  Government 
officers,  to  have  special  relief,  in  the  form 
of  refreshment,  provided  for  them  at  Chat- 
tanooga Depot,  in  Nashville,  and  at  De- 
cherd  Station,  about  half-way  between 
Nashville  and  Chattanooga.  I  thought  it 
highly  proper  for  the  Commission  to  com- 
ply with  this  request.  An  agent,  with  your 
approbation,  was  sent  to  Decherd,  with 
the  necessary  supplies  to  establish  a  "  Sol- 
diers' Best"  there;  and  for  several  weeks 
past,  all  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  passing 
from  the  front  to  Nashville,  have  been  sup- 
plied at  Decherd  with  coffee,  tea,  beef 
soup,  lemonade,  milk  punch,  crackers  and 


bread,  and  have  received  such  other  atten- 
tion as  was  necessary. 

At  first,  a  large  number  of  the  wounded 
came  from  the  front  in  box-cars,  and  when 
they  arrived  in  Nashville,  they  frequently 
had  to  wait,  in  an  exhausted  condition, 
from  one  to  three  hours,  before  they  could 
be  transferred  to  hospitals.  I  visited  them 
as  they  came  in,  and  saw  them  lying  on  the 
bottom  of  the  cars,  weary,  hungry,  thirsty, 
and  suffering  from  their  wounds. 

I  made  arrangements  immediately  for 
supplying  them  with  milk  punch,  cooled 
with  ice,  and  with  soft  crackers. 

This  was  refreshing  to  them,  and  those 
that  looked  on  and  heard  their  expressions 
of  satisfaction  and  gratitude,  were  often 
affected  to  tears.  Tflis  was  a  good  work; 
but  for  th«  last  month  hospital  cars,  fur- 
nished with  every  comfort  necessary  for 
wounded  men,  have  been  provided  for 
transferring  wounded  soldiers  from  the 
front  to  Nashville,  and  the  necessity  for 
our  supplying  them  at  Chattanooga  Depot 
no  longer  exists.  The  "  Soldiers'  Best" 
at  Decherd  is  still  in  operation,  under  the 
care  of  Dr.  HiUman,  and  from  five  hundred 
to  a  thousand  soldiers  a  week,  are  there 
kindly  cared  for. 

I  think  proper  in  this  communication  to 
call  your  attention  to  the  great  amount  of 
work  for  soldiers,  done  at  the  "  Soldiers' 
Home"  in  Nashville,  under  the  efficient 
management  of  Capt.  Brayton. 

Hospital  visiting  has  been  faithfully  at- 
tended to  by  Bev.  Mr.  Ingraham,  and  in 
addition  to  his  other  duties,  he  has  offi- 
ciated as  Chaplain  on  Sunday,  in  the 
"Soldiers'  Home."  I  have  also  myself 
visited  the  hospitals  as  often  as  a  proper 
attention  to  my  other  duties  would  permit. 
I  have  endeavored  to  keep  myself  acquaint-- 
ed  with  their  wants,  necessities  and  general 
condition,  and  to  supply  them  to  the  ex- 
tent of  our  means  and  obligation. 

The  number  of  patients  in  them,  since 
the  opening  of  the  campaign,  has  greatly 
increased.  They  are  much  in  want  of  veg- 
etables, which  the  market  here  cannot  sup- 
ply, and  of  rags  for  the  dressing  of  wounds, 
which  the  Government  heretofore  has  not 
attempted  to  supply.  Bags  are  not  on  the 
supply -table  of  the  Medical  Purveyor. 

That  you  may  be  made  acquainted  fully 


686 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvRetin. 


■with  the  statistics  and  general  condition  of 
the  hospitals  in  Nashville,  at  the  present 
date,  I  have  requested  Dr.  Woodward  to  visit 
them  and  furnish  me  with  such  statistics, 
and  the  results  of  his  observation  in  the 
same. 

This  he  has  done.  His  great  experience 
as  an  Army  Surgeon,  gives  additional  value 
to  his  statements  and  suggestions.  I  here- 
with inclose  his  communication  to  me  on 
this  subject,  as  a  part  of  this  report. 

For  further  particulars,  I  refer  you  to 
the  reports  of  Mr.  Bobinson,  Mr.  Ingra- 
ham  and  Captain  Brayton,  in  their  several 
departments. 

DECHBKD,  TENNESSEE. 

Dr.  Hillman  writes,  August  15: 
There  is  probably  in  no  other  institution 
a  more  gratifying  situation  than  the  office 
I  occupy  at  present,  in  taking  care  of  the 
sick  and  wounded.  Having  hadj  for  a  long 
time,  nothing  but  "hard  tack,"  the  poor, 
exhausted  patient's  face  smiles  over  the 
rich  beef  soup  which  is  offered  to  him. 
The  wounded,  sun-burnt  hero,  asking  for 
water  to  fill  his  empty  canteen,  and  being 
told  to  wait  a  minute,  is  astonished  at  get- 
ting milk  punch,  something  to  eat,  and  a 
fresh  dressing  for  his  wounds,  in  addition 
to  the  canteen  of  water;  he  will  look  at 
you  in  dumb  wonder,  but  the  moistened 
eye  is  eloquent  where  the  tongue  falters  and 
fails.  It  need  Holmes's  pen  or  Darley's 
pencil  to  do  justice  to  the  scenes  that  are 
common  under  my  eye.  Tell  that  pale 
jn&n,  who  has  been  lingering  for  a  long 
time  with  a  disease  contracted  in  the  ser- 
vice of  his  country — tell  him  the  best  med- 
icine you  can  administer  is  found  in  the 
word  "  Home,"  with  all  that  it  suggests  of 
affection,  comfort,  and  repose,  and  the 
wan  countenance  brightens  at  once,  the 
jolting  of  the  oar  is  no  longer  felt,  the  heat 
of  the  long  day  is  forgotten,  and  the  hard 
box-car  is  pillowed  with  the  sweetest  imag- 
inations. There  is  too  much  noise  and  toe 
much  bustle  at  the  departure  of  the  train, 
for  many  words  of  farewell  from  my  pa- 
tients, newly  found  and  as  quickly  chang- 
ing, but  I  cannot  forget  their  faces  radiant 
with  a  voiceless  gratitude. 

A  few  days  ago,  a  train,  with  but  one 
wounded  man  on  board,  stopped  at  the 


Btation  the  usual  twenty-five  minutes,  and 
I  was  thus  allowed  to  give  him  undivided 
attention.  He  had  been  badly  wounded  at 
the  ankle  joint  by  a  bomb-shell.  I  dressed 
his  wound,  gave  him  a  pillow  to  rest  his 
foot  on,  fed  and  refreshed  him;  he  was 
trying  to  thank  me,  but  the  words  were 
choked  with  tears.  After  he  left,  I  was 
surprised  to  hear  that  he  was  a  Confederate 
soldier.  Will  this  man  remains,  rebel  ? 
Will  he  have  a  chance  of  visiting  Belle 
Isle  ? 

Once  in  a  while  very  amusing  iDoidents 
happen.  There  is  but  one  step  from  the 
tragic,  as  well  as  the  sublime,  to  the  ridicu- 
lous. I  am  often  obliged  to  use  disinfect- 
ants for  severe  and  offensive  wounds,  and 
have  a  solution  in  a  wine  bottle,  still  wear- 
ing the  attractive,  gilded  label,  "  Bordeaux, 
St.  Julien,  Medoc."  While  I  was  busily 
engaged  the  other  day  with  my  work,  the 
bottle  close  at  hand,  it  had  proved  too 
strong  a  temptation  to  a  soldier  lying  near, 
and,  when  my  back  was  turned,  he  hurried- 
ly gulped  down  a  generous  swallow.  You 
can  imagine  the  sneezing,  coughing,  retch- 
ing, and  thorough  disgust  which  betrayed, 
at  the  same  time,  the  sly  theft  and  his  f ear' 
ful  disappointment,  much  to  the  amuse- 
ment of  all  present. 

The  ice-house  is  completed.  No  ice  has 
been  received  in  quantity,  but,  through 
the  kindess  of  Dr.  Hazen,  I  get  small  sup- 
plies from  his  hospital  train. 

In  regard  to  telegrams  I  am  happy  to  say 
that  they  have  been  regularly  received, 
save  only  when  interrupted  by  the  thunder- 
storms along  the  line  through  the  moun- 
tains. But  as  nurses  take  turns  in  watch- 
ing at  night,  I  have  been  prepared  in  all 
cases  of  night  arrivals. 

The  number  of  patients  fed  and  attended 
to  at  this  station,  from  August  3d  to  the 
15th,  is  eleven  hundred  and  eighty-nine.  I 
select  from  my  memorandum  the  detaOs 
descriptive  of  a  single  day: 

August  15. — Train  No.  8,  in  two' sections, 
arrived  2.30  A.  M.  First  section  had  one 
hundred  and  forty-seven  patients;  fed  them, 
and  dressed  wounds  for  eleven  privates  and 
two  officers.  Second  section  had  seventy- 
five  patients;  found  one  Frenchman  and 
thirty-nine  Germans.  They  were  glad  to 
be  addressed  each  in  his  native  tongue. 


The  Sanitary  Commiiston  BuUeUn. 


687 


Train  No.  6,  arrived  before  time,  at  2}^ 
P.  M.,  -with  t-vrelve  patients;  fed  them, 
and  gave  morphine  to  one  man  in  great 
pain. 

Train  No.  6,  arrived  at  9^  P.  M. ;  had 
twenty-five  patients;  gave  them  coffee  and 
milk  punch;  administered  soporifics.  Total, 
two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  patients  on  Au- 
gust 15th. 

To  Mr.  Root  I  have  written  for  supplies 
needed  here,  and  expect  to  receive  them 
soon. 

HOSPlTAIi    VISirtNG. 

Mr.  Ingraham  writes  from  NashviUe, 
August  6: 

The  last  week  has  been  filled  with  its 
continuous  round  of  daily .  duties,  some 
great,  some  small.  Not  a  little  time  has 
been  occupied  in  answering  letters  from 
friends  of  sick  or  wounded  soldiers.  Every 
mail  brings  some — each  eloquent  in  the 
entreaty  that  the  Hospital  Visitor  wiU  look 
up  the  beloved  husband  or  son  or  brother — 
see  their  condition,  attend  to  their  wants — 
see  if  they  can  get  a  sick  furlough,  or  be 
transferred  to  some  hospital  nearer  home, 
and  where  their  friends  can  meet  them. 
All  of  these  letters  require  an  answer, 
sometimes  two  or  three  letters  in  reply, 
besides  a  great  deal  of  time  and  labor  spent 
in  searching  out  the  case.  Let  me  give  an 
instance: 

A  few  days  ago  a,  letter  was  received 
requesting  information  of  Hiram  McFree- 
man,  who  was  known  to  have  been  brought 
to  Nashville  very  sick— but  a  long  time  had 
elapsed,  no  letters  to  him  were  answered, 
and  whether  he  was  alive  or  dead  his 
friends  could  not  learn.  They  wrote  to 
the  Hospital  Visitor.  He  took  the  letter 
and  went  to  the  office  of  the  Medical  Di- 
rector, where  the  record  of  all  hospital 
patients  is  kept,  and  began  his  search  over 
the  long  pages,  scanning  every  one  of  the 
hundreds  of  names.  But  no  such  name 
appeared.  He  then  went  back^s-^rds  over 
the  list,  but  page  after  page  was  examined 
until  his  back  and  fingers  ached,  but  cer- 
tainly no  such  name  was  there.  He  looked 
at  the  letter  again,  and  there  was  strong 
evidence  that  such  a  person  had  been  in 
hospital  in  Nashville. 

What  next  was  to  be  done  but  to  visit  the 


hospitals  themselves,  and  look  at  theiz 
books,  for  sometimes  mistakes  are  made, 
even  at  the  Medical  Director's.  So  the 
nearest  Hospital  was  visited,  and  an  hour 
exhausted,  but  no  such  name  was  there. 
Then  a  long,  hot  walk,  and  the  books  of 
another  examimed,  but  with  as  little  suc- 
cess. Then  another  long  walk,  and  a  third 
hospital  record  investigated,  but  with  like 
result.  Tired  out  and  heated,  the  thing 
was  given  up  for  that  day.  Upon  the  next 
(two  more  letters  with  similar  inquiries 
having  come  in  the  interval,)  he  starts  upon 
a  two  mile  walk,  for  no  ambidance  could 
be  had,  to  the  largest  hospitaL 

Here,  also,  pages  of  names,  reaching 
weeks  and  months  back,  are  carefully  pored 
over,  but  without  success.  He  is  about  to 
give  it  up,  when  a  thought  suddenly  strikes 
him.  He  then  begins  a  search  for  Hiram 
M.  Foreman,  and  finds  the  name,  and 
on  inquiry  learns,  that  he  is  the  very  man 
he  wants,  but  that  his  name  has  been  mis- 
spelt, and  then  he  learns  that  the  young 
man  has  entirely  recovered,  and  that  he 
left  the  hospital  the  dai/  before  to  join  his 
regiment  I 

This  may  be  considered  a  rare  case,  but 
yet  not  altogether  as  uncommon  as  we  could 
W|ish.  At  best,  it  requires  much  time  to 
find  the  parties,  investigate  their  condi- 
tion, talk  with  them,  see  their  Surgeons 
about  them,  write  to  their  friends,  and 
keep  up  the  interest  and  communication 
until  they  recover  or  are  removed. 

With  one  exception  the  hospitals  are  aU 
in  good  condition.  We  trust  that  kindly 
influences  brought  to  bear  upon  that  will 
soon  make  it  no  longer  an  exception. 

I  have  heretofore  omitted  to  report  what, 
perhaps,  I  should  have  done,  viz. :  my  vol- 
untary services  as  Chaplain  in  hospit£ds.  I 
do  not  mean  the  occasional  bed-side  services 
which  are  continually  occurring,  but  those 
of  a  more  regular  character.  There  axe 
faithful  Chaplains  here,  and  some  who  go 
beyond  their  strength.  But  there  are, 
nevertheless,  hospitals  which,  from  some 
cause,  seem  to  be  quite  destitute  of  the 
regular  and  constant  services  of  a  Chap- 
lain. 

AU  of  the  hospitals  are  frequently  viafed 
by  clerical  tract  and  book  distriButors, 
and  who  occasionally  hold  religious  ser- 


688 


The  SamHitary  Commtssion  BiMetin. 


■vices.  But  these  gentlemen  are  generally 
on  short  vacations  from  their  own  parishes 
in  the  North;  they  naturally  desire  to  go 
over  as  much  ground  as  possible  in  the 
given  time,  and  therefore,  any  good  impres- 
sion that  one  or  two  visits  to  a  hospital  may 
make,  is  generally  lost  for  want  of  repeti- 
tion and  following  up.  Or  else  the  kindly 
impression  of  perhaps  one  excellent  and 
experienced  Visitor  is  driven  away  by  the 
succession  of  new  faces  and  voices. 

What  is  needed,  in  I  think  the  most  of 
OUT  hospitals,  is  a  sufficient  number  of  faith- 
ful resident  Chaplains;  gentlemen  selected 
for  their  experience,  wisdom  and  devotion 
to  the  cause.  The  Chaplain  should  know 
personally  almost  every  man  in  the  hospi- 
tal, or  if  the  hospital  be  too  large,  then  he 
should  have  one  or  more  assistants.  He 
should  visit  once  or  twice  each  day  every 
case  inviting  peculiar  sympathy,  -for  coun- 
sel, consolaition,  and  prayer.  He  should 
know  how  to  approach  men  with  judgment 
and  discretion, '  so  as  not  to  repel  but  to 
draw  them;  not  to  shut  np  their  hearts  but 
to  open  them;  not  to  kill  but  in  every  sense 
to  cure. 

A  good  Surgeon  knows  well  the  value  of 
snch  a  spiritual  assistant.  He  should  also 
know  what  kind  of  religious  reading  each 
man  should  have,  and  he  should  have  the 
authority  abd  control  over  the  distribution 
of  it.  He  should  not  permit  that  indis- 
criminate tract  and  book  distribution,  which 
gives  a  tract  on  dancing  to  a  man  who  has 
lost  his  leg,  or  a  book  on  "  The  Wrath  to 
Gome,"  to  some  poor,  broken,  and  contrite 
heart,  that  needs  binding  up  with  the 
gentlest  hand.  In  a  word,  his  hospital 
should  be  his  parish.  It  would  take  but  a 
little  time  for  such  a  man  to  gain  the  con- 
fidence of  his  patients,  and  to  have  access 
to  their  heart  of  hearts. 

Some  of  such  men  have  visited  our  hos- 
pitals, and  have,  in  barely  one  conversa- 
fton,  gained  the  confidence  of  many  who 
longed  for  their  return.  But  alas,  they 
were  of  the  peripatetic  order;  they  had  made 
a  good  impression,  but  were  suddenly  gone 
to  return  no  more,  and  the  poor  disappoint- 
ed, discouraged  sick  man,  after  listening 
long  in  vain  for  the  returning  footsteps  of 
that  friendly  voice,  turns  his  face  to  the 
wall,  refuses  to  listen  to  the  succession  of 


new  voices  and  faces  that  flit  past,  or  stop 
a  moment  before  him,  and  shuts  np  his 
heart  in  despair. 

I  will  not  enter  upon  the  statistics  of 
Chaplaincy,  nor  the  mode  of  appointment, 
neither  the  method  of  remedy;  but  having 
touched  upon  a  sanitary  desideratum  here 
— "  sanitary"  in  its  fullest  sense — will  go 
on  to  report,  that  in  one  of  these  hospitals, 
where  there  are  five  hundred  patients, 
there  having  been  no  kind  of  religious  ser- 
vice, I  was  told,  for  two  months — no  one 
to  bury  the  dead,  or  administer  at  the  bed- 
side of  the  dying — at  the  earnest  solicita- 
tion of  the  patients,  I  volunteered  to  give 
them  as  much  of  my  time  as  I  could  spare. 
This  at  once  involved  Sunday  services,  and 
as  the  patients  were  mostly  confined  to 
their  beds,  a  service  was  required  in  each 
ward,  there  being  six  in  all.  This,  in  ad- 
dition to  a  service  in  the  Refugee  Barracks, 
has  been  kept  up  for  about  three  months, 
in  addition  to  occasional  week-day  visiting. 
This  has,  at  last,  however,  proved  too  much 
for  my  strength.  And  as  of  late,  I  have, 
by  request,  undertaken  regular  Sunday  ser- 
vices at  the  Soldiers'  Home,  the  hospital 
services  have  been  reluctantly  given  up.  On 
yesterday,  however,  it  being  the  national 
fast  day,  I  held  services,  by  special  request 
of  the  Surgeons  in  charge,  both  at  the 
main  building  and  in  its  branch,  having  a 
large  and  most  attentive  congregation. 

At  the  Soldiers'  Home,  I  have  good  and 
attentive  congregations  once  on  each  Sun- 
day. There  are  from  forty  upwards  at 
each  service.  On  these  occasions  I  use  the 
little  "  Soldiers' Prayer  Book,"  which  af- 
fords great  satisfaction,  each  man  having 
a  book.  At  the  close  of  the  services  the 
men  are  presented  with  the  book  which 
they  have  been  using.  Several  hundred 
have  been  given  them  in  this  way.  For 
quite  a  number  of  these  and  other  books, 
I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  the 
Rev.  Montgomery  Schuyler,  D.D.,  of  St. 
Louis. 

For  several  months  past,  I  have  also  held 
a  regular  Sunday  service  in  the  Refugee 
Barracks  of  this  city,  where,  also,  a  Sun- 
day-School has  been  established  &nd  kept 
up.  There,  also,  I  have  had  frequent  burial 
services,  and  many  an  opportunity  of  a 
kind  and  blessed  word . 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeUn. 


689 


HOSEITAIiS. 

Dr.  Woodward  reports: 

I  have  the  honor  to  report,  that  in  obedi- 
ence to  your  request,  I  have  made  an  in- 
spection of  some  of  the  hospitals  in  this 
city,  and  though  time  has  not  allowed  an  ex- 
amination of  all,  enough  has  been  done  to 
show  that  there  is  a  necessity  for  aid  from 
the  Sanitary  Commission. 

By  an  examination  of  the  reports  here- 
with inclosed,  you  will  perceive  that  vege- 
tables are  much  needed,  and  though  most 
of  the  hospitals  have  a  large  hospital  fund, 
it  cannot  avail  to  meet  this  want,  for  the 
reason  that  a  sufficient  number  of  vegeta- 
bles cannot  be  purchased  in  this  market. 
Butter,  eggs,  rags  and  bromine,  are  loudly 
called  for. 

As  you  are  aware  that  frequent  com- 
plaints are  made  in  Northern  newspapeA, 
of  the  misappropriation  of  the  supplies  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  my  attention  has 
been  directed  particularly  to  this  matter, 
and  I  am  convinced  that  the  complaints 
are  groundless.  I  could  find  no  instance 
where  medical  officers  live  or  board  at  the 
hospitals,  or  make  use  of  any  sanitary  sup- 
plies. The  officers  either  board  in  private 
famUies,  or  have  a  mess  of  their  own — and 
the  kitchens  of  the  hospitals  are  for  the 
most  part  under  charge  of  ladies  from  the 
Christian  or  Sanitary' Commissions,  and  the 
Surgeons  have  given  me  every  facility  for 
making  the  closest  inquiries,  and  feel  that 
the  more  fully  the  investigation  is  made, 
the  more  confidence  will  the  people  have  in 
their  honesty. 

The  men  in  the  hospital  are  well  cared 
for,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  "  pro- 
fessional grumblers,"  are  contented  and 

cheerfuL 

***** 

Blackberry  wine  and  cordial,  are  highly 
valued^t  the  hospitals,  and  a  supply  would 
do'  much  good. 

Bags  and  bandages  in  unlimited  quanti- 
ties are  called  for — ^the  great  numbers  of 
wounded  arriving  demanding  supplies. 

Bev.  A.  L.  Payson  reports: 

My  labors  have  been  so  varied  and  dis- 
connected the  past  month,  that  it  is  some- 
■what  difficult  for  me  to  send  you  a  regular 

Vol..  I.— No.  22.  U 


report  of  my  immediate  labors.  Since  the 
colored  troops  came,  until  their  organiza- 
tion, we  have  had  our  hands  full.  Our  la- 
bors have  been  unremitting  and  arduous. 
Since  their  oi'ganization  they  have  been  put 
in  camp.  Means  were  at  once  instituted 
to  give  them  regular  instruction,  which  has 
been  continued,  though  necessarily  'with 
more  or  less  interruption.  It  is  truly  as- 
tonishing to  -witness  the  rapid  progress 
they  have  made.  In  some  instances,  they 
have  learned  the  alphabet  in  fifty-five  min- 
utes, and  in  forty-eight  hours  they  have  re- 
mained in  the  camp,  under  the  influence 
instituted,  there  was  every  indicanon  that 
they  would  have  made  great  improvement. 

For  their  encouragement,  special  hours 
■were  selected  for  ■writing  letters  for  them. 
The  efforts  expended  in  their  behalf  have 
residted  in  great  good,  and  fully  establish 
the  fact  of  the  aptness  of  the  colored  man 
to  learn  to  read  and  -write.  In  carefully  ■vis- 
iting the  two  infantry  regiments  organized, 
I  found  in  the  114th  (now  ordered  to  Bum- 
side  Point,)  there  were  one  hundred  and 
eighty- five  able  to  read  in  the  Testament 
— in  the  116th,  now  in  camp  here,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty -two.  Being  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  weKare  of  these  men,  I  have 
devoted  a  portion  of  each  day  (in  connexion 
with  Bev.  J.  G.  Pee,  a  most  devoted  man,) 
to  the  interests  of  the  colored  troops,  in 
laying  the  foundation  for  their  future  ad- 
vancement in  knowledge. 

My  labors  among  the  refugees  have  in- 
creased the  past  month.  These  circum- 
stances have  been  such  as  to  demand  the 
attention  of  some  one  to  meet  their  varied 
and  multiplied  wants. 

The  condition  of  the  camp  at  the  present 
time  is  as  foUows:  At  the  Camp  of  Distri- 
bution there  were  one  hundred  and  ninety 
men.  An  order  has  been  issued  calling  for 
all  able  for  field  duty.  One  hundred  and 
sixty  have  left. 

In  the  convalescent  Camp  Hospital  there 
are  four  hundred  and  twenty-three — ^fifty- 
four  of  these  on  low  diet.  The  prevailing 
disease  is  said  to  be  diarrhea.  Of  the 
ferent  States  represented  in  our  hospitals- 
Miehigan  is  said  to  have  the  ascendancy. 

In  the  General  Hospital  I  give  you  the 
number  on  the  different  diets  in  all  its 
branches: 


690 


Th£  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin, 


Number  on  low  diet  in  Gen.  Hospital. .  153 

"  half        "            "                ..  81 

"  full  diet  in'         "               ..177 

"  low       "    Measles  Ward  . .  50 

"  half       "                  "           ...  7 

"  full        "                  "        '  . .  23 

"     in  Small-pox  branch 13 

Total 504 

.S'umber  of  Nurses  and  Attendants 60 

Total 564 

There  are  about  two  hundred  and  thirty 
colored  troops  included  in  the  above,  about 
equal  proportions  of  them  on  the  different 
diets. 

In  th*  Prison  Hospital  there  are  twenty 
patients — about  one  half  on  low  diet.  In 
the  Employees'  Hospital  seventeen  patients 
^— eight  on  low  diet — five  on  half  diet — di- 
arrhea prevails. 

The  above  are  entirely  dependent  for 
Sanitary  Supplies  on  the  Home,  except  per- 
haps the  General  Hospital,  which  is  in  part 
supplied  by  the  Cincinnati  Branch.  You 
will  see  the  necessity  that  a  suitable  and 
fuU  supply  of  stores  be  kept  at  this  point. 
For  some  time  past  our  calls  have  been  very 
urgent,  and  for  articles  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  comfort  of  the  sick.  I  regret 
to  say  that  we  have  not  been  able  to  answer 
these  calls.  Our  supplies  at  present  are  en- 
tirely inadequate  to  meet  the  demands  that 
will  be  made.  We  shall  have  large  bodies 
of  colored  troops,  and  immediately  on  the 
appointment  of  medical  officers  a  Begimen- 
tal  Hospital  will  be  established.  They  will 
require  more  or  less  Sanitary  supplies. 
The  114th  Eegiment  U.  S.  Colored*  Troops 
that  have  been  grdered  to  Burnside  Point, 
will  need  looking  after,  having  left  without 
physician  or  medicine.  .  The  49th  Ken- 
tucky will  leave,  and  of  course  all  Medical 
and  Sanitary  Stores  appertaining  to  the 
Eegiment  wiU  be  removed. 

Of  the  last  stores  received  nearly  allhave 

,  been  given  out  to  the  different  hospitals 

here.     Should  further  calls  be  made  by  the 

hospitals  or  regiments  here,  we  shall  not 

be  prepared  to  meet  them. 

The  Cumberland  Hospital  is  located 
about  a  mile  and -a  half  from  Nashville,  and 
is  on  elevated  ground.  It  was  originally  a 
field  hospital,  composed  altogether  of  tents. 
The  intention 'now  is  to  remove  the  tents 


as  fast  as  possible,  and  supply  their  places 
with  more  permanent  structures.  To  give 
some  definite  idea  of  this  little  city  of  in- 
valids, Mr.  Woodruff,  the  Hospital  Stew- 
ard, furnishes  the  following  statistics  of 
this  hospital.  The  hospital  is  generally 
regarded  as  very  faithfully  and  efficiently 
managed: 

The  daily  average  of  patients  last  month 
was  2,891;  attendants,  190.  Total  patients 
and  attendants,  3,081.  Exclusive  of  the 
above  attendants  are  fourteen  colored  men 
employed  in  policing  the  grounds,  and  sev- 
enty-three colored  women  employed  as 
cooks,  washers,  and  seamstresses.  There 
are  also  nine  white  men  and  twenty  white 
women  employed  in  the  laundry,  included 
in  the  190  attendants,  employed  as  clerks, 
cooks,  and  helpers,  ironers  and  seamstress- 
es. There  are  washed  and  ironed  daily, 
Sundays  excepted,  2,500  pieces.  We  have 
one  of  David  Packer's  patent  washers,  with 
wringers  attached,  which  is  worked  by 
steam,  and  will  wash  160  pieces  every  fif- 
teen minutes.  This  wiU  be  ready  for  use 
in  a  short  time.  We  have  a  fine  18-horse 
power  engine,  which  saws  our  wood,  works 
the  washers,  and  supplies  the  Laundry  and 
"Special  Diet  Booms"  with  hot  and  cold 
water.  ^ 

The  following  provisions  were  drawn 
from  the  Post  Commissary,  and  consumed 
in  this  hospital  last  month : 


6,100  lbs.  pork. 
1,200  lbs.  ham. 
60,000  lbs.  fresh  beet. 
2,900  lbs.  mutton. 
126,600  lbs.  flour. 
4,600  lbs.  com  meal. 
1,200  lbs.  hominy. 
4,600  lbs.  beans. 
2,100  lbs.  peas. 
2,600  lbs.  rice. 
4,160  lbs.  coffee. 
402  lbs.  tea. 
7,800  lbs.  brown  sugar. 
126  gals,  vinegar. 
264  gals,  molasses. 
10,621  lbs.  candles. 


2,840  lbs.  soap. 

3,487  lbs.  salt. 

75  lbs.  black  pepper. 

1,224  lbs.  butter. 

60  lbs.  lard. 

2,696  lbs.  dried  apples. 

904  lbs.  dried  peaches. 

3,000  lbs  white  fish. 

3,750  lbs.  mackerel. 

408  cans  tomatoes. 

200  lbs.  cheese. 

100  bbls.  radsins. 

456  lbs.  white  sugar. 

703  lbs.  butter  crackers. 

811  doz.  eggs. 


The  total  cost  of  the  above  provisions, 
at  Government  prices,  was  $20,996  55.  In 
addition  to  the  above  there  was  purchased 
of  private  dealers,  6,806J^  gallons  of  fresh 
milk,  at  30  cents  per  gallon;  267>^  lbs.  but- 
ter, 44  chickens,  4  bbls.  vinegar,  1^^  bush- 
els potatoes,  2  bushels  of  onions.  Total 
cost  of  purchases  for  the  month,  $2,230.85. 

The  Medical  Purveyor  has  furnished  the 
hospital,  during  the  month,  with  23,250 
lbs.  of  the  best  quality  of  ice.  The  Spe- 
cial Diet  Booms  are  admirably  managed 
by  ladies  sent  out  by  the  U.  S.  Christian 
Commission.  We  now  issue  250  gallons  of 
fresh  milk  daily. 

****** 

A  garden  of  fourteen  acres,  attached  to 
the  hospital,  has  furnished,  up  to  July  31, 
the  following  vegetables:  150  bbls.  lettuce; 
4  bbls.  mustard  for  greens;  180  bbls.  beets 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


691 


for  greens,  and  20  bbls.  beets  for  pickles; 
3bbls.  potatoes;  1,781  dozen  radishes;  1,200 
hfeads  cabbages;  318  dozen  cucumber^;  53 
bushels  string  beans ;  41  bushels  green 
peas;  12  bushels  tomatoes;  120  bushels 
onions.  The  garden  promises  further  sup- 
plies of  potatoes,  beets,  tomatoes,  cabba- 
ges, carrots,  turnips,  parsnips,  and  radish- 
es. The  value  of  the  vegetables  furnished, 
at  the  market  price,  would  be  something 
over  $2,000. 

I  beg  further  to  state,  that  since  Februa- 
ry 1,  1864,  there  has  been  manufactured  in 
the  hospital  1,800  lbs.  tallow  candles,  and 
5,000  gallons  soap  from  the  tallow  and 
grease  saved  from,  the  pork  and  beef  used 
here;  there  has  also  been  sold  for  cash, and 
turned  over  to  the  contingent  fund  from 
grease  and  swill,  the  amount  of  $500. 

There  have  been  gathered  from  the  hos- 
pital garden  of  Chattanooga,  for  the  use  of 
the  troops,  np  to  the  20th  of  August,  8,934 
bushels  of  onions,  tomatoes,  beets,  &o., 
and  7,408  dozen  of  cucumbers,  summer 
squash,  corn,  early  cabbage,  &o. 

August  13. 

The  days  of  this  past  week  have  been 
filled  with  their  regular  round  of  duties — 
only  not  quite  so  regular  to  order  as  one 
might  wish,  for  sometimes  the  duties  seem 
to  come  in  crowds. 

Somebody  hag  written  that  "two  duties 
cannot  conflict,"  that  of  two  or  more  seem- 
ing duties,  claiming  the  same  time,  but 
one  is  really  such,  the  others  not  being  du- 
ties till  their  turn  comes.  I  think  the  wri- 
ter above  alluded  to  would  be  sometimes 
puzzled,  if  he  were  engaged  in  this  good 
work,  to  determine  which  of  many  calls  is 
really  the  duty.  One  cannot  help  ofttimes 
expressing  the  wish  that,  in  view  of  all  that 
needs  to  be  done,  he  could  multiply  him- 
self into  half-a-dozen.  And  yet  a  week's 
work  has  but  little  to  show.  No  one  can 
track  it — no  one  describe  it.  It  is  nothing 
but.  a  few  cups  of  cold  water  given  here 
and  there,  every  day.  And  even  the  name 
of  the  donor  is  not  known  one  time  in  ten. 

Here  is  a  oonve.rsation  with  a  sick  man, 
the  listening  to  all  his  complaints  and  ail- 
ments, and  sympathizing  with  and  encour- 
aging him.  There  are  a  few  words  of  kind, 
earnest,  spiritual  comfort  and  consolation 
given  with  a  fervent  prayer  for  the  man's 
recovery.  In  this  corner  the  visitor  list- 
ens patiently  to  a  boy  just  beginning  to 


convalesce, who  has  not  had,  in  along  time, 
the  luxury  of  a  good  listener,  as  he  tells  how, 
at  "Buzzard's  Boost," he  was  watching  his 
chances,  slowly  creeping  from  rook  to  rock, 
firing  upward  as  he  went,  until  suddenly 
he  finds  himself  behind  a  rock  too  small  to 
cover  him  entirely,  and  he  knows  that  the 
sharp-shooter  before  him  has  discovered  it, 
too,  and  is  watching  for  the  first  movement 
of  his  head.  But  he  keeps  his  head  down 
and  his  legs  together  until  he  can't  stand 
it  any  longer.  So  he  raises  his  cap  above 
his  head  the  least  hit,-"  cracJc"  goes  the  ' 
other  fellow's  rifle — ^up  he  .jumps,  takes 
aim,  "plugs"  the  other  chap,  and  is  safe 
behind  another  rock  in  a  jiffy.  So  he 
fights  his  battles  over,  until  the  visitor, 
having  scarcely  spoken  a  word,  rises  to  go, 
when  the  poor  fellow  expresses  himself  as 
much  obliged  for  the  visit — "it  has  done  a 
heap  of  good — I  love  to  hear  you  talk  " — 
hopes  you  will  come  again  soon,  and  with 
a  smile  of  real  pleasure  on  his  face  bids 
you  adieu,  while  you  feel  that  by  that  lit- 
tle act  of,  perhaps,  some  self-denial  to 
yourself,  you  have  administered  a  tonic  to 
him  better  than  the  purast  wine. 

Then  here  again  is  a  sick  man,  very  low, 
with  his  wife  beside  him,  God  bless  her  ! 
I  have  few  fears  for  a  man  whose  wife  is 
beside  him  in  hospital.  It  is,  as  the  hus- 
band said  to  me,  "diet,  sleep,  and  sun- 
shine." A  curious  combination,  but  I  un- 
derstood it.  His  food  was  sweeter,  for  she* 
handed  it  to  him;  his  sleep  was  rest  now, 
for  she  watched  over  him,  and  her  presence 
was  sunshine  all  the  Sme.  The  poor  fel- 
low did  not  know  that  he  was  talking  "poe- 
try and  moonshine," — ^but  of  this  I  wish 
there  was  a  good  deal  more  in  our  hospitals. 

By  the  way,  some  of  our  good  friends  at 
the  North  have  sent  down  occasionally 
checker  boards,  puzzles,  and  games.  They 
are  of  great  service  to  the  convalescing  pa- 
tients, who  need  something  cheery.  I  wish 
that  they  could  be  constantly  supplied  with 
some  good,  light  reading,  such  as  Harper's 
Magazine. 

This  is  the  season  of  fruits  and  berries. 
They  are  of  great  service  to  the  men  where 
they  can  get  them. 

I  hope  that  this  year  again  our  good 
friends  at  Cleveland  will  not  forget  their 
grapes.     They  did  so  much  good  last  year. 


692 


The  Sanitary  Commisaion  BvEetin. 


But  I  believe  that  these  ladies  do  not  need 
to  be  reminded. 

ON  THE  BED   EIVEB. 

Mr.  Carpenter  writes  .to  Dr.  Newberry, 
from  Salem,  Mass.,  Augnst  20: 

As  I  was  not  able  to  report  from  Red 
River,  I  will  endeavor  now  to  write  the 
main  items  of  my  movements.  As  I  noti- 
fied you  in  my  previoiis  letter,  I  snceeded 
in  getting  my  supplies  of  sanitary  stores 
on  board  the  Sallie  List,  and  was  ready  to 
start  up  Red  River  on  the  afternoon  of 
Tuesday,  May  lOthj  but  owing  to  a  storm 
and  very  high  wind  we  did  not  get  away 
until  Wednesday  morning. 

Arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Red  River  on 
Sunday,  May  15th,  and  immediately  re- 
ported to  Major-General  Canby,  who  had 
arrived  the  day  previous,  and  was  on  board 
the  gunboat  Black  Hawk;  was  informed 
by  him  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  to 
Alexandria,  and  that  all  I  could  do  was  to 
await  the  turn  of  events;  then  went  aboard 
hospital  steamer  Red  Rover,  found  her  full 
of  sick  and  wounded,  and  entirely  destitute 
of  supplies;  furnished  them  with  what  I 
had,  and  some  articles  that  I  did  not  have, 
I  promised  to  send  at  the  first  opportu- 
nity. 

Dr.  J.  H.  Bixby,  Chief  Medical  OfScer  on 
board,  very  kindly  accompanied  me  through 
the  boat,  and  explained  the  various  pur- 
poses and  arrangements  with  which  it  is 
fitted,  and  I  never  was  more  gratified  at  the 
perfect  order  and  neatness  with  which 
every  thing  seems  to  have  been  provided 
and  arranged  for  the  comfort  and  well- 
being  of  the  sick  and  suffering  on  board. 
The  Surgeons  and  of&cers  in  charge  are 
very  gentlemanly,  and  appeared  to  be  kind, 
humane  and  talented  men. 

I  supplied  the  sick  on  gunboats  lying 
there  with  their  most  essentially  needed 
articles,  and  then  went  to  the  transports. 
J[  -ft-ent  on  board  each  one  as  they  came  out 
of  Red  River,  administering  special  relief 
in  aU  cases  where  it  was  practical,  and  ad- 
ministering to  all  in  need  as  far  as  possible. 
I  reported  to  Ool.  Voltura,  (Medical  In- 
spector,) the  amount  of  stores  that  I  had 
brought,  and  that  they  would  be  inade- 
quate to  the  demand,  requesting  leave  to 
iicud  to  New  Orleans  for   an   additional 


quantity,  as  I  had  learned  that  they  had. 
passed  down  the  river,  destined  for  that 
place.  He  informed  me  that  he  was  to 
send  immediately  a  telegraphic  despatch 
for  medical  supplies,  and  would  notify  the 
Sanitary  Commission  also. 

I  reported  to  the  Adjutant  General  every 
day,  but  could  get  no  permission  to  pass  up 
the  river,  as  the  troops  were  moving  down 
and  he  feared  we  should  pass  them,  and 
consequently  not  get  our  stores  to  them  £|S 
soon  as  to  wait  where  we  were.  I  was  very 
anxious  and  uneasy,  as  we  were  within 
sound  of  the  guns  of  the -battle  all  day. 

On  Thursday  I  received  an  invitation  to 
dinner  by  the  officers  of  the  Black  Hawk, 
flagship,  and  while  there,  an  express  came 
down  from  Lewisport,  requesting  sanitary 
stores  to  be  sent  at  once.  The  captain, 
supposing  me  to  be  on  board,  cast  off  and 
proceeded  up  the  river,  so  that  to  my  great 
chagrin  and  annoyance,  upon  coming  out 
from  dinner,  I  found  her  out  of  sight.  I 
went  immediately  on  board  the  Dunleith, 
and  followed  her,  arriving  at  Lewisport  but 
a  short  time  after.  Found  the  agents  from 
New  Orleans  there,  and  as  they  were,  of 
course,  better  acquainted  with  the  require- 
ments of  the  dififerent  corps,  having  been 
on  the  ground  with  them,  I  turned  all  of 
the  stores  over  to  them.  We  arrived  very 
opportunely,  as  their  supply  was  entirely 
exhausted.  Every  one  was  rejoiced  to  see 
the  stores  come  in;  said  "it  seemed  a 
perfect  god-send  almost,  they  came  in  just 
the  '  nick  of  time' — did  not  see  before  what 
they  were  going  to  do,  or  how  they  were 
going  to  get  along. " 

Assisted  in  the  distribution,  until  they 
were  all  given  out,  and  then  reported  to 
Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  for  any  volunteer  duty  that 
he  might  have  occasion  for-^was  requested 
by  him  to  remain  at  the  headquarters  of  the 
16th  Army  Corps,  and  make  myself  useful 
whenever  I  saw  opportunity.  Went  abo'ard 
the  Sioux  City,  and  worked  aU  day,  assist- 
ing the  Surgeons,  and  in  caring  for  the 
wounded,  returning  to'  headquarters  at 
night,  when  moved  down  the  river  to  Red 
River  Landing.  In  the  morning  ascer- 
tained that  the  wounded  coming  up  the- 
Mississippi  were  to  be  transferred  to  the 
transport  Choteau.  I  accordingly  reported 
to  Dr.  Robbins,  Surgeon  in  charge,  who  re- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


693 


quested  me  to  come  up  with,  them,  and 
assist  them  as  far  as  might  be. 

In  the  evening  the  steamer  Laurel  Hill  ' 
arrived  from  New  Orleans,  bringing  a  good 
supply  of  the  most  needed  articles,  and 
some  hospital  furniture.  They  came  most 
acceptably,  as  I  found  the  Choteau  to  be 
only  a  transport,  and  entirely  unprovided 
with  hospital  furniture  or  appliances,  the 
hospital  steamer  having  been  lost,  with  very 
nearly  all  her  medical  stores,  furniture  and 
medicines,  consequently  aU  we  had  to  rely 
on  unlU  we  reached  Natchez,  were  the 
stores  so  fortunately  supplied  by  the  Com- 
mission. 

As  the  acting  steward  was  sick,  Dr.  Bob- 
bins requested  me  to  assist  him  in  his  du- 
ties, and  in  caring  for  the  comfort  and  well- 
being  of  the  men  as  far  as  possible  under 
the  circumstances.  The  boat  was  crowded, 
through  'her  cabins,  on  deck  and  on  the 
guards,  with  wounded  men  as  thickly  as 
they  could  be  laid,  leaving  hardly  stepping 
room.  The  first-  thing  to  be  done  was  to 
have  them  fed,  which  we  succeeded  in  do- 
ing pretty  satisfactorily,  with  the  concen- 
trated beef,  fish,  potatoes,  crackers,  farina, 
butter,  milk,  sugar,  tea,  coffee,  etc.,  sup- 
plied by  the  Commission,  and  these  were 
all  we  could  get  until  we  reached  Natchez, 
as  IcH  the  commissary  stores  we  had  were 
hams  and  fiour,  and  which  there  was  no 
opportunity  of^cooking,  as  there  was  but 
one  stove  on  board,  which  was  fully  occu- 
pied in  cooking  for  the  crew,  and  what  was 
indispensable  for  the  wounded.  The  next, 
to  get  their  bloody,  dirty,ragged,  and  vermin 
infested  clothing  off —get  them  washed,  and 
good  clean  Sanitary  clothing  put  on,  and  it 
would  have  given  any  one  with  a  heart  in 
him,  the  most  sincere  gratification  to  wit- 
ness the  change  produced  in  thgir  looks  and 
appearance,  their  greatly  increased  cheer 
and  hopefulness — and  to  have  heard  their 
hearty  expressions  of  thankfulness  and 
gratitude. 

As  there  were  no  cots  or  mattresses,  we 
supplied  their  place  as  well  as  might  be  with 
the  bed  sacks,  blankets,  sheets  and  com- 
forts, and  pillows  from  the  Commission; 
gave  them  combs,  so  they  were  enabled  to 
hunt  and  capture  a  certain  game  which  is 
altogether  too  abundant  in  camp  life  to  be 
agreeable,   and  could  be  dispensed  wifli 


without  detriment  anywhere;  gave  them 
handkerchiefs  to  wipe  off  their  sweat;  a 
good  supply  of  fans;  some  reading  matter, 
and  occasionally  a  pipe  fuU  of  tobacco  for 
a  quiet  smoke,  so  that  in  a  few  hours  the 
aspect  of  cheerless,  dirty  misery  on  the 
boat,  was  very  much  ameliorated. 

I  then  assisted  the  surgeons  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, in  operating,  examining,  and  dress- 
ing wounds,  and  in  giving  lemonade,  ice- 
water  or  stimulants,  as  needed.  The  Sur- 
geons, Drs.  Bobbins  and  Wood,  were  very 
kind,  humane  men,  and  laboring  incessant- 
ly and  without  many  of  the  most  needed 
appliances,  became  completely  exhausted 
and  worn  out,  and  the  nurses  being  taken 
from  the  different  regfments  in  the  emer- 
gency, were  mostly  unacquainted  with  the 
duties  required,  making  the  service  very 
irksome  and  wearing. 

Upon  reaching  Vicksburg,  Dr.  Boberts 
was  transferred  and  Dr.  Sanborn  placed 
in  charge,  who  proceeded  at  once  to  make 
requisitions  for  the  medical  and  hospital 
stores  needed,  and  as  the  steamer  was  to 
take  on  wood  during  the  night,  I  remained 
on  shore  and  went  up  to  the  Sanitary 
rooms  to  procure  some  additional  articles 
of  which  we  were  deficient,  and  a  night's 
sleep  and  rest,  a  luxury  which  I  had  been 
deprived  of  for  some  time,  and  through  the 
kind  and  hospitable  attenjiion  of  Mr.  Way 
and  others  there,  I  found  myself  very  much 
improved  and  ready  for  work  again. 

In  the  morning,  before  the  supplies  were 
got  on  board,  the  hospital  steamer  N.  W. 
Thomas,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Harris,  fortu- 
nately arrived,  and  it  was  decided  to  trans- 
fer as  many  of  the  worst  cases  as  could  be 
accommodated,  to  that  boat,  leaving  the 
rest  in  hospital  at  Yioksburg,  Drs.  San- 
born and~Wood  accompanying  them  still, 
on  that  boat.  Finding  Mr.  Edgerly  (an 
agent  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
from  New  Orleans)  onboard,  I  turned  over, 
the  sanitary  stores  to  his  charge,  and  at 
Dr.  Harris's  urgent  request,  continued  in 
the  same  duties  I  had  been  filling.  The 
next  day  Mr.  Edgerly  was  taken  sick,  and 
upon  our  arrival  at  Memphis,  we  were 
obliged  to  leave  him  there.  I  was  very 
sorry,  as  we  were  much  in  need  of  efficient 
help,  the  boat  being  loaded  to  her  utmost 
capacity  with  very  badly  wounded  men. 


694 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


They  required  constant  attention,  and  be- 
ing but  illy  suppKed  •with  nurses,  made  it 
very  laborious  and  exhausting,  for  it  was 
impossible  to  rest  with  men  in  such  condi- 
tion. 

It  was  very  pleasant  and  gratifying  to  see 
their  countenances  brighten  and  the  look 
of  languor  and  hopelessness  disappear  for 
a  time  as  one  carried  them  great  pailsful  of 
delicious  ice  cold  lemonade  or  mUk  punches, 
or  hot  coffee,  as  they  required,  and  to  hear 
their  expressions  of  thankfulness  and  grat- 
itude. Great  strong  men,  or  those  who  were 
so,  previous  to  their  sufferings,  would  cry 
like  children  at  some  unwonted  attention 
or  kindness.  Such  expressions  as  "God 
bless  the  Sanitary;"  "this  is  a  bully  good 
thing,  isn't  it  ?"  "  ain't  this  great,  boys  ?" 
"what  should  we  have  done  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  the  Sanitary  ?"  "thank  God  for 
the  help  which  always  hits  us  in  the  right 
time?"  ."Hurrah  for  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission," &c.,  &c.,  were  constantly  heard 
on  all  sides. 

One  poor  fellow  from  Iowa,  suffering  from 
an  amputated  leg  and  broken  thigh,  said 
"  he  lived  away  back,  and  had  never  heard 
much  about  the  Sanitary  Commission;  did 
not  know  much  about  what  it  meant,  (but, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,)  I've  seen  and  felt 
what  it  means  now."  Another,  an  officer, 
from  Illinois,  said:  "I've  said  and  always 
thought  the  Sanitary  Commission  was  a 
Ivwmhug,  but  if  I  ever  say  or  think  that 
again,  it  will  be  when  I  am  out  of  my  sen- 
ses." Another,  wounded  by  a  shot  through 
the  lungs,  said:  "I  always  told  the  folks 
at  home  the  Sanitary  Commission  did'nt 
amount  to  anything,  and  did  not  do  us  any 
good,  for  we  never  got  anything  from  it, 
but  now  I  know  the  reason,  it  is  because  I 
was  not  in  a  situation  to  receive  it,  and  did 
not  need  it;  but  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission  I  would  not  now  be 
^live  to  tell  it. "  Another  with  an  arm  am- 
putated at  the  shoulder,  said:  "It  is  al- 
most worth  being  wounded  to  know  how 
much  they  think  of  and  are  trying  to  do 
for  us  at  home."  Another  one,  who  was 
shot  through  the  body,  after  being  washed, 
fed,  getting  on  clean  clothes,  and  a  pipe 
full  of  tobacco  to  smoke,  said:  "I'm  all 
right  now,  and  when  I  get  this  hole  groWed 
up  I'll  pitch  in  and  give  them  fits  again." 


I  might  multiply  instances  indefinitely, 
but  these  are  enough  to  show  the  feeling 
manifested.  How  much  good  a  few  cheer- 
ing, hopeful  words  would  do,  could  be  seen 
in  their  brightened  eyes  and  happy  coun- 
tenances at  any  time,  and  to  sit  down  and 
talk  awhile  with  them  about  home,  friends, 
and  the  hopes  of  the  future,  relieved  very 
much  the  dragging,  weary  hours  of  suffer- 
ing. Heading  matter  was  also  in  great  re- 
quest and  very  useful. 

I  remained  on  duty,  although  quite  sick 
myself,  until  I  saw  the  last  one  comforta- 
bly on  his  cot  in  thfi  hospital  at  Jefferson 
Barracks,  and  then  was  obliged  to  succumb. 
Of  my  being  left  in  hospital  at  St.  Louis, 
and  subsequent  movements,  I  have  advised 
you  in  previous  letters. 

I  do  not  intend  this  as  a  report,  which 
should  have  been  forwarded  immediately, 
upon  my  return,  but  I  was  unable  to 
do  so,  but  merely  to  give  you  a  brief  sum- 
mary of  my  doings  from  my  last  report. 

Enclosed  please  find  list  of  names  of 
those  who  died  on  the  passage.  The  effects 
of  Thomas  Harbison,  private  Co.  H,  24th 
Indiana,  which  were  turned  over  to  me,  I 
left  with  Mr.  Way,  at  Memphis,  to  be  for- 
warded to  his  friends.  The  facts  in  each 
case  for  the  use  of  Hospital  Directory,  are 
stated  as  far  as  practicable,  or  as  they  could 
be  ascertained.  • 

I  am_ still  at  Salem,  Mass.,  and  I  think 
am  deriving  great  benefit  from  a  change  of 
scene,  the  invigorating  salt  breeze,  sea 
bathing,  rest,  ^c,  and  the  medical  treat- 
ment I  am  taking,  I  hope,  will  soon  fit  me 
for  duty  again  as  usual. 


VALUE  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  DrEECTORT. 

Annexed  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  H. 
H.  Beebe,  Chief  Clerk  of  the  Hospital 
Directory,  which  illustrates  its  value  as 
the  agency  where  information  is  gathered, 
which  is  not  elsewhere  secured: 

The  foreign  letter  which  you  handed  me 
last  evening  was  an  inquiry  for  informa- 
tion, from  John  Phillips,  of  South  Wales, 
Great  Britain,  regarding  Lieut.  William  B. 
Phillips,  Adjutant  of  the  2d  Pennsylvania 
Prov.  Artillery.  A  great  deal  of  anxiety 
was  expressed,  as  he  had  not  been  heard 
from  since  the  21st  of  June.  It  gives  me 
pleasure  to  state  that  I  was  enabled  to  reply 
to  this  letter  at  once,  deriving  my  informa- 
tion from  a  very  unusual  channel,  takjng 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


695 


all  the  coincidences  into  consideration;  and 
the  circumstances  being  so  peculiar,  the 
informution  so  reliable,  and  the  usefulness 
of  the  Hospital  Directory  so  well  proveSi,  I 
desire  to  relate  the  matter  to  you,  that  you 
may  enjoy  the  pleasure  also  of  seeing  "  the 
good  we  do." 

I  was  enabled  to  write  Mr.  Phillips  that 
in  the  assault  on  Petersburg,  Va.,  July 
30th,  Adjutant  William  B.  Phillips,  of  .2d 
Pennsylvania  Prov.  Artillery,  was  taken 
prisoner,  in  company  with  Captains  Norris 
and  Millard,  and  Lieut.  Kellow,  of  the 
same  regiment. 

Mrs.  Norris  had  inquired  at  this  office  on 
three  or  four  different  occasions  for  infor- 
mation of  her  husband,  but  we  could  give 
her  none.  She  came  here  only  three  or 
four  days  since  and  stated  that  she  had  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  her  husband,  who  was 
a  prisoner  of  war  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  and 
well.  The  letter  came  by  flag-of-truce.  It 
mentioned  the  other  officers  alluded  to, 
and  Mrs.  N.  had  brought  the  letter  here  to 
ask  me  to  record  this  information  on  our 
books,  they  having  been  reported  as  kiUed. 
The  record  was  taken,  and  this  inquiry  re- 
ceived last  night  was  answered  from  that 
record.  I  should  also  add  that  the  same 
Adjutant  Phillips  was  inquired  for  in  a  let- 
ter received  from  an  intelligent  lady  at 
Hyde  Park,  Pa. ,  only  yesterday,  and  imme- 
diately answered. 


A  EAnre  DAY  IN  CAMP. 
[The  following  lines  are  from  the  pen  of  the 
late  Mrs.  Egbeet  S.  Howi,and,  and  have  been 
already  widely  circulated  through  other  chan- 
nels, but  as  we  have  already  published  most  of 
her  other  poemx,  we  think  the  appearance  of 
this  also  will  be  welcome  topmost  readers  of  the 

BULIiETIN.] 

It's  a  cheerless,  lonesome  evening, 
When  the  soaldng,  sodden  ground 

Will  not  echo  to  the  footfaE 
Of  the  sentinel's  dull  round. 

God's  blue  star-spangled  banner 

To-night  is  not  unfurled; 
Surely  Ee  has  not  deserted  • 

This  weary,  warriag  world. 

I  peer  into  the  darkness. 
And  the  crowding  fancies  come; 

The  night  wind,  blowing  northward,    ' 
Carries  aU  my  heart  toward  home. 

For  I  listed  in  this  army 

Not  exactly  to  my  mind; 
But  my  country  called  for  helpers. 

And  I  couldn't  stay  behind. 

So,  I've  had  a  sight  of  drilling. 

And  have  roughed  it  many  ways. 
And  Death  has  nearly  had  me; 
Yet  I  think  the  service  pays.  » 


It's  a  blessed  sort  of  feeling — 

Whether  you  live  or  die— 
You  helped  your  country  in  her  need. 

And  fought  right  loyally. 

But  I  can't  help  thinking  sometimes. 
When  a  wet  day's  leisure  comes, 

And  I  hear  the  old  home  voices 
Talking  louder  than  the  drums— 

And  the  far  familiar  faces 

Peep  in  at  my  tent  door, 
And  the  little  children's  footsteps 

Go  pit-pat  on  the  fleor — 

I  can't  help  thinking,  somehow. 

Of  all  the  parson  reads 
About  that  other  soldier  life 

Which  every  true  man  leads. 

And  wife,  soft-hearted  creature, 
Seems  a-saying  in  {ay  ear, 

"  I'd  rather  have  you  in  those  ranks 
Than  to  see  you  brigadier." 

I  call  myself  a  brave  one. 

But  in  my  heart  I  lie ! 
For  my  country,  and  her  hondl:, 

I  am  fiercely  free  to  die; 

But  when  the  Lord,  who  bought  me, 

Asks  for  my  service  here. 
To  "fight  the  good  fight"  faithfuUy, 

I'm  skulking  in  the  rear. 

And  yet  I  know  this  Captain 

All  love  and  care  to  be  : 
Se  would  never  get  impatient 

With  a  raw  recruit  like  me. 

And  I  know  he'd  not  forget  me; 

When  the  day  of  peace  appears, 
I  should  share  with  him  the  victory 

Of  all  his  volunteers. 

Audit's  kind  of  cheerful,  thinking. 

Beside  the  duU  tent-fire. 
About  that  big  promotion,  ' 

When  he  says,  "  Come  up  higher." 

And  though  it's  dismal— rainy — 
Even  now,  with  thoughts  of  him. 

Camp  life  looks  extra  cheery. 
And  death  a  deal  less  grim. 

For  I  seem  to  see  him  waiting, 
Where  a  gathered  heaven  greets 

A  great,  victorious  army. 
Marching  up  the  golden  streets. 

And  I  hear  him  read  the  roU-oall, 
And  my  heart  is  aU  a-flame. 

When  the  dear,  recording  angel 
Writes  down  my  happy  name  I 

But  my  fire  is  dead  white  ashes. 
And  the  tent  is  chilling  cold, 

And  I'm  playing  vyin  the  baitie, 
When  I've  never  beep  enrolled  1 


696 


The  Sanitary  Comrmssion  BuUetin. 


WORDS  OP  CHEEE. 

We  take  the  following  extract  from  a  let- 
ter recently  received  by  the  Woman's  Cen- 
tral Association  of  Relief,  dated  Conway, 
Mass.,  August  2,  1864: 

"  In  a  former  barrel  some  of  our  ladies 
wrote  notes  and  put  them  into  the  socks, 
etc.  Many  have  received  answers.  This 
has  contributed  much  to  the  interest  here 
in  our  armies.  Some  letters  were  from  the 
hospitals,  some  from  the  navy,  some  from 
the  field,  near  Petersburg,  and  in  nearly  all, 


a  'God  bless  the  Sanitary  Commission.' 
One  letter,  in  which  our  people  were  greatly 
interested,  was  from  an  Assistant  Surgeon 
of  the  25th  New  York  Cavalry. 

"  In  this  barrel  is  a  pair  of  socks  knit  by 
a  lady  who  is  ninety-seven  years  old  on  the 
24th  of  this  month.  She  is  ready  and 
anxious  to  do  all  she  can. 

"  We  have  just  had  a  number  of  pieces 
of  wool  given  us,  which  our  Society  will 
color,  spin  and  knit  for  the  soldiers.  They 
make  much  better  socks  than  yarn  we  pur- 
chase." 


PATTERNS  FOR  HOSPITAL  CLOTHING.— No.  3. 

SUPPEES. 
Toe  piece. 


J  AV. 


Bole. 


-S^/.^. 


Back. 


//  IN.- 


IS  IN. 


BEQTnBKD  FOB  A  PaIB  OF  SliIFFEBS. 

h\  yards  common  woolen  carpet  binding. 
2|  knots  strong  linen  thread. 

DrBEcnoNS  fob  Makenq  Sufpebs. 
Slippers  should  be  made  of  carpeting  or  stoat 


woolen  cloth  and  lined  with  cotton  or  cotton 
flannel. 

Each  part  should  be  bound  and  the  three 
parts  sewed  together  by  the  binding. 

A  stiff  sole  of  pasteboard  or  sole  leather 
should  be  inserted  between  the  lining  and  out- 
side. 


ARM  SLING. 
Bling  (UaU  ot) 


'. 

lr/.i^* 

M 

^ 

i  1 

INSIDE 

•  mi. 

•  N92 

: 

S   i 

A    : 

^ 

\ 

t^ 

OUTSIDE 

^ 

8  IN. 

_^- --^ 

..,. "' 

19  IN. 

■    ■' 

The  Samvtary  Comrnhsixm  Bulletin. 


697 


BATION  BAG. 


DiBEcnoNB  FOE  Mabing  Slings. 

Slings  may  be  made  of  oaUco  or  any  other 
strong  material. 

The  two  halves  shonld  be  sewed  together 
only  on  the  outer  side  and  the  edges  hemmed. 

Strings  should  be  placed  on  both  halves,  as 
per  dots  in  diagram.     (Six  strings.) 

Those  at  No.  1  are  of  unequal  length,  one  be- 
ing 27  inches  long,  the  other  11  inches.  The 
four  other  strings  are  27  inches  long. 

Dlkeotions  fob  Making  Kation  Bags. 
Bation  Bags  should  be  made  of  enamelled 
cloth.  The  four  points  should  be  sewed  to- 
gether so  as  to  form  a  flat  bottom  and  the  side 
sewed  up  to  make  it  into  a  bag.  The  top 
shonld  be  bound  with  cotton  and  tape  strii^s 
run  in.  • 


THE  SANITAEY  MOVEMENT  IN  ITALY. 

THE   XEUTBATiTTY  OP   THE  WOITNDED    IN  TIME 
OF  WAB. 

The  following  paper  on  this  important 
subject,  was  read  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Pontanian  Academy  on  the  27th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1863,  by  Dr.  Falasciano,  Besident 
Member: 

GENTiiEMEN — Too  memorable  for  us  all  was  the 
assembly  of  the  20th  of  January,  1861.  at  which 
the  Academy  resolved  to  celebrate  the  events 
which  gained  for  us  our  political  regeneration, 
for  me  to  suppose  that  the  proposition  I  had 
the  honor  of  making  can  be  effaced  from  your 
heart.  I  mean  that  we  should  undertake  to  pro- 
mote the  amelioration  of  the  &te  of  the  wounded 
in  battle,  and  to  favor  and  diffuse  the  tendency 
of  saving  them  from  mutilation  and  hastening 
their  recovery,  certain  that  we  could  not  offer  a 
more  acceptable  homage  to  the  King  and  Gren. 
Garibaldi,  our  liberator. 

You  did  not  disdain  accepting  my  offer  of  a 
prize  for  a  competition  on  the  treatment  of  gun- 
shot wounds,  and  vied  with  each  other  in  exer- 
tions to  gain  this  aim  as  soon  as  possible. 

But  the  want  of  a  work  which  could  deserve 
the  prize,  the  willingness  with  which  the  medi- 
cal profession  answered  our  appeal,  the  number 
and  importance  of  the  memoirs  which  reached 
us  within  the  very  limited  time  conceded  to  us, 
and  the  interviews  which  the  professors  of  nat- 
ural sciences  were  obliged  to  grant  to  each  in- 
dividually, showed  that  this  theme  had  revealed 
one  of  the  most  urgent  requisites  of  our  era,  a 
prevision  very  lately  and  unfortunately  verified 
in  the  person  of  our  wounded  liberator  him- 
self. 

It  was  then,  at  the  meeting  of  the  28th  April, 
1861,  that  on  proposing  a  new  competition  on 
the  same  subject,  accompanied  by  explanations 
and  facilitations,  I  arrived  at  this  conclusion — 
that  the  means  proper  for  preventing  mutila- 
tion, and  saving  the  limbs  broken  by  fire-arms, 
are  not  so  entirely  in  the  power  of  the  surgeon 
as  they  are  in  that  of  his  science;  and  by  the 
history  of  surgery,  and  the  statistics  of  gunshot 
wounds,  I  proved  clearly,  that  when  very  few 
fire-arms  were  en  ployed,  and  with  no  precision, 
that  when  a  great  quantity  of  baggage  was  kb- 


quired,  and  the  marches  were  slow,  the  neces- 
sity of  amputation  was  Jess  required  in  the 
armies. 

Afterwards  the  perfection  of  arms,  the  addi- 
tional number  of  troops,  generated  impetuosify, 
rashness,  and  carelessness,  and  increased  be- 
yond measure  the  cases  of  amputations  and 
deaths;  whilst  where  there  is  method  and  dis- 
cipline amputations  may  not  only  be  nearly 
abolished,  but  the  Surgeon-General  Bilguer,  in 
a  remarloible  work  published  by  him  at  Berlin 
in  1761,  reckoned  6,618  wounded  in  various 
ways,  who  were  treated  without  amputation, 
and  from  that  number  653  died,  213  invalided, 
193  veterans,  and  5,557  were  cured.  Since  the 
invention  of  ambnlanze  volanti,  (flying  ambulan- 
ces, )  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century, 
the  greatest  number  of  amputated  who  died  has 
been  51  per  cent.  In  the  naval  engagements  of 
Aboukir,  Brest,  New  Orleans,  and  Navarino, 
the  deaths  after  amputation  never  exceeded  24 
per  cent. ;  whereas,  in  the  wars  of  late  years, 
in  the  Crimea  and  in  Italy,  the  number  Of 
deaths  among  the  amputated  reached  as  far  as 
77  per  cent. 

On  examining  all  the  causes  of  the  enormous 
disparity  of  the  results  obtained  by  the  sur- 
geons of  the  above  epdchs,  I  found  the  two  follow- 
ing singularly  prevalent:  the  much  longer  and 
more  rapid  mode  of  conveyance  to  which  the 
wounded  were  subjected  during  the  'compara- 
tively short  recent  wars,  and  the  crowded  state 
in  the  ambulances  and  hospitals,  on  account  of 
the  more  powerful  engines  of  destruction  which 
are  now  used.  From  this  I  thought,  that  if  it 
should  be  desirable  to  put  a  limit  to  the  great 
proportion  of  deaths  succeeding  amputations, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  operate  and  dress  the 
wounds  of  the  sufferers  in  the  greatest  proximity 
to  the  battle-field  itself,  in  villages,  country 
houses,  barracks,  hovels,  and  otheilike  places 
of  shelter,  and  be  able  to  leave  them  there  till 
the  beginning  of  the  period  of  cicatrization.  If 
this  is  not  done,  I  said,  it-is  to  be  feared  that 
the  progress  of  the  exterminating  power  of  war 
will  increase  so  far,  that  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldier  no  other  remedy  will  be  found  than  that 
which  inflexible  logic  was  forced  to  demand  for 
the  plague-stricken  at  Giaffa.  It  appeared  im- 
possible and  exaggerated,  yet  we  nave  heard 
this  year  that  in  unfortunate  Poland  the  wound- 
ed are  buried  alive  in  one  common  grave  with 


698 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


the  dead !     Horrid  atrocity,  to  which  I  have  no 
reason  to  give  faith. 

Therefore,  the  necessity  of  perfect  quietude, 
pure  air,  and  more  prompt  assistance  to  the 
wounded  for  the  amelioration  of  their  state 
being  acknowledged,  I  entreated  every  govern- 
ment to  come  to  the  aid  of  medical  science, 
which  alone  cannot  prevent  the  transfer  of  the 
wounded,  nor  provide  the  means  required  for 
their  being  assisted  near  the  battle-field.  It 
would  be  necessary,  I  stated,  that  the  contend- 
ing powers  in  their  declaration  of  war  should 
reciprocally  acknowledge  the  principle  of  "  neu- 
trality of  the  soldiers  severely  woijnded  or  sick, 
during  the  whole  time  of  their  cure,"  and  that 
they  should  respectively  adopt  the  "  uuliinitei 
increase  of  the  medical  staff  during  the  whole 
time  of  the  war." 

This,  my  first  discourse  "  On  the  neutrality 
of  the  wounded  in  time  of  war,"  was  sent  to 
Palis  by  the  French  charge  d'affaires  at  Naples, 
on  the  same  day  of  its  reading,  and  no  doubt  our 
Government  received  it  at  the  same  time  as  the 
academical  report  to  the  Minister  of  Public  In- 
struction. Bat  whilst  G-ovemments  meditate, 
or  at  least  one  must  think  %o,  public  opinion 
does  not  remain  ioaotive.  On  the  10th  of  .luae, 
1861,  Arrault  published  in  Paris,  a  "Notizia 
industriale  sul  perfezionamento  dell^  Ambu- 
lanze  Volanti,"*  by  which  he  claimed  the  invio- 
lability of  military  doctors,  assistants,  and  "am- 
bulanze. "  To  these  demands  the  eloquent  Bo  rie 
gave  his  support,  by  an  article  la  the  Siecle  of 
the  1st  of  August,  1861. 

For  this  reason,  in  my  second  discourse,  of 
Decemb.er  the  29th,  1861,  on  the  same  subject, 
in  which  I  informed  you  of  other  people's  opin- 
ion, and  discussed  the  measures  that  appeared 
to  me  erroneous  or  imperfect,  I  gave  you  ampler 
explanations  of  my  idea  on  the  neutrality  of  the 
woundedj  and  particidarly  sought  the  means  of 
effectuating  it. 

At  that  period  an  international  congress  seem- 
ed imminent,  on  account  of  the  Anglo-Ameri- 
can version  of  the  affair  of  the  St.  Jacinto,  which 
was  precisely  to  have  had  for  its  object  the  de- 
termination of  the  rights  and  obligations  of  neu- 
trals during  the  war,  and  I  thought  that  if  the 
principle  of  neutrality  of  the  wounded  in  battle 
should  be  adopted,  either  by  means  of  a  stipa- 
lation  in  a  congress,  or  by  a  mutual  private 
agreement  between  the  contending  powers  in 
the  act  of  the  intimation  of  war,  its  effectuation 
would  be  most  easily  achieved. 

For  this,  it  would  be.  sufficient  that  the  con- 
tending armies  should  bind  themselves — 1st. 
To  make  a  reciprocal  restitution  of  all  the 
wounded  prisoners  immediately  after  each  bat- 
tle. 2.  That  the  wounds  should  be  dressed  on 
the  battle-field  itself  by  the  personal  medical 
staff  of  each  party,  when  the  patient  could  not 
well  undergo  an  immediate  removal  with  impu- 
nity. 3.  That  the  medical  staff  in  proportiou 
to  the  number  of  wounded  men  lefc  for  treat- 
ment on  the  enemy's  territory,  should  be  allow- 
ed to  pass  with  a  safe  conduct  and  escort,  re- 
main as  long  as  necessary,  and  afterwards  should 
be  given  up  during  an  armistice  to  the  outposts 
or  frontiers  of  the  enemy.  4.  That  all  the  food, 
lodging,  and  medicaments  required  on  the  ter- 


*  Industrial  notes  on  tbe  perfection  of  ambulances. 


ritory  of  the  enemy  should  be  provided  by  the 
commissariat  of  the  place,  against  a  receipt 
from  the  acting  surgeon,  to  be  repaid  after  the 
war.  5.  That  from  besieged  places,  besides 
the  same  reciprocal  surrender  of  the  wounded, 
the  besieged  ought  to  be  allowed  to  send  forth 
their  own  wounded,  provided  a  neutral  State 
should  consent  to  receive  them,  or  should  the 
besiegers  generously  offer  them  an  asylum. 

Now  that  the  potentates  are  to  assemble 
"  sans  systeme  precon9U,  sans  ambition  exclu- 
sive, auimes  par  la,8eule  pensfie  d'etablir  un 
ordre  de  choses  fonde  desormais  sur  I'interet 
bien  compris  des  souverains  et  des  peuples,"  as 
the  Emperor  Napoleon  said  on  the  5th  of  No- 
vember, what  greater  interest  can  a  citizen  feel 
thau  in  the  act  of  mercy  which  causes  him  to 
sacrifice  himself  for  the  welfare  of  his  fellow- 
mea?  However,  together  with  the  "Manual 
of  Military  Surgery,"  published  and  diffused  by 
you  after  the  above-mentioned  concourse,  in 
January,  1862,  appeared  the  two  discourses  on 
the  neutrality  of  the  wounded,  which  were  re- 
produced about  the  same  period  in  the  "Impar- 
ziale  of  Florence,"  and  whilst  medical  science 
received  such  an  impulse  that  in  less  than  two 
years  we  now  possess,  besides  the  above  manual, 
' '  Cenni  suUa  cura  delle  ferite  d'armi  da  fuoco 
del  Barofao."  (Torino,  1862,)  the  work  of  de 
Sanctis,  which  has  been  justly  confuted  and 
disproved  in  your  report,  ' '  La  Guida  Teorica 
Pratica  del  Medico  Militare  in  Campagna,  del 
Cortese,"  (Torino,  1862,)  and  "Le  Traite  de 
Chirurgie  d'Arm^e,"  deLegouest,  (Paris,  1863,) 
the  idea  respecting  the  neutrality  of  the  wound- 
ed, and  of  an  unlimited  addition  to  the  medical 
staff  in  time  of  war  having  become  known  in 
Geneva,  as  also  the  portion  of  the  prize  offered 
to  Appia,  it  gained  immense  favor  in  that  city. 
Its  stanchest  upholder  and  propagator,  Mr. 
Henry  Dunant,  an  eye-witness  of  the  sanguin- 
ary episodes  of  the  battle  of  Solferino,  during 
which  he  volunteered  his  services  as  assistant 
on  the  wounded,  has  availed  himself  of  the  nar- 
ration of  this  battle  to  interest  public  opinion, 
the  press,  and  the  Society  of  Public  Utility  in 
Switzerland  in  favor  of  the  amelioration  of  the 
state  of  the  wounded,  anl  especially  of  found- 
ing relieving  committees  for  sending  volunteer 
asnistants  on  the  field  of  battle,  such  as  those 
who  followed  the  army  of  our  liberator  in  1860, 
Although  he  had  not  the  right  of  priority  which 
is  attributed  to  him  by  Sauvestre,  in  the  Opin- 
ions NazionalB  of  the  10th  of  November,  1863, 
because  his  work,  "Un  Souvenir  de  Solferino," 
was  printed  at  Geneva  in  1862;  and  a  note, 
(page  61,)  contains  the  declaration  that  these 
records  were  collected  more  than  three  years 
after  having  taken  place.  * 

Nevertheless,  it  is  undeniable  that  the  pro- 
gress made  by  our  humanitarian  ideas  is  in  part 
due  to  his  exertions.  A  commission  appointed 
by  the  Genevese  Society  of  Public  Utility,  and 
composed  of  General  Dufour,  M.  Moynier,  Drs. 
Maunoir  and  Appia,  with  Dunant,  as  Secretary, 
was  charged  with  presenting  to  the  Interna- 
tional Congress  of  Statistics,  assembled  at  Ber- 
lin, in  September  last,  a  report  on  the  formation 
of  permanent    committees    of  relief  for    the 

•  Oomme  ce  n'efit  qu'apres  plus  de  trois  ana  que  je  me 
suis  decide  a  rassembler  des  souvenirs  pr>niblea  que  je 
n'Avals  pas  eu  I'lntentlon  de  livrer  a  rimpression,  &c. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMetin. 


6^ 


■wounded  soldiers  in  time  of  war.  This  propo- 
sition was  also  supported  by  the  Vaudois  So- 
ciety of  Public  Utility,  by  the  Neufchatel  So- 
Society  for  the  Progress  of  Social  Sciences,  and 
the  Congress  of  Berlin  decreed  that  an  inter- 
national conference  should  take  place  at  Gene- 
ya,  on  the  26th  of  October,  in  order  to  inquire 
into  the  means  of  supplying  the  deficiency  of 
the  sanitary  service  of  marching  armies.  This 
conference  was  presided  over  by  Gen  Dufour, 
and  represented  by  many  nations,  who  sent 
their  delegate^^  viz  : — Austria,  Dr.  IJnger,  Chief 
Medical  Officer  of  the  Army;  Baden,  Dr.  Steiner, 
Chief  Medical  Officer;  Bavaria,  Dr.  Dampierre, 
Chief  Medical  Officer,  of  the  Eoyal  Artillery; 
Spain,  Major  Landa,  Staff  Surgeon,  Dr.  Pr^val, 
of  the  Imperial  Guard,  and  Dr.  Boudier,  Chief 
Medical  Man;  England,  Dr.  Eutherford,  Inspec- 
tor-General of  the  Hospitals,  and  Mackenzie, 
Consul  at  Geneva;  Hanover,  Oelker;  Hesse, 
Brodbrick,  Staff  Surgeon;  Italy,  G.  Campello, 
Consul  at  Geneva;  the  Order  of  St.  John  of  Je- 
rusalem, Prince  Henry  of  Reuss,  Delegate  of 
Prince  Charles  of  Prussia,  himself  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  the  Order;  the  Low  Countries,  Busting, 
Staff  Surgeon  of  the  Grenadiers  and  Chasseur 
of  the  Guards,  and  Captain  Van  de  Velde,  ex- 
Officer  of  Marine;  Prussia,  Dr.  Hoxscalle,  M.D., 
Councillor  of  Medical  Staff,  and  Dr.  Loeffler, 
Court  Physician;  Kussia,  Captain  Kireiew, 
Field  Adjutant  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine, 
and  losakoff.  Librarian  to  the  Grand  Duchess 
Eleanor  Paolana;  Saxony,  Gunther,  Head  Phy- 
sician of  the  Army;  Sweden,  Dr.  Henry  Skoeld- 
berg.  Inspector  of  the  Medical  Staff,  and  Dr. 
Edling;  Wnrtemburg,  Drs.  Hahn  and  Wagner; 
Switzerland,  Dr.  Lehman,  Head  of  the  fiedical 
Staff  of  the  Federal  Army,  and  Dr.  Briere,  of' 
the  Medical  Staff  «f  Division. 

The  conference  assembled  during  four  con- 
secutive days,  and  issued  the  following  resolu- 
tions: 1.  That  in  every  country  a  committee 
should  be  formed  for  the  purpose  of  contribu- 
ting by  all  possible  means,  to  the  medical  ser- 
vice of  the  troops  in  time  of  war.  The  commit- 
tee shall  form  itself  in  whatever  way  it  shall 
think  most  useful  and  convenient.  2.  Each 
committee  must  put  itself  in  relation  with  the 
government  it  belongs  to,  so  that  any  offer  of 
service  may  be  acceptable  when  necessary.  3. 
Unlimited  sections  can  form  themselves  to  aid 
the  committee  to  which  belongs  the  general  di- 
rection. 4.  In  time  of  peace  the  committees 
and  sections  shall  occupy  themselves  in  seek- 
ing the  means  of  becoming  really  useful  in  time 
of  war,  and  especially  in  preparing  material 
support  of  every  species,  and  endeavoring  to 
form  and  qu^fy  volunteer  assistants.  5.  In 
case  of  war  tie  committees  of  the  hostile  na- 
tions shall,  to  the  extent  of  their  means,  pro- 
vide succors  for  their  respective  army,  and  es- 
pecially qualify  and  practice  the  volunteer  as- 
sistants, and  with  the  concurrence  of  the  mili- 
tary authoritieB,  settle  the  locality  to  receive 
the  Nyounded.  They  may  solicit  the  concourse 
of  thg  committees  belonging  to  neutral  nations: 
6.  At  the  request  or  acquiescence  of  military  au- 
thority, the  committees  can  send  the  volunteer 
assistants  under  the  direction  of  the  military 
"chiefs,  to  the  seat  of  war.  7.  The  volunteer  as- 
sistants destined  to  follow  arinieB  must  be  fur- 
nished with  every  provision  required  for  their 
maintenance  by  their  respective  committees. 


8.  They  are  to  wear  in  every  country,  as  a  dis- 
tinctive sign  of  uniform,  a  white  leather  cufi^ 
with  a  red  cross.  9.  The  committees  and  sec- 
tions of  different  countries  may  meet  in  inter- 
national congresses,  to  communicate  to  each 
other  their  experience,  and  concert  on  the  reso- 
lutions to  be  taken  for  the  interest  of  the  cause. 
10.  The  exchange  of  communications  between 
the  committees  of  different  nations  is  to  be  ac- 
complished provisionally  by  the  medium  of  the 
committee  of  Geneva. 

Independently  of  the  above  resolutions,  the 
conference  issued  the  following  votes: — A.  That 
the  government  should  grant  theii-  chief  protec- 
tion to  the  relieving  committees  which  are  be- 
ing formed,  and  facilitate  as  fer  as  possible  the 
accomplishment  of  their  intentions.  B.  That 
the  neutralization  be  proclaimed  in  time. of 
war  by  the  hostile  nations  respecting  "  le  am- 
bulanze "  and  hospitals,  and  that  it  be  also 
granted  in  the  most  distinct  manner  to  the  staff 
of  medical  officers,  to  the  volunteer  assistants, 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  i^untry  who  may  go  to 
succor  the  wounded,  as  well  as  to  the  wounded 
themselves.  C.  That  a  distinctive  device  be 
allowed  to  the  medical  staff  of  every  army,  or.at 
least  to  those  of  the  army  they  belong  to,  and 
that  a  particular  identical  flag  should  be  adopt- 
ed in  every  country  for  the  ambulances  and  hos- 
pitals. 

This  is  neither  the  time  nor  place  wherein  to 
•discuss  the  propriety  of  the  determination  ta- 
ken by  the  committee  of  Geneva,  and  far  less 
its  application  to  permanent  armii's.  It  is  suffi- 
cient for  us  that  the  international  conference 
meeting  at  Geneva  should  have  adopted  our 
principle  of  neutrality  in  favor  of  the  wounded 
in  battle,  and  the  unlimited  increase  of  the  med- 
ical staff  in  time  of  war. 

That  the  neutrality  should  be  proclaimed  by 
the  hostile  parties  in  time  of  war,  rather  than 
by  a  congress  such  as  that  of  Paris,  was  unim- 
portant to  us;  that  during  war  there  should  be 
a  penury  of  medical  men,  rather  than  of  volun- 
teer assistants,  is  a  subject  not  worth  investiga- 
ting, provided  no  condition  or  limit  is  put  to 
the  increase  of  the  medical  staff. 
■  I  do  not  know,*  if  the  convocated  congress  of 
Paris  will  take  place,  if  in  what  concerns  the 
welfare  of  the  people  will  be  comprised  the  neu- 
trality of  the  wounded  in  battle,  nor  if  Italy, 
who  has  the  priority  of  the  idea,  wiU  have  min- 
isters who  aspire  at  the  honor  of  being  initia- 
ted in  so  humanitarian  a  principle.  But  what- 
ever may  result  from  the  above  suppositions, 
,  we  shall  never  cease  to  require  the  greatest  per- 
severance in  the  attainment  of  our  aim,  and  to 
co-operate,  as  far  as  we  possibly  can,  and  with 
our  utmost  exer.ions,  to  secure  Uie  amelioration 
of  the  position  of  the  wounded  in  battle. 

Most  of  the  therapeutic  principles  which  pre- 
dominate in  the  "Manure  di  Chirurgia  MiU- 
tare  "  published  by  you,  and  which  tend  to  spare 
the  mutilation  and  life  of  the  wounded,  have 
been  adopted  by  two  eminent  writers,  Legouest 
and  Cortese,  whose  works  appeared  since  the 
publication  of  your  "Manual." 

Nevertheless,  Legouest  acknowledges  that  in 
the  Crimea  gunshot  fractures  of  the  thigh, 
treated  with  the  preservation  of  that  limb,  were 
five  times  more  successfully  cured  than  those 
whose  thigh  was  amputated  on  account  of  se- 
vere wounds  ("  lesione  traumatica")  in  the  lower 


"jflO 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


limb  or  leg,  and  when  he  treats  of  the  thera- 
peutic principle,  he  concludes  by  saying — '  'dans 
de  bonnes  conditions,  c'est  a  dire,  dans  leg  cas 
de  fractures  simples,  sans  perte  de  substance 
ossense  ^tendue,  lorsque  le  bless^  ne  doit  pas 
etre  transporte,  et  qu'il  est  plaoiS  dans  un  lieu 
salubre  et  pourvu  de  toutes  les  ressources  ma- 
terielles  et  chirurgicales,  I'amputation  peut 
etre  eeart^e;  dans  les  conditions  opposees, 
I'amputationdoitetrepratiqu^e."  French  med- 
ical men  know  now  that  for  want  of  material 
and  surgical  resources,  and  from  the  necessity 
of  removing  the  wounded,  they  are  forced,  with 
their  own  hands,  to  sacrifice  one  quarter  at 
least  of  their  amputated  of  the'  thigh.  Some 
day  they  may  refuse  to  lend  themselves  to  so 
cruel  a  necessity,  and  claim  or  enforce  condi- 
tions to  avoid  it. 

Dr.  Cortese,  who  professes  therapeutic  prin- 
ciples of  military  surgery  far  more  conservative 
than  Legouesl's,  issues  the  following  sentence: 
"  For  the  lower  limbs,  besides  tbe  length  of 
time  required  for  the  operation  of  resection, 
(risegamento, )  a  quiet  position  is  so  necessary 
that  it  is  incompatible  with  a  forcible  removal. 
If  the  improvements  that  are  to  be  introduced 
in  the  science  of  surgery  can  be  obtained  so  far' 
as  to  free  it  from  the  obstacles  which  are  an 
impediment  to  the  surgical  operations  in  the 
ambulance,  it  is  evident  that  resections  will 
soon  have  the  preference  over  amputations. 
The  preservation  of  the  Umb  by  the  hoped  for' 
method  has  not  had  hitherto  the  happy  results 
which  in  my  opinion  will  be  obtained  more 
amply  hereafter.  Many  other  impediments 
have  hitherto  prevented  its  beneficial  influence 
besides  those  which  concern  conservative  oper- 
ations. Of  these  may  be  enumerated  the  fol- 
lowing:—!. The  excessive  aeoumulation  of 
wounded  in  the  hospital  wards,  by  which  the 
air  becomes  tainted  and  generates  putrefaction. 
Among*  the  many  human  infirmities,  none  re- 
quire more  imperiously  that  the  air  should  be 
pure,  and  often  renovated,  than  those  in  rooms 
where  a  great  number  of  wounds  of  that  kind  re- 
quire long  time  for  suppuration.  After  a  san- 
gninarywar,  and  still  more,  djiring  a  long  con- 
tested, battie,  it  is  difficult  to  find  sufficient 
space  to  supply  these  deficienoes.  2.  The  want 
of  well-prepared  apparatuses  to'  insure  the  per- 
fect steadiness  of  the  limb,  even  when  under- 
going a  daily  dressing.  3.  The  deficiency  of 
intelligent  and  constant  surgical  assistants, 
who,  among  the  numerous  duties  required  of 
them,  could  devote  to  each  peculiar  case  the 
dUigent  and  constant  medications  it  may  re- 
quire." 

The  learned  Signer  Cortese  is  inspector  of 
health  in  the  Italian  army,  and  his  fearful  rev- 
elations will  flfertainly  not  have  been  published 
■#ithout  his  having  often  appealed  in  vain  to 
obtain  from  our  government  the  necessary  re- 
quisites. 

It  is  now  the  duty  of  the  Italian  people  to 
take  note  of  these  revelations,  and  should  war 
break  out  some  further  sacrifices  must  be  made, 
and  not  allow  their  defenders  to  be  mutilated 
for  want  of  a  few  livres,  the  cost  of  a  set  of 
well-prepared  apparatuses,  and  persons  able  to 
the  use  of  them.  As  to  medical  men,  if  in  the 
heart  of  many  there  still  remains  any  doubt  or 
uncertainty  which  the  aphorisms  of  our  manual 
are  intended  to  remove  respecting  the  treatment 


of  gunshot  wounds,  it  will  be  easier  to  come  to 
an  understanding  on  the  subject  by  a  serious 
and  peaceful  discussion  when  we  are  better 
•  prepared  for  the  day  of  trial. 

statement  demvesed  at  the  meeting  op  the 
6th  maech,  1864u 
In  addition  to  my  discourse  on  the  13th  of 
December  "II  Congresso  e  ITtalia,"  respecting 
tlie  neutrality  of  the  wounded  in  time  of  war,  I 
have  the  honor  of  submitting  to  you  the  follow- 
ing remarks,  which  will  show  foM  the  rapid 
progress  obtained  by  the  humanitarian  princi- 
ple of  the  neutrality  of  the  wounded  soldiers, 
which  you  so  warmly  approved  of  in  this  hall 
the  first  day  it  was  proclaimed,  28th  of  April, 
1861.  The  Society  of  Public  Utility  in  Geneva, 
after  the  international  congress  of  which  I  in- 
formed you,  sent  to  all  the  European  states  an 
official  circular  containing  the  following  inqui- 
ries: 

1.  Is  government  disposed  to  grant  its  high 
protection  to  the  committee  of  relief  for  the 
wounded  which  is  being  formed  in  its  own 
country,  in  consequence  of  the  resolutions  of 
the  conference  of  Geneva,  and  to  promote  as 
far  as  possible  the  fulfilment  of  its  mission? 
2.  Would  government  adhere  to  an  interna- 
tional convention,  having  for  its  aims  (A)  the 
neutrality  in  time  of  war  of  the  "ambulanze  " 
and  military  hospitals  of  the  medical  staff,  of 
the  volunteer  assistants  presented  by  the  com- 
mittee of  relief  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  place 
who  might  be  going  to  succor  the  wounded, 
and  of  the  military  wounded  themselves?  (B) 
The  adoption  of  an  uniform  or  a  distinctive  sign 
common  to  the  staff  belonging  to  the  sanitary 
service,  and  of  a  particular  flag  for  the  "  ambu- 
lanze "  and  hospitals  ?  Shotftd  this  last  propo- 
sition be  accepted,  would  there  be  any  objec- 
tion to  the  adopting  for  all  the  leather  cuff  and 
the  white  flag  with  a  red  cross  ?  Many  govern- 
ments have  already  answered  officially.  At  the 
entreaties  of  Dr.  Lehmann,  the  Swiss  Federal 
Council  authorized  the  military  department  to 
meet  the  wishes  above  mentioned,  on  condition 
that  the  states  on  the  confines  of  Switzerland 
would  adhere  likewise  to  the  international  con- 
vention. 

Then  followed  the  adhesions  of  Wurtemburg, 
of  llussia,  France,  and  Denmark.  In  Stock- 
holm, under  th'.  superintendence  of  Dr.  Hahn, 
an  Important  society  has  been  instituted,  with 
an  auxiliary  diramation  of  ladies  belonging  to 
the  high  nobility  of  Wurtemberg,  proclamations 
and  appeals  have  been  issued  all  over  the  coun- 
try. - 

In  Prussia,  a  large  central  committee  has 
been  formed  by  the  Prince  Henry  XIII.,  of 
Eeuss,  and  by  the  private  counsellor  Housselle, 
both  deputies  of  Prussia  to  the  Congress  of  Ge- 
neva. In  this  committee,  next  to  Prince  Rad- 
ziwill.  Count  Ainim,  Count  Stolberg-Verniger- 
ode,  Chancellor  of  the  Order  .of  St.  John  of  Je- 
rusalem, stand  the  librarian  Wagner,  the  Isra- 
elite banker  Mendelssohn,  the  protestant  and 

catholic  clergymen In  Prussia  only 

they  have  not  been  very  diligent  in  constitut- 
ing such  a  committee,  because  the  minister  of . 
Roon,-  on  account  of  the  insufficiency  of  Prus- 
sian deaconesses,"  has  been  obliged  to  have  re- 
course to  the  superior  in  chief  of  the  sisterhood 
of  St  Carlb,  at  Nancy  (Meurthe,)  and  request 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuiRebln. 


701 


her  to  send  to  Schleswig  sisters  disposed  to  at- 
tend on  the  Prussian  catholic  siek  and -wound- 
ed, and  directly  eighteen  sisters  started  from 
Treves  for  the  seat  of  war.  King  William,  of 
Prussia,  has  expressed  many  times  his  strong 
sympathy  for  this  pious  undertaking,  to  which 
he  has  granted  his  most  powerful  protection. 
He  professes  the  principle  of  neutrality  for  the 
wounded,  and  has  no  doubt  it  will  be  generally 
admitted. 

In  France,  the  army  warmly  approves  the 
principle  of  neutrality,  and  the  Emperor  Na- 
poleon wrote  to  DunanC  to  assure  him  of  his 
wish  to  contribute  to  this  mission  by  promot- 
ing the  formation  of  the  French  committee. 
He  declares  publicly  his  approval  of  the  object 
of  the  conference,  and  of  the  efforts  made  to 
insure  its  success;  allows  his  sympathies  to  be 
made  known,  and  orders  the  Minister  of  War  to 
authorize  some  of  the  chief  officers  to  take  part 
in  the  committee  instituted  in  Paris  by  Duniint. 

By  a  despatch  from  Copenhagen,  dated  the 
28th  January,  1864,  the  Minister  of  War  of  Den- 
mark hiis  informed  the  committee  of  Geneva  of 
the  official  adhesion  of  his  country  to  the  votes 
of  the  conference.  In  Spain,  the  Prince  D. 
Sebastian  has  undertaken  to  sustain  with  vigor 
the  neutrality  and  the  improvement  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  wounded.  In  Italy  (says  the 
Journal  of  Geneva  of  the  20th  February,  1864,) 
a  patriotic  appeal  in  favor  of  the  international 
society  has  been  largely  diffused,  by  the  care  of 
Signer  Guido  Corsini,  secretary  of  the  Dantes- 
can  commission;  a  committee  has  been  insti- 
tuted in  Fiorenee,  and  the  eldest  son  of  the 
king.  Prince  XJmberto,  has  declared  thut  he 
would  promote  and  protect  all  societies  lormed 
in  this  country  towards  this  pious  work. 

You  /know  that  in  Italy  more  than  this  has 
been  done,  and  the  press  of  Geneva  is  not  ig- 
norant of  it,  for  in  its  journal  of  the  26th  De- 
cember, 1863,  it  claims  for  Naples  the  priority 
of  the  idea  of  the  neutrality  of  the  wounded, 
which  it  says  it  enunciated  in  1861,  "  dans  une 
brochure  con»ue  a  Geneve,  puis  qu'elle  avait 
donne  lieu  a  un  oonoours,  ou  des  Genevois 
avaient  concouru. " 

Justice  and  logic,  after  tbis,  ought  to  have 
claimed,  as  a  symbol  of  the  neutrality,  a  white 
cross  on  a  red  ground,  instead  of  a  red  cross 
on  a  white  ground.  But  this  must  be  decided 
by  our  governing  powers,  and  we  have  no  right 
to  judge  them  before  the  work  is  begun.  It  is 
undeniable,  however,  that  the  activity  of  Du- 
nant,  and  of  the  committee  of  Geneva,  in  their 
efforts  to  spread  the  adopted  principle,  deserve 
great  praise,  and  we  think  that  the  periodical 
press,  particularly  the  Giomaie  di  Ginevra,  de- 
serves some  likewise;  which,  to  convince  the 
unbelievers  of  the  possibility  of  effectuating 
the  principle  of  the  neiitrality  of  the  wounded, 
recalls  the  following  historical  facts: 

In  1743,  in  the  w^r  of  the  succession  of  Aus- 
tria, Marshal  de  Noailles,  commanding  the 
French  army,  concluded  a  treaty  on  this  sub- 
ject, in  Aschaffenbourg,  with  Count  Stair,  com- 
mander of  the  English  army,  and  these  gene- 
rals engaged  reciprocally  to  respect  and  protect 
the  hospitals, which  was  scrupulously  done  dur- 
ing the  war.  On  the  6th  of  February,  1759,  at 
Ecluse,  in  Flanders,  a  similar  treaty,  contain- 
ing the  same  identical  details,  was  entered  into 
by  tixe  Marquis  du  Barrail  for  the  King  of 


France,  and  Sir  Henry  Seymour  Conway  for 
the  King  of  England. 

The  ti  eaty  of  Uie  7th  of  September,  1769,  be- 
tween Frederick  the  Great,  King  of  Prussia, 
and  France,  which  was  punctually  adhered  to 
ou  both  sides,  entailed  the  duty  of  taking  great 
care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  not  to  take 
prisoners  either  clergymen,  doctors,  surgeons, 
apothecaries,  nurses,  assistants,  "or  any  othei 
party  attached  to  hospital  service. 

Ill  1800,  General  Moreau,  commander  of  the 
French  ai-my,  proposed  a  similar  treaty  to  the 
Austrian  general,  Kray,  who  refused  to  accept 
it,  and  thus  during  sixty-four  years,  through 
the  interference  of  the  upholders  of  divine 
right,  justice  and  humanity  has  been  silenced, 
while  we  think  ourselves  on  the  road  of  pro- 
gress and  civilization. 


PROTECTIVE 

or  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOKK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STEEET, 


President. 
Lieut. -Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

"Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  HAMILTON  PISH.     , 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
EUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 

Treasurer. 
EOBT.  B.  MINTUEN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

Boss.  E.  D.  MORGAN,  GBOEGE  OPDYBE, 
HIEAM  BAKNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Eev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Mbssbs.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BKOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWAED  POTTEE,  WM.  E. 
DuDGE,  Jit.j  THEODORE  ROOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPER,  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  DANEEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  EOBT.  L.  STUABT,  ALFEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  -Sec'y, 

35  Chambers  Stkbet,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
iheir families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bounty,  etc.,  without  cost  to  fhe  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d  ,  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
maiion  to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  ami- 
lies  needing  it. 


102 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  BeUows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  N?w  York. 

Klisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Bureu,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 

Wolcoi  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Hfme,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  K.  L 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

C.  J.  Stills. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

OFBICEBS: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Bouglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STAHDIKO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Sti'ong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  K.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  OommlsBlon  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratuitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  in  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 
em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 
Oarolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 
<*  Office  of  Solitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  In  Pennsylvania,  address  "  OfSce  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Arkansas,  address  "Office  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  fi'om.  If  the  application  is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person, 
it  will  be  answered  at  once  j  or  If  by  telegraph,  an' 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  Inquirer's 
expense. 

M-  Soldiers'  Aid  Booletiea,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
etFectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  friends 
Is  the  army. 


.SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  unuer  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintains 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  a^d  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points— at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Chattanooga — ^its  distributions  being  governed  by  & 
compaiison  of  the  wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  ana 
wounded,  without  reference  to  Stat;ps  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  necesMty  for  assist- 
ance, are  mvited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  16 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vino 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  "  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  1th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio.  » 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  coqtributions  of  the  pubuo  for' 
the  means  of  sustaming  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  WaU  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing, 
ton,  D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  neaf  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington,  D.  C. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets, 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Baili'oad  Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111. — G.  N.  Shlpman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey. — James  Malona,  Sup't 
James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn. — Jj.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Oolumbns,  Ohio ,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Joseph  Jerome,  Sup't 
and  ReUef  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. — C.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vioksburg,  Mfts.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans,  La.— C.  F.  Howes,  Sup't. 

AOENOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

BOSPITAI,    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York- Sol.  Andrews, 

H.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 
Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield, 
Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga— Dr.  J.  F.  Bar- 

num.  Surgeon  in  charge, 

SANZTAfiT  BTBAMBS, 

James  Biver— Elizabeth, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bvlldm. 


Y03 


FRED'O  S.  OOZZENS, 

73  WARREN  STREET, 

NEW    ■YOKK, 

(Opposite  Hudson  River  Railroad  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE, 

'Washingtou,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 


Imported  "Wines, 
Brandies,  &c., 

OF  THE  PUREST  QUALITY, 

FOB 

Medicinal  k  Sanitary  Purposes, 

Such  as  are  extensively  used  in  the 

UNITED  STATES  HOSPITALS, 

AKD  BY  THE 

SANITARY  COMMISSION* 


ALSO, 

American   Wines, 

Orilie  Hig^hest  Gades. 


FAIRBAE'S 


Adapted  to  every  Branch  of 
Business. 


SOLE  AGENT  IN  NEW  YOrtK  AND  WASHINGTON  FOR 

LONG-WORTH'S 

Spaing  and  Still. Catawba  WiDe, 

Brandies,   &c.,   &c. 


MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY 

THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

EiT.FMRBAlSICO., 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 


PRINCIPAL*  WAREHOUSES: 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 

No.  252  Broad-way,  Ne-w  York. 

FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN, 

No.  U8  MUk  Street,  Boston. 

FAIRBANKS,  GREENLEAF  &  Co., 
No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 

FAIRBANKS  &  EWING, 

Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 
No.  246  Baltimore  St.,  Baltimore. 


Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or 
mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to 
either  of  the  above. 


704 


^the  Sanitixry  Commismm  BuUetin. 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


^oIumlriM  (^mm}  §\\mxmm 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAFITAI., 


$1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31, 1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1,  1864 $3, 140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  16 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  TJnadjusted  and  other.  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAIIl  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Fremiuin  is  paid  in  le  Currency. 


DEALERS  WITH  TFIIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OP  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  aU  VOYAGE  Risks  upou  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER  CENT.  , 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 


EDWARD  ROWE, 
DANIEL  W.  LORD, 
GEORGE  MILN, 
JOHN  ATKINSON, 
THOS.  A.  C.  COCHKANE, 
WM.  H.  HALSEY, 
THOS.  BARRON, 
ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL, 
ALBERT  G.  LEE, 
GEORGE  P.  DESHON, 
0.  L.  NIMS, 


M.  P.  MERICK, 
WM.  B,  OGDEN, 
JOHN  ARMSTRONG, 
B.  C.  MORRIS, 
ANDREW  J.  RICH, 
DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 
J«HN  D.  BATES,  JR., 
CHARLES  HICKOX, 
ROBERT   BOWNE, 
LAWRENCE  MYERS, 
S.  N.  DERRICK, 


THOS.  LORD,  Vioe  President. 


MOSES  MERICK, 
DAVID  J.  ELY, 
JOSEPH  MORRISON, 
WM.  H.  POPHAM, 
B.  C.  MORRIS,  JR  , 
EZRA  NYE, 
HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 
THOMAS  LORD, 
ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 
J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


WIO.  M.  'WBITNEY  2d  Vice-Preaident  and  Secretary. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  L 


NEW  YORK,  OCTOBER  1,  1864. 


No.  23. 


OONTBNTa. 

Page. 
The  Sawitabi  Commission   m  the  Shekan- 

DOAH. 705 

Sbobkidan's  Aemi 706 

WOKK    OF    THE     COMMISSION     ON    THE     JaMES 

ElTEB 710 

Bepobts — 

Weatem  Department 714 

Doings  at  the  Front   712 

Aid  TO  THE  Union  Pkisonees  in  Chables- 

TON 718 

The  Commission  and  the  Gotebnment 719 

Scenes  amono  the  Woonuep 721 

The  SANTTABir  and  Chkistian  Commissions  . .  721 

The  Hospital  Tbain ■. 722 

Poetey — 

S  mebody's  Darling 724 

Taps 724 

X.  SoI/Diee's  Lettee 724 

Teeatment  of  Ouk  Pkisohees  by  the  Beeel 

Atithobities , 725 

The  Sanitaey  Commission  BTrLi.ETiN  is  publis/ied 
on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  enery  month,  and  as  it 
has  a  circndaiion,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000 
eopies,  it  offers  an  unasuaUy  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

AU  co-mmunications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Ed- 
itor, at  the  offloe,  823  Broadway,  and  must  be  au- 
thenticated by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  Oie  publication  of  the  BuL- 
tBTiN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  tlie  war, 
and  on  the  resources  of  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Corn- 
mission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  de- 
gree of  reluctance  to  soliatt  subscriptions  for  it — and 
(hereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a 
definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give 
notice,  that  the  sum  of  two  doUars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbonq,  68  Wail  Street,  or  No. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,)  wiR  secure  its  being  sent 
lo  suoheontributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cur- 
rent year,  unless  its  publicption  be  sooner  discon- 
tinued. 

VoiM  I.— No.  23.  45 


THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  IN  THE 
SHENANDOAH. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  long  made 
Harper's  Ferry  a  centre  of  operations. 
Though  the  late  im{y>rtant  battle  of  the 
Opequan  was  unannounced,  Col.  Muhlech, 
in  charge  of  the  Commission's  work  at 
that  point  and  vicinity,  including  Cumber- 
land, Martinsburg,  and  Winchester,  Va., 
was  promptly  on  the  field  of  battle  with  his 
corps  of  assistants  and  stores,  which  were 
most  welcome  to  the  men  and  the  Medical 
Department.  The  store-house  at  Harper's 
Ferry  was  quickly  emptied,  but  the  second 
day  after  the  battle  a  fresh  supply  of  arti- 
cles most  needed  arrived  from  Baltimore, 
where  they  had  been  stored  in  antici- 
pation of  such  a  call.  The  distance  from 
the  Ferry  to  Winchester,  where  the  wound- 
ed were  gathered,  is  thirty -six  miles,  with7 
out  rail  communication,  and  the  country 
infested  with  guerrillas.  Supplies  were 
immediately  pushed  forward  in  wagons 
under  the  protection  of  a  cavalry  escort. 
Thirteen  four-horse  army  wagons  are  used 
in  this  work,  with  the  occasional  addition 
of  wagons  and  ambulances,  generously  pro- 
vided by  the  military  authorities.  These 
wagon- trains  are  run  day  and  night,  and 
thus  far  without  loss.  For  aid  and  protec- 
tion in  this  difficult  part  of  the  work  the 
Commission  is  greatly*indebted  to  General 
Steveuson,  in  command  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
and  Col.  Edwards,  Thirty-seventh  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteers,  commanding  post  at 
Winchester. 

Oa  the  day  of  the  battle  Dr.  J.  F.  Jen- 
kins, the  General  Secretary,  with  Mr.  F. 
N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary,  and  Mr. 
John  8.  Blatchford,  of  Boston,  started  for 
the  field,  and  with  Col.  Muhlech  they  rap- 


706 


IThe  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


idly  effected  a  thorough  organization  of 
the  work,  commensurate  with  an  emergency 
so  great.  It  may  be  truly  said  that  the 
Commission  has  never  used  its  resources 
with  more  efficiency  and  beneficent  result 
than  at  this  time,  abd  the  good  work  daily 
goes  on — thanks  to  a  generous  public  whose 
gifts  it  dispenses. 

Agents  have  been  rapidly  sent  forward 
from  this  city  and  from  Philadelphia,  and 
there  is  now  on  the  ground  a  working  force 
of  about  forty  men. 

Winchester  is  well  nigh  one  vast  hospi- 
tal, forty  (40)  buildings  being  used  for  their 
purpose.  Outside  the  town  the  new  camp 
hospital,  called  the  Sheridan,  is  fast  organiz- 
ing, to  which  the  wounded  will  soon  be 
transferred.  In  connection  wilh  this  a 
Diet  Kitchen  has  been  established,  by  the 
Commission,  and  placed  under  the  charge 
of  Miss  Harris.  The  town  hospitals  have 
been  divided  into  seven  districts,  and  a 
portion  of  the  Commission's  work  in  these 
has  been  assigned  to  seven  most  estimable 
Union  ladies,  who  will  be  assisted  by  oth- 
ers, also  residents  of  the  town.  Let  these 
patriotic  and  Christian  ladies  be  remem- 
bered! Their  kind  deeds  have  gladdened 
many  o£  our  weary  and  sick  and  wounded 
men  in  other  campaigns,  and  their  devo- 
tion is  limited  only  by  lack  of  resources. 

We  add  the  names  of  those  who  axe  act- 
ing as  Agents  for  the  Commission: 

Mrs.  Trippe,  Miss  Allie  Sharp,  Miss  Hat- 
tie  Griffith,  Miss  Sallie  Diffenderfer,  Miss 
Martha  L.  Sidwell,  Miss  Mattie  Shumate, 
Miss  Annie  Diffenderfer. 

At  the  hospital  of  Confederate  wounded, 
in  charge  of  their  own  surgeons,  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams, of  Winchester,  has  been  appointed 
agent,  being  peculiarly  fitted  for  this  diffi- 
cult position.  A  certain  portion  of  the 
stores  is  consigned  to  her  for  distribution. 
The  seriously  wounded  will  be  retained  in 
the  General  Hospital  instead  of  being  trans- 
ported to  distant  places  at  the  risk  of  life. 
For  this  merciful  decision  we  are  indebted 
to  Dr.  Brinton,  the  excellent  Medical  Di- 
rector. 

The  following  list  will  partially  indicate 
the  variety  and  quantities  of  articles  needed 
at  such  crises  of  a  campaign,  being  those 
forwarded  from  Baltimore  up  to  Septem- 
ber 28,  and  not  including  the  goods  in 


store  at  Haiper's  Ferry,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  battle,  which  amounted  to  about  five 
wagon  loads.     The  value  is  about  $40,000: 


3.825  wool  Bhirts. 

3,556  wool  drawers. 

4,380  handkerchiefs. 

3,  64  I  airs  wool  socks. 

600  blankets. . 

600  qnilts. 

896  Led  sacks. 

6,062  cushions. 

618  pillow  ticks. 

680  pillows. 

1,024  pillow  cases. 

1,190  cotton  drawers. 

516  cotton  shirte. 

480  pairs  slippers. 

659  sheets. 

1  200  pairs  cotton  socks 

45  pieces  mosquito  netting. 

15  pieces  oil  silk, 

40  bbls.  crackers..  „ 

540  lbs  dessicated  eggs. 

960  lbs.  roast  beef. 

3,816  lbs.  condensed  milk. 

1,316  lbs.  beef  stock. 

2,195  lbs.  coffee. 

1,852  lbs.  sugar. 

206  lbs.  tea. 

384  lbs.  peaches. 

10  bbls.  eggs. 

22  boxes  lemons. 

3,660  lbs.  chocolate. 

8  bbls.  potatoes. 

1  l.bl.  vinegar. 

157  bbls,  dried  apples. 

320  lbs.  com  starch. 

384  lbs.  farina. 

pails,  spoons,  knives  and 


CO  lbs.  canned  chicken. 
47  lbs.  butter. 
2,093  bottles  whisky. 
600  bottles  cherry  wine. 
,78  galls. -pickles. 
[256  bot's  blackberry  brandy. 
888  bottles  Jamaica  giager. 
12  bottles  nlcohoL 
12  bottles  Jamaica  mm. 
170  lbs.  candles. 
430  lbs.  soap. 
I,2ir4  tin  cups. 
260  bed-pans. 
50  feeding  cups. 
240  spit-cups. 
509  tin  plates. 
164  tin  basins. 
108  lanterns. 
12  doz.  canctlesticks. 
150  headrests. 
12  bed  tables. 
47,000  envelopes. 
50  reams  note  paper. 
179  doz.  chewing  tobacco. 
179  doz.  smoking  tobacco. 
10  hhds.  ice. 
1,101  pairs  crutches. 
240  prs.  shoes. 
25  lbs.  sponges. 
775  towels. 

96  lbs  canned  tomatoes.  * 
1,000  fans. 
200  lbs.  maizena. 
5  galls,  tamarinds. 

forks,  brooms,  washboards. 


waslitubs,  baskets,  chisels,  tacks,  hatchets,  axes,  saws, 
hammers,  corkscrews,  can-openers,  lamps,  kettles.stoves, 
oil,  pans,  boUers,  blank-books,  mucilage,  penholders, 
pens,  lead  pencils,  ink,  com  meal,  lint,  adhesive  plaster, 
table  salt,  oats,  hay,  reading  matter,  arm  slings,  old  lin- 
en, jelly,  ale,  &c. 


SHEBEDAU'S  ABMT. 

Hahfeb's  Febkt,  Va.,  S^emterM,  1864. 
To  Wm.  a.  Hovey, 

AssUtarU  to  Associate  Se'iretary^  etc. : 

Deab  SiK — At  this  moment  I  find  it  an 
absolute  impossibility  to  give  you  a  detail- 
ed account  of  the  Sanitary  work  in  this 
Department  for  the  week  ending  this  day. 
I  will,  therefore,  confine  myself  to  a  rough 
outline,  reserving  for  an  early  day  a  more 
complete  report. 

The  news  of  the  battle  on  the  Opequan 
Creek  reached  us  in  the  afternoon  of  Mon- 
day. In  the  course  of  the  night  our  com- 
plete victory  was  confirmed.  Having  as- 
certained the  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  I 
ordered  all  the  goods  on  hand  to  be  loaded 
on  two  of  our  wagons,  and  started  myself 
on  horseback,  in  company  with  Medical 
Purveyor  Dr.  Patton,  and  a  train  of  medi- 
cal stores  of  the  Government. 

We  reached  Winchester  at  three  o'clock, 
A.  M.  Without  seeking  a  bed,  I  com- 
menced at  once  my  visits  to  the  many 
hospitals,  all  crowded  to  overflowing,  and 
in  the  most  miserable  and  destitute  condi- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


TOT 


tion;  wounded  and  all  lived  onone-foUrth 
of  a  ration,  and  help  was  terribly  needed. 
To  share  out  equally,  I  went  to  see  Medi- 
cal Director  Dr.  Dubois,  as  soon  as  day- 
light came,  and  obtained  a  rough  estimate 
of  the  number  of  wounded  in  each  Corps. 
This  estimate  guided  me  in  the  distribution 
of  all  I  had.  I  made  the  repartition,  and 
issued  in  bulk  to  the  Surgeons  in  charge  of 
each  Corps,  whose  vouchers  I  hold. 

By  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  on  the  same  day, 
I  had  passed  through  all  the  principal  hos- 
pitals, and  then  hurried  back  to  the  ferry, 
with  an  escort  of  ten  men. 

Since  then,  we  have  aU  been  working 
day  and  night  to  receive,  re-load,  and  for- 
ward goods  to  the  front.  Dr.  Jenkins  and 
Mr.  Knapp  went  out  in  an  ambulance  last 
Thursday.  Two  more  wagons  heavily  load- 
ed started  with  them.  At  this  moment  I 
am  busy  in  having  five  more  wagons  and 
six  ambulances  loaded  with  stores.  The 
whole  will  leave  to-day,  yet  Mr.  Knapp 
sent  me  word  last  night,  that  my  presence 
at  W.  is  needed,  so  I  will  start  again, 
though  I  feel  very  tired  for  want  of  sleep, 
and  the  effects  of  a  bad  cold,  which  seems 
to  settle  on  my  lungs. 

The  two  wagons  arrived  this  morning. 
One  of  oui^  teams  broke  down  this  side  of 
"W.,  and  has  not  yet  returned;  as  soon  as 
it  comes  in,  it  will  have  to  start  for  Hagers- 
town.     There,  too,  our  help  is  needed. 

The  Sandy  Hook  Hospital  has  been  fre- 
quently visited,  and  provided  with  ice, 
wine,  and  other  articles. 

Mr.   Evans  leaves  just  now,   and  I  am 

anxious  you  should  get  these  few  lines  be- 

foi'e  Monday.     Our  stores  may  laet  four  or 

five  days. 

Tours,  etc., 
I 

G.  A.  Mtjhleoh. 


W^SHiNGTOiT,  September  26, 1864, 
Mb.  Wm.  a.  Hotet, 

Assistant  to  Associate  Secretary  : 

Deab  •  Sib— In  compliance  with  your 
request,  I  herewith  present  you  a  brief 
sketch  of  my  work  with  General  Crook's 
command  during  the  last  few  days  of  my 
labors  among  them. 

On  Sunday  afternoon,  the  18th  instant, 
the  camp  near  Summit  Point  was  broken 
up.    The  long  trains  were  ready  for^the 


march,  the  men  stood  long  impatient  for 
the  "  forward,  march.  "^ 

It  was  not  given  that  night,  so  we  bi- 
vouaced  as  best  we  could,  expecting  th»t 
in  the  morning,  the  anticipated  order 
would  be  given.  At  daybreak  we  con»- 
menoed  to  move,  the  Commission  wagoa 
falling  into  its  appropriate  place  behind 
the  medicine  wagon  of  the  Second  Division. 

This  march  was  performed  for  the  most 
part  amid  the  low  reverberations  of  the  dis- 
tant firing  of  the  artillery  and  musketry  of 
the  6th  sind  19th  Corps.  It  was  not  until 
about  eleven  o'clock  that  Gen.  Crooks  waa 
brought  into  the  action. 

The  location  of  the  field  hospital  being 
determined,  I  left  the  wagon  there  and  set 
out  with  Mr.  Knowlton  for  the  front  to  as- 
sist as  we  could.  On  arriving  on  the  field 
we  found  our  forces  pushing  ahead,  thus 
affording  us  the  best  opportunity  to  remove 
the  wounded,  dying  and  dead  into  the  field 
hospitals.  We  did  what  we  could,  we  as- 
sisted them  to  ambulances,  and  endeavored 
to  stimulate  their  patriotism,  patience  and 
courage.  ^ 

By  midnight  the  greater  part  of  the  first 
day's  wounded  were  gathered  to  the  various 
hospitals — no  one  spared  exertion.  Late 
in  the  evening  we  returned  to  the  hospitsJs 
to  make  all,  as  far  as  possible,  comfortable 
for  the  night.  By  help  from  nurses,  I 
arranged  the  sufferers  side  by  side,  so 
that  two,  and  sometimes  three,  c6uld  enjoy 
the  benefit  of  the  same  blanket.  He  who 
had  abundance,  by  being  appealed  to,  waa 
induced  to  part  with  something  to  covm: 
his  less  fortunate  comrade.  Thus  by  dint  of 
a  little  planning  we  were  enabled  to  warm 
the  chilled  frame  and  stop  the  chattering 

teeth. 

*  •         *  *  *  *  * 

The  early  morning  brought  us  new  work. 
We  assisted  at  the  amputation  table,  fur- 
nishing sometimes  Unt,  bandages  and  other 
stores. 

I  kept  the  nurses  to  work  on  the  most 
needy — sought  out  the  bummers  and  strag-. 
glers  around,  and  set  them  to  work  wash- 
ing off  the  whole  body  of  the  slightly 
wounded,  as  they  passed  under  the  Sur- 
geon's and  dressers'  hands,  supplying 
them  myself  with  clean  clothing.  Yon 
would  have  been  pleased  to  see  the  traiu- 


"TGS 


The  Sanitary  Cartimisaion  BvEetin. 


formation  I  worked  in  this  way.  Took  the 
name,  and  nature  of  wound  of  each  man 
for  the  Surgeon's  report,  and  in  this  way 
turned  my  hand  to  any  and  every  thing 
that  demanded  attentitm.  Thus  passed 
the  day,  distributing  meanwhile  many 
iitores  I  had  in  my  well-stocked  wagon  for 
this  emergency.  Thus  passed  the  next  day 
in  part.  About  noon  I  turned  over  to  my 
successor  all  the  Sanitary  Commission .  in- 
terests, and  went  to  Winchester  to  return 
home.  This  closes  my  connection  with  the 
Commission  as  a  Relief  Agent. 

It  is  with  pain  I  part  from  a  work  in  which 
I  have  taken  much  pleasure.  The  soldier 
that  lies  bleeding,  hungry  and  chiUy,  to 
keep  from  our  doors  the  tyrant  and  oppres- 
sor, is  worthy  to  receive  the  sympathies  of 
the  best,  to  engage  the  energies  of  the 
greatest  in  this  most  noble  of  aU  work^— 
•Deviating  his  sufferings. 

Most  respectfully,  etc., 

D.  W.  Evans. 

To  fhe  Standinff  Committef  of  the 

V.  8.  Samtvry  CmnmUsi'^: 

Hakfeb's  Febuy,  September  21. 

Soon  after  mailing  my  letters  of  yester- 
day to  you  at  Baltimore,  I  heard  of  the 
engagement  near  Winchester,  and  decided 
to  come  here  before  visiting  City  Point. 

I  ordered  Mr.  Pancoast  to  send  by  Ad- 
ams' Express,  a  designated  assortment  of 
battle-fleld  and  hospital  supplies,  most  of 
■which  were  in  our  store-house-  at  Balti- 
more, the  only  articles  ,  purchased  being 
tin  cups,  milk  and  sherry  wine,  the  latter 
having  been  specially  telegraphed  for  by 
our  agent  here,  by  request  of  the  Medical 
Director  of  the  District.  I  then  telegraph- 
ed to  you  my  intention  to  come  here,  and 
to  Mr.  Hovey,  at  Washington,  what  I  had 
done.  An  hour  later,  I  found  Mr.  Knapp, 
Associate  Secretary  for  the  East,  and  Mr. 
John  8.  Blatohford,  of  Boston,  an  Associate 
IJember  of  the  Commission,  and  requested 
them  to  accompany  me.  No  train  was  to 
leave  Baltimore  until  this  morning. 

We  reached  this  place  at  about  1  P.  M. 
Visiting  our  storehouse,  we  found  Colonel 
Muhlech  absent  at  the  front,  and  the  stock 
«f  supplies  low  from  the  drafts  jnst  made 
upon  us.  The  wagons  were  at  the  front,  or 
on  the  way  back,ejcept  two  four-horse  teams 
and  one  two-horse  team.    Our  stores  were 


not  to  arrive  on  freight-train  here  until  five 
P.  M.,  after  which,  there  was  to  be  no  train 
to  Winchester  with  an  escort,  (without 
which  the  road  is  not  considered  safe,)  un- 
til to-morrow  afternoon — so  the  Assistant 
Adjutant-General  and  Captain  Plagg,  the 
Quartermaster,  told  us. 

By  the  aid  of  our  natural  allies,  the  press 
correspondents,  we  heard  of  a  stragglers' 
guard  as  likely  to  go  out  at  eight  o'clock 
to-morrow  morning,  and  have  directed  the 
loading  of  the  two  four- horse  wagons,  to  go 
out  under  its  protection. 

We  have  carefully  chosen  the  articles 
most  likely  to  be  needed,  viz.,  beef  stock, 
stimulants,  woolen  underclothing,  banda- 
ges and  old  linen,  crackers,  lemons  and 
sponges.     < 

The  Government  transportation  is  heav- 
ily taxed,  and  though  Capt.  Flagg  and  the 
other  oflEicials  show  a  desire  to  assist  as  far 
as  they  can,  they  are  unable  to  give  us  th« 
transportation  for  a  single  pound. 
Yours  respectfully, 
J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

Creneral  Secretary, 

Mr.  Knapp  writes  from  Harper's  Ferry, 
September  21 : 

Four  car  loads  of  supplies  have  arrived 
here  today,  since  Dr.  Jenkins  and  I  reach- 
ed here,  (one  car  load  from  Washington — 
an  excellent  assortment — and  three  from 
Baltimore.)  Three  teams,  four  horses  each, 
are  with  the  three  Army  Corps.  Yesterday 
Col.  Muhlech  sent  out  two  more  teams  with 
assorted  supplies,  and  in  the  morning  to- 
morrow, two  more  teams  well  loaded  go 
out,  while  the  two  yesterday's  teams  will 
probably  be  here  to  take  out  loads  to-mor- 
row afternoon;  these,  with  two  more  team* 
to  come  fi;om  Washington,  will  make  a 
good  train. 

No  train  has  gone  out  this  afternoon, 
with  which  Dr.  Jenkins  and  I  could  go, 
escorted  by  them.  We  expect  to  go  to 
Winchester  to-morrow  mornings  getting 
there  to-morrow  evening.  I  telegraphed 
you  to-night  on  receipt  of  your  last  tele- 
gram, to  send  another  four-horse  team 
from  Washington,  taking  it,  if  need  be, 
from  the  storehouse  service;  also,  one  sad- 
dle horse. 

10,  F.  M,    Col.  Muhlech]  is  just  in  from 


The  Sardtary  Commission  BiMetin. 


109 


Winchester.  The  need  there  of  supplies 
is  large.  A  medical  train  and  a  commissary 
train  arrived  just  before  he  left  the  place. 

The  wounded  to  be  provided  for,  (our  own 
and  the  rebel,)  are  about  six  thousand. 
There  was  another  engagement  for  the  pos- 
session of  Fisher's  Hill — sharp  but  short — 
in  which  we  drove  the  rebels  with  a  dash — 
moderate  loss  to  us — captured  eight  hun- 
dred rebels. 


Colonel  Muhlech  writes  from  the  same 
place,  September  23: 

I  sit  down  at  a  late  hour  of  the  night  to 
pen  you  yet  a  few  lines,  so  as  to  inform  you 
of  the  whereabouts  of  Dr.  Jenkins  and  Mr. 
Knapp. 

They  left  for  the  front  yesterday  morn- 
ing. I  hope  they  have  safely  reached  Win- 
chester. I  myself,  returned  from  there  on 
Wednesday  night,  after  a  ride  of  seventy 
miles  in  twenty-four  hours.  Horse  and 
rider  were  equally  exhausted. 

I  found  some  six  thousand  wounded, 
(union  and  rebel,)  scattered  all  over  the 
town;  churches,  hotels,  stores,  and  private 
houses  are  used  as  temporary  hospitals. 
They  were  destitute  of  every  thing,  and  an 
immense  deal  of  good  will  be  done  by  the 
timely  arrival  of  our  sanitary  goods.  Would 
to  God  I  had  more  means  of  transporta- 
tion, now  that  our  storehouse  is  overflow- 
ing. Four  teams  heavily  loaded  have  been 
forwarded  to  Winchester  thus  far.  As  soon 
as  your  two  other  wagons  reach  the  ferry, 
I  sh  ill  send  out  further  four  loads.  One 
team  loaded  with  stores  leaves  to-morrow 
morning  for  Hagerstown,  where  there  are 
also  a  great  many  patients,  and  help  is 
badly  wanted. 

Dr.  Jenkins  and  Mr.  Knapp  are  expected 
back  to-morrow  night.    However,  I  hardly 
think  they  will  be  here  before  Sunday,  as , 
the  road  is  unsafe,  and  can  only  be  traveled 
with  an  escort. 

Two  thousand  prisoners,  with  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  commissioned  officers, 
passed  -through  this  afternoon;  a  thousand 
wounded  are  also  expected  in  to-night. 
They  will  be  left  at  Sandy  Hook  Hospital; 
a  further  lot  of  as  many  will  be  lent  either 
to  Baltimore  or  Frederick.  This  will  leave 
alt  Winchester  only  the  most  serious  cases. 


n.   8.   SiinTABT  0OMVIB8IOH,  1 

WlNOHESTBB,  Va.,  Septunier  26, 180*.     ) 
To  the  Standing  Committee  nfthe 

n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission : 

GejuiiBmbn — I  have  the  satisfaction  this 
morning  of  reporting  the  arrival  of  Col. 
Muhlech  last  evening,  a  few  hours  in  ad- 
vance of  the  Commission's  supply  train  of 
five  wagons  and  eight  ambuhinces.  Tha 
train  was  to  park  on  its  arrival  at  tha 
suburbs,  and  to  report  here  this  morning. 
Miss  Harris,  Colonel  Fach,  and  two  Belief 
Agents  from  Washington,  accompany  it;  » 
very  welcome  addition  to  our  working  force. 
The  supplies  are  equivalent  to  eight  wagoB 
loads — an  assorted  stock,  with  rather  • 
preponderance  of  food  and  de/iciency  of  warm 
coverings  and  under  clothing.  These  an 
the  great  want  we  havg  heve  now.  The  weather 
became  cooler  on  Saturday/  evening,  and  there 
has  been  a  great  increase  of  suffering  the  last 
two  nights,  three  cases  of  tetanus,  resulting 
from  exposure. 

Col.  M.  hopes  to  be  able  to  secure  am- 
bulances, so  long  as  large  trains  come  back 
here  empty.  It  is  not  likely  to  be  long, 
unless  mucli  larger  numbers  of  wounded 
from  the  front  are  precipitated  upon  us. 

There  are  here  some  thirty  very  devoted 
union  women,  who,  ever  since  the  tide  of 
war  began  to  surge  up  and  down  the  valley, 
have,  when  occasion  offered,  given  their 
time  and  goods  for  the  relief  of  our  disabled 
soldifsrs;  -whether  in  our  own  hospitals,  or 
prisoners  in  those  of  the  enemy. 

The  casualties  attending  the  campaigns 
of  Banks,  Milroy,  and  the  occupation  of 
Crooks  and  Averill  in  July  last,  were  greatly 
mitigated  by  their  attentions. 

In  one'of  the  rebel  hospitals  here,  are  now 
thirty-nine  wounded  union  soldiers,  who  are 
enthusiastic  in  their  eulogy  of  those  who 
have  treated  them  so  kindly  .every  day  since 
the  evacuation  by  our  troops  in  July. 

These  ladies  have  been  visiting  indis- 
criminately the  past  week  the  hospitals  of 
the  city — overdoing  the  matter  in  some, 
entirely  neglecting  others. 

Mr.  Blatchford  and  I  devoted  a  good 
part  of  yesterday  to  the  effort  of  inducing 
them  to  systematise  their  work. 

After  visiting  the  representative  women 
at  their  homes,  we  effected  a  conference  in 
the  afternoon,  and,  by  our  advice,  they  de^ 
signated  seven  of  their  number  who  should 


710 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bvlktin. 


be  responsible  for  certain  relief  work  in  the 
seven  districts  into  which  we  have  arbitrari- 
ly divided  the  city.  Each  of  the  seven— who 
will  be  personally  known  to  Col.  Muhlech, 
Mr.  Adams,  (Hospital  Visitor,)  and  the 
Btorekeeper— win  call  to  her  assistance  such 
aid  as  she  needs  in  her  district.  We  shall 
issue  only  to  the  seven  such  portions  of  our 
stock,  suitable  for  the  preparation  of  extra 
and  light  diet,  as  we  can,  with  regard  to  the 
■wants  of  the  whole  service,  spare  day  by  day. 

The  plan  has  the  approval  of  the  Medical 
Director,  and  of  such  of  the  Chief  Medical 
•fficers  as  I  have  consulted. 

I  think  we  have  thus  secured  a  reliable 
corps  of  hospital  visitor^,  under  a  good  or- 
ganization, not  cumbersome,  or  embar- 
rassing. 

Tours  respectfully, 

J.  FosTEB  Jenkins, 

GeneraX  Secretary. 


fymo'idated  List  of  Stores 
tlie  ttT,  Ta.,  Tuesday,  IHth, 
18M. 

360  IbB.  beef  stock. 

m  bottles  wbiBky. 

96        '*      sherry  wine. 

384  lbs.  GODdenaed  milk. 

598  wool  shirts. 

i09  prs.  wool  drawers. 

1C3  blankets. 

149  qnUts. 

400  towels'. 
300  cnshions. 
136  bed  sacks. 
108  pillows. 

401  lbs.  chocolate. 
7  bblB.  crackers. 
400  lbs.  maizena. 


reectived  at  Storehruse,  Win- 
,  and  Thursday,  12d  September, 

2  bbls.  bandages. 

9  "    old  linen. 

3  boxes  lemons. 
54  lbs.  dessic.  egg. 

92   *'    crushed  sogar. 

400  tin  cups. 

250  splints  (BUrg.) 

10  prs.  crutches. 
6  reams  paper. 
2,600  envelopes. 
250  prs.  wool  socks. 
126  sheets. 

25  lbs.  sponge. 

144  bottles  Jamaica  ginger. 

103      "     blackberry  syrup. 


MUdement  o/SvppHes  received  at  the  Depot  of  the.  Commis- 
sion at  Winchester,  Va.,  on  Sept.  26  *,  1864. 
6  bbls.  coffee. 


67  bed  sacks. 

184  pillow  cases. 

184  blankets. 

100  quilts. 

120  sheets. 

440  flannel  drawers. 

(SO     "       shirts. 

(40  prs.  woolen  socks. 

120    *'    shoes. 

3  cases  handkerchiefs* 

3    "     towels. 

3  boxes  Boap. 

1  lot  hand  basins. 

1  lot  coffee  pots. 

860  tin  cups. 

48  lantemB. 

1  bbl.  tin  plates. 

24 14)l8.  crackers. 

S  boxes  rWO  lbs.)  maizena. 

lihesistea. 


60  lbs.  chocolate. 
1,440  lbs.  cond.  milk. 
162      "    dessicated  egg. 
3  bbls.  white  sugar. 
5    "     brown    ■*■ 
1  case  jellies. 
640  lbs.  beef  stock. 
180    "    roast  beef. 
20  gallons  pickles. 
216  bottles  wHisky. 
216      '*       sherry. 

3  cases  blackberry  brandy. 
18  reams  note  paper. 

4  "     letter    ■• 
1  lot  envelopes. 

1  lot  reading  matter. 
390  cushions. 

2  bbts.  old  linen. 
1  case  lint. 


WOBE  OP  THE  COMMISSION  ON  THE 
JAMES  BIVER. 

The  following  definite  and  clear  expres- 
sion of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  operations 
of  the  Commission,  is  from  one  who  has 
been  in  active  military  service  from  the  be- 


ginning of  the  War,  and  has  had  abundant 
opportunities  of  observation: 

New  Yobk  Age»oi,  Citt  Poist,  Va.,  1 
SepUmber  20tA,  1864.  f 

To  Col..  Samtjei,  Nobth, 

N.  T.  Sate  MUilary  Agent,  Wttihington,  D.  C. 

My  Deab  Sib — In  my  rounds  of  obser- 
vation to-day,  I  visited  the  Headquarters 
of  the  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  at  their 
floating  depot  at  the  wharf,  and  was,  as 
usual,  very  kindly  received,  and  my  sug- 
gestions as  to  the  kinds  and  methods  of  re- 
lief most  requisite  just  now  in  hospital  and 
at  the  front,  courteously  accepted  and  con- 
sidered. 

My  convictions  are  only  strengthened  by 
every  day's  observation,  that  the  true  way 
to  work  for  the  soldiers  is  by  and  through 
this  many-armed  organization,  and  to  see 
that  it  is  supplied  with  the  means,  and  then 
that  it  does  its  work,  and  to  give  it  credit 
for  what  it  does.  It  is  for  the  interest  both 
of  the  State  Agencies  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  that  their  relations  be  dis- 
tinctly and  permanently  adjusted  upon 
these  principles.  Your  own  experience  as 
State  Agent,  will,  I  know,  confirm  this  view. 

On  the  broad  and  capacious  wharf,  I 
found  the  work  of  receiving  and  sending 
out  fresh  vegetables  going  bravely  on. . 
There  was  a  stock  of  fine  cabbages,  part  of 
6,000  heads,  which  had  just  come  in  from 
Philadelphia  by  the  Commission's  Steamer 
"Elizabeth:" 

Onions,  460  barrels. 
Sweet  Potatoes,  95  barrels. 
Pickles,  45  casks, 
Irish  Potatoes,  50  barrels. 
Beets,  50      " 

And  boxes  of  peaches,  &c.,  in  proportion, 
to  be  distributed  from  the  local  depots  in 
the  hospitals  on  the  hill,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  well-stored  barges  piled  with  the  usual 
and  varied  supplies. 

Several  teams  were  receiving  their  loads 
for  the  front,  and  I  ascertained  upon  in- 
quiry, that  18  teams  (owned  by  the  Com- 
mission,) were  at  the  mo^ient  employed  in 
getting  the  fresh  supplies  to  the  very  front. 
To  the  9th  Corps  and  to  the  18th,  each,  1,000 
cabbages  had  gone;  715  to  the  5th;  750  to 
the  2d,  and  the  work  was  going  on. 

As  I  stood  by  the  pile,  asking  questions, 
I  found  myself  instinctively  taking  oat  my 


The  Bamtary  Commission  BvEdin. 


711 


jack-knife,  ■whittling  and  munching  the 
plump  stalk  o£  a  broken  cabbage -leaf  with 
such  memories  and  visions  of  home  autumn 
scenes  of  in-gathering,  as  you  can  rcadUy 
imagine.  "  That  does  seem  natural  ?"  said 
a  soldier  standing  near,  as  he  stepped  for- 
ward and  followed  my  example  ! 

To  my  great  satisfaction,  also,  I  found 
that  the  authorities  of  the  Commission  had 
reached  the  conclusion,  which  you  know 
had  long  been  entertained  by  the  writer, 
that  the  Government  supply  of  liquors  for 
medical  purposes  is  ample,  (though  not 
always  the  best  in  quality,  as  they  ought  to 
be,)  6r  may  be  made  ample;  and  that  this 
item  of  expenditure,  so  costly  and  so  liable 
to  abuse,  may  safely  give  way  to  the  claims 
of  other  kinds  of  relief,  more  strictly  within 
the  sphere  of  the  Commission.  It  is,  in 
my  view,  a  most  judicious  step,  and  not 
taken  too  soon.  Yet  a  highly  respected 
surgeon  near  me,  suggests,  as-I  write,  that 
goo  I  domestic  wines  ought  not  to  cease  to  be 
issued  by  the  Commission;  and  that  these 
can  only  be  collected  throughout  the  coun- 
try by  its  agency.  I  presume  they  are  still 
furnished,  iu  detail,  by  the  Commission, 
through  trusty  visitors  of  the  General  Hos- 
pitals in  the  cities,  upon  the  proper  requi- 
sition. 

The  issuing  of  tobacco,  which  had  been 
suspended  for  a  time,  has  been  resumed, 
but  is  restricted  in  amount.  To  the  unpaid 
men,  and  to  those  in  hospital  who  desire 
it,  no  issue  is  more  valued  or  more  wel. 
come;  and  I  repeat  only  what  I  hear  from 
the  surgeons,  most  of  whom  speak  "not 
inexperienced,"  when  I  say  that  there 
ought  to  be  no  deprivation  of  it  to  the 
classes  I  have  just  named.  Mr.  Seymour's 
supplies  of  this  article,  here  in  the  front, 
will  be  remembered  when  the  fresh  vegeta- 
bles so  freely  sent  have  been  long  for. 
gotten.         ' 

The  demand  for  woolen  shirts,  drawers 
and  socks,  is  always  very  great;  but  the 
need  now  is  more  imperative  than  ever  be- 
fore, at  this  season  and  in  this  climate;  and 
I  am  told  here  that  every  woolen  shirt 
given  out  costs  the  Commission  neaxljfour 
dollars.  The  class  reaUy  needing  them 
most  is  that  of  the  convalescents,  returning 
or  about  to  return  from  hospital  to  regi- 
ment, with  little  flesh  and  blood  about 


them,  and  almost  certain  to  relapse  if  sent 
away  thinly  clad.  In  very  many  case* 
these  must  go  back  shivering,  unless  the 
Commission  or  a  State  Agency  supply 
them;  and  it  may  be  weeks  before  the  con- 
valescent, returned  to  duty,  cau  "draw" 
them  in  his  regiment.  The  sequel  is,  a 
relapse  and  a  return  to  hospital. 

And  this  brings  up  a  very  urgent  and 
momentous  question  of  economy.  Where 
one  thousand  dollars  is  paid  readily  as 
bounty  to  a  raw  recruit,  out  of  the  public 
treasury,  is  it  not  a  strange  contradiction 
and  neglect  of  wise  economy,  (leaving  hu- 
manity out  of  the  question,)  to  sufifer  the 
loss  of  the  vigorous  service  of  an  experi- 
enced soldier  by  this  defect  in  arrange- 
ments and  provisions,  etherwise  so  admira- 
ble and  bountiful  ? 

A  soldier  is  brought  to  the  hospital,  sick 
or  wounded,  from  a  distant  camp  or  line. 
His  soiled  or  bloody  shirt  and  drawers  re- 
placed by  a  hospital  shirt  and/drawer-<  of 
cotton;  he  remains  for  weeks — unpaid  most 
likely;  recovers,  is  "  returned  to  duty," — 
but,  if  he  cannot  communicate  with  his 
regiment,  and  often  even  if  he  can,  there 
is  no  provided  source  for  fitting  him  out 
warmly  for  his  new  exposure,  except  ihe 
charities  of  the  Commission.  It  is  so,  too, 
as  regards  rheumatic  invalids  in  hospital, 
requiring^  warm  woolen  underclothes.  I 
know  how  entirely  you  will  agree  with  me, 
from  your  own  large  experience  in  your 
office,  when  I  express  the  earnest  wish, 
that  this  simple  consideration  could  rule  in 
all  that  regards  the  sick  and  temporarily 
disabled  soldier,  whj  is  not  a  proper  sub- 
ject for  immr.diaJLe  discharge;  namely,  that 
"If  a  green  recruit  is  worth  $1,200  or 
$1,500  to  put  into  the  ranks,  then  i-t  is  the 
purest  economy  to  spend  at  least  halt'  as 
much  on  any  means  and  appliances  which 
promise  to  promote  and  hasten  the  restora- 
tion of  a  sick  or  disabled  veteran  to  sound 
health  and  vigor,  and  to  efficient  ser- 
vice." 

I  wish  that  this  rule  could  dominate  is 
all  that  relates  to  our  hospitals,  as  it  cer- 
tainly has  been  recognized  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

And  I  cannot  help  asking,  why,  if  fresh 
vegetables  are  needful  and  desirable  for 
keeping  up  the  health  and  vigor  of  soldiers 


T12 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuMetin. 


in  the  front,  the  inconsiderable  outlay  of  a 
few  dollars  per  month,  for  extra-clothing 
for  each  invalid,  should  be  omitted  or  un- 
provided for  in  the  arrangements  of  Gov- 
ernment, while  such  enormous  sums  are 
paid  merely  to  secure  the  enlistment  of  men, 
irho,  for  the  want  of  just  this  outlay,  are  so 
soon  to  be  transferred  from  the  ranks  to 
the  hospitals. 

I  have  always  urged  and  recommended, 
though  ineffectually,  that  a  per  centage  of 
aU  State  and  local  bounties  shotdd  be  re- 
tained, to  constitute  an  "  extra-clothing 
and  hospital  fund" — ample  for  the  need, 
and  a  far  more  honorable  resource  to  the 
recipient. 

If  society  choose  to  add,  as  it  wiU,  to  this 
requisite  supply,  by  voluntary  gifts,  well. 
It  is  a  necessary  expression  of  its  warm 
interest  in  the  soldier;  but  the  question  is, 
whether  its  gifts  should  be  so  heavily  drawn 
upon  as  they  are,  in  simply  enlarging  and 
improving,  (and  that  fitfully,  unequally 
and  partially,)  his  daily  ration;  or,  whether 
its  bounty  should  not  be  concentrated  upon 
the  work  of  assisting  Government  in  all 
means  and  appliances,  however  cosily,  for 
hastening  the  return  of  vigor  to  a  sick  or 
wounded  veteran,  and  of  the  cured  veteran 
to  duty  in  his  regiment  ? 

And  I  would  instance  the  following  as 
among  the  foremost  examples  of  the  direc- 
tion of  such  efforts: 

First  of  aH.  A  very  large  addition  to  the 
medical  staff  of  the  army  in  the  field  and 
in  the  hospitals — of  experienced  and  faithful 
Surgeons.     This  cannot  be  had  without — 

Second.  A  liberal  increase  in  their  pay, 
which  is  now  mean  and  scanty. 

Third.  A  liberal  expenditure  for  extra 
clothing  for  all  invalids — making  this  indis- 
pensable requisite  to  recovery  and  restora- 
tion easily  accessible. 

Fourth.  A  great  and  prompt  enlargement 
of  the  appliances  and  the  material  for  the 
j^eparation  of  special  diet,  in  connection 
with  all  hospitals;  and  the  provision  of  in- 
telligent and  faithful  oversight  and  man- 
agement of  this  department,  so  liable  to 
abuse  and  its  consequences  to  the  sick. 

And  last.  Perhaps  most  difQcult,  the  nt- 
most  efforts,  in  the  transportation  of  the 
sick  and  wounded,  from  camp  and  the  bat- 
tle-field, to  prevent  that  waste  of  strenigth 


through  exposure  and  unrest,  which,  more 
than  any  other  cause,  perhaps,  so  often 
precludes  recovery,  by  making  subsequent 
medical  cure,  however  kind  or  skillful, 
ineffectual. 

Tours  respectfully, 

J.  V.  Van  Ingbn, 

FU'd  Agent,  N.  T.  S. 


DOINGS  AT  THE  FRONT. 

£XTBAGTS  FROM   THE  JOUBNAIi. 

Satdbdat.  September  10, 1861. 

'Sent  Tug  "  Curtain  "  to  Point  of  Rocks 
in  charge  of  Mr.  Anderson,  with  the  fol- 
lowing supplies,  to  be  distributed  through 
the  18th  Corps,  by  Mr.  Geo.  A  WiUiams, 
Agent,  15  bbls.  pickles,  30  bbls.  onions,  and 
10  kegs  tamarinds. 

Communication  from  Mr.  Pay,  that  the 
matter  of  head-boards  has  been  arranged 
with  the  Chief  Medical  OfiBcer,  and  the 
Commission  need  not  supply  them. 

September  12tt. 

The  issues  to-day  have  been  very  large. 

September  15th. 

No  news  of  importance  from  the  front. 
Rebels  continue  to  fire  upon  passing  trains, 
but  as  yet,  have  failed  to  hit  any.  They 
use  the  solid  Whitworth  shot,  and  in  some 
instances  have  hit  between  the  riiils. 
Trains  are  now  running  mostly  at  night, 
and  earthworks  are  being  erected  for  their 
protection. 

Issues  to-day  have  been  rather  large,  yet 
during  the  afternoon,  business  was  quite 
slack. 

September  Idth. 

Went  front  and  met  Dr.  McDonald  at  the 
9th  Corps;  rode  along  the  lines,  giving  Mr. 
Marsh,  who  accompanied  us,  every  facility 
for  gaining  any  information  he  might  want. 
Rode  to  the  10th  Corps,  from  there  home. 
The  Station  at  the  9th  Corps  is  almost  per- 
fect in  its  arrangement.  Tents  neatly  ar- 
ranged. Grounds  in  good  condition;  ar- 
bors and  archways  made  from  cedar  boughs, 
and  tl.e  whole  enclosed  by  fence,  made 
from  the  same  material. 

The  day  was  very  quiet,  and  the  pickets 
to  a  great  extent  observed  it,  as  there  was 
but  very  little  tiring. 

September  20th. 

News  from  Gen.  Grant's  Head-Quarters 
that  Gen.  Sheridan  had  badly  whipped 
Gen.  Early  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  cap- 
tured three  thousand  of  the  enemy,  six 
guns,  and  all  the  dead  and  wounded. 
Found  two  thousand  dead. 

A  salute  of  one  hundred  .shotted  guns  is 
ordered  to  be  fired  along  the  lines  tomor- 
row  morning  at  7  o'clock,  in  honor  of  the 
victory. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvHetin. 


713 


Great  rejoicing;  troops  arriving,  and  with 
the  good  news  just  received,  all  feel  that 
the  end  of  this  rebellion  is  near  at  hand. 

Sepiemher  ilst. 

The  salute  in  honor  of  Sheridan's  victory 
was  flred  according  to  orders  this  morninf,' 
meeting  in  portions  of  the  line  a  vigorous 
response  from  the  rebels. 

Sent  to  the  front  yesterday  and  to-day, 
218  bbls.  onions,  2  bbls.  beets,  49  bbls. 
pickles,  8  boxes  peaches,  (green,)  1  bbl. 
tamarinds;  all  transported  by  our  own 
wagons. 

SqOember  22d. 

Sent  to  the  front;  144  bbls.  onions,  6 
bbls.  beets,  32  boxes  peaches,  (green). 

Four  Corps  received  battle-stock,  viz., 
2d,  9th,  10th,  and  18th. 

Four  Corps  received  stock  for  issuing, 
Tiz.,  2d,  9th,  10th,  and  18th. 

Every  preparation  is  being  made  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  next  battle.  Have  a 
good  reserved  stock,  but  we  need  a  great 
deal  more,  even  if  the  resistance  on  the 
part  of  the  rebels  is  not  as  stubborn  as  we 
all  expect  it  will  be'. 

September  23d. 

Issues  to-day  have  been  very  large. 

Sent  three  wagons  front;  two  to  the  5th, 
and  one  to  the  10th  Corps. 

Communication  from  Dr.  C.  B.  Agnew, 
from  which  the  following  abstract  is  taken: 

"  The  Executive  Committee,  upon  the 
receipt  of  your  note  (Dr.  McDonald's)  of 
the  16th  inst. ,  passed  the  following  resolu- 
tion, viz..  Dr.  McDonald  be  instructed  to 
issue  tobacco  to  soldiers  in  the  trenches,  noti- 
fying them,  however,  that  such  issues  can- 
not be  permanent. " 


HEAD-QCAliTSBS  2d  DiT.,  StH  A.  C, 
SATUBDA7,  Sep'.  Ufh,  1864. 


} 

"Received  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Barton,  Agent 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  5th 
A.  C,  the  following  articles  for  the  use  of 
the  enlisted  of  this  Division:  6  bbls.  pick- 
les, 26  bbls.  onions. 

Signed,  C.  E.  La  Motte, 

Lt.-Col.  and  A.A.J.  G." 


Issue  of  Vegetables  to  the  IQth  Corps  by  J.  B. 
EiiSBBBB,  ^^eni  in  charge  IQth  Corps  Sta- 
tion, Sept.  2ith,  1864: 

First  Brigade  1st  Division,  13  bbls.  on- 
ions, 1  gall,  pickles. 

Second  Brigade  Ist  Division,  8  bbls.  on- 
ions, 210  heads  cabbage. 

Tiiird  Brigade  Ist  Division,  9  bbls.  on- 
ions, 1}4  bbls.  pickles,  115  cabbages 

First  Brigade  2d  Division,  13  bbls.  on- 
ions. 

Second  Brigade  2d  Division,  5  bbls. :  on- 
ions, 121  heads  cabbage. 

Third  Brigade  2d  Division,  6  bbls.  on- 
ions, 282  heads  cabbage. 


Colored  Brigade  3d  Division,  14 bbls.  on- 
ions, 1  bbl.  pickles,  60  cabbages. 

Light  Artillery,  2  bbls.  onions,  3  galls, 
pickles. 

Detachments,Head-QuaTters  Guards,  and 
Ambulance  Corps,  170  heads  cabbage,  7X 
bbls.  onions,  2^  bbls.  pickles. 

Some  preferred  cabbage  to  onions,  and 
vice  versa,  bat  if  onions  only  were  distribu- 
ted, there  were  enough  to  give  each  man 
fotir  times  the  amount  of  Government  ra- 
tions. 

This  distribution  is  now  being  made  to 
all  the  Corps,  but  have  received  no  reports 
from  other  Agents. 

September  27. 

The  barge  Oneida,  of  Philadelphia,  was 
loaned  to  us  by  Col.  Pitkin,  and  the  work 
of  placing  her  in  suitable  condition  for  our 
use  and  wants  was  immediately  commenced. 

Stptemb-r  28. 

The  10th  Corps  are  %r08sing  the  Appo- 
mattox this  evening.  It  was  rumored  that 
they  were  going  to  Newbern,  N.  C. 

We  are  anxious  about  the  movements  at 
the  front;  various  rumors  are  afloat,  but 
nothing  definite  can  be  learned. 

September  29. 

2  A.  M.  Messenger  from  Captain  Harris 
arrived,  asking  foi:  two  wagons  to  remove 
his  goods .  The  hospitals  were  broken  up, 
sick  sent  to  City  Point,  and  were  ordered, 
(the  hospitals,)  to  move  at  4  o'clock. 

All  teams  were  to  be  at  Gurley  House  at 
4.30,  at  which  time,  also,  the  troops  were 
to  march. 

4  o'clock.  Captain  Harris  arrived,  and 
expected  a  hot  time  during  the  day.  Wag- 
ons were  sent  for  his  disposal.  One  wagon 
with  battle  stock  was  to  follow  in  each 
corps,  and  two  wagons  were  loaded  at  this 
point,  to  report  at  Cedar  Level,  and  there 
to  await  orders.  Captain  Harris  returned 
to  the  front  about  5  o'clock,  Dr.  Ander- 
son accompanying,  and  have  not  heard 
from  him  since. 

News  this  evening  is,  they  are  fighting 
on  the  right,  have  carried  three  lines  of  the 
enemy's  works  and  captured  sixteen  guns. 

Wagons  sent  front  for  the  removal  of  su- 
perfluous goods  from  the  2d,  5th  and  9th 
Corps,  arrived  this  evening;  brought  no 
news. 

Wagons  sent  to  Cedar  Creek  to  await  or- 
ders, returned;  loads  to  be  retained  in 
them,  and  to  be  ready  to  move  at  a  mo- 
ment's notice. 

Sepiemfier  30. 
News  from  the  Bight,  glorious !  Captured 
thirfry  guns,  two  fifteen-inch  -and  one 
hundred-pound  Whitworth,  with  all  their 
ammunition,  together  with  quartermasters' 
stores.  Eautz's  Cavalry  was  within  three 
miles  of  Eiohmond  last  night,  and  rein- 
forcements were  sent  him.  The  negroes 
fought  splendidly,  .and  we  are  slowly  driv- 
ing Iheirebels.  ^JGasualcies  mot  known. 


714 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BtiUetin. 


The  10th  and  18th  Corps  are  the  only 
ones  engaged  on  the  Bight,  and  they  are 
doins;  their  work  well.  Gen.  Barnham'was 
killed,  and  Gen.  Ord  wounded. 

The  10th  Corps  crossed  the  James  Eiver 
at  Ddep  Bottom,  on  the  18th,  at  Aikiu's 
Landing.  General  Grant  has  been  on  the 
Bight  both  days. 

Our  wagons  accompanied  each  corps,  and 
sent  besides  tug  Ciirtin,  with  large  load  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Anderson,  to  Deep  Bottom; 
also,  having  on  board  Mr.  Fay  and  six  Be- 
lief Agents.  The  Sanitary  Cimcnission 
was  on  the  ground  first.  The  two  wagons 
that  were  kept  loaded  were  sent  to  the 
Eight,  one  going  to  the  lOtt  Corps,  and  the 
other  to  the  18th  in  the  field. 

Tug  returned  at  3.30,  again  loaded,  and 
sent  back;  besides  loading  two  more  wag- 
ons and  sent  out,  giving  us  on  the  Bight  a 
bountiful  supply  to   meet  any  emergency. 

Skirmishing  during  the  night  and  morn- 
ing, in  the  afternoon  a  regular  engagement, 
resulting  in  our  forces  carrying  two  lines 
of  the  enemy's  works.  Mr.  Davis  iu  charge 
of  the  wagons  is  with  tlie  troops,  and  has  a 
good  supply. 

At  the  request  of  Col.  Sharpe,  Deputy 
Provost  Marshal  General,  we  accommodate 
to-night  three  refugees  from  Petersburg, 
who  left  that  place  yesterday.  They  rep:)rt 
that  the  people  are  greatly  dissatisfied, 
and  that  the  majority  of  them  will  hail  our 
forces  with  joy  when  they  enter  either 
Petersburg  or  Eiohmond. 

Pour  wagons  and  tug  sent  to  the  Bight. 

Octobt  •  1. 

Hi,ve  had  a  drenching,  cold  rain  all  day. 
No  fighting  that  we  have  heard  of.  Our  for- 
ces on  the  Eight,  (Butler's  command,)  are 
within  6  miles  of  EichmoDd,and  there  must 
remain  till  reinforcements  come  up;  some 
have  gone  to-day.  Bjads  are  in  wretched 
condition  already,  and  two  or  three  days 
of  such  rain  as  this  will  dig  out  the  bottom. 
Colored  troops  of  the  10th  Corps  fought 
splendidly,  and  we  hold  all  that  they  gain- 
ed yesterday  and  the  day  previous.  The 
wounded  are  being  senc  down  the  river  as 
fast  as  possible.  The  Smitary  Commission 
have  done  a  good  work  in  this  department. 
Were  on  the  ground  yesterday  before  noon 
with  stores  and  agents,  (at  Deep  Bottom,) 
and  at  work  immediately  on  landing.  Two 
loaded  four-horse  teams  were  sent  to  the 
front  early  in  the  morning,  one  to  the  I8th, 
ttie  other  to  the  10th  Corps.  The  tug  Cur- 
tin  took  a  second  load  of  stores  to  Dtiep  Bot- 
tom yesterday  afternoon.  These,  with  the 
two  loads  that  crossed  with  the  corps  the 
day  previous,  were  enough  to  supply  the 
demands,  but  it  was  desirable,  in  case 
more  were  needed  at  the  front  to  dispatch 
two  loads  yesterday  afternoon. 

They  got  oflf  at  5  o'clock,  P.  M.,  a'ld  re- 
ported at  Deep  Bottom,  at  2  A.  M.  of  to- 
day.   The  Curtin  was  sent  up  this  morning 


with  fresh  supplies,  and  again  during  the 
afternoon.  Finding  the  hospitals  were  be- 
ing cleared  and  no  new  cases  being  brought 
in,  the  two  teams  which  arrived  this  morn- 
ing were  sent  across  the  river  to  find  a 
camping  ground  and  await  orders.  One 
team,  partially  loaded,  remained  at  the  hos- 
pital to  remove  tents  and  stores  in  case  ths 
hospital  should  change  location. 

Eleven  wagon  loads  (4  horses  each)  have 
been  sent  to  Deep  Bottom,  and  two  (four 
horse)  loads  have  gone  directly  to  the  front, 
making  thirteen  (four  horse)  loads  sent  to 
the  10th  and  18th  Corps.  Two  agents  have 
gone  directly  to  the  front,  and  from  eight 
to  ten  have  been  constantly  engaged  at  the 
■  hospital  at  Deep  Bottom. 

Prom  the  left  we  have  glorious  news.  A 
messenger  came  in  at  2  A.  M  for  two  loads 
bf  stores  to  be  sent  to  the  left,  as  our  stock 
in  wagons  at  that  point  was  nearly  exhaust- 
ed. The  teams  left  early  this  morning  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Little. 

We  hiive  on  the  left  Capt.  Harris,  Capt. 
Davis,  Dr.  Stevens  and  Sbn,  Mr.  Barton, 
and  four  teams  with  5th  and  9th;  Mr.  Miles 
and  two  teams  in  reserve  at  2d;  Mr.  Eis- 
den  and  Caalkins'  two  teams  with  18th  at 
Bermuda  Hundred;  Mr.  Bichards  and  one 
team  with  18th  Corps  front;  Mr.  EUsbree 
and  one  team  with  10th  Corps,  front;  Mr. 
Clayton  and  one  team  with  a  part  of  Mr. 
Fay's  A.  B.  C.  at  hospital,  Deep  Bottom; 
Wagon-master  Luce  with  two  teams  en- 
camped on  south  side  of  the  James,  at 
Deep  Bottom.  Mr.  Fay  is  on  band  with 
his  corps  of  A.  E.  Agents,  but  still  keepicg 
a  small  force  at  the  base  hospitals. 

October  2d. 

The  steamer'  Elizabeth  arrived  at  one 
o'clock  to-day.  Her  stock  is  much  needed, 
and  we  are  unloading  her  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible. 

Our  left  wing  is  reported  to-night  as  be- 
ing within  one  mile  of  the  South-side  Bail- 
road,  still  pressing  forward;  have  been 
fighting  all  day,  and  the  wounded  are  com- 
ing in  very  rapidly,  being  brought  by  rail 
within  one-half  mUe  of  the  hospitals,  thence 
by  ambulance.  A  large  number  of  them 
are  bad  cases. 


WESTERN  DEPARTMENT. 

Di:.  Newberry  writes  from  Louisville, 
September  8: 

By  Wheeler's  raid  we  are  cut  off  from  aU 
communication  with  the  army,  and  shall  be 

for or  more  to  come.    For  this  reason 

I  can  give  you  no  late  news  of  our  opera- 
tions there. 

In  the  supply  Department  there  must  be 
little  done  for  sometime,  as  when  the  road 
is  opened  we  must  expect  to  have  our  trans- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Buletin. 


715 


portation  limited  by  the  demand  for  food 
for  the  fighting  men. 

Dr.  Blake  has  written  me,  calling  loudly 
for  stores  at  New  Orleans,  and  this  inter- 
mption  of  our  communications  with  At- 
lanta will  permit  me  to  respond  to  this  call. 
I  shall,   therefore,  on  Monday  start   a 
Steamer  load  of  htores  down  the  river.    We 
have  a  fair  lot  of  just  the  articles  he  wants. 
Among  the  items  of  our  business  at  the 
front,  not  before  reported,  I  may  mention — 
1st.  The  death  by  typhoid  fever  of  J.  H. 
MiULken,  our  agent  at  Knoxville.    MiUiken 
was  a  young  man  of  fine  acquirements  and 
pure  and  estimable  character.     Mr.  BeUam 
takes  his  place  temporarily. 

2d.  Culbertson  gives  a  good  report  of 
the  garden  at  Knoxville,  with  tabular  state- 
ment of  products  distributed.  Wills,  at 
Chattonooga,  ditto. 

3di  Mr.  E.  L.  Jones,  our  invaluable  store- 
keeper at  Chattanooga,  has  returned  to 
Nashville  sick;  will  soon  be  better,  how- 
ever— shall  probably  keep  him  at  Nashville, 
find  make  him  storekeeper  there. 

M.  C.  Bead  and  Prof.  Horsford,  of  Chat- 
tanooga, are  both  stiU  absent  on  sick  leave, 
but  will  probably  return  by  the  15th. 

Dr.  Seymour,  now  holding  M.  C.  Bead's 
place  at  Chattanooga,  closes  his  term  of 
service  on  the  10th  instant,  and  must  go 
home  for  three  mouths.' 

A  Mr.  Longley,  a  friend  of  Dr.  Warri- 
ner,  has  been  appointed  storekeeper  at 
Chattanooga,  in  place  of  Mr.  Jones,  and 
will  go  there  as  soon  as  communication  is 
dpened. 

These  changes,  and  many  others  of  less 
importance,  have  given,  and  will  give  me 
much  thought  and  anxiety.  The  work  of 
the  Commission  at  the  front,  Chattanooga, 
NashvUle,  and  aU  along  the  line,  is  going 
on  as  well  or  better  than  could  be  ex- 
pected. 

Dr.  Webster,  appointed  Chief  Inspector 
to  Sherman's  Army,  in  place  of  Dr.  Bead, 
(disabled,)  has  been  brought  back  to  Nash- 
ville, sick,  and  will  not  be  able  to  return. 
K  he  recovers  soon,  I  shall  make  him  Su- 
perintendant  of  the  Agency  at  Nashville, 
in  place  of  Mr.  Boot,  who  wiU  return  to  the 
Belief  Department. 

Dr.  Woodward  will  take  Dr.  Webster's 
place  at  the  front. 


Eev.  J.  P.  T.  lagraham,  the  best  of  our 
hospital  visitors,  is  about  to  leave  us  to 
take  a  pastoral  charge  at  Indianapolis.  I 
am  very  unwilling  to  lose  him,  as  he  is  a 
model  man. 

The  hospital  gardens  continue  to  prove 
great  institutions. 

The  hospital  trains  are  now  all  reduced 
to  syst  m  under  Dr.  Barnum's  manage- 
ment, who  has  a  contract  from  the  Medical 
Department.  New  and  improved  cars  are 
being  procured,  and  soon  that  branch  of 
the  service  will  be  a  credit  to  all  concerned. 

We  are  furnishing  stores  and  other  fix- 
tures, extra  assistants  and  supplies,  in  aU. 
needed  ways;  helping  the  enterprise  on  to 
the  highest  success. 

Dr.  Hazen  and  Mr.  Cafpenter,  with  my 
consent,  have  left  the  service  of  the  Com- 
mission, and  have  taken  contracts  as  Sur- 
geons on  the  hospital  train. 

In  the  warehouse,  ofSce,  hospital  direc- 
tory, home,  etc.,  here,  everything  is  going 
on  as  usual. 

We  send  you,  this  week,  report  of  issues 
and  shipments.  We  aim  to  keep  very  little 
here,  but  push  every  thing  forward  as 
rapidly  as  possible. 

Supplies  are  coming  in  freely,  and,  in 
compliance  with  instructions,  we  have  been 
purchasing  largely  of  onions,  pickles,  and 
kraut — have  ordered,  bought  up,  all  we 
could  in  the  country,  and  have  had  large 
quantities  of  pickled  cabbage,  cucumbers, 
and  onions  made  up  for  us. 

The  pickles  sent  by  you  have  arrived 
safely. 

I  bought  two  thousand  bushels  of  onions 
in  Cleveland,  at  $1.25  per  bushel;  while 
at  Cincinnati  they  are  worth  $2.50. 

MISSISSIPPI  DISTBIOT. 

No  great,  changes  have  occurred  in  this 
Department.  The  two  Ways  have  left 
Vioksburg,  sick.  Benson  remains  in  charge. 
Carpenter  and  Grant,  of  Memphis,  have 
returned  with  restored  health.  Christy's 
report  of  his  late  trip  you  have  received. 
He  continues  to  give  entire  satisfaction. 

At  Cairo,  all  things  work  smoothly  under 
Mr.  Shipman's  good  management.  The 
status  in  the  home  field  is  very  encourag- 
iilg.  Our  friends  are  working  busily,  and 
in  the  best  of  spirits. 


716 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUefin. 


KINGSTON. 

August  13. 

Mr.  Eno  writes: 

In  my  last  report  from  this  station,  I 
stated  that  Mr.  Van  Dyke  would  make  the 
next.  About  the  close  of  the  month,  an 
active  agent  was  wanted  for  the  14th  Army 
Corps,  and  he  was  assigned  to  it — but  un- 
fortunately was  too  unwell  to  make  a  re- 
port, or  go  to  the  field  assigned  him. 

The  following  is  a  condensed,  statement 
of  refreshments  given  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  on  trains  going  North,  and  also 
the  report  of  disbursements  for  the  month. 
From  this,  the  supporters  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  can  see  at  a  glance,  that  they 
have  not  given,  or  labored  in  vain. 

Daring  the  month  of  July,  there  were  6,671 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  on  the  trains 
going  North,  to  whom  there  wpre  given  671 
gallons  of  coffee,  16  gallons  of  soup,  53 
gallons  of  punch,  5  gallons  of  tea,  55  gal- 
lons of  ale,  16  bottles  of  stimulants,  414  lbs. 
of  crackers,  3,895  rations  of  bread  and  ham, 
2  shirts,  6  lbs.  of  bandages,  5  lbs.  of  can- 
dles, (to  use  in  box-cars  at  night,)  and  milk 
and  sugar  sufficient  for  their  coffee. 

Mr.  SutUffe's  report  of  the  refreshment 
station  at  Dalton,  was  sent  you  some  days 
since.  You  can  always  rely  upon  his  work 
being  done  well. 

After  the  15th  of  July,  the  trains  ran  so 
that  it  was  not  necessary  to  stop  at  Besaoa, 
and  I  directed  Mr.  Johnson  to  report  at 
Marietta,  with  Ms  fixtures  and  stock. 

Dr.  Herrick,  who  had  charge  of  shipping 
the  wounded,  then  thought  it  best  to  start 
a  station,  either  at  Marietta  or  Vining's, 
but  a  change  in  running  trains  rendered  it 
utinecessary.  Mr.  Johnson  is  now  assist- 
ing Mr.  Tone;  should  it  be  necessary  to 
start  another  refreshment  station  he  wiU 
be  an  excellent  man  for  it.  His  report 
of  the  15th  of  July,  shows  that  there  were 
3,235  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  stopped  on 
'  the  trains  at  Resaoa,  to  whom  he  gave  386 
gallons  of  coffee,  88  gallons  of  soup,  14 
bottles  of  stimulants,  735  lbs.  of  crackers, 
12  shirts,  and  12  drawers.  Many  of  the 
wounded  going  north  on  furlough,  have 
lost  their  clothing,  and  leave  the  hospital 
minus  coat  and  pants,  rather  than  wait  for 
clothing  to  be  brought  to  the  front  by  the 
Government — thinking  they  would  be  able 


to  draw  in  Chattanooga  or  Nashville;  in 
this,  many  have. been  disappointed,  merely 
because  proper  arrangements  had  not  been 
made. 

In  justice  to  the  officers,  it  may  be  said 
they  have  had  their  hands  full  -but  the 
Government  has  sufficient  clothing,  and 
measures  are  being  taken  by  which  it  is 
hoped  the  evil  will  be  remedied. 

Dr.  Clendenin,  of  Nashville,  and  Dr. 
Salter,  of  Hospital  No.  1,  Chattanooga,  as- 
sured me  that  wounded  men-  reportihg  to 
them,  should  have  clothing  drawn  for 
them. 

Dr.  Goslin,  of  the  15th  Army  Corps' 
Field  Hospital  in  this  place,  has  taken  the 
right  method  to  insure  every  man  what  is 
necessary. 

He  sends  a  man  to  Chattanooga  with 
them,  to  draw  their  clothing  there.  StiU, 
I  fear  there  will  be  some  who  will  have  to 
depend  on  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  I 
would  advise  keeping  Capt.  Brayton,  of 
the  Home  in  NashviUe,  supplied,  so  that  he 
can  send  men  away  rejoicing,  instead. of 
ashamed  to  meet  their  friends. 

Av^ist  23. 

Since  my  last,  the  refreshment  stations 
at  Dalton  and  Kingston  'have  been  doing 
their  usual  "good  Samaritan"  work,  sup- 
plying the  wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  on  their  way  North.  Mr.  Sutliffe 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  stock  and 
fixtures,  by  the  raid  into  Dalton  last  week, 
but  his  stoppage  will  be  only  temporary. 

At  this  station,  Mr.  Kennedy  has  charge 
of  the  relief  department,  and  Mr.  Barret 
the  refreshments.  From  the  1st  to  the  21st 
of  August,  2,555  sick  and  wounded  passed 
on  trains  going  North,  to  whom  refresh- 
ments were  piven,  consisting  of  hot  coffee, 
light  bread,  cold  ham,  crackers,  apple 
sauce,  pickles,  etc. 

Whole  No.  since  the  15th  of  June,  14,616. 

Much  of  my  time  this  month  has  been 
spent  in  looking  after  the  interests  of  fur- 
longhed  men  and  men  in  hospitals  without 
descriptive  rolls — many  furloughed  men, 
who  had  lost  their  clothing  in  battle,  were 
being  sent  from  hospitals  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee,  in  shii-ts  and  drawers,  with- 
out any  provision  being  made  to  draw  clo- 
thing on  the  way  home,  leaving  them  de- 
pendent on  Sanitary  and  State  Agents  for 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUeUn. 


717 


a  supply.  As  State  Agent  foB  Illinois,  I 
was  authorized  to  furnish  clothing  for  Illi- 
nois soldiers,  but  did  not  feel  justified  in 
expending  money  that  should  be  used  for 
purchasing  vegetables,  when  I  knew  the 
Government  had  made  ample  provision, 
and  all  that  was  necessary  to  obtain  it,  was 
to  know  how.  I  found  the  Surgeons  wiU- 
ing  to  do  all  they  supposed  they  were  au- 
thorized— and  as  soon  as  the  Medical  Di- 
rector's attention  was  called  to  it,  the  evil 
was  remedied,  and  now  there  is  no  reason 
why  a  soldier  should  be  sent  from  hospital 
without  sufficient  clothing. 

The  medical  authorities  also  say  they 
would  much  prefer  that  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission would  furnish  less  of  stimulants 
and  clothing,  and  expend  the  money  saved 
in  anti-scorbutics.  I  would,  therefore, 
suggest  that  every  Sanitary  Agent  should 
make  himself  acquainted  with  what  the 
Medical  Purveyor  can  furnish,  and  regulate 
his  orders  and  issues  accordingly.  If  this 
is  done,  I  firmly  believe  it  will  be  safe  to 
reduce  the  amount  appropriated  for  clo- 
thing and  stimulants  three-fourths,  and  the 
amount  thus  saved  will  do  vastly  more 
good  expended  in  anti-scorbutics. 

The  great  staples  necessary  for  the  health 
and  comfort  of  the  army  are  vegetables, 
pickles,  kraut,  good  vinegar,  dried  fruit, 
condensed  mUk  and  beef,  farina,  rags  and 
bandages.  Let  there  be  a  fuU  supply  of 
these,  and  with  what  the  Ladies'  Aid  Socie- 
ties will  furnish,  there  will  be  no  scurvy  or 
complaining. 

CAIRO. 

The  Agent  writes  from  the  "Soldiers' 
Home"  at  Cairo,  September  21: 

I  have  thought  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to 
you,  were  some  one  to  write  you  something 
about  affairs  at  this  very  busy  place.  Here- 
tofore you  have  heard  little  of  our  labors 
and  successes  at  this  point,  from  the  sim- 
ple fact  that  we  have  all  been  so  busy,  not 
for  the  past  day,  week  or  month,  but  all 
the  time. 

Once  in  a  while,  it  is  true,  we  do  have  a 
luU  in  the  ^torm,  but  these  quiet  times  are 
always  occupied  by  preparations  for  the 
coming  contestj  which  we  know  must  short- 
ly foUow.  Invariably  the  contest  begins- 
with  redoubled  force  and  energy.      Our 


rests  are  short.  They  are  only  breath- 
ing spells,  in  which  the  decks  are  clean- 
ed, the  guns  rubbed  up,  and  every  instru- 
ment for  our  bloodless  warfai^e,  put  in 
order  for  action.  The  stay  of  our  guests 
is  necessarily  short.  They  do  not  as  a  gen- 
eral thing  desire  to  remain  long,  either  go- 
ing home  or  to  their  regiments,'  and  we 
could  not  with  our  limited  arrangements, 
accommodate  them  for  a  longer  time.  In 
fact,  for  this  place  our  arrangements  are  not 
extensive  enough. 

We  have  not  room  enough,  force  enough, 
nor  ability  sufficient  to  cope  with  the  great 
numbers  daily  and  hourly  pressing  upon  us. 
Here  we  are  with  our  two  regular  trains, 
besides  extra  ones,  daily  pouring  their,  live 
streams  of  bljie  coats  tipon  us — with  the 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Bivers  depositing 
their  loads  from  above,  for  shorter  or  long- 
er times,  and  from  below  as  far  as  New 
Orleans;  and  on  either  side  of  the  great 
father  of  waters  there,  the  arteries  of  the 
Southwest  both  great  and  small,  they  come, 
and  come  not  like  the  steady  flow  of  blood 
from  veins,  but  in  gushings  and  floods,  not 
unlike  the  discharge  from  the  arteries  of 
the  human  frames 

Our  dining  room  is  capable,  of  seating 
one  hundred  and  eighty  men  comfortably, 
biit  by  crowding  it  will  accommodate  two 
hundred  and  ten  men.  Our  sleeping  apart- 
ments are  three  in  number,  containing  in 
all  two  hundred  and  forty-three  beds.  The 
rooms  are  high  and  well  ventUated.  The 
beds  are  all  kept  clean  and  free  from  ver- 
min. The  clothing  is  neat  and  comfort- 
able. There  are,  besides  these,  eight  in 
the  hospital  room,  for  the  use  of  the  sick 
alone. 

There  are  comparatively  few  of  our  peo- 
ple who  know  much  of  the  workings  of 
these  indispensible  institutions,  and  smaller 
by  far  is  the  number  who  know  anything 
about  this  particular  one.  Here  every  man 
has  his  duties  laid  down,  and  he  is  expected 
and  does  perform  them.  The  workings  of 
the  "Home"  here  are  as  regular  as  clock- 
work; the  machinery  of  which  is  wound  up 
daily,  weekly,  mojxthly,  and  yearly.  It  is 
not  a  wheel  within  a  wheel,  but  a  clock 
within  a  clpck.  Soldiers  are  received  only 
in  squads,  or  one  at  a  time — squads  num- 
bering from  two  to  one  hundred  and  fifty. 


718 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiMetin. 


Their  names  are  registered,  and  tickets  of 
admission  to  the  dining  room  are  given 
them,  which  are  taken  at  the  door.  Tickets 
are  issued  three  times  a  day. 

Last  Thursday  the  143d  Illinois  came  up 
"from  Helena,  Ark.  Only  twenty-seven  men, 
out  of  a  regiment  of  over  eight  hundred 
men,  were  fit  for  duty.  These  men  had 
been  cooped  up  on  board  the  boat  for  four 
or  five  days,  and  their  situation  was  enough 
to  soften  the  hardest  heart.  Seldom,  I 
trust,  is  such  a  regiment  seen.  They  look- 
ed more  like  moving  skeletons  than  a  live 
regiment.  A  great  many  were  boys,  tender 
and  delicate — too  young  for  such  hard- 
ships. Their  sufferings  had  been  great, 
their  situation  was  a  sad  one.  Oar  break- 
fast lasted  until  11  A.  M.  That  day  we 
issued  about  seven  hundred  meals.  But  to 
see  their  feeble  looks  of  thankfulness,  was 
enough  to  repay  us  for  our  labor.  Food 
was  carried  to  those  who  were  not  able  to 
to  come  to  the  table. 

Yesterday,  the  20th  September,  was  a 
lively  day.  The  140th  Illinois,  on  their  way 
home  from  Paducah,  Ky.,  to  be  mustered 
out,  stopped  in  Cairo  about  twenty  hours. 

Application  was  made  by  the  Surgeon  to 
Mr.  Shipman,  the  General  Agent  and  Su- 
perintendent of  the  Soldiers'  Home,  for 
supper  and  lodging  for  his  sick.  They  were 
received.  Then  there  was  hurrying  to  and 
fro,  of  busy  feet.  New  life  was  infused  into 
the  kitchen,  renewed  energy  was  necessary 
for  all.  The  tables  were  set  again  for  the 
third  time  for  supper.  The  hospital  room 
was  soon  filled  with  the  sickest.  Still  they 
came.  They  were  carried  up  stairs  to  the 
sleeping  apartments  and  there  was  room, 
at  least  for  the  most  serious  cases. 

By  this  time  supper  was  prepared.  Hot 
tea  and  coffee  steamed  upon  the  tables. 
Good  bread  and  good  butter  were  there  in 
abundance.  Stewed  fruit  and  pickles  await- 
ed the  assault.  The  meal  was  a  simple  one, 
bat  with  those  poor  fellows  it  was  a  feast. 
To  stand  at  the  head  of  that  room  and  look 
upon  that  scene  was  a  sight  rarely  to  be 
met  with. 

If  the  noble  self-sacrificing  men  and  wo- 
men at  home,  who  are  working  in  the  cause, 
could  have  been  present,  they  would  have 
returned  to  their  homes  satisfied  that  their 
efforts  were  not  made  in  vain. 


The  full  number  of  meals  issued  yester- 
day was  about  eight  hundred.  The  report 
for  the  week  ending  September  21st,  ha» 
just  been  brought  in.  In  it  seventeen  State* 
are  represented.  Number  of  men  admitted, 
two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty- 
three.  Number  of  lodgings,  two  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  sistytwo;  Number  of 
meals  issued,  five  thousand  three  hundred 
and  fifty-two  Average  number  per  day, 
four  hundred  and  five.  Aided  in  procuring 
transportation,  one  hundred  and  forty-four. 

AUTI-SCOKBTjnCS — ^FOBBEST    AND  WHEELEe's 
BAID — SOLDIBES'   HOME. 

Dr.  Newberry,  under  date  of  September 
30,  Louisville,  Ky.,  writes: 

"  For  the  last  ten  days  we  have  been  in 
a  state  of  suspended  animaticm  in  conse- 
quence of  the  raid  of  Forrest  and  Wheeler 
on  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga  road. 
For  the  present  it  has  arrested  aU  trans- 
mission of  goods  or  persons  below  Nash- 
ville, and  has,  of  course,  checked  the  flow 
of  the  flood  of  vegetables  with  which  we 
proposed  to  inundate  Sherman's  army. 
As  a  part  of  this  special  effort,  our  sliip- 
ments  have  been  within  the  past  week  very 
large,  about  25  car-loads,  and  I  had  made 
arrangements  for  keeping  up  an  almosi 
equal  flow  of  stores  for  some  time  to  come. 

"I  have  authorized  the  establishment  of 
a  Home  at  Paducah  and  another  at  Jeffer- 
sonville,  opposite  this  city,  in  both  of  which 
places  such  institutions  are  greatly  needed. " 


AID  TO  THE  UNION  PRISONERS  IN 

CHARLESTON. 
It  will  rejoice  many  hearts  to  know  that 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission  has 
opened  a  communicatior  with  our  oificera 
and  soldiers  imprisoned-in  Charleston,  An- 
dersonviUe,  and  other  places  in  the  South. 
Through  Lieut. -Col.  Woodford,  Agent  of 
Exchange  at  Charleston,  assurances  have 
been  received  from  Maj.  Lay,  the  Confed- 
ei^te  Agent  of  Exchange,  that  supplies  of 
specified  kinds,  and  packed  under  specified 
directions,  will  be  safely  forwarded  to  our 
men.  The  offer  was  received  by  the  Com- 
mission with  some  distrust,  and  it  was  not 
until  after  a  thorough  examination  of  the 
grounds  of  encouragement  for  the  success- 
ful issue  of  an  undertaking  so  important^ 
that  the  decision  yroB  made. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


719 


Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,   the  efficient  agent  in 
charge  at  Beaufort,  S.  0. ,  has  already  sent 
over  the  lines  the  following  articles: 
14  cases  beef  stock. 
14  casoB  condensed  milk. 
13  cases  coflfee. 


13  cases  tomatoes. 

I  case  cocoa 

24  cases  chocolate. 
4  cases  pickles. 

4  cases  jellies. 

II  bbls.  crackers. 
1  bbl.  dried  Iralt. 

25  tin  cups, 
quantity  black  pepper, 
quantity  red  pepper, 
^antily  soap,  combs  and 

piu-cusMons. 
quantity  writing  paper  and 
envelopes. 


2  cases  lemon  juice. 
10  bottles  stimulants. 

linen  vests. 
30  linen  coats. 
40prs.  pants. 
20  lbs.  tea 

202  woolen  blankets. 
100  quilts. 
l,29v  towels. 
1,300  bandkercUefs. 
1.150  prs.  woollen  socks. 
590  prs.  slippers. 
750  prs.  woolen  drawers. 
400  prs.  cotton  drawers. 
400  cotton  shirts. 
780  woolen  sliirts. 


A  second  lot  is  on  the  way,  viz: 


1,000  prs.  shoes. 
2,0P0  prs.  pmts,  WOOL 
1,000  blouses,  wool. 


3,000  blankets. 
2,000  shirts. 
2,000  prs.  drawers. 
2,000  prs.  socks,  wooL 

It  the  object  is  attained,  and  no  new  ob- 
structions arise,  the  Commission  wUl  con- 
tinue the  merciful  work,  as  far  as  its  means 
wiU  allow. 


THE  COMMISSIOM  AND  THE 
GOVERNMENT. 

Snt— -Although  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has  been  in  active  operation  more  than 
three  years,  its  plan  of  action,  and  what 
it  tends  to  do  or  not  to  do.  and  its  relation 
to  the  United  States  Government  and  the 
people,  are  even  yet  imperfectly  under- 
stood, and  though  it  has  sought  to  do  its 
work  through  the  Medical  Department  of 
the  army,  there  are  Surgeons  who  mistake 
its  object,  and  look  to  it  for  supplies  which 
the  Government  is  both  willing  and  able  to 
furnish. 

The  object  of  the  present  article  is  to  set 
these  things  in  their  right  light,  and  to 
show  what  the  Government  can  supply, 
and  how  those  wants  can  be  met,  and  how 
and  what  the  Sanitary  Commission  is  ready 
to  do,  and  also  to  show  the  harmonious 
working  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  with 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  Army. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  is  merely  aux- 
iliary to  the  Government  in  meeting  the 
wants  of  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the 
army,  at  those  times  and  in  such  places  as 
from  the  exigences  of  the  case  the  Govern- 
ment is  not  prepared  to  meet.  It  does  not 
propose  either  to  manage  or  supply  general 
hospitals  in  the  rear  of  the  army  or  rear  of 
its  basis  of  supplies,  except  in  extreme  or 
urgent  cases.    All  that  can  be  needed  at 


such  places  can  be  had  of  the  Medical  Pur- 
veyors and  Commissaries  of  Subsistence  of 
the  Army,  upon  proper  requisitions,  ap- 
proved by  the  Medical  Directors. 

I  copy  the  list  of  regular  supplies  for 
hospitals  as  they  appear  on  the  supply 
tables,  viz. : 

Barley,  (pearl,)  beef,  (extract,)  cinnamon, 
cocoa,  or  chocolate,  corn  starch,  farina, 
gelatine,  ginger,  nutmegs,  pepper,  (black,) 
porter,  sugar,  (white,)  tea,  tapioca,  wine 
and  whisky. 

This  comprises  staples  articles  of  light 
diet,  whilst  the  Commissaries  wiU  furnish 
fruits,  (green  and  dried,)  vegetables,  oys- 
ters, crackers,  butter,  etc. 

At  all  the  principal  points  these  articles 
can  be  had  in  unlimited  quantities,  and 
charged  to  the  Hospital  Fund. 

Medical  Purveyors  will  furnish  sheets, 
pillowcases,  counterpanes,  mattresses,  mos- 
quito bars,  piUows,  shirts  and  drawers. 

All  these  things  and  many  others,  are 
within  the  reach  of  every  Surgeon  in  charge 
of  hospitals  in  rear  of  the  army,  and'  an  in- 
spection of  the  Medical  Purveyor's  and 
Commissary's  stores  at  this  point  .shows 
that  these  departments  are  fully  adequate 
to  the  whole  army  in  this  Department,  and 
both  the  Medical  Purveyors  and  Cominis- 
saries  of  Subsistence,  state  that  they  can 
and  do  fill  every  proper  requisition  made 
upon  them  by  Surgeons  in  charge  of  hos- 
pitals. It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  every 
hospital  can,  by  proper  management,  save 
a  hospital  fund  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of 
purchasing  aU  that  is  required  over  and 
above  the  regular  ration.  So  far  as  hos- 
pital clothing  is  concerned,  the  Govern- 
ment suppUes  are  all  that  is  needed  for  the 
use  of  the  men  while  in  hospital. 

What  then  is  the  work  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  ?  I  answer;  It  is  intended  to 
furnish  what  is  needed  as  diet  or  clothing 
at  those  times,  and  at  such  points  as  the 
Government  is  not  prepared  to  meet. 

The  exigencies  of  war,  especially  when 
the  lines  are  long,  leading  to  the  base  of 
supplies,  require  aU  the  attention  and  care 
of  the  Government  to  keep  the  army  sup- 
plied with  the  proper  material  of  war,  such 
as  ordnance,  quartermaster's  and  commis- 
sary stores. 

Here  is  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 


720 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin, 


mission:  By  the  favor  of  the  Government 
it  is  allowed  separate  transportation,  which 
is  accompanied  by  its  own  agents,  charged 
with  the  distribution  of  itg.  supplies.  Since 
the  commencement  of  the  campaign  in  the 
South-west  there  has  not  been  one  day  in 
which  there  has  not  been  either  a  battle  or 
a  heavy  skirmish,  involving  the  care  of 
great  numbers  of  sick  and  wounded  men. 

The  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
have  their  supplies  with  the  army,  ready 
to  be  distributed  when  needed,  and  no  one 
who  has  not  been  with  the  army  in  time  of 
battle  can  have  any  conception  of  the  mag- 
nitude of  the  wants  which  must  then  be 
met.  Clothing  must  be  provided  for  the 
wounded;  food  and  stimulants  suitable  for 
wounded  men  must  be  on  hand. 

The  Government  can  only  provide  the 
regular  ration,  and  not  always  even  that — 
but  the  wounded  must  be  provided  for  with 
something  beside  meat,  bread,  and  coffee. 
The  Sanitary  Commission  has  all  that  is 
needed,  and  the  Surgeons  have  but  to  ask 
and  their  wants  will  be  supplied. 

Vegetables,  in  large  quantities,  are  re- 
quired both  for  the  sick  and  the  well,  or 
scurvy  will  decimate  the  army.  The  work 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  is  pre-eminently 
ai  the  front  with  the  army. 

There  are  three  thousand  cars  daily  run- 
ning between  Nashville  and  the  front.  The 
Sanitary  Commission  has  for  many  weeks 
past  and  is  now  sending  one  hundred  tons 
of  supplies  to  the  front  every  week  from 
Nashville,  and  still  the  cry  is,  "  send  us 
more."  To  give  one  hundred  thousand 
men  four  ounces  of  vegetables  a  day,  would 
require  one  car  and  a  half  each  day,  or 
twenty-flve  thousand  pounds. 

One  peculiarity  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion is,  that  it  works_through  and  in  har- 
mony with  the  Military  and  Medical  De- 
partments. Its  agents  are  accredited  to 
its  Commanding  Generals  and  Medical  Di- 
'  rectors.  It  sends  no  men  to  give  to  this  or 
that  man.  It  goes  to  the  General  and  his 
Medical  Director  and  says,  we  propose  to 
do  thus  and  so  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
"  What  do  you  need  ?  And  in  no  one  case 
has  a  general  or  Medical  Director  turned 
to  them  the  "  cold  shoulder."  They  meet 
ns  as  friends  and  teU  us  what  they  need. 
We  give  only  throtigh  the  Medical  Department. 


We  do  not  know  the  soldiers  of  one 
State  from  those  of  another,  we  only  know 
them  as  soldiers  of  the  United  States, 
fighting  to  maintain  and  restore  our  beloved 
Government.  We  are  co-workers  with 
them.  Its  officers  are  our  friends,  and  we 
abundantly  acknowledge  the  kindness  with 
which  they  greet  us  in  our  work. 

The  constant  cry  of  misappropriation  is 
false.  As  a  class,  the  Surgeons  of  the 
Army  are  a  humane,  high-minded,  and  hon- 
orable set  of  men,  working  night  and  day 
for  the  good  of  those  under  their  charge. 
There  are  bad  men  among  them,  and  so 
there  are  among  the  Quartermasters  and 
Commissaries.  But  will  the  loyal  people 
of  the  North  say,  "  We  will  send  no  more 
supplies,  because  some  of  them  are  not 
properly  appropriated. "  As  weU  might  the 
Government  say,  "  We  wiU  send  no  more 
stores  to  the  army,  because  there  are  dis- 
honest Quartermaster's  and  Commissaries." 
Rather  dp  as  the  Government  does — search 
out  the  bad  men,  and  drive  them  from 
the  service,  aud  put  better  men  in  their 
places. 

In  going  through  the  warehouse  of  tha 
Commission  to-day,  I  counted  one  hundred 
barrels  of  dried  apples,  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dozen  cans  of  oysters,  and  other  sup- 
plies in  proportion.  There  is  no  excuse  if 
the  hospitals  at  this  and  other  parts  of  the 
rear  are  not  supplied  with  all  they  require, 
for  the  Government  has  made  ample  pro- 
vision and  nothing  but  carelessness  or  in- 
efficiency, prevents  their  being  used  for  the 
benefit  of  the  soldiers. 

In  cases  where  men  are  being  sent 
through  this  place,  either  to  the  front  or 
the  East,  and  are  without  clothing,  where, 
as  it  is  often  the  case,  there  is  not  time  to 
make  out  the  proper  descriptive  rolls,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  is  ready  to  furnish 
what  is  needed.  But  where  there  is  time 
so  to  do,  it  can  be  had  of  the  Quarter- 
master. 

The  relations  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
to  the  Government,  the  people,  and  the 
army,  are  those  of  the  most  perfect  kind- 
ness that  can  be  desired — and  it  is  believed 
that  it  enjoys  the  full  confidence  of  the 
Medical  Bureau. 

Bbnj.  Woodwakd, 

inspector  Sanitary  Oommiuim. 


The  Sbmitary  Commission  Bvttdin. 


•721 


SCENES  AMONGST  THE  WOUNDED. 

Eev.  Mr.  Gh-ant  writes  from  Memphis, 
Jnly  30: 

The  -work  costinues  pretty  uniformly 
the  same,  varied  at  distant  and  irregular 
intervals  by  incidents  that  tend  to  stir 
the  blood  into  quicker  motion,  and  more 
firmly  fix  in  the  mind  dates  for  future 
reference. 

On  the  evening  of  the  20th,  Oapt.  Way 
and  myself  were  at  the  railroad  depot, 
waiting  for  the  train  to  come  in  with  the 
wounded  from  the  battle-field  of  Tupelo. 
At  dork  it  arrived  with  its  freight  of  muti- 
lated men,  numbering  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty.  Some  were  but  slightly  wound- 
ed, others  were  dying  of  the  injuries  -they 
had  received,  and  a  few  were  already  dead. 
All  hands  were  soon  actively  engaged.  The 
evening  was  mild  and  pleasant,  and  the 
first  thing  to  be  accomplished  was  the  re- 
moval of  the  sick  and  wounded  from  the 
cars,  rendered  almost  intolerable  by  the 
offensive  odor  arising  from  the  putrefying 
blood  which  had  flowed  from  the  wounds. 
The  sight  was  sickening  to  the  strongest 
heart,  but  it  was  no  time  for  the  indulgence 
of  squeamishness.  In  as  short  a  time  as 
possible,  all  were  taken  out  of  the  cars, 
the  severely  wounded  being  placed  on 
stretchers,  and  then  gently  lifted  into  the 
open  air.  Cool  water  and  a  few  crackers 
were  very  gratefully  received  by  them,  and 
they  were  greatly  needed,  for  with  all  the 
diligence  that  could  be  used,  it  was  one 
o'clock  at  night  before  the  last  one  was  in 
hospital.  The  strangest  thing  to  me  was 
the  absence  of  all  impatience  and  complain- 
ings on  the  part  of  the  wounded.  They 
seemed  to  think  that  everything  was  being 
done  for  them  that  could,  be,  under  the 
circumstances,  and  were  very  grateful  for 
the  assistance  rendered.  Some  of  them 
manifested  indomitable  "  pluck"  to  the 
last. 

One  poor  fellow  who  had  a  ball  through 
the  body,  below  the  diaphragm,  was  lying 
near  the  door  of  one  of  the  cars.  When 
the  stretcher  was  placed  near  him,  he 
raised  himself  on  his  elbows  and  looked  up 
into  my  face  and  said,  "  Doctor,  I  can 
crawl  on  to  it."  "No,  lie  still."  "Jump 
in,  men,  and  place  him  on  the  stretcher. 
Be  careful;  gently,  gently — there,  that  will 

Vol,  I.— No.  23.  46 


do — now  lift  him  into  the  open  air."  Ask- 
ing him  afterwards  how  he  felt,  he  replied,- 
"  better,  thank  you.  You  belong  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  don't  you  ?" 

I  wished  very  much  to  ask  him  why  he 
thought  so,  but  others  needed  immediate 
attention,  and  I  did  not  have  time  to  listen 
to  his  answer.  The  next  day  he  was  dead. 
Another  had  both  thighs  terribly  shattered, 
and  was  otherwise  severely  wounded  by  a 
minie  ball.  He  was  so  very  quiet  that  at 
first  sight  he  appeared  to  be  dead.  Find- 
ing him  on  examination  still  aUve,  I  mois- 
tened his  face  with  water,  and  gave  him 
a  sup  of  the  same,  which  seemed  to  revive 
him.  Smiling  feebly,  he  said,  "  thank 
you,  you  are  very  kind. "  '  He  was  carried 
by  hand  to  the  hospital,  being  too  weak 
to  endure  the  jolting  of  the  ambvdance. 
In  an  hour  his  spirit  had  thrown  off  its 
"mortal  coil,"  and  had  winged  its  flight 
to  that  "bourne  whence  no  traveler  re- 
turns." 

Many  similar  scenes  could  be  detailed, 
but  it  is  not  necessary.  Those  mentioned 
wiU  serve  to  show  yog  what  your  agents 
often  witness. 

Since  the  return  of  the  troops  from  the 
expedition  to  Tupelo,  I  have  visited  many 
of  the  sick  in  the  regimental  hospitals, 
relieved  some  of  their  pressing  wants,  and, 
I  hope,  remedied  some  defects  in  their  hos- 
:  pital  arrangements. 


THE  SAOTTARY  AND  CHRISTIAN  COM- 
MISSIONS. 

HoPKniToif,  Mass.,  Jidy  28, 1864. 
Db.  J.  S.  Newbebbi: 

Deas  Sni — ^I  have  just  returned  from  a 
protracted  tour  to  the  West  and  Southwest, 
where  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  observing 
the  operations  of  the  Sanitary  and  Chris- 
tian Commissions  in .  those  departments, 
and  I  had  proposed  to  sum  up  the  results 
of  my  observation  for  the  use  of  any  who 
may  desire  to  know  the  opinions  of  differ- 
ent individuals  who  have  been  over  the 
ground.  But  I  find  that  there  is  little  left 
for  me  to  do,  since  noticing  in  the  July 
number  of  the  Sanitary  Eeporter  the  extract 
from  a  communication  of  Eev.  Dr.  Thomp- 
son, of  New  York,  who  had  just  preceded 
me.  His  opinions  so  precisely  accord  with 
my  own,.  I  beg  leave  to  indorse  them  most 


722 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiilMin. 


heartily.  I  -was  satisfied  that  both  the  San- 
itary and  Christian  Commissions  had  their 
distinctive  and  most  valnable  ofSces  to  per- 
form, and  that  in  those  departments  they 
were  being  performed  a'fe  faithfully  as  could 
be  expected,  considering  the  imperfections 
always  incident  to  poor  human  nature. 
And  with  nothing  was  I  more  pleased  than 
the  practical  as  well  as  theoretical  harmony 
between  the  two  great  Commissions,  for 
the  humane  and  Christian  comfort  of  our 
brave  and  patriotic  soldiers. 

The  good  understanding  prevailing  be- 
tween the  principal  oflBcials  of  these  Com- 
missions at  Nashville  is  quite  satisfactory 
to  every  liberal  and  generous  mind,  and  it 
would  certainly  seem  as  if  there  never  need 
be  any  friction  between  these  two  great 
agencies,  which  can  scarcely  be  regarded  as 
other  than'  real,  though  separate  depart- 
ments of  the  Government  itself.  Here  and 
there  some  evil-minded  persons  may  have 
been  found  to  disparage  the  one  or  the 
other,  and  perhaps  both.  It  may  have 
been  that  some  soldier,  from  some  unfortu- 
nate circumstances,  j^mid  the  confusion  al- 
ways incident  to  a  battle,  may  have  failed 
to  receive  the  aid  and  comfort  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  most  gladly  con- 
tributed. But  certain  it  is,  the  great  mass 
of  our  suffering  men  do  fully  appreciate  the 
charities  and  self-denying  efforts  of  their 
fellow-countrymen,  and  none  more  than  ,i 
those  who  are  engaged  in  the  service  of  the 
Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions.  For 
if  there  are  any  true-hearted,  philanthrop- 
ic. Christian  men  and  women  in  the  land, 
to  be  relied  on  as  faithful  almoners  of  a  na- 
tion's bounties,  they  are  those  whom  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  in  Nashville,  Chat- 
tanooga, and  HuntsviRe.  Their  simple  ob- 
ject being  to  do  good,  both  to  the  bodies 
and  souls  of  our  soldiers,  they  cannot  easily 
work  otherwise  than  hand  in  hand,  and 
dheerfully  aid  one  another  in  their  respect- 
ive spheres  of  labor;  and  wliile  we  honor  ■ 
the  names  of  Sherman,  Rousseau,  Hooker, 
Howard,  and  others  in  the  field,  we  can  re- 
gard with  scarcely  less  respect  those  of 
Read,  Root,  Ewing,  Smith,  and  their  coad- 
jutors in  the  Sanitary  §nd  Christian  de- 
partments of  the  great  work  of  suppressing 
rebellion. 

Nor  are  those  other  benevolent  efforts  in 


behalf  of  the  freedmen  and  poor  fugitives 
less  worthy  of  mention,  since  they,  too,  ap- 
peal to  the  most  patriotic,  humane,  and 
Christian  sympathies  and  principles  of  the 
nation.  Earnest  and  faithful  men  and 
women  are  toUing  amid  countless  and  gi- 
gantic difSculties.in  behalf  of  these  classes 
of  our  fellow-countrymen,  whose  sufferings 
are  unknown;  and  can  never  be  told  to  the 
great  mass  of  our  people.  I  bespeak  for 
them  the  continued  and  increased  charities 
and  prayers  of  every  patriot,  philanthropist, 
and  Christian. 

With  the  most  grateful  remembrance  of 
your  own  personal  kindness,  I  am, 

Most  respectfully  yours, 

J.  C.  Websteb. 


THE  HOSPITAL  TRAIN. 

How  many  of  my  readers  ever  rode  an 
hour  upon  the  bare  floor  of  a  freight  car  ? 
Would  not  most  of  them  wait  a  long  time 
before  commencing  a  journey  if  this  was  to 
be  the  method  of  their  going  ?  If  any  of 
them  have  had  this  experience,  they  under- 
stand the  difference  between  it  and  the  soft 
yielding  seat  of  the  passenger  coach  that 
only  lulls  to  repose. 

And  yet  the  retreating  tide  of  maimed 
humanity  that  had  dashed  in  its  strength 
against  the  rebel  strongholds  in  Georgia, 
is  flowing  from  the  front  in  just  this  vay. 
Thousands  of  men,  wounded  in  all  con- 
ceivable ways,  are  coming  forward  in  freight 
trains,  with  nothing  to  rest  upon  but  thin 
beds  of  straw,  laid  upon  the  bottom  of  the 
cars. 

It  is  more  than  a  hundred  miles,  all  day 
and  all  night,  from  the  front  to  Chattanoo- 
ga. There  the  wounded  men  rest,  perhaps, 
for  a  time  in  hospitals,  and  perhaps  not. 
Then  on  they  go  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
farther,  all  day  and  all  night  long  again,  to 
Nashville,  and  then,  those  who  are  able,  a 
hundred  and  eighty-five  miles  farther,  to 
Louisville.  What  a  journey  this  to  wear 
out  the  strongest  man  ! 

This  method  of  transporting  the  wound- 
ed is  not  peculiar  to  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland, and  it  must  not  be  inferred  that 
Government  is  remiss  in  the  cause  of  its 
brave  defenders.  All  available  means  are 
used  to  promote  their  comfort.  The  best 
means  of  transportation  at  hand  are  em- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvEetin. 


723 


ployed.  Surgeons  and  nurses,  -withi  medi- 
cines, are  sent  with  the  trains.  And  here . 
steps  in  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommission 
with  its  labor  of  love.  At  appointed  sta- 
tions along  the  road  its  agents  are  ready 
with  coffee,  soup,  sandwiches,  stimulants, 
fruits,  and  other  supplies  in  abundance. 
Thus  the  rough  way  is  smoothed,  and  suf- 
fering alleviated  as  much  as  possible. 

But  this  is  not  all  that  is  done.  There  is 
now  established  what  is  properly  called  the 
"Hospital  Train."  It  is,  indeed,  a  hospi- 
tal on  wheels.  Passenger  coaches  are  pro- 
cured, the  backs  removed  from  the  seats, 
boards  are  laid  along  these  seats  on  each 
side  the  whole  length  of  the  car,  and  upon 
these  beds  are  spread,  with  nice  white 
pheets  and  pillows,  presenting  a  truly  in- 
viting appearance.  These  trains  are  fur- 
nished with  a  dispensary  and  cooMng  car, 
nurses,  and  aU  the  appliances  for  dressing 
wounds,  all  under  the  care  of  a  surgeon  in 
charge.  .Besides,  we  have  on  board  a  ward- 
robe supplied  by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, from  which  the  men  are  furnished 
with  clean  shirts  and  drawers  as  they  need 
them.  Eegular  meals  are  served,  their 
wounds  dressed,  and  everything  done  for 
the  comfort  of  the  suffering  soldier  that  can 
be  devised  in  a  well-regulated  hospital. 
And  this  care  is  appreciated.  The  men 
often  say,  "I  wish  I  could  ride  upon  the 
hospital  train  until  my  wound  is  healed." 
In  describing  the  hospital  train  I  should 
have  said  that,  in  some  of  the  cars,  the  seats 
are  entirely  removed,  and  upright  standards 
placed  along  each  side  of  the  passage  way, 
to  which  stretchers  are  suspended  by  rub- 
ber bands.  By  slipping  off  the  rubber 
bands  the  stretchers,  with  the  patients 
upon  them,  can  be  readily  removed,  and 
thus  the  wounded  easily  transferred  to  hos- 
pitals when  the  train  arrives  at  its  destina- 
tion. 

Each  of  these  methods  has  its  advantages  , 
but  both,  as  can  easily  be  seen,  are  a  great 
improvemeht  upon  the  hard,  jarring,  spring- 
less  bos  car. 

Again,  in  the  freight  train  there  is  no 
communication  between  the  cars,  and  it  is 
very  difficult  to  give  proper  attention  to  the 
patients  while  the  train  is  in  motion.  Is 
it  asked,  "Why  not  use  passenger  oars  al* 
together  ?"  the  answer  is,  they  cannot  be 


puocured.  There)  are  not  enough  on  these 
roads  that  can  be  spared  to  supply  the  de- 
mand. 

As  I  sat  down  to  write  I  was  about  to 
head  my  letter,  "  Who'll  contribute  a  car?" 
If  a  few  of  the  railroad  companies  of  the 
North,*  who  could  so  easily  do  it,  would 
send  us  each  one  of  their  easy-going  coach- 
es, how  speedily  could  they  be  fitted  for 
use,  and  what  an  amount  of  suffering  might 
be  saved.  The  farther  our  army  advances 
into  the  enemy's  country,  the  more  urgent 
the  call  for  increased  means  of  transporta- 
tion. 

A  great  part  of  the  credit  of  establishing 
and  maintaining  the  ho%)ital  train  is  due  to 
Dr.  J.  P.  Barnum.  He  has  labored  since 
December,  1862,  against  difficulties  that 
would  have  worn  out  a  less  earnest  and  un- 
selfish man.  He  has  found  a  constant 
helper  in  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommission, 
which  has  ever  been  ready  to  furnish  him 
with  supplies  for  the  suffering  soldier. .  The 
Government  have,  in  this  work  of  mercy, 
gone  hand  in  hand  with  the  Commission. 

But  much  as  the  Hospital  Train  is  doing, 
it  is  very  inadequate  to  supply  the  pressing 
wants  of  the  thousands  who  are  coming  for- 
ward from  the  front. 

Think,  then,  anew,  friends  of  the  soldier. 
As  you  ride  on  velvet-cushioned  seats, 
yielding  with  gentle  motion  to  every  ine- 
quality; as  you  recline  upon  beds  that  offer 
the  perfect  luxury  of  repose,  think  of  the 
soldier  wounded,  shattered,  in  defence  of 
our  best  privileges,  as  he  is  rushed  on  for 
hundreds  of  miles,  in  rattling,  swinging, 
jarring,  springless  freight-cars,  every  mo- 
tion, almost,  of  which  sends  a  thrill  of  pain 
to  limbs  that  will  never  tre'ad  again  the  old 
familiar  walks  of  home — that  never  will 
Jmeel  again! — to  limbs  that  never  can  re- 
spond again  to  the  warm  pressure  of  friend- 
ship's grasp,  that  never  can  strike  another 
blow  for  country  or  for  right — to  bodies 
that  still  carry  the  deadly  missile  that  did 
not  quite  reach  the  seat  of  life — to  bruised, 
aching  heads,  that  must  always  ache,  and 
to  brains  from  which  reason  has  been  sud- 
denly driven  by  the  shock  of  bursting 
shell. 

What  a  contribution  have  these  made  to 
the  country  ? 

Who'll  contribute  a  car  ?         0.  B.  W. 


724 


The  Sanitary  Crnnmission  BiiUfMn. 


SOMEBODY'S  DARLING. 
Into  a  ward  of  the  white-washed  halls, 

Where  the  dead  and  dying  lay, 
Wounded  by  bayonets,  shells,  and  balls, 

Somebody's  Darling  was  borne  one  day — 
Somebody's  Darling,  so  yonng  and  so  brave. 

Wearing  yet  on  his  pale,  sweet  face. 
Soon  to  be  hid  by  the  dust  of  the  grave. 

The  lingering  light  of  his  boyhood's  grace. 
Matted  and  damp  are  the  cnrls  of  gold. 

Kissing  the  snow  of  the  fair  young  brow, 
Pale  are  the  hps  of  delicate  mold — 

Somebody's  Darling  is  dying  now. 
Back  from  hia  beautiful  blue-veined  brow 

Brush  all  the  wandering  waves  of  gold;~ 
Cross  his  hands  on  his  bosom  now — 

Somebody's  Darhng  is  still  and  cold. 
Kiss  him  once  for  somebody's  sake, 

Murmur  a  prayer  both  soft  and  low; 
One  bright  curl  from  its  fair  mates  take — 

They  were  somebody's  pride,  you  know; 
Somebody's  hand  hath  rested  there — 

Was  it  a  mother's,  soft  and  white? 
And  have  the  lips  of  a  sister  fair 

Been  baptized  in  the  waves  of  light  ? 
God  knows  best !  he  has  somebody's  love; 

Somebody's  heart  enshrined  him  there; 
Somebody  wafted  his  name  above. 

Night  and  mom,  on  the  wings  of  prayer. 
Somebody  wept  when  he  marched  away. 

Looking  so  handsome,  brave  and  grand; 
Somebody's  kiss  on  his  forehead  lay, 

Somebody  clung  to  his  parting  hand. 
Somebody's  waiting  and  watching  for  Tiim — 

Teaming  to  hold  him  again  to  her  heart; 
And  there  he  lies  with  his  blue  eyes  dim, 

And  the  smiling,  child-like  lips  apart — 
Tenderly  bury  the  fair  young  dead, 

Pausing  to  drop  on  his  grave  a  tear; 
Carve  in  the  wooden  slab  at  his  head, 

"Somebody's  Darling  slumbers  here." 


TAPS. 

BT  MBS.    BOBEUT  S.    H0WiiA2<I>. 

"  Oar  ward  fronts  on  the  sea,  and  the  night 
bugle-music  is  blown  away  on  the  sea-wind, 
and  comes  back  to  us  in  sweet  fragments.  It  is 
nine  o'clock:  the  day,  full  of  fear  and  hope,  is 
ended;  and  while  I  write  the  sick  men  are  all 
quiet  in  their  litOe  camp-beds.  A  moment 
more  and  the  last  bugle  trill  sound,  signal  for 
silence  and  darkness.  How  it  begins,  and  the 
notes,  lising  and  falling,  say  as  plainly  as  music 
can  say  anything:  '  Put  it  out;  put  it — out;  put 

'  —it ^^out!' 

"It  is  a  clear,  golden  call,  almost  a  human 
voice,  falling  softer  and  slower  to  the  end;  and 
when  well  played,  lingering  a  little  at  the  last, 
like  some  one  very  cautiously  hushing  a  baby 
to  sleep,"  &a.—Part  qf  a  leUer  from  the  IT.  8. 


Put  it  out !  Put  it  out !  Put  it  out  1 

The  clear  notes  rising,  climb 

A  ladder  of  sweet  sound, 

And  from  each  golden  round 
The  ascending  angels,  Bearing  heaven,  do  chime, 
"  God's  watch  begins,'  put  your  dim  lanterns  out !" 

Put  out  each  earthly  light; 

It  is  God's  shadow  falls 

Along  the  darkening  walls. 
Closing  us  round,  when  men  say  "it  is  night:" 
Se  draws  so  near  it  shuts  the  daylight  out. 
Put  it  out !  Put  it  out  1  Put  it  out ! 

Forbear  each  scheme  of  ill; 

Good  angels  walk  the  ward, 

And  heaven  is  all  abroad 
When  twilight  falls  and  earth  lies  hushed  and  still; 
Boom  for  the  angels  I  Put  the  dark  deeds  out. 

Put  out  all  thoughts  of  care: 

Best  gently,  aching  head; 

He  stands  beside  the  bed. 
Who  brings  in  peace  and  healing,  unaware. 
And  sends  soft-footed  sleep  to  shut  pain  out. 
Put  it  out  I  Put  it  out  I  Put  it  out! 

Put  out — quite  out— the  light. 

Hark !  as  the  notes  grow  faint, 

Was  that  a  new-voiced  saint 
Who  chmbed  with  them  andscaled  the  starry  height? 
Has  from  among  us  any  soul  gone  out? 

God's  love  falls  as  a  screen, 

Where  lights  bum  dim  and  pale, 

No  flickering  flame  shall  fail. 
For  with  His  hand  held  steadfastly  between 
No  wind  can  blow  to  put  these  life-lamps  out. 

Through  earth's  long  night  He  waits. 

Till  to  the  soul's  glad  eyes, 

Filled  with  divine  surprise 
Heaven  opens  wide  her  golden  morning  gates: 
Then,  day  being  come,  He  breathes  the  candle  out. 


A  SOLDIER'S  LETTER. 

June  4:. — We  are  at  White  House;  the 
■wounded  are  pouring  in;  forty  wagons  pass- 
ed us.  Here  comes  a  man  with  his  hand 
shot  off.  He  has  walked  twelve  miles  to 
get  his  wound  properly  dressed.  He  seems 
to  forget  it,  and  with  wild  excitement 
shouts,  "  Grant  is  the  man;  he  is  hell  on 
the  fight."  The  Sanitary  Commission  is 
splendid.  It  is  here  tending  our  sick  and 
wounded.  Tell  the  ladies  it  does  more 
good  and  relieves  more  suffering  than  any 
one  thing  in  the  army.  Here  comes  another 
wagon  train  of  wounded,  every  one  a  hero. 
Although  cut  and  slashed  in  every  direc- 
tion, not  one  of  them  complains. 

June  15. — Have  been  on  forced  march  for 
the  last  four  days  and  nights;  one  hundred 
thousand  of  the  army  marched  With  us, 
and  it  was  terrible  to  see  the  men  fall  out 
of  the  ranks  by  hundreds,  unable  to  move 
one  step  farther.  One  man  dropped  dead 
near  me.  We  have  been  two  days  on  half 
rations — one  day  with  none. 


The  Sanitary  Conmdsswn  BvEetin. 


72S 


June  17. — Charged  the  enemy.  Had  a 
terrible  enfilading  fire  against  us.  Out  of 
the  regiment,  (only  four  companies,)  in 
killed,  -HTOunded,  and  missing,  lost  fifty, 
only  one  hundred  and  fifty  going  in.  In  the 
evening,  made  another  charge,  and  then 
engaged  the  enemy  for  some  titne. 

June  18. — Tried  to  take  a  fort;  our  regi- 
ment sent  to  the  front.  First  we  ran  double- 
quick  about  one-eighth  of  a  mile  to  the  rail- 
road, through  a  shower  of  bullets;  rested  a 
moment,  climbed  the  hill  near  the  road; 
■went  double-quick  twenty  yards;  rested, 
and  again  ran  twenty  yards  to  a  sort  of 
gully.  There  we  stayed  about  four  hours, 
fired  at  continually. 

June  21. — Had  to  be  all  day  in  the  dust; 
sun  almost  scorching  us. 

Juiie  22. — Worked  all  night  on  fortifica- 
tions. Saw  a  number  of  negroes.  They 
are  much  more  intelligent  than  I  supposed, 
cleanly  and  brave.  They  have  made  the 
most  splendid  chaises  here  on  record.  I 
have  seen  them  fight  right  here. 

June  28. — So  near  the  enemy  can  hear 
them  talk.  The  Sanitary  Commission  gave 
each  soldier  in  our  brigade  a  ration  of  por- 
ter, a  pickled  cabbage  and  onions  to-day. 
The  Christian  Commission  gave  each  of  us 
two  sheets  of  paper  and  two  envelopes. 
Lost  my  knapsack  and  every  thing  in  it  in 
the  charge,  as  did  the  other  men. 

June  29. — The  Sanitary  Commission  is 
the  greatest  thing  of  the  age — to  my  per- 
sonal knowledge  furnishing  our  sick  boys 
with  tomatoes,  pickled  cabbage,  chocolate, 
dried  apples,  corn  starch,  soft  crackers,  and, 
everything  essential.  At  work  all  last  night 
on  fortifications. 

June  30. — Worked  all  day  cutting  trees 
and  carrying  them  to  our  pits  to  make  bomb- 
proof shelter  for  them,  as  we  expect  to  be 
shelled  by  a  fort  near  us.  We  live  on  hard 
tack. 

July  1'.  — The  Sanitary  Commission  know- 
ing how  hard  our  regiment  has  been  work- 
ed, gave  each  man  some  pickled  tomatoes, 
preserved  chickens,  chocolate,  lemons,  con- 
densed milk,  etc.  Of  course  very  little 
to  each,  but  my  share  made  a  new  person 
of  me. 

July  8. — I  have  been  sick,  but  the  doctor 
got  for  me,  from  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
farina,  corn  starch,  turkey  soup,  etc.,  and 
built  me  up.  Our  regiment,  after  being  in 
front  of  rifle  pits  and  under  a  continual  fire 
for  eighteen  days,  has  at  last  been  relieved. 
When  sent  back  Company  A.  had  eight 
men  and  two  corporals,  and  Company  D. 
two  men  and  one  corporal  fit  for  duty. 
Ton  have  no  idea  how  much  soldiers  think 
of  letters.  When  I  ask  sick  boys  how  they 
feel,  more  than  half  answer,  "  Oh  !  a  great 
deal  worse;  have  not  had  any  letters  for  a 
long  time. "  They  seem  to  think  that  the 
cause  of  their  illness.     The  names  of  the 


oflSeers  who  carried  muskets  for  sick  or 
tired  soldiers,  were  Lieut.  Col.  Pier,  of 
Fond  du  Lao,  Capt.  Carpenter,  and  Lieut. 
Ballard. 

July  17.— The  regiment  has  but  twenty- 
nine  men  fit  for  duty.  Last  night  Col. 
Pier  hearing  one  of  the  men  cough,  got  up 
at  midnight  and  brought  him  a  cup  of  his 
own  sugar.  It  is  what  few  officers  would 
have  done  for  a  private. 

July  17. — We  drew  a  number  of  sanitary 
stores  this  afternoon,  consisting  of  pickled 
onions,  condensed  milk,  tomatoes,  etc.  I 
suppose,  of  course,  you  know  that  by  sani- 
tary stores  we  mean  provisions  given  us  by 
the  Sanitary  Commission. 

July  18.— To-day  I  saw  a  little  negro, 
(about  twelve  years  old,)  busily  engaged 
trying  to  learn  to  write.  He  had  a  lead- 
pencU  and  an  old  piece  of  paper,  with  a 
copy  set  him  at  his  request.  !^e  is  very 
ambitious  to  learn,  and  if  you  would  send 
him  a  writing  book  it  would  help.. 

July  19. — Back  to  ofir  old  diet — hard  tack 
and  coffee;  like  it  very  well  indeed.  Pound 
it  and  fry  it  like-griddle  cakes,  flry  it  whole, 
make  fish-balls  of  it;  with  coffee  and  sugar, 
who  can  complain  ? 

July  24. — Our  regiment  at  the  front  again. 
I  am  detailed  to  guard  baggage  cars  at  City 
Point.  Drew  rations  of  dried  apples,  buy 
five  cents'  worth  of  flour,  and  make  pies. 
If  anything  ever  tasted  good,  that's  it. 
Shall  request  soon  to  be  relieved  from  the 
detail  and  join  the  regiment. 
Yours, 

W.  H.  Peckham. 


TREATMENT  OF  OUE  PRISONERS  BY 
THE  REBEL  AUTHORITIES. 


Ever  since  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  the  coun- 
try has  been  full  of  painful  rumors  concerning 
the  treatment  of  prisoner^  of  war  by  the  rebel 
authorities.  Every  returned  prisoner  has 
brought  his  tale  of  suffering,  astonishing  his 
neighborhood  with  an  account  of  cruelty  and 
barbarity  on  the  part  of  the  enemy.  Innumer- 
able narratives  have  also  been  published  and 
widely  circulated. 

The  public  have  been  made  very  uneasy  by 
these  reports.  One  class  have  accepted  them 
as  true;  another  have  felt  them  to  be  exaggera- 
ted; still  another  have  pronounced  them  wholly 
false,  fictions  purposely  made  and  scattered 
abroad  to  inflame  the  people  against  their  ene- 
mies, and  doing  great  injustice  to  the  South. 

EEPOETS  OP  EEBEIi  CRUELTY. 

On  the  other  hand,  rumors  have  crossed  the 
border,  of  an  outraged  public  sentiment  in  the 
South,  precisely  on  the  same  account;  reports 
abounding  there  of  cruelty  and  barbarity  to  the 
rebel  soldiers  in  our  hands.  It  has  been  repeat- 
edly announced  that  whatever  restrictions  or 
privations  have  been  suffered  by  Northern  men 
in  Southern  prisons,  were  in  retaliation  for 
these. 


726 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


In  the  begimiiiig  of  such  a  prodigiotis  con- 
test as  this  has  proTcd  to  be,  breaking  cut  in 
the  midst  of  a  people  nnaccustomed  to  ■war,  and 
quite  removed  from  extensive  military  tradi- 
taons  and  examples,  it  was  liatnral  that  many  ir- 
regulajities  should  have  occurred,  and  many 
usages  of  ■warfare  been  disregarded  on  both 
sides;  and  that  in  the  matter  of  prisoners  espe- 
cially, where  either  regioh  was  suddenly  inun- 
dated by  many  thousands,  great  abuses  should 
have  taken  place,  until  accommodations  could 
be  provided  and  arrangements  perfested. 

But  these  early  days  of  ill-preparation  have 
long  passed  away.  The  war  has  lasted  more 
than  three  years.  Both  sections  have  become 
accustomed  to  it,  and  are  familiarized  with  the 
idias,  habits  and  laws  of  military  life.  The 
passionate  fury  of  one  side  and  the  patriotic  in- 
dignation of  the  other,  have  had  time  to  settle 
down,  at  least  so  far  as  to  accept  this  condition, 
and  make  every  civilized  provision  known  in 
modem  warfare,  for  the  mitigation  of  its  hor- 
rors and  inhumanity. 

■WEETCHED  CONDZnON  OF  TKE  BETUKNED  OAPIIVES. 

And  yet  the  painful  rumors,  so  rife  at  the  out- 
break of  the  war,  instead  of  subsiding  with  its 
early  tumult,  have  lately  increased  to  an  extent 
which  has  seriously  alarmed  and  aroused  the 
public.  The  tales  of  cruelty  and  suffering  have 
become  even  more  heart-rending.  Months  ago 
■we  heard  reports  that  our  men  were  starving 
and  freezing  in  the  Southern  prisons.  In  the 
late  temporary  resumption  of  the  cartel,  boat- 
loads of  hall-naked  living  skeletons,  foul  ■with 
jSlth,  and  covered  with  vermin,  were  said  to 
have  been  landed  at  Annapolis  and  Bnltimore. 
Men,  diseased  and  dying,  or  physically  ruined 
for  life,  unfit  for  further  military  service,  had 
been  received  in  the  stead  of  soldiers  of  the  en- 
emy returned  in  good  condition,  and  who  had 
been  well  fed,  well  clothed,  and  well  sheltered 
by  our  government  during  their  captivity. 

But  many  reasons  were  ofrcuUted  to  account 
for  such  a  difference.  It  was  alleged  that  these 
emaciated  men  were  the  victims  of  camp  dysen- 
tery, or  similar  distempers,  and  of  food,  which 
however  good  in  quality  and  sufScient  in  quan- 
tity, was  averse  to  the  Northern  constitution. 
Again  it  was  alleged  that  the  rebel  army  was, 
itself,  suffering  for  want  of  food  and  clothing, 
and  that  the  very  guards  to  these  prisoners  had 
fared  no  belter. 

There  were  many  among  us  who  were  willing 
to  credit  any  statement  which  would  mitigate 
or  excuse  the  infamy  of  permitting  such  a  con- 
dition of  things.  For  the  sake  of  humanity  and 
the  American  name,  they  hoped  that  the  worst 
could  not  be  pioved. 

But  there  were  others  to  whom  the  proof  was 
sufficient,  and  who  were  convinced  that  the 
whole  was  a  horrible  and  pre-determined 
sjbeme,  contrived  for  the  purpose  of  depleting 
our  armies,  and  discouraging  our  soldiers. 

The  attention  of  Congress  was  roused,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  investigate  this  and 
other  alleged  barbarities.  Their  report  has  just 
been  published. 

COMMISSION   OF  INQUIBT. 

Before,  however,  the  result  of  their  inquiries 
■was  known,  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
Bion,  as  the  organ  of  popular  humanity  and  phi- 


lanthropy, determined  to  make  an  independent 
investigation,  and  such  a  one  as  would,  if  pos- 
sible, put  the  question  at  rest  on  all  points  upon 
which  t!he  public  mind  was  divided  or  unset- 
tled, and  famish  information  so  full,  and  so  di- 
rect from  original  sources,  that  every  one  could 
arrive  at  a  just  conclusion. 

They  accordingly  appointed  the  undersigned 
as  a  Commission  of  Inquiry,  partly  because  they 
were  known  to  be  removed  from  any  political 
affiliations  and  prejudfoes,  and  partly  because 
three  of  their  number  were  supposed  to  be  pro- 
fessionally competent  to  read  the  unerring  tes- 
timony of  nature  in  the  physical  condition  of 
the  men. 

Two  distinct  departments  of  evidence  were 
thus  opened. 

MAHNEE   OF  TKE  INVESTIGATION. 

In  entering  upon  their  duties  the  Commis- 
sioners had  no  other  wish  than  to  ascertain  the 
truth ,  and  to  report  the  facts  as  they  were.  For 
this  they  endeavored  to  collect  all  the  evidence 
within  their  naeh,  and  to  hear  and  record  all 
that  could  be  said  on  every  side  of  the  subject. 
They  were  accompanied  by  a  United  States 
Commissioner,  and  in  every  case  the  testimony 
was  taken  on  oath  or  affirmation  before  him,  or 
in  his  absence  before  other  officers  equally  em- 
powered. 

The  mass  of  evidence,  printed  as  an  Appen- 
dix, was  collected  during  a  period  of  several 
months,  and  is  now  arranged  and  classified  to 
facilitate  the  reader's  reference.  If  it  had  been 
printed  in  the  order  in  which  it  was  taken,  it 
would  have  been  too  irregular  and  apparently 
hetiTogeneous  to  have  exhibited  the  total  result 
of  the  investigation.  But,  as  it  now  stands,  it 
will  be  found  united  and  homogenous  enough 
in  the  ti-agical  story  which  it  tells,  without  va- 
riation or  self-contradiction,  to  the  country  and 
•  to  the  world. 

Much  of  the  evidence,  however,  is  made  up 
of  bare  abstracts  of  the  free  and  full  conversa- 
tions that  were  held  with  the  persons  exam- 
ined, and  although  all  the  essential  facts  are 
preserved,  yet  many  graphic  and  pathetic  mi- 
nor details  are  omitted,  which  escaped  or  could 
not  enter  the  formal  record,  but  sometimes  were 
noted  down  by  those  who  were  present  Be- 
sides this,  the  Commissioners  were  witnesses 
themselves,  and  saw  and  heard  enough  to  over- 
whelm them  with  astonishment,  and  remove 
the  last  doubt  from  their  minds. 

For  ihis  reason,  and  that  the  reader  may  share 
with  them,  so  far  as  can  be,  the  almost  dra- 
matic development  of  the  inquiry,  they  send 
out  these  pages,  not  in  the  form  of  a  brief  doc- 
umentary report,  simply  referring  to  the  testi- 
mony, but  as  a  descriptive  narrative,  in  which 
all  the  salient  points  of  the  e^videuce  and  the 
results  of  their  own  observation  are  incorpora- 
ted together.  Such  a  narrative  need  be  only  an 
intelligible  grouping  of  material— its  facts  will, 
speak  best  for  themselves. 

■VISIT  TO  ANNAPOLIS  AND  BAIiUMOEE. 

The  Commissioners,  at  the  verj-  outset,  were 
brdught  face  to  face  with  the  returned  captives. 

They  first  -visited  the  two  extensive  hospitals 
in  Annapolis,  occupying  the  spacious  buildings 
and  grounds  of  the  Naval  Academy  and  St. 
John's  College,  where  over  three  thousand  of 
them  had  been  brought  in  every  conceivable 


The  Sanitary  Commisaion  Bulletin. 


727 


form  of  suffering,  direct  from  the  Libby  Prison, 
Belle  Isle,  and  two  or  three  other  Southern  mil- 
itary stations.* 

They  also  visited  the  West's  Buildings  Hos- 
pital and  the  Jarvis  General  Hospital  in  Balti- 
more, where  several  hundreds  had  been  brought 
in  an  equally  dreadful  condition. 

UTLKG  SKELETONS. 

_  The  photographs  of  these  diseased  and  ema- 
ciated men,  since  so  widely  circulated,  painful 
as  they  are,  do  not,  in  many  respects,  adequate- 
ly represent  the  sufferers  as  they  then  appeared. 
The  best  picture  cannot  convey  the  reality, 
nor  create  that  startling  and  sickening  sensation 
which  is  felt  at  the  sight  of  a  human  skeleton, 
with  the  skin  drawn  tightly  over  its  skull  and 
ribs  and  limbs,  weakly  turning  and  moving  it- 
self, as  if  still  a  living  man ! 
And  this  was  the  reality. 
The  same  spectacle  was  often  repeated  as  the 
visitors  went  from  bed  to  bed,  from  ward  to 
ward,  and  from  tent  to  tent.     The  bony  faces 
stared  out  above  the  counterpanes,  watching 
the  passer-by  dreamily  and  indifferently.     Here 
and  there  lay  one,  half  over  upon  his  face,  with 
his  bed  clothing  only  partially  dragged  over 
him,  deep  in  sleep  or  stupor.     It  was  strange  to 
find  a  Hercules  in  bones;  to  see  the  immense 
hands  and  feet  of  a  young  giant  pendant  from 
limbs  thinner  than  a  child's,  and  that  could  be 
spanned  with  the  thumb  and  finger !     Equally 
strange  and  horrible  was  it  to  come  upon  a  man 
in  one  part  shrivelled  to  nothing  but  skin  and 
bone,  and  in  another  swollen  and  misshapen 
with  dropsy  or  scurvy;  or  further  on,  when  the 
surgeon  lifted  the  covering  from  a  poor  half  un- 
conscious creature,  to  see  th^stomach  fallen  in, 
deep  as  a  basin,   and  the    bone   protruding 
through  a  blood-red  hole  on  the  hip. 

Of  course  these  were  the  worst  Citses  among 
those  that  still  survived.  Hundreds  like  them, 
and  worse  even  than  they,  had  been  already  laid 
in  their  graves. 

The  remainder  were  in  every  gradation  of 
physical  condition.  Some  were  able  to  sit  up 
and  to  move  feebly  around  their  bed;  others 
were  well  enough  to  be  out  of  doors;  many  were 
met  walking  about  the  beautiful  grounds  of  the 
Naval  Academy — by  a  curious  and  probably  ac- 
cidental compensation  on  the  part  of  the  Gov- 
ernment, swung  to  this  Paradise  on  the  Severn 
from  the  sandy  little  island  in  James  River  and 
its  bleak  and  bitter  wind^ 

EVEDENOBS   OF  MENTAI/  SUFTEBING. 

Bat  however  unlike  and  various  the  cases 
were,  there  was  one  singular  element  shared  by 
all,  and  which  seemed  to  refer  them  to  one 
thing  as  the  common  cause  and  origin  of  their 
suffering.  It  was  the  peculiar  look  in  every 
face.  The  man  in  Baltimore  looked  like  the 
man  just  left  in  Annapolis.  Perhaps  il  wa-i 
partly  the  shaven  head,  the  sunken  eyes,  the 
drawn  mouth,  the  pinched  and  pallid  features 
— partly,  doubtless,  the  grayish,  blighted  skin, 
rough  to  the  touch  as  the  skin  of  a  shark.  But 
there  was  something  else:  an  expression  in  the 
eyes  and  countenance  of  utter  desolateness,  a 

*  The  Commissioaers  would  acknowledge  the  courtesy 
and  hoBpitollty  of  the  accomplished  and  efficient  Sur- 
geon In  charge  of  the  Hospital  at  the  Naval  Academy, 
Dr.  Vander  Kieft,  by  whom  every  facility  for  conducting 
the  Inquiry  was  heartily  given. 


look  of  settled  melancholy,  as  if  they  had  pass- 
ed through  a  period  of  physical  and  mental  a^- 
ony  which  had  driven  the  smile  from  their 
faces  forever.  All  had  it;  the  man  that  was  met 
on  the  grounds,  and  the  man  tuat  could  not  yet 
raise  his  head  from  the  pillow. 

It  was  this  which  arrested  the  attention  of 
sSme  of  the  party  quite  as  much  as  the  remark- 
able phenomenon  of  so  many  emaciated  and 
singularly  diseased  men  being  gathered  togeth- 
er, all,  with  few  exceptions,  having  been 
brought  from  the  same  prisons  in  the  South. 

Every  one  who  was  questioned  contributed 
his  part  to  swell  the  following  account  of  pri- 
vation, exposure  and  suffering. 

The  vail  is  now  to  be  lifted  from  two  of  the 
nearest  and  most  noted  Southern  stations  for 
prisoners.  There  appear,  indeed,  occasional 
glimpses  of  places  or  captivity  in  Danville,  Vir- 
ginia, and  Ajidersonville,  Georgia,  but  the  chief 
interest  centres  upon  Libby  and  Belle  Isle,  at 
Bichmond. 

THE   HIGH   CLAIM  OP   THE   SOXTTHEEN  PEOPLE. 

Before,  however,  the  narrative  proceeds,  two 
things  must  be  borne  in  mind: 

First,  that  we  are  now  penetrating  into  the 
arrangements  of  a  people  who  claim,  and  have 
so  far  maintained  their  entire  independence  of 
the  United  States  Government;  who  have  organ- 
ized a  government  of  their  own;  who  have  also 
organized  immense  and  powerful  armies;  who 
had,  in  the  beginning,  so  far  prepared  them- 
selves, and,  during  the  last  three  years,  have  so 
far  completed  their  preparations,  as  to-  be  able 
to  matchj  and  all  but  overpower  one  of  the 
strongest  military  establishments  ever  known. 

Let  them,  for  the  moment,  be  taken  for  what 
they  claim  to  be:  "The  Confederate  States  of 
America,"  a  mighty  government,  and  a  "supe- 
rior race,"  first  in  civilization,  in  culture,  and 
in  courage;  distinguished  tor  all  that  is  mag- 
nanimous, chivalric,  humane,  hospitable,  and 
noble,  for  all  the  graces  and  refinements,  and 
highest  developments  of  individual  and  social 
life: 

MODEBN  TBEATMENT   OP  PKISONEBS   OP   WAB. 

Furthermore,  another  thing  must  be  borne  in 
mind:  that,  in  these  days  of  civilized  warfare, 
the  cowardly  and  barbarous  usage  no  longer 
prevails  ofmaltreating  prisoners  of  war,  but  the 
moment  a  conflict  is  over,  every  sentiment  of 
Christianity  and  hunlLanity  rises  to  mitigate  the 
bloody  horrors  of  the  field.'  The  distinction  of 
friend  and  enemy  is  no  longer  kliown. 

The  surgeon,  with  the  high  sense  of  profes- 
sional duty  in  which  he  has  been  educated,  goes 
equally  to  all.  The  prisoners  taken  are  not 
thrown  into  dungeons,  nor  shut  up  in  jails,  but 
put  into  barracks.  They  are  made  as  comfort- 
able as  the  arrangements  necessary  for  their 
safe  keeping  will  permit.  They  are  sheltered, 
warmed,  fed  and  clothed,  in  all  necessary  res- 
pects, as  well  as  the  soldiers  that  vanquished  and 
captured  them.  They  become,  for  the  time  be- 
ing, part  of  the  military  family  of  the  enemy, 
and  are  made  subject  to  the  same  sanitary  and 
other  regulations. 

Their  barracks  are  never  overcrowded;  sufll- 
cient  area  is  allowed  for  exercise  and  fresh  air; 
BO  much  bathing  is  permitted,  and  even  insist- 
ed upon,  for  the  sake  of  cleanliness;  their  food 
is  in  every  respect  the  same  as  that  consumed 


728 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvJhtin. 


by  the  army  within  whose  lines  they  are;  their 
clothing  is  all  that  they  need.  Such  a  thing 
as  robbery  of  their  private  property  is  unknown, 
or  never  tolerated  if  known. 

TEEATMENT  OP  THE  SICK, 

When  sickness  overtakes  the  prisoner  he  is 
removed  to  the  hospital,  taken  from  his  boiik 
and  placed  upon  a  bed,  and  then,  whatever  dis- 
tinction existed  before  vanishes  entirely;  every 
kindness  and  attention,  every  remedy  and  deli- 
cacy that  a  sufferer  needs,  is  freely  and  gener- 
ously given. 

Such  is  the  high  principle  and  noble  usage 
which  prevails  in  modem  warfare.  The  per- 
fection of  its  arrangements  is  a  matter  of  pride 
and  honor  among  soldiers,  and  the  proper  boast 
of  every  Christian  government. 

We  now  turn  to  the  people  and  government 
at  present  waging  war  with  our  Governmi'nt, 
and  vtho,  through  a  dead-lock  in  the  cartel,  hold 
tens  of  thousands  of  United  States  soldiers  as 
prisoners  of  war. 

II. 

The  first  fact  developed  by  the  testimony  of 
both  of&cers  and  privates  is  that  prisoners  were 
almost  invariably  robbed  of  everything  valu- 
able in  their  possession,  sometimes  on  the  field, 
at  the  instant  of  capture,  sometimes  by  the 
prison  authorities,  in  a  "quasi  official  way," 
with  the  promise  of  return  when  exchanged  or 
paroled,  but  which  promise  was  never  fulfilled.* 
This  robbery  amounted  often  to  a  stripping  of 
the  person  of  even  necessary  clothing.  Blank- 
ets and  overcoats  were  almost  always  taken,  and 
sometimes  other  articles,  in  which  case  dam- 
aged ones  were  returned  in  their  stead. 

This  preliminary  over,  the  captives  were 
taken  to  prison. 

The  Libby,  which  is  best  known,  though  also 
used  as  a  place  of  confinement  for  private  sol- 
diers, is  generally  understood  to  be  the  officers' 
prison. 

DESCEIPTION   OP  UBBI  PBIBON. 

It  is  a  row  of  brick  buildings,  three  stories 
high,  situated  on  the  canal,  and  overlooking 
the  James  Biver,  and  was  formerly  a  tobacco 
warehouse.  The  partitions  between  the  build- 
ings have  been  pierced  with  doorways  on  each 
story.  a 

The  rooms  are  one  hundred  feet  long  by  forty 
feet  broad.  In  six  of  these  rooms,  twelve  hun- 
dred United  States  officers,  of  all  grades,  from 
the  Brigadier  General  to  the  Second  Lieutenant, 
were  confined  for  many  months ;  and  this  was 
all  the  space  that  was  allowed  them  in  which  to 
cook,  eat,  wash,  sleep,  and  take  exercise!  It 
seems  incredible.  Ten  feet  by  two  were  all 
that  could  be  claimed  by  each  man — hardly 
enough  to  measure  his  length  upon;  and  even 
this  was  further  abridged  by  the  room  neces- 
d&rily  taken  for  cooking,  washing  and  clothes- 
drying. 

At  one  time  they  were  not  allowed  the  use  of 
benches,  chairs  or  stools,  nor  even  to  fold  their 
blankets  and  sit  upon  them,  but  those  who 
would  rest  were  obliged  to  huddle  on  their 
haiinches,  as  one  of  them  expresses  it,   "like 

*  No  instance  of  the  promiBe  being  kept  appears  in  the 
evidence,  but  there  have  been  occasions  reported,  though 
very  rare,  where  money  was  returned,  but  even  then  in 
depreciated  Confederate  currency. 


so  many  slaves  on  the  middle  passage."  After 
awhile  this  severe  restriction  was  removed,  and 
they  were  allowed  to  make  chairs  and  stools  for 
themselves,  out  of  the  barrels  and  boxes  which 
they  had  received  from  the  North. 

They  were  overran  with  vermin,  in  spite  of 
everv  precaution  and  constant  ablutions.  Their 
blankets,  which  averaged  one  to  a  man,  and 
sometimes  less,  had  not  been  issued  by  the 
rei  els,  but  had  been  procured  in  different  ways; 
sotte  Hues  by  purchase,  sometimes  through  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  The  prisoners  had  to 
help  themselves  from  the  refuse  accumulation 
of  these  articles,  which  having  seen  similar 
service  before,  were  oflen  ragged  and  full  of 
vermin. 

THE  KOOMS   OVEBCEOWUED. 

In  these  they  wrapped  themselves  at  nighi^ 
and  lay  down  on  the  hard  plank  floor  in  close 
and  stifling  contact,  "wormed  and  dovetailed 
together,"  as  one  of  them  testifies,  "like  fish  in 
a  basket."  The  floors  were  recklessly  washed 
late  in  the  afternoon,  and  were  therefore  damp 
and  dangerous  to  sleep  upon.  Almost  every 
one  had  a  cough  in  consequence. 

There  were  seventy-five  windows  in  these 
rooms,  all  more  or  less  broken,  and  in  winter 
the  cold  was  intense.  Two  stoves  in  a  room, 
with  two  or  three  armfuls  of  wood  to  each,  did 
not  prove  sufficient  under  this  exposure,  to 
keep  them  warm. 

The  regulations  varied  at  different  periods  in 
stringency  and  seyerity,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
describe  the  precise  condition  of  things  at  any 
one  time,  but  the  above  comes  from  two  offi- 
cers, Lieutenant  Colonel  Famsworth  and  CapL 
Calhoun.  As  it  happens,  they  are  representa- 
tives of  the  two  opposite  classes  of  officers  con- 
fined in  the  Libby.  The  former  coming  from 
Connecticut,  and  iufluentially  connected  at  the 
North,  was  one  of  a  mess  to  which  a  great  pro- 
fusion of  supplies,  and  even  luxuries,  were 
sent.  The  latter  coming  from  Kentucky,  and 
being  differently  situated,  was  entirely  depend- 
ent upon  the  prison  fare. 

These  officers  were  there  during  the  same 
season,  but  never  became  acquainted.  The 
accounts  of  each,  which  will  be  found  in  the 
evidence  side  by  side,  are  here  combined  and 
run  together. 

From  their  statements  it  appears  that  the 
hideous  discomfort  was  never  lessened  by  any 
variation  in  the  rules,  but  often  increased.  The 
pri.son  did  not  seem  to  be  under  any  general 
and  uniform  army  regulations,  but  the  captives 
were  subject  to  the  caprices  of  Major  Turner, 
the  officer  in  charge,  and  Bichard  Turner,  in- 
spector of  the  prison. 

GtTABDS   AliOWED   TO   SHOOT  THE  PBISONEIW. 

It  was  among  the  rules  that  no  one  should  go 
within  three  feet  of  the  windows,  a  rule  which 
seems  to  be  general  in  all  Southern  prisons  of 
this  character,  and  which  their  frequently 
crowded  state  rendered  peculiarly  severe  and 
difficult  to  observe.  The  manner  in  which  the 
regulation  was  enforced  was  unjustifiably  and 
wantonly  cruel.  Often  by  accident,  or  uncon- 
sciously, an  officer  would  go  near  a  window, 
and  be  instantly  shot  at  without  warning.  The 
reports  of  the  sentry's  musket  were  heard  al- 
most every  day,  and  frequently  a  prisoner  fell 
either  killed  or  wounded. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


729 


It  was  even  worse  with  a  large  prison  near 
by,  called  the  Pemberton  Buildings,  which  was 
crowded  with  enlisted  men.  The  firing  into  its 
windows  was  a  still  more  common  occurrence. 
The  officers  had  heard  as  many  as  fourteen 
shots  fired  on  a  single  day.  "Cbey  could  see 
the  guards  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  fire, 
and  often,  after  one  of  them  had  discharged 
his  musket,  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  would 
appear  at  the  door,  bringing  out  a  dead  or 
wounded  soldier. 

INSTANCES   or   SHOOTING. 

So  careless  as  this  were  the  authorities  as  to 
the  effect  ot  placing  their  prisoners  in  the  power 
of  the  rude  and  brutal  soldiery  on  guard.  It 
became  a  matter  of  sport  among  the  latter  "  to 
shoot  a  Yankee."  They  were  seen  in  attitudes 
of  expectation,  with  guns  cocked,  watching  the 
windows  for  a  shot.  Sometimes  they  did  not 
even  wait  for  an  infraction  of  the  rule.  Lieut. 
Hammond  was  shot  at  while  in  a  small  boarded 
inolosure,  where  there  was  no  window,  only  an 
aperture  between  the  boards.  The  guard 
caught  sight  of  his  hat  through  this  opening, 
and  aiming  lower,  so  as  to  reach  his  heart, 
fired.  A  nail  turned  the  bullet  upward,  and  it 
passed  through  his  ear  and  hat-brim.  The  offi- 
cers reported  the  outrage  to  Major  Turner,  who 
merely  replied,  "  The  boys  are  in  want  of  prac- 
tice." The  sentry  said,  "He  had  made  a  bet 
that  he  would  kill  a  damned  Yankee  before  he 
came  off  guard."  No  notice  was  taken  of  the 
occurrence  bj  the  authorities. 

The  brutal  fellow,  encouraged  by  this  impu- 
nity, tried  to  murder  another  officer  in  the 
same  way.  Lieutenant  Hnggins  was  standing 
eight  feet  from  the  window,  in  the  second  story. 
The  top  of  his  hat  was  visible  to  the  guard, 
who  left  his  beat,  went  out  into  the  street,  took 
deliberate  aim,  and  fired.  Providentially  he 
was  seen,  a  warning  cry  was  uttered,  Huggins 
stooped,  and  the  bullet  buried  itself  in  the 
beams  above. 

HDBDEB   OE  A  PBISONEB  AT  DANVILI^E, 

Very  much  the  same  thing  is  mentioned  as 
happening  to  the  prison  buildings  at  Danville. 
A  man  was  standing  by  the  window  conversing 
with  private  Wilcox.  At  his  feet  was  the  place 
where  he  slept  at  night,  close  under  the  win- 
dow, and  where  his  blanket  lay  rolled  up.  He 
had  his  hand  on  the  casement.  The  guard  must 
have  seen  his  shadow,  for  he  was  invisible  &om 
the  regular  beat,  and  went  out  twenty  feet  to 
get  a  shot  at  him.  Before  the  poor  fellow  could 
be  warned,  the  bullet  entered  his  forehead,  and 
he  fell  dead  at  the  feet  of  his  companion. 

Almost  every  prisoner  had  such  an  incident 
to  tell.  Some  had  been  shot  at  themselves  a 
number  of  times,  and  had  seen  others  repeated- 
ly fired  npOn.  One  testifies  that  he  had  seen 
five  hundred  men  shot  at. 

The  same  brutal  style  of  "sporting"  while 
on  guard,  seems  to  have  prevailed  wherever  the 
license  was  given  by  this  cruel  and  unnecessary 
rule.  Captain  Calhoun  mentions  that  while 
he  and  his  companions  were  on  their  way  to 
Richmond  from  Northeastern  Georgia,  where 
they  were  captured,  they  stopped  at  Atlanta, 
and  just  before  they  started,  a  sick  soldier  who 
was  near  tbe  line,  beyond  which  the  prisoners 
were  not  allowed  to  go,  put  his  hand  over  to 
pluck  a  bunch  of  leaves  that  were  not  a  foot 


from  the  boundary.  The  instant  he  did  so,  the 
guard  caught  sight  of  him,  fired,  amd  killed 
him. 

Another  instance  of  equal  skill  in  "  shootii^ 
on  thevring,"  will  be  noticed  in  the  case  of  the 
soldier  who  only  exposed  his  arm  an  instant  in 
throwing  out  some  water,  and  was  wounded, 
fortunately  not  killed,  by  the  rebel  bullet. 
Something  of  the  same  kind  was  related  in  the 
course  of  conversation,  but  is  not  m  the  evi- 
dence, as  happening  at  the  Libby,  when  an 
officer  was  shot  while  waving  his  hand  in  fere- 
well  to  a  departing  comrade. 

But  there  were  cruelties  worse  than  these, 
because  less  the  result  of  impulse  and  reckless- 
ness, and  because  deliberately  done.  There 
opens  now  a  part  of  the  narrative  which  is  as 
amazing  as  it  is  unaccountable. 

The  reader  will  turn  to  the  heart-rending 
scenes  of  famine  which  the  testimony  before 
the  Commission  has  exposed. 

PAIUNE  IN   LIBBT. 

The  daily  ration  in  the  officers'  quarter  of 
Libby  prison,  was  a  sma)^  loaf  of  bread  about 
the  size  of  a  man's  fist,  made  of  Indian  meaL 
Sometimes  it  was  made  from  wheat  flour,  but 
of  variable  quality.  It  weighed  a  little  over 
half  a  pound.  With  it  was  given  a  piece  of  beef 
weighing  two  ounces. 

SODTHEBN  FOOD. 

But  it  is  not  easy  to  describe  this  ration,  it 
was  so  irregular  in  kind,  quality  and  amount. 
Its  general  character  is  vividly  indicated  by  a 
remark  made  in  conversation  by  one  of  tiie 
officers:  "I  would  gladly,"  said  he,  with  em- 
phatic sincerity,  "  gladly  have  preferred  the 
horse-feed  in  my  father's  stable." 

During  the  summer  and  the  early  part  of  the 
faU,  the  ration  seems  to  have  been  less  insuffi- 
cient, and  less  repulsive  than  it  afterwards  be- 
came. At  no  period  was  it  enough  to  support 
life,  at  least  in  health,  for  a  length  of  time,  but 
however  inadequate,  it  was  not  so  to  such  a  re- 
markable degree  as  to  produce  the  evils  which 
afterward  ensued. 

It  was  aboui  the  middle  of  last  autumn  that 
this  process  of  slow  starvation  become  intoler- 
able, injurious,  and  cruel  to  the  extent  referred 
to.  'The  com  bread  began  to  be  of  the  roughest 
and  coarsest  description.  Portions  of  the  cob  and 
husk  were  often  found  ground  in  with  the  meaL 
The  crust  was  so  thick  and  hard  that  the  pris- 
oners called  it  iron-clad.  To  render  the  bread 
eatable,  they  grated  it,  and  made  mush  out  of 
it,  but  the  crust  they  coxdd  not  grate. 

Now  and  then,  after  long  intervals,  often  of 
many  weeks,  a  little  meat  was  given  them,  per- 
haps two  or  three  mouthfuls.  At  a  later  period, 
they  received  a  pint  of  black  peas,  with  some 
vinegar,  every  week.  The  peas  were  often 
full  of  worms,  or  maggots  in  a  chrysalis  state, 
which,  when  they  made  soup,  floated  on  the 
surface. 

DBEAMS  AND   DELUSIONS  OF  FAMINE. 

Those  who  were  entirely  dependent  on  the 
prison  fare,  and  had  no  friends  at  the  North  to 
send  them  boxes  of  food,  began  to  suffer  the 
horrible  agony  of  craving  food,  and  feeling 
themselves  day  by  day  losing  strength.  Dreaius 
and  delusions  began  to  distract  their  minds.* 

*The  very  eame  phenomenon  occurred  during  tbe 


730 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Although  many  were  relieved  through  the 
generosi^  of  their  more  favored  fellow  prison- 
ers, yet  the  supply  from  this  source  jpas,  of 
course,  inadequate.  Captain  Calhoun  speaks  of 
suffering  "  a  burning  sensation  on  the  inside, 
■with  a  general  failing  in  strength.  "  I  grew  so 
foolish  in  my  mind  fliat  I  used  to  blame  myself 
for  not  eating  more  when  at  home."  "The 
subject  of  food  engrossed  my  entire  thoughts." 
"  Captain  Stevens  having  received  a  box  from 
home,  sat  down  and  ate  to  excess,  and  died  a  few 
hours  afterward."  ' '  A  man  had  a  piece  of  ham 
which  I  looked  at  for  hours,  and  would  have 
stolen  if  had  had  a  chance." 

One  day,  by  pulling  up  a  plank  in  the  floor, 
they  gained  access  to  the  cellar,  and  found 
there  an  abundance  of  provisions:  barrels  of 
the  finest  wheat  flour,  potatoes  and  turnips.  Of 
these  they  ate  ravenously  until  the  theft  was 
discovered. 

SUPPIIES   SENT  PKOM  THE  NOETH  WITHHELD. 

But  the  most  unaccountable  and  sliamefal 
act  of  all  was  yet  to  come.  Shortly  after  this 
general  diminution  of  rations,  in  the  month  of 
January  last,  the  boxes,  which  before  had  been 
regularly  delivered,  and  in  good  order,  were 
withheld.  No  reason  was  given.  Three  hundred 
arrived  every  week,  and  were  received  by  Gol. 
Ould,  Commissioner  of  Exchange,  but  instead 
of  being  distributed,  were  retained,  and  piled 
up  in  warehouses  near  by,  and  in  full  sight  of 
the  tantalized  and  hungry  captives.  Three 
thousand  were  there  when  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Famsworth  came  away. 

There  was  some  show  of  delivery,  however, 
but  in  a  manne^  especially  heartless.  Five  or 
six  of  the  boxes  were  given  during  the  week. 
The  eager  prisoner,  expectant  perhaps  of  a 
wife's  or  mother's  thoughtful- provision  for  him, 
was  called  to  the  door  and  ordered  to  spread 
his  blanket,  when  the  open  cans,  whether  con- 
taining preserved  fruits,  condensed  milk,  to- 
bacco,-vegetables,  or  meats,  were  thrown  pro- 
miscuously together,  and  often  ruined  by  the 
mingling. 

TTTTFiVINO  OP  THE  BOXES. 

These  boxes  sometimes  contained  clothing, 
as  well  as  food,  and  their  contents  were  fre- 
quently appropriated  by  prison  officials.  Lieut. 

celebrated  Darien  Exploring  Expedition,  under  Lieut. 
Strain,  Bome  years  ago.  The  whole  party  suffered  star- 
vation ;  a  number  of  them  died,  and  the  remainder  were 
rescued  when  they  had  become  emaciated  and  debili- 
tated nearly  to  the  poiat  of  death. 

"  From  the  time  that  food  became  scarce  to  the  close, 
and  just  in  proportion  as  famiae  increased,  they  revelled 
in  gorgeous  dinners.  Truxton  and  Maury  would  pass 
hours  in  spreading  tables  loaded  with  every  luxury. 
Over  this  imaginary  feast  they  would  gloat  with  the 
plea^re  of  a  gourmand." — Darien  Explor,  Exped.,  Hai-p. 
Monthly,  vol.  x.,  p.  613. 

The  party  separated,  Strain  and  Avery  being  the  least 
exhausted,  and  going  on  before  the  others  to  obtain  suc- 
cor if  possible. 

"  At  length  starvation  produced  the  same  singular 
effect  on  them  that  it  did  on  Truxton  and  Maury,  and 
they  would  spend  hours  in  describing  all  the  good  din- 
ners they  had  ever  eaten.  For  the  last  two  or  throe 
days,  when  most  reduced,  Strain  said  that  he  occupied 
almost  the  whole  time  in  arranging  a  magnificent  dinner. 
Every  luxury  or  curious  dish  that  he  had  ever  seen  or 
beard  of  composed  it.  and  he  wore  away  the  hours  in 
going  round  his  imaginary  table,  arranging  and  chang- 
ing the  several  dishes.  He  could  not  force  his  mind 
from  the  contemplation  of  this,  so  wholly  had  one-idea— 
food— taken  possession  of  it."— Darien  Explor.  Exped., 
Barp.  Monthly,  vol.  i.,  p.  760. 


MoGrinnis  recognized  his  own  home-suit  of  citi-' 
zen's  clothes  on  one  of  them,  pointing  out  his 
name  on  the  watch-pocket. 

The  officers  were  permitted  to  send  out  and 
buy  articles  at  extravagant  prices,  and  would 
find  the  clothes,  stationery,  hams  and  butter 
which  they  had  purchsised,  bearing  the  marks 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

In  one  instance  this  constant  thievery  be- 
came an  unexpected  advantage  to  the  inmates. 
After  the  famous  "  tunnelling  out,"  by  which 
so  many  effected  their  escape,  the  guards  con- 
fessed that  they  had  seen  the  fagitives,  but  sup- 
posed that  they  were  their  own  men  stealing  the 
boxes!  The  tunnel,  after  running  under  the 
street,  had  its  outlet  near  where  the  boxes  were 
piled  up. 

AU  tiirough  the  winter  and  late '  into  the 
spring  was  fliis  suffering,  chiefly  from  hunger, 
prolonged.  There  is  evidence  of  its  continu- 
ance even  so  late  as  the  month  of  May  last. 

•Surgeon  Ferguson,  who  was  confined  there 
at  that  time,  gives  a  most  painful  picture  of 
what  he  saw: 

"  No  one  can  appreciate,  without  experience, 
the  condition  of  the  officers  in  the  prison  dur- 
ing the  twelve  days  of  my  stay;  their  faces  were 
pinched  with  hunger.  I  have  seen  an  officer, 
standing  by  the  window,  gnawing  a  bone  like  a 
dog.  I  asked  him,  '"What  do  you  do  it  for?' 
His  reply  was,  ' It  will  help  fiU  up.'  " 

"They  were  constantly  complaining  of  hun- 
ger; there  was  a  sad  and  insatiable  expression 
of  face  impossible  to  describe." 

There  is  no  suffering  that  can  be  mentioned 
greater  thkn  that  of  the  slow  and  lingering 
pains  of  famine,  except  it  be  perhaps  the  ago- 
nies of  absolute  death  from  hunger— but  of  this 
■no  Libby  evidence  was  collected.  The  descrip- 
tion of  Libby  life  might  therefore  end  at  this 
point  so  far  as  ha^ving  reached  the  climax  of  aU 
possible  misery  on  the  one  hand  and  of  all  pos- 
sible barbarity  on  the  other.  But  the  testimo- 
ny developes  still  other  instances  of  cruelty 
which  may  as  well  be  introduced  here,  in  order 
to  show  the  animus  of  the  Confederate  authori- 
ties. 

CBUEIj   PUNISHMENTS. 

It  is  stated  that  for  offences,  whether  trivial 
or  serious,  the  prisoners  were  consigned  to 
cells  beneath  the  prison,  the  walls  of  which  were 
damp,,  green  and  slimy.  These  apartments 
were  never  warmed,  and  often  so  crowded  that 
some  were  obliged  to  stand  iqj  all  night.  It  was 
in  these  dungeons  that  the  hostages  were 
placed. 

DISPOSAI,  OP  THE   DEAD. 

But  the  inhumanity  was  not  confined  to  the 
living.  It  extended  even  to  the  disposal  of  the 
dead.  The  bodies  were  placed  in  the  cellar,  to 
which  the  animals  of  the  street  had  access,  and 
very  often  were  partly  devoured  by  hogs,  dogs 
and  rats.  The  officers  had  the  curiosity  to 
mark  the  coffins  in  which  they  were  carried  off, 
to  find  out  whether  they  were  buried  in  them. 
But  they  proved  to  be  only  vehicles  for  bearing 
them  away,  returning  a  score  of  times  for 
others. 

This  must  have  been  the  case  with  privates 
only,  who  occupied  part  of  the  prison,  as  it  is 
mentioned  that  the  officers  generally  secured  by 
contributions,  made  up  among  themselves,  me- 


The  Sanitary.  Commission  Bulletin. 


731 


tallic  coffins  and  a  decent  temporary  deposit  in 
a  vanlt  for  those  of  their  number  who  died,  un- 
til they  could  be  removed  to  the  North. 

One  other  incident  may  be  noticed  which  is 
quite  in  keeping  with  aU  the  rest,  but  without 
the  foregoing  catalogue  of  outrages  to  humani- 
ty would  appear  too  Bhocking  to  be  credible. 
THE  KnnNa  of  ubby. 

At  the  time  Kilpatrick  made  his  nearly  suc- 
cessful raid  on  Bichmond,  the  city  was  thrown 
into  a  panic  by  his  approach,  and  the  prison 
officials  deliberately  prepared— so  the  story  runs 
— a  more  expeditious  way  of  closing  the  career 
of  their  prisoners.  It  was  somewhat  more  mer- 
ciful than  starvation,  because  it  substituted  in- 
stantaneous death  for  an  endless  agony  of  dy- 
ing. The  negroes  gave  the  first  intimation  to 
the  captives  of  what  was  going  on.*  Bichard 
Turner  took  care  to  dash  the  hopes  of  his  cap- 
tives as  well  as  add  to  their  anxiety,  by  inform- 
ing them  that  "  Should  Kilpatrick  succeed  in 
entering  Bichmond,  it  would  not  help  them,  as 
the  prison  authorities  would  blow  up  the  pris- 
on and  all  its  inmates."  Lieutenant  Latouche 
was  overheard  observing  to  a  rebel  officer  with 
whom  he  had  entered  the  cellar  where  the  two 
hundred  pounds  of  powder  were  said  to  be 
placed,  "  There  is  enough  there  to  send  every 
damned  Yankee  to  hell."  Turner  himself  said, 
in  the  presence  of  Colonel  Famsworth,  in  an- 
swer to  the  question,  ' '  Was  the  prison  mined  ?" 
"  Yes,  and  I  would  have  blown  you  all  to  Hades 
before  I  would  have  suffered  you  to  fee  rescued." 
The  remark  of  Bishop  Johns  is  corroborative  as 
well  as  curious,  in  reply  to  the  question, 
" 'Whether  it  was  a  Christian  mode  of  warfare 
to  blow  up  defenceless  prisoners ! "  "I suppose 
the  authorities  are  satisfied  on  thatpoint,  though 
I  do  not  mean  to  justify  it." 

The  idea  is  so  monstrously  shocking  that  the 
mii^d  hesitates  to  grasp  it,  or  believe  it.  Many 
will  try  to  see  in  it  only  a  menace  to  deter  any 
further  attempt  to  take  Bichmond  by  a  raid. 
And  yet  the  evidence,  even  if  it  does  come  by 
rebel  admissions,  has  an  air  of  diabolical  sin- 
cerity. A  remark  of  Turner's  justifying  the 
act,  which  was  mentioned  to  one  of  the  Com- 
missioners, but  accidentally  omitted  in  the  for- 
mal testimony,  gives  quite  ^  decided  turn  to 
the  very  natural  probability  that  the  fiendish 
plan  was  resolved  upon:  "Suppose  Kilpatrick 
should  have  got  in  here,  what  would  my  life 
have  been  worth  after  you  all  got  loose.  Yes,  I 
would  have  blown  you  all  to  Hades  before  I 
would  have  suffered  you  to  be  rescued."  This 
was  his  argument  and  self-justification  in  brief, 
though  somewhat  more  at  length  at  the  time. 

The  act  was  altogether  consistent  with  the 
characters  of  the  three  men  who  had  authority 
over  the  prison — General  Winder,  the  Com- 
mander of  the  Department,  Major  Turner,  Com- 
mander of  the  Prison,  whose  brutality  is  fully 
illustrated  by  his  management  of  it,  and  Rich- 
ard Turner,  Inspector  of  the  Prison,  by  occupa- 
tion a  negro-whipper,  (see  the  testimony  of 
Colonel  Famsworth,)  and  whose  savage  nature 
vented  itself  in  frequent  acts  of  personal  insult 
and  physical  violence  toward  the  prisoners. 

Be  the  story  true  or  false,  it  is  at  any  rate  con- 
summately befitting  and  consistent,  inasmuch 

*  "  Dag  big  liole  down  dar,  maBsa.  Toipedo  In  dar, 
iwel" 


as  the  strongest  reasons  for  its  probability  may 
be  derived  from  the  other  facts  that  have  now 
been  narrated.  If  true,  it  is  strongly  corrobo- 
rative of  the  vindictive  purpose  which  animates 
the  Confederate  authorities.  History  may  yet 
write  it  BO,  and  therefore  the  Commissioners  do 
not  pass  it  over  in  sUence  because  of  any  doubt 
that  may  cling  to  it. 

Let  the  spectacle  that  probably  came  so  Hear 
taking  place,  be  at  least  the  appropriate  crown 
and  close  of  this  portion  of  the  narrative;^ the 
Union  raiders,  bounding  over  the  fortifications 
of  Bichmond,  intent  upon  rescuing  their  com- 
panions from  a  captivity  worse  than  death — and 
the  three  great  brick  buildings  lifted  bodily 
into  the  air  and  let  down  in  one  stupendous 
crush  and  ruin  upon  the  living  forms  of  twelve 
hundred  helpless  men. 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  TBB 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOBK. 


OFFICE,  35  CHAMSEES  STREET, 


President. 
Lieut. -Gbn.  WrNTIELD  SCOTT. 

Yice-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIEAL  DUPONT. 
BUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Es<j. 

Treasurer. 
BOBT.  B.  MINTUBN,  Esq. 

Directors. 

HoHS.  E.  D.  MOEGAN,  GEOBGE  0?DTKB, 
HIBAM  BARNEY,  JAS.  W.  BEEKMAN.  Bev. 
H.  W.  BELLOWS,  D.D.  Mbssks.  JOHN  JACOB 
ASTOE,  JAMES  BEOWN,  WM.  H.  ASPINWALL, 
JAS.  GALLATIN,  HOWARD  POTTEE,  WM.  E. 
DUDGE,  Jb.,  THEODOEE  BOOSEVELT,  PETEB 
COOPEE,  GEOEGB  BANCBOFT,  DANIEL  LOED, 
WILSON  G.  HUNT,  BOBT.  L.  STUAET,  ALFEED 
PELL. 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENEY  GEEENFIELD,  Sec'y, 

35  Chambbes  Stebbt,  New  York. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and 
their  faTnilies,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay, 
or  bourUy,  etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  lo  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being 
made  against  the  Govermnent. 

4th.  To  gvee  gratuitous  advice  and  infor- 
mation to  soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  amt- 
lies  needing  it. 


732 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BiiMin. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
Was  ooustituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in 
June,  1861,  in  accordance  with  the'recommen- 
dation  of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  U.  S. 
Army,  and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organi- 
zation were  approved  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  present  organization  is  as 
follows: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  CaUfomia. 

George  T.  Strong,  N3W  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.£).,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

B  O.  Wood,  Assistant  Surg.-Gen'l  U.  S.  A. 

Wolcoi    Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Hove,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Et.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  E.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binuey,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  PeniL 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Eogers,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 

0.  J.  Stille. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HL 

OFFICEBS: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  JenJdns,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

3.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Enapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  BeUows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
WflMam  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrangements 
for  supplying  information  gratnitously,  with  regard  to 
patients  iu  all  the  United  States  General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hospitals  in 

New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England  States,  East- 

-  em  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  North 

Oarolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  address 

"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address  "  Office  of 
Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1,307  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missis- 
■ippi,  and   Arkansas,    address   *<  Office   Sanitary  Com- 
*ii^ssiou,  Louisville,  Ey." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regiment  of 
the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given,  and  where  he 
was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the  application  Is  by  letter, 
the  answer  will  be  sent  by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person. 
It  will  be  answered  at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an 
answer  will  be  returned  immediately  at  the  inquirer's 
expense. 

IS"  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors,  and 
others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  humanity  more 
effectually  than  by  frequently  and  widely  disseminating 
a  knowledge  of  the  above,  among  those  who  have  firiends 
In  the  army. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  unuer  special  author- 
ity of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  maintaina 
an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for  securing  the 
safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution  of,  goods  put 
in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  points 
where  they  are  most  wanted.  It  operates  with 
equal  care  and  generosity  at  all  points — at  New  Or- 
leans and  at  Washington,  before  Charleston  and  at 
Ohattanooga-^its  distributions  being  governed  by  a 
comparison  of  the  wants  of  the  patiei^  in  all  cases. 
The  following  is  a  hat  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary 
societies,  and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and 
wounded,  without  reference  to  Stat^  or  localities, 
but  simply  to  their  relative  neoesaity  for  Tasaist- 
ance,  are  invited  to  send  their  offerings: 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10  3d 
Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitaiy  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  1,307 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  48 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Ud. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  comer  Vine 
and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  96 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  O. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66  Mad- 
ison Street,  Chicago,  IU. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2  Ad- 
am's Block,  Buffalo,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59  4th 
Street,  Pittsburg,  Penn. 

Samtary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32  Lar- 
ned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Columbus, 
Ohio. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth  Street, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid  what- 
ever from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly  depend- 
ent on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  pubuo  for 
the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations.  Contribu- 
tions to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and  may  be 
transmitted  \o  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer, 
68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 


RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Bev.  F.  N.  Enapp,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.    Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  6,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Bailroad  Station. 

Nurses*  Home,  Washington,  D.  O. 

Soldier's  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broadway,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio— Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Sup't 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HL— 0.  N.  Shlpman,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky James  Malona,  Sup't 

James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.— L.  Crane,  Sup't  and 
Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio ,  Siip't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio— Joseph  Jerome,  Sup't 
and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn.— O.W. 
Christy,  Sup't  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss.— T.  Way,  Sup't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans,  La.— C.  F.  Howes,  Sup't 

AOEMOT  FOB  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washington,  D.  0 

BOSFITAI,    CABS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  Tork— SoL  Andrews, 
M.  D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Lonisvllle  and  Chattanooga— Dr.  J.  P.  Bar- 
nnm.  Surgeon  in  charge. 

eiNiTAsx  tmuxMa. 
James  Biver— Slizabeth. 


The  Sanitcury  Commission  Bvlktin. 


733 


FRED'O  S.  COZZENS, 

73  WARBEN  STREET, 

NE-W    ■SrORK, 

(Opposite  Hadsou  Biver  Railroad  Depot,) 

AND 

PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE, 

Washington,  D.  C, 

(Two  doors  from  Willard's.) 


Imported  "Wines, 
Brandies,  &c., 

OF  THE  PUREST  QUALITY, 


FOR 


Medicinal  &  Sanitary  Purposes, 

Such  as  are  extensively  need  in  tlie 

UNITED  STATES  HOSPITALS, 


AKD  BT  THE 


SAWITARV  COMMtSStO«. 


^  •■»  ^ 


ALSO, 

American  Wines, 

or  the  Highest  Grades. 


SOLE  AGENT  IN  NEW  YORK  AND  WASHINGTON  FOR 

LONGWORTH'S 

Sparkling  and  Still  Catawba  Wine, 


Adapted  to  every  Branch  of 
BTisiness. 


MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BT 

THE  ORICINAL  INVENTORS, 

EiT.FAIRBAiRSICO., 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 


♦■» 


PRINCIPAU   WAREHOUSES: 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 

No.  252  Broad-way,  New  York. 

FAIRBANKS  &  BROWN, 

No.  118  MUk  Street,  Boston. 

FAIRBANS:S,GREENLEAF&  Co., 
No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 

FAIRBANKS  &  BWING, 

Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO., 
No.  246  Baltimore  St.,  Baltimore. 


lyescripHve  Circulars  furnished  or 
mailed  to  a/wy  address,  on  amplication  to 
either-  of  the  above. 


734 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvUetin. 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


FIRE    AND    INLAND 

OOLTJMBIAN    BUILDING, 

CORNER  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


4^»^> 


Authorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000 
$200,000 


t^-»  ^  *- 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 


With  or  without  Participation  in  Profits 


\ 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household.  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


33IR.E3C:JT?Orj 

u  Ss 

• 
EDWARD  ROWE, 

EZRA  NYE, 

BENJ.  E.  BATE3, 

HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jk. 

S.  N.  DERRICK, 

GEORGE  MILN, 

FRED.  H.  BRADLEE, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

J.  C.  M0RRI3, 

EDWARD  0.  BATES, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

ROB'T  BOWNE, 

WILLIAM  MACKAY, 

B.  0.  MORRIS,  Pres't. 


WM.  M.  WHITNEY,     ec'y. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BvMin.  Y35, 

OFFICE    OF    THE 

OCoIumfektt  i^^um)  ^uwmm 

COMPANY, 

CORNER  OF  WALL  AND  NASSAU  STREETS. 


CASH  CAFITAL,  -     $1,000,000. 


From  Statement  for  tlie  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31, 1863, 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1, 1864 • .  .$3,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  16 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Reserve  for  Estimate. Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES  PAID  IN  GOLD  upon  Risks  on  which  the  Premium  is  paid  in  like  GDrrency. 

DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH,  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  aU  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORx>iI  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PEE  CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  dollars. 

DIRECTORS. 

EDWAKD  ROWE,  .  M.  F.  MERICK,  '  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B,  OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  '  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  .  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C,  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Je:, 

WM.  H.  HALSEY,  DAN'L  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BABRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  6.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  6.  LE3E,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIETIN. 

O.  L.  NIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  0.  MORRIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  2d  Vice-President  and  Secietaiy, 


736 


The  Samtary  Commission  BvUetin. 


E.  &  H;  T.  ANTHONY, 

MINUFMTIIRERS  OF  FflOTOBRlPHIl]  MiTERUlS, 
501  Broadway,  New  York. 


m 


Our  Catalogue  now  embraces  considerably  over 

FOUR    THOUSAND 

different  subjects,  (to  which  additions  are  continually  being  madej  of  Portraits  of 
Eminent  Americans,  etc.,  viz.: 


110  Major  G-enerals, 
230  Brigadier  G-enerals, 
270  Colonels, 

90  Lieut.  Colonels, 
250  Other  Officers, 

82  Officers  of  the  Navy, 


550  Statesmen, 
130  Divined, 
116  Authors, 

34  Artists, 
120  Stage, 

66  Prominent  Women. 


147  Prominent  Foreign  Portraits. 
2,500  COPIES  OF  WORKS  OF  ART, 

Inclading  reprodacti^ns  of  the  most  celebrated  Engravings,  Paintings,  Statues,  &e. 

CATALOGUES    SEJVT   OJV  RECEIPT   OF  STAMP. 
An  order  for  One  Dozen  PICTURES  from  our  Catalogue  will  be  ailed  on  receipt  of  $1.80,  and  sent  by  ln»il,.^Tee 


Of  these  we  mannfacture  a  great  variety,  ranging  in  price  from  50  cents  to  $50  each. 
Oar  ALBUMS  have  the  reputation  of  being  superior  in  beauty  and  durability  to  any  others. 
They  can  be  sent  by  mail  at  a  postage  of  one  cent  per  oz. 


We  also  keep  on  hand  a  large  assortment  of 

STEREOSCOPES  AND  STEREOSCOPIC  V/EIVS. 

Our  Catalogue  of  these  will  be  sent  to  any  address  on  receipt  of  stamp. 

E.  &  H.  T.  ANTHONY, 

Manufacturers  of  Photographic  Materials, 

501  BROADWAT,  MEW  TORK, 

Friends  or  Relatives  of  Prominent  Military  Men  will  confer  a  favor  by  sending  us  their ' 
likenesses  to  copy.    They  will  be  kept  carefully,  and  returned  uninjured. 

^-  PINE  ALBUMS  MADE  TO  ORDER  for  Congregations  to  present  to  their  Pastor 
or  for  other  purposes,  with  suitable  inscriptions,  <S;c. 

A  fine  assortment  of  Stereoscopic  Views  of  the  Battle  Fields,  &o.,  of  the  present  War. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  I. 


PHILADELPHIA,  OCTOBER  15,  1864. 


No.  24. 


TABLE  or  CONTENTS. 

The  Fniare , 737 

Dollars  and  LiveB 73S 

County  Councils.    Letter  from  a  Cbaplaiu 739 

Letter  from  New  Jersey.     Hospital  Letter 740 

An  American  Schoolboy's  Contribution.    Cheer  to  the 
Ladies ib. 

GOBBESPONDBNCE. 

Letters  from  G.  A.  Muhleeh.    Geo.  B.  Page 741 

T.  C.  Parrish 742 

J.  V.  Van  Ingen : 743 

Rev.  Mr.  Ingraham  and  Lt.-Col  Summers 746 

J  A.  Brown,  L.  Dyn,  Thos.  Butler 760 

T.  M.  Blazier 757 

J.  V.  Hammer,  George  Knowlton,  F.  A.  Adams  758 

D.  W.  Evans,  A.  G.  Muhleeh 7S9 

The  Christian  Commission "743 

Mass.  Surgeon-General  and  U.  S.  San.  Commission 744 

A  Call  from  Boston  and  N.  B.  Women's  Auxiliary 

Association 745 

In  Hospital ;,    ib. 

Report  of  the  Council  of  Relief  Societies  of  West  Chester 

and  Putnam  Counties,  N.  Y 747 

Hospital  Directory  Incident. 748 

,  "  Suffer  Most — Love  Most."   "Voices  from  tbe  Conntry .  749 
Good  News  from  Atlanta,  Ga.    Claim  Agency  in  West. 

Young  Veteran  Heroes.    Onr  Soldiers 752 

Rev.  Israel  Williams.    In  Memoriam 752 

"  The  Record  of  Day. " 7S4 

What  They  Say  in  England 756 

Wants.     Shipments      Financial  Report 760 

Issues  from  Pljiladelphia 762,  763 

The  Sanitaet  Commission  Bulletin  is  pub- 
lished on  the  first  emd  fifteenth  of  mery  month,  and 
as  it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above 
14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium 
for  advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor, 
at  the  office,  130T  Chestnut  street,  -Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of 
the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bul- 
letin is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and 
on  the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommission — 
the  Standing  Qmnmittee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  re- 
luctance to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby 
to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite 
period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of 
their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  giiee 
notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  tfic.  T.  Steong,  68  Wall  street.  New 
York,  or  No  130'7  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,') 
will  secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during 
the  remainder  dfthe  current  year,  unless  its  publica- 
tion be  sooner  discontinued. 

Vol.  I.  No.  24  47 


THE  FTTTUKE. 
Hitherto  the  Bulletin  has  been  issued 
from  New  York,  and  as  it  has  gone  out 
through  the  several  "Branches"  to  the  re- 
moter constituencies  of»the  Commission,  has 
done  a  good  work. 

Hereafter  it  will  be  distributed  from  the 
office  of  the  "  Canvassing  and  Supply  De- 
partment" in  Philadelphia,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  a  work  no  less  useful,  will  be  accom- 
plished by  it  in  the  future.  The  Standing 
Committee  has  decided  to  associate  it  more 
intimately  with  the  department  for  canvass- 
ing and  Supplies,  as  a  natural  and.needfuli 
adjunct  to  the  great  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion among  the  people  at  home. 

It  may  be  well  enough  to  inquire  hercj. 
what  this  home-work  is,  and  what  responsi- 
bilities it  involves  ? 

.  Our  duty  to  the  soldier  in  the  field,  can- 
not be  accomplished,  without  the  co-ordinate 
efforts  of  the  people,  and  that  these  efforts 
may  be  made  to  harmonize  more  efficiently 
with  the  established  machinery  of  the  Grov- 
ernment,  and  with  the  Sanitary  Commission 
as  a  civil  arm  of  the  Government,  we  propose 
that  the  thorough  and  systematic  co-opera- 
tion which  has  done  so  much  in  the  past, 
be  re-animated  and  strengthened  afresh,  for 
the  few  remaining  months  of  the  conflict. 

The  Commission  is  a  representative  agent, 
standing  between  the  people  and  the  army; 
its  proper  function  being  to  administer  good 
to  the  soldier /rom  his  home,  and  in  so  far, 
as  may  be,  from  the  soldier  to  his  home. 

To  aid  it  in  this  geinerous  service,  tha 


738 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


land  is  filled  with  relief  associations  under 
a  variety  of  names,  whieh  co-operate  with 
the  central  "Branches"  in  the  several 
States,  collecting  among  themselves,  and 
distributing,  through  the  field-agents  of  the 
Commission,  whatever  maybe  gathered  from 
the  thousands  of  tributaries,  that  are  insti- 
tuted and  fostered  by  the  benevolence  and 
patriotism  of  the  people. 

ASSOCIATE   MEMBERS. 

We  have  a  little  army  of  associate  mem- 
bers— men — men  of  intelligence  and  power, 
each  one  of  whom  should  consider  himself 
a  centre  of  information,  and  of  financial  in- 
terest in  behalf  of  the  soldiers,  and  should 
feel  the  responsibility  of  his  position.  It  is 
designed  that  the  Bulletin  shall  go  to 
each  one  of  these  gentlemen  every  fortnight, 
and  ask  him  the  question,  Are  you  doing 
your  dufy  ? 

The  responsibility  that  attaches  to  such 
members  of  the  Commission,  when  it  is 
realized,  will  stimulate  to  energy  ^nd  suc- 
cessful effort. 

ladies'  aid  societies. 
We  have  a  still  a  larger  army  of  associ- 
ates, who  are  women — women  of  intelli- 
gence and  power,  of  whom  it  may  be  said, 
that  none  ever  before  did  so  much  for  their 
country,  as  have  the  women  of  America 
done  for  this  country ;  and  though  the  his- 
tory of  time  may  not  write  what  they  have 
done,  and  are  continuing  to  do,  they  will 
have  within  themselves  the  compensating 
reflection,  that  their  record  is  on  high.  The 
Bulletin  will  visit  them  every  fortnight  to 
cheer  them  in  their  labors — to  tell  them 
what  is  being  done  with  their  contribu- 
tions— to  invite  them  to  perseverance,  faith, 
and  hope,  and  to  ask  them  to  report  through 
.  its  columns  what  they  may,  of  good  in  the 
cause. 

OHUECHES. 

We  have  an  army  of  churches,  through 
which  much  good  has  been  accomplished  in 
this  behalf.   The  Bulletin  will  go  to  them  by 


their  pastors,  to  thank  them  for  what  they 
are  doingfor  the  soldier;  to  thank  them  for 
sending  so  many  good  and  true  men  to  work 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission,  for  tie 
afflicted  in  hospitals,  and  the  needy  in 
trenches. 

The  history  of  the  Commission,  in  all 
departments  of  the  army,  demonstrates  the 
efficiency  of  scores  of  Christian  students 
and  ministers,  as  well  as  of  devoted,  reli- 
gious laymen,  who  have,  without  ostenta- 
tion and  display,  been  doing  a  noble  Chris- 
tian service,  the  depth  and  purity  of  which 
can  only  be  known  to  thousands  of  recipi- 
ents. Continue  in  well-doing,  will  be  the 
admonition  of  pastors,  and  good  heed  will 
be  given  to  it  by  a  liberal  people. 

Letus  all  shake  hands — societies,  churches, 
people,  and  agree  to  do  our  share  to  make 
the  last  winter  of  the  war,  the  richest  win- 
ter in  good  gifts  to  the  soldiers,  the  noblest 
winter  in  good  deeds  by  ourselves,  the  most 
glorious  winter  in  the  evidence  of  concen- 
tration and  unity,  power  and  victory. 


DOLLARS  AND  LIVES. 

In  a  recent  letter  from  a  friend  of  the 
soldier,  in  front  of  Petersburg,  who  asks  for 
help,  the  following  sentiment  is  expressed  : 

"  I  hope  I  shall  never  set  dollars  against 
lives." 

Some  people  complain  of  taxation,  high 
prices,  and  scarcity  of  labor,  and  thus  ex- 
cuse themselves  for  not  doing  what  they 
are  prompted  to  do  for  the  army  by  their 
better  natures.  They  set  dollars  against 
lives.  They  might  retrench  in  their  personal 
expenses — they  might  avoid  at  least  one 
half  their  luxurious  pleasures;  give  up  their 
follies,  and  become  wise  enough,  not  to  count 
dollars  worth  anything,  except  so  far  as 
they  contribute  to  beijefit  the  race. 

False  views  of  economy  lead  many  into 
practices  which  tend  to  poverty;  while  a 
liberal  and  generous  expenditure  for  good, 
multiplies  the  good  to  the  giver,  which  it 
bestows  upon  them  that  need. 


l!he  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


739 


"  Tbere  is  that  soattereth  and  yet  inoreaeethj 
And  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but 
it  tendeth  to  poverty." 

Let  our  friends  throughout  the  country 
remember  this  lesson.  They  will  be  invited 
to  continue  their  contributions  as  long  as 
the  war  shall  continue.  The  more  they 
give,  the  more  lives  will  be  saved ;  the  more 
men  are  saved,  the  sooner  the  war  will  end. 
When  you  are  asked  for  dollars,  or  for  what 
dollars  represent  in  material,  think  of  lives 
to  be  saved ;  if  not  saved — ^prolonged,  if  not 
prolonged — comforted.  ^ScoKer  your  dollars, 
and  reap  the  increase.  Withhold  them  not, 
that  you  may  not  be  poor.  If  the  Grovern- 
ment  is  swept  away,  ypur  dollars  will  all  go 
too.  If  we  save  the  Grovernment  by  saving 
men  to  defend  it,  we  keep  our  wealth,  our 
honor  and  peace.  Let  us  continue  to  clothe 
and  comfort  the  sick  and  wounded  with  a 
generous  hand,  that  in  so  doing,  we  may  sus- 
tain the  nation  and  ourselves. 


TO  THE  LADIES. 

County  Councils. — It  is  respectfully 
suggested  to  the  Associate  Managers  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  in  the 
several  local  organizations  throughout  the 
States,  to  call  councils  of  their  co-laborers 
in  each  county  where  there  is  a  Society,  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  their  work,  and 
the  best  means  of  securing  permanent  efl5- 
ciency. 

These  are  times  when  men  are  meet- 
ing together  in  convention,  to  consider 
plans  for  serving  the  country  and  perpetu- 
ating the  Government,  and  why  not  women 
add  the  influence  of  their  joint  council  in 
behalf  of  the  same  cause,  by  pledging  them- 
selves anew  to  the  soldier,  who  claims  at 
their  hands  a  support  which  he  can  receive 
from  no  other  source. 

The  moral  power  of  the  Ladies's  Aid 
Societies  throughout  the  country,  is  but  too 
little  estimated.  Their  value  as  a  means  of 
increasing  true  patriotism,  of  harmonizing 
discordant  sentiments,  and  of  promoting 
unity  and  concord  at  home,  is  not  suflB- 


ciently  appreciated.  The  more  frequently 
they  meet,  the  more  extensive  their  social 
intercourse,  and  the  more  fruitful  their 
labors, — the  more  good  will  be  done,  not 
only  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  biit  to  the 
cause  of  unity  and  liberty  througtout  the 
land.  Already  West  Chester  county  in 
New  York,  and  Susquehanna  county  in 
Pennsylvania,  have  moved  in  this  direction, 
and  we  hope  to  see  every  county  in  all  the 
loyal  States,  where  societies  exist,  following 
in  the  same  line  of  efibrt. 

Call  councils  everywhere.  Ask  the  co- 
operation of  all  Associate  Members.  Invite 
those  who  are  not  members  to  join  with 
you.  Bring  together  men,  women  and 
children,  without  respect  to  name  or  rank. 
Make  offerings,  great  and  small,  not  for 
veterans  only,  but  for  the  new  army  of  five 
hundred  thousand  men  who  have  gone  into 
the  field,  to  endure  hardships  and  expo- 
sures, to  which  they  have  been  strangers 
hitherto. 

A  new  army,  and  a  new  campaign,  de- 
mand a  re-organization  at  home,  a  fresh 
call  for  volunteers,  and  another  drttft  upon 
the  exhaustless  patriotism  and  benevolence 
of  our  people. 

Let  it  be  made  without  delay. 


LETTER  ESOM  A  CHAFLAIIT. 

The  following  is  so.  extract  of  a  letter 
from  a  Chaplain  of  the  army,  written  while 
in  hospital,  where  he  is  confined  by  illness : 

Permit  me  also,  through  you,  to  thank 
the  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  many  favors 
received  by  me,  both  here  and  at  Washing- 
ton, while  sick  and  needy.  Had  not  this 
,and  kindred  agencies,  ministered  to  my  ne- 
cessities, the  Lord  only  knows  what  I  should 
have  done. 

I  have  not  had  an  extensive  acquaintance 
with  this  institution,  but  from  what  I  have 
seen  and  experienced  of  its  operations  here, 
at  Washington,  and  at  White  House  Land- 
ing, Va.,  I  Jcnow  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission is  doing  a  great,  and  good,  and 
noble  work,  and  a  work  indispensihle  in  the 
existing  condition  of  our  country.  There 
is  and  must  be,  after  all  that  is  done  to  re- 


740 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


lieve  it,  an  immense  amount  of  suffering ; 
but  ot !  who  can  tell  how  much  more  there 
must  have  been  but  for  this  and  other  be- 
nevolent agencies  through  which  the  friends 
of  our  country,  of  Grod,  and  of  humanity, 
are  seeking  to  save  life,  relieve  suffering, 
and  bless  our  brave  soldiers  of  the  Army 
and  sailors  of  the  Navy..  God  bless  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  may  its  useful- 
ness and  its  means  of  usefulness  continue 
and  increase,  so  long  as  this  "  cruel  war" 
shall  last,  and  until  the  thousands  of  suffer- 
ing soldiers  and  sailors  shall  need  it  no 
longer. 


LETTER  FBOM  N£W  JEBSET, 

This  week  I- have  been  in  two  churches, 
in  one  of  which,  they  raised  seventy-five 
dollars  to  be  expended  for  flannels  to  make 
up  into  garments  for  the  soldier.  The 
ladies  appear  ready  to  go  to  work  in  good 
earnest.  We  have  good  congregations,  and 
all  appear  resolved  to  aid  in  relieving  the 
sick  and  wounded.  One  large  gathering  at 
a  Sunday-school  pic-nio,  did  a  noble  thing. 
There  were  eight  or  nine  schools  represented 
of  different  denominations,  making  an  au- 
dience of  about  one  thousand  people.  The 
parents  and  children  of  the  whole  surround- 
ing country  seemed  to  be  on  hand.  The 
superintendents  and  officers,  and  teachers  of 
each  school,  were  organized  into  executive 
committees  to  take  charge  of  the  work  in 
their  respective  localities.  We  had  a  very 
interesting  time.  *  *  *  In  another 
place,  the  people  seemed  prejudiced  against 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  but  after  present- 
ing our  cause,  they  resolved  to  get  up  a  fair 
and  festival,  the  avails  of  which  have 
amounted  to  five  hundred  dollars,  and  will 
be  equally  divided  between  the  Sanitary 
and  Christian  Commissions. 


AN   AMERICAN    SCHOOL-BOY. 

A  contributiou  of  five  dollars  to  tlie  Treasury 
of  the  TT.  S,  Sanitary  Commission,  has  lecentlj' 
been  received  from  James  B.  Meier,  an  American 
School-boy  in  Busseldorf,  Russia,  through  the 
President  of  the  United  States. 


GHEEB  TO  THE  LADIES. 

(From  a  clergyman  of  this  city,  who  has 
been  several  weeks  visiting  the.  hospitals  in 
front  of  Atlanta  and  along  Sherman's  whole 
line  from  Louisville  southward,  we  have 
these  words  of  cheer.) 


*  *  *  *  "I  have  now  followed  and  care- 
fully watched  your  supplies  for  .the  sick  and 
yrounded,  from  the  time  they  leave  your 
hands  until  they  reach  their  destination. 
Prom  close  personal  observation,  I  know 
their  history  in  every  particular,  and  I  hope 
that  I  may  be  spared  to  return  and  report  it. 

"You  need  no  exhortation,  dear  ladies, 
to  perseverance  in  your  blessed  work.  The 
Lord  records  it  all,  in  his  book  of  remem- 
brance; and  you  will  see,  one  day,  how  far 
you  have  been  from  over-estimating  its 
practical  benevolence.  You  are  doing  some- 
thing, with  God's  blessing,  to  redeem  war, 
even  a  necessary  war,  from  utter  barbar- 
ism."^—  Cleveland  Branch  San.  Com. 


HOSPITAL  LETTEB. 
The  following  letter  has  been  received  at 
this  office,  and  although  it  is  but  a  repeti- 
tion of  testimony  that  is  daily  given,  coming 
as  it  does  from  a  hospital  steward,  who  has 
peculiar  opportunities  for  knowing  what  the 
soldiers  get,  it  merits  peculiar  attention. 

Having  just  been  discharged  from  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  where  I  have 
served  for  a  period  of  three  years  and  five 
months,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  make  known 
the  great  benefit  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has  been  to  the  army.  It  has  to  my  own 
knowledge  been  the  means  of  saving  hun- 
dred of  lives,  by  timely  arrival  of  supplies 
for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

I  would  particularly  mention  the  first 
battle  of  Fredericksburg,  fought  in  Decem- 
ber, 1862,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  and 
many  others  too  numerous  to  mention. 
During  General  Grant's  campaign  in  Vir- 
ginia, the  labors  of  this  institution  were  un- 
ceasing, and  with  the  necessary  supplies 
furnished,  when  sorely  needed,  saved  many 
lives.  The  Commission  has  also  provided 
fresh  vegetables  for  the  army,  which  have 
done  much  during  the  past  summer  in  pre- 
venting sickness.  I  would  assure  the  Com- 
mission that  the  soldiers  appreciate  all  that 
has  been  done.  It  would  be  out  of  my 
power  to  particularize  all  the  many  acts  of 
kindness  which  the  Commission  has  ren- 
dered to  the  soldiers  in  the  field. 


THE  COMMISSION  IN  TEE  VALLEY. 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  indi- 
cate the  care  with  which  the  interests  of 


The  Semitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


741 


the  wounded  in  battle  are  guarded,  by  an- 
ticipating as  far  as  possible  their  need. 
Dr.  Jenkins,  the  General  Secretary,  and  Mr. 
F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary  for  the 
East,  with  agents,  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  such  scenes,  and  others  who  are 
volunteers,  are  also  present  with  ministra- 
tions of  mercy  to  the  brave  men  under  the 
brave  General  Sheridan : 

From  G.  A.  Mtjhleoh. 

Hakper's  Feret,  1 
September  28,  1864:.      / 

Our  work  in  Winchester  is  fairly  begun. 
The  pressure  on  Sanitary  Commission  is 
truly  immense.  The  Union  Ladies'  Asso- 
ciation has  commenced  its  noble  task ;  the 
town  has  been  divided  in  seven  districts, 
and  those  ladies  have  selected  their  Presi- 
dent for  each  ward.  They  alone  draw  from 
the  Commission,  and  have  commenced  to 
do  so  yesterday.  Miss  Harris  has  been  as- 
signed to  the  Sheridan  General  Field  Hos- 
pital (outside  of  the  town) ;  two  fine  large 
sents  have  been  put  at  her  disposal.  I  have 
sent  her  a  small  stock  of  such  articles  as 
the  will  mostly ,  need  in  her  extra  diet 
kitchen.  The  surgeon  in  charge  is  pro- 
foundly thankful  for  her  timely  assistance. 
The  intention  of  establishing  a  depot  of 
supplies  at  Strasburg,  for  the  convenience 
of  our  Field  Agents,  had  to  be  given  up. 
Mr.  Smith  is  in  charge  of  the  storehouse, 
assisted  by  Col.  Fach,  who  will  relieve  Mr. 
Blazi^r  in  the  field.  Messrs.  Adams  and 
Marsh  are  regular  hospital  visitors.  Mr. 
Burdell,  on  a  special  and  most  pressing  ap- 
plication of  the  Medical  Director,  has  been 
appointed  a  temporary  clerk  to  the  vast 
Sheridan  Hospital,  where  everything  is  yet 
in  utter  confusion. 

Martinsbuhg,  Va.,     I 
Sept.  29,  1864.  / 

Two  heavy  car  loads  of  stores  were  for- 
warded by  me  to  this  point  yesterday. 
****** 

AVe  worked  till  late  this  night,  unloading 
one  of  Adams'  Express  cars,  and  loading 
our  own  six  wagons.  As  to  forage,  very 
little  has  come  up  yet,  and  with  much  diffi- 
culty I  succeeded  in  drawing  for  12  horses 
and  3  days.  Captain  May,  Post  Quarter- 
master, in  this,  showed  me  much  kindness. 

s}i  yf.-  "K  "P  T*  "K 

A  train  for  Winchester  will  leave  Mar- 


tinsburg  to-morrow.  I  will  try  and  have 
our  train  ready  to  start  with  it.  Mr.  Ban- 
nister informed  me  by  telegraph  that  three 
more  agents  had  reached  the  Ferry.  I  tele- 
graphed back  to  have  them  sent  up  here 
with  the  first  freight  train.  I  expect  them 
every  moment.  One  of  the  gentlemen  will 
be  temporarily  assigned  by  me  to  remain 
and  take  charge  of  this  post  until  I  can 
make  the  selection.  The  building  I  have 
in  use  requires  some  repairs,  and  locks  and 
keys.  I  shall  leave  sufficient  funds  in  the 
hands  of  the  agent  for  this  purpose.  Thus, 
if  nothing  happens,  I  shall  reach  Winchester 
to-morrow  night.  Our  stores  will  hold  out 
till  then,  and  the  goods  I  bring  up  consti- 
tute a  large  and  well  selected  stock. 


the  commissioir  vs  nobth  cabolina. 

From  George  B.  Page. 

Newbern,  N.  C.»Department,  "I 
September  IQth,  1864.      / 

*  *  *  During  the  week  I  have  re- 
ceived and  stored  a  choice  and  timely  in- 
voice of  stores  shipped  by  Mr.  Collins  from 
New  York. 

Within  this  week  we  have  issued  thirty- 
eight  requisitions,  twelve  to  regular  and  gene- 
ral hospitals,  one  to  naval  hospitals,  four  to 
families  and  orphans  of  N.  C.  Union  Vol- 
unteers, besides  the  disposition  of  an  amount 
of  green  vegetables  still  furnished  by  the 
garden,  consisting  for  the  week  of  10  bush- 
els of  tomatoes,  14  bushels  potatoes,  12 
melons,  6  bushels  of  beets,  IJ  bushel  gher- 
kins, i  bushel  of  green  peas,  |  bushel  okra, 
and  5,180  pounds  marrowfat  and  Hubbard 
squash.  The  peas  are  the  first  fruit  of  a 
second  crop  from  the  same  ground  as  the 
first,  and  matured  for  the  table  in  forty-one 
days  from  the  planting.  The  squash  is  not 
all  issued,  it  seems  a  favorite  vegetable  on 
the  fleet. 

Mr.  F.  A.  S.  Perry,  Belief  Agent,  arrived 
on  the  8th,  in  good  time  for  service  on  the 
new  stores.  There  is  an  occasional  demon- 
\  stration  of  the  enemy  on  our  lines,  but 
nothing  serious.  Befugees  are  coming  into 
our  lines  in  large  numbers ;  some  of  them 
say  they  have  been  "  in  the  bush"  since 
'61,  but  are  now  hunted  out  by  the  severity 
of  the  reber  conscription.  Some  of  them, 
have  made  their  way  in  from  Wake  and 
Chatham  counties,  andfram  beyond  Raleigh. 
It  is  perhaps  better  to  receive  them  thus, 
than  to  capture  them  after  their  willing 


742 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ballets  have  thinned  our  patriot  ranks  around 
Petersburg  and  Richmond. 

The  predictions  of  an  unhealthy  fall,  seem 
to  be  realized.  Some  very  malignant  cases 
of  bilious  fever  have  occurred,  mostly  among 
.refligees  and  poor  natives  in  unfavorable 
locations  in  town. 

I  have  the  pleasure  df  enclosing  a  con- 
tribution from  the  gallant  Captain  Graham, 
of  our  North  Carolina  Rangers'  Troop.  The 
second  contribution  from  the  same  magnan- 
imous source. 


KOTES  FBOM  CITY  POINT— T.  C.  PAEEISH. 
A  FORGEET. 

My  travelling  companion,  a  gentleman 
of  considerable  prominence  in  the  Com- 
mission, met  with  a  lady  in  the  greatest 
distress  on  account  of  a  letter  she  had  re- 
ceived from  a  friend  of  her  husband,  inform- 
ing her  that  he  was  very  iU,  and  not  ex- 
pected to  live.  She  had  come  all  the  way 
from  Indiana,  an3  here  she  was  at  City 
Point,  among  strangers,  not  knowing  how 
to  act,  and  in  the  greatest  tribulation. 
What  was  she  to  do  ?  Heaven  only  knows 
what  she  would  have  done,  had  not  the 
Sanitary  Commission  found  her;  she  was  a 
stranger,  and  we  took  her  in,  gave  her  a 
tent  to  herself,  and  fed  her  with  the  besi  at 
our  command.  We  hunted  the  hospital 
through  to  find  her  husband,  and  were  just 
about  taking  stef(s  to  seek  him  at  the  front, 
when  she  met  with  an  old  acquaintance, 
who  told  her  that  her  husband  was  well ; 
and  on  the  next  day  we  had  the  husband 
all  safe  and  sound  with  his  wife,  and  found 
that  the  letter  was  a  forgery. 

ARRANGEMENT  OF  HOSPITALS. 

The  general  hospital  here  is  divided  into 
corps  hospitals,  each  having  its  own  dis- 
tinct officers.  The  corps  hospitals  are  again 
sub-divided  into  wards,  and  the  wards  again 
into  tents,  each  tent  holding  about  twenty 
patients. 

The  Commission  has  a  general  storehouse 
in  the  shape  of  a  barge,  at  City  Point,  and 
this  storehouse  is  divided  as  the  general 
hospital  is,  into  corps  storehouses,  then 
again  the  stores  are  distributed  through  the 
different  wards,  by  relief  agents ;  and  thus 
the  supplies  go  from  the  loyal  people  of  the 
North  through  these  various  avenues  to  the 
loyal  soldiers  of  our  Army.  Then  again, 
there  are  individual  cases  in  hospital  whom 
the  light  diet — light,  in  distinction  from 
the  heavy  diet,  or  regular  rations  distributed 


to  well  men,  does  not  agree  with.  '  For  these 
men  the  Commission  has  established  a 
"  Special  Diet  Kitchen,"  and  from  this  all 
the  delicacies  at  our  command  are  carefully 
prepared  and  given  out. 

INCIDENTS. 

I  have  lately  been  acting  as  a  relief 
agent,  and  in  the  course  of  my  rounds  met 
with  a  great  many  interesting  items.  A 
good  many  of  my  colored  men  were  in  that 
desperate  charge  at  Petersburg,  in  which  so 
many  a  noble  soldier,  (colored  though  he 
was,)  fell,  struggling  for  the  future  of  his 
race.  They  tell  some  wonderful  stories 
about  it,  and  it  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
fiercest  charges  of  the  war.  One  old  grey- 
headed man,  said,  "  Massa,  when  I  went  in 
dar,  I  jes  had  these  thoughts,  tinks  I,  I 
mus  kill  dem  Jonnys ;  I  mus  die,  and  I 
mus  go  to  de  heben."  If  prayers  can  avail 
anything,  the  friends  of  the  Union  may  feel 
sure  of  its  safety.  One  of  the  boys  here 
told  me  the  other  day,  "  dat  if  praying  to  de 
good  Lord  were  any  help,  Massa  Lincum 
would  hab  a  heap  on  it." 

TREATMENT  OF  REBELS. 

We  receive  the  Rebs  and  all,  just  as  they 
come,  believing  that  the  golden  rule  "  Do 
unto  others  as  you  would  have  them  to  do 
unto  you,"  does  more  towards  winning  back 
such  men  than  all  the  cruelties  to  which  our 
brave  soldiers  are  subjected  by  the  Southern 
chivalry. 


LETTES  FBOM  CITY  POUTT. 

City  Point,  Va.,  1 

September  25,  1864./ 

My  mess  here  is  with  experienced  sur- 
geons of  far  more  than  ordinary  character 
and  professional  ability,  and  conversation 
turns  every  day  upon  important  matters 
touching  their  professional  experience  in 
the  army;  which,  very  often  too,  have  direct 
or  indirect  reference  to  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  in  which  my  own  in- 
terest is  unabated.  Though  I  hold  no  official 
relation  with  you,  I  cannot  forbear  recording 
and  sending  to  you  a  fact,  and  an  inquiry. 

1.  In  a  hospital,  averaging  over  500  pa- 
tients for  months  past,  there  has  been  this 
season  seen  no  case  of  scurvy;  and  very 
little,  if  anything,  of  scorbutic  tendency 
and  predisposition. 

In  the  autumn  of  1862,  in  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley,  the  same  surgeons  found,  at 
one  time,  thirty  men  in  a  single  regiment, 
suffering  from  well  marked  symptoms  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


743 


scurvy,  and  in  five  of  them  the  disease  fully 
developed ;  while  in  most  of  the  numerous 
cases  of  sickness,  the  power  pf  resistance  to 
disease  had  been  awakened  and  the  con- 
trolling and  restoring  power  of  medicines 
greatly  impaired  by  the  scorbutic  condition 
of  the  men  generally.  The  men,  they  say, 
do  not  succumb  to  disease  this  year,  as  in 
other  years,  and  they  rally  and  recover 
more  readily  under  proper  medical  treat- 
ment, and  this  after  one  of  our  hardest 
campaigns.  I  record  only  the  spontaneous 
testimony  of  my  medical  friends  here,  when 
I  tell  you  that  they  attribute  much  of  this 
result  to  the  large  and  constant  supply  of 
varied  vegetable  food  supplied  in  the  year 
past,  both  by  the  Government  and  the  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

2.  Per  contra.  The  testimony  of  all  ob- 
servers here,  as  well  as  at  the  South  and 
Southwest,  is,  that  the  mortality  among  the 
colored  troops  is,  relatively  to  that  among 
white  soldiers  (where  both  have  the  same 
shelter  and  equal  medical  attendance)  alarm- 
ingly in  excess. 

These  gentlemen,  after  making  all  proper 
(and  very  great  allowance)  for  the  morbid 
depression  which  always  succeeds  in  the 
uneducated  negro  to  the  loss  or  suspension 
of  physical  health  and  enjoyment,  yet  sug- 
gest the  inquiry — whether  the  same  pains 
have  been  taken  and  the  same  success  ob- 
tained, in  supplying  the  prophylactic  diet 
referred  to  above,  to  the  colored  as  to  the 
white  men  ? 

I  am  very  authentically  informed,  too, 
to-day,  on  the  testimony  of  a  Virginian, 
long  familiar  with  the  region  along  the 
James  and  Appamatox,  that  the  peculiar 
malaria  of  these  farms  has  been  provei'bially 
fatal  to  black  men.  These  hints  suggest 
inquiries  which  all  of  us  may  further  prose- 
cute.    I  will  do  my  part. 

J.  V.  Van  Ingen. 

The  greater  mortality  of  colored  troops, 
under  similar  circumstances  of  diet  and  ex- 
posure with  white  troops,  is  an  interesting 
inquiry  for  physiologists  and  philanthro- 
pists. It  is  well  known  that  the  per  cent- 
age  of  death  among  negroes  in  penitential 
ries  is  in  excess  of  white  prisoners,  with  the 
same  treatment. 

We  doubt  very  much  if  the  difference  in 
the  army  is  accounted  for  by  any  lack  of 
care  of  negro  troops. 


THE  CHBISTIAH  COHHISSIOIT. 

The  inquiry  "is  sometimes  made,  "  Why 
need  there  be  two  Commissions  to  do  the 
same  work  ?"  This  is  a  reasonable  inquiry, 
demanding  a  fair  consideration  and  a  just 
answer.  Coincident  with  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission was  organized,'  embracing  in  its 
various  branches  men  and  women  of  all 
political  and  religious  creeds,  of  all  profes- 
sions and  occupations  in  business,  and  as- 
suming a  broad,  national,  catholic  character, 
went  forth  to  its  noble  service.  It  had  to 
do  with  an  American  army,  collected  from 
all  parts  of  the  loyal  North,  and  represent- 
ing every  branch  of  industry,  every  phase 
of  social  life,  and  all  forms  of  religious 
faith.  It  grew  up,  on  this  mixed  idea,  and 
has  spread  its  influence  into  almost  every 
family,  asking  the  people  to  feel  and  to 
give,  and  to  labor  for  the  soldiers,  as  it  is 
our  privilege  to  labor  for  brothers  standing 
between  our  hearthstones  and  fields  of  blood, 
to  defend  the  institutions  of  civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty,  which  have  been  the  boast  of 
our  government  from  its  natal  day  until 
now.  In  our  brother  soldiers  it  recognized 
human  frailty  that  needed  support,  moral 
weakness  that  needed  succor,  spiritual  life 
that  needed  quickening,  and  physical  suf- 
fering that  claimed  our  most  earnest  sym- 
pathy and  faithful  care ;  and,  so  far  as  the 
people  have  famished  means,  the  extended 
agencies  of  the  Commission  have  employed 
them  for  the  entire  good  of  the  army  and 
navy.  It  has  never  made  the  teaching  of 
religious  doctrines,  as  such,  a  part  of  its 
system,  because  it  is  not  a  church  organ- 
ization, but  it  has  made  the  practical  illus- 
tration of  Christian  faith  by  Christian  works 
its  crowning  glory.  A  soldier  who  is  sick  in 
hospital  receives  the  ministration  of  kindness 
from  a  visitor  who  soothes  his  pains,  calms 
his  fears,  writes  to  his  home,  supplies  his 
present  wants,  and  points  him  to  future 
good,  as  the  ministrations  of  Christian  svm- 
pathy  and  fraternal  interest.  He  need  not 
be  told  that  a  Christian  hand  grasps  his 


744 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


own,  or  that  the  voice  that  speaks  to  him 
words  of  cheer,  is  a  Christian's  voice.  He 
realizes  in  himself,  and /or  himself,  the  in- 
fluence and  inspiration  of  kindness,  whether 
it  be  in  a  touch,  a  look,  a  word,  or  the  sim- 
plest effort  to  relieve.  And  so,  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  as  it  has  distributed  food, 
clothing,  and  literature — by  the  ton  and 
cargo — to  the  army  and  navy,  for  more 
than  three  years  past,  has  not  failed  to 
make  a  record  rich  in  Christian  effort  and 
fruit,  unknown  in  other  lands  or  in  other 
periods  of  the  world,  and  unequalled  in  this. 
Wh^,  then,  should  there  he  two  Commissions  ? 

There  need  not  be.  There  should  not 
be.  The  cause  of  unity  and  fraternity 
would  be  benefitted  it  seems  to  us,'  by  one 
grand,  unbroken,  and  indivisible  congress 
of  men,  women  and  children,  all  joined 
heart  to  heart,  and  hand  to  hand,  in  sus- 
taining, by  their  example  in  benevolent 
effort,  the  common  principle  of  union,  for 
which  our  armies  are  battling. 

But  we  are  glad  to  chronicle  the  fact  in- 
dicated by  the  little  circular  which  is  ap- 
pended. It  is  a  move  in  the  right  direction. 
We  are  glad  to  see  that  our  friends  of  the 
Christian  Commission  are  beginning  to  realize 
the  wisdom  and  economy  of  a  union  arrange- 
ment. Besides  being  the  cheapest  and 
most  efficient  plan,  it  promotes  concord  and 
good  fellowship.  Let  the  example  of  the 
Brooklyn  and  Long  Island  Christian  Com- 
mission be  followed  by  others. 

The  following  certificate  is  given  to  the 
delegates  of  Brooklyn  and  Long  Island 
Christian  Commission,  and  on  another  page 
of  the  same  sheet,  the  order  of  the  General 
Secretary  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  ap- 
pears : 

TO    ANY   AGENT    OF    THE   UNITED    STATES 
•  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

Please   honor  the   within   if   presented 

by 

Delegate  holding  Commission  No. 


U.  S.  SAJSriTARY  COMMISSION, 

823  Broadway, 
New  York,  Sept.  14,  1864. 
To  the  Agents  of  this  Commission:  The 
President  of  the  Brooklyn  and  Long  Island 
Christian  Commission  is  fully  authorized  to 
draw  on  you  in  favor  of  the  Delegate  named 
on  the  opposite  page,  for  such  Stores  and 
Supplies  as  he  may  require  to  dristribute 
to  the  Soldiers  for  whom  he  ministers,  sub- 
ject to  your  rules  of  supply  as  to  quantity. 
Tou  will  honor  his  drafts,  taking  his  ac- 
knowledgement for  the  articles  supplied. 


General  Secretcmy. 


President  Brooklyn  and  Long  Island  Christian  Commission, 
Srooklyn,  186 


UASS.   STTBGE0N-6ENEB&L  KSM  THE  U.  S. 
SANITARY  COIOCISSIOir. 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  report  made 
to  "Wm.  F.  Dale,  M.D.,  Surgeon-General  of 
Massachusetts,  by  Geo.  H.  Gay,  M.D.,  Chair- 
man of  a  committee  of  surgeons  sent  to 
Washington  to  inquire  into  the  condition 
and  wants  of  Massachusetts  troops  in  hos- 
pital there. 

What  I  saw  of  the  practical  working  of 
this  association  at  Washington  and  its 
neighborhood,  demands  that  a  few  words 
should  be  said  in  relation  to  it. 

The  operations  of  its  different  depart- 
ments are  on  an  immense  scale.  The  officers, 
executive  and  others,  seem  to  have  fully 
comprehended  the  magnitude  of  the  field 
for  the  labor.  Systematized,  disciplined  and 
with  a  head,  their  movements  proceed  as 
with  a  knowledge  of  what  is  to  be  done, 
and  of  the  material  to  do  it  with. 

The  amount  of  actual  benefit  and  comfort 
to  the  wounded  soldier,  to  the  sick  soldier, 
and  to  the  destitute  soldier,  since  the  war 
commenced,  would,  if  known,  be  truly 
enormous,  and  a  thing  unheard  of  in  all 
previous  wars.  It  was  not  an  unusual  thing 
to  see  surgeons,  chaplains,  and  others,  make 
application  for  the  relief  of  whole  regiments, 
companies,  and  individuals  ;  and  on  making 
the  requisition  over  to  Mr.  Knapp,  he 
would  immediately  issue  the  various  articles, 
aild  in  frequent  instances  would  transport 
them  in  their  own  wagons.  By  application 
of  proper  persons,  at  proper  places,  nearly 
all  wants  could  be  supplied.  What  they 
have,  they  give  freely  ;  what  they  have  not, 
they  will  try  to  get. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


745 


The  degree  of  suffering  to  our  soldiers,  if 
this  Association  were  (?)  contracted  in  its 
means,  and  limited  in  its  facilities,  would  be 
wTioUy  incalculable. 

Willingly  are  its  benefits  bestowed  upon 
all.  The  States,  one  and  all,  are  therefore 
interested  in  its  active  continuance.  Con- 
tributions constantly  and  freely  will  be 
needed,  in  money,  and  whatever  may  alle- 
viate the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life, 
whether  on  the  battle-field,  in  camp,  or  in 
hospital. 

There  was  no  way  for  me  to  get,  without 
delay,  transportation  for  the  articles  needed 
by  the  First  Massachusetts  Kegiment.  On 
talking  with  Mr.  Knapp,  he  promptly  and 
without  hesitation  sent  them  in  two  of  their 
own  wagons. 

Is  was  a  gratification  to  Drs.  Bucking- 
ham, Thaxter,  and  myself,  to  witness  the 
feelings  of  the  soldiers  as  they  saw  the 
wagons  come  up.  Many  said,  "  God  bless 
the  ladies  and  all  who  remember  us  ?" 

With  this  knowledge  of  the  doings  of 
this  body,  I  felt  nothing  better  could  be 
done  with  our  goods,  after  we  had  drawn  all 
we  needed,  and  given  an  order  to  supply 
any  wants  of  Dr.  Ellis,  than  to  divide  the 
remainder  between  this  Commission  and  the 
younger,  but  excellent  Association  for  the 
Relief  of  Massachusetts  Soldiers. 

It  is  perfectly  safe  to  say  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  have  been,  and  will  be, 
good  managers.  G-ive  largely  to  them,  for 
our  soldiers  will  need  largely.  Spread 
freely  and  widely  the  knowledge  of  this 
charity  among  our  soldiers,  so  that  they 
may  feel  that  if  they  will  only  ask  they  will 
receive. 


A  CALL  FBOM  BOSTOIT  AND  NEW  ENGLAND 
WOMEN'S  ATTXILIAEY  ASSOCIATION. 

No.  18  West  Stkbet,     "> 
Boaton,  Oct.  3d,  1864.  / 

To  the  People  of  New  England : — We 
have  long  desired  to  send  through  New 
England,  agents,  whq,  having  had  personal 
knowledge  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
should  be  able  to  speak  of  it  to  the  people. 
Our  own  experience  and  judgment  tell  us 
how  desirable  this  is,  if  we  would  under- 
stand the  matter  thoroughly ;  for  the  labors 
of  the  Commission  extend  from  the  humb- 
lest service  a  man  can  render  to  his  brother, 
to  the  highest  ministrations  offered  to  the 
souls  of  the  sick,  suffering,  dying  men. 

The  testimony  of  our  correspondents  to 


the  value  of  the  Bulletin  and  other  Com- 
mission publications  is  very  strong,  but 
many  speak  also  of  the  need  of  the  living 
voice  to  answer  questions  that  the  printed 
page  has  not  sufficiently  discussed,  to  meet 
uncertainties  that  must  arise  in  reference  to 
a  work  so  far  away ;  and  in  general  to  con- 
firm and  illustrate  the  records  and  reports 
which  cannot  cover  half  the  ground.  And 
in  spite  of  the  impossibility  of  bringing  the 
scenes  of  the  battle-field  and  hospital  before 
our  eyes,  with  their  double  lessons  of  suffer- 
ing and  relief  we  all  crave,  and  shall  as 
long  as  we  are  human,  we  seek  as  near  an 
approach  to  this  as  may  he  possible. . 

We  are,  therefore,  very  glad  to  be  able 
to  inform  the  friends  of  the  great  cause,  in 
New  England,  that  a  system  of  lecturing 
has  just  been  organized,  which  promises  to 
meet  the  needs  partially,  if  not  fully.  And 
we  beg  all  persons  interested  to  help  on  the 
undertaking. 

The  agents  will  be  furnished  with  cre- 
dentials from  the  Central  Office,  and  from 
this  Branch.  And  they  and  we,  cordially 
invite  suggestions  and  criticism,  as  well  as 
hearty  co-operation. 

Very  respectfully,       Abby  W.  Mat, 

Chairman  Executive  Committee. 


IN  HOSPITAL. 

Speaking  of  games  and  puzzles  for  hos- 
pitals, I  am  reminded  of  an  incident  which, 
having  occurred  some  time  ago,  although  in 
this  Department,  it  will  he  no  harm  now  to 
relate.  But  I  will  preface  it  by  saying,  that 
when  a  change  of  surgeons  in  charge  of  a 
hospital  takes  place,  it  sometimes  happens 
that  the  new  incumbent  feels  so  strong  a 
desire  that  his  peculiar  presence  shall  be 
felt,  that  he  will  make  some  changes,  though 
they  may  not  always  be-  for  the  best.  Now 
it  happened  that  in  a  certain  gangrene  hos- 
pital a  change  occurred.  The  retiring  sur- 
geon was  a  man  of  large  heart  and  cheerful 
disposition.  He  thought  that  one  of  the 
best  means  of  improving  the  health  of' his 
patients  was  to  interest  and  amuse  their 
minds,  and  thus  turn  their  thoughts  from 
their  own  sufferings.  To  this  end  he  ob- 
tained from  the  Sanitary  Commission  a 
quantity  of  checker-boards,  and  a  quantity 
of  soft,  red  cedar,  leaving  it  to  the  ingenuity 
of  the  men  to  make  the  two  acquainted.  It 
was  not  long  before  every  man  was  whit- 
tling and  whistling ;  and  soon  not  only 
checkers  and  chess-men  were  plentiful,  but 
occasional  exquisite  gpecimenst»f  each  were 


746 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


seen,  as  well  as  ail  kinds  of  wooden  bijou- 
terie. 

Among  other  things  a  certain  Lieutenant, 
who  had  been  by  profession  a  carver  in 
wood,  being  desirous  of  showing  his  grati- 
tude to  the  little  daughter  of  his  General, 
who  had  visited  him  with  several  acts  of 
kindness,  carved  with  his  knife  a  most  ex- 
quisite chain,  one  end  of  which  was  adorned 
with  little  charms  or  amulets,  and  the  other 
with  a  cage,  within  which  a  bird  sat  perched 
upon  his  ring.  This  was  sent  by  the  sur- 
geon's hand  to  the  little  girl.  It  was  grate- 
fully received,  and  handsomely  acknowl- 
edged by  the  parents,  as  something  which 
would  be  highly  prized.  Shortly  after  the 
surgeon  referred  to  was  relieved  for  another 
post,  and  a  new  one  took  his  place,  and  he 
determined  that  changes  must  take  place. 
He  looked  around,  and  his  eye  lighted  on 
the  checker-boards,  and  whittling,  (every 
man  having  been  provided  with  a  newspa- 
per, whereon  to  whittle).  "Take  these 
things  away,"  he  said,  "  he  was  not  going 
to  have  his  hospital  littered  up  with  such 
things,"  and  "  he  did  not  believe  in  them." 
A  few  weeks  had  passed  away,  when-  the 
General  met  and  made  inquiries  of  the  for- 
mer surgeon,  who  was  still  in  the  room,  if 
he  knew  how  his  young  friend,  the  Lieu- 
tenant, was  getting  on  ?  "  Very  badly,  sir." 
''  Why  what  is  the  matter  ?"  "  He  is  pin- 
ing away  for  something  to  do  I"  "  Why, 
cannot  he  amuse  himself  any  longer  with 
his  carving  and  whittling  ?"  "  That  is  for- 
bidden and  taken  away  from  them  all,  sir." 
"  Taken  away !  For  what  ?"  "  I  do  not 
know,  sir."  The"  General  elevated  his  eye- 
brows, and  turning  his  head  toward  the 
door  of  the  next  room,  where  his  Medical 

Director  sat,  he  called  out,  "  Dr.  P !" 

The   Doctor  appealed.     "  Dr.  P ,  tell 

that fool  at  No. —  to  let  his  men  have 

all  the  checkers  and  the  whittling  that  they 
want."  The  order  was  given,  and  the  men 
began  at  once  to  improve,  although  they 
probably  never  knew  that  they  were  in- 
debted in  any  way  to  my  friend  Dr.  W.,  or 
,to  the  momentary  indignation  of  General 
Rosecrans. — Sanitary  Reporter. 


A  HOSPITAL  VISITOB'S  FAEEWEIL. 

Eev.  Mr.  Ingraham,  who  has  served  the 
Sanitary  Commission  for  a  year  past,  as 
Hospital  Visitor,  thus  closes  his  last  letter 
regarding  his  work  in  Nashville.     We  take 


the  extract  from  the  Sanitary  Reporter  of 
October  1st: 

And  this  week  closes  a  fall  year  of  ser- 
vice in  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  a 
Commission  which  stamps  this  age  and 
generation  of  civil  war  and  bloodshed  with 
mercy's  seal.  In  this  great  fratricidal  war, 
the  pure  stream  of  benevolence  and  love  has 
flowed  beside,  and  mingled  its  life-giving 
waters  with  the  nation's  mighty  waves  of 
treasure  and  of  blood. 

And  if  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  on  be- 
half of  Christ  shall  be  rewarded,  what 
showers  of  blessings  must  this  country  yet 
receive  for  the  countless  gifts  of  mercy  and 
of  love  which  have  been  devoted  with  earn- 
est prayers  to  God.  Not  one  of  them  is  lost. 
Every  one  may  not  have  reached  its  desti- 
nation. Some  few  here  and  there  may  have 
been  altogether  directed  from  their  course, 
but  each  one  has,  nevertheless,  falfilled  a 
blind  mission,  for  it  left  the  hands  of  its 
donor — the  soldier's  mother,  brother,  sister, 
wife,  or  friend,  warm  with  love  and  prayers 
to  Sim,  who  will  answer  them  in  blessings 
on  our  land — "  on  ourselves,  and  on  our 
children." 

This  past  year  will  be  an  oasis  in  my  life, 
a  year  of  blessings  to  my  own  heart,  in  be- 
ing privileged  to  convey  blessings  from 
hearts  at  home'  to  those  around  me  here. 
There  have  been  indeed  all  about  me  clouds 
of  sorrow  and  of  suffering,  but  in  this  work 
the  sunshine  of  home,  which  has  eome  into 
hospital  surrounding  like  a  halo  every  gift 
of  love,  has  intermingled  with  them  all. 
Aside  from  this,  the  many  warm  true 
hearts,  who,  have  been  engaged  around  me 
in  these  "  Sanitary"  labors,  have  enriched 
my  own  "  treasury  of  friends"  whose  names 
will  always  remind  me,  that  the  field  of 
suffering  is  also  mercy's  harvest-field,  where 
sometimes  both  men  and  angels  work  to- 
gether, and  where  one's  heart  must  realize 
the  truth,  that  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive. 


TESTIMONIAL  FBOU.  IIE1TT.  COL.  SVMHEBS, 
MEDICAL  IirSPECTOB,  V.  S.  A. 

Memphis,  Tbnn.,  Aug.  24,  1864. 
Dr.  L.  Lewia  Ooxe,  Tf.  S.  Sanitary  Inspector  for 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi: 

Dear  Sir — In  reply  to  your  request,  ask- 
ing what  my  observations  had  been  in  my 
tours  of  inspection  regarding  the  distribu- 
tion and  use  made  of  the  "people's"  gifts 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission,  I  take 


The  Sanitary  Oommisgion  Bulletin. 


74T 


pleasure  in  stating,  that  I  have  almost 
always  found  more  or  less,  and  generally  a 
liberal  supply  of  them  in  the  General  Hos- 
pitals in  this  city,  and  in  those  at  Vickshurg 
and  Natchez,  as  well  as  the  regimental  hos- 
pitals (in  the  camps)  at  the  two  latter  places. 
With  the  occasional  exception,  which 
occurs  in  camps,  they  invariably  reach  their 
proper  destination,  and  are  consumed  by 
those  for  whom  they  are  intended.  I  take 
pleasure  in  making  this  statement,  for  the 
reason  that  the  impression  has  been  made 
to  a  very  considerable  extent,  that  the 
medical  officers,  on  duty  in  general  hos- 
pitals, get  and  consume  the  lion's  share  of 
them.  1  know  that  this  is  not  the  case 
where  I  have  inspected,  for  the  officers  ' 
board  out  in  the  cities,  and  the  exception 
is  only  where  the  hospital  is  isolated  and  at 
a  distance  from  such  accommodations. 


BEPOBT  OF  THE  COUlfCIL  OF  THE  BELIEF 
SOCIETIES  OF  WESICHESTEK  ABO  FUT- 
ITAK  COtriTTIES,  N.  Y. 

The  second  Council  of  the  Soldier's  Be- 
lief Societies  of  the  counties  of  Westchester 
and  Putnam,  convened  pursuant  to  adjourn- 
ment at  Sing  Sing  on  the  4th  day  of  Oc- 
tober, at  half-past  twelve  o'clock,  P.M. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Mrs. 
Pierre  Van  Gortlandt,  and  Mrs.  6.  Hilton 
Scribner  was  appointed  Secretary.  The 
Roll  of  the  Societies  was  then  called,  when 
it  was  found  that  the  Societies  of  the  fol- 
lowing places  were  represented  by  delegates 
in  the  Council,  viz  : 

Garrison^  3  delegates,  Mrs.  H.  W.  Bel- 
cher, Mrs.  J.  M.  Knox,  and  Mrs.  W.  S.  Liv- 
ingstone. 

PeeJesMR,  6  delegates,  Mrs.  Stewart,  Mrs. 
Mills,  Miss  Taylor,  Mrs.  Hussey,  Mrs.  Fer- 
ris, and  Mrs.  Abbot. 

Tarrytovin  Union  Relief  Society,  3  dele- 
gates, Mrs.  Wilsey,  Mrs.  Wilson,  and  Miss 
Wilson. 

Soldier's  Aid  Society,  2  delegates,  Mrs. 
Thompson  and  Mrs.  Dodd. 

Torktovm,  1  delegate,  Mrs.  White. 

Pylis  Bridge,  5  delegates,  Mrs.  B.  E.ey- 
.  nolds,  Mrs.  Ira  Purdy,  Mrs.  Lawrence  Bost- 
wick,  Mrs.  Horace  Baker,  and  Mrs.  J.  Rey- 
nolds. 

Yonhers,  5  delegates,  Mrs.  Cleveland, 
Mrs.  Walsh,  Mrs.  Scribner,  Mrs.  Davidson, 
and  Miss  Walsh. 

Irvington,  5  delegates,  Mrs.  Brown,  Mrs. 
Woodford,  Mrs.  Cnsby,  Miss  Irving,  and 
Mrs.  Sturgis. 


White  Plains,  4  delegates,  Mrs.  J.  J. 
Clapp,  Mrs.  John  Miller,  Miss  Silliman, 
and  Mrs.  Underhill. 

Harrison,  3  delegates,  Mrs.  David  Havi- 
land,  Mrs.  Joseph  Park,  and  Miss  Emily 
Carpenter. 

The  Societies  of  Dobb's  Ferry  and  Somers 
were  represented  by  delegates,  but  did  not 
give  a  list  of  their  names  to  tha  Secretary. 
The  Society  of  Sing  Sing  did  not  send  dele- 
gates, but  attended  en  masse.  The  Societies 
of  Cold  Spring,  Mamaronick,  and  Bedford, 
were  represented  by  report,  but  not  by  dele- 
gation. The  Societies  generally  seem  to  be 
working  with  renewed  energy;  some  of  them 
have  accomplished  much  more  during  this 
quarter  than .  any  other  of  their  existence. 
The  Council  feels  assured  of  the  salutary 
influence  of  their  meetings.  One  of  the 
Societies  has  a  valuable  auxiliary,  in  a  class 
of  district  school  scholars,  who  meet  with 
them,  and  learn  the  art  of  sewing,  as  well 
as  contributing  their  work  to  the  parent 
society. 

After  the  reading  of  the  reports,  the  Pre- 
sident introduced  Dr.  Parrish,  of  Philadel- 
phia, who  stated  that  he  had  seen  the  work- 
ing of  the  Commission  both  at  home  and  in 
the  field.  He  knew  something  of  the 
wants  of  the  army,  and  wished  to  say  to 
the  Council  first,  that  many  of  the  Soci- 
eties were  suflfering  for  the  want  of  pro- 
per organization;  that  concentrated  action 
was  much  more  efficient  than  desultory 
efforts.  He  stated  among  other  things  that 
our  supplies  go  mostly  to  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley  and  City  Point.  He  then  ex- 
plained to  the  Council  from  a  diagram  he 
had  drawn  on  the  black  board,  the  complete 
workings  of  the  Commission  on  the  field, 
and  marked  out  the  channel  in  which  the 
stores  are  carried  forward  until  they  reach 
the  needy  soldiers.  He  wished  most  em- 
phatically to  contradict  the  reckless  as- 
sertion that  Stewards  and  Surgeons  appro- 
priate the  stores;  there  had  been  isolated 
cases  of  this  kind,  but  they  were  exceptional, 
and  the  parties  were,  as  soon  as  discovered, 
subjected  to  examination  and  discipline. 
The  Dr.  was  interrogated  as  to  whether  the 
Government  did  not  supply  the  needed 
stores,  to  which  he  replied,  that  their  regu- 
lations were  made  before  there  was  any  such 
pressing  demand  as  now;  that  they  did  not 
issue  flannel  garments,  and  that  the  delica- 
cies so  needful  for  the  sick  were  not  admin- 
istered in  field  hospitals  in  quantities  com- 


748 


TJie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


mensurate  with  the  demand.  He  believed 
that  the  ladies  were  doing  more  towards 
cementing  our  divided  country,  than  was 
being  accomplished  through  other  instru- 
mentalities'; and  that  if  we  should  stop 
the  supplies  we  should  lose  our  hold  upon 
the  soldier's  hearts,  >our  influence  over  them, 
and  sever  the  tie  between  the  liberty-loving 
sisters  at  tome  and  their  brothers  on  the 
field.  He  wished  there  might  be  no  fac- 
tions, but  that  in  a  benevolent  enterprise 
all  differences  of  opinion  might  be  forgotten, 
and  a  perfect  unity  of  labor  and  feeling 
maintained  in  this  grand  work  of  humanity 
and  Christian  love.  The  Dr.  in  answer 
to  an  inquiry,  assured  the  Council  that 
laundries  had  been  established  in  the  army, 
that  the  clothing  of  the  men  might  not  be 
wasted.  He  then  gave  the  Council  some 
details  of  the  deleterious  influence  of  the 
State  agencies,  sent  out  to  find  their  own 
State  soldiers  to  the  neglect  of  others.  He 
encouraged  the  members  of  the  various 
Societies  to  stand  by  each  other,  and  to  re- 
new their  exertions,  and  alluded  to  the  fact 
that  there  were  now  five  hundred  thousand 
more  fresh  troops  to  work  for,  and  that 
we,  and  not  they,  were  the  recipients  of  the 
greater  good. 

Mr.  Hepburn  was  then  introduced.  He 
said  he  had  just  returned  from  the  front, 
and  was  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  to  give 
the  Council  a  glimpse  of  his  experience. 
He  had  visited  many  soldiers,  conversed 
with  them  personally,  and  had  never  known 
but  few  cases  of  ingratitude,  and  those  had 
been  where,  for  instance,  the  soldiers  would 
not.  accept  one  lemon  unless  they  could 
have  three,  and  sugar  enough  to  make  them 
palatable.  In  most  cases,  however,  they 
expressed  much  gratitude,  and  in  one  in- 
stance, a  destitute  soldier  sent  by  him  a 
donation  of  one  dollar  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. He  was  gratified  to  see  the  better 
side  of  human  nature  manifested  among  the 
soldiers,  and  also,  that  they  appreciated 
what  was  being  done  for  them. 

The  President  then  offered  the  follow- 
,ing  resolutions,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted. 

'^Resolved,  That  we  hereby  renew  our 
pledges  to  our  country,  our  army  and  navy, 
and_to  each  other,  by  agreeing  to  renew 
our 'exertions  in  their  behalf  through  the 
Aid  Societies  which  we  severally  represent. 
^' Resolved,  Ih&t  we  recommend  all  the 
organizations  now  existing  in  Westchester 
and  Putnam  counties  to  double  their  dili- 


gence, and  secure  during  the  coming  winter 
larger  returns  from  our  patriotic  people 
than  ever  before,  which  we  will  send  to  sol- 
diers so  much  in  need  of  them." 

A  discussion  then  ensued  relative  to  our 
next  place  of  meeting.  It  was  thought  ad- 
visable to  meet  with  some  Society  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  county,  after  an  interval 
of  six  months  instead  of  three  months,  as 
formerly.  The  Council  then  adjourned,  to 
meet  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  April  next, 
with  the  Society  at  White  Plains.  After 
the  adjournment,  the  President  informed  us 
that  Miss  Collins  and  Miss  Schuyler,  of  the 
Women's  Central  Relief  Association,  of  New 
York,  as  well  as  the  other  two  Associate 
.  Managers  were  present,  and  would  most 
willingly  give  tte  ladies  any  information 
pertaining  to  the  work  that  they  might  de- 
sire. She  next  invited  the  Council  to  par- 
take of  an  ample  collation  spread  for  their 
benefit  in  a  room  below,  consisting  of  all 
the  delicacies  of  the  season,  and  so  tastefully 
arranged  as  to  tempt  the  most  fastidious 
epicure.  The  ladies  of  Sing  Sing  did  them- 
selves great  credit  in  preparing  this  repast, 
and  deserve  the  cordial  thanks  of  every  one 
present  for  the  manner  in  which  the  Council 
was  entertained.  After  many  words  of 
cheer,  of  comfort,  and  plans  for  future  use- 
fulness the  Council  dispersed,  feeling  that 
the  day's  experience  had  been  to  their 
patriotism  a  fresh  baptism,  and  that  they 
were  severally  pledged  and  consecrated  anew 
to  the  great  good  work  until  "  grim  visaged 
war  hath  smoothed  his  wrinkled  front,"  and 
there  are  no  more  wan,  emaciated  faces  call- 
ing to  us  from  a  thousand  couches,  but  all 
our  brave  boys  are  gathered  to  their  hearth- 
stones; and  peace — an  honorable  peace,  with- 
out taint  or  blemish  hovers  over  our  land. 
Mrs.  Pierre  Van  Cortlandt, 

President. 

Mrs.  Or.  Hilton  Scribner, 

Secretary. 


HOSPITAL  DIBECTOKY  INCIDENT. 

Among  the  interesting  incidents  that 
have  transpired  in  the  history  of  aid  socie- 
ties, we  extract  the  following  from  the  re- 
port of  the  late  Council  held  at  Sing  Sing, 
N.  Y. : 

A  woman  sat  busily  plying  her  needle 
at  one  of  the  society  meetings,  when  she 
heard  for  the  first  and  only  time  in  her 
life,  an  article  read  from  the  Bulletin.  It 
was  an  article  in  reference  to  the  Hospital 


The  Sanitary  Oammisaion  Bulletin. 


749 


Directory.  She  immediately  thought  of  a 
poor  suffering  friend  who  had  not  heard 
from  her  husband  in  many  long  months, 
and  who  knew  of  no  way  to  get  information 
concerning  him.  She  communicated  with 
her  friend  who  immediately  wrote  to  Wash- 
ington and  learned  that  her  husband  had 
sickened,  died,  and  been  buried  a  month. 
It  was  sad  intelligence ;  but  for  the  conso- 
lation of  knowing  where  and  how  he  died, 
she  will  ever  feel  deeply  indebted  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 


"  SUFFER  MOST— LOVE  MOST." 

In  a  quiet  neighborhood,  where  there 
was  more  latent  than  practical  patriotism, 
one  earnest  woman  succeeded,  by  her  energy, 
in  awakening  an  interest  in  behalf  of  the 
country  and  our  soldiers.  The  clergyman 
of  the  village  opened  his  house  to  this  pa- 
triot woman,  and  all  the  people  vied  with 
each  other  in  the  service  of  preparing  com- 
forts for  the  soldiers.  They  started  on 
blackberry  brandy  and  cordial,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  76  gallons.  One  night 
after  the  clergyman  and  family  had  retired, 
they  were  aroused  by  some  one  trying  to 
gain  admittance;  they  found  upon  opening 
the  door,  a  humble  man  who  was  not  will- 
ing to  give  his  name,  but  said  that  his  chil- 
dren had  picked  some  berries  for  the  soldiers, 
and  that  he  had  brought  them  after  his 
day's  work  was  done,  a  distance  of  six 
miles.  It  was  subsequently  ascertained  that 
this  man  had  been  drafted  while  the  three 
hundred  dollar  exemption  clause  was  in 
force.  With  him  there  was  no  alternative. 
His  family  must  starve  if  he  left  them.  He 
therefore  sacrificed  everything,  save  the 
bare  necessities  of  life  to  raise  the  three 
hundred  dollars.  His  children  were  stripped 
of  every  article  of  clothing  save  one  suit 
each,  and  when  during  this  time  of  rigid 
economy  and  trial,  another  child  was  born, 
it  had  literally  "  nothing  to  wear."  Still 
this  family  have  grown  strong  through  suf- 
fering, and  learned  that  they  who  for  their 
country's  sake  suffer  most,  love  her  most.' 


VOICES  FEOM  THE  COUHTEY. 

Madison  Co.,  N.  Y. — The  ladies  are 
desirous  to  work,  only  waiting  to  know  what 
to  do  and  how  to  do  it.  Under  the  auspices 
of  Mrs.   Charles  Mason,  newly  appointed 


Associate  Manager  for  this  county,  Madison 
will  render  a  favorable  account  of  itself 
hereafter. 

Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y.— The  rural  dis- 
tricts of  Herkimer  are  ready  for  organiza- 
tion. The  patriotism  of  the  people  is  alive. 
They  will  be  at  work  soon. 

Chenango  Co.,  N.  Y. — Ladies  greatly 
interested  in  the  work.  Twenty-one  new  Aid 
Societies  have  been  formed,  from  whom 
most  encouraging  results  will  be  seen. 
Everywhere  there  is  a  willingness  to  act. 
Meetings  are  large.  Families  go  together 
in  large  wagons  five  and  six  miles  to  attend, 
notwithstanding  the  busy  season  among  the 
farmers.  « 

Otsego  Co.,  N.  Y. — In  every  town  visit- 
ed there  is  the  most  hearty  response  to  the 
claims  of  the  Commission,  and  the  assurance 
is  given  that  the  labors  of  the  societies 
shall  be  continued  while  the  war  lasts. 

Woodbury,  N.  J. — Little  Jersey  is  full 
of  vigor.  The  court  house  in  Woodbury 
was  crowded  to  excess  a  few  nights  since, 
and  a  new  spirit  infused  into  the  societies. 

Blackwoodtown,  N.  'J. — Here  the 
work  is  reviving.  The  ladies  are  active, 
energetic  and  true.  The  cause  is  alive  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  hearts  give 
activity  to  hands.  Both  together  will  do  a 
good  work. 

Beverly,  N.  J. — Beverly  is  awake. 
The  ladies  have  done  generous  things  for 
the  hospital  that  is  located  in  that  thriving 
town,  and  from  it  will  go  out  an  influence 
that  will  find  its  place  in  the  hospitals  on 
the  Appomattox  and  in  the  valley. 

Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa. — A  grand  re- 
animation  is  going  on  in  this  county.  You 
will  hear  greater  things  from  the  hills  and 
hamlets  of  Susquehanna  for  the  future,  than 
you  have  heard  in  the  past. 

Everywhere  the  work  is  going  on,  and 
a  new  life  is  being  infused  into  the  Societies. 
Let  all  be  encouraged  and  continue  to  work 
in  faith. 


750 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


LETTERS  FBOM  THE  WEST. 

Lbatbnwobth,         ■) 
Sept.  10,  1864.  / 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Associate  Secretary,  Western 
Dyiartment,  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  say 
that  your  prediction  that  the  Freedmen's 
Aid  Societies  would  come  forward  and  take 
the  work  as  soon  as  the  Sanitary  agents 
should  by  necessity  commence  it,  proves 
to  be  so,  and  I  have  already  some  help,  and 
soon  hope  to  be  relieved  from  everything 
but  my  regular  Sanitary  work.  Our  hos- 
pitals are  well  filled,  but  we  have  not  had  so 
much  hard  sickness  as  we  anticipated  from 
the  most  intense  heat  I  have  ever  experi- 
enced. The  thermometer  has  stood  at  110  in 
the  shade,  with  hot  winds,  for  several  days. 
Our  soldiers  have  been  on  hard  scouting  duty, 
and  many  have  been  taken  sick  and  left  in  the 
country  at  private  houses.  Colonel  Ford 
wa.s  at  Leavenworth  last  week,  and  I  fitted 
him  out  with  supplies  for  his  sick,  to  be 
disbursed  by  his  wife. 

Yours  truly, 

J.  A.  Brown. 

Belief  Agent 

Beownsvillb,  Ark.,         1 
S^t.  13,  1864.  J 
H.   M.    Way,  Esq.,  Agent  Sanitary    Commission, 
Memphis,  Tenn. 

Dear  Sir  : — Tours  of  the  23d  ult.  was 
received  several  days  ago,  but  incessant 
labors  have  prevented  its  acknowledgment 
before.  Everything  billed  has  been  re- 
ceived, except  the  150  pounds  dried  fruit — 
a  serious  loss.  The  supplies  were  very  ac- 
ceptable indeed.  We  have  still  on  hand  a 
large  part  of  the  bedding,  under-clothing, 
and  some  other  things.  As  we  are  under 
marching  orders,  I  expect  to  turn  over  what 
is  left  to  General  Hospital  at  the  Bluffs — 
this  will  depend  somewhat  upon  the  dispo- 
sition we  make  of  our  sick.  Nothing  shall 
be  lost  if  I  can  prevent  it.  But  it  is  a  very 
difficult  matter  to  appropriate  judiciously 
and  economically  such  supplies  while  we 
are  moving  from  post  to  post  at  short  in- 
tervals. I  wish  1  had  time  to  express  to 
you  in  a  deliberate  and  proper  manner  how 
much  I  think  the  service  owes  in  gratitude, 
life,  health,  and  comfort,  to  this  stupendous 
charity.  This  word  "Sanitary"  has  a  world 
of  significance  to  the  sick  soldier.  "  If  I 
only  had  a  can  of  tomatoes,"  or  "  some  dried 
fruit,"  or  "  a  cotton  shirt,"  or  "  a  pair  of 
drawers,"  or  "  a  bottle  of  blackberry  wine," 
or  "  some  soda  crackers,  I  should  be  so 


glad !"  Poor  fellows  !  their  wants  are  often 
supplied,  and  they  are  often  made  glad  by 
the  almost  omnipresence  of  the  Sanitary 
Agent.  And  it  is  no  random  remark,  to 
say  that  thousands  of  lives  are  annually 
saved  to  the  army  through  this  instru- 
mentality. 

De  Falls  Bluffs  is  an  important  point.  The 
Little  Eock  railroad  taps  White  River  here. 
Most  of  the  army  supplies  shipped  to  this 
department  are  here  transferred  from  steam- 
ers to  cars.  A  general  hospital  of  large 
proportions  must  be  established,  and  many 
invalids  will  here  be  congregated.  St. 
Charles,  eighty  miles  below,  and  on  the 
river,  is  also  a  point  that  will  require  a  con- 
stant garrison,  though  on  White  River, 
it  is  quite  isolated,  and  liable  to  be  over- 
looked. Brownsville  is  a  station  on  the 
railroad  midway  between  De  Falls  Bluffs 
and  Little  Rock,  some  twenty-five  miles  from 
either  place.  It  is  also  a  point  of  import- 
ance in  the  protection  of  the  road,  and  as  a 
base  of  supplies  to  a  considerable  scope  of 
country  between  the  Arkansas  and  White 
Rivers.  But  I  write  in  great  haste  and 
amid  much  confusion,  and  will  therefore 
conclude  by  thanking  you  for  your  prompt- 
ness in  responding  to  my  application  for 
supplies  in  behalf  of  the  sick  of  this  com- 
mand.        I  am,  very  respectfully, 

L.  Dtn, 

Surgeon  Slst  ipinois  Vols.,  and  Surgeon  in  Chief  Division 
17th  A.  C. 

Soldieh's  Home,        1 
Camp  Nelson,  Ey.,  Oct.  I,  1864./ 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Secretary,  Western  D^artment 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  , 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  much  pleasure  in 
forwarding  the  following  report  of  the  labors 
of  the  past  month  at  the  Home  : 
Meals,  .  .  .  12,807     Lodgings,  .  .  5,995 

During  the  first  three  weeks  of  the  month 
we  were  by  no  means  crowded — still,  in  such 
an  establishment,  there  is  always  plenty  of 
work ;  for  the  past  ten  days  we  have  been 
exceedingly  busy,  and  from  present  pros- 
pects we  shall  be  fully  employed  during  this 
month.  The  Home  has  now  been  in  full 
operation  seven  months,  and  thousands  of 
soldiers  who  have  enjoyed  the  comforts  and 
cleanliness  of  the  sleeping  arrangements, 
and  the  ample  and  well  prepared  meals, 
continually  write  to  me  that  they  will  always 
remember  the  Soldier's  Home  at  Camp  Nel- 
son with  pleasure. 

At  this  period  of  the  history  of  the  Home, 
it  is  very  gratifying  to  the  hearts  of  all  who 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


T51 


are  concerned,  to  know  that  such  a  multi- 
tude of  needy  soldiers  have  found  a  "home 
indeed"  within  the  walls  of  the  most  invit- 
ing scene  of  Camp  Nelson.     We  are  now 
thoroughly  renovating  the  inside  and  out- 
side of  the  Home.     The  Post  Commandant 
has  ordered  and  the  Quartermaster  has  fur- 
nished a  very  important  service   in   that 
direction,  and  I  doubt  not  we  shall  receive 
still  further  the  requisites  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  building  and  the  comfort  of  the 
inmates.   During  the  summer  the  "Home" 
has  been  visited  by  people  from  "near  and 
far," — and  has  been  the  greenest  "oasis" 
to  citizen  and  soldier  in  the  now  almost 
grassless  waste  of  the  camp.     We  have  en- 
deavored— with  great  labor, — to  make  the 
Home  picturesque  as  well  as  comfortable  in 
every  particular,  so  that  hundreds  of  at- 
tachments for  the  place  have  arisen  in  the 
hearts  of  soldiers  who  have  sojourned  here, 
and  will  possibly  continue  long  after  the 
war  has  ceased.     We  are  now  replenishing 
the  beds,  and  in  a  few  days  will  commence 
renewing  the  whitewashing.     Captain  Hall 
has  had  a  new  roof  put  on  every  building, 
and  will,  undoubtedly,  continue  to  us  his 
valuable  interest  and  assistance  in  our  work. 
We  are  now  prepared  for  the  necessities  of 
the  winter.     Since  the  Home  was  opened, 
at  the  end  of  September,  we  have  furnished 
Meals,    .  .  154,776    Lodgings,    .  50,775 
The  foregoing  facts  are  sufficient  to  estab- 
lish among  the  friends  of  the  soldier  the 
reputation  which  he  takes  with  him  to,  and 
establishes,  in  the  front  of  the  army. 

There  is  a  chapter  in  the  history  of  this 
Home,  which  I  have  reason  to  believe  is 
already  recorded  in  the  office  of  the  Adju- 
tant General  of  the  United  States, — and 
which,  although  it  cost  much  that  was  ardu- 
ous and  disagreeable,  will  redound  to  the 
honor  of  the  country,  and  prove  that  the 
work  of  the  Commission'  has  not  been  in 
vain  in  Camp  Nelson.  A  home  was  here 
furnished  to  hundreds  of  the  colored  re- 
cruits wliich  they  could  not  obtain  else- 
where, likewise  protection  against  the  force 
employed  daily  to  return  them  to  bondage. 
This  Home  was  not  assuredly  erected  in 
vain.  In  the  department  of  stores,  we  have 
done  our  utmost  to  supply  the  wants  of  the 
hospitals,  regiments,  and  individual  soldiers. 
There  is  a  school  here  for  colored  soldiers, 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  Rev.  J. 
G-.  Fee,  which  from  its  commencement  three 
months  ago,  to  the  present  time,  has  been 
supplied  by  us  with  nearly  everything  which 


it  required.  From  the  Kentucky  branch 
U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission,  I  obtained  for 
it  a  good  assortment  of  school  requisites, 
and  have  freely  supplied  it  with  stationery, 
and  sundry  other  stores.  The  wants  of  the 
hospitals  and  entire  camp  are  still  urging 
us  to  ask  for  "more  stores" — ^vegetables 
especially.         Yours  truly, 

Thomas  Btjtlee. 


GOOD  N£WS  FBOM  ATL&BTA,  GEOBGIA. 

It  having  been  currently  stated  that 
General  Sherman  would  not  permit  civil- 
ians, (ev«n  Agents  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission,) to  go  beyond  Nashville,  and  that 
in  consequence,  supplies  could  not  be  for- 
warded to  supplement  the  govermental 
issues,  all  will  be  glad  to  know  that  what- 
ever obstructions  ma^f  have  been  in  the 
way  hitherto,  the  road  to  Atlanta  is  now 
open,  the  stores  of  the  Commission  are 
going  forward  in  large  quantities,  and  the 
work  is  progressing  finely.  General  Sher- 
man is  not  the  man  to  allow  his  troops  to 
suffer. 

THE  CLAIM  AGENCY  IN  THE  WEST. 

Some  months  ago  the  Commission  estab- 
lished a  Claim  Agency  in  Louisville,  the 
aim  of  which  has  been  to  give  gratuitous 
aid  to  Soldiers,  Soldier's  widows  and  orphan 
children  in  the  prosecution  of  claims  against 
the  Government. 

The  Agency  is  intended  for  just  those 
who  cannot  help,  themselfes,  who  do  not 
know  how  to  reach  the  hand  of  the  Govern- 
ment, which  only  waits  to  recognize  lihem 
in  order  to  do  them  justice. 

Annexed  is  a  statement  of  the  business 
transacted  there  during  August,  and  an  es- 
timate of  the  amount  it  would  have  cost  if 
transacted  by  individual  claim  agents  : 

34  claims  for  arrears  pay  and  bounty  at  $20  each         $680 


Pension, 
Prize  Money,  " 

Bounty,  ' 

Horses  lost  in  Service, 

Total, 


S40 
40 
10 
15 


$1,285 


TOUNG  VETERAN  HEBOES. 

That  the  good  people  at  home  may  know 

the  character  of  some  of  the  hoys  who  wear 

the  shirts  sent  by  the  Sanitary  Commission, 

allow  me  to  give  a  short  history  of  two  of 


752 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


them  who  came  to  the '  Nashville  office  yes- 
terday, each  to  ask  for  a  shirt. 

James  M.  Anderson,  of  Company  D,  39th 
Ohio  Veteran  Infantry,  lived  in  Miami 
Town,  Hamilton  county,  Ohio.  He  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  February  1862,  and 
has  served  with  his  regiment  in  nine  pitched 
battles.  When  he  enlisted  he  was  fourteen 
years  and  four  months  old'.  He  re-enlisted 
as  a  veteran  in  December,  1863,  was  shot 
through  the  right  arm  at  Ross'  Mills,  Greor- 
gia,  July  4th,  1864,  and  his  arm  amputated 
above  the  elbow"  the  next  day.  He  went 
home  on  furlough,  and  is  now  on  his  way 
back  to 'join  his  regiment.  His  knapsack 
has  been  stolen,  and  he  -asks  the  Sanitary 
Commission  for  a  shirt  and  a  pair  of  socks, 
which  are  given  him.  He  says,  "  if  I  have 
lost  my  arm  I  can  cook  or  do  some  other 
service  for  a  man  who  can  carry  a  musket, 
and  I  don't  want  to  be  discharged  till  the 
war  is  over." 

Robert  Zinc,  drummer,  Company  C,  18th 
Regiment,  Missouri  Veteran  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, has  his  home  in  Edgewood,  Effing- 
ham County,  Illinois.  He  enlisted  in  Sep- 
tember, 1861,  being'then  ten  years  and  six 
months  old.  At  the  battle  of  Shiloh, 
April  7,  1862,  he  was  shot  through  the 
right  leg  above  the  ankle,  was  in  the  hos- 
pital for  nine  weeks,  and  then  returned  to 
duty.  He  has  been  in  seven  battles.  He 
enlisted  as  a  veteran  in  March,  1864,  and 
came  from  Marietta,  Georgia,  to  Nashville 
a  few  days  since  in  charge  of  wounded  men. 
He  has  been  at  home  but  once  since  his  first 
enlistment. 

Both  of  these  boys  wear  the  star  of  honor, 
and  one  of  them,  a  medal  given  him  by  his 
regiment  for  good  conduct.  Robert  had 
but  one  shirt,  and  that  was  in  rags,  and 
wanted  another,  which  was  furnished  him. 
Although  he  is  recovered  from  the  wound 
of  the  leg,  the  scars  are  plain,  and  he  says 
that  sometimes  on  the  march  the  left  leg 
pains  him  so  that  he  is  obliged  to  ride  in  a 
wagon. 

Both  of  these  young  heroes  are  at  the 
Soldiers'  Home,  where  their  good  conduct 
'  and  quiet  behavior,  are  marked  by  every 
one.     Such  are  some  of  "  Our  Boys !" 

B.  W. 

Nashville,  Seplember  6,  1864. 

OTIB  SOLDIEBS. 
The  following  communication  was  made 
to  one  of  the  New  York  city  religious  papers, 
by  a  physician,  L.  P.  Brockett,  M.D.,  not 


connected  with  either  the  Sanitary  or  Chris- 
tian Commissions,  but  who,  visiting  the 
West  on  private  business,  was  led  both  by 
professional  taste  and  a  desire  to  see  for 
himself  the  condition  of  the  soldiers  and 
their  needs,  to  visit  the  hospitals  and  Sol- 
diers' Homes  of  the  principal  Western  cities. 

Messrs.  Editors  : — You  ask  me  to  give 
you  some  incidents  which  came  under  my 
observation  during  a  late  visit  to  the  hos- 
pitals and  "  Soldiers'  Homes  "  of  the  West. 
It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  comply  with 
this  request.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to 
be  brought  into  contact  with  about  four 
thousand  five  hundred  of  these  noble  fel- 
lows, a  part  of  them  in  the  hospitals,  and 
many  others  who  were  on  their  way  home 
on  furlough,  or  discharged  from  severe 
wounds.  Some  of  them  were  undoubtedly 
suffering  severely  (one  died  upon  a  train 
on  the  Jeffersonville  road,  on  which  I  was 
journeying),  but  from  none  of  them  did  I 
ever  hear  a  word  of  complaint  or  a  groan. 
Their  fortitude  was  wondeful. 

A  MOTHER  AND  SON. 

One  poor  fellow,  apparently  not  more 
than  eighteen  years  of  age,  was  at  the  Sol- 
diers' Home  in  Louisville,  where  his  mother 
had  brought  him  from  the  front  after  the 
terrible  battle  of  the  22d  of  July,  near 
Atlanta.  He  was  terribly  wounded,  and 
was  evidently  dying.  The  poor  mother, 
whose  heart  seemed  bound  up  in  her  son, 
had  succeeded  in  getting  him  thus  far  over 
that  long  five  hundred  miles  of  railroad,  and 
•with  all  a  woman's  courage  and  fortitude, 
she  was  striving,  evidently  against  her  own 
convictions,  to  encourage  him.  "  Come, 
sonny,"  she  said,  "  take  a  little  of  this  cor- 
dial ;  it  will  help  to  strengthen  you,  so  that 
you  can  get  home  to-night,  and  then  we'll 
cure  you  up."  The  eye  was  fast  glazing, 
the  jaw  had  begun  to  fall,  and  the  dark 
shadow  had  come  over  brow  and  cheek ;  he 
could  not  swallow,  but  with  great  effort, 
looking  up  to  her,  he  whispered,  "  Dear 
mother."  An  hour  later  he  was  dead,  and 
that  loving,  heroic  mother,  did  bring  her 
boy  home  that  night,  but  it  was  in  a  coffin. 

ANOTHER. 

Another,  whom  I  found  on  the  Jefferson- 
ville cars,  wounded  through  the  lungs,  and 
who  had  fainted  from  the  heat  and  closeness 
of  the  locked  cars,  was  brought  to  conscious- 
ness after  considerable  effort,  but  was  evi- 


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753 


dently  fast  sinking.  As  he  lay  with  his 
head  on  my  breast,  having  learned  how 
severe  and  coni,plicated  were  his  wounds,  I 
said  to  him  :  "  You  should  not  have  left  the 
Soldiers'  Home  at  Louisville.  You  were 
not  able  to  take  this  journey."  "  I  know 
it,"  he  whispered ;  "  but  I  did  want  to  see 
my  mother  so."  Poor  fellow !  that  privi- 
lege was  denifed  him,  for  he  died  before 
reaching  Indianapolis. 

INTEMPERANCE  AND  PROFANITY. 

I  found  far  less  of  intemperance  or  pro- 
fanity among  the  soldiers  than  I  had  ex- 
pected. In  traveling  in  the  cars  with  them 
for  four  days,  and  mingling  freely  among 
them,  I  heard  but  a  single  oath  from  a  sol- 
dier's lips,  and  in  that  case  the  swearer  was 
an  officer.  In  the  case  referred  to  above 
of  the  wounded  soldier  on  the  Jeffersonville 
road,  I  sent  the  nurse  througk  the  train — 
five  of  the  cars  being  filled  with,  soldiers — 
to  endeavor  to  get  some  stimulant  or  cordial 
to  administer,  to  the  poor  sufierer,  but  not 
a  drop  could  be  found  on  board.  I  saw  bat 
one  drunken  soldier,  and  he  was  in  St.  Louis, 
and  the  conductor  said  was  a  deserter. 

TESTIMONY  OF  SOLDIERS. 

I  found  abundant  evidence  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  was  doing  a  world  of  good 
among  the  soldiers,  and  that  its  labors  are 
highly  appreciated  by  them.  Its  officers 
and  agents  have  been  jnost  indefatigable  in 
their  work  in  the  Western  army,  and  it  is 
the  testimony  of  soldiers,  officers,  and  sur- 
geons, that  they  have  saved  thousands  of 
lives  and  an  untold  amount  of  suffering.  I 
had  the  opportunity  of  an  extended  actjuaint- 
ance  with  Dr.  Newberry,  the  Western  Sec- 
retary of  the  Commission,  and  with  Dr.  A. 
N.  Ke'ad,  their  Medical  Director  with  Sher- 
man's army,  and  both  noble^ devoted,  Chris- 
tian men,  who  have  left  large  and  lucrative 
practices,  one  in  Cleveland,  and  the  other 
in  Norwalk,  Ohio,  to  devote  themselves  to 
this  work,  and  have  seriously  impaired  their 
health  by  their  zealous  labors;  and  I  can 
say.  with  truth  that  the  seryices  of  such  men 
are  invaluable,  and  that  our  army  at  the 
West  have  good  reason  to  bless  God  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission  and  its  agents 

But  for  its  exertions  Sherman's  army  must 
have  perished,  after  their  terrible  privations 
last  autumn,  from  scurvy.  They  have  kept 
up  a  supply  of  fresh  vegetable  food  for  the 
men  by  dint  of  the  most  superhuman  efforts; 
have  ministered  to  the  wounded,  often  under 
fire;  and  these  heroic  female  agents,  Mrs. 
Vol.  I,  No.  24  48 


Porter,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  and  others,  have, 
amid  the  scorching  rays  of  the  summer  sun, 
in  the  open  air,  prepared  for  the  wounded 
such  nourishment  and  delicacies  as  are  usu- 
ally obtained  only  in  the  hospitals;  while 
clothing.  pillowSj  blankets,  and  other  arti- 
cles, have  been  bestowed  upon  all  who  needed. 
Their  trains  of  hospital  cars,  fitted  up  with 
cots  suspended  by  rubber  bands,  and  with 
a  surgeon  and  special  diet-kitchen,  cordials, 
etc.,  have  traversed  the  weary  route  from 
Louisville  to  Marietta  daily,  and 'brought 
the  wounded  on  as  gently  as  if  they  had 
been  children  in  arms.     * 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

'  Their  Hospital  Directory,  most  admirably 
arranged,  and  posted  every  day  from  the 
returns  of  ninety  hospitals,,  has  furnished 
to  distressed  friends  information  of  the 
whereabouts,  condition,  and  often  of  the 
death  of  those  whom  they  loved. 

CHAPEL  AND  HOSPITAL  VISITORS. 

Nor  have  they  been  wanting  in  their  at- 
tention to  4he  spiritual  needs  of  the  soldier. 
Their  hospital  visitors,  many  of  whom  are 
clergymen,  often  officiate  as  chaplains,  and 
administer  religious  instruction  and  counsel 
as  they  have-  opportunity.  At  Nashville, 
they  have  contributed  182,000  toward  the 
erection  of  a  chap^el  for  the  convalescent 
soldiers,  and  at  the  great  hospital  at  Jeffer- 
sonville, Ind.,  $2,500,  besides  smaller  sums 
at  other  points.  The  chaplains  in  both 
these  are  devout.  Christian  men,  admirably 
adapted  to  their  worL  The  Christian  Com- 
mission are  undoubtedly  doing  a  good  work 
also,  though  it  did  not  come  under  my  ob- 
servation to  the  game  extent  as  the  labors 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission ;  but  after  what 
I  have  seen,  I  can  only  bid  a  hearty  Q-od- 
speed  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

m  KEMOBIAII 

The  Kev.  Israel  Williams,  a  young  man 
of  great  promise,  and  one  of  the  most  inde- 
fatigable and  valued  members  of  our  Aux- 
iliary Belief  Corps,  has  died  from  the  effects 
of  over-work  and  exposure  in  the  service  of 
the  Commission  before  Petersburg.  We 
cannot  do  honor  to  his  memory  better  than 
by  one  or  two  extracts  from  the  address  de- 
livered at  his  funeral  by  Rev.  Mr.  Brigham, 
at  Taunton,  Mass. :: 

A  few  weeks  since,  the  battles  near 
Petersburg,   and   the   new  hospitals  filled 


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Tfie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


with  wounded,  called  for  an  immediate  in- 
crease in  the  number  employed  in  distribu- 
ting stores  for  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Our  friend  remembered  his  promise.  In 
the  hottest  time  of  the  summer,  he  left  at 
once  for  the  front  of  the  army,  and  there, 
for  four  weeks,  was  indefatigable  night  and 
day,  in  the  difficult  duty  he  had  undertaken. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  he  was  prostrated 
so  soon.  The  prolonged  exposures  to  heat 
and  dampness ;  the  excessive  muscular  ex- 
ertion, so  different  from  his  usual  habit  of 
life;  the  unwholesome  air  and  the  painful 
scenes  he  was  compelled  to  witness,  -all  told 
powerfully  upon  his  nervous  constitution* and 
his  sensitive  spirit. 

The  account  which  he  gave  to  me  of 
what  he  saw  and  did  in  those  four  weeks 
was  exciting  as  any  descriptioii/  of  battles 
that  we  now  read.  On  one  occasion  he  was 
very  close  to  death  by  the  sudden  fire  from 
the  bank  of  the  river  upon  the  boat  in  which 
he  was  a  passenger.  The  man  with  whom . 
he  was  conversing  fell  dead  upon  his  body, 
and  he  was  sprinkled  with  blood.  He  was 
present  at  the  great  explosion  of  the  barges 
at  City  Point,  and  was  able  to  succor  some 
of  the  sufferers  on  that  ground  of  destruc- 
tion and  horror.  He  was  in  the  trenches 
at  the  extreme  front,  close  to  the  mine 
which  was  sprung,  and  so  near  that  he  could 
hear  the  voices  of  the  enemy.  In  a  great 
number  of  cases  he  brought  to  dying  men 
the  comfort  for  their  last  hours  and  their 
failing  strength.  Perhaps  from  the  patience, 
the  courage,  the  cheerfulness  of  these  dying 
men,  so  painfully  strickened,  he  learned  how 
to  bear  more  serenely  the  pain  of  his  own 
departure.  « 

From  this  service  or  patriotism  and 
conscientious  fidelity  he  came  home  to  die. 
No  soldier  has  fallen  on  the  field  of  battle 
who  is  more  truly  a  martyr  than  this  good 
soldier  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  He  has  given 
up  all  that  was  most  precious,  his  training, 
his  attainments,  his  hope — just  near  to  its 
fruition — ^his  life,  in  a  work  of  Christian 
patriotism  and  Christian  humanity.  Shall 
we  say  that  a  life  closed  so  nobly  is  a  lost 
life,  even  if  it  be  ended  before  its  chosen 
work  is  fairly  begun  ?  Could  long  service, 
even  in  the  pastoral  walk,  more  finely  found 
its  record  ? 

What  better  blessing  for  the  parting 
could  there  be  than  the  blessing  of  those 
ready  to  perish,  to  whom  these  hands 
brought  relief  ?  Not  for  a  moment  did  our 
friend  regret  that  he  had  gone  on  such  a 


mission,  even  when  he  might  forbode  its 
fatal  issues.  "  I  am  not  sorry  that  1  went," 
said  he  to  me,  "for  I  have  learned  a  great 
deal  that  will  be  of  service  to  me  if  I  am 
permitted  to  enter  upon  my  work."  We 
may  wish  that  he  had  not  chosen  such  a 
hazardous  duty,  but  he  had  no  misgivings 
about  it.  He  had  done  what  was  right, 
what  mercy  called  him  to  do,  what  his  con- 
science approved ;  had  done  what  his  Master 
had  done  before,  and  his  mind  was  at  rest. 


"THE  BECOBD  OF  A  DAT." 

Such  is  the  title  of  a  little  extemporane- 
ous sheet,  bearing  date  October  6,  1864, 
which,  nestled  in  the  folds  of  several  of  our 
religious  weeklies,  has  found  its  way  into 
hundreds  of  families.  It  tella  an  interest- 
ing story  of  a  day's  work  done  for  the  Chris- 
tian Commission.  Much  good  was  done. 
One  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  in 
money,  and  a  box  full  of  ferries,  and  sugar, 
and  shirts,  and  towels,  and  sheets,  and 
quilts,  and  blankets,  with  tracts  and  books, 
was  packed  at  midnight,  and  we  trust  is  by 
this  time  safely  lodged  where  it  may  reach 
the  soldiers.  We  trust,  too,  that  the  simple 
story  of  the  good  uncles  and  aunts  and 
squires  and  deacons,  as  they  are  represented 
to  have  opened  their  hearts  and  hands  so 
freely,  may  have  its  influence  upon  others, 
who  shall  determine  to  go,  and  do  likewise. 
We  enjoy  to  witness  any  evidence  of  patri- 
otic fervor  and  Christian  zeal  in  the  people, 
and  when  they  are  illustrated  in  acts  of 
kindness  to  our  soldiers,  they  are  certainly 
now,  in  these  perilous  times,  worthy  of 
special  commendation .  But  we  have  noticed 
one  thing  in  this  otherwise  attractive  nar- 
rative to  which  we  hesitate  to  refer,  but 
which  demands,  for  the  truth's  sake,  a  pass- 
ing notice.  A  certain  deacon  is  made  to 
say  a  certain  thing,  which  has  a  certain 
meaning,  that  damages  the  whole  sheet. 
Hear  him—.-"  I  would  not  disparage  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  It  is  doing  a  great 
and  noble  work.  But  the  Christian  Com- 
mission has  taken  a  long  stride  in  advance 
of  it,  inasmuch  as  the  soul  is  of  more  im- 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


755 


portance  than  the  body."  Again  : — "  The 
Commission  (Christian)  is  carrying  out  the 
true  idea  of  Christian  charity.  Its  founda- 
tion is  a  precious  stone  that  other  organiza^ 
tions  did  not  dig  deep  enough  to  find." 

We  do  regard  it  as  remarkable  that  our 
friends  of  the  Christian  Commission  should 
insist  in  placing  themselves  in  an  opposing 
attitude  to  us,  when  there  should  be  no 
other  than  a  cordial  fellowship  and  unity. 
If  the  Sanitary  Commission's  work  is  a 
"  great  and  noble  work  "  as  the  deacon  and 
everybody  else  says  it  is,  why  attempt  to 
create  the  impression  that  it  is  not  a  Chris- 
tian work  ?  From  whence  comes  its  great- 
ness and  nobility  ?  Our  Christianity  teaches 
that  nobility  and  greatness,  emanate  from 
the  Grospel  of  Christ;  that  no  good  comes 
but  from  the  Infinite  Source  of  all  good. 
If  the  precious  stone  that  the  deacon  builds 
upon  is  better  than  the  Gospel  through 
which  comes  words  of  Christian  kindness, 
and  deeds  of  Christian  love,  why  let  us 
know  it,  and  we  may  try  to  dig  deeper; 
but  while  we  are  children  of  the  same  family, 
having  the  same  Father,  the  same  inheritance, 
and  the  same  hope,  we  take  it  as  our  right 
and  duty  to  care  for  our  sick  and  wounded 
brethren,  in  the  spirit  of  Him  who  went 
about  doing  good,- without  feeling  that  we 
are  any  the  less  Christians,  because  we  do 
not  wear  the  outside  badge  of  the  Christian 
Commission.  We  solicit  the  attention  of 
the  deacon  and  of  the  good  lady  who  did 
the  day's  work,  and  of  all  others,  to  the  in- 
junction, "  Judge  not,  lest  ye  be  judged. 
For  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall 
be  judged,  and  with  what  measure  you 
mete  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again." 


WHAT  THEY  SAT  IN  ENCflAND. 
Though  the  following  extract  from  the 
English  Leader,  a  paper  published  in  Lon- 
don, is  rather  lengthy,  we  copy  it  as  an 
English  view  of  our  work,  which  will  inter- 
est bur  readers. 

But  a  righteous  war  is  now  being  waged 
on  the  American  Continent,  and  surely  if 


war  be  still  a  sad  necessity,  it  should  in  our 
civilized  era  be  shorn  as  far  as  practicable  " 
of  all  its  most  debasing  and  poignant  fea- 
tures ;  and  when  once  a  contest  is  fairly  de- 
cided, it  is  not  too  much  to  urge  that  the 
labors  of  the  benevolent,  succoring  the  sick, 
wounded,  exhausted,  famishing  and  dying, 
may  well  be  expended  to  soften,  in  some 
degree,  the  sufferings  of  their  trying  con- 
dition. 

We  hear  little  of  the  good  that  is  being 
done  in  America;  the  slaughter  is  purposely 
dwelt  on,  but  the  labors  of  loving  women 
and  noble  men  on  behalf  of  suffering  hu- 
many  on  both  sides  is  scarcely  alluded  to, 
and  yet  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  now  '^ 
labored  for  three  years  in  the  United  States 
on  a  wondrous  scale,  working  on  a  neutral 
ground  in  which  politics  have  no  place,  and 
as  is  stated,  "we  iflust  be  lost  to  every 
sense  of  benevolence  if  we  do  not  admire 
the  courage  with  which  women  have  sur- 
mounted every  difficulty,  nor  should  we  re- 
fuse to  wish  them  God-speed  in  their  mis- 
sion of  mercy  and  love."  For  it  was  by 
women  this  movement  was  initiated,  and  it 
is  by  them  that  it  is  being  chieflj*  carried 
on.  Clergymen  too,  with  the  Eev.  Dr. 
Bellows  at  their  head,  and  backed  by  the 
principal  physicians,  have  not  been  behind 
hand  in  seconding  this  noble  work.  Their 
objects  being  first  to  find  out  what  Govern- 
ment would  do  and  could  do,  and  then  seek- 
ing to  help  it  by  working  with  it,  doing  \ 
what  it  could  not.  The  operations  of  thil 
association  have  Extended  over  an  area 
nearly  as  large  as  the  continent  of  Europe ; 
and  in  less  than  three  years'  time,  the  vo- 
luntary contributions  to  suffering  humanity 
ha,ve  reached  the  enormous  sum  of  two" 
million  pounds  sterling  in  value. 
*  »  *  *  *  ^j 

The  terrible  condition  of  affairs  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  was  worse  than 
our  condition  at  the  beginning  of  the  Cri- 
mean Campaign.  The  disaffection,  and  the 
great  strain  put  upon  the  existing  order  of 
things  afforded  no  dependence  for  many 
months;  and  it  was  at  a  crisis  of  want  and 
"destitution  that  this  volunteer  association 
offered  its  services.  But  at  last  it  finally 
got  to  work,  and  having  elected  the  cele- 
brated Frederick  Law  Olmstead  as  its  Sec- 
retary, its  labors  became  systematized,  and 
isolated  efforts  in  every  part  of  the  Union 
were  rendered  more  effectual  by  working 
directly  in  harmony  with  the  Central  Asso- 
ciation.    Its  departments,  no  longer  reeog- 


756 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


nizing  the  existing  division  of  States,  had 
to  take  into  consideration  the  best  means  of 
transporting  its  officers  and  goods  to  the 
theatre   of  war;  and  so   the  great  rivers, 

,  railways,  and  roads  marked  its  domains,  and 
served  as  its  main  arteries.  The  inspection 
of  camps  and  hospitals  is  one  9f  its  chief 
features,  and  many  most  valuable  and  sta- 
tistical reports  have  been  elicited  on  this 
subject,  since  each  inspector  has  to  give 
written  answers  to  one  hundred  and  eighty 
printed  questions  "  on  every  possible  detail 
affecting  the  health  and  effectiveness  of  the 
soldier,  at  every  season  of  the  year,  and  in 
widely  distant  latitudes." 

'  The  existing  medical  authorities  were 
scarcely  favorable  to  the  Association,  but  on 
the  appointment  of  the  now  celebrated  Sur- 
geon-General, Dr.  W.  A.  Hammond,  all 
their  difficulties  were  smoothed  over,  and 
every  facility  given  for  it  to  do  its  work 
well.  In  the  catalogue  of  its  efficient  labors 
may  be  mentioned  the  issuing  of  suitable 
medical  works,  especially  for  the  camp,  such 
as  those  by  Dr.  Mott  on  Pain  and  Anaesthe- 
tics, Hemorrhage  from  Wounds,  &c.,  and 
many  werks  on  amputations,  dysenjiery,  &c., 
disseminated  aforetime  by  Miss  Nightingale, 
and  which  now  makes  her  regarded  by  the 
American  soldier  as  the  beneficent"  genius 
of  their  hospitals  and  sick  chambers. 

A  close  inquiry  into  the  diseases  peculiar 
to  the  different  sections  of  so  vast  a  country 
was  also  instituted,  and  each  department  of 
the  Potomac,  Mississippi,  Cumberland,  Ten- 
nessee, &c.,  has  to  send  ft  their  information 
on  these  topics,  and  also  the  treatment  usu- 
ally adopted,  and  advice  as  to  the  best 
means  of    forwarding   supplies.     Hospital 

•  transports,  consisting  for  the  most  part  of 
large  and  well-ventilated  steamers,  were 
also  sent,  following  the  army  from  point  to 
point,  and  always  being  at  hand  to  take  on 
board  those  whose  necessities  required  their 
protection.  Field  cooking,  too,  so  necessasy 
to  the  too  careless  American  as  well  as 
British  soldier  was  taught  and  practiced, 
and  the  best  was  sought  to  be  made  of  the 

^supplies  that  might  be  at  hand.  Inspection 
of  troops,  hospitals,  and  camps,  attention  to 
the  tents,  bedding,  cleanliness  of  the  soldier 
were  likewise  insisted  on,  and  the  multifari- 
ous labors  of  the  Association  were  further 
augmented  by  endeavors  to  provide  for  the 
amusement,  instruction,  and  attention  to 
the  morale  of  the  soldier,  as  well  as  to  en- 
hance his  bodily  comforts  i^i  every  way. 
A  momentous  question,  too,  has  engaged 


its  attention,  viz. :  "  What  is  to  become  of 
the  tens  of  thousands  of  disabled  soldiers 
after  peace  is  restored  ?"  so  that  Mr.  Per- 
kins, of  New  York,  came  over  here  to  study 
the  military  pension  and  invalid  system  of 
Europe  in  order  that  its  good  features  might 
be  made  available  in  America.  The  enorm- 
ous quantity  of  articles  and  stores  already 
given  away  by  this  Commission  would,  if 
duly  enumerated,  astoundan  English  reader ; 
and  the  disposition  to  give,  either  in  money 
or  goods,  was  so  great  when  the  writer 
hereof  was  in  the  cities  of  the  Union,  that 
he  has  often  seen  diamond  rings  and  other 
valuable  personal  ornaments  dropped  into 
the  Society's  collection  boxes  when  other 
things  were  wanting  wherewith  to  contri- 
bute. Can  we  not  aid,  too,  in  this  good 
secular  work  which  helps  both  Federal  and 
Confederate,  asking  only  if  they  be  suffering 
human  beings?  Indeed,  the  author  of  the 
pamphlet  under  notice  says  he  often  saw 
the  rebels  rather  favored  by  the  Commission 
than  otherwise.  Our  hour  of  trouble  may 
not  be  far  off,  we  have  watchful  enemies  on 
every  side ;  our  natural  allies  are  the  good 
Eepublicans  of  the  United  States ;  what  we 
do  now  for  Columbia  will  be  returned  to  us 
tenfold,  and  we,  who  have  so  many  brothers, 
sisters,  and  cousins  over  there,  shall  we  not 
contribute  of  our  great  resources  to  so  phi- 
lanthropic a  body  as  this  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion has  proved  itself  to  be  ?  Widely  ex- 
tended and  innumerable  as  are  the  labors  of 
this  Society,  the  immense  sum  readily  sent 
to  its  coffers  must  still  be  insufficient  to 
enable  it  to  carry  out  fully  its  humane 
efforts,  which  embrace  far  more  than  space 
will  allow  to  be  recorded  here.  For  hu- 
manity's sake  let  not  such  an  undertaking 
want  for  means.  English  nurses  are  em- 
ployed in  its  service,  let  English  funds  be 
supplied  to  augment  its  good  endeavors ; 
and,  as  our  author  reminds  us,  can  we,  who 
have  benefited  by  America's  beneficence  to 
Ireland  and  Lancashire,  refuse  to  lend  a  help- 
ing hand  to  a  work  so  nobly  instituted,  and 
so  ably  carried  oq  ? 

We  have  said  that  this  tribute  to  Florence 
Nightingale  appears  anonymously,  but  we 
have  reason  to  know  that  its  author  is  a 
gentleman  well  and  favorably  known  to 
English  literature.  He  is  one  that  does  good 
by  stealth,  and  blushes  to  find  it  fame ;  but 
as  he  has  long  and  zealously  labored  entirely 
at  his  own  cost,  and  without  other  hope  of 
reward  than  an  approving  conBcience,  to 
niake  BritonI  and  Americans  properly  un- 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


757 


derstand  eact  other,  we  must  venture  to 
bring  his  honored  name  before  our  readers. 
Mr.  Frederick  Milnes  Edge  is  the  only 
English  correspondent  of  the  press  who  has 
really  been  on  the  field  in  the  recent  Ameri- 
can battles.  As  representative  of  the  Morn- 
ing Star,  he  accompanied  McClellan  all 
through  the  Peninsular  campaign,  and  was 
present  altogether  at  not  less  than  twenty- 
three  battles.  In  1860,  he  published  his 
"  Slavery  Doomed,"  which  contains  obser- 
vations that  events  have  proved  to  be  pro- 
phetic. His  letters  to  Lord  John  Kussell 
on  American  aflFairs  have  very  much  in- 
fluenced the  debates  in  our  Houses  of  Par- 
liament, and  his  recent  publication  on  the 
Alabama  and  Kearsarge  deserves  to  be  in 
every  one's  hands,  for  its  fairness  and  clear 
account  of  so  celebrated  an  occurrence,  who 
wishes  to  have  a  full  and  impartial  acquaint- 
ance with  the  most  celebrated  sea  encownter 
of  modern  times.  It  may,  too,  serve  to 
stimulate  other  ladies,  if  they  be  told  that 
the  amiable  wife  of  Mr.  Edge  is  as  great  an 
enthusiast  in  the  cause  of  humanity  and 'of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  as  could  well  be 
wished,  and  that  their  benevolence  of  action 
has  only  been  limited  by  the  extent  of  their 
means.  We  may  well  learn  a  lesson  from 
them,  and  imitate  as  far  as  we  can,  by  be- 
stowing aid  and  attention  on  the  humani- 
tarian efforts  of  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 


THE  VALLEY. 

From  T.  M.  Blazier,  at  Marrisonhurg,  Va., 

Sept.  27. 

On  Monday,  the  19th  of  Sept.,  inst.,  we 
we  were  in  line  of  march  across  the  river 
from  our  old  camps,  and  by  the  middle  of 
the  forenoon  we  were  again  introduced  to 
the  horrid  sights  attendant  on  such  an  oc- 
casion. The  battle  was  most  vividly  de- 
scribed by  a  correspondent,  and  my  duties 
will  only  be  mentioned. 

In  the  morning,  still  the  wounded  came 
in  in  crowds,  I  was  up  at  the  Brigade  Hos- 
pitals, and  in  sight  of  the  rear  of  my  corps, 
while  the  few  wounded  on  skirmish  line 
were  coming  In,  (corps  hospital  not  yet  es- 
tablished,) but  when  shells  came  tumbling 
over  the  crest,  I  went  to  the  side  of  the  only 
road  to  the  rear  (viz:  the  pike)  and  there 
gave  stimulant  to  wounded  passing  to  the 
rear,  both  on  stretcher  and  on  foot. 

Soon  the  hospital  was  established,  and  I 
had  my  wagon  drawn  near,  and  as  wounded 


came  by  companies,  there  was  work  enfugh 
for  all,  and  I  took  hold  at  general  ass.ating 
and  issued  only  diet  during  the  day.  The  . 
corps  had  a  very  large  quantity  of  dressing 
with  them  in  the  morning,  but  their  supply 
was  very  low  at  night. 

By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  I  started 
for  the  battle-field  with  stimulant,  as  I 
learned  we  were  in  possession  of  that  of  the 
morning,  thinking  I  could  do  more  good 
there.  I  remained  on  the  field  till  dark, 
using  all  the  stunulant  with  me,  and  cover- 
ing up  the  sufferers,  most  of  whom  were 
very  cold,  and  many  of  them  in  the  most 
intense  suffbring.  Many  expressions  of 
thanks  cannot  be  forgotten,  that  were  ut- 
tered on  that  occasion  amidst  groans  inde- 
scribable. The  most  that  were  left  on 
the  field  at  that  time  s^ere  the  Confederate 
wounded,  and  a  majority  of  them  were 
wounded  in  the  back — the  ball  passing  di- 
rectly through. 

In  the  evening  I  returned  to  my  wagon, 
and  the  train  with  which  my  wagon  has  per- 
mission to  travel,  and  is  warranted  protec- 
tion, was  already  in  motion,  an4  I  therefore 
went  with  it  to  Winchester  and  encamped  for 
the  night.  By  daylight  Tuesday  morning, 
we  were  marching  toward  Strausburg,  and 
arrived  some  time  after  noon,  where  the 
army  took  up  position  in  front  of  Fisher's 
Mill. 

Wednesday  we  lay  quiet  with  the  trains. 
There  was  quite  an  excitement  at  .the  front, 
but  no  heavy  charging,  and  our  loss  was 
small.  Thursday  afternoon  and  evening 
decided  our  stay  at  that  point,  and  by  late 
evening  we  were  in  rapid  motion  up  the 
Valley  and  took  breakfast  near  Woodstock 
on  Friday  morning.  In  the  afternoon  we 
moved  on  to  Bdensburg  and  enc^ped  for 
■  the  night. 

Saturday  we  moved  on  below  New  Mar- 
ket about  two  miles,  fighting  almost  all  the 
way,  and  on  Sunday  reached  Harrisonburg, 
where  the  army,  except  the  cavalry,  are 
quiet,  enjoying  that  which  they  most  need. 
Friday,  Saturday,  and  Sunday,  I  found  it 
necessary  to  issue,  while  marching,  all  my 
shoes.  In  every  case  the  men  wefe  entirely 
without,  and  several  of  th'em  so  sore  that  it 
was  impossible  for  them  to  get  shoes  on. 
Such  cases  I  put  into  my  wagon. 

Sunday  night  I  heard  from  the  rear  for 
the  first  time,  when  I  received  orders  to 
return  to  Winchester  with  my  wagon,  which 
will  be  done  with  the  first  train  and  escort, 
as  it  would  be  the  height  of  imprudence  to 


758 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


attempt  a  passage  alone.  I  liave  already 
disposed  of  some  of  my  remaining  supplies, 
•and  will  hand  over  to  the  hospital  the  re- 
mainder. 

Notes  from  Berryvilk,  Ya.,  hy  J.  V.  Ham- 
mer. 

Was  busy  making  out  my  report  when  I 
was  informed  that  a  reconnoissanee  was  go- 
ing out.  Went  out  with  them ;  placed  two 
bottles  of  stimulant  in  saddle-bags  for  use 
of  wounded;  found  the  ememy  and  drove 
them  back  on  their  main  force.  Our  cas- 
ualties were  two  killed  and  five  wounded — 
issues  comparatively  small.  Issued  bottle 
of  stimulant  to  sick  and  wounded,  and  some 
minor  articles  to  individual  relief. 

*  *  *  It  rained  all  day ;  was  very  buSy 
— more  so  than  on  any  day  since  I  have 
been  in  the  corps.  Furnished  hospital  with 
all  necessary  articles,  also,  a  great  deal  of 
individual  relief.  To  men  with  chills  stim- 
ulants and  some  clothing  were  issued,  they 
being  destitute,  and  no  possible  way  of  ob- 
taining any. 

*  *•  *  .Mr.  Knowlton,  agent  from  the 
Ferry,  arrived  the  evening  before  with  mail 
and  invoice  of  goods  at  the  Ferry,  and  to 
see  what  the  field  agents  needed.  Made 
out  my  requisition,  and  then  piloted  him  to 
the  agent's  headquarters  of  the  Sixth  and 
Eighth  Corps. 

*  *  *  Was  very  busy  all  day  issuing 
to  Surgeon's  orders.  Supplies  arrived  from 
the  Perry.  Transferred  the  supplies  to  my 
wagon  and  team. 

*  *  *  Overhauled  and  repacked  goods 
in  wagon  ;  then  visited  the  new  hospital  of 
1st  Division  19th  Army  Corps,  just  estab- 
lished a  d|p.y  or  so  Issued  to  them  all  they 
needed.  Everything  works  well  in  this 
corps  in  regard  to  the  Commission.  All 
are  loud  in  their  praise  of  it,  and  all  facili- 
ties that  can  be  are  afforded  me,  by  order  of 
Major  General  Emery,  Commanding  Corps, 
and  Dr.  Brownell,  Medical  Director. 

Notes  from  Winchester  hy  F.  A.  Adams. 

Sept.  26. — Goods  arrived  from  Harper's 
Ferry.  A  large  lot  of  them.  Helped  issue 
some  of  them,  and  visited  two  hospitals. 

Tuesday,  Sept.  27. — This  morning  we 
held  a  meeting  with  seven  of  the  Union 
ladies  of  this  city,  who  are  each  to  have  a 
district  assigned  them,  consisting  of  one  or 
two  hospitals,  which  they  are  to  visit  and 
draw  the  supplies  they  need  from  the  Com- 


mission. This  afternoon  I  made  some  milk 
punch  and  carried  it  around,  with  some  to- 
bacco, to  ward  4,  hospital  of  the  I9th  corps. 
The  boys  were  very  grateful  for  it. 

Wednesday,  Sfept.  28. — ^Early  this  morn- 
ing the  Medical  Purveyor  offered  us  an 
extra  wagon,  which  we  loaded  and  sent  to 
the  front.  I  visited  three  Confederate 
hospitals;  they  seemed  as  well -supplied  as 
our  own.  The  surgeons  were  very  gentle- 
manly, and  glad  to  receive  our  aid. 

Sept.  29.—*  *  *  Visited  the  Taylor 
House  hospital ;  they  look  much  better  than 
they  did  a  few  days  ago.  Went  to  see  a 
soldier,  wounded,  in  a  private  house.  He 
had  almost  no  clothing  at  all,  and  suffering 
severely  from  his  wound.  I  sent  him  what 
he  needed  most. 

*  *  *  Saw  some  of  the  ladies  who  are 
visiting  hospitals  (according  to  instructions) 
and  made  out  requisitions  of  articles  they 
were  in  need  of  for  the  wounded.  The  rest 
of  the  day  spent  in  duties  about  the  store- 
room. 

*  *  *  Saw  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  the 
6th  and  cavalry  corps  hospitals  and  ascer- 
tained the  number  of  their  sick  and  wound- 
ed, amounting  to  about  450  in  all.  Visited 
the  cavalry  corps  hospital,  in  a  church.  It 
looked  very  well  indeed,  clean  and  well 
ventilated.  They  all  had  beds  and  a  fair 
supply  of  clothing. 

Notes  from,  Harper's  Ferry,  hy  George 
Knowlton. 

Friday  morning,  I  was  ordered  to  visit 
the  hospital  at  Sandy  Hook,  Md.,  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Marks.  The  wards  visited 
were  those  containing  the  amputated  cases. 
We  found  the  poor  fellows  suffering  from 
all  kinds  of  wounds,  but  bearing  most  nobly 
their  suffering  for  the  cause  of  liberty  and 
justice.  We  found  them  also  very  much 
in  need  of  stimulants,  particularly  wines. 
One  case  in  particular  I  noticed  in  Ward 
No.  1,  of  a  young  man  who  had  undergone 
a  very  severe  operation,  and,  as  I  was  told 
by  the  ward  master,  could  not  live.  I  asked 
him  if  I  could  ^ring  him  anything  to  eat 
or  drink.  He  said  he  had  no  appetite  to 
eat  anything,  but  should  like  a  bottle  of 
sherry  wine ;  he  thought  it  would  strengthen 
him  and  give  him  an  appetite. 

Cases  like  the  above  are  to  be  met  with 
every  day,  and  were  it  not  for  the  stimu- 
lants issued  by  the  Sanitary  Commission 
the  suffering  would  be  much  greater.  In 
the  afternoon  I  visited  the  hospital  in  charge 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


759 


of  Dr.  Ditts,  on  Bolivar  Heights,  but  found 
the  men  receiving  such  good  care  and  at- 
tention from  their  excellent  surgeon  and 
matron  that  there  was  very  little  we  could 
do  for  them — about  the  only  articles  called 
for  by  the  men  were  tobacco  and  some  read- 
ing matter.  Sunday  morning  I  was  ordered 
to  take  charge  of  a  load  of  stores  for  the 
hospitals  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  which  were 
left  destitute  by  the  rebels  in  the  late  raids 
in  Maryland.  I  arrived  in  Hagerstown 
Sunday  evening,  and  found  them  destitute 
indeed;  the  poor  fellows  were  laying  in 
common  bunks  filled  with  loose  straw.  The 
surgeon,  Dr.  Lees,  was  very  thankful  for 
the  articles  sent,  and  pleased  at  the  prompt- 
ness with  which  his  requisition  had  been 
filled,  and  in  a  handsome  letter  sent  to  Col. 
Miileck,  expressed  his  thanks  to  the  Com- 
mission for  their  kindness  to  him  and  his 
men.  '^ 

Friday  morning,  Mr.  Hammer  kindly 
offered  to  accompany  me  to  the  different 
corps  I  had  to  visit.  We  found  Mr.  Blazier, 
of  the  6th  corps,  in  the  woods,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile'  from  the  Summit  Point 
Pike,  between  the  19th  and  8th  corps,  and 
Mr.  Evans,  of  the  8th,  about  five  miles 
farther  on  the  same  road.  The  corps  having 
made  an  advance  the  day  before,  made  it 
rather  difficult  to  find  them.  I  found  all 
the  wagons  very  much  in  need  of  more 
stimulants  and  many  other  necessary  arti- 
cles, such  as  shirts,  drawers,  crackers,  &c., 
and  trust  they  may  be  re-supplied  by  the 
next  train. 

Notes  from  Crook's  Division,  Yd.,  hy  D. 
W.  Evani. 

I  find  every  facility  for  working,  always 
welcomed  among  officers  of  every  grade 
and  department,  and  so  it  is  comparatively 
easy  to  find  out  who  the  needy  are,  among 
the  men.  This  corps'  especially,  by  its 
marches  and  counter-marches,  is  so  much 
reduced  and  worn  that  it  calls  for  a  liberal 
supply  of  all  kinds  of  stores,  especially  light 
diet  and  warm  clothing  for  the  hospitals, 
whose  patients  number  an  average  of  one 
hundred  during  this  week.  Among  the 
comforts  afibrded  them,  has  been  blankets, 
which  have  been  of  inestimable  service. 
Men  are  often  to  blame  for  not  having  their 
blankets  with  them.  But  when  sick  they 
should  have  them.  I  ask  a  liberal  supply 
of  them  for  this  fall  weather  and  cold  nights. 
I  have  supplied  these  hospitals  for  several 


days.  Being  further  removed  from  the  base 
of  supplies  than  previous  weeks,  the  sup- 
ply trains  are  not  as  punctual  as  formerly, 
hence  the  reason  for  falling  back  exclusively 
on  our  supplies.  In  addition  to  furnishing 
personally  and  visiting  the  hospitals,  I  have 
supplied  the  surgeons  of  many  regiments 
with  the  articles,  as  per  requisitions  inclos- 
ed, but  generally  I  have  distributed  direct- 
ly to  the  men  in  the  several  regiments, 
oftentimes  carrying  it  to  them  in  my  saddle 
bags  and  straps. 

I  have  distributed  stimulants  in  greater 
quantities  than  I  shall  hope  to  do  in  future, 
for  the  sick  men  have  been  wet  and  chilly, 
and  we  have  moved  three  times  during  the 
week.  Everything  that  can  be,  is  (Jone  for 
the  comfort  of  the  field  hospitals  by  those 
in  charge  of  them.  There  is  a  great  demand 
for  stimulating  medicSnes,  such  as  cayene 
pepper,  Jamaica  ginger  (essence),  black- 
berry brandy  and  cherry  cordial. 

A.  G-.  MUHLECH. 

Mabtinsbcirg,         I 
October  9,  1864.  / 

Since  my  last  report,  two  trains,  consist- 
ing each  of  six  four-horse  teams,  heavily 
loaded  with  an  assorted  cargo  of  Sanitary 
goods  have  been '  forwarded  from  Martins- 
burg  to  Winchester.  Bedding,  clothing, 
and  farinaceous  food  have  been  in  pressing 
demand.  We  have  supplied  the  different 
corps  hospitals  to  a  large  extent;  in  fact, 
some  of  these  hospitals  in  town  have  been 
provided  with  almost  everything  they  needed 
in  that  lin'e.  Less  complete  has  been  our 
supply  of  delicacies,  and  these  we  mostly 
entrusted  to  the  noble  women  who  so  gen- 
erously volunteered  to  cook  and  prepare 
articles  of  extra  diet.  Soft  crackers,  choco- 
late, tea,  jellies,  milk,  eggs,  and  sherry  wine 
have  been  dealt  out  generously,  and  most 
properly  and  judiciously  applied.  Surgeons 
as  well  a.s  the  patients  themselves  and  our 
hopital  visitors,  all  coincide  in  this  welcome 
report.  Before  I  left  for  Washington,  I 
had  an  interview  with  most  of  the  surgeons 
in  charge,  and  ascertained  what  articles  were 
greatly  wanted,  viz  :  feeding-cups,  bed-pans, 
oil  silk,  adhesive  plaster,  etc.;  also,  a  further 
supply  of  quilts,  blankets  and  pillows.  On 
my  arrival  at  Martinsburg,  I  ordered  to  the 
front  all  those  articles  on  hand;  the  same 
thing  I  did  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Dr.  Harris, 
who  doubtless  postpones  his  departure  from 
Winchester  until  I  can  reach  that  point, 
will  give  you  more  definite  statements  as  to 


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The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


the  management  of  the  hospitals  and  the 
condition  of  their  inmates. 

I  hasten  to  add  here,  that  the  flying  visit 
I  was  enabled  to-day  to  pay  to  our  several 
temporary  hospitals,  at  Martinshurg,  has 
imprtessed  me  with  the  conviction,  that, — 
if  not  more  pressingly  needed  at  Winches- 
ter— Miss  Harris'  presence  and  labor  in  thii 
town  would  result  in  infinite  good.  Large 
numbers  of  wounded  pass  frequently  through 
town,  and  there  is  nobody  to  look  after  them, 
further  than  to  show  them  into  the  cars. 
Some  .warm  food,  tea  and  coffee,  prepared 
by  a  woman's  hand,  would  be  a  great  relief 
to  the  poor  sufferers,  who  very  often,  hun- 
gry as  they  are,  do  not  get  anything  before 
they  reach  their  final  destination.  I  shall 
duly  report  to  you,  without  delay,  the  result 
of  my  consultation  with  the  medical  authori- 
ties, and  the  impressions  of  my  own  mind 
and  judgment  in  regard  to  the  further  sphere 
of  usefulness  of  Miss  Harris,  outside  of 
Harper's  Ferry.  The  hospitals  temporarily 
established  in  this  town  contain  at  this  mo- 
ment several  hundred  sick  and  wounded. 
They  are  not  yet  in  good  condition,  and  de- 
mand the  continued  care  and  vigilance  of 
our  agency  here.  Larger  or  smaller  de- 
tachments of  sick  and  wounded  are  coming 
in  daily,  without  previous  information  being 
given  to  the  medical  officers  in  charge,  and 
some  confusion  is  necessary.  Quite  a  heavy 
draft  for  bedding  and  under-clothing  has 
thus  been  made  on  our  stores  here ;  how- 
ever, this  is  easily  explained  by  the  fact, 
that  most  of  these  articles  go  further  East 
with  those  transient  patients.  Two  or  three 
excellent  Union  ladies,  for  whose  character 
and  devotion  I  may  personally  vouch,  de- 
clare themselves  willing  to  assist  us  in  our 
mission,  and  ready  to  prepare  food  for  those 
in  want. 

Finally,  I  would  respectfully  suggest  to 
send  henceforward  only  such  stores  and  in 
such  quantities  as  immediate  need  may 
justify.  The  number  of  wounded  at  Win- 
chester has  been  largely  reduced  since  I 
left  the  town.  I  hardly  think  more  than 
twelve  hundred  remain  there  now,  and  a 
ftirther  decrease  may  be  expected  immedi- 
ately on  the  opening  of  the  Manassas  road. 


Wanted. — The  cold  weather  approaches, 
and  our  men  in  the  field  will  need  mittens. 
Let  the  long  evenings  at  home  be  occupied 
in  knitting  soldiers'  mittens. 


WANTED  FOR  MEN  IN  THE  ARMY. 

"Housewives"  or  "Comfort  Bags." 
Small  bags,  each  containing  one-half  dozen 
assorted  needles,  one  skein  white  cotton,  one 
skein  black  linen  thread,  one-half  dozen  hoin  or 
porcelain  shirt  buttons,  (large  size),  one-half 
dozen  pantaloon  buttons,  a  small  ball  of  yarn, 
(any  color),  a.  darning  needle  and  a  few  pins. 
With  this  material  men  can  repair  clothing  that 
would  otherwise  be  thrown  away. 


SHIPMENTS  IN  SEFIEMBES. 

From  the  3d  to  the  29th  of  this  month, 
beside  many  other  articles  in  greater  or  less 
amount,  there  have  been  shipped  to  Sher- 
man's army  from  the  depot  in  Louisville, 
the  following  supplies : 

704  pillow  cases,  4,201  shirts, 

2,666  pairs  drawers,  1,679  cans  fruit, 

3,825  lbs.  concentrated  beef,   9,436  pounds  crackers, 
2,739  pounds  dried  fruit.       16,589  gallons  pickles, 

864  bushels  potatoes.  10,637  bushels  onions, 

30,000  pounds  ice,  ^i^T^  bottles  lime-juice, 

835  pouuds  tobacco,  \ 

3,474  towels  and  handkerchiefs,    ■. 
3,565  pounds  of  rags  and  bandages^ 
1,727  bottles  of  wine  and  spirits. 

The  Dunleith  likewise  was  loaded  to  the 
utmost, 'here  and  at  Cairo,  about  the  20th, 
with  valuable  stores  for  New  Orleans,  Vicks- 
burg,  and  Memphis.  Her  cargo  consisted 
of  the  following  articles  : 


/ 


4,798  bushels  onions, 
5,510  gaUone  pickles, 
350  bushels  potatoes, 
600  gallons  krout, 
12,100  pounds  crackers, 
4,200  pounds  dried  apples, 
1,740  lbs.  concentrated  beef, 
22  doz  canned  tomatoes, 
12  doz.  Catawba  wine, 
3  doz  raspb'y  vinegar, 
1  doz.  whisky, 
676  cans  blackberry, 
100  pairs  gloves, 


48  dozen  catsup, 
15  dozen  ginger  wine, 
3  pounds  sponges, 
20  pounds  herbs, 
60  fans, 
2,712  shirts, 
1,114  pairs  drawers, 
192  sheets, 
880  pillow  cases, 
274  handkerchiefs, 
94  comforts  and  quilts, 
396  towels, 
18  dressing  gowns. 


FINANCIAL  SEFOBT 

Of  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Secretary  Western  Depart- 
ment, XI.  S.  Sanitary  Oommission,  Louisville,  Ky. 
From  September  I,  1861,  to  July  1,  1864. 
From  September  I,  1861,  to  January  1,  1862. 

Expenses — 

Stationery  &  office  print'g,  f  14  25  ' 

Freight  (not  for  supply  de- 
partment,)   .         .        .     15  00 
Petty  expenses  in  ofBce,  .     11  00 
Office  salaries,  .        .  945  06 

985  31 

Supply  Department — 


Transportat'n  of  supplies,     48  40 
Miscellaneous,  .         .  469  65 


Total, 


517  95 
$1,603  26 


The  Sanitary  Commimion  Bulletin. 

* 

T61 

For  the  Tear  1862. 

Brought  forward. 

• 

$40,162  63 

Expemet — 

Relief  Dy>arlment — 

Advertising, 

.   $133  30 

Compensation,    . 

.  $4,609  03 

Stationery     and'    o£fice 

Expenses,    . 

.     2,270  91 

printing,   . 

.      191  83 

Home  at  Cairo,  . 

.     1,606  87 

Freight  (not  for  supply- 

"      Memphis, 

.     1,098  80 

department), 

27  53 

"      Nashville, 

.      1,068  40 

Postage, 

18  48 

"      Louisville, 

.      1,147   10 

Telegrams,    . 

61   08 

Hospital  Oars,     . 

.      2,171   01 

Rent,     . 

.      345  00 

Hospital  Boats^   . 

.   10,000  00 

Petty  expenses  in  office 
Office  salaries,  . 

,      237  83 
2,756  35 

23,972  12 

Supply  Department — 

3,771   40 

Storehouse  wages  and 

General  Inspection — 
Compensation, 
Expenses, 

$3,816  97 
2,059  01 

5,875  98 

expenses, 
Purchase  of  supplies, 
Distribution        " 
Transportation    " 
Canvassing, 

.  $2,810  19 
.  34,430  68 
.  17,194  49 
.  28,933  54 
.     5,539  04 

Directory — 

88,907  99 
2,281  28 

Compensation, 
Expenses, 

$597  63 
43   00 

640  63 

Miscellaneous,     . 
Total, 

•                   •                  • 

Relief  D^artment — 

155,323  84 

Expenses  of  Relief  Corps  $    45  00 

• 

Hom'e  at  Louisville, 

1,132  75 

* 

Hospital  Cars, 

158  68 

From  January  1  to  July  1,  1864. 

Hospital  Boats,     . 

1,864  12 

3,200  55 

Expemei — 

Supply  Department — 
Storehouse  wages   and 

Stationery    and     office 

printing,    .         .         .   $486  00 
-     Postage,        .        .        .208  42 

■ 

expenses,  . 

rs,   40  00 

Rent,     . 

.     Rifi  nn 

Purchase  of  supplies, 
Distribution  of  supplies 

.  4,519  29 
,  2,874  47 

Petty  expenses  in  office,  1,861  08 
Office  salaries,       .        .  5.453  33 

Transpor'n  of  supplies. 

.      638   54 

J 

8  523   83 

Canvassing,  . 

.      198  50 

General  Inspection — 

\Jj%^tStJ         \J^J 

Miscellaneous, 

■ 

8,270  80 
1,669  23 

Compensation,    . 
Expenses,    . 

$4,190  32 
898  84 

K    txnf\     t  n 

Total, 

• 

$23,418  59 

Directory — 
Compensation,    . 
Expenses,   . 

$4,456  16 
1,041  34 

5,089  16 

F(yr  the  Year  1863. 

C                     1 

5,497  50 

Expemea — 

Puhlieation — 

Advertising^ 

$288  23 

Sanitary  Reporter, 

, 

1,929  94 

Stationery    and    office 

Relief  Department — 

printing, 

2,007  91 

Compensation,    . 

$8,615  47. 

Freight  (not  for  supply 

Expenses,    . 

3,971  31 

department),   . 

115  58 

Home  at  Cairo,    . 

4,860  89 

- 

Postage, 

403  12 

"      Memphis, 

1,177  11 

Telegrams,  .       * 

42  6i7 

«      Nashville,      . 

1,452  88 

Rent, 

1,359  66 

t 

"      Louisville,     . 

35  00 

Petty  expenses  in  office, 

1,802  40 

"       Camp  Nelson, 

2,065  95 

Office  salaries,     . 

8,147  61 

"      Knoxville,     . 

139  50 

14,167  18 

"      Stevenson,     . 

629  60 

Publication — 

"      Chattanooga, 

279  82 

Sanitary  Reporter, 
Documents,         Mono- 

$2,622 14 

Hospital  Cars,     . 
Hospital  Boats,    . 

984  71 
1,063  22 

25,275  46 

graphs,  &c.. 

General  Inspection — 
Compensation,    . 
Expenses,    . 

731  80 

$9,116  99 
3,987  02 

3,353  94 
13,104  01 

Supply  Department — 
Storehouse  expenses,  . 
Local  expenses,  . 
Purchase  of  supplies,  . 
Distribution        " 
Transportation,  " 

$1,173  64 

60   00 

54,642  59 

27,941   72 

6,648  28 

Directory — 

Compensation,    . 

$8,017  74 

Canvassing, 

3,231   05 

93,697  28 
802  52 

Expenses,    . 

1,519  66 

9,537  -40 
140,162   53 

Miscellaneous, 
Total, 

.         .          $ 

Carried  forward,    . 

140,819  69 

762 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Advertising, 
Stationery    and   ofSce 

printing,  . 
Freight  (not  for  supply 

department),    . 
Postage, 

Rent,  .... 
Office  expenses,  . 
Telegrams,  . 
Office  salaries,     . 


$421  53 
2,699  99 


158 

630 

2,219 

3,912 

103 

1'7,302 


11 
02 
66 
31 
75 
35 


Publications — 

Sanitary  Reporfer,       .  $4,552 
Documents,         Mono- 
graphs, &c.,     .        .        '731 


General  Inspection- 
Compensation,  . 


$1T,124 
6,944 


08 
80 


28 
87 


Directory — 

Compensation,  . 
Expenses,  . 

Relief  D^artment — 

Compensation,  . 
■  Expenses,  . 

Home  at  Cairo,  . 
"  Memphis, 
"  Nashville, 
"  Louisville, 
"  Camp  Nelson, 
"  Knoxville, 
"  Stevenson, 
"       Chattanooga, 

Hospital  Cars,   . 

Hospital  Boats, 


$13,071 
2,604 


53 
00 


$13,224 

6,287 

6,467 

2,275 

2,521 

2,314 

2,065 

139 

629 

279 

3,314 

12,297 


50 
22 
76 
91 
28 
85 
95 
50 
60 
82 
40 
34 


Supply  Department — 

Storehouse  wages,  &o.,  $3,823  83 

Local  expenses,  .  .        260  00 

Purchase  of  supplies,  .  93,592  56 

Distribution        "  :  48,010  68 

.Transportation    "  .  36,268  76 

«  .     8,968  59 


Miscellaneous, 
Total, 


27,447  72 


5,283  88 


24,069  15 


15,675  53 


52,448  13 


-    190,924  42 
5,216  59 

$321,065  42 


THE     SANITARY    COMMISSION    AND    OTIE 
BRAVE  SOLDIERS. 

•  The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission  steamer 
Elizabeth  left  Philadelphia  on  Saturday  morning 
for  City  Point,  vrith  a  full  cargo  of  clothing  and 
sanitary  stores  for  the  use  of  our  brave  soldiers 
in  the  army  operating  before  Richmond,  at  a  cost 
of  $44,383  74. 

The  public  will  see  that  their  generous  contri- 
butions to  our  late  "Great  Pair"  are  being  put 
to  a  good  use. 

■The  following  named  articles  comprise  the  Eliza- 
beth's cargo. 


5,000  wool  shirts. 
744  pairs  wool  drawers. 
433  dozen  wool  socks. 
200  quilts. 
799  bed  sacks. 
210  sheets. 
500  towels. 

528  pairs  leather  slippers. 
14,565  pounds  crackers. 
10,168  pounds  tobacco. 
350  barrels  onions. 

75  barrels  sweet  potatoes. 
1  50  barrels  white  potatoes. 
50  barrels  beets. 
5,000  heads  cabbage. 
50  boxes  peaches. 
20  barrels  family  flour. 
41f  pounds  tea. 
60  dozen  Sherry  wine. 
40  dozen  ale. 

50  dozen  Monongahela  whisky. 
100  dozen  old  cherry  brandy. 
2,376  pounds  crushed  sugar. 
821  pounds  butter. 
883  pounds  dried  beef. 
30  kitts  mackerel. 
2,000  pounds  codflsh. 
4,800  pounds  condensed  milk. 
6,360  pounds  canned  roast  beef. 
4,530  pounds  beef  and  vegetable  soup. 
2,400  pounds  corn  starch. 
2,400  pounds  farina. 
50  boxes  lemons. 

25  dozen  lemon  syrup. 
100  dozen  canned  peaches. 
258  dozen  canned  tomatoes. 

5  dozen  tomato  catsup. 
60  dozen  apple  butter. 
20  kegs  tripe. 

26  dozen  Julienne  soup. 
122  dozen  flavoring  extract. 

10  gross  essence  ginger. 
40  dozen  pickled  onions. 
50  dozen  h^lf  pickles. 

1  case  salt.    . 
10  dozen  egg  uogg. 
749  pounds  dried  poaches. 
3,425  pounds  dried  apples. 
43  gallons  coal  oil. 
600  pounds-corned  beef.    • 

3  dozen  bay  rum. 
331  arm  slings. 

1  box  reading  matter. 
839  books. 
10,000  envelopes. 

27  gross  pens. 

10  gross  lead  pencils, 
10  gross  inlistands. 
2,000  tin  cups. 

10  gross  pie  plates. 

4  dozen  box  graters. 

16  gross  iron  table  spoons. 
18  pounds  patent  thread. 
20  gross  matches. 
140  dozen  combs. 
10  dozen  pails. 
10  dozen  spirits  camphor. 
2,000  paper  bags, 

PMlada.  Evening  Bulletin,  Sept.  21,  1864. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


763 


lames  from  Philadelphia  Agenoy  U.  S.  Samiary 

GommkaionfoT  month  of  September,  1864. 
Sept.  1. — To  Louisville. 

263  cases,  12  boxes,  each,  lime  juice,  $1,483  25. 
Sept.  Q.—To  City  Point,  Va. 
130  barrels  onions, 
28  barrels  beets.    • 

47  barrels  sweet  potatoes. 

20  boxes  peaches. 
35  tons  coal. 

150  newspapers.  1,881  65 

Sept.  30.— To  Baltimore,  Md. 
257  bed-sacks. 
224  wrappers. 

89  wool  shirts. 
515  wool  drawers. 
276  cotton  flannel  shirts. 
684  pads. 
639  pillows. 
236  dozen  bandages. 
176  pairs  slippers. 
'480  towels.  1 
1,119  pairs  wool  socks. 
1  pair  mittens. 

78  slings. 
380  finger  stalls. 

24  eye  shades. 

2,630  combs  (fine  and  coarse). 
9  pieces  mosquito  netting. 
6  pieces  oil  silk. 
34  cans  fruit. 

21  cans  apple  butter. 
162  pounds  farina. 

38  bottles  raspberry,  vinegar. 

38  pounds  corn  starch. 
153  bottles  blackberry  brandy. 
408  bottles  Sherry  wine. 
102  fans. 

1  barrel  dried  fruit. 
100  games. 
180  gallons  vinegar. 
106  pounds  tobacco. 

48  bottles  Cayenne  pepper. 

25  pounds  Cayenne  pepper. 
15  bottles  blackberry  cordial, 

500  ounces  bromine. 


6,262  86 
330  00 


Cargo  steamer  Elizabeth, 


9,957  76 
44,383  74 

154,341   50 


PROTECTIVE 

OP    THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STHEET, 

Pbesident. 
Lhdt.-Gbn.  WINFIBLD  SCOTT. 

Yiob-Presidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  FISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Esq. 


«  Tbbasubbu, 

ROBERT  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 

DlEECTOES. 

Hons.  E.  D.  MoESAN, 

Geoko;s  Opdykb, 

Hiram  Bahnby, 

James  W.  Bbekmah, 
Rev.  H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 
Messrs.  John  Jaoob  Abtob, 
James  Bbown, 

WiLLLiM  H.  ASPINWALL, 

jAMTis  Gallatin, 
Howard  PottbU', 
William  E.  Dodse,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Petbb  Coopbb, 
Geobqe  Banoboft, 
Daniel  Lobd, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stdaet, 
Alfred  Pell. 
Apply  in  person  or  by  leljier,  to    ' 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bownty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 
'  Sd.iTo  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Oovernment. 

ith:  To  ginie  gratuitous  advice  and  informaimti  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  'i^ork. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

E.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surgeon-'Gen'l  U.  S.  A 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati^  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Rer.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Pairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
C.  J.  Still6,  Philadelpihia,  Penna.      ,  • 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 


764 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


OFFICERS. 

H.  "W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer.  ^ 

J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
P.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDINO  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
■   William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibhs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  hag  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

Por  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lombia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
f  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  130'r  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia."  ' 

Por  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Ulinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

fl@"Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
■points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
•is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  18 
West  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  10 
3d  Avenue,  New  York. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  130'r 
Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 


Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  46 
South  Sharp  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  corner 
Vine  and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66 
Madison  Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2 
Adam's  Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59 
Fourth  Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32 
Lamed  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Colum- 
bus, 0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth 
Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
pnblic  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  T. 

RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

General  Superintendent,  Rev.  F.  N.  Knapp, 
Washington,  D.  C.   Chief  Assistant,  J.  B.  Abbott. 

Soldiers'  Home,  near  Baltimore  Railroad  Depot, 
Washington,  D.  0. 

Lodge  No.  4,  H  Street,  betweenThirteenth  and 
and  Fourteenth  Streets. 

Lodge  No.  5,  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Railroad 
Station. 

Nurses'  Home,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  76  Kingston  Street,  Boston. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  east  of  Broad- 
way, Cincinnati,  0. — Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews, 
Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI. — C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky. — James  Malona, 
Superintendent.  James  Morton,  Special  Relief 
Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Teun. — L.  Crane, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  0. ,  Superin't. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  0. — Joseph  Jerome, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn. 
— C.  W.  Christy,  Superintend't  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Vicksburg,  Miss. — T.  Way, 
Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans,  La. — 0.  F.  Howes, 
Superintendent. 

AOBNCT  FOR  PENSIONS. 

William  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

HOSPITAL  OARS. 

Between  Washington  and  New  York — Sol. 
Andrews,  M.D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

BBtweeu  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga — Dr.  J. 
P.  Baruum,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  STEAMER.  , 

James  River — Elizabeth. 


The  Simitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


765 


DURYEA'S    MAIZENA 

RECEIVED 

TWO    PRIZE    MEDALS 


(FROM  JURIES  3  AND  4) 

AT   THE 


INTERNATIONAL    EXHIBITION, 
LONDON^   1862. 

Being  Sole  Awards  gained  by»anything  of  the  kind.    It  also  received  Superlative  Report  of 
"  EXCEEDIIVC  i:X.CEl.L.E]VT  FOR  FOOD." 


At  the  GREAT  INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION  at  HAMBURG,  July,  1863,  received 
the  highest  Prize  Medal  for  its  great  delicacy  as  an  article  of  food. 

At  the  FAIR  of  the  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY,  at  Utica,  N.Y., 
September,  1863,  received  both  Diploma  and  Medal. 

At  tbe  Pennsylvania  State  Fair  at  STorristoivv, 

OCTOBBE  3,  1863,  TOOK  GoLD  Medal. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  also  taken  the  first  premium  at  the  American  Institute,  New  York 
City ;  New  Jersey  State  Fair  at  Trenton,  and  at  other  places — in  every  instance  where  it 
has  been  exhibited. 

"  MAIZENA"  has  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest  award  when  placed  in  competition 
with  Corn  Starch  and  all  articles  of  like  character,  after  a  thorough  Microscopical  and  Analy- 
tical Examination  of  disinterested  judges.  It  therefore  stands  commended  to  the  public  as  the 
best  article  of  its  kind  in  the  world  without  any  comments  of  the  manufacturer. 

For  Puddings,  Cakes,  Custards,  Blanc  Mange,  &c.,  without  isinglass,  with  few  or  no  eggs,  at 
a  cost  astonishing  the  most  economical.  It  is  also  excellent  for  thickening  sweet  sauces, 
gravies  for  fish  and  meat,  soups,  &c.  For  Ice  Cream,  nothing  can  compare  with  it.  A  little 
jjoiled  in  milk  will  produce  rich  cream  for  Coffee,  Chocolate,  Tea,  &c. 

Put  up  in  one  pound  packages,  under  the  trade  mark  "  Maizena,"  with  directions  for  use. 

A  most  delicious  article  of  food  for  children  and  invalids  of  all  ages.  For  sale  by  Grocers 
and  Druggists  everywhere. 

WHOLESALE -DEPOT,  166  FULTOiV  STREET. 


WM.  DURYEA,  General  Agent. 


766 


The  Sanitary.  Oontmission  Bulletin. 


BRANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway, 

NEW  YORK. 


PHJIiADELIiPHIA; 


BRANCH, 

No.  19  Green  Street, 

BOSTON,  Mass. 


Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  wto  liave  lost  Limbs. 

The  *' Palmer"  Arm  and  Leg  are  now  furnished  i  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limh,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government, 

SlTRQEOir-GENEEAL'S  OFFICE, 

Washingtoh  City,  B.C.,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sis  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  to  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       ******** 
Ih  compliahcb  with  thb  kecohhehsation  of  the  Board,  when  a  soldier  may  desire  to  purchase  "  the  more 

ELEQAHT  AHD  EXPESSIVB  ARM  OF  PAMIEB,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PAYMEHT  FOR  TBT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CRAHE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

-     SnRaEOH-aENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

■WAsmnaTOH  City,  D.C,  Sept.  20. 1864. 
Sir: — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report, and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  par  as  regards  the  Limbs  mandfactdeed  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 

W.  0.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  T44  Broadway,  New  York. 

The  Best  PAIMEE  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE. 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM.  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

•A-Pply  ill  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  tlie  offices     Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artijicial  Limh  Co, 


^  11  mum  sc 


^ 


^ 


% 


w 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  businessm 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THB  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

'  E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  KTo,  252  Broadway,  Wew  York, 
FAIBBAKTKSiiSc  BEO"WH,  5[p.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIBBAIirKS,  GBBEiriiEAP  &  CO.,  BTo.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWING,  JVEasonio  Hall,  FHUadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  St,  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of  the  above. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


767 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


M:  O  RRI  s 


OOMP^JSTY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


COE^ISTEIK.   -VSTJLLL   &c   IsTJ^SSJ^TJ   STS. 


Authorized  Capital, 
Casli  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. . 


I>  13 

*-•  •  •  » 

Et  DS  O  T  O  I 

=C.  s. 

EDWARD  EOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH.  MOEEISON, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

FEED.  H.  BRADLEE, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLEE, 

GEOEGE  MILN, 

EDWAKD  C.  BATES, 

HENET  J.  CAMMANN, 

J.  0.  MOKKIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

_  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWHE, 

BEKJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHAELES  HICKOX, 

EZRA  NYE, 

B.  C.  MOERIS,  Jk., 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

Wm.  M.  WHITNEY,  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


768  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 

O  JF*  iH*  I  C3  E3     O  I^     ^P  I3C  ES 

Columbian  (Marine)  Insurance 

Corner  of  Wall  and  JVassau  Streets. 


GASH  CAPITAL,  $1,000,000. 

From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending  December  31,  1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1,  1864 $3,140^930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  33 

Eeserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies .-.  441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not ; 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  percent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders * 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES    PAID    IN    GOLD 

UPON  RISKS  ON  WHICH  THE  PREMIUM  IS  PAID  IN  LIKE  CURRENCY. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  he 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  GASH  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows:  1 

1st.  Upon   all  VOYAGE   Risks   upon   CARGO,  a  return   of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER   CENT. 

2d.  Upon-  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  F.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B   OGDEN,  DAVID  J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

^  JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  0.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B    C.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

WM.  H.  HALSET,  DANL.  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMAKN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,.  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROHERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LA  WHENCE  MYERSj  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  NIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President,  B.  C,  MOREIS,  President. 

WM.  M.  "WHITITliy,  2d  Vice-President  and  Secretary. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


Vol.  L 


PHILADELPHIA,  NOVEMBER  1,  1864. 


No.  25. 


The  Sanitaey  CoHutssiON  Bulletin  it  published,  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  Aos  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  130?  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  tpriters.  ^  , 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  tJ.  S.  Sanita^  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a -definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously ,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,^  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Strono,  68  Wall  street.  New  York,  or  No  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,')  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contribuU^r  during  the  remainder  of  the  eiirrent  year,  unless  its  publication  i« 
sooner  discontinued. 


COBBECIION. 

In  the  report  of  County  Council  for  West 
Chester  and  Putnam  counties,  N.  T.,  which 
appeared  in  the  last  number  of  Bulletin,  the 
following  names  of  delegates  were  omitted; 
We  take  pleasure  in  completing  the  report 
by  noticing  them  here. 

Delegation  from  Dohbs  Ferry,  Mrs.  Ack- 
erman.  Miss  Hotchkiss,  Miss  Lent. 

Delegation  from  Somers,  Miss-Brown. 


LETTEE  FEOM  VEKMONT. 

The  following  letter  is  so  full  of  patriot- 
ism, that  we  must  take  the  liberty  of  print- 
ing it  for  the  encouragement  of  othexs.  Let 
all  read  it. 

\        TiOTOET,  Vt.,  Oct.  1864. 

Dear  Sir  : — ^l^closed  please  find  one 
dollar  as  partial  remuneration  for  your  very 
interesting  and  useful  work,  which  we  have 
received  nearly  a  year.  It  has  been  an  effici- 
ent stimulus  to  keep  up  a  lively  interest  in 
the  hearts  of , the  few,  in  this  place,  who  are 
striving  to  aid  a  little  in  rendering  relief  to 
our  suffering  soldiers.  This  section  of  the 
country  'p  very  thinly  settled,  no  villages 
or  towns,  and  the  people  generally  poor.  At 
the  commencement  of  the  war  some  three 


or  four  ladies,  most  of  them  in  indigent 
circumstances,  made  an  effort  to  form  a 
society  for  the  relief  ef  our  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers.  Being  unable  to  obtain  any 
assistance  from  other  parts  of  the  town,  they 
felt  obliged  to  abandon  the  project.  -But 
their  patriotism  could  not  long  be  restrain- 
ed, and  they  resolved  to  do  what  little  they 
could.  They  were  at  length  joined  by  others 
and  a  few  dollars  were  contributed.  By  untir- 
ing effort  they  have  succeded  in  filling  four 
boxes.  Our  offerings'  are  few  and  meagre 
compared  with  those  other  societies,  but  we 
hope  they  may  be  of  some  use  where  so  much 
is  needed.  The  zeal  that  for  a  time  moved 
others  to  activity  seems  to  have  died  away, 
and  the  few  are  again  left  to  labor  alone. 
Though  they  can  do  but  little,  I  trust  theit 
efforts  will  not  cease  while  this  dreadful 
war  continues. 

This  is  simply  to  let  you  know  that  your 
papers   are  received  and   appreciated,  for 
which  receive  our  warmest  thanks. 
Very  truly  yours, 

Mrs.  C.  W.Kneeland. 


Vol.  I.  No.  25 


49 


THREE  MONTHS  CAMPAIGN  IN  THE  SESVICE 
OF  THE  TT.  S.  SANIIART  COMMISSION. 

As  humanity  is  pretty  much  the  same 
everywhere,  and  as  I  am  human,  I  am  cer- 
tain that  any  facts  or  incidents  which  came 


770 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


under  piy  observation;  and  that  interested 
me  during  my  days  of  service  in  tbe  Sani-, 
tary  Commission,  is  likely  to  interest  those 
of  your  readers  whose  hearts,  and  hands, 
and  pockets  are  consecrated  to  the  same 
noble  ^nd  christian  enterprise.  I  will  oc- 
casionally occupy  a  small  space  in  your 
columns,  and  endeavour  to  present  such 
features  of  this  work,  which,  though  often 
treated  upon,  will  still  bear  reiteration. 

StrPPLIES. 

I  recollect  well  th^t  my  first  wonder  on 
getting  an  inside  vitiw  of  the  workings  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  was  at  the  im- 
mense amount  of  supplies  required  to  meet 
the  demands  of  each  recurring  day.  I  had 
frequently  read  in  the  newspapers  manifests 
of  the  cargoes  of  propellers,  and  steamers, 
and  barges  employed  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission to  convey  supplies  to  the  water  base 
•of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  had  been 
both  astonished  and  gratified ;  but  figures 
on  paper  convey  only  a  very  remote  approx- 
imation to  the  realization  of  the  fact  stated. 

The  first  steamboat  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  I  was  ever  upon,  was  the  Mary 
F.  Rapley,  and  she  was  filled  from  stem  to 
stern  with  sanitary  stores,  not  a  square  foot 
of  available  space  but  had  its  load.  When 
she  left  Washington,  her  manifest,  contain- 
ing a  long  list  of  articles,  was  published  in 
the  papers  of  that  city ;  and  to  a  person  un- 
initiated, it  seemed  so  long  and  so  varied  a 
list  that- he  would  think  there  was  enough 
to  supply  the  sick  and  wounded  of  a  whole 
campaign.  And  yet  two  days'  work  at  Port 
Royal  exhausted^ the  entire  stock.  And 
here  let  it  be  understood  that  these  stores 
were  not  given  out  with  a  prodigal  hand, 
for  had  they  been,  the  stores  on  the  "  Ken- 
nedy" and  "  Hoboken,"  two  Sanitary  Com- 
mission barges,  would  also  have  been  well 
nigh  exhausted.  No !  but  rather  they  were 
distributed  in  a  manner  which,  if  not  parsi- 
monious, was  very  economical.  Every  re- 
quisition for  stores  was  duly  examined,  and 
all  the  particulars  under  which  the  requi- 
sition was  framed  were  ascertained,  and  the 
articles  granted  with  a  due  regardrto  the 
wants  of  the  case  and  the  condition  of  our 
supplies.  Ip  this  connection  it  may  not  be 
improper  to  state  that  Mr.  John  A.  Ander- 
son, in  charge  of  the  Rapley,  on  arriving  at 
Belle  Plain  on  Monday  evening,  May  23, 
1864,  found  our  forges  evacuating  that 
place  ;  and  having  learned  the  whereabouts 
'of  the  next  military  base,  he  immediately 


headed  his  vessel  for  the  place,  which  was 
Port  Royal,  on  the  Rappahannock.  At  that 
place  our  steamer  arrived  with  its  valuable 
supplies  and  large  corps  of  nurses.  With  the 
exception  of  two  gunboats  ours  was  the  third 
vessel  there.  Inimediately  after  arrival  the 
relief  corps  went  ashore,  pitched  tents,  built 
fires,  and  began  at  once  to  succor  the 
wounded  ;  seven  hundred  of  whom  had  just 
arrived.  The  good  work  was  prosecuted 
until  every  soldier  who  could,  had  taken  re- 
freshments ;  it  was  3  A.  M.  of  the  26th 
before  the  corps  had  finished  their  work. 

I  conclude  this  paper  with  the  statement, 
that  if  the  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission had  never  performed  a  good  deed 
other  than  what  it  accomplished  at  Port 
Royal,  its  mission  would  have  been  a  noble 
one.  For  twenty-four  hours  at  that  point 
there  were  no  supplies  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  other,  than  those  furnished  hy  this 
Commission,  and  to  get  to  that  place  the 
poor  sufiierers  had  ridden  in  springless  army 
wagons,  on  corduroy  roads,  for  thirty  miles, 
without  food ;  and  had  been  three  days  in 
transit.  At  the  expiration  of  twenty-four 
hours,  government  supplies  were  on  hand  in 
abundance,  and  were  used  in  common  with 
our  own  by  our  relief  agents.  During  our 
stay  at  Port  Royal  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission  was  the  only  benevolent 
association  represented  there.        J.  J.  B. 


LETTER  EHOM  CITY  POINT,  EEV.  A,  CATHEE. 

I  wish  to  record  my  gratitude  to  Grod  for 
the  privilege  of  taking  a  trip  to  the  region 
occupied  by  the  armies  operating  ggainst 
Richmond,  and  of  seeing  the  great  field  of 
usefulness  there  opened  up  to  a  benevolent 
public.  Please  allow  me  to  give  a  brief 
accAunt  of  my  visit,  with  familiarity,  and  of 
my  impressions  with  freedom^, 

I  noticed  before  reaching^  City  Point  that 
the  name  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  com- 
mands great  respect  among  GTovernment 
officials.  My  first  evening  spent  at  City 
Point  impressed  me  with  the  magnitude  Af 
the  work  of  the  Commission  from  that, 
stand-point  as  a  base  of  supplies,  and  I 
began  to  feel  impressed  that  there  were  in- 
fluences at  work  for  our  brave  soldiers. of 
which  I  had  never  dreamed.  The  next  day 
after  reaching  the  Point,  Dr.  McDonald  re- 
commended me  to  go  to  the  corps  hospitals 
and  see  the  working  of  the  Auxiliary  Relief 
Corps,  under  the  superintendency  of  Mr. 
Pay.    Thus  each  hour  of  that  new  day  new 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


771 


wonders  opened  to  my  view,  and  at  its  close 
I  felt  thankful  to  acknowledge  it  as  one  of 
the  happies);  days  of  my  life.  As  I  went 
from  ward  to  ward  through  the  hospitals 
with  the  agents,  and  saw  the  pleasure  it 
afforded  sick  and  wounded  heroes  to  see  us 
pass  among  them,  I  felt  that  e'ach  agent 
occupjp  an  envious  position  among  his  fel- 
low-men.-  Several  incidents  illustrate. 

AN    INDIAN    SHARPSHOOTER. 

Joy  thrilled  my  heart  as  I  bathed  thebroad 
breast  of  an  Indian  sharpshooter  from  Mich- 
igan, as  I  saw  the  expression  of  relief  and 
gratitude  that  played  upon  his  countenance, 
though  he  could  scarcely  speak  a  word  of 
English.  0  how  small  a  compensation  is 
the  utmost  kindness  to  that  son  of  the 
forest,  be  he  sick  or  well,  who  goes  forth 
to  fight  the  battles  of  liberty. 

AN  IRISHMAN. 

An  Irishman,  who  seemed  very  much  re- 
vived and  refreshed  bya  little  cologne  poured' 
upon  his  handkerchief,  exclaimed,^'  0  glory 
be  to  God."  «  Thanks  be  to  the  Son  of  God." 
It  seemed  to  him  a  sort  of  climax  of  the 
kindness  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

A    GERMAN    AND- OTHERS. 

A  German,  to  whom  the  same  little  atten- 
tion was  paid,  said,  with  great  zest,  "  Dis  like 
de  faderland."  Another  man  who  was  ex- 
pressing earnest  gratitude  for  some  attention 
paid  to  him,  was  exhorted  to  render  thanks 
to  God,  as  the  thanks  did  not  belong  to  us, 
said :  "  Yes,  all  good  gifts  come  from  God," 
and  seemed  happy  in  the  remembrance. 
One  young  man  said,  "Oh,  if  my -mother 
could  only  do  this  for  me,"  and  we  repUed, 
we  wish  it  could  be  so,  but  as  it  cannot,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  was  aiming  to  make 
up  for  the  absence  from  home  and  friends. 
Again  and  again  we  heard  the  invitation, 
when  leaving,  the  wards  "  Come  again," 
"  come  soon  again,"  &e. 

The  next  morn  Dr.  McD^  rode  up  in 
haste,  saying  to  Mr.  Fay  that  there  had 
been  a  battle  on  the  right,  and  that  there 
were  a  large  number  of  wounded  at  Deep 
Bottom  without  sufficient  supplies  and 
requesting  him  to  be  ready  as  soon  as 
possible  with  as  many  agents  as  he  could 
spare.  The  tug  was  soon  at  the  wharf, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  afterwards  we  were 
under  way.  The  tug- itself  seemed  al- 
most under  the  inspiration  of  the  hour, 
as  she  compelled  the  waters  that  a  short 
time  before  swept  by  the  rebellious  city  to 


bear  devoted  hearts  and  full  supplies  for 
our  wounded  brave.  The  scen.e  that  pre- 
sented itself  to  us  when  we  reached* 

DEEP  BOTTOM. 

beggars  description.  "  The  garments  rolled 
in  blood,"  "  the  groans  and  dying  strife," 
filled  the  heart  with  horror  for  the  roo- 
ment.  Three  sets  of  shelter-tents  were 
filled  with  double  rows  of  wounded  white 
and  black  men,  who  laid  indiscriminately 
side  by  side.  Together  they  fought  aid 
fell,  and  were  laid  side  by  side  to  receive 
equal  attention  from  surgeon  and  nurse  and 
agent  of  Commission.  At  once  the  agents 
went  to  work  dressing  wounds  and  distribut- 
ing delicacies  of  food  and  drink,  brought 
by  the  tug,  aji  far  as  possible,  according  to 
the  wants  of  each  si^ering  man.  The 
scenes  presented  at  those  amputating  tables 
and  tents,  through  those  weary  days  and 
nights  of  suffering  and  storm  and  cold,  can 
never  be  forgotten.  How  thankful  were 
hundreds  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
was  represented  by  abundant  supplies  for 
those  most  pressing  necessities  and  willing 
hands  to  distribute  them  day  and  night. 
Shirts  torn  and  clotted  with  blood  were  ex- 
changed for  others  new  and  warm,  and  oth^r 
under-clothing  as  it  was  needed.  Men  shiv- 
ering with  pain  did  not  forget  to  express 
earnest  thanks  for  the  well-timed  provision. 
"A  thousand  thanks,"  cries  one,  "  0  thank 
you  kind  friends,"  cries  another.'  0  could, 
the  kind  donors  of  -these  comforts  have 
passed  through  those  tents  during  those 
days  of  pain,  and  heard  the  expressions, 
how  abunSantly  would  they-have  been  com- 
pensated for  their  donations,  and  how  in- 
spired would  they  have  felt  for  new  effort 
in  this  glorious  cause  ! 

Many  scenes  and  incidents  presented 
theinseives  during  those  several  days,  of  a 
deeply  interesting  and  impressive  character. 

■    A  NEW  YORKER. 

One  young  man  from  New  York  City,  about 
seventeen  years  of  age  was  mortally  wound- 
ed in  the  abdomen.  He  frequently  exclaim- 
ed, "  0, 1  am  so  sick !"  He  dictated  a  letter 
to  his  mother,  stating  that  he  was  wounded 
the  day  before,  but  that  he  hoped  to  get 
along  nicely.  I  inquired  if  he  iad  anything 
in  his  pockets  to  send  ^o  his  mother.  He 
replied  :  "  No,  I  have  nothing  to  send  her 
but  my  best  love."  Poor  boy!  it  was  his 
last  message.  As  I  told  him  to  trust  in 
God  and  remember  that  "  Jesus  died  thsit 
he  might  live,"  he  clasped  his  hand  de.- 


772 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


voutly.  The  death  agony  and  sickness  came 
upon  him,  and  in  about  half  an  hour  after 
he  dictated  his  last  letter  the  mortal  struggle 
ended.  In  his  pocketd  were  found  a  like- 
ness of  his  sister  and  a  few  pieces  of  post- 
age currency,  which  were  sent  to  his  mother. 

HAPPY  MAN. 
Another  brave  man  lay  on  a  stretcher 
waiting  to  be  laid  upon  the  amputating 
table.  We  had  done  what  we  could  for  his 
comfort.  I  tried  to  speak  cheering  words 
and  words  of  comfort  to  his  soul.  It  was 
feVred  his  wound  would  prove  mortal.  He 
presented  a  sublime  spectacle  as  he  lay  sus- 
pended between  time  and  eternity.  He  said, 
"I  would  love  to  live  and  see  my  wife  and 
children,  bat  I  have  peace  with  G-od  and 
am  not  afraid  to  die,  and  I  am  resigned  to 
the  will  of  God."  Happy  man !  Many 
wounded  expressed  gratitude  that  it  was 
not  worse  with  them.  Others  said  they  did 
not  regret  going  into  the  army,  and  hoped 
they  would  get  well  so  as  to  go  back  and 
see  the  thibg  through.  Here  are  our  patriots 
who  know  the  issue  in  this  contest  and  are 
willing  to  meet  it,  even  unto  death.  Many 
other   cases,   equally   interesting,  I   must 


THE   FRONT. 

0 

My  visit  to  the  front,  both  right  and  left, 
was  full  of  interest.  I  found  the  men 
cheerful  to  the  utmost,  though  the  men  of 
the  right  L'ad  been  suffering  from  exposure 
to  the  drenching  rains,  without  -their  tents 
and  without  full  supplies  of  food.  They 
were  confident  of  success.  They  say  we 
will  trust  God  and  Grant,  and  will  take 
care  of  the  Johnnies.  THey  tequesled  the 
people  at  home  not  to  forget  them.  Intel- 
ligent officers,  as  well  as  men,  say  with 
emphasis,  if  the  men  had  more  vegetables, 
&c.,  they  would  save  many  from  sickness. 
Some  say  send  plenty  of  saurkraut,  pickles, 
and  dried  fruit,  and  they  will  go  right 
to  the  spot.  All  along  these  bristling  lines 
there  is  intelligence,  and  courage,  and  patri- 
otism, and  piety  that  will  chaUenge  the 
•admiration  of  all  good  men.  .  As  I  came 
away  from  those  most  interesting  and  exci- 
ting scenes  my  soul  was  all  a-glow.  A  man 
may  live  a  long  period  in  a  few  days  in  that 
great  army.  Time  would  fail  me  to  detail 
all  the  evidences  of  Christian  heroism  that 
presented  itself.  N 

The  magnitude  of  the  work  and  useful- 
ness of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  to  the 
souls  and  bodies  of  our  soldiers,  no  one  can 


fully  know,  who  is  not  acquainted  with 
the  working  of  the  entire  system  in  all  its 
details.  1  might  speak  particularly  of  the 
diligence  and  fidelity,  the, hard  work  and 
long  hours  at  it,  and  love  for  it,  on  the  part 
of  those  who  work  the  vast  and  complicated 
machinery  of  the  Commission  with  whom  I 
was  brought  in  contact,  but  cannot  now. 
God  blpss  them  all  in  their  great  calling. 

Of  the  work  of  the  Commission  in  Wash- 
ington I  will  not  dare  to^give  a  descriptioii. 
It  is  so  vast  and  compncated,  and  yet  so 
systematically  done,  that  the  ablest  pen 
would  be  required  to  do  it  justice. 


VALUABLE  TESTIMONY. 

Hospital  3d  Division  2d  Corps,  1 

Near  PetersbuTg,  Va.,  Oct.  10,  1864.  / 

Dr.  McDonald, 

Chief  of  Sanitary  Commission,  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Dear  Sir  : — In  behalf  of  the  many  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  of  our  army  who  have 
been  in  hospitals  of  the  2d  Division  3d 
Corps,  at  Fitzhugh  House,  of  the  3d  Corps 
at  Potomac  Creek,  and  of  thfe  2d  Division 
3d  Corps  at  Brandy  Station,  under  my 
charge,  as  well  as  the  one  where  I  am  now 
writing,  permit  me  to  give  my  testimony  to 
the  usefulness  of  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission  —  representing  as  it  does,  the 
expressions  of  the  masses  at  home,  it  opens 
its  storehouses  to  every  soldier  and  gives 
him  freely  from- its^bouflteous  supplies;  and 
being  ever  ready,  it  does  not  fail  to  do  good' 
wherever  there  is  opportunity.  The  money 
so  liberally  given  by  the  people  at  home  is 
by  no  means  given  in  vain  —  it.  reaches 
in  a  substantial  way  the  tent  and  the  hos- 
pital— to  the  well  in  the  trenches,  and  to 
the  sick  and  wounded  ones  in  hospital.  The 
agents  of  this  Commission  are  always  es- 
teemed as  gentlemen,  and  the  true  friends 
of  the  soldier.  It  has  become  a  fixed  insti- 
tution, and  whoever  may  write  the  history 
of  this  war  cannot  fail  to  give  a  conspicu- 
^ous  place  in  its. pages  to  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission. 

I  am,  doctor,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 
Edward  Livingston  Welling, 

Surgeon  in  Chief  3d  Brigade  3d  Division  2d  Corps. 


UNION  FRISONEBS  IN  TEXAS. 

Dr.  G.  A.  Blake,  agent  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  at  New  Orleans, 
under  date  of  September  28,  1864,  writes : 
"  General  Canby  has  ordered  the  quarter- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


7T3 


masters  to  forward  to  our  prisoners  in  Texas 
clothing  and  medicines.  Our  commissioner 
has  arranged  with  Major  Ignatius  Szyman- 
ski,  Commissioner  of  Exchange  for  the 
rebels  in  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department, 
an  exchange  for  three  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  of  our'  soldiers  now  in  Camp 
Ford,  including  naval  prisoners.  Possibly 
the  number  ifiay  be  reduced,  and  the  naval 
prisoners  be  obliged  to  remain  at  Camp 
Ford.  Instances  of  cruelty  at  Camp  Ford 
have  been  few,  and  at  the  last  interview  of 
the  commissioner,  13th  inst.,  the  rebel  com- 
missioner informed  ours  that  he  had  caused 
the  removal  of  the  captain  formerly  in  com- 
mand of  the  camp,  as  unsuitable  to  com- 
mand a  camp  of  prisoners,  and  better  things 
may  be  hoped  for.  The  prisoners  that  have 
come  in  from  rebeldom  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river  present  a  rugged  as  well  as  ragged 
appearance,  and  no  great  amount  of  sick- 
ness among  them  is  reported.  Last  week 
the  stores  ordered^^y  General  Canby  were 
forwarded,  consisting  of  a  complete  outfit 
for  twelve  hundred  men,  including  blankets' 
and  haversacks.  Four  hundred  canteens, 
sixty  axes  and  axe-helves,  and  medicines 
were  also  forwarded." — N,  T.  Even.  Post, 
Oct.  12.  ^ 

•  

SFECIAI.  BELIEF. 

From  Dr.  Nichol's  Report,  Washington. 

I  have  had  during  past  week : 
Applicants  for  pensions,    .         .         .99 
Sick  soldiers  prescribed  for  and  furn- 
ished medicines,  Lodge  4,       .         .48 
Patients   treated  at  Hoiffe  Hospital, 

(men,) 104 

Patient's  treated  at  Women's  Home, 
(women,) 12 

From  Miss  S.  L.  Phillips. 

Camp  Paeole  Hospital,  1 
October  1,  1864.  / 

I  have  but  little  to  report  to  you  with 
regard  to  afiairs  in  this  hospital  during  the 
past  week.  There  is  very  little  variety  in 
my  work,  though  I  take  great  pleasure  in 
doing  all  in  my  power  for  the  comfort  of 
the  soldiers. 

THREE   soldiers. 

During  the  week  three  of  our  sick  soldiers 
have  died  ;  one  after  a  protracted  sickness. 
He  had  long  been  a  Christian,  was  aware  he 
must  die,  and  went  willingly,  though  for 
the  sake  of  his  family,  life  was  desirable. 


The  other  two  were  suddenly  called  away. 
One  died  of  diphtheria,  and  the  other  of 
typoid  malarial  fever.  Disease  quickly  did 
its  work,  and  they  were  gone.  Both  ex- 
pressed their  dependence  on  the  Saviour. 
Nineteen  years  was  the  age  of  each  of  these 
interesting'l)oys.  They  were  truly  sacrifices 
to  their  country,  "and  when  I  witness  the 
decline  and  death  of  so  many  young  men, 
whose  hopes  are  as  bright,  and  whose  hold 
on  life  is  as  strong  as  our  own,  I  feel  that 
all  we  can  give  or  do  for  them,  is  perfectly 
paltry  in  comparison  with  the  fresh,  young 
lives  (their  all  on  earth)  that  they  have 
given  for  us. 


CHRISTIAN  COMMISSION. 

Tye  learn  from  a  fifiend  who  has.  been 
engaged  for  months  past  in  the  relief  work 
in  the  Military  Department  of  Tennessee, 
that  the  relations  of  the  two  Commissions 
are  entirely  harmonious  in  that  department. 

By  common  consent   all  the  stores  are 
turned  over  to  the  Sanitary  Commission," 
and  all  the  literature  to  the  Christian  Com- 
mission, and  the  agents  of  each  draw  from 
both  alike,  as  they  may  need  for  the  men. 

The  advantage  of  this  arrangement  is 
seen  in  the  economy  by  which  goods  are 
distributed,  and  the  benefit  done  to  soldiers 
in  not  duplicating  to  the  same  men  the 
issues  of  stores.  In  addition  to  this,  the 
moral  effect  that  is  produced  upon  the  army 
and  the  people  who  contribute  is  manifest. 
The  tract  and  newspaper  distributors  draw 
for  physical  comforts  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  The  agents  of  the  Sanitary, 
in  addition  to  giving  physical  comfort,  draw 
for  religious  and  other  literature  upon  the 
Christian  Commission  for  aid  in  that  depart- 
ment of  the  service.  Thus,  unity  of  purpose 
and  harmony  of  effort  are  combined  for  the 
common  good,  and  the  impression  upon  alj 
who  realize  it,  is  favorable  to  the  common 
cause  of  our  government. 


OTJE  PEISONEES  AND  REFUGEES. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  City  Point,  by 
Alex.  McDonald,  M.D. 

I  have  but  little  time  -to  write,  yet  there 
are  one  or  two  things  which  may  be  of 


774 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


interest  to  you.  First,  the  enclosed  letter, 
which  accompanied  a  towel  sent  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  and  issued  to  a  man  at  the 
front. 

Second,  a  short  notice  of  our  trips  to 
Aiken's  Landing,  yesterday.  At  8  30  A.  M. 
an  oificer  of  the  navy  appeared,  and  informed 
us  that  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  prison- 
ers, just  released  from  Richmond,  were  at 
Aiken's  Landing,  in  want  of  everything  to 
make  them  comfortable.  Of  course  we 
prepared  clothing  and  food  for  them,  and 
started  from  this  point  at  9  30,  with  stores 
and  relief  agents ;  reached  the  Landing  af 
10  30,  where  we  found  the  flag  of  truce 
steamer  Mary  Washington,  loading  naval 
prisoners,  who  were  flocking  across  the  neck 
from  Cox's  Landing ;  and  who,  on  reaching 
her  upper  deck  and  catching  sight  of  our 
gunboats  and  the  dear  old  flag,  sent  up  cheer 
after  cheer,  which  was  responded  to  by  man- 
ning the  rigging  of  our  gunboats,  and  an- 
swering as  only  sailors  can  cheer. 

The  steamer  New  York  was  lying  in  the 
stream  with  several  hundred  released  prison- 
ers, soldiers.      Most  of  them  were  seem- 
.  ingly  well,  but  all  showed  the  marks  of  con- 
finement and  hard  fare. 

There  were  about  two  hundred  sick, 
many  of  them  men  wounded  in  the  recent 
battles  before  Richmond.  Some,  sick  from 
disease  and  long  confinement,  who  can 
hardly  recover, .  but  the  greater  number 
were  able  to  walk  on  board  the  boats  and  to 
keep  about  after  arriving. 

Major  Mulford  was  having  food  prepared 
for  all,  and  only  needed  a  few  stores  from' 
our  stock ;  we  provided  all  he  wanted  and 
returned  to  City  Point,  feeling  thankful 
that  there  was  no  greater  need  of  help. 
The  beaming  countenances  of  the  men 
showed  their  inward  feeling,  and  no  one 
can  tell  what  that  feeling  is  even  after  having 
experienced  it,  and  some  of -these  men  ex- 
perienced it  to  the  fullest  extent,  having 
just  received  their  liberty  after  a  captivity 
of  fourteen  months. 

The  "New  York"  passed  down  the  river 
to-day.  I  am  not  sure  if  the  Mary  Wash- 
ington followed  her. 

We  have  of  late  been  doing  an  extensive 
business  in  the  care  of  refugee  families  from 
the  rebel  country  travelling  to  civilization. 
We  have  on  board  to-nigbt  four  women  and' 
five  children,  some  of  whom  have  been  three 
weeks  on  the  road.  Among  the  number  is 
a  woman  seventy-four  years  of  age,  who 
came  in  almost  exhausted  by  fatigue.  They 


have  all  been  fed,  and  are  now  stowed  away 
on  the  upper  deck  looking  quite  comfort- 
able, and  evidently  much'  pleased  .with  their . 
quarters. 

We  have  a  full  house  to-night  as  usual; 
the  bunks  are  all  full  and  the  decks  covered 
with  soldiers,  who  are  glad  to  find  a  resting 
place  for  their  feeble,  tired  bodies,  till  the 
morning  mail  boat  takes  them  North  to  a 
more  bracing  atmos,phere  and  the  tender 
care  of  home  and  friends. 

October  19, 1864. 


HISTOEY  OF  A  TOWEI. 

It  is  now  June  1st,  1864.  The  writer 'of 
this  sits  within  her  quiet  and  peaceful  home, 
with  kind  friends  to  care  for  and  love. 

Yet  we  do  not  forget  those  who  are  labor- 
ing and  sufiering  for  us.  I  have  had  a  sol- 
dier brdther,  but  he  is  now  at  home  dis- 
abled. 

This  towel  is  given  by  Capt.  A.  P.  Nel- 
son, Co.  B,  52d  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Mililja. 

He  carried  it  through  a  nine  months' 
campaign.  It  was  with  him  at  Donaldson- 
ville.  Port  Hudson,  &c.,  &c.,  and  he  now 
presents  it  to  the  needy  soldier.  May  he 
who  receives  it  be  worthy.  May  God's 
blessing  attend  you  ever  while  in  the  path* 
of  duty,  is  the  wish  of-  •     M.  B. 

Goleralue,  Mass. 

BELIEF  WORK. 
Extract  from   a  report  of  one  of  the 
Auxiliary  Relief  Corps  at  City  Point. 

For  the  faithful  conscientious  Relief 
Agent  there  is-no  interval  of  rest,  as  long' 
as  he  holds  his  position,  and  the  war  lasts. 
He  fills  his  bands  and  empties  them  again; 
he  gives  sympathy  that  is  his  own,  and  yet 
the  vast  ocean  of  sufi'ering  is  seemingly  as 
overflowing  as  before.  He  grasps  his  arms 
full  of  labor,  and  looking  ahead  sees  an  un- 
reached multitude,  for  whom  he  can  only 
yearn  and  beseech  Omnipotence.  A  gen- 
tleman, well  known  at  the  Nortlj,  and  who 
has  interested  himself  largely  in  behalf  of 
the  soldiers,  said  to  me  but  a  few  days  ago, 
"  I  fear  that  many  of  the  people  at  home 
think  that  there  is  no  further  need  of  sup- 
plies," and  said  that  he  would  try  to  destroy , 
that  impression.  If  any  have  ceased  their 
efforts  while  they  can  do  more,  they  are 
making  an  error  for  which  soldiers  will  suf- 
fer, but  not  atone.  In  the  last  fierce  strug- 
gles which,  though  they  are  the  last,  may 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


lib 


be  prolonged,  it  is  but  just  that  those  who 
may  be  called  upon  to  suflFer  should  be  as 
well  cared  for  as  those  who  suffered  in  the 
earlier  of  these  sad  days. 


THE  COUUISSIOir  VS  THE  VALLEY. 
From  G.  A.  Muhlech. 

WlNOHKSTEE,  Va,,        1 

Oc^oder  13,  1864./ 
You  are  doubtless  in  possession  of  my 
letter  dated  Martinsburg,  11th  inst.  On 
my  arrival  here  I  found,  I  am  happy  to  say, 
everything  going  on  smoothly.  Large  issues  , 
have  continued  to  be  made  to  the  many 
hospitals,  ^he  early  season  of  frost  and 
bad  weather  brought  on  a  heavy  and  sudden 
pressure  for  blankets,  quilts,  underclothing 
and  shoes.  As  to  the  hospitals,  a  Airther 
supply  of  quilts  would  be  most  welcome. 
Most  of  those  cases  now  remaining  at  Win- 
chester, are  of  the  most  serious  nature,  and 
quilts  are  by  far  preferable  to  the  rough 
woolen  blankets. 

WOETH  OF  A  PAIR  OP  SHOES.        ^ 

I  continue  to  send,  almost  exdusivdy,  all 
our  shoes  to  the  front,  hnowing  that  each 
pair  reinforces  Sheridan's  army  hy  oke 
mxin,  who  other  wisewovM  he  unfit  for  active 
duty.  Our  inmates  of  hospitals  here,  as 
well  as  the  forces  constituting  the  garrison, 
can  better  do  without  them,  because  they 
are  sheltered,  and  are  more  within  reach  of 
the  Quarter-Master's  supplies.  Our  woolen 
socks  have  given  out.  There  remains  a 
large  case  at  Martinsburg,  which  I  ordered 
up  with  the  first  train.  It  would  be  well 
to  forward  a  further  supply,  say  a  thousand 
pairs.     *     *     * 

PAOKINGt  HOSPITAI.  DELICACIES. 

As  to  hospital  delicacies,  I  must  renew 
my  old  and  constant  complaint  about  the 
miserable  mode  of  package.  A  lau|abox' 
of  jellies,  recently  forwarded,  reacha^here 
with  almost  every  jar  broken,  and  the  con- 
tents entirely  lost.  This  is  so  much  the 
more  to  be  regretted,  as  the  article  is  very 
scarce,  and  constitutes  almost  the  only 
kind  of  food  for  men  shot  through  the 
mouth.  Please  give  to  it  your  earnest  at- 
tention.    *     *     * 

rOOD  *0  ACCOMPANY  THE  WOUNDED. 

Dr.  Harris  has  ordered  ten  barrels  of  ale. 
It  will  be  .greeted  with  delight  by  our 
wounded.  However,  I  fear  that  its  trans- 
portation will  prove  difficult  on  account  of 


its  heavy  weight.  We  have  also  made 
arrangements  to  seod  one  team,  loaded  with 
food,  along  with  every  train  of  wounded ; 
which,  henceforward,  will  leave  Winchester. 
I  will  detail  two  competent  agents  to  care 
for  the  proper  distribution,  along  the  road. 
In  regard  ifi  the  hay  or  straw,  recom- 
mended by  yourself  and  Dr.  Harris  to  be 
furnished  to  ambulances,  wagons,  and  cars 
destined  to  transport  sick  and'  wounded 
men,  I  have  seen  Medical  Director  Dr. 
Hayes  at  Martinsburg,  and  put  at  his  dis- 
posal the  hay  you  forwarded  to  "me  some- 
time ago,  and  which  I  have  saved  for  emer- 
gency. I  sent  instructions  to  Mr.  Bannis- 
ter to  have  it  shipped  by  railroad.  If  this 
supply  is  not  sufficient,  we  will  either  draw 
or  buy  at  Martinsburg,  ^as  it  is  altogether 
out  of  the  question  to  get  it  here,  the  valley 
being  completely  stripped  of  all  food  for 


HOSPITAL  VISITING. 

To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Seaver  I  have  entrusted 
the  special  superintendence  of  the  hospital 
visiting,  ae  has  done  admirably.  Messrs. 
Corbin  and  Burdell  are  assigned  to  the 
same  duty.  They  all  work  faithfully,  and 
much  to  the  credit  of  the  Commission.  Mr. 
C.  is  permanently  stationed  at  the  Sheridan 
field  hospital.  He  has  a  stock  of  supplies 
with  him,  and  comes'  every  morning  to 
our  store-rooms  to  get  whatever  may  be 
needed.     *     *     * 

,      UNION  ladies'  ASSOCIATION. 

With  great  satisfaction  do  I  report  to  you 
that  our  Union  Ladies'  Association  has 
worked,  thus  far,  with  admirable  success. 
All  these  noble  women  have  beeii  unremit>- 
ting  in  their  efforts  to  help  and  relieve. 
Their  visits  are  regular  and  long ;  their  dis- 
pensations well  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the 
patients,  while  their  presence  at  the  sick- 
bed cheers  up  the  hearts  of  these  brave 
fellows,  and  reminds  them  of  the  far  home 
and  of  a  mother's  or  sister's  loving  care  and 
devotion.  They  are  well  supplied  by  us 
with  delicacies,  and  the  use  made  by  them 
above  suspicion. 

A  train  of  four  wagons  came  up  last 
Monday  night.  I  returned  them  to  Ma'r- 
tinsburg,  yesterday.  They  will  be  joined 
there  by  the  two  wagons  now  under  repairs, 
and  will  cbme  up  again  to-morrow  with  an 
assortment  of  stores,  which  I^  selected  my- 
self before  leaving  Martinsburg.  At  the 
same  tiine  I  will  send,  if  ready,  the  two 


776 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


teams  now  Itere,  with  to-night's  train  to 
bring  up  forage.     *     *  ,  * 

Our  mess  has  been  established,  and  has 
been  in  operation  about  a  week.  'Of  course 
marketing  here  is  difficult  and  dear,  butter 
at  from  sixty  to  seventy  cents,  meat  from 
seventeen  to  twenty  cents  pgr  pound.  We 
have  bought  the  most  necessary  cooking 
utensils  and  table  furniture ;  at  any  rate  it 
will  prove  a  considerable  saving  to  the  Com- 
mission.    *     *     * 

If  at  all  possible,  I  will  leave  for  the  front 
(MiddletoWn)  early  to-morrow  morning. 
Word  just  now  reaches  me  from  Col.  Fach 
that  supplies  are  badly  needed.  The  army 
is  within  my  reach,  and  I  must  see  for  my- 
self how  things  look  up  there.  .  On  my 
return  I  will  start  for  Martinsburg  and  Cum- 
berland, unless  otherwise  directed.  Please 
hurry  up  hlanleets  and  shoes  and. woolen  un- 
derclothing, principally  shirts.     *     *     * 

WmoBESTBE,  Va.     ■( 
October  16,  1864./ 

Since  my  last  report  nothing  of  particu- 
lar interest  has  to  be  recorded.    'The  work 
goes  bravely  on.     A  large  train,  consisting 
of  eleven  wagons,  heavily  loaded,  reached 
us  this  afternoon.    We  have  had  our  hands 
full  of  work,  and  at  the  late  hour  at  which 
I  write  you  nowj  we  have  just  finished  un- 
loading, counting,  repacking  and  reloading 
three  teams  which  to-morrow  morning  will 
start  for  the  front.    I  will  accompany  them 
myself  and  look  into  the  condition  of  affairs 
there.  I  take  onf  a  liberal  supply  of  under- 
clothing, crackers  and  farinaceous  food.  *  * 
Four  empty  wagons. will  return  to  Mar- 
tinsburg to-morrow  morning  to  move  stores. 
Please  order  a  further  supply  of  shoes,  they 
are  badly  needed ;  500  sheets  and  1000  more 
towels  will  prove  also  very  welcome.     As 
one  of  the  most  important  items  I  have  to 
mention,  postage  stamps.     Thei'e  is  an  im- 
mense pressure  for  them.   We  are  conduct- 
ing and  constitute,  de  facto,  the  whole  post 
department,  and  our  daily  number  of  letters 
does  not  fall  much  short  of  2,000.  Besides  the 
•surgeons  in  charge  of  hospitals  and  even 
the  Medical   Director's  office   had  to  fall 
back  on  the  Commission  for  this,  here  so 
rare  an  article.     *  *  * 

Mr.  C,  our  agent  at  the  "  Sheridan" 
gives  great  satisfaction.  He  is  agent,  store- 
keeper, hospital  visitor,  post-master,  soldier, 
adviser — in  reality  a  fa^totwfn,  whose  ser- 
vices are  of  immense  value,  and  I  am  happy 
to  add,  fully  appreciated   by  the  medical 


officers,  aa  well  as  by  the  poor  sufferers. 
The  arrival  of  our  large  train  has  prevented 
our  corps  of  agents  from  terminating  their 
reports.  I  will  collect  them  to-morrSw,  and 
after  perusal,  forward  them,  together  with 
the  tabular  statement  of  all  issues  (at  Win- 
chester) thus  far. 

On  Thursday  a  train  of  wounded  left  for 
Martinsburg.  As  I  mentioned  already  in 
a  previous  report,  I  had  made  arrangements 
to  provide  the  poor  fellows  with  food  on  the 
road.  Mr.  B.  was  detailed  by  me  to  accom- 
pany this  train  with  one  of  our  own  teams, 
loaded  with  fresh  soft  bread,  chocolate,, 
stimulants,  &c.  All  has  been  distributed 
wisely,  and  received  gratefully  by  the  brave 
boys.  This  arrangement  will  continue  with 
each  successive  train  of  sick  and  wounded; 
while  on  their  arrival  at  Martinsburg  they 
will  find  hot  coffee,  tea  or  milk  punch,  with 
soft  crackers,  prepared  by  our  agents  there, 
and  such  help  as  they  can  find  among  our 
many  true  union  ladies.  *  *  * 

The  humane  and  generous  work  of  the 
Commission,  in  behalf  of  the  Confederate 
wounded,  has  not  failed  to  deeply  impress  the 
population  of  this  town ;  so  justly  noted 
dowii  as  the  abode  of  the  most  bitter  seces- 
clivities.  Respect  and  gratitude  meet  us 
everywhere. 

The  work  of  our  "Hospital  Visitors" 
will  be  more  fully  explained  by  Mr.  Seaver's 
report,  which  will  be  forwarded  to  you  by 
the  first  mail  train.  *  *  * 

From  Nathaniel  Seaveu,  Jr. 
In  the  number  of  patients,  the  Sheridan 
stands  first,  containing  as  it  does  one-third 
of  all  and  one-half  of  the  Union  patients  in 
Winchester.  Being  a  field  hospital,  its 
claims  upon  us  for  comfortable  clothing, 
blankets,  &e.,  are  naturally  greater  than 
those  of  hospitals  in.  town,  where  in  most 
cases  comfortable  rooms,  and  in  all  cases 
stove^p-  fire-places,  atorie  in  a  measure  for 
the  want  of  garments  and  bed-clothes. 
Sheridan  is  the  receiving  hospital  alsd,  for 
the  greater  part  of  those  wounded  in  the 
more  recent  engagements.  'i:he  first  needs 
of  these  men,  which  are  always  greater  than 
after  they  have  been  for  some  time  in  hos- 
pital, must  of  course  be  supplied  at  Sheri- 
dan. Taking  these;  as  well  as  other  facts, 
which  I  will  not  at  present  mention,  into 
consideration,  it  is  apparent  that  this  hos- 
pital demands  much  of  our  attention.  At 
the  suggestion  therefore,  and  with  the 
valuable  co-operation  of  Dr.  Elisha  Harris, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


777 


it  was  considered  expedient  to  keep  a  per- 
manent stock  of  goods  upon  the  ground, 
and  to  establish  an  agent  there  to  attend  to 
their  proper  distribution,  as  well  as  to  ac- 
quaint himself  with  the  condition  and  needs 
of  the  patients.  This  plan  met  with  the 
hearty  approval  of  Dr.  Hayden,  the  surgeon 
in  charge,  to  whom  we  are  under  great  obli- ' 
gatioQS  for  hia  assistance  in  , providing  us 
with  a  tent,  and  with  the  means  of  trans- 
porting goods.  His  steward  and  other  offi- 
cers, have  also  been  ready  to  aid  us  in  every 
particular.  Our  stock  of  goods  haa  been 
enlarged  by  requisitions  made  upon  the 
local  store-house.  As  agent,  I  have  ap- 
pointed Mr.  Thomas  J.  Corbin,  a  gentle- 
man whose  experience,  renders  him  pecu- 
liarly fitted  for  such  a  position. 

In  other  hospitals,  it  has  been  customary 
to  fill  at  the  store-houses,  general  requisi-' 
sitions  made  by  the  surgeons  in  charge  of 
the  fi^ve  hospital  departments,  viz :  6th,  8th, 
19th,  cavalry  corps  and  insurgent  hospitals. 
By  this  means  each  receives  its  fair  propor- 
tion of  goods.  In -my  hospital  visiting, 
however,  I  have  found  it  also  expedient  to 
issue  requisitions  for  individuals,  such  as 
nurses,  ward-masters,  assistant  surgeons, 
friends  or  visitors,  as  the  case  might  be,  in 
order  the  better  to  meet  the  varying  wants 
of  wards  and  individuals.  By  this  means 
cases  which  would  by  a  general  requisition 
be  neglected,  are  reached,  and  persons  of 
known  benevolent  intentions  aided  in  their 
labors.  The  things  most  needed  appear  to 
be  articles  of  clothing.  There  is  a  constant 
demand  for  tobacco,  stimulants,  shoes, 
woolen  stockings  and  blankets. 

I  would  suggest  that  wines,  liquors  an^ 
cordials,  he  packed  in  smaller  bottles,  (say 
two  gill^  or  some  arrangement  made  by 
which  they  can  be  dealt  out  in  smaller 
quantities,  in  order  to  provide  against  fraud, 
and  secure  a  more  even  distribution.  ,  In 
addition  to  my  visits,  and  assistance  in  the 
establishment  and  supply  of  the  tent  at 
Sheridan,  I  have  also  partly  developed  a  plan 
for  the  safe  delivery  of  letters  which  come 
tO'Winchester  in  care  of  the  Commission. 
I  am  also  engaged  in  drawing  up  maps  of 
the  localities  of  hospitals  for  the  use  of 
visitors  and  agents  of  the  Commission,  con- 
cerning which  matters  I  hope  to  speak 
more  at  large  in  my  next  report. 

From  John  S.  Blatohfokd. 

Having  had  an  opportunity  to  observe, 
with  great  interest   and  grntification,  ■  the 


operations  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
in  the  Shenandoah.  Valley,  since  the  battle 
of  Opiquan  and  Winchester,  on  the  19th 
ult.,  which  inaugurated  with  so  signal  a 
victory  G-en.  Sheridan's  successful  advance 
through  the  valley — a  brief  relation  of  its 
work  may  afford  interest  to  the  many  friends 
of  the  Commission  in  this  vicinity. 

Until  the  opening  of  th6  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad  on  the  30th  ult.,  to  Martins- 
burg,  the  Commission's  depot  of  supplies 
for  the  array  in  Western  Virginia,  was  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  a  little  more  than  thirty 
miles  from  Winchester,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  which  the  battle  of  the  19th  was 
fought,  and  which  became  the  depot  for  all 
our  wounded  in  the  valley,  including  the 
Confederate  wounded  lef|  in  our  hands,  and 
consequently  the  scene  of  the  active  work 
of  the  Commission.  Martinsburg,  its  pre- 
sent base  of  supplies,  is  twenty-two  miles 
from  Winchester. 

From  these  two  points  its  supplies  have 
been  steadily  sent  forward  to  Winchester, 
and  thence  on  to  the  front  through  a  coun- 
try dangerously  infested  ,with  guerillas,  who 
hover  about  all  trains  watching  their  oppor- 
tunity of  attack.  It  employs  in  this  service 
an  independent  field  train  often  four-horse 
army  wagons,  which  move  with  the  govern- 
ment trains  under  escort. 

With  each  Army  Corps  the  Commission 
has  its  permanent  Belief  Service,  coinpri- 
sing  at  Teast  one  four-horse  army  wagon 
with  supplies,  and  a  relief  Agent  for  each 
wagon.  These  move  always  with  the  ad-' 
vance  of  the  Corps  to  which  they  are  at- 
tached, and  are  constantly  replenished  by 
communication  with  the  base  of  supplies. 
Upon  the  occurrence  of  the  battle  on  the 
19lh,  each  Corps  engaged,  viz,,  the  6th,  8th, 
19th,  and  Cavalry  Corps,  was  accompanied 
by  its  Sanitary  Belief  Agent,  whose  sup- 
plies were  immediately  available  and  speed- 
ily exhausted  among^the  mol'e  than  four 
thousand  wounded  that  were  gathered  into 
Winchester  from  an  area  of  some  ten  square 
miles  fought  over. 

Col.  Muhlech,  the  efficient  official  in 
charge  of  the  Commission's  work  in  the 
Department  of  Western  Virginia,  immedi- 
ately upon  receiving  intelligence  of  the 
battle,  proceeded  to  Winchester  with  two 
wagon  loads  of  supplies  from  the  store-house 
at  Harper's  Ferry, .  which  had  been  well 
equipped  in  anticipation  of  the  emergency. 
He  arrived  dt  three  o'clock  on  Tuesday 
Aoming — the  20th — the  day  after  the  bat- 


778 


The  Sanitary  ■  Commiggion  Bulletin. 


tie,  and'at  once  established  a  depot  of  sup- 
plies, taking  possession  of  a  building  placed 
at  his  disposal  for  the  purpose  by  the  mili- 
tary authorities.  Dr.  efenkins,  the  General 
Secretary  of  the  Commission^  with  Mr. 
Knapp,  Associate  Secretary,  arrived  on 
Thursday,  the  22d,  having  first  made  pro- 
vision for  sending  forward  additional  sup- 
plies from,  its  store-houses  at  Baltimore  and 
Washington,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the 
work  of  organizing  the  service  of  the  Com- 
mission, with  the  view  to  secure  the  most 
careful  use  and  eflScient  application  of  its 
resources.  This  was  especially  necessary  in 
view  of  the  inadequate  provision  of  the  Medi- 
cal Department  to  meet  the  emergency,  the 
consequent  destitution  and  suffering  among 
the  wounded,  and  the  difliculties  it  expe- 
.  rienced,  owing  to  the  lack  of  transportation, 
in  getting  forward  its  supplies.  Greneral 
Sheridan's  rapid  purstfit  of  Early's  retreat- 
ing army  imposed  the  heaviest  tax  upon 
the  entire  transportation  service  in  his  de- 
partment in  Order  to  move  forward  his  own 
supplies  upon  a  continually  advancing  line. 
It  was  cons(equently  apparent  that  the  Com- 
mission having  its  own  independent  trans- 
portation, being  able  to  communicate  directly 
with  its  base  of  supplies  by  every  opportu- 
nity of  escort,  would  have  to  meet  a  large 
demand  upon  its  resources.  The  organiza- 
tion of  its  work  was  so  far  accomplished, 
that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  next  consign- 
ment of  supplies  on  Monday  of  fourte,en 
wagon  loads,  a  very  complete,  and  admirable 
system  of  succor  was  in  operation,  and  their 
distribution  was  effected  iu  accordance  with 
a  distinct  and  equitable  plan  of  division  so 
as  to  reach  as  far  as  possible  with  direct- 
ness and  precision  the  most  needy  ones 
among  the  multitude  of  sufferers  scattered 
among  some  forty  different  buildings,  occu- 
pied for  hospital  use,  throughout  the  town. 
The  plan  of  distribution  was  briefly,  as 
follows  :  One-fourth  of  all  supplies  received 
was  reserved  to  be  sent  forward  to  the  front, 
to  replenish  the  Relief  Service  with  each 
corps.  Another  portion — about  thirteen- 
twentieths— were  issued  directly"  to  the 
corps  hospitals  in  bulk,  according  to  their 
ascertained  necessities  and  the  relative 
number  of  wounded  in  each.  These  issues 
were  made,  to  the  surgeons  in  charge  of 
each  corps,  and  by  them  distributed  among 
their  several  wards.  A  certain  proportion 
was  also  appropriated  for  the  Sheridan 
General  Hospital,  designed  as  the  perma- 
nent post  hospital,  to  which  the  severest 


cases  are  removed,  as  they  are  able,  from 
the  temporary  depots  in  the  town.  The 
rapid  preparation  of  this  hospital,  constitu- 
ting as  it  did  the  principal  provision  for 
the  better  care  and  condition  of  the  wound- 
ed, reflects  .  the  highest  credit  upon  Dr.' 
Brinton,  the  Medical  Director,  and  Dr. 
McKay,  the  Medical  Inspector,  under  whose 
immediate  supervision  it  was  constructed. 
Within  a  little  more  than  four  days,  be- 
tween 300  and  400  hospital  tents  rose  into 
view  on  onp  of'  they  beautiful  elevations 
upon  the  southwestern  edge  of  the  town — a 
village  in  itself  of  no  mean  dimensions, 
with  its  broad  and  regular  streets,  and  offer- 
ing in  comparison  with  the  wretchedly  com- 
fortless and  foul  quarters  in  the  town,  a 
really  attractive  abiding  place  for  eighteen 
hundred  patients. 

The  remainder  of  each  consignment  of 
snjplies  was  reserved  for  the  Special  Relief 
service  of  the  Commission.  This  was  orga- 
nized with  the  aid  of  a  few  uncompromising 
Union  women,  residents  of  the  town,  who 
have  each  of  them  signally  proved  their 
claim  to  the  title.  They  were  without  re- 
sources, and  lacked  all  proper  materials 
with  which  to  minister  to  the  comfort  of 
the  men,  such  effort  as  they  could  make 
having  been  directed  to  the  relief  of  the 
wounded  in  one  or  two  of  the  principal 
buildings.  In  order  to  secure  systematic 
effort  over  the  whole  field,  the  Commission 
had  a  map  of  the  town  prepared  showing 
every  building  occupied  for  hospital  pur- 
poses, with  the  number  of  wounded  in  each. 
The  whole  area  was  then  divided  into  seven 
districts,  and  one  representative  woman 
assigned  to  each,  who  became  responsible 
for  certain  Relief  work  in  her  district,  and 
to  whom  the  Commission  issued  d^ly  such 
articles  suitable  for  the  preparation  of  extra 
diet,  as  it  was  able  with  regard  to  the 
wants  of  the  whole  service.  Each  of  the 
seven  called  to  her  aid  such  additional  assist- 
ance as  she  found  necessary  to  perform  the 
service.  The  supplies  issued  to  these  ladies 
consisted  of  crackers,  farina,  condensed  milk, 
beef  juice,  dessicated  egg,  stimulants,  tea, 
sugar,  &c.  Another  lady  was  designated 
for  the  same  service  on  behalf  of  the  Con- 
federates wounded.  ^ 

In  addition  to  this  Relief  Service  the 
Commission  had  its  regularly  prganized 
corps  of  Hospital  Visitors,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  visit  the  wounded  and  report  in  de- 
tail upon  their  condition,  wants,  &c. — to 
supply  such  minor  wants  as  writing  paper, 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


779 


envelopes,  tobacco,  &c. — to  write  Jetters 
for  the  disabled,  and  to  perform  such  other 
personal  service  as  they  could  for  the  com- 
fort of ,  the  men.  In  the  Sheridan  General 
Hospital  a  large  tent  was  assigned  for  the 
use  of  the  Commission,  and  a  Special  Diet 
Kitchen  established  under  the  direction  of 
Miss  Harris,  who  superintends  this  service 
for  all  the-wounded  gathered  there. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  relate  in  detail 
the  many  opportunities  afforded  for  the 
peculiar  work  of  the  Commission,  and  the 
appreciative  spirit  with  which  its  service 
was  received  and  acknowledged  on  all  sides. 
The  whole  work  was  organized  and,  with 
its  minutest  details,  most  ably  and  faith- 
fully administered  under  the  immediate 
direction  of  the  General  Secretary  of  the 
Commission  It  involved  a  daily  visitation 
of  the  hospitals,  consultation  with  the  medi- 
cal officers,  as  to  the  most  efficient-  mannas 
in  which  the  Commission  could  bestow  its 
aid,  the  character  and  quantity  of  the  sup- 
plies most  needed,  the  daily  movement  in 
the  population  of  the  hospitals  under  their 
charge,  and  all  such  information  in  relation 
to  the  disposition  of  the  wounded  as  would 
affect  its  preparations.  It  received  and 
transported  for  delivery  to-  the  post  a  daily 
average  of  one  thousand  letters.  It  was 
the  recipient  for  transportation  to  their 
friends,  of  the  personal  effects  of  deceased 
soldiers.  It  was  the  channel  of  inquiry 
and  communication  by  distant  friends  as  to 
the  condition  of  their  wounded.  It  took 
steps  to  secure  a  more  careful  system  of 
marking  the  graves  of  deceased  soldiers,  so 
as  to  secure  with  more  certainty  their  future 
'identification,  and  all  these  details  were 
performed  with  a  method  and  thoroughness 
that  might  characterize  the  ordinary  trans- 
actions of  a. business  establishment. 

It  worked  in  thorough  harmony  and  cdr- 
dial  co-operation  with  the  military  authori- 
ties and  the  medical  officers,'whose  untiring 
attention  to  the  wounded,  and  unceasing 
efforts  to  remedy  the  defects  of-  the  situa- 
tion, deserves  a  tribute  of  the  highest 
praise.  Each  day  -Witnessed  an  improve- 
ment io  the  condition  of  the  men,  and,  as  a 
factthatunrecorded,  yould  leave  anyrelation 
of  the  scehe  imperfect,  it  was  stated  by  more 
than  one  surgeon  that  amid  all  the  discom- 
fort and  suffering  among  our  own  men,  they 
had  not  heard  one  utterance  of  complaint. 
Its  distribution  of  supplies  may  be  partially 
indicated  by  the  following  list,  being  those 
forwarded  from  Baltimore  up  to  September 


28th,  and  not  including  heaty  consignments 
from  Washington,  nor  the  goods  in  store  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  (estimated  at  about  five 
wagon  loads)  at  the  beginning  of  the 
battle.  . 

3,242  wool  shirts,  3,33j5  wool  drawers, 
4,606  handkerchiefs,  3,832  pairs  wool  socks, 
300  blankets,  500  quilts,  896  bed  sacks, 

»2,062  cushions,  618  pillow  ticks,  628  pil- 
lows, 1,024  pillow  cases,  703  cotton  draw- 
ers, 516  cotton  shirts,  480  pairs  slippers, 
263  sheets,  996  pairs  cotton  socks,  20  pieces 
Mosquito  netting,  15  pieces  oil  silk,  36 
barrels  crackers,  540  lbs.  dessicated  eggs, 
960  lbs.  roast  beef,  3,264  H)s.  condensed 
milk,  1,196  lbs.  beef  stock,  2,196  lbs.  cof- 
fee, 1,832  lbs.  sugar,  176  lbs.  tea,  384  lbs. 
peaches,  10  barrels  eggs,^0  boxes  lemons, 
50  boxes  chocolate,  8  barrels  potatoes,  1 
barrel  vinegar,  157  barrels  dried  apples, 
120  lbs.  corn  starch,  288  lbs.  Farina,  60 
lbs.  canned  chicken,  47  lbs.  butter,  1,678 
bottles  whiskey,  600  bottles  sherry, wine, 
78  gallons  pickles,  112  bottles  blackberry 
brandy,  838  bottles  Jamaica  ginger,  12 
bottles  alcohol,  12  bottles  Jamaica  rum,  150 
lbs.  candles,  430  lbs.  soap,  1,'104  tin  cups, 
260  bed  pans,  50  feeding  cups,  240  spit 
cups,-509  tin  plates,  144  basins,  108  lan- 
terns, 12  doz.  candlesticks,  120  head-rests, 

'12  bed  tables,  41,000  envelopes,  25  reams 
note  paper,  179  doz.  chewing  tobacco,  179 
doz.  smoking  tobacco,  10  hogsheads  ice,  750 
pairs  of  crutches,  linen  bandages,  pails, 
spoons,  knives  and  forks,  brooms,- wash- 
boards, washtubs,  baskets,  chisels,  tacks, 
hatchets,  axes,  saws,  hammers,  corkscrews, 
can-openers,  lamps,  kettles,  stoves,  oil  pans, 
^oilers,  blank-books,' mucilage,  penholders, 
pens,  lead  pencils,  ink,  corn  meal,  lint, 
sponges,  adhesive  plaster,  table  salt,  shoes, 
oats,  hay,  reading  matter,  &c. 

These  supplies  were  all  issued  with  due 
form^-^a  requisition  and  receipt  accompany- 
ing each  issue — and  each  night  the  account , 
of  stock  in  store-house  made  to  correspond 
with  the  recorded  issues  of  the  day. 

Such  is  a  very  brief  and  partial  relation 
of  what  a  few  days  gave  opportunity  to  ob- 
serve of  the  work  of  the  Commission  upon 
one'  of  the  many  occasions  when  it  carries 
the  bounty  and  kindly  Ininistralions  of  our 
peaceful  homes  to  the  suffering,  heroes  of 

*  our  battle-fields;  and  I  would  fain  impart 
something  of  the  satisfaction  the  observa- 
tion has  afforded  to  at  least  a  few  of  the 
many  untiring  workers  and  supporters  of 
the  Commission,  who  do  not  look  upon  the 


780 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


scenes  of  its  most  active  and  Beneficent 
work. — Boston  Transcript,  October  llth, 
1864. 

From  Thomas  J.  Coebin. 

Sheridan  U.  S.  A.  Gsn'l.  Hospital,  I 
Wincheiter,  Va.,  October  16,  1864.      / 

The  calvary  corps,  hospitals  I  found  in 
excellent  condition,  especially  the  one  in 
the  Methodist  Church  on  Market  street. 
The  patients  in  the  hospitals  of  both  corps 
(8th  and  cavalry)  appeared  cheerful  and 
contented,  and  seemed  to  me  to  be  as  com- 
fortable as  could  be  expected,  under  then 
existing  circumstances.  Such  supplies  as 
had  been  drawn  from  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion appeared  to  me,  on  looking  over  the 
requisitions  and  comparing  the  quantities 
drawn,  with  what  I  saw  in  the  hospitals  in 
use,  to  have  been  faithfully  and  judiciously 
applied.  In  addition  I  supplied  several 
patients  with  blankets,  under  clothing,  &c. 

The  condition  of  patients  in  the  Sheridan 
hospital  is  daily  improving.  Although  they 
yet  lack  some  of  the  comforts  which  could 
be  supplied  them  further  north,  yet,  upon 
the  whole,  they  appear  to  me  to  be  more 
comfortable  than  could  be  hoped.  A  supply 
of  warm  under  clothing  and  shoes  is  much 
needed. 

The  post-office  for  the  camp  has  been 
established  in  the  Commission's  tent,  and 
promises  to  become  quite  a  convenience  to 
the  men. 

The  articles  enumerated  in  this  statement 
have  gone,  as  I  believe,  directly  to  the  pa- 
tients that  they  were  intended  for,  and  1 
have  heard  the  highest,  praise  awarded,  by 
both  officers  and  men,  to  the  Commission 
for  the  energy  and  forethought  shown  in 
furnishing  supplies  of  all  kinds,  without 
which  the  sick  and  wounded  must  ha\e 
suffered  severely.  On  one  occasion  I  furn- 
ished stimulants  for  one  hundred  and  fifty 
wounded  en  route  to  Martinsburg,  there 
not  being  any  in  the  dispensary  of  the  hos- 
pital. Kut  for  the  Commission,  these  men 
would  have  been  sent  without  any  stimu- 
lants whatever. 

From  Wm.  J.  Brind^li,. 

*  *  Met  no  difficulties  until  within  three' 
quarters  of  a  milq  of  Woodstock.  Here  the 
left  flankers  were  fired  upon  by  guerillas, 
concealed  in  the  woods;  causing  only  a 
momentary  ^ delay  and  doing  no  injury, 
henceforward  we  went  on  more  cautiously,  r 


Every  eye.  was  strained  to  its  utmost  capsr 
city — in  woods,  over  hills,  first  to  the  left, 
then  to  the  right,  to  catch  the  first  sight  of 
Moseby's  men.  At  length  we  reached  New 
Market.  All  was  in  readiness  to  park,  when 
an  unwelcomS  sound  set  every  nerve  to 
twitching.  "  Zip,  zip,"  was  heard,  and  we 
knew  so  well  the  meaning  of  that  unspoken 
language,  that  it  was  not  a  long  while  before 
non-combatants  got  under  cover.  We  were 
again  attacked.  Quietness  prevailed  in  a 
short  time,  and  we  retired  to  rest  only  to 
be  awakened  out  of  a  sleep,  in  time  to  hear 
tKe  command,  "  Men,  rally  around  the  , 
wagons."     *  *  * 

Presently  the  monotony  of  our  ride  was 
'  broken  in  upon  Jby  the  crack  of  a  rifle.  This 
wakened  us  very  soon.  We  heard  three 
shots  fired  but  could  see  no  one.  The  re- 
ports came  ^m  the  rear  of  the  train,  and 
we  were  distant  six  miles  from  Harrison- 
burg. A  halt  was  ordered  and  the  firing 
ceased ;  after  which  we  moved  on  and  reacl? 
ed  Harrisonburg  without  molestation.  It 
was  only  then  I  found  that  my  travelling 
companion  was  missing,  together  with  sev- 
eral others.  I  went  directly  to  Sheridan's 
headquarters,  and  through  the  kindness  of 
Dr.  Geisallen,  Medical  Director,  ascertained 
the  situation  of  the  8th  and  19th  corps.  The 
goods  were  then  distributed  according  to 
their  respective  necessities.  During  my 
stay  in  town  I  visited  by  request  of  the  Di- 
rector, the  different  hospitals,  and  found  that 
they  had  already  received  the  benefit  of  san- 
itary stores  thlbugh  the  promptness  of  Mr. 
Hammer,  agent  forthe  19th  corps.  The 
round  trip  occupied  eight  days. 

On  my  return  to  Winchester  I  com-' 
menced  visiting  the  sick  and  wounded  scat- 
tered in  private  houses,  to  the  number  of 
fifty- two,  the  majority  of  whom,  were  badly 
wounded,  and  in  great  need  of  delicacies 
and  stimulants ;  many  of  the  families  with 
whom  they  were  staying  had  not  means  suf- 
ficient to  sustain  themselves,  much  less  to 
provide  delicacies  for  others.  Many  are 
lodged  in  families  whose  predilections  and 
sympathies  are  strongly  southern,  and  con- 
sequently bitterly  opposed  to  everything 
northern,  yet  they  are  caring  for  our  sick 
and  wounded.  Always  have  I  asked  par- 
ticularly, in  these  latter  cases,  "  Are  you 
being  well  oared  for  by  the  family  ?"  and 
the  answer  is  given  in  the  affirmative.  I 
h^ve  yfet^to  hear  the  first  case  of  complaint. 
All  the  men  are  improving  and  in  good 
spirits. 


The  Sanitary  Cammison  Bulletin. 


TSl 


Extract  of  a  graphic  letter  from  Colonel 
Muhlech  to  F.  N.  Knapp,  written  after  tie 
retreat  of  our  forces  from  Cedar  Creek,  Va., 
on  the  18th  of  October : — 

The  musketry  was  perfectly  -awful  for 
about  ten  minutes,  but  the  enemy  were 
bloodily  repulsed,  and  at  nightfall  we  held 
our  ground  everywhere.     All  trains   had 
been  ordered  to  the  rear,  and  the  capture 
of  every  wagon  at  one  time  seemed  almost 
inevitable.    I  had  just  one  day  before,  sent 
out  three  wagons  loaded  with  supplies  for 
Our  field  agents.     To  hunt  up  these  six 
corps  wagons,  was  an  awful  task.    However, 
I  Succeeded,  got  them  into  line,  and  then  a 
retreat  commenced  as   I   never  had   seen 
before.      Over   hills   and   rocks,   Arough 
ditches  and  ravines,  the  trains  went  1o  the 
rear  at  a  furious  speed.     The  pioneer  corps 
had  in  some  places  -to  cut  us  a  road  through 
the  woods,  as  the  pike  could  not  be  ustfd 
on  account  of  the  enemy's  artillery  fire, 
which  was  very  heavy.    However,  the  whole 
army  train  reached  Winchester  in  safety. 
My  wagons  and  every  particle  of  stores  are 
safe.     Near'  Newtown,  about   seven  miles 
south  of  Winchester,  one  of  our   loaded 
wagons   broke   down.      By   dint  of  hard 
work  and  strong  exertion,  we  had  the  goods 
rapidly  unloaded,  and  put  in  one  of  the 
empty  wagons,  losing  nothing  but  a  barrel 
of  dried  apples,   which   was  knocked  to 
pieces,  and  had  to  be  abandoned.     Beach- 
ing a  point  about  two  miles  south  of  Win- 
chester, the  trains  awaiting  further  orders 
parked  on  both  sides  of  the  road,  I  ordered 
our  own  wagons  out  of  the  line,^and  had 
them  brought  into  town  in  charge  of  Col. 
Fach,  with  instructions  to  keep  the  loaded 
wagons   untouched,  and   to   have  all  our 
empty  0|nes  (five)  ready  at  a  moment's  no- 
tice, with  the  horses  harnessed.     To  the 
store-house  1  sent  instructions,  to  quietly 
pack  away  all  valuable  articles,  and  to  "keep 
delicacies  on  hand,  to  be  hurried  over  to 
the  hospitals  and  lady  visitors,  in  case  it 
should  have;  to  be  evacuated.     Seeing  all 
my  train  safe,  (the  broken  wagon  included,) 
I  returned  at  once  to  the  front,  falling  in 
very  soon  with  General  Fessenden,  and  we 
both,  without  even  an  orderly,  pushed  for- 
ward again  to  the  line  of  battle.    My  object 
was  to  ascertain  exactly  the  condition  of 
our  army,  and  the  probabilities  for  an  eva- 
cauation,  or  for  a  renewed  battle  to-morrow 
'morning.     I  am  inclined  to  believe  in  the 
latter,  as  the  bujjc  of  the  stragglers  were 


driven  out  of  Winchester  by  the  provost 
guard,  and  returned  to  their  corps,  and  as 
up  to  this  late  hour  (midnight,)  no  indica- 
tion of  a  retreat  has  appeared  as  yet.  What- 
ever may  happen,  the  circumstance  shall  not 
find  me  wanting. 

At  day-break  to-morrow  morning,  I  shall 
return  to  the  field  with  one  or  two  loads  of 
such  stores  as  are  most  needed .  on  the 
battle-ground.  *  *  * 

I  have  furnished  to  the  hospitals,  a  daily 
and  quite  large  supply  of  poultry,  butter, 
eggs,  apple-butter,  honey,  buttermilk,  &c. 
Besides,  the  Commission  furnishes  to  the 
wounded  on  their  way  to  Martinsburg  food 
and  stimulants,  as  these  poor  fellows  very 
often  are  hurried  away  without  a  proper 
supply,  and  would  arrive  in  Martinsburg 
in  a  starving  condition.  ^Soft  htead,  ham, 
dried  heef,  chocolate,  etc.,  constitute  those 
supplies. 

Four  of  our  teams  with  wagon-master 
Clarke,  are  at  Martinsburg.  If  the  army 
does  not  fall  back  I  shall  expect  them  up 
to-morrow,  with  some  of  the  needed  goods. 
'  We  have  no  reliable  information  as  yet, 
as  to  the  total  number  of  our  wounded  in 
to-day's  battle,  however  it  must  be  large ; 
we  keep  there  a  sufficient  stock  of  stores  at 
my  disposition.  *  *  * 

Please  do  notf  forget  the  postage  stamps. 
We  are  conducting  here  the  post-office  for 
this  whole  army,  and  the  number  of  letters 
forwarded  daily  averages  between  two  or 
three  thousand.  *  *  * 

From  G.  A.  Muhlech. 

Habpbb's  Fbkry,  Va.,  1 
October  23,  1864.  | 

Returning  late  in  the  evening  from  the 
field  of  battle,.!  ascertained  that  but  the 
slightly  wounded  men  would  be  brought  to 
Winchester,  while  all  the  severe  cases  had 
to  be  left  at  Newtown,  where  a  large  field 
hospital  was  'Established  in  great  haste. 
As  in  almost  every  case,  so  here  again  the 
government  supplies  were  scanty  and  en- 
tirely inadequate.  Long  lines  of  ambu- 
lances were  coming  in  every  quarter  of  an 
hour,  until  the  hasti4^  erected  hospital 
tents  and  every  house-  of  the  village  were 
crowded,  with  wounded  men.  Large  num- 
■  bers  were  stretched  out  along  the  sidewalks, 
without  straw,  and  mapy,  even  without  a 
blanket  to  cover  them.  Giving  the  spur  to 
my  horse,  I  hurried  back  to  Winchester 
and  ordered  a  wagon  to  be  ready  at  day- 
light, to  start  for  Newtown  witlf such  stores 


™ 


782 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


as  were  most  immediately  needed.  Early 
next  morning  Mr!  Knowlton  (a  very  excel- 
lent young  man)  left  in  charge  Qf  a  very  y 
heavy  load  of  assorted  goods.  He  had  in- 
structions to  ascertain  more  fully  the  wants 
at  Newtown  hy  conferring  with  the  surgeon 
in  charge;  also  to  stay  and  assist  in  the 
distribution  of  these  goods.  He  was  ex- 
pected back  in  the  evening  next  day;  had, 
however,  not  arrived  yet  ,when  T  left  for 
Martinsburg.  I  trust  he  may  not  have 
met  with  any  accident. 

Friday  last  (Slst  inst.)  will  be  long  re- 
membered by  our  whole  Sanitary  household. 
Early  in  the  morning  I  received  informa- 
tion that  about  two  thousand  of  our  brave, 
^bleeding  boys  were  expected  to  pass  through 
Winchester,  on  their  way  to  Baltimore.  I 
proceeded  at  once  to  the  Medical  Director's 
Office,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  whether 
all  the  necessary  arrangements  had  been 
made  for  feeding  and  providing  these  men 
on  itheir  long  journey.  Though  assured 
that  orders  had  been  given  to  have  2,000 
rations  cooked  for  them,  I  felt  strongly  in- 
clined to  think  that  there  might  be  some 
delay.  Accordingly,  I  had  a  large  number 
of  wash-boilers  brought  to  our  mess  room, 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sugar  and  coffee, 
and  our  cooks  went  to  work  at  once.  Medi- 
cal Purveyor  Dr.  Shields,  our  friendly 
neighbor,  gladly  put  his  own  store  at  liiy 
disposal,  and  another  large  quantity  of  cof- 
fee was  prepared  by  us  there,  too;  finally  I 
made  an  appeal  to  Mrs.  Brittain  for  the 
•game  purpose,  and  that  lady,  also,  willingly 
lent  a  helping  hand.  I  next  went  to  the 
baker  shop,  securing  there  one  thousand 
loaves  of  soft  bread.  In  the  meanwhile  I 
had  ordered  up  the  whole  force  of  my  corps, 
and  given  them  instructions -for  a  system- 
atic distriliution  among  the  different  divi- 
sion trains  of  ambulances.  Every  hand  was 
now  busy.  Some  looking  to  the  coffee, 
which  had  to  be  carried,  boiling,  several 
squares;  others  carrying  large  armsful  of 
bread;  others  again  cutting  ham  and  dried 
beef  in  large  quantity..  It  was  about  5 
o'clock  when  the  head  of  the  endless  line 
of  ambulances  cat#9  in  through  the  main 
street.  Those  of  the  6th  Corps  stopped 
right  in  front  of  the  Taylor  Hotel  and  of 
our  store  rooms,  while  the  different  divi- 
sions of  the  8th  and  19th  Corps  filed  into 
the  steeets  of  their  respective  hospital  head 
quarters.  And  now  the  work  of  charity 
commenced.  Darkness  had  meanwhile  set 
in;  the  streets  were  entirely  blocked  up  with 


double  lines  of  ambulances.  Hundreds  of 
lanterns  and  flickering  lights  were  passing 
to  and  fro ;  men  were  rushing  into  houses 
and  stores  for  aiasistancc,  or  demanding 
some  article  pressingly  needed.  Our  own 
room  presented  the  spectacle  of  a  motley 
living  mass.  Officers  of  all'  ranks,  surgeons, 
nurses,  well  men  and  wounded,  all  crowded 
the  limited  space,  anxious  to  reach  the 
Commission's  help  either  for  themselves  or 
for  some  comrade  and  dear  friend.  It  was 
indeed,  a  task  more  difficult  and  trying  than 
I  had  yet  met  with,  to  help  and  direct  on 
all  sides;  however,  thanks  to. the  noble  be-  | 
havior  of  our  own  agents,  of  some  true  citi- 
zens, (who  offered  me  their  assistance,)  and 
of  half  a  dozen  of  brave  bays  of  the  37th 
Mass.,  (in  garrison  at  Newtown,)  the  Com- 
mission's great  and  sole  object — to  brighten 
this  dark  hour  was  attained  and  well  ful- 
filled. Not  an  ambulance  was  slipped.  Two 
detachments  of  agents  with  assistants  passed 
along  each  Hne  of  ambulances,  some  dis- 
tributing coffee,  others  soft  bread,  others 
again  '  ham,  dried  beef,  chocolate,  etc. 
When  our  coffee  had  given  out  we  fell  back 
on  milk  punch .  which  was  exceedingly 
relished.  Thus  we  worked,  one  and  all,, 
until  ten  (10)  o'clock  at  night.  By  that 
time  all  ,the  poor  sufferers  were  fed,  their 
wounds  dressed,  and  then  this  immense 
train,  loaded  with  maimed  soldiers,  took  up 
again  its  long  and  dreary  march  towards 
the  Potomac.  The  night  was  bitter  cold 
aqd  rainy.  Many  wounded  were  shivering 
with  cold ;  as  far  as  any  means  reached  I 
distributed  blankets,  quilts,  towels,  hand- 
kerchiefs, etc.,  etc. '  At  a  late  hour  Dr. 
Blaney  again  called  on  me  for  stimulants. 
The  Medical  Department  had  whiskey,  but 
only  in  barrels,  and  distribution  in  such  a 
form  and  under  such  circumstances  was 
impracticable.  Again  the  Commission 
proved  a  saviour. 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  ghastly  sights  of 
that  October  night !  never  the  groans  and 
moanings  of  that  living  mass  of  mutilated 
soldiers,  fighting,  no  longer  the  foe,  but 
agony  and  death.  Many,  very  many,  I 
grieve  to  say  it,  were  in  no  condition  to 
bear  transportation  to  ^uch  distant  points 
and  over  such  rough  and  broken  roads. 

What  did  I  fiijd  on  my  arrival  at  Aar- 
tinsburg  ?  No  cooked  rations,  no  stimu- 
lants, no  covering  for  these  shivering,  half- 
dead  men  1  Helpless,  Dr.  Hayes  ran  about, 
not  knowing  how  or ^where,  to  find  assist- 
ance.    Information  of  the  arrival  of  this 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


783 


immense  train  only  reached  him,  when  the 
head  of  the  column  was  alnjiost  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town.  Be  it  said  to  his  honor, 
all  that  was  within  human  power,  was  done 
by  this  officer,  to  help  and  alleviate.  He 
was  faithfully 'assisted  by  Mr.  Westcott  and 
myself.  I.  am  happy  to  state  that  he  re- 
ceived the  assistance  of  the  Commission 
with  profound  gratitude.  ISvery  drop  of 
stimulant,  every  cracker,  the  last  quilt  or 
blanket,  were  ^ut  at  his  disposal.  Large 
numbers  of  wounded  were  carried  into  pri- 
vate houses,  fed,  dresspd  and  tenderly  cared 
for.  Well  may  the  Union  feel  proud  of 
Martinsburg — well  may  feel  proud  her  noble 
daughters  1  Nor  do  I  draw  a  line  between 
Union  people  and  their  political  foes — they 
all  did  nohly,  and  .their  conduct  will  be  for- 
ever recorded  in  the  grateful  hearts  of 
'thousands. 

The  hay  previously  forwarded  by  Mr. 
Bannister  to  Martinsburg,  proved  truly  a 
God-send ;  however,  the  quantity  was  alto- 
gether insufficient.  Not  an  armful  of  hay 
or  straw  were  obtainable  in  all  the  town. 
I  would  gladly  have  paid  any  price,  had  it 
only  laid  in  our  power  to  get  it.  ' 

A  letter  from  Dr.  Harris  reached  me  on 
the  very  day  when  I  left  Winchester.  It 
was  the  pressing,  absdlute  necessity  of  get- 
ting supplies  at  once  and  in  large  quanti- 
ties, which  directed  me  to  hasten  to  Martins- 
burg personally,  in  order  to  get  ifelegTaphic 
communication  with  you.  *  *  * 

I  accompanied  the  sad  "cortege,''  and  • 
after  a  gloomy,  mournful  ride  on  horseback^ 
lasting  all  night,  we  reached  Martinsburg 
yesterday  morning  at  8  o'clpck.  *  *  * 

From  S.  Bradley  Wbstcott. 

MAETnrsBnao,  October  15,  1864. 

We  arrived  at  this  place  on  Friday, 
September  30,  and  found  that  we  had 
been  assigned  a  store-house,  which  upon 
examination  proved  to  be  inadequate  to  our 
need,  but  upon  application  to  Capt.  Wray, 
Quartermaster,  we  were  through,  his  kind- 
ness assigned  a  very  finely  situated  and 
commodious  store,'in  Granathata  Hall  build- 
ing on  King  street,  which  we,  now' occupy 
as  office  and  supply  depot,  retaining  the 
other  as  a  store-house. 

We  are  greatly  indebted  to  the  officers 
in  charge  at  this  post,  and  their  assistants 
for  many  acts  'of  kindness  and  courtesy, 
since  we  Have  been  stationed  here.    *   *   * 

We  -forwarded  to  Winchester,  October , 


4,  six  wagon  loads;  October  10,  four 
wagon  loads;  October  16,  eleven  wagon 
loads.  Seven  of  the  latter  were  our  own, 
and  four  were  government  wagons. 

We  have,  also  distributed  a  very  large 
quantity  of  goods,,  both  clothing  and  food, 
for'the  use  bf  the  sick  and  wounded,  who 
pass  through  here  from  the  front.  We 
have  also  issued  a  lii;nited  quantity  of  clo- 
thing to  individual  soldiers,  who  were  away 
from  their  commands  and  destitute  of 
clothing.  *  *  * 

The  hospitals  are  visited  by  us  on  t|ie 
arrival  of  the  trains,  and  such  aid  rendered 
as  lays  in  our  power,  suc^h  as  the  adminis- 
tering of  stimulants,  and  to  their  wants  as 
the  case  may'  demand,  and  our  facilities 
allow.  *  *  * 


List  of  articles  issued  by  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission at  Winchester,  Va.,  to  hospitals  and 
wounded  men  quartered  in  private  houses,  from 
September  21  to  October  21,  inclusive. 


Bqd  sacks 1023 

Blankets  (woolen) 616 

Candlesticks 54 

Combs,  fine >    „^^ 

"     coarse 5    °** 

Cushions 790 

Head-rests 46 

^niyes  and  For^s 24 

TOedicine  cups 22 

Musquijo  netting,  pieces    26 

Oil  silk,  pieces 27 

Fails,  wooden 41 

PilJows .• 490 

**  ^cases 466 

"    ticks 293 

Quiltat. 369 

Sheets 228 

Spit  cttps 19 

Spoons,  doz 22 

Towels..! 1147 

Tiu  cups. ., , 

"   basins 56 

"    plates 600 

Brooms , 

Candles,lbs 40 

Kerosene    stoves,    with 

fjirnitnre 7- 

Drawers,  cottoii 824 

"        woolen 1118 

Handkerchiefs 2740 

Shirts,  cotton 862 

"     woolen... 1016 

Shoes 334 

Slippers ". . . .  260 

Socks,  cotton,  pairs 


woolen, 


2210 


Dried  apples,' lbs 400 

Beef  stock,  lbs 682 

Blackberry   wine    or 

-  brandy,  bottles ...'..    70 

Canned  meats,  lbs 206 

,  '"       fruits,  lbs 364 

Presh  eggs,  barrels 10 

Dessieated  eggs,  lbs 382 

Liquorice,  iba 6 

Extract  of  Vanilla,  hot. .     12 

Bromine,  oz 47 

Chocolate,  yjs 837)^ 

Coffee,  ground,  barrel^..  2^4 
Condensed  milk,  lbs. . .  .3482 


Crackers,  lbs -. 3240 

Corn  Starch,  lbs 810 

Corn  meal,  barrel ,^     1 

Ext.  Jamiaea  ginger,  bt§.  718 

Farina,  lbs 619 

Jellies  and  preserves,  lbs.  26 

Lemons 4730 

Maizena,  lbs lois 

Nutmegs,  lbs ,3 

Pickles,  gallons '...  8}i 

Pepper,  lbs ; 22 

Porter,  bottles 432 

Potatoes,  barrels i . .      3 

Rum,  Jamaica,  bottles. .     48 

Salt  Fish,  ibs..; '   40 

Sugar,  white,  lbs '.  625 

"     brown,  lbs 925 

Tamarinds,  hegs -     2 

Tea,  black,  lbs 166 

<  "    green,  lbs 76 

Tobacco,  smoking,  lbs..  306 
"       chewing,  lbs..  2o6 

Tomatoes,  lbs 64 

Raspberry  vinegar,"  boi.    12 
Sherry  wine,  bottles....  496 

Whiskey,  bottles 618 

Alcohol,  bottles 4 

Bandages,  barrels 3 

Bay  rum,  bottles 37 

Cologne,  bottles 24 

Crutches,  pairs 243 

J^ais 132 

Orames 29 

Lint,  lbs "]\  240 

Magazines ...quantity 

^Old  Linen,  barrels 3 

Reading  matter quantity- 
Slings s9 

Soap,  lbs 282 

Splints 3jg 

SgongeSjlbs ; 2 

Tracts,  boxes 3 

Adhesive  plaster,  roll's'..'      5 
EnTelopes... :........  14355 

ink  bottles 22 

Note  paper,  reams. ...,',     49 

Pencils,  dozens 28 

Penholders,  dozens..'!!     53 

Pf', i- quantity 

Mftcilage,  bottles 9 


G.,  A.  MusLiicH, 

Snpt.  U.  g.  San.  Com.  Bept.  W.  V». 


784 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


LETTER  FBOM  AN  OBSESVEB. 

Field  Hospital,  3d  Division,  2d  Corp,    l 
Jiefore^Petersburg]  Ya.  Oct.  21,  1864.  J 

A  tour  of  inspection  of  some  weeks'  in 
the  armies  operating  against'  Richmond, 
with  special  reference  to  the  religious  and 
sanitary  efforts  made  for  our  soldiery  has 
impressed  upon  my  mind  some  thoughts  I 
wish  to  express. 

Reserving  for  another  occasion  my  re- 
marks upon  the  religious  work,  please  note 
for  the  present  the  sanitary  work  of  the 
Commission.  The  question  whether  such 
an  institution  is  needed  at  all,  has  been  set- 
tled long"  ago,  and  unansjyerahly.  The 
blessing  of  thousands  now  living  and 
actively  serving  their  country,  is  upon  it, 
and  in  the  firm  conviction  that  they  could 
not  have  lived,  except  for  the  sanitary 
stores,  and  kind  and  timely  aid  received 
through  this  organization.  While  the 
government  makes  a  liberal  and  considerate 
provfsion  for  its  soldiery,  above  what  any 
other  nation  has  made,  and  perhaps  all 
that  should  be  expected  of  it,  there  are  yet 
many  stores — delicacies  for  the  sick,  cor- 
dials for  the  fainting,  clothing 'for  the 
wounded,  which  government  cannot  fur- 
nish, or  not  in  sufficient  quantities,  espe# 
cially  in  the  frequent  emergencies  of  so 
terrible  a  campaign  as  this  one  has  been. 
These  thousand  things,  which  our  citizen 
soldiery  had  when  at  home,  the  Sanitary 
Commission  furnishes  to  them  in^  the 
field,  and  thus  brings  back  to  their  mem- 
ories and  hearts,  the  sweet  ministries  of 
wife,  mother,  sister,  in  the  old  home- 
stead. This  of  itself  doubles  the  proba- 
Ijility  of  their  recovery  if  sick,  and  increases 
their  value  in  the  field,  for  it  keeps  bright 
and  strong,  the  chain  which  binds  them 
to  their  homes,  and  ever  presents  the  dear 
ones  for  whom  they  are  doing  battle. 

>  riELD  HOSPITALS. 

The  Commission  is  of  untold  vtilue  in 
the  Jield  hospitals.  The  hospital  is  the 
saddest  place  in  an  army ;  it  is  also  the  place 
where  you  see  the  best  side  of  our  poor 
humanity.  Take,  as  an  illustration  of  what 
the  Sanitary  Commission  does  for  our  men 
in  hospital,  a  simple  statement  of  the  facts 
in  one  case. 

In  the  3d  Division  Hospital  of  the  2d 
Corps,  where  all  the  government  appoint- 
ments are  admirable — Dr.  Everts,  Medical 
Director;  Dr.  Welling,  Surgeon-in-charge, 
with  able  assistants;  Chaplain  Porter,  caring 


for  the  sanitary  and  religious  interests,  ex- , 
perienced  and  kind  nurses,  and  all  other 
provisions  for  the  sick  which  government 
can  make — there  is  still  a  wide  field  of 
action,  blessed  and  greatly  needed  action — 
for  this  beneficent  society.  There  are 
brought  a  dozen  of  wounded  men,  into 
the  hospital  whose  clothing  has  been  cut 
to  pieces,  to  get  at  their  wounds  for  dress- 
ing. Here  is  needed  immediately  a  dozen 
shirts  and  drawers,  and  some  slippers, 
a  half  dozen  hospital  gowns,  some  caps 
for  the  head,  paper,  pens,  envelopes,  and 
a  ready  hand  to  speed  a  letter  home,  and 
tell  the  friends  the  facts  in 'each  case — 
All  these  the  Sanitary  Commission  furnish. 
As  soon  as  the  poor  fellows  are  washed,' 
their  wounds  dressed,  and  their  clean  gar- 
ments on,  they  want  some  cordial,  tea, 
farina,  or  some  other  delicacy  furnished  by 
the  Commission.  And  when  about  to  re- 
turn to  the  field  of  action  after  recovery, 
they  are  destitute  of  needles,  thread,  but- 
tons, kerchiefs,  socks,  &c.  These  the  Com- 
mission provides.  Now  suppose,  as  is  the 
fact,  that  there  has  passed  through  one 
Division  hospital  since  this,  campaign  com- 
menced, four  thousand  wounded,  and  three 
thousand  sick  men,  and  that  the  great  mass 
of  them  needed  and  received  more  or  less 
aid  of  this  kind,  and  language  cannot  ex- 
press the  amount  of  suffering  relieved,  com- 
fort afforded,  encouragement  given,  and 
hope  infused  in  hearts  which  greatly  appre- 
ciate human  sympathy.  I  am  informed  that 
above  ten  thousand  dollars  worth  of  sani- 
tary stores  have  been  furnished  to  those 
seven  thousand  sufferers  mentioned  above. 
A  thousand  blessings  on  the  donors !  And 
this  only  one  specimen  of  its  wide  work. 

INDIVIDUAL  RELIEF. 

A  still  more  interesting,  if  not  more  im- 
portant part  of  the  Commission's  work,  con- 
sists in  its  personal  ministrations  not  only 
to  the  wounded  antf  the  sick  but  to  the  weary, 
worn,  exhausted  men '  in  the  trenches,  on 
picket,  on  march,  and  especially  in  battle. 

Go  for  one  day  with  Rev.  John  E.  Vassar, 
who  labors  with  the  CommisRion  in  the 
3d  Division  of  the  2d  Corps,  and  note  his 
labor  of  love.  Early  in  the  morning  he 
filJs  his  haversack  with  paper,  envelopes, 
tea,  needles,  buttons,  ginger,  tobacco,  and 
some  tracts  ajid  papers,  or  testaments,  and 
is  off  upon  a  tramp  of  six,  eight  or  ten 
miles  through  camps,  artillery  parks,i  forts, 
trenches,  and  even  into  the  picket  lines,  in 


The  Sanitary  Oommiimn  Bulletin, 


785 


front   of  the   enemy.     Here   he  asks   for 
a  cup  of  water,  and  gives  in  return  paper 
and  envelope,  and  a  word  of  exhortation 
that  the  soldiers  may  drink  of  the  waters  of 
eternal  life.     There  he  leaves  tobacco,  and 
tells  the  men  not  to  be  satisfied  with  earthly 
things.     Here  he  writes  a  letter  for  a  poor 
fellow  who  cannot  write,  all  the  while  pray- 
ing that  -his  name  may  be  written  above. 
There  he  whispers  to  a  dying  man  of  Jesus 
and  his  love — all  the  while  pressing  on ,  doing 
good  in  every  way  opened  up,  and  winning 
upon  himself  and  those  who  send  him,  grate- 
ful blessings.     And  now  suppose  a  battle  is 
imminent — an  advance  about  to  be  made, 
■Vassar  hurries  back  to  the   station;   the 
sanitary  wagon  is  loaded  with  an  assort- 
ment of  all  things  needed  for  the  fearful 
emergency — horses  are  in  readiness,  and 
with  the  command  "  march,"  he  is  off,  and 
close  up  to  the  marching,  fighting  men, 
and  when  the  wounded  begin  to  be  borne 
back  by  tens  or  fifties,  or  hundreds,  here 
oftentimes  among  the  first  in  the  temporory 
hospital  are  found  the  sanitary  stores  and 
their  prompt  agents;     And  a  thousand  dol- 
lars worth  of  needed  stores  administered  at 
such  a 'time,  and  by  men  of  such  large 
sympathies,  and  cheering,  hopeful  words — 
as  is  Vassar,  and  many  other  laborers — is 
worth  ten  times  ife   cost,  to   the   donors 
at  home,  and  to  the  men  who  are  succored. 
But  my  paper  is  filled. 

I  am  aware  that  some  say  that  the  Com- 
mission has  received  enough.  Enough ! 
Enough  perhaps  fof'  this  stupendous  cam- 
paign so  far,  but  without  a  constant  and 
liberal  income,  it  is  impossible  to  carry 
forward  so  vast  and  beneficent  a  work.  No, 
no,  not  enough,  till  the  rebellion  is  put 
down  and  every  sufferer  has  been  relieved 
as  far  as  possible  by  the  sympathies  and 
benefiictions  of  the  loyal  North.  Nor  will  it 
do  to  say,  that  the  supplies  are  not  all  pkced 
in  the  hands  of  those  for  whom  provided. 
There  must  be  some  expense  in  the  distri- 
bution, and  there  may  occasionally  be  some 
misuse.  What  human  work  is  immaculate  ? 
Take  it  all  in  all,  I  doubt  if  ever  so  large  a 
benefaction  was  so  well  administered.  Only 
let  active,  earnest  men,  to  go  personally  to 
the  needy,  and  give  with  their  own  hands  be 
increased,  and  the  system  will  be  near  per- 
fection. J.  M.  Stevenson. 


a 


OFFICIAL   COREESPONDENCE   CONCEKNING 
EXCHANGE  OF  PHISONEES. 

Washington, 

October  6,  1864. 

Coii.  Hoffman,  U.  S.  A. 

Com  Gen.  of  Paroled  Prisoiiers. 

Sib  : — The  Sanitary  Commission  desires, 
with  the  approval  of  the  Medical  Depa,rt- 
ment,  to  place  an  agent  or  agents  with 
sanitary  supplies  on  board  such  boats  as 
may  be  sent  south  to  bring  back  our  ex- 
changed or  paroled  prisoners.  The  object 
would  be  to  minister  to  the  well  being  and 
comftrt  of  our  jeturning  men,  acting  of 
course  under  the  direction  of  the  surgeon 
in  charge. 

I  would,  therefore,  respectfully  request 
of  you  permission  to  place  such  agent  or 
agents  and  supplies  on  board  such  boats. 
KespectfuUy,  your  ob't  serVt, 
>.  Fred.  N.  Knapp, 

AsBoeiate  Sec, 

Office  of  the  Com.  Gen.  of  Peisoners, 

Waihington,  D.  C,  October  10,  1864. 

Feed.  N.  Knapp, 

Abeo.  Sec.  CT.  S.  San.  Com.,  Wasbington,  I).  C. 

Sia  :^Your  application  on  behalf  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  of  the  6th  inst. 
requesting  authority  to  send  an  agent  or 
agents  with  sanitary  supplies,  on  board  the 
steamers  which  are  about  to  be  despatched 
to  Charleston"or  Savannah,  to  receive  in- 
valid paroled  prisoners,  the  object  being  to 
minister  to  the  necessities  and  comfort  of 
the  returning  men,  has  been  laid  before  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  I  am  directed  to  in- 
form you  that  the  application  is  granted. 

The  steamers,  four  or  five  probably,  are 
expected  to  leave  Fort  Monroe  the  latter 
part  of  this  week,  under  the  orders  of  Maj. 
G-en.  Butler,  Commissioner  for  Exchanges, 
who  will  be  informed  of  the  permission 
granted  to  you,  and  will,  no  doubt,  afibrd 
you  every  facility  for  carrying  out  your 
^benevolent  design. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obd't  serv't 
W.  Hoffman, 

Col.  3d  Inf* tj,  Com.  Gen,  FriBoners. 


Vol.  I.  No.  M 


OTIB  PBISONEBS. 

The  following  extract,  of  report  to  Mr.  F. 

N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary,  on  supplies 

to  our  prisoners,  made  by  Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh, 

Agent,  will  be  read  with  peculiar  interest : 

In  June  last,  the  authorities  in  Charles- 
ton, allowed  us  to  send,  such  supplies  as 


50 


786 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


individuals  desired.  The  facilities  for  trans- 
portation were  limited,  but  I  think,  allow- 
ed to  the  extent  the  enemy  could  aSovdT' 
Having  no  memoranda  with  me,  an  exact 
statement  of  the  number  of  times  and  quan- 
tities sent,  cannot  be  given;  but  through 
the  month  of  July  and  to  the  18th  of 
August,  supplies  were  forws^rded  to  indi- 
vidual prisoners  who  distributed  them  at 
discretion,  and  returned  receipts  for  the  ^ 
same  through  the  Confederate  authorities. 

About  this  time  a  regular  system  of  inter- 
course was  instituted  by  the  appointment 
of  Commissioners  of  Exchange.  Col.  "^ood- 
ford  by  Major  General  Foster,  and  Col. 
Lay,  by  Major  General  Samuel  Jones,  on 
the  part  of  the  enemy.  Both  are  honor- 
able and  high-minded  men,  who  have  ac- 
complished all  that  the  embari;assing  cir- 
cumstances always  attending  exchanges, 
and  so  little  comprehended  by  the  public, 
tfould  permit. 

Col.  Woodford's  zeal  to  relieve  the  neces- 
.  si  ties  of  our  unfortunate-  men,  has  abun- 
dantly testified  to  the  discretion  of  the 
Major  General  commanding  in  his  appoint- 
ment, while  Col.  Lay,  has  done  all  his  posi- 
tion would  permit  to  second  the  efforts  of 
our  own  commissioner. 

Our  rnethod  has  been  to  take  receipts  for 
supplies  from  the  Confederate  commissioner, 
having  invoiced  them  to  some  prisoner  per- 
sonally known  to  us,  requesting  him  to  ' 
distribute  to  those  most  needy,  and  by 
letter  acknowledge  to  us  the  receipt  of  the 
goods.  Acknowledgments  of  these  issues 
Tiave  usually  been  promptly  returned,  and 
for  the  satisfaction  of  the.  donors,  we  p,ve 
happy  to  state  ,that  in  all  probability,  a  very 
large  per  cent,  of  supplies,  have  reached  our 
men  sd  sadly  needing  them. 

ARa?IOLES   ISSUED   TO   PRISONERS. 

The  aggregate  amount  forwarded  to  officers 
and  privates  in  Confejlerate  prisons,  irrespec- 
tive of  issues  to  those  exchanged,  stands  thus 
— 3,500  pairs  woolen  socks,  4,370  woolen 
shirts,  8,250  pairs  woolen  drawers,  4,500 
handkerchiefs,  4,500  towels,  190  coats,  123 
vests,  1,000  paifs  pants,  1,000  do.  shoes, 
1,000  hats,  2,000  blankets,  733  bed  ticks, 
1,000  pillow  ticks,  a  quantity  of  needle 
bookS)  pin  cushions,  soap,  combs,  stationery, 
games,  abdominal  bandages,  stimulants  and 
tin  ware.  20  bbls.  soft  crackers,  1,000  lbs. 
corn  starch,  1,000  lbs.  farina,  75  lbs.  arrow 
root,  1,000  lbs.  beef  steak,  1,000  lbs.  canned 
tomatoes,  500  lbs.  chocolate,  200  lbs.  cocoa, 


1,000 -lbs.  coffee,  140  lbs.  tea,  180  gallons 
"pickles,  250  lbs.  jellies,  11  bbls.  dried  fruit, 
144  lbs.  lemon  juice,  10  lbs.  pepper,  10 
lbs.  mustard,  6  dozen  bottles  extract  of 
ginger. 

Since  the  above  issues,  we  have  recfeived 
3,000  blankets,  2,000  shirts,  2,000  pairs 
drawers,  2,000  pairs  socks,  1,000  pairs  shoes, 
2,000  pairs  pants  and  1,000  blouses,  a  lar^e 
portion  of  which,  if  not  all,  has  previous  to 
date,  been  issued  and  received  by  our  un- 
fortunate men  at  different  places  within  the 
Confederate  lines. i 

The  cash  value  of  these  supplies  will 
exceed  $65,000. 

The  above  list  is  irrespective  of  the  ex- 
tensive and  valuable  invoice  selected  by 
the  Associate  Secretary,  Mr.  F.  N.  Knapp, 
and  forwarded  to  the  Department  of  the 
South,  in  anticipation  of  a  general  exchange 
of  prisoners. 

Thus  can  be  seen  at  a  glance  the  amount 
of  relief  work  performed  in  this  Department 
in  a  brief  space  of  time.  The  manner  of 
doing  this  work  has  already  been  detailed. 

• 

The  assistance  received  frorn  the  mili- 
tary authorities,  I  gratefully  acknowledge. 
From  the  Major  General  commanding  to 
the  laborer  on  the  wllarf,  all  have  lent  a 
willing  hand. 

Were  evidence  needed  of  the  so'ldiers 
active  sympathy  with  suffering,  here  it  is 
overwhelming.  Brother  could  not  do  more 
for  brother,  than  officer  and  private,  have 
done  each  in  his  place,  in  all  our  undertak- 
ings. _  .  , 

Frorn  our  first  coming  here,  the  Quarter- 
master's Department,  has  furnished  all 
needed  transportation,  and  often  to  its  own 
manifest  inconvenience,  and  has  now  added 
to  the  obligations  previously  imposed  upon 
the  Commission. 

When  these  tens  of  thousands  of  sufferers 
were  thrown  upon  the  Commission,  and  our 
large  stock  of  supplies  was  rapidly  being 
exhausted,  Capt.  Lamb,  A.  Q.  M.,  at  a  re- 
duced valuation,  supplemented  us  from  his 
own  stores,  and  in  preparing,  and  urging 
forward  supplies,  evinced  a  benevolence  of 
heart  and  energy  of  action,  that  should  be 
known  to  all  whose  privations  he  assisted 
tq  lessen. 


The  following  fiym  Dr.  Blake,  concerns 
Prisoners  in  Texas  :  ^ 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin: 


787 


From  Dil  Geoege  A.  Blake. 

Nbw  Orleans,  October  14,  1864. 

Mr.  Stevens  arrived  last  Saturday.  An 
exchange  of  prisoners,  will  occur  within  a 
few  days  near  the  mouth  of  the  Red  River, 
and  he  will  accompany  the  Commissioner 
of  exchange  on  the  trip.  As  some  of  our 
prisoners  will  be  obliged  to  march  from 
Camp  Ford,  in  Tyler,  Texas,  to  Alexandria, 
La.,  about  one  hundred  miles,  and  others, 
crowded  on  transports,  to  come  down  Red 
River,  more  or  less  of  them  will  become 
used  up,  and  require  attention.  He  will 
take  with  him  8timulants,'*milk,  beef-stock, 
crackers,  &c.,  articles  easily  prepared  and 
easily  dispensed.  *  *  * 

I  had  an  interview  this  A.  M.,  with  Col. 
VoUum,  Medical  Inspector,  on  Gen.  Ganby's 
staff,  by  his  request.  He  expressed  him- 
self very  favorably  towards  the  Commission, 
and  wished  me  to  report  to  him  at  the  end 
of  the  month,  the  amount  of  vegetables 
issued  from  our  store-house.  I  asked  him 
if  he  had  visited  our  "  Home"  in  the  city, 
he  replied,  "Oh,  yes,  I  have  been  all  over 
it,  spent  many  a  day  there,  because  I  heard 
some  complaints  against  it,  but  I  found  it 
an  excellent  institution."  In  view  of  a  con- 
centration of  troops  in  the  region  of  Mobile, 
there  must  be  considerable  passing  of  troops 
to  and  fro,  between  here  and  there,  via  the 
Lake.  The  boats  will  land  at  Lakeport, 
and  as  there  is  no  accommodation  there  for 
rest  or  provision,  I  have  concluded  to 
establish  a  "  Lodge"  at  that  place.  I  con- 
sulted with  Col.  VoUum  about  it,  and  he 
endorsed  that  it  be  done  at  once.  I  shall 
go  there  to-morrow,  and  secure  a  building 
if  possible. 

I  have  opened  a  correspondence  with  a 
Confederate  chaplain,  with  a  view  of  esta^ 
blishing  an  agency  in  Texas,  for  the  relief 
of  our  prisoners  there.  *  *  * 


AN  OFFICEE'S  TEIBUTE  TO  THE  SANITAEY 
COliHISSIOir. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  private 

letter  of  a  Rhode  Island  cavalry  officer : 

The  Sanitary  Commission  is  doing  won- 
ders. Volumes  could  be  written  in  its  praise, 
and  fall  short  of  justice.  Its  agents  are 
everywhere  at  all  times;  none  seem  tired, 
none  rude,  none  impatient.  No  call  goes 
unheeded,  no  suffering  unalleviated  within 
their  means.  They  are  amply  provided  with 
everything.  E^very  dollar  expended  by  thei^ 


is  returned  an  hundred  fold.  And  of  the 
female  nurses  who  have  so  nobly  sacrificed 
every  comfort  of  home  for  the  stern  duties 
they  are  fulfilling,  what  can  be  said  ?  Ex- 
posed daily,  hourly,  to  the  most  disgusting, 
abhorrent  scenes,  shocking  to  the  senses, 
revolting  in  the  last  degree  under  any  other 
circumstances,  these  angels  of  mercy  go 
about  their  duties'as  quietly  and  steadily  as 
about  common  household  affairs.  Oh,  if 
you  could  see  the  wistful,  longing  fdces  up- 
turned, as  these  nurses~"come  along,  loaded 
with  nutritious  soups,  chicken  broth,  nice 
soft  bread  and  butter,  jellies,  preserves,  &e.  ' 
wine,  brandy,  lemonade,  milk-punch,  egg 
nog,  each  given  to  the  proper  case,  and  the 
silent  grateful  ,look  of  those  too  weak  to 
speak,  the  heartfelt  thanks  of  those  who 
can,  your  heart  would  melt  with  pity  and 
love,  and  you  would  say  to  your  sisters  and 
brethren  at  the  North,  send  money,  send 
money,  send  anything  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 


STTSQUEHAHNA  COUNTY,  PA. 
The  official  report  of  the  late  Council  of 
women  for  this  county,  is  not  yet  received. 
We  hope  to  have  it  for  the  next  number  of  the 
Bulletin.  The  following  resolutions,  which 
were  unaniniously  adopted,  we 'clip  from 
the  Independent  Republican,  of  Montrose, 
for  October  25 : 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  labors  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  as  second  in  im- 
portance only  to  the  actual  service  of  the 
soldiers  in  the  field,  and  that  our  confidence 
in  its  efficiency  increases  more  and  more,  as 
we  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  its 
operations. 

Resolved,  That  sympathy,  encouragement 
and  substantial  aid,  are  due  from  every  one 
who  loves  his  country,  to  the  noble  women 
of  our  Soldier's  Aid  Societies,  who,;  with 
great  toil  and  sacrifice,  are  engaged  in  the 
glorious  work  of  relieving  the  sufferings  of 
our  beloved  brethren,  the  soldiers  who  have 
gone  to  fight  for  us,  the  battles  of  freedom 
and  civil  liberty. 

Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  the  gentle- 
men and  ladies  from  Philadelphia,  who 
have  addres&ed  us  this  afternoon  and  even- 
ing, our_  siocere  thanks  for  the  valuable 
information  which  they  have  communicated 
to-  us,  and  the  encouragement  they  have 
given  us,  which  shall  only  stimulate  us  to 
greater  efforts  in  this  good  work  in  the  fu- 


788 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ture,  and  until  a  righteous  peace  shall  be 
established  in  our  beloved  land. 

The  assembly  then  sang  the  L.  M.  Dox- 
ology  and  dispersed. 

C.  C.  Halsey,  ■) 

T.  Nicholson,  [•  Secretaries. 

G.  A.  Jesstjp,  3 


OBJECTIONS. 

•Our  friends  sometimes  write  to  ask  how 
they  shall  answer  certain  objections  that  are 
made  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  by  per- 
sons who  claim  to  be  entitled  to  credit  in 
their  respective  neighborhoods;  and  while 
we  invariably  answer  such  communications 
promptly,  we  think  a  notice  here,  of  two  or 
three  objections  that  have  come  to  our 
knowledge  within  a  day  or  two,  may  be 
well. 

A  friend  sends  us  from  Chautauqua  county 
in  New  York,  a  note,  with  a  slip  from  the 
Fredonia  Censor,  which  contains  the  fol- 
lowing statement : 

In  looking  over  the  Censor  of  the  24:th  ult. 
I  see  you  advise  the  people  of  Chautagua  to 
pick,  dry  and  send  all  the  berries  to  our  men 
down  here,  through  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. This,  I  would  six  months  ago  have 
approved,  and  joinedwith  you  in  recom- 
mending, hut  now,  seeing  how  things  go  at 
the  very  headquarters  of  the  whole  establish- 
ment, I  would,  and  will  use  every  means  in 
my  power  to  keep  it  from  them,  especially 
the  part  of  country  where  my  own  friends  live. 
It  is  now  a  regular  cheating  place.  Honesty 
and  patriotism  are  known  by  their  men 
here  no  more.  An  easy  life  with  aplenty  of 
money  in  their  pockets,  is  thought  much 
more  of,  than  the  poor  soldiers  who  are  suf- 
fering. This  same  Sanitary  Commission 
was  once  a  noble  thing,  and  a  great  amount 
of  good  was  derived  from  it,  hut  it  is  now 
as  bad,  as  it  was  then'good. 

The  only  authority  for  these  statements 
is  a  certain  J.  C.  B.  If  J.  C.  B.  will  make 
his  complaints  over  his  own  proper  signa- 
ture, and  give  us  the  evidence  to  prove  the 
cheating^  of  which  he  complains,  and  show 
how  the  horiesty  and  patriotism  of  all  the 
men  at  headquarters  has  vanished  within 
he  past  six  months,  and  tell  who  the  men 


are,  he  will  be  doing  a  service  to  the  cause. 
If,  however,  he.makes  these  assertions  with- 
out being  frank  enough  to  avow  himself,  the 
^  good  people  of  his  own  county  will  not  give 
credit  to  his  accusations.  Our  friends  need 
never  concern  themselves  about  charges  or 
complaints  against  the  Commission  that  are 
not  substantiated  by  proper  authority.  True 
men  who  have  the  interest  of  the  cause  at 
heart,  who  love  the  soldier  and  desire  to 
see  hi^  wants  supplied,  are  never  afraid  to 
be  seen  and  known,  in  any  attempt  to  cor- 
rect or  remove  evils,  which  they  may  hon- 
estly think  stand  in  the  way  of  the  cause. 

Another  letter  comes  from  Bradford 
county,  Pa.,  complaining  that  a  chaplain 
from  the  army  had  publicly  opposed  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  his  county,  and 
had  discouraged  the  Ladies  Aid  Society 
from  contributing  any  more  to  the  soldiers 
through  that  channel.  His  complaint  was, 
that  the  "  contributions  of  the  people  rarely 
reach  the  suffering  soldier,  hut  that  the  offi- 
cers of  the  army  who  control  these  sanitary 
stores,  appropriate  them  to  their  own  use, 
and  leave  the  private  soldier  to  suffer  in 
his  destitution  and  want." 

We  assure  the  Society  at  Leraysville,  in 
Bradford,  that  they  may  continue  in  their 
noble  work  without  discouragement,.if  they 
will  trust  to  their  own  good  impulses,  and 
their  p^st  experience. 

When  officers  return  from  the  army  and 
say,  that  they — the  officers — use  the  sup- 
plies that  are  givefl  to  them  for  the  soldiers 
by  the  Commission,  there  need  be  no  blame 
attached  to  the  Commission.  We  are  con- 
fident however,  that  the  chaplain  is  in 
error  about  the  supplies  to  soldiers  not 
reaching  them.  In  his  own  regiment  it 
may  have  been  the  case,  and  there  may  be 
other  regiments  where  officers  are  willing 
to  misappropriate  stores,  but  we  believe 
from  large  observation  and  experience,  that 
officers  as  a  rule,  do  "not  so  mis-apply  what 
may  be  placed  within  their  reach.' 

The  Commission  has  its  own  agents,  who 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


789 


distribute  to  the  men  personally,  when 
surgeons  approve ;  and  it  would  be  absurd 
to  suppose  that  all  the  vast  stores  which  the 
people  have  sent  to  the  army,  could  have 
been  used  by  the  officers,  had  every  effort 
been  made  to  induce  them  to  do  so.  Our 
army  is  not'  composed  of  such  men,  as  many 
persons  would  have  us  believe.  The  pri- 
vate soldiers  are  such  as  the  world  has 
never  before  seen,  for  valor,  endurance, 
patience  and  confidence  in  the  causS,  and 
in  their  leaders. 

Our  army  surgeons  are  men  taken  from  our 
families  and  communities — men  whom  we 
have  formerly  entrusted  with  our  own  lives, 
and  the  lives  of  our  kindred ;  they  have  been 
strictly  examined  before  they  entered  the 
service,  both  as  to  professional  attainment 
and  moral  character,  and  are  as  a  class, 
valuable  men. 

The  Generals  and  subordinate  officers, 
are  such  as  hav^  won  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  the  people,  and  we  are  satisfied 
that  no  unfounded  complaints — be  they 
made  by  whom  they  may,  will  shake  the 
confidence  of  the  people  in  our  army  offi-' 
cers,*in  our  valiant  men  of  the  rank  and 
file,  or  in  the  means  that  are  being  used  by 
,the  Sanitary  Commission  to  serve  "them. 

The  good  women  of  the  land  will  work 
on,  and  in  answer  to  such  accusations  as  we 
have  noticed,  they  will  furnish  such  facts 
as  they  may  find  in  the  present  number  of 
the  BiiiUetin.  Read  the  correspondence 
from  the  army,  and  you  willi  learn  how  the 
supplies  are  distributed. 


COUKCIL  OF  SOLDIEB'S  AID  SOCIEIIKS. 

New  Yoek,  October  26,  1864. 

Dear  Sie  :  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to 
publish  the;  enclosed  Circular  of  Invitation 
in  the  Bulletin  of  November  1.  The  in- 
vitation is  extended  to  all  who  are  interest- 
ed in  the  care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  and 
may,  through  the  ■  Bulletin  reach  some 
persons  who  might  not  otherwise  receive  it. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

Louisa  Lee  Schuyler, 

Chairman  Com.  on  Correspondence. 


'    U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

WOMAN'S  CENTRAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  BELIEF, 

10  and  11  Cooper  Union,  Third  Avenue.         ' 

New  YoiiK,  October  25,  1864. 

Madam  :  A  meeting  of  delegates  from 
the  Soldier's  Aid  Societies  of  New  York, 
Connecticut,  Ehode  Island,  and  parts  of 
Massachusetts,  Vermont  and  New  Jersey, 
will  be  held  in  the  Hall  of  the  Cooper 
Union,  ou'WednesbMlY,  the  16th  day  op 
November  next,  at  TJ  o'clock,  p.m.  We 
hope  that  the  Soldier's ,  Aid' Societies  of 
Canada  will  be  also  represented. 

Prof  Hitchcock,  of. this  Association, 
will  preside,  and  present  our  Semi-Annual 
Eeport.  Dr.  Bellows,  recently  returned 
from  California;  will  narrate  his  experiences 
among  the  workers  for  the  Soldiers  there. 
Other  gentlemen  are  espeoted  to  address 
the  meeting. 

This  invitation  is  extended  to  the  mem- 
bers of  Soldier's  Aid  Societies,  working  not 
only  through  t,he  Sanitary  Commission^but 
through  every  other  agency,  and  to  all  per- 
sons intere^ed  in  the  welfare  of  our  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  We  earnestly  hope 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  on  this 
occasion,  as  well  as  the  members  pf  the 
Society  you  represent.  Be  kind  enough  to 
present  this  invitation  to  them  as  soon  as 
you  conveniently  can,  and  also  tt>  give  it  a 
widely  extended  notice  in  your  community. 
Please  let  us  have  an  answer  from  you  by 
November  10. 

Delegates  are  requested  to  wear  a  badge 
of  narrow  blue  ribbon,  on  the  left  shoulder. 
Associate  Managers  will  wear  a  red  badge, 
and  the  ladies  of  the  Board  a  wTiite  one. 

Associate  Managers  and  Delegates  are 
requested  to  meet  the  members  of  the  Boar,d 
in  the  Committee-room  of  the  Cooper  Union 
(entrance  on  3d  Avenue),  at  6  o'clock  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  meeting.  They 
are  requested  to  bring  statistical  reports  of 
the  entire  work  of  their  Societies  from  the 
beginning  of  the  war.  Th.ese  reports  will 
be  entered  on  the  records  of  the  meeting, 
knd  upon  the  outside  of  each  should  be 
written  the  name  of  the  Society,  and  the 
names  of  the  delegates  representing  it. 
Written  enquiries  about  any  part  of  the 
work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  will  be 
received  at  this  time  and  transmitted  to  the 
speakers. 

The  ladies  of  the  Woman^s  Central  Asso- 
ciation hope  also  to  have  the  pleasure  of 
receiving  their  friends,  at  their  rooms,  in 
the    Cooper    Union,    on   Wednesday   and 


790 


The  Sanitary  ,  Commission  Bulletin. 


Thursday,  the  16th  and  17th  of  November. 
The  books  and  store-houses  of  the  Associa- 
tion will  then  be  open  for  examinatioii,  and 
any  desired  information  given  in  regard  to 
our  work. 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  we  look 
forward  to  the  prospect  of  meeting  our  fel- 
low-workers^-many  .of  you  the  well-tried 
associates  of  three-andra-half  years — face  to 
face.  It  will  give  a  new  impulse  to  our 
work,  and  we  trust  that  when  we  separate 
it  will  be  to  go  back  to  it  refreshed  and 
strengthened. 

•Very  respectfully  yours, 
Ellen  Collins, 
Louisa  Lee  Schuyler, 
Angelina  Post, 
Caroline  Lane,- 
Catherine  Nash, 

Committee  of  Invitation. 


A  PILLOW. 


I  A  dairy  woman  on  a  rented  farm,  with 
a  dozen  cows '  to  milk,  a  little  less  than 
a  dozen  children  to  feed  and  clothe,  and  a 
house-full  of  work  to  do  besidej  and  in  a 
neighbourhood  among  the  cold  hills,  where 
the  church  and  school,  and  Soldiers  Ai4 
Society,  make  up  the  whole  of  the  outside 
life,  cannot  be  expected  to  do  what  some 
some  people  would  call  much  for  soldiers, 
who  are  hundreds  of  miles  away ;  but  yet 
such  women  do  a  great  deal.  We  knQw 
of  one,  who  had  two  nice  pillows,  for  a  nice 
new  baby.  The  geese  had  contributed  the 
best  of  feathers,  and  the  good  mother  had  put 
them  into  sacks,  and  trimmed  them  neatly 
for  her  little  nursling.  One  of  the  pillows 
was  old,  and  the  other  was  new — made  new 
for  the  new  little  soldier,  whose  field  was 
the  nursery  floor,  and  whose  fortress  was 
the  cradle.  The^id  Society  met,  and  the 
dairy  woman  found  time  to  meet  with  them, 
but  she  could  not  do  much  beside  work, 
and  beKeve  and  pray.  One  day  however, 
she  looked  upon  the  little  soldier  in  his 
little  fortress,  and  said^  "  the  new  pillow 
shall  go  to  some  suffering  soldier  in  the 
distant  hospitals.  Baby  may  keep  the  old 
one,  but  the  new,  the  best,  the  softest,  it 
shall  go  to  the  Union  soldier." 


WASHEE- WOMAN. 
She  lived  in  a  little,  home,  with  but  few- 
neighbors  around  her.  Her  chief  income 
was  derived  from  the  washing  she  did  for 
a  well-io-do  family  near  by;  but  she  joined 
the  Aid  Society,  for  she  could  sew,  as  well 
as  wash.  She  wanted  to  give  something 
beside  her  labor  and  love,  however,  but 
what  should  she  give  ?  She  gathered  her 
little  fruit  crop, — cherries,  currants  and  all, 
and  dried  them  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
ones,  who  were  defending  her  little  home. 
She  would  not  give  a  part  only — but  all. 
Every  cherry  and  currant,  that  was  spare^, 
from  the  drying,  was  packed  away,  and 
marked  for  the  Sanitary  Commission  to 
send  to  soldiers.  A  friend  expostulated, 
and  begged  her  to  keep  a  share  for  her 
winter  store.  "  Oh !  no,  I  do  not  need 
them,  and  the  gift  is  very  small  I"  Her 
all  of  little  domestic  luxuries — very  small. 
Think  of  it,-  Girards  and  Astors,  and  all 
who  have  more  than  plenty. 


AS  ABAB  CHIEF. 
Yanni — a  Christian  Arab,  makes  an  offer- 
ing to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  from  his 
Eastern  home.  Prepared  orange  flowers, 
are  a  delfcacy  in  his  land,  for  the  sick  and. 
suffering.  His  new  religion  teaches  him 
that  sickness  ^nd  wounds,  and  want,  in 
other  lands  besides  Tiis  own,  claim  the  sym- 
pathy of  a  common  brotherhood,  and  Yanni 
sends  his  contribution  marked  over  his  sig- 
nature, for  thetU.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 
His  message  is,  "  You  give  good  gifts  to 
us,  and  we  give  good  gifts  to  you." 


HOBSE-RADISH. 

An  interesting  incident  is  related  by  a 
friend  of  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.  A  good 
woman  who  had  but  very  little  of  this 
world's  goods,  determined  that  she  must  do 
something  to  make  the  soldier  comfortable,  ' 
and  thus  prove  her  interest  in  the  cause  of 
her,  country.  She  looked  about  her  humble 
homeland  saw  Wt  little — very  little,  that 
she  could  send  to  the  front.     But,  thought 

'  to 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


791 


she — there's  my  horse-radish  patch,  and  per- 
haps some  of  that  may  help  to  season  the 
course  food,  and  make  the  hoy/  think  of 
home.  So  she  dug  up  her  horse-radish, 
grated  it  finely,  stowed  it  away  in  jars, 
until  hfer  little  store  measured  two  gallons. 
She  trudged  away  with  this  over  four  miles 
of  mountain  road,  and  left  it  with  the  neigh- 
borhood Aid  Society,  to  he  sent  away  with 
the  stores  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  It 
was  not  much  in  comparison  with  the  great 
cargoes  that  are  sent  to  the  soldiers,  hut  it 
was  her  own  ofifefring  of  what  she  had,  out 
of  her  little,  and  will  doubtless  add  a  whole- 
some relish  to  the  humble  viands  of  the 
"boys,"  while  the  consciousness  of  having 
a  part  in  this  great  work,  will  be  the  donor's 
reward. 


VOICES  FBOM  THE  COTJNTEY. 

,  Little  Falls,  N.  Y. — The  work;  of  the 
Commission  progresses.  A  lively  interest 
created  by  a  recent  gathering  of  the  people. 

KOME,  N.  Y. — An  exqellent  Aid  Society 
in  active  operation. 

HERKiinER  Village,  N.  Y. — A  Teach- 
er's Institute  for  the  county,  listens  to  and 
considers  the  wants  of  the  soldiers,  and 
makes  itself  a  channel  of  information  in  their 
behalf. 

Cedarville,  N.  Y. — Society  reorgan- 
ized and  in  good  tune  for  work. 

West  Winfield,  N.  Y.^Grives  fine 
promise  of  good  results'for  the  Commission. 

A  correspondent  from  Western  New  York 
states  in  general  terms,  as  follows  :  "  New 
societies  havQ  be^  formed,  and  many  who 
took  no  interest  in  Sanitary  matters  are 
aroused  to  exertion.  I  find  the  people  .will- 
ing to  help,  if  they  can  only  be  assured  that 
the  supplies  reach  the  front,  and  are  distri- 
buted amongst  the  needy  soldier  hoys.  The 
ladies  have  Inade  a  great  amount  of  black- 
berry cordial,  and  are  now  piitting  up  pic- 
kles, and  will  save  large  quantities  of  dried 
fruit  for  the  Commission!" 

Tamaqtja,  'Pa. — The  work  goes  on  w^ll. 


A  flourishing  society  exists  and  is  indus- 
trious. 

PoTTSViLLE,  Pa. — Is  alive  to  the  cause. 
It  works  industriously.  Much  more  will  be 
heard  from  there  sbon.  .^ 

WiLKESBAERE,  Pa. — The  organization 
here  is  about  taking  a  fresh  start  for  the 
winter  campaign.  What  they  have  done 
in  the  past  willhe  duplicated  hereafter. 

Gape  Island,  N.  J. — The  society  re- 
solved to,  go  to  work  with  renewed  zeal. 

Cape  May  C.  H.,  N.  J.— Ditto. 

TowNSEND  Inlet,  N.  J. — A  new  society 
organized.  Worthy  and  efficient  Christian 
ladies  have  already  commenced. 
•  GrBEEN  Creek,  N.  J. — A  new  society 
formed.  Plans  matured  for  engaging  the 
whole  neighborhood  in  the  cause. 

G-OSHEN,  N.  J.^ — A  new  society  formed. 
The  people  much  interested  and  a  good 
promise  of  good  fruit. 

Dennis,  N.  J. — The  society  stimulated 
and  will  (io  more  work. 

SwEEDSBORo',  N.  J. — A  new  impulse 
is  given  to  the  Society,  here,  and  the  earn- 
est people  will  be  more  earnest  than  ever. 


THE  EIGHT  SING. 

Extract  from  a  letter  of  a  late  Chaplain 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  one  of  the 
Auxiliary  Corps,  who  had  invited  him  to 
enlist  in  the  service  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Though  I  parted  reluctantly  from  the 
army  and  am  home-sick  to  return,  yet  it 
seems  without  doubt  best  that  I  devote  the 
coming  winter  to  Hebrew  and  homilies.  I 
am  heartily  sorry  for  it,  for  my  heart  wears 
the  blue  uniform,  and  is  not  easily  retired 
from  active  service.  If  I  live  to  see  next 
summer,  and  the  war  goes  pn,  I  do  not 
know  what  can  keep  me  away  from  the" 
field.  I  had  an  offer  of  a  captiancy  of 
cavalry  a  few  days  ago,  that  well  nigh 
dragged  me  from  the  pulpit.  There  is  no 
business  fit  for  a  young  man  who  is  fit  to 
live  in  these  days,  outside  the  army  lines. 
I  hope,  sir,  that  you  will  be  able  to/accom- 
phsh  all  you  aspire  to  in  the  way  of  making 
brave  men  strong  for  battle.  ' 


792 


The  Sanitairy  Commission 
# 


Wrappers  for  Hospitals  Wanted. 


DIEECTIOWS  FOR  MAKING  WEAPPEES. 

The  circular  side  of  the  collar  is  to 
be  sewed  into  the  neck.  The  straight 
side  turns  over.  In  sewing  in  the  sleeve 
the  seam  must  be  placed  in  the  middle 
of  the  arm  size  behind,  as  per  dot,  in 
diagram.  The  pocket  is  to  be  felled  on 
the  inside.  There  are  to  be  four  but- 
tons in  the  front.  This  wrapper  may- 
be made  of  any  cotton  or  woolen  mate- 
rial, doubled.  It  will  take  from  9  to 
10  yard^  of  any  cloth,  of  calico  width. 

With  a  littlesjngenuity,  old  pieces 
may  be  made  to  go  a  great  way,  by 
piecing  the  lining,  and  making  collar, 
and  facings  for  the  sleeves  and  fronts, 
of  different  stuff  from  the  outside. 


Ns 


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\03 


..'J. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


793 


INDIVIDUAL  BELIEF. 

list  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  waited 
npon  in  transit  between  Washington  and 
New  York,  for  the  fortnight  ending,  Octo- 
ber 15, 1864,  by  A.  H.  Trego,  Courier,  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

NEW  YORK.. 

H.  "W.,  Co.  A,  8th.N.  Y.  Vols.,  Kockaway, 

wounded  in  both  legs. 
P.  0.,  Co.  A,  61st  N.  Y.  Vols.,  New  York, 

J.  C,  Co.  H,  21st  N.  Y.  Cav.  Albany, 
wounded. 

J.  H.  H.,  Co.  C,  4th  N.  Y.  Cav.,  Newark, 
wounded. 

J.  W.,  Co.  L,  14th  N.  Y.  H.  A.,  W.  Wind- 
sor, leg  amputated.  ' 

M.  J.  H.,  Co.  A,  121st  N.  Y.  Vols.,  Albany, 
wounded. 

S.  H.  C,  Co.  B,  146th  N.  Y.  Vols.,  Farm- 
ington,  sick. 

6  N.  Y.  soldiers,, Brooklyn,  legs  off. 

6  officers  of  N.  Y.  and  N.  E.  Regt's  wound- 
ed at  Bichmond. 

15  soldiers  of  N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded. 

3  officers,  N.  Y.  Regts.,  badly  wounded. 

Capt.  S.,  Co.  C,  12th  N.  Y.  V.,  Ulster, 
badly  wounded. 

MAINE. 

B.  H.  E.,  Co.  K,  1st  Me.  Cav.,  Bath,  fever. 
8.  M.,  Co.  F,.  32d  Me.  Vols.,  Portland, 
leg  off. 

B.  W.  P.,  Co.  H,  9th  Me.  Vols.,  Dixmont, 
wounded. 

V.  H.,  Co.  I,  29th  Me.  Vols.,  Augusta, 

wounded. 
2  soldiers,  Maine  Kegiments,  Portland,  bad 

wounds. 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

J.  T.,  Co.  E,  11th  N.  H.,  Boston,  wounded. 
A.   C.    C,    Co.   A,  11th  N.   H.,  Derry, 
wounded. 

C.  H.  S.,  Co.  F,  5th  N.  H.,  Clairmount, 
wounded. 

■53  soldiers,  1st  N.  H.  battery,  time  out, 
discharged. 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

J.  N.,  Co.  K,  22d  Mass.,  Stutbri'dge,  sickr 

A.  W.  A.,  5th  Mass.  Battery,  New  Bed- 
ford, sick. 

21  soldiers,  5th  Massachusetts  Battery, 
Boston,  discharged. 

Lieut.  J.  N.  M.,  Co.  D,  35th  Mass.,  Wha- 
land,  wounded  badly.  , 


CONNECTICUT.  . 

3  Conn,  soldiers,  Hartford,  wounded. 
J.  W.,  Co.  Iv  1st  Conn.  Cav.,  Woodstock, 
helpless,  paralytic. 

NEW  YORK  AND  NEW  ENGLAND. 

3  officers,  N.  E.  Eegts.,  wounded. 

15  soldiers,  N.  Y.  &  N.  E.  Eegts.,  wounded. 

4  officers,  N.  Y.  &  N.  E.  Eegts.,  wounded. 
17  soldiers,  N.  Y.  &  N.  E.  Eegts.,  sick  and 

wounded,  * 

25  soldiers  of  New  England  Eegiments, 
sick  and  wounded. 
Total,  192. 


SPECIAL  BELIEF  BEFOBT 
BY  J.  B.  ABBOTT, 

For  one  week,  ending  Oct.  8,  1864. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  OFFICE. 

IJumber  of  cases  of  discharged,  soldiers 
whose  papers  have  been'  taken  and 
acted  upon,  .         .         .         .         .23 

Number  of  Bounty  oases  taken, .         .       7 

Number  of  applications  for  back  pay 
by  sick  and  disabled  soldiers  in  Hos- 
pital,   ......     16 

Number  of  applications  for  ration  mo- 
ney received,  ....       5 

Number  of  applications  for  back  pay  of 
prisoners  of  war, '  .         .         .         .20 

Number  of  pension  claims  filed,  .     44 

Number  of  claims  for  arrear  of  pay  and 
bounty  filed, .....       8 

Number  of  claims  for  prize  money  filed,       1 


Whole  number  of  cases  filed,      .         .  124 
Whole  number  of  cases  adjusted,        .     77 

Amount  collected  on  papers  of 

discharged  soldiers,     .        .    $4,586  97 

Amount   collected   on   bounty 

cases,  ....      1,750  00 

Amount  of  back  pay  secured  to 

soldiers  in  Hospital,    .         .      1,099  56 

Amount  of  ration  money  col- 
lected,       ....  14  25 


Whole  amount  collected  and  se- 
cured,       .         .         .         .    1 

f7,450  78 

CASH  ACCOUNT. 

Amount  on  hand  date  of  last  re- 
port,     .        .        .        . 
Amount  reftinded, 
Expenditures,    . 
Cash  on  hand  Oct.  8th, 

$216  20 

20  65 

104  37 

132  48 

794 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


HOMES  AND  LODGES. 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers  at 
Lodge  No.  4,       .         .         .    '    .  2771 

Number  of  meals  given  to  clerks  and 
messengers,  ....     364 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers  at 
Alexandria  Lodge,    '   .         .         .     384 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers' 
friends,        .         .  ^      .         .         .160 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers 
and  soldiers'  friends  at  the  Home 
in  Baltimore,       ....     208 


Whole  number  of  meals  given,  .  3887 
Whole  number  of  lodgings  furnished 

at  Lodge  No.  4,  .  .  .  .  461 
Whole  number  of  lodgings  furnished 

at  Alexandria  Lodge,  •  /  .  .  238 
Whole  number  of  lodgings  furnished 

at  the  Home  in  Baltimore,    •         .       61 

Total  number  of  lodgings  furnished,      770 

The  report  of  the  Soldiers'  Best  at  Har- 
risburg,  Pa.,  for  the  week  has  not  yet 
reached  me. 

Eeport  of  the  Sixth  street  Lodge  shows 
that  nine  steamers  have  arrived  during  the 
week,  with  more  or  less  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers.  398  were  furnished  with  food 
and  stimulants  from  the  Lodge,  on  their 
arrival,  before  being  removed  to  the  hos- 
pitals. 

A.  H.  Trego  reports  this  week  146  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  waited  upon,  in  transit 
between  Washington  and  New  York. 

There  has  been  a  larger  number  of  sol- 
diers, who  haye  suffered  the  loss  of  a  leg  or 
an  arm,  requiring  assistance  in  adjusting 
their  papers,  or  making  their  claims  for  pen- 
ions,  this  week  than  any  previous  week 
since  the  office  was  opened. 

For  the  week  ending  October  Ibth,  1864. 

Number  of  cases  of  discharged  soldiers 
who  have  applied  for  aid  in  adjust- 
ing their  papers  and  collecting  their 
pay,  received  and  acted  upon,  .     38 

Number  of  bounty  cases  taken,  .         .     11 

Number  of  cases  of  back  pay  for  sol- 
diers in  Hospitals  entered  in  jour- 
nal,      .         .         .         .         .■        .     26 

Number  of  cases  filed  for  the  pay  of 
prisoners  of  war,    .         .         .         .30 

Number  of  pension  claims  filed,  .     64 

Number  of  arrears  of  pay  and  bounty 
claims  filed,  .         .         .         .         .8 

Number  of  prize  money  claims  filed,  .       8 

Whole  number  of  claims  entered,       .  185 


Whole  number  of  cases  adjusted  and 
allowed,         .         .         .         .         .70 

Amount  collected  on  discharge 

papers,        .  ,^    .         .         .   $6,101  51 

Amount  of  back  pay  secured, .      1,092  73 

Amount  of-  bounty  collected,  .         425  00 

Amount  collected  for  the  fami- 
lies of  soldiers  who  have  be- 
come prisoners  of  war,  .         662  40 

Amount  of  prize  money  collected,  3,636  41 


Whole  amount  secured, 


.  Sll,918  05 

The  amount  of  work  accomplished  by  the 
Homes  and  Lodges  will  not  vary  much  from 
the  result  shown  in  last  week's  report.       . 

CASH  ACCOUNT. 

Cash  on  hand  October  8th,  .  8132  48 

Cash  received  from  Sanitary  Com-  > 

mission,  -  .  ; .  .  .  S160  00 
Expenditures,  ....  $156  74 
Cash  on  hand  this  date,      .         .  $135  74 

The  average  number  of  letters  received 
per  day,  55 

The  number  written  per  day  will  not  vary 
much  from  the  number  received. 


BEFOBTS  OF  LODGES  AND  CLAIM  AGENCIES. 

BALTIMORE. 

A.  E.  Hastings,  Superintendent  of  "  Home  for 
Invalid  Soldiers,"  Baltimore,  Md.,  reports  as 
follows,  for  the  week  ending  Oct.  9th,  1864. 

208 

61 

47 

22 

69 

2 

'    8 

1 


_  Number  of  meals  furnished, 
■"      lodgings     " 
"      soldiers  entertained, 
"  "      ■  friends  entertained, 

Whole  number  entertained,        .        .    • 
Medical  attendance  furnished,    . 
Transportation  at  Government  rates, 
"  San.  Com.  expense, 

For  the  week  ending  Oct.  16,  1864. 

Number  of  meals  furnished, 
"      lodgings     " 
"      soldiers  entertained, 
"  "      friends  entertained, 

"      refugees  entertained, 

"Whole  number  entertained. 

Medical  attendance  furnished,    . 

Transportation  at  Government  rates, 
"  expense  San.  Com., 


271 
87 
43 
25 

1 
69 

2 
10 

6 


V  ALEXANDKIA,  VA. 

S.  G.  DooLiTTLE,  Superintendent  "  Alexandria 
Lodge,"  reports  the  following  for  the  week  end- 
ing Oct.  8,  1864. 

Number  of  meals  furnished  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers,.  ....     383 
"      meals     furnished     friends     of 

soldiers,         .         .         .    ~     .     160 

"      lodgings  furnished,  .         .         .54 

Whole  number  entertained,        .        .        .     234 

"  males,         ....     224 

"  females,      .        .  _     .        .10 


The  Scmitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


795 


For  the  week  ending  Oct.  15,  1864. 
Number  of  meals  furnished  sick  and  woun- 
ded soldiers,           .         .         .     300 
"      meals  furnished  friends  of  sold- 
iers,       78 

"      lodgings  furnished    friends,  of 

soldiers,        .        .        .        .26 
"      lodgings    furnished    sick    and 

wounded  soldiers,         *.        .     159 

Number  entertained, 167 

"       of  males,       .        .    '    .        .        .159 
"       of  females 


I  ' 


8 


WASHINGTON,  D.  0. 

HowAED  MoPheeson,  Superintendent  Lodge 
Ne.  6,  Washington,  D.  C,  (6th  street  wharfj  re- 
ports during  the  week  ending  Oct.  8,  1864, 
having  supplied  tea,  coffee,  crackers,  and  milk 
punch  to  404  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 

During  the  week  ending  Oct.  15,  397  men  were 
ministered  to  at  this  Lodge. 

Jab.    C.     Fbbbman,    Acting    Superintendent 
Lodge  No.  4,  Washington,  D.  C,  reports  as  fol- 
lows for  the  week  ending  Oct.  8,  1864. 
Number  of  meals  furnished  to  soldiers,      .  2,771 
"        "  "  "   clerks    and 

.      364 


messengers, 


Total  number  of  meals  furnished,      .         .  3,135 

Nunber  of  lodgings  furnished  soldiers,       .      454 

"  "  "  clerks     and 

messengers,  ....         7 

Total  number  of  lodgings  furnished,  .     461 

For  the  week  ending  Oct.  15,  1864. 
Number  of  meals  furnished  soldiers  and* 

sailors,        ....     2450 
"      meals    furnished   clerks  and 

messengers,  .         .         .       344 


Total  number  of  meals  furnished,    .        .   2,794 
Nunber  of  lodgings  furnished  soldiers  and 

sailors,       .  .         .         .         .        363 
"     lodgings  furnished  clerks  and 

messengers,  .        .        .        .  7 

Total  numter  of  lodgings  furnished,        .       370 

BACK   PAT  AND    BOUNTY. 

W.  K.  Neal,   Superintendent  Back  Pay  and 

Bounty  Department,  reports  the  following  work 

for  the  week  ending  Oct.  8,  1864 . 

Number  of  cases  taken  and  recorded,  •  33 

"  settled,  .        .        .  21 

Amount  collected  on  21  cases,         ■ .    $4,586  97 

Number  of  letters  written  iu  full,      .  2 1 

"  "  "      part,  (blanks)  2 

For  the  week  ending  Oct.  15,  1864.'  Mr.  Read 

reports. 

Number  of  cases  recorded,        .        .  38 

"         "      settled,  .        .  22 

Amount  collected,   .      _  .        .       ,.    $6,101  51 

Geo.  W.  Bandlettb,  Superintendent  "  Bounty 
Department,"  Washington,  D.  C,  reports  as  fol- 
lows for  the  week  ending  Oct.  8,  1864. 
Cases  received  and  recorded,    .        .  7 

"     settled, ,  18» 

\ 


Amount  collected,   . 
Drafts  sent. 
Amount  (21  drafts), 
Letters  writtfo, 
"     fprms  used. 

For  the  week  ending  Oct, 

Oases  received  and  recorded, 

"     settled,   . 

"     papers  returned. 
Amount  collected,    . 
Letters  written. 
Drafts  sent. 
Amount  of  drafts,     . 


$1,750  00 
21 

$2,321  07 
21 

7 


15,  1864. 


11 

5 

1  . 

$425  00 

20 

22 

f2,110  77 


PENSION    AGENCY,   WASHINGTON. 

Wm.  p.  Barry,  Supt.  Pension  Agency,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  reports  for  week  ending  October 
8th,  1864 : 

Number  of  claims  filed  (pensions),     . 
"         "         "         "    (arrears  of  pay), 
"         "         "         "    (prize  money). 


Whole  number  of  claims  filed. 
Number  of  claims  completed  and  allowed 

by  Commissioner  of  Pensions, 
Letters  written  in  full 
"      Blanks  filled  . 


Whole  number  letters  sent,     . 
"  "  "       Received, 

For  the  week  ending  October  15<A, 
Number  claims  filed  (pensions); 

"  "         "        arrears  of  pay. 

Number  of  ^claims  (prize  money). 

Total  number  of  claims. 
Claims  for  pensions  allowed, 
"       "   prize  money,     .  • 

Total  claims  allowed. 
Amount  of  prize  money  collected. 
Letters  written  in  full, 

"      (blanks  filled), 


1864 


44 
8 
1 

53 

12 

42 

120 

162 
71 


68 
4 
8 

80 

5 

10 


15 

$3,636  41 
68 
59 


Whole  number  sent 127 

"  "       received,        .        .         .     148 

J.  B.  Brown,  Supt.  "  Back  Pay  and  Prisoners 
of  War  Claim  Department,"  reports  for  week- 
ending  October  8th,  1864: 
Number  cases  taken  back  pay  and  » 

hospitals,         .        .  16 

"  "    ,    adjusted,         .        .  23 

Am't.  represented  by  adjusted  cases,    $1,09?  56 

Letters  written  in  full, 

"  "        (blanks  filled). 


Whole  number,     .        .        .      '  . 
Referred,  .  ... 

COMMUTATION  OF    RATIONS. 

Number  of  cases  taken,    .        .        ' 

"        "       "     SIdjusted, 
Amount  collected  on  adjusted  cases, 

PRISONERS  OF  WAE  BACK  PAT. 

Cases  taken,    ...... 

Total  collected  for  wfeek    .        .    % 


43 

136 

179 
66 


5 

$14  25 


20 

,113  81 


796 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


.      TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Correction -■  •  •  769 

Three  months  Campaign  in  the  service  of  the  Com. . . .  769 

Valuable  Testimony 772 

Union  Prisoners  in  Texas ,..,.'...  772 

Special  Relief  Report 778 

Christian  Commission -' 773 

History  of  a  Towel 774 

Relief  WorJi 774 

Commission  in  the  Valley '. 775 

Letters— Mrs.  C.  W.  Kneeland 769 

Rev.  A.  Cather 770 

MissS.  L.  Phillips..... 773 

Dr.  A  McDonald ; 773 

G.  A.  Muhlech 775,  781 

Nathaniel  Seaver,  Jr 776 

Johns.  Blatchford 777 

Thomas  J.  Corbin 780 

William  J  Briudell 780 

S.  Bradley  Westcott 783 

From  an  Observer 784 

Dr.  George  D.  Blake 787 

Official  Correbpondence  concerning  Exchange  of  Pris- 
oners   785 

Issues  of  SappUes  at  Winchester 733 

Oar  Prisoners 785 

An  Officer's  Tribute 787 

Susquehanna  County,  Pa 787 

Objections 788 

Call  for  Council  in  New  York 789 

A  Pillow.    Washer  Woman.  •  An  Arab  Chief.    Horse- 
radish   790 

Voices  from  the  Country.    The  Eight  Ring 791 

How  to  make  Wrappers 792 

Individual  Relief— A.  H.  Trego 793 

Special  Relief  Report— J.  B.  Abbott 793 

Reports  of  Lodges  and  Claimv  Agencies 794 

PROTECTIVE 

^M-%Um  %nuu\\m 

or    THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

Pkesident. 
Lieul-Gen.  WINPIELD  SOOTT. 

Vioe-Pbesidents. 
Hon.  HAMILTON  PISH. 
JOHN  J.  CISCO,  Esq. 
ADMIRAL  DUPONT. 
RUDOLPH  A.  WITTHAUS,  Es«. 

Tbeasubek. 
ROBERT  B.  MINTURN,  Esq. 

^  DlEBOTOES. 

Hons.  E.  D.  MoBQAN, 

George  Opdykb, 
Hiram  Barney, 
James  W.  Beekman, 
EeT.  H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 
Messrs.  John  Jacob  Astor, 
James  Bkdwn, 
William  H.  Aspinwall, 
James  Gallatin, 
Howabd  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodoe,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosbtblt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
'         Wilson  G.  Hunt, 

EOBEET  L.  StDART, 

Alfred  Pbll. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 

35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 
V  

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION.    • 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost,  to  the  claimant, 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  imposture  andfrSud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  Jnne, 
1861,  in  accordance  with' the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  org^ization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq  ,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

R.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surgeon-Gen'l  U.  S.  A 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
0.  fi.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleyeland,  Ohio. 
Rt.  RcT.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
'    R^v.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
C.  J.  Still6,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICERS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

P.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

standing  committee. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
George  T.  Strong. 
William  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


797 


with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

.  For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, -Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  .Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

■  In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  giveh, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail  ;,if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately"  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

{^"Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  efifectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  acknowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army.      \ 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

/DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   EAST. 

OENTEAL  DEPOTS  OF  OOLLKOTIOK. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York.  « 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307/  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTRIBUTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitaiy  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  J}.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

TT.  S.  Saifitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newbeme,  N.  C.  . 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,,S.  C. 

V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  dis'tribation  are  estabg 


lished  from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OF  THE  WEST. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  corner 
Vine  and  Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  95 
Bank  Street,  Cleveland,  0.     \ 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  66 
Madison  Street,  Chicago,  111.  \ 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  2 
Adam's  Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  59 
Fourth  Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  No.  32 
Larned  Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Colum- 
bus, 0. 

Sanitary  Commission,  Branch  Depot,  Fifth 
Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receiv^  no  pecuni^-ry  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  -of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  YI 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,'  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington, /D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 
'   "  Home  for  Wives,  "Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 
■    "  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,'.'  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

Relief  Rooms,  1307  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia. 

AGENCY  FOR  PENSIONS. 

WiUiam  F.  Bascom,  Pension  Agent,  Washine- 
ton,  D.  0. 

HOSPITAL  OAKS. 

Between   Washington    and  New  York Sol. 

Andrews,  M.D.,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

Between  New  York  and  Boston,  via  Springfield. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga Dr.  J. 

P.  Barnum,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  STEAMER. 

James  River — Elizabeth. 


798 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BRANCH, 

No.  744=  Broadway, 

NEW  YOBK. 


iPHIIiADELPHIA; 


BRANCH, 

No.  19  Green  Street, 

BOSTON,  Mass. 


Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs, 

The  "Palmer"  Arm  and  Leg  are  now  furnished  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy._and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  "which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  heen  led  to  heHeve  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

Subqeon-General's  Office, 
Washinstok  Cjtt,  D.C,  Deo.  12,  1863. 
Sir  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assemhied  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  to  them  for  an  Artiiicial  Arm,  having  reported       *  *  *  *  *  *  *^* 

Ik  compliance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  Board,  when  a  soldier  mat  desire  to  purchase  "the  more 
elegant  and  expensive  arm  of  palmer,"  fifty  dollars  will  be  allowed  towards  payment  for  tht  same. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CEaNE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

^  Subobon-Gehbral's  Office, 

Washington  City,  D.C,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sir  : — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  let  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently-^sseml^led  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  fdrmer  Board,  so  Jar  as  regards  the.  Limbs  manufactured  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  G.  SFENOBE,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  PALMER  LEG  is  furnished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE. 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "GOVERNMENT"  ABM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS.        v 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Co, 


^  iimmd  ^^ 


<^' 


# 


^^^ 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  businessi 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES: 

FAIHBAITKS  &  CO.,  Wo,  252  Broadway,  Wew  York, 
FAIKBANKS;*  BRQ-wiJ,  Ho.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GBEBNLEAF  &  CO..  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
PAIBBANKS  &  E\riWG,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIBBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  eitlier  of  the  above. 


The" Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


799 


OFFICE    OF    THE 

ISd:  O  R  R  I  s 

FIRE  &  111  INSiANCE 


COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


OOI^yliTEil?.   -V^JLLXj    Sc    ISTJ^SSJ^U    STS. 


*  •^^  » 


Antbkorlzed  Capital, 
Ca^h  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


J 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


x> 

T 

3EL  IE:  O  7  O  XI.  s. 

r 

EDWARD  ROWB, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

.  FRED.  H,  BKADLEE, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLER,   ' 

GBORSB  MILN, 

EDWARD  C.  BATES, 

HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

J.  C.  MOEKIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

S.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWKB, 

BBNJ.  B.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZRA  NYE, 

B.  0.  MOEKIS,  Jk., 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY,  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


800  The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 

C^  :F»  IF  I  O  3E3     or'     ^F  XX  S2 

Columbian  (Marine)  Insurance 

Corner  of  Wall  and  ]\aisisau  (Streets. 


GASH  CAPITAL,  $1,000,000. 

From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Year,  ending  December  31,  1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1,  18641 13,140,930  80 

Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c '.. 1,137,068  38 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other. Contingencies....    ,,...      441,206  49 
Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not -. .-. 269,614  80 

,Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Earned  Premiums 15  percent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES    PAID    IN    GOLD 

UPON  RISKS  ON  WHICH  THE  PREMIUM  IS  PAID  IN  LIKE  CURRENCY. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid^and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OF  POLICY,  as  follows: 

>     - 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE   Risks  upon   CARGO,  a  Return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER   CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  pee  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent.  ^ 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  such  policie's  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,  shall  amount  to  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars. 

EDWARD  ROWE,  M.  P.  MERICK,  MOSES  MERICK,    . 

DANIEL  W.  LORD,  WM.  B   OGDElf,  DAVID  J.  ELY,     ' 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  ■  JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  POPHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

WM.  H.  HiLSET,  DANL.  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE,       '    j 

THOS.  BARRON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  NIMS,  '  S.  N.  DERRICK,  V 

THOS.  LORD,  Vice-President.  B.  C.  MORRIS,  President 

WM.  M.  "WHITWBT,  2d  Vioe-Preeident  and  Secretary. 


THE 

SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

No.  26.  PHILADELPHIA,  NOVEMBER  15,  1864.  No.  26. 


Thb  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifleenih  of  eoery  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusualh/  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  'Editor,  at  the  office,  130T  Chestnut  street,  Phithdelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers.  • 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commissupi — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (fit.  T.  Stbohg,  68  Wall  street,  New  York,  or  No  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,')  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


L£II£B  FSOU  WASHIN&TOir,  D.  C. 

BY  MRS.  STEPHEN  BARKEE, 

hospital  visitoe. 

Washington, 


*  *  * 


October,  1864.  / 
My  present  circuit  ranges  be- 
tween Harewood,  Camp  Barry,  Deserters, 
Four  Invalid  Corps,  and  the  Engineers' 
Hospitals,-:— eight  in  all. 

I  spend  every  forenoon  at  Harewood.  and 
visit  one  or  more  of  the  smaller  hospitals 
every  afternoon.  In  all  these  places  I  draw 
orders  on  the  Commission  for  such  heavy 
articles  as  must  be  transported  by  the  Com- 
mission, all  light  articles  I  take  with  me  in 
the  'carriage,  in  order  to  distribute  them 
myself. 

At  Harewood,  and  the  Invalid  Corps 
hospitals  I  keep  a  supply  of  flannels  always 
on  hand,  for  those  who  are  discharged,  or 
ordered  to  the  front,  who  may  be  feeble  and 
improperly  clad, '  and  for  all  requests  of 
that  kind,  I  have  only  to  refer  to  the  hos- 
pital wardrobe.  It  is  my  habit  to  go 
through  the  wards  and  tents  at  Harewood 
in  systematic  order,  with  memorandum' 
book  in  h^nd,  tqiing  a  note  of  whatever  I 
may  not  happen  to  have  in  the  carriage. 
The  next  day  I  deliver  the  ordered  articles, 
and  go  on  to  the  next  wards  in  the  same 
way.  I  make  the  entire  rounds  once  a 
VoL^I.  No.  26  51  '  ' 


week,  besides  visiting  the  very  sick  cases 
much  oftener.     *  *  * 

I  have  bought  fruit,  tomatoes,  potatoes, 
oysters,  eggs,  green  tea,  fresh  fish,  chickens, 
salt  mackerel,  baker's  rolls,  custard  pies, 
and  nearly  twenty  pounds  of  butter,  which 
has  otherwise  been  an  unknown  luxury  in 
Harewood,  since  I  have  visited  there.    *  * 

I  have  received  a  valuable  present  trom 
Mrs.  Hudson,  of  blackberry  wine  and  cherry 
rum,  worth  forty-two  dollars.  These  have 
cured  some  obstinate  cases.  But  one  of  the 
invahiable  remedies  has  been  some  pure 
French  brandy  placed  in  my  hand  by  Mr. 
Hovey.  The  results  of  this  stimulant  have 
been  astonishing.  I  find  in  my  journal  of 
October  9th,  the  following  record  : 

"  A  brave  Minnesota  soldier  had'  b^en 
badly  wounj^d  in  the  foot,  the  surgeon  did 
his  best  to  save  it^  and  the  patient  endured 
weeks  of  excruciating  pain,  in  the  hope  of 
curing  it;  meanwhile  it  was  decaying,  ahd 
the  soldier  daily  failed.  He  was  a  rigid 
temperance  man,  and  resolutely  refused 
the  fiery  whiskey  issued  at  the  hospital.  At 
last  it  became  necessary  to  amputate  the 
foot,  but  at  a  great  risk  of  life,  on  account 
of  the  prostrated  condition  of  the  patient. 
Just  before  the  operation  was  to  be  perform- 
ed, I  visited  the  hospital,  and  seeing  the  need 
of  a  stimulant,  I  persuaded  the  man  to  taste 


802 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tBe  brandy.  He  yielded,  and  was  so  con- 
vinced of  the  need  of  it,  and  so  delighted  to 
find  that  it  did  not  burn  and  distress  him 
as  other  liquors  had,  that  he  asked  for  more, 
and  had'  depended  entirely  upon  it  ever 
since.  He  bore  his  amputation  well,  and  is 
improving  rapidly,  and_  says  he  owes  his 
life  to  that  brandy." 

Yesterday  I  received  another  equally  sat- 
isfactory testimonial  as  to  its  effects  in 
cHronic  dysentery.     *  *  * 

A  man  from  the  bake-house  applied  for 
ashir.t;  another  begged  and  sold  a  shirt 
for  two  dollars,  within  half  an  hour  ;  another 
begged  and  sold  a  pair  of  brogans  for  the 
same  price ;  I  have  never  seen  patients  so 
bold  and  impertinent.  Imildly  refuse  all 
requests  that  seem  prompted  by  avarice  or 
fancy.  Two-thirds  of  these  men  confess 
that  they  can  draw  white  woolen  shirts,  but 
they  don't  like  them.  I  always  advise  such 
not  to  draw  them,  but  take  the  money  and 
buy  such  as  they*  like.  I  generally  get  some 
bitter  fling  at  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
reply,  and  was  told  by  one  man  that  he 
never  before  asked  a  thing,  and  never  would 
again.  "His  folks  sewed  for  soldiers,  and 
he  had  actually  given  four  dollars  and  fifty 
cents  at  a  fair,  and  now  when  he  asked  for 
a  woolen  shirt  he  was  told  he  inight  draw 
it  and  pay.  for  it." 

The  moment  the  carriage  stops  they  fioek 
ajound  me,  and  beg  for  everything  they  see, 
and  especially  the  flannel  shirts.  One  man 
asked  foY  one  yesterday  who  had  three 
white  ones  in  his  knapsack.  I  meet  all  such 
requests  with  gentleness  and  patience,  ex- 
plaining to  attentive  audiences  of  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  men,  the  real  uses  of  our 
Sanitary  goods,  and  am  always  approved  by 
the  better  men  in  the  crowd.  The  mean 
ones  go  off  silent  or  grumbling ;  but  which 
ever  way  they  go  I  am  immovable. 

In  order  to  remove  this  impression  in  all 
justifiable  ways,  I  have  always  followed  up 
such  scenes  by  generous  and  thorough  dis- 
tribution of  such  articles  as  really  belong  to 
convalescent  men  about  to  be  discharged 
from  the  hospital,  such  as  towels,  combs, 
handkerchiefs,  neck-ties,  vests,  stationery, 
magazines,  &c.,  and  sometimes  slippers  and 
brogans.  I  also  keep  a  supply  of  our  flannel 
clothing  in  the  linen  room,  to  which  I  refer 
all  ward  masters  for  their  patients  who  are 
discharged  without  suitable  clothing  of 
their  bwn.  In  my  own  visits  in  the  wards, 
I  also  give  to  any  patient  needing  it,  a  suit 


of  flannel,  which  I  endeavor  to  have  at 
hand.     *  *  * 

Within  the  last  fortnight  I  have,  visited 
nearly  all  the  guards  around  the  hospitals, 
and  intend  to  complete  the  circuit,  dis- 
tributing mittens,  which  are  intrusted  to 
the  Seargeant  of  the  guard,  leaving  one  pair 
at  each  Post,  to  be  worn  and  left  for  the 
next  comer.  Our  wish  that  this  use  might 
be  made  of  them  has  been  observed  every- 
where, except  at  Harewood — here  the  first 
ones  who  wore  them  stole  them.  We  ap- 
plied to  the  Captain  of  the  Guard,  who 
ordered  them  all  to  be  brought  to  headquar- 
ters, (the  mittens  I  mean,)  and  redistributed 
according  to  our  instructions. 


■WESTEEN  DEPABTMENT. 

REPORTS  TO  DB.  J.  S.  NEWBERRT. 


From  H.  Tone. 


Atlanta,  Geo., 

Oct.  6th,  1864. 


-} 


Deak  Sie  : — Enclosed  please  find  report 
of  disbursements  of  hospital  stores  for  the 
month  of  September;  also,  a  statement  of 
the  amount  of  vegetables  issued  for  general 
use,  and  a  list  of  the  regiments  to  which 
they  were  issued. 

You  will  see  by  this  that  we  have  been 
able  to  furnish,  during  the  month,  a  good 
ration  of  vegetable  food  to  one  hundred 
and  forty-two  regiments  and  twenty-five 
batteries,  representing  thirteen  different 
States.  In  most  of  these  cases  the  men 
had  not  tasted  an  onion  or  a  mouthful  of 
cabbage  for  more  than  a  hundred  da^s.  At 
the  close  of  the  month  the  work  was  pro- 
gressing rapidly ;  we  had  received  "notice  of 
large  shipments  on  the  way,  and  were  in 
hopes  of  being  able  to  supply  the  whole 
army,  i  But  the  sudden  resuming  of  the 
campaign,  the  withdrawal  of  troops  from 
this  vicinity,  and  above  all,  severing  our 
lines  of  communication  have,  for  the  time 
at  least,  checked  us  in  our  labors.  During 
the  latter  part  of  the  month  we  received 
very  few  hospital  stores,  our  transportation 
being  mainly  taken  up  with  vegetables,  and 
the  little  stock  we  had  on  hand  is  nearly 
exhausted.  We  have  still  a  few  onions;  as 
many  as  will  supply  the  hospitals  while  they 
will  keep,  a  fair  stock  of  extract  beef,  a 
large  quantity  of  lime-juice,  and  considera- 
ble clothing. 

Fortunately,  about  the  time  that  our  sup- 
ply of  delicacies  was  exhausted,  the  chief 
commissary  received  a  large  shipment  of 


The  Sanitary  Commisxion  Bulletin. 


803 


canned  fruits,  jellies,  milk,  oysters,  &c.,  ex- 
clusively for  hospital  use,  and  to  be  paid  for 
out  of  hospital  funds.  In  looking  over  the 
invoipe,  (which  his  chief  clerk  was  so  kind 
as.  to. show  me,)  I  notice  that,  while  he  has 
-large  quantities  of  canned  fruits,  tomatoes, 
&c.,  he  has  comparatively  few  dried  apples 
and  crackers ;  and,  as  near  as  I  can  judge, 
there  will  still  be  a  great  demand  upon  the  ■ 
Sanitary  Commission  for  these  articles. 

There  are  about  2',750  sick  in  hospital 
here,  and  for  that  number  there  is  an  ample 
supply  for  a  number  of  days ;  sufficient,  it 
is  thought,  to  -last  until  communication  is 
re-established.  Indeed,  at  present,  we  are 
better  provided  for,  in  the  line  of  delicacies, 
than  in  some  of  the  more  substantial  arti- 
cles ;  for  while  there  is  hard  bread  to  eat 
for  any  reasonable  length  of  time,  there  is 
very  little  flour.  The  medical  authorities 
are,  however,  on  the  alert,  and  all  the  flour 
in  town  will  be  taken  possession  of  to-day, 
and  held  for  the  use  of  the  hospitals. 

From  Benj.  Woodwabd. 

Memphis,  Tenn.,         "1 
Oct^  18<A,  1864.  J 

I  arrived  here  this  morning.  From  all 
that  I  can  learn,  atitiscorbutics  are  impera- 
tively demanded  at  all  the  points  on  White 
riv€^,  and  at  Little  Rock.  I  found  an  in- 
voice -here  ready  to  ship,  which  I  had  or- 
dered up  White-  river,  and  I  have  written 
to  Mr.  Myers,  at  Cairo',  to  ship  to  this  point 
all  such  stores  as  can  be  spared  from  Cairo. 
I  learn  that  scurvy  prevails  to  an  alarming 
extent  at  the  mouth  of  White  river,  Duvall's 
Bluff,  St.  Charles,  and  Little  Rock.  Capt. 
Way  had  arranged  before  he  left  with  Mr. 
Bingham,  the  Ohio  State  Agent,  to  take 
the  charge  of  these  stores.  I  merely  de- 
signated the  amount  to  be  left  at  the  va- 
rious points.  I  shall  go  to  White  rijver  im- 
mediately, and  see  what  the  condition  is,  and 
will  report  to  you  from  Little  Rock.' 

The  gunboats  require  vegetables;  there 
is  much  sickness  on  them.  I  trust  to  re- 
ceive instructions  from  you  before  I  leave, 
but  the  agent  here  thinks  I  had  better  go 
soon .  There  is  no  doubt  that  a  good  invoice 
is  needed  at  Duvall's  Bluff  and  at  Little 
Rock.  Mr,  Christy  thinks  the  Bluff  should 
be  made  a  depot. 


Memphis,  Tenn. 

Oct.  2Ut,  1864, 


.}. 


I  have  the  honor  to  report  that,  finding 
the  great  need  of  sanitary  stores  in  the  fleet, 
I  have  ordered  for  the  fleet  surgeon  a  good 


supply,  which  he  will  probably  get  to-mor- 
row. An  invoice  will  go  up  White  river 
by  the  first  chartered  steamer.  The  depot 
here  will  then  be  nearly  full.  Vegetables 
in  large  supply  should  be  sent  here  at  once, 
for  never  was  there  greater  need.  One 
regiment,  the  6th  Minnesota,  now  at  the 
mouth  of  White  river,  has  400  sick,  and 
other  regiments  at  that  point  are  nearly  in 
as  bad  condition.  Scurvy  is  rife  at  every 
port.  There  is  not  a  potato  here  even  in 
the  markets.  Potatoes,  onions,  kraut,  pick- 
led cabbage,  and  pickles  are  demanded  at  ^ 
once.  Since  the  reduction  of  the  ration, 
hospitals  cannot  make  a  hospital  fund ;  every 
hospital  here  is  in  debt,  and  totally  depend- 
ent upon  the  Commission  for  sanitary  stores. 

I  go  to  the  Bluff  by  the  first  chartered 
steamer,  as  I  have  and  call  get  transporta- 
tion on  no  other.  If  I  take  a  line  boat  I 
must  pay  passage,  which  I  should  not  feel 
justified  in  doing.  I  inclose  a  letter  of 
thanks  received  from  the  chaplain  of  the 
9th  Minnesota  Infantry.  I  had  an  inter- 
view with  him  to-day,  in  which  he  expressed 
the  confidence  of  the  troops  in  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  and  gave  me 
detailed  accounts  of  the  great  sufferiiig  at 
points  below.  Again  permit  me  to  ask  the 
sending  of  as  large  supplies  as  possible. 

I  beg  to  call  ^our  attention  to  the  esteem- 
ed value  of  blackberry  cordial  and  syrup  in 
diarrhoea.  Every  medical  officer  here,  in 
the  army  and  navy,  considers  it  by  far  the 
best  article  which  can  be  used  in  diarrhoea, 
in  the  chronic  and  in  the  scorbutic  form  of 
the  disease.  The  hospital?  all  call  for  it. 
If  it  could  be  had  in  casks,  so  as  to  be 
drawn  off,  instead  of  going  to  the  expense 
of  bottles,  it  would  be  a  great  saving  of  ex- 
pense. There  is  but  a  small  quantity  now 
here.  The  most  of  the  cordial  made  and 
put  up  by  druggists  is  nearly  worthless;  that 
made  by  private  families  is  by  far  the  best. 

From  Thomas  Butler. 

.  Camp  Nelson,         1 
Oct.  24«i,  1864.  X 

The  report  of  our  work  here,  for  the  past 
week,  must  of  necessity  be  very  similar  to 
that  sent  last  week.  The.  "Home"  has 
been  nearly  as  full  as  during  the  three 
weeks  preceding.  Everything  is  now  ar- 
ranged for  the  winter.  We  have  laid  in  a 
large  supply  of  fuel,  and  shall  commence 
whitewashing  and  battening  this  week. 

The  cleanliness  and  freedom  from  vermin 
of  the  "  Home,"  during  the  whole  time, 


y 


804 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


has  been  the  universal  remark  of  soldiers. 
This,  however,  has  been  but  the  result  pf 
close  attention  and  labor,  mainly  on  the  part 
of  a  very  excellent  .steward  and  efficient 
ward-masters.  Our  steward  was  unfortu- 
nately ordered  away,  for  a  few  weeks,  but 
was  returned,  and  tells  me  that  at  Lexing- 
ton, Louisville,  and  Nashville  he  met  with 
many  soldiers,  who  had  been  our  guests, 
who  spoke  in  the  highest  praise  of  our 
"  Home."  I  should  be  very  glad  to  receive 
a  visit  from  yourself  or  Mr.  Thome,  to  see 
how  the  "  Home"  is  going  on,  and  also  how 
the  sanitary  work  is  conducted,  and  appre- 
ciated T)y  all  in  this  camp,  whether  in  or 
out  of  autbority,  belonging  to  every  arm  or 
branch  of  the  service.  In  the  department 
of  storey,  we  have  done  our  utmost.  We 
need  woollen  under  wear — shirts,  drawers, 
and  socks — very  much;  also,  stimulants  and 
fruits,  potatoes  and  onions ;  twenty  barrels 
of  each  I  should  like  this  week,  if  possible. 
We  have  about  forty  Tefugees  to  provide  for, 
as  we  have  done  for  the  past  eight  or  nine 
months ;  we  shall  send  a  large  family  to 
Cincinnati  on  Monday.  The  wants  of  the 
soldier  arte  great,  and  we  are  doing  our  ut- 
most to  fulfill  our  mission  in  this  field. 
Will  send  reports  early  this  month. 


HOW  THE  GOODS  GO. 

The  question  is  often  asked  by  the  few 
douliful  friends  of  the  Commission,  Where 
do  the  goods  go  ?  Xbe  answer  is  given  in 
the  following  testimonial.  "  Our  wounded, 
sick  and  needy  soldiers"  are  the  recipients, 
according  to  this  evidence. 

Hbadqdabtees  19th  Aemt  Coeps,  1 

Mt.  Ceawfoed,  Va.,  Sept.  30,  1864.  J 

James  V.  Hammer, 

Agent  U.  B.  S.  C. 

8iE, — On  the  eve  of  your  departure  from 
this  command,  we  take  pleasure  in  giving 
you  bur  sincere  thanks  for  the  timely  aid 
you  have  rendered  to  our  wounded,  sick,  and 
needy  soldiera  during  this  brief  but  arduous 
campaign. 

We  believe  you  have  been  true  to  the 
trust  confided  to  you,  and  your  integrity 
and  bravery,  shown  iuf  relieving  the  wante 
of  our  noble  soldiers  on  the  late  field  of 
battle,  calls  for  the  admiration  and  respect 
of  all  who  support  our  cause.  We  are 
"Very  respectfully, 

1)UN0AN  S.  Walker, 

A.  A.  o. 


L  G.  Oltmanb, 

Capt.  and  A.  A.  D.  C. 

B.  M.  French, 

Maj.  and  A.  D.  G. 

Jno.  M.  Sizer, 

Maj.  and  A,  A.. I.  G, 

Edward  G.  Dike, 

Lt.  and  Chf.  Ord.  Officer. 

N.  H.  W.  Dudley, 

Col.  and  A.  A.  D.  C. 

Elijah  Svstift, 

Lt.  and  A.  A.  Q.  M. 

0.  0.  Patten, 

Capt.  and  A'.  Q.  M. 
ROBT.  P.  WiNERNSON, 
Capt.  Jadge  Adv. 

James  C.  Cooley, 

Capt.  and  A.  D.  C. 

Henry  G.  Imwood, 

Capt.  and  A.  D  C. 

Henry  R.  Sibley, 

Capt.  and  C,  S.  Vols. 

E.  S.  Hoffman, 

Surgn.  in  Chf.  2d  Div.  19th  Corps. 

Headquaetees  19th  a.  C,         I 
In  Field,  Sf^t.  15,  1864.  J 

To  WHOM  IT   MAY  CONCERN  : We,  the 

undersigned.  Surgeons  of  the  19th  Corps, 
who  have  come  in  contact  with  Mr.  J.  V. 
Hammer,  agent  (of  the  above  named  corps) 
for  the  Sanitary  Commission,  take  this  me- 
thod of  returning  their  thanks  to  him,  and 
through  him  to  the  Commission,  for  their 
kindness  and  his  efficiency;  and  they  bear 
witness  to  the  universal  courtesy  and  acti- 
vity with  which  he  has  discharged  the  du- 
ties of  his  laborious  position,  as  said  agent. 
H.  Fearn, 

Surgeon  175tli  N.  Y.  Vols. 

E.  P.  Ward, 

Surgeon  38Ui  Mass.  Vols. 

Wm.  R.  Brownell, 

Med.  Dir.  19th  A.  C. 

Wm.  Henry  Thayer, 

Surgeon  14th  N.  H.  Vols. 
J.  K.  BiGELOW, 

Surgeon  8th  Indiana  Vols.; 

Surgeon  in  charge  19th  A. 

C.  General  Hospital. 

Wm.  W.  Root, 

Asst.  Surg.  76th  N.  Y.  Vols. 

P.  S.  Treadway, 

Asst.  Surg.  75th  N.  Y.  Vols. 


NEW  OBLEANS. 

Prom  Geo.  A.  Blake. 

New  Oele'ans,        "1 
October,  1864.  J 

*  *  *  I  visited  the  celebrated  ram,  Ten- 
nessee, and  she  is  certainly  a  formidable 
craft,  both  to  the  enemy  and  those  confined 
within  her,  her  friends.  Temperature  in 
engine-room  and  ward-room,  when  in  mo- 
tion, is  145°.  *  *  * 


The  Sanithry  Commission  Bulletin. 


805 


Everything  is  working  finely  *in  this  De- 
partment. By  request  of  Major-Greneral 
Granger,  I  have  sent  a  large  supply  of  stores 
to  Fort  Gaines,  under  charge  of  our  agent, 
Mr.  Miller,  anticipating  a  concentration  of 
troops  in  that  region.  I  hope  you  will  hear 
the  announcement  before  many  weeks  that 
Mobile  is  ours.  *  *  * 

The  "  Home"  is  what  it  should  be.  Mr. 
Howes  is  a  capital  superintendent.  *  *  * 


THEEE  MONTHS  IN   THE  UNITED   STATES 
SANITARY   COMMISSION. 

NO.  II. — SCENES  AND  INCIDENTS  AT  PORT 

ROYAL,  VA. 

From  three  until  six  A.M.,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Thursday,  the  Eelief  Corps  rested ; 
afthat  hour  it  turned  out  again  amid  a  cold, 
drizzly  rain,  and  without  waiting  for  break- 
fast, pushed  ashore  at  the  newly  made  dock. 
We  found  numerous  soldiers  whose  wounds 
were  not  severe  enough  to  \  disable  them 
from  locomotion,  waiting  anxiously  for  as- 
sistance, medical  and  otherwise,  for  them- 
selves and  others ;  these  were  sent  aboard 
the  returning  boat,  and  their  needs  attended 
to.  Going  on  up  through  the  main  street 
o£U:he  village,  we  were  besieged  at  every 
step  by  the  poor,  half-starvedf  and  but 
slightly  wounded  ones,  while  the  seriously 
wounded  lay  upon  the  stoops  of  the,  houses, 
and  on  the  side-walks  of  the  street ;  here 
and  there  placed  against  a  fence  was  a  once 
stalwart  form,  now  with  head  fallen  on 
breast,  and  a  inortal  wound  in  the  body, 
gasping  out  the  last  remains  of  life.  Almost 
in  the  time  it  takes  me  to  indite  this,  a 
ruined  building  was  found,  a  fire  built, 
and  milk-punch,  and  cofiee  prepared.  Never 
having  tasted  intoxicating  drinks  in  my  life 
in  any  form,  I  confess  to  some  qualms  of 
conscience,  when  I  took  hold  of  the  latter 
stimulant  for  distribution,  but  ere  the  day 
had  past  my  conscience  quieted,  for  I  deem 
it  impossible  for  the  most  sanguine  temper- 
lament  to  conceive  the  effect  of  this  and 
other  stimulants  administered  to  -  poor  hu- 
manity, under  such  circumstances.  The 
absorbing  thought  of  the  sympathetic  mind 
in  the  position  of  a  Belief  Agent,  is  what 
can  be,  done  to  ease  and  aid  these  poor  dear 
sufferers ;  and  the  means  which  most  effectu- 
ally does  this,  is  cheerfully  embraced  in 
spite,  of  all  previous  habits,  aye,  and  con- 
victions. 

Surrounding  the  building,  and  far  away 
for  at  least  a  mile  on  either  side,  weije 


wagons  filled  with  the  wounded,  they 
seemed  as  though  they  could  be  counted  by 
thousands.  The«ground  was  properly  dis- 
tricted; to  each  district  were  appointed 
dressers  of  wounds;  these  were  accompanied 
by  Eelief  Agents,  carrying  milk-punch  and 
other  alcoholic  stimulants ;  and  preceding 
these  and  following  after,  were  other  Relief 
Agents,  carrying  coffee  and  soft  crackers  to 
those  unable  to  leave  the  wagons;  those 
able  to  walk  went  to  the  building  where  the 
good  things  were  prepared,  and  at  one  of 
the  windows  awaited  each  his  turn  for  the 
crackers  and  coffee,  which  having  obtained, 
they  would  sit  on  the  grass  near  by  and  en- 
joy it.  For  such  as  were  hungry  between 
meals  several  boxes  of  hard-tack  lay  open 
at  different  points  on  the,field. 

The  dea^  were  lying  in  rows  near  the 
Relief  House.  A  burial  party  was  organized 
for  the  burial  of  these  and  such  others  as 
ipight  die,  and  its  work  was  well  and  sub- 
stantially done.  Not  A  man  died  and  was 
buried,  whose  friends  were  known,  but 
they  were  informed  of  every  particular 
concerning  his  death  and  burial. 
•  Thus  was  the  work  continued  from  six 
A.M.  until  six  P.M.,  by  the  corps  of 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
from  six  p.m.  of  the  previous  evening; 
and  so  perfect  were  the  arrangements  that 
I  do  not  think  one  man  was  neglected. 
At  the  time  above  named,  an  abundance 
of  Government  supplies  arrived,  and  from 
Fredericksburg  came  also  a  full  corps  of 
our  Relief  Agents,  who  relieved  our  worn- 
out  men,  and  continued  the  gpod  work 
without  intermission  throughout  the  night 
of  the  20th.  Every  man  who  labored 
there  has  a  rich  experience  of  that  day's 
work.  The  agony  of  a  thirty  mile  ride- 
in  an  army  wagon  without  springs,  and 
over  a  cordurffy  road,  though  frequently 
attempted  at  portrayal  by  them,  could  not 
be  told.  So  terrible  was  the  tax  on  their 
vitality  that  many  died  on  the  way.  One 
notable  instance  I  shall  never  forget.  While 
serving  the  milk-punch  from  wagon  to 
wagon,  which  was  done  by  clifaibing  the 
wheels,  I  observed  an  uplifted  hand  which 
was  not  an  uncommon,  sight,  for  many  of 
the  poor  fellows  unable  to  rise  from  their 
recumbent  position,  would  uplift  their  hands 
to  receive  the  cup.  I  passed  the  cup  and 
released  it  into  the  outstretched  hand,  but 
the  hand  refused  to  grasp  it,  so  that  its 
contents  fell  upon  the  other  maimed  ones 
in  the  same  wagon,  who  with  a  tremu^pus 


806 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


laugh  told  me  the  body  from  which  the 
hand  projected,  had  been  dead  three  days. 
There  were  numerous  cases  of  this  kind. 

The  patient  and  even  cheerful  spirit  of 
the  wounded  was  beyond  all  praise.  And 
of  the  efforts  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
their  behalf,  the  spirit  of  their  ejaculations 
showed  the  intensity  of  their  feeling.  "  Oh, 
if  my  poor  mother  knew  this  !"  one  would 
say,  and  another,  "  What  will  my  dear  wife 
say  when  she  hears  of  this  kindness  ?" 
And  thus  their  thanks  found  utterance  ad 
libitum. 

I  visited  some  miserably  sick  rebels  in  an 
improvised  prison  there,  and  in  the  name 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States  through 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  fed  them.  The 
kindness  was  in  such  marked  contrast  to 
what  they  expected  or  deserved,  it  broke 
them  down,  and  several  among  them  wept 
freely.  But  I  must  close,  this  paper  being 
already  too  long.  J.  J.  B. 


NEW  AGENT'S  IMFBESSIO^S. 

My  experience  in  the  work  (Sanitary 
Commission)  thus  far,  has  tended  greatly 
to  increase  the  feeling  which  led  me  into  it; 
and  I  have  already  seen  enough  to  con- 
vince me  of  the  necessity  and  fitness  of  the 
w/)rk,  and  the  grateful  feeling  with  which 
the  relief  is  received,  to  demonstrate  to 
my  own  mind  that  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion >js  accomplishing  a  great  and  good 
work  in  a  higher  and  fuller  sense  than 
is  comprehended  by  its  friends  and  sup^ 
porters  at  the  North.  .While  the  men 
have  uniformly,  expressed  themselves  grate- 
fully for  the  assistance  afforded  them,  I 
have  also  listened  with  pleasure  to  expres- 
sions of  gratified  appreciativeness  of  the 
good  work  effected  from  captains  and  sur- 
geons of  hospital  boats,  as  well  as  army 
officers. 


THE  SANITARY   COMMISSION. 

The  present  war,  terrible  in  its  magnitude 
and  duration,  has  had  benevolent  accom- 
paniments never  before  known  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world.  The  various  organizations 
for  the  relief  of  soldiers,  sick  and  wounded, 
in  the  camp,  the  field  and  the  hospital, 
which  are  planted  squarely  on  the  gene- 
rosity and  patriotism  of  the  people,  brighten 
the  gloom  which  our  three  years  of  conflict 
has  hung  around  our  country.  Foremost 
among  these  is  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  has  become  a  gigantic  humanitarian 


organization,  fqr  the  relief  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  our  army.  Only  those  intimate 
with  its  immense  operations  can  utt6r  its 
eulogy,  or  realize  one  half  its  beneficent 
work. 

ITS   CHIEi'   OBJECT. 

The  chief  object  contemplated  by  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  when  it  was  created 
by  the  Government,  was  the  prevention  of 
disease.  Modern  sanitary  science  was  hardly 
recognized  in  the  ancient  regulations  of  the 
medical  bureau,  and  consequently,  during 
the  summer  of  1861  our  armies  were  in' 
serious  danger  of  destruction  from  epidemic 
disease.  The  ;first  business,  of  the  Commis- 
sion, therefore,  was  to  awaken  general  at- 
tention to  the  sanitary  interests  of  the  army, 
and  to  do  what  it  could  to  improve  the 
sanitary  condition  of  camps,  hospitals,  and 
men.  It  brought  to  bear  upon  Government 
the  influence  of  the  medical  profession 
throughout  the  country,  effected  the  exten- 
sion and  invigoration  of  the  medical  bureau, 
and  secured  the  express  recognition  of  the 
prevention  of  disease,  no  less  than  its  cure, 
as  among  the  functions  of  the  medical  staff. 
Government  now  employs  its  own  sanitary 
inspectors,  and  does  a  certain  portion  of  the 
preventive  work  which  the  Commission  per- 
formed during  the  first  year  of  its  existence. ' 
But  the  Cpmmission  find  it  necessary  -to 
keep  up  an  inspectoral  corps  likewise. 

The  visits  of  the  inspector  usually  dis- 
close something  that  can  be  done  to  improye 
or  promote  the  health  of  the  command.  He 
finds  that  quinine  is  necessary  to  prevent 
malarious  disease,  or  vegetables  to  prevent 
scurvy,  or  that  stimulants,  bedding,  disin- 
fecting agents,  or  hospital  diet,  are  wanted. 
In  consequence  of  his  reports,  the  Confmis- 
sion  have  dug  wells,  to  imprbve  the  water- 
supply  of  camps,  improved  the  ventilation 
of  hospitals,  built  temporary  hospitals  and 
(Quarters  to  replace  unwholesome  and  dan- 
gerous buildings,  furnished  and  fitted  up 
hospital  transpOTts,  and  converted  ordinary 
railroad  cars  into  railroad  ambulances,  with 
coqking  apparatus  and  store-rooms,  and  ' 
litters  hung  on  springs,  in  which  thousands 
of  men  with  fractured  limbs  have  traveled 
thousands  of  miles  without  injury. 

It  has  furnished  material  for  the  vaoci- 
liatipn  of  thousands  of  men  at  a  time,  when  ; 
the  medical  bureau  was  not  able  to  supply 
immediately  what  was  needed.  It  has  cir- 
culated throughout  the  army.,  and  especially 
among  the  medical  staff,  many  hundred 
thousand  of  its  medical  documents.     These 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


807 


have  been  prepared  by,  sonie  of  the  most 
eminent  surgeons  and  physicians  of  the 
country,  and  embody,  in  a  condensed  form, 
the  latest  results  of  science.  They  have 
been  of  great  use  to  our  army  surgeons,  who 
often  encounter  cases  for  which  their  pre- 
vious practice  has  not  prepared  them,  and 
who  have  neither  medical  libraries  nor  opr 
portunities  for.  consultation. 

RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

It  is,  however,  through  the  Relief  Depart- 
ment of  the  Sanitary  Commission  that  it  is 
best  known  to  the  people.  In  this  work  it 
aims,  not  to  supplant,  but  to  supplement 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  Governinent, 
to  meet  exigencies  for  which  the  Govern- 
ment has  not  provided,  and  to  furnish  such 
supplies  as  the  Government  does  not  and 
can  not.  When  the  Medical  Purveyor  has 
the  articles  needed  in  the  hospital  and 
camp,  the  army  draws  them  from  himj 
when  he  is  out,  or  when  from  some  emer- 
gency a  larger  supply  is  needed  than  is  pro- 
vided by  Government,  or  when  because  of 
some  technical  informalities  in  the  manner 
of  making  out  requisitions  the  Purveyor  is 
obliged  to  .refuse  them,  and  thus  endanger 
life  by  the  delay,  the  army  calls  upon  the 
Commission,  which  never  fails  to  respond  to 
the  call. 

The  relief  agents  of  the  Commission  keep 
up  with  the  army  as  it  moves  forward. 
Where  the  army  encamps  in  the  morning, 
the  Commission  has  pitched  its  tents  long 
before  night.  It  reaches  a  new  base  as  soon 
as  there  are  soldiers  to  protect  it,  and  is  at 
work  establishing  hospitals  and  providing 
necessary  stores  before  the  ponderous  ma- 
chinery of  the  Government  has  moved ;  its 
red  flags  are  seen  everywhere  at  the  front, 
blending  with  the  stars  and  stripes,  where 
it  is  establishing  its,  feeding  stations  and 
depots  of  supplies.  Prominent  and  experi- 
enced agents  accompany  each  division  of  the, 
army,  with  organized  corps  of-  assistants, 
wagons  and  supplies. 

GREAT  BATTLES. 

It  is  at  great  battles  that  the  agents  of 
the  Commission  are  eminently  useful.  The 
battle  service  of  the  Commission  requires 
l^rge  funds  and  supplies.  At  Murfreesboro, 
Antietam,  Gettysburg,  Chattanooga,  Vicks- 
burg,  and  Port  Hudson,  sudden  and  vast 
demands  were  mad*  Fifty  thousand  dollars 
would  not  cover  the  outlay  of  the  Commis- 
sion the  first  two  weeks  after  one  of  our 
great  battles.  At  Gettysburg  it  was  $75,000[, 


The  average  cost  is  $3  20  to  a  man;  at 
Gettysburg  it  was  $10  per  man.  The  outlay 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  during  the 
months  of  May  and  June,  for  the  battle 
necessities  of  the  present  campaign,  was 
over  $500,000,  exclusive  of  the  supplies 
directed  to  it,  and  which  it  distributed. 

This  service  requires  comprehensive  fore- 
thought, prompt  and  energetic  action,  and 
unwearied  labor  in  infinite  detail.  Of  some 
articles  the  requirements  are  enormous. 
Condensed  milk,  and  extract  of  beef  by  the 
ton ;  wines  and  spirits  by  the  barrel ; 
crackers  and  farinaceous  food  by  the  ton  ; 
tea,  coflFee  and  sugar  by  the  chest  and  hogs- 
head ;  cargoes  of  ice ;  potatoes,  onions, 
■pickled  cabbage,  sourkrout,  lemons  and 
oranges,  by  car  loads  -^  shirts,  drawers, 
sheets,  crutches,  bed-rests  and  mattresses, 
by  tens  of  thousands !  And  this  material 
has  to  be  transported  by  wagon  trains  from 
one  base  to  another ;  forage  for  horses  has 
to  be  provided ;  drivers  have  to  be  paid, 
steamers  chartered,  and  coal  consumed; 
and  yet  so  economically  is  the  whole  work 
of  distribution  managed  that  its  cost  is  less 
than  three  per  cent. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  Comm,issioir  sup- 
ports twenty-five  Soldiers'  Homes  or  Lodges, 
scattered  over  the  whole  field  of  war  from 
New  Orleans  to  Washington ;  and  twenty- 
three  hundred,  soldiers  a  day  are  taken  care 
of  in  these  homes.  Multiply  2,300  by  365, 
and  you  have  over  800,000  men  thus  re- 
lieved annually.  Three  other  agencies  to 
secure  the  soldiers'  rights  are  maintained 
by  the  Commission :  1.  Claim  agency  to 
secure  his  bounty ;  2.  A  pension  agency; 
3.  A  back-pay  agency — all  of  them  giving 
their  services  to  the  soldier  free  of  charge. 
Often  $20,000  back-pay  is  secured  in  one 
day.  A  Hospital  Directory  is  also  sus- 
tained, by  which  the  whereabouts  of  the 
sick  men  is  determined,  when  they  are  lost 
to  their  friends.  It  costs  $20,000  a  year 
to  maintain  it,  but  is  worth  a  million,  if  the 
relief  afforded  to  human  anxiety  can  be 
estimated  in  money. 

COST   OE  AGENTS. 

To  carry  on  this  vast  human  machinery, 
the  Commission  employs  two  hundred 
agents  at  an  average,of  about  $2  per  day — 
less'than  an  ordinary  mechanic's  wages — 
or  a  total  of  $12,000  per  month,  who  ope- 
rating from  Texas  to  the  Potomac,  or  from 
Charleston  to  Kansas,  and  the  results  are 


808 


The  ^Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


such  as  to  justify  the  nation's  pride  in  this 
a;rand  and  beneficent,  yet  truly  American 
institution.-^-PeopZe's  Journal  of  Health. 


THE  COMMISSIOIT    AND    PAETY    POLITICS. 

EXTKACTS   raOM   A  LETTER. 

The  spirit  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
as  originated  by  its  great  founder,  was 
nationality — to  receive  the  gifts  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  bestow  them  upon  her  soldiers, 
irrespective  of  State,  sect  or  political 
opinion.  My  heart  responded  at  once  to 
this  grand  universal  charity,  and  whatever 
may  be /thought  of  my  loyalty  in  other  re- 
spects, here  it  cannot  be  questioned. 

While  I  believe  the  success  of  the  Lin- 
coln party  fatal  to  the  peace  and  prosperity 
of  the  country,  you  honestly  think  other- 
wise— here  we  cannot  agree;  but  in  the 
grander  spirit  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
merging  all  differences  in  the  great  work  of 
Christian  benevolence  to  our  national  sol- 
diers, we  can  labor  successfully.  This  spirit 
we-^ave  always  made  prominent  in  our 
Branch,  and  if  it  is  entitled  to  the  commen- 
datipn  you  bestow,  it  is  because  party  spirit 
has  not  ruled.  We  have  asked  and  received 
from  all. 

No  matter  what  their  political  views  are, 
we  have  nothing  to  do  with  what  caused 
the  war,  or  how  it  is  conducted — ^but  the 
humane  work  of  caring  for  our  Suffering 
soldiers.  Appeal  in  humanity's  name,  and 
they  will  respond. 

When  I  review  the  difSculties  we  have  had 
to  contefid  with,  to  instruct  3,n&  enlighten 
our  auxiliaries  and  the  public — compared 
•with  the  efforts  of  others  to  supplant  and 
destroy  us,  I  am  astonished  that  we  have 
breasted  the  storm,  and  are  still  a  living 
Branch. 


PAYING  SOLDIER'S  EAIIILIES. 

The  following  plan  far  paying  to  the 
families  of  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  United  States,  who  are  or  may 
become  prisoners  of  war,  sums  due  them  by 
the  Government,  having  been  approved  by 
the  President,  is  published  for  the  informa- 
tion of  all  concerned : 

"Payment  will  be  made  to  persons  pre- 
senting a  written  authority  from  a  prisoner 
to  draw  his  pay,  or  without  such  authority, 
to  his  jvife,  the  guardian  of  his  minor  chil- 
dren, or  his  widowed  mother  in  the  order 
named."  Application  for  such  pay  must  be 


made  to  the  senior  paymaster  of  the  district 
in  which  the  regimept  of  the  prisoner  is 
serving,  and  must  be  accompanied  by  liie 
certificate  of  a  judge  of  a  court  of  the  United 
States,  or  of  some  other  party,  under  the 
seal  of  a  court  of  record  of  the  State  of 
which  the  applicant  is  a  resident,  setting 
forth  that  the  said  applicant  is  the  wife  of 
the  prisoner,  the  guardian  of  his  children, 
or  his  widowed  mother ;  and  if  occupying 
either  of  the  two  last  relationships  towards 
him,  that  there  is  no  one  in  existence  more 
nearly  related,  according  to  the  above  clas- 
sification. 

Payments  will  be  made  to  parties  thus 
authorized  and  identified,  on  their  receipts 
made  out  in  the  manner  that  would  be  re- 
quired of  the  prisoner  himself,  at  least  one 
month's  pay  being  retained  by  the  United 
States.  The  officer  making  the  payment 
will  see  that  it  is  entered  on  the  last  previ- 
ous muster  roll  for  the  payment  of  the 
prisoner's  company,  or  will  report  it,  if 
these  rolls  are  not  in  his  possession,  to  the 
senior  paymaster  of  the  district,  who  will 
attend  to  either  the  entry,  or  give  notice  of 
the  payment  to  the  Paymaster^General,  if 
the  rolls  have  been  forwarded  to  his  office.. 


HOSPITAL  FUND. 

Office  Comm't  Gen'l  of  Subsistence,  ") 

Washington,  March  1,  1863.      J     — 

HOW  CREATED. 

The  sick  in  hospital  not  needing  full  ra- 
tions for  their  subsistence,  only  such  parts 
thereof  are  issued  as  are  actually  required 
for  the  support  of  themselves  and  author- 
ized attendants.  The  difference  between 
the  number  of  rations  due  a  hospital,  at  cost 
price  of  a  complete  ration  at  the  station,  and 
the  value  of  the  stores  issued  to  it,  during 
the  same  period  and  at  the  same  prices,  con- 
stute  a  credit  with  the  Subsistence  Depart- 
ment in  favor  of  the  hospital.  This  credit 
isvcalled  "  Hospital  Fund." 

ITS  USES. 

The  Commissary  who  issues  to  a  hospital 
is  authorized  to  purchase  for  it,  on  the  re- 
quisition of  the  medical  officer  in  charge, 
and  in  amount  not  exceeding  the  hospital 
credit  at  the  time,  as  follows  : 

1st.  Food,  solid  or  fluid,  to  be  used  ft)r 
the  diet  of  the  sick,  and  not  furnished  by 
the  "Subsistence  Department  or  Medical  De- 
partment. 

2d.  Articles  to  be  used  in  either  the  pre. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


809 


paration  or  serving  of  the  food,  embracing 
principally  cooking  utensils  anc^  table  fur- 
niture, and  not  furnished  by  the  Quarter- 
master's Department  or  Medical  Depart- 
ment. 

3d.  Gas,  oil,  and  other  means  of  illumi- 
nation, to  be  used  instead  of  candles,  which 
are  part  of  the  soldier's  ration. 

The  Hospital  Fund  being  thus  a  means 
for  supplying  the  suffering  sick  with  wants 
and  convenience  needful  for  their  health 
and  more  comfortable  condition,  not  other- 
wise to  be  obtained,  its  management  should 
be  held  as  a  sacred  trust,  and  its  expendi- 
ture confined  strictly  to  the  purposes  which 
this  fund  is  designed  to  accomplish.  Med- 
ical and  hospital  supplies,  quartermaster's 
supplies,  and  all  objects  of  expenditure  from 
the  appropriations  of  the  different  depart- 
ments of  the  military  service,  are  not  proper 
cha/ges  against  the  hospital  credit. 

ITS  EXPENDITURE. 

The  articles  purchased  by  the  Commis- 
sary for  the  sick  in  hosjStal  are  paid  for  out 
of  the  subsistence  funds  in  his  hands  for 
public  disbursement,  on  a  voucher  certified 
to  by  the  medical  officer  in  charge ;  and  the 
hospital  credit  is  diminished  in  consequence 
thereof  by  the  amount  of  the  purchases 
made.  An  expenditure  of  money  by  the 
Commissary  for  the  subsistence  or  conveni- 
ence of  the  sifek  in  hospital,  is  accounted 
for  in  the  manner  prescribed  for  other  dis- 
bursements of  the  Subsistence  Department. 
At  large  Depots  or  General  Hospitals,  this 
fund  may  be  partly  expended  for  the  benefit 
of  the  sick  at  dependent  posts  or  in  detach- 
ments, on  requisitions  approved  by  the  Med- 
ical Director  or  senior  Surgeon  of  the  dis- 
trict. 

HOW  ASCERTAINED. 

A  "Statement  of  the  Hospital  Fund"  is 
made  out  at  the  end  of  each  calendar  month, 
and  appears  as  a  part  of  the  Commissary's 
"Abstract  of  Issues  to  Hospital"  for  that 
month.  On  it  are  entered  the  balance  of 
credit  (if  any)  to  hospital  at  the  end  of  the 
preceding  month,  and  the  number  of  rations 
due  it  in  the  month,  at  cost  price;  also, 
the  stores  which  have  been  issued  by  the 
Commissary  to  the  hospital  and  articles  pur- 
chased by  him  for  the  sick,  during  this  pe- 
-  riod,  with  the  cost  of  each  set  opposite. 
The  difference  between  these  two  amounts — 
credits  and  debits — leaves  an  ascertained 
balance  of  credit,  (if  the  Hospital  Fund  for 
the  month  has  not  been  entirely  used  up,) 


applicable  to  authorized  expenditures  for 
the  subsistence  or  convenience  of  the  sick- 
in  hospital  during  fhe  following  month. 
This  statement  may  be  prepared  in  the  same 
manner  at  anyway,  should  there  be  occasion 
for  ascertaining  the  exact  state  of  the  credit 
of  a  hospital  at  any  particular  date.  An 
"Abstract  of  Issues  to  Hospital"  and  a 
"  Statement  of  the  Hospital  Fund,"  should 
be  made  out  monthly  for  each  separate  hos- 
pital. 

HOW  TRANSFERRED. 

At  the  request  of  the  Surgeon  General, 
and  on  instructions  from  the  Commissary 
General  of  Subsistence,  Hospital  Fiind  may 
be  transferred  as  follows  : 

The  Commissary  directed  to  transfer  any 
portion  of  this  credit  from  a  hospital  he 
supplies  to  another  one,  drops  -the  amount 
specified  from  his  next  Statement  of  its 
Hospital  Fund  as  transferred  to  the  hospital 
designated  in  the  instructions,  giving  (when 
informed)  the  rank,  name,  regiment,  or 
corps,  and  station  of  the  Commissary  who 
issues  to  it.  The  Commissary  directed  to 
receive  a  stated  amount  of  this  creditj  takes 
up  the  same  in  favor  of  the  designated  hos- 
pital supplied  by  him,  on  his  next  State- 
ment of  its  Hospital  Fund,  and  as  received 
from  the  one  mentioned  in  the  instructions, 
giving  (when  infoiAed)  the  rank,  name, 
regiment,  or  corps,  and  station  of  the  Com- 
missary who  issues  to  such  hi^spital. 

When  an  officer  is  relieved  from  subsist- 
ence duty,  he  will  give  his  successor  a  cer- 
tified statement  of  the  hospital  credit  of 
each  separate  hospital  supplied  by  him,  and  , 
will  note  such  action  on  the  Hospital  Ab-, 
stract.  His  successor  will  take  up  these 
credits  in  favor  of  each  separate  hospitSikhe 
issues  to,  in  manner  as  above  explained. 
Hospital  Fund  being  a  credit  only,  cannot 
be  transferred  from  one  officer's  papers  to 
another's  as  money. 


HOSPITAL  GABDENS. 
Among  the  benefits  conferred  by  the 
Sanitary  CommissioUj  those  resulting  from 
the  establishment  of  gardens  for  hospital 
use  are  very  promiment.  In  the  Western 
Department,  Dr.  Newberry  has  given  much 
attention  to  this  subject  and  with  satisfjic- 
tory  results. 

There  have  been  gathered  from  the  gar- 
dens at  Chattanooga  during  the  month  of 


810 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


September,  the  following  vegetables  :  3,935 
dozen  of  corn,  squasbes,  melons,  cabbage, 
&c.,  and  440  busheU  of  potatoes,  tomatoes, 
beans,  &c.  , 

Mr.  Wills,  the  gardener  in  charge,  writes 
that  "the crops  are  doing  finely.  With  good 
weather  we  shall  have  a  lafge  quantity  of 
tomatoes,  Lima  beans,  sweet  corn,  sweet 
potatoes,  radishes,  turnips,  &c.  'Our  entire 
issues  up  to  this  date  (September  3)  have 
been  9,583  bushels  and  13,907  dozens  of 
some  twenty-one  varieties  of  vegetables,  and 
1,146  pockets  of  flower-seeds," 

From  the  garden  at  Knoxville  during  the 
month  of  September  there  have  been  issued 
276  bushels  of  tomatoes,  264  bushels  of 
beans,  6,847  dozen  of  cucumbers,  mostly 
pickles,  and  1,927  heads  of  cabbage. — Sani- 
tary  Reporter. 

WHEEE'S  JEDDO ' 
In  the  spring  of  '62  a  colored  boy,  just 
escaped  from  his  master,  unable  to  read  or 
write,  was  found  upon  the  Pamunky  river, 
by  a  lady 'engaged  in  the  care  of  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers.  He  was  taken  to  Mas- 
'  sachusetts,  where  he  has  been  cared  for  and 
educated  by  a  conscientious,  kind,  and  re- 
ligious woman.  •  He  is  much  beloved  by  her 
and  all  her  family,  as  the  following  reverie 
will  show.  What  he  has  learned,  what  he 
has  done  and  is  doing,  cannot  all  be  told, 
but  he  is  a  faithful  worker  in  a  special  diet 
kitchen  at  City  Point,  and  is  a  decided  cha- 
racter. 

The  little  effusion  below  is  from  the  pen 
of  the  good  woman  who_  has  so  kindly  in- 
structed him.  F.  B.  F. 

Where's  Jeddo  ? — ^It  is  so  long  since 
I  have  seen  him.  His  step  is  not  on  the 
stair,  nor  his  laugh  in  the  kitchen.  He 
hasn't  set  the  table  yet;  hasn't  put  on  his 
clean  jacket.  Where's  Jeddo  ?  He  used 
to  be  everywhere,  "  up  stairs,  down  stairs, 
and  in  the  lady's  chamber."  When  the 
summer  days  were  cool  I  used  to  take  him 
into  the  parlor,  to  sing  "Peter,  James,  and 
John;"  and  if  he  had  been  violent  and 
naughty,  I  would  put  one  finger  in  the  but- 
ton-hole of  his  jacket,  to  keep  him  from 
going  away,  while  I  talked  with  him  in 
tender  tones,  and  he  was  sure  to  become 
good  again. 

I  must  let  Jeddo  have  a  lesson.     But 


Jeddo  is  not  here.  There  stands  his  bed, 
and  his  chair,  and  his  round  table  covered 
with  books.  I  look  out  his  window-, — ^but 
no  Jeddo.  Can  he  have  run  away  ?  No, 
indeed.  He  used  to  do  so^  once  in  a  while, 
but  at  last  the  Lord  gave  me  such  strength 
that  I  held  him  tight  and  would  not  let  him 
go.  No,  jeddo  has  not  run  away.  Is  he 
not  then  at  Sabbath-school  ?  With  his  Bible 
on  his  knee,  he  sat,  not  long  since,  and  pre- 
pared with  me  his  Sabbath-school  lesson, 
and  I  heard  him  softly  say  :  "  Let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve also  in  me."  Oh,  I  can  never  forget 
Jeddo ;  but  where  is  he  now  ?  At  Canada  ? 
He  got  angry  one  day,  and  vowed  he. would 
leave  me,  and  go  off  upon  the  cold  water. 
I  remember  just  the  rustling  of  the  trees, 
and  my  own  sorrow  on  that  day.  But  it 
can't  be  that  he  went  thenj  for  I  have  talked 
and  sung  with  him  since.  Oh,  I  remember 
all  about  it  now.  He  is  off  near  the  Poto- 
mac, among  the  sick  soldiers;  gone  to  "lift 
up  the  hands  that  hang  down,  and  strengthen 
the  feeble  knees ;"  gone  to  carry  to  his  weak 
and  needy  brethren  some  of  the  cool  fresh- 
ness and  truth  of  northern  clime  and  north- 
ern lifjB.  The  Lord  bless  and  preserve  my 
Jeddo. 

And  so  Jeddo  left  the  banks  of  the  Po- 
mae  and  followed  up  the  banks  of  the  York 
to  the  White  House,  and  then  followed  up 
the  banks  of  the  James,  and  is  filling  a 
little  sphere  of  usefulness  and  doing  a  little 
share  of  good  for  himself  and  others.  So 
let  Jeddo  work.  A  poor  famishing  outcast 
on  the  Pamunky  two  years  ago,  and  now 
feeding  the  hungry  on  the  James.  Igno- 
rant and  indolent  then,  and  now  reading, 
writing,  and  working. 


LAXTNDRIES  IN  THE  ABMT. 

A  correspondent  writes : 

No  clothing  is  wasted  now,  but  it  is  nolj 
always  well  washed,  and  in  its  distribution, 
injustice  may  be  occasionally  be  doAe  to 
individuals.  I  find  to-nigh^  in  a  single 
tent,  four  men  who  have  on  July  cotton 
shirts — not  over  thick  at  that.  They  had 
on  woolen  shirts  when  they  came  to  the 
hospital  a  few  days  ago,  but  have  been 
obliged  to  send  them  to  the  laundry,  taking 
these  in  exchange.  They  are  not  certain 
to  get  their  same  ones  back  again,  as  they 
are  issued  by  lot ;  but  rather  than  let  them 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


811 


suffer,  I  gave  them  each  another  and  ad- 
monished them  to  stick  to  them  aa  long  as 
possible.  It  is  impracticable  to  mark  each 
man's  clothing,  and  there  must  h6  some 
unpleasant  friction  sometimes  in  the  distri- 
bution in  consequence. 


THE  "EEFBE8HMEHT  STATIONS." 

Mr.  Eno  makes  the  following  condensed 
report  of  the  refreshment  stations  at  Dalton, 
E«saca,  and  Kingston,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  operations,  to  September  15. 
The  men  fed  were  all  sick  and  wounded, 
and  were  from  twenty-four  to  sixty-eight 
hours  on  the  way  to  Chattanooga. 

Number  of  men  fed,  15,736.  To  them 
were  given  3,664  gallons  of  coffee,  238  gal- 
lons of  soup,  25  gallons  of  tea,  377  gallons 
of  punch;  268  gallons  of  ale,  139  gallons  of 
stewed  fruit,  53  gallons  of  tomatoes,  60 
gallons  of  pickles,  35'gallons  of  lemonade, 
14,678  sandwiches,  &c.,  2,931  pounds  of 
crackers  and  light  bread,  82  bottles  of 
stimulants,  16  bushels  of  a.pples,  18  gallons 
of  blackberry.^ — Sanitary  Reporter. 


A  WORD  TO  ASSOCIATE  KEKBEaS. 
Your  names  constitute  a  roster,  eminent 
for  learning,  piety,  and  influence.  In 
looking  over  it',  one  cannot  but  be  impressed 
with  the  fact  that  eight  hundred  men,  se- 
lected from  all  our  chief  seats  of  learning ; 
from  prominent  places  in  all  the  churches 
of  the  land ;  frord:  important  and  prosperous 
mercantile  and  commercial  institutions; 
from  social  and  domestic  associations  that 
wield  power  and  wealth — must  be  compe- 
tent to  command  vast  acquisitions' to  the 
resources  of  philanthropy ;  not  by  their  own 
gifts  of  money  merely,  but  by  their  counsel 
and'  influence.  For  all  these,  you  are  now 
earnestly  solicited. 

You  have  been  so  accustomed  to  regard 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission  as 
a  vast .  machine,  that  having  in  itself  the 
inspiration  of  Christian  principle,  and  being 
constantly  quickened  by  the  gederous  im- 
pulses and  donations  of  the  people,  has 
kept  its  own  course,  and  done  its  work 
without  ostentation  or  friction,  that  you 
may  have  almost  lost  sight  of  the  fact  that 
you  constitute  a  part  of  this  great  machi- 


nery, which  is  working  such  a  work  in  the 
land.  It  is  to  remind  you  of  this  fact,  that 
the  present  message  is  addressed  to  you. 
To  remind  you  that  each  associate  member 
is  in  himself  a  power  for  good.  To  ask 
wheth*  that  power  is  being  directed  earn- 
estly and  judiciously  for  the  advancement 
of  the  cause.  Not  that  there  is  any  reason 
for  complaint,  but  that  there  is  need  for 
increased  diligence.  Why  ?  The  women 
of  the  land  aisk  for  your  assistance  in  their 
little  societies.  They  will  call  upon  you 
more  frequently;  their  ,  appeals  will  be 
more  earnest  if  need  be,  but  your  assistance 
they  must  have.  The  winter  campaign  upon 
which  we  are  entering,  will  be  fruitful  in 
demands  upon  the  patience,  endurance, 
patriotism  and  generosity  of  the  people. 
The  women  are  reorganizing  where  they 
have  grown  tardy.  They  are  organizing 
where  they  never  had  societies  before. 
Every  week  brings  tidings  of  renewed 
effort,  and  they  all  say,  "  Oh,  if  the  men 
would  work,  too!"  Will  you  keep  these 
"  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies"  alive  ?  Will  you 
furnish  them  with  means*  and  material? 
Let  all  associate  members  renew  their 
pledges  of  aid  to  the  various  Belief  Societies, 
and  they  will  be  able  to  do  what  they  are 
longing  for,  but  what  they  are  hindered 
from  accomplishing,  for  want  of  your  active, 
practical  co-operation. 


SANITAEY  AND  CHBISTIAN  COMMISSIONS. 
The   following   correspondence   will  be 
read  with  interest : 

WASmNGTON,  D.  C,      ■> 
October  29,  1864.  /■ 
To  Officer  in  diarge  of  U.   S.    Christian 
Commission,   Washington,  D.  C. 

SiK :— It  is  the  desire  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  to  effect  more  permanent  ar- 
rangements for  securing  religious  services 
at  the  several  Belief  Stations  of  this  Com- 
mission. 
_  As  it  is  the  legitimate  and  peculiar  pro- 
vince of  the  Christian  Commission  to  minis- 
ter, through  its  delegates,  to  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  soldiers  and  sailors,  may  I  ask  that  ■ 
you,  as  officer  in  charge  of  the  work  of  the 


812 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Christian  Commission  in  this  vicinity,  will 
arrange  to  have  a  clergyman  present  at  each 
of  the  Relief  Stations  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission in  this  city,  every  Sunday  for  the 
purpose  of  holding  religious  service  among 
the  men. 

Should  you  accede  to  this  reqiftst,  you 
may  feel  assured  that  every  facility  will  be 
secured  by  agents  of  this  Commission  on 
duty  at  the  several  Relief  Stations,  to  the 
gentlemen  you  may  assign  to  this  work. 
Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 
Feed.  N.  Knapp, 

Associate  Secretary. 

United  States  Christian  Commission,     1 
■^     Washington,  D.  C,  Nov.  1,  1864.  j" 

F,RED.  N.  Knapp,  Esq., 

Associate  Secretary  XLS.  S.  0. 

My  Dear  Sir: — I  have  the  honor  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of 
the  29th  uit.,  inviting  us  to  furnish  minis- 
terial services  on  the  Sabbath  at  each  of 
your  Relief  Stations.  Please  accept  our 
thanks  for  the  courtesy.  It  will  give  the 
Christian  Commission  great  pleasure  to 
comply  with  your  request  whenever  and  so 
far  as  we  shall  be  able  to  do  so.  At  present 
we  are  very  short  for  help.  I  shall  proba- 
bly have  a  larger  force  after  election.  Will 
you  have  the  kindness  to  give  us  a  list  of 
the  "  Stations"  where  we  could  hold  ser- 
vices, and  the  hours  most  suitable,  and 
oblige, 

Yours  most  truly, 

J.  J.  Abbott, 

Agent  U.  S.  C.  G. 
CITY  POINT. 

From  Dr.  McDonald. 

City  Point,  Va.,     1 
\  Oct.  29th,  1864.  / 

Sickness  last  night  prevented  me  from 
writing,  as  I  had  intended,  an  account  of 
the  recent  move  and  work  of  the  Sanitary 
Com"mission  in  this  Department.  To-night 
I  can  only  give  you  the  outlines,  as  there  is 
much  to  be  done  before  Sunday.  We  try 
to  avoid  all  work  on  Sunday,  and  only  issue 
on  that  day  to  cases  of  urgent  necessity. 

On  the  night  of  the  26th  inst.,  our  troops 
in  Army  of  the  Potomac,  were  massed,  all 
wagon  trains  sent  within  the  entrenchments 
at  City  Point,  and  every  preparation  made 
for  an  early  and  irapid  march  towards  the 
South-side  Railroad.  Daylight  of  the  27th 
found  the  column  moving  on  with  four 
days  rations;  a  force  having  been  left  in 


the  several  forts  to  guard  our  line  and  all 
other  troops  sent  forward.  Two  divisions 
of  the  Second  Corps  were  pushed  out  to  the 
BoyntOH  Plank  Road,  of  which  they  gained 
possession,  but  being  in  a  cul-de-sac  with 
the  rebtf  on  each  side,  they  were  compelled 
to  retrace  their  steps  and  "  get  out  of  the 
wilderness"  before  morning,  leaving  a  part 
of  their  wounded  on  the  field. 

HOSPITALS  AT   OITT  POINT. 

Alt4he  troops  are  now  in  their  old  posi- 
tions; the  hospitals  have  had  large  acces- 
sions to  their  numbers,  increasing  the  total 
now  at  base  hospitals  at  City  Point  to  aboat 
6,400,  on  account  of  the  cleaning  out  of 
all  front  hospitals.  Our  work"  in  the  base 
hospitals  has  consequently  been  increased ; 
that  at  the  front  diminished,  as  all  wounded 
have  been  sent  to  the  rear. 

Our  wagons  which  were  sent  in,  have 
been  pushed  out  again  to-day  to  their  for- 
mer position,  ^ith  good  loads  and  ready  for 
what  is  to  come. 

HOSPITAL  AT  DEEP  BOTTOM. 

On  the  right,  across  the  James,  G-eneral 
Butler's  forces  were  moved  ^long  Ihe  New 
Market  and  Charles  City  roads,  crossing  to 
Seven  Pine^,  where  the  enemy  were  found 
in  their  breastworks,  (the  same  that  they  oc- 
cupied two  years  since,)  and  a  battle  ensued, 
resulting  in  the  return  of  our  forces  to  their 
former  line,  having  lost  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred in  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  Most 
of  the  wounded  were  conveyed  to  Deep  Bot- 
tom, and  placed  on  boats  for  transportation 
to  hospital.     At  Deep  Bottom,  we  found 
work  for  the  Agents  of  the  Commission. 
Many  of  the  wounded  had  been  hurried 
from  field  to  boats  without  even  a  primary 
dressing ;  they  were  tired,  hungry  and  cold. 
Our  agents  fed,  clothed  and  assisted  them 
as  well  as  was  possible,  dressed  wounds, 
provided  stimulants  to  such  as  needed,  sup- 
plied some  of  the  boats  with  stores  for  their 
voyage,  and  endeavored  to  do  all  they  could 
to  relieve  the  suffering.     Fortunately,  we 
had  a  very  good  supply  at  this  station,  and 
though  it  was  soon  exhausted,  we  had  it 
filled  again  in  a  short  time.     The  tug  had 
been  sent  up  during  the  forenoon,  with  a 
small  supply  for  general  distribution,  and 
while  she  was  gone,  a  telegram  was  received 
calling  for  battlefi.eld  supplies;  a  load" was 
gotten  ready  and  put  on  board  as  soon  as 
she  returned,  and  she  was  immediately  sent 
back,  arriving  at  Deep  Bottom  in  time  to 
replenish  our  storehouse,  for  the  next  train 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


813 


of  wounded,  which  arrived  while  we  were 
unloading.         \ 

The  men  were  taken  from  ambulances  to 
the  boat,  there  immediately  cleaned,  their 
wounds  attended  to,  operations  performed, 
and  also  fed  and  put  to  bed;  direct  from 
the  ambulance  to  the  examining  surgeon, 
thence  to  bed  or  the  operating  table. 

A  VETRAN  AND  HIS  YOUNG  COMRADE. 

When  passing  through  the  crowd  on  my 
way  to  the  store-tent,  I  noticed  a  man 
wounded  in-'the  leg,  carefully  bathing  the 
hip  of  ■  a  young  comrade,  who-  asked, 
"  Charley,  where  did  you^'get  them  rags  ?" 
"  From  the  Sanitary,"  was  his  reply.  After 
a  pause  the  younger  ong  remarked,  "  Char- 
ley, aint  that  Sanitary  a  bully  "concern  ?"  ' 
Charley  turned  just  at  this  moment  to  dip 
his  rag  again  into  the  water,  and  I  saw  that 
he  was  an  old  soldier,  his  face  was  scarred 
and  bronzed ;  his  comrade  was  a  mere  boy, 
and  this  was  his  first  wound,  (not.  a  severe 
one).  I  offered  to  assist  in  dressing  the 
wound,  but  Charley  remarked  that  he  could 
do  it  very  well,  and  went  on  with  his  work 
very  systematically  j  his  own  wound  which 
was  the  most  severe,  he  paid  but  little  at- 
tention to^  till  the  young  man  was  dressed. 
In  passing  to  the  boat  again,  he  called  me 
to  him,  and  asked  if  I  would  please  look  at 
his  leg,  which  he  was  then  bathing,  and 
while  1  examined  the  wound  he  said,  "Dr., 
your  Commission  has  done  more  good  dur- 
ing this  wai  than  the  folks  at  home  know 
of.  When  1  was  sick  at  Fair  Oaks,  they 
took  care  of  me,  and  kept  me  alive  two 
weeks ;  I  got  wounded  at  Chancellorsville, 

,  and  the  first  thing  after  the  Jonnies  sent 
me  across  the  river;  at  Fredericksburg,  they 
gave  me  something  to  eat,  and  a  nice  cup  of 
cofiee,  and  to-day  they  have  done  the  nice 
thing  by  all  the  "boys."  When  his  wound 
was  dressed,  he  got  up,  thanked  me  and 
went  on  the  boat,  as  cheerfully  as  though 
nothing  had  happened.  1  was  much  pleased 
with  his  kind  care  of  a  young  comrade,  his 
forgetfulness  of  self,  and  his  thoughtful 
observation  of  all  that  was  passing.  He 
was  an  old  soldier,  though  not  more  than 

"tKirty  years  of  age,  and  a  brave  one,  as  is 
acknowledged  by  all  his  comrades.  This  is 
the  third  time  I  have  known  him  to  be 
wounded  since  the  commenceinent  of  this 
war. 

There  are  many  such  men  in  this  army, 
and  such  scenes ,  as  that  of  yesterday  bring 
them  out  in  glowing  colors. 


All  is  quiet  to-night,  and  a  stranger 
would  hardly  believe  we  ha,d  so  recently 
passed  suck  an  exciting  day,  were  he  to 
judge  from  present  appearances. 


LEIIEE  7B0K  CAMP  FABOLE,  UD. 
BY  ALMA  CAREY. 

We  have  very  little  to  report  this  week, 
nothing  unusual  having  occurred.  The  hos- 
pital is  filled  with  paroled  men,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  very  few  who  are  exchanged, 
and  are  too  sick  to  be  transferred  to  other 
hospitals. 

Many  are  being  sent  to  their  own  States 
on  furlough,  for  the  purpose  of  giving' their 
votes  at  the  coming  election.  We'  believe 
there  are  but  few  among  tnem  who  will  not 
give  the  right  vote.  ^ 

During  the  present  week"\^e  have  lost 
eight  of  our  sick  men  by  death,'  the  largest 
number  in  one  week  through  the  past  year. 
Only  one  of  these  died  of  his  wound,  the 
others  lingered  long  with  fevers  and  chronic 
diseases.  Some  had  near  relatives  to  mourn 
their  loss,  and  others  seemed  to  be  almost 
without  kindred  or  friends.  We  hope  they 
had  the  Friend  that  "  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brother." 

Our  sick  have  been  well  supplied  of  late 
with  vegetables,  apples,  oysters  and  -other 
things  necessary  to  the  health  and  comfort 
of  the  paroled  men.  Can  not  the  Commis- 
sion furnish  them  more  freely  with  nice 
crackers  ?  That  are  considered  a  rare  treat 
for  sick  soldiers. 

There  have  been  many  changes  and  re- 
movals among  the  surgeons  and  stewards  of 
this  hospital  within  the  last  few  weeks ;  this 
has  caused  some  inconvenience  in  the  gene- 
ral arrangement  of  all  departments  of  the 
hospital. 

Arrangements  are  being  made  for  the 
reception  of  our  prisoners  from  Georgia, 
who  are  expected  daily ;  after  their  long 
confinement,  surely  too  much  cannot  be 
done  for  them.  We  are  sometimes  ashamed 
that  we  cannot  supply  everything  that  is 
wanted  by  these  poor  sufferers. 

It  is  undet  contemplation  to  enlarge  the 
hospital  proper,  in  Camp  Parole,  by  build- 
ing twelve  more  wards,  as  our  present  wards 
are  now  constantly  fiill,  and  we  shall  not- 
have  accommodations  for  the  many  sick 
that  will  probably  be  among  those  who  are 
to  come. 


814 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


LEIIEB  FBOM  ANNAPOLIS,  MAEYLAND; 
BY   GEO.   A.    MILLER. 

*  *  *  T  have,  during  the  week,  visited 
the  two  divisions  of  the  General  Hospital, 
and  the  College  Green  Barracks,  coming  in 
contact  with  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  the 
hospitals,  (Dr.  Palmer  and  Dr.  Vanderkieft) 
and  Captain  Davis,  commanding  Barracks ; 
and  am  happy  to  say  that,  without  except- 
ion, I  was  most  cordially  received  by  the 
above  officer^  and  their  executives. 

Dr.  Vanderkieft  has  kindly  offered  me 
quarters  in  his  hospital,  which  I  think  I 
will  accept,  as  it  will  bring  me  nearer  my 
work.  *  *  * 

STJSPENDERS   WANTED.' 

As  sooA  as  the  men  are  able  to  get  out 
of  their  tents,  they  call  for  suspenders.  As 
the  Government  does  not  furnish  anything 
of  the  kii^d,  I  think  it  very  important  that 
tbe  Commission  should  endeavor  to  do  so. 
/ 


JOURNAL  OF   A    DAY. 

BY   L.  8.  PHILLIPS.' 
,  Camp  Parole  Hospital,      1 
Oct.  21,  1864.; 

I  have  been  requested  to  give  as  my  re- 
port this  week  "  A  Journal  of  a  Day," 
thereby  conveying  some  idea  of  my  method 
of  working.  I  will  take  this  day  as  a  sample 
of  all  my  days  in  Camp  Parole. 

During  the  morning  I  remained  in  the 
office  occupied  in  various  duties,  and  at- 
tended to  the  calls  of  any  patients  in  the 
wards,  who  are  able  to  come  out  and  make 
known  their  wants,  which  are  generally  sup- 
plied with  a  few  crackers,  stamps,  paper  and 
envelopes,  and  also  to  furnish  lint,  banda- 
ges, old  linen,  &c.,  to  the  nurses  of  the 
'several  wards.  At  9  o'clock  I  began  my 
daily  visits  to  the  hospital ;  we  have  six 
wards,  each  capable  of  accommodating  forty- 
eight  men,  and  these  are  now  full  with  pa- 
roled men,  lately  arrived  from  Richmond. 

A  BOY   OF   NINETEEN. 

I  first  visited  ward  6,  here  is  one  boy  of 
nineteen  years,  who  has  been  very  low  for 
many  weeks  and  cannot  recover ;  he  is  a 
weak  minded  unfortunate  boy,  and  an  in- 
stance of  many  who  are  allowed  and  even 
urged  to  enlist  as  soldiers  in  our  army. 
Others  here  are  feeble  from  long  sickness, 
and  some  have  Ipst  limbs,  but  most  of  them 
are  cheerful  and  uncomplaining.  I  dis- 
tributed among  them,  as'  they  needed, 
handkerchiefs,  combs,  paper  and  envelopes. 
I  was  iisked  for  suspenders,  but  had  none. 


god's  dear  ones. 
In  ward  5,  there  are  more  cases  of  severe 
sickness,  such  as  fevers,  amputations  and 
chronic  complaints ;  here  are  several ,  boys 
of  only  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  of  age, 
"  God's  dear  Ones,". — little  Christians.  One 
has  Ibst  his  left  arm  at  the  shoulder,  but 
bears  it  manfully.  I  gave  him  a  wrapper 
which  pleased  him  much,  and  he  humbly 
askedi  if  he  could  take  it  home  with  him 
when  discharged.  For  one  man  in  this 
ward  I  wrote  to  his  wife,  and  warned  her 
of  his  dangerous  condition. 

I  next  visited  ward  4 ;  here  are  not  many 
serious  cases  of  sickness,  only  6ne  is  not  ex- 
pected to  recover.  Several  have  lost  limbs, 
and  here  I  gave  cushions,  slings  handker- 
chiefs and  combs..  It  is  astonishing  to  see 
with  how  much  gratitude  these  trivial  arti- 
cles are  received. 

In  ward  3  I  found  a  man  who  had  died 
during  Sie  night,  he  had  been  long  sick. 
Most  here  wanted  as  usual,  combs,  oaper, 
&c. 

Ward  2  has  many  very  sick  men.  One 
told  me  he  knew  he  could  not  'Hve  long, 
and  had  resigned  himself  to  his  Heavenly  • 
Father's  will;  here  I  distributed  various 
articleB  and  was'again  askefl  for  suspenders. 
What  a  pity  that  our  brave  soldiers  are 
without  suspenders. 

Ward  1,  has  some  quite  sick  men,  but 
none  dangerously  so ;  all  needed  what  little 
I  could  give  them,  such  as  slippers,  towels, 
&c. 

We  have  at  present  good  and  kind  nurses 
in  all  the  wards,  and  they  allow  me  to  draw 
their  attention  to  any  disorderly  conduct, 
neglect  of'"patients,  want  of  cleanliness  in 
the  care  of  the  ward.  I  also  visited  the 
low  diet  kitchen,  and  found  that  the  sick 
were  to  be  weir  provided  for  at  their  coming 
dinner.  ^ 

After  going  through  the  hospital  I  re- 
turned to  the  offi-ce,  when  I  wrote  a  letter 
for  a  very  sick  man  to  his  sister,  asking  her 
to  come  to  him.  In  the  afternoon  I  com- 
menced taking  stock,  attehded'to  calls  in 
the  office,  and,  was  variously  employed  till 
5  o'clock,  when  I  again  visited  the  wards  to 
look  after  some  who  were  about  leaving  on 
furlough,  and  do  what  I  could  for  the  com- 
fort of  the  verv  sick  before  they  should  be- 
gin another  long  sleepless  night. 

In  the  evening  I  wrote  two  letters.  One 
to  a  mother  for  a  boy  who  had  lost  his  right 
aspi,  and  the  other  to  a  sister  for  a  man  who 
has  ^Iso  lost  his  right  arm.     I  also  received 


The  Sanitary  Oammison  Bulletin. 


815 


letters  from'  friends  of  soldiers,  to  whom  I 
had  previously  written. 


FBOM  GAKF  FABOIE,  MABYLANS, 
BY  JOS.  0.  BATCHBLOE. 

My  report  for  this  week  will  not  vary 
particularly  from  those  tor  the  preceeding 
ones,  as  th6  same  routine  is  gone  through 
with  from  week  to  week.  No  men  have 
arrived,  but  a  number  have  been  sent  to 
their  respective 'States  in  anticipation  of  the 
coming  election. 

The  men  in  section  D,  seem  to  be  doing 
well,  this  fine  weather  agreeing  with  them, 
though  some  of  them  are  badly  shaken  with 
that  disagreeable  disease,  chills  and  fever. 

One  poor  fellow  died  in -ward  47,  from 
the  effects  of  eating  too  much  of  articles 
sent  him  from  home  by  his  wife.  No  one 
was  aware  of  it  until  morning,  when  he  was 
found  sitting  by  the  stove  lifeless.  It  seems 
as  though  both  soldiers  and  their  friends, 
should  exercise  more  judgment  about  such 
things  than  they  do. 

A  new  Agent  has  arrived  this  week  to 
assist,  or  rather  share  in  the  labors  of  Miss 
Phillips,  in  section  A.  She  is  Miss  A.  Gary, 
from  Maine,  and  I  should  judge  will  make 
an  efficient  laborer  in  our  good  cause. 

Affairs  in  that  section  s^em  in  an  excel- 
lent condition,  at  least  as  far  as  the  cpmfort 
of  the  men  is  concerned,  although^  they  are 
rather  crowded.  The  number  of  deaths  this 
week  is  higher  than  in  any  during  the  past 
year.  One  article  is  particularly  spoken  of 
as  much  needed  there  by  our  Agents,  which 
is  nice  crackers.  Many  a  man  is  more  bene- 
fited by  a  cracker  in  the  right  time,  than  by- 
a  full  meal  at  another  time. 

FCCOT-BALLS. 

Several  officers  have  spoken  to  me  about 
furnishing  "foot-balls,"  for  the  use  of  the 
men  in  the  Barracks,  as  they  would  be  a 
great  inducement  to  exercise  of  which  the 
men  need  to  '  take  more  than  they  do.  I 
would  respectfully  recommend  that  they  be 
furnished. 

From  George  A.  Miller. 
I  have  spent  a  large  p»art  of  my  time  in 
Divisions,  Nos.  1  and  2  of  the  General 
Hospital.  As  Dr.  Vanderkieft  has  charge 
of  the  goods  sent  into  the  Naval  School 
Hospital,  and  has  made  them  accessible  to 
the  lady  nurses,  there  is  little  need  of  a 
visitor  to  attend  to  the  distribution  of  cloth- 


ing. The  same  is  also  true  of  the  St.  John's 
College  Hospital.  The  Claim  Agency  has 
a  great  field  here,  if  it  can  be  worked. 
There  was  a  muster  for  commutation  of 
rations  for  prisoners,  last  summer,  and 
about  four  months  afterwards  their  certifi- 
catesweresept  on;  butabout  four-fifths  of  the 
men  who  were  mustered,  had  been  sent  else- 
where. And  whether  their  certificates  were 
of  value  to  them  or  not,  I  know  not.  The 
men  are  all  eager  to  have  something  done 
to  secure  the  collecting  of  the  commutation 
of  ration^,  and  I  am  not  less  anxious  to  do 
it.  There  seems  to  be  a  reluctance  on  the 
part  of  some  of  the  officers  to  sign  some  of 
the  papers  nec'essary  to  collect  back  pay. 

When  a  person  is  discharged  for  disabil- 
ity, he  generally  wants  to  make  application 
for  a  pension,  and  I  feel  no  delicacy  in  re- 
gard to  presenting  his  papers.  Some  wish 
to  have  their  State  and  County  bounties 
collected,  which  of  course  we  are  at  liberty 
to  do. 

In  a  religious  view,  there  can  '  be  no 
limit  to  the  work  here,  and  in  particular  on 
the  arrival  of  large  numbers  from  the  South 
where  they  have  been,  stripped  of  every 
thing.  I  would  suggest  the  propriety  of 
being  prepared  to  distribute  Testaments 
among  them. 


INTEBESTING  FEOM  ANHAPOLIS,  MD. 
BY  J.    ADDISON   WHITAKER. 

Oct.  22,  1864. 

I  herewith  respectfully  present  my'report 
for  the  week  ending  this  date. 

dFFICE.  ^ 

I  have  exppnded  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  dollars  and  twenty  cents, 
($228  20),  as  per  statement  (paper  A.) 
sent  forward  to  B.  Collins,  Assistant  Trea- 
surer, New  York. 

,  I  have  issued  stores  as  per  paper  B.  This 
paper  will  also  show  stock  on  hand,  what  has 
been,  received,  &e.  ^  I  would  respectfully 
recommend  this  form  for  general  adoption, 
as  it-  will  be  found  on  trial,  to  serve  our" 
purposes  admirably. 

_.  Our  office  work 'engrosses  so  much  of  my 
time,  that  I  am  prevented  making  as  many 
jrisits  to  the  whole  field  of  our  work  as  I 
shojild  like. 

•    FLAG  OFy TRUCE  BOAT. 

The  arrival  of  the  Flag  -oi  Truce  Boat 
gave  us  a  great  deal  to  do,  no  one  unless 
he.  is  present  can  form  an  idea  of  the  condi- 
tion of  both  officers  and  men  on  their  arri- 


816 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


val  here,  of  course  those  who  can  gain  relief 
in  no  other  way,  find  their  way  to  our  office 
and  their  reappearance  makes  all  the  appeals 
that  any  heart  needs,  to  move  it  to  efforts 
for  relief. 

That  relief  to  the  soldiers  is  in  stationery, 
a  towel,  handkerchief,  tobacco,  <!S;c.,  which 
makes  him  as  happy  as  a  child  with  a  pres- 
ent of  a  new  toy.  As  one  poor  fellow  said, 
"I  feel  just  as  though  I  had  been  let  out  of 
some  place!"  and  it  is  a  fact  that  a  great 
many  are  so  weak  or  overjoyed  as  to  appear 
a  little  beside  themselves. 

Hospitals  are  crowded,  and  therefore  only 
the  worst  cases  are^taken  into  them.  Con- 
sequently a  great  many  are  sent  to  Camp 
Parole  who  can  drag  themselves  out  there. 

One  dear  fellow  had  to  stop  at  the  office, 
he  was  ready  to  faint  away,  he  had  suffered 
with  diarrtoea  so  long  that  he  was  a  walk- 
ing skeleton  almost.  I  gave  him  a  bottle 
of  Jamaica  Ginger,  and  addressed  words  of  ' 
cheer  to  him,  but  he  was  so  depressed  in 
spirits  that  they  seemed  to  break  up  the 
very  fountain  of  his  heart;  he  wept  like  a 
child,  he  was  homesick,  and  almost  heart- 
broken. I  gave  him  transportation  to  the 
camp,  and  directed  our  agent  there  to  take 
a  special  interest  in  his  case. 

It  did  my  heart  good  to  see  our  first  pa- 
roled Navy  Officers  come  back.    I  did  all  I 
•      could  for  them ;  would  like  to  have  done 
more,  but  was  afraid  I  would  transgress  my\ 
limits  of  authority  in  expenditure 

I  nVver  saw  any  one  so  happy  as  they 
were  when  old  "  living"  clothing  was 
thrown  away  and  our  new  comfortable  un- 
der clothes  and  new  pants  were  put  on.  It 
was  reially  a  laughable  sigit  to  see  them 
half  naked  running  about  the  office  and  yard 
full  of  mirth,  changing  as  rapidly  as 
possible. 

Their  thankfullness  and  appreciation  of 
all  that  was  done  I  am  sure  from  what  was 
said  will  be  shown  when  they  receive  their 
pay,  and  get  home  where  they  can  write  for 
papers  and  contribute  their  means. 
'  The  demand  for  thousands  of  stationery 
and  towels,  &c.,  is  very  great  after  the 
arrival  of  a  boat,  and  really  we  should  be 
well  supplied.  *  *  * 

Oct.  29,  1864. 

*  *  *  Office  duties  increase  weekly.  We 
have  more  calls  for  information,  more  cor- 
respondence, and  more  relief  work  to  do 
than  ever.  In  addition  to  our  usual  work 
in  the  office,  our  labors  are  increased  by  the 


efforts  we  make  to  meet  all  demands  on  our 
time  in  regard  to  the  "  Claim  Agency."  A 
great  deal  of  information  is  being  scattered 
throughout  the  country  by  the  blanks  fur- 
nished by  the  General  Claim  Agent,  being 
given  to  relatives  and  friends  of  the  soldier 
visiting  here.  We  are  also  giving  attention 
to  the  work  suggested  by  the  ",Chief  As- 
sistant of  Special  Belief,"  and  in  a  little 
while  shall  be  able  to  throw  a  large  amount 
of  work  on  Back  Pay  accounts  into"  his 
hands.  As  this  field  is  a  new  one  in  this 
work -of  the  Commission,  some  little  trouble 
has  been  experienced  by  the  ignorance  of 
the  officer  as  to  what  was  his  duty  in  regard 
to  the  same.  However,  after  a  proper  ex- 
planation the  requisite  papers  are  given,  and 
and  all  the  co-tfperation  we  can  ask  is  cor- 
dially given,  and  our  service  fully  appreci- 
ated. *  *  * 

We  have  occupied  the  new  house  for  our 
"  Home,"  which  is  filled  daily  with  sorrow- 
ful and  deeply  afflicted  relatives  of  soldiers. 

Three  arrived  on  Saturday  night,  and  on 
going  to  the  hospital  found  those  whom  they 
loved  so  dearly  and  for  whose  sake  they  had 
traveled  so  far,  they  having  come  all  the 
way  from  Illinois,  were  dead !  and  were  to 
be  buried  on  the  morrow. 

How  welcome  the  quiet  retreat  which  the 
"  Home"  afforded,  was  to  them.  This  is  an 
illustration  of  one  of  Jts  benefits. 

For  iReport  of  Meals  and  Lodgings,  &c., 
see  Paper"  ¥." 

The  additional  expense  to  which  we  are 
put,  by  the  new  building,  will  return  a 
thousand  fold  in  blessings  upon  the  Com- 
mission and  the  soldier.  *  *  * 


FBISONEBS  FBOM  BED  BIVEB. 

New  Orleans,     1 
Oct.  21,  1864./ 

*  *  *  Mr.  Stearns  accompanies  our 
Commissioner  of  Exchange  of  prisoners  to 
Red  River,  to-day.  As  our  men  will  be 
obliged  to  walk  from  Syler  to  Alexandria, 
and  possibly  from  there  to  the  mouth  of 
Red  River,  many  will  become  exhausted 
and  require  attention.  Mr.  Stearns  will 
take  with  him  an  amount  of  concentrated 
food  and  stimulant. 

Since  the  capture  of  Forts  Powell,  Gaines, 
and  Morgan,  situated  on  Mobile  Bay,  there 
has  been  considerable  transportation  across 
Lake  Pontehartrain  to  this  ,  city.  All 
steamers  land  about  five  miles  from  the 
city ;  the  cars  do  not  run  after  eight  o'clock 


The  Sanitary  Cfommission  Bulletin. 


817 


P.M.,  and  of  course,  all  soldiers  that  arrive 
have  no  accommodations.  After  consulting 
the  Medical  Director  on  Major-General 
Canbys  Staff,  I  resolved  to  open  a  "Sol- 
diers' Lodge,"  at  Lakeport.  The  main 
difficulty  was  to  obtain  a  house,  I  labored 
two  days  faithfully,  but  the  secesh  element 
was  too  strong  for  me  to  obtain  what  I 
wanted,  and  I  had  no  promise  of  military 
authority  to  enforce  any  I  desired. 

The  Kailroad  Company  have  given  me 
the  privilege  of  occupying  a  building  they 
own  on  the  extreme  end  of  the  wharf.  I 
shall  endeavor  to  obtain  the  lumber  of  the 
Quarter  Mastfer's  Depot,  and  the  mechanical 
genius  of  Mr.  Furniss  will  avail  me  in  mak- 
ing a  good  Lodge,  the  benefits  of  which  will 
be  duly  appreciated. 

The  expense  will  be  considerable.  If  the 
Quarter  Master  will  furnish  lumber,*  per- 
haps over  $100,  if  he  does  not,  perhaps 
over*  ?300.  I  cannot  wait  to  hear  if  my 
course  is  approved.  I  shall  go  ahead  and 
abide  the  consequences.  I  always  keep 
steadily  in  view  econotoy  to  the  Commis- 
sion, with  advantage  to  the  soldiers. 

ECONOMY  OF  WOOLEK  VNBEBCLOTHING. 
The  following  extract  of  a  letter  addressed 
from  City  Point,  Va.,  to  the  New  York 
State  Military  Agent  at  Washington,  D. 
C,  by  Mr.  J.  V.  Van  Ingen,,  is  worthy  of 
especial  notice.  The  writer  has  had  large 
and  long  experience,  and  his  views  are 
entitled  to  much  respect. 

The  demand  for  woolen  shirts,  drawers 
and  socks,  is  always  very  great;  but  the 
need  now  is  mere  imperative  than  ever  be- 
fore, at  this  season  and  in  this  climate ;  and 
I  am  told  here  that  every  woolen  shirt  given 
out  costs  the  Commission  nearly  four  dol- 
lars. The  class  really  neediog  them  most 
is  that  of  the  convalescents,  returning  or 
about  to  return  from  h6spital  to  regiment, 
with  ijttle  flesh  and  blood  about  them,  and 
almost  certain  to  relapse  if  sent  away  thinly 
clad'.  In  very  many  cases  these  must  go 
back  shivering,  unless  the  Commission  or  a 
State  Agency  supply  them  ;  and  it  may  be 
weeks  before  the  convalescent,  retarned  to 
duty,  can  "  dl'aw"  them  in  his  regiment. 
The  sequel  is  a  relapse  and  a  return  to 
hospital. 

And  this  brings  up  a  very  urgent  and 
momentous  qttestion  of  economy.  Where 
one  thousand  dollars  is  paid  readily  as  bounty 
Vol.  I.  No.  26  52  ' 


to  a  raw  recruit,  out  of  the  public  treasury, 
is  it  not  a  strange  contradiction  and  neglect 
of  wise  economy,  (leaving  humanity  out  of 
the  question,)  to  suffer  the  loss  of  the  vig- 
orous service  of  an  experienced  soldier  by^ 
this  defect  in  arrangements  and  provisions, 
otherwise  so  admirable  and  bountiful  ? 

A  soldier  is  brought  to  the  hospital,  sick 
or  wounded,  from  a  distant  camp  or  line. 
His  soiled  or  bloody  shirt  and  drawers  re- 
placed by  a  hospital  shirt  and  drawers  of 
cotton ;  he  remains  for  weeks — unpaid  most 
likely  ;  recovers,  "  is  returned  to  duty," — 
but,  if  he  cannot  comunicate  with  his  regi- 
ment, and  often  even  if  he  can,  there  is  no 
provided  source  for  fitting  him  out  warmly 
for  his  new  exposure,  except  the  charities 
of  the  Commission.  It  is  so,  too,  as  regards 
rheumatic  invalids  in  hospital,  requiring 
warm,  woolen  underclothes.  I  know  how 
entirely  you  will  agree  with  me,  from  your 
own  large  experience  in  your  office,  when  I 
express  the  earnest  wish,  that  this  simple 
consideration  could  rule  in  all  that  regards 
the  sick '  and  temporarily  disabled  soldier, 
who  is  not  a  proper  subject  for  immediate 
discharge  ;  namely,  that  "  If  a  green  recruit 
is  worth  $1,200  or  $1,500  to  put  into  the 
ranks,,  then  it-  is  the  purest  economy  to 
spend  at  least  half  as  much  on  any  means 
and  appliances  which  promise  to  promote 
and  hasten  the  restoration  of  a  sick  or  dis- 
abled veteran  to  sound  health  and  vigor, 
and  to  efficient  service." 

I  wish  that  this  rule  could  dominate  \ii 
all  that  relates  to  our  hospitals,  as  it  cer- 
tainly has  been  recognized  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

HOIIES  AND  LODGES. 
MEMPHIS. 

At  the  Lodge  in  Memphis,  during  the 
four  months  ending  with  October  1st,  there 
were  ■  furnished  1,335  lodgings  and  4,501 
meals ;  and  pay  to  the  amount  of  $3,573  36 
was  drawn  and  paid  over  to  furloughed  and 
discharged  men. 

CAIRO. 

At  the  Home  in  Cairo,  during  the  four 
weeks  ending  Sept.  28th,  there  were  fur- 
-nished  7,712  lodgings  and  17,630  meals. 

LOUISVILLE. 

Mr.  Morton,  the  superintendent  of  the 
Home  in  Louisville,  writes  under  date  of 
Sept.  30th : 

Kations  were  furnished  at  the  "  Home" 
and  "Rest"  for  the  month  of  September, 
as  follows : 


818 


Thk  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


From  the  1st  to  10th,  .  .  6,996 
"  10th  to  20th,  .  -  .  8,206 
"       20th  to  80th,     .         .  11,129 

Total,  .  .  .  .  26,329 
The  month  has  been  one  of  unusual  "ac- 
tivity in  every  department,  and  our  capa- 
city, in  the  way  of  quarters,  has  not  been 
equal  to  the  demand  for  accommodations. 
The  number  of  sick  and  wounded  cared  for 
lias  averaged  about  one  hundred  daily;  and 
for  the  comfort  and 'better  accommodation 
of  such,  a  diet-kitchen  and  special  cook 
have  been  provided,  which  makes  our  ar- 
•  rangements  for  that  department  complete  in 
every  way. 

NASHVILLE. 

Capt.  Brayton  makes  the  following  report 
for  the  month  of  September : 
Number  of  farloughed  men  and  men 

traveling  under  orders  admitted,  .  8,546 
Number  discharged  men  admitted,  .      330 

Total,'.         .        .         .  8,876 
Froni  the  foUo^ng  States :  Ohio,  2,243 
Indiana,  1,279 ;  Illinois,  1,722 ;  Michigan 
460 ;  Wisconsin,  496 ;  Pennsylvania,  335 
Kentucky,  430;    Iowa,  610;    Minnesota, 
27;    New  York,  163;    New  Jersey,  46 
Tennessee,    145;    Kansas,   27;    Missouri 
203 ;  Connecticut,  7 ;  Massachusetts,  29 
Alabama,  20 ;  Maine,  1 ;  U.  S.  Army,  719 
Number  meals  furnished,       .         .  25,820 
"      lodgings     "     V        .         .     9,518 
"      furnished  with  transportation,  8,670 
"      for  whom  back  pay  was  drawn,    104 
Amount  drawn  and  paid  over, .  $29,194  18 
We  have  dressed  the  wounds  of  1,499 
men,  and   cared   for   325   sick   men  who 
^needed    medical  attendance.     There  have 
been  given  out  381  shirts,  257  pairs  draw- 
ers, 124  pairs  pants,  44  coats,  13  dressing 
gowns,  6  pairs  socks,  3  blouses. 

NEW  ALBANY. 

During  September,  at  the  Home  in  New 
Albany,  674  lodgings,  and  2,391  meals  have 
been  provided. 

SPECIAL  BELIEF  DEFABTUENT. 
BY  J.  B.  ABBOTT. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  of  the  special  relief  work  under.my 
charge^  for  week  ending  Oct.  29th,  1864  : 
Nuniber  of  applications  of  discharged  sol- 
diers for  aid  in  adjusting  their  papers 
and  collecting  their  pay,  taken  and  re- 
corded,        .        .         .    ,     .  17 


Number  of  cases  settled,  .         .  37 

Amount  collected,    .         . .       .  $4,8Q2  92 
Number  of  bounty  cases  taken 

and  recorded,        ...  4 

Number  allowed,      ...  8 

Amount  collected,    .         ...     $^50  GO 
Number  of  applications  from  sick  and  - 
wounded  soldiers  in  General  Hospi- 
tals for  aid  in  collecting  back  pay 
taken  and  recorded,        .         .         .    43 ' 
Number  of  sick  cases  adjusted, .  43 

Amount  of  pay  secured,    .         .$3,607  24' 
Number  of  applications  from  the  fami- 
,  lies  of  prisoners  of  war  for  aid  in  col- 
lecting their  back  pay,    ...      5 
Number  of  sick  cases  adjusted, .  3 

Amount  of  pay  secured,    .         .     $310  75 
Number  of  naval  clainjs  recorded,  36 

Number  of  sick  claims  allowed, .  3 

Amoi»t  of  money  secured,         .     $655  88 
Number  of  pension  claims  re- 
corded and  filed,   .         .         .  « 43 
Number  of  sick  claims  allowed, .  10 
Number  of  claims  for  arrears  of 
pay  and  bounty  filed  in  the 
Second  Auditor's  office,          .  4 
Number  of  sick  claims  allowed, .         '        2 
Amount  of  money  secured  oil  the 

two  cases  allowed,  .  .  $287  35 
The  aggregate  number  of  cases 

taken  and  recorded,       .         .  152 

The  aggregate  number  of  cases 

adjusted,      ....  106 

The  aggregate  .amount  of  money 

collected,  .  .  .  $10,414  14 
Number  of  drafts  forwarded,  .  >  26 
Amount  of  the  26  drafts,  .         .  $1,966  11 

'  EXPENSE  ACCOUNT. 

Cash  on  liand  Oct.  24th,  .    ,     .       $36  94 
Cash    received    ixojai    Sanitary 

Commission,  .  .  .$1,600  00 
Cash  refunded  from  loan  acc'i, .  $30  25 
Expenditures,  ....  $115  65 
Cash  on  hand  this  date,     .        .  $1,551  54 

HOMES  AMD  LODGES. 

At  Lodge  No.  4,  the  number  of  meals  fur- 
nished to  soldiers,  .  .  .  3,025 
Number  of  Jodgings  furnished,  .  435 
At  the  other  places  the  amount  of  work 
accomplished  is  about  the  same  as  usual. 
At  the  Alexandria  Lodge  several  soldiers 
have  died  of  late,  all  having  been  brought 
to  tbe  Lodge  in  a  dying  condition.  One  of 
them  was  shot  seven  times  by  guerrillas, 
five  times  after  he  surrendered.  This  oc- 
curred out  on  the  Manassas  Gap  Railroad. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


819 


SET,  \ 


He  lired  to  reach  this  Lodge,  but  died  while 
being  removed  from  the  stretcher  on  which 
he  was  bronght. 

A.  H.  Trego  reports  one  hundred  and  ten 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  waited  upon  and 
assisted  in  transit  between  Washington  and 
New  York.  He  advises  me  that  many  of 
them,  whom  he  has  assisted,  were  utterly 
unfit  to  travel  alone,  and  were  exceedingly 
gratefnl  for  the  aid  he  rendered  them. 

Since  my  last  report  I  have  received  an 
important  decision  in  a  case  submitted  to 
the  Second  Comptroller  on  the  2d  of  Sep- 
tember last,  and  which  he  referred  to  the 
Secretary  of  War.  The  point  in  question 
was  this :  "  Are  re-enlisted  veterans,  when 
discharged  from  the  service,  entitled  to 
travel  pay  and  allowances  to  their  place  of 
original  enrollment,  or  only  to  the  place  of 
their  re-enlistment?" 

IT.  S.  Sabitaby  Gohxission. 
"  Special  Rblief"  Office,  389  H  Steeet, 
Wasbisgton,  D.  C,  Sept.  2d,  1864. 

Hon.  J.  M.  Beoadhead, 

Second  Comptroller,  Treasury  Depsrtmeot. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  you, 
for  decision,  the  case  of  Orris  A.  Bishop, 
saddler,  Company  B,  8th  Illinois  Cavalry, 
who  joined  the  company  on  its  original  or- 
ganization at  Sycamore,  Illinois,  and  mus- 
tered into  the  service  of  the  United  States 
at  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  on  the  18th  day  pf 
September,  1861 ;  was  re-mustered  into  the 
service  as  a  veteran  January  1st,  1864,  at 
Culpepper,  Virginia,  and  on  the  27th  day 
August,  1864,  discharged  from  the  service 
of  the  United  States,  by  reason  of  surgeon's 
certificate  of  disability.  He  now  claims 
transportation  and  subsistence  from  the 
place  of  his  discharge  to  the  original  place 
of  enrollment ;  but  there  is  a  question  whe- 
ther he  is  entitled  to  it  to  his  original  place 
of  enrollment,  or  only  to  Culpepper,  Vir- 
ginia, the  place  of  his  re-muster  into  the 
service  as  a  veteran. 

Your  decision  on  the  point  in  questiod 
will  confer  a  great  favor  upon  many  veteran 
soldiers,  and 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  J.  B.  Abbott, 

Chief  Assistant  Special  Belief  Office. 

Teeascbt  Department, 
Second  Cohptbollee's  Office, 
Oct.  il,  1864. 

J.  B.  Abbott,  Esq., 

389  H  Street,  WasUngtoo. 

SiE : — I  am  this  day  in  receipt  of  the  de- 
cision of  the  Secretary  of  War,  stating  that 


'ICE,  \ 


"  the  free  transportation  of  veteran  volnn- 
t€err  to  and  from  their  homes,  upon  occasion 
of  their  re-enlistment  furlough,  was  one  of 
the  conditions  of  their  re-entering  the  ser- 
vice, and,  like  the  bounty  then  paid,  to  be^ 
considered  a  gratuity."  ' 

I  enclose  herewith  the  discharge  and  final 
statements  of  Orris  A.  Bishop,  whose  case 
comes  within  the  scope  of  the  decision. 
Yery  respectfully  yours, 

J.  M.  Beoadhead, 

Comptroller. 
Wae  Department,  '\ 

Patmastee  General's  Office,  [ 
Washington,  Oct.  21,  1864.    J 
J.  B.  Abbott,  Esq., 

389  H  Street,  Waaliington,'D.  C. 

SiE : — The  papers  in  the  case  of  Orris 
A.  Bishop,  saddler.  Company  B,  8th  Illinois 
Cavalry,  forwarded  by  you  to  this  ofiice, 
having  been  submitted  to  the  Second  Comp- 
troller, he  decides  that  "  A  volunteer  dis- 
charged to  re-enlist  as  a  veteran,  under 
Order  No.  191,  (dated  25th  June,  1863,) 
is,  in  effect,  only  transferred  to  another  or- 
ganization in  the  same  service,  and  when 
finally  discharged  is  entitled  to  his  travel, 
pay,  and  allowances  to  his  place  of  original 
enrollment,  and  not  to  the  place  where  he 
re-enlisted.  The  Secretary  of  War  having 
decided  that  the  transportation  to  be  fur- 
nished, under  General  Order  376,  (dated 
Nov.  21, 1863,)  to  veteran  volunteers  going 
on  furlough  to  and  from  their  respective 
homes,  after  discharge  from  their  original 
enlistment,  was  designed  to  be  a  gratuity, 
no  deduction  on  account  of  such  transpor- 
tation'will  be  made  from  their  pay,  &c., 
when  they  shall  be  finally  discharged,  or  at 
any  other  time." 

The  papers  are  herewith  returned. 

Very  respectfully,  your  ob't  servant, 
(Signed)       •      B.  W.  Brice, 

Acting  Paym^ter  General. 

The  importance  of  this  decision  will  be 
realized  by  the  re-enlisted  veterans  when 
they  are  finally  discharged,  as  it  will  place 
in  their  possession  at  least  one  million  of 
dollars,  if  not  two  millions'.  Heretofore, 
they  have  only  received  travel  pay  and  al- 
lowances tt)  the  place  where  they  re-en- 
listed. 
t 

I  herewith  submit  the  following  report  of 
the  Special  Relief  Work  under  my  charge 
for  the  week  ending  November  5,  1864. 
Number  of  pay  accounts  of  discharged 

soldiers  taken  and  recorded,  .         .    26, 


820 


The  Sanitary  Cominission  Bulletin. 


Number  of  claims  for  back  pay,  .     55 

Number  of  claims  for  bounty,  .  .  6 
Number  of  claims  for  the  pay  of  pris- 
oners of  war,  .  .  .  .12 
Number  of  naval  claims,  ..  .  .74 
Number  of  pension  claims,  .  .  26 
Number  of  claims  for  arrears  of  pay 

and  bounty,  .         .         .         .         .2 
Whole  number  of  claims  received  and 

acted  upon,   .....  201 
Number  of  pay  accounts  of  discharged 

soldiersadjusted  and  money  collected,  27 
Number  of  claims  for  back  pay  adjusted,  38 
Number  of  bounty  claims  allowed,  .  /  1 
Number  of  claims  for  the  pay  of  pris- 
oners of  war  allowed,  ...  6 
Number  of  naval  claims  allowed,  .  30 
Number  of  pension  claims  allowed,  .  18 
Whole   number   of  claims  and  eases 

adjusted,       .....  120 
Amount  collected  on  the  pay 
accounts  of  discharged  sol- 
diers, ....    14,955  09 
Amount  of  back  pay  secured,  .      3,026  23 
Amount  of  bounty  collected,   .         100  00 
Amount  of  pay  collected  for 
the  families  of  prisoners  of 

war, 797  12 

Amount    collected    on    naval 

claims,       ....     2,052  28 


Total  amount  collected,  .         .    10,730  72 

EXPENSE  ACCOUNT. 

Cash  received  from  the  Sanitary 

Commission  and  otherwise,      .,  800  25 

Expenditures,    ....  234  45 

Cash  on  hand,  November  5,        .  65  80. 

HOMES  AND  LODGES. 

The  number  of  meals  given  at  Lodge  No. 
t  4,  to  soldiers  and  seamen  was  2,980. 

There  has  been  quite  a  large  number  of 
seamen  accommodated  here  during  the  week, 
while  waiting  to  have  their  claims  for  pay 
and  prize  mdney  adjusted. 

The  report  of  the  Alexandria  Lodge  shows 
the  whole  number  of  soldiers  and  soldiers' 
friends  admitted  since  last  report  to  be  146. 
Number  of  meals  furnished,  243 ;  number 
of  lodgings  furnished,  83. 

There  has  been  an  unusual  number  of 
■  very  sick  and  severely  wounded  men  to  take 
care  of.temporarily,  from  the  regiments  on 
duty  along  the  line  of  the  Manassas  Gap 
and  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Kailroads. 
Thesf  men  are  transferred  to  hos;(ital  with 
as  little  delay  as  possible  after  reaching  the 
Lodge, 


The  report  from  the  Soldiers'  Home  in 
Baltimore,  shows  72  admitted  since  the  last 
report,  including.  12  soldiers'  friends  and  1 
refugee.  Number  of  meals  given,  363. 
Number  of  lodings  furnished,  1-08. 

Since  my  last  report  I  have  employed 
one  man,  a  discharged  soldier,  who  has 
been  in  the  service  three  years,  and  has 
lost  his  left  arm.  I  have  now  seven  dis- 
charged soldiers  on  Ae  pay  roll  of  this 
oflSce. 

During  the  week  ending  November  5,  a 
large  number  of  furloughs  have  been  grant- 
ed to  soldiers  to  go  home  and  vote  at  the 
presidential  election,  transportation  being 
furnished  them  to  and  from  their  homes 
free  of  charge.  So  great  has  been  the  rush 
around  the  transportation  offices,  that  many 
were  delayed  one  and  two  days  in  getting 
their  transportation;  while  thus  waiting 
around  the  doors  of  the  offices,  we  have 
prepared  c6ffee  and  food'  and  carried  to 
thetn.  Those  who  were  lame  or  too  feeble 
to  endure  the  crowd,  we  ^ook  their  furloughs 
and  obtained  the  transportation  for  them. 
They  were  exceedingly  gratified  for  this 
kindness.  ' 

A  WOHD  TO  THE  BEAKCHES. 

You  are  organized  for  "work.  You  do 
work.  The  history  of  the  war  has  demon- 
stuated  more  capacity  for  work  in  your  ma- 
chinery, from  the  several  centres  to  their 
remotest  auxiliaries,  than  was  ever  estimated 
even  by  yourselves.  You  have  done  so  much 
that  it  is  very  evident  you  can  do  a  great 
deal  more.  Your  very  success  in  the  past 
has  given  you  facilities  for  greater  success 
in  the  future.  There  is  more  friction,  how- 
ever, than  there  need  be  in  some  of  your 
organizations,  but  no  more  than  you  can 
remove.  Will  you  permit  a  brief  examina-" 
tion  of  one  of  the  causes  of  this  friction, 
and  a  few  suggestions  for  remedying  it? 

It  is  this.  There  is  not  always  unity  of  pur- , 
pose.  Preferences  are  expressed  for  send- 
ing supplies  here  or  there.  In  large  States, 
like  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  for  exam- 
ple, one  portion  of  the  State  prefers  to  act 
independently  of  another  portion ;  each  de- 
sires to  be  a  centre  for  itself,  and  to  be  sup- 
plied by  constituencies  of  its,  or  their  own 
choosing.   Little  districts  are  then  formed-^ 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


821 


little  independencies — ^the  natural  inclina- 
tion of  which  is  to  set  up  for  themselves. 
This  is  well,  when  the  centre  of  the  little 
circle  becomes  itself  tributary  to  the  larger 
one,  but  when  it  does  not,  evil  to  the  >  cause 
must  be  the  consequence.     Let  managers, 
corresponding  secretaries,  and  others  hav- 
ing control  of  Branches,  see  to  it  that  they 
cultivate  the  most  kindly  relations  with  the 
more  distant  places, — associate  managers  in 
counties  and  other  officers  of  societies, "and 
through  them  to  each  member  and  to  the 
community   generally.      The   Pope   issues 
bulls;    Bishops,  letters;    Governors,  mes- 
sages; and  Presidents,  proclamations.  Why 
not  women  in  charge  of  Branches  issue  let- 
ters to  the  associate  managers  in  the  several 
counties  within  their  respective  boundaries, 
and  these  to  the  little  societies  in  the  seve- 
ral towns  of  their  counties  respectively,  in-" 
fusing  into  all  the  spirit,  work,  and  plans  of 
the  Commission,  and  asking  from  all,  the 
freest  interchange  of  thought  and  effort. 
Concentrated  labor  is  feUj  supplies  accu- 
mulated, are  seen,  known,  and  accounted 
for;   independent   effort,  to   gratify   local 
pride  or  promote  some  narrow  purpose,  fails 
to  do  much  good. 

Union  should  be  the  watchword  of  all  the 
Aid  Societies,  as  it  is  of  all  the  loyal  people 
and  States.   '     ^ 


QUESTIONS,  ' 

We  propose  to  Associate  Managers 
throughout  the  country,  to  adopt  a  list  of 
questions  to  be  answered  by  the  town  and 
village  societies  in  their  respective  neigh- 
boihoods,  and  forwarded  to  the  corres- 
ponding secretaries  of  the  se'^eral  branches, 
as  follows : 

1.  What  is  the  name  and  location  of 
your  society  ? 

2.  How  many  working  members  has  it? 

3.  How  many  contributing  members? 

4.  How  often  does  it  meet  ? 

5.  What  is  the  monthly  average  of  its 
.  work  ? 

6.  What  is, its  plan  for  raising  money  ?, 


7.  Is  a  correct  record  kept  of  its  receipts 
of  supplies,  and  of  their  shipment  ? 

8.  What  is  needed  to  increase  the  effici- 
ency of  the  society  ? 

9.  Does  it  hold  public  meetings  fre- 
quently ? 

10.  Do  the  churches,  and  the  pastors  of 
churches  in  your  neighborhood  co-operate 
with  you  ? 

11.  What  objections  are  there  to  your 
plans  among  the  people  of  your  town  or 
village  ? 

12.  What  can  be- relied  on  for  the  next 
three  months  from-  your  society  ? 

13.  What  other  associations  for  relief  of 
soldiers  exist  in  your  neighborhood  ? 

14.  What  new  societies  have  been  formed, 
and  where  are  they  located  ? 

Questions  like  these,  carefully  knswered 
once  in  three  months,  and  forwarded  through 
the  Branches  to  the  Central  Office,  would 
furnish  material  for  ipry  valuable  statistics, 
and  it  is  hoped  that  our  various  Auxiliaries 
will  do  their  share  in  furnishing  the  desired 
information. 


THE  LIFE  OF  THE  COUUISSION. 

The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
in  its  conception,  organization,  and  work,  is 
the  expression  of  a  grand  idea.  That  idea 
is  its  life.  It  must  grow,  as  all  life  does, 
when  not  encumbered  by  extraneous  or  ad- 
ventitious hindrances. 

Men  are  called  to  defend  the  unity  of  the, 
nation,  and' thus  exhibit  in  their  humanity 
the  idea  of  nationality.  They  belong  to 
the  nation.  For  the  time  being,  they  lose 
their  individuality  as  citizens,  and  ane 
merged  into  a  common  struggle  'for  a  com- 
mon end.  They  need  help,  and  must  have 
it.  The  impulse  of  sympathy  for  th^  men 
causes  fountains  to  open,  from  which,  means 
of  help  and  comfort  flow  for  humaniti/'s 
sake.  The  emotions  of  love  for  country 
excite  effort  to  save  life  and  strengthen 
arms,  for  the  country's  sake.  Men  and 
nation  are  both  needed  for  the  cause  of  free 
institutions  in  all  the  world;  for  freedom  of 


822 


The  Sanitary  Commissiow  Bulletin. 


thought  and  action  seem  to  be  essential  to 
the  accomplishment  of  tte  Divine  purposes 
towards  mankind.  This  great  idea  is  em- 
bodied in  these  words, — 

GOOD  WILL  TO  MEN  ; 

— the  idea  that  moved  God  so  to  love  the 
world  as  to  redeem  it — that  stirred  the 
hearts  of  angels  to  sing,  and  that  has  given 
life  and  power  to  Christianity,  in  all  the 
generous  developments  of  its  spirit,  in  every 
age ;  and  that  is  now  the  motive  pOwer  of 
every  good  work  in  every  branch  of  Chris- 
tian enterprise.    ' 

The  idea  is,  good  will  to  all  men,  irre- 
spective of  name,  class,  or  locality.  State 
lines  are  obliterated  by  the  touch  of  this 
power.  Denominational  differences  are  not 
thought  of,  by  the  mind  that  is  possessed  of 
this  idea.  It  is  the  life  of  the  Commission. 
It  is  its  power.  It  is  the  life  of  the  people, 
the  power  of  the  nation ;  and  because  it  is, 
there  can  be  no  disagreement  in  principle 
or  in  purpose,  between  the  Commission 
and  the  people. 

The  animus  of  the  Commission  being 
sound,  however,  does  not  imply  that  its  or- 
ganization is  complete,  because  all  human 
organizations  are  of  necessity  imperfect; 
they  are  so,  because  humanity  is  imperfect. 
But  we  claim  for  the  Commission  that,  not- 
withstanding its  imperfections  in  form,  (and 
in  this  respect  it  has  a  brotherhood  relation 
to  all  kindred  institutions,)  it  is  neverthe- 
less unequalled  in  its  comprehensive  scope 
of  effort,  in  the  simplicity  of  its  plans,  in 
the  earnestness  of  its  laborers,  in  the  cheap- 
ness of  its  conduct,  and  in  the  magnificent 
results  of  its  efforts,  by  any  other'  organiza- 
tion known  to  men. 

AID  SOCIETIES. 

,  Take  the  thousands  of  Aid  Societies  that 
meet  week  after  week  throughout  the  land, 
their  general,  harmonious  co-operation, 
the  hundreds  lof  thousands  of  boxes,  ■  bar- 
rels, and  parcels  that  are  flowing  into  the 
various  Branches  in  our  larger  cities  iu 
the  North  and  West,.from  these  societies, — 


think  of  the  thousands  of  children  who  are 
doing  their  little  work,  and  tlie  hundreds  of 
crippled  and  aged  people  in  their  solitude 
who  are  knitting  and  sewing  and  praying 
for  the  soldier,  and  for  the  country;  and 
what  is  the  idea  that  gives  impulse,  toil, 
perseverance,  sacrifice  to  all  these?  The> 
answer  is,  good  will  to  our  soldiers  and  to 
our  country.  Such,is  the  basis  upon  which 
the  machinery  of  the  Commission  is  built. 

RAILROADS  AND  EXPRESS  COMPANIES. 

Take  now  the  means  of  transportation 
all  over  the  country,  traversing  in  all  direc- 
tions to  and  from  our  great  centres  of  trade 
and  through  our  rural  districts ;  examine 
their  books,  and  it  will  be  found  that  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  dollars  have  been 
contributed  by  these  corporations  and  com- 
panies, in  freight  and  express  charges,  that 
the  people  may  nojt  be  embarrassed  by  even 
ordinary  expenses,  in  their  plans  for  con- 
tributing to  the  army.  Consider  these 
things,  and  ask,  What  the  motive  ?,  where 
the  inducement  ?  The  answer  is,  good  will 
to  !5ur  soldiers — loyalty  to  our  government. 

GOVERNMENT  PAOILITIES. 

Look  at  the  interest  manifested  by  the 
Government  in  the  care  pf  its  sick  and 
wounded.  Never  did  a  nation  provide  so 
liberally  before.  The  bospital  stores  were 
neve*  so  abundant,  or  so  varied,  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  own,  or  other  lands,  as  they  are 
at  this  time.  A  government  was  never  so 
earnest  to  make  a  soldier's  life,  as  much  as 
possible,  like  home  life.  Hospitals,  in  field 
and  city,  never  had  so  ma'ny  competent  sur- 
geons ;  and  soldiers  were  never  better  fed  in 
the  trenches,  or  better  cared  for  in  hospitals. 

Look  at  the  transportation  for  battle 
stores  allowed  in  the  field,  by  agencies 
that  are  only  supplementary  to  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  the  kindly  sentiment  that 
prevails  among  army  officials  towards  the 
Commission,  and  ask  the  question,  Why? 
The  answer  is,  to  save  men  from  suffering 
and  death,  and  to  save  the ,  nation  to  itself 
and  its  people. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


823 


ENCOURAGEMENT. 

With  such  a  call  from  the  army,  such  a 
noble  response  from  the  people^  such  wil- 
lingness on  the  part  of  the  Government, 
the  Commission  is  constantly  assured  that, 
in  the  great  heart  of  the  people,  the  divine 
idea  that'  gave  it  existence,  still  lives  and 
moves.  The  people  continue  to  do  good 
deeds,  and  confident  that  there  can  be  no 
failure  on  their  part  to  furnish  contribu- 
tions, the  agencies  of  the  Commission,  as 
they  are  found  in  every,  city,  camp,  and 
hospital,  will  still  be  employed  as  reliablp 
instrumentalities  for  the  dispensation  of 
their  supplies.  , 

DUTY. 

Need  it  be  asked.  What  is  duty  ?  The 
excitement  of  the  political  campaign  is  at 
an  end.  The  election  is  over.  The  policy 
of  the  government  is  decided.  The  war 
will  go  on  till  the  rebellion  is  no  more. 
Soldiers  will  still  fall  in  battle ;  many  more 
will  be  in  hospital.  Thousands  who  are,  and 
will  be  permanently  disabled,  will  leave  the 
ranks  and  return  to  their  homes.  What 
shall  be  done  with,  and  for  them  ?  The  Aid 
Societies  are  still  at  work.  The  Government 
never  was  more  earnest  or  bountiful.  Soci- 
eties, companies,'  corporations — all^who 
are  loyal  to  the  country  anc^  who  love  the 
right,  are  conscious  of  the  great  responsi- 
bility that  is  upon  us  as  a  people,  and  of  the 
great  duty  we  have  to  perform.  Let  us  do 
it  nobly — do  it  with  good  will,  with  sacri- 
fice if  need  be,  but  do  it — work  for  the  sick 
and  wounded,  save  life  for  its  own  sake, 
save  men  for  the  country's  sake,  do  our 
duty  for  our  own  sake,  do  all  for  the  sake 
of  Him,  to  whom  we  must  give  account. 


FACTS  AND  FIGTJEES.      ^ 
BY  REV.  JOHN  A.  ANDERSON. 

The  streets  in  front  of  the  transportation 
offices  were  jammed.  The  sidewalks  lead- 
ing from  thence  to  the  Baltimore  depot 
were  jammed.  The  spacious  station-house 
was  jammed.  The  railings  which  barred 
out  the  crowd  from  the  cars  were  not  half 
so  squeezed  together  as  was  the  crowd  itself) 


and  when  the  cars  were  once  fortunately 
gotten  into,  they  were  more  than  jami^ed. 
It  was  a  jam-up  affair ;  for  hale  heroes  just 
from  out  the  trenches  before  Petersburg, 
and  hearty  heroes  just  from  out  the  columns 
with  which  splendid  Sheridan  has  so  often 
whirled  Early,  were  going  home  by  the 
hundreds  and  by  the  more  than  thousands 
to  vote.  In  the  strength  of  heroism,  and 
better,  in  the  majesty  of  simple  American 
citizens,  they  were,  shoulder  by  •  shoulder 
with  their  old  neighbors,  to  deposit  a  silent 
ballot  for  Jjincoln  or  McClellan  as  each 
might  will ;  ^r  though  defenders  of  their 
country  and  soldiers,  that  country  had  not 
seen  fit  to  politically  ostracise  them  because 
thereof;  and  they  voted  unrestrainedly,  not 
as  soldiers,  but  as  citizen^. 

But  though  hale  and  hearty  as  hundreds 
of  them  were,  more  thousands  were  just  out 
of  hospital ;  with  hands  off,  with  arms  off, 
with  legs  off,  with  faces  emaciated  by  disease 
and  frames  terribly  burnt  out  by  fevers. 
Those  who  were  strong,  might  stand  six  and 
ten  hours  before  the  quartermaster's  win- 
dows awaiting  an  .opportunity  to  present 
their  papers;  and  those  who  had  limbs 
might  be  able  to  stand  as  many  hours  befi/re 
the  railings,  and  to  hustle  through  the  dense 
mass  into  the  cars.  But  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  the  whole  number  were  either  so 
weakened  by  disease,  or  so  disabled  by 
wounds,  as  to  render  such  feats  of  endurance 
and  vigor  impossible. 

SOLDIERS  GOING  HOME. 

All  day  and  all  night  long  the  stream 
from  City  Point,  the  one  from  Shenandoah, 
and  the  one  from  the  Washington  and 
Alexandria  hospitals,  would  meet  and  surge 
against  the  depot,  ere  it  was  permitted  to 
pour  along  the  railways ;  and  in  the  inevit- 
able delay,  many  a  tottering  convalescent 
was  famished  for  food,  and  shrouded  by  chill 
night. 

soldiers'  HOME  AND  LODQE. 

Close  by  the  depot  was  the  "  Soldiers' 
Home ;"  and  close  by  the  up  town  trans- 
portation office,  was  the  "  Soldier's  Lodge" 
on  H  street ;  and  not  only  did  the  Com- 
mission throw  wide  their  doors,  but  also 
agents  were  constantly  pressing  through  the 
crowds  and  culling  out  the  weakliest  and 
neediest,  whom  they  assisted  to  tables 
smoking  with  well  filled  dishes,  and  to  beds 
smiling  with  cleanliness.  From  dawn  until 
midnight  those  tables  were  never  emptied, 
or,  I  rather,   were    re-fi-lled    as    rapidly   as 


824 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


emptied,  a  fact  that  may  be  seen  from  the 
following  extract  from  the  books  : — 


Nov.  1, 
2, 
3, 
4, 

MEALS. 
Hsme.             Lodge. 

1,250        1,113 
1,426          390 

1,284           352 
1,163           285 

sight's  lodgikgs. 
Home        Lodge. 

394          84 
449          50 
410          70 
836          70 

5,123 
2,140 

2,140 

1,589     274 
274 

Total.        7,263  1,863  ^ 

Nearly  two  thousand  snug  beds  to  shel- 
terless sick  men,  and  over  seven  thousand 
meals  to  hungry  convalescents',  may  be  re- 
garded as  good  work  for  two  of  the  Wash- 
ington special  relief  institutions  in  ninety- 
six  hours'  time  J  and  the  capacity  of  the 
Lodge,  it  will  be  seen,  was  far  from  being 
fully  tested,  owing  to  its  distance  from  the 
depot. 

But  this  was  the  smallest  part  of  the 
comfort  actually  afforded. 

Our  wife's  hand-bag  is  somewhat  of  a 
nuisance  when  we  go  railroading,  and  doubt- 
less the  plethoric  knapsack  is  no  small  bur- 
den and  anxiety  to  sick  men  who  must  wait 
hours  in  the  jam. 

CHECKING  BAGGAGE. 

Between  two  and  three  thousand  checks 
were  issued  to  these,  their  baggage  safely 
stowed,  and  when  desired,  re-delivered  to 
the  owner. 

TRANSPORTATION. 

The  papers  of  those  who  were  too  feeble 
or  too  badly  crippled  to  reach  the  office, 
were  taken  by  Sanitary  Commission  agents 
to  the  quartermaster,  and  transportation 
secured  upon  them ;  when,  after  a  meal  or 
a  night's  sleep,  the  poor  fellow  was  helped 
into  a  car,  nestled  down  into  a  seat,  and  sent 
on  his  way  rejoicing,  to  be  similarly  aided — 
should  aid  be  needed — by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  at  Baltimore,  Harrisburg,  Pitts- 
burg, Cincinnati,  Buffalo,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  Boston,  Portland  and  many 
other  railroad  centres. 

TEEDING  IN  THE  STREET. 

Then,  too,  numbers  far  greater  than  the 
7000  above  mentioned,  were  fed  in  the 
streets  and  in  the  depot ;  for  although  many 
had  been  two  days  on  the  way,  eating 
nothing  but  hard  tack,  if  that,  yet  so  intense 
was  the  longing  to  push  homeward,  and  so 
great  was  the  dread  lest  by  leaving  the  line 


for  a  meal  the  only  chance  should  be  lost, 
that  hundreds  declined  the  invitation  to 
enter  the  buildings;  and  to  these  were  car- 
ried steaming  bucketsfnl  of  coffee  and  bas- 
kets of  soft  bread  and  cold  meat. 

It  seems  a  little  thing  to  mention  the 
constant  streams  of  water  which  kept  p<jur- 
ing  into  wash  basins  and- canteens,  but  thirst 
and  dirt  are  great  annoyances. 

Week  after  week  such  genuine  Christiani- 
ty is  being  silently  practised  by  the  Sani-^ 
tary  Commission.  As  one  looked  at  the 
poor  fellows  who,  faint  and  weary,  sat  at 
the  edges  of  the  throng,  yearning  for  home, 
hoping  for  it,  with  home  for  the  first  time 
in  years  a  possibility,  with  the  cars  that 
would  turn  that  possibility  into  a  certainty 
in  sight,  and  yet  blocked  out  as  if  with  gran- 
ite by  that  solid  mass  about  the  gates^  one 
could  not  but  remember  the  five  porches  of 
Bethesda:  "In  these  lay  a  great  multitude 
of  impotent  folk,  of  blind,  halt,  withered, 
waiting  for  the  moving  of  the  water ;"  and 
pf  the  impotent  man  who  answered  the 
Saviour : — "  Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the 
water  is  troubled,  to  put  me  in  the  pool ; 
but  while  I  am  coming  another  steppeth 
down  before  me."  One  need  not  go  to 
Pjblestine  and  to  the  first  century  to  be'a 
good  Samaritan. 

The  sum  total  of  "  aid  and  comfort"  given 
at  these  institutions  can  only  be, cast  up 
by. the  recipients;  but  be  it  ever  so  large, 
it  can  never  approximate  to  the  munificence 
of  generosity  with  which  this  loyal  people 
would  greet  its  hero  sons,  nor  to  the  luxu- 
riance of  honor  which  it  would  wreathe 
upon  the  brows  of  its  preservers. 

The  rush  at  the  "  Home"  still  keeps  up, 
and  after  election,  when  these  men  return, 
will  have  to  be  gone  through  again. 

WaBbington,  November  6, 1864. 


HOW  THEY  DO  IN  THE  HORTH-WEST. 

The  work  of  the  friends  of  the  soldier 
in  Chicago,  the'centre  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission for  the  North- West,  has  taken  a  new 
impulse,  the  infiuence  of  which  is  felt  even 
here  in  the  East.  The  following  exhibit  of 
two  months  work  will  be  read  with  interest. 

The  number  of  'packages  (i.  e.,  barrels 
and  boxes,)  received  during  the  last  two 
months,  is  804.  The  number  shipped  is 
3,297 ;  2,493  of  which  have  been  boxes  of 
purchased  supplies,  consisting  of  articles 


The  Saiiitary  Commiision  Bulletin. 


825 


never  donated  in  quantities.     The  average 
value  of  these  packages  was  formerly  esti- 
mated at  $40  per  box  or  barrel,  but  the  in- 
creased price  of  every  article  of  food  and 
clothing  now  renders  $50  a  low  a'^erage  es- 
timate for  the  value  of  the  boxes  received. 
At  this  estimate,  it  will  be  perceived  that 
the  value  of  ttie  sanitary  goods  donated, the 
Commission  during  the  months  of  July  and 
August,  is  $124,650.     In  addition  "to  this, 
$26|881.63  worth   of  .supplies  have  been 
purchased  and  forwarded  to  the  front.   The 
Commission   has   received  $49,908.31    in 
money  during  the  last  two  months,  $40,000 
of  which   was   the   generous   gift   of  the 
Northern  Iowa  Sanitary  Fstir,  held  in  Du- 
buque, in  June.     The  whole  number  of 
boxes  shipped  to '  the  hospitals  and.  to  the 
front,  from  the,  beginning,  is  46,890.  Spe- 
cial shipnients  of  supplies  have  been  sent  to 
Memphis,  $8,000  worth  having  been  pur- 
chased for  the   occasion.     About  $18,000 
worth  have  been  purchased  for  Louisville, 
from  whence  they  were  to  be  re-shipped  to 
the  front.     About  $2,000  worth  of  supplies 
have  been  sent  to  Kansas,  to  the  brother  of 
old  "John  Brown,"  who  is  the  Sanitary 
agent  for  that  district.     The  Commission' 
expend  regularly ievery  week  about  $4,000 
in   the   purchase   of    necessaries  for    our 
wounded  men,  and  will  continue  to  do  so 
during  the  present  camp^gn.     These  pur- 
chased supplies,  it  •  will  always  be  remem- 
bered, consist  of  articles  which  are  never 
donated — which  can  only  be  obtained  with 
money,  and  which  are  absolutely  essential 
to  the  comfort  and  recovery  of  the  men — 
as   canned   milk,    concentrated  extract  of 
beef,  green  tea,  crushed  sugar,  crackers, - 
ale,  wines,  codfish,  etc.    It  must  not  be  for- 
gotten, that  ajl  these  purchases  and  ship- 
ments are  exclusive  of  donations  of  articles 
which  are  received  day  by  day,  and  which 
in   the    aggregate    amount  to    ten   times 
as  much  as  the  purchased  supplies.     All 
through  the  season,  for  the  last  five  months, 
the  average  shipihents  of  sanitary  stores  to 
the  front  and  the  hospitals,  have  been  about 
ten  tons  daily. 

Supplies  have  been  sent  to  Louisville, 
Chattanooga,.  Little  Rock,  Pine  Bluff,  Du- 
val's Bluff,  Memphis,  Vicksburg,  Cairo, 
and  to  the  various  hospitals  in  the  vicinity. 
The  Chicago  hospitals,  and  the  Chicago 
Soldiers'  Rest,  and  Home,  have  drawn  on  us 
as  they  have  had  need ;  -  and  we  are  daily 
supplying  soldiers  in  transitu,  who  call  at 
our  rooms  for  help.  > 


CONTRIBUTIONS   OF  CHILDREN. 

The  children  of  Chicago  have  manifested 
a  very  commendable  and  touching  interest 
in  the  Sanitary  Commission  during  the  last 
two  months.  Those  living  in  the  West  Divi- 
sion of  the  city  have  been  fairly  inoculated 
with  a  Sanitary  Fair  mania,  which  has  had 
so  extensive  a  run  among  their  elders,  and 
the  July  and  August  vacation  has  yielded 
the  Commission  quite  a  harvest  from  these 
little  fairs.  They  have  been  mostly  held  in 
the  grassy  yards  of  private  houses,  under 
the  trees,  and  have  been  planned  and  car- 
ried on  exclusively  by  children,  from  nine 
to  fourteen  years  of  age,  who  have  mani- 
fested no  little ,  shrewdness  in  their  calcu- 
lations, and  ingenuity  ■  in  their  devices. 
These  fairs  have  netted  the  Commission 
about  three  hundred  dollars  in  money — a 
very  handsome  sum  for  children  to  earn 
during  the  fierce  and  torrid  holidays. 

It  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  writer  to 
attend  one  of  these  fairs.  A  boy  of  four- 
teen stood  at  the  gate  as  door-keeper,  gravely 
exacting  and  receiving  the  five  ce'nts  admis- 
sion fee  which  was  charged.  Another  little 
chap  of  ten  perambulated  the  side-^^alks 
for  a  block  or  two,  carrying  a  banner  in- 
scribed, "  Sanitary  Fair  for  the  Sol- 
diers," and  drumming  up  customers  %x 
his  sisters  under  the  trees.  "  Here's  your 
Sanitary  Fair,  for  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers," he  shouted,  after  the  fashion  of  a 
newsboy ;  "  walk  up,  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
walk  up  !"  Inside  the  yard,  under  the 
trees,  from  which  the  national  colors  de- 
pended, the  Fair  tables  were  spread,  and 
here  sat  the  little  fairy  saleswomen,  some 
of  the  wee  ones,  in  high  dining  chairs,  and 
all  presiding  over  their  wares  with  \  dig- 
nity that  provoked  laughter.  Big  brothers 
stood  behind  them,  ostensibly  to  see  that 
their  sisters  made  change  right,  but  in  re- 
ality, probably,  because  they  enjoyed  the 
whole  affair,  for  the  mimic  traders  resented 
any  of  their  interference,  stoutly  declaring 
that  "they  could  make  change  themselves." 
One  of  the  little  gipsies  shook  back  her 
curls,  and  lifting  ker  sunny  face,  announced 
that  "  already  they'd  dot  twenty-/ree  dol- 
lars," and  she  wanted  to  know  how  mlucli 
that  would  buy  for  the  soldiers. 

The  Fair  mania  has  extended  into  the 
country,  and  the  young  people  of  Lemont, 
111.,  sent  $75  to  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
as  the  result  of  their  Fair,  saying  in  a  note, 
that  "  they  made  ■terrijfic  charges  on  the 
pockets  or  their  fathers,  whiqh  were  com- 


826 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


pletely  successful."  Since  then,  the  same 
parties  have  given  a  concert,  which  netted 
the  Commission  $40. 

A  few  days  ago,  a  beautiful  black-eyed, 
rosy-cheeked  boy  ran  into  the  office  of  the 
Commission  with  an  eager  face,  and  handed 
to  the  treasurer  a  two-dollar  greenback. 
Said  he,  "  I'm  five  years  old  to-day,  aild 
my  papa  div  me  two  dollars  to  buy  nuts 
and  tandy — ^but  I  don't  want  none,  and  you 
may  div  the  money  to  the  soldiers."  He 
could  hardly  wait  to  be  thanked,  or  kissed, 
but  off  he  ran  to  his  play.  G-od  bless  the 
children !  their  hearts  are  in  the  right 
■  place ;  and  to  them  it  is  a  pleasure  to  sac- 
rifice and  labor  for  the  brave  men  defending 
the  country. 

A  NEW  METHOD  EOE  RAISING  FUNDS. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  the  number 
of  sick  and  wounded  men  now  in  hospital 
approximates  one  hundred  thousand — that 
the  military  campaign  is  to  be  conducted  to 
the  end  with  no  abatement  of  vigor — that 
half  a  million  more  men  are  soon  to  take 
the  field,  to  pass  through  the  inevitable 
sickyess  of  acclimation  and  camp  life — and 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  during 
the  last  two  months  disbursed  half  a  million  ' 
of  dollars  in  money,  to  say  nothing  of  do- 
nated stores,  it  will  be  seen  that  there  must 
be  a  regular  supply  of  means,  which'  shall 
be  as  unintermittent  and  ample  as  the  de- 
mand, or  fearful  suffering  must  ensue  among 
the  country's  brave  defenders. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  now  proposes 
that  an  effort  be  made  to  obtain  from  every 
person  in  the  Northwest  the  proceeds  of  one 
day's  labor,  one  day's  profits,  or  one  day's 
income,  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  the  army.  It  asks  for  the 
365th  part  of  the  gifts  of  Providence,  for 
the  benefit  of  the  gallanf  men  now  preserv- 
ing them  for  those  at  home.  It  is  hoped 
that  this  appeal  will  be  answered  by  the 
toiling  seamstress  and  daughter  of  luxury, 
the  hardy  day  laborer  and  skillful  mechanic, 
by  the  millionaire,  banker,  and  lawyer,  by 
the  successful  merchant' #and  his  employes, 
by  the  hardy  mariner  and  stalwart  yeoman, 
'  by  the  government  employe — even  by  cor- 
porate bodies,  heretofore  said  to  be  destitute  of 
souls.  No  class  will  be  denied  the  privilege 
of  uniting  with,  and  none  will  be  oppressed 
by  this  thorough  and  systematic  plan. 

The  various  trades,  professions,-  and  busi- 
nesses of  this  city  are  already  organizing, 
with  a  view  to  Obtain  from  all  this  voluntary 


assessment.  In  many  of  the  country  towns 
there  is  completed  an  efficient  organization 
for  the  carrying  out  of  this  purpose.  It  is 
recommended  that  committees  of  two  or 
three  persons  should  be  appointed  for  every 
departmeflt  of  business  and  labor,  mercan- 
tile, mechanical,  agricultural,  operative ; 
male  and  female,  old  and  young.  It  is 
hoped  that  clergymen  and  Sabb?.th-schools, 
as  well  as  business  men'  and  associations, 
will  become  interested  in  th'is  plan^^that 
the  press  may  be  subsidized  in  its  behalf — 
that  Aid  Societies,  Loyal  Leagues,  and-G-ood 
Templars  will  take  it  in  hand  promptly  and 
energetically.  The  way  to  do  it  is,  to  ob- 
GANIZE  !  Organize  in  your  workshops,  in 
your  families.  Let  the  men  organize.  Let 
the  women  organize.  Let  the  trades  organ- 
ize. Organize  everywhere.  Let  the  work- 
men give  with  their  employers,  the  employ- 
ers with  their  workmen. 
'  It  is  easily  done.  If  the  workmen  will 
authorize  their  employers,  to.  deduct  one  day 
from  their  week's  or  month's  earnings,  and 
the  employers  will  add  to  it  a  day  of  their 
profits,  the  whole  will  be  acknowledged  to- 
gether to  the  credit  of  the  establishment. 
We  say  to  all,  go  to  work  at  once  wi^h  us 
in  this  great  work..  H«rry  forward  your 
contributions.  Every  acknowledgment  will 
stimulate  others  to  follow  your  example. 

Circulars,  with  full  instructions,  will  be 
sent  upon  application,  by  mail  or  otherwise, 
and  letters  on  the  subject  will  be  fully 
and  promptly  answered. 

Two  of  the  churches  of  Chicago  have  at 
ready  taken  the  initiative  in  carrying  out 
this  programme  :  St.  James'  Church,  Rev. 
Dr.  Clarkson,  rector ;  and  the  first  Congre- 
gational Church,  Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  pastor. 
Each,  has  paid  into  the  Commission  the 
fifty-second  part  of  its  church  revenue  for  a 
year,  on  the  ground  that  a  church  organi- 
zation has  but  fifty-two  days  in  its  year. 

In  Palatine,  a  small  town  in  Cook  county, 
a  few  miles  from  Chicago,  the  Aid  Society 
have  assessed  a  monthly  tax  on  every  person 
in  the  town,  -varying  from  |1  00  to  five 
cents.  Collectors  are  appointed  for  the  nine 
school  districts  of  the  town,  whose  business 
it  is  to  collect  the  sums  pledged  monthly, 
and  pay  them  to  the  Aid  Society,  and  the 
aggregate  will  be  an  amount  of  between  one 
and  two  thousand  dollars  yearly.  If  every 
town  in  the  Northwest  would  'follow  this 
example,  the  Sanitary  Commission  would 
have  a  revenue  sufficiently  ample  for  its 
needs,  and  every  Aid  Society  would  be^  able 


The  Sanitary  Commission  'Bulletin, 


82T 


to  supply  itself  with  all  the  fabrics  it  needs 
for  the  manufacture  of  hospital  clothing. 

THE  BASIS   OP  THE  SANITARY  AND  CHRIs'- 
TIAN  .COMMISSIONS   OP   CHICAGO. 

To  prevent  misapprehension  on  the  part 
of  the  public  as  to  the  work  of  these  two 
Commissions  among  the  soldiers,  they  have 
jointly  decided  to  s&te  publicly,,  the  basis 
upon  which  they  stand,  as  co-laborers  in 
raising  and  disbursing  the  supplies  neces- 
sary to  prose'cute  their  work  : 

1st.  These  two  Commissions  have  Jiere- 
tofore  worked,  and  intend  hereafter  to  work 
in  harmony,  and  wUl  assist  each  other  in 
every  way  possible. 

2d.  Both  Commissions  in  this  city  have 
studiously  endeavored  in  all  their  official 
action,  to  avoid  any  approach  to  rivalry  in 
any  of  their  work,  desiring  only  that  such 
methods  of  raising  and  disbursing  supplies 
should  be  pursued  as  will  with  least  ex- 
pense, accomplish  the  most  good  to  the  sol- 
diers, as  evidence  of  which  it  may  be  stated, 
that  the  Christian  Commission  have  turned 
over  a  large  proportion  of  their  stores  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  and- in  return 
have  drawn  from  the  Sanitary  Commission 
sanitary  supplies  to  be  distributed  by  the 
agents  of  the  Christian  Commission. 

3d.  And  for  the  future,  it  is  proposed  to 
the  public,  by  both  Commissions  so  far  as 
their  authority  extend,  that  any  individuals 
or  societies  that  may  desire  the  Christian 
Commission  to  distribute  the  stores  raised 
by  them,  shall  mark  them  "  U.  S.  C.  Com. 
care  of  N.  W.  Sanitary  Commission  of  Chi- 
cago," and  such  stores  shall  be  forwarded 
to  the  axwf,  to  be  drawn  upon  by  the 
Christian  Commission,  as  the  wants  of  the 
army  may  require ;  and  all  agents  of  both 
Commissions,  whose  business  it  is  to  raise 
money  or  supplies  for  feither,  shall  be  in- 
structed to  inform  the.  public  that  entire 
harmony  of  action  exists  between  the  Sani- 
tary and  Christian  Commissions  of  Chicago 
acting  for  the  J^orthwegt. 

TO  THE  CLEBGY  OF  THE  NOETH-WEST. 

Dear  Brethren  : — Permit  me,  as  one 
of  your  number,  and  a  member,  from  its 
organization,  of  the  North- Western  Sanitary 
Commission;  to  call  your  attention  to  the 
plan  now  in  progress  for^  replenishing,  its 
treasury,  by  the  one  day's  income  method. 
This  proposes  that  every  individual,  busi- 
ness firm,  corporation,  and  church  shall 
give  the  net  proceeds  of  one  day's  business, 
or  the  wages  of  one  day's  labor,  or  the. 


amount  of  one  day's  income.  The -plan  is 
fiimple  and  feasible;  and,  when  properly 
presented,  by  argument  and  example,  is 
sure  to  take  with  all  loyal  people.  Some  of 
the  churches  in  this  city  have  already  sent 
us  one  Sabbath's  income  of  their  pew  rental, 
and  the  pastor*  a  day's  income  from  their 
salaries.  Many  branches  of  business  are 
following  the  same  example.  Will  you  not 
propose  the  matter  to  your  respective  con- 
gregations, and  thus  aid  the  good  work  of 
supplying  the  wants  of  our  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers  ?  Allow  me,  from  my  thorough 
acquaintance  with  the  operations  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  to  bear  testimony  to 
the  efficiency  and  economy  of  its  methods. 
Our  system  of  intelligent',  experienced,  and 
permanent  agents  has  pjjoved  itself  to  be 
most  worthy  of  confidence,  guarding  against 
mismanagement  and  waste,  and  thus  more 
than  saving  all  its  incidental  cost.  The  size 
of  our  armies  and  the  severity  of  the  cam- 
paigns make  unusual  demands  upon  our 
treasury.  May  we  not  rely  upon  the  patriot- 
ism of  our  clergy  to  sustain  us  to  the  end 
of  the  war  ?  If  they  will  send  to  this  office, 
66  Madison  street,  Chicago,  111.,  circulars 
for  distribution  will  be  forwarded  at  once, 
containing  all  necessary  explanations.  Sub- 
scription lists  will  also  be  furnished.  ^ 

In  behalf  of  the  North- Western  Sanitary 
Commission.  Wm.  W.  Patton, 

Vice  President. 

A  FBAISEWOBTHY  ENTEBFBISE. 

Some  for  the  Veterans  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  Orphan  Asylum  for  the  Children  of  deceased 
Soldiers,  at  Egg  Harbor  City,  N.  J. 

These  Institutions  have  been  endowed 
with  60  acres  of  land  and  the  partial  pro- 
ceeds of  500  lots,  amounting  to  113,000,  by 
the  directory  of  the  Gloucester  Farm  and 
Town  Association  of  Egg  Harbor  City.  The 
Retreat  will  offer  to  the  disabled  soldiers  of 
the  Republic  a  happy  home,  where  they  can 
find  that  care  and  those  comforts  which  a 
grateful  country  wishes  them  to  be  provided 
with.  The  Orphan  Asylum  will  receive 
and  educate  all  children  of  deceased  soldiers, 
in  order  to  make  them  useful  citizens.  The 
Board  of  Trustees  is  composed  of  some  of 
the  highest  officers  in  the  United  States, 
both  civil  and  military.  v 

As  we  wish  to  be  enabled  to  afford  admit- ' 
tance  to  all  who  may  apply,  we  solicit  for 
the  better,  endowment  of  the  Institutions 
liberal  donations  from  all  who  feel  an  inter- 
est in  the  future  welfare  of  those  who  are 


828 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


disabled  and  will  be  homeless  and  helpless 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  also  for  the 
Qrphans  of  our  fallen  heroes.  A  Quarterly 
Report  will  inform  the  donors  and  the  pub- 
lic of  the  progress  of  the  Institution. 

The  Constitution  and  By-laws  will  soon 
be  ready  in  pamphlet  form,  and  further  in- 
formation respecting  the  Soldier^  Retreat 
and  Orphans'  Home  will  be  cheerfully  given 
by  the  undersigned.  All  contributions 
should  be  directed  to  the  Treasurer,  P.  M. 
WoLSEiFFER,  Esq.,  Egg  Harbor  City,  N.  J. 
By  order  of  the  Council  of  Administration. 

The  Executive  Committee — G-eorge  0. 
Geavis,  L.  Bulinger. 

table  of  contents. 

COBKESPONDENCE. 

From  WasMogton — Mrs.  S.  Barker 801 

Between  Sau,  and  Christiaa  Commissions.. .  811 
Key.  J.  A.  Anderson,  (Facts  and  Figures)..  823 

From  City  Point,  Va. — Laundries  in  the  Army 810 

Dr.  McDonald 812 

From  Camp  Parole,  Md . — Alma  Carey 813 

Joseph  C.  Batchelor 813 

From  Annapolis,  Md.— George  C.  Miller 814 

From  Chicago,  111.— Eev.  W.  W.  Patton,  (To  the 

Clergy  of  the  Horth- West) 827 

Reports 
From  Atlanta,  Ga.,  H.  Tone  to  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry. .  802 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  B.  Woodward,  "  . .  SOS 

Camp  Nelson,  Tenn.,  Thos.  Butler,  "  . .  803 
Camp  Parole,  Md.,  L.  S.  Phillips  to  F.  N .  Knapp  814 
New  Orleans,  La.,  Dr.  G.  A.  Blake,  "  804,  816 
Annapolis,  Md.,  J,  Addison  Whittaker,  "  SIS 

Washington,  D.  C,  J.  B.  Abbott,  "  818 

MiSCELLANEOnS. 

How  the  Goods  go 804 

Three  months  in  the  V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 80S 

New  Agent's  Impressions >, 806 

Sanitary  Commission,  (Its  Chief  Object,  Relief  De-  ' 
partment.  Great  Battles,  Special  Relief,  Cost  of 

^  Agents) 807 

The  Commission  and  Party  Politics ' 808 

Paying  Soldiers'  Families , 808 

Hospital  Fund,  (Its  Uses,  Expenditure,  &c.) 808 

Hospital  Gardens 809 

Where's  Jeddo  ? 810 

The  Refreshment  Stations 811 

Homes  and  Lodges 817 

Economy  of  Woolen  Underclothing 817 

How  they  do  in  the  North- West,  (Contributions  of 
Children,  New  Method  of  Raising  Funds,  The 
Basis  of  the  Sanitary  Commiesion  of  Chicago).. .  824 

A  Praiseworthy  Enterprise .". '. . .  827 

Editorial. 

A  Word  to  Associate  Managers 811 

A  Word  to  the  Branches 820 

Questions 821 

The  Life  of  the  Commission,  (Good  Will  to  Men,  Aid 
Societies,  Railroad  and  Express  Companies,  Gov- 
ernment Facilities,  Encouragement  and  Duty) . .  821 

,  PROTECTIVE 

OF    THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  YORK. 
OmCE,  35  CHAMBERS  STBEET, 

President. 

Lieul-Gbn.  WINPIBLD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Pisk,     Admiral  Ddpont, 

John  J.  Cisoo,  Esq.,     Rod.  A.-Witthaus,  Esq. 

Teeasdrbb. — RoBEBi;  B.  Minturn,  Esq. 


Directors. 


Hons.  E.  D.  MoESAN, 
George  Opdtee,  _ 
Hiram. Baenet, 
Jas  W.  Beekman, 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D,, 
John  Jacob  Astoe, 
James  Brown, 
William  H.  Aspinwall, 
James  Gallatin, 

Apply  in  person  6r  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 


Howard  Pottbe, 
William  .E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Coopee, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord,         ~ 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  saMiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  imposture'  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

F.  L,  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 
'     B.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surgeon-Gen'l  U.  S.  A 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. , 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Bt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  B.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,, Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

■Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky, 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

C.  J.  StiU6,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

\     OFFICERS.  ^ 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  gOMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong,  r 
Wm.H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  C.  J.  StilU, 


The  Sanitary  Commimon  Bulletin. 


829 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  Ne-vrTork,  New  Jersjy,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Mar^and,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  ISOt  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri;  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given; 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once  j  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

Bi^»Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hij/- 
manity  more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those' who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  Its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   EAST. 

I    CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.'  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  JTo.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTRIBUTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

U.  B.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
S'treet,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md.     4| 


T7 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 
•     U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C." 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,, La! 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lisjied  from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL   DEPOTS   OF   COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison. 
Street,  Chicago,  111.  ' ' 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  T. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna.     • 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
vUle,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  ace  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Fay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

""  The  Home,"  No,  3T4  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.'C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  '  ' 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  0. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  The  "Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md.  ^ 

'   "  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa.     ' 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

HOSPITAL  OA^S. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga Dr.  J, 

P.  Bamum,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  B3;eAMER. 

James  River — Elizabeth. 


830 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BBANCH, 

No.  744:  Broadway, 

NEW  YORK. 


PHiriADEIiPHIA.: 


BRANCH, 

No.  19  Green  Street, 

BOSTON,  Mass. 


Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  wlio  have  lost  Limbs, 

The  *'Palheb"  Aru  and  Les  are  now  fornislied  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  inust  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Guvemment. 

SURGE02r-GEKEBAL*S  OFFICE, 
WASH1H8T0H  CiTT,  D.C.,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sir  : — ^The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  diffisrent 
models  submitted  to  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       *'«  *  *  *  *  *  * 

In  compliance  with  the  becohkiendation  of  the  Board,  when  a  soldier  mat  desire  to  purchase  "the  hobb 
eleaamt  abd  expexsive  arm  of  palmer,"  fifty  dollars  will  be  allowed  towards  paymeht  for  tht  same. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CRAKE,  Surgeon  n.S.A. 

Surgeon-General *s  Office, 
WASBINflTOH  CiTT,  B.C.,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sir  : — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst,  1  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Beport  and  recommendation  of ' 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  manufactured  bt  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 
/  .  W.  C.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.  A. 

(To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York.      - 


The  Best  PALMER  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LIJfCOLlT  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  li^ei'son,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  Am&rican  Artificial  Limb  Go. 


^ 


W 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BT  THE  ORIGINAL  IlfVBNTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

-PRINCIPAL  -WAEBHOUSES: 

FAIEBAWKS  &  CO.,  No,  252  Broadway,  New  York, 
I'AIKBANKS;&  BBOWN,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
PAIBBAIirKS,  GEEEWLBAF  &  CO„  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIKBAWKS  &  BWING,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIBBANKS  &  CO.,  Wo.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  fwrnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of  the  above 


The  Smitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


831 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


ISd:  O  R  R  I  s 


COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capitp,!, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  In, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This.  Company  issues  oh  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATioN  ill  PROFITS, 

against  loss-  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port.  i  . 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


Tyx.2 

El.  £:  o  7  o  XI.  s. 

EDWAED  EOWE 
ALBERT  G.  LEE, 
GEOEGB  MILN, 
J.  C.  MOEEIS, 
BOB'T  BOWWIS, 
EZRA.  KYE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 
FRED.  H.  BEADLEE, 
EDWAED  C.  BATES, 
WILLIAM  MACKAT, 
BEW J.  B.  BATES, 
B.  U.  M0BEI8,  Jr., 

JOSEPH  MOEEISOir, 
BAN'L  W.  TELLBE, 
HENET  J.  C  A  MM  ANN, 
S.  N.  DEERICK, 
CHAELES  HICKOX, 
N.  0.  NIM§. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary^ 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


832  The  Sanitary.  Commission  Bulletin. 

O  IF"  IF' I  O  E3     or*     O?  XX  £3 

Columbian  (Marine)  Insurance 

Corner  of  Wall  an4  Nassau  Streets. 


CASH  CAPITAL,  $1,000,000. 

*    ^  From  Statement  for  the  Sixth  Fiscal  Tear,  ending^  December  31,  1863. 

Total  Amount  of  Assets,  January  1,  1864 $3,140,930  80 

-Total  Amount  of  Premiums 3,252,256  76 

Excess  of  Earned  Premiums  over  Losses,  &c 1,137,063  S3 

Reserve  for  Estimate  Claims  Unadjusted  and  other  Contingencies 441,206  49 

Guaranteed  Cash  Dividend  to  Dealers,  (holding  certificates  of  same)  on 
Paid  Premiums  Earned  during  the  Year,  Whether  Loss  has  Accrued 

or  not 269,614  80 

Scrip  Dividend  to  Dealers,  on  Eai^ned  Premiums 15,  per  cent. 

Dividend  for  the  Year  to  Stockholders 26  per  cent. 


LOSSES    PAID    IN    COLD 

UPON  RISKS  ON  WHICH  THE  PREMIUM  IS  PAID  IN  LIKE  CURRENCY. 


DEALERS  WITH  THIS  COMPANY  will  be  allowed  the  option  (to  be 
signified  at  the  time  of  application  for  insurance)  of  receiving  in  lieu  of  scrip,  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  RETURNS  IN  CASH  (guaranteed  by  certificate)  of  premiums  paid  and 
earned  during  the  year,  whether  loss  accrues  or  not,  upon  all  new  risks  under  the  NEW 
YORK  FORM  OP  POLICY,  as  follows: 

1st.  Upon  all  VOYAGE   Risks  upon   CARGO,  a  return  of  TWENTY-FIVE 

PER   CENT. 

2d.  Upon  VOYAGE  Risks  upon  FREIGHT,  a  return  of  TWENTY  per  cent. 
3d.  Upon  TIME  Risks  upon  FI^EIGHT,  and  upon  VOYAGE  and  TIME  Risks 
upon  HULLS,  a  return  of  TEN  per  cent. 

Such  privilege,  however,  being  confined  to  persons  and  firms,  the  aggregate  of  whose 
premiums  upon  sttch  policies  earned  and  paid  during  the  year,-shall  amount  to  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars. 

I>  I  H  E  C  T  O  It  S . 

EDWARD  HOWB,  M.  P.  MERICK,  MOSES  MEEICK, 

DANIEL  W.  LOK»,  WM.  B    OGDEN,  DAVID   J.  ELY, 

GEORGE  MILN,  JOHN  ARMSTRONG,  JOSE^'H  MORRISON, 

JOHN  ATKINSON,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  WM.  H.  FOFHAM, 

THOS.  A.  C.  COCHRANE,  ANDREW  J.  RICH,  B.  C.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

WM.  H.  HALSET,  DANL.  W.  TELLER,  EZRA  NYE, 

THOS.  BAURON,  JOHN  D.  BATES,  Jr.,  HENRY  J.  CAMMANN, 

ROLAND  G.  MITCHELL,  CHARLES  HICKOX,  THOMAS  LORD, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE,  ROBERT  BOWNE,  ROBERT  S.  HOLT, 

GEORGE  P.  DESHON,  LAWRENCE  MYERS,  J.  B.  GRIFFIN. 

0.  L.  KIMS,  S.  N.  DERRICK, 

THOS.  LOBD,  Vice-President.  B.  C.  MORRIS,  President 

WM.  M.  "WHITNEY,  2d  Tice-Fresident  and  Secretary. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  27. 


PHILADELPHIA,  DECEMBER  1,  1864. 


No.  27. 


The  Sanitary  Oouumsion  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  he  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  BgLiETiN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  th^  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  q6.  T.  Strons,  68  Wall  street,  Kew  York,  or  No  ISO?  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


BOABD  MEETING. 

At  a  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Board  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  held  in 
Washington  on  the  2d  ult.,  many  interest- 
ing reports  were  read,  from  which  we  ex- 
tract the  following. 

They  exhibit  the  work  of  the  Commission 
in  a  way  that  cannot  fail  to  impress  every 
candid  reader  with  a  sense  of  its  magnitude 
and  its  value. 

EXTRACTS    OF   REPORT    OF    DR.  ALEXAN- 
DER McDonald. 

We  are  continually  calling  for  cjothing. 
Many  of  the  men  were  without  money, 
having  four,  five,  and  in  some  regimente, 
seven  months'  pay  due  them.  They  were 
without  clothing,  consequently  on  arriving 
at  hospitals ;  the  old,  soiled,  and  ragged  gar- 
ments were  replaced  by  hospital  garments ; 
and  on  leaving,  and  often  before,  the  Com- 
mission was  called  upon  to  furnish  new 
articles  of  clothing.  Food  for  special  diet 
kitchens  was  to  be  furnished,  hence  the  calls 
for  farina,  corn  starch,  milk,  canned  meats, 
crackers,  &c.,  &c.  The  use  of  the  canned 
meats  has  been  greatly  diminished,  most  of 
the  hospitals  have  a  fund  which,  in  some 
cases,  is  being  used  for  hospital  purposes ; 
and  fresh  mutton,  beef,  oysters,  &c.,  are 


found  in  some  of  the  kitchens,  thereby  ren- 
dering the  use  of  canned  meats  unnecessary. 
Tomatoes  are  in  continual  demand,  many 
who  can  eat  nothing  else,  will  take  these ; 
and  there  are  very  few  who  do  not  relish 
them.  Tea  is  much  called  for,  and  forms  a 
staple  article  of  issue  Men  who  havo  been 
long  in  the  field,  have  become  srarated 
with  coffee,  and  on  reaching  a  hospital  find 
tea  a  grateful  beverage.  The  issue  of  stim- 
ulants has  been  materially  diminished. 

Kequisitions  are  now  only  on  orders  ap- 
proved by  surgeons  in  charge  of  brigade ; 
thereby  making  the  brigade  surgeon,  in  a 
certain  degree,  responsible  for  the  proper 
use  of  such  stimulants.  Furniture  and 
equipments  for  hospital  use,  are  not  so  much 
needed  as  during  the  early  part  of  the  sea- 
son. Most  of  the  hospitals  are  well  fur- 
nished, and  all  that  is  now  needed  is  stock 
to  replenish  worn  out  material;  much  of 
this  can  be  obtained  of  the  medical  pur- 
veyor Tin  cups,  plates,  spoons,  knives  and 
forks  are,  and  will  continue  to  be,  constantly 
demanded.  Few,  if  any  of  the  sick  or 
wounded,  are  able  to  save  their  plates,  cups 
and  spoons,  and  cannot  be  supplied  from 
any  source  but  from  the  Commission. 

Reading  matter  of  all  kinds  is  in  constant 
demand,  bound  books  for  hospital  library, 
pamphlets  and  papers  for  general  distribu- 


834 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tion,  and  a  contribution  of  daily  or  weekly 
papers,  of  recent  date,  would  add  greatly  to 
the  comfort  of  disabled  soldiers.  Such 
could  be  kept  in  the  reading  rooms  of  the 
various  hospitals,  within  reach  of  all  who 
choose  to  read,  and  would  be  a  valuable  ac- 
quisition for  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
country. 

Towels  and  handkerchiefs  are  genuine 
comforts.  Of  course  large  numbers  will 
constantly  be  needed,  as  the  men  are  con- 
tinually coming  in  and  being  discharged; 
each  one  needs  and  should  have  these  arti- 
cles, in  order  to  secure  personal  cleanliness. 

Games  of  all  kinds  tend  to  relieve  the 
ennui  of  hospital  life,  and  a  liberal  supply 
is  often  required.  The  tone  of  an  entire 
ward  has  been  changed  by  the  "  animating 
strains  of  a  jew's-harp,"  and  many  a  tedious 
hour  whiled  away  by  means  of  some  simple 
but  interesting  game ;  draughts,  pazzles, 
&c.,  &c.,  are  a  source  of  relief,  and  occupy 
tlie  attention  of  men  who  would  otherwise 
lie  idle,  listless,  and  home-sick. 

FIELD  RELIEF. 

At  each  army  corps,  generally  attached 
to  one  of  the  division  hospitals,  is  a  field 
relief  station,  moving  with  the  army  corps, 
from  which  station  are  issued  to  the  men 
and  hospitals  such  supplies  as  may  from 
time  to  time  be  needed.  During  a  battle, 
its  stafi'  form  a  flying  relief  corps,  for  the 
puprose  of  rendering  aid  to  the  wounded 
and  surgeons  as  speedily  as  possible.  Each 
of  these  stations  is  composed  of  a  hospital 
tent,  and  a  tent,  two  four  horse  teams,  and 
two  loads  of  stores;  to  each  are  attached  two 
relief  agents,  two  teamsters  and  a  cook. 
There  are  at  the  present  time  seven  such 
stations  in  the  armies  operating  before  Rich- 
mond ;  though  there  are  but  five  army  corps, 
tlje  sixth  and  seventh  stations  are  rendered 
necessary  on  account  of  the  peculiar  situa^ 
tions  of  the  tenth  and  eighteenth  corps. 
With  the  field  relief  corps  is  an  inspector. 
Dr.  N.  G.  Stevens,  whose  reports  are  for- 
warded. 

THE   AUXILIARY  RELIEF   CORtS 

under  the*  superintendence  of  Mr.  P.  B. 
Pay,  is  intended  for  work  more  particularly 
in  hospitals.  During  an  engngement,  the 
agents  in  the  corps  go  to  the  field,  there 
prepare  and  dispense  food,  dress  simple 
wounds,  furnish  clothing,  assist  in  the  re- 
moval of  wounded,  and  do  all  they  can  to 
aid  or  comfort  those  so  unfoutuaate  as  to 


need  such  assistance.  The  reports  of  Mr. 
Pay  will  give  details  regarding  this  work, 
and  also  show  how  it  is  continued  at  the 
several  corps  hospitals  after  sick  and  wounded 
have  reached  those  havens  of  rest.  In  this 
department  thirty-five  men  are  now  em- 
ployed, and  the  work  is  of  great  interest, 
productive  of  much  good  to  both  soldier  and 
agent. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF 

in  this  army  has  been  conducted  by  all  de- 
partments ;  the  field  relief  corps  have  sup- 
plied needy  men  in  the  trenches  with  such 
as  we  could  give  to  make  their  situation 
more  comfortable.  The  auxiliary  relief 
corps  have  attended  to  the  personal  wants  of 
those  in  hospital  with  a  tender  care,  in  some 
instances  more  like  that  of  brother  for 
brother,  than  the  regard  of  strangers.  The 
barges  have  afforded  shelter  and  food  for 
very  many  who  were  "  too  late  for  the  mail 
boat,"  tired  out  with  the  exertion  made  to 
"  get  home"  and  recruit  the  wasted  energies 
preparatory  to  another  campaign,  or  return- 
ing to  the  scene  of  labor  before  health  had 
been  fully  established;  refugees, men,  women 
and  children;  sick  or  disabled  soldiers  en 
route  to  or  from  their  homes,  too  weak  to 
go  further ;  officers  without  any  other  place 
at  which  to  lodge  or  eat,  compelled  to  remain 
over  night  in  order  to  complete  their  busi- 
ness ;  citizens  of  both  sexes,  in  search  of 
wounded  or  sick  or  deceased  friends,  have 
been  crowded  upon  us,  and  we  have  done  the 
best  we  could  do  to  aid  them.  Our  sleeping 
apartments  and  decks  have  been  crowded, 
our  tables  cleaned  and  refilled ;  day  after  day, 
and  night  after  night  have  these  scenes  been 
enacted,  and  the  succeeding  night  a  similar, 
yet  entirely  different  crowd  of  humanity, 
would  be  found  on  the  "  Sanitary  boats." 
A  few  applicants  have  been  turned  away, 
but  we  have  generally  been  able  to  accomo- 
date all  who  require  our  aid. 

AT  NORFOLK 

we  have  a  store-house  for  supplying  the 
hospitals  near  Fortress  Monroe  and  Ports- 
mouth. At  Portsmouth  is  a  lodge  for  sick 
or  disabled  soldiers,  and  the  friends  of  those 
in  hospital.  This  lodge,  which  is  in  charge 
of  Mr.  John  L.  Alcook,  is  a  model  of  olean- 
lioess  and  regularity.  It  is  conducted  on 
the  most  economical  principle,  and  is  partially 
supplied  by  government.  iVlr.  Alcook  re- 
ports that  he  furnished  during  the  month  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


835 


Meals. 

Angust,    .         .        .        1,634 

September,  .                 .     1,207 

October  8,  for  the  week,       153 

"       15,         "                 401 

Lodgings. 

541 

418 

80 

134 

3,395 


1,173 


Totals, 

during  the  past  45  days,  or  an  average  of 
75f  J  meals,  26Y'y  lodgings,  every  24  hours. 
Two  agents  have  lately  beej)  sent  to 
Hamptctn  to  work  in  the  hospitals,  they  are 
provided  with  tent,  cooking  utensils  and 
food,  and  will  draw  supplies  from  Norfolk. 
Mr.  A.  C.  Edmunds  is  in  charge  of  relief 
work  at  and  around  Fort  Monroe.  An 
agent  goes  on  the  flag  of  truce  boat  between 
Baltimore  and  Fort  Monroe,  and  it  is  our 
intention  to  supply  this  boat  regularly  at 
the  latter  place,  instead  of,  as  now,  at  City 
Point.  ' 

SUPPLY   TKAIN. 

It  has  been  found  that  a  part  of  the  sup- 
ply train  could  be  dispensed  with,  conse- 
quently the  number  of  teams  has  been  so 
reduced  as  to  relieve  us  of  the  expense  of 
five  drivers  and  fourteen  horses. 

ACROSS   THE  JAMES. 

The  move  across  the  James  river,  result- 
ing in  the  wounding  of  a  large  number  of 
men,  kept  our  agents  very  bu.sy  for  a  time. 
The  crossing  at  Deep  Bottom  was  made  by 
the  tenth  corps,  which  immediately  advanced 
and  was  soon  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Our 
agents  and  wagons,  attached  to  the  corps, 
had  followed  to  the  north  bank  of  the  James, 
where  a  flying  hospital  had  been  established, 
to  which  most  of  the  wounded  from  the 
tenth  and  eighteenth  corps  were  forwarded 
for  transfer  to  boats. 

A  part  of  the  eighteenth  corps  having  re- 
mained in  their  old  position,  it  was  deemed 
best  that  extra  aid  should  be  sent  when 
needed,  to  the  forces  across  the  James. 
Accordingly,  on  the  day  succeeding  the 
passages  of  our  troops,  the  tug  "  Governor 
Curtin"  was  loaded  with  battle-field  sup- 
plies, and  proceeded  with  a  force  of  relief 
agents  to  Deep  Bottom,  where  there  was 
plenty  of  work  for  all ;  the  wounded  having 
commenced  to  arrive  before  onr  agents 
reached  there.   . 

THE   WOUNDED. 

Milk  punch  was  immediately  prepared, 
and  was  supplied  with  crackers  to  all  in 
need.  Then  water  was  to  be  brought,  slight 
wounds  to  be  dressed,  clothing  to  be  fur- 


nished, and  food  prepared  and  distributed. 
In  this  work  our  agents  laboured  faithfully 
through  the  afternoon,  night,  and  late  intO' 
the  succeeding  day.  During  the  night  a 
cold  rain  fell,  which  continued  all  the  next 
day ;  then  came  a  call  for  stimulants  and 
clothing,  for  warm  drinks  and  food,  all  of 
which  were  furnished  as  well  as  possible ; 
and  as  the  ambulances  arrived  and  unloaded, 
the  men  were  tended  with  care,  supplied 
with  such  material  as  could  be  obtained,  and 
made  as  comfortable  as  possible,  under  such 
circumstances. 

Two  wagons  had  been  forwarded,  one  to 
the  eighteenth  corps,  the  other  to  Deep 
Bottom.  The  tug  made  one  or  two  trips 
per  day,  as  was  necessary.  Two  extra 
wagons,  loaded  with  supplies,  were  sent  by 
land  the  evening  •  after  the  battle ;  and 
reached  Deep  Bottom  at  two  a.m.  of  the 
succeeding  morning,  having  been  on  the 
road  all  night — during  a  drenching  rain. 
One  wagon  was  unloaded,  and  the  other 
held  in  reserve.  A  wagon  belonging  to 
tenth  corps  station,  was  sent  front,  and  all 
arrangements  made  for  the  stations  at  the 
front  to  draw  their  supplies  from  Deep  Bot- 
tom, reserving  teams  to  be  sent  to  the  rear, 
if  occasion  should  require.  Almost  every 
day  since  that  time,  more  or  less  wounded 
have  been  brought  in,  and  placed  on  trans- 
ports for  transfer  to  corps  hospitals.  These 
men  have  been  fed  and  assisted  by  our 
agents,  and  the  boats  supplied  when  they 
were  in  want  of  such  stores  as  we  had. 

The  station  at  Deep  Bottom  has  furnished 
supplies  for  our  agents  at  the  front,  the  fly- 
ing hospital,  tenth  corps  field  hospitals,  and 
various  regiments  in  the  vicinity. 

The  agents  have  been  well  employed,  and 
as  there  is  a  probability  of  the  flying  hospi- 
tal, which  has  been  temporarily  removed 
being  re-estabUshed  at  or  near  our  present 
station,  we  have  deemed  it  best  that  things 
there  should  remain  as  at  present.  The 
work  of  the.Commission  is  now  so  system- 
atized, as  to  be  conducted  with  considerable 
regularity  and  much  less  labor  than  former- 
ly ;  hence  a  part  of  the  reduction  in  num- 
ber of  employees  and  monthly  expenses. 

Most  of  the  employees  have  endeavored 
to  perform  their  duties  faithfully,  and  have 
shown  a  disposition  to  aid  the  work  to  the 
full  extent  of  their  ability;  for  their  energv 
and  perseverance  they  deserve  commeuda- 
tioD  Accompanying  documents  are  here- 
with submitted  for  your  perusal.  Therset 
torth  the  past  and  present  condition  of  each 


836 


The  Sanita/ry  CommisMon  Bulletin. 


department,  together  with  Views  and  sug;- 
gestions  of  each  superintendent,  and  will 
give  in  detail  statements  of  the  work  as  it 
is. 

EXTRACTS  FE.OM  REPORT  OF  DR.  SWALM, 
CONTROLLER  OF  ISSBES. 

City  Point,  Oct.  21,  1864. 

On  Friday,  August  12th,  the  2d  Corps 
was  loaded  on  transports  and  passed  down 
the  river,  destination  unknown. 

After  dark,  and  from  that  until  midnight, 
these  transports  were  steering  up  the  river, 
and  were  to  land  the  troops  at 

DEEP  BOTTOM. 

On  the  14th  inst.,  8  a.m.,  General  Grant 
and  staff  left  the  wharf  and  proceeded  up 
the  James,  and  a  few  moments  after  the 
Commission  tug  "Governor  Curtin,"  with 
supplies  and  agents,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Par- 
rish  followed.  On  arriving  at  Deep  Bottom, 
no  tents  were  yet  pitched,  no  head-quarters 
estaiblished,  and  the  wounded  had  already 
been  brought  in  from  the  picket  line,  and 
were  lying  in  the  wagons.  A  temporary 
depot  was  established  with  the  ambulance 
train,  and  ice,  milk,  sherry  wine,  Jamaica 
rum,  condensed  lemonade,  fans  and  sponges 
were  issued.  The  gunboat  "  Agawam," 
having  lost  three  men  killed  and  several 
wounded,  such  stores  as  were  needed  on 
board  were  issued.  As  no  wagons  were 
allowed  across  the  pontoon  bridge,  the  tug 
was  of  immense  value  to  us,  enabling  us  to 
be  first  on  the  ground  and  to  become  es- 
tablished, and  be  ready  for  the  wounded. 
Tug  returned,  was  reloaded,  and  Mr.  Fay 
with,  some  of  his  agents  went  up  in  her. 
About  two  hundred  and  fifty  wounded  had 
been  brought  in,  and  our  agents  were  hard 
at  work. 

ISSUES. 

Amount  of  Goods  issued  from  the  Storehouse  of  the 
Commission  at  City  Point,  Va.,from  June  ISth 
to  Oct.  \at,  1864. 


I 


Crackers,  82,S51  lbs. 

Dried  Kuak,  78  lbs. ,  &  >i  bbl. 

Porter,  lie  H  bbls.,  6  bbls., 

SVbottles. 
A!e,  61  bbls.,  13  ^  bbls.,  140 

bottles. 
Gbeese,  835  lbs.,  3  boxes. 
Eggs,  1,741  doz  ,  1  bbl. 
Piita,toe<,  l.SlOJi  bbls. 
Unious,  iflU^i  bbls. 
Sagur,  23,.S8S)^  lbs. 
Cherry  Rum,  1,034  bottles. 
Cots,  14. 

Butter,  6,237  lbs. 
Milk,  60,771  cans. 
Turkey,  12,.oo7  cans. 
Chicken,  12,lil7  cans. 
Goose,  102  cans. 


Tomatoes,    86,441  cans,  186 

galls.,  10  boxes,  fresh. 
Soup  and  Bouilli,  2,3d5  cans. 
Jiilien  Soup,  9ii^  cans. 
Lemons,  1,360>^  boxes. 
Whiskey,   6,268  bottles,  140 

gallons. 
Morphia,  0  ounces. 
Fans,  7,031. 

Jamaica  Ginger,  16,056  bots. 
Slippers,  .0,718  pairs. 
Shirts,  (wool),  33,789. 

"      (cotton),  4,136. 

"      (can.  flan.),  532. 
Drawers,  (wool),  24,610  prs. 
"         (cotton),  3,608  prs. 
Socks,  (wool),  27,127  pairs. 

"      (cotton),  1,150      " 


Towels,  20,787. 

Jamaica  Rum,  4,812  bottles, 

5  kegs. 

Wine  Sherry,  7,025  bottles. 
Brandy,  4,199  bottles. 
Cherry  Brandy,  628  bottles. 

"      Cordial,  98        *' 
Gin,  489  bottles. 
Gin  Cocktails,  1.3  bottles. 
Bitters,  53  bottles. 
Blackberry    Brandy,    1,700 

bottles. 
Blackberry  Cordial,  35  btls. 

"  Wine,  1,871  •' 

Tobacco,  chewing,  12,448  lb. 
"       smokipg,  8,957>^  lb. 
Domestic  Wine,  732  bottles. 
Hats  and  Caps,  1,322. 
Air  Beds,  5. 
Iron  Beadsteads,  1. 
Camp  Eettles,  138. 
Pads,  1,437. 
Cushions,  246. 
Medicine  Cups,  2.33. 
Tubes,  119. 
Twine,  4  balls. 
Brushes,  18. 
Buttons,  1  paper. 
Firkins  with  handles,  2. 
Seidlitz  Powders,  46  boxes. 
Kissengen  Water,  40  bottles. 
Mnsqmto    Netting,     1,595^ 

pieces. 
Stretchers,  108. 
Nails,  119  J^  lbs. 
Rubber  Sheeting,  25  yards, 

a  roll. 
Buckets,  214. 

Cologne,  1,533 bots.,  4  boxes. 
Coats,  104. 
Pants,  415  pairs. 
"Vests  52 

Dried' Beef,  901  lbs. 
Pork,  630  lbs. 
Canned  Meats,  185  cans. 
Mattresses,  240. 
Tin  Dippers,  97. 
Pickles,  26, 804K galls.,  1,213 

jars,    601X     bbls.,    144.^ 

kegs. 
I^ickled  Tomatoes,  135  bbls  , 

6  galls.,  1  keg. 
Pickled  Onions,  8  bbls. 
Army  Bread,  S  boxes. 
Oranges,  108^  boxes,  2  doz. 
Kice,  832  lbs. 
Sauerkraut,  330)^  bbls.,  22>^ 

Kegs. 
Bed  Sacks,  1,313. 
Vegetables,  384  bbls. 
Vinegar,  41  gulls.,  113  botts. 
Condensed  Lemonade,  3,032 

cans. 
String  Beans,  6"^  bbls.,   81 

cans. 
Extract  Coffee,  223  cans. 
Pans,  Baking,  ^2. 
Old  Linen,  26  bbls.,  15  lbs., 

3  boxes. 
Chloride  Zinc,  IS  oz. 
Ep.som  Salts,  3  lbs. 
Brooms,  235. 
Oat  Meal,  292  lbs. 
Faucets,  17. 
Gi-idirons,  2. 
Saws,  8. 
Hatchets,  6. 
Head  Hosts,  186. 
Pens,  9,418,  4  boxes. 
Ink,  2,497  bottles 
Pen  Holders,  4,773. 
Pencils,  7,818. 
Bote  Books,  36. 
Writing  Paper,  283,500  shts. 
Envelopes,  164,023. 
Mock  Turtle  Soup,  35  cans. 
Wrappers,  628. 
Veal  Soup,  120  cans. 
Beef  Soup,  1,665  cans. 
Vegetable  Soup,  442  cans. 
Boast  Beef,  4,333  cans. 
Mutton,  9,857  cans. 


Raspberry  Vinegar,  213  bote. 
Knives,  Carving,  34. 
Forks,  "         31. 

Tin  Plates,  6,653. 
"    Cups,  13,739. 
Knives  and  Forks,  2,716. 
Spoons,  (largeX  4,001. 
"      (small),  2,308 
Lemon  Syrup,  739  bottles. 
Apple  Pulp,  4,906.  cans. 
Steak  Broilers,  2. 
Toasters,  10. 
Soda,  9%  lbs. 
Gypsum,  3  cans. 
Raspberries,  7  cans. 
Strawberries,  2,046  cans. 
Blackberries,  1,960    " 
Cherries,  1,039  " 

Cranberries,  209        " 
Pie  Fruit,  186  " 

Dried  Fruit,  1,888  lbs.,  1  bW. 
Raker's  Iron,  7. 
Canteens,  32. 
Camphor,  9  bottles. 
Wash  Tubs,  26. 

'*     Boards,  10. 
Washing  Machines,  3. 
Clothes  Wringers,  5. 
■    Pins,  300. 
■ave  Boards,  ^5. 
dt  Cups,  32. 
ider,  403  botts.,  IbbL 
Port  Wine,  13  bottles. 
Claret  Wine,  41      " 
Cauldrons,  9. 
Pillow  Sacks  or  Ticks,  996. 

"       Cases,  2,282. 
Sheets,  4,137. 
Sheeting,  20  yards. 
Blankets,  526. 
Flannel,  121  yards. 
Quilts,  749. 
Rubber  Blankets',  10. 
Pouches,  2. 

Games,  157,  and  1  box. 
Ginger,  Ground,  9  lbs. 
Meat  Forks,  1. 
Water  Firkins,  6. 
Chambers,  163. 
Catsup,  397  botts  ,  1  box 
Alcohol,  8  bottles. 
Reading  Matter,  39^  boxes. 
Tongues,  9. 
Mustard,  450  lbs. 
Beef  Stock,  2,429  cans 
Beef  a  la  Mode,  646  cans. 
Tapioca,  18  lbs. 
Farina,  14,961  lbs. 
Corn  Starch,  18,382  lbs. 
Maizena,  1,441  lbs. 
Corn  Meal,  1,123  lbs. 
Tea,  4,810>J  lbs. 
Coffee,  3,016  lbs. 
Peaches,  fresh,  172  boxes. 

"       12,198  cans. 
Canned  Fruits,  30  cans. 
PaUs,  4.J1. 

"      Tin,  84. 
Chloroform,  39  lbs. 
Oil  Silk,  11  rolls. 
Soap,  l,30S.)i  lbs. 
Handkerchiefs,  36,189. 
Chocolate,  3,636  lbs. 
Cocoa,  88  lbs.,  2  boxes. 
Apples  Dried,  506  Ji  bbls. 
Peaches,  Dried,  100  lbs 
Bay  Rum,  1,763  .bottles. 
Shoes,  2,431  pairs. 
Haversacks,  9. 
Coffee  Pots,  241. 
Bread,  Soft,  7  bbls.  26  loaves. 
Salt,   17  boxes,  238  lbs.,  96 

bags. 
Coffee  Boiler,  1. 
Nutmegs,  tOl  lbs. 
Pepper,  Black,  Ula  lbs. 

"      Cayenne,  3  lbs. 
Cinnamon,  7>^  lbs. 
Spices,  69  lbs. 
Nutmeg  Graters,  19. 
Figs  Feet,  12  kegs. 
Tripe,  16  kegs. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


837 


Cream  Freezero,  7. 

Stools,  3. 

Oil,  legale.,!  can. 

"    Cloth,  28  yards. 
Hams,  31^,  19  bbls.,  50  lbs. 
Curried  Cabbage,  62  bbls. 
Jellies,  1,004  bottles. 
Eg^  Nogg.  266    " 
Flour,  1,456  lbs. 
Gelatine.  122  lbs. 
Codfish,  3,680  lbs. 
Mackerel,  17  kits,  4  bbU.,  60 

lbs.,  4  kegs. 
Saleratas,  6%  lbs. 
Green  Cora,  625  cans. 

"     Peas,  652     " 
Tea  Mugs,  48  " 

Shovels,  3. 
Boiler,  1. 

Apple  Brandy,  48  bottles. 
Splints,  2i)0. 

*'        Zinc,  3. 
Haccaroni,  252  lbs.,  1  box. 
Arrow  Root,  18-lbs. 
Baskets,  36. 
Stoves,  20. 
Wash  Baflins,  1,182. 
Camp  Chests,  1. 
Bandages,  15^  bbls.  9  boxes. 
Candles,  1,134  lbs. 
Matches,  64  gross. 
Arm  Slings,  1.313. 
Lint,  patent,  23  roUs,^  boxes, 
leinglat^  Plaster,  33  rolls. 
Adhesive        "        6      " 
Cratches,  2,816  pairs. 
Pins,  350  papers. 
Housewives,  1,667. 
Essence  Beef,  87  cans. 
Lanterns,  188. 
Candlesticks,  213. 
Tamarinds,  151  %  kegs,  5  bis. ' 

34  galls.,  10  lbs. 
Bed  Pans,  232. 
Urinals,  97. 
Spittoons,  98. 
Pipes,  1,080,  43^  boxes. 
Sponges,  2  bbls.,  28  lbs.,  153 


Sardines,  423  boxes. 

Sardine  Openers,  8. 

Piltows,  2,649. 

Blackberry  Byraps,  1,274. 

Peas,  4S1  cans. 

Flavoring  Exts.,  960  botts. 

Cork  Screws,  21. 

Axes,  3. 

Ring  Cnshious,  48. 

Straw,  6  bales. 

Thread,  Vi^  lbs. 

Needles  700, 183  papers 

Horse  Radish,  215  bottles,  2 
boxes. 

Gooseberries,  40  cans. 

Grapes.  832  cans. 

Beets,  299^  bbls. 

Turnips,  84  bbls. 

Prunes,  1,063  lbs 

Blacking,  78  boxes. 

Clams,  50  rans. 

Surgeon's  boxes,  8. 

Tobacco  Cutter,  1. 

Ligatures,  Silk,  X  ^' 

Watermelons,  109. 

Spelling  Books,  219. 

Boiled  Onions,  775  cans. 

Lard,  4  lbs. 

Mops,  4. 

Mucilage,  5  bottles. 

Condensed  Egg,  530  cans. 

Chlorinm  Acid,  1  bottle. 

Cream  Tartar,  4  lbs. 

Cantelope»<,  323. 

Camp  Chair,  1. 

Bologna  Sausage,  1. 

Broma,  1  box. 

Apples,  Green,  44  bbls. 

Apple  Preserves,  14  cans. 

Apricots,  12  bottles. 

Barley,  25  lbs. 

Corned  Beef,  2  bbls. 

Blotting  Paper,  1  bunch. 

Bromine,  2  lbs. 

Cabbage,  5,016  heads. 

Dessicated  Vegetables,  1  can. 

Havelocks,  29. 

Sweet  Potatoes,  24>^  bbls. 

Shears,  3. 
Combs,  (fine),  2,875.  Tally  books,  6. 

"      (coarse),  7,372.  Yeast  Powder,  109  cans. 

Scissors,  53  pairs. 

This  enormous  amount  of  supplies,  valued 
at  $403,933,  will  not  astonish,  when  taking 
into  consideration  the  number  of  sick  and 
wounded  we  have  had  in  the  hospitals.  In 
the  Base  Hospitals  alone  the  number  admit- 
ted was  twenty-two  thousand  during  June, 
July,  August,  and  September,  as  follows  : 

Sick.  Wounded.  Total. 

July,    .    .     .  1,896        1,465  3,361 

August,    .     .  7,262        4,504        11,766 
September,    .  4,25l  419  4,670 


Total, 19,797 

The  figures  for  June  cannot  be 
obtained,  'the  hospital  being 
established  late  in  the  month. 
The  number,  however,  is  esti- 
mated at     .     .  ■ 2,203 


22,000 


AUXILIARY  RELIEF  CORPS. 


are 


The  issues  to  these  Base  Hospitals 
.  made  through  the  agents  of  the  Auxiliary 
Corps,  who  come  in  direct  contact  with  the 


patients,  and  supply  them  personally,  under 
direction  of  the  surgeons.  They  also  sup- 
ply the  special  diet-kitehens,  where  all  the 
delicacies  are  prpperly  prepared. 

RELIEF  CORPS. 

The  issues  to  the  front  hospitals  have  also 
been  large,  and  they  are  made  through  the 
Relief  Agents,  stationed  in  every  corps. 
Surgeons  and  chaplains  draw  from  us  for 
the  sick  in  their  own  regiments, — the  men 
not  sick  enough  to  send  to  hospital,  and  yet 
not  well  enough  for  duty.  Such  are  the 
sources  from  which  the  demands  have  been 
made  upon  us ;  nor  do  I  think  they  have 
been  large,  considering  the  amount  of  suf- 
fering. 

VEGETABLES  FOR  TROOPS. 

After  what  has  been  issued  to  the  army, 
there  were  still  on  hand,  July  2d,  758  bar- 
rels of  vegetables,  for  which  transportation 
was  easily  procured  at  General  Headquarters, 
and  they  were  equally  distributed  among 
the  troops.  So  this  great  work  went  on, 
and,  as  fast  as  the  vegetables  arrived,  they 
were  sent  to  those  for  whom  they  were  in- 
tended; and  up  to  July  ISth,  one  month 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Commissioner  at  this 
point,  there  were  issued — 

2,497  bbls.  potatoes,  1,346  bbls  pickled 
cucumbers,  355  bbls.  sauerkraut,  356  bbls. 
dried  apples,  68  bbls.  fresh  beans,  58  bbls.' 
beets,  443  bbls.  pickled  onions,  1,309  bbls. 
fresh  onions,  133  bbls.  turnips,  54  bbls.  cur- 
ried cabbage,  132  bbls.  assorted  vegetables, 
6  bbls.  fresh  peas,  8,930  cabbages. 

CEDAR  LEVEL. 

Still  they  came,  and,  from  want  of  room, 
a  vegetable  depot  had  to  be  established  at 
Cedar  Level,  of  which  John  Butler,  one  of 
our  agents,  was  placed  in  charge,  and  the 
goods  were  subject  to  the  order  of  J.  War- 
ner Johnson,  Superintendent  of  Relief  Corps 
at  the  front.  Cars  were  always  readily  fur- 
nished for  the  transportation  of  the  goods  • 
which  acts  of  kindness  were  duly  appre- 
ciated, and  were  among  the  many  which 
already  existed,  and  still  exist,  and  which  I 
think  are  further  evidences  that  the  useful- 
ness of  the  Commission  is  recognized.  By 
sending  the  goods  to  Cedar  Level  the  distri- 
bution was  greatly  facilitated,  and  seve- 
ral miles  of  travel  for  the  teams  saved. 

July  20th  the  following  were  sent : 

74  bbls.  potatoes,  63  bbls.  onions,  27  bbls. 
green  apples,  1  bbl.  tomatoes  in  cans,  10  bbls 
cranberries,  53  bbls.  pickled  cucumbers  2 


838 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


bbls.   beets,   27    bbls.    pickled    tomatoes. 
Total,  257  bbls. 

Ju7i/  22d. — Potatoes,  697  bbls. ;  onions, 
424  bbls. ;  beets,  157  bbls.;  sauerkraut,  1 
bbl      Total,  1,279  bbls. 

July  23d. — Tomatoes,  780  boxes ;  pota- 
toes, 67  bbls.;  cranberries,  1  bbl.;  onions, 
32  bbls. ;  beets,  37  bbls.;  tomatoes,  45  bbls 
dried  apples,  107  bbls.    Total,  789  bbls.  and 
780  boxes. 

Jvli/  21th. — Onions,  fresh,  115  bbls.; 
pickled  tomatoes,  40  bbls. ;  pickled  cucum- 
bers, 6  bbls.;  pickled  onions,  9  bbls.  Total, 
170  bbls. 

July  30<A.— Onions,  319  bbls. 

August  2d. — 1  case  2  doz.  3  lb.  tomatoes; 
44  cases  2  doz.  2 J  lb.  tomatoes;  27  cases 
2  doz.  2  lb.  tomatoes;  50  bbls.  pickles,  as- 
sorted; 45  bbls.  pickles;  6  bbls.  onions, 
pickled ;  2  bbls.  tomatoes,  pickled.  Total, 
72  cases,  103  bbls. 

August  3d. — Pickles,  126  bbls.;  onions, 
31  bbls.;  sauerkraut,  1  bbl.;  tomatoes,  3 
bbls. ;  tomatoes,  2,376  lbs. ;  tomatoes,  324 
gals.    Total,  161  bbls.,  2,376  lbs.,  324  gals. 

August  bth. — Pickles,  61  bbls. ;  onions, 
250  bbls.;  sauerkraut,  24i  bbls.  Total, 
335J  bbls. 

,  The  station  at  Cedar  Level  was  broken 
up,  and  for  some  time  the  issue  of  vegeta- 
bles was  stopped,  to  a  great  extent.  What 
were  issued  during  August  and  September 
will  be  found  in  the  table  of  issues  above. 

Recapitulation  of  Issues  of  Vegetables  at 
Vedar  Level. — Potatoes,  3,335  bbls.;  pick- 
led cucumbers,  1,637  bbls.;  pickled  onions, 
458  bbls.;  fresh  onions,  2,543  bbls.;  sauer- 
kraut, 381 J  bbls.;  fresh  beans,  68  bbls.; 
beets,  254  bbls.;  tomatoes,  in  cans,  1  bbl.; 
tomatoes,  45  bbls.;  turnips,  133  bbls.;  cur- 
ried cabbage,  54  bbls.;  assorted  vegetables, 
132  bbls. ;  fresh  peas,  6  bbls. ;  green  apples, 
27  bbls.;  cranberries,  11  bbls.;  pickled  to- 
matoes, 69  bbls.;  tomatoes,  852  cases;  dried 
apples,  107  bbls. 

The  cost  of  the  above  is  about  eighty 
thousand  six  hundred  and  forty-eight  dol- 
lars, which,  in  conjunction  with  the  approx- 
imated value  of  the  issues  in  the  above 
tatile, — viz.,  four  hundred  and  three  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  thirty-three  dol- 
lars,— the  total  aggregate  will  be  about  four 
hundred  and  eighTy-four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty-one  (484,581)  dollars.  The 
above  shows  the  work  of  the  Commission 
and  the  issues  to  have  been  very  large.  The 
time  of  year  has  arrived  when  the  demands 
upon  us  for  woolen  under  clothing  will  be 


much  larger.  We  are  also  on  the  eve  of  a 
great  battle,  when  it  will  be  expected  of  us 
to  do  a  great  work;  and  I  am  happy  to  state 
I  think  we  are  in  such  a  condition  that  we 
will  be  able  to  meet  any  demand  that  will 
be  made  upon  us.  As  regards  the  imposi- 
tion that  is  said  to  be  practised  upon  us,  it 
cannot  be  wholly  avoided.  The  surgeon's 
signature  to  requisitions  is  required,  and  I 
think  but  very  few  misapply  the  goods.  At 
any  rate,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  for  the  credit 
due  themselves  and  the  profession,  it  is  not 
carried  on  to  a  great  extent: 


FEOm  CITY  POINT. 

BT  DR.  N.  C.  STEVENS. 

Since  my  last  communication  I  have  been 
along  the  trenches  and  breastworks  of  our 
line  of  defence,  from  the  Appomattox  to  the 
extreme  left ;  thence  along  our  flank  line  to 

,  on  the  James  river.     The  appearance 

of  the  troops  was  a  matter  of  special  obser- 
vation. Most  of  the  divisions  were  en- 
camped along  within  a  few  rods  of  the 
breastworks  ;  the  space  between  being 
thoroughly  cleared  of  everything,  and  daily 
policed,  as  were  also  the  various  operations 
of  the  soldiers.  Most  of  their  quarters  were 
very  neat,  nearly  all  sleeping  on  bunks  raised 
from  the  ground  from  eight  to  twenty  inches. 
A  very  few  regiments  only  slept  on  the 
ground — "  still  in  the  slough  of  despond." 
These  were  mostly  new  troops.  Some  of 
these  regiments  have  already  improved  their 
quarters.  The  fifth  corps  occupies  an  oblong 
square,  through  the  centre  of  which  the 
Weldon  railroad  and  the  traveled  pike  run. 
In  making  the  bed  for  the  railroad,  there 
was  left  on  either  side,  a  deep  ditch,  in 
which  had  grown  up  low  underbush,  and 
which  was  otherwise  filled  with  material 
not  conxiucive  to  health.  These  places, 
as  well  as  the  borders  of  the  swamp  within 
the  lines,  were  being  most  thoroughly  clean- 
ed ;  so  that  they  were  hardly  recognizable. 
I  mention  this  to  show  that  what  was  for- 
merly last  thought  of,  is  now  the  first  thing 
to  claim  the  notice  of  surgeons  and  others. 
They  say  it  is  easier  to  keep  men  well  by 
these  attentions,  than  to  cure  them  of  the 
diseases  produced  by  neglect.  Cseterisy 
paribus,  the  longer  a  soldier  has  been  in 
the  field,  the  better  care  he  will  take  of 
himself;  and  this  will  prove  true  of  officers 
in  the  care  of  their  men.  The  general 
health  of  the  army  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
was  never  better      A  brigade  surgeon  told 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


S39 


me  this  morning,  that  of  an  effective  force 
of  two  thousand  men,  he  had  only  one  hun- 
dred and  one  on  sick  report ;  and  he  thought 
that  many  other  brigades  were  as  favored 
as  his.  From  my  own  observation,  I  think 
the  entire  sickness  of  the  army  in  the  field 
is  less  than  seven  per  cent.  The,  morale  of 
the  army  was  never  better  than  at  present. 
Our  men  acquired  position  and  full  confi- 
dence in  the  government,  and  our  southern 
victories  make  every  man  feel  that  he  can 
begin  to  see  the  end.  You  cannot  find  a 
soldier  who  has  given  three  years  of  hard 
service,  that  is  willing  to  have  anything  but 
a  united,  undivided  country.  It  is  for  that 
they  have  fought  and  bled,  and  they  will 
never  be  satisfied  witb  anything  short  of  it. 


A.  M.  SFESBY'S  BEPOBT. 

AUXILIABT  BBUEF  AGENT. 

Among  special  duties,  we  have  given  us 
the  making  and  administering  of  all  stimu- 
lating drinks.  Nothing  is  trusted  to  the 
nurses  or  other  attendants,  relieving  the 
surgeons  of  much  responsibility,  and  adding 
to  the  welfare  of  the  patients. 

Since  taking  up  work  in  the  wards,  I 
have  always  had  under  my  care  some  man, 
often  more  than  one,  who  must  have  the 
best  care  possible,  or  die.  The  very  sick 
and  the  badly  wounded  are  usually  sent 
away,  but  it  often  happens  that  such 
cannot  be  moved  without  danger.  For 
such  men  I  try  to  care  to  the  best  of  my 
ability.  Men  who  will  live  with  ordinary 
treatment,  must  yield  precedence  to  men 
who  will  not.  Th,ere  are  always  such 
to  be  found,  the  saddest  thing  being  that 
while  attending  to  one,  others  equally  de- 
serving must  be  neglected.  To  nurse,  feed 
and  care  for  a  desperately  sick  man  is  no 
slight  task.  Yet  these  must  have  all  this 
care  if  they  are  to  recover. 

To  general  duties,  attending  to  minor  yet 
necessary  things,  the  daily  rounds,  the 
making  of  punch,  egg  nog,  etc.,  the  attend- 
ing to  diet,  the  petty,  yet  pressing  wants  of 
men,  the  writing  of  letters,  hearing  sad 
stories,  comforting,  advising  and  cheering 
men,  add  a  few  such  cases  as  those  men- 
tioned, and  a  day's  work  is  presented  that 
is  little  less  than  appalling. 

Though  to  give  such  constant  attention 
as  I  have  shown  ought,  and  often  is 
given,  may  be  really  impossible  in  every 
case,  such  an  approximation  should  be  made 
as  the  utmost  liberality  of  the  people  will 
permit. 


We  save  in  a  direct  saving  manner.  Noth- 
ing here  is  subject  to  the  dishonesty  or  sel- 
fish caprice  of  any  surgeon,  steward,  or 
ward-master.  There  are  no  losses  between 
the  issuing  barge  and  the  patient,  or  otlier 
rightful  recipient.  Many  times  no  doubt 
the  agent  gives  indiscreetly,  but  if  he  be 
competent  and  honest,  experience  enables 
him  to  guard  more  and  more  against  impo- 
sition. Goods  kept  in  our  store  tents  are 
as  free  from  invasion  as  if  on  the  issuing 
barge,  and  yet  much  nearer  the  men.  When 
as  at  this  station,  the  issues  are  made 
directly  to  the  men  through  no  middle 
parties,  there  can  be  no  losses.  We  know 
where  they  go.  No  "surgeon"  drinks  the 
liquors,  no  "  officer"  gets  more  than  his 
needs  as  a  sick  man  requires.  "  Sanitary" 
is  here  "  for  the  soldiery."  I  might  enlarge, 
but  I  forbear  adding  that  my  own  opinion, 
my  own  feeling  is,  that  we  save  many  times 
what  we  cost,  and  that  personal  service  is 
the  most  efficient  means  of  reaching  the 
soldier,  thence  his  home  and  the  hearts  and 
the  purses  of  the  people  at  home. 

The  greatest  good  to  the  sufferers  is  the 
end  to  be  attained.  This  is  the  very  pur- 
pose for  which  the  people  give. 

Of  shirts,  drawers,  and  socks,  the  de- 
mand is  very  great  and  our  supply  very  in- 
adequate. Until  other  means  can  be  used, 
it  is  our  plain  duty  to  supply  as  many  as 
possible,  and  be  just  in  other  directions.  I 
would  recommend  that  suspenders  be  put 
on  the  list  of  regular  supplies;  also  that 
gTeen  tea  be  furnished  in  small  quantities 
for  special  cases.  We  need  crushed  sugar 
in  part,  instead  of  all  coffee  sugar  as  now 
furnished  The  general  condition  of  our 
work  is  flattering ;  it  is  generously  ap- 
preciated, and  that  appreciation  frankly 
expressed.  Concert  of  action  with  the  hos- 
pital aut^rities  is  perfect,  and  mutual  con- 
fidence exists.  With  an  honorable  position 
clearly  defined,  we  have  only  to  lab6r  and 
wait  for  our  sure  reward. 


AN  INCIDENT, 

The  following  is  from  a  letter  written  by 
a  friend  who  is  laboring  in  Hospital  for 
Colored  Troops  at  City  Point. 

I  have  about  twenty  contrabands  who 
cluster  round  me  like  a  great  family.  In 
the  evening  I  teach  some  of  them  their  let- 
ters, and  Sunday  evening  they  come  into 
my  tent  and  we  sing  and  pray,  and  it  is 
beautiful   to  see  how  anxious  they  are  to 


8iO 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


know  the  right  way.  I  tell  them  that  they 
want  a  religion  which  will  make  them  good 
every  day,  which  will  keep  tliem  from 
lying,  stealing,  and  heing  impure,  and  then 
I  explain  these  things  to  them  in  very 
simple  terms,  and  they  respond  with  en- 
thusiasm, "  Jes  so,  Miss  H.,"  or  '^Dat's  so, 
Miss  H." 

I  asked  Lizzie  the  other  evening,  what 
the  preacher  said  in  the  afternoon  service  ? 
She  replied  that  he  said,  "  de}^  mvs  all  drink 
and  eat  at  de  sioeat  of  der  own  eyehrows.^^ 
It  struck  me  so  humorously,  I  thought  I 
would  write  it  to  you. 


WASHINGTON. 

Amount  of  Ho^-ital  Supplies  issued  by  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  at  Washington^  D.  C.^  dur- 
ing the  months  of  July,  August  and  September. 
1864. 


Airbeds 3 

Air  pillows 17 

Adhe.-ive  plaster,  rolls..  14S 

Apples,  dried,  lbs 198 

Apples,  green,  bbls 1 

Arrowroot,  its 389 

Alcohol,  bottles 131 

Baskets.. 8 

Bandages,  bbls '.     88 

Handage  rollers 6 

Bedsteads lo 

Bed  ticks 1,^51 

Bed  pans 'i87 

Blankets i^QtO 

Blankets,  rnbber 87 

Brushes 188 

Brooms 40 

Books 3,310 

Body  bauds.,.' 432 

Buttons,  doz 29 

Beef,  lbs &00 

Beef  stock,  lbs 4,182 

Bread,  loaves I'oOO 

Butter,  lbs 940 

Barley  flour,  lbs 125 

Bay  Rum,  bottles 1,054 

Brandy,  bottles. 2,762 

Bitters,  bottles 21 

Gamp  stools 1 

Camp  kettles 42 

Coffeepots 12 

Cauldrons 2 

Combs 10,338 

Chairs 23 

Chairs,  rocking 81 

Chambers 31 

Cushions 3,998 

Cushions,  rubber '98 

Clocks 3 

^  Corkscrews 6.5 

Ci'utches,  pairs 1,2.*>2 

Canes 166 

Canteens 33 

Oaubas,  sy.fr 360 

Cambric,  yards 455 

Cotton  batten,  lbs 13 

Caudles,  lbs 375 

r'undlesticks 186 

Cups  and  saucers,  doz. .     16 

Clothing,  boxes 2 

Caps  and  hats S'lO 

Coats 205 

Carbonic  acid,  grills 15 

Cologne,  bottles 1,064 

Coudeu.><ed  cider,  lbs...  33 
Condensed  meats,  lbs.. 6,834 
Condensed  fruits,  lbs.. 9, 426 
Cond  vegetables,  lbs..  2,125 

Catsup,  bottles 41.'5 

Chocolate,  llis 4.274 

Coffee,  extract,  lbs 727 


Coffee,  ground,  lbs 1,529 

Conden^ed milk,  lbs.. 19,457 

Crackers,  lbs. 19,660 

Corn  starch,  lbs 8,706 

Corn  meal,  lbs 7,012 

Cod  liver  oil,  bottles  ...      8 

Camphor,  bottles.  ■ 19 

Chloroform,  bottles. ....    17 

Cream  tartar,  lbs 7 

Charcoal  powder,  lbs  . .  436 

Cheese,  lbs 50 

Door  locks  and  mats. . .  16 
lUsinfectant  powder,  lbs  75 
Drawers,  cotton,  pairs  13,887 
Drawers,  wool,  pairs.. 4,668 

Dried  fruit,  lbs 7,965 

E  a-*ers 9 

Eggs,  dozen 155 

Eggs,  dessicated,  cans. .  149 

Eye-glasses 9 

Envelopes 1 88  931 

Pans 14,974 

Faucets 4 

Filts,  dozen 1 

Flannel,  yards 42 

Flaxseed,  lbs 120 

Flour,  lbs 87 

Farina,  lbs 2.334 

Flavoring  extracts,  btls.  390 

Games 166 

Gas  stoves 1 

Ginger,  extract,  bottles.4,226 
Hammers  and  hatchets.     26 

Halters 24 

Hinges 12 

Head  rests 2,689 

Head  boards 100 

Horse  shoes,  kegs 4 

Herbs,  bbl 1 

Hops,  lbs 15 

Hams,  lbs 1,555 

Haversacks 55 

Handkerchiefs 28.085 

Ice,  lbs 62,475 

Ink,  bottles 330 

Iceland  moss,  kegs 149 

Jellies  &  preserves,  jars  1,255 
Knives  and  forks,  doz..  164 

Knives,  carving 3 

Lumber,  planed,  feet..  2,000 

Lime,  bbls 46 

Lanterns 144 

Lamps 4 

Lint,  bbls 126 

Life  preservers 118 

Lemons,  boxes 820 

Lurd.lbs 233 

Mattrasftes 46 

Matches,  gross 10 

.Mucilage,  bottles 2 

Mittens,  pairs IS 


Memorandum  books. . . .  110 

Magazines 1,907 

Medicines,  bottles 33 

Medicine  cups 233 

Medicine  chests 1 

Morphia,  oz 5 

Mutton  tallo-Hi,  lbs 35 

Molasses,  gallons 58 

Malt,  bushels 2 

Malt  liquor,  bottles 1,288 

Malt  liquor^  gallons 1,488 

Mugs 36 

Nettinfitmosquito,  pes..  649 

Needles,  papers 274 

Needle  books 1,824 

Neckties 316 

Nails,  lbs 204 

Oil  silk,  rolls 96 

Oil  cloth, ^yards 35 

Oil,  kerosene,  gallons  ..    Ij 

Old  linen,  bbls 303 

Onions,  bbls 54 

Oaknm.lbs 400 

Oatmeal,  lbs 1,480 

Oranges,  boxes 61 

Oysters,  pickled,  bolt's.    46 

Pails,  wooden 61 

Pails,  tin 68 

Plates,  tin 521 

Plates,  earthenware 156 

Planks,  spruce,  feet. . . .  100 

Pitchers 13 

Poison,  bottles 4 

Pens 5,204 

Penholders 1,23S 

Pencils 1,347 

Pipes,  boxes .■      3 

Pillows 2,547 

Pillow  cases 5,279 

RUow  ticks 888 

Pants,  pairs 218 

Pins,  papers 2T5 

Pickles,  gallons 1,279 

Potatoes,  bbls 46 

Pork,  lbs 200 

Quilts 1,675 

Rubber  cloth,  yards. ...  53 
Reading  matter,  boxes..     30 

Rice,  lbs 361 

Rum,  Jamaica,  bottles.  ■')52 
Rum,  cherry,  bottles...  285 
Sash,  window,  pairs  ...    22 

Sheet  lint,  lbs 9R 

Syringes 7 

Stoves  and  furniture. ...      3 

Stewpans 10 

Skimmers  and  dippera. .     54 


Spoons,  dozen -174^ 

Sieves 2 

Scissors,  pairs 51 

Stretchers 29 

Slings 1,909 

Sponges,  lbs 309 

Soap,  lbs 755 

Salts,  Epsom,  lbs 8 

Soda,  lbs 12)^ 

Sago,  lbs 23 

Sugar,  lbs ^ 8,605 

Spices,  lbs 329 

Syrup,  bottles 1,178 

Sweet  Oil. bottles.. .^...    14 

Salt  fish,  bbls 300 

Shoes,  pairs ^2,431 

Slippers,  pairs 7,211 

Socks,  cotton,  pairs... 10,113 

Socks,  wool,  pairs 6,757 

Shirts,  wool 9,758 

Shirts,  cotton 23.544 

Suspenders,  pairs 920 

Sheets 7,756 

Spittoons 199 

Spit  cups 272 

Splints 654 

Spikes,  lbs 30 

Towels 18,808 

Tin  cups 3,817 

Tin  basins 393 

Tumblers 26 

Tables 2 

Teapots 29 

Trusses 3 

Twine,  balls 12 

Thread,  lbs 47 

Tracts,  box 1 

Tamarinds,  gaUous ....    61 

Tea,  lbs 2,446 

Tobacco,  lbs 7,352 

Tobacco  cuttoT.- 6 

Urinals 115 

Vests Ill 

Vegetables,  bbls 14 

Vinegar,  bottles 227 

Wood,  cords IH 

Water  coolers 4 

Water  casks 4 

Water  beds 4 

Writing  desks 1 

Writing  paper,  reams...  340 

Wrappers 1,559 

Wine,  domestic,  bottl's  9,298 
Wines,  foreign,  bottles  4,779 

Whiskey,  bottles 3,770 

Yams,  lbs 10 

Teast  powder,  cans ....      6 


NEW  OKLEANS. 

Amount  of  goods  forwarded  to  New  Orleans,  during 
the  quarter  ending  September  30,  1864. 

Cotton  socks,  pairs 335 

Fans 106 

Cotton,  (old)  barrels.. ..      4 

Linen,  (old)  barrels 4 

Bandages,  barrels 6 

Lint,  barrels 2 

Whiskey,  bottles 144 

'*        casks 1 

Domestic  wine,  kegs....      7 

*'  "  bottles..  180 
Foreign  wine,  bottles. . .  4 
Brandy,  jugs 1 

"      bottles 120 

Pickles,  jars 8 

"      kegs 42 

**      casks 16 

Cheese,  lbs 80 

Books  and  papers,  boxes  15 
Mosquito  netting,  yds.  .8036 

Chocolato,  lbs 480 

Condensed  milk,  lbs. , .  .1008 

Maizena,  lbs 1000 

Crackers,  lbs 1507 

Beef  stock,  Iba feOO 

Codfish,  lbs.; 635 

Sugar,  white,  lbs 467 

Coffee,  lbs 127 

Quinine,  ounces 10 


Chambers 24 

Combs,  gross 2 

Writing  paper,  reams  . .     40 

Envelopes 20,000 

Pens,  gross 6 

Pen  holders,  gross 3 

Lead  pencils,  gross 6 

Ink,  gross 1 

Bay  rum,  bottles 48 

Jamiaca  ginger,  bottles.     72 

Butter,  lbs 406 

Corn  Starch,  lbs 960 

Farina,  lbs 400 

Sago,  lbs 277 

Tea,  green,  lbs 84 

Sherry  wine,  bottles. . . .  144 
Raspberry  wine,  bottles  1 32 

Peaches,  cans 480 

Tomatoes,  cans 4S0 

Liuen  sacks 248 

Pauts,  pairs 412 

Coats 109 

Vests 101 

Bed  sacks 1025 

Pillowcases 1691 

Sheets 2631 

Towels 156"» 

Handkerchiefs 4201 


"^■■■i 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


841 


Kissingen  water,  bottles  288 
Dried  apples,  barrels. . .      6 

Dried  fruit,  barrels 13 

Fruit  vinegar,  bottles...  280 

"  "      kegs 1 

Cat  tobacco,  barrels. ...      1 
Blackberry  cordial,  bots.  205 

Onions,  barrels 100 

W.  W.  Vinegar,  gallons    43 

Tin  caps 300 

Wrappers 304 


Blankets 100 

Washbowls lOD 

Lanterns 12 

Wool  socks,  pairs 1733 

PiUows 219 

Cushions 535 

Pillow  ticks 442 

Cotton  drawers,  pairs..  .1387 

Cotton  shirts 1590 

suppers,  pairs 140 


BEAUFOET.  S.  C. 

Amount  of  goods  forwarded  to  Beaufort.^  S.    C, 
divring  the  quarter  ending  S^tember  30,  1864. 


Beef  stock,  lbs 

Oyster  crackers,  Ibf). . . . 
Condensed  milk,  lbs. . . . 
Concentrated  coffee,  lbs. 

White  sugar,  lbs 

Extract  of  coffee,  lbs 

Ice, tons 

Shoes,  pairs 

Combs 

Wool  socks,  pairs 

Wool  drawers,  pairs... 

Onions,  barrels 

Potatoes,  barrels 

Potash,  lbs 

Rochelle  salts,  lbs 

Epsom  salts,  lbs 

Cream  salts,  lbs 


1200 

1621 

480 

960 

486 

5 

226 

5 

6 

5 

5 

20 


Quassia  salts,  Iba 1 

Paregoric,  pints )^ 

Tinct.  Opii,  oz 4 

Snlph.  Morphia,  oz ^ 

Adhesive  plaster,  rolls..  2 

Blue  mass,  oz 2 


Calomel,  oz, 

Dover  Powder,  oz 4 

Nit.  Potassa,  oz 8 

Cit.  Ferri  et  Quinine,  oz.  3 

Gum  Arabic,  lbs 1 

Blistering  Colodion,  oz. .  4 

Batter,  lbs 89 

Cheese,  lbs 45 

Flour,  bttrrels 1 

Frnit,  boxes 1 

Sheets 212 


NEWBEBNE,  N,  G. 

Amount  of  goods  forwarded  to  Newbeme,  N.  C, 
during  the  quarter  ending  September  30,  1864, 


Blankets 157 

Wool  shirts fl88 

Wool, socks,  pairs 504 

Condensed  milk,  lbs 1008 

Waizenna,  lbs 400 

Farina,  boxes -. ....    10 

Ground  coffee,  11)8 252 

Mustard,  lbs 24 

Slippers,  pairs 500 

Adamantine  caudles,  lbs.  200 

Oystet  crackers,  lbs 780 

Crackers,  lbs 627 

Brandy,  bottles 74 

lemon  syrup,  bottles, . ,  144 

Prunes,  lbs 394 

Codfish,  lbs 200 

Pillows 334 

Qailta 149 

Mattresses 2 

Pillow  cases 314 


Sheets. 270 

Towels 543 

Cotton  drawers,  pairs..  470 

Cotton  shirts 385 

Bed  packs 153 

Collars 78 

Handkerchiefs 1316 

Pickles,  kegs 8 

Bitters,  bottles 24 

Lint,  barrels 2 

Cotton,  barrels 2 

Bandages,  barrels 1 

Sherry,  bottles 2 

Shrub,  bottles. l 

Cider  vine^r,  tottles. . .      2 

Maderia,  bottles 12 

Champagne,  bottles 12 

Claret,  bottles 24 

Brandy  cheese,  lbs 3 

Papers  and  corks,  boxes      2 


EXTRACTS  FROM  J.  B.  CLABK's  QUARTERLY 
REPORT,  WASHINGTO]'",  D.  O. 

The  number  of  men  who  have  been  re- 
ceived from  regiments  that  were  on  the  way 
home,  having  served  their  time  out,  is  very- 
much  larger  than  at  previous  times.  This  is 
accounted  for  from  the  fact  that  nearly  all  of 
the  one  hundred  days'  men  from  Ohio,  have 
passed  through  this  city,  within  the  last  two 
months;  and  invariably  they  have  had  a 
very  large  proportion  of  their  number  sick; 
in  some  of  the  regiments  the  surgeons  have 
reported  as  high  as  three  hundred,  out  of 
nine  hundred  men ;  in  others  not  more  than 
one  hundred.      It  will  thus  be  seen  that 


nearly  one  quarter  of  these  men  are  sick 
and  unfit  for  duty;  showing  conclusively, 
to  my  mind,  that. the  enlistment  of  men  for 
a  short  term  of  service,  is  of  very  little  good 
to  the  government;  not  merely  from  th'e 
fact  that  they  are  unable  to  do  much  duty 
for  the  time  they  are  out,  but  it  gives  them 
an  idea  that  all  the  men  in  the  army  are 
unfit  for  duty  in  about  this  proportion, 
which  is  not  the  fact  as  we  all  know.  These 
men  are  in  the  field  just  long  enough  to  get 
sick  from  change  of  habits  and  food;  and 
going  home  as  they  do  at  this  time,  do  not 
recognize  the  fact  that  a  very  large  propor- 
tion would  have  recovered  in  a  short  time 
and  have  become  acclimated,  and  would, 
without  doubt,  be  as  hardy  men  and  make 
as  good  soldiers  as  any  we  have  in  the  army. 

These  ideas,  carried  hcllne  to  the  various 
parts  of  the  country,  can  but  have  the  effect 
of  keeping  not  only  these  men,  but  others 
that  may  be  brought  in  contact  with  them, 
from  coming  into  the  army  if  they  can  in 
any  way  avoid  it. 

The  number  reported  from  the  "  Soldiers' 
Eest,"  as  sick,  are  as  heretofore,  either 
from  new  regiments  coming  out,  or  men  on 
their  way  from  the  hospitals  to  Camp  Dis- 
tribution. We  have  had  very  few  men  who 
were  here  to  be  examined  for  commissions 
in  colored  regiments,  compared  with  the 
previous  reports ;  but  a  large  proportion  of 
the  number  are  not  in  the  army,  but  are 
young  men  that  have  been  students  of  the 
Military  Academy  in  Philadelphia,  and  have 
been  sent  here  by  Col.  Taggart.  There  has 
been  a  very  large  number  of  men  who  have 
had  their  wounds  dressed,  or  have  been  fur- 
nished medicine,  that  have  not  been  entered 
on  the  register.  Such  cases  are  either  on 
passes  from  the  various  hospitals,  on  their 
way  home,  or  returning  from  home  to  the 
hospitals;  and  have  needed  this  attention 
without  its  being  necessary  to  keep  them 
for  any  length  of  time. 

HOSPITAL  VISITING. 

MRS.   barker's   REPORT. 

Washington,  Monday,  October  SI,  1864. 
— Carried  to  Harewood  '  two  dozen  pairs 
drawers,  some  woolen  gloves,  two  dozen  sus- 
penders, seventy-one  slippers.  Also  gave  to 
Mrs.  Moore,  the  matron  of  the  linen  room, 
three  cans  peaches,  one  bottle  of  tamarinds 
one  jar  currant  jelly,  one  can  pine-apples, 
one  bottle  bay-rum,  two  bottles  port,  and  two 
of  sherry  wine,  for  discretionary  use. 


842 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Tuesday,  November  1,  1864. — Visited 
Harewood  as  usual  in  the  forenoon,  but 
found  that,  owing  to  the  rapid  call  for  sani- 
tary clothing  among  invalids  who  were  sent 
home  on  furlough  to  vote,  my  supply  was 
insufficient.  I  came  home  to  get  more  sup- 
plies, and  returned  in  the  evening,  so  as  to 
be  ready  for  the  next  morning.  1  was  just 
in  time,  for  our  last  shir^  had  been  called 
for. 

Wednesday,  November  2,  1864. — Find- 
ing nothing  more  important  than  to  look 
after  the  disconsolates  at  Fort  Woodbury, 
whom  I  left  last  week  feeding  on  dry  bread, 
tough  beef,  and  salt  pork,  I  expended  a  few 
dollars  in  mutton,  potatoes,  apples,  &c  ,  and 
carried  some  of  the  firkin  butter,  and  also 
currant  jelly.  Dinner  just  came  in;  and 
the  scene  which  followed  was  most  gratify- 
ing to  them  and  to  myself. 

Thursday,  November  3,  1864. — Thurs- 
day fo]:enoon  again  at  Harewood,  with  some 
shirts  and  socks;  also  with  jellies  for  the 
wards.  A  boy  at  Campbell  lies  very  sick, 
and  nobody  seems  to  know  how  to  care  for 
him.  I  have  had  beef-juice  prepared. at 
Lodge  No.  4  for  him,  and  also  sent  him 
some  pure  brandy. 

Friday,  November  4,  1864. — Stormy, 
and  staid  at  home  in  the  forenoon ;  in  the 
afternoon  went  to  Fort  StroYig,  to  inquire 
after  Wm.  Wetherbee,  of  Leominster,  in 
answer  to  a  letter  from  his  aunt.  Found 
him  convalescent,  and  most  tenderly  cared 
for  by  his  surgeon,  N.  B.  Dean,  of  Salem, 
Mass. 

Saturday,  Nov.ember  5, 1864  — Went  to 
Campbell,  to  carry  some  beef-juice  to  the 
sick  boy.  Found  another  man  who  had 
just  recovered  from  pneumonia,  who  had 
just  taken  off  a  flannel  shirt  to  be  washed, 
and  had  none  to  put  on  in  its  place.  Being 
sure  he  would  take  cold,  I  went  back  to  the 
store  on  purpose  for  a  shirt,  and  he  put  it 
on  at  once.  Also  visited  Camp  Barry  hos- 
pital, with  supplies,  and  gave  orders  for 
more. 

Ncjv.  8. — Keceived  $20  Ware  Fund  from 
Mr.  Hovey.  Answered  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Seymour,  concerning  effects  of  Henry  W. 
Faxon,  who  died  at  Harewood.  Also  another 
letter  from  Mrs.  Lothrop,  Vice-President, 
about  Saterlee,  who  died  at  Harewood. 
Visited  Plarewood  with  supplies  of  butter, 
pickles  and  blackberry  jam. 

Nov.  9. — Visited  Sherburn  Barracks  and 
East  Capitol  Barracks  Hospitals  before  din- 
ner;  divided   between   them  pickles   and 


blackberry  jam.  Found  the  men  convales- 
cent, mostly  up  and  dressed.  Afternoon 
visited  Kush  Barracks  (Invalid  Corps)  and 
drew  an  order  for  one  dozen  woolen  draw- 
ers. 

Nov.  10. — Forenoon  at  store,  Cliff  burn 
and  Fry  Hospitals,  where  I  carried  flannels, 
stationery,  pickles,  &c.,  all  ask  for  vege- 
tables, onions  especially.  At  one  "  Invalid 
Corps  Hospital  they  have  scurvy. 

Nov.  11. — Forenoon  at  Harewood  and 
Campbell,  carried  more  brandy  to  my  sick 
man  at  Campbell.  He  does  not  know  how 
to  get  along  without  it,  but  he  prospers 
flnely.  Patients  at  Harewood  gone  home 
to  vote,  so  as  to  materially  thin  out  the 
wards. 

BY   J.    B.    HOLT. 

Washington,  D.  C,     1  « 

Nov.  12,  1864. 1 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  for  the  week  ending  Nov.  12,  1864. 

Have  visited  during  the  week,  forts 
Lyons,  Williams,  Ward,  Albany,  Wood- 
bury and  Strong.  Invalid  Corps  Hospitals, 
Freedman's  Village,  Fairfax  Seminary,  and 
twenty  hospitals  at  Alexandria.  Have  at- 
tended to  quite  a  number  of  cases  of  Special 
Belief.  *  *  *  Would  that  the  gopd  peo- 
ple of  the  North  could  all  visit  and  see  how 
much  is  needed  to  make  our  poor  suffering 
soldiers  in  hospitals  comfortable.  Each  and 
all  would  contribute  far  more  liberally  I  am 
confident.  Pillow  slips  and  towels  are  called 
for  and  much  needed.  Bandages  and  old 
linen  are  much  called  for,  and  if  there 
should  be  many  wounded  sent  to  our  hos- 
pitals, there  would  be  very  great  suffering 
for  the  want  of  such.  There  is  not  any- 
thing that  will  be  so  much  needed  and  re- 
lieve so  much  suffering.  The  furloughed 
soldiers  are  coming  back  as  a  general  thing 
much  better  for  the  change,  and  with  much 
better  courage. 

I  trust  ere  many  months  shall  pass,  we 
shall  hear  the  glad  notes  of  peace,  and  the 
calls  upon  the  Commission  to  minister  to 
the  wounded  will  no  more  be  heard. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  JOURNAL  OF   MRS.   J.   B. 
JOHNSON. 

Oct.  1864.— My  labors  as  Hospital  Visi- 
tor in  the  month  of  October,  1864,  have,  by 
your  directions  been  confined  to  Campbell, 
Douglas  and  Stanton  General  Hospitals. 

My  plan  of  visiting  is ;  first,  to  visit  and 
consult  the  surgeon  in  charge,  and  ascertain 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


843 


his  views  as  to  the  plan  of  distribution,  as 
well  as  to  obtain  permission  to  visit  the 
various  wards.  Second,  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  soldiers  as  far  as  possible 
in  order  to  comfort  them  with  kind  words 
if  they  are  low  spirited  or  home  sick,  and 
to  understand  their  real  wants  in  order, 
to  distribute  supplies  as  judiciously  asi 
possible. 

I  have  been  in  every  instance  kindly 
treated  by  the  surgeons,  who  seem  to  desire 
the  aid  of  the  Commission  in  its  benevolent 
work ;  and  for  me  to  say,  the  supplies  are 
thankfully  received,  is  but  to  repeat  what  has 
been  so  often  asserted  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war.  If  the  oft  repeated  "  God 
bless  the  Sanitary  Commission,"  and  other 
expressions  of  gratitude  from  the  soldiers 
could  be  heard  by  the  members  df  the  "Aid 
Societies"  in  the  North,  I  think  their  ener- 
gies would  be  redoubled,  and  the  storehouses 
of  the  Commission  be  filled  to  overflowing. 
*  *  _  *  I  have  distributed  as  follows  : — 
28  pairs  drawers,  36  pairs  suspenders,  24 
night  caps,  10  bottles  ink,  30  shirts,  60 
pairs  socks,  30  handkerchiefs,  7  pairs 
slippers,  12  neckties,  12  bottles  jellies,  5 
bottles  blackberry  brandy,  30  needles,  2 
wrappers,  besides  quantities  of  stationery. 
All  of  which  I  think  have  been  judiciously 
expended.  The  many  cases  of  diarrhoea 
among  recent  admissions,  render  the  black- 
berry, brandy  and  syrup  very  useful. 

Report  for  the  week  ending  Nov.  12, 
1864. —  *  *  *  On  my  entrance  to  the 
1st  ward,  and  after  making  my  mission 
known,  I  heard  exclamations  on  all  sides, 
such  as,  "  The  Sanitary  Commission  always 
gives  us  something  that  does  us  good." 
"They  always  know  what  we  want." 
"  They  are  so  liberal."  "  My  appetite  is 
poor  and  I  need  some  jelly,"  &c. 

The  demand  for  woolen  shirts  and  draw- 
ers is  very  great,  while  in  accordance  with 
instructions,  I  have  given  only  in  the  most 
extreme  cases. 

The  following  have  been  supplied : — 6 
fine  combs,  12  pairs  suspenders,  4  pairs  draw- 
ers, 20  pairs  socks,  (wool),  2  wrappers,  5 
pairs  slippers,  5  bottles  blackberry  brandy', 
6  vroolen  shirts,  2  to  3  quires  of  paper  and 
envelopes,  2  pairs  crutches,  6  handkerchiefs. 

CAMP  PAEOLB. 
Alma  Carey  and  S.  L.  Phillips,^  TJ.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  Lady  Visitors  at  Camp 
Parole,  Md.,  report  as  follows: 


Since  our  last  weekly  record,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  patients  in  this  section  have 
been  sent  home  on  furloughs  ;  consequently 
much  excitement  has  prevailed  in  the  wards. 
While  many  were  rejoicing,  in  prospect  of 
speedy  reunion  with  loved, ones,  after  long 
and  painful  separation ;  other  have  been 
disheartened  by  delay  in  receiving  fur- 
loughs, and  many  are  detained  by  severe 
indisposition ;  yet,  as  but  few  have  been 
admitted  during  the  week,  the  number  of 
inmates  have  been  greatly  reduced.  But 
two  have  died  since  our  last  report.  One, 
a  man  of  middle  age,  after  having  sent  fa- 
vorable reports  to  his  family,  deceased  quite 
sundenly.  His  wife,  who  had  been  ap- 
prised of  the  alarming  change,  arrived  after 
his  interment,  but  had  tbe  consolation  of 
learning  that  he  left  pleasing  evidence  of 
being  prepared  for  his  summons  to  the 
Heavenly  rest. 

The  other  case,  was  that  of  a  young  lad, 
homeless  and  friendless,  as  far  as  could  be 
ascertained;  but  in  prison,  he  had  found 
the  only  unfailing  Friend,  and  though  all- 
untaught,  particularly  in  divine  knowledge, 
the  simple  trust,  expressed  to  those  about 
him,  gave  precious  evidence  of  his  adop- 
tion into  the  famfly  of  God.  And  as  your 
agents,  with  a  few  Christian  friends,  at  his 
burial,  listened  to  the  sad  record,  no  rela- 
tives, they  were  cheered  by  the  suggestion 
of  the  officiating  clergyman,  that  he  had 
found  loving  kindness  in  the  home  of  the 


November  11,  1864. 

The  lapse  of  another  week  brings  but 
little  apparent  change  in  the  current  of 
events  here.  The  wards  are  being  gradu- 
ally filled  again,  by  the  transfer  of  patients 
from  the  camp.  Application  for  aid  and 
supplies  have  usually  been  readily  met;  but 
some  few  articles,  already  noticed  in  our 
requisitiofls,  must  still  be  refused  the  suf- 
fering applicants,  it  having  been  impossible 
to  procure  them.  We  would  mention  black- 
berry wine  or  cordial,  which  is  frequently 
prescribed  by  the  physicians,  and  has  been 
a  source  of  relief  and  comfort  to  such  as 
have  contracted  disease  in  Southern  pri- 
sons. 

Disease  and  death  are  still  doing  their 
sad  work  in  this  sgction.  After  a  few  days 
respite,  the  dread  destroyer  appeared  some- 
what suddenly  again  on  Wednesday  morn- 
ing, and  removed  three  more  victims  to  their 
eternal  home.    It  was  a  sad  sight  as,  at  th& 


Jtmt 


844 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


burial;  the  three  coffins  lay  side  by  side, 
enveloped  by  the  glorious  old  flag  their 
lives  had  been  sacrificed  to  defend,  but  most 
comforting  t(j  think  of  the  more  than  mortal 
honor  put  upon  each  by  Him  who  died  that 
they  might  live,  for  all,  as  we  believed, 
had  departed  in  full  hope  of  a  glorious  im- 
mortality. One  of  these  cases,  which  cre- 
ated much  sympathy,  was  that  of  a  head 
nurse  in  one  of  the  wards,  who,  having 
long  been  faithful  at  his  post,  was  suddenly 
stricken  down  by  disease  and  called  away, 
before  the  wife  and  little  ones  he  had  left 
in  a  distant  state  could  be  notified  of  his 
illness.  His  last  night  was  spent  in  prayer 
for  himself  and  family,  and  his  last  words 
were  those  of  trust  in  Jesus.  Another, 
who  had  been  long  a  prisoner,  as  death  drew 
near,  manifested  deep  anxiety  and  penitence 
for  sin,  at  last  found  peace  in  believing,  and, 
at  his  earnest  request,  received  baptism  on 
his  dying  bed.  Another,  the  fourth  who 
had  passed  away  during  the  week,  had  long 
followed  Christ,  and  died  rejoicing  in  the 
prospect  of  the  heavenly  rest. 

In  cases  like  these,  how  gratifying  to  your 
agents  to  be  permitted  to  smooth  the  passage 
to  the  tomb,  by  the  temporary  relief  pro- 
vided through  the  munificence  of  the  Com- 
mission, as  well  as,  by  the  grace  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,  to  lift  the  veil,  and  point  to 
the  heavenly  mansions  prepared  for  them. 

FROM  ANNAPOLIS,  Md. 
BY  J.  ADDISON   WHITAKER. 

Two  gentlemen  came  from  Philadelphia 
to  obtain  the  body  of  a  deceased  brother. 
They  were  directed  by  Mr.  Boardman,  of  that 
city,  to  Mr.  Sloan.  I  put  them  in  the  way 
of  obtaining  the  body,  afforded  them  every 
facility  fo'r  disinterring  it  and  bringing  it  to 
depot;  gave  them  a  ticket  to  the  "  Home" 
for  meals,  furnished  them  beds  to  sleep  in 
in  our  "  Lodge  Koom,"  and  spent  some 
time  in  stating  what  our  work  was  from  the 
time  of  the  arrival  of  the  prisoners  till 
they  were  ready  to  return  to  duty  or  their 
homes.  I  showed  them  our  journal,  con- 
taining receipts  and  issues ;  explained  how 
we  welcomed  and  entertained  visiting  rela- 
tives ;  how  we  helped  the  soldier  collect  his 
ration  money,  back  pay,  and  in  case  of 
death,  helped  the  widow,  &c.  collect  her 
pension,  bounty  and  other  money  due  her, 
and  all  free  of  any  expense.  How  careful  we 
were  in  the  receipt  and  issue  of  stores ;  how 


difficult  it  was  for  us  to  misuse  the  stores  oi 
funds,  and  for  others  to  impose  on  us. 

They  were  delighted  and  amazed  at  whal 
to  them  was  all  new.  They  had  been  toW 
that  others  did  all  the  work.'  They  had 
heard  all  sorts  of  charges  against  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  and  only  the  Sabbath  be- 
fore, they  had  discussed  the  subject  in  then 
Sabbath-school.  One  of  the  teachers  ven- 
tured to  speak  for  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
but  he  was  met  with  objections  everywhere 
against  it. 

They  said  they  were  sorry  that  they  ha( 
known  so  little  of  the  good  we  were  doing, 
and  should  take  the  first  opportunity  of  set-' 
ting  forth  the  truth  in  regard  to  our  workJ 
They  regretted  that  we  did  not  take  more 
pains  to  let  our  work  be  known.  I  am  glad 
to  say,  they  left  knowing  more  of  the  real 
work  than  they  did  before. 

Misses  Phillips  and  Gary  are  faithful  and 
are  doing  a  noble  work.  Their  services  are 
as  valuable  to  us  as  they  are  to  the  soldiers,! 
and  their  friends  visiting  them.  Their 
work  in  that  hospital  is  an  illustration  oi 
the  fact  that  the  Sanitary  Commission  can 
attend  to  the  souls  of  men  as  well  as  their 
bodies. 

Of  all  our  work,  none  meets  with  more| 
approval  than  "  The  Home."  From  the 
Matron's  report,  you  will  see  what  a 
large  family  we  have  had  this  week.  Out 
moving  was  so  quietly  and  quickly  done, 
that  it  did  not  interfere  in  the  least  with 
accommodations  to  visitors.  It  has,  indeed, 
been  a  house  of  mourning  this  week.] 
About  a  dozen  came  with  expectation  of 
administering  to  those  so  dear  to  them; 
but  alas  !  it  was  too  late.  Their  only  con- 
solation in  so  great  an  affliction  was  found 
in  the  pleasant  accommodations  of  the 
"  Home." 

I  believe  our  work  in  this  district  com- 
mends itself  to  public  favor  and  confidence, 

BY  J.  C.  BATCHELOR. 


There  has  been  a  great  deal  of  excite- 
ment in  camp  this  week  on  account  of  mosl 
of  the  men  going  away  on  furloughs.  Be 
tween  two  and  three  thousand  have  gone 
Not  over  five  hundred  are  left,  altogether 
Some  of  the  poor  fellows  were  not  fit  to  go 
though  they  insisted  upon  it,  and  must  hav( 
suffered  much  while  traveling.  One  cas( 
was  especially  pitiful.  A  man,  I,  should 
judge,  of  forty-five  years,  wasted  away  b] 
chronic  diarrhoea  to  almost  a  skeleton,  un 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


845 


able  to  walk  except  with  asssistance,  started 
for  the  western  part  of  Ohio,  without  over- 
coat, blanket,, or  anything  more  than  his 
usual  clothing  to  protect  him  from  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather.  Seeing  his  con- 
dition, without  saying  anything  to  him,  I 
procured  a  blanket,  and  threw  it  over  his 
shoulders.  He  was  completely  confounded, 
and  for  a  long  time  could  not  realize  that  it 
was  given  him.  But  after  he  understood 
it,  you  should  have  seen  the  look  of  grati- 
tude given  me,  though  he  said  little,  as  he 
was  choked  by  his  emotions.  He  went  with 
the  expectation  of  never  returning,  saying 
he  was  going  home  to  die.  To  all  of  the 
severe  cases  I  gave  Jamaica  ginger  to  warm 
and  strengthen  them  on  their  journey. 
Many  had  no  covering  for  their  sore  feet, 
and  those  I  supplied  with  good  warm  slippers. 

The  hospital  is  now  in  charge  of  Sur- 
geon James  0.  Fisher,  U.  S.  V.,  with  Dr. 
Wm.  St.  G.  Elliott,  as  executive  officer. 
November  12,  1864. 

This  has  been  an  unusually  dull  week 
m  camp,  there  being  so  few  men  remain- 
ing here  J  and  a  greater  portion  of  them 
having  received  pay  a  few  days  since,  needed 
very  little,  if  any,  help  from  the  Coijamis- 
sion.  *  *  * 

A  good  share  of  my  time  has  been  spent 
in  Section  A,  attending  to  the  claims  of  the 
soldiers  for  back  pay,  bounties,  &c.  &c. 
Many  of  the  men  have  families  who  are 
suffering,  because  their  husbands  and  fa- 
thers cannot  obtain  the  funds  wherewith  to 
support^  them. 

While  conversing  with  Dr.  Fisher,  he 
recommended  that  woolen  nightcaps  be  fur- 
nished the  men,  for  this  reason  :  the  wards 
being  ventilated  through  the  roof  during 
the  night,  the  cold  wind  blows  on  the  heads 
of  the  men,  and  they,  to  protect  themselves, 
wrap  their' bed-clothes  around  their  heads, 
which,  of  course,  is  very  unhealthy,  as  they 
bres*he  confined  air. 

Our  agents  in  Section  A  report  all  things 
to  be  moving  on  as  usual.  The  wards  are 
gradually  filling  up,  Section  D  in  camp  hav- 
-ing  been  changed  from  hospital  to  barracks, 
and  all  the  men  removed.  *  *  * 

^Blackberry  wine  or  cordial  is  instanced 
as  being  ordered  by  surgeons  for  diarrhoea 
cases. 

THE  HOME. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  "  The 
Home"  for  the  week  ending  November  6, 
1864. 


Whole  number  admitted, .        .         969 
"  "      Lodged,       .        .  2,070 

"  «       Meals,       .        .      6,547 

From  the  following  States : — Maine,  109 ; 
New  Hampshire,.73 ;  Vermont,  20  5  Massa- 
chusetts, 123 ;  Ehode  Island,  5 ;  Con- 
necticut, 25 ;  New  York,  269 ;  New  Jersey, 
30 ;  Pennsylvania,  196 ;  Delaware,  2 ; 
Maryland,  9  ;  Virginia,  3  ;  Ohio,  17  ;  Illi- 
nois, 3  ;  Indiana,  3,  Wisconsin,  61 ;  Mich- 
igan, 21. 

On  account  of  the  great  number  of  fur- 
loughed  soldiers  arriving  at  the  Home 
during  the  past  week,  it  was  impossible  to 
make  a  record  of  all  their  names,  and  at  the 
same  time  take  care  of  the  baggage.  Mr. 
Wood,  the  only  one  assisting,  was  kept 
busily  employed  all  the  time  securing  trans- 
portation for  the  feeble  and  woimded  ones, 
and  seeing  to  their  getting  on  the  cars. 

The  only  names  taken  for  four  days,  were 
those  arriving  in  the  evening,  when  I  had 
the  assistance  of  Mr.  Murray  and  others. 

All  were  allowed  the  privileges  of  the 
dining  room,  which  was  open  from  a  quarter 
past  five  in  the  morning,  till  half-past  eleven 
at  night.  In  the  evening,  the  most  needy 
were  provided  with  beds  as  far  as  they  went, 
and  the  others  the  shelter  of  "  The  Hbme." 

For  the  two  nights  that  we  made  no 
record,  the  number  lodged  was  859.  Num- 
ber of  meals  given,  2,700;  included  in  the 
report. 

BY   GEORGE  A.  MILLER. 

The  soldiers  have  been  paid  this  week, 
and  a  great  number  sent  home  on  furloughs 
to  vote.  The  anticipation  and  recption  of 
their  pay;  then  the  anticipation,  and  in 
some  cases,  the  reception  of  furloughs,  has 
kept  the  men  in  good  spirits  the  past  week, 
so  they  have  thought  less  than  usual  of  their 
wants  and  troubles. 

The  poor  sick  fellows  seem  to  enjoy  hav- 
ing some  one  to  talk  with  them,  as  much 
as  almost  anything  that  can  be  done  for 
them.  They  love  to  tell  their  experience 
in  the  army,  and  in  Dixie.  Some  of  them 
have  suffered  everything  but  death,  and 
are  ready  and  willing  to  suffer  even  that 
now  for  the  salvation  of  the  country. 

There  is  a  house  near  Libby  Prison  oc- 
cupied by  Union  people.  At  certain  times 
when  the  rebel  officers  were  out  of  sight,  a 
young  lady  would  cheer  the  boys  by  wav- 
ing the  Union  flag  in  her  chajtnber  window. 
She  was  finally  detected  and  imprisoned. 


846 


The  Sanitary  CommisBion  Bulletin. 


It  is  the  opinion  of  many  of  our  paroled 
men  that  there  is  a  strong  under-currrent 
of  Union  sentiment  in  the  South,  which 
will  show  itself  as  soon  as  there  is  an  op- 
portunity. 

The  work  of  the  Commission  is  going 
along  as  usual.  Great  things  are  not  being 
done.  But  that  is  not  the  purpose  of  the 
Commission.  It  is  to  supply  those  little 
things  which  Government  does  not.  Those 
little  things,  however,  are  of  great  conse- 
quence to  the  soldier.  Those  tokens  of  kind- 
ness, coming  right  from  the  loved  ones  at 
home,  have  a  mighty  power  to  sustain  and 
cheer  the  desponding  heart  of  the  noble 
hero  as  he  lies  on  his  bed  suffering  from 
wounds  or  disease. 

BY   H.  WOOD. 

Report  of  the  Home  for  the  Wives  and  Mothers 
of  Soldiers,  for  the  week  ending  November 
Qth,  1864. 

Whole  number  admitted,    .         .         19 
"  "       Lodged,  .         .  143 

"  "       Meals,         .         .331 

BY  EDMUND  KLOTT. 

Report  of  the  Hospital  Department  of  the 
Home,  Washington,  D.  C,  for  the  week 
ending  November  6th,  1864. 

Total  number  of  patients  admitted,  470 
Number  of  permanent  patients,  who 

stayed  for  a  day  or  longer,       .         94 

Number  of  transient  patients,     .         .     26 

"        "  wounds  dressed,    .         .       350 


Total  number  as  above, 


470 


OUR  PRISONERS. 

LETTER  FROM  SURGEON  G.  L.  PALMER. 

U.  S.  A.  Gkneral  Hospital,  Div.  No.  2,      1 
Annapolis,  Md.,  Nov.  12,  1864.  / 

Rev.  J.  A.  Whitaker, 

Supt.  U.  S.  SaB.  Com. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  hav^  the  honor  to  ac- 
knowledge the  receipt  of  your  kind  favor  of 
this  date,  tendering  the  aid  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  in  the  anticipation  of  the  arrival 
of  a  large  number  of  paroled  prisoners,  at 
this  place.  I  have  already  made  requisition 
upon  the  medical  purveyor,  commissary  and 
quartermaster  for  supplies,  which  I  believe 
will  be  enough  to  meet  the  emergency.  But 
there  are  numerous  articles  of  comfort, 
which  soldiers  generally  purchase  with  their 


own  money,  and  as  these  unfortunate  prison- 
ers are  always  destitute  of  money,.X  know 
they  will  be  glad  to  accept  them  from  you : 
and  I  shall  be  happy  to  facilitate  their  re- 
ceiving anything  to  make  them  comfortable 
and  happy.  They  will  want  pens,  ink. 
paper,  envelopes,  stamps,  handkerchiefs, 
suspenders,  towels,  pocket  knives,  &c.  I 
may  need  for  extra  dressing,  some  rags  and 
shirts ;  and  if  the  weather  is  very  cold,  I 
may  need  one  or  two  hundred  quilts,  as 
these  men  require  about  double  the  clothing 
necessary  for  other  sick  men.  I  think 
some  pickles  will  also  be  needed. 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I 
have  received  this  day,  and  distributed,  forty 
rocking  chairs,  purchased  with  the  hundred 
dollars  which  you  gave  me  for  that  purpose 
last  Sabbath. 


EXTRACTS   FROM    THE   REPORT   OP  J.  B, 
ABBOTT,  WASHINGTON,  D.  0. 

JFor  week  ending  November  12,  1864. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  of  the  Special  Relief  work  accom- 
plished under  my  charge,  for  week  ending 
November  12,  1864. 

Number  of  pay  accounts  of  dis- 
charged soldiers  received  for 

adjustment,           ...  32 

Number  of  cases  settled,   .         .  26 
Amount  collected  on  the  cases 

settled,         ....  $5,732  46 

Number  of  bounty  cases  taken,  6 

"             "          "     allowed,  3 
Amount  collected  on  the  bounty 

cases  adjusted  and  allowed,    .  $275  00 
Number  of  claims  of  soldiers  in 
General  Hospital  for  back  pay 
received,       ....  28 
Number  of  claims  adjusted,       .  38 
Amount  of  back  pay  secured,    .  $2,730  09 
Number  of  claims  for  the  pay  of  ^ 
soldiers  who  have  become  pris- 
oners of  war,         ...  13 
Number  of  claims  allowed,         .  5 
Amt.  collected  on  oases  allowed,  $255  80 
Number  of  naval  claims  filed,    .  29 
"             "         "      allowed,  33 
Amount  collected  on  claims,      .  $3,784  06 
Number  of  pension  claims  filed,  27 
"              "          "      allowed,  1 
Number  of  claims  for  arrears  of 

pay,  &c.  filed  at  2d  Auditors,  2 

Number  of  claims  allowed,         .  1 

Amount  collected  on  claims,      .  $104  33 


The  Sanitary  Vommission  Bulletin. 


847 


Aggregate  number  of  claims  re- 
ceived and  acted  upon,  .  131 

Aggregate  number  of  claims  com- 
pleted, ....  105 

Aggregate  amount  collected,      $12,881  74 

CASH  ACCOUNT. 

Cash  on  hand,  November  5,  .  665  00 
Expenditures,  •  .  .  .  $16  00 
Cash  on  hand,  November  12,  .  S49  80 
The  work  of  the  "  Homes  and  Lodges" 
is  considerably  larger  than  last  week. 

Lodge  No.  4  furnished  lodgings  to 

soldiers, 312 

Meals  to  soldiers,  ....  1961 
Alexandria  Lodge  furnished  lodgings 

to  soldiers,  .....  53 

Meals  to  soldiers,  ....  158 
Number  of  persons  of  admitted.  Sixth 

street  Lodge,  ....  107 
Furnished  food,  cofiee  and  stimulants 

to, 195 

Home  at  Baltimore  has  accommodated 

during  the  week,          ...  60 

Classified  as  follows,  Soldiers,    .         .  40 

Soldiers'  friends,  13 

Refugees,  .        .  7 

Number  of  meals  given,  .         .         .  335 

Number  of  lodgings  furnished,  .     104 

At  Lodge  No.  4,  Harrison  Town,  private 
Cq.  G,  61st  Regt.  N.  Y.  Vols.,  died  very 
suddenly  about  12  o'clock  to-day.  He  had 
been  home  on  furlough  to  vote,  and  was  on 
his  way  back  to  the  hospital,  Mt.*  Pleasant. 
He  arrived  at  the  Lodge  about  10  a.m., 
and  wished  a  {^lace  to  lie  down,  complain- 
ing that  he  felt  quite  ill ;  he  was  made  as 
comfortable  as  possible,  and  rested  for  an 
hour  or  so,  when  he  began  to  grow  worse. 
I  at  once  sent  for  a  physician,  but  before 
he  arrived,  the  poor  fellow  was  dead.  He 
was  a  fine  looking  soldier.  His  body 
was  carried  to  Mt.  Pleasant  hospital  and 
deposited  in  the  dead  house  there.  Un- 
fortunately we  were  unable  to  obtain  the 
address  of  his  friends  from  him  before  he 
died.  I  have  taken  measures,  however,  to 
ascertain  their  address.  The  cause  of  his 
death,  the  physician  stated,  was  probably 
heart  disease.     *  *  * 

Mr.  E.  B.  Cutler  I  sent  yesterday  to  visit 
some  of  the  hospitals  in  New  England,  to 
make  arrangements  to  ^id  the  patients  in 
coUoctiog  such  arrears  of  pay  as  they  may 
have  due  them.  Mr.  Brown  will  proceed 
next  week  to  make  similar  arrangements  at 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


RECORD  OP  VISITS  MADE  AT  STANTON  AND 
DOUGLAS  HOSPITALS. 

BY  MRS.  M.  A.  C. 

Mv.  1,  1864.— To-day  I  have  fairly 
commenced  my  winter  work.  Went  this 
morning  to  Stanton  Hospital,  had  a 
pleasant  chat  with  the  surgeon  in  charge, 
Dr.  Wilson,  who  was  willing  to  have 
me  attend  the  hospital  as  "  Sanitary  visi- 
tor." He  promised  me  his  assistance  in 
anything  I  might  undertake,  which  would 
be  of  benefit  to  his  men  ;  he  took  me  to  the 
room  of  the  '•  Sisters  of  Mercy,"  who  re- 
ceived me  kindly,  and  expressed  their  plea^ 
sure  that  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  had 
appointed  a  regular  visitor;  went  entirely 
through  the  hospital  to-day,  including 
twelve  wards;  found  very  Jew  men  com- 
paratively, as  all  who  are  able  have  been 
furloughed,  in  order  that  they  may  go  to 
their  respective  States  to  vote. 

After  taking  note  of  the  wants  of  the 
men,  came  home,  resolved  to  do  all  in  my 
power  to  administer  to  their  needs,  and  to 
show  them  what  the  Sanitary  Commission 
is,  and  what  it  is  able  and  willing  to  do  for 
them. 

M)v.  2. — This  morning  made  out  my 
requisition  and  went  to  the  "  Office"  244 
F  street,  where  it  was  approved  by  the 
Chief  Clerk,  then  proceeded  to  the  Store- 
house,hoping  to  find  a  goodly  supply  of  the 
various  articles  on  my  list.  But,  alas !  slip- 
pers, rags  and  drawers  were  among  the  miss- 
ing. When  will  the  people  at  home  realize 
how  much  we  need  these  things,  and  send  us 
ENOUGH?  However,  I  filled  my  baskets 
with  something  and  started,  and  happy 
looked  the  men,  and  hearty  were  their 
greetings  as  I  entered  the  wards,  even 
though  I  was  obliged  to  disappoint  them  in 
some  of  the  things  they  had  asked  for. 
After  distributing  my  supplies,  went  over 
to  Douglas  Hospital,  directly  opposite  the 
Stanton,  andhadatalk  with  the  Surgeon 
in  charge  there.  He  too,  expressed  his 
willingness  to  help  me  in  my  work.  Went 
hastily  over  the  hospital  and  found  very  few 
men,  as  in  Stanton.  Took  down  the  wants 
of  these,  and  came  home,  feeling  cheerful 
and  happy. 

Mv.  3. — Went  this  morning  to  Dou" 
las,  with  baskets  filled  with  jellies,  tobacco" 
pickles,  suspenders,  letter  paper,  envelopes^ 
&o.  As  I  was  standifig  in  one  of  the  wards 
with  my  basket  by  my  side,  one  fellow 
looked  up  and  said,  "I  should  like  a  pair  of 


848 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


those  suspenders,  Miss,  how  much  is  to 
pay?"  I  laughingly  told  him  he  was  wel- 
come to  a  pair  without  paying  for  them. 
He  looked  as  if  he  wondered  who  I  could 
be,  coming  there  with  such  a  lot  of  things 
to  give  away.  I  immediately  explained  to 
him  that  the  Sanitary  Commission  furnished 
these  things,  and  that  they  were  most  hap- 
py to  do  it,  and  left  him — I  think  far  more 
cheerful  and  hopeful  than  when  I  found 
him,  for  he  then  had  the  consciousness  that 
there  were  some  who,  though,  strangers 
cared  for  him.  In  the  afternoon  called  at 
Stanton,  found  them  comfortable. 

Nov.  4. — Have  spent  the  day  in  much 
the  same  manner  as  previous  ones. 

Nov.  5. — Have  been  with  supplies  to 
Douglas  and  Stanton  hospitals.  After  dis- 
tributing clothing,  and  sundries  in  the  bar- 
racks of  the  former,  was  walkins'  through 
the  main  building  looking  for  bed  176,  fur 
whose  occupant  I  had  a  woolen  shirt. 
Meeting  one  of  the  "  Sisters,"  I  asked  her 
to  direct  me  to  it.  "What  do  you  want  of 
bed  176  ?"  said  she.  I  told  her,  when  she 
turned  to  me  and  said,  "  Tou  have  no  right 
to  distribute  clothing  in  the  wards,  Sister 
Superior  says  you  are  to  leave  nothing  with 
the  men  excepting  tobacco  and  letter  pa- 
per." Od  thinking  the  matter  over  quietly 
at  home,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
"  Sifttrs"  had  "  no  right"  to  thus  dictate 
to  the  Commission  what  they  should  give 
the  soldiers,  and  what  they  should  not,  and 
went  to  the  office  and  asked  the  Secretary 
what  were  his  views.  He  thought  as  I  did, 
and  advised  me  to  go  to  the  Surgeon  in 
charge,  which  I  did,  and  came  away  well 
satisfied  with  the  interview.  He  gave  me 
authority  to  do  as  I  pleased,  to  give  the 
men  anything  [  chose,  excepting  food  and 
drink.  So  that  cloud  has  passed  and  all  is 
sunshine  again.  Hope  I  may  not  feel  so 
unpleasantly  any  more  about  such  a  little 
thing,  must  learn  tt>  take  the  world  as  it 
comes. 

Koc.  6. — Dark,  dreary  and  rainy.  Have 
been  unable  to  make  my  hospital  visits  to- 
day, on  account  of  the  rain.  Feel  as  if  a 
long  time  had  elapsed  since  I  have  seen  my 
poor  solditr  boys.  Ah  !  what  a  pleasant 
feeling  that  I  can  daily,  or  almost  daily  be 
among  these  poor  suflFering  ones,  and  be  the 
means,  through  others,  of  making  them,  in 
a  measure,  forget  their  pains  and  trials. 
'Ihey  are  doing  everything  for  its,  and  shall 
Ki:  not  do  all  in  our  power  for  them. 

Nov.  8. — Still  unpleasant,  but   I   have 


been  to  Stanton,  with  baskets  of  reading 
matter,  fitid  that  the  men  need  more  bool^ 
than  they  can  get.  Hope  the  folks  at  home 
will  not  forget  this,  and  will  send  us  fresh 
supplies  soon.  Met  one  of  the  "  Sisters"  in 
the  Hall  who  told  me  that  one  of  the  boys 
was  "running  down"  for  want  ot  jmre 
brandy.  He  had  been  taking  poor  whiskey, 
and  the  Doctor  had  decided  that  he  must 
have  something  much  better  than  that,  and 
she,  poor  woman,  was  feeling  very  badly 
about  it,  and  asked  me  if  1  could  help  her. 
I  thought  of  the  Sanitary  Storehouse,  but 
no  pure  French  brandy  could  I  see  there. 
I  thought  of  my  money  purse,  no  five  or  six 
dollars  could  I  find  there.  What  can  Idof 
passed  through  my  mind.  I  could  see  of 
no  way  of  getting  anything,  when  it  flashed 
across  my  mind  that  I  could  go  to  the  office 
for  advice,  where  we  poor  visitors  always 
go,  at  least  I  do.  So  off  I  went  and  pre- 
sented my  case  lo  Mr.  H ,  there.  Be- 
fore I  had  time  to  think,  he  asked  the 
Chief  Clerk  to  get  me  one  of  those  bottles 
of  French  brandy,  issued  only  on  special 
occasions,  like  the  present  one.  Soon  I  was 
on  my  way  rejoicing,  and  I  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  that  poor  sick  soldier's 
face  light  up  with  joy,  as  he  said,  "  Ah ! 
that  will  make  me  live."  Wish  some  one 
would  send  us  a  big  case  of  this  real  brandy. 
Nov.  9. — Have  been  to  both  my  hos- 
pitals to  day,  but  carried  very  few  things ; 
find  shirts  in  great  demand. 

Nov.  10. — Went  to  Stanton  for  a  little 
while  this  morning,  took  down  a  few  wants, 
but  as  a  general  thing  they  are  pretty  well 
supplied  for  the  present.  Called  at  Doug- 
las, and  left  an  overcoat  for  a  little  boy,  ten 
years  of  age,  who  had  his  shoulder  crushed 
by  a  horse  lying  upon  it.  He  is  a  bright, 
intelligent  little  fellow,  and  well  deserves 
our  sympathy  and  help. 

Nov.  11. — Have  been  to  Douglas,  and 
distributed  a  few  things,  and  taken  down  a 
few  wants ;  found  plenty  of  errands  to  do 
for  the  soldiers.  It  is  a  great  deal  of  work 
to  do  to  go  to  all  parts  of  the  city  so  often, 
but  I  enjoy  it,  for  I  know  I  am  doing  good. 
Found  one  poor  fellow  nearly  gone  in  con- 
sumption, 1  fear  I  shall  not  find  him  alive 
to-morrow ;  I  spoke  some  words  of  comfort 
to  him,  and  did  an  errand  for  him  for 
which  he  seemed  very  grateful.  Did  not 
get  home  until  dark  ,  felt  tired,  very  happy 
and  satisfied  with  my  day's  work. 

Nov.  12. — Have  visited  both  hospitals 
to-day,  and  distributed  largely  of  sundries.  • 


The  Sanitary  Commimon  Bulletin. 


849 


9,623 

219 

934 
4,075 


Fonnd  a  few  new  men,  some  very  sick.  The 
man  that  was  so  low  yesterday,  is  still  alive ; 
have  been  able,  I  trust,  to  give  him  some 
comfort.  I  feel  to-night  that  the  past  week 
has  been  a  pleasant  and  profitable  one. 

BOSTON. 

Office  of  Exbcdtitb  Cohhitteb,  l 

No.  76  Kingston  Street,         [■ 

Botton,  Oct.  20,  1864.     j 

The  report  concerning  the  Special  Relief 
Service  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commi&sion, 
in  this  city,  for  the  quarter  ending  Sept. 
30,  1864,  exhibits  the  continually  increas- 
ing scope  and  importance  of  the  work,  and 
its  equally  marked  economical  and  humane 
results. 

Since  its  organization,  April  1,  1863,  it 
has  received  at  its  depot.  No.  76  Kingston 
Street,  23,240  soldiers,  to  whom  aid  has 
been  administered  as  follows : 
Furnished  transportation,  at  Grovem- 

ment  rate,  to      ...         . 
Furnished  transportation,  paid  by  the 

Commission,       .... 
Furnished  transportation  by  U.  S. 

Quartermaster,  . 
Furnished  carriage  within  the  city, 
Furnished  special  attendance  to  their 

homes,  .....  100 
Furnisheia  lodging,  .  .  .  13,973 
Furnished  meals  (total  number  of 

meals,  34,440),  .         .         .  17,222 

Furnished  clothmg  (total  number  of 

garments,  1,160) 
Furnished  aid  in  arranging  papers. 
Furnished  aid  in  obtaining  pay. 
Furnished  medical  advice, 
Wounds  dressed,  . 
Sent  to  hospital,    . 
Referred   to   Local  Relief  Associ- 
ations,      .... 
Re-enlLsted,  .... 
Deaths,  .... 

Furnished  Undertaker's  services, 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Hospital- 
Car  Service  between  New  York  and  Boston 
has  been  sustained,  affording  transportation 
to  11;751  soldiers,  and  giving  as  the  whole 
number  of  soldiers  aided,  to  Sept.  30, 1864, 
34,991. 

The  recipients  are  apportioned  to  respect- 
ive States  as  follows : 

Maine,  9,336;  New  Hampshire,  1,186; 
Vermont,  180 ;  Massachusetts,  8,887 ;  Con- 
necticut, 98 ;  Rhode  Island,  72 ;  New  York, 
207;  New  Jersey,  6;  Pennsylvania,  46; 
Maryland,  6;  District  of  Columbia,  102; 
Vol.  I.  No.  27  54 


550 
182 
226 
689 
3,178 
130 

46 

27 

6 

9 


Ohio,  91;  Kentucky,  14;  Michigan,  10; 
Indiana,  10 ;  Illinois,  26 ;  Kansas,  7 ;  Iowa, 
13;  Minnesota,  31;  Wisconsin,  24;  Mis- 
souri, 12 ;  Tennessee,  3 ;  North  Carolina,  4 ; 
Louisiana,  6;  Alabama,  4;  Virginia,  2; 
Georgia,  2;  Delaware,  1;  California,  1; 
Mississippi,  1;  Florida,  1;  Arkansas,  1; 
V.  S.  Regulars,  971;  U.  S.  Navy,  203; 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  535;  Corps 
D'Afrique,  21 ;  Rebel  Army,  2. 

34,440  meals  have  been  famished  to 
17,222  men,  an  average  of  two  meals  each. 

9,623  orders  for  transportation  at  Govern- 
ment rate  have  been  issued,  covering  an 
aggregate  of  1,299,935  miles  of  travel,  and 
resulting  in  a  saving  to  the  soldier  of 
$11,440  86. 

Back  pay  to  the  amount  of  $26,528  72 
has  been  collected.  * 

$437  16  has  been  loaned  or  given  to  250 
men,  an  average  of  $1  75  each.  Of  this 
amount,  $165  78,  or  more  than  one-third 
has  been  returned. 

1,160  garments  have  been  given  to  550 
men,  an  average  of  two  one-ninth  each. 

The  whole  expenditure  has  been  $27,902 
87,  classified  as  follows : 
Rent  and  taxes. 
Furnishing  and  repairs, 
Salaries, 

Travelling  expenses. 
Advertising, 
Stationery  and  printing, 
Postage, 
Telegrams,    . 
Hospital  stores, 

Superintendent's  expense  acct.' 
Miscellaneous, 
Hospital-ear  service. 

The  average  cost  per  man  of  the  service 
(including  Hospital-Car  Service)  for  suc- 
cessive quarterly  periods  since  its  organiza- 
tion, has  been  as  follows : 

First  (Jnarter  ending  June     30, 186-3,  $2  35 

Second            "             Sept.    30, 1863,  1  28 

Third               "            Deo.     31,1863,  99  15-21 

Fonrth            "           March  31, 1864,  ?3  21-44 

Fifth                "            June    30,1864,  68  17-22 

Sixth              «            Sept    30, 1864,  63    1-3 

The  accompanying  tabular  statements  ex- 
hibit the  comparative  results  of  the  service, 
for  successive  quarterly  periods,  from  the 
date  of  its  organization  to  Sept.  30,  1864. 

»  Clastification  of  Svperintendenfs  Expense  Ac- 
eoimt— Transportation,  $1,468  62;  Travelling  ex- 
penses, $193  83;  Meals,  $11,566  51;  Fnmitore,  $70 
59;  Fuel,  $157  42;  Washing,  $778  14;  Salaries, 
$273;  Money  loaned  and  given,  $420  U6 ;  Postaee. 
$23  03  J  Sundries,  $642  92.  ^' 


.    $1,037  49 

.   2,829  27 

.   3,741  75 

257  57 

303  92 

.   1,179  80 

36  00 

6  64 

370  63 

.*  15,220  41 

345  07 

.   2,574  32 

850 


The  Sanitarp  Commisgion  Bulletin. 


For  a  fuller  exhibit  of  its  character  and 
details,  reference  is  made  to  the  Annual 
Report,  copies  of  which  may  be  obtained 
at  the  Office  of  the  Committee. 
h.  b.  eoqers, 
James  M.  Barnard,' 
John  S.  Blatchford, 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott, 

Executive  CommiUee. 

Charles  F.  Mirt)6B, 

Superintevdent. 

Statement,  exhibiting  the  compar%tive  results  of  the 
Special  Relief  Service  of  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, in  Boston,  Mass.,  for  successive  quarters, 
from  the  date  of  its  organization,  April  1,  1864, 
to  September  30,  1864. 


dnarterly  Periods. 

si 

.^1 

§ 

.3 

S.S    . 

«s 

0 

1st  quarter  endiug 

■ 

June  30, 1863, 

833 

9if 

$1,962.17 

*2.36 

.24  2-5 

2d  quarter  ending 

Sept.  30,  1S63, 

2,ai7 

'2A% 

2,833,79 

128 

.28 

3d  qaavter  ending 

Dec.  31,  1863, 

2,685 

29^ 

3,0S8.63 

1.15 

.31  1-2 

4tli  quarter  ending 

March  31, 1864, 

6,455 

m% 

5,862.93 

1,08 

.31  1-2 

6th  quarter  ending 

June  30, 1864, 

5,416 

69K 

6,683.37 

1.04  7-8 

.33  1-2 

6th  qnarterending 

Sept.  30,  1864, 

6,634 

W)^ 

6,897.26 

.88  8-9 

.39 

Statement,  exhibiting  the  comparative  results  of  the 
Hospital-Car  Service,  between  New  York  and 
Boston,  for  successive  quarters,  from  the  date  of 
its  organization,  November  2,  1863,  to  September 
30,  1864. 


^rA 

^ 

(D   U 

Quarterly  Periods. 

ft 

F-J 

^^g 

£  § 

cd 

>  g  s 

15  J3 

& 

■<,  O 

Ist  two  months,  ending  Dec. 

31, 1863* 

1,473 

$1,064.33 

.70  1-2 

2d  quarter,  ending  March  31, 

1864. 

3,432 

666.5S 

.19  1-2 

3d  quarter,,  ending   June   30, 

.1864. 

3,405 

373  86 

.10  9-10 

4th  quarter,  ending  Sept.  30, 
1864. 

3,441 

486  79- 

.14  1-8 

Whole  number  transported,  11,751. 
Whole  cost,  $2,574  32, 
Average  cost  per  man,  21  9-lOc. 


Whole  number  of  soldiers  aided  (includ- 
ing Hospital-Car  Service)  to  Sept.  30, 1864, 
34,991. 

Whole  expenditure,  $27,902  87. 

Average  cost  per  man,  79  2-3c. 

BT  GEORGE  A.  BLAKE. 

New  Oeleans,  October,  1864. 
*  *  *     Everything  is  working  finely  in 
tCis   department.      By   request   of  Major 

*  [The  Hospital-Car  Service  commenced  Nov. 
2,  1863,  and  the  cost  for  the  two  moDthj,  ending 
Deo.  31,  1863,  includes  expenditure  for  first  outfit 
of  cars.] 


General  Granger  I  have  sent  a  large  sup- 
ply of  stores  to  Port  Gaines,  under  charge 
of  our  agent,  Mr.  Miller,  anticipating  a  con- 
centration of  troops  in  that  region.  I  hope 
you  will  hear  the  announcement  before  many 
weeks,  that  Mobile  is  ours.  *  *  * 

The  "  Home"  is  what  it  should  be.     Mr. 
Howes  is  a  capital  superintendent.  *  *  * 


WOBtAlir'S  CENTRAL  ASSOCIATION  OF 
BELIEF. 

OUR  SEMI-ANNUAL   REPORT — NO.  I. 

To  OUR  Fellow-Workers:— Our  usual 
semi-annual  report  is  now  due.  Although 
our  annual  report,  with  its  detailed  account 
of  supplies  and  money  received  and  distri- 
buted, will  be  submitted  to  you  next  spring, 
as  always,  we  do  not  propose  to  publish  our 
semi-annual  report  this  year.  There  are 
several  reasons  for  this.  One  is  the  expense 
of  publishing ;  another  is,  that  the  meeting 
which'we  held  in  this  city  on  the  16th  No- 
vember, and  to  which  delegates  from  all 
our  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  were  invited, 
assumed  the  form  of  a  large  public  semi- 
annual meeting,  the  reports  presented  being 
not  only  those  of  our  own  Branch  for  the 
past  six  months,  but  of  the  work  accom- 
plished during  that  time  by  the  whole  Sani- 
tary Commission.  Another  reason,  and  per- 
haps the  most  potent,  for  not  publishing  our 
usual  six  months'  report,  is  that  henceforth 
we  are  to  have  the  privilege  of  addressing 
you  directly,  through  the  columns,  and  by 
every  number  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
Bulletin. 

We  have  often  felt  the  want  of  some  such 
medium  of  constant  communication,  but  the 
space  of  the  New  York  city  papers  has  al- 
ways been  too  valuable  to  admit  anything 
of  this  kind,  and  we  have  therefore  been 
limited  almost  entirely  to  the  little  we  could 
say  through  the  medium  of  letter  writing. 

Our  present  plan  is,  by  means  of  the 
Bulletin,  to  tell  you  what  our  work  at  the 
rooms  has  been  during  the  fortnight;  where 
your  supplies  have  been  sent  to ;  what  is 
most  wanted.  We  propose  to  answer  any 
questions  of  general  interest  we  may  receive 
from  you ;  to  make  suggestions  for  making 
your  work  more  easy  and  more  effective; 
to  give  whatever  we  have  of  information  or 
explanation  about  our  work;  to  say  what  we 
can,  of  encouragement  and  cheer;  to  tell 
you  where  you  and  we  have  failed.  We 
mean  to  speak  very  plainly  about  ourselves 
and  yourselves,  without  flattery,  without 


The  Sanitary  Commiggion  Bulletin. 


851 


fear  of  giving  offence, — as  one  would  speak, 
in  all  love  and  charity,  to  a  tried  friend, 
drawn  very  close  by  a  common  interest  in  a 
noble  cause,  working  alongside  of  you  year 
in,  and  year  out,  undaunted  either  by  the 
magnitude  or  the  length  of  the  task  ahead. 
Let  us  hope  that  our  work  may  soon  be 
over.  Let  us  hope  so,  because  when  it  ends 
the  war  will  end.  At  no  other  time  during 
thes3  three  and  a  half  years — since  we 
have  known  one  another — has  the  prospect 
been  so  bright  for  our  country  as  now.  Let 
us  thank  God  that  it  is  so.  And  as  we  look 
forward,  and  feel  that  we  can  almost  see  the 
gleam  of  returning  peace,  let  us  resolve  that 
the  short  time  we  may  still  have  to  work 
together,  shall  be  a  season  to  be  looked  back 
upon,  through  long  years  of  prosperity  and 
peace,  as  one  marked  by  peculiar  devotion 
to  our  cause,  as  one  for  which  we  shall  have 
abundant  reason  to  be  thankful. 

Respectfully  and  sincerely  yours, 

Louisa  Lee  Schuyler, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Correspondence. 
November  9th,  1864. 


THE  COMMISSION  ABBOAB. 

HANDSOME  0IET  TO  THE  SANITARY  COMMIS- 
SION FROM  HON.  ROBERT  J.  WALKER. 

The  following  letter  to  Collector  Draper, 
of  New  York,  explains  itself : 

London,  No.  21  Cockspdr  street,     1 
Oct.  22,  1864.  / 

Dear  Sir:— The  Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker 
has  authorized  me  to  ship  from  London  or 
Liverpool,  to  your  care,  for  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commis.=ion,  some  thirteen 
or  fourteen  cases,  containing  most  valuable 
pictures,  etc.  These  pictures  are  a  present 
from  Mr.  Walker  to  the  United  States  San- 
itary Commission. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 
E.  C.  Fisher, 

Agent  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 
To  Hon.  Simeon  Draper,  Collector,  New  Yoric. 

The  pictures  presented  by  Governor 
Walker  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  are  of 
the  most  valuable  kind,  having  been  pro- 
cured by  bim  in  his  recent  European  tour, 
at  a  cost  of  over  ten  thousand  dollars  in 
gold.  Of  course  the  purpose  must  be  to 
make  these  fine  works  of  art  produce  as 
much  as  possible  for  the  Commission,  and 
that  most  efficient  organization  will  know 
how  to  make  this  large  gift  available  for 
promoting  the  health  and  comfort  of  our 
noble  army. —  WasMnffton  Chronicle. 


THE  OBGAHIZATION  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 
In  the  last  number  of  the  Bulletin,  a 
few  words  on  the  "  Life  of  th^  Commission  " 
were  presented  to  the  reader.  This  was 
stated  to  be  an  idea,  out  of  which  has  sprung 
a  representative  in  the  form  of  an  organiza- 
tion; and  like  the  cell  which  forms  the 
nucleus  of  all  life — it  has  been  constantly 
reproducing  itself  in  other  organizations, 
which  naturally,  and  by  virtue  of  an  inher- 
ent force,  are  coherent  with  the  primal 
organism  from  which  they  came.  The 
life-force  in  the  original  idea  has  produced 
a  variety  of  forms  of  construction,  all  tend- 
ing to  the  same  purpose,  and  auxiliary  to 
the  first,  through  the  subordinate  branches. 
That  these  branches,  which  exist  in  our  chief 
cities,  and  their  auxiliaries  in  the  several 
counties  of  the  States,  and  in  almost  every 
town  in  all  the  States  not  visited  by  the 
war,  should  all  be  impressed  with  the  idea 
,of  the  Commission  in  the  same  way,  is  not 
to  be  supposed. 

In  its  purity,  it  knows  nothing  but  the 
highest  good  to  the  entire  army,  embracing 
the  complete  scope  of  the  work  in  all  its 
departments  of  inspection,  supply,  relief, 
&c.,  with  all  the  details  of  each. 

In  its  more  limited  sense,  it  compre- 
hends only  a  part  of  the  great  plan.  In 
some  localities,  the  people  do  not  reach  the 
farthest  boundaries,  or  the  deepest  found- 
ations of  the  Commission's  service,  in  their 
conceptions  and  plans.  They  may  only 
think  of  supplies  to  meet  the  soldier's  wants 
in  the  emergencies  of  battle,  not  knowing 
that  an  inactive  army,  in  the  quiet  routine 
of  camp  life,  is  really  more  an  object  for 
skilful  care  and  oversight,  than  an  army  in 
motion.  In  the  fighting  army,  men  are 
wounded  and  killed,  and  the  quickest  and 
commonest  instincts  of  humanity  are  all 
aroused  to  perform  the  ministries  which 
are  their  own  natural  expression.  In  the 
long  dreary  days  and  nights  of  winter,  how"- 
ever,  with  frequent  rains  and  snows,  dull 
ennui  languishes  about  the  camp  fires,  and 
in  the  smoky  tents,  so  that  the  thought  is 


852 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


uppermost  with  the  most  thoughtful  on 
this  subject,  how  to  give  a  healthy  moral 
tone,  and  thus  preserve  a  vigorous  physical 
life,  to  the  hundreds  of  thousands  who  make 
up  our  armies. 

Men  in  hospital  who  are  dragging  through 
lingering  fevers,  or  resisting  the  exhausting 
influence  of  suppurating  wounds, — nervous, 
irritable,  and  dissatisfied,  claim  a  degree  of 
personal  care  and  moral  support,  which 
ordinary  nurses,  however  faithful  they  may 
be  in  the  mechanism  of  their  work,  are  not 
able  to  supply. 

The  Government  does  not  issue  a  page 
of  reading  matter  to  the  army,  and  the  men 
cannot  procure  it,  except  it  comes  to  them 
from  outside  sources.  The  effect  of  a  few 
pages  of  cheerful  reading  upon  a  discour- 
aged patient,  is  sometimes  a  stimulant  to  his 
moral  nature,  just  in  the  sense  that  stimu- 
lating medicine  revives  the  failing  pulses 
of  his  .animal  life.  All  these  are  questions 
which  claim  earnest  thought  and  effort, 
that  are  not  appreciated  by  all. 

In  other  places  the  idea  of  special  relief 
in  some  of  its  varied  forms  attracts  the 
people,  and  they  lay  hold  of  it  as  the  grand 
centre  around  which  they  will  gather  their 
strength  and  make  their  contributions.  In 
such  instances,  the  organizations,  while  they 
may  be  complete  in  themselves,  are  not  in 
harmony  with  the  spirit  and  life  of  the 
Commission.  Concentration  in,  and  diffu- 
sion from  a  common  centre  is  involved  in 
the  ideal  of  our  working  machinery.  What- 
ever interrupts  the  concentric  flow,  disturbs 
the  harmony  and  impairs  the  symmetry  of 
the  whole ;  and  whatever  confines  the  dis- 
tribution to  sections,  or  to  any  limitation 
short  of  the  entire  army,  is  equally  damag- 
ing to  the  completeness  of  the  work.  Organ- 
izations then,  to  agree  with  the  idea  of  the 
Commission,  must  be  based  upon  the  same 
principle.  Unity  in  existence,  —  concen- 
tration in  effort,  —  equality  in  distribu- 
tion. 

The  universal  acceptance  of  the  animus 
of  the  Commission,  as  the  inspiration  of  all 


its  auxiliary  societies,  may  not  yet  be,  in  its 
full  measure;  but  the  time  is  at  hand  when 
the  common  sense, — the  moral  sense, — the 
religious  sense — of  the  people,  will  accept 
the  declaration  as  true,  that  they  should 
acknowledge  and  practice  the  same  idea,  in 
the  matter  of  their  associated  benefactions, 
as  they  do  in  their  struggle  for  freedom  and 
unity.  That  such  is  not  universally  the  case 
now,  is  to  be  regretted.  That  States  should  be 
clamorous  for  peculiar  privileges  for  State  sol- 
diers ;  that  neighborhoods  should  be  equally 
energetic  for  neighborhood  soldiers,  while 
the  Nation  is  battling  with  a  rebellion  of 
State  and  neighborhood  interests  against 
national  life  and  integrity,  is  an  anomaly  that 
illustrates,  not  the  intentional  disloyalty  of 
the  people,  but  their  ignorance  of  the  spirit 
and  magnitude  of  the  issue  at  stake  in  the 
present  contest. 

The  organizations  of  the  Commission 
then,  should  demonstrate  to  all  minor  and 
rival  associations,  the  grand  idea  of  unity  in 
their  joint  labors.  One  centre,  one  treasury, 
one  supervision,  one  purpose  should  mark 
the  plan ;  and  when  it  shall  be  complete,  and 
the  necessity  for  its  existence  shall  have 
ceased,  history  will  make  it  one  with  the 
Government  and  with  the  cause  for  which 
the  Government  called  it  into  being. 

The  practical  thought  now  suggests  itself, 
that  all  local  societies,  all  local  interests,  all 
homes,  lodges,  offices  and  officers,  no  matter 
where  they  may  be,  that  are  working  in  this 
behalf,  should  contribute  their  strength  to 
the  central  power,  and  draw  as  they  may 
need,  from  it  again,  to  refresh  and  replepish 
their  own  work.  Such  is  the  genius  of  the 
cause.  If  branch  associations,  associate 
members,  relief  societies,  church  circles, 
social  clubs,  who  work  for  the  soldier,  will 
lay  aside  local  jealousies  and  harmonize  in 
one  purpose,  and  use  one  agency  for  the 
accomplishment  of  the  unity  of  the  Nation, 
they  will  be  consistent  in  their  subordinate 
action,  with  the  high  aim  of  the  Govern- 
ment, in  the  general  administration  of  its 
power  in  favor  of  union. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


853 


FSOSE  NEW  OBLEANB. 
BY  GEO.  A.  BLAKE,  M.D. 

Stbamek  Cahawba,  Nm.  2,  1864. 
I  have  endeavored  to  meet  the  wants  of 
the  soldiers  on  the  Florida  coast,  and  have 
forwarded  to  them  thrice  during  the  past 
six  weeks,  shipments  of  vegetables.  Mr. 
Stevens  went  in  charge  of  the  last  lot,  about 
one  week  ago,  (fifty  barrels  onions  and  a 
general  assortment  of  stores).  Cheering  re- 
ports of  improvement  in  the  health  of  the 
troops,  come  to  me  from  every  quarter.  I 
send  you  by  this  mail,  the  New  Orleans 
Times,  containing  correspondence  from  Bra^ 
SOS,  which  incidentally  returns  thanks  to  us 
for  a  supply  of  vegetables.  I  believe  I  have 
tickled  the  palate  of  every  soldier  at  every 
post  in  the  department,  excepting  Key 
West  and  Tortugas,  with  that  succulent  and 
savory  vegetable,  the  onion.  And  I  was 
glad  to  learn  through  you,  that  Dr.  New- 
berry intended  to  send  me  another  load.   ■ 

I  have  bought  no  kraut  for  the  troops, 
having  fresh  vegetables  on  hand  until  yester- 
day, when  Lieutenant  Colonel  Clarke  and 
the  surgeon  in  charge  of  his  regiment,  1st 
Michigan  heavy  artillery,  formerly  6th 
Michigan  infantry,  stationed  at  Fort  Mor- 
gan, made  a  strong  appeal  to  me,  as  their 
men  were  suffering  with  scurvy;  and  I 
purchased  3  barrels  kraut,  at  $16  per  bar- 
rel. I  shall  buy  no  more  unless  the  call  is 
very  urgent,  hoping  soon  to  welcome  an 
arrival  from  Louisville.  I  purchased  before 
for  $8  per  barrel ;  now  the  lowest  price  is 
$16,  and  two  weeks  ago  sold  for  $25  per 
barrel,  40  gallons. 

I  forward  with  this,  account  of  stock  for 
31st  ult.  In  view  of  the  shipment  I  re- 
cently received,  and  the  requisition  I  for- 
warded on  the  14th  ult.,  I  will  make  no 
special  request  for  stores  by  this  letter ;  will 
simply  say  that  the  larger  portion  of  socks 
that  we  have  on  hand  are  cotton,  and  the 
demand  for  woolen  is  constant. 

Mr.  Stevens  expected  a  tent  with  the  last 
shipment..  As  it  is  something  I  know 
nothing  about,  will  let  him  acquaint  you. 


FBOU  HILTON  HEAD. 

BY  Ii.  O.  BEEBE. 

Steamer  Nobthebn  Light,      I 
Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Nov.  13,  1864.  ]" 

Steamer  Fulton  leaves  for  "New  York  to- 
morrow, so  1  improve  the  opportunity  to 
write.  Arrived  at  the  Head  Tuesday  morn- 
ing.   Went  down  to  Fort  Pulaski  last  night, 


and  this  morning  the  "  Rebs"  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  "New  York"  and  "Gov. 
Leary  ;"  our  boat  being  too  large  to  go  up 
the  river.  Now  we  are  on  our  way  back  to 
Hilton  Head,  with  instructions  to  clean 
ship,  take  on  coal  and  await  orders.  *  *  * 
Col.  Mulford  said  he  didn't  know  how 
long  we  would  remain.  I  saw  Mr.  Leggitt 
at  the  Head  just  a  moment.  He  came  on 
the  "  Crescent,"  reports  all  right  with  him. 
Have  seen  none  of  the  others  since  we  left 
Fortress  Monroe.  Shall  write  to  Dr.  Marsh 
at  Beaufort,  and  undoubtedly  see  him  before 
my  return.  To-day  I  will  go  to  Hilton 
Head  and  ascertain  who  is  there.  *  *  * 


FBOM  BEAUFOBT,  S.  C. 
BY   M.    M.   MAftSH,    M.D. 

Nov.  9th,  1864. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  you  to 
hear  from  this  department. 

In  a  military  point  of  view,  very  little  is 
transpiring.  The  condition  of  health,  per- 
haps, as  good  as  in  any  portion  of  this 
southern  country,  but  nowhere  has  the  same 
degree  prevailed,  as  in  the  three  years  since 
the  occupation  by  our  forces.  Fevers  and 
congestive  chills,  more  feared  than  fevers, 
prevail.  Cold  weather  is  our  only  certain 
remedy,  and  the  mercury  now  stands  at 
87°.  These  sands  become  cooled  at  evening, 
and  the  moisture  elaborated  in  the  form  of 
vapor  during  the  day,  is  deposited  in  a 
shower  of  rain  at  night;  thus  rendering 
protection  from  atmospheric  changes  essen- 
tial to  health.  And  to  this  want  of  pro- 
tection, quite  as  much  as  to  scarcity  of 
food,  may  be  attributed  the  mortality  pre- 
vailing among  our  unfortunate  men  in  the 
Confederate  lines. 

PRISONEES. 

The  efforts  of  the  Commission  in  this  de- 
partment at  present,  are  directed  almost 
exclusively  to  this  class  of  men.  You  are 
aware,  that  early  in  July  the  Confederate 
authorities  allowed  us  to  send  to  prisoners 
clothing  and  the  coarser  articles  of  food. 
And  with  but  a  brief  interruption,  the  way 
has  been  opened  and  widening  to  the  extent 
of  their  limited  means  of  transportation. 
We  can  assure  you,  that  we  believe  the 
Confederate  officials,  here,  desirous  that 
supplies  should  reach  the  parties  for  whom 
they  were  designed,  and  to  the  extent  of 
their  ability  have  promoted  this  end;  the 
commissioner  receipting  for  them  and  con- 
sidering himself  personally  accountable  for 


854 


The  Sanitary  Gommissivn  Bulletin. 


their  delivery  to  whomever  addressed.  The 
gentlemanly  demeanor  of  these  officials  has, 
if  possible,  increased  our  anxiety  that  peace 
may  soon  allow  us  to  meet  them  as  citizens 
of  a  common  government. 

An  acknowledgement  is  due,  in  this  con- 
nection, to  the  zeal  of  our  own  officials,  to 
mitigate  the  sufferings  of  the  unfortunate 
in  Confederate  prisons.  It  is  not  enough 
to  say,  that  every  facility  has  been  extended 
us  to  minister  to  these  men,  but  it  is  only 
simple  justice  ,to  remark,  that  had  the 
General  commanding,  and  all  in  any  way 
connected  with  the  transfer  of  supplies  been 
moved  by  fraternal  impulse,  they  could  not 
have  labored  more  assiduously  and  earnestly. 
When  peace  is  restored,  may  a  grateful 
country  remember  these  men.  General 
Foster  has  arranged  to  send  a  boat  twice  a 
week  with  supplies.  The  last  two  meetings 
have  occurred  in  Savannah  river.  The 
supplies  sent  during  the  past  week,  are 
annexed  to  indicate  their  nature  and  extent. 
3,000  blankets,  520  hats,  1,020  shoes,  110 
coats,  107  vests,  2,000  pants,  1,000  blouses, 
2,040  shirts,  2,040  drawers,  2,040  pairs 
socks,  quantity  stationery,  quantity  tin- 
ware, 1,065  overcoats,  960  pounds  of  army 
beef  stock,  coffee,  milk,  farina,  and  other 
hospital  stores. 

A  part  of  these  were  accumulated  stores ; 
a  part,  as  thghats  and  overcoats,  purchased 
from  the  quartermaster  through  an  order 
from  General  Foster.  And  here  it  is  proper 
to  remark,  that  this  is  the  second  time  when 
the  supplies  of  the  Commission  having 
been  exhausted,  the  General  commanding, 
entering  into  the  true  spirit  of  its  mission, 
has,  by  allowing  the  Commission  to  pur- 
chase at  nominal  prices,  placed  it,  the 
prisoners,  and  through  them  the  country, 
under  obligation  for  his  deep  interest  in 
the  suffering  soldier. 

The  public  mind,  not  recognising  the 
fact  that  a  large  portion  of  all  prisoners  are 
quartered  in  the  adjacent  parts  of  the  Con- 
federacy, and  consequently  when  all  our 
means  are  expended  it  is  but  a  tithe  to  a 
>  man  ;  and  further,  that  the  arrangement 
between  Lee  and  Grant  is  prospective,  not 
actual,  may  become  indifferent  to  the  con- 
dition of  these  suffering  patriots.  A  mo- 
ments reflection  will  show  a  claim  for 
increased  beneficence.  What  has  been 
done,  is  not  at  all  commensurate  with  the 
pressing  necessities  of  these  men,  as  their 
begging  letters  daily  indicate. 

The  Confederate  authorities  have  opened 


wide  the  door,  and'  we  have  the  assurances- 
of  the  recipients  that  the  supplies  are  re- 
deived  by  them  ;  we  have  every  facility  in 
the  discharge  of  our  duties  which  the  de- 
partment can  furnish;  we  only  need  sup- 
plies. 

VALUABLE  LEIIES  TO  DB,  J.  S.  NEWBEBBT. 

BY  DR.  A.  N.  READ. 

Branch  Office,         1 
Chattanooga,  Nov.  i,  1864.  j 

After  an  absence  of  two  months,  I  re- 
turned about  the  1st  of  October  to  the  work 
of  the  Commission.  In  Louisville,  I  called 
on  the  Assistant  Surgeon-General,  that  I 
might  ascertain  where  there  was  most  need 
of  the  work  of  the  Commission,  and  to  ob- 
tain from  him  such  aid  and  directions  as  he 
was  pleased  to  give.  He  was  cordial,  spoke 
well  of  our  work,  and  promised  to  write  to 
Dr.  L.  D.  Bristoe,  Medical  Inspector,  on 
Gen.  Sherman's  staff,  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  the  necessary  aid. 

Through  the  aid  of  Major  General  Thomas, 
I  obtained  pass  and  transportation  to  Gen. 
Sherman,  on  the  field.  I  rode  to  Chatta- 
nooga on  hospital  train,  which  was  in  good 
condition,  cars  and  beds  clean,  and  food 
abundant.  There  is  daily  change  of  the 
patients  in  the  hospitals  at  Chattanooga, 
sending  to  Nashville,  and  receiving  large 
numbers  from  Atlanta  and  intermediate 
posts.  All  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the 
three  armies  are  being  brought  from  below 
as  fast  as  possible.  As  there  was  a  prospect 
of  a  general  engagement  with  Hood's  forces, 
I  made  every  effort  to  secure  a  supply  of 
such  stores  as  would  be  needed,  first  having 
ascertained  what  could  be  furnished  by  the 
Medical  Purveyor  and  Commissary.  There 
is  yet  a  probability  that  battles  stores  will 
soon  be  wanted,  but  at  a  point  nearer  Nash- 
ville than  Chattanooga. 

LOOKOUT    MOUNTAIN. 

On  the  18th  I  visited  the  hospitals  on 
Lookout  Mountain.  They  were  in  excel- 
lent condition.  There  were  two  hospitals. 
No.  3,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Jackson,  and  the 
officer's  hospital  in  charge  of  Dr.  Harlow. 
Both  contained  800  patients, — mortality 
for  the  last  three  months  less  than  two  per 
cent,  a  month.  The  atmosphere  was  pure, 
the  water  clean,  sky  clear,  as  if  just  washed, 
and  the  forests  of  the  mountain  tops  and 
sides  gorgeou^  in  their  dying  beauty.  Many 
officers  object  to  this  location  for  a  hospital — 
the  top  of  a  high  mountain — but  wood  and 
water  are   so   easily  obtained,  that  fewer 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


855 


teams  are  needed  for  the  transportation 
there  for  1,000  men  than  would  sufiSce  for 
the  same  number  in  the  town,  and  the  mor- 
tality is  much  less — partially  due,  no  doubt, 
to  the  pure  air  and  water,  but  principally 
to  the  fact  that  the  worst  cases  are  retained 
in  town.  This  is  especially  true  of  No.  1, 
which  has  a  much  larger  per  centage  of 
deaths.  This  is  the  hospital  nearest  the 
railroad  depot,  and  thus  receives  the  worst 
cases.  Those  who  must  be  moved  on 
stretchers  are  all  sent  there.  One  train 
alone  brought  from  Atlanta  16  cases  of  am- 
putation, 2  of  resection,  and  28  of  compound 
fracture.  There  were  treated  in  this  hos- 
pital in  May  last,  6,304 ;  died,  196 ;  in 
July,  1,597 ;  died,  227 ;  in  August,  1,156 ; 
died,  129  ;  in  SeptemW,  1,000 ;  died,  95 ; 
in  October,  1,901 ;  died,  56.  This  hos- 
pital is  in  charge  of  Surgeon  John  H.  Phil- 
lips, and  five  assistants ;  wood  buildings  in 
the  south  part  of  the  town,  on  an  elevation, 
near  the  river;  has  683  beds,  800  cubic 
feet  of  air  space  per  bed.  Has  4  stewards, 
11  ward  masters,  68  male  nurses,  8  female 
nurses,  and  29  cooks,  and  more  patients 
than  the  beds  could  accommodate.  The 
wants  of  the  hospital  were  vegetables  and 
clothing,  especially  clothing,  for  those  who 
were  brought  from  the  front  and  hurried 
forward  to  Nashville. 

ATLANTA. 

The  last  of  October  I  visited  Atlanta. 
There  were  about  4,000  patients  there  in 
hospital.  These  had  received  stores  from 
the  Commission,  and  before  Mr.  Hood  took 
charge  of  the  transportation,  142  regiments 
and  25  batteries  had  received  about  three 
rations  of  fresh  vegetables,  mostly  onions^- 
the  beginning  of  the  large  amount  which 
you  had  sent  to  supply  all  the  army.  The 
health  of  the  troops  in  the  field  is  improv- 
ing, and  has  been  since  they  began  to  obtain 
green  corn,  berries,  and  sweet  potatoes.  So 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  scurvy 
has  nearly  disappeared. 

Owing  to  the  anticipated  movements  of 
our  forces,  I  gave  directions  to  break  up 
our  store-rooms  and  office  there  and  at 
Kingston  as  soon  as  the  sick  were  removed. 
Should  a  portion  of  the  army  go  to  Mobile 
or  Savannah,  I  hope  a  boat  load  of  stores 
will  be  sent  them.  Kev.  J.  0.  Hoblit  and 
D.  A.  Johnson  I  now  expect  will  go  with 
the  army,  to  render  such  aid  as  they  can — 
collect  lists  of  casualties,  and  mark  and 
locate  the  graves  of  those  who  fall.     Mr. 


Bartlptt  and  Mr.  Brundrett  have  been  to 
Hunt'sville  and  Athens,  but  did  not  open 
rooms,  waiting  further  developments. 

We  have  in  Chattanooga,  a  good  supply 
of  vegetables,  and  but  few  other  stores,  more 
we  hear  are  on  the  way,  having  received  a 
telegram  that  twenty-five  car  loads  would 
soon  be  sent  from  Nashville.  Convaiescents 
are  arriving  from  the  front  in  large  num- 
bers. The  first  train  brought  down  here, 
after  the  partial  opening  of  the  road  to  At- 
lanta, 488  in  number,  marched  several 
miles  over  the  break  in  the  road,  not  then 
closed  up,  and  arrived  in  the  evening.  Fifty- 
six  were  sent  to  hospitals,  the  balance  were 
quartered  out  without  shelter,  many  with- 
out blankets.  The  captain  in  charge  was 
not  indifferent,  but  could  find  no  better 
quarters.  We  went  to*his  aid,  gave  the 
men  a  full  supply  of  onions  and  crackers, 
and  obtained  shelter  for  thenoa  As  soon  as 
the  last  one  had  passed  into  the  building, 
rain  began  to  fall,  and  continued  during 
the  night.  Since  that  night,  I  believe  all 
who  arrive  are  provided  with  shelter.  We 
add  to  the  hard  bread  and  meat  which  they 
receive  as  rations,  all  the  onions  they  want, 
and  some  crackers. 

HOSPITAL   GARDENS. 

The  vegetables  grown  in  the  Hospital 
gardens  have  been  distributed,  excepting 
green  tomatoes,  fall  radishes,  and  turnips. 
The  green  tomatoes  are  being  made  into 
pickles.  My  brother  "has  had  machines 
made  for  slicing  them  with  onions,  and  so 
large  is  the  supply,  that  the  pickles  thus 
made  will  pay  for  all  that  the  Commission 
has  expended  for  seeds,  implements,  and 
cultivating  the  garden. 

Soon  after  my  arrival,  I  sent  a  note  to 
Surgeon  Jones,  Post  Medical  Directer,  ask- 
ing information  concerning  the  value  of  the 
garden  to  the  hospitals,  and  the  propriety 
of  continuing  the  work  another  year.  I 
received  the  following  testimonials.* 

Most  of  the  surgeons  who  drew  for  their 
patients  vegetables  in  the  spring  and  early 
in  the  summer,  are  now  away  on  other  duty. 
Could  we  hear  from  them,  I  have  no  doubt 
their  testimony  would  be  even  stronger  than 
these,  as  they  received  largely  of  the  first 
fresh  fruits  after  the  deprivations  of  the 
winter.  We  are  indebted  to  Major-G-enerals 
Thomas  and  Steedman  for  that  aid  and  pro- 
tection which  has  enabled  us  to  succeed.  The 
design  is  to  submit  to  them  the  question 

*  To  be  forwarded. 


856 


The  Sanitary  Oommismn  Bulletin. 


upon  the  testimony  of  the  propriety  of 
another  effort.  The  garden  at  Murfrees- 
horo'  of  90  acres,  in  charge  of  John  Han- 
neman,  has  been  a  like  success.  The  one 
cultivated  at  the  Cumberland  Hospital  at 
Nashville,  of  16  acres,  was  of  essential  ser- 
vice, and  the  surgeon  in  charge  ask  seed 
and  implements  of  the  Commission  sufficient 
to  enable  them  to  plant  one  much  larger 
early  next  spring. 

As  this  hospital  will  be  as  permanent  as 
the  war,  it  seems  to  me  very  desirable  that 
it  should  be  furnished  with  a  building  suffi- 
ciently large  for  a  chapel,  library  and 
writing  room. 

I  start  for  Nashville  to-morrow,  to  look 
after  the  present  and  prospective  wants  of 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  now  gather- 
ing in  the  vicinity  of  General  Hood's  forces. 

We  have  no  difficulty  now  in  obtaining 
transportation  for  stores,  and  all  agents 
necessary  for  the  work  assigned  us. 


Annapolis  Junction,  U.  S.  A.  Gen.  Hos.,  "1 
Nov.  16,  1864. ; 

Eev.  J.  A.  Whitaker, 

Sapt.  Sanitaij  Commission,  &c. 

Sir  : — Your  request  bearing  date  Nov. 
12, 1864,  desiring  to  know  the  condition  of 
this  United  States  General  Hospital  for 
supplies  in  amount  sufficient  to  meet  any 
demand,  that  the  arrival  of  a  large  number 
of  sick  and  wounded  might  require,  is  re- 
ceived. I  am  pleased  to  be  able  to  state  in 
answer  that  at  no  time,  within  my  know- 
ledge, has  the  hospital  been  in  better  con- 
dition for  such  an  emergency,  than  at  the 
present  time.  Roofs  and  furnaces  have 
been  put  in  thorough  repair,  and  a  most  ex- 
cellent sanitary  condition  exists.  I  enclose 
herewith  a  list  of  articles  belonging  to  the 
Commission  now  on  hand,  to  this  you  can 
add  requisition  for  articles  forwarded  you 
under  date  of  Nov.  15,  1864.     *     *     * 

The  attention  of  the  Commission  to  our 
wants  at  previous  dates,  and  your  present 
letter  enquiring  after  our  needs,  require  my 
most  earnest  acknowledgements. 

And  believe  me,  sir,  very  truly, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

C.  Bacon,  Jr., 

Assistant  Surg.  U.  S.  A.,  In  charge. 

MEETING  AT  NEW  HAVEN,  CONNECTICUT. 
The  people  of  New  Haven,  assembled  on 
Sunday  evening,  the  13th  ult.,  in  Old  Cen- 
tre Church,  to  show  their  interest  in  the 
Sanitary    Commission.     The  ordinq.ry  ser- 


vices in  the  several  churches  were  omitted, 
and  pastors  and  people  met  together,  in  to- 
ken of  their  confidence  in  the  cause  which 
they  have  hitherto  sustained  so  liberally, 
and  of  their  determination  to  continue  in 
the  good  work,  so  long  as  the  demands  of 
the  army  and  navy  may  be  made  upon  the 
country  for  supplementary  aid.  The  vener- 
able Dr.  Bacon,  pastor  of  the  Centre  Church, 
opened  the  meeting  with  appropriate  religi- 
ous services,  and  as  his  earnest  prayers 
ascended  in  behalf  of  our  country,  and  all 
her  interests ;  of  our  soldiers  and  all  their 
wants;  of  our  Commission  and  all  its  la- 
bors, the  multitude  which  crowded  the 
grand  old  Church,  seemed  to  be  deeply  im- 
pressed with  a  sense  of  the  responsibility 
which  rests  upon  all  true  lovers  of  the 
nation  and  the  race,  to  renewed  effisrts  and 
contributions  in  behalf  of  this  cause.  The 
congregation  joined  in  singing,  after  which 
Dr.  Bacon  read  an  abstract  of  the  report  of 
the  Ladies'  Branch,  in  New  Haven. 

Eev.  J.  J.  Marks,  Eev.  F.  W.  Williams, 
Eev.  A.  Gather,  and  Dr.  Jos.  Parrish,  all 
of  whom  have  been  actively  engaged  in  the 
service  of  the  Commission,  addressed  the 
meeting,  and  furnished  numerous  facts  and 
incidents  to  illustrate  its  work.  The  meet- 
ing was  a  success,  and  the  faithful  women 
who  have  labored  so  long  and  so  well  in 
New  Haven,  were  greatly  encouraged  by 
the  generous  support  of  the  community  in 
this  hearty  interest  in  their  work,  and  are 
now  renewing  their  exertions  to  make  the 
future  even  more  marked  by  success  than 
the  past.  The  following  extracts  from  their 
report  will  be  read  with  interest : 

Early  in  the  winter,  the  waste  pieces  both 
of  our  flannel  and  cotton  cuttings,  were 
made  into  filling  for  eighty  comfortables, — 
that  much  abused  institution,  the  shoddy 
mill,  enabling  us  in  this  case  to  make  ex- 
cellent use  of  what  would  otherwise  have 
been  lost  to  us.  This  is  worthy  of  mention 
as  showing  that  no  small  amount  of  material 
had  passed  through  our  hands,  also  that  it 
is  ojir  habit  to  gather  up  "  all  the  fragments 
that  nothing  be  lost." 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


857 


Later,  an  nrgent  demand  was  made  for 
sheets  and  towels,  when  letters  were  'sent  to 
our  auxiliaries  asking  their  assistance  in  the 
purchase  of  material.  They  responded  gen- 
erously— many  sending  double,  and  some 
three  and  fourfold  the  amount  asked  for. 
The  material  was  purchased,  and  the  fol- 
lowing articles  made,  washed,  marked,  and 
sent  off,  within  the  space  of  three  weeks, 
viz  :  1,000  sheets,  1,500  towels,  and  1,600 
handkerchiefs  and  napkins;  and  by  the 
close  of  another  week,  the  number  amounted 
to  1,232  sheets,  1,921  towels,  and  2,099 
handkerchiefs. 

Thus  passed  our  winter  and  early  spring, 
when  in  May  the  telegram  from  Washing- 
ton, "  send  by  express  all  the  rags  and 
bandages  you  have,"  sent  a  thrill  through 
our  hearts,  causing  us  to  realize  as  we 
never  before  had  done,  the  direful  necessi- 
ties of  the  conflict  raging  at  the  "  front." 
This  message,  with  a  request  for  material 
and  help,  read  in  the  churches  and  pub- 
lished in  the  papers,  brought  to  our  rooms 
large  quantities  of  old  linen  and  cotton,  and 
many  earnest  workers,  who  aided  in  prepar- 
ing them  for  the  hands  of  the  surgeon. 
Cushions,  pads,  towels  and  handkerchiefs, 
together  with  all  kinds  of  appliances  for 
wounds,  were  gathered  and  made  with  great 
celerity,  and  all  that  busy  hands  and  anxious 
hearts  could  do  for  the  alleviation  of  our 
suffering  brethren,  was  done,  when  tidings 
of  the  carnage  of  deadly  combat  in  the 
Wilderness  greeted  our  ears.  Many  touching 
evidences  of  sacrifice  came  to  our  knowledge, 
weeping  mothers  who  had  already  offered 
up  their  sons,  bringing  their  treasured  gar- 
ments to  swell  the  sacrifice,  "  knowing,"  as 
they  said,  "  that  it  would  be  what  would 
have  pleased  them." 

Heir-looms  in  the  shape  of  linen  spun 
and  woven  a  century  ago  (in  one  instance 
130  years)  were  brought  in,  and  aged  women 
who  had  toiled  for  soldiers  in  the  earlier 
perils  of  our  country,  used  their  waning 
energies  to  swell  the  volume  of  contribu- 
tions for  the  exigencies  of  the  hour.  Of  the 
linen  sent  us  which  had  so  long  been  house- 
hold treasure,  we  made  towels  and  pillow 
cases  with  permanent  inscriptions  on  each, 
giving  its  age,  and  by  whom  preserved  and 
presented.  It  must  be  a  pleasant  thought 
for  the  soldier  to  dwell  upon,  in  the  weary 
hours  of  convalescence,  that  his  comfort  is 
deemed  worthy  of  such  sacrifice. 

As  an  example  of  the  systematic  effort 
by  which  the  Auxiliary  Societies  contribute 


so  largely  to  the  eflSciency  of  our  central 
agency,  we  would  speak  of  one  in  this  con- 
nection, which  repeats  on  a  smaller  scale, 
our  own  mode  of  organization. 

Eleven  sub-societies,  formed  in  as  many 
districts  of  the  town,  collect  donations  of 
money  arid  hospital  supplies,  and  at  weekly 
meetings,  make  into  garments  the  material 
furnished  by  us  to  their  General  Society ; 
the  scale  on  which  we  purchase  enabling 
us  to  supply  them  at  better  rates  than  they 
could  obtain  it  elsewhere.  These  sub- 
societies  report  monthly  their  receipts,  and 
the  result  of  their  labor  to  the  General 
Society,  which  ultimately  reports  to  us,  and 
forwards  to  our  rooms  all  supplies  collected 
from  the  different  districts.  Various  plans 
of  subscription  and  taxation  are  resorted  to 
for  raising  funds,  and  the  'success  of  these 
efforts  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  within 
eight  months,  they  have  sent  to  our  trea- 
sury, the  sum  of  eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  dollars  (S867),  and  twenty  barrels  and 
boxes  of  hospital  supplies. 

In  other  emergencies  we  have  made 
special  appeals,  which  have  been  uniformly 
answered  most  satisfactorily.  As  the  heat 
of  summer  strengthened  and  our  brave 
soldiers  toiling  in  the  trenches  fainted  un- 
der its  influences,  a  call  came  from  their' 
camps  for  fresh  vegetables,  fruits  and  anti- 
scorbutics of  all  kinds,  not  only  for  the  sick 
but  for  the  preservation  of  health  and 
strength  to  those  not  yet  compelled  to  sur- 
render to  the  influences  of  exposure,  mala- 
ria, and  insufficient  diet.  Our  readers  need 
not  be  reminded  of  the  Fourth  of  July 
contribution,  made  by  our  children  and 
youth  who  sacrificed  their  usual  enjoyment 
in  explosives  of  all  kinds,  to  raise'  a  fund 
for  the  purchase  of  these  much  needed  sup- 
plies. The  Executive  Committee,  conferring 
upon  the  propriety  of  making  the  suggestion 
and  discussing  its  probable  success,  ven- 
tured the  hope  that  "  as  much  as  two  hun- 
dred dollars  might  be  realized  in  that  way." 
Our  surprise  and  gratification  may  be  im- 
agined, when  the  sum  in  the  aggregate 
amounted  to  seven  hundred  and  thirty 
dollars  and  thirty-two  cents  ($730  32) ! 

Our  "cruse"  has  not  failed  us,  and  we 
trust  will  not,  but  there  is  no  disguising  the 
fact  that  our  abilities  are  cramped,  and  our 
usefulness  circumscribed  by  the  necessity 
we  are  under  of  limiting  our  purchases  by 
a  scant  treasury.  The  manufacturers  are 
generous  with  us,  deducting  certain  per- 
centage on  their  wholesale  prices ;  the  ex^ 


858 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


press  and  transportation  companies  are 
obliging,  and  assist  us  all  they  can  in  their 
way ;  the  press  are  uniformly  ready  to  lend 
us  their  columns  to  communicate  with  the 
public — but  we  need  a  fuller  treasury,  and 
means  to  operate  with  more  freely. 

The  Fairs  held  in  our  large  cities  had  net- 
ted such  large  amounts  that  many  persons, 
not  appreciating  the  magnitude  of  the  work, 
regarded  the  sums  inexhaustible,  and  seemed 
to  consider  their  duty  ended  in  that  channel. 

While  realizing  fully  that  the  field  of 
work  is  sufficiently  large  to  be  occupied  by 
both  Commissions,  we  yet  feel  that  the 
longer  and  more  complete  organization  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  given  it  ad- 
vantages for  benefitting  the  sol(fiers,  and 
that  experience  will  prove  to  any  who  en- 
gage in  this  work,  that  large  expenditure  is 
indispensable  to  accomplish  the  ends  for 
which  we  labor. 


Copy  of  a  letter  sent  to  Mrs.  B.,  Hospi- 
tal Visitor,  by  a  friend  of  a  soldier  : 

Eagle,  iVoo.  2d,  1864. 

Dear  Madam  : — At  the  request  of  my 

friend,  Mr.  D ,  I  will  try  and  pen  a  few 

lines  to  you,  to  let  you  know  that  he  ar- 
rived at.  our  house  one  week  ago  last  Friday. 
I  think  his  journey  was  most  too  much  for 
him,  though  he  stood  it  much  better  than 
he  expected ;  we  were  surprised  to  see  him, 
for  we  feared  he  would  not  live  to  return. 
He  is  very  thankful  to  think  his  life  has 
been  spared,  and  truly  he  has  great  reason 
to  be.  His  limb  is  better  than  it  was  when 
he  left  the  hospital,  though  it  gains  very 
slowly ;  the  swelling  kept  going  down  in 
the  foot,  and  yesterday  morning  he  had  it 
opened  just  below  the  ankle  joint ;  it  is 
very  painful,  but  he  bears  his  suffering 
without  a  murmur,  I  hardly  think  he  would 
bear  up  under  it  if  he  had  not  an  arm 
stronger  than  man's  to  lean  upon.  He  has 
spoken  of  writing  to  you  a  number  of  times, 
but  he  is  so  weak — it  is  too  much  of  a  task ; 
he  can  hardly  say  enough  in  your  praise; 
he  is  truly  thankful  for  the  aid  you  ren- 
dered him.  Sick  and  wounded,  with  no 
kind  sister  or  loving  mother  to  watch  over 
him,  he  found  a  friend  in  you,  though  a 
stranger,  and  surely  God's  blessings  will 
rest  upon  you  for  your  kindness  to  him. 

And  now,  Mrs.  B ,  perhaps  you  would 

like  to  know  what  we  are  doing  to  help  the 
Sanitary.  We  have  not  been  idle  the  past 
summer,  have  met  once  a  week,  and  done 


what  we  could  in  furnishing  bandages  and 
lint,  &c. ;  have  filled  one  firkin  of  butter 
and  sent  to  the  Soldier's  Rest  in  Buffalo. 

Mrs.  S ,  the  president,  has  sent  us  work 

most  of  the  time.  We  have  been  making 
pickles,  and  are  now  drying  apples. 

Mr.  D ,  sends  his  best  wishes  to  Mr. 

S ,  and  kindest  regards  to  you,  hoping 

you  are  well,  and  that  your  life  may  be 
spared  for  many  years  to  come.     We  all 
unite  in  sending  our  best  wishes  for  your 
happiness.     I  am  truly  your  friend, 
M B . 

Pike,  Wyoming  Co.,  K.  T. 


SEW  YOBS  MEETING. 

We  anticipate  for  next'  number  of  Bul- 
letin an  official  report  of  the  Grand  Coun- 
cil of  Women  from  the  different  societies 
auxiliary  to  the  New  York  Branch.  It  was 
a  good  meeting — large,  spirited,  cheering. 
The  evening  meeting  at  Cooper  Union  was 
addressed  by  Eev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  of  Sani- 
tary Commission,  Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  New 
York,  Col.  Hawkins,  of  East  Tennessee,  and 
Dr.  Bellows.  Professor  Hitchcock  presiding. 

The  Council  next  morning  was  addressed 
by  Dr.  Bellows  and  A.  M.  Sperry,  Relief 
Agent,  from  City  Point,  and  by  Mrs.  Barker, 
Hospital  Visitor,  from  Washington.  A 
large  number  of  delegates  assembled  from 
New  York,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  New 
Jersey,  Long  Island,  and  Massachusetts,  and 
visitors  were  in  attendance  from  other  States. 
A  basket  full  of  reports  was  handed  in,  which 
required  a  committee  to  collate.  Much 
good  must  result  from  such  gatherings. 

SEPORT rKOm  DTJVALL'S  BLUFF,  ARKANSAS, 

BY  BENJAMIN  WOODWARD. 

October  31,  1864. 
Found  that  an  invoice  of  vegetables  and 
pickles,  we  sent  from  Memphis,  had  been 
received.  Judge  Bingham,  the  Ohio  State 
Agent,  and  Mr.  Moody,  the  Agent  of  the 
Western  Sanitary  Commission,  had  sent  a 
part  of  the  supplies  to  Little  Rock.  They 
had  given  out  a  part  to  hospitals  and  regi- 
ments at  this  post,  and  retained  the  greater 
bulk  of  them  for  my  orders.  I  had  written 
Judge  Bingham  "  that  if  he  -found  them 
much  needed  here,  to  issue  them  on  his 
own  responsibility."   I  find  from  his  vouch- 


The  Sanitary  Commhsion  Bulletin. 


859 


era,  that  his  issues  have  heen  most  judici- 
ous. There  are  120  sick  here  in  General 
Hospital,  50  in  the  Quartermaster's  Hos- 
pit'al,  and  a  greater  number  in  the  diflFerent 
regiments.  The  surgeons  acknowledge  the 
benefits  which  they  have  received  from 
Sanitary  stores  issued  by  the  Western  Sani- 
tary Commission.  Some  of  these  stores 
came  from  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
as  we  had  no  agent  on  the  ground.  I  talked 
with  officers  and  men  of  the  3d  Minnesota 
regiment.  When  the  regiment  arrived 
here  in  May  last,  it  was  900  strong — now 
there  are  but  96  men  fit  for  duty.  54  have 
•  died  from  disease.  Scurvy,  diarrhoea,  and 
intermittent  fevers  have  been  the  prevalent 
diseases,  as  they  are  in  all  commands  here. 
These  men  say,  that  when  vegetables  or 
other  supplies  have  been  received  here, 
"they  have  been  issued  by  the  Commissary 
Sergeant  of  the  regiment,  and  that  all  the 
men  have  shared  equally."  Patients  in  the 
hospitals,  and  men  in  all  the  regiments  unite 
in  the  expression,  "that  they  are  fairly 
dealt  by,  and  that  though  many  have  died, 
it  has  not  been  from  neglect  or  misappro- 
priation, but  from  actual  destitution  of  sup- 
plies," and  "that  they  are  satisfied  that 
what  few  vegetables  have  been  given  out, 
have  been  the  means  of  saving  many  lives." 
Soldiers  statements  must  always  be  taken 
with  some  grains  of  allowance,  for  they  can- 
not always  know  what  has  been  received, 
and  though  they  may  intend  to  be  truthful, 
may  be  mistaken ;  but  when  they  unite  in 
saying  "they  believe  all  has  been  done  for 
them  which  it  was  possible  to  do,"  we  are 
bound  to  believe  them.  The  demand  for 
vegetables  is  imperative.  The  market  prices 
for  vegetables  here  are  so  fabulous,  that  no 
hospital  can  accumulate  a  fund  sufficient  to 
purchase  them.  Prices  are :  potatoes,  $20 
per  barrel ;  pickled  cabbage,  860  per  barrel, 
or  30  to  35  cenfs  per  pound;  onions  vary 
from  20  to  40  cents  per  pound ;  butter,  $1 
per  pound ;  cheese,  90  cents  per  pound ; 
common  vinegar,  90  cents  per  gallon,  and 
even  at  these  prices  are  scarcely  to  be  had. 
Sometime  the  present  season,  Lieut.  Col. 

,  of  the regiment,  made  a  speech 

at ,  Michigan,  before  a  meeting  called 

in  behalf  of  a  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  in 
which  he  stated  "  that  his  regiment  had  re- 
ceived nothing  from  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion." Inquiries  were  sent  here  where  the 
regiment  has  been  quartered.  The  vouchers 
in  the  hands  of  the  Western  Sanitary  Com- 
mission prove  that  the  regiment  has  received 


large  supplies  during  the  time  it  has  been 
here,  and  I  took  pains  to  find  numbers  of 
men  of  the  regiment.  They  all  say  the 
Surgeon  has  issued  them  freely  as  soon 
as  received,  and  they  feel  satisfied  with 
the  honesty  of  the  issues.  The  vouchers 
are  now  on  their  way  to  the  Aid  Society 

at  ,  with  statement  of  the  men  who 

reside  there.  Thus  one  slander  after 
another  is  nailed.  One  of  those  vouchers 
shows  that  at  one  time  twenty  barrels  of 
potatoes,  and  a  good  general  supply  was 
issued  to  the  regiment. 

The  9th  Kansas  Cavalry  is  here,  and 
have  many  sick,  but  they  have  just  arrived, 
and  have  not  been  within  reach  of  sanitary 
supplies.  Company  L  of  this  regiment  is 
composed  exclusively  of  C^w  Indians.  A 
finer  body  of  men  was  never  seen,  and  the 
officers  of  the  regiment  say  they  are  the 
best  and  most  reliable  scouts,  and  most 
splendid  horsemen. 

The  Christian  Commission  has  an  agency 
here,  under  the  care  of  Eev.  Mr.  Mattis,  of 
St.  Louis.  They  occupy  two  large- tents, 
filled  with  books  and  writing  material.  The 
soldiers  speak  in  the  most  kindly  terms  of 
them  and  their  work.  The  Sanitary  Com- 
mission has  in  Captain  G-ombert,  the  Post 
Quartermaster,  a  warm  and  efficient  friend, 
ready  at  all  times  to  aid  in  every  way  iri 
his  power.  I  am  indebted  to  him  for  per- 
sonal attentions,  and  the  hospitalities  of  his 
table  and  quarters  while  here. 

I  would  call  attention  to  the  need  there 
is  of  a  "  Soldier's  Home,"  or  "  Lodge,"  at 
the  Bluff.  This  is  the  point  of  ingress  and 
egress  of  the  army  in  Arkansas,  and  its 
base  of  supplies.  All  soldiers  furloughed 
or  discharged  from  the  service  stop'  here. 
There  is  no  place  even  of  shelter  for  them. 
Dr.  Moody  is  very  anxious  that  a  home 
should  be  put  in  immediate  operation,  and 
if  an  agent  of  ours  should  be  sent  there,  he 
could  have  the  management  of  it.  Winter  is 
near,  and  if  such  an  enterprise  is  thought 
best,  no  time  should  be  lost.  Accommoda- 
tions for  one  hundred  men  are  needed. 


THE  GENEBALS  AND  VEGETABLES. 
Maj.  Gen.  Smith  said,  in  a  letter  : — "  Tell 
the  Commission  that  these  men  need  vegeta- 
bles, lemons,  &c.,  more  than  even  those  in  the 
hospitals,  and  I  will  send  teams  for  anything 
the  Commission  can  give."  Generals  Burn- 
side,  Warren,  and  Hancock  said  the  same. 
The  officers  of  the  ninth  army  corps  head- 
quarters declined  to  receive  their  share,  and 


860 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


said  :  "  Give  them  all  to  the  men,  they  need 
them  more  than  we  do."  After  the  distri- 
bution through  the  entire  army,  affording 
the  men  a  ration  of  vegetables  for  ten  days, 
the  officers  reported  a  marked  improvement 
in  their  condition.  General  Grant  has 
also  'given  the  most  cordial  co-operation  and 
ordered  increased  facilities  of  transportar 
tion. — Hev.  W.  W.  Patton. 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 
Board  Meeting 833 

Eepobts 

City  Point. — Extracts  from  Eeport  of  Dr.  A.  W. 
McDonald— (Auxiliary  Relief  Corps,  Special 
Belief,  At  Norfolk,  Supply  Trains,  Across 
the  James,  The  Wounded)  834 

Extracts  from  Report  of  Dr.  Swalm,  (Deep  Bottom, 
Issues  from  the  storehouse  of  the  Commission 
at  City  Point  from  June  18,  to  Oct.  1,  1864, 
A  uxiliary  Relief  Gorps,Vegetables  for  Troops, 
Cedar  Level) 837 

A.  W.  Bperry,  Auxiliary  Relief  Agent,  City  Point, 
(Amount  of  Hospital  Supplies  issued  by  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  during  the  mouths  of  July,  August, 
and  September,  1864).... 839 

Hospital  Supplies  issued  at  New  Orleans,  during  the 

months  of  July,  Aug.,  and  Sept ,  1864 840 

Hospital  Supplies  issued  at  Beaufort,  S.  C 841 

Hospital  Supplies  issued  at  Newhern,  N.  C 841 

Washington.— J  B.  Abbott,  Special  Relief 846 

J.  B.  Clark's  Quarterly  Report 841 

Annapolis. — J.  A.  Whittaker ■  844 

J.  C.  Batchelor 844 

George  A.  Miller 845 

H.Wood 846 

Camp  Parole.— Alma  Carey  and  S.  L.  Phillips 813 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief  Semi-Annual   . 
Report 850 

Report  from  Duirall's  Bluff,  Arkansas,  by  Benjamin 

Woodward 859 

Hospital  Yisitino. 

Washington,  D.  C  — Mi-s.  M.  A.  C 847 

Mrs.  Barker 841 

J.  B.  Holt 842 

Extract  from  journal  of  Mrs.  J.  B.  Johnson.  842 

GOBBBSPOVDENCE. 

City  Point.— Letter  from  Dr.  N.  C.  SteTens 338 

Chattanooga. — Valuable  Letter  to  Dr.  Newberry,  by 
Dr.  A.  N.  Read,  (Lookout  Mountain,  Atlanta, 

Hospital  Gardens,  &c) 854 

Annapolis. — C.  Bacou,  Jr.,  Assist.  Surg.,  U.  S.  A 866 

Letter  from  a  Soldier's  Friend  to  Mrs.  B.,  Hospital 

Visitor,  Washington,  D.  C 858 

New  Orleans. — Qeorge  A.  Blake,  M.D 833 

Hilton  Head.— L.  0.  Beebe 8S3 

Beaufort,  S.  0.— M.  M.  Marsh , 853 

MiSCELLANBOITS. 

An  Incident 839 

The  Commission  Abroad,  (Handsome  Gift  to  the  U. 

'  S.  Sanitary  Commission  from  Hon.  Robert  J. 

Walker 851 

Editosial. 

The  Organization  of  the  Commission 851 

Meeting  at  New  Haven,  Conn 856 

New  fork  Meeting 858 

PROTECTIVE 

OP    THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OPriCE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

President. 
Lieut.-Gen.  WINFIBLD  SCOTT. 

ViqE-PBESIDENTa. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admiral  Dupont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Rdd.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq. 
Treasdker. — Robert  B.  Mintubn,  Esq. 


DiBEOTOBS. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
Geoegb  Opdyke, 
HiBAM  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Bbekman, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astor, 

Jambs  Bbown, 

"William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Huht, 
Robert  L.  Stdabt, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Is*.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  ^tates  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A. 

R.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surgeon-Gen'l  U.  S.  A 

Wplcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt;  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Fairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Charles  J.  StilU,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OPFIOERS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  'Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

P.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  committee. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  Charles  J.  Still6. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


861 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
Ueneral  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  130Y  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

B^"Soldier3'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  ^nd 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OF   THE   BAST. 

CEHTEAL  DEPOTS  OP  OOLLBOTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  "t/ommission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OP  DISTEIBUTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

U.  S.»  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md, 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  0. 

V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL    DEPOTS   OF    COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna.         , 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,' 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N,  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

HOSPITAL  OAES. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga Dr.  J. 

P.  Barnum,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  STBAMEE. 

I       James  River — Elizabeth. 


862  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BBANCH,  ^^"T'^ifiMj,  ^  rrrz  c  ■'r'^^\^.  branch, 

No.  744  Broadway,      \  l^jjfENT  I'EG&^|jj-.|  ]      No,  19  Green  Street, 

NEW  YORK.  Jj     \'o0^''''*-3'z6   Q7£]S#^<?'  '$J^     BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  liave  lost  Limbs. 

The  "Palmke"  Arm  and  Lbq  are  now  fnrnislied  for  the  mntilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  oficial  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they,  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

SUBaEON-GBKBBAl.*B  OfFICB, 

Washihgtoh  CiTT,  D.C.,  Dec  12,  1863. 
Sib  : — ^The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  to  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       *•****»* 
Ih  compliance  with  the  becohhendation  op  the  Board,  whew  a  soldier  mat  sesibe  to  purchase  "the  hobs 
elbqant  and  expensive  arm  of  palmer,"  fifty  dollars  will  be  allowed  towards  payment  for  tht  same. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-GeneraL  C.  H.  CKABE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SURaEON-GBNERAL'S  OFFICE, 

Washington  City,  D.C,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sir  : — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  yon,  that  the  Report  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  mancfactdred  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 

W.  C.  SPBNCEB,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FEANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  PALMER  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLU  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

.     B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Linib  Co. 

ESTABLISHED   i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OF  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 
WHEELiER  &  TriL.SOI«r, 

OROTER  &  BAKER, 

TriL.l.COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 
SIWGER  AHfD  OTHERS. 

TO  REXT 

FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.   Y.   SEWINC   MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  New  York. 

V.  W.  WICKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  Up  Stairs. 


The  Sanitary  Commisgion  Bulletin.  863 


X''h'^% 


Adapted  to  every  "branch  of  business. 

MANTJFACTUKED  ONLY  BY  THE  OKIGINAL  INVENTORS', 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FATTtBAJTKS  &  CO.,  Wo,  252  Broadway,  TSlew  York, 
PAIHBAWKS.A  BBOAVH,  ITo.  118  Milfc  Street,  Boston. 
FAIBBANKS,  GBBBNIiMa?  &  CO..  Wo.  172  £ake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIBBAWKS  &  SWING-,  Masonic  Hall,  FMladelphia. 
F  A  TRB AKKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  applicaiion  to  either  of  the  abate. 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

^£B.oe,   ex   C3e<3Lm,-r  tS-tree-tf  "SSes^v  "Vox-Is.. 

Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.        E.  B.  BALDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  Yoi»k. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  signifieaBt  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  OU  Territory. 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  nnimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  productl 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY, 

No.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


864 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


IVr  O  RRIS 


COMPA.JSrY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  •  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS. 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


ZXl.£30a70Zl.S. 


EDWARD  HOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

FRED.  H.  BRADLEE, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

GEOKaE  MILN, 

EDWARD  C.  BATES, 

HENRY  J.  C  A  MM  ANN, 

J.  C,  MORRIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

S.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWHE, 

BENJ.  B.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZRA  NYE, 

B.  0.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MOBBIS,  President. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  28. 


PHILADELPHIA,  DECEMBER  15,  1864. 


No.  28. 


Thb  Sanitabt  Oohmission  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circ§iation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  autlienlieated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bollbtin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  XT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  mhscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  (im- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stroko,  68  Wall  street.  New  York,  or  No  1301  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


COME  TO  THE  SOLBIES'S  AID. 

BY  MRS.  B.  G.  D.  POWELL. 

Come  to  the  "  Soldier's  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
There's  a  soldier  away  at  the  Squth 
Whose  lips  have  been  pressed  to  your  month. 
With  inntnal  kisses  and  mutual  tows. 
As  father  or  son,  as  brother  or  spouse, 
Who,  lying  now  in  his  blood  and  dirt, 
Would  weep  with  joy  for  a  fresh  clean  shirt. 
0  say,  shall  that  brare  one  fret  and  griere 
When  here  is  one,  only  wanting  a  sleere. 
At  the  rooms  of  the  "  Soldier's  Aid.'' 
Come  to  the  "Soldier's  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
On  that  soft  pillow,  a  mother's  breast, 
A  little  hand  was  accustomed  to  rest ; 
That  self  same  hand,  once  so  soft  and  white. 
Is  lying  now  in  a  dreadful  plight; 
Nothing  is  left  but  the  palm  and  thumb. 
Which  by  tnrns  is  burning,  aching,  or  nnmb  ; 
To  add  to  his  pain  he  has  not  a  sling. 
But  a  kerchief  almost  reduced  to  a  string. 
While  here  is  an  easy  one,  partly  made. 
At  the  rooms  of  the  "  Soldier's  Aid." 
Cpme  to  tie  "  Soldier's  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
There's  a  soldier  "learning  to  walk  alone," 
With  a  crutch  in  place  of  a  broken  bone; 
Can  gentle  compassion  and  Fympathy  bear 
To  hear  this  sad  truth — the  other  is  bare ! 
Wanting  a  slipper,  aye,  even  a  sock, 
When  here  in  the  room  is  plenty  of  stock, 
Waiting  for  fingers  to  mend  or  to  make. 
0  come,  for  that  suffering  soldier's  ^ke. 
To  the  rooms  of  the  "  Soldier's  AiB." 
Come  to  the  "Soldier's  Aid,". 
Motlier  and  wife  and  maid. 
On  the  same  pillow  at  night  with  thine 
A  noble  head  has  been  wont  to  recline. 

Vol.  I.  No.  28       55 


And  dreams  of  beauty  oft  visited  too, 
Like  meteors  glan(jing  through  fields  of  bine. 
That  head  and  heart  with  its  hopes  and  aims. 
That  replied  at  once  to  our  country's  claims. 
Is  tossing  now  iji  delirium  wild. 
Pleading  patriotism  nndefiled ; 
Mixing  it  all  with  kind  thoughts  of  thee. 
Like  the  debris  of  a  raging  sea. 
The  hospital 'wards  are  overrun 
With  many  a  wounded  husband  and  son ; 
And  not  a  cot  or  pillow  is  there 
For  that  tossing  head  in  its  wild  desptUr. 
Here  are  feathers,  and  a  yard  of  tick, 
With  scissors,  thread  and  needle;  come  quick 
To  the  rooms  of  the  "  Soldier's  Aid." 
Come  to  the  " Soldiers  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
For  know  that  leg,  that  arm,  and  that  head. 
Is  suffering  now  in  our  own  limbs  stead. 
List  the  ungaroished  tales  of  woe. 
As  through  the  West  the  guerillas  go. 
And  would  they  not  scatter,  and  scathe,  and  peel. 
These  Northern  States  with  their  iron  heel. 
Were  there  none  to  keep  the  insurgents  back 
From  their  work  of  death  on  their  bloody  track. 
They  stand  in  the  fore  front's  deadly  fight. 
That  we  in  quiet  may  sleep  at  night ; 
0  then  gratefully,  mother  and  maid,     • 
Come  to  the  rooms  of  the  "Soldier's  Aid." 
Come  to  the  "  Soldier's  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
There's  a  sweet  refrain  to  the  terrible  song, 
To  the  thunder  of  war  that  rolls  along- 
Soft  and  sweet  as  the  tones  of  a  Inte     ' 
When  the  shocking  canon  and  shell  are  mute- 
A  sweet  rfefrain  of  a  helping  hand, 
That  follows  the  war-shout  over  the  land; 
Drepsing  and  nursing  with  oil  and  balm, 
Or  soothing  the  spirit  with  praygr  and  psalm. 
Mother  and  maiden,  sister  and  wife. 
We  may  not  join  in  this  bitter  strife, 


866 


Th^  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 


But  may  flow  into  this  song  of  love, 
Caught  from  the  angels,  bending  above, 
At  the  Commission's  side  we  may  stand, 
They  to  bind  up,  we  fo  make  the  band, 
At  the  rooms  of  the  "  Soldier's  Aid." 
Come  to  the  "  Soldier's  Aid," 
Mother  and  wife  and  maid. 
There  is  still  another  motive  to  press : 
i  To  educe  in  our  own  hearts  tenderness, 
Like  His  who  in  agony  blessed  Ihe  thief, 
And  sent  the  son  to  his  mother's  relief. 
,  If  you  bind  the  infant's  limb  or  hand, 
Froni  all  exertion  by  gyve  or  band. 
Will  the  bones  grow  firm  and  the  inuscles  swell. 
And  thfe  mind  in  a  vigorous  body  dwell  ? 
Thus  if  no  acts  of  goods  are  performed, 
Willnot  the  spirit  becoibe  deformed  ? 
Hence,  would  we  grow  in  each  Christian  grace,  * 
Let  US  seek  the  good  Samaritan's  place  \ 
Cherish  all  promptings  to  neighborly  love, 
After  the  pattern  of  those  above, 
Where  can  we  do  this,  mother  and  maid. 
So  well  as  we  can  at  the  "  Soldier's  Aid." 


Atlanta,  6a.,  Oct.  i,  1864. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Sec.  Western  Sept.  U.  8.  San.  Com. 

Sir. — I  think  it  due  the  agents  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  who  have 
shared  with  us,  the  toil  and  hardships  of 
the  campaign/as  well  as  to  the  people  who 
have  generously  given  'each  their  gifts; 
while  it  is  a  personal  pleasure  to  acknowl- 
edge the  numerous  obligations  and  favors 
which  they  have  conferred  upon  our  sick 
and  wounded. 

At  no  period  of  my  service  (more  tian ' 
.three  years)  has  it  been  my  fortune  to  see 
the  supplies  which  the  Commission  furnish, 
so  steadily  provided  for  our  hospitals,  and 
so  invariably  on  hand  during  arfd  immedi- 
ately after  an  action.  It  is  true,  that  regi- 
ments have  not,  to  any  great  extent,  been 
supplied  with  extra  stores,  but  this  could 
not  be  done  with  the  limited  transportation 
at  command,  besides  which,  I  doubt  the 
practical  utihty  of  such  an  attempt  during 
a  campaign.  Since  we  reached  Atlanta,  a 
large  quantity  of  vegetables  have  been 
issued  to  the  regiments,  who  were  greatly 
.  in  need  of  them,  and  could  obtain  them 
from  no  other  source.  But  in  respect  to  the 
sick  and  wounded,  of  whom  we  had  a  large 
number,  I  believe  that  the  Commission  has 
done  everything  possible  to  alleviate  their 
sufferings,  working  in  the  most  direct  and 
systematic  way,  through  the  Special  Agent 
attached  to  each  corps.  If  each  one  of  these 
gentlemen  did  his  work  as  faithfully  and 
sySitematically  as  the  one  attached  to  our 
corps,  (Rev.  J.   C.  Hoblit,)  certainly  no 


more  could  have  been  done,  for  the  whole 
heart  of  the  man  is  in  his  work. 

The  work  which  these  agents  at  the  front 
have  to  do,  is  no  small  or  easy  job.  You, 
accustomed  to  the  regularity  and  method  of 
secure  civil  railroads,  have  no  idea  of  the 
crowd  and  ha;3te,  and  weary  watching  lest 
the  train  should  come  or  go  when  least  ex- 
pected, which  must  be  endured  to  get  these  , 
supplies  through  to  the  field  hospitals.  Nor 
have  you  to  dread  lonely  rides  to  the  rear, 
to  hasten  up  supplies  when  the  army  has 
pushed  ahead,  in  expectation  of  a  battle, 
most  lonely  because  in  dread  of  capture. 

Besides  this,  they  furnish  data  of  the 
sick,  wounded,  dead  and  mining,  after 
every  action,  which  at  Chattanooga,  Nash- 
ville, or  Louisville,  is  to  answer  the  inqui- 
ries of  hosts  of  anxious  friends.  I  must 
ask  that  people  will,  for  their  own  interests, 
bear  in  miild  that  these  records  are  reliable, 
obtained  on  the  field,  and  in  field  hospitals, 
often  from  the  wounded  themselves,  their 
comrades,  or  the  head-board  of  the  soldier's 
grave,  and  by  men  who  understand  their 
business,  and  are  permitted  to  go  where 
strangers  are  not  permitted  to  come.  It  will 
save  many  weary  hours  of  travel  and 
anxiety,  if  the  people  will  consult  these  re- 
cords, and  take  the  advice  of  the  men  who 
have  them  in  charge. 

Finally  I  wish  to  express  to  the  members 
of  the  Commission  with  whom  I  have  been 
brought  in  contact,  my  gratification  at 
witnessing  the  reciprocal  courtesy  and  cor- 
diality existing  between  them  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Medical  Department  of  the  army, 
each  recognizing  the  other  as  a  co-laborer 
in  the  common  cause  of  humanity. 

N.  C.  Bennett, 

Bnrgeon  U.  8.  v.,  Medical  Inspector  20th  Army  Corps. 
FROM  REV.  J.  C.  HOBLITT. 

'BATTLE-FIELD  RELIEF  AQENT. 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  Nov  10,  1864. 
The  hospitals  have  all  moved  to  the  rear, 
as  far  back  as  Chattanooga.  The  last  of 
the  sick  left  to-day.  All  who  were  not  fit  for 
immediate  and  hard  duty  were  sent  away,  and 
the  remainder  were  ordered,  to  be  prepared 
for  a  fifty  days  campaign.  We  have  given 
out  every  thing  that  would  be  of  any  ser- 
vice on  the  march.  We  had  but  "little  to 
send  baiek  to  Chattanooga.  The  army  will 
get  a  good  supply  of  antiscorbutics  as  they 
march  thft)«igh  the  country.  The  men  are 
in  excellent  spirits  and  health ;  only  a  few 
cases  of  scurvy.  With  the  advice  of  Dr. 
Read  I  have  decided  to  go  with  the  army; 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


867 


Mr.  Johnson  goes  with  me.  We  have  at 
no  time  failed  to  have  a  representation  with 
the  troops  in  the  field,  and  to  give  up  now 
we  cannot. 

It  is  true  we  can  do  nothing  with  stores, 
but  never  has  there  been  a  movement  where 
we  could  be  of  more  service  in  the  Hospital 
Directory  Department  than  now.  There 
will  be  a  long  time  of  suspense  atid  weary 
watching  for  letters,  but  no  letters  will 
come.  After  awhile  Sherman  and  his  noble 
army  will  be  Tieard  from.  Mothers  will 
then  anxiously  look  for  letters  from  their 
sons,  and  wives  from  their  husbands,  but 
there  are  many  mothers  and  wives  and 
friends  who  will  be  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment; no  letters  will  come  from  their  sol- 
dier friends.  After  waiting  a  reasonable 
length  of  time  for  letters,  they  will  make 
inquiry  at  our  Hospital  Directory  at  Louis- 
ville, and  it  is  my  object,  having  gathered 
a  complete  list  of  the  deaths,  casualties  and 
missing  on  the  campaign,  to  be  able  to  re- 
port to  you,  so  that '  Mr.  Holbrook  can 
answer  the  multitude  of  anxious  ones  who 
may  crowd  his  office. 

1  know  what  I  am  undertaking.  It  is 
no  easy  or  small  enterprise.  There  will  be 
much  to  be  endured  in  such  a  winter  cam- 
paign as  this  will  be,  and  yet  I  am  not  will- 
ing, while  this  work  is  entrusted  to  my 
care,  to  let  the  interests  of  the  Commission 
suifer,  or  fail  to  serve  the  cause  of  human- 
ity, simply  that  I  may  have  ease  and  com- 
fort. I  am  well  prepared  for  the  march, 
and  before  this  reaches  you,  we  will  be 
fairly  on  our  way,  somewhere.  There  is  not 
not  a  doubt  but  Gren.  Sherman  is  about  en- 
tering upon  the  boldest  and  most  glorious 
campaign  of  the  war;  if  not  burning  his  ships 
behind  him,  at  least  destroying  his  comm  uni- 
cations.  When  we  coine  again  to  the  world 
without,  and  have  communication  with  you, 
I  will  hasten  to  make  my  report  for  the 
benefit  of  multitudes  of  inquiring  friends 
after  soldiers  in  the  Army  of  Georgia. 

The  last  trstin  of  cars  leaving  Atlanta  for 
the  North  will  carry  this  letter  to  you. 
Hoping  to  gee  you  early  iff  January,  I  bid 
you,  farewell. 

.  REPORT  FROM  LITTLE  ROGK,  ARKANSAS. 
BY  BENJAMIN  WOODWARD. 

Nov.  2,  1864. 

To  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

AsEo.  Sec,  LoniBville,  Ky. 

Arrived  here  on  the  night  of  the  thirty- 
first  ult.     Met  Dr.  Wyeth,  Agent  Wesleru 


Sanitary  Commission.  He  has  received  all 
the  goods  forwarded  to  his  care  from  Duvall's 
Bluff,  in  good  order,  except  the  loss  of  a 
barrel  of  onions,  broken  open  and  contents 
stolen.  The  Western  Sanitary  Commission 
has  had  an  agency  here  since  September, 
1863.  During  the  time,  the  hospitals  have 
been  moderately  well  supplied ;  and  the  issue 
books  and  vouchers  show  that  all  the  regi- 
ments within  reach  here,  shared  in  the  dis- 
tribution. Surgeon  Weeks,  so  well  and 
favorably  known  in  Louisville,  is  the  chief 
of  hospitals  for  the  department  of  Little 
Kock.  He  is  the  warm  friend  of  Sanitary 
Commissions,  and  speaks  decidedly  of  the 
benefits  which  they  have  conferred  upon  the 
army.  He  furnished  me  the  statistics  of 
the  sick  within  his  depaf  tment ;  which,  at 
the  last  weekly  report,  amounted  to  3,274 
infantry,  and  1,535  cavalry.  It  is  not 
proper  to  state  where  most  of  the  sick  are, 
for  at  some  posts  the  number  is  greater 
than  that  of  the  well.  I  could  not  get  to 
Pine  Bluff,  the  Arkansas  river  being  too 
low  for  even  the  smallest  boats.  Last  week's 
report  from  that  post,  showed  780  in  hos- 
pitals, and  a  much  larger  number  in  hos- 
pi^l  quarters.  The  last  official  report  from 
Fort  Smith  was  for  August  27,  there  were 
then  476  white,  and  186  colored  soldiers  in 
hospitals,  and  entirely  destitute  of 

VEGETABLES. 

Scurvy,  diarrhoea,  and  malarious  fevers  are 
the  predominant  diseases  through  the  State. 
It  is  impossible  to  overestimate  the  import- 
ance of  sending  vegetables  ta  this  depart- 
ment. There  is  no  post  that  has  suffered 
as  much  from  scurvy  as  Pine  Bluff,  very 
few  vegetables  having  reached  that  point. 
The  hospitals  at  Little  Bock  have  an 
arrangementfwith  the  Agent  of  the  Western 
Sanitary  Commission,  by  which  they  are 
well  supplied  with  all  that  is  needed  so  far 
as  their  hospital  fund  will  go.  The  mode 
is  this :  at  the  end  of  each  month  the  fund, 
with  an  invoice  of  what  is  needed,  is  put 
into  the  hands  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
agent.  He  sends  to  St.  Louis,  and  expends 
the  fund  in  that  market. 

GOVERNMENT  TRANSPORTATION. 

The  government  provides  all  the  transpor- 
tation, so  that  the  articles  are  delivered  in 
Little  Rock  for  just  what  they  cost  in  St. 
Louis ;  making  a  saving  of  over  three  hun- 
dred per  cent.  I  took  especial  pains  to 
examine  into  the  working  of  the  system 


868 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


and  so  well  does  it  work,  that  I  earnestly 
recommend  a  trial  of  it  by  hospitals  at  other 
points,  distant  from  good  and  cheap  markets. 
This  arrangement  leaves  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission free  to  expend  its  energies  on  the 
troops  in  regiments,  which  are  the  great 
sources  of  disease.  We  have  now  at  Little 
Rock  106  barrels  of  onions  and  cabbage, 
pickles  and  crackers,  and  24  boxes  of  codfish, 
milk,  syrups,  sugar,  &c.,  which  is  destined  for 
Pine  Bluff.  A  dispatch  was  sent  to  the 
commander  of  the  post,  and  he  answered  it, 
saying,  "  I  will  send  a  train  of  ten  wagons 
and  an  ample  guard,  on  Friday,  the  4th 
inst.,  to  bring  the  stores  to  the  Bluff."  Dr. 
Wyeth  will  go  with  the  train,  and  see  to  the 
proper  distribution,  and  will  report  to  me 
on  his  return.  I  cannot  too  strongly  urge 
the  appointment  of  an  agent  to  this  field ; 
who  should  be  stationed  at  Duvall's  Bluff, 
and  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  go  with  all 
stores  to  the  points  where  they  are  to  be 
sent,  ^nd  see  to  their  pro.per  distribution. 
An  active,  prudent  man,  could  work  in 
harmony  with  Dr.  Moody,  of  Duvall's  Bluff, 
and  Dr.  Wyeth  at  Little  Eock,  the  agents 
of  the  Western  Commission.  These  gentle- 
men are  the  only  agents  on  this  wide  field, 
assisted  by  detailed  men. 

VEGETABLES  WANTED. 

Wherever  I  go,  the  surgeons  say,  "Send 
US  all  the  vegetables  possible.  The  men  in 
the  field  must  have  them  or  die  ;  but  do  not 
send  pickled,  potatoes,  they  are  a  waste  of 
money.  And  send  no  canned  Jruits,  SBud 
them  dried."  Milk  intended  for  this  part 
ot  the  country,  should  be  put  up  four  or  six 
boxes  in  one  large  box,  and  no  label  on  the 
box  to  designate  what  "is  in  it ;  for  the 
temptation  to  steal  is  so  great,  that  even 
when  it  is  sent  as  medical  stores  to  the  pur- 
veyors, it  may  be  broken. 

QENEBAL  F.  STEELE. 

I  called  on  General  P.  Steele  to  thant 
him  for  the  facilities  granted.  He  remarked, 
"  The  obligation  is  on  my  side.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  Sanitary  Commission  at  Vicks- 
burg,  our  army  would  have  suffered  much 
more  than  it  did.  We  found  the  agents  of 
the  Commission  and  their  stores,  always  on 
hand  when  most  wanted,  and  during  my 
campaign  in  this  State  my  army  could  not 
have  existed  without 'them ;  for  they  fed 
and  took  care  of  the  sick,  and  cheered  and 
comforted  the  well,  and  I  always  feel  when 
I  meet  Sanitary  agents,  that  they  are  my 


personal  friends."  On  the  4th  of  October 
General  Steele  issued  his  general  order  No. 
242,  a  copy  of  which  I  enclose ;  giving 
every  facility  to  the  agents  of  different  Com- 
missions. 

ILLINOIS  STATE  AGENTS. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  the  Illinois  State 
agency  h^s  to  a  great  extent,  supplied  the 
wants  of  this  department  j  and  that  Colonel 
Robb,  the  Illinois  State  Agent,  has  acted  as 
forwarding  agent  for  the  Western  Sanitary 
Commission.  !■  have  made  every  inquiry 
in  my  power  of  agents,  surgeons,  and  quarter- 
masters, and  can  find  no  evidence  of  a  dol- 
lar's worth  having  come  from  those  sources, 
except  one  box  in  April  last,  directed  to  the 
26th  Illinois  Volunteers;  which  was  not, 
and  had  not  then  been  in  this  field.  I  was 
told  at  Memphis  "  the  Col.  kept  this  part 
of  the  army  supplied."  I  have  made  my 
reports  from  this  trip,  lengthy,  perhaps  too 
much  so,  but  I  wished  to  give  as  many  facts 
as  possible,  in  order  that  you  may  as  fully 
as  possible,  understand  the  field. 

PROM  FORT  SCOTT. 

BY  J.  B.  BROWN. 

November  1,  1864. 

I  have  just  come  into  this  Post  from 
Mound  City,  where  we  have  over  one  hun- 
dred wounded  men  whom  I  helped  to  pick 
up  on  the  battle-field  near  that  place. 
There,  as  at  Westport,  I  had  with  me 
sanitary  stores  first  on  hand,  and  I  assure 
you  that  your  Commission  was  duly  credited 
for  what  was  done  for  the  suffering  wounded 
soldiers.  I  have  been  with  the  Medical 
Director  and  his  corps  until  my  supplies 
were  exhausted,  and  I  was  obliged  to  re- 
turn to  Leavenworth  for  a  supply,  which  I 
had  to  buy,  mainly  on  account  of  shipments 
from  Chicago  being  delayed.  I  have  been 
furnished  with  as  many  ambulances  as  I 
wished  to  carry  hospital  stores  to  points 
where  the  wounded  could  be  gathered  and 
cared  for;  and  now  as  the  army  has  gone 
too  far  South  for  me  to  reach  them,  I  am 
desired  to  take«|harge  of  a  train  of  ambu- 
lances conveyingthe  wounded  up  to  Leaven- 
worth, as  they  are  able  to  be  moved.  I 
find  over  two  hundred  sick  and  wounded  in 
this  hospital,  a  train  having  just  come  in 
from  Newtonia  with  wounded. 

From  present  appearances  all  the  hospi- 
tals in  Kansas  will  be  filled  for  the  winter, 
and  I  shall  have  all  that  I  can  do.  My 
health  is  good,  and  I  am  just  where  I  like 


The  Sanitary  Commiggion  Bulletin. 


869 


to  work.  I  have  had  no  better  bed  than  I 
could  make  on  the  ground  or  in  an  ambu- 
lance, gioce  Price's  raid  reached  Westport, 
and  I  never  slept  sweeter  or  worked  harder. 

Price's  raid  costmany  valuable  lives,  and 
caused  much  suffering,  but  the  noble  man- 
ner in  which  he  was  met  at  the  border  of 
Kansas  and  followed  on  that  border  be- 
yond the  State,  has  saved  our  people,  and 
done  great  credit  to  our  military  forces.. 

My  freedmen  and  refugee  work  will  now 
be  mainly  done  by  others,  as  you  proposed, 
and  I  shall  not  be  compelled  to  neglect  my 
sanitary  work. 

Will  you  write  me  often  ? 

FROM  MEMPHIS,  TENNESSEE. 
BY  BENJ.  WOODWARD. 

KTov.  lOth,  1864. 
After  a  long,  tedious  trip,  I  arrived  here 
from  Little  Bock,  to-day.  Enclosed  I  send 
you  results  in  the  form  of  reports.  It  has 
been  an  expensive  trip,  but  I  made  it  as  lit- 
tle so  as  possible.  I  send  you  an  aeconnt  of 
money  expended.  You  will  find  two  items 
of  wine  and  food  for  siek  soldiers.  The  cir- 
cumstances were  these.  When  we  arrived  at 
the  mouth  of  White  Eiver,  a  lot  of  very 
sick  men  were  put  on  board  to  come  to  hos- 
pitals at  this  city.  They  were  in  charge  of 
Assistant  Surgeon  Curtis,  of  the  96th  Eli- 
nois  Volunteers.  Nothing  was  provided  for 
them  but  army  rations,  which  they  could 
not  eat.  I  consulted  with  Dr.  Curtis  as  to 
what  was  best,  and  then  went  to  the  steward 
of  the  boat,  and  had  &rina  cooked  with 
milk,  and  good  soups  made  for  them.  He 
charged  me  only  the  cost  of  the  articles.  I 
got  wine  from  the  bar  for  some.  I  think 
some  of  them  would  not  have  live.d  to  get 
here,  had  it  not  been  for  this  aid.  I  do  not 
know  that  under  the  "rules"  this  can  be 
allowed  me,  if  not  I  am  willing  to  pay  the 
whole ;  were  I  again  situated  in  the  same 
circumstances,  I  should  do  the  same.  It 
was  a  clear  case  of  men  perishing  for  want 
of  food.  I  shall  go  to  Vicksburg  in  a  few 
days.  Mr.  D.  B.  Carpenter,  will  start  in  a 
few  days  for  Duvall's  Bluff  and  Little 
Bock,  with  a  good  invoice  received  here  by 
the  ill-fated  Dunleith.  I  think  him  just 
the  man  for  that  field. 

LETTER    FROM    ORPHEUS    EVERTS,  SUEU 
GEON-IN  CHIEF,  3d  DW.  2d  CORPS. 
Headquabtebs,  3d  Dit.,  2d  Cobfb,  l 
Ifovember  23,  1864.  / 

War,  as  manifested  upon  the  plane  of 
politicaj  organisations,  whether  it  be  waged 


for  conquest  or  in  defence  of  established 
privileges,  is,  in  the  abstract,  but  a  violent 
manifestation  of  selfishness.  The  act  of 
war,  in  its  influence  upon  individuals  en- 
gaged developes  all  the  inherent  love  of  self, 
which  society,  home,  and  civilization  con- 
strain, and  which  regeneration  displaces 
with  a  higher  love.  From  the  Major  Gene- 
ral, jealous  of  his  stars,  and  too  often  con- 
scious of  the  fiction  through  which  they 
were  obtained  down  to  the  pitiable  private, 
who  has  mutilated  his  own  body  to  escape 
from  danger,  which  is  more  dreadful  to  him 
than  a  life  of  secret  shame,  we  throw  to  the 
surface  like  a  shell  all  the  selfishness  of  our 
nature,  and  wear  it  jnst  underneath  our 
uniform.  Nor  is  war  in  its  influences  con- 
fined to  the  armies  in  the^eld.  Politicians, 
contractors,  speculators,  all  classes  of  com- 
munity are  pervaded  with  various  mani- 
festations of  the  same  resnlts. 

But  as  nature  and  the  plane  of  the  senses 
constitut.e  the  basis  and  highway  of  the 
spirit's  progress  to  higher  life,  and  wAt 
seems  to  us  so  terrible,  death,  is  but  sepa- 
ration from  these ;  so  war  externally,  and 
a  state  of  combats  internally,  with  peace, 
rest,  as  their  object  and  ultimation,  consti-* 
tnte  the  normal  condition  of  man  here :  and 
war,  with  all  its  horrors,  cruelties,  and 
manifestations  of  the  evils  of  man's  nature 
is  closely  allied  to,  and  brings  intd  active 
relations  the  highest  virtues. 

To  say  nothing  of  individual  acts — the 
special  heroisms — ^the  martyr-like  devotion 
of  rare  men,  whose  deeds  reward  themselves, 
without  promotion,  or  worldly  recognition, 
what  a  great  compliment  to  this  war  has 
been  the  great  redeeming  feature  of  our 
people,  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 
In  an  age  of  political  corruption — of  false- 
hood and  pretence — in  a  land  where  "shod- 
dy "  seems  to  reign  supreme,  and  selfish- 
ness is  revelling  in  boundless  Inst,  we  find 
these  are  but  "the  snperfices,  the  thin  rind 
of  the  fruit,  and  underneath  are  patriotism, 
benevolence,  and  Christian  charity. 

Three  years  and  a  half  constantly  in  the 
field  ii)  close  contact  with  all  the  evils  which 
war  developes  and  puts  in  active  operation, 
the  knowledge  of  this  great  fact,  that  whole 
communities,  from  one  end  of  the  land  to 
the  other,  had  organized  themselves,  with- 
out regard  to  sect,  or  church,  or  locality, 
into  a  great  family,  alike  in  blood  and  in 
affection;  standing  to  the  soldiers  in  th^ 
field  without  distinction  of  State  or  regi- 
ment, as  brothers  and  sisters,  fathers  and 


870 


TJie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


mothers,  bestowing  with  the  same  liberal 
hands  gifts  of  comfort  and  of  healing  to 
all,  has  been  to  me  a  constant  inspiration ; 
and  has  done  more  to  redeem  the  age,  and 
our  people  from  the  appearance  of  utter  sel- 
fishness and  greed  than  all  other  manifest- 
ations combined.  It  cannot  be  possible  that 
the  Commission  needs  testimony  of  its  use- 
falness  at  this  day.  When  truth  requires 
a  witness,  and  charity  a  trumpeter ;  when 
mercy  and  love  are  matters  of  doubtful  virtue ; , 
when  faith  wears  the  garments  of  denial, 
and  asks  impertinently  if  there  is  a  God ; 
one  might  expect  to  hear  a  question  raised 
respecting  the  propriety  and  usefulness  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  :  not  otherwise. 

Nor  does  the  need,  the  unmistakable  de- 
mand for  this  institution  reflect  the  least 
discredit  upon  the  Government.  The  Gov- 
ernnjent  performs  its  functions  toward  the 
army  well.  But  unless  the  Government 
created  an  additional  department  and  adopt- 
ed the  Sanitary  Commission  with  its  peculiar 
faitures  as  a  part  of  itself,  it  could  not  sup- 
ply the  place  of  the  Commission  by  any 
possibility.  Convert  the  Commission  from 
a  spontaneous  benevolence  to  a  governmental 
machine,  and  it  would  Ipse  the  essential 
essence  of  its  virtue :  the  relation  which  it 
occupies  toward  both  people,  home,  kin- 
dred, and  the  suffering  soldier,  far  away,  at 
a  moment  when  all  his  nature  is  yearning 
from  its  depths  toward  that  heaven  with 
inexpressible  need  !  It  would  be  as  differ- 
ent as  compulsion  is  different  from  voli- 
tion— as  different  as  obligation  is  different 
from  love — as  different  as  the  ministration 
of  a  paid  and  professional  priest  to  the  soul 
of  the  dying  is  different  from  the  ministra- 
tion of  angels  sent  from  the  throne  of  the 
everlasting  Father.  The  men,  too,  whom 
the  Commission  has  placed  in  the  field,  so 
far  as  my  observation  extends,  are  worthy 
of  it — among  whom  none  are  more  worthy 
than  the  field  agent  of  this  corps,  Mr.  Hol- 
brook,  of  Keene,  N.  H.  Everybody  knows 
"  Uncle  John,"  who  needs  no  praise.  These 
men  come  nearest  me  now,  and  so  I  men- 
tion their  names.  And  now,  to  the  good 
people  at  "  home  "  let  me  say,  and  let  my 
voice  be  the  voice  of  experience  and  con- 
scientious observation  from  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  through  every  campaign  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  bearing  witness  from 
every  battle-field,  let  not  your  exertions  in 
hehalf  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  be  re- 
laxed for  one  moment  until  the  end  is  peace, 
declared  in  triumph  through  the  land. 


SLAirSEBS.       ' 

It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commissson  to  conduct  its  vast 
business  with  reference  to  the  great  respon- 
sibility imposed  upon  it  by  a  generous  and 
confiding  people.  Conscious  of  its  integrity 
of  purpose,  and  of  its  accuracy,  even  in  the 
smaller  details  of  business,  it  has  not  often 
taken  time  to  notice  complaints  that  may 
have  been  made  concerning  its  members 
and  its  management,  unless  they  have  been 
direct  and  tangible.  Jealousy,  rivalry,  preju- 
dice, disloyalty,  have  each  and  all  of  them 
contributed  their  portion  of  abuse  and  in- 
vective, and  hitherto  they  have  been  allowed 
to  pass  with  but  little,  if  any  thought  or 
notice.  Under  the  garb  of  sincerity,  and 
with  the  appearance  of  earnest  concern  for 
the  welfare  of  soldiers,  some  people  have 
allowed  themselves  to  do  the  smallest  things 
that  humanity  is  capable  of,  in  order  that 
they  may  divert  the  interests  of  societies  or 
communities,  away  from  the  channel  opened 
by  the  Commission  between  the  people  and 
the  army.  A  remarkable  featuie  in  the 
opposition  tp  the  Commission,  has  been  its 
covert  character.  But  few,  if  any,  have 
had  the  courage  to  make  an  open  assault 
upon  it,  while  very  many  have  found  means 
to  insinuate  that  evils  exist,  and  to  allow 
false  statements  to  be  received  as  true,  for 
the  apparent  purpose  of  gratifying  some 
jealous  fear  or  unfounded  suspicion. 

We  believe  that  if  the  Commission  con- 
ducts its  business  on  false  business  princi- 
ple^, if  it  distributes  its  supplies  wastefully, 
if  it  pays  its  agents  extravagantly,  if  it  is 
an  unfaithful  or  an  unwise  steward  of  the 
benefactions  of  the  people,  the  people  ought 
to  know  it ;  and  those  who  believe  it,  ought 
to  be  honest  enough  with  themselves  and 
the  truth,  considerate  enough  of  the  public 
good  and  the  good  of  the  army,  loyal  enough 
to  the  government  which  has  authorized  and 
encouraged  this  work,  to  undeceive  a  trust- 
ing public,  whose  proud  privilege  it  has 
been  to  do  as  a  nation  never  before  did,  with 
its  resources  in  a  time  of  war.     They  should 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


871 


do  it,  not  by  presenting  partial  statements 
to  suit  a  purpose ;  not  by  uttering  in  private, 
for  facts,  what  they  are  afraid  to  say  in 
public;  not  by  appealing  to  morbid  sym- 
pathies, and  encouraging  groundless  fears  ; 
but  by  an  open,  face  to  face,  christian 
appeal ;  just  as  we  appeal  to  the  moral  sense 
of  the  community  against  gambling,  drunk- 
enness, dishonesty  in  trade,  extravagance  in 
living,  and  everything  else  that  deteriorates 
manhood  and  enervates  society.  Let  such 
a  course  be  pursued.  We  give  below  some 
correspondence,  which  will  explain  the 
reason  for  the  foregoing  remarks. 

Nbw  Yobk,  November  20,  1864. 

Rev.  Henry  W.  Bellows, 

Freaideat  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

My  Dear  Sir  : — ^In  conversation  with 
Mr.  J.  C.  H.  this  morning,  he  informed 
me  that  there  were  reports  of  the  ^avest 
character  afloat,  affecting  some  member  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  which  were  hush- 
ed up  for  fear  of  their  effect  on  the  public. 
He  said  that  he  knew  the  person,  but  would 
not  disclose  his  name.  I  inferred,  though 
he  did  not  so  state,  that  the  charge  was  of 
pecuniary  delinquency. 

I  know  that  it  has  been  always  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Commission  to  examine  thorough- 
ly into  all  charges  brought  against  any  per- 
son connected  with  it,  and  I  trust  that  you 
will  demand  an  explanation  in  this  matter. 
Very  trul5*''%6urs, 

qMl-G .. 

New  Toek,  November  21,  1864. 

-,  Esq. 


J.  C.  H- 

Dear  Sir  :■ — ^The  enclosed  note  explains 
itself.  Will  you  permit  me  to  ask  the  name 
of  the  person  referred  to  in  your  conversa- 
tion with  Mr.  Gr.,  and  the  nature  of  the  grave 
charges  brought  against  him  ?  Being  wholly 
ignorant  ourselves  of  the  report  referred  to, 
it  is  very  necessary  that  we  should  be  able 
to  meet  the  slanderous  rumor  with  all  the 
directness  possible.  As  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  has  always  invited  the  closest 
scrutiny  into  its  pecuniary  affairs,  it  seeks 
to  confront  any  accuser  who  dares  to  impugn 
the  integrity  of  any  member  of  the  Board. 
I  cannot  doubt  your  friendly  desire  to  afford 
us  any  light  you  possess,  or  can  throw  upon 
a  subject  of  so  much  importance. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

Henry  W.  Bellows, 

President. 


Nbw  Yobk,  November  22,  1864. 
Sir  : — Your  note  of  yesterday,  enclosing 
a  note  addressed  to  you  by  Mr.  G.  G.,  has 
just  reached  me.  In  answer  to  it,  I  inform 
you,  that  I  regard  what  passed,  as  being  in 
a  private  conversation  with  a  person  with 
whom  I  had  an  intimacy,  and  that  I  cer- 
tainly did  not  inteqd  what  I  said  should  go 
any  farther.  Second,  that  the  report  alluded 
to  by  me  did  not  .refer  to  any  instance  or 
charge  of  "  pecuniary  delinquency,"  either 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission  as  a  body,  or 
byany  member  of  it.  This  was  merely,  as 
Mr.  G.  states  in  his  note  to  you,  "inferred" 
by  him.  Your  ob^edient  servant, 

J C.  H . 

Eev.  Hbket  W.  Bellows, 
President  of  tlie  Sanitary  Commission, 
823  Broadway,  Hew  York.    ^ 


New  York,  Nov.  23,  1864. 


C.  H- 


Sir  : — I  have  been  shown  your  reply  to 
Dr.  Bellows'  note  in  reference  to  the  con- 
versation which  passed  between  us  at  the 
Astor  House. 

On  a  little  reflection,  I  think  you  will 
admit  that  a  charge  affecting  the  official 
character  of  men  with  whom  I  am  associ- 
ated, is  one  that  I  cannot  consider  as  con- 
fidential. I  did  not  understand  you  to  make 
it,  and  I  certainly  should  not  have  received  it 
as  such. 

The  information  was  volunteered  by  you. 
You  asked  me  if  I  had  heard  the  charges 
against  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  on 
my  reply  in  the  negative,  stated  that  there 
were  grave  ones,  affecting  the  character  of 
one  of  its  members,  which  were  hushed  up 
for  fear  of  their  effect  on  the  public.  You 
refused  to  give  his  name  indeed,  but  your 
remark  that  the  charges  did  not  concern 
any  one  that  you  or  I  were  specially  inter- 
ested in,  in  no  degree  assured  my  mind,  for 
I  have  a  deep  interest  in  the  character  and 
conduct,  of  the  Commission  itself,  as  well  as 
in  the  fair  fame  of  its  members.  It  is  these 
anonymous  slanders  that  associations  and 
individuals  have  to  dread.  It  is  the  whis- 
pered insinuation,  for  which  no  one  is  re- 
sponsible, and  the  point  of  which  is  intangi- 
ble, that  ruins  reputation  and  thwarts 
worthy  objects.  This  is  not  the  first  time 
tjhat  the  Commission  has  had  to  demand 
specified  charges  and  avowed  names,  and 
has  failed  to  get  them.  When  you  informed 
me  of  these  rumors,  I  wrote  at  once  to  the 
President  of  the  Commission  to  demand  an 
investigation,  as  it  was  my  duty  to  do.     As 


872 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


he  has  invited  it.  and  you  do  not  see  fit  to 
further  it,  I  can  only  conclude  that  these 
charges  have  no  better  foundation  than  the 
others. 

1  am  glad  to  find  that  the  charge  is  not 
one  of  pecuniary  delinquency.  I "  inferred" 
it,  because  I  could  conceive  of  no  other 
way  in  which  the  official  conduct  of  any 
member  of  the  Commission  could  be  in- 
volved. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  Sir,  your  obedient 
servant, 

G G , 

Mr.  J.  0.  H.  is  quite  willing  to  say  in 
a  ■'  private  conversation "  to  an  intimate 
friend,  what  would  injure  in  that  friend's 
estimation  and  in  the  estimation  of  all  Ms 
friends  to  whom  the  same  "private  conver- 
sation "  might  be  repeated,  a  member  or 
members  of  the  Commission,  and  through 
them,  all  others  who  are  at  work  in  the  same 
body.  He  did  not- refer  to  "pecuniary  de- 
linquency," but  to  some  other  delinquency, 
which  is  not  yet  discovered. 

Again,  we  give  below  an  example  of  an- 
other kind  of  covert  attack.  A  soldier 
writes  a  letter  to  his  wife,  for  publication 
in  a  paper  known  as  the  "North  Branch 
Democrat,"  and  published  at  Tunkhannock, 
Pa.  The  letter  is  dated  at  "  Camp  near 
Petersburg,  Aug.  4,  1864,"  and  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  it  concerns  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Among  the  many  humbugs  which  have 
grown  out  of  this  war,  there  is  none  that 
ranks  higher  than  the  much  vaunted  Sani- 
tary Commission,  the  labors  and  charities 
of  which  have  been  so  eulogized  by  sub- 
orned newspaper  correspondents  and  others. 
It  would  be  but  just  to  the  public,  which 
has  made  such  liberal  contributions  to  sus- 
tain it,  were  some  person  well  acquainted 
with  the  manner  in  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  business  is  conducted,  here,  to 
make  an  expose  of  the  proceedings  of  its 
agents,  so  that  those  who  have  flattered 
themselves  that  they  were  sending  luxuries 
and  comforts  to  the  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers might  be  gratified  with  a  knowledge 
of  how  their  charities  had  been  dispensed 
and  who  reaped  the  large  share  of  the  bene- 
fits disposed  of  At  City  Point,  there  are 
now  lying  some  four  or  five  vessels  loaded 


with  sanitary  stores,  and  I  am  informed 
that  an  entire  wharf  is  devoted  to  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Commission.  It  has,  besides, 
vessels  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Norfolk,  and  in 
every  harbor  in  possession  of  the  United 
States  army.  These  vessels  are  loaded  with 
every  variety  of  clothing  suitable  for  army 
use,  tin  ware,  canned  fruits,  fresh  vege- 
ale,  tables,  wines,  brandy,  gin,  whiskey,  rum, 
porter,  cider,  and  every  other  known  stimu- 
lant, in  endless  quantities.  There  are  printed 
forms,  for  requisitions,  furnished  to  the  offi- 
cers of  the  different  organizations  through- 
out the  army,  and  all  that  is  necessary  to 
procure  a  wagon  load  of  anything  desired 
is  to  fill  out  one  of  the  blank  forms,  naming 
the  articles  desired,  sign  any  M.  D.,  or  mule 
driver's  name  to  the  bottom  and  load  up 
your  wagon.  As  a  consequence,  few  of  the 
articles  furnished  by  the  Sanitary  ever  reach' 
those  for  whom  they  were  intended.  The 
army  officers  furoish  their  tables  with  luxu- 
ries, get  fuddled  on  the  ■  stimulants,  and 
draw  their  shirts,  drawers,  &c,,  from  this 
source.  The  coarse  varieties  of  food — "  sauer 
kraut,""  pickles,  cabbage,  onions,  &c.,  fall 
to  the  share  of  the  men,  but  come  so  seldom 
and  in  such  diminished  quantities  that  they 
only  furnish  cause  for  grumbling,  and  are 
not  received  with  any  degree  of  thankful- 
ness whatever.  I  do  not  doubt  but  that  the 
Commission  has  accomplished  some  good 
among  the  hospitals,  but  nothing  in  pro- 
portion to  the  demoralizing  influence  it  has 
exerted  in  other  quarters,  and  if  the  whole 
arrangements  'jyjff,  confined  entirely  to  the 
hospitals,  or  wipUl  out  of  existence,  it  would 
be  an  absolute  blessing  to  the  army.  As 
it  is,  it  is  only  a  whiskey  shop  on  a  large 
scale,  furnishing  employment  to  scores  of 
idle  loafers,  and  a  very  convenient  purvey- 
ing establishment  for  army  officers,  whereat 
goods  are  furnished,  to  their  class  free,  for 
which  the  too  credulous  public  pays.  Here- 
after, if  you  have  anything  to  bestow  upon 
your  country's  defenders,  send  it  direct  to 
some  acquaintance  in  the  army  who  will 
need  and  appreciate  the  favor ;  but,  by  all 
means,  give  the  Sanitary  Commission  the 
cold  shoulder.  It  is  an  arrant  imposition, 
as  at  present  conducted,  and  the  public 
should  know  it. 

Now  see  the  correspondence  concerning 
it.  On  August  29,  the  paper  reaches  a 
friend  of  the  truth,  who  informs  the  Com- 
mission as  follows : 

I  send  to  your  address,  to-day,  a  most 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


873 


infamous  letter  from  "  Clint,"  a  soldier  in 
the  army.    The  name  of  this  man  who  signs 

his  name  "Clint,"  is  D C.  K ,  3d 

N.  Y.  Independent  Battery,  Artillery  Brig- 
ade, 6th  Army  Corps.  I  thought  it  entirely 
proper  that  you  should  be  informed  of  this 
letter :  the  author  should  be  rebuked. 

When  the  letter  was  forwarded .  to  our 
agency  at  City  Point,  Dr.  A.  McDonald,  in 
charge  of  the  work  of  the  Commission  at 
that  place,  issued  the  following  instructions 
to  Mr.  J.  W.  Johnson,  the  experienced 
Superintendent  of  Field  Relief  Corps  : 

Mr.  Johnson  will  please  see  "  Clint,"  and 
find  out  what  he  has  to  say  about  Sanitary 
matters. 

Just  nail  Mr.  "  Clint,''  if  you  can,  and 
make  him  retract  this  wholesale  lie,  if 
possible,  over  his  own  signature. 

Alex.  McDonald. 


MR.  JOHNSON  S   REPLY. 

Hospital,  2nd  Corps 

Nov.  18,  1864, 


.} 


My  Dear  Poctor  : — ^During  the  early 

part  of  October,  I  called  on  D.  C.  K 

respecting  an  article  which  was  attributed 
to  him,  and  published  in  a  paper  you  had 
sent  to  me. 

In  presence  of  his  captain  he  admitted 
that  he  was  author  of  article  signed  "  Clint," 
stated  that  it  was  a  private  letter  to  his  wife, 
not  intended  for  publication.  On  being 
pressed  for  facts  on  which  his  statements 
were  founded,  he  said  he  could  not  recollect 
any  special  act,  but  had  made  his  statement 
from  general  camp  rumors,  which  he  sup- 
posed were  true,  lie  told  me  that  he  wolild 
write  a  letter  for  publication,  and  have  it 
ready  in  a  few  days. 

I  called  on  him  on  the  16th,  when  he 
replied  that  he  had  been  busy  with  his 
papers,  and  had  not  time  to  write  it.  I 
then  placed  the  matter  in  Mr.  Holbrook's 
hands,  requesting  him  to  see  him  frequently 
and  if  necessary  his  captain  also,  and  to 
continue  urging  him  for  it.  This  has  been 
done  without  success,  as  you  will  see  by 
Mr.  Holbrook's.  letter,  to  which  I  refer  you 
for  later  particulars. 

J.  Warner  Johnson, 

Supeiintendent. 
Pb.  Alex.  McDonald,  City  FQint,  Ya. 

Mr.  Holbrook's  letter  makes  the  follow- 
ing disclosures : — 

1.  That  on  his  first  visit  to  "  Clint,"  he 


said  he  was  too  Jmy  to  write  what  he  had 
stated  to  Mr.  Johnson ;  viz.,  that  he  was  not 
in  possession  of  any  testimony  to  substantiate 
his  charges. 

2.  That  on  the  next  visit,  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  that  he  would  not  write  a  letter 
acknowledging  his  mistake. 

3.  That  he  would  not  write  it  because  it 
would  be  made  use  of  by  Mr.  Johnson  or 
the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Thus  "Clint"  writes  a  letter,  making 
grave  charges  against  the  Commission,*with- 
out  ^ny  evidence  to  sustain  them ;  refuses 
to  admit  the  injustice  he  has  done  to  him- 
self and  the  Commissioi^  because  his  ad- 
mission would  be  used  in  justification  of  the 
truth. 

This  correspondence  has  been  presented 
to  show  just  how  the  thousand  rumors  that 
frighten  timid  and  jealous  people,  arise;  how 
little  foundation  they  have ;  how  little  im- 
portance is  to  be  attached  to  them,  and  to 
remind  our  friends  that  they  whose  faith  in 
the  Commission  may  be  shaken  by  such 
stories,  have  a  feeble  faith.  May  it  be 
strengthened. 


IHBEE  MONTHS  IS  THE  TT.  S.  SANITASY 
COfflUlSSION. 

NO.  III. — FROM  PORT  ROYAL,  VA.,  TO 
VTHITE  HOUSE  LANDING  ON  THE  PATJ- 
M0NKEY. 

The  loading  up  of  the  steamers  with  the 
wounded  ones,  which  commenced  on  Friday 
evening,  was  continued  throughout  Satur- 
day, and  by  midnight  all  of  them  were  oared 
for,  and  those  of  our  Relief  Agents  not  de- 
tailed to  go  on  the  transports  with  the 
wounded,  were  resting  on  the  Kent,  the 
Mary  F.  Rapley  and  other  vessels,  of  which 
we  had  quite  a  fleet.  During  the  day  up- 
wards of  one  thousand  contrabands,  of  all 
ages  and  sizes,  had  gathered  on  the  dock, 
asking  to  be  taken  to  the  land  of  freedom. 
Each  one  carried  some  article  of  household 
use,  and  it  was  very  gratifying  to  see  our 
government  so  mindful  of  them,  a  fine  ves- 
sel was  set  apart  for  their  use,  for  which 
favor  they  showed  their  appreciaition  by 
holding,  at  midnight,  a  service  of  praise 
and  prayer  to  God,  their  deliverer ;  remind- 
ing one  strongly  of  the  song  of  Miriam  on 


874 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


the  thither  side  of  the  Red  Sea.  A  more 
beautiful  scene  was  never  before  presented 
on  the  Bappahannock  than  the  full  shining 
moon  witnessed  that  night.  Not  less  than 
thirty  vessels  riding  at  anchor,  or  made  fast 
to  the  improvised  docks ;  away  up  stream 
lay  the  transports  freighted  with  precious 
cargoes  of  maimed  and  suffering  patriots ; 
below  us  were  the  liberated  slaves, — the 
unwitting  cause  of  all  this  suiFering  and 
death, — rejoicing  in  a  prospective  condition, 
of  which  they  possessed  only  the  most 
vague  ideas,  while  between  the  two,  hover- 
ed that  minister  of  mercy  and  love,  whom 
God  evoked  from  his  favored  ones  in  this 
amd  other  lands,  and  personified  in  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission,  and  which  through 
myriad  channels  was  night  and  day  perform- 
ing its  heaven-born  mission  among  all  colors 
and  conditions.  ' 

THE    SABBATH.  • 

The  Sabbath  dawned  serene  and  bright, 
and  at  9  a.m.,  we  started  down  the  river. 
As  the  day  wore  on,  one  by  one  of  the 
agents  appeared  on  deck,  refreshed  and 
cheerful.  Among  the  company  on  board 
was  Dr.  Briggs,  of  California,  who  had  come 
from  that  far  off  State  to  witness  the  work- 
ings of  the  Colnmission,  and  though  he  had 
been  with  us  but  a  few  days,*  he  so 
thoroughly  gave  himself  up  to  the  work  of 
charity,  as  to  win  the  praise  of  every  agent. 
This  gentleman,  Mr.  John  A.  Anderson  in- 
vited to  conduct  religious  worship.  He 
accepted,  and  the  service  was  held.  His 
text  was  from  Luke  xiv.  12-14.  It  was  a 
discourse  eminently  practical  and  inspiring, 
for  he  spoke  of  the  peculiar  position  occu- 
pied by  his  auditors  in  relation  to  the  fear- 
ful contest  they  are  now  waging,  and  if  he 
spoke  with  great  fervor  it  is  not  at  all  sur- 
prising, for  was  he  not  just  from  the  most 
terrible  scenes  a  man  can  dare  to  look  upoii  ? 
For  many  weeks  the  sermon  and  its  sur- 
roundings were  the  theme  of  numerous 
conversations.  In  that  particular  I  was 
highly  gratified,  for  I  had  been  led  to  be- 
lieve, therefore,  that  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  was  a  godless  institution,  yet 
to  my  astonishment  I  found  most  of  my 
companions  God-fearing  men  and  women. 
There  was  not  a  song  of  Zion  I  commenced 
singing  but  was  well-known  and  ably  sup- 
ported by  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  on 
board.  Nor  was  this  all,  on  board  the  other 
vessels  divine  service  was  also  held,  and  on 
our  downward  trip  it  frequently  happened, 


that  as  the  vessels  neared  each  other  for 
the  respective  commanders  to  counsel  to- 
gether, both  ships  company's  would  join  in 
singing  some  familiar  hymn.  Thus  was 
the  time  spent  until  we  arrived  at  the  White 
House  landing,  at  6  P.M.,  on  Monday,  May 
30. 

WHITE   HOUSE,   VA. 

It  was  a  truly  desolate  looking  place, 
hallowed  as  it  had  been  by  its  associations 
with  Washington.  As  I  viewed  its  charred 
walls  and  devastated  tombs,  I  could  not 
help  exclaiming,  "  0  secession  what  hast 
thou  not  wrought  ?"  As  we  were  early  on 
the  ground  no  wounded  had  yet  reached 
there,  but  fresh  troops  were  being  pushed 
to  the  front  rapidly,  and  we  were  soon 
made  aware  that  their  commissariat  was  in 
some  way  defective,  for  many  of  the  brave 
fellows  were  going  hungry  away.  Almosti 
in  the  time  it  takes  me  to  tell  it,  the  uten- 
sils were  on  shore,  coffee  was  made  and  the 
work  of  feeding  commenced.  We  also 
discovered  a  lot  of  sick  soldiers  scattered 
around  over  an  area  of  four  miles,  these  were 
gathered  up  and  properly  cared  for.  While 
engaged  in  this  good  worl  the  smiling 
month  of  May  left  us,  and  as  the  dawn  of  the 
first  June  morning  sent  forth  its  greetings, 
an  installment  of  three  hundred  poor 
wounded  ones  reached  the  landing  at  White 
House.  J.  J.  B. 


THE  NEW  TOBE  MEETING. 
MEETING   OP   DELEGATES   FROM   THE   SOL- 
DIERS' AID  SOCIETIES. 

A  meeting  of  delegates  from  the  various 
Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  of  New  York,  Con- 
ne^icut,  Bhode  Island,  parts  of  Massachu- 
setts, Vermont,  New  Jersey,  and  Canada, 
was  held  in  the  hall  of  the  Cooper  Institute, 
Wednesday  evening,  Nov.  16,  1864,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Woman's  Central  Asso- 
ciation of  Belief.  There  was  a  large  at- 
tendance, principally  composed  of  ladies 
who  are  always  foremost  in  works  of  benevo- 
lencQ.  Over  the  platform  was  a  large  dia- 
gram, furnished  by  Dr.  Bellows,  President 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  exhibit- 
ing the  organization  and  different  agencies 
of  the  Commission. 

Professor  Hitchcock,  in  accordance  with 
the  announcement,  assumed  the  Chair,  and 
having  called  the  meeting  to  order,  called 
on  the  Bev.  Mr.  Duryea,  of  the  Beformed 
Dutch  Church,  to  open  the  meeting  with 
prayer.     Mr.  Duryea  then  offered  prayer 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


875 


for  the  nation,  the  army,  and  the  e£fort8 
made  in  its  behalf. 

Professor  Hitchcock  proceeded  to  ex- 
plain the  object  of  the  meeting  j  he  said  : — 
It  is  neither  fitting  nor  needful  that  I 
should  stand  long  between  you  and  the 
gentlemen  who  have  come  here  this  even- 
ing fully  charged  with  important  informa- 
tion pertaining  to  the  great  interest  which 
has  called  us  together.  What  the  Sanitary 
-Commission  is  doing,  and  what  it  has  done 
is  known  to  every  person  on  this  continent, 
perhaps,  we  may  say,  is  known  to  every 
person  in  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of 
Christendom.  The  Society  at  whose  call 
we  are  convened  this  evening.  The  Wo- 
man's Central  Asspciation  of  Relief,  is 
simply  an  organization  tributary  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  It  is,  we  may  say,  one 
of  its  tap-roots.  It  is  through  this  organi- 
zation that  large  amounts  of  neecfed  stores 
have  been  sent  forward  to  the  army,  over 
all  the  field.  This  tap-root  has  its  many 
fibres  running  through  the  soil  in  the  coun- 
try around  about,  and  those  fibres  are  here 
to-night,  namely,  these  auxiliary  societies 
from  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Bhode 
Island,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  other 
localities  which  are  represented  by  delegates 
to  this  Convention.  And  I  suppose  "I  do 
but  justly  interpret  the  opinion  of  this  "New 
York  City  Society,  and  of  these  kindred 
helping  societies,  when  1  say  that  the  work 
in-which  they  are  engaged,  is  not  merely  a 
work  of  mercy,  but  also  of  patriotism  as 
well.  They  have  devoted  themselves  to 
this  work  not  merely  because  the  soldiers 
are  wounded,  sick  and  suffering,  but  because 
the  hearts  of  these  women  are  in  the  cause 
'for  which  these  men  bleed  and  suffer.  So 
that  this  instrumentality  has  been  yielding 
nutriment  to  the  patriotic  sentiment  of  the 
country,  as  well  as  affording  relief  to  the 
soldier. 

These  societies  are  convened  this  evening 
that  they  may  compare  notes,  see  what  has 
been  accomplished  already,  and  take  coun- 
sel in  regard  to  the  future,  which  also  ofiers 
its  burdens,  because  none  of  us  can  be  so 
sanguine  as  to  suppose  that  we  have  quite 
reached  the  end  of  this  sad  chapter  yet. 
Would  to  God  that  the  only  men  on  this 
continent  who  can  make  peace  would  make 
it  by  grounding  their  arms,  by  saluting  the 
old  flag,  by  accepting  the  old  protection  of 
the  nation's  laws.  '  (Applause.)  But  these 
only  possible  peace  makers  on  the  conti- 
nent are  resolutely  bent  on  war,  and  so. 


long  as  that  is  their  choice  there  is  nothing 
left  for  us  but  to  fight  it  through.  (Ap- 
plause.) I  speak  this  not  vauntingly,  nob 
in  the  military  spirit  at  all,  for  that  is  not 
the  mood  of  mind  in  which  we  are  met. 
We  are  met  to  consider  the  mercies  which 
pertain  to  this  work,  to  contemplate  the 
burdens  which  are  still  to  rest  on  our 
shoulders,  and  to  gird  ourselves  for  those 
tasks  which  are  still  before  us  ;  and  while 
we  welcome  these  ladies  from  the  tributary 
societies  which  represent  so  many  States, 
we  are  under  the  sad  necessity  of  saying  to 
them,  go  back  to  further  labors,  for  other 
months,  for  another  yea^ — it  may  be  for 
other  years,  so  long  as  God  permits  this 
wanton  rebellion  to  exist.  While  our  brave 
boys  are  standing  at  thejjf  guns,  we  have 
only  to  stand  behind  and  care  for  them 
when  they_fall,  and  nurse  them  when  they 
are  sick ;  they  fighting  to  the  end  of  this 
sad  illiad  of  our  woes,  we  caring  for  them 
to  the  end.  And  bere  on  this  altar  we  lay 
ourselves  afresh,  be  it  for  one  month,  for 
two  months,  for  six  months,  for  one  year, 
for  two  years,  for  three  years — until  peace 
comes  by  righteousness  which  God  can  ap- 
prove. Until  that  supreme  hour,  so  long  as 
our  boys  have  to  fight,  we  will  care  for  them. 
(Applause.)     That  is  our  resolve  to-night. 

You  will  be  addressed  by  several  gentle- 
men who  understand, -from  long  and  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  the  work,  all  the 
necessities  of  the  case.  Mr.  Potter,  will 
now  make  a  brief  report. 

Mr.  HowAKD  Potter  then  read  a  list  of 
the  various  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  repre- 
sented at  the  meeting,  and  handed  in  to  the 
Chairman  the  reports  of  the  delegates 
present,  and  a  short  report,  from  which  it 
appears  that  the  Women's  Central  Relief 
Association  had  expended  in  purchasing 
material,  flannel  and  other  things  the  sum 
of  $29,329  31,  of  which  the  difi'erent  so- 
cieties had  contributed  nearly  one-half.  It 
had  also  received  the  following  articles  : — 
cotton  shirts,  17,180  j  flannel  shirts,  24,- 
212;  cotton  drawers,  9,258 ;  flannel  drawers, 
11,836;  socks,  6,776;  slippers,  2,564; 
wrappers,  1,336;  handkerchiefs,  46,444; 
bed  sacks,  5,008 ;  pillow  sacks,  4,910  ;  pil- 
lows, 3,844;  pillow  cases,  6,912;  sheets, 
9,012;  bed  quilts,  2,067;  towels,  13,711; 
bandages,  79  bbls. ;  old  cotton,  139  bbls.; 
dried  fruit,  202  bbls.;  jelly,  2,185  jars; 
pickles,  4,500" galls.;  whisky,  403  bottles; 
brandy,  3,726  bottles ;  blackberry  brandy 
and  cordial,  9,816  bottles. 


876 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  supplies  have  been  distribnted  by 
the  Supply  Committee  during  the  summer 
to  Washington,  Baltimore,  and  Harper's 
Ferry,  (for  Gen.  Grant's  and  Gen.  Sheri- 
dan's armies),  to  Norfolk  and  City  Point, 
to  Newbern,  N.  C.,  Beaufort,  S.  C,  and 
New  Orleans.  It  hSs  also  filled  requisitipns 
for  several  U.  S.  steamers  and  the  naval 
stations  at  Key  West  and  Pensacola.  The 
military  hospitals  in  this  vicinity  have  made 
frequent,  but  small  demands,  which  have 
generally  been  complied  with.  All  these 
goods  have  been  given  out,  either  upon  the 
order  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  or  upon 
requisitions  from  .Surgeons. 
.  The  New  England  and  New  York  State 
Soldiers'  Homes  in  this  city  have  been  so 
efficiently  conducted  that  the  claims  upon 
the  Special  Relief  Committee  have  been  but 
small,  being  chiefly  directed  to  the  relief  of 
a  few  cases  of  extreme  sufiering  irqm  sick- 
ness and  wounds. 

The  Corresponding  Committee  has  dis- 
tributed during  the  past  six  months,  29,717 
copies  of  the  "  Sanitary.  Commission  Bul- 
letin" and  reports,  at  an  average  expense 
of  IJ  cents  a  copy. 

The  Treasurer  reports  the  receipt  of 
$38,318  82  which  have  been  expended  by 
the  several  Committees. 

Mr.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  East,  was 
then  introduced  to  the  Convention.  He  said : 

My  friends,  I  suppose  what  is  wanted  of 
me  to-night,  is  to  give  to  those  who  repre- 
sent the  aid  societies,  tributary  to  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  in  order  that  they  may 
carry  it  home  to  their  various  organizations 
such  information  concerning  the  use  that  is 
made  of  the  stores  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
Commission,  as  will  give  assurance  that 
their  work  is  not  in  vain,  that  the  supplies 
do  reach  the  soldiers,  for  whom  they  are 
intended,  and,  that  the  needs  of  the  soldiers 
are  known  to  those  who  have  charge  of 
these  supplies.  It  is  not  required  of  me,  I 
apprehend,  to  present  to  you  the  magnitude 
of  this  undertaking,  and  the  greatness  of 
the  benefit  that  it  confers  upon  the  needy  sol- 
diers of  the  army  and  through  them  upon 
the  country,  for  the  sake  of  inspiring  new 
zeal,  but  simply  to  tell  you  how  we  do  the 
work,  so  that  you  may  be  able  to  answer 
the  questions  which  are  constantly  jiut  by 
those  who  are  so  anxious  to  do  all  the  good 
they  can,  that  they  become  skeptical  in  re- 
gard to  the  good  that  has  been  done  by  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 


In  the  first  place,  I  will  state  in  general 
terms  the  principles  upon  which  the  work 
is  done.  The  design  is  to  secure  the  greatest  . 
good  to  the  greatest  number,  by  the  most 
equal  distribution  of  the  supplies  that  are 
placed  in  our  hands.  Our  work  is  first  to 
distribute  the  supplies  which  are  sent  tons; 
secondly,  to  purchase  other  supplies  with 
the  means  furnished;  thirdly,  to  meet  cases  ■ 
of  special  distress  arising  out  of  emergencies 
and  exigencies  where  the  ordinary  pro- 
visions for  relief  do  not  suffice. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  we  do  not  pre- 
tend that  our  working  is  perfect,  or  that 
there  are  no  mistakes  made  in  the  issuing 
of  these  supplies.  Some  of  them  do  not  get 
into  the  hands  they  are  intended  for,  and 
some  wants  are  not  met.  Our  agents  are 
not  at  every  possible  post  in  the  field ;  and 
we  do  not  pretend  that  every  person  con- 
nected with  the  Commission  is  so  devoted 
to  his  work  that  he  will  allow  npthing  but 
the  thought  of  the  best  interest  of  the  sol- 
dier to  infiuence  him.  Ours  is  a  human 
undertaking,  and  conducted  by  human 
agencies,  therefore  we  cannot  guard  against 
misuse  and  abuse  in  every  instance.  But  I 
know  we  can  give  you  assurance  that  in  the 
main,  the  object  for  which  you  are  laboring 
has  been  accomplished,  and  that  the  amount 
of  good  that  has  been  done,  is  vastly  larger 
than  you  yourselves  hoped  for  when  you 
were  at  work,  or  than  you  even  now  sup- 
pose. For  only  those  who  have  been  on 
the  field,  and  in  the  hospitals,  know,  or  can 
know,  the  twentieth  part  of  the  blessing 
that  has  attended  this  instrumentality. 

The  question  is  frequently  asked,  and  it 
was  repeated  to  me  to-night,  since  I  came_ 
from  the  adjoining  room.  How  do  you 
distribute  these  supplies  in  such  a  way  that 
you  know  they  reach  the  soldiers  ?  I  will 
tell  you  briefly  through  what  process  they 
get  there,  and  by  what  safeguards  they  are 
protected  in  their  transit. 

HOW  THE  SUPPLIES  REACH  THE  SOLDIEE. 

An  invoice  is  sent,  .say  to  Washington, 
of  supplies  which  are  on  the  way  to  one  of 
the  storehouses  there.  As  soon  as  it  reaches 
Washington  it  is  copied  into  an  invoice 
book,  numbered,  recorded  and  filed.  A 
corresponding  number  is  entered  into  a 
larger  book,  with  the  name  of  the  place 
from  which  it  is  sent,  the  party  who  sends 
it,  the  party  who  receives  it,  the  date  of  its 
being  sent,  the  date  of  its  arrival,  or  if  it 
does  not  arrive,  the  statement  of  the  fact. 


TJie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


877 


and  the  probable  time  that  it  may  be  ex- 
pected, so  that  it  may  be  looked  out  for.  A 
copy  of  the  invoice  is  then  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  Receiving  Storekeeper,  as  he 
is  called,  who  receipts  for  the  same,  and  be- 
comes responsible  to  the  office  for  the  goods. 
If  they  do  not  arrive,  then  he  makes  a 
minute  of  it,  and  search  is  made  for  the 
proper  person  upon  whom  the  responsibility 
reste.  When  the  goods  arrive  notice  is  sent 
to  the  office,  and  they  are  entered  among 
the  stock  on  hand,  and  the  Chief  Clerk  be- 
comes responsible  for  them.  They  are  then 
issued  by  him  upon  such  requisitions  as  we 
think  insures  their  getting  to  the  places 
where  they  are  most  needed.  These  requi- 
sitions are  written  orders  upon  the  Store- 
keeper. He  is  not  allowed  to  issue  anything 
without  giving  a  receipt  for  the  same,  and 
he  brings  every  day  to  the  Chief  .Clerk,  an 
account  of  what  he  has  issued  the  day  be- 
fore, as  well  as  what  he  has  received,  to- 
gether with  a  statement  of  the  stock  on 
hand.  He  sends  on  his  receipts  to  the  Chief 
Clerk,  who  thus  has  a  constant  check  upoji 
the  person  who  receives  the  goods  at  the 
Receiving  Storehouse,  and  upon  the  person 
who  issues  them  at  the  other  storehouse. 

CAUSES  OF  COMPLAINT. 

After  passing  from  the  hands  of  the 
Chief  Clerk,  the  supplies  are  distributed 
with  a  careful  scrutiny  on  the  part  of  the 
Chief  Clerk,  of  the  actual  needs.  The  de- 
mands may  be  greater  than  the  supplies  on 
hand,  or  than  the  Chief  Clerk  feels  justified 
in  issuing.  In  that  case,  he  distributes  ac- 
cording to  his  judgment,  where  the  need  is 
greatest,  rather  than  where  the  demand  is 
greatest,  and  with  reference  to  an  equal  dis- 
tribution. There  is  a  constant  necessity  for 
cutting  down  the  requisitions  of  the  sur- 
geons, and  from  friends  in  the  hospitals. 
This,  of  course,  creates  ill  feeling  and  com- 
plaint on  the  part  of  those  who  cannot  get 
all  they  want,  at  the  various  posts.  Many 
complaints  arise  from  this  cause. 

HOW  GOODS  AEE  DISTRIBUTED. 

When  the  goods  are  brought  to  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  hospitals  where  they  are  re- 
quired, the  Hospital  Visitors,  (to  whom 
reference  may  be  made,  as  doing  a  most  ad- 
mirable worl^),  look  out  for  them,  and  make 
sure  that  they  reach  the  soldiers  in  the 
several  wards  of  the  hospital.  Of  course, 
it  fs  impossible  for  them  to  follow  each 
garment  or  every  morsel  of  food,  but  they 


can  keep  a  general  supervision,  and  they 
give  us  constant  assurance  that  they  reach 
those  for  whom  they  are  intended.  For 
these  Visitors  give  not  merely  an  hour's  at- 
tendance, but  go  from  bed  to  bed  and  find 
out  what  the  men  want,  and  what  they  have 
got. 

FIELD  DISTRIBUTION. 

The  supplies  in  the  field  are  distributed 
very  largely  by  the  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion personally,  to  the  men,  so  much  so, 
that  during  the  recent  campaign  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  for  illustration, 
thousands  of  barrels  of  fresh  vegetables, 
and  over  two  hundred  tons  of  fresh  tomatoes 
were  distributed  to  the  men  in  the  trenches, 
and  in  the  camps,-  by  our  own  agents.  They 
saw  the  men  receive  theni',  and  in  the  ma- 
jority of  cases,  saw  them  eat  them. 

The  garments  are  also  distributed  by  our 
agents  personally.  Often,  of  course,  they 
cannot  see  to  giving  them  to  the  individual 
men,  but  they  carry  them  into  the  wards, 
and  it  is  there  known  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  has  brought  so  many  garments 
for  so  many  of  the  most  needy  men. 

"  I  can  assure  you  that  we  do  know  that  in 
the  great  majority  of  cases  at  the  front, 
where,  of  course,  there  is  less  possibility  of 
a  careful  detail  of  supervision,  the  articles 
given  out  do  reach  the  men.  Nearer  Wash, 
iogton  and  other  principle  depots  of  sup- 
plies, receipts  are  taken  so  far  as  it  is  pos- 
sible upon  regular  requisitions,  indorsed  by 
Brigade  Surgeons,  and  there  is  a  degree  of 
restraint  put  upon  those  who  call  for  issues, 
which  gives  us  assurance  that  they  reach 
their  destination.  That  restraint  however, 
or  red  tape,  as  it  is  called,  is  relaxed  when 
the  emergency  requires  it.  After  three 
years  of  experience,  a  proper  mean  has 
been  found  between  undue  restraint  anif  a 
too  free  scattering  of  supplies,  so  that  now, 
I  believe,  if  a  shrewd,  honest  business  man 
were  to  investigate  the  matter,  although  he 
would,  of  course,  find  occasional  misuse,  he 
would  say,  in  view  of  the  humanitarian  as 
well  as  the  business  side  of  the  question, 
that  the  method  adopted  is  perfectly  satis- 
factory. I  say  this  after  large  and  careful 
observation. 

AFTER  A  BATTLE, 

As  an  instance  of  relaxation,  I  will  refer 
to  the  fact  that  immediately  after  a  battle 
no  restraint  is  placed  upon  the  issues.  We 
then  rely  upon  the  honesty  of  the  men  em- 
ployed.   A  man  for  instance,  whom  we  be- 


878. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


lieve  or  know  to  be  honest  says,  "  Under 
yonder  tree  are  gathered  twenty  wounded 
men ;  in  that  barn  are  forty  more ;  they, 
have  been  without  food  and  blankets  since 
morning,  and  the  Government  supply  will 
not  reach  them  before  night.  Will  you  in- 
trust us  with  your  supplies  to  carry  to 
them  1"  In  such  cases  we  say,  yes.  If  pos- 
sible, we  receive  from  them  without  delay, 
receipts,  and  then  our  agents  pass  round 
from  point  to  point  and  see  that  the  sup- 
plies reach  the  men.  It  is  at  such  times 
that  the  restraints  are  most  likely  to  be  re- 
moved. Amid  such  scenes  of  suffering 
men  are  not  likely  to  do  wrong  and  abuse 
their  privileges.  It  it  is  not  in  human  na- 
ture to  be  selfish  at  such  times. 

BETWEEN  THE  FIELD  AND  HOSPITAL. 

When  the  wounded  soldiers  are  gathered 
at  intermediate  points  between  the  battle- 
field and  general  hospital,  then  these  re- 
straints are  so  far  removed  as  to  make  sure 
that  the  wounded  shall  not  suffer,  if  we  can 
help  it,  for  want  of  supplies.  This  was  the 
case  at  Belle  Plain,  Gettysburg,  Fredericks- 
burg, Winchester,  City  Point,  and  various 
other  places.  It  is  the  policy  of  the  Coin- 
mission  not  only  to  go  out  and  meet  the 
wounded  with  supplies,  but  to  anticipate 
their  needs ;  in  other  words,  to  wait  .for 
those  needs  to  occur.  Therefore  it  is  that 
in  some  instances  supplies  have  been  lost 
and  captured  by  the  enemy.  In  nineteen 
out  of  twenty  cases  where  we  have  waited 
days,  weeks,  and  sometimes  even  months  to 
meet  emergencies,  we  have  not  waited  in 
vain.  I  mention  this,  because  we  have  had 
many  inquiries  why  we  did  not  wait  until 
the  need  arises  and  not  keep  such  a  reserve 
on  hand  j  why  we  kept  agents  waiting  an- 
ticipating battles,  as  at  Martinsburg  and 
Winchester;  why  we  spent  the  people's 
money  in  that  way.  We  do  so  because  we 
know  it  is  better  to  spend  a  thousand  dol- 
lars in  waiting  than  to  have  a  thousand  men 
suffer  by  waiting  themselves;  and  because 
we  know  that  one  life  saved  to  the  army 
and  to  some  home  (for  we  put  the  army 
always  before  home)  is  worth  a  thousand 
dollars  spsnt  in  waiting.     (Applause.) 

WHY  AEE  SUPPLIES  AT  HOSPITALS  ? 

"Another  question  naturally  asked  is  in 
regard  to  the  propriety  of  giving  out  sup- 
plies to  the  men  after  they  have  reached 
points  where  the  Government  can  help 
them.  And  this  question  suggests  also 
another  broader  one,  namely:   Why  is  it 


that  at  this  period  when  the  Government 
is  doing  so  much,  sanitary  supplies  are  de- 
manded at  all  ?  Are  not  the  needs  more 
imaginary  than  real  ?  I  was  requested  to 
refer  to  this  to-night. 

Our  experience  is  that  the  needs  do 'con- 
tinue, and  that  they  will  continue  so  long 
as  the  army  is  in  the  field — not  merely 
comforts  that  friends  at  home  are  anxious 
to  supply,  but  real  wants  which  must  be 
supplied,  to  maintain  muscle  in  the  arm  of 
war — that  it  is  not  merely  a  call  of  hu- 
manity, but  a  wise  and  provident  policy, 
giving  strength  to  the  army.  For  example, 
as  soon  as  a  man  is  wounded  and  carried 
from  the  battle-field  to  the  place  where  the 
wounded  are  gathered,  it  is  assumed  that 
he  wilfbe  immediately  transferred  to  Wash- 
ington. But  it  is  found  that  many  must 
remain  on  account  of  the  seriousness  of 
their  wounds.  In  the  meantime  others  are 
brought  in,  until  what  was  intended  as  sim- 
ply a  temporary  hospital  or  shelter  for  the 
men,  becomes  by  degrees  a  large  and  per- 
manent place  for  gathering  the  men.  The 
Government  meantime  does  not  see  fit 
to  make  arrangement  for  a  permanent  hos- 
pital, and,  consequently,  the  men  do  not 
receive  the  provision  which  the  Govern- 
ment usually  affords.  In  that  way  the 
agency  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  comes 
in  and  benefits  the  soldiers  largely. 

TRANSFER  OF  WOUNDED. 

So,  in  the  transfer  of  the  wounded,  the 
Government  assumes  that  adequate  means 
are  at  hand  to  make  the  men  comfortable 
until  they  reach  a  certain  station,  whereas 
it  frequently  happens  that  a  train  is  started 
with  only  one  quarter  of  the  blankets  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  men  from  suffering,  and 
with  insufficient  supplies  of  food  and  attend- 
ance, because  the  Government  agents  posted 
there  had  not  power  to  draw  supplies  for 
these  temporary  purposes.  One  train  which 
I  accompanied  from  Winchester  to  Harper's 
Ferry  was  five  miles  long.  A  wagon  broke 
down  at  such  a  point  that  the  rest  of  the 
train  not  being  able  to  pass  it  was  delayed 
three  hours,  so  that  we  did  not  arrive  till 
midnight,  and  but  for  the  provision  fur- 
nished by  the  Commission  many  of  the  men 
would  have  suffered  from  hunger. 

HOME  COMFORTS. 

The  spirit  which  we  endeavor  to  inspire 
in  every  new  agent  who  joins  us  in.  this 
work  is  this :  to  feel  that  we  are  not  our- 
selves, but  that  we  are  you — that  these  sup- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


879 


plies  are  not  merely  so  many  blankets  to 
cover  the  soldiers  and  so  much  food  to  feed 
them,  but  they  are  home  blessings  to  the 
soldier.  If  there  is  one  single  thought 
more  than  another  which  we  endeavor  to 
impress  upon  the  hearts  of  our  working 
men,  it  is  to  try  to  make  the  soldiers  feel 
that  the  blankets  and  the  food  come  from 
home.  There  is  a  healing  power  in  this 
consciousness  more  than  I  can  tell.  It  is 
not  merely  sentiment,  but  reality,  as  we 
who  have  had  experience  in  this  work  can 
testify. 

ISSUES. 

We  have  issued  about  30,000  blankets, 
from  50  to  60,000  cushions,  of  which 
the  Government  supplies  almost  none; 
43,000  bed-ticks,  to  be  filled  to  meet  em,er- 
gencies  in  temporary  hospitals,  and  but  for 
which  the  soldiers  would  have  had  to  lie 
for  days  and  sometimes  weeks  on  the  floor 
or  ground;  from  50  to  60,000  pillows, 
130,000  pillow  cases,  about  20,000  pillow 
ticks,  to  be  filled  with  hay  or  straw,  60,000 
quilts,  119,000  sheets,  255,000  towels, 
300,000  pairs  of  drawers  of  difierent  kinds, 
275,000  handkerchiefs,  over  400,000  shirts, 
different  kinds,  230,000  socks,  nearly  40,000 
wrappers,  30,000  cans  of  meat,  and  about 
30  tons  of  canned  milk.  Many  of  these 
articles  are  not  furnished  by  the  Govern- 
ment at  all.  An  account  is  kept  of  every 
article  issued,  and  constant  reference  is 
made  to  the  record. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  WORK. 

This  special  relief  department  is  doing 
not  merely  a  supplemental  work  to  the 
Government,  bat  a  work  which  the  Govern- 
ment has  never  undertaken  and  probably 
never  would  undertake.  We  have,  in  fact, 
the  whole  work  in  our  hands — that  of  caring 
for  soldiers  where,  but  for  us,  no  provision 
would  be  made.  Since  the  commencement 
of  our  work  we  have  received  in  our  Homes 
over  half  a  million  of  men,  and  spent  over 
half  a  million  of  dollars.  We  have  20  or 
'30  Lodges  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
wherever  they  are  wanted.  We  have  now 
engaged  in  this  work  forty  or  fifty  agents. 
The  expense  is  large,  it  is  true,  but  we  be- 
lieve it  is  justified. 

My  friends,  if  I  could  only  convey  to  you 
the  feelings  of  the  soldiers,  their  constant, 
grateful  expressions  for  what  they  receive 
from  the  hands  of  the  Commission,  you 
would  be  able  to  carry  home  with  you  the 
conscious  assurance  that  the  gifts  which 


your  various  societies  are  furnishing  are 
blessings  to  the  wounded  and  suffering  sol- 
diers.    (Applause.) 

REMARKS  OJ  COL.  RAT  HAWKINS. 

After  speaking  of  his  wounds  and  priva- 
tions, he  said,  as  he  was  not  yet  able  to  re- 
turn to  the  .front,  he  felt  like  doing  some- 
thing for  the  cause. 

I  consulted  some  gentlemen  about  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  Their  answer  was, 
"  We  would*  like  to  give  money  to  that 
cause  if  we  only  knew  that  the  soldiers 
would  get  it."  "  Well,"  said  I,  "my  friends, 
there  is  one  thing  very  certain :  if  you  don't 
give  they  will  never  receive.  It  is  your 
duty  to  give,  and  trust  to  Providence  that 
the  soldiers  get  it." 

I  began  to  work  and  ^l^orked  on,  and  suf- 
fice it  to  say,  that,  during  the  past  six 
■  months  I  have  established  in  the  States  of 
Iowa,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Minne- 
sota, Missouri,  and  Kansas,  over  300  Aux- 
iliary Aid  Societies.     (Applause.) 

I  believe  there  are  few  towns  now  in 
Illinois,  Indiana,  or  Ohio,  that  have  not  an 
aid  Society.  Even  in  Missouri,  which  has 
suffered  so  much  from  the 'rebellion,  the 
loyal  ladies  are  contributing  their  mites  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  And  even  in 
Kansas,  in  the  city  of  Lawrence,  that  was 
burned  by  Quantrell's  men,  and  is  rebuilt 
with  board  cabins,  the  loyal  ladies  had  es- 
tablished an  aid  society,  and  were  at  work 
for  the  soldiers.  (Applause)  And  through- 
out the  entire  West  they  hold  their  society 
meetings  regularly,  every  week,  one  day 
being  devoted  each  week  to  the  soldiers. 
They  make  drawers,  shirts,  handkerchiefs, 
towels,  bandages,  and  lint.  I  saw  aged 
women,  with  trembling,  palsied  hands,  pick- 
ing linen  to  pieces,  and  making  lint  for  the 
wounded  boys. ' 

If  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  present  to- 
night, could  only  visit  the  hospitals  at  Nash- 
ville, Chattanoo^,  Knoxville,  and  Atlanta; 
if  you  could  go  into  the  wards%)f  the  hos- 
pitals and  see  the  sick  and  wounded  boys 
when  the  Sanitary  agent  comes  along,  and 
distributes  on  each  side,  as  he  passes  through, 
such  things  as  the  boys  need  to  make  them 
comfortable  and  happy ;  you  would  be  assured 
of  the  success  of  the  Commission.  Per- 
chance some  poor  boy  gets  a  little  box  of 
some  delicate  article,  and  finds  the  name  of 
some  dear  friend  at  home  labelled  on  it. 
Perchance  the  name  of  a  sister  or  a  mother 
is  written  upon  the  parcel,  and  he  turns 


880 


The  Sanitary  Oommisgion  Bulletin. 


oyer  in  his  couch  and  says,  "  John,  my  sister 
has  not  forgotten  me,  though  I  have  been 
so  long  away."  If  you  could  only  see  those 
countenances  light  up  with  gratitude  towards 
the  loyal  people  of  the  North,  and  especially 
the  ladies  that  are  engaged  in  this  noble 
enterprise,  you  would  feel  amply  repaid  and 
rewarded  for  your  kind  efforts  at  home. 
While  they  have  been  guarding  your  homes 
at  the  front,  they  rejoice  to  know  that  you 
have  been  caring  for  them,  and  toiling  for 
them  around  the  midnight  lamp. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  I  may  safely 
say,  has  done  as  much  good  to  the  cause  of 
liberty  and  humanity  as  would  have  been 
effected  by  thirty  thousand  recruits  sent 
into  the  field.  (Applause.)  If  you  succeed 
by  nursing  in  saving  or  curing  one  sick  or 
wounded  veteran,  so  that  he  is'able  to  return 
to  his  regiment,  it  is  equal  to  five  raw 
recruits.  For  while  every  one  of  the  five 
may  mate  a  good  soldier,  it  takes  time  to  do 
it.  You  can't  expect  to  take  a  man  right 
from  the  plow  and  make  a  soldier  of  him 
immediately.  Send  him  to  the  front,  into 
the  swamps  of  the  South,  and  the  chances 
are  that  in  a  few  days  he  is  taken  sick  and 
removed  to  a  hospital,  because  he  has  not 
become  acclimated,  as  the  veterans  have. 

REMARKS   OF  DR.   BELLOWS. 

I  do  not  know  how  your  hearts  are  affected 
by  hearing  these  words — the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland,  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 
the  Army  of  the  James,  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac — bandied  about  from  lip  to  lip,  in 
connection  with  the  Sanitary  Commission ; 
aa  if  it  were  an  everyday  thought,  a  simple 
and  easy  thing,  that  a  benevloent,  sponta- 
neous association  like  ours,  should  have  a 
nation  in  its  arms,  and  an  army  spreading 
all  over  this  vast  continent,  the  object  of  its 
daily  solicitation  and  its  care.  For  one,  I 
feel  a  devout,  a  humble,  an  inexpressible 
gratitude  to  the  Almighty  God,  who  has 
permitted  an  association  to  come  into  being, 
and  to  organize  an  enterprise  that  for  three 
years  has  been  sustained  by  the  people  of 
this  country  in  carrying  on  a  work  so  sublime 
in  its  magnitude,  so  vast  in  its  reach,  so  in- 
finite, I  might  almost  say,  in  its  details,  so 
deep,  BO  high  in  its  motives,  spreading  so 
far;  and. yet,  in  the  magnificent  scope  of  its 
enterprise,  not  forgetting  the  least  duty  or 
opportunity  in  which  the  soldier  could-  be 
helped,  from  one  end  of  this  vast  field  to 
the  other,  and  the  largest  ever  occupied  by 
armies  and  for  the  longest  time  in  which 


such  vast  armies  were  ever  before  on  a  field 
of  war.  There  is  a  grandeur  in  the  work 
which  the  people  of  the  United  States  have 
undertaken,  and  in  which  the  women  of 
America  have  performed  so  large  a  part,  an 
enterprise  which  has  united  the  whole 
people  in  one  great  work  of  benevolence ; 
which  now  has  stretched  itself  from  one  end 
to  the  other  of  this  vast  continent ;  as  well 
known  on  the  slope  of  the  Pacific  as  it  is 
here  on  the  Atlantic.  The  hearts  of  those 
people,  three  thousand  miles  from  yours, 
are  beating  in  the  strictest  unison,  combined 
and  united  in  one  perfect  plan,  working  with 
you  as  if  ybu  were  sprung  from  them,  a 
wheel  in  the  same  coach  ;  so  that  their  sym- 
pathies, affections  and  intelligence,  corres- 
pond absolutely,  with  perfect,  practical  ex- 
actness to  yours,  in  the  objects,  purposes  and 
modes  of  operation  connected  with  this  San- 
itary Commission.  I  cannot  tell  you  the 
emotions  of  joy,  and  pride,  and  national 
glory  which  filled  my  soul  after  sailing  six 
thousand  miles  around  our  continent,  to  find 
on  the  Pacific  coast  American  men  and 
women  feeling  precisely  as  we  did,  and  not 
only  expressing  our  own  familiar  national 
thoughte  and  ideas,  but  uttering  our  humane 
and  philanthropic  sentiments  in  regard  to 
this  Commission,  in  the  identical  style  and 
with  the  identical  feelings  that  I  had  left 
here  at  home.  It  gave  me  a  conception  of 
the  more  than  collossus  thought  that  could 
stride  this  continent,  rest  its  feet  on  opposite 
shores,  and  poising  itself,  could  reach  down 
from  its  extended  limbs  to  one  common 
heart  which  animated  a  pair  of  correspond- 
ing arms  that  were  active  in  the  great  min- 
istration of  love  to  our  great  American  army. 
(Applause.) 

And  when  I  find  th'e  same  ideas  filling 
the  hearts  and  souls  of  the  men  and  women 
on  both  sides  of  the  continent,  from  the 
farthest  north  down  to  the  deepest  south, 
except  where  the  angry  blood  of  rebellion 
and  secession  stops  the  progress  of  human 
sentiments  and  ideas,  then  I  extend  my  eye,, 
and  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  in  all  lan- 
guages, rejoice  to  hear  sympathy  expressed 
for  this  great  American  work.  It  occupies 
the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  journals  in 
French,  German,  and  English.  I  picked 
up  accidentally,  on  my  own  study  table,  as 
I  left  this  evening,  a  powerful  review  in  the 
best  English  Medical  Journal  on  the  work 
of  the  American  Sanitary  Commission.  I 
picked  up  the  London  Globe,  and  there 
were  three  columns  devoted  to  the  Sanitary 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


881 


Oommission.  I  took  up  the  London  News, 
and  found  two  columns  devoted  to  it.  And 
in  all  of  them  were  expressions  of  amaze- 
ment and  surprise  that  the  semi-barbarous 
people  of  America,  who  were  incapable  of 
self-government,  and  were  goin^to  rack  and 
ruin  on  account  of  their  ignorance  of  the 
principles  of  law  and  government ;  had  yet 
succeeded  in  producing,  through  this  or- 
ganization, such  results  '  that  they  stood 
before  the  world,  in  this  particular  alone,  as 
a  type  of  a  civilized  community  and  a  chris- 
tianized people.  (Applause.)  Don't  you 
think  that  we  have,  ail  of  us  who  have  sus- 
tained this  enterprise  from  the  beginning, 
some  right  to  pluck  up  courage  and  thank 
God,  and  determine  to  go  on  to  the  end ; 
making  this  work,  to  which  we  have  pledged 
ourselves,  from  tljis  time  forward,  more 
effective,  more  skillful,  more  humane,  more 
tender,  more  generous,  more  complete. 
(Applasue.)  I,  who  have  studied  this 
matter^  and  have  been  in  a  position  to  know 
the  character  of  its  work,  pledge  myself  to 
you  that,  if  it  is  not  well  carried  on,  if  it  is 
not  aU  that  it  ought  to  be,  in  point  of  pru- 
dence, of  exactness,  of  thorough  ^delity  on 
the  part  of  agents,  it  has  these  imperfections 
not  from  the  want  of  the  most  prayerful,  the 
most  intense,  the  most  constant  devotion  on 
the  part  of  those  who  have  this  business  in 
hand.  This  country  does  not  know,  and  it 
is  not  important  it  should  know,  and  cer- 
tainly I  am  not  here  to  boast  that  I  knpw, 
the  men  who  have  worked  shoulder  to 
shoulder,  hand  in  hand,  with  me  since  the 
beginning  of  this  war.  But  I  know  their 
daily  toils  and  their  daily  anxiety  in  regard 
to  the  pecuniary  burden  that  has  pressed 
upon  them.  I  know  how  solemn  they  have 
felt  their  responsibility  to  be  in  organizing 
the  general  operations,  in  which  every  dollar 
spent  becomes  a  matter  of  anxious  invest- 
igation. Every  bill  must  be  passed  in  our 
daily  session,  every  point  scrutinized,  and 
every  guard  and  every  caution  invented  and 
applied,  that  human  ingenuity  can  search 
out,  to  secure  a  wise  expenditure  of  the 
money  placed  in  our  hands. 

And  do  you  know  what  pulling  and  haul- 
ing we  have  had  with  our  active  agents  in 
the  field  ?  Mr.  Knapp  has  spoken  to  you. 
I  wish  Dr.  Newberry,  who  represents  the 
Western  Department,  had  also  spoken  to  you. 
The  agents  in  the  field,  who  see  the  suffer- 
ing, are  rummaging  at  our  stores  to  pull  out 
supplies;  wanting  to  spend  more  money, 
telling  us  the  work  is  not  half  done)  and 
Vol.  I.  No.  27  56 


that  they  need  a  great  deal  more  of  every 
article  and  more  liberty  to  spend.  They 
pull  at  our  heart-strings  and  resources  of 
treasure  and  supplies  in  every  shape  and 
form ;  and  here  we  stand,  the  guardians  of 
the  people's  money  that  has  been  put  into 
our  hands,  checking  them,  cutting  them  off, 
cautioning  them,  beseeching  them  not  to 
make  such  heavy  requisitions,  sending  down 
people  to  inquire  if  they  cannot  do  with 
less.  And  thus,  between  this  upper  and 
nether  millstone,  this  business  is  ground 
out  with  pain,  anxiety  and  controversy,  such 
as  the  apostles  had  together.  We  have  this 
strife  among  ourselves,  and  what  is  it  for  ? 
It  is  a  strife  between  those  anxious  to  be 
faithful  on  one  side  to  the  soldier,  and  on 
the  other  to  the  people, •who  supply  the 
necessaries  and  means  of  helping  the  sol- 
dier. 

And  then  we.  hear  criticisms  made  by 
idle  tongues  that  don't  know  what  they  are 
talkina;  about,  by  persons  that  have  never 
been  down  and  investigated  the  matter ;  and 
if  they  had,  could  not  know  much  better 
than  before  they  went  the  facts  of  the  case 
— persons  who  stick  their  heads  into  a 
barrel,  and  then  pretend  to  give  wise  counsels 
about  a  business  that  must  be  studied  like 
a  profession  to  be  understood.  I  deny  that 
anybody  knows  and  is  competent  to  criticise 
the  operations  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
who  has  not  devoted  his  time  for  months  to 
it,  any  more  than  he  is  competent  to  criticise 
the  business  affairs  of  Stewart,  or  any  other 
mercantile  concern  whose  dealings  amount 
to  millions,  and  whose  trade  extends  over  a 
whole  continent.  How  do  you  think  he 
would  value  the  criticism  of  one,  who,  after 
looking  into  his  books  of  account  for  half  an 
hour,  should  feel  himself  competent  to  inform 
the  public  that  his  business  was  not  con- 
ducted in  a  way  satisfactory  to  them  ? 
(Laughter.)  *  I  assure  you,  so  far  as  I  am 
concerned,  and  as  the  gentlemen  of  the  San- 
itary Commission  are  concerned,  we  have 
profound  peace  in  our  consciences  as  to  our 
designed  fidelity  to  the  vastest  trust,  per- 
haps, that  has  ever  been  committed  by  the 
benevolence  of  any  people  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  to  a  small,number  of  men.  We  feel 
this  to  our  heart's  core,  and  Grod  send  the 
time  when  the  burden  can  be  lifted  from 
our  shoulders  and  hearts,  and  we 'can  give 
back  to  the  people  the  trust  that  they  have 
confided  to  our  hands.  Meanwhile,  I  ask 
you  to  trust  us  a  little  longer.  We  shall 
not  run  away,  and  the  time  will  come  when 


882 


The  Sanitary  Commhsion  Bulletin. 


you  will  have  an  opportunity  of  looking 
very  closely  into  all  our  a£Fairs. 

But  let  me  say,  we  have  very  little  to 
complain  of  after  all,  and  I  take  it,  no  more 
criticism  or  jealousy  exists  than  must  in- 
evitably attend  the  organization  and  opera- 
tions of  an  institution  so  extensive,  so  rami- 
fied, and  that  has  so  much  in  its  hands. 
Therefore,  grateful  for  the  confidence  that 
the  women  and  men  of  the  country  have 
reposed  in  us  thus  far,  we  say  that  we  have 
succeeded,  and  we  are  succeeding,  and  we 
are  confident*  that  we  are  going  to  succeed 
to  the  end  of  the  last  chapter  and  page  of 
this  great  war  in  which  we  are  engaged. 
Dear  California,  so  far  off  that  she  cannot 
see  us,  trusts  us  with  her  young  fresh  heart, 
as  if  we  were  real  apostles  sent  down  from 
heaven,  and  pours  out  her  gold  and  silver 
into  our  hands.     When   I  went  there  I 
found  not  a  particle  of  distrust.     The  only 
question  was,  What  means  shall  we  adopt 
to  do  more  for  the  Sanitary  Commission  ? 
(Applause.)    And  her  people  went  to  work 
to  do  about  twice  as  much  as  they  had  ever 
done  before,  and  when  I  left  there  they  had 
about  a  dozen  agents  in  the  field  establish- 
ing Aid  Societies  in  every  town  of  fifty  in- 
habitants throughout  the  whole  coast,  so  that 
there  will  not  be  a  little  agricultural  hamlet 
in  all  that  region  that  will  not,  in  the  course 
of  the  next  three  months,  be  forwarding  its 
means  into  our  hands.     When  I  proposed 
to  establish  dime  societies  there,  "  Dime  !" 
said  they,  "  you  mean  half-dollar ;  that  is 
the  least  anybody  here  is  willing  to  give." 
(Laughter.)    Only  yesterday  we  received  a 
"  gold-telegram,"   informing    us    that  we 
could  draw  from  the  banks  $16,000  in  gold, 
the  first  instalment  on  the  new  arrangement, 
probably  the  product  of  a  single  month  of 
labor.     Two  thousand  more  came  from  a 
little  place  called  Nappa,  where  they  must 
be  all  pretty  wide  awake,  I  think,  in  spite 
of  the  name.  (Laughter.)  Such  is  the  spirit 
that  prevails  there  and  should  prevail  here. 
You  are  more  occupied  here,  called  upon  in 
a  great  variety  of  ways  to  give,  but  let  us 
hope  for  still  greater  success  in  our  efforts 
here  in  this  cause. 

Let  me  say  to  the  la^y  delegates,  that 
they  may  be  particular  and  minute  in  their 
inquiries.  Put  me  in  the  witness-box  to^ 
morrow.  We  promise  to  tell  you  the  pre- 
cise truth  and  give  you  all  the  information 
we  have  in  our  power  to  give.  Continue  in 
the  good  work  in  which  you  are  engaged. 
After  you  are  satisfied  with  your  explora- 


tions, return  to  the  fields  from  which  you 
came  encouraged,  and  with  the  blessing  of 
Grod,  the  smiles  and  approbation  of  all  good 
men,  the  gratitude  of  the  army,  and  the  ad- 
miration of  your  country,  go  on  aiding  the 
gracious  Cqmmission,  and  flooding  the  re- 
sources of  this  Central  Aid  Society  with 
the  stores  that  we  so  much  need.  For  re- 
member, that  a  few  months  ago  that  80  per 
cent,  of  all  our  supplies  were  in  kind,  but 
now  we  have  come  to  the  pitch  when.  80 
per  cent,  are  bought  with  the  people's 
money.  I  tell  you  it  is  a  sad  state  of  things 
when  we  are  obliged  to  go  into  the  market 
and  buy  supplies.  Hitherto  seven  millions 
of  all  we  have  distributed  have  been  gifts 
in  kind,  about  three  millions  is  all  we  have 
received  in  money.  We  shall  spend  it  all 
very  rapidly  if  the  people  do  not  wake  up 
to  the  duty  of  sending  in,  as  they  have 
done  in  times  past,  supplies  in  kind.  It  is 
from  your  aid  societies  that  we  must  find 
that  life  blood  that  shall  enable  us  to  con- 
tinue our  work  to  the  end.  Don't  fail  us ; 
don't  let  the  country  fail  us  in  this  great 
and  glorious  »work.     (Applause.) 

Prof  Hitchcock  then  introduced  the 
Kev.  Dr.  Adams. 

The  Kev.  Dr.  Adams  said :  If  I  were  to 
ask  this  audience  in  what  respect  the 
speeches  of  Dr.  Bellows  and  Mr.  Knapp 
differ  from  the  medical  department  of  the 
government,  I  suppose  you  would  respond 
that  they  need  np  supplement.  I  had  come 
here  with  the  intention  of  saying  a  few 
words,  more  in  the  way  of  expressing  my 
interest  in  this  subject,  than  in  any  supposed 
necessity  for  arguing  with  any  who  are 
skeptical  concerning  it.  But  at  this  late 
this  hour  I  think  the  best  favor  I  can  ren- 
der to  the  audience,  is  not  to  detain  them 
with  any  remarks. 

The  doxology  was  sung  and  the  conven- 
tion adjourned. 

LADIES  HORSING  MEETING. 

In  an  upper  room  of  the  Cooper  Union 
the  delegates  met  on  the  following  morning, 
to  listen  to  details  of  the  work  from  persons 
officially  connected  with  the  Commission. 
The  meeting  was  largely  attended,  and 
greatly  interested  in  what  was  said  by  the 
several  speakers. 

Dr.  Bellows  read  a  letter  from  Dr.  Gor- 
don Buck,  of  New  York,  regretting  that  he 
was  unable  to  attend  the  meeting,  and  pay- 
ing a  high  tribute  to  the  work  accomplished 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission. 


The  Sanitary  Commiagion  Bulletin. 


883 


A  large  diagram,  represeuting  the  various 
branches  of  the  Commission,  was  placed  be- 
hind the  platform,  by  means  of  which  the 
workings  of  the  Commission  were  explained. 

Dr.  Bellows  said  that  the  most  important 
part  of  the  work  was  represented,  by  the 
ladies  who  furnish  the  stores  and  supplies. 
He  also  explained  the  character  of  the  or- 
ganization. The  central  depot  is  at  Wash- 
ington, where  the  Board  holds  stated  meet- 
ings. 

The  Central  Committee,  which  consists 
of  five  members,  is  stationed  in  this  city. 
It  had  been  found  necessary  to  compose  the 
Committee  of  men  who  could  meet  fre- 
queutly,  and  therefore  it  was  necessary  that 
they  should  reside  here.  This  Committee, 
which  has  entire  charge  of  the  Commission 
when  the  Board  is  not  in  session  in  Wash- 
ington, meets  daily  at  three  o'clock.  Re- 
cently, two  members  have  been  added,  one 
fron  Boston  and  one  from  Philadelpeia, 
who  meet  with  the  Committee  twice  a 
month. 

The  General  Secretary  is  the  executive 
officer,  and  lives  in  New  York.  He  fre- 
quently visits  the  field;  and  makes  himself 
acquainted  with  the  work  performed,  and 
the  manner  in  which  the  officers  of  the 
Commission  perform  their  duties.  The 
Standing  Committee  also  visits  the  field 
from  time  to  time,  and  inspects  the  work  of 
the  Commission.  The  General  Secretary 
reports  to  the  Standing  Committee. 

The  speaker  said  that  the  wisdom  and 
skill  of  the  founders  of  the  Commission  was 
proved  by  the  fact  that  it  has  remained  un- 
changed since  it  went  into  operatian.  The 
method  and  plans  upon  which  it  was  formed 
were  carefully  designed,  and  founded  on 
study  and  experience ;  and  there  has  been 
no  occasion  to  alter  its  workings.  It  is  not 
a  sentimental  humane  association,  designed 
to  embarrass  the  work  of  the  gov^nment, 
nor  to  enervate  the  soldier,  but  to  encourage 
the  medical  department  of  the  army,  and 
to  help  the  government,  the  army,  and  the, 
country. 

in  speaking  of  the  workings  of  the  Com- 
mission, the  speaker  said  that  it  had  not 
been  the  object  of  the  Society  to  keep  itself 
before  the  people  more  than  was  necessary 
to  accomplish  its  work.  He.  believed  that 
much  was  done  by  the  Commission  for 
which  the  government  received  the  credit, 
and  he  was  willing  that  the  credit  of  its 
labors  should  go  to  the  government. 

The  Commission  is  divided  into  two  de- 


partments, the  Eastern  and  West'ern,  with 
principal  depots  at  Washington  and  Louis- 
ville.  Each  department  is  under  the  direc- 
tion of  an  Associate  Secretary,  who  guides 
and  controls  the  several  agents  under  his 
supervision. 

The  speaker  said  an  experienced  and 
capable  man  was  constantly  employed  in 
buying  stores  for  the  Commission.  In  this 
city  a  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs.  A. 
A.  Low,  Jonathan  Sturges,  and  W.  B  Aster, 
examine  the  financial  condition  of  the  Com- 
mission at  stated  periods.       • 

Dr.  Bellows  explained  the  workings  of 
the  office  in  Washington.  He  said  that  it 
was  opened  at  daylight,  business  commenc- 
ing at  seven  o'clock,  and  closing  at  eleven 
P.M.  During  the  night  a^ervant  answered 
the  bell,  and  supplied  all  proper  requisitions. 
Prom  this  depot  fifteen  army  posts  and 
general  hospitals  are  daily  supplied  with 
stores.  Besides  the  daily  calls  from  hos- 
pitals, there  are  at  least  oire  hundred  appli- 
cants for  individual  relief,  together  with 
philanthropic  ladies  who  solicit  goods  to  dis- 
tribute among  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 
Each  of  these  applicants  has  to  be  attended 
to,  requiring  much  tim^and  labor  on  the 
part  of  those  employed  by  the  Commission. 
In  addition  to  the  business  transacted  at  the 
Washington  office,  general  intelligence  is 
given  to  strangers  seeking  information.  It 
is,  in  fact,  a  general  encyclopaedia  of  mili- 
tary knowledge,  to  which  hotel-keepers  and 
others  direct  persons  inquiring  for  regiments, 
brigades,  or  divisions.  Lists  are  kept  of  all 
the  surgeons  in  the  various  departments. 
There  women,  wives,  fathers,  boys,  and 
others,  go  to  learn  of  their  friends. 

The  Home,  which  is  near  the  railroad 
depot,  has  several  hundred  beds,  where 
soldiers  who  have  become  separated  from 
their  commands,  or  for  other  reasons,  having 
no  place  to  sleep,  are  accommodated  every 
night.  There  are  twenty- five  similar  Homes 
throughout  the  country  (although  not  so 
large),  including  those  in  Georgia. 

As  many  as.  five  hundred  persons  have 
visited  the  office  in  Washington  during  one 
day,  on  business. 

The  speaker  explained  the  rigor  of  the 
army  regulations,  and  the  difficulty  experi- 
enced by  men  in  obtaining  necessary  sup- 
plies, jwliich  were  at  hand,  but  which  could 
not  properly  be  provided  according  to  reg- 
ulations. He  said  that  these  restrictions  on 
the  part  of  the  government  were  necessary. 
Dr.  Bellows  added,  that  if  the  government 


884 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


had  twice  as  many  officers,  and  five  times  as 
many  supplies,  it  could  not  do  the  work  now 
done  by  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

A  lady  handed  the  speaker  a  note,  asking 
him  to  give  some  information  in  respect  to 
the  salaries  paid  to  the  officers  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

Dr.  Bellows  said  that  the  Commission  did 
not  often  employ  volunteer  agents,  and  that 
they  did  spend  a  good  deal  of  money  on 
salaries.  They  must  have  men  who  would 
be  under  rigiddiscipline,  and  would  perform 
the  work  required  of  them.  They  did  it  to 
be  economical.  The  Board  received  no  re- 
muneration, and  the  largest  salary  paid  is 
to  the  General  Secretary,  who  must  be  a 
man  of  ability,  and  whose  entire  time  is 
given  to  the  service.  Fortunately,  they  had 
thus  far  been  able  to  get  men  for  moderate 
salaries.  They  employed  from  two  hundred 
to  five  hundred  men  at  an  average  of  two 
dollars  a  day,  less  than  was  paid  to  mechanics. 

The  address  oi  Dr.  Bellows  was  interest- 
ing throughout,  and  at  times  eloquent. 

At  the  close  of  his  speech,  the  audience 
was  addressed  by  Mrs.  Barker,  Hospital 
Visitor  from  Washington,  and  A.  M.  Sperry, 
Auxiliary  Relief  Agent  from  City  Point. 
The  meeting  was  in  every  respect  a  success, 
and  the  delegates  separated  with  good  cheer 
in  the  work,  retiring  to  their  homes  renewed 
in  spirit  and  purpose  for  future  work. 


DELEGATES 


Present  at  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  Council,  New  York, 
November  16  and  11,  1864. 

ASSOCIATE  MANAGERS. 
Miss  P.  Arnold,  Eastern  Westchester  Co.,  N.  T. 
Mrs.  W.  D.  Hamlin,  Eastern  Oneida  Co.,  N.  T- 
Mrs.  George  Letchworth,  Northern  Cayuga  Co., 

.     N.  Y. 
Mrs.  Wm.  Starr  Miller,  North  Western  Dutchess 

Co.,  N,  Y. 
Mrs.  E.  H.  Redfield,  Western  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y. 
Miss  G.  B.  Schuyler,  South  Western  Westchester 

Co.,  N.  Y. 
Mrs.  Emma  P.  Thurber,  Onondaga  Co  ,  N.  Y. 
Mrs.  C.  E.  Bacon,  Northern  Fairfield  Co.,  Conn. 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Douglas,  Middlesex  Co.,  Conn. 
Mrs.  John  Olmsted,  Hartford  Co.,  Conn. 
Mrs.  Lydia  R.  Ward,  South-eastern  Fairfield  Co., 

Conn. 
Mrs.  Eliza  Howard  Powers,  Paterson,  N.  J. 

NEW  YORK. 

Annandale,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Cruger. 

Mrs.  Ab  Staatz.  * 

Mrs.  0.  B.  Sands. 

Mrs.  John  Bard. 
Ashford,  Miss  Jane  Losee. 
Auburn,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Merriman. 

Mrs.  Kirby,  Samaritan  Society 


Belfast,  Miss  Mary  Truesdell. 
Broadalbin,  Mrs.  C.  S.  Jerome. 
Brooklyn,  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan. 
Mrs.  S.  B.  Caldwell. 
Mrs.  G.  B.  Archer. 
Mrs.  N.  Burchard. 
Mrs.  J.  Emery. 
Mrs.  Halliday. 
Mrs.  W.  J.  Miller. 
Miss  Manning. 
Miss  S.  A.  Perkins. 
Miss  M.  Stranahan. 
Mrs.  Jesse  Smith. 
Mrs.  W.  Cornell. 
Mrs.  W.  C.  Goddard. 
Mrs.  F.  E.  Tayloi*. 
Mrs.  D.  S.  Mills. 
Mrs.  J.  S.  Turner. 
Cape  Vincent,  Mrs.  H.  A.  House. 
Dobb's  Ferry,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Ackerman. 
Miss  A.  A.  Hotchkiss. 
DmMrk,  Mrs.  0.  S.  Winans. 
EMnvUle,  Mrs.  George  A.  Dudley. 
Mrs.  William  C.  Derby. 
Mrs.  Alfred  Neafie. 
Garrisons,  Miss  Arden. 

Mrs.  H.  W.  Belcher. 
Mrs.  W.  S.  Livingston. 
Mrs.  F.  Livingston. 
Glen  Cove,  Miss  E.  Valentine. 
Miss  E.  Coles. 
Miss  E.  Craft. 
Gloversville,  Mrs.  M.  Lebar. 

Mrs.  E.  W.  Burlingame. 
Goshen,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Redfield. 
Harlem,  Mrs  E.  B.  Haddem. 
Mrs.  B.  H.  Gillette. 
Mrs.  J.  L.  Oolby. 
Harrison,  Mrs.  David  Haviland. 
Mrs.  Joseph  Park, 
Mrs.  James  GriflSn. 
Mrs.  W.  F.  Haviland. 
Miss  Sarah  Griffin. 
Miss  M.  Leaman. 
Mrs.  Grady. 
Irvington,  Mrs.  Thomas. 
Mrs.  Crosby. 
Mrs.  R.  M.  Blatchford. 
Mrs.  Brown. 
Miss  Dutcher. 
Miss  MulhoUen. 
.fiTm^s^on,  Mias  Angela  Tappan. 
Leonardsville,  Mrs.  Isaac  Brown. 
Mamaroneck,  Mrs.  A.  N.  Locke. 
Miss  M.  E.  Knapp. 
•  Miss  J.  Halsted. 

;ars.  E.  T.  Stanley. 
Mrs.  J.  P.  Lyon. 
Newburgh,  Mrs.  E.  Hasbrouck. 

Mrs.  L.  P.  Dodge. 
North  White  Creek,  Mrs.  Moneypenny. 
Nyack,  Mrs.  John  6.  Gunn. 
Oblong,  Miss  Mary  S.  Cline. 
Miss  Clara  0.  Reed. 
Palisades,  Mrs.  Greenleaf. 

Mrs.  Park. 
Peekskill,  Mrs.  Dr.  Stewart. 
Miss  Mills. 
Mrs.  G.  F.  Hussey. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


885 


PoUdam,  Miss  0.  S.  Partridge. 
Poughkeepaie,  Mrs.  Richard  Bayley. 
Miss  Julia  N.  Crosby. 
Fulaski,  Mrs.  A.  0.  Burton. 
Miss  M.  J.  Ingersoll 
Bhinebeek,  Mrs.  Stephen  Schuyler. 
Mrs.  William  Cross. 
Mrs.  W.  Starr  Miller. 
Mrs.  Lewis  Marquat. 
Miss  Eliza  S.  Bowne. 
Schenectady,  Miss  Maria  Potter. 
Singling,  Mrs.  Ryder. 
Mrs.  Pentz. 
Mrs.  Cunningham. 
Mrs.  Woodruff. 
Mrs.  Campbell. 
Mrs.  Smith. 
Miss  Snowden. 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt. 
Miss  Carpenter. 
Miss  Ludlum. 
Somen,  Miss  Sarah  Brown. 
South  Brooklyn,  Mrs.  E.  Sliapter. 
Mrs.  J.  Miller. 
Mrs.  S.  B.  Caldwell. 
Syramse,  Mrs.  Emma  P.  Thurber. 
Tappan,  Mrs.  F.  B.  Lewis. 
Tarryiown,  Mrs.  William  S.  Wilson. 
Mrs.  G.  S.  DaTis. 
Mrs.  Wheeler. 
Mrs.  McCutcheon. 
Miss  Hoffiman. 

Reformed  Dutch  Church,  Mrs.  Prank 
Vincent. 
Miss  F.  A.  Thompson. 
Miss  A.  D.  Cobb. 
Troy,  Mrs.  J.  Lansing  Van  Schoonhoren. 
Upper  Red  Book,  Mrs.  Mooney. 
Ulica,  Mrs.  William  Hamlin. 
Waterloo,  Mrs.  Col.  Barton. 
Waverley,  Miss  Mary  Turner. 
West  Wmfield,  Mrs.  Walker. 

Miss  H.  Stout. 
White  Plains,  Mrs.  R.  Berriau. 
Mrs.  J.  J.  Clapp. 
Miss  A.  Silliman. 
Miss  P.  Underbill. 
Yonkers,  Mrs.  G.  Hilton  Scribner. 
Mrs.  Cyrus  Cleveland. 
Mrs.  S.  Hibbard. 
Mrs.  J.  Lawrence. 
Mrs.  Davidson. 
Mrs.  Brett. 
Mrs.  Leib. 
Mrs.  Clapp. 
Mrs.  Rich. 
Mrs.  Walsh. 
Miss  Walsh. 

CONNECTIC0T. 

Sridg^ort,  Miss  Lydia  R.  Ward. 
Miss  Sarah  C.  Ward. 
Central  Waterford,  Mrs.  D.  P.  Rogers. 

Mrs.  Edmund  Darrow. 
Cheshire,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Doolittle. 
Danbury,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Bacon. 
jSost  Bridgeport,  Mrs.  L.  E.  Nelson. 

Mrs.  S.  C.  Kingman. 
Hast  Haddam,  Miss  Lucretia  Brainerd. 

Mrs.  Jehiel  Williams.  * 


Georgetovm,  Mrs.  Sturges  Bennett. 
Greenwich,  Mrs.  Mark  Banks. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Linsley. 
Hartford,  Mrs.  John  Olmsted. 
LakeuUle,  Mrs.  M.  H.  Williams. 
Mrs.  S.  S.  Robbins. 
Mrs.  M.  H.  Robbins. 
Middletown,  Mrs.  Benjamin  Douglas. 
Jffew  Haven,  Mrs.  A.  N.  Skinner. 
Miss  J.  W.  Skinner. 
New  London,  Mrs.  Albertson. 
Salisbury,  Mrs.  L.  B.  Werdeu. 
Southingion,  Mrs.  E.  C.  Jones. 

Mrs.  Joshua  Fletcher. 
South  Manchester,  Mrs.  George  W.  Cheney. 
South  NoTwalk,  Miss  H.  Aymar. 
Miss  Emma  Cape. 
Miss  Mary  Hill. 
Westbrook,  Mrs.  A.  A.  Spencer. 
Miss  Sarah  E.  Burr. 
Wethersfield,  Miss  Fanny  Stanton. 

BHODB  ISLAND. 

Newport,  Mrs.  Berry. 
Providence,  Mrs.  Hoppin. 

NEW  JBBSBV. 

Camden,  Mrs.  H.  S.  Miller. 
Dover,  Mrs.  B.  Lindsley. 
Mrs.  Dr.  Gondict. 
Elizabeth,  Miss  Baker. 
Jersey  City,  Mrs.  Wilbur. 

Mrs.  Sauzade. 
Keyport,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Bishop. 

Mrs.  H.  H.  Seabrook. 
Nem  Providence,  Mrs.  Jarvis  Johnson. 

Mrs.  Daniel  A.  Valentine. 
Orange,  Mrs.  Theron  Baldwin. 
Miss  Hillyer. 
Miss  Anne  Tierson. 
Paterson,  Mrs.  Henry  Clark. 
Miss  Mary  Quin. 
Mrs.  A.  Stoutenborough. 
.      Mrs.  E.  H.  Powers. 
Plainfield,  Mrs.  Rev.  T.  S.  Brown. 
Mrs.  Dr.  C.  H.  Stillman. 
Miss  Mary  E.  Coon. 
Rahway,  Mias  W.  Edgar. 
Miss  G.  Degraw. 
Miss  Shedden. 
Red  Bank,  Mr.  Dunnell. 
Shrewsbury,  Mrs.  L.  C.  Williams. 

UASSACHnSSTTS. 

Holyoke,  Mrs.  William  G.  Porter. 

Mrs.  J.  M.  Burns. 
North  Egremont  and  Great  Barrington,  Mrs.  Sulli- 
van. 
Shelbume  Falls,  Mrs.  Dr.  A.  H.  Taylor. 
Stoekbridge,  Mrs.  Jonathan  Field. 

VEEMONT. 

Brattleboro,  Mrs.  Davenport,  Assoc.  Man    N    E 

W.  A.  A. 
Rutland,  Mrs.  Ripley,  Assoc.  Man.  N.  E.  W.  A.  A. 

uicai&AN. 
Detroit,  Mrs.  Stearns. 

CANADA. 

Toronto,  Mr.  George  H.  Folts. 
Miss  Mary  E.  Polts. 


886 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Number  of  Soldier's  Aid  Societies  represented, 
92.     Number  of  Delegates;  213. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  have  made  known  to  us 
an;  errors  or  omissions  in  the  above  list. 


HOSFITAX  GABDENS. 
BY  M.  C.  READ. 

Chattanoqba,  Tens., 
November  19,  1864, 


.} 


In  sending  you  a  final  report  of  the  issues 
from  the  hospital  gardens  at  this  place,  I 
cannot  deny  myself  the  gratification  of  a 
brief  reference  to  a  few  of  the  military  and 
medical  officers  whose  hearty  co-operation 
has  rendered  it  so  eminently  successful, 
since  without  their  aid  and  protection,  no- 
thing could  have  been  accomplished. 

To  Dr.  Ferine,  at  that  time  MedieaJ  Di- 
rector, we  are  indebted  for  bringing  the 
subject  to  the  attention  of  the  General  com- 
manding the  Department,  who  readily  grant- 
ed all  necessary  orders  to  protect  us  in  the 
possession  of  the  premises,  and  to  prevent 
all  tresspassing. 

XOCATION. 

The  grounds  were  chosen  after  a  careful 
reconnoissance  of  the  whole  neighborhood, 
in  company  with  Dr.  Salter,  who  was  re- 
quested by  Dr.  Ferine  to  make  the  selection. 
A  fertile  tract  was  found,  bordered  on  one 
side  by  the  Tennessee,  on  one  by  Citico 
Creek,  while  a  continuous  woods  from  which 
a  fence  could  readily  be  made,  skirted  the 
other  sides.  It  was  situated  near  the  town, 
at  a  point  where  no  military  roads  were  re- 
quired, and  when  in  any  possible  attack  or 
defence  of  the  post,  it  was  scarcely  possible 
hostile  forces  would  ever  cross  it. 

TOOLS. 

As  soon  as  the  grounds  were  selected, 
details  were  furnished  on  the  orders  of  Maj. 
Gen.  Steedman,  then  Fost  Commandant,  to 
fence  and  work  it.  He  authorised  us  to  re- 
plenish our  stock  of  tools  by  impressments 
from  the  country,  and  the  tools  thus 
gathered  were  promptly  repaired,  and  others 
made  to  order  by  Capt.  H.  M.  Smith, 
Quartermaster  in  charge  of  Government 
shops. 

HORSES. 

When  in  the  early  stages  of  the  enter- 
prise, the  want  of  horses  seemed  likely 
to  cause  an  entire  abandonment  of  the 
work,  permission  was  obtained  to  select 
such  as  might  be  made  serviceable,  from 
the  corrals  of  disabled  animals,  and  these 
under  careful  treatment  so  improved  that 


all  the  work  has  been  done  by  them,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  season,  we  have  seventeen  ser- 
viceable animals,  any  one  of  which  is  worth 
more  than  they  all  were  when  taken  from 
the  corral.  Through  the  assistance  of  Capt. 
Clark,  Quartermaster  for  the  hospitals,  we 
obtained  these  animals  and  forage  for  them, 
and  have  received  constant  and  almost 
daily  assistance  which  was  indispensable  to 


success. 


CONVALESCENTS. 


To  Drs.  Cloak  and  Salter,  successively 
Medical  Directors  of  the  Post,  we  were  in- 
debted for  constant  favors;  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  season  when  details  could  not  other- 
wise be  procured  for  the  necessary  care  of 
the  crops,  through  the  kindness  of  these 
officers,  arrangements  were  made  to  send 
convalescents  from  the  hospitals  for  light 
duty  at  the  gardens,  who  went  into  a  tem- 
porary convalescent  camp,  were  worked  as 
they  were  able  to  work,  fed  freely  upon 
vegetables,  gradually  inured  to  exercise  and 
exposure,  and  after  a  few  weeks,  forwarded 
to  their  regiments,  better  fitted  to  endure 
the  hardships  of  the  camp',  than  if  they  had 
been  sent  directly  from  the  hospitals. 

To  all  of  these  officers,  to  the  command- 
ing officers  of  the  colored  troops,  and  to 
many  others,  have  we  been  indebted  for 
that  constant  assistance,  without  which  the 
work  could  not  have  been  prosecuted,  and 
which  has  been  uniformly  rendered  with 
that  hearty  good  will,  and  with  such  ex- 
pressions of  interest  in  the  work  as  proved 
that  its  value  was  fully  appreciated. 

Copies  of  reports  made  to  the  Medical 
Director  of  the  Fost,  from  the  Surgeons  in 
charge  here,  have  already  been  forwarded 
to  you,  and  the  table  enclosed  will  show 
you  the  aggregate  issues  from  the  garden, 
a  good  supply  of  winter  radishes  and  tur- 
nips yet  remaining  to  be  gathered. 

We  have  furnished  seeds  for  several 
regimental,  brigade,  and  headquarter  gar- 
dens, and  in  some  instances,  tools  for  their 
cultivation. 

PICKLES. 

The  pickles  we  are  making  at  the  rooms 
from  the  unripened  tomatoes,  after  sending 
to  the  hospitals  all  that  could  be  put  up 
there,  would  sell  in  any  of  the  Northern 
markets  for  more  than  the  entire  cost  of  the 
gardens,  while  the  cash  value  of  the  vegeta- 
bles issued,  estimated  at  a  price  less  than 
one-half  the  rates  charged  by  citizens,  who 
have  peddled  their  vegetables  during  the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


887 


season,  is,  as  you  will  see,  over  $66,000, 
which  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view  may  be 
taken  as  the  profits  of  the  enterprise. 

PLAN   OP  DISTRIBUTION. 

The  vegetables  were  distributed  on  the 
principle  that  the  sick  and  wounded  in  hos- 
pital should  be  first  supplied,  then  that  all 
the  sick  and  convalescent  out  of  hospital 
should  be  reached,  and  whatever  surplus 
there  should  be  at  any  time  after  these  de- 
mands were  met,  should  be  distributed  to 
all  the  troops  in  and  about  Chattanooga. 
As  opportunity  offered,  occasional  supplies 
were  sent  during  the  campaign  to  the  hos- 
pitals toward  the  front,  but  of -necessity,  the 
most  of  them  were  distributed  here. 

The  value  of  these  issues  is  not  to  be 
estimated  in  dollars  and  cents.  The  first 
wounded  brought  to  Chattanooga  were  sup- 
lied  on  the  day  of  their  arrival  with 
fresh  vegetables  from  the  garden,  and  from 
that  time  daily  issues,  Sundays  excepted, 
have  been  made  throughout  the  season; 
while  during  much  of  the  time  no  vegeta- 
bles could  possibly  have  been  obtained  if 
this  source  of  supply  had  not  existed.  And, 
as  by  universal  testimony,  a  generous  sup- 
ply of  vegetable  food  is  indispensable  to  the 
recovery  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  who, 
during  an  active  campaign,  have  been  sup- 
plied only  with  the  ordinary  portable 
rations,  the  restored  health  of  many  soldiers, 
and  the  lives  of  many  actually  saved,  should 
be  taken  as  the  net  profits  of  the  work. 
For  the  value  of  this  return,  there  is  no 
possible  pecuniary  estimate.  Let  the  wife 
or  mother,  or  children  of  the  soldier  who 
has  been  restored  to  them  in  health,  esti- 
mate if  possible  the  value  of  the  supple- 
mental aid,  without  which  the  best  atten- 
tion and  the  highest  skill  might  have  proved 
unavailing,  and  his  return  have  become  im- 
possible. 

For  this  year  the  work  of  the  gardens  is 
nearly  finished.  Most  of  the  ground  has 
been  plowed  for  spring  planting,  and  the 
men  are  repairing  the  tools  and  putting 
everything  va.  order  for  early  work. 

*  GARDENER. 

Mr.  Wills,  the  gardner,  has  labored  with 
untiring  energy,  has  taken  a  commendable 
pride  in  the  garden,  and  has  achieved  a 
success  worthy  of  his  efforts.  His  head- 
quarters are  a  model  of  taste,  commanding 
a  view  of  the  greater  part  of  the  grounds, 
and  are  erected  upon  a  symmetrical  Indian 
mound,  the  slopes  and  top  of  which  hav'e 


been  covered  with  a  profusion  6f  flowers. 
Its  beauty  has  commanded  the  admiration 
of  every  visitor,  and  the  demand  for  the 
gardener's  papers  of  seed  for  flowers,  have 
been  exceeded  only  by  the  demand  for  his 
vegetables. 

A  report  of  the  yield  of  the  garden,  and 
copies  of  the  reports  from  the  surgeons  in 
charge  of  the  hospitals  here,  have  been 
forwarded  to  General  Thomas,  and  I  doubt 
not  he  will  authorize  the  continuance  of 
the  work  another  year,  if  this  point  is  to  be 
occupied  as  a  military  post. 

The  experience  of  this  season  satisfles  me 
that  such  gardens  are  both  economical  and 
indispensable,  and  that  the  convalescents  of 
the  army,  if  properly  organized,  could  be 
made  available  for  the  cultivation  of  vege- 
tables sufficient  for  the  entire  demands 
during  the  summer,  and  with  great  benefit 
to  the  health  and  habits  of  the  men. 

SUPPLIES   ISSUED. 

Abstract  of  Issues  from  the  Hospital  Garden  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommission  at  Chattanooga,  Ten- 
nessee, April  15  to  November  14,  1864. 

Lettace,  1,289  bash.    Turnips  and  win- 

Beets,  1,563     "  ter  radishee,        7^  bush. 

Onions,  1,407     "        Cucumbers,  2,693  doz. 

Mustard,  1,496     "        Summer  squash,  f',626  no. 

Potatoes,  (Irish)     SOlJf "        Cabbage,  10,761  heads 

"   "'  —  -      ..       Table  corn,        107,662  cars. 

Okra,  1,717  doz. 

Peppers,  958     " 

Melons,  1,668  no. 

Winter  squash,       312" 
Pumpkins,  1,1.'>2  " 

Flower  seeds,      5,779  papers 

■  Estimated  value  at  Chattanooga,  $66,- 
375  70. 

The  crop  of  winter  radishes  and  turnips 
remaiu  to  be  issued.      i 

ORDER   OP   MAJOR   GENERAL   THOMAS. 

Chattanooga,      1 
Nov.  24,1864./ 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Sec,  Western  Department  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

My  Dear  Sir  : — Enclosed  you  will  find 
copy  of  General  Thomas'  order  for  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  gardens  at  this  post,  for  the 
coming  season. 

Mr.  Wills  will  return  North  soon,  and 
will  make  out-  lists  and  amounts  of  seed 
required.  It  is  important  that  the  seeds  be 
purchased  and  forwarded,  so  that  the  work 
can  commence  early,  and  go  on  without 
interruption.  I  will  write  to-night  to  Mr. 
Newton  of  the  Agricultural  Department 
and  secure  a  supply  from  him,  but  of  course 
not  a  large  amount.  Shall  make  immediate 
efforts  to  enrich  the  gardens  on  the  moun- 
tain. Yours  truly,  . 

M.  C.  Read. 


Badishes, 

715 

Peas, 

442 

Snap  beans, 

431 

Lim-a    " 

14S 

Tomatoes, 

1,269 

Sweet  potatoes, 

384 

Spinach, 

133 

888 


The  Sanitary  Commission  bulletin. 


Head  Qbs.  Dept.  of  thb  OnMBERLAUD,      \ 
Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Nov.  23,  1864.  / 

Special  Field  Orders,  No.  321. 

Extract. 

****** 

IV.  The  protection  heretofore  furnished 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  in  the  cultivation 
of  abandoned  lands,  for  the  benefit  of  hos- 
pitals, &c.,  is  hereby  renewed,  and  its 
authority  extended  over  the  brigade  garden 
oa  Lookout  Mountain. 

Every  preparation  will  be  made  for  keep- 
ing the  gardens  under  its  control,  in  full 

cultivation  for  the  ensuing  year. 

****** 

By  command  of  Major  Gren.  Thomas, 
Southard  Hoppman, 

Assistsmt  Adjataut  General. 

Mh.  Read, 

Ageat  Sanitary  CommiBSion. 


EXCHANGE  OF  PEISOSESS  AT  BED  EIVEB. 

BT  JOHN  STEVENS,  JK. 

New  Orleans,     1 
Oct.  25,  1864.  J 

Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake, 

Dear  Sir  : — At  the  invitation  of  Col. 
Dwight,  Commissioner  of  Exchange,  I  left 
in  tiie  steamer  St.  Marys  for  Red  River, 
landing  on  the  21st  inst.  My  boxes  had  an 
assortment  of  articles,  such  as  stimulants, 
milk,  beef  stock  and  farina,  with  reading 
matter  and  many  other  things  which  would 
be  acceptable  to  men  who  had  tarried  long 
in  rebeldom,  where  they  entered  scantily 
furnislied  on  account  of  sudden  capture, 
and  where  they  lived  six  months  or  more, 
without  any  additions  in  the  way  of  comforts. 

We  had  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  well 
clothed  and  well  filled  rebels,  who  evidently 
had  enjo3'ed  their  stay  in  the  city,  even  if  it 
had  been  forced. 

Reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Red  River 
late  Saturday  evening,  it  was  not  till  next 
morning  that  we  were  able  to  communicate 
wich  the  rebel  commissioners,  and  about 
noon,  two  of  our  late  steamers  came  down 
thg  rive.r  with  the  white  flag  at  the  "  fore," 
and  the  red  and  white  ensign  aft. 

A  baud,  playing  Bonnie  Blue  Flag, 
worked  a  response  from  our  excursion  boat, 
which  joined  us,  with  General  MoGinnis, 
from  M  organ  zia,  in  the  way  of  all  good 
national  airs,  which  were  sweet  music  indeed 
to  the  crowd  of  poor,  dirty,  ragged  creatures 
that  crowded  their  decks,  and  whose  ears 
had  too  long  been  accustomed  to  their  hate- 


ful tunes.  Real  good  Anglo-Saxon  hurrahs 
would  fill  the  air,  contrasting  pleasantly  with 
the  rebel  yell  which  one  has  to  hear  to 
appreciate. 

The  preliminary  forms  having  been  at- 
tended to,  the  exchanges  were  made,  and 
those  who  had  suffered  a  long  imprisonment 
were  free  once  more. 

THE   OLD   FLAG. 

The  color  "bearer  of  tlie  48th  Ohio,  many 
of  whose  regiment  were  captured  at  Mans- 
field, had,  when  surrounded,  stripped  his 
flag  from  the  stafi^,  and  secreted  it  around 
his  body.  When  in  the  stockade  in  Texas, 
it  being  rumored  among  the  rebels  that 
such  was  the  case,  a  diligent  search  was 
made  for  it,  but  our  men  had  shrewdly 
buried  it.  After  resting  some  time  in  rebel 
soil  it  was  dug  up,  and  only  slightly  soiled, 
and  stitched  into  the  jacket  of  one  of  the 
captains,  under  the  lining,  and  thus  it 
passed  its  captivity.  On  the  way  down  the 
river  the  men  secretly  made  a  flag-staff,  so 
that  the  very  instant  they  stepped  on  board 
our  boat,  after  the  exchange,  they  drew  out 
from  its  long  hiding  place  their  good  old 
flag,  spreading  it  to  the  breeze.  The  effect 
can  be  imagined  better  than  described; 
shouts,  yells  .  of  defiance,  and  tears  of  joy 
followed,  with  no  doubt  many  thanksgivings 
to  God  for  His  mercy  in  thus  sparing  them, 
to  witness  this  triumph. 

Most  of  the  men,  physically,  were  in 
good  condition.  Some  dozen  or  more  were, 
however,  suffering  from  chronic  diarrhoea, 
and  my  attention  was  soon  directed  to  them. 
Some  hot  broth  and  stimulants  relieved 
them,  but  death  had  marked  several  for  his 
owni  One  died  in  a  few  hours.  There  was 
no  regular  medical  attendance  at  their  place 
of  confinement,  and  although  not  as  cruel 
as  in  some  other  places,  yet  there  was  more 
neglect  than  humanity  would  allow.  A 
great  many  had  died  of  scurvy,  and  no 
means  had  been  taken  to  prevent  it.  As 
for  clothing,  there  was  not  a  whole  decent 
garment  in  the  crowd.  Most  were  not  even 
protected  sufficiently  for  the  .season.  As 
soon  as  we  were  settled,  I  had  pails  of  milk 
punch  ready  for  those  who  seemed  ex- 
hausted, which  with  soft  crackers,  was  rel- 
ished much.  Getting  a  sergeant  there,  we 
distributed  onions  to  the  different  messes.  On 
our  way  home  opened  a  box  of  newspapers, 
magazines,  and  a  bundle  of  Testaments,  with 
other  little  books,  which  were  'greedily 
seized;  also  writing  paper,  envelopes  and 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


889 


pens;  so  that  all  could  send  home  the  good 
tidings  of  their  deliverance. 

About  4  P.M.  on  Monday  we  landed  our 
motley  crowd  at  New-Orleans,  where  they 
were  cared  for  by  the  officers  of  the  depart- 
ment. 


THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  AND  CUE  BE- 
TUBNED  FBXSONEBS. 

BY  D.  J.  BaiGHAM. 

With  seven  other  agents  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  1  started  on  Thursday,  Octo- 
ber 27,  for  Fortress  Monroe.  Arrived  there 
Friday  afternoon,  not  knowing  where  we 
were  going  or  for  what  purpose.  We  were 
there  told  that  our  destination  was  Savan- 
nah River ;  that  we  were  all  to  go  on  differ- 
ent ships,  each  taking  a  quantity  of  Sanitary 
Commission  stores  on  board,  to  be  issued  to 
our  prisonersj  on  their  return  to  Annapolis. 

On  Tuesday,  November  1,  we  received 
orders  to  go  on  board  the  different  ships 
with  our  stores,  so  as  to  be  in  readiness  to 
start  at  any  time.  We  then  divided  the 
stores,  giving  to  each  one  a  share  propor- 
tionate to  the  size  of  the  vessel  on  which  he 
was  ordered,  and  in  a  short  time  I  found 
myself  on  board  the  Gen.  Sedgwick. 

Arrived  at  Port  Eoyal  on  Saturday,  No- 
vember 12.  On  the  15th  we  went  to  Beau- 
fort, caine  back  to  Port  Royal  the  17th. 

On  Sunday,  November  20,  we  started 
with  the  whole  fleet  for  the  point  of  ex- 
change in  the  Savannah  River.  Opposite 
Fort  Pulaski  the  river  is  filled  with  sunken 
vessels;  no  ships  have  passed  above  this 
obstruction  till  within  a  few  weeks.  By 
means  of  a  skillful  pilot  we  passed  it  in 
safety,  and  arrived  at  Venus  Point,  where 
the  exchange  is  taking  place. 

I  went  on  board  the  New  York  (which 
was  then  receiving  our  prisoners)  and  there 
witnessed  a  scene  of  misery  beyond  any- 
thing I  ever  conceived.  Jlany  of  our  men 
were  unable  to  walk.  Most  of  them  were 
barefooted,  many  of  them  without  under- 
clothing, and  their  thin,  wasted  forms  were 
covered  with  dirt  and  vermin.  When  they 
found  themselves  on  our  vessels,  their  eyes, 
before  without  expression,  were  lighted  up 
with  new  brilliancy;  it  seemed  like  the 
dawning  of  a  new  existence  to. them.  When 
the  hard-tack  and  coffee  were  given  them, 
they  were  wild  with  joy,  and  each  vied 
with  the  other  in  the  quantity  he  could 
dispose  of.  Although  it  was  with  pain  we 
witnessed  their  misery,  yet  a  feeling  of 
happiness,  that  I  have  seldom  before  expe- 


rienced, came  over  me  on  seeing  their  suf- 
ferings in  a  measure  alleviated. 

We  expected  to  get  our  load  the  next 
day,  but  did  not  until  Tuesday,  November 
22.  I  had  my  stores  placed  where  I  would 
have  access  to  them  easily,  and  about  noon 
we  received  five  hundred  men,  and  started 
at  2  P.M.  for  the  North,  having  on  board  a 
surgeon,  to  whom  I  reported  as  directed. 
We  had  a  strong  wind  in  our  favor  and 
went  along  very  fast ;  were  soon  out  to  sea. 
I  gave  out  40  blankets,  and  by  the  Surgeon's 
direction  a  large  quantity  of  Grovernment 
blankets ;  also  gave  out  numbers  of  tin-cups. 

Wednesday,  November  23,  awoke  very 
sick,  the  vessel  rolling  and  pitching  ter- 
ribly. I  went  forward,  and  the  mate  and 
I,  with  eight  men  detailed  to  help  us,  and  the 
cook,  raised  some  stores*  from  the  hold. 
The  men  were  then  given  a  breakfast  of 
army  bread  and  coffee.  I  then  brought  up 
a  quantity  of  canned  milk  and  tomatoes, 
and  gave  them  to  the  cook.  For  dinner 
they  were  given  meat,  pickles  and  "  San. 
Com.  soup,"  as  they  called  it,  made  of 
tomatoes,  onions,  meat  and  crackers.  No- 
thing tasted  so  good  to  them  as  pickles  and 
vinegar.  During  the  day  I  gave  out  the 
shirts,  socks,  slippers  and  other  goods. 
Every  man  who  received  these  articles  was 
in  a  very  destitute  condition,  in  fact  almost 
naked.  I  also  gave  out  considerable  medi- 
cine, liquor,  &c.,  according  to  the  surgeon's 
directions.  Went  to  bed  as  soon  as  dark; 
was  completely  exhausted,  having  eaten 
nothing  during  the  day ;  was  soon  rocked 
to  sleep. 

Thursday  awoke  quite  refreshed;  founS 
the  storm  had  abated.  The  men  were 
mostly  well  and  feeling  in  good  spirits.  I 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  great  many 
prisoners ;  and  many  a  tale  of  hair-breadth 
escapes,  recaptures,  rebel  cruelty  and  in- 
tense suffering  was  told.  Many  ware  intel- 
ligent men,  who  appreciated  the  service 
of  the  Commission  highly.  They  said  that 
one-third  of  the  stores  sent  them,  reached 
those  for  whom  they  were  designed,  the 
balance  is  given  to  those  in  rebel  hospitals. 
The  sea  was  perfectly  calm  during  the  rest 
of  the  voyage  over,  and  the  men  seemed  to 
enjoy  it  very  much. 

Friday,  had  a  beautiful  ride  up  the  bay. 
The  day  passed  off  nearly  the  same  as 
before.  Arrived  at  Annapolis  at  2  o'clock 
A.M.  Went  to  the  wharf  at  7,  and  imme- 
diately commenced  landing  the  men.  AH 
were  given  new  clothes ;  and,  except  eight, 


890 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


who  were  carried  to  the  hospital  on  stretch- 
ers, were  marched  to  Camp  Parole. 

Liat  of  Sanitary  Storea  forwarded  to  Fortreae  Monroe 
to  accompany  Expedition  to  Savannah  for  released 
prisoners^ 


1,600  pairs,  wool  socks. 

120  bot.  old  Maderia  wine. 

1,020  wool  shirts. 

4,800  lbs.  tomatoes. 

1,020  wool  drawers. 

20  barrels,  onions. 

2,000  pocket  haakerchiefs. 

20  kegs,  pickles. 

1,000  towels. 

1.^0  tin  caps. 

200  blankets. 

10  spit  caps. 

40  pillows. 

21  lanterns. 

36  military  caps. 

80  lbs.  candles. 

300  pairs,  slippers. 

24  wooden  backets. 

200  lbs.  crnsbed  sngar. 

fi  wooden  firkins. 

200  lbs.  green  tea 

80  doz  essence  ginger. 

25  boxes,  chocolate. 

369  lbs.  tobacco. 

3,827  lbs.  crackers. 

1,000  envelopes. 

1,008  lbs.  condensed  milk. 

3  reams  of  letter  paper. 

SptM  Iflitf  gfprtment. 

SPECIAL  BELIEF— ONE  WEEK. 
BY  J.  B.  ABBOTT. 

I  respectfully  submit  the  following  report 
of  the  "  Special  Relief"  work  accomplished 
under  my  charge  for  the  week  ending  Nov. 
19th,  1864 : 

Number  of  pay  accounts  of  dis- 
charged soldiers  taken  for  ad- 
justment,     ....  22 
Number  of  bounty  claims  taken,  4 
Number  of  cases  for  back  pay 

taken,  ....  60 

Number  of  applications  for  the 
pay  of  soldiers  who  have  be- 
come prisoners  of  war,  taken,  11 
Number  Naval  claims  taken,      .  6 
Number  of  pension  claims  filed,               26 

Whole  number  of  cases  taken,  129 

Wholenumber  of  cases  adjusted,  78 

Whole  amount  collected,  .  $7,586  61 

Number  of  drafts  forwarded,      .  19 

Amount  of  the  drafts  sent,         .  $1,837  03 

My  ^tention  having  been  called  to  the 
fact,  that  there  are  a  large  number  of  sol- 
diers in  the  Hospital  at  Buffalo,  New  York, 
who  have  from  four  to  ten  months  back 
pay  due  them,  and  no  way  of  obtaining  it, 
jis  no  payments  are  made  at  that  hospital, 
I  at  once  commenced  to  investigate  the 
matter,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  pa- 
tients their  pay,  if  possible,  which  they 
need  very  much,  as  many  of  them  have 
families  dependent  upon  the  small  monthly 
pittance  they  receive  from  the  Government. 
I  first  applied  to  the  Paymaster  in  charge 
of  the  Department  at  New  York,  who  re- 
ferred me  to  the  Paymaster's  statement  at 
Albany.     He  informed  me  that  the  Medical 


Officer  at  Buffalo,  had  not  furnished  the 
Pay  Department  with  rolls  on  which  to 
make  a  payment,  paving  received  this  in- 
formation, I  sent  Mr.  Brown  to  Buffalo  to 
investigate  the  matter  there.  He  was 
treated  very  courteously  by  the  Medical 
Officer  in  charge  of  the  hospital,  who  as- 
sured him  that  measures  should  be  taken  to 
insure  a  speedy  payment  of  the  patients  in 
his  charge,  and  gave  him  every  facility  for 
taking  the  cases  of  those  who  claimed  back 
pay,  for  which  we  obtain  certificates  that 
will  enable  the  men  to  be  mustered  for  all 
the  pay  due  them.  The  result  of  our  inves- 
tigation has  been  very  satisfactory,  and  the 
prospects  are  now,  that  the  soldiers  there 
will  no  longer  ,have  reason  to  complain  as 
heretofore. 

CASH  ACCOUNT. 

Gash  on  hand  Nov.  12th,        .  $49  80 

Cash  returned  from  loan,         .         .  12  00 

Expenditures,        ....  75 

Cash  on  hand  this  date,  .        .  61  80 

The  amount  of  work  accomplished  at  the 
Homes  and  Lodges  is  less  than  usual,  this 
week. 
There  have  been  furnished  at  Lodge 

No.  4,  lodgings  to  soldiers,  .       289 

Meals  to  soldiers,  .         .         .    1,912 

Meals  to  others,     ....      643 


Whole  number  of  meals  given,    .    2,555 

Number  of  soldiers  and  soldier's 
friends  admitted  at  the  Alexandria 
Lodge  since  the  last  report,         .       128 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers,       247 
"  "       «         "     to  soldiers' 

friends,      .....         84 

Number  lodgings  furnished  to  sol- 
diers,          117 

Number  lodgings  furnished  to  sol- 
diers' friends,     ....         28 

The  number  of  soldiers  and  soldiers' 
friends  admitted  at  the  Home  in 
Baltimore,  since  last  report.         .         82 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers 

and  their  friends,        .         .         .       386 

Number  of  lodgings,      .         .         .       112 

BARRISBTJRO. 

Mr.  C.  C.  Brown,  whom  I  temporarily 
assigned  to  the  charge  of  the  Soldier's  Rest 
at  Harrisburg,  Mr.  Ferguson,  the  Superin- 
tendent, having  gone  home  on  sick  leave 
for  a  few  days,  I'eports : 
Number  of  meals  given  for  the  week,  .  55 
"        "  lodgings  furnished,      .         .  61 


The  Sanitary  CommiBsion  Bulletin. 


891 


A.  H.  Trego,  Courier,  reports  eighty- 
three  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  assisted  and 
waited  upon  in  transitu  between  this  city 
and  New  York,  during  the  week.  The  num- 
ber thus  aided  is  unusually  small. 

In  coQclusion,  I  take  the  liberty  to  sug- 
gest the  importance  of  a  Lodge  at  Newbern, 
North  Carolina,  where  I  am  advised  by  those 
who  have  visited  that  military  post,  that 
one  is  very  much  needed.  I  trust  that 
measures  will  be  taken  to  establish  a  lodge 
there,  through  the  Agent  of  the  Commis- 
sion stationed  at  that  post. 

BT  JULIUS   NICHOLS. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  sick,  in 
Home  Hospital,  for  the  week  ending  20th 
instant : 

Permanent  cases  treated,  .  .  .15 
Transient  cases  treated,  .  .  .42 
Wounded  men  dressed,      .         .         .92 

Total, 149 

BY  H.  VyOODS. 

The  following  is  thereport  of  the  "  Home" 

for  the  Wives  and  Mothers  of  Soldiers,  for 

the  week  ending  Nov.  20th,  1864  : 

Whole  number  admitted,  .         .         .37 

"  "         meals,        .         .         .370 

"  "         lodged,     .        .         .144 

BY  P.  J.  M'HENUY. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  "  The 
Home"  for  the  week  ending  Nov.  20th, 
1864: 

Whole  number  admitted,         .         .      748 

"  "         lodgings,         .         .  1,223 

"  "        meals,    .         .        .  2,854 

Representing    the   following    States: — 

Maine,  50 ;  New  Hampshire,  37 ;  Vermont, 

7 ;   Massachusetts,  83 ;  Rhode  Island,  6 ; 

Connecticut,   19;   New  York,  197;  New 

Jersey,  22 ;  Pennsylvania,  158 ;  Delaware, 

5 ;   Maryland,  9 ;  Virginia,  1 ;  Ohio,  32 ; 

Indiana,  8;    Illinois,    15;   Michigan,  91; 

Wisconsin,  6;  Iowa,  2. 

BY  J.  ADDISON  WHITAKEE. 

Annapolis,  Md.,  Nov.  21,  1864. 

I  herewith  respectfully  present  my  report 
for  this  District,  for  the  week  ending  this 
date. 

Office  duties  have  been  more  pressing 
than  usual,  on  account  of  large  quantities 
of  stores  arriving  every  day,  in  view  of  the 
expected  arrival  of  ten  thousand  paroled 
prisoners  from  rebel  prisons. 

I  had  previously  been  informed  by  tHe 


surgeons  in  charge  of  the  hospitals  what 
each  of  them  would  need,  to  add  to  the 
comfort  of  the  unfortunate  men.  Conse- 
quently as  the  stores  arrived  from  day  to 
day,  I  made  immediate  distribution  of  them, 
according  to  requests  of  the  surgeons.  In 
this  way,  I  avoided  a  large  accumulation  in 
the  storehouse,  and  by  the  end  of  the 
week,  with  the  exception  of  kandkerchiefs 
and  towels,  so  far  as  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion's work  extends  towards  supplying  the 
District,  we  were  ready  to  welcome  home 
our  long  absent  ones,  who  have  so  patiently, 
and  patriotically  endured  the  privations  of 
rebel  prisons. 

f  During  the  reception  and  distribution  of 
the  stores,  the  office  has  at  times  been  filled 
with  visitors,  some  to  htve  their  cards  re- 
newed at  the  "  Home,"  some  to  have  their 
cards  approved  for  admittance,  some  wait- 
ing conveyance  to  "Soldier's  Cemetery,"- 
where,  perhaps,  just  a  few  hours  previous 
a  husband,  son,  or  father  was  interred. 

Some  wanted  information  about  collecting 
deceased  relative's  back  pay,  bounty  and 
pension.  Dozens  of  poor  soldiers  who  have 
been  prisoners,  and  whose  families  are  really 
suffering  for  necessaries  of  life,  were  waiting 
to  hear  whether  I  could  not  procure  certi- 
ficates for  commutation  of  their  rations 
while  they  were  prisoners. 

Letters  of  inquiry  also  came,  written  by 
friends  at  home,  who  wished  to  anticipate 
the  arrival  of  the  "  Flag  of  Truce  Boats." 

Thus  the  week  passed  leaving  the  im- 
pression on  our  hearts,  at  least,  that  we  had 
done  another  six  days  good  work. 

I  have  received,  issued,  and  have  on 
hand,  stores  as  statement  per  paper  "  A." 

Camp  Parole  continues  to  open  a  wide 
field  of  usefulness  to  our  agents.  It  affords 
me  great  satisfaction  to  review  our  work 
there  from  week  to  week.  Our  agents  are 
not  inactive,  I  assure  you.  Being  well  sup- 
plied with  everything  needed  in  our  work, 
they  are  ready  to  reach  forth  a  helping 
hand  to  our  poor  suffering  soldiers,  the  mo- 
ment they  arrive.  And  what  a  satisfaction 
it  must  be  to  their  friends  at  home  to  know 
that  the  Commission  has  so  magnanimously 
provided  f6r  almost  every  little  want  they 
may  have  on  theit  arrival. 

Divisions  numbers  1  and  2,  U.  S.  Grene- 
ral  Hospitals,  are  visited  regularly  by  our 
Agent,  Mr.  Miller.  He  is  kindly  welcomed 
by  officers,  and  gladly  received  by  the 
men. 

I  regard  the  presence  of  an  agent  in  these 


892 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


hospitals  as  most  essential  to  our  work,  and 
the  welfare  of  the  men. 

"  The  Home,"  as  you  will  see  by  report 
this  week,  is  not  so  much  crowded  as  here- 
tofore, nevertheless,  affordiog  to  many  a 
sorrowing  heart  a  place  of  retirement  and 
rest.  I  regard  the  report  as  quite  interest- 
ing this  week. 

In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  express  my 
thanks  to  you  and  your  Assistant  for  the 
promptness  with  which  you  have  enabled 
me  to  meet  the  requisitions  of  the  surgeons 
of  the  different  hospitals,  your  reward  at 
present  may  be  that  we  are  ready  for  the 
boats  ! 

Statement  of  XJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  Stores 
issued  by  Addison  Whitaker,  Superintendent  An- 
napolis District,  for  the  month  of  NovW,  1864. 


i-i 

pci 

" 

o 

■S.a 

»« 

g 

=3  :d 

2 

ARTICLES. 

go 

■i 
§ 

II 

Is 

r 

•^5 

ti 

1 
1 

on 

Whole 
Amount. 

a 

■■"» 

o 

< 

20 

/ 

Wo.il  shirts, 

658 

300 

124 

48 

1,150 

Wool  di-itwei's. 

216 

120 

124 

30 

15 

505  pairs 

Wool  mitteas, 

98 

50 

100 

48 

1 

297     " 

Wool  socks, 

396 

180 

96 

16 

688     " 

Cotton  sliirta. 

SO 

48 

98 

Cotton  di-awers, 

48 

48     " 

Slippers, 

20 

23 

2 

45    " 

Slioes, 

6 

3 

9     " 

Suspenders, 

2S8 

240 

123 

24 

4 

679     " 

Handkerchiefs, 

625 

170 

750 

700 

26 

2,271 

Towels, 

960 

678 

1,618 

Rye  whiskey. 

6 

6 

6 

12 

30  bottles 

Brandy, 

25 

2 

6 

33       " 

Blaok'y  Brandy, 

12 

12 

30 

6 

60       " 

Sherry  wine, 

12 

1 

2 

15       " 

Bay  rnm. 

16 

12 

6 

2 

36      " 

Jamulca  ginger. 

96 

60 

192 

348       " 

Dried  apples. 

6 

2 

3 

1 

11  bbla. 

A8s"d  dried  fruit 

1 

1 

1 

3    " 

Boston  crackers, 

4 

3 

4 

3 

1 

16     " 

Chocolate, 

35 

35 

70  Ihs. 

Farina, 

8 

8 

16     " 

Beet  stock. 

24 

66 

24 

114    " 

Cann'd  tomatoes 

96 

96  cans. 

Condensed  milk. 

72 

96 

48 

48 

48 

312      " 

Fine  combs. 

433 

456 

S18 

1152 

16 

2,958 

Coarse  combs, 

432 

432 

604 

1152 

16 

2,520 

Writing  paper. 

8 

4 

7 

8 

27  vms. 

Envelopes, 

8500 

2000 

3450 

4OO0 

12,950 

Steel  pens. 

144 

144 

2S8 

144 

864 

Lead  pencils, 

144 

144 

144 

576 

24 

1,176 

Penholders, 

144 

144 

169 

144 

6.11 

Writing  ink, 

4 

15 

19  qts. 

QuUts, 

110 

40 

151    ^ 

Sheets, 

50 

24 

74 

Slankets, 

a 

2 

7 

Cushions, 

in 

45 

120 

Crulches, 

25 

23 

1 

51 

Water  beds, 

1 

1 

1 

3 

Air  cushions, 

2 

4 

2 

1 

10 

Tobacco, 

232 

132 

364  papers 

Bandages, 

29 

20 

25 

65 

Thread, 

6 

6 

18 

10 

40  lbs. 

Spit  cups. 

12 

12 

Needles, 

12 

S 

39 

10 

66  papers 

Scissors, 

6 

8  pair 

Pillows, 

25 

22 

8 

60 

Corn  meal, 

1 

a 

2  bbls. 

Soap. 

12 

12 

22 

46  lbs. 

Corn  starch, 

60 

25 

75    " 

Bed  ticks. 

54 

64 

FROM  WASHINGTON,  D.  0. 
BT  J.  B.  HOLT,  HOSPITAL  VISITOR. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  for  the  week  ending  Nov.  19,  IL'64 : 
Have  visited  during  the  week  the  hospitals 
at  Alexandria,  20  in  number,  not  includ- 
ing two  at  barracks.  Have  also  visited 
Fort  Lyons,  Fort  Williams,  Forts  Ward, 
Albany,  Woodbury,  Strong,  Fairfax  Semi- 
nary, and  Invalid  Corps  hospital  at  Freed- 
man's  Village,  Arlington  Heights.  Have 
written  very  many  letters  (evenings)  for 
soldiers  in  regard  to  State  bounties,  &c. 
Have,  by  writing  to  friends  and  citizens, 
in  towns  where  the  men  were  arrested,  ob- 
tained testimony  showing  that  in  two  cases 
the  arrests  were  illegal,  the  men  never 
having  enlisted.  The  men  have  been  sent 
home  to  their  families,  after  being  confined 
in  prison  and  sick  in  hospitals  for  many 
months.  I  have  given  much  information 
in  regard  to  back  pay,  bounties,  transfers, 
&o.  The  supply  in  storehoupe  the  past 
week  being  more  abundant  than  for  some 
weeks,  I  have  been  able  in  consequence  to 
do  much  more  for  the  comfort  of  the  suflFer- 
ing,  making  my  work  much  more  pleasant. 
In  consequence  of  a  ride  today  of  some 
fifteen  miles,  I  will  beg  you  to  accept  this 
meagre  report. 

FSOFESSOS  SILLIMAN. 
The  New  Haven  Daily  Journal  is  before 
us.  It  gives  a  column  to  the  name  and  vir- 
tues of  Professor  Benjamin  Silliman,  Senr. 
The  following  extract  is  noticed  here,  as  bear- 
ing upon  his  interest  in  the  U.  S.  San.  Com.: 

His  last  appearance  in  public  was  at  the 
meeting  on  Sunday  evening,  which  was  held 
for  the  Sanitary  Commissisn,  by  his  interest 
in  which  his  patriotism,  his  humanity  and 
his  public  spirit  were  all  illustrated  in  this 
last  public  act  which  proved  the  occasion  of 
his  death. 

We  remember  to  have  seen  Professor 
Silliman  at  the  meeting  referred  to,  and  we 
well  remember  his  remark  at  its  conclusion. 
Taking  us  warmly  by  the  hand,  he  said  : 

"  I  am  now  satisfied  that  the  interests  of 
our  soldiers  will  be  well  served.  New 
Haven  is  safe  for  the  Sanitary  Commission." 

Such  was  the  testimony  of  this  great  and 
good  man.  A  Christian,  ripe  in  years,  in 
experience,  in  hope. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


893 


GENEBAL  SHEBIDAIT  AND  THE  SANITABY 
C0UUIS8I0N. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  received 
the  foHowing  letter  from  Gen.  Sheridan  : 
Headquarters  Middle  Military  Division,  1 
In  the  Field,  November  13,  1864.         ; 

J  Foster  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  : — Yours  of  October  31,  ad- 
vising me  of  my  having  been  elected  an 
associate  member  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission,  is  received. 

I  have  the  honor  to  thank  you  for  the 
compliment  paid  me,  and  in  behalf  of  the 
sick  and  wounded  of  this  army,  to  acknow- 
ledge the  many  benefits  derived  from  your 
charitable  association. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Correspondence. 

AUanta.  — By  N.   C.  Bennett,  Med.    Inspector,  20tli 

Army  Corps 866 

Rev.  J.  C.  Hoblitt 866 

Little  Bock. — By  Benjamiu  Woodward,  (Vegetables, 
Government  Transportation,  Vegetables  Want- 
ed, General  F.Steele,  Illinois  State  Agents) 867 

Port  Scott  —By  J.  B.  Brown 868 

Memphis,  Tenn  —Benjamin  Woodward 869 

Orpheus  Everts,  Surgeon-in-chief,  3d  Division,  2d  Army 

Corps 869 

Reports. 

Hospital  Gardens.— By  M.  C.  Read,  (Location,  Tools, 
Horses,  Convalescents,  Pickles,  Plan  of  Distri- 
bution, Gardener,  bnppUes  Issued,  Order  of 
Maj.  Gen.  Thomas) R86 

Exchange  of  i-risoners.  Red  River,  By  J.  Stevens,  Jr.  688 

The  San.  Com.  and  our  Returned  Prisoners,  by  J.  D. 

BWgham 889 

Washington  —Special  Belief  Work,  One  Week,  by  J. 

B.  Abbott,  (Cash  Account,  Harrisburg) 890 

By  Julius  Nichols 891 

By  H.Woods 891 

By  P.  J.  McHenry 891 

By  J.  B.  Holt 692 

Annapolis.— By  J.  Addison  Whitaker, 891 

Statement  of  U.  S.  San.  Com.  Stores  issued  by  J.  Ad- 
dison Whitaker,  Supt.  Annapolis  District  for 
November 892 

Miscellaneous 

Come  to  the  Soldiers'  Aid 865 

Three  months  in  the  U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Ho.  i,  (From 
Port  Royal,  Va.,  to  White  House  Landing  on 
the  Pamuokey,  The  Sabbath,  White  House, 
Virginia) 873 

The  New  York  Meeting,  (Meeting  of  Delegates  from  the 
Soldiers'  Aid  Socielies,  How  the  Supplies  reach 
the  Soldiers,  Causes  of  Complaint,  How  the 
Goods  are  Distributed,  Field  Distribution, 
After  a  Battle,  Between  the  Field  and  Hospital, 
Why  are  Supplies  at  Hospitals?  Transfer  of 
Wounded,  Home  Comforts,  Issues,  Special  Be- 
lief Work,  Remarks  of  Colonel  Bay  Hawkins, 
Remarks  of  Dr.  Bellows) 874-882 

Ladies*  Morning-  Meeting 883 

Delegates  Present  at  Soldiers'  Aid  Council,  N.  Y., 

November  16  and  17, 1864 884 

Professor  SilUman 892 

PROTECTIVE 

OP   THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 
WEJTT  ttohki. 
President. 
Lieut.-Gbn.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 


Vice-Presidents. 
Hon.  Hamilton  Fibk,     Admiral  DnpONT, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Rud.  A,  Witthaus,  Esq 
Treasurer.,— Robert  B.  Minturn,  Esq. 

Directors. 


Hona.  E.  D.  Moroan, 
George  Opdtke, 
Hiram  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Beekman, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astob, 

James  Brown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  6.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Is*.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pent^ons,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon- General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows; 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq  ,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

A.  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A.     ' 

R.  C.  Wood,  Assistant  Surgeon-Gen'l  U.  S.  A 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Prof.  Pairman  Rogers,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Charles  J.  StiUfe,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

officers. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary 

J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 


894 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


STANDINQ  COHMITTEIS. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong. 
Wm.  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  Charles  J.  StiU6. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  ISOT  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

j|@"Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  ^  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  OOLLKOTIOK. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
ynion.  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTBIBDTIOK. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va.     ' 

U.  S  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 


U.S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

, DEPARTMENT   OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL    DEPOTS   OF    COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Banfc-Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  III. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contri\)ution3  to  the  Treasury  aire  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL   RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  G. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers.  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

' '  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminns  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

HOSPITAL  OARS. 

Between  Louisville  and  Chattanooga — Dr.  J, 
P.  Barnum,  Surgeon  in  charge. 

SANITARY  STEAMXB. 

James  River — Elizabeth. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  895 


BBANCH,  '^^TpWiiiiiJr  M  r--f  ■'r'^S>^  BRANCH, 

No.  744=  Broadway,      \  l^vfENT  LEG&^^j^i  |      No.  19  Green  Street, 

NEW  YORK.  Jj     \'o0^''"*-3';6   ^Sl^'^^<?'  '^J^     BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "  Falhbr"  Arm  and  Leq  are  now  famished  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  I^avy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicauta, 
whu,  In  the  past,  have  heen  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

'  SDBSEOir-aEKEBAL's  OpyiOB, 

■Washibqtok  Ciir,  DC,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sm : — ^The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       ******** 
Im  compliance  with  the  rbcohhendation  of  the  Board,  whbit  a  soldier  hat  desire  to  purchase  "the  horb 

BLBQANT  AND  EXPENSIVE  ARM  OF  PALHER,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PAYMENT  FOR  TBT  SAHB. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  G.  H.  CRAKE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SHRaEON-GENERAL^S  OFFICE, 

Washinhtok  City,  D.C,  Sept.  20.  1884. 
Sir; — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Beport  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of, Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Lihbs  manufactdred  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Snrgeon-Ceneral,  * 

W.  0.  SPEKOER,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  PALMER  LEQ  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "GOVERNMENT"  ARM.  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Co, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OP  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Par  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  ROGER  AYERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.        E.  B.  BELDBN,  M.D,,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  signifloaat  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory. 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersiened  at  X-SO  PTTR 
SHARE,  BEING  pNE-HALE  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE.  ^ 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled.  '  ^ 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY, 

No.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


896 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


M:  ORRI  8 


COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capital, 
€a§h  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  oir  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUJ  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 

against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


33XX1.]E:01X'OX 

I  s. 

EDWARD  EOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

ALBERT  Q.  LEE, 

FRED.  H.  BRADLEE, 

DAN'L  W.  TEH-ER, 

GEORGE  MILN, 

EDWARD  C.  BATES, 

HBNRT  J.  CAMMANN, 

J.  C.  MORRIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

S.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWME, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZRA  MYB, 

B.  0.  MORRIS,  Jb., 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  29. 


PHILADELPHIA,  JANUARY  1,  1864. 


No.  29. 


The  Sanitary  Comhission  Builetin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  str^t,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  BniLBTiN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  rductanot 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  qG.  T.  Stkong,  68  WaU  street,  New  York,  or  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
soorier  discontinued. 


A  VOICE  TBOU  FBISON. 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  thought  among 
the  poor  fellows  who  lie  in  Southern  prisons 
that  they  are  forgotten  by  friends  at  home. 
Long  absence,  distance,  oppression,  starva- 
tion, disease,  suffering,  combine  to  depress 
their  spirits  in  many  instances;  and  despair- 
ingly, they  give  way  to  the  thought  that 
they  are  forgotten.  Such  was  the  case  with 
a  poor  boy  of  sixteen  years,  who  had  been 
captured,  and  who  under  the  weight"  of  his 
distress  wrote  the  following  lines,  which 
have  been  copied  from  the  original  manu- 
script by  a  lady  friend,  who  has  been  visit- 
ing the  returned  prisoners  at  Annapolis. 

WILL  YOU  LEAVE  TJS  HBEB  TO  DIE  ? 

"Will  you  leave  us  here  to  die 

When  our  country  calls  for  men  ?  ' 

We  came  from  forge,  and  store,  and  mill, 

Erom  workshop,  farm  and  factory, 

The  broken  ranks  to  fill. 

We  left  our  quiet,  happy  homes, 

And  ones  we  loved  so  well, 

To  vanquish  all  the  Union's  foes, 

Or  fall  where  others  fell. 

Now  in  prison  dread  we  languish. 

And  it  is  our  constant  cry, 

0  ye,  who  yet  can  save  us, 

Will  you  leave  us  here  to  die  ?  ' 

YoL.  I.  No.  29        57 


The  voice  of  slander  tells  you. 

That  our  hearts  were  weak  with  fear; 

That  all,  or  nearly  all, 

Were  captured  in  the  rear. 

The  soars  upon  our  bodies, 

Erom  musket  ball  and  shell. 

The  missing  legs  and  shattered  arms, 

A  truer  tale  will  tell. 

We  have  tried  to  do  our  duty 

In  the  sight  of  God  on  high. 

0  ye,  who  yet  can  save  us. 

Will  you  leave  us  here  to  die  ? 

There  are  hearts  with  hope  still  beating 
In  our  pleasant  Northern  homes. 
Waiting,  watching  for  the  footsteps. 
That  may  never,  never  come. 
In  Southern  prisons  pining. 
Meagre,  tatter'd,  pale  and  gaunt, 
Growing  weaker,  weaker  daily, 
Erom  pinching  cold  and  want. 
Here  brothers,  sons  and  husbands. 
Poor  and  hopeless  captives  lie. 
0  ye,  who  yet  can  save  them. 
Will  you  leave  them  here  to  die  ? 

Erom  out  our  prison  gate, 
There's  a  graveyard  close  at  hand. 
Where  lie  ten  thousand  Union  men. 
Beneath  the  Georgia  sand. 
Scores  on  scores  are  laid  beside  them. 
As  day  succeeds  to  day. 
And  thus  it  ever  will  be. 
Till  they  all  shall  pass  away ; 
And  the  last  will  say,  when  dying, 
With  upturned  and  glazing  eye. 
Both  Love  and  Eaith  are  dead  at  home. 
They  have  left  us  here  to  die. 
MiLtTART  Prison  Hospital, 
Audereonville,  Ga. 


898 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


SEFOKT  OK  EXCHANGE  OF  FBISONEBS. 
BY  RICHARD  T.  J.  FALCONER. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  2,  1864. 

Having  returned  from  the  Exchange 
Expedition,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to 
you  the  following  as  a  report  of  fny  work 
as  Relief  Agent  of  the  Commission. 

Our  party  of  agents — eight  in  number — 
left  Washington,  on  board  the  Manhattan, 
Thursday,  Oct.  27,  and  were  at  Fortress 
Monroe  on  Friday  noon.  We  were  obliged 
to  remain  there  until  Tuesday,  Nov.  1, 
when  I  received  a  permit  from  Lieut.  Col. 
Mulford,  Assistant  Agent  for  Exchange,  to 
proceed  with  sanitary  supplies  to  Hilton 
Head,  S.  C,  on  board  steamer  Kanark. 
(The  other  agents  were  same  day  assigned 
to  different  vessels  of  the  fleet  lying  off  the 
fort.) 

We  remained  off  Fortress  Monroe  till 
Tuesday,  Nov.  8,  when  we  started  for  Hil- 
ton Head,  at  which  place  we  arrived  Satur- 
day, Nov.  12.  By  Sunday  all  the  transports 
were  anchored  at  Hilton  Head.  When  we 
arrived  at  the  furthest  point  of  our  expedi- 
tion,— the  place  for  the  exchange — Col. 
Mulford  came  aboard  the  Kanarh,  and  in- 
formed us  that  a  rebel  flag  of  truce  boat 
would  be  down  with  prisoners  Saturday, 
A.M.,  Nov.  26,  and  that  the  Kanark  would 
have  the  first  boat. 

We  were  much  cheered  to  see  the  men 
as  they  came  in  the  rebel  boat  Saturday 
morning,  and  when  they  gave  three  h«arty 
cheers  for  our  flag  as  they  passed  some  of 
the  vessels.  They  hauled  up  alongside  of 
the  Star  of  the  South.  The  men  were  there 
washed,  put  aboard  the  Crescent,  clothed, 
and  by  Sunday  noon,  over  500  of  them 
were  aboard  the  Kanark.  In  the  afternoon 
of  Sunday  we  were  underway.  The  men 
were  put  under  charge  of  a  sergeant,  who 
immediately  formed  them  into  messes.  My 
work  soon  began ;  and  while  their  first  meal 
was  being  prepared  I  distributed  400  hand- 
kerchiefs and  100  towels.  The  crackers, 
onions  and  pickles  were  open  to  the  men. 
At  first  they  received  pickles  and  onions  at 
messes,  but  when  we  saw  that  there  were 
sick  who  needed  them  so  much  more 
than  the  others,  they  were  given  to  them. 
The  steward  assisted  me  in  giving  out  the 
wine  and  condensed  milk  prepared  for  them 
to  drink,  as  also  the  onions  and  pickles. 
He  worked  very  energetically  among  them, 
though  suffering  from  sea  sickness.  The 
supply  of  wine,  pickles  and  onions  was  suf- 
ficient to  the  time  we  reached  Annapolis. 


Most  of  the  men  were  in  a  good  condition 
when  we  arrived  at  Annapolis.  Some  few 
were  badly  attacked  with  scurvy  and  diar- 
rhoea. Socks,  drawers  and  blankets  were 
distributed  among  them  as  needed. 

HOB£  ABOtIT  THE  FBISONEBS. 
BY  L.  V.  BEEBE. 
Steamer  Northeeh  Light,         "» 
Chalbston  Harbor,  December  8,  1864.  J 

The  Varuna  leaves  to-morrow  or  next 
day  for  Annapolis,  and  not  knowing  when 
we  may  go,  I  improve  the  chance  to  write. 

We  came  here  on  Monday.  Yesterday 
morning  we  received  227  men — skeletons — 
from  the  rebels.  All  the  exchanged  men  who 
are  not  very  much  enfeebled  are  sent  on 
other  boats,  only  the  worst  cases  being  put 
upon  this.  It  is  the  same  story  of  starvation, 
scurvy  and  chronic  diarrhoea.  These  cases 
are  very  low,  and  many  will  not  live  to 
reach  Annapolis — already  7  have  died.  I 
am  very  busy  amongst  them,  and  I  tell  you 
the  supplies  are  gratefully  received.  "  There 
comes  the  Sanitary  man,"  and  "God  bless 
the  Sanitary  Commission,"  are  expressions 
which  ring  in  my  ears  all  day.  Onions, 
pickles  and  tomatoes  are  the  things.  Not 
an  article  but  what  will  be  well  appropriated 
here.  Dried  peaches,  and  little  bits  (very 
small)  of  cheese  are  relished  in  a  manner 
that  would  astonish  you.  But  the  cry  for 
onions  and  the  avidity  with  which  they  are 
received  and  devoured  beats  all. 

I  have  made  a  "  tour  "  amongst  them  this 
evening,  and  have  promised  them  bean  soup 
with  onions  and  tomatoes  in  it.  Soft  crack- 
ers too,  and  every  man  a  pickle :  and  you 
may  believe  I  have  left  them  in  high  spirits 
in  this  "heaven"  as  they  call  it.  Of  course 
I  am  governed  entirely  by  the  Surgeon's 
instructions  about  issuing  and  when.  The 
officers  and  crew,  as  well  as  the  nurses,  of 
which  there  are  but  few,  all  assist  me  very 
cheerfully.  Fearing  that  my  onions  and 
tomatoes  would  not  hold  out,  I  made  a  raid 
on  Leggett,  and  increased  my  stock. materi- 
ally. 

As  this  is  the  "  Hospital  Ship,"  and  may 
be  detained  here  indefinitely,  and  as  his 
boat  will  receive  well  men,  and  will  not 
have  them  over  four  or  five  days,  I  thought 
best  to  draw  on  his  stock.  I  am  very  glad 
I  am  on  the  "hospital"  ship.  There  is 
hard  work,  to  be  sure,  but  I  flatter  myself 
that  I  can  meet  it.  I  have  no  idea  when 
we  shall  leave,  but  I  think  we  must  go  on 
Sunday  or  Monday,  as  we  are  nearly  out  of 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


eoal,  and  we  ought  to  have  our  compliment 
of  men  by  this  time. 

ARMY  OP  THE  SHENANDOAH. 
BY  S.  BTJDtONQ  WESTCOTT. 

Maetinsbueg,  Jfov.  1,  1864. 
Since  my  last  report  we  have  had  some  of 
the  most  interesting  and  difficult  labors  to 
perform  that  I  have  yet  seen  in  the  Com- 
mission's service.     Up  to  October  22,  the 
wounded  have  been  coming  in  small  num- 
bers, at  no  time  exceeding  three  hundred, 
and  I  found  on  examination  that  the  Medi- 
cal Department  was  fully  prepared  to  re- 
ceive them.     But  on  the  22(i  a  train  of 
wounded  came  in  without  notice.     There 
was  not  room  in  the  hospitals  for  nearly  all  of 
them,  and  they  had  to  be  placed  in  private 
families.     Many  of  these  not  having  sup- 
plies for  such  a  number,  came  to  the  Com- 
mission for  tea,  coffee,  crackers,  clothing, 
bedding,  and  such  other  things  as  we  had. 
I  issued  freely  to  all  in  need,  according  to 
the  number  and  their  wants.     The  families 
were   surprised;  and  I   have  since  heard 
several  of  the  citizens  and  soldiers  express 
admiration  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
was  such   an   institution,   and  able  to  do 
so  much.     October    23,  another  train    of 
wounded  arrived.     With  the  valuable  as- 
sistance of  Mr.  Quail,  who  came  on  duty  this 
day  as  Kelief  Agent,  we  were  enabled  to 
furnish   refreshments  to  all.    On  the  26th, 
27th,  28th,  and  the  31st,  more  arrived,  and 
each  time  were  put  directly  on  the  cars  and 
forwarded,  part  to  Cumberland,  part  to  Balti- 
more, the  same  night  of  their  arrival.     Mr. 
Quail,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Br^ed, 
and  several  other  Kelief  Agents,  who  came 
timely  to  hand,  distributed  hot  milk  punch 
and  crackers  to  each  and  all  of  the  wounded 
sufferers,  for  which  they  expressed  the  most 
unbounded  thanks.     James  Byron,  Co.  E 
18th  Connecticut,  with  many  thanks  donated 
one  dollar  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  which 
you  will  find  enclosed.  Our  individual  relief 
continues  about  the  same  as  in  last  report. 

BY  NATHANIEL   SEAVER,  JR. 

WlKOHj^TEE,  Jffov.  23,  1»64. 
CONDITION  OE  HOSPITALS. 

I  feel  warranted  in  saying  that  the  con- 
dition of  our  hospitals  has  greatly  improved. 
In  no  ward  now,  is  there  the  least  lack  of 
any  article  of  clothing  or  hospital  furniture. 
Our  issues  of  this  kind  are  only  such  as  are 
demanded  by  the  ordinary  wear  and  waste 
of  hospitals.     But  few  patients  have  been. 


received  since  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek, 
and  meanwhile  patients  have  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  rear,  so  J;hat  the  number  now 
in  Winchester  is  about  one-third  of  that 
which  was  here  in  the  early  part  of  October. 
Our  stock  of  goods  has  been  ample,  and 
surgeons'  requisitions  have  been  promptly 
filled.  At  times,  owing  to  some  disarrange- 
ment of  the  Government  machinery,  we 
have  been  called  on  to  furnish  the' whole 
supply  of  stimulants  for  this  quarter,  and  to 
the  extent  of  our  means,  have  responded  to 
the  eall.  Surgeons  and  patients  all  join  in 
praising  our  Commission. 

GENERAL    SHERIDAN. 

Even  no  less  a  person  than  the  gallant 
General  who  commands  our  army  in  this 
Valley,  recently  graspedtmy  hand,  while 
visiting  our  tents  at  Sheridan  Hospital,  and 
said  with  a  quiet  earnestness  which  showed 
how  deeply  he  felt  what  he  spoke,  "  I  am 
under  great  obligations  to  your  Oommission, 
I  do  not  know  what  I  should  have  done 
witb()ut  it."  These  tents, — there  are  two 
now,*— are  a  success.  Mr.  Corbin  is  on  the 
ground,  and  ready  day  or  night  to  respond 
whenever  a  surgeon  makes  a  call,  or. a  fresh 
arrival  of  wounded  and  sick  demands  his 
attention.  The  Surgeon  in  charge  furnishes 
him  with  every  accommodation  deeded,  and 
the  proper  officers  detail  a  tent  guard,  or  an 
ambulance,  when  he  is  called  away.  The 
Hospital  Post  Office  has  also  been  placed  in 
his  charge,  so  that  the  Sanitary  tents  are  at 
times  literally  surrounded  by  ward  masters, 
nurses,  and  convalescents. 

A  CONTRAST  TO  BELLE  ISLE. 
As  humanity  is  the  first  rule  of  civilized 
warfare,  we  have  not  in  our  distributions, 
overlooked  the  sick  and  wounded  prisoners, 
who  now  comprise  one-fifth  of  our  hospital 
inmates.  Many  a  poor  maimed  son  of  the 
South,  has  so  far  forgotten  his  contempt  of 
the  "Northern  Mudsills"  as  to  bless  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  in  my  presence. 
Poor,  misled  fellow-countrymen,  I  know 
they  are  sincere,  and  lest  some  North- 
ern man  or  woman,  with  more  feeling 
than  refiection,  begrudges  this  stewardship 
of  their  bounties,  let  me  say  that  every 
arm-sling  thus  bestowed  helps  to  strengthen 
a  growing  respect  for  the  North,  and  every 
crutch  branded  in  deep  letters  "Sanitary 
Commission,"  is  a  vote- for  peace,  and  a  plea 
for  the  humane  treatment  of  more  than  one 
brave  brother  who  now  lies  in  a  Southern 
prison. 


900 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BY  GEO.  A.  MUHLECH. 
Haepebs  Fbrey,  Va.  Dec.  13,  1864. 

I  have  just  returned  to  the  Ferry  from 
Martinshurg,  where  I  have  made  a  final 
settlement  of  all  accounts,  and  have  had  the 
rest  of  our  property  removed  to  here,  turn- 
ing over  some  small  items  to  the  hospitals 
at  Martinshurg.  *  *  *  Having  paid  off 
all  accounts  at  this  agency,  I  shall  leave  for 
Winchester  to-morrow  morning,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Hammer,  who  has  come  down  to 
get  supplies.  The  pressure  on  the  Commis- 
sion just  now,  has  become  very  great  from 
all  sides.  The  very  severe  cold  which  has 
set  in  so  suddenly  explains  this  pressure. 
If  more  warm  underclothing,  socks,  mittens, 
stimulants,  crackers,  canned  milk,  and  farin- 
aceous food  are  on  hand  I  would  most  ur- 
gently request  you  to  order  it  up  without 
delay.  The  army  in  this  valley,  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  are  far  from  being  in  a  proper  con- 
dition to  breast  the  rigors  of  a  winter  which 
commences  so  suddenly.  Two  days  ago  an 
officer  came  in  from  "  Opegnan  Crossing," 
stating  that  his  own  brigade  are  suffering 
most  intensely  for  the  want  of  shoes,  blan- 
kets, socks,  mittens  and.  underclothing.  If 
this  statement  is  correct  not  one-tenlh  of 
those  men  have  any  other  cover  but  their 
India  rubber  blankets.  I  have  despatched 
an  agent  to  the  spot  with  blankets  and  a 
small  number  of  woolen  shirts,  drawers  and 
other  help  to  the  extent  of  my  ability. 

Matters  at  Winchester  remain  unchanged. 
Although  of  our  six  thousand  wounded  but 
few  are  left  in  the  hospitals,  and  that  all 
those  who  can  bear  transportation  are  im- 
mediately forwarded  North,  there  is  never- 
theless but  a  slow  decrease  in  the  number 
of  patients.  The  si'ck  take  now  the  place  of 
the  wounded,  and  if  the  weather,  even  for 
a  short  time,  continues  as  severe  as  it  is 
now,  there  will  be  a  large  increase  on  the 
hospital  lists  at  all  pointe.  It  is  necessary 
for  the  safety  of  our  supplies  sent  from  the 
Ferry  to  Winchester,  that  an  agent  be  per- 
manently stationed  at  Stevenson's  depot 
(five  miles  north  of  Winehester,)  the- ter- 
minus of  the  road.  I  will  furnish  him  tent 
and  stove ;  and  for  the  post  I  shall  select  one 
of  our  strong,  hearty  and  active  agents.  *  * 

Mr.  Seaver  has  been  unremitting  in  his 
labors.  He  deserves  the  grntitude  of  the 
Commission  in  its  fullest  sense.  His  assist- 
ance has  been  invaluable  to  me  in  every 
branch  of  the  work.  I  shall  sadly  feel  his 
loss  now  that  he  is  on  the  eve  of  leaving 
this  department,  where  his  great  heart  and 


splendid  mind  have  worked  as  few  have 
done.  Mr.  Quail,  the  excellent  old  gentle- 
man, is  also  leaving  us.  His  work  at  Mar- 
tinshurg has  been  as  constant  and  devoted.as 
it  was  done  quietly  and  modestly.  His  name, 
as  well  as  that  of  Miss  Harris,  will  be  kindly 
remembered  forever  by  hundreds  of  poor, 
brave  fellows,  whose  sufferings  they  allevi- 
ated. Mr.  Quail  has  not  only  fed  and  at- 
tended our  sick  and  wounded,  but  he  has 
besides  cared  that  their  dead  comrades  were 
properly  buried,  and  their  graves  neatly 
marked  with  head-boards  bearing  the  proper 
inscriptions.  In  many  cases  he  has  filled 
the  functions  of  chaplain,  and  said  the  last 
prayer  over  the  grave  of  the  brave. 

As  to  Mr.  Westcott,  who  returns  home  in 
a  few  days,  I  say  with  pleasure  that  he  has 
most  faithfully  administered  the  agency  at 
Martinshurg. 


EEIIEF  TO  WOUNDED  REBEL  SOLDIERS  IN 
THE  SHENANDOAH  VALLEY. 

From  the  report  of  Mr.  J.  V.  Hammer, 
Field  Agent  of  the  Commission  in  the  19th 
Army  Corps,  dated  Winchester,  Va.,  No- 
vember 18,  1864,  we  take  the  following  in- 
teresting account  of  aid  rendered  to  rebel 
soldiers  lying  wounded  outside  our  lines. 

On  the  evening  of  the  17th  word  was 
brought  to  Acting  Superintendent  Seaver 
at  Winchester,  by  the  Provost  Marshall  of 
the  19  th  Army  Corps,  Capt.  N.  C.  In  wood, 
that  a  body  of  these  men  were  lying  in  a 
very  destitute  condition  one  and  one-half 
miles  beyond  our  picket  lines  at  Newtown, 
Va.  Capt.  Inwood  requested  aid  for  them 
and  promised  an  escort  sufficient  to  protect 
the  stores  and  men  in  reaching  the  town. 

Accordingly  our  agents  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  wagon,  with  an  assortment  of 
stores,  started  the  next  morning  for  the  19th 
Army  Corps  headquarters,  where  they  were 
joined  by  Capt.  Inwood  and  the  escort. 
Reaching  Newtown  they  found  the  men, 
eighteen  in  number,  quartered  in  a  church, 
in  charge  of  one  of  their  own  surgeons,  Ur. 
Carter.  They  were  all  severely  wounded, 
many  having  amputated  limbs.  Their  con- 
dition, as  represented  by  Capt.  Inwood,  was 
found  to  be  one  of  the  utmost  distress. 
The  object  of  the  visit  was  made  known  to 
Dr.  Carter  by  Mr.  Hammer,  and  our  assist- 
ance proffered.  No  notice  of  the  intended 
relief  had  been  sent,  nor  had  it  been  ex- 
pected.     It   came   as   a   sudden   surprise. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


901 


The  surgeon-in-charge  "  could  hardly  give 
expression  by  words,  of  his  gratitude  to  the 
Commission  for  its  timely  aid;"  and  the 
men,  "with  moistened  eyes,"  joined  in 
grateful  thanks  for  the  relief  thus  brought. 
Stores  were  left  with  them,  and  tte  party 
returned  in  safety  to  Winchester. 

It  is  thus  that  our  noble  Commission  en- 
deavors to  carry  on  its  work  of  mercy,  ful- 
filling the  law  of  Christ,  unmoved  by  the 
spirit  of  revenge  that  cries  out  for  "  retali- 
ation." "  If  ye  love  those  that  love  you, 
what  thanks  have  you." 


KANSAS  NOT  FOBGOTTEIT. 
LETTER  EROM  MR.  J.  R.  BROWN. 

Lbavenwokth,  Nov.  18,  1864. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Secy.  U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Western  Department. 

Dear  Sir  : — ^I  have  again  returned  from 
below  to  Leavenworth,  and  am  gratified  to 
find  very  liberal  shipments  of  Sanitary 
stores,  just  arrived  from  Chicago  and  St. 
Louis.  The  special  effort  made  by  our 
Kansas  people  to  raise  relief  for  those 
wounded  in  the  struggle  for  the  defence  of 
Kansas  against  Price's  merciless  horde,  to- 
gether with  the  goods  I  was  compelled  to 
purchase  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  a  case 
which  would  admit  of  no  delay,  added  to 
the  shipments  I  have  received,g0nd  those  I 
have  noticed  as  on  the  way,  will  make  an 
ample  supply  for  the  present. 

I  have  received  many  most  encouraging 
letters,  evincing  appreciation  of  our  work. 
Copies  of  two  please  find  enclosed. 
(  Our  hospitals  in  Kansas,  from  present 
indications,  will  be  full  of  sick  and  wounded 
for  the  coming  winter,  and  some  faithful 
agent  of  the  Commission  must  be  actively 
engaged  in  this  field. 

The  letters  referred  to  consist  of  the " 

testimonial  op  surgeon  van  duyn. 

0.  S.  General  Hospital,      1 
FoBT  Scott,  Kansas,  Mov.  15,  1864.  j 

Mr.  J.  K.  B&owN, 

Agent  n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  am  in  receipt  of  a  good 
supply  of  clothing  and  sanitary  stores  for 
the  r.elief  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  and 
refugees  at  this  post. 

Their  arrival  was  most  timely,  as  they 
came  on  the  eve  of  the  recent  battles  on  the 
border,  when  the-hospital  was  crowded  and 
our  supplies  inadequate. 

It  is  in  such  emergencies  that  the  in- 
estimable value  of  the  great  cbarity  of  whiclf 


you  are  a  worthy  and  faithful  agent,  is  so 
happily  felt. 

The  benefactions  of  the  Commission,  and 
your  own  efficient  service,  here,  and  on  the 
field,  and  in  the  hospitals  on  the  border, 
have  been  appreciated  and  highly  valued 
by  both  officers  and  men. 

Please  accept  for  the  Commission  and 
yourself  our  grateful  acknowledgments. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant 

A.  C.  Van  Dotn. 

Surgeon  TJ.  S.  Vols. 

TESTIMONIAL  OF  SURGEON  TWISS. 

Post  Hospital,  Mound  City,  Kansas,      1 
Nov.  16,  1864.  / 

Officers  op  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

GrENTLEMEN  : — Having,been  on  the  field 
of  battle  with  the  army  of  the  border,  from 
Lexington,  Mo.,  Ao  Mine  Creek',  Kansas, 
and  having  witnessed  the  sufferings  of  the 
soldiers  at  the  several  places  where  battles 
were  fought,,  it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to 
attest  to  the  timely  and  efficient  aid  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  Mr.  J.  R.  Brown, 
agent  of  the  Western  Department,  was  with 
the  corps  of  sftrgeons,  and  worked  incess- 
antly in  getting  in  the  wounded,  and  in  fur- 
nishing food  and  clothing  at  a  time  when 
it  could  not  otherwise  have  been  obtained. 
The  Commission  have  reason  to  congratulate 
themselves  that  they  have  so  efficient  an 
agent  in  this  department.  He  has  secured 
the  confidence  and  good  wishes  of  all  by  his 
application  to  his  duties,  and  I  am  glad  to 
add  my  testimony  in  his  favor. 
I  am  very  respectfully. 
Your  obedient  servant. 

E.  Twiss. 

Surgeon  Idth  Kansas,  Car.  Vols. 


BY  R.  BRUNDRETT. 

Nashville,  Nov.  25, 1864. 
Since  my  last   report    Mr.    Tone,  Mr. 
Drake,  and  myself  left  for  Pulaski,  on  the 
17th,  with  a  large  supply  of  vegetables  for 
general    distribution    at    that    point    and 
Columbia,  which  was  accomplished  previous 
•to  the  evacuation  of  Pulaski.    Never  in  our 
experience  has  so  large  a  supply  been  distrib- 
uted at  any  one  time,  or  given  such  general 
satisfaction.     The  entire  army,  officers  and 
men,   have   had   an    abundant    supply   of 
potatoes,  onions,  pickles,  kraut,  and  .other 
vegetables,  sufficient  for  several  days,  of 
which  Mr.  Tone  will  report  in  detail. 
Upon  the  evacuation  of  Pulaski,  we  left 


902 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


on  the  last  train  and  arrived  the  same  night 
at  Columbia,  where  we  were  kindly  cared 
for  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Comfort,  surgeon  of  the 
post. 

After  getting  a  list  of  deaths,  from  Octo- 
ber 1  to  November  21,  we  left  for  the 
depot,  where  we  found  Mr.  Tone  and  Mr. 
Drake,  who  had  preceded  me  two  days. 
They  had  distributed  a  large  supply  at  that 
point,  and  had  on  hand  still  three  car  loads 
to  distribute,  so  soon  as  the  troops  settled 
down. 

I  left  for  Nashville  on  the  evening  train ; 
indications  were  that  a  collision  would  take 
place  between  the  opposing  armies  at  or  near 
Columbia,  and  that  supplies  would  be  needed 
for  battle  purposes.  I  shall  return  in  the 
morning  to  the  front,  and,  to  the  best  of  my 
ability,  will  keep  you  informed  as  to  every- 
thing connected  with  our' mission. 

Please  find  enclosed  list  of  casualties  and 
deaths  in  post  hospital  at  Pulaski,  since  last 
report  up  to  23d,  also  list  of  deaths  in  post 
hospital  at  Columbia,  to  same  date.  Enclosed 
also  Dr.  Failor's  coihplimentary  notice  of  the 
workings  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Note. — According  to  Mr.  Tone's  detailed  report,  he  issued 
as  follows,  from  November  7  to  November  21, 1884. 


Erant  &  Picklea.        Onions. 
Columbia,         2,7^9  Gallons.      344  Bushels. 
Stevenson,  840      "  135       " 

Johnsonville,    1,117      "  664      " 

Pulaski,  11,716      "  1,733      " 


16,472 


2,776 


Potatoes. 
47  Bushels. 
15       " 
51       " 
94       " 

207 


TESTIMONIAL  PROM  SURGEON  PAILOR. 
Pulaski,  Tens.,  Nov.  25,  1864 
Mr.  Egbert  Brundrett. 

Dear  Sir: — To  day,  while  passing 
through  the  various  regiments  composing 
the  army  now  concentrating  at  this  point, 
I  was  struck  with  wonder  when  I  saw  the 
profusion  of  supplies  which  they  had  re- 
ceived from  you  as  agent  for  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission.  Regiments 
from  Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
Illinois,  Iowa,  and  every  other  State  repre- 
sented, were  equally  supplied.  Looking  at 
the  amount  issued  at  this  place,  a  person 
would  suppose  that  the  North  had  emptied 
its  gardens  and  cellars  to  furnish  sufSoient 
for  this  one  issue ;  but  having  been  with  the 
troops  during  the  entire  campaign,  I  know 
that  this  amount,  however  large  it  may 
appear,  is  nothing  compared  with  the  ag- 
gregate issued  by  the  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission during  the  campaign.  At  Cleve- 
land, Dalton,  Resaca,  Kingston,  Dallas, 
Ackworth,  Kennesaw,  during  and  after  the 
siege  of  Atlanta,  the  troops  were  fully  sup- 


plied, whenever  an  opportunity  offered. 
You  have  my  personal  thanks  for  the  in- 
terest taken  by  you  in  supplying  the  sick 
and  wounded  of  the  3d  division,  4th  Army 
Corps,  with  vegetables;  and  I  feel  confident 
that  witfi  the  aid  of  these,  we  were  enabled 
to  treat  much  more  successfully,  all  the  dis- 
eases that  came  under  our  notice. 

I  learn  that  you  are  going  to  Ohio  in  a 
few  days,  and  feel  that  you  will  find  more 
pleasure,  during  your  years  of  retirement 
from  active  life,  in  reflecting  upon  the  noble 
nature  of  the  work  in  which  you  were  en- 
gaged, during  the  progress  of  the  rebellion, 
than  from  any  other  personal  consideration; 
for  be  assured,  the  fervent,  hearty  "  God 
bless  you,"  of  many  a  brave  soldier,  has 
been  uttered  in  your  behalf. 

I  have  often  wondered  if  the  people  of 
the  North  were  fully  aware  of  the  magni- 
tude' and  importance  of  the  work  under- 
taken by  the  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. The  season  now  approaches  when 
we  will  again  hear  of  Sanitary  Fairs,  and 
of  increased  activity  on  the  part  of  the 
"  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,"  when  during  the 
long  winter  evenings,  the  northern  farmer 
will  sit  by  his  bright  blazing  fire,  his  cellar 
filled  with  plenty.  When,  during  the  leisure 
that  follows  a  summer  of  toil,  thoughts  of  ab- 
sent loved  (gies  will  enter  every  family  circle. 
These  thoughts  will  culminate  in  a  resolve  to 
send  souething  to  their  brave  boy,  and  the 
next  thing  discussed  will  be  by  what  channel 
shall  we  send  ?  If  I  could  enter  that  family 
circle,  then  I  would  say  to  them,  "  give  of 
your  stores  to  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commisfiion ;  for  if  the  past  is  a  guarantee 
for  the  future,  no  matter  where  that  loved 
boy  may  be,  whether  in  camp,  trench,  or 
hospital,  he  will  get  what  you  send."  I 
sincerely  trust  that  the  Commission  will 
receive  the  whole  contribution  of  the 
people. 

It  is  the  interest  of  the  contributor  and 
the  soldier,  that  the  channel  through  which 
supplies  are  sent,  shall  be  sufficiently  com- 
prehensive in  its  detail,  liberal  in  its  en- 
dowment, and  energetic  in  its  execution  to 
reach  the  soldier  at  all  times,  and  in  all 
places.  The  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission now  does  this,  its  organization  is 
complete,  its  agents  have  experience  and 
understand  the  magnitude  of  the  work  to  be 
performed,  and  it  should  have  the  united 
support  of  a  magnanimous  and  patriotic 
people. 

That  the  army  endures  more,  sufiiers  less 


The  Sanitary  Commusion  Bulletin. 


903 


from  sickness,  and  is  in  every  way  more 
efiScient,  under  a  full  and  regular  supply  of 
vegetable  diet,  has  been  so  often  shown,  and 
is  so  generally  admitted,  that  the  arguments 
in  its  favor  need  no  reiteration  by  me. 

Wishing  you  and  the  Commission  abun- 
dant success, 

I  am  very  respectfully,  your  friend, 

B.  M.  Failor,  19th  0.  V.  I. 

Sargeon-in-charge  of  Hospitals,  3d  Division,  4th  A.  G. 
BY   BENJAMIN   WOODWARD. 

MKMPflis,  Tknn.,  Nov.  28,  1864 
I  have  just  returned  from  Vicksburg, 
Natchez,  and  intermediate  points.  At 
Vicksburg  found  Mr.  J.  G.  Brown,  who 
has  a  good  supply  of  most  kinds  of  stores. 
He  is  an  earnest,  faithful  worker,  and  enjoys 
the  full  confidence  of  the  military  and  medi- 
cal authorities.  The  troops  at  Vicksburg 
are  in  far  the  best  condition  of  any  that  I 
have  found  in  this  depar,tment.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  hospitals.  The  McPherson 
hospital.  Surgeon  Edwin  Powell,  in  all  its 
arrangements,  police,  and  general  manage- 
ment, comes  nearest  to  my  own  ideas  of  a 
"perfect  hospital"  A  billiard  table,  de- 
voted exclusively  to  the  use  of  the  estab- 
lishment, a  gymnasium  fitted  with  all  the 
necessary  appliances,  for  the  use  of  all  the 
inmates,  and  a  well  selected  and  valuable 
library,  add  much  to  the  health  and  comfort 
of  the  patients.  The  light  diet  kitchen, 
under  the  charge  of  a  lady  from  Kalama- 
zoo, Michigan,  furnishes  all  the  requirements 
in  that  line.  The  "  fund"  not  only  keeps 
the  hospital  clear  of  debt,  but  enables  the 
surgeon  to  buy  nearly  everything  necessary. 

BUTTER. 

One  thing  only  is  absolutely  required, 
which  cannot  be  purchased,  and  that  is  butter. 
This  article  of  diet  is  not  so  much  a  luxury 
as  a  necessity.  Experience  proves  it  to  be 
one  of  the  most  perfect  restoratives  that  can 
be  given  convalescents,  while  in  cases  of 
diseases  of  the  lungs,  and  suppurating 
wounds,  it^  is  invaluable.  Wherever  I  go, 
butter  is  asked  for,  and  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  for  hospital  use,  no  one  article  is  more 
valuable.  At  Vicksburg  I  found  Mrs. 
Governor  Harvey,  of  Wisconsin.  She  de- 
votes her  whole  time  and  means  to  the 
soldiers,  by  whom  she  is  regarded  with  love 
and  veneration.  While  I  was  in  her  room 
a  poor  emaciated  creature  came  in,  who  was 
going  home  on  a  furlough,  which  she  had 
procured  him.  A  few  kind  words,  a  quilt 
to  keep  him  warm,  and  a  greenback  in  his 


hand  to  purchase  any  little  luxury  he  might 
want,  and  he  started  home  with '  a  tear  in 
his  eye,  and  a  blessing  on  his  lips. 

NATCHEZ. 

From  Vicksburg  I  proceeded  to  Natchez. 
Here  1  found  one  hospital,  with  118  patients, 
poorly  provided  for  in  articles  of  diet.  There 
are  but  few  white  troops  there,  but  a  large 
force  of  colored.  While  I  was  there  a  squad 
of  soldiers,  belonging  to  the  29  th  Indiana 
Volunteers,  came  to  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion rooms,  asking  for  shoes,  socks,  and 
shirts.  These  men  had  been  sent  from 
Morganza,  on  a  scouting  expedition,  and 
were  in  a  destitute  condition.  Several  of 
them  were  barefoot  and  ragged.  There  was 
no  way  in  which  they  could  draw  from 
government,  being  on  'detached  service. 
Their  wants  were  fully  supplied,  and  they 
left  on  another  scout,  with  cheers  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  Finding  what  was 
needed  there,  Mr.  Marsh,  agent  of  Western 
Sanitary  Commission  at  Natchez,  accom- 
panied me  to  Vicksburg,  and  I  gave  him  a 
small  stock  of  stores  to  take  back  with  him. 
Natchez  is  so  small  and  unimportant  a  post, 
that  I  think  an  agent  is  not  required  there, 
as  Mr.  Marsh  will  act  for  us,  the  most  per- 
fect harmony  and  good  feeling  existing  be- 
tween the  two  Commissions.  At  Good- 
rich's Landing,  Milliken's  Bend,  and  one 
or  two  other  minor  posts,  the  want  of  vege- 
tables is  great.  Mr.  Brown  made  a  ship- 
ment to  some  of  those  points  while  I  was 
there,  and  will  attend  to  the  wants  of  all. 
There  is  pressing  demand  for  woolen  shirts, 
under  shirts,  and  socks.  Can  you  not  send 
some  ?  The  stock  of  cotton  shirts  is  ample. 
I  wrote  you  some  time  since  that  "  Mr. 
Carpenter  had  gone  up  White  River  with 
a  large  invoice."  ■  I  told  Tiim  "  if  possible, 
to  go  to  Fort  Smith."  Letters  received 
from  him  show  that  the  Arkansas  River 
had  so  risen,  that  he  could  proceed  there. 
"  He  has  done  so,  and  taken  all  the  goods 
with  him."  I  rejoice  that  it  was  so.  Mr. 
Grant  will  leave  on  the  first  boat,  with 
stores  for  the  mouth  of  White  River,  and 
an  invoice  will  be  sent  to  Helena  in  a,  day 
or  two. 


EXTBACTS  FEOm  "CLEVELAND  BTJLLETIH." 

Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Oct.  30,  1864. 

*  *'  *     1  have  taken  occasion  upon  this 

trip,  as  I  have  frequently  heretofore,  to  look 

into  the  workings  of  that  huge  benevolent 

association,  the  United  States  Sanitary  Com"- 


904 


The .  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


mission.  I  find  it  as  ubiquitous,  as  humane, 
as  charitable,  as  life-saving,  as  indispensable 
as  ever.  On  every  hand,  both  in  the  army 
and  upon  all  the  lines  of  communication, 
its  presence  is  felt.  Evei'y  hospital  train, 
whose  easy  beds  and  rapid  transit  save  un- 
numbered throes  of  mortal  anguish  to 
wounded  heroes,  rattles,  its  praises.  Every 
long  delayed  letter,  retained  for  want  of  a 
pre-payment  of  sufficient  postage  at  home, 
when  it  reaches  the  weary  and  home-sick 
soldier  at  the  far  off  "  front,"  endorsed 
"  Paid  by  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,"  tells 
of  its  ever  watchful  care  for  the  nation's  de- 
fenders. Let  those  who  have  contributed 
to  the  support  of  this  noble  Commission 
feel  assured  that  their  contributions  fulfill 
their  object.  I  have  seen  many  applica- 
tions of  the  contributions  of  the  people  of 
Huron  County  and  other  localities,  and 
KNOW  that  they  have  been  honestly,  justly, 
and  wisely  used  to  the  end  for  which  they 
have  been  given.  The  members  and  agents 
of  the  Commission  are  live,  earnest,  work- 
ing. Christian  men;  men  who  have  suc- 
ceeded in  life  in  their  own  business,  and 
who  are  not,  consequently,  engaged  in  the 
work  to  gain  a  livelihood,  but  through 
patriotic  and  charitabk  motives.  I  wish  I 
could  give  your  readers  an  adequate  idea  of 
the  number  of  ways  in  which  the  Commis- 
sion dispenses  charities  and  renders  assist- 
ance to  the  soldiers ;  but  I  cannot.  One  of 
its  most  impoptant  successes  has  been 
achieved  through  the  medium  of  its  Sani- 
tary Gardens,  of  which  in  this  department 
it  has  four,  viz  :  one  at  Murfreesboro,  one 
at  this  point,  one  on  Lookout  Mountain, 
and  one  at  Knoxville.  These  are  intended 
to  furnish  supplies  for  the  various  hospitals 
in  their  respectire  localities.  That  at  this 
place  consists  of  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres,  and  has  been  a  great  suc- 
cess. There  have  been  gathered  from  it 
during  the  season,  about  twenty  thou.=and 
bushels  of  produce  of  various  kinds,  worth 
at  this  point,  as  estimated,  fifty  thousand 
dollars  !  All  this  has  been  accomplished  at 
an  expense  to  the  Commission  of  less  than 
three,  thousand  dollars!  The  other  gardens 
have  been  more  or  less  successful,  according 
to  the  various  circumstances  of  adaptation 
of  soil  and  climate,  supply  of  seeds  and 
implements,  etc.,  which  have  surrounded 
them. 

I  am  fully  persuaded, — and  I  have  been 
"  in  this  army"  over  throe  years — that  owing 
to  the  efibrts  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 


sion, many,  ye,s,  very  many  valuable  lives 
have  been  saved,  and  untold  suffering  has 
been  avoided.     Let  this  work  go  on  ! 

Let  the  loyal  people  of  the  land  sustain 
this  noble  enterprise  !  and  then,  after  this 
dire  struggle  shall  have  ceased,  and  peace 
shall  again  smile  upon  our  distracted 
country,  it  will  be  recorded  that  not  the 
least  in  the  great  work  of  saving  the  repub- 
lic, was  found,  erect  in  all  its  purity,  noble 
in  its  charity,  and  resplendent  in  its  practi- 
cal Christianity,  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

It  is  expected  that  the  road  to  the  front 
will  soon  be  repaired,  and  the  trains  be  run- 
ning as  usual.  I  shall  endeavor  to  take  the 
first  train  through  to  Atlanta. 

0.  P.  WiCKHAM, 

Major  65th  0.  V.  I. 

Oppioebs'  Hospital,  LooKOnT  Mountain,     1 
Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Av^.  26,  1864.  / 

I  take  advantage  of  a  short  sick  leave, 
which  seems  to  be  a  regular  episode  in  the 
the  middle  of  a  summer's  work  at  Chatta- 
nooga, and  is  a  very  pleasant  one  when  spent 
on  these  breezy  heights,  to  send  you  some ' 
of  my  impressions  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion work. 

In  the  first  place  although  I  expected  to 
find  that  the  Commission  was  doing  a  great 
work  among  the  soldiers,  I  was  not  prepared 
for  the  extent  to  which  it  seems  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  regular  branch  of  the  service, 
and  to  have  in  its  care  the  comfort  and  even 
the  life  of  the  sick  and  wounded.  I  have 
talked  with  many  private'  soldiers  on  the 
subject,  sometimes  without  making  known 
my  own  relations  to  the  Commission,  and 
although  some  have  grumbled  at  what  they 
believed  to  be  its  abuses,  I  have  found 
scarcely  any  one  wbo  has  not  given  it  credit 
for  being  essential  to  the  army. 

A  very  intelligent  corporal,  who  had  no 
other  interest  in  the  Commission  than  as  a 
former  recipient  of  its  bounty,  having'been 
lately  discharged  from  the  service,  expressed 
to  me  his  own  views  and  what  he  believed 
to  be  the  views  of  all  who  had  properly 
considered  the  subject.  "  As  long  as  a  man 
is  doing  full  duty  in  his  company  the  gov- 
ernment usually  takes  full  care  of  him,  but 
as  soon  as  he  drops  out  of  the  ranks  from 
sickness  or  wounds,  he  is  thrown  upon  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  He  is  clothed  hastily 
in  the  field  hospital  from  the  Sanitary  stores, 
he  lies  upon  a  Sanitary  bed  and  whatever 
he  receives  that  a  sicklnan  can  possibly  eat 
or  drink  comes  from  the  same  source.     As 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


905 


the  hospital  arrangements  now  are,  not  one 
in  ten  of  those  who  now  recover  could  do 
so  without  the  Sanitary  Commission.  But 
because  it  issues  on  the  requisition  of  sur- 
geons and  other  officers,  instead  of  distribu- 
ting at  once  to  the  patients,  the  latter  sup- 
pose that  everything  is  furnished  by  their 
own  commissary,  and  they  abuse  the  Com- 
mission while  accepting  its  favors  without 
knowing  it.".  I  myself  have  known  the 
most  blatant  grumblers  go  off  crestfallen  on 
being  shown  the  mark  of  some  Soldiers'  Aid 
Society  on  the  clothing  which  they  were 
wearing. 

The  question  is  often  asked  whether  the 
Commission  is  not  doing  much  that  govern- 
ment ought  to  do,  and  which  its  incom- 
petent officers  have  neglected,  True  there 
has  been  some  of  this,  but  it  grows  less 
every  day.  But  whatever  governme  nt  ought 
to  do  there  is  much  which  it  leaves  to  the 
Sanitary,  which  will  not  be  done  without  it, 
and  which  the  army  cannot  spare.  What- 
ever is  lost  or  converted  to  unworthy  uses, 
the  soldiers  themselves  have  told  me  that 
they  considered  to  be  amply  repaid  by  the 
good  accomplished  by  the  rest. 

Visitors  who  have  been  staggered  on  first 
coming  down  here  by  the  apparent  confirm- 
ation of  unfavorable  reports,  have  afterwards 
said,  as  indeed  many  soldiers  tell  them,  that 
there  is  no  department  under  strictly  govern- 
ment manageuient  in  which  the  loss  is  not 
greater.  1  have  never  felt  so  keenly  as  now 
the  necessity,  of  supporting  the  Commission 
promptly  and  liberally. 

The  above  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  re- 
ceived at  this  office  from  a  gentleman  of 
this  city  who  visited  the  front  as  our  special 


THBEE   MONTHS   IN   THE   U,    S.    SANITABY 
COMMISSION. 

NO.  IV. — AMONG  THE  WOUNDED  AT  WHITE 
HOUSE  LANDING. 

On  the  second  day  of  June  the  -wounded 
began  to  arrive,  and  seeing  heavy  work 
ahead,  the  cargo  of  the  Kent  was  discharged 
into  the  Hoboken,  and  that  steamer  left  for 
Baltimore,  to  get  another  supply  of  needed 
articles.  A  portion  of  the  Elizabeth  was 
set  apart  for  the  better  accommodation  and 
feeding  of 'the  Belief  Agents  and  nurses 
whose  recent  arduous  labors  at  Fredericks- 
burg,'Belle  Plain,  and  Port  Royal,  Va.,  had 
shown  the  imperative  necessity  of  exercis- 
ing more  care  toward  them  in  their  food 


and  rest,  both  as  a  matter  of  economy  and 
justice.  The  writet-  of  these  papers  was 
honored  with  the  position  of  Purveyor,  a 
part  of  the  duties  pertaining  to  that  office, 
being  the  providing  of  food  and  lodging  for 
all  persons  connected  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission  at  the  water  base  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac. .  I  may  say  in  passing,  that 
necessitous  cases  hourly  arose  thereafter 
which  caused  the  Director  finally  to  instruct 
me  to  limit  the  blessings  of  feeding  and 
resting  needy  soldiers  and  civilians  to  the 
extent  only  of  the  capacity  of  possible  ac- 
commodation. It  should  here  be  under- 
stood that  no  case  was  admitted  unless  the 
need  was  proven,  and  then  only  on  the 
order  of  some  responsible  officer  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Grovernment  qf  of  the  Commis- 
sion, as  I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  again 
to  this  branch,  I  will  not  enlarge  now. 

ARRIVAL   OF  WOUNDED. 

On  Thursday,  June  3,  the  woutided  ar- 
rived by  thousands,  and  thank  God,  our 
force  was  fully  prepared  for  them.  The 
field  was  taken  as  divided  by  Government 
officers  in  such  cases,  and  relief  stations 
with  proper  supplies,  set  up  near  each  bri- 
gade hospital,,  to  which  were  attached 
dressers  of  wounds,  relief  agents,  &c.  The 
Directors  in  this  work,  Hon.  Frank  B.  Fay, 
and  Dr.  Joseph  Parrish,  pitched  their  tents  in 
central  locations  on  the  field  of  operations,  the 
better  to  supervise  the  work.  To  facilitate 
the  obtaining  of  necessary  supplies,  a  large 
tent  was  erected  at  a  convenient  point,  to 
which  stores  were  drawn  from  the  boats. 
So  if  a  hospital  steward  needed  a  bandage, 
instead  of  making  out  a  formal  requisition, 
and  running  down  to  the  boat  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  and  there  awaiting  his  turn , 
involving  the  waste  of  perhaps  two  hours, 
he  simply  had  to  run  to  the  next  tent, 
where  hd  was  known  to  be  what  he  repre- 
sented himself,  and  not  a  bandage  alone, 
but  every  article  that  could  comfort  or  as- 
sist the  patient,  was  to  be  had  for  the  asking  j 
and  when  the  stores  of  the  brigade  tents" 
failed,  they  were  replenished  from  the  large 
supply  tent  alluded  to.  Thus  was  the  work 
systematized,  and  our  whole  force  busied 
themselves  from  early  dawn  until  far  ,into 
the  night  of  June  3.  Similar  scenes  greet- 
ed us  to  those  that  were  witnessed  at  Port 
Eoyal. 

TRANSPORTATION. 

Those  dreadful  army  wagons  without 
springs,  as  usual  shook  out  the  life  from 
V 


906 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


many  a  brave  boy,  but  there  seemed  no 
help  for  it  at  those  times  and  ■places. 
One  poor  fellow  I  shall  never  forget,  as  I 
saw  him  with  both  hands  amputated  at  the 
wrists,  ami  part  of  his  face  broken  in  by  a 
shell,  being  led  to  the  hospital  boat  by  an 
elderly  gentleman,  an  Agent  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission ;  he  looked  so  piteously 
thankful  for  the  favor.  When  at  eleven 
o'clock  P.M.,  the  Relief  Corps  returned  to 
the  boat  for  refreshments  and  rest,  each  and 
all  expressed  devout  thanks  that  not  one 
had  been  omitted  who   needed   assistance. 

INCIDENTS. 

Many  were  the  incidents  narrated  at  these 
repasts  from  the  experience  of  the  agents. 
On  the  occasion  referred  to,  T  distinctly  re- 
member two,  one  was  that  of  a  Massachu- 
setts man  who  was  severely  wounded  in  the 
throat,  so  that  he  could  take  no  nourish- 
ment, and  was  only  easy  while  in  an  upright 
position.  One  of  our  nurses  devoted  his 
whole  time  and  attention  to  the  poor  fellow 
while  he  needed  it.  The  soldier  derived 
great  comfort  from  a  photograph  of  a  family 
group,  consisting  of  himself,  his  wife  and 
three  children ;  in  looking  upon  the  shadows 
of  those  he  loved  his  eyes  expressed  what 
his  tongue  could  not ;  his  spirit's  departure 
was  sweet;  he  motioned  the  nurse  to  moisten 
his  parched  lips,  placed  the  picture  within 
the  folds  of  his  inner  garment,  and  laying 
his  head  on  the  shoulder  of  his  attendant 
he  expired.  The  other  incident  was  that  of 
some  colored  men  who  were  awaiting  a 
passage  from  the  White  House.  Seeing 
the  difficulty  many  of  the  poor  wounded 
had  in  reaching  the  boats,  they  procured 
wheelbarrows  and  volunteered  their  services 
to  carry  some  of  the  slightly  wounded  ones 
thereto,  and  they  did  gallant  service  both  in 
leading  and  carrying,  on  that  occasion.  Be- 
fore the  late  repast  alluded  to  was  finished, 
the  neiws  was  brought  us  that  the  van  of  a 
train  bearing  eight  thousand  more  of  the 
wounded  had  arrived,  and  that  more  help 
must  be  sent  into  the  field.  To  add  to  the 
troubles  of  the  occasion  a  fierce  rain  storm 
had  set  in.  However,  a  few  of  those  who 
were  really  hardened  to  the  work,  volun- 
teered, while  the  rest  were  urged  to  rest  in 
preparation  for  the  work  of  the  following 
day.  This  day's  issues  of  supplies  was  the 
largest  of  any  previously  chronicled  in  the 
history  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
and  exceeded  that  of  any  day  during  the 
ever  memorable  struggle  at  Gettysburg. 


BESOLTTTIONS 
Adopted  at  a  meeting  of  American  Citizens 
held  at  Buenos  Ayres,  S.  A.,  June  20, 
1864. 

Whereas,  We  recognise  in  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  an  institution 
eminently  Christian  and  humane,  organized 
for  the  prevention  and  relief  of  suffering,  to 
which  object  we  have  constant  evidences 
that  it  is  devoting  its  efforts  most  faithfully 
and  energetically,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  desire  to  record 
our  expression  of  sympathy  and  interest  in 
the  work  of  charity  and  love  in  which  the 
Commission  is  engaged,  promising  to  pro- 
mote its  objects  by  giving  it  what  lays  in 
our  power,  of  our  influence  and  means. 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  seven 
American  Citizens  be  appointed  by  the 
Chair  to  raise  contributions  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Commission,  in  such  manner  as  they 
may  deem  proper,  with  instructions  not  to 
confine  their  field  of  labor  to  this  Republic, 
but  to  extend  the  same  to  the  neighboring 
Republics  of  Uruguay  and  Paraguay,  with 
power  to  appoint  such  sub-committees  as 
they  may  consider  .advisable. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  appointed 
be  authorized  to  remit  to  the  Treasurer  of  the 
Commission,  the  contributions  that  they  may 
receive,  in  such  manner  as  they  may  consider 
most  advantageous,  combined  with  safety. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  be  autho- 
rized to  call  meetings  of  the  subscribers 
and  friends  of  the  movement,  at  such  times 
as  they  may  deem  expedient. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  tender  to  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Kirk  our  thanks  for  granting  us 
the  use  of  his  rooms  on  this  occasion,  and 
for  the  warm  interest  he  has  taken  in  this 
movement ;  also  the  Editors  of  the  "  Stand- 
ard" for  their  gratuitous  publications  of 
the  notices  calling  this  meeting,  and  for 
the  favorable  allusions  made  to  it  in  some 
of  their  recent  numbers. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions 
be  forwarded  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission. 

(A  true  copy.)        Henry  S.  Atues, 

Secretary. 
Buenos  Atres,  S.  A.,  Oct.  11,  1864. 
J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.D., 

Secretary  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — In  accordance  with  one  of  a  series 
of  Resolutions,  adopted  at  a  meeting  of 
American  citizens,  held  hereon  the  20th  of 
June  last,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  mea- 
sures to  raise  funds  in  aid  of  the  United  States 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


907 


Sanitary  Commission,  I  beg  leave  to  wait 
upon  you  with  a  copy  Of  these  resolutions, 
for  the  information  of  your  organization. 

The  movement  then  initiated  has  result- 
ed in  the  collection  of  the  sum  of  £1,195 
Is.  sterling,  which  will  be  I'emitted  to  your 
Treasurer  by  this  mail;  it  is  hoped  that 
this  amount  will  be  somewhat  increased  by 
further  contributions. 

With  the  prayer  that  the  Commission 
may  be  enabled  to  continue  its  work  of 
humanity  until  the  necessity  for  it  ceases, 
which  Grod  grant  may  be  soon. 

I  remain,  your  obedient  servant, 

HenRy  S.  Atres, 

Secretary. 

BEFOBT  FBOU  SUSClTIEH&inTA  CO.,  FA. 

In  pursuance  of  instructions  of  the 
County  Council  held  at  Montrose,  on  the 
18th  of  October,  the  following  summary  of 
what  has  been  done  by  the  different  Aid 
Societies  of  the  County,  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission  has  been  prepared.  The  delay 
has  been  unavoidable,  as  some  of  the  im- 
portant reports  were  received  only  a  few 
days  since.  A  few  societies  have  been  un- 
able to  repprt  by  reason  of  the  loose  manner 
in  which  their  accounts  have  been  kept. 
Deaths,  sickness,  and  removal,  are  the  true 
reasons  in  most  cases,  of  tardy  or  imperfect 
I  reports.  A  large  number  have  sent  in  com- 
plete returns  containing  list  of  all  articles 
forwarded,  with  estimated  cash  value,  while 
some  have  sent  complete  lists  with  cash 
value  of  only  a  part,  or  the  cash  value  of 
all  that  had  been  done,  with  only  a  partial 
list  of  articles.  Some  have  given  only  a 
■list  of  articles,  and  others  only  the  cash 
value.  This  summary,  therefore,  though 
unavoidably  imperfect,  is  the  best  that  can 
be  prepared  from  such  data  as  can  now  be 
obtained. 

Montrose,  Harford,  Uniondale,  Franklin, 
Sisters  of  the  Immacculate  Heart  of  Mary, 
Kush,  Forest^ake,  Friendsville  and  Forest 
Lake,  West  Harford,  Lawsville  Centre, 
Dimock,  (2  soc.,)  Friendsville,  West  Au- 
burn, Clifford,  Springville,  Auburn,  East 
Bridgewater,  and  Little  Meadows  Aid  Soci- 
eties have  sent  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  : 


1,247  Bllirts. 

174  sheets. 

568  pairs  drawers. 

720  pillows, 

IHQ  pillow  cases. 

212  arm  sliugs; 
.    29!^  dressing  gowns. 

247  pairs  slippers. 

342  pairs  socks. 
1,913  towels  and  bandk'fs. 
'    lis  qoilts  and  Maukets. 


WH  bottles  of  wine. 
71  gallons  of  wine. 
1  keg  of  wine. 
1  cask  of  wine. 
28  gallons  of  syrap. 
607  cans  of  fruit. 
2,709  pounds  of  dried  fruit  of 

all  kinds. 
13K  bushels  of  dried  fruit. 
273  packages  dried  fruit. 
'  31  )i  firkins  of  piijkleS.     • 


100  pounds  of  butter. 

S  tuba  of  butter. 

Iflrkln  of  butter. 

50  pounds  maple  sugar. 

1,125  cakes  maple  sugar. 

173X  dozen  of  eggs. 

1  keg  of  eggB. 
16  coats. 

64  hop  pillows. 

2  pairs  of  shoes. 
SJ^  bushels  of  apples. 

10  qjiarts  of  vinegar. 
12  cans  of  honey. 
14  cans,  sundries. 


11  bushels  potatoes. 
110  needle-books,  &e. 

61  pads. 
1  sack  dried  com. 

5  quarts  dried  corn. 

12  pounds  horse-radish. 
17  pounds  corn  starch. 
32  pouDds  of  cheese. 

6  pairs.of  mittens. 
4  pairs  of  pants. 

110  lemons. 
And  more  than  30O  packages 
of   unenumerated  arti- 
cles. 


Large  quantities  of  bandages,  lint,  old 
cloth,  reading  matter,  dried  beef,  sage, 
hops,  fruit,  combs,  jelly,  tea,  green  currants, 
pie-plant,  currant,  shrub,  raspberry,  and 
elderbel'ry  vinegar,  peaches^  pears,  eggs, 
beans,  etc.,  are  reported,  of  which  no  exact 
account  can  be  given. 

Great  Bend,  Gl^nwood,  Elk  Lake,  Brook- 
lyn, Upsonville,  and  Jackson  Aid  Societies 
report  estimated  cash  value  of  articles  sent 
at  $943  62 ;  donation  from  Welch  citizens, 
$200 ;  sent  to  Central  Fair  articles  valued 
at  over  $3,000;  making  considerably  more 
than  four  thousand  dollars,  in  addition  to 
the  foregoing  list  of  articles. 

West  Auburn,  and  several  other  societies 
that  were  struggling  to  keep  up  the  good 
work,  acknowledge  with  thanks,  ten  dollars 
donations  for  their  encouragement,  from 
unknown  friends,  by  hand  of  Miss  S.  M. 
Walker. 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  amount 
contributed  by  citizens  of  this  ccfiinty  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  kindred 
charities,  for  the  relief  of  our  suffering  sol- 
diers, is  very  much  larger  than  is  here  re- 
ported. Let  those  whose  labors  of  love  fail 
to  be  made  known  to  the  world,  remember 
that  they  are  not  forgotten  of  our  Heavenly 
Father. 

It  may  safely  be  said,  that  benefactions 
so  grand  and  magnificent,  would  never  have 
been  made  had  it  not  been  for  the  noble 
women,  who  at  great  sacrifices  and  untiring 
zeal,  have  sustained  the  Aid  Societies. 
Many  of  our  citizens  have  most  nobly 
seconded  their  efforts ;  some  have  done  but 
little,  while  a  large  number  have  done  al- 
most nothing.  Let  no  lover  of  his  country 
who  rAds  this  report,  fail  to  "  help  those 
women."  The  call  for  aid  is  now,  and  must 
for  sometime  be  urgent.  Let  every  one 
who  can,  do  something,  and  the  almoners  of 
our  benefactions  will  be  forced  to  cry, 
"  hold,  enough  !"  Till  that  time,  may  there 
be  no  lack  of  giving  or  doing. 

Calvin  C.  Halsey, 

Secretary  of  the  County  Council, 
MoHTKOBE,  Pa.,  Nov.  28, 1864.' 


908 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin'. 


CONTEIBUTION  FROM  SOLDIERS. 

Camp  Conness,  Sept.  18,  1864. 
Dear  Sir: — Enclosed  you  will  find 
twenty-five  dollars,  a  donation  from  Co.  H, 
2nd  C.  C.  v.,  to  the  Sanitary  Fund.  The 
donation  was  made  from  fractions  of  dollars 
due  the  men  at  the  pay  table,  which  the 
paymaster  could  not  make  at  the  time  the 
men  were  paid — the  amount  being  paid  to 
them  in  bulk  afterwards  —  and  they  (the 
men)  Toted  to  send  it  to  the  Sanitary  Fund 
for  the  relief  of  our  fellow-soldiers,  who  are 
fighting  for  "  the  Union  and  Liberty"  in 
the  East.  Although  not  with  them  in  per- 
son, our  hearts  and  sympathies  are  in  the 
work,  and  may  God  speed  the  day  when 
this  cursed  rebellion  shall  be  conquered, 
and  peace,  happiness  and  plenteousness  once 
inore  reign  supreme  over  our  land.  Hoping 
that  this  will  reach  you  in  safety,  and  pray- 
ing God  will  bless  and  aid  our  cause,  I  sub- 
scribe myself  most  respectfully. 

Tour  ob't  servant  and  well-wisher, 
Wm.  W.  White, 

Private  Co.  H.,  2d  C.  C.  V.,  Camp  Conness, 
ntah  Territory,  near  Salt  Lake  City. 
Eev,  Hbnkt  W.  Bellows,  , 

President  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  Mt, 

KXTRAOTS  FROM  LETTERS  BY  AUXILIARY 
RELIEF  AGENTS  AT  CITY  POINT,  VA. 

AMONG   COLORED   TROOPS. 

I  have  endeavored  to  familiarize  myself 
with  each  and  all,  by  engaging  them  in  con- 
versation as  to  their  previous  history,  con- 
nections, &c.,  and  have  been  very  much 
pleased  with  the  intelligence  displayed  by 
some,  and  gratified  by  the  respectful,  as 
well  as  grateful  demeanor  of  all.  I  find  it 
both  pleases  and  cheers  them  to  find  an  in- 
terested listener  to  their  relations,  and  I 
think  tends  to  dissipate  to  a  considerable 
extent  the  depression  of  spirits  consequent 
upon  sickness  and  absence  from  friends, 
and  just  to  the  same  extent  helps  to  pro- 
mote their  recovery.  While  their  patience 
under  sufiering  is  most  exemplary,  on  no 
single  occasion  have  I  seen  anythi»g  like 
impertinence  in  their  manner  or  coarseness 
in  their  expressions.  As  fact  is  said  to 
be  stranger  than  fiction,  I  have  listened  to 
the  recitals  of  the  experience  of  some  which 
gave  me  a  more  vivid  idea  of  the  wrongs 
and  cruelties  of  slavery,  than  any  descrip- 
tion I  ever  read  or  heard.  Out  of  the  whole 
number  in  my  ward,  (263),  161  can  both 
read  and  write,  while  the  rest,  almost  to  a 


man,  (where  able  to  sit  up,)  are  anxious  to 
learn.  I  have-  assisted  them  as  much  as 
possible  with  books  and  instructions,  and 
find  them  as  a  rule  apt  scholars.  Becoming 
accustomed  to,  I  really  like  my  work,  not 
that  it  is  at  all  agreeable,  but  the  consci- 
ousness of  being  engaged  in  a  good  and 
noble  cause,  as  well  as  aiding  to  some  ex- 
tent to  discharge  the  obligations  we  owe 
them  as  a  race  for  ages  of  oppression  and 
cruelty,  amply  compensates  for  the  self- 
denial,  which  the  most  unpleasant  part  of 
the  work  requires.  In  addition  to  this,  the 
grateful  feeling  they  manifest  is  most  pleas- 
ing and  encouraging. 

I  regard  the  moral  and  social  aspects  of 
this  work  as  of  greater  importance'than  the 
physical  ones,  as  I  believe  they  tend  to  de- 
velop and  elevate  their  character,  while 
intimate  social  intercourse  and  real  friendly 
interest  stimulates  their  desire  for  improve- 
ment, and  this  tends  to  make  them  better 
soldiers  and  better  members  of  society.  A 
double  obligation  binds  us  to  do  all  we  can 
for  this  despised  and  down-trodden  race ; 
what  we  owe  them  for  years  of  oppression 
and  caste  prejudice,  and  what  we  owe  society 
in  which  they  are  heiiceforth  to  mingle  as 
free  citizens.  Every  kind  word  and  act, 
and  every  useful  effort,  while  it  helps  to 
fulfill  our  obligations  to  them  as  the  Crea- 
tor's intelligent  creatures,  tends  also  to 
develop  mind  and  manhood  in  thena. 

AN   INCIDENT. 

There  is  more  real  romance  in  this  war 
than  will  ever  be  written,  and  my  calling 
brings  me  face  to  face  with  more  or  less  of 
it.  About  a  week  since  (not  more)  a  young 
man  was  brought  in  here,  suffering  arid 
worn  down  with  chronic  diarrhoea.  He  sent 
for  me  when  he  found  that  his  hours  were 
numbered)  and  told  me  his  story  and  begged 
my  prayers.  He  had  been  a  first  lieutenant 
in  the  English  army,  and  had  with  him  his 
commission  and  Crimean  medal.  Coming 
to  this  country  in  May  last  as  a  traveler, 
(from  love  of  excitement),  or  because  his 
was  the  old,  old  story  of  the  prodigal  son, 
he  enlisted  in  July  as  a  private  in  a  c  ivalry 
regiment,  and  the  1st  of  September  found 
him  acting  in  that  capacity  in  fioat  of 
Petersburg.  I  found  him  dying,  almost  a 
stranger  in  a  far  country — a  gentleman  by 
birth  and  education,  only  twenty-nine  years 
of  age,  and  strikingly  handsome — and  as  he 
told  me  the .  story  of  his  wanderings  from 
home  and  from  God,  and  bade  me  write  to 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


909 


those  nearest  and  dearest  to  him,  my  heart 
was  touched  as  it  has  seldom  been  before. 
He  fell  asleep,  humble,  penitent  and  re- 
signed, and  this  evening  at  sunset  I  com- 
mitted his  body  to  the  dust,  in  the  hope  of 
a  joyful  resurrection.  He  sleeps  in  our 
quiet  little  cemetery  on  the  Appomattox, 
while  loving  hearts  across  the  Atlantic  are 
waiting  and  watching  for  his  footsteps.  It 
is  better  as  it  is,  for  God  has  called  the 
wanderer  home. 

I  have  been  thinting,  as  I  wrote,  that 
we  little  know  of  what  material  the  rank 
and  file  of  this  great  army  is  composed,  and 
of  what  high  honor  it  is  worthy  at  the 
hands  of  the  people. 

Individual  Relief  from  a  single  Auxiliary  Relief 
Station,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  one  day,  (iVo- 
vember  11,  1864,)  exclusive  of  ffospital  Relief. 

APP"f-       Articles. 

2  Apples. 

1  Bay  rum. 

10  Combs. 

1  Cologne. 

1  CracUers. 

A  Drawers. 

1  Eovelopes. 

2  Ginger. 
1  HaodlEerchiefs. 
6  Inlc. 

1  Lemons. 
6  Mustard. 

2  Matches. 
1  Millc. 
6  Socks. 

3  iJeedles. 

Total  namber  of  applications,  149.    Variety  of  articles,  32. 

WISCONSIN  SOLDIERS'  AID  SOCIETY. 
MiLWAnKEE,  Dec.  9,  1864. 
Editor  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin: 

Dear  Sie  : — Perhaps  some  of  your  sani- 
tarian readers  would  like  to  know  something 
in  brief  of  the  work  that  is  being  done  here 
in  the  common  cause,  by  the  good  ladies  of 
Milwaukee.  For  the  last  three  years  a 
Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  with  auxiliaries  in 
other  towns  and  villages,  has  done  for  the 
State  of  Wisconsin,  the  same  noble  work 
with  which  the  whole  country,  and  more 
especially  its  armies,  are  now  so  familiar. 
It  has  since  become  an  auxiliary  of  the 
Commission,  and  has  added  to  the  means  of 
the  latter,  some  3,500  cases  of  supplies, 
which  havf  in  great  part  been  distributed 
through  the  agency  of  the  North- Western 
Branch  of  the  Commission  located  in 
Chicago. 

But  it  is  not  alone  in  the  collection  of 
supplies,  nor  in  the  inspection  of  them  so 
thoroughly,  that  not  an  article  is  repacked 
for  transmission  to  Chicago  and  the  front 
which  has  not  been  put  in  perfect  order, 
nor  a  potatoe  re  barrelled  which  has  not  had 


^M"""^       Articles, 
tions. 

22  Onions. 

9  Pipes, 

4  Paper. 

*     6  Penholders. 

,   15  Pens. 

3  Pencils. 

5  Pins. 

3  Suspenders. 

4  Slippers. 
4  Shirts. 

3  Towels. 

IS  Tobacco, 

9  Thread. 

1  Wine, 

1  Tarn, 


its  "  evil  eye''  eradicated,  nor  an  onion  that 
is  not  hard  and  sound,  peeled  in  the  "pick- 
ling room,"  (an  establishment,  the  atmos- 
phere of  which,  is  so  redolent  of  sympathy, 
and  its  phenomena  so  replete  with  all  that 
is  affecting,  that  I  had  no  sooner  entered 
the  door  than  I  felt  their  lachrymal  influ- 
ence, and  left  it  with  streaming  eyes  (not 
yet  wholly  dried),  nor  is  it  that  in  the  pack- 
ing of  everything,  such  thoroughness  is 
observed  that  the  packages  are  passed 
through  the  depot  of  the  Branch  in  Chicago 
"  on  faith,"  without  a  thought  of  examina- 
tion— as  I  was  there  informed,  before  I  had 
an  opportunity  to  see  for  myself — it  is  not 
alone  thus,  that  they  serve  the  friends  and 
neighbors  who  are  fighting  their  battles  for 
them.  They  serve  them  in  a  way  still 
dearer  to  those  whose  patriotism  has  not 
quenched,  but  rather  quickened  the  sacred 
fires  of  the  domestic  altar,  and  who  hear 
the  sighings  of  their  wives  and  the  cries  of 
their  children,  above  the  roar  of  the  cannon 
and  the  whizz  of  the  minie  ball.  They 
serve  them  by  serving  those,  the  memory 
of  whom  cheers  the  soldier,  amid  the  waste 
places  of  the  weary  march,  and  the  thought 
of  whonr,  never  more  to  be  seen  in  this 
world,  adds  bitterness  to  his  last  hour  on 
the  field  of  *death. 

As  I  look  through  the  frosted  window 
panes,  I  see  women  hurrying  along  the 
white,  slippery  street,  wrapping  close  around 
them  whatever  of  woolen  and  furs  they  have 
on — often  alas!  too  scanty,  though  every 
one  here  wears  furs — to  shield  themselves, 
as  much  as  may  be,  from  the  keen  bitter 
wind,  that  drives  the  snow  and  ice  before  it, 
through  an  atmosphere  wherein  the  thermo- 
meter stands  at  so  many  degrees  below  zero, 
that  I  am  afraid  to  mention  it  to  the — com- 
paratively speaking — "  sunny  south"  deni-' 
zens  of  the  cities  of  Brotherly  Loves,  Monu- 
ments, Magnificent  Distances,  and  wherever 
else  southward  Sherman  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  Bulletin  have  by  this  time  pen- 
etrated ; — and  when  they  get  to  the  door  they 
push  in — the  bolder  and  more  demonstrative 
of  them,  for  some  of  them  are  timid  and  quiet 
-^with  such  a  hasty  scrambling  stamp  of 
their  snow-covered  feet,  and  such  a  sharp 
clicking  snap  of  the  latch,  as  shows  that 
they  grudge  every  half-moment  outside, 
when  they  can  get  inside.  And  when  they 
get  inside  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  hoods 
and  woolen  wrappings  become  gradually 
thrown  back  and  loosened,  for  a  huo-e  stove 
the  like  of  which  for  dimensions  is  quite 


910 


The  Sanitary  Gommiiswn  Bulletin. 


unknown  to  the  ordinary  purlieus  of  tlie 
sunny-southward  places  before-mentioned, 
radiates  a  most  grateful  warmth  all  through 
the  large  long  room ;  nor  is  it  any  wonder 
that  their  faces  soon  become  thawed  and 
their  features  unpuckered(  for  in  the  midst 
of  them — by  this  time  their  numbers  have 
increased  to  quite  a  little  multitude,  some 
sixty  I  should  say  without  counting — sits 
a  little  group  of  "  elect  ladies,"  with  looks 
and  tones  of  welcome  for  them ;  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  elect  ladies  sits  the  one  who 
not  only^ — like  others  perhaps  among  them — 
gives  all  her  days,  and  sometimes  sleepless 
nights  to  the  Wisconsin  Soldiers'  Aid  Soci- 
ety, but  who,  two  or  three  months  ago, 
braving  railroad  smashes,  Mosby's  guerrillas 
and  all  other  perils  of  the  road,  journeyed 
all  alone  to  Washington,  and  by  her  Napo- 
leonic tactics  50  softened  the  hearts  of  the 
stem  officials  of  the  Quartermaster's  De- 
partment— no,  for  it  is  too  serious  a  matter 
for  jesting — by  her  graphic  representations 
of  these  very  women  now  before  me,  sol- 
diers' wives  or  widows,  waiting  for  back 
pay  or  pension,  through  months  and  some- 
times for  over  a  year,  with  the  "  hope  de- 
ferred that  maketh  the  heart  sick,"  waiting 
on  such  days  as  this  with  hungry  children 
cowering  round  her  fireless  hearth ;  by  the 
power  of  truth  and  her  pathetic  delineations 
of  the  alternative  if  the  boon  were  refused, 
of  great  and  unavoidable  suffering  among 
the  families  whose  providers  had  abandoned 
home  ties  for  the  wider  circle  of  duty, 
which  at  every  point  touches  hardship, 
danger  and  death,  obtained  a  Government 
contract  for  the  making  up  of  soldiers' 
underclothes,  and  it  is  by  the  work  and 
pay  afforded  them  in  sewing  these  clothes, 
that  these  poor  women  get  the  tea  to  soften 
their  bread,  and  the  salt  to  flavor  their  chil- 
dren's potatoes.  Would  that  a  new  contract 
cottld  be  obtained  every  week  or  two,  and 
then  they  might  now  and  then  add  sugar 
to  their  tea,  and  meat  to  their  potatoes. 

But  a  more  important  work  still  is  done 
for  these  poor  women  and  their  children  by 
these  ladies,  and  that  is,  in  securing  for  them 
the  County  and  State  money  allowed  by 
the  laws  of  the  State  to  the  families  of  sol- 
diers in  tlje  field,  but  which  most  of  them 
are  too  uneducated — at  least  in  English,  for 
the  Tuetonic  element  largely  prevails — to 
get  for  themselves,  and  are  thus  left  to  the 
long  delays  of  uninterested  persons  who 
make  only  a  matter  of  business  of  their 
affairs;  or  still  worse,  become  a  prey  to 


sharpers  and  those  wicked  ones  who  "  de- 
vour widows'  houses"  and  "  afflict  \  the 
fatherless  child."  In  this  room  in  fact  is 
a  branch  bureau  of  the  great  and  beneficent 
Special  Relief  System  of  the  Commission, 
and  it  has  been  organized  by  and  is  carried 
on  under  the  instructions  of  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  Wisconsin,  an  ex-Gleneral,  who 
has  given  an  arm  and  his  health  to  the  cause, 
and  knows  how  to  sympathize  with  his  old 
comrades,  both  in  their  anxieties  of  the 
field  and  of  their  homes.  Over  this  bureau 
presides  the  wife  of  an  eminent  judge,  and 
the  ermine  certainly  loses  nothing  of  its  pu; 
rity  and  dignity  when  it  covers  such  workers, 
and  shields  such  work  as  this.  On  the  table 
before  her  lie,  numerous  blanks,  which  are 
rapidly  being  filled  in,  by  herself  and  her 
assistant — who,  as  interpreter,  exchanges 
the  soft  tones  of  her  native  Castilian  for 
English  and  for  the  still  more  gutteral  Ger- 
man— and  as  fast  as  they  are  signed  (or " 
marked)  by  the  claimants,  they  are  laid 
together  to  be  forwarded  to  Madison,  the 
capitol  of  the  State,  for  official  action.  By 
their  side  lies  a  pile  of  bank  checks,  the 
fruit  of  former  papers  of  the  same  kind, 
substantiating  similar  claims  to  payment  of 
State  dues.  You  should  see  how  that  poor 
German  woman's  square  heavy  face,  redden- 
ed by  the  frost  and  hardened  by  poverty 
and  anxiety,  refines  and  lightens  up,  as  the 
stuff  for  the  garment  is  put  into  her  hands; 
or  better  still,  the  price  of  those  she  brings 
back  is  handed  to  her  to  be  exchanged  for 
some  little  article  of  necessity,  or  to  her 
luxury  for  herself  or  child ;  or  still  better, 
as  the  pen  is  put  into  her  finger  for  the  stiff, 
angular,  black-letter-like  German  signature 
that  looks  so  hard  and  crabbed  to  Ehglish- 
scrip-reading  eyes,  or  is  guided  over  the 
paper  to  form  the  cross  which  indicates 
"  her  mark,"  which  mark,  simple  as  it  is, 
is  the  "open  sesame"  to  a  Golconda  of 
several  greenbacks;  or  best  of  all,  as  the 
sundry  dollars  collected  on  a  check  in  her 
favor  b  consigned  to  the  depths  of  her 
glove,  her  handkerchief  or  her  pocket. 
What  a  pity  she  can't  lay  dowh  her  cross 
once  for  all  when  putting  it  on  paper,  and 
that  she  can't  get  a  check  cashed  every 
week  without  having  to  bear  it ! 

Thus,  here  in  the  far  North- West,  one 
lays  one's  hand,  amid  the  ice  and  snow,  on 
one  point  of  the  circumference  of  that  same 
vast  circle  (its  stupendeousness  and  benefi- 
cence not  realized  perhaps  even  by  its  own 
central  workers)  which,  alive  with  deeds  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


911 


charity  at  every  point  within  its  euperfioes, 
throws  out  its  magnetic  wires  laden  with 
messages  of  love  and  its  tracks  freighted 
with  good  cheer,  and  from  this  and  every 
other  available  spot  of  its  periphery,  from 
the  frozen  North  to  the  burning  South, 
from  the  malarious  levee  of  the  father  of 
waters  to  the  long  bleak  reaches  of  the 
Atlantic  coast,  untouched,  let  us  hope  for 
permanent  harm  by  the  sectarian  envyings 
of  its  enemies  without,  or  by  the  local  jeal- 
ousies of  its  friends  within,  or  by  manifold 
other  infirmities  within  and  without,  and 
which,  let  us  also  hope,  will  be  used  to  the 
end  as  a  potent  instrument  of  the  Almighty 
■  for  the  staying  of  the  famine  and  thirst,  the 
covering  of  the  nakedness,  and  the  healing 
of  the  wounds  and  fevers  of  the  battle-field, 
during  the  evil  days  of  the  civil  war ;  and, 
by  the  memories  of  its  impartial  beneficence, 
for  the  blotting  out  of  old  scars  and  feuds, 
and  the  cementing  of  National  Brotherhood 
in  the  glad  time  that  shall  come  after  it. 
Truly  yours, 

Alfred  J.  Blooe. 


A  NEW  "HOME"  AT  PADUCAH,  KY. 

On  Monday,  November  21,  a  new  Sani- 
tary Commission  "  Home"  was  opened  at 
Paducah,  Ky.,  for  the  reception  of  soldiers 
in  need  of  temporary  shelter  and  food. 

Its  need  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the 
first  day  120  meals  were  given,  30  men 
coming  in  "  before  rations  c^d  be  fur- 
nished." During  the  first  six  days  946 
meals  were  given,  beside  many  men  fur- 
nished with  lodgings,  and  the  attentions 
given  to  the  sick. 

Thus,  at  another  point,  the  beneficent  love 
of  the  people  is  reaching  the  needy  soldiers 
in  the  field ;  and  in  no  way  does  this  love 
have  a  more  practical  expression  than  in 
these  "  Homes,"  where  the  hungry  find 
food,  the  homeless  find  shelter,  and  the 
weary  find  rest. 

ANNAPOLIS. 
BT  J.   ADDISON   WHITAKER. 

I  herewith  respectfully  present  my  report 
for  this  District,  for  the  week  ending  Nov. 
26,  1864. 

OFFICE. 

I  have  expended  $89  50,  as  you  will  see 
by  reference  to  statement.  Paper  A,  for- 
warded to  B.  Collins,  Esq.,  Assistant  Trea- 
'  surer,  New  York. 


I  have  received,  issued  and  have  on  hand 
stores  as  stated  in  Paper  B. 

In  view  of  expected  arrival,  and  at  last 
(Thursday)  the  arrival  of  paroled  prisoners, 
we  have  been  engaged  in  preparation  for 
their  reception.  This  work,  however,  has 
not  in  any  way  interfered  with  the  regular 
"  office  duties,"  which  from  the  fact  that 
the  District  has  been  pretty  well  cleaned 
out  by  furloughs,  and  the  return  of  conva- 
lescents to  their  regiments  or  other  hospi- 
tals to  make  way  for  the  paroled  men,  have 
not  been  so  pressing  as  heretofore.  As  it 
may  interest  you  to  have  some  idea  of  our 
office  duties,  even  in  the  lull  of  business,  I 
present  a  copy  of  my  journal  for  three 
days,  viz. : 

November  21. — Office  opened  at  9  a.m. 
Large  number  of  soldier*  called  for  blanks 
for  commutation  of  rations.  Eeports  for 
week  ending  19th  inst.  from  Camp  Parole, 
hospitals  and  office  sent  by  mail.  Furnish- 
ed two  destitute  ambulance  drivers  with 
shoes  and  shirts.  Call  from  Chaplain  Ham- 
mond, St.  John's  College  hospital  about 
printing  for  office,  and  requesting  my  at- 
tendance during  his  absence  at  funerals. 
Letter  from  John  Bowne  inquiring  of 
Hugh  O'Brien*  a  soldier.  Lady  called; 
she  arrived  this  morning,  found  her  hus- 
band dead  and  buried ;  furnished  her  with 
the  necessary  blanks  for  widow's  pension, 
&c. ;  sent  her  in  conveyance  to  the  Soldiers' 
Burial  Ground  to  visit  the  grave  of  her 
husband;  she  was  much  distressed  and 
shed  tears  of  real  sorrow;  took  her  meals  at 
"  Home,"  and  expressed  great  gratitude  to 
the  Commission. 

November  22. — Weather  cold  and  snow- 
ing. Furnished  two  destitute  soldiers  with 
one  pair  shoes,  two  pairs  socks  and  two 
pairs  mittens.  Two  ladies  from  Baltimore 
called  to  obtain  information  in  regard  to 
balance  of  Maryland  State  Bounty  due  de- 
ceased relatives;  they  were  informed  how 
to  proceed,  and  were  successful  in  obtaining 
the  money.  Two  agents  of  the  Christian 
Commission  called  on  business.  Applica- 
tions for  towels  and  handkerchiefs;  none 
on  hand.  Letter  from  Dr.  Palmer,  sur- 
geon-in-charge,  St.  John's  College  hospital, 
requesting  attendance  at  burial  of  soldier. 
Letter  from  Dr.  Bacon,  surgeon-in-charge 
Annapolis  Junction  Hospital,  asking  sup- 
plies for  Thanksgiving  dinner  for  soldiers. 
Sent  him  meal,  corn  starch,  also  keg  of  fresh 
oysters.  Many  calls  from  soldiers  for  ap- 
plication for  commutation  of  rations  while 


912 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


in  prison.  Forwarded  four  certificates 
for  New  York  State  Bounty  for  soldiers. 
Sent  stores  to  Camp  Parole.  Letter  from 
A.  B.  Clapp  inquiring  about  his  son. 

November  23. — Renewed  cards  for  ad- 
mission at  "  Home"  for  three  ladies.  Call 
from  Ohio  State  Agent;  our  interview  was 
very  agreeable,  explained  our  manner  of  con- 
ducting business,  &c. ;  was  much  interested 
and  seemed  to  appreciate  the  efforts  of  the 
Commission  and  its  great  usefulness;  was 
thankful  for  information  given  him,  and 
expressed  himself  much  obliged.  Several 
calls  from  soldiers  asking  assistance  in  col- 
lecting commutation  of  rations,  &c. 

Thursday,  flag  of  truce  boats  began  to 
arrive.  Blackstone  565,  Atlantic  660  and 
44  deaths,  Gen.  Sedgwick  505,  Weyhossett 
500,  Herman  Livingston  755  and  2  deaths. 
Others  are  looked  for  daily,  and  unless 
Gren.  Sherman  has  interfered  with  the  ex- 
change, (and  it  is  intimated  he  has,)  we 
shall  soon  have  a  much  larger  number  than 
can  be  comfortably  accommodated  here. 
Many  of  them  are  in  a  very  destitute  con- 
dition. 

The  Government  oflScers,  I  believe,  have 
done  all  they  could  do  to  promptly  meet 
the  wants  of  the  sufferers,  we  have  worked 
a  helping  hand  as  usual,  and  I  trust  not  in 
vain.  Towels  and  needles  are  now  the 
only  things  we  are  in  need  of.  Our  agents 
are  active  in  rendering  much  assistance  at 
their  several  stations.  Camp  Parole  is  fill- 
ing up,  and  our  work  is  being  steadily  pro- 
secuted by  our  agents  there.  Mr.  Miller, 
hospital  visitor,  is  also  busy,  and  has 
promptly  met  every  boat  on  its  arrival. 
The  "  Home"  is  quite  empty,  but  no  doubt 
shall  have  a  krge  number  of  visitors  soon. 
My  report  is  nastily  sketched  on  account  of 
a  number  of  interruptions. 

BY  MKS.  S.  L.  PHILLIPS  AND  MISS  ALMA  CART. 

Camp  Parole,  Dec.  2,  1864. 

Our  usually  quiet  and  orderly  encamp- 
ment has  been  the  scene  of  unwonted  acti- 
vity and  excitement  for  the  last  few  days, 
owing  to  the  arrival  of  the  thousands  of 
prisoners  from  the  Charnel  House,  at  An- 
dersonville.  Commission  Agents,  as  well 
as  Grovernment  officials  of  every  grade,  have 
been  occupied  in  caring  for  these,  our  un- 
fortunate fellow-countrymen,  who  came  back 
to  us  living  skeletons,  monuments  of  the 
inhuman  barbarity  instituted  or  counte- 
nanced by  "  Southern  chivalry."  They  will 
soon  constitute  a  majority  in  our  crowded 


hospital  wards,  and .  may  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished by  their  lean  visage  and  peculiar 
complexion.  Their  condition  calls  for  our 
deepest  sympathy,  and  their  united  testi- 
mony fully  corroberates  the  different  and 
repeated  portrayals  in  our  public  journals,  of 
their  untold  sufferings.  When  conversing 
with  them,  their  eyes  often  fill  with  tears,  as 
they  say,  "  0 !  it  can  never  be  told,  no 
language  can  express  our  suffering;  could 
we  tell  all,  it  would  not  be  believed.  It  is 
scarcely  possible  to  exaggerate  them,"  etc. 

We  were  interested  in  an  account  given 
by  a  young  man  of  Philadelphia,  of  a  po- 
litical meeting  held  in  the  "  Stockade,"  as 
they  term  the  "  pen"  into  which  they 
were  crowded  like  herds  of  cattle,  where 
someof  our  men  spoke  boldly  and  eloquently, 
for  the  Union  and  our  noble  President,  in 
the  hearing  of  some  Rebel  officers,  who  had 
given  permission  for  a  discussion  between 
the  two  parties,  and  when  the  vote  was 
taken  in  that  dismal  place,  where  they  had 
been  told  our  Government  led  them  to  die, 
a  large  majority  was  given  for  the  Union. 
All  who  are  not  too  ill,  seem  overjoyed  at 
their  deliverance,  and  speak  of  their  present 
condition  as  almost  a  paradise.  They  usu- 
ally express  fervent  thanks  for  the  least 
contribution  to  their  comfort.  Some  are 
beyond  the  reach  of  human  aid.  To  speak 
a  few  words  of  sympathy,  to  furnish  a  little 
cordial,  to  receive  last  messages  for  absent 
dear  ones,  to  point  to  the  ever  present 
Almighty  Eriend,  who  alone  can  go  with 
them  thrc^gfe  the  dark  valley;  to  write 
and  repea^he  sad  tale  to  absent  friends,  is 
in  many  cases,  all  that  is  left  for  your 
agents  to  do.  One  of  these  died  the  next 
day  after  coming  to  this  section,  others  must 
follow  soon,  and,  as  one  of  their  number 
expressed  it,  "  Oh !  what  multitudes  are 
ruined  for  life,  who  mayye't  survive." 

But  it  is  hoped  that  in  many  cases,  these 
afflictions  "  will  work  out  for  them  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory"  in  a  future  life. 

Camp  Parole  Hospital,  1 
December  9,  1864.      / 

Although  the  past  week  has  been  one  of 
deeply  painful  interest  here,  we  can  but  re- 
iterate the  oft-repeated  tale  of  suffering, 
death  and  sorrow,  yet  now  intermingling 
with  the  untold  joys  of  deliverance  from 
cruel  bondage ;  and  with  the  more  favored 
ones — the  anticipation  of  a  speedy  reunion 
with  loved  ones  at  home,  by  many  of  whom 
the  ransomed  will  be  received  as  life  from 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


913 


the  dead.  Our  wards  in  this  section  are 
becoming  crowded  with  the  newly  arrived; 
but,  alas,  many  only  come  to  die — six  have 
gone  to  their  long  home  during  the  week. 
One  who  had  been  a  sailor,  a  German  by 
birth,  only  lived  long  enough  to  leave  a 
noble  and  precious  dying  testimony,  for 
which  he  had  to  be  repeatedly  aroused  from 
the  stupor  of  death.  "  God,"  he  said,  "had 
been  with  him  by  sea  and  by  land — his 
only  refuge  in  all  his  afflictions."  Again 
and  again  he  blessed  Him  for  all  His  mer- 
cies, particularly  in  bringing  him  here  to 
die,  among  the  kind  friends  of  the  soldier 
and  the  Union — while  his  peaceful  and 
radiant  countenance  told  more  than  words 
could  express. 

Much  sympathy  has  been  excited  for  a 
very  young  soldier  boy,  who,  after  several 
weeks  had  become  convalescent,  and  was 
anticipating  a  visit  home,  but  was  again 
prostrated  by  fell  disease,  and  suddenly 
passed  away — it  is  hoped  to  be  with  Christ, 
as  he  expressed  trust  in  Him.  A  severe 
case  of  typhoid  fever  was  watched  with 
much  solicitude  for  several  days;  while  the 
patient  endurance  and  calm  trust  spoke  a 
soul  at  peace  with  God.  Nor  was  this  all. 
"  Tell  my  mother,"  said  the  noble  sufferer, 
as  death  drew  nigh,  "  not  to  mourn  for  me — 
I  die  happy;  I  hope  to  meet  her  in  heaven 
at  the  great  day;  and  I  hope  this  wicked  re- 
hetlion  will  soon  be  ended."  ■  While  the 
heart  sickens  at  scenes  like  these  almost 
daily  repeated,  it  is  a  fact  that  calls  for  fer- 
vent gratitude  to  God,  that  in  a  majoi'ity 
of  cases,  thus  suddenly  taken,  have  given 
precious  evidence  of  having  been  only 
trans/erred  to  that  world  of  light  and  love 
where  pain  and  sorrow  never  come.  And 
in  recording  them,  we  do  not  forget  that 
they  are  far  exceeded  in  intensity  of  woe 
by  scenes  daily  transpiring  in  the  neighbor- 
in'g  city,  to  say  nothing  of  the  hundreds 
that  died  daily,  uncalled  for,  except  by 
the  compassiona,te  Redeemer- — amid  those 
scenes  of  revolting  cruelty — which  seem  to 
beggar  description,  the  remembrance  of 
which  will  ever  remain  a  foul  blot  even  on 
the  Confederacy;  and  which  it  would  seem 
must  arouse  the  indignation  of  every  Chris- 
tian or  patriot  in  our  land. 

BY  C.  F.  HOWES. 

Annapolis,  Md.,  Bee.  10,  1864. 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
as  my  report  for  the  week  ending  Decem- 
ber 10,  1864. 
Vol,  I.  No.  29  SST 


In  assuming  the  responsibilities  of  the 
Sanitary  work  in  this  district,  so  faithfully 
superintended  by  my  predecessor,  I  find  a 
very  large  field  of  labor.  The  destitute  con- 
dition of  a  large  number  of  returned  prison- 
ers, who  have  arrived  the  past  week,  and 
the  constant  demand  upon  the  Commission 
for  supplies,  prove  how  well  adapted  are  its 
arrangements  for  meeting  their  wants.  The 
Sanitary  Commission  is  well  represented 
when  the  several  boats  arrive,  and  the  sur- 
geons render  every  possible  facility  to  aid 
our  agents  in  their  work,  and  often  express 
their  appreciation  of  our  efforts.  740 
prisoners  arrived  to  day.  Every  man  has 
been  supplied  with  a  towel,  handkerchief, 
comb,  needles,  thread,  paper,  pencils,  and 
had  his  palate  tickled  wi|^  a  few  goodies 
from  the  Sanitary  Commission  storehouse. 
There  is  no  limit  to  the  variety  of  assistance 
we  give  these  men. 

The  New  England  Womans'  Auxiliary 
Association  deserves  special  mention  for  the 
timely  arrival  of  towels  and  handkerchiefs 
to  meet  an  immediate  demand.  For  hospi- 
tal divisions  No.  1  and  2, 1  would  refer  you 
to  Mr.  Miller's  report.  Here  I  would 
speak  of  the  valuable  infiuence  of  Mrs.  Dr. 
Parrish,  exerted  among  the  sick  and  wounded 
in  the  various  hospital  wards  of  this  city. 
The  kind  and  cheering  words  at  the  bedside 
of  the  suffering  forms,  and  the  many  letters 
of  affection  written  by  her  to  long  absent 
and  loved  ones  at  home,  caused  tears  of  joy 
to  .flow  from  eyes  that  had  long  seen  suffer- 
ing, and  such  expressions  of  gratitude  as  come 
only  from  lips  livid  with  months  of  terrible 
suffering.  One  of  the  men  informed  me  that 
when  be  saw  her  entering  his  ward,  he  com- 
menced to  pray  that  she  would  come  to  his 
bedside  and  talk  to  him  of  friends  and  home. 

The  "  Home"  has  been  crowded  to  its  ut- 
most capacity.  Thus  far,  none  have  been 
turned  away.  Joy  and  sorrow,  rejoicing 
and  mourning,  fill  its  cheerful  halls.  '  Our 
little  matron,  Mrs.  Sayres,  m&kes  every  one 
around  her  happy,  and  the  admirable  con- 
dition of  the  "  Home"  shows  that  her  heart 
is  in  the  work.*  All  who  share  its  hospital- 
ities return  to  their  homes  overflowing  with 
"  Sanitary,"  saying,  "  I  now  see  some  of 
the  avenues  through  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  reach  the  needy  and  destitute." 

CAMP  PAROLE. 

The  importance  of  our  work  at   Camp 

Parole  will  be  seen  by  Mr.  Batchelor's  report. 

Thesystem  of  paying  and  giving  furloughs 


914 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  the  men,  is  now  very  complete.  It  has 
been  found  necessary  to  retain  the  men 
several  days  in  camp  before  attempting  to 
pay  them,  because  with  money  many -would 
injure  their  health  and  even  endanger  their 
lives,  by  eating  improper  food. 

Captain  Davis,  who  first  cares  for  the  men 
after  their  arrival,  informs  me  that  Jamaica 
ginger,  mixed  in  stewed  apples,  is  beneficial 
for  their  first  few  meals ;  bpth  of  the  above 
articles  we  have  furnished  him  in  sufficient 
quantity. 

I  have  found  it  necessary  to  make  further 
claims  for  commutation  of  rations.  The 
men  are  now  mustered  for  this  and  sub- 
sequently paid.  Enquiring  letters  for 
friends  among  the  exchanged  prisoners  are 
numerous,  and  daily  increasing  in  number. 
When  no  positive  information  can  be  ob- 
tained of  their  condition,  the  name,  com- 
pany, and  regiment  are  registered  (with  ad- 
dress of  enquirer)  in  this  office,  and  the 
search  is  renewed  upon  the  arrival  of  each 
subsequent  boat.  I  may  say  our  work  is 
moving  smoothly  on,  with  no  jarring  notes 
of  discord. 

BY   JAMES  BATCHELOR. 

Annapolis,  Md.,  Dec.  3,  1864. 

I  herewith  respectfully  offer  my  report 
for  the  week  ending  at  date. 

This  has  been  an  unusually  busy  week  on 
all  hands,  as  about  three  thousand  prisoners 
from  Savannah  have  arrived  in  camp.  My 
two  assistants  have,  together  with  myself, 
been  kept  so  busy  on  the  days  of  the  arrival 
of  the  men,  that  we  have  scarcely  had  time 
to  obtain  our  meals.  The  men  were  in  a 
terrible  condition,  and  the  combs,  towels, 
handkerchiefs,  &c.,  which  were  distributed 
to  them  came  in  very  good  use.  The  worst 
cases  were  put  in  Section  D.  When  they 
found  what  good  quarters  they  were  to  be 
placed  in,  viz.,  a  bunk  with  a  straw  bed, 
they  were  well  pleased,  and  two  of  them 
told  me  that  it  was  like  getting  into  heaven, 
compared  with  their  accommodations,  or 
rather  want  of  accommodations  just  before. 
One  man  told  me  that  he  should  never 
again  complain  of  the  common  troubles  of 
life,  as  they  were  nothing  in  comparison 
with  what  was  endured  in  the  rebel  lines. 
And  then  their  expressions  of  gratitude 
were  refreshing,  after  the  sullenness  and 
ingratitude  of  the  professional  bummers, 
who  are  often  heard  complaining  of  their 
lot.  I  have  distributed  a  number  of  shirts 
to  sick  men  who  could  not  endure  the  Gov- 
ernment shirts.     Three-fourths  of  the  men 


are  sick  with  the  scurvy,  and  many  of  them 
cannot  eat  the  food  furnished  them.  Such 
cases  I  supplied  with  crackers,  and  to  some 
who  were  not  allowed  coffee,  I  gave  tea. 
To-day  fourteen  hundred  men  came  in,  and 
as  they  missed  their  dinner,  I  sent  a  man 
who  distributed  several  baskets  of  crackers 
among  them. 

From  Section  A  comes  the  report  of  a 
busy  week;  and  a  description,  which  though 
vivid,  can  convey  only  a  small  idea  of  the 
condition  and  sufferings  of  the  hospital  pa- 
tients. Several  deaths  have  occurred  already, 
and  it  seems  probable  that  a  great  majority 
of  the  new  cases  cannot  live. 

The  surgeon-in-charge  wishes  me  to  furn- 
ish him  with  a  quantity  of  "  pickled  cab- 
bage" for  the  scurvy  cases  in  the  hospital. 
As  he  cannot  buy  the  article,  I  would  re- 
commend that  it  should  be  furnished  him. 


PEACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 
BY  EEV.  J.  A.  ANDERSON. 

In  Christ's  description  of  the  last  judg- 
ment we  find  not  a  word  concerning  the 
belief  which  guides  an  action,  but  teeming 
paragraphs  concerning  the  actions  them- 
selves. He  is  silent  as  to  the  intellectuali- 
ties, so  to  speak,  of  religion ;  but  vivid  and 
pungent  respecting  the  deeds  of  religion. 
The  vigor  and  sweep  of  his  utterances, 
labor  to  express  themselves  in  such  words 
as  these : — "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom :  For  I  was  ahungered, 
and  ye  gave  me  meat;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye 
gave  me  drink;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye 
took  me  in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I 
was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  in  prison, 
and  ye  came  unto  me.  Verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto 
one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethern,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me." 

We  would,  by  no  means,  have  it  infer- 
red that  the  intellectualities  of  religion  are 
unimportant ;  but  would  only  guard  against 
that  tendency,  in  the  minds  of  some,  which 
elevates  theology  above  practice;  and  which 
does  not  deem  those  organizations  that 
abound  in  the  practice  of  religion  to  be 
as  christian  and  as  praiseworthy,  as  those 
which  teach  the  intellectualities  of  religion. 
G-iving  a  man  directions  how  he  shall 
thread  his  way  across  the  vast  Plains  to  the 
Pacific,  is  one  thing,  and  an  important 
thing;  but  dotting  tho-se  Plains  with 
"  Homes,"  where  he  shall  find  lodging,  food, 
rest,  and  clothing,  is,  to  say  the  least,  quite 
as  important,  and  quite  as  christian.  ' 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


915 


.  These  thoughts  were  suggested  by  the 
numbers  of  lodgings  and  meals  that  were 
given  to  the  men  who  are  fighting  the  fierce 
battles  of  God's  truth,  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, in  its  "Soldiers'  Homes"  at  Louis- 
ville and  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.-;  Jefiiersonville 
and  New  Albany,  Ind. ;  Cairo,  111. ;  Nash- 
ville and  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  New  Or- 
leans, La.     For  October,  the  figures  are  : 

Lodgings.  Meals. 

Louisville,  28,203,  84,609. 

Camp  Nelson,  12,495,  34,882. 

New  Albany,  862,  3,209. 

Cairo,  3,425,       *       15,701. 

Nashville,  9,603,  32,023. 

Memphis,  1,203,  4,358. 

New  Orleans,  5,753,  16,879. 


• 

61,544. 

190,661. 

For  the  month  of  November : 

• 

Lodgings. 

Meals. 

Louisville, 

33,449, 

100,347. 

Camp  Nelson, 

8,556, 

17,358. 

Jeffersonville, 

1,511, 

2,743. 

Cairo, 

5,9&1, 

20,762. 

Nashville, 

15,020, 

49,961. 

Memphis, 

1,140, 

4,048. 

New  Orleans, 

7,306, 

20,408. 

72,963.  215,627. 

The  soldiers  of  our  armies  have  come  to 
these  Homes  in  all  conditions  of  health  or 
sickness;  of  hunger,  thirst,  or  raiment;  of 
all  nativities,  languages  and  complexions ; 
enlisted  under  the4)anner  of  every  State, 
yet  fighting  under  the  broad  standard  of  all 
the  States;  and  whether  near  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi, 
the  Cumberland,  or  the  Ohio,  or  on  the 
hills  trod  by  Daniel  Boone,  have  been  fed ; 
have  been  put  to  sleep  in  clean  beds ;  have 
been  clad,  when  clothing  was  necessary; 
have  bad  their  wounds  dressed,  or  their 
brows  bathed  as  the  interminable  hours  of 
a  feverish  night  dragged  by;  have  been 
transported  to  the  proper  depots ;  forwarded 
on  their  way  to  another  "  Home,"  thence  to 
another,  and  finally  to  their  friends ;  while 
couriers  have  been  sent  in  charge  of  the 
sickest;  and  money  has  been  furnished  the 
neediest.  Is  such  a  work  as  "  Christian," 
in  the  sight  of  the  full-hearted  Father,  as 
is  the  distribution  of  tracts? 

Between  twenty  and  thirty  Soldiers' 
Homes,  placed  by  the  Sanitary  Commission 
all  over  the  land,  from  North  to  South,  and 
West  to  East,  at  centres  where  they  are  most 
needed,  are  in  daily  and  nightly  operation. 


By  these  seven,  we  find  that  in  October 
2,052  lodgings  were  given  each  night,  and 
6,356  meals  each  day.  In  November, 
2,423  lodging.?  were  given  each  night,  and 
7,187  meals  were  given  each  day. 

At  this  ratio,  these  seven  Homes  furnish, 
in  one  year,  807,042  lodgings,  and  2,437,728 
meals. 

How  many  lodgings  and  meals  have  been 
given  by  all  the  Homes  during  the  past 
year  cannot  now  be  stated ;  but  the  aggre- 
gates are  large. 

Arrangements  are  being  perfected,  by 
which  the  Bulletin  and  Reporter  will  be 
able  to  make  monthly  publications  of  these 
and  similiar  facts.  And  when  the  public 
does  know  all  that  is  being  done  by  the 
people  through  the  U.  S.^Sanitury  Com- 
mission, we  shall  hear  fewer  objections  con- 
cerning its  management. 


"HTJUGET,  AHD  YE  FED  ME." 
The  Sanitary  Commission  does  not  con- 
fine its  efforts  to  one  locality,  and  then  seek 
to  leave  the  impression  upon  the  community 
that  said  efforts  and  said  locality  are  to  be 
taken  as  average  specimens  of  its  work.  The 
world,  generally,  would  consider  such  a 
course  as  dishonorable;  and  the  church, 
generally,  would  term  it  as  dishonest. 

From  the  old  "  dark  and  bloody  ground," 
the  following  report  is  wafted  to  us;  and 
while  it  will  serve  to  show  that  the  efforts 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  are  not  con- 
fined to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  it  will, 
also,  which  is  better,  show  that  the  brave 
soldiers  under  Major  Generals  Stoneman  and 
Burbridge,  are  made  comfortable  through 
its  instrumentality. 

S0J.DIBE3'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  I 
Dec.  1,  1864.  | 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Dear  Sir  : — I  herewith  subjoin  states 
ment  of  our  work  at  the  "  Home,"  for  the 
month  of  November,  1864. 

Meals,  17,35s.  Lodgings,  8,556. 
.  The  peculiar  situation  of  the  "  Home," 
in  a  camp  controlled  almost  entirely  by  the 
rules  of  uncertainty  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  calculation,  renders  our' work  inevitably 
spasmodic  and  undefined.    ' 

If  the  day  is  dull,  and  only  a  few  sol- 
diers call  for  the  ever  ready  meal,  the  eve- 
ning, and  perchance  the  late  houra.  of  the 


916 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


night,  will  surely  bring  us  scores,  and  fre 
quently  hundreds  of  hungry  and  weary  men- 

Often,  when  our  business  horizon  is  clou- 
ded, and  we  think  there  is  very  little  work 
in  store  for  us  until  to-morrow,  a  breeze  is 
stirred,  and  a  cloud  of  candidates  for  our 
bounties  is  blown  suddenly  upon  us.  Then 
comes  the  most  grateful  sensation  which  pre- 
vails every  where,  throughout  dining  hall, 
kiichen,  and  wards;  the  "Home"  detail 
cheerily  throwing  off  the  oppression  of 
ennui,  and  hasten  cheerily  to  their  work. 

The  Commissary,  always  happiest  when 
hurrying  after  rations,  prefers,  even  at  mid- 
night, his  work  rather  than  his  bed ;  and 
goes  willingly  in  quest  of  the  Government 
bakery  and  butchery. 

Our  rule  is  to  keep  on  hand  a  reasonable 
supply  of  fresh  beef  and  bread,  but  we  are 
sometimes  surprised,  when  cautious  not  to 
draw  more  than  we  may  use  while  they  are 
fresh ;  hence,  the  necessity  for  these  noc- 
turnal visits  to  the  bakery,  &e. 

Such  was  the  case  on  the  evening  of  the 
Nov.  23.  All  our  men,  and  sundry  friends, 
had  interested  themselves  in  ornamenting 
our  dining  hall  with  cedar  and  shrubbery, 
and  making  the  arrangements  for  a  thanks- 
giving dinner.  The  day  had  otherwise  been 
quiet,  but  at  nightfall  a  large  representation 
of  three  regiments,  53d,  54th,  and  55th  Ky., 
with  members  of  other  regiments,  in  tran- 
suti,  came  suddenly  for  supper,  when  we 
readily  "dropped  our  preparations  for  the 
morrow,  leaving  it  to  care  for  itself,  while 
we  hurried  ourselves  about  the  demands 
of  the  present.  As  several  hundreds  had 
to  be  fed,  our  supper  continued  until  after 
midnight,  for  the  men  had  been  without 
rations  since  early  morning,  and  were  un- 
provided with  cooking  utensils. 

The  preparation  of  food  continued  all 
night.  Breakfast  began  at  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning  and  continued  until  thrde 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Without  the  least 
intermission ;  after  which,  the  troops  march- 
ed thankfully  away  to  meet  the  rebels  un- 
der Breckenridge  or  any  other  man. 

The  rush  of  business  has  been  so  great 
for  the  past  twenty-two  hours  that  our 
effective  force  was  entirely  worn  out,  and 
there  was  scarcely  enough  energy  left  to 
enable  us  to  enter  fully  upon  the  thanks- 
giving feast.  However,  under  the  manage- 
ment of 'Mrs.  Butler,  a  company  of  three 
hundred  soldiers  sat  down  at  six  o'clock,  to 
a  bountiful  supper  of  turkeys,  chickens, 
■cakes,  fraits,  vegetables,  &o.  Revs.  Schofield 


and  Vitters  delivered  happily  conceived 
speeches,  and  remarks  abounded  from  sol- 
diers and  their  friends.  The  entertainment 
was  highly  satisfactory,  and  was  truly  an 
oasis  in  the  life  of  the  soldier. 

The  decorations  and  arrangements  of  the 
dining  hall  were  very  tastefully  made,  and 
in  the  fulness  of  lamp-light  appeared  like 
the  elegance  of  a  similar  entertainment  at 
home.  Very  respectfully, 

Thomas  Butlee. 


ONE  HTTNDSED  AND  FIFTY  TEAKS  AGO. 

BBOOEliYii,  Dee.  9,  1864. 
During  a  recent  appeal  to  the  loyal  women 
of  Brooklyn  for  old  linen  for  the  wounded 
soldiers,  among  other  responses  we  re- 
ceived the  following  note,  accompanying  a 
donation  of  linen  bearing  the  marks  of  age. 
Thinking  it  may  be  interesting  to  others 
as  it  was  to  ourselves,  we  send  it  for  the 
readers  of  the  Bulletin.  K.  W. 

"  Friends  op  the  Relief  Commis- 
sion : — It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  you 
to  know,  that  some  of  the  pieces  of  old 
linen  left  by  me  at  your  office  this  morning 
are  very  venerable  by  reason  of  age. 

"  A  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  among 
the  Ochill  hills,  in  Caledonia,  and  at  the 
open  window  of  a  farm  house  of  that  lo- 
cality, the  passer  by  might  have  seen  a 
young  blooming  lassie  working  merrily  at 
her  spinning  wheel,  preparing  for  the  most 
eventful  change  in  the  life  of  any  one ;  in 
short,  she  was  spinning  for  her  own  future 
use,  sheets,  towels,  &c. 

"Little  did  that  young  woman  dream,  as 
she  merrily  drove  her  wheel,  that  her  handy 
work  would  be  used  in  1864  to  bind  up  the 
wounds  of  heroic  men,  who  stand  and  fight 
for  freedom  in  days  of  danger ;  yet,  such  is 
the  case,  and  I  thought  that  you  might  be 
pleased  to  know  the  fact. 

"Respectfully,  W.  M.  K." 


FBISONEBS.' 

The  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
among  our  soldiers,  who  are  prisoners  in 
the  South,  may  never  be  sufficiently  esti- 
mated. The  best  that  can  be  done  for 
them  is  done.  The  following  copies  of  in- 
voices of  goods  forwarded  to  them  by  Br.' 
M.  M.  Marsh,  Sanitary  Cornmission  Agent 
in  Gen.  Foster's  department,  will  indicate  a 
portion  of  that  work.  The  receipt  of  the 
Confederate  officer  was  taken  on  the  delivery 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


917 


of  each  invoice,  and  contains  a  promise 
that  the  goods  should  be  "safely  and 
promptly  delivered  to  the  Union  private 
soldiers,  held  as  prisoners  of  war  at  Charles- 
ton, 8.  C,  and  in  its  vicinity." 

U.  S.  Transport  "  Oanonious,"  \ 
Off  Charleston,  S.  C,  Oct.  3,  1864.     J 

I  hereby  acknowledge  the  receipt,  this 
■day,  from  Lieut.  Col.  Stewart  L.  Woodford, 
127th  N.  Y.  v.,  of  Maj.  Gen.  Foster's  staff, 
of  boxes  numbered  26  to  82,  and  marked 
according  to  the  above  invoice. 

The  clothing  and  stores  contained  in  these 
boxes  are  agreed  by  Maj.  G-en.  Sam.  Jones, 
commanding  Confederate  forces,  to  be  safely 
and  promptly  delivered  to  the  Union  pri- 
vate soldiers,  held  as  prisoners  of  war  at 
Charleston,  S.  C,  and  in  its  vicinity. 
P.  C  Warnick, 

A,  D.  C.  to  Maj.  Gen.  Sam.  Jones, 
Commaading  Department  S.  C. 

The  57  boxes  alluded  to  in  the  above  re- 
ceipt contained  the  following  articles : 


FOB    OFFICERS. 


Blankets 79 

Coats 25 

Drawers,  flannel,  prs. ..4106 

"       cotton,  prs 200 

Overalls,  prs 12 

Pins,  gross 4 

Pants,  prs 3 

Quilts 54 


Socks,  woolen,  prs 516 

* '      cotton,  prs 96 

Shirts,  flannel 1711 

Slippers,  prs 200 

Towels 1072 

Vests 5 

Wrappers 391 


In  addition  to  these  for  the  private  sol- 
diers, 2'6  boxes  were  sent  on  the  same  day 
to  the  officers  at  the  same  places.  These 
boxes  contained 

Bed  sacks 258  t  Towels 1100 

Drawers 1217  |  Shirts 518 

Handkerchiefs 20S4    Wrappers 221 

ftailts 83| 

Receipts  similar  to  the  above  have  been 

received  for  all  articles   forwarded.      We 

give  below  a  list  of  the  goods»with  the  dates 

upon  which  they  were  sent. 

Sanitary  stores  and  clothing  furnished  by  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Cormnission,  through  Maj.  Gen.  Foster, 
for  U.  S  soldiers,  prisoners  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 
September  22,  1864. 


Crackers,  barrels .^  100 

Condensed  milk,  cases.  12 
Condensed  coifee,  '*  .  12 
Canned  tomatoes,   "  12 

Towels 1184 

Concentrated  beef,  cases     24 


Blankets 200 

Socks,  pairs 1010 

.Drawers,  pairs 1005 

Shirts 1001 

Slippers,  pairs 444 

Handkerchiefs 1276 


Clothing  for  Federal  prisoners  of  war  at  Charleston, 
■  S.  C,  forwarded  by  Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Agent  U. 
8.  Sanitary  Commission,  October  1,  1864. 


Felt  hats 1000 

Coats/ '    76 

Pants,  pairs, ^32 


Zouave  jackets 66 

Blankets 200 


Towels 1260 

Flannel  shirts 199 

Wra^jpers 221 

Cotton  shirts 205 

Cotton  drawers 318 


Handkerchiefs 650 

Quilts 99 

Bed  sacks 2.i8 

Canton  flannel  di^wers  462 


FOR    SOLDIERS. 


Wrappers. 534 

Bed  sacks 238 

Blankets 355 

Slippers,  pairs 206 

Pants,  pairs 133 

Vests 6 

Felt  hats 1000 


Drawers,  pairs 3098 

Towels 1872 

Socks.pairs 612 

Ouilts 172 

Shirts 2481 

Coats 101 

Jackets 67 

Handkerchiefs 2504 

Stores  sent  by  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  to  Union 
prisoners  of  war  in  South  Carolina,  in  care  of 
the  rebel  General  Hardee,  November  1,  1864. 

Blouses eSoiShirts 1920 

Blankets 2000  |  Shoes,  pairs 600 

Drawers,  pairs 1776    Socks,  pairs'. l;:60 

Panttf,  pairs — 1235  | 

tf^v^ber  9,  1864. 

460  Handkerchiefs 300 

300  Pants,  pairs 695 

60  Pillows 190 

384  Shoes,  pairs 360 

384  Soap,  lbs 60 

120  Shirts 298 

720  Slippers,  pairs 50 

68  Tea,  black,  lbs 70 

1360  Tomatoes,  cans 120 


Blankets 

Blouses 

Bed  sacks 

Condensed  milk,  cans.. 
Condensed  000*00,  cans. 

Chocolate,  lbs 

Corn  starch,  lbs 

Drawers,  pairs 

Extract  beef,  lbs 


Clothing  for  Federal  prisoners  at  Florence,  S.  C, 
forwarded  by  Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Agent  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  November  9,  1864. 

Felt  hats 500  |  Infantry  overcoats 1065 


Sanitary  stores  furnished  by  the  V.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  through  Maj.  Gen.  Foster,  for  relief 
of  officers  and  soldiers,  prisoners  of  war,  in  and 
near  Charleston,  S.  C,  October  2,  1864.  it, 


THE  TJ,  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION.— A  MIS- 
TAKE COBRECIED. 

The  following  paragraph  has  been  widely 
circulated  through  the  West  and  North- 
west by  persons  unfriendly  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  as  a  synopsis  of  a  report  of  its 
business  in  the  Western  Department  for  the 
three  years  past.  As  the  statements  it  in- 
cludes are  grossly  untrue,  and  could  not,  if 
believed,  fail  to  affect  unfavorably  the  minds 
of  those  who  have  hitherto  been  the  friends 
and  patrons  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  I 
have  thought  it  desirable  to  publish  a  true 
statement  of  the  business  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  in  the  Western  Department  for 
three  years,  ending  July  1,  1864,  with  a 
request  that  it  may  be  as  widely  circulated 
as  the  false  has  been. 

THE   FALSE. 

,  "  The  Western  Department  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  have  made  a  report  of 
their  doings  from  September  1,  1861,  to 
January  1,  .1864.  They  had  collected 
$321,065  42.  Of  this  only  $93,592  56  had 
been  appropriated  to  the  purchase  of  sup- 
plies, and  the  rest  was  appropriated  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  distribution.  In  short, 
it  cost  over  two  hundred  thousand  dollars 
to  get  a  little  over  ninety  thousand  worth 


918 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  the  soldiers,  notwithstanding  the  govern- 
ment did  much  of  the  transportation  gratis. 
A  large  amount  is  paid  in  salaries  to  agents. 
The  Eastern  Department  have  made  no 
report." 

THE  TRUE. 

The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission 
had  expended  July  1,  1864,  through  the 
hands  of  its  Western  Secretary,  IN  CASH, 
$321,065  42,  and,  had  distributed  at  the 
same  date,  in  the  armies  of  the  West,  hos- 
pital stores  valued  at  $2,790,811  01;  of  the 
cash  expenditure  8190,924  42  had  been  ex- 
pended in  the  supply  department;  of  this 
§93,592  56  had  been  expended  for  the  pur- 
chase of  supplies ;  the  balance,  $97,331  86, 
constituted  tjie  expense  account  of  the  sup- 
ply department,  and  had  paid  for  the  dis- 
tribution of  stores  valued,  as  above,  at 
$2,790,811  01  being  about  three  per  cent, 
upon  that  valuation.  So  that  all  the  con- 
tributions made  hy  the  Western  States  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission  to  July  1,  1864, 
had  been  distributed  at  a  cost  of  three  per 
cent,  upon  their  value,  and  that  three  per 
cent.,  it  may  he  said,  had  all  been  paid  by 
contributions  from  California  and  the  East- 
ern States. 

With  these  facts  before  them,  can  our 
friends  in  the  West  and  North-west  complain 
that  their  business  has  not  been  done  for 
them  cheaply  enough  ? 

J.  S.  Newberry, 

Sec.  West.  Sep.,  IT.  S.  San.  Com. 

FINANCIAL    EEPOKT    OF    XT.    S.    SANITABY 
COMMISSION, 
From  June,  1861,  to  Oct.  1,  1864. 
The  undersigned,  a  committee  appointed 
by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  to  pre- 
pare a  statement  of  its  financial  condition, 
beg  leave  to  submit  the  following  report : 

Total  Cash  Receipts  and  Expenditures. 

Jane,  1861,  to  Oct.  1, 1864,  received  $3,083,121  58 

Jane,  1861,  to  Oct.  1,  1864,  expended  2,467,9S8  as 

Balance  in  lianda  of  Treasnrer,  Oct.  1,  '64,  $615,^66  03* 

The  work  of  the  Commission  involving 
this  expenditure  embraces  six  distinct  de- 
partments :  the  cost  of  carrying  on  each  de- 
partmentis  givenin  the  accompanying  tables. 

Added  to  these  is  a  table  which  accounts 
for  certain  outlays,  as  enumerated,  not  con- 
veniently classified  under  any  one  of  the 
above  divisions.  The  aggregate  of  these 
tables  gives  the  total  amount  disbursed. 

*  Tlie  balance  in  the  hands  of  the  Treasnrer,  December 
1, 1864,  is  three  hundred  and  fifty-one  thousand  nine  hun- 
dred and  twenty  dollars  and  seventy-nioe  cents  ($3.?1,920 
79). 


The  following  are  the  several  divisions 
of  the  Commission's  work,  with  a  genera] 
statement  of  the  character  of  each,  th^t 
thus  the  nature  of  the  various  items  of  ex- 
penditure may  be  more  clearly  seen. 

1st.  The  "  Supply  Depairtment " — which 
has  for  its  work  the  collecting,  storing,  for- 
warding, and  distributing  through  the  hos- 
pitals, and  to  the  armies,  and  on  the  battle- 
fields, the  supplies  sent  by  the  people  to 
the  soldiers.  With  this  work  is  inseparably 
connected  a  large  amount  of  relief  service 
rendered  to  the  sick  and  wounded  by  the 
agents  employed  in  this  department,  which 
service  would 'not  be  included  in  the  mere 
work  of  transporting  and  distributing'  the 
supplies.  The  sum,  therefore,  charged  to 
the  "Cost  of  Distribution"  (see  "Exhibit 
A")  is  thereby  considerably  larger  than  it 
would  otherwise  appear ;  as  is  also  the  ratio 
of  "the  cost  of  distribution "  to  the  "value 
of  the  supplies  distributed"  (see  "Exhibit 
C").  It  is  allowed  to  stand  thus  because 
the  exact  apportionment  of  the  expense  be- 
longing to  each  of  these  two  classes  of  labor 
cannot  be  made,  even  as  the  services  them- 
selves cannot  be  disjoined. 

The  work  of  distributing  these  supplies, 
and  administering  the  general  relief  con- 
nected with  it,  has  required  the  labor  of  a 
permanent  corps  averaging  200  men. 

With  the  necessity  of  providing  "inde- 
pendent transportation  "  for  these  supplies, 
this  work  has  involved  the  purchase  and 
maintenance  of  several  wagon  trains,  and 
the  chartering  of  a  number  of  steamboats 
at  various  times.  In  the  expanse  of  this 
department  is  embraced  the  cost  of  "sup- 
plies purchased." 

2d.  The  Department  of  Medical  Inspec- 
tion, or  "Inquiry  and  Advice;"  by  which, 
for  nearly  three  years,  a  series  of  inspec- 
tions has  been  kept  up  by  scientific  men  in 
the  general  and  field  hospitals,  and  among 
the  various  regiments  composing  the  army. 
The  aim  of  this  Inspection  has  been  to  dis- 
cover all  conditions  of  camp  or  hospital  life 
unfavorable  to  the  health  of  the  soldier,  and 
to  suggest  and  secure  such  sanitary  reforms 
as  would  guard  against  disease  and  death. 
In  the  opinion  of  both  military  and  medical 
men  thousands  of  lives  have  been  saved  by 
this  service.  • 

3d.  The  "Special  Relief  Department," 
by  which  all  sick,  discharged  or  disabled 
men,  not  otherwise  provided  for,  can  be 
guarded,  sheltered,  fed,  and  helped  out  of 
trouble.     This    department    includes    the 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


919 


maintenance  of  "Homes"  and  "Lodges," 
or  temporary  asylums,  Relief  Stations  near 
battle-fields,  Claim  Agencies,  Pension  Offi- 
ces, nurses  to  accompany  the  very  feeble  to 
their  homes,  men  to  visit  hospitals  and  to 
look  up  and  collect  the  back  pay  of  soldiers, 
and  a  variety  of  kindred  work.  This  is  an 
agency,  which,  in  these  several  ways,  aids 
and  protects  on  an  average  2,500  men  daily. 

Under  this  head  of  Special  Relief  will  be 
found  placed  the  amount  expended  upon 
"hospital  transports"  and  "hospital  cars," 
a  large  sum  in  itself,  but  small  when  com- 
pared with  the  many  thousands  of  sick  and 
wounded  to  whom  it  furnished  easy  trans- 
portation from  the  battle-field  to  the  hos- 
pital. 

4th.  The  "Hospital  Directory,"  whose 
mission  it  has  been  to  serve  as  the  friend 
of  fathers,  mothers,  and  wives  of  soldiers, 
by  keeping  those  at  home  informed  of  the 
location  and  condition  of  their  sick  sons  or 
husbands  in  the  general  hospitals.  One 
million  and  thirty  thousand  names  of  hos- 
pital patients  have  been  entered  in  the  Di- 
rectory, and  many  thousand  anxious  inqui- 
ries answered. 

5th.  The  "  Statistical  Department,"  which 
gathers  up,  tabulates,  and  deduces  valuable 
general  principles  from  all  the  material  col- 
lected by  the  Medical  Inspectors  of  the 
Commission,  so  as  to  make  it  all  available 
for  preventing  disease  in  the  army.  This 
work  is  also  incidentally  tributary  to  valu- 
able scientific  researches. 

6th.  The  "Department  of  Publication," 
by  which,  as  one  branch  of  its  work,  the 
choicest  results  of  modern  medical  and  sur- 
gical science  upon  all  the  special  topics 
most  important  for  an  army  suro;eon  to  be 
informed  upon  have  been  furnished  gratuit- 
ously, and  in  compact  form,  to  every  medical 
man  in  the  army.  Many  thousands  of  these 
medical  monographs,  prepared  by  the  ablest 
men  of  the  country,  have  been  thus  dis- 
tributed by  the  Commission.  Forming,  as 
the  series  often  has  done,  almost  the  only 
book  of  reference  carried  by  the  surgeons 
into  the  field,  it  cannot  be  doubted  but  this 
expenditu^'e  of  money  has  essentially  aided 
the  army  surgeon  in  his  work  of  saving  life 
and  alleviating  suffering. 

Such  are  the  chief  divisions  of  the  Com- 
mission's work  upon  which  its  money  has 
been  spent. 

It  will  be  seen^  that  there  is  one  other 
group  of  expenditures  which  embraces  all 
outlays  (as  therein  specified)  not  exclusively 


belonging  to  any  one  of  the  above-named 
divisions,  but  shared  partly  by  each,  and 
incurred  in  the  general  administration  of 
the  affairs  of  the  Commission. 

Appended  to  this  report  (as  a  thing  essen- 
tial to  its  completeness)  is  an  estimate — 
"Exhibit  B"— of  the  cash  value  of  the 
various  suipplies  which  have  been  forwarded 
from  the  homes  of  the  country  to  the  dis- 
tributing depots  of  the  Commission,  and 
thence  carried  by  the  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission to  the  soldiers. 

Add  to  this  sum  the  cash  expended  on 
supplies,  and  compare  with  this  total  the 
expense  of  distribution,  less  the  present  ap- 
praised cash  value  of  the"  property  used  in 
carrying  on  the  work  of  supply  distribution, 
and  we  shall  find— "Exhibit  C"— that  but 
four  and  eighty-eight  hundtedths  per  centum 
(4.88)  of  the  value  of  the  goods  issued  has 
been  spent  in  distributing  them. 

C.  J.  StillS, 

C.  R  Agnew, 

J.  Huntington  Woicott, 

George  T.  Strong, 

J.  Poster  Jenkins, 

Committee. 
Cbntbal  OypiCE,  TJ.  S.  Samitabt  Comhissioh, 
December  1, 1864. 

EXHIBIT   "A." 

I. — Supply  Department. 

Cost  of  gathering  and  purchasing  Supplies. 

Monev  paid  in  direct  purchase  of 
supplies $1,129,409  62 

Money  advanced  to  Branclies  for 

supplies 69,018  22 

Cost  of  Canvassers,  Agents  and 
supply  correspondents  and 
clerics,  for  soliciting  supplies, .         37,SS6  53 

Freight  paid  on  collecting  sup- 
plies at  central  storehouses  . . ,         33,145  81 

Balance  of  "Field  Hospital "  ac- 
count, (1861,)  chiefly  incurred 
for  purchase  of  supplies 12,ldi  45 

Total  cash  outlay  in  gathering 

and  in  purchasing  supplies $1,271,611  63 

Transportation  and  Distribution  of  Supplies. 

Storehouse  account — receiving, 
assorting,  storing,  packing,  and 
issuing  supplies  from  the  store- 
houses at  Washington,  Balti- 
more, W.  York,  Louisville,  &o.       $23,351  85 

Purchase  of  horses  and  wagons, 
repairs  to  wagons,  forage, 
wages  of  drivers,  subsistence, 
&c.,  (present  value  of  horses, 
wagons,  harness,  storehouses, 

'    &c.,  $16,826  60) 80,958  25 

Charters  of  steamers,  purchase  of 
harges,  &c.,  for  transportation 
of  supplies  to  the  "Water 
Base,"  —  (present  value  of 
barges  belonging  to  the  Com- 
mission, $13,600) 171,772  65 

Expenseb  of ''  Field  Belief  Corps," 
Hnd  one-half  expenses  of  "Aux- 
iliary Belief  Corps  " „ . .       194,688  79 

Total  expense  of  transportation 
and  distribution  of  supplies...  470,771  54 

Total  cost  of  Supply  Department  $1,742,383  17 


920 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


II. — Mbdtoal  Inspbctiok. 
Expenses  of  this  department tU9,935  69 

III.— Special  Relief  Department. 

Coat  of  establishing  and  maintaining  twenty- 
two  "  Homes  and  Lodges*'  for  the  care  of  sick, 
furloaghed,  and  discharged  soidiers,  also 
Relief  Stations  near  battle-fields;  inclnding 
"  Special  Relief"  rendered  to  sick  and  wound- 
ed soldiers  and  their  families $140,771  87 

Cost  of  the  variods  Agencies  for  obtaining 
"pensions,"  "Arrears  of  pay,"  "bounty,  ' 
"  prize  money,"  "widows  claims,"  &c 24,616  46 

Expenses  in  the  transportation  and  care  of  sick 
and  discharged  soldiers  nnder  circumstances 
where  there  is  no  legal  claim  upon  the  Gov- 
ernment for  relief. 11,297  44 

One-half  expenses  Of  "Auxiliary  Field  Relief 
Corps" 18,600  00 

Cost  of  m^intitining  "hospital boats,"  includ- 
ing stores,  surgeons,  dressers,  nurses,  &c.  . .       48,137  29 

Equipment  of  "  hospital  cars' ' 7^77  62 

Total  cost  of  Special  Relief  Department. . .  8251,100  68 


IV. — Hospital  DiRECTOEr. 
Total  expense  of  maintaining  the  Hospital  Di- 
rectory at  Washington,  Philadelphia,  New 
York  and  Louisville $47,564  94 , 


V, — Statistical  Department. 
Expenses  of  this  Department,  tabulating  14,000 
returns  camp  inspectors,  physical  examina- 
tions, &c.,  &c $14,241  98 


VI. — Publications. 
Monographs  on  medical  and  surgical  subjects, 
for  ^he  use  of  surgeons  in  the  field  and  hos- 
pitals; Reports  of  ail  kinds,  Documents, 
"Sanitary  Bulletin"  at  New  York,  and 
"Samtary  Reporter"  at  Louisville,  Ky $38.800  37 


VII. — Expenses. 

Office  Salaries,  Washington,  New  York,  Louis- 
ville, &c $45,604  72 

General  expenses — including  advertising,  sta- 
tionery, and  Ofl5,ce  printing,  freight,- postage, 
telegrams,  rent,  stables,  and  all  petty  expen- 
ses for  all  the  above  offices 78,774  31 


$124,279  03 


Cash  in  Hands  of  Arentb. 
Cash  in  hands  of  Agents  at  Louisville,  Ey  ; 
New  Orleans,  La.;  Beaufort, S.  C;  Newborn, 
N.  C. ;  City  Point,  Va. ;  &c.,  &c $64,027  90 


MiSGBLLANEOnS. 

Cash  paid  over  to  Western  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, (St.  Louis),  by  order  of  Califuruia  Con- 
tributors  i ,. *     $50,000  ro 

Metropolitan  Fair.  Metropolitan  Fair  buildings, 
and  Brooklyn  Fair 16,624  79 


SUMMARY. 
Total  amount  of  receipts 


$65,624  79 


.$3,083,124  58 


Expenditures. 

•  Supply  Department $1,742,383  17 

MedicAl  Inspection 119,9,<J5  69 

Special  Relief 251,100  68 

Hospital  Directory 47,564  94 

Statistical  Department 14,241  98 

Poblioations 38.  SCO  37 

Expense 124,279  03 

Cash  in  hands  of  Agents 64,027  90 

Miscellaneous 65,624  79 


Total  amount  of  expenditure.. $2,467,958  55 
Balance  of  cash  in  hands  of  0.  T. 
Strong,  Esq.,  Treasurer,  New 
York,  October  1,  1864 615,1 66  03 


-$3,083,124  58 


EXHIBIT  "B." 

Showing  the  nature  and  appraised  cash  valuation  of  arti- 
cles received  in  kind,  as  contributions  for  the  soldiers,  by 
the  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  from  June,  1861,  to  October 
1, 1864. 

Bedding,  hospital  furniture,  and  wearing  ap- 
parel  , $5,286,439  85 

Hospital  food  and  delicacies 1,362,560  42 

Miscellaneous  snpplies 298,437  28 

Uninvoiced   boxes,  5,013  boxes,  (appraised 

value) 105,428  60 

Valuation  of  Sanitary  sunplies  sent  directly 
from  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies  to  hos- 
pitals and  regiments  not  included  in  the 
above  list .■ 81,795  00 

$7,134,661  15 
Adding  to  the  above  the  "total  cost  of  gather- 
ing and  purchasing  sui>plies,"  (as  per  Ex- 
hibit A)  . :..„:....... 1,271,61163 

We  have  for  cash  valuation  of  all  snpplies 
which  have  passed  through  the  hands  of  the 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 8,406.272  78 

EXHIBIT  "C." 

Deducting  from  the  sum  spent  for  distribution, 

viz....: $470,771  54 

The  appraised  cash  value  of  the  property  on 
hand,  now  used  in  "supply distribution,"  viz: 

Horses,  wagons,  and  harness $40,976  50 

Barges 13,500  00 

Storehouses,  Tents,  and  Appliances.     5,850  00 

60,326  50 

We  have  for  the  total  cost  of  distribution $410,445  04 

Applying  this  sum  to  the  total  value  of  the  supplies  dis- 
tributed, [Exhibits,]  viz;  $3,406,272  78,  we  find  the  actual 
cost  of  distribution  to  have  been  four  and  eighty-eight  one 
hundredths  per  centum  [4.88]  of  the  value  of  the  supplies 
distributed. 

Note. — Duiing  the  last  quarter  (viz :  July  1  to  Oct.  1)  the 
bill  for  "transportation  of  supplies"  has  been  vastly  in- 
creased by  the  necessity  of  chartering  boats  for  carrying  the 
large"  amount  of  antl-scorbntics  and  other  stores  forwarded 
by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  to  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac. Previous  to  July  1, 1864,  the  "cost  of  distribution" 
was  but  three  and  sevenly-six  one  hundredths  per  centum 
(3.76)  of  the  value  of  the  supplies  d.stributed. 


FACTS  AND  FIGUBES. 

It  is  an  old  saying  that  "  figures  are  hard 
facts."  It  is  an  old  philosophy,  too,  that 
teaches  the  wisdom  of  judging  by  facts. 

It  is  a  fact  that  we  are  still  in  the  midst 
of  a  rebellion  that  for  nearly  four  years  past 
has  written  its  history  in  blood  and  sorrow. 

It  is  a  fact  that  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
men  have  been  sick,  wounded/and  slain,  in 
consequence  of  this  rebellion. 

It  is  a  fact  that  hundreds  of  thousands 
more  are  now  exposed  to  the  dangers  and 
privations  of  the  camp  and  the  march,  that 
by  tens  of  thousands  they  continue  to  fall  by 
sickness  and  wounds,  and  that  so  long  as 
the  rebellion  shall  live,  the  sad  record  of 
suffering  will  continue  to  characterize  our 
history  as  a  nation. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


921 


It  is  a  fact  that  the  people  have  said 
that  the  army  and  navy  shall  be  sustained 
amid  all  their  hazards  and  toils ;  and  that 
all  the  machinery  of  government  which  has 
been  laid  under  contribution  to  serve  this 
end,  shall  be  sustained  also. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  President  and  all 
the  departments  under  his  control;  that 
Congress,  with  all  its  legislative,  wisdom ; 
and  the  people  in  the  majesty  of  numbers, 
and  with  the  eloquence  of  unity,  have  re- 
solved to  stand  fast  by  our  soldiers  and 
sailors,  and  sustain  them  while  they  sustain 
the  laws. 

It  is  a  fact  that  next  to  the  government, 
the  people  have  been  represented  most 
earnestly  and  faithfully  in  the  principles 
and  work  of  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
has  distributed  supplies  to  the  soldiers  and 
sailors  of  our  forces,  valued  at  $8,406,272  ; 
and  that  this  estimate  is  much  lower  than 
the  goods  would  have  cost,  if  they  had  been 
purchased. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  expense  of  distribu- 
ting over  $2,250,000  worth  of  supplies,  as 
reported  by  the  Western  Department  one 
year  ago,  was  $35,000,  or  one  and  one-half 
percent,  and  that  all  statements  to  the  con- 
trary are  false. 

It  is  a  fact  that  previous  to  July  1, 
1864,  the  cost  of  distribution  in  all  the 
departments  was  but  three  and  seventy- 
six  one  hundreths  per  centum  (3.76) 
of  the  value  of  the  supplies ;  and  that 
the  large  amount  of  anti-scorbutics  and 
other  stores  forwarded  to  the  Army  of  -the 
Potamac,  which  necessitated  the  chartering 
of  boats  at  the  present  high  prices,  has 
only  increased  the  total  cost  of  distribution 
to  four  and  eighty-eight  one  hundredths 
per  centum. 

It  is  a  fact  that  none  of  our  agents  are 
simple  carriers  of  supplies,  but  reKe/agents ; 
relief  agents  in  the  largest  sense  of  the  term ; 
and  that  including  them  in  the  account  of 
"  cost  of  distribution,"  we  include  a  vast. 


work  of  beneficent  charity  in  the  (4.88)  cost 
of  distribution. 

It  is  a  fact  that  at  a  single  centre  of  • 
Special  Relief,  in  Washington,  121,047 
nights'  lodgings  have  been  given  to  our  sol- 
diers, in  white,  sweet  beds;  and  that  359,816 
substantial  meals  have  been  given  at  tables, 
besides  which  many  thousand  more  meals 
have  been  given  to  steamboat  loads,<  and  car 
loads  of  wounded,  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and 
night.  It  is  a  fact  that  there  are  twenty- 
two  of  these  Special  Relief  Stations  in  the 
North  and  West,  and  that  the  meals  and 
shelter  furnished  to  our  men,  in  transitu 
from  the  army,  may  be  counted  by  millions 
annually. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  people  have  contrib- 
uted with  a  freedom  and  generosity  un- 
equalled in  any  other  age  or  nation  of  the 
world,  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  as  the 
best  and  cheapest  instrumentality  within 
their  reach  for  supplementing  the  appliances 
of  the  best  of  governments. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  more  the  people  ex- 
amine the  work  of  the  Commission,  the 
more  they  are  satisfied  with  its  Christian 
principles,  its  lofty  purposes,  and  its  economi- 
cal plans. 

From  the  classification  and  arrangement  of 
these  general  facts  and  figures,  it  is  evident 
that  the  work  that  has  been  done  hitherto  is 
very  large ;  that  the  good  government,  the 
brave  army,  and  the  loyal  people,  being  all 
united  in  the  one  grand  purpose  of  saving 
the  country,  as  they  look  back  upon  the  past, 
— count  the  demands  of  the  present, — and 
estimate  the  wants  of  the  future,  have  agreed 
that  they  must  each  rely  upon  the  other,  for 
the  conduct  of  that  future,  as  they  have  done 
in  the  past,  and  that  the  same  class  of  results 
will  follow,  from  the  same  kind  of  earnest 
labor. 

The  work  is  sure  to  go  on.  The  ten- 
dency is  more  and  more  to  unity ;  the  peo- 
ple are  becoming  one  in  spirit  and  purpose; 
factions  and  factious  oppositions,  are  being 
fused  into  a  current  that  flows  toward  a 
common  centre;  and  the  grand  record  is 


922 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


being  made,  o£  a  nation  united  in  its  bene- 
factions to  the  army,  as  it  is  in  its  purpose 
to  cheer  that  army  in  its  struggle  for  Union 
and  liberty. 


WOMAN'S  CENTRAI  ASSOCIATION 
OF  BELIEF. 

SANITARY  COMMISSION  BULLETIN.    NO.  III. 

During  the  past  fortnight,  we  have  re- 
ceived 187  boxes  and  barrels  of  supplies. 
Our  distributions,  for  the  same  period,  have 
been,  to  Harper's  Perry,  10  packages ;  to 
Washington,  15  packages;  City  Point,  46 
packages;  Norfolk,  Va.,  3  packages;  Beau- 
fort, S.  C.,  52  packages;  New  Orleans,  II 
packages;  Hospitals  in  New  York  City  and 
vicinity,  8  packages ;  U.  8.  Hospital  Trans- 
port, 9  packages.  Our  greatest  present 
need  is  flannel  drawers,  but  we  want  all 
kinds  of  hospital  supplies. 

In  the  account  of  our  Soldier's  Aid  So- 
ciety Council,  published  in  the  last  number 
of  the  Bulletin,  there  is  a  short  statement 
of  the  work  accomplished  by  this  branch,, 
from  May  1  to  Nov.  1,  1864.  Although 
not  an  official  semi-annual  Report,  it  is  ac- 
curate so  far  as  it  goes,  and  includes  the 
greater  part  of  what  has  been  done  during 
•  the  half  year.  We  will  not  repeat  that 
statement  here,  but  will  only  call  your  at- 
tention to  it,  as  the  gratifying  result  of 
your  own  work  during  the  summer  months. 
When  we  say  that  we  have  sent  supplies 
hither  and  thither,  to  Grant's,  or  to  Sher- 
man's, or  to  Sheridan's  armies;  we  are 
speaking  of  ourselves  only  as  your  trustees. 
We  simply  receive  your  supplies  and  pass 
them  over  to  the  soldiers,  in  your  name.  It 
has  lately  been  objected  that  the  work  of 
the  Commission  was  getting  to  be  "  too 
large;"  that  the  gifts  of  individuals  were 
being  lost  sight  of,  in  the  vast  business 
character  which  the  work  has  assumed. 
People  think  that  because  what  they  send 
must  pass  through  the  hands  of  an  "Associa- 
tion," must  go  through  the  ordeal  of  ex- 
amination and  repackiog,  will  appear  and 
reappear  in  reports  and  invoices,  and  ship- 
ping lists,  and  all  this  under  the  direction 
of  "Committees;"  and  when  was  a  Coih- 
mittee  ever  suspected  of  having  a  heart, 
that  by  the  time  it  reached  the  soldier,  all 
the  love  and  the  sentiment  which  started 
with  it  will  have  been  beaten  out,  and  the 
wounded  man,  if  he  ever  does  get  the 
article,  upon  which  so  many  hours  and  so 
many  stitches  have  been  spent,  will  never 


know  where  it  came  from,  nor  what  it  means. 
■  But  this  is  not  so.  Do  you  think  that  when 
the  flannel  shirt,  you  made  last  week,  is  put 
upon  that  soldier,  faint  and  cold  from  loss 
of  blood,  and  now  happy  at  feeling  warm 
and  clean  again,  that  he  i^  thinking  of 
store  houses,  and  hundreds  of  boxes,  and 
invoices,  and  shipping  lists,  and  Associa- 
tions and  Committees  ?  Far  from  it.  His 
thoughts,  instead,  go  back  to  the  sewing 
circle  of  his  own  little^village,  to  the  woman 
who  made  that  shirt-— always  supposed  to 
be  \\a  own  wife,  or  mother,  or  sister — to 
his  own  home.  The  bond  cannot  be  more 
direct  than  it  is,  in  both  thought  and  feel- 
ing, between  you  and  him.  The  Sanitary 
Commission  Agent  is  only  the  messengerj 
who  takes  yoiir  gift  to  him,  and,  with  it, 
whispers  those  words  of  cheer  and  spiritual 
consolation,  which  his  friendless  condition, 
and  the  nature  of  your  gift  demand.  Is 
the  work  of  the  Commission  then  too  large, 
because,  through  its  means,  this  simple  in- 
cident is  repeated,  over  and  over  again,  hun- 
dreds and  thousands  of  times?  Is  there, 
any  heartlessness  about  an  agency  which 
watches  over  a  single  handkerchief,  given 
by  a  little  child,  carries  it  thousands  of 
miles,  and  with  it  bathes  the  head  of  some 
fever-stricken  soldier?  It  is  because  its 
heart  is  large  enough  to  sympathize  with 
the  sufferings  of  the  masses  as  individuals, 
and  because  it  sees  so  much  suffering  thsij 
it  cannot  relieve,  that  it  calls  upon  you,  so 
frequently,  to  increase  your  contributions — 
only  some  little  thing  from  every  one  of 
you  at  home,  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital  and 
battle-field,  given  to  some  sick  or  wounded 
soldier  in  your  name,  until  all  suffering 
shall  be  relieved,  so  far  as  lies  in  human 
power.  Until  this  is  done,  the  work  of  the 
Commission  can  never  be  "  too  large." 

When  this  letter  reaches  you,  dear  friends 
and  fellow  workers,  the  holidays  will  be 
over,  and  we  shall  have  all  settled  down  to 
our  steady  winter's  work.  While  wishing 
you  a  happy  New-year,  individually,  and 
a  happier  year  for  our  country  than  any  of 
those  lately  passed,  we  would  ask  you  to 
redouble  your  efforts  at  the  Society,  during 
this  coming  month  of  January,  for  we  shall 
more  than  need  to  have  your  contributions 
doubled  before  the  winter  is  over.  The 
active  campaigning  has  been  removed,  in 
great  measure,  from  the  Western  to  the 
Eastern  States.  Beside  the  ordinary  drafts 
made  upon  our  stores  from  the  armies  under 
Sfieridan  and  Grant,  as  well  as  from  those 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


923 


troops  along  the  coast,  from  New  York  to 
New  Orleans,  we  have  at  present  the  addi- 
tion of  Sherman's  large  army,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  very  active  movements  by  all  these 
a,rmies.  This  branch,  is  the  largest  ship- 
ping depot  of  the  Commission,  and  it  is 
very  important,  therefore,  that  we  be  well 
prepared  to  meet  the  extraordinary  demands 
which  we  cannot  doubt  will  shortly  be  made 
upon  us.  We  ask  you  to  take  the  matter 
of  devising  means  for  doubling  your  ordi- 
nary monthly  contribution,  into  serious  con- 
sideration. 

Before  closing  this  article,  we  wish  to 
make  one  suggestion  about  the  Bulletin. 
You  will,  many  of  you,  doubtless,  remember 
receiving  last  summer,  a  list  of  questions, 
asking  your  criticism  as  to  the  nature,  or 
your  opinion  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
Bulletin.  Suffice  it  to  say  that,  the  result 
of  these  enquiries  was  to  establish  without 
any  doubt,  the  very  great  value  of  this 
publication,  and  the  necessity  of  its  con- 
tinuance. It  was  found,  however,  that 
owing  to  the  distractions  of  conversations, 
and  of  the  work  itself,  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  read  the  pamphlet  aloud  at  the 
Society's  meetings.  The  only  way  was  to 
circulate  it  among  the  members,  between 
the  meetings. 

This  is  not  doiie  as  thoroughly  as  it  might 
be.  Grenerally,  every  time  the  Bulletin  is 
borrowed,  it  is  returned  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Society,  to  be  lent  by  her  again.  This 
occasions  great  loss  of  time  and  much  trou- 
"ble,  particularly  if  the  Secretary  lives  at 
any  distance  from  the  village.  We  would 
suggest  that,  at  the  nest  meeting  of  the 
Society,  the  Secretary  t^e  the  names  and 
addresses  of  all  members  desirous  of  see- 
ing the  Bulletin.  That  she  should  then 
write  to  the  Associate  Manager  of  her  sec- 
tion, or  to  this  office,  for  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  copies,  to  allow  one  copy  to  every 
seven  readers.  In  sending  them  out,  write 
the  names  of  seven  ladies,  residing  near 
each  other,  at  the  head  of  each  copy,  with 
dates  opposite  each  name,  allowing  two 
days  to  each,  thus  : 

Mrs.  Edwards,  January  5th. 

Mrs.  Morton,         "         7th. 

Mrs.  White,  "         9th. 

&c.,  &c.,  &c. 
It  will  be  the  duty  of  each  lady,  'to  send 
the  Bulletin  to  her  next  neighbor  on  the 
list,  on  the  day  placed  opposite  her  name. 
At  the  end  of  the  fortnight;  or  at  the  fol- 
lowing  meeting,   the   Bulletin'  "should   b^ 


returned  to  the  Secretary,  when  a  later 
number,  then  due,  should  be  started  on  the 
same  round.  Several  copies  might,  in  this 
way,  be  kept  circulating  through  a  village, 
with  but  little  trouble.  If  once  thoroughly 
systematized,  the  carrying  out  of  the  plan 
only  necessitate^,  on  the  part  of  each  per- 
son, the  sending  of  a  pamphlet,  a  short  dis- 
tance, once  every  fortnight,  and  a  very  lit- 
tle care  and  attention.  Try  the  plan,  and 
let  us  know  how  it  succeeds. 

LomsA  Lee  SoHtrTLER, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Correspondence,  &e- 
New  York,  Dec.  11,  1864. 


MEETING  AT  BUFFALO,  N.  T. 
PUBLIC  MEETING  AND  WOMEN'S  COUNCIL. 

BY    ONE    OP   ITS    MEMBERS.  -    - 

The  ladies  of  the  General  Aid  Society  in 
Buffalo,  anxious  that  their  auxiliaries  should 
more  thoroughly  understand  the  Commiss- 
ion, for  which  they  have  so  earnestly  worked, 
and  feeling  the  importance  of  a  general 
meeting,  issued  invitations  to  all  their  aux- 
iliaries to  meet  in  council  on  December  7 
and  8. 

Notwithstanding  the  extreme  inclemency 
of  the  weather  73  delegates,  repregentihg 
the  societies  at  Oito,  Lancaster,  Lockport, 
Beach  Bridge,  Newstead,  Brant,  GheelMo- 
waga  Suspension  Bridge,  Ciymer,  Forest- 
ville,  WilUamsmlle,  North  Boston,  Colder, 
Evan's  Centre,  Griffin's  Mills,  East  Ham,- 
hurg,  Byron,  Portageville,  Wyoming,  Wil- 
linJc,  Varysburgh,  Eagle,  Perry,  East  Au- 
rora, '  Youngstown,  South  Wales,  Alden, 
Gowlesville,  Glenwood,  Harris  Hill,  Han- 
over  Centre,  Lewiston,  and  Middlehurg,  re- 
ported at  the  Aid  Rooms  and  were  assigned 
to  their  different  places  of  entertainment. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  St.  James 
Hall,  on  the  evening  of  the  7th.  The 
meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the  Hev. 
Dr.  Hosmer,  and  on  motion  Hon.  G.  W. 
Clinton  and  Dr.  Rochester  were  appointed 
president  and  secretary. 

Dr.  Parrish  of  Philadelphia  was  then  intro- 
duced, who  gave  an  insight  into  the  workings 
of  the  Commission;  he  opened  his  address 
by  reading  extracts  of  reports  from  the  Aid 
Society,  which  showed  since  its  organization 
in  January,  1861,  $20,000  in  money  re- 
ceived, $1,800  of  which  was  given  by  chil- 
dren; 180,497  articles  disbursed,  valued  at 
$218,175;  the  expenses  of  the  room,  which 
includes  freight,  cartage,  and  publishing 
annual  and  monthly  reports,  postage  stamps; 
fuel  (not  donated);,  porter's  wages  fox.  the 


924 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


last  year  and  a  half,  (before  that  time  hiring 
only  as  needed)  and  other  incidental  ex- 
penses, amount  to  about  $1,500.  17,083 
shirts,  and  13,000  pairs  drawers  had  been 
cut  in  the  rooms,  and  returned  made  by  the 
different  societies.  At  the  "  Soldiers'  Rest," 
since  its  opening  in  June,  5,350  meals, 
1,558  nights'  lodgings  had  been  furnished 
to  2,003  disabled  soldiers,  going  to  and 
from  the  army,  at  an  expense  in  money  of 
$460  60. 

The  Local  Claim  Agent's  report  showed 
since  its  establishment  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Aid  Society,  in  May  last,  220  claims 
presented.  180  letters  had  been  written  to 
the  hospital  directories  in  Washington  and 
Louisville  since  June,  and  74  conclusive 
answers  returned  to  anxious  friends. 

Dr.  Parrish  was  followed  by  Dr.  Marks, 
who  gave  feeling  incidents  of  his  experi- 
ence in  the  army,  during  the  three  years 
he  acted  as  chaplain. 

Dr.  Heacock  closed  with  a  beautiful  trib- 
ute to  the  two  Commissions. 

The  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  in  the 
hall  at  10  o'clock  the  next  morning,  when, 
although  the  weather  still  continued  tem- 
pestuous, a  fair  audience  were  present. 

rAereamesofdelegates  present  were  called. 

The  names  of  48  societies  sending  reports 
read. 

Dc.  Parrish  then  introduced  Mrs.  Ste- 
phen Barker,  a  hospital  visitor  of  the  San- 
itary Commission,  in  and  around  Wash- 
ington j  she  gave  in  a  happy  manner  an 
idea  of  her  routine  of  daily  life,  moving 
her  audience  to  tears  and  smiles  by  the  sad 
or  amusing  incidents.  She  spoke  of  the 
little  things  from  home  which  cheered  the 
soldier ;  among  others,  of  "  little  bags  filled 
with  '  a  little  of  everything,'  called  '  com- 
fort bags ;'  not  forgetting,"  she  said,  "among 
the  contents,  a  ball  of  yarn  and  a  few  needles, 
or  a  bit  of  flannel,  and  above  all,  a  letter 
must  be  there,  no  matter  how  short,  a  few 
written  words  to  show  a  sympathizing  heart 
had  arranged  all  these  things."  Her  re- 
marks made  a  deep  impression,  as  evinced 
by  an  old  lady,  who,  with  tears  in  her  eyes, 
thanked  Mrs.  Barker,  and  said :  "  I  will  go 
home  to  take  a  greater  interest  than  ever  in 
my  work  for  the  soldiers." 

Mr.  Sperry,  Relief  Agent  of  the  Com- 
mission at  City  Point,  was  earnest  and  for- 
cible in  his  recital  of  his  duties,  impressing 
upon  all,  the  necessity  of  providing  flannel 


A  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  given  to 


Mrs.  Barker  and  Mr.  Sperry  for  their  en- 
tertaining addresses. 

Dr.  Parrish  then,  by  a  large  diagram 
which  he  had  brought  with  him,  explained 
the  organization  of  the  Commission,  the 
connections  of  the  branches  to  the  central 
office,  the  gratuitous  labors  of  the  Standing 
Committee,  the  duties  of  secretaries,  &c., 
&c.,  giving  in  a  brief  address  a  clear  and 
distinct  idea  of  the  general  ^ylan  of  work  of 
this  noble  institution .  A  delegate  remarked 
in  reply  to  Dr.  Parrish,  when  he  expressed 
his  desire  to  answer  any  question  not  un- 
derstood, that  "  she  had  many  to  ask  when 
she  came,  but  the  remarks  of  the  morning 
had  answered  everything."  After  compli- 
menting the  faithful  co-laborers  of  the  Aid 
Society,  in  the  country,  upon  their  untiring 
devotion  to  the  work,  he  closed  his  address, 
leaving  that  impression  upon  his  hearers 
which  will  inspire  them  with  greater  con- 
fidence in  the  "  Aid  Society,"  greater  love 
and  devotion  .to  the  Commission,  and  with 
pleasant  remembrances  of  those  who  came  to 
instruct  them. 


THE  SANITABT  COMMISSIOIT  IS  THE  SASD- 
WICH  ISLANDS. 

HoNOLnLn,  October  11,  1864. 
Rev.  Da.  Bellows, 

President  of  the  Sanitary  Commis^on. 

Dear  Sir  : — A  Christian  lady  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  a  Mtive,  who  was  young 
inthe  days  of  Kamehameha  I.,  but  is  now 
blind,  sends  with  her  best  aloha  (love)  a 
small  contribution  of  tamarinds  to  the  sol- 
diers who  are  fighting  for  the  great  cause 
of  human  liberty.  She  wished  that  she  had 
something  better  than  sour  tamarinds  to  send 
to  the  brave  soldiers,  and  to  gratify  her  kind 
feelings,  I  have  had  the  sour  fruit  taken  out 
of  the  pods  and  preserved  in  Hawarian  sugar. 
Most  happy  shall  I  be  if  they  reach  their 
destination  in  safety,  and  add  a  mite  to  the 
comfort  of  those  for  whom  they  are  design- 
ed. Praying  God  Almighty  to  bless  the 
Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions,  and 
speedjly  bring  the  war  to  an  end,  I  am,  in 
behalf  of  the  good  old  Estera,  (Esther), 
Very  truly  yours, 

Mrs.  M.  p.  Chamberlain. 

[Mrs.  Chamberlain  is  one  of  our  oldest 
dnd  most  estimable  missionary  ladies.] 

Contributions  of  woolen  mittens  and 
socks  for  the  army  are  solicited.  Mittens 
may  be  made  of  cloth.  The  fore  finger 
and  thumb  should  he  distinct. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


925 


TABLE  07  CONTENTS. 

CoRBEBPOnDENOE. 

LeaTenworlh,  Ks.,  Letter  from  Mr.  J.  E.  Brown 901 

Fort  Scott,  Ks.,  Tesllmonial  from  Surgeon  Van  Drfyn  901 
Moand  City,  Ks.,  Testimonial  from  Surgeon  Twlss. .  901 
Pulaski,  Tenn.,  Testimonial  from  Surgeon  Fallor. ...  902 
,  Buenos  Ayres,  S.  C,  Letter  from  Henry  S.  Ayres...  906 
Camp  Cdnness,  Utah  Terntory,  Letter  from  William 

W.<Wliite,  (Contribution  of  Soldiers)., 908 

City  Point,  Va.,  Extracts  from  letters  by  Auxiliary 

Relief  Agents  at  City  Point,  Va : 909 

Uilwankee,  Wis.,  Letter  from  Albert  J.  Bloor 909 

Bepoets. 
On  Excbange  of  Prisoners,  by  Eichard  T.  J.  Falconer  898 

More  about  the  Prisoners,  by  L.  V.  Beebe 898 

Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  by  S.  Eudlong  Westcott. .  899 

■Winchester,  by  Nathaniel  Seaver,  Jr. 899 

Harper's  Ferry,  by  George  A.  Muhlech 900 

Kabhville,  Tenn.,  by  E,  Brundett 901 

Memphis,  Tenn.,  by  Benjamin  Woodward....... 903 

Montrose,  Pa  ,  Report  from  Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa. . .  907 

Annapolis,  Md.,  by  J.  Addison  Wbitaker  911 

By  C.  P.  Howes 913 

By  James  Balchelor 914 

Camp  Parole,  Md.,  Mrs.  L.  S.  Phillips  and  Miss  Alma 
Carey 912 

HiaCELLANEOUS 

A  Voice  from  Prison,  "Will  you  leave  us  here  to  die?"'  897 
Relief  to  Wounded  Rebel  Soldiers  in  the  Shenandoah 

Valley 900 

Extracts  from  "Cleveland  Bulletin" 903 

Three  Months  in  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 905 

Kenolntions  adopted  at  a  meeting  of  American  citizens 

held  at  Buenos  Ayres,  8.  A. ,  June  20,  1884 906 

A  Mew  "  Home"  at  I'aducah,  Ky 911 

Practical  Christ' anity,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Anderson 914 

"Hungry  and  ye  Fed  me" 915 

Prisoners,  Supplies  Distributed 916 

The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com. ,  A  mistake  corrected 917 

Financial  Report  U.   S   Sanitary  Commission  from 

June,  1861,  to  October  1,  1861 913 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  No.  3 922 

Meeting  at  Buffalo.  N.  Y  923 

The  Sanitary  Commission  in  the  Sandwich  Islands..  924 
Editorial. 
,       Facts  and  Figures 920 

~~         PROTECTIVE 

OF   THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YOEK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

President 

LiBUT.-GEiN.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vioe-Peebidbnts. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admiral  Dupont, 

John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     RnD.  A.  Witthaub,  Esq 

TEEABUEEB. — BOBEET   B.    MiNTDEN,    EsQ. 
DiEBOTORS. 


Hons.  B.  D.  Morgan, 
George  Opdykb, 
Hiram  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Beekman, 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 
John  Jacob  Astoe,. 
James  Brown, 
William  H.  Aspinwall, 
James  Sallatin, 

Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Searelary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
\st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  atnd  their 
famili^,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bownty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodobb  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
Geoegb  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuaet, 
Alfred  Pell. 


M.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  familiei 
from  imposture  and  frauds 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

ah.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or-their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  Yo^k'. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Tan  Buren,  JLD.,  ^w  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  New  York. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newljerry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clarke,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,. D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Still§,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICERS. 

•    H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary.' 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
J.  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  Charles  J.  Stillfe. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  .Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  OfSce  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C' 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  ','  OfSce 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


926 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  be  was  when  last  beard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

jj@»Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
secaring  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  pointe  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OP   THE   BAST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Bogton,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

*  DEPOTS  OF  DISTBIBCTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

0.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

0.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  G. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
» service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OP  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL   DEPOTS    OF    OOLLEOTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

D.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Bufifalo,  N.  Y. 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,-  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

BAST. 

"Special  Belief"  Office,  1&  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  BufiFalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  B.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0. 

"  Lodge  No.'6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  B.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Belief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

SoldieTs'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     James  Morton,  Special  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn., 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

'Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin,  927 


BRANCH,  YT**^^^'^^^^*^^^*V\  BBANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,      \  I^VfENT  LEG&J[Rt^|  \      No.  19  Green  Street, 

NEW  YORK.  Jj     \«>09''"!s-3.j6   Qje5#^<$>  •|J  BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  wlio  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "  Palmer"  Asm  and  Leg  are  now  famished  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  leiters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

StTEaB0H-GBNERAL*8  OffIOB, 

■Washisgtoh  Citt,  'V  C,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sie:— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  o  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       ******** 

Is  COMPLIANCE  WITH  THE  RECOMMENDATION  OP    THE   BoARD,  WHEN  A    SOLDIER    MAT   DESIRE    TO    PURCHASE  "THE  MOBB 
ELEQABT  AJTD  EXPENSIVE  ARM  OF  PALMER,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PAYMENT  FOR  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CKANE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

Surgeon-General's  Office, 
Washington  Citt,  D.C,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Snt: — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report  and  recommendation  of 
the  M,ediGal  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  manufactsred  bt  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  0.  SPENCEB,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  FALIHER  LEG  is  furnished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  hj  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices     Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limh  Co, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPAKY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SDMNER,  Albany,  N.  T. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.        E.  B.  BELDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLABD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  significant  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory. 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increaseits  product. 

We  oJBfer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  |50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  csCpital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPAUfY, 

No.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


"^ 


928 


The  Sanitary  Oommissimn,  Bulletin. 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


M:  ORRI  s 


FIRE  &  MAI  INSIl 


OOMPiLJSrY3 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Antliorlz^d  Capital, 
Caish  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable'  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATIilN  IN  PROFITS, 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and.  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port.  • 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


33 

IXlS30a?0 

H. 

s. 

EDWARD  HOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

ALBERT  a.  LEE, 

FEED.  H.  BRADLEE, 

DAN'L  W.  teller; 

GBOEQE  MILN, 

EDWAED  C.  aATES, 

HENRY  J.  C  A  MM  ANN, 

J.  C.  MORRIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

8.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWNE, 

BEN  J.  E.  BATES,- 

CHARLES  HICEOZ, 

EZRA  ITTE, 

B.  0.  MOEEIS,  Jb., 

H.  0.  filMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary- 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


THE 

SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

No.  30.  PHILADELPHIA,  JANUARY  15,  1865.  No.  30. 


Thb  Sanitary  Commission  Bullbtin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  Tiionth,  and  aa 
it  has  a  circulaHon,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  aio!;il4,000  copies,  it  offers  anmmmalVy  valuable  medium  for 
adoertising.  '' 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1301  Chestnut  str^t,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  vyriters. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  tmcertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctanfoe 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Comjnission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  p^eriod. 

The  Committee  widerstand,  Jiowever,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  a/nd  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbono,  68  WaU  street,  New  York,  or  No.  ISOT  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,')  wUl 
secure  its  being  seat  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cmrent  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


OUB  FBISONESS.— THE  EXCHANGE. 
BY  L.  0.  LEGGITT. 

"WashinOton,  Dec.  IT,  1864. 

In  company  with  seven  other  agents,  I 
left  this  city  on  the  27th  day  of  October,  and 
in  compliance  with  instructions,  proceeded 
to  Fortress  Monroe,  having  in  charge  a  large 
supply  of  sanitary  stores,  consisting  of 
crackers,  onions,  pickles,  tomatoes,  wine, 
lemons,  milk,  beef,  pails,  slippers,  towel?, 
caps,  handkerchiefs,  stockings,  tea,  lanterns, 
candles,  shirts,  drawers,  pillows,  sugar, 
cheese,  chocolate,  &c.,  &c.,  which  stores 
were  placed  on  board  TJ.  S.  Steamer  "  Ores- 
cent," by  order  of  Colonel  Mulford,  Agent 
for  Exchange  of  Prisoners. 

On  the  8th  November,  I  sailed  in  the 
"  Orescent"  for  Port  Eoyal,  S.  C,  where 
we  arrived  on  the  13th  November. 

Colonel  Mulford  at  once  proceeded  to 
Venus  Point,  to  meet  Captain  Hatch,  and 
consummate  the  arrangement  for  the  ex- 
change, while  the  fleet  went  to  Beaufort  1 1 
obtain  the  requisite  supply  of  coal.  This 
detained  us  until  the  18th,  when  we  sailed 
from  Port  Koyal  to  Venus  Point,  and  their 
met  Colonel  Mulford,  and  a  number  of  the 
vessels  of  the  fleet. 

THE  FLAG. 

Ob  the  20th  November,  Captain  Hatch 
cam6  down  the  river,  bringing  on?  tbou^md 
Vol.  I.  No.  30       59 


prisoners.  At  the  sight  of  our  flag,  they 
commegced  cheering,  until  they  were  forced 
to  desist  from  inability  to  raise  their  voices. 
Some  of  them,  who  were  too  feeble  to 
join  in  cheering  the  old,  flag,  testified  their 
joy  by  tears,  the  only  manner  in  whic!^  their 
excessive  debility  would  allow  them  to 
manifest  it. 

DESTITUTION. 

I  trust  I  never  shall  have  occasion  to  wit- 
ness such  another  spectacle,  as  these  poor 
fellows  presented:  many  of  them  desti- 
tute of  shoes,  and  their  feet  so  badly  brui- 
sed and  swollen,  that  they  suffered  most  ex- 
cruciating pain  at  every  step.  Most  of 
them  had  but  one  or  two  articles  of  clothing 
to  protect  them,  and  some  of  them  were  al- 
most entirely  destitute  of  anything  in  the 
shape  of  a  garment.  Upon  reaching  our 
vessel,  whatever  old  clothes  and  rags  they 
had  upon  them,  were  thrown  overboard, 
and  after  a  thorough  washing,  they  were  each 
provided  with  a  suit  of  clothes,  and  then  a 
plentiful  supply  of  good  coffee,  meat  and 
hard  tack,  was  furnished  th£m.  After 
which,  they  were  transferred  to  the  vessel 
which  was  to  bear  them  to  a  civilized  coun- 
try; and  as  we  steamed  down  the  river, 
cheer  after  'cheer,  as  hearty  as  their  weak 
condition  wonl,(l  pennit,  were  given  for 
Colonel  Mulford  a^Q^  ^^  ^^ 


930 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


We  received  in  all,  at  Venus  Point,  five 
thousand  and  five  hundred  prisoners.  When 
we  were  informed  that  General  Sherman's 
near  approach  to  Savannah,  would  prevent 
the  delivery  of  any  more  at  that  place,  we 
at  once  sailed  for  Charleston  Harbor,  where 
the  balance  of  the  ten  thousand  were  re- 
ceived. These  last  were,  if  possible,  in  a 
more  destitute  condition,  than  those  re- 
ceived at  Venus  Point. 

One  man  breathed  his  last,  while  they 
were  conveying  him  from  one  vessel  to 
another. 

On  the  12th  December,  the  "  Orescent" 
received  her  compliment  of  passengers,  con- 
sisting of  sixty-eight  officers,  and  seven 
hundred  and  sixty  men.  The  highest  praise 
is  due  to  Captain  Lathan,  his  officers,  and 
the  men  of  the  "  Crescent,"  for  their  kind- 
ness to  the  officers  and  soldiers,  and  for  their 
constant  endeavors  to  alleviate  their  suffer- 
ings, and  make  them  as  comfortable  as  they 
could  during  their  voyage  to  the  North. 

SUPPLIES. 

The  stores  entrusted  to  our  charge,  were 
distributed  in  such  a  manner  as  circum- 
stances seemed  to  require,  with  a  view  to 
relieve  suffering,  and  render  thes©  abused 
patriots  as  comfortable  as  *  possible,  and 
their  gratitude  there  for,  was  expressed  by 
calling  blessings  upon  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  in  grateful  tears. 

LEFT  BEHIND. 

They  all  speak  of  the  sufferings  and  des- 
titution of  their  comrades  who  still  linger 
in  the  rebel  prisons,  not  having  been  so  for- 
tunate as  themselves  in  obtaining  their  re- 
lease, and  beg  the  Sanitary  Commission  to 
do  all  in  their  power  to  alleviate  their  suf- 
ferings, by  furnishing  them  with  comfortable 
clothing,  and  other  articles  which  they  so 
much  need. 

Being  fully  acquainted  with  the  condition 
in  which  those  were  at  the  time  they  reached 
the  flag  of  truce  boats,  we  can  easily  realize 
what  must  be  the  situation  of  their  more 
unfortunate  comrades,  who  still  remain  in 
the  power  of  the  rebels.  And  what  must 
be  their  sufferings  during  the  winter 
months?  Dying  hy  inches  for  want  of 
nourishment  and  suitable  clothing. 

IITIEBESIIirO    LETIEBS. 
BY  MRS.  L.  G.  PARRISH. 

Annapolis, 'i>cc.  1,  1864. 
The  steamer    Gtmstitutum  arrived  this 
morning  with  seven  hundred  and  six  (706) 


men,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  (125)  of 
whom  were  sent  immediately  to  hospitals, 
being  too  ilFto  enjoy  more  than  the  sight 
of  their  "  promised  land."  Many  indeed, 
were  in  a  dying  condition.  Some  had  died 
a  short  time  before  the  arrival  of  the  boat. 
Those  who  were  able,  proceeded  to  the  high 
ground  above  the  landing,  and  after  being 
divided  into  battalions,  each  was  conducted 
in  turn  to  the  Grovernment  storehouse,  under 
charge  of  Oapt.  Davis,  who  furnished  each 
man  with  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  recorded  his 
name,  regiment  and  company.  They  then 
passed  out  to  another  building  near  by,  where 
warm  water,  soap,  towels,  brushes  and  combs 
awaited  them. 

WRITING  LETTERS. 

After  their  ablutions  they  returned  to  the 
open  space  in  front  of  the  building,  to  look 
around  and  enjoy  the  realities  of  their  new 
life.  Here  they  were  furnished  with  paper, 
envelopes,  sharpened  pencils,  hymn  books 
and  tracts  from  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
and  sat  down  to  communicate  the  glad  news 
of  their  freedom  to  friends  at  home.  In 
about  two  hours  most  of  the  men  who  were 
able,  had  sealed  their  letters  and  deposited 
them  in  a  large  mail  bag  which  was  furn- 
ished, and  soon  sent  on  their  way  to  hun- 
dreds of  anxious  kindred  and  friends. 

DISTRIBUTION     OP     POOD — ^JOY     OP      THE 
PRISONERS. 

Capt.  Davis  very  kindly  invited  me  to 
accompany  him  to  another  building,  to 
witness  the  administration  of  the  food. 
Several  cauldrons  containing  nice  coffee, 
piles  of  new  white  bread,  and  stands  covered 
with  meat,  met  the  eye.  Three  dealers 
were  in  attendance.  The  first  gave  to  each 
soldier  a  loaf  of  bread,  the  second  a  slice  of 
boiled  meat,  the  third, 'dipping  the  new  tin- 
cup  from  the  hand  of  each,  into  the  coffee 
cauldron,  dealt  out  hot  coffee ;  and  how  it 
was  all  received  I  am  unable  to  describe. 
The  feeble  ones  reached  out  their  emaciated 
hands  to  receive  gladly,  that  which  they 
were  scarcely  able  to  carry,  and  with 
brightening  faces  and  grateful  expressions 
went  on  their  way.  The  stouter  ones  of  the 
party,  however,  must  have  their  jokes,  and 
such  expressions  as  the  following  passed 
freely  among  them:  "No  stockade  about 
this  bread,"  "  This  is  no  confederate  dodge," 
&c.  One  fellow,  whose  skin  was  nearly 
black  from  exposure,  said,  "That's  more 
bread  than  I've  seen  for  two  months." 
Another,  "  That  settles  a  man's  plate."    A 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


931 


bright  eyed  boy  of  eighteen,  whose  young 
spirit  had  not  been  completely  crushed  out 
in  rebeldom,  could  not  refrain  from  a  hur- 
rah, and  cried  out,  "  Hurrah  for  Uncle  Sam, 
hurrah !  No  Confederacy  about  this  bread." 
One  poor  feeble  fellow,  almost  too  faint  to 
hold  his  loaded  plate,  muttered  out,  "  Why, 
this  looks  as  if  we  were  going  to  live, 
there's  no  grains  of  corn  for  a  man  to  swal- 
low whole  in  this  loaf."  Thus  the  words 
of  cheer  and  hope  came  from  almost  every 
tongue,  as  they  received  their  rations  and 
walked  away,  each  with  his  thank  you, 
thank  you ;  and  sat  down  upon  the  ground, 
which  forcibly  reminded  me  of  the  scripture 
account  where  the  multitude  sat  down  in 
companies,  "  and  did  eat  and  were  filled." 

oh!  wait  for  me. 

Ambulances  came  afterwards  to  take 
those  who  were  unable  to  walk,  to  Camp 
Parole,  which  is  two  miles  distant.  One 
poor  man,  who  was  making  his  way  behind 
all  the  rest  to  reach  the  ambulance,  thought 
it  would  leave  him,  and  with  a  most  anx- 
ious and  pitiful  expression,  cried  out,  "Oh, 
wait  for  me !"  I  think  I  shall  never  for- 
get his  look  of  distress.  When  he  reached 
the  wagon  he  was  too  feeble  to  step  in, 
but  Captain  Davis  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Whitaker, 
Sanitary  Commissson  agent,  assisted  him 
till  he  was  placed  by  the  side  of  his 
companions,  who  were  not  in  much  better 
condition  than  himself.  When  he  was 
seated  he  was  so  thankful  that  he  wept 
like  a  child,  and  those  who  stood  by  to  aid. 
him  could  do  no  less.  Soldiers — ^brave  sol- 
diers, officers  and  all,  were  moved  to  tears. 
That  must  be  a  sad  discipline  which  not 
only  wastes  the  manly  form  till  the  sign  of 
humanity  is  nearly  obliterated,  but  breaks 
the  manly  spirit  tUl  it  is  as  tender  as  a 
child's. 

I>ec.  6.  1864. 
A  VISIT  TO  ST.  JOHNS'  COLLEGE  HOSPITAL. 

The  St.  John's  College  Hospital  is 
under  the  management  of  Dr.  Palmer, 
surgeon-in-charge,  and  his  executive  officer. 
Dr.  Tremaine.  These  gentlemen  are  worthy 
of  praise  for  the  systematic  arrangement  of 
its  cleanly  apartments,  and  for  the  very  kind 
attention  they  bestow  on  their  seven  hun- 
dred patients.  I  visited  the  hospital  a  day 
or  two  ago,  and,  from  what  I  saw  there,  can 
assure  the  relatives  at  home  that  the  suf- 
ferers are  well  provided  for.  If  they^ 
could  only  be  seen,  how  comfortable  they 


look  in  their  neat  whye  spread  beds,  much 
pain  would  be  spared  them.  One  of  the 
surgeons  informed  me  that  all  the  appliancea 
are  bestowed  either  by  the  government  or 
the  Sanitary  Commission. 

ROOKING  CHAIRS. 

As  I  passed  through  the  different  wards, 
I  noticed  that  each  one  was  well  supplied 
with  rocking  chairs,  and  alluding  to  the 
great  comfort  they  must  be  to  the  invalids, 
the  surgeon  replied:  "Yes,  this  is  one  of 
the  rich  gifts  made  to  us  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission."  An  invalid  took  up  the 
words  and  remarked  :  "  I  think  it's  likely 
that  all  about  me  is  from  the  Sanitary,  for 
I  see  my  flannel  shirt,  this  wrapper,  and 
pretty  much  all  I've  got  ob,  has  the  stamp 
of  the  United  States  S8^nitary  "Commission 
on  it." 

DIET  KITCHEN. 

The  diet  kitchen  is  under  the  care  of 
Miss  Rich,  who,  with  her  assistants,  was 
busy  preparing  delicacies  of  various  kinds 
for  two  hundred  patients  who  were  not  able 
to  go  to  the  convalescent  table.  The  whole 
atmosphere  was  filled  with  the  odor  of 
savory  viands.  On  the  stove  I  counted 
mutton  chops,  beef  steaks,  oysters,  chicken, 
milk,  tea,  and  other  very  palatable  articles 
cooking.  A  man  stood  by  a  table,  butter- 
ing nicely  toasted  bread  ;  before  him  were 
eight  to  ten  rows  of  the  staff  of  life,  rising 
up  like  pillars  of  strength  to  support  the  in- 
ner man.  The  chief  cook  in  this  depart- 
ment informed  me  that  he  buttered  twelve 
hundred  slices  of  bread,  or  toast,  daily  for 
the  diet  patients,  and  prepared  eighty-six 
different  dishes  at  each  meal.  While  in 
conversation  with  this  good-natured  person^ 
the  butcher  brought  in  a  supply  of  meat, 
amounting,  he  informed  me,  to  one  hundred 
pounds  per  day  for  the  so-called  diet  kitchen, 
though  this  did  not  sound  much  like  it. 
Before'  we  left  this  attractively  clean  place . 
the  oysterman  was  taet  emptying  his  cans. 
Upon  inquiring  how  many  oysters  he  had, 
he  replied,  "  Six  gallons  is  my  every  day 
deposit  here ;"  and  oh !  they  were  so  inex- 
pressibly fine-looking,  I  could  not  resist  rob- 
bing some  poor  fellow  of  one  large  bi-valve 
to  ascertain  their  quality.  Next  we  were 
shown  the  store-room,  where  there  was  a 
good  supply  of  Sanitary  stores,  pads,  pil- 
lows^ shirts,  drawers,  arm-slings,  stock  of 
crutches,  fans,  and  other  comforts,  which, 
the  doctor  said,  had  been  deposited  by  thf 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  agent. 


932 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


These  were  usefiil  articles  that  were  not  far- 
niched  by  the  government. 

^he  executive  officer  having  given  us 
permission  to  find  our  way  among  the 
patients,  we  passed  several  hours  most 
profitably  and  interestingly,  conversing  with 
those  who  had  none  to  cheer  them  for 
maiiy  months,  and  writing  letters  for  those 
who  were  too  feeble  to  use  the  pen.  When 
th6  day  closed  our  labors  we  felt  like  the 
disciple  of  old,  who  said,  "Master,  it  is  good 
to  be  ^ere,"  and  wished  that  we  might  set 
up  our  tabernacle  and  glorify  the  Lord  by 
doiqg  good  to  the  sick,  the  lame,  and  those 
who  had  been  in  prison. 

December  8,  1864 
OUB  PEISONEES  FROM    SAVANNAH. 

No  human  tongue  or  pen  can  ever  de- 
scribe the  horrible  suffering  we  have  wit- 
nessed this  day. 

TWO  HUNDRED  BAD  OASES. 

I  was  eafly  at  the  landing,  8  J  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  before  the  boat  threw  out  her 
ropes  for  seotirity.  The  first  one  brought 
two  hundred  bad  cases,  which  the  Naval 
surgeon  told  me  should  properly  go  to  the 
hospital  near  by,  were  it  not  that  others 
were  coming,  every  one  of  whom  was  in  the 
most  wretched  condition  imaginable.  They 
were,  theriefore,  sent  in  ambulances  to  Camp 
Parole  hospital,  distant  two  miles,  after  be- 
ing washed  and  fed  at  the  barracks.' 

A  DECK  LOAD  OF  THE  DYING. 

In  a  short  time  another  boat-load  drew 
near,  and  oh !  such  a  scene  of  suffer- 
ing humanity  I  desire  never  to  behold 
again.  The  whole  deck  was  a  bed  of  straw 
for  our  exhausted,  starved,  emaciated,  dy- 
ing fellow-oreatures.  Of  the  five  hundred 
and  fifty  that  left  Savannah,  the  surgeon 
informed  me  not  over  two  hundred  would 
survive;  fifty  had  died  on  the  passage;  three 
died  while  the  boat  was  coming  to  the  land 
of  liberty.  I  saw  five  men  dying  as  they 
were  carried  on  stretchers  from  the  boat  to 
the  Nil  val  Hospital.  The  stretcher-bearers 
were  ordered  by  Surgeon  D.  Vanderkieft  to 
pause  :i  moment  that  the  names  of  the  dy- 
ing mm  might  be  obtained.  To  the  credit 
of  the  officers  and  their  assistants  it  should 
be  known  that  everything  was  done  in  the 
most  systematic  and  careful  manner.  Each 
stretcher  had  four  attendants,  who  stood  in 
line  and  came  up  promptly,  one  after  the 
other,  to  receive  the  sufferers  as  they  were 
earried  off  the  boat.  There  was  no  ooofusidn, 


no  noise;  all  acted  with  perfect  military 
order.  Ah  !  it  was  a  solemn  funeral  service 
to  many  a  brave  soldier  that  was  thus  being 
performed  by  kind  hearts  and  hlinds. 

THE  INSANE. 

Some  had  become  insane ;  their  wild  gaze 
and  clenched  teeth  convinced  the  observer 
that  reason  had  fied ;  others  were  idiotic ; 
a  few  lying  in  spasms ;  perhaps  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  hbjpe  long  cherished,  yet  oft  de- 
ferred, or  the  welcome  sound  of  the  music, 
sent  forth  by  the  military  band,  was  more 
than  their  exhausted  nature  could  bear. 
When  blankets  were  thrown  over  them,  no 
one  would  have  supposed  that  a  human 
form  lay  beneath,  save  for  the  small  pro- 
minence which  the  bony  head  and  feet  in- 
dicated. Oh  !  God  of  justice,  what  retribu- 
tion awaits  the  perpetrators  of  such  slow  and 
awful  murder. 

VERMIN  AND  DISEASE. 

The  hair  of  some  was  matted  together, 
like  beasts  of  the  stall  which  lie  down  in 
their  own  filth.  Vermin  are  over  them 
in  abundance.  Nearly  every  man  was 
darkened  by  scurvy,  or  black  with  rough 
scales,  and  with  scorbutic  sores.  One  in 
particular  was  reduced  to  the  merest  skele- 
ton ;  his  face,  neck,  and  feet  covered  with 
thick,  green  mould.  A  number  who  had 
Government  clothes  given  them  on  the  boat 
were  too  feeble  to  put  them  on,  and  were 
carried  ashore  partially  dressed,  hugging 
their  clothing  with  a  death-grasp  that  they 
could  not  be  persuaded  to  yield.  It  was 
not  unfrequent  to  hear  a  man  feebly  call,  as 
he  was  laid  on  a  stretcher,  "  Don't  take  my 
clothes ;"  "  Oh,  save  my  new  shoes ;" 
"  Don't  let  my  socks  go  back  to  Anderson- 
ville."  In  their  wild  death-struggle,  with 
bony  arms  and  hands  extended,  they  would 
hold  up  their  new  socks,  that  could  not  be 
put  on  because  of  their  swollen  limbs,  say- 
ing, "  Save  'em  till  I  get  home."  In  a  little 
while,  however,  the  souls  of  many  were  re- 
leased from  their  worn-out  frames  and  borne 
to  that  higher  home  where  all  things  •  are 
registered  for  a  great  day  of  account. 

AN  APPEAL  TO  CHARITY. 

Let  our  friends  at  home  have  open  purses 
and  willing  hands  to  keep  up  the  supplies 
for  the  great  demand  that  must  necessarily 
be  made  upon  them.  Much  more  must  yet 
be  done. 

Thousands  now  languish  in  Southern 
prisons,  that  mav  vet  be  brouerht  thus  far 


The  Sanitary  Oommiseion  BuUeiin. 


m 


toward  home.  Let  every  Aid,sofciety  be  more 
diligent,  that  the  stores  of  the  Sanitary 
Coinniission  may  not  fail  in  this  great 
work. 

TOWEIiS,  OOMBS,  ETC. 

The  government  does  not  supply  towels 
and  combs  to  the  soldiers.  On  their  arri- 
val the  agents  of  the  Commission  are  ready 
with  a  stock  of  these  very  useful  and  much 
neetled  a,rtioles,  giving  them  freely  to  each 
man.  Fourteen  hundred  towels  were  given 
out  one  morning,  and  the  recipients,  who 
had  not  seen  such  things  for  a  long  time,  and 
who  needed  them  much,  made  merry  over 
them  indeed.  One  said,  "  I  do  believe  if  it 
wasn't  for  the  Sanitary,  we  would  never 
have  got  out  of  the  Confederacy.  I  do  be- 
lieve they  have  interceded  for  us." 


ITtOH  ONE  COUFEIEITT  TO  JUDGE. 
The  Rev.  B.  T.  Phillips,  Chaplain  U.S.A. 
General  Hospital  at  Annapolis  Junction — 
whose  ability,  spirituality,  and  untiring 
zeal  in  his  noble  work  have  won  for  him 
golden  opinions  both  from  his  old  friends 
and  from  the  officers  and  men  with  whom 
he  has  long  been  associated — in  a  letter  ad- 
dressed t9-Eev.  J.  A.  Whitaker,  for  many 
months  our  agent  at  Annapolis,  speaks  so 
frankly  and  advisedly  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, that  we  cannot  refrain  from  ex- 
tracting as  follows : — 

U.  S.  A.  (Jbnbeal'  Hospital,  .  \ 
Annapolis,  Dec.  15,  1864.  / 

Rev.  and  Dear  Beother  : — The  duties 
incidental  to  the  recent  large  arrival  of 
paroled  prisoners  at  this  hospital  from 
Andersonville  and  other  prisons  of  Georgia, 
have  prevented  me  from  making  an  earlier 
expression  of  •  my  sentiments  towards  you, 
and  my  feelings  at  your  leaving  Annapolis 
for  your  new  sphere  of  labor  in  behalf  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  *  *  * 

Of  the  great  and  good  work  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  I  would  like  to  say  some- 
thing, but  I  hardly  know  how  to  speak  of  it 
without  using  terms,  which,  while  to  me  they 
seem  to  fall  far  below  what  truth  and  justice 
demand,  may  to  those  unacquainted  with  or 
experienced  in  its  practical  workings,  seem 
exaggerations.  But  the  fact. is,,  it  cannot 
be  exaggerated,  and  language  is  inadequate. 
Following  the  soldier  a;s  it  does'  from  his 
-enlistment  to  his  discharge,  whether  that  bj 


to  his  family  or  his  long  horde,  its  kind  and 
judicious  and  prompt  help  is  ever  at  hand. 
oftentimes   unconsciously   to  himself,  .bm 
shedding  its  gentle  influence  and  ministra- 
tions of  mercy  as  nothing  else  does  or  can. 
And  all  this  with  an  economy  and  protec- 
tion against  imposition,  that  is  rarely  found 
in  even  oar  best  benevolent  enterprises. 
I  speak  advisedly  when  I  say  that  in  these 
regards  it  may  safely  challenge  comparison 
with  any  institution  of  the  kind  with  which 
I  am  acquainted.     I  know  whereof  I  speak, 
having  carefully  examined  into  its  mode  df 
operation,  and  having  had  much  personal 
experience  of  its  practical  working  since  its 
very  commencement,  in    my  regiment,  in 
temporary  hospital,  on  many  a  battle-fidld, 
and  in  general  hospitals.^    In  all  that  ex- 
perience of  nearly  four  years,  I  have  had 
increasing  reasons  for  believing  not  only 
that  no  other  organization  can  compare  with 
this  noble  pioneer  in  the  work  of  humanity 
it  has  undertaken,  but  also  to  admire  the 
thorough  business  manner  in  which  it  h'as 
been  conducted,  the  wisdom  which  haia  been 
displayed  by  its  managers,  and  their  good 
judgment  in  the  selection  of  the  agents,  to 
whom  has  been  entrusted  the  disposing  of 
the  charity  which  the  people  have  pijt  int9 
their  hands.     Their  policy  to  employ  the 
best  agents,  and  retain  them  as  they  be- 
come experienced,  as  well  as  their   good 
fortune  in  these  regards,  have  had  just  such 
results  as  might "  have  been  expected ;   they 
have  been  served  faithfully,  and  the  soldier 
has    reaped   the  benefit,  while   the   loyal 
people  of  the  land  have  shown  their  appre- 
ciation by  their  liberal   girts.      They  feel 
they  can  confide  in  it,  and  that  by  no  other 
agency  can  they  so  directly  and  beneficently 
relieve  the  suffering  spldie^,  or  in  case  of 
his  death,  hel'p  his  needy  family. 

But  I  find  I  must  ^top,  leaving  unsaid 
what  my  heart  prompts  me  to  utter,  but 
which  I  have  not  the  time  nor  space  to  say. 

BY  E.  C.  GUILES. 
Annapolis,  Md.,  Dec.  17,  1864. 
Since  my  arrival  at  this  place,  I  have  oc- 
cupied myself  in  obtaining  the  requisite  in- 
formation, and  answering  letters  of  inqiuiry, 
received  at  this  office..  These  letters  have 
been  numerous,  and  often  of  a  most  affect- 
ing character.  Appeals  from  mothers  and 
wives,  beseeching  us  to  use  everyeffort  to 
get  some  intelligence  for.  them,  from  those 
recently  returned  from  iinprisonmeutaithe 
South — of  their  dear  ones — last  heard  from. 


934 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


it  may  be,  six  months  or  a  year  ago ;  short 
manly  notes  from  fathers  or  brothers,  ask- 
ing Tis  whether  such  or  such  a  name  was  to 
be  found  among  the  list  of  paroled  prison- 
ers. Bequests  such  as  these,  could  not  fail  to 
command  our  immediate  and  earnest  atten- 
tion— promptness  and  thoroughness  of  in- 
vestigation, however,  it  has  been  impossi- 
ble to  combine. 

Twice  have  the  flag  of  truce  boats  recom- 
menced their  trips ;  they  have  come  with 
such  frequency  and  brought  such  large 
numbers-^one  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred, 
sometimes  in  a  day — that  the  list  of  names 
has  been  in  constant  use  by  the  military 
authorities,  and  could  not  be  at  once  refer- 
red to.  Every  facility,  however,  has  been 
afforded  us,  and  in  many  instances,  we  have 
had  the  pleasure  of  communicating  to  the 
anxious  once  at  home,  the  news,  that  he 
whom  they  had  inquired  for,  was  left  be- 
hind, in  good  health,  by  his  comrades.  In 
other  cases,  we  have  been  obliged  to  convey 
the  sad  intelligence,  that  the  person  in- 
quired after,  had  died  in  captivity.  But, 
in  such  instances,  we  could  almost  feel 
glad  of  having  something  definite  to  reply  : 
it  was  so  much  harder  to  be  compelled 
to  say,  as  in  the  other  eases  we  have 
been,"  that  no  information  could  be  obtained. 
In  these  cases,  however,  a  careful  list  of  the 
names  has  been  kept,  that  no  opportunity 
may  be  lost,  as  the  boats  continue  to  arrive, 
of  giving  what  intelligence  we  can. 

I  have  occupied  myself  in  assisting  at 
the  distribution  of  the  articles  to  the  men. 
Liberal  as  the  provision  made  by  the  Grov- 
ernment  is,  there  are  certain  articles  of 
universal  necessity,  which  they  do  not  sup- 
ply. Here  it  has  been  our  pleasure,  as  well 
as  our  duty,  to  furnish,  as  far  as  the  stores 
at  our  disposal  would  allow,  to  every  man. 

The  first  wish  of  the  paroled  prisoner, 
finding  himself  at  liberty,  is  to  communicate 
with  home.  It  is  our  aim,  therefore,  as 
soon  as  may  be,  after  the  arrival  of  each 
boat,  to  furnish  each  man  with  paper,  en- 
velope and  pencil.  These  are  most  glady 
*  welcomed  and  put  in  use.  The  next  desire 
of  the  men,  is  to  carry  out  more  fully  the 
work  already  begun,  of  cleansing  themselves 
from  the  dirt,  and  freeing  themselves  from 
the  vermin  incident  to  the  terrible  life 
they  have  been  leading.  We  take  them, 
when  mustered  into  line  for  dinner,  and  is- 
sue a  towel  and  a  comb  to  every  man. 
These  are  most  gratefully  received.  The 
only  words  of  complaint  which  have  reach- 


ed my  ears  here  been  owing  to  the  great 
earnestness  of  the  men  to  get  thoroughly 
cleaned.  Our  stock  of  fine-tooth  combs 
being  small  and  speedily  exhausted,  caused 
a  good  deal  of  disappointment.  However, 
we  supplied  them  with  a  comb  of  some  sort, 
and  the  change  in  their  appearance,  after  re- 
ceiving a  suit  of  clothes  from  Government, 
and  facilities  for  making  themselves  clean, 
is  very  remarkable.  We  have  issued  also  to 
each  man,  a  skein  of  thread  and  needle. 

I  have  also  had  the  honor  to  assist  from 
time  to  time  in  the  duties  of  the  office.  I 
have  been  greatly  interested  in  the  ex- 
periences of  the  officers  who  have  begun  to 
arrive  on  the  later  boats.  Not  entitted  to 
clothing  from  Government  like  enlisted 
men,  they  have  come  to  the  office  clad 
in  the  ragged  and  dirty  garments,  which 
have  been  their  only  defence  from  the  cold 
in  their  prison  life,  to  see  what  we  could  do 
for  them.  Underclothing  has  been  issued 
readily,  but  outer  garments  not  being  inclu- 
ded in  our  stock  on  hand,  it  has  been  im- 
possible for  us  to  supply.  But  it  has  been 
very  impressive  to  observe  the  manly  and 
simple  dignity  of  these  men,  in  tattered 
clothes.  With  long  untrimmed .  hair  and 
beard,  with  feeble  tottering  gait,  thera  was 
yet  to  be  seen,  the  noble  spirit  unquenched, 
the  true  man  coming  out  purer,  with  more 
tried  patience,  with  more  calm  power  from 
the  furnace  of  affliction — ^the  fiery  torment 
of  the  terrible  experience. 

The  frank,  straightforward  gratitude  with 
which  they  accepted  the  littie  favors  we 
were  able  to  do  them,  was  very  touching. 
It  is  a  thing  to  be  very  thankfiil  for,  and 
from  which  to  take  hope  for  the  future, 
that  such  men  have  been  spared  to  the 
nation. 

I  have  busied  myself  as  opportunity 
offered,  in  observing  whatever  was  going  oh 
in  connection  with  the  men,  now  at  this 
post,  that  I  might  obtain  such  a  knowledge 
of  the  general  condition  of  affairs,  as  would 
enable  me  more  efficiently  to  serve  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 

I  have  several  times  witnessed  the  im- 
pressive scene  presented  by  a  funeral  in  the 
Naval  School  yard,  preceded  by  the  band, 
and  escorted  by  a  guard  of  men  under 
arms. 

The  long  file  of  wagons  moved  slowly  up 
and  took  their  positions  in  front  of  the 
Chapel.  On  the  steps  stood  the  chaplains 
of  the  Naval  School  Hospital,  and  the 
Officers  Hospital,  and  delegates  of  the  Chris- 


The  Sanitary  Commiaion  Bulletin. 


985 


tian  Commission,  with  some  of  the  ladies 
connected  with  the  hospital,  and  all  around 
were   gathered   such  of  the  men  as  were 
able  to  be  about.     A  hymn  was  sung  by 
the    ladies,    with   some   of   the   members 
of  the  band.    An  address  was  made   by 
a  delegate   of  the  Christian  Commission. 
The  list  of   the  dead  (forty-four  names) 
was  read,  prayer  was  offered  by  the  chap- 
lains, the  solemn  notes  of  the  band  were 
heard  again,  and  the  line  of  wagons  passed 
on,  each  draped  with  the  American  flag, 
to  the   Cemetery,  a  mile  or   two  out   of 
town.     The    large   number    of    the    dead 
commemorated  in  a  single  service ;  the  ab- 
sence of  any   near   personal  friends;  the 
presence  within  the  curtains  of  the  neigh- 
boring tents  of  so  many  hundreds,  who  may 
soon  be  borne  out  to  be  placed  by  the  side 
of  them ;  the  thought  of  the  long  suffering 
through  which  they  have  passed,  and  of  the 
blessed  rest  they  had  found,  made  the  scene 
one  long  to  be  remembered. 

I  have  also  had  the  pleasure  of  attending 
the  prayer  meetings,  held  two  evenings  in 
the  week  at  the  Chapel.  They  were  ex- 
ceedingly interesting  occasions.  Most  of 
the  men  who  took  part  in  the  exercises 
were  young  men,  and  their  testimony  was 
clear  and  strong  to  the  power  of  faith,  to 
maintain  the  soul  through  the  most  fearful 
trials  and  temptations.  They  had  found 
Christ  to  be  their  strength  and  comfort  in 
their  time  of  adversity,  and  looked  forward 
with  joy  to  devoting  themselves  to  his  ser- 
vice in  the  brighter  days  which  were  now 
in  store  for  them  amid  the  prevaling  sad- 
ness from  present  suffering  and  distressing 
recollections;  these  hours  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving,  of  glorying  in  Grod,  and  re- 
joicing in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  times 
of  true  repentance. 

THE  SOLDIEK'S  FUNEEAL  HYMN. 

BY  MES.  J.  W.  LANE. 

We  weep,  to-day,  the  fallen  brave, 

Now  sleeping  in  their  distant  grave, 

Our  stricken  hearts  in  anguish  mourn, 

For  loved  ones  who  will  ne'er  return. 

The  soldier's  calm,  untroubled  sleep, 

Where  Heaven's  pure  dews  alone  may  weep  ; 

Nor  clash  of  arms,  nor  trampling  feet, 

Can  reach  them  in  their  safe  retreat. 

We  saw  not  the  ensanguined  fray, 

Where  the  red  life-stream  ebbed  away, 

Nor  watched  the  dauntless  spirit's  flight, 

As  life's  fair  sun  went  down  in  night. 

We  saw  not  Death's  gray  shadows  lie 

On  the  damp  brow  and  glazing  eye. 

Before  us  still  they  seem  to  move, 

AH  health  and  brightness,  life  and  love.  » 


Thou  Sovereign  Euler  of  the  skies, 
Accept  this  costly  sacrifice, 
And  teach  our  aching  hearts  to  rest ; 
Resigned  and  hopeful,  on  thy  breast. 

And  when  fair  Freedom's  banner  waves, 
In  triumph  over  these  honored  graves, 
To  them  each  freeman's  love  shall  raise, 
A  hero's  monument  of  praise. 
East  Bethant,  December  5, 1864. 


ABMY    OF   THE   POTOMAC. 

BY  J.    WARNER  JOHNSON, 

SnPEBIKTBNDBNT  OF  FIELD  BELIEF. 

Dec.  U,  1864. 

Thinking  that  the  readers  of  the  Sani- 
tary Bulletin,  might  feel  some  interest 
in  following  the  movements  of  their  agents 
during  the  recent  raid  under  General  War- 
ren, and  in  learning  somewhat  of  the  life 
we  lead,  I  propose  to  giv#you  a  sketch  of 
our  movements.  The  ordinary  quiet  of 
camp  life,  was  broken  about  sunset  on  Tues- 
day, the  6th  inst.,  by  orders  for  the  Fifth 
Corps,  and  the  third  division  of  the  Second 
Corps,-  to  be  ready  to  move  at  day-break  the 
following  morning,  with  six  days  rations, 
and  suit.  Lie  ammunition. 

The  supply  trains,  ambulances,  and  am- 
munition wagons,  were  limited  in  number, 
and  every  order  indicated  that  a  rapid  but 
not  very  extended  move  was  to  be  made. 

BATTLE  supplies. 

Before  dark,  a  wagon  was  filled  with  our 
battle  supply,  for  each  of  these  Corps. 
Woolen  shirts,  drawers  and  socks,  condensed 
milk,  whiskey  and  brandy  for  milk  punch, 
beef  stock,  soft  crackers,  farina  and  corn 
starch,  rags,  bandages,  blankets,  handker- 
chiefs and  towels,  and  such  articles  as  are 
most  needed  after  a  battle,  constituted 
our  stores  on  this  occasion.  Some  tea, 
sugar,  soft  crackers,  and  a  few  cans  of  apple 
sauce,  were  added  for  our  mess ;  time  not 
permitting  us  to  prepare  suitable  substan- 
tial food,  we  relied  upon  our  friends  for 
beef  and  bread,  as  occasion  required,  and 
never  in  vain. 

MOVING. 

By  daylight  of  the  morning  of  the  7th 
Dec,  we  were  ready  to  move,  Mr.  Barton 
taking  charge  of  the  5th  Corps  supplies, 
leaving  his  associate  in  charge  of  the  Sta- 
tion, while  Mr.  Holbrook,  accompanied  by 
Uncle  John  (Vassar,)  and  the  writer,  went 
with  the  wagon  of  the  Second  Corps.  Each 
agent  in  charge,  was  provided  with  a  saddle 
horse,  and  in  the  wagon  was  forage  enough 
for  six  days.     Scarcely  had  we  left  camp, 


936 


The  Savtitdry  (fMhiisUnk  ^iiXlki^. 


before  the  promise  of  the  early  morning 
was  realized,  by  a  heavy  rain  storm,  which 
lasted  till  noon,  and  made  our  gum  blan- 
kets of  the  greatest  value.  By  the  end  of 
the  day,  the  sun  broke  out  bright  aiid  warm, 
making  every  one  cheerful  and  inspirited ; 
the  moon  afterwards  added  her  mild  light 
to  guide  us  on  our  way  to  camp  by  nine 
o'clock. 

MIDNIGHT  SHOWER. 

We  were  roused  from  comfortable  sleep 
about  midnight,  by  a  heavy  shower,  which 
cbmiing  upon  us  suddenly,  as  we  lay  u^on 
the  plain  without  shelter,  (our  tent  hsiving 
been  forgotten,)  soaked  both  beds  and  oc- 
cupants before  we  succeeded  in  getting  into 
or  under  the  wagon.  When  the  heaviest 
of  the  shower  had  passed,  we  made  a  fire, 
a.nd  gathered  abound  it  till  day-break, 
drying  our  clothes,  and  comforting  the  in- 
ner-man with  tea  andcrackers.  By  thattime, 
the  column  was  again  on  the  move,  and 
falling  into  position  in  the  rear  of  the  hos- 
pital wagons,  our  team  began  the  duty  of 
the  day. 

TJNCEETAINTY. 

Laughable  conjectures  as  to  our  desti- 
nation, beguiled  the  slow  and  tedious  march 
of  our  little  army.  They  varied  as  much 
as  the  minds  of  their  originators,  and  ex- 
tended from  a  reconnoissance  toward  the 
South  Side  road  to  a  union  with  G-eneral 
Sherman's  forces  in  G-eorgia.  It  was  not 
clear  hoWever,  that  our  six  days  rations 
would  last  quite  long  enough  for  a  trip  into 
South  Carolina,  or,  that  our  little  army 
could  subsist  itself  upon  the  enemy,  on  so 
long  a  march. 

SUSSEX  00. 

Our  road  lead  us  through  Sussex  C.  H., 
a  village  of  some  pretentions,  on  the  map, 
but  owning  only  three  or  four  houses,  con- 
spicious  among  which,  is  the  Court  House 
of  brick,  standing  a  short  distance  back 
from  the  road.  The  general  appearance  of 
this  country  indicates  exhaustion.  The 
soil  under  good  cultivation  and  proper  re- 
•turhs  will  be  productive,  but  the  large  farms 
and  bad  system  pursued,  has  reduced  it 
so  much,  that  no  evidences  exist  of  fair 
crops  being  harvested.  Fields  of  cotton 
are  quite  frequent.  Some  have  been  picked; 
a  ffew  still  carry  their  small  crop. 

CONTRABANDS. 

Grrttups  of  ooiltrabands  met  us  occasion- 
ally, giving  active  exercise  to  the  humane 


feelings  of  those  ih  sympathy  vrith  th^fii, 
by  their  ajipeals  for  aid.  Children  at  df 
ages,  and  the  itifitm,  through  their  leader^, 
disked  for  traiisportation ;  but  a  difficulty 
arose  in  getting  it,  from  all  the  wagons  still 
being  loaded,  and  from  the  fact  that  we  were 
going  from  home  witi  limited  rations  for 
the  troops. 

Few,  if  any  of  these  partifeS,  were  how- 
ever, left  behind  our  column.  Coiild  aiiy 
advocate  of  the  Divine  Institution  have  wit- 
nessed the  meeting  of  these  poor  creatures 
with  their  friends  by  the  road  dide,  and  have 
seen  the  exhibitions  of  delight  with  which 
they  welcOined  each  accessidn  to  the  riiiks 
of  those,  who  loved  freedom  better  than 
slavery,  he  would  have  learned  a  lesson  never 
to  be  forgotten. 

WELDON  RAIL  ROAD. 

About  noon  of  Thursday,  we  came  in 
sight  of  a  railroad  bridge  over  the  Notto- 
way river,  which  the  cavalry  had  fired  a 
short  time  before.  Here  the  object  of  the 
move  was  developed.  Before  us  was  the 
Weldon  Bailroad,  in  operation  toward  Peters- 
burg as  far  as  Stony  creek,  where  wagons 
were  used  to  carry  supplies  across  the  Dan- 
ville road  or  around  the  Army  of  Potomac 
to  Petersburg. 

DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  ROAD. 

The  line  of  road  was  at  once  occupied 
by  the  troops,  and  for  thirty-six  hours 
almost  the  entire  force  bent  its  best 
efforts  to  its  destruction.  Many  willing 
hands  make  short  work  with  such  a  duty. 
Strong  arms  are  used,  and  many  men  ap- 
ply themselves  to  the  task.  The  rails  and 
ties  are  lifted  on  one  side,  and  thrown  over 
into  one  long  line. 

The  ties  when  torn  from  the  rails,  are 
piled  up,  and  the  latter  are  laid  across  them 
and  covered  with  light  wood,  so  that  when 
the  fire  has  reached  its  fiercest  power,  and 
the  iron  has  become  softened  by  heat,  the 
weight  of  the  ends,  bends  the  rails  to  the 
ground,  and  utterly  ruins  them  for  present 
use.  Twenty  miles  of  such  devastation, 
was  accomplished  without  opposition,  and 
the  Weldon  road  to  the  Meheria  river, 
ceased  to  exist.  Rebels  in  Eichmond,  have 
but  one  line  of  rail,  the  single  track 
road  to  Danville,  by  which  to  carry  troops 
and  supplies,  from  the  Southern  States. 

HALT  AT  NIGHT. 

Our  halt  took  place  about  sunset,  the 
weather  growing  colder,  and  giving  indioa- 


The  Sanitary  Oommmion  Bulletin.  937 


tions  of  snow.  The  first  duty  on  reaching 
c4mp,  is  to  get  a  supply  of  soft  dry  wood  for 
the  flight,  and  water  for  supper.  Instinct 
seems  to  guide  the  soldier  to  the  nearest 
spot  where  either  can  be  obtained,  and  fen- 
ces of  all  kind  disappear  with  *onderful 
rapidity,  before  the  host  of  claimants,  who 
throng  after  them.  A  fire  is  quickly  start- 
ed; the  coffee  soon  boils  over  the  hot  coals; 
the  slice  of  beef  or  pork  is  soon  fried;  and 
a  gum  blanket  spread  upon  the  ground, 
famishes  a  table,  around  which,  appetites 
sharpened  by  a  fast  since  daybreak,  are 
gathered  for  the  frugal  meal. 

Should  the  ground  prove  very  rough,  a 
few  strokes  of  the  shovel  will  level  it  to  re- 
ceive the  blankets  upon  which  we  lie.  If 
it  rains,  a  gum  cover  over  our  blankets,  is 
our  protection  from  the  storm  of  a  winter's 
night,  and  fortunate  are  those  whose  slum- 
bers are  undisturbed  by  the  discovery  that 
they  obstruct  the  flow  of  a  young  river  on 
its  oceanward  course. 

START  AT  DAY-BREAK. 

Daybreak  finds  the  column  on  the  march, 
and  detained  only  by  the  labor  ot  destroy- 
ing the  railroad,  we  go  forward  to  the  Me- 
heria  River,  about  twenty  miles  from 
Wcldon.  Here  a  skirmish  between  our 
cavalry  knd  the  rebel  forces  on  the  other 
side  of  the  riVer,  exposes  the  defences 
thrown  up  to  prevent  our  crossing.  Enough 
of  the  road  has  been  torn  up  to  prevent  its 
use  for  weeks.  The  passage  of  the  stream 
would  involve  considerable  loss,  with  no 
other  benefit,  than  the  opportunity  of  de- 
stroying a  few  miles  of  the  road  beyond, 
and  as  the  weather  was  getting  colder  and 
wetter,  and  the  roads  more  difficult  for  the 
trains,  it  was  decided  to  retire.  Half  an 
inch  of  sleet  and  snow  covered  the  coun- 
try and  the  sleepers  in  the  army,  when  the 
bugle  calls  roused  the  latter  for  the  march. 
The  troops  had  hard  work  in  store  for  them. 
Deep  mud  and  half  frozen  water  cover  the 
roads,  and  constant  thawing  brought  such 
showers  from  the  forests,  that  little  comfort 
was  found  during  the  day  on  the  march,  or 
during  our  halts. 

IN    THE  MtJD. 

Just  after  dark,  our  wagon  was  driven 
into  a  mud  hole,  from  which  the  tired 
horses  were  unable  to  draw  it.  The  trains 
all  passed  on,  the  last  of  the  infantry 
were  around  us,  the  cavalry  but  a  short 
distance  in  the  rear,  and  as  it  became  an  in- 
teresting question  how  we  were  to  save  oui* 


supplies,  a  sudden  attack  by  the  rebel  cav- 
alry, which  penetrated  between  us  and  the 
rear  guard,  within  half  a  mile,  seemed  to 
make  a  Speedy  decision,  a  matter  of  neces- 
sity. Fortunately,  a  few  volleys  sent  the 
chivalry  to  the  right  about,  and  we  again 
had  an  interval  of  quiet. 

The  efibrts  of  the  soldiers,  loaned  for  the 
purpose,  failed  to  release  our  wagon  from  its 
muddy  bed,  and  it  became  necessary  to  part 
with  a  portion  of  the  contents.  This  was 
done  in  a  very  short  time,  and  in  such  a 
way  as  secured  a  proper  application  of  our 
supplies/  and  with  lightened  load,  we  reach- 
ed the  head-quarters  of  a  brigade,  were  we 
were  kindly  cared  for  during  the  night.  A 
short  distance  from  camp  next  morning, 
was  sufficient  to  show  that  we  were  requi- 
red to  further  reduce  the  weight  of  our  sup- 
plies, and  to  make  it  necessary  to  obtain  a 
driver  more  competent  to  manage  our  team. 
The  kindness  of  the  ambulance  officer  ot 
the  Third  Division  Second  Corps,  enabled 
us  to  bring  off  our  wagon  and  team  of  fine 
horses,  and  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  know- 
ing that  our  distribution  of  stores  was 
made  to  those  who  had  means  and  disposi- 
tion to  place  them  in  proper  hands. 

GtTERILLAS. 

Some  unfortunate  stragglers  from  the 
column  of  troops,  on  our  march  down  were 
captured  by  the  guerillag,  and  after  being 
murdered  and  beaten  till  they  were  dis- 
figured, were  stripped  of  their  clothing  and 
left  on  the  road  side.  Such  atrocity  could 
not  go  unpunished.  The  General  in  com- 
mand, (Warren,)  issued  orders  at  once, 
which  will  teach  an  useful  lesson  to  those 
who  disregard  all  the  ordinary  rules  of 
civilized  warfare,  and  render  retributive 
justice  a  stern  necessity. 

MOONLIGHT  MARCH. 

A  moonlit  march  until  late  in  the  eve- 
ning, brought  us  to  camp.  A  very  cold 
wind  drove  us  to  shelter  in  a  wood,  where, 
after  iindling  a  large  fire,  we  were  soon 
sound  asleep  and  dreaming  of  home.  The 
morning  of  our  last  day's  march,  found  us 
off  at  sunrise.  The  ground  was  frozen 
very  hard,  and  a  high  wind  from  the 
north-west  whistled  across  the  country. 
Home  was  however  before  us  all;  a  few 
hours  would  bring  us  to  the  comparative 
comforts  of  our  former  camps,  and  every 
one  feeling  cheered  by  hope,  and  brightened 
by  the  brilliancy  of  the  morning,  was  e?,ger 


938 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  make  a  rapid  and  final  march  to  what  we 
were  all  glad  to  call,  our  winter  quarters. 

From  noon  till  night,  the  troops  in  a  con- 
tinuous line,  marched  into  the  lines,  and 
thus  ended  this  memorable  raid  down  the 
Weldon  Railroad. 


LEITEB  FROM  CITY  POINT. 
T.  C.  P. 

It  has  long  been  the  boast  of  all  rival 
relief  societies,  that  they  possessed  the 
advantage  of  direct  and  personal  contact 
with  the  men;  and  it  is  a  lajnentable 
fact,  that  people  at  home  overlook  to  a 
great  extent,  the  operations  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  in  this  respect.  We  do  com- 
municate personally  with  the  sufferers. 
To  make  this  statement  more  forcible, 
1  will  endeavor  to  sketch  the  working 
of  the 

A.  X.  G. 
What  volumes  are  contained  in  these  three 
symbolystic  characters.  The  "  God  bless 
you's"  of  men  made  happy  by  a  gift  from 
home ;  the  tears  of  gratitude  for  some  sim- 
ple act  of  kindness ;  the  resurrections  from 
fiith  and  despondency  into  cleanliness  and 
hope. 

These  three  letters  mean  the  "  Auxiliary 
Relief  Corps."  They  were  instituted  by 
the  founder  of  the  Corps,  Mr.  Frank  B. 
Fay,  of  Massachusetts,  and  will  long  be 
held  as  mementos  of  an  experience,  at  once 
pleasant  and  profitable. 

We,  of  the  Corps,  number  about  thirty- 
five  men,  and  from  three  to  six  of  us,  are 
connected  with  each  hospital  at  this  point. 
We  have  a  storehouse  in  each  hospital,  re- 
ceiving our  supplies  from  a  central  or 
general  storehouse  at  City  Point.  The 
hospitals  are  divided  into  wards,  and  each 
agent  has  an  assigned  ward,  to  the  men  of 
which  he  gives  out  his  goods.  This  is  the 
practical  working  of  the  Corps  in  their 
stations.  In  case  of  a  battle,  men  are  im- 
mediately selected  from  our  number,  and 
sent  to  the  field  with  supplies  of  stimulants, 
good  wholesome  eatables,  and  good  warm 
clothing.  Oh,  I  shall  never  forget,  when 
once  I  was  among  the  number  called  to  go  to 
Deep  Bottom,  just  after  a  battle  in  Butler's 
lines.  The  surgeons  were  almost  all  occu- 
pied with  the  amputating  tables, — three  in 
number,  -and  the  minor  cases  were  left 
mostly  to  the  care  of  some  members  of  the 
Christian  Commission  and  ourselves.  For 
two  days  and  two  nights,  the  men  came 


pouring  in,  and  as  fast  as  they  were .  ex- 
amined and  attended  to,  put  on  board  the 
hospital  boats,  to  be  shipped  to  the  regular 
stations.  And  I  think  that  I  can  safely 
say,  that  not  a  man  went  from  the  battle- 
field to  the  boat,  without  passing  through 
our  hands.  The  working,  in  detail,  would 
occupy  more  space  and  time,. than  we  can 
afford :  it  is  nearly  as  various,  both  in  char- 
acter and  effect,  as  the  men  with  whom  we 
come  in  contact.  One  cannot  appreciate  it 
though,  without  having  personal  connec- 
tion with  it. 


MEETING  OF  AGENTS.— HON.  F.  B.  FAY. 
A  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  Relief  Corps, 
of  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission,  was  held 
on  Monday  evening,  December  19,  at  the 
Ninth  Corps  Depot  Hospital,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  listening  to  the  parting  address  of 
its  Superintendent,  the  Hon.  Frank  B.  Fay, 
of  Chelsea,  Mass. 

Mr.  Fay  having  been  connected  with 
this  part  of  the  Commission's  work  from 
its  origin,  the  parting  was  filled  with  rem- 
innisences  of  the  many  sad  and  sacred 
scenes  through  which  the  Corps  had  passed. 
The  following  preamble  and  resolutions 
were  presented,  and  unanimously  adopted, 
as  expressing  the  sentiments  of  the  Corps, 
towards  its  founder  and  friend,  to  whom  the 
cause  owes  so  nuch. 

Whereas,  The  Hon.  Frank  B.  Fay,  Su- 
perintendent of  the  Auxiliary  Relief  Corps 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  is  re- 
tiring to  his  home,  at  the  close  of  a  long 
and  arduous  period  of  service  in  the  field, 
with  the  expectation  of  being  separated  for 
a  time  from  the  Corps,  with  which  he  has 
been  identified  since  its  inception. 

Resolved,  That  the  Corps  of  Relief 
Agents,  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing 
to  Mr.  Fay,  the  high  appreciation  of  his 
services,  and  of  the  self-sacrificing  spirit 
which,  ever  since  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
has  led  him  to  enlist  in  the  work  of  minis- 
tering to  our  sick  and  wounded  heroes. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  proceed- 
ings be  forwarded  to  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee in  New  York,  and  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission  Bulletin,  in  Philadelphia, 
for  publication. 

THE  SOLDIER'S  FRIEND ! 

is  the  title  of  a  charming  little  book,  pre- 
pared by  one  of  the  noble  women  of  our 
land,  who  has   shown  herself,  by  various 


The  Sanitary  Commimon  Bulletin. 


939 


works  of  love,  to  be  truly  devoted  to  the 
soldier's  temporal  and  eternal  welfare.  It 
is  published  by  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  to  meet  a  most  pressing  neces- 
sity of  the  men  of  our  army  and  navy.  To 
those  who  see  it,  not  one  word  of  explana- 
tion or  commendation  is  needed,  but  would 
call  the  attention  of  those  who  have  not  yet 
seen  it  to  some  of  its  features. 

1.  Calender. 

2 .  Pay  table  for  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  in  U.  S.  army. 

3.  An  address  "  to  our  soldiers  and 
sailors,"  which  will  be  read  with  deep  in- 
terest by  "  the  million,"  both  citizen  and 
soldier. 

The  address  gives  in  a  concise  form  the 
"  principles  of  the  Commission,"  "  its  rela- 
tion to  the  government,"  "  its  means,"  and 
"plan;"  calls  the  especial  attention  of 
soldiers  in  hospitals  to  the  design  and  work 
of  the  Conmmissioriin  respect  to  their  wants 
while  sick  and  wounded;  gives  a  list  of 
"  depots  of  coUcction  and  distribution  of 
supplies,"  together  with  information  re- 
specting "letteus"  and  hospital  visitors.      ' 

Another  general  feature  of  the  address  is 
a  most  satisfactory  account  of  the  special 
relief  work  of  the  Commission,  respecting 
which  there  is  an  astonishing  want  of  in- 
formation on  the  part  of  those  most  deeply 
interested.  Ten  special  features  of  this  re- 
lief work  are  presented.  Prominently 
among  the  rest  are  those  which  refer  to  the 
securing  of  back  pay,  bounty,  pensions,  &c., 
for  discharged  soldiers,  free  of  charge  ;  and 
to  pay  the  same  attention  to  sick  and 
wounded  in  hospitals,  whose  cases  have 
been  overlooked  in  the  regular  payments. 
It  is  also  to  assist  in  the  same  way  the 
families  of  prisoners. 

Next  comes  a  full  list  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  homes  and  lodges,  located  at 
different  points,  where  lodging,  meals, 
counsel,  &c.,  are  given  free  of  charge ;  also 
of  the  homes  for  wives,  mothers,  &c.,  of 
soldiers,  who  may  be  called  to  visit  the  hos- 
pitals at  Washington,  Alexandria,  and 
Annapolis.  An  account  of  .monthly  pay, 
transportation,  subsistence,  clothing,  &c.,  of 
discharged  soldiers  and  those  on  ftirlough. 
A  more  particular  account  of  "claim 
agencies "  closes  this  part  of  the  address. 
Seven  warnings  to  soldiers  will  be  duly  ap- 
pretiated  by  many  who  will  escape  from 
snares  in  which  they  would  have  been 
caught,  were  not  their  attention  arrested  by 
these  suggestions.     With  advice  respecting^ 


the  method  of  obtaining  artificial  limbs,  the 
address  proper  closes.  The  account  of 
"  aid  societies,"  "  alert  clubs,"  &c.,  conclu- 
des this  part  of  the  little  "  Friend." 

The  second  part  of  the  work  is  made  up 
of  beautiful  hymns,  selected  from  various  col- 
lections, miscellaneous  and  patriotic  pieces, 
which  will  be  read,  sung,  and  enjoyed 
while  the  war  lasts ;  and  long  after  the  war 
is  over  the  "  Friend"  w^ll  be  remembered 
with  gratitude.  The  volume  closes  with  the 
Ten  Commandments,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  a  few  appropriate  Psalms. 

The  work  itself  reflects  great  credit 
upon  the  head  and  heart  of  the  compiler, 
more  than  could  be  indicated  by  any 
complimentary  words  that  might  here  be 
written.  The  book,  which  is  just  the  size 
for  the  breast  pocket,  is  gratuitously  dis- 
tributed among  the  men  of  the  army  and 
navy.  In  addition  to  the  number  so  circu- 
lated, it  is  proposed  to  supply  the  "Aid 
Societies,"  auxiliary  to  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, with  the  number  of  copies  they 
may  be  able  to  sell,  and  have  the  proceeds 
of  such  sales  appropriated  to  replenish  their 
various  treasuries.  Here  is  a  field  of  use- 
fulness for  all  the  "  societies,"  "  alert  clubs," 
&c.  The  information  is  as  valuable  to  the 
"  loved  ones  at  home"  as  to  the  absent 
brave.  Shall  not  every  loyal  family  be 
supplied  with  one  at  least  ?  Shall  not  half 
a  million  be  distributed  this  winter  ?    A.  C. 

Specimen  numbers  will  be  sent  to  each 
Branch,  and  orders  received  at  the  office  of 
the  Bulletin,  will  be  promptly  attended  to. 
We  can  cheerfully  endorse  all  that  is  said 
above  by  the  reviewer. 


LETTEB  FROM  NATHANIEL  SEAVEB,  Jr. 

"WASHiNaTON,  Dec.  20,  1864. 

As  my  connection  with  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission has  now  drawn  to  a  close,  I  beg 
leave  to  submit  the  following  condensed 
report  of  my  labors. 

Arriving  in  Washington,  in  September, 
during  your  absence  East,  I  was  temporarily 
assigned  to  hospital  visiting. 

Accompanied  by  Mr.  Holt,  I  made  the 
tour  of  nearly  all  the  hospitals  in  the  vici- 
nity of  Washington,  including  those  at 
Alexandria.  Having  thus  acquired  some 
idea  of  the  vastness  of  our  work,  and  of 
the  needs  of  the  hospitals,  I  was  especially 
assigned  to  Finley  and  Campbell  Hospitals, 
as  regular  visitor.     This  duty  I  performed 


940 


The  SaHitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  the  best  of  my  ability,  until  .;tn«  early 
part  of  October;  when  at  my  reddest,  I  was 
assigned  by  yourself  to  Windieslier.    .Arri- 
ving at  that  place  October  Q^Iv  was  ap- 
pointed by  Col.  Muhlech,  "  Siiperintentiing 
Hospital  Visitor."     What  my  duties  were 
in  that  capacity,  I  have  already  enumerated 
in  my  report,  published  in  a  former  num- 
ber of  the  Bulletin.     How,   from   this 
work,  I  became  transferred  to  the  office,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  tell.     The  battle  of 
Cedar  Creek  found  me  agent  in  charge. 
Fortunately,  Col.  Muhlech,  who  had  been 
absent  for  some  days,  was  with  us  at  thaj 
time.     Our  stock  was  good,  our  corps  of 
agents  large;  not  too  large  however.     In 
the  evenings,  from  the  20th  to  the  23d, 
when  the  wounded  came  in  by  hundreds, 
we  were  compelled  to  call  upon  members  of 
the  Massachusetts  37th,  then  doing  guard 
duty  at  Winchester,  for  assistance.     Noble 
fellows !  they  worked  with  us  several  eve- 
nings, into  the  midnight  hours,  deeming  it 
a  privilege  to  help  their  wounded  fellow 
soldiers.     Many  too  of  the  nurses  and  as- 
sistants at  the  Sixth  Corps  Hospital,  ren- 
dered  us   valuable  service.     At   Sheridan 
Hospital,  i\Ir.  Corbin  was  warmly  seconded 
by  numbers  of  the  Christian  Commission. 
Our  tent  on  the  ground,  at  this  time,  proved 
invaluable,  and  for  a  time,  Christian  and 
Sanitary  Commissions  became  a  partnership 
for  the  distribution  of  the  stock  there  col- 
lected.    T  cannot  let  this  opportunity  pass, 
without  expressing  my  approval  and  grati- 
tude, for  the  manner  in  which  Mr.  Corbin 
performed  his  duty,  on  this,  and  other  oc- 
casions.    Two  years  a  soldier,  and  several 
months  a  hospital  steward,  he  was  eminent- 
ly fitted  to  fill  this  place,  and  that  he  was 
wise  as  well  as  faithful,  the  united  testi- 
mony of  patients,  surgeons,  officials,  and 
visitors  proves.     Now,  after  a  residence  of 
over  two  months  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
I  am  once  more  in  Washington,  and  about 
to  bid  farewell  to  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
The  position  of  responsibility  which  I  have 
occupied  for  most  of  that  time,  has  not 
been  without  its  trials  and  anxieties,  but  on 
the  whole,  my  brief  experience  has  been  a 
very  happy  one.     I  early  found,  that  the 
great  question  to  be  decided  in  the  stew- 
ardship of  the  bounties  of  the  loyal  North, 
was  "how  not  to  do  it."     At  least,  one-half 
the  applications  made  for  individual  relief, 
are  by  vindeserving  persons,  and  it  requires 
a  combination  of  shrewdness  and  benevo- 
lence, rarely  found  in  human  bosoms,  to 


detect  the  incorrigible  "bummers"  and 
"dead  beats,"  and  still  to  avoid  t)irnihg 
way  the  deserving.  Our  work  in  the  val- 
ley is  for  the  present  about  completed. 
Sheridan  Field  Hospital  rejoices  in  warm 
bedding,  home-made  quilts,  and  cheeifiil 
tent  chimneys.  The  city  hospitals  are  even 
more  fortunate.  Meanwhile,  the  patiefnts 
are  being  transferred  to  the  rear.  But, 
even  with  these  facts,  I  say  farewell  with 
many  regrets ;  regrets,  which  would  become 
the  prickings  of  a  guilty  conscience,  were 
it  not  for  the  fact  that  I  leave  in  my  place, 
an  old  tried  friend,  the  Rev.  Geo.  Batchelor, 
to  whose  care  and  good  judgment,  I  fpel 
that  I  could  resign  every  interest,  with  a 
certainty  that  it  would  be  watched  over 
with  the  fidelity  of  a  brother  and  a  Chris- 
tian. 


THEEE  MONTHS   IN   THE   TT.  S.   SAHITABY 
COMUISSION. 

NO.  V. — STILL  AT  WHITE  HOUSE,  VA. 

All  through  the  night  of  June  3,  and 
,  all  day  of  the  4th,  the  rain  came  steadUy 
down,  the  atmosphere  was  bhilly,  and  those 
who  could  spare  time  for  reflection,  allowed 
the  whole  circumstances  which  were  crowd- 
ed into  that  day,  to  be  entirely  unfavorable 
to  health  or  comfort.  The  wounded  were 
brought  in  by  thousands,  throughout  all  day 
of  the  4th  and  5th;  the  mode  of  transit 
being  the  same  as  that  spoken  of  in  relation 
to  the  wounded  at  Port  Eoyal,  Va.  A  por- 
tion of  my  diary  for  June  4,  reads  as  fol- 
lows : — Rained  all  night,  raining  still ;  8000 
wounded  said  to  be  on  the  way  in  those 
dreadful  army  wagons.  Oh,  it  is  terrible 
to  think  of  the  suffering  of  our  poor  sol- 
diers, as  they  are  jolted  over  those  corduroy 
roads  to  this  spot.  I  have  often  sighed 
over  their  sufferings  on  the  battle  field; 
hereafter  I  shall  siigh  as  I  think  of  their 
sufferings  while  being  brought  to  the  base 
of  supplies.  Several  of  our  agents  were 
already  at  the  front  helping  the  wounded 
and  dying  on  the  field;  and  it  was  thought, 
if  a  stronger  force  were  sent  there,  many  a 
valuable  life  might  be  saved  by  the  appli- 
cation of  a  little  good  nursing,  and  feeding, 
before  the  horrid  journey  was  commenced; 
but  how  to  spare  the  men  was  the  question. 
Over  one  hundred  agents  wete  at  work,  but 
two  hundred  could  not  perform  the  work  of 
feeding  and  dressing  those  who  greatly 
needed  attention.  It  happened  at  almost 
every  ambulance,  that  some  poor  wounded 
one  would  ask,  "  When  is  the  doctor  coraing  ? 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


941 


Can  you  not  dress  my  wound?"     In  their 
eagerness   to  have  their  wounds  dressed, 
they  would,  to  excite  the  agents,  sympathy 
and   assistance,  uncover  the  gaping  lace- 
rations, and  reveal  them  filled  with  dis- 
gusting life;  at  such  times,  every  person 
who  approached   them,  was  addressed  as 
"  Doctor."     With  such  piteous,  urgent  ap- 
peals, and  such  necessities  staring  them  in 
the  face,  it  could  not  he  otherwise  than  that 
the  Relief  Corps,  should  return  to  their 
resting  places,  idways  at  or  near  the  mid- 
night hour.     On  the  hoat,  the  feeding  was 
continuous  from  6  a.m.,  untU  midnight.    I 
have  said  the  issues  of  supphes  on  the  3d 
of  June,  exceeded  any  thing  ever  know  in 
the  history  of  the  Commission,  which  was 
true;  yet  the  daily  issues  of  the  4th  and  5th, 
by  far  exceeded  those  of  the  3d.     The 
chief  storekeeper  estimated  the  value  of  the 
issues  on  those  three  days,  as  closely  ap- 
proximating one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
June  5,  the  cry  still  came  for  more  help, 
more   supplies,   more   nurses;    every  body 
strained  their  nerves  to  accomplish  more. 
Our  boats  were  being  filled  with  special 
cases  of  wounded  ones ;  among  whom  was 
Colonel  Winslow,  a  son  of  the  lamented  Dr. 
Winslow,  so  long  and  so  favorably  known 
in  connection  with  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission.    He  was  brought  from  the  front, 
to  the  boat,  by  his  father,  whose  tenderness 
for  his  child,  equalled  that  of  a  mother's. 
It  was  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  before  I 
even  suspected  it  was  the  Sabbath  day.     I 
could,  in  part,  realize  what  Sunday  must  be 
in  the  army,  especially  were  men  had  hard 
daily  duties  to  perform.     In  the  absence  of 
a  majority  of  the  -Corps,  a  few  of  the  rest- 
ing ones  joined  with  me  in  a  meeting  of 
prayer  and  praise.     On  this  day,  wagons 
loaded  with  necessaries  and  delicacies,  at- 
tended by  a  number  of  our  best  men,  start- 
ed for  the  front,  for  the  purpose  already  in- 
■  dicated.     The  action  was  well  timed,  foi;  it 
found  and  helped  men  who  had  been  wait- 
ing for  succor,  just  where  they  fell;  and  re- 
plenished the  depleted  supply  tent  of  the 
Commission's  Agents.     On   Monday,   the 
steamer    James  Guy,   Captain  Parkhurst, 
commanding,  started  for  Washington,  for 
supplies  and  nurses,  having  on  board  Dr. 
Winslow,  his  wounded  son,  and  a  favorite 
horse.     I  have  ojnitted  to  state,  that  during 
our  stay  at  this  point,  the  roar  of  cannon, 
and  crash  of  small  arms,  were  almost  in- 
cessant, and  they  acted  upon  our  agents  as 
a  spur  to  a  willing,  but  jaded  animal.     The 


requisition  for  supplies  for  the  front,  was  so 
urgent,  that  another  lot  of  wagons  were 
loaded  up  and  sent,  but  we  could  not  possi- 
bly spare  more  Relief  Agents.  Mr.  Hol- 
stein  reported  the  burial  of  21  men  this 
day,  but  this  number  was  only  a  fraction  of 
those  who  died.  All  coming  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
were  buried  as  Christians ;  the  burial  ser- 
vice of  the  Episcopal  Church,  being  read 
over  their  remains.  Each  occupied  a  sepa^ 
rate  grave,  which  was  properly  marked. 
The  effects  of  each  deceased  soldier,  were 
taken  in  charge,  even  to  a  broken  comb, 
and  their  friends  written  to  on  the  same 
day,  announcing  his  death,  with  every 
particular  which  would  be  of  interest  for 
them  to  know.  On  WeSnesday,  June  8, 
twenty  fresh  men,  (nurses,)  arrived  from 
Washington. 

My  diary  of  this  day,  says :  "A  fine 
cool  day.  There  is  some  talk  of  a  charge 
of  base  to  Burmuda  Hundred.  It  is  said, 
Grant  is  swinging  his  left  to  the  James,  and 
that  a  strong  force  under  Sheridan  has  gone 
from  Newcastle  to  make  a  circuit  of  Rich- 
mond, and  join  Butler,  on  that  river.  Our 
Corps  is  still  hard  at  work,  and  when  it  re- 
turns late  at  night,  each  member  expresses 
himself  dissatisfied  with  the  amount  of  la- 
bor done,  and  wishes  as  I  have  done  many 
times,  that  he  had  a  thousand  hearts,  and 
arms,  and  legs.  The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission has,  at  this  point,  forty-four  wag- 
gons, with  four  horses  to  each  wagon ;  con- 
siderably over  one  hundred  Relief  Agents, 
and  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
other  persons,  engaged  as  teamsters,  labor- 
ers, clerks,  &c.  On  Saturday  and  Sunday 
last,  there  was  nine  thousand  dollars  worth 
of  shirts  and  drawers  distributed  among  the 
wounded  ones." 

J.  J.  B. 

PAID  AND  UNPAID  AGENTS. 
BY   REV.    J.   A.    ANDERSON. 

The  other  day,  a  prominent  and  influen- 
tial agent  of  the  Christian  Commission  ex- 
pressed himself  to  the  effect  that  the  agents 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  in  being  hired, 
only  felt  called  upon  to  work  so  many  hours 
per  day  and  at  a  slow  gate  per  hour ;  while 
the  agents  of  the  Christian  Commission  work 
for  nothing  save  love  for  the  soldier,  and, 
by  consequence,  infused  more  soul  and  vim 
into  their  labors  than  do  the  paid  men  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  The  idea  was,  that 
because  Sanitary  agents  receive  a  scanty  com- 


942 


The  Sanitary  Oomrriission  Bulletin. 


pensation  they  cannot  be  expected  to  labor 
with  such  a  purity  of  benevolence,  nor  with 
such  an  enduring  celerity,  as  do  agents  who 
receive  no  compensation. 

It  is  somewhat  singular  that  when  any 
given  objection  against  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission reaches  us  from  one  section  of  the 
country,  it  is  speedily  heard  of  from  many 
and  distant  sections — ^which  suggests  to  us 
that  somebody  takes  pains  to  spread  the 
objection ;  and  as  this  allegation  is  coming 
up  from  different  quarters  it  deserves  a 
moment's  attention. 

The  qualifications  of  an  agent  are  found 
in  his  heart,  mind  and  body — not  in  his 
purse  ;  and  are  neither  lessened  by  his  ac- 
ceptance of  a  stipend,  nor  increased  by  his 
rejection  of  a  stipend.  The  question  of 
compensation  has  nothing  to  do  with  his 
fitness  as  an  agent ;  neither  is  he  by  the  re- 
ception of  pay  debarred,  in  the  most  remote 
degree,  from  acting  upon  the  broadest  prin- 
ciples of  humanity,  nor  from  being  impelled 
by  the  truest  motives  of  strong-pulsing 
charity.  If  it  be  asserted  that  no  genuine 
benevolence  can  be  exercised  except  by 
agents  who  are  unpaid,  then  it  instantly 
follows  that  the  noble  bands  of  Christian 
ministers,  who  are  confessedly  among  the 
most  effective  and  brilliant  philanthropic 
instrumentalities  of  the  age,  are  devoid  of 
that  benevolence;  for,  though  as  a  class 
worse  paid  than  men  of  the  same  abilities 
in  the  other  professions,  yet  all  of  them  re- 
ceive pay,  and  are  enabled  by  that  pay  to 
devote  themselves  to  the  grand  work  of  the 
glorious  Emanuel.  But  does  any  one  affirm 
that  because  thereof,  their  charity  and 
humaneness  cannot  be  as  pure  and  throb- 
bing as  if  they  received  no  pay?  The 
best  of  books  declares  the  laborer  to  be 
worthy  of  his  hire ;  and  the  common  experi- 
ence of  mankind  confirms  the  declaration. 
There  is  a  vast  difference  between  laboring 
for  money  under  the  guise  of  benevolence ; 
and  laboring  for  benevolence,  though  money 
enough  be  received  with  which  to  defray 
ordinary  personal  expenses.  If  it  be  in- 
tended to  allege  that  the  agents  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  work  simply  for  money 
or  chiefly  for  money,  and  not  chiefly  from 
true  motives  of  humanity;  then,  we  simply 
and  emphatically  declare  the  allegation  to 
be  false  in  fact,  and  unjust  to  scores  of  men 
who  have  resigned  ample  incomes,  and  con- 
tinue to  reject  offers  of  revenues  double  the 
amount  of  those  which  they  receive  from 
the  Commission.    Or,  if  it  be  intended  to 


affirm,  that  because  they  receive  pay  they 
will  not  or  do  not  work  as  heartily  as 
those  who  are  unpaid ;  it  is  only  necessary 
to  say,  that  the  sufferings  of  mangled  Ame- 
ricans, or  the  totterings  of  emaciated  vete- 
rans, thrill  through  a  kind  heart  irrespective 
of  the  pocket  which  walks  about  with  that 
heart;  and  that  our  agents  are  selected  with 
special  reference  to  their  benev  )U^-v  r. ,  ij,-  i;.y 
and  endurance,  and  that  persons  wiio  rtn 
not  on  trial  display  these  qualities  are  dis- 
charged, is  known  to  all  who  know  anything 
about  the  matter. 

The  assumption  that  an  agent  who  is 
paid  does  not  work  so  vigorously  or  with 
such  laudable  spirit  as  does  one  who  is  un- 
paid, affects  scores  of  pastors  who  go  to  the 
front  as  volunteer  agents  of  the  Sanitary  or 
Christian  Commission  quite  as  much  as  it 
does  our  permanent  agents  who  are  paid ; 
for  each  of  these  volunteers  receives  com- 
pensation, if  not  from  one  of  the  Commis- 
sions, from  the  congregation  which,  in 
granting  him  a  leave  of  absence,  continues 
the  payment  of  his  salary  during  that  leave. 
The  question  of  compensation  simply  nar- 
rows itself  down  to  the  organization  through 
whom  the  payment  shall  be  made,  for  in 
both  cases  the  common  charity  of  the  coun- 
try is  the  banker  who  furnishes  the  means ; 
and  the  difference  between  the  two  methods 
is,  that  in  the  one  case  the  charity  of  the 
country  empowers  the  Commission  to  pay 
the  agent  directly  for  doing  army  work, 
while  in  the  other  case  it  empowers  a  con- 
gregation to  pay  a  minister  for  his  pastoral 
work,  and  the  congregation  loans  his  ser- 
vices to  the  Commission. 

In  the  first  case  you  can  procure  trained, 
disciplined  and  skilled  laborers — men  who 
know  what  is  to  be  done,  how  to  do  it,  and 
who  will  not  shrink  from  either  manual 
labor  or  tedious  routine  ;  in  the  other  case 
you  must  rely  upon  the  efforts  of  gentlemen, 
who,  in  most  instances,  are  compelled  to 
return  to  their  congregations  just  about  the 
time  they  become  familiar  with  army  life 
and  acquired  fitness  for  army  work,  and 
who  will  do  manual  labor  or  perform  menial 
services  only  at  their  own  option. 

As  to  the  preference  which  business  men 
would  give  to  these  two  systems  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  for  it  is  a  law  of  political 
economy  that  trained  workmen  and  the 
permanent  assignment  of  the  same  men  to 
the  same  thing,  is  true  and  large  economy ; 
while,  from  what  has  been  said  above,  it  is 

evident  that  nn  escnallp.nno  aofimog   in  Vha 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


943 


motives  of  unpaid  agents  because  of  their 
being  unpaid,  which  does  not  equally  accrue 
to  paid  agents  in  spite  of  their  being  paid. 
But  enough  with  abstract  reasonings  upon 
a  point'which  is  clear  to  all,  and  agreed 
upon  by  all  disinterested  persons.  We  not 
only  affirm,  but  know  that  facts  will  sub- 
stantiate the  affirmation,  that  the  agents  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  are  as  warm- 
hearted, as  keenly  alive  to  suffering,  as 
quick-witted  in  affording  relief,  as  patient, 
energetic  and  cheerful  in  the  performance 
of  unromantic  duty,  and  as  enduring  and 
courageous  under  field  hardships,  as  are  the 
agents  of  the  Christian  Commission  or  any 
other  organization.  And,  furthermore,  we 
are  beset  with  the  general  impression  that 
this,  and  scores  of  other  rumors  which  are 
swept  through  communities,  will,  upon 
thorough  investigation,  be  found  to  have 
received  their  first  announcement  by  friends 
of  organizatioQS  which  are  jealous  of,  or 
antagonistic  to,  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

THE  TWO  COMMISSIONS.— COMFABATIVE 
ECONOMY. 

We  invite  attention  to  the  article  in  the 
present  number,  on  "Paid  and  Unpaid 
Agents."  It  is  worthy  of  being  read  and 
considered,  and  as  it  suggests  a  few  thoughts 
we  ask  attention  to  them,  as  follows : 

"  Who  pays  the  agents  ?"  The  answer 
is — the  people.  They  may  contribute  their 
money  to  either  or  both  of  the  Commis- 
sions, or  they  may  pay  their  agents  for 
doing  the  work  of  the  Commissions,  direct- 
ly from  their  own  hands.  The  fact  is,  that 
the  Sanitary  Commission  pays  its  agents 
from  its  own  treasury,  that  treasury  being 
supplied  by  the  people. 

The  Christian  Commission  does  the  same 
with  its  permanent  delegates  in  the  field, 
their  treasury  being  likewise  supplied  from 
the  same  bountiful  source.  But  there  is  a 
class  of  delegates  who  go  to  the  front  as 
volunteers,  meaning  by  this  term,  gratui- 
tous laborers,  upon  whose  claim  to  volun- 
tary service,  much  stress  is  laid,  as  an  ar- 
gument in  favor  of  the  economy  of  the 
Christian  Commission.  Let  us  examine 
this  subject,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
system  of  a  volunteer  agency  is  more  ex- 
pensive than  that  of  a  compensated  agency* 


The  Sanitary  Commission  pays  for  its 
relief  work  in  the  field,  forty-five  dollars 
per  month,  to  each  agent,  in  addition  to 
to  his  subsistence. 

The  permanent  Christian  Commission 
delegates,  receive  no  less,  but  we  believe, 
more  than  this  sum ;  fifty  dollars  having  been 
stated  as  their  salary  per  month. 

The  small  difference  of  five  dollars  per 
month  need  not  be  thought  of  in  this  com- 
parison, beyond  the  mere  statement.  The 
salary  of  all  relief  agents,  in  both  Com- 
missions, is  meagre  enough  to  satisfy  the 
most  careful  and  even  parsimonious  spirit. 
The  work  of  such  men,  wno  live  amid  the 
exposures  and  dangers  of  the  front  to  do 
good  to  our  suffering  soldiers,  cannot  be 
estimated  by  dollars  and  cents,  and  the 
pittance  given  them  ought  never  to  be  com- 
plained of. 

But  we  desire  to  meet  the  question  of 
volunteer  service  upon  its  real  merits. 
Ministers  of  religion  are  usually  selected 
by  the  Christian  Commission  for  this  ser- 
vice, and  each  of  these  pastors  is  sup- 
posed to  be  receiving  a  salary,  which  may 
vary  from  five  hundred  to  five  thousand 
dollars  per  year :  we  will  estimate  the 
average  however,  at  the  low  mark  of  eight 
hundred  dollars  per  year,  for  pastoral  ser- 
vice at  home.  Taking  this  average  to  be 
fair,  when  these  parties  volunteer  their 
services  to  the  soldiers  for  a  month,  they  ■ 
are  in  receipt  from  their  congregations  of 
sixty-five  dollars  for  that  month's  pastoral 
service,  in  addition  to  subsistence  and  travel- 
ing expenses  from  the  Commission.  They 
are  thus  the  gainers  individually,  for  the  time 
being,  by  the  two  liitter  items  being  added  to 
their  salary,  while  the  cost  of  supplying  their 
places  during  their  absence,  must  also  be 
borne  by  the  people  at  home.  Now  add 
the  cost  of  subsistence  and  transportation. 
A  delegate  may  go  from  Maine  or  Minne- 
sota, as  from  any  part  of  the  country 
He  may  go  to  Washington  or  Annapolis 
only;  or  he  may  go  to  New  Orleans  or 
Texas  j  but,  until  he  reaches  a  base  of  sup- 


944 


The  SanilMry  Cor^mission  Bulletin. 


plies,  either  at  the  West  or  East,  he  is  at 
the  expense  of  transportation  by  steamboat 
or  railway,  and  though  a  portion  of  his  fare 
may  be  generously  commuted  by  the  com- 
panies transporting  him,  it  will  not  be  un- 
just to  allow  forty-five  dollars  for  his  average 
cost,  to  and  from  the  front.  It  thus  costs 
one  hundred  dollars  a  month,  to  pay  the  vol- 
unteer agents  who  go  to  the  field  for  tem- 
porary and  inexperienced  service.  Take 
the  two  or  three  thousand  delegates  who 
have  gone  to  the  field  as  temporary  volun- 
teers for  the  Christian  Commission,  and 
count  their  cost  to  the  charity  of  the  coun- 
try at  one  hundred  dollars  each,  and  we  have 
the  volunteer  system,  requiring  two  or 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  pay  its 
delegates. 

Meanwhile,  the  permanent  delegates  are 
moving  on  in  the  daily  track  of  duty;  hard, 
exposing,  dangerous  duty,  at  the  low  figure 
of  forty-five  and  fifty  dollars  per  month;  be- 
coming inured  to  hardships,  accustomed  to 
labor,  skilled  by  experience,  known  to  offi- 
cers and  men,  and  reaping  rich  harvests 
from  their  constant  seed-sowing. 

It  is  not  assumed  that  this  vast  expense 
is  borne  by  the  Commission  directly,  but 
by  the  people,  and  the  very  people  who  find 
fault  with  the  expensiveness  of  paying 
agents  to  go  to  the  front — the  people  who 
will  oppose  the  Sanitary  Commission  be- 
cause it  pays  its  hard  working,  constant 
agents,  forty-five  dollars  per  month,  while 
the  Christian '  Commission  pays  its  perma- 
^nent  agents  fifty, — these  very  people  will 
])ay  double  the  sum  to  volunteers,  and 
(  omplain  of  others  having  their  small  sti- 
pend of  forty-five  dollars. 

The  system  would  be  a  gratuity, — a  most 
j^enerous  and  note-worthy  gratuity,  if  the 
cost  of  this  voluntary  service  could  be  turn- 
ed to  account.  If  the  pastor  going  as  a 
delegate  would  bestow  his  monthly  salary 
upon  the  aid  society  of  the  congregation  or 
village  from  which  he  goes,  and  allow  the 
service  to  be  indeed  an  ofiering  for  the  sol- 
dier, it  would  then  be  entitled  to  the  claim 


of  voluntary  service;  but  as  it  is,  it  cannot 
be  claimed  as  gratuitous. 

We  commend  the  system  as  a  successful 
one  for  securing  the  sympathy  of  a  very 
worthy  class,  and  for  committing  their  in- 
fluence in  behalf  of  the  Commission  which 
obtains  their  service,  but  when  it  is  pre- 
sented to  the  public  as  an  economical  sys- 
tem, in  comparison  with  that  which  trains 
and  keeps  its  agents,  and  pays  an  acknow- 
ledged standard  sum,  we  must  protest 
against  it,  and  ask  the  people  not  to  mis- 
judge in  the  premises.  ' 

Again,  when  certain  churches  agree  to 
employ  and  pay  agents  one  hundred  dol- 
lars each,  per  month,  and  send  them  away 
as  delegates  of  the  Christian  Commission, 
we  assert  that  they  are  not  to  be  ranked  as 
volunteers,  generously  giving  their  services 
to  the  Commission.     They  are  paid. 

The  war  ip  the  people's  war;  the  army 
is  constituted  of  the  people ;  the  Commis- 
sions were  originated,  and  are  sustained  by 
the  people.  The  people  may  do  as  they  wUl, 
and  they  are  prepared  to  believe  the  follow- 
ing simple  example  in  arithmetic,  and  decide 
for  which  they  pay  the  most  money. 

Sanitary  Commission's  work  for  six  months  at  any 
given  point. 

Two  permanent  agents  eack  at  $45  per  month $540 

Transportation  to  and  from  the  front  at  $45  each 90 

$630 
Christian  Commission's  work  for  six  montlis  at  any 
given  point  by  one  permanent  agent,  and  six  volun- 
teer delegates  who  remain  but  one  month  each, 
and  whose  time  of  service  is  eqoal  to  that  of  a 
second  permanent  agent : 

One  permanent  agent  at  $50  per  month $300 

Transportation 46 

$345 
Six  volunteer  delegates,  one  month  each,  at  a  cost  to 

their  congregations  of  $65  per  month $390 

Transportation  at  $45  each 270 

$660 

One  permanent  agent $345 

Six  volunteer  delegates,  remuning  one  month  each, 
time  of  service  equal  to  a  second  permanent  agent   $660 

$1005 

BESnUE. 

Total  expenses  of  Christian  Commission  policy  to 
charity  of  the  country  for  six  months $1,005 

Total  expenses  of  Sanitary  Commission  policy  for 
same  labor  and  time..: 630 

Ecomony  of  San,  Commission's  policy  in  six  months  $375 
Economy  of  San,  Commission's  policy  in  one  year        $750 

Assuming  each  Commission  to  employ 
one  thousand  agents  per  year  to  do  a  given 
work,  the  cost  to.  th«  common  beAevolence 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


945 


qi  the  country  of  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion's  policy  over  and  above  the  policy  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  would  be  three 
hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  dqUars, 
($375,000)  each  year. 

OTTB  GANVASSEBS. 
,  We  are  pleased  to  announce,  that  the  can- 
vassing system  is  now  completely  organized, 
and  successfully  at  work.  Twenty  lecturers 
are  in  the  home  field,  most  of  them  minis- 
ters, instructing  the  people,  and  meeting 
the  objections  that  may  esist  in  the.  public 
mind,  concerning  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
We  commend  these  gentlemen  to  the  kind 
guidance  and  hospitality  of  the  people,  with 
the  assurance  that  their  labors  will  be  use- 
ful, They  have  all  been  at  the  front  in  hos- 
pitals, and  among  the  soldiers  in  the  camps. 
They  have  seen  the  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion and  handled  its  stores.  They  know  of 
what 'they  testify,  arid  are  entitled  to  credit. 

OTTB  WOUEir. 
We  want  to  say  that  the  aid  societies, 
are  as  diligent  as  ever.  The  testimony 
comes  to  us  from  all  quarters,  that  the  sup- 
plies are-  increasing,  l)ecause  the  faithful 
women  of  the  land  continue  to  be  faithful. 
Some,  it  is  true,  have  grown  cold,  and  if 
they  work  at  all,  work  in  another  direction. 
But  their  lukewarmness  is  compensated  for, 
by  the  zeal  of  others,  and  by  the  forming 
of  new  societies,  in  new  neighborhoods. 
The  work  never  looked  brighter,  in  the 
brighter  days  of  our  history.  We  say  to 
our  women, — then,  go  on,  you  have  been  the 
means  of  saving  thousands  of  lives;  you 
have  comforted  tens  of  thousands  of  suf- 
ferers, and  the  call  is  for  you  to  persevere. 
Every  garment  you  have  made,  every  com- 
fort you  have  contributed,  has  been  so  much 
added  to  the  strength  of  the  nation ;  and  every 
blessing  that  has  been  uttered  by  soldiers, 
and  many  more,  th'at  have  been  too  deeply 
felt  to  be  uttered,  have  fallen  upon  you 
from  trembling  lips,  or  burdened  hearts, 
,  but  to  stimulate  your  zeal,  and  cheer  your 
hearts.  Go  on ! 
Vol.  I,  No.  30  60 


TTNITABIAN  TBACTS. 

We  are  in  receipt  of  a  letter  from  a  friend, 
wliioh  contains  the  following  statement: 

A  minister  told  me  he  had  learned 
that  the  funds  raised  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, were  being  expended  for  Unitarian 
tracts,  and  that  these  were  circulated 
through  the  army. 

Of  late,  this  rumor  has  come  to  us  from 
several  quarters.  It  has  sprung  up  simul- 
taneously, in  new  and  distant  places,  and\ 
has  assumed  a  magniude  which,  attracts 
nptice.  It  is,  as  our  friend  very  properly 
replied  to  his  informer,  a  "  slander."  It  is 
well  known,  that  while  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,  is  a  Christian  institution,  it  is 
not  sectarian.  It  has  not  expended  money 
for  party  purposed,  in  an;jr  way.  It  has  not 
purchased  a*  dollar's  worth  of  sectarian 
literature,  but  has  spent  thousands  in  pro- 
miscuous reading  matter.  It  has  spent 
thousands  in  purely  Christianr'  literature, 
well  selected  from  various  authors,  without 
reference  to  denominational  interest  or 
choice.  It  recognises  the  fact,  that  our 
army  is  composed  of  men  of  all  shades 
of  religious  belief,  and  'that  it  would  be 
unjust  to  the  people  to  allow  itself  to  be 
used  as  a  means  for  advocating  sectarian 
dogmas.  It  would  be  impossible  for  the 
Commission  to  do  this,  and  maintain  any 
consistency  with  itself :  for  while  it  is  true 
that  the  president  is  a  minister  of  religion 
under  the  form  of  Unitarianism,  its  Board, 
their  secretaries,  agents ,  and  employees, 
represent  what  is  kno^n  as  evangelical  forms 
of  religion,  by  a  very  large  majority.  It  is 
disheartening  to  be  compelled  to  defend 
the  Commission  against  such  ungenerous 
assaults,  especially  when  they  are  made  by 
ministers,  whose  opportunities  for  discover- 
ing the  real  trJ^th  upon  all  these  matters, 
are  so  ample.  The  names  of  the  members 
of  the  Board,  and  of  all  the  prominent 
officials  connected  with  the  work,  are  open 
to  the  public.  They  are  well  known  to  this 
country,  as  among  the  foremost  men  of  the 
day,  in  religion,  science  and  literature.  To 
believe  such  statements  aa  the  above,  is  not 


946 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


only  to  discredit  some  of  our  best  cilizens, 
but  to  lay  ourselves  open  to  just  criticism, 
for  not  being  better  acquainted  witli  public 
men  and  public  affairs,  and  not  having  a 
higher  appreciation  of  common  honesty.  K 
the  whole  Sanitary  Commission  was  made  up 
of  Unitarians,  they  could  not  be  supposed,  as 
servants  of  the  people,  so  to  abuse  their 
trust,  as  to  convert  their  association  into  a 
proselyting  machine,  to  serve  their  own 
sectarian  purposes.  Nobody  believes  this 
could  be  done,  except  those  who  would, 
with  simUiar  advantages,  use  them  to  pro- 
mote their  own  selfish  ends. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  a  Unitarian  Asso- 
ciation, the  question  of  distributing  religious 
reading  to  the  army  was  considered.  The 
fact  was  well  known  that  the  Christian 
Commission  could  not  lend  itself  to  the  cir- 
culation of  Unitarian  literature,  and  it  was 
agreed  to  appoint  an  agent  for  the  piirpose 
of  disseminating  their  own  publications  in 
the  army,  at  the  expanse  of  the  -association; 
but  how  such  agent  could  find  subsistence 
rad  shelter  was  the  next  question  to  be  con- 
sidered. Application  was  made  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission  to  allow  the  agent  to 
subsist  with  them,  and  render  what  service 
might  be  required  of  him  in  times  of  need 
or  emergency,  as  a  consideration  for  his 
board.  The  application  "was  presented  to 
_the  Executive  Committee  of  the.Coinmiss- 
sion,  of  which  Dr.  BeUows  is  chairman,  and 
was  refused. 

We  say  then  to  our  correspondents,  to 
our  ministerial  friends,  to  all,  that  whenever 
they  hear  such  stories  to  disbelieve  them, 
unless  the  reporters  of  them  are  prepared 
with  testimony  that  is  conclusive;  when 
that  shall  appear,  we  will  join  in  exposing 
the  wrong. 


POUK  DAYS'  WORK. 

Eead  the  following  exhibit  of  four  days' 
work  among  our  troops  near  Nashville, 
Tenn.  To  say  nothing  of  Special  Relief 
afforded  at  Homes  and  Lodges,  which  is 


immense,  the  issue  of  these  vegetables  alone 
must  have  been  a  great  blessing  to  our  men. 

Consolidated  Statement  of  Stores  issued  by  the  X7.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  to  Troops  near  NashmUe, 
from  Deeember  2  to  December  6,  1864. 


3     g.gM 


4t}L  Armj  Corps 

16th    "       "     2d  DiYlsion. 
17th    "        "     1st      " 
20th    "        "     detachment. 

23d      "        "      , 

FroTisional  Bivisioii 

Cavalry 

Artillery 

Miscellaneoiia '. 

Colored  Brigade 

Total 


■s  . 

SS 

sS 

■s-s 

■S-a 

S^ 

so 

n 

777 

757- 

329 

329 

120 

120 

30 

30 

421 

413 

84 

63 

151 

155 

59 

55 

36 

'35 

38 

,37 

2,045 

1,994 

2,861 
1,542 
462 
126 
1,366 
243 
524 
228 
143 
168 


MiTBOFOLITAN  FAIB  BUILDINGS. 

Mr.  P.  B.  Wright,  Architect  of  the  Me- 
tropolitan Fair  buildings,  has  made  a  very 
interesting  statement  concerning  their 
erection,  and  as  a  matter  of  justice  both  to 
the  parties  mentioned  and  to  the  many 
friends  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  as  well 
as  an  evidence  of  the  appreciation  given  to 
such  generous  actions  by  the  Commission 
and  the  American  people,  whose  agent  it  is, 
we  extract  as  follows : — 

It  is  due  to  some  of  the  mechanics  (to 
whose  energy  we  are  indebted  for  the  com- 
pletion of  a  building  covering  24,000  square 
feet  of  ground  in  sixteen  and  a  half  work- 
ing days,)  to  state  that  Messrs  Hunt  & 
Son  performed  the  carpenters'  work  at  one- 
half  the  usual  rates  (five  per  cent,  on  the 
actual  cost),  the  portion  of  their  commission 
which  was  waived  amounting  to  $617. 

The  accounts  of  the  Messrs  Hunt,  here- 
tofore submitted,  are  remarkable  for  their 
minuteness  and  perspicuity  j  by  reference  to 
them  you  can  ascertain  the  name  of  every 
workman  and  the  number  of  days  and  parte 
of  days'  work  performed  by  each. 

Mr.  Codington,  the  mason,  performed  his 
work  on  the  same  terms.  Messrs  Barnes 
and  New,  roofers,  did  their  work  at  three 
cents  per  foot,  with  the  permission  to  remove 
it,  the  regular  price  having  been  seven  cents 
per  foot.  Messrs  Philbin  &  Quinn,  plumb- 
ers and  gas-fitters,  charged  the  actual  cost 
of  labor  and  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the 
cosTi  of  materials,  after  taking  the  same 
back. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


947 


WOMAN'S  CEKTBAL  ASSOCIAIIOIT  07  BEIIEF. 
SUPPLIES. — NO.  IV. 
Exhibit  of  Receipts,  for  periods  of  six  months  each.  ' 


Wl  months-  ending  Not^  1»  1S61, . . 
Biz  months  ending  May  1, 1S62„ . 
Sisc  months  ending  Nor.  1, 1862,... 
Six  months  ending  May  1,  1863, . . 
Six  months  ending  Hot.  1, 1863,. . 
Six  months  ending  May  1, 1864,... 
filx  months  ending  Not.  1, 1864,. . 


Tetal,. 


a 

M 
I. 


10,798 
10,798 
66,390 
30,790 
18,304 
8,253 
17,180 


142,613 


3,169 
3,169 
4(901 


7,947 
24,493 
23,913 


89,936 


4,467 
'  4,467 
26,193 

6,979 
10,601 

2,618 

9,258 


62,483 


I 

■3 

O 


674 
674 
2,116 
12,171 
3,613 
24^665 
10,246 


64,049 


15,703 
16,703 
19,954 
26,839 
14,376 
15,1.W 
6,776 


113,604 


n 


6,449 
6,449 
44.392 
18,198 
10,630 
6,733 
46,444 


137,296 


7,429 
7,429 
19,838 
3,917 
6,146 
6,299 
9,012 


68,070 


9,576 
9,576 
2,883 
3,480 
1,388 
2,858 
2,067 


31,828 


...  ^ 


-I . 


•  120 

.653 

332 

186 

-  202 


2,500 


2,500 


Althougli  we  withold  our  usual  Semi- 
Annual  Eeport,  we  cannot  omit  presenting 
the  above  interesting  table  to  our  Auxiliaries. 
Bach  line  gives  the  receipts  of  certain 
articles  for  a  period  of  six  mouths.  The 
first  two  coincide,  because  we  kept  no  sepa- 
rate account  for  the  summer  and  winter,  and 
now  can  only  divide  the  total  receipts  for 
the  year.  But  examine  the  column  of 
flannel  shirts.  In  the  summer  of  1862  we 
received  forty-five  hundred;  during  the 
winter  following  more  than  five  times  as 
many.  The  summer  of  1863  gave  nearly 
eight  thousand;  the  next  winter  three  times 
as  many.  See  now  the  summer  of  1864, 
almost  twenty-four  thousand,  three  times  as 
many  as  last  summer,  sts.  times  as  many  as 
the  previous  one.'  '  To  what  is  this  constant 
■  increase  due  ?  First  of  all  to  the  unusual 
activity  of  the  army,  so  that  every  woman 
felt  that  there  must  be  greatly  increased 
numbers  of  wounded  and  sufiering  men, 
and  rested  not,  but  with  redoubled  zeal, 
plied  her  needle  for  their  benefit.  Next, 
we  must  confess,  (and  we  do  it  with  proud 
satisfaction,)  that  our  neighbor,  the  Wo- 
man's Belief  Association  of  Brooklyn,  has 
tjontributed  of  these  twenty-four  thousand 
shirts,  over  fourteen  thousand  5  and  of  the 
ten  thousand  pairs  of  drawers  more  than 
one-half,  beside  other  articles  not  included 
in  the  table.  This  Association  is  one  of 
the  most  thorough  and  efficient  in  the 
counh-y,  and  the  men  oi  Brooklyn  seem  to 
feel  it  as  much  their  duty  to  contribute 
funds,  as  the  women  do  to  make  up  garments 
for  our  soldiers ;  and  together  they  produce 
this  beneficent  result. 

We  believe  that  no  inconsiderable  advan- 
tage has  arisen  from  our  plan,  of  distributing 
material  at  half  price  to  feeble  societies; 


and  very  many  of  them  (neaaly  two  hundred 
and  fifty)  are  now  working  regularly  and 
actively  with  us,  that  have  heretofore  made 
only  occasional  contributions.  T^^e  hope  to 
be  able  to  pursue  this  plan  to  the  end;  since 
it  not  only  materially  increases  our  stores, 
but  unites  us  more  closely  to  these  earnest, 
unknown  friends.  We  cannot  fail,  also,  to 
recognize  the  valuable  assistance  of  our 
Associate  Managers,  who  zealously  co-op- 
erate with  us  in  spreading  information  both 

^of  the  demand  for  supplies,  and  of  the  re- 
sults accomplished.  AU  the  Branches  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  hgld  it  to  be  their 
best  plea,  to  make  plain  statements  0/  the 
manner  in  which  the  work  is  conducted, 
and  to  invite  the  scrutiny  of  all  interested ; 
satisfied  that  this  will  ensure  their  hearty 
sympathy  and  support.  •* 

At  the  request  of  Mrs.  Barker,  one  of  the 
hospital  visitors  of  the  Comnjission,  whom 
those  of  our  friends  who  were  at  our  No- 
vember Council  cannot  fail  to  remember 
with  pleasure,  we  make  a  few  suggestions. 
All  cotton  garments  should  be  nicely  washed 
and  ironed  before  they  are  packed.  We 
cannot  afibrd  to  pay  city  prices  for  washing; 
but  if  each  lady  who  makes  a  shirt,  or  a 
sheet,  will  send  it  in  clean  and  smooth,  it  is 

.  doubly  welcome  to  the  sick.  So  with  old 
linen  and  muslin;  if  each  person  will  cut  off 
hems  and  seams,  and  roll  it  neatly,  it  is 
ready  for  immediate  use.  Handkerchiefs 
should  be  at  least  twepty  inches  square ; 
smaller  ones  are  not  worth  giving  to  the 
men  and  are  often  thrown  aside  and  lost. 
Better  give  six  handkerchiefs  of  reasonable 
(size  than  twice  as  many  scraps  of  linen, 
hardly  likely  to  be  used  at  all.  *  She  says 
also :  I 

•    "  It  affords  untold  pleasure  to -the  soldier 


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The-  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


to  know,  by  the  marks  it  bears,  whence  thfe 
garment  he  receives  comes.  For  this  reason, 
it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  mark  each  article 
that  can  be' marked,  with  the  name  of  the 
village,  town  or  city,  and  State,  where  it 
was  made,  using  therefor  a  stencil  plate  and 
stencil  ink." 

Mrs.  Marsh  once  wrote  to  us  from  Beau- 
fort, "  to  give  poor  ill-made  articles  to  the 
inen  does  more  harm  than  good ;  they  say, 
'if  I  was  worth  anything  they  would  not 
give  me  these  miserable  things;'  but  the 
Ettle  signs  of  neatness  and  care  touch  them, 
and  they  feel  as  if  a  mother  or  sister  has 
provided  for  them  the  shirt  the  'Sanitary' 
gives,-  as  indeed  is  true." 

The  end  has  not  come  yet;  this  New 
Tear  may  not  bring  it.  We  thank  you, 
friends,  cordially,  for  your  support,  and 
above  all  for  the  faith  you  have  shown  in 
us;  and  we  rest  upon  it  with  firm  confi- 
dence for  the  future. 

ElIiEn  Collins, 

Ghr.  Committee  on  Supplies. 
New  York,  January  2,  1865.  / 

INTEBESTIire  LEITEB  FBOM  GE0B6IA. 

Head-quaetbes  Twentieth  Coefs,     I 
Nbae  Savannah,  Ga.,  Dec.  19(A,  1864.  / 

Dr.  J.  Foste^Jenkins, 

General  ilcretflijy,  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

Dear  Sir: — On  learning  that  General 
Sherman  was  about  to  make  a  bold  move 
through  the  State  of  Georgia  to  some  poin^ 
on  the  sea  coast,  it  was  deemed  important 
that  some  one  of  the  Commission's  Agents 
should  accompany  the  expedition.  That 
duty  fell  to  my  lot,  and  I  liow  have  the 
honor  to  report  to  you  the  work  and  ob- 
servations of  my  mission.  Early  in  the 
month  of  November  there  was  great  activity 
at  Atlanta ;  sending  'stores  and  non-com- 
batants to  the  rear,  and  preparing  the  troops 
with  clothing  and  rations  for  the  prospective 
campaign.  By  the  middle  of  the  month 
the  work  was  accomplished,  and  on  the 
fifteenth  of  November,  1864,  the  Arlny  of 
Georgia  took  up  camp  and  commenced  its 
long-  and  unparalelled  march  toward  the 
land  of  the  palmetto.  The  troops — officers 
and  men — were  in  excellent  spirits,  arid 
even  jubilant  over  the  prospect  before  them. 
Each  division  had  its  hospital  department 
well  organized  before  starting,  and  had, 
besides  the  hospital  wagons,  about  fifty 
ambulances.  All  the  sick  and  wounded 
were  to  report,  or  be  reported  to  the  chief 
surgeon  in  charge  of  the  hospital,  for  tran- 


sportation and  treatment.  The  sui^eons  of 
regiments  were  furnished  with  cards  admit- 
ing  the  bearer  to  a  place  in  an  ambulance. 
These  cards  were  given  out  at  the  surgeon's 
call  in  the  morning.  The  bearer  marching 
as  far  as  his  strength  would  permit,  then 
resting  by  the  wayside  until  his  ambulance 
.,came  up. 

For  the  first  few  days  the  ambiilances 
were  well  filled  by  men  from  soreness,  but 
they  soon  got  well,  and  even  cases  of  fever, 
and  wounded  men  recovered  in  these  travel- 
ing hospitals.  The  plan  works  well.  Every- 
thing was  systematized.  When  the  column 
halted  for  the  night,  the  hospital  tents  were 
speedily  put  up  by  a  party  detailed  for  that 
purpose,  while  others  were  preparing  supper. 
The  sick  and  wounded  were  taken  from  the 
ambulances  and  made  comfortable  in  the 
tents.  About  the  time  they  were  snugly 
put  away  for  the  night,  a  savory  supper  was 
ready  and  served  to  them.  Each  hospital 
had  its  organized  foraging  party,  whose 
business  it  was,  to  gather  daring  the  day's 
march,  supplies  for  the  hospital  from  the 
abundance  in  the  country;  and  they  seldom 
failed  to  bring  in  at  nightj  plenty  of  sweet 
potatoes,  chickens,  fresh  pork  and  mutton, 
of  which  there  seemed  to  be  no  end;  also 
corn  meal  and  sometimes  fiour.  Much  of 
the  time  honey  was  to  be  found  on  the  diet 
list.  Milk  was  to  be  had  in  abundance. 
Scores  of  cows  were  driven  along  for  a  sup-  - 
ply  of  this  excellent-  article,  in  the  treat- 
ment of  sick  and  wounded  men.  In  the 
morning  the  surgeons  examined  all  the 
patients,  treating  as  each  case  requited. 
Breakfast  over,  the  ambulances  were  loaded 
with  their  human  freight,  tents  struck  and 
the  hospitals  were  ready  to  move  with  the 
column.  Thus,  day  after  day  did  we  pro- 
ceed. It  is  remarkable  but  true,  that  there 
were  several  divisions  that  did  not  lose  a 
man  by  sickness  during  the  march  of  about 
three  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Those  of 
other  divisions'  who  -died,  were  principally 
among  the  new  recruits.  The  general 
health  of  the  army  was  much  better  when 
we  halted  before  Savannah,  then  when  we 
left  Atlanta.  The  generous  and  even  luxu- 
rious living  of  the  men  on  sweet  potatoes, 
turnips,  fowls,  various  kinds  of  fresh  meats, 
sorghum,  molasses,  honey,  &c.,  had  the  good 
effect  to  eradicate  whatever  of  scorbutic 
taint  previously  existed.  The  march  was 
of  immense  value  to  our  army  as  a  sanitary 
measure.  I  have  procured  and  forwarded' 
to  the  Hospital  Directory  a  correct  and  com- 


The  Sanitary  OoTnmission  Bulletin. 


949 


plete  list  of  the  casaalitiea  since  leaving 
Atlanta,  of  the  killed— 'the  time  and  place 
of  the  deaths  in  hospital — the  date  and 
where  buried,  of  the  wounded — the  nature 
and  locality  of  the  wound  in  most  caees — 
those  seriously  sick,  and  also  the  missing 
•  and  captured.  In  all  cases,  where  possible, 
have  given  the  place  and  the  circumstances. 
We  have  spared  no  labor  or  pains  to  get  a 
full  report,  and  here  I  wish  to  make  men- 
tion of  the  uniform  kindness  and  co-opera- 
tion received  from  officers  in  the  different 
commands  in  perfecting  this  work.  I  am 
glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  with  a  very  iew 
exceptions^  all  the  sick  and  wounded  were 
brought  tlirough  with  the  army.  I  had  de- 
signed to  procure  a  list  of  Union  prisoners, 
buried  from  rebel  prisons,  Andersonville 
and  Macon.  We  did  not  reach  Millen.  I 
visited  where  so  many  of  our  brave  soldiers 
.were  confined.  About  twelve  acres  of 
ground  were  enclosed  by  a  strong  stockade, 
twenty  feet  high ;  this  was  in  the  midst  of 
a  dense  forrest  of  pines.  A  marshy  stream 
ran  through  it.  '  No  buildings  to  cover  the 
prisoners  were  permitted.  AH  the  shelter 
from  rain  and  cold  the  men  in  that  en- 
closure could  obtain,  .were  huts  made  in  the 
ground  and  covered  with  mud-bricks.  The 
dampness  must  have  been  killing  to  the 
prisoners,  for  the  water  comes  very  near  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  in  all  those  marshy 
plains.  Mortality  was  terrible  among  our 
men  there.  The  plape  was  occupied  twenty- 
two  days  by  an  average  of  twelve  thousand 
men,  and  during  that  time  seven  hundred 
and  fiv6  were  buried,  and  one  I  found  dead 
still  in  his  mud-hut.  When  I  found  the 
graves  of  these  heroic  dead,  you  may  imagine 
my  indignation,  at  discovering  that  not  one 
name  was  on  a  single  head-board,  although 
each  grave  had  a  separate  board.  The  hos- 
pital was  placed  below  the  prison  and  on  the 
bank  of  the  marshy  pond,  into  which  the 
stream  with  all  the  washings  and  filth  of 
camp  ran.  All  the  water  used  at  that  hos- 
pital must  have  been  taken  from  that  filthy 
pond.  Is  there  no  way  for  our  Government 
to  secure  to  her  prisoners  held  by  the  rebels, 
a  more  humane  treatment  ?  We  have  in- 
vested Savannah  and  gained  a  commnnica- 
tion  with  our  fleet  by  stStming  and  captur- 
/  ing  the  works  "of  Fort  McAllister,  on  the 
Ogeeehee  River.  Savannah  is  virtually 
ours,  and  most  probably  without  a  fight. 
Everything  looks  hopeful.  I  hope  we  may 
have  a  good  supply  of  stores.  As  soon  as 
we  enter  the  place,  I  will  procure  rooms,* 


and  have  everything  ready  by  the  time  they 
can  arrive. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

S.G.  HOBMT, 

General  Kelief  Agent,  U.  S.  Ban.  Com.,  Aimy  of  Georgia. 


BT  A.  N.  READ. 
.     Nashville,  Tbnn.,  Dec.  12,  18B4. 
De.  J.  S.  Newberet, 

Secy.  U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Western  Department. 

Dear  Sir  : — Since  my  last  report,  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  has  been  brought 
together  in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville.  De- 
catur, Coltunbia,  Franklin  and  Johnsonville 
have  been  vacated ;  Columbia  after  a  little, 
Franklin  after  severe  fighting.  The  troops 
in  the  field  have  no  winter  quarters,  only 
shelter -tents,  and  the  cold  weather  for  the 
past  few  days  has  been  severe  upon  them ; 
as  many  of  them  are  upon  hills,  with  no 
forests  to  break  the  wind.  And  wood  not 
abundant. 

Most  of  them  have  been  paid,-  are  well 
clcfthed,  and  have  an  abundance  of  food, 
except  fresh  vegetables.  Although  they 
have  been  hard  worked,  and  have  had  little 
rest  since  the  first  of  May,  there  is  no  un- 
usual sickness,  and  they  are  in  good  spirits. 

There  have  been  over  70,000  admissions 
to  the  hospitals  since  the  first  of  May. 
These  have  received  every  attention  that  a 
Government,  careful  of  the  welfare  of  her 
soldiers,  could  fiirnish.  Thanks  to  the 
efficient,  earnest,  faithful  services  of  Dr. 
Wood,  the  Asst.  Surg.-Gen. ;  Dr.  Cooper, 
the  Medj>  Director  of  the  Army  of  |  the 
Cumberland,  and  their  lofg-tried  and  faith- 
ful subordinate  surgeons. 

We  have  issued  vegetables  in  large  quan- 
tities to  the  troops  in  the  field,  principally 
to  the  well  men  at  Stevenson,  Pulaski, 
Columbia,  Johnsonville,  and  along  the  line 
of  battle  in  front  of  Nashville.^  This  was 
done  at  the  suggestion  of  Maj.-Gen.  Thomas 
and  Dri^Cooper,  who  gave  us  transportation^' 
and  every  facility  for  their  distribution. 
The  whole  amount  distributed,  besides  the 
issues  to  hospitals,  from  Nov.  1  to  Dec. 
6,  was,  ^  of  kraut  and  pickles,  26,744  gal- 
lons, 5,&23  bushels  of  onions,  2,249  bushels 
of  potatoes. 

A  friend  related  to  me  the  following  in- 
cident, which  occurred  at  one  of  the  thea- 
tres in  Nashville,  the  actors,  during  the 
play,^  were  eating  vermicelli  or  maccaroni, 
the  soldiers  thought  it  was  hraut,  and  they 
shouted,  from  all  parts  of  the  hotise, "  kraut ! 


950 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


kraut !  kraut !    Sanitary !  Sinitary  !  Sani- 
tary!" 

Division  Hospitals  are  established  at  this 
time  near  our  lines,  where  the  sick  and 
wounded  are  to  be  received,  the  wounds 
dressed,  operations  performed,  and  as  soon 
as  practicable,  removed  to  hospitals  in  the 
city.  These  Division  Hospitals  are  visited 
daily,  by  Field  Agents  Messrs.  Tone,  Brun- 
drett  and ,  Barjlett,  and  such  stores  fur- 
nished as  are  needed,  teams  being  sent  for 
them  to  our  store-rooms  in  the  city.  For 
the  past  two  weeks  we  have  been  cut  off 
from  our  communication  with  Murfreesboro 
and  Chattanooga,  but  I  have  sufficient 
reason  to  believe  that  they  have  stores 
enough,  as  most  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
had  been  removed. 

Gen.  Thomas  has  issued  the  necessary 
orders  to  secure  to  us  the  land  protection 
and  help  to  continue  the  Hospital  G-ardens 
the  coming  year,  and  has  renewed  the  de- 
tail for  Mr.  John  Harraman,  the  e:Mcient 
gardener  at  Murfreesboro. 

The  "  H!ome"  in  Nashville  has  been  filled 
to  overflowing  the  past  two  months.  So 
full  has  it  been  that  every  available  space 
on  the  floors  has  been  used  for  a  soldier's 
bed,  and  at  times,  the  sidewalk  and  the 
vestibule  of  the  Catholic  Cathedrkl  have 
been  crowded.  Would  it  have  profaned 
God's  temple  to  have  admitted  within  its 
walls  His-  children  ?  A  Jarger  building 
was  assigned  to  us,  and  would  have  been 
ready  in  a  few  days,  but  to  meet  the  antici- 
'  pated  wants  of  the  present  emergeney,  hgs 
been  taken  and  furnished  as  a  hospital. 

The  guffering#of  the  refugees  have  been 
such  as  to  compel  us  to  sympathize  witfi 
them.  We  have  occasionally  administered 
to  cases  of  extreme  want,  taking  them  into 
our  quarters,  giving  them  food  and  clothing, 
and  sending  them  on  their  way. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  November, 
four  children  were  found  dead  at  the  Chat- 
tanooga Depot,  frozen  to  death ;  dlso,  one 
soldier.  Over  these,  and  the  thousands 
whose  sufferings  continue,  all  over  the 
South, 

"Ib  heard  Colu^nbia's  piercing  oiy, 
Oh,  Absalom  my  son !" 

After  the  battle  of  Franklin,  the  wounded 
were  brought  immediately  to  Nashville,  and 
we  had  no  opportunity  to  give  aid  on  the 
field.  The  number  of  admissions  to  the 
different  hospitals  in  Nashville,  from  April 
1,  1862,  to  Dec.  12,  1864,  is  212,143. 
The  number  of  deaths,  from   March  3d, ' 


1862,  to  the  same  period,  is  10,203.  There 
are  now  in  hospital,  Dec.  12, 4,904.  While 
I  writ^,  our  troops  are  reported  to  b^moving 
out  after  Hood. 

Our  special  wants,  at  this  time,  are  more 
of  the  usual  battle  stores;  also,  woolen 
clothing,  shirts,  drawers,  socks,  mittens, 
blankets,  &c.  We  have  many  callb  for 
these  that  we  cannot  fill.  These  calls  are 
increasing,  because  of  the  number  separated 
from  their  regiments,  and  the  frequent 
changes  of  the  troops,  during  which  many 
articles  are  unavoidably  lost,  and  cannot  be 
replaced,  through  Government  officials,  until 
several  days.    / 

If  the  friends  of  the  soldier  will  con- 
tinue to  give  liberally,  they  will  be  paid  as 
was  a  conductor  on  the  Louisville  and  Nash- 
ville Bailroad,  who  found  a  soldier,  wasted 
by  long  sickness;  Ipnging  for  home,  and 
with  his  furlough  in  his  pocket ;  he  could 
not  get  a  seat  in  the  cars,  they  were  all 
full,  and  he  so  weak,  that  when  he  would 
get  one,  others  pressed  in  before  him.  He 
was  finally  placed  in  a  box  car,  without  a 
seat  and  without  a  bed.  Here  this  con- 
ductor found  him,  and  took  him  into  his 
own  caboose,  and  first  laid  him  upon  the 
floor,  but  the  car  was  warm.  Not  satisfied 
'  with  this,  he  soon  placed  him  upon  his 
bed,  when  the  soldier  grasped  his  hand, 
and  as  the  tears  fell  from  his  eyes,  he  said, 
in  broken  accents,  "Oh,  sir,  my  mother 
will  pray  for  you  every  night  for  this !" 


FBOM  LOUISIANA. 

Baton  Eouoe,  La.,  December  17,  1864. 

I  arrived  at  this  post  on  Thursday,  the 
8  th  inst.,  with  all  my  stores  in  good  condi- 
tion. Although  the  day  was  rainy,  I  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  everything  safely  stored 
before  evening.  Not  being  able  to  find  any 
room  suitable  for  an  office,  I  took  quarters 
with  the  agent  of  the  Christian  Commission, 
in  the  Court  House. 

My  attention  was  first .  directed  to  the 
General  Hospital,  where  there  seemed  to  be 
many  deficiencies.  None  of.  the  men  were 
supplied  with  slippers,  or  hospital  wrappers. 
The  diet  seemed  to  be  deficient,  particularly 
for  the  wounded.  TJiey  were  without  the 
extras  which  their  condition  required.  A 
new' surgeon  has  just  come  in  charge,  and 
an  improvement  is  already  manifest. 

I  issued  to  the  General  Hospital  50  sacks 
vegetables,  8  bbls.  kraut,  24  galls,  tomatoes, 
48  lbs.  milk,  25  pair  slippers,  18  lbs.  corn 


The  Sanitary  Oommistion  Bulletin. 


9% 


starch,  12  lbs.  farina,  12  lbs.  chocolate,  12 
bottles  ketchup,  1  bbl.  soda  crackers. 
.  Besides  this,  I  visited  all  the  wards,  giving 
to  the  patients  tobacco,  pipes,  combs,  towels, 
needles,  thread^  &o.  These  small  articles 
were  most  gratefully  received,  and  many  a 
blessing  was  lavished  upon  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

During  the  absence  of  the  cavalry  on  an 
expedition,  the  regimental  hospitals  are 
mostly  broken  up.  I  have  visited  all  that 
are  still  maintained,  and  have  supplied  them 
all  with  needful  comforts.  I  have  issued 
four  pounds  of  vegetables  and  a  quart  of 
kraut  to  every  man  at  the  post,  and  am  now 
making  a  second  issue.  This  is  besides  the 
quantity  sent  to  the  General  Hospital. 

No  provision  is  made  by.  which  men  at 
the  Greneral  Hospital  can  draw  their  cloth- 
ing. A  provision  of  this  kind  is  very  much 
needed.  The  call  for  woplen  under-clothing 
is  very  great ;  and  I  hardly  know  how  to 
meet  it.  I  have  sent  considerable  of  the 
small  stock  which  I  brought  to  the  small- 
pox hospital,  where  there  ar6  several  soldiers 
entirely  destitute. 

Twelve  barrels  of  the  kraut,  shipped  on 
the  Navigator,  was  sent  to  Port  Hudson  in 
care  of  Post-Surgeon  David.  The  kraut 
opened  in  excellent  condition,  and  is  the 
most  acceptable  issue  which  could  be  made 
to  a  large  portion  of  the  troops. 

The  per  centage  of  sick  among  the  cavalry 
is  very  much  larger  than  among  the  in- 
fantry. '  Long  marches,  much  exposure  and 
a  far  greater  proportion  of  accidental  inju- 
ries, will  account  for  the  difference.  Acute 
dysentery  in  very  aggravated  forms,  is 
lamentably  prevalent.  The  small-pox  is 
increasing  among  both  soldiers  and  citizens. 
About  sixty  cases  are  now  under  treatment. 


TESIIMOiriALS. 

Hospital  61tb  V.  S.  C.  I.,  1 
MoRSANZiA,  La.,  Oct.  10,  1864.     J 

Mr.  Boltwood  :-^I  take  this  occasion 
to  acknowledge  to  you,  and  through  you  to 
■the  Sanitary  Commission,  whose  agent  you 
are,  the  receipt  of  Sanitary  supplies,  at 
several  times,  for  the  use  of  sick  in  my  re- 
giment, which  have  been  much  needed  in 
the  absence  of  fresh  meat  and  vegetables, 
the  want  of  which  has  been  severely  felt 
since  the  Missouri  Brigade  came  into  this 
department. 

Scurvy,  in  addition  to  th^  more  common 
diseases  of  camps,,  has  been  alarmingly  pre- 
valent.    Although  much  of  the  health  an^, 


consequent  usefulness  of  the  troops  has 
been  lost,  with  many  valuable  lives,  your 
timely  appropriations  of  potatoes,  onions, 
pickles,  acids,  &c,,  to  this  regiment,  and 
others,  has  effectually  checked,  for  the  pre- 
sent, thp  ravages  of  scurvy,  and  the  num- 
ber of  sick  is  constantly  diminishing  by 
convalescence  and  recovery. 

I  take  this  occasion  to  present  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  through  you,- one  of 
its  many  hard-working  agents,  the  expressed, 
and  I  doubt  not,  heartfelt  gratitude  of  the 
soldiers  of  this  regiment,  with  the  assurance 
that  now  and  ever  they  will  hold  in  grate- 
ful remembrance  the  benefactors  whose  al- 
moner you  are.         Very  respectfully,  * 

JOSIAH   JOBDAN, 
Surgeon  67th  (J.  S.  C.  I. 

Head-Qoartees  62d  Reo't  U.  S.  C.  I.,  "1 
MoBOANZiA,  La.,  iSepi.  28,  1864.    .  J 

Me;  H.  L.  Boltwood,  Esq., 

Agent  n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — I  take  plessure  in  acknowledging 
the  receipt,  through,  you  and  other  agents 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  at  different 
times  during  the  past  summer,  of  dried  and 
canned  fruits,  hospital  clothing  and  bedding, 
cordials  and  other  hospital  supplies,  which 
were  much  needed  by  the  sick  of  this  regi- 
ment. The  fresh  ^and  pickled  vegetables  I 
have  lately  received  frijm  you  have  been  of 
almost  incalculable  benefit  to  our  men,  who 
are  afflicted  terribly  with  scurvy.  I  know  not 
what  I  coiild  have  done,  or  how  I  could 
have  got  along  without  the  anti-scorhutics 
received  from  yo.u,  and  I  wish  to  tender 
Tny  thanks  through  you  to  the  Commission, 
and  those  who  sustain  it  for  this  timely  aid. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant. 
CoRORTON  Allen, 

Snrgeon'e2d  Kegiment  IT.  S.  Col'd  Infantry. 

Hbad-Quabtebs  6ih  Mich.  Heavy  Aet't,  "1 
FoET  Gaines,  Ala.,  Dec.  12,  1864.      J 

W.  K.  Miller, 

Sanitary  Agent. 

My  Dear  Sir: — Permit  me,  through 
you,  to  ackhowledge  the  many  obligations 
that  the  6th  Michigan  H.  A.  are  under  to 
the  Sanitary  Commission  for  the  many  vege- 
tables and  delicacies  that  you  have  so  kindly 
furnished  them  with.  Had  it  not  been  for 
the  instrumentality  -of  this  Commission,  I 
have  no  doubt  that  many  valuable  lives 
would  have  been  sacrificed)  as  the  health  of 
the  regiment,  at  the  time  we  appUed  to  you 
for  relief,  was  in  such  a  deplorable  condi- 
tion that  they  imperatively  demanded  vege- 


•52 


TTie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tables  and  delicacies  that  could  not  be  ob- 
tained through  any  other  source,  but  were 
promptly  furnished  by  you.  It  is  indeed  a 
proud  satisfaction  for  the  soldier,  ^ho  has 
left  the  comforts  and  endearments  of  home, 
to  struggle  for  the  national  existence  of  his 
country,  to  know  that  there  are  friends  at 
home  who  are  not  unmindful  of  his  welfare. 
Yours,  respectfully, 

J.  W.  Mason, 

Assistant  Surgeon  6tli  Michigan  H.  A. 

Head-Quabtebs  1st  N.  0.  Vols.,  "1 
New  Oblbahs,  La.,  Oct.  6,  1864.      / 

De.  Geo.  Blake, 

Deak  Sir  : — ^Permit  me  to  thank  you, 
and  through  you  thexSanitary  Commission, 
for  your  very,  very  generous  donation  to 
my  regiment  of  teij  sacks  of  fine'  onions. 
I  had  them  divided  equally  among  the 
companies,  and  directed  that  the  onions  be 
pealed  and  sliced,  and  covered  with  quick 
vinegar.  Tlje  men  then  are  to  be  allowed 
a  definite  quantity  with  each  dinner.  If 
I  can  be  supplied  with  onions,  from  time 
to  time,  I  can  guarantee  that  my  men 
shall  be  exempt  from  scurvy. 

Again  permit  me  to  express  my  depp 
obligations  to  you. 

Tour  obedient  servant, 

Geo.  W.  Avert, 

'  Sargeon  let  W .  0.  Vols. 


r&Ott.  LOUISVILLX. 

LouiSvillK,  Kt.,  December  20,  1864. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry.    . 

Dear  Sir: — Pleaae  find  enclosed,  my 
report  of  delivery  of  cargo  of  steamer  Navi- 
gator, now  just  returned  from  New  Orleans. 
The  trip  has  been  very  fortunate,  and  aside 
from  the  accomplishment  of  our  main  ob- 
ject, without  unusual  incident. 

We  left  Louisville  Saturday  morning, 
November  26,  arriving  at  Cairo  the  next 
evening.  Here  we  took  on  special  ship- 
ments of  not  large  amount,  for  Memphis 
and  Vicksburg,  and  also  a  quantity  of  stores 
from  Jefferson  Co.,  Iowa,  and  partly  from 
North-western  Commislsion,  destined  for 
Barrancas,  Florida.  At  Memphis,  which 
we  reached  on  Tuesday  evening,  were  left, 
beside  the  special  shipment  from  Mr.  Ship- 
man,  such  other  supplies  as  the  agents  at 
that  place  deemed  necessary — chiefly  kraut 
and  potatoes — and  during  the  night  we  con- 
tinued' our  course,  accompanied  by  Dr. 
Woodward.  To  Mr.  AUen,  Agent'  of 
Western  Sanitary  Commission  at  Helena, 


was  delivered  an  amount  of  vegetables,  con- 
sidered sufficient  for  an  ample  issue  to  all 
the  troops-at  that  post;  most  of  which  was 
delivered  to  the  different  regiments  while 
the  boat  was  still  lying  at  the  levee.  The 
remainder  of  the  cargo,  with  the  exception 
of  a  limited  amount  discharged  at  Vicks- 
burg, and  the  vegetables  issued  to  gun-boats, 
was  delivered  to  Dr.  Blake  at  New  Orleans. 

A  larger  and  more  general  issue  was  made 
to  the  Mississippi  squadron  than  perliaps 
ever  before ;  some  slight  compensation  for 
the  'want  of  a  Thanksgiving  dinner,  so 
generally  furnished  for  their  brothers  in  the 
East,  in  the  s^me  branch  of  the  service. 

Twenty-six  gun-boats,  stationed  at  the 
different  points  between  Osceola  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Red  River,  received  supplies. 
Many  of  them  had  never  received  anything 
from  the  Sanitary  Commission  before;  some 
had  drawn  nothing  for  months,  while  those 
which  had  drawn  more  recently,  had  obtained 
supplies  merely  for  their  sick.  Enough  was 
given  for  the  crews  of  all,  regulated  in 
amount  by  the  previous  gifts  of  the  Com- 
mission, the  number  on  board,  and  the 
facilities  of  the  boat  for  keeping  the  articles 
on  hand. 

The  gift'was  immediately  acknowledged  in 
a  kind  and  gentlemanly  manner,  and  a  high 
estimate  placed  upon  the  vegetables  affect- 
ing the  general  health  of  the  navy. 

*■    Very  respectfully  yours, 
Wm.  a.  Sutliffe. 


FBOU  THE  VALLEY  OE  THE  SHEI7Ain>0AE. 

Sheeidam  Field  Hospital,  Shawnee  Speimg,     \ 

WlK0HBSTEB,VA.,2)eC.29,  1864.  J 

Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins,!, 

Dear  Sir  : — The  last  patient  of  the  4,141 
that  have  been  treated  here  since  the  24th 
of  September,  has  to  day  said  "farewell"  to 
Shawnee  Spring ;  and  the  last  kind  visitor 
from  the  glorious  society  of  Unionists  in  the 
city,  has  to-day  offered  her  services  to  this 
hospital,  which  to-morrow  will  be  among 
"  things  that  were." 

It  is  but  justice  to  your  valuable  associa- 
tion to  return  thanks  for  favors  that  have 
been  received.  The  day  I  came  here  you 
personally  responded  to  our  requirements 
as  liberally  as  your  supplies  would  permit. 
You  had  the  things  we  needed — things  that 
gave  comfort  to  our  patients.  Some  days 
after  the  regular  supplies  came  through  the 
Medical  Purveyor's  office.  Since  then  your 
agents  have  been  attentive  to  similar  wants. 


The  Sanitary  Commitaion' Bulletin. 


953 


Will  it  be  invidious  for  me  to  mention  the 
names  of  some  with  whom  I  have  had 
business?  Messrs.  Nathaniel  Seaver,  Jr., 
E.  H.  ^ith,  J.  V.  Hammer,  George 
Knowlton,  George  Russell  and  T.  J.  Cor- 
bin,-  have  been  earnest  and  constant,  in 
their  endeavors  to  promote  the  cause  of  the 
Commission,  and  they  have  justly  partici- 
pated in,  the  blessings  invoked  by  suffering 
patriots  on  the  Sanitary  Commission.  The 
deaths  have  numbered  but  248,  and  you 
can  believe  there  would  have  been  more 
but  for  the  relief  promptly  given. 

But  wflile  I  speak  of  your  Agency,  tVere 
is  another  which  comes  most  vividly  to 
mind.  It  may  not  be  so  well  organized, 
nor  so  extensive  as  yours,  but  it  is  iione 
the  less  grand  in  proportion  to  its  extent. 
I  mean  that  company  of  nurses — loyalists  of 
Winchester,  who  have  suffered  great  losses 
by  the  \tia,  yet  are  sacrificing  their  personal 
comforts  that  they  may  aid  our  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers.  You  know  Miss  G^ — 's 
thrilling  history.  Was  it  not  an  honor  that 
almost  the  last  scene  in  this  hospital  should 
be   the  visit   of  such   a  heroine?      Migs 

M remarked,   when    warned    against 

presenting  a  flag  to  the  hospital,  "I'll  do  it 
though  the  rebels  kill  me  when  they  come." 
Would  it  not  be  well  to  publish  in  your 
periodical  the  names  of  these  ladies  ?  If  so, 
here  are  those  most  frequently  seen  in  the 


'  Miss  Harriet  H.  Griffith,  Miss  Susan 
Jolliffe,  Miss  Ella  Brown,  Miss  "Margaret 
Brown,  Miss  Lizzie  Brown,  Miss  Flora 
Sharp,  Miss  Alice  Sharp,  Miss  Mattie  Shu- 
mate, Miss  Rebecca  Shumate,  Miss  Ann 
SidweU,Miss  Martha  Sidwell,  Miss  Rebecca 
Wright,  Miss  Mary  Jackson,  Miss  Julia 
Chase,  Miss  Darlington,  Miss  Dunlap,  Miss 
Meniman,  Miss  Lucy  T.  Meredith,  Miss 
Jennie  Meredith,  Miss  Emma  Bonham, 
Miss  Emma  Glen,  Miss  Mary  Cochrane, 
Miss  Rebecca  Cochrane,  Miss  Emma  Crabbe, 
Miss  Mollie  Hackney,  Miss  Sallie  Diffender- 
fer.  Miss  Annie  Diffenderfer,  Miss  Amelia 
Maloy,  Miss  Rebecca  Maloy,  Miss  Sibel 
Maloy,  Miss  Ella  B.  Ginn,  Mrs.  John  Mat- 
vin,  Mrs.  Catharine  Burns,  Mrs.  Dickinson, 
Mrs.  Joseph  Denny,  Mrs.  Tripp,  Mrs: 
Cooper,  Miss  Mariannie  Griffith,  Miss  Anna 

Griffith. 

With  best  wishes  for  yourself  and  ihe 
Commission, 

I  am  your  obedient  servant, 
Henet  Root, 

Soif eon  «4tli  Tf.  T.  S.  M.  • 


KEKOBIAL  OF  THE  GSEAT  CEITIBAI  FAIB 
AT  PHILADELPHIA. 

A  very  natural  curiosity  is  felt  by  all 
those  who  hear  of  the  wonderful  results  of 
the  various  Fairs  held  in  aid  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  to  know  by  what  system 
of  organization  such  extraordinary  success 
is  achieved  by  those  in  charge  of  these  en- 
terprises.     The  Fairs   themselves  form  a 
new  era  in  the  annals  of  benevolence,  and 
their  history  will  always  be  studied  by  those' 
who  seek  to  understand  one  of  the  most 
striking   characteristics   of  the  American 
people  in  this  war.    The  Executive  Com- 
uiittee  of  the  Great  Central  Fair,  held  in 
Philadelphia  in  the  month  of  June  .last, 
have  thought  it  important  to  lay  before  the 
public  a  complete  histoiy  of  the   origin, 
progress  and  results  of  that  most  successful 
undertaking.    They  very  naturally  thought 
that  it  was  due  not  merely  to  the  labors  of 
those  by  whom  this  success  was  obtained 
that  such  a  record  should  be  preserved,  but 
also  that  it  was  important  as  an  example  to 
those  who  may  come  after  us  to  explain 
how  more  than  a  million  of  dollars  was 
raised  in  a  few  months  in  aid  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.     They  entrusted  the  task 
of  preparing  such  a  history  to  Mr.  Chas. 
J.  Stillb,  and  it  has  at  length  appeared 
in   the   shap^  of   a  very  elegant  quarto 
volume,  containing  more  than  two  hundred 
pages.     Tbe  book,  although  very  beautiful 
in  its  mechanical  execution,  (in  this  respect 
indeed  being  one  of  the  handsomest  speei-  ' 
mens  of  American   book-making  ever  is- 
sued,) is  a  very  unpretending  one.     It  en- 
ters fully  into  the  reasons  which  induced 
the  managers  of  the  Fair  to  undertake  the 
enterprise,  and  explains  the  system  of  or- 
ganization adopted  which  was  so  fruitful  of 
good  results.     As  those  who  had  charge  of 
it  had  the  benefit  of  the  experienee  of  other 
Fairs,  they  were  led  to  make  som«  changes 
in  the  details  of  the  organization  of  such  a 
project,  which  the  author  of  the  "  History" 
claims,  with   apparent   good   reason,  were 
great  improvements.     The  book  traces  the 
various  modes  by  which  nearly  a  hundred 
■distinct  committees,  in  charge  of  the  vari- 
ous departments,  performed  each  their  share 
in  the  common  work,  and  finally  succeeded 
in  fusing  the  scattered   lays  of  patriotic 
sympathy  into   a  harmonious  wiiole.     A 
deserved  tribute  is  paid  to  the   untiring 
energy  and  zeal  of  the  great  army  of  laborers 
emplojred  in  the  work.     A  description  of 
the  buildings,  whose  imposing  architectural 


954 


The  Sanitary  Commisnon  Bulletin. 


effect  was  not  the  least  striking  peculiarity . 
of  the  Fair  is  given,  and  a  detailed  account 
of  each  separate  department,  containing 
articles  for  exhibition  or  :Sale  is  added. 
The  various  incidents  of  the  Fair  have  been 
carefully  preserved  in  this  record,  and  ap- 
pended to  it  will  be  found  a  financial  state- 
ment of  the  result,  showing  that  after 
November  26,  1864,  the  net  amount  re- 
alized was  81,010,976  68.  A  full  list  of 
.all  the  committees  occupies  more  than  fifty 
pages  of  the  volume,  thus  preservingj  in  a 
permanent  form,  the  names  of  all  who 
were  the  active  workers  in  this  great  under- 
taking. 

On  the  whole  the  "  History"  is  a  most 
fitting  commemoration  of  the  occasion.  A 
limited  edition  only  has  been  printed.  I'hose 
who  desire  copies  can  obtain  them  by  ad- 
dressing Mr.  James  K.  Simon,  the  agent 
for  the  ■  sale  of  the  book,  No.  33  South 
Sixth  street,  and  enclosing J&ve  'dollars. 


NEW  OBLEAKS. 

The  annexed  table,  taken  by  chance,  will 
give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  nature,  va- 
riety and  extent  of  th«  relief  afforded  in  the 
Soldiers'  Homes.  There  are  many  details 
necessarily  omitted  because  of  want  of  room ; 
but  it  will  be  seen  that  during  eleven  months, 
10,784  soldiers  and  sailors,  from  twenty- 
three  different  States,  have  found  a  home  in 
the  far  distant  Gulf-city  j  that  oi  these 
2,821  Were  discharged  men  who,  having  no 
clain^  upon  government,  would  otherwise 
have  been  homeless ;  that  63,118  lodgings, 
and  197,562  meals  have  been  given ;  that 
878  sick  have  been  treated  in  the  hospitals 
of  the  Home  j  that  16  have  died ;  and  that, 
at  the  option  of  the  owners,  $104,257  have 
been  kept  in  the  safe,  and  thus  wrested  from 
the  clutch  of  the  harpies  who  rob  the  sol- 
dier and  his  family  of  his  earnings.  It 
will  be  noted  and  remembered  that  no  other 
organization  does,  or  attempts  to  do,  this 
most  practical  Christian  work. 

The  statistics  of -the  whole  Special  Relief 
Department  are  being  collected  for  the  pur- 
pose of  consolidation  and  aggregation.  The 
necessity  of  a  uniform  classification  is  ap- 
parent; and  superintendents  of  Soldiers' 
Homes,  Lodges,  Rests,  Homes  for  Nurses, 
and  for  Soldiers'  Relations,  &c.,  conducted 
by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  are  re- 
quested to  furnish — if  they  have  not  already 
done  so — similar  statistics  of  the  work  done 
in  the  institutions  of  which  they  have 
charge. 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


955 


TABLE'  or  CONTENTS. 

CORUBBPONDBNCE^ 

AnnapollB,  Md.,  .Interesting  Letters  by  Mrs.  L.  G. 

Parrish,  (A  Visit  to  St.  John's  College  Hospital, 

Ottr  Prisoners^from  Savannah*) , ,-....  930 

,      Extract  from  a  Letter  hy  B.  T.  PhiUipa,  Chaplain 

n.  S.  A :.l.........  933 

Army  of  the  Potomac,  hy  J.  W.  Johnson 9f6 

City  Point,  Va.hyT.  C.  Parrish 938 

Washington,  D.  C,  Letter  from  Nathaniel  Seaver,  Jr.  939 
'Savannah,  Ga.,  Interesting  Letter  from  Georzia,  hy 

J.  C.  H'oblit. :......  948 

Lonlsville,  Ky.,  by  William  A.  Sntliffe 0S2 

Winchester,  Va.,  by  Henry  Boot,  Snrgeon,  U.  S.  A. . .  962 
Bbports. 
From  Washington,  The  Exchange,  by  L.  C.  Leggitt..  929 

From  AnnapoliH,  Md.',  by  E.  C.  Guiles^ ; 933 

From  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  A.  N.  Bead 919 

From  Baton  Bouge,  La.,  by  H.  L.  Boltwood 9a0 

HiSOBLLANBOUB. 

The  Soldier's  Fnneral  Hymn,  by  Mrs.  J.  W.  Lane. . .  935 

The  Soldier's  Friend ..■ 939 

Three  Months  in  the  V.  S.'San.  Gommisraon,  J,  J.  B.  910 
Paid  and  Unpaid  Agents,  by  Ber.  J.  A.  Anderson. . .  942 

Meeting  of  Agents— Hon.  F.  B.  Fay 938 

Fonr  Day's  Work ., 946 

Metropolitan  Fair  Buildings 946 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Belief.    Supplies, 

•  No.  4 '. 947 

Testimonials 951 

Memorial  of  the  Great  Central  Fair. 953 

New  Orleans 954 

Editorial. 

The  Two  Commissions 943 

Our  Canvassers 945 

Onr  Women 945  \ 

Unitarian  Tracts 945 


PROTECTIVE 

OP   THE    . 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STBBET, 

WETT  'SrOJEtJS.. 

Pkbsideni. 

Liect.-Gen.  WINPIELD  SCOTT. 

Tiob-Pbbsidents. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,    Admibal  Dueont, 

John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Rno.  A.  WiTTHAns,  Esq 

TeEASUEBE. — RoBBET  B.   MlNTUBN,   EsQ. 


DiEBCTOBS, 

Hong.  E.  D.  MoEGAN, 
George  Opdtke, 
HlEAU  Babney, 
Jas  W.  Bbeeuan, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astob, 

James  Bbown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howabd  Pottee, 
WitLiAM  E,  Dodge,  jr;, 
1'hbodore  Roosevelt, 
Petbb  Coopeb, 
Geoege  Banceoft, 
Daniel  Lobd, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt,       ' 
Robeet  L.  Stuabt, 
Alfeed  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to. 

HEINRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambees  Steebt,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  ox.  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  aaimant.  ^ 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  thdr  families 
from  imposture  ani fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  t  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  tbe  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows; 

H.  W.  Bellows,  b.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington^  D.  C. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New* York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky.    ^ 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Stille,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  lU. 

OFFICBBS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
•  George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
X  H.  Douglas,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

standing  committee. 
Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  Charles  J.  Stille. 

HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrano'e- 
ments  for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of,  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucliy,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ey." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


956 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  Inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  returti  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

fl@°Soldier3.'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and'  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army; 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  J;he  Onited  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution i 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  w^ere  they  are  most  wanted. 
-It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at'  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  -auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST. 

OBNTEAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLKOTION. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn, 
f  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  ISC'?  Chestnut 

Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DlBTRIBUTIO|f. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington;  D.  C. 

IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

.U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

TJ.  S  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

XT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
*lished  from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  OOLLBOTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommisslon,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  T. 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Larned 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  O'. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y.  • 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

EAST. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  76  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"  Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op-. " 
posite  R.  R.  Depot. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D,  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.    ^ 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers.  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  0. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

«  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 
WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldie'  s'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ey.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     Jamos  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Hoipe,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets^ 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn., 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Comminion  Bulletin.  957 


BRANcp,  \^mmmd^&?7i£^l&^S>\   ■        branch. 

No. -744  Broadway,      \  l^v^y^'NT  I'EQ,&i|^ii^|  l     No.  19  Green  Street, 
NEW  YORK.  Jj    \609'-"^3i6  %|gs#r<!ifc  Ij         BOSTON,  Mass. 

Importaiit  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs  ■ 

The  "Paimbk"  Arm  and  Lbo  arejiow  furniBhed  for  the  mutHated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  iiarethe 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerons  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  heen  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

SlfBOBON-QENBRAL'B  OpFlCB, 

•  'WASHisQTOif  CiTT,  D  0  ,  Dec.  12,  1883. 

Sib  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S*  then}  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported  #»«**»»» 
In  compliance  weth  thb  recommendation  of  the  Board,  when  a  fdCDiER  mat  desire  to  purchasb  "the  hobb 

BLEQANT  AND  BXPBXSIVE  ARM  OF  PALMER,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PATMBNT  FOR  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CKaNE,  Surgeon  n.S-A. 

BURQEON-GeNRRAL's  OPFlCB, 

Washinhton  Citv,  D.C,  Sept  20.  1864. 
Sir  :— In  answer  to  your  letter  of  Ine  1st  !nst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report  and  rpcommendaUoa  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  t'ork,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  ArtiBclal  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  manufactured  bt  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 

W.  C.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Burgeon  U.S.A. 
Ta  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  741  Broadway,  New  York. 

I  

The  Best  PALMER  LEQ  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  Fli,EE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "OOyERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Oo, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNIjR,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.       E.  B.  BELDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 

WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.         J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 
•  

To  all  acqiiainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  signifioant  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  ^s  no  better  Oil  Territory. 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  -completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  inorease  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  mvestmentl^ 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-IIALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividead  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  ,to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY, 

*    No.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


958  ■  The  iSanitari/  Oommission  Bulletin. 


^^  H_    % 


Adapted  to  every  brancli  of  business. 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

PAIRS AWKS  &  CO.,  Wo.  252  Broadway,  Wew  York. 
PAIBBAWKS  &  BEOWIT,  ITo.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIKBANKS,  GKBBKTIiEAP  &  CO^  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIBBAHKS  &  B-WIirG,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
PAIEBAWKS  &  CO.,  Utf.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Desariptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  eitJier  of  ike  above. 

ESTABLISHED   i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OF  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 
WHEEIiER  &  Wll^SOSr, 

GROTER  &  BAKER, 

WIL.I.COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SISTGER  AND  OTHERS. 

TO,RE]\T  AND 

FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the  ^ 

N.  Y.    SEWIMC    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  New  York. 

V.  W.  WICKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  Up  Stairs.  ' 


The  Somitary  Qomrmstion  Bulletin. 


959 


OFFICE    OF    THE 

]yd:  o  R  R 1 8 

FIllE  &  lAi  INSiAlE 

t  oompa.:n-Y3 

COLUIVIBIAN     BUILDING,^ 


Anthorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  InsurancCj 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings^  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


X>XXl.:E30<T'C>Zt.S. 


BDWAED  EOWB, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

1  JOSEPH  MOEEISOlf, 

ALBERT  G.^LEB, 

FEED.  H.  BEADLEB, 

DAN'L  W.  yTBLLEE, 

GEOBOE  KILN, 

EDWARD  C.  BATES, 

HENET  J.  CAMMANN, 

J.  C.  M0ERI8, 

'  WILLIAM  MAOKAT, 

S.  N.  DBEEICK, 

EOB'T  BOWNE, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZEA  HTB, 

B.  0.  MOEHIS,  Jb.,  - 

K.  0.  HIMS. 

X  ' WM.  M.  WHITl^ET  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MOBBIS,  President. 


960  The  Sanitary  Oofnmiasion  Bulletin. 

F.  RATCHFORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  Wainut  Street,  Philadelphia^ 

The  Mutual  Life  Insura*nce  Company  of  New  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  over  Eleven  atid  a  taalf  Blllllons  of  Dollars. 

Policies  known  ;is  "  Non-Forfeiting,",  on  the  terms  they  express,  on  the  Ten-Year  plan,  issued  by  this 
Company,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  rates  of  premiums,  greatet  than  are  offered  by  any  other  Life 
Company. 

Widows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  New  York. 

LUCIUS    ROBINSON.    President. 

Casta  Capital,  $200,000.  # 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  officers  of  this  Company  are  connected  trith  the  irell-known  Mutual 
Life  Insueancb  Company  ok  New  Yobk,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders.  . 

Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

JOHN    WADSWORTH,   President. 
Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets  tSe  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their  families,  and  of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  It  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance. 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to 

£■.  BATCHFOBD  STABB,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  PUlBdelpUa. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

HARTFORD,  CONN. 
O.A.3E»ITA:aj,         -         -         -         $300,000. 

,    JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  Pbesidbnt. 
Insurance  effected  in  tMs  Company  against  ACCIDEITTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 
granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of ,  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 

secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars, 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  business.  * 

Fifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  compensation  for  all  and  every  descripti(^n  of 
Accidtnt. 

Policies  for  $500,  wi'th  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  other 
sum  between  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  fates.  \ 

WM.  w.  alle:^,  Agreut, 

404  WALNUT  STREET.    - 


THE 


SANITARY/    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

No.  31.  PHILADBLPH5A,  FEBRUARY  1,  1865.  No.  31. 


The  Sanitary  Commissiok  Bttlletin  is  pubUahed  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and.  as 
it  has.  a  circulation,  gratuiUms  or  other,  of  above  14,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 


All  communications  rmtsi  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the'pffice^  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers.  •-■■■', 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  onithat  of  the  war,  and  en 
the  resources  of  the  Z7.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  OommiUee  feels  a  certain  degree  ofrehifCtaiaee 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  tjao  dollar^j-  remitted  to  the 
IVeasurer,  (G.  T.  Strons,  68  Wall  street,  New  York,  or  No.  ISC'?  Chestnut  street,'  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  cmrent  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


WOHEN'S  CENTRAL   ASSOCIATIOIT   OF 
RELIEF. 

QUARTERLY    SESSION/  01'    THE    SANITARY 

CqMMISSION  IN  WASHINGTON. — NO.  V. 

For  the  past  month,  from  Deceinber  15, 
"to  January  15,  we  have  to  report  as  follows  : 
Number  of  packages  reeeived,  331.  Distri- 
buted'to  Annapolis.,  16  packages;,  Washing- 
ton, 40  packages;  Harper's  Ferry,  2  pack- 
ages; Norfolk,  Va.,  38  packages;  ]3ermuda 
Hundred,  1  package;  Beaufort,  S.  C,  51 
packages;  Savannah,  6  paickages;  Hospitals 
in  and  near  New  York,  17  packages ;  Hos- 
pital transports,  14  packages ;  steamers  in 
Mobile  Bay  and  elsewhere,  9  packages. 

All  kinds  of  hospital  supplies^  excepting 
lii^t,  are  needed;  but\  more  especially  flan- 
nel clothing,  bed  quilts,  socks  and  mittens. 
,  During  the  ,p?/St  week  we  had  the  privi- 
lege of  I  being  j)resent  at  the  Quarterly  Ses- 
sion of;  the  Board  of  Commissioners  in^ 
Washington.  Besides  the  daily  fneeting  of 
the  Standing  Committee  in  New  York,  and 
the  fortnightly  meeting  of  the  members 
from  Bpston,  Philadelphia  and  New  York, 
a  session  of  the  whole  Board  is  held  every 
three  months  in  Washington,  usually  last- 
ing about  a  week.  At  these  meetings  re- 
ports are  received  from  agents  in  every  part 
of  the  field,  representing  every  department 
of  the  work.    These  are  discussed  and  passed 


upon.  The  plan  of  work  for  the  future  is 
also  determined  upon.  There  wereT  present 
at  the  January  session,  last  week,  beside 
Commissioners  from  both  Eastern  and 
Western  States, 'the  officers  of  the  Commis- 
sion, several  Associate  Members  and  repre- 
sentatives from  two  of  the  Eastern  Branches. 
As  has  been  repeated  again  and  again,  the 
policy  which  has  guided  us  all  through  pur- 
work  has  been,  and  is,  to  give  yoii  the  fullest 
information  as  to  the  conduct  of  our  own 
work,  and  the  work  of  the  Commission.  It 
was  to  enable  us  to  do  this  more  satisfacto- 
rily, that  we  asked,  and  readily  obtained 
permission  to  be  present  at  this  session  of 
the  Board. 

How  shall  we  jaegin  to  condense  these 
twenty-three  pages  of  notes  which  we  have 
brought  away  with  us  ?  How  can  we  give 
you  an  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  work 
as  it  was  forced  upon  us,  weighted  with  the 
mighty  power  of  concentration  ?  How  make 
you  understand  in  ten  minutes,  what  we 
could  not  comprehend  in  as  many  hours  ? 
It  seems  hopeless,  and  yet  we" want,  to  try 
and  give  you  some  of  the  impressions,  we 
have  brought  home  with  us, 

The  .extent  of  the  work  and  the  cliaraciter 
of  the  agents  now  in  the  service  of  the  Com- 
mission  remain  among  the  most  prominent 
of  these  impressions. 


Vol.  I.  No.  31 


61 


962 


The  Sanitary  Commission  bulletin. 


Thousands  of  miles  were  traveled  over 
in  those  few  hours.  Wherever  the  Sanitary 
Commission  went,  we  went,  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  went  everywhere.  We  were 
driving  wagon-loads  of  hospital  supplies  on 
to  the  battle-field — any  battle-field — every 
battle-field.  We  were  binding  up  wounds ; 
we  were  feeding  the  hungry  and  clothing 
the  naked.  Or  it  was  a  night  spent  at  the 
Home  in  Washington,  or  Cincinnatti,  or 
Naahville,  or  New  Orleans,  and  we  were 
watching  those  weary  eyes  light  up  in  that 
bright,  cheerful  room,  watching,  the  smile 
upon  the  pale,  thin  fac^  at  this  foretaste  of 
iome-comfort.  Now,  we  were  standing  in 
a  garden-  with  its  long,  neat  rows  of  cab- 
bages and  onions  and  potatoes.  Again  we 
were  marching  through  a  rich  and  fertile 
country,  with  a  mighty  host,  and  at  the  end 
of  our  journey,  raising  a  sick  boy  for  his  first 
sight  of  that  grand,  deep-blue  ocean.  We 
were  collecting  the  back  pay  for  a  disabled 
soldier  waiting  to  go  home.  We  carried 
the  first  instalment  of  pension  money  to  a 
poor  widow.  We  were  reading  a  funeral 
service  in  the  wilderness  by  the  side  of  an 
open  grave.  We  were  on  ship-board,  lift- 
ing down  cabin  stairs,  and  caring  as  best  we 
might,  for  those  brave  men  who  went  from 
us  strong  and  well  to  be  returned  the  vic- 
tims of  systematic  and  fiendish  cruelty.  We 
were  writing  to  a  mother,  anxious  about  an 
only  son,  telling  her  that  he  was  safe,  -that 
he  was  recovering,  that  he  should  want  for 
pothing.  We  were  building  chapels  and 
reading  rooms.  We  were  putting  Bibles 
and  Prayer-books  into  some  hands ;  picture 
and  story-books  into  others.  We  were 
watching  by  the  bedside,  and  praying  with 
a  dying  man.  We  were  merry  over  a  game 
of  checkers  with  a  little  drummer  boy,  whose 
happy  face  was  a  bright  spot  in  that  hospi- 
tal ward.  We  were  reading  a  letter,  a  half- 
sheet  of  coarse,  yellow  paper,  merely  a  pen- 
oil  scrawl,  dated  Florence,  S.  C,  "Would 
the  Sanitary  Commission  send  food  and 
clothing  'and  blankets,  for  we  have  nothing 
to  cover  us." 

We  will  not  take  you  further  on  this  ter- 
rible journey,  for  with  all  that  we  can  do  to 
alleviate  suffering,  the  horrors  of  war  must 
still  remain  uppermost,  when  one  comes  in 
contact  with  them.  We  do  not  wish  to  take 
you  into,  battle  and  pestilence,  and  through 
the  many  scenes  which  we  hope  may  ever 
remain  among  the  untold,  but  will  bring 
you  at  last  to  the  end  of  our  journey.  It 
was  a  bright  picture  and  pleasant  encUng  to 


be  brought  back  into  pne  of  your  own  cheer- 
ful, happy  sewing  circles,  and  there  we  will 
rest,  for  that  is  our  home. 

Does  this  faint  outline  give  ^ou  any  idea 
of  the  extent  of  the  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion ?  Hardly,  we  are  well  aware.  In  fact, 
many  of  the  departments  of  the  work  have 
not  been  touched  upon  at  all.  And  yet  we 
hope  it  may  have  brought  the  relief  work 
somewhat  nearer  to  you. 

We  spoke  of  having  been  impressed  by 
the  character  of  the  Belief  Agents  of  the 
Commission,. as  made  known  to  us  by-per- 
sonal  observation,  and  through  their  written 
reports.  This  visit  to  Washington  only 
confirmed  the  impression  of  previous  visits 
among  the  Homes  and  Lodges  of  the  dom- 
mission  there,  bearing  new  testimony  as  to 
the  fitness,  the  reliability,  the  humanity  and 
tenderness  t)f  those  persons  in  charge  of 
these  different  resting-places  for  our  soldiers. 
The  same  impression  was  derived  from  the 
reports  we  heard  read.  They  were  evidently 
written  by  earnest,  hard-working  men,  men 
whose  hearts  were  in  their  work.  They 
were  not  only  deta,ile"d,  business-like  reports 
of  what  had  been  accomplished,  but  they 
contained  suggestions  for  improvement,  and 
requests  to  be  allowed  to  do  more — those 
unmistakable  signs  of  life  and  sincerity. 
We  should  feel  ashamed  of  any  want  of 
confidence  in  these  men.  Be  assured  that 
we  may  not  oMy  trust  them,  but  be  grate- 
ful that  our  gifts  to  our  soldiers  are  ren- 
dered doubly  precious  from  being  received 
through  such  faithful  loving  hands. 

Louisa  Lxe  Sohttyleb,' 

GhairmaD  Committee  oa  Ctriespondeace,  Ik., 
Nbw  York,  Jan.  16,  1865. 


BESSINO  FOa  HOSPITAL  VSS. 

Bedsack  of  burlap  or  ticking,  2  yards  and 
12  inches  long ;  40  inches  wide.  Sew  all 
round.  Cut  opening  in  middle  27  inches 
long;  close  with  three  [3]  buttons;  put  a 
stay  at  each  end  of  opening  and  one  under 
each  button.  Required,  3  knots  linen  thread. 

Pillow  Sacks  of  ticking  or  crash;  16 
inches  wide,  30  inches  long.  Leave  opening 
in  middle  of  one  end.   Close  with  2  buttons. 

Sheets.  Linen  and  cotton.  8  feet  long. 
4  feet  wide.  Required,  one-half  skein  of 
cotton  or  one-twelfth  part  of  a  hank. 

Pillow  Cases  of  cotton  or  linen,  i  yard 
wide.    1  yard  long. 

Quilts.    7  feet  long.    50  inches  wide. 

■Blankets  for  single  beds. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


963 


CUBHIONS  FOB  WOUNDED  LIMBS. 

^  Square  Oushiom  from  8  to  24  inches 
square. 

Riv^  OusJiiom  to  be  made  in  the  form  of 
a  ring  from  8  inches  to  24  inche8,in  diame- 
ter. 

The  best  covering  is  enamel  cloth,  but 
any  material  may  be  used.  In  stuffing, 
avoid  anything  heating.  Any  of  the  fol- 
lowing articles  may  be  used :  hair,  excelsior, 
tow,  carpet  ravelings,  shreds  of  ^usk,  straw 
or  hay. 

J3bp  Oushions  covered  with  any  cheap 
material,  8  to  24  inches  square. 

Bcmdages  of  old  cloth,  strong  enough  to 
bear  a  firm  steady  pull.  All  selvages  and 
seams  should  be  torn  off.  In  piecing  lap 
one  edge  well  over  the  other,  without  turn- 
ings, and  sew  firmly  close  to  each  edge.  Be 
sure  the  pieces  ar&-exactly  the  same  width. 
KoU  very  tight  and  even  (bandage  machines 
are  cheap  and  very  desirable).  Mark  the 
length  on  outer  edge  and  fasten  with  two 
small  pins.  The  most  useful  are  from  2  J 
to  3iS^  inches  wide  and  from  5  to  8  yards 
long.  The  roll  must  never  be  never  be  too 
large  to  be  held  easily  in  one  hand. 

Old  Linen  and  Cotton  pieces,  no  matter 
how  small,  tied  in  bundles  and  marked  on" 
the  outside.    Tear  off  all  selvages  and  seams. 

Lint  xasLj  be  made  in  various  ways. 

1.  Of  lii^pn  ravelings  of  any  length  thrown 
together  without  order. 

2.  Of  linen  ravelings  from  4  to  8  inches 
long  laid  in  order,  but  not  tied. 

3.  Of  scraped  linen. 

4.  Of  balsam. 

The  different  kinds  must  be  separated, 
and  never  packed  in  newspapers. 

Towels  of  crash  or  strong  cloth,  seven- 
eighths  of  a  yard  long. 

jBaTO(f/fcercAie/s  of  any  soft  material.  Large 

entra  * 


SIBECTIOirS  FOB  HOSPITAL  CLOTHIITG. 
DIRECTIONS   FOE  KNITTING   SOCKS. 

1  lb.  yarn  knits  three  pair  socks. 

Use  No.  13  needles,  and  three4hreaded 
yarn. 

For  small  sock,  set  up  65  stitches — foot 
10  inches  long. 

For  medium  sock,  set  up  70  stitches — 
foot  11  inches  long. 

For  very  large  sock,  set  up  75  stitches — 
foot  12  inches  long. 

Leg. — Cast  on  stitches.    Rib  3J  inches. 


Knit  plain  6  J  inches,  keeping  one  stitch 
seam. 

Reel. — ^Take  half  the  stitches  on  one 
needle  for  the  back  of  heel.  Knit  three 
inches,  seaming  every  other  row.  Then 
turn  the  heel  thus :  Knit  three-quarters  of 
your  stitches,  and  slip  and  bind  the  first 
stitch  of  the  last  quarter.  Turn  and  seam 
back,  repeating^  the  same  on  first  stitch  of 
the  quarter  at  the  other  end,  and  so  on, 
back  and  forward,  till  the  two  end  quarters 
are  used  up. 

Instefp. — Divide  the  remaining  stitches 
on  two  needles,  and  pick  up  on  each  needle 
the  stitches  on  that  side  of  the  heel.  With 
these  and  the  stitches  on  the  instep  needle 
begin  the  foot.  Narrow  at  the  last  stitch 
but  two  on  the  side  needles,  near  the  instep 
needle.  Do  this  every  othqy  round  until 
you  have  reduced  the  number  of  stitches 
on  each  heel  needle  to  half  that  on  instep 
needle.    '     • 

Foot. — Knit  on  plain  till  your  foot  is  the 
right  length,  allowing  2  J  inches  for  the  toe. 

Toe. — Knit  one  round,  narrowing  every 
seventh  stitch.  Then  knit  six  rows  plain. 
Knit  one  round  narrowing  every  sixth 
stitch.  Five  rows -plain,  and  so  on  till  you 
narrow  every  other  stitch.     Cast  off. 

Run  heels  and  toes. 

To  avoid  running,  and  make  heel  double, 
follow  directions  for  heel  as  above ;  but  on 
seam  needle,  slip  every  other  stitch. 

DIKECTIONS   FOR   KNITTING  MITTENS. 

(  With  one  Finger  and  Thumb?)     ^ 

Cast  on  76  stitches. 

Eib  2  inches. 

Knit  1  inch  plain. 

Make  1  stitch  in  the  middle  of  needle. 

Knit  2  rounds  plain.  Make  1  stitch  (in 
3d  round)  on  each  side  of  the  new  stitch. 
Proceed  in  this  way,  making  1  new  stitch  on 
each  side  of  the  other  new  ones,  in  every 
third  round,  till  there  are  21.>  Take  off 
these  21  new  stitches  on  a  thread,''  Knit 
the  rest  of  the  stitches,  making  4  additional 
ones  on  the  first  roiind  %here  the  sepa- 
ration for  the  thumb  occuirs,  thus  making 
^0  stitches  in  the  hand.  Knii  a  little  more 
than  an  inch  plain.  Take  off  24  stitches  on 
a  thread  to  form  the  first  finger,  and  joining 
the  rest  together^  knit  round  and  round 
2 J  inches  more;  narrow  every  5th  stitch. 
Knit  5  rows;  narrow  every  4th  stitch. 
Knit  4  rows  and  go  on. 

For  finger,  take  up  the  24  stitches.    Knit 


X   C    ii 


964 


The  Sanitary  CommisBion  Bulletin. 


plain  2t  inches ;  narrow  every^  3d  stitoh. 
Knit  3  rows,  &o. 

For  thumb)  take  up  the  21  stitches  and 
the  4  new  ones  in  front  of  the  thumb,  thus 
making  25  in  all.  Knit  1^  inches;  narrow 
every  3d  stitch.  Knit  3  rows,  &c.,  as  in 
finger. 

ANOTHER   KIND  OF   MITTEN. 
Mittm—tUgM  Hani. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  MITTEN. 

It  may  be  made  of  any  strong  woolen 
material.  The  diagram  shows  the  outside, 
the  inside  is  the  same,  without  the'  hole  for 
the  thumb. 

The  mitten  is  whole  on  the  side  next  the 
thumb;  if  the  cloth  is  not  large,  enough 
this  is  not  necessary.  It  is  to  be  stitched 
round  and  hemmed  at  the  bottom. 

The  thumb  is  to  be  stitched  and  sewed 
into  the  hole.  ,An  elastic  braid  draws  up 
the  inside  at  wrist. 

WRISTERS — (knit.) 

Wristers. — Use  four  needles.  Kib,  like 
the  leg  of  a  sock,  about  6  inches,  setting  up 
enough  stitches  to  slip  well  over  a  man's 
hand.  Then  begin  to  make  hole  for  thumb 
by  knitting  backwards  and  forwards  on 
needles  for  2  inches.  Then  knit  round  and 
round  again  for  about  3  inches.     Cast  off. 


H03BE,  DUTY,  WIFE  AND  SAITITAEY! 
EXTRACT  FROM  REPORT  OF  AN  AGENT,  AT 
.  CITY  POINT. 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  after  a 
brief  but  very  pleasant  visit  home,  I  am  pre- 
pared again  to  labor  in  the  cause  I  deem  so 
'worthy.  It  was  somewhat  trying  to  leave 
home  this  time.    The  little  social  circles 


are  gathered  round  the  healths  and  the  long 
wipter  evenings  are  crowded  full  of  happi- 
ness. All  the  summer  I  loot:ed  forward  "to 
a  winter  of  rest  and  quiet  enjoyment  at  home. 
These  considerations  and  the  remonstances , 
of  friends  made  the  parting  reluctant,,  but  I 
could  not  yield  and  remain  away,  and  kilow 
th^t  there  was  a  privilege  still  open  to  me, 
a  creditable  task  that  I  might  do. 
^  I  do  not  wish  sir,  in  extolling  the  cause, 
to  evince  a  selfish  pride.  I  ain  only  '3^- 
ious  that  you  should  know  that  I  appreciate 
the  work  in  which  we  are  engaged,  and  that 
every  atom  of  heart  is  enlisted  in  its  behalf 

On  the  mail  boat  I  got  into  conversation 
with  a  civilian,  evidentiy  " ijrell  to  doin  the 
wprld,"  and  "  rather  set  in  his  ways."  With- 
out solicitation,  he  spoke  as  follows : 

"The  Sanitary  is  doing  a  great  yioA. 
The  people  North  don't  know  it.  They 
don't  appreciate  its  magnitude  or  the  tho- 
rough manner  in  which  it  is  done.'  I  am  a 
Boston  grocer.  I. used  to  be  decidedly  dp- 
posed  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.  Thought 
it  was  a  money-making  concern.  Wife  often 
wanted  to  contribute,  but  I  always  said 
'  No !'  and  put  iny  foot  down  heavily  if 
urged. 

"  I  came  up  from  the  store  one  di.y.  There 
was  an  appeal  in  the  papers.  Wife  said 
'  John,  I  want  to  send  something  to  the 
Sanitary  grooms  for  the  soldiersf  but  I  said 
emphatically  several  times,  '  You  shall  not 
send  a  thing."  She  persevered,  saying, 
*  Suppose  George,'  (I  had  a.  brother-in-law 
in  the  service  then)  '  Suppose  George  is 
sick.  Wouldn't  you  -like  to  send  him  some- 
thing nice?'  I  grew  emphatic,  and  ham- 
mered .the  table  some  and  said,  'He'd  never 
get  it  if  it  were  sent.'  She  took  a  newspa- 
per and  held  it  before  her,  face,  I  never  knew 
whether  she  laughed  or  cried,  but  two  howrs 
later  I  met  her  coming  out  of  the  SaJinMi/ry 
rooms,  whither  she  had  just  taken,  some  goods, 

"  I  was  unconverted  till  G^ttysbu:^  I  was 
with  the  army  there.  I  saw  the  Commis- 
sion work.  Sir,  they  saved  thousands  .of 
lives.  I  could  not  disbelieve  my  own  eyes. 
I  was  at  Fredrioksburg  when  the  i  town  was 
filled  with  mangled  humanity,  and  the  au- 
thorities could  not  do  much.  It  was  the 
same  there.  No  task  was  too  arduous  or 
loathsome  for  the  agents  to  do.  •  > 

"  When  I  got  iKiome  I  said,  'Ii  you  haw 
anything  to^iye,  give  it  tq.  the  SaniWy,  it 
is  doing  the  right  thing.  i)on'tj  be  .afraid,' 
and  now  I  feel  ini  duty  bound  to  do  and  say 
all  I  can  for  your  cause." 


3%e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


965 


I  have  dwelt  upon  this  gentleman's  testi- 
mony longer  perhaps'than  is  necessary,  Mt 
I-iaiBnot  M  it  pasef  without  alluding  to  a 
fact  upon  which  it  bears.  The  people^  the 
supporters  of  this  beneficence,  should  know 
more  of  its  workings,  should  he  familarized 
with  its  individual  results. 


THE  WOBK  OF  A  GREAT  PEOPLE. 
A  pamphlet  with  the  above  title,  having 
refej:ence  to  the  operations  of  the  Sanitary, 
Commission,  has  recently  been  issued  in 
Paris.'  It  is  distinguished  throughout  by 
a  Very  liberal  spirit  towards  this  country, 
and  evinces  a '  familiarity  with  affairs  in  the 
TJiuted  States,  which  is  certainly  remarkable 
in  a;  foreigner.  Its  perusal  must,  we  think, 
afford  sincere  gratification,  not  merely  to 
those  who  are  directly  interested  in  the 
reputation  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  but 
to  all  who  feel  a  pride  in  the  true  glory  of 
the  counliry.  We  make  the  following 
eitraets. 

A  remarkable  fact  proved  by  the  statistics 
of  different  armies,  is  not  so  generally  known 
as  it  should  be;  it  is  that  during  a  cam- 
paign, AT  LEAST  THREE  TIMES  AS  MANY 
SOLDIERS  DIE  OF  ""DISEASE,  AND'  FROM  A 
WANT  OF  THE  PROPER  CARE  WITH  RESPECT 
TO  THE  WODNDED,  AS  A^E  KILLED  BY  THE 

ENEMY.  Such  a  condition  of  things  de- 
mands our  most  serious  attention,  that  it 
may  be  remedied  as  far  as  possible. 

The  statistics  of  the  medical  corps  of  the 
English  army,  establish  the  fact  that,  during 
the  war  in  the  Crimea,  while  the  mortality 
resulting  from  wounds  was  only  three  per 
cent,  of  the  whole  number j  that  produced 
by  disease  amounted  to  more  than  twenty 
per  cent, 

In  the  war  of  1846  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexicfl,  {he  difference  in  the 
Attierican  army  was  still  more  considerable, 
for  Scarcely  fourteen  in  a  thousand  died  of 
wounds,  while  about  one  hundred  and  three 
in  a  thousand  fell  victims  to  disease,  intem- 
perance, &c. 

'  "During  a  military  campaign,  it  is  almost 
impossible  for  the '  medical  corps  to  give 
much  attention  to  purely  sanitary  measures, 
all  their  tiine  and  attention  being  required 
in  tp,king  care  of  thie  sick  and  wotinded. . 
.Moreover  their  duty  is  prescribed  to  them 
aeeprding  to  strict  military  rule^,  in  which. 


for  the  most  part,  everything  which  looks 
like  innovation  is  studiously  avoided, 

The  experience  of  all  nations  proves  that 
the  proper  application  of  sanitary  science  to 
armies  in  a  state  of  war,  is  yet  to  be  learned. 
Whatever  can  throw  light  upon  so  important 
a  subjeot,  be  its  source  what  it  may,  must 
contribute  to  the  general  interests  of  hu- 
manity. 

We  propose,  in  the  following  pages  fo 
show  what  the  Americans  have  done,  during 
the  war  which  for  three  years  has  desolated 
their  country,  towards  solving  this  important 
problem.  The  energy  and  eminently  prac- 
tical sense  of  that  people  hav«  led  them  to 
move  of  their  own  accord  in  this  enterprise, 
without  waiting  for  the  assistance  or  co- 
operation of  the  government.*  The  women 
and  even  the  children  of  the  republic  have 
been  employed  in  promoting  the  comfort  of 
the  soldiers  during  the  campaign,  and  their 
numerous  agents  have  proved  by  their  ex- , 
ample  that  voluntary  assistance  and  practical 
advice  may  be  given  to  the  medical  corps  of 
an  arniy,  without  interfering  with  military  . 
discipline,  and  yet  essentially  promoting  the 
comfort  and  welfare  of  the  troops.  The 
results  obtained  afford  a  signal  confirmation 
of  the  noble  words  of  M.  Henry  Munant : 
^'The pesrsonel  oi  military  moving  hospi,tals 
is  always  insuflScient,  everywhere  in  all 
wars,  in  every  age  and  in  every  army." 
The  military  annals  of  all  nations  confirm 
rthis  melancholy  truth,  and  what  is  yet  more 
sad,  hoyfever  generous  and  persevering,  may 
be  the  efforts  made  by  the  Government  to 
extend  or  improve  the  regularly  provided 
means  for  succoring  the  sick  and  wounded, 
a  satisfactory  result  cannot  thus  be  reached. 

THE  PROJECT  OP  A  SANITARY  COMMISSION 
IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Let  US  now  turn  our  eyes  to  the  distiint 
land  of  America ;  towards  those  battle-fields 
moistened  with  the  blood  of  thousands  of  sol- 
diers— of  fathers,  brothers,  husbands,  No. 
war  ir^  ancient  or  modern  times  has  appeared 
to  us  so,  horrible  as  the  one  which  now  rends 
that  unhappy  country.  Fprthree  years  past  it 
has  seemed  each  successive  day  to  increase 
in  severity.  Every  succeeding  day  America 
is  the  scene  of  fresh  horrors,  in  relating 
which  the  writers  of  Europe  seem  to  vie 
with  each  other  as  to  which  shall  exhibit  the 
greatest  power  of  tragic  description.'  In  the 
proclamations  of  spvereigns,  in  the  discus? 
sions  of  legislative  assemblies,  in  the  public 
journals,  everywhere,  in  short,  all  are  agreed 


966 


The  Sanitary  Commissions  Bulletin. 


in  deploring  the  length  and  obstinacy  of 
this  fratricidal  conflict.  Accustomed  to 
look  at  the  question  only  from  this  point  of 
view,  the  people  of  Europe  are  firmly  con- 
vinced that  the  history  of  this  war  can  be 
nothing  more  than  a  monotonous  recital  of 
massacres,  of  ruin  and  despair,  without  one 
ray  of  beneficence  or  humanity  to  soften  the 
darkness  of  the  picture. 

Is  it' not  strange  that  when  the  evil  side 
fof  this  question  is  so  thoroughly  understood 
the  good  alone  should  remain  entirely  con- 
cealed? Yet  in  the  midst  of  t^e  deluge  of 
blood  and  fire  in  which  America  is  now 
plUnged,  she  has  been  able  to  give  a  form — 
as  yet  imperfect  perhaps,  but  praiotical — to 
that  which  was  elsewhere  nothing  more  than 
an  aspiration.  In  the  midst  of  this  Vast 
desolation,  the  inevitable  result  of  such  a 
war,  generous  hearts  have  been  moved  while 
beholding  the  sufiierings  of  the  combatants, 
and  compassionate  women  and  noble  men 
have  accomplished  a  work  which  Europe 
had  as  yet  only  contemplated. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  discuss  here 
either  the  motives  or  the  object  of  the  civil 
war  which  broke  out  in  the  United  States 
on  the  bombardment  pf  Fort  Sumter.  The 
subject  with  which  we  propose  to  occupy, 
thesp  pages,  is  the  work  of  beneficence  and 
philanthropy  commenced  and  established  by 
the  women  of  the  United  States,  on  so  vast 
a  scale  and  with  so  much  success.  We 
would,  if  possible,  by  setting  forth  their  in- 
tentions, their  plans,  and  the  results  at  which 
they  have  arrived,  induce  the  people  of 
other  nations  to  follow  their  example — to 
form  similar  organizations  in  anticipation 
of  similar  results.  This  field  of  labor  is  a 
neutral  territory,  where  persons  of  all 
parties  may  meet  together.  Political  or 
national  distinctions  have  'nothing  to  do 
^ith  this  great  question.  It  is  impossible 
(which  ever  side  of  the  American  contest 
we  may  be  inclined  to  espouse,)  not  to  feel 
the  highest  admiration  for  the  courage  with 
which  these  women  have  surmounted  fill  the 
obstacles  that  one  must  necessarily  encounter 
in  such  an  enterprise,  and  not  to  wish  them 
success  in  their  noble  work  of  humanity 
and  beneficence. — L' (Euvre  d'lm  Gra/nd 
Peu^h,  pa/r  J.  N.  P.,  Paris,  1864. 

In  futilre  numbers  of  the  Bulletin  other 
extracts  from  this  admirable  pamphlet  will 
appear,  so  that  our  readers  will  see  how 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  esteemed  in 
France. 


EXTBACIS  FBOU  BEFOBT  ON  THE  OFEBA- 
TIONS  o;  THE  TT.  S.  SANITABY  COMMISSION 
Iir  THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  MISSISSIFFL 

For  the  Quarter  ending  September  30,  1864.  By  Dr. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  Secretary  Western  D^artmeat. 

LonisviLLE,  Ky.,  October  22,  1864. 

De.  J.  FosTEK  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary  Sanitary  Commission : 

Deae  Sie: — I  herewith  submit  detailed 
Beports  of  the  different  departments  of  our 
work  for  the  three  months  ending  Septem- 
ber 30,  which  will,  I  trust,  give  fiifl  and 
clear  information  of  what  has  been  accom- 
plished,, and  how  it  has  been  done,  in  all 
parts  of  the  field  under  my  supervision. 

These  reports  I  will  preface  by  a  general 
summary,  presenting  in  a  condensed  view 
all  the  information  derived  from  this  and 
other  sources,  which  will  be  of  interest,^and 
have  a  practical  bearing  on  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Commission. 

Tou  are  so  well  informed  from  my  weekly 
reports,  and  from  the  pubhc  journals,  in 
regard  to  the  progress  of  military  events  in 
this  department,  that  no  detailed  history  of 
them  will  now  be  necessary  or  proper  at 
my  hands. 

Sufiice  it  to  say  that  our  attention,  as 
well  as  that  of  the  public,  hasi  been  in  a 
large  degree  centered  in  that  great  move  on 
the  military  chess-board,  the  advance  of 
Sherman's  army  into  the  heart  of  G-eorgia, 
and  the  succession  of  battles  and  victories 
culminating  in  the  capture  of  Atlanta. 
Most  of  the  events  connected  with  that 
campaign  occurred  in  a  previous  quarter, 
and,  so  far  as  they  had  a  bearing  on  our 
work,  have  been  reported  to  you. 

Although  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  em- 
barrassed by  the  interruption  of  communi- 
cation with  the  front,  and  by  the  want  of 
transportation,  which  we  shared  with  every 
branch  of  the  service,  up  to  the  time  of  the 
capture  of  Atlanta  we  were  able  to  kesp 
with  the  army  so  large  a  working  force,  pro- 
vided with  so  generous  ^  supply  of  stores, 
that  we  were  at  all  times  prepared  to  fuipnish 
to  those  needing  it  such  an  amount  of  ma- 
terial and  manual  aid  as  to  considerably 
soften  the  hardships  of  an  arduous  cam- 
paign, and  fully  sustain  the  reputation  and 
Responsibilities  of  the  Commission. 

The  number  of  our  agents-  paralyzed  or 

removed  by  sickness  rendered  it  necessary 

to  send  so  large  reinforcements  to  the  field, 

that  our  corps  presented  a  more  formidable 

"•^^^^^^■^^^^^^■^^^^mpell- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.- 


96T 


ing  us  to  draw  more  largely  on  our  privi- 
leges of  passes  and  transportation  than  has 
ever  before  been  necesWy.    In  addition  to 
this,  a  host  of  civilians,  representing  other 
benevolent  organizations,  or  pursuing  indi- 
vidual iSma  of  a  philanthropic  or  mercenary 
nature,  reckoned  themselves,  or  were  reck- 
oned   by  the    military  authorities — who, 
since  the  recall  of  Gen.  Eoseorans,  have 
never  been  careful  to  discriminate  between 
the  good  and  bad,  the  tru6  and  the  false — 
-in  the   category  of  "sanitary  agents,"  of 
whom,  at  one  time,  eighty  per  week  were 
receiving  passes  and  transportation  from 
Chattanooga  to  the  front.     Impelled  by  a 
desire  to  abate  this  clear  and  formidable 
abuse,  a  step  rendered   necessary  by  the 
difficulties  surrounding  the  transportation 
of  supplies  to  the  army,  Gen.  Sherman 
issued  a  peremptory  order  prohibiting,  with 
a  few  rare   exceptions,  the   access  of  all 
civilians  to  the  forces  at  the  &ont,  and 
limiting  the  number  of  our  agents  in  the 
field.     Under  this  order  we- were  permitted 
to  keep  but  two  resident  agents  at  Atlanta 
— a  smaller  number  than  was  desirable  to 
sustain  all  the  departments  of  our  work,  and 
yet,  with  the  detailed  help  and  other  facili- 
ties  cheerfully  furnished  us,  sufficient  to 
prevent  serious  embarrassment.     The  in- 
terests (jf  the  Commission  with  Sherman's 
army,  and  all  along  the  line  of  communica- 
tion with  that  army,  are  now  in  the .  hands 
of  our  most  experienced  and  efficient  agents, 
all  important  absentees  having  returned  to 
duty 3  and  I  have  entire  confidence  that  we 
shall  enjoy  in  the  future,  as  we  have  done 
for  three  years  past,  all  facilities  and  privi- 
leges necessary  for  the  thorough  perform- 
ance of  our  work.        r 
'    Dr.  Reed  having  recovered  from  the  se- 
rious illness  which  compelled  him  to  with- 
draw, has  returned  to  take  the  supervision 
of  the  field  work  in  Gen.  Sherman's  army. 
We  may  be  sure  that,  guided  by  his  wis- 
dom, it  will  not  languish  or  be  badly  done. 
At  Chattanooga,  the  agency  is  again  under 
the  care  of  M.C.  Read,  who,  with  Mr. 
Hosford,  has  recently  returned  from  sick 
furlough.     The  absence  of  both  these  gen- 
tlemen has  been  seriously  felt,  and  I  con- 
gratulate myself  that  they  are  again  at  their 
posts,  in  the  enjoyment  of   full  physical 
vigor,  and  the  exercise  of  the  rare  faculties 
which  they  possess. 

The  gard!en  at  Chattanooga,  under  the 
managenjent  of  Mr.  Wills,  has  more  than 
accomplished  our  anticipations  of  its  use- 


fulness. The  entire  issues  from  it  during 
the  season  to  October  1,  have  been  10,028 
bushels  of  potatoes,  tomatoes,  beans,  &o.| 
and  1,784  dozens  of  corn,  melons,  squasheg, 
cabbages,  with  a  large  store  of  fall  crops  still 
remaining. 

At  Knoxville  we  have  sufiered  serious 
loss  in  the  death  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Milliken,  a 
most  estimable  and  efficient  n)an,  who  had 
the  superintendency  of  the  agency  after  the 
departirt-e  of  Dr.  Seymour.     His  place  has 
since  been  filled  by  Mr.  T.  Y.  Gardener, 
who  is  no  less  worthy  of  our  respect  and 
esteem.     The  hospital  garden,  in  charge  of 
Mr.   Culbertson,   although   less   extensive 
than  at  Chattanooga,  has  played  a  no  less 
important  part  in  the  supply  of  the  hos- 
pitals there.     During  the»  month  of  Sep- 
tember, Mr.  Culbertson  distributed    from 
the  garden  277  bushels  of  tomatoes,  264 
bushels  of  beans,  6,347  dozen  cucumbers 
(mostly  ;^ickles),  1,929  heads  of  cabbage,  &c. 
The   "feeding    stations"   at    Kingston, 
Dalton,  Decherd,  &c.,  have  formed  a  most 
important,  indeed,  indispensable  portion  of 
our  work,  during  the  last  quarter.     Under 
the  general  supervision  of  Mr.  Eno,  and  in- 
dividually managed  by  Mr.  Brundrett,  Mr. 
Kennedy,  Mi:.  Sutliffe,  and  Dr.   Hillman, 
they  have  supplied  food,  and  all  needed  care, 
to  nearly  every  sick  or  wounded  man  tran- 
sported from  the  front  to  the  rear,  extend- 
ing their  benefits  to  many  thousands,  and 
performing  a  service  of  incalculable  value. 
The  agency  at  Nashville  has  continued 
under  the  supervision  of  Judge  Root,  and 
has  been-  most  wisely  conducted,  and  highly 
prosperous.     With  its  business  offices,  its 
warehouse,  its  Soldiers'  Home,  and  agents' 
quarters,  each  occupying  a  distinct  build- 
ing, the  Sanitary  Commission  at  Nashville 
is  a  very  conspicuous  and  noticeable  insti- 
tution, yet  I  am  sure  uses  to  excellent 
purpose  the  wide  space  which  it  covers. 
Indeed,  the  work  it  is  accomplishing  has 
already  outgrown  its  accommodations.  • 

The  "Soldiers'  Home,"  under  the  effi- 
cient management  of  Capt.  Brayton,  ha« 
become  an  institution  so  popular  as  to  be 
constantly  filled  to  overflowing,  and  has 
proved  so  inadequate  in  capacity  to  the  de- 
mand upon  it,  that  the  military  authorities 
have  promised  to  give  us,  in  exchange  for 
the  building  now  occupie^  one  of  the 
largest  hospital  buildings  intne  city. 

.  At  Louisville  no  changes  have  occurred 
in  our  work  or  our  corps  of  agents  requir- 
ing special  mention.    Each  department  is 


•968 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


moving '  on  smoothly,  and,  as  you  will  see 
fromtte  accompanying  detailed  reports, 
with'  steadily  increasing  importance. 

The  Home  has  never  accommodated  near 
so  many  as  within  the  past  three  months, 
having  been  daily  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity.  And  such  has  been  the  throng 
of;:furlonghed  and  discharged  men  passing 
through  the  city,  that  the  necessity  has 
been  laid  upon  us  for  the  establishment  of 
a  siinilar  institution  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  of  which  mention  will  be  made  in' 
the  notice  of  the  department  of  Special  Re- 
lief. The  warehouse  has  never'  been  so 
much  crowded  with  stores  as  of  late^  nor 
the/ amount  of  goods  received  and  shipped 
daily  near  so  large. 

The  coadition  of  the  Hospital  Dikec- 
TOET  will  be  learned  from  the  accompany- 
ing report  of  its  Superintendent,  and  Iwill 
only  say  in  regard  to  it  that  the  value  of  its 
register,  now  so  immense,  is' receiving  con- 
stant and  increasing  illustration.  Reports 
from  all  the  hospitals  in  this  department 
come  in  with  regularity,  and  I  have  reason 
to  believe  that  the  great  importance  of  this 
branch  of  our  work  is  now  fiilly  recognized 
as  well  by  the  military  and  medical  autho- 
rities as  by  the  people. 

The  demand  for  the  Repoeter  has  been 
gradually  increasing,  and  we  are  now  com- 
pelled to  print  an  edition  of  about\  7,500 
copies.  We  have  satisfactory  evidence  that 
we  are  far  more  than  compensated  for  the . 
expenditure  by  the  influence  it  exerts,  in 
spreading  a  knowledge  of,  and  fostering  an 
interest  in,  our  work. 

The  Pension  Agency,  as  you  are  aware> 
but  recently  established  here,  has  been  ^ 
rapidly  gaining  in  importance,  and  has  al- 
ready secured  the  presentation  and  accept- 
ance of  the  claims  of  very  many  deserving 
persons,  too  ignorant  or  too  poor  to  prose- 
cute them  without  its  assistance. 

DISTRICT  OP  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

The  work  of  the  Commission  on  th^  Mis- 
sissippi, so  greatly  reduced  by  the  with- 
drawal of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  has 
of  late  claimed  more  of  our  attention,  from 
the  activity  of  military  movements  in  that 
quarter.  The  agencies  of  the  Commission 
at  Cairo,  Memphis,^  and  Vicksburg,  have 
been  constantly  maintained,  it  is  ^rue,  and 
the  first  of  these  has  grown  rather  than  di- 
minished in  importance,  but  the  garrisons 
of  the  posts  along  the  river  have  been  com- 
paratively small,  requiring   only  a  limited 


amount  of  assistance  from  us;  and" the 
army  in  Arkansas,  mostly  ^  composed  of 
troops  from  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,' 
has  been,considered  still  within  the  sanitary 
jurisdiction  of  Dr.  Blake,  of  New  Orkaos, 
and  has  been  followed  by  his  representa- 
tives, who  have,  as  a  general  rule,  looked 
to  him  for  supplies. 

The  prevalence  of  a  scorbutic  taint  in 
this  army  has,  however,  created  a  demand 
for  such  a  quantity,  and  such  kinds  of 
stores,  as  could  not  be  readily  supplied  from 
the  Atlantic  States.  In  these  circumstan- 
ces. Dr.  Blake  appealed  to  me  for  vege- 
tables, and  other  anti-s6orbutics,  and  in 
answer  to  this,  the  Dunleith  was  fully 
frei^ted  and  sent  down  the  Mississippi, 
delivering  half  her  cargo  at  New  Orleans, 
distributing  the  other  half  at  way  stations 
along  the  route.  This  shipment  was  most 
timely,  and  was  welcomed  with  enthusiasm 
by  Dr.  Blake  and  the  military  authorities. 
As,  however,  it  furnished'  but  a  temporary 
relief  from  the  wants  itK  was  intended  to 
meet,  it  has  seemed  to  me  necessary  to  for- 
ward further  supplies  by  the  same  means, 
and  the  Dunleithh&s  beenreloaded  and  again 
despatched  on  the  same  route.  It  is  scarcely 
possible  that  the  troops  on  the  lower  Mis- 
sissippi and  its  tributaries  can  receive  an 
adequate  supply  of  anti-scorbutics  from  any 
other  source  than  the  Western  States ;  and 
should  the  difficulties  now  existing  of  pro- 
curing adequate  transportation  through  the 
Quartermaster's  Department  continncj  it 
may  be  desirable  to  make  further  shipments 
by  steamers  chartered  for  that  purpose. 

The  business  of  the  agency  at  Cairo,  as  I 
have  intimated,  has  of  late  been  greater 
than  ever,  and  I  cannot  speak  too  highly  of 
the  zeal  and  wisdom  with  which  it  has  been 
managed  by  Mr.  Shipman.  The  Home  at 
this  point  has  been  for  weeks  and  months  past, 
literally  inundated  with  the  tide  of  soldiers 
that  has  flowed  through  it,  and  there  are 
few  who  see  the  crowds  fed  and  sheltered 
there  that  fail  to  ask  themselves  what  would 
be  the  fate  of  these  poor  fellows  were  no 
suph  asyl);im  provided  for  them. 

In  compliance  with  the  request  of  the' 
Medical  Director,  Dr.  D.  W.  K.  Danforth, 
approved  by  Lieut.  Colonel  Allen,  Medical 
Inspector,  I  have  recently  established  a 
"Home"  at  Paducah,, under  the- supervision 
of  Mr.  Edward  D.  Way.  A  commodious 
building,  and  alL  other  needed  facilities, 
have  been  provided  by  the  military  autho- 
rities, and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  the 


The  Saxdtary  C(mnmaion  Bulletin. 


969, 


"  If ome"  at  this  point,  though  not  large, 
will'-'be-'oofapleie  in-  ili' ap'p6ititmelit8, 'weill 
managed  and  a  great  blessing  to  those  WlTo 
may  beeonw-  inmates  of  it. 

biSTKIOT    OF   KANSAS. 

During  the  past  quartisir,  our  work  in 
Kansas  has  been  thordughly  reorganized, 
■  afld  freed  from  some  iaoumlbr&.nces  by  which 
it'yaS'  fofrjiaerly  somewha*  clogged.  Our 
efficient  agent  there,  Mn  J.  R.Brown,  em- 
braced in  his  wideispread.  sympathy  every 
object  of  compassion  or  charity  in  any  way 
coilBequett  upon  the  war,  so  'that  the  refu- 
gees'tod  eontrabam'ds, 'as  well  is  the  sick 
and' •wounded  of  our  Soldiery,  found  in  him 
9,  most  eftirn^st  and  devoted  friend. 

So  untiring  and.  successful  was  he  in  his 
efforts,  that  he  ^became  reeogni^ed  by  both 
the' I  people  and  'the  military  authorities  as 
the  great,  if  not  the  sole,  medium  through 
which  all' cases  of  want  and  suffering  were 
td'be  relieved^  Asa  natural  consequence, 
he  found  himself  rapidly  involved  in^  duties 
and  responsibilities  which  made  drafts  on 
his' Strength,  land- resources  be  was  utterly 
uuAbleto  meet.  After  struggling  bravely 
with  accumulating  difficulties,  finally 'over- 
burdened and  discouragtedj  he  applied  to 
m©  for  counsel  and  assistance.  '  At  my' sug- 
gestion he  accompanied  me  to  New  York, 
and'presented  the  claims  of  the  refugees  to 
the  'officefff  of  the  societies  forijed  for  their 
care.  As  I  hopedy  his  appeal  was  answered 
at  once,  and  such  provisions'  made  for  the 
support  of  both  white  I  and  black  |refugees, 
that  Mr.  Brown  has  relieved  himself  of  all 
but  a  general  supervision  of  their  interests, 
and  has  thus  been  able  to  ^ve  a  more  un- 
divided attention  to  our  work;  The  present 
mvasion  of  Missouri,  and  threatened  inva- 
sion of  Karisasj  have  given  great  activity  to 
military  pperations  in  this  quarter,  and  I 
have  authorized  Mr.  Brown  to.  eipploy  addi' 
tional  assistance,  if  necessary,  to  meet  the 
increased  demand  upon  him. 

WEsi  VIEGIJflA. 

The  concentration  of  troops  in  the  Valley 
of  the  Shenandoah  has  withdrawn  from 
Western  Virginia  the  la/rger  portion  df  those ; 
for  whose  carie  we  have  been  in  some  degree 
re&poilBible.  -  Our  work  has  therefore  mate- 
rially decreased  in  this  district,  and  I  have 
idiBected'MT.iFracker  to  break  up  the  agency 
at  Marietta  and  teatisfer  his  stores  to  Wheel- 
ing }  trustiMg'  to  be  able  to  roeet  the  de- 
mands ari^ng/in  this  district  from'  that  one 
station.     Alt  .parts  of  this  field  have  been 


recently  inspected  by  Dr.  Parker,  and.  the 
charig6  I  have  dfesi^atejd'has been  made  in' 
accordance'  '\rtth  hig  recbniadeiiidaltion.       ■ 

SUPPLY    DEPARTMENT. 

A  marked  change  has  taken  place  in  our 
work  in  this  department  sincfe  the  beginning 
of  the  war.  Then  everything  was  heeded, 
of  diet,  clothing,  or  mddicihd,by  well  inen 
or  sick,  that  we  could  furnish.  Now,  the ' 
number  and  variety  of  cases  of  deseasis  in 
the  veteran  regiments  is  comparatively  small. 
The  h6ads  of  the  bydra  which  formerly  de- 
voured at  such  a  fearfur  rate  our  newly- 
recruited  forces,  have  been  by  Varioiis  in- 
fluence? seotchfed,  until  but  two  formidable 
ones  remain — scurvy  and  chronic  diarrhoea. 

The  resources  and  methods  of  the  Medi- 
cal Department  have  been  so  far  improved, 
afid  its  officers  are  now  so  thoroughly  trained 
in  their  ,duties,'  that  comparatively  little  is 
needed  from  'us  of  clothing,  medicine  and 
delicaeiesj- of  which  we  formerly  supplied 
sueh  large  quantities. 

Our  efforts,  therefore,  of  late,  have  been 
main^jr  directed  to  the  supply  of  the  uni- 
versal and  pressing  demand  for  vegetables 
and  other  anti-Scorbutics,  ■which  are  not, 
and  cannot  be,'  furnished  in  sufficient  quan- 
tities through  the  regular  channel.'  '  '        ■ 

During  the  year  past,  the  q<ti'antity  of 
potatoes,  onions  and  CabbagCs,  fresh  and 
canned  tomatoes,  kraiit,  pickles',  dried  ap- 
ples, &c.,  which  we  have  forwai'ded  to  the 
army,  has  been,  as  you  will  see  by  our 
tabulated  rej^orts,  unprecedelitedly  large; 
To  procure  these,  our  friends  all  over  the 
Northern  States'  have  been  'actively  engaged, 
and'our  agentS'  have  not  onlyvisited  allout 
own  markets,  but  also  ihose'Of  Caniula. 

The  season  for  thte  production  and'distri- 
butioDi  of  these  articles  had,  at  the  1st  of 
October,  but  jitst  commenced  J  but  our  ship- 
ments of  onions,  for  example,  had,  tip  to 
that  time  and  since  the  last  report,  exceeded 
twenty  thousand  bushels. 

In  addition  'to  the  supplies  just  enume- 
rated, soft  crackers  and  codfish,  not  faif- 
nished  in  any  considerable  quantities  by  the 
pommissaryi  Department,  have  formed'  an 
important  part  of  our  shipilien  ts .  Of  "Stimu- 
lants, since  they  are  freely-supplied  through 
the  regular  channel,  and  are^  of' ai  stores, 
most  liable  to  itiisappropriation,  we  have 
forwarded  as  few  as  possible.  Goncentrated 
beef  and  concentrated  milk  have  bteeil  in 
such  constant  demand,  and  are  articles  so 
generally  and  decidedly  useful,  that  Ve  have 


970 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


lieen  in  the  past,  and*shall  be'^in  the  fixture, 
compelled  to  make  them  prominent  items 
in  our  supply  table. 

From  the  statements  I  have  made,  it  will 
be  seen  that  we  have  now  relieved  ourselves 
from  the  most  fruitful  cause  of  anxiety  and 
reproach  in  the  administration  of  our  Sup- 
ply Department;  and  any  one  who  wUl 
examine  the  invoices  of  our  shipments  to 
the  army  will  soon  discover  that  canned 
fruits,  wines,  and  other  domestic  delicacies, 
in  regard  to  the  use  of  which  our  contri- 
but(^rs  have  had  so  much  concern,  form  a 
very  insignificant  part  of  them;  and  we 
may  hereafter  effectually  silence  the  criti- 
cisms of  those  who  question  the  purity  of 
our  work  in  this  department,  by  the  asser- 
tion that  scarcely  one  per  cent,  of  our  stores 
are  such  as  are  susceptible  of  misappropria^ 
tion  or  unworthy  use. 

In  the  transportation  of  supplies,  we  have 
had  no  other  difficulties  than  such  as  were 
incident  to  the  interruption  of  communica- 
tion with  the  front,  and  the  crowded  state 
of  the  road  when  open.  On  the  contrary, 
we  have  enjoyed  every  facility  which  we 
could  ask  at  all  points,  and  from  the  officers 
in  every  branch  of  the -service.  The  recent 
break  in  the  road  has  occasioned  the  accu- 
mulation of^  twelve  car  loads  of  onions  at 
Chattanooga  and  six  at  Nashville,  all  of. 
which  were  intended  for  Atlanta.  But 
since  there  is  now  a  large  force  on  this  side 
of  Tunnel  Hill,  where  the  break  begins, 
there  is  ample  demand  for  all  we  have  to 
issue. 

On  the  Mississippi,  the  interruption  of 
trade  has  so  far  diminished  the  opportuni- 
ties for  shipment,  that  it  has  been  necessary, 
as  I  have  before  stated,  to  charter  a  steamer 
for  the  supply  of  our  stations  in  that  dis- 
trict. As  soon  a^  adequate  transportation 
can  be  otherwise  procured,  this  source  of 
expenditure  will,  of  course,  be  removed. 

In  our  constituency  of  the  Home  Field  a 
cordial  and  harmonious  spirit  of  co-operation 
prevails.  Where  large  funds  have  been 
collected  by  Sanitary  Fairs,  a  disposition 
has  been  manifested  to  rest  upon  the  unusual 
exertion  made'  in  connection  with  them; 
there  has  been  a  relaxation  in  the  efforts  to. 
collect  supplies,  and,  as  a  consequence,  a 
diminution  in  the  quantity  received.  In 
every  field,  however,  the  produce  has  been 
precisely  proportionate  to  the  thoroughness 
of  the  tillage,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  por- 
tion of  the  country  from  which  we  derive 
stores  that  could  not  be  made  doubly  pro- 


ductive by  a  more  vigorons  and  systemalid 
canvass. 

DEFABXMENT   OF   SPECIAL  BELIEF. 

Our  work  in  this  department  has  so  far 
increased  as  to  be  inferior  to  no  other  in*  - 
magnitude  and  importance,  and  there  scarcely 
seems  to  be  a  limit  to  the  work  of  mercy 
which  may  be  done  by  the  different  offices 
And  institutions  which  it  includes.  The 
number  of  "  Soldiers'  Homes"  under  the 
superintendence  of  the  Sanitary  Commisnon 
in  this  department  was,  at  the  date  of  my 
last  report,  eleven,  namely,  those  at  Nash- 
ville, Louisville,  Camp  Nelson,  Memphis, 
Cairo,  Cincinnati,  Columbus,  Cleveland,  Buf- 
falo, and  New  Albany.  To  these  I  have 
recently  added^  one  at  Paducah,  and  another 
at  Jeffersonville,  Indiana.  '  In  the  accom- 
panying report  will  be  found  an  enumera- 
tion of  the  lodgings  and  meals  famished  to 
the  inmates  of  these  homes,  during  the  past 
quarter,  forming  an  aggregate  of  111,748 
lodgings,  and  322,881  mbak.  While  these 
large  numbers  will  impress  any  one  with 
the  magnitude  of  the  work  .accomplished  by 
the  "  Homes,",  they  form  but  an  imperfect 
exponent  of  the  many  and  varied  good 
offices  which  they  perform  to  the  objects  of 
their  charities.  I  must  refer  yon  to  the 
detailed  reports  from  their  superintendents 
for  a  fair  presentation  of  a  subject  to  which 
space  will  not  now  permit  me  to  do  any- 
thing like  justice. 

HOSPITAL   TRAINS. 

The  transportation  of  sick  and  wounded, 
at  one  time  a  conspicudus  portion  of  our 
work  and  expenditure,  has  now  become  so 
far  self-sustaining  as  to.  require  little  inter- 
vention on  our  part.  The  hospital  trains 
organized  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
for  eighteen  months  manned  and  sustained 
by  it,  were  turned  over  to  the  mpdioal 
authorities  as  soon  as  they  were  willing  to 
accept  the  responsibility;  and  the  major 
part  of  the  expense  attending  the  fitting  up 
of  the  numerous  and  complete  hospital  cars 
6n  the  road  has  been  borne  by  the  Govern- 
ment, although  the  contributions  made  by 
the  ^Sanitary  Commission  have,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, amounted  to  some  thousands  of  dol- 
lars. 

In  the  transfer  of  the  care  of  the  -sick 
to  the  Government,  Dr.  Bamum,  who  was 
in  our  service,  was  employed  by  the 
Medical  Department,  and  he  has  since 
been  given  the  supervision  of  the  whole 
matter  of  the   transportation  of  the  sick 


The  Saniiary  Commission  Bulletin. 


971 


and  wounded  to  the  rear,  and  the  superin- 
tendence of  all  the  trains  upon  the  road. 
By  his  wisdom  and  energy,  the  work  has 
been  so  far  systematized  as  to  form  one  of 
the  best  ordered  branches  of  the  medical 
seirvice  in  this  department. 

To  enable  Dr.  Barnum  to  accomplish  his 
purposes  fully,  he  has  been  authoiized  to 
draw  freely  upon  the  resources  of  the  Com- 
mission, and  a  small  number  of  his  assist- 
ants continue  to  be  paid  from  its  funds. 

HOSPITAL   VISITORS. 

The  duty  performed  by  the  Hospital 
Visitors  continues  to  hold  the  high  place 
in  my  respect  which  I  have  heretofore  given 
it,  and  my  oiily  regret,  in  this  connection, 
is  that  the  number  of  devoted  and  faithful 
men  engaged  in  it  cannot  be  largely  in- 
creased. The  reports  of  several  of  the  Hos- 
pital Visitors  are  herewith  submitted,  and 
from  them  you  may  judge  whether  T  over- 
estimate their  value.  The  Commission  has 
sustained  a  serious  loss  in  the  resignation 
of  Eev.  J.  P.  T.  Ingraham,  for  the  year 
past  our  Hospital  Visitor  at  Nashville. 
Greatly  to  the'  regret  qf  all  with  wiom  he 
has  been  associated,  he  has  felt  compelled 
to.  return  to  his  pastoral  duties. 

In  this  connection  I  ought  to  refer  to 
two  sources  of  expenditure  which  properly 
belong  to  the  Department  of  Special  Belief; 
of  these,  the  first  to  which  I  refer  is  the 
pYfi-payment  of  postage  on  soldiers'  letters, 
retained  in  the  offices  of  Chattanooga,  Nash- 
ville and  Louisville.  The  number  of  let- 
ters, mostly  kind  words  from  home,  thus 
made^  to  reach  their  destination,  is  some- 
thing like  16,000  per  month,  forwarded  at 
a  cost  of  about  $800.  I  cannot  but  think 
that  the  present  arrangement,  useful  as  it 
is,  should  be  but  temporary,  and  that  if  this 
great  and  richly  deserved  blessing  cannot 
be  secured  to  the  soldier  through  the  Post 
Office  Department,  the  subject  should  re- 
ceive the  attention  of  Congress  at  the  com- 
mencement of -the  next  session. 
Yours,  respectfully, 

J.  S.  Newberry. 

'a — FINANCES. 

The  cash  expenditures  of  this  department 
have'  been  almost  entirely  made  from  funds 
collected  in  the  East  and  in  the  far  West. 
The  contributions  made  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission  by  tbe  loyal  States  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  have  equalfed,  both  in 
'wrnos  amount  and    in  Broportion.  to  the 


population,  th6se  derived  from  any  and 
all  other  portions  of  the  Union;  but 
they  haive  been  for  obvious  reasons,  mostly 
made  in  kind,  and  not  in  cash.  The 
great  West  is  still  comparatively  poor  in 
money,' but  rich  in  the  vast  though  un- 
converted capital  of  her  fertile  plains  and 
exhaustless  mines,  and  richer  still  in  the 
conspicuous  patriotism  of  her  warm-hearted 
people.  That  which  she  has  had— -the  fruits 
of  the  field,  the  treasures  of  the  earth,  the 
products  of  thef  loom  and  anvil— she  has 
given  without  measure. 

The  East,  richer  in  capital,  has  given  most 
freely  of  that;  while  the  extreme  West,  too 
distant  to  send  her  less  valuableproducts,  has 
made  her  contributions^in  silver  and  gold. 

Thus  it  happens,  that  the  cash  expended 
through  my  hainds  has  been  drawn  directly 
from  the  treasury  of  the  Commission  in  New 
York,  while  the  contributions  of  the  West- 
ern States,  as  they  have  reached  me,  have 
been  altogether  in  stores;  the  cash  collected 
by  cities,  towns,  and  villages  for  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  by  fairs  or  otherwise,  hav- 
ing been  kept  by  each,  for  such  things  as 
could  be  better  bought  at  such  points  than 
elsewhere. 

The  money  expended  by  the  Western 
Secretary  is  deposited  to  his  cr^edit  in  New 
York,  and  drawn  upon  as  wanted.  All  such 
moUey  is  accounted  for  with  rigid  exactness. 
•A  statement  of  account,  with  vouchers,  is 
forwarded  at  the  clbse  of  each  month^  at 
which  time  the  accounts  of  the  Western 
Department,  like  all  others,  are  balanced 
and  closed.  In  addition  to  the  careful  ex- 
amination of  our  accounts  at  the  central 
office,  at  each  quarterly  meeting  they  are 
audited  by  such  men  as  Prof.  Bache,  Horace 
Binney,  C.  J.  Stille,  J.  Huntington  Wolcott, 
&c.,  whose  high  character  for  intelligence, 
conscientiousness,  and  great  business  expe- 
rience, are  a  sufficient  guarranty  that  they 
have  been  accurately  kept. 

B — SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Hospital  stores  distributed  by  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  the  armies  of  the 
West,  have  been  mostly  contributed  in  kind 
from  the  several  'branches  of  the  Commis- 
sion in  the  Western  Department.  In  addi- 
tion to  such  contributions,  purchases  of 
stores  have  been  made  from  this  office  to 
the  amount  of  1139,119  38;  and  others  of 
%the  value  of  $23,471  55,  purchased  in  New 
York  ^and  sent  to  Louisville.  A  statement 
of  the  kinds  and  quantities  pf  stores  distri- 


972 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


buted  in  this  department  during  the  quar- 
ter ending  September  30,  1864,  and  an- 
other showing  the  aggregate  of  distributions, 
from  ,Sept.  1,  1861,  to  the  same  date,  are 
herewith  given.  The  value  of  the  supplies 
distributed  by  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
this  department  to  July  1,  1864,  giving 
each  article  its  value  in  the  home  market, 
was  $2,790,811  01. 

During  the  quarter  ending  Sept.  30, 
supplies  of  the  value  of  1385,489  00  were 
distributed :  adding  these  sums  we  have  as 
the  value  of  supplies  distributed  in  this  de- 
partment to  Oct.  1,  1864,  $3,176,270  01. 

The  expense  account  of  the  Supply  De- 
partment, for  this  period,  is  as  follows : 


Canvassing, 

Freight  paid  on  Stores, 

Distribution  of  Supplies, 


$11,122  79 
45,404  12 
62,718  70 


$119,246  61, 

To  thi^  should  be  added  one-third  of  the 
expenses  of  general  administration,  viz., 
$11,016  58^ — ^making  the  gross  expense  ac- 
count of  the  Supply  Department  $130,262 
19,  ox  about  four  per  cent  on  the  vaJu^  of 
supplies  distributed. 

It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that 
the  expenses  attending  the  employment  of 
Lecturers  and  Canvassers  in  the  Home  Field 
— an  item  of  $11,122  79-— in  the  preceding 
account  has  inured  to  the  benefit  of  the  Aid 
Societies  and  Branches  in  all  their  interests, 
and  is  therefore  not  all  chargeable  to  the 
Supply  Djepartment,  and  no  part  of  it  to  be 
reckoned  as  the  expeifse  of  distributing 
stores. 

The  Freight  Account,  too,  amounting  to 
$45,404  12 — since  it  was  altogether  incur- 
red in  the  transportation  of  stores  to  the 
water  bases  of  the  different  armies,  Louis- 
ville, Cairo^  Memphis,  &c.,  conferred  at  least 
an  equivalent  value  on  the  stores  transported, 
and  should  therefore  be  reckoned  with  do- 
nated transportation,  as  an  addition  to  the 
valuation  of  stores  as  before  given.  The 
distribution  of  stores  of  the  value  $3,176,- 
270  01  in  the  home  market  has  been  ac- 
complished at  a  cost  of  2i  per  cent,  upon 
their  valuation.  Adding  the  cost  of  trans- 
portation to  the  value  of  the  stores,  and  the 
cost  of  distribution  would  be  2  per  cent,  of 
that  value. ,  Griving  the  stores  distributed 
their  cash  value  at  the  water  bases  of  the 
armies  supplied,  and  the  cost  of  distribution 
would  be  IJ  per  cent,  of  their  value;  and  ^ 
the  whole  expense  account  of  the  Supply 


Department  would  equal  less  than  3  per 
cent,  of  such  valuation!  o^'    '  ■      ':'<-■ 

The  manner  in  which  the  records  of  the 
Supply  Department  are  kept,  and  tie  credi-'" 
bility  of  the  results  giveir 'above,  can  hardly 
be  learned  without  an  inspection  of  'Oru: 
books  and  methods ;  yet  I  think  I  can  safely 
say/  that  all  the  many  experienced  men  Wlio  ■ 
have  carefiiUy  examined  otir  system  have 
been  satisfied  that  the  methods  pursbed'rwere 
economical  of  labor  and  money,  ^d  the  re- 
sults reported  worthy  of  confidence.' 

To  those  who  cannot  in  person  examine 
the  manner  in  which  the  stores 'they  entrust 
to  us  are  handled  'and  used,  I  may  say 
briefly,  that  the  rdising  of  supplies  is  eaTpe^- 
ially  the  work  of  the  members  of  our  Branch 
and  Auxiliary  Societies.  In  the  Home 
Field'  the  methods  pursued  are  theirs,  and 
the  responsibility  of  the  entire  work  is 
theirs.  I  have  assumed  no  control  over  it, 
and  have  taken  no  part  in  it,  further  than 
to  furnish  by  manuscript  or  printed  reports, 
or  by  lecturers,  fresh  and  full  information 
in  regard  to  the  condition  and  wants  of  the 
Western  armies,  the  means  taken  to  meet 
such  wants,  and  such  other  matters  as  have 
a  practical  bearing  on  the  home  wort. 

From  time  to  time  assistance  has  been 
needed  by  the  different'  Branch  Societies, 
and  it  has  been  liberally  afforded.  Ganvas- 
sing  agents,  lecturers,  messengers,  and  va- 
rious assistants,  in  the  work  of  the  Supply 
Department  have  been  placed  at  their  dis- 
posal, and  money  paid  ijiem  from  tho  gene- 
ral fund  of  tlie  Commission  to  the  amount 
ofmore  than  $60,000. 

As  soon  as  stores  are  shipped  to  jue  or  my 
representatives  from  the  various  contributing 
depots,  I  become  responsible  for  their  proper 
use,  and  am  vested  with  the  control  of  them. 
The  stores  passing  through  Ohio  and  Illinois 
are  transported  free  by  the  splendid  liberality 
of' the  officers  of  the  railroads  terminating  in 
Cinciunati  and  @airo.  On  those  coming 
through,  Indiaiia  we  are  compelled  to  pay 
freight.  Arriving  here  or  at  Cairo,  stores 
are  carefully  checked  off  from  cars  and  boats 
into  the  warehouses.  All  missing  packages 
are  at  oooe  looked  up,  and  necessary  repairs 
and  cooperage  done..  From  these  points 
stores  are  forwarded  as  rapidly  as  possible, 
on  thp  theory  that  any  accumulation  of 
stores  should  be  near  the  army. 

Withall  important  divisions  of  the  army, 
and  in  every  hospital  centre,  depots  are  es- 
tablished in  care  of  competent  business  men, 
by  whom  stores  are  received  and  •  issued 


The  Samtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


973 


to  .those  needing  them,  on  personal  applica- 
tion, or  on  the  requisition. of  the  agents  of 
thfi^jommission,  or  the  Surgeons  of  hospi- 
tals and  regiments ; ;  for  all  of  which  .receipts 
are  given  and  record  made.    Weekly  and 


monthly  reports  are  senl;  tp  tfae  Louisville 
Ojffice  of  all  issues  fDom  all  the  depots,  and 
from  these  reports  the  tabular  stiate^ments, 
now  or  heretofore  given  of  our  aggregate 
issues,  are  compiled. 


NINE  "SOLDIERS' HOMES." 

■Namber  of  Lodgings  and  Meals  fufimhed  ly  the  People  to  .the  Soldiers,  through  the 
"^— ■  -  *•  Btipartment  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  at  nine  of  the  "Soldiers' 
'  dmring  ths  months  of  July,  August  and  September,  1864. 


tiairo.inittoiB.....' , 

NaihiiUe,  Sefuiessee 

IlempUs,  TeimesBee...., 

liciiiiBvuls,  Kentucky 

Ounp  Jielaan,  Eentacky 
New^banjr,  Indiana. . . 

Debh)it,<Mii4Ugan 

Cleveland,  Ohio 

Cincinnati,  OMo 


L0DQINQ8. 


July. 


>,S>4 
4,S4e 

913 
■8,427 
13,470 

762 
1,149 

242 
1,673 


35,456 


Angnst. 


4,593 
6,731 
1,214 
10^761 
1,385 
1,010 
1,638 
619 
3,135 


30,086 


Sept. 


7,712 
9,518 
1,335 
12,188 
6,996 
674 


8,461 


46,206 


Total. 


16,670 

19,795 

3,462 

31,376 

20,850 

2,446 

2,787 

1,194 

13,159 


111,748 


MEALS. 


Jnly. 


15,284 

14,552 

4,176 

16,929 

37,179 

2,372 

1,914 

1,486 

13,894 


106,785 


August. 


13,262 

16,956 
6,187 

23,320 
5,173 
2,614 
3k62 
2^10 

18,146 


90,730 


Sept. 


17,6.30 
25,820 

4,601 
26,329 
12,805 

2,391 

1,608 
44,282 


135,366 


Total. 


46,176 

57,328 

13,864 

65,578 

55,157 

7,377 

5,376 

5,703 

76,322 


332,881 


Taking  this  ratio  as  a  basis  of  esitimate,  these  nine  "Homes"  would  give  to  our  sol- 
diers during  one  year,  446,992  lodgings  and  1,331,524  meals.  That  the  estimate  would 
be  too  low,'however,  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that  in  the  single  month  of  October^  Louis- 
ville- gave.  28,203  lodgings  and  84,609  meals,  and  in  November  33,449  lodgings  and 
100)347  meals';  thus^in-two  months •^vingl  twice  the  number  of  lodgings,  and  treble  the 
number  of  meals  that  it  furnished  in  these  three.  But  at  this  rate  there  was  an  average 
of  3t700  meals  given  to  our  soldiers  each  day  of  the  quarter  by  thei  above  nine  Homes. 


WOHSir'S  COTTITCII  IN  BOSTOir. 
,,  On  the  13  th  and  14th  days  of  I)ecemJ)er 
last,  the,  New  England -Branch  of  the  Sani- 
ta,ry  Commission  called  a  meeting  of  Asso- 
ciate Managi^rs,  and  of  delegates  &om  "  all 
..sp;Bietie^,wojrking  for  the  soldiers,"  that  by 
counsel,  together,  all  might  be  aided  to  more 
intelligent  and  faithful,  pursuance  of  the 
work  resting  on  every  woman  and  child  in 
the  land.  They  were  asked  to  bring  all 
•qiiestions,  doijbts  and  criticisms  which  tbey 
fpHpd  as  obstacles  in, the  way,  and  by  their 
.frank  expression  show  us  where  we  were 
.>?rong,  or  strengthen  us  in  our  convictions 
of  right. 

-,  IJpwards  qf  two  hundred  women  answered 
thp.calU  11  Every --shade  of.  belief  in  the 
Opmmission  found  representatives  among 
them,  and  as  result,  the  discussions  were 
earnest  and  free,  touching  on  fundamental 
questions  and  developing  clear  convictions. 
Our.) hopes  of , the,  usefulness'  of  such  a 
mtjeiting  were  not  disapppinted.  The  ;^re- 
sepce  pf  delegates  w}io  came  ,thj:ough  the 
beavyjjnpwrStprm  from  far  pff  in  Maine, 
iJjftWfiglaispghire  aijd  Vermcmt,  jii^as,  pncour- 
ijkgg^ejitc  ^difjijifientivp,  and^papngst,  ,^1|, 
there  shone  forth  a  warm  sympathy  |uid ' 


earnestness,  giving  the  meeting  a  tone  of 
outspoken  friendliness  which  was  a  most 
striking  feature. 

The  preliminary  meeting,  at  which  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  welcoming  Miss  Amy 
Bradley,  whose  name  is  so  dear  tp  the  thou- 
sands of  soldiers  who  have  felt  her  care  in 
the  great  Rendezvous  of  Distribution,  was 
held  on  the  afternoon  of  the  13th.  The 
object  of  the  Convention  was  clearly  set 
before  the  meeting,  as  simply  a  search  after 
.  the  most  economical,  effective  and  thorough 
method  of  reaching  our  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers;  a  question  not, to  be  decided  by 
.light  and  inconsiderate  preference,  not  one 
where  prejudice,  could  be  allowed  to  influ- 
ence. The, great  responsibility  bound  us 
^11  to  rest  only  on  honest,  thoughtful  con- 
viction. Associate  members  from,  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont  and  Massachu- 
setts, were  called  on  for  information  regard- 
ing t;he  work  in  ^heir  districts!,  and  the 
testimony  came  qlear  from  all  that  more 
interest  was  f^lt  now  than  heretofore  in  the 
subject  of  army  relief,  but  they  were  con- 
,s)irain^,(^,  to  'believe  th,at  less  work  was"  in 
triitth  apc^(piplif^ed,  The  conflicting  claims 
of  so  many  systems  of  distribution  proving 


974 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


a  clog  upon  action,  checking  even  the 
earnest,  and  giving  the  indifferent  a  com- 
fortable and  reputable  mantle  of  doubt  with 
which  to  cover  their  coldness.  This  diffi- 
culty, they  found  at  every  turn,  taking  a 
thousand  changing  shapes,  and  they  asked 
for  more  clearly  stated  facts,  fuller  imforma- 
tion  and  advice  to  guide  them. 

MISS   BRADLEY. 

Miss  Bradley  here  spoke  some  most  ap- 
propriate words,  telling  how,  practically, 
waste  must  ensue  where  two  plans  were  on 
the  field,  each  liable  to  be  deceived,  and 
unconsciously  repeat  the  work  already  done 
by  the  other.  In  illustration,  she  gave  her 
own  experience  in  the  Rendezvous.     For 

she  had  been  there  as  agent  for  the 

Sanitary  Commission,  and  since  its  organi- 
zation, the  Christian  Commission  has  also 
had  an  agent  at  that  place. '  At  first,  this 
agent  carried  on  his  work  independently, 
giving  his  stores  according  to  his  own  plan, 
but  soon  finding  how  often  he  was  de- 
ceived into  giving  a  double  portion,  he 
brought  them  to  Miss  Bradley,  asking,  as  a 
favor,  that  she  would  distribute  them  with 
her  own.  When  this  agent's  successor 
came,  the  same  story  was  gone  over  once 
more,  till,  in  the  long-tried  system  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  was  found  the  safe- 
guard from  deceit  and  unjust  waste.  And 
in  this  connection,  she  deprecated,  earnestly, 
sending  supplies  tiirough  private  hands,  and 
told  a  surprising  instance  of  the  manner  in 
which  too  facile  kindness  of  heart  is  ijibused 
by  the  men.  She  received,  one  day,  from 
the  Commandant  of  the  post,  a  remonstrance 
against  her  lavish  waste ,  of  stores,  being 
told  that  the  expresses  c6mplained  of  the 
number  of  boxes  sent  from  the  camp  as  an 
annoyance  to  them,' and  that  these  boxes 
were  kuQwn  to  contain  new  garments  and 
delicacies  of  food.  In  answer,  she  assured  ' 
him  she  had  never  so  failed  in  her  duty, 
but  drew  his  attention  to  certain  constant 
visitors,  called  ambulance  women,  as  the 
cause  of  the  trouble.  A  few  ladies,  through 
special  favor,  had  received  the  privilege  of 
using  ambulances,  and  were  in  the  habit  of 
filling  these  with  clothing  and  stores,  which, 
when  arrived  at  camp,  they  distributed, 
with  open  hands,  to  any  who  would  ask, 
tempting  the  loud-tongued  to  lie,  and  ut- 
terly Wasting  their  stores.  From  that  time 
these  visits  were  prohibited. 

Being  urged  to  tell  still  more  about  the 
work  she  had  left  for  one  s^ort  week  for 


our  benefit  and  pleasure,  she  gave  an  ac- 
count of  the  manner  in  which  she  is  allowed 
to  help  men  in  distress  through  loss  .of 
papers  of  discharge.  Government  gives 
no  duplicate  of  these,  unless  there  be  abso- 
lute proof  of  their  destruction,  otherwise 
it  would  be  liable  to  lose  two  men  for  every 
one  really  discharged!  Even  a  written  state- 
ment from  an  official  that  the  man  is  enti- 
tled to  transportation  is  impossible,  for  that 
would  amount  to  a  duplicate.  So  the  poor 
fellows  stood  helpless  till  she  devised  a 
plan,  which  Government  gladly  approved.  \ 
It  is  simply  this  :  In  her  own  hand  she  re- 
ceives from  the  Commandant  the  requisition 
for  transportation  for  each  man,  fills  up  her 
little  train  of  ambulances  with  the  men 
named,  drives  over  the  river  to  the  Quarter- 
master's office,  shows  these  requisitions, 
sees  they  are  filled,  and  then  carries  them 
back  to  the  Commandant  to  be  'destroyed. 
In  this  way  she  has  helped  hundreds  of 
weary,  sick  men  back  to  their  homes. 

The  meeting  listened 'with  the  greatest 

^  pleasure  to  her  simple  account  of  her  labor 

as  it  is  now,  and  has  been,  finding,  in  her 

cheerful  earnestness,  a  stimulus  to  more 

and  better  work  for  our  own  hands. 

The  afternoon  having  worn  away,  the 
meeting  closed  with  a  few  remarks  ^om 
the  Chairman  regarding  .minor  business 
questions.  The  ladies  then  adjourned  to 
the  office  of  the  Association,  to  partake  of 
tea  and  bread  and  butter,  provided  by 
friends  especially  for  their  refreshment. 
The  meal  was  pleasant  and  cordial,  and  a  t 
most  desirable  prelude  to  the  public  meet- 
ing in  the  evening,  to  which  the  delegation 
proceeded  from  our  rooms. 

PUBLIC    MEETING. 

In  the  unavoidable  absence  of  Governor 
Andrews,  this  meeting  was  presided  over 
by  the  Hon.  Charles  G.  Loring.  It  was 
addressed  by  R.  H.  Dana,  Judge  Russell, 
Chaplain  Quint,  of  the  2d  Massachusetts 
Regiment,  and  Dr.  Agnew,  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission.  The  earnest  eloquence 
of  Judge  Russell,  as  he  described  the  watch- 
ful care  of  the  Commission  over  the  fur- 
loughed  and  discharged  soldiers,  away  from 
the  discipline  of  camp,  away  from  the  in- 
fluences of  home,  reached  every  heart. 

Mr.  Dana,  in  his  address,  put  forcibly  a 
truth  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the 
Commission's  plan:  that  (even  if  Govern- 
ment could  provide  all  the  Commission  now 
^ves  the  soldiers,  it  ought  not  to  be  allowed 


The  Sanitary  Oommmion  Bulletin. 


975 


so  to  do,  for  it  would  thus  rob  the  people 
of  the  work  which  belongs  to  them  by  right, 
which  is  felt  by  them  to  be  a  great  privilege 
of  the  time,  developing  noble  sentiments, 
giving  scope  to  all. unselfish  desires,  sooth- 
ing many  a  grief  the  war  has  brought,  and 
fostering,  in  countless  hearts,  a  true  and 
fervent  patriotism. 

Dr.  A-gnew  gave  some  interesting  and 
valuable  statistics'  regarding  the  work  al- 
ready done,  and  that  which^is  hoped  for, 
and  Qhaplain  Quint  followed  with  an  ac- 
count of  experiences  in  the  field  during  his 
Chaplaincy. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  a  committee 
of  prominent  gentlemen  was  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  solicting  subscriptions  adequate 
to  the  needs  of  the  Commission. 

FINAL   MEETING. 

The  final  meeting  of  the  Council  was 
held  on  Wednesday  morning,. the  14th. 
Miss  Bradley  was  again  present,  also.  Dr. 
Marks,  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  from  Pittsbirg,  Pa.,  who  entered 
the  service  of  his  country  in  the:  spring  of 
1861,  has  now  served  her  for  three  years 
and  a  half,  first  as  Division  Chaplain,  and 
since,  as  one  of  the  laborers  of  the  tl.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission.  i 

The  Chairman  opened  the  discussion  by 
saying  no  one  could  doubt  the  earnestness 
of  the  women  in  their  great  purpose  of  re- 
lief, nor  that  they  all  meant  to  include  in 
it  not  only  succor  for  the  suffering  body, 
but  help~and  soothing  for  the  spirit  as  well. 
All  were  bent  on  the  same  end :  drawing 
the  tortured  frame,  out  of  horror  and  an-, 
guish,  and  opening  the  eyes  of  the  soul  to 
the  blessedness  and  peace  of  loving  God. 
Why,  then,  should  the  two  principal  organ- 
izations stand  nominally  opposed  to  each 
other?  They  each  have  their  own  work  to 
do,  which  all  would  rejoice  to  see  well  and 
faithfully  done.  Let  them  labor  together, 
each  doing  its  own  duty,  but  giving  help 
and  sympathy  the  one  to  the  other.  If  a 
child  be  sick  unto  death,  does  not  the  parent 
send  first  for  the  physician,  that  he  may 
use  his  utmost  skill  to  save  the  life  God 
made  ?  And  then,  when  he  has  done  his 
best,  you  turn  to  your  minister,  asking  from 
him  the  words  of  help  your  heart  needs — 
the  prayei:s  wjth  you  and  your  child,  which 
takes  you  nearer  to  God  with  your  pain  and 
danger.  You  need  them  both,  the  physician 
and  the  clergyman,  but  they  cannot  inter- 
change without  loss  and  failure. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  was  organized 
from  the  beginning  to  soothe  the  misery 
which  shuts  away  all  thought  except  of  the 
moment's  pain — ^to  save  the  life  ebbing  away 
on  the  battle-field,  too  faint  to  think  of 
death  and  the  coming  life,  but  it  is  always 
eager  to  pour  out  its  strengthening  words 
of  Christian  faith  and  hope.  Let  these 
two  Commissions  then,  in  God's  name,  work 
— work  together,  not  in  opposition. 

EEV.  J.  J.  MARKS. 

•Dr.  Marks  hete  gave  an  account  of  his 
first  experience  of  the  Commission  at  York- 
town.  ^e  described  the  desolation  of  the 
place  and  the  misejT-  of  the  men,  and  how 
he  began  his  acquaintance  with  the  Com- 
mission by  making  application  for  400  cot- 
ton shirts,  and  carrying  them  in  joyful 
triumph  to  men  who  cried  with  relief  when 
they  put  them  on. 

At  Fredricksburg,  when  1,500  wounded 
men  lay  on  the  ground,  without  shelter,  or 
blankets,  or  bedding,  he  sought  the  help  of 
the  Christian  Commission  for  a  portion  of 
them  lying  afaint,  but  could  get  nothing, 
except  under  the  direction  of  one  of  its 
agents.  He  turned  to  the  Sanitary,  and 
received  four  wagon  loads,  400  quilts,  200 
bottles  of  wine,  200  cans  of  soup,  &c.,  &c., 
and  the  men  blessed  the  Sanitary  Comipis- 
sion.  At  Gettysburg  also  he  saw  it  at 
work,  carrying  help  even  into  .  the  enemy's 
fire,  through  such  scenes  of  misery,  that 
those  who  saw,  felt  a  nation's  treasure  would 
be  weU  spent  in  relieving  it.  He  spoke -of 
the  great  superiority  in  the  administration 
vof  this  Commission,  being  .the  permanence 
of  its  agencies.  Waste  must  follow  where 
one  man  after  another  takes  up  the  work, 
forced  to  learn  by  his  own  failures.  The 
agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  Tie  ex- 
plained are,  to  a  great  extent,  men  who 
have  been  ofiicers  or  soldiers,  who  know 
the  life  and  needs  of  those  they  help,  and 
so  have  peculiar  hold  upon  them. 

He  was  askeQ  if  he  had  seen  the  stores 
of  the  Commission  wasted,  and  his  answer, 
in  the  negative,  was  most  earnest;  he  had 
been  often  moved  to  joyful  pride  in  seeing 
how  faithfully  its  servants  worked. 

At  one  time,  when  in  great  danger,  the 
Government  ofi^oers  had  burned  $1,500,000 
worth  of  stores,  but  from  that  same  scene, 
the  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
had,  by  incredible  efforts,  brought  off  al^ 
its  stores. 

Ion. — ^Do  ofBicers  and  surgeons  re- 


976 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


ceiyeTieip  from  these  stores  as  the  private 
soldiers  do? 

-Anstoer. — Certainly;  if  an  officer  is  in 
distress,  he  has  the  same  claim  upon  our 
mercj  as  his  men.  A  bra,ve  man,  suffering 
among  other  brave  men,  that  is  all  we  see,  we 
do  not  look  to  know  whether ,  lie  wears  the 
chevron  or  the  eagle,.  And  the  surgeons, 
there  is  no  work  so  exhausting  to  body  and 
soul  as  theirs.  Should  they  be  debarred 
from  the  warmth  and  Tefreshment  they  so 
much  need,  beciause  they  are  "officers?" 

Dr.,  Marks  bore  heartfelt  testimony  to  the 
devotedness  of  the  surgeons  to  their  work. 
He  told  an  anecdote  of  an  officer,  who  could 
not'sayhe  was  sick,  or  in.  need,. yet  very 
much,  desired  to  biiy  some  of  the  comforts 
the  Commission  had  in.  its  storehouse.  He 
was  reminded  that  the  Commission  held  its 
goods  for  the  suffering,  and  only  gave,  not 
sold.  His  answer  was,  "  It  is  very  unfor- 
tunate to  be  an  officer." 

PRISONERS. 

Question.. — ^Do  the  prisoners  really  re- 
ceive what  the  Sanitary  Commission  sends 
them  ?i 

Answer. — It  is  impossible  to  say  if  they 
receive  aU,  but  they  return  to  us,  when  ex- 
changed, clothed  in  garments  bearing  the 
Commission's  stamp,  and  speak  of  receiving 
food  sent  by  it. 

SALARIES. 

Questiony— Js, it. -tnie  that  Dr.  Bellows 
receives  a  .salary,  of  from  six  to  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  a  year  ? 

Answer. — ^Dr.  Bellows  receives  no  salary 
whatever.  , 

Question.— ^OBS  any  woman  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Commission  receive, a  salary? 

Answer,  hy  Miss  Bradley, — Yes;  I  re- 
ceive $10  per  month,  and  draw  rations  from 
Government. , , " 

Qibestion. — Does  any  woman  receive  a 
larger  salary? 

^  ilnsjoer  .—The  Commission  has  paid,  for 
most  important  services,  as  much  as  $600 
per  year. 

Que^ion. — Have  you  ever  found  men 
ashamed  to  receive  help  from  the  Commis- 
sions-calling it  begging  ? 

.AmsMier.— Never;,  such  feelings,  if  they 
exist,  are  exceptional. 
'      Question. — Does  the  Commission  refuse 
to  give  to  regijilars  ? 

Ansiner. — Never. 


.  CHRISTIAN   COMMISSION..      ... 

■  Questi(mi-^-G.9S  ■  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion any  salaried  agents  ?  ij  ,,  .J  .u 

In  answer,  a  letter  fcomDr.  Parrish,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  read  as  follcws:  i  ■  n, 
,  "I  was  told  by  an  agentofithe. Christian 
Commission,  a  few  days  since,  that  their 
pay  to  permanent  field  agents -is  $50  per 
month — the  Sanitary  Commission  pays  >for 
the  same  service  $45.  I  am  informedj  by 
one  of  .their,  members,  that  they  now  have 
canvassing  agents  in  the  field,  Oa  gocfd  sala- 
ries, and  are  in  want  of  more. .  I  was  also 
told,  by  one  of  the  agents  of  the  Christian  ' 
Commission,  at  Annapolis,  that  one  of  the 
corps  at  that  place,  was  inclined  to  work  in 
future  for  the  Sanitary  Commission,  but 
hesitated  because  he  was  bettfer  paid  by  the 
Christian  Commission." 

It  was  suggested,  by  a  delegate,  that  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  agents  of  the 
Christian  Commission  had  .  been  chiefly 
clergymen,  whose  salaries  had  been  con- 
tinued to  them,  and  their  desks  supplied 
during  their  absence,  and  also,  that  the ' 
Christian  Commission  paid  all  traveling  ex- 
penses, the  amount  of  money  in  reality 
spent  for  their  services  had  been  more  than 
that  paid  to  the  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. .1 

A  delegate  here  rose  to  say,  that  so.  far 
as  she  knew,  the  feeling  in  her-  community 
was  not  any  questioning,  about  economy,  or 
practical  methods,  but  about  the  final  pur- 
poses of  the  two  Commissions ;  the  impres- 
sion being,  that  while  the  Christian  Com- 
mission, which  gave- the  rightful  first  place 
of  importance  to  bealing..  the  spirit,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  applied  its  powers 
solely  to  succoring  the  body. 

REV.  W.  B.  MARSH. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Marsh,  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  who  is  now  lecturing  in  the  service 
of  rthe  Sanitary  Commission,  speaking  in 
answer,  begged  the  delegates  to  combat  this 
idea  as  utterly  untrue.  Any  man,  unmind- 
ful of  such  interests,  would  be  unfit  for 
service  in  the  scenes  he  would  have  to 
share.  He,  had^  never  known  an  agent  of 
the  Commission  who  was  npt  ready  to  give 
the  spirituaiLhelp  a  man  needs  in  ihe  hour 
of  death,  but  had  seen  tnany  a  bedside 
where  they  read  the  Bible  and  knelt  down 
to  pray. 

A  little  spl-ap, of, 'paper  was  here  han^isd 
to  the  President, , who  rea,d  It,  aloud./' It 
said  the  writer  had  five  brothers  in  the 


The  B(Mitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


'977 


army,  who  wrote,  in  grateful  terms,  of  the 
services  of  .every  kind  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  had  rendered  them. 

V  It  was  asked  why  the  two  Commissions 
should  not  divide  the  supplies  given  hy  the 
people,  according  to  the  work  nominally 
undertaken  by  each.  The  Sanitary  Com- 
mission devotes  itself  to  saving  life  as  the 
first  step  towards  hetter  things;  the  Chris- 
tian Commission  announces  its  work  as  con- 
cemiijg  the  soul.  Let  each,  then,  take  the 
gifts  appropriate  to  its  special  duty ;  if  the 
Christian  Commission  receives  stores,  let  it 
hand"  them  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
this  in  turn  pass  over  to  the  other  books, 
both  secular  and  religious,  which  it  receives 
in  large  numbers ;  and  the  means  of  each 
being  greatly  increased  by  this  united  can- 
vassing 'of  the  country,  let  them  go  into 
the  field  together,  friends.  How  simple  and 
reasonable  the  question  seemed.  How  full 
of  usefulness  and  good  of  every  kind  would 
be  the  result. 

Miss  Bradley  here  put  very  urgently  be- 
fore the  meeting  the -immeasurable  loss  of 
time  and  money  which  must  be  incurred 
in  leaving  an  old  and  experienced  guide  in 
the  intricate  labors  on  which  depend  the 
life  or  death  of  thousands  of  men.  The 
Commission  knows  the  proportion  of  need 
over  all  the  vast  fields  of  war;  by  favor  of 
Government,  knows  just  when,  in  this  army 
or  that,  there  will  be  battles  and  misery, 
and  men  dying  for  want  of  warmth  and 
food,  and  then  it  sends  out  its  agents  and 
nurses,  with  full  measure  of  succor  for  the 
time.  It  may  leave  its  storehouses  empty, 
with  Nothing  to  answer  the  daily  calls  frdm 
the  hospitals,  but  it  khows  such  calls  are 
not  'to  be  counted  one  moment  in  com- 
parison with  the  needs  of  the  battle-fields. 
It  is  this  discrimination  which  makes  the 
vast  organization  of  the'  Oommission  the 
means  of  accomplishing  the  most  good  with 
the  least  waste. 

SECTARIANISM. 

She  expressed  her  surprise  at  the  idea 
,  which  she  had  received,  for  the  first  time 
this  morning,  that  questions  of  sectarianism 
entered  into  this  work.  She  lived  so  occu- 
pied by  constant  labor,  she  said,  that  she  had 
no  time  to  study  outsid'e  motives.  It  seemed 
to  her  most  strange  and  sad  that  it  should 
be  so.  Was  not  every  church  represented 
in  'the  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies .  throughout 
the  country  ?  Were  they  not  all  cousciou| 
of  the  same  desire^to  do  their  best  to  re- 
VoL.  I.  No.  31  62 


lieve  those  who  so  need  rejief  ?  Why,  then, 
should  there  be  any  words  "of  division  among 
them  ?  Let  the  question  of  creeds  be  for- 
gotten. Christ's  sermon  was  a  sure  guide 
to  good  and  blessed  deeds;  whoever  fol- 
lowed that  was  safe  in  tlie  shadow  of  bless- 
ing for  himself  and  his  work.  She  told  a 
little  story,  which  touohecl,  in  real  experi- 
ence, the  very  point  of  the  discussion.  It 
was  of  a  soldier,  a  young  boy,  who  lay 
dying  ii)<  her  hospital.  He  asked  her  if  it 
were  indeed  so  that  he  must  die.  She  told 
him  yes,  and  taking  her  B'ible  from  her 
pocket,  she  read  to  him  the  14ih  chapter 
of  St.  John,  and  then  knelt  down  .beside 
him  and  prayed.  'Presently  she  left  him, 
cheerful  aiid  submissive.  Returning  soon, 
she  found  the  agent  of  the  Christian  Com- 
mission speaking  to  him  of  his  danger, 
asking  him  if  he  should  read  the  Bible  tp 
him?  "She  hats  read  to  me,"  was  the 
answer.  "  Shall  I  not  pray  with  you  ?"  ' 
"  SAe  has  Jirayed  with  me."  Although  a 
woman,  and  a  raeihber  of  no  sectarian 
church,  "her  words  had  brought  him  into 
.the  peace  of  God. 

The  hour  having  arrived  when  idany  of 
the  delegajtes  were  forced  to  Jeiave,  the  Chair- 
man closed  the  meeting  with  a  few  words, 
refering  to  the  earnest  feeling  displayed,  , 
expressing  regret  that  our  intercourse  could 
not  be  longer,  and  bidding  all  good-bye  as 
friends. 

Documents  of  importance  were  freely  dis^ 
tiibuted,  and  the  delegates  dispersed.  We. 
were  glad  to  welcome  some  of  them  again 
in  our  office  during  the  week,  to  show  them 
our  whole  system  of  management,  and  talk 
with  them  over  details.  We  felt  the  insuf- 
ficient time  that  the  two  meetings  allowed  ^ 
for  the  many  questions  and  remarks  which 
would  have  been  pleasant  and  most  useful 
to  both  parties,  and-  if  another  year  finds 
us  still  needed  at  our  post,  we  shall  profit 
by  this  experience,  and  keep  our  friends 
with  us  for  a  longer  space. 

The  reports  of  the ,  Soldiers'  Aid  Socie- 
ties, brought  to  us  by  the  delegates,  con- 
tained most  valuable  details  of  information, 
and  we  propose  to  draw  up  a  tabulated  re- 
sume of  the  items  for  constant  reference ; 
the.  reports  themselves  being  filed  among 
our  original  documents.  The  testimony 
that  many  p'f  them  bear  to  the  hopefulness 
and  faithfulness  of  these  societies,,  often 
very  poor,  yet  never  desparing  that  means 
would  come,  makes  the  reading  a  lesscm.to 
^ink  deep  in  the  heart. 


978 


The  Sanitary  Oomimsaion  Bulletin. 


In  closing  this  ^report,  we  wish  personally 
to  express  our  heartfelt  appreciation  of  thp 
sympathy  and  support  which  were  so  cordi- 
ally expressed.  Feeling  the  paramount  use- 
fulness of  the  Commission  whose  name  we 
hear,  we  rejoice  to  find  such  earnest  ap-' 
proval  and -firm  faith  among  the  workers  of 
New  England. 

Mart  G.  Loking, 

Sm.  Exec,  Com.  Hew  Bug.  Women's  Anx.  Auo. 


SPECIAL  EELIEF  BEFOBI FSOU  BOSTOII. 
BT  JOHN  S.  BLAIOHI'OBD. 

For  Executive  Committee  of  Boston  Associates. 

I  submit  herewith,  on  behalf  of  the  "  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  of  Boston  Associates," 
under  whose  direction  it  has  been^idtnin- 
istered,  a  Report  concerning  the' Special 
Relief  Service  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission in  this  city,  for  the  quarter  ending 
D^c.  31,  186i. 

With  the  quarterly  statement  is  also  pre- 
sented the  total  results  of  the  service, 
embracing  the  whole  period  since  its  or- 
ganization, April  1, 1863,  to  Dec.  31, 1864, 
a  period  of  twenty-one  months. 

Quarter  ending 

Aid  Kendered,                     Dec.. 31, 1804.  ToUl. 
Famished  transportation  at  QoTemment 

rute 2,179  10,369 

So.  paid  bjr  Commission,... f 9  228 

So.  tiy  n.  s.  Quartermaster, 1,022  1,956 

Fnrmshed  curriage  within  the  clt7, 632  4,707 

"         soeclal  attendance    to   their 

homes,.; 10  110 

Jumished  lodging, 0,424  18,497 

"          meals 6,444  23,666 

"          Clothing, 63  613 

"          Aid  in  arranging  papers 27  209, 

"          Aid  in  obtaining  pay, 19  249 

"          Medical  advice 916  1,604 

Wounds  dressed 1,166  4,1544 

Procured  commutation  of  rations 76 

Loaned  money ^         43  175 

Qave  mooey, '        16  1R4 

Sent  to  Hospital .°        «17  147 

Beferred  to  local  Belief  Associations,. ...           10  66 

Be.enll8ted 1  28 

Deaths 2  8 

Famished  undertakers' serTlces 2  11 

Amount  of  pay  collected (2,271 04  $23,709  76 

Furnished    iraneportatlou  by  hospital 

cars 4,125  18,876 

Number  of  soldiers  aided, 12,397  47,388 

Saily  average 1372-3  ^ 

Of  the  whole  number  that  have  received 
aid  at  our  Relief  Rooms,  amounting  to 
81,512 — as  distinct  from  the  "Hospital 
Car  Service"^ — Maine  has  furnished  12,502, 
New  Hampshire  1658,  Vermont  201,  Mas- 
sachusetts 12,209,  Connecticut  148,  Rhode 
Island  101,  New  York  260,  New  Jersey 
7;  Pennsylvania  67,  Maryland  7,  District  of 


Columbia  224,  Ohio  95,  Kentucky  14,-  Mi- 
chigan 12,  Indiana  12,  Illinois  28,  Kansas 
7,  Iowa  13,  Minnesota  38,  Wisconsin  26, 
Missouri,  12,  Tennessee  3,  North  Carolina 
4,  jLouisiana  6,  Alabama  4,  Virginia  4, 
Georgia  2,  California,  Mississippi,  Florida, 
Arkansas,  Delaware,  and  South  Carolina,  1 
each  J  U.  S.  Regulars,  1,185;  U.S.  Navy, 
270;  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  2,251;  ^Cprgs 
D'Afrique,  24;  Rebel  Army,  3, 

The  following  supplies  have  been  drawn 
from  the 'Supply  department  of  the,  "N. 
E.  Women's  Auxiliary  Association,"  Woolen 
shirts,  102;  woolen  drawers,  96;  socks,  108 
pairs;  pants,  3;  1  lot  old  clothing;  2  lots 
bandages;  6  vests;  2  lots  lint. 

For  Hospital  Cars — 6  pairs  socks,  6  pairs 
slippers,  1  lot  lint.  For  special  usct— 1  pair 
pants,  2  blouses,  1  comfort  bag,  1  bed- 
sack,  1  wool  shirt,  1  pair  socks,  1  pillow,  1 
pair  wool  drawers. 

The  whole  amount  of  supplies  furnished 
by  the  "N.  E.  Women's  Auxiliary  Associ- 
ation," for  use  in  the  Special  Relief  Service 
in  this  city,  since  ita  organization  is  as 
follows : 

Bed  quilts,  13 ;  blankets,  61 ;  sheets, 
286;  pillows,  97;  pillow-cases,  224;  towels, 
78;  tin  cups,  6;  water  pails,  2  ;  bed  com- 
forters, 37;  bed  sacks,  74;  woolen  shirts, 
308;  cotton  shirts,  140;  woolen  drawers, 
217 ;  cotton  drawers,  Il9 ;  socks,  388  pair ; 
handkerchiefs,  73;  slippers,  62  pairs; 
slings,  518 ;  dressing  gowns,  2 ;  pants,  7 ; 
overcoats,  1;  coats,  2;  old  clothing,  4  lots ; 
bandages,  14  lots;  crutches,  12  pairs; 
gaiters,  20 ;  vests,  6 ;  lint,  2  lots.  For  55th 
Massachusetts  Regiment  at  Readville  Hos- 
pital, M.ay  30,  1863—1  dozen  wool  shirti, 
12  pairs  wool  socks,  12  wool  drawers,  12 
sheets.  June  24, 1863 — 7  pillows,  7  pillow 
cases. 

For  Springfield  Street  Home,  August 
10,  1863—24  woolen  shirts.  For  Hospital 
Cars,  October  23,  1863—2  dozen  each  of 
towels,  sleeping-caps,  handkerchief^  and 
slippers ;  12  each  of  woolen  socks  and 
dressing-gowns. 

For  camp  at  Long  Island,  December  7, 
1863 — 35  bed  sacks,  24  pairs  mittens. 

For  Hospital,  Fort  Warren,  February  4, 
1864 — 1  pair  pants,  3  pairs  socks,  2  pairs 
drawers,  2  shirts. 

For  Pemberton  Square  Hospital,  April 
23,1864— Hot  of  old  linen. 

For  camp  at  Concord,  July  1,  1864—^ 
pairs  cotton  drawers,  6  cotton  shirts,  3  pairs 
slippers.  1  lot  bandagea  and  lint 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


979 


For  Hospital  Cars,  October  11, 1864—6 
pairs  socks,  6  pairs  slippers,  1  lot  lint. 

Quarter  ending 
Sec.  31, 1864.    Total. 
TrEtneportatlon  has  been  furnished  by 
orders  issued  upon  rcspectlTe  rail- 
roads to ,,  2,179        10,369 

Do.  procured  from  U.S.  Quartermaster,  1,022        1,966 

.3,201       12,32S 
Transportation  by  Hospital  cars,  be- 
tween Hew  Torlc  and  Boston,  lias 

been  furnished  to 4,12S       1S,876 

Cost  of  Hospital  Car  service, $431  42  $3,022  9fi 

Average  cost  per  man, 10  3-7c.  19  l-24c. 

The  following  supplies  have  been  fur- 
nished to  the  .Hospital  Cars  during  the 
quarter :  Brandy,  7  bottles ;  whisky,  8  do.; 
wine,  4  do.;  crackers,  1  keg;  extract  of 
coffee,  1  can ;  slippers,  12  pairs ;  4  ounces 
quinine;  4  do.  ginger;  1  bottle  spirits 
aiumonia;  1  do.  camphor;  4  rolls  adhesive 
plaster;  1  lot  bandages;  1  do.  rags;  I'do. 
lint ;  1  lancet ;  6  pairs  woolen  socks ;  1 
hatchet;  1  lantern. 

The  total  expenditure  for  the  quarter  has 
been  $7,465  50,  classified  as  follows : 

Bent  and  taxes, 238  84 

Furnishing  and  repairs, 66  70 

Salaries, 753  99 

Traveling  expenses ,'..... '24  00 

Advertising 97  03 

Stationery  and  printing, 252-  05 

Postage, 8  00 

Hospital  stores 27  00 

Superintendent's  expense  account &,d47  61 

Miscellaneous,  < ^ 10  66 

Hospital  Car  service, ,    431  42 

Document  account, 8  20 

'  -  '       $7,465  SO 

Classification  of  Superintendent's  Expense 
Account. 

Transportation,.- 174  75 

Traveling  expenses, 26  93 

Meals .'. 4,726  74 

Furniture, 15  50 

Fuel, 37  60 

Washing, 209  SO 

Salaries ./. 98  00 

Sfoney  loaned  and  given, 123  99 

Postage 6  00 

Sdndries, 137  25 

The  results  of  the  Special  Belief  Service 
of  the  Commission  in  this  city,  for  the 
whole  period  since  its  ;prganization,  may  be 
briefly  summed  up  as  follows  : 

Whole  number  of  men  aided 47,388 

Whole  expenditure, $35,377  38 

Average  cost  per  man, 74  34o. 

number  of  soldiers  furnished  with  meals 23,666 

Number  of  meals  furnished, 47,096 

Average  number  of  meals  per  man 2 

Amount  paid  for  meals, $16,293  25 

Average  cost  per  meal j 34  3«Sc. 

Number  of  orders  issued  for  transportation  at  Go- 

'  vernment  rate, 11,802 

Aggregate  miles  of  distances I,a02,403 

Besulting  in  a  saving  to  the  soldier  of.  * *.*  $13,258  01 

Amount  of  money  loaned  and  given $561  19 

Number  of  recipients, ...,^ 309 

AVerage  amount  to  each, ;..«*. $1  8f 

Amount  returned^ $220  44 

Average  amount  returned,. Z-S 


Number  furnished  T^th  clotliing, ....'. 618 

Number  of  garments  furnished, 1^3 

Average  per  man '        2  1-8 

Number  transported  by  Hospital  car, 15,876 

Total  cost  of  "  Hospital  Car  Service," $3,022,96 

Average  cost  per  man 191-24«. 

The  comparative  cost  of  the  service  (in- 
cluding "  Hospital  Car  Service,")  is  exhi- 
bited by  the  average  cost  per  man  for  the 
successive  quarterly  periods  since  its  organi- 
zation as  follows : 

First  Quarter  ending  June  30, 1863 $2  36 

Second   "  "'  Sept.  30, 1863, $128 

Third     "  "  Dec.  31,  1663 99 16-21o. 

Fourth"  "  March  31, 1864, 73  21-44c. 

Fifth      "  "  June30,1864, 6817-22c 

Sixth     "  "  Sept.  30, 1864, 63  l-3c' 

Seventh"  "  Dec,- 31, 1864,.. '. 801-«c' 


BEFOBT   OF   SPECIAL    B£LI£F  WOBE  IN 
WASHIir&TOK. 

•For  the  Quarter  ending  Dec.  31,  1864,  to 
Rev.  F.  N.  Knapp. 

BY  J.  B.  ABBOTT. 

Sir  : — I  respectfully  submit  the  follow- 
ing report  of  the  "  Special  Kelief"  Office, 
and  the  several  Lodges  under  my  supervi- 
sion, for  the  quarter  ending  Dee.  31,  1864. 

Number  of  pay  accounts  of  dis- 
charged soldiers  received  for 
.  adjustment,  362 

Number  of  cases  settled,  362 

Amount  collected,  ,      $67,175  00 

Number  of  bounty  claims  re- 
ceived, 97 

Number  of  claims  allowed,  115 

Amount    collected    on  claims 

allowed,  $10,750  00 

Number  of  cages  for  back  pay, 

received,  '  548 

Number  of  cases  adjusted,  487 

Amount  secured  on  the  cases 
•  adjusted,  $85,121  97 

Number  of   prisoner   of   war 

claims  entered,  •    147 

Number  allowed,  >.  56 

Amount  collected  on  claims  al- 


lowed 


•   $5,324  45 
248 


Number  of  naval  claims  filed. 

Number   of    nav^l   claims  al-' 

lowed,  155 

Amount    collected    on   claims 

allowed,  $24,560  55 

Numbet  of  pension  claims  filed,  654 

Number  of  pension  claims  al- 
lowed, 257 

Amount  saved  to  claimants  on  • 

"    the  claims  allowed,  $2,570 


980 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Number  of  claims  for  arrears  of 

pay  and  bounty  filed,  71 

Number  of  claims  allotted,  10 

Amount  saved  to  claimants  on 

the  claims  allowed,  $100 

Whole  number  of  cases  and 
claims  entered  upon  our  re- 
cord, 2,122 

Whole  number  of  cases  and 
claims  completed,.  1,442 

Total  amount  of  money  collect-    * 
ed  on  the  claims  completed,  $144,378  61 

The  amount  collected  does  not  include 
the  amount  received  on  pension  claims. 

In  calculating  the  amonnt  saved  on  pen- 
uons,  and  arrears  of  pay  and  bounty  claims, 
I  have  only  allowed  the  legal  fee  on  each 
claim. 

Number  of  drafts  forwarded,  295 

Amonnt  of  drafts  forwarded,     ?29,977  98 
Number  of  letters  received,  5,039 

Number  of  business  letters 
mailed,  '  5,017 

BELIZF  STATIONS, 

Lodge- No.  4. 

Number  of  lodgings  ftirnished  to 
soldiers  and  seamen,  5,410 

Number  of  meals  given  to  soldiers, 
seamen  and  others,  '  41,383 

I  have  no  reports  iiom  the  other  relief 
stations  for  the  quarter  as  yet. 
,    The  monthly  reports  of  the  relief  stations 
ifor  October  and  November  were  sent  to 
yoii. 

AUBTILANCES. 

In  the  early  hbtory  of  field  warfare  but 
few  appliances  were  at  hand  for  the  benefit 
of  the  wounded  in  battle.  JPrior  to  thg 
invention  of  gunpowder,  wounds  were  in- 
flicted by  swords,  daggers,  spears,  &c.,  or  by 
dull  heavy  weapons,  which  caused  only  con- 
tusions. But  little  skill  comparatively  was 
needled  to  dress  such  wounds,  and  the  mili- 
tary •  surgery  of  those  days  was  necessa- 
rily limited  to  b^t  few  means  for  relief. 
G-un-shot  wohnds,  however,  are  much  mpre 
serious- and  alarming,  and  with  the  intro- 
duction of  gunpowder,  there  was  a  marked 
development  in  surgical  skUl,  and  in  the 
m^ans  for  relieving  suffering,  though  it  was 


not  uncommon  to  leave  the  wounded  to  the 
casual  sympathies  of  the  people  among 
whom  the  battles  were  fought.  Surgeons, 
however,  were  found  without  military  rank 
or  emolument,  rendering  services  to  the 
afflicted  as  they  had  opportunity.  The  cele- 
brated military  surgeon,  in  the  time  of 
Henry  IV.,  of  France,  by  name  Ambroise 
Pare,  held  no  rank  whatever  in  the  army, 
and  in  the  function  which  he  voluntarily 
assumed  in  the  service  of  his  country, 
acquired  a  reputation  for  probity  and  skill 
to  which  his  superior  genius  justly  entitled 
him;  but  it  was  not  till  the  time  of  Louis 
XIII.  that  a  chief  military  surgeon,  with 
rank,  was  attacked  to  each  regimept  of  the. 
French  army.  It  was  there  likewise  that 
hospitals  wei^e  established,  both  stationary 
and  moveable ;  and  it  is  to  these  latter  that 
the  term  ambulance  is  applied. 

An  ambulance  is  a  covered  wagon  for  the 
immediate  conveyance  of  the  wounded  from 
the  scene  of  battle. to  the  field  hospital  im- 
mediately in  the  rear,  and  indeed,  for  the 
conveyance  of  the  sick  and  helpless  from 
one  hospital  to  another.  Each  army  corps 
has  its  organized  ambulance  corps,  ^th  its 
chief  to  control  all  its  movements,  with  its 
surgeons,  stretcher-bearers,  drivers,  &c.  In 
a  subsequent  number,  we  shall  furnish  the 
plan  of  working  an  ambulance  train.  In 
this,  we  introduce  the  subject  only,  with 
the  following  cuts  of  an  improved  ambu- 
lance, which  will  bear  the  study  they  de- 
mand, for  a  complete  undersjtanding  of  their 
arrangement. 

Springs,  cushions,  beds,  water  tanks,  frac- 
ture swings,  &c.,  &c.,  enter  into  the  arrange- 
ment, and  every  comfort  that  could  be  con-» 
trived  for  a  moveable  or  flying  hospital 
seems  to  have  been  anticipated.  We  com- 
mend the  sketches  below  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  the.  curious,  and  have  only  to  say, 
that  the  minuteness  in  the  detail,  as  well 
as  the  general  plan  of .  construction,  are 
the  resulj,  in/ a  mei^sure,  of  the  thoughts 
and  efforts  of  members  of  the  U,  S;  Sani- 
tary Cominission. 


The  Sanitary  'Qommisiiion  Bulletin. 


981 


1,  frame  in  which  beds  and  seatg^  re»i;  2,  inteWpaceEi  hetwesn  frafi^  and  hody  for  lateral  eonttterpoisa 
spririgB;  3,  inside  of  upper  section  of  tail-board ;  i,  bed  sliding  over,B*atB;  5,  r.^llflis  on  which  bed  elide, 
dearin'g  seats;  6,  7,  spigot  of  water  tanki  protected  by  upper  leaf  of  tail-board,  lowered. 


1,  leather  moveable  back  for  middle  seal ;  2,  spi- 
got of  water  tank;  3,  bed  with  handles,  drawn  partly 
out,  on  small  steel  rollers  sunk  in  floor  of  compart- 
ment k4,  bed  in  position ;  5,  inside  of  door  for  coim- 
partiueut  for  beds;  6,  stretchers ■;  7,  foop  for  gun 
rack  or  head  rests. 


a,  iron,rowel  (rerolring)  to  facilitate  turning ;.  6, 
gemi-eliptical  spring ;  c,  moyeable  leather  back  on 
iron  brackets ;  d,  compartment  for  beds  When  not  in 
use. 


982 


This  Sanitary  Oomtnimon ' Bulletin. 


1,  oampartment  for  beds  vhen  not  in  use,  faaten- 
itag  'by  a  spring  catch  at  2 ;  3,  clasp  for  stretcher ; 
4,  notch,  forming  arch  over  and  protecting  spigot  of 
water  tank,  when  upper  section  of  tail-board  is  let 
down. 


1,  stout  settii-eliptical  spring ;  2,  complete  back  to 
driver's  seat;  3,  leather  back  to  middle  seats;  4, 
hook  for  fractures. 


a,  Btanoheons  of  frame  on  counterpoise  epringsj  with  blocks  of  india-rubber  at  6,  and  pin  at  o,  to  prevent 
lateral  displacement  of  spring ;  d,  iron  clasp,  and  e,  loop  for  stretcher  ;>>  hook  and  wheel  running  on  parallel 
iron  bars  for  suspension  of  fractures;  g,  one  of  the  seats  removed  from  its  bed  in  frame  h;  i,  inside  .of  lower 
sestion  of  tail-board ;  k,  fastening  rendering  water  tank  motionless  ;  m,  interspaee  between  body  of  ambne 
lance  a^d  frame  for  lateral  springs. 


The  Sanitarif  Oo^mmion  BiMetm. 


983 


rig's.  A,  B,  C  and  F,  beds.  Fig.  A,  nnderside.    1,  rail;  2,  panel;  3,  leatlier  handle. 

Fig.  S,  upper  side,  one-half  onshioned.    i,  iron  bars  let  partly  in  rail;  5,  (figs.  A  and  B),  iron  handles, 
dotted  lines  indicate  grooTes  in  which  tongue  of  handle  work.    The  part  bandied  is  round,  the  rest  of' 
handle  square.  Fig.  C,  side  view.  Fig.  F,  7,  bed  in  position. 

Figs.  F  and  S,  8,  8,  8,  seats,  permanent  but  one ;  9,  rollers,  clear  cushions  of  seats  i  inch. 

Fig.  F,  10,  counterpoise  springs  lateral,  fastened  inside  of  ambulance  body. 

Figs.  F  and  B,  a,  iron  slides  on  which  ends  of  springs  play ;  i,  rubber  block. 

Fig.  D,  perpendicular,    c,  iron  plates  on  floor  of  ambulance  on  which  ends  of  springs  play ;  d,  by  whiob 
spring  stanchion  and  frame  are  secured ;  e,  block  of  rubber  in  staple.  Figs.  F,  B,  E  and  H,  frame- 

Fig.  D,  ledges  for  seat  ft ;  h,  ledges  for  rollers.  Figs.  D,  F  and  H,,  m,  ledges  for  bed  on  rollers. 

Fig.  E  is  outside  of  D.  Water  tanks,  fig.  G,  showing  grooved  slide  and  fastening. 

Figs.  G  and  H,  n,  spigot.  Fig.  D,  o,  stanchions,  of  which  only  four. 

Figs.  F  and  d,  p,  interspace  for  lateral  spring  between  frame  and  body  of  ambulance. 

Stretcher  h'olders,  K,  L  and  j  H. 

Fig.  H,  r,  compartments  for  beds  when  not  in  use ;  »,  steel  rollers ;  «,  spring  catch ;  v,  tail-board  upper 
and  lower  sections  closed ;  w,  inside  of  upper  section  showiuT  cushions  and  back  of  seat ;  x,  step. 


INTEBXSTINO  LEIIEBS  FBOM  AJTITAFOLIS. 

BT  MBS.   FABBISH. 
THE  NAVAL  ACADEMY  HOSPITAL. 

This  commodious  establishment,  which  is 
capable  of  aocbmmodating  two  thousand  two 
hundred  patients,  is  in  charge  of  Dr.  Van- 
derkeift,  who  is  assisted  by  his  executive 
officer,  Dr.  Ely.  -At  this  writing  there  are 
two  hundred  and  one  officers  and  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  privates  under  treat- 
ment. What  a  vast  household  for  the 
medical  skill  of  physicians,  the  judicious 
management  of  nurses,  and  the  philan- 
thropy of  all  to  care  for. 

A  pretty  chapel  stands  conspicuous  among 
the  groupings  of  oth^r  buildings  which  com- 


pose this  vast  establishment,  in  which  re- 
ligious service  is  held  every  evening  in  the  • 
week,  beside  twice  on  the  Sabbath  day. 
Here  too  is  the  place  where  so  many  suffer- 
ing martyrs  are  borne  .to  have  the  solemn 
funeral  rites  performed  by  one  who  repre- 
sents a  friend  indeed,  for  those  who  cannot 
be  present  to  witness  the  accomplishment  of 
the  last  sad  duty.  Nearly  every  day  for  the 
past  two  weeks  many  have  been  deposited 
here  for  funeral  service ;  fifteen  more  bodies 
were  laid  before  the  chancel  to-day  to  have 
the  solemn  ceremony  read  over  them ;  indeed 
every  day  some  one,  or  more  are  borne  from 
this  house  to  the  burial  lot,  where  you  may 
at  any  time  find  friends  searching  for  the 
names  of  loved  ones.    The  Chaplain  is  most 


984 


The  Sanitary  Gkmmission  Bulletin. 


assiduous  and  faithful  in  the  performance  of 
his  charge,  and  every  heart  at  home  may 
rejcnce  that  such  an  one  is  stationed  here 
for  this  responsible  and  sad  duty.  So  far 
as  a  visitor  can  judge,  there  is  no  lack  of  care 
from  any  one  engaged  in  this  hospital; 
women  nurses  hold  an  honorable  rank  among 
the  sick;  detailed  soldiers  also  render  im- 
portant assistance  to  them.  Miss  Howe,  of 
Boston,  one  of  the  chief  nurses,  does  much 
to  comfort 'the  soldier,  in  her  wards;  she 
often  spends  the  twilight  of  the  day  in  play- 
ing many  sweet  and  choice  hymns  on  the 
melodeon,  which  soothe  and  cheer  the  weary 
and  depressed  patients.  Miss  Clarke  also 
renders  excellent  service  to  the  men  so 
lately  arrived  from  Southern  slavery.  liave 
met  her  in  the  tents  with  an  encouraging 
word  for  each,  and  a  kind  promise  for  the 
morrow,  while  busily  directing  and  stamping 
letters  for  them. 

At  this  hospital  too,  is  found  the  Sani- 
tary storeroom,  on  a  larger  plan  than  I  have 
before  seen  it ;  every  appliance  that  can  be 
devised  by  the  numerous  friends  at  distant 

,  homes,  is  here  represented.  Delicacies  of 
great  variety,  wines,  cordials,  restoratives, 
form  a  large  per  centage  of  the  needfuls,  to 

,  say  nothing  of  the  clothing  that  abounds, 
all  of  which  is  distributed  with  much  care. 

The  government  supplies  are  in  much 
greater  variety,  and  more  abundant  than 
formerly,  yet  there  are  times  when  it  is 
necessary  to  supplement  the  government. 
For  this  purpose  the  wise  foresight  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  provided  a  full 
amount  in  large  variety,  so  that  no  matter 
what  iaccident  may  befall  the  government 
supplies  or  transportation,  the  soldiers  shall 
have  a  secoijid  chance,  if  the  first  fails. 
This  strikes  us  as  among  the  most  impor- 
tant features  of  the  Commission — to  antici- 
paite  want — to  be  prepared  for  it. 

prisoners'  funeral. 

Attended  the  funeral  of  forty-two  soldier 
prisoners,  who  had  died  on  theii:  passage 
home.  None  can  tell  the  sadness  of  such 
a  scene  but  those  who  have  been  present 
on  a  similiar  occasion.  Fourteen  ambulances 
stood  at  one  time  before  the  "  Dead  House" 
to  receive  the  bodies,  'which  were  placed  in 
coffins,  and  each  one  marked  with  name, 
regiment  and  company  to  which  deceased 
hM  belonged.  They  were  then  carried  to 
the  wagons,  three  in  number  being  assigned 
to  each.  Four  men  accompanied  each  am- 
bulance, and  moved  slowly  on  toward  the 


chapel,  preceded  by  a  band  of  musicians 
who  sounded  their  usual  mournful  dirge, 
till  all  had  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  build- 
ing w*here  service  was  to  be  performed. 

A  promiscuous  company  had  •  assembled 
— ^ministers,  surgeons,  officers,  and  comrades 
■of  the  battle-field  and  prison  were  gathered 
about  the  place.  Women,  who  represented 
mothers,  wives  and  sisters  were  there,  and 
sang  with  pathos  several  beautiful  hyipns. 

Chaplain  Henries  read,  in  an  audible 
voice,  the  names  of  the  dead,  as  correspond- 
ing with  those  on  the  coffins  before  us.  He 
was  followed  by  another  ihinister  who  ad- 
dressed those  present,  and  ofiered  an  appro- 
priate prayer. 

-  The  procession  then  wended  its  way  slowly  , 
through  the  town  to  the  cemetery,  distant 
two  miles,  the  musicians  leading  the  train, 
followed  by  an  escort,  the  chaplain  on  horse, 
and  soldiers  walking  as  pall-bearers  by  the 
side  of  the  ambulances. 

While  we  witnessed  this  sad  ceremony  en- 
trusted to  stranger  hands,  I  was  much  im- 
pressed with  the  great  order  and  solemnity 
that  pervaded  the  occasion,  and  wished 
that  all  the  mothers  in  th6  land,  whose  sons 
had  been  sacrificed  in  the  strife  of  battle, 
could  know  how  faithfully  and  tenderly  the 
last  duties  to  their  loved  ones  were  attended 
to.  The  pastor  at  home  was  represented  by 
the  chaplain,  the  family  by  sympathizing 
friends,  the  neighbors  and  associates  by 
those  who  had  been  comrades  with  the 
deceased  in  camp  or  in  battle,  in  prison  or 
in  hospital,  and  now  followed  them  to  their 
final  resting  place,  and  the  soldier,  no  longer 
a  prisoner,  but  released  from  the  slow  torture 
of  hunger  and  disease,  was  laid  away  forever. 

After  all  were  interred;  the  musicians 
gathered  near,  and  in  plaintive  melody 
united  in  the  hymn,  "  Come,  ye  disconso- 
late," after  which  the  chaplain  read  the 
buriaj  service,  prayed  for  those  about  him 
and  the  anxious  ones  at  home,  who  yet 
knew  not  what  sorrow  awaited  them.  The 
body-guards,  or  escort,  then  came  forward, 
and,  according  to  military  custom,  fired  a 
volley  three  times  ovef  the  graves  of  the 
departed,  and,  with  uncovered  heads,  passed 
in  single  file  along  the  row  of  open  sepulchres 
and  resumed  their  march  to  the  hospital. 


FLESH  EXTRACT  FOB  THE  DIET  OE  FEVES 
PATIENTS. 

Half  a  pound  of  fresh  beef  or  fowl,  minced 
fine,  without  fat,  is  macerated  one  hour  in 
a  pint  of  cold  water,  to  which  four  drops  of 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


985 


strong  muriatic  acid  (hydrochloric  acid)  and 
a  drachm  of  salt  have  been  previously  added. 
Strain  through  a  jelly  bag  or  fine  lawn  sieve, 
and  if  to  be  very  taip,  filter  through  coarse 
French  filter  paper.  No  fat  globules  or 
muscular  fibres  are  allo,wable  in  the  filtered 
liquid.  To  improve  its  flavor,  a  pinch  of 
allspice  or  mace  (ground)  may  be  thrown 
into  the  mince,  and  to  the  filtered  liquid  add, 
if  desired,  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  of  good 
sherry  wine.  This  soup  may  be  adminis- 
tered in  doses  of  two  drachms  once  in  two 
hours,  and  oftener  in  convalescence. 

B.    S.    SlIitlMAN. 


NOSTHWESTEKN    SAITITABY    COUUISSION., 

'  'Branch  of  TT.  S.  Saniiary  Comrhisdon,  Roomi  No. 
66  MadUon  Street,  Chicago,  111. 

PiNANOIAL  REPORT, 
From  the  (yrganizaHon.  of  the  Commmion,  November. 
I    4,  1861,  to  December  31,  f864. 

I. SUPPLIES  COLLECTED. 

Daring  the  three  years  and  two  months  exist- 
,  ence  of  the  Commission,  there  have  been  donated, 
collected,    purchased,    packed    and    forwarded 
through  its  agency,  for  distribution  to  our  sol- 
■  diers  in  the  hospitals,  armies  and  on  the  battle- 
fields, sixty-eight  thousand  eigl(t  hundred  and 
three  packages  of  Sanitary  and  Hospital  supplies. 
Of  this  number  there  were  sent  directly  by 
the  people  from  their  homes  to  the  sol- 
diers, .         .         .         .         .  27,681 
The  remainder  contained  supplies 
purchased,  as  stated  below,  41,122 

^68,803 

II. OF  WHAT  THESE  SUPPLIES  CONSISTED, 

These  supplies  consisted  of  articles  of  diet, 
medical  supplies,  clothing,  bedding,  bandages, 
hospital  furniture,  ales  and  liquors.  / 

ni. — THBIK  APPRAISED  CASH  VALUATION. 

The  appraised  cash  va;luation  of  these  supplies 

at  the  respective  dates  of  their. receipt  by  the 

Commission,  amounts  to  the  total  sum  of  , 

$964,059  n 
Classified  as  follows :  \ 

Articles  of  diet  and  me- 
dical supplies,  .     .     1337,871  14 

Clothing,  bedding,  band- 
ages, &c.,      .     .    "■        558,023  83 

Hospital  furniture,  cots, 
mattrassed,  stoves  and 
fixtures,  washing  ma- 
chines and  wringers, 
table  furniture,  ^c,  .     16,800  44 

Ales  and  liquors,      .     .       8,974  30 

1,413  boxes  received  by 
the  Commission,with- 
out  accompanying  in- 
voices, appraised  cash   i 

value 42,390  00  =* 

: $964,059^71 

IV. — FBOH  WHERE  BBOBIVBD. 

The. 27,681   packages  above  mentioned— de- 


ceived directly  from  donors — came  from  the  fol- 
lowing sources : 


\ 

Pk««. 

Illinois, 

9,593 

■Wisconsin,         .         .                 .        . 

6,969 

Iowa,     ...                 .         . 

•^4,085 

Michigan, 

5,264 

Indiana,         .... 

369 

Ohio, 

22 

Minnesota, 

266 

New  York,         .        .        .        .        . 

87 

Pennsylvania, 

4 

Through  "  Board  of  Trade,"  Chicago, 

855 

Unknown, 

167 

•  27,681 

V. — TOTAE  OASH  RECEIPTS  AND  EXPENDITURES. 

The  total  amount  of  Cash  received  by  the  Com- 
mission since  its  organization,  is  $307,390  55 
total  amount  expended,  .        .        .   28'?,479  76 


Balance  in  the  hands  of  the  TreasuJ-er, 
as  per  certificate  of  Auditing  Com- 
mittee, dated  December  31,  1864,  $19,910  79 

VI. FROM  WHERE  RECEIVED. 

The  above  amount  of  cash  collected — $307,- 
390  55 — was  received  from  the  following  sources : 


Citizens  of  Chicago, 

State  of  Illinois,  outside  of  Chicago, 

Iowa,  (of  which  amount,  $48,348, 
was  the  proceeds  of  the  Northern 
Iowa  Sanitary  Fair,  held  at  Du- 
buque, September,  1864, 

Wisconsin, 

Michigan, 

New  Yprk,  . 

Connecticut, 

Minnesota, 

Tennessee,  proceeds  of  Ladies'  Fair 
at  Memphis, 

Indiana,  . 

California,   . 

Pennsylvania, 

Nebraska,   . 

Utah, 

Missouri, 

Berlin,     . 

Bavaria, 

Soldiers  in  the  Army, 

Proceeds  of  sale  of  cotton,  donated 
to  the  Commission  by  Maj.  Gen, 
U.  S.  Grant,     .        .        . 

Net  cash  proceeds  of  N.  W.  Sanitary 
Fair,  held  in  Chicago,  Oct..  1863, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  expended 
in  purchase  of  potatoes  and  onions, 
shipped  to  army  in  Tennessee  and 
Georgia,       .     '    . 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  expended 
for  salaries  of  agents  and  nurses, 

Amount  received  &om  "Hospital 
Fund"  of  sundry  hospitals,  and 
expended  fbr  purchase  of  supplies 
as  requested  by  surgeons  in  charge, 

Amount  specially  contributed  for  file 
relief  of  Union  refugees. 

Amount  contributed  by  friends  in 
Huntsville,  Ala.,  for  relief  of  pri- 
soners   at    Camp    Douglas,    and 


$40,331  13 
55,541  68 


50,329  40 

.8,597  86 

7,901  28 

1,054  75 

650  78 

565  02 


398 

31 

220 

53 

203 

45 

100 

00 

11 

60 

5 

00 

3 

40 

10 

00 

8 

00 

20 

05 

1,752  20 
75,100'  27 


47,168  58 
3,526  55 


8,654  69 
1,829  52 


986 


TUhe  Sanitary  Ooimmission  Bulletin. 


handed  to  officer  iuXcommand,     .  108  00 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  HI.,  amount 
received  for  "  Savings,"  up  to  De- 
cember 1,  1864,    .    •     .         .         .        6,398  50 


Total  receipts,  .        .        .         $307,390  55 

VII. — ACCOUNT  OF  BXPENDITUBES. 

The  total  amount  of  cash  disbursements,  as 

above  stated — $287,4Y9  76-^during  three  years 

and  two  months,  was  expended  as  follows  : 

Supplies,  hospital  and  sanitary,  in- 
cluding- articles  of  diet,  medical 
supplies,  clpthing,  bedding,  hos- 
pitsj  furniture,  "ales  and  Uquors, 
purchased  and  forwarded  to  the' 
hospitals,  army,  battle-fields,  and  * 

Soldiers'  Homes  at  Chicago,  Cairo, 
Columbus,  Paducah  and  Mempbis,¥230,645  02 

Material  for  hospital  gar- 
ments, made  up  at  the 
sewing-room,       .         .  $9,162  20 

Cost  of  making  up  into 
shirts,  drawers,  socks 
and  eye-shades,  .        .        758  79 

9,920  99 

Appropriations  to  Sol- 
diers' Home,  Chicago,    $6,000  00 

Appropriations  to  Sol- 
diers'Home,  Dubuque,     1,000  00 


Fuel 286  72 

,  Sewing-room  Expenses — 

Brushes,  tables,  shears  and  scis- 
sors, pail,  brooms,  pitchers,  dust 
pan,  wash  bowl,  chairs,  stationery, 
needles,  machine  oil,  soap,  screw 
driver,  carpenter  work,  and  repair- 
ing sewing  machines,  . 

Amount  advanced  for  proposed 
"  North-western  Sanitary  and  Sol- 
diers' Home  Fair,"  .        . 

Agents  and  nurses  of  the  IT.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission  paid  from  funds 
received  for  this  purpose,     .        .       3,526  55 

Union    refugees,   amount    specially 

contributed  for  this  object,  .        .       1,840  02 

Camp  Douglas,  prisoners,  amount 
received  for  this  purpose,      .        .  .       108  00 

Total  expenditures,    .         .        $287,479  76 
B.  W.  BjiATCHEOBD,  Treomrer.    . 


7,000  00 


Salaries  of  agents  and  nurses  in  the 
field  and  at  post  hospitals,  and 
their  travelling  expenses  ($1,779 
84)        ...         .  .        8,96579 

Clerk  hire  at  rooms  of  the  Commis- 
sion,      6,178  52 

Labor,  for  handling,  unpacking,  dis- 
tributing, marking  and  packing 
goods  at  rooms,  loading  cars  at 
railroad  stations,  cleaning,  paint- 
ing arid  fitting  up  of  office  and 
warehouse  at  Chicago,  and  labor 
at  Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,     .    ■     .       4,562  27 

Drayage,  Express  and  freight,  in- 
cluding drayag^  on  goods  to  and 
from  railroad  stations.  Express 
Company's  charges  on  money  and 
goods,,  and  freight  charges  on 
goods, 6,383  91 

Stationery,  including  paper,  en- 
'    velopes,  wrappers,  pens,  ink  and 

blank  books,        .        .        .        .  180  29 

Printing  Circulars  advising  of  sup- 
plies needed,  &c.,  reports  of  army 

-s  inspection,  reports  of  receipts, 
shipments  and  disbursements, 
direction  cards,  letter  and  envelope 
headings,  labels,  blank  receipts 
and  advertisements,     .        .        .       4,290  21 

Postage  on  letters  and  documents,  1,229  15 

Telegraphing 203  93 

Warehouse  and  office  furniture,  and 
fixtures,  including  signs,  locks  and 
keys,  chisel,  watering-pot,  pails, 
maps,  chairs,  oil  cloth,  desks,  saws, 
hatehetIL  skids,  matches,  and  car- 
penter Work,      '  .        .        .        .  205  91 

Rent  of  office,  warehouse  and  sewing- 
room 1,306  64 


141  51 


505  33 


NSCESSIIY  OH  SANITABT  COITMISSION'S 

^  coNTiinrAircK. 
Extract  from  Report  o/Dk.-M.  M.  Marsh,- 
dated  BShufort,  S.  C,  Dec.  26, 1864,  re- 
lating  to  the  recent  advance  ofapoHion  of 
Maj.  Gen.  Foster'*  command  towards  the 
Charleston  and  Savannah  Railroad. 
*  *  *  The  present  Expedition,  now  four 
weeks  in  progress,  has  been  very  exhanstive 
of  stores.  From  the  30th  of  November  to  the 
6th  of  December  the  entire  sick  and  wounded 
subsisted  upon  the  Commission.  This  con- 
dition of  things  resulted  from  a  lack  of  com- 
missary stores  for  the  first  four  days;  the 
remaining  two,  from  the  slow  working  of  the 
machinery  necessary  to  draw  rations  after 
arrival  on  the  ground.  The  drafts  upon 
clpthing,  too,  have  been  disproportionate  to 
the  number  of  men.  All  were  ordered  upon 
the  field  in  light  marching  order,  i.  e.  with 
rubbei^  blankets  only_,  and  many  of  the  regi- 
ments were  even  unprovided  with  these. 
They  were  ordered  to  take  five  days  food  only, 
with  the  expectation  of  returning  to  camp  at 
the  expiration  of  that  period.  Food  was  ob- 
tained- from  the  surrounding,  country,  in 
part,  but  the  underclothing  worn  from  c^mp, 
was  the  only  clothing  aside  from  the  issues 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  for  three  suc- 
cessive weeks,  for  almost  the  entire  army. 
And  during  this  period  was  experienced  a 
storm  of  wind  and  rain  of  unusual  length 
and  severity,  and  the  mercury  for  two  suc- 
cessive morhings  down  to  24°.  Our  issues 
of  shirts,  drawers  and  socks  exceeded  three 
thousand  each,  and  blankets  proportionate; 
but  these  last  will,  to  an  extent,  be  returned, 
as  their  own  are  obtained  fi'om  their  previous 
camp,  or  the  deficiency  drawn  from  the 
Quarter-master.    *    *    *  '  '     ' 


The  Sanitary  Oommistion  Bulletin. 


987 


TABIE  OP  CONTKiraS. 

COBBBSFONDESOE. 

'"m*!??5  H**"'  ^"  AimapoUa,by  Mrs.  Parrish- 
(Haval  Academy  Hospital,  Prisoner's  Funeral) ....  985 
Bbfobts. 

^^ft*?™"^  ^Ti' "'  "•»  operations  of  the  XT.  S. 
.W!  J^  Commission  la  the  Valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, for  the  quMter  endlni  Sept..30, 1864,  by  Dr. 
Srflri»i  ?!U?/^'  SfJ^tary  Western  Department. . .  966 
Special  Belief  Eeport  from  Boston,  by  Jno.  S.  Blatch- 
lord  ....,,,,■.,,.,,,, ^ ^^  Q»g 

^^Sl  ^P*"*'  ^°"«'  ■'^or'^  i"  ■Washin^oVby"  J. 
■Ji.  Abbott. J .  979 

North-Westem  San.  Com.  Financial  Eeport,'fromth4 
organization  of  Com.„Nov.  4, 1861,  to  Dec.  Bl,  1864  987 

MlBGBLLAITEOUS. 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Belief,  No.  6— Quai^ 
,    terly  session  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  Wash- 
ington   qgj 

Bedding  for  Hospital  nse 962 

Directions  for  Hospital  Clothing....! oBi! 

Home,  Duty,  Wife  and  Sanitary '.■ qm 

The  work  Of  a  great  people obb 

Nine  Soldiers'  "Homes" .'. 9^3 

Women's  ConncU  in  Boston. ...'.'. "973 

■  Flesh  Extracts  for  diet  of  fever  patients,  by  b!  S.'si'i1 

liman 9g» 

Necessity  of  Sanitary  Commission's' Coutiniiancel^Bx- 
tractftom  Report  of  Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Beaufort, 
Dec.  26, 18B4 .-. '  ggg 

EniTOBIAL. 

Ambulances ggo 


PROTECTIVE         ^ 

OP    THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  YORE. 

OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STEEET, 
WEW  Yortic. 

Prbsident. 
Liebt.-Gbn.  WINFIBLD  SCOTT. 

Viob-Pbesidehts. 

HoH.  Hamilton  Fisk,    Admiral  Dupont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     IEhd.  A.  Witthads,  Esq 

TbBASUREB. — ROBBHT  B.   MlNTITEN,   EsQ.  ■ 

DIBECTOB8. 


Hons.  E.  D.  MoBQAN, 
Geoegb  Opdtke, 
Hiram  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Bebkman, 
,  H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jaoob  Astqb, 

James  Beown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James' Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  B.  Dodoe,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 

GeOEOB  BANOROrT, 

Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 
'         EENRT  GREENFIELD,  Seereiary, 

35  Chambers  Street,  New  York., 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Isi.  To  seeure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
famiUeSf  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  iouhty, 
fit.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant.  '  '•' 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  saUors  I 
from  impostwre  and  fraud.  ' 

Zd.  To  prevent  false,  clams  'from  being  made 
against  the  Qovernment. 

ah.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Afmy, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows-: 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California.      / 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  Yo*k. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio.' 
Rt.  Rej.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 
Hon,  B.  W.  Burniett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.- 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Loufsville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Charles  J.  StillS,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  lU. 


OPFIOERS. 


H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-Presid,ent. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 


STANDING  COMMITTEE. 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  Stillfe. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrajige- 
ments  for  supplying  information .  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  tlie  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  OfSce  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentuc^,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  LouisviUe,jEy."  .3"    ~ 

*'    In  all  cases  the  name',  ramk,  Gonipany,  and  regi- 


988 


Th&  Sanitary  Comnisaion  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inqaired  for  should  be  giTen, 
and  where  be  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  ti^ 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  parson,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

j|^°Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely. serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  tlian  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  'an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance,  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  ^nd 
wounded  at  points  vfrhere  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  aild  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies" 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

'     DEPARTMENT    OF   THE    EAST. 


oenTkal  dbpots  ov  collection. 


I 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Jfo.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

,    U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  130T  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTRIBUTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244.P  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary ,  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Safiitary  Commissioii,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va.  ' 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Cotamission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  0. 

y.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Tetaporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OF  THE  WEST. 

OBNTBAL   DEPOTS   OF   COLLECTION. 

U.  S,  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
,Sixtb  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0- 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  ■  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111.  ,  / 

U.,  S.  Sanitary  Co;umisslon,  IsTo.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Bu-ffalo,  U.  T. 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Conimission,  No.  59  Fonrth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Fenha. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Oomlriission,  No.  32  Ltoied 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Copiinissipn,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Grovemment,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  f  oluntary  contributions  of-  the 
'  pubUc  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT- 

EAST. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  T6  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"  Special  Relief "  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
"Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and.  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

\    "  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.^Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washingtdn,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  t).  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  B.  B.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D^  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washingtoii,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge^"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  B.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"The  Home,"  Nev^  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Solt^iers'  Home,  Third  Street;  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Honie,  Louisville,  Ey.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.  James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent- 
Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  S.treets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  .Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  1. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Belief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Oljio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Belief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn., 
0.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ey.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  ky. 


The  l^av^itary  Ooimnmion  Bulletin.  989 


BRANCH,  V'*«p«^iJ^Z^72&.s:^Ni>\  BRANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,      \  l.oj3^5T  LEG&^Dii.|  |      No.  19  Green  Street, 

NEW  YORK.  Jj     N^^^''''<-3'j6   Q^3#^* 'Igj  BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  wlio  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "FaIiIIsr"  Aku  and  Les  axe  now  fnrnlslied  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  ixmy  and  Nav^,  and  I  haye  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  offloial  leliers  from  the  Snrge'on-Qeneral,  which  wUl  gratify  nnmerous  applicants, 
who,  In  tl^e  past,  have  heenled  to  helieve  that  they  mnst  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  nom  GoTernment. 

SnKaSOH-QEHEBAL'S  OmCB, , 

Wabhihotoh  Citt,  B.C.,  Deo.  12,  ,1863. 
Sib  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
,  models  submitted  S"  them  for  an.Artificial  Arm,  having  reported      ******** 

I'S  OOMPLIANOE  WITH  THB  BECOMUENDATIOH  OF    THE    BoABD,  WEEK  A    SOLDIER    HAY    DBBIBE    TO    PUBCHASE  "THE  MOBB 
EXESANT  AND  EXFESSIVB  ABH  OF  FAIiMEB,"  FIFTY  SOLLAKS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWABDa  fIyUEHT  FOB  THT.SAMB. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Sorgeon-Oeneral.  '         C.  H.  CBANE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SUBaEOW-QElfEBAL'S  OPFIOB, 

WASHiifQTOif  City,  D.C.,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sib  ; — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  Ist  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Beport  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  In  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Lj^bs,  i^  not  desig]U;| 
to  ^up'ersede  the  recommendation  of 'the  former  Board,  so  fab  as  i^qaeds  the  Limbs  UAHiTFAdTnBES  by.  yoii.       ''  .  ^.. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Srirgeon-Ceneral,  ' 

W.  C.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Snrgeou  U.S.A. 
T«  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  PALMER  LE0  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  fqr  a  SMALL  ASVANCE. 

The  Best  ilNCOLW  "GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK,  palmer;  LL.D., 

Preaident  American  A'^HJicial  Limh.  Co* 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.       E.  B.  BELDBN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  ^       J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 
J;AMBS  WADSWOKTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  signifipaat  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 
,     There  is' no  better  Oa  Territory. 

It  embraces  iritere.st8  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  wflli  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OP  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is' one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
ekasers  within  th?  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY; 

ifo.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


990  Tha  Sanitary  Commianon  Bulletin. 


.^^5™^% 


Adapted  to  every  branch,  of  business. 

MANUFACTUEED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  mVENTOBS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIBBAITES  a  CO.,  Ifo.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
PAIBBAirKS  a  BEOTWIT,  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIBBAITES,  QBBEIfliEAX'  &  CO-  ]Vo.  172  liake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIBBAIfES  &  E-nrilirG,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia. 
FAIBBANES  &  CO.,  TSo.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descrvptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  h  either  of  the  above 

ESTABLISHED  i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  ^       441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

of  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

^     WHEEIiER  &  'WII.SOIV, 

GiElOTER  &  BAKER, 

WlliliCOX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SIHTGER  ANTD  OTHERS. 

TO  RENT  AND 

FOR  8ALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Inatruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Comer  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  New  York. 

V.  W.  WICKES,  Jr..  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  Up  Staira. 


The  Sanitary  Oomimesion  Bulletin. 


991 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


]Vd:  ORRIS 


OOMPA-JCSTY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING/ 


Authorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,ooo,aoo. 

$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


1 1 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  ^f 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  "and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  wiU  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


13 

xxi.saoa*ozt.s. 

BDWABD  BOWE, 

• 

JOHN  D.  BATES,                                JOSEPH  MOEEISOM, 

ALBBIff  0.  LBB, 

FEED.  H.  BEADLBE,                    -     DAU-L  W.  TEHEE, 

OEOBaE  MILN, 

EDWABD  0.  BATES,                          HENBT  J.  CAMMANN, 

3.  0.  UOEBIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT,                          S.  S.  DBBEICK, 

EOB'T  BOWHB, 

BE^J.  E.  BATES,                               GHABLE8  EICEOZ, 

MRATSriE, 

B.  0.  M0EEI8,  Jb.,                            S.  0.  NIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNBT^  Seer«tary. 


B.  C.  MORBIS,  President 


992  The,  Sanitary  Oommission  BuUetm. 

F.  RATOHFORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  Wainut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Xew  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  over  Eleven  and  a  taalf  Millions  of  Dollars. 

Policies  known  as  "  Non-Forfeiting,"  on  the  terms  they  express,  on  the  Ten-Year  plan.  Issued  by  this 
Compainy,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  Tates  of  premiums,  greater  than  are  offered  by  any  other  Life 
Company. , 

THE  I 

Widows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Go.  of  New  York. 

LUCIUS    ROBINSON.    President. 
,         Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  officers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mutdal 
Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  Toek,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 

Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

JOHN    WADSWORTH,   President. 
Casta  Capital,  $200,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their  families,  and  ,of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  supply  for  iDSuranoe. 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to 

F.  KATOHFOBD  STABR,  General  Agent, 

4,00'  Walnut  Street,  PhUadelsUa. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY. 

HARTFORD,  CONN. 
G.A.lE'I.'P.A.Ij,         -         -         -         $500,000. 

JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  President. 
Insiirauce  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCIDENTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 

granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Pive  Dollars 

,  secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars,  " 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapstoitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  business. 

Fifty  DoUars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  oompensatioii  fbr  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident.  '  > 

Policies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  other 
gum  between  $600  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALLEJV,  Agrent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


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THE 


SANITARY    COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

r 

No.  32.  PHILADELPHIA,  FEBRUARY  15,  1865.  No.  32. 


Thh  Sanitary  Commission  Bullbtin  is  pubUshed  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unmually  valuable  medium  for 
advertising,  .  H 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  130T  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  duthenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writer^. 

As  the  continuailee  of  the  publication  of  the  Bullbtin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  ofrductatue 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  far  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbons,  68  WaU  street,  New  York,  or  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


FOB  THE  SOLDIEBS. 


A  CALL  came  up  from  the  soldier's  camps, 

And  sounded  in  our  ears. 
Above  all. the  roar  of  the  heavy  guns, 

And  the  ringing  battle-cheers. 
It  said :  "  We  are  fighting  for  you,  for  yours , 

In  the  forefront  of  danger  we  stand. 
We  are  driving  the  ranks  of  the  rebels  back  ; 

Will  you  lend  us  a  helping  hand  ? 

"  We  give  you  all  of  our  health  and  strength ; 

We  are  flinging  our  lives  away ; 
Our  days  and  nights,  they  are  spent  for  you ; 

Will  you  give  to  us  just  one  day  ?" 
And  the  farmers  afar,  in  the  Prairie  State, 

He&rd  the  call  as  it  sounded  by ; 
And  they  answered  the  voice  from  the  far-off  camps 

With  a  cheerful,  whole-souled  "Aye !" 

A  little  girl  stood  and  watched  the  teams. 

With  their  treasures  running  o'er, 
With  their  loads  of  the  full-eared,  yellow  corn. 

Drive  up  to  her  father's  door  ; 
Till  the  rosy  apples,  and  onions  white. 

And  squashes,  golden  and  round. 
That  the  farmers  brought  of  their  hard-earned  stores, 

Lay  heaped  all  over  the  ground.  ' 

And  she  said :  "  Oh,  papa !  I  have  nothing  to  give 

That  the  soldiers  would  care  to  hold ; 
I  am  so  sorry  I  am  so  small — 

I  have  neither  silver  nor  gold. 
There  is  my  doll,  and  my  hoop,  and  all  my  toys, 

But  they  don't  want  those,  you  see ; 
And  they  would  not  care  for  the  games  nor  the  books 

Of  a  littlexirl  like  me. 

"I  think,  papa>  it  is  very  hard;  . 

I  have  thought  all  my  playthings  o'er, 

I.  Tot.  No.  32  63 


And  there  isn't  a  thing  they  would  want  to  take  ; 

J  wish  I  wasn't  so  poor. 
I  am  sure  there  is  nothing  I  would  not  give 

To  make  their  work  some  less — " 
And  here  she  stopped,  for  her  little  pet  lamb 

Was  pulling  ^t  her  dress. 

They  had  played  together— the  child  and  lamb — 

All  the  long,  bright  summer  days  ; 
It  had  shared  her  supper  of  bread  and  milk ; 

She  had  taught  it  its  winsome  ways. 
It  would  run  at  the  sound  of  its  whispered  name 

To  the  mistress  it  loved  so  well. 
As  she  loved  it,  her  darling  little  pet, 

Far  better  than  I  could  tell. 

She  stopped,  and  looked  in  her  father's  face. 

And  her  eyes  grew  large  and  wide; 
Then  she  flung  her  arms  round' the  lamb's  soft  neok, 

And  knelt  down  by  its  side,. 
And  her  eyes  grew  full  of  the  blinding  tears 

That  she  could  not  •tfipe  away ; 
And,  "  0  papa !  my  darling  lamb !" 

Was  all  that  she  could  say. 

And  closer  and  closer  she  held  it  then. 

And  faster  the  tears  ran  down, 
Till  she  lifted  her  head  and  spake  again, 

Through  the  sobs  that  heiF words  would  drown: 
"  0  papa !  I  never  had  thought  of  this ; 

It  is  all  my  own,  you  know. 
0  pet !  you  must  go  for  our  soldiers  brave. 

My  darling !  I  love  you  so." 
f^ 
And,  stronger  growing :  "  Oh  !  yes,  papa, 

You  must  not  look  so  grave. 
Why,  they  give  up  their  aims  and  lives  for  us ; ' 

It  is  everything  I  have ! 
It  isn't  much ;  I'm  a  little  girl ; 

Bat  perhaps,  if  you  tell  them  so. 
They  will  take  it  with  all  the  bigger  things. 

0  darling !  I  love  you  so." 


^994 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


I  think  the  angels  looked  down  from  heaven, 

AVitb  tears  in  their  shining  eyeSj 
At  the  tearful  little  upturned  i'aee, 

And  the  noble  .sii'crifice. 
God  luvu  her,  and  bless  her,  and  sa^ne  the  land 

That  claims  her  among  its  brave. 
Who,  'mid  their  tears,  with  unfaltering  hand, 

Have  given  all  they  have  I 


AMBULAKCES.* 

[Continued  from  No.  21.] 

An  ambulance  has  recently  been  con- 
structed by  Dr.  B.  Howard,  of  New  York, 
lato  of  tlic  United  States  Army,  which 
seems  to  combine  in  an  eminent  degree  the 
various  advantiiges  so  much  desired  in  ve- 
hicles of  this  description.  (See  diagrams 
in  last  No.  of  liuLLETiN.) 

1.  To  en  able  the  Ladi^i  wounded  to  he  casilj/ 
loaUeil  and  unloaded,  two  litters  or  bed.s  are 
provided,  made  of  wood,  like  an  ordinary 
shutter,  with  sliding  handles  at  each  cor- 
ner, as  seen  at  figure  ABC.     Upon  this 

'the  patient  i.s  easily  shifted,  and  without  any 
further  disturbance.  The  litter  is  slid  into 
the  ambulance  on  rollers,  (^,  figure  F  and  II. 
In  the  same  way  the  patient  is  removed 
on  arrival  at  the  hospital,  and  without  be- 
ing disturbed  until  he  reaches  his  bed. 

2.  if  part  or  all  the  patitnts  are  able  to 
sit  up,  one,  or  both  of  the  litters  can  be  slid 
into  a  compartment  provided  for  that  pur- 
pose under  the  floor  of  the  ambulance,  as 
seen  at  figure  H  n,  showing  the  iriterior 
with  steel  rollers  in  the  floor  of  the  com- 
partment on  which  the  litters  slide.  There 
are  six.  permanent  seats,  each  situated  trans- 
versely, and  each  a  corner  seat  with  back 
and  cushioned  sides.  This  gives  a  comfort- 
able purchase,  secures  the  patients  against 
much  of  the  usual  jolting,  and  prevents 

^them  being  driven  against  each  other  in 
going  over  rough  roads.  The  seats 
ai  a  let  into  the  frame  of  the  platform  as 
Baen  at  D  h,  F  8  j  the  rollers  being  fixed 
about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  above  them, 
BO  that  the  bed  sliding  on  them  do 
not  chafe  the  cushions.     The  sides  of  the 


*  The  Btatemeat  lo  last  BaLLETiB  that  membeifs  of.Com- 
misuiou  cuuHirucied  the  ambuiaace  in  aa  urror.    Dr.  Huw- 

ixii  14  IM  laMiOIMt. 


ambulance,  as  also  both  sides  of  the  back  of 
the  driver's  seat,  and  the  inside  of  the  up- 
per section  of  the  tail-board,  are  cush- 
ioned, while  the  middle  seats  have  for  a 
back  a  wide  leather  strap,  like  that  used 
in  stage-coaches ;  thus  each  seat  is  rendered 
very  comfortable,  and  being  transverse  in- 
stead of  longitudinal,  is  in  every  respect 
easier  for  the  patient. 

3.  In  order  to  diminish  the  motion  oOMb 
body  of  the  ambulance,  and  prevent  rolling 
and  pitching  so  intolerable  in  the  ordinary 
ambulance,  semi-elliptical  springs  have  been 
substituted  for  the  elliptical  ones.  These 
keep  the  body  of  the  ambulance  steady,  and 
are  very  strong,  while  'they  have  a  limited 
elasticity. 

4.  In  m-der  that  the  limited  motion  thus 
ohlain.ed  be  so  modified  as  to  give  least  Jar 
to  patients,  internal  counterpoise' springs  are 
used,  the  delicacy  of  which  may  be  modi- 
fied to  any  extent  desired. 

The  platform  or  frame  on  which  the  seats 
and  beds  rest,  of  which-  an  internal  view 
'of  one  side  is  seen  at  D,  and  an  external  one 
at  E,  is  as  long  but  not  so  wide  by  about  two* 
inches,  as  the  inside  of  the  body  of  the 
ambulance. 

Between  the  inside  of  the  body  and  the 
frame  of  the  platform,  is  an  interspace, 
F  2}p,  this  is  occupied  by  two  lateral 
semi-elliptical  steel  springs  on  either  side, 
fastened  at  the  center  of  their  arc  to  the 
inside  of  the  body  of  the  ambulance,  as  at 
F  10,  the  feet  of  which  play  upon  iron 
plates  on  the  outside  of  the  frame  E  a.  Op- 
posite the  center  of  the  arc  on  the  frame  is 
fixed  a  block  of  soft  rubber  so  that  on  the 
application  of  much  force,  it  should  be  re-_ 
ceived  by  the  rubber  blocks  which  thus  act 
as  bufier. 

The  platform  or  frame  on  which  the  seats 
and  beds  rest, .  stands  upon  four  iion 
stanchions,  each  of  which  rests  on  springs 
like  the  lateral  springs  described  above,  but 
much  stronger,  as  seen  at  D.  Figure 
D  c,  represents  the  iron  stanohiBns  resting 
on  steel  springs,  the  feet  of  which  play  upon 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


995 


iron  plates  let  into  the  floor  of  the  ambu- 
lance at  c.  The  spring  is  restrained  in  its 
motion  upwards  by  an  iron  staple,  and  when 
by  an  unusual  weighty  it  is  pressed  down 
heavily,  the  force  is  received  by  a  block  of 
soft  india-rubber  enclosed  within  the  staple. 
An  impulse  communicated  to  the  floor  of 
.  the  ambulance,  instead  of  being  propagated 
to  the  beds  or  seats,  causes  a  counteraction 
downwards  of  the  spring  at  d,  which,  if  the 
force  be  very  great,  spends  itself  upon  the 
block  of  rubber,  d.  In  this  way,  both 
laterally  and  perpendicularly,  a  constant 
poise  is  preserved,  and  what  would  other- 
wise be  a  very  violent  jar  is  reduced  to  lit- 
tle more  than  a  vibration.  The  steadiness 
of  the  entire  vehicle  is  preserved  by  the 
stout  semi-elliptical  spring  beneath  the 
body,  and  the  delicacy  regulated  to  any  de- 
gree by  the  internal  counterpoise  springs 
within  the  body. 

5.  That  the  water  may  he  carried  securely^ 
immobility  of  the  vessel  containing  it  during 
transportation  is  necessary.  This  is  effected 
by  substituting  for  the  casks  in  ordinary- 
use,  a  tank,  G-,  which  slides  into  a  groved 
bed,  and  is  secured  by  an  ordinary  fasten- 
ing. The  tank  is  made  of  wood,  lined  with 
zinc  and  bound  with  metal  bands.  It  is 
readily  accessible,  the  spigot  protruding 
through  the  tail-board  as  in  figure  N  and 
R  2,  and  is  fully  protected  during  loading 
and  unloading  by  the  upper  section  of  the 
tail-board,  which  falls  down  over  it.  ' 

6.  In  a  military  point  of  view,  it  pos- 
sesses a  great  advantage  in  this,  that  beside 
the  prescribed  articles  which  may  be  car- 
ried in  the  driver's  box,  a  large  amount  of 
medical  supplies  may  be  carried  in  the  body 
of  the  ambulance,  without  interfering  with 
•the  comfort  of  badly  wounded  patients. 

There  being  but  four  stanchions,  and 
these  being  close  up  to  the  side  of  the  am- 
bulance, the  entire  body  beneath  the  plat- 
form is  free  for  transportation  of  supplies. 
It  is  during  the  first  few  da^s  after  great 
-battles,  an^  on  almost  every  occasion  after 
cavalry  engagements,  that  from  the  neces-^ 


sary  absence  of  tlie  supply  wagons,  the 
wounded  are  most  likely  to  s.ufier.  By 
packing  hospital  and  other  supplies^  and 
thus  occupying  the  available  space  in  a  cer- 
tain number  of  these  ambulances  in  each 
division  and  train,  the  proper  care  of  the 
sick  and  wounded  would  not  be  impeded  by 
the  absence  of  the  trains,  everything  neces- 
sary being  always  on  hand  sufficient  to  last 
for  several  days  of  active  operations. 

7.  Although  at  first  sight  this  ambulance 
might  appear  somewhat  complicated,  there 
is  nothing  about  it  which  is  liable  to  get  out 
of  repair.  No  spiral  spring  or  anything  of 
a  fragile  nature  is  introduced.  One  of  the 
best  guarrantees  of  this  may  be  the  fact 
that  in  the  construction  of  the  first  ambu- 
lance of  this  kind,  and  the  one  which  was 
most  fully  tested,  nothing  except  the  blocks 
of  rubber  \f as  used  which  was  not  found  in 
old  ambulances  or  otherwise  on  hand  at  the 
repair  shops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
in  the  field. 

8.  The  various  parts  are  so  simple  that 
any  one  of  them  being  broken  could  be  at 
once  repaired  in  any  ambulance  camp  or 
battery  in  the  fieldi  The  internal  springs 
which  are  more  subject  than  any  other  part 
perhaps,  to  accident,  consists  simply  of  sin- 
gle leaves  of  the  ordinary  ambulance  spring, 
and  could  be  introduced  or  exchanged  in  a 
few  minutes.  Like  the  common  ambulance, 
it  is  drawn  by  two  horses. 

There  is  an  arrangement  for  suspension 
of  fractures  of  the  lower  extremity,  which 
is  very  grateful  to  the  patients.  Two  pa- 
rallel iron  bars  are  attached  to  the  roof  of 
the  ambulance  longitudinally  overreach  bed, 
between  which  runs  a  roller  with  a  depen- 
dent hook.  The  fractured  limb  being  placed 
in  a  double  inclined  plane,  or  other  splint, 
a  bandage  is  passed  through  terrestra  of  the 
box  splint,  and  then  carried  over  the  hook 
from  which  the  limb  is  suspended. 

In  this  way,  instead  of  the  jelting  and 
jarring  so  commonly  experienced,  simple 
oscillation  is  substituted,  or  if  desired,  guya 
of  bandage  may  be  so  extended  to  the  up- 


996 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


rights  of  the  ambulance  as  to  render  the 
limb  nearly  motionless  during  transporta- 
tion. 

An  iron  looped  rack  and  clasp  K  and  L, 
are  also  fixed  to  each  side  of  the  ambulance 
in  which  stretchers  of  any  size  may  be 
firmly  carried  without  motion  or  loss  during 
transportation.       , 

AV'c  arc  indebted,  to  Dr.  Howard  for  the 
description  of  the  plates,  and  have  given  it 
in  his  own  language. 

Ambulance  Train. — There  is  a  regimen- 
tal anibuluQCC  train,  a  brigade,  and  corps 
train,  with  a  chief  over  each.  The  rank  of 
chief  for  corps  is  that  of  captain,  for  each  of 
the  others  of  first  and  second  lieutenant  re- 
spectively. They  are  all  under  charge  of 
Medical  Director. 

Six  stretcher  bearers  go  with  each  regi- 
ment of  not  less  than  five  hundred  men, 
and  two  men  with  each  ambulance. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  stretcher  bearers  to 
take  the  wounded  from  the  field,  and  carry 
them  to  the  ambulances,  by  which  they  are 
taken  to  the  field  hospitals,  and  as  these  be- 
come filled,  to  remove  those  patients  who 
may  be  able  to  bear  transportation  to  base 
or  post  hospitals,  which  are  usually  several 
-miles  distant. 


DEFINIIIOirS. 

People  are  often  puzzled  about  the  mean- 
ing of  certain  military  terms,  an  understand- 
ing of  which  would  afibrd  them  an  intelligent 
appreciation  of  our  military  operations,  and 
to  meet  this  defect,  we  propose  to  give 
in  the  Bulletin  a  series  of  explana- 
tions of  a  few  technical  terms  used  in  the 
aimy,  which  we  gather  chiefly  from  the 
Military  Dictionary  of  Col.  H.  L.  Scott, 
Inspector  General,  United  States  Army. 

Abatis.— (French,)  are  rows  of  felled  trees, 
deprived  of  their  smaller  branches,  the  re- 
mainder being  sharpened  to  a  point,  and  em- 
ployed for  blocking  up  roads,  defending 
houses,  or  isolated  posts,  as  well  as  more  for- 
midablo  intrencbmeuts  or  fortifications. 
When  a  road  passes  through  a  forest,  the 


trees  may  be  cut  down  on  either  side,  and  al- 
lowed to  fall  across  it,  so  that  their  disen- 
gagement is  rendered  very  difficult,  and  the 
road  rendered  impassable,  as  is  seen  in 

Fig-  1- 


In  fig.  2,  which  represents  an  intrench- 
ment,  they  are  usually  fixed  in  an  upright 
position  at  the  Outer  boundary  of  the 
ditch,  (countersarp),  so  that  they  are  oon- 
sealed  from  an  advancing  enemy. 

They  are  also  placed  at  the  foot  of  the 
slope,  (glacis)  in  front  of  the  works,  the 
plane  of  which  is  broken  so  as  to  conceal 
the  abatis  from  the  view  of  the  enemy,  and 
to  guard  against  obstructing  the  fire  from 
the  parapet,  where  the  figure  of  a  man  stands 
with  his  musket. 


Fig..  2. 


Alarm  Post. — Is  the  place  appointed  for 
every  regiment  or  detachment  to  assemble 
in  case  of  sudden  alarm. 

.Approaches  are  the  first,  second  and 
third  parallels,  trenches,  saps,  mines,  &c.,  by 
which  the  besiegers  approach  a  fortified 
place. 

Apron. — A  piece  of  sheet  lead,  used  to 
cover  the  vent  of  a  cannon. 

Arm. — Infantry,  artillery  and  cavalry  are 
arms  of  the  service. 

Armorer. — The  person  who  makes,  cleans 
or  repairs  arms. 

,  Artillery. — The  word  is  more  ancient 
than  the  use  of  gunpowder,  and  was  applied 
to  machines  of  war  in  very  early  times. 
"  And  Jonathan  gave  his  artillery  unto 
his  lads,  and  said  unto  him,  go  carry  them 
to  the  city."  Javelins,  spears,  and  arrows 
were  the  artillery  of  those  days. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


997 


ATTXItlABY  BELIEF  COBFS. 
IT  ORIGINATED 

in  the  need  of  "  personal  service"  by 
eaTnest  men  among  sick  and  wounded  sol- 
diers. Up  to  the  date  of  its  organization, 
May  1,  1864,  the  Sanitary  Commission  had 
confined  its  work  in  the  field  mainly  to  the 
distribution  of  supplies  upon  the  requisition 
of  surgeons.  In  some,  instances,  it  had  es- 
tablished temporary  feeding  stations  after 
battles,  but  had  never  attempted  organized 
systematic  personal  work  in  hospitals  or 
among  wounded  on  the  field.' 

This  the  Auxiliary  Relief  ,Corps  was  de- 
signed to  do,  and  has  done. 

WHEN? 

Arriving  at  Belle  Irlain,  with  forty  men, 
in  season  to  meet  the  first  wounded  from 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  leaving  a  de- 
tachment there,  the  balance  pushed  on  to' 
Fredericksburg,  where  twenty  thousand 
wounded  arrived  in  twenty  days.  The 
Corps  was  increased  largely  by  volunteers, 
and  consisted,  at  times,  of  one  hundred  to 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men;  devoted,  earnest, 
self-sacrificing,  saving,  as  we  believe,  many 
lives,  and  hfelping  to  restore  order  in  that 
bloody  chaos.  Going  on  to  Port '  Royal, 
White  House  and  City  Point,  at  all  of 
whicii  places,  with  four  hundred  difi^rent 
agents,  at  least  seventy-five  thousand  pa- 
tieni^  have_  been  served,  between  May  1, 
1864,  and  January  1,  1865.  The  agents 
have  represented  all  shades  of  religious 
opinion,  and  have  been  drawn  from  the 
various  walks  and  occupations  of  life,  and 
have  consisted  of  Rev.  Doctors,  Professors, 
Surgeons,  Divinity,  Medical  and  Law  Stu- 
dents, Merchants,  Clerks,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Corps  now  numbers  thirty-five  men, 
stationed  in  the  2d,  5th,  6th,  9th,  2.5th, 
Cavalry,  and  Post  Hospitals,  and  Feeding 
Stations,  a;t  City  Point  and  Point  of  Rocks. 

WHY? 

1.  To  ensure  faithful,  prompt  and  discreet 
distribution  of  supplies  hi/  tlie  right  men  to 
the  right  men. 

2.  It  makes  the  soldier  feel  he  has  a 
friend  by  his  side,  to  hear  his  requests, 
grant  them  if  in  his  power,  bo  at  once 
nurse,  adviser,  friend  and  brother. 

3.  Because  we  claim  that,  in  this  war, 
every  soldier  is  our  brother — more  akin  to 
us,  for  the  time,  tl^n  the  son  of  our  own 
mother.  The  one  is  ours  by  accident  of 
birth ;  the  other  has  earned  his  relationship) 


by  his  noble  service.  Ho  has  fought  for 
us,  perilled  for  us  limb  and  life,  that  we 
and  ours  may  enjoy,  in  peace,  both  life  and 
limb;  that  our  Union  may  be  unbroken — 
pur  nation  intact. 

4.  Because  we  believe  that  such  soldier 
brother  is  entitled  from  the  people,  the  go- 
vernment and  from  us,  to, all  of  home  com- 
forts. We,  as  the  representatives  of  the 
people,  are  called  upon  to  strive  for  this. 
We  shall  fail  to  arrive  at  this  high  standard, 
it  is  incompatible  with  field  service,  but  we 
have  always  this  "  high  mark,"  to  work  up 
to,  and  ought  never  to  be  content  while  we 
fall  below  it. 

5.  Every  one  of  tJiese  men  should  bo 
presumed  to  be  patriots.  True,  some  have 
enlisted  for  bounties,  some  are  ignorant  and 
vile,  but  we  must  not  inquire  into  the  moral 
status  of  each  man.  We  cannot  stop  for 
that.  It  would  not  be  safe  if  we  co\ild. 
"Judge  not,"  &c.  'Tis  enough  that  we 
know  here  is  a  suffering  man,  whether  white 
or  black,  in  blue,  grey  or  butternut,  he 
needs  our  help. 

6.  Shall  we  do  less  for  him  than  for  the 
sick  or  wounded  stranger  found  by  the  road- 
side at  home  ? — ^fallen  there  perhaps,  by  his 
own  imprudence,  degraded,  brutal  even,  bull 
still  a  man.  Do  we  not  open  our  doors, 
public  or  private,  and  give  him  bed,  fire, 
clothing,  food,  and  personal  comforts,  and 
personal  attention  ?  Shall  we  do  less  for 
him  who  has  fallen  in  the  field  in  the 
noblest  service? 

Our  premises  granted,  the  cla,jm  allowed, 
the  work  has  been  done— 

HOW? 

What^  is  the  process  ? — As  at  present  or- 
ganized, this  auxiliary  work  is  confined 
generally  to  the  Base  or  "  Depot  Field  Hos- 
pitalSj"  as  they  are  called. 

Arriving  at  City  Point,,  for  instance,  with 
the  army,  as  soon  as  hospitals  are  located, 
a  relief  station  is  established  in  each 
corps  hospital,  with  five  to  ten  agents, 
under  charge  of  one  of  them  as  caj  tain. 
They  occupy,  say  three  hospital  tents,  one 
each  for  store-room,  sleeping-room  and 
clothing..  In  addition  to  {hese  are  reading 
and  writing- rooms  for  soldiers  when  oppor- 
tunity offers. 

To  these  stations  supplies  are  brought 
daily  from  the  Sanitary  Cummission  Supply 
Dop  )t  or  Barge,  upon  the  requisition  of  the 
captain,  who  makes  dralt  for  supplies,  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  patients'and  their 


998 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


peculiar  necessities.  These  requisitions  are 
revised  by  the  Superintendent  of  the  agents 
who  has  a  general  supervision  of  the  vrhole 
corps,  assigning  men  to  duty,  transferring  or 
relieving  them,  and  conducting  the  corre- 
spondence with  the  other  departments.  A 
certain  number  of  tents  or  wards  are  as- 
signed to  each  agent,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
visit  them  several  times  each  day,  according 
to  the  patient's  needs,  and  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  inmates,  nurses,  ward-masters 
and  surgeons.  These  relations  established, 
he  ascertains  the  wants  of  each  patient,  and 
distributee  to  them  personaUy  the  stores  of 
the  Commission,  always,  of  course,  subject 
to  the  direction  of  the  surgeon ;  as  no  man 
or  organization  ought,  in  a  hospital,  to  be 
independent  of  the  medical  authorities. 
Non-attention  to  this  has  caused  much  mis- 
chief, and  created  much  of  the  prejudice 
heretofore  existing  towards  civilians  in  the 
aimy  hospitals.    ' 

The  list  appended  to4his,  of  articles  dis- 
tributed in  November,  by  the  corps  will 
show  the  class  of  needs  which  are  met. 

It  can  be  readily  seen  that  such  relations 
can  be  established  between  agent  and  pa- 
tient, by  his  daily  visits,  at  the  bedside,  as 
will  enable  him  to  learn  precisely  what  is 
wanted,  and  how  best  to  meet  that  want. 

This  list  ot  course,  does  not  include  the 
distributin  of  supplies  to  the  division  and 
regimental  hospitals  at  the  front,  or  to  the 
men  in  the  trenches. 

It  should  also  be  noted  that  the  issues  in 
November  were  smaller  than  during  any 
previous  month,  since  the  campaign  com- 
menced. During  the  summer  months  they 
were  at  least  double  that  amount. 

PERSONAL  AND  VOLUNTARY  SERVICE, 

The  personal  service  in  addition  to  the 
distribution  of  supplies,  consists  of  reading 
to,  writing  for,  and  conversing  with  the 
the  patient,  giving  a  cheerful  air  to  the 
tent,  relieving  him  of  the  tedium  of  sick- 
ness, and  by  many  little  attentions,  giving 
him  a  taste  of  home  comforts,  by  the  bro- 
thers sympathy  manifested. 

This  service  is  more  acceptable  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  voluntary ;  for  although  the 
soldier  nurse  may  be  kind  and.  attentive, 
the  patient  knows  that  he  is  assigned  to 
that  duty,  that  it  is  compulsory,  while 
the  corps  agent  is  presumed  to  be  there 
from  no  other  motive  than  to  relieve  the 
suflfering  body  and  raise  the  drooping  spirits. 
This  distinction  is  fruitful  of  profitable  re- 


flections, valuable  at  home  and  in  society, 
as  well  as  in  the  army  find  in  the  hospital. 
In  additien  to  these  duties,  are  the 
answers  to  be  made  to  daily  inquiries  from 
the  homes  of  the  patients  as  to  their  condi. 
tion,  their  last  hours  and  burial  places, 
arranging  for  embalming  and  forwarding 
bodies  and  their  effects,  and  innumerable 
"  little  duties,"  apparently  trifling  in  them- 
selves, but  productive  of 'much  comfort  and 
consolation  to  patient  and  relations. 

•EMERGENCIES. 

Besides  this  regular  hospital  seryice,  the 
agents  are  called  upon  to  feed  wounded 
in  trains,  as  they  are  brought  in  from  the 
field,  and  to  go  at  a  moment's  warning  to  a 
temporary  field  hospital,  after  battles,  to 
supply  immediate  needs.  A  permanent 
Feeding  station  is  maintained  near  the  Hos- 
pital landing  at  City  Point,  to  supply  occa^ 
sional  needs  of  patients  passing  to  the 
transports,  and  to  be  prepared  for  emergen- 
cies likely  to  arise  in  case  of  a  repetition 
of  the  scenes  of  last  summer. 

THE    SPECIAL    DIET   KITCHENS 

in  these  base  hospitals  are  furnished,  by  the 
relief  stations,  with  many  needed  arti- 
cles which  Grovernment  does  not  supply; 
for'  instance,  tomatoes,  canned  mutton  and 
beef,  canned  fruits,  dried  fruit,  lemons, 
crackers,  jellies,  chocolate,  flavorii^  ex- 
tracts, spices  and  certain  cooking  utensils, 
and  oftentimes,  when  the  Grovernment  sup- 
ply temporarily  fails,  with  milk,  apples, 
white  sugar,  tea,  pickles,  corn  starch,  farina, 
&c.,  &e. 

SHOULDERS    TO   THE    WHEEL. 

In  a  word,  the  Sanitary  Commission  be- 
lieves that  too  much  cannot  be  done  for  the 
sick  and  wounded  soldier.  It  believes  that 
the  best  personal  service  is  due  to  him,  and 
to  illustrate  that  belief,  the  Auxiliary  Relief 
Corps  is  at  work. 

The  writer  "  knows  whereof  he  doth  af- 
firm" when  he  commends  the  "  Auxiliary 
Corps,"  a  part  of  which  he  has  been.  He 
knows  it  ought  to  be  appreciated  and  sus- 
tained, and  he  knows  it  will  be,  if  ,  the 
people  appreciate  and  sustain  the  Sanitary 
Commission .  , 

No  man  properly  appreciates  his  duty 
who  does  nothing  for  his  country  in  this 
crisis.  Shoulders  were  not  made  alone  to 
bear  a  knapsack  or  a  gun.  They  must  be 
put  to  the  wheel  Every  man  should,  either 
by  big  personal  preaence.  or  'his  pocket  and 


The  Sdnitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


999 


his  prayers,  push  on  this  j^ork.  The  neg- 
lect to  do  it  will  be  a  cold  record  to  read 
years  hence.  And  let  him  remember,  that 
if  he  has  a  friend  or  a  brother  in  the  army, 
he  may  yet  need  and  receive  friendly  and 
hrotherly  care  from  the  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission. !^.  B.  F. 
Nbw  Yeak,  1865.                     ( 

A  YISITOE'S  THOUGHTS. 
What  does  the*  Sanitary  Commission  give 
to  the  soldiers?  Shirts,  drawers,  socks? 
Yes,  and  much  more.  Preserved  fruits, 
cordials  and  delicacies  ?  Tes,  but  more  than 
these. 

Let  me  tell  our  friends  of  the  North,  that 
having  just  returned  from  a  southern  tour, 
and  having  had  ample  facilities  of  judging 
as  to  which  of  your  many  gifts  was  really 
the  greatest  blessing  to  the  soldier,  I  am 
-  fully  prepared  to  say,  that  the  noblest  ser- 
vice done  by  the  Commission  for  the  army 
-is  the  bestowal  of  good  men  as  Relief 
Agents.  I  do  not  belong  to  the  Relief 
Corps  myself,  therefore  I  feel  no  delicacy 
in  speaking  my  "mipd.  Down  in  the  hospi- 
tals a  man  has  no  fictitious  value,  as  men 
often  have  in  our  social  system  in  the  North. 
Down  there,  a  man  is  seen  at  his  true  value, 
and  the  accidental  accessories  of  dress  are 
pf  no  account.  Keeping  these  facts  in  view, 
I  wish  our  northern  friends  to  know  that 
there  are  many  God-sent  men  among  our 
agents — 'men  to  whom  "  the  world  is  as 
dross" — men  who  are  spending  their  lives 
and  their  private  means  in  doing  acts  of 
mercy  to  "  the  boys." 

You  are  doubtless  in  the  habit  of  reading 
in  the  Bulletin  the  "  reports"  sent  in  by 
these  men,  but  I  assure  you  that  these  re- 
ports give  but  a  poor  idea  of  the  many 
nameless  deeds  of  mercy  done  by  our  ao;ents 
daily ;  and  they  are  not  the  men  to  blazon 
their  charities  in  print.  In  fact  they  don't 
think  they  are  doing  anything  at  all,  but 
seem  to  count  themselves  "unprofitable 
servants."  Good  Mr.  B.,  at  Point  of  Rocks, 
told  me  one  day  with  reference  to  his  work 
among  the  sufferers,  that  he  had  got  "  cal- 
lous,f'  and  yet  during  my  visit  to  that 
station  I  learned  some  things  regarding  his 
self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the  soldiers,  that 
might  well  put  to  the  blush  many  of  the 
more  fiaunting  and  showy  charities  that  are 
current  in  the  world. 

I  could  particularize  many  instances  of 
large-hearted  goodness  that  came  under  my 
notice  down  South.     But  I  must  no*»— it 


would  be  a,  desecration.  These  men  a«k  no 
j)rais6,  and  what  I  have  said  is  forced  from 
me  by  the  barest  justice.  W.  H.  H. 

%\t^  ^mu  mis  t\t  €a\mmm. 

LETTER  PROM  GENERAL  SPRAGUE. 
PoooTALiGO,  S.  C,  January  19,  1865. 
Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh, 

Inspector  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  BBanfort,  8.  C. 

Dear,  Sir: — Your  note  of  this  morning 
is  received,  and  the  generous  supply  of  sani- 
tary stores  you  so  kindly  furnished  to  this 
cotiimand.  We  are  surprised  that  you  are 
able  to  supply  us  so  bountifully.  The  good 
things  shall  be  faithfully  distributed  among 
the  troops. 

God  bless  the  Sanitary  Commission  and 
the  noble-hearted  people  who  sustain  it. 
Yours,  truly, 

J.  W.  Spraoue, 

Brigadier  General. 
LETTEll  FROM  A  CHAPLAIN. 

\  Head  Qitarters,  1st  Ooni».  Abtillert,     ) 

Broadway  Landing,  near  City  Point,  Va.    \ 

January  1,  1865,         J 

Dr.  W.  F.  Swalm, 

Agent  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point. 

My  Dear  Sir. — It  is  with  pleasure  that 
I  make  this  acknowledgment  of  the  benefit 
which  our  Regimental  Hospital  has  recieved 
from  the  stores  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
'  From  the  18th  May  to  the  5th  December, 
1861,  at  which  time  I  raide  out  these  sta- 
tistics, we  had  526  patients,  of  these  29  had 
died,  46  had  been  sent  to  the  General  Hos- 
pital and  414  had  been  returned  to  duty.. 
The  agi^regate  number  of  days  of  all  spent 
in  hospital  was,  to  that  date,  10,207,  giving 
an  average  of  19  4  days  for  each  patient. 
It  is  fair  to  estimate,  that  had.the  men  been 
sent  to  the  General  Hospitals,  they  could 
not  have  found  their  way  back  under  twice 
that  time."  The  numbers  and  efficiency  of 
tlio  Regiment  have  been  correspondingly 
promoted. 

The  stores  of  farina,  corn  starch  and 
canned  milk-  obtained  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission  have  made  up  the  deficiencies 
of  the  supplies  drawn  from  Government. 
And  the  other  liberal  supplies  of  tomatoes, 
beefstock,  crackers,  vegetables,  lemons, 
pickles,  shirts,  drawers,  socks,  not  to  speak 
of  many  minor  matters,  have,  in  my  opinion, 
greatly  conduced  to  the  comfort  and  quicker 
recovery  of  the  patients.  I  am  able  to  tes- 
tify, on  the  authority  of  the  hospital  cook, 
that  his  department  has  never  been  so  w«Il 


1000 


The  Sanitai^   Commission  Bulletin. 


supplied  with  an  abundant  variety,  as  it  has 
during  this  campaign. 

Thanking  you  Dr.  Swalm,  and  the  gentle- 
men connected  with  you  at  City  Point,  in 
the  trying  and  delicate  duties  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  for  the  unvawing  courtesy 
with  which  I  have  been  met  and  the  readi- 
ness with  which  my  requisitions  have  been 
filled,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 

'Very  faithfully  yours, 
S.  Fermor  Jarvis, 

Chaplain,  1st.  Conn,  Artillery. 


One  of  the  grand  results  of  the  present 
war  has  been  the  development  of  the  people 
in  the  direction  of  unity  and  fraternisation. 
Union,  not  based  on  a  dogma,  but  on  the 
idea  of  nationality — Pratemity,  not  found- 
ed on  a  tradition,  but  on  the  fact  of  a  com- 
mon brotherhood.  * 
.  The  element  in  community  that  distracts 
"the  people  from  the  idea  of  nationality,  is 
that  which  has  its  source  in  local  pride  and 
jealousy.  States  have  risen  against  the 
Nation  from  which  they  came  and  by  which 
they  were  sustained. 

The  element  in  social  society  that  diverts 
the  people  from  the  fact  of  a' common  bro- 
therhood, is  that  which  makes  caste  the 
judge  of  merit.  Man  has  risen  against  his 
brother  because  circumstances  have  favored 
him  with  power  and  place. 

The  strife  of  these  opposing  principles,  is 
the  strife  of  right  against  might.  The  peo- 
ple are  in  it,  to  the  full.  It  not  only  affects 
ns  in  our  political  and  social  relations,  but 
in  our  religious  interests.  Intolerance  and 
bigotry,  under  whatever  form,  and  by  what- 
ever name,  are  traitors  against  the  common 
instincts  of  the  race,  as  well  as  against  the 
•purest  developments  of  the  human  mind  : 
traitors  as  real,  as  are  the  political  leaders 
of  the  National  rebellion. 

Our  hospitals  are  crowded  with  men  of 
all  shades  of  religious  belief.  The  Calvin- 
ist  is  there;  the  Arminian  is  there;  the 
Hebrew  and  Romanist  are  there;  men  of  no 
creed  are  there;  men  of  deep  thought  and 
oonviotion,  but  with  judgments  in  religious 


questions  ifnformed,  are  there,  as  well  as  the 
thoughtless,  heedless  and  profane. 

What  is  the  duty  of  the  people  towards 
these  thousands  of  sick  and  helpless  ones  ? 
They  are  our  brothers,  afflicted  and  needing 
care;  not  physical  comfort  only,  such  as 
watching  an€  nursing  can  give,  but  such 
mental,  moral  and  christian  aid  as  the  real 
heart  and  soul  of  the  people  can  bestow, 
under  the  inspiration  of  their  highest  duty. 

Has  any  individual  a  right,  or  any  class 
or  combination  of  individuals  a  right  to  as- 
sume the  <dictatorBhip  in  the  matter  of  re- 
ligious instruction  ?  Has  the  Eomanist  a 
right  to  enforce  his  rosary  or  confession  ■ 
Has  the  Hebrew  a  right  to  insist  upon  the 
observance  of  his  peculiar  faith?  Has  the 
Arminian  a  right  to  declare  his  message  of 
free  grace,  or  the  Calvinist  to  claim  t)iat  all 
are  predestined  to  a  doom  thai  cannot  be 
averted  or  avoided?  The  common  sense 
and  democratic  sense  of  the  people  join,  in 
the  reply,  that  what  is  the  right  of  one,  is 
the  right  of  all,  and  what  is  the  right  of  all 
is  equally  the  right  of  each ;  that  in  this 
matter  of  religious  teaching,  no  class  of  peo- 
ple has  any  exclusive  privilege,  and  that  the 
Government  has  not  recognized  and  cannot 
recognize  any  form  of  faith  to  be  taught  in 
the  Army,  to  the  exclusion  of  other  forms. 

The  Jew  and  Romanist,  the  Universalist 
and  Calvinist,  the  Unitarian  and  Arminian 
are  each  equally  under  the  protection  of  the 
law,  and  each  has  the  moral  support  of  Grov- 
ernment  alike  in  the  respective  administra- 
tion of  their  religious  creeds  among  the  sol- 
diers of  our  army  and  navy. 

One  thing  the  people  seem  to  forget  in 
their  zeal — it  is  this — that,  though  the 
soldier  becomes  virtually  a  machine  phy- 
sically, acting  under  orders  all  the  time, 
drawing  his  very  food  and  clothing  by 
requisitions  from  the  Goverment — agoing  nor 
coming,  sleeping  nor  waking,  without  leave 
— that  he  is  still  a  responsible  moral  agent 
in  the  sight  of  his  Maker.  And  though 
his  movements  are  under  the  guidance  of 
law,  his  instincts,  thoughts,  aspirations  and 


The  Samtary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1001 


inspirations  belong  to  himself  and  his  Maker 
alone.  They  forget  too,  that  in  the  employ- 
ment of  tliese  inner  faculties,  he  is  an  inde- 
pendent being,  that  he  has  a  right  to  draw 
from  sources  around  him,  such  aliment  as 
he  prefers  for  the  supply  of  his  moral  appe- 
tite. The  iron  rule  of  military  Sfder  cannot 
check  asingle  aspiration  of  his  unseen  nature, 
but  in  spite  of  all  else  beside,  he  will  be  a 
morally  responsible  being. 

.  In  dealing  with  him,  we  must  ever  bear 
this  in  mind,  remembering  that  he  is  Ijke 
ourselves,  and  that  we  are  like  him  in  this 
attribute  of  moral  responsibility. 

This  great  principle  is  fully  recognized  by 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  While  its 
work  is  eminently,  and  essentially  a  Chris- 
tian work,  and  thj  prevailing  sentiment  of 
its  members,  as  well  as  the  ruling  influence 
of  its  deliberations  is, what  is  technieally 
called  orthodox  or  evangelical,  there  un- 
derlies it  all,  the  great,  broad,  catholic  idea 
of  the  brotherhood  and  equality  of  the  race ; 
while  there  rests  over  and  above  and  around 
it,  the  bright  cloud  of  mercy  from  on  High, 
so  that  no  state  lines  shall  limit  its  action,  or 
no  denominational  caste  chill  its  benevo- 
lence. .  : 

It  antagonizes  no  smaller  or  rival  associa- 
tions, but  rather  rejoices  to  witness  the  idea 
of  unity  and  fraternity  leavening  to  some  ex- 
tent all  of  them.  Separate  state  agencies  have 
nearly  run  their  day,  because  this  is  a  war  for 
the  union  of  states,  and  the  war  is  fulfilling 
its  mission.  Other  associations  having  also 
a  narrower  platform  originally,  find  them- 
selves, either  dwindling  into  dwarfage,  or 
under  the  elevating  inspiration  of  the  tiihes,^ 
and  of  the  spirit  of  the  times,  creating 
broader  foundations,  that^re  more  enduring 
than  traditional  dogmas. 


A  GENEBOTTS  GIFT. 
A  most  pleasing  donation  was  received 
by  the  New  England  Women's  Auxiliary 
Association  last  week,  from  the  boys  in  the 
Massachusetts  School  Ship.  These  boys 
who  are  inmates  of  a  reform  institution,  had 
saved  some  spars  which  were  drifting  off  in* 


-  a  storm ;  and  the  owners  of  the  spars  had  pre- 
sented them  with  fifteen  dollars  as  salvage. 
This  sum  the  boys,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  pre- 
sented to  the  Association.  Considering  the 
limited  means  of  the  givers,  this  is  one  of 
the  most  generous  gifts  which  the  Commis- 
sion has  recently  received,  and  it  is  valuable 
as  showing  how  universal  is  the  sympathy 
felt  for  our  good  cause. 

Jahuaei  24, 1865.  ^ 

NECESSITY  FOE  THE  CONTHnJANCE  OF  THE 
U.  S.  SANITAKT  COMMISSIOK. 

Extracts  from  Report  of  L.  V.  Beebi^  con- 
cerning provision  for  sick  U.  S.  Soldiers, 
exchanged  prisoners,  while  in  transit  from 
Charleston,  S.  C,  to  Annapolis,  Md.,  on  ^ 
Steam  Transport,  Noi^hern  Light,  De- 
cember, 1864. 

The  next  morning  after  we  were  placed 
on  different  vessels  at  Fortress  Monroe,  I 
learned  that  Col.  Mulford  had  been  in- 
structed by  Gen.*  Butler  not  to  receive  any 
agents  of  either  Commission.  Of  course  as  . 
we  were  already  in  the  fleet  with  our  sup- 
plies and  ourselves,  the  order  came  too  late, 
and  we  were  allowed  to  accompany  the  ex- 
pedition. But  suppose  we  had  not  been 
allowed  to  go?  How  would  have  fared 
those  poor,  starved,  sick  men,  who  are  firstly 
entitled,  not  only  to  sympathy,  but  to  every 
attention  the  (lovernment  can  bestow  upon 
them.  For  tKe  Steamship  "Northern 
Light"  nothing  but  the  army  ration  was  pro- 
vided, except  fifty  pounds  of  split  peas, 
fifty  pounds  of  rice,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
corn  starch  and  farina.  (This  was  the  Hos- 
pital Boat.) 

The  army  ration,  hard  tack,  bacon,  ham 
and  coffee  for  sick  men !  For  men,  most 
of  whom  could  not  masticate  such  food,  and 
none  of  whom  had  stomachs  fit  to  receive  it. 
To  give  it  to  them,  though  they  craved  it, 
would  have  been  poison  to  nine-tenths.  In- 
deed I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  I 
believe  m^n  did  die  on  that  ship  because 
they  did  have  small  bits  of  meat.  As  for 
the  lother  few  articles  enumerated  above, 
how  far  would  such  a  limited  quantity  go 
among  so  many  men,  particularly,  when  we 
had  from  two  hundred  to  six  hundred  on 
board,  from  the  seventh  to  the  seventeenth, 
ten  days. 

Nothing  but  army  rations  were'  provided 
for  the  officers,  (many  of  them  right  from 
the  hospitals),  and  they  would  have  had  no- 
thing else,  if  I  had  not  supplied  their  table 
with    tomatoes,   pickles,   onions  and    soft 


1002 


The  Sanitary  Commission  ■  Bulletin. 


crackers.  I  had  also  supplied  them  with 
some  articles  of  clothing,  handkerchiefs, 
towels,  &e.  The  beans,  only  half  a  barrel, 
saved  from  the  rations  provided  for  the 
Kebels,  were  all  we  had.  ■•  I  asked  Dr.  Fry, 
Surgeon  in  Charge  on  the  "New  York,"  for 
more,  but  could  not  get  them,  and  before  we 
arrived  at  Annapolis  we  were  dependent  bn 
the  ship  for  lanterns,-  as  1  had  asked  for 
candles,  but  could  not  get  them. 

Of  the  provisions  supplied  by  govern- 
ment, nothing  could  be  used  except  the 
coffee,  the  rice  and  the  peas  (fifty  pounds 
only*of  each)  and  the  small  quantity  of  corn 
starch,  all  not  being  enough  to  supply  these 
men  two  days.  Hard  tack  could  only  be 
used  in  soup.  Of  all  provided,  there  was 
nothing  which  could  be  used,  of  which  there 
was  enough,  except  the  coffee.  But  sup- 
pose there  were  sufficient  quantities  of  the 
other  articles,  are  these  the  only  require- 
ments in  addition  to  medical  stores,  for  a 
hospital  boat?  The  Sanitary  Commission 
was  a  Godsend  to  these  men,  and  but  for  it, 
the  mortality  whiph  was  fearful,  would  have 
been  terrible.  They  lived  on  the  Commis- 
sion, and  without,  many  could  not  have  sur- 
.vived. 

Col.  Mulford  and  Dr.  Fry  invariably 
treated  me  civilly,  even  cordially,  and  I  am 
indebted  to  them  for  the  kindness  to  the 
Commission,  through  me. 

But  there  are  many  things  about  the  fit- 
ting out  of  the  expedition  and  the  manner 
of  loading  ships  for  the  return,  that  seem  to 
me  quite  wrong.  The  expedition  was  not 
properly  provided. with  supplies,  -i/  it  was 
not  expected,  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
would  accompany  it.     *     *     * 

Extracts  from  Report  of  Dr.  George  A. 
Blake,  concerning  assistance  to  ex- 
changed prisoners  of  war,  U.  S.  Sol- 
diers, en  route  from  Galveston,  Texas  to 
New  Orleans,  Dec,  1864. 

In  my  letter  of  the  16th  in&t.  I  promised  a 
longer  letter  by  the  mail  and  a  history  of 
my  trip  to  Galveston,  When  our  Agent  of 
Exchange  effected  an  exchange  at  the  mouth 
of  Red  B/iver,  an  account  of  which  you  have 
had  from  Mr.  Stearns,  an  exchange  was 
agreed  upon,  by  which  all  the  prisffners  con- 
fined in*  Camp  Grace,  Texas,  were  to  be  de- 
livered in  Galveston  Bay,  Dec.  10;  at  that 
time  the  number  was  little  over  five  hundred. 
Camp  Grace  is  two  miles  from  the  village  of 
Hampgtsad,  near  Houstoi.  Many  of  the  pris- 


oners confined  there  were'  sent  from  Camp 
Ford  at  Tyler,  for  more  secure  keeping,  as 
many  had  endeavored  to  escape  from  Tyler 
and  were  re-captured.  Camp  Grace  is  sit- 
uated in  a  very  unhealthy  location  and  many 
of  our  men  died,  so  that  we  received  onfy 
342.  We  left  here  on  Steamer  "Clinton" 
on  the.eva(|ing  6f  Dec.  8,  and  arrived  at  the^ 
blockading  fleet  off  Galveston,  Commodore 
Emmons,  commanding,  on  the  10th,  at  1 
o'clock,  p.  M.  _  *     *     * 

Our  prisoners  were  in  a  pitiable'condition, 
many  had  no  shirts,  no  drawers  and  b>  re 
feet,  none  had  a  decent  blanket,  and  their 
general-  appearance  indicated  a  great  scar- 
city of  soap  and  water  in  the  Confedera- 
cy, as  well  as  facilities  for  clothing  ade- 
quate to  the  changing  temperature.  The 
men  were  all  pinched  up  with  the  cold,  and 
were  an  exhibition  of  extreme  poverty.  To 
the  bare-footed,  I  gave  socks  and  slippers, 
to  the  shiftless,  wool  shirts,  and  tobacco  and 
milk  punch  to  all.  At  night  it  was  cold, 
the  men  were  stowed  between  decks,  a  place 
arranged  for  transportation  of  horses,  and  a 
large  demand  was  made  for  blankets. 

Before  leaving  tlie  city,  I  learned  that  no- 
thing had  been  provided  for  the  men  except 
army  rations  and  transportation  By  re- 
quest of  Agent  of  Exchange  for  this  De- 
partment, I  took  with  me  350  blankets  which 
I  was  able  to  distribute  to  the  men,  giving 
each  a  blanket.  Here  was  a  place  and  a 
time,  when  and  where  the  comforts  of  the 
Commission  were  specially  required  and  ap- 
preciated. Suppose  I  had  had  no  blankets 
— no  shirts-*— no  socks  ?  they  certainly  could 
not  be  made  aboard  ship  in  mid  ocean,  they 
could  not  be  had  at  any  price.  ■  I  can  assure 
you  it  gave  me  no  little  pleasure  to  distri- 
bute blankets  on  that  cold,  inclement  night. 
If  the  patrons  of  the  Commission  could  have 
seen  how  much  comfort  was  afforded  those 

.  suffering  heroes  that  night,  two  mites  would 
be  contributed  where  one  was  given  before. 
One  mafi  died  on  the  trip  and  was  buried  at 
sea  with  military  honors.  No  chaplain  being 
present,  by  request  of  Col.  Dwight,  our 
Commissioner  of  Exchange,  'I  read  the  bu- 
rial service.  Many  others  had  not  lived  to 
reach  their  ho  mes,  were  it  not  for  the  timely 
gifts  of  the  Commission.     After  our  arrival 

'  in  the  city,  the  men  were  quartered  in  Camp 
of  Distribution,  where  I  served  to  them 
fresh  vegetables,  and  provided  each  man 

■  with  a  plate,  a  tin  cup,  knife  and>fork,  and 
a  spoon,  not  furnished  by  the  Quartermas- 
ter.    *     *     * 


The  Sdn^qry  Commission  Bulletin. 


1068 


LETTEB  FEOM  HEW  OELEAIfS. 

New  Oelbans,  January  10,  1865. 
Ma.  Robert  T.  Thorne, 

Ass't  Sec.,  n.  8.  Saiiit!ri7  Commissioii,  LonisTllle, 

Dear  Sir  : — ^Sinoe  my  letter  to  you  of 
the  28th  ult.,  the  sanitary  stores  consigned 
to  me  for  benefit  of  Union  Prisoners  of 
War  at  Cahawba,  have  all  come  fo  band,  ex- 
cepting two  boxes  of  tea ;  the  same  omission 
was  noted  on  invoice  I  received  from  Mr, 
Shipman  at  Cairo. 

I  had  opportunity  through  the  courtesy 
of  Col.  Dwight,  our  Agent  of  Exchange,  to 
accompany  those  stores  to  Mobile  Bay,  where 
I  met  Major  Correll,  referred  to  in  the  cor- 
respondence you-forwarded  to  me.  He  was 
very  willing  to  receive  the  stores,  but  had 
no  transportation  for  themi  to  the  city.  The 
steamer  I  was,  on  ("St.  Mary")  received 
.603  rebel  prisoners  at  Ship  Island,  being 
the  remnant  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Gaines, 
captured  August  8,  1864,  to  be  delivered  to 
rebel  authorities  in  exchange  for  those  we 
received  from  Camp  Grace,  Texas,  via  Gal- 
veston, a  few  weeks  previous.  Judging 
from  appearances,  the  rebel  quartermas- 
ter's department  must  be  at  low  ebb,  as  the 
prisoners  were  received  in  two  flat-boats  and 
eleven  yawls,  towed  by  a  small  steamer,  ap- 
,  patently  built  to  run  in  a  heavy  dew.  Ma^ 
jor, Correll  was  very  gentlemanly  and  was 
perfectly  willing  to  receive  the  stores  and  for- 
ward them  to  Cahawba.  To  receive  the 
stores  at  that  time  was  ontirely  impractica- 
ble; if  our  steamer  woulH  wait  until  next 
day,  he  would  cpme  out  and  receive  them; 
that  was'impossible,  as  the  steamer  could  not 
be  delayed,  and  we  turned  homeward.  I 
intended  to  leave  the  stores  at  Fort  Morgan, 
in  charge  of  Lieut.  Col.  Clarke,  6th  Mich. 
Art.,  but  the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale, 
which  prevented  our  landing  at  that  point. 
The  store.5  are  now  safely  deposited  in  my 
store-room.  Negotiations  arc  in  progress, 
wheyeby  both  parties,  Union  and  Rebel  may 
amply  provide  for  the  wants  of  all  prisoners. 
Two  weeks  since  1200  suits  of  clothing 
were  sent  to  Cahawba.  Ala.,  per  arrange- 
ment negotiated-  by  Gen.  Washburne  and 
Capt.  Henderson,  0.  8.  A.,  at  Memphis  in 
November,  last.  A  portion  of  the  contract 
made  by  these  two  parties  was  annulled  by 
the  officer  in  cpmmand  at  Mobile,  and  the 
Union  officer  who  was  to  go  to  Cahawba, 
Ala.,  hj  the  terms  of  the  contract,  with 
Capt.  Henderson,  was  stopped,  and  not  al- 
lowed to  proceed  beyond  the  obstructions  ip 
the  Bay.     Our  officers  in  the  Navy  say  the 


boxes  of  clothing  forwarded  from  this  de- 
partment, were  allowed  to  remain  oh  the 
wharf  unguarded  and  unprotected  from  the 
rain,  for  eight  days,  before  they  were  sent 
forward  to  their  destination. 

I  regret  exceedingly  the  failure  of  my  at- 
tempt to  forward  the  stores  consigned  to  me. 
I  am  assured,  however,  by  Col.  Dwight,  our 
Agent  of  Exchange,  that  every  possible  fa- 
cility will  be  affi)rded  to  forward  these  stores 
hereafter. 

The  two  half  chests  tea  were  missing.  I 
contributed  one  half  chest  from  my  own 
stores.  I  shall  avail  myself  of  every  oppor- 
tunity to  forward  the  stores,  that  they  may 
reach  our  men  in  captivity  at  Cahawba,  un- 
less otherwise  ordered  by  vou.  I  hope  Dr. 
Newberry  will  be  able  to  send  me  another 
lot  of  vegetables,  as  my  store-room  is  empty, 
and  the  demand  constant.  About  fifteen 
thousand  troops  arrived  from  Memphis  last 
week,  they  rendezvous  at  Kennerd,  about 
fifteen  miles  distant,  on  the  Jackson  Rail- 
roiid;  Gen.  Steele  in  command;  their  des- 
tination is  problematical. 

Regretting  I  can  give  no  better  account  of 
my  stewardship, 

I  am,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

George  A.  Blake. 


LETTEB^  FBOM  SAVANNAH. 

Hospital,  15th  A.  C.    1 
Savannah,  6a.,  January  17,  1865.      j 

Dii.  J.  Poster  Jenkins, 

Dear  Sir  : — On  arriving  at  Hilton  Head 
after  a  pleasant  voyage,  we  were  informed 
that  the  Agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
from  Savannah  had  gone  to  Beaufort  for 
supplies,  consequently  not  thinking  it  ne- 
cessary to  stop,  we  took  steamer  the  same 
evening  for  Savannah  and  arrived  here  on 
the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  the  departing 
year.  We  learned  that  "Mr.  Ifefoblit,  the 
Sanitary  Agent  with  Sherman's  Army,  had 
gone  to  Beiufort. 

Anxious  inquiries  were  daily  made  by 
Surgeons,  other  officers  and  patients  for 
sanitary  goods.  The  men  coming  from 
their  six  weeks  campaign,  with  no  changes 
of  garments,  were  in  a  sad  condition,  and 
deprived  of  the  luxuries  that  had  strewn 
their  path  through  Georgia,  and  on  short 
allowance  of  hard  bread  and  pork,  they 
longed  for  the  help  your  Society  would  joy- 
fully have  given.  ' 

Mrs.  P.  was  ready  to  fly  to  Beaufort  for 


1004 


The  Sanitary  Oommigsion  Bulletin. 


them,  but  waited,  believing  that  Mr.  H. 
would  soon  arrive  with  them.* 

At-length  a  vessel  with  400  packages  of 
sanitary  goods  was  announced  by  the  Medi- 
cal ^Director,  as  being  at  Thunderbolt  Bay, 
four,  miles  off.  Still  we  could  not  answer 
the  earnest  question,  "  When  will  those  trea- 
sures be  here  ?"  or  meet  the  vsants  of  our 
emaciated  patients,  fearing  some  would  die 
for  want  of  suitable  nourishment.  We  could 
get  some  poor  oysters  in  the  shell,  and  had 
a  few  cakes  of  chocolate.  With  these  Mrs. 
Porter  comforted  many.  One  noble  dying 
soldier  said  the  first  day  of  our  arrival,  with' 
eyfes  swimming  with  tears,  "  Oh,  it  does  me 
so  much  good  to  see  a!  lady  here !"  In  two 
days  he  died,  sustained  by  a  joyful,  Chris- 
tian hope.  His  last  words,  as  he  threw  his 
arms  around  his.  kind  nurse  were,  "John,  I 
love  you."  There  was  a  great  rush  to  Mr. 
Hoblit's  rooms,  when  at  length  hig  goods 
were  opened,  and  every  hospital  and  every 
patient  was  made  a  joyful  participant  of 
those  luxuries  and  absolute  necessaries. 
Never  were  sanitary  stores  to  fvUy  appre- 
ciated; though  happily  we  had  not  the 
wounded  from  the  sanguinary  field,  as  the 
conquest  of  Savannah  had  been  almost  blood- 
less. While  the  prisoners  taken  here  in 
their  Rebel  hospital,  were  lying  on  soft 
mattresses  and  in  clfean  sheets  and  bed  gar- 
ments, ours  were  lying  on  floors,  in  their 
war-worn  field '  garments,  and  the  contrast 
was  painful.  Many  of  those  prisoners  were 
not  over  fifteen,  and  had  been  conscripted, 
who  said,  "If  we  can  get  home  we  will 
never  take  arms  against  the  United  States 
Government  again."  They  testified  that 
our  authorities  were  feeding  them  well  on 
substantial  food,  though  some,  as  our  own 
soldiers,  longed  for  some  of  the  Sanitary 
delicacies. 

Our  good  friend,  Mr.  Hoblit,  informs  us 
that  with  General  Sherman's  approbation,  a 
ship  is  appropriated  to  bring  stores  from 
your  Commission,  and  that  he  is  daily  look- 
ing for  a  load  from  Beaufort.'  I  trust  we 
shall  not  be  disappointed. 

Mrs.  P.  is  working  for  the  present  under 
great  disadvantages,  cooking  farina,  corn 
starch,  &c.,  and  making  tea  over  a  wood  fire 
of  green  pine  and  using  emptied  cans  for 
cooking  utensils,  as  we  are  too  tender-hearjed 
to  take  from  these  Rebel  dwellings  stoves 
and  all  needed  kitchen  furniture ;  while  our 
northern  friends  are  generously  shipping 

'This  delay  waa  oaaned  by  the  dlfflonlty  in  Becuring 
transpoTtatlou. 


food  for  these  Same  Rebels.  Forgive  us 
this  wrong.  It  is  difficult  under  such' cir- 
cumstances, to  be  angry  and  sin  nqt. 

The  Surgeon-in-charge  of  this  hospital 
has  sent  to  Beaufort  for  medical  stores,  a 
cooking  stove  and  kitchen  furniture;  if  it 
comes  we  shall  be  greatly  comforted. 

Thanking  you  in  behalf  of  our  gallant 
Army,  for  all  you  have  been  able  to  do  for 
it  and  for  us  personally, 

I  am  truly  yours, 
Jeremiah  Porter, 

Chap.  15  A.  C.Hospital,  SaTannah,  Geo. 

AN  AXE  TO  GRIND. 

A  man  who  continually  and  loudly  boasts 
of  his  piety  or  his  orthodoxy,  generally  has 
an  axe  to  grind.  A  man  who  in  entering, 
upon  a  business  already  successfully  carried 
on  by  some  one  else  aspires  to  become  a 
rival  of  that  some  one,. and  who  in  an 
orthodox  conimunity  constantly  seeks  to 
make  the  impression  that  said  some  one  is 
an  "infidel,"  very  apparently  wants  that 
orthodox  community  to  grind  his  axe. 

The  allegation  has  been,  and  is  being 
made  in  many  localities  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  an  "  infidel  concern,"  and 
orthodox  pastors  and  people  are  warned 
against  supporting  it  there-because.  Upon 
investigation  it  appears  that  friends  of  the 
Christian  Commission,  and,  in  some  cases, 
agents  of  that  organization  have  started  this 
scandal.  Of  course  we  cannot  suppose  that 
the  Christian  Commission  have  authorized 
or  could  authorize  such  a  procedure ;  first, 
because  those  gentlemen  know  that  the 
Sanitary  Commission  is  not  an  "  infidel  con- 
cern," and  know  that  its  work  of  feeding  the 
hungry,  clothing  the  naked,  visiting  the  sick, 
and  comforting  the  prisoner,  is  a  work  ofgen- 
uine  christian  mercy;  seRond,  because  they 
know  that  the  circulation  ol  sucn  a  report  is 
unchristian ;  and  third,  because  it  is  very  bad 
policy.  Out  remarks  are  not  intended  for 
them;  but  they  are  intended  for  individuals 
who,  either  wholly  ignorant  of  the  matter 
of  which  they  affirm,  or,  affirming  against 
knowledge,  so  far  aepart  irom  the  precepts 
of  Christ,  and  all  the  usages  of  honorabk 
men,  as  to  resort  to  the  bad  expedient  ov 
starting  rumors  which  can  only  injure  one 
good  and  christian  cause,  without  ultimat- 
ing  in  the  permanent  advantage  of  that 
which  they  uphold. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  always  ex- 
tended cordiality  and  sympathy  to  the 
Christian  Commission  in  its  proper  work. 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  Bulletin. 


1005 


and  has  furnished  its  agents  with  supplies 
upon  many  a  battle-field.  It  is  not  the 
purpose  of  these  remarks  to  express  any 
diminution  of  that  sympathy.  Neither  is 
it  their  purpose  to  allow  designing  men  to 
go  scot  free,  who,  wearing  the  garb  of  the 
Christian  Commission  as  a  guise,  seek  to 
aggrandize  their  own  sectarianism  by  slan- 
dering the  greatest  relief  association  known 
to  the  military  history  of  anyination,  and  one 
whose  very  deeds-constitute  the  impossibility 
of  its  being  "infidel,"  or  opposed  to  His 
teachings  who  said,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 


TO  SUBOEONS. 

A  Comprehensive  Medical  Bictionary^  con- 
tainhg  the  Pronunciation,  Etyrrwlogy 
and  Signijication  of  the  terms  made  use 
of  in  Medicine  and  the  kindred  Sciences,  ■ 
etc.,  etc.  By  J.  Thomas,  M.D.  J.  B. 
Lippincott  &  Co.,  1864,  pp.  70Q. 

A  pretty  thorough  examination  of  this 
work  has  satisfied  us  that  it  will  fulfil  the 
expectations  which  its  title  justifies.  It 
emphatically  deserves  the  name  of  Compre- 
hensive, for  though  of  moderate  size,  it  is 
full  and  complete,  not  only  in  regard  to 
strictly  medical  words,  but  includes  those 
occurring  in  collateral  sciences.  To  the 
botanical  student  in  particular,  it  must  prove 
most  acceptable,  giving  both  the  definition 
pronunciation  (the  latter  to  be  found  in 
no  other  book,)  of  all  the  most  important 
botanical  terms,  and  laying  down  clearly  the 
principles  which  should  guide  us  in  writing 
and  speaking. 

These  are  explained  in  an  Appendix^  pp. 
677  to  680,  which  also  contains  a  valuable 
table  of  Materica  Medica,  a  very  complete 
table  of  doses,  evidently  prepared  with  the 
greatest  care;  also  full  and  explicit  direct- 
ions for  writing  Latin  prescriptions,  besides 
an  admirable  chapter,  giving  the  explana- 
tions of  Latin  terms  and  phrases  occurring 
in  Anatomy,  Pharmacy,  &c.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  important  features  of  the  work, 
and  must  prove  invaluable  to  those  whose 
misfortune  it  is  to  be  wholly  unacquainted 
with  Latin  and  Greek,  and  to  those  also 
whose  knowledge  of  tnese  tongues  is  im- 
perfect, either  from  defective  instruction  or 
from  having  become  rusty  by  disuse. 

In  ehuvt,  we'can  recommend  this  work  as 
one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  very  best  of  Medi- 
cal DictionaneS;  in  the  important  feature  t)f 


pronunciation  without  a  rival,  and  from  its 
comprehensiveness,  the  fullness,  clearness 
and  conciseness  of  its  explanations,  and  its 
general  adaptation  to  the  needs  of  the 
Physician,  Medical  Student  and  Pharma- 
ceutist, calculated  to  be  of  great  utility  to 
all  who  avail  themselves  of  it. 


FBOU  ANNAPOLIS. 

Incidents  taken  from  the  Report  of  3.  B. 
Abbott,  Washington,  D.  C,  showing 
how  the  Sanitary  Gommission  treats  the 
friends  of  Soldiers. 

1.  H  *  *  *  A.  B  *  *  *,  Co.  E,  1st  R.  I. 
Light  Art,  discharged  by  special  order, 
by  reason  of  being  a  minor,  at  the  request 
of  his  father,  the  boy  havjng  enlisted  with- 
out his  cosent.  No  pay  or  allowance  were 
given  him,  he  was  without  money,  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Commission  for  means  to  get 
home  to  North  Scituate,  R.  I.  Gave  him 
a  ticket  to  Providence,  R.  I. 

2.  Mrs.  L***R***  came  from  New 
York  to  Washington  to  look  up  her  husband  j 
has  not  heard  from  him  since  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg;  no  records  can  be  found  con- 
cerning him  since  then;  the  supposition  is 
that  he  is  dead.  Mr.  Forbes  has  ventured 
to  make  out  her  application  for  his  pay, 
bounty  and  pension,  i  She*  has  been  stop- 
ping at  the  Home  for  the  Friendless  for  the 
last  two  months;  desires  to  return  to  her 
friends  in  New  York,  but  has  not  the  means 

.  to  get  there.     Gave  her  a  ticket. 

3  -yj/-**.  *  K***,a  soldier's  father. 
He  came  to  Washington  to  look  for  his  son, 
upon  whom  he  is  dependant,  and  from  whom 
he  has  received  no  tidings  for  a  long  time. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  51st  N.  Y.  Vols. 
His  father  could  find  no  record.of  him;  has 
arranged  with  Mr.  Bowne  to  ascertain,  if 
possible,  whether  he  is  living  or  dead.  He 
has  no  means  to  return  home,  resides  at 
Fraimingham,  Mass.;  is  very  old  and  feeble, 
and  much  broken  down  with  age,  being  77 
years  old.  Gave  him  a  ticket  to  Boston.  He 
was  exceedingly  grateful  to  the  Commission 
for  the  kind  considerations  he  had  received. 

Gamp  Parole  Hospital,  Jan.  20,  1865,  hy 
Misses  A.  Cary  and  S.  L.~Phillips. 

A  pleasant  and  most  welcome  variety  is 
at  length  presented  in  our  daily  rounds,  by 
the  very  unusual  number  of  vacant  beds; 
the  occupants  having,  in  a  majority  of  cases, 
left  for  the  distant  homes,  that  have  so  long 
mourned  their  absence,  and  many  othera 


1006 


The  Sanitary  Oopimission  £ulletin. 


having  become  so  far  convalescent,  as  to  an- 
ticipate a  speedy  reunion  with  the  far-off 
loved  ones,  while  yet  another  class,  happily 
few  in  numbers,  have  been  iorne  to  the  sol- 
dier's grave.  Sabbath  morning  dawned  on 
the  lifeless  forms  of  two  new  victims.  0ne 
young  man  had  died  very  suddenly  in  camp. 
Another  had  lingered  many  days,  while  the 
anxious  mother  having  been  summoned, 
watches  sadly  and  wearily,  the  sure  ap- 
proach of  the  dread  messenger,  who  has  ac- 
complished his  mission,  arid  in  sorrow,  she 
returns  with  the  precious  relics  to  that  be- 
reaved home  to  which  she  had  fondly  hoped 
to  bring  again  with  j'oi/,  the  cherished  son 
and  brother. 

On  Monday  morning  comes  again,  from 
two  other  wards,  the  too  familiar  message, 
that  another,  and  yet  another  has  slept  his 
last  long  sleep.  One  of  these  had  been 
brought  in  a  few  days  since  in  a  state  of 
wild  delirium.  During  a  brief  lucid  inter- 
val, the  thoughts  revert  to  the  dear  ones  at 
home  and  the  anxious  desire  is  expressed 
that  some  one  will  write  to  apprize  them  of 
his  critical  state,  for  he  fears  he  cannot  re- 
cover. To  the  question,  whether  living  or 
dying,  all  will  not  be  well,  with  an  averted 
face\and  difficult  articulation,  he  murmurs 
something  of  the  six  little  ones  who  will  be- 
come orphaned."  Soon,  reason  is  again  de- 
throned, and  before  another  ^ail  a  postscript 
must  be  added  to  announce  to  another 
stricken  household,  that  the  husband  and 
father  can  return  to  them  no  more.  A  few 
others  still  remaiti,  on  whom  death  seems 
to  have  set  his  mark,  yet  among  the  conva- 
lescents are  those  who  have  been  raised  from 
the  very  brink  of  the  dark  river.  Such  an 
one  who  stipiggled  for  days  apparently,  with 
the'king  of  terrors,  seems  rapidly  recovering, 
and  recent  letters  from  a  devoted  wife  and 
loving  daughter,  show  how  valuable  to  them 
is  the  life  thus  graciously  spared. 

January  21,  18^5. 

Through  the  instrumentality  of  skillful 
physicians  and  faithful  nurses,  attended  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  a  large  number  of  the 
returned  prisoners^  that  recently  crowded 
our  wards,  have  so  far  recovered  as  to  have 
left  for  their  jespective  homes ;  some  few 
still  remain  in  a  critical  condition,  while 
some  of  the  ward  masters  and  nurses,  have 
been  prostrated  by  violent  attacks  of  fever. 
One  of  these  has  just  expired,  after  a  few 
days'  illness.  One  only,  of  the  other  in^ 
mates  has,  during  the  week  past,  yielded  up 


his  life — a  victim  to  disease  contracted'  in 
prison,  and  he  has  left  precious  evidence 
that  his  afflictions  resulting  in  the  death  of 
the  body,  have  brought  life  and  immortal 
glory  to  the  ransomed  soul.  Many  of  the 
convalescents  have  recently  received  intel- 
ligence from  home,  the  first  in  many  months. 
To  some,  these  welcome  missives  have 
brought  tidings  of  health  and  prosperity 
from  those-anxiously  awaiting  their  return; 
while  others  have  learned  that  during  the 
weary  months  of  absence,  their  homes  have 
been  invaded  by  disease  and  death,  and  the 
father,  mother,  sisters, or  beloved  children, 
have  been  removed ;  never  more  to  greet 
them  with  a  welcome  home.  One  affection- 
ate son  is  informed  that  his  father,  to  whom 
a  letter  had  been  addressed  since  his  re- 
lease, had  departed  this  life  more  than  a 
year  since.  Letters  received  from  the  friends 
of  deceased  soldiers  often  give  a  sad  interest 
and  variety  to  our  work.  A  few  extracts 
from  one  just  received,  may  serve  as  a  speci- 
men :  ".  Your  welcome  and  precious  letter, 
my  dear  Miss  P.,  was  received  a  few  days 
ago,  and  should  bave  been  answered  imme- 
diately,-but  I  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  arid 
at  this  moment  can  scarcely  guide  my  peri, 
but  feel  that  I  can  wait  no  longer  to  ex- 
press my  unbounded  gratitude  to  you  for 
the  interest  you  took  in  my  darling  H.  I 
thank  God,  that  after  months  of  untold  suf- 
fering, he  should  at  last  have  fallen  into 
kind  hands,  where  kind  words  reached  his 
dying  ear.  You  took  my  place  by  his  dying 
cot.  May  the  Saviour  ever  be  near  to  sup- 
port and  comfort  you  and  others  who  have 
cared  for  our  dear  son.  Could  you  know 
the  comfort  your  dear  letter  affords  me,  as 
I  read  it  over  and  over  again,  you  would 
feel  repaid.  The  assurance  that  he  had,  as 
you  trust,  given  his  heart  to  God  has  been 
the  only  consolation  that  has  calmed  my 
aching  heart.  I  did  not  expect  when  my 
boys  entered  the  army,  that  they  would  re- 
turn to  me  unharmed,  but  I  little  dreamed 
that  one  of  them  would  be  starved  to  death. 
I  saw  him  in  his  soldier's  coffin  before  he 
was  exchanged  to  another,  and  oh !  what  a 
change  since  he  kft  me-  full  of  life  and 
health,  saying :  '  If  I  die  mother,  it  will  be 
glory,  glory  to  die  for  my  country.'  " 

From  Cofmp  Parole,  January  28, 1865,  hy 
Geo.  a.  Miller. 

I  herewith  most  respectfully  present  my 
report  for  the  week  ending^lhis  day. 

The  weather  has  been  extremely  cold, 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


1007 


and  we  are  importuuou  many  times  every 
day  for  woollen  under-clothes  and  blankets. 
It  is  hard  to  refuse  the  poor  fellows,  yet  I 
have  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  so,  in  a  large  ma- 
jority of  cases.  They  are  men  lately  re- 
turned from  'furlough,  right  from  home  and 
friends,  and  ought  not  to  come  destitute. 
They  went  from  here  well  clad,  having  a 
change  of  under-clothing,  over-coat,  blanket, 
&c.  Many  of  them  left  these  things  at  home, 
thinking  to  draw  from  the  Commission  all 
necessary  articles.  When  convinced  that 
such  is  the  case,  I  find  it  difficult  to  hear 
the  voice  of  duti/  say  "  give."  - 

Thursday^evening  an  effort  was  made  to 
revive  the  "  Military  Temperance  Society  of 
Camp  Parole."  About  thirty  signed  the 
pledge.  I  would  that  not  only  all  soldiers, 
but  all  the  officers,  both  in  Gamp  Parole 
and  in  the  army  everywhere  would  both 
sign  and  keep  a  temperance  pledge. 

The  "  Soldier's  Friend"  is  received,  with 
many  thanks,  and  is  valued  highly,  as  it 
well  may  be. 

I  have  the  honor  to  forward  to  you  the 
report  from  the  hospital,  which,  as  usual,  is 
full  of  interest. 

Letter  from  Annapolis,  January  28,  1865, 
ly  E.  C.  Guild. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  my 
report  for  the  week  ending  this  day. 

On  Sunday,  the  22d'inst.,  I  had  the  plea- 
sure of  preaching,  by  invitation  of  Chaplain 
J.  P.  Hammond,  in  the  Chapel  of  St.  John's 
College  Hospital.  Service  is  conducted  here 
after  the  manner  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  the  beautiful  psalms  and  prayers  of  the 
Liturgy  never  seemed  to  me  more  full  of 
strength  and  comfort. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  week,  I  was 
chiefly  occupied  with  letters  of  inquiry,  but 
found  the  search  almost  fruitless.  Many  men 
have  been  sent  away  during  the  week  from 
both  hospitals,  dischaJ-ged,  on  furlough, 
sent  to  the  front,  or  transferred  to  Northern 
hospitals.  A  large  number  of  the  sick  going 
North  were  delayed  by  the  ice  between  An- 
napolis and  Baltimore,  and  the  surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  trinsport,  tells  me  he  was 
greatly  helped  by  the  supplies  of  stimulants 
with  which  we  had  furnished  him.  The 
number  of  paroled  prisoners  in  the  hospitals 
being  so  small,  I  have  refrained  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  week,  from  making  any 
inquiries,  in  the,hope  that  a  few  days-would 
bring  us  the  'first  instalment  of  a  hew  ex- 
ehuige,  from'  whom  I  might  have  a  better* 


chance  of  getting  news.  But  our  hopes  in 
this  respect  have  been  ^gain  and  again  dis- 
appointed., -  A  few  more  escaped  men,  not 
more  than  twelve  or  fifteen,  have  arrived, 
that  is  all.  On  Thursday,  26th  inst.,  owing 
to  the  quantity  of  ice  in  the  river,  a  hospital 
boat  from  City  Point'  put  in  here,  and  the 
men,  about  300  in  number,^  were  admitted 
i^to  the  Naval  School  Hospital.  Some  very 
sick  ones  were  among  the  number,  but  most 
of  them  were  chronic  cases,  on  their  way  to 
Northern  Hospitals,  and  will  probably  re- 
main here  but  a  short  time.  Another  most 
welcome  accession  was  received  at  the  Naval 
School  Hospital,  150  men  of  the  Invalid 
Corps,  as  nurses  and  hospital  attendant-s. 
Permanent  assistants  of  this  sort  have  been 
greatly  needed,  and  it  ia  ^hoped  that  the 
want  is  now  well  supplied. 

On  Tnhrsday,  Friday,  and  Saturday,  in 
consequence  of  the^  blocking  up  of  the  ap- 
proaches to  Washington  and  Baltimore  by. 
the  ice,  the  boats  from  Norfolk  and  City 
Point,  bringing  passengers  to  these  \places 
were  obliged  to  send  them  here.  Large 
numbers  of  soldiers  discharged,  or  going 
home  on  furlough,  were  therefore  poured  in  ■ 
upon  us,  and  the  means  of  transportation 
by  rail  from  this  place  being  limited,  many 
were  delayed  for  hours,  and  some  compelled 
to  pass  the  night  here.  Having  no  facilities 
for  issuing  food  to  such  large  numbers,  and 
no  sufficient  supplies,  we  were  obliged  to 
content  ourselves  with  doing  what  we  could, 
we  distributed  several  barrels  of  crackers 
which  were  gratefully  received.  A  good 
many  applications  for  clothing  also,  we  were 
able  to  fill,  but  the  draft  upon  our  stores 
has  nearly  exhausted  them.  Where  any 
were  obliged  to  remain  for  the  night  we 
were  permitted  to  refer  them  to  Captain 
Davis,  the  commanding  officer  of  College 
Green  Barracks,  a  most  faithful  officer,  and 
a  generous  and  noble-hearted  man.  Though 
unable  to  draw  rations  for  so  large  a  num- 
ber of  stragglers  and  unexpected  applicants, 
he  gave  them  what  he  had.  We  furnished 
him  with  a  barrel  of  crackers,  and  a  barrel 
of  dried  apples,  which  he  tells  me  proved 
acceptable  to  the  men,  and  they  found  com- 
fortable lodgings  there.  At  the  office  we 
have  been  able  to  assist  the  men  in  many 
little  ways  hardly  deserving  mention,  yet 
greatly  contributing  to  their  comfort ;  giving 
them  information  about  their  transportation, 
and  opportunity  to  siga  their  papers,  sup- 
plying them  with  writing  materials,  &c.  In 
this  way  we  have  trjed  so  far  aa  our  oppor-' 


1008 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tunities  allowed,  to  meet  tteir  unexpected 
call,  and  diminish  the  disco^mforts  of  those 
who  have  been  delayed  here  in  so  unusual 
a  mannei. 

Report  from  Mas.  Hope  Satres,  Matron 
of  Borne,  Annapolis,  Jan.  28,  1865.  ■ 

I  herewith  respectfully  submit  the  fol- 
lowing as  my  report  for  the  week  ending 
January  28, 1865.   j 

Meals  furnished,  283 ;  lodgings,  70.  The 
"Home"  has  been  unusually  free  of  com- 
pany this  past  week,  as  most  of  the  soldiers 
have  had  furloughs,  and  have  gone  home. 
I  presume  our  "  Home"  will  soon  be  filled 
to  its  utmost,  as  three  hundred  poor  sick 
and  wounded  boys  have  just  arrived  from 
Fort  Fisher.  Many  letters  of  invitation  will 
soon  reach  their  homesy  and  loved  ones  will 
come  with  anxious  hearts  to  meet'their  dear 
ones  wounded  and  sick,  having  left  home 
and  friends  to  go  forth  to  do  battle.  One 
lady  came  this  week  and  found  her  husband 
had  died.  She  expressed  much  gratitude 
to  the  Sanitary  for  providing  such  a  home 
where  she  could  come  and  find  sympathizing 
friends.  Hoping  I  shall  have  more  of  in- 
terest for  my  next. 

BACK  PAY— BOUHTIES  AND  PENSIONS. 

We  call  attention  to  the  notice  of  the 
"Eelief  Department,"  which  is  found 
among  the  advertisements  in  each  number 
of  the  BoLLETiN.  Many  soldier's  widows, 
and  all  friends  of  the  soldier  will  be  inter- 
ested to  know  what  this  advertisement  an- 
nounces. In  explanation  of  this  subject, 
we  present  the  following  article  fronl  the 
Washington  phronide: 

There  are  various  departments  of  chari- 
table labor  in  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
growing  out  of  the  necessitous  cases  which 
are  daily  presented  for  its  care  and  assist- 
ance, among  which,  probably,  there  is  no 
branch  that  involves  more  judicious  labor 
and  persistent  efibrt  tlian  that  known  as  the 
back-pay  department.  Many  are  the  cases 
which  millitate  against'  a  soldier,  and  fre- 
quently prevent  him  for  months,  and  in 
many  cages  for  years,  from  obtaining  his 
hard-earned  pay.  Among  which  may  be 
enumerated  the  loss  of  his  descriptive  list 
without  which  he  cannot  obtain  his  pay. 
There  were  at  one  time  in  a  certain  hospital 
in  Philadelphia,  not  less  than  1,500  men  in 
this,  condition.    They  had  been  wounded 


and  were  helpless,  and,  while  in  that  con- 
dition, with  their  other  effects  had  been 
taken  from  them  their  descriptive  lists. 
While  endeavoring  to  get  certificates  of  loss, 
many  of  them  were  removed  to  other  hos- 
pitals, where,  when  pay-day  came  around, 
they  would  be  found  among  those  not  mus- 
tered for  pay.  Thus  have  some  poor  fellows 
been  unable  to  muster  for  pay  for  nearly  two 
years.  ^ 

The  duty  of  the  ofiScer  in  charge  of,  this 
bureau  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  is,  to 
visit  the  hospitals  and  take  the  statements 
in  full  of  all  such  cases ;  fill  out  blanks  pro- 
vided for  the  same ;  have  the  soldier's  sig- 
nature thereto  attached,  together  with  the 
certificate  of  the  surgeon  of  the  hospital 
where  the  soldier  is,  and  the  date  when  last 
paid,  with  the  name  of  the  paymaster  by 
whom  the  payment  was  made  j  foward  these 
documents^  together  with  all  the  evidence 
,  which  relates  to  the  case,  to  the  Second  Au- 
ditor, thence  to  the  Paymaster  Grcneral,  and 
thence  back  to  the  surgeon  of  the  hospital 
where  the  soldier  is,  after  all  which  he  is 
mustered  in  and  paid.  This  work  was  com- 
menced" in  the  special  relief  department, 
presided  over  by  J.  B.  Abbott,  Esq.,  a  year 
ago  last  October,  and  was  then  confined  to 
Washington ;  but  in  the  spring  of  this  year 
it  was  extended  to  Alexandria  and  Balti- 
more ;  in  June  still  further  to  Philadelphia, 
and  it  is  designed,  to  have  agencies  of  this 
kind  in  every  city  of  ten  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. As  an  evidence  of  the  labor  done  in 
this  branch  of  special  relief,  it  maybe  stated 
,that  over  seven  thousand  cases  have  been 
disposed  of  since  the  creation  of  the  bureau; 
eighty  letters  having  been  recently  written 
in  three  days  in  connection  with  this  busi- 
ness. This,  it  should  be  remembered,  is 
the  work  of  one  desk  in  the  office  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 

A  DESEBVES  TESIIMONIAL. 
THE  LOTAL  TEXAS  WOMEN  AND  THE  SANI- 
TARY COMMISSION. 

The  following  beautiful  letter  nee'ds  no 
introduction : 

New  Orleans,  La.,  Jan.  1,  1865. 
GrEo.  A.  Blake,  M.  D., 

General  Ageat  Sanitary  Commiasion  ^ 

Sir  : — The  lo^l  women  of  Texas  who,  by 
the  exigencies  of  war,  have  been-compelled 
to  abandon  their  homes  and  property  to 
take  tefuge  in  this  (to  them}  strange  city, 
though  under  the  flag  established  by  their 
fathers,  cannot  permit  this  day  to  pass  with- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1009 


out  tendering  to  you  their  heartfelt  gratitude 
for  the  generous  assistance  rendered  by  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  at  your  instance,  to 
them  and  their  children.  Allow  us  to  as- 
sure you  that  such  evidence  of  care  and  sym- 
pathy for  us  in  our  destitute  condition 
touches  the  heart  and  rekindles  our  love  and 
affection  for  the  "Glorious  Old  Union,"  to 
sustain  which  the  fathers,  brothers  and  sons. 
of  numbers  of  us  are  now  battling. 

Accept  for  yourself,  kind  sir,  and  those 
in  whom  you  feel  the  deepest  interest  the 
well  wishes  and  prayers  of 

Tours,  gratefully, 
Eveline  Savoi,       K.  Watermann, 
Cordelia  Savoi,     M.  Rennand, 
JuLiEN  Hicks,         Louise  Gemballa, 
Eliza  G.  Hioks,      C.  Blombeck, 
E.  Dekoukison,       Corteina  Morex, 
Jane  Rounds,  C.  Gonzales, 

Louisa  James,         Mary  Mandes, 
Ann  Lee,  '       H.  Winters, 

Mary  Flinn,  Lina  Fink,  ' 

Eliza  J.  Sterling,  Ann  McCormac, 
Nancy  Sterry,        C.  Petcpke, 
Jennie  Duane,        Dina  Gross, 
Harriet  Sterling,  A.  Weinreich, 
Rebecca  Jambois,  Franziska  Jegge, 
Lizzie  Duke,  Mary  Peefferle, 

Martha  Duke,        Mrs.  Murray, 
Lizzie  Waterman,  Mrs.  Steinburg, 
Kate  Holcehisen,  Mary  Burns, 
Jane  Leonard,       A.  Dreanb. 


WOMAN'S  CEBTBAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  BELIE7. 
ORGANIZATION. — NO.  VI. 

With  the  present  number  of  the-BuLLE- 
TIN,  there  will  be  sent  to  each  of  our  con- 
tributing societies,  a  copy  of 'the  "  Soldier's 
Friend,"  a  little  book,  published  by  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  It  contains  valu- 
able, practical,  condensed  information  about 
the  Commission ;  also  an  excellent  selection 
of  familiar  hymns  and  patriotic  songs.  Tou 
may  have  already  seen  a  notice  of  this  little 
manual  in  Bulletin,  No.  30.  Although 
prepared  expressly  for  distribution  among 
our  soldiers  and  sailors,  it  contains  so  much 
valuable  information  for  all,  that  we  send 
you  specimen  copies,  hoping  that  the  book 
may  thus  be  more  widely  .circulated.  Few 
will  read  it  through  without  wishing  to  put 
a  copy  into  the  hands  of  every  friend  iS  the 
army  and  navy.  We  will  furnish  our  con- 
taibuting  Aid  Societies  with  as  many  copies 
without  charge,  as  they  think  they  may  be 
able  to  (lispose  of  It  is  expected  that  they 
Vol.  L  No.  32  64 


will  be  sold  for  fifteen  cents  a  copy  by  the 
societies:  the  proceeds  to  be  used  in  fur- 
nishing supplies  for  soldiers  through  the 
Sanitary  Comniission.  Write  to  as  for  as 
many  copies  of  the  "  Soldier's  Friend"  as 
you  want.  An  account  of  the  number  sold 
will  be  required. 

This  week  we  propose  saying  something 
about  organization, — about  the  organization 
of  this  Branch.  It  will  be  a  dull  chapter 
to  many  of  you;  but,  if  carefully  studied, 
it  will  make  the  wheels  of  business  run 
more  smoothly  in  our  future  intercourse, 
and  is  therefore  worth  some  attention. 
Perhaps  too,  our  faith  in  your  sympathy  is 
strong  enough  to  make  us  hope  that  you 
you  may  be  as  glad  to,  know  something 
about  our  daily  work  in  these  rooms,  as  we 
always  are  to  hear  about  yours. 

Among  the  many  lessons  which  our  work 
in  this  war  has  taught  us,  the  value  of  or-, 
ganization  and  systeLa  has  been  one  of  the 
most  prominent.  Our  eyes  have  been 
opened  to  its  necessity  as  the  work  has 
gone  on ;  and  we  firmly  believe  that  the 
education  of  the  women  of  this  country,  in 
the  eficacy  of  systematic,  concentrated 
effort,  and  in  a  willingness  to  do  things  ac- 
cording to  rule  and  order,  will  not  be  among 
the  least  of  the  valuable  experiences  re- 
maining to  us  at  the  close  of  the  war.  It 
has  long  been  a  settled  fact  that  the  spasmo- 
dic efforts  of  communities,  made  only  after 
great  battles,  do  not  compare  to  the  amount 
accomplished  by  a  well-organized,  'steady- 
going  Aid  Society,  either  in  the  quantity, 
the  quality,  or  the  value  of  the  supplies. 

Nearly  four  years  ago  we  began  life  as  an 
association,  in  a  little  room  in  the  second 
story  of  this  building.  The  room  contained 
two  tables,  one  desk,  half  a  dozen  chairs, 
and  a  map  on  the  wall.  We  had  one  man, 
who  was,  by  turns,  clerk,  carpenter,  porter 
and  errand-boy.  For  many  days  we  sent 
out  circulars,  wrote  letters,  looked  out  of  the 
windows  at  passing  regiments,  talked  about 
our  work,  at  times  hopefully,  at  times  des- 
pairingly. At  last,  after  what  seemed  a 
very  long  time,  our  first  box  came — from 
Orange,  New  Jersey.  It  was  a  great  ex- 
citement. It  was  carefiilly  carried  up  stairs 
it  was  carefully  opened,  as  carefully  un- 
packed and  examined.  No  box  before  or 
since,  ever  underwent  a  closer  scrutiny.  We 
told  everybody  about  that  wonderful  box, 
and  were  jubilant. 

It  would  be  too  long  a  story  to  take  you 
through  the  successive  stages  of  our  varied 


1010 


The  Sajiitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


experiences,  from  May,  1861  to  January, 
1865.  We  will  only  say  tfiat,  before  that 
first  summer  was  half  over,  we  were  obliged 
to  move  down  stairs,  because  the  boxes 
wouldn't  move  up,  and  our  little  offi,oe,  ever 
to  be  associated  with  the  cherished  memory 
of  that  first  box,  was  passed  over  to  the 
ladies  of  our  Registration  Committee,  at 
that  time  engaged  in  training  and  sending 
off  one  hundred  nurses  for  the  Washington 
and  Alexandria  Hospitals. 

That  one  little  room  has  gradually  ex- 
panded into  an  office,  97  feet  long,  running 
through  the  building  from  oi^e  street  to  the 
other;  a  large  store-room  next  door  to  it; 
three  lofts  for  storage  across  the  street,  and 
a  cellar.  The  man-of-all  work  has  multi- 
plied himself  into  two  clerks,  three  porters 
and  an  errand-boy.  That  one  box  stands  on 
our  books  at  the  head  of  a  list  of  over  17,000 
boxes,  and  the  one  hundred  letters,  which 
seemed  so  many  in  those  early  days,  are  lost 
among  the  thousands  that  have  succeeded 
them.  Andso  we  gradually  found  ourselves 
launched  in  an  enormous  business,  of  a 
character  entirely  without  precedent ;  and 
of  such  a  nature  that  but  few  of  the  ordi- 
nary, long-established  business  rules  could 
be  of  any  service  to  us.  We  had  to  feel 
our  way  very  carefully.  Without  a  certain 
amount  of  organization  and  system,  we 
would  have  been  completely  overwhelmed, 
and  lost  in  irresistible  confusion.  As  it 
was,  we  were  all  very  ignorant  that  first 
summer,  and  made  blunders  enough.  But 
as  the  work  gradually  increased,  and 
changed,  we  kept  pace  with  it;  learning 
from  experience  and  daily  requirement, 
until  we  have  finally  adopted  our  present 
plan  of  organization.  This  meets  the  de- 
mands made  byHhe  work  upon  us  now, 
though  how  long  it  will  do  so,  the  "future 
can  alone  determine. 

The  direct  object  of  our  association  at 
present,  is  the  collection  and  distribution 
of  hospital  supplies.  To  obtain  these  sup- 
plies, each  branch  is  allowed  to  adopt  its 
own  policy  and  plan  of  work,  but  in  their 
distribution  the  branches  are  all  subject  to 
the  order,  and  are  under  the  control  of  the 
SaniUkry  Commission.  The  policy  of  this 
branch  has  always  been  to  give  the  people 
the  fullest  information  about  the  work  and 
the  wants  of  the  Commission ;  its  plan  is  to 
help  them  in  their  work,  so  far  as  is  possi- 
ble, through  organization,  by  practical  sug- 
gestions, active  symp^hy  and  other  means. 

In  this  article  we  propose  ^ving  you  an 


account  of  the  liome  organization  of  our 
branch ;  the  next  number  will  contain  an 
account  of  ite  field  organization. 

The,  Woman's  Central  Association  is  at 
present  divided  into  four  committees. 

I.  Committee  on  Correspondence  and 
diffusion  of  information,  printed  or  ofher- 
toise. — This  long  name  is  expressive  of  the 
entire  work  of  the  committee.  It  aims  at  ob- 
taining supplies  through  the  diffusion  of 
information.  The  work  is  subdivided  into 
five  departments,  viz.:  Organization;  Cor- 
respondence; Documenit;  Lecturing;  the 
Press.  The  first  includes  v  the  organi- 
zation of  our  field,  the  appointment  of 
Associate  Managers,  making  out  working 
plans,  &c.,  &o.  The  second  comprises  the 
Associate  Manager  correspondence,  and  ail 
correspondence  not  appertaining  to  the 
other  committees,  or  to  the  officers  of  the 
Association.  Through  the  Document  de- 
partment, the  Bulletin  and  other  publi- 
cations of  the  Commission  are  distributed. 
The  Lecturing  department  includes  making 
out  the  tours,  and  sending  into  the  field, 
those  canvassing  agents  assigned  to  the 
branch  by  the  Commission.  These  gentle- 
men are  not  engaged  by  us,  but  are  ap- 
pointed directly  from  the  Commission.  The 
Press  department  comprises  publication, 
writing  for  newspapers,  the  Bulletin,  &c. 
The  committed  is  much  aided  in  its  work 
by  a  corps  of  volunteer  aids,  young  ladies,  of 
this  city,  who  do  a  great  deal  of  clerk-work, 
such  as  directing  wrappers,  copying,  &c. 

II.  Purchasing  Committee. — It  is  the 
duty  ot  this  committee  to  make  purchases 
of  material  at  wholesale  quantities  and 
prices,  and  to  furnish  it,  at  the  same  price, 
but  in  small  quantities,  to  the  Aid  Soci- 
eties. It  has  lately  been  furnishing  mate- 
rial to  250  societies,  at  the  rate  of  $7,000 
a  month,  according  to  the  proposition  con- 
tained in  our  Third  Annual  Report.  Mrs.  J. 
A.  Swett  is  the  chairman  of  the  comlnittee. 

III.  Committee  on  Supplies. — ^This  com- 
mittee receives,  acknowledges,  unpacks, 
stamps,  sorts,  repacks  and  distributes  all 
the  supplies  sent  through  the  Association. 
The  distributions  are  made  by  order  of  the 
Commission,  or  upon  requisitions  of  surgeons 
df  the  local  hospitals,  approved  by  the  Com- 
mission. We  have  also  one  flospital  Visi- 
tor, a  lady,  who  visits  the  hospitals  in  and 
near  the  city,  and  draws  upon  us  for  sup- 
plies for  them.  Every  week  an  account  of 
the  stock  in  hand  is  sent  to  the  Central 
office  of  the  Commission.     The  supply  com- 


The  Sanitary  Commission. Bulletin. 


1011 


mittee  is-very  much  aided  in  its  work  by  a 
large  corps  of  volunteers  aids.  These  ladies 
do  all  thei«npacking,  stamping  and  repack- 
ing of  all  but  the  cellar  supplies.  The 
handling  of  the  boxes  requires  the  hired 
labor  of  three  porters.  Miss  Ellen  Collins 
is  the  chairman  of  the  supply  committee. 

IV.  Committee  on  Special  Relief. — This 
committee  attends  to  the  wants  of  individual 
soldiers,  who  apply  at  the  rooms  for  aid.  It 
relieves  only  such  cases  as  are  not  already 
covered  by  existing  associations  in  the  city. 
Many  of  fiie  applications  are  referred  to  the 
New  England  Rooms,  or  Howard  Street 
Home,  both  of  these  institutions  being  en- 
titled to  call  upon  us  for  supplies.  Those 
wanting  aid  in  the  collection  6f  bounty, 
back-pay,  pension,  or  in  need  of  employ- 
ment, are  referred  to  the  Protective  War 
Claim,  No.  35  '  Chambers  Street,  now  an 
agency  of  the  Commission.  Other  cases  of 
destitution,  not  coming  under  any  known 
form  of  jelief  established  in  the  city,  are 
investigated  by  the  committee,  and  relieved. 
Mrs.  W.  P.  Griffin  is  the  chairman  on 
stores. 

It  would  greatly  facilitate  our  work  if 
our  correspondents  would  be  kind  enough 
to  address  communications  upon'  any  of  the 
above  mentioned  subjects,  to  the  committee 
having  them  in  charge. 
_  The  officers  of  the  association  are  a  Presi- 
dent, Secretary  and  Treasurer,  who  perform 
the  usual  duties  of  their  offices.  A  Board 
meeting  is  held  on  the  first  Wednesday  of 
every  month,  at  which  the  Treasurer  and 
Chairmen  of  the  several  committees,  pre- 
sent written  reports,  and  other  business  of 
the  Association  is  transacted.  The  Annual 
meeting  is  held  on  thd  first  Wednesday  in 
May. 

And  so  we  work  along,  pleasantly, 
smoothly  and  easily.  We  would  like  to 
hear  that  each  one  of  your  societies  is  work- 
ing as  smoothly  and  easily.  Were  your  or- 
ganization complete  it  would  be  so,  and  there 
is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  complete. 
But  this  whole  subject  of  field  organization, 
which  more  nearly  a&cts  you,  must  be  left 
for  the  next  number. 

Louisa  Lee  Sohutler. 

Ghainuan  Comiuittee  on  Gorresponddnce,  &c. 
New  Yoek,  February  4,  1865. 

BEFOBT  07  THE  SOTTTH  NOBWALK  LADIES' 
PATEIOTIC  SOCIETY  FOE  THE  YEAE  1864. 

At  the  close  of  the  fourth  year  of  the  South 
Norwalk  Ladies'  Patriotic  Society,  we  sub- 
mit the,  following  report  of  the  operations  ofi 


the  Society,  and  of  the  work  accomplished 

during  the  year — 

No.  of  articles  made  and  appropri- 
ated through  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, 686 

No.  of  articles  given  to  soldiers  at 

home,  24 


Total,  710 
The  Society  has  also  donated  through  the 
Commission,  5  gallons  of  blackberry  wine, 
(the  gift  of  Mr.  Ira  Seymour,)  J  bushel  of 
dried  apples,  5  lbs.  of  dried  currants,  1  lb. 
of  arrow  root,  2  jars  of  blackberry  jam,  1- 
bottle  of  vinegar,  4  books,  and  several  pack- 
ages of  newspapers,  lint  and  linen.  The 
children  of  South  Norwalk  have  contributed 
$20  to  our  fund,  and  have  also  pieced  two 
quilts  for  hospital  use. 

The  Treasurer's  report  from  Jan  20th, 
1864,  to  Jan.  25th,  1865,  is  as  follows  : 
Cash    receipts    from    donations, 
weekly  collections,  and   enter- 
tainments, 8675  90 

EXPENDITURES. 

Donation  to  the  Chr.  Commission,     257  36 

Paid  to  Sanitary  Commission  for 

flannel,  215  53 

Current  expenses  of  Society,  which 
include  donations  to  various 
special  objects,  160  41 

Cash  on  hand,  42  60 


675  90 
Add  to  this  the  sum  of  215  53 

allowed  on  the  goods  purchased 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  and 
thS  total  amount  is  1891  43 

Our  thanks  are  due  to  the  Editors  of  the 
Gazette,  for  their  kindness  in  publishing 
gratuitously,  notices  of  concerts  and  enter- 
tainments given  for  the  benefit  of  the  So- 
ciety; We  are  also  especially  indebted  to 
those  patriotic  gentlemen  of  South  Norwalk, 
who  have  aided  us  pecuniarily  in  the  prose- 
cution of  our  work. 

The  meetings  of  the  Society  are  held 
Weekly  as  heretofore,  at  the  house  of  some 
member  of  the  Society,  and  are  sustained 
with  undiminished  interest,  i  It  is  gratifj;- 
ing  to  be  able  to  state  that  while  the  de- 
mand for  practical  sympathy  on  behalf  of 
our  suffering  and  imprisoned  soldiers/ is 
still  great  and  pressing,  there  has  never 
been  a  more  earnest  desire  on  ,the  part  of 
our  patriotic  cifizens  to  meet  that  demand 
than  at  present.    The  Society  has  never 


1012 


The  Scmitary  Commission  Bulletvn. 


been  more  prosperous  than  during  the  past 
year ;  more  work  has  been  accomplished 
than  in  any  previous  yearj  the  cash're- 
ceipts  show  a  considerable  increase  over 
former  years ;  and  we  trust  a  spirit  of  pa- 
triotism is  now  aroused  which  will  lead  to 
renewed  energy  and  effort  in  this  "  great 
good  work,"  until  the  peace  so  long  desired 
shall  bless  our  land,  and  our  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  soldier  shall  be  no  longer  needed. 
By  order  of  the  President, 

E.  G.  Platt,  Sec.  and  Treas.  ^ 

DR.  BEILOWS  AND  *****     SURGEONS 
AND  THE  people's  STORES. 

The  name  of  the  author  of  the  letter  to 
Dr.  Bellows  is  prudently  withheld  from  the 
public,  but  as  it  bears  upon  a  subject  of  im- 
portance to  the  people,  it  is  given,  with  the 
reply  of  Dr.  B.  in  full. 
Rev.  Dr.  Bellows, 

FreEddent  tlie  United' States  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  : — 1  write  you  as  a  friend  of 
'the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission ;  I 
have  just  been  looking  over  the  December 
15th  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin, 
and  have  noticed  the  complaiDts  there 
spoken  of.  I  have  been  in  the  army  as  a 
Christian  laborer,  and  l^ave  seen  the  work- 
ing of  the  Commission,  and  am  sorry  to 
say  there  is  ground  for  such  complaint 
as  "Clint"  makes  in  liis  published  let- 
ter, though  he  makes  extravagant  state- 
ments. Officers  and  surgeons  do  eat  up  and 
drink  up  and  wear  the  good  things  |^  the 
Commission. 

The  soldiers  know  it,  though  they  may 
not  be  able  to  give  instances  and  facts.  I 
saw  considerable  of  it,  know  of  one  instance 
where  the  surgeon  said  his  whole  living  did 
\not  cost  him  a  cent,  got  it  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  I  do  not  know  but  this  is  un- 
avoidable, it  surely  is  under  the  system  of 
requisitions  from  officers  and  surgeons,  it 
may  be  any  way.  Bad  men  fill  these  places, 
bad  men  get  detailed  as  nurses  to  sick,  and 
will  put  the  delicacies  and  stimulants  down ' 
their  own  neck,  though  the  poor  sick  sol- 
dier die. 

If  some  system  could  be  adopted  by 
which  the  stores  of  the  Commission  could 
be  delivered  directly  by  the  agent  to  the 
soldier  needing  them,  it  would  make  the 
soldier  feel  that  the  Commission  was  no^'' 
simply  for  the  officers,  as  they  now  say 


Thp  Sanitary  has  done  an  untold  amount 
of  good,  but  I  think  the  soldiers  feel  that 
sonje  how  the  best  part  of  the  stores  do  not 
quite  reach  them. 

t  write  to  you  as  head  of  this  noble  insti- 
tution, hoping  some  way  may  be  devised  to 
make  the  working  of  the  Commission  more 
perfect  in  this  particular. 

We  have  just  closed  a  fair  in  our  city 
from  which  the  Commission  will  realize  two 
or  three  thousand  dollars. 

DR.   bellows'   reply. 
823  Beoadway,  N.  T.,  Jan.  18,  1865. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  thank  you  sineerely  for  your 
friendly  letter.  Candid  and  intelligent  criti- 
cism of  the  work  we  are  engaged  in  is  always 
acceptable.  I  can  assure  you  that  whatever 
weakness  or  defects  in  our  system  there  may 
be,  v^  have  always  been  and  continue  to  be 
watchful  to  the  utmost  to  prevent  all  avoid- 
able waste  or  perversion.  On  the  scale  on 
which  we  work  it  is  simply  impossible  to 
undertake  as  a  rule',  personal  distribution 
of  our  stores.  We  must  trust  some  class  of 
persons,  and  the  class  we  have  to  trust  is 
that  of  surgeons,  hospital  stewards  and  ward  i 
masters.  If  thei/  are  scoundrels  and  liars, 
we  cannot  be  responsible  for  their  stealing 
and  gluttony,  but  we  do  not  believe  this  is 
at  all  true  of  surgeons  or  ward  masters,  or 
officers  as  a  class,  the  same  percentage  of 
knaves  and  gluttons  exist  among  them  as  in 
civil  life,  and  the  Sanitary  Commission  suffers 
a  certain  incurable  loss  through  their  crimes. 

Our  full  conviction  after  collecting  testi- 
mony in  all  quarters,  is  that  certainly  nine- 
tenths  of  all  we  send  to  the  army  goes  to  the 
comfort  of  the  private  soldiers,  indeed  we  ^ 
know  tbis.  It  is  only  by  generalizing  from 
some  unfortunate  exceptional  experience 
that  these  sweeping  conclusions  to  the  con- 
trary are  arrived  at — the  single  facts  are 
true  often  when  the  general  deductions  are 
very  false. 

You  had  had,  you  say,  personal  experience 
of  the  wicked  misappropriation  of  our  stores. 
Now,  is  it  not  your  duty  to  inform  us  speci- 
fically of  the  name  of  the  surgeon  who  in- 
famously boasted  that  he  lived  wholly  on 
Sanitary  Commission  stores,  or  any  other 
specific  cases  of  abuse  of  our  property  ?  It 
is  only  by  following  up  such  alleged  cases 
that  we  are  able  to  detect  any  inefficiency 
or  carelessness  in  our  own  agents.  Con- 
vinced of  your  genuine  interest,  you  will 
greatly  add  to  the  favor  already  rendered,  by 
troubling  yourself  to  give  us  particular  in-. 


The  Sanitary  Commissiun  Bulletin. 


1013 


stances  of  abase  or  waste,  with  names  and 
places.  We  never  omit  examirdng  into  emery 
specified  case  of  abuse.  I  know  the  pain 
and  annoyance  of  making  personal  charges, 
but  if  honest  men  refuse  to  lend  in  this  aid, 
if  all  decline  as  you  may  feel  inclined  to  do,i 
to  appear  as  accusers,  what  relief  have  we 
from  our  dilemma  ?  How  can  we  correct 
abuses  which  we  cannot  get  any  exact  evi- 
dence of  the  existence  of?,  How  can  we 
profit  by  general  criticism  without  specifi- 
cations of  person^,  time  and  place  ? 

We  have  in  the  army  of  General  Grant, 
thirty  agents  engaged  in  the  personal  de- 
livery of  our  supplies,  after  the  fashion  you 
suggest,  but  we  are  really  doubtful  of  its 
expediency,  and  it  would  be  impossible  to 
carry  it  out  on  a  general  scale  in  all  the 
columns  of  the  army.  The  expense  would 
be  greater  than  the  cost  of  the  goodsj  lost 
by  the  want  of  the  itermediary  agents. 

With  the  fullest  appreciation  of  your 
kindness,^!  remain  yours  truly, 

Henry  W.  Bellows, 

President. 

SEFOBT  OF  B.  U.  LEWIS,  ESO-,  STFEBII7TEN- 
DENI OE  FHILAOELFHIA  BBANCH  OF  U.  S. 
SANITABY  COUMISSIOIT. 

We  regret  that  our  space  will  not  admit 
of  the  insertion  of  this  valuable  report  in 
full. 

The  following  extracts,  however,  are  full 
of  interest,  not  only  to  those  immediately 
concerned. in  the  Philadelphia  Branch,  but 
all  who  are  interested  in  the  work  will  be 
profited  by  their  perusal. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Wo- 
men's Pennsylvania  Branch,  having  charge 
of  the  supply  department,  has,  during  the 
past  year,  retained  nearly  its  original  organi- 
zation. The  resignation  of  their  correspond- 
ing secretary  having  rendered  some  action 
necessary  to  fill  so  important  a  vacancy,  it 
was  deemed  expedient  to  place  the  whole 
correspondence  in  thevhands  of  a  competent 
Committee,  among  whom  the  work  is  syste- 
matically divided.  Associate  managers  have 
been  appointed  in  nearly  every  codnty  in 
this  department,  which  includes  forty-nine 
counties  of  Pennsylvania,  the  southern  part 
of  New  Jersey,  and  the  State  of  Delaware. 
Eifty-four  associate  managers  in  all.  It  is 
believed  that  the  present  plan  of  thoroughly  ^ 
cultivating  the  field  by  corresponding  with 


the  people,  as  well  as  sending  canvassing 
agents  among  them,  will  yield  a  rich  har- 
vest of  eomfort  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
S(ildiers  of  the  Union.  The  Committee  re- 
porlNthat  while  the  long  continuance  of  the 
war  has,  of  course,  caused  the  faith  and  zeal 
of  some  to  wax  cold,  yet  on  the  whole  there' 
has  been  a  steady  growth  of  energetic  liber- 
ality, as  is  evinced  by  the  supplies  contri- 
buted. This  department  numbers  three 
hundred  and  fifty  auxiliaiy  societies,  besides 
a  considerable  number  of  individual  contri- 
butors, who  send  boxes  with  almost  the 
fre(juency  observed  by  active  societies. 
During  the  year,  twenty-one  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  boxes  and  packages,  valued  at 
about  one  hundred  and  tS^  thousand  dollars, 
have  been  received  at  the  rooms.  Eight 
hundred  and  seventy-five  boxes  have  been 
dispatched  to  various  points  where  they 
were  needed,  besides  an  enormous  aggregate 
of  issues  for  the  relief  of  individual  soldiers 
applying  at  the  rooms  of  the  Commission. 
Large  supplies  have  also  been  sent  to  the 
various  hospitals  in  this  military  diepartment. 

At  the  time  the  Great  Central  Fair  (was  • 
held,  it  was  feared  that  the  extraordinary 
ef^ts  then  being  made  by  our  societies 
would  so  exhaust  their  resources  that  but 
little  could  be  expected  from  them  for  a 
long  time.  The  result  has  not  justified  this 
apprehension ;  for  whil§  there  was  but  a 
temporary  falling  off  of  the  receipts,  'the 
wide-spread  interest  excited  by  the  Pair  in 
the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  has 
stimulated  the  efforts  of  many  who  before 
had  done  little  or  nothing  for  its  support. 

The  list  of  issues,  which  will  be  found 
subjoined,  includes  those, of  the  Women's 
Pennsylvania  Branch  for  the  year  1864. 

RELIEF  DEPARTIKSENT. 

During  the  year  jilst  passed,  relief  of 
various  kinds  has-  been  afforded  to  more 
than  six  hundred  families  of  soldiers  by  the 
Committee. 

Steady  employment  is  given  weekly  to 
two  hundred  and  eighty  women.  The  re- 
.muneration  for  this  work  (though  not  in 
any  case  sufficient  for  the  support  of  a 
family)  is  ample,  and  more  than  twice  as 
much  as  is  paid'  for  the  same  amount  of 
work  by  the  Government. 

The  Committee  have  had  made  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission  between  eight  and 
nine  thousand  garments ;  they  have,  besides, 
taken  work  from  contractors,  for  which  they 
receive  one-half  the  amount  paid  to  their 


1014 


The  Sanitary  Comrnission  Bulletin. 

4- 


workmen.  Sixteen  thousand  and  ninety- 
^  one  garments  have  been  made  in  this  way, 
and  the  work  is  largely  sought  by  many  a 
soldier's  wife  and  widow.  These'women  are 
visited  and  cared  for  in  divers  ways  by  the 
ladies  who  have  vthem  in  change. 

The  funds  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
Committee  are  contributed  by  generous 
friends.  These  sums  are  acknowledged,  from 
time  to  time,  in  the  printed  reports  of  the 
-Committee.  During  the  year  11i64:,  eleven 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
have  been  received  from  various  sources. 

A  large  part  of  this  amount  is  in  monthly 
subscriptions,  conveyed  to  the  Committee 
through  Mr.  A.  D.  JeSBup. 

The  only  regret  the  Committee  ever  feel 
is,  that  they  cannot  relieve  all  the  want 
which  comes  to  their  notice. 

Last  year,  much  comfort  was  given  by 
the  donation  of  half  a  ton  of  coal  to  each 
family.  This  year  the  amount  of  coal  con- 
tributed for  this  purpose  is  ten  tons,  which 
the  Committee  have  received  through  Mr. 
J.  J.  Borie,  and  which  will  be  distributed 
to  the  most  des'titute. 

HOSPITAL   DIRECTORY. 

During  the  year  just  closed,  the  Hospital 
Directory  has  continued  its  work  and  greatly 
extfended  its  sphere  of  usefulness.  It  is,  m- 
deed,  difficult  to  estimate  the  amount  of 
anxiety  and  distress  relieved  through  its 
instrumentality.  Most  0/  those  who  apply 
for  information  of  their  friends  and  relatives 
in  the  Army  and  Navy  seem  to  be  entirely 
ignorant  how  to  commence  the  search. 
Many,  too,  are  constantly  calling  for  advice, 
who,  having  exhausted  every  other  source, 
apply  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.  In  giv- 
ing an  answer  to  an  inqiiiry  as  to  the  where- 
abouts of  a  soldier,  not  only  the  inquirer's 
mind  is  relieved,.but  frequently  a  large  circle 
of  friends  also.  Numerous  letters  have  been 
received  at  our  office  during  the  year  ex- 
pressing the  utmost  satisfaction  at  the  ans- 
wers we  have  been  enabled  to  furnish.  In 
some  cases  we  have  succeeded  in  ascertain- 
ing that  men  were  alive,  ajid  in  rebel  hands, 
whose  families  had  given  them  up  for  lost 
months  before.* 


*  A  Captain  in  our  Army  had  been  missing  for  nearly  a 
year,  and  liia  family  liad  abandoned  all  hopes  of  his  being 
alive.  His  niother,  aftOr  searching  in  vain  in  every  other 
^narter,  appealed  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.  The  ofBcer 
in  charge  of  the  Directory  applied  for  information  to  a  re- 
leased prisoner  just  returned  from  "  the  Libby,"  and  then 
at  oar  rooms.  That  gentleman  at  once  declared  that  the 
long-lost  son  had  been  confined  with  him  for  months  in  the 
Hbby,  and  was  removed  to  Andersonville  on  the  day  of  hia 
'  exchange. 


iWhen  it  is  considered  that  this  work  is 
doie  at  a  cost  of  only  one  dollar  and  fifty- 
fiTO  cents  for  each  successful  answer,  it  will 
biSreadily  admitted  that  nothing  which  the 
Commission  has  undertaken  hasTbeen  more 
satig-factory  in  its  results.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  in  seventy-seven  out  of  every 
hundred  inquiries  we  have  been  enabled 
to  obtain  information.  As  very  many 
never  apply  "at  our  rooms  until  they 
have  failed  in  every  eSort  of  their  own, 
it  is  thought  that  the  proportion  of  an-- 
swers  given  is  fully  as  large  as  could  be 
expected. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  inquiries  of 
the  Directory,  we  are  constantly  called  upon 
for  advice  and  assistance  of  a*  miscellaneous 
character,  such  as  the  best-  and  cheapest 
mode  of  procuring  the  bodies  of  deceased 
soldiers  froin  the  army,  the  means  of  com- 
municating with  those  in  hospitals  at  distant  ^ 
points,  the  method  of  obtaining  passes,  the 
means  to  be  used  in  securing  the  ejBFects  of 
men  who  die  in  the  service,  and  of  writing 
letters  to  prisoners,  &c.  On  all  these  points 
we  keep  ourselves  thoroughly  advised,  so  as 
to  be  able  to  make  the  proper  answers.  It 
is  estimated  that  not  less  than  fifty  weekly, 
or  twenty-six  hundred  persons  during  the 
year,  have  sought  and  received  information 
of  this  nature. 

At  the  present  time  we  have  on  our  books 
75,830  names,  47,987  of  which  have  been 
added  during  the  year.  1 

PROTECTIVE    WAR    CLAIM    AND    PENSION 
AGENCY. 

Five  classes  of  claims  are  now  prosecuted 
by  this  Agency,  viz. :  claims  for  pensions 
on  behalf  of  disabled  soldiers  and  the  rela- 
tives of  deceased  soldiers ;  for  bounty  and 
back-pay  due  the  estates  of  deceased  sol- 
diers ;  for  pay  of  prisoners-of-war ;  |br  pay 
of  soldiers  discharged  with  defective  final 
papers  ;  and  for  prize  money  of  seamen. 
Although  the  prosecution  of  two  classes  at 
least  of  these  claims  was  not  contemplated 
when  the  Agency  was  established,  they  caine 
so  entirely  within  the  relief  designed  to  be 
afibrded  that  they  could  not  be  rejected 
without  manifest  inconsistency. 

The  table  accompanying  this  report  will 
show  that  since,  the  Agency  was  organized,, 
in_May,  1863,  4,355  plaims  have  been  re- 
ceived for  collection.  Of  these,  there  have 
been  settled  731  claims  for  pension,  594 
claims  for  bounty  and  back-pay,  amounting 
in  value  to  $72,067 '50;  182  claims  for  pay 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1015 


applied  for  by  the  families  of  •priaouers-of- 
war  amounting  to  $21,363  64;  and  52 
claims  for  prize  money,  amounting  to 
$1,992  26.  The  total  amount  thus  collgoted 
in  cash,  'and  paid  to  claimants,  OT  held  sub- 
ject to  their  order,  is  $95,423  40.  To  this 
must  be  added  the  sums  paid  to  this  date 
upon  the  certificates  of  pension,  which,  at 
the  lowest  estimate,  cannot  be  less  than 
$41,712  00,  showing  a  total  sum  realized 
for  applicants  of  at  least  $137,135  40,  with- 
out the  expense  of  one  dollar  to  the  claim- 
ants. 

Objection  has  been  taken  to  the  work  of 
this  branch'  of  the  Commission  that  it  is  not 
strictly  charitable,  because  it  makes  no  dis- 
tinction in  the  circumstances  of  claimants. 
Such  a  discrimination,  however,  even  if  it 
were  practicable,  could  not  fail  to  result  in 
embarrassment.  A  careful  observation  of 
the  cases  presented  during  the  year  shows 
the  practical '  uselessness  of  the  policy  by 
disclosing  the  fact  thatof  the  whole  number 
of  claimants  the  circumstances  of  at  least 
three-fourths  ate  but  a  step  removed  from 
actual  poverty. 

The  delay  in  the  settlement  of  claims,  so 
familiar  to  all  who  have  frequent  dealings 
with  Government,  needs  a  word  of  explana- 
tion. The  pay-rolls  upon  which  the  claims 
of  deceased  soldiers  are  settled  Ijy  the  Se- 
cond Auditor  <oi  the  Treasury  Department 
are  frequently  not  accessible  to  that  officer 
until  several  months  have  elapsed  after  the 
death  of  the  soldier.  These  rolls,  aa  well 
as  the  proof  submitted  by  the  legal  repre- 
sentatives of  the  deceased,  must  be  carefully 
examined  and  submitted^  for  approval  to  the 
Second  Comptroller  before  any  claim  can  be 
settled.  The  result  is  that  an  interval  often 
exceeding  a  year  intervenes  between  the 
filing  and  the  final  adjustment  of  a  claim  for 
arrears  of  pay.  In  applications  for  pension 
the  delay,  although  not  usually  so  great,  is 
still  very  considerable.  Owing  to  the  nu- 
merous attempts  at  fraud  in  the  presenta- 
tiorij  of  unworthy  or  fictitious  claims,  the 
rules  of  proof  insisted  upon  by  the  Depart- 
ment have  been  gradually  rendered  more 
stringent.  The  disability  or  death  of  the 
soldier  is  required  in  every  case  to  be  dis- 
tinctly shown  as  having  occurred  in  the  line 
of  military  duty,  and-  as  incident  to  the  ser- 
vice. In  at  least  three-fourths  of  the  whole 
number  of,  cases  the  Company  records  fail 
to  throw  sufficient  light  upon  these  points, 
and  the  party,  or  his  attorney,  is  call^ 
upon  to  furnish  the  requisite  proof.  Where 


the  claimant  is  the  widow  of  a  soldier,  her 
marriage  must  be  shown,  if  possible,  by  a 
sworn  copy  of  the  church,  or  other  public 
record  of  the  marriage,  and  no  other  proof 
will  be  admitted  unless  the  absence  of  such 
record  is  clearly  established.  Where  the 
claimants  are  minors,  ^  guardian  must  be 
appointed  by  Court,  and  the  exact  ages  of 
the  children  and  the  marriage  of  their  pa- 
rents must  be  shown,  if  possible,  by  record 
evidence.  Where  the  claimant  is  a  mother, 
she  must  establish  the  fact  of  her  depend- 
ence for  support  upon  her  deceased  son  by 
proof  of  the  sums  actually  contributed  by 
him,  and  for  what,  in  general,  they  were  . 
appropriated.  The  witnesses  called  to  testify 
in  any  claim  must  be  disinterested,  and,  if 
possible,  not  near  relatives  of  the  claimant. 
This,  rule,  of  course,  excludes  at  once  a  large 
number  of  persons  from  testifying,  with 
whom  the  knowledge  of  these  facts  pecu- 
liarly lies,  and  increases  in  the  same  propor- 
tion the  difficulty  of  establishing  the  claim. 

It/ would  be  easy  perhaps  to  add  a  feature 
of  interest  to  this  report  by  citing  examples 
of  the  operation  of  this  branch  of  the  Com- 
mission in  individual  cases.  These  comprise 
frequently  the  most  afflicting  exhibitions  of 
utter  poverty  and  hopelessness.  In  repeated 
instances  a  home  has  been  kept  to  the  fami- 
lies of  soldiers  by  the  trifiing  loans  which 
have  been  advanced  upon  claims  in  course 
of  settlement.  During  the  present:^  month 
a  certificate  of  pension  in  favor  of  a  soldier 
discharged  for  consumption  contracted  in 
the  service  was  received  upon  the  day  of  his 
death.  His  wife  called  W  say  thaf  she  had 
no,  means  with  which  to  defrey  the  expenses 
of  his  burial.  Fortunately  the  arrears  upon 
the  pension  proved  to  be  considerable,  and 
were  promptly  paid  by  the  Grovernment 
pension  agent: 

But  it  is  believed  thafr  the  character  of 
the  work,  as  one  of  benevolence,  is  suffi- 
ciently indicated  in  the  tables  accompanying 
this  report.  The  large  and  rapid  growth, 
which,  with  little  aid  from  the  public  press, 
the  work  has  attained,  shows  the  estimation 
in  which  it  is  held,  and  the  ease  with  which 
it  may  be  still  further  enlarged.  Probably 
in  no  branch  of  the  Commission  are  the 
benefits  jesulting  from  its  labors  so  direct 
and  so  encouraging. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF. 

At  the  date  of  our  last  report,  the  Special 
Belief  Department  in  Philadelphia  had  just 
been  reorganized.     Sufficient  time  had  not 


1016 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


then  elapsed  to  test  its  practical  working. 
The  results  of  more  than  a  year's  experience 
is  now  sufficient  to  convince  us,  not  only  of 
its  immense  beniefit  to  our  hospitals  and 
men,  but  also  of  the  economical  results  of 
the  plan  adopted.  Colonel  Soest,  our  Special 
Keljef  Agent,  visits  one  ol:  other  of  our 
hospitals  daily,  keeping  himself  thoroughly 
advised  of  their  requirements.  He  is  pre- 
pared at  all  times  to  render  such  assistance 
as  falls  within  the  scope  of  the  Sahitary 
Commission.  When  requisitions  are  made 
upon  us.  Colonel  Soest,.  by  personal  inspec- 
tion, ascertains  whether  the  articles  de- 
manded are  really  needed  or  not.  Thus  a 
constant  check  is  maintained  to  secure  the 
economical  distribution  of  the  supplies  en- 
trusted to  our  care. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  portion  of 
our  Special  Eelief  work  is  the  looking  after 
the  comfort  of  individual  soldiers,  those  in 
the  service  as  well  as  those  discharged. 
Any  one  familiar  with  the  subject  knows 
how  many  and  Various  are  the  wants  of  the 
soldier  which  the  Government  cannot  rea- 
sonably be  expected  to  care  for.  There  are 
at  our  rooms  daily :  men  without  descrip- 
.  tive  lists,  men  with  their  clothing  accounts 
overdrawn,  those  discharged,  or  waiting  to 
be  discharged  who  have  claims  unsettled, 
those  needing  transportation,  and  those 
suffering  from  countless  other  causes.  The 
case  of  each  man  is  thoroughly  investigated^ 
,  whenever  necessary  he  is  visited,  and  such 
aid  afforded  as  the  circumstances  require. 

The  applications  have  recently  become  so 
numerous  that  it  has  been  found  necessary 
to  appoint  an  assistant  to  Colonel  Soest.  By 
this  arrangement  the  latter  is  enabled  to  pass 
most  of  his  time  invisiting  our  hospitals. 

During  the  year,  5,356  cases  have  re- 
ceived attention,  as  follows : 

Number  of  issues  of  supplies  made  to  general  and  vo- 
lunteer hospitals  and  tfansports /...  464 

Number  of  issues  of  supplies  made  to  individual  sol- 
diers in  the  service .', 2,091 

Number  of  issues  of  supplies  made  to  discharged  sol- 
diers   1,210 

Visits  paid  to  hospitals...,. 317 

Visits  paid  to  individuals 1 303 

fieferred  to  local  relief  associations 330 

Transportation  given  or  procured 375 

Temporary  subsistence  given 139 

Supplied  with  trusses,  &c '. 6 

Miscellaneos 121 

6,386 

Value  of  supplies  issued  to  general  hospitals. . .  $24,244  40 
Value  of  supplies  Issued  to  volunteer  hospitals, 
refreshment  saloons,  "  home,"  &o.,  including 

Harrisburg  Lodge 7,623  37 

Valueof  supplies  issued  to  transports,  &c 1,120  SO 

value  of  supplies  issued  to  individual  soldiers. .    20,777  35 

$53,765    61 


It  will  be  observed,  on  reference  to  the 
above  statament,  that  supplies,  amounting 
in  value  to  $7,623  37,  have  been  issued  to 
the  various  volunteer  organizations  for  the 
relief  of  soldiers  in  this  department.  In 
addition  to 'this,  the  Executive  Committee  ' 
has  appropriated  $2,000  to  the  Citizens' 
Volunteer  Hospital,  $2,000  to  the-  Cooper 
Shop  VolunteejKefreshment  Saloon,  $2,000 
to  the  Union  Volunteer  Eefreshment  Sa- 
loon, and  $500  to  the  Soldiers'  Home. 


FBOBE  FOBT  FISHEB. 
BY   F.    W.    FOSTER. 

Januwfy  20,  1865. 

I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  acting 
under  orders  from  head  quarters,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  Fort  Fisher,  with  Sanitary  sup- 
plies aboard  tfie  Steamer  Demolay  to  Fort- 
ress Monroe,  from  that  point  aboard  the 
Steamer  Atlantic,  to  Fort  Fisher. 

A  portion  of  my  goods  were  landed  in 
safety  through  the  surf  on  the  13th,  im- 
mediately following  the  troops,  and  a  depot 
was  established  near  General  Terry's  head- 
quarters, near  the  beach. 

The  troops  were  all  obliged  to  wade 
through  the  surf  from  the  boats,  and  some 
were  completely  immersed  in  reaching  the 
shore,  so  that  I  found  it  necessary  to  dis- 
tribute dry  shirts  and  drawers  in  some 
cases,  which  were  gratefully  received,  and 
I  have  reason  to  believe,  prevented  much 
suffering,  and  probably  sickness  among  the 
soldiers  of  General  Terry's  command. 

For  three  days  and  nights  the  troops  were 
exposed  on  the  beach  with  little  or  no 
shelter,  and  with  a  limited  amount  of  com- 
missary stores.  By  great  exertion  I  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a  portion  of  my  stores 
landed  on  the  second  day,  and  upon  the  re- 
quest of  different  surgeons,  was  able  to  re- 
lieve many  necessities,  cases  where  diet, 
clothing,  stimulus,  &o.,  were  called  for. 

The  great  demand  for  boks  in  landing 
the  troops  embarrassed  me  somewhat,  but 
I  finally  succeeded  in  getting  all  my  goods 
ashore  before  the  assault  on  Fort  Fisher 
began. 

1  chose  a  situation  to  co-operate  with  the 
surgeons  and  the  hospital-  department,  in 
relieving  the  wants'  of  the  wounded  as 
they  were  brought  in,  and  in  distributing 
comfort  to  the  sick. 

I  have  found  it  necessary  to  practice  the 
same  careful  scrutiny  with  issue  of  stimuluSj 
food  and  clothing,  which  has  been  found  so 


The  Sanitary  C6mmuaion  Butletin. 


1017 


useful  in  other  departments,  in  nearly  every 
case  requiring  the  surgeon's  written  appro- 
val, and  delivering  the  article  to  the  needy 
person  himself,  who,  unless  sick  or  disabled 
was  expected  to  present  himself  at  the 
agency  for  the  articles  required,  that  is  when 
the  armies  are  settled  in  camp. 

All  wholesale  demfinds  from  surgeons, 
chaplains  and  others,  for  regiments  re- 
presented to  be  in  need,  I  have  carefully 
declined  to  fill,  but  hav«  uniformly  requested 
that  the  needy  party  be  sent  directly  to  me, 
with  a  note  from  the  surgeon  stating  the 
wants,  I  am  satisfied  by  this  course  that 
the  goods  distributed  have  been  to  the 
most  pressing  cases  both  among  officers  and 
men. 

The  wounded  all  received  attention  from 
some  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  Agents, 
each  one  having  his  duty  to  perfornp. 

On  the  15th,  at  about  four  o'clbck,  as 
the  wounded  were  coming  in,  we  made  hot 
milk  pui)ch  and  beef  tea;  soft  crackers 
were  given  for  them  to  eat.  At  this  time 
no  commissary  stores  were  landed,  so  that 
all  the  wounded  had  at  first  was  what  we 
gave  them. 

A  chest  of  tea.  was  sent  to  the  cook- 
ground,  or  place  chosen  for  cooking.  Often- 
times surgeons  would  call  on  us  for  crackers 
for  the  wounded,  as  they  were  without  any. 
Kaes,  bandages,  sponges,  liquors,  blankete, 
&c.,  &c.,  were  in  great  demand.  We  made 
over  two  hundred  gallons  of  milk  punch. 

The  timely  aid  of  the  Commission  seems 
to  be.appreciated  by  all  that  know  the  good 
derived  therefrom. 

My  course  has  been  approved  by  General 
Terry  and  Dr.  Burnes,  Medical  J)irector  of 
the  Department,  Dr.  Buzzell,  Medical  In- 
spector, and  other  prudent  and^nscientious 
officers  of  difierent  grades.  I  have  received 
prompt  assistance  from  General  Terry,  in 
receiving  from  him  six  colored  men  whom 
I  used  in  getting  and  heating  Water  for  tea 
and  milk  punches,  in  making  farina,  &o. 

Teams  were  always  furnished  me  for 
transporting  my  stores. 


A  SBEAH. 
A  letteir  of  onff  of  our  agents,  written 
home  while  on  distant  duty  in  the  enemy's 
country,  has  fallen  into  our  hands,  and 
though  it  was  intended  for  no  eye  but  one, 
we  have  obtained  permission  to  insert  this 
extract  in  the  Bulletin.  The  letter  reads; 


I  dreamed  the  other  night  of  crossing 
over  from  a  fort  to  the  bank  beyond  the 
moat,  on  a  fallen  tree.  The  top  of  the  tree 
began  to  settle  as  I  got  almost  to  the  bank, 
and  I  began  to  sink  down  into  the  deep 
muddy  ditch,  and,  was  just  wavering  between 
sinking  into  the  moat  and  springing  to  the 
bank,  when,  without  my  looking  up,  I  felt 
a  little  hand  in  mine  giving  the  gentlest 
little  pull,  but  steady  and  real,  which  lifted 
me  right  up  to  my  feet;  and  on  looking, 
there  was  our  little,  darling  boy.  It  was  so 
real  that  it  woke  me,  and  these  are  the 
thoughts.it  left  with  me. 

"  A  LITTLE    CHILD    SHALL    LEAD    THEM." 

A  little  child  is  leading  xne, 

I  feel  his  hand  in  mine ; 
I'm  lead  as  one  that  canfiot  see — 

His  is  a  right  divine. 

He  has  a  gentle,  timid  voice ; 

A  form  that's  very  frail ; 
A  foot  that  hardly  leaves  a  print ; 

A  tender  face,  and  pale. 

And  yet  he  has  a  certain  po.wer 

To  lead  me  where  he  will; 
,1  hasten  with  his  hast'ning  steps, 
And  when  he  rests,  I'm  still. 

He  leads  me  on^o  holy  thonght, 

To  earnest  prayer  and  love. 
To  where  the  heart  by  God  is  taught, 

To  where  descends  the  Dove. 

He  leads  me  where  the  waters  flow 

That  wash  out  stains,  of  sin ; 
He  leads  my  heart  to  seek  to  know 

How  Christ  may  enter  in. 

He  leads  me  to  my  own  sweet  home, 

And  shows  me  there  at  rest. 
My  children  and  my  wife,  so  dear, 

And  all  I  love  the  best. 

He  leads' me  on  where  children  play 

On  banks  of  living  green. 
Where  sunshine  lingers  all  day  long, 

And  angels'  wings  are  seen. 

He  leads  me  thence  to  seek  the  Source 

Of  spirit,  life  and  power ; 
To  search  the  problem,'  never  solved — 

The  seal's  own  nataj  hour! 

To  ask,  How  out  of  God  we  came  ?  ' 

How  unto  God  we  go  ? 
How,  'tis  in  Him  we  live  arid  move — 

The  Holy  Spirit's  flow, 

'  Tis  thus  a  child  is  leading  me, 

His  little  hand  in  mine; 
'Tis  thus  I'm  led,  that  cuuld  not  see ; 

'Tis  thus  his  power's  divine ! 


DB,  HOWARD'S  AMBTTLANCE. 

Dr.  Howard,  late  surgeon  of  the  United 
States  Army,  has,  after  much  thought  and 
labor,  constructed  plans   of  an  improved 


1018 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ambulance,  of  which  we  gave  a  series  of 
wood  cuts  in  the  last  number  of  the  Bul- 
letin,' and  not  having  the  Doctor's  text  at 
hand,  we  inadvertantly  attributed  a  mea- 
sure of  the  credit  of  this  very  creditable 
work  to  the  members  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, whom  we  know  to  have  taken  a 
deep  interest  in  Dr.  Howard's  plan,  but  we 
take  pleasure  now  in  correcting .  the  error 
by  giving  the  full  credit  of  the  work  to  Dr. 
Howard,  and  callffig  attention  to  his  own 
description  of  the  improved  ambulance, 
commencing  on  page  994  of  our  present 
issue. 

OITE  WEEK'S  WOBE  AS  HOSPITAL  TISIIOB. 
BY  J.   B.   HOLT. 

Monday  morning  rode  my  horse  to  Alex- 
andria, and  spent  the  day  at  Louviture  Hos- 
pital, visited  each  man  confined  to  his  bed, 
offering  words  of  cheer,  finding  out  their 
wants,  and  engaging  to  supply  those  wants 
as  far  as  prkcticable.  Took  a  number  of 
cases  for  back-pay.  The  men  were  being 
paid  off,  and  I  received  many  a  "  God  b|less 
you"  from  those  whose  cases  I  had  taken, 
and  foi/^hom  that  very  efficient  branch  of 
the  Commission,  the  Special  Relief,  had 
obtained  certificates  from  the  Paymaster 
Greneral,  so  that  some  were  receiving  pay 
for  fourteen  months,  others  six,  eight,  ten 
and  twelve. 

Tuesday  visitfed  Falls  Church  Hospital, 
where  I  met  the  most-  grateful  and  happy 
man  I  have  seen  for  many  a  day.  His 
lower  limbs  have  been  paralyzed  for  five 
months,  the  only  way  he  could  be  moved 
was  to  be  carried  aboutln  the  arms  of  the 
attendants.  Last  week  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission furnished  him  with  a  "  Locomotive 
Chair,"  in  which ,  he  can  move  about 
wherever  he  pleases  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
Hospital,  and  when  spring  comes  can  riiove 
out  of  doors. 

Wednesday  visited  King  Street  Commis- 
sary and  Quartermaster's  hospitals.  Took 
quite  a  number  of  cases  for  back-pay.  Wrote 
out  statements  of  two  soldiers  charged  with 
desertion,  who  are  believed  by  the  surgeons 
to  be  innocent. 

Thursday,  visited  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Grace  Church,  and  Port  Lyon's  hospitals, 
the  latter  some  three  miles  from  Alexandria. 

Friday,  visited  Grosvenor  House,  Prince 
Street  and  Baptist  Church  hospitals.  Have 


written  to  friends  of  soldiers,-  their  officers, 
&o.,  on  business  connected  with  the  Special 
Relief  Department.     . 

Saturday,  ~  (to-day)  have  visited'  Fort 
Williams  Hospital,  and  the  headquarters  of 
the  Brigade,  Fqrt*Ward  Hospital ;  called  at 
Fairfax  Siminary,  on  request  of  Miss  Wool- 
sey ;  visited  Abbott  Hospital,  and  Invalid 
Corps  Hospital,  Freedmen's  'Village,  forts 
WoodbuVy  and  Strong  hospitals,  at  each  of 
which  there  has  been  much  improvement 
in  the  sanitary  condition  within  a  few 
weeks,  and  a  general  improvement  of  the 
patients. 

I  hear  from'-  surgeons  in  charge  of  hos- 
pitals, every  day,  remarks  like  the  follow- 
ing :  "What  a  grand  institution  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  is."  "  What  should  we  do 
were  it  not  for  the  Sanitary  V  "  We  could 
not  get  along  without  the  aid  of  the  Sani- 
tary."    All  of  which  is  encouraging. 


LETTER  FBOM  STTEGEON  MOOBE  OF  SEEB- 
MAN'S   ABUY. 

Dear  Sir  : — Your  obliging  letter,  con- 
taining an  offer  of  sanitary  stores,  was  re- 
ceived yesterday.  The  articles  of  food  and 
underclothing  will  be  of  great  use  to  us 
here. 

If  one  of  your  agents  could  be  stationed 
here  it  would  be  a  more  convenient  arrange- 
ment than  having  them  at  Beaufort.  But 
our  surgeons  will  have  to  go  to  Hilton 
Head  for  medical  supplies,  and  when  there, 
can  easily  go  to  Beaufort  and  bring  down 
'  sanitary  stores.  No  orders  for  these  articles 
will  be  sent  except  by  dii vision  or  regimental 
surgeons.  I  hope  soon  to  see  a  branch  of 
your  establishment  at  this  place.  With 
kind  regards  to  yourself  and  the  benevolent 
institution  you  represent,  I  remain, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
Jno.  Moore, 

Surg.  U.  S.  A.,  in  charge  Shermaa'e  Aimjr. 

THE  SANITABY  COMMISSION  IN  THE  SHEN- 
ANDOAH. 

EXTRACT  FROM  REPORT  OP  MR.  BATOHELDER. 

There  have  been  one  hundred  thousand 
soldiers'  letters  committed  to  our  care,  on 
about  one-third  of-wnioh  we  have  paid  the 
postage. 

We  have  forwarded,  in  money,  for  soldiers 
forty-three  thousand  and  seventy-five  dol- 
lars, and  returned  receipts  for  the  same. 
Fifty  packages  have  been  delivered  to  the 
express  company,  through  our  agency.  The 
remains  of  about  twenty-five  soldiers  have 
been  sent  to  their  friends. 


The  Saidtary  Qommiasion  Bulletin. 


1019 


TABLE  or  COHTENTS. 

Befortb. 

Annapolis,  by  J.  B.  Abtott 1005 

"  "   E.  e.  Qnild,.- 1007 

Camp  Parole,  by  Misses  A.  Gary  and  S.  L.  Phillips,  lOOS 
"       "  "  Geo.  A.  Miller ...1006 

Report  of  the  S  Morwalk  Ladles'  Patriotic  Society,  lOH 

Philadelphia,  Eebort  of  R.  M.  Lewis,  Esq.,  Superin- 
tendent of  Philadelphia  Branch  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission  ^ 1013 

Fort  Pisher,  by  F.  W.  Foster V 1016 

COKRESFONDBNCE.  ^ 

Letter  from  Gen.  Sprague, 999 

Letter  from  a  Chaplain,.... 999 

Letter  ftom  New  Orleans,  by  Dr-  George  A.  Blake,  1003 
Letter  from  Savannah,  by  Jeremiah  Porter,  Chap- 
lain 16th  Army  Corps  Hospital, 1004 

Dr.  Bellows  and  *  •  »,  Surgeons  and  ihe  People's 

Stores, 1012 

Letter  from  Surgeon  Moore , 1018 

MlSCELLAHEOrS.  ' 

For  the  Soldiers A 993 

Ambulances,  (continued), 994 

Auxiliary  Relief  Corps 997 

A  Visitor's  Thoughts 999 

A  Generous  Gift, 1001 

STecessity  for  the  Continuance  of  the  TJ.  S.  Sanitary 

Commission, -. 1001 

An  Axe  to  Grind,.. 1004 

To  Surgeons 1005 

Back-Pay,  Bounties  and  Pensions lOOS 

A  Deserved  Testimonial, lOOS 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  No.  4 1009 

A  Dream 1017 

One  Week's  Work  as  Hospital  Visitor 1018 

This  Sanitary  Commission  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  1018 

Editokial. 
Definitions ' 996 

'  The  People  and  the  Cofflxnlssiou, 1000 

Dr.  Howard's  Ambulance 1017 

PROTECTIVE 

OP    THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

President. 
LIB0T.-GEN.  WINPIBLD  SCOTT. 
,  ,  Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admiral  Dcpont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Ecd.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq 

TREASnREB.^-ROBEB^T    B.    MlNTUEN,    EsQf 

Directors. 


Hons.  B.  D.  MoRQAN, 
George  Opdyke, 
Hiram  Bahn!eV, 
Jas  W.  Bbekman, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Abtoe, 

James  Brown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper,     , 
George-  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply >ii  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Seeretary, 
,  35  Chambers  Street,,  New  York.   , 

obj:^cts  OF  the  association. 

1st.  To  secure  ihe'soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty^ 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  famiUes 
from  impostwe  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  bang  made 
against  the  Government. 

ah.  To  give  gratidtous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSIPN 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  June, 
1861,  in  accoriJance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,.Bsq.,  Nev  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  E.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J;  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Still-fe,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,.Ill. 

OFFICERS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE. 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  VanBuren,M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  StillS. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  Ye^rk,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  OfBce  of  Sanitary  Com- 
missiofl,  Washington,  D.  0." 

For  the  .Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1301  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Of&ce 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


1020 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

J8^°Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT.  . 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of"  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  chatge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
poidts — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  ausiliary  scicieties 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OF   THE   EAST. 

OENTEAl  DEPOTS  OF  OOLLSOTIOJT. 

U.  S.  Saniiary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Oommissioii,  No.  11  Cooper 
Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OP  DISTEIBUTION. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  24::4  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C.       i 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,-  Annapolis,  Md. 
.   TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  0. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depbts  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS   OP   COLLECTION. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

TJ.  S.'  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0.  , 

TT.  S.  Sanitaiy  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  UU. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


-  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

special  relief  department.. 

east: 

"  Special  EeliSf"  OfBce,  V6  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"Special  Relief"  OfSce,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot.         , 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,!'  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. ; 

"Lodge  No.  5j"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
'and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La.    • 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleahs,  La. 

WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets; 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  0.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn., 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky;,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Padnoah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  1021 


BRANCH,  yfmt^0'^^^72£M^^^'*'^^  BEANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,   '  \  l«»fCEN'^  ■''^■^^^^-ARtuI  \      ^°-  ^^  GJj^een  Street, 

NEW  YORK,  Jj    \'o03''"*3'j6  C^£;§#^<?'  '§J^     BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "Palmee"  Akh  and  Lbs  are  now  farnlslied  for  tlie  matilated  herqpB  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  ofidclal  loiters  from  the  Snrgeon-Oeneral,  -which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Oovernment. 

Surgeok-Qbnebal's  Oppicb,, 
Wabhiuqtoh  City,  D.C,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sib  : — ^The'Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled'  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  o  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm.^having  reported       ******** 

IH  COUFHIAHCE  with  the  BECOHMEHSATION  op    the    BqaRD,  WHEH  a    soldier   mat   DE8IEE    TO   PUECHASE  "THE  MOEB 
BLBQAKT  AKD  EXPE2fSIVE  AEM  OP  PALMER,"  PIPTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PAYMENT  POR  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CRANE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

\  SlTRQEON-GENfiRAL'S  OPPICE, 

\  -'     .  ■Wabhihgton  City,  D.CI,  Sept.  20, 1864. 

SxB : — ^In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  1  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report  and'  recommendation  of 
..  the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  Toric,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  ArtiQcial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  par  as  regards  the  Limbs  MANapAcTDRED  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Snrgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  C.  SPENCEE,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D,,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  FALHEB,  LEGt  is  fiiniislied  THE  SOLDIER  FBEE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  hy  letter,  at  either  of  tlie  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Co. 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANYj 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

r 

0£Q.oe,    6X    CedfLX-   Stx-eet,   "SSg-^kt  'S'csx-ls.. 

Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

^  TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  T. 
•  Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.       E.  B.  BELDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

I         JAMES  "WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  significant  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory.* 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  Of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  |50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared_dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMFMT, 

tNo.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York, 


1Q22  The  Sanitary  Oommisgion  Bulletin. 


^^™,  %^ 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  business. 

MANDEACTITRED  ONLY  BY  THE  OETGIKAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIEBANKS  &  CO.,  No.  252  Broadway,  IXew  York. 
FAIEBANKS  &  BBO"WlI,  Wo.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIKBAWKS,  GEEENLEAF  &  CQa  BTo.  172  Lake  Street.  CSncago. 
PAIKBANKS  &  EWIITG,  Masonic  HaU,  Philadelphia,. 
FAIBBABKS  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimoi«  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circular.^  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of  the  above 

ESTABLISHED  ;86o. 

486  BROADWAY  and  -  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OP  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

WHEEIiER  &  ^mL.SO]y, 
'  GROTER  &  BARER, 

WIL.I.COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SINGER  AltTD  OTHERS. 

TO  RE]\T  AND 

FOR  SALE, 

»   At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

V   V  Comer  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  IS'ew  York, 

'        V.  W.  WIOKES,  Jr.,  Proj^rietor, 

486  Broadway,  Tip  StaiiB. 


TJm  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1023 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


IS4E  O  R  R  I  S 


OOMP»A.IsrY3 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capital,     , 
Cash  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$21)0,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


against  loss  or  damage  by-fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and^all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  an4 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port.. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


I>  I  aE«.  E3  O  T  o 

11 

EDWABD  EOWE 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MOEEISON, 

ALBBKT  a.  LBB, 

FEED.  H.  BEADLBE, 

BAWL  W.  TELLBE, 

GEOEQE  MILN, 

EDWAED  C.  BATES, 

HBNEY  J.  CAMMANH, 

J.  C.  MOBEIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

S.  N.  DBEEICK, 

KOB'T  BOWNE, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHAELES  HICKOX, 

EZEA  NTE, 

B.  0.  MOEEIS,  Jb., 

N.  0.  NIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


1024  T^e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 

P.  RATCHFORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  over  Eleven  and  a  taalf  Millions  of  Dollars. 

Polioiea  known  as  "Non-Forfeiting,"  on- the  terms  tliey  express,  on  the  Ten^Year  plan,  issued  hy  this 
Company,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  rates  of  premiums,  greater  than  are  offered  by  any  other  Life 

Company.  

*  

Widows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  New  Tork. 

LUCIUS    KOBINSON.    President. 
Casta  Capital,  $200,000. 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  officers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mdtual 
LiFB  Insubahob  Compaht  of  New  Yohk,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 

Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  Tork. 

JOHN    WADSWOKTH,   President. 
Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies. '  It  thus  meets  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their'families,  and  of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance. 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to 

I".  KATCHFOEi)  STAKR,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  PhlladelpUa. 

Insurance  against  Acciden*  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

HARTFOKD,CONN. 
0.at.E*IT  A  Ti,        ■•         •         -         $500,000. 

JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  President.     , 
Insurance  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCIDENTS  cif  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 

granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 

secures  a  Policy  for 
^  Five  Thousand  Dollars, 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  business.  • 

Fifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  compensation  for  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident. 

Policies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  other 
sum  between  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALLEN,  Agent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  33. 


PHILADELPHIA,  MARCH  1,  1865. 


No.  33. 


Thb  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin  is  publUhed  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  hoe  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 


All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  q^e,'l30*!  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feds  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  houfever,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (Gr.  T.  Steon»,  68  Wall  street,  New  York,  or -No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  dming  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  ^continued. 


ACBOSTIC. 

BY   MRS.    DE.    MAOGOWAN. 

T  0  pour  in  oil  and  wine — sustain  the  brave, 
H  elp  the  wan  guff'rer,  be  he  free  or  slave, 
B!  rect  we  here  an  altar  where  we  plead. 

X!  nlook  your  purses  for  our  armies  need, 

N  oble  the  cause,  Columbia's  patriots  cry,  * 

I   mplore  our  aid  to  save,  nor  let  them  die. 

T  hrough  camp  and  field,  mercy  with  angel  wings, 

E  aoh  hand  outstretched  relief  and  succour  brings, 

D  isease  with  languid  eye  not  turned  in  vain, 

8  eizes  the  hoon,  and  dreams  of  home  again ; 
T  read  lightly,  see  a  wounded  one  at  rest, 
A  8  breathing  low  he  slumbers,  and  is  blest. 
T  urn  we  again,  the  thickest  of  the  fight, 
E  yes  filming  o'er  in  death,  a  ghastly  sight  ; 
S  ee  gentle  hands  wiping  the  pallid  brow, 

S  ighing,  and  groans,  exchanged  for  blessing  now. 

A  nd  you  fair  helpers  in  this  work  of  love, 

N  ot  seeking  aught  btit  recompense  above ; 

I   nspired  by  that  which  droppeth  as  from  Heaven, 

T  if  rich  reward  of  doing  gqod  is  given. 

A  h,  when  again  sweet  peace  to  us  shall  come, 

E,  etoming,  dove-like,  to  her  exiled  home, 

Y  our  starry  banner  wave  on  every  shore, 

C  ircling  our  Union  in  its  folds  once  more. 

0  ur  glorious  country,  freed  from  every  ban, 
M  ajestio  rise  first  in  the  nation's  van  ; 

M  ay  the  oppressed  in  every  land  then  see 

1  n  our  proud  eagle  symbol  of  the  free ; 

8  olace,  and  rest,  and  when  we  drop  a  tear, 

8  acred  to  those  whose  memories  are  dear; 

I  n  grateful  hearts  and  homes,  remember  well,  _ 

0  ur  liberties  secured  by  those  who  fell,  ^ 

N  ow  fold  their  banners  o'er  thorn— all  is  well. 


DEFISriTIOKS. 

Banquette,  is  the  step  or  foot  bank  run- 
ning along  the  inside  of  a  parapet,  suffi- 
ciently high  to  enable  the  musketeers  to 
stand  and  fire  over  the  crest  of  the  parapet. 

Barbette. — Guns  are  in  barbette  when 
they  are  elevated  behind  the  parapet,  so 
that  instead  of  firing  through  embrasures 
they  can  be  fired  over  the  top.  A  much 
wider  range  is  thus  secured.' 

Barracks. — From  the  Spanish  barraca, 
are  lodging  houses  for  troops.  When  com- 
plete they  are  sufficiently  commodious  for 
mess  rooms,  cooking  houses,  guard  houses, 
magazines,  &c. 

Barricades,  are  temporary  obstructions 
to  the  advance  of  a  foe,  they  are  sometimes 
hastily  made  of  trees,  earth,  wagons,  boxes, 
barrels,  bales,  bags,  &e. 

Bastion,  is  a  huge  mass  of  earth,  usually 
faced  with  sods ;  sometimes  with  brick  or 
stones,  standing  out  from^  the  angles  of  a 
fortified  work,  to  protect  the  walls. 

Batardean,  is '  a  strong  wall  of  masonry 
built  across  a  ditch  to  sustain  the  pressure 
of  the  water,  where  one  part  is  dry  and  the 


1026 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


other  wet.  To  prevent  its  being  used  as  a 
passage,  it  is  built  up  to  an  angle  at  top, 
and  armed  with  iron  spikes. 

Battalion. — ^An  aggregation  of  two  to 
ten  companies  of  infantry. 

Battery. — A  battery  consists  of  two  or 
more  pieces  of  artillery  in  the  field.  It  also 
implies  the  emplacement  of  ordnance  des- 
tined to  act  offensively  or  defensively.  It 
also  refers  to  the  company  charged  with  a 
certain  number  of  pieces  of  ordnance.  The 
ordnance  constitutes  the  battery.  Men 
serve  the  battery,  horses  drag  it. 

Battle. — Battles  are  either  parallel  or 
oblique,  and  they  are  strategic  when,  in 
consequence  of  a  plan  of  campaign,  they  are 
fought  upon  a  given  and  objective  point,  as 
the  battles  of  Marengo  or  Austerlitz. 

The  following  preparations  for  battle  are 
usually  made  by  great  commanders :  All 
disposable  troops  are  held  in  hand;  the 
readiness  of  the  troops  is  ascertained  by 
inspection  of  arms ;  proper  nourishment  ig 
giveh  to  them  before  going  into  battle ;  the 
projects  of  the  day  are  communicated  from 
grade  to  grad.e  j  the  points  for  the  ambulan- 
lances  and  caissons  are  indicated ;  the  ren- 
dezvous for  rallying  or  retreating-  are  made 
known ;  measures  are  taken  to  secure  the 
rear  and  communications,  in  order  to  retain 
the  mastery  of  the  base  of  operations;  the 
army  is  ranged  ordinarily  in  two  lines,  and 
the  position  of  reserves  -given  in  the  order 
of  battle ;  the  three  arms  are  disposed  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  of  the  ground ;  decisive 
points  are  occupied  j  open  or  flanking  batte- 
ries are  established  on  proper  elevations ; 
the  front  and  flanks  of  the  army  are  fur- 
nished with  artillery,  in  number,  kind,  and 
calibre  according  to  circumstances.  These 
are  preparations  for  battle ;  the  action  com- 
mences ordinarily  as  follows :  marksmen  are 
thrown  forward,  sometimes  acting  in  con- 
junction with  artillery.  Either  the  enemy 
shows  an  equal  disposition  to  attack,  or  else 
one  party  insults  the  other  to  bring  on  a 
ootsbat    When  the  adv«aoed  guards  have 


felt  each  other,  jthe  army  disposed  to  make 
battle  begins  or  increases  its  cannonade,  t« 
constrain  the  adversary  to  deploy  his  masses, 
show  his  different  arms,  an:d  thus  make 
known  the  composition,  number,  import- 
ance, and  the.  direction  to  be  given  to  the 
adverse  forces.  The  reserves  remain  sta- 
tionary, while  the  cavalry,  properly  shel- 
tered from  fire,  watch  their  opponents,  and 
throw  themselves  upon  weakened  or  stag- 
gered lines  of  infantry.  When  the  affair 
has  begun^  and  the  positions  and  disposi- 
tions of  the  enemy  are  known,  and  the 
proper  effect  has  been  produced  by  firing, 
the  infantry  may  march  to  the  charge,  with 
the  arms  at  a  carry  or  on  the  right  shoul- 
der, leaving  to  the  instinct  of  the  soldier 
the  determination  of  the  proper  moment  of 
bringing  the  musket  to  the  position  of 
charge  bayonet. 

Bayau,  is  a  small  trench,  or  branch  of  a. 
trench,  leading  to  a  magazine  or  to' any  par. 
ticular  point.  They  are  generally  called 
bayaus  vof  communication. 

Breastwork,  is  a  hastily  constructed 
parapet  not  high  enough  to  require  a  ban- 
quetle  or  step  behind  it. 

Bridge.^r-There  are  three  kinds  of  mili- 
tary bridges.  1.  Fixed  bridges  of  timber. 
2.  Floating  bridges.     3.  Flying  bridges. 

Fixed  bridge. — This  may  be  built  on 
piles  or  trestles,  like  any  ordinary  bridges. 

Floating  bridge. — Is  generally  adapted 
for  the  passage  of  troops  over  streams,  and 
are  supplied  by  pontoon  trains,  which  ac- 
company the  army.  Casks  may  be  used  to 
construct  a  bridge,  and  answer  a  very  good 
purpose,  as  in  fig.  3.  Boats  may  be  em- 
ployed instead  of  casks. 
Fig.  3. 


^Flyitig  bridge. — This  consists  qf  a  large 
boat  or  raft  firmly  attached  by  a  Idiig  cable 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1027 


to  a  TOooring  in  the  center  of  the  stream. 
It  is  made  of  two,  three,  or  six  boats,  con- 
nected together  and  floored  over,  the  beams 
being  fastened  to  the  gunwales  of  the  boats 
with  iron  bolts,  and   the  flooring  planks 
nailed  upon  them.     The  most  suitable  bo&ts 
are  long,  narrow,  and  deep,  with  nearly 
vertical  sides,  in  order  to  offer  greater  re- 
sistance to  the  action  of  the  current.     A 
rope  or  cable  is  fastened  to  the   upright 
standard  on  the  floor,  to  the  other  end  of 
which  is  on  anchor,  which  is  moored  in  the 
channel,  if  this   is   in  the  middle  of  the 
stream.     If  not,  the  anchor  is  placed  a  little 
on  one  side  of  it,  toward  the  inost  distant 
shore.     By  means  of  a  rudder  the  bridge  is 
turned  in  such  a  direction,  that  it  is  struck 
obliquely  by  the  current,  and  the  force  re- 
sulting from  the  decomposition  of  the  action 
of  the  current  makes  it  describe  an  arc  of  a 
circle  aiound  the  anchor  as  a  center  j  and 
this  force  acquires  its  maximum  effect  when 
the  sides  of  the  boats  make  an  angle  of 
about  55  degrees  with  the  action  of  the 
current.     See  fig.  4. 

Pig.  4. 


.  A  flying  bridge  may,  in  case  of  emer- 
gency, be  made  of  any  kind  of  boats,  with 
th^  means  of  fixing  rudders  to  them. 

A  most  curious  contrivance  for  crossing 
streams  is  found  in  what  are  known  as  hide 
boats.  They  are  made  of  four  buffalo  hides, 
strongly  sewed  together  with  buffalo  sinew, 
and  stretched  over  a  basket  work  of  willow 
8  feet  long  and  5  feet  broad,  with  a  rounded 
bow.  To  prevent  leakage,  the  seams  are 
covered  with  ashes  and  tallow,  and  exposed 
to  the  sun  for  some  hours,  when  the  skins  con- 
tract and  tighten  the  whole  work.  Such  a 
boat,  with  four  men  in  it,  draws  only  four 
inches  of  water. 


FEOM  CITY  POINT. 
BY  J.  H.  DAVIS. 


::} 


Hbad-quartbbs  Field  KBiiiKJ'.  Corps, 

OF  AeMIKS   OPBBATINS  against  piOHMONO, 

Patrick  Station,  Feb.  6,  1865 

I  sit  down  to  write  you  a  narrative  of 
what  has  transpired  during  the  last  t^o 
days,  which  will  be  somewhat  confused  per- 
haps, and  disconnected.  -Late  Saturday 
evening  the  order  came  for  two  brigades  of 
the  1st  division  and  2d  and  3d  division  of 
the  2d  Army  Corps,  to  supply  themselves 
with  four  days', rations,  and  to  be  in  readi- 
nejss  to  march  at  daylight.  We  accordingly 
"prepared  ourselves  to  go  with  them.  At 
four  in  the  morning  of  Sjfnday  we  roused 
ourselves  and  prepared  our  wagon  for  the 
march.  Our  battle  stock  came  in  very  op- 
portunely. We  started  the  column  about  7 
o'clodk,  and  soon  made  the  picket  line.  The 
head  of  our  advance  had  scarcely  debouched 
froin  the  vedette  line,  ere  skirmishing  began. 
The  rebels  contested  every  inch  of_  the 
ground,  and  by  noon  we  had  only  advanced 
to  within  five  miles  of  "Hatcher's  Eun;" 
here  the  rebels  had  made  a  stand,  but  the  ca- " 
valry  flanked  them  out  of  their  rifle-pits. 

A   BATTLE. 

We  laid  in  position  the  rest  of  the  day,  and 
until  3  o'clock  our  casualities  were  small — 
— only  about  fifteen  or  twenty  killed  and 
wounded.  About  half-piaat  four,  Mahone's 
Corps  of  the  Rebel  Army,  advanced  on  the 
troops  of  the  2d  and  3d  brigades  of  the 
3d  division,  and  1st  brigade  of  the  2d  divi- 
sion, 2d  corps,  who  were  busily  entrench- 
ing themselves  about  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  north  pf  "  Hatcher's  Run."  The  rebels 
came  on  in  three  lines  of  battle,  with  loud 
yells,  and  charged  the  line ;  but  the  vipers 
bit  at  a  file,. for  most  all  the  troops  had 
.perfected  their  breast- works.  The  rebels 
were  repulsed  with  loss ;  nothing  daunted 
by  their  first  failure,  they  came  on  again  and 
again,  until  they  had  made  five  distinct 
charges,  but  every  time  were  signally  re- 
pulsed. They  finally  retired  with  severe 
loss.  Some  estimate  their  loss  at  upwards 
of  500  killed  and  wounded.  Our,  loss  was 
slight.  The  Sth  New  Jersey  and  120th 
New  York,  suffered  the  most;  the  Sth 
losing  42  killed  and  wounded — altogethe'r, 
the  division  lost  about  75.  The  2d  division 
lost  about  -60.  The  two  corps  remained  in 
undisturbed,  possession  of  their  works  all 
■  night. 

Being  about  five  miles  at  the  farthest 


1028 


TTie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


point  of  our  line  from  the  hospital,  it  was 
deemed  expedient  to  send  the  wounded  into 
the  hiispital,  which  was  accordingly  done. 
General  Humphreys  sent  to  us  an  order  to 
go  in,  as  in  his  opinion,  we  could  do  wore 
good'at  tlic  hospital;  and  as  the  night  pro- 
mised to  be  cold,  he  thought  we  would  be 
more  comfortable.  Finding  that  we  could 
be  of  little  use  at  night  we  came  into  camp 
and  unloaded.. 

I  forgot  to  mention  the  fact,  that  Uncle 
John*  and  Mr.  Riechenbach  were  with 
me,  and  performed  much  good  service.  To- 
day I  went  out  again,  but  did  not  take  the 
wagon.  I  filled  my  capacious  saddle-bags 
with  ginger,  towels,  stockings  and  matches, 
and  mounting  "  Old  Jeff,"  wended  my  way 
to  the  battle  front. 


HATCHEE  S   RUN.  ^ 

On  approaching  "  Hatcher's  Run,"  I 
found  the  whole  5th  corps  layihg  around 
the  old  rebel  line,  which  we  had  taken  the 
day  before.     Thoy'had  struck  out  from  the 

,  and  having  made  a  march  of  some 

15  or  20  miles  on  the  arc  of  a  circle,  found 
themselves  on  the  left  of  the  2d  corps,  and 
in  the  rear  of  the  cavalry  division,  who  had 
struck  out  from  the  Jerusalem  plank  road, 
and  made  a  raid  on  the  Boynton  road,  run- 
ning parallel  with  the  South  Side  railroad, 
and  had  captured  27  wagons  loaded  with 
forage,  besides  a  rebel  colonel,  major,  and 
three  first  lieutenants,  whom  they  brought 
in  early  this  morning.  The  brigade  of 
cavalry  in  the  advance,  about  two  miles 
above  the  "Run,"  were  in  great  danger 
ot  being  captured.  ■  Whifc  cooking  their 
breakfast  they  were  almost  surrounded,  and 
only  got  out  of  their  position  by  hard  fight- 
ing. 1  artived  on  the  ground  about  9 
o'clock,  and  found  Agent  Barton  of  the 
5th  corps  With  his  wagon ;  he  was  with  the 
corps  all  through  their  march,  but  up  to 
that  time,  had  not  been  able  to  do  much  for  t 
the  wouuded.  AM  the  morning  our  cavalry 
skinuisbcd  with  the  /rebels,  who  proved  to 
be  Pegram's  Division  of  Ewell's  Corps,  and 
Wahoue's  Division  with  part  of  Hokes. 
About  4  o'clock  a  brigade  of  cavalry  were 
ordered  to  charge  a  rebel  position  to  the 
left  of  our  line,  held  by  some  dismounted 
rebel  cavalry,  among  whom  were  the  liJth 
Virgiuiaj  but  the  position  being  among 
pines,  where  horses  coiild  not-go,  and  a  bri- 
gade of  infantry  being  found  in  support  of 

*  lior,  Julin  Vassal',  one  of  our  moat  «fflclwt  ageuts,  uul- 
Tei'nalijr  kuuwa  as  "  Uacla  JahB." 


t4icm,  we  did  not  succeed  in  driving  them. 
Here  we  captured  the  colors  of  the  57th 
North  Carolina,  and  about  100  prisoners 
Soon  after  the  5th  corps  were  ordered  in, 
the  1st  division  leading,  supported  by  the 
2d  and  3d,  who  forced  the  rebels  back,  and 
gained  considerable  ground.  Your  corre- 
spondent was  on  the  battle-field,  and  made 
two  narrow  escapes  froin  death  by  the  rebel 
shells,  while  he  stood  up  to  the  work, 
doing  all  he  could  in  his  power  to  relieve 
the  wounded.  ,  The^  minnie  balls  came  too 
provokingly  close  for  comfort,  but  I  en- 
tered into  the  excitement  of  the  scene,  and 
was  almost  unconscious  of  the  fatal  bullets, 
which  strttck  men  dowp  all  around  me. 
Finally  the  storm  of  battle  receded  and  we 
were  left  alone  with  the  wounded  and  dying. 
I  left  the  field  about  5  o'clock,  feeling  that 
we  had  made  a  splendid  advance  towards  the 
only  railsoad  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
rebels. 

THE   WOUNDED. 

At  the  Run  I  found  the  6th  corps  ad- 
vancing to  the  support  of  the  5th.  Since 
I  turned  my  face  homeward,  I  have  learned 
that  the  3d  division  of  the  5th  corps  suffer- 
ed a  terrible  loss.  The  rebels  must  have 
charged  on  that  portion  of  the  line,  massing 
their  troops  for  that  purpose.  We  have 
just  received  news  that  the  wounded  are  to 
be  shipped  at  this  station  .for  the  Point 
and  are  busy  making  arrangements  to  re- 
ceive them;-  we  have  several  pails  of  punch 
made,  and  ^.hall  keep  up  until  they  arrive, 
which  will  be  about  midnight.  We  are 
doing  all  that  can  be  done  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. I  shall  go  out  again  in  the 
morning  and  ^ill  ascertain  the  situation. 

I  need  more  sto\)k,  as  my  men  wiSl  be  very 
busy  and  very^ tired  from  their  labors;  say.  3 
barrels  crackers;  3  water  pails,  tin  or  wood; 
3  cases  milk ;  100  shirts ;  2  gross  Jamaica 
Cringer;  100  pairs  of  drawers;  100  arm 
slings;  100  pairs  of  stockings;  2  dozen 
feeding  cups;  2  cases  soup,  boulli;  1  case 
Sherry  wine;  200  towels;  200  handker- 
chiefs; 100  lbs.  chewing  tobacco;  3. boxes 
of  farina;  100  lbs.  smoking  tobacco;  50 
lbs.  sugar. 

Send  all  the  tobacco  you  can  spare.  Thi» 
will  do  for  both  corps — Barton  and  nlyself. 

I  do  not  know  of  many  officers  killed  or 
wounded. 

Let  me  hear  from  you.  Send  out  lettors 
if  there  be  any.  I  have  been  in  the  saddle 
for  tiro  days ;  that  must  be  my  excuse  for 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


102D 


not  doing  better  in  the  story  line.     I  am 
Tcry  tired  and  sleepy — 12  o'clock. 

Hbad-qcaetbrs  Aotino  SnPT.  Field  ) 

Sbuef  Corps,  of  armies  oper'atino      I- 

AGAINST  Richmond,  Feb.  T,  1865.  J 

I  closed  my  letter  of  last  night  near 
midnight,'  with  the  pots  filled,  water  on 
the  fire  and  everything  ready  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  wounded. '  Finding  th.it 
th6  ambulances  did  not  arrive,  I  laid  down 
and  soon  fell  asleep.  About  2  o'clock  in 
the  morning  the  first  load  arrived, — and 
gnch  a  load !  The  night  was  very  cold,  and 
towards  morning  it  commenced  snowing. 
The  cars  did  not  arrive  in  season  to  meut 
them ;  an  ambulance  train,  it  is  said,  was 
the  cause  of  the  delay.  The  men  were  un- 
loaded upon  the  platform,  and  many  died 
from  isheer  exposure.  The  scene  upon  and 
around  the  platform  was  one  which*  appal  led 
the  stoutest  heart.  Men  shot  and  sutt'eiing 
from  every  conceivable  kind  of  wounds, 
groaned  in  their  agony,  or  shouted  in  their 
frenzy,-^— bleeding,  dying  for  their  country. 
It  was  a  night  ot  horrors;  men  lay  down 
and  died  without  a  struggle.  One  man  is 
now  lying  dead  on  the  end  of  the  platform. 
Here  the  Commission  came  in  and  put  in  an 
unanswerable  argument  in  its  favor. 

"  UNCLE  JOHN." 

I  must  tell  you  how  much  we  owe  to  Uncle 
John,  (an  agent,)  who  was  here,  there  and 
everynriiere,  doing  all  he  could  to  assik  the 
suffering  heroes.  He  was  up  all  night,  carry- 
ing out  punch,  which  was  dispensed  fieiely  to 
all.  All  our  blankets  came  into  requisition, 
for  the  men  suffered  intensely  from  the  cold. 
,Our  stimulants  and  ginger  relieved  much  suf- 
fering. It  seems  that  the  3d  division  of  the 
5th  coips  advanced  too  far  beyond  theEun, 
and  were  flanked  by  the  rebels ;  they  trying 
to  cut  us  off  from  retreating  over  the  cordu- 
roy bridge  over  the  Run.  The  rebels  were 
in  heavy  for«e,  and  made  a  most  desperate 
charge,  ■  closing  in  on  the  3d  brigade, 
and  causing  them  to  fall  back.  It  is 
said  that  here  the  contest  was  fearful ;  the 
rebels  attacking  our  men  with  the  bayonet, 
and  in  many  instances,  clubbing  them  over 
the  head  with  the  stocks  of  their  muskets; 
many  of  our  men  are  wounded  in  this  way.' 
The  6th  corps  were  then  coming  up  to  the 
support  of  the  5th,  and  a  division  was 
thrown  across  th^  Run  tj  stop  the  trium- 
phant career  of  the  rebels.  The  rebels 
did  not  not  succeed  in  gaining  the  bridge 


and  Cutting  us  off,  or  driving  us  into  the 
Run,  which  is  a  nasty  stream,  not  very 
wide  nor  deep,  but  impassable  excopt  by 
bridging.  The  rebels  took  some  of  our 
wounded  prisoners.  Notwithstnnding  all 
this  our  loss  is  not  large.  1  have  not  vis- 
ited tbo  front  to-day,  owing  to  the 'storm  and 
the  duties  of  the  hour. 

I  have  been  punching  the  wounded  all 
morning,  and  have  done  much  to  relieve 
them.  All  the  agents  have  done  well,  and 
the  colored  men  have  kept  up  all  niglit 
without  murmuring.  The  cavah-y  and  tho 
5th  corps  have  been  at  work  skirmishing  all 
day,  and  towards  night  the  3d  division  ad- 
vanced, with  what  success  I  have  not  been 
able  to  learn.  Picks  andsp^es  are  coming 
up,  which  indicate  a  determination  to  hold 
the  ground.  I  am  looking  for  a  big  fight 
tomorrow;  if  fair  I  shall  pack  my  sud  die- 
bags  and  go  cut  early  and  find  Barton ;  I 
have  not  beard  from  him  today.  Tho 
goods  came  up  all  right.  If  we  have  a  fight 
tomorrow  I  will  be  on  hand  to  see  all  that 
is  going  on.  I  am  expecting  on  150  more 
wounded  to-night.  I  am  prepared  to  re- 
ceive them.     Good  night. 


LETTER  FBOU  A.  U.  SFESBY. 

The  statement  annexed  gives  the  amount 
of  stores  used  by  the  members  of  the  Aux- 
iliary Corps  during  the  past  month,  but  does 
not  represent  the  work  done. 

Our  agents — about  thirty  in  number- 
are  constantly  engaged  in  visiting  the  ward.s, 
making  the  rounds  with  the  same  regularity 
as  the  surgeons.  ' 

The  clothing  and  miscellaneous  articles 
mentioned  on  the  return  are  all  given  to  the 
men  with  our  own  hands,  and  so  well  is  this 
work  now  systematized  that  we  feel  sure 
that  it  is  wisely  given.  Every  case  in  hos- 
pital is  intimately  known,  and  no  clctthing 
or  other  article  likely  to  be  misappropriated 
js  given  until  the  need  of  it  is  fully  estab- 
lished. Experience  has  taught  us  the  ne- 
cessity of  caution,  because  of  a  few  unscru- 
pulous men,  who  are  always  to  be  found 
ready  to  abuse  even  so  pure  a  labor  of  love 
as  ours.  These  men  are  few,  but  trouble- 
some alike  to  surgeons  and  to  us.  Experi- 
ence teaches  also  that  hundreds  of  worthy 
men  are  always  to  be  found  deserving  all 
and  more  than  we  can  do  for  them.  To 
these  it  is  always  a  delight  to  minister. 

Articles  of  diet  go  to  the  kitchens  for 
preparation.  The  call  for  ihqse  will  Con- 
tinue, since  neither  the  medical  supply  list 


1080 


The  Sanitary  Oommigsion  Bulletin. 


gives  them  no^r  will  the  hospital 
fund'  always  justify  their  purchase.  Our 
supplies  of  these,  form  a  kind  of  cxmtingeni 
fund,  on  whiph  a  hospital  can  draw  when- 
ever necessary. 

It  will  be  observed  that  our  issues  of 
liquors  are  very  small.  They  are  smaller 
t¥an  .the  real  good  of  the  men  demands. 
It  is  said  the  government  supplies  are  am- 
ple. So  they  are  for  certai^  purposes  and  of 
certain  articles,  but  it  is  a  matter  of  com- 
monest experien(5e  with  us  that  more  can 
be  used  with  greater  advantage.  Any 
ward  surgeon  can  at  any  time  point  out 
men  who  demand  attentions  and  stimulants 
that  he  cannot  give.  Sometimes  lives  have 
been  saved — olten  recovery  has  been  hast- 
ened. Especially '  has  this  been  true  of 
Blackberry  Cordial.  Many  men  are  well 
to-day  who  would  have  died  without  it  In 
some  hospitals  it  is  regularly  prescribed  by 
the  surgeons,  and  issued  through  the  dis- 
pensary; and  this  systematic  use  of  it  is 
really  the  most  successful. 

So  in  the  use  of  ale.  Much  good  has 
been  done  by  it,  and  cases  are  pointed  out 
where  its  use  revived  powers  of  nutrition 
almost  spent. 

I  need  not  go  through  the  list.  I  would 
it  were  in  our  power  to  give  more  rather 
than  less.-  The  government  does  its  duty 
well,  but  its  duty  is  not  ours.  Kindly  and 
skilbfuUy  it  takes  care  of  men  in  masses. 
We  are  to  go  beyond  this  and  give  time  and 
eare  and  love  to  each  sufiFering  man  because 
of  those  at  home  who  love  them. 

Tabular  Statement  of  Issues  from  Auxiliary  Jielief 
Stations  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  to  the  Armies 
before  Richmond,  for  the  month  of  January,  1865. 

Dried  Apples,  bbls 200 

Cloves,  lbs SX 

Nutmegs,  lbs 2 

Mastard,  lbs 32, 

Soap,  Castile,  lbs  . . . ^. . .    5\' 

Thread,  lbs 8 

Boiled  Onions,  cans 92 

Apple  Sance,  cans .' .  248 

3eef  Soup,  cans .-    42 

Soup  and  Bouilli,  cans. .  140 

Julienne  Soup,  cans 72 

Blackberry  Brandy,  btls.    S3 
Blackberry  Cordial,  btls.  232 

Sherry  Wine,  btls 93 

Ale,  btls S90 

Cherry  Brandy,  btls. ...  116 
Jamaica  Ginger,  btls....  seS' 

Whiskey,  bUs 12 

Lemon  Syrup,  btls 80 

Brandy,  btls 62 

Flavoring  Extract,  btls.  429^ 

Cider,  btls 24 

Cologne,  btls 20 

Envelopes 24,016 

Paper,  reims 88>i 

Pencils,  doz 76 

Ink,  btls s 616 

Penholders .364 

FenB,groBB , 1 


Shirts,  woolen 2 

Shirts,  cotton 72 

Drawers 1924 

Socks 2378 

Mittens 660 

Blankets 24 

Towels 2033 

Handkerchiefs 1611 

PillowTicks 24 

Pillow  Cases 

Sheets 30 

Flannel,  yards ;..      4 

Wrappers i 126 

Milk,  lbs 1764 

Tomatoes,  gallons 462 

Beef  Stock,  cans 240 

Boast  Beef,  lbs : 

Mutton,  lbs 1802 

Tobacco,  lbs 3612 

Chocolate,  lbs 243 

Dried  Fruit,  lbs 650 

Farina,  lbs 324 

Gellatin,  lbs. .  j 114 

Sugar,  lbs 340 

Tea,  lbs 30 

Spices,  lbs 33>^ 

Qround  Ginger,  lbs 6X 

Maizena,  lbs 428 

Crackers,  bbls 44>^ 


Spelling  Books 370 

Matches,'  gross 174 

Phis,  papers 188 

Needles,  papers 160. 

Darning  Needles 24 

Comfort  Bags 60 

Pads 36 

Bags,  bbls iH 

ArmSlings 84 

TinPails 2 


Grntobes,  pairs' .  f >  84 

Tin  Cups m__ 

Spoons .'.  IP 

Combs.... .> JI^S 

Teast  Powders,  boxes. . .  'Im 

Lemonade,  cans 156 

Pickles,  gallonr; 14S 

Gerkins,  box^. 1 

Chambers 13 


A  TiESTIHOiriAL. 

New  Okmans,  La.,  January  21,  1865. 
Dk.  Geo.  .A.  Blak^j 

Agent  n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — Before  leaving  the  city,  allow  me 
to  tender  to  you,  and  through  you,  to  the 
^anitary  Commission,  my  sincere  thanks'for 
the  many  favors  I  have  received  at  your 
hands,  in  th«  shape  of  diet  and  clothing, 
for  the  sick  a^d  disabled  of  the  1st  Indiana 
Heavy  Artilleiry. 

I  belieje  you  to  be  true  to  the  trust  con- 
fided to  you.  Your  activity  and  efficiency 
in  responding  to  thfe  many' wants  of  our  pa- 
triotic soldiers  must  command  the  respect 
and  admiration  of  all  who  uphold  the  cause 
of  our  common  country.  I  am  sir, 
Very  respectfully, 

W.  L.  Sherod, 

Surgeon  1st  Indiana  Heavy  Artillery. 

LETT£B  PBOU  WILLIAM  B.  MILLEB. 

East  Pascaooula,  January  28,  1865. 
Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake, 

General  Agent  Sanitary  Commission, 
Department  of  the  Gfalf. 

Dear  Dr.: — I  write  you  in  the  hurry  of 
packing  up,  and  of  course,  do  not  expect  to 
present  anything  worthy  of  special  notice. 
Confusion  is  at  present  the  order  of  the 
day.  Cavalry  have  all  left; — several  regi- 
ments of  infantry  have  marching  orders.  I 
have  been  asked  how  long  it  will  take  to 
pack  up;  ^nd  on  that  hint,  have  everything 
packed,  ready  for  a  start.  Fort  Gaines  is  again 
to  be  iny  depot.  1  have  received  two  consign- 
ments of  goods — a  large  portion  of  which  I 
have  issued,  and  I  am  often  cheered  by  the 
remarks  from  surgeons  and  men,  "  We  did 
not  know  what  the  Sanitary  Commission 
was  until  we  met  you."  The  kindest  feel- 
ings exist  between  us.  From  commanding 
general  to  drummer-boy,  I  have  all  as  my 
friends ;  and  all  are  interested  in  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  I  do  not  remember  any 
period  of  my  life  m  which  I  have  realized 
as  much  pure  pleasure  a^  I  have  since  my 
connection  with  the  Commission.  And  now, 
on  this  day— which  may  be  my  last  at  Pas- 
cagonla, — I  am  just  as  happy  and  contented 


The  Somitary  Commw^n  JSvMetin. 


1031 


as  I  desire  to  be ;  being  convinced  that  this 
is  not  the  proper  base  for  operations  against 
Mobile,  and  that  the  proper  base  has  been 
found,  and  that  Mobile  will  be  ours  just  as 
soon  as  the  troops  could  get  there  by  this 
route. 

Do  not  send  me  any  more  goods  until 
you  hear  from  me.  My  orders  from  the 
Medical  Director  are  to  have  as  much  at 
Gaines  as  possible,  but  not  to  keep  any 
here,  more  than  sufficient  for  a  few  days.  I 
have  spent  the  week  very  profitably  for  my- 
self and  the  men,  but  havfe  no  time  to  enter 
into  particulars.  Let  it  suffice  that  the 
command  is  in  good  health  and  spirits. 
Sick  do  not  accumulate  as  I  anticipated,  and 
I  am  the  more  convinced  that  this  is  the 
place  for  a  Geberal  Hospital. 

I  enclose  a  letter  sent  to  me  a  few  days 
since — 'tis  not  from  a  surgeon,  but  ■  from 
one  who  has  seen,  perhaps,  more  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  Sanitary  Comifission  than 
any  surgeon  "in  the  department.  I  receive" 
and  forward  all  such  that  come  voluntarily 
without  regard  to  the  rank  ofthe  writer. 

Dr.  Udell,  Iowa  State  Agent,  is  with  me, 
and  I  shall  send  this  by  him. 

Having  no  letter-paper  with  me,  I  am 
obliged  to  use  note-paper,  which  you  will 
please  excuse. 

LETTER  FB03I  EDWABD  HABUAB, 

Acting  Hospital  Steward,  Field  Boipiial,  East 

•     Pascagoula,  Miss. 
Field  Hospital,  East  PASCAaoULA,  Miss.  I 
January,  22,  1865.      / 

Me.  W.  E.  Miller, 

Agent  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Deae  Sir  : — As  I  am  about  to  leave  the 
service,  and  return  North  to  my  home,  I 
feel  it  my  duty  to  exprefis  to  you  in  a  feeble 
way,  my  appreciation  of  the  many  and 
valuable  services  rendered  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  of  this  department,  by 
yoiirself  individually,  as  well  as  by  the 
Commission  you  represent.  Having  served 
as  Actin  Hospital  Steward' in  the  St.  Louis 
Genera]  Hospital,  at  New '  Orleans,  La.J  at 
the  Post  Hospital,  at  Fort  Gaines,  Ala:,  and 
at  the  Field  Hospital,  East  Pascagoula, 
^  Miss.,  I  have  in  each  place  witnessea  your 
course  of  action,  and  am  prepared  to  say 
that  your  smiling  and  (Cheerful  face  is  al- 
ways a  welcome  one  to  the  soldiers,  and 
that  the  personal  services  rendered  by  you 
are  of  incalculable  value;  at  least. equal  in, 
amount  to  the  supplies  which  you  have  so 
liberally  provided,  and  I  am  fully  satisfied, 
many  valuable  lives  have  been  saved  there- 


by. It  would  give  great  pleasure  to  rere^- 
to  some  particular  cases,  but  I  find  such  a 
multitude,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  to 
particularize.  Suffice  it  .to  say  that  if  all 
Sanitary  Agents  equal  you  in  discrimination 
and  zeal,  thousands  of  families  will  have 
cause  to  say  God  bless  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, and  I  assure  you  I  shall  make  it  a 
point,  wherever  I  go,  to  urge  upon  all, 
liberal  contributions  to  your  funds. 


FBOM  ABirAFOIIB, 
BY  B.  0.  GUILD. 

Annapolis,  Feb.  4, 1865 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  my 
report  for  the  week  ending  this  day. 

-jOn  Sunday,  January  29, 1  had  the  pleas- 
ure, at  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Clark, 
agent  of  the  U.  S.  Christian  Commission,  of 
preaching  at  the  College  Green  barracks, 
under  command  of"  Captain  Charles  W. 
Davis.  There  were  not  many  occupants  of 
tne  barracks  this  day,  but  I  had  a  most  in- 
teresting and  intelligent  audience  of  about 
30  men,  mostly  composed  of  those  detailed 
for  special  duty,  under  the  orders  of  Cap- 
tain Davis.  In  the  evening  I  attended  ser- 
vice in  the  officer's  hospital,  of  which  Rev. 
D.  0.  Sloani  is  chaplain ;  a  sort  of  family 
worship  in  one  of, the  wards  of  the  hospital, 
followed  by^n  hour  given  to  sacred  music. 
I  have  also  had  the  pleasure  several  times 
during  the  week,  of  joining  in  evening 
prayers,  held  every  evening  in  the  tent  of 
Miss  Hall,  superintendent  of  lady  nurses. 
These  social  religious  observances,  have  a 
most  beautiful  influence  in  uniting  in  the 
closest  and  truest  fellowship  all  who  are  lar 
boring  here  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  of 
humanity. 

On  Sunday,  and  all  through  the  week, 
we  have  been  overrun  with  applications  for 
every  form  of  relief,  by  men  delayed  here 
by  the  ice,  or  passing  thrpugh  on  their  way 
to  the  front.  It  has  been  a  pleasure  to  do 
all  we  could  to  supply  their  wants,  but  where 
the  number  of  applicants  is  so  large,  it  has 
been  impossible  to  meet  the  demands  of  all. 
We  have  reason  now  to  expect  that  in  con- 
sequence of  milder  weather,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  rivers,  this  unusual  drain  upon 
our  resources  will  come  to  an  end ;  and  we 
trvj^t  soon  to  be  able  to  begin  again  our 
more  accustomed  work  of  ministering  to  the 
needs  of  our  returned  prisoners,  llumors 
are  again  afloat  of  a  renewal  ofthe  exchange, 
and  our  hopes  and  prayers  are  earnest  and 


1032 


The  Sanitary^  Commission  Bulletin. 


fervent  that  they  may  prove  well  founded, 
and  be  speedily  followed  by  the  actual  arri- 
val of  the  sufferers  whose  misery  we  long  to 
alleviate. 

LETIEfi  FBOm  CAMP  FABOIE  HOSPITAL, 
BY  MISS  S.  L.  PHILLIPS. 

February  3,  1865. 
One  of  the  features  now  presented  in  our 
daily  rounds — more  prominent  perhaps  than 
any  other — is  the  absence  of  familiar  faces 
that  we  have  been  wont  to  meet  daily  for  many 
weeks.  While  some  have  taken  furloughs, 
some  been  discharged,  a  few  transferred  to 
hospitals  nearer  home,  and  three  or  four  have 
received  a  final  transfer  to  their  eternal 
homes,  the  number  of  inmates  remains  nearly 
the  same ;  as  new  cases  oi  fever  are  brought 
in  from  I'the  camp  almost  daily;  and  a  ma- 
jority of  the  attendants  in  the  different 
wards  now  occupy  the  place  of  those  whom 
their  assiduity  and  vigilance  have  helped  to 
restore  to  a  degree  of  health ;  or  their  kindly 
oflBces  had  failed  to  snatch  from  the  grasp 
of  death,  though  they  had  spared  no  efforts 
to  do  so.  Epidemic  fevers  continue  to  pre- 
vail; but  only  in  one  or  two  instances  have 
they  as  yet  terminated  fatally. 

Applications  to  your  agency  for  supplies 
of  clothing  have  been  less  frequent  of  late ; 
while  the  demand  for  farina,  crackers,  baked 
apples,  lemonade,  etc.,  has  increased.  Le- 
^  mons  are  famished  by  the  Commissary  De- 
partment. 

Of  the  lingering  cases  of  chronic  disease, 
two  or  three  have  slept  in  death  during  the 
week ;  and  a  few  others,  with  two  or  three 
of  the  severely  wounded,  still  linger  on  the 
brink  of  the  grave. 

Cases  of  special  interest  to  us  have  not 
been  wanting;  but  none  of  so  marked  a 
character  as  to  be  deemed  worthy  of  record. 


report  op  j.  b.  abbott. 

Washinston,  D.  C. 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
report  of  the  work  accomplished  in  this 
office  and  the  several  relief  stations  under 
my  supervision  for  the  week  ending  this 
date: 

Number  of  pay  accounts  of  dis- 
charged soldiers  received  for 
adjustment  ....  43 

Number  of  back  pay  cases,       .  34 

Number  of  bounty  cases,  .         .  2 


Claims  for  the  pay  of  prisoners 

of  war  (for  their  families),  2 

Number  of  naval  cases,     .  10 

Number  of  pension  claims,  42 

Number  of  claims  for  the  arrears 
-  of  pay  and  bounty  of  deceased 
soldiers,       ....  •  8 

Whole  number  of  cases  received 
and  registered,     .  .     '     *   136 

Whole  number  of  cases  adjusted,  118 

Whole  amount  secured  and  col- 
lected, (exclusive  of  pension 
claims),       .  .»10,783  83 

Number  of  drafts  sent,  .  14 

Amount  of  drafts  sent,  , .         .  $1,786  03 

Number  of  litters  written,  and 

copy  pressed,       ,        .         .  176 

Whole  number  of  letters  mailed,  447 

Whole  number  received,  .  495 

LODGE  NO.  IV. 

Number  of  «meals  given  to'  sol- 
diers, .         .         .         .       -■. 

Number  of  meals  given  to  em- 
ployees of  the  Lodge  and 
others,         .... 

Numbers  of  lodgings  furnished, 


2,656 


434 

589 

SIXTH  STREET  LODGE. 

The  report  of  this  Lodge  shows  very  little 
accomplished  this  week. 

Kefreshments  to  25  sick  soldiers,  and 
meals  to  125  discharged  and  furloughed 
men  have  been  furnished.  Mr.  McPherran, 
the  Superintendent,  will  start  home  on  his 
leave  of  a,bsence  on  Tuesday  next. 

ALEXANDRIA  LODGE. 

Number  of  mt  als  given  to  sol- 
diers,    270 

Number  of  meals  given  to  sol- 
diers' relatives,     ...  90 
Number  of  lodgings  furnished 

to  soldiers,  .....  99 

Number  of  lodgings  furnished 

to  soldiers'  relatives,     .         .  30 

You  will  notice  that  there  has  been  an 
increase  in  the  amount  of  work  accomplished 
at  this  Lodge  the  past  week.  This  is  on 
account  of  a  part  of  the  23d  army  corps  be- 
ing temporarily  stationed  in  the  vicinity. 
Several  hundred  articles  of  clothing,  station- 
ery, &c.,  have  been  distributed  feom  this 
station  duripg  the  week. 

One  additional  servant  has  been  em- 
ployed temporarily. 

HOME   AT   BALTIMORE. 

Number  admitted  to  the  Home,  74 

Clasified  as  follows : 
Soldiers  and  seamen,       ,         .  48 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  Bulletin. 


1088 


Soldiers'  relatives,    ...  25 

Ilefngees,        .       *;        .        .  1 

Number  of  meals,     ...  304 

Number  of  lodgings,         .         .  95 

Government  transportation  se 

cured  for     .         .         . 
Transportation  paid  by  the  Com 

mission  te   .         .        .         .  3 

Wounds  dressed,      ...  15 

H.  H.  Trego  reports  reports  76  disabled 
soldiers  accompanied  and  cared  for  between 
Washington  and  New  York. 

During  the  week  we  have  furnished 
transportation,  at  the  expense  of  the  Com- 
mission, to  5. 

BY  j.    B.    BKOWN. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  follow- 
ing report  of  the  labors  of  the  past  week 
in  mj  department. 
Number  of  hospital   back-pay* 

claims  entered,    ...  3'4 

Number  of  hospital  back-pay 

claims  adjusted,  ...  26 

Amount  secure^d   on   adjusted 

claims,  ....  12,228  44 
Number     of     prisoner-of-war 

claims  entered,  .         .  2 

Number     of      prisoner-of-war 

claims  adjusted,  ...  1 

Amount  collected,  .  .         $45  50 

Number  of  prize  cases  entered,  10 

"  «        "    adjusted,  4 

Amount  collected,  .         .       $336  36 

Aggregate  collections  for  the 

week,         ,.         .         .  $2,610  30 

Nutaber  of  letters   written  in 

'  full, 58 

Number  of  forms  sent,     .         .  71 

Total  number  of  letters  sent,  129 

The  amount  collected  the  past  week  is 
much  less  than  usual,  owing  in  part  to  Mr. 
Cutter's  absence,  and  to  the  number  of  old 
claims  which  are  being  worked  up. 

The  number  of  naval  claims  have  fallen 
off  considerably  in  the  last  two  weeks,  which 
affect  the  aggregate  collections  considerably.' 
Trusting  that  the  coming  week  will  show  a 
large  increase  both  in  the  number  of  new 
cases  and  in  the  amount  collected.  . ' 

BY  WM.  K.  NEALL. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  35,  1865. 

The  following  shows  the  result  of  our  lar 
bors"  during  the  past  week  in  collecting  back^ 
pay,  bounty,  &c.,  for  discharged  soldiers ; 


No.  of  cases  received  and  recorded,  .  43 
No.  of  cases  settled  by  collection,  .  '  •  34 
Amount  collected  in  34  cases,  $7,310  07 
No.  of  letters  written  by  me,  .  .  20 
No.  of  blanks  sent,      .;....     15 


CASH. 

Balance  on  hand,  January  21st, 
Expended  for  car  tickets,        .     . 


$2  00 
'2  00 


BY  W.  P.  BAERY. 


'      Wabhinoton,  D.  C,  Jan.  28, 1866. 

I  respectfully  submit  the  following  report 
of  the  work  of  my  office  for  the  week  end- 
ing to-day : 
Number  new  claims  for  pension  take^ 

and  filed  in  Pension  Office,  .  .-  .  42 
Number  claims  for  arrears  of  pay  and 

bounty,  filed  in  2d  AiWitor's  office,       8 

Whole  number  claims  filed,  ....  45 
Number  of  pension  claims  allowed  by 

the  Commissioner  of  Pensions,  .  .  48 
Number  claims  for  arrears  of  pay  and 

bounty  allowed,  .  4 

Whole  number  claims  allowed,  .       *  .     52 
Amount  arrears  of  pay  and  bounty  col- 
lected, ...  ...    $788  46 

Number  of  letters  written,  in  full, .     .     82 
Number  of  letters  written,   in  part, 
(blanks,) 103 


'Whole  number  of  letters  sent,  .  185 

Number  of  letters  received,  ....  234 

List  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  waited 

upon  in  transit  between  Washington  and 

New  York,  for  the  week  ending  January 

21,  1865.     By  A.  H.    Trego,  Courier, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 
January  17. 

G.  F.  G.,  B,  29th  Mass.,  Billerica,  fits, 
from  Colonel  Tufts,  discharged. 

J.  W.  H.,  D,  1st  H.  A.  Maine,  Bangor, 
wounded  foot,'  from  ''  Home,"  transferred. 

Mrs.  H.,  Bangor,  Maine,  after  son,  per 
Miss  Bradford.      .^ 

N.  McK.,  E,  1st  H.  A.  Maine,  Bangor,  , 
lame  back,  "  Home,"  furloughed. 

11/soldiers,  sundry,  Maine,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  from  Home,  &c., 
discharged  and  furloughed. 

13  s'oldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  from  "  Home," 
&c.,  discharged  and  furloughed. 

4  soldiers,  sundry.  Conn.,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  "  Home,"  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 


1034 


The  Sanitary  Conmisgion  BuUetin. 


6  soldiers,  sundry,  ,N.  H.,  via.  N.  E.  R,, 
N.  Y.,  siek  and  wounded,  from  "  Home," 
&c.,  discharged  and  fiiTloughed. 

20  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  Y.  City,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  "  Home,"  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  fiirloughed. 

January  19. 

J.  K.,  E,  152d  N.  Y.,  Deerfield,  left  leg 
off,  found  at  depot,  discharged. 

J.  H.  C,  B,  2d  Art.  N.  Y.,  Hagaman's 
Mills,  wounded  leg,  depot,  discharged. 

J.  F.,  B,  3d  N.  J.,  Bergen,  sick,  ("  non 
compus,")  "  Home,"  discharged. 

A.  C,  C,  19th  Maine,  Hallowell,  arm  off, 
found  on  train,  furioughed. 

D.  D.  F.,  C,  1st  Gav.  Maine,  Abbotts- 
ville,  sick,  found  on  train,  furloughed. , 

W.  D.,  D,  56th  Mass.,  Boston,  wounded 
legs,  found  on  train,  discharged. 

15  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  front,  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

25  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  Y.,  via.  City,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  front,  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

7  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  H.,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  from  front,  &c., 
discharged  and  furloughed. 

3  soldiers,  sundry.  Conn.,  via.  N.  B.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  from  "Home," 
&c.,  discharged. 

2  soldiers,  R.  I.,  via.  N.  E.  R.,  N.  Y., 
sick,  from  "  Home,"  &c.,  discharged. 

January  21. 

5  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  "  Home,"  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

3  soldiers,  sundry.  Conn.,  New  Haven, 
sick  and  wounded,  "Home,"  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

4  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  H.,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  "  Home,"  &c., 
discharged  and  furlbughed. 

7  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  Y.  City,  &c.,  sick 
and  wounded,   "  Home,"  &e.,   discharged 
and  fijrloughed. 
•     Total  for  week,  1.35. 

I^or  week  ending  January  28.  , 
January  24. 
H.  D.,  I,  15th  N.  Y.,  Albany,  wounded, 
from  "  Home,"  furloughed. 

E.L.B.,  r>,  lOthN.Y.,  Albany,  wounded, 
from  "  Home,"  mrloughed. 

J.  N.  L.,D,  10th N.Y.,  Albany,  wounded, 
frorii "  Home,"  furlougted. 


W.  E.  W.,  E,  2d  Michigan,  ^Detroit, 
Tyounded,  from  "  Home^"  discharged. 

T.  S.,  I,  61st  N.  Y.  City,  sick,  from 
"  Home,"  discharged. 

H.  H.,  C,  5th  N.  H.,  Concord,  sick,  from 
"  Home,"  discharged. 

E.  C.  R.,  (and  brother,)  K,  1st  Vt.  Cav., 
Underbill,  sick^  Baltimore,  paroled  prisoner. 

8  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  sick 
and  wounded,  "  Home,"  &c.j,  discharged. 

7  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  from  front,  &c,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

9  soldiers,  sundry,  Maine,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  found  on  train, 
&c.,  discharged  and  furloughed- 

17  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  Y.  City,  &c.,  siok 
and  wounded,  found  on  train,  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughpd. 

January  26.  ^ 

3  soldiers,«6undry,  Mass.,  Boston,  wounded, 
from  "  Home,"  discharged  ^nd  furloughed. 

3,  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  sick, 
from  "  Home,"  discharged. 

5  soldiers,  sundry,  Mass.,  Boston,  &c., 
sick  and  wounded,  'f  Home,"  &e.,  dis- 
charged and 'furloughed. 

4  soldiers,  sundry,  Maine,  via.  N.  B.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick  and  wounded,  "  Home,"  &c., 
discharged  and  furloughed. 

2  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  H.,  via.  N.  E.  R., 
N.  Y.,  sick,  from  "  Home,"  discharged. 

11  soldiers,  sundry,  N.  Y.  City,  &o.,  siok 
and  wounded,  from  "  Home,"  &c.,  dis- 
charged and  furloughed. 

January  27  and  28. 

Courier  quite  sick.     Total  for  week,  76. 


WOUAN'S  CEBTB&I.  ASSOCIATION  OF  RELIEF. 
BRANCH    ORGANIZATION,    CONTINUED. 

NO.  vn. 

An  account  of  the  Hom^  Organization  of 
this  branch  of  the  Commission  was  given  in 
our  last  article.  To-day  we  shall  explain 
its  Field  Organization. 

Each  Branch  of  the  Commission  has  its 
own  field,  from  whence  it  draws  supplies, 
and  which  is  organized  by  it  according  to 
its  best  judgment.  These  fields  are  de- 
termined as  nearly  as  possible  by  the  na- 
tural divisions  of  the  country,  and  the 
popular  prejudices  of  the  people.  Their 
aggregate  comprises  the  entire  area  of  the 
loyal  States,  and  constitutes  the  Home  De- 
partment of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Our  own  field  consists  of  the   States  of 


The  SanUary  Commmion  Bulletin. 


1035 


Connecticut,  Khode  Island  and  New  York 
excepting  some  of  the  western  counties.  It 
is  subdivided  into  Divisions  and  Sections. 
We  have  four  Divisions.  These  have  been 
made  for  the  sole  purpose  of  facilitating  the 
home  correspondence,  and  are  arbitrary.  A 
Section  is  usually  one  county,  or  part  of  a 
county.  Each  Section  is  in  charge  of  one 
or  more  resident  Associate  Managers. 

Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  are  classified  into 
Centers  of  Collections  and  Contributing  So- 
cieties. These  may  or  may  not  be  auxili- 
aries. Centers  of  Collections  are  established 
in  cities,  and  in  those  places  which  are  the 
natural  commercial  centres  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  as  Newport,"Providence,  Hart- 
ford, New  Haven,  Albany,  Troy,  &c.  The 
Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  of  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages, sending  their  supplies  either  through 
these  Centers  of  Collection,  or  directly  to 
the  Branches,  are  Contributing  Societies. 
It  is  the  desire  of  the  Commission  that  all 
Auxiliary  Soldiers'  Ajd  Societies  shall  make 
the  Branches  in  whose  fields  they  are,  their 
central  depots.  Our  Auxiliary  Soldiers'  Aid 
Societies  are  those  who,  by  vote,  bind  them- 
selves to  work  exclusively  through  our 
agency.  We  never  ask  Societies  to  do  this;, 
it  must  come  from  themselves — a  free  will 
expression  of  their  confidence  in  us.  It  is 
only  natural,  therefore,  that  the  bond  be- 
tween our  auxiliary  societies  and  ourselves 
should  be  peculiarly  strong.  It  is  one  of 
mutual  confidence,  dependence  and  affection, 
and  marked  by  that  freedom  of  intercourse 
which  characterizes  all  true  friendship.     "^  • 

We  have  wearied  you  with  this  dry  de- 
tailed explanation,  becatise  we  want  you  to 
understand  thoroughly  the  general  outline 
of  the  system,  in  which  we  are  all  taking 
part ;  and ,  because  it  will  facilitate  our  fu- 
ture intercourse  to  be  able  to  call  things  by 
their  right  names,  and  so  speak  of  them  un- 
derstandingly. 

We  have  said  that  our  plan  of  work  was 
to  help  you,  so  far  as  was  possible,  by  prac- 
tical suggestions  and  otherwise.  We  are 
aware  how  imperfectly  this  has  been  done, 
how — with  our  own  work  so  entirely  differ- 
ent— we  have  been  trying  to  anticipate 
your  wants,  not  from  any  person.al  expe- 
rience of  them,  but  through  intuition  and 
sympathy  alone.  You  know  better  than  we 
can;  what  our  failures  have  been  in  this  re- 
spect. We  know,  too,  how  fkr,  short  of  the 
will  the  deed  has  been,  and  must  be. 

Let  us  show  you  at  least  what  the  design 
has  been — ^what  we  have  aimed  at.  \ 


The  woifien  of  one  of  our  little  villages 
/wish  to  work  for  the  soldiers.  They  wish 
to  form  themselves  into  a  society,  and  work 
systematically  and,  steadily,  in  suchr  a  Vfay 
too,  that  the  work  shall  not  be  borne  by 
two  or  three  only,  but  shall  be,  to  a  certain 
degree,  shared  by  the  whole  community. 
We  attempted  to  meet  this  want  by  pub- 
lishing a  "Plan  for  the  Formation  of 
Country  Societies,"  now  to  be  found  in 
Bulletin  No.  12.  Its  design  is  to  take 
the  burden  off  the  few,  and  distribute  it 
among  the  many.  The  society  being  or- 
ganized, the  great  question  is :  How  shall 
we  get  our  funds  ?  And  this  question  will, 
be  answered  in  as  many  different  ways  as 
the  character,  the  size,  and  wealth  of  the 
community  differ.  We,have  suggested  the 
"Alert  Club"  system,  afso  published  in  No. 
12,  as  being  especially  applicable  to  Kttle 
country  villages,  whete,  unless  all  can  be 
made  to  take  an  active  interest  in  the  work, 
it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  support  a  so- 
ciety. The  Alert  Club  is  composed  entirely 
of  young  people.  Its  object  is  to  keep  the 
treasury  of  the  parent  society  full — by 
taking  up  a  small  monthly  collection  from 
each  member  of  the  community,  and  by 
other  means.  Elder  people,  like  to  sit  still 
and  sew,  but  dislike  going  from  house  to 
house,  asking  for  money,  for  any  purpose ; 
younger  people  and  children  dislike  the 
sitting  still  and  the  sewing,*but  enjoy  the 
going  about,  and  have  not  the  same  false 
pride  about  asking  for  money. 

The  money  being  obtained  there  is  ma- 
terial to  be  bought.  As  has  been  stated 
before,  we  have  facilities  for  buying  ma- 
terials in  the  city  at  wholesale  prices,  and 
at  lower  rates  than  the  same  quality  can 
usually  be  obtained  in  the  country.  We 
will  gladly  make  any  purchases  of  material 
for  you,  although  we  cannot  undertake  to 
pay  the  express  charges  hpon  them.  To 
auxiliary  societies,  finding  it  impossible  to 
support  themselves,  the  following  proposi- 
tion was  made  in  our  Third  Annual -Report 
and  is  now  repeated  :  "Any  society  sending 
us  a  sum  of  money  not  exceeding  $30  per 
month,  for  the  puBchase  of  material,  will 
receive  double  the  amount  m  cotton,  flannel 
or  in  such  material  as  may  be  most  desirable 
to  have  made  up  at;the  time.  This  offer  is 
especially  designed  to  revive  and  stimulate 
^mall  societies  whose  chief  difficulty  has 
■  been  the  want  of  funds.  Express  charges 
must  be  paid  by  the  societies  ordering  the 
goods." 


1086 


The  Sanitary  Committion  Bulletin. 


We  will  suppose  that  our  Society  has 
now  received  its  material.  Forthwith  a  ter- 
rible discussion  arises  as  to  what  patterns 
shall  be  used.  Some  go  upon  the  principle 
that  all  soldiers  are  giants,  and  wish  to  cut 
all  the  garments  twice  the  ordinary  size } 
some  cling  to  buttons;  others  insist  upon 
strings.  One  authority  is  as  good  aa  an- 
other, and  all  authorities  differ.  And  here 
we  would  ask  you  to  trust  the  experience  of 
those  who  hive  had  most  to  do  with  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  in  the  hospitals.  The 
patterns- and  measurements  published  in  the 
BtJLLETm  have  been  based  upon  this  ex- 
perience, and  have  been  prepared  with  great 
care.  A  pattern  for  a  Hospital  Flannel 
Stirt  is  to  be  found  in  Bulletin  No.  13— 
see  correction  in  No.  17.  Diagrams  of 
Flannel  and  Cotton  Drawers,  same  pattern, 
No.  13 — see  correction  in  No.  16.  Cotton 
Shirt,  Bulletin  No.  16.  Slippers,  Arm- 
Sling  and  Ration-b^,  No.  22.  Dressing- 
Gown  or  Wrapper,  No.  25.  Directions  for 
making  Bedding  for  Hospital  use,  Cushions, 
Bandages,  Lint,  &c.,  for  knitting  Socks, 
Mittens  and  Wristers,  No.  31. 

Imagine  the  garments  cut  out  and  made. 
Now  comes  the  packing,  directing  and 
sending  off.  Directions  for  packing,  in- 
voices, &o.,  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix 
of  bur  Third  Annual  Report.  Make  what 
arrangement  y#u  can  with  steamboat,  rail- 
road and  express  companies,  many  of  which 
are  exceedingly  liberal,  to  carry  your  box 
free;  but  should  this  be  impossible,  we 
•  would  much  rather  pay  the  freight  charges 
in  New  York,  than  have  you  prepay  them. 
We  can  readily  obtain  money  for  this  pur- 
pose, while  it  is  much  better  for  the  work 
that  all  the  money  you  can  collect  should 
be  expended  in  materials.  Our  society  has 
now  sen^  off  its  first  hospital .  box,  and  re- 
ceived a  letter  acknowledging  its  receipt  at 
our  rooms.  This  alone  is  scarcely  satisfac- 
tory. You  want  to  know  what  is  being 
done  with  your  suppUes ;  what  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  doing  everywhere ;  you  want 
ft)  know,  and  ought  to  know,  as  much  as 
you  can,  about  the  work.  It  is  to  meet 
these  wants  that  the  Bulletin  is  publish- 
ed every. fortnight.  Its  design  is  to  give 
you  the  fullest  and  latest  information  about 
the  Commission.  The  "circulation  of  the 
Bulletin  through  this  Branch-  alone  has 
increased  from  2,400  to  2,600  copies  during 
^  the  past  month.  And  yet  we  wish  it  was 
'  larger.  We  do  not  want  subscribers,  we 
want  readers,  and  we  will  gladly  furnish  aa 


many  copies  as  may  be  asked  for.  A  plan 
for  facilitating  the  circulation  of  the  Bul- 
letin in  villages  can  be  found  in  No.-  29. 
And  is  this  all  that  we  can  do  to  help  our 
society  ?  It  seems  so  little.  And  yet  you 
have  written  to  say  that  what,  with  the  in- 
formation derived  through  the  Bulletin 
and  from  constant  correspondence  with  us, 
you  feel  perfectly  satisfied,  entirely  ready 
to  keep  on  working.  It  is  we,  then,  who 
are  not  satisfied  for  you.  We  want  you  to 
have  the  same  advantages  in  the  work 
that  we  have,  we  want  you  to  have  the 
opportunity  of  asking  questions,^  and  of 
talking  face-to-face  with  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission who  have  tbemselves  put  your 
shirts  and  drawers  on  to  the  soldiers.  These 
agents  are  now  going  among  you  as  lecturers. 
Although  the  specified  time  has  elapsed, 
we'  are  still  ready  to  receive  applications 
for  lecturers,  according  tg  the  proposition 
made  in  our  Article  No.  2,  circulated  among 
you  as  a  fly-leaf  with  Bulletin  No.  28. 
We  hope  that,  when  these  gentlemen  come 
among  you,  you  will  allow  them  to  fill  in 
the  missing  links  which  we,  at  this  distance 
can  only  feel  are  wanting,  without  seeing. 

And  so,  dear  friends,  in  this  imperfect 
way  we  have  tried  to  keep  pace  with  you  in 
your  work ;  have  tried,  through  sympathy, 
to  put  ourselves  so  far  as  we  could  in  your 
position,  hoping  to  clear  away  some  of  your 
difficulties.  But  the  burden  of  the  work 
still  remains  with  you.  How  can  it  be 
otherwise  ?  Our  part  in  it  is  nothing — ex- 
cepting as  your  trustees.  No,  it  is  your 
time  and  your  money,  your  perseverance 
and  endurance — above  all,  your  steadfast 
wUl  and  loving  hearts,  which  have  been  the 
means,  through  the  grace  of  God,  of  allevi- 
ating the  untold  sufferings  of  this  cruel, 
this  righteous  war. 

Louisa  Lee  Schuylek. 

Chairman  Committee  on  Correspondence,  &c. 
New  Youk,  1  Coopee  Union, 
February  16,  1865. 


THE  SOLDIEB'S  UEST,  BUFFALO,  N.  1. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  is  one  of  the  half-way 
houses  for  western  travel.  Day  and  night 
the  current  from  east  to  west  and  west  to 
east,  pours  along  the  arterial  railway ;  and 
day  and  night  western  soldiers  assigned  to 
eastern  armies,  and  eastern  soldiers  assigned 
to  western  armies,  come  to  a  halt  in  the 
depot.  Many  of  them  are  sick,  at  least 
not  well ;  some  just  out  of  hospitals  are 
on  furlough  j  some  with  legS  off,  or  arms 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


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off,  or  their  vitality  sucked  out  by  malaria, 
are  discharged.  Hundreds  only  halt  in 
the  depot,  and  are  then  whirled  onward  in 
their  journey ;  while  other  hundreds  walk, 
creep,  or  hobble  into  the  street  to  look  for 
a  meal,  or  bed,  or  a  place  to  rest  until 
they  can  radiate  from  this  centre  to  their 
respective  homes.  With  but  lew  exceptions 
they  are  moneyless,  and  with  I'are  exceptions 
they  are  friendless ;  and  at  all  times,  but 
especially  during  these  bitter  howling 
months  of_  winter,  the  questions — who  will 
give  me  a  bed  without  charge;  where 
shall  I  obtain  a  meal  without  price  'i  Are  not 
only  difficult  to  solve,  but  of  vital  importance 
to  the  brave  fellows  who  con  them  over  in 
their  minds. 

Immediately  opposite*the  depot,  standing 
out  in  a  very  modest  way,  as  if  it  stood  out 
solely  from  a  feeling  of  duty,  and  not  a 
whit  with  the  feeling  of  vanity,  is  a  snug, 
clean,  home-like  house,  wearing  on  its  brow 
the  words  "The  Soldier's  Rest"— "U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission."  Without  articulat- 
ing a  syllable,  simply  by  looking  and  being 
looked  at,  it  answers  the  questions  in  a 
moment;  and  to  its  door  walk,  totter,  or 
hobble  the  moneyless  and  friendless  sons, 
of  Uncle  Samuel,  to  find  a  bed,  a  meal, 
or  a  rest,  without  money  and  without  price ; 
to  find  carpets  and  chairs,  lounges,  books, 
and  fires,  which  greet  them  with  the  genial 
smile' of  home,  rather  than  with  the  bold 
stare  of  hcitels ;  and  which  at  once  mag- 
netize them  into  the  conviction  that  the 
Rest  was  provided  not  so  much  for  sol- 
diers in  the  aggregate  and  concrete  as  for 
themselves  individually  and  personally. '  It 
is  amusing  to  see  how,  at  first,  some  of 
them  look  from  their  shoes  to  the  carpet, 
and  back  to  the  shoes,  as  if  the  one  had  no 
right  on  the. other;  and  then  how  they  sidle 
into  a  corner  where  there  are  no  chairs, 
though  they  crowd  the  chairs  out  of  the  way 
to  reach  the  corner.  And  when  the  warnf- 
hearted  lady  who  has  been  appointed  super- 
intendent by  the  warm-hearted  ladies  of  the 
Buffalo  Branch,  coaxes  them  to  give  the 
chairs  a  fair  chance  along  the  walls  by  sit- 
ting dowDt  in  them ;  and  coaxes  the  weakest 
men  to  lie  down  on  the  lounges ;  and  coaxes 
steaming  *  dishes  to  come  from  out  the  tidy 
kitchen  expressly  to'  be  eaten ;  and  coaxes 
the  white  pillows  and  sheets  to  smooth  all 
the  wrinkles  put  of  themselves,  that  they 
may  woo  sleep  to  smooth  all  the  wrinkles 
out  of  the  tired  faces ; — ^while  all  this  is  going 
on,  it  does  ode's  heart  good  to  see  how  the 


1038 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


carpets  and  chairs  and  walls  nudge  each 
other  and  laugh  at  the  shoes  for  their  timid- 
ity; and  how  quickly  the  men  laugh  heartier 
than  all  of  them  as  the  cheer  and  glow  charm 
each  one  into  the  belief  that  before  he  en- 
listed he  built  the  Best  for  his  own  especial 
use,  but  had  forgotten  all  about  it  till  that 
minute. 

The  original  design  of  the  ladies  who 
compose  the  Buffalo  ^  Branch  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  was  to  provide 
a  temporary  home  for  sick  soldiers  passing 
through  their  city,  or  to  the  hospitals  of  their 
city ;  and  a  large  number  of  those  who  have 
received  the  benefits  of  the  Kest  have  been 
of  this  class ;  but  the  numerous  applications, 
and  evident  claims  of  well  men  for  atten- 
tion, have  caused  them  to  lay  the  case  be- 
fore Government  officials,  and  with  that 
generosity  and  humanity  which  has  so  emi- 
nently characterized  the  United  States 
authorities,  Government  has  decided  to  erect 
buildings  on  the  same  ground,  and  as  a  part 
of  the  Kest,  for  the  accommodation  of  all 
soldiers  who  are  justly  entitled  to  rations  and 
care,  such  regulations  being  established  as 
that  Government  rations  shall  only  be  issued 
to  soldiers,  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  can  from  its  own  resources 
feed  discharged  men  or  others  who  are  not 
entitled  to  subsistence. 

The  Rest  was  opened  in  June,  and  the 
daily  average  of  men  cared  for  was  three ; 
during  July,  August  and  September,  the 
daily  avprage  was  seven ;  October,  thirteen ; 
and  January  thirty-one ;  so  that  the  work 
done  during  the  last  month  is  ten  times  as 
great  as  that  of  the  first.  No  better  indica- 
tion of  the  necessity  for  the  Rest,  or  of  the 
absolute  necessity  for  its  continuance  could 
be  asked  than  this  fact.  During  the  eight 
months  of  its  operation  3,318  enlisted  men, 
from  twenty-nine  different  States,  have  been 
cared  for;  2,497  lodgings  in  sweet  white 
beds  have  been  given ;  and  8,869  hot,  tooth- 
some meals  have  been  furnished;  and  all  has 

'been  done  in  such  a  quiet,  unpretending 
way  that  thousands  of  passers-by  who  might 
have  glanced  at  the  modest  house,  have  not 

^  even  noticed  its  existence,  much  less  known 
its  work.  A  meal  to  an  emaciated  conva- 
lescent often  prevents  a  relapse,  and  a  few 
nights  quiet  rest  have  saved  many  a  life. 
If  ideas  ever  take  upon  themselves  a  solid 
form,  the  "Rest"  is  but  an  expression  of 
the  Good  Master's  commancl,  "  Lbve  one 
another." 


EBOK  rOBT  ^ISHEB. 

We  call  attention  to  the  subjoined  extract 
from  the  Fort  Fisher  correspondence  of  the 
N.  Y.  Tribune.  It  will  be  gratifying  to 
the  people  to  know,  that  the  wounded  after 
the  battle  at  that  place,  had  every  attention 
possible  under  the  circumstances,  and  that 
the  agents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
worked  side  by  side  with  the  army  surgeons 
in  alleviating  distress.  It  is  always  thus  in 
the  field,  and  that  a  man,  in  the  language 
of  this  writer,  "  traduces"  the  Sanitary,  is 
pretty  strong  evidence  that  he  has  not  been 
at  the  front  to  make  its  acquaintance. 

The  wounded  were  all  carefully  attended 
to  and  removed  to  the  base  hospital,  from 
which  they  will  be  sent  by  steamer  to  Fort- 
ress Monroe  at  once.  Dr.  Barnes,  the  Me- 
dical Director  of  the  army,  deserves  great 
praise  for  his  indefatigable  labors  for  the 
care  of  the  wounded.  He  is  ably  assisted 
by  an  excellent  corps  of  surgeons. , 

Mr.  F.  "W.  Foster,  the  Sanitary  Agebt, 
assisted  by  Mr.  Adams,  has  been  of  great 
service  to  the  wounded,  being  personally 
present  on  the  field  and  in  the  hospitals, 
with  his  supplies  of  clothing  and  other  ne- 
cessary comforts  at  the  time  they  were  most 
needed.  The  men  who  traduce  this  excel- 
lent charity  know  nothing  of  what  they 
speak.  Its  praise  is  the  theme  of  all  good 
and  conscientious  officers,  soldiers  and  sur- 
geons of  the  army. 


V 


OVB  SEBOES. 


[The  poem  given  below  has  been  recited  by  Mr. 
Murdoch  before  large  audiences  in  Philadelphia, 
where  it  was  received  with  shouts,  and  applauded 
verse  by  verse,] 

Cheers  !  cheers  for  our  heroes  ! 

Not  those  who  wear  stars  j 
Not  those  who  wear  eagles, 

And  leaflets  and  bars ; 
We  know  they  are  gallant, 

And  l^onor  them  too, 
For  braf  ely  maintaining 

The  Eed,  White,  and  Blue. 

But  cheers  for  our  soldiers, 

Rough,  wrinkled,  and  brown  ; 
The  men  who  make  heroes 

And  ask  np  renown : 
Unselfish,  untiring, 

Intrepid  and  true, 
The  bulwark  surrounding 

The  Red,  White,  and  Blue  ! 

Our  patriot  soldiers ! 

When  treason  arose, 
And  Freedom's  own  children 

Aasailed  her  as  foes ; 


The  Sanitary  OdithMssibk  ISuttiftin. 


10S9 


When  Anarchy  threatened 

And  Order  Mthdre\r, 
They  rallied  to  rescue 

The  Red,  White  and  Blue  ! 

Upholding  our  banner 

On  many  a  field, 
The  doom  of  the  traitor 

They  valiantly  sealed ; 
And,  worn  with  the  conflict, 

Found  vigor  anew. 
Where  victory  greeted 

The  Bed,  White,  and  Blue ! 

Yet  loved  ones  have  fallen 

And  still  where  they  sleep, 
A  sorrowing  Nation 

Shall  Bile»tly  weep ; 
And  Spring's  fairest  flowers, 

In  gratitude  strew 
O'er  those  who  have  cherished 

The  JRed,  White,  and  Blue ! 

But  glory  immortal 

Is  waiting  them  now ; 
And  chaplets  unfading 

Shall  bind  every  brow. 
When  called  by  the  trumpet, 

At  Time's  great  review, 
They  stand,  who  defended 

The  Ked,  White,  and  Blue  ! 


WHY  DOES  THE  8AHITABY  COUKISSIOlT  BUY 
VEGETABLES? 

The  question  is  often  asked,  and  with 
great  seeming  grace,  "  Why  does  thfe  Sani- 
tary Commission  waste  the  pedple's  money 
in  sending  supplies  of  vegetables  and  other 
auiti-scorbutics  to  the  army,  when  it  is  well 
known  that  G-overainent  issues  these  stores 
with  the  greatest  liberality,  and  on  the 
largest  scale  ?" 

The  following  extract  from  a  w6rk  on 
Military  Surgery,  by  a  gentleman  who  has 
for  several  years  held  a  high  posjlion  on  the 
medical  staff,  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  this 
Question  : 

In  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  the 
surgeons,  however,  had  been  long  reporting 
from  week  to  yreek,  the  pressing  njcessity 
for  vegetables';  but  we  could  not  learn  that 
any  one  of  these  reports  had  ever  been  seen 
or  read  by  the  commanding  officers,  and 
when  it  became  our  duty  to  call  the  atten- 
tion of  corps  commanders,  and  even  of  the 
Commander-in-Chief  of  this  army  to  the 
facts,  with  few  exceptions,  they  confessed 
their  entire  ignorance  of  the  true  state  of 
affairs.  More  than  this  the  commissaries 
of  brigades,  of  divisions,  aijd  of  corps,  as 
well  'as  the  Commissary  General  of  tte 
AMy,  Who  themselves  received  and  dig- 
i^buM  the  supplies,  fully  believed  that 


the  soldiers  ha:d  plenty  of  vegetables ;  amd 
that,  when  they  had  not  received  more  than 
three  full  rations  in  twelve  months.  The 
explanation  of  this  extraordinary  faflt  is, 
that  during  nearly  all  this  time  fresh  po- 
tatoes, and  occasionally  other  vegetaibles, 
were  received  and  issued ;  but  of  one  hun- 
dred barrels  issued  by  the  chief  commissary, 
at  lest  twenty-five  went  to  tlie  staff  officers' 
families  and  servants  at  headquarters,  and 
to  the  Post,  including  often  citizens  and 
hospitals ;  of  the  seventy-five  remaining  for 
distribution  to  the  corps  commissaries, 
twenty-five  more  barrels  disappeared  again 
with  the  officers  and  their  families ;  a  third 
distribution  to  jbhe  division  commissaries 
blotted  out  another  twe^jiy-five  barrels,  and 
a  fourth  to  the  brigade  coiumissaries  dis- 
posed of  the  remainder  in  a  like  manner,  so 
that  the  regimental  commissary  received 
none ;  and  it  is  here  that  the  inquiry  must 
always  be  made,  or  with  the  soldier  himself, 
if  an  inspector  desires  to  know  how  the 
troops  are  fed. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  a  large  por- 
tion of  these  vegetables  is  usually  spoiled 
in  tt'Onsitu  to  the  army,  and   that  many 
more  decay  before^the  final  distribution,  it 
will  be  easy  to  understand  how  one  hundred 
barrels,  shOwn  as  received  and  distributed 
daily  on  the  chief  commissary's  books,  are 
completely  sifted  out  before  they  reach  the 
men  in  the  field.     In.  confirmation  of  this 
stateinetit,  we  will  quote  a  portion  of  our 
report  for  the  month  of  Iljay,  1863,  made 
to  the  Commanding  General  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Cumberland.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  up  to  the  first  of  April,  the  soldiers 
had  not  on  an  average  received  from  the 
Government  over  three  rations  in  twelve 
months,  and  that  from  this  data  General 
RoseOrans  and  his  commissary  haS  deter- 
miiied  that  the  troops  should  be  abundantly 
supplied.  To  this  end,  extraordinary  efforts 
and  attention  were  now  directed  to.the  mat- 
ter.    We  will  see  with  what  result :  "  In 
my  previous  report  I  informed  you,  Sir,  that 
from  the   first  of  April  the   Commissary 
General  has  been  receiving  at  the  rate  of 
one  hundred  barrels  of  fresh  potatoes  per 
day,  but  that  on  the  9th  of  April,  almost 
none  of  these  had  reached  the  regiments.  On 
the  20th  of  May,  I  ascertained  that  ttis 
Department  had  received  from  the  Govern- 
ment at  the  rate,  on  the  average  of  150 
barrels  per  day,  from  the  first  day  of  April 
up  to  that  moment,  which  at  a  fair. compu- 
tation would  give  one  full  ration  of  potatoes 


1040 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  every  soldier  in  the  command  on  every 
alternate  day. 

"  The  fact  of  the  arrival  of  these  vegeta- 
bles at  this  rate  was,  I  found  generally  un- 
derstood by  the  commanding  officers,  ami 
Major  General  McCook,  commanding  the 
20th  corps,  informed  me  that  his  mind  had 
been  completely  set  at  rest  upon  this  sub- 
ject, by  the  report  of  his  oWn  inspector  (not 
a  medical  officer)  that  the  supply  was  now 
sufficient.  I  was  able  to  famish  him,  how- 
ever, with  the  written  statement  of  four 
regimental  commissaries  in  his  coi'ps,  and 
these  were  all  of  whom  I  had  made  inquiry, 
that  only  one  full  ration  of  potatoes  had 
been  received  by  the  men  in  April,  and  but 
three  in  May." 

We  ought  to  mention  that,  during  the 
periods  when  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
was  in  need  of  fresh  vegetables,  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  was  constantly  supply- 
ing the  General  Hospitals  on  the  field,  the 
Post  Hospitals,  the  Convalescent  Camps, 
and,  to  some  extent,  the  Regimental  Hospi- 
tals, with  potatoes,  onions,  and  other  vege- 
tables; and  when,  in  the  early  part  of  April, 
1863,  we  notified  Dr.  Bead,  the  chief  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  of  that  depart- 
ment, of  the  urgent  need  that  fresh  vegeta- 
bles rfiould  be  supplied  to  the  troop  them- 
selves who  were  in  the  field,  the  Commission 
responded  with  a  promptness  and  liberality 
which  were  most  gratifying,  and  which  de- 
monstrated the  value  and  importance  of 
their  organization.  It  was  understood  tha^ 
the  army  was  preparing  to  .advance,  and  an 
important  battle  was  anticipated;  under 
these  circumstances,  there  could  be  no  de- 
lay, if  the  troops  were  to  be  put  into  a 
healthy  condition  before  the  action  occurred. 
The  Sanitary  Commission  was  notified  of 
our  wants  on  the  llth  of  April.  On  the 
iSth  we  were  informed  by  Dr.  Newberry, 
the  energetic  Secretary  of  the  Western  De- 
partment, that  there  would  be  "immediately 
.forwarded  large  shipments  of  vegatables  for 
Gen.  Rosecrans's  army  by  railroad  and 
by  boat,  the  superintendent  of  the  road 
having  been  requested  by  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  to  forward  promptly  all  that  the 
Commission  can  send."  On  the  16th,  130 
barrels  arrived  at  Murfreesboro ;  and  from 
this  time,  for  several  weeks,  they  continued 
to  arrive  at  the  rate  of  about  100  barrels 
per  day,  and  were  distributed  directly  to 
the  troops  by  the  agents  employed  by  the 
Commission.  It  is  worthy  of  notice,  also, 
that  while  those  sent  by  the  Government 


were  often  damaged  by  decay  in  conse- 
quence of  the  barrels  having  not  been  pro- 
perly opened  for  ventilation  before  being 
shipped,  and  from  delay  or  lack  of  care  in 
the  shipment;  those  sent  by  the  Commission 
were  always  ventilated  by  an  opening  of 
about  two  inches  in  diameter  in  the  sides  or 
ends  of  the  barrels  before  being  shipped,  and 
they  were  almost  uniformly  in  good  condi- 
tion. At  one  time  the  Medical  Director, 
Surgeon  Perin,  found  at  Murfreesboro  1,500 
barrels  lying  in  the  Commissary;,  store- 
rooms ;  not  one  barrel  of  which,  we  believe, 
had  any  ventilation,  and  the  contents  of 
most  of  which,  when  we  came  to  open 
them,  were  more  or  less  decayed.  They 
were  waiting  an  order  from  the  Command- 
ing General  to  issue  them,  but  the  Commis- 
sary had  failed  to  n6tiiy  the  General  that 
they  were  on  hand.  The  Medical  Director, 
Dr.  Perin,  promptly  informed  the  Greneral, 
and  an  order  was  at  once  obtained  for  their 
issue. 

Such  facts  as  these  do  not  always  indi- 
cate inefficiency,  perhaps,  on  the. part  of  the 
Government  officers,  but  rather  that  the 
multiplicity  of  their  duties  renders  it  diffi- 
cult, j,f  not  impossible  sometimes,  to  give 
the  necessary  attention  to  all  the  minor 
details. 

The  result  of  the  more  free  introduction 
of  fresh  vegetables  into  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  was,  that  Mry  soon  the  cases  of 
scurvy  were  found  to  diminish  in  frequency 
and  in  severity;  and  when,  on  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  June,  the  troops  were  moved  for- 
wards and  an  engagement  with  the  enemy 
occurred,  the  wounds  received  by  the  sol- 
diers heakd  more  kindly  and  were  followed 
by  fewer  aijcidents  than  had  been  the  case 
after  previous  battles. — Hamilton's  Military 
Surgery f -pages  82-84,  86-88. 


HOSPITAL  CLOIEIKG. 

The  annexed  letter  treats  of  a  subject 
which,  up  to  the  present  time,  has  been  too 
much  neglected.  It  is  true,  as  stated,  that 
in  many  instances,  soldiers  have  suffered 
from  the  preposterous  size  of  the  garments 
furnished  by  kind-hearted  friends,  whose 
zeal  exceeded  their  knowledge.  There  was, 
in  fact,  at  one  time  on  exhibition  at  a  dis- 
tributing depot  of  the  Commission  an  article 
supposed  to  be  for  soldiers'  wear,  the  use  of 
which  was  a  mystery  to  many  eminent  men 


The  Saniiary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1041 


of  various  professions,  to  whom  it  was  ex- 
hibited. It  is  but  fair  to  say,  however, 
that  this  was  in  the  early  days  of  the  war. 
Nevertheless,  a  little,  more  attention  to 
this  subject  now  will  not  be  without  benefit, 
and  we  bespeak  .for  the  following  letter  a 
careful  perusal. 

DeAbSik: — Please  make. corrections  in 
-the  next  numbei;  of  the  Bulletin  of  the 
article  in  No.  31,  entitled  "  Bedding  for 
Hospital  use." 

1st,  Linen  pieces  mat/  be  too  small;  we 
have  received  many  parcels  of  little  scraps 
not  more   than  two  inches  square,  which 
can  rarely  be  available.    They  must  be  clean. 
2d,  While  we  have  in  hand  two  hundred 
(200)  barrels  of  lint,  it  seems  unnecessary  to 
-suggest  that  more  may  be  made ;  indeed  it  is 
wasteful  to  ravel  up  a  single  towel  or  hand- 
kerchief, especially  when  we  are  sufiering 
from  a /amine  of  old  linen  and  cotton  pieces 
for  dressings,    and   I    believe    the     ither 
Branches  of  the  Sanitary  Commis;-iju   are 
in  a  like  position. 

3d,  A  pound  of  yarn,  of  the  suitable 
quality,  will  knit  three  and  a  half  (3  J)  pairs 
of  socks;  the  sizes  as  given  to  us  by  a 
dealer  in  army  socks,  should  be,  9  J,  10  and 
lOJ  inches,  and  twice  as  many  of  the  me- 
dium size*  are  required  as  of  either  of  the 
^ther  sizes.  The  soldiers  have  really  suffered 
from  the  preposterous  dimensions  of  gar- 
ments made  for  them.  In  some  hospitals  I 
have  heard  of  piles  of  shirts  laid  aside  as 
useless,  because  they  were  so  huge,  arid 
there  was  ao  one  "to  alter  them. 
Respectfully  yours, 

Ellen  Collins, 

Ghatrman  Committee,  &c. 


rZS  MONTHS  IS  LIBBY  VBXSOTSt. 
BY  LOUIS  PALMA  DI  CESNOLA. 

Colonel  Cesnola  is  a  Sardinian  of  noble 
family,  and  was  educated  in  the  best  mili- 
tary schools  of  Europe,  having  been  placed 
in  that  at  Paris  when  only  nine  years  of 
age.  His  father  was  at  that  time  Secretary 
of  War  under  the  .Sardinian  government. 
The  son  came  to  this  country  just  before 
the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  and  hos- 
tilities quickly  elicited  his  enthusiastic  in- 
terest in  the  cause  of  the  Union.  Having 
had  experience  in  the  Crimean  war,  as  a 


member  of  the  staff  of  the  Sardinian  Gen- 
eral-in-chief,  he  was  well  qualified  for  the 
dut^s  of  the  field.     In  September,  1862, 
he  took  command  of  the  4th  N.  Y.  cavalry, 
,  whose  superior  discipline  and  many  brave 
achievements  have  gained  for  it  an  enviable 
fatne.     At  the  battle  of  Aldie,  June,  1863, 
he  was  commended  for  his  gallant  conduct 
by  General  Kilpatrick,  early  in  the  action, 
but  afterwards,  while  far  in  the  advance,  he 
was  surrounded  by  superior  numbers,  and 
taken  prisoner.     He  spent  ten  months  in 
Libby  prison.     After  his  exchange  he  re- 
turned to  his  regiment,  and  led  the  bijgade 
to  which  it  belonged  in  many  severe  en- 
gagements previous  to  its  mustering  out,  in 
September  last. 

Soon  after  entering  Libby,  the  rebel  offi. 
cer  in  charge,  offered  Colonel  Cesnola,  with 
some  other  foreigners,  better  quarters  than 
their  fellow  officers  had,  which  proposal  was 
I  indignantly  rejected.  "  We  are  U.  S.  offi- 
cers," they  said. 

I  entered  the  service  of  the  United  States 
in  October,  1861,  and  was  captured  in  Vir; 
ginia  the  17th  of  June,  1863,  at  the  cavalry 
engagement  of  Aldie.  I  was  marched, 
mostly  on  foot,  more  than  one  hundred 
miles  to  Staunton,  and  thence  by  railroad 
conveyed  to  the  rebel  capital  and  confined 
in  the  Libby  prison.  I  arrived  in  Rich- 
mond the  25th  of  June,  at  about  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  remained  im- 
mured in  that  tobacco  factory  until  the  24th 
of  March,  1864;  when  I  was  specially  ex- 
changed for  Colonel  BroWn  of  the  59th 
Georgia,  ( — -)  regiment. 

searching  for  valuables. 
At  my  arrival  in  Libby  I  was  called  into 
the  office  of  the  commanding  officer  of  that 
military  prison,  Captain  (now  Major)  Thos. 
P.  Turner,  and  by  him,  my  name,  rank,  regi- 
ment, etc.,  was  registered  in  his  book;  the 
walls  of  Turner's  office  were  covered  with 
captured  U.  S.  colors,  regimental  battle- 
flags,  and  cavalry  guidons.  From  that  office 
I  was  ordered  into  a  spacious  dark  hall,  in 
a  corner  of  which,  a  rebel  seargeant  searched 
me  through  from  head  to  foot,  in  the  rough-^ 
est  manner  possible.  He  took  away  from 
me  every  little  trinket  I  had,  my  penknife, 
eyeglasses,  meerschaum-pipe,  matches,  and 


1042 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


a  bunch  of  small  keys ;  and  was  angry  be- 
cause he  could  not  find  any  greenbacks  on 
my  person.  He  ordered  me  to  take  off  my 
boots  for  inspection ;  I  answered  him  thA  I 
always  had  a  servant  to  perform  that  ser- 
vice for  me.  He  insisted,  but  I  refused 
until  he  took  them  off  himself,  and  searched 
them  very  minutely.  He  asked  me  what  I 
had  done  with  my  money,  and  if  I  had  any 
watch.  I  told  him  that  a  chivalric  Southron 
had  stolen  my  watch  and  money  during  the 
march  'from  Middleburg  to  Staunton.  He 
began  to  abuse  me,  using  very  profane  lan- 
guage and  denying  my  veracity.  I  told 
him  that  perhaps  the.  gentleman  intended 
only  to  borrow  those  articles  from  me.  Cap- 
tain Fisher,  a  signal  officer  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  was  punished  and  kept  walk- 
ing for  several  hours  with  the  sentinel  at  the 
prison's  door  simply  for  not  giving  up  im- 
mediately his  india  rubber  coat^  which  he 
justly  claimed  as  his  own  private  property. 
I  entered  therefore  the  gates  of  a  Confeder- 
ate prison  stripped  of  everything  except  my 
spurs,  which  being  screwed  into  the  boots 
could  not  be  removed.  I  remained  in  this 
deplorable  condition,  without  a  book  to  read, 
or  a  sheet  of  paper  to  write,  for  over  five 
months,  nursing  my  grief  during  the  whole 
day,  using  my  boots  for  a  pillow  during  the 
night,  and  sleeping  on  the  bare  ani^  often 
damp  plank  floor,  with  neither  blanket  nor 
overcoat,  nor  any  other'  covering.  Dogs 
had  certainly  better  sleeping  accommodations 
in  their  kennels  than  I  had  there.  In  the 
same  wretched  condition,  however,  were 
many  other  officers.  We  we  were  compelled . 
for  several  months  to  wash  and  scrub  the 
floor,  the  kitchen,  the  tables  and  the  sinks 
ourselves,  and  I  cannot  recqUect  but  with 
feelings  of  admiration  the  serenity  of  coun- 
tenance with  which  I  saw  our  present  Adju- 
tant General  of  the  State,  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral W.  Irvine  (at  that  time  Lieutenant 
Colonel  of  the  10th  New  York  Cavalry),  in 
shirt  sleeves,  scrubbing  the  floor  when  it  was 
his  turn  to  do  so.  I  must  confess  such  ser- 
vice was  revolting  to  me,  and  I  always  found 
some  good-hearted  fellow  prisoner  who,  for 
sake  of  exercise,  would  perform  it  in  my- 
stead.  It  may  have  been  a  mere  chance, 
but  it  was  precisely  when  the  officers  were 
performing  such  menial  services  that  the 
southern  ladies  would  come  to  have  a  peep 
at  the  Yankees,  who  certainlywere  not  looking 
at  that  moment  to  their  best  advantage.  I 
had  but  one  single  shirt  during  four  months, 
aud  when  I  washed  it,  I  looked  more  like  a 


Boman  Gladiator  of  olden'  times  than  a 
Colonel  in  the  United  States  service. 

RATIONS. 

From  June  up  to  September,  we  had  for 
ration  the  half  of  an  ordinary  sized  loaf  of 
wheat  bread,  tolerably  good,  though  often 
sour.  It  is  very  true  that  the  beans  were 
of  the  poorest  kind,  in  each  of  which  there 
was  the  nest  of  an  insect;  and  the  small  ra- 
tion of  meat  tough,  and  Hot  of  the  best 
quality;  but  hunger  had  no  law,  and  I 
would  swallow  my  ration,  bad  as  it  was, 
longing  afterwards  for  that  of  my  neigh- 
bor also.  In  the  rooms  where  we  were,  no 
chairs  could  be  seen,  nor  benches  ;  in  fact, 
nothing  but  the  bare  walls  and  the  bare 
floor,  with  the  exception  of  some  boards 
roughly  joined  together  in  form  of  tables, 
at  which  one-tenth  only  of  the  prisoners 
could  eat  at  a  time.  After  September,  our 
Ration  was  considerably  reduced  in  quality 
and  quantity,  and  we  received  half  a  loaf  of 
negro  made  corn  bread,  so  hard  that  it  was 
called  by  our  officers  iron  clad,  solid  shot, 
railroad  iron,  etc.,  and  some  few  oUnces  of 
meat,  four  or  five  times  per  month. 

INSPECTOR  Oi-  PRISONS. 

Kichard  Turner  (no  relation  of  Major 
Turner),  a  Marylander  by  birth,  and  a  por- 
ter (I  am  told)  by  occupaticp,  at "  the  out- 
breaking of  this  war  at  the  Eutaw  House  in^ 
the  City  of  Baltimore,  is  the  inspector  of 
the  Libby  and  of  other  military  prisons  in 
Richmond.  So  much  has  been  said  of  the 
ferocity  of  this  man  by  the  press  and  by  the 
testimony  of  other  officers,  that  I  have 
nothing  to  add.  I  wish  I  could  lighten  the 
heavy  burden  of  misdeeds  with  'which  his 
name  goes  to  posterity.  As  to  myself,  person- 
ally, he  has  never  done  any  harm,  but  rather 
tried  to  do  good. 

He  used  to  come  into  our  rooms  at  differ- 
ent hours  during  the  day,  and  if  he  could 
catch  any  officer  sitting  or  lying  on  his 
blankets  he  would  confiscate  them  for  the 
use  of  his  own  horses.  I  was  present  one 
day  when  he  caught  Captain  King,  of  the 
12  th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  spitting  on 
the  floor  (he  simply  missed  a  box  which 
was  used  as  a  spitoon),  and  he  brought  him 
down  into  a  dungeon  and  kept  him  there  for 
forty-eight  hours,  on  bread  aud  water. 

SANITARY  COMMISSIOij. 

Early  in  October  intelligence  was  received 
at  the  Libby  that  the  United  States  Sani- . 


The  Scmiltaky  Commission  Bulletin. 


1043 


sent  us.  a  large  quantity  of  boxes,  contain- 
ing blankets  and  other  ai  tides  of  clothing, 
etc.  1  made  at  once  an  application  to  get 
two  blankets  for  my  personal  use.  It  was 
not,  however,  until  the  beginning  of  the 
next  month  that  I  succeeded  in  getting 
them,  one  to  sleep  on,  and  the  other  to 
cover  me  with.  These  blankets  were  issued 
to  me  by  my  friend  and  fellow  prisoner, 
Brigadier  General  Neal  Dow,  who  had  been 
appointed  by  the  rebel  Colonel  Ould,  com- 
missioner of  exchange  of  prisoners  of  war, 
as  commissary  of  distribution. 

COMMISSARY  OP  DISTRIBUTION. 

The  10th  of  November,  1863,  late  in  the 
afternoon,  I  was  called  down  stairs  in  Major 
Turner's  office,  and  informed  by  him  that 
I  was  selected  to  supersede  General  Neal 
Dow  as  commissary  of  distribution,  whose 
appointment  was  obnoxious  to  General 
J.  H.  Winder,  Military  Governor  of  Eich- 
mond.  I  was  informed  that  the  selec- 
tion was  ndade  on  account  of  my  being  the 
next  senior  officer  to  the  .General.  He 
further  intimated  that  I  would  not  be  al- 
lowed to  hold  conversation  with  our  men  on 
Belle  Isle,  nor  carry  any  verbal  or  written^ 
communication  from  the  officers  to  the  men, 
or  vice  versa,  without  previously  submitting 
such  communication  to  the  rebel  officer  in 
command  of  the  island,  and  of  other  person- 
al restrictions.  Softer  having  promised  to 
ooSiply  with  such  orders,  I  was  allowed  to 
select  amongst  the  field  officers,  two  assist- 
ants, subject  to  the  approval  of  General 
Winder.  I  selected  Lieutenant  Colonel 
.  Boyd,  and  my  friend,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Von  Schrader,  Inspector  General  of  the  14th 
Army  corps ;  both  of  whom  were  approved. 
The  next  morning  Kiohard  Turner,  under 
whose  control  were  all  boxes  sent  from  the 
North,  informed  me  that  he  would  not  send 
the  boxes  of  clothing  down  to  Belle  Isle  if 
I- did  not  pay  the  transportation  for  them. 
I  had  not  one  cent  of  my  own,  but  Colonel 
Boyd  had  some  funds  in  the  rebel  hands 
and  offeied  to  pay  with  that  money  the 
transportation ;  and  after  a  day's  delay  it* 
was  accepted.  We  were  allowed  to  go  to 
Belle  Isle  at  10  a.m.  every  morning,  arid 
remain  there  until  4  o'clock  p.m.  Two 
poUcemen  would  acoonlpany,  or  rather  escort 
us  from  the  Libby  to  Belle  Isle,  and  from 
thence  back  to  the  prison,  every  day. 

B£LI<E  ISLE. 

On  the  13th  of  November  there  were  at 
Bells  Isle  six  thousand  four  hundred  and 


thirty-four  union  soldiers,  as  prisoners  of 
war.  I  do  not  describe  here  •  the  place,  as 
I  see  it  is  pretty  correctly  done  by  Colonel 
Farnsworth,  of  the  1st  Connecticut  cavalry, 
in  his  testimony. 

Lieutenant  Bossieux,  the  officer  in  charge 
of  that  prison  camp,  was  well  spoken  of 
universally,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  found 
him  gentlemanly,  humane  and  generous- 
hearted.  His  name,  however,  shows  his 
foreign  origin,  though  he  may  have  been 
born  in  Kichmond.  Every  facility  in  his 
power  was  cheerfully  afforded  me  for  the 
distribution  of  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission's  goods,  as  well  as  for  those 
sent  by  our  government.  Our  .prisoners 
there,  were  divided  into  squads  of  one  hun- 
dred men,  each  under  the  command  of  a 
sergeant,  (fellow-prisoner,)  who  was  respon- 
sible to  the  rebel  commander  for  the  beha- 
viour of  his  men.  This  camp  was  therefore 
divided  into  sixty-four  squads,  augmenting 
the  number  of  the  squads  in  proportion  to 
the  arrival  of  prisoners  there. 

DISTRIBUTION    OF    BLANKETS,    CLOTHING, 
ETC. 

We  were  permitted  by  Major  Turner  to 
see  and  count  the  number  of  boxes  piled  up 
in  a  warehouse  near  the  Libby,  and  make  a 
rough  calculation  of  the  quantity  of  each 
article  of  clothing  contained  in  those  boxes. 
The  most  necessary  thing  for  those  poor 
men  were  blankets ;  so  we  decided  to  dis- 
tribute them  without  delay,  but  the  number 
was  too  small  to  provide  every  man  with 
one,  so  we  gave  a  blanket  to  every  two  men. 
In  the  progress  of  distribution,'  the  arrival  ' 
of  many  more  boxes  from  Fortress  Monroe, 
enabled  us  to  issue  one  to  each  man.  The 
modus  operandi  was  the  following :  Colonel  • 
Von  Schrader,  with  a  union  soldier  as  a 
clerk,  would  'take  one  squad  outside  of  the 
enclosure  on  what  was,  by  the  rebels,  called 
"the  parade  ground,"  and  put  down 'the 
name  of  each  man  and  all  the  articles  of 
clothing  he  needed  into  blank  rolls  sent  us 
by  the  U.  8.  government  for  that  purpose ; 
Colonfl  Boyd  and  myself  would  likewise 
have  each  one  a  squad  and  a  prisoner  as 
clerkj  to  write  down  names  and  articles 
/needed,  in  the  same  manner. 

This  method  was  only  continued  for  the 
first  two  days,  while  we  were  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  boxes  from  Eichmond.  But 
as  soon  as  we  received  a  sufficient  number 
of  them,  Colonel  Boyd  being  a  quarter- 
master, consented  to  distribute  the  articles, 


1044 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


while  Colonel  Von  Schrader"ind  myself  con- 
tinued taking  down  the  names  and  articles 
V  wanted  by  the  men.  We  used  to  inspect 
about  eight  squads  a  day;  the  distributing 
officer,  however,  could  not  proceed  so  fast, 
as  he  had  to  open  the  boxes,  etc. ;  the  aver- 
age of  squads  furnished  per  day  was  three, 
that  is  three  hundred  men.  The  greatest 
part  of  the  day  was  lost  in  going  from  Rich- 
mond to  Belle  Isle,  and  returning.  Some- 
times the  boatman  was  not  thereto  convey 
us  to  the  other  side  of  the  James  river,  and 
much  precious  time  was  thus  lost.  I  en 
deavored  to  obtain  permission  to  sleep  at 
Belle  Tsle,  in  order  to  be  at  work  early  in 
the  morning  in  distributing,  as  the  cold 
weather  was  terribly  felt  by  our  poor  men. 
But  Miijor  Turner  had  no  power  to  grant 
this,  and  having  asked  General  Winder  if 
an  application  ,to  him  in  writing,  signed  by 
the  Committee  of  Distribution,  would  be 
taken  into  consideration,  his  brutish  answer 
was,  "  No,  "certainly  not." 

Besides  the  time  lost  in  going  and  coming 
back  and  waiting  for  the  boat,  we  lost  much 
time  there  also,  as  the  squads  when  called 
out  by  us,  were  sometimes  receiving  their 
rations]  at  another  they  were  at  roll-call, 
etc.     So  we  could  not   transact  business 
really  more  than  three  hours  every  day, 
which  retarded  the  distribution  consider- 
ably, while  we  would  have  very  willingly 
distributed  day  and  night  in  order  to  shel- 
ter with  good  warm  <;lothes  the  thousands 
.of  half  naked  bodies,  shivering  from  head 
to  fpot  from  cold   and  hunger.     I  am  a 
soldier  by  profession  since  my  boyhood  ;  I 
have  been  in  several  wars  in  Europe  j  I  am 
familiar  with  death,  and  have  seen  it  in  all 
its  different  aspects'",  but  my  heart  has  never 
been  moved  as  it  was  by  the  condition  of 
those  men  at  Belle  Isle.     Their  frozen  feet 
wrapped  in  a  piece  of  blanket  or  an  old 
flannel  shirt,  in  place  of  the  boots  which 
were  taken  away  from  them  by  their  cap- 
tors, those  long,  pale,  hungry  faces,  with 
hair  and  beard  uncut  for  months ;  a  kind  of 
perpetual  motion  given  to  their  bodies  by 
the  millions  of  vermin  that  devoured  their 
very  flesh;  their  emaciated  forms,  telling  at 
first  sight  how  many'long  and  weary,  weary 
months  they  had  been  there  fighting  against 
death  in   the  form  of  scurvy,  low  fevers, 
diarrhoea,  congestion  of  the   lungs,  etc.; 
their  feeble  voices  saying,  "  Oh  I  Colonel, 
do  give  us  something  to  eat,  for  God's 
sake,"  etc.    These  scenes,  I  oonfeas,  were  to 
me  heartrending  in  the'  extrema.    These 


men  received  at  meal  time,  one  bucket  of 
broken  pieces  of  corn  bread,  and-  one  buck- 
et of  over-boiled  sweet  potatoes  for  every 
one  huudred  men  !  I  saw  it  myself  many 
times.  Indeed,  it  was  so  revolting  that  I 
think  even  pigs  would  have  sickened  at  it. 
How  the  chiefs  of  squads  could  divide  so  ■ 
small  a  quantity  of  food  in  one  hundred 
parts  has  always  been  for  me  a  problem, 
which  I  am  still  unable  to  solve;  though 
often,  while  distributing  the  clothing,  some 
men  would  come  to  me  and  complain  that 
for  whole  days  they  could  not  get  anything 
to  cat,  becaiise  before  their  turn  came  the 
bucket  was  empty ! 

It  was  no  wonder  if  these  poor,  starved 
human  beings  would  eat  rats  and  dogs.  I 
recollect  the  fact  of  a  rebel  officer  having 
gone  inside  the  inclosure  to  visit  the  prison- 
ers, accompanied  by  a  dog.  He  did  not 
miss  it  until  he  was  coming  out ;  but,  alas  ! 
it  was  too  late,  and  by  that  time  he  could 
only  see  one  man  gnawing  with  voracity 
his  dog's  last  bone !  The  next  day  the 
Kichmond  Enquirer,  edited  by  that  Irish 
patriot,  John  Mitchell,  had  a  leading  article 
entitled,  "  Do^  eat  dogs,"  and  gave  the 
particulars  of  the  affair,  summing  up  by  say- 
ing that  the  Yankee  prisoners  at  Belle  Isle, 
though  furnished  with  plenty  of  wholesome 
food,  preferred  to  eat  dogs. 

Of  these  six  thousand  four  hundred  and 
thirty-four  prisoners;  ov«r  seven  hundred 
were  At  the  time  I  first  visited  Belle  Isle, 
without  tents  or  any  shelter  whatever  at 
night,  lying  in  ditches,  or  digging  holes  in 
the  sandy  ground  in  which  they  slept  in  a 
bundle,  one  over  the  other,  and  I  heard 
that  often  in  the  morning  those  who  were 
on  thu  top  were  found  frezen  to  death,  and 
I  actually  saw  men  wrapped  up  in  blankets 
brought  out  of  the  enclosure  who  were  found 
dead  and  frozen  in  ditches  outside  of  the 
tents ! 

Upon  this  subject  I  had  frequent  conver- 
sations with  Lieutenant  Bossieux,  who  told 
me  himself  he  had  several  times  made 
proper  requisitions  for  the  necessary  ,tents ; 
that  he  went  to  see  the  quartermaster  of  the 
prison  himself  (an  Ohio  renegade,  was  a 
greater  scoundrel  than  any  of  the  Southren 
race) ;  that  they  were  promised  but  never 
delivered.  He  also  told  me  he  had  made  a 
plan  for  barracks  which  would  have  cost 
very  little  and  would  have  accommodated 
bur  men  all  comfortably,  but  that  he  never 
heard  anything  more  about  it,  nor  of  boards 
rriiron  tnr  that  Or  aov  other  Duroose.    After 


The  Sanitary  Commimon  BullfUn. 


1045 


having  distributed  the  oontents  of  eeveral 
boxes,  I  perceiKcd  that  the  empty  boxes 
were,  by  order  of  LieDtenant  Bossieus  piled 
ap  as  if  to  be  used  for  some  purpose.  I 
went  to  see  him,  and  told  him  I  intended 
to  give  to' the  men  those  empty  boxes,  so 
/that  they  could  floor  their  tents  with  them. 
He  said  he  had  instructions  from  the  quar- 
termaster to  save  all  those  boxes,  that  he 
wanted  them  to  pack  army  clothing  in,  but 
he  would  give  me  in  return  the  boards 
necessary  to  floor  all  the  tents.  I  said 
^  nothing  further  for  three  or  four  days,  but 
seeing  that  the  boards  were  coming  only  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  tents  so  many  times 
asked,  I  took  upon  myself,  at  the  cost  of 
being  suspersedod  for  it,  not  to  wait  any 
longer,  and  I  distributed  them  to  the  men, 
gladdening  many  hearts.  A  portion  of  those 
boxes  were  used  to  make  coffins  for  those 
who  had  ceased  to  sufier  in  this  wicked 
place. 

PLUNDEEIN9. 
There  has  been  so  much  said  about  the 
rebel  government  stealing  half  the  boxes 
sent  to  us  by  the  government,  and  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  that  I 
have  recalled  t6  my  memory  all  the  minu- 
test particulars  which  have  reference  to 
them,  and  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  largest  number  of  the  boxes  of 
clothing  were  turned  over  to  us  for  distri- 
bution, and  that  they  had  no  official  con- 
nection with  the  heavy  robberies  which  we 
have  unfortunately  sustained,  and  were  un- 
able to  prevent. 

RICHMOND  CITY  BATTALIONS. 

It  is  true  that  the  Richmond  City  battal- 
ions, who  guarded  the  federal  prisoners,  had 
a  large  number  of  their  men  clothed  in  U. 
S.  uniforms,  but  my  opinion  (I  may  be 
wrong)  is,  that  the  warehouse  adjacent  to 
the  Libby,  in  which  all  our  boxes  were 
stored  and  guarded  by  them,  was  visited  at 
night  by  these  undisciplined  and  unprinci- 
pled soldiery,  who  would  appropriate  to 
themselves  and  sell  to  others,  all  the  clothing 
they  wanted.  I  came  to  this  conclusion, 
after  I  had  visited  that  warehouse  several 
times,  as  I  found  ragged  rebel  uniforms  left 
hare  and  there  in  the  corners  of  the  ware- 
house ;  showing  plainly  that  some  of  the" 
rebels  had  made  their  hasty  toilet  there. 
When  one  hundred  and  nine  union  officers 
escaped  from  the  Libby,  through  the  tunnel, 
I  had  the  scurvy  and  could  not  join  the  party. 
Jhe  next  morning  I  convereed  with  som^  qf 


the  sentinels,  and  laughed  at  their  great 
yigilnnce  during  the  previous  night.  They 
said  that  they  had  seen  men  coming  out 
from  the  yard  of  the  warehouse,  and  run- 
ning as  fast  as  they  could,  but  they  sup- 
posed it  was  some  0/ their  own  guard  making 
a  raid  on  our  boxes.  Several  times  in  the 
stillness  of  the  night,  I  heard  plainly  in  the  ' 
warehouse  the  hammering  and  breaking  of 
boxes,  but  this  was  the  robbers'  midnight 
work,  and  scarcely  chargeable  to  the  rebel 
authorities.  The  rebel  government  was, 
however,  guilty  of  the  grossest  indifierenoe 
as  to  the  safe  keeping  of  our  boxes ;  of  that 
there  is  no  doubt,  but  I  cannot  bring  my- 
self to  believe  that  their  authorities  were 
officially  connected  with  it. 

The  boxes  sent  from  Richmond  to  Belle 
Isle  for  immediate  distribution,  were  also 
plundered  during  the  night,  even  after  I 
obtained  permission  to  put  some  of  our  own 
men  to  guard  them.  Our  hungry  men, 
tempted  by  the  sentinels  with  bread  and 
pies,  ^ould  give  a  portion  of  the  clothing 
issued  to  them,  for  both  or 'either  of  them  j 
and,  as  in  all  large  communities,  there  were 
amongst  our  prisoners  some  rascals  who 
would  steal  the  clothing  of  their  sleeping 
comrades  and  sell  them  likewise  to  the  guard. 
Colonel  Von  Schrader  and  myself  remon- 
strated several  times  to  Lieutenant  Bossieux, 
and  he  put  several  of  his  men  in  irons  for 
having  bought  clothing  from  our  prisoners, 
but  the  evil  could  ijot  be  stopped  by  us. 

I  have  often  been  present  at  guard  mount- 
ing in  Belle  Isle,  and  remarked  the  relieved 
party  (sometimes  half  of  them)  would  have 
either  U.  S.  blankets,  overcoats  or  panta- 
loons, and  ■  the  relieving  party  of  that  day 
would  come  off  duty  the  next  morning 
similarly  supplied  with  new  U.  S.  clothes. 
These  facts,  of- course,  not  being  generally 
known  to  our  fellow  prisoners,  and  from  the 
barred. windows  of  the  Libby  seeing  a  very 
large  number  of  the  guard  dressed  in  U.  S. 
uniforms,  they  came  to  the  very  natural, 
conclusion  that  the  rebel  government  was 
robbing  us  to  clothe  their  own  men. 

The  rebel  authorities  have  never  given  to 
Colonel  Boyd  or  Colonel  Von  Schrader  or 
myself  (that  I  am  aware  of,)  the  invoices 
which,  I  suppose  both  the  government  and 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  must  have 
sent  with  the  goods.  I  asked  Major  Turner 
if  he  had  those  invoices;  he  replied  he  had 
not  seea  them.  I  inquired  also  of  Richard 
Turnop  in  regard  to  them,  but  he  rudely 
told  ii}9  that  it  was  not  my  business.    !p!rom 


1046 


The  Sanitary  Gom'mission  Bulletin. 


this  reason  I  was  unable  to  find  out  how 
many  boxes  were  sent  to  uf5. 

MAKING  SHOES. 

My  narrative  now  soon  conies  to  a  close. 
Towards  the  latter  part  of  November  I  was 
superseded  as  Commissary  of  Distribution 
by  order  of  General  J.  H.  Winder.  Two 
causes  originated  it.  The  first  was  this : 
The  rebels  came  one  day  to  Belle  Isle,  and 
paroled  four  hundred  men  to  make  shoes  for 
their  army,  and  intimated  that  they  would 
come  again  in  a  few  days  to  parole  several 
hundred  more  for  the  same  object.  I  deci- 
ded at  once  to  do  what  I  considered  the 
duty  of  a  U.  S.  officer,  and  interfere  in  this 
<<jnatter.  I  sent  for  several  of  the  chiefs  of 
squads,  and  told  them  to  inform  the  men 
that  by  going  to  work  for  the  rebels  they 
were  breaking  their  oath  towards  the  U.  S. 
government,  and  were  helping  instead  of 
fighting  the  enemy  of  their  country ;  that 
they  would  be  all  liable  to  be  court-martialed 
for  it  as  soon  as  they  reached  our  lines,  and 
that  I  considered  it  my  duty  to  inform  them 
of  it.  These  sergeants  went  at  once  to  see 
their  men,  and  the  result  was  that  when  the 
rebels  came  the  second  time,  they  could  not 
get  a  single  one,  and  soon  they  discovered 
the  reason  of  it.  ' 

The  second  cause  for  which  I  was  super- 
seded is  the,  following.  One  morning, 
rather  earlier  than  usual,  we  were  ordered 
out  of  our  room  for  the  purpose  of  having 
it  scrubbed  by  the  negroes.  The  overseer 
who  had  charge  of  the  negroes  (always  with 
a  stick  in  his  hands),  came  to  the  corner 
where  I  had  my  quarters,  and  two  buckets 
of  water  were  thrown  on  the  floor  by  his 
negroes  before  I  was  aware  of  their  presence. 
In  the  haste  of  leaving  the  room  my  friend 
and  messmate,  Lieutenant  Morley,  of  the 
12th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  had  left  a  piece 
of  ham  on- the  shelf,  within  reach  of  any  un- 
scrupulous hand  which  chose  to  take  it.  I 
called  him  back  and  told  him  to  put  it  out 
of  reach,  as  I  was  as  much  afraid  of  negro 
thieves  as  of  white  ones.  The  overseer, 
whom  I  had  not  perceived  was  behind  me, 
heard  the  remark  and  applied  the  meaning 
to  himself.  To  my  surprise  he  put  one  hand 
on  my  shoulder  and  made  use  of  the  follow- 
ing language :  God  d — m  you,  do  you 
mean  that  I  am  a  thief?  If  a  hot  iron  had 
touched  my  skin  it  would  not  have  mad- 
dened me  more  than  his  insolent  touch  did. 
I  turned  myself  towards  him,  and  in  a  second 
I  had  him  by  the  throat  with  both  my  hands. 


down  he  went  en  the  floor,  and  I  struck  him 
many  times  -  as  hard  as  I  could  on  his  face, 
until  my  rage  was  satisfied.  The  negroes 
were  jubilant,  and  of  course  nobody  inter- 
fered to  help  the  overseer.  I  was  called 
down  stairs  in  Major  Turner's  office,  where 
I  explained  the  whole  aflFaii,  and  though  I 
was  not  punished  bodily,  my  supercedure 
took  place  on  that  very  morning. 

From  November  to  March,  1864,  I  was 
not  allowed  to  leave  for  a  single  mo- 
ment the  Libby  prison,  and  when  they  began 
to  parole  and  send  North  some  officers,  all 
all  the  othei  colonels  but  t^o  were  sent 
North  before  me  ;  though  I  had  been  a  pris- 
oner longer  than  any  of  them.  Colonel 
Robert  Ould,  the  rebel  Commissioner,  to 
whom  I  was  obnoxious,  said  that  he  did  not 
want  to  send  me  North  at  all,  but  he  would 
keep  me  in  prison  as  long  as  he  liked ;  but 
he  was  nevertheless  soon  afterwards  com- 
pelled to  send  me,  as  Colonel  Jack  Brown, 
of  the  59th  Georgia  regiment  was  sent 
South  conditionally,  that  if  he  could  not 
get  me  exchanged ,  for  him,  he  was  to 
return  North  and  be  kept  as  long  as  I  was 
held  by  the  rebel  authorities. 

Louis  Palma  di  Cesnola, 

Late  Colonel  4tli  N.  T.  Cav. 
^     Sew  York,  13th  Feb.,  1865. 

City  and  Coimiy  of  New  York,  ss. 
Sworn  to  before  me, 

John  Rogees, 

CommisBioner  of  Dee^B. 
Dated  at  New  York,  Feb.  15, 1866. 


TO  SUBOEONS. 

A  Treatise  on  Military  Surgery  and  Hy- 


By  Fkank  Hastings  Hamilton,  M.D., 
late  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Medical  Inspec- 
tor, U.S.A. ;  Professor  of  Military  Sur- 
gery and  Hygiene,  and  of  Fractures  and 
Dislocations,  in  Bellevue  Medical  Col- 
,  lege ;  Surgeon  to  Bellevue  Hospital ; 
Professor  of  Military  Surgery,  &c.,  in 
Long  Island  College  Hospital;  author 
of  "  Treatise  on  Fractures  and  Disloca- 
tions," and  of  a  "  Practical  Treatise  on 
Military  Surgery."  Balliere  Brothers, 
New  York. 

Of  this  admirable  book,  we  cannot  here 
say  all  that  it  demands  of  us.  Military  sur- 
gery, though  distinct  in  its  applications 
from  civil  surgery,  and  requiring  a  modified 
and  more  extended  terminology,  is  becoming 


The,  Sanitary  Gommisgion  Bulletin. 


1047 


80  essential  to  the  praotitioner  in  civil  life, 
that  he  who  would  faithfully  serve  the  pro- 
fession at  home,  dare  not  remain  ignorant  of 
the  new  developments  of  science  which  have 
grown  upon  us  with  the  progress  of  the  war. 
Tens  of  thousands  of  disabled  soldiers  are 
being  sent  from  the,  field  and  post  hospitals 
to  Northern  cities.  Tens  of  thousands  dis- 
charged from  disability  are  falling  back  upon 
the  professional  care  of  village  physicians, 
and  for  many  years  to  come  the  neces- 
sity will  continue  for  the  application  of 
military  surgery  in  civil  life. 

When  the  Medical  Bureau  of  the  Govern- 
ment shall  have  presented  the  reports  of 
its  herculean  labors  to  the  people,  it  will  be 
seen  what  vast  contributions  have  been 
made  to  this  branch  of  science,  but  as  that 
may  not  be  done  for  years  to  come,  the  pro- 
fession will  be  glad  to  avail  themselves  of 
this  practical  manual.  ' 

The  several  chapters  include  the  subjects 
of  Examination  and  Qualifications  of  Re- 
cruits ;  General  Hygiene ;  Bivouac ;  Ac- 
commodation of  Troops  in  Tents,  Barracks, 
Billets,  Huts,  Cabins,  Hospitals,  with  plans 
of  various  U.  S.  Army  Hospitals  recently 
constrhcted;  Preparations  for  the  Field; 
U.-S.  Army  Ambulance  Corps  fis  at  present 
organized;  Field  Medical  Service;  our 
means  of  Transportation  of  Sick  and  Woun- 
ded' Soldiers,  including  the  new  Railroad 
Cars,  accompanied  with  workipg  drawings 
for  their  construction — an  entirely  new  fea- 
ture in  transportation — first  introduced  by 
Dr.  E.  Harris,  of  the  Sanitary  Commission ; 
Hygienic  Management  of  Troops  on  the 
March;  General  Consideration  of  Gunshot 
Wounds ;  Gunshot  Wounds  of  the  Head, 
Neck,  Chest,  Abdome^,  Extremities ;  Punc- 
tured and  Incised  Wounds;  a  complete 
chapter  on  Arrow  Wounds,  illustrated  with 
cases  and  woodcuts  (a  new  feature  in  a 
work  on  Military  Surgery). 

Gunshot  Fractures,  with  illustrations  of 
the  various  forms  of  apparatus  now  in  use 
and  found  most  serviceable  by, our  Army 
Surgeons;  Anaesthetics,   their   value    and 


danger;  Hospital  Gangrene;  Dry  Gran- 
grene ;  Scurvy ;  Diarrhoea  and  Dysent,ery. 

General  remarks  on  Amputations ;  Special 
Amputations,  illustrated  by  woodcuts ;  Ex- 
sections,  illustrated  also  fully;  etc.,  etc. 

It  is  the  result  of  the  author's  own  ex- 
perience during  three  years'  active  service 
on  the  field;  and  to  this  has  been  added,  as 
far  as  possible,  the  experience  of  other  U. 
S.  Army  Surgeons  and  foreign  surgeons. 

The  typographical  character  of  the  book 
is  in  the  usual  complete  style  of  the  enter- 
prising publishers. 


THREE   mONTHS  IK  THE  SERVICE  OE  THE 
IT.  8.  BAITITARY  qpiIMISSIOII. 

NO.  VI. — STILHAT  WHITE  HOUSE,  VA. 

'  At  midnight  of  the  9th,  two  hospital 
steamers,  the  Wenonah  a.Tidjljfeorc/e  Weems, 
made  fast  to  the  Elizabeth,  and  we  put  on 
each  of  the  boats  full  supplies  for  all  sick 
and  wounded  on  board,  and  laid  down  on 
our   blankets,   by  2  a.m.  of  the  10th  of 
Jun6.      On  that  day  the  James  Guy  ar- 
rived from  Washington,  and  the  sad  intelli- 
gence of  the  death  of  Dr.  Winslow  was 
confirmed.     He  was  in  the  act  of  drawing 
water   from   the   Potomac,   for   a  favorite 
horse  he  had  on  board  the  Gvy.,  (and  the 
care  of  which  he  would  entrust  to  no  other 
person,)  and  the  steamer  being  under  full 
headway,  directly  the  bucket  \touched  the 
water  it  jerked  him  headlong  overboard. 
Every  efibrt  was  made  to  save  him,  but  of 
no  avail — he  sank  to  rise  no  more,  long  be- 
fore assistance  could  reach  the  spot  where 
he  was  last  seen.     In  the  loss  of  Dr.  Wins- 
low  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  lost  an 
unwearying  worker,  of  immense  influence 
for  goo.i,  and  sufiering  humanity  an  ever 
true  friend.     In  passing  I  would  remark, 
that  his  son,  the  wounded  colonel,  died  in  a 
few  weeks  afterward  of  the-wounds  he  had 
received  at  the  Wilderness  fights.     On  the 
above-day ^we  were  favored  with  a  new  sen- 
sation— a  colored  guard  brought  down  700 
prisoners  of  war  from  the  front.     These 
and  all  prisoners  in  our  hands  at  that  point 
were  sent  to  Fprt  Delaware.     The  day  was 
furthermore  remarkable  because  the  news 
of  the  nomination  of  Abrahaui  liincoln  and 
Andrew  Johnson  reached  us,  causinV  great 
rejoicing.     All  our  wounded  wore  by  that 
time  well  cared  for ;  not  inore  than- 100  per 
day  were   arriving,  and   all   around   signs 


1048 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


were  multiplying  of  an  early  evacuation  of 
the  place.  Every  day  now  brought  numerous 
acquisitions  to  our  auxiliary  force,  and  it  was 
well,  for  not  less  than  1600  bad  cases  needed 
the  unremitting  care  of  qualified  nurses. 

On  Sunday,  June  12th,  Dr.  Marks  held 
Divine  service.     T^e  sad  scenes  we   had 
passed  through  seemed  to  have  ripened  the 
religious  feelings  of  all,  or  nearly  all,  in  the 
Commission;  for  all  heard  the  word  gladly, 
and  several  things'  were  determined  upon 
and  carried'  into  execution ;  among  which 
were   the   establishment   of  morning  and 
evening  meetings  for   prayer  and  confer- 
ence.    These  were  not  only  countenanced 
by  the  Directors,  but    frequently  one  or 
more  assisted  in  the  exercises.  These  meet- 
ings were  to  continue  so  lo^g  as  other  duties 
did  not  divide  us  nor  press  so  heavily  upon 
us  as  to  prevent  our  gathering.     Another 
gratifying   feature    was    introduced    into 
our  domestia  arrangements    namely,   that 
of   asking  Grod's  blessing  upon  our  meat 
and    drink    in    the    dining-room    at    the 
public  table.      I  am  pleased   to  say  our 
hurry  was  never  so  great  as  to  cause  us  to 
omit  that  tribute  of  grateful  hearts.      Its 
influence  we  may  never  be  able  to  bound, 
but  that  it  was  a  great  good  to  many  souls 
I  have  no  doubt.     At  that  table  sat  men 
who  had  come  from  all  quarters  of    tjie 
world.     They  asked  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission food  and  lodging;  it  was  freely  ac- 
corded them  after  due  proof  had  been  given 
of  their  need.     The  tables  were  loaded  with 
Grod's  bounties,  given  through  the  people 
of  the  United  States  to  the  weary,  sick, 
wounded  and  unexpectedly  destitute  soldier; 
also  to  those  who  had  left  homes  fai*'away, 
and  had  come  to  the  front  in  search  of  loved 
sons,  husbands,  or  brother,  many  of  whom 
had  money  to  pay  for  what  they  needed  but 
could  not  purchase,  and  but  for  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary    Commission,    they    must    have 
starved,  even  while  their  pockets  were  filled 
with  money.    These  joined  us  in  our  meals 
— the  gentle,  the  rough,  the  illiterate,  and 
the  learned,  the  officer  and  the  private — all 
•  at  the  same  table.  The  plain  fare  was  placed 
in  good  shape  and  condition  on  the  table — 
■  the  bell  was  rung — the  guests  took  their 
seats  at  the  tables,  and  as  the  Purveyor  saw 
some  guest  at  the  table  -^ho  be  believed  to 
be  a  chri^ian,  he  would  ask  him  to  invoke 
Grod's  blessing  on  the  food.     During  the 
invocation  the  waiters  would  stand  in  silence 
-^every  voice  being  hushed,  while,  perhaps 
some  soldier  supplicated  Divine  favor  on  the, 


food,  its  recipients;  and  their  dear,  but  far 
distant,  friends.  I  have  dwelt  on  this  point 
more  at'  length  than  the  subject  seemed 
to  warrant.  But  it  really  deserves  what  I 
have  said,  and  much  more,  from  the  moral 
effects  and  sweet  religious  awakenings 
which  flowed  from  it.  Among  i!he  em- 
ployees of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
were  rough  laborers,  especially  engaged  for 
their  capacity  for  heavy,  manual  toil. 
Many  of  these  were,  perhaps,  brought  under 
wholesome  moral  influence,  and  the  efiect  on 
them  was  of  the  best  character,  if  we  are  per- 
mitted to  accept  their  professions  given  sub- 
sequently, and  under  circumstances  which 
would  favor  sincere  utterances.  Another 
large  class  of  persons  who  had  good  reasons 
for  thanking  God  for  the  establishment 
of  this  sweet  exercise,  were  those  whose 
early  religious  convictions  had  been  choked 
by  the  excitements  incident  to  their 
mode  of  life, — such  frequently  informed  me 
that  the  impressive  character  ot  the  scenes 
alluded  to,  had  awakened  them  to  the  per- 
formance of  long  neglected  duties.  And 
to-day,  in  thousands  of  families  throughout 
the  loyal  States,  does  the  incense  of  prayer 
and  praise  burn,  whose  flames  were  re- 
lighted at  the  altars  set  up  in  the  boats  and 
tents  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

LETTEB  FROM  NASHVILIE. 
BY  EDWABD  J.  ENO. 

Nashville,  January  25,  1865. 
Jtjdge  E.  Root, 

Dear  Sir  : — With  this  I  hand  you  a 
statement  of  the  disposition  made  of ,  the 
car-load  sanitary  stores  taken  to  Huntsville 
last  week. 

I  found  nearly  all  the  4th  army  corps  in 
camp  at  or  near  this  place,  resting  after  a 
very  hard  campaign,  and  fitting  up  prepara- 
tory to  the  next,  with  new  ambulances, 
huts  and  clothing. 

The  men  were "  generally  in  good  condi- 
tion, well  satisfied  with  the  results  of  the  sea- 
son's work,  and  confident  of  future  success. 

There  was  one  general  hospital  under 
the  charge  of  Dr.  Baldwin,  with  abotft  195 
patients,  generally  doing  very  well.  Their 
sanitary  supplies  were  nearly  exhausted, 
and  ours  came  very  opportunely.  The  general 
field  hospital  of  the  Cumberland,  was  also 
there  in  charge  of  Dr.  Bissell.  There  were 
but  few  patients  and  the  doctor  asked  for 
only  a  small  quantity  of  sanitary  stores. 

It  was  then  three  weeks  to  the  close  of 
school,  and  if  we  could  get  it  done  by  that 


^The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1049 


After  consulting  with  the  Medical  Di- 
rectors of  the  corps  and  post,  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  open  Sanitary  Booms,  and  on 
application  to  the  Post  Commander,  Col. 
Lyon,  he  gave  orders  to  the  Quartermaster 
"  to  furnish  us  the  best  he  could  find." 
Since  my  return  a  telegram  from  Dr.  Evans 
says  they  are  secured. 

Stevenson  is  a  point  requiring  consider- 
able aid  from  Sanitary.  Dr.  Humphrey,  in 
charge  of  Post  HoSpital,  appears  to  be  doing 
all  he  can  for  the  comfort  of  the  men  in  his 
charge,  and  really  requires  a  much  larger 
amount  of  sanitary  goods  th&n  the  number  of 
his  patients  would  indicate,  for  the  reason 
that  so  many  are  thrown  upon  him  tempo- 
rarily, on  the  way  to  or  from  their  com- 
mands or  hospitals. 

The  Home  at.  this  place  (Stevenson,)  is 
in  charge  of  the  Government,  but  needs 
the  aid  of  Commission  to  help  mak.e  conva- 
lescents comfortable,  who  are  obliged  to  stop 
there  waiting  transportation.  Government 
does  not  furnish  beds  or  blankets^  and  the 
superintendent  asks  the  Commission  to  fur- 
nish about  thirty  for  sick  and  convalescents. 

I  have  applied  to  the  Medical  Purveyor, 
and  he  assures  me  there  is  no  authority  to 
issue,  there  being  no  medical  officer  con- 
nected with  the  institution  tp  receipt  to 
him  for  them.  In  other  respects  I  should 
think  the  Home  well  managed,  and  a  very 
important  station  for  soldiers  ^oing,  te  and 
from  their  commands.  Here  they  have  to 
change  cars,  and  remain  from  6  to  24 
^ours.  The  books  show  that  they  feed  an 
averaige  of  nearly  500  per  day. 

Dr.  Humphrey  had  rooms  vacated,  and 
promised  to  reserve  them  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  M  would  advise  stores  .being 
sent  there,  with  an  agent  to  distribute 
them.  It  would  not  be  necessary  for  a  man 
to  remain  there  all  the  time.  A  few  days 
once  in  two  weeks  would  be  sufficient. 


FOR  THE  CHIIDBEir. 

The  following  little  story  is  for  the  en- 
couragement of  Xlert  Clubs  and  Sunday- 
school  societies  and  little  sewing  circles,  that 
are  at  work  for  the  Sanitary  Commission- 
We  will  have  severe  struggles  yet  before 
this  wicked  rebellion  shall  come  to  an  end, 
and  every  little  b8y  and  girl  in  the  land 
should  do  something  more  in  behalf  of  the 
country,  that  when  peace  shall  come  again, 
and  the  Union  be  established,  every  little 


heart  will  feel  glad  that  its  pulses  were  fresh 
and  warm  on  the  side  of  humanity  and 
liberty. 

BUST  BEES. 

Their  hive  is  an  old  stone  school-house, 
with  a  low  roof,  and  the  most  uncomfortable 
of  seats.  But  we  mustn't  say  much  against 
it,  for  it  was  built  as  many  as  twenty  years 
ago,  when  the  prairie  was  first  settled,  and 
it  is  the  mother  of  one  of  the  two  churches 
which  §tand  close  by  it,  and  the  giiandmo- 
ther  of  the  other,  and  I've  heard  some  of  the 
old  pioneers  say  that  every  stone  in  it  was 
laid  up  with  a  prayer.  Dear^  venerable  old 
school-house !  its  days  are  numbered,  and 
soon  its  stones  will  be  used  for  the  foundar 
tion  of  another.     So  muelJ  for  the  hive. 

The  queen-bee  last  summer  was  Miss 
Bell — anybody  could  tell  that  a  great  way 
off,  for  a^  soon  as  she  came  in  sight  there 
was  such  buzzing,  and  flying  to  meet  her, 
and  crowding  arpund  her. 

One  day  in  August,  Mrs.  Smith,  the 
minister's  wife,  came  into  the  hive.  She 
lives  in  the  parsonage  across  the  street ; 
and  because  she  hasn't  any  little  children 
of  her. own,  she  claims  tithes  of  all  the  boys 
and  girls  in  the  village. 

She  heard  us  read  and  spell,  and  say  the 
multiplication  table,  up  and  down,  forward 
and  backward,  and  criss-cross. 

Then  we  sang,  and  just  before  we  were 
dismissed,  Miss  Bell  asked  her  "  to  make 
some  remarks."  She  laughed,  and  said, 
"  Children,  how  many  of  you  have  friends 
in  the  army  ?" 

Ever  so  many  hands  went  up.  Almost 
every  child  had  either  brother,  cousin,  or 
uncle  there.  Miss  Bell  didn't  raise  her 
hand,  but  we  all  knew  she  was  thinking  of 
a  soldier's  grave  away  down  at  Vicksburg,^ 
whose  turf  wasn't  green  yet,  where  lay  her 
only  brother.  The  next  question  was, 
"  How  many  would  like  to  do  something  for 
the  soldiers  ?" 

Forty  right  hands  went  up,  and  forty 
pairs  of  eyes  shone  like  stars.  What  we 
were  to  do  was  this :  Each  one  to  make  a 
block  of  patchwork  for  a  quilt,  and  to  earn 
all  the  pennies  we  could  to  buy  the  cotton 
and  the  lining  for  it. 

The  blocks  were  to  be  made  like  one  she 
showed  us,  with  a  white  center,  on  which 
the  name  and  age  of  the  one  who  gave  it 
was  to  be  written.  Miss  Bell  agreed  to 
help  us,  and  write  the  names  with  her  iij. 
'   delible  pencil. 


1050 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


time,  we  were  to  invite  our  mothers  to  quilt 
it  for  us  atthe  parsonage  on  the  last  day,  while 
we  had  a  pic-nic  in  the  yard.  You  may  be 
sure  we  all  voted  for  it,  especially  the  pic-nic. 
For  the  next  three  weeks  there  was  a 
humming  and  buzzing  indeed,  and  such  a 
flying  back  and  forth  between  the  parsonage 
and  school-house  with  blocks  and  pennies  ! 

Some  of  us.  were  so  excited  we  forgot  to 
shut  the  gate,  and  the  cows  got  in  and  caine 
near  eating  up  Mr.  Smith's  cabbages  !  The 
boys  were  as  busy  as  the  girls,  though  they 
had  to  get  the  girls  to  do  their  sewing  for 
them,  except  Ellis,  who  sewed  his  own  block 
with  the  nicest  little  stitches  you  ever  saw. 

It  was  funny  to  hear  how  they  earned 
their  pennies  :  one  drove  a  cow  to  pasture, 
some  drove  horses  on  reapers,  some  picked 
up  chips  or  brought  in  wood,  and  the  girls 
rocked  the  babies,  washed  dishes,  picked 
plums,  and  little  Elsie  washed  her  still  smaller 
brother's  face  every  morning,  and  bravely 
earned  her  penny  in  spite  of  his  protests. 

The  last  day  came,  it  was  as  pleasant  as 
if  it  had  been  made  on  purpose  for  us.  The 
blocks  were  all  finished,  marked  and  set 
together — about  three  dollars  in  money 
had  been  collected  and  the  cotton  and  lining 
bought.  There  were  thirty-five  blocks  in 
the  quilt ;  thirty-four  of  them  had  names 
and  ages  on  them — none  over  twelve  years 
'  — arid  on  the  centre  one  was  written  "  Brad- 
ford County.  ^For  any  soldier  who  loves 
little  Children." 

We  have  gone  on  ever  since  working  in 
this  way — calling  ourselves  Busy  Bees ;  but 
sometimes  we  are  more  buzzy  than  busy. 
We  have  made  a  good  many  eomfort-bags 
and  handkerchiefs,  and  almost  blocks 
enough  for  another  quilt.  Our  motto  is, 
"  Gather  up  the  fragments,  that  nothing  be 
lost;"  and  we  learn  a  verse  to  repeat  in  con- 
cert every  time. 

But  the  best  thing  of  all  was  what  be- 
came of  our  quilt.  It  was  sent  in  a  box 
from  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  with  a  note,  saying  if  the  one 
who  got  it  would  write  to  any  of  us,  he  would 
not  need  to  advertise  for  correspondence. 
J  It  was  almost  three  mouths  before  we 
heard  from  it,  and  we  "began  to  think  some 
of  those  dreadful  officers,  that  are  said  to 
get  everything  that  goes  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  had  got  our  quilt  surely. 

Our  winter  school  had  begun  under  a 
new  teacher,  when  Mrs.  Smith  came  in 
again  one  afternoon,  with  a  letter  in  her 
hand,  which  she  read  to  us,  as  follows  : 


MBMPms,  Tbnn,  Nov.  21,  1864. 
To    Thirty-four  Little  Irdends   of  Mine, 

Bradford  County, 

Dear  Friends: — Cold  weather  is  coming 
on,  you  know,  even  down  here  in  the 
"  sunny  South ;"  and,  being  away  from  my 
regiment,  and  not  able  to  get  anyWslothing 
or  blankets  from  Uncle  Sam,  I  went  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  was  given  that 
splendid  quilt  that  yoiir  pennies  and  busy 
little  fingers  made. 

I  am  a  Minnesota  soldier,  though  I  lived 
a  number  of  years  in  your  State,  and  know 
where  you  little  folks  live. 

And  now,  I  want  to  thank  you  all  for 
your  gift  to  the  soldier,  and  tell  you  how 
highly  I  value  it,  how  (carefully  I  shall 
preserve  it,  and  how  I  shall  take  it  home 
with  me  (if  I  don't  wear  it  out,  and  live  to 
go  home,)  and  keep  it  as  a  relic  of  my  army 
life  and'  in  memory  of  my  loyal  and  true 
little  friends  in  Bradford  County  Keep 
^  on,  little  friends ;  don't  be  afraid  the  sol- 
diers don't  get  your  kindly  gifts:  Little  > 
hands  never,  never  worked  in  so  good  and 
noble  a  cause.  We  soldiers  honor  and  are 
proud  of  you  all.  I  have  not  got  any  little 
children  of  my  own;  but  I  have  father 
and  mother,  and  brothers  and  sisters,  who 
think  I  am  very  dear  to  them. 

Brightar  days  are  dawning,  little  friends, 
and  I  hope  the  day  is  not  far  off  when  your 
fathers  and  brothers  can  come  home  to  you 
again.  Once-  more  I  thank  you  as  only  a 
soldier  can  for  your  gift,  and  that  Grod  will 
help  you  all  to  grow  up  to  be  true  men  and 
women,  and  ever  let  His  benediction  of  love 
rest  upon  you,  is  the  earnest,  hearty  wish  of 

Your,  soldier  friend,    J.  S.  T ,  Jr., 

Private,  Co.  E,  — th  Keg.  Minn.  Inf'ry. 

P.  S. — Will  Mrs.  Smith  app^'opriate  her 
share  of  this  letter,  and  of  my  thanks.  You 
are  all  very,  very  kind  to  us,  and  we  are 
not  insensible  to  it,  even  if  it  does  seem 
sometimes  as  if  all  the  ^od  in  us  would  be 
warped  and  destroyed.  You  will  have  to 
reform  and  polish  us  up  when  we  come 
home.  J.  S.  T.,  Jr. 

So,  you  see,  one  private  did  get  some-, 
thing  from  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and, 
by  his  prompt  and  graceful  acknowledgment 
of  it,  more  than  forty  little  folks  were  inade 
happy  and  taught  that  even  their  little 
hands  can  do  something  for  the  needy  and 
suffering;  a  lesson  worth  more  to  them  than 
their  gift  to  a  shivering  soldier.  "  He  that 
watereth  shall  be  watered  also  himseli." — 
iV!  T.  Independent. 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


'  1051 


TABLE  OF  COHTENXS. 

COKI^EBFOSSElrCE. 

City  Point,  letter  from  A.  M.  Sperry , 1 029 

Bast  Pasoagoula,  letter  from  Wm.  K.  Miller, 103O 

",       "  "         "     Bdwd.  Harmer 1031 

Mashvine,  "         "     J.  Eno, ■..  104'8 

Reports. 

CitT  Point,  by  J.  H.  Davis, 1027 

AaSapolis,  by  B.  C.  Guild 1031 

Camp  Parole,  by  Miss  PMUips, 1032 

Washington,  by  J.  B.Abbott, ■  1032 

"  I    "    J.B.Brown 1033 

"  "    Wm.E.Neal, 1033 

"  "    W.P.Barry, 1033 

"  "    A.H.Trego, 1033 

Miscellaneous. 

Acrostic, 1025 

Testimonial  by  Surgeon  W.  L.  Sherod, 1030 

.  Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  (Branch  Or- 
ganization, continaed,  No.  7,) 1034 

Soldier's  Rest,  Buffalo, 1086' 

Prom  :^rt  Pisher 1038 

Onr  Heroes.. 1038 

Why  does  the  Sanitary  Commission  buy  Vegetables  ?  1039 

^  Hospital  Clothing , 1040 

Ten  Mouths  in  Libby  Prison,  by  Col.  Louis  Palma 

.  di  Cesnola 1041 

Three  Months  in  the  Service  of  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission  , . .  1047 

For  the  Children— (Busy  Bees,) 1049 

Editorial. 

Definitions 1025 

To  Surgeons 1046 

^  PROTECTIVE 

OF    THE 

STATE  OP  NEW  TORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBEES  STREET, 

President.  ' 

Libut.-Gen.  WINPIELD  SOOTT. 

ViOBTPRESIDKlfTS. 

HoK.  Hamilton  Pisk,     Admiral  Dupont, 
John  J.  Oisoo,  Esq.,     Rod.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq 

Treasurer. — Robert  B.  Mintdbn,  Esq. 

Directors. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
Georsh  Opdyke, 
Hiram  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Bbekman, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astor, 

James  Brown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Koosetelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRT^BEENFIBLD,  Seeretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  amy  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bovmty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claim(Mt.  • 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  amd  their  famiUes 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  adiiice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon- General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York.  . 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  N#w  York. 

W.  H.  Tan  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  CleYeland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C.         ^ 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Stillfe,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICERS.     , 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 
George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer.  ^ 

J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  committee. 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  StilU. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals.. 

.  Por  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New- Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern Yirginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South '  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  ''  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospltsils  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  ISC'?  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  5y-" 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


1062 


The  Sanitary.  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  for  Should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  wUI  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

jJ^'Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  dissemipating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintaiilB  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  simV 
ply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OF   THE   EAST. 

OENTEAL  DEPOTS  OF  OOIiLEOTIOH. ' 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Nos.  10  &  11 
Cooper  Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  .Commission,  No.  \3Q1  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DIBTEIBCTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary Jpommission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

XT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va^ 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Hd. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newbeme,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DBPARJCMBNT   OP  THE  WEST. 

OBNTBAL   DEPOTS   OF   OOLLEOTIOH. 

-  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No,  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y, 


XJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  .Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich.         /  ' 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Coliimbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.  ^ 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

EAST. 

"  Special  Relief"  Office,  76  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"Special  Relief  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot^ 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  ^fiarrisburg.  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways.   " 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  0. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C.  ■  , 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va,        \ 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 

poldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W-  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  Stat^  Streets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent.       M 

Soldiers'  Home,  ClevelaW,  Ohiij,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn., 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thoma^ 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin.  1053 


BRANCH,     VY*««^^5'g^7Ze^:^Sk>\       BRANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,      \  I^^T^TtT  I^EG^^i^jJ  V     No.  19  Green  Street, 

NEW  YORK.  Jj    \«>09'^'^3t6   O^^^W'tJ  BOSTON,  Mass. 

<^:^--j  p  H I  li  A  D  E  r,  p  Hi  A ; 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "  Palhbr"  Akm  and  Lig  are  now  furnished  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  LhaTe  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  offlcial  leiters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  nnmerons  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  Inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

^  SUBaSOH-GElIEBAL'S  OFFICE, 

_     „      ,    ,„  ,  Washihotoh  City,  D.C,  Dec.  12,  1863. 

&m :— The  Boa»d  of  Medical  Offlcers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  o  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported      *«*#*«** 

Ik  OOHPUAHCE  with  the  BECOUHENDATION  of    T^E    BoaBD,  WHEH  a    SOLSIEB    mat    SESISE    to    P0ECEASE  "  THE  MOEK 
BLEaAHT  AHD  EXPE.^SIVE  AKM  OF  PaLMEB,"  FIFTT  SOLLABS  WIH  BE  ALLOWED  TOWABSB  PATHEHT  FOB  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  GRADE,  Burgeon  U.S.A. 

SUBOEOir-GEHEBAL'S  OFFICE, 

■Washikotoit  Citt,  B.C.,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sib  : — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  Inform  you,  that  the  Bepott  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  BEQABDa  the  Lihbs  manufactubed  bt  voir. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Snrgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  C.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D,,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 


The  Best  PALl&ER  LEG  is  furnished  THE  SOLDIER  EEEE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLMT  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  1>7  letter,  at  either,of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  Amer^an  Artificial  Limb  Co, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.'     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.       E.  B.  BELDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.    ,     J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 
JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  significaat  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory. 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  perma.nent  dividend-paying  investment.  '       , 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPASY, 

No.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  TorJe. 


1054 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


^v 


\l 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  businessM 

MANUPACTUEBD  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGBSTAL  INVENTOBS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIEBAWKS  &  CO.,  iSTo.  252  Broadway,  Wew  York. 
FAIBBAKTKS  &  BROVirNj  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIBBAWKS,  GKEEBTLEAF  &  CO^  Wo.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIBBANKS  &  EWIITG,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
EAIBBAIJKS  &  CO.,  Ko.  246  Baltimore  Street, 'Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application!  to  either  of  the  above  ■ 


ESTABLISHED  i860. 

.     AND  441  BROOME  ST. 


486  BROADWAY 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OP  THE  M@ST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

WHEELER  &  TTILiSOK, 

GROTER  &  BAKER, 

WIIiL,COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SIIVGER  AIVD  OTHERS. 

TO  REJVT  AND 

^        FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the  ^  ,    ' 

N.  Y.    SEWINC    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  New  York. 

V.  W.  WIOKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  XTp  Stairs. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1055 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


]VE  ORRI  S 


OOMP-A^JSTY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


•  J 


Authorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  In, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS. 


against  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  ,Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  iand  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


ED'HARD  EOWE, 
ALBEKT  a.  LEE, 
GEOBOE  MILN, 
J.  C.  MOEEIS, 
ROB'T  BOWNB, 
EZRA  NTE, 


£3  O  or  O  XIL  s. 


JOHN  D.  BATES, 
FEES.  H.  B&ADLEE, 
EDWAED  C.  BATES, 
WILLIAM  MACKAT, 
BENJ.  B.'  BATES, 
B.  0.  MOEEIS,  Jb., 


JOSEPH  M0EEI80M, 
DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 
HElfET  J.  CAMMANM, 
S.  N.  DBEEIOK, 
CHAELES  HICKOX, 

N.  0.  mna. 


WM.  M.  WHITNEY  SecretaBV. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


1054  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  i 

F.  RAT  OH  FORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  IValnut  Street,  IPhiladeiphia. 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casb  Assets  over  Eleven  and  a  taalf  Millions  of  Dollars. 

Policies  known  as  "  Non-Forfeiting,"  on  the  terms  they  express,  on  the  Ten-Year  plan,  issued  by  this 
Company,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  rates  of  premiums,  greater  than  are  offered  by  any  other  Life 
Company; 

TJHE 

lOiTidows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Go.  of  New  Tork. 

LUCIUS    EOBINSON.    President. 
Casb  Capital,  $200,000. 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  officers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mutual 
Life  Insurance  Compant  of  New  York,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable*  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 


Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  Tork. 

'JOHN    WADSWORTH,   President. 
^  Casb  Capital,  $300,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets,  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efi'orts  to  provide  for  their  families,'  and  of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance.  , 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to 

F.  KATCHFOED  STABB,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnat  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

HARTFORD,  CONN. 
CjASB*'X1*.A^Ij,         -         _         .         $500,000. 

/       JASiES  G.  BATTERSON,  President. 

Insurance  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCIDEIfTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 

granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 

secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars, 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  jpusiness. 

Fifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  w.eek  compensation  for  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident. 

Policies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can'  be  had  ft>iv$3  Premium,  or  any  other 
sum  between  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALIiElV,  Agrent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


,T    H    E 

SANITARY     COlVfMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  ^4. 


.  PHILADELPHIA,  MARCH  15,  1865. 


No.  34. 


Thh  SaniTaby  Commission  Bulletin  «  published  on  the  fir^t  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  at 
it  has  a  circulalion,  gratuitous  or'other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 


All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  iSCT  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance' of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  thai  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  howeuer,  that  soml  of  their  frietids  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously',  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Strong,  BS  Wall  street.  New  York,  or  No.  130T  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


NEW  OBLEANS 

EXTRACT  OF  REPORT  TO  J.  FOSTER  ^JEN- 
KINS, M,D.,  GEN.  SEC.  U.  S.  SAtf.  COM., 
BY  DR.  GEORGE  A.  BLAKE. 

All  the  work  of  the  Commission  may 
properly  be  called  Relief  Work,  still,  I  caa 
better  present  to  your  mind  our  entire  work 
by  classification  into  departments,  viz. :— »■ 
Sapply,  Relief,  Special  Relief,  and  Pension, 
Back-Pay,  and  Bounty.  This  classification 
is  not  perfect,  because  no  Department  is 
entirely  independent  of  the  others.  The 
Supply  Department  furnishes  material  that 
affords  reUef,  while  Special  Relief  and  Pen- 
sion Departments' work  together  in  ascer- 
taining and  obtaining  back-pay,  bounty  and 
pension  for  the  worn  out  soldier  and  his  re- 
latives. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

Supplies  have  been  furnished  this  De- 
partment from  New  York  and  Louisville. 
Fresh  vegetables,  sauerkraut,  and  pickles, 
constitute  the  bulk  of  our  receipts  from 
Louisville,  while  from  New  York  we  have 
received  beldding,  wearing  apparel,  station- 
ery, hospital  food,  delicacies,  &c.,  &e. 
■  The  Department  of  the  Grulf  being  So  far 
removed,  and  completely  isolated  from  the 
central  office,  it  has  been  impossible  always 
to  signify  our  wants  and  have  them  filled  at' 
Vol.  I.  No.  34  67 


once  by  requisition,  consequently  consider- 
able latitude  has  been  allowed  in  tiie  pur- 
chase of  supplies  for  special  particjjlar 
emergencies. 

The  distribution  of  our  supplies  to  the 
troops,  and  those  sick  in  hospital  at  the 
principal  posts,  has  been  made  by  our  own 
agents ;  Mr.  Boltwood,  representing  the 
Commission  at  Baton  Rogue,  Port  Hudson, 
and  Morgansia ;  Mr.  Millea  at  Forts  Gaines 
and  Morgan  ;  and  Mr.  Stevens  at  Barran- 
cas, Fla.  The  demand  on  us  for  supplies 
ha;s  been  increased  by  the  fact  that  the 
troops  have  not  been  paid  for  several  months. 
The  regulations  provide  that  every  sol- 
dier shall  be  furnished  with  clothing,  but 
his  descriptive  roll  must  be  accessible,  that 
entry  can  be  made  and  relieve  the  officer 
delivering  the  property  from  all  responsi- 
bility. But  suppose  a  case,  and  many  such 
have  been  presented  to  our  notice. 

Descriptive  List — where  the  Commission  is 
particularly  useful  in  supplying,  cloth- 
ing, and  how  the  men  would  of  necessity 
suffer  but /or  its  interpositiori.    ■  . 

A  private  in  a  regiment  from  NeWr  York 
is  captured  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and' 
confined  in  Texas  several  months,  during 
which  he  is  stripped,  robbed  of  everything, 
and  finally  is  received  by  our  authorities, 


-1058 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


an  exchanged  prisoner  of  war.  He  is  sick 
and  sent  to  hospital  to  be  kindly  cared  for. 
His  tattered  and  worn  and  filthy  garments 
ha^e  been  burned  or  otherwise^isposed  of, 
he  recovers  and  wishes  to  driw  clothing, 
but  his  descriptive  roll  is  with  his  regiment, 
and  that  is  in  Virginia.  The  regulations  pro- 
vide that  all  soldiers  in  hospital  shall  be  ■ 
provided  with  clothing,  through  the  surgeon 
in  charge,  e.\  en  if  they  have  no  descriptive 
roll,  but 'my  experience  proves  that  surgeons 
in.charge- of  hospitals  will  not  do  it  when 
regiments  are  out  of  the  Department ;  they 
will  not  take  the  responsibility,  and  there 
is  nothing  to  compel  them  to  do  it.  Now 
then  the  right  of  the  soldier  exists  whether 
he  gets  money  or  not,  but  the  comforts  he 
desires  and  needs  are  not  obtained ;  if  he 
was  paid  his  dues  he  would  willingly  buy 
all  he  requires,  but  he  has  no  money  or 
credit,  is  poor  indeed,  and  thousands  of  miles 
away  from  home.  The  recollection  that  his 
liiother,  wife  or  sister  had  worked  for  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  for  the  benefit  of 
the  soldier,  stimulates  him  to  call  at  oiir 
storeroom  and  ask  a  favor.  How  many 
have  said,, "  I  wouldn't  trouble  you  if  I  had 
any  money!"  and  say  they  are  ashamed  to 
beg,  but  call  on  the  Commission  for  assist- 
ance, having  always  considered  it  the  special 
friend  of  the  soldier.  He  seems  to  regard 
the  Commission  as  a  mutual  insurance  com- 
pany against  want  and  discomfort  in  the 
army,  and  considers  the  benefactions  be- 
stowed by  their  immediate  friends  as  so 
much  premium  paid  to  insure  their  com- 
fort, jj 

Officers. 
Officers  too,  having  received  no  money 
for  five,  six,  eight  and  ten  months,  have  so- 
licited assistance.  As  agent  of  the  Com- 
missioA  all  soldiers  I  must  regard  alike, 
whether  officer  or  private,  white  or  black, 
and  when  in  a  state  of  destitution  that  can- 
not be  otherwise  provided  for,  all  are  treated 
as  worthy  objects  of  charity,  and  their  wants 
supplied  according  to  our'  ability. 

Prisoners — what  Government  does  not  fur- 
nish to  Prisoners,  and  what  the  Commis- 
sion does  furnish. 

Keturned  prisoners  of  war  are  sent  to 
Camp  of  Distribution.  They  have  nothing 
with  which  to  make  themselves  comfortable. 
Government  furnishes  them  clothing,  but 
does  not  furnish  tin-cups,  knives  and  forks, 
tin-plates,  or  spoons ;  neither  does  it  fur- 
nish a   towel,  or  a  comb,   and  yet  every 


American  soldier  could  provide  himself  with 
these  articles  if  he  had  the  money, — if  he  was 
"  paid  ofi',"  but  he  isn't,  and  to  whom  can 
he  appeal  with  any  hope,  save  to  the  Com- 
mission ? 

How  the  Commission  Sustains  the  Govern- 
ment. 
By,  supplying  ^hese  wants,  Commission 
has  been  able  to  support  and  sustain  the 
Government,  as  it  were,  pouring  oil  on  the 
troubled  waters  by  making  comfortable  What 
had  been  scarcely  sufierable. 

'     Yellow  Fever.  , 

During  the  latter  part  of  summer  and 
early  fall,  yellow  fever  made  its  appearance 
among  the  naval  fleet ;  several  vessels  were 
ordered  to  quarantine,  and  we  were  able  to 
contribute  largely  to  their  relief  by  a  gene- 
rous distribution  of  musquito  bars,  not  only 
to  the  sick  but  also  among  the  crew.  Be- 
fore the  supply  of  musquito  bars,  it  was 
doubtful  in  the  minds  of  many,  whether  the 
men  suffered  more  from  the  fever  than  from 
the  bite  and  annoyance  of  that  insect. 

Fort  Gaines. 

Mr.  Miller,  in  chArge  of  a  large  amount 
of  stores,  accompknied  the  land  forces  in 
their  attack  on  Fort  Gaines,  arid  was  en- 
abled to  render  efficient  aid  not  only  to  the 
soldiers  but  also  to  the  sailors  wounded  in 
the  great  naval  conflict  in  Mobile  Bay.  Af; 
terwards  the  wounded  were  removed  to 
hospital  at  Pensacola  Navy  Yard,  and  were 
ministered  unto  by  our  agent,  Mr.  Stevens. 
The  sick  were  brought  to  this  city  and 
placed  in  Naval  Hospital,  where  there  were 
daring  the  peason  aboutfifty  cases  of  yellow 
fever ;  several  requisitions  were  filled  for 
the'surgeon  in  charge  of  the  hospital,  who 
gratefully  acknowledged  receipt  of  the 
stores. 

Scurvy. 

During  last  summer  and  early  part  of  the 
fall,  all  our  troops  at  every  post  in  this  De- 
partment suffered  severely  with'scurvy.  No 
vegetables  were  issued  by  the  Commissary 
Department  of  the  army,  and  strong  appeals 
were  made  to  us  for  anti-scorbutics.  The 
enormous  prices  that  prevailed  in  the  mar- 
ket for  fresh  vegetables,  ten  and  twelve 
dollars  per  barrel,  and  the  immense  quan- 
tity necessary"  to  supply  the  demand,  de- 
terred me  from  purchasing.  I  did,  however, 
buy  all  the  sauerkraut  that  was  in  the  city, 
at  moderate  rates,  and  distributed  it  to  those 


The  Sanitary  Commiasion  Bulletin. 


1059 


posts  most  afflicted,  viz. :  Brasos  Santiago, 
Dauphin  Island,  Mobile  Point,  and  Barran- 
cas, Fla.. 

In  September,  we  received  one  hundred 
barrels  of  onions  from  New  York,  which 
seemed  only  as  a  drop  in  the  bucket,,  and  it 
was  not  until  we  received  a  cargo  from 
Louisville  in  October,  and  subsequently  two 
other  large  lots  in  November,  thaHwere 
freely  distributed  to  hospitals  and  men  in 
the'  ranks,  that  the  disease  was  entirely 
checked,  and  notes  of  thanksgiving  came  to 
us  from  every  quarter.  There  was  not  a 
soldier  in  the  Deparament  that  did  not 
share  this  bounty,  and  I  only  wish  every 
potato  and  onion  could  have  been  stamped 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  that  the  source 
of  the  bounty  should  be  continually  patent 
to  all.  I  have  received  many  letters  from 
different  Surgeons,  testimonials  of  the  ap- 
preciation of  our  gifts  that  I  have  previously 
forwarded.  To-day  I  received  another 
through  Mr.  Boltwood,  from  Surgeon  €rray. 
Medical  Director  on  Brig.  Gen.  Ulman's 
Staff,  .which  I  append. 

Gardens. 

That  so  much  disability  may  not  occur 
another  season,  by  reason  of  scurvy,  I  was 
recently  informed  by  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Vollum,  Medical  Inspector"  Department 
West  Mississippi,  that  an  order  would  be 
issued  from  headquarters.  General  Canby, 
requiring  that  gardens  be'  cultivated  at 
every  post  in  the  Department,  by  the  troops 
stationed  there ;  and  he  consulted  me  in  re- 
gard to  the  seeds'  requisite  to  carry  out  the 
order,  and  solicited  the  assistance  of  the 
Commission.  He  stated  that  the  only  legi- 
timate way  in  which  seeds  could  be  "  regu- 
larly'"jprocured  was  from  the  Post  Fund, 
unless  the  several  commandants  purchase 
them  with  their  own  funds,  and  such  in-- 
stances  of  benevolence  were  rare  in  the 
army,  especially  in  the  present  destitute 
condition  of  the  paymasters.  The  garrisons 
of  the  different  posts  being  change^  fre- 
quently, a  Post  Fund  had  been  rarely  cre- 
ated, and  he  asked  if  the  Commission  would 
■furnish  seeds.  It  was  impossible  for  m« 
to  consult  you  before  deciding,  and  recol- 
lecting that  in  some  departments  the  Com- 
mission cultivates  gardens  for  the  troops,  I 
thought  it  would  be  willing  to  furnish  seed 
ani  allow  the  troops  to  do  their  own  work, 
that  it  would  accord  with  the  spirit  of  "our 
work  to  say  "yes,''  and  I  said.it!  The 
order  has  not  yet  been  issued ;  when  it  is,  if 


it  ever  is,  I  shall  issue  a  circular  to  be  dis- 
tributed with  the  order,  from  the  office  of 
Medical  Inspector,  engaging  in  behalf  of  the 
Commission  to  furnish  every  -post  in  the 
Department  seeds  for  a  garden.* 

During  the  later  part  of  November,  I  en- 
gaged K.  C.  Chace,  temporarily  as  Belief 
Agent,  and  sent  him  to  Key-West,  in 
charge  of  one  hundred  barrels  of  vegetables 
and  sauerkraut,  instructing  him  to  report  to 
the  Medical  Director  at  that  post,  and  con- 
sult him  in  regard  to  the  distribution  best 
to  be  made.  Surgeon  McCuUey,  Acting 
Purveyor  at  that  post,  advised  that  half  of 
the  stores  be  sent  to  Cedar  Keys,  on  the 
west  coast  of  Florida,  about  three  hundred 
miles  from  Key- West,  and  requested  Mr. 
Chace  to  g(5  himself  in  charge ;  he  did  go, 
and  as  I  forwarded  his  report  so  recently,  I 
must  refer  you  to  that  for  particulars^  Af- 
ter the  return  of  Mr.  Chace,  I  received 
a  letter  from  Surgeon  McCuUey,  inclosing 
a  requisition  for  stores,  which  I  append, 
with  a  copy  of  my  reply,  marked  No.  2. 

Refugees. 
Refugees  and  their  relation  to  the  Com- 
mission ?  This  question  has  perplexed  me 
wonderfully.  Their  utter  destitution  has  ex- 
cited my  sympathy,  and  their  claim  to  relief 
is  undoubtedly  just  and  well  founded,  es- , 
peci,ally  the  women  and  children,  the  old 
and  decrepit,  the  sick,  maimed,  halt  and 
blind.  The  able-bodied  can  take  care  of 
themselves ;  avenues  to  work  and  useful- 
ness are  too  abundant  under  our  Govern- 
ment to  afford  any  pretext  for  them  to  be- 
come suppliants  for  alms.  What  can  I  do  for 
them  legitimately  and  not  trespass  on  the 
claims  of  the  soldier  for  our  bounty,  or  pros- 
.  titute  the  confidence  reposed  in  me  as  agent 
of  the  Commission,  by  officially  sanctioning 
a  diversion  of  this  charity  ?  I  have  thus 
At  acted  on  the  principle  that  the  existence 
of  this  great  want  is  an  anomaly  in  our 
country,  and  at  present  no  definite  rules  of 
action  can  be  established  ;  and  relying  on 
the  elasticity  of  the  benevolent  hearts  that 
support  our  organization,  I  have  ventured 
occasionally  to  extend  the  mantle  of  its 
charity  to  protect  the  poor  refugee. 

Families  of  Soldiers. 

Another  class  of  applicants  for  assistance 

has  besieged  the  ^  door  of  our   storc'-room^ 

directly   and  indirectly,  through   the  city 

authorities,  viz. :  families  of  those  soldiers 

'*  The  seed  has  been  forwarded  to  Sew  Orlieans. 


1060 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ia  the  United  States  Army  that  enlisted  in 
this  city.  Here  the  suffering  that  occurs 
from  non-payment  of  the  troops  ia  double 
what  the  soldier  and  his  family  experience 
who  enlisted  in  the  Northern  States,  be- 
cause here  the  family  receives  no  relief  from 
State  or  city  authorities,  (and  one  almost, 
includes  the  other,)  and  are  entirely  depen- 
dent on  the  money  earned  by  the  husband,, 
father,  brother,  or  son  in  the  army,  and  the 
destitution  that  most  necessarily  exist  when 
this  source  fails  can  be  better  imagined  than 
described.  In  cases  of  sickness  in  these 
families,  I  have  occasionally  delivered  stores 
to  them  on  requisition  from. the  City  Phy- 
sician. V, 
.  I  will  conclude  my  report  in  regard  to 
the  Supply  Department,  by  giving  the  ag- 
gregate amount  of  vegetablesi  issued  since 
October  1,  1864,  and  of  milk,  wine,  farina- 
ceous diet,  &c.,  issued  during  the  past  six 
months,  viz.  :  Vegetables,  (potatoes,  onions, 
&C.,)  12,234  bushels;  pickles  and  sauer- 
' kraut,  26,360  gallons;  tomatoes,  (in  cans,) 
4,643  pounds  ;  condensed  mill^,  6,312 
pounds;  farinaceous  diet,  (farina,  corn- 
starch, &c.,)  3,291  pounds;  wine,  (foreign 
and  domestic,)  6,327  bottles ;  crackers,  148 
barrels ;  beef  stock,  1,077  pounds. 

RELIEF   DEPAIITMENT. 

Soldier^  Home. 
Under  this  head  I  shall  include  >w-hat  I 
have  to  say  about  the  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
We  have  no  "Lodges,"  and  no  "  Rests"  in 
this  Department,  as  no  necessity  for  them 
at  present  exists.  The  statistics  of  the 
"  Home"  up  to  December,  1864,  were  care- 
fully compiled  and  forwarded  to  Rev.  J.  A. 
Anderson,  Philadelphia,  by  Mr.  BuUard, 
and  afterwards  appeared  in  the  Bulletin 
of  January  15,  1865.  I  now  add  the  sta- 
tistical report,  consolidated  for  December, 
1864,  and  January,  1865,  as  furnished  by 
0.  S.  Bullard,  Superintendent,  in  his  re- 
port to  me  1st  inst.,  and  which  I  append, 
marked  No.  3. 

•  Total  number  admitted,   .         .  1,611 

NumlDer  meals  furnished,         .         27,487 

"      lodgings    "         .        .  9,280 

Amt.  money  deposited  in  safe, .  $8,727  29 

The  nam'e  "  Soldier's  Home"  is  very 
broad  aad  comprehensive,  and  really  sug- 
gests more  than  is  intended,  especially  to  the 
shirk,  whq_is  disposed  to  make  the  "  Home" 
a  hiding  place  from  duty,  and  thus  bring 
discredit  upon  the  institution  in  the  minds 


of  military  men,  by  making  it  a  harbor  for 
malingers,  consequently  we  admit  no  one 
without  an  exhibition  of  discharge  or  fur- 
lough papers,  or  orders  from  proper  autho- 
rity. The  rule  of  our  action  is  comprehended 
under  the  following  circular  designating 
proper  persons  for  admission  to  the  "  Home :" 

1.  All  discharged  soldiers. 

2.  nil  soldiers  furloughed  from  hospitals 
or  regiments  outside  the  city ;  those  fur;' 
loughed  in  the  city  being  detained,  in  hos- 
pital or  at  their  quarters,  till  transportation 
IS  procured,  in  order  that  they  may  receive 
full  benefit  of  their  furlough,"  to  be  dated 
when  they  leave  the  city. 

8.  Orderlies  detailed  at  various  head- 
quarters," and  all  "  duty  men"  -temporarily 
detained  in  the  city,  with  orders  from  head- 
quarters, defences,  or  higher  authority. 

4.  All  soldiers  "who  arrive  at  nigHt  are 
provided  with  lodging  and  breakfast,  after 
which  they  will  not  be  received  unless  an 
-order  is  presented  from  headquarters,  de- 
fences or  higher  military  authority. 

By  acting  in  accordance  with  these  rules 
We  are  able  to  do  good  service  to  the  soldier, 
and  satisfy  the  military  authorities  that  we 
are  honest,  an,d  their  real  assistants  in  ear- 
ing for  the  soldier. 

To  convey  to  your  mind  mdre  fully  the 
benefits  derived  from  the  "  Home"  by  the 
private  soldier,  and  also  the  spirit  that  ani- 
mates us  in  the  work,  I  will  copy  from  re- 
port made  to  me  by  Mr.  0.  C.  Bullard,  our 
worthy  Agent  of  Special  Relief. 

Relation  of  the  Home  to  the  Soldier — His 
Rights,  and  the  checks  necessary  to  pre- 
vent Imposition  and  Fraud — necessity 
for  exact  records  and  satisfactory  evidence 
of  claim,  to  Protection  and  Assistarwe. 

"During  the  month  of  December,  1864, 
th«  attention  of  those  most  interested  in 
the  welfare  and  success  of  the'  Soldier's 
Home,  was  called  to  the  necessity  of  a  bet- 
ter system  in  the  registry  of  names,  classi- 
fication, use  of  tickets  and  other  methods  to 
prevent  imposition,  while  we  endeavor  to 
perform  the  double  duty  of  always  render- 
ing proper  aid  to  those  coming  within  our 
province,  and  at  the  same  time  have  an 
honest  record,  in  all  our  reports  to  military 
authorities,  on  which  are  bas6d  the  requisi- 
tions for  rations,  fuel,  &c.,  from  Government. 

"  On  the  first  of  January,  1865,  anew  sys- 
tem of  meal- tickets  and  registry  cards  "was 
adopted,  which,  after  a  month's  trial,  is 
considered  highly  satisfactory.  This  matter 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1061 


is  of  more  importance  at  Ms,  than  perhaps 
at  any  other  Home  of  the  Commission.  Our 
peculiar  relations  with  the  military  autho- 
rities require  exact  records.  It  is  especially 
important  to  protect  ourselves  from  the 
suspicion  of  harboring  soldiers  who  may 
seek  to  hide  away  from  their  just- obliga- 
tions ;  while  equal  care  devolves  on  us  to 
see  that  parties  for  whom  rations  are 'drawn, 
are  properly  reported,'  so  that  Government 
may  not  be  defrauded.  It  is  intended  that 
it  shall  be  conducted  on  principles  strictly 
honest  towards  the  Government,  and  with 
all  proper  liberality  towards  every  soldier 
who  has  a  just  claim  upon  us." 

Relation  of  Home  to  the  Military  Authofi- 
ties — Its  Foundation  and  Riston/. 

The  relation  of  the  Home  to  the  military 
authorities  and  the  Commission,  is  siown 
by  Mr.  BuUard,  in  a  letter  to  Capt.  Brown, 
who  was  sent  to  inspect  the  "  Home"  by 
'  General  Sherman.  He  expressed  himself  as 
well  pleased,  and  requested  a  letter  stating 
the  origin  of  the  "  Home,"  and  what  the 
Commission  contributed  to  its  support,  &c., 
and  I  copy  from  it. 

"  '  The  Soldiers'  Home  was  established 
under  Special  Order,  No.  272,  Headquarters 
D/epartment  of  the  Gulf,  m  October,  1863.' 
The  history  of  it  up  to  the  time  of  transfer 
of  its  patronage  or  care  from  the  Western  to 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  need  not  be 
here  repeated,  save  to  say  that  in  February,  ^ 
1864,  by  order  of  Major  General  Reynolds, 
then  oommandinff  defences  of  New  Orleans, 
an  agent  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
(Was  appointed  Superintendent.  Since  then 
the  Home  has  been  conducted  by  the  Com- 
mission on  the  following  general  principles : 

"  The  Government  furnishes  for  the  use 
of  the  Home  the  building  known  as  the 
'  Planter's  Hotel,'  corner  of  Magazine  and 
Julia  Streets.  It  also  furnishes  rations  and 
fuel,  based  upon  the  morning  reports,  daily 
returned  to  Headquarters,  Defences.  The 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  hires  three  ad- 
joining buildings  and  lots.  No.  94  Jujia 
Street,  is  used  for  a  baggage  "room  and 
.lodgings  for  detailed  men.  '  No.  96  Julia, 
Street,  contains  the  office  of  the  Special  Re- 
lief Agent  and  Pension  Agent;  the  rear  of 
the  building  being  used  for  lodgings  for 
colored  soldiers  and  colored  help,  with 
laundry  arrangements  on  lower  floor.  Build- 
ings and  lot  on  Magazine  Street,  adjoining, 
the  Planter's  Hotel,  are  used  for  storage, 
wood  yard,  &c. 


"  The  Sanitary  Commission  has  provided 
iron  bedsteads  comfortably  furnished  with 
bedding;  all  the  neceessary  kitchen,  table, 
and  laundry  utensils,  and  the  fixtures  for 
heating,  not  belonging  to  the  building. 

"It  pays  the  gas  bills,  a  surgeon  for 
daily  attendance  on  the  sick,  the  services 
of  Superintendent,  Matron,  two  female 
nurses,  a  night  watchman,  and  from'  twelve 
to  fifteen  male  and  female  employees.  The 
working  force  is  necessarily  large.  The 
cooking,  washing,  scrubbing,  chamberwork, 
preparation  of  wood  and  coal,  incident 
to  such  an  establishment,  (if  neatly  con- 
ducted) will  expUin  the  point'.  The  com- 
mon table  is  furnished  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent with  vegetables,  dried  fruit,  milk, 
pickles,  &c.,  by  the  Commission,  in  addition 
to  Government  rations.  There  is  a  comfor- 
table hospital  ward  for  all  needing  medical 
attendance,  or  who  are  too  feeble  to  go  to  the 
common  table,  or  to  sit  up  through  the  day; 
Seven  men  are  daily  detailed  from  the  1st 
N.  0.  Regiment,  who  act  as  guard  at  the 
Home,  and  at  the  Government  buildings  on 
|;he  opposite  cornfer." 

The  Importance  of  the  Some. 

I  quote  agEiin  from  Mr.  Bullard's  report : 
"  In  estimating  the  importance  of  this  insti- 
tution, it  must  be  remembered  that  New 
Orleans  in  the  point' from  which  every  sol- 
dier discharged  or  furloughed  in  this  De- 
partment starts  for  the  North  and  North- 
ESst,  via  Cairo  and  New  York.  Some  are 
delayed  in  the  city  for  the  settlement  of  their 
claims, — all  are  delayed  more  or  less  for  trans- 
portation. 

"  Provision  has  been  made  in  the  '  Camp 
of  Distribution'  for  all  returning  from  fur- 
lough, and  for  those  returned  to  duty  from 
hospitals.  ^ 

"  The  numbers  reported  at  the  Home  are, 
of  course,  less  than  would  be  the  case  if  we 
fed  regiments  passing  through  the  city,  or 
if  we  were  unrestricted  in  the  classes  ad- 
mitted. The  work  as  now  conducted  is 
wholly  in  unison  with  the  military  authori- 
ties. 

"  We  do  not  aim  to  do  what  is  already 
provided  for  in  the  proper  channels,  but  to 
meet  einergencies  incident  to  locality  and 
other  circumstances.  Thus  the  Home  is. 
not  only  a  charitable  institution  for  the- 
needy  ^nd  sufi'ering,  but  affords  also  direct 
and  efficient  help  to  the  Government. 

"  The  hospital  ward  has  become  an  im,- 
portant  department.     Miss  Jones  is  a  cagi:- 


1062 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


tal  nurse,  and  has  her"  hands  full.  She  is 
kind,  efficient,  and  untiring  in  her  attention 
to  the  sick.  Feeble,  broken-down  men,  who 
have  started  for  their  distant  homes,  and 
oftgn  march  straightforward  for  the  long 
journeys  before  them  by  a  few ,  day's  rest, 
kind  nursing,  generous  diet  and  proper 
stimulants.  It  is  in  such  cases  that  the 
gifts  of  the  people,  through  the  Sanitary 
Commission  come  right  home  to  the  hearts 
of  the  recipients.  Occasionally  discharged 
or  furloughed  men  from  posts  outside  the 
city,  get  thus  far  towards  their  homes,  and  • 
are  too  feeble  to  resume  their  journey.  It 
is  better  that  they  die  here,  surrounded 
with  such  comforts  as  are  gladly  furnished, 
than  to  pass  away  on  a  crowded  ocean  trans- 
port, or  on  the  open  decks  of  a  river  boat. 
In  connection  with  the  operations  of  the 
Home,  comes  in  considerable  help  for  the 
boys,  in  getting,  them  started  right  and 
comfortably  for  Cairo  or  New  York.  All 
needed  assistance  is  rendered  in  procuring 
transportation.  Government  transports  for 
New  York  start  from  Bulls'  Head,  some 
two  miles  from  the  "  Home;"  boats  going 
up  the  river,  leave  the  levee  nearer  to  us ; 
ambulances  and  army  wagons  are  obtained 
from  the  Quartermaster,  to  carry  men  and 
baggage  to  the  boats,  when  necessary. 

"  Furloughed  men  going  home  on  Gov- 
ernment transportation  are  furnished  l/y 
Government  requisition  on  the  Commissary 
for  five  or  ten  days  rations.  These  requi- 
sitions are  brought  to  the  Home,  and^he 
soldier  receives  what  he  wants  to  make  his 
journey  comfortable." 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Necessity  for  it — Its  Advantages  to 
the  Men,  and  its  Help  to  the  Government. 
This  work  is  especially  under  the  charge 
of  Mr.  0.  C.  BuUard,  a  patient,  untiring 
worker  in  behalf  of  the  soldier.  The  labor 
in  this  Department  is  very  valuable,  aye, 
inestimable,  and  is  not  appreciated — it  is 
not  tangible,  and  cannot  be  easily  repre- 
t  sented.  Mr.  Bullard  acts  as  attorney  for 
the  soldier,  and  sometimes  for  the  Pay- 
master, protecting  him  from  loss,  he  is  really 
a  mediator  between  the  two.  Paymasters 
are  the  servants  of  the  people,  intrusted  • 
with  money,  and  are  under  bonds  to  account 
for  it,  and  those  are  rare  who  do  not  think 
more  of  their  bond  than  of  the  claim  of  the 
•soldier  to  his  consideration.  If  the  soldier's 
papers  are  all  correct,,  he  is  paid  immedi- 
ately, but  if  they  are  not,  he  is  simply  told 


"your  papers  are  not  correct,  I  cannot  pay 
you.'"  Disappointed,  he  falls  back,  and 
another  takes  his  place ;  he  looks  at  his 
papers,  thinks  of  his  officers,  and  wonders 
"  what  the  matter  is."  Of  course,  he  does 
not  know,  and  Having  recovered  the  shock 
occasioned  by  the  first  announcement,  he 
elbows  himself  among  the  crowd  up  to  the 
Paymaster's  desk  again,  and  presents  his 
paper  asking  what  correction  is  needed, 
he  is  informed  that  his  papers  are  "altogether 
wrong,  and  must  be  corrected.  The  soldier 
is  no  wiser  than  before,  and  falls  back  again 
to  give  place  to  another.  Perhaps  he  came 
from  a  post  between  five  and  six  hundred 
miles  away,  and  means  of  transportation  ir- 
regular, still  his  papers  must  go  ba6k  to  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  company  for  cor- 
rection; what  correction  is  required  he 
donit  know,  and  can  gain  no  information 
from  the  paymaster,  and  if  he  sends  his 
papers  to  his  commanding  officer,  the  chances 
are  they  will  be  again  returned  incorrect. 
Disappoiiited  and  dejected  he  falls  back 
and  accidentally  hears  of  Mr.  B.,  (and  here 
Special  Belief  work  begins,)  who  happens 
to  have  been  present  all  the  time  giving  in- 
structions to  other  men.  Mr.  Bullard  is  a 
stranger  to  him,  but  he  sees  that  he  is  wil- 
ling to  talk  to  a  common  soldier.  Mr.  Bul- 
lard, too,  has  not  been  an  unconscious  ob- 
server of  the  scene,  and  Bays,'  "  Well,  my 
boy,  what  is  the  matter?"  "  Oh  !  I  don't 
know,  Paymaster  says  they  are  not  right," 
holding  up  his  papers,  "  and  must  be  cor- 
rected by  the  captain  who  made  them  out, 
and  he  is  down  to  Brasos,  sir."  The  papers 
are  examined  by  Mr.  Bullard,  and  the  error 
noticed  ;  he  tells  him  to  call  at  his  •  office, 
and  he  will  provide  him  with  a  new  set  of 
papers,  made  out  correctly,  and  send  them 
with  a  letter  of  instruction  to  his  captain, 
and  in  the  meantime  he  can  stop  at  the 
"  Home."  The  papers  are  sent  forward,' 
and  returned  corrected,  money  is  collected, 
and  the  man  goes  home.  This  is  no  fancy- 
picture  ;  it  has  been  an  actual  occurrence, 
and, attention  to  such  cases  as  these  is  the 
daily  experience  of  our  Special  Relief  Agent. 
This  is  the  work  that  makes  no  show,  but, 
is  of  real,  genuine  benefit  to  the  soldier. 

PENSION   DEPARTMENT. 

This  has  been  conducted  by  Mr.  Seaton, 
who  makes  the  claim  as  alleged  by  the  ap- 
plicant  and    myself,    regularly    appointed 
'Examining'  Surgeon  for  Pensions.  In  order 
that  Mr.    Seaton   could  legally   pi;osecute 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1063 


claims,  it  was  necessary  that  he  be  not  only 
Notary  Public,  but  also  have  access  to  the 
seal  of  a  court  of  record,  and  it  was  a  source 
or  pleasure  to  be  able  on  the  strength  of  the 
good  reputation  of  the  Commission  to  have 
him  appointed  Deputy  Clerk  of  a  District 
Court. 

The  work  of  the  Pension  Department  up 
to  January,  1865,  is  represented  by  statisti- 
cal report  from  Mr.  Seaton,  which  I  append, 
marked  No.  5,  and  respectfully  feall  atten- 
tion to  it.  The  note  at  the  botton  will  ac- 
count for  so  .  few"  allowances  'for  pension 
claims. 
Total  arrears  of  pay,  bounty  and 

prize  money  collected,  .    $5,318  97 

Total  amount  of  annual  pensions 

allowed,      .         .        .        .3,500  00 

Sick  in  Hospital  in  Nevi  Orleans. 

The  number  sick  in  general  hospitals  in 
this  city,  January  31,  1865,  was  very 
small. 

Number  in  Marine  Hospital,  .  .  268 
"  "  Barracks,  .  .  .136 
"        "  St.  Louis,        .         .         .  272 

Total, 671 

Besides  these  there  are  953  in  Hospital 
Corps  d'Afrique,  of  whom  over  five  hun- 
dred are  sick  with  variola  or  varioloid. 

'  No.  1. 
lestimoni/L  of  Dr.  E.  P.  Gray,  to  the  value 
of  the  contributions  of  the  Commission, 
not  only  in  relieving  suffering,  hut  in 
saving  life  and  promoting  efficiency  of 
army. 

MoEOANZiA,  La.,  Jim.  30,  1865. 
Henry  L.  Boltwood, 

Belief  Agent  IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commieeion. 

Dear  Sir  : — Permit  me  to  make  grateful 
acknowledgments  to  the  U,  S.  Sanitary 
Commission 'for  its  bountiful  issues  of  hos- 
pital supplies  and  vegetables  to  the  troops 
of  this  .command,  for  the  past  six  months. 
Our  sick  have  been  numerous,  and  our  fa- 
cilities for  making  them  comfortable  quite 
limited.  Owing  to  an  insufficient  issue  of 
vegetables  by  the  Commissary  Department, 
scurvy  was  developed  to  an  alarming  extent, 
aggravating  greatly  all  other  diseases,  and 
rendering  some  of  the  regiments  of  colored 
troops  totally  ineffective  for  all  active  ser- 
vice, while  their  ranks  were  being  daily  de- 
cimated by  death. 

This  was  particularly  the  case  during  the 


months  of  August,  September  and  October, 
when  it  was  impracticable  to  obtain  the 
necessary  supplies  from  the  Grovernment. 

By  the  liberality  of  the  people  of  the 
North,  Grod  bless  them !  our  sick  have  been 
made  comfortable,  scurvy  has  been  banished, 
the  frequency  and  severity  of  Gther  diseases 
greatly  diminished,  and  the  mortality  re- 
duced to  a  ratio  simply  incidental  to  a 
healthy  condition  of 'troops. 

If  was  observed  by  all  the  surgeons  at 
at  the  Post,  that  within  two  weeks  of  the 
time  you  made  large  issues  of  fresh  vegeta- 
bles in  October  last,  that  a  marked  dimi- 
nution of  sickness  was  the  result,  and  it  is 
from  that  date  that  our  deliverance  from 
scurvy  and  kindred  diseases  began. 
^  This  would  not  hafe  been  accomplished 
so  readily  had  your  supplies  not  been  suffi- 
ciently bountiful  to  reach  the  indisposed  in 
quarters,  as  well  as  the  sick  in  hospital, 
thus  in  a  measure  striking  at  the  root  of  the 
evil,  (defective  nutrition). 

Since  the'  20th  of  November,  the  Gov- 
ernment ration  has  greatly,  improved,  we 
have  had  regular  issues  of  fresh  vegetables, 
which  has  stayed  all  further  progress  of  the 
disease,  t  nd  enabled  us  to  cure  the  cases 
already  on  our  hands. 

The  present  excellent  heiilth  of  the  com- 
mand is  largely  owing  to  the  donations  of 
the  Commission,  and  I  am  sure  no  con- 
tributor to  its  stores  could  see  the  good 
done  here,  and  not  feel  both  amply  repaid 
and  encouraged  to  continue  in  the  good 
work. 

I  am  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant,  E.  P.  Gray, 

Surgeon  VOtli  N.  T.  Vol.,  in  charge  TJ.  S.  Forces. 


J 


No.  2. 

Prisoners  of  Tortugas,   and  Refugees  of 

Florida. 

Act.  Medical  Purvetok's  Office,  , 
DisT.  OF  Key-West  and  Toetitgas, 
'  Key- West,  Fla.,  January  10, 1865. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  request  that 
the  enclosed  requisition  be  filled  and  for- 
warded to  this  Post  for  distribution  in  this 
District.  If  you  confide  it  "to  me  I  shall 
see  that  the  prisoners  at  Tortugas  are  sup- 
plied J  but  it  is  most  needed  for  the  refugees 
of  Florida. 

Very  respectfully  your  obt.  serv't., 
,  ,^  Wm.  a.  McCulley, 

'  Sargeon  and  Act.  Medical  Purveyor. 

G.  A.  Blake,  M.D., 

Qenl.  Agenlt  IT.  S.  S^aitary  Commission, 
I^ew  Orleans^  La. 


1064 


The  Sanitwinj  Commission  Bulletin. 


New  Orleans,  January  18,  1865. 
Wm.  a.  McCtjlley, 

Surg  and  Act  Medical  Parveyor,  s 

Dist.  Key-West  and  Tortugas. 

Dear  Sir  : — ^Yours  of  the  lOth  instant, 
inclosing  requisition  came  to  hand  to  to-day. 
I  will  send  you  by  the  first  transport  the 
following  stores : 

96  cans  condensed  milk ;  200  cans  beef 
stock ;  3  barrels  crackers ;  half  barrel  dried 
fruit  J  10  barrels  sauerkraut;  100  eotton 
shirts ;  25  wool  shirts ;  100  towels ;  50  lbs. 
chocolate;  48  lbs.  farina;  40  corn  starch; 
5  barrels  of  pickles;  12  bottles  of  lime 
juice;  25  pairs  wool  drawers;  25  pairs  cot- 
ton drawers ;  50  pairs  wool  socks. 

These  are  all  I  can  send  you  at  present. 
I  have  no  fresh  vegetables,  and  send  you 
pickles  and  sauerkraut  instead.  I  am  daily 
expecting  a  shipment  of  vegetables  from 
Louisville,  and  will  send  you  a  lot  another 
time. 

The  closing  sentence  of, your  letter  signi- 
fying that  the  requisition  you  forwarded 
was  "  most  needed  for  the  refugees  of  Flo- 
rida,'/ causes  ime  to  remark  that  the  first 
and  foremost  object  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission is  to  provide  for  our  national  sol- 
diers when  sick  and  wounded,  and  also  when 
needy  and  destitute  from  circumstances  be- 
yond their  control,  and  then  only  when  the 
resources  of  the  G-overnment  are  inacces- 
sible. And  it  is  a  question  in  my  mind 
how  far  our  supplies  may  be  distributed  to 
refugees  without  being  considered  a  diver- 
sion of  this  charity. 

The  poor  refugees,  especially  the  women 
and  children,  are  sadly  to  be  pitied,  and  de- 
serve better  treatment  at  the  hands  of  our 
Government  than  they  now  receive,  and  are 
worthy  the  charitable  consideration  of  all 
loyal  citizens ;  still,  that  fact  does  not  de- 
termine what  claim  they  have  on  the  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

As  I  have  no  specific  instruction  in  regard 

to  this  subject,  I  willingly  consign  to  you 

this  invoice  of  stores,  trusting  to  yiour  honor 

and  fidelity  that  they  will  only  b9  distributed 

•  to  those  actually  in  want 

Your  letter,  per  our  Agent,  Mr.  Chace, 
acknowledging  receipt  of  vegetables,  qame 
duly  to  hand. 

By  signing  the  inclosed  receipt,  and  re- 
turning the  same  to  this  office,  your  will 
oblige, 

Very  respectfully  your,  obedient  servant, 
Geo.  a.  Blake, 

V.  S.  Sanitary  Gommission. 


No.  3.      . 

Report  of  Home  for  the  months  of  Decem- 
ber and  Janumy. 

New  Obieans,  February  1,  1865. 

Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake, 

General  Agent  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the 
following- as  a  statistical  report  of  the  work- 
ing of  the  "  Soldiers'  Home,"  for  th^  month 
of  December,  1864,  and  January,  1865. 

There  were  admitted  into  the  "  Home" 
during  the  month  of  December,  1864,  as 
follows : 


Duty  men,        .         .'         .         . 
Furloughed  men, 
Discharged  men. 

607 

48 

126 

Mating  a  total  of, 

781 

Number  of  meals  furnished  dur- 

ing the  month, 

14,935 

Number  of  lodgings. 

5,042 

Amount  of  money  deposited  in 
the  safe  during  the  month  was. 

$4,208  64 

During  January,  1865,  there 
mitted : 

were  ad- 

Duty  men,        .... 
Furloughed  men. 
Discharged  men. 

601 

57 

178 

830 


49 


Making  a  total  of, 

Showing  an  excess  over  the  pre- 
ceding month  of,  . 

Number  of  meals  furnished  dur- 
ing the  month,     .         .         .        12,552 

Number  of  lodgings,  .         .  4,238 

Amotint  ot  money  deposited  in 

the  safe  was,         .         .        .  $4,518  65 

Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 
0.  S.  Bullard, 

Superintendent 

No.  4. ' 

Form  of  Regulations  to  secure  justice  to  the 
Government,  and  relief  to  the  worthy  ap- 
plicant. 

New  Orleans,  186 

OmoER  Commanding 

Regiment 

Sir  : — Under  existing  rules,  the  Pay- 
mastefs  in  this  Depa,rtment  object  to  pay  on 
final  statements  of  discharged  soldiers,  when 
not  perfectly  clear  and  definite  on  certain 
important  points : 

1st.  (a).  If  the  discharge  is  "  by  reason 


^e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1065 


of  Surgeon's  certificate  of  disability,"  the 
last  word  should  be  followed  by  the  sen- 
tence, "  incurred  since  {or  prior  to)  enlist- 
ment," (or  re-enliptment).  Papers  are  re- 
jected that  are  not  explicit  in  this  respect. 
(6).  If  a  soldier,  is  discharged  "for 
wounds,"  it  should  be  stated,  "  by  reason  of 
wound  received,  in  battle  at,"  etc.,  (giving 
place  and  date). 

2d.  (a).  Place  (town  and  State)  and  date 
of  enlistment  should  be  given,  as  well  as 
place  and  date  of  muster  into  service. 

(b).  If  drafted,  place  and  date  of  draft 
should  be  given. 

Travel  allowances  are  reckoned  fromp'lace 
of  discharge  to  place  of  enlistment. 

Clothing  accounts  are  settled  from  date 
of  enlistment,  unless  there  has  been  a  sub- 
sequent settlement  of  clothing. 

(c).  A  volunteer;  discharged  to  re-enlist 
as  a  veteran,  having  so  re-enlisted,  when 
finally  discharged,  is  entitled  to  travel  al- 
lowances to  place  of  original  enlistment. 
Therefore,  the  ^Zace  of  original  enlistment 
«nd  place  of  re-enlistment  should  be  given. 

3d.  Date  of  last  settlement  of  clothing 
account  should  follow  amount  of  clothing 
since  drawn. 

If  there  has  been  no  settlement,  the 
iffoirds  "  since  enlistment^'  (or  r^enlistment) 
should  follow  amount  given. 

4th.  If  the  soldier  has  received  advanced 
.bounty,  one  or  more  instalments,  the  actual 
amount  should  be  given,  not  including 
premium. 

If  one  or  more  instlments  are  due,  hut 
unpaid'  the  fact  should  be  so  stated. 

5th.  The  date  of  final  statements  must 
be  the  same  as  that  of  the  certificate  of  dis- 
charge. 

The  place  of  discharge  must  be  plainly 
indicated  on  final  staj^ements,  to  meet  the 
question  of  travel  allowances. 

The  great  inconvenience  to  which-- dis- 
charged soldiers  have  been  subjected  from 
apparently  slight  errors  in  their  papers, 
and  the  saving  to  Grovernment  in  all  cases 
fully  settled  on  discharged  papers,  are 
deemed  sufficient  excuse  for  this  circular. 

Your  attention  to  the  above  suggestions 
is  respectfully  solicited. 

0.  0.  BULLARD, 

Special  Relief  Agt.  U.  S.  Sanitary  CommiBSlon. 

Marginal  notes  must  be  signed  officially. 
0.  C.  B.       , 


No.  5. 
StaUstical  Report  of  the  Work  of  Pension 
Department  at  New  Orleans,  to  January 
1,-1865. 

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M 

s 

Allowed. 

W 

t>9 

fcO 

OJ 

52 

Rejected  and 
discontinued 

W 

^  -a       Total. 

Total  amount  of  arrears  of  pay,  bounty, 
and  prize  money  collected,  $5,318  97. 

Total  amount  of  annual  pensions  allowed, 
$3,500. 

About  160  of  the  pension  claims  are 
those  of  claimants  residing  at  New  Orleans. 
In  these  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions  re- 
fuses to  give  certificates  "  until  Louisiana 
is  once  more  unmintakeably  in  the  Union,." 


«  OLD  FATHEB  SANITAEY." 

New  Orleans,  Feb^  4,  1865. 
Dear  Dr.  : — My  last  report  left  mq. 
packing  up  at  Pascagoula.  On  Sunday 
morning  I  was  notified  to  be  prepared  at 
any  moment,  but  after  waiting  patiently  all 
night,  I  with  great  difficulty  procured  a 
wagon  on  Monday  morning,  but  could  not 
get  my  stores  on  board  of  steamer  until 
•near  night,  when  after  paying  ofi'  and  send- 
ing away  my  la;borers,  I  received  permission 
to  put  my  stores  on  board  the  Warrior,  the 
Mate  kindly  consented  to  put  them  in  the 
hold,,  if  delivered  to  him  on  the  deck.     So 


1066 


The  Sanitas-y  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  work  I  went,  to  roll  barrels  of  kraut  on 
board  with  my  own  hands,  but  before  I  had 
got  the  first  barrel  on  board,  I  heard  a  voice 
which  said,  "  Come  boys,  here  is  old  Father 
Sanitary  in  a  scrape,  let  us  help  him  out," 
and  so  they  did,  for  in  less  than  fifteen 
minutes  they  had  placed  on  board  25  bar- 
rels, 23  boxes,  and  5  chests.  This  I  assure 
you  was  very  gratifying  to  me,  I  felt  that 
my  labors  were  appreciated  by  the  private 
soldiers,  the  very  men  whom  I  came  to 
benefit,  and  I  received  it  as  a  personal  com- 
pliment, as  these  very  men,  if  detailed  for 
the  purpose,  would  not  have  worked  with 
the  same  care  or  spirit  as  they  did  volun- 
tarily, not  even  waiting  for  me  to  ask  as- 
sistance. 

Well,  at  last,'  on  Tuesday,  we  left  for 
Fort  Gaines,  arriving  there  the  same  night. 
I  h^d  my  light  goods  taken  'to  my  rooms 
that  same  night,  or  rather  near  daylight.  I 
succeeded  in  getting  my  stores  all  stored, 
distributed  two  barrels  of  kraut  to  each 
regiment  on  the  Island,  and  made  arrange- 
ments to  supply  those  on  the  main  land 
with  the  same  quantity )  took  a  memoran- 
dum of  articles  required,  and  here  I,  am. 
Having  lost  two  night's  sleep  this  week,  and 
feeling  otherwise  the  want  of  res<,  il  shall 
remain  for  a  few  days,  feeling  assured  that 
there  can  be  no  forward  movements  which 
will  require  my  attention,  during  the  time 
I  expect  to  remain  here.  From  all  indica- 
tions I  anticipate  active  forward  movements, 
and  when  a  move  is  made,  it  will  be  an  ex- 
tensive and  active  one,  hence  for  the  next 
few  months  there  will  be  no  such  thing  as 
rest.  Kespectfully, 

W.  R.  Miller, 

Relief  Agt.  U.  S.  SanltarJ  CommlsBlon. 

FBOU  BATON  BOTTGE.  _ 

BY  HENRY  L.    BOLTWOOD. 

Baton  Eouge,  La.,  Jan.  12,  1865. 
Dear  Sir  : — Since  my  rast  report  I  have 
received  your  shipment  per  "  Starlight," 
64  packages  all  in  good  order.  The  addi- 
tional supply  was  very  acceptable.  A  large 
proportion  of  the  potatoes  was  sent  to  the 
general  haspital,  where  four-fifths  of  all  the 
Biok  are  at  present  treated.  The  regimental 
hospitals  are  generally  given  up ;  wisely,  I 
think,  for  the  general  hospital  is  large  enough 
to  accommodate  all  who  need  accommoda- 
tion J  and  it  is  impossible  to  make  the  sick 
very  comfortable  in  tents  during  the  cold 
and  stormy  weather  now  common.  Besides, 
the  cavalry  which  makes  up  the  large  por- 


tion of  the  force  here,  is  liable  to  frequent 
and  sudden  moves,  when  the  sick  are  very 
likely  to  suflFer. 

In  issuing  the  vegetables  I  made  liberal 
issues,  so  far  as  my  supply  went,  thinking 
that  a  supply  large  enough  to  be  felt  would 
be  better  appreciated  when  received,  even  if 
all  did  not  receive  at  the  present  issue.  The 
kraut  was  particularly  acceptable  to  the 
cavalry  regiments,  which  are  very  largely 
made  up  of  Germans.  Most  of  the  hospital 
supplies  were  sent  to  the  general  hospital. 
The  pest  house,  were  there  are  twelve  soldiers 
and  fifty  citizens  sick  with  the  small-pox, 
also  received  a  gupply  of  shirts  and  drawers 
enough  for  all  the  soldier  patients,  besides 
milk  and  other  articles  of  diet. 

PAROLED  PRISONERS. 

Twenty-one  paroled  prisoners,  who  came 
in  from  Cahawba,  Alabama,  were  supplied 
with  shirts,  drawers,  combs,  and  towels,  all 
of  which  they  greatly  needed.  They  were 
generally  in  good  health,  and  though  they 
had  been  thoroughly  pillaged  at  their  first 
capture,  they  had  been  tolerably  well  treated? 
Their  supply  of  food  was  npuoh  better  than 
their  facilities  for  cooking  it. 

IN  HOSPITAL. 

I  spend  a  considerable  portion  of  each 
day  in  the  Bfospital,  endeavoring  to  see  each 
of  the  300  patients  three  times  a  week.  I 
have  supplied  every  man  with  tobacco, 
needles,  thread,  combs,  buttons,  paper,  and 
envelopes ;  besides  distributing  100  pipes, 
60  handkerchiefs,  and  40  housewives.  I 
have  supplied  ihe  hospitals  with  tobacco  for 
the  last  month,  issuing  nearly  100  pounds 
in  all.  None  of  the  men  have  befen  paid 
since  May  last,  and  they  are  entirely  desti- 
tute of  money. 

HOUSEWIVES  JROM  NEW  YORK. 

The  housewives  which  came  in  the  bar- 
rel sent  to  my  address  from  New  York, 
were  very  neatly  gotten  up  and  well  sup- 
plied with  seeing  materials,  combs,  hand- 
kerchiefs, and  last  but  not  least,  letters, 
which  are  very  highly  prized.  I  have  dis- 
tributed considerable  milk  in  the  wards, 
particularly  in  the  ward  appropriated'to  the 
wounded.  I  have  given  them  enough  for 
their  tea  and  coffee  every  day,  and  have  also 
carried  them  several  bottlesof  catsup  which 
the^  all  pronounce  "  bully."  I  have  spent 
several  hours  in  reading  aloud  to  the  men 
in  this  ward,  who  were  very  much  pleased 
and  request  me  to  come  often;     I  have  also 


The  Sanitary  Oommisdon  Bulletin. 


1067 


been  called  upon  several  times  to  officiate 
as  chaplain  at  the  funeral  of  deceased  sol- 
diers. I  find  no  difficulty  in  occupying  my 
time  fuUy,  and  so  far  as  I  can  judge  profit- 
ably. 

SUIPLIES  GO  TO  THE  MEN. 

I  am  sure  that  the  supplies  distributed 
here  have'  relieved  men  who'  were  really 
needy  and  suffering,  and  If  am  also  sure 
that  they  went  to  those  for  whom  they  were 
designed.  Knowing  the  prevalence  of  the 
notion  that  the  soldiers"  do  not  receive  the 
articles  sent  them,  I  have  taken  great  pains 
to  distribute  personally  all  that  I  consist- 
ently could,  and  also  to  make  the  recipients 
■  understand  where  the  articles  came  from. 
The  Commission  seldom  gets  any  credit  for 
articles  distributed  through  the  regimental 
commissary,  or  added  to  the  regular  hospi- 
tal diet.  Men  may  he  fed  and  clothed  for 
weeks  by  the  contributions  of  the  Commis- 
sion without  knowing  it. 

Considering  the  exposure  and  heavy  duty 
to  which  the  cavalry  has  been  subjected  of 
Tate,  the  health  is  good.  The  men  complain 
that  the  government  rations  are  not  enough 
to  satisfy  their  hunger,  and  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  as  .they  are  generally  cooked, 
they  are  not  quite' large  enough. 


FBOU  K0B6AIIZIA,  LA. 

January  25,  1865. 

Db.  Gr.  A.  Blake.  ^ 

Dear  Sir  : — I  arrived  at  Morganzia  on 
Friday  last,  having  been  nearly  three  days 
on  the  wdy.  I  find  the  troops  at  this  post 
in  a  very  healthy  condition.  Only  five  per 
cent,  are  reported  unfit  for  duty,  and  tbere 
are  very  few  serious  cases.  One  regiment 
doing  garrison  duty  in  the  fort,  and  living 
in  log  barracks  is  by  far  the  sickliest  of  any 
in  the  command.  As  it  has  previously  been 
healthy,  I  think  the  cause  must  be  sought 
in  the  close  barracks,  too  small  to  give  suffi- 
cient air,  and  also  situated  in  low,  damp 
ground.  The  post  bakery,  recently  put  in 
operation,  supplies  the  command  with  good 
fresh  bread  daily.  The  supplies  really' 
needed  are  not  large  in  quantity  or  of  great 
variety.  Milk,  corn  starch,  hospital  shirts 
and  dowers,  bedding,  rags  and  bandages, 
are  the  principal  articles  called  for.  The 
pickles  and  kraut  are  always  acceptable. 
The  weather  is  very  cool,  and  I  find  tent 
life- by  no  means  luxurious.  I  am  having 
a  small  cabin  built,  to  serve  as  store  house 
and  lodging-room.      The  lumber  and  the 


workmen  are  furnished  me  without  any  ex- 
pense to  the  Commission.  Every  one  here 
seems  to  recognize  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  as  an 
indispensable  institution. 


FBOU  SOTIIH  CABOLIITA. 

BY  M.  M.  MARSH,  M.B. 

Bbaufoet,  S.  Qj.jFeh.  14. 
To  render  intelligible  the  issues  appended, 
a  very  brief  epitome  of  the  work  for  the  last 
two  months  is  essential.  For  the  last  year 
we  have  extended  very  little  aid  to  estab- 
lished hospitals,  leaving  them  to  depend 
almost  entirely  upon  their  own  resources ; 
which,  if  properly  managed,  are  abundantly 
sufficient  for  the  maintenance  and  comfort 
of  patients. 

■During  the  month  of  November  our  issues 
were  principally  to  escaped  prisoners.  'With 
the  necessities  of  this  unfortunate  class  you 
are,  in  a  general  way,  acqu,ainted ;  but  to 
appreciate  the  extent,  the  eye  must  behold 
them,  and  a  picture  will  be  impressed  that 
memory  will  ever  retain.  Had  the  Com- 
mission never  done  more  than  what  it  has 
accomplished  fj)r  prisoners,  confined  and  es- 
capes, this  alone  would  justify  all  its  ex- 
penditures, from  its  inception  to  the  present. 

POCOTALIGO. 

During  the  last  days  of  November  an  ex- 
pedition was  organized  to  operate  against 
the  enemy  in  the  neighborhood  of  Pocotal- 
igo.  With  its  general  results  you  are  fa- 
miliar, "but  why  so  exhaustive  of  Commis- 
sion supplies,  requires  explanation.  First 
it  was  supposed  that  the  object  of  the  ex- 
pedition would  be  accomplished  almost  im- 
mediately, and.  preparation  for  five  days 
only  was  made  by  the  military  authorities. 
As  usual,  a  steamer  was  assigned  the  Com- 
mission by  General  Foster,  and -more  from 
habit  than  expectation  of  a  prolonged  cam- 
paign (which  jContinues  until  the  present), 
preparations  were  made  for"  any  possible 
contingency.  And  another  cause  for  our 
disproportional  issues,  was  the  fact  that, 
during  'the  succeeding  months,  December  . 
and  January,  the  thermometer  has  presented 
a  lower  average  temperature  than  has  been 
for  years,  if  ever,  known  in  this'  section  of 
country. 

Unfurnished,  for  many  days  with  any  ad- 
ditional supplies,  the  troops  must  have  suf- 
fered terribly  had  not  the  Commission  had 
clothing,  blankets,  &c.,  in  abundance  on  the 
field.  In  the  article  of  food,  as  well  as 
clothing,  the  supplies  of  the  Commission 


1068 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


were  available ;  for  from  the  30tli  Novem- 
ber, on  which  the  battle  of  Honey  Hill  oc- 
curred, to  the  6th  December,  in  the  p.m., 
not  a  ration  was  draw  for  a  sick  or  wounded 
man.  This  is  not  said  to  censure,  but  to 
show  the  propriety,  when  pra<5ticable,  of 
extensive  preparation. 

I  would  also  caH  attention  to  the  folly  of 
a  remark  lately  noticed  in  one  of  your  city 
journals,  viz.,  that  the  aid  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  no  longer  necessary  to  the 
army,  in  consequence  of  better  preparation 
for  troops  than  in  the  early  part  of  the  war. 
And  further,  that  expeditions  are  conducted 
so  secretly  that  the  Commission  cannot  be 
on  the  ground  in  time  to  render  any  essen- 
tial aid. 

Did  such  futile  objections  demand  a  reply 
it  can  be  found  ill  the  importance  which 
the  General  commanding  attaches  to  the  aid 
of  the  Commission,  by  always  giving  timely 
notice  for  preparation,  and  allowing  a 
steamer  for  the  use  of  the  Commission  from 
the  very  limited  transportation  of  the  de- 
partment. 

About  the  20th  December  an  additional 
and  heavy  draft  was  made  i^ion  the  rejiour- 
ces  of  the  Commission.  The  army  ofGren- 
eral  Sherman  had  arrived  at  Savannah,  but 
found  inadequate  preparation  for  its  recep- 
tion. Hundreds  of  valuable  horses  and 
mules  were  slaughtered  for  the  want  of 
forage.  At  one  time  1,000  men  were  put 
upon  one-half  rations.  Nor  were  they  more 
fortunate  in  medical  than  commissary  sup- 
plies- About  this  time  Dr.  Moore,  Medical 
Director  for  the  whole  army,  writing  from 
Savannah,  requested  supplies,  and  urged 
that  a  branch  of  the  Commission  be  estab- 
lished among  them.  His  request  was  com- 
plied with,  and  the  store  has  been  supplied 
from  the  central  depot  at  Beaufort. 

SAVANNAH. 

.  Savannah  has  now  between  three  and 
four  thousand  sick  and  wounded,  left  be- 
hind by  this  onward  conquering  army.  Be- 
tween one  and  two  tho;isand  are  in'hospital 
in  Beaufort,  and  a  very  large  number  have 
been  sent  North.  Two  entire  steamers' 
cargo  of  vegetables  have  been  issued  to  the 
15th  and  17th  corps  of  this  army ;  thus  con- 
tributing to  the  17th  corps  -alone  (one  of 
its*  major  generals  affirmed),  an  efficiency 
greater  than  the  addition  of  5,000  recruits, 
and,  of  course,  a  corresponding  saving  of 
the  industry, 'the  equipment,  and  the  main- 
tenance of  a  like  number  of  men.     When 


this  army  resumed  its  onward  movement, 
the  Commission  furnished  its  hospital  wag- 
ons with  such  supplies,  in  clothing,  blankets 
and  subsistence,  as  its  division  'surgeons, 
with  their  limited  transportation,,  required. 
These  particulars  are  mentioned  to  show 
the  necessity  (for  the  large  issues  appended. 
And  permit  mfe  to  state,  that  when  this 
army  again  approaches  the  coast,  similar 
issues  must  be  repeated.  Bushing  as  it 
does  from  point  to  point,  there  is  an  im- 
mense waste  of  material,  and  whenever  it 
emerges  to  the  coast,  government  is  but  half 
prepared  to  supply  its  most  pressing  neces- 
sities. Its  stay  is  too  brief  to  accumulate 
stores,  and  hence  the  necessity  that  the 
Commission  meet  them  with  an  open  hand. 
They  look  to  it  as  to  a  brother ;  it  must  not 
disappoint  their  expectations.  Permit  me 
to  add,  that  in  my  intercourse  with  the 
army  I  have  not  met  a  larger  percentage  of 
resolute,  gentlemanly  men,  determined  •  to 
do  their  whole  duty  to  the  country  and  its 


enemies. 

Approximate  list  of  issues  for  December  and  January. 

Sherry,  btlo 106 

Med.  Stimulants,  btls. .        8 
Broma.,  lbs.. 


Woolen  socks,  pairs  ...4382 

Woolen  shirks 5065 

Woolen  drawers,  pairs.  5111 

Overcoats 995 

Cnshions 673 

Cotton  drawers,  pairs..        S 

Cotton  Bltirl 8 SIS 

Hats' and  Caps 498 

Slippers 125 

Handkerchiefs 1817 

Pillows 693 

Quilts 16t 

Pillow  Cases 1852 

Sheets,  pairs ' 

Undershirts 200 

Blankets , 409.'! 

Pants,  pairs 931 

Shoes,  pairs 1020 

Blouses 1019 

Bed  Sacks 328 

Pillow  Ticks i....     9f)6 

Flannel  bandages 

Chocolate,  lbs 392 

Towels 1865 

Combs 3166 

Sponge,  lbs '.     3% 

Lint  2  bbls.,  boxes i 

Baodages,  bbls 8 

Wrappers 12 

Coats 153 

Milk,  lbs 4670 

CoSee.lbs., 1356 

Extract  Beef,  lbs 9133 

Old  pieces,  bbls. ^ S2ii 

Mittens,  pairs... ^.x...   '880 

Dried  Apples,  bbls 30X 

PotatOPB,  bbls. 989^ 

Onions,  bbli 721 

Crackers,  bbls 201 

Sugar,  bbls ;..     Syi 

-Wash  Basins 

TlnCups 181 

Domestic  Wine,  btls. . . :      60 


Whiskey,  btls 468 

ralisaya  bark,  btls 12 

E]ctract  Ginger,  btls.. . .     742 

Cheese,  lbs 220 

Tea,lbs 160 

Brandy,  btls 75 

Beef,  corned,  bbl 1 

Hams,  bbl 1 

Jelly,  lbs 112 

Pickles,  kegs., 60 

I>ickle8,  bbls SO 

Kraut,  bbls 42 

Farina,  lbs 804 

Corn  Starch,  11^ 1000 

Blackberry  Brandy,  btls    27 

Quinine,  oz 8 

Alcohol,  gals 3 

Maizena,  lbs 1663 

Canned  Mutton,  lbs 2112 

Canned  Soup,  lbs 1660 

Peach  butler,  lbs 840  - 

Dried  Apples,  bbls 16)^ 

Ale,  bl)ls 8 

Spoons 100 

Knives  and  Forks 122 

UriAals 3 

Bay  Rum,  btls 48 

Blackberry  syrup,  gals.      20 

Cratches,  pairs 37 

Dried  Fruit,  bbl ...       1 

Gelatine,  cases 2 

Tomatoes,  lbs 16926 

Smoking     Tobacco    443 

doz.  4  oz.  papers.  i 

Chewing    Tobacco,    879 

doz.  2  oz.  p'apers 
Writing  Paper,  reams. .    110 

Envelopes 62800 

Ink,  Pen's,  and  Pencils,  qty. 


SANITARY  COMMISSION  AT  SAVANNAH. 
BY  BEV.  A.  D.  MORTON,  CHAPLAIN. 

As  an  independent  observer  and  friend 
of  humanity  I  take  pleasure  in  saying  a  few 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1069 


words  about  the  operations  of  the  Commis- 
sion in  this  place.  It  has  scarcely,  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  fallen  to  the  lot  of  an 
army  or  city  to  he  plaoed  in  the  peculiar 
condition  in  which  Sherman's  army  and- 
this  city  were  plaoed  by  Federal  occupation. 
It  is  not  my  object  to  speak  of  the  city, 
only  to  say,  it  is  greatly  crest-fallen,  and 
looks  in  all  respects  sad  and  seedy  enough 
to  be  sure.  Of  our  noble  army,  I  may  say 
a  word.  It  had  just  performed  a  wonder- 
ful march  of  over  thre^  hundred  miles 
through  an  enemy's  OTuntry.  It  was 
necessarily  destitute  of  the  ordinaryi  army 
pupplies,  many  were  sick,  without  clothing, 
and  being  at  a  point  so  far  from  the  base'of 
supplies,  was  in  great  want.  It  was  just  at 
this  point  and  nick  of  time  the  Sanitary 
Commission  was  on  hand,  and  ready  with 
its  bountiful  stores  of  material  comfort  and 
aid  to  dispense  to  those  wlio  so  greatly 
needed  and  richly  deserved  it. 

When  theliospitals  were  fairly  established 
they  contained  about  3,000  patients,  and 
were  in  want  of  everything  that  is  peculiarly 
sanitary.  The  Commission  opened  its  store 
in  one  of  the  finest  rooms  in  the  city.  It 
has  dispensed  so  far  about  200  barrels  of 
vegetables,  including  ,50  barrels  of  dried 
apples,  50  barrels  of  crackers,  25  barrels  of 
pickles  and  kraut,  100  barrels  of  potatoes 
and  onions.  Also  a  large  amount  of  dried 
berries.  In  clothing  about  1,500  shirts, 
1,500  pairs  drawers,  with  pants,  blouses, 
overcoats,  blankets,  and  all  kinds  of  sanitary 
and  hospital  stores.  A  great  quantity,  I 
don't  know  how  much,  so  much,  however, 
that  one  of  the  surgeons  emphatically  said, 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  feeding  and 
clothing  the  hospitals  in  Savannah. 

It  is  doing  also  a  dear  work  in  clothing, 
in  many  instances  even  from  top  to  toe,  es- 
caped prisoner/ coming  in  daily,  singly  and 
in  squads,  from  two  to  a  dozen. 

These  dear  fellows,  hungry  and  naked, 
so  long  held  in  barbarous  confinement,  are 
clothed  and  sent  on  their  way  rejoicing. 
Whose  heart  does  not  leap  light  at  the 
very  thought  of  such  a  work  as  this  ? 

Of  the  business  of  the  concern  unpl'er  the 
management  of  Kev.  J.  C.  Hoblit^^ent, 
mingled  emotions  of  justice  and  pleasure  re- 
quire me  to  say  it  is  admirable  indeed.  I 
have  seen  the  operations  of  the  Commission 
from  Nashville  to  Atlanta,  and  while  they 
have  done  well,  he  has  done  better.  No- 
where did  the  stores  present  so  magnificent 
an  array,  and  nowhere  did  the  business  seenit 


to  be  managed  with  such  liberality  and  ac- 
curacy. A  receipt  is  taken  for  all  articles 
dispensed,  and  regular  accounts  kept ;  so 
the  people  at  home  can  see  the  disposition 
made  of  their  contributions.  In  conclusion 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  one  of  the  great- 
est benevolences  of  the  age,  and  when  the 
war  is  closed  the  extent  of  its  operations 
will  astonish  the  world.  Give, — people, — 
give.  The  soldiers  will  bless  you,  and  ff 
you  desire  it,  you  can  see  the  figures. 


FBOM  ANNAPOLIS. 
BY  0.  F.  HOWES. 
Annapoiis,  February  11,  1865. 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following 
as  my  report : 

OFFICE. 

The  amount  of  work  done  in  the  office 
the  past  two  weeks  has  been  unusually 
large.  The  greater  portion  of  our  care  and 
attentions  having  been  given  to  those  men 
who  were  on  their  way  to  join  their  regi- 
ments. Transportation  to  and  from  the 
army'  has  been  through  this  city,  and  our 
office  being  just  opposite  the  depot,  its  flag 
is  always  sure  to  remind  some  poor  desti- 
tute soldier  of  the  very  articles  he  is  in 
"  so  much  need  of.'f  Kegiments,  detach- 
ments and  squads  of  men  have  been  con- 
stantly passing  th/ough,  and  I  am  not  mis- 
taken when  I  say  that  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  the  number  have  looked  in  upon  us, 
obtained  a  few  necessary  articles  of  comfort, 
asking  many  questions,  wishing  directions, 
some  hurriedly  exclaiming,  "  Will  you  be 
kind  enough  to  write  a  letter  for  me  to  my 
mother,  and  tell  her  I  am  well  and  on  my 
way  to  join  General  Grant's  army."  We 
have  been  cobsiderably  embarrassed  at  times 
to  make  proper  provisions  to  fe'ed  these 
hungry  men.  As  Government  transporta- 
tion through  this  city  to  the  army  will  pro- 
bably cease  with  .the  opening  of  the  Potomac 
river,  and  breaking  up  (Jf  the  ice  in  the 
harbor  of  Baltimore.  I  did  not  deem  it 
advisable  to  tax  the  Commission  with  the 
expense  of  fitting  up  a  building  suitable  for 
a  "  Lodge."  Captain  Davis,  commanding 
at  College  Green  Barracks,  has  very  kindly 
provided  for  these  men,  and  no  person,  to 
my  knowledge,  has  suffered .  from  cold  or 
hunger. 

City  Point  boats  usually  arrive  at  8  A.M., 
and  leave  the  wharf  to  return  about  the 
same  time  p.m.  With  a  portable  stove  we 
could  make  coffee  in  our  own  yard,  and  give 


1070 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


to  the  men,  which  would  add  to  their  com- 
fort, and  cheer  them  up  while  waiting  at 
the  depot  or  wharf  to  move  on  their  journey. 

One  thousand  prisoners  from  Bichmond 
arrived  last  Tuesday.  Although  very  poorly 
clothed,  the  health  of  these  men  were  much 
better  than  the  previous  arrivals.  >  Only 
about  one  hundred  were  sent  to  hospitals. 
The  towels,  combs,  needles,  thread,  &c., 
sent  from'  your  office,  reached  us  in  season 
to  supply  each  man.  In  hospitals  I  have 
placed  many  of  these  articles  in  the  hands 
of  nurses  for  distribution,  as  the  men  re- 
quire them.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary 
for  men  in  hospitals  to  be  supplied  with 
each  of  these  articles,  for  instance,  one 
towel  will  serve  the  purpose  of  several  men, 
the  ward  should  be  well  supplied,  but  when 
the  soldier  leaves  his  bed  to  join  his  regi- 
ment, «^ch  of  these  articles  should  be  found 
in  his  knapsack.  At  College  Green  Barracks 
we  supply  each  man  as  he  marches  up  to  the 
cook-house  to  obtain  his  dinner.  This  method 
of  issuing  prevents  confusion,  and  no  one  is 
neglected.  As  soon  as  the  men  are  com- 
fortably provided  for,  many  of  them  set  im- 
mediately at  work  to  do  something  for  the 
comfort  of  their  suffering  comrades  left  be- 
hind. A  box  of  provisions  is  made  up  to 
send  them.  I  have  furnished  some  articles 
of  clothing,  such  as  shirts,  drawers,  socks, 
towels,  handkerchiefs,  &c.,  and  I  have  had 
the  assurance  that  these  goods  have  reached 
the  destitute  soldier  in  Southern  prisons. 

Another  boat  with  prisoners  is  soon  ex- 
pected. From  good  authority  I  can  say 
that  three  to  four  thousand  men  will  arrive 
each  week,  up  to  the  closing  of  the  ex- 
change. I.shall  then  find  it  necessary  to 
call  largely  upon  you  for  towels,  handker- 
chiefs, combs,  needles,  thready  pencils  and 
other  articles  for  immediate  distribution. 

E.  0.  GUILD. 

Annapolis,  Feb.  11,  1865. 

I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  submit  my 
report,for  the  week  ending  this  day. 

On  Sunday,  Feb.  5th,  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
►  holding  service  at  College  Green  Barracks, 
in  connection  with  Bev.  J.  M.  Clark,  Agent 
U.  8.  Christian  Commission.  We  had  an 
audience  of  kbout  seventy-five  or  eighty 
men,  mostly  from  western  regiments  on 
their  way  to  the  frOnt.  It  was  an  occasion 
of  great  interest  to  me.  The  immediate 
prospect  of  danger  which  was  before  the 
men, — the  manliness  and  earnestness  *of 
their  bearing, — the  silence  and  interest  with 


which  they  listented  to  us,  gave  us  a  deep 
sense  of  sympathy  with'  them,  and  we  felt 
blessed  by  the  privilege  of.  speaking  to  them 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  It 
was  also  a  great  pleasure  to  me  as  the  repre- 
sentatiye  of  your  Commission^  to  stand,  side 
by  side  with  the  delegate  of  the  Christian 
Commission,  and  unite  with  him  in  the 
noble  work  in  which  he  is  engaged.  And 
I  cannot  refrain  from  bearing  my  testimony 
to  the  energy  and  single-heartedness  of  the 
Agent  of  the  Christian  Commission,  with 
whom  I  have  b JIh  thrown  in  this  place, 
and  to  the  great  and  manifest  good  which 
results  from  their  efforts  amorig  the  soldiers. 

AN  INFANT  CHRISTENED. 

After  service  we  had  the  pleasure  of  at- 
tending the  christening  of  an  infant  at  the 
,"  Home,"  a  somewhat  unusual  incident  in 
the  proceedings  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. 'Twas  not  born  under  the  red-  and 
white  flag  of  the  Commission,  yet  the  in- 
fant having  been  brought  when  but  a  few 
days'  old  to  the  "Home,"  seemed  to  be 
under  our  peculiar  charge.  The  mother, 
the  wife  of  a  soldier,  now  at  the  front, 
grateful  for  many  favors  received,  desired 
the  child  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  our 
kind-hearted  and  gentlemanlike  Surgeon, 
in  charge  o;f  U.  S.  A.  General  Hospital,  Di- 
visibn  No.  1.  In  accordance  with  her  wishes 
the  service  was  performed  by  Bev.  J.  P. 
Hammond,  Chaplain  of  U.  S.  A.  General 
Hospital,  No.  2,  a  clergyman  of  the  Epis- 
.  copal  Church,  and  our  good  friend  and 
faithful  co-worker,  Mrs.  Gridley,  of  the 
Michigan  State  Agencyj  stood  as  god- 
mother, and  our  energetic  and  popular  su- 
perintendent, Major  C.  F."Howe,^stood  as 
godfather. 

The  little  man  so  introduced  into  the 
scenes  of  life,  will  be  surely ,bound  to  be 
loyal  to  his  country,  loyal  to  his  church, 
S^nd  loyal  to  the, Sanitary  Commission. 

On  Monday  my  time  was  mostly  spent 
in.  attending,  so  far  as  we  were  able,  to  the 
wants  of  those  who  came  in  by  boat  from 
City  Point, — especially  of  ladies  on  their 
sad  journey  home  with  the  bodies  of  dear 
friends^hom  they  haVe  lost.  Several  in-: 
stances^f  this  sort  have  occurred  during 
the  week,  and  it  gives  us  pleasure  tij  be  able 
to  be  of  service  by  advice  and  assistance  to 
the  friends  of  those  who  have  given  their 
lives  in  their  country's  cause.  We  feel 
that  we  ean  in  no  way  better  carry  out  the 
designs  of  those  who   contribute  to  the 


The  Sanitary  Qommusion  Bulletin. 


1071 


support  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  than  by 
offering  all  the  assistance  in  our  power  to 
the  noble-hearted  women  of  the  land,  who 
have  made  such  costly  sacrifices,  in  giving 
a  husband,  a  brother,  or  a  son,  to  redeem  a 
nation's  honor,  and  preserve  the  nation's 
life.  While  we  endeavor  to  dissuade  those 
whose  friends  have  died  here,  from  remov- 
ing their  bodies,  yet  when  their  own  means 
are  sufficient  and  their  feeling  strong  in  the 
nation,  we  are  glad  to  give  them  our  help. 
Although  as  a  matter  of  personal  opinion, 
we  may  believe  that  it  is  more  fitting  that 
the  body  of  the  soldier  should  lie  in  the 
place  where  death  found  him  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duty — among  those  with  whom 
he  has  fought  and  suffered,  yet  in  deference 
to  the  wishes  of  those  most  deeply  inter- 
ested, we  are  ready  to  afford  them  every  fa- 
cility in  what  they  feel  to  be  their  duty.    , 

ARRIVAL  OF  PRISONERS. 

On  Tuesday  our  hearts  were  made  glad 
by  the  arrival  of  the  paroled  prisoners  from 
Richmond,  whom  we  have  been  anxiously 
expecting  for  some  two  weeks.  They 
reached  the  wharf  early  in  the  morning  in 
the  midst  of  a  severe  snow-storm.  Of  the 
whole  number^llTO — only  about  \bQ  or 
200  were  hospital  cases,  and  these  were  re- 
ceived at  St.  John's  College  IJospital.  A 
large  portion  of  these  Tjere  placed  in  a  new 
ward,  now  occupied  for  the  first  time,  large, 
well  ventilated,  with  a  wide  space  between 
the  rows  of  beds,  and  ample  room'  between 
the  beds ; ""  a  most  cheerful,  comfortable 
place,  the  very  look  of  which  is  health- 
giving.  The  larger  portion  of  the  men, 
however,  though  weak  and  much  reduced, 
were  able- to  find  their  way  to,College  Green 
Barracks.  Here  in  consequence  of  the  se- 
verity of  the  storm,  the  issue  of  clothing 
was  postponed,  as  these  men  wei«  not  so 
utterly  destitute,  as  those  who  have  hitherto 
arrived  here  from  Andersonville.  ^hey 
were  warmed  and  fed,  and  made  as  com- 
fortable as  possible,  however,  by  Captain 
Davis,  the  faithful  friend  of  the  prisoner.. 
On  Wednesday,  the  weather  being  more 
favorable,  the  Government  issue  of  clothing 
was  carried  on  as  heretofore,  and  I  had  the 
pleasure,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Miller, 
our  Agent  at  Camp  Parole,  of  issuing  from 
the  stores  of  the  Commission,  needles  and 
thread,  and  a  towel  to  dvery  man.  They , 
were  most  thankfully  received,  and,  the 
general  spirit  of  gratitude,  friendliness  and 
good  will  manifested  by  the  men  was  de- 


lightful to  witness.  At  the  invitation  of  ■ 
Captain  Davis,  we  took  our  dinner  at  the 
cook-house,  receiving  the  same  amount  and 
quality  issued  to  the  men,  and  no  one  could 
ask  for  better  fare  or  an  ampler  supply. 
Fine,  rich,  well-flavored  soup,  .full  of  meat 
and  vegetables  and  rice,  fresh  white  bread 
in  generous  quality. 

_  During  the  latter  part  of  the  week  my 
time  has  been  occupied  in  going  about 
among  the  newly  arrived  men — taking  lists 
of  the  men  of  certain  States,  also  lists  of 
the  deaths  which  have  occurred  in  prison 
for  publication,  and  seeking  information  in 
regard  to  persons  about  whom  we  have  re- 
ceived letters  of  inquiry  within  the  last  few 
weeks.  Until  now  it  has  been  impossible  to  do 
much  in  the  way  of  obtaining  the  necessary 
information  to  enable  us  to  reply  to  these  let- 
ters, as  the  men  paroled  from  Andersonjville 
have  almost  all  been  scattered  by  this  time 
to  their  homes  or  to  their  regiments.  And 
even  now  my  success  is  not  very  great,  as  the* 
men  about  whom  we  have  received  inquiries 
of  late  are  mostly  known  to  have  been  con- 
fined at  Andersonville,  so  that  those  who 
have  now  arrived,  coming  from  a  different 
part  of  the  .Confederacy,  are  not  able  to 
tell  us  much  about  them:  The  promise  of 
a  general  exchange,  however,  gives  us  the 
welcome, prospect  of  speedily  being  able  to 
satisfy  all  inquiring  friends. 

BY  MISSES  CARET  AND  PHILLIPS. 
Camp  Parole  Hospital,  Feb.  10,  1865. 
As  our  little  community  has  been  iii  a 
kind  of  transition  state_for  several  days  past; 
it  is  difficult  to  furnish  a  report  which  will 
be  clearly  understood  by  those  not  acquainted 
with  the  circumstances.  Early  in  the  week 
much  excitement  was  created  in  the  different 
wards  by  an  order  for  a  general  transfer  to 
Philadelphia  of  all  the  exchanged  men 
able  to  bear  the  journey.  Many  of  them 
were  just  recovering  from  fevers,  others  had 
suffered  much  from  long  confinement  with 
severe  wounds,  and  needed  warm  clothing ; 
and  as  there  was  not  time  for  those  who 
had  not  previously  provided  for  the  emerg- 
ency to  draw  from  Government,  in  the 
regular  way,  the  Sanitary  Commission 
carde  to  the  rescue,  and  furnished  many 
articles  of  comifort  for  the  journey.  Those 
few  who  were  unable  to  walk,  were  taken 
on  beds  or  stretchers  to  the  station,  accom- 
panied by  ward  masters  or  nurses;  and  all, 
under  the  escort  of  kind  assistant  surgeons, 
left  in  the  early  train  on  Wednesday  morn- 


1072 


The  Sanitary  Commigsion  Bulletin. 


ing.  They  seemed  happy,  many  of  them  in 
the  prospect  of  being  speedily  sent  to  the 
hospitals  of  their  respective  states  j  some 
^appeared  gratified  with  the  idea  of  any 
change  after  weary  months  of  confinement, 
while  others  remarked  that  they  had  been 
well  cared  for  here,  and  had  no  cause  to 
desire  a  chaflge.  But  to  those  of  us  to  whom 
they  had  been  objects  of  interest"and  sympa- 
thy, for  Weeks  or  months  past,  it  seemed 
like  parting  with  old  friends,  and  for  a  short 
time  some  of  the  wards  seemed  almost  de- 
serted. . 

Meanwhile  fevers  and  other  acute  dis- 
eases continue  to'  prevail ;'  new  cases  occur- 
ring or  being  brought  in  from  the  camp 
almost  daily;  and  several  of  the  ward  mas- 
ters and  other  attendants  are  or  have  been 
seriously  ill.  A  few  others  have  been  brought 
near  the  grave,  but  none  of  the /ewer  cases 
have  as  yet  proved  fatal.  The  only  death 
during  the  week,  was  that  of  an  interesting 
New  England  boy,  who  (^ied  of  diptheria, 
after  a  brief  illness. 

The  new  arrangements,  to  some  of  which 
reference  has  been  made,  it  is  understood 
are  preparatory  to  making  provision  for 
some  of  the  newly  arrived  prisoners  from 
Georgia. 

HOSPITAL   CASES. 

Affairs  at  this  section  are  still  in  a  fluc- 
tuating state.  Convalescents  are  being  re- 
turned to  camp,  confirmed  invalids  dis- 
charged or  transferred  to  the  hospitals  of 
their  respective  States,  others  are  returning 
daily  from  visits  home;  and  several  new 
cases  of  severe  illness  have  been  brought 
in.  Among  these  are  a  few  of  the  late  ar- 
rivals from  Libby  prison.  Although  very 
roughly  treated,  they  seem  to  have  fared 
much  better  than  those  from  Georgia,  and 
represent  the  rebels  as  being  themselves  re- 
duced to  such  straits,  that  they  could  scarce- 
ly have  been  expected  to  have  done  more 
for  them.  Yet  many  were  frozen  to  dsath, 
for  want  of  clothing  and  fuel. 

New  cases  of  fever  and  pneumonia  are 
'  found  almost  daily  in  all  the  wards.  Of 
the  last  named,  an  interesting  young  man 
died  after  a  brief  illness.  The  parents  were 
promptly  notified,  but  arrived  only  in  time 
to"  take  home  the  precious  remains.  Two 
others,  who  lingered  long  with  chronic  dis- 
eases, have  slept  their  last  sleep.  One  died 
of  a  wound  received  in  May  last,  after  weary' 
months  of,untold  suffering.  We  trust  he 
has  at  last  found  rest  in  Him  who  will  not 


break  the  bruised  reed,  and  has  gone  where 
the  wicke^  cease  from  troubling.  The 
other  case  was  one  of  the  Georgia  prisoners. 
He  was  much  prostrated  at  first,  but  had 
so  far  recovered  that  fie  had  made  his  ar- 
rangements to  visit  home^when  the  disease 
returned  with  renewed  violence,  and  again 
he  took  his  bed,  His  wife,  and  only  brother 
were  summoned  from  their  New  England 
home  ;  and  after  their  coming  he  once  more 
seemed  to  rally,  but  for  a  few  days  only. 
Death  came  suddenly  but  found  him  pre- 
pared. Through  his  languishing  sickness, 
and  repeated  dis^ippointments  he  was  sus- 
tained by  the  precious  hopes  of  the  gospel. 
His  oft.  expressed  desire  to  visit  his  home 
once  again,  yielded  to  the  divine  will  with- 
out a,  murmur.  Speaking  on  this  subject  a 
few  days  before  his'  death,  he  adds,  "  But 
I  am  satisfied  to  live  or  die  just  as  God 
pleases.  It  is  only  a  few  months  since  I 
began  to  know  and  trust  him.  My  suffer- 
ings in  prison  brought  me  to  reflection.  We 
had  such  good  prayer  meetings  then,  until 
the  rebels  broke  them  up."  In  a  letter  to 
his  wife,  after  his  release  from  prison,  he 
says,  "  Tell  my  mother  that  her  prayers  are 
answered.  The  prodigal  has  returned,  and 
finds  bread  enough  and  to  spare  in  his 
Father's  house.  (We  give  the  ideas,  the 
precise  words  are  not  remembered.)  As 
the  end  drew  nigh,  he  exhorted  all  about 
him  to  commence  at  once  to  live  for  God, 
and  meet  him  in  heaven. 


TEMPERANCE  IN  THE  ARMY. 
BY,  G.  A.  MILLER. 

The^e  is  quite  an  interest  in  the  temper- 
ance movement  in  camp,  and  the  develop- 
ments have  convinced  me  that  thfe  statement 
is  not  correct  that  among  officers  drinking 
is  universal.  There  are  officers  who  have 
the  moral  courage  to  resist  the  mighty 
pressfcre  that  is  brought  to  bear  on  them  in 
that"ir6ction,  and  have  maintained  their 
manhood  unfsullied. 

How  inconsistent  men  are  in  their  effort 
to  be  consistent!  A  captain  in  a  New 
England  regiment  told  me  that  he  came  into 
the  army  a  rigid  temperance  man;  but  in 
the  fatigue  of  long  marches  he  learned  to 
take  a  little  stimulant.  Presently,  shorter 
marches  required  it,  until  at  length  no 
march  at  all  demanded  it.  Says  he,  "  I  do 
*not  expect  to  become  a  drunkard,  I  know 
I  sharll  not ;  and  yet  I  should  not  be  willing 
that  a  sister  of  mine  should  marry  a  man 
who  drinks  as  much  as  I  do." 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bullef,in. 


1073 


S&NATABIA. 
The  establisliment  of  permanent  institu- 
tions for  the  care  and  employment  of  dis- 
abled soldiers  when  the  war  shall  have 
ended,  is  already  beginning  to  agitata  the 
public  mind  j  for  that  there  will  be  thousands 
of  maimed  and  crippled  veterans  thrown 
upon  the  country,  whose  capacity  for  use- 
fulness will  be  impaired  in  proportion  to 
the  nature  and  extent  of  the  injuries  re- 
ceived in /battle,  is  already  a  settled  fact 
that  no  one  will  attempt  to  gainsay. 

What  is  our  dHity  towards  them  ?  They 
cannot  go  into  the  marts  of  trade  as  they 
have  been  wont  tb  do  and  compete  with  or- 
dinary labor.  Thousands  of  strong  right 
arms  are  now  mingled  with  the  soil  of  re- 
bellious states,  and  will  never  again  add  » 
single  mite  to  the  productive  industry  of 
the  country;  and  yet  strong  hearts  of  true 
men  beat  beneath  the  disabled  bodies,  and 
are  just  as  fresh  with  domestic  aflfeo- 
tion,  and  just  as  warm  with  social  attach- 
ments, as  before  the  sacrifice  was  made ;  and 
the  loyal  people,  seeing  this,  are  more  earn- 
est than  ever  to  provide  permanent  homes, 
and  honest  employment,  and  heartfelt,  in- 
vigorating associations  for  those  who  have 
defended  us  against  treason. 

The  impulses  of  the.  nation  are  all  right 
in  this,  direction.  The  people  and  the  re- 
presentatives of  the  people  in  legislatures, — 
local  and  general, — are  moving  to  do  what 
seemeth  best  for  the  soldier,  when  he  shall 
return  among  us  to  enjoy  a  peace  that  he 
shall  have  aided  to  secure,  by  conquering 
and  subduing  the  causes  of  war. 

The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  having 
represented  the  people  in  the  care  of  the 
soldier  in  the  field,  having  watched  and  de- 
fended him  in  transitu  from  the  field  to  his 
home,  and  from  his  home  to  the  field  again ; 
having  acted  as  his  agent  to  collect  his 
bounty,  prize  money,  a'nd_  other  claims,  with- 
out cost  or  hindrance ;  having  regarded  the 
interests  of  his  family,  in  procuring  inform- 
ation that  they  could  not  procure,  and  in 
adjusting  claims  with  the  government  fos 
Vol.  I.  No.  34  68 


pensions,  &c.,  have  been  for  more  than  a 
year  employing  themselves  with  prepara- 
tions for  establishing  Sanitaria  for  his  fu- 
ture protection  and  comfort,  and  they  ask  the 
people  to  regard  this  interest  with  peculiar 
favor. 

Let  us  learn  wisdom  for  the  future 
by  the  experiences  of  the  past.  Th»  mul- 
tiplication of  diverse  interests  is  always  a 
calamity  in  any  great  eiFort  for  the  commmi 
good ;  and  the  multiplication  of  instrumen- 
talities, all  tending  in  one  direction  and 
concentrating  in  one  channel,  for  the  great- 
est good  to  the  greatest  number,  is  alike  the 
'  cheapest  and  most  efiicie^it  method  of  doing 
good.  Had  the  local  societies  and  rival  insti- 
tutions which  have  grown  up  in  the  country 
since  the  war  began,  concentrated  their  en- 
ergies and  united  their  gifts,  upon  the  broad 
catholic  principle  of  a  universal  brother- 
hood, such  a  record  would  have  been  made 
before  the  worldj  as  has  never  been  con- 
ceived. That  record  however  cannot  be 
made.  It  will  never  be  known  how  much 
has  been  done  during  the  past  four  years 
for  our  army  and  navy  by  the  hearty,  and 
yet  discursive  and  unsystematized  benevo- 
lence of  the  people. 

It  will  never  be  known  how  much  of  labor, 
treasure,  and  time  have  been  wasted  by 
these  rival  methods,  but  that  money  has 
been  thrown  away,  supplies  squandered, 
time  misemployed,  and  lives  lost  there  can- 
not be  a  doubt. 

That  we  should  profit  by  the  instructive 
experience  of  the  past  four  years  is  plainly 
a  duty  now.  Let  the  earnest  benevolence 
of  the  people  sekk  the  wisest  and  cheapest 
means  for  the  employment  of  their  funds 
in  the  establishment  of  Sanataria;  and  it  is 
not  without  the  confidence  inspired  by  the 
assurance  of  truth,  that  we  declare  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  to  be  the  most  reli-. 
able  instrumentality  for  this  purpose  within 
reach  of  the  people. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  war  the 
subject  of  sanitary  science  has  been  a  part 
of  the  great  idea  of  the  Commission,  and 


1074 


Tlie  Saiiita/ey  Commission  Bulletin. 


certain  members  of  it  who  have  made  it 
their  special  study  for  years,  could  not  avoid 
using,  the  opportunities  furnished  by  the 
war,  for  increasing  their  knowledge  and  pro- 
moting the  cause.  So  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  stands  to-day  before  the  people 
of  this  country  as  the  chief  centre  of  intelli- 
gencenand  the  chief  bureau  of  information,  on 
the  subject  of  locating,  furnishing,  and  con- 
ducting Sanataria. 

The  experience  of  the  Commission  in  its 
temporary  homes,  lodges,  and  rests,  of  which 
there  are  about  thirty  already  in  existence, 
and  at  which  some  four  thousand  soldiers 
are  fed  and  lodged  every  day,  as  they  pass 
to  and  from  the  field,  is  an  experience  rich 
in  incidents  of  unusual  interest,  rich  in  the 
teachings  of  detail,  as  in  the  classification 
and  tabulation  of  facts,  by  whi(^  the  Com- 
mission is  more  thoroughly  conversant  with 
the  wants  and  habits  of  disabled  men,  and 
with  the  means  of  supplying  them,  than  any 
other  organization  in  th*e  land. 

We  ask  the  people  therefore,  who  desire 
to  labor  in  this  behalf  to  do  so  through 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  to  do  so  earn- 
estly and  systematically.  Let  the  funds  that 
are  collected  for  this  purpose,  be  contributed 
to  the  treasury  of  the  Commission,  that  the 
plans  that  have  been  developed,  and  are 
now  being  matured,  as  a  result  of  years  of 
thought  and  careful  investigation,  may  be " 
vitalized  by  the  hearty  sympathy  and  con- 
currence of  a  generous  public,  whpse  record 
hitherto,  in  the  matter  of  benevolent  deeds, 
ia  more  illustrious  than  was  ever  known  in 
any  other  nation  or  age  of  the  world. 


A  "COmrOHT  BAG"  IH  THE  ABMY. 

The  writer  very  well  remembers  packing 
with  a  great  variety  of  articles,  last  sum- 
mer, a  certain  "  Comfort  Bag,"  containing 
ne.edles,  thread,  blackberries,  and  a  letter 
from  the  giver — one  of  our  patriotic  little 
girls — requesting  a  reply  from  the  soldier 
who  might  receive  it.  Sure  enough,  h&re 
it  is!  and  we  have  it  published,  as  it  so 
plainly  proves  that  our  offerings  to  the  sol- 
diers, through  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
reach  their  intended  destination. 


Camp  61st  Reo.  Mass.  Volunteers,     "1 
Defences  City  Point,  Ta.,  Feb.  2,  1865.  / 

Deae  M.  : — I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  re^ 
ceive  from  the  Sanitary  Commission,  yes- 
terday, one  of  those  little  bags  you  made 
last  May.  The  little  letter  dates  June  1^ 
1864.  I  will  now  reply,  as  you  wish  to 
hear  from  the  one  who  might  receive  it. 

It  was  so  long  ago,  perhaps  you  may  have 
forgotten  its  contents. 

Those  dried  blackberries  were  excellent ; 
we  stewed  them  last  evening  and  they  were 
nice,  and  you  know  tha;t  soldiers  do  not 
often  get  luxuries. 

The  needles  we  often  have  occasion  to 
use,  and  as  often  will  think  of  the  patriotic 
little  girl  at  Glen's  Falls. 

Now  you  would,  perhaps,  like  to  know 
something  of  the  soldiar  who  received  your 
little  gift :  I  have  been  a  soldier  almost 
even  since  the  war  began.  I  went  out  with 
the  1st  Mass.  Begiment,  three  years  ago 
last  May.  I  have  been  in  many  battles  and 
skirmishes,  and  was  slightly  wounded  at 
Chancelorsville  the  3d  of  lAay,  1863,  and 
again  at  Spotsylvania,  on  the  10th  of  May, 
1864.  I  was  a  prisoner  in  Richmond  dur- 
ing July  and  August,  1862.  I  remained 
at  home  six  months  after  our  regiment  was 
discharged,  and  then  enlisted  again  in  the 
61st  Mass.  Regiment,  and  I  am  now  with 
the  regiment  at  City  Point,  Va.  So  you 
can  see  I  have  some  experience  of  a  sol- 
dier's life;,  it  is  not  all  sunshine,  to  be  sure, 
but  for  one  who  loves  the  noble  cause  we 
are  engaged  in,  the  hardships  can  some- 
times be  borne  with  pleasure.  Our  friends 
at  home  can  never  know  how  much  their 
kind  regard  for  the  soldiers  has  done  to  sus- 
tain us  on  the  long,  weary  marches,  through 
the  storms  and  heat  and  dust.  How  often, 
when  nearly  sinking  to  the  ground  from 
fatigue,  the  thought  of  those  at  home  has 
rallied  us  to  make  another  effort.  That  yours 
may  be  a  long  and  happy  life,  is  the  wish 
of 

Your  soldie*  friend, 

';         James  T.  Higgins, 

Co.  G,  6l8t  Mass.  Vol's., 
City  Point,  Va. 

SOLDIEB'S  SCBAF  BOOKS. 
Loyal  love  ever  seeks  its  expression  in 
action,  and  to  those  whose  every  effort  has 
been  given  to  one  object  for  the  past  four 
years,  it  may  be  acceptable  to  find  some 
new  vent  for  their  energy,  some  new  mode 
of  satisfying  their  constant  desire  to  be  at 
work  for  those  who  are  so  bravely  and  faith- 


^he  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1076 


fully  at  work  for  them.  To  such  we  would 
recommend  the  making  of  "Soldier's  Scrap 
Books." 

Many  of  yoa  will  say,  "  This  is  nothing 
new,  we  have  been  doing  so  for  a  long 
time."  Very  probably,  and  I  am  most 
happy  to  know  that  you  have  done  so ;  but 
I  find  in  conversing  with  persons  generally, 
that  it  is  a  new  idea  to  them,  and  therefore 
I  have  taken  this  method  of  circulating  it. 

Most  persons  in  looking  over  old  papers, 
or  arranging  closets  or  drawers,  will  find 
many  newspaper  scraps,  both  of  prose  and 
verse,  of  much  interest,  which  will  be  ex- 
actly adapted  to  the  purpose.  Take  either 
a  blank  book  or  any  old  copy  book,  and 
paste  these  pieces  into  them,  covering  the 
page  entirely;  it  is  surprising,  by  this 
means,  what  an  amount  of  reading  matter 
one  copy  book  may  -be  made  to  contain. 
The  pictures  taken  from  our  illustrated 
papers  and  magazines  are  valuable  also  to 
enliven  the  book,  and  it  is  well  to  vary  the 
pages  in  this  manner. 

Keep  this  idea  in  your  mind  as  you  read 
the  daily  papers,  and  extract  constantlyi 
whatever  you  think  will  be  useful  or  enter- 
taining. In  this  way  you  will  be  steadily 
accumulating  a  stock,  which  you  can  arrange 
in  your  book*  at  your  leisure.  This  work 
has  been  found  particularly  suited  to  inva- 
lids, and  we  would  recommend  it  to  those 
desirous  to  aid  the  soldiers,  and  yet  with 
strength  for  very  little  exertion.  Many 
aged  persons  also  have  found  much  pleas- 
ure in  selecting  pieces  and  forming  books 
in  this  manner.  We  know  of  one,  old  gen- 
tleman, who,  having  lately  lost  a  tenderly 
loved  daughter,  has  been  induced  to  occupy' 
his  mind  in  this  way,  and '  has  found  (as 
those  ever  will,  who  turn  from  their  own 
griefs  to  lighten  those  of  others)  comfort 
and  solace  in  the  work.  But  my  young 
friends  of  the  "  Alert  Clubs,"  to  you  most 
especially  would  I'  direct  these  remarks, 
and'beg  you-  to  turn  your  attention  to  this 
branch  of  add  to  the  soldiers.  Could  you 
have  seen,  as  I  have,  the  many  weary  hours 
of  hospital  life,  when  sufiering  or  debility  • 
prevents  any  continuous  reading,  and  watch- 
ed the  pleasure  expressed  in  the  face  of 
some  poor  fellow  at  the  sight  of  one  of  these 
same  "  Scrap  Books,"  full  of  short  articles 
complete  in  themselves  and  requiring  no 
sustained  attention,  you  would  at  once  're- 
solve to  add  this  to  your  other  duties  for 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  keep  one 
always  oa  hand,  so  that  as  rapidly  as  one 


package  was  sent  oflF,  in  those  nice  boxes 
which  we  are  always  so  glad  to  receive  from 
you,  another  should  be  under  way,  and  thus 
the  supply  steadily  kept  up. 

I  trust  that  those  who  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  making  these,  books  will  continue 
to  do  so,  and  also  that  those  to  whom  the 
idea  comes  iot  the  first  time,  will  make  the 
experiment,  and  we  can  safely  promise 
them  in  advance,  the  warm  thanks  of  all 
who  shall  receive  any  such  contributions. 

D.. 
Fbiladelfbza,  1307  Chkstnot  St., 
March,  1865. 


WOUAN'S  CENTBAL  ASSOCIAIION  OF  BELIEF. 

ASSOCIATE  MANAGERS. — NO.  Till. 

We  report  our  receipts  and  -distributions 
for  the  month  of  February,  as  follows  : — 
number  of  packages  received,  164.  Distri- 
buted to  City  Point,  57  packages ;  Portress 
Monroe,  1  package ;  Newberne,  N.  C,  29 
packages;  Beaufort,  S.  C,  164  packages; 
New  Orleans,  22  packages;  Danville,  ,Va., 
1  package ;  Louisville,  Ky.,  50  packages ; 
Navy,  4  packages ;  Hospitals  in  and  near 
New  York  City^  15  packages.  Total,  343 
packages  distributed. 

We  are  aware  how  very  inaccurate  this 
method  is,  of  reporting  by  "  packages," 
The  term  package  is  used  for  boxes,  bar- 
rels and  bales  indiscriminately  of  all  sizes. 
We  cannot  give  the  space  required  for  the 
publication  of  our  detailed  monthly  reports, 
in  which  every  article  received  and  given 
out  is  specified,  and  y^t  we  want  to  giye 
you  a  general  idea  of  what  has, been  accom- 
plished during  the  month.  We  have  there- 
fore adopted  this  imperfect  method  as  the 
shortest  way  of  gaining  that  object. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  demand  for 
%nnel  drawers,  sheets,  socks,  handker- 
chiefs, towels,  old  linen,  and  almost  every- 
thing else,  we  have  this  week  a  special  call 
to  make.  '  Mrs.  M.  M.. Marsh,  wife  of  our 
Inspector  at  Bea:ufort,  S.  C,  writes  us, 
February  8,  "  Another  want,  which  could 
I  h^e  foreseen  in  half  its  extent,  would  I 
am  sure  have  been  partially  met,  viz., 
KEADiNQ  MATTER.  Sherman's  men,  cut 
off  for  so  long  a  time  from  book  or  paper, 
were  voracious,  and  I  may  use  the  present 
tense  of  all  left  here,  and  they  are  many. 
Our  little  stock  of  books  is  a  centre  of  at- 
traction, and  you  cannot  think  how  promptly 
they  are  returned.  They  do  much  toward 
whiling  away  the  weary  hours  in  hospital. 
Would  that  every  home  would  contribute 


1076 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


just  one  readable  book  or  magazine.  It 
would  be  like  the  '  penny  contribution'  that 
built  a  cathedral.  Will  you  help  us  ?  These 
men,  left  behind  in  hospital,  or  doing  soli- 
tary duty  in  detachments  far  away  from 
both  home  and  regiment,  feel  alone,  and 
very  naturally  seek  sopiething  for  diver- 
sion." 

We  hope  that  our  friends  will  enable  us 
to  meet  this  and  similar  calls,  in  a  way 
which  will  be  more  satisfactory  to  them  and 
to  ourselves.  At  present  we  are  much  in 
want  ofgood  reading  matter. 

In  this,  our  third  and  last  article  upon 
the  organization  of  our  Branch,  we  shall 
define  the  position  and  duties  of  Associate 
Managers. 

The  Associate  Manager  organization  was 
adopted  by  us  from  the  New  England 
Branch  of  the  Commission,  after  a  most 
satisfactory  trial  of  the  plan  for  several 
weeks,  by  a  member  of  our  own  Board. 

The  plan  is  to  divide  the  whole  field  into 
sections,  and  appoint  one  or  more  Associate 
Managers  in  charge  of  each  section.  Up 
to  this  time  about  forty -five  Associate  Man- 
agers have  been  appointed.  These  ladies 
act  as  our  representatives  and  are  in  con- 
stant correspondence  with  us.  Their  object  i 
— irrespective  of  what  we  all  have  iif  view 
preeminently — is  two  fold ,'  to  help  you  and 
to  help  us  in  our  work.  These  ladies,  like 
ourselves,  are  volunteers.  Their  traveling 
expenses  even  are  not  repaid  them;  post- 
age charges  alone  being  refunded  by  the 
,  Association.  The  yesition  is  one  of  respon- 
sibility and  hard  work,  involving  a  great 
deal  of  time  and  Jhought.  The  value  of 
this  service  to  our  cause  is  indisputable.  It 
is  proved  that  it  has  been  the  means  of 
greatly  extending  the  interest  in  our  work. 

The  duties  of  an  Associate  Manager,  ^ 
defined  two  years  ago  in  one  of  our  reports, 
are  as  follows  : — 

1st.  To  ascertain  whether  Soldiers'  Aid 
Societies  exist  in  every  town  and  village  of 
her  section,  and  if  so,  for  what  they  are 
working. 

2d.  When  they  are  not  working  for  the 
Commission,  to  use  all  her  influence  to  in- 
duce them  to  do  so,  meeting  all  objections 
by  bringing  forward  in  a  kindly  spirit  the 
convincing  proofs  fumisEed'by  the  published 
documents  of  the  Commission,  and  the  tes- 
timony of  the  officers  of  the  army  of  the 
■United  States. 

3d.  When  such  societies,  tributary  to  the 
Commission,  do  not  exist,  we  wish  to  have 


them  organized  by  our  associate,  or,  if  pre- 
ferred, she  may  send  us  the  name  of  the 
right  person,  in  the  particular  town  or  vil- 
lage, to  whom  we  should  address  ourselves. 

4th.  To  visit  all  the  auxiliary  societies  in 
her  section,  from  time  to  time,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  information,  answering  ques- 
tions, dispelling  doubts,  and  encouraging 
workers; — this  personal  intercourse  being 
thought  very  desirable.  This,  however, 
would  be  at  the  option  of  our  associate,  who 
can  judge  better  than  we  can  how  best  to 
produce  the  desired  result  in  her  own 
section. 

5th.  To  keep  the  broad  Federal  principle, 
upon  which  the  Commission  is  based,  ever 
before  the  people.  Our  whole  experience 
shows  that  our  people  are  truly  liberal  in 
spirit,  and  only  ask  for  information  as  to  the 
best  way  of  working  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
Where,  during  the  past  year,  whole  com- 
munities have  worked  for  special  regiments, 
it  was  only  necessary  to  explain  the  na- 
tional principle  upon  which  the  Sanitary 
Commission  rests,  and  it  was  immediately 
adopted.  , 

6th.  To  bring  every'  influence  to  bear 
■which  may  stimulate  this  work,  the  respon- 
sibility of  which  we  feel  so  deeply,  and  which 
may  tend  to  make  it  more  thorough  and 
efficient.  It  should  always  be  presented  on 
the  high  grounds  of  duty,  patriotism,  and 
Christianity. 

7th.  To  keep  herself  thoroughly  informed 
of  the  working  of  the  Commission,  by  fre- 
quent correspondence  with  this  office.  When 
questions  are  asked  us  which  we  cannot  an- 
swer, we  write  to  the  General  Secretary  at 
Washington  for  information,  or  riefer  our 
associate  directly  to  him. 

8th.  To  send  us  a  friendly  letter  once  a 
month,  with  a  report  of  the  condtion  of 
things  in  her  section,  pointing  out  any  errors 
on  our  part,  and  making  any  suggestions 
which  may  help  us  to  make  our  work  more 
efiective,  and  which  will  be  gladly  received. 

To  these  have  been  added  the  entire 
charge  of  the  distribution  of  printed  matter 
throughout  her  section ;  and  more  recently, 
the  arragement  of  lecturing  tours. 

It  is  through  the  associate  managers,  too, 
that  we  obtain  that  information  which  en- 
ables us  to  work  harmoniously  with  you. 
How  can  we  work  together  with  any  sort  of 
concerted  action,  unless  we  know  what  your 
interest  in  the  soldier  is  ?  And  so  we  keep 
a  book,  in  which  is  entered  the  name  of 
every  post-office  village  in  our  fleld,  and  op- 


The  Sanitdry  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1077 


posite  each  name  is  recorded  what  the  Aid 
Society  of  that  place  has  done  for  the  sol- 
diers through  our  agency,  or  any  other 
agency,  if  that  can  be  ascertained.  Except- 
ing through  our  associate  managers  it  is 
not  possible  for  us  to  obtain  this  information. 

We  wish  we  could  speak  as  we  feel  of  the 
great  help  and  comfort  these  ladies  have 
been  to  us  ■  in  our  work ;  not  only  in  their 
official  position,  but*  as  personal  friends. 
The  interest  with  which  they  have  adopted 
our  plans,  and  aided  us  in  carrying  them 
out,  their  red,diness  to  accept  additional 
labor,  without  thought  of  sparing  them- 
selves, their  well  weighed  suggestions  and 
frank  criticisms,  their  loving  trust  and  pa- 
tience, their  words  of  sympathy  and  encour- 
agment,  which  cross  our  paths  like  so  many 
sunbeams;  all  this,  and  much  more,  for 
which  we  cannot  be  sufficiently  grateful, 
rushes  through  heart  and  head  as  we  write. 
Of  how  these  ladies  have  aided  you  it  is  un- 
necessary for  us  to  speak.  Let  us,  on  our 
part,  resolve  to  do  all  that  we  can  to  make 
the  work  of  our  associate  managers  as  easy 
for  them  as  possible,  by  meeting  their  efforts 
in  our  behalf  in  the  same  spirit  with  which 
they  are  made. 

And  thus  we  conclude  these  three  articles 
upon  the  organization  Of  our  Branch.  We 
have  wished  to  show  in  them  that  the  sys- 
tem which  characterizes  the  whole  work  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission,  extends  no  less 
through  its  Home  Department;  that  tbfere 
,is  method  in  the  collection  of  supplies,  as 
well  as  in  their  distribution ;  that  we  have 
each  an  assigned  part  in  this  va^t  plan — a 
niche  in  this  great  temple  erected  to-human- 
ity.  When  the  war  is  over,  and  we  shaJl 
have  returned  to  our  ordinary  duties,  there 
will  be  few  things  we  shall  prize  more  than 
the  consciousness  of  having  been  members 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission ; — a  work 
which  has  been  so  essentially  the  exponent 
ol  the  patriotism  of  the  women  of  our  country, 
and  which,  because  so  noble  in  itself,  has 
bound  us  'together  with  no  ordinary  bonds 
of  sympathy  and  respect. 

Louisa  Lee  Schuylek, 

Chr.  Committee  on  Correspondeuce,  &e. 
New  Yobe;,  7  Cooper  UsjtQn, 
March  i,  18^5. 


/ 


GOOD  NEWS  FBOffl  HABTFOBD,  COKN. 

KECEIPTS. 

The  Hartford  Sanitary  Association  has, 
during  the  months  of  January  and  Febru- 
ary, 1865,  received  the  following  very  ac- 


ceptable donations  of  money : — Erom  five 
friends,  $52  40;  Mrs.  H.  B.  Treat,  $10; 
Mrs.  S.  N.  Hart,  15;  Miss  Arthur's  class 
in  Bethel  Sunday-school,  $1 ;  Miss  B.  M. 
Watkinson,  $25 ;  Mrs.  Robert  Watkinson, 
$10;  Hartford  Alert  Club,  $300;  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward Kellogg,  $5.^  Mrs.  N'.  Shipman,  $35; 
Alfred  Smith,  Esq.,  $25;  Samuel  Spaulding, 
$1;  Mr.^  T.  Wadsworth,  $5  ;  Box  at  R.  R. 
Station,  $1  75;  Simsbury  Alert  Club,  $43; 
Marlboro',  $19;  Southington  Alert  Club, 
$53 ;  CoUinsville  Alert  Club,  $54  ;  Weth- 
ersfield,  avails  of  a  festival,  $712 ;  Plainville 
Alert  Club,  $16  50 ;  Gilead,  $17  20 ;  East 
e-lastenbury,  $11;  West  Hartland,  $12  60; 
Hartland,  $20;  Canton  Centre,  $15  90; 
South  Manchester,  $20  ;'  Glastonbury,  $15 ; 
Unionville  Alert  Club,»$20. 

Contributed  by  the  following  friends'  for 
the  purchase  of  a  knitting  machine  : — Mr. 
E.  W.  Wells,  $2 ;  Miss  M.  W.  Wells,  $3  ; 
Mrs.  R.  Watkinson,  $1;  Mrs.  G.  M.  Bar- 
tholomew, $1  25;  Mrs.  E.  N.  Kellogg,  $2; 
,Mrs.  J.  Warburton,  $5;  Mrs.  E.  Robprts, 
$1;  Mrs.  T.  Steele,  $1;  Miss  M.  H.  Par- 
sons, $2 ;  Mrs.  G.  Wells  Root,  $3 ;  Mrs.  S. 
S.  Ward,  $2;  Mrs.  0.  G.  Terry,  $2;  Mrs. 
H.  A.  Perkins,  $5;  Mrs.  Thomas  Smith, 
$10;  Mrs.  E.  H.  Owen,  $10;  A  friend  in 
CoUinsville,  $2.    Total  rec,eipts,  $1,562  76. 

Also  supplies  in  kind,  as  follows  :  Avon, 
4  feather  pillows;  Mrs.  Wheeler,  pickles; 
Bloomfield,  from  four  little  girls,  a  bed  quilt ; 
East  Berlin,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Royce,  4  bottles  of 
catsup;  Canton  Centre,  Mr.'  S.  Taylor, 
quantity  dried  fruit;  CoUinsville  Alert  Club, 
2  bed  quilts;  Farmington,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Hart, 
dried  fruit;  Glastenbury,  31  ring  pads; 
Mrs.  P.  SchoUler,  1  pair  of  socks;  West 
Granby,  cotton  and  linen;  East  Granby, 
Mrs.  A.  Pratt,  linen;  East  Hartford,  Mrs. 
Aaron  Olmsted,  blackberry  syrup,  wine, 
linen,  dried  fruit;  West  Hartford,  Mrs. 
Allen  Burr,  dried  fruit,  honey,  vinegar, 
linen ;  Miss  Butler,  newspapers ;  Hartland, 
11  handkerchiefs,  1  pair  socks,  linen,  hops, 
beeswax,  mutton  tallowj  1  barrel  dried  fruit, 
1  barrel  pickled  tomatoes,  sheets,  pillows, 
pillow  cases  and  23  comfort  bags  from  chil- 
.  dren;  North  Manchester,  lint;  South  Man- 
chester, 6  handkerchiefs;  Simsbury,  dried 
currants,  4  handkerchiefs,  2  towels ;  South- 
ington, 8  handkerchiefs,  2  pillow  cases,, 
linen;  Mrs.  and  Miss  Merriam,  8  pounds, 
dried  currants,  2  pairs  socks;  Plainville,, 
bandages,  linen  and  cotton ;  Unionville,  cot- 
ton;  Windsor,  Mrs  Mather  and  Mrs.  E.  N.. 
Phelps,  cotton  and  linen;  East  Windsor,  8. 


1078 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


comfort  bags,  4  pairs  slippers,  ,4  ring  pads, 

1  pair  socks;  Mrs.  G.  P.  Booth,  2  bed 
quilts;  Windsor  Locks,  103  "Wounded 
Soldier's  Friend,"  lint,  cotton;  Wethers- 
field,  Mrs  Savagfe,  2  barrels  onions ;  Miss 
Fanny  Knight,  dried  apples ;  South  Wind- 
sor, Miss  Sarah  Moore,  Miss  jGrray,  Mrs. 
Susan  Elmer,  cotton  and  linen;  Jewett 
City,  8  comfort  bags,  9  pairs  hose;  Hart- 
ford, South  Church  Sunday-school  400 
comfort  bags  filled  with  valuable  articles ; 
Mrs.  H.  Fitch,  under  shirts;  Mrs.  Packard, 
7  bottles  smelling  salts ;  Mrs.  H.  B.  Treat, 

3  pairs  of  socks,  1  pair  mittens;  Mrs.  C. 
Richards,  4  napkins,  5  pairs  socks,  old 
linen  ;  Mrs.  J.  Stillman,  2  quilts;  Mrs.  G. 
W.  Newton,  vinegar ;  Miss  Mary  Gage  and 
schoolmates,  very  nice  bed  quilts;  Mrs. 
Harwood,  2  pairs  socks  by  Mrs.  Holaday ; 
Mrs.  Smith,  8  pairs  cloth  mittens ;  Mrs.  C. 
Nott,  2  pairs  socks;  Mrs.  B.  H.  Owen,  4 
arm  rests,  bandages,  old  linen  ;  Mrs.  T.  W. 
Russell's  Sunday-school  class,  one  album 
qiiilt;  Mrs.  S.  Hamilton,  bandages;  Mrs.. 
William  Savage,  compresses,  lint,  linen; 
Mrs.  E.  Goodwin,  shirts ;  Mrs.  William 
Kellogg,  shirts;  Mrs.  George  Robinson, 
linen,  pickles;  valuable  gifts  of  boxes  and 
barrels  for  packing  from  Messrs.  A.  Larned, 
W.  M.  Judd,  E.  S.  Sykes,  Munyan  and 
Chalker,  Starr  and  Burnett,  Weatherby  and 
Co.,  C.  Haynes,  Griswold  and  Miss  A.  M. 
Hills. 

Forwarded  to  No.  10  Cooper  Union  since 
January  1,  1865,  (or  during  the  months  of 
January  and  February,)  11  boxes  and  bar- 
rels, containing  420  comfort  bags,  253 
pairs  of  socks,  504  flannel  shirts,  38  surgi- 
cal shirts,  33  pairs  mittens,  9  bed  quilts, 

2  pairs  potton  drawers,  2  dressing  gowns, 

4  arm  rests,  and  a  quantity  of  reading  mat- 
ter.    Total,  1,295. 

In  response  to  our  recent  call  for  old 
cotton  and  linen,  numerous  friends  both  in 
city  and  country  have  given  liberally,  and 
many  books  and  newspapers  have  been 
sent  in.      ' 

•     VEGETABLES  AND  PICKLES  NEEEED. 

But  we  beg  leave  to  request  all  the 
friends  of  the  soldier  to  bear  constantly  in 
mind,  that  vegetables,  pickles,  old  -linen 
and  cotton  are  standing  wcmts  of  the  army, 
which  are  never  fully  met,  and  that  they 
can  do  much  toward  supplying  the  lack  of 
the  two  former  articles^  by  pending  from 
time  to  time  a  barrel,  bushel  or' keg  of  either, 
as  they  can  be  spared ;  and  particularly  as 


the  season  for  planting  arrives,  by  devoting 
a  plot  to  the  cultivation  of  them  especially  fear 
the  soldier,  and  by  sending  to  the  Commis- 
sion, through  its  auxiliaries,  any  overplus 
they  may  have  on  hand  at  the  close  of  the 
winter,  instead  of  selling  them  at  a  reduced 
price,  as  inany  did  to  their  great  regret, 
last  spring. 

BISBtrUSEMENTS. 

The  Hartford  Sanitary  Association,  since 
its  organization  in  April,  1864,  to  January 
1,  1865,  has  forwarded  to  No.  10  Cooper 
Union,  166  boxes  and  barrels,  the  contents 
of  wliich  (including  16  previously  forward- 
ed by  the  Associate  Managers)  were  as  fol- 
lows:— shirts,  l.)530;  drawers,  1,506;  hose, 
848  pairs ;  mittens,  136  pairs ;  sheets,  401 ; 
pillow  slips,  136;  pillow  ticks,  186;  towels, 
2,003;  pillows,  523;  quilts,  139;  blankets, 
9 ;  slippers,  16  pairs ;  arm  slings,  191 ; 
dressing  gowns,  9;  bed  sacks,  7;  ring  pads, 
90;  second  hand  garments,  331;  miscella- 
neous, 233.     ToUl,  8,294. 

Bandages,- 16,914  yards;  old  linen  and 
cotton,  8  barrels  and  9  packages ;  books,  6 
cases;  dried  fruit,  424  pounds,  88  packages 
and  3  cases ;  groceries,  116  pounds ;  jellies 
and  preserves.  643  jars  and  3  cases ;  wine 
aud  spirits,  li4  bottles ;  fresh  fruit,  3  bar- 
rels; pickles,  11  kegs  and  65,  barrels;  fresh 
vegetables,  45  barrels;  dried  apples,  5  bar- 
re^  and  8  cases ;  tomatoes,  17  bottles ;  bar- 
berry syrup  for  fevers,  86  bottles ;  cologne, 
18  bottles.;  spices,  4  boxes;  blackberry  cor- 
dial and  brandy,  267  bottles;  miscellaneous, 
11  packages. 

CONDENSED    STATEMENT. 

These  supplies  have  been  furnished  by 
52  towns,  which  have  also  aided  us  by  con- 
tributing to  our  funds,  and  in  making  gar- 
ments, &c.  The  names  of  these  towns  are, 
Avon,  Berlin,  East  Berlin,  Bloomfield,  Blue 
Hills,  Bolton,  Bristol,  New  Britain,  Bur- 
lington, Canton  Centre,  Collinsville,  Coven- 
try, Farmington,  Forestville,  Glastenbury, 
East  and  West  Granby,  Gilead,  Griswold, 
Griswoldville,  Haddam  Neck,  Middle  Had- 
dam.  East  Hartford,  West  Hartford,  New 
Hartford,  Hartland,  West  Hartland,  He- 
bron, Higganum,  Jewett  Gijf,  Kensington, 
Manchester  North  and  South,  Marlboro', 
Newington,  Plainville,  Plymouth  Hollow, 
RookvUle,  Simsbury,  Southington,  Snffield, 
Terryville,  Torringford,  Unionville,  Vernon 
Centre,  Vernon  Depot,  Wethersfield,  Wind.. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1079 


sor,  Windsor  Locks,  South  Windsor,  East 
Windsor  Hill,  and  Warehouse  Point. 
We  have  received  from  friends 

of  the  caiiae  in  the  city,  $2,897  ^5 

in  tfie  country,  3,222  41 


Total, 


$6,120  36 

COUNTRY  AUXILIARIES. 

This  we  think  is  a  good  record,  and  the 
result  is  owing  in  a  very  great  degree  to 
the  energy  and  steadfastness  of  our  country 
auxiliaries.  To  give  some  idea  of  the  value 
of  their  assistance,  we  would  instance  the 
town  of  Southington,  which,  during  a  period 
of  eight  months,  has  contributed  to  our 
treasury  the  sum  of  $358  89,  and  made  800 


garments. 


Annie  E.  Cooke, 

Secretary. 


EXTBACTS  FSOM  A  LETTEB  BY  BENJAUIK 
WOODWABD,  M.D. 

Memphis,  Tenn.,  February  17,  1865. 
The  Western  campaign  and  series  of  bat- 
tles opened  with  "Belmont,"  Mo.,  in  Nov. 
1861 ;  then,  in  course,  came  "  Donaldson," 
"Port  Henry,"  "New  Madrid,"  "Island 
No.  10,"  bombardment  of  "  Fort  Pillow," 
the  siege  of  "  Corinth,"  with  all  its  battles ; 
the  battle  of  "  Perryvill,e,"  "  Stone  River," 
or  as  it  is  sometimes  called  "  Murfreesboro' ;" 
the  advance  of  G-eneral  Rosecrans  through 
"Tennessee,  ending  with  the  battles  of 
"Chattanooga,"  "Chickamaug^"  "Lookout 
Mountain,"  "  Missionary  Ridge ;"  the  de- 
fense of  "  Knoxville,"  "  Buzzard's  Roost," 
"  Marietta,"  and  "Dallas."  This  was  the 
last  great  battle  of  which  I  can  speak  from 
personal  kno\«dedge.  Over  all  this  extent  of 
country  and  time,  we  have  never  been  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  Time 
and  again,  during  my  three  years  service 
as  surgeon,  when  ordered  to  open  or  take 
charge  of  hospitals  in  the  immediate  rear  of 
the  army,  I  was  entirely  dependent  upon 
the  Commission  for  everything  except  bacon 
and  hard-bread,  and  coffee.  At  one  time 
at  Cowon,  Tenn.,  I  had  to  open  a  hospital  at 
night,  and  before  morning  had  over  one  hun- 
dred wounded  fresh  from  the  field ;  but  had 
no  beds,  pillows,  blankets  or  change  of  cloth- 
ing for  them.  An'agent  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission came,  hearing  of  the  fight,  and  be- 
fore noon  I  had  beds,  bedding,  blankets  and 
clothing,  with  all  those  delicacies  and  stim- 
ulants so  much  needed  by  wounded  men. 
I  should  weary  you  were  I  to  tell  one  of  a 
thousand  eases  of  relief  roeeived  from  that 


source,  and  will  only  instance  one  case  com- 
ing under  my  own  eye.  Soon  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Prai^klin,  Tenn.,  on  the  30th  of  Nov- 
ember, last,  I  went  there  to  search  among 
the  dead  for  the  body  of  a  beloved  son 
killed  there.  I  found  the  hospital  well  sup- 
plied with  all  they  needed,  received  from 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  Surgeons,  officers 
and  men  told  me  "  that  for  eight  days  after 
the  battle,  our  wounded-^two  hunched  and 
eighty — had  nothing  but  what  the  Sanitary 
Commission  gave  them;  as  the  rebel^  in 
whose  hands  they  were — our  forces  having 
fallen  back — had  issued  no  rations  or  food 
of  any  kind  to  them;"  and,  said  some,  "If 
it  had  not  been  for  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion we  should  all  have  starved  to  death." 

During  the  past  thr^ip  months  we  have 
sent  from  our  depot  here,  more  than  two 
thousand  barrels  of  vegetables;  besides  avery 
large  quantity  of  other  supplies  to  the  De- 
partment of  Arkansas;  and  nearly  as  much 
to  posts  on  the  Mississippi  River,  besides 
keeping  the  gunboats  and  monitors  sup- 
plied. All  the  general  hospitals  not  only 
in  this  city,  but  at  Vicksburg,  Natchez, 
Morganzia,  Baton  Rouge,  are  dependent 
on  us  for  vegetables.  Within  the  past 
week  we  have  issued  vegetables  and  hospi- 
tal stores  to  the  whole  of  the  16th  Army 
Corps,  on  their  way  down  the  river^  We 
recognize  our  Eastern  friends  as  among  our 
most  liberal  donors.  The  work  is  one,  as 
the  cause  is  one.  If  you  will  take  your 
map  and  find  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  and 
then  trace  150  miles  down  the  Arkansas 
River  you  will  find  Pine  Bluff. '  There  we 
had  last  fall  a  large  force,  and  very  many 
sick.  Among  the  sanitary  stores  sent 
there  in  October,  were  some  shirts,  marked 
"  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  Bangor,  Maine." 
Was  that  not  an  evidence  of  the  nationality 
of  the  work.  We  shall  have  an  active  cam- 
paign in  this  Department  before  long.  Large 
bodies  of  troops  are  moving,  and,  while  I 
write  twelve  thousand  cavalry  are  leaving 
on  a  fleet  of  transports.  We  are  concen- 
trating supplies  as  fast  as  possible  to  be 
ready  "to  send  them  to  any  required  point. 

That  Grod  may  bless  and  abundantly  re- 
ward the  labor  of  love  of  those  who  are  giv- 
ing their  means  and  their  influence  to  this 
good  work  is  my  daily  wish. 

CHIEF  JUSTICE   CHASE   AND   THE   UNITED 
.  STATES  SANITABT  COMMISSION. 

On  taking*th_e  chair  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  National  Ereedman's  Relief  Asso- 


1080 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


ciation,  held  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  at  Washington  tlity,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1865,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court,  Salmon  P. 
Chase,  referred  to  the  Sanitary  Commission 
as  follows : — 

This  war,  now  wagfed  for  national  unity, 
is  marked  by  peculiar  characteristics.  The 
praise  af  our  brave  army  and  navy  is  upon 
all  lips.  The  endurance  and  patriotism  of 
the.heroic  people,  which  has  never  faltered 
''  in  its  resolve  to  maintain,  at  whatever  cost, 
the  integrity  of  the  American  republic,  fur- 
nish to  this,  and  will  furnish  to  all  after- 
coming  generations,  objects  of  wonder  and 
topics  of  eulogy.  The  vast  energies  and  tlie 
vast  resources  which  have  been  called  into 
action,  puzzle  the  statesmen  and  economists 
of  the  old  world,  and  astonish  our  own. 

But  these,  I  think,  will  not  hereafter  be 
regarded  as  the  most  peculiar  characteristics 
of  this  war.  Men  of  thought,  and  especially 
men  who  recognize  the  providence  of  God 
in  the  aflFairs  of  men,  cannot  fail  to  observe 
that  it  is  distinguished  by  great  charities 
even  more  than  by  great  achievements. 

What  age  before  this  age,  and  what 
country  besides  our  country,  ever  witnessed 
such  an  organization  as  that  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  ?  What  needs  have  been  sup- 
plied ;  what  wants  relieved ;  what  wounds 
healed ;  what  evils  averted,  by  the  activity, 
wisdom,  and  unflagging  zeal  of  this  admira- 
ble organization,  fostered  and  sustained  by 
the  people,  and  recognized  and  aided  by  the 
government. 


IMPOETANT    TESTIMONIAL   BY    QTJARTEB- 
MASTEB  GENESAL  M.  C.  MEIGS. 

QoABTER  Master  General's  OrnoE,     1 
■Wasbinbton,  D.  C,  Feb.  20,  1865.  / 
Dk.  J.  S.  Newberey, 

Seel.  VTestern  Dept.  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  have  received  and  thank 
you  for  your  Report  of  2  2d  October  last. 
It  is  an  honorable  record.  I  notice  particu- 
larly the  value  of,  the  hospital  gardens.  Re- 
%3embering  the  scarcity  of  all  provisions,  ex- 
cept the  substantial  parts  of  the  army  ration, 
and  even  of  those,  at  the  time  I  met  you  at 
Chattanooga,  in  the  winter  of  1863,  I  read 
with  gratification  the  statement  of  the  quan- 
tity of  esculents  which  your  gardens,  estab- 
lished the  next  spring,  produced  for  the 
sufferers  in  hospital. 

I  endeavored,  while  at  CBattanooga,  to 
have   arrangements    made   for   cultivation 


during  the  ensuing  spring  and  summer,  but 
found  every  one  too  much  occupied  with  the 
sterner  work  of  war  to  be  willing  to  devote 
time  and  labor  to  raising,  at  that  warlike 
centre,  a  portion  of  the  supplies  which,  ^hen 
brought  from  the  distant  North,  cost  so 
much  and  so  much  interfered  with  the 
transportation  of  men  and  munitions. 

I  hope  that  these  gardens  will  be  con- 
tinued, and  that  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  is  free  from  the  pressure  of  the 
sterner  duties  of  the  soldiers,  will  continue 
to  give  its  attention  to  extending  this  culti- 
vation for  their  benefit. 

I  am  very  truly  and  respectfully, 

""'         Your  obedient  servant, 
M.  C.  Meigs. 

Quarter-Master  General  and  Brevet  Major  General. 


IMFEBFECT  DESCHIFTIVE  LISTS. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal : 

Sir  : — It  is  my  misfortune  to  have  charge 
of  a  Greneral  Hospital  to  which  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  maimed  soldiers  of  the  army 
find  their  way,  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
artificial  limbs,  and  eventually  their  dischar- 
ges. It  might  interest  your  readers  to  hear 
of-  a  right  armed  "  police  party,"  a  left- 
hand  "coal  squad,"  and  a  detachment  of  no- 
legged  clerks  j  but  such '  is  not  iny  present 
purpose.  ' 

I  wish,  through  your  columns,  to  call  the 
attention  of  company  commanders  to  the 
great  injustice  which  is  often  done  to  worthy 
soldiers  by  failing  to  give  complete  military 
histories  in  their  descriptive  lists.  The 
palpable  violation  of  orders  in  not  furnish- 
ing the  amount  of  bounty  received  and  due 
is  almost  too  common  to  hope  for  reforma- 
tion,'but  far  more  annoyance  is  occasioned 
by  the  simple  neglect  of  stating  the  circum- 
stance under  which  a  soldier  was  wounded. 
The  fact  that  his.  discharge  was  given  him, 
in  consequence  of  injuries  received  in  the 
line  of  his  duty  must  ,be  ipentioned  in  his 
final  statements  and  discharge,  or  the  con- 
trary is  presumed  to  be  the  case,  and  his 
pocket  suffers  accordingly.  No  medical 
ofiScer  wants  to  give  the  same  certificate  of 
disability  to  a  maimed  sergeant  that  is  fur- 
nished to  a  bounty  jumper  wounded  by  a 
Provost-Guard.  It  is  of  little'use  to  return 
such  descriptive  lists  for  completion,  as  weeks 
or  months  generally  elapse  before  they  come 
back  again.  It  has  never  b^en  explained 
why  it  ta^kes  an  official  communication  ten 
times  as  long  to  reach  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac as  a  private  letter  occupies.  i 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1081 


Ignorance  of  their  proper  duties  was  once 
considered  the  cause  of  sifth  neglect,  but  it 
is  hard  to  believe  that  in  the  fourth  year  of 
the  war  any  company  commander  does  not 
know  how  to  make  out  a  descriptive  list ; 
yet  such  must  be  the  fact,  for  these  papers 
are  sent  from  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
regiments  in  the  army,  signed  ty  a  non- 
commissioned officer.  Date  of  enlistment, 
last  paid,  bounty,  clothing  account,  and  the 
time  and  place  of  wounds  received,  comprise 
all  that  is  needed,  yet  not  one  in  ten  is  com- 
plete. These,  with  a  personal  description, 
are  required  by  the  regulations,  and  justice 
to  the  soldier  demands  them,  yet  every  offi- 
cer having  charge  of  detached  soldiers  is 
constantly  bothered  by  the  omission  of  some 
important  item.  At  this  moment  over  two 
hundred  men,  who  have  lost  a  limb  in  the 
service  of  their  country,  are  detained  in-  this 
hospital,  kept  from  hom&  and  maintained 
by  the  government  at  great  expense,  by  the 
careless  conduct  of  their  officers  who,  having 
sworn  to  obey  the  regulations  of  the  ser- 
vice, now  neglect  those  to  whose  bravery 
and  devotion  they  owe  their  present  position 
and  credit.  If  Nemesis  is  not  dead,  many 
captains  ought  to  suffer  sleepless  nights,  be- 
cause, through  their  carelessness,  faithful 
soldiers  of  their  command  have  been  deprived 
of  their  just  dues. 

In  the  name  of  all  mustering  officers,  all 
paymasters  and  all  surgeons,  I  beg  for  more 
attention  to  deseriptive  lists.  '.  B. 


J        THBEE  CHILDBEN. 

We  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
ten  dollars,  for  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
from  three  little  girls  in  New  Castle,  Del., 
who  have  sent  the  following  note  with  their 
donation.  If  three  little  children  in  every 
town  asiarge  as  New  Castle,  in  the  loyal  ■ 
States  would  do  likewise,  what  a  nice  fund 
would  be  fii  hand  to  aid  the  soldiers  during 
the  coming  campaign.  We  thank  the  little 
donors,  and  hope  they  will  continue  in  well 
doing  all  their  lives  long. 

New  Castle,  Del.,  Feb.  22,  1865. 

Please  accept  -this  as  our  aid  to  the  San- 
itary Commission,  being  the  proceeds  of  a 
fair  held  by  three  children. 

Elmer  W.  Clakk, 
Lizzie  T.  Clark, 
(Ten  dollars.)      Emily  Bates. 


JOHNSON'S  FAUIIiY  ATLAS. 
The  war  has  suggested  to  hosts  of  intel- 
ligent Americans,  one  thing,  viz. :  that  they 
were  inconveniently  ignorant  of  the  minute 
geography  of  their  native  land.  If  the 
splendid  copy  of  Johnson's  Family  Atlas* 
which  is  open  before  us  were  open  before 
them,  it  would  suggest  another  thing,  viz. : 
that  by  its  use  they  could  very  conveniently 
dispel  their  ignorance. 

It  contains  over  a  hundred  large,  clear 
maps,  illustrating  the  mathamatical,  descrip- 
tive and  physical  geography  of  the  world ; 
statistips  of  the  religious  denominations  in 
the  world;  chart  of  nattonal  emblems;  a 
diagram  exhibiting  the  difference  of  time 
between  Washington  and  thfe  important 
cities  of  the  world;  a  list  of  the  cities, 
towns,  villages  and  post  offices,  with  their 
states  and  counties,  in  the  United  States  and 
Territories;  historical  and  statistical  views 
of  the  United  States,  Mexico,  Europe,  &c., 
&c.,  &c.  '      , 

Every  page  is  terse,  complete,  exact,  in- 
teresting; and  as  a  book  ot  reference  it 
seems  unimproveable,  though,  from  the  fact 
that  the  binders  have  left  "  guards"  or 
"  strips"  for  the  insertion  of  new  maps, 
which  the  'publishers  agree  to  furnish  by 
mail  at  fifteen  cents  each,  it  would  seem 
that  wise  precautions  are  made  for  improve- 
ment, and  for  keeping  it  up  to  the  times  as 
a  standard  work. 

It  is  gotten  up  J.  H.  Golton  and  A.  J. 
Johnson,  concerning  whom  nothing  in  com- 
mendation need  be  said;  and  is  furnished 
exclusively  by  subscription.  The  geueral 
agent  is  Mr.'  F.  G.  Rowe,  post  office  box 
2060,  Philadelphia. 

\  DISABLE  AND  SISCHASGDI). 
At  a  meeting  'of  the  Standing  Committee 
of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
held  February  ,24,  1865  : 

Resolved,  That  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission,  deeply  convinced  of  the 
importance  of  providing,  from  time  to -time, 
as  its  funds  will  allow,  shelter  and  protection 
for  disabled  and  discharged  soldiers,  will 


1082 


The  SAnitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


from  this  date  consider  itself  authorized  to 
devote  any  portion  of  its  fiends  to  this  pur- 
pose ;  and  that  due  notification  be  made  of 
this  resolution  in  the  Bulletin,  R&porter, 
and  its  usual  advertising  mediums. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary, 

No.  823  Broadway,  New  York. 


"SOLDIEBS  FBIKiri)." 
The  following  letter  from  Rev.  J.  Shrig- 
ley.  Chaplain  of  the  McClellan  U.  S.  A. 
GeneraL  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  is  one  of 
many  which  we  have  seen  testifying  to  the 
grateful  reception  met  with  by  the  "  Sol- 
dier's Friend,"  wherever  it  has  reached 
those  whose  "  Friend"  it  is.  This  is  right, 
and  in  our  opinion,  aid  societies  cannot  do 
better  for  thetnselves  or  for  soldiery,  than 
^  by  aiding  its  distribution  as  far  as  they  are 
able  among  the  returned  prisoners  or  fur- 
loughed  Boldiers,  to  whom  the  information 
it  contains  is  especially  valuable. 

It  can  be  obtained  by  any  Aid  Society  in 
small  quantities,  upon  applicatioti  at  this 
office. 

McClellan  U.  S.  A.  General  Hospital,  "I 
Philadelphia,  March  10,  1865.  / 

Dear  Colonel  : — I  am  so  highly  pleased 
with  the  "Soldier's  Friend," , published 
by  the  U.  S.  Sanitai-y  Commission,  I  should 
be  glad  to  place  a  copy  in  the  hands  of 
every  patient  in  this  hospital. 

It  is  multum  in  parvo.  While  it  gives 
every  soldier  valuable  information,  it  like- 
wise tends  to  the  cultivation  of  his  religious 
faculties,  leading  him  to  put  his  trust  in 
that  Divine  Being  whose  mercies  never  fail. 

The  collection  of  hymns  is  decidedly  the 
best  yet  published  for  the  army  and  n^vy. 
May  I  solicit  a  further  donation  for  the  use 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  who  may  be  sent 
to  this  hospital.?    I  am,  dear  sir. 

Your  very  obedient  servant, 
James  Shrigley, 

Cbaplaia  D.  S.  A. 
CoL.  SOEST, 

Epeeial  Belief  Agent  U.  S.  San.  Com.,  FhUaielpliia, 


STOBES  FOB  SHEBKAIT'S  ABUY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  just  sent 

by  the  steamer  Uncas,  to  Gen.  Sherman's 

army  in  North  Carolina,  as  it  communicated 

^  with  the  coast;  an  assorted  cargo  of  hospital 

and  field  relief  supplies.  It  has  now  another 


steamer  loading  with  supplies  -to  replenish 
its  stock  at  NewlJern  and  Wilmington,  and 
at  which  last  place  an  exchange  of  prison- 
ers is  now  going  on,  and  has  ordered  a  third 
load  for  the  special  emergency  of  its  service 
in  North  Carolina. — Associated  Press. 


HOMES. 
CAIRO. 


At  the  "Home"  in  Cairo,  during  the 
quarter  ending  with  December  31st,  there 
were  furnished  15,529  lodgings  and  53,800 
meals. 


MEMPHIS. 

At  the  "  Lodge"  in  Memphis,  during  the  '^ 
same  time  there  were  furnished  3,593  lodg- 
ings and  12^23  meals.' 

PADUCAH. 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  confusion  at  this 
point,  when  the  "Home"  was  first  estab- 
lished, owing  to  the  demonstrations  rf  the 
rebels.  During  the  latter  part  of  November 
and  the  month  of  December,  there  were 
furnished  about  6,000  meals, 

NASHVILLE. 

At  the  "  Home"  in  Nashville,  there  were 
furnished  during  the  quarter  ending  with 
the  year,  37,707  lodgings  and  123,444 
meals. 

JEFFERSONVILLE. 

The  "  Home"  here  was  opened  about  the 
1st  of  November.  During  November  and , 
December  there  were  furnished  2,136  lodg- 
ings and  4,613  meals. 

NEW  ALBANY. 

During  the  quarter  ending  with  the  year 
there  were  furnished  at  the  "  Home"  1,913 
lodgings  and  9,397  meals.    ■ 

CAMP  NELSON. 

At  the  "  Home"  at  Camp  Nekon,  there 
were  furnished  during  the  quarter  ending 
with  the  year,  35,773  lodgings  and  92,573 
meals. 

LOUISVILLE.  ;  1 

At  the  "  Home"  and  "  Best"  in  this  city, 
during  the  same  time,  there  were  furnished 
69,872  meals. — Sanitari/  Reporter. 


Supplies  are  still  needed.  The  spring 
and  summer  campaign  will  make  large  de-' 
mands  upon  the  people  for  help. 


The  Sanitary  Commistion  Bulletin. 


1083 


TABLE  OP  COHTEHTS. 

'COBRBSPOITDBJTCB. 

Morganaa,  La.,  Letter  from  Snrgeon  E.  P  Gray  1063 
Key  We8t,  Fa  Letter  from  Sorg.  Wm.  A.  McCuUay  1083 
New  Orleans,  Letter  from  Dr  George  A.  Blake.....  1064 


W.  E.  Miller. 


Old  Father  Sanitary,"  Letter  from 


1065 


MemphlSjTenn.,  Extracts  from  a  Letter  ly  Benia.- 
mm  Woodward,  M.D *  inM 

Hew  Orleans,  Extract  from  Keport  of  Dr.  George  A. 

,  Blake , jQgy 

"        "         Eeport  of  0.  8   BuUard',  Superinten- 
dent of  Home 1064 

"       "         Form  of  Eegnlations  to  secnre  jnstice 
to  the  Government  and  relief  to  the 

worthy  applicant 1064 

"       "         Statistical  Keport  of  the  Work  of  the 
Pension  Department,  Hew  Orleans, 

to  January  1, 1865 1065 

Baton  Eonge,  La. ,  by  Henry  L.  Boltwood 1066 

morganzia,  La.,  Letter  to  Dr.  O.  A  Blake 1067 

Beanfort,  S.  C.,l)y  M.  M.  Marsh,  M.B 1067 

Annapolis,  Md.,  by  F.  C.  Howes 1069 

"  "  E.C.  Gnild 1070 

"  "      Camp  Parole  Hospital,  by  Misses 

Carey  and  Phillips 1071 

MlBGELLANSOITS. 

Sanitary  Commission  at  Savannah,  by  Eev.  A.  D. 

^    Morton,  Chaplain 1068 

Temperance  in  the  Army,  by  G.  A.  Miller 1072 

A  Comfort  Bag  in  the  Army., 1074 

Soldier's  Scrap  Books !".'..'.  1074 

Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  (Associate 

Managers,  No.  8) 1075 

Good  Hews  from  Hartford,  Conn 1077 

Chief  Justice  Chase  and  the  D.  S.  San.  Commission.  1079 
Important  Testimonial  by  Onartermaster  General 

M.  C,  Meigs 1080 

Imperfect  Descriptive  Lists 1080 

Disabled  and  Discharged... 1081 

Stores  for  Sherman's  Army 1082 

Homes 1082 

EDITOBIjfL. 

Sanitaria 1073 

Three  Children.^ !!'.!.'!.'!  1081 

Johnson's  Family  Atlas 1081 

Soldier's  Friend.... 1082 


07    THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

Pbesident. 

Libct.-Gbn.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Viob-Peesidbnts. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Pisk,    Admieal  Dupont, 

JoHM  J.  Cisco*  Esq.,     Rud.  A.  Witthatjs,  Esq 

TeBASUEBE. ^ROEEET    B.    MlNTUEN,    EsQ. 

DiEBOTOES. 


Hons.  E.  D.  MoEQAN. 
Geokgb  Opdtkb, 
HiBAU  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Bbekman, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astoe, 

James  Bbown, 

"William  H.  Aspmwall, 

Jambs  Gtallatin, 


HoWAED  POTTBE,     ■ 

William  E.  Dodse,  jr., 
Thbodobb  Roosetblt; 
Pbtee  Coopee, 
Geoeob  Banoboft, 
Daniel  Lobd, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt,  > 

ROBEET  L.  SinAET, 

Alpbed,  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRT  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
'  35  Chambees  Stebbt,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  coat  to  the  claimant,  ' 


.2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  famiUet 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  ^alse  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Oovemment. 

4th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  Jnne, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  C. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California^' 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York.  ' 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
0.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  ProvidencejTl.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,""  Chicago,  III. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Rev.  J.  H.  HeywoOd,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Charles  J.  Still§,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICEBS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D^,  Associate  Secretary. 

standing  committee. 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs, -M.D. 
Charles  J.  Still§. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patienfa  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  i'lorida 
and  Louisiana,,  address  "  OfiBce  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, W^ashington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  LouisviUe,  Ky." 

In  alj  cases  the  name,  ra,nk,  company,  and  regi- 


1084 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by/eturn  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 
,  B@»Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  ciergymen,  editors, 

and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Comtaission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
•  securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
^  ^wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OF   THE    BAST. 

OENTKAIj  DEPOTS  OF  COLLECTION. 

.  ■  0.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Nos.  10  &  11 
Cooper  Union,  New>  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  Houge,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  130T  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTKIBCTIOlf. 

IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.-  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 
I        TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Comknission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

tr.  S.  SanitaryCommission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from^time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DBPAR,TMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

OBNTEAL  DEPOTS   OF   COLLECTION. 

0.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No,  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  T. 


IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Nol  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Lamed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly' 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  oi  the 
pnblic  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street;  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

EAST. 

"  Special  Relief"  Office,  T6  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  130T  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot.  '  4 

"Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisbnrg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore, "Md. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,'.'  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  >nd  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  3T4  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
^oldieifs,,".  SJII N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.'O. 

"Lodge  No.-' 4,"  for- discharged  soldiers.  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria,  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Snp't.     James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
/Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
ronie.  Superintendent  and' Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin,  1085 


BRANCH,        .     V'W«*MJ,0^^7^fc.^:^>««^  BBANCH, 

Ko.  744  Broadway,      \  |^^5;^1'IT  LEG&J[^j^|  |      No.  19  Green  Street^ 

NEW  YORK.       •    Jj     \^^^''"*-3'j6   C^gSt5i"^^<?'  '^J^     BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "Palmer"  Arm  and  Lia  are  now  fnrnlshed  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  &nd  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleaenre  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  lelteru  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  aecept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have*no  aid  from  Government. 

SlTRaEON-GEN£RAL*B  OfEICB, 

■Washikotoh  City,  B.C.,  Dec.  12,  1863. 
Sir  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Oflcers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S*  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       ******** 

In  COMFLIANGB  WITH  THE  RBCOHHENDATION  OF    THE    BoAED,   WHEN  A    SOLDIER    MAY    DESIRE    TO   PURCHASE  "  THE  MOBB 
ELEGANT  AND  BXPEXSIVE  ARM  OF  PALMER,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PAYMENT  FOR  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  G.  H.  CBANE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SnRGIEON-QBNERAL's  OFFICE, 

■Washington  City,  D.C,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sir  :^In  answer  to  your,  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Beport  and  recommend^tion'iof 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  ex.amine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  fab  as  reqaeds  the  Limbs  mandfactdred  by  you. 
^  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 

'  W.  C.  SPENGER,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

T«  B.  FKANK.  PALME?,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 

The  Best  FALlKfEB,  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Ap^ly  in-  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    AddreBs 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Go, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

^£B.oe,    ex    Ceca.a/3r   Stx-eet,   XiTeXTiT-  "S* ox-Is.. 

Capital,  $3,000,000.    80,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  :^0GER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.        E.  B.  BBLDEN,  M.D.,  New  York.    ' 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  Of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  signiflcant  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties. 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory.        '  _        »  , 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved  ■ 
area  will,  at  ah  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPABfY, 

'No.  61  Ceda/r  Street,  New  York. 

I 


1086  The  Sanitary  Oommis^ion  Bulletin. 


Adapted  to  every  branch  of  businessi 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  VermoDt. 

^  PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

V  PAIEBANKS  &  CO.,  ITo.  252  Broadway,  TSew  York. 
FAIBBAWKS  &  BKO'Wir.  BTo.  118  Miii  Street,  Boston. 
FAIKBAIirKS,  GEEEETLEAF  &  CO..  Ho.  172  Lake  Street.  Chicago. 
TAIEBAWKS  &  EWING,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIBBANKS  &  CO.,  Ho.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Deseripiive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of  the  above 

ESTABLISHED  i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES. 

OF  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

WHEELER  &  ll^ILiSOar,  V 

GROTER  &  BA^KJBR, 

WlliliCOX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SIJV.6ER  AIVD  OTHERS. 

TO  RENT  AND' 

FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privilegee^     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Comer  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  TSew  York. 

V.  W.  WIOKES,  Jy.,  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  Up  Stairs. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1087 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


M:  O  RRI  s 


compa.:n-y, 

COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Antborlzed  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  In, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 


against  Toss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessefs  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


lElGT  on. 


EDWAKD  EOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MOKEISOir, 

ALBEBT  a.  LEE, 

•      FEED.  H.  BSADLBE, 

DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

GEOBGE  MILN, 

EDWAED  C.  BATES, 

HEKHT  J.  CAMMAHH, 

J.  e.  AOESIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

B.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWNB, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZBA  NYE, 

,  B.  0,  iMOEEIS,  J«., 

K.  0.  KIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


1088  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 

F.  RATCHFORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  'Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia, 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  over  Eleven  anil  a  taalf  millions  of  Dollars. 

Policies  known  as  "Non-Forfeiting,"  on  the  terms  they  express,  on  the  Ten- Year  plan,  issued  by  this 
Company,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  rates  of  premiums,  greater  than  are  offered  by  any  other  Life 
Company.  ^^^ 

0 

THE 

Widows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Co.  of  New  York. 

LUCrUS    EOBINSON.    President. 

Cash  Capital,  $20iO,OOO. 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  officers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mutual 
Life  Insurakce  Compant  of  New  Yoek,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 

Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

JOHN    WiADSWORTH,   President. 
Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

This  Institution-has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their  families,  and  of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance.  1 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to 

E.  EATCHFOAD  stake.  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  rhUsdelphla. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY. 

HARTFOED,  CONN.  » 

c.AJE'i'rjaL.Xji,    *  -      -      -      $500,000. 

JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  President.  ' 
Insurance  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCISEXTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 
granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  qf  . 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 

secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars, 

togethfer  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  business. 

Fifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  compensation  for  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident. 

Policies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  other 
sum  between  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALLE]\,  Ai^ent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  35. 


PHILADELPHIA,  APRIL  1,  1865. 


No*  35. 


The  Sanitaet  Commission  Bullhtin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and  as 
,  it  has  a  circiflation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusuaUy  valuable  medium  for 
advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  loriters.  /  ,    _ 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
^to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it— and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand]  hov/ever,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steono,  68  Wall  street,  New  York,  or  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


IKE  BATTLE  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 

"  The  day  had  beea  one  of  dense  mists  and  rains,  and 
mnch  of  Gen.  Hooker's  battle  was  fonght  above  the  clouds, 
which  concealed  him  from  our  view,  but  from  which  his 
mnsketry  was  heard."— Ge».  Meigs  to  Searetwy  Stanton, 
Jfoi).  26.  j 

By  the  banks  of  Chattanooga  watching  with  a  aol- 

dierfs  heed, 
In  the  chilfy  autums  morning  gallant  G^rant  was  on 

his  steed ; 
Por  the  foe  had  climbed  above  him  with'  the  banners  . 

of  their  band. 
And  the  cannon  swept  the  river  from  the  hills  of 

Cumberland, 

Like  a  trumpet  rang  his  brders — "  Howard,  Thomas, 

to  the  bridge ! 
One  brigade   aboard  the   "Dunbar!"     Storm   the 

I      heights  of  Mission  Bidge, 
On  the  left  the  -ledges,  Sherman,  ^charge  and  hurl  the 

rebels  down ! 
Hooker,  take  the  steeps  of  Lookout  and  the  slopes 

before  the  town !" 

Fearless,  from  the  northern   summits,  looked  the 

trg,itor3,  where  they  lay, 
On  the  gleaming  Union  army,  marshalled  as  for 

muster-day,-  j  ^ 

Till  the  sudden  shout  of  battle  thundered  upward  its 

alarms, 
And  they  dropped  their  idle  glasses  in  a  hurried  rush 
>       to  arms. 

Then  together  np  the  highlands,  surely,   swiftly 

swept  the  lines. 
And  the  clang  of  war  above  them  swelled  with  loud 

and  louder  signs, 
Till  the  loyal  peaks  of  Lookoutin  the  tempest  seemed 

to  throb, 
And  the  star-flag  of  our  country  wared  in  smoke  on 

Orchard  Knob. 

Vol.  I.  No.  35  69 


Day,  and  night,  and  day  returning,  ceaseless  shock 

and  ceaseless  change,' 
Still  the  furious  mounfadn  conflict  burst  and  burned 

along  the  Kange, 
■While  with  battle's  cloud  of  sulphur  mingled  densely 

mist  and  rain. 
Till  the  ascending  squadrons  vanished  from  tha 

gazers  on  the  plain. 

From  the  boats  upon  the  river,  from  the  tents  upon 

the  shore. 
From  the  roofs  of  yonder  city  axious  eyes  the  elands^ 

explore ; 
But  no" rift  amid  the  darkness  shows  them  lather,. 

brother,  sons, 
"While  they  trace  the  viewless  struggle  by  the  echo. 

of  the  guns. 

Upward !     Charge  for  God  and  country !  Up !  Aha, 

they  rush,  they  rise. 
Till  the  faithful  meet  the  faithless  ia  the-  never- 

clouded  skies. 
And  the  battle  -field  is  bloody  where  a  dewdrop  never 

falls. 
For  a  voice  of  tearless  justice  to  a?  tearless  vengeance 

calls. 

And  the  heaven  is  wild  with  shouting ;.  fiery  shot  and 

bayonet  keen 
Gleam  and  glance  where  freedom's  angels  battle  in 

the  blue  serene. 
Charge  and  volley  fiercely  follow,  and  the  tumult  in. 

the  air 
Tells  of  right  in  mortal  grapple  with  rebellion's. 
■  strong  despair. 

They  have  conquered  !     God's  own  legiona!    Well 

their  foes  might  be  dismayqd. 
Standing  in  his  moutttain  temple  "g,ainst  the  terrors 

of  his  aid ; 


1090 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


And  the  clouds  might  fitly  jecho  psean  loud  aud 
parting  giin, 

When  from  upper  light  and  glory-sank  the  traitor- 
host,  undone. 

I 

They  have  conquered !  Through  the  region  Vhere 
our  brothers  plucked  the  palm 

Rings  the  noise  in  which  they  won  it  with  the  sweet- 
ness of  a  psalm  ; 

And  our  wounded,  sick,  and  dying,  hear  it  in  their 
crowded  wards, 

Till  they  know  our  cause  is  Hearen's,  and  our  battle 
is  the  Lord's. 

And  our  famished  captive  heroes,  looked  in  Rich- 
mond's prison  hells. 

List  those  guns  of  cloudland  booming  glad  as  free- 
dom's morning-bells, 

Lift  their  haggard  eyes,  and  panting,  with  their 
cheeks  against  the  bars, 

Peel  God's  breath  of  hope,  and  see  it  playing  with 
the  stripes  and  stars. 

Tories,  safe  in  serpent-treason,  startle  as  those  airy 

cheers  ^ 

And  that  wild,  ethereal  war-drum  fall  like  doom 

upon  their  ears  j       ^ 
And  that  rush  of  cloud-born  armies,  rolling  back  the 

nation's  shame, 
Frights  them  with  its  sound  of  judgment,  and  its 

flash  of  angry  flame. 

Widows  weeping  by  their  firesides,  loyal  hearts  des- 
ponding grown. 

Smile  to  hear  tlieir  country's  triumjph  from  the  gate 
of  heaven  blown. 

And  the  fiatriiit-poor  shall  wonder,  in  their  simple 
hearts,  to  know. 

In  the  land  above  the  thunder  their  ombattled 
champions  go. 

T.  B. 

—  Watchman  and  Reflector. 


A  WORD  TO  THE  AID  SOCIETIES  CONTRIBTT- 
TIN&  TO' PHILADELPHIA  AGENCY. 

Women's  Pennsylvania  Branch,  "] 

United  Statbs  Sanitaet  Commission,         !• 

Philadelphia,  March  10.  j 

We  oome  to  you  with  full  hearts ;  hearts 
full  of  Ipvfe  and  gratitude  for  the  generous 
response  which  you  have  made  to  our  de- 
mands, and  for  the  manner  in  which  you 
have  enabled  us  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
Commission.  If  it  be  indeed,  as  we  are  told 
daily,  almost  hourly,  a  great  work,  grand  and 
glorious  in  its  relief  of  suffering,  in  its  suc- 
cor to  the  needy,  then  to  you  in  a  large 
measure  be  the  honor,  to  you  be  the  praise ! 
for  on  you  must  we  of  necessity  be  depen- 
dent for'suppott  and  supplies. 

"  Oh  !  sweetest  task — like  Christopher, 

Without  a  thought  of  pride ; 
To  bear  the  Christ  of  charity. 

Thro'  battle's  reddest  tide." 

But  your  very  liberality  leads  us  on  ;  we 
icome  to  you  with  increased  demands ;  we 
ask  for  .added  interest,  added  labor,  added 
•service;  we  entreat  you  never  for  one  mo- 
oaent  to  slacken  or  pause,  as  long  as  this 


desolating  war  shall  continue.  Go  on  eagerly 
and  earnestly,  finding  nothing  tpo  small  to 
offer  in  the  service  of  your  country.  You 
can  never  know  the  value  of  what  to  you 
may  seem  all  unworthy  of  your  giving.  One 
pair  of  carpet  slippers  may  carry  comfort  to 
a  soldier's  heart,  even  more  than  to  his  feet;  « 
and,  by  the  bright  multiple  of  love,  be  don- 
bled,  trebled,  quadrupled  in  its  cheering  in- 
fluence, proving  practicailly  as  it  does,  that 
those  at  home  are  thinking  and  caring  for 
our  poor  fellows  in  the  field. 

I  should  scarcely  have  deemed  this  appeal 
necessary  were  it  not  that  wafted  on  the  air 
has  come  the  faint  echo  of  a  feeling, — faintly 
heard,  because,  I  trust,  faintly  held  and 
faintly  uttered, — that  it  was  all  well  enough 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war  :  you  were  ready 
and  willing  to  work  for  a  moderate  term, 
but  that  the  fourth  year  over-taxes  you ;  it 
is  more  than  you  can  give.  It  may  b/ 
there  is  truth  in  part  of' what  you  say,  but 
only  in  part.  It  does  need  much  to  carry 
on  and  continue  such  a  work.  It  needs'  care. 
It  needs  thought.  It  needs  labor.  It  needs 
interest.  It|  needs  self-denial.  It  needs 
heart.  But  it  does  not  need  more. than  you 
can  give ;  •  it  does  not  need  more  than  you 
will  give  gladly  and  gratefully  to  our  brave 
"  boys  in  blue,"  who,  surely,  if  any,  are  the 
ones  to  find  the  war  too  long. 

Where  had  we  been  at  this  moment,  had 
there  risen  from  theiFmidst  one  murmur  of 
discontent,  one  sign  of  disaffection  ?  No  ! 
They  go  on,  proudly  and  perseveringly  to 
battle  to'the  end;  and  while  they  thus  go 
forth  cheerfully  and  uncolnplainingly  in  our 
stead  to  hardship,  danger  and  to  death; 
while  they  give  time  and  toil  and  blood, 
afcall  we,  dare  we,  withhold  our  efforts  for 
their  good  ?  Shall  we  grudge  aught  of  ser- 
vice that  can  serve  to  lighten  the  weary 
hours,  to  relieve  the  toil  or  staunch-  the 
blood  which  daily  bathes  the  earth  for  us 
with  its  red  current  ?  Oh  !  what  is  all  we 
do  or  can  ever  do  for  them  when  we  think 
upon  all  this  ?  Nothing,  and  less  than 
nothing. 

"  When  is  your  time  out  ?"  said  I  the 
other  day  to  a  bright  young  lieutenant,' risen 
from  the  ranks,  at  home  on  a  fifteen  day's 
leave.  "  My  time  out  ?"  said  he  promptly, 
"when  the  war  is  out,  and  not  before."  , 

So  let  us  say,  "  When  the  war  is  out,  and 
not  before,"  we  may  pause.  Apd  yet  we 
may  not  even  then ;  for  should  our  country 
ask  our  aid  for  the  suffering  army  which 
must  remain,  still  are  we  ready,  and  warmly 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1091 


do  we  pledge  ourselves  to  give  her  all  she 
asks,  and  right  well  we  know  you  will  re- 
deem our  pledge. 

It  is  our  last  campaign.  And  as  the  happy 
hour  draws  near  when  our  blessed  banner 
shall  float  from  every  fortress-top  in  the  glad 
sunshine  of  a  nation's  peace,  so  like  the 
horse  whose  speed  redoublep  as  the  long- 
wished  for  goal  appears  in  sight,  let  us  re- 
double every  eifort,  put  forth  every  power, 
strain  every  nerve,  that  we  may  not  fail  or 
falter  till  the  final  moment  come. 

On,e  word  mpre  !  Come  with  me  for  a 
moment  and  look  upon  two  pictures  ere  we 
part.  I  will  not  detain  you  long.  To  many 
of  you  this  is  a  new  scene.  Most  mercifully 
have  you  been  shielded,  in  your  distant 
homes,  from  those  sad  scenes  which  this 
same  sad  four  years  has  made  us  so  fearfully 
familiar  with.  I  ask  you  to  enter  with  me 
this  hospital  ward.  Do  not  shrink,  do  not 
draw  back ;  yes,  there  is  sore  suffering  here ; 
you  may  not  care  to  witness  it,  but  let  me 
assure  you  that  one  glance  for  yourself  will 
nerve  jour  arm  and  fire  your  heart  more 
than  whole  pages  of  description.  Walt  in ; 
we  who  are  at  home  here  do  not  hesitate,  as 
we  did  at  first ;  we  know  a  welcoming  smile, 
awjfits  us  from  each  one  of  this  long  row  of 
beds,  which  seems  to  strike  you,  so  much  on 
entering.  Pass  up  between  them  with  me, 
and  come  first  to  this  young  white-faced 
boy,  whose  life-blood  has  been  ebbing  out, 
and  scarcely  yet  is  stayed ;  and  who  is  fixing 
those  eager,  wistful  eyes  so  wbnderingly 
upon  the  party  with  me.  "Never  mind, 
George,  I  only  want  my  friends  to  see  what 
I  saw  yesterday,  and  to  hear  what  you  told 
me  then ;  but  you  are  far  too  weak  to  talk, 
let  me  tell  them."  , 

He  was  brought  into  the  hospital  yester- 
day on  a  stretcher,  wrapped  in  that  counter- 
pane, that  you  see  over  him  now,  of  bright 
patch-work  J  he  seemed  more  dead  than 
alive,  but  alter  stimulants  and  a  few  hours 
rest,  he  rallied,  and  by  way  of  beginning 
an  acquaintance,.  I  commented  upon  the 
coverlet  upon  which  I  read  "  Aid  Society, 
. — County,  Penna.,  tr.  S.  Sanits^ry  Com- 
mission." Large  drops  of  blood  concealed 
the  town  and  county,  but  I  at  once  recog- 
nized the  work  of  some  of  our  kind  helpers. 

He  brightened  instantly.  "  That  coun- 
terpane," he  said,  "  did  .me  more  good  than 
all  the  surgeons  gave  me.  The  Sanitary 
Commission's  Agent  brought  it  and  wrapped 
me  in  it,  when  they  carried  me  off  the 
field  to  the  hospital,  and  as  soon  as  I  caught 


sight  of  that  piece  there,  patch  do  you  call 
it  ?  I  knew  it  was  Mother's  dress,  and  I 
felt  sure  she  had  made  it,  and  somehow 
ever  since  I  just  catch  hold  of  that  place, 
and  I  can  see  her  close  to  me,  and  I  can  go 
to  sleep.  They  wanted  here  to  change  it  for 
one  of  the  hospital  spreads,  but  I  begged  so 
hard  to  keep  it,  the  Wardmaster  asked  the 
surgeon,  and  he  gave  me  leave."  I  thought 
even  were  his  idea  a  delusion,  it  was  such  a 
happy  ond  that  I  should  be  the  last  one  to 
disturb  it.  No !  he  does  not  hear  us,  he 
has  sunk  into  that  lethargy  produced  by 
excessive  loss  of  blood.  Look  !  his  hand 
even  now,  is  grasping  the  very  piece  of 
calico  he  Showed  me  yesterday,  and  I  think 
that  clasp  will  only  be  unlocked  in  death. 
Did  the  kind  heart  who  devised  that  quilt 
ever,  dream  of  the  moral  ease  and  comfort  it 
was  one  day  to  bring  ? 

Look  at  the  next  bed  ;  see  that  poor  arm 
resting  on  that  soft  pillow,  and  read  the 
mark  on  its  corner,  "  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission." Cross  the  ward,  and  look  at  that 
jar  of  pickles.  "  Ah,  Henry  !  I  see  you've 
got  your  pickles."  ^ 

That  was  one  of  yesterday's  sick  fancies, 
and  the  surgeon  gave  a  ready  consent  but 
did  not  supply  the  article. 

"  Yes,  thank  you,  ma'am,  they  told  me 
you  got  an  order  for  them  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  they're  the  first  thing 
that's  helped  me  to  taste  my  dinner  for  a 
week." 

We  must  not  pause  at  each  bed,  or  the 
story  would  be  the  same ;  but  just  stop  for 
a  moment  and  speak  to  this  -man  rolling  him- 
self up  and  down  the  ward  in  that  chair  with 
wheels. 

"  Why  John  !  I  have  never  seen  you 
out  of  bed  before  ;  how  are  you  to-day  ?" 

"  Better,  much  better,  thank  you,  ma'am, 
and  bless  the  Sanitary  Commission  for 
that.  They  sent  me  this  bully  chair,  and 
now  I  can  travel  round  first-rate." 

More  hearts  than  one,  I  fancy,  since  this 
war  began,  have  said,  "  God  bless  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,"  and  will  say  it  again  and 
yet  again,  I  trust,  ere  it  is  done.  But  we 
must  linger  no  longer  here.  One  other 
picture,  although,  perchance,  less  cheering 
to  our  hearts.  Unlatch  that  door  and  enter 
another  ward.  Was  that  a  groan  ?  Scarcely. 
A  groan  or  any  aubible  sigQ  of  suffering, 
save  the  sad  moans  in  slee^,  is  such  a  rare 
sound  that  I  can  hardly  understand  it.  Tj'he 
beautiful  patience  and  calm,  heroic  endu- 
rance of  the  poor  sufferers,  under  great  phys- 


1092 


The  Suniiary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ical  agony,  has  almost  passed  into  a  proverb. 
Let  us  walk  up  po  that  bed ;  it  seems  to 
come  from  there,  and  see  what  it  means. 

"What  is  it,  Eichard.?  Are  you  suffer- 
ing terribly  to-day  ?  Oh,  I  seer;  you  need 
a  pad  to  support  your  poor  aching  limb. 
Why  don' J;  you  send  the  orderly  for  one?" 

"  That's  just  it,  ma'am.  I  asked  for  one. 
We  used  to  have  them  when  I  was  wounded 
here  before,  but '  he  says  government  never 
gave  them  things." 

"No,  of  course  not,  but  the  Sanitary 
Commission  does." 

"  It  used  to,  ma'am,  but  that  was  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war ;  and  they  say  it  kept 
on  so  long,  the  Aid  Societies,  I  think  he 
called  them,  had  all  stopped ;  and  so  we 
can't  have  any  more,  but  I  think  if  we 
wanted  them  once,  we  ^ant  them  just  as 
bad  now.     Oh  dear,  oh  dear." 

"Alas!  alas!  I  feared  this  would  be  so 
when  I  heard  that  they  had  disbanded." 

Just  look  at  that  man  over  there,  hold- 
ing" his  wounded  arm.  Surely  he  should 
have  a  sling. 

"  Why,  Hamilton,  that  arm  ought  to  be 
in  a  sling ;  why  don't  you  keep  it  in  one  ?" 

"  The  surgeon  did  make  this  bandage 
into  one  for  me  this  moriiing^  but  it  don't 
seem. to  hold  it  up ;  and  makes  it  ache  worse, 
so  I  took  it  out." 

"  Of  course  that  must  make  it  ache  more. 
You  need  one  of  those  nice  arm  slings,  which 
;would  support  it  all  the  way  up,  and  let  it 
^  lie,  resting  as  if  it  were  in  a  bed." 

"  Ah,  yes  ma'am.  One  of  the  boys  was 
telling  me  they  used  to  have  them  in  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  but  government  don't 
give  them,  and  yoii  know  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission don't  send  any  more ;  the  war  kept 
on  so  long  they  stopped.  I  wish  I  had 
stopped  too."        •  / 

"  They  little  know,  Hamilton,  how  much 
suffering  they  would  cause  tJy  stopping,  and 
what  constant  comfort  they  gave,  or  they 
would  never  had  stopped,  I  am  sure." 

Is  this  not  sad  ?  But  before  leaving  the 
ward  let  us  walk  down  to  see  my  friend 
Field,  who  was  so  badly  wounded  in  the 
chest  J  he  lies  at  the  far  end  of  the  ward, 
just  where  you  see  that  screen."  / 

"Well,  Eield,  how  is  your  wound  this 
morning  ?"         • 

"It  broke  out  in  the  night,  Miss,  so 
you'll  have  to  excuse  this  bloody  shirt." 

"But  why  not  have  it  changed  ?" 

"  So  I  will,  ma'am,  when  mine  comes 
from  the  wash.     I  don't  want  to  d^aw  any 


more,  rve  had  to  draw  so  many  any  how, 
on  account  of  the  wound,  and  you  know  it 
comes  out  of  my  paj,  and  I  want  all  that 
for  my  poor  wife  and  little  ones  "at  home." 

"  But  why  not  get  one  from  the  '  Ladies' 
Boom.'  That  is  precisely  what  those  are 
kept  for  to  supply  just  such  a  case  of  need  ?" 

"  So  they  say  it  used  to  be,  Miss,  but  not 
now.  Those  came  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, long  ago ;  and  they  tell  us  the  soci- 
eties which  ,used  to  supply  them  have  all 
stopped,  because  the  war  lasted  so  long,  and 
we  can't  have  any  more  " 

"  So  you  must  lie  there  with  that  shirt 
stiffened  with  clotted  blood,  till  yours  comes 
from  wash,  in  order  to  save  your  pay  for 
your  family,  because  the  Aid  Societies  no 
longer  contribute  to  your  comfort.'' 

I  do  not  like  this  picture,  it  is  too  pain- 
ful ;  let  us  go,  my  friends,  I  am  quite  sure 
it  is  f  qually  distressing  to  each  one  of  you. 

My  first  pictuire  was  a  reality,  occurring 
in  our  midst  every  day  of  our  lives.  Shall 
the  second  ever  become  so  ? 

On  you,  and  on  your  efforts,  the  answer 
must  depend.  _  D. 

March,  1865.  ^ 

FEOM  ANNa!pOI.IS. 
BY.C.  F.  HOWES. 
Annapolis,  February  20,  1865. 

I  have'  just  returned  frbm  College 
Green  Barracks,  where  I  have  assisted 
in  distributing  about  six  hundred  towels, 
combs,  needjes  and  thread  to  newly  arrived 
prisoners.  More  .than  fifteen  hundred  of 
each  of  these  articles  were  distributed  one 
day  last  week.  It  will  ,be  a  heavy  tax  upon 
the  Commission  to  supply  each  returned 
prisoner  with  all  these  necessaries.  Yet 
nothing  could  be  given  these  men  which  is 
more  needed,,  and  so  much  appreciated,  as 
these  very  articles.  I  hope  the  Commission 
will  continue  its  bountiful  supply. 

The  exchange  is  now  progressing  rapidly. 
No  less  thaff  five  thousand  men  wijl  proba-- 
lily  arrive  this  week.  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
meet;  each  and  every  demand. 

'     BY  MISSES  OARY  AND  PHILLIPS.' 

March,  1865. 

As  our  hospital  wards  are  all  becoming 
crowded  by  large  daily  accessions  from 
the  ranks  of  the  newly  arrived  prisoners, 
we  find  full  occupation  in  endeavoring 
to  become  familiar  with  the  cireumatanoes 
and  wants  of  the  sufferef;s.  A  large  prO' 
portion  of  those  brought  here,  have-  become 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1093. 


ill  since  leaving  prison.  The  change  of  air 
proviijg  too  much  for  their  weak  frames. 
We  find  that  in  many  cases  they  had  ne- 
glected to  apprize  their  friends  at  home  of 
.their  arrival,  having  expected  to  go  home 
in  a  short  time,  and  the  most  grateful  ser- 
vice we  can  render,  is  io  write  and  apprize 
them  of  their  safety,  and  urge  them  to 
write  that  .they  may  hear  from  them  once 
more.  Very  frequently  those  who  hear 
from  home,  for  the  first  time  in  many 
months,  learn  that  some  of  the  dear  ones 
they  left  there,  and  were  fondly  hoping  to 
meet  so  soon,  have  been  removed  and  num- 
bered with  the  silent  dead.  Others  who 
come  full  of  hope  and  courage,  in  the  pros-  , 
•pect  of  speedily  joining  those  liiost  dear  to 
them,  are  suddenly  cut  down  in  the  midst 
of  their  fond  anticipations  and  sleep  with 
the  dead. 

Such  an  one,  intelligent  and  fine  looking, 
whose  character  could  be.  read,  even  in  the 
wan  countenance  already  tinged  with  the 
hue  of  death,  was  at  first  able  to  express 
his  joy  and  fervent  gratitude  to  God  for  his 
deliverance,  but  soon  became  unconscious. 
In  a  brief  lucid  interval,  just  preceding  dis- 
solution, he  recognized  a  young  comrade 
who  had  been  with  him  in  prison.  "Where 
am  I?"  asked  the  dying  man.  "In  a  Union 
hospital,"  was  the  reply.  He  seemed  in- 
credulous for  a  moment,  but  his  friend  call- 
ing his  attention  to  the  soft  bed  and  warm 
blankets,  he  added,  "  and  nice  white  sheets 
too."  "Oh,  I'm  all  right  now.  Thank 
God,  thank  God,  I  shall  be  at  home  soon. 
I  bless  God  for  bringing  me  here,  where 
some  one  will  write  to  my  dear  wife,  and 
she  will  come  to  me."  It  was  evident  that 
'  he  had  but  a'  short  time  to  live,  and  he  was 
asked,  "But  God,  who  was  with  you  in 
prison  and  has  been  so  good  to  you,  is  he 
not  with  you  now,  and  do  you  not  love  him 
and  trust  in  him  ?"  To  this  and  otHer 
questions  of  similar  import  he  replied  in  the 
affirmative  with  deep  emotion.  Becoming 
exhausted  \he  asked  for  a  cup  of  tea.  It 
was  soon  brought,  but  not  until  the  weary 
spirit  had  fled  to  that  heayenly  home  where 
sickness  and  want  are  unknown,  and  where 
he  will  not  miss  the  loved  ones  for  whom 
he  had  pined,  for  He  whose  love  is  stronger 
than  death  and  greater  than  that  of  all  other 
friends  combined,  will  be  with  him  there. 

A  German  soldier,  from  one  of  the  Mid- 
dle States,  had  been  captured  at  Winchester 
.  in  November.  After  long  waiting  for  letters 
from  home,  they  had  come  just  on  the  eve 


of  battle,  bringing  the  sad  news  of  the  death, 
first,  of  a  loved  child,  and  then  of  the  wife 
and  mother,  leaving  three  helpless  little 
ones  unprovided  for.  The  neighbor  who 
wrote  to  apprize  the  husband  and  father  of 
his  loss,  asks  what  shall  be  done  for  them, 
but  before  be  has  time  to  reply,  orders 
came  for  the  march.  During  the  action  he 
is  taken  captive,'and  all  these  weary  months 
he  has  been  held  in  suspense,  not  having 
even  yet  learned  the  fate  of  his  motherless 
babes.  Such  are  some  of  the  scenes  which 
come  to  our  knowledge  daily,  illustrating 
but  faintly,  the  horrors  of  war. 

Camp  Pabolb  Hobpital,  March,  1865. 

The  week^just  closing  has  been  marked 
with  an  unusual  degree  of  omortality  at  the 
hospital.  Each  day  has  witnessed  the  de- 
parture of  one  or  more,  and  on  one  day  as 
many  as  six  weary  souls  fied  to  the  spirit 
land.  Some  pass  away  suddenly,  in  a  few 
hours  after  being  brought  in ;  others  linger 
and  wearisome  days  and  nights  are  appointed 
them ;  others  still,  apparently  in  no  better 
conditiqn,  rally,  as  if  by  miracle,  and  are 
rapidly  recovering.  , 

A  large  number  of  the  convalescents  have 
been  sent  away  during  the  week,  to  make 
room  for  the  newly  arrived  prisoners,  who 
continue  to  be  brought  in  by  scores.  It  is 
affecting  to  see  the  disappointment  mani- 
fested by  many  of  the  poor  fellows.  "  Oh, 
I  have  kept  up  as  long  as  I  could,  hoping 
to  get  home,"  is  a  common  remark.  Many 
of  these  sufiering  ones  canhot  speak  of  their 
prison  experience  without  weeping.  It  is 
not  possible,  they  assure  us,  fbr  any  one 
who  has  not  felt  it,  to  imagine  what  it  is. 
"Our  trials,"  says  one,  "were  enough  to 
bring  us  to  reflection.  We  have  learned 
lessons  we'  can  never  forget." 

Said  a  bright  looking  young  man, "  I  had 
been  a  vrild  boy,  but  in  that  horrid  place  I 
was  led  to  think  of  God  and  a  future  life, 
and  there  I  first  learned  to  love  and  trugt 
in  him.".  One  of  the  first  who  arrived, 
and  who  has  been  at  the  point  of  death,  but 
is  recovering,  now  says,  "  If  God  lets  me 
live,  I  will  be  henceforth  a  true  Christian 
soldier."  In  conversation  with  ^n  intelli- 
gent man,  he  remarked,  "  Often  have  I  lain 
beside  a  comrade,  conversing  of  home  and 
absent  friends,  when  his  voice  would  sud- 
denly cease,  and  on  ■  reaching  forward  to 
learn  the  cause,  I  would  Jind  the  face  cold 
in  death." 
,     But  one  of  the  saddest  scenes  of  the  week 


1094 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


to  us,  has  been  the  death  of  one  of  the 
ward  masters,  whose  kind,  cheerful  face  and 
pleasant  smile  we  have  been  wont  to  meet 
daily  for  many  months.  He  was  ever  faith- 
ful, patient,  and- efficient,  and  aS  is  believed, 
a  sincere  Christian.  He  fell  a  victim  to  the  ^ 
prevailing  fever.  After  a  few  days  diph- 
theria set  in,  and  he  was  suddenly  taken 
from  us,  to  be  forever  with  the  Lord., 

BY  E.  C.  GUILD. 
—  February,  1865.     • 

I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  submit  my 
report  for  the  week  ending  this  day. 

On  Sunday,  I  had  the  pleasure,  at  the 
invitation  of  Chaplain  Henries,  of  prfeach- 
ing  at  the  chapel  of  the  Naval  School 
Hospital,  and  also  in  conjunction  with 
Rev.  J.  M.  Clark,  at  College  Green  Bar- 
racks. This  latter  occasion  was  one  of 
great  interest,  as  the  men  were  just  escaped 
fron;i  such  a  dire  torment  in  their  captivity; 
just  set  free  by  such  i,  joyful  deliverance, 
and  just  about  to  go  to  their  homes  filled 
with  such  conflicting  feelings  of  hope  and 
fear  in  the  thought  of  what  might  have 
occurred  in  their  protracted  absence.  The 
occasion  spoke  for  itself,  and  it  was  easy  to 
find  words  for  the  thoughts  that  crowded 
up.  at  the  very  suggestions  of  the  cir- 
cumstances themselves.  On  Friday,  we 
had  the  pleasure  to  welcome  some  1,500 
more  paroled  men  from  Richmond,  and 
on  Saturday  we  issued  a  towel,  comb, 
needle  and  thread  to  every  man.  Paper 
and  envelopes  were  also  issued  to  them  at 
various  times  until  all  were  supplied.  We 
have  also  been  kept  busy  at  the  office  by 
the  demands  of  the  men  going  to  and  fro 
by  the  City  Point  boat.  It  is  a  pleasure  to 
us  to  afibrd  every  facility  in  our  power  to 
these  men,  returning  from  the  liardships  of 
camp  life,  or  going  forward  to  encounter 
the  perils  of  battle.  Surely  if  any  are  en- 
titled to  have  assistance  and  supplies  which 
we,  have  to  give,  it  is  those  men  who  are 
away  from  their  regiments  and  traveling 
by  an  unaccustomed  route.  The  inefficient 
means  of  transportation  of  the  single  rail-- 
road  running  from  this  place  often  delays 
them  for  twenty-four  hours  and  causes  them 
^  much  inconvenience.  This  we  have  tried 
to  alleviate  by  every  means  in  our  power. 

The  constant  arrival  of  prisoners  at  this 
time  keeps  us  very  busy,  and  I  must  ask 
your  indulgence  in  presenting  so  brief  a 
report,  and  plead  the  pressure  of  immediate 
duties  as  my  excuse. 


Annapolis,  March,  1865. 
This  week  has  been  an  unusually  quiet 
one.  Whilfe  we  were  notified  to  be  prepared 
for  an  unprecedentedly  large  number  of 
paroled  prisoners  expected  during  the  week,  , 
only  a  few  have  arrived,  most  of  them 
escaped  men  who  have  come  into  our  lines. 
Doubtless  the  delay  in  the  exchange  is  but 
transient,  and  we  feel  that  any  day  or  any 
hour  may  be  the  commencement  of  a  steady 
influx  of  parolSU  men  at  this  poSt.  Mean- 
time, considerable  effort  is  being  made  in  the 
hospitals  to  be  prepared  for  their  reception; 
extra  beds  are  arranged  in  the  wards,  the 
tents  which  have  beeii  removed  during  the 

^extreme  cold  of  the  winter  are  replaced,  and 
additional  tents  set  up.  Additions"  have 
also  been  made  to  the  medical  staff  of  the 
hospital. 

luv  the  leisure  afforded  by  the  non-arrival 
of  the  expected  boats,  my  attention  has 
been  called  to  several  cases  of  more  perma- 
nent interest.  Visiting  from  time  to  time 
the  "  Home"  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
in  Annapolis,  in  addition  to  the  faces  which 
come  and  go,  remaining  hardly  long  enough 
to  form  an  acquaintance,  one  sees  a  few  sad 
looking  ladies,  day  after   day,  week  after 

.  week,  month  aftei;  month,  coming  in  to  re- 
fresh their  bodies  exhausted  with  watching 
and  have  their  spirits  cheered  by  kindly 
sympathy.  Here  is  one  who  has,  with  all 
a  mother's  patience  and  tenderness  watched 
over  her  boy  for  months;  he  lies  on  his 
back,  shot  through  the  body,  almost  help- 
less, continually  under  the  irritating  influ- 
ence of  excessive  pain  and  needing  constant 
care ;  but  he  never  looks  for  help  without 
finding  that  loving  mother  at  his  side  ready 
to  do  all  that  can  be  done  for  him,  and  to 
speak  to  him  words  of  Christian  hope  and 
comfort.  Here  is  another  who  watches  by 
the  bedside  of  her  husband;  torn  by  a 
racfking  cough,  reduced  by  his  long  impria- 
oument  to  a  mere  skeleton,  he  sits  night 
and  day  upon  hjs  bed  unable  to  lie  down, 
and  by  his  side  the  faithful  wife  stands 
always  ready  to  minister  to  his  every  want.  ^ 
And  yonder  is  another  wife  whose  husband 
lies  by  himself  in  a  tent,  where  she  keeps 
continual  watch  over  him.  Released  from 
imprisonment,  he  received  a  furlough  and 
revisited  the  well-known  and  dearly-loved 
scenes  of  his  home,  apjparently  in  good 
health.  Returning  to  report  himself  at  the 
hospital  he  was  struck  down  with  fever, 
and  when^  the  fever  left  him  gangrene  set 
in,  and  now  he  lies  very  low,  hardly  ex- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1095 


pected  to  live  from  hour  to  hour,  and  night 
and  day  his  devoted  y/iie  is  at  his  side  to 
soothe  and  uphold  hjm  in  his  terrible  suf- 
fering, an^jJ  to  do  for  him  all  that  watchful 
love  can  suggest.  Besides  those  who  are 
keeping  their  long  and  faithful  watch  by 
the  side  of  the  sick  bed,  every  day  brings 
some  wife  or  mother,  summoned  by  tele- 
graph, not  knowing  what  to  expect,  and 
finding  sometimes  that  death  has  come 
before,  or  more  rarely  that  healthy  has 
already  returned,  and  going  away  sorrow- 
ing or  rejoicing,  according  io  the  tidingg 
they  have  received  of  their  loved  ones. 
Surely  the  Sanitary  Commission  can  do  no 
better  work  than  to  afford  every  aid  and 
comfort  in  its  power  to  those  who  are  pass- 
ing so  bravely  and  faithfully  through  such 
trying  experiences. 

This  period  of  accidental  leisure  was  also 
taken  advantage  of  for  an  occasion  of  a 
social  character  at  College  Green  Barracks, 
worthy  I  think  of  record.  The  detachment 
of  men  detailed  for.  duty  under  Captain 
Davis — men  having  charge  of  the  buildings 
and  employed  in  the  Captain's  office,  and 
in  all  the  varied  work  of  the  post — feeling 
desirous  of  showing  him  their  respect  and 
gratitude,  complimented  him  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  4th  of  March  with  a  serenade 
and  supper.  I  had  the  honor  to  be  present 
with  two  other  gentlemen  of  our  office  and 
Eev.  Mr.  Cl&rk  of  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion, and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  see  the  feel- 
ing of  mutuaPconfidence  and  respect  which 
was  apparent  between  the  Captain  and  his 
men.  Such  harmony  and  good  will  speaks 
volumes  of  praise  for  both  parties,  and  pro- 
mises the  best  of  care  for  the  paroled  pris- 
oners whose  interests  they  have  in  charge. 

st  GEO.  A.  MILLER. 

Oaup  Pabole,  March,  1865. 

The  camp  is  now  quite  full  of  paroled 
men,  and,  they  are  coming  in  very  rapidly. 
The  condition  of  the  men  is  as  good  as  could 
be  expected,  considering  the  treatment  they 
have  had  while  in  prison. 

Having  been  so  long  deprived  of  whole- 
some food,  or  even  unwholesome  food  in 
quantity  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  demands  of 
nature,  they  have  now  an  ungovernable  ap- 
'  petite.  Government  furnishes  as  much  good 
food  as  they  ought  to  eat,  but  they  are  not 
satisfied,  and  having  obtained  a  little  money 
as  commutation  of  rations  that  they  did  not 
get  while  on  their  visit  South,  they  go  to 
the  sutlers  and  expend  their  money  for  pies, 


cakes,  &c.  The  sutler,  being  a  very  philan- 
thropic man,  and  knowing  that  these  poor 
fellows  will  expend  all  their  money  for  food, 
and  that  the  less  they  eat  the  better  for 
them,  very  kindly  relieves  them  df  their 
cash  for  a  small  quantity  of  eatables.  Never- 
theless, it  is  not  uncommon  for  men  to  eat 
enpugh  to  kill  them.  Doubtless  many 
valuable  lives  are  sacrificed  in  keeping  a 
sutler  in  camp.  It  is  sometimes  convenient 
to  procure  things  of  a  sutler,  but  his  pres- 
ence is  by  no  means  "  iSine  qua  non ;"  but 
on  the  contrary  a  superfluous  appendage, 
and  that,  too,  at  great  e'kpense  to  govern- 
ment, if  she  values  the  lives  of  men.    , 

A  number  of  officers,  lately  from  the 
South,  have  been  stopping  in  camp,  waiting 
for  papers  from  Washington  to  allow  them 
to  visit  their  homes.  They  can  now  appre- 
ciate freedom.  We,  who  have  never  been 
deprived  of  it,  know  little  of  its  worth. 

My  work  has  been  about  the  same  in 
^ind  and  amount  as  formerly,  viz. :  writing 
letters  and  presenting  claims  for  soldiers, 
and  occasionally  ministering  to  the  comfort 
of  an  unfortunate  man,  by  giving  him  a  few 
articles  of  clothing. 

Many  of  the  soldiers  are  troubled  with 
diarrhoea,  and  I  find  the  "  Essence  of  Ja- 
maica Ginger"  an  excellent  remedy  and 
highly  appreciated  by  the  recipients. 

>^  IN  PRISON. 
Extract  from  a  Report  &y,S.  G.  Doolit- 
TLE,  Supt.  Alexandria  Lodge. 

Alexandbia,  Va.,  February  19,  1865. 

I  visited  one  of  the  military  prisons,  and 
by  the  request  of  the  surgeon  furnished  17 
quilts  and  10  pillows;  they  were  for  the 
hospital  ward  and  badly  needed. 

March  i,  1865. 

During  the  week  I  have  visited  the  fol- 
lowing prisons :  The  Slave  Pen,  Odd  Fel- 
lows Hall,  Washington  Street  Prisom  and 
the  Jail,  and  distributed  a  large  amount  of 
reading  matter.  I  found  them  very  desti- 
tute in  this  particular,  and  a  lot  of  mea 
more  eager  for  something  to  occupy  their 
minds  I  never  saw. 


SXTBACT  OF  A  LETIEB  rBOK  W.  H.  HEN- 
DERSON. 

TuBiN,  Lewis  ConNTY,  N.  Y.,      1 
March  10,  1865.  / 

At  the  close  of  my  address  at  Harrisburg 

I  was  much   gratified  by  a  short  speech 

,  made  by  one  of  the  audience.     The  gentle- 


1096 


The 


Commission  JBuUetin. 


man  stated  that  last  fall  he  had  gone  down 
to  Harper's  Perry  to  obtain  the  remains  of 
his  brother;  that  notwithstanding  he  car- 
ried with  him  ample  recommendations  and 
references,  he  had  b^en  unable  to  pass  with- 
in the  lines  until  aided  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  The  Commission  obtained  a 
passport  for  him  promptly.  Having  got 
within  the  lines,  however,  he  found  himself 
equally  at  a  loss  for  want  of  full  information 
regarding  the  circumstances  of  his  brother's 
death,  and  the  required  formalities  for  ob- 
taining the  body.  Here  again  the  Sanitary 
had  met  him  with  fiill  particulars,  obtained 
from  their  Directory,  and  with  all  facilities 
for  filling  up  the  gbvernment  forms.  He 
assured  the  rest  of  the  audience  that  he 
could  not  possibly  have  accomplished  his 
errand  without  the  aid  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 


TEOM  CITY  POINT. 
FROM  T.  L.  SEIP. 
City  Point,  Ta.,  March  13,  1865. 
-As  we  have  nearly  finished  our  work  at 
this  point  I  will  drop  you  a  few  lines,  that 
they  may  reach  you  before  our  return.  Mr. 
Schindel  and  myself  have  visited  the  dif- 
ferent Sanitary  Stations  in  this  army,  and 
^  although  they  are  not  as  busy  as  usual,  in 
consequence  of  the  fact  that  the  men  have 
just  been  paid  off,  still  we  could  not  fail  to 
see  the  necessity  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission,  and  the  good  it  has  already, 
accomplished  and  is  now  doing.  Many  lives 
have  doubtless  been  saved  by  its  operations, 
and  untold  misery  alleviated.  Besides  the 
great  things  that  it  does  for  the  men,  it  is 
in  furnishing  Utile  articles  and  in  relieving 
the  little,  but  not  trifling  wants  of  the  men, 
that  it  does  a  most  salutary  work.  Life, 
or  rather  a  great  part  of  it,  is  made  up  of 
little  things,  and  so  is  and  should  be  the 
work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission.  But 
you  must  not  infer  from  this  that  I  think 
the  Sanitary  Commission  does  no  great 
things.  I  had  too  manifest  a  proof  of  this, 
•  i.e.  that  it  does,  tt^e  other  day,  to  .  think 
otherwise.  A  boat  load  of  exchanged  pris- 
oners, who  had  just  come  from  Bichmond, 
and  were  yet  in  all  their  filth  and  destitu- 
tion, stopped  at  this  station.  The  men, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  in  number,  were  all 
provided  with  necessary  food  and  stimulants, 
were  cleansed  and  newly  clothed  and  made 
as  comfortable  a-s  circumstances  on  the  boat 
would  allow,  when  they  proceeded  ou  their 


way  to  Annap6lis.  These  poor  fellows  were 
in  a  very,  pitiable  condition.  They  were 
mere  living  skeletons,  and  were  too  weak 
to  stand.  Two  of  them  died  between  Rich- 
mond and  this  place,  and  no  doubt  others 
died  before  they  reached  their  destination. 

I  used  to  think  the  accounts  of  the  suf- 
ferings of  our  soldiers  in  southern  prisons 
were  exaggerated,  but  since  I  have  heard 
their  tale  from  their  own  lips,  I  believe  that 
the  whole  truth  is  not  and  will  never  be 
known ;  because  tongue  cannot  express  nor 
pen  describe  what  our  brave  men  have  en- 
dured in  the  miserable  pens  of  the  South. 
I  met  several  who  stated  that  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  had  reached 
them  even  in  their  prisons '  South.  Such 
cases,  of  course,  are  not  numerous,  because 
the  goods  sent  by  the  Sanitary  Commission 
reached  their  destination  in  comparatively 
few  instances. 

Thus  far  I  have  been  very  much  gratified 
with  my  visit,  and  I  am  now  more  than  ever 
convinced  of  the  necessity  of  our  people  at 
hbme  supporting,  and  liberally  too,  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission.  I  have  found  the, 
agents  generally  the  right  men  in  the  right 
places,  a  thing  most  difficult  to  find  in  any 
very  extensive  organization. 


LETTEB  FBOm  J.  C.  B0SH. 

Flag  of  TEnOE  Steamer  Geo.  Washington,) 
Akin's  Landing,  Va.,  Feb.  25,  1865.      J 

Unexpectedly  meeting  4tt  this  place,  that 
indefatigable  gentleman,  Lieut.'  Col.  Mul- 
ford,  whose  name  is  now  a  household 
word  in  so  many  domestic  circles  thr(5ugh 
the  entire  country,  as  the  instrument  of 
causing  so  ma^y  anxious  hearts  to  vibrate 
with .  increasing  hope  by  the  general  ex- 
change of  prisoners  of  war — I  learned  from 
him  that  about  1,500  of  our  men  were  ex- 
pected on  the  rebel  flag  of  truce  boat  from 
Richmond  to  Cox's  Landing,  about  four 
miles  from  here  overland.  It  is  worthy  of 
remark  to  contrast  the  difference  of  appear- 
ance between  the  rebels  just  brought  from 
Camp  Chase  and  Chioagp,  and  the  Union 
prisoners  from  Danville  and  Salisbury. 

When  the  rebels  left  the  transports  that 
brought  them  here  from  Baltimore,  they 
were  not  only  looking  healthy  and  strong, 
but  were  well  clad,  every  man  wearing  good 
clothing  from  head  to  foot,  and  not  one 
in  a  hundred  that  could  not  travel  off 
like  horses,  while  most  of  our  men  were 
but  moving  skeletons,  dragging  their  ema- 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1097 


ciated  forms  along,  very  few  with  other 
than  an  old  rag  of  a  shirt  and  pants  to  cover 
theit  nakedness,  many  entirely  barefooted 
and  without  blankets.  Among  the  five 
steamers  laying  here  to  transport  these  men 
to  Annapolis,  the  George  Washington  was 
designated  by  Col.  Mulford  as  the  hospstal 
boat  to  take  the  "most  fi^ble  cases.  Too  weak 
to  stand  or  walk  they  were  brought  over  in 
ambulances  and  carried  on  board  on  stretch- 
ers .  As  soon  as  all  were  on  board  we  started 
with  such  a  load  as  rarely  ever  freighted  a 
vessel  before.  The  reality  cannot  be  de- 
scribed. But  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost. 
These  men  had  been  as  highlyexcited  as  their 
feeble  condition  could  endure  with  the  idea 
of  being  free  again.  Having  had  no  nour- 
ishment that  day,  the  smell  of  food  made 
them  almost  frantic-  Soon  a  piece  of  dry 
toast  and  a  cup  of  good  coffee  with  milk 
and  sugar  was  given  tq,  each  man,  which 
was  devoured  as  only  hungry  animals  can 
devour  food.  Then  each  had  a  clean  shirt, 
drawers  and  stockings  furnished  him,  was 
washed  and  changed  and  had  his  wounds  and 
sores  dressed.  While  this  was  being  done, 
the  ever  vigilant  ste^rd  gave  each  man  a 
drink  of  good  hot  whiskey  punch.  Such  as 
were  able  to  read  had  papers  or  books  given 
them.  Very  soon  there  came  another  round 
of  good  beef  soup,  thick  with  potatoes  and 
onions.  None  can  imagine  the  joy  and  grati- 
tude expressed  by  these  152  men.  Qn  soft 
beds,  fed  and  clothed,  their  conversation 
was  strange  and  mixedi  I  took  their  names 
and  address,  wrote  letters,  to  their  friends. 
The  thoughts  of  home  caiised  many  to  weep 
as  they  gave  the  name  of  wife,  or  mother, 
or  friend  to  whom  I  addressed  the  letter. 
Soon  another  cup  of  coffee  and  toast  bread. 
Some  would  sleep,  others  so  full  of  joy  that 
sleep  had  departed.  Amid  their  experience 
,  in  rebel  prisons,  as  they  related  it,  the  fol- 
lowing may  he  of  interest. 

They  had  their  money,  coats,  shoes,  can- 
teens and  haversacks  taken  from  them  when 
captured  or  when  put  in  prison.  Those 
who  secreted  their  money  were  required  to 
pay  at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  for  a  common 
size  biscuit,  three  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for 
a  pound  of  poor  flour,  two  dollars  for  a 
poiind  of  rice,  six  and  seven  dollars  a  pint 
for  molasses,  very  thin  and  black.  Meat 
was  so  rarely  given  that  they  eat  all  the 
rats  and  mice  they  caught.  Pork,  when 
they  could  induce  the  guard  to  get  it  for 
them,  was  sixteen  dollars  per  pound.  Thp 
officers  were  opposed  to  anything  being  sqjd 


to  our  men,  but  the  guard  would  smuggle 
in  goflds  to  them.  The  negroes  appeared 
much  pleased  when  they  learned  our  men 
were  to  be  exchanged.  An  intelligent  ser- 
geant said  he  saw  the  official  report  of  the 
deaths  at  Danville  from  the  middle  of  Au- 
gnst  to  19th  of  February,  when  they  left 
for  Richmond,  which  was  678  out  of  2,151, 
almost  one  in  three.  The  filth  and  vermin 
can  .only  be  imagined,  when  we  think  that 
during  seven  months  no  change  of  garments. 
All  the  water  was  brought  in  pails  by  'de- 
tails of  men  under  guard  from  the  Danville 
river.  The  sfergeant  of  the  guard  would 
frequently  neglect  to  have  it  done.  *  The 
water  left  in  the  pails,  not  enough  to  wash 
and  a  scarcity  to  drink  ai^d  cook  what  little 
food  they  had.  They  |plt  more  indebted  to 
the  Sanitary  than  they  could  find  words  to 
express.  The  work  was  very  fatiguing,  yet 
one  would  not  become  weary,  for  the  satis- 
faction derived  in  relieving  their  dreadful 
condition.  We  arrived  at  Annapolis,  losing 
but  one  man  on  the  way,  when  to  all  ap- 
pearance One  would  think  that  a  score  of 
them  was  too  far  gone  to  survive  the  journey. 


rOBT  SMITH  AND  LIITLE  BOCK,  ARKANSAS. 

The  following  report  ■  and  invoice,  says 
Dr.  Woodward,  are  of  deep  interest,  from 
the  fact  that  Fort  Smith  is  300  miles  above 
Little  Rock,  on  the  Arkansas  River,  and 
the  country  along  the  route  so  infested  by 
guerillas  that  it  has  hitherto  been  impossi- 
ble to  get  sanitary  stores  through ;  only  one 
small  lot,  by  wagon,  having  ever  previously 
reached  that  post,'  and  none  but  a  n^an  of 
Mr.  Carpenter's  determined  character  would 
ever  have  succeeded. 

His  trip  has  been  a  great  success,  and  his 
report  will  rejoice  the  hearts  of  those  who 
have  friends  in  that  forlorn  region.  He 
goes  now  to  New  Orleans  with  the  stores 
just  sent  by  you  on  the  steamer  Missouri, 
and  will  either  turn  them  over  to  Dr.  Blake 
or  follow  up  the  army  as  circumstances  may 
direct. 

Invoice  of  goods  taken  iy  D.  B.  Carpenter,  Agent 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Ooramission,  to  Fort  Smith,  Ar- 
kansas, February  4,  1865. 


Brawers,  pairs 100 

Towels 76 

Dressing  gowns 24 

Oil  silk  ring  pads 4 

Slippers,  pairs 28 

Dried  fruit,  lbs 600 

Lime  j  alee,  btls 75 

Jamaica  ginger,  btls 12 

Catawba  bitters,  btls 48 

Assorted  jellies,  btls 24 

Cranberries,  j  ars 


Crackers,  lbs  .....' 80O 

Fi>tatoe6  and  onions,  bbls  100 

Corn  starch,  lbs 120 

Tea,  lbs 15 

Condensed  milk,  cans 96 

Prunes,  lbs 20 

Arrow  root,  lbs 13 

Hospital  shirts 265 

Handkerchiefs 60 

Vests ^ 3 

Arm  slings .; 24 


1098 


The  Sanitary  Commission  JSlulletin. 


Kabber  cloth,  pieces 6 

Ginitchee,  pairs 20 

Wliiskey,  btls 150 

Easpberry  vinegar,  btls. 

0in|;er  wine,  btts 

Blackberry  cordial,  btls. .  24l  Spit  cups' 
Sugar  and  lemojis,  catis. .  72|  Wash  basins 


Peaches,  cans ■  48 

Kraut  and  pickles,  galls. .960 

Crushed  sugar,  lbs 100 

Tin 'cups 50 

Flaxseed,  lbs 30 

10 

12 


BY  D.  B.  CARPENTER. 

-     DurAiL'  Blupf,  Aek.,     1 
Feb.  15,  1865./ 

I  succeeded  in  getting  the  stores  I  wrote 
you  I  intended  taking  to  Fort  Smith  on 
board  the  steamer  Lotus,  during  the  night 
of  Saturday,  and  started  on  our  "dubious 
tour"  at  daylight  the  nekt  morning.  Of 
the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  the  trip,  it  is 
sufficient  to  state  that  the  cabin  was  small, 
crowded  with  refugee  women  and  children*, 
returning  to  Fort  Smith  after  the  scai;e  pro- 
duced by  the  eva.cuation.  It  was  cold,  with 
almost  no  fire,  and  I  had  the  softest  board 
I  could  find,  with  my  blanket,  to  sleep  on. 
It  was  the  same  returning,  only,"  more  so," 
as  the  boy  said.  I  did  hope,  in  going  up, 
that  the  return  trip  would  be  less  crowded 
and  more  bearable,  but  found  myself  griev- 
ously disappointed,  as  far  aa  table  luxuries 
and  delicacies  are  concerned.  They  wanted, 
to  charge  $1  per  meal  fbr  the  biscuits  alnd 
fat  pork,  but  concluded  to  take  75  cents 
this  time.  Of  the  compliments  the  guer- 
rillas and  bushwhackers  saw  fit  to  pend  us, 
you  have  probably  some  full  accounts  in  the 
,  papers,  and,  as  that  is  not  germain  to  my 
purpose,  I  will  not  repeat  it.  ' 

'  We  touched  at  Lewisburg  an  hour  or  two. 
I  left  some  stores  there  for  the  hospital,  and 
paid  it  a  short  visit.  It  is  under  the  charge 
of  Dr.  A.  D.  Thomas  and  Assistant  Dr. 
Madison;  is  a  good  frame  building,  and 
appears  neat  and  well  kept.  Did  not  have 
time  to  go  to  any  of  the  regiments.  Sani- 
tary stores  have  been  supplied  to  them  oc- 
casionally from  Little  Rock.  I  made  ar- 
rangements with  Dr.  Thomas  to  have  the 
mortality  report  copied  and  forwarded  to 
Louisville,  which  he  did  before  my  return 
from  Fort  Smith;  also  to  forward  all 
chaQges  in  the  hospital  regularly,  for  the 
use  of  the  Directory.  At  Fort-^  Smith  I 
fqiidd  matters  in  a  very  chaotic  state,  as 
they  had  not  become  re-arranged  since  the 
evacuation.  Dr.  Swasey,  Acting  Medical 
Director,  had  oflly  arrived  the  day  before, 
and  some  of  the  surgeons  the  same  day. 
Most  of  the  hospital  furniture  and  medical 
supplies  were  on  the  same  boat  as  myself,*' 
consequently  it  would  not  be  just  to  form  a 
judgment  or  express  an  opinion,  from  their 
condition  at  that  'time.    Dr.  8.  is  as  fine 


and  honorable  appearing  a  man  as  I  have 
met  in  the  army.    He  was  there  before  the 
evaouajtion,  and  would  know   best  wKere  • 
stores  were  needed,  so  that  I  thought  it  best 
to  turn  the  supplies  over  to  him,  to,  distri- 
bute according  to  his  best  judgment.    They 
were  stored,  under  his  'Care,  in  the  rooms 
of  the  medical  purveyor.   I  did  not  visit  the 
hospital  only  for  two  reasons ;  first,  Jack  of 
time,  which  was  very  limited,  and,  second- 
ly, I  was  so  unwell  and  used  up,  that  I 
could  not  take  the  necessary  exertion,  with- 
out manifest  injustice  to  myself;    but  I 
learned  from  the  surgeon  that  the  general 
health  of  the  troops  was  full  as  good  as  any 
where  else  in  the  department.      I  think 
scorbutis  is  more  prevalent.     The  country 
is  so  devastated,  that  they  get  no  vegetables 
at  all,  and  the  guerrillas  are  so  thick,  that 
no  foraging  is  done,  except  in  large  parties;  ■ 
They  have  been  on  part  rations  a  good  share 
of  the  time, — sometimes  one-half  and  some- 
times one-fourth.      I  think   chronic  diar- 
rhoea is  not  as*  prevalent  as  at  points  down 
the  river.     I  suggested  to  Dr.  Swasey  to 
raise  a  hospital  garden,  as  there  is  a/ fine 
piece  of  ground  convf'nient.     He  said  he 
would  be  very  glad  to  do  so,  but  could  get 
no  seeds.     I  proposed  to  furnish  these  to 
him ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  no  greater  boon 
can  be  granted  to  the  poor  fellows,  sick, 
and  away  out  of  the  world  at  Fort  Smith, 
than   to  furnish   them   immediately   with 
garden  seeds  and  onion  sets  sufficient  for 
II  acres  of  ground.      There  is  plenty  more 
land  therj  for  a  larger  garden,  and  the  men 
would  be  glad  to  wsrk  it,  but  fencing  is' 
among  the  things  that  "  were,  and  are  not." 
I  took  up  an  excellent  supply  of  stores  for 
present  exigencies.  Vegetables  and  pickles, 
■  together  with  all  the  dried  fruit  we  can  get, 
will  be  the  principal  requirements  at  that 
point,  as  well  as  the  rest  of  that  department. 
A  considerable  quantity  of  crackers  and  fa- 
rinaceous articles  will  also  be  required  for 
the  hospitals.  I  made  arrangements  also  and 
left  blanks  with  Dr.  Swasey  to  have  the- mor- 
tality record  and  names  of  the  patients  in  the 
hospitals  copied  imniediately,  and  all  changes 
forwarded  to  Hospital  DirectOCT  weekly. 

I  am  now  at  Duvall's  Bluff,  awaiting  fur- 
ther orders. 


SOLDI£I(S'  LODGE,  FOBTSUOUTH,  VA. 
Ever  since  the  capture  of  Norfolk,  Va., 
by  our  forces,  Portsmouth  has  been  the  im- 
mediate base  to  the  army  of  oocupationsta- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1099 


tioned  in  that  quarter;  and,  as  such,  a  point 
where  many  soldiers  on  furlough,  discharg- 
ed, or  convalescent,  have  gathered.  Lai'ge. 
general  hospitals,  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
have  |been  kept  filled  by  the  sad  sickliness 
of  past  seasons,  and,  as  a  consequence,  many 
relations  of  patients  ther^  treated  have 
found  themselves  in  the  cheerless  streets  of 
the  twin-cities,  friendless  and  homeless,  if 
not  moneyless.  To  the  same  point,  also, 
white  and  black  refugees  from  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  and  other  southern  states 
have  fled.  Hence  it  was  deemed  neces- 
sary by  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion that  a  Soldiers'  Home  should  be  estab- 
lished.  Accordingly,  in  March,  1864,  Mr. 
John  Alcooke,  as  superintendent,  opened  the 
"  United  States  Sanitary'  Commission's  Sol- 
diers' Lodge"  in  Portsmouth.  '  Every  fa- 
cility that  could  be  reasonably  asked  was 
promptly  extended  by  the  military  author- 
ities; and,  since  they  have  witnessed  the 
admirable  workings  of  the  institution,  their 
cordial  approoation  has  only  been  excelled 
by  the  praise  expressed  by  the  recipi- 
ients  of  its  benefits.  Soldiers;  fathers, 
mothers,  wives  or  sisters,  who  are  nursing 
their  dear  ones  in  the  hospitals ;  refugees, 
wet  and  worn  by  the  trip  through  the  Dis- 
mal Swamp;  and,  not  last,  fugitive  slaves, 
have  found  care  and  comfort  at  the  hands 
of  the  warm-hearted  Friend  in  charge.  The 
following  extracts  from  reports  and  letters 
will  give  a  partial  idea  of  the  variety  of  the 
relief  given ;  while  the  annexed  table  shows 
that  3,110  soldiers  have  been  entertained,' 
and  5,553  lodgings,  and  16,960  meals  given 
during  the  past  year 

LETXEE  FROM   JOHN  ALCOOKE,  SUPT. 
PoBTSMOUTH,  V^-,  Feb.,  1865. 
Friend : — I  fear  thee  will  think  I 


hS,ve  forgotten  thy  request.  In  the  first 
place  a  Lodge  was  much  needed  here,  in 
cojisequence  of  so  many  soldiers  being 
stationed  within  a  few  miles  of  this  place, 
and  also  in  consequence  of  many  hospitals 
being  ''hererf  We  opened  the  house  on 
the-  16th  of  March,  1864,  after  much  labor, 
as    it    was  in    a    most  filthy    couditigu. 


Thou  wilt  find  in  the  accompanying  paper 
a  list  of  meals  for  each  month,  also  lodg- 
ings and  men  accommodated,  also  the  num- 
ber of  soldiers  from  each  State,  also  the 
relatives  of  soldiers  who  have  been  accom- 
modated, tip  to  the  end  of  February  the 
number  of  meals  given  was  16,960,  and 
lodgings  5,553  ;  the  number  of  men  3,110, 
besides  over  6,000  men  who  hsiTve  been  re- 
lieved in  various  ways  with  clothing,  shoes, 
slippers,  combs,  towels,  tobacco,  pens,  paper, 
and  envelopes,  and  many  other  articles. 

DYING  EOT. 

On  the  18th  of  March,  after  we  opened 
the  lodge,  I  was  notified  of  a  sick  soldier 
boy  lying  in  the  street  in  a  helpless  con- 
dition. I  went  and  found  him  as  reported, 
in  a  dying  state.  Hfe  not  bein^  able  to 
walk,  I  took  him  up  in  my  arms  and  car- 
ried him  home.  He  had  been  at  Fort 
Schuyler,  and  just  come  off  a  transport.  It 
was  a  relapse  from  measles.  Not  being  able 
to  take  care  of -himself  during  the  voyage,  he 
was*  in'  a  very  dirty,- destitute  condition. 
After  having  made  him  comfortable,  we 
sent  for  one  of  "the  surgeons  from  the  hos- 
pital, who  found  him  in  a  very  low  state, 
and  requested  that,  after  reporting  to  the 
Medical  Director,  h^  be  sent  to  the  hospital. 
The  next  morning  he  was  too  far  gone  to 
be  removed.  He  lived  only  ten  days.  He 
was  desirous  at  all  times  to  hear  prayer  and 
instruction.  A  few  hours  before  his  dea^h 
I  asked  him  how  he  felt, — if  his  Redeemer, 
was  near  him.  He  looked  up  to  me  with 
such  a  beaming  face  and  rbplied,   "  Oh, 

friend  A ^,  I  am  not  afraid-  to  trust  my 

soul  in  his  hands."  He  sent  loving  messa- 
geis  to  his  home,  and  in  a  short  time  died 
in  my  arms,,  blessing' me  for  what  had  been 
done  for  him. 

^      MOTHER  AND  CHILD. 

We  have  bad  numbers  of  soldiers  here 
from  their  regiments,  for  a  few  days  good 
nursing  and  care ;  and  in  all  cases  have  re- 
ceived letters  from  them  after  their  return. 
The  latter  end  of  May  a  sbldier's  wife  was 
brought  here  with  a  child  twelve  months 
old,  both  in  the  last  stage, of  consumption. 
She  was  With  us  seven  weeks.  She  died  on 
the  5th  of  July,  and  the  child  on  the  15th. 
They  are  buried  together  in  the  city  grave- 
yard in  this  place.  During  the  time  they 
were  with  us  we  did  all  we  could  for  their 
comfort  and  happiness. '  I  engaged  a  colored 
woman  'to  attend  to  them,  and  I  myself  was 
their  nurse.     The  poor  young  woman  died 


1100 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


March.- 

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»  Principally  Refugees,  white  and  black. 


full  of  gratitude  to  the  Sanitary  Commisaion 
for  the  home  and  care  she  had  received. 

WEARY  AND  FAINT.^ 

On  the  10th  of  November,  Robert  L.  J , 

of  the  20th  N.  Y.  Cavalry,  came  here  for  a 


rest  and  the  comforts  of  home.  He  had 
been  ailing  before,  and  had  been  here 
for  a  few  days'  from  time  to  time.  The  last 
time  he  came  I  saw  hp  was  a  very  sick  man. 
He  said  to  me  as  soon  as  he  came  inside  the 

house,   "  Friend  A- ,  I  am  come  once 

more  to  thee  for  a  little  care.  I  am  very 
sick,  and  it  is  ^  like  home  here."  Of 
course  I  receivecniim  kindly,  but  with  all 
I  could  do  I  could  not  raise  him  up.  He 
died  on  the  18th  of  November. 

SOTJES   NOT  NEGLECTED. 

Remember  one  thing ;  1  do  not  neglect 
the  souls  of  those  who  come  to  my  house, 
either  in  sickness  or  health.  We  have 
regular  family  prayers,  and  however  full  the 
house  is  there  is  the  greatest  order  and  at- 
tention, and  in  no  one  instance  has  there 
ever  been  any  irreverence.  I  always  make 
it  a  point  every  evening  to  speak  to  the  sol- 
diers of  their  homes ;  the  influences  of  early 
years,  their  mothers  and  sisters ;  and  try  to 
stimulate  them  to  self  respect.  We  have 
also  on  first  day  evening  Friends  meeting. 
All  in  the  house  attend.  Saral/  Smiley,  of 
Philadelphia  is  here,  and  she  speaks  to  us 
generally.  She  is  conducting  (for  the 
Friends),  an  industrial  school.  We  have  also 
a  number  of  ■  other  Friends  here.  We  are 
all  anxipus  to  assist  in  all  good  work. 

somebody's  darling. 

Since  the  capture  of  Fort  Fisher  I  have  had 
much  on  my  hands.  Quite  a  number  of 
the  officers  and  men  who  were  killed  there 
were  sent  to  Norfolk  for  embalmings  and 
in  most  instances  their  clothes  were  either 
torn  off  them  or  too  bloody  for  use.  The 
persons  in  charge  applied  to  me  for  grave 
clothes,  and  my  assistance  in  placing  them 
in  their  coffins.  In  all  instances  1  have 
furnished  shirt,  drawers,  sopks,  cravat,  col- 
lar, and  nice  white  flannel  shroud,  made  by 
myself  J  for  it  is  such  a  relief  to  the  friends 
to  see  the  remains  of  those  they  love  nicely 
cared  for  after  death.  On  fourtl^  day  of 
last  week,  I  clothed  and  placed  in  his  coffin 
General  Bell,  aeting.brigadier ,  and  yester- 
day I  clothed  Colonel  Moore,  203d  Pennsyl- 
vania Infantry;  also  Doctor  Longshay,  as 
well  as  two  /privates.  I  always  feel  that 
they  are  somebody's  son,  husband,  or  bro- 
ther, and  they  have  some  one  to  love  them, 
poor  fellows ;  and  I  know  it  is  such  a  shook 
to  friends  on  the  first  opening  of  a  coffin  to 
see  the  person  in  a  half  naked  condition. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  bulletin. 


1101 


DISMAL  SWAMP  AND  DISMAL  PROSPECTS. 

We  have  Bad  many  refugees  Here,  and  to 
tell  all  their  sufferings  would  fill  a  volume. 
One  instance  I  must  relate.  On  the  27th 
December,  1864,  a  party  of  refugees  came 
here  who  "had  gone  ^thijough  everything. 
They  had  to  wade  three  feet  dfeep  in  water 
through  or  up  a  creek,  four  miles.  One 
man,  educated  and  intelligent^  who  had  been 
previously  sick,  took  a  violent  cold  on  his 
lungs.  I  found  the  next  morning  he  was 
not  able  to  accompany  the  rest.  I  asked 
him  his  destination,  &c.,  his  answer  was  if 
hj  could  find  a  place  to  stay  till  he  was 
better  he  should  be  most  thankful.  I  told 
'him  he  should  stay  here;  I  consulted  with 
General  Vogdi^,  who  gave  a  hearty  assent. 
I  called  in  a  doctor  who  said  he  could  not 
live  ten  days;  but  I  am  thankful  to  say 
that  he  is  now  well.  We  have  done  "all  in 
our  power  to  restore  him,  and  God  has 
blessed  our  efforts;  and  through  the  influ- 
ence of  a  friend  of  ours  he  has  procured  a 
situation  in  a  dry  goods  store  in  Norfolk, 
and  is  gone  this  morning. 

ONE  OF  MANY. 

About  ten  days  ago  a  poor  woman,  who 
had  never  been  ten  miles  away  from  her 
home  before,  was  brought  to  us  by  a  lady 
residing  in  this  place;  stating  she  had 
found  her  weeping  bitterly  on  the  landing. 
Her  husband  was  sick  in  a  hospital  here, 
she  said,  but  did  not  know  where.  The 
lady  at  once  brought  her  ^ere.  After  she 
"had  taken  some  refreshments,  I  went  in 
quest  of  her  husband.  His  name,  Iram  Pety, 
N.  Y.  v.,  belonging  to  13th  N.  Y.  Heavy 
Artillery.  I  at  once  went  to  the  hospital 
of  that  iPegiiiient,  takiitg  her  with  me ;  but 
the  poor  man  had  died  the  night  before. 
Words  cannot  tell  lier  grief  when  I  told  her 
he  was  dead.  We  did  all  we  could  for  her. 
His  comrades  had  his  body  embalmed,  and 
she  stayed  here  until  all  was  ready.  She 
then  took  him  home.  I  was  so  much 
grieved  when  she  opened  her,  trunk  to  show 
what  in  her  poor  way  she  had  brought  for 
his  comfort.  All  sorts  of  nice  eatables 
which  her  means  would  allow,  and  which  he 
liked  when  at  home. 

FATHER  AND  SON. 

Major  B.  was  here  two  weeks  ago  and 
visited  the  camp  of  the  3d  N.  Y.  Cavalry  at 
Suffolk,  where  his  son,  a  lad  of  19  years,  is 
a  private.  He  brought  the  boy  down  here, 
as  he  was  not  well,  to  stay  a  few  days  and 
have  a  rest.     When  he  went  away  he,  re- 


commended the  boy  to  my  care  and  sympa- 
thy if  he  needed  it.  Well,  on  last  sixth  day 
the  company  he  belongs  to  went  on  a  raid 
to  Blackwater — the  boy  was  shot  through 
the  head- .  I  have  had  him  embalmed,  and 
also  have  provided  a  good  coffin,  nice  flan- 
nel grave  clothes,  and  placed  him  in  his 
coffin.  I  have  just-  been  to  the  side  of  his 
coffin  to  put  some  early  spring  flowers 
around  him,  and  he  looks  as  if  he  was 
sweetly  sleeping.  I  have  combed  the  hair 
over  his  wound,  and  done  all  I  can  to  spare 
his  poor  father's  feelings.  I  am  looking  for 
him  this  morning,  and  dread  the  meeting. 
I  trust  our  Heavenly  Father  will  comfort 
him,  he  loved  the  Jad  much.  I  can  only 
feel  as  I  stand  by  his  coffin  and  look  on  his 
placid  face,  that  he  is,  I  trust,  sweetly  sleep- 
ing in,  Jesus.  .  They^brought  him  to  me 
from  Suffolk  in  a  box,  just  as  he  had  died, 
but  there  is  now  nothiflg  to  shock  any  one's 
feelings.  I  have  haid  crowds  to  see  him 
since  he  was  in  his  coffin.  It  made  me  feel 
bad  to  see  the  soldiers  of  his  company  come 
in  so  orderly,  and  pass  around  the  coffin  to 
take  a  last  look  at  their  comrade,  whilst  the 
great  tears  rolled  down  their  sunburnt 
cheeks-^may  God  teach  them  how  uncertain 
is  life.  Time  and  space  will  not  allow  me 
to  say  more. 

WHAT  OTHERS  SAY. 
From  Dr.  W.  Madill,  )Surgeon  20th  JV.  T. 
Cavalry,  /ormerli/  Medical  Director. 
"  You  have  ever  been  kind  to  the  soldiers 
of  my  regiment,  for  which  please  accept  my 
sincere  thanks.  Many  of  them  will  never 
forget  your  kindness,  and  willingness  to 
mete  out  comforts  to  them  when  needed. 
May  God  prosper  you  in  your  good  work, 
and  may  you  finally  reap  the  reward  you  so 
much  deserve." 

From  Captain  Peter  Bailey,  of  the  21ih 
'  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
"Accept  my  heartfelt  thanks  for  the  many 
acts  of  kindness  shown  to  me,  a  perfect  stran- 
ger, unknown  to  you.  I  shall  always  remem- 
ber you  with  feelings  of  kindness  and  friend- 
ship, as  well  as  to  the  boys  of  my  regiment. 
There  are  those  at  home  who  have  already 
blessed  you  for  your  ^reat  kindness  to  many 
a  poor  soldier  boy."' 

From  the  Mother  of  a  Soldier,  who  went 
from  the.  Lodge  to  die  at  his  home  in 
Ohio.^<  '  ' 

"  AlloT^f  me,  at  the  close,  of  my  letter,  to 
bless  and' thank  you  for  the  great  love  and 


1102 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetm- 


kindness  shown  to  my  poor  son.  He  never 
wearied  in  talking  of  you;  and  oh,,  how  can 
I  thank  you  for  pointing  his  dear,  soul  to 
the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins 
of  the  '^orld.  May  God  ever  bless  you,  and 
the  noble  Sanitary  Commission  for  what 
they  have  done,  and  are  constantly  doing, 
for  our  sons  on  the  field  of  battle." 

FROM  A  SISTER. 

"  Dear  Friend  : — I  received  your  kind 
letter,  containing  my  own  to  my  brother 

,  on   the  26th  inst.     I  thought  I 

would  not  answer  it  until  the  remains  of 
my  dear  brother  atrived.  They  reached 
this  place  last  night.  This  morning  his 
coffin  was  opened,  and  once  more  we  looked 
upon  the  face  of  our  long  absent  and  loved 
one,  but^not  as  ever  before;  for  now  he  is 
clasped  in  the  embtace  of  death.  Oh  !  it 
is  painful  to  see  him  lie  there,  so  still  and 
quiet,  entirely  unconscious  of  our  presence, 
and  know  that  he  can  never  look  or  speak 
to  us  again.  His  features  are  natural,  ajd 
there  is  a  sweet  smile  resting  upon  his  lips. 
The  flowers  placed  round  him  are  nearly  as 
fresh  as  when  put  there.  He  loved  flowers 
when  he  was  alive,  and  I  am  very  grateful 
to  you  for  putting  them  in  his  coffin.  His 
remains  and  shroud  show  that  loving  and 
careful  hands  placed  him  there  in  his  long 
narrow  resting  place.  Words  cannot  ex- 
press the  gratitude  we  feel  tAwards'you,  for 
your  untiring  and  aifectionate  care  to  our 
dear  absent'  one,  and  God  viiU  hless  you  for 
taking  care  of  the  needy.  We  did  not  know 
that  he  was  dangerously  sick,  until  we  heard 
of  his  death ;  so  the  news  was  most  unez- 
pected.  It  wpuld  have  been  a,,  consolation 
to  us  if  we  could  have  taken  care  of  him, 
and  attended  to  even  any  of  his  wants; 
but  that  was  impossible,  and,  as  it  is,  we 
feel  that  he  was  as  well  cared  for  as  he  could 
have  been  at  home.  We  thank  God  for 
raising  him  up  a  helper  and  comforter  in 
time  of  sickness  and  death.     *    *     *    - 

"  My  brother  r  has  just  this  mo- 
ment come  from  the  post-office, 'with  your 
kiSid  letter  of  -^^ — .  Your  renewed  sympa- 
thy and  afiiectionate  words  call  forth  fresh 
gratitude'.  You  have  done  all  we  can  ask, 
for  our  dear  Robert.  One  sentence  alone 
gives  us  great  consolation  ;  it  was  this  : 
'I  hope  and  trust  be  has  gone  to  livfe 
with  our  Redeemer.'  That  is  all  I  wish. 
They  are  the  iiiost  preciouEi  words  you  could 
have  spoken." 


SAmXABY  COMMISSION. 

The  loyal  thousands  of  the  land  who  have 
contributed  so  liberally  to  the  aid  and  sup- 
port of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion would  be  gratified  'and  more  than  re- 
paid could  they  see  for  a  day  the  workings 
of  the  Commission  in  this  city.  The  thou- 
sands of  our  released  men  who  haVe  arrived 
here  during  the  past  and  present  month 
from  Richmond  and  other  rebel  dungeons 
have  been  cared  for  in  the  most  liberal, 
manner,  and  their  many  wants  supplied 
from  its  bountiful  storehouses  of  articles  not 
furnished  by  the  Government. 

It  is  '  sometimes  asked,  ' '  How  all  the 
money  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  is  ex- 
pended ?"  The  thousands  of  our  returned 
prisoners  will  answer  for  the  department  of 
Annapolis  Through  the  untiring  efforts 
of  Major  C.  F.  Howes,  of  Massachusetts, 
an  old  army  officer,  and  his  energetic  as- 
sistant, Mr.  P.  S.  Schwrar,  all  are  made  as 
comfortable  as  it  is  possible  to  make  men  in 
their  condition.  But  it  is  not  only  our  re- 
turned prisoners  who  are  the  recipients  of 
the  bounty  of  the  Commission.  The  sick 
and  wounded  in  the  hospitals  are  supplied 
with  many  delicacies  and  comforts  that 
otherwise  they  would  never  see  or  know  of, 
and  that  materially  assist  in  relieving  their 
sufferings.  The  Commission  here  works 
quietly  and  unostentatiously,  but  none  the 
less  energetically.  It  should  be  fostered 
by  the  friends  of  the  soldier  everywhere  in 
the  land,  for-all  alike,  ai^d  from  every  state, 
have  experienced  its  blessings.  —  Balto. 
American,  March  11,  1863. 


IIDIIEB  FBOM  BEAUFOBT. 

BY  M.  M.  MARSH,  M.D. 

March  2,  1865.' 

For  the  last  month,  I  have  very  little  to 
communicate. 

Our  work  has  been  chiefly  among  the  sick, 
left  by  General  Sherman,  at  Savannah  and 
Beaufort,  comprising  about  five  thousand ; 
which  number,  however,  is  rapidly  reduced' 
by  the  hospital  boats,  Barnes  and  Ben  De 
Fdrd,  conveying  these  diseased  men  (there 
are  few  wounded)  as  early  as  possible  to  a 
more  salubrious  clime.  Usually  the  sick 
are  retained  in  regimental  or  general  hos- 
pitals until  a  removal  is  simply  to  Secure  a 
northern  grave.  Not  so  the  policy  of  Gen- 
eral Sherman.  As  soon  as  a  man  sickens 
he  is  sent  to  the  rear,  and  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble thereafter,  north.  These  men  recover 
and  return';  and,  unlike' some  other  com- 


Tha  Saniiary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1103 


mands,  there  is  no  complaint,  that  "when 
a  man  goes  north  that  is  the  last  of  him," 
but  there  is,  from  these  invalids  and  re- 
cruits, a  constant  accession  in  numbers. 
The  soldiers  of  this/  army  see  the  immediate 
fruit  of  their  labors,  which  doubtless  ac- 
counts for  their,  unbounded  devotion  to  the 
interests  of  this  command.  For  certainly 
they  are  clothed  and  fed  more  poorly,  and 
worked  harder,  than  any  body  of  troops  I 
have  seen.  If  commiserated,  the  soldier 
commonly  replies,  "  If  our  officers  can  stand 
it,  we  can,"  The  officers  of  this  army  do 
share  with  the  soldier  all  his  privations,  and 
if  it  lightens  not,  it  makes  him  willing  to 
endure  toil  and  sufiFering. 

During  the  month  we  have  received  two 
entire  cargoes  of  sanitary  supplies,  by  the 
steamer  Uncas,  and  have  distributed  to  the 
necessities  of  hospitals,  to  the  various  de- 
tachments of  G-eneral  Sherman's  army,  ly- 
ing at  Beaufort,  awaiting  his  ,advent  to  the 
coast,  and  to  patients  going  north  upon  hos- 
pital boats.  This  latter  class  havevespecial 
reason  to  bless  the  providence  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  Thrown  into  hospital 
with  olothiiig  fit  only  .to  burn,  and  while 
there  their  respective  commands  ordered  on 
the  march,  and  no  provision  made  by  which 
they  could  dra*  a  single  article  when  they 
should  come  out  of  hospital,  and  the  De- 
partment of  the  South  unable  or  unwilling 
to  issue  to  them,  when  the^time  came  to 
return  to  their  regiments,  or  to  be  transfer- 
red north,  the  Sanitary  Commission  was 
their  -only  reliance,  absolutely,  in  most 
cases,  their  only  resource.  Nor  will  this 
call  cease  while  "Sherman's  men"  are  in 
the  department.  Their  officers  have  told 
me  that  not, one-half  the' clothing  which 
the'  men  required  was  issued  before  the 
march.  They  assert  that  the  same  state  of 
things  existed  before  leaving  Atlanta;  and 
the  appearance  of  the  army  fully  justifies 
the  assertion.  Anovistus  boasted  to  Csesar 
that  some  of  his  men  had  not  been  under 
a  roof  for  fourteen  years:  this  army  can 
certainly:  rival  the'  German's  in  respect  to 
clothing.  There  are  constantly  arriving, 
too,  from  the  north  numbers,  temporarily 
W£^iting  to  rejoin  their  regiments,  who  are 
sent  without  any  preparation,  and  for  whom 
the  .Commission  must  provide.  In  addition, 
the  small-pox  hospital — which  disease  is  just 
now  rife — has  made  no  inconsiderable  de- 
mands upon  us.  A  soldier  is  taken  there, 
perhaps  with  a  well-filled  knapsack,  blan- 
kets, and  overcoat;  all  these,  with  all  his 


personal  apparel,  are  burped ;  and,  on  leav- 
ing hospital,  G-overnment  allows  him  >for 
his  three  blankets,  overcoat,  dress  parade 
suit,  and  his  personal  every  day  clothing, 
only  one  shirt,  one  pair  of  stockings,  one 
pair  of  pants,  and  a  thin  flannel  blouse; 
and  one  who  has  served  his  country  faith- 
fully, and  escapes  death  from  a  disease 
which  eminently  reduces  vitality,  i?  turned 
out  to  the-damp  an<i  piercing_wilids  with 
this  pr(^tection,  inadequate  for  the  most  ro- 
bust and  hardy;  and  this  is  said  to  be  by 
?in  order  from  the  war-office.  Certain,  it  is 
the  practice,  and  the  country  ought  to 
know  it. 

These  calls  alone  have  made  large  drafts 
upon  the  Commission ;  but  on  the  25th 
ultimo  we  forwarded  to  Morehead  City, 
N.  C,  by  the  steamei;^ Dmcas,  to  meet  this 
roving  army,  an  entire  cargo  of  sanitary 
stores,  in  part  composed  of  the  following : 
200  bbls.  pickles,  159  bbls.  kraut,  6,000 
lbs.  canned  tomatoes,  3,000  lbs.  beef  stock, 
4,200  lbs.  canned  milk,  600  bottles  stimu- 
lants, 20  chests  of  tea,  with  coffee,  sugar, 
butter,  hams,  cheese,  2,000  lbs.  dried  apples 
and  fruit,  150  bbls.  soft  crackers,  and  the 
the  different  farinaceous  articles  in  propor- 
tion ;  with  clothing  consistiog  of  200  mili- 
tary overcoats,  200  prs.  pants,  200  blouses 
and  dress-coats,  1000  blankets,  37  cases 
woolfen  shirts,  23  cases  of  drawers,  17  cases 
,of  socks,  8,000  towels,  9,000  handkerchiefs, 
8  cases  ef  cushions  and  pillows ;  and  a  cor- 
responding supply  of  the  little  but  very  ne- 
cessary articles  of  pins,  needles,  thread,'&c., 
with  stationery  and  postage  stamps, — a 
necessity,  from  the  fact  that  most  of  this 
working,  conquering  army  have  received 
no  pay  for  more  than  eight  months,  whe- 
ther members  of  cabinet  and  Congress  have 
or  have  not  drawn  their  monthly  stipend. 
The  above  cargo,  with  one  nearly  equal  in 
value,  which  We  hope  the  Commission  in 
New  York  will  ship  directly  for  Morehead 
City,  will  pretty  fully  meet  the  wants  of 
these  brave,  intelligent  men,  of  whom  the 
West  may  well  be  gjroud;  and  giving  an 
elasticity  of  muscular  fibre  and  feeTing, 
which  a  recognition  of  services  always  in- 
sures, will  help  them  to  accomplish  that 
which  they  most  d,esire,  vi^,  to  meet  the 
strength  of  the,  rebellion,  under  him  whom, 
inch  byinch,  they  fought,  from"  Chattanooga 
to  Atlanta.  For  such  men  the  country  can- 
not do  too  much;  and  at  this  juncture  the 
efficiency  of  this  army,  to  an  extent,  depends 
upon  the  efforts  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 


1104 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


BY  F.  A.  S.  PERRY. 

Headquarters  U.  S.  San.  Com.      '\ 

IN  THE  Field,  Six  miles  from  Cove  Creek,  V 

March  11,  1865.      J 

gjR : — I  have  the  honbr  to  report,  that 
for  the  past  week  my  time  has  been  occu- 
pied at  Newbern  and  here,  as  follows: 

Last  Sunday  and  Monday  I  was  at  New- 
bern, discharging  the  cargo  of  the  Commis- 
Bion's  steamer  IJwms.  Tuesday  we  were 
engaged  in  storing  away  the  same.  Wed- 
nesday we  packed  stores  for  the  front,  put 
them  aboard  the  cars,  and  came  to  this 
place,  pitched  our  tent,  and  placed  our 
stores  under  shelter.  In  doing  all  this  we, 
had  very  hard  muscular  work  to  perform, 
and  since  we  arrived  here  we  have  been  up 
late,  every  night,  issuing  relief  to  our^sick 
and  wounded.' 

It  -was  the  early  hour  of  one  o'clock 
Thursday  morning  when  we  reached  this 
place,  and,  after  three  hours  sleep  in 
camp,  were  in  readiness  to  commence  work 
for  the  day.  We  first  arranged  our  stores 
in  tent,  so  as  to  b^  had  when  wanted,  and 
took  us  about  midday,  when  in  came  some 
seventy  wounded  from  the  front,  to  whom 
we  rendered  every  assistance  in  our  power. 
We  pitched  a  tent  for  them,  spread  it  with 
straw,  and  helped  them  in  it,  and  furnished' 
them  with  sacks  and  blankets,  made'  them 
beef  sonp  and  coffee,  gave  to  such  as  were 
wounded  in  .the  feet  socks,  in  the  legs 
drawers,  in  the  body  shirts,  and  to  all  such 
as  were  dirty  such  articles  of  clothing  as 
they  were  in  need  of.  The  beef  soup  and 
coffee  were  very  timely,  as  the  poor  fellows 
had  cotae  seven  miles  in  ambulances,  over 
a  dreadful' road,  and  were  weak  and  hungry. 
They  blessed  us  over  and  over  again,  and 
will  one  day  say  to  the  people  of  the  North, 
the  Sanitary  Commission  has  been  a  God- 
send to  them.  It  was  stormy  through  the 
day,  and  at  night  a  heavy  and  chilly  rain 
set  in,  and,  biit  for  the  tent  we  gave  them, 
they  would  have  had  none.  They  were  de- 
pendent upon  us  for  a  change  of  clothing 
and  for  food,  except  hard-tack  and  salt 
pork.  V 

•  On  Friday  showers  of  rain  fell,  and 
the  heaviest  fighting  at  the  front  occurred; 
but  only  som^  forty  men  of  our  wounded 
have  yet  come  in  here.  We  served  them 
as  we  did  those  of  yesterday,  and  left  them 
only  as  they  fell  asleep  or  sought  it.  At 
midnight  I  set  out  upon  horseback,  with  a 
quantity  of  stores  for  the  3d  Division  Hos- 
pital, at  Gum  Swamp,  five  miles  distant,  as 


they  were  wanted  for  immediate  relief.  My 
path  thither  was  alongside  the  railroad 
track,  and'  was  in  some  places  so  narrow 
my  horse's  hoofs  would  strike  the  sleepers, , 
so  close  did  I  have  to  ride  to  the  track, 
from  fear  of  my  horse  falling'  into  the  deep 
ravine  which  runs  from  here  all  the  way  to 
Gum  Swamp.  When  half  way  up,  my  horse 
became  restive,  and  backed  down  Jnto  the 
ravine,  there  some  eight  feet  deep,  and  half 
fiill  of  mud  and  water,  but  did  not  dismount 
me.  My  horse  became  more  restive  than 
ever,  and,  as  I  reined  him  up  the  steep  bank, 
he  stood  upon  his  haunches  and  leaped,  tak- 
ing me  through  a  margin  of  thick  bush,  and, 
leaping  again,  stumbled  and  fell  with  me  to 
the  ground,  doing  me  no  injury,  further 
than  maiming  me  a  little.  Upon  reaching 
Gum  Swamp,  I  found  the  hospital  there 
more  than  full  of  wounded  patients,  and  in 
immediate  want  of  the  stimulants'and  beef 
stock  brought  them,  and  greatly  in  need  of 
blankets  and  other  things  I  had  not  with 
me.  I  therefore  slept  upon  the  ground  be- 
side a  blazing  fire,  with  nothing  but  two 
rails  underneath  and  the  canopy  of  heaven 
above. 

Saturday  morning,  as  early  as  seven 
o'clock,  I  left  Gum  Swamp  and  returned 
upon  foot,  without  having  had  a  mite  of 
breakfast,  and  reached  here  in  about  two 
hours  after.  No  wounded  have  come  in  to- 
day, and  our^ssues  have  been  small,  so  I 
have  had  time  for  rest. 


A  MA  JOB'S  OFINION  OF  THE  SOLBIXBS'  HOUE 
AT  COLUMDITS,  OHIO. 

/  Columbus,  Ohio,     1 

March  17,  1865.  J 

.  My  dear  Friend  : — Being  detained  in 
this  city  lor  four  hours  to-day,  by  missing 
the  Crestline  train,  I  thought  I  could  spend 
my  time  profitably  in  visiting  the  Soldiejrs' 
Home,  a  large  and  commodious  building 
erected  by  that  truly  patriotic  and  national 
organization,  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.  The  building  is  only  a  few 
yards  from  the  depot,  and  the  sick  or 
wounded  soldier  needs  no  direction  to  find 
it,  for  a  large,  oonspic,uous  sign  informs  all 
that  it  is  the  Soldiers'  Home;  and,  on 
entering,  I  assure  you  I  found  it  to  be  sUch. 
I  entered  a  large  sitting-room,  where  I  found 
about  sixty  returned  prisoners  sitting  com- 
fortably around  a  glowing  stove,  and  recit- 
ing to  a  few  listeners  their  thrilling  stories 
of  outrage  and  wrong,  that  make  us  blush 
for  our  kind  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon. 


\ 

The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1105 


To  the  left  of  the  entrance  was  a  large  hall, 
with  long,  cleanly. spread  tables,  on  which 
was  loaded  an  abundance  of  that  wholesome 
food  for  which  these  nohle  fellows  had  pined 
during  their  gloomy  captivity.  But  now 
"they  were  in  Grod's  country,"  as  they 
called  the  North;  and  I  felt,  as  I  gazed  on 
these  provisions  made  for  their  comfort  by 
the  voluntary  contributions  of  our  citizens, 
that  they  were  also  "  amongst  God's  peo- 
ple." One  of  the  officers  of  the  Commis- 
sion toot  me  into  the  comfortable  little  hos- 
pital attached  to  the  "Home,"  where  I  saw 
rows  of  neat,  clean  cots,  and  on  each  was 
stretched  the  pale,  emaciated  form  of  a  re- 
turned prisoner.  Poor  fellows  !  no  tongue 
can  tell  their  sufferings  while  in  the  hands 
of  "the  chivalry;",  and,  although  I  have 
seen  the  reality  myself,  I  listened  with  re- 
newed interest,  and,  as  I  heard  some  touch- 
ing story  from  the  lips  o^  a  worn-down, 
ghastly  looking  soldier,  once  a  strong  and 
stalwart  youth;  I  «ould  not  hold  back  the 
tears  of  sympathy,  while  the  fires  of  indig- 
nation burnfed  afresh  against  our  more  than 
barbarous  foe.  But  '  here,  in  the  cBzy 
"  Home,"  there  was  a  quiet  feeling  of  hap- 
piness. Kind  hands  were  here  to, minister, 
and  a  hundred  comforts  assured  them  that 
their  prolonged  captivity  was  not  caused  by 
a  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the 'Amer- 
ican people.  They  fully  appreciated  the 
philanthropy  of  the  Sanitary  Commission ; 
and  I  heard  many~repeat  the  oft-quoted 
phrase,  "God  bless  the  ladies."  I  under- 
stand these  poor  fellows  will  be  fdrwarded 
to  their  homes  to-morro'v^,  and  their'^lacea 
will  be  occupied  by  others  coming  on.  I 
as*ure  you,  my  friend/  my  heart  went  out 
towards  this  noble  organization,  and  I  know 
every  true  soldier  blesses  it. 

The  Legislature  is  in  session  here,  but 
my  visit  to  the  Home  prevented  my  going 
to  see  the  State-House.     I  hope  to  see  you 
soon.     With  best  wishes,  believe  me 
Faithfully  your  friend, 

:  A.  B.  C. 

"SAKITABY  SUPPLIES  FOE  THE  SOTTLS  OF 
SOLDIEBS." 

An  editorial  in  the  New  York  Observer 
of  23d  inst.,  uader  the  above  caption,  seems 
to  require  a  notice  and  reply,  as  follows : 

The  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  has  never 
purchased  a  dollar's  worth  of  Unitarian  or 
Universalist  literature  for  the  army;  but 
such  literature  having  been  sent  to  it  for  dis- 
Vot.  I.  No.  35  70 


tribution,  and  some  of  our  soldiers,  having  a 
preference-for  that  kind  of  reading,  the  Cora- 
missson,  as  a  national  organization,  had  no 
right  to  determine  that  they  should  not  read 
what  had  been  sent.  The  ranks  of  our  army, 
are  not  filled  up  exclusively  by  orthodox  or 
evangelical  Christians ;  there  are  tens  of  thou-- 
sands  who  do  not  believe  as  most  Christians 
do,  and  whose  convictions  are  just  as  firm -and 
as  honest  as  ours  are,  and  we  have  no  right 
to  attempt  to  control  their  choice,  unless 
we  can  furnish  them  with  what  we  think  is 
better.  The  "  boys"  in  the  army,  (as  some 
are  pleased  to  call  our  soldiers,)  are  eager 
for  reading  matter,  and  if  the  Church 
does  not  supply  the  'kind  of  reading  that 
is  best  for  them,  through  this  largest  and 
most  efficient  agency  wit£in  reach  of  the 
people  and  the  army,  we  have  no  right 
to  complain  that  the  jnen  seek  other 
kind  of  reading.  If  we  would  flood  the 
Sanitary  Commission  with  a  stream  of 
gospel .  truth,  in  the  form  of  good  books, 
bibles,  &c.,  it  would  flow  through  every 
camp  and  hospital  in  the  land,  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nation.  The  Church,  however, 
has  not  done  this.  It  has  not  availed 
itself  of  the  providential  advantages  that 
were  thrown  in  its  way.  The  Sanitary 
Coinmission  has  appealed  to  them  again 
and  again  for  religious  literature,  but  ■  the 
supply  has  been  small.  Soon  after  the 
Christian  Commission  came  into  being,  it 
was  welcomed  by  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, by  whom  the  proposition  was  made 
.to  transfer  the,  whole  matter  of  rec^iv-^ 
ing  and  distributing  religious  reading  to 
them,  as  well  as  the  matter  of  religious 
teaching,  provided  that  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission should  be  allowed  to  act  as  the 
channel  for  all  the  stores  that  might  be 
contributed  by  the  people.  Had  such  an 
arrangement  been  made,  the  agents  of  both 
Commissions  would  have  had  a  common 
■  storehouse  for  supplies,  and  a  common  store- 
house for  reading  matter,  and  a  union  and 
fellowship  of  interest  and  labor  would  have 
been  seen,  such  as  the  world  has  never 


1106 


The  Sanitary  Oomntission  Bulletin. 


yet  seen  J  but  the  olBFer  was  declined.  The 
Christian  Commission  claimed  to  ^be  the 
representative  of  the  Christian  sentiment 
of  the  people,  and  by  this  act  of  refusal 
to  cooperate  have  placed  that  sentiment 
below,  as  we  think,  its  normal  and  actual 
standard.  The  Sanitary  Commission  was 
thus  compelled  either  to  ignore  its  broad, 
catholic  principles,  or  to  continue  before  the 
country  as  an  unbiased,  free,  and  universal' 
channel  for  whatever  the  people  might  send 
to  the  army  The  wants  of  the  soldier  must 
be  met;  the  nation  demands  it.  His  moral 
and  spiritual,  as  well  as  his  physical  wants 
must  be  met.  The  Church  by  its  immediate 
agency  or  by  its  assumed  representative,  the 
Christian  Commission,  has  not  met  the  emer- 
gency, by  supplying  the  reading  and  supple- 
menting the  chaplaincy,  as  its  sole  and  hon- 
'ored  callings  aui  hc-uce  mustbearthe  respon- 
sibility of  the  eTil*now  oomplainod  cf.  It  was 
in  its  power  to  have  controlled  by  an  over- 
whelming influence  this  whole  question,  so 
far  as  national  organizations  were  concerned. 
It  did  not,  however,  measure  up  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  hour,  and  has  lost  the  grandest 
advantage  that  ever  opened  before  a  Christ- 
ian organization.  The  record  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  is  clear  upon  this  subject. 
While  it  has  never  assumed  to  teach  reli- 
gion in  either  of  its  distinctive  forms,  and 
while  it  has  never  published  or  contributed 
to  the  publication  of  Unitarian  or  Univer- 
salist  literature,  it  has  published  by  tens  of 
thousands,  hymns  from  our  choicest  Christ- 
ian selections,  and  psalms,  commandments, 
and  prayers,  such  as  are  commonly  used  in 
all  our  Sabbath  and  domestic  services. 
These  have  been  circulated  by  authority  in 
all  parts  of  the  army,  while  no  strietly  de- 
kominational  literature  ^as  ever  been  offi- 
cially recognized.  It  could  not  have  done 
otherwise.  The  grand  spirit  of  Christian 
charity,  and  the  noble<;xpression  of  Christian 
benevolence  that  crown  this  age  with  the 
rwhest  honor  for  the  past,  and  promise  for 
the  future,  would  not  have  been  satisfied 
with  any  narrower  ground. 


The  only  remedy  now  available  for  the 
evil  complained  of  by  ^^,  Observer,  is  for 
the  Chtfrch  to  gird  up  its  loins  and  go  into 
the  work,  in  connection  with  the  Sanitary 
Commission — to  use  this  organization  for 
the  free  and  abundant  employment  of  our 
Christian  literature.  It  will  be  gladly  re- 
ceived and  diligently  circulated.  This  in- 
stitution is  acknowledged  to  be  the  broadest, 
grandest,  and  most  comprehensive  instru- 
ment known  to  the  world,  for  reaching  all 
parts  of  the  army;  and,  as  its  storehouses 
are  open  for  Christian  books,  and  its  agents 
are  ready  to  receive  them,  and  the  soldiers 
are  anxious  to  read  them,  the  Church  is 
recreant  to  its  obligation,  in  not  using  such 
an  opportunity  for  extended  usefulness. 
The  Managers  of  the  Commission  have 
never  authorized  its  agents  to  call  for  such 
reading  as  the  Ohserver  objects  to ;  they  call 
upon  whomsoever  will  give,  and  the  Church 
cannot  afford  to  be  less  liberal  in  giving  than 
.those  whom  the  Church  ignores.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Managers  have  objected  by 
vote  to  proprositions  from  associations, that 
are  named  by  the  Ohserver,  to  allow  their 
missionaries  to  use  the  Commission  as  a  ve- 
hicle for  promoting  their  denominational  in- 
terests. The  Ohserver  thinks  the  "  Commis- 
sion should  decline  altogether  the  work  of 
circulating  religious  reading,"  rather  than 
subject  itself  to  objection  on  such  grounds. 
It  is  submitted  again,  that  the  Commission, 
foreseeing  the  evils  of  a  division  of  interest, 
proposed  the  only  remedy  to  the  Christian 
Commission,  but  they,  declining  to  accept 
the  exclusive  work  of  supplying  the  army 
with  religious  books,  have  unintentionally 
assumed  the  burden  of  the  evil  of  which 
complaint  is  now  maae.  The  remedy  is 
with  the  people.  The  last  paragraph  in  the  ~ 
Ohserver' s  article  points  to  this  remedy ; — 
it  is,  that  Christians  "  put  forth  vastly  aug- 
mented efforts."  Let'  these  efforts  be  in 
the  direction,  not  of  opposition,  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  but  efforts  which 
shall  embrace  this  most  efficient  and  com- 
prehensive agency,  that  opens  its  doors  for 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


1107 


all  the  contributions  that  may  be  given,  and 
offers  its  aid  in  the  acattering  of  every  tract 
or  Testament  that  may  be  placed  at  its  dis- 
posal. This  question  must  be  met — fairly 
met.  If  the,  oburohes  and  the  religious 
press  can  afford  to  say  that  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is  not  a  Christian  commission 
as  well,  they  can  afford  to  ignore  tens  of 
thousands  of  their  church  members  and 
subscribers,  who  are  identified  with  its  in- 
terests, and  who  will  continue  to  be,  while 
it  is  in  existence.  It  has  bees  sustained 
hitherto  by  the  Christianity  of  the  land 
as  a  Christian  work;  it  has  been  peculiarly 
prospered  and  blessed  by  a  Providential 
guidance,  which  is  cause  for  constant 
thanksgiving.  We  would  say,  then,  to 
those  who  offer  these  objections,  mark  well 
the  paths  of  your  feet,  that  all  your  ways 
may  be  established.  Remember  the  beam, 
before  Striking  at  the  mote. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CONFEBENCE. 

Remarks  by  Doctor  Joseph ,  Parrish,  of 
the  V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  before 
the  Philadelphia  Conference,  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  March  23, 1865. 
Reported  for  the  Bulletin. 

Mr.  Pee'sident  : — I  have  to  thank  this 
Conference  for  the  opportunity  thus  af- 
forded me  to  speak  .for  a  few  moments,  es- 
pecially as  the  opportunity  was  not  only 
unsought  by  myself,  but  unthought  of  until- 
the  propopition  came  voluntarily  from  this 
body.  1  receive  your  invitation  as  another 
evidence  of  the  fraternal  interest  you  have 
frequently  manifested  towards  me  on  former 
occasioni,  and  while  I  heartily  appreciate  it, 
I  desire  in  any  way  that  I  can,  to  reciprocate 
it.  It  is  also  another  evidence  of  the  inter- 
est you  feel  in  promoting  ^the  works  of 
humanity,  and  of  knowing  the  whole  truth 
as  to  what  is  being  done  by  the  people  :^or 
our  army  and  navy ;  and  for  this  I  offer 
you  especial  thanks.  I  want  to  say  to  you 
a  few  words  about  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission,  not  because  I  want  to  di- 
vert your  attention  from  other  interests,  but 
simply  that  you  may  know  what  you  do 
not  now  know  about  that  Commission.  ,It 
was  instituted  very  soon  after  the  commence- 
ment of  this  war,  and  one  of  its  character- 


istics is,  that  it  is  a  mixed  Commission. 
It  knows  no  denomination.  It  recognizes 
no  race.  It  believes  in  no  party  lines,  and 
its  action  covers  the  entire  territory  of  the 
United  States,  regai^less  of  all  differences 
of  opinion,  and  of  all  sects.  In  that  respect 
it  differs  from  some  other  organizations. 

As  to  the  extent  of  this  work,  I  have  onlyv 
to  say  that  having  been  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  S^tates  and  the 
Secretary  of  War,  at  the  request  of  the 
Surgeon ,  General^  it  felt  it  to  be  its 
duty  to  go  wherever  the  army  and  navy 
went.  If  you  will  begin  at  Washing- 
ton, and  run  down  the  Potomac  and .  all 
along  the  coast,  till  you  get  to  the  Florida 
I^eys,  then  come  up  th?  Gulf  coast  and  fol- 
low it  to  the  mouth  of  t^e  Rio  Grande,  and 
starting  again  at  New  Orleans  up  the  Missis- 
sippi to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  and  go 
westward  and  eastward  to  St.  Louis,  and  Cin- 
cinnati, and  Pittsburg,  you  have  a  line  cov- 
ering over  four  thousand  miles  of  extent, 
which  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  trav- 
ersed with  its  stores  and  agents,  and  where 
it  is  how  represented  by  some  of  its  agencies 
at  garrisons,  ports,  cainps  and  hospitals. 
If  you  will  then  begin  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
and  follow  Sheridan  in  his  inarch  through 
the  Valley,  you  will  find  the  work  of  this 
Commission  represented  in  every  foot  of 
that  inarch,  and  its  relief  afforded  in  every 
battle.  If  you  will~  begin  with  the  noble 
Sherman,  when  he  started"  from  Chatta- 
nooga, not  on  a  grand  march,  but  on  hisi' 
quiet  promenade  across  all  those  states,  tilt 
he  came  to  the  coast,  you  will  find  afL 
along  his  journey,  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
accompanying  him, .  with  its  agents  and, 
stores.  When  he  reached  Savannah  and. 
Charleston,  he  was  met  also  by  the  agents, 
of  this  Commission,  with  their  storehouses 
all  supplied.  And  if  you  will  go  for  a, 
little  while  in  tront  of  Petersburg,  among 
the  trenches  and  hospitals  there,  you  will 
find  the  same  work  of  busy  cate  for  present 
and  active  preparation  for  anticipated  wants. 
I  run  over  this,  simply  to  show  the  extent  ofi' 
the  field  of  service  o'ccupied  by  the  Com- 
mission. 

We  have  also  a  large  home  work,  with 
ten  thousand  women  all  through  the  North- 
ern states,-  as  an  available  army,  engaged, 
in  various  churches  and  communities,  not  in' 
gathering  money  simply,  to  be  sent  to  our 
treasury,  but  in  gathering  stores  as  well,  to- 
be  sent  to  our  depots  of  collection  and  disr 
tribution. 


1108 


The  Sanitary  CommiHsion  Bulletin. 


You  will  ask,  very  naturally,  "  How 
^re  these  goods  distributed  ?"  The  question 
comes  up  here  as  to  the  voliintary  system 
and  the  paid  system  of  distribution.  Our 
people,  in  some  places,  have  an  idea,  and  pro- 
bably some  of  this  Conference  sympathize 
with  that  idea,  that  the  surgeons  and  even 
\        the  chaplains  are  accused  of  appropriating 

^  the   stores  intended   for   the   soldiers   for 

their  own  use.  Now,  I  don't  believe  that 
our  chaplains  are  that  class  of  men.  I 
don't  believe  the  surgeons  and  officers  of  the 
American  army  are  made  of  such  stuff,  that 
they  will  take  the  contributions  of  the 
people,  and  withold  them  from  the  soldiers 
for  whom  they  are  intended.  But  the  sys- 
tem of  distributing  these  goods  in  the  hos- 
pitals and  the  trenches  by  the  agents,  wfio 
are  paid,  or  distributing  them  in  the  hos- 
pitals by  surgeons',  who  make  requisitions 
for  them,  is  a  question  which  interests  the 
people,  and  about  which  they  ought  to 
know. 

N  The   voluntary  .system  is  a  grapd   sys- 

tem. It  brings  into  the  service  hun- 
dreds and  thousands  of  men,  from  the  pijl- 
pits  and  colleges  of  the  North,  and  puts 
them  right  alongsida  the  soldiers  in  the  hos- 
pitals, and  in  personal  sympathy  with  them. 
They  no  doubt  do  good  there,  and  when 
they  come  home  they  do  good  by  stirring 
up  the  people  in '  behalf  of  the  soldiers; 
but  as  a  question  of  economy,  and  effi- 
ciency, it  is  very  doubtful  in  experience. 
The  Sanitary  Commission,  I  am  thankful 
to  say,  employs  agents  in  the  field,  pays 
them  a  reasonable  compensation  for  their 
service,  and  keeps,  them  at  it.  We  would 
just  as  soon  expect  to  receive  them  for  no- 
thing, as  a  reliable  force,  as  we  would  ex? 
pect  to  see  the  government  calling  upon  its 
citizens  to  go  down  for  a  month  or  so  to/try 
the  battle-field,  and  come  back  to  be  ex- 
changed for  others  who  would  do  a  similar 
amount- of  service,  on  the  same  gratuitous 
terms,  and  busy  themselves  gathering  new 
recruits  for  the  same  voluntary  erhployment. 
I  will  not  detain  you  with  incidents  of  this 
•  field-service,  to  excite  your  sympathies,  and 
awaken  your  responses,  for  of  these  there 
are  more  than  I  can  tell.  You  .do  not  need 
this.  Your  patriotism  is  all  alive,  your 
hearts  are  all  aglow  with  noble  impulses, 
an4  I  know  I  need  not, attempt  to  a,dd  to 
the  inspiration  you  already  feel ;  but  I  be- 
liove  there  is  solid  sense  enough  in  this  Con- 
ference to  take  hold  of  this  great  .question 
f        in  all  its  solemn  wj^ght  and  importance,.and 


measure  it  in  its  vast  proportions ;  and  while 
time  will  not  allow  me  to-  do  more  than 
glance  at  the  surface  of  the  work,  I  must 
call  to  your  notice  one  phase  of  it  done 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission  that  nobody 
else  does,  that  the  Christian  Comraission,  or 
the  government  does  no^,  and  that  would  not 
be  done,  but  for  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

While  we  are  sitting  here  to-day,  there 
are  thousands  of  soldiers — to  say  nothing  of 
those  who  are  in  the  hospitals,  and  who^are 
otherwise  disabled  from  efficient  service — 
'who  are  in  transitu  from  their  home^  to  the 
field,  and  from  their  regiments  to  .their 
homes,  on  furlough,  wIjo  need  to  be  fed  and 
lodged,  and  to  be  provided  for,  personally, 
in  various  ways,  who  have  their  claims  upon 
the  government  for  back  pay,  bounty,  prize 
money,  &c.  Also,  thousands  of  widows  all 
through  the  land,  who  have  similar  claims 
against  the  government ;  and  who,  if  it  were 
not  for  some  benevolent  agency  in  their  be- 
half, like  the  Sanitary  Commission,  would 
fall  into  the  hands  of  sharpers,  and  be  de- 
prived of  a  great  portion  of  their  money. 
Every  day  there  are  from  five  to  ten  thou- 
sand soldiers  fed  and  lodged,  and  having 
theii^  claims  against  the  government  collect- 
ed, free  of  charge,  who  are  kept  out  of  rum- 
shops,  and  drS.wn  away  from  other  sources  of 
temptation  and  evil,  and  directed  on  their 
pathway  home.  In  this  city  there  is  to-day, 
in  the  office  at  1307  Chestnut  street,  a  crowd 
of  soldiers  and  soldiers  families,  who  are  there 
to  receive  direction  and  guidance.  An  hun- 
dred aday,  on  an  average,  presenttheir claims 
upon  the  government  through  that  office 
alone  for  back  pay,  prize  money,  &c. ;  and 
as  many  more  come,  wanting  little  personal 
attentions  and  guidance.  Then,  all  through 
the  /trains  along  the  western  routes,  and  up 
through  our  great  throughfare,  from  Wash- 
ington to  New  York,  are  hospital  cars  at- 
tached to  the  trains,  when  needed  for  car- 
rying the  sick  to  the  hospitals  of  the  East 
and  North;  and  three  times  a  week  a  phy- 
sician is  always  on  the  train  from  Wash- 
ington to  New  York,  ready  to  administer 
medicine  and  necessary  luxuries  to  those 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  who  may  need 
them.  And  all  this  is  free  of  expense  to 
the  soldiers.  The  money  expended  for 
this  purpose  com^  from  the  great  loyal 
heart  of  the  American  people.  Now,  as 
a  coriference  of  ministers,  representing  a 
great  church,  you  will  very  naturally  ask 
of  this  Commission,  which  has  spent  ten 
million  dollars  worth  of  supplies  upon  the 


the  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1109 


army,  within  the  past  four  years, — this 
Commission,  which  covers  so  great  an  ex- 
tent ofterritory,  that  has  at  hand  such  won- 
derful resources,  Does  it  carry  the  gospel 
io  the  soldiers?  The  '  popular  sentiment 
is  that  it  does  not.  If  you  will  tell  me 
what  the  gospel  is,  in  your  judgment,  then, 
perhaps,  I  will  be  enabled,  to  answer  the 
question  a  little  more  definitely.  If  hy 
carrying  the  gospel  is  meant  carrying  simply 
methodism,  presbyterianism,  or  any  other 
istn  in  the  shape  of  dogmas  and  preach- 
ing, then  the  Sanitary  Commission  don't 
do  it.  It  recognizes,  I-  said,  no  race, 
no  degree,  no  denomination,  but  it  goes 
with  the  love  and  example  of  Christ,  carry- 
ing comforts  personally  to  the  men  who  are' 
fighting  the  battles  of  our  country.  It  does 
that  kind  of  work  without  stint,  and  none 
work  so  efficiently  in  its  behalf  as  the  min- 
isters of  the*  gospel  themselves,  and  in  no 
strictly  ministerial  service  do  they  do  more 
or  better  preaching  than  in  these  deeds  of 
mercy. 

I  would  not  appeal  to  so  low  a  motive  as 
the  Methodism  of  this,  body  to  enlist  its 
sympathy  on  behalf  'of  the  soldiers.  I 
would  appeal  rather  to  its  high,  noble 
Christianity,  and  ask  it  to  reeognrze  in  our 
efforts  the  hand  of  the  Almighty  leading 
a  great  people  to  the  performance  of  the 
noblest  Christian  charities'  that  a  nation 
was  ever  called  to  perform.  How  can 
you  look  upon  this  vast  work  and  be  in- 
different to  its  success  ?  Can  the  church 
afford  tojay  that  it  will  not  give  jt  a  helping 
hand  ?  that  it  will  not  aid  this  well  planned 
scheme  of  benevolence,  and  assist  its  well 
directed  instrumentality  which  the  people 
"have  so  generally  employed  to  attain  a  hu- 
mane and  Christian  .object  ? 

It  was  my  privilege  during  part  of  last 
summer  to  have  charge  of  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  the  armies  ope- 
rating against  Richmond.  We  had  seventy 
ministers  and  theological  students  employed 
in  our  service)  not  for  a  few  weeks  at  a 
time,  but  month  after  month ;  some  of  them 
laying  down  their  lives,  in  going  from  bed 
to  beS;  and  from  intrenchment  to  intrench- 
ment,  administering  comfort,  temporal  and 
spiritual,  to  the  soldiers  there.  I  mention 
these  things  in  order  to  secure-  the  judg- 
ment of  this  Conference  in  favor  of  the  de- 
claration that  this  work  is  a  Christian  work. 
I  do  this  because  an  effort  has  been  made, 
and  is  now  being  made,  to  prove  that  it  is 
not  a  Christian  work.    But  I  feel  sure  that 


this  body  of  Christian  ministers  are  not  pre- 
pare4  to  endorse  such  a  sentiment. 

I  have  been  asked  (and  I  confess  that  I  ap- 
proach the  subject  jvith  some  delicacy,  be- 
cause I  know  that  I  may  come  in  contact  with 
the  sympathies  of  a  great  many  men  whom 
I  love),  1  have  heen  a§ked  to  state  distinctly 
J;o  this  body  what  is  the  relation  of  the  I). 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  with  the  Christian 
Commission.  I  do  it  frankly,  in  a  plain, 
honest.  Christian  spirit,  as  I  trust.  The 
Sanitary  Commission  was  the  first-born  child 
of  benevolence  in  a  national  form,  which 
this  country  knew  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  rebellion.  After  it  was  organized, 
planned,  and  in  full  operation,  the  Christian 
■Commission,  its  young  and  vigorous  sister, 
came  into  the  field  likfwise.  We  received 
her  with  open  arms,  and  said.  Come,  let  us 
work  together.  We  made  the  official  pro- 
portion,—<Come,  let  us  work  together, — let 
us  go  hand  in  hand,  and  heart  to  heart  into 
this  magnificent  field,  and  do  whatsoever  our 
hands  find  to  do  in  this  behalf ;  and  in  order 
that  there  may  be  no  collision  you  shall 
share  our  supplies,  and  we  will  share  of 
your  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  tracts,  and 
both  lend  our  time  and  strength  to  the 
cause  of  God  and  the  Union.  Let  us  do 
the  hard,  grinding  toil  of  carrying  _the 
boxes,  and  wheeling  the  barrels,  and  feed- 
ing and  dressing  the  soldiers,  and  let  your 
duties  be  that  of  administering  to  their 
spiritual  wants.  That  was  the  official  propo- 
sition made  to  -these  brethren.  What  was 
the  answer  ?  "  No."  And  so  we  went  on 
with  the  work,  each  of  us  doing  what  we 
could.  Again  the  proposition  was  made, 
and  again  declined.  Perhaps  it  is  well  that 
it  was  declined.  Perhaps  there  is  much 
more  interest  created  in  the  country  by 
having  two  agencies.  '  Perhaps  there  are 
larger  contributions  by  the  people,  and 
though  it  may  be  well,  in  this  respect,  ex- 
perience has  proved  that  it  is  not  economi- 
cal. But  as  we  cak't  have  this  unity  of 
•  action  in  one  direction,  or  through  one  chaiJ- 
nel,  let  us  have  unity  of  feeling  and  concord, 
and  let  us  go  on  with  this  work  to  the  end. 
(Applause.) 

I  don't  believe  as  some  do  that  the  war 
is  going  to  be  stopped  in  ten  days  or 
t-wo  weeks. ,  I  believe  there  are  deeper 
issues  at  stake-  than  can  be  settled  in  so 
short  a  time.  An  army  of  five  hundred 
thousand  men  cannot  be  disbanded  in  a  few 
days.  An  army  of  one  hundred  thousand 
or  more  disabled  inen  cannot  find  employ- 


1110 


The  Sanitary  CommiBsion  Bulletin. 


ment  in  so  short  a  season.  Tlie  thou- 
sands who  are  now  in  the  hospitals,  and 
such  as  are  about  to  be  discharged,  cannot 
come  back  and  take  to  their  old  industrial 
pursuits  at  once.  We  must  therefore 
keep  up  our  organization,  which  looks 
to  the  welfare  of  men  so  situated.  Such 
is  now  the  programme  which  is  laid  out 
under  the  direction  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. For  this  purpose  Annapolis 
-alone,  with  its  wasted  and  starving  pris- 
oners is  enough  to  engage  the  labor  and 
sympathy  of  the  country  for  a  long  time, 
and  here  the  Commission  has  done  an  im- 
mense work.  Oh,  if  I  could  only  infuse 
into  this  Conference  the  spirit  that  was 
manifested  by  a  poor  widow  woman  at  An- 
napolis, the  other  day,  who  went  down 
there  in  search  of  her  son,  who  had  been 
taken  prisoner,  and  who  had  died  in  Ander- 
sonville,  I  know  that  you  would  be  the  bet- 
ter for  the  inspiration.  She  said  to  some 
of  his  comrades  at  Annapolis,  on  their  re- 
turn, "  Have  you  seen  my  George  ?" 
"  Yes,  I  saw  George,"  said  a  former  associ- 
a£te  of  her  son's,  "  I  saw  George  carried  out 
of  prison  in  Andersonville,  dead."  "  Oh 
no,"  said  she ;  "  George  can't  be  dead.  My 
George  is  not  dead."  And  as  the  next  boat 
came  up  to  the  wharf,  and  the  poor  fellows 
from  the  Southern  dungeons  walked  out 
with  their  skeleton  faces  staring  upon  freer 
dom  again,  and  their  feeble  limbs  totter- 
tering  homeward,  every  man  looking  like 
every  other  man,  so  that  you  could  scariee- 
ly  distinguish  them,  she  stood  anxiously  at 
the  plank,  and  gazed  into  the  eyes  of  each 
one  that  passed,  hoping  tafind  her. George; 
and  she  did  not  leave  wtien  all  the  living 
had  landed,  but  waited  till  the  dead  were 
carried  off  on  stretchers,  and  as  each  corpse 
was  brought  out  she  lifted  up  the  sheet  that 
covered  it,  and  gazed  at  the  face  hoping 
yet  to  recognize  her  son ;  but  still  it  was 
not  George,  Having  seen  the  whole  num- 
ber, she  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
George  had  really  died  in  Andersonville, 
and  then,  with  the  noble  impulse  of  a  noble 
American  woman,  she  said,  "  Well,  it  is  no 
matter,  they  are  all  Georges  to  me,  and  in- 
stead of  gfieving  and  lamenting  I  will  go 
into  these  hospitals  and  take  care  of  every 
one  of  thtmjust  as  I  would  of  George." 
(Applause.) 

That  is  the  spirit  that  actuates  the  women 
of  this  land.  That  is  the  spirit  that  ought 
to  actuate  evdry  man  in  this  land ;  a  spirit 
of  universal  sympathy,  a  spirit  unfettered 


by  name  or  rank.  When  our  denomina- 
tional preferences  rise  up  to  hinder  us  in  our 
labors,  we  should  banish  them  for  the  fcroader 
and  truer  love  of  God  and  humanity,  and 
reach  our  hands  out  to  every  man  that  fights 
under  our  flag,  be  he  black  or  white,  Ameri- 
can or  foreigner.  So  .long  as  he  has  the  blue 
uniform  on  his  back  and  the  brass  .buttons 
on  his  coat,  and  marches  undel:  the  brdad 
standard  of  liberty,  he  should  be  recognized 
as  a  brother  and  friend.     (Applause.) 

Now  then.  Christian  brethren,  let  us  think 
this  thing  over ;  and  no  matter  whether  we 
be  pledged  to  this  or  that  charity,  let  ,us  re- 
member that  the  Sanitary  Commission  is  a 
universal  Christian  charity,  such  as  the 
world  has  never  before  witnessed.  It  oc; 
curs  to  my  mind  here  that  when  I  last  saw 
this  Conference  two  years  ago,  you  little 
thought  at  that  time,  when  under  circum- 
stances which  you  will  all  remember,  there 
was  a  spirit  of  fear  and  trembling  passed 
over  this  body,  when  a  few  little  children 
stood  up  before  you  to  sing  a  hymn  of  praise 
to  God  to  the  tune  of  "  Old  John  Brown ;" 
that  you  yourselves  during  this  Confer- 
ence would  rise  up  with"  the  same  tune 
on -your  lips  to  sing  the  battle  cry  of  the 
Republic'begi|ining  with 


of  the 


Kepublic-begipning  with 

"  Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming 
Lord;" 

and  each  verse  ending  with  the  stirring  re- 
frain 

"  The  truth  is  marching  on." 

And  two  years  from  this  day  you  will  be 
astonished  on  reviewing  the  past  to  see 
the  conquests  that  truth  shall  have  '  made 
in  the  church  and  out  of  the  church.  The 
truth  is  marching  on,  and  God  is  marching 
on. 

All  I  have  to  say  now  is  that  you  remem- 
ber this  work,  that  it  is  a  Christian  work, 
and  when  you  hear  people  say  that  it  is  not, 
do  not  stop  to  argue  the  question.  Take 
the  example  of  our  blessed  Master,  who 
went  about  doing  good  to  all,  and  compare 
that  with  the  work  of  this  Commission  and 
settle  the  question  for  yourselves. 

Rev.  8.  W.  Thomas  desired  to  know  how 
ministers  of  the  gospel  would  offer  their 
services  to  the  Commission,  and  also  how 
soldiers  obtained  their  pensions  through  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 

Dr.  Parrish  said  that  if  any  members  of 
this  Conference  desired  to  work  in  behalf 
of  the  army,  through  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, or  desire  to  go  to  the  front,  that 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


nil 


they  could  do  so  by  sending  their  names 
and  residence  to  him,  and  if  there  should 
be  an  emergency  requiring  the  service  of 
suchj  men  they  would  soon  be  called  upon. 
Passes  will  be  furnished  at  Philadelphia,  and 
the  way  will  bo  opened  for  doing  much  good. 
They  would  have  the  privilege  of  living  in 
tents,  eating  hard  tack  ^nd  bacon,  and  going 
about  doing  good,  like  their  Master  did 
before  them. 

Rev.  Mr.  Neill  inquired  as  to  the  man- 
ner of  procuring  pensions  and  back  pay 
through  the  Sanitary  Commission.     . 

Dr.  Parrish  said  there  are  offices  in  this 
city,  and  in  all  the  principal  cities,  where 
a;ll  claims  against  the  government  are  col- 
lected without  cost  to  the  soldier  or  his 
friends.  In  this  connection  he  stated  a  case 
of  a  widow  whose  husband  had  died  in  the 
war,  and  who  had  a  claim  against  the  gov- 
ernment. Not  knowing  how  to  collect  it, 
she  went  to  a  lawyer  who  charged  her  two- 
thirds  of  the  whole  amount  that  was  coming . 
to  her.  A  widow  applying  for  money  due 
her  must  give  a  satisfactory  voucher  as  to 
her  marriage  and  identity,  stating  the  name 
of  her  husband,  the  company  and  regiment 
to  which  he  was  attached,  and  other  neces- 
sary inform  atian.  It  is  of  course  necessary 
that  strict  attention  be  paid  to  the  details,  to 
protect  the  Commission  and  the  government 
against  fraud.  We  have  published  a  little 
book  called  the  Soldier's  Friend,  which  is  to 
be  had  at  the  offices  of  the  Commission ; 
which  boot  contains  the  necessary  directions 
for  all  these  matters,  and  a  copy  which  is 
on  the  stand  for'  each  member  of  the  body. 

Dr.  Parrish  thanked  the  Conference  for  the 
kind-attention  with  which  they  had  listened 
to  his  remarks,  and  retired  from  the  stand 
amid  the  congratulations  of  the  members. 
A  'resolution  of  thanks  was  passed  for  his 
address,  and  of  commendation  of  the  cause. 


EXTBACTS  FBOK  A  LETTER  07  DB.    C.    B, 
AGNEW,  OF  U.  S.  SAN.  COMMISSION. 

Wilmington,  N.  0.,  March  20,  1865. 
.  The  returned  prisoners  sent  number  about 
9,000.  Of  these,  6,000,  the  less  famished, 
have  been  sent  North.  Greneral  Abbott, 
who  receives  them  in  exchange,  just  told  me 
that  language  would  utterly  fail  to  describe 
their  condition.  Filth,  rags,  -nakedness, 
starvation;!  were  personified  in  their  con- 
dition. Many  of  the  men  were  in  a  state  pf 
mind  resembling  idiocy,  unable  to  tell  their 
names,  and  lost  to  all  sense  of  modesty,  un- 
conscious of \  their  nakedness  and  personal 


condition ;  some  of  them  moving  about  on 
their  hands  and  knees,  unable  to  stand 
upon  their  gangrenous  feet,  looked  up  like 
hungry  dogs,  beseeching  the  observer  for  a 
bite  of  brea^d  or  a  sup  of  water.  Some  of 
them .  hitched  along  on  their  hands  and 
buttocks,  pushing  gangrenous  feet,  literally 
reduced  to  bone  and  threads,  before  them. 
Others  leaned  upon  stave's,  and  gazed  from 
sunken  eyes  thiough  the  parchment  like 
slits  of  their  open  eyelids  into  space,  with- 
out having  the  power  to  fix  an  intelligent 
gaze  upon  passing  objects.  Others  giggled 
and  smirked  and  hobbled  like  starved  idiots, 
while  some  a4amantine  figures  walked  erect, 
as  though  they  meant  to  move  the  skeleton 
homewards,  so  long  as  vitality  enough  re- 
mained to  enable  theni  to  do  so.  To  see 
the  men  who  remain  here  in  the  hospit3.1s, 
would  move  a  heart  as  hard  arid  cold  as 
marble.  Their  arms  and  legs  look  like 
coarse  reeds,  with  bulbous  joints,*  arid  their 
£,ces  'as  though  a  skilful  taxidermist  had 
drawn  tanned  skin  over  the  bare  skull,  and 
then  placed  false  eyes  in  the  orbital  cavities. 
They  defy  description.  It  would  take  a 
pen  expert  in  the  use  of  every  term  known 
to  the  anatomist  and  physician,  to  begin  to 
expl3.in  their  fearfnl  condition.  "  May 
God,  in  his  mercy,  forgive  our  enemies." 


WOMAN'S  CENTBAt  ASSOCIATION  OF  BELIEF. 
GLEANINGS. — NO.  IX. 

Will  our  Auxiliary  Societies  be  kind 
enough  to  send  us  their  names,  and  the 
names  of  their  Presidents  and  Secretaries, 
before  the  1st  of  May?  And  will  those 
who  have  already  done  so,  during  the  past 
year,  be  good  enough  to  repeat  it,  as  we 
want  to  make  our  list  conaplete  up  to  the 
latest  dates.  Auxiliary  Societies  are  de- 
fined in  a  previous  article  as  "  those  who, 
by  vote,  bind  themselves  to  work  exclu- 
sively through  our  agency."  Those  socie- 
ties, however,  who  do  this,  without  having 
gone  through  the  formality  of  voting,  may 
be  entered  upon  the  list  as  auxiliaries. 

In  this  connection  we  cannot  forbear 
speaking  of  the  pleasure  we  have  recently 
had  in  welcoming  to  our  rank^  the  "  Sol- 
diers' Aid  Society"  of  Rochester.  For 
years  this  great  centre  has  been  one  of  our 
most  valuable  contributors,  arid  we  may  well 
feel  gratified  at  this  unsolicited  expression 
of  confidence  from  a  society  so  large,  so 
flourishing,  and  of  such  marked  efficiency 
as  that  of '  the ."  Rochester  Soldiers'  Aid 


1112 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Society."  The  letter,  lately  received,  says : 
"  We  have  held  our  meeting,  and  the  mo- 
tion for  an  auxiliaryship  to  the  Woman's 
Central  Relief  Association  was  carried  unan- 
imously. The  change  seems,  at  first  view, 
merely  in  form,  we  were  so  closely  connect- 
ed with  you  before — and  yet  it  is  more  than 
this.  There  is  a  great  difference  between 
contributing  to  the  Sanitary  Commission 
from  month  to  month  at  pleasiire,  and  iden- 
tifying ourselves  with  it.  T|ie  latter  gives 
us  a  more  fixed  character,  moulds  us  into  a 
more,  definite  shape,  in  other  words,  precip- 
itates us  into  a  Sanitary  crystal..  We  talk 
Sanitary  Commission  now  in  more  decided 
words  and  tones  than  before,  and  the  decided 
and  general  satisfaction  evinced,  although 
I  had  felt  that  we  were  ready  for  the  move- 
ment, exoeds  even  my'anticipations." 

While  looking  for  the  letter  from  which 
to  make  the  above  extract,  we  happened 
upon,  and  stopped  to  read  over  for  perhaps 
the  twentieth  time,  a  little  package  of  let- 
ters, now  lying  on  the  table  beside  us.  It 
is  an  unassuming  little  package,  held  loosely 
together  by  an  elastic  strap,  the  letters  them- 
selves seeming  never  to  have  been  either 
folded,  or  filed,  or  pasted,  or  spiled,  but  re- 
taining each  its  individual  post  office  char- 
acter. Should  you  ask  to  what  department 
these  letters  belong,  and  wtether  you  might 
not  endorse,. and  put  them  away,  we  should 
atiswer  that  they  don't  "belong"  anywhere, 
and  that  they  are  never  put  away.  The  fact 
is  that  we  like  to  keep  them  always  in  sight, 
and  think  we  value  them  none  the  less  for 
not  having  the  business-like  look  of  other 
correspondence.  And,  at  the  close  of  one 
of  our  "  statistical"  da.yS, — so  called  because 
spent  in  poring  over  figures,  balancing  ac- 
counts, or  making  up  reports, — when  eyes 
and  brain  are  weary,  there  are  some  of  us 
who  think — it  may  be  only  a  fanisy — that 
there  is  a  talismanic  charm  about  the  little 
package,  a  charm  which  dispels  fatigue,  and 
brings  rest  and  renewed  strength. 

The  busy,  bustling  day's  work  is  over, 
and  we  may  hope  for  a  quiet  half  hour  be- 
'  fore  going  home.  Take  this  seat,  here  by 
the  desk,  and  let  us  read  over  the  little 
package  together.  This  first  letter  is  from 
one  of  our  old  correspondents.  Struggling 
with  ill  health  she  has  still  kept  on  with 
the  work  until  this  year,  and  now  writes  to 
say  how  much  she  regrets  that  increased 
feebleness  obliges  her  to  cease  every  active 
effort.  We  want  to  thank  her  again  for 
that  unreserved  expression  of  confidence  in 


the  Sanitary  Commission,  for  her  words  of 
personal  sympathy,  and. for  the  little  glimpse 
of  home-life,  so  simply  told :  "  I  have  three 
little  girls,"  she  writes,  "  who,  for  a  while, 
have  been  denying  themselves  sugar  ,a,t  the 
table,  on  articles  of  food  where  they  most 
desired  it,  and  the  money  they  have  raised 
by  this  means  has  been  called  their  '  soldier 
money.'  In  the  box,  which  will  I  hope  soon 
reach  you,  you  will'  find  sago,  tapioca,  &c., 
for  the  hospitals,  provided  by  these  little 
girls  with  their  well-earned  money,  and  af- 
fording them  the.  sincerest  pleasure,  I  as- 
sure you.  The  lint  and  bandages  have  been 
made,  and  the  bundle  of  cotton  and  linen 
washed  and  ironed  with  their  own  hands. 
May  ^ome  suffering  hero  find  even'half  the 
comfort  in  these  articles,  which  the  little 
girls  have  found  in  their  preparation." 

God  bless  the  children  !  Could  the  sol- 
dier, slowly  recovering  from  fever  in  some 
distant  hospital,  but  know  of  the  three  little . 
hearts,  beating  so  warmly  for  hiin,  of  the  six 
little  hands,  ministering  so  tenderly  to  his 
comfort,  we  think  it  would  put  new  life  into 
the  worn-out  body,  and  homesick  heart — 
would  make  him  feel  that  he  was  not  alone, 
while  the  love  of  these  little  children  remain- 
ed with  him,  a  love  sealed  by  sacrifice. 

A  little  note  drops  out  of  the  package ; 
merely  two  or  three  lines,  of  yery  familiar 
handwriting,  which  came  with  a  pair  of 
socks.  They  are  the  one  hundred  and 
thirty-fourth  pair  knit  and  sent  us  by  an 
old  lady  in  her  seventy-fourth  year.  Those 
two  letters  may  lie  together.  Surely,  this 
must  be  a  blessed  work,  to  be  so  sanctified 
by  the  gifts  of  childhood  and  old  age. 

The  third  letter,  from  a  private  in  hos- 
pital at  G-ermantown,  was  brought  us  by  the 
mother  herself.  She  had  not  heard  from 
her  boy  for  ten  weeks,  since  this,  his  last 
letter^no  answer  to  her  letter ;  and  "  he 
had  always  been  so  good  about  writing — 
would  we  write  to  the  surgeon  for  her  ?  for 
perhaps.  Miss,  they  might  answer  a  letter 
from  you,  with  the  printing  at  the  top  of  it, 
sooner  than  they  would  my  poor  writing.',' 
We  give  the  letter,  word  for  word,  as. it  lies 
open  before  us  : — 

"  U.  S.  Hospital,  Gbrmastown,  1 
December  23,  1864.      / 

"  My  dear  Mother  : — I  hope  you  got 
home  safe  from  here,  and  that  yQ,ur  health 
U  better  than  when  you  were  here.  My 
Health  is  very  poor,  but  I  hope  it  will  soon 
improve.  I  have  fretted  about  the  loss  I 
came  to,  not  on  my  own  account,  but  on 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1113 


your  account.  "When  I  paid  my  money  on 
that  place  I  thought  I  would  have  a  home 
for  you  in  your  old  age;  but  God  forgive 
them  that  cheated  me  out  of  my  deeds. 
Dear  mother,  keep  up  your  heart ;  if  I  am 
spared  to  come  home,  I  will  m£e  you 
happy  and  comfortable.  Yet ,  I  would  ad- 
vise you  to  stop  in  New  York,  as  you  belong 
to  it,  and  when  my  time  is  up  I  will  claim 
you — if  I  don't  make  up  my  mind  tp  join 
the  army  again,  if  there  is  another  call  for 
men.  But  don't  be  angry,  if  I  say  I  love 
my  country's  cause,  and  the  dear  old  flag, 
I  may  say,  better.  Do.  you  blame  me  for 
doing  so  ?  Although  I  have  a  ball  in  my 
cheek,  it  will  not  stop  me  from  facing  the 
enemy ;  and,  dear  mother,  if  I  should  fall, 
you  live  in  a  noble  country.  It  will  not  let 
you  want,  as  you  will  be  entitled  to  a  pen- 
sion. Dear  mother,  I  hope  you  will  be 
praying  for  me,  and  I  hope  I  will  soon  be 
enabled  to  rally  round  our  dear  old  flag 
once  again;  and  don't  be  afraid,  but  we  will 
shout  the  battle  cry  of  freedom. 
"  I  must  conclude ;  and  remain 
"  Your  affectionate  son  until  death, 


N.((. 


'  "  Co.  A,  140th  Regt.  N.  T.  Vols." 

There  may  be  many  letters  ooming'home, 
day  after  day,  from  camp  and  hospital,  as 
simple  and  as  true  as  this  is ;  but  we  do  not 
remember  seeing  one  more  noble  in  spirit, 
or  which  breathed  a  stronger  love  of  coun- 
try, united  with  such  tender  filial  affection, 
as  showtt  in  these  rough',  untutored  lines, 
from  the  boy  in  the  hospital  to^is  widowed 
mother  at  home.  And  so  our  soldiers  fight 
and  fall.  Thank  God,  that  we  are  permit- 
ted to  do  something  for  such  men  as  these-^ 
let  us  pray  that  we  may  be  faithful  J;o  the 
privilege  and  to  the  trust. 

We  will  read  no  nijore  to-day.  Fold  up 
the  letters;  slip  them  under  the  strap.  Lie 
there  little  package — ^your  charm  is  still  un- 
broken; for  are  we  not  rested,  and'is  not 
our  strength  renewed  ? 

For  the  Committee  on  Correspond&ce. 
Louisa  Lee  Schuyler, 

Chairman. 
Nkw  Tokk,  7  CoopEB  Union,  > 
'       March  24:,  1S65.      j 


THE  6BEAT  SAITITABY  FAIB. 

FINAL  REPORT  OP  THE  PROCEEDS — MORE 

THAN  A  MILLION  DOLLARS  MADE. 

We  have  received  the  following  docu- 
ments, showing  the  results  of  the  Great 
Philadelphia  Fair :  ■* 


a 


United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
Philadelphia  Aobnoy, 
No.  1307  Ohestndt  St.,  March  24,  1864. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Press  : 

Sir.: — ^I  beg  leave  to  enclose  to  you  co- 
pies of  the  receipt  by  the  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  and  the 
letter  of  the  President  of  the  Commission, 
to  John  Welsh,  Esq.,  showdng  the  fruits  of 
the  Fair,  and  the  acknowledgments  of  the 
Commission  -to  the  Philadelphia  gentlemen 
who  conducted  it. 

Subject  to  the  receipt  of  final  reports 
from  some  of  the  committees,  the  woit  of 
the  Fair  is  now  closed;  and  the  Sanitary 
Commission  acknowledge  gratefully  your 
active  and  valuable  aid  in  attaining  the  re- 
sults now  realized.  « 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Horace'  Binnet,  Jr., 

Chairman  of  Execntive  Committee  of  Philadelphia  Asso- 
ciates of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 

,  Keceived,  I^Tew  York,  Feb.  17,  1865,  of 
C.  Cope,  Treasurer  of  the  Philadelphia  As- 
sociates of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
one  million,  thirty-five  thousand,  three  hun-  ^ 
dred  and  ninety-eigbt  dollars  and  ninety-six 
cents,  being  the  n6t  proceeds  of  the  Grgat 
Central  Fair,  held  in  Philadelphia,  in  June 
last,  for  the  benefit  of  the  United  States 
•Sanitary  Commission. 
$1,035,398  96.      George  T. -Strong, 

Treasoier  of  the  T7.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

New  York,  February  25;  1865. 
To  John  Welsh,  Esq., 

President  of  the  Great  Central  Fair. 

Dear  Sir  : — On  returning  to  New  York, 
after  a  week's  absence,  the  Treasurer  of  our 
Commission  informs  me  of  his  receipt  from 
Mr.  Caleb  Cope  of  the  sum  of  ($1,035,398 
tVo-)  ^^^  million  and  thirty-five  thousand, 
three  hundred  and  ninety-eight  and  ^^ 
dollars,  being  the'  total  net  product  of  the 
Great  Central  Fair,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  ,  We 
have  remitted  $514,310  08  to  our  PhilL 
delphia  associates,  to  be  expended  in  their 
Branch,  for  our  general  benefit. 

The  grand  result  of  your  Fair  is  already 
known  .to-  all  the  world.  I  found  the  people 
in  California  rejoicing  in  it  last  July,  and 
the  beautifiil  chromotype  commemorating 
the  scene  of  it  hangs  in  hundreds  of  homes, 
thousands  of  iailes  apart,  on  both  sides  of 
our  continental  country.  The  elegant-  re- 
cord which  our  distinguished  fellow-com- 
missioner, Mr.  Stille,  has  made  of  the  Fair, 


1114 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


already  in  so  many  admiring  hands,  will, 
with  other  documents  of  the  Commission, 
be,  in  a  few  days,  on  its  way  to  Egypt,  to 
fill  an  order  madeby  American  friends  there 
in  favor  of  the  reigning  Pasha. 

There  is  no  part  of  the  world  where  the 
hisfbry  of  the  uprising  of  American  women 
and  children,  American  homes,  American 
industry  and  art,  in  behalf  of  the  brave  suf- 
ferers in  the  cause  of  our  national  integrity 
and  stableness,  has  no^ excited  an  enthusi- 
astic sympathy  and  approbation,  and  re- 
dounded to  the  honor  of  free,  popular  in- 
sti^tions  and  the  American  name.  The 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  had  the 
privilege  of  leading  off  in  this  glorious-  ca- 
reer, and  of  first  crystallizing  on  a  national 
scale  the  sympathies  and  practical  benevo- 
lence of  the  people,  in  behalf  of  our  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  Into  its  treasury, 
accordingly,  have  fiowed  the  broad  streams 
of  the  popular  favor  and  support;  and  spe- 
cially it  has  worn  about  its  neck  a  golden 
chain,  on  which  the  great  cities,  linked  to- 
gether, have  hung  their  jewels,  each  more 
splendid  than  the  other,  as  it  caught  the 
public  eye,  and  all  dearer  than  Cleopatra's 
pearl,  because  to  be  finally  dissolved  in  a 
draught  of  mercy,  for  lips  more  royal,  even 
those  of  an  army  of  martyrs  for  Liberty. 

No  city  in  the  Union  has  given  a  stouter 
and  more  persistent  support  to  the  war,  to 
the  comfort  of  soldiers  on  their  way  to  and 
from  the  war,  or  to  the  relief  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  falling  in  the  course  of  the 
war,  than  Philadelphia;  and  to  tio  city,  ex- 
cept San  Francisco,  is  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Qommission  so  much  indebted  for 
an  intelligent,  laborious,  and  costly  support 
— a  support  including  moral,  intellectual, 
and  financial  sustenance  and  loyalty.  Phil- 
adelphia has  understood  and  endorsed  the 
peculiar  principles  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, trusted  its  officers  with  generous  con- 
fidence, and  fed  its  treasury  with  systematic 
contributions. 

•  The  magnificent  contribution  we  have 
just  received,  the  product  of  your  Fair,  is, 
I  venture  to  say,  the  largest  ever  made  in 
one  sum,  not  only  to  this,  but  to  any  unin- 
corporated charity  in  the  world.  It'  is  a 
miracle  of  free,  concerted  action  seeking 
with  unjealous  and  confiding  benevolence 
to  make  an  institution,  without  local  or  State 
interest,  the  almoner  of  its  overflowing 
bounty  towards  those  sufiierers  made  sacred 
by  the  cause  in  which  they  ofier  their  lives 
and  shed  their  blood.    You  have  freshened 


the  Declaration  of  Independence,  originally 
made  in  your  city,  issuing  it  anew,  rewrit- 
ten in  -the  blood  of  your  sons,  with  every 
precious  line  of  it  now  illuminated  with 
your  gold. 

I  was,  fortunately,  present  at  the  ^eat 
gathering  of  the  heads  of  all  the  eco- 
nomical interests  of  your  vast  hive  of  in- 
dustry, when  the  Fair  was  inaugurated  by 
assigning  its  departments  to  the  most  ener- 
getic men  in  Philadelphia.  I  said  then, 
what  I  repeat  here,  that  I  never  knew  an 
undertaking  whose  success  was  so  thorough- 
Jy  assured  by  the  method  and  spirit  in  which 
it  was  started.  What  the  zeal,  the  taste,  and 
the  generosity  of  your  State  and  city — not 
unaided  by  New  Jersey, and  Delaware — 
finally  produced  in  the  way  of  a  splendid  and 
instructive  spectacle,  I  learn  from  thousands 
who  had  a  pleasure  denied  to  me,  then  in 
California,  of  visiting  that  beautiful  temple 
of  art  and  humanity.  The  solid  product  of 
all  those  labors  and  successes  I  have  now 
the  profound  gratification  of  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of,  into  the  treasury  for  which 
it  was  originally  designed. 

To  that  Divine  Providence  in  which  all 
great  blessings  originate;  to  the  generous 
publid  who  first  gave  and  then  bought  back 
the  materials  of  the  Fair ;  to  the  women  of 
of  your  city  and  neighborhood,  whose  taste 
and  humanity,  whose  strength  and  tender- 
ness flowed  into  its  preparation  and  con- 
duct; to  the  various  committees,  whose  pa- 
tient fidelity  in  a  noble  rivalry  with  each 
other,  secured  the  success  of  all  its  depart- 
ments; to  the  executive  committee,  whose 
wisdom  and  devotion  reduced  the  parts  of 
such  harmony  and  -perfection ;  and  to  you, 
sir,  the  president  of  the  Fair,  to  whose  ad- 
iirirable  administration,  unflagging  over- 
sight, and  Christian  inspiration,  all  accord 
the  bighest  respect  and  admiration,  I  beg 
leave  humbly  to  ofi«r,  in-  the  name  of  our 
clients — ^the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers — 
the  gratitude  of  their  hearts,  and  with  them 
'that  T>f  the  homes  of  the  nation. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 
yours,        '         Henrt  W.  Bellows, 

Presideiit  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 


Table  of  Contents. — The  table  of 
contents  is  crowded  out  Tjy  more  important 
matter.  In  its  place  is  presented  the  no- 
tice of  the  Philadelphia  Protective  War 
Claim  and  Pension  Agency. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1116 


PROTECTIVE 

OP  THB 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

All  the  papers  and  correspondence  required 
to  procure  Pensions,  Bounty  and  Back  Pay,  and 
Prize  Money  for  discliarged  soldiers  and  sailors, . 
and  for  the  relatives  of  soldiers  and  sailors  dying 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  prepared  and 
forwarded,  and  the  proceeds  of  all  claims,  whea 
collected,  remitted  to'the  parties  entitled, /ree  of 
charge, 

BOARD  OF   DIBECTOBS. 

WILLIAM  M.  TILGHMAN,  Chairman. 

HOBACB  BlNNEY,  Jb.,  BoBEET  M.  LeWIS, 

AlEXANDEB  BbOWN,  GeOESB  M.  GoNABBOE,     " 

Hon..  J.  I.  Glark  Hab%  Ghables  J.  Stiiil£, 
WiiLiAM  Welsh,  George  D.  Pabeish, 

WiiUAM  L.  Rehn,  H.  Lehox  Hodqe,  M.D.,  ' 

George  Teott,  Athebton  Blight. 

H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.D.,  Exmninmg  Swgeon. 
Edwaed  a.  Smith  M.D.,  Assistant  Surgeon. 
W.  N.  Ashman,  Solicitor. 
Jab.  W.  Hazlebcbst,  Assistant  Solicitor. 

Office :  No.  1307  Chestant  Street,  Philadelphia. 
PROTECTIVE 

or   THB  ' 

STATE  OP  NEW  YORK. 

OFFICE,  35  CHAMBEBS  STBEET, 
WET^  "X"oit:K. 

Peesident. 
Lieut.-Gen.  WINPIELD  SCOTT. 

/  Vice-PeeSidents. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Pibk,     Admieal  Dopont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  "Esq.,     Rod.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq 
Tebasdeeb. — ^Robebt  B.  Mintuen,  Esq. 

DiBEOTOES. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
Geoege  Opdtke, 

HiEAM  &AENEY, 

-     Jas  W.  Beekjian, 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 
John  Jacob  Astoe, 
James  Beown,. 
William  H.  Aspinwall, 
James  Gallatin, 


Howaed  Pottee, 
Willlam  B.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodobe  Roosevelt, 
Petee  Coopee,  , 

George  Banceopt, 
Daniel  Loed, 
Wilson  G..  Hunt, 

BOBEET  L.  StUAJIT, 

Alfeed  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HBNBY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Ghambees  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
1st.  To  secure  the. soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims,  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty , 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  impostwe  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government, 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  wnd  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  qf  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  G,' 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  "Siork. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

0.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  B.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Stille,  ^Philadelphia,  Fenna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICEES. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  COMMITTEE. 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
C.  E.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  Stille. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  m#,de  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
With  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  Ne^  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitaiy  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in ;  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


1116 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  foi  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

JB®"Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  CTnited  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga-:-its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EAST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  OOLLSOTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commis*on,  Nos.  10  &  11 
Cooper  Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary- Comtoission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  ISC'?  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTEIBTITION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  F  Street, 
Washington,  D.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Va. 

n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Sharp 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

IJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  0. 

tJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPAB.TMBNT  OF  THE  WBSf.. 

OENTBAL   DEPOTS   OF   COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  T. 


tf:  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
StreeWPittsburgh,  Penna. 

n.  s.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  Larned 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Oommiasion,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  \Eontributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  ate  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

EAST. 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  76  Kingston  Street, 
Boston,  Mass.  * 

"  Special  Relief"  Office,  ISOT  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  BufifalB,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite B.  R.  Depot. 

"  Soldiers'  LodgCj"  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

"  The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"Home  for  Wiyes,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  3'74  N.  Capitol  Street,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

"Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  3T4  N.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  0. 

"  Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  5.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  0.  •  ^ 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

"  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 
'  Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.,Andr6ws,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent.   . 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. ' 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Captain  I. 
Braxton,  Sup't.     Rev;  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiers'  Home,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn  ^ 
0.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiets'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.  1117 


:    BRANCH,  Ymm^^y^e^yieA:<&^\>\  BRANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,-^   \  I'^Kf^^'^  ■"^■^^^-Al^lf  I  1      ^°'  ^®  °^®®°  Street, 
NEW  YORK.  Jj     \^^^''"t3'j6   QyjgSt^^-'<JJ'  'l^|_^     BOSTON,  Mass. 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 

The  "Palmer"  Arm  and  Leo  are  now  fnrnished  for  the  mntUated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  leuers  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants, 
who,  in  the  pae^j  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

Shrgeon-General's  Office, 
Wabhibotos  City,  B.C.,  Bee.  12,  1863. 
Sir  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       ******** 
In  compliance  with  thb  rbcohmendatioh  of  the  Board,  when  a  soldier  mat  desire  to  purchase  "the  uoks 
elesant  and  expensive  arm  of  palmer,"  fiftt  dollars  will  be  allowed  towards  pavment  for  tht  same. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CKAME,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SnEOEON-GEHEEAl'S  OFFICE, 

Washington  City,  D.C,  Sept  20, 1864. 
Sir; — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  yon,  that  the  Beport  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  uanofactdred  by  you. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-Ceneral,  9 

W.  G.  SPENCEH,  Assistant  Surgeon  n.S.A. 
To  B.  FBANK.  PALMEE,  liL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  York. 

I  

The  Best  PALMER-  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  i^ot  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in,  persoDf  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices     Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.^ 

President  American  Artificial  Limb  Co. 

-■ — — - — —  ■  ■ — 1 — ■ 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUflA  COMPANY, 

OE  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

'  •  TRUSTEES: 

GEORGE  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     ALANSON  A.  SUMNER,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.        E.  B.  BELDBN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York  J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York. 

To  all  acquainted  with  th^^il  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Companyj 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  significaat  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties.' 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory.  , 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment,  . 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  f  50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  ONE-HALF  OF  ITS  PAR  "VALUE. 

Tbe  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one^per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  which  pur- 
chasers within  the  month  will  be  entitled.  • 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY, 

2Co.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York, 


1118  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.^ 


Adapted  to  every  brancli  of  businessi 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

PAIEBANKfe  a  CO.,  Wo.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIEBANKS  &  BEOWN.  No.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIEBAWKS,  GEEEWLBAP  &  CO^  No.  172  Lake  Street,  C!hioago. 
TAIBBAWKS  &  EWIWG,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
^  •     FAIEBAUES  &  CO.,  No.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  either  of-  the  dbove^ 

, 1 iJ — 

ESTABLISHED   i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OP  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  A^  THE 

l^THEELER  &  WH-SOHT,  .  ' 

GROVER  &  BAKER, 

WIL.I.COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SIIVGER  AHTD  OTHERS. 

TO  REMT  AND  ^ 

,  FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

,  Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  Street;  New  York.  « 

V.  W.  WICKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

486  Broadway,  TTp  Stairs. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1119 


OFFICE    OF    THE 


]M[  ORRIS 


OOMPi^JSTY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capital, 
Casli  Capital,  paid  in, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

^ITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS, 

against  loss  \or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores^  and  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Pafd. 


XXI.  £3  o  "a?  o 


BDWARD  BOWB, 

JOHIT  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MOEBISOIT, 

ALBBBT  G.  LBB, 

PRES.  H.  BBABLEE, 

BAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

GEOKGE  MILN,   ' 

BDWABD  C.  BATES, 

HENBT  J.  CAMMANlf, 

J.  C.  MOBBIS, 

WILLIAM  MACKAT, 

S.  N.  DEBEICK, 

BOB'T  BOWNB, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHAELES  HICKGX, 

EZRA  KTB, 

B.  0.  MOEEIS,  Jr., 

N.  0.  If  IMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


1120  The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 

F.  RAT  OH  FORD  STARR,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

The  Hutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

F.  S.  WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  over  Eleven  and  a  taalf  Millions  of  Dollars. 

Policies  known  as  "Non-Forfeiting,"  on  the  terms  they  express,  on  the  Ten-Year  plan,  issued  by  this 
Company,  possess  advantages  in  profits  and  rates  of  premiums,  greater  than  are  oJBTered  by  any  other  Life 
Company.  

Widows'  &  Orphans'  Benefit  Life  Inis.  Go.  of  New  York. 

LUCIUS    ROBINSON.   President. 
Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

Many  of  the  Trustees  and  other  offieers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mutoai 
Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 

Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

JOHN    WADSWORTH,   President. 
Cash  Capital,  $200,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their  families,  and  qf  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance. 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  otherwise,  to  ^    ** 

F.  KATCHPOKD  STABE,  General  Agent, 

400  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

HARTFOltD,  CONN. 
CA.IPI.I'.A.Xj,         -         -         -         $300,000.  I 

JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  President. 
Insurance  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCIDENTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  issued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteeu  Dollars, 
granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of    , 

Five  Thousand  Dollars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever. 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 
secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars, 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
•  ordinary  business.  •  '  > 

rifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  compensation  for  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident. 

Policies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  other 
sum  betweep  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALLEJV,  Agent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


THE 

SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


ISo.  36. 


PHILADELPHIA,  APRIL  15,  1865. 


No.  36. 


Thb  Sanitaet  Commission  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  euen/  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitous  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  vmwialh/  valuabk  medium  for 
advertising.  ' 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  thai  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  {Q.  T.  Strono,  68  Wall  street,  Keu)  York,  or  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  sucfh  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless/dts  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


SBIVINe  HOME  THE  COWS. 

Out  of  the  clover  and  bine-eyed  grass, 
He  turned  them  into  the  river-lane; 

One  after  another  he  let  them  pass, 
Then  fastened  the  meadow  bars  ag^in;,^ 

Under  the  willows  and  over  the  hill, 
He  patiently  fdllowed  their  sober  pace ; 

The  merry  whistle  for  once  was  still, 
And  something  shadowed  the  sunny  face. 

I 

Only  a  boy !  and  his  father  had  said 

/He  never  could  let  his  youngest  go ! 
Two  already  were  lying  dead,  „     ' 

Under  the  feet  oi'  the  trampling  foe. 

But  after  the  evening  work  was  done. 
And  the  frogs  were  Iqud  in  the  liieadow-swamp. 

Over  his  Bhoi;ilder  he  slung  his  gun 
And  stealthily  followed  the  foot-path  damp. 

Across  the  clover  and  through  the  wheat 
^     With  resolute  heart  and  purpose  grim. 
Though  cold  was  the  dew  on  his  hurrying  feet, 
And  the  blind,  bats  flitting  startled  him. 

Thrice  since  then  had  the  lanes  been  white, 

And  the  orchards  sweet  with  apple-bloom ; 
*And  now,  when  the  cows  came  back  at  night, 
The  feeble  father  drove  them  home. 

For  news  had  come  to  the  lonely  farm 
That  three  were  lying  were  two  had  lain  j 

And  the  old  man's  tremulous,  palsied  arm 
Could  never  lean  on  a  son's  again. 

The  summer  day  grew  cool  and  late ; 

He  went  for  the  cows  when  his  work  was  done; 
But  down  the  lane,  as  he  opened  the  gate. 

He  saw  them  coming,  one  b^^ne. 


Brindle,  Ebony,  Speckle,  and  Beffs, 

Shaking  their  horns  in  the  evening  wind ; 
Cropping  the  butter  cups  out  of  the  grass — ' 
-  But  who  was  it  following  close  behind  ? 

Loosely  swang  in  the  idle  air 

The  empty  sleeve  of  army  blue; 
And  worn  and  pale,  from  the  crisping  hair. 

Looked  oul;  a  face  that  the  father  knew; 

For  Southern  prisons  will  sometimes  yawn. 
And  yield  their  dead  unto  life  again; 

And  the  day  that  comes  with  a  cloudy  dawn 
In  golden  glory  at  l^st'may  wane. 

The  great  tears  sprang  to  their  meeting  eyes ; 

For  the  heart  must  speak  when  thi  lips  are  dumb, 
And  under  the  'silent  evening  skies  \ 

Together  they  followed  the  cattle  home. 

Harper's  Magazine. 


A  rOETNIGHT  WITH  THE  SANITAET. 

Reprinted  from  the  Atlantic  Monthly. 

For  three  years  I  bad  been  a  tborough 
believer  in  the  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. Heading  carefully  its  publications, 
listening  with  tearful  interest  to  the  narra- 
tions of  those  who  had  been  its  immediate, 
workers  at  the  front,  following  in  imagina- 
tion its  campaigns  of  love  and  mercy,  from 
Antietam  to  Grettysburg,  jfrom  Belle  Plain 
to  City  Point,  and  thence  to  the  very  smoke 
and  carnage  of  the  actual  battlefield,  I  had 
come  to  cherish  an  unfeigned  admiration  for 
it  and  its  work.  For  three  years,  too,  I  had 
been  an  earnest  laborer  at  one  of  its  out- 


Vot.  I.  No.  36 


71 


1122 


The  Sanitary  Oommisaion  Bulletin. 


posts, — striving  with  ^others  ever  to  deepen 
the  interest  and  increase  the  fidelity  of  the 
loyal  men  and  women  of  a  loyaL  New  Eng- 
land town.  I  was  prepared  then,  both  from 
.  my  hearty  respect  for  the  charity  and  from 
my  general  conception  of  the  nature  and 
vastness  of  its  operations,  to  welcome  every 
opportunity  to  improve  my  knowledge  of  its 
plans  and  practical  workings.  ■  I  therefore 
gladly  accepted  the  invitation  which  came 
to  me  to  visit  the  headquarters  of  the  Com- 
mission at  Washington,  and  to  examine  for 
myself  the  character  and  amount  of  the  ben- 
efits which  it  confers. 

The  evening  of  August  23d  found  me, 
after  a  speedy  and  pleasant,  trip  southward, 
safely  ensconced  ijD  the  sanctum  of  my  good 
friend  Mr.  Knapp,  the  head  of  the  Special 
Relief  Department.  Starting  from  that  base 
of  operations,  I  spent  two  crowded  weeks  in 
ceaseless  inquiries.  Every  avenue  of  infor- 
mation was  thrown  wide  op3n.  Two  days  I 
wandered,  but  not  aimlessly,  from  office  to 
office,  from  storehouse  to  storehouse,  from 
soldiers'  home'  to  soldiers'  home,  conversing 
with  the  jnen  who  have  given  themselves  up 
unstintedly  to  this  charity,  examining  the 
books  of  the  Commission,  gathering  statis- 
tics, seeing,  as  it  were,  the  hungry  soldier 
fed  and  the  naked*  soldier  clothed,  and  the 
sick  and  wounded  soldier  cared  for  with  a 
more  than  fraternal  kindness.  I  visited  the- 
hospitals,  and  with  my  own  hands  distrib- 
utedj  the  Sanitary  delicacies  to  the  suffering 
men.  Steaming  down  the  Chesapeake,  and 
up  the  James,  and  along  its  homeless  shores, 
I  came  to  City  Point ;  was  a  day*  and  a  night 
on  board  the  Sanitary  barges,  whence  full 
streams  of  comfort  are  flowing  with  an  un- 
broken current  to  all  our  diverging  camps; 
passed  a  tranquil,  beautiful  Sabbath  in  that 
city  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  whose  white 
tents  look  down  from  the  bluffs  upon  the 
turbid  river;  rode  thirteen  miles  out  almost 
the  Weldon  road,  then  in  sharp  contest  be- 
tween our  Fifth  Army  Corps  and  the  rebels); 
from  the  hills  which  Baldy  Smith  stormed 
in  June  saw  the  spires  of  Petersburg;  went 
from  tent  to  tent  and  from  bedside  to  bed- 
-side in  the  field  hospitals  of  the  Fifth  and 
Ninth  Corps,  where  the  luxuries  prepared 
by  willing  hands  at  home  were  bringing  life 
and  strength  to  fevered  lips,  and  broken 
bodies.  I  came  back  wifh  my  courage  re- 
animated, and  with  a  more  perfect  faith  in 
the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  good  cause.  I 
came  back  with  a  heartier  respect  for  our 
soldiers,  whose  patience  in  hardship  and 


courage  in  danger  are  rivalled  only  by  the 
heroism  with  which  they  bear  the  pains  of 
sickness  and  wounds.  I  came  back  espe- 
cially with  the  conviction  that,  no  matter 
how  much  we  had  contributed  to  the  Sani-, 
tary  work,  we  had  done  only  that  which  it 
was  ouF  duty  to  do,  and  that,  so  long  as  we 
could  furnish  shelter  for  our  families  and 
food  for  our  children,  it  was  our  plain  obli- 
gation to  give  and  to  continue  giving  out  of 
our  riches  or  out  of  our  poverty. 

I  have  felt  that  in  no  way  could  I  do  bet- 
ter service  than  by  seeking  to  answer  for 
others  the  very  questions  which  .my  fort- 
night with  the  Sanitary  has  answered  for 
me.  Most,  no  doubt,  have  a  general  con- 
viction that  the  charity  inaugurated  by  the 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  at  once  marvel- 
lous in  its  extent  and  unique  in  the  his- 
tory of  war.  All,  perhaps,  are  prepared  to 
allow  that  the  heart  which  conceived  such 
an  enterprise,  and  the  mind  which  organ- 
ized it,  and  the  persistent  will  which  carried 
it  to  a  successful  issue,  are  entitled  to  all  the 
praise  which  we  can  give  them.  Few  will 
deny  now  that  this  and  kindred  associations, 
by  decreasing  the  Waste  of  war,  will  affect 
in  an  important  degree  our  national  for- 
tunes. And  most,  indeed,  know  something 
even  about  the  details  of  Sanitary  work. 
They  comprehend,  at  least,  that  through  its 
agency  many  a  homely  comfort  and  many  a 
home  luxury  find  their  way  to  the  wards  of 
great  hospitals.  They  have  seen,  too,  the 
Commission  step  forward  in  great  emergen- 
cies, after  some  terrible  battle,  when  every 
energy  of  Grovernment  was  burdened  and 
overburdened  by  the  gigantic  demands  of 
the'  hour,  and  from  its  storehouses  send 
thousands  ef  packages,  and  from  its  offices 
hundreds  of  Telief  agents,  to  help  to  meet 
almost  unprecedented  exigencies. 

But  what  people  wish  to  know,  and  what, 
'■  despite  all  that  has  been  written,  they  do 
not  know  fully  and  definitely,  is  how  an^ 
when  and  where,  and  through  what  (Chan- 
nels and  by  what  methods,  the  Commission 
works:  precisely  how  the  millions  which 
have  been  poured  into  its  treasury  from 
public  contributions  and  private  benefac- 
tions have  been  coined  into  comfort  for  the 
soldier, — how  the  thousands  and  hundreds 
of  thousands  pf  garments  which  have  gone 
forth  to  unknown  destinations  have  been 
niade  warmth  for  his  body  and  cheer  to  his 
soul.  The  whole  heighth  and  depth  and 
length  and  breadth  of  Sanitary  work,  what 
varied  activities"  and  what  multiform  chari- 


TJhe  Sanitary  Oommisfion  Bulletin, 


1123 


ties  are  included  in  the  great  circumference 
of  its  organization, — of  that  not  one  in 
twenty  has  any  adequate  conception.  And 
all  abgut  that  is  what  everybody  wishes  to 
know.  The  curiosity,  moreover,  which  die-  ■ 
tates  such  queries,  is  a  natural  and  laudable 
curiosity.  Those  who  have  gi'cen  at  every 
call,  and  often  from  scanty  means,  and  those 

«ho  have  plied  the  needle  summer  and 
inter,  early  and  late,  have  a  right  to  put 
saoh  questions.  The  Commission  wishes  to 
answer  all  proper  inquiries  fully  and  unre- 
servedly. It  would  throw  open  its  opera- 
tions to  the  broadest  sunlight.  It  belifeves 
that  the  more  entirely  it  is  known,  in  its 
successes  and  its  failures  alike,  the  more 
sure  it  is  to  be  liberally  sustained.  To  bring 
the  humblest  contributor  from  the  most  dis- 
tant branch,  as  it  were,  into  immediate  com- 
munication with  the  front  is  a  work  most 
desirable  to  be  done.  I  do  not  wish  to  glo- 
rify the  Commission,  nor  to  theorize  about 
it,  nor  to  discuss  its  relative  merit  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  kindred  organizations, 
but  rather  to  tell  just  what  it  is  doing,  pre- 
cisely where  the  money  goes,  and  exactly 
what  kinds  of  good  are  attempted. 

The  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
may  be  naturally  and  conveniently  classed 
under  five  heads. 

Eirst,  the  work  undertaken  l^or  the  pre- 
vention of  sickness  and  suffering. 

Second,  the  Special  Relief  Department. 

Third,  the  Hospital  Directory. 

Fourth,  the  assistance  given  to  stationary 
hospitals. 

Fifth,  the  grand  operations  in  the  front, 
on  or  near  the  actual  battle-field. 

The  efforts  for  the  prevention  of  suffering 
and  sickness  are  first  in  order  of  time,  and 
possibly  first  in  importance.  When  this  war 
commenced,  we  had  no  wounded  and  we  had 
no  sick.  What  we  did  have  was  a  crowd  of 
men  full  of  untrained  courage,  but  who  knew 
little  or  nothing  about  military  discipline, 
and  as  little  in  regard  to  what  was  necessary 
"  fur  the  preservation  of  their  health.  What 
we  did  have  was  hundreds  and  thousands  of 
officers,  takeif  from  every  walfc'of  life,  who 
were,  for  the  most  part,  men  of  great  natu- 
ral intelligence,  but  who  did  not  at  all  com- 
prehend that  it  was  their  duty  not  only  to 
lead  their  men  in  battle,  but  to  care  for  their 
health  and  their  ha{)its,  and  who  had  never 
dreamed  that  such  homely  considerations  as 
what  are  the  best  modes  of  cooking  food, 
what  are  the  most  health  localities  in  which 
to  pitch  tents,  what  is  th^  right  position  for 


drains,  had  anything  to  do  with  the  art  of 
war.  What<we  did  have  was  surgeons,  many 
of  whom  had  achieved  an  honorable  reputa- 
tion in  the  walks  of  civil  life,  but  who,  on 
this  new  field,  were  alike  inexperienced  and 
untried.  The^  manifest  danger  was,  that 
this  mass  of  living  valor  and  embodied  pa- 
triotism would  simply  be  squandered,— that, 
as  in  the  terrible  Wiicheren  expedition,  or 
in  the  Crimea,  the  men  whose  strength  and 
courage  might  decide  a  camnaign  would  only 
furnish  food  for  the  hospiml  and  the  grave. 

Who  should  avert  this  danger  ?  I'he  Gro- 
vernment  could  not.  It  had  no  time  to  sit 
down  and '  study  sanitary  science.  It  was 
bringing  together  everything,,  where  it 
found— nothing.  Out  of  farmers  and  mer- 
chants and  students  it  was  organizing  the 
most  efficient  of  armfes.  It  was  sending  its 
agents  all  over  the  world  to  buy  guas  and 
munitions  of  war.  It  was  tasking  our  fac- 
tories to  produce  blankets  and  overcoats, 
knapsacks  and  haversacks,  wagons  and  tents, 
and  all  that  goes  to  itfake  up  the  multifarious 
equipment  of  an  army.  It  was  peering  into 
our  dockyards  to  find  steamers  and  sailing 
vessels  out  of  which  to  gather  makeshift 
navies,  until  it  could  find  leisure  to  build 
stancher  ships.  Manifestly  the  Grovernment 
had  no  time  for  such  a  work.  The  existing^ 
medical  bureau  was  hardly  equal  tq  the  task. 
Organized  to  take  charge  of  an  army  of  ten 
thousand  men,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye 
that  army  became  five  hundred  thousand. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  medical 
staff  must  have  been  very  busy  and  very 
heavily  burdened.  With  great  hospitals  to 
build,  with  troops  of  willing,  but  young  and 
inexperienced  surgeons  to  train  to  a  knowl- 
edge ot  their  duties,  and  to  send  east  and 
west  and  north  and  south,  with  every  de- 
partment of  medical  science  to  be  enlarged 
at  once  to  the  proportions  of  the  war,  it  had 
little  leisure  for  excursions'  into  fresh  fields 
of  inquiry.  That  it  brought  order  so  quickly 
out  of  chaos,  that  it  was  able  to  extemporize 
a  good  working  system,  is  a  sufficient  testi- 
mony to  its  general  fidelity  and  efficiency. 
It  was  the  Sanitary  Commission  which  un- 
dertook this  special  duty.  It  lundertook  to 
find  out  some  of  the  laws  of  health  which 
apply  to  army  life,  and  then  to  scatter  the 
knowledge  of  those  laws  broadcast. 

Prevention,  therefore,  effort  not  so  much 
to  comfort  and'  cure  the  sick  soldier  as  to 
keep  him  from  being  sick  at  all,  was,  in  or- 
der of  time,  properly  the  first  work.  And 
it  is  doubtful  whether  at  the  outset  anything 


1124 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


more  was  contemplated.  The  memorial- to 
the  War  Department  in  Maj^  1861,  says, 
explicitly  that  the  object  of  the  Commission 
"is  to  bring  to  bear  upon  the  health,  com- 
fort, and  morale  of  our  troops  the  fullest 
and  ripest  teachings  of  saiiitary  science." 
How  many  of  the  contributors  to  the  funds 
of  the  Society  are  aware  what  an  immense 
work  in  this  direction  has  been  undertaken, 
and  how  much  has  been  accomplished  to  pre- 
vent sickness  and  the  consequent  depletion, 
and  perhaps  defm  of  our  armies  ?  As  I  have 
already  indicated^  at  the  commencement  of 
the  war  we  knew  little  or  -nothing  about 
what  was  necessary  to  keep  men'  in  military 
service  well, — what  food,  what  'Clothing, 
what  tents,  what  camps,  what  recreations, 
what  everything,  I  may  say.  Now  the  San- 
itary Commission  has  made  searching  in- 
quiries touching  every  point  of  camp  and 
soldier  life, — gathering  in  facts  from  all 
quarters,  and  seeking  to  dtt^in  to  some  fixed 
sanitary  principles.  It  has  sent  the  most 
eminent  medical  men  on  tours  of  inspection 
to  all  our  camps,  who  have  put  questions 
and  given  hints  to  the  very  men  to  whom 
they  were  of  the  most  direct  importance. 
As  a  result,  we  have  a  mass  of  facts,  which, 
in  the  breadth  of  the  field  which  they  cover, 
in  the  number  of  vital  questions  which  they 
bettle,  and  in  the  fulness  and  accuracy  of 
the  testimony  by  which  they  are  sustained, 
a^e  worth  more  than  all  the  sanitary  statis- 
tics of  all  other  nations  put  together. 

And  we  are  to  consider  that  these  inqui- 
ries wejre  from  the  beginning  turned  to 
practical  use.  If  you  look  over  your  pile  of 
dusty  pamphlets,  very  likely  you  will  find  a 
little  Sanitary  tract  entitled,  "  Hules  for 
Preserving  the  Health  of  the  Soldier."  This 
was  issued  almost  before  the  war  had  seri- 
ously begun.  Or  you  will  come  across  some 
republished  European  medical  paper  con- 
taining the  lastr  results  of  the  last  foreign 
investigations.  So  early  was  the  good  seed 
of  sanitary  knowledge  sown.  We  must  re- 
member, too,  how  many  mooted,  yet  vitaj 
questions  have  now  been  put  to  rest.  Take 
aq,  example, — Quinine.  Everybody  had  a 
general  notion  that  quinine  was  as  valuable 
as  a  preventive  of  disease  as  a  cure.  But 
how  definite  was  our  knowledge?  How 
many  knew  when  and  in  what  positions  and 
to  what  extent  it  was  valuable  ?  As  early 
as  1861  the  Commission  prepared  and 'pub- 
lished what  has  been  justly  termed  an  ex- 
haustiye  monograph  on  the  whole  subject, 
collecting  into  a  brief  space  all  the  best  tes- 


timony bearing  upon  the  ques|i6n.  This  was 
the  ■beginning  of  an  investigation  which, 
pursued  through  a  vast  number  of  cases, 
has  demoiQstrated  that,  in  peculiar  localities 
and  under  certain  circumstances,  quinine  in 
full  doses  is  an  almost  absolute  necessity. 
And  in  such  localities,  and  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. Government  issues  now  a  daily 
ration  to  every  man,  saving  who  can  t^ 
how  many  valuable  lives  ?  One  more  illi» 
tration, — Camps.  Suppose  you  were  to  lead 
a  thousand  men  into  the  Southern  country. 
Would  you  know  where  to  encamp  them  ? 
whether  with  a  southern  or  a  northern  ex- 
posure ?  on  a  breezy  hill,  or  in  a  sheltered 
yalley  ?  beneath  the  shade  of  grovdfe,  or  out 
in  the  broad  sunshine?  Could  you  tell  what 
kind  of  soil  was  healthiest,  or  how  near  to 
each  other  you  could  safely  pitch  your  tents, 
or  whether  it  would  be  best  for  your  men  to 
sleep  on  the  bare  ground  or  on  straw  or  on 
pine  boughs  ?  Yet,  if  you  inquire,  you  will 
find  that  all  these  questions  and  countless 
others  are  definitely  settled,-^-thanks  in  a 
great  measure  to  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  has  gladly  given  its  ounce  of  preven- 
tion, that  it  may  spare  its  pound  of  cure. 

If  you  imagine  that  the  need  of  this  work 
of  prevention  has  ceased,  you  are  greatly 
mistaken.  Only  last  summer,  in  the  single 
month  of  June,  the  Commission  distributed, 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  alone,  over  a 
hundred  tons  of  canned  fruits  and  tomatoes, 
and  not  less  than  five  thousand  barrels  of 
pickles  and  fresh  .vegetables.  It  is  hardly 
too  much  to  say  that  what  the  Commission 
did  in  this  respect  has  gone  far  towards  en- 
abling^ our  gallant  army  to  disappoint  the 
hopes  of  the  enemy,  and  tib  hold  amid  the 
deadly  assaults  of  malaria,  the  vantage-^ 
growid  which  it  has  won  before  Petersburg 
and  Richmond.  All  through  the  spring 
and  summer,  too,  at  Chattanooga,  on  the 
very  soil  which  war  had  ploughed  and  deso- 
lated, invalid  soldiers  have  been  cultivating 
hundreds  of  acres  of  vegetables.  And  on 
the  rugged  sides  of  Missionary  Ridge,  and ' 
along  the  sunny  slopes  of  Central  Tennessee, 
the  same  forethought  has  brought  to  perfec- 
tion, in  many  a  deserted  "vineyard,  the  pur- 
ple glory  of  the  gr^pe.  And  this  not  merely 
to  cure,  but  to  prevent,  to  keep  up  the 
strength  and  vigor  of  the  brave  men  who 
have  marched  victoriously  from  the  banks 
of  .the  Ohio  to  Atlanta. 

Nor  is  it  likely  that  the  value  of  this 
ofiice  will  cease  so  long  as  the  war  lasts.  In 
the  future,  as  in  the  past,  new  conditions, 


The  Sanitary  Oommisiiion  Bulletin. 


1126 


new  exigencies,  and  new  dangers  will  arise': 
'And  to  the  end  the  foresight  which  guards 
will  be  as  true  a  friend  to  the  soldier  as  the 
kindness  which  assuages  his  pains.  Look- 
ing back,  therefore,  upon  the  whole  field, 
and  speaking  with  a-  full  understanding  of 
the  meaoiug  of  the  language,  I  am  ready 
to  affirm,  that,  if  the  Sanitary  Commission 
had  undertaken  nothing  but  the  work  of 
preventing  sickness,  and  had  accomplished 
nothing  in  any  other  direction,,  the  army 
and  the  country  would  have  received  in  that 
alone  an  ample  return  for  all  the  money 
which  has  been  lavished. 

I  come  now  to  the  Special  Relief  De- 
partment. I  should  call  this  a  sort  of  phi- 
lanthropic drag-net,  differing  from  that 
mentioned  in  the  Gospel  in  that  it  seems  to 
gather  up  nothing  bad  which  needs  to  be 
thrown  away.  In  other  words,  it  appeared 
to  me  as  though  any  and  every  '  kind  of 
Sanitary  good  which  ought  to  be  done,  and 
yet  was  not  large  enough  ordis^tinct  enough 
to  eohstitute  a  separate  branch,  was  set 
down  as  Special  Relief.  The  whole  system 
of  homes  and  lodges  to  feed  the  hungry  and 
shelter  the  homeless  comes  directly  under 
the  head  of  Special  Relief.  The  immense 
collection  of  back-pay,  bounties,  pensions, 
and  prize-jponey,  which  is  made  gratui-- 
tously  by  the  Commission,  is  Special  Relief. 
Visits  to  the  hospitals  are  under  the  direc- 
tion of  this  same  department.  And  even 
the  Directory  and  th^  vast  work  done  at  the 
front  perhaps  legitimately  belong  to  it.  We 
can  readily  conceive,  therefore,  that  the 
Commission  has  no  department  which  is 
larger  or  more^portant,  or  which  covers 
so  wide  and  diversified  a  field  of  activity. 
Let  us  survey  that  field  a  little  closer. 

Sanitary  homes  and  lo'dges, — what  are 
they  ?  A  soldier  is  discharged^  or  he  has 
a  furlough.  He  is  not  well  and  strong, 
and  he  has  no  money,  certainly  none  to 
spare.  He  ought  not  to  sleep  on  the  ground, 
and  he  ought  not  to  go  hungry.  But  what 
is  everybody's  business  is  apt  to  be  nobody's 
business.  Fortunately  the  Commission  has 
seen  and  met  this  want.  In  Washington, 
on  H  Street,  there  is  a  block  of  rough,  but 
comfortable  one-story  wooden  buildings, 
erected  for  various  purposes  of  Special  Re- 
lief, and,  amongst  others,  for  the  very  one 
which  I  have  mentioned.  In  the  first  place, 
there  is  a  large  room  containing  ninety-six 
berths,  where  any  soldier,  having  proper 
claims,  can  obtain  decent  lodgings  free  of 
expense.    In  the  second  place,  there' is  a 


kitchen,  and  a  neat,  cheerful  dining-room, 
with  seats  for  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Here 
plain  and  substantial  meals  are  furnished  to 
all  comers.  This  table  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  has  often,  and  indeed  usually  to  be 
spread  three  times ;  so  that  the  Commission 
feeds  daily  at  this  place  alone  some  four 
hundred  soldiers,  and  lodges  ninety  to  a 
hundred  more.  The  home  which  I  have 
now  described  is  simply  for  transient  calls. 

Near  the  depot  there  is  a  home  of  a  more 
permanent  character.  When  a  soldier  is 
disobarged  from  the  service,  the  Govern- 
meint  has,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  no 
further  charge  of  him.  Suppose  now  that 
he  is  taken  sick,  with  no  money  in  his  purse 
and  no  friends  near.  Can  you  imagine  a 
position  more  forlorn  #  And  forlorn  indeed 
it  would  be,  were  it  not  for  the  Commission. 
The  sick  home  is  a  large  three-story  build- 
ing, with  three  or  foiir  one-story  buildings 
added  on  each  side.  Here  there  is  furnished 
food  for  all ;  then  one  hundred  and  fifty 
beds  for  those  who  are  not  really  sick,  but 
only  ailing  and  worn  out;  then  bathing- 
rooms;  and,  finally,. a  reading-room.  There 
is  here,  too,  a  hospital  ward,  with  .the 
requisite  nurses  and  medical  attendance.  In 
this  ward  I  saw  a  little  boy,  apparently  not 
over  twelve  years  of  age,  who  had  strayed 
frOm  his  home, — if,  alas,  he  had  one ! — ^and 
followed  to  the  field  an  Ohio  regiment  of 
hundred-days'  men,  and  who  had  been  taken 
sick  and  left  behind.  Who  he  was  or  where 
from  nobody  knew.  Tenderly  cared  for, 
but  likely  to  die !  A  sad  sight  to  look  upon ! 
One  feature  more.  Every  Tuesday,  Thurs- 
day, and  Saturday  a  physician  goes  from 
the  home 'in  Washington  to  New  York, 
taking  charge  of  those  who  are  too  sick  or 
too  crippled  to  care  for  themselves ;  while 
the  relief  agents  procure  for  the  sick  soldier 
the  half-price  ticket  to  which  he  is  entitled, 
or  else  give  him  one,  and  such  artiples  of 
clothing  as. are  needful  to  send  him  in  com- 
fort to  his  own  home. 

I  must  not  fail  to  speak  in  this  connec- 
tion of  another  J,  beautiful  ministry, — the 
home  for  soldiers'  wives  and  mothers.  A 
soldier  is  like  other  human  beings.  In  his 
sickness  he  yearns  for  a  sight  of  the  familiar 
faces,  and  sends  for  wife  or  mother ;  or  wife 
or  mother,  unable  to  bear  longer  the  un- 
certainty, when  she  can  get  no  tidings  from 
the  absent,  starts  for  Washington.  There, 
searching  vainly  for  husband  or  son,  she 
spends  all  or  -nearly  all  her  money.  Or  if 
she  finds  him,  it  may  well  be  that  he  has 


1126 


The  Sanitary  Oommigsion  Bulletin. 


no  funds  with  which  to  help  her.  In  the  little, 
buildings  on  one  side  of  the  refuge  for  the 
sick  are  rooms  where  some  sixty-five  can 
receive  decent  lodging  and  nourishing  food ; 
and  if  actually  penniless,  the  Commission 
will  procure  them  tickets,  and  send  them 
back  to  their  friends. 

We  often  hear  people  wondering,  almost 
in  a  skeptical  tone,  where  all  the  Commis- 
sion's money  goes.  When  I  was  at  Wash- 
ington and  City  Point,  I  only  asked  where 
it  all  came  from.  Consider  what  it  must 
cost  simply  to  feed  and  lodge  these  soldiers 
and  their  wives  at  Washington.  And  then 
remember  that  this  is  but  one  of  many 
similar  homes  scattered  everywhere:  at 
Baltimore,  Washington,  and  Alexandria,  in 
the  Eastern  Department;  -at  Louisville, 
Nashville,  Chattanooga,  in  the  Western  ;  at 
New  Orleans  and  Baton  Rouge,  in  the 
Southwestern ;  and  at  many  another  place 
beside.  And,  finallyj  reflect  that  this  whole 
system  of  homes  is  really  but  one  portion  of 
one  branch  of  Sanitary  work.  i 

The  collection  of  back-pay,  bounties,  and 
pensions, — ^how  many  have  a  definite  idea 
of  this  work  ?  Not  many,  I  suspect.  Yet 
it  takes  all  the  time  of  many  persons  to  ac- 
complish it,  and  it  was  the  branch  of  Sani- 
tary work  which  awakened  in  my  own  mind 
the  deepest  regard ;  for  it  has  its  foundation 
in  a  higher  virtue  than  any  mere  sentimental 
charity, — ^yea,  in  the  highest  virtue  known 
in  heaven  or  on  earthj — justice.  Howevei; 
impossible  it  may  be  to  prevent  such  occur- 
rences, certainly  it  is  a  cruel  and  unde- 
served hardship  to  a  soldier  who  has  served 
faithfully  and  fought  for  his  country,  and 
has  perhaps  been  wounded  and  almost  died 
at  the  post  of  honor  and  duty,  that  he 
should  be  unable  to  obtain  his  hard-earned 
pittance,  when,  too,  he  needs  it  for  his  own 
comfort,  or  when  it  may  be  that  his  family 
need  it  to  keep  them  from  absolute  sufier- 
ing. 

Look  at  a  single  class  of  these  collections, 
the  back-pay  of  sick  men.  Grovernment, 
we  all  allow,  must  have  S(jme  system  in  its 
di^ursements.  It  should  not  paj^  money 
without  a  voucher,  and  the  proper  voucher 
of  a  soldier^^is  the  pay-roll  of  the  regiment 
or  company  of  which  he  is  a  member.  Now 
a  sick  or  wounjled  man  drops  but  of  the 
ranks.  He  gets  into  a  field  hospital  to  which 
he  does  not  belong.  He  is  transferred  from 
one  hospital  to  another,  from  hospital  to 
convalescent  camp,  and  finally,  it  may  be, 
is  put  on  the  Ust  of  men  to  be  discharged 


for  physical  disability.  Meanwhile  his  com- 
manding officer  does  not  know  where  he  is, 
cannot  trace  him,  thinks  it  very  likely  that, 
he  is  a  deserter.  On  pay-day  the  man's 
name  is  not  on  the  roll,  and,  having  no 
voucher,  he  gets  no  money.  You  say  that' 
there  ought  to  be  a  remedy.  There  is  none. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  devise  one.  What  t 
shall  the  soldier  do  ?  He  cannot  go  from, 
point  to  point  to  collect  evidence,  for  he  is 
sick.  Besides,  he  is  utterly  ignorant  of  the 
necessary  forms.  If  he  applies  to  a  lawyer, 
it  costs  him  often  from  one-half  to  three- 
quarters  of  all  he  gets.  Very  likely  the 
lawyer  cannot  afford  to  take  care  of*  one  or 
two  petty  cases  for  a  less  price.  In  this 
emergency  the  Commission  steps  in,  and, 
with  its  knowledge  of  routine  and  its  credit 
in  all  quarters,  obtains  for  the  poor  fello,w 
for  nothing  what  he  has  in  vain  sought  for 
in  other  ways.  Take  one  single  case,  and 
what  they  would  call  at  the  Relief  Office  an 
easy  case.  Study  it  attentively,  and  you  will 
get  an  idea  of  all  cases, — and  you  will 
understand,  moreover,  how  much  work  has 
to  be  done,  and  how  impossible  it  would  be 
for  a  sick  man  to  do  it. 

Charles  W.  J ,  is  a  member  of  Com- 
pany K,  One  hundred  and  Twenty- First 
New  York  Regiment,  and  he  has  been 
transferred  to  this  company  and  regiment: 
from  Company  F  of  the  Sixteenth  New* 
York.  He  baa  been  thus  transferred  for 
the  reason  that  the  Sixteenth  New  York  is 
a  two  years'  regiment,  whose  time  has  ex- 
pired, while  he  is  a  three  years'  recruit, 
who  has  a  year  or  two  more  to  serve.  Now 
he  claims  that  pay  is  due  hifc  from  Novem- 
ber 1,  1863,  to  August  1,  1864,  and  that 
he  needs  his  pay  very  much,  to  send  home 
to  his  wife.  He" represents  that  he  was  at 
Schuyler  Hospital  from  the  time  he  left  the 
ranks  until  December  17,  1863  ;  that  then 
he  was  sent  to  Convalescent  Camp,  New 
York  Harbor;  and  on  December  29,  to 
Camp  of  Distribution  at  Alexandria;  whence, 
February  8,,  1864,  he  was  brought  to  Staun- 
ton Hospital,  Washington,  where  he  now 
is.  He  has  never  joined  his  new  regiment, 
has  only  been  transferred  with  others  to  its 
rolls.  His  new  officers  have  never  seen 
him,  and  do  not  know  where  he  is.  The 
relief  agent  hears  the  story  and  then  sets 
about  proving  all  its  details  :  first,  that  the 
man  was  a  member  of  the  Sixteenth  New 
York  Regiment ;  second,  that  he  has  heen 
transferred  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
First  Regiment;  third,  that  he  has  never 


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1127 


beenpaidbeyondNoveinber  1,1863 ;  fourth, 
that  he  has  really  been  in  the  various  hos- 
pitals and  camps  which  he  mentions.  This 
evidence  is  procured  by  writing  to  agents 
and  surgeons  at  convalescent  and  distribut- 
ing camps,  and  at  Hospital  Schuyler,  and 
by  examining  the  rolls  of  the  Sixteenth  and 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-First  Kegiments. 
In  a  few  days  or  weeks  the  man's  story  is 
proved  to  be  correct,  and  he  is  put  into  a 
position  to  receive  his  pay, — a  satisfaction 
not  simply  in  a  pecuniary  sense,  but  also  to 
his  soldierly  pride,  by  removing  an  un- 
deserved charge  of  desertion. 

Now  I*  beg  my  readers  not  to  imagine 
that  this  is  a  diflSeult  case.  At  the  Relief 
Booms  they  treasure  up  and  mysteriously 
display,  much  as  I  suspect  a  soldier  would 
flaunt  a  captured  battle-flag,  a  certain  roll 
of  paper,  I  dare  not  say  how  many  yards 
long,  covered  with  certificates  from  one  end 
to  the  other,  obtained  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  and  from  all  sorts  of  persons,  and 
all  necessary  in  order  to  secure  perhaps  a 
-  three  or  six  months'  pay  of  one  sick  soldier. 
The  correspondence  of  the  back-pay  depart- 
ment is  itself  a  burden.  Prom  t;hirty  to 
forty  letters  on  an  average  are  received  daily 
at  one  of  its  offices.  They  are  written  in  all 
languages, — English,  G-erman,  French, — 
and  must  be  read,  translated,  and  the  ideas, 
conveyed  often  in  the  blindest  style,  ascer- 
taijied  and  answered. 

A  new  branch  has  recently  been  added, — 
the  collection  of  pay  for  the  families  of  those 
who  are  prisoners  in  Rebeldom.  But  as  this 
involves  no  new  principles  or  fresh  details, 
I  pass  it  by.  Another  class  of  cases  should 
receive  a  moment's  notice.  This  includes 
the  collection  of  bounties  for  discharged 
soldiers,  of  pensions  for  wounded  soldiers, 
of  bounty,  back-pay,  and  pensions  for  the 
families  of  deceased  soldiers,  and  of  prize- 
money  for  sailors.  These  cases  are  not,  as 
a  general  rule,  as  intricate  as  those  which  I 
have  already  considered,  inasmuch  as  the 
proper  departments  have  a  regular  system 
of  investigation,  and  take  up  and  examine 
for  themselves  each  case  in  its  turn.  All 
that  the  Commission  does  is  to  put  the  sol- 
dier on  the  right  track,  and  to  make  out 
and  present  for  him  the  fitting,  application. 
It  undertOol^  this  because  Washington  was 
infested  with  a  horde  of  sharpers,  who,  by 
false  representations,  defrauded  the  soldiers 
out  of  large  sums. 

I  cannot  more  appropriately  close  this 
branch  of  my  subject  than  by  stating.the 


simple  fact,  that  during  the  months  of  July 
and  August,  the  relief  agents  examined  and 
brought  to  a  successful  issue  809  cases  of 
back-pay^  and  bounty-money,  averaging 
$125, — 203  cases  of  invalid  pensions,  378 
cases  of  widows'  pensions,  and  10  cases  of 
naval  pensions,  averajging  $8  a  month, — ' 
and  121  cases  of  prize-money,  averaging 
|80. 

I  have  only  to  add  that  the  amount  of 
good  which  can  be  done  in  this  direction 
seems  to  be  limited' only  by  the,  capacity  of 
those  who  Undertake  to  do  it.  A  relief 
agent  said  to  me,  in  conversation,  that  in 
one  hospital  in  Philadelphia,  there  were 
several  hundreds  who  claimed,  but  were 
unable  to  collect  their  just  dues, — and  that 
what  was  true  of  this  -Hbspital  was  true  to  a 
less  extent  of  all  of  them. 

The  Hospital  Directory  is  ,s^  most  inter- 
esting branOh  o:f  Sanitary  work.  Not  be- 
cause it  will  compare  with  many  other 
branches  in  extent  of  usefulness,  but  be- 
cause it  shows  what  a  wide-reaching  philan- 
thropy is  ait  work,  seeking  to  furnish  every 
possible  alleviation  to  the  inevitable  hard- 

.  ships  of  war.  Whoever  has  at  any  time  had 
a  sick  or  wounded  friend  in  the  army  knows 
how  difficult  it  often  is  to '  obtain  any  intel- 
ligence about  him.  I  have  in  mind  a  poor 
woman,  who  exhausted  every  resource  in 
seeking  to_  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  a 
sick  son,  and  who  never  received  any  tid- 
ings of  him,  until  one  day,  months  after, 
he  came  home,  worn-out  and  broken,  to  die. 
The  regimient  is  in  active  service  and  passes 
on,  while  the  sick  man  goes  back.  He  has 
several  transfers,  too, — first  to  the  corps 

■,  hospital  on  the  field,  then  to  the  army  hos- 
pital at  City  Point,  then  to  Washington,  and 
very  possibly  again  to  some  hospital  in  Bal- 
timore, Ihiladelphia,  or  other  city  or  town 
farther  north,  and  on  that  account  believed 
to  be  more  healthy.  Meanwhile,  amid  all 
these  changes,  the  inan  may  be  delirious, 
or  from  some  other  cause  unable  to  com- 
municate with  his  friends.  How  shall  they 
get  information'?  The  Commission  under- 
takes to  keep  a  correct  list  of  all  the  sick 
and  wounded  men  who  are  in  regular  hos- 
pitals. They  obtain  their  information  from 
the  official  returns  of  the  Surgeons.  I  do 
not  mean  to  say  that  these  lists  are  abso- 
lutely correct.  They  approximate  as  nearly 
to  correctness  as  they  over  can,'  until  sur- 
geons are  perfectly  prompt  and  careful  in 
their  reports. 

The  amount  of  work  done  is  very  great. 


1128 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Seven  hundred  thousand  names  have  been 
recorded  irr  this  Directory,  betw.een  Octo- 
ber, 1862,  and  July,  1864.  From  ten  to 
twenty-five  applications  for  information  are 
made  each  day  by  letter,  and  from  one  hun- 
dred to  two  hundred  and  fifty  personally  or 
through  the>  various  State  agencies.  Branch 
offices,  working  upon'  a  similar  iplan,  have 
been  established  at  Louisville  and  else- 
where. 

The  subject  of  assistance  to  regular  hos- 
pitals may  be  despatched  in  a  few  words, — 
'  not  because  the  gifts  are  insignificant,  but 
because  the  method  of  giving  is  so  regular 
and  easy  to  explain.  Whenever  the  sur- 
geon of  any  hospital  needs  articles  which 
are  extras,  and  so  not  supplied  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, or  which,  if  allowed,  the  Govern- 
ment is  deficient  in  at  the  time,  he  makes 
a  requisition  upon  the  Commission ;  and  if 
his  requisition  is  deemed  to  be  a  reasonable 
one,  it  is  approved,  and  the  goods  delivered 
on  hts  receipt  for  the  same.  As  to  the 
amount  givtin,  I  can  only  say  that  something 
is  sent  almost  every  day  even  to  the  hos- 
pitals near  Washington  and  the  great  cities, 
and  that  the  amount  bestowed  increases  just 
in  proportion  to  the  distance  of  the  hospital 
from  the  great  Government  centrps  of  sup- 
ply. This  is  a  noiseless  and  unostentatious 
charity, — sometimes,  I  am  tempted  to  think, 
too  noiseless  and  unostentatious.  A  few 
weeks  ago,  a  lady  friend  visited  3ne  of  the 
hospitals  near  Washington,  carrying  with 
her  for  distribution  some  Sanitary  goods. 
She  gave  a  handkerchief  to  one  of  the  sick 
men.  He  took  it,  looked  at  it,  read  the 
mark  in  the  corner,  paused  as  if  he  had  re- 
ceived a  new  idea,  and  then  spoke  out  his 
mind  thus  : — "  I  have  been  in  this  hospital 
six  months,  and- this  is  the  first  thing  I  ever 
received  from  the  Sanitary  Commission." 
"  But,"  she  replied,  "  have  you  not  had  this 
and  that?"  mentioning  several  luxuries 
supplied  to  this  very  hospital  for  extra  diet. 
"  Oh,  yes,  often  I"  "  Well,  every  one  of 
these  articles  came  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission." '  » 
*  Just  now  the  Sanitary  is  seeeking  to  en- 
ter into  cj^ser  relations  with  the  hospitals 
through  the  agency  of  regular  visitors.  The 
advantages  of  such  a  policy  are  manifest. 
The  reports  of  the  visitors  will  enable  the 
directors  to  see  more  clearly  the  real  wants 
of  the  sick ;  and  the  frequent  presence  and 
inquiries  of  such  visitors  will  tend  to  re- 
prsJs  the  undue  appropriation  of  hospital 
stores  by  attendants.    But  the  highest  bene- 


fit will  be  the.  change  and  cheer  it  will  in- 
troduce into  the  monotony  of  hospital  life. 
If  you  are  sick  at  home,  you  are  glad  to 
have  your  neighbour  step  in  and  bring  the 
healthy  bracing  air  of  out-door  life  into  the 
dimness  and  languor  of  your  invalid  exist- 
Much  more   does  the  sick  soldier 


ence. 


like  it, — for  ennui,  far  more  than  pain,  is 
his  great  burden.  When  I  was  at  Wash- 
ington, I  accepted  with  great  satisfaction 
an  invitation  to  go  with  a  Sanitary  visitor 
on  her  round  of  duty.  When  we  came  to 
the  hospital,  I  asked  the  ward-master  if  he 
would  like  to  have  me  distribute  among  his 
patients  the  articles  I  had  brought.  He 
said  that  he  should,  for  he  thought  it  would 
do  the  poor  fellows  good  to  see  me  and  re- 
ceive the  gifts  from  my  own  hands.  The 
moment  I  entered  there  was  a  stir.  Those 
who  could  hobble  about  stumped  Up  to  me 
to  see  what  was  going  on ;  some  oliers  sat 
up  in  bed,  full  of  alertness ;  while  the  sick- 
est greeted  me  with  a  languid  smile.  As  I 
went  from  cot  to  cot,  the  politeness  of  la 
belle  France,  with  which  a  little  Frenchman 
in  the  corner  touched  the  tassel  of  his  varie- 
gated nightcap  at  me,  and  the  untranslata- 
ble gutturals,  full  of  honest  satisfaction,  with 
which  his  German  neighbour  saluted  me, 
and  the  "  God  bless  your  honor,"  which  .a 
cheery  son  of  Old  Erin-showered  down  upon 
me,  and  the  simple  "Thank  you,  sir,"  which 
came  up  on  all  sides  from  our  true-hearted 
New  England  boys,  were  alike  refreshing 
to  my  souf.  No  doubt  the  single  peach  or 
two  which  with  hearty  good-will  were  given 
to  them  were  as  good  as  a  feast ;  and  it  may 
be  that  the  little  comlorts  which  I  left  be- 
hind me,  and  which  had  been  borne  thither 
on  the  wings  of  this  divine  charity,  perhaps 
from  some  village  nestling  among  the  rooky 
hills  of  New  England,  or  from  some  hamlet 
basking  in  the  sunlight  on  the  broad  prairies 
of  the  West,  had  magic  power  to  bring  to 
that  place  of  suffering  some  breath  of  the 
atmosphere  of  home  to  cheer  the  sinking 
heart,  or  some  fragrant  memory  of  far-off 
home  affection  to  make  it  better.  I  came 
away  with  the  feeling  that  visits  from  sunny- 
hearted  people,  and  gifts  from  friendly  hands 
must  be  a  positive  blessing  to  these  sick  and 
wounded  people. 

Of  course  the  deepest  throb  of  interest  is 
given  to  the  work  at  the  front  of  battle. 
That  is  natural.  It  is  work  done  on  the 
very  spots  where  the  fortunes  of  our.  nation 
are  being  decided, — on  the  spots  whither 
all  eyes  are  turned,  and  towards  which  al  1, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1129 


our  hopes  and  prayers  go  forth.  •  It  is  work 
surrounded  by  every  element  of  pathos  and 
of  tragic;  interest.  The  wavering  fortunes 
of^  the  fight,  the  heroic  courage  which  sus- 
tains a  doubtful  conflict,  the  masterly  skill 
that  turns  disaster  into  triumph,  the  awful 
carnage,  the  terrible  suffering,  the  manly 
patience  of  the  wounded,  all  combine  to  fix 
the  attention  there  and  upon  everything 
which  is  transacted  there.  The  questions 
constantly  asked, — ^What  is  the  Sunitary 
doing  at  the  'front  ?  what  at  City  Point  ? 
what  at  Winchester  ?  are  natural  questions. 
Let  me  state  first  the  general  plan  and  method 
of  what  I  may  call  a  Sanitary  campaign, 
and  afterwards  add  what  I  saw  with  my  own 
eyes  at  City  Point  and  before  Petersburg, 
and  what  I  heard  from  those  who  had  them- 
selves been>  actors  in  the  scenes  which  they 
described. 

When  the  army  moves  out  from  its  enr 
campment  to  the  field  of  active  warfare,  two 
or  three  Sanitary  wagons,  loaded  with  hos- 
pital stores  of  all  sorts,  and  accompanied  by 
a  sufficient  numbSr  of  relief  a^n^,  move 
with  each  army  corps.  These  are  for  the 
supply  of  present  need,  and  for  use  during 
the  march,  or  after  such  skirmishes  and 
fights  as  may  occur  before  the  Commission 
can  establish  a  new  base.  In  this  way  some 
of  the  Commission  agents  have  followed 
General  Grant's  army  all  the  way  from  the 
Rapidan,  through  the  Wilderness,  across  the 
Mattapony,  over  the  James,  on  to  the  very 
last  advance  towards  the  Southside  Rail- 
road,— refilling  their  wagons  with  stores  as 
opportunity  has  occurred.  As  soon  now  as 
the  march  commences  and  the  campaign 
opens,  preparations  upon  an  extensive  scale 
are  made  at  Washington  for  the  great  prob- 
able demand.  Steamers  are  chartered, 
loaded,  and  sent  with  a  large  force  of  re- 
lief agents  ,to  the  vicinity  of  the  probable 
battle-fields;  or  if  ;the  campaign  is  away 
from  water  communication,  loaded  wagons 
are  held^  in  readiness.  The  moment  the 
locality  of  the  struggle  is  determined,  then, 
under  the  orders  of  the  provost  marshal, 
an  empty  house  is  seized  and  made  the  San- 
itary headquaTters,  or  general  store-house  j 
or  else  some  canal  barge  is  moored  at  the 
crazy  Virginia  wharf,  and  used  for  the  same 
purpose.  This  -store-house  is  kept  con- 
stantly full  from  Washington,  or  else  from 
Baltimore  and  New  York ;  and  the  branch 
depots  which  are  now  established  in  each 
army  corps  are  fed  from  it,  while  the  hos- 
pitals, in  their  turn,  make  reqpiisitions  for 


all  needful  supplies  on  these  branch  depots. 
That  ^is  to  say,  the  arrangements,  though 
rougher  and  less  permanent  in  their  char- 
acter, approximate  very  nearly  to  the  ar- 
rangements at  Washington. 

A  few  details  need  to  be  added.  Where 
the  distance  from  the  battle-field  to  the  base 
of  supplies  is  great,  what  are  called  feeding- 
stations  are  established  every  few  miles,  and 
here  the  wounded,  on  foot  or  in  ambulances, 
can  stop  and  take  the  retrleshments  or  stim- 
ulants necessary  to  sustain  them'^on  their 
painful  journey.  At  the  steamljoat  landing 
'the  Commission  has  a  lodge  and  agents,  with 
crackers  and  beef-tea,  cofiiee  and  tea,  ice- 
water  and  stimulants,,  ready  to  be  adminis- 
tered to  such  as  need.  .Relief  agents  go  up 
on  the  boats  to  help  care  for  the  wouoded ; 
and  at  Washington,  the  same  scene  of  active 
kindness  is  often  enacted  on  their  arrival  as 
at  their  departure.  This  is  the  general  plan 
of  action  everywhere,  modified  to  suit  cir- 
cumstances, but  always  essentially  the  same. 
It  will  apply  just  as  well  West  as  East,-:— 
only  for  the  names  Baltimore,  Washington, 
and  City  Point,  you  must  put  Louisville, 
Nashville,  and  Chattanpoga. 

When  I  was  at  City  Point,  the  base  of 
^  operations  had  been  established  there  iSbie 
than  two  months ;  and  though  there  was 
much  sickness,  and  the  wounded  were  be- 
ing brought  ii  daily  by  hundreds  from  the 
prolonged  struggle  for  the  Weldon  Road, 
everything  moved  o»i  with  the  regularity  of 
clock-work.  ^As  you  neared  the  landing, 
coming  up  the  James,  you  saw,  a-  little 
farther  up  the  river;  the'  red  flag  of  the 
Sanitary  Comibission  floating  over  the  three 
barges  which  were  its  office,  its  store-house,- 
and  its  distributing  store  for  the  whole 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  Climbing  upthe 
steep  road  to  the. top  of  the  blufi",  and'  ad- 
vancing over  the  undulating  plain  a  mile, 
you  come  to  a  city — ^the  city  of  hospitals. 
The  white  tents  are  arranged  in  lines  of 
almost  mathematical  accuracy.  The  camp 
is  intersected  by  roads  broad  and  clean.- 
Every  corps,  and  every  division  of  every 
corps,  has  its  allotted  square.  Somewhere 
in  these  larger  squares  your  eye  will  be  sure 
to  catch  sight  of  the  Sanitary  flag,  and  be- 
neath it  a  tent,  where  is  the  corss  station. 
You  enter,  and  you  find  within,  if  not  as 
great  an  amount,  at  least  as  varied  a  supply, 
of  hospital  stores  as  you  would  find  any- 
where, waiting  for  surgeon's  orders.  To  a 
very  great  extent,  the  extra  diet  for  all  the 
sick  and  wounded  is  furnished  from  these 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


stores;  and  very  largely,  the  cooking  of  it  is 
overseen  by.  ladies  connected  w^th  the  Com- 
mission. In  every  corps  there  are  from  five 
to  fifteen  relief  agents,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
go  through  the  wards  once,  twice,  three 
times  in  each  day,  to  see  what  the  sick  need 
for,  their  comfort,  to  ascertain  that  they 
really  get  what  is  ordered,  and  in  every  way 
to  alleviate  suffering,  and  to  promote  cheerj 
fulness  and  health. 

I  shall  never  forget  a  tour  which  I  made 
with  a  relief  agent  through  the  wards  for 
the  blacks,  both  because  it  showed  me  what 
a  watchful  supervision  a  really  faithful  per- 
son can  exercise,  and  because  it  gave  such 
an  opportunity  to  observe  closely  the  con- 
duct of  these  people.  The  demeanor  of  the 
■color^  patients  is  really  beautiful, — so 
gentle,  so  polite,  so  grateful  for  the  least, 
kindness.  -And  then  the  evidences  of  a  de- 
sire for  mental  improve  and  religious  life 
which  meet  you  everywhere  are  very  touch- 
ing. Go  from  bed  to  bed,  and  you  see  in 
their  hands  primers,  spelling-books,  and 
Bibles,  and  the  poor,  wofin,  sick  creatures, 
the  moment  they  feel  one  throb  of  return- 
ing health  striving  to  master  their  alphabet 
or  spell  out  their  Bible.  In  the  evening, 
or  rather  in  the  fading  twilight,  some  two 
hundred  of  them  crept  from  the  wards,  and 
seated  themselves  in  a  circle  around  a  black 
exhorter.      Religion  to  then*  was    a  real 

,  thing ;  and  so  their  worship  had  the  beauty 
of  sincerity,  while  I  ought  to  add  that  it 
was  not  marked  by  that  grotesque  extravar 
gance  sometimes  attributed  to  it.  One  can- 
not but  think  better  of  the  whole  race  after 
the  experience  of  such  a  Sabbath,  The  only 
drawback  to  your  satisfaction  is,  that  they 
die  quicker  and  from  less  cause  than  the 
whites.  They  have  not  the  same  stubborn 
hopefulness  and  hilarity.  Why,  indeed, 
should  they  have  ? 

Sp|eaking  of  the  white  soldiers,  every- 
body'who  goes  into  their  hospitals  is  hap- 
pily disappointed, — ^you  see  so  much  order 
and  cheerfulness,  and  so  little  evidence  of 
pain  and  misery.  The  soldier  is  quite  as 
much  a  hero  in  the  hospital  as  on  the  battle- 
field. Give  him  anything  to  be  cheerful 
about,  and  he  will  improve  the  opportunity. 
You  see  men  who  have  lost  an  arm  or  a  leg, 
or  whose  heads  have  been  bruised  almost 
out  of  likeness  to  humanity,  as  jolly  as  they 
Can  be  over  little  comforts  and  pleasures 

S  which  ordinary  eyes  can  hardly  see  with  a 
magnifying  glsss.  So  it  happens  that  a  camp 
of  six  thousand  sick  and  wounded,  which 


seems  at  a  distance  a  concentration  of  hu- 
man misery  that  you  cannSt  bear  to  behold, 
whe^  near  does  not  look  half  so  lugubrious 
as  you  expected;  and  you  are  tempted  to 
accuse  the  sick  men  of  having  entered 
into  a  conspiracy  to  look  unnaturally, 
happy. 

If  you  go  back  now  six  or  thirteen  miles 
to  the  field  hospitals,  you  find  nothing  es- 
sentially different.,  The  system  and  its  prac- 
tical workings  are  th4  same.  But  it  is  a 
perpetual  astonishment  to  find  that  here, 
near  to  the  banks  of  a  'river  that  has  not  a 
respectable  village  on  its  shores,  fronl  Port- 
ress Monroe  to  Richmond,T^ere,  in  a 
houseless  and  desolate  land  which  can  be 
reached  only  by  roads  which  are  intersected 
by  gullies,  which  plunge  into  sloughs  of 
despond,  which  lose  themselves  in  the  ridges 
of  what  were  once  cornfields,  or  meander 
amid  stumps  of  what  so  lately  stood  a  forest, 
— that  here  you  have  every  comfort  for  the 
sick :  all  needed  articles  of  clothing,  the 
shirts  and  drawers,  the  socks  and  slippers  ;i 
and  all  thi  delicacies,  tdo,  the  farinas,  the 
jellies,  the  canned  meats  and  fruits,  the  con- 
centrated milk,  the  palatable  drinks 'and 
stimulants,  and  even  fr^sh  fruits  and  vege- 
tables. And  in  such '  profusion,  too  ?  I 
asked  the  chief  agent  of  the  Commission  in 
the  Ninth  Corps  how  many  orders  he  filled 
in  a  day.  "  Look  for  yourself."  I  took 
down  the  orders ;  and  there  they  were,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  strong,  some  for  little 
and  some  for  much,  some  for  a  single  article 
and  some  for  a  dpzen  articles. 

But  it  is  not  in  camps  of  long  standing- 
that  the  wounded  and  sick  suffer  for  want 
of  care  or  lack  of  comforts.  It  is  when  the' 
base  is  suddenly  changed,  when  all  order  is 
broken  up,  when  there  are  no  tents  at  hand, 
when  the  stores  are  scattered,  nobody  knows 
where,  after  a  great  battle  .perhaps,  and  the 
wounded  are  pouring  in  upon  you  like  a 
flood,  and  when  it  seems  as  if  no  human 
energy  and  no  mortal  capacity  of  transpor- 
tation could  supply  the  wants  botli  of  the 
well  and  the  sick,  the  almost  insatiable  de- 
mands of  the  battle-field  and  the  equally  un- 
fathomable needs  of  the  hospital,  it  is  then 
that  the  misery  comes,  and  it  is  then  that 
the  Commission  does  its  grandest  work. 
After  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness  and 
Spottsylvania,  twenty-five  thousand  wounded 
were  crowded  into'  Fredericksburg,  where 
but  ten  thousand  were  expected.  For  a 
time  supplies  of  all  kinds  seemed  to  be  lit- 
erally exhausted.     There  were  no    beds.; 


The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 


1131 


There  was  not  even  straw.  There  were  not 
surgeons  enough  nor  attendants  enough.  ■ 
There  was  hardly  a  supply  of  food.  Some 
found  it  difficult  to  get  a  drop  of  cold  water. 
Poor,  wounded  men,  who  had  wearily  trudged 
frpm  the  battle-field  and  taken  refuge  in  a 
deserted  house,  remained  hours  and  a  day 
without  care,  and  without  seeing  the  face 
of  any  but  their  wounded  comrades.  Then 
the  Sanitary  Commission  sent  its  hundred- 
and  fifty  agents  to  help  the  overburdened 
surgeons.  Then  every  morning  it  des- 
patched its  steamer  down  the  Potomac 
crowded  with  necessaries  and  comforts. 
Then  with  ceaseless  industry  its  twenty 
wagons,  groaning  under  their  burden,  went 
to  and  fro  over  the  wretched  road  from  Belle 
Plain  to  Fredericksburg.  ^  credible  wit- 
ness says  that  for  several  days  nearly  all 
the  bandages  and  a  large  proportion  of  the 
^  hospital'  supplies  came  from  its  treasury^ 
No  mind  can  discern  and  no  tongue  can  de- 
clare what  valuable  lives  it  saved,  and  what 
sufiFerings  it  alleviated.  Who  shall  say  that 
Christian  charity  has  not  its  triumphs  proud 
as  were  ever  won  oil  battle-field  ?  If  the 
Commission  could  boast  only  of  its  first 
twentyTfour  hours  at  Antietam  and  Gettys- 
burg and  its  forty-eight  hours  at  Fredericks- 
burg, it  would  have  earned  the  everlasting 
gratitude  and  praise  of  all  true  -men> 

But  is  there  not  a  reverse  to  this  pictjire  ? 
Are  there  no  drawbacks  to  this  success  ?  Is., 
there  no  chapter  of  abortive  plans,  of  un- 
faithful agents,  of  surgeons  and  attendants 
appropriating  or  squandering  charitable 
gifts  I  These  are  questions  which  are  often 
honestly  askedj  and  the  doubts  which  they 
express  or  a'vifaken  have  cooled  the  zeal  and 
slackened  the  industry  of  many  an  earnest 
worker.  There  is  no  end  to  the  stories 
which  have  been  put  in  circulation.  I  re- 
member a  certain  .mythical  blanket  which 
figured  in  the  early  part  of  the  war,  and 
whijh,  though  despatched  to  the  soldier, 
was  found  a  few  weeks  .after,  by  its  owner, 
ad'orning.the  bestbed  of  a  hotel  in  Wash- 
ington. To  he  sure  it  seemed  to  have  pur- 
sued a  wandering  life, — for  now  it  was  sent 
from  the  full  stores  of  a  lady  in  Lexington, 
and  now  it  was  stripped  perhaps  by  a  poor 
widow  from  the  bed  of  h'er  children,  and 
then  it  was  heard  from  far  off  in  the  West, 
ever  seeking,  but  never  roaching,  ite^true 
destination.  Without  heeding  any  such 
stories,  although  they  have  .done  infinite 
mischief,  I  auiswer  to  honest  queries,  that  I 
huve  no  doubt  that  sometimes  the  stores  of 


the  Commission  are  both  squandered  and 
misappropriated.  I  do  not  positively  know 
it;  but  I  am  sure  that  it  would  he  a,  miracle 
if  they  were  not.  It  would  be  the  first  time 
in  human  history  that  so  large  and  varied  a 
business,  and  extending  over  such  a  breadth 
of  country  and  such  ar  period  of  time;  was, 
transacted  without  waste.  Look  at  the 
facts.  Here  are  thousands  of  United  States 
surgeons,  and  attendants  of  all  ages  and 
characters,  through  whose  hands  many  of 
these'  gifts  must  necessarily  go.  What 
wonder,  if  here  and  there  one  should  be 
found  whose  principles  were  weaker  than 
his  appetites  ?  Consider  also  ■  the  temptar 
tions.  These  men  are  hard-worked,  often 
scantily  fed.  Every  nerve  gs  tried  by  the 
constant  presence  of  suffering,  and  every- 
sense  by  fetid  odors.  Would  it  be  surpri- 
sing, if  they  sometimes  craved  the  luxuries 
which  were  so  close  at  hand  ?  Moreover, 
the  Commission  employs  hundreds  of  men, 
the  .very  best  it  can-  get,  but  it  would  be  too 
miieh  to  ask  that  all  should  be  models  of 
prudence,  watchfulAss,  and  integrity. 

I  allow,  then,  that  some  misappropriation 
is  not  improbable.  At  the  same  time  I  do 
say,  that  every  department  is  vigilantly 
watched,  and  that  the  losses;  are  trivial, 
compared  with  the  immense  benefits.  I  do 
say,  emphatically,  that  to  bring  a  wholesale 
charge  against  atrhole  classes,  whose  mem- 
bers are  generally  as  high-minded  and  hon- 
orable as  any  other,  to  accuse  them  as  a 
^  body  of  wretched  peculations,  is  simply  false 
and  slanderous.  I  maintain  that  fidelity  is 
the  rule,  and  that  its  reverse  is  the  petty 
exception ;  and  that  it  would  be  in  opposi- 
tion ft)  all  rules  by  which  men  conduct  iheit 
lives  to  suffer  such,  exceptions  to  infiuence 
our  conduct,  or  diminish  our  contributions 
to  a  good  cause.  In  business  how  often  we 
are  harassed  by  petty  dishonesty  or  great 
frauds !  Nevertheless,  the  tide  of  business 
sweeps  on.  Why?  Because  the  good  so 
outweighs  the  evil.  The  railroad  employee 
is  negligent,  and  some  terrible  accident  oc-* 
curs.  But  the  railroad  keeps  on  running  all 
the  same;  for  the  public  convenience  and 
welfare  are  the  law  of  its  life,  and  private 
peril  and  loss  but  an  occasional  episode.  \3j 
the  same  rule  we  support,  without  inisgiv- 
ing,the  Commission^  because  the  good  which 
it  certainly  does,  and  the  suffering.it  relieves, 
in  their  immensity  cover  up  and  put  out  of 
sight  mistakes,  which  are  incident  to  all  hu- 
man enterprise,  and .  which  are  guarded 
against  with  all  possible  vigilance. 


1132 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


But  allow  all  the  good  which  is  claimed, 
and  that  the  good  far  transcends  any  possi- 
ble evil,  and  then  we  are  met  by  these  fur- 
ther questions :  Is  such  an  organization 
necessary?  Cannot  Government  do  the 
work  ?  And  if  so,  ought  not  Government 
to  do  it  ? 

I  might  with  propriety  answer :  Suppose 
that  Government  ought  to  do  the  work  and 
does  not,  shall  we  fold  our  hands  and  let 
our  soldiers  suffer  ?  But  the  truth  is.  Go- 
vernment does  do  its  duty.^  Some  persons 
foolishly  exaggerate  the  work  of  the  Com- 
mission. They  talk  as  though  it  were  the 
only  salvation  of  the  wounded,  as  though 
the  Government  let  everything  go,  and  that, 
if  the  Commission  and  kindred  societies  did 
not  step  in,  there  would  not  be  so  much  as 
a  wreck  of  our  army  left.  Such  talk  is  sim- 
ply preposterous.  The  Commission,  con- , 
sidered  as  a  free,  spontaneous  offering  of  a 
loyal  people  to  me  cause  of  our  common 
country,  is  a  wonderful  enterprise.  The 
Commission,  standing  ready' to  supply  any 
deficiency,  to  remedy  arf^  defect,  and  to  meet 
any  unforeseen  emergency,  has  done  a  'good 
work  that  cannot  be  forgotten.  But,  com- 
pared with  what  Government  expends  upon 
the  sick,  its  resources  are  nothing.  I  have 
not  the  figures  at  hand,  though  I  have  seen 
them; I  and  it  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that, 
where  the  society  has  doled  out  a  penny,  the 
Government  has  lavished  a  pound. 

No  sane  defender,  therefore,  of  this  char- 
ity supports  it  on  any  such  ground  as  that 
it  is  thexprineipal  benefactor  of  the  sdldier. 
The  Commission  alone  could  no  more  sup- 
port ourhospitals  than  it  could  the  universe. 
But  the  homely  adage,  "  It  is  best  to  'have 
two  strings  to  your  bow,"  applies  wonder- 
fully to  the  ease.  In  practical  life  men  act 
upon  this,  maxim.  They  like  to  have  an 
adjunct  to  the  best-working  machinery,  a 
sort  of  reserved  power.  Every  sensible 
person  sees  that  our  mail  arrangements  fur- 
nish to  the  whole  people  admirable  facili- 
ties. Nevertheless,  we  like  to  have  an  ex- 
press, and  occasionally  to  send  letters  and 
packages  by  it.  When  the  children  are 
sick,  there  is  nothing  so  good  as  the  advice 
of  the  trusted  femily  physician'  and  the  un- 
wearied care  of  the  mother.  Yet  when  the 
physician  has  done  his  work  and  gone  his 
way,  and  when  the  mother  is  worn  out  by 
days  of  anxiety  and  nights  of  watching,  we 
deem  it  a  great  blessing  if  there  is  a  kind 
neighbor  who  will  come  in,  not  to  assume 
the  work,  but  to  help  it  on  a  little.    The 


Commission,  looking  at  the  hospitals  stbd 
the  armies  from  a  different  point  of  view,' 
sees  much  that  another  overlooks,  and  in  an 
emergency,  when  all  help  is  too  little,  brings 
fresh  aid  that  is  a  priceless  blessing.  To 
the  plain,  substantial  volume  of  public  ap- . 
propriations  it  adds  the  beautiful  supple- 
ment of  private  benefactions.  That  is  all 
that  it  pretends  to  do. 
•  There  are  some  special  reflections  that 
bear  upon  the  point  which  we  are  consider- 
ing. This  war  was  sprung  upon  an  unwar- 
like  people.  The  officers  of  Government, 
when  they  entered  upon  their, work,  had  no 
thought  of  the  gigantic  burdens  which  have 
fallen  upon  their  shoulders.  Since  the  war 
began  Government,  like  every  body  else,  has 
had  to  learn  new  duties,  and  to  learn  them 
amid  the  stress  and  perplexity  of  a  great 
conflict.  And,  among  other  things,  it  has 
been  obliged,  in  some  respects,  to  recast  its 
medical  regulations  to  meet  the  prodigious 
enlargement  of  its  medical  work.  Beyond 
ai  doubt,  much  help,  which,  on  account  of 
this  imperfection  of  the  medical  code  itself, 
or  of  the  inexperience  of  many  who  admin- 
istered it,  was  needed  by  our  hospitals  at 
the  commencement  of  the  war,  is  not  needed 
now,  and  much  help  that  is  needed  now 
may  not,  if  the  war  ksts,  be  needed  in  the 
future.  But  it  takes  time  to  imove  the  ma- 
chinery of  a  great  state.  And  when  any 
change  is  to  become  the  permanent  law  of 
public  action,  it  ought  to  take  both  time 
and  thought  to  effect  it.  You  do  not  wish 
to  alter  and  realter  the  framework  of  a 
state  or  of  a  state's  activity  as  you  would 
patch  up  a  ruinous  old  house.  If  you  work 
at  all  in  any  department,  you  should  wish  to 
work  on  a  massive,  well-considered  plan,  so 
that  what  you  do  may  last.  It  is  not  likely, 
therefore,  that,  in  the  great  field  of  suffering 
which  the  war  'has  laid  open  to  us,  the  pub- 
lic ministries  will  either  be  so  quickly  or  so 
perfectly  adjusted  as  to  make  private  min- 
istries a  superfluity. 

Neither  do  we  reflect  enough'  upon  the 
limitations  of  human  power;  We  think 
sometimes  of  Government  as  a  great  living 
organism  of  boundless  resources.  But,  after 
all,  in  any  department  of  state,  what  plans, 
what  overlooks,  what  vitalizes,  is  one  single 
human 'mind.  And  it  is  not  easy  to  get 
mindf  anywhefe  clear  enough  and  capacious 
enough  for  the  large  duties.  It  is  easy  to 
obtain  men  who  can  command  a  company 
well.  It  is  not  difficult  to  find  those  who 
can  control  efficiently  a  regiment.    There 


The  Sanitary  CoTnimisawn  Bulletin. 


1133 


are  many  to  whom  the  care  of  five  thousand 
men  is  no  burden;  a  few  who  are  adequate 
to  an  army  corps.  But  the  generals  who 
can  handle  with  skill  a  hundred  thousand 
men,  and  make  these  giant  masses  do  their 
bidding,  are  the  rare  jewels. in  war's  dia- 
dem. Even  so  is  it  in  every  department  of 
life.  It  is  perhaps  impossible  to  find  a  mind 
which  can  sweep  oyei'-the  whole  field  of  our 
medical  operations,  and  prepaa-e  for  every 
emergency,  and  avoid  every  mistake;  not 
because  all  men  are  unfaithful  or  incapa- 
ble, but  because  there  must  be. a  limit  to  the 
most  capacious  intellect.  Looking  simply 
at  the '  structure  of  the  human  mind,  we 
might  have  foreseen,  what  facts  have  amply 
demonstrated,  that  in  a  war  of  Auch  magni- 
tude as  that  which  we  are  now  waging  there 
always  must  be  room  for  an  organization 
like,  the  Sanitary  Commission  to  do  its 
largest  and  noblest  work. 

But,  above  and  beyond  all  such  reflec- 
tions, there  are  great  national  and  patriotic 
considerations  which  more  than  justify,  yea, 
demand,  the  existence  of  our  war  charities. 
Allowing  that  the  outward  comfort  of  the 
soldier  (and  who  would  grant  it  ?)  might  be 
accomplished  just  as  well  in  some  other 
way, — allowing  that  in  a  merely  sanitary 
aspect  the  Government  pould  have  done  all 
that  voluntary  organizations  have  under- 
taken, and  have  done  it  as  well  as  they  or 
or  better  than  they,-:— even  then  we  do  not 
allow  for  a  moment  that  what  has  been  spent- 
has  been  wasted. :  What  is  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  that  are  kindred  associa- 
tions, but  so  many'.'onds  of  love  and  kind- 
ness to  bind  the  solaier  to  his  home,  and  to 
keep  him  always  a  Joyal  citizen  in  every 
hope  and  in  every  heart-throb  ?  This  is  the 
influence  which  we  qtn  least  of  all  afford  to 
lose.  He  must  bavii  i  been  blind,  who  did 
not  see  at  the  outsetKf  the  war  that,  beyond 
the  immediate  dangepof  the  hour,  there  were ' 
other  perils.  We  w4re  trying  the  most  tre- 
mendous experiment  that  was  ever  tried  by 
any  people.  Out  oj  the  most  peaceful  of 
races  we  wiere  creati'yg  a  nation  of  soldiers. 
In  a  few  months  wK*  re  there  seemed  to  be 
scarcely  ithe' element  i  of  martial  strength, 
we  were  organizing^,  m  army  which  was  to 
be  at  once  gigantic  aj.d  efficient.  Who  could 
calculate  the  effect  d,'  such  a  swift  .change  ? 
The  questions  man^i  patriotic  heart  might 
have  asked  were  thef  e :  When  this  wicked 
rebellion  is  ended,  w|en  these  myriads  of  our 
brethren  whose  livei  have  been  bound  up  in 
that  wondrous  collfvtive  life,  the  life  of  a 


great  army,  shall  return  to  their  quiet  homes 
by  the  hills  and  streams  of  New  Epgl&nd, 
or  on  the  rolling  prairies  of  the  West,  will 
they  be  able  to  merge  their  life  again  in  the 
simple  life  of  the  community  out  of  which 
they  came  ?  Will  they  find  content  at  the 
plough,  by  the  loom,  in  the  workshop,  in 
the  tranquil  labors  of  civil  life  ?  Can  they, 
in  short,  put' off  the  harness  of  the  soldier, 
and  resume  the  robe  of  the  citizen  ?  Many 
a  one  could  have  wished  to  say  to  every  sol- 
dier, as  he  went  forth  to  the  war,  "  fiemem- 
ber  that,  if  Gott  spares  your  life,  in  a  few 
months  or  a  few  years  you  will  come  back, 
not  officers,  not  privates,  but  sons  and  hus- 
bands and  brothers,  for  whom  some  home 
is  waitin'g  and  some  human  heart  throlibing. 
Never  forget  that  your  true  home  is  not  in 
that  fort  beside  those  frowning  cannon,  not 
on  that  tented  field  .amid  the .  glory  and 
power  of  military  array,  but  that  it  nestles 
beneath  yonder  hill,  or  stands  out  in  sun- 
shine on  some  fertile  plain;,  Bemember  that 
you  are  a  citizen  yet,  with  every  instinct, 
with  every  symp^athy,  with  every  interest, 
and  with  every  duty  of  a  citizen." 

Can  we  overestimate  the  infiuenoe  pf  these 
associations,  of  these  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies, 
rising  up  in  every  city  and  village,  in  pro- 
ducing just  such  a  state  of  mind,  in  keep-~ 
ing  the  soldier  one  of  us,  one  of  the  people  ? 
Five  hundred  thousand  hearts  following 
with  deep  inte^sts  his  fortunes,-^twice  five 
hundred  thousand  hailds  laboring  for  his 
comfort, — millions  of  dollars  freely  lavished 
to  relieve  his  sufferings,— millions  more  of 
tokeni  of  kindness  and  good-will  going, 
forth,  every  one  of  them  a  message  from  the 
home  to  the  camp  :  what  is  all  this  but 
weaving  a  strong  network  of  alliance  be- 
tween civil  and  military  life,  between  the 
citizen  at  home  and  the  citizen  soldier  ?  If 
our  army  is  a  remarkable  body,  more  pure, 
more  clement,  more  patriotic  than  other 
armies, — if  our  soldier  is  everywhere  and 
always  a  true-hearted  citizen,^— it  is  because 
the  army  and  soldier  have  not  been  cast  off 
from  public  sympathy,  but  cherished  and 
bound  to  every  free  institution  and  every 
peaceful  association  by  golden  cords  of  Iqve. 
The  good  our  Commissions  have  done  in 
this  respect  cannot  be  exaggerated;  .it  is 
incalculable. 

Nor  should  "we  forget  the  infiuence  they 
have  had  on  ourselves,^-the  reflex  influence 
which  they  have  been  -pouring  back  into'  • 
the  hearts  of  our  people  at  home,  to  quicken 
their  patriotism.     We  often  say  that .  the 


1134 


The  Sanitarif  Commission  Bulletin. 


SODS  and  brothers  are  wliat  tile  mothers'  and 
sisters  make  them.  Can  you  estimate  the 
electric  force  which  runs  like  an  irresistible 
moral  contagion  from  heart  to  heart  in  a- 
community  all.  of  whose,  mothers  and 
daughters  are  sparing  that  they  may  spend, 
and  learning  the  value  of  liberty  and  coun- 
try by  laboring  for  them  ?  It  does  not  seem 
possible,  that,  amid  the  divers  interests  and 
selfish  schemed  of  men,  we  ever'  could  have 
sustained  this  war,  and  carried  it  to  a  suc- 
cessful issue,  had  it  not  been  for  the  moral 
cement  which  these  wide-spread  philan- 
thropic enterprises '  have  supplied.  Every 
man  who  has  given  liberally  to  support  the 
Commission  has  become  a  missionary  of 
patriotism  j  every  woman  who  has  cut  and 
made  the  garments  and  rolled  the  bandages 
and  knit  the  socks  has  become  a  missionary. 
And  so  the  country  has  been  full  of  mis- 
sionaries, true-hearted  and  loyal,  pleading,. 
"  Be  patient,  put  up  with  inconveniences, 
suffer  exactions,  bear  anything,  rather  than 
sacrifice  the  nationality  our  fathers  be- 
queathed to  us  !"  And  if  our  country  is 
saved,  it  will  be  in  no  small  degree  because 
80  many  have  been  prompted  by  their  be- 
nevolent lactivity  to  take  a  deep  personal 
interest  in  the  struggle  and  in  the  men  who 
are  carrying  on  the  struggle. 

These  ^national  and  patriotic  influences 
are  the  crowning  blessings  which  come  in 
the  train  of  the  charities  of  the  war ;  and 
they  constitute  one  of  their  highest  claims 
to  our  affection  and  respect.  The  unpatri- 
otic utterances  wUch  in  these  latter  days 
80  often  pain  our  ears,  the  wearin'ess  of 
burdens  which  tempt  so  many  to  be  ready 
to  accept,  anything  and  to  sacrifice  anything 
to  be  rid  of  them,  admonish  us  that  we  need 
another  uprising  of  the  people  and  another 
re-birth  of  patriotism;  and  they  show  us 
that  we  should  cherish  more  and  more 
everything  which  fosters  noble  and  national  i 
sentiments.  And  when  this  war  is  over, 
and  the  land  is  redeemed,  and  we  come  to 
ask  what  things  have  strengthened  us  to 
meet  and  overcome  our  common  peril,  may 
we  not  prophesy  that  high  among  the  in- 
strumentalities which  have  husbanded  our 
strength,  and  fed  our  patriotism,  and  knit 
more  closely  the  distant  parts  of  our  land 
and  its  divided  interests,  will  be  placed  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission  ? 

.  To  Ticknor  and  Fields,  publishers  of 
Atlantic  Monthly,  our  readers  are  indebted 
for  the  foregoing  valuable  article. 


LEIT£S  FBOK  JTASHVILLE,  TENHESSEEi 
BT  C.  E.  RTJGGLES. 

March  1,  1865. 
THE  GRAVES  OF   THE   DEAD. 

I  report  the  following  in  regard  to  my 
work  on  the  battle-field  of  Nashville,  during 
the  past  few  weeks.  Early  in  January  my 
attention  was-  called  to  the  bodies  of  the 
heroes  of  this  battle,  by  many  persons 
coming  hereTrom  the  North  in  search  of  the 
remains  of  departed  friends.  One  man,  a 
Mr.  Bracken,  from  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  was 
here  for  several  weeks,  searching  for  the  grave 
of  his  brother.'  After  visiting  the  regiment, 
now  lying  at  Eastport,  of  which  his  brother 
was  a  member,  and  getting  directions  from 
the  men  wao  buried  him,  he  was  at  last 
successful  in  finding  the  place  of  his  burial, 
although  some  wanton  hand  had  removed 
the  head-boatd  and  every  trace  of  the  grave. 
While  aiding  Mr.  B.  in  his  search,  I  made 
a  record  of  the  locality  of  every  grave  which 
we  could  find  with  the  names  on  the  head- 
boards, whenever  there  were  any.  These 
grstves  were  scattered  over  a  large  extent  of 
territory,  from  the  Charlotte  to  beyond  the 
Franklin  pike ;  in  yards  and  gardens,  near 
houses,  by  the  road-side,  in  meadows  and 
tillage  lands',  in  the  woods,  by  fences, 
wherever  the  poor*boys  had  chanced  to  fall 
— except  the  graves  of  negro  soldiers  and  a 
few  of  the  whiter,  but  not  otherwise  nobler 
heroes.  The  negroes,  some  fifty  in  num- 
ber, were  buried  in  one  trench,  near,  the 
Overton  Hill,  and  anotber  trench,  in  fropt 
of  Compton's  Hill,  holj^ .  fifteen  Minnesota 
boys.  The  list  of  na  Aes  from  the  head- 
boards, enabled  severs'!  to  find  the  graves  of 
their  friends  quite  easily. 

A   BENEUicTION. 

One  man,  from  a  tQwn  in  N.  Y.,  came  t(S 
a  surgeon  in  one  of  tl  e  hospitals  here,  and 
asked  his  aid  in  finding  the  grave  of  his 
friend.  The  surgeort.,  in  his  perplexity, 
came  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and  to 
his  surprise  was  informed  where  the  body 
could  be  found.  Th  hearty  "  God  bless 
the  Sanitary  Commis-ion"  which  was  his 
expression  of  thanks,  amply  repaid  me  for 
many  a  hard  ride  in  ci-iUecting  the  list. 
A  clergyman's  son. 
A  clergyman,  ftom  It  wa,  came  for  the  body 
of  his  son ;  and  although  he  was  buried  with- 
out a  head-board,  we  W'ere  enabled  by  know- 
ing the  position  of  the  regiment  in  the 
charge,  and  by  accoui  ts  which  the  father 
had  from  his  comradeef-  to  find  the  grave  at 


The  Sanitary  Cofnmission  Bulletin. 


1135 


once.   The  above  illustrate  several  instances 
of  the  kind. 

KEMOVAIi   OP   THE   DEAD. 

As  the  spring  opened,  and  preparations 
were  being  made  to  till  the  land,  it  was 
evident  that  many  of  the  graves,  if  the  bodies 
were  permitted  to  remain  on  the  field,  must 
soon  be  obliterated ;  and  also  those  near  the 
houses  would  soon  be  removed  ^y  the  occu- 
pants. The  head-1)oards  in  several  instances 
had  already  been  destroyed ;  therefore,  I 
determined  to  make  an  effort  for  the  re- 
moval of  all  the  bodies  to  the  Soldiers'  Cem,- 
etary,  where  the  graves  could  be  well 
marked,  and  monuments  erected  over  their 
last  resting  places,  if  friends  desire.  Besides, 
in  the  removal  we  -could  examine  the  bodies 
of  the  "  unknown,"  and  perhaps  be  able  to 
answer  some  of  the  many  inquiries  which 
are  received  here,  for  friends  who  were  last 
heard  of  before  the  battle  of  Nashville. 

A  statement  of  the  case  was  made  to 
General  Miller,  commander  of  the  post,  who 
fully  sympathized  with  the  project,  and  im- 
mediately made  an  arrangement  with  Mr. 
Cornelius,  the  government  undertaker,  to 
remove  the  bodies  of  all  Union  soldiers,  un- 
der the  superintendence  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission.  The  work  is  now  going  on, 
some  50  bodies  have  already  been  removed, 
and  in  one  or  two  weeks  it  will  be  com- 
pleted. The  bodies  are  taken  up,  and  a  re- 
cord^is  made  of  everything  which  will  help 
friends  to  recognize  them.  I  select  a  few 
names  from  the  record,  to  illustrate. 

RECORDS   OF  -UNKNOWN. 

Unknown  Soldier.-^Brown  hair,  full 
beard,  cavalry  man,  shot  in  side  by  shell, 
five  feet  eight  inches  high,  aged  about  22, 
buried  to  the  left  of  Hillsboro'  pike,  near  J. 
Compton's,  body  covered  with  tent  cloth,  a 
gum  blanket  near  grave  was  marked  W. 
Hall  or  JEale,  100  0.  V.  I.  Number  of 
grave,  12,274. 

Unknown  Officer. — Buried  beside  lane 
leading  to  Gasmen's  house.  Officer's  blouse, 
staff  buttons,  five  feet  five  inches  high,  light 
hair,  hpavy  moustache,  small  goatee,  rest  of 
fa6e  smooth,  checked  muffler  about  the  neck, 
buried  in  box,  reported  by  negroes  to  have 
died  the  night  of  the  15th  of  Pecember, 
and  to  have  been  buried  by  a  friend,  who 
called  him  Captain. ,  Number  of  grave, 
12,275. 

THE   WIPE. 

J.  Henry. — Eighth  Wisconsin,  Co.  I. 
Buried  near  Castleman's  place.  Head-board 


was  marked  with  his  wife's  address,  viz : — 
Mrs.  J.  Henry,  Viroqua,  Vernon  County, 
Wisconsin.    Number  of  grave,  12,276.  _ 

Each  body  as  it  is  taken  up  is  placed  in  a 
neat  coffin,  the  same  as  those  used  in  bury- 
ing from  the  hospitals,  and  laid  in  a  sepe- 
rate  grave,  in  a  square  set  apart  for  the 
Nashville  heroes.  The  graves  are  numbered 
in  order  with  all  others  buried  from  the 
hospitals.  I  think  the  number  of ;  bodies  ■ 
will  not  much  exceed  two  hundred.  When 
this  work  at  Nashville  is  completed  we  hope 
to  get  the  same  done  at  Franklin. 

A  request  has  already  been  sent  to  Gen- 
eral Thomas  for  the  order,  but  his  action  is 
not  yet  known. 

L£II£BS  FBOU  VILISIITGIOIT,  IT.  C. 
BY  T.  W.  POSTER. 

February  21,  1865 
I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  worki#gp 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  the  Army  of 
the  Ohio,  Department  of  North  Carolina, 
during  the  month  of  February,  1865. 

On  February  the  8th,  I  arrived  at  Fort 
Fisher  with  the  large  supply  of  goods  that 
was  shipped  from  City  Point  on  the  2d. 
Through  the  kincLiess  of  Capt.  Lamb,  A.  Q. 
M.,  1  got  the  whole  supply  at  the  station  du- 
ring the  afternoon.  ^ 

HOW  IT  WORKS. 

On  the  9th,  10th,  and  11th  I  went  around 
to  every  regiment  in  the  field,  leaving  each 
regiment  its  portion  of  paper  and  envelopes, 
and  at  the  same  time  giving  the  regiments 
an  order  for  dried  fruit,  according  to,  their 
aggregate  strength,  which  was  highly  ap- 
preciated by  officers  and  men,  as  some  had 
been  sixty  and  even  ninety  days  without 
vegetables. 

On  the  nights  of  the  11th  and  13th,  the 
24th  corps  was  ordered  up  the  beach,  about 
fifteen  miles..  1  followed  them,  returning  in 
the  morning,  and  as  no  wagons  were  allowed 
to  go,  I  packed  my  mule,  so  as  to  be  on,  hand 
if  any  sanitary  stores  should  be  wanted. 

THE  ADVANCE. 

Dr.  Washburn  thanked  me  kindly  for  be- 
ing on  the  ground,  as  transportation  was  so 
limited.  On  the  12th,  General  Terry  moved 
his  whole  force  about  two  miles  in  advance 
of  the  old  works,  thus  bringing  his  outer 
line  under  the  rebel  breastworks.  The  col- 
ored division  was  in  advance;  our  casualties 
were  light.  I  followed  up  the  army  Field 
Hospital  with  supplies,  giving  the  wounded 
milk  punch,  and  clean  clothing  before  go- 


1136 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ing  to  the  rear,  particularly  those  who  had 
suffered  amputation. 

The  wounded  were  sent  to  the  base  hos- 
pital, some  five  miles  distant,  in  army  wagons ; 
and  on  their  arrival  they  were  well  cared  for 
by  Mr.  Adams;  he  deserves  much  credit  for 
the  manner  in  which  he  distributed  milk 
punch,  clothing,  &c. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  at  1  o'clock, 
A.M.,  I  received  a  request  to  accompany  the 
troops  that  were  to  cross  the  river.  I 
loaded  my  cart  with  shirts,  drawers,  socks, 
tea,  milk,  canned  beef,  whiskey,  &c.,  &c. ; 
during  the  day  there  were  19  wounded  and 
1  killed.  The  hospital  had  no  transpor- 
tation except  what  men  could  carry  on 
stretchers,  so  you  will  readily  see  that  all 
the  wounded  would  get  was  what  the  Sani- 
tary agents  could  furnish  them. 

ON   THE   RIVER. 

After  the  wounded  were  all  taken  care  of, 
I  secured  a  sail  boat  to  run  stores  up  the 
river,  as  they  were  needed.  As  the  cart  would 
get  empty,  I.  filled  it  from  the  boat,  moving 
with  the  army  up  the  river,  which  served  as 


RECEPTION    BY  WIISONERS. 

On  the  22nd,  about  10  o'clock  A.^.,  I 
entered  Wilmington  with  the  trctops,  who 
marched  up  the  streets  to  the  buildings  now 
occupied  by  our  captured  soldiers.  There 
was  a  scene  that  no  language  that  I  can 
write  can  express;  feelings  of  symf,athy 
were  aroused  in  all  for  the  poor  fellows, 
and  indignation  against  those  wbo  are  re- 
sponsible for  their  starvation.  The  next 
thought  that  seemed  to  enter  the  mind 
was,  what  can  the  Sanitary  do  for  the  poor 
fellows  ?  Many  would  look '  at  the  little 
flag  on  the  cart  so  heavily  loaded,  and  say, 
"  G-od  bless  the  Sanitary."  It  was  here  I 
left  the  column  and  commenced  distributing 
clothing,  &c. 

I  gave  the  cooks  beef-stock  to  make  up 
at  once,  for  men  that  had  not  tasted  meat 
or  soup  for  three  months.  Tea  and  milk 
for  supper  was  a  great  treat  for  the  poor 
boys. 

Mr.  Adams  has  not  as  yet  arrived  from 
Fort  Fisher.  I  have  not  heard  from  you  or 
the  supply  that  I  ordered  on  the  11th  inst. 
I  am  in  hopes  to  hear  from  them,  and  hear 
that  a  large  and  general  supply  is  on  the 
way. 

Three  thousand  prisoners  arrived  here 
this  day.  , 


March  5,  1865. 
I  have  the  honor  to  make  a  report  of  the 
work  of  .the  Commission,  in  this  department, 
sjjice  the  capture  of  Wilmington. 

THE  EXCHANGE. 

About  ten  days  ago  our  exchanged  pris- 
oners commenced  coming  in.  I  was  noti- 
fied by  the  medical  director  W  the  fact,  seve- 
ral hours  beforehand,  and  knowing  thcii' 
condition  I  immediately  pressed  ten  colored 
men  to  work,  making  fires  and  drawing 
water . 

.  By  the  time  the  first  boat  arrived,  we  had 
some  90  gallons  of  hot  milk-punch,  which 
we  distributed  to  them  as  they  landed ;  this 
has  been  done  with  every. boat  that  has  arriv- 
ed, and  befoJe  leaving,  they  were  furnished 
with  more  for  their  use  on  the  journey.  We 
have,  since  the  22d  of  February,  furnished 
all  the  hospitals  with  milk-punch,  ready 
made,  for  those  who  required  it ;  and  these 
are  not  a  few.  The  hospitals  are  all  full, 
and  about  1,500  men  are  in  the  railroad 
depot;  the  majority  of  them  are  almost 
starved  to  death.  We  have  them  drawn 
up  in  line,  with  cups  in  their  hands,  and 
then  send  three  or  four  men  with  buckets, 
who  pass  along  with  the  punch,  giving  each 
man  his  portion.  Time  after  time  has  the 
Commission  been  heartily  cheered  by  these 
starved,,  ragged,  abused,  but  brave  soldiers. 

There  was  a  great  demand  for  clothing, 
but  owing  to  our  limited  supply,  and  the 
great  number  of  calls,  many  were  refused 
who  really  needed  it ;  but  they  did  complain 
iWhen  told  there  was  non  e. 

On 'the  21st  inst.  I  followed  up  the  ahaj 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  with  a  strong 
mule  and  cart,  heavily  loaded  with  beet- 
stock,  milk,  tea,  sugar,  crackers,  farina, 
shirts,  drawers,  socks,  rags,  bandages,  &o., 
&c.,  and  distributed  them  from  time  to  time 
jto  the  best  advantage. 

I  think  the  Commission  has  done  a  vast 
amount  of  good  in  this  department,  with 
the  quantity  of  stores  furnished,  and  I  have 
been  aided  very  much  by  the  following 
articles,  which  have  been  turned  over  to 
me  : — 22  barrels  liquof,  16  of  whiskey,  6 
of  rum,  7  barrels  of  dried  apples,  one-half 
barrel  of  sugar,  1  barrel  of  syrup,  1  barrel 
of  fish,  50  lbs.  hams,  50  lbs.  of  crackers. 
These  were  given  to  me  by  the  provost- 
marshal,  who  has  promised  to  send  me  two 
or  three  cases  of  tobacco. 

I  hope  to  hear  from  you  soon,  and  see  a 
good  load  of  stores. 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


1137 


"NEWTOEK  OBSERVEE"  AHD  TWENTY 
^  FACTS. 

The  following  article,  from  the  New 
York  Observer,  was  noticed  in  the  last  num- 
ber of  the  Bulletin.  The  reply  there 
given  cannot  be  admitted  into  the  columns 
of  the  Ohserver  without  the  publication  of 
the  following  in  the  Bulletin.  We  cheer- 
fully afiord  the  needed  space  to  the  06- 
server,  and  wish  our  readers  to  compare  the 
two  articles  and  judge  for  themselves.  The 
question  of  circulating  religious  reading  in 
the  army  has  been  discussed  now  for  four 
years,  in  all  its  bearings,  and  a  few  facts 
have  been  established,  which  we  prefix  to 
the  Observer's  article,  as  follows : 

1.  The  soldiers  must  have  reading  mat-  . 
ter. 

2.  The  Government  does  not  supply  it. 

3.  The  soldiers  cannot  procure  it  them- 
selves. 

w      4.  The  people  must  furnish  it. 

5.  The  people  must  furnish  it  through 
some  voluntary  agency,  emenating  from, 
themselves. 

6.  The  first  agency  that  appeared  in  the 
field,  as  the  expression  of  the  people,  was 
the  U.  S.,  Sanitary  Commission. 

7.  This  agency  comprehended  the  whole 
work,  and  as  the  war  progressed,  it  enlarged 
its  sphere  of  operations ;  and  has  received, 
all  the  time,  the  sympathy  and  support  of 
the  people. 

8'.  It  has  always  been  the  office  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  to  furnish  supplies  of 
all  needed  kinds,  to  all  theariny  in  all  places, 
wheie  the  (Jovernment  required  its  help.* 

9.  It  has  been  busily  engaged  doing  this 
work  of  distributing  supplies,  and  reading 
matter  of  various  kinds,  from  churches,  and 
publishing  houses,  and  benevolent  individu- 
als, and  still  has  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  the  people- and  the  army,  as  well  as  the 
encouragement  and  aid  of  the  Government. 

10.  Anew  organization,  called  the  Chris- 
tian 'Clommission,  came  into  the  field,  six 
months  after  the  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission  was  appointed  by  President 
Vol.  I.  No.  36  72 


Lincoln,  and  assumed  the  work  of  collecting 
and  distributing  religious  reading. 

11.  This  Commission,  assuming  thename 
"  Christian"  as\a  distinctive  title,  claimed 
to  represent  the  Christian  sentiment  of  the 
people,  and  to  be  the  judge,- for  the  army, 
as  to  whalj  was  Christian  reading  matter, 
and  act  accordingly.  / 

12.  The ,  Christian  people  did  not  with- 
draw their  support  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, but  were  as  zealous  as  ever  in  of- 
fering their  contributions  for  its  support. 

13.  The  Sanitary  Commission  proposed 
to  form  a  union  between  the  two  organiza- 
tions, so  that  they  should  act  in  harmony 
with  each  other*  and  thus  teach  foreign  na- 
tions, that  while  the  American  people  were 
struggling  for  their  perpetuity  as  one 
nation,  they  could  demonstrate  one  spirit 
of  true  Christian  charity  and  effort  in  the 
trying  times  of  their  struggle.  ^ 

14.  The  Christian  Commission  refused  to 
accept  the  ofter,  and  thus  failed  to  confess 
the  broad  ohatrity  of  a  common  brotherhood 
in  this  work.  * 

15. -'There  was  thus  exhibited  to  the 
country  the  original  national  organization 
appointed  by  the  Government,  with  its< 
new  and  zealous  rival — the  first  embra- 
cing all  the  people,  and  covering  the  wide 
field  of  the  nation's  resources ;  the  second 
excluding  from  its  communion  a  large 
portion  of  the  people,  and  yet  asking  from, 
aU  a  liberal  support. 

16.  These  two  organizations  are  now  ia 
the  field,  both  doing  the  same  wbrk. 

17.  The  chief  objection  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission  is,  that  it  is  broad,  comprehea- 
sive,  and  unfettered  by  ecclesiastical  rules. 

18.  The  chief  boast  of  the  Christian 
Commission  is,,  that  it  excludes  from  its  fel- 
lowship all  who  do  not  subscribe  to  certain 
teachings  of  religion,  which  they  assert  ar& 
necesssry  to  the  Christian  character. 

19.  The  people  perceive  and  unddrstandi 
the  difference,  and  can  afford  to  go  on  witk 
their  work  of  supplying  the  army  and  help- 
ing the  Government,  without  being  moved . 


1138 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


"  from  their  purpose  by  discussions  as  to  who 
are,  and  who  are  not  Christians. 

20.  That  man  is  a  Christian,  and  that  so- 
ciety a  Christian  society,  which  does  the 
whole  work  of  Christ  in  the  way  of  His 
appointment. 

Who  will  be  the  judge  ?  Man  in  his  ig- 
norance, or  God  in  his  wisdom  ? 

Prom  K.  T.  ObBerrer. 
SANXTART    SUPPLIES   I"t)R     SOULS   OF 
SOLDIERS. 

From  various  quarters  we  receive  infor- 
mation of  the  wide  and  constant  circulation 
of  Universalist  and  Unitarian  tracts  in  the 
army,  and  through  ^he  agency  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  We  speak  of  it  not  to 
find  fault,  either  with  those,  who  furnish  or 
those  who  distribute  them.  And  in  making 
use  of  the  fact  to  awaken  new  and  larger 
interest  in  efforts  to  give  the  pure  gospel, 
the  real  bread  of  life,  to  our  brave  soldiers, 
we  are  specially  solicitous  to  avoid  the  sus- 
picion of  a  desire  to  censure  those  who  do 
not  believe  as  we  do,  for  seeking  to  persuade 
others  to  believe  as  they  do. 

Of  course  we  think  it  evil,  and  only  evil, 
to  ppt  into  the  hands  of  any  man,  especially 
one  who  is  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  war, 
a  tract  with  such  teachings  as  this : 

"God  is  love,  and  he  loves  us  right 
through:  He  loves  us  here,  he -will  love  us 
yonder.  He  loves  us  now,  he  will  love  us 
forever.  Death  makes  no  difference  with 
the  love  of  God.  When  the  body  is  dead, 
then  God  takes  takes  that  one  good  grain 
that  is  in  us  all,  and  plants  it  again  in  bet- 
t.;r  soil  than  this,  and  under  a  kindlier  sky, 
and  he  will  care  for  us,  and  see  to  our  growth 
forever  and  forever." 

This  is  from  a  tract  for  a  sick  soldier, 
one  of  a  series  of  army  tracts,  published  by 
the  American  Unitarian  Association,  and 
distributed  by  the  Sanitary  Commission,  in 
the  hospitals  of  the  army,  from  the  Potomac 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  The  tract 
is  full  of  the  doctrine  of  ,Universalism,  and 
,  it  is  read  by  hundreds  and  thousands  of  sick 
and  dying  men.  A  correspondent  of  the 
Monthly  Journal  of  the  Unitarian  Associa- 
tion says  of  this  tract :  "  Boys  in  the  hos- 
pitals at  Frederick  have  told  me  that  they 
have  read  and  re-read  it  Jive  or  six  times." 
In  the  same  number  of  the  Journal  the  re- 
lief agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  at 
Newbern,  says:  "I  wish  Iliad  a  large  in- 
voice of  jour  army  tracts  and  the  Soldier' » 


Companion,  for  distribution  in  the  camps 
and  hospitals  ,  of  this  der«rtment.  Your 
publications  would  be  gladly  received  here, . 
and  would  do  great  good.  I  am  in  a  posi- 
tion to  give  them  an  extensive  circulation." 
Again,  at  Washington,  Rev.  F.  A.  Knapp, 
agent  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  there, 
acknowledging  a  second  box  of  4,000  tracts, 
says:  "Allow  me  to  thank  the  Association 
through  you,  and  for  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, for  this  liberal  supply  of  reading  (and 
singing)  matter.  Although  so  large,  it  will 
be  distributed  within  ten  days  at  the  fur- 
thest, and  give  aid  and  comfort  to  a  great 
many  suffering  soldiers.  We  shall  then  be 
ready  and  glad  to  receive  again  of  your 
bounty  for  these  poor  fellows,  who  ask  for 
books  as  if- craving  for  food."  The  agents 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  not  only  dis- 
tribute, but  beg  for  these  supplies  of  poison 
to  give  to  sick  soldiers.  We  do  not  object 
to  their  distributing  what  is  sent  to  them 
under  their  rule  to  circulate  all  the.  books 
and  tracts  sent  to  them;  but  we  suggest 
that  it  is  carrying  the  thing  a  little  too  far, 
when  their  agents,  who  are  paid  for  another 
work,  mak^  imploritig  appeals  for  Univer- 
salist tracts  to  distribute  in  the  hospitals  of 
the  army. 

In  another  place  the  publishers  of  these 
tracts  say:  "We  have  sent  large  quantities 
of  the  tracts  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  at 
New  York,  Washington,  Newbern,  N.  C, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  Evansville,  Ind.,  and  St. 
Louis,  Mo.;  and  to  hospitals  and  regiments 
at  Baltimore,  Annapolis,  and  Frederick, 
Md.;  Philadelphia,  New  Orleans,  and  other 
places  too  numerous  to  mention."  And 
their  army  agept  writes :  "  I  am  permitted 
to  state  that  it  has  just  been  decided  by  the 
managers  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  to 
offer  to  distribute  impartially  for  all  denom- 
ibations  whatever  religious  reading,  matter 
they  may  supply.  /  took  especial  jpains  to 
ascertain  by  my  intercourse  with  the  officers 
of  the  Commission  whether  it  would  be  ad- 
visable to  avail  ourselves  of  this  offer,  and 
I  am  satisfied  that  it  would,  (second  of 
course  to  the  method  already  decsribed.) 
This  gives  us  the  Tneans  of  distributing  an 
unlimited  amount." 

There  are  two  points  toward  which  it  is 
proper,  for  Jhe  friends  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission and  the  friends  of  the  gospel  of  the 
New  Testament  to  turn  their  attention,  in 
connection  with  the  facts  we  have  no'^  re- 
cited. 

1.   If  the  Sanitary  Commission  under- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1139 


takes  to  supply  religious  instruction  for  the 
army,  ifrwill  distribute  whatever  is  commit- 
ted to  its  care  for  that  purpose.  It  cannot 
be  expected  to  discriminate  againstf  books 
containing  Roman  Catholic,  Universalist,  or 
even  rationalistic  and  infidel  sentiments. 
There  is  an  agency  here  in  New  York  for 
the  publication  of  infidel  tracts,  and  they 
have  been  cunningly  mixed  up  with  pack- 
ages of  Evangelical  tracts,  and  so  smuggled 
into  the  campS  and  hospitals.  '  The  Sanitary 
Commission,  with  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows,  Unita- 
rian, at  its  head,  cannot  decline  to  send 
these  or  any  other  publications  entrusted  to 
them.  And  it  is  worthy  of  inquiry  if  this 
was  the  service  for  which  the  Sanitary  Coin- 
mission  is  instituted  and  supported  by  the 
contributions  of  the  patriotic  and  benevo- 
lent? Evel-y  man  who  gives  a  dollar  to  its 
funds  aids  in  supporting  those  agents  who 
send  their  appeals  for  Universalist  books 
and  tracts,  and  then  distribute  them  among 
the  soldiers.  We  are  free  to  express  our 
deep  and  solemn  cdnviction  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  should  decline  altogether 
the  work  "of  circulating  religious  reading, 
rather  than  be  made  the  agent  for  the  spread 
of  those  works  which  the  great  body  of  its 
supporters  believe  to  be  destructive  to  the 
souls  of  men.  If  it  does  work  for  one  sect, 
it  must  for  all;  and,  as  there  is  no  neces- 
sity for  its  aid  in  this  department  of  labor, 
it  is  worthy  of  its  consideration  whether  im- 
partial duty  to  its  patrons  does  not  llemand 
the  expenditure  of  its  strength  upon  the 
appropriate  work  for  which  it  was  instituted, 
leaving  the  distribution  of  tracts,  good  or 
bad,  to  other  agencies  formed  for  that  pur- 
pose. *" 

Another  point  is  this:  If  the  mighty 
agency  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  is  em- 
ployed in  distributing  Universalist  tracts  to 
"an  unlimited  amount"  among  our  sick  and 
dying  soldiers,  is  it  not  the  duty  of  evan- 
gelical Christians  to  put  forth  vastly  aug- 
mented efibrts  to  give  the  knowledge  of  the 
way  of  life  by  Jesus  Christ  tothem  who  are 
ready  to  perish?  Hundreds  and  thousands 
of  soldiers  have  been  converted  by  thes6 
efforts,  and  the  intelligence  we  have  from 
the  army  is  full  of  encouragement  to  in- 
crease and  extend  them.  While  those  who 
teach  the  soldier  that  all  men,  good  or  bad, 
will  be  saved,  are  sowing  tares,  let  us  who 
believe  that  repentance  and  faith  are  essen- 
tial to  the  soul's  salvation,  be  up  and  doing 
with  our  might  to  give  the  gospel  to  the 
army.  . 


LETTEB  FBOU  DOCTOR  AGNEW. 

WlLMINOTON,  W.  0., 

March  20,  1865,  11  P 


4 


My  Dear  Doctoe  : — I  am  now  writing^  \ 
from  the  steamer  Gh^se,  at  the  dock  at  Wil- 
mington. We  left  Morehead  City  at  12  M., 
yesterday,  reached  the  bar  off  Wilming- 
ton at  10  30  P.M.,  and  came  to  anchor  to 
await  daylight  and  higji  tides,  at  11  a.m., 
we  crossed  the  bar,  passing  Fort  Fisher, 
and  reached  Wilmington  at  1  p.m.  We 
immediately  sought  for  Mr.  Foster,  and 
found  him  exhausted ,  from  hard  and  con- 
tinuous labor.  He  had  dispensed  the  last  of 
his  stores  yesterday  afternoon  at  4  30,  our 
arrival,  therefore,  being  taost  fortunate.  I 
saw  at  once  General  J.  C.  Abbott,  command- 
ant of  the  Post,  and  C||.ptain  Lamb,  Post 
Quartermaster,  and  obtained  a  wharf  and 
storehouse  for  our  cargo.  Dr.  J.  C.  Dal  ton 
immediately  explored  the  town,  and  ascet- 
tained  that  about  1,500  returned  prisoners 
and  2,400  sick  and  wounded  from  Generals 
Sherman  and  Terry's  forces- were  still  here 
in  hospitals,  the  former  in  a  condition  im- 
possible to  describe,  and  the  'latter  needing 
also  many  of  our  supplies.  The  medical 
officers  were  delighted  to  hear  of  our  ar- 
rival, and  expressed  the  warmest  thanks, 
in  advance,  for  the  stores  brought.  General 
J.  R.  Hawley,  commanding  the  district,  at 
once,  upon  hearing  of  our  arrival,  sent  an 
orderly  on  board  of  our  vessel,  with  a  note 
expressing  his  gla,dness  at  our  arrival,  and 
a  warm  sense  of  the  value  of  the'  supplies 
of  food  and  clothing  which  we  had  bought. 
To-morrow  morning  at  6  o'clock  Captain 
Lamb  will  send  a  detail  of  50  men  to 
unload  our  vessel,  and  Mr.  Foster,  our 
agent,  will  receive  the  stores  and  issue 
them  at  once.  Every  thing  we  have  will 
be  immediately  used.  We  only  left  about 
one-fourth  of  the  cargo  at  Morehead,  and  I 
cannot  tell  you  how  thankful  I  am  that  we 
did  so.  We  could  not  obtain  any  reliable 
information  at  Moreheod  of  the  condition 
of  things  here,  and  hence  our  bringing  so 
large  a  portion  of  the  cargo  was  most' provi- 
dential. 

The  returned  prisoners  sent  into  Wil- 
mington numbered  nearly  9,000.  About 
7,000  of  the  less  famished  have  gone  North. 
General  Abbott,  who  received  our  poor  fel- 
lows in  the  exchange,  has  just  told  me  that 
language  would  utterly  fail  to  describe  their 
condition.  Filth,  rags,  nakedness,  starva- 
tion were  personified  in  their ^condition. 
Many  of  the  men  were  in  a  state  of  mind 


1140 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


resembling  idiocy,  unable  to  tell  their 
names,  and  lost  to  all  sense  of  modesty,  un- 
conscious of  their  nakedness  and  personal 
condition.  Some  of  them  moving  about 
bn  their  hands  and  knees,  unable  to  stand 
upon  their  gangrenous  leet,  looking  up  like 
hungry  dogs,  beseeching  the  observer  for  a 
bite  of  bread  or  a  sup  of  water.  Some  of 
thein  hitched  along  on  their  hands  and  but- 
tocks, pushing  gangrenous  feet  literally  re- 

'  duced  to  bone  and  shreds  before  them. 
Others  leaned  upon  staves,  and  glared  from 
sunken  eyes  through  the  parchment-like  slits 
of  their  open  eyelids  into  space,  without 
having  the  power  to  fix  an  intelligent  gaze 
upon  passing  objects.  Others  giggled  and 
smirked  and  hobbled  like  starved  idiots; 
while  some  adamantine  figbres  walked  erect, 
as  though  they  meant  to  move  the  skeleton 

'  homewards  so  long  as  vitality  enough  re- 
mained to  enable  them  to  do  so.  To  see 
the  men  who  remain  here  in  hospital  would 
move  a  heart  as  hard  and  cold  as  marble. 
Their  condition  is  that  of  men  who  have 
for  months  suffered  chronic  starvation; 
Their  arms  and  legs  look  like  coarse  reeds 
with  bulbous  joints.  Their  faces  look  as 
though  a  skilful  taxidermist  had  drawn 
tanned  skin  over  the  bare  skull,  and  then 
placed  false  eyes  jn  the  orbital  cavities.  They 
defy  description.  It  would  take  a  pen  ex- 
pert in  the  use  of  every  term  known  to  the 
anatomist  and  the  physician  to  begin  to  ex- 
pos^ their  fearful' condition.  May  God,  in 
his  infinite  mercy,  forgive  the  creatures  who 
have  done  this  horrid  thing.     • 

Everything  we  have  with  us  will  be  needed, 
so  that  I  shall  not  have  much,,  to  leave  at 
Morehead  on  my  return.  We  propose,, 
through  Dr.  Buzzel  and  the  hearty  co-ope- 
ration of  Generals  Hawley  and  Abbott, 
and  Captains  Lamb  and  Hopkins,  to 
commence  ■  to-morrow  to  clothe  and  feed 
these  sufferers.  We  shall  issue  about 
4,000  suits  of  woolen  clothing,^  and  feed 
every  sufferer  for  at  least  three  weeks  to 
come.  The  surgeons  have  promised  to  issue 
our  tomatoes,  beef  stock,  condensed  milk, 

•chocolate,  soft  crackers,  onions  and  po- 
tatoes' as  freely  as  the  starved  men  can 
eat  them.  They  now  have  army  rations, 
and  such  food  as  the  hospital  fund  can 
purchase  in  this  bare  market,  but  many 
of  them  cannot  muster  physical  power  en  ougb 
to  bite  a  hard  cracker,  or  stomach  to  di- 
gest beef  or  pork.  They  must  be  fed  with 
nourishing  broths  and  vegetable  food  for 
a  long  time,  before   they  can   be  moved 


North.  Many,  alas  !  will  go  to  the  ceme- 
tery to  lengthen  the  lines  of  graves,  now 
so  long. 

Wilmington  is  very,  very  dirty ;  its  alleys 
and  back-yards  are  as  bad  as  they  can  be, 
and  no  one  who  has  not.  been  in  the  South 
can  form  an  idea  of  what  this  means.  The 
streets  swarm  with  refugees,  15,000  black 
refugees,.  a.nd,  about  5,000  white  ones.  Al- 
most all  of  these  people  occupy  one  dead 
level  of  poverty.  The  negroes  can  work  for 
the  Quartermaster  and  gel;  rations  and  pay. 
About  4,000  white  refiigfees  are  fed  daily  by 
a  local  relief  committee  from  stores  of  corn 
meal  and  rice,  while  all  draw  rations  from  the 
post  commissary,  of  pork  and  beans.'  Such  a 
scene  I  have  never  before  witnessed.  Now, 
a  few  words  in  regard  to  supplies.  I  cannot 
.  yet  say,  in  whole,  what  will  be  needed 
here  additional,  but  we  need  some  help- 
ers for  Mr.  Foster,  who  is  overworked. 
I  would  propose  to  have  Mr.  Knapp  run 
down  here  at  once.  Many  details  in  the 
conduct  of  the  filture  relief  work  will  de- 
mand his  skilled  labor. .  Liine  is  needed 
to  disinfect  the  city,  say  500  bbls.,  in  the 
proportion  of  150  bbls.  of  chloride  of  lime, 
to,  b50  of  unslacked  lime.  Ice  is  needed  in 
the  hospitals.  Lemons  greatly  needed, 
they  should  be  sound  ones,  or  else  portable 
lemonade  would  be  better.  Slippers  ax-e 
needed,  say  1,000  pairs.  Bed'ticks,  say 
1,500;  also  shoes,  1,000.  I  write  as  I 
think,  »nd  therefore  may  prolong  my  letter 
and  make  it  more  obscure  than  it  should  be. 
I  shall  unload  the  Chase  to-morrow,  and 
dispatch  her  to  New  York,  dij-ect,  via  Beau- 
fort, N.  C,  if  her  coal  will  carry  her  there, 
if  not,  to  Fortress  Monroe,  to  coal,  and 
thence  to  New  York.  She  draws  too  much 
water  for  us.  The  Vncas  is  a  better  boat 
for  our  purposes  as  she  can  run  to  Newbern 
via  Hatteras  inlet,  and  also  over  the  bar  to 
Wilmington.  My  being  .compelled  to 
lighten  the  Chase,  at  Beaufort,  caused  three 
days'  detention.  It  is  not  safe  to  send  a 
steamer  to  these  parts  on  such  errands  as 
we  run,  drawing  more  than  eight  aiid  one- 
half  feet  for  Newbern,  or  twelve  for  Beau- 
fort, or  ten  and  one-half  for  Wilmington, 
Send,  to  repeat,  Mr.  Knapp  to  Wilmington 
with  an  assistant  or  two,  and  answer  all  Dr. 
Page's  requisitions.  Send  very  few,  if  any, 
potatoes  or  onions.  Send  it  to  the  committee 
at  New  York  after  you  hav£  read  it.  Nothing 
from  Dr.  Marsh  later  than  my  last.  Dr. 
Page  is  deserving  of  our  highest  esteem 
and  confidence. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1141 


Supplies  sent  to  North  Carolina  hy  steamer 
Ghase,  Mirch  11,  1865,  to  be  drawn 
upon  for  the  relief  of  exchptnged    Union 

-  prisoners,  and  the  sick  of  General  ^Sher- 
man! s  army  at  Wilmington. 


Blankets 1760 

Flannel  drawers. ..;...  8400 

Flannel  shirts 2400 

Knit  sMrts 2604 

Knit  drawers 2604 

Wool  half- hose ^  6000 

Cotton  shirts 211 

Towels 3984 

Handkerchiefs. 1008 

Shoes,  pairs. .- 

Beef-stock,  lbs 2040 

Onions,  bbls d07 

Potatoes,  bbls .520 

Pickled  tomatoes,  gals.  1467 
Pickled  onions,  gals.  ..3162^ 
Pickles,  cucumbers,  bbls  104 

Needles 12000 

Writing  paper,  reams..    270 

Envelopes ,51500 

Fens,groB6 42 


Sonr-krant,  bbls 168>^ 

Tomatoes,  cans 12000 

Condensed  milk,  cans.,  12000 
Condensed  coffee,  cans.      92 

Ground  coffee,  lbs 1879 

Crackers,  bbls >. . .    479 

Maizena,  cases 40 

Cora  starch,  cases ^20 

Chocolate,  lbs 3300 

Bourbon  whiskey,  btls.  1320 

Stock  ale,  bbls 10 

Lemon  syrup,  doz,  btls;        8 
Smoking  tobatjco,  dozen 


60 
Mi 


Tobacco,  lbs 

Thread,  lbs 

Pen-holders,  gross.. 

Pencils,  gross.. j^ 4 

Ink,  doz jJIr.....      24 

Ink-stands,  d«^ 12 


Also  chloroform,  opium,  cushions,  crutches, 
haversacks,  candles,  soap,  suspenders, 
combs,  head^posts,  bed-pans,  urinals,  sta- 
tionary, cooking  utensils,  tin-cups,  &c. 


F£TEBSBUS6H  AirO  BICHMOITS. 

That  the  public  may  be  relieved  from 
anxiety  with  respect  to  the  provision  made 
for  the  comfort  of  our  sick  and  wounded  at 
Bichmond,  Petersburg,  and  City  Point,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  would  say  that  they 
had  on  Friday  last  an  '  abundant  supply  of 
all  things  necessary  on  the  spot,  and  that 
since  then  two  vessels  loaded  with  supplies, 
in  addition,  Lave'  reached  City  Point,  and 
■  others  will  be  dispatched. 

The  Commission,  with  a  view  to  the  pre- 
sent emergency,  has  provided  a  full  corps 
of  agents,  both  with  the  army  and  at  the 
hospitals  at  or  near  City  Point,  where  most 
of  the  wounded  are  brought. 

Two  gentlemen  of  the  Commission,  from 
this  city,  visited  the  army  last  week,  and 
found  every  preparation  made  for  the  emer- 
gency, 

In  addition  to  the  heavy  stock  at  Ci'ty 
Point '  and  with  the  army,  the  following 
articles  have  reached  there  since  Friday 
last. 

Respectfully  yours, 

E.  M.  Lewis. 

General  Superintendent  of   Philadelphia  Branch  of  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commissioil. 


Shirts,  woolen. 10000 

Shirts,  cotton  hospital. .  2687 
Drawers,  woolen,  pairs.lOOOO 
Drawers,  cotton,  pairs.  2000 
So(Jks,  woolen,  pairs...  6000 

Towelsj 20000 

Handkerchiefs 11000 

Comfort    bags,    house- 
wives, &c 1125 

Slippers,  pairs 1500 


Suspenders,  pairs 1200 

Blankets 1000 

Combs,  fine,  gross 2200 

Blackb'y  cordial,  btls..  1200 

Crackers,  lbs 200 

Beef  and  mutton,  cans.  1800 

Cups,  tin. .J 6000 

Fails,  wooden 140 

Condensed  milk 9600 

Corn  starch,  lbs 4O0O 


Maizena  lbs 

Farina,  lbs 

Dried  apples,  bbls 

Camphor  mixtures,  gr. 

White  thread,  lbs 

Black,  thread,  lbs 

Tarn,  lbs 

Tin  dippers.  With  long 

handles. 

Combs,  coarse,  gross. . . 

Chocolate,  lbs 

Bay  rum,  btls 

Crutches,  pairs 

Con'd  lemonade,  boxes. 
Apple  butter,  galls. .a 

Lemons,  boxes, . , 

Ale,  btls.. 

Pillows 

Fruit  asst'd,  dried,  bbls. 


2000 

4600 

20 

6 


SO 

200 

2200 

2000 

600 

2000 

70 

75 

20 

1400 

300 


Pickles,  galls 

Pickles,jars 

Old  linen,  lbs 

Jamaica  ginger,  gaUs.. 

Sugar,  bbls 

Soap,  Castile  boxes. .... 
Soap,     brown   family, 

boxes 

Candles,  boxes 

Knives  and  forks,  -gr. . . 

Cushions... 

Plates,  tin,  gross 

Cond.  egg  (dessicated). . 

Headrests 

Plugs  tobacco,  lbs 

Smoking  tobacco,  lbs  . . 

Brooms ,i 

Tin  pails,  small. 


lOOOITobacco  pipes,  boxes.. 


1433 
100 
7 
60 
20 
20 

40 

20 

12 

2000 

6 

200 

50 

2000 

2000 

36 

100 

26 


And  a  large  amount  of  stationery  and 
other  ufeeful  articles. — Philadelphia  Papers, 
April  5,  1865. 


LEIIEB  FKOU  FA'GRICK  STATIOIT. 
BY  J.  HENRY  DAVIS. 

March  26,  1865. 

Early  yesterday  morning  the  troops  were 
under  arms  and  in  motion.  Orders  were 
giten  to  the  hospitals  of  the  2d  Corps  to 
pack  up  and  toibe  ready  to*  move  at  a  mo- 
ment's .notice.  The  2d  Corps  station,  Sani- 
tary Commission,  were  instructed  to  pack 
up  and  move  with  the  3d  Division.  The 
surplus  stock,  large  tent  and  stove,  were 
sent  down  to  the  Point  under  charge  of  Mr. 
Peck.  The  two  wagons  belonging  to  this 
station  were  loaded  and  everything  got  ready 
for  a  march.  The  5th  Corps  station  did  not 
move,  the  5th  Corps  hospital  not  receiving 
orders  to  pack  up ;  but  Mr.  Barton,  in  charge 
of  the  station,  had  his  wagons  packed,  and 
could  have  moved  at  short  notice.  ' 

Before  sunrise  of  the  25th,  the  enemy 
made  a  sortie  on  front  of  the  9th  Corps, 
surprised  and  captured  a  fort,  turning  its 
guns  upon  our  troops.  The  enemy  were 
suceessfal  for  a  time,  but  our  brave  men 
were  soon  rallied  and  forced  the  enerny  to 
retire,  after  suffering  severe  loss.  Our  Loss 
was  slight,  in  all^ot  over  400. 

The  2d  Corps  Legan  before  dg,ylight  to 
feel  the  ememy's  lines,  on  their  front.  The 
3d  Division  commenced  at  3  o'clock  to 
skirmish  with  the  rebel  line,  which  was  re- 
sponded to  by  the  enemy  with  spirit ;  the 
6th  Corps  also  commenced  picket  firing. 
This'  amusement  was  kept  up  all  day,  varied 
by  occasional  discharge  of  heavy  guns. 

During  this  time  the  rebels  had  strength- 
ened-their  skirmish  and  picket  line,  until  it 
became  a  strong  line  of  battle.  About  5  in 
the  afternoon  the  3d  Division  of^;he  2d  Corps 
were  ordered  to  charge  the  rebel  lines,  which 
they  did  most  gallantly,  capturing  many 


1142 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


prisoners,  and  the  enemy's. old  picket  line', 
which  was  held  by  Alabama  and  Georgia 
troops.  The  1st  Divison  also  charged  along 
their  lines,  eaptaring  many  rebels.  The 
official  list  of  the  wounded  foots  up  to  about 
100  killed,  and  between  5  and.  600  wounded, 
and  perhaps  50  missing.  This  loss  is  be- 
tween the  3d  and  1st  Divisions.  The  2d 
Division  suffered  slightly,  their  loss  being 
only  40.  The  6th  Corps  aliso  made  a  charge, 
capturing  500  prisoners  and  holding  their 
old  picket  line.  At  dusk  the  building  known 

as  General  's  quarters  was  fired,  and 

lit  up  the  'scene  for  some  hours.  The  loss 
of  the  6th  Corps  was  between  3  and  400  in 
all.  The  5th  Corps  were,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  1st  Division,  in  reserve,  under 
cover  of  Fort  Fisher,  and  supporting  the 
6th  Corps.  The  1st  Division,  5th  Corps, 
were  held  along  the  left,  on  the  flahk  of  the 
2d  Corps;  throwing  out  their  skirmish  line 
they  found  the  enemy,  engaged  him  for 
some  time,  inflicting  some  loss  upon  the 
enemy,  and  losing  about  50  in  all.  Mr. 
Barton  is  busy  looking  after  the  wounded  in 
that  direction. 

The  6th  Oorps  wounded  have  all  been 
sent  in.  Our  wounded  at  this  point  will  be 
loaded  on  the  cars  at  1  o'clock,  and  sent  to 
the  Point.  About  1  o'clock  yesterday  the 
first  load  of  wounded  came  into  the  3d 
Division,  2d  Corps.  1  at  once  gave  instruc- 
tions to  make  milk  punch,  which  was  done 
and  continued  far  into  the  night,  Up  to 
this  time  over  100  gallons  of  punch  have 
been  made  and  given  to  the  sufferers.  All 
about  this  station  have  -worked  well.  ^  They 
have,  I  am  proud  to  say,  done  their  duty. 
Mr.  Thomas  and  Mr.  Vasser  were  dispatched 
to  the  field  with  canteens  filled  with  punch, 
and  performed  signal  service  in  ministering 
to  the  sorrows  of  our  wounded  braves. 

The  1st  Division  has  been  supplied  with 
crackers  and  many  with  shirts.  .  On  every 
side  we  hear  the  warm^t  expressions  of 
gratitude  to  the  people  of  the  North,  who 
through  the  Commission,  aid  so  nobly,  re- 
membering their  fellow  citizens  on  the  bat- 
•tle-field.  My  supplies,  with  a  few  excep- 
tions, are  yet  ample ;  my  stock  of  milk,  and 
liquors,  and  crackers,  is  getting  short.  If 
you  will  send  up  3  cases  whiskey,  2  barrels 
crackers,  3  cases  milk,  I  think  I  would  be 
be  as  ready  as. ever  to  relieve  the  wounded. 
If  you  could  add  2  cases  tomatoes,  it  would 
be  a  blessing. 

On  the  whole  yesterday  was  a  day  of  vic- 
tory.   The  object  was  probably  to  ascertain 


the  strength  of  the  enemy,  and  keep  them 
in  their  lines.  The  official  report  foots  up 
for  this  day's  work,  3,800  rebel  prisoners, 
1,200  killed  and  wounded,  rebel  loss,  low, 
5,000.  Our  loss  cannot  be  over  1,000  or 
1,200.     All  well,  but  somewhat  tired. 


"IN  FBISON  AND  YE  CAME  XTNTO  ME." 
BY  GEO.  H.  KICE. 

Boston,  March  23,  1865. 

Dear  Sm : — ^Yours  of  21st  instant  duly 
received,  and  this  morning  the  book  came 
to  hand.  "Please  accept  my  warm  thanks  fo^ 
the  same.  It  will  be  read  with  great  pleasure, 
the  more  so  that  I  have  heard  you  relate 
some  of  the  incidents  while  in  camp.  The 
want  of^ental  exercise  was  that  which  we 
suffered  fl!¥  so  much.  Did  I  tell  you  how 
eagerly  the  books  which  reached  us  from 
the  Sanitary  Commission  at  New  Orleans 
were  sought  after  ?  If  not,  you  would  be 
pleased  to  learn  with  what  pleasure  we  re- 
freshed our  memories  with  the  first  rudi- 
ments of  arithmetic,  and  the  various  class- 
readers.  No  one  knows,  but  those  that  had 
felt  our  wants,  how  welcome  such  things 
were.  I  confess  had  I  never  been  a  prisoner 
I  should  never  thought  of  making  such  se- 
lections ;  but  they  are  truly  welcome,  and 
the  Sanitary  Commission  need  have  no  fear 
of  their  not  being  gratefully  received,  eveiy- 
where.  It  would  have  done  you  good  to 
have  seen  the  little  groups  that  got  together 
with  a  piece  of  board  for  a  slate,  and  char- 
coal for  pencil. 


Prom  the  New  Orleans  Daily  Trne  Delta,  March  18. 

THE    SANIIABY    COMMISSION    AND     CON- 

FEDEBATE  FBIS0NEB8. 

The  following  letter  shows  that  it  is  not 
alone  our  own  gallant  soldiers  who  derive 
benefits  from  that  great  charitable  institution, 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  A  subscription 
is  now  being  taken  up  among  our  citizens 
to  aid  in  replenishing  the  treasury  of  the 
Commission,  and  with  the  following  state- 
ment before  them,  even  persons  whose  sym- 
pathies are  with  the  rebellion  will  hardly 
refuse  to  contribute  according  to  their 
means : 

Ship  Island,  Miss.,  January  25,  1865. 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans, 

La. : 

Gentlemen  :  Serious  indisposition,  from 
which  I  am  just  convalescing,  has  prevented 
my  acknowledging  your  valuable  favors  at 
an  earlier  period.    I  have  during  the  past 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1143 


few  months  reqeiyed  from  your  hands  a 
large  quantity  of  pickles,  piekled  cabbage, 
sauer-kraut,  onions,  potatoes,  shirts,  drawers, 
socks,  combs,  soap,  etc.,  for  the  use  of  the 
sick  and  Sliffering  at  this  post.  Nothing 
could  have  been  more  opportune  than  these 
gratuities.  Besides  the  large  number  of 
persons  ordinarily  at  this  station,  we  have 
had  recently  as  many  as  seventeen  hundred 
prisoners  of  war.  These',  from  long  ex- 
posure, insufficient  food  and  clothing,  and 
utter  neglect  of  personal  cleanliness,  were 
mostly  broken  down  in  health,  and  were  as 
wretched  a  set  of  men  as  were  ever  assem- 
bled together.  The  diseases  prevailing 
among  them  were  small-pox,  measles,  scurvy, 
and  a  gyeat  variety  of  cutaneous  ai}d  other 
contagious  affections.  Out  of  the  entire 
number  there  were  not  five  hundred  exempt 
from  disease,  and  the  mortality  upon  their 
first  arrival  amounted  to  an  average  of  two 
cases  per  day.  With  your  prompt  assist- 
ance, together  with  that  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  army,  we  have  in  a  very 
short  time  been  enabled  to  ohange  this 
gloomy  aspect.  We  have  heen  ena;bled  to 
furnish  bedding,  clothing,  proper  diet  and 
cleanliness  to  men  who  had  long  been  de- 
prived of  these  comforts.  The  sick  list 
among  them  has  decreased  from  nearly  one 
thousand  to  less  than  forty  patients,  and 
but  three  men  have  died  in  as  many  weeks. 

Under  these  circumstances,  I  cannot  too 
sincerely  thank  you  for  the  kind  assistance 
you  have  rendered,  nor  too  highly  commend 
an  institution  whose  g6od  works  in  the 
cause  of  humanity  are  so  palpable  and  potent. 

With  much  respect,  I  am,  gentlemen, 
your  obedient  servant, 

John  H.  Gihon,  Ass't  Surgeon 

la  Cliarge  of  Hospitals  at  Ship  Island,  Miss. 


OJTE  HOSPITAL  IS  SAVANITAH. 
BY  CHAPLAIN  JEREMIAH  PORTER. 
Mabshall  Hottse,  Savannah,  Ga.,  "1 
March  11,  1865.  / 

I  am  happy  to  report  that  Mrs.  Porter 
has  continued  her  labors  in  this  hospital, 
unremitted  except  by  a  few  days  of  sick- 
ness, until  the  present  time.  That  now  our 
number  being  reduced  from  400  to  about 
100,  and  of  these  only  a  few  that  are  not 
recovering,  she  is  anxious  to  go  to  Sher- 
man's army  as  soon  as  it  shall  find  a  new 
base  on  th%  Atlantic,  which  we  trust  will 
be  reached  before  this  reaches  you. 

In  the  twelve  weeks  since  we  arrived 
here  27  of  our  white  patients  have  died  and 


8  colored.  AH  of  these  were  comforted  by 
the  sympathetic  attentions  of  Mrs.  Porter, 
as  the  almoner  of  the  bounties  supplied  by 
the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission.  Beside 
preparing  light  diet  and  delicacies  for  the 
feeble  and  sick,  she  has  replaced  garments 
worn  out  or  lo^  on  the  battle-field  and  hos- 
pitals the  following,  to  individuals  who  could 
not  purchase,  either  because  out  of  money 
.  or  without  their  descriptive  roll :  pants,  47 
prs.;  flannel  shirts,  35;  vests,  11;  woolen 
drawers,  39;  blouses,  14;  overcoats,  13; 
prs.  stockings,  20;  hats,  20;  blankets,  24; 
prs.  shoes,  14.  During,  one  month,  from 
Jan.  9th,  the  opening  of  ,the  first  Sanitary 
goods  in  this  city,  to  Feb.  7th,  Mrs.  Porter 
received  the  following  supplies,  by  request 
of  the  surgeon  in  charge,  and  saw  that  they 
were  distributed  so  as  to  comfort  the  sick : — 
Bbls.  potatoes,  2;  bbls.  dried  apples^  2; 
bbls.  crackers,  3J;  cans  tomatoes,  48;  cans 
milk,  45;  cans  beef  stock,  50 ;  papers  farina, 
62;  corn  starch,  47;  papers  gelatine,  6; 
cans  currant  jellies,  2 ;  cans  extract  coffee, 
12;  bottles  Jamaica  ginger,  16;  bottles  bay 
water,  5;  bottles  blackberry  cordial,  11; 
bottles  raspberry  yinegar,  2;  prs.  pants,  81; 
blouses,  11;  hats,  6;  prs.  shoes,  6;  drawers, 
66;  shirts,  64;  vests,  11;  prs.  socks,  24. 

During  the  past  month  our  number  of 
sick  has  been  constantly  decreasing  by  re- 
turn of  convalescents  to  duty  in  the  field ; 
by  furlough  of  the  wounded,'  and  by  send- 
ing the  permanently  diseased  to  northern 
hospitals;  and  Sherman's  army  having  gone, 
we  are  receiving  very  few  new  patients,  yet 
we  have  drawn  liberally  from  the  Sanitary 
rooms.         ,  , 

The  gratitude  of  the  patients  for  these 
ssin^tary  supplies  through  our  hands  has 
been  expressed  by  multitudes  of  them.  I 
have  always  had  from  the  Sanitary  writing 
paper,  envelopes,  ink,  pens  and  pencils,  as 
well  as  a  rich  variety  of  books  and  papers, 
so  that  intellectual  as  well  as  physical  wants 
have  been  happily  supplied.  In  the  hospital 
chapel,  the  patients  having  been  removed 
from  it,  and  it  being  pleasantly  seated,  we 
have  had  "religious  meetings  each  evening 
for  a  fortnight  of  very  pleasant  religious 
interest.  There  has  been  joy  here,  as 
we  trust,  in  heaven,  over  sinners  repenting 
among  convalescents,  as  well  as  those  who 
have  died  trusting  in  the  Saviour. 

Among  the  stores  received  the  past  month 
were  two  pecks  of  dried  currants^  and  as 
many  dried  blackberries.  Nothing  except 
the  blackberry  cordial  has   comforted  so 


1144 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


many  sick  and  contributed  so  much  to  the 
comfort  of  the  emaciated  as  these  berries. 
Mrs.  Porter  keeps  some  of  them  stewed  on 
hand  always,  and  every  one  who  would  be 
benefited  by  them  is  readily  supplied.  They 
are  much  more  profitable  than  jellies,  and 
much  more  easily  brought  to  the  army  and 
Jcept  for  use.  Call  loudly  for  small  fruits 
dried,  and  multitudes  comforted  by  them 
will  bless  you  for  it. 

A  few  days  since  an  escaped  prisoner 
from  Andersonville  from  the  111th  Illinois, 
who  was  captured  on  the  22d  of  June  last 
before  Atlanta,  was  brought  to  our  room  by 
two  of  his  own  regiment  who  are  now  nurs- 
ing in  this  hospital.  Testifying  to  his  en- 
itre  truthfulness,  and  finding  him  almost 
destitute  of  clothing,  as  he  could  bring  no- 
rthing from  his  prison  except  what  he  wore, 
and  having  traveled  300  miles  in  24  days, 
he  was  furnished  with  a  complete  outfit :  a 
hat,  an  overcoat,  a  pair  of  pants,  a  flannel 
shirt,  a  pair  of  drawers,  a  pair  of  stockings, 
shoes  he  had  previously  obtained.  Doffing 
his  brown  cotton,  and  clad  in  his  Sanitary 
suit,  he  hardly  retained  his  personal  iden- 
tity. So  I  gave  him  a  certificate  showing 
how  he  was  clothed  after  his  long  imprison- 
ment and' journey  to  Savannah.  He  con- 
fFrms  all  the  terrible  reports  of  Anderson- 
vill§.     He  left  here,  for  Iowa. 

We  are  highly  gratified  to  see  a  thousand 
colored  children  and  adults  already  gather-  s 
ed  into  schools  in  Savannah :  while  we  are 
pained  to  visit  the  hospital  for  the  blacks 
and  find  it  in  a  loathsome  condition.  We 
have  endeavored  to  see  that  the  sufl^erers 
are  made  more  comfortable.  In  the  last 
two  days  the  few  surviving  ones  are  re- 
moved to  hospital  tents,  and  we  hope  their 
wants  will  now  be  better  supplied.  i 

One  or  two  regiments  of  colored  troops 
just  raised  at  Charleston  have  come  to  gar- 
rison this  city.  The  inhabitants  are  horrified 
at  the  thought  that  their  own  arms  are  all 
taken  from  them  and  they  are  to  be  guard- 
ed by  armed  negroes.  Is  not  this  righteous 
retribution  ?  Who  dreamed  that  our  eyes 
•would  see  these  things  when  Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin  was  written.  Truly  has  inspiration 
said  :  "  I  work,  a  work  in  your  day  which  Jre 
will  not  believe  if  a  man  declare  it  unto  you." 

LETTER  FKOM  E.  L.  XONES.  . 

Nashville,  March  25,  1865. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry. 

Dear  Sir  : — 1_  enclose  my  report  for  the 
weekending  this  evening.     We. are  doing 


a  good  deal  for  the  hospitals,  and  with  the 
grateful  appreciation  of  their  officers.  The 
large  number  of  patients  from  the  new  regi-, 
ments  seems  to  diminish  rather  than  add  to 
their  hospital  fund,  and  they  ape  drawing 
upon  us  more  largely  than  heretofore. 

There  are  also  more  troops  in  and  arouhd 
the  city,  and  they  all  want  something,  so 
that  the  total  issues  make  rather  large  fig- 
ures, larger  than  I  calculated  during  the 
week,  as  I  had  on  mind  the  importance  of 
sending  as  many  stores^  forward  to  Chatta- 
nooga and  Knoxville  as  possible.  We  have 
now  comparatively  few  applications  that  we 
cannot  provide  for  reasonably  well.  My  re- 
marks in  former  letters  will  still  apply  to 
the  want  of  bedding,  ticks,  sheets,  quilte, 
pillow-cases,  towels,  and  handkerchiefs,  slip- 
pers, eye-shades,  and  especially  rags  and 
bandages, — to  canned  fruit,  condensed  milk, 
and  codfish.  I  have  had  many  applications 
this  week  for  eggs,  wines,  and  spirits,  and 
cordials,  and  even  whiskey ;  we  have  none 
of  these  to  issue,  except  in  small  quantities, 
none  to  ship.  Everybody  wants  a  few  onions, 
but  we  have  none.  Boots,  shoes,  and  hats ; 
once  in  a  while  one  is  a  great  comfort  to  a 
ragged,  dirty,  and  barefooted  soldier  just  es- 
caped from  a  southern  prison  or  exchanged. 
Monday  I  loaded  two  cars*  for  Chatta- 
nooga, one  with  fifty  barrels  kraut,  and  the 
other  with  seed  potatoes,  onion  setts,  &c.  I 
also  loaded  two  cars*  for  Knoxville  direct, 
SMne  day,  with  fifty  barrels  kraut  and  ninety- 
four  barrels  potatoes.  The  cars  are  still  on 
the  track,  though  I  had  the  promise  of  Ae 
agent  that  they  should  be  sent  off  immedi- 
ately. The  fact  is  they  have  not  the  motive 
power  at  their  command  to  move  them,  but 
they  are  daily  now  expecting  engines  from 
the  South  that  will  enable  them  to  clear  the 
track  again.  The  pressure  upon  the  road 
for  the  transportation  of  troops  and  munitions 
has  been  tremendous,  and  could  not  be  in- 
terfered with  except  by  the  major  general 
in  person.  '  y 

We  have  received  from  Cincinnati,  this 
week,  200  barrels  potatoes,  50  barrels  kraut, 
25   barrels  cabbage  in   curry,  25   barrels  ' 
pickles,  and  15  barrels  dried  apples. 


LEI1XB  FROK  H.  TORE. 

Cairo,  March  25,  1865. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry. 

Dear  Sir  — I  arrived  at  P»dueah  only 
this  morning,  having  been  delayed  on  the 
river  by  heavy  winds. 

*  These  oars  got  off  the  next  day. 


The  Sanitary,  Oommmiori  Bulletin. 


1145 


,By  pe:^mission  of  Cajptain  Ernst,  A.  Q.  M., 
the  captain  &f  the  Atlantic  delivered  to  me 
at  that  place  all  the  sanitary  stores  which 
were  not  covered  with  grain  in  the  hold  of 
the  boat,  -and  these,  very  fortunately,  in- 
cluded all  the  boxes,  160  in  number,  and 
forty-nine  barrels  of  crackers  and  dried 
apples.  Mr.  Sutliffe  has  gone  to  Eastport 
with  the  remainder,  to  issue  whatevei:  is 
needed,  and  reship  whatever  is  not  needed 
to  Paducah.  There  is  quite  a  number  of 
sick  still  at  Eastport,  notwithstanding  the 
hospital  steamer  D.  A.  Jamany  brought 
,  away  a  full  load. 

Mrs.  Hqpper  arrived  from  Eastport  yester- 
day morning,  and  from  her  I  learn  that  the' 
great  cavalry  expedition  started  from  there 
on  Tuesday  last.  Their  first  objective  point 
is  said  to  be  Tuscaloosa.  They  had  a 
skirmish  with  thd  rebels  on  tlie  afternoon  of 
the  first  day,  and  several  wounded  were  sent 
back.  It  was  anticipated  that  there  would 
be  considerable  opposition,  and,  perhaps,  a 
pitched  battle  in  three  or  four  days,  as  For- 
rest is  represented  as  having  8,000  well 
mounted  cavalry,  and  4,000  infantry,  within 
that  number  of  day's  march  of  Eastport; 
At  the  time  she  left,  General  Hatch  ex- 
j>ressed  himself  as  fearful  that  the  exchange 
of  prisoners  having  been  so  long  delayed 
would  not  be  effected. 

Mr.  "Way  received  your  despatch  to-day, 
stating  "that  the  EVnora  would  leave  Louis- 
ville on  Saturday  night,  and  directing  me 
not  to  wait  for  her.  There  was  no  boat  for 
Vicksburg  at  Paducah  to-day,  and  I  presume 
the  Elnora  will  be  the  first  along.  Having 
made  all  necessary  arrangements  for  for- 
warding the  stores  by  the  first  boat,  I  came 
on  to  Cairo  to  see  what  was  being  prepared 
here,  and  to  have  the  goods  sent  on  the  same 
boat  with  the  others.  I  find  Mr.  Shipman 
has  already  sent  forward  one  shipment,  and 
is  expecting  another  from  Chicago,  which  I 
hope  will  arrive  in  time.  I  will  enclose  in- 
voices of  them  if  I  can  get  them  before  the 
mail  closes. 

Mr.  Johnson  will  come  as  directed  on  the 
Elnora.  Mr.  Owejj  has  nearly  recovered 
from  his  illness  and  will  report  at  Louisville 
as  soon  as  he  is  able. 


THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 
In  the  telegrams  from  San  Francisco, 
dated  April  5,  we  learn  that,  "  arrivals  in 
twenty  days  from  Honolulu  bring  intelli- 
gence of  liberal  sucscriptions  to  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary   Commission    and    heavy    earth-* 


quakes."  That  the  subscriptions  to  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission  have  caused  the 
earthquakes  is  not  probable,  and  that  the 
earthquakes  have  not  caused  the  subscrip- 
tions is  certain  ;  for  the  large-hearted  be- 
nevolence of  those  distant  and  regenerated 
Islands — a  benevolence  based  upon  prinei- 
ple  and  impelled  by  a  fer^  ent  love  for  the 
broad  truths  of  the  gospel-^is  as  natural 
and  splendid  to  their  people  as  is. the  foliage 
of  their  vallies.  What  grand  changes  have 
been  wrought  by  the  Good  Father  since  the 
daysw  hen  the  hero  missionaries  first  set  foot 
upon  the  coral  shore.  "  A  nation  has  been 
born  in  a  day  ;'(^  a;nd  that  Pacific  nation, 
born  from  out  heathenism  into  Christianity, 
aids  with  its  wealth  in  bearing  to  the 
wounded  upon  Atlantic  bftttle-fields  and  the 
captive  in  the  barbarous  prisons  of  the  Gulf, 
both  temporal  and  spiritual  benefits. 

"  Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  coming  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord." 


FANS  FOB  ABMT  HOSPITALS. 
The  following  letter  from  Dr.  MacGowan 
has  been  received  by  Dr.  Bellows : 

Washington,  D.  C,  March  21,  1865. 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

Ffffiident  of  the  H.'SMSanitary  Commissioo. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir  :  So  varied  are  the 
functions  which  are  performed  by  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  that  those  who  have 
plans  for  promoting  the  comfort  of  disabled, 
soldiers  naturally  submit  them  to  your  asso- 
ciation for  trial.  To  the  consideration  of  a 
proposal  having  that,  end  in'  view,  I  have 
the  honor  of  inviting  your  attention. 

The  warm  season  is  approaching,  when 
musquetoe  netting  is  resorted  to  in  our  hos- 
pitals for  protecting  patients'  from  the ,  an- 
noyance ^of  those  enemies  of  repose.  But 
there  are  times  the  netting  altoost  stifles 
the  sufferer,  who,  it  inay  be,  is  in  special 
need  of  al  current  of  fresh  air.  He  needs' 
not  only  a  contrivance  which  shall  keep 
musquetoes  away  by  night,  but  which  shall 
constantly  ward  off  from  his  wound  the  at- 
tacks of  flies.  These  objeots,"together  with 
fresh  air,  are  obtainable  easy  enough  by 
having  relays  of  attendants  for  fanning  the 
patient.  But  no  hospital,  public  or  private, 
can  command  the  requisite  number  of  at- 
tendants. The  end  can  be  attained,  how- 
ever, by  a^very  simple  contrivance,  by  the 
suspension  of  a  punkah  from  the  ceiling  of 
ward,  having  a  palm  leaf  fan,  or  merely  a 
handkerchief  waving  gently  overfeach  bed. 


1146 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


If  properly  constructed  a  single  attendant 
can  fan  the  entire  side  of  a  ward — say  forty 
beds.  As  in  some  cases  fanning  might  not 
be  allowable,  and  in  all  the  operation  would 
require  temporary  suspension,  the  fans 
should  be  easily  removable  at  pleasure.  The 
labor  of  drawing  the  punkahs  could  be  per- 
formed by  men  who  have  been  depiaved  of 
an  arm  or  a  leg,  although  it  is  likely  that 
when  the  attention  of  6ur  inventors  is  called 
to  the,  subject  we  shall  have  plans  for  ac- 
complishing the  object  by  a  simple  and 
noiseless  piece  of  machinery.  It  were  super- 
fluous to  undertake  to  show  the  need  that 
exists  for  some  such  contrivance.  Any  one 
who  has  been  in  a  hospital  on  a  summer's 
day  either  as  patienl^  or  visitor,  will  admit 
that  this  is  a  desideratum,  and  such  is  the 
ingenuity  of  our  countrymen,  that  you  have 
only  to  make  known  the  want  and  you  shall 
surely  have  it  supplied.  Now  for  my  pro- 
posal: Offer  an  honorarium  for  the  best 
contrivance  for  fanning  a  long  row  of  beds, 
to  be  tested  in  the  nearest  military  hospital 
to  your  headquarters,  and,  my  word  for  it, 
we  shall  soon  have  a  contrivance  which  in 
all  future  time  will  be  coijsidered  an  indis- 
pensable part  of  hospital  appliances.  Be 
prompt,  that  the  thousands  who  are  destined 
soon  to  be  prostrated  by  fever,  or  siippu- 
rating  wounds,  may  have  their  sufferings 
ameliorated  by  sanitary  zephyrs,  through 
the  agency  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Most  respectfully  submitted, 

D.  J.  MaoGtowan. 


IKE   SANIIABT    COMMISStONT-Air   EXFLA- 
NATIOir. 

■Washington,  March  29,  1865. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Washington  Ghronicle: 

Dear  Sir  : — Your  issue  of  this  morning 
contains  an  appeal  from  Wilmingte^n,  under 
date  of  March  15,  in  behalf  of  the  Union 
prisoners  gathered  at  that  point,  in  which 
the  writer  states  that  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion was  out  of  supplies.  As  this  may  con- 
vey to  many  a  false  impression,  I  must  ask 
you  to  publish' the  following  brief  statement : 

From  the  first  military  movements  pre- 
paratory to  the  attack  on  Fort  Fisher,  the 
Commission  was  represented  in  that  army 
by  an  efficient  agent,  Mr.  Foster,  and  as- 
sistants, with  an  ample  stock  of  hospital  and 
battle-field  supplies,  renewed  from  time  to 
time  from  our  depots  further  North. 

On  the  first  arrival  of  the  prisoners-,  he 
was  able  partially  to  supply  many  of  their 
wants,   especially  in    clothing    and    milk 


punch,  the  ai^ticles  most  needed  in  their 
critic^  condition.  In  furnishing  the  latter 
article,  which  was  issued  in  large  quantities, 
Mr.  Foster  was  assisted  by  the  provost 
marshal,  who  added  twenty  barrels  of  whis- 
key (confiscated)  to  his  stock. 

Preparations  having  been  made  in  New 
York  in  anticipation  of  the  demand,  a 
steamer  was  despatched  from  that  port  with 
sugplies  on  the  11th  instant,  but  did  not 
arrive  until  after  the  date  of  the  letter  above 
referred  to.  A  small  part  of  this  cargo  was 
reserved  for  the  twenty-four  hundred,  more 
or  less,  of  Sherman's  army  in  hospital  at 
Wilmington,  but  much  the  larger  portion 
was  devoted  to  the  prisoners,  and  is  etill 
doing  its  good  work  for  them,  whose  wretch- 
edness words  cannot  exaggerate,  nor  in  any 
measure  describe. 

A  glance  dl  the  appended  list  of  the 
cargo  will  indicate  its  character  and  value 
(over  $60,000),  to  which  heavy  additions 
have  since  been  made.  ' 

The  large  and  important  work  of  the 
Commission  has  already  called  out  the 
hearty  acknowledgments  of  General  Abbott, 
the  commander  of  the  post,  Dr.  Barnes,  the 
medical  director,  and  Dr.  Buzzell,  in  charge 
of  forwarding  the  prisoners. 

I  deem  it  important  to  add,  in  this  con- 
nection, that  the  whole  number  of  prisoners 
received  by  exchange  at  Wilmington  is 
about  8,700,  and  that  a  large  proportion  of 
them  have  already  been  removed  from  that 
crowded  and  filthy  town  to  comfortable  hos- 
pitals, or  furloughed  to  visit  their  homes, 
most  of  them  ^remaining,  being  too  feeble 
for  transporting.  Of  the  whole  number 
exchanged,  8,700,  about  2,000  were  on 
stretchers,  many  of  whom  ^ve  died. 
Yours,  very  respectfully, 

Francis  Fowler, 

AsBt:  Sec.  V.  S.  San.  Commission. 
TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CORRBBPONDGNCB. 

NaBhvlUe,  by  C.  B.  Eugglea 1134 

Wilmington, by  T.  W.Foster 113S 

"  Dr.  C.  E.  AgneW 1139 

Patrick's  Station,  by  J.  Henry  DaviB. .  .^ 1141 

Boston,  by  George  H.  Rice 1142 

Ship  Island,  Prisoners,  by  J.  H.  Gibou... 1142 

Savannah,  by  Chaplain  Porter H4S 

Nashville,  by  K.  L.  Jones 1144 

Carlo,  111.,  by  H.  Tone 1144 

Washington,  by  Dr.  MoGowan 1146 

MlBCBLLANEOna. 

Driving  Home  the  Cows 1121 

A.  Fortnight  with  the  Sanitary 1121 

Sanitary  Supplies  for  the  Souls  of  Soldiers 1138 

Petersburgh  and  Richmond 1141 

Sanitary  Commission  and  Confederate  Prisoners... .  1142 

"In  Prison  and  ye  came  unto  me'' 1142 

Fans  for  Army  Hospitals : 1145 

The  Sandwich  Islands ;..\ 1145 

Editorial. 
Sew  York  Observer  and  Twenty  Facts 1137 


The ,  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1147 


PROTECTIVE 

I 
\  OF  THB 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

All  the  papers  and  correspondence  required 
to  procure  Penaiona,  Bounty  and  Back  Pay,  and 
Prize  Money  for  discharged  soldiers  and  sailora, 
and  for  the  relatives  of  soldiers  aijd  sailors  dying 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  prepared  and 
forwarded,  and  the  proceeds  of  all  claims,  when 
collected,  remitted  to  the  parties  entitled,  free  of 
charge. 

(  boaud  of  dibectobs. 

WliLIAM  M.  TILGHMAN,  Chairman. 

HOBAOB  BiNNET,  Jb.,  RoBERT  M.  LeWIS, 

Albxandeb,  Bbown,  Georoe  M.  Oonabbob, 

Hoit.  J.  I.  Glare  Habb,  Ghablbs  J.  StillS, 

William  Welsh,  Geoeqb  D.  Pakeish, 

William  L.  Rehn,  H.  Lenox  Hodob,  M.D., 

Gboboe  Tbott,  Atherton  Blisht. 

H.  Lenox  Hodob,  M.D.,  Examining  Siirgeon. 
Bdwabd  a.  Smith  M.D.,  Aasi»iant  Surgeon. 
W.  N.  Ashman,  Solicitor. 
Jas.  W.  Hazlbhubst,  Assistant  Solicitor. 

Office :  No,  1307  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 
PROTECTIVE 

OF   THB 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

Pbbsidbnt. 
Libul-Gbn.  WINPIELD  SCOTT. 

-  Vice-Pebsidbnts. 
Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admiral  Dupont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Rijd.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq 
Tbbasubbb. — ^Robert  B.  Mintdbn,  Esq. 

Dibectobs. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
Gboboe  Opdtke, 
HiBAM  Barney, 
Jas  W.  BebkiIan, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.f*., 

John  Jacob  Abtor, 

Jame3  Bbown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

Jambs  Gallatin, 


HOWABD  POTTBB, 

William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Coopeb, 
GEOBeB  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hhnt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfbed  Fell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRT  GREENFIELD,  Seefetary, 
35  Chambebs  Stebet,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
l8^  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant,  ^ 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  amlars  and  thek  families 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  present  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Oovemment.  * 

ith.  To  give  gratitkous  adeice  amd  information  tv 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  cbnstituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  Yook. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  f'ork. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
,     Wolcott  Gibhg,  M.D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boaton,  Mass. 

0.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
■    Rt.Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Waahington,  D.  0. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Pedna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles" J.  Stillfe,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICBBS.  ' 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Foster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

standing  committee.    , 


Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibba,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  StillS. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
I  with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
Statea,  Eaatern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  ot  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C."  , 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1301  Chest- 
nnt  Street,  Philadelphia." ' 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Gomipission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 


V 


1148 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ment  of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given, 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  maif;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

fl@'Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  army. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  vii  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT   OF   THE    EAST. 

OENTBAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLBCTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  18  West 
Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Nos.  10  &  11 
Cooper  Union,  New  York. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  State  House,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chestnut 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

DEPOTS  OP  DISTBIB0TION. 

U.  S.'  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  244  P  Street, 
Washington,  D.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Distribu- 
tion, Ta. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  46  Shai^ 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

n.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md, 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  ..Y.a. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.'^O. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

OENTBAL  DEPOTS  OP  COLLEOTION. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  corner  Vine  and 
Sixth  Streets,  Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.' Sanitary  Commission,  Np.  95  Bank  Street, 
Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  66  Madison 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  2  Adam's 
Block,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  59  Fourth 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  Penna. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  32  LaAed 
Street,  Detroit,  Mich. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Coluinbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Fifth  Street,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  ate  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  .68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

EAST. 

"Special  Belief"  Office,  76  KingstoJi  Street, 
Boston^  Mass.  , 

"Special  Relief"  Office,  1307  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

"  Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  Exchange  street,  op- 
posite R.  R.  Depot. 

"  Soldiers'  Lodge,"  Harrisburg,  Pa.  ' 

"The  Home,"  Baltimore,  Md. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  Annapolis,  Md. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  No.  389  H  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  assistance  is  rendered 
in  procuring  Pay,  Pensions,  Bounty,  Prize  Money, 
and  arrears  of  Pay  and  Bounty,  and  in  various 
other  ways. 

"  The  Home,"  No.  374  N.  Capitol  S&eet,  Wash' 
ington,  D.  C. 

"  Home  for  Wives,  Mothers  and  Children  of 
Soldiers,"  374  N,.  Capitol  St.,  Washington,  D.  C.  ' 

"  Lodge  No.  4,"  for  discharged  soldiers,  No. 
389  H  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Lodge  No.  5,"  near  terminus  of  Washington 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Maryland  Avenue,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  \ 

"  Lodge  No.  6,"  near  Steamboat  Landing,  Sixth 
Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"  Alexandria  Lodge,"  near  terminus  of  Orange 
and  Alexandria  R.  R.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

"  Special  Relief  Office,"  New  Orleans,  La. 
,    "  The  Home,"  New  Orleans,  La. 

WEST. 

Soldiers'  Home,  No.  81  Jefferson  avenue,  De- 
troit, Michigan. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Third  Street,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Louisville,  Ky.,  James  Malona, 
Sup't.     James  Morton,  Special  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  New  Albany,  corner  of  Main 
and  State  Streets. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cairo,  111.,  C.  N.  Shipman, 
Superintendent  and  Rejief  Agent.     , 

Soldiers'  Home,  Nashville,  Tenh.,  Captain  I. 
Brayton,  Sup't.     Rev.  J.  Hoblit,  Relief  Agent 

Soldiery'  Ho.me,  Columbus,  Ohio,  Col.  Isaac 
Dalton,  Stiperintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Joseph  Je- 
rome, Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  near  landing,  Memphis,  Tenn 
C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and  Relief  Agent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky.,  Thomas 
Butler,  Superintendent. 

Soldiers'  Home,  Paducah,  Ky. 


The  Sanitai^y  Commission  Bulletin.  1149 


BEANCH,  \%°pffiiiuJr^.-  \       -  i'-'i'^^Il'',      ,  BBANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway,      I  l^jfC^I^T  LEG& ijjj-l  I      No.  19  Green  Street, 
NEW  YORK.  Jj     \'i>0^''''*-3i6   C^^0'<^t  IrC-^     BOSTOK",  MasB.'^ 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  apd  Sailors  who  have  loi^t  Limbs. 

The  "Palmek"  Arm  and  tEa  are  now  famished  for  the  mntUated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  hare  the' 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Burgeon-General,  whioh  will  gratify  nnmerons  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  heen  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  hare  .no  aid  from  Government. 

Surgeok-Genebal's  Office, 
,  WASHiiiaTOH  CiTT,  B.C.,  l)ec.  12,  1863. 

Sib  :— The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S"  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported       *#**»♦** 

Is  COHFLIAHCE  "WITH  THE  REOOHMENDATION  UP    THE    BoARD,  WHEN  A    B01>DIER    HAT    DESIBB    TO    PURCHASE  "THE  MORE 
BLEOAHT  AKB  EXPEXBIVE  ABM  OP  PAIMEB,"  FIFTY  DOLLABS  WIU,  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PATMEST  POB  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-Oeneral.  C,  H.  CRAKE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

'  Bubgeon-Gekeral's  Office, 

WASHiKaTOH  CiTT,  D.C.,  Sept.  20. 1864. 
Sib  : — In  answer  to  you  letter  of  the  let  Inst.,  I  am  directed  to  Inform  yon,  that  the  Beport  and  recommendation  «f 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  ArtiflciaL  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  rbqabdb  the  Limbs  hanufactitred  bt  Ton. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  C.  SPENCEB,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.S.,  744  Broadway,  New  Yorlc. 


The  Best  PALMER  LEO  is  furnished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE  < 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM.  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at, either  of  the  offices     Address 

B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

Preeident  American  Artificial  Littib  Co, 

THE  TARR  FARM  PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

^£B.oe,   6X   CS&tXeur  Street,   ]^0'e'V^  "^Tox-lx.. 

Capital,  $3,000,000.    30,000  Shares,  Far  Value  $100  each. 

TRUSTEES: 

OEORGB  P.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  New  York.     AL ANSON,  A.  SUMNER,  Albanj,  N.  T. 
Hon.  ROGER  AVERILL,  Danbury,  Conn.       E.  B.  BELDEN,  M.D.,  New  York. 
WILLARD  PARKER,  M.D.,  New  York.         J.  T.  SANGER,  New  York. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH,  New  York.  ^ 

To  all  acquainted  with  the  Oil  Region  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  name  of  this  Company, 
as  indicating  its  locality,  is  significant  of  the  great  value  of  its  properties.  • 

There  is  no  better  Oil  Territory.  ^ 

It  embraces  interests  in  fee  in  more  than  twenty  productive  wells,  and  in  twelve  others 
now  rapidly  approaching  completion,  while  the  further  development  of  its  large  unimproved 
area  will,  at  an  early  day,  greatly  increase  its  product. 

We  offer  it  as  a  permanent  dividend-paying  investment. 

A  limited  amount  of  this  stock  can  be  obtained  solely  of  the  undersigned  at  $50  PER 
SHARE,  BEING  9NE-HALF  OF  ITS, PAR  VALUE. 

The  declared  dividend  for  the  month  is  one  per  cent,  on  its  entire  capital,  to  whicii  pur- 
V  chasers  within  the  month  will  be  entitled. 

JAMES  WADSWORTH  &  COMPANY, 

^o.  61  Cedar  Street,  New  York. 


1150  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


^^m"^ '% 


Adapted  to  every  brancli  of  businessi 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIBB AITKS  &  CO.,  No.  262  Broadway,  New  Tork. 
FAIBBANKS  &  BEOWIT,  Wo.  118  Miik  Street,  Boston. 
FAIEBANKS,  GEEEBriiBAF  &  CO^  No.  172  Lake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIKBAlirKS  &  EWIWQ,  Masonio  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIBBAiaKS  &  CO.,' Ho.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Deseripiive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  ore  application  to  either  of  the  above. 

ESTABLISHED  i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OF  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

WHEEIiER  &  Tf^ILiSOlV, 

eROTER  &  BAKER, 

WIL.L,COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOWE, 

SIBirOER  AND  OTHERS. 

TO  REJWT  AND 

FOR  8ALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  Street,  il'ew  York. 

V.  W.  WIOKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

vi>W  486  Broadway,  Up  Stairs. 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1151 


OFFICE    OF    THE 

:m.  orris 


OOMPAISTY, 
COLUMBIAN     BUILDING, 


Authorized  Capital, 
Cash  Capital,  paid  In, 


$5,000,000. 
$200,000. 


This  Company  issues  on  the  most  favorable  terms,  Policies  of  Insurance, 

WITH  OR  WITHOUT  PARTICIPATION  IN  PROFITS. 


against  'loss  or  damage  by  fire,  on  Dwelling  Houses,  Stores,  an4  all  kinds  of 
Buildings,  and  on  Household  Furniture  and  other  Property,  and  on  Vessels  and 
their  Cargoes,  while  lying  in  Port.. 

Losses  will  be  Promptly  Adjusted  and  Paid. 


£3  o  n?  o 


BDWARB  BOWE, 

JOHN  D.  BATES, 

JOSEPH  MORRISON, 

ALBERT  G.  LEE, 

FEED.  H.  BEADLEB, 

.      DAN'L  W.  TELLER, 

eEOBQE  MILN, 

EDWARD  C.  BATES, 

HEHET  J.  CAMMANN, 

J.  G.  M0KRI8, 

WILLIAM  MACKAX, 

8.  N.  DERRICK, 

EOB'T  BOWWE, 

BENJ.  E.  BATES, 

CHARLES  HICKOX, 

EZSA  ITTE, 

B.  0.  MOEEIS,  Jb., 

H.  0..HIMS. 

WM.  M.  WHITNEY  Secretary. 


B.  C.  MORRIS,  President. 


1152  The  Sanitary  Oommiasion  Bulletin. 

F.  RATOHFpRD  STARR,  General  Agent* 

400  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia, 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  Tork. 

F.  S.  "WINSTON,  President. 
Casta  Assets  Tblrteen  Millions  of  Dollars.     ' 

The  Insured  may  each  year  receive  their  dividends,  in  cash  in  payment  of  premium,  or  apply  it  in 
increasing  the  amount  insured. 

TOBCE 

Widows'  &  Ori^hans'  Benefit  Life  Ins.  Go.  of  New  Tork. 

*  LUCIUS    KOBINSON.    Peesident. 

Casta  Capital,  $300,000. 

M^ny  of  the  Trustees  and  other  ofSoers  of  this  Company  are  connected  with  the  well-known  Mutual 
Life  "Insurahce  Compabt  oy  New  York,  and  the  intimate  and  amicable  relations  between  the  two 
Companies,  guarantee  favorable  results  to  Policy-holders. 


Universal  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York. 

JOHN    WADSWORTH,    President. 
Casta  Capital,  $200,000. 

This  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  benefit  of  those  who,  because  of  imperfect  health,  are  unable 
to  obtain  policies  in  other  companies.  It  thus  meets  the  case  of  thousands  who  have  been  turned  away 
disappointed  in  their  efforts  to  provide  for  their  families,  and  of  a  still  larger  number  who  have  felt  it  use- 
less to  apply  for  insurance. 

Every  information  may  be  had,  on  application,  by  letter  or  .otherwise,  to 

F.  BATCHFOBD  STABB,  General  Age^t, 
,  400  Walnut  Street,  Phlladelpkla. 

Insurance  against  Accident  by  the 

TRAVELERS'  INSURANCE  COMPANY, 

HARTFOED,  CONN. 
CAJP'X'J^.A.Ij,         ...         ^SOOyOOO. 

JAMES  G.  BATTERSON,  Pkesidjint. 
Insurance  effected  in  this  Company  against  ACCIDENTS  of  every  description. 

Yearly  Policies  will  be  liasued  for  a  Premium  of 

Fifteen  Dollars, 
granting  Insurance  to  the  amount  of 

Five  Thousand  BoUars 

against  loss  of  life  by  any  accident  whatever.  ^  ' 

Twenty-Five  Dollars 
Secures  a  Policy  for 

Five  Thousand  Dollars; 

together  with  $25  per  week  compensation  for  personal  injury,  incapacitating  the  assured  from  his 
ordinary  business. 

Fifty  Dollars  Premium 
secures  a  Full  Policy  for  $10,000  and  $40  per  week  compensation  for  all  and  every  description  of 
Accident.  , 

tolioies  for  $500,  with  $3  per  week  compensation,  can  be  had  for  $3  Premium,  or  any  oth?r 
sum  between  $500  and  $10,000  at  proportionate  rates. 

WM.  W.  ALLEIV,  Ag^ent, 

404  WALNUT  STREET. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  37. 


PHILADELPHIA,  MAY  1,  1865, 


No.  37. 


Thb  Sanitaby  Comhissiok  Bulletin  is  publithed  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  every  month,  and'at 
it  has  a  circulation,  gratuitout  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an' unusually  valuable  medium  for 


All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1307  Chestnut  strffi,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers.  , 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bullbtin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that' of  the  wa/r,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
(0  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  iUeir  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the' 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stbono,  68  Wall  street,  Neu>  York,  or  No.  1307  CJiestnut  street,  Philadelphia,')  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  ewrent  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


For  the  Sanitary  Commission  Bnllotin. 
SIABYES  TO  DE&TH! 

Suggested  by  the  remark  of  a  mother,  one  of  whose  sons 
had  died  of  starvation  in  a  rebei  prison ;  "I  hardly  expect- 
ed my  boys  would  return  to  me  anharmed,  but  1  never 
dreamed  one  would  be  starved  to  death." 

BY   MIKHIB   MINTWOOD. 

Above  me,  soft'ning  April  skies ; 

And  all  around,  tfie  tender  grass,^ 
With  slight  green  arms  that  eager  rise 

To  catch  the  sunbeams  as  they  pass  j 
And  just  bel6w,  the  rippling  brook, 

With  pulses  throbbing  low  and  deep, 
While  birds  and  flowers  and  mossy  nook, 

All  memories  of  my  darling  keep. 

Within,  upon  my  picture^  wall, 

OneArow  is  fairer  than  the  rest ; 
Ah,  me !  it  seems  at  yester's  call, 

His  head  was  pillowed  on  my  breast. 
His  every  ci^l  some  gold  had  caught. 

The  sweets  of  flowers  were  in  his  breath ; 
In  all  my  life  he  was  inwrought, 

And  now,  to  know  he  starved  to  dfiath/ 

That  he  was  brave  you  well  may  know. 

No  heart  more  loyal,  true  and  leal, 
Among  the  first  of  all  to  go 

And  bare  his  breast  to  rebel  steel. 
And  when  he  in  his  armor  stood, 

The  bravest  of  them  all,  one  saith  : 
"  Virginia's  soil  may  drink  his  blood," 

Eutnone,  "your  boy  will  starve  to  death!" 

*  Full  well  I  knew  'mid  shot  i^nd  shell 

And  clash  of  sabres  he  would  stand ; 
But  He,  who  doeth  all  things  well, 

Might  shield  him  with  His  loving  hand. 
But  if  he  fell !  I  could  not  bear 

Within  my  heart  a  place  for  this ! 
To  see  no  more  his  forehead  fair. 

Or  nevermore  his  lips  to  kiss. 

Vol.  I.  No.  37  73 


Still,  should  it  be  my  woman's  part 

To  see  my  bliss  in  ruins  lie. 
For  my  loved  country,  e'en  my  heart 

Could  bear  for  him  to  die. 
If  he,  as  patriots,  should  fall 

With  victory  flashing  in  his  eye. 
His  spirit  leaping  at  the  call 

To  join  the  ranks  of  souls  on  high. 

For  every  mine  must  yield  its  gold. 

From  every  hearth  some  incense  rise, , 
I  gave  the  best  of  all  my  fold — 

My  boy — a  country-sacrifice ! 
But;  God!  I  never  thought  to  know, 

With  hunger  weakening  every  breath, 
■  By  squalid  want  and  torture  slow, 

My  hoy  would  ever  starve  to  death! 

Hilldale  Farm,  near  Ludlowville, 

Tompkins  County,  New  York,  April,  186ffw 

( ' 

LEITEB  FBOM  NEWBEBIT,  S,  C. 

BY  J.  W.  PAGE,  M.D. 

March  19,  1865. 

I  enclose  to  you  some  of  the  notes  re- 
ceived from  my  brother,  in  charge  of  the 
Relief  Corps  at  the  front,  and  dated  respect- 
ively the  11th,  14th,  15th,  16th,  17th,  and 
18th.  Several  of  these  should  have  gone 
forward  with  the  lists  of  wounded  I  have 
already  forwarded ;  but  the  early  hour  and 
hiirry  of  my  departure  for  Moorehead,*  on 
the  day  of  my  last  communication,  occa- 
sioned their  oversight,  and  I  was  surprised 
to  find  them  still  lying  on  my  table. 

These  notes,  jotted  down  on  the  field, 
tell  in  their  style,  as  well  as  in  their  narrr- 


1154 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


live,  the  yeoman  service  whicli  our  Relief 
Corps  has  rendered  thus  far  in  a  campaign 
in  which,  perhaps  more  than 'in  any  other 
of  the^war,  not  only  the  comfort,  but  the 
salvation,  of  our  sick  and  wounded  depended 
on  the  extraneous  Relief  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  at  the  right  time  and  the  right 
place.  The  railroad  construction  has  pro- 
gressed pari  passu  with  the  army,  but  five 
or  seven  miles  in  the  rear.  Our  chief  sup- 
ply tent  was  at-the  terminus  of  the  railroad 
in  season  to  receive,  and  shelter,  and  pro- 
vide for  the  first  instalment  of  the  wounded 
from  the  battle  fiejd;  while  our  Relief 
agents  were  extending  the  needed  relief  to 
the  field  hospitals  along  our  extesbded  ba;ttle 
line.  The  reconstruction  of  the  railroad, 
employing  an  army  of  two  thousand  con- 
structionists, building  wharves  and  depots, 
laying  tracks  and  transporting  material 
therefor,  has  been  going  on  at  the  same 
time  with  the  transportation  of  thirty  thou- 
sand troops,  with  all  the  impedimenta  of 
modern  warfare,  directly  into  the  enemy's 
country,  equipped  and  appointed  for  an  im- 
mediate battle  with  an  army  of  the  enemy 
equal  in  numbers.  Yet  all  this  herculean 
work  has  been  done  with  four  wheezy  en- 
gines and  a  correspondingly  insufficient  pro- 
vision of  truck  and  box  cars.  I  question 
whether  such  a  brilliant  feat  of  railroading, 
all  things  considiered,  has  ever  been  accom- 
plished since  the  commencement  of  this 
war,  of  which  railroading  has  been  such  a 
novel  aad  important  military  element.  It 
is  a  "railroad  victory  which  adds  as  much 
lustre  to  the  genius  and  energy-of  Colonel 
Wright  Mid  Mr.  Van  Dyne,  as  does  the 
battle  of  Kinston  to  the  military  reputation 
of  our  successful  generals.  These  allusions 
would  be  episadical,'were  thtey  not  intended 
to  draw  your  attention  to  ^he  long  intervals 
which  must  necessarily  happen  between  the 
arrivals  of  trains  on  a  road  so  illy  provided 
with  rolling,  stock,  and  so  enormously  taxed 
beyond  its  reasonable  capacity.  A  long 
line  of  railroad,  constantly  advancin^g  its 
terminus  into  a  wild  and  swampy  country, 
where  Our  sick  and  wound«d  must  meet  it 
at  unheralded  hours,  and  await  on  the  damp 
ground,  through  rain  and  shine,  or  enve- 
loped in  the  swamp  fogs  of  the  chilly  nights, 
^ith  only  the  little  covering  and  scanty 
comforts  that  could  be  brought  for  six  miles' 
over  horrible  roads,  in  overloaded  ambu- 
lances, Irom  destitute  field  hospitals  and 
'await,  through  these  cheerless  hours,  the 
unfrequent  trains,     We  have  had-  floods  of 


rain ;  an,d  an  ambulance  travelling  over  the 
deeply  gullied  roads  would  tax  the  enau- 
rance  oiwell  men.  You  can  imagine,  then, 
the  condition  of  our  sick  and  wounded  after 
six  miles  of  ,such  rough  jolting ;  and  you 
can  imagine,  perhaps  Ijetter  than  I  can  de- 
scribe, the  full  measure  of  their  satisfaction, 
when,  instead  of  being  dumped  on  the  cold, 
wet  ground,  to  await,  chilled  and  hungry, 
the  arrival  of  the  c^rs,  they  found^ready  for 
their  reception,  our  spacious  tents,  emblan- 
zoned  in  front,  so  that  "  he  that  runs  may 
read,"  with  the  full  name  of  our  glorious 
old  Commission,  and  provided  within  with 
every  comfort  for  the  outer  and  the  inner 
man.  Soft,  beds  of  quilts,  laid  on  clean- 
straw — warm  blankets — rich  soups,  with 
Boston  eraokers^-hot  cofiee  and  tea,  gentle 
attendance  and  good  cheer,  and  the  assurance 
of  the  same  comforts  being  transferred  to 
the  cars  for  their  transportation  to  Newbern. 
The  luxury  of  being  the  instrument  in  af- 
fording such  relief  was  new  to  my  brother, 
and  to  some  of  the  improvised  corps  of  as- 
sistants, and  stimulated  them  to  exertions 
too  strained  and  continuous  for  their  own 
safety ;  so  that  I  have  relieved  them  in  a 
measure,  by  forwarding,  in  charge  of  sup- 
plies, the  volunteer  but  temporary  aid  of 
several  young  gentlemen  in  the  Department, 
whose  truthful  natures  and'  warm  sympar 
thies  I  had  learned  by  previous  acquaint- 
ance to  appreciate.  The  number  and  cha- 
racter of  these  oSpcs  from  young  men  long 
associated  with  this  Department  in  military 
and  civil  positions,  and  their  proffered  wil- 
lingness to  serve  the  Commission  at  the 
front,  at  the  very  time  when  the  drilling 
spring  rains  and  the  booming  of  the  distant 
cannon  told  them  plainly  that  such  a  cam- 
paign was  no  child's  play,  have  ilustrated, 
with  gratifying  clearness,  the  deep  hold 
which  the  Sanitary  Commission  has  already 
gained  on  the  affections  of  the  generous 
youths  of  our  land,  whose  characters  are 
being  moulded  on  the  ^gigantic  occurrences 
now  transpiring,  and  forming  the  history  of 
their  country.  I  had  anticipated  the  usual 
proffer  of  battle-field  aid  from  "  our  friends 
over  the  "way"  of  the  Christian,  Commission, 
as  in  days  gone  by.  I  had  received  in- 
structions to  accept  such  proffered  aid  on 
the  field,  and  to  supply  and  tresit  the  dele- 
gates as  our  own  Relief  agents ;  and  my  ex- 
perience in  South  Carolina,  and  in  previous 
campaign^  in  this  Department,  had  led  me 
to  place  t  high  estimate  on  the  value  of 
such  relief  aid ;  and  I  had  instructed  my 


The  Sanitary  Oommistion  Bul^tin. 


1155 


brother,,  if  such  relief  was  preferred  to  ac- 
cept and  treat  it  in  accordance  with  the  es- 
timate I  had  entertained  of  its  value.     No 
proffer,  however,  was  made  hy  the  dekgates 
of  the  Christian  Commission,  though  several 
of  them  were  here,  and  several  new  ones 
appeared  on  the  ground  about  the  time  and 
since  our  active  campaign  began.     I  under- 
stand from  one  of  their  number,  that  seve- 
ral of  the  new  ones  left,  during  the  week  of 
the  fight,  for  other  localities,  as  Wilmington 
and  Plymouth,  &c.     None  of  them,  how- 
ever, were  on  the  field,  nor  have  been  to 
the  front  J  unless  I  except  a  quasi  dele- 
gate, who  appeared  after  the  fight,  penny- 
a-lining  items  for  the  local  newspaper.  This 
avoidance  of  the  field,  at  the  time  of  active 
operations,    and    when,'  our     soldiers    are 
breasting  the  deadly  fire  of  the  enemy,  leads 
me  to  suppose  there  may  have  been  some 
change  in  the  programme  of  the  Christian 
Commission,  of'  which,  from  my  long  ab- 
sence from  our  northern  centres  of  action,  I 
have   nojt   been   made  aware.     From  pre- 
vious experience,  I  had  reckoned  on  their 
co-operation,  and  its  failure  compelled  me, 
at  a  late  hour,  to  improvise  a  supplementary 
Relief  corps  from  the  ardent  and  generous 
materials  I  ha\>e  previously  alluded  to.  My_ 
previous  acquaintance  with  the  self-denial 
and  usefulness  of  the  delegates  of  the  Chris- 
tian Commission  at  such  times  as  these,  would 
lead   me  to   think  any  such    fundamental 
change  in  the  objects  of  their  mission  an 
unfortunate  one,  as  I  cannot  see  any  corre- 
sponding compensation'to  ^the  service. 

I  returned  from  the  front  on  Wednesday, 
the  15  th,  kaving  our  Sanitary  depot  and 
cprps  at  Dow's  Station,  then  the  terminus 
of  the  railroad,  about  8  miles  from  Kinston, 
and  from  which  point  our  stores  radiat^ji  to 
the  different  hospitals  and  encampments  of 
our  large  army.  The  corps  and  division 
wagons  were  constantly  arriving  at  and  de- 
parting from  that  point  with  army  stores, 
and  every  facility  for  transportation  was 
furnished  us.  From  the  moment  of  the 
■arrival  of  our  stores  aifd  the  establishment 
of  the  Sanitary  depot  where  the  hospital 
trains  must  meet  the  terminus  of  the  rail- 
road, an  order  was  issued  from  the  head- 
quarters of  G-eneral  Palmer  to  the  Quarter- 
masters of  his  division  to  furnish  all  the 
transportation  we  might  need  in  forward- 
ing our  relief  to  any  portion  of  the  field. 
Oar  Depot  has  kept  pace  with  "the  rail- 
road. It  has  been  a  moving  hospital,  meet- 
ing the  sick  and  wounded  always  at  the* 


point  where  the  long  weary  hours  of,  de- 
tention would  have  been  painful  and  dreary 
but  for  the  comforts  provided  for  them  by 
the  agents  of  our  Commission  there.  The 
long  list  of  wounded  which  I  have  for- 
warded you  were  all  the  recipients  of  our 
care  at  that  point,  and  their  railroad  wants 
provided  for  until  they  should  arrive  at  the 
doors  of  the  general  hospital  in  Newbern. 

I  spent  one  day  in  visiting  the  Division 
headquarters  along  the  extensive  line  of 
dur  new  position,  and  the  hospitals  in  the 
field,  witnessing  the  elation  of  our  gallant 
troops,  and  the  burial  of  a  multitude  of  rebel 
hopes. 

The  earthworks  thrown  up  by  our  troops 
under  fire,  and  begun  with  the  use  of  tin 
cups  and  shingles,  insteafti  of  the  pick,-axe 
and  spade,  are  a  wo'nderful  monument  of  the 
daring  and  eflSciency  of  our  veteran  troops. 
Though  the  work  of  a  couple  of  hours,  they 
are  as  extensive  and  strong  as  the  original 
defences  of  Newbern,  on  which  the  rebels 
had  labored  for  weeks.  This  was  especially 
observant  oh  the  right  of  our  line,  in  front 
of  the  old  9th  New  Jersey,  of  Burnside 
faine,  and  the  132d  New  York,  whose  valor 
has  so  often  and  so  stubbornly  held  our 
outposts  against  the  assaults  of  the  enemy. 
These  regiments,  with  the  rest  of  the  divi- 
sion of  General  Palmer,  held  the  extreme 
right  of  our  line,  which  the  enemy  assailed 
vigorously  on  the  first  day's '  fight,  with 
their  heavy  artillery  in  exact  range  of  the 
Division  Headquarters,  but  relinquished 
the  attack  for  the  desperate  onset  they  made 
on  the  left,  in  which  they  were  at  last  s6 
severely  punished. 

Our  sanitary  stores  had  reached  the ,  Di- 
vision in  quantity,  and  were  stacked' under 
guard.  Mr.  Perry,  our  Relief  Agent,  did 
some  hard  horse-back  riding,  and  severe  and 
prolonged  labors,  in  conducting  our  wagons 
over  miles  of  muddy  and  deeply  gullied  and 
rough  corduroy  roads.  I  saw  the  captains  of 
two  companies  of  cavalry,  long  celebrated  in 
this  Department  for  their  vigor  aud  daring, 
now,  when  under  orders  to  move  forward, 
appeal  to  these  stores  for  vegetables  for 
their  men,  and  themselves  count  out  tfie" 
onions,  that  they  might  be  sure  every  man 
should  get  one.  These  vegetables  are  more 
prized  at  such  a  time  by  these  men  than 
would  be  the  choicest  tropical  fruits. 

On  the  advance  of  the  army  from  the 
battle  field,  I  accompankd  it  to  Kinston, 
pUssing  one  night  at  the  new  encampment 
opposite  the  town,  and  in  the  morning  visit- 


1156 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ing  the  town  itself.  The  rebel  works  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  are  of  the  strongest 
description  of  earth  works,  and  well  manned 
would  have  j>resented  a  formidable  obstacle 
to  our  advitnce;  but  our  stout  fighting  in 
front,  and  the  fear  of  danger  in  .their  rear, 
compelled  them  to  abandon  these  works. 

I  returned  to  Newbern  via  "  Dover  Sta- 
tion," to  which  point  our  depot  had  ad- 
vanced, and  after  a  splashing  ride  of  ten 
miles  on  horseback,  as  many  more  by  cars, 
three  miles  on  foot,  and  five  on  a  hand-car, 
arrived  here  at  dusk.  Crowds  of  soldiers 
liave  been  passing  up  to  the  front,  and  every- 
thing indicates  operations  on  a  large  scale. 

I  received  a  telegram  from  Dr.  Agnew  on 
my  return,  and  took  the  first  train  for  More- 
hea^  City,  where  I  met  him  on  the  trans- 
port steamer  Chase,  with  a  fflU  cargo  of 
stores  for  the  Commission.  The  limited 
capacity  of  the  railroad,  already  overtaxed, 
forbade  the  landing  of  stores  at  the  wharf. 
Dr.  Agnew  placed  such  stores  as  we  needed 
here  on  board  a  provisionary  schooner,  some 
four  or  five  hundred  barrels  in  bulk,  which 
I  have  made  arrangements  to  transport 
to  Newbern  by  water.  The  next  day  Dr. 
Agnew  took  the  rest  of  the  steamer's  cargo 
to  Wilmington,  for  the  relief  of  our  liberated 
Union  prisoners,  and  on  his  return  will  dis- 
charge what  may  remain  at  Morehead  fur 
the  campaign  on  this  line. 

I  was  at  Wilmington  the  day  after  its 
capture,  having  run  down  with   Generals 


N  THE  'k 

5.  ) 


Palmer  and  Carter  and  stafis;  I  met  the 
Sanitary  Agent,  Mr.  Foster,  there, preparing 
for  a  depot  of  reception,  but  at  the  time 
destitute  ot  supplies.  I  should  have  advised 
the  sending  what  few  stores  could  then  have 
been  spared  from  this  point,  had  not  Mr. 
Foster  informed  me  that  he  had  eleven  days 
before,  made  lull  requisitions  on  the  central 
depot  at  New  York,  and  was  daily  expect-  I 
ing  ample  stores.  The  condition  of  such  of 
our  returned  prisoners  as  I  then  saw  was 
pitiable  beyond  expression,  and  the  avidences 
of  the  barbarity  of  the  rebel  leaders  was 
most  damnable.  The  filth,  squalor,  emaci- 
ation, idiocy,  and  insanity  of  those  who  sur- 
vived their  infernal  treatment,  prepared  me 
to  Witness  the  sight  of  the  charred  remains 
of  those  whom  the  rebels  burned  on  evacua- 
ting the  city ;  telling  the  poor,  bed-ridden 
victims  of  their  cruelty  "  if  they  would  not 
get  out  and  follow  their  army,  they  would 
scorch  them  out,"  and  carried  out  their 
devilish  threat  by  setting  fire  to  one  end  <f 
the  building! 


Headquabteks  U-  S.  San.  Com.  is  the 
Field,  six  miles  from  Cote  Ckeee, 
March  11,  1865. 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  the 
Division  Hospital  at  the  front.     I  started 
in  advance  of  an  army  wagon,  furnished  me 
by  the  Chief  Quartermaster,  which  I  loaded 
with  stores  for  the  front  from  our  depot  at 
this  station.    I  arrived  at  the  hospital,  nine 
miles  from  this  station,  at  about  S  o'clock 
this  P.M.     A   portion   of  the  rokd  being 
almost  impassible  for  man  or  beast,  and  so 
1  spent  a  longer  portion  of  the  day  on  the 
road  than  I  otherwise  would ;  but  I  met 
Dr.  Rice  at  the  hospital,  and  found  him 
making  his  preparations  for  breaking  up 
his  hospital  at  that  point,  and  preparing  ior 
a  forward  movement  toward  Kinston.    I 
learned  that  the  rebels  had  burnt  their  iron 
clad  ram  and '  the  bridge  across  the  Neuse 
river  at  Kinston ;  also  that  they  were  re- 
treating toward  Goldsbero'.     They  retreat- 
ed from  our  front,  taking  only  such  of  their 
wounded  as  they  thought  likely  to  survive 
their  injuries,  leaving. the  worst  cases  and 
,  the  dead  for  our  forces  to  bury  and  other- 
wise care  for.     On  my  return  to  camp  I 
found  that  Mr.  Perry  had  obtained  the  en- 
closed list  of  wounded  men  from  the  front, 
whom  he  had  cared  for  and  seen  properly  , 
and  comfortably  provided  with    blankets, 
and  had  a  rich  beef  soup  made  of  the  beef, 
stock  furnished  by  the  Commission,  and 
every  vOne    had   a  tin  cupful  befor6  being 
placed  on  the  cars,  after  which  he  gave  each 
one  a  cup  of  hot  coffee- and  crackers.  1  also- 
called  on  my  return  from  the  front  at  the 
hospital  at  Gum  Swamp,  where  I  found 
Dr.  Weaver  in  charge,  having  seven  wound- 
ed men  from  the  front,  and  Wishing  for 
some  relief,  which  was  afforded  him  imme- 
diately, as  he  came  to  the  depot,  and  I 
supplied   his    immediate   wants   from   the 
stores  of  the  Commission.     To-night  I  go 
to  bed  for  the  first  time  since  I  came  out 
here  before  two  o'clock  at  night. 

Head  Quarters  TJ.  S.  San.  Com.,  in  the 
Field,  6  miles  from  Cote  Creee, 

MarcK  12,  1865 

I  wrote  to  you  yesterday  morning,  quite 
early,  a  hasty  note,  which  I  forwarded  by 
Dr.  Wilson,  Assistant  Surgeon,  123d  Indi- 
ana Vols.,  in  charge  of  about  thirty  wounded 
and  some  20  sick  soldiers  from  the  front. 

I  had  on  that  day  visited;  in  company 
with  Captain  Kimball,  Chief  Quartermaster, 
the  headquarters  of  General  Palmer,  which 
is  at  the  right  of  the  line  of  defences.     We 


J  THE  ■) 
:,  N.  C,  \ 
L865.      J 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1157 


kft  our  depot  at  10  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
Doon,  and  arrived  at  headquartefa  about  12 
Boon.  We  heard  heavy  firing  all  the  time, 
and  on  arriving;  near,  we  learned  that  the 
rebels,  under  Hoke,  had  made  a  desperate 
attempt  to  flank  the  left  of  the  line  of  Gen- 
eral Palmer's  Division,  but  Weie  repulsed 
with  a  severe  loss  in  killed  and  wounded, 
and  a  few  hundred  prisoners,  including  one 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  one  of  General 
Hoke's  aid-de-eamps. 

While  at  headquarters  a  courrier  arrived^ 
with  a  message  from  General  Cox,  com- 
manding the  1st  Division  of  the  23d  Army 
Corps,  saying  that  couriers  had  arrived  at 
his  (Cox's)  headquarters,  bringing  intelli- 
gence from  General  Couch,  commanding  2d 
Division  of  the  23d  Corps,  that  he  was  at 
that  time  at  Beaver  Dam,  moving  from  Wil- 
mington on  to  Kinston.  This  intelligence 
was  received  with  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
doubled  the  assurance  of  the  capture  or 
annihilation  of  the  rebel  force  so  desperately 
struggling  to  break  through  our  lines,  if 
they  did  not' retreat.  . 

I  learned  also  that  our  loss  during  the 
day  in  killed  and  wounded,  was  not  near 
as  much  as  that  of  the  enemy.  The  force 
opposed  to  us  on  our  front,  amounted  to 
about  20,000,  commanded  by  the  rebel  Gen- 
erals Hoke,  D.  H.  Hill,  and  S.  P.  Lee,  well 
known  in  this  region  from  his  having  made 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  drive  the 
"hated  Yankees"  from  Newbern.  Seven 
consecutive  charges  were  made  on  the  forti- 
fications at  the  right  of  the  line,  commanded 
by  General  Palmer.  Every  attack  was-  re- 
pulsed with  as  much  determination  as  it  was 
made,  and  the  rebels  were  obliged  to  re- 
treat. At  the  last  attack  a  portion  of  one 
rebel  brigade  wasi^captured  by  our  forces, 
which  will  partly  compensate  for  the  loss  of 
one  .  regiment,  captured  by  them  yesterday 
forenoon,  that  is  as  far  as  numbers  of  pris- 
oners are  concerned. 

I  also  visited  the  division  hospital,  with 
Dr.  P.  B.  Rice,  the  Division  Surgeon.  I 
m^t  here  Dr.  Whitney,  of  the  18th  Wiscon- 
sin Vols.,  and  Drs.  \yhittier,  23d  Mass. 
Vols.,  Holcomb,.  Surgeon,  and  Cowles,  As- 
sistant Surgeon  15th  Conn.  Vols.,  busily  at- 
tending to  the  wounded  as  fast  as  they  were 
brought  in  from  the  field  of  action. 

Here- 1  obtained  from  Dr.  Rice  a  memor- 
andum of  what  stores  he  was  in  pressing 
need  ;  and  as  transportation  is  very  limited 
to  the  front,  and  the  roads  in  such  a  con- 
dition as  to  enable  but  about  1,200  or  1,500 


lbs  of  stores  to  be  transported  by  one  six 
mule  team,  I  made  the  assortment  to  com- 
prise the  greatest  variety  possible,  as  you 
will  see  by  a  memorandum  copy  of  the  issues 
of  to-day,  which  I  send  you,  as  follows  : — 
100  handkerchiefs,  50  towels,  120  pairs 
socks,  96  cans  condensed  milk,  48  lbs.  fari- 
na, 40  corn  starch,  60  tomatoes,  60  beef- 
stock,  1  bbl.  dried  apples,  25  lbs.  white 
sugar^  1  box  lint,  1  bed  tick,  1  bbl.  old 
linen,  24  btls.  whiskey,  2  bbls.  crackers,  1 
bbl.  onions.  Captain  Kimball,  Chief  Quar- 
termaster of  this  division,  has  promised  me 
one  army  wagon  to-morrow  morning,  which 
I  shall  load  and  send  forward,  and  see  that 
they  reach  their  destination  as  soon  as 
possible. 

At  10  o'clock,  P.M.,  I  sant  Mr.  Perry  with 
relief  supplies  to  the  division  hospital  at 
"  Gum  Swamp,"  5  miles  further  up  the  road. 

I  have  thus  far  obtained  all  the  names  of 
the  wounded  sent  to  this  station,  except 
some  who  have  been  sent  to  the  general  hos- 
pital, at  Newbern,  via  the  county  road  to 
,  Cove  Creek,  in  ambulances,  passing  a  mile 
or  more  at  the  right  of  this  station,  and  at 
times  when  I  have  nbt  been  apprised  of  the 
fact  until  too  late  to  get  the  names ;  at  any 
rate,  I  have  sent  you  nearly  all  the  names 
thus  far  of  the  wounded,  to  this  date ;  with 
the  nature  and  region  of  the  wound,  and 
the  missile  with  which  it  was  inflicted. 

I  have  also  attended  to  the  placing  these 
men  on  the  cars,  and  supplying  theip  with  the 
necessary  articles  for  their  comfort  during 
the  transportation  to  Newbern  general  hos- 
pital ;  and  many  have  been  the  heartfelt  ex- 
pressions of  gratitude  towards  the  Commis- 
sion for  the  attention  paid  to  them  in  their 
suffering.  I  have  made  long  day's  work 
for  the  time  I  have  been  here.  Last  night 
I  was  among  the  wounded  all  night,  going 
to  bed  about  3  o'clock  this  morning ;  so  it 
has  been  all  along.  1  am  not  unwilling  to 
sacrifice  my  own  cOmfort  for  the  relief  of 
our  gallant  boys,  who  have  fought  so  bravely 
and  been  the  unfortunate  ones  to  stop  the 
deadly  bullet  of  the  rebel  minions. 

I  shall  write  to  you  again  to-morrow  eve- 
ning, and  give  you  all  the  particulars  I  can 
obtain  of  the  condition  of  affairs  here  and  at 
the  front. 

This  morning  comes  out  clear  and  cool. 
The  first  pleasant  day  from  the  time  that 
we  establ&hed  our  depot  at  this  point.  I 
have  called  on  the  Quartermaster  of  the  1st 
Division  of  the  23d  Army  Corps,  and,  made 
arrangements  to  send  a  load  of  sanitary 


1158 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


stores  to  Dr.  Spurrier,  Surgeon-in-Charge. 
of  that  division. 

I  have  visited  the  Division  Hospital,  Ist 
Division,  District  of  Beaufort,  at  Gum 
Swamp,  and  furnished  them  with  relief  from 
our  stores.  Dr.  Weavei",  the  Surgeon-in- 
Charge",  has  since  called  at  our  depot,  and 
says  he  shall  send  all  the  wounded  forward 
to-night  to  this  station,  to  be  sent  to  the 
general  hospital  at  Newbe'rn,  and  I  have  had 
made  provision  for  their  accommodation 
under  shelter,  until  they  can  be  forwarded. 

We  have  heard  some  artillery  firing  in 
the  direction  of  Kinston,  at  intervals  during 
the  forenoon,  and  couriers  who  arrive  from 
the  front,  say  that  the  rebels  have  destroyed 
a  portion  of  the  bridge  across  the  river  at 
Kinston,  and  are  retreating  towards  Golds- 
boro',  destroying  the  railroad  as  they  go. 

I  also  Jearn  that  General  Couch's  Divi- 
sion of  the  23d  Army  Corps,  fi'om  Wilming- 
ton, has  formed  a  junction  with  the  left  of 
our  line,  in  the  rear  of  Kinston. 

This  forenoon,  260  rebel  prisoners  in- 
cluding one  Lieutenant  Colonel,  and  several 
other  officers,  were  brought  here  under  a, 
strong  ffuard  from  the  front,  to  be  taken  to 
Newborn  by  railroad.  Your  visit  to  our 
station  to-day,  gave  you  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  condition  of  affairs  at  our  depot. 

Lhave  to-night,  at  11  o'clock,  received  a 
commuoication  from  Dr.  Weaver,  asking  me 
to  aid  him  in  getting  the  wounded  from 
Gum  Swamp  Station  to  Newborn  general 
hospital ;  I  have  seen  the  conductor  of  the 
train,  and  he  has  promised  to  stop  a  car  at  a 
point  three  miles  this  side  of  the  Swamp, 
ahd  have  them  taken  on  and  forwarded. 

These  wounded  men,  some  12  or  13  in 
all,  have  twice  been  started  for  this  station 
in  ambulances,  but  owing  to  the  bad  con- 
dition of  the  roads,  were  unable  to  proceed, 
and  returned  to  the  hospital ;  but  to-night 
they  have  come  from  the  main  road  across 
a  new  road  to  the  railroad,  at  which  point 
I  have  made  arrangements  to  take  them  on 
the  cars. 

The  addition  of  Mr.  Band  to  our  present 
relief  corps,  in  the  field,  -has  come  just  in 
the  right  time,  as  Mr.  Perry  and  I  have 
been  taxed  pretty  severely,  having  been  at 
work  day  and  night  for  three  days,  and  his 
arrival  relieved  us  of  a  portion  of  the  duty. 

March  13,  1  o'clocic,  A.M. 

The  cars  have  just  arrived  from  Newborn, 
heavily  loaded  with  rations  and  pontoon 
bridges.     I  have  seen  the  conductor,  and 


made  arrangements  to  take  these  men  on 
the  train,  as  they  return  to  Newborn.  At 
5  o'clock  the  train  started  down  the  track, 
and  when  they  arrived  at  our  depot  I  sup- 
plied them  with  relief,  and  having  had  them 
all  comfortably  arranged  in  the  oars,  and 
seen  thqm  start  off,  properly  cared  for,  and 
under  the  charge  of  Acting  Hospital  Stew- 
ard   ,  of  the  132d  N.  Y.  Vols.,  I  went 

to  our  tent  and  lay  down  for  an  hour  or  two; 
,  after  this  short  rest,  I  procured  a  six  mule 

tim  from  the  quarter-master,  and  loaded 
with  an  assortment  of  sanitary  stores,  and 
sent  Mr.  Perry  in  charge  of  it  to  the  1st 
Division,  28d  Army  Corps,  Dr.  Spurrier 
Surgeon-in-Charge.  He  left  our  depot  at 
11  o'clock,  A.M.  During  the  remainder  of 
the  day  I  wis  at  the  depot,  making  arrange- 
ments to  move  the  tent  and  stores  five  mileS 
further  up  the  railroad,  to  Dover  Station, 
and  issuing  a  few  minor  articles  of  relief 
such  as  paper,  envelopes,  socks,  shirts,  &c., 
to  some  of  the  sick  in  the  field  relief  hos- 
pital at  this  station.  During  the  day  I  had 
some  100  letters  left  vith  me  at  the  tent, 
to  forward  by  mail,  and  as  we  have  flO  mail 
carrier  at  this  station,  will  it  not  be  possi- 
ble to  make  some  arrangement  by  which  we 
can  have  a  mail-bag  left  with  us  each  day, 
and  forward  these  soldiers'  letters  to  New- 
born postoffice  each  day,  as  they  accumulate. 
I  think  it  will  be  a  much  needed  service 
rendered  by  the  Commission  if  it  can  be  so 
arranged. 

I  have  this  evening  made  preparations, 
and  packed  our  stores  ready  to  strike  the 
tent, for  removal  just  as  soon  as  we  can  ob- 
tain transportation,  which  our  quartermas- 
ter at  this  station  informs  mo  will  be  to- 
night or  to-morrow  morning.      ^ 

Mr.  Perry  returned  from  the  front  at  11 
o' crock,  P.M.,  having  walked  some  12  miles, 
there  being  no  means  of  transportation .  He 
says  that  the  division  at  the  front  will  ad- 
vance to-morrow  morning  some  five  miles 
nearer  to  Kinston,  to  await  the  arrival  of  the 
pontoon  train,  and  then  cross  the  Neuse  at 
some  point  near,  and  occupy  Kinston. 


HEADQUAllTEIia  U.  S.  SaN.  COM.' 
IN  THB  FlKIiD,  OOVEE  STATION,  N.  0. 

March  U,  1865.     . 


}■ 


I.  have,  as  you  will  see,  by  the  date  of 
this  letter,  removed  our  vdepot  some  three 
miles  nearer  to  the  front;  this  being  the 
terminus  of  the  railroad  to-day. 

I  took  down  our  tent,  and  with  the  assist- 
ance of  men  from  the  quartermaster's 
I  guard,  placed  all  pur  stores  on  the  cars  by 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1159 


12  o'clock,  M,,  when  the  train  was  backed 
six  miles  down  the  tradk  to  Cove  Creek  to 
obtain  water  for  the  engine,  which  being 
rather  a  slow  process,  we  were  at  3  o'clock 
again  under  headway  for  our  new  position 
at  this  station,  where  we  arrived  at  five 
o'clock,  P.M. 

While  Mr.  Perry  Superintended  the  dis- 
charging of  the  stores  from  the  cars,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  find  a  location  in  which  to  again 
set  our  tent  which  should  be  convenient  to 
transportation,  both  by  railroad  and  wagons. 
Having  found  a  good  location  I  had  tfre 
tent  set  and  the  goods  stowed  away  inside. 
Fortunately  we  had  a  fine  day,  and  although 
it  was  well  along  into  the  evening,  we  suc- 
ceeded in  ."storing  everything  at  about  dark. 

On  my  arrival  at  this  station  I  found  an 
ambulance  train  loaded  with  the  wounded, 
sent  in  here  this  forenoon,  with  about  eighty 
wounded  soldiers  from  the  Front  Division 
Hospital  1st  Div.  23d  A.  C.  There  were 
many  very  severely  wounded  cases  among 
them,  and  as  they  had  nothing  to  eat  since 
morning,  I  immediately  took  a  barrel  of 
crackers  from  the  cars  and  distributed  them 
among  all.  This  done,  I  consulted  the  sur- 
geons in  charge  of  them,  Dr.  Wilson,  123d 
Ind.,  and  Dr.  Garwoqd,  as  to  what  relief  we 
could  furnish  to  these  men  from  the  stores 
of  the  Commission.  I  learned  from  them 
that  the  most  immediate  want  was  blankets 
and  stimulants  while  on  the  cars  between 
here  and  Newbern,  whither  they  were.being 
taken  toythe  G-eneral  Hospital.  As  the  men 
were  placed  on  the  cars  each  one  was  sup- 
plied with  an  extra  blanket.  I  alsq  sent 
candles,  lanterns  and  stimulants  to  the  sur- 
geons to  use  in  the  transportation  to  New- 
bern, and  when  the  cars  left  the  station  all 
were  provided  for  and  made  comfortable. 

Just  before  the  cars  left  I  learned  that 
there  were  several  very  sick  men  from  the 
3d  Div.  (Couch's)  of  the  23d  A.  C,  who  had 
been  sent  in  from  the  front  and  placed  in  an 
old  house  near  our  quarters.  I  immediately 
went  to  the  house,  and  there  I  found  twenty- 
three  men,  lying  on  the  floor,  some  without 
and  some  with  blankets,  without  any  attend- 
ant whatever.  They  told  me  that  they  were 
left  there  this  forenoon,  and  some  of  them 
had  nothing  to  eat  or  drink  since  they  left 
thigir  hospital  -this,  morning.  I  went  to  our 
tent,  had  some  hot  coffee  prepared  for  them, 
and  took  a  pailful  of  crackers  and  carried 
them  -to  these  meUj^also  took  blankets  to 
cover  those  who  had  none.  I  found  here 
one   case  of  measles,  three  .very  sick  of 


typhoid  fever,  two  who  were  completely 
paralyzed  and  unable  to  even  turn  over 
without  help,  and  the  remainder  were  cases 
of  remittent  fever  and  diarrhoea  or  rheuma- 
tism. I  had  them  all  properly  cared  for  ac- 
cording to  my  best  judgment,  and  left  them 
to  sleep  or  rest,  intending  to  call  at  11  o'clock 
and  see  them  again  before  I  went  to  bed,  as 
I  did,  when  I  found  some  sleeping  quietly, 
while  others  too  sick  to  rest  or  sleep  on  so 
hard  a  bed  without  some  medical  assistance 
or  medicine.  I  again  supplied  thei^  with 
good  drinking  water,  dnd  fixed  each  one 
anew  in  his  bed,  and  bade  them  good  night, 
promising  to  see  them  early  in  the  morning, 
and  to  make  arrangements  to  send  them  to 
Newbern  by  the  first  train  of  cars.  This 
quieted  their  fears  of  being  left  here  to  take 
care  of  themselves ;  and  they  all  thanked 
me  for  my  attention  to  them,  and  seemed  to 
feel  as  though  they  had  one  friend,  (the  San- 
itary Commission),  so  I  heard  one  of  them 
say. 

I  went  to  our  tent,  and  had  just  layed 
down  when  I  heard"  some  one  call  at  our 
door,  to  know  if  we  were  all  asleep. 

I  turned  out  and  found  it  was  Asssistanf 
Surgeon  Piatt,  of  the  140th  Ohio  Volun- 
teers, who  had  been  detailed  to  come  in 
from  the  front  to  attend  to  these  poor  fel- 
lows, and  ship  them  to  Newbern  imme- 
diately. He  thanked  me  very  kindly  in 
the  name  of  his  Division  Surgeon  for  the 
attention  I  had  paid  to  thepi,  and  after 
going  with  him  again  through  this,  house 
and  learning  that  nothing  more  could  be 
'done  for  them  at  present  than  I  had  al- 
ready done,  I  left  him,  and  went  to  bed  at 
nearly  1  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  March 
15th. 

Headquaetees  tr.  S.  San.  Com.  m  the  Field,  ; 
AT  DoTEE  Station,  near  Kinston, 
March  15,  1855. 

This  morning  is  clear  and  fine.  I  have 
been  engaged  in  assortina  our  stores  and 
arranging  them  in  our  tent.  I  also  have 
had  a  rich  soup  made  for  the  sick  men 
spoken  of  in  my  letter  of  last  night.  I  also 
had  each  man  furnished  with  soap,  towels 
and  water,  or  had  them  washed,  .and  gave 
them  a  clean  suit  of  under-clothing,  after 
which  they  all  seemed  to  feel  very  much 
better,  and  were  ready  to  be  p^t  on  the  cars 
for  transportation  to  the  General  Hospital 
at  Newbern. 

During  the  forenoon,  Chaplain  Bayles, 

of  16th  Kentucky  Vols.,  in  charge  of  the 

1  Corps  Hospital  3d  Div.  23d  A.  C,  to  which 


■} 


1160 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


these  men  belong,  called  at  the  tent,  having 
coming  in  on  purpose  for  sanitary  stores, 
and  on  learning  what  I  had  done  for  these 
men,  he  thanked  me  very  kindly  in  behalf 
of  the  Bivision  Surgeon,  as  well  as  the 
whole  command,  saying  that  he  did  not 
know  what  would  have  become  of  the  poor 
fellows,  had  they  not  been  relieved  by  the 
attentions  of  the  previous  evening.  He  also 
expressed  his  highest  appreciation  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  has  offered  to 
assist  me  in  obtaining  transportation  to  the 
front,  by  volunteering  the  services  of  his 
train  of  hospital  wagons  un^er  his  command. 
I  shall  try  and  secure  this  opportunity  to 
push  forward  to  Kinston  immediately. 

I  ha  (re  sent  a  few  stores  to  the  2d  Brigade 
of  the  1st  Division;  also,  have  been  able  to 
supply,  some  ^relief  to  the  needy  at  this 
station.  ' 

The  sick  were  all  sent  to  Newborn  this 
evening ;  a  lipt  p{  which  I  forwarded  in  my 
letter  of  yesterday. 

A  wounded  man  from  Capt.  Graham's 
company  arrived  at  the  tent  just  at  dark, 
he  was  dumped  on  the  railroad  about  a  mile 
from  here  by  the  ambulance  driver,  and 
obliged  to  walk  here.  I  received  a  telegram 
from  Dr.  Rice  to  look  out  for  him  and  put 
a  bandage  on  his  wound,  which  I  did  and 
kept  him  in  the  tent  until  the  cars  left. 
He  seemed  to  suffer  some  pain  from  having 
to  walk  so  long  a  distance  -  to  this  station 

on  the  railroad. 

; 

The  wounded  man  referred  to  is  now  in 
the  G-eneral  Hospital  here  in  Newbern,  and 
is  doing  well.  j.  w.  P.  ' 


WOMAN'S  CEHTEAI  ASSOCIATION  QF  BELIEF. 
MONTHLY  REPORT — NO.  X. 

Our  report  for  the  month  of  March  is  239 
packages  received,  470  packages  distribu- 
ted. Of  these  there  have  been  sent  to  City 
Point,  for  the  armies  operating  against  Rich- 
mond, 357  packiges;  to  Norfolk,  Va.,  24 
packages;  to  Washington,  1;  Newbern,  N. 
C;  10 ;  Beaufort,  8.  C,  39  ;  New  Orleans, 
,21;  Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  1.,  1;  U.  S. 
Navy,  1 ;  five  hospitals  in  and  near  New  I 
York  city;  15 ;  "  Special  Relief,"  1. 

Since  we  last  wrote,  we  have  to  congratu- 
late our  friends  upon  the  capture  of  Rich- 
mond— the  Capitol  of  the  kte  Southern 
Confederacy.  The  good  news,  coming  to  us 
yesterday,  is  too  recent,  the  joy  and  thank- 
fulness too  deep  for  many  words,  as  yet.  We 
meet  our  friends,  we  shake  hands,  we  say : 


"  Yes,  it  is  indeed  good  news — tha,nk  G-odl" 
That  is  all.  And  we  try  to  realize  what  it 
•  m^ans,  and  why  it  is  that  this  victory  is  so 
much  more  to  us  than  any  other  victory, 
and  we  look  back  and  count  over  the  battles 
of  the  four  years,  and  remember  how  we  felt 
after  each  one  of  them,  and  feel  this  to  be 
very  different  from  any  of  the  others.  And 
we  wander  off  into  thoughts  of  peace,  of  a 
time  when  there  will  be'  no  more  fighting, 
no  more  prisoners,  no  more  anxiety,  of  a 
time  when  body  and  spirit  can  rest  from  the 
thought-pressure  of  physical  suffering — how 
strange!  , 

"  I  suppose  you  are  very  busy  so-day, 
sending  off  evei^ything,"  says  a  voice  at  our 
elbow,  recalling  us  from  dream-land  to  the 
practical  realities — the  poetical  realities 
ofteuT— of  No.  10  Cooper  Union.  "No,  not 
particularly  busy  just  now — we  were  very 
busy  last  week  and  a  fortijight  ago,  shipping 
supplies  to  City  Point,  in  anticipation  of 
these  battles.  More  than  three-quarters  of 
all  we  sent  off  during  the  past  month  went 
there.  Here  are  the  invoices  of  those  con- 
signments. Naming  only  the  most  import- 
'ant  articles,  we  find  10,020  flannel  shirts, 
8,129  pail's  flannel  drawers,  1 1,994  pairs 
cotton  drawers,  981  pairs  of  soc&s,  282 
pillows,  nearly  200  bed  quilte,  and  1,200 
cans  lemonade.  Besides  these,  lai;ge  quan- 
tities of  supplies,  which  we  could  not  furn- 
ish, have  been  purchased  and  sent  from  the 
Central  office  of  the  Commission.  This 
morning  a  telegram  from' City  Points  tells 
us  that  the  store  houses  of  the  Conimission 
are  full,  and  that  everything  is  being  done 
for  the  wounded.  It  is  a  great  relief  to 
know  this.  W#re  it  not  for  the  steady  work 
of  the  Spldiers'  Aid  Societies,  working,  as 
they  do,  month  in  and  month  out,  with  or 
without  any  special  excitement^  we  could 
never  have  been  so  prepared  for  this  emer- 
gency, could  never  have  had  these  supplies 
on  the  very  spot,  and  at  the  very  moment 
when  they  are  so  much  needed."  "  And 
what  is  your  work  for  this  week  ?"  "  Our 
receipts  will  be  larger  than  usual,  they  al- 
ways are  after  a  battle,  and  we  are  tjiankful 
that  it  is  so.  They  will  keep  us  busy.  We 
shall  also,  most  probably,  make  large  ship- 
ments, but  whether  to  go  up  the  James  River 
to  Richmond,  or  to  some  point  on  the  coast 
for  Sherman's  army,  we  do  not  know — have 
not  yet  received  the  requisition  from  the 
Central  office."  ' 

You  may  have  noticed  that  our  distribu- 
tions for  both  February  and  March  largely 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


1161 


exceed  the  receipts  for  those  two  months. 
Owing  to  the  comparative  inactivity  last 
winter  of  the  armies  at  the  East,  wa  were 
ahle  to  accumulate  a  large  stock  on  hand, 
and  it  is  this  reserve  stock  we  are  now  draw- 
ing upon,  and  which  enables  us  to  meet  the 
very  heavy  demands  for  this  spring's  cam- 
paign. 

How  much  longer  the  need  for  our  efforts 
piay  continue,  we  do  not  yet  know.  We 
do  know  that  when  the  time  comes  for  us 
to  stop  working,  the  Commission  will  ap- 
prise us.  Until  then  we  hope  the  work 
will  not  be  allowed  to  slacken. 

For  the  Committee  on  Correspondence. 
Louisa  Lee  Schtitler, 

Chairman. 
New  Toek,  1  Cooper  Union,  1 
AprU  4,  1865.     / 

A  WEEK  XS  ANITAPOLIS. 

Extracts  from  the  Journal  of  Mrs.  H- , 

Visiting  the  Prisoners. 

Annapolis,  March  25. 

My  Dear  Mes.  G.  : — The  fejr  days  we 
have  been  here  we  have  been  fully  occupied 
in  acting  as  "  Hospital  Visitors."  Perhaps  a 
few  incidents,  iaken  from  the  daily  entries 
in  my  note  book,  may  give  yo.u  a  better  in- 
sight into  our  work.  '' 

The  very  first  thing  that  attracted  our 
notice,  the  morning  after  our  arrival,  was  a 
train  of  ambulances  passing  the  San.  Com. 
office,  carrying"  the  dead  to  the  cemetery. 
We  followed  on  after  them,  the  bodies  in 
the  first  and  last  ambulance  are  covered  with 
the  flag,  under  whose  ^  folds  they  have  so 
often  battled  bravely.  The  ambulances, 
the  guard  following  the  procession,  carrying 
19  coffins  moved  on  into  the  Soldiers' 
Cemetery,  and  there,  with  the  burial-service 
said  for  all,  we  saw  them  laid  to  rest. 

It  seems  to  me  but  right,  that  on  each 
prisoner's  head-board  should  be  inscribed, 
"  Starved  to  Death  ;"  that  in  time  to 
come.  Southern  clyvalry  may  see  and  know 
what  they  have  done. 

The  remainder  of  that  day  we  spent  at 
St.  John's  College  Hospital.  In  the  1st 
ward  we  ,found  an  old  gentleman  from  Ohio, 
watching  by  tjie  bedside  of  his  only  child, 
the  last  of  six,  as  he  said.  The  rebels  cap- 
tured and  murdered  his  other  sons  the  past 
summer,  and  this  one  was  all  he  had.  The 
boy,  though  starved,  is  doing  well,  probably 
may  live. 

In  fhe  last  arrival  came  a  skeleton-look- 
,  ing  boy  who  seemed  to  grieve  sadly  ov6r 


his  younger  brother,  who  died  before  reach- 
ing the  cars;  he  said  they  had  3  miles  to 
march,  his  brother  was  too  sick  to  walk, 
so  he  took  him  upon  his  back  and 
carried  him  two  miles,  when  he  found  that 
his  strength  was  so  entirely  gone  that  he 
was  obliged  to  lay  him  down  to  rest  awhile. 
When  he  started'  again,  he  found  he  could 
not  move  any  Jurther,  and  laid  him  upon 
the  ground.  The  boy  reached  up  towards 
him,  put  his  arms  around  his  neck  and 
died  directly,  and  there  he  was  obliged  to 
leave  him,  while  he  tottered  on  himself  to 
the  cars.  Steward  Newnian,  of  the  5th 
Michigan  cavalry,  told  us  of  a  father'who 
coming  to  look  for  his  son,  arrived  two  hours 
after  his  death  !  He  was  the  lasi  of  seven 
sons,  who  had  fallen  in  the  service;  four 
died  in  rebel  prisons,  ancf  the  fifth  soon  after 
he  landed. 

While  Newman  was  prisoner  at  Florence, 
he  entered  his  name  in  three  different 
squads,  that  he  might  draw  rations  for  3 
men, — he  was  so  starved  and  desperate  that 
he  was  willing  to  run  the  risk  pf  being  de- 
tected and  of  receiving  100  lashes,  which 
he  knew  would  be  the  penalty.  At  thanks- 
giving, the  rebels  found  they  were  tunnel- 
ling out  somewhere,  and  because  they 
would  not  tell,  gave  them  no  food  for  eighty 
hours. 

A  little  German  boy  had  been  so  low  with 
scurvy  that  his  palate  dropped  off.  At 
Anderson  he  laid  for  two  days  beside  a  dead 
man  that  he  might  draw  his  rations. 

Annapolis,  March  21. 

The  more  I  see  of  the  "  Sanitary  Home 
and  its  working,  the  more  inclined  I  am  to 
say  with  a  woman  from  Mass.,  "  that  it  is 
the  best  and  noblest  institution  she  ever 
heard  of."  She  came,  a  stranger,  looking 
for  her  boy ;  was  aided  in  her  search,  and 
to-day  found  his  Bible,  his  father's  likeness, 
and  a  few  other  treasures,  and  then  upon' 
the  record  read  his  death  on  the  14th.  He 
was  too  weak  to  speak  plainly,  and  so  they 
had  not  his  name  correctly,  but  the  articles 
belonged  to  him,  and  thiit  was  enough. 

Yesterday  there  were  two  mothers  here, 
mourning  for  their  dead.  One,  from  New 
York,  had  been  an  inmate  of  "The  Home" 
for  six  months,  vraiting  upon  her  wounded 
son,  a  returned  prisoner.  He  was  her.only 
child,  and  yesterday,  after  so  many  weeks  of 
stiffering  and  of  agony,  calmly  and  gently 
"slept  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking." 
The  other,  an  English  woman,  from  German- 


1162 


The  Sanitiary  Commission  Bulletin. 


town,  Pa.,  who  arrived  two  hojirs  after  her  son 
was  buried, — "  he  was  her  only  son,  and 
she  was  a  widow."  She  bears  it  all  so 
beautifully,  submitting  as  only  a  Christian 
can.  The  whole  house  is  interested  in  her, 
and  her  expressions  of  grateful  appreciation 
of  the  kindness  received  through  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  are  most  touching. 

Annapolis  "Sanitakt  Home,"  March  29. 
Yesterday  I  had  the  privilege  of  assisting 
in  some  sanitary  work  so  very  gratifying  to 
me,  that  I  cannot  but  write  immediately  to 
tell  you  of  it.     Major  Howes  permitted  us 
to  take  part  in  .the  distribution  of  sanitary 
articles,  as  they  are  given  out  at  the  "  Col- 
lege  G-reen   Barracks."      First    in    order 
comes  the  long  line  of  men,  1,400  in  all ; 
each  man  with  his  new  cup,  plate,  knife, 
fork  and  spoon;    they  march   on   to   the 
kitchen  window,  where  each  in  turn  has 
his  cup  filled  with  soup,  and  receives  one-.half 
loaf  of  bread,  and  a  mess  of  cabbage.  Some 
few  would  stop  to  taste  the  savory  dinner 
before  they  wished  to  inove ;  but  the  guard 
or  attendants  in  the  kitchen  would  (j^U  out, 
"Hurry  up  men,  double-quick!"  and  the 
loiterer  would  be  reminded  that  other  men 
wanted  dinner;  and  so  they  passed  on  in  the 
same  orderly  manner  coming  up  in  the  Uneto 
the  Sanitary  storehouse,  where  was  given  to 
them  thread,  needles,  combs,  envelope,  with 
sheet  of  paper  nicely  folded  in  it;  towels, 
soap  and  water  in  abundance  to  be  found  at 
the  bathing  house.     They  all  looked,  and  I 
have  no  doubt,  were  pleased.    Many  "  thank 
you's"  were  said   heartily,  blended   often 
with   more   soldier-like   phrases,   such    as 
"  that's  bully,  just  what  Iwas  looking  for ;" 
and  several  remarked,  "  Boys,  wouldn't  we 
like  the  rebs  to  see- this?"     "The  folks  do 
care  for  us  at  home,"  "  G-ood  dessert  this!" 
and  so,  a  hurried,  ofttimes  merry  conversa- 
tion was  kept  up  with, the  moving   line, 
such  as  "Where  do  you  come  from,  State 
and  corps?"  "Old  2d  of  Pennsylvania." 
"Ah!  all  ¥igtt,  that's  mine;"  or,  "Where 
'  do  you  belong,  cavalry  ?"  from  a  lady  on  my 
,  right;    if  the  answer  came   "Michigan," 
which   it   often   did,   the  response   would 
be,    "The   1st   or   5th  is   a   brave' regi- 
ment, is  it  not,  and  your  G-eneral  (Custer) 
just  as  brave  ?"     "  That  he  is  lady,"  from 
the  soldier.     And  then  the  lady  on  my  left 
would  enquire,  "You  are  a  Yankee  boy,  I 
know?"      "Yes,   Boston,   ma'am.".  Two 
stalwart  looking  fellows  answered  to.  the 
query,  "California;"  a  goodly  specimen  of 


now  showing  rebel 
One  of  our  valued 


the  country,  though 
care  and  treatment, 
agents  found  a  few  that  replied  "  England," 
whom  he  saw  in.  the  ranks  from  his  island 
home.  In  about  two  hours,  the  crowd  had 
all  been  supplied,  and  were  scattered.  As 
an  ending  to  such  a  pleasant  day's  work,  I 
must  give  you  an  extract  from  a  note  which 
I  havft  just  received  from  the  wife  of  the 

Assistant  Adjutant  Greneral,  Mrs.  G -, 

who   was   one   of   our   party.     She 


Accept  my  thanks  for  the  agreeable  man- 
ner in  which  I  spent  yesterday  morning, 
and  believe  me  more  devotedly  the  friend 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  than  ever. 
Heaven  ptosper  the  noble  work  and  all  who 
are  engaged  in  it.  Its  deeds  of  charity  are 
among  the  few  rays  of  light  which  pierce 
the  dark  shadows  of  war.  They  will  ever 
be  a  beloved  memory,  both  to  recipients  and 
donors."      , 

Mrs.  Gf.'s,husband  came  here  a  prisoner,   . 
wearing  some  Sanitary  clothing,  which  had 
reached  him  in  his  far-off  prison ;  so  she 
feels  the  value  of  this  noble  work.  *  *  * 

A  Maryland'  infantry  boy,  belonging  to 
the  9th  corps,  was  a  prisoner  eight  months, 
had  had  a  furlough,'  and  was  now  back 
again  ready  for  duty — had  asked  to  be  sent 
front,  saying,  "The  rebels  had  boarded  him 
eight  months,  and  he  was  anxious  to  go 
back  to  settle  his  bill  of  fare.'' 

Annapolis,  March  29. 

The  arrival  of  a  boat  with  returned 
prisoners,  is  the  signal  for  every  one  to  rush 
to  the  landing;  following  the  crowd,  we 
came  to  the  wharf  just  in  time  to  see  the 
unsteady  column  begin  to  move  from  the 
vessel.  On  board,  the  Hospital  fiand  is 
playing  cheerful  strains  of  welcome,  and 
they  come  ashore  to  the  sound  of  music. 

"  Back  to  the  North  where  the  air  is  free, 
Back  from  the  land  of  pain." 

Tottering  and  feeble,  bronzed  and  smoke- 
blackened,  tangled  hair  a,nd  matted  beards, 
some  in  rebel  garb,  many  barefooted  and 
bareheaded,  the  majority  clothed  in  shirt? 
and  drawers  furnished  by  the  Sanitary X!om- 
mission  in  Wilmington,  a  few  fortunate 
possessors  of  a  blanket ;  this  is  the  walking 
party,  but  such  walking.  It  was  more  than 
some  of  them  could  do  to  move,  and  so  they 
gave  it  up,  and  as  the  line  of  stretcher- 
bearers  followed  in,  their  wake,  were  added 
to  the  list. 

Sorry  plight,  for  300  brave  men  to  come 
from  Southern  care.     They  are  martyrs  for 


Th»  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1163 


the  nation^— patient  and  uncomplaining. 
They  db  not  blame  the  Government.  They 
censure  no  one.  In  all  the  precious 
lives  lost  to  friends  and  home,  and  the 
wrecks  of  noble  soldiers  yet  remaining, 
is  not  the  hand  of  God  seen  ?  The  costly 
offering  was  asked  for  and  given,  that 
the  nation  might  be  saved,  and 'that  dis- 
tant lands  might  learn  to  what  refinements  of 
cruelty,  Slavery  had  educated  a  people. 

In  a  previous  arrival,  a  man  was  noticed 
straining  his  eyes  towards  the  shore,  and  as 
they  neared  the  wharf  was  among  the  first 
to  press  forward  to  leave-  the  vessel.  He 
walked  along  the  plank,  eagerly  looking  in 
the  distance,  a  few  feeble  steps  upon  our 
soil,  and  then  fell  dead ;  his  wish  gratified — ' 
he  died  at  home.  WJien  taken  to  the  Hos- 
pital they  are  bathed,  hair  and  beard  trim- 
med, have  clean  clothes  put  on  them-,  and 
are  laid  on  good  comfortable  beds.  When,  a 
few  hours  later,  we  saw  them,  we  could  not 
recognize  the  squalid  crowd  we  had  so 
lately  seen.  The  Sanitary  Commission  has 
no  nobler,  better  work  carried  on  than  this 
''Home."  From  this  qUiet  place  will  go 
out  an  influence  to  be  felt  in  States,  near 
and  remote.  Whoever  has  been  here  can- 
not but  be  a  worker  for  tne  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission.  '       ■  ■ 

AKDEBSONVILLE  FBISONEBS. 

CairOj  April  5,  1865. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry: 

Dear  Sir — Enclosed  please  find  copy  of 
letter  from  Mr.  Brown,  giving  some  idea  of 
the  condition  of  our  poor  soldiers  from  An- 
dersonviUe.  I  trust  the  shipments  already 
made  will  relieve  them  until  further  ship-, 
ments  can  be  made. 

I  have  notice  of  a  shipment  from  Detroit, 
also  from  Milwaukee,  on  receipt  of  your 
telegrams  to  each. 

I  have,  to-day,  made  shipment  in  addition 
to  one  made  on  the  2d  inst.  Since  my  last 
report  to  you,  I  have  advices  pf  two  car- 
loads, on  the  way  from  Chicago.  Hope 
to  be  able  to  keep  them  supplied. 
Very  respectfully,  yours, 

C.  N,  Shipman, 

Agent  U.  S.  San.  Com. 
ViOKSBUEO,  March  30,  1-865. 

Mr.  C.  N.  Shipman  : 

Dear  Sir — I  have  just  received  the  sup- 
plies invoiced  to  us  on.  the  24th  instj  All 
right!  Many  thanks.  I  can  assure  you 
the  goods  are  needed,  and  more,  too.  I 
doubt 'whether  there  has  been  a  more  di|- 


tressed  lookipg  set  of  men  since  the  war 
began,  than  those  now  coming  in  from  An- 
dersonville.  Many  are  dying  on  the  way, 
and  others  are  just  able  to  get  into  what 
they  eaill  "God's  country"  to  die.  Six 
were  buried  at  Black  River,  last  evening, 
and  two  more  died  on  the  cars,  coming  in 
from  there.  Out  of  a  squad  of  a  hundred 
and  twenty-five  that  reached  Black  River 
yesterday  morning,  almost  every  man  is 
suffering  from  scurvy.  About  five  hundred 
came  in  from  Black  River  this  morning, 
making  about  forty-five  hundred  in  all. 
Several  thousand  more  are  coming,  so  that 
there  is  no  danger  of  our  getting  too  many 
sanitary  stores  on  hand  here.  I  hope  I 
shall  get  the  goods  invoiced  on  the  25th 
instant,  soon.  We  Med  the  crackers. 
Vegetables  are  needed  very  much. 

The  hospital  boat,  R.  C.  Wood,  is  here 
loading  with  sick  for  Northern  hospitals'.  I 
will  wMte  again  soon. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

J.  G.  Beown. 


'         From  -tlie  Sanitary  Reporter,  Marcli  15. 
SUPPLIES. 

The  accompanying  papers  from  some  of 
the  .military  and  medical  authorities,  will 
show  how  eager  the  call  for  Vegetables  is  in 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  The  Com- 
mission has  already  sent  forward  large  sup- 
plies of  potatoes,  kraut  and  pickles,  and  will 
continue  to  send  all  it  can  obtain  from  the 
contributions  of  auxiliary  societies  and  by 
direct  purchase.  The  branches  at  the  West 
will,  no  doubt,  respond  generously  to  the 
appeal  made  to  them. 

So  many  new  recruits  are  going  to  the 
army,  that  the  hospitals  are  beginning  to 
fill  up  again,  and  all  sorts  of  supplies  will 
be  most  acceptable;  Word  comes  from  the 
principal  distributing  depots,  that  the  wants 
of  the  soldiers  are  large  and  pressing,  and 
that  the  Commission  must  keep  up  a  largely 
increased  stock  of  articles  to  correspond  to 
the  increasing  numbers  of  troops. 

Let  there  be  good  preparation  for  the 
spring  campaign,  and  let  what  is  to  be  done, 
be  done  at  once. 

Headquarters  Dep't  op  the  Cumberland,  ■» 

Medical  Director's  Office,      L 

NAaHviLLB,  Tenn.,  Feb.  28,  1865.         J 

Sir — It  is  represented  that  the  troops  of 
the  cavalry  corps,  stationed  at  and  near 
Eastport,  Miss.,  aie  in  need  of  vegetables 
and  sanitary  supplies  of  that  kind.     Such 


1164 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


as  were  sent  some  time  since  were  taken  by 
Major  Greoeral  A.  J.  Smith's  command,  en 
route  to  New  Orleans.  Will  you  please  see 
that  supplies  of  the  kind  needed  are  sent  as 
soon  as  possible? 

Very  resp'y,  your  obd't  servant, ' 

George  E.  Cooper, 

/  Surgeon  U.  S.  Army  Medical  Director. 

Judge  Root,  Agent  U.  S.  S.  C,  NashaiUe, 
Tennessee. 

Headqdabtkrs  Cat.  Corps,  Mil.  Dit.  Miss.,  Y 
Geatbllt  Speinss,  Ala.,  Feb.  16,  1865,     / 

Special  Orders  No.  31. 

EXTRACT. 

Major  Lusk,  10th  Mo.  cavalry,  is  hereby 
authorized  to  proceed  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  on 
duty  connected  with  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission.  Quartermaster  General  will 
furnish  the  necessary  transportation  on 
chartered '  transports . 

On  completion  of  his  business  he  will  re- 
turn without  delay  to  his  command. 

By  command  of  Brevet  Major  General 
Wilson.  E.  B.  Beaumont, 

Major  and  A.  A.  G, 

HeXdquaktees  Cat.  Cobps,  Mil.  Dit.  Msg.,  1 
Gravelly  Speinos,  Ala.,  Feb.  11,  1865.     / 

Dear  Sir — The  bearer  hereof  is  Major 
Lusk,  of  this  corps,  whom  I  aesire  to^  in- 
troduce to  you  ■  Major  General  Wilson  has 
directed  Major  Lusk  to  proceed  to  Louis- 
ville for  the  purpose  of  procuring  sanitary 
supplies  of  an  anti-scorbiitio  character.  The 
articles  most  required  are  potatoes,  kraut 
and  pickles ;  clothing  and  stimulants  we  do 
not  need. 

The  number  of  troops  ya  this  region  is 

about .     If  you  can  consistently  give 

us  a  liberal  supply  of  the  articles  mentioned, 
I  believe  much  sickness  will  be  prevented 
thereby. 

I  am,  sir,  very  resp'y,  your  obd't  serv't, 
F.  Salter, 

Snrgeon  V.  S.  V.,  and  M.  D.  Cav.  Corps,  M.  D.  M. 

Dr.  Newberry,  U.  8.  S.  C,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Headquarters  Dep't  of  the  Cumberland,  '\ 

Medical  Dibeotor's  Office,      [• 

Nashville,  Tehn.,  March  1,  1865.         J 

•    Sir — There  are troops  in  and  about 

Chattanooga,  and  in  and  about  Knoxville, 
who  are  requiring  sanitary  supplies — liege- 
tables.  Can  you  make  it  convenient  to 
famish  the  same  ? 

Your  obedient  sei-vant, 

George  E.  Cooper, 

Surgeon  U.  S.  V.,  Jtedical  Director. 

Judge  Root,  Agent  U.  S.  S.  C,  Nashville, 


HEADQnARTER"B  IST  DIVISION  CaVALRY  CoRPS,  1 

Waterloo,  Ala.,  Feb.  20,  1865.  / 
1)ear  Sir — I  am  compelled  by  the;  actual 
need  of  vegetables  in  this  command,  to  ask 
you  to  send  us  a  quantity  of  potatoes  and 
onions,  if  you  have  the  supply  on  hand. 
Our  cavalry  numbers  in  the  neighborhood 
of men,  that  can  be  reached  by  send- 
ing a  boat  to  Eastport.  Our  division  num- 
bers   .     If  you  could  not  ship  for  the 

whole  corps,  please  ship  what  you  can  for 
this  division,  and  I  will  see  to  their  distri- 
bution. We  are  much  in  want  of  vegeta- 
ble food,  and  while  the  command  is  lying 
in  camp  is  the  time  to  prepare  our  men  for 
active  operations,  and  good  health  is  what 
is  most  needed. 

Please  ship  to  George  E.  Sloat,  .Surgeon 
in  Chief  1st  Division  Cavalry  Corps,"  Mili- 
tary Division,  Mississippi. 

Very  respeetfullyj  your  obd't  servant, 
Georgp  E.  Sloat, 

Surgeon  in  Chief  lat  DiTieion. 

Dr.  J.    S.  Newierry,  Sec,  S.   C,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.  ; 


From  Sanitary  Beporter,  March  IS. 
SEFABIUENTS    OF  THE   HISSISSIFFI  AND 
ABK&NSAS. 

In  looking  over  the  Sanilliry  work  in 
these  departments  for  the  past  four  months, 
though  there  have  been  no  demands  for  the 
exigencies  of  great  battles  as  in  other  de- 
partments, and  therefore  there  is  nothing  to  ' 
attract  the  public  eye,  nothing  to  create  the 
intense  interest  which  always  concentrates 
about  large  numberg  of  wounded  men ;  still 
to  those  who  examine  the  real  \  demands  to 
be  supplied,  in  order  to  prevent  disease,  to 
keep  up  the  efficiency  of  the  army,  and  to 
add  to  the  comfort  of  the  soldiers,  the  work 
assumes  a  magnitude  and  an  importance 
which  can  hardly  be  estimated. 

The  field  embraces  the  whole  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi Kiver  from  Cairo  to  New  Orleans, 
and  the  State  of  Arkansas,  with  all  of  the 
"  homes"  or  "  lodges"  for  soldiers,  the  hos? 
pitals,  garrisons,  camps,  and  troops  in  the 
field,  and  all  the  Naval  vessels  of  t;he  Mis- 
sissippi, White,  and  Arkansas  rivers. 

There  are  in  the  department,  including 
Cairo,  but  eight.paid  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion, viz :  One  Inspector,  two  Superintend- 
ents of  homes  or  lodges,  one  Hospital  Visi- 
tor, and  four  General  Relief  Agents;  at 
each  station  there  are  more  or  less  detailed 
soldiers  to  assist  in  the  work.  i 

During  the  year  ending  Dec.  Slst,  1864, 


The  Unitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1165 


the  issues  from  this  depot,  Memphis,  alone 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  thpu- 
eand  dollars,  the  value  being  estimated  at 
the  wholesale  cost  in  northern  markets. 
This  does  not  include  the  thousands  of  little 
articles  contributed  by  individuals  for  the 
comfort  of  the  soldiers,  and  which,  though 
it  is  impossible  to  ■  estimate  their  value  in 
money,  add  much  to  the  real  value  of  the 
■work. 

During  the  last  four  months  thg  wo^-k  has 
been  more  than  in  any  of  the  four  months 
of  the  year  preceding,  though  at  present 
the  cash  value  cannot  be  estimated.  From 
causes  beyond  the  control  of  the  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission,  the  interior  Posts  of  Ar- 
kansas, such  as  Davall's  Blufl',  Brownsville, 
Little  Rock,  Pine  BlufiF,  and  Port  Smith, 
have  not  received  the  attention  which  was 
demanded  j  but  since  Nov.  1,  1864,  all 
these  Posts,  hospitals,  garrisons,  and  camps 
have  been  supplied  with  vegetables,  both 
fresh  and  pickled,  clothing  and  hospital 
supplies  as  the  mpans  of  the  Commission 
would  warrant,  and  it  is  most  gratifying  to 
know  that  now  there  is  little  real  suffering 
for  the  want  of  anything  the  Commission 
can  furnish. 

.  The  hospitals  iq  this  -city,  Vicksburg, 
Natchez,  Helena,  Duvall's  Bluff,  Little 
Rock,  Pine  Bluff,  Brownsville,  and  Fort 
Smith  are  kept  supplied,  as  far  as  transpor- 
tation can  be  bad.  Every  naval  vessel  in 
the  river  receives  a  generous  supply.  Thou- 
sands of  troops  in  transitu  call  at  Cairo, 
Memphis,  Vicksburg,  and  other  points,  and 
get  clothing,  vegetables  dried  fruit,  con- 
centrated milk,  stimulants,  &c. 

Within  the  past  few  months  the  whole 
field  has  been  thoroughly  explored  and 
every  hospital  and  garrison  visited,  and  the 
exact  wants  of  each  are  shown.  The  Inspec- 
tor of  the  department  is  kept  advised  of  the 
average  number  of  troops  at  each  station, 
both  in  the  garrisons  and  hospitals,  so  that 
he  can  draw  orders  on  the  Commission  for 
what  is  wanted ;  and  flow,  a  trusted  and 
long-tried  agent  of  the  Commission,  D.  B. 
Carpenter,  has  gone  with  supplies  with  the 
army  operating  in  the  extrenie  South.  The 
friends  of  the  Commission  may  rest  assured 
that,  so  far  as  their  agents  have  the  means 
at  their  disposa.1,  no  want  shall  go  unsup- 
plied ;  and  it  is  thankfully  acknowledged 
that  the  supplies  on  hand  have  oftfen  been 
greater  than  transportation  could  be  had 
for;  still,  it  is  but  just  to  say,  that  without 
one   exception,  the   army   Quartermasters, 


have  always  afforded  all  the  facilities  in 
their  power,  and '  but  one  military  com- 
mander has  ever  given  the  Commission  the 
"  cold  shoulder."  With  this  one  exception 
the  cpmmanders  have  acknowledged  the 
great  good  done  by  the  Commission,  and 
to  Major-Generals  Washburn,  Steel,  Hurl- 
burt,  and  Buford,  the  Commission  is  deeply 
indebted  for  kindness  sknown. 

The  opening  of  the  Spring,  campaign  ad- 
monishes us  that  we  have  a  great  work  to 
do  the  present'  season ;  but  we  rejoice  to 
feel  that  we  can  rely  with  confidence  on 
the  people  of  the  North.  The  army  is  theirs, 
the  work  is  theirs,  and  their  whole  heart  is 
in  it.  Letters  of  cheer  are  constantly  com- 
ing from  Boston,  from  Buffalo,  from  Mil- 
waukee, extreme  points  x)f  our  great  coun- 
try— the  East  calls  to  the  West,  asking, 
"  What  do  you  need  1"  One  noble  woman 
who  has  from  the  first  been  one  ,of  the  most 
constant  and  indefatigable  workers,  and  who 
has  traveled  from  one  end  of  the  land  to 
the  other,  writes,  "  How  can  we  spend  our 
money  to  the  best  advantage  ?"  The  least 
we  can  do  is  to  tell  them  where  these  bene- 
factions go,  and  assure  them  of  the  good 
accomplished.       Benj.  Woodward, 

Sapt.  Dep't. 

From  the  CincinHati  Gazette. 
EZFLOSIOK  OF  STSAUEB  ECLIPSE. 

PADnoXH,  Ky.,  Feb.  8. 
Eds.  Gazette: — The  undersigned  having 
received  invaluable  assistance  from  the 
agents  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  at 
this  place,  during  the  time  that  the  unfor- 
tunate sufferers  from  the  explosion  of  the 
steamer  Eclipse  were  on  our  hands,  would 
respectfully,  through  the  medium  of  your 
paper,  desire,  to  return  thanks  to  the  said 
Commission  and  its  agents,  Messrs.  E.  D. 
Way,  L.  Owen,  D.  C.  Petty,  and  T.  B. 
Horton.  These  gentlemen  Jabored  with 
unremitting  ardor  from  early  morning  to 
late  at  night,  in  cooking  and  distributing 
coffee,  soups,  &c.,  to  the  sick,  and  furnish- 
ing the  surgeons  with  rags,  bandages,  towels, 
and  such  other  necessaries  in  the  shape  of 
dressings  as  we  required.  Twenty  minutes 
after  the  boat  temporarily  used  as  a  hospital 
steamer  arrived  at  our  wharf,  they  were  on 
board  with  their  cauldron  of  boiling  coffee 
and  rich  soup,  rea(iy  to  distribute  it  to  the 
men,  many  of  whom  had  not  tasted  food 
since  the  night  before.  Indiana/owes  these 
gentlemen  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  the  exr 
eniplary  way  in  which  they  acquitted  them-, 
selves  of  their  stewardship. 


1166 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Jmtlletin. 


Requesting  insertion  for  this)  in  order  to 
show  our  appreciation,  of 'the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,  we  are, 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

Henry  W.  Davis, 

burgeon  U.  S.  Vols.,  and  Medical  Director,  Dist.*  of  Western 
Eentacky* 

Sol.  B.  Wolff, 

Sargeon  ISlst  Ohio  Vols,,  Post  Surgeon. 


Knoxville,  Tenn.,  March  24,  1865. 
De.  J.  S.  Newberry  :  , 

SecVy  Western  Department  tJ.  S.  San.  Com. 

Dear  Sir  : — ^As  I  have  already  notified 
you  by  letter  and  telegram,  I  left  Chatta- 
nooga yesterday  morning  for  a  brief  visit  to 
this  -post.  This  seemed  to  be  imperatively 
demanded  from  the  fact  that  after  starting 
two  car  loads  of  stores  for  Knoxville,  i 
learned  by  letter  from  Mr.  Gardner,  Agent 
in  charge  here,  that  he  had  gone  on  to  the 
front  with  Gen.  Gillam's  command,  to  make 
out  lists  of  casualties,  if  an  engagement 
should  occur.  He  left  a  young  man,  Wil- 
liam Lupendon,  of  Co.  B,  103d  0.  V.  I.,  in 
charge  of  the  rooms,  who  was  fully  quali- 
fied for  the  work  with  the  small  supply  of 
stores  on  hand ;  but  it  was  evident  that  an 
authorized  agent  should  be  at  the  post  to 
give  directions  in  regard  to  the  goods  just 
shipped. 

On  reaching  Knoxville,  I  found  William 
also  gone.  Receiving  notice  of  the  ship' 
ment,  he  made  preparations  to  receive  it, 
and  worked  all  day  on  the  22d  to  get  the 
stores  to  the  rooms.  He  labored  hard,  and 
too  hard,  but  seemed  well,  and  made  no 
complaint.  On  the  morning  of  the  23d, 
not  appearing  at  breakfast,  search  was  made 
for  him,  and  he  was  found  at  his  room  on 
his  cot  insensible,  in  a  moribund  condition, 
and  died  in  about  thirty  minutes  after  he 
was  found.  Dr.  Curtiss,  Medical  Director, 
and  other  surgeons  made  every  effort  to  save 
him,  but  without  avail.  They  will  report, 
after  examination,  on  the  cause  of  his  death, 
which  is  yet  uncertain,  i 

I  find  by  a  letter  from  his  mother,  left 
upon  his  table,  that  he  lived  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio ;  that  his  pay  was  carefully  saved  and 
deposited  in  bank  to  enable  him  to  get  an 
education  when  |;he  time  of  his  enlistment 
had  expired.  A  well  worn  Greek  Gram- 
mar and  many  other  evidences  of  his  studi- 
ous habits  are  to  lae  found  on  his  table.  1 
was  not  personally  acquainted  with  him,  but 
the  surgeons  and  all  who  have  met  him  at 


the  rooms,  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  his 
noble  and  manly  character. 

Under  the  circumstances,  thongfr  needed 
at  Chattanooga,  I  shall  feel  compelled  ;to  re- 
main here  until  Mr.  Gardner  returns,  or  the 
help  from^ Louisville,  for  which  I  have  tele- 
graphed, is  received. 

This  post  has  largely  increased  in  im- 
portance. A  large  army  is  pushing  its 
way  Eastward,  and  a  large  supply  of  stores 
and  at  least  three  first  class  men  are  needed 
at  once ;  one  to  stay  here,  receive  stores, 
issue  here  and  ship  to  the  front ;  one  to  re- 
main in  the  field,  visiting  the  different 
commands,  ascertaining  their  wants,  and  re- 
porting to  the  office  here  ;  the  third  to  pass 
backwards  and  forwards  upon  the  railroad, 
tajcing  charge  of  shipments,  and,  perhaps, 
keeping  up  a  depot  at  the  terminal  station^ 

Although  particularly  interested  in  the 
post  of  Chattanooga,  as  it  is  specially  under 
my  charge,  I  feel  constrained  to  report  that 
this  depot  needs,  and. probably  for  some 
time  will  need,  a  larger  supply  of  sanitary 
stores  than  that.  It  seems  to  me,  also, 
that  it  is  of  more  importance  than  ever 
before,  that  there  should  be  some  one  man 
in  the  field,  who  can  frequently  visit  all  the 
posts  from  Louisville  to  Knoxville,  and 
then  to  the  East  of  Knoxville  and  to  the 
South  of  Chattanooga,  and  report  upon  the 
comparative  wants  of  each.  I  can  see  no 
other  way  in  which  an  impartial  distri- 
bution of  the  gifts  of  the  people  can  be 
made. 

The  benefit  which  the  armies  in  this  de- 
partment have  received  from  the  Commis- 
sion through  the  special  efforts' which  have 
been  made  from  time  to  time  to  furnish 
vegetables  in  large;  quantities,  so  that  they 
could  be  distributed  to  all,  whether  sick  or 
well,  can  never  be  over-estimated;  and  at 
no  time  has  there  been,  as  I  am  well  per- 
suaded, more  reason  for  such  an  effort  than 
now.  The  army  has  had  an  unusually  ac- 
tive winter  campaign.  The  country  through 
which  it  has  moved  and  is  likely  to  move, 
is  stripped  of  supplies,  detached  and  con- 
valescent men  have  been  gathered  up  from 
all  quarters  and  sent  to  their  commands. 
Large  numbers  of  new  troops  unaccustomed 
to  the  hardships  and  privations  of  army  life, 
have  just  taken  the  field.  For  a  long  time  no 
antiscorbutics,  or  no  adequate  supply  of 
them  have  been  >  distributed,  and  cases  of 
scurvy  are  by  no  means  rare.  I  fear  that 
the  cheering  prospect  of  an  early  peace  is 
diminishing  the  zeal  of  the  army  of  work- 


The  Sanitary  Commistion  Bulletin. 


1167 


ers  at  tome,  but  hope  it  will  rather  increase 
their  zeal.  We  may  be  disappointed  in 
these  hopes,  but  jf/fortunately  we  are  not, 
I  trust  that  the  soWiers  in  the  field  will 
have  occasion  to  feel  that  their  friends  at 
home  have  remembered  and  loved  them 
unto  the  end^  and  that  the  last^  campaign 
will  witness  such  an  overflowing  supply  of 
sanitary  stores  as  will  demonstrate  that  the 
army  and  the  people  are  one. 

We  have  to-day  made  a  large  issue  of 
stores  to  the  Asylum  Hospital,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  visit  with  Dr.  Menoham,  the 
Surgeon  in  charge,  several  of  the  wards,  the 
kitchens,  dining  rooms,  bakery,  commissary 

rooms,  &c.     It  has,  in  round  numbers, 

patients,  mostly  in  tents,  who  are  evidently 
doing  wuU,  look  cheerful,  and  are  well  pro- 
vided for.  The  arrangements  and  condition 
of  the  hospital  are  excellent.  The  highest 
possible  meed  of  praise  is  certainly  due  to 
the  Surgeon  in  charge  and  to  Dr.  Curtiss, 
the  Medical  Director  of  the  post,  for  their 
successful  efforts  in  providing  for  the  comfort 
of  their  si  ok.  They  have  been  left,  with  an  in- 
adequate medical  force,  to  rely  almost'entirely 
bn  their  own  resources  in  providing  for  the 
sick.  At  this  distant  post,  with  eommunica- 
tioafrequently  interrupted,  the  commissary 
and  the  Commission  have  been  able  to'  furn- 
ish but  a  meagre  and  fitful  supply  of  hospital 
stores.  Almost  their  sole  refiance  has  been 
"upon  the  country,  and  they  have  scoured  it 
fa,r  and  near  for  articles  of  diet.  Apples, 
green  and  dried ;  potatoes,  butter,  milk, 
eggs  (from  80  to  100  dozen  a  day),  chick- 
ens, .&c.,  have  been  thus  obtamed,  not,  per- 
haps, in  as  large  quantities  as  have  been 
needed,  but  in  quantities  as  large  as  are 
often  obtained  for  hospitals  of  the  same 
capacity  in  the  most  favored  locations.  But 
the  supply  from  this  source  cannot  be  kept 
up.  The  potatoes  obtained  are  of  an  inferior 
quality,  and  it  would  be  very  ungenerous  as 
well  as  unjust  to  practically  say  to  tfeose 

'  gentlemen,  you  are  so  faithful  and  energetic 

■  that  you  do  not  need  our  help. 

This  hospital  has  received  the  pjj^ients 
from  the  others  which  have  been  succes- 
sively broken  up,  but  there  is  a  demand  for 
more  room,  and  another  large  hospital  is  to 
be  immediately  opened.  For  both  of  these 
and  for  the  front,  I  cannot  make  too  urgent 
an  appeal,  asking  you,  however,  not  to  forget 
Chattanooga  while  sending  bountiful  sup- 
plies here. A       Yours  very  truly, 

M.  Ci  Read, 

Agent  at  Chattanooga.  ^ 


THE  FAB  WEST. 

Leatenwobth,  Kansas,  April  1,  1865. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Secretary  tT.  B.  Sanitary  GommiBsion  West.  DepH. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  here- 
with my  report  of  receipts  and-- disburse- 
ments for  the  month  of  March,  and  beg 
leave  to  call  your  attention  to  the  remarks* 
made  thereon.  Jrom  the  large  number  of 
hospitals  depending  on  this  post,  and  their 
great  distance,  you  will  see  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  me  to  make  personal  visits  to  them  all. 
I  enclose  a  letter  from  Andrew  J.  Wiiley, 
Surgeon  in  charge  of  Post  Hospital  at  Cot- 
tonwood Springs,  Nebraska  Territory,  which 
is  but  a  sample  of  many  I  receive  from  those 
distant  posts.  I  am  often  unable  to  fill  re- 
quisitions for  want  of  transportation.  Fre- 
quently, when  it  is  offered,  my  assortment 
is  so  broken  that  I  am  unable  to  send  the 
articles  most  needed.  My  supply  of  cloth- 
ing is  sufficient  for  the  present,  but  I 
greatly  need  antiscrobutics  and  dietary  arti- 
cles. 

My  health  has  been  bad  for  the  past 
month,  and  I  resfigctfully  request  leave  of 
absence  for  thirty  days,  to  recuperate. 
Eespectfully,  your  ob't  ser't, 

^.  R.  Brown. 

*  The  following -is  a  list  of  hospitals  de- 
pending upon  this  post  for  sanitary  sup- 
plies : — Lawrence,  Olathe,  Salina,  Mound 
City,  Paola,  Humbolt,  Fort  Riley,  Fort 
Zarah,  Omaba,  Daootah,  Cottonwood,  Co- 
lumbus, Fort  Kearney,  Plumb  Creek,  Junc- 
tion Station,  Fort  Rankin,"  Denver  City, 
Fort  S(^ott,  and  Fort  Leavenworth,  with  an 

aggregate  of sick,  as  shown  by  last 

week's  report  to  Medical  Director  Davis. 

Up  to  this  time  all  the  transportation  has 
been  used  in  carrying  supplies  to  the  army, 
and  several  requisitions  made  upon  me  for 
sanitary  supplies  have  not  been  filled.  The- 
Medical  Director  says  that  very  soon  trans- 
portation will  be  furnished  for  all  supplies 
that  I  can  send  to  these  extreme  western 
points,  and  that  the  necessary  comfort  for 
the  sick  can  be  procured  in  no  6ther  way. 

As  soon  as  transportation  is  furnished, 
my  assortment  of  stores  will  be  inadequate 
to  the  demand.  You  will  see  by  the  re- 
port the  articles  that  I  am  most  in  need  of.' 

I  am  .also  in  receipt  of  a  requisition  from 
Salt  Lake  City  for  antiscrobutics,  &c.,  which 
I  would  like  to  fill  if  they" could  be  furn- 
ished in  a  compact  form,  and  by  the  middle 
of  May. 


1168  "^     r 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


AID  TO  VICTIUS  OF  SOUTHEBN  BABBABIIY. 

VicKSBuaa,  Hiss.,  April  2,  1865. 
De.  J.  S.  Newberry. 

Secretary  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

I  arrived  here  late  last  nigLt,  and  find 
that  our  stores  have  not  reached  here  any  too 
soon.  There  are  now  in  camp  four  miles 
from  here  about  4,000  prisoners,  and  more 
are  coming  in  every  day.  Those  who  came 
in  first  were  from  Gahawba,  and  were  in 
mnch  better  condition  than  those  now  com- 
ing in,  who  are  from  Anderson ville.  The 
latter  are  in  a  very  feeble  and  distressing 
condition,  every  train  containing  more  or 
less  who  hi,ve  died  upon  the  road.  Yes- 
terday an  ambulance  came  in  which  started 
from  Jackson  with  four  sick  men,  and  when 
it  arrived  they  were  all  dead.  Lafge  trains 
of  ambulances  are  running  between  Black 
Eiver  and  Jackson,  bringing  those  who  are 
too  feeble  to  walk.  The  city  hospitals  are 
being  emptied, to  make  room  for  them,  and 
every  thing  is  being  done  that  can  be  done, 
but  still  many  will  die,  for  the  succour  has 
come  too  late. 

It  is  expected  that  between  ten  and  fif- 
teeii  thousand  men  will  be  brought  here, 
and  they  will  be  several  weeks  coming  in. 
They  are  neither  exchanged  nor  paroled, 
but  are  still  under  the  control  of  a  rebel 
o£6icer,  (Col.  Henderson,  I  believe),  who  is 
at  the  camp. 

I  visited  Gen.  Morgan  L.  Smith  this 
morning,  and  he  promised  me  every  facility 
and  assistance,  placing  laborers,  teams  and 
a  guard  at  my  disposal.  The  supplies  which 
I  have  will  last  for  sotne  days,  but  will  need 
large  additions,  especiallj  of  kraut  and 
onions  if  they  can  be  procured.  I  would 
also  urge  that  a  large  quantity  of  tobacco  be 
sent,  as  it  will  be  most  gratefully  received. 
The  men  have  not  been,  and  cannot  be  paid. 
They  are  greedy,  ravenoufe  for  tobacco  j  and, 
famished  aa  they  are,  are  willing  to  trade 
a  part  of  their  rations  for  it.  Several  hun- 
dred pounds^  havfe  already  been  donated  by, 
the  citizens,  but  it  hardly  gave  them  a  day's 
supply.  T  think  no  better  expenditure 
"  could  be  made  than  to  purchase  three  or 
four  thousand'  pounds  of  tobacco,  both 
chewing  and  smoking,  and  a  few  boxes  of 
J3lay  pipes.  The  camp  is  in  the  midst  of  a  ' 
cane  country,  where  plenty  of  stems  can  be 
procured.  Mr.  Brown  tells  me  there  is  also 
a-  great  call  for  suspenders.  None  are  furn- 
ished by  Government,  and  in  their  weak  and 
emaciated  condition  the  men  cannot  btar  to 
have  their  pants  buckled  tightly  about  them. 


I  learn  also  that  there  is  great  need  of  a 
feeding  station  at  Black  Biver  crossing,  and 
shall  make  an  effort  to  start  one  there  to- 
morrow, as  we  have  all  the  necessary  appli- 
ances. Mr.  Johnson  is  an  experienced 
hand  at  that  business,  and  will  be  just  the 
man  to  take  charge  of  it.  I  do  not  think 
we  shall  'need  any  more  clothing,  unless  'it 
be  socks,  of  which  we  have  very  few.  Col.  ; 
Noble,  of  the  17th  Connecticut,  delivered 
a  lecture  here  last  night,  in  which  he  stated 
that  there  were  men  on  their  way  here  who 
have  not  had  a  shirt  on  their  backs  for  more 
than  twelve  months.  Their  only  article  of 
clothing  is  a  piece  of  blanket  tied  about  the 
loins,  and  their  bodies  are  so  dried  and 
blackened  by  smoke  that  you  cannot  tell 
whether  they  were  originally  white  or  black. 

I  have  not  yet  been  to  the   camp,  but 
shall  go  with  a  supply  of  stores  to-morrow    ' 
morning,  and  will  keep  you  informed  of  any- 
thing I  may  see. 

Hoping  soon  to  hear  from  you  in  the  way 
of  a  supply  of  kraut,  onions,  tobacco,  &c.,  I 
remain,         Very  respeettuUy, 

H.  Tone. 

P.  S. — I  find  there  is  a  great  scarcity  of 
towels  here,  and  they  are  badly  needed. 


THE  UKITED  STATES  SANITABY  COMMIS- 
SION AT  CITY  POINT,  TA. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commisison,  1 
Washington,  April  6,  1865.     / 

To  the  Standing   Committee  of  the  TJ.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission. 

Gentlemen  : — The  eventful  week  in  the 
experience  of  the  armies  of  the  Potomac  and 
James  has  found  the  Commission  prepared 
to  do  its  proper  work  with  those  armies. 

On  the  4th  inst.  the  schooner  Baltimore  , 
reached  City  Point  with  an  assorted  cargo  of 
supplies,  and  another  left  New  York  on  the 
3d  inst.  As  a  measure  of  precaution,  I 
have  ordered  another  consignment  of  stores,, 
simflar  to  the  last  sent  from  New  York. 
From  City  Point  but  "one  application  for 
supplies  has  been  received,  and  that  but  for 
two  aPicles,  bandages  and  arm-sling^.  The 
Journal  of  the  3d  inst.  states  our  losses  in 
Sunday's  fight  to  be  comparatively  slight. 
The  wagons  of  the  Commision  with  the 
Twenty-fifth  Corps,  accompanied  it  into 
Richmond ;  one  of  the  Ninth  Corps  wagons 
entered  Petersburg  on  the  8d  with  the 
hospital  train  of  the"'  2d  Division,  and  our 
agents  under  J.  Warner  Johnson^  with  wa- 
gons and  stores,  are  with  the  moving  column 
in  pursuit  of  Lee. 


The  Sanitary  Commission.  Bulletin. 


1169 


There  has  been  no  call  for  additional  as- 
sistance. Not  less  than  fifty  well  qualified 
persons,  selected  with  care  for  this  work, 
await  a  call  to  the  field. 

It  is  believed  that  City  Point  will  remain 
a  base  of  supplies  to  the  armies,  and  that 
the  depot  hospitals  will  be  maintained 
there. 

I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Harris,  written  yesterday,  which  says :  "  The 
demand  on  us  for  stores  has  been  large,  but 
with  the  ample  stock  on  hand  we  have  been 
able  to  meet  all  necessities." 

Dr.  McDonald  accompanied  the  Presi- 
dent's party  to  Richmond  on  the  4th  inst., 
by  boat  to  Varina,  thence  by  horse. 

The  number  of  persons  in  the  service  of 
the  Commission  with  the  armies  operating 
against  Kichmond  .was  on  April  1,100,  and 
has  not  yet  been  materially  increased. 

The  accompanying  list  of  articles  sent  to 
City  Point  since  Feb.  1,  will  indicate  the 
character  of  the  provision  made  for  the 
present  emergency. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary. 


100 
120 
360 
120 
SOO 
»9 
500 


Blankets 1100 

Candles,  lbs 1400 

Cushions 2000 

Dippers 236 

Head-rests ^ . . 

Knives  and  furks,  doz. 

Pails 

Lanterns 

Pillows 

Pipes,  boxes 

Quilts 

Towels 24000 

Tin  caps 6000 

Tin  plates,  gross '    ^1 

Spoons,  doz 360 

Drawers,  cotton,  pairs.    2000 
Drawers,  woolen,pairs  ISOOO 

Handkercbiefs 22ii00 

Mittens,  pairs i  14200 

S^irt^,  cotton,  hospital    26S4 

Shirts,  woolen 19000 

Slippers,  pairs 30000 

Socks,  woolen,  pairs..  22000 

Suspenders,  pairs 1 800 

Yarn,lbs 99 

Cologne,  bottles 120 

Crutches,  pairs 3000 

Games 1000 

Sponges,  lbs 300 

Fin-cushions,  ^needle- 

books,  &c..r 

Soap,  Boxes 72 

Envelopes.  .* .«.».... . .  .27S000 


Ink,  bottles 

Writing-paper,  reams.  ■ 

Ale,  bottles *. 

Dried  apples,  bbls. . . . 
Blackberry  cord'l,  bots 

Canned  meat,  lbs 

Condensed  egg,  lbs. 


SIO 
1832 
39 
1632 
6336 

200 


Cond'sed  lemonade,  pgs 

Small  dried  frUt,  lbs.  1000 

Chocolate,  lbs 2300 

Ground  coffee,  i}bls. ...  2 

Condensed  milk,  lbs. .  9600 

Crackers,  bbls 3fi0 

Corn  .starch,  lbs 4400 

Jamaica  ginger,  bots . .  14400 

Farina,  lbs S9o0 

Lemons,  boxes 25 

Maizena,lbs 2000 

Pickles,  kegs 75 

Sugar,  white,  bbls. ...  25 

lbs 125 

Tea,  cheats ^..  5 

Canned  tomatoes,  lbs.  24240 

Tobacco,lEs 5160 

Bay  rum,  bottles 672 

Books,  spelling,  vols. ,  3000 
Reading  matter,  boxes       25 

Penholders,  doz 660 

Thread,  lbs 155 

Needles,  papers 2500 

Fins,  papers •••.  1200 

Pencils,  doz 3720 

Pens,  doz 2400 


Bed-pans,  combs,  knives  and  forks,  corn 
meal,  jelly  and  preserves,  mustard,  sago, 
galt^  tapioca,  gin,  buttons,  lint,  old  linen,  &c. 


FBESIDENT  LISCOLS. 
It  is  meet  that  we  add  our  humble  testi- 
mony to  the  worth  of  our  late  Chief  Magis- 
trate. 
Vol.  I.  No.  37    '  74 


Among  the  earliest  acts  of  his  adminis- 
tration, was  to  approve  with  his  signature, 
as  with  his  h6art  and  influence,  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission.  "The, Constitutional 
Commander  of  the  Army  of  the  United 
States,  he  was  nevertheless  its  friend-;  and 
as  he  called  the  people  to  axms  in  the  spring 
of  '61,  and  felt  the  inadequacy  of  the  Gov- 
ernment to  meet  all  the  wants  of  the  sol- 
diers, and  remembered  his  own,  and  the 
peoples'  inexperience  in  war,  he  was  gla!d  to 
give  his  moral  and  official  support  to  an  agency 
that  promised  so  much  good  to  the  country. 
Among  the  last  acts  of  his  life  was  to  visit  the 
hospitals  of  City  Point,  and  it  is  perhaps  the 
most  pleasing  reminiscehce  of  their  hospital 
life,  that  pur  soldiers  can  recall  the  circum- 
stances of  his  late  visit. 

The  convalescents  from  the  wards  were 
ranged  in  files  along  the  streets  of  the  camp, 
and  he  passed  from  man  to  man,  saluting 
each  one  with  a  friendly  hand-shaking,  and 
giving  to  many,  kindly  words  of  cheer  and 
sympathy.  But  he  did  not  forget  those 
who,  unable  to  leave  their  beds,  could  not 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  receiving  him  pub- 
licly, and  retiring  from  the  crowd,  he  passed 
through  all  the  wards,  stopping  at  bed  after 
bed,  till  every  man  had  touched  his  hand, 
and  the  whole  five  thousand  of  the  camp 
had  been  treated  with  his  friendly  saluta- 
tion. 

Imagine  the  gloom  that  fell  upon  these 
men  on  hearing  the  news  of  his  terrible 
death.  Every  heart  seemed  touched  not 
only  With  a  solemn  sadness,  but  a  silent 
grief  rested  upon  alL  As  we  strolled  away 
from  the  camp  into  the  country,  a  soldier, 
sitting  alone,  with  drooping  head,  be- 
side a  little  stream,  was,  with  apparent  list- 
lessness  whittling  a  stick,  as  we  stopped 
in  front  of  him  and  arrested  his  atten- 
tion by  an  ordinary  remark.  'He  looked 
up  solemnly  and  said,  "  Bad  news,  sir — 
bad  news !  I  was  thinking,  sir,  that  I  never 
knew  before  how  much  I  loved  our  Presi- 
dent. I  loved  hiiii,  sir  j  the  army  loved  him, 
and  may  God  forgive  the  fiend  who  mur- 


1170 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


dered  him."  Such  is  doubtless  the  sentiment 
of  the  whole  army. 

Among  the  contrabands  too,  who  gather 
in  from  the  plantations  and  villages  to  Rich- 
mond and  other  places,  there  is  apparently 
a  deep  and  impressive  solemnity  at  the  men- 
tion of  his  name.  Two  old  people  of  this 
neglected  class  were  standing  together  in 
Richmond  the  other  day,  when  the  news  of 
the  assassination  came  in,  and  one  was 
heard  to  use  his  name  to  th^  other  thus  : — 
~"  Did  you  know  that  President  Lincoln  was 
dead?"  when  the  answer  came  qui«kly, 
"  Oh,  yes,  but  don't  call  him  President,  call 
him  Father — he  was  Father  Lincoln." 

In  the  annals  of  American  history  no 
man  has  received  a  larger  share  of 
public  confidence  and  affection,  and  it 
being  the  first  time  that  an  assassin  has 
so  convulsed  the  nation  by  the  most  dia- 
bolical deed  in  modern  history,  it  is  the 
saddest  period  that  we  have  ever  known. 
President  Lincoln's  great  heart,  full  of  ten- 
derness and  forgiveness,  was  what  endeared 
him  to  the  people.  Politicians  differed  as 
to  his  administration.  Statesmen  may  have 
sometimes  doubted  his  wisdom.  Extremists 
may  have  condemned  himj  but  his  honest, 
upright  devotion  to  duty,  his  sympathy 
with  the  sick  and  suffering,  his  broad 
philanthropy  towards  all,  gave  him  a  place 
with  the  common  people,  and  endeared  him 
to  the  whole  nation.  For  his  qualities  as  a 
man,  for  his  integrity  as  a  ruler,  for  his  be- 
nevolence as  the  Grreat  Emancipator,  his 
name  and  his  memory  will  be  honored  by, 
the  lovers  of  right  and  freedom  in  all  the 
world. 

OFFICIAL  ACTION  OP  THE   COMMISSION  ON 
THE  DEATH  OP  THE  PRESIDENT, 

Mr.  H.  Binney,  Jr.,  on  behalf  of  the 
committee  appointed  on  the  18th  instant,  to 
report  a  plan  of  action  to  be  taken  by  the 
Commission  in  expressing  its  sense  upon 
the  occasion  of  the  death  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  presented  the  follow- 
ing Preamble  and  Resolutions,  which  were, 
on  motion,  unanimously  adopted  by  the 
Board : 


The  infamous  and  cruel  hand  of  a  con- 
spirator and  assassin  has  stricken  down  the 
beloved  and  honored  head  of  the  nation. 

The  members  of  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission  desire  to  relieve  their  own 
hearts  in  adding  their  tribute  to  that  of  the 
whole  people  to  the  memory  of  the  man  and 
the  Chief  Magistrate  whom  we  have,  lost. 

If  it  be  possible  for  us  to  love  and  honor 
Abraham  Lincoln,  more  than  we  did  when 
living,  we  do  so  'now. 

We  lose  him  when  we  need,  more  than 
ever,  his  wise  head  and  true  heart.  Our 
loss  is  one  which  we  cannot  adequately 
measure,  and  our  grief  such  as  we  feel  una- 
ble to  express. 

The  nation  mournras  it  has  never  mourned 
since  the  death  of  Washington,  and  the  In- 
augural of  our  twice-chosen  President,  of 
which  the  echoes  still  linger  on  our  ears, 
becomes  a  second  Farewell  Address,  which 
will  hold  its  place  forever  with  the  first  in 
the  hearts  of  the  American  people. 

In  common  with  various  associations  of 
our  fellow-citizens,  the  Sanitary  Commission 
mourns  a  true  friend  and  faithful  protector. 
His  sagacity  at  once  adopted  the  scheme  of 
the  Commission  when  it  was  first  planned, 
and  he  gave  it  his  official  approval — an  act 
of  iniestimable  value  to  us,  and,  as  we  think, 
of  the  greatest  benefit  to  the  country.  His 
protection  and  countenance  were  continued 
to  the  close  of  his  life,  and  his  personal 
visit  to  the  great  Central  Fair  held  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Commission  in  Philadelphia 
in  June  last  is  but  one  instance  of  his  deep 
interest  in  its  success. 

Desiring  to  record  an  expression  of  our 
_respect,  affection,  and  gi-atitude  for  our 
friend,  protector,  and  benefactor,  we  adopt 
the  following  Resolutions : 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission  honor,  and  will 
ever  honor  and  cherish,  the  name  of  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  the  nation's  twice-chosen 
President,  as  that  of  a  true  and  unselfish 
patriot,  a  wise  and  sagacious  administrator 
of  tbe  Grovernment,  and  a  loving  friend  and 
protector  of  the  people,  whose  simplicity  fit 
character,  soundness  of  judgment,-  firmness 
of  purpose,  and  undoubting  faith  in  Grod, 
■deserve  and  will  be  held  in  everlasting  re- 
membrance. 

Resolved,  That  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission,  called  into  existence  under 
the  official  approval  of  President  Lincoln  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  to  supplement 
the  military  power  of  the  nation  by  organ- 


Hhe  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


IITI 


izing  the  intelligence  and  sympathy  of  the 
country  in  its  behalf,  hereby  records  its 
deep  gi;atitude  for  the  approval  and  aid 
which  he  gave  and  continued  to  the  hour  of 
his  death. 

He  encouraged  the  Commission  in  its 
first  appeal  "to  the  Loyal  Women  of 
Amerida,"  and  the  following  words  which' 
he  then  used  will  be  recalled  as  the  most 
valuable  praise  the  Commission  has  ever 
reoMved : 

"  The  Sanitary  Commission  *ia  doing  a 
work  of  great  humanity,  and  of  direct  prac- 
tipal  value  to  the  nation  in  this  time  of  its 
trial,  it  is  entitled  to  the  gratitude  and 
the  confidence  of  the  people,  and  I  trust  it 
will  ,be  generously  supported.  There  is  no 
agency  through  which  voluntary  offerings 
of  patriotism  caii  be  more  effectively  mad'e. 
"A.  Lincoln." 

This  great'  and  good  President  has  now 
passed  beyond  the  reach  of  our  praise,  but 
we  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  good  example 
of  one  who,  ^n  his  high  office,  never  forgot 
the  sick  and  suffering  soldier  of  the  Union, 
and  we  rejoice  that  he  was  permitted  to  see 
the  dawn  of  the  nation's  triumphs  before 
he  was  called  to  his  reward.  Our  earnest 
prayer  and  hope  will  be  that  his  mantle  may 
have  fallen  upon  his  successor. 

Resolved,  That  the  foregoing  resolutions 
be  published  in  the  Sanitai^  Commission 
Bulletin,  the  Sanitary  Reporter,  and  the 
principal  journals  of  the  country. 


VISIT  OF  TH£  GOMUISSION  TO  FBESIDENT 
JOHNSON. 

The  President  and  a  delegation  of  the 
Board,  consistj^ng  of  the  Treasurer,  Mr.  G. 
T.  Strong,  Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Esq.,  and  C. 
J.  Stille,  Esq.,  by  permission  callei  on  Pre- 
sident Johnson  at  4  P.M.,  Apriy  20,  and 
presented  him  the,  respects  of  the  Board 
and  their  congratulations  upon  his  accession 
to  the  office  of  the  chief  magistracy.  They 
conveyed  to  him  their  condolence  on  the 
bereavement  the  country  has  sustained  in 
the  decease -ef  chelate  lamented  President, 
whose  constant  support  and  favor  they  had 
experienced  during  the  whole  of  his  admiur 
istration,  and  asked  the  continuance  of  the 
Government's  cotintenance  of  i  their  labors 
under  his  presidency.  The  President  avowed 
his  deep  sense  of  the  usefulness  of  the  U.  8. 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  the  obligations 
of  the  Government  to  it  for  its  long  and 
faithful  services;  expressed  his  readiness 
to  do  all  in  his  power  to  advance  and  sus- 


tain its  good  work,  and  begged  the  delega- 
tion to  convey  to  each  and  every  member  of 
the  Board  his  gratitude  for  their  good  will 
toward  himself  and  the  administration,  and 
his  warm  expression  of  sympathy  far  their 
important  labors.  After  some  general  con- 
versation, leaving  the  most  favora'  le  im- 
pressions of  the  seriousness,  good  sense  and 
patriotic  zeal  of  the  President,  the  delega- 
tion withdrew  with  profound  satisfaction  at 
the  interview. 


THE  BULLETIN— A  MONTHLY. 
At  the  late  meeting  of  the  Commission, 
held  ^t  Washington,  it  was  resolved  that 
the  Bulletin  and  Reporter  should  be  issued 
but  once  a  month  for  the  future.  Though 
this  action  will  deprive  our  friends  of  a 
visit  every  fortnight,  of  their  yelcome  mes- 
sengers of  tidings  from  the  fieldj  tte  wisdom 
of  the  arrangement  will  be  admitted. 


THE  CBISIS. 

What  will  the  Commission  do  now  ? 
Will  it  wind  up  its  affairs,  make  a  final  re- 
port of  its  proceedings  and  disband,  or  con- 
tinue its  work  ? 

These  are  questions  which  come  to  us 
almost  every  day,  and  while  we  cannot 
answer  them  decisively,  we  will  offer  a  few 
thoughts  which  they  suggest. 

The  Commission's  work  is  the  people's 
work.  It  commenced  with  the  war  for  pur- 
poses connected  with  the  war,  and  cannot 
cease  legitimately  till  all  those  purposes 
shall  be  accomplished. 

Its  proper  work  is  to  supplement  the  Go- 
vernment in  the  care  of  soldiers.  So  long 
as  there  are  soldiers  who  need  care,  and  s» 
long  as  the  Government  needs  aid  in  its. 
care  of  soldiers,  there  will  be  a  demand  upoa 
the  sympathy  and  support  of  the  people;, 
and  so  long  as  the  sympathy  and  support  of 
the  people  are  pledged  to  this  service,  so 
long  will  they  sustain  the  organization  that 
has  so  faithfully  represented  theai,  till  this, 
time. 

The  return  of  soldiers  tO'the  common  re- 
lation of  citizenship  again,  will,  of  necessit); 
occasion  some  irregularity.. 


1172 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


What  is  a  soldier  ?■•  He  is  a,lways  under 
orders — always  the  subject  of  military  law 
and  discipline.  What  he  eats,  and  drinks, 
and  wears,  come  to  him  through  requisi- 
tions, which  are  dictated,  signed,  endorsed, 
'  drawn,  and  distributed  by  others."  What 
he  does  in  the  way  of  duty,  is  done  by  orders 
through  generals,  colonels,  captains  and 
lieutenants,  till  they  reach  him;  and  no 
matter  what  he  may  think,  or  hsw  he  may 
feel,  he  is  bound  to  act  in  obedience  to 
orders.  This  is  among  the  highest  charac- 
teristics of  a  good  soldier. 

In  becoming  a  citizen  he  is  released  from 
the  restraints  of  military  rule.  ~  He  eats,  and 
drinks,  and  wears  according  to  his  choice, 
what  he  buys  with  his  own  money — and 
not  what  another  buys  and  orders  for  him. 
He  thinks  for  himself,  acts  for  himself,  and 
is  himself  again. 

But  he  is  disabled — blind,  or  deaf,-^has 
lost  arms  or  legs — has  shot  about  his  person, 
or  is  somehow  mainjed  for  life.  He  went 
into  the  battle  a  whole  man,  and  has  conde 
out  of  it  a  disabled  man.  Government  gives 
him  a  pension  for  life ;  but  it  is  not  equal 
to  his  support;  and  if  it  was,  the  American 
soldier  is  too  independent  and  thrifty  to  be 
a  lounger  in  the  community,  if  there  is  any 
honest  employment  that  he  is  capable  of 
pursuing. 

Will  the  Government  furnish  him  em- 
ployment? If  not,  the  supplementary 
power, — the  good  will  of  the  people,  must. 

Here  is  one  question  to  be  met.  The 
Sanitary  Commission  has  anticipated  it  by 
the  establishment  already  of  a  Bureau  of 
Employment. 

If  he  is  disabled  so  that  he  «annot  work, 
yill  the  Government  give  him  a  support  ? 

If  not,  the  supplementary  power, — the 
good  people,  will.  Here  is  another  question 
to  be  met.  The  Sanitary  Commission  is 
considering  it  now. 

Renolved,  That  the  President  and  Gene- 
eral  Secretary  be- requested  to  prepare  an 
address  to  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies, 
stating  in  substance,  that  although  there  is 


reason  to  hope  for  the  speedy  termination  of 
the  present  war,>  such  'termination,  even  if 
immediate,  would  leave  much  to  be  done  for 
the  relief  of  the  national  forces  in  garri- 
sons, and  before  they  could  be  safely  dis- 
banded and  the  men  re-established  in  the 
pursuits  of  civil  life ;  that  such  garrisons, 
as  a  general  rule,  require  more  aid  from  the 
Commission  than  forces  in  the  field,  because 
more  readily  accessible,  and  that  said  Socie- 
ties should  therefore,  in  the  opinion  of  this 
Commission,  not  abandon  their  work,  but 
continue  the  same,  with  additional  activity, 
in  view  of  the  prospect  that  it  may  soon 
gradually  cease  to  be  necessary. 


RESIGNATION  OF  DB.  J.  FOSTER  JENKITTS  AS 
OENEBAL  SECBETABT  OF  THE  COMMIS. 
SiON. 

Of  Dr.  Jenkins  we  need  say  no  more 
than  that  his  self-sacrificing  industry  in  the 
service  of  the  Commission,  and  his  high 
qualities  as  a  Christian  gentleman,  have  won 
for  him  the  regard  of  all  his  co-workers  in 
the  cause,  whose  good  wishes  will  follow 
him  into  whatever  field. he  may  enter. 

The  following  resolution  is  expressive  of 
the  feeling  of  the  Commission.  It  was 
unanimously  adopted  at  the  late  meeting 
in  Washington : 

'  Resolved,  That  in  accepting  the  resigna- 
tion of  Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  the  General 
Secretary  of  the  Commission,  the  Sanitary 
Commission  desire  to  express  their  perfect 
appreciation  of  his  personal  worth,  and  of 
his  integrity,  truthfulness  of  character,  and 
devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  Commission. 

Carried  unanimously. 

Mr.  John  S.  Blatchford  was  unanimously 
elected  General  Secretary. 


From  the  Soldier's  Jonrnal. 
WORKINGS  OF  THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COK- 
miSSION  AT  CAUP  PAROLE,  VA. 

We  have  long  desired  to  give  a  brief  his- 
tory of  the  workings  of  the  Special  Relief 
Agent  of  the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission  at 
this  post;  but  have  been. unable  to  get  at 
the  data  until  now,  and,  even  now,  are  com- 
pelled to  omit  much  of  interest  in  order  to 
make  thearticle  suitable  to  our  limited 
space,  as  well  as  from  thereasonthatnoregu- 
lar  record  of  items  not  deemed  important 
at  the  time  has  been   kept.     The  present 


The  Sanitary-  Commigaion  Bulletin. 


1173 


agent,  Miss  Aniiy  M.  Bradley,  has  held  the 
position  of  Special  Belief  Agent  of'  this 
great  Commission  ever  since  the  re-organi^ 
zation  of  Convaleseent  Camp,  Deo.  17, 1862. 
During  all  this  time  she, has  given  the  ut- 
most satisfaction  to  the  various  commanders 
of  camp  and  hospital,  and  to  the  thousands 
of  soldiers  to  whose  wants  it  has  heen  her 
daily  and  unceasing  task  to  administer.  Her 
labors  here  have  been  of  the  most  exten- 
sive, and  in  many  cases,  the  most  compli- 
cated class;  and  a  glance  at  the  imperfect 
record  which  we  are  enabled  to  present  will 
strike  with  surprise  even  those  familiar  with 
the  grand  system  of  the  Commission  which 
she  represents,  and  others  with  incredulity 
that  so  much  work  could  be  accomplished 
by  a  single  woman  in  a  life-time,  much  less 
in  a  little  over  two  years,  as  has  been  the 
case.  These  figures  show  more  the  result 
of  the  labor  performed,  than  the  amount  of 
the  labor  itself  To  properly  show  the  lat- 
ter we  would  have  to  give  the  number  of 
letters  written,  the  number  of  trips  to  Wash- 
ington required,  and  many  other  items  which 
none  but  the  most  practiced  statistic  com-, 
piler  would  think  of.  All  this  required 
labor,  however;  and  the  exertions  must  have 
been  indeed  indefatigable  when  we  reflect 
that  she  never  had  a  clerk  or  assistant,  but 
did  all  the  writing  and  traveling  herself. 
Few  have  a  correct  idea  of  the  amount 
of  trouble  and  writing  requisite  to  the 
prompt  collection  of  a  claim  for  back  pay. 
Men  generally,  having  any  considerable 
amount  of  back  pay  due  them,  have  been 
absent  from  their  regiments  from  sickness 
or  wounds,  for  a  long  time,  and  frequently 
are  not  properly  accounted  for  on  the  rolls. 
All  this  time  must  be  accounted  for  by  ob- 
taining cer^ficates  from  commanders  of 
companies  and  hospitals,  which  are  carried 
personally  to  the  proper  departments,  filed, 
and  a  certificate  for  the  pay  drawn.  This 
is  the  ordinary  routine  of  collecting  back 
pay,  and  when  erroneous  charges  of  deser- 
tion are  made,  the  t'ask  is  much  more  diffi-' 
cult  and  laborious.  The  success  with  which 
our  Sanitary  agent  has  attended  to  such 
cases,  is  shown  by  the  figures  presented ; 
and  in  that  branch  alone,  is  a  conclusive 
argument  in  favor  of  the  great  utility  and 
usefulness  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commisson. 
We  do  not  know  how  many  such  agents 
represent  the  Commission,  but  if  the  labors 
of  any  of  them  equal  those  of  the  agent  at 
•  this  post,  the  good  accomplished  must  be  far 
beyond  what  even  the  warmest  friends  of^lie 


society  believe.  No  society  has  ever  approx- 
imated it  in  goodness  and  usefulness.  It  is  the 
growth  of  the  most  gigantic,  war  known  to 
modern  history,  but  the  magnitude  of  its 
charities  seem  fully  equal  to  the  emergency 
which  has  called  them  forth.  However, 
we  must  not  now  speak  of  the  Sanitary 
Cominission  generally,  but  of  one  of  its 
agents. 

The  following  briefly  shows  the  workings 
of  the  Special  Belief  Agent  at  this  post, 
from  the  re-organiaation  of  the  Convales- 
cent Camp,  Dec.  17, 1862,  to  Feb.  28, 1865, 
the  time  of  the  close  of  Kendezvous  of  Dis- 
tribution. 


60,934 

8,778 

1,880* 


CONVALESCENT  CAMP. 

Number  of  men  received  from  Dec 
17,  1862,  to  Dec.  31, 1863, 

Number  discharged  from  Deo.  17, 
1862,  to  Dec.  31,  1863, 

Number  assisted  in  settling  their  ac- 
counts (whose  names,  companies 
and  regiments  we  find  recorded  in 
her  books)  from  May  1,  1863,  to 
Dee.  31, 1863, 

Average  amount  of  money  collected 

on-f  hese  cases,  {f  100  per  man,)  $183,000 
-[Prior  to  May  1,  1863,  no  record   was 

Sept  of  the  number  assisted,  though  very 
iany  of  the  feeblest  ones  were  accompa- 
nied to  Washington,  and 'their  accounts 
settled.] 

Number  of  statem'ents  taken  for  ar- 
rears of  pay  from  Oct.  19,  1863, 
to  Dec.  31,  1863, 
Amount  of  money  collected  on  these 

cases,  '      $7,185  50 

The  following  is  the  amount  of  stores 
distributed  among  the  soldiers  of  Convales- 
cent Qamp  and  Hospital  (nuipbering  60,934 
men)  from  Dec.  17, 1863,  to  Dec.  31, 1^63  : 


9a 


Bed  Ticks... 

Blankets 

Brushes,  Hair 

Combs i 

Flannel,  yds 

Head  Rests 

Mattresses 

Mosqnitoe  Netting8,prs 

Pillows 

Pillow  Cases.... 

Quilts.. 

Sheets...: 

Spittoons 

Towels 

Tin  Caps 

Tin  Basins 

Thread,  lbs 

Coats..'. 

Drawers 

Eye  Shades 

Handkerchiefs 

Hats  and  Caps..,, 
Mittens,  prs...... 

Neckties '. . 

Pants 


79 

60 

51 

1,109 

4, 

8 

1 

1 

84 

337 

165 

190 

12 

10(692 

12 

6 

16K 

135 

1,476 

•  159 

11,171 

6 

875 

I     107 

149 


Com  Starch,  lbs 

109 

Corn  Meal,  lbs 

75 

Dried  l'rait,lbs 

180 

Faiina,  lbs 

109 

Jellies  and  Preserves, 

jars .■ 

160 

Lemons,  -boxes 

4 

Oranges,  boxes 

X 

Pickles,  gals 

Porter,  bbls 

14 

1 

Potatoes,  bbls 

1 

Knm,  bottles 

9 

Syrup,   bottles 

6 

'tamarinds,  gals 

6 

Tobacco,   lbs -... 

Vinegar,  ,  Easpbe*-y, 

*< 

bottles 

9,8 

Wine  Foreign,  bottles. 

12 

Wine  Domestic,  bottles 

17 

Whisky,  bottles :. 

•?, 

Alcohol,  bottles  ^ 

Bay  Enm,  bottles.;,.. 

1 

.SI 

Cologne,  bottles.,. 

18 

Bandages,  bbls,,' 

IK 

Books,  vols 

\il 

1174 


The  Sanitary  Gommisaion  Bulletin. 


Shirts 4,812 

Slii>i»i8 70S 

Socks 1,9S0 


Snspendeib',  pfs., 

Vests 

Wrappers 

Apples  Greea,  bblB... 

,"       Dried      " 
Beef  Stock,  &c.,  lbs.;. 

Brandy,  bottles 

Goadeased  Milk,  lbs. . 

Cocoa,  lbs 

Crackers,  lbs. 


6 

161 

24 

1 

a 

16 

76 

6 

18 

750 


Cratches,   prs. .,.'.... 

Pahs.; /-.,,,..r.^ 

Flannel  Bandagesr. .. 

Bops,  bbls 

Kagazines 

Needles,  papers. . .  ^ . . 

Old  Linen,  bbls '. 

Pins,  papers 

Pin-cushions  and  Nee- 
dle Books 

Reading  Matter,  boxes 

Soap,  cal(es 

Note  Paper,  reams. . . . 
Pens  and  Holders 


36 

200 

7 

Ji 
675 
120 

12 

470 
1 

40 
87>^ 


■■■} 


Envelopes 30,700 

The  Sanitary  Agent  also  established  a 
hospital  of  her  own  upon  her  arrival  at  the 
camp,  which  then  consisted  of  tents  and 
huts,  and  continued  it  from  Dec.  23,  1862, 
until  April  1, 1863,  by  which  time  the  bar- 
racks were  completed,  when  the  patients 
were  removed  to  them. 

The  mention  of  the  above  hospital  were 
not  properly  complete  without  publishing  a 
verbatim  copy  of  the  letter  of  Surgeon 
Hunt,  then  Surgeon  in  charge,  to  the  Chief 
Special  Relief  Agent  at  Washington  : 

CONTALKSOENT  CaMP,  Va., 

June  1,  1863. 

To  Mr.  Feed.  N.  Knapp, 

Special  Belief  Agent  TJ.  S  Sanitary  Commission. 

In  reply  to  the  suggestion  that  I  would 
state  my  opinion  of  the  services  rendered  in 
this  camp  by  Miss  Amy  M.  Bradley,  of 
your  Commission,  I  take  pleasure  in  say- 
ing that  since  I  reported  for  duty  here  in 
January  last.  Miss  Bradley,  has  been  ac- 
tively ,and  unobtrusively  yseful.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  negative  merit,  she  has  never  inter- 
fered with  duties  belonging  to  others.  Posi- 
tiuely,  she  has  been  of  great  service  in  at 
first  maintaining  a  neat  and  comfortable 
tent  hospital ;  and  since  the  erection  of  the 
permanent  hospital,  in  caring  for  the  inter- 
ests of  discharged  i  oldiers,  many  of  whom 
would  have  been  subjected  to  serious. hard- 
ships on  leaving  this  camp,  had  it  not  been 
for  her  business  tact  and  judicious  friendly 
care.  In  various  other  ways  she  feas  been 
of  great  use  to  the  soldiers,  and  I  shall  be 
gratified  to  have  her  i^emain  in  her  present 
position.  Sanford  B.  Hunt, 

Burgeon  V.  S.  V.,  in  charge. 

^Approved,       ,    Sam'l  MoKelvt, 

/  Lieut.  Col.  Commanding. 

^  EENDEZVOtJS  OP  DISTRIBUTION. 

Numbfer  of  men  received  from  Feb. 

8, 1864,  to  Feb.  8,  1865,  108,238 

Nu  iber  of  men  received  at  Augur 

Hospital,  9,322 

Among  these  were  distributed  the  fol- 
io, zing  articles  by  the  Sanitary  Agent : 


Bed  Ticks 100 

Combs 4,184 

Pillows 92 

Pillow  Gases 436 

Sheets 500 

Towels 9,631 

Thread,  lbs 69 

*Goats 303 

Drawers 486 

Handkerchiefs 13,171 

Hats  and  Caps 36 

Mittens 3,760 

Pants 272 

Shirts 1,170 

Suspenders,  prs 24 

Shoes,  prs ;......<  96 

Slippers,   prs 300 

Socks,    prs 1,373 

Vests 203 

Wrappers 36 

Apples  Dried,  bbls...  yi 

Brandy,   bottles 31 

Brandy  Bl'kb'ry,  bots  66 

Canned  Meats,  lbs. . . .  174 

Canned  Fruit,  lbs 81 

Canned  Vegetables,  lbs  60 

Crackers,  lbs 60 


Com  Starch,  lbs. ...... 

Dried  Fruit,  lbs 

Farina,  lbs 

Jellies  and  FreserTes, 
jajrs 

Lernous,  boxes 

Oranges,  boxes 

Tobacco,  lbs 

Tomatoes,  lbs 

Wine  Domestic,  bots. . 

Whisky,  botUes 

Bay  Rum,  bottles 

Cologne,  bottles...... 

Bandages,  bbls 

Books,  vols 

Needles,  papers 

Pins,  papers 

Old  Linen,  bbls. 

Pin-cnshions  and  Nee- 
dle Books 

Soap,  cakes 

Tracts 

Envelopes : 

Note  Paper,  reams. . . . 

Pencils 

Fen   Holders 

Fens 


74 
10 
12 

85 

3K 
20 
72 
'45 
30 
42 
30 

IX 
13 

390 
24 
3 

i,6oa 

76 

600 

!S,300 

ua 

1,804 
294 
912 


*  The  coats,  pants,  vests,  shoes,-  hats,  caps, 
drawers,  shirts  and  socks  were  mostly  dis- 
tributed amongst  the  men  in  Deserter's  Di- 
vision of  the  Rendezvous,  who  had  no  op- 
portunity of  drawing  these  articles  from 
government. 

Number  of  statements, taken  for 
arrears  of  pay,  ending  Dec. 
31,  1864,  131 

Amount  collected,  $11,039  13 

[During  the  months  of^Tanuary  and  Feb- 
ruary, 1864,  the  ^gent  was  confined. to  her 
bed  by  a  serious  illness,  and  no  work  was 
done  other  than  distributing  clothing  by  an 
orderly  detailed  for  that  purpose.  During 
these  two  months  750  men  were  discharged 
the  service,  and  were  sent  in  ambulances 
to  the  Sanitary  Lodge,  389  H  street,  Wash- 
ington, where  they  were  assisted  by  Mr.  W. 
K.  Neal,  of  the  Commission,  in  settling  their 
accounts.] 

No.  of  statements  taken  for  ar- 
rears of  pay  for  the  months  of 
January  and  February,  1865,'  86' 

Amount  collected,  $8,677  43 

Amount  of  monies  received  from 
soldiers  and  delivered  to  J.  B. 
Abbott,  Chief  Ass't  Special 
.  Relief  Dep't,  to  be  forwarded 
to  their  friends,  during  the 
two  years  ending  Deo.  31, 
1864,  $4,146  50 

Amounts  received  and  fo warded 
diiring  the  months  of  Janu- 
ary and  February,  1865,  $779  00 
The   plan  and  system  of  her  work  was 
organized  under  ten  heads,  which  she  has 
persistently  followed  from  the  commenee- 
mentof  her  labor  to  thj  present  time.  They, 
are  as  follows : 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


117.') 


1.  Distributing  clothing  among  the 
needy. 

2.  Procuring  dainties  for  the  sick,  and 
administering  to  their  comfort  by  furnish- 
ing gruelj  stimulants,  etc. 

3.  Aceompaaying  discharged  soldiers  to 
Washington,  and  assisting  them  in  obtain- 
ing- their  pay,  et*. 

4.  Distributing  note  paper  and  envelopes, 
and  writing  letters  for  the  sick  in  hospital. 

5.  Receiving  and  forwarding  money  for 
soldiers  to  their  friends  at  home.  This  done 
by  draft- without  cost  to  the  soldier. 

6.  Answering  letters  of  Inquiry  to  Hos- 
pital Directory. 

7.  Obtaining  certificates  for  arrears  of 
pay  for  soldiers,  aad  getting  erroneous 
charges  of  desertion  removed. 

8.  Distributing  reading  matter,  such  as 
newspapers  and  periodicals  throughout  the 
camp. 

9.  Telegraphing  to  the  friends  of  soldiers 
very  ill  in  hospital. 

10\  Furnishing  meals  to  feeble  soldiers 
in  barracks,  who  could  not  eat  the  fo-d  pre- 
pared for  stronger  ones. 

During  the  summer '  of  1864,  the  agent 
had  charge  of  the  low  diet  of  Augur  Hospi- 
tal, and  much  of  her  attention  was  given 
to  the  sick.  In  September  she  received  a 
furlough,  and  visited  her  home  in  Maine, 
being  the  only  respite  she  has  had  from  her 
labors  for  three  yea,rs. 

The  above,  as  we  have  already  stated, 
briefly  show  the'work  done  by  a  single  agent 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  They 
seem  like  mere  dry  facts  and  statistics;  but 
they  will  live  as  long  as  goodness  and  in- 
dustry are  honored,  and  will  always  fofm  a 
bright  record  to  a  life  that  has  been  given 
almost  wholly  to  the  benefit  of  the  soldier. 


EZTBACTS  7B0X  LETIEB  B7  DB  J.  FOSTEB 
JENKINS,  &ENEBAL  SECBETABY. 

James  Eivbb,  April  10,  1865. 
To  the   StoMding   Gommittee  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission:  ' 

GrENTLEMEN — I  am  on  iny  return  to 
Washington,  from  a  visit  to  City  Point.  T 
reached  that  station  at  1  p.m.  yesteijday, 
and  have  giveii  oar  work  thence  westerly, 
as  thorough  scrutiny  as  could  be  accom- 
plished by  .interrogation  of  our  officers  and 
others  possessing  opportunities  of  observing 
it.  You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  our  sup- 
plies are,  and  have  been,  abundant  from  the 
beginning  of  the  late  active  movements.  li[o 


embarrassment  has  been  felt  from  this  cause. 
There  is,  of  essential, articles,  a  good  supply 
now  on  hand,  and  the  goods  about  to  arrive 
will  make  the  stock  complete  probably  for 
all  this  month. 

The  number  of  our  agents  is  ample. 
Their  better  organization  than  ever  before, 
the  improved  degree  of  preparation  of  the 
Medical  Department,  and  the  comparatively 
moderate  number  of  wounded  in  the  recent 
engagements,  render  the  present  force  suffi- 
cient to  do  what  falls  to  our  hands  to  do.  I 
saw  the  surgeon  in  charge  of  the  Depot 
Hospitals,  near  City  Point  yesterday,  and 
spent  an  hour  with  him.  His  resources 
seemed  to  be  very  large.  He  had  de- 
spatched, the  day  before,  the  material  for  a 
hospital  of  2,500  beds,  to  Burkesville,  al- 
though ther«  was  a  j)robability  of  finding 
not  more  than  1,000  patients,  and  with  the 
hospital  had  sent  up  26  surgeons,  and  was 
ready,  to  repeat  the  consignment,  if  caHed 
upon.  The  hospital  accommodation  at  City 
Point-is  15,000  beds,  and  there  are  in  hos- 
pital only  6,000.  He  seems  to  be  a  genuine 
friend  of  the  Commission,  and  thinks  that 
it  is  doing  its  work  well.  -  He  accepts  its 
services  gratefully  where  they  are  necessary. 

We  have  a  storehouse  at  Richmond,  in 
the  same  building  with  the  Medical  Pur- 
veyor, and  are  doing  a  solid  work,  though 
as  usual  not  a  showy  one.  The  sick  are  all 
rebels.  At  Petersburg,  we  also-  have  a 
strong  force  for  the  necessity,  which  is  net 
urgent.  In  the  field  we  are  strong,  ajid 
Johnson  at  Burkesville  asks  that  no  more 
stores  be  sent  until  further"  call  from  him. 
The  performance  of  our  proper  work  at  and 
about  Richmond  is  successful  and  credita- 
ble. Mr.  Knapp,  who  had  gone  with  Dr. 
McDonald  on  Thursday  to  Richmond,  re- 
turned last  night,  and  is  on  the  way  with 
me  now  to  Washin'gton.  He  reports  our 
work  as  having  been  very  well-  done  at 
Wilmington.     He  left  there  on  the  4th  inst. 

We  are  just  at  Fortress  Monroe,  4  p.m. 
I  expebt  to  be  in  Washington  at  10  a.m. 
to-morrow-^Tuesday. 

Respectfully  yours, 

J.  Foster  Jenkins. 


THE  COUaCISSIONS. 
We   clip  the  following  from  a  Bufi"alo 
paper : 

The  Sanitary  Commission.— ^rs. 
Horatio  Seymour  has  just  received  the  fal- 
lowing >  telegram    from   Dr.   Jenkins,   the 


1176 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


General   Secretary  of  the  U.  S.   Sanitary 
Commission : 

"  WiSHiNSTps,  April  1,  1865. 
"  Agents  and  supplies  had  been  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  otir  Inspector  at  City  Point, 
anticipating  the  movement  of  the  armies. 
Our  wagons  entered  Richmond  and  Peters- 
burg with  the  hospital  trains  of  our  military 
forces.  We  have  most  ample  supply  of 
men  and  material  at  Richmond,  City  Point 
and  Petersburg,  anid  with  the  army  in  pur- 
suit of  Lee.  These  supplies  are  being  con- 
stantly reinforced.  Every  report  made  to 
us  indicates  that  our  work  is  being  fully 
and  efficiently  carried  orf. 

"J.  Foster  Jenkins." 
The  above  shows  that  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission work  is  now  so,  thoroughly  Syste- 
matized that  it  may  almost  be  regarded  as  a 
part  of  our  military  organization.  It  must 
be  highly  gratifying  to  the  generous  people 
who  made  this'  Society  the  almoners  of  their 
bounty,  to  know  tbat  the  work  is  done  so 
well.  The  constant  and  regular  offerings 
of  the  people  have  placed  this  Society  upon 
BO  satisfacioj'y  a  basis  that  it  is  now  able  to 
anticipate  the  wants  of  our  soldiers.  Con- 
tinued generosity  on  the  part  of  its  patrons 
will  enable  it  to  maintain  this  desirable  po- 
sition, without  the  necessity  of  making  any 
special  appeal  when  an  emergency  arises. 

An  Appeal  prom  the  Christian  Com- 
mission.— ^The  following  dispatch  was  re- 
ceived yesterday.  In  response,  the  Branch 
of  the  Christian  Commission  in  this  city 
send  to-day  $3,000.  Will  not  our  churches 
and  communities  in  the  city  and  country 
respond  nobly  to  this  last  appeal? 

"Philadelphia,  April  3,  1865. 
'  "Rev.  S.  Hunt,  Secretary: — The 
battle  is  raging — our  delegates  in  the  field 
— minute  men  starting  by  every  train — 
Treasury  empty.  New  York  and  Boston 
merchants  moving  to-day  on  'Change.  Will 
not  yours  do  likejfise  ?  For  how  much  may 
we  draw  on  you  ?  Telegraph  immediately. 
Minutes  are  lives  to-day. 
•  "  Geo.  H.  Stuart,  Chairman." 

EXTEACT  OF  A  LETTER  FBOM  CITY  POINT. 

April  14,  1865. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  at  City  Point 
is  still  the  Sanitary  Commission.  I  find 
the  agents  at  work  with  earnestness  and 
devotion.  The  hospitals  are  not  crowded, 
as  they  have  sometimes  been,  but  they  are 
well  kept  and  the  men  are  cheerful.  Our  dis- 


tributors are  known  every  where,  and  treat- 
ed with  respect  and  consideration. 

Besides  matiy  goods  things  that  they  have 
done  in  the  ordinary  line  of  their  legitimate 
service,  they  have  established  schools  for 
soldiers,  which  have  been  very  successful. 
Many  of  our  men  have  comfc  into  the  ser- 
vice without  the  knowledge  of  letters,  an(i 
others  with  but  very  limited  knowledge. 
The  Commission  has  been  engaged  in  the  work 
of  instruction,  and  with  the  most  satisfactory 
results.  They  have  also  furnished  books  for 
"  the  contraband  schools,"  as  they  are  called, 
which  are  connected  with  the'  contraband 
camp  and  are  objects  of  unusual  interest. 

The  work  among  refugees  is  also  consid- 
erable. Last  evening  there  were  housed 
in  "  our  old  barge"  several  families  of  wo- 
men and  children  who  were  seeking  friends 
and  freedom  among  Northern  Unionists. 
Some  of  them  "were  intelligent  people,  and 
excited  much  interest;  others,  equally  deser- 
ving of  sympathy  and  care,  were  not  so  well 
trained  and  educated,  but  as  appreciative  of 
attention  and  kindness. 

At  Petersburg  and  Richmond  the  work 
is  under  way.  Homes  are  being  established 
and  much  solid  comfort  afforded.  Burkes- 
ville  station  is  supplied  by  our  trainband 
active  agencies  are  established  there. 

The  flag  of  the  Commission  waves  where 
the  flag  of  our  country  is,  and  where  our 
soldiers  are,  there  are  our  stores  and  agents. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  thet  our  people  will  con- 
tinue their  organizations  and  their  efforts. 
Troops  are  coming  in  from  the  North  by 
the  transport  load,  and  t6ns  of  thousands 
of  rebels,  wounded  and  sick,  are  depen- 
dent and  thrown  upoK^the  care  of  Gov-' 
ernment,  and  swelling  the  list  of  those  who 
claim  the  benefactions  of  our  people. 

We  go  to  Richmond  to-morrow,  and  will 
write  you  from  there.  I  hope  to  obtain  a  know- 
ledge of  its  true  situation,  of  which  I  will 
advise  you.  We  shall  also  visit  Petersburg 
and  other  important  points  along  the  line. 
J.  Parrish 


IN  AID  OF  THE  CHICAGO  FAIR  TO  BE  HELD 
MAY  BOTH. 

^    Women's  ^enn.  Branch,  April  17,  1865. 

It  has'been  suggested  to  the  Philadelphia 
Committee  in  aid  of  the  Chicago  Fair,  by 
one  of  the  country  auxiliary  societies  of  this 
State,  that  these  associates  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission  would  be  stimulated  to  aid  the 
Fair  if  some  slight  premium  were  offered  to 
encourage  exertion. 


The  Sanitary  C^mission  Bulletin. 


1177 


We  therefore  propose  to  give  to  every  so- 
ciety sending  articles  or  money  amounting 
to  one  hundred  dollars  (Si  00),  the  elegant 
bronze  medal  commemorative  ofi  the  Chi- 
cago Fair,  now  beiiTg  struck  at  the  miit. 

To  the  society  in  each  county  sending  the 
largest  contribution  beyond  the  above  sum, 
an  American  flag  will  be  given  in  size  and 
value  proportionate  to  the  amount  contribu- 
ted.      ' 

Boxes  can  be  directed  to  the  rooms  of  tlie 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  1307  Chestnut 
street,  marked  "  For  the  Chicago  Fair." 

In  all  cases  an  invoice  marked  at  the 
selling^  prices  must  accompany  each  pack- 
age. All  communications  on  the  subject 
can  be  addressed  to 

Mrs.  Thomas  P.  James, 

President, 

Or  400  S.  9th  street,  Phila. 

Miss  Anna  P.  Stevenson, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
1006  Clinton  street. 


PETEOLETIM  EOS  THE  SANITABY. 

New  York,  April  6,  1865. 
To  THE  Kev.  Dr.  Bellows  : 

President  of  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  :— For'the  purpose  of  answer- 
ing the  great  number  of  inquiries  made 
daily  at  our  office,  as  to  the  "  modus  ope- 
randi" of  obtaining  Petroleum,  we  have 
thought  it  worth  wljile  to  cause  to  be  con- 
structed a  full  sized  working  model  of  an 
oil  well,  with  engine,i  derrick,  tank,  drills, 
and  indeed  all  the  accompaniments  com- 
plete, a  counterpart  of  which  was  contri- 
buted by  our  office  to  the  National  Celebra- 
tion ,of  March  6,  and  now  on  exhibition 
at  No.  518  West  22nd  street,  near  Tenth 
avenue,  between  the  hours  of  one  and  four, 
P.  M.  To  the  majority  of  men  the  subject 
is  of  sufficient  interest  to  render  a  visit,  with 
their  families,  to  the  "Oil  Well"  profitable. 

We  have  issued  tickets  of  admission  at 
25  cents  each,  obtainable  at  our  office,  and 
beg  your  acceptance  of  the  proceeds  for  the 
benefit  of  the  "  Sanitary  Commission  ;"  an 
association,  that  by  its  noble  care  of  our 
sick  and  suffering  soldiers,  has  earned  the 
gratitijde  of  every  Union  man. 

Sincerely  congratulating  you  upon  our 
recent  glorious  victc/ries,~ 

We  remain,  Sir,  yours  very  respectfully, 
W.  W.  Clarke  &  Go- 
New  Toek,  April  12,  1865. 
W.  W.  Clarke  &.Co.  : 

Gentlemen — I  accept  very  gratefully 


on  behalf  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, your  humane  and  patriotic  offer,  to 
turn  over  to  our  treasury  the .  proceeds  of 
the  exhibition  of  your  model  of  an  Oil  Well 
and  all  its  accompaniments,  complete. 

We  have-  "struck  ile"  in  a  good  many 
places  without  "boring", the  public  over- 
much. Tke  domain  from  which  our  oil  has 
flowed,  the  national  sympathy  and  gratitude, 
has  not  proved  a  very  rocky  soil)  and  our 
machinery  has  been  comparatively  cheap 
and  simple.  Yet  the  wells  have  thrown,  if 
not  "  a  hundred  feet  in  height  and  1,600 
barrels  daily,"  asi  high  as  the  wounds  and 
sorrows  of  our  stricken  soldiers,  and  some- 
times at  the  rate  of  1,600  boxes  (a  much 
more  astonishing  feat)  per  month. 

They  threw  in  one  we  A  700  tons  of  stores 
into  Frederickbburg,  $70,000  of  stores  into 
Gettysburg  in  four  weeks,  and  have  thus 
far  furnished  the  army  and  navy  with  about 
ten  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  extra  com- 
fort. They  are  throwing  this  minute  into 
Kichmond,  City"  Point,  Newbern,  Wilming- 
ton, Goldsboro',  the  Shenandoah,  Nashville, 
Knoxville,  New  Orleans,  and  fifty  other 
stations;  whatever  the  knowledge  and  hu- 
manity of  our  medical  corps  ask  from  us, 
and  there  is  no  inimediate  prospect  that  the 
"  Oil "  will  give  out.  We  have  not  recently 
found  it  necessary  to  "  bull "  our  stock,  nor 
force  it  on  the  market.  Sober  purchasers 
seem  >to  understand  its^  value,  and  invest 
without  noise. 

Meanwhile  we  rejoice  that  Petroleum 
wishes  to  sanctify  itself  by  pouring  some 
percentage  of  its  flow,  into  the  wounds  of 
our  noble  army  of  martyrs.  It  has  made 
fortunes,  lighted  cottages  and  cities,  cooked 
dinners  and  run  steamships,  lubricated  mills 
and  trains,  contended  with  mining  stocks, 
cotton  and  railroad  shares  id  city  roads,  for 
the  mastery  on  the  exchange.  It  now  offers 
itself  as  a  medicine  for  army  wounds  and 
hospital  gangrene'.  We  shall  be  glad  to  try 
it.  May  your  oil  well  go  into  immediate 
an4  most  popular,  operation. 

If  all  who  have  invested  in  Oil  Stocks 
and  expect  to  leave  fortunes  to  their  children, 
will  only  go  and  ts^ke  their  offspring  just  to 
see  how,  those  fortunes  are  made,  I  cannot 
doubt  that  your  receipts  and  ours  will  be 
sufficient  to  reward  your  utmost  expecta- 
tions, audio  meet  our  largest  requirements.. 

With  grateful  respect, 
I  remain,  gentlemen,  yours,  truly, 
Henry  W.  BiIllows, 

President. 


1178 


2^Ae  Sanitary  Oommisaion  Bulletin. 


SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT.    CONS  OLID  ATET)  REPORT  OF 

NINETEEN 

PLACES. 

■"1 

1 

i 

la 

■ 

1 
1 

6 

22 

2 

2 
2 

9 
7 

9 

1 

35 
19 

1 

P 

2 

.. 

1 

i 

"3 
;S 

25 

O 

1 
«> 
o 

6 

1 

V 

1 

J 

5 

2 

12 

104 

664 

107 

7 

85 

S50 

294 

1,168 

62 

163 

5 

16 

41 

1 
1 

5 

i 

7 

i 

a 

& 
1 

i 

s 

1 

s 

1 

3 
841 

1 

1 
1 

2 

1 

13 

667 

3 

10 

3 

7 

183 

80 

174 

417 

101 

1,227 

72 

689 

12 

32 

1 

61 
60 

1 

s 

a 

p 

u 

1 

s 

•B 

0 

s 
1 

t 

■s 

» 

2 

201 
'    2 

1 

a 
1 

4 
2 

1 
1 

55 

14 

^110 

31 

108 

34 

9 

22 

138 

33 

116 

1  49 

n 

6 

3 
p 

16 

^        Baltimore. 

1  *'The  Home  " 

Boston. 

*•  Soldiers*  Home.". . . . 

Buffalo,  N.  T. 

1 

56. 

?s 

162 

2 

126 

2,959 

37 

910 

76 

74 

4 

171 
33 

3 

0 

2 

8 
6 

9 

8 

131 

31 

1,333 

6 

185 

2,860 

47 

1,619 

19 

23 

2 

SO 
71 

Camp  Keteon,  Ky. 

"Soldiers' Home,".... 

Cairo,  III. 

"  Soldiers'  Home.". . . . 

20 

288 
22 
95 

2 

21 

4 

3 

26 
3 

34 

4 

1 

174 
24 

10 

4 
5 

Oolnmlms,  0. 

"  Soldiertf'  Home.". . . . 

Detroit,  Hlch. 

"Soldiers' Home, '.... 
%,  JeffersonTHle,  Ind. 

"Soldiers'  Home.".... 

.. 

71 
18 
78 
86 
48 
67 

2 

38 

22 

3 

1 

18 
804 

■•" 

4 
2 

12 

1 

2 
1 
5 
6 
22 

Iff 
175 
27 
77 
26 
3 

2 
3 
9 
8 
6 

lonlBTille,  Ry. 

"  Soldiers*  Home. "  . , . . 

■■ 

228 
77 

301 
44 
67 

.... 

Hempbls,  Tenn, 

"Soldiers' Home,".... 

IfaghTllle. 

"Soldiers' Home,".... 

irew  Orleans,  la. 

"Soldiers'  Home," 

2 

231 

41 

76 

1 

14 
18 

6 

3 
13 

2 

9 

^aancah,  Ey. 

"  Soldiers'  Home," 

1 

•• 

*• 

Fortsmoatb,  Ta. 

"  Soldiers'  Home," 

t 

3 

54 
68 

12 
11 

38 

99 
107 

4 

69 
.  28 

2 

19 
17 

136 

247 
225 

1 

Washington,  D.  C. 
"The  Home,"... 

35 

27 

1 
10 

1 

"h 

•• 

4 
3 

Lodge  No  4 

^ 

Lodge  No.  6 

Home      for      Soldiers' 
wives  and  mothers. . 

3 

6 

8 

3 

147 

2 
18 

56 

2 

8 

4 

3,088 

3 

4,845 

6 
1,023 

9 
62 

5 
986 

3 
3,122 

3 
319 

10 
91 

19 
1,364 

26 

6 
6>6' 

Total 

594 

88 

1,609 

8 

370 

2 

926 

Soldiers'  Lodge,  Alexandria,  Va.  District  of  Columbia,  31 :  Michigan,  1 :  New  York,  9  :  Penn- 
sylvania, 107  :  Wisconsin,  '2  :  U.  8.  Regulars,  2  :  Soldiers,  152  :  Relatives  of  Soldiers,  7.  Whole  num- 
ber, 159.  '  Lodgings,  344 ;  Meals,  1,036.     (Included  in  above  totals.) 


THE  WOBE  OF  NIITETEEir  HOMES. 

The  above  table  presents  the  statistics  of 
•the  Special  Relief  work  done  in  nineteen 
Homes,  Lodges,  or  Rests  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  situated  in  six- 
teen different  places,  during  the  month  of 
March.      ~ 

The  returns  from  the  Homes  at  Annapo'- 
lis  and  Cincinnati,  the  Lodge  at  Harrisburg, 
and  Lodge  No.  5  at  Washington,  have  not 
been  received  at  this  office  in  time  for  inser- 
tion j  so  that  the  table  does  not  fully  set  forth 


the  work  of  the  Commission  in  this  direction. 
36,577  soldiers,  from  thirty-four  states, 
have  been  cared  for  free  of  charge ;  2^6  re- 
latives of  soldiers,  as  a  general  rule  aursing 
their  sons  or  husbands  sick  in  hospitaj,  have 
found  food  and  lodging ;  while  586  refugees, 
fleeing  from  their  homes  to  escape  the  bar- 
barity of  their  Southern  friends,  have  found 
a  home  among  strangers.  The  total  number 
of  persons  entertained  18  37,429.  To  these 
38,144  nights  lodgings  and  149,801  meals 
have  been  given. 


'  The  Suniiary  Uommigsion  Bulletin. 


11T9 


"HOMES,"  "LODGES,"  AND  "B^STS,"  FOR  THE  MONTH  OF  MARCH,  1865. 


34 


14  . 
SI  . 


744  , 
1  . 


12  . 


173 

138 : 


637 

21 

1,233 


2,06a 


12 


J 

a     > 


I 

122 


19 


148 


1,397 

51 

9 

123 

370 

290 

675 

47 

53 


4 
36]  2,989 


16 


17 

62 

235 

1 

761 

1 


1,180  26 


76 

134 

2 


666 


1,622 
3 


1,670 


130 


78 


60 


730 


435 


134 

12 


92 


738 


334 

2,404 

201 

1,324 

3,005 

'  2,270 

596 

1,036 

12,581 

1,042 

8,040 

674 

•06 

207 

969 
1,118 


36,677 


to  hi 

.£■3 


114 


35 


61 


67 


586 


"■a 


441 

2,411 

202 

1,446 

3,005 

2,270 

607 

1,036 

12,616 

1,053 

8,087 

674 

606 

265 


959 

1,123 

288 


181 


37,429 


■a 
s 


390 
1,683 

260 
1,542 
1,729 
i2,270 
1,229 

148 
6,975 

977 
7,519 
4,015 
1,200 

504 


3,599 
3,133 


627 


38,144 


I 

e 
s 


s 


1,651 

4,304 

849 

4,235 

^  8,201 

5,884 

4,614 

3,356 

40.343 

3,124 

24,291 

16,137 

5,823 

1,481 


8,397 

14,235 

600 

1,231 


149,801 


f» 


166 

1,634 

131 

S« 

263 

1,474 

449 

426 

716 

168 

2,164 

44 


558 
655 


8,797 


18 
310 

72 

15 
402 
34# 

87 
122 
380 
164 
4,211 
366 


18 


189 
668 


7,211 


•  76 
143 


1,273 
10 


11,594 

696 

1,685 

274 


166 
212 

:::♦ 


16,683' 


It. is. not  easy  for  the  mind  to  realize  all 
that  is  meant  by  these  figures. .  Thirty-eight 
tkoasand  men  is  a  very  respectable  corps ; 
many  of  the  armies  which  have  fought  and 
won  splendid  battles,  have  not  greatly  ex- 
ceeded this  number.  And  it'  must  be  re- 
membered that  ibis  relief  has  come  to 
men  who  needed  it — at  the  right  time,  in 
the  right  place,  ana  in  the  right  way. 


EEIATION  OF  SANITAEY  COMMIBSION  TO 
BEBEL  CIVILIANS. 

Extract  from  minutes  of  Board,  Wash- 
ington, April  27,  1865.  ,  ^  ' 

Resolved,  That  ihe  rendering  of  aid  and 
the  issuing  of  supplies  to  the  inhabitants  of 


rebel  towns  and  cities  when  occupied  by 
the  National  Army,  is  no  part  of  the  legiti- 
mate work  of  the  Commission,  and  that 
such  j-elief  is  to  be  extended  only  to  loyal 
citizens,  or  to  such  as  shall  have  taken  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United  States,  and 
then  in  cases  of  absolute  necessity  or  for  the 
preservation  of  life,  during  such  short  period 
as  may  elapse  between  the  occupation  of 
such  town  or  city  and  the  establishment  of 
the  Grovernment  system  of  supply,  and  only 
when  such  relief  can  be  extended  without 
prejudice  to  the  National  Army  hospitals. 


List  of  Speciai,  Relief  Stations.— t 
We  call   the   attention   of  Special  Relief 


1180 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Agents,^  to  the  new  list  of  "  Soldiers' 
Homes  and  Lodges,"  and  ■"  Special  Belief 
Officers,"  page  1182,  for  the  purpose  of 
having  them  ■  forward  to  this  office  notifica- 
tions of  such  facts  as  will  keep  the  list  up 
to  the  times. 


THE  SAmiAjtY  COKMISSIOir. 
The  eventful  week  in  the  experience  of 
the  armies  of  the  James  and  the  Potomac 
has  found  the  Sanitary  Commission  prepared' 
for  its  proper  work.  For  a  month  pdst 
agents  and  supplies  have  been  quietly  but 
steadily  accumulating  at  convenient  points, 
in  ancicipation  of  the  movement  that  has 
resulted  so  gloriously  to  our  arms.  '  The 
wagon  trains  of  the  Commission  entered  both 
Kichmond  and  Petersburg  in  company  with 
our  victorious  troops,  and  advices  are  re- 
ceived that  the  section  ^of  the  army  now  in 
pursuit  of  Lee  is  fully  attended  by  both 
relief  agents  and  supplies.  Over  one  hun- 
dred experienced  and  well  trained  men  are 
now  at  work  in  this  department ;  and  when  ^ 
we  consider  that  this  organized^  band  had 
its  disposal  on  the  4th  instant  a  supply  of 
stores  "  sufficient  to  meet  all  necessary  de- 
mands," and  that  such  supply  has  been 
since  increased  by  the  arrival  at  City  Point 
of  two  schooners  loaded  with  the  proper 
material,  it  will  readily  appear  that  the  well 
earned  reputation  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion for  timely  preparation  and  efficiency 
in  the  field  is  being  now  fully  justified. — 
Washington  Chrop/icle. 


ACCOUNT  OF  "LITTLE  ACOKN  FAIB,"  YIELD- 
ING HOOO. 

In  compliance  with  your  request  that  I 
should  furnish  you  with  some  particulars  of 
the  Fair  of  "  The  Little  Acorns,"  I  proceed 
to  do  so  as  briefly  as  possible.  The  project 
was'started  "in  aid  of  the  Sanitary,"  by  six 
little  girls,  all  under  eleven  years  of  age. 
These  children  evinced  so  much  energy  and 
perseverance  that  their  older  friends  be- 
came interested,  and  came  to  their  aid  with 
liberality  and  kindness.  A  few  of  the 
Cuba,n  merchants  in  Havana  and  Matanzas 
responded  handsomely  to  the  appeal  made 
to~them  for  money,  &c. 

After  two  months  of  industry  the  chil- 
dren's Fair  was  held  in  the  last  week  in 
June,  and  lasted  three  days.  "  The  Littlq 
Acorns"  were  successful  beyond  their 
hopes,  being  able  to  feel  that  they  had 
cleared  $5,000  for  the  Sanitary,  $4,000  of 
which  was  immediately  paid  over  to   the 


Ladies'  Sanitary  Committee   of  Portland, 
and  $80  subsequently. 

The  residue  of  the  amount  raised  by  their 
effijrts  was  retained  by  one  of  the  ladies  of 
the  Advisory  Conimittee,  and  by  her  dis- 
tributed to  other  objects  in  the  city.  Hoping 
that  these  facts  may  be  what  you  required, 
I  remain,  very  respectfully  yours. 
Mart  Neal  Sherwood. 

Fortlaad,  January,  1865.  < 


METHODIST   EPISCOPAL  CONFEBENCES. 

Kev.  Andrew  Gather,  one  of  our  agents, 
has  just  returned  from  visiting  the  Provi- 
dence, New  England,  Troy,  and  New  York 
Conferences  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  lately  holding  their  annual  sessions. 
I^t  each  one  of  them  he  was  very  kindly  re- 
leived.  and  his  representations  of  the  six 
principal  departments  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission's work  were  heard  with  marked  at- 
tention. Each  one  of  the  Conferences  passed 
resolutiqjis  commending  the  Commission  to 
the  liberality  of  the  peoplq,  and  exprfessing 
their  purpose  to  co-operate  with  it  in  its 
noble  effi)rts. 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CORRESPOKDENCE. 

Newbern,  N.  C,  by  J.  W.  Page  1153 

*    WUmington,  N.  C,  by  0.  B.  Page 1156 

Annapolis,  by  Mrs.  H 1161 

Cairo,  m.,  by  C.  N.  Shipman ; 1163 

Viclssbnrg,  Miss.,  by  J.  G.  Brown.... 1163 

Testimonials  of  Surgeons  Henry  W.  Davis  and  Sol. 

B.  Wolff 1155 

Armies  before  Richmond,  by  Dr.  J.'Foster  Jenl^ins, 

.Gen.  Sec 1163 

James  Kiver,  by  J.  Poster  Jenkins,  Gen.  Sec 1175 

Letter  from  City  Point,  by  Dr.  Parrish 1176 

Keforts. 
Woman's  Central  Association  of  Belief,  by  Lonisa 

Lee  Schuyler 1160 

Departments  of  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  by  Benj. 

Woodward 1161 

Knoxvilie,  Tenn,  by  M.  C.  Reed 1166 

Leavenworth,  Kansas,  by  J.  R  Brown 1167 

Nineteen  Houses,  Lodges,  and  Rests, '1178 

MiSOELLANEOirS.  ^ 

Starved  to  Death,  by  Minnie  Mintwood 1153 

A  Week  in  Annapolis,  by  Mrs.  H llpl 

Snpplies,  from  Sanitary  Reporter « .'.1163 

AndersouTille  Prisoners 1163 

Departments  of  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  fron  San- 

tary  Reporter , 1164 

Explosion  of  steamer  Eclipse,  from  Cincinnati  Gaz.  1165 

The  Far  West 1167 

Aid  to  Victims  of  Southern  Barbarity 1168 

Official  action  of  Commission  on  the  death  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln ..^^ . .' 1170 

Visl^  of  Commission  to  President  Johnson <....  1171 

Workings  of  U.  S.  San.  Com.  at  CSmp  Parole,  frojn 

Soldiers' Journal 1172 

Relation  of  San.  Com.  to  rebel  civilians 1172 

The  Commissions... 1176 

In  aid  of  the  Chicago  Fair 1178 

Petroleum  for  the  San.  Com 1177 

Editorial.  , 

President  Lincoln 1169 

The  Bulletin— a  Monthly., 1171 

The  Crisis ^ 1171 

Resignation  of  Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  Gen.  Sec 1172 

The  Work  of  Nineteen  Homes ; 1178 

Listof  Special  Relief  Stations. ■;  1179 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1181 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

,U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
Office :  No.  1307  Chestiiat  Street,  Philadelphia. 

■  All  the  papers  and  correspondence  required 
to  procure  Pensions,  Bounty  and  Back  Pay,  and 
Prize  Money  for  discharged  soldiers  and  sailors, 
and  for  the  relatives  of  soldiers  and  sailors  dying 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  prepared  and 
forwarded,  and  the  proceeds  of  all  claims,  when 
collected,  remitted  to  the  parties  entitled,  free  of 
charge,  * 

BOABD  OP   DIREOTOES. 

WILLIAM  M;.  TILGHMAN,  Chairman. 
Horace  Binnet,  Jr.,       Robert  M.  Lewis, 
Alexander  Brown,         Ueorob  M.  Conarroe, 
Hon.  J.  I  Clark  Hare,  Charles  J.SiiLrf, 
\yiLLiAM  Welsh,  Georqe  D.  Pakrish, 

William  L.  Ebhn,  H.  Lenox  Hodse,  M.D.,, 

George  Trott,  Atherton  Blight. 

H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.D.,  Examining  Surgeon. 
Edward  A.  Smith  M.D.,  Assitiant  Surgeon.    ■ 
W.  N.  Ashman,  Solicitor. 
Jas.  W.  Hazlehurst,  Assistant  Solicitor. 

PROTECTIVE 

^ixx-€Uxm  '§^^^0(utxm 

of  the 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 

OFFICE,  35  CHAMBEaS  STREET, 

President. 

Lietjt.-Gbn.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Hon,  Hamilton  Eise,    Admiral  Dupomt, 

John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     RnD.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq 

Trbasurbb. — Robert  B.  Mintuen,  Esq. 


/• 


Directors. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
George  Opdyke, 
HiKAM  Barney, 
Jab  W.  Beekman. 
H.  W,  Bellows,  D,D,,' 
John  Jacob  Astob, 
James  Brown, 
William  H.  Aspinwall, 
Jambs  Gallatin,    . 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  Bancroft, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robert  L.  Stuart, 
Alfred  Pell, 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-Geueral'of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 
A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 
F,  L,  Olmsted,  California.  ^ 

Gedrge  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.D.,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.,  New  York. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,  Camibridge,  Mass. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  D^ark  Skinner,  Chicago,  111. 
,Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  0. 
Horac'e  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  .Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Charles  J.  Stillfe,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 
■    Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICERS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,"  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer.  V 

J.  Foster  Jerikins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
standing  committee. 
Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D, 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D 
C.  B.  Agnew,  M.D. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  OHAjpERS  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  amy  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimamt. 

2d.  To  protectsoldiers  or  sailors  and  their  fam^es 
from  imposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Oovemmenf.   ' 

4:th.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  infqrmation  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


George  T.  Strong. 
Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
Charles  J.  Stillfe. 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTOI^. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  gratuitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  in  all  the  United-States 
General  Hospitals.  • 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D.  C."     ' 

For  the  Hospitals-  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1307  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

E>or  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Qommissioh,  Louisville-,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  trom.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  of  taail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

jj@»Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors, 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disreminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above, 
among  those  who  have  friends  in  the  arrfy. 


1182 


The  Sanitary  Commigsion  Bulletin. 


1a,l I'     -  mmm^^^^ 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  aiixiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, , 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  butsim-?! 
ply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings : 

DEPARTMENT    OP   THE    EAST. 

CEHTEAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLBOTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  18  West  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Nos.  10  &  11  Cooper  Union, 
New  York. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  State  House,  New  Haven,Conn. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  130V  Chestnut  St.,  Philada. 

DEPOTS  OP  DISTEIBniljOir. 

XJ.  S.  San.^jom.,  244  F  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.  Camp  Distribution,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  46  Sharp  St.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  .y.a. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.'^C. 

V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Tempora^  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished fronr'time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT   OP  THE  WEST. 

.    OBNTBAli    DEPOTS   OF    COLLECTION. 

tr.  S.  San.  Com.,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  Sts., 
Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  95  Bank  St.,  Cleveland,  0. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  66  Madison  St.,  Chicago, 

Ui  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  2  Adam's  Block,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  59  Fourth  St.,  Pittsburgh, 
Penna. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  32  Lamed  St.,  Detroit, 
Mich. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Fifth  St.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be.  transmitted  to  Seorge  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  T. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Supt.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

J.  B.  Ab  bott,  Chief  Assistant,  Washington,  DO 


"SOLDIERS'  HOMES"  AND  "LODGES." 

[Ob.jbots.     Temporary  aid  and  protection,^- 

food,  lodging,  care,  &e., — for  soldiers  in  transitu, 

chiefly  the  discharged,  disabled,  and  furloughed.] 

Alexandria^  Va.     "  Alexandria  Lodse." 

Orange  and  Alexandria  Bailroad  S^tion.    J.  B. 

Holt,  Superintendent.  •> 

Annapolis,  Md.     "Houb  fob  Soldiers' 

Wives  and  Mothers."  MrsaHopes  Sayres,  Matron., 

Baltimore,  Md.    "  Soldiers'  Home."  No. 

-  62  Conway  Street.    A.  E.  Hastings,  Supt. 

"Soldiers'  Lodse.','  Opposite  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington,  jand  Baltimore  Railroad    Station. 

,  Superintendent. 

Boston,  Mass.  "Soldiers'  Home."  No. 
16  Kingston  Street.  Charles  F.  Mudge,  Supt., 
near  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad  Depot. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.  "  Soldiers'  Rest."  Ex- 
change Strest,  opposite  Central  Railroad  Depot. 
Mrs.  H.  Indevine,  Matron. 

Cairo,  111.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  C.  N.  Ship- 
man,  Superintendent. 

Camp  Kelson,  Ky.  "Soldiers'  Home." 
Thomas  Butler,  Superintendent.' 

Cincinnati,  O.     Soldiers'  Home."    Third 
Street.   Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 
Cleveland,    Ohio,     f  Soldiers'    Home." 
Joseph  Jerome,  Superintendent. 

Columbus,  Ohio.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  T. 
E.  Botsford,  Superintendent. 

Detroit,  Michigan.  "Soldiers'  Home." 
No.  81  Jefferson- Avenue. 

Harrisburg,  Pa.  Near  the  Railroad  Depot.  - 
"Soldiers'  Lodqb,"     W.  H.  Hadley,  Supt. 

JeffersonviUe,    Indiana.      "  Soldiers' 
Home."    New  Market  Street,  near  the  Depot.    E. 
T.  Smith,  Superintendent. 
,  Louisville,  Ky.    "  Soldiers'  Home."    Y. 
Scott,  Superintendent. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  "Soldiers'  Lod&e." 
Near  landing,  C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and 
Relief  Agent. 

Nashville,  Tenn.  "Soldiers'  Home." 
Captain  I.  Brayton,  Superintendent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
Corner  Magazine  and  Julia  Streets.  Sumner 
Bullard,  Superintendent. 

New  York  City.  "  Dibohaboed  Soldiers' 
Home."      No.   45   Grove    Street,   near  Bleoker. 

,  Superintendent.         ' 

Paduoah,  Ky.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  E.  D. 
Way,  Superintendent, 

Portsmouth,  Va.  "  Soldiers' Home."  John 
Alcooke,  Superintendent. 

Washington,  D.  C.  "The  Home."  No. 
374  North  Capitol  Street.     J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  Home  fob  Soldiers'  Wives  and  Mothers. 
No.  380  North  Capitol  Street.    J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  LoDOB  No.  4.   No.  389  H  Street.    ,  Supt. 

"  LoDOE  No.  5."  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Wash- 
ington &  Alexandria  R.  R.  Station.     ,  Supt.   ' 

"  LonsE  No.  6."  Foot  of  Sixth  Street.  Hoff- 
ard  McPherran,  Superintendent. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  OFFICES. 

[Objects. — To  ^ive  aid  in  procuring  pay,  pen- 
sions, bounty,  prize  money,  arrears  of  pay  and 
bounty,  and  other  claims  upon  government.    To 


.  The  Sanitary  Commigaion  Bulletin. 


1183 

tmmmmmm.., 


supply  clothing,   hospital    delicacies,   crutches, 
&c.     To  give  transportation,  information,  &c.] 
,  Alexandria,  Va.  Office  in  Soldiers'  Lodge, 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  Station.    J.  B. 
Holt,  Agent. 

Annapolis,  Md.  Office  of  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.  Major  F.  0.  Howes,  Agent. 

Baltimore,'  Md.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  46  South  Sharpe  Street.  J.  T. 
Pancoast,  Agent. 

Boston<  IXass.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, No.  76  Kingston  Street. 

Buffalo  N.  Y.  Branch  United  States  San- 
nitary  Commission,  Adams'  Block,  .  No.  209 
Washington  Street. 

Cairo,  111.  Office  in  "Soldiers' Home."  C. 
N.  Sbipman,  Agent. 

Camp  Nelson,  Ky.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Home."    Thomas  Butlel^  Agent. 

Chattanooga,  Teun.  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

Chicago,  111.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,   corner  Xine    and    Sixth   Streets. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  Branch  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission 

Detroit,  Mich.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  32  Larned  Street. 

Dubuque,  la.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission.    Rev.  B.  S.  Morris,  Agent. 

Harristaurg,  "Pa.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Lodge."    W.  H.  Hadley,  Agent. 

Jeffersonville,  Ind.    Office  in  "  Soldiers' 


* 


Home,"  New  Market  Street,  near  railroad  depot, 
E.  T,  Smith,  Agent. 

Knoxville,"  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Leavenworth,  Kansas.  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.     J.  R.  Brown,  Agent. 

Iibuisville,  Ky.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commissign,  Fifth  Street. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Lodge,"  near  landing.     C.  W.  Christy,  Agent., 

Milwaukie,  Wis.    Mrs.  Colt. 

Nashville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.     B.  Root,  Agent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  Special  Belief  Office, 
pnited  States  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  96  Julia 
Street.     0.  C.  B^uUard,  Agent. 

New  York  City,  N.  Y.  "  Special  Belief 
Office,"  Cooper  Union,  No.  10  Third  Avenue. 
Mrs.  "%.  P.  Griffin,  Chairman  Special  Belief 
Committee. 

Faducah,  Ky.  Office  in  «  Soldiers'  Home!" 
B.  D.  Way,  Agent.  " 

Philadelphia,  Pa-  Unite.d  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  1301  Chestnut  Street,  third  story, 
back.     Colonel  Soest,  Agent. 

Portsmouth,  "Va.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Home."    John  Alcooke,  Agent. 

Viekstaurg,  M  iss.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.     J.  G.  Brown. 

Washington,  D.  C.  "  Special  Relief  Of- 
fice," No.  389  H  Street,  between  13th  an*  1411^ 
Streets.    J.  B  Abbott,  Chief  Assistant. 

Wheeling,  Va.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 


1 


BRANCH, 


No.  744  Broadway, 
NEW  YORK.  , 


BRANCH, 


PHIIiADEI-PHIA 

Important  Information  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs. 


No.  19  Green  Street, 
BOSTON,  Mass. 


The  "FAI.HEK"  Arm  and  Lect  are  now  fnrmshed  for  the  mutilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  nnmerons  applicants, 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  Government. 

^  Sitboeon-Gevsral'b  Office, 

^  Washikotoh  Citt,  D.C,  Dec.  12,  1863. 

Sm : — The  Board  of  SCedical  Officers^^sembled  in  the  Oity  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  o  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported     .*»*****^* 

In  COMFLIAlfCE  WITH  THE  BECOMHEHDATIOH  OF    THE    BoAKD,  WHEN  A    BOLDIEB    MAT    DESIRE    TO    PURCHASE  "THE  HOBB 
ELEQANT  AND  EXPESSITE  ARM  OF  PALMER,"  FIFTY  DOLLARS  WILL  BE  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  PATMEMT  FOB  THT  SAME. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CEaNE,  Surgeon  U.S.A. 

SuRaBON-GsnERAL's  Office,    i 
I  Washihotoh  City,  D.O.,  Sept.20,  1864. 

Sir  : — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  let  Inst,,  X  am  directed  to  inform  yon,  that  the  Report  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  .recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  Limbs  manufagtobed  by  tod. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Snrgeon-Ceneral, 

W.  C.  SPBHCEE,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.  A. 
To  B.  PRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  7M  Broadway,  New  York. 

The  Best  FALKER  LEG  is  famished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE 

The  Best  FALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVANCE. 

The  Best  LINCOLN  "  GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE. 
Frices  of  the  FALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OFFICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 

Apply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices     Address 


B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D., 

,  President  American  Artificial  Limb  Co. 


1184  '  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Adapted  to  every  brancli  of  businessi 

MANUFACTURED  ONLY  BY  THE  ORIGINAL  INTBNTORS>. 

£.  &  T.  FAIRBANKS  &  CO.,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont. 

PRINCIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 

FAIKBAWKS  &  CO.,  ITo.  252  Broadway,  New  York. 
FAIBBAWKS  &  BRO'TO'N,  ITo.  118  Milk  Street,  Boston. 
FAIBBAIfES,  GBBEKTIiEAF  &  CO^  No.  172  Ziake  Street,  Chicago. 
FAIBBABTKS  &  E-WHiTG,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIEBAHKS  &  CO.,  Ho.  246  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descripiive  Circulars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  on  application  to  eitJisr  of  tlie  above. 

ESTABLISHED   i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST.. 

SEWING    MACHINES 

OP  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKES,  SUCH  AS  THE 

WHEEEiER  &  WILSOJV, 

GROTER  &  B4KER, 

WIL,L,COX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  HOfTE,  .,, 

SIIVGER  AND  OTHERS. 

TO  RE]^T  .  AND 

FOR  SALE, 

At  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.     Instruction  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

N.  Y.    SEWING    MACHINE    EMPORIUM, 

Comer  Roadway  and  Broome  Street,  New  York. 

y.  W.  WICKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor,, 

486  Broadway,  Tip  Stairs. 


THE 


SANITARY     COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 


No.  38. 


PHILADELPHIA,  JUNE  1,  1865. 


No.  38. 


Thb  SANiTAHy  Commission  BnLLEiiif  is  pvMiahed  on  the  first  and  fiftemth  of  every  month,  and  as 
it  has  a  eireulation,  graiuitoita  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for 


All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  office,  1301  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  and 
must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  vmters. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  d^ending  on  that  of  the  war,  and  on 
the  resources  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commissionr—the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  reluctance 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite  pariod. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously,  ex- 
press a  wisH  to  pay  for  it,  and  they  therefore  gvoe  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dolla/rs,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  SiBtoa,  68  WaU  street.  New  York,  or  No.  1307  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contrib'utor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


GOOD  WORDS  OF  GREAT  MEN. 


PRESIDENT  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN.   . 

The  Sanitary  Commission  is  doing  a  work  of 
gieat  hnmanity,  and  of  direct  practibal  value  to 
the  nation  in  this  time  of  its  trial.  It  is  enti- 
tled to  the  gratitude  and  the  cenfidence  of  the 
people,  and  I  trust  it  will  be  generously  sup- 
ported. There  is  no  agency  through  which 
voluntary  offerings  of  patriotism  can  be  more 
effectively  made. 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  SALMON  P.  CHASE. 

What  age  before  this  «ge,  and  what  country 
besides  our  country,  ever  witnessed  such  an 
organization  as  tha-t  of  the  Sanitary  Commis-- 
sionT  What  needs  have  been  supplied;  what 
wants  relieved;  what  wounds  healed;  what 
evils  averted,  by  the  activity,  wisdom,  and  un- 
flagging zeal  of  thi^  admirable  organization, 
fSstered  and  sustained  by  the  people,  and  re- 
cognized and  aided  by  the  Government. 


THE  LAST  UABCH. 

Bear  him  on !  bear  him  on ! ' 
Peace  and  rest  for  him  are  wonj 
Let  his  requiem  be  sung ! 
'  Let  his  dirge  be  sadly  rung ! 
Hearts  so  tenderly  that  clung, 
Now  with  anguish  sore  are  wrung. 

Bear  him  on  !  bear  him  on  ! 
Jn  the  greatness  of  his  fame. 
In  the  fullness  of  the  same ; 
Handing  down  an  honored  name. 
Mighty  march  of  mighty  frame, 
Dead  alike  to  praise  or  blame. 


Bear  him  on !  bear  him  on ! 
Let  each  sorrowing  State  receive  him ; 
To  their  care  his  loved  ones  leave  him.; 
Soon  the  grave  for  aye  shall  cleave  him 
IFrom  our  sight,  but  hearts  shall  wreathe  him 
WiCk  the  bays  of  loyal  love. 

Bear  him  on  !  bear  him  on  ! 
Martial  music  sadly  stealing. 
Muffled  bellsv with -plaintive  pealing. 
Sobs  the  people's  heart  revealing, 
'Ne^th  the  shock  stout  men  are  reeling. 
Women  with  clasped  hailds  are  kneeling, 
Prayers  with  earnest  vows  they're  sealing, 
With  a  stronger,  deeper  feeling, 
From  henceforth  to  serve  the  right.    .  .,' 

Bearhiin  on  !'  bear  him  on  ! 

Listen  to  the  measured  tread  .  ^ 

Of  the  horses,  slowly  led. 

As  they  bear  our  -Nation's  Head    / 

On  to  final  earthly  bed. 

Moon  and  stars  from  sight  have  fled. 

Darkness  takes  the  watch  instead. 

Hanging  sable  pall  o'erhead. 

Curtaining  the  noble  dead. 

Bear  him  on !  bear  him  on ! 

Distant  earth  in  distant  West, 

Lightly  press  your  martyred  guest ! 

Martyr  for  the  truth  confest, 

Principles  his  life  attest 

And  on  that  whole  life  imprest. 

With  true  courage,  force,  and  zest. 

Grief  is  struggling  in  our  breast. 

Proud  we  are,  yet  sore  distrest  ■* 

Of  his  form  to  be  possest. 

As  they  guard  him  to  his  rest. 

Christ  receive  him  'mid  the  blest ! 

Bear  him  on !  bear  him  on  ! 


Philadelphia,  April  22, 1865. 


Delta. 


1186 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


THE  WOBK  OF  A  6BEAT  FEOFIE. 

(^Continued from  Bulletin  No.  31.)     ' 
THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  ENTERPRISE. 

While  the  men  of  the  Northern  and 
Sobthetn  States  were  preparing  for  war  du- 
ring the  spring  of  1861,  the  women  of  the 
North  perceived  already  that'  in  the  great 
struggle  whibh  was  then  commencing  there 
would  be  also  something  for  them  to  do.' 
They  undertook  at  first  to  furnish  to  the 
medical  corps  of  the  "army  a  supply  of  lint 
and  bandages.  Everywhere  in  the  churches, 
in  the  schools,  in  the  saloons  of  the  rich, 
women  and, girls  of  every  age  and  rank 
met  together  to  prepare  lint  and  bandages 
out  of  the  linen  which  they  bought.  But 
they  soon  perceived  that  their  activity  and 
zeal  were  required  in  a  more  extensive 
field.  They  then  organized  the  "  Women's 
Central  Association  of  Eelief"  of  New  York, 
and  other  societies  were  formed  in  different 
cities;  and  these  courageous  women  resolved 
to  consult  pien,  who  by  their  experience 
and  position  could  open  a  suitable  field  for 
exertions.  A  pastor  of  New  York,  well 
known  for  the  interest  which  he  has  taken 
in  all  works  of  charity  and  philanthropy, 
-  the  Kev.  Dr.  Henry  W.  Bellows,  gave  them 
the  following  practical  advice.  "  Yoxx  want 
inquiry  from:  the  only  correct  sources.  You 
must  find  out  first  what  the  Government 
wilt  do,  and  can  do,  and  then  help  it  by 
working  with  it,  and  doing  what  it  cannot. 
You  must  have  advice  derived  from  the 
Government." 

This  advice  was  immediately  followed. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows  and  three  of  the  most 
eminent  physicians  of  New  York,  Messrs. 
Van  Buren,  Harris  and  Harsen  were  au- 
thorized to  go  to  Washington  in  order  to 
consult  the  Secretary  of  War. 

An  exposg  of  their  mission  was  presented 
by  tlje  delegates  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
the  18th  of  May,  1861.  Such  was  the 
commencement  of  the  society  now  known 
undei-  the  name  of  the  "  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion of  the  United  States,"  a  society  whose 
Operations  embrace  a  field  almost  as  exten- 
sive -as  the  whole  of  Europe,  and  whose 
voluntary  contributions  for  tte  relief  of  the 
suffering  soldiers  have  amounted  in  less 
than  three  years  to  the  enormous  sum  of 
fifty  millions  of  francs. 

^  DIFI'ICULTIES. 

It  is  certainly  impossible  for  any  person 
to  have  conducted  himself  towards  a  govern- 
ment with  more  moderation  and   respeot 


than  was  done  by  the  delegates'of  these  pa- 
triotic societies  of  New  York ;  nevertheless 
the  authorities  were  not  at  first  favorable  to 
them.  That  regularity  (or  routine)  which 
is  so  necessary  in  government  afiairs,  is 
naturally  opposed  to  innovations.  We  ought 
not  then  to  be  surprised  that  President 
Lincoln  should  call  the  proposed  Commis- 
sion a  "  fifth  wheel  in  the  military  coach." 
The  chiefs  of  the  war  department,  and  par- 
ticularly those  of  the  medical  bureau,  at 
first  received  the  oSeis  of  service  from  the 
delegates  in  a  manner  which  was  anything 
but  encouraging.  But  the  women  of  the 
United  States  remained  immovable  in  their 
resolution,  and  here  again  was  verified  the 
saying,  "  what  woman  wills,  Heaven  wills." 
Four  Says  after  the  presentation  of  the  ex- 
pose by  the  delegates,  Dr.  R.  C.  Wood,  sur- 
geon in  chief,  ^T-o  tern.,  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States,  expressed  the  following  opin- 
ion in  a  communication  addressed  to  the 
'  Secretary  of  War. 

"  The  Medical  Bureau  would,  in  my  judg- 
ment, derive  important  and  useful  aid  from 
the  counsels  and  well  directed  efforts  of  an 
intelligent  and  scientific  Commission,  to  be 
styled  '  A  Commission  of  Inquiry  and  Ad- 
vice in  respect  of  the  Sanitary  Interests  of 
the  United  States  Forces,'  and  acting  in 
cooperation  with  the  Bureau  in  elaborating 
and  applying  such  facts  as  might  be  elicited 
from  the  experience  and  more  extended 
observation  of  those  connected  with  armies 
with  reference  to  the  diet  and  hygiene  of 
troops  and  the  organization  of  military  hos- 
pitals." 

Profiting  by  the  encouragement ,  which 
was  thus  given  them,  the  four  delegates  did 
not  lose  a  moment,  and  the  very  next  morn- 
ing they  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War  the 
following; 

"The  Medical  Bureau  of  the  Dnited 
States  Army  having  asked  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  Sanitary  ^Commission  in  aid  of  its 
own  overtasked  energies,  the  committee  of 
the  New  York  delegation  to  the  Govern- 
ment on  Sanitary  Affairs,  beg  leave,  at  the 
request  of  the  Medical  Bureau,  and  as  'ex- 
planatory of  its  wishes,  to  state  what  precise 
-powers  are  sought  by  the  proposed  Commis- 
sion and  what  specific  objects  are  aimed  at." 

These  proposals  made  to  the  Government 
seemed  to  show  that  tbe  contemplated  Sani- 
tary Commission  might  after  all  be  a  harm- 
less association,  having  none  other  than 
loyal  and  laudable  intentions;  yet  the  pow- 
ers which  its  founders  demanded,  as  will 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulletin. 


1187 


be  seen  hereafter,  were  very  extensive. 
But  th^  delegates  from  New  York  proved 
themselves  equal  to  the  greatness  of  their 
mission  by  avoiding  everything  that  could 
have  the  appearance  of  unreasonable  impor- 
tunity, and  by  submitting  themselves  in  all 
things  to  the  military  and  medical  authori- 
ties. They  recognized  moreover,  at  the 
very  outset,  not  merely. the  importance  but 
the  absolute  necessity  of  administrative 
etiquette  and  routine  in  all  that  related  to 
the  army. 

THE  SANITARY  COMMISSION  IS  ORGANIZED. 

The  Secretary  of  War  at  length  gave  his 
official  approbation  tO  the  proposed  Com- 
mission on  the  9th  of  June,  1861,  but  with 
little  sympathy  for  the  enterprise,  and.  with 
no  confidence  in  its  success.  On  the  13th  of 
June  the  Commission  obtained  the  official 
sanction  of  the  President  in  this  concise 
form :  "  I  approve  the  above,  A.  Lincoln," 
subjoined  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of 
War.  The  last  sentence  of  that  order  is 
remarkable. 

"The  Commission  will  exist  until  the 
Secretary  of  War  shall  otherwise  direct, 
unless  sooner  dissolved  by  its  own  action." 

This  was  as  much  as  tolsay  th^t  he  had 
no  faith  in  its  permanence.* 

The  inquiries  made  by  the  four  delegates 
since  their  arrival  in  Washington  had  not 
revealed  a  very  encouraging  state  of  affairs. 
The  American  army,  at  the  voice  of  the 
President  calling  for  75,000  volunteers,  had 
been  suddenly  raised  from  20,000  men  to 
80,000,  and  it  could  not  reasonably  be  ex- 
pected that  the  military  administration,  or- 
ganized on  the  basis  of  the  first  number, 
could  prove  itself  all  at  once  equal  to  the 
second.  The  North  American  Keview  for 
January,  1864,  gives  the  following  picture 
otthe  state  of  affairs  at  Washington  at  the 
.period  referred  to. 

"  Eor  the  first  year  of  the  war  there  was 
not  commercial  industry  enough  in  the  coun- 
try to  supply  the  actual  wants  of  the  army. 
Clothing  could  not  be  manufactured  fast 
enough  to  meet  the  rapidly  recruited  ranks. 
Cloths  were  imported  by  the  Government 
as  a  protection  against  the  enormous  rates 
which  holders  of  suitable  stuffs  were  sel- 
fishly exacting.  Besides,  ^he  ideas  of  the 
government  bureaus  did  not  and  could  not 
expand  as  fast  as  the  unprecedented  wants 
of  the  army  did.  .  Timidity  and  caution  tied 
iip  even  the  bolde'st  hands.  The  suffering 
which  existed  in  the  rank  and  file  from  want 


of  blankets,  stockings,  overcoats  and  tents 
was  very  great.  The  regimental  hospitals, 
undernew  and  inexperienced  surgeons,  with- 
out acquaintance  with  bureau  routine,  were 
often  desperately  deficient  both  in  what 
they  might  haVe  had,  if  at  the  proper  time 
they  had  known  how  to  ask  for  it,  and  what 
no  skill  in  asking  at  that  time  could  secure. 
The  general  hospitals  were  just  beginning 
to  be  established.  Inconvenient  ^nd  wholly 
unsuitable  buidings  were  the'  only  ones 
within  reach,  and  the  Government  was  not 
then  a,roused  to  the  necessity  of  creating 
proper  ones.  The  hospital  fund,  the  usual 
adequate  resource  of  the  surgeon  for  all  ex- 
tra comforts  and  delicacies,  now  extensively, 
nay  universally,  in  operation,  could  not  at 
once  be  inaugurated,  even  by  experts,  and 
was  utterly  beyond  the  management  of 
fiovices.  It  afforded  no  dependence  for 
many  months,  and  was  of  little  use  for  the 
first  year  of  the  war." 

It  was  at  that  moment  of  perplexity  and 
need  that  this  voluntary  association,  seeking 
to  form  itself  into  a  Sanitary  Commission, 
offered  its  services  to  the  Government. 

The  delegates  and  their  constituents,  far 
from  being  alarmed  at  the  difficulties  which 
presented  themselves  to  their  view,  felt  only 
the  more  deeply  the  necessity  of  their  en- 
terprise; and  having  obtained  from  the 
Government  all  that  they  had  asked — ^the 
right  to  exist,  to  labor  and  to  counsel — they 
immediately  set  themselves  to  work  in  order 
to  provide  the  necessary  succor  for  the  suf- 
fering soldiers. 

THE  commission  BEGINS  ITS  WORK. 

There  had  been  abeady  several  societies 
organized  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  the 
soldiers,  but  they  were  all  more  or  less  de- 
ficient from  not  having  an  established  sys- 
tem of  operations.  In  the  different  States, 
districts  and  even  towns,  local  committees 
had  been  formed,  who  received  gifts  in 
money  or  in  kind  for  the  benefit  of  the  vol- 
unteers of  their  particular  locality ;  but 
these  committees  were  not  long  in  discover- 
ing the  difficulties  necessary  to  be  encoun- 
tered when  provision  had  to  be  made  for 
soldiers  who  were  distant  hundreds  of^ 
leagues,  and  were  liable  at  any  time  to  be 
sent  from  one  end  of  a  State  to  the  other, 
that  is  to  say  to  a  distance  equal ,  to  the 
length  of  France,  without  the  public  at 
large  having  any  knowledge  of  their  move- 
ments. The  Sanitary  Commission'  had  at 
first  some  difficulty  in  making  these  local 


1188 


The  Sanitarp  Commission  Bulletin. 


associations  understand  that  the  interest  of 
the  troops,  for  whose  advantage  ,  they  had 
been  formed,  would  be  better  promoted  by 
one  great  national  organization,  than  by 
mere  municipal  committees  or  local  socie- 
ties. One  by  one,  however,  they  joined 
themselves  to  the  Commissioti,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  women  of  the  whole  North 
had  organized  themselves  into  auxiliary  so- 
cieties in  all  the  towns  and  villages,  and 
were  laboring  faithfully  and  energetically 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Commission.  We 
shall  be  able  to  form  some  idea  of  the  im- 
portance which  this  association  has  ac- 
quired, when  we  are  informed  that  at  the 
present  time  it  comprises  within  its  orgaiii- 
zation  more  than  32,000  of  these  auxiliary 
societies. 

In   order  to   supply  the  continually  in- 
creasing wants  of  the  army,  and  to  provide 
for  the  proper  distribution  of  the  articles 
sent  in  abundance  from  all  parts  of  the 
loyal  States,  the  members  of  the  Commission 
soon  found  that   their  number  was  insuffi- 
cient, and  they  at  once  resolved  to  correct 
the  deficiency  by  receiving  new  members 
into  their  association.    Their  standing  com- 
mittee was  increased   to  twenty-one  mem- 
bers, comprising  several  of  the   most  dis- 
tinguished physicians   and   philanthropists 
in  the  United  States.     Among  these  we 
cannot  omit  to  mention  Mr.  Federick  Law 
Olmstead,  whose  works  on  the  agricultural 
and  other  resources  of  the  Southern  States 
have   made    his   name   celebrated  in   the 
learned  world.    He  occupied  a  high  position 
as  municipal  engineer  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  but  at  the  first  call  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  which  already  had  all  his  sym- 
pathies, he  resigned  his  highly  advantageous 
and  honorable  position  in   order  to  accept 
the  post  of  general  secretary  of  the  associa- 
tion under  the  direction  of  the  committee. 
Afterwards,    associated    members  were 
added  to  the  central  committee.   These  were 
•persons  chosen  on  account  of  their  position, 
and  their  willingness  to  use  their  influence 
for  the  good  of  the  cause,  without  any  other 
recompense  than  the  consciousness  of  hav- 
ing performed  their  duty.     The  business  of 
these  members  is  to  make  known  to  those 
around  them  and  to  the -public  at  large  the 
wants  as,well  as  the  objects  of  the  Commis- 
sion, and  to  induce  those  who  desire  to  do 
anything  for  the  soldiers,  to  put  themselves 
in   communication   with    the   association. 
Thousands  of  printed  circulars  have  beei/ 

distributed  in   all    diraotintiR.  aettinv  fnrth 


the  wants  of  the  army,  and  especially  of  the 
military  hospitals.  A  proclamation  has 
been  sent  to  all  the  post-masters  of  the 
North,  (i.  e.  of  the  loyal  States),  with  the 
request  that  it  may  be  circulated  as  much 
as  possible,  inviting  the  inhabitants,. and 
particularly  the  women,  to  form  themselves 
into  auxiliary  societies.  The  editors  of  the 
newspapers  and  other  journals,  (and  in  the 
United  States  there  are  4,052  journals 
and  reviews  with  an  annual  circulation  of 
927,951,548  copies*),  have  been  invited  to 
discuss  the  subject  in  their  columns.  The 
presidents  and  directors  of-  the  life  in- 
surance companies  have  been  made  to  real- 
ize-that they  have  an  especial  interest  in  the 
welfare  and  health  of  the  soldiers.  In  short, 
an  appeal  has  been  made  to  all  classes  of 
society  who  were  in  any  way  interested  in 
the  movement,  or  who  felt  that  it  was  their 
duty  to  labor  for  the  soldiers  while  these 
were  fighting  for  their  country. 

THE  SUBJECT  OF  TRANSPORTS. 

The  women  having  at  length  found  a 
practical  method  of  manifesting  their  pa- 
triotism, aifd  the  sympathy  ;which  they  felt 
for  the  hardships  of  the  soldiers,  and  know- 
ing also  what  things  were  immediately  ne- 
cessary to  the  army,  set  themselves  to  work 
with  a  zeal  and  energy  rarely  exhibited  by 
men.  But  new  difficulties  rose  before  the 
Commission  at  every  step.  The  private 
houses,  stores,  schools  and  even  the  churches 
were  encumbered  with  bales  and  packages 
of  clothing  and  other  articles  destined  for 
the  sick  and  wounded,  awaiting  the  orders 
of  the  quartermaster  general.  The  subject 
of  transportation  in  a  country  so  extensive 
as  the  United  States,  presents  peculiar  diffi- 
culties, not  only  on  account  of  the  propor- 
tionally small  numbar  of  railroads  and  ca- 
nals, j"  &c.,  but  also  on  account  of  the  rivalry 
existing  at  the  commencement  of  the  war 
between  the  different  States.  The  theory 
of  the  individual  sovereignty  of  the  States, 
and  a  general  desire  to  maintain  the  integ- 
rity and  autonomyj  of  each,  presented  a 
serious  obstacle  to  the  efforts  of  the  Com- 
mission. Nevertheless,  this  jealousy  of 
State  towards  State,  which  the /National 
Government  had  been  unable  to  control, 


*  See  "  The  United  States  of  America,"  by  John  Bigo- 
low,  United  States  Coneal  at  Paris.— Paria,  1863. 

fThe  60,000  kilometres  of  railroads  and  the  6,000 
kilometres  of  canals  possessed  by  the  United  States,  are 
Indeed  a  small  affair  compared  wiUi  the  extent  of  the  coun- 
try.  [A  kilometre  is  a  little  more  than  three-fiflii  of  a 
mi ^ 


The  Sanitary  Oonvmstion  Bulletin. 


1189 


was  at  length  overcome  by  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, inspired  and  directed  by  the  spirit 
of  philanthropy.  It  was  resolved  to  treat 
the  country,  not  as  a  confederaby  of  sover- 
eign states,  but  as  an  indivisible  whole; 
to  eS&oe,  so 'to  speak,  the  ancient  lines  of 
separation,  and  to  form  new  sections,  of 
which  the  navigable  waters  and  lines  of 
railroad  constituted  the  different  bases. 
General  depots  were  established  in  the  large 
cities  in  order  to  receive  contributions  of 
every  kind  from  the  neighboring  towns  and 
villages.  Thus  one  hundred  and  twenty 
towns  and  villages  became  auxiliaries  to  the 
section  of  which  Cleveland,  in  Ohio,  formed 
the  central  depot;  twelve  hundred  and 
thirty-six  became  auxiliary  to  New  York,;- 
&c.  The  standing  committee  at  Washing- 
ton was  from' that  time  able  to  regulate  and 
direct  the  beneficence  of  the  whole  country 
towards  the  points  of  greatest  need ;  at  the 
same  time  they  were  delivered  from,  per- 
I  haps,  the  most  onerous  part  of  their  former 
labors,  having  now  to  correspond  only  with 
the  general  depots. — 1/  (Euvre  d'un  Grand 
Peuple,  par  J.  JV.  P.,  Paris,  1864. 


EXTRACTS  FBON  BEFOBT  OF  DB.  ALEXAN- 
DER KcDONLAS. 

Armies  Opperating  before  Richmond,  \ 
City  Point,  March  31,  1865.      / 

De.  J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary  V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — Since  the  date  of  my  last  report 
these  armie?  have  been  comparatively  quiet, 
but  until  within  a  few  days  no  movement 
of  the  entire  armies  has  been  made.  Spite 
of  all  this  seeming  quiet  a  great  amount  of  la- 
bor has  been  performed,  and  many  changes 
in  location  of  camps  made,  involving  the 
erection  of  new  quarters,  re-arrangement  of 
ground  and  removal  of  stores,  in  some  cases 
several  times  during  the  winter;  conse- 
quently our  agents  ha,ve  been  kept  busy 
most  of  the  time  till  the  coming  of  warm 
weather  in  protecting  themselves  and  others 
against  the  rigors  of  a  Virginia  winter,_and 
supplying  the  wants  of  the  army  as  com- 
pletely as  means  for  so  doing  were  at  "hand. 

Our  stations  at  the  right,  Army  of  the 
James,  remain  in  nearly  the,  same  location 
as  at  date  of  my  last  report.  Many  im- 
provements have  been  made,  and  the  quar- 
ters are  very  comfortable.  One  station 
with  each,  24th  and  25th  Corps,  and  their 
base  at  Deep  Bottom,  are  the  points  from 
which  the  Army  of  the  James  is  supplied. 
Thi^  department  includes  all  the   tfi^titory 


from  Point  of  Rocks  to  Four  Mile  Run,  and 
the  number  of  agents  is  sufficient  to  meet 
all  present  demands.  It  is  under  the  charge 
of  Mr.  Geo.  A.  Williams,  assisted  by  two 
agents  in  each  corps  and  one  at  Deep  Bot- 
tom. Another  agent  will  be  sent  to  work 
among  the  colored  troops  of  the  25th  Corps, 
as  requested  by  Gen.  Ord,  so  soon  as  the 
proper  person  can  be  found  to  undertake 
this  work.  These  troops  are  employing 
their  spare  time  in  learning  to  read,  and 
evince  a  great  desire  to  improve  as  rapidly 
as  possible.  By«the  aid  of  books  furnished 
by  the  Commission  the  agents  and  chap- 
lains have  succeeded  in  establishing  a  foun- 
dation for  future  education,  and  increased 
the  desire  for  information  among  nearly  all 
the  troops. 

Otir  stations  with  tlie  army  of  the  Poto- 
mac are  located  along  the  line  of  railroad 
to  Humphrey's  station.  The  position  of 
these  corps  has  been  changed  two  or' 
three  times  since  January  1,  and  the  work 
of  building  on  one  side  would  hardly  be 
completed  before  a  move  would  be  ordered, 
and  a  new  location  chosen.  This  has  been 
specially  the  case  with  the  5th  Corps.  Bach 
station  in  both  armies  is  furnished  with  two 
four  horse  teams  and  drivers,  two  agents, 
two  loads^of  supplies,  and  a  saddle  horse  for 
the  agent  in  charge. 

The  Relief  Corps  in  the  Army  of -the  Po- 
tomac is  in  charge  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Johnson, 
and.is  in  a  most  efficient  condition.  Stations 
in  this  army  draw  supplies  directly  from 
City  Point,  those  in  the  Army  of  the  James 
from  Peep  Bottom,  to  which  place  stores 
are  sent  from  City  Point  by  water. 

The  army  of  the  James  having  occupied 
all  the  lines  from  Point  of  Rocks  to  Four 
Mile  Run,  inoludiug  the  24th,  25th,  and 
part  of  the  8th  Corps,  has  demanded  and 
received  a  due  share  of  attention  from  the 
Commission.  Including,  as  it  has,  all  the 
colored  troops  in  these  armies,  many  of 
whom  have  previously  been  slaves,  but  now 
stand  out  as  freemen,  battling  for  the  coun- 
try, yet  as  children  in  their  dependence  on 
others  for  necessaries  or  comforts ;  many  of 
them  heedless  regarding  the^future,  looking 
only  to  present  need,  and  requiring  special 
instruction  and  special  care,  has  created  a 
want  for  the  means  of  instructing  men  never 
previously  so  fully  developed ;  has  added 
to  our  list  of  supplies,  books,  slates,  pencils 
and  similar  stores  of  small  cost  but  great 
benefit,  and  demanded  with  the  means  for 
education  competent  instructors,  which  we 


1190 


TJie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


have  endeavored  to  furnish  so  far  as  lay.  in 
our  power.  Spelling  books  and  slates  have 
been  judiciously  distributed,  and  our  agents 
have  exerted  themselves  to  have  chaplains 
and  others  aid  in  teaching  their  uses  to  the 
men,  so  that  now  it  is  no  uncommon  scene 
to  find  two  or  three  colored  soldiers  gathered 
in  some  'quiet  place  aiding  each  other  in 
their  studies.  These  troops  have  seemed 
to  suffer  from  the  extreme  cold  weather  of 
the  past  winter  much  more  than  whites,  and 
we  have  been  compelled  to  issue  for'  their 
use  comparatively  large  quantities  of  woolen 
clothing,  socks,  mittens,  &c.  ^ 

While  the  agents  of  the  25th  Corps  have 
been  thus  engaged  with  colored  troops,  those 
of  the  24th  and  8th  have  been  employed  in 
ministering  to  the  necessities  of  their  men, 
and  have  done  all  they  could  to  relieve  or 
prevent  suffering  in  any  of  its  various 
forms. 

The  table  of  distribution  will  show  that 
all  in  this  departmnet  have  received  a  due 
share  of  attention,  and  that  our  agents  have 
not  been  unmindful  of  their  duty. 

From  this  army  was  sent  Jan.  4  an 
expedition  which  succeeded  in  capturing 
Fort  Fisher.  Two  of  our  agents,  Messrs. 
Foster  and  Adams,  with  a  good  supply  of 
storeSj  accompanied  it,  and  Mr.  Foster  has 
followed  the  troops  to  Wilmington.  The 
service  rendered  at  these  points  has  proved 
of  great  benefit  to  men  wounded  iji  the  at- 
tack on  Fort  Fisher,  and  also  to  men  re- 
leased from  rebel  prisons  and  sent  to  Wil- 
mington, where  many  of  them  remain  till 
"sufficiently  recuperated  to  resume  their 
journey. 

At  both  places  our  agents  received  the 
thanks  and  co-operation  of  government 
officers,  and  good  evidence  that  their  work 
was  appreciated  by  the  commanding  gene- 
rals and  the  troops.  Messrs.  Foster  and 
Adams  deserve  special  credit  for  their  in- 
dustry and  persevering  efforts  during  this 
campaign. 

January  25  Mr.  Foster  arrived  from  Fort 
Ksher,  and  was  supplied  with  a  fresh  lot  of 
stores,  with  which  he  returned.  He  reports 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  was  the  only 
benevolent  association  represented  during 
the  attack. 

At  Wilmington  a  quantity  of  liquors  were 
turned  over  to  the  Commission  to  be  used 
for  men  in  hospital,  and  as  the  supply  of 
milk  was  exhausted,  our  agent  purchased  a 
lot,  and  furnished  milk-punch  to  the  hospi- 
tals by  directions  of  the  surgeons. 


The  Wilmington  station  Ijas  since  been 
transferred  to  the  department  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  future  reports  will  doubtless  be 
forwarded  by  the  agent  in  charge  at  New- 
bern.'^ 

With  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  we  have 
six  agents  in  charge?  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Johnson. 
Their,  issues  have  been  made  mainly  to  men 
in  the  regiments,  with  a  limited  distribufion 
to  hospitals.  They  include  the  2d,  5th, 
6th,  9th  and  Cavalry  Corps,  Engineer  and 
Artillery  Brigade.  Picket  firing,  attacks 
on  the  line,  hard  duty,  raids  and  advances 
have  kept  the  hospitals  in  this  department 
filled  with  wounded  and  sick,  making  the 
duties  of  our  agents  constant  and  at  times 
arduous. 

The  sanitary  condition  of  this  army  du- 
ring the  past  three  months  has-«qualled,  if 
not  surpassed,  that  of  any  previous  season. 
Camps  have  been  well  chosen,  regularly  laid 
out,  well  policed,  and  the  morale  of  the  men 
has  generally  been  excellent.  Eations  are 
well  cooked,  quarters,  arms  and  equipments 
kept  clean,  daily  drills  and  amusements  of 
various  kinds  have  given  a .  pleasant  and 
healthy  stimulus  to  the  men,  and  enabled 
them'  better  to  endure  the  duties  '  and  fa- 
tigues of  service.     . 

Particular  attention  has  been  paid  to  Qien 
sick  in  quarters,  who  may  be  kept  from 
hospitals  and  returned  to  duty.  The  call 
for  small  stores  had  been  great  previous  to 
the  advent  of  paymasters.  "  Uncle  John," 
as  he  is  fatniliarly  called  by  the  men,  (John 
Vasser),  reports  having  distributed  from 
Feb.  21  to  25, 1,000  Soldier's  Friend,  2,120 
sheets  of  paper,  1,000  envelopes,  42  combs, 
50  pens,  50  handkerchiefs,  25  needles,  i 
lb.  of  thread,  30  papers  of  tobacco,  2,090 
newspapers,  and  9  pairs  of  mittens.  These 
are  personal  distributions.  Besides  these 
corn  starch,  farina,  milk,  crackers,  &c.,&c., 
are  furnished  to  the  sick,  who  are  thereby 
enabled,  with  a  few  .days  of  rest,  to  re- 
sume their  duties.  < 

'Feb.  1  and  2  the  work  of  clearing  hospi- 
tals of  2d,  5th  and  6th  Corps  commenced, 
and  the  morning  of  the  3d  found  these  troops 
ready  for  a  move.  Feb.,4,  marching  orders 
were  issued,  and  the  troops  moved  on  the 
5th,  2d  Corps  skirmishing  all  the  afternoon. 
A  fight  on  the  6th  was  succeeded  by  an 
intensely  cold  night,  ,with  hail  and  rain, 
during  which  the  wounded  suffered  much 
from  exposure.  Punch,  cifaokers,  &c.,  were 
at  hand,  also  Jamaica  ginger  and  blankets. 
Our  work  continued  through  the  night,  and 


The  Sanitary  Commmion  Bulletin. 


1191 


till  noon  of  the  7tli.  Each  ambulance  was 
provided  with  Jamaica  ginger  instead  of 
whisky  for  a  stimulant.  Over  1,000  wounded 
were  sent  from  Patrick  station,  to  whom 
100  gallons  milk  punch,  1  gross  Jamaica 
.  ginger,  2  bbls.  crackers  and  a  quantity  of 
blankets  were  furnished  as  they  lay  on  the 
platform  waiting  for  transportation  to  the 


The  recent  battles  at  Hatcher's  and  Gra- 
velly Kun  have  increased  our  labors  in  all 
departlnents.  The  wounded  cavalrymen 
especially  demand  a  large  issue  of  clothing, 
as  they  were  prisoners  in  rebel  hands  some 
twenty-four  hours,  during  which  time  they 
were  robbed  of  almost  everything,  even  to 
shoes,  stockings  and  blankets.  The,-  2d, 
5th,  9th,  24th  and  Cavalry  Corps  hospitals 
have  all  had  large  accessions  of  wounded. 

Schools,  libraries,  reading,  writing  and 
smoking  rooms  have  been  established  in 
some  of  the  hospitals,  and  are  meeting  with 
success.  Schools  are  taught  by  agents  after 
regular  duties  of  the  day  have  been  per- 
formed, and  are  well  attended.  Libraries 
are  established  in  connection  with  the 
schools,  from  which  books  are  loaned  to  men 
who  are  unable  to  leave  the  wards ;  reading, 
writing  and  smoking  rooms  are  for  those 
who  are  convalescing.  These  accommoda- 
tions are  a  source  of  mucli  benefit,  well  ar- 
ranged for  their  several  purposes,  and  kept 
in  good  order  by  the  application  of  a  proper 
code  of  regulations  conspicuously  posted  in 
each  tent. 

Washing  of.  clothing  was  commenced  in 
some  of  the  hospitals  and  resulted  in  a  great 
saving  to  the  Commission  :  also  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  laundries- by  hospitals,  which 
have  for  the  present  superceded  the  necessity 
for  our  doing  such  work,  and  it  has  conse- 
quently been  temporarily  abandoned,  yet 
can  easily  be  resumed  if  the  present/ ar- 
rangement of  hospital  laundries  should  not 
work  better  than  it  now  promises. 

Issues  of  clothing  by  quartermasters  to 
men  in  hospftals  reach  only  those  cases 
where  the  applicant  will  probably  be  com- 
pelled to  remain  several  weeks,  as'officers 
are  not  disposed  to  become  responsible  for 
stock  to  be  kept  on  hand,  and  will  there- 
fore only  draw  for  the  amount  ordered ; 
consequently  men  who  will  go  to  general 
hospitals,  or  be  returned  to  their  regiments 
in  a  short  time,  must  remain  without  cloth- 
ing or  be  furnished  by  the  Commission. 

Refugees,  in  addition  to  'their  lodgings,' 
are  furnished  with  food,  but  the  niimber  of 


this  class  has  been  gradually  diminishing, 
much  to  our  satisfaction,  as  most  of  them 
arrive  in  an  almost  destitute  condition,  and 
we  cannot  relieve  them  without  the  risk  of ' 
so  depleting  our  stock  as  to  detract  from  the 
proper  application  at  timgs-of  necessity. 

Stations  at  Port  Monroe  and  lortsmouth 
are  continued;  their  supplies  are  drawn 
from  the  storehouse  at  Norfolk.  This 
branch  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  H.  P.  Sherman, 
and  the  work  of  individual  relief  is  being 
ably  conducted ;  adjacent  hospitals  also  are 
supplied  from  the  Norfolk  store.  Disabled 
men  from  the  front  are  received  and  taken 
care  of  by  Mr.  Alcooke,  Superintendent  of 
the  Soldier's  Lodge,  at  Portsmouth.  His 
reports  show  that  sin^  Jan.  1,  1865,  he 
has  given  4,320  meals  and  1,422  lodgings, 
besides  supplying  necessary  clothing  and 
comforts  to  a  very  large  number  of  men  on 
their  way  to  or  from  their  regiments.  His 
work  has  found  fav,or  with  all  who  know 
him,  and  the  facilities  afforded  by  govern- 
ment officers  at  this  point  are  such  as  can 
be  expected  only  from  the  result  of  patient 
and  persevering  application  to  duty. 

Until  the  arrival  of  army  paymasters, 
(Feb.  25),  we  were  continually  receiving 
applications  for  stationery,  buttons,  needles, 
pins,  fhread,  yarn,  combs,  soap,  clothing, 
aad  especially  tobacco,  articles  which  men 
must  have,  but  could  obtain  only  by  pur- 
chase OP  by  application  to  the  Sanitary,  and 
having  no  money,  not  having  been  paid  in 
several  months,  the  Sanitary  was  their  only 
and  last  resource.  We  have  endeavored  to 
meet  these  demands  whenever  made,  well 
knowing  that  there  was^no  other  source  of 
supply.  •  ' 

We  always  want  clothing,  vegetables, 
stationery,  sewing  material,  dried  fruit,  su- 
gar, tea,  milk,  stimulants,  tobacco,  rags  and 
bandages ;  these  are  the  standards ;  hospi- 
tal food,  flavoring  extracts,  slippers,  &o.,  &o., 
are  needed  for  special  use. 

All  supplies  should  be  carefully  and  se- 
curely packed;  much  loss  arises  from  the 
want"  of  a  little  care  in  the  preparation  of 
goods  for  shipment,  and  in  legible  marking. 
We  have  often  received  packages  bearing 
a  conspicuous  mark  of  their  contents,  but 
/a  very  diminutive  and  obscure  address; 
reverse  this  order  and  the  arrangement 
would  be  complete. 

A  little  work  called  "The  Soldier's 
Friend,"  has  been  largely  distributed  in 
these  armieS,  is  gladly  received,  read  and 
preserved.     About  forty  thousand  copies 


1192 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


have  been  distributed  by  our  agents,  and 
the  work  is  well  appreciated  "by  men  and 
officers.  Mr.  Sperry  suggests  tie  addition 
of  a  few  simple  rules  for  the  preservation 
of  health,  to  include  some  instructions  re- 
garding the  proper  preparation  and  cooking 
of  soldiers'  rations. 

This  little  book  will  be  found  carefully 
preserved  in  the  pockets  of  a  great  majority 
of  the  soldiers  who  have  received  a  copy. 
It  contains  just  the  information  needed  by 
every  soldier,  so  arranged  and  condensed  as 
to  be  of  practical  value  to  him.  Give  us 
more  of  them. 

During  the  recent  exchange  of  prisoners 
it  has  been  our  good  fortune  to  minister  to 
some  of  the  wants  of  those  who  have  suffered 
so  much  and  so  long  for  the  cause.  The 
distribution  of  comforts  to  a  part  of  these 
men,  although  in  our  regular  line  of  busi- 
ness, was  deemed  a  gratifying  though  sad 
opportunity  for  doing  good ;  and  the  spirit 
of  thankfulness  with  which  any  little  atten- 
,  tion  was  receiveji,  more  than  repaid  the  ex- 
ertions necessary  for  such  Seeds.  We  have 
supplied  all  that  could  be  reached,  both  at 
Varina  and  Wilmington,  with  all  we  had 
that  was  needed,  and  our  only  regret  has 
been  that  the  supply  was  so  limited. 

Kefugees,  men,  women  and  children  have 
been  arriving  almost  daily,  many  of  them 
in  a  nearly  destitute  condition.  Women, 
whose  husbands  have  succeeded  in  reaching 
some  free  city,  come  through  our  lines,  often 
traveling  miles  on  foot,  "  flanking  the  pick- 
ets," and  under  the  flag  against  which  their 
nearest  male  relatives  have  been  fighting, 
seeking  protection  for  themselves  and  chil- 
dren. , 

The  number  of  letters  forwarded  for  sol- 
diers since  Jan.  1,  has  been  34,794,  of 
newspapers  1,312. 

A  large  number  of  letters  are  written  at 
the  several  writing  rooms  and  on  board  our 
boats,  where  the  conveniences  are  always 
at  hand,  and,  open  at  all  hours  of  each  day 
for  such  as  desire  to  make  use  of  them. 


IMPOETANT  TESTimOKIAI.. 

WlLMINOTON,  N.  0.,  1 
March  30,  1865.      / 

Doctor: — I  deem  it  my  duty  to  report 
to  you  as  the  General  Secretary  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary jDommission,  the  workings  of  this  insti- 
tution in  this  Department,  particularly  with 
that  portion  of  the  field  occupied  by  Major- 
General  Terry's  command. 

The  last  expedition  to  Fort   Fisher  was 


fitted  out  in  a  hurry,  and  but  a  few  medical 
stores  prepared  for  the  army.  My  assign- 
ment to  the  command  as  medical  director, 
was  on  the  night  before  its  sailing  from 
Bermuda  Hundred,  and  no  adequate  ar- 
rangements could  be  made  to  supply  the 
medical  department  of  the  expedition.  In- 
deed I  did  not  then  know  wherq  we  were 
going.  I  was  informed,  however,  that  "  all 
things  would  be  supplied  from  Army  Head- 
quarters." With  thi§  assurance  I  tried  to 
rest  satisfied.  On  landing  at  Fort  Fisher 
I  found  that  little  or  no  arrangements  had 
been  made  to  supply  the  medical  deparl;ment 
with  medicines,  dressings  or  stores,  and  that 
we  were  c'^en  without  cooking  utensils  or 
nourishment  for  sick  and  wounded,  except 
such  as  could  be  borrowed  from  regiments 
composing  the  command.  You  may  well 
judge  my  feelings  at  the  prospect  before  us. 
Almost  without  food  and  stimulants,  and 
entirely  destitute  of  transportation,  upon  a 
bleak  shore,  in  front  of  a  strongly  in- 
trenched and  confident  Bnemy,  with  the 
certainty  of  a  fight,  and  the  prospect  of  a 
large  number  of  wounded,  I  looked  about 
me  for  help.  At  this  juncture  of  affairs 
Mr.  F.  "W.  Foster,  Agent  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission;  came  to  my  relief  His  goods 
were  on  shipboard,  but  he  immediately  set 
about  getting  them  off,  and  through  his 
exertions,  and  by  his  supplies  we  were  able 
to  make  our  sick  and  wounded  comparatively 
comfortable.  Beside  the  furnishing  of  sup- 
plies, Mr.  Foster  and  his  assistant,  F.  B. 
Adams,  personally  distributed  food  and 
nourishment  to  the  wounded,  acting  as 
nurses,  and  even  dressing  wounds.  For 
such  efficiency  and  devotion  and  timely  aid 
I  desire  to  express  to  them,  and  through 
you  to  the  Sanitary  Coihmission,  my  most 
hearlJ^lt  thanks.  Since  the  capture  of  Fort 
Fisher  Mr.  Foster  has  followed  the  fortunes 
ot  this  command.  At  this  place,  (Wilming- 
ton), he,  as  well  as  every  one  with  a  heart 
and  means,  has  found  abundant  for  hands 
and  head  to  do.  The  Sanitary  Commission 
contributing,  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  F., 
largely  to  the  care  and  safety  of  the  re- 
turned prisoners. 

I  have  not  called  your  attention  to  the 
above  case,  or  facts,  as  the  first  instance  of 
relief  or  occasion  I  have  had  to  acknowledge 
the  importance  and  timely  aid  of  this  Com- 
mission. During  a  service  of  four  years  I 
have  had  many  opportunities  to  witness  the 
great  good  of  this  Commission  under  su6h 
.  o£|cers  as  Mr.  Foster, 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin.. 


1193 


Mr.  F.  is"  now  at  Wilmington,  and  pro- 
ceeding in  all  respects  as  lie  began  in  Janu- 
ary, systematically  to  feed  the  sick  of  this 
city. 

At  present  we  have  here  about  3,000  of 
the  returned  prisoners,  most  of  them  too 
sick  to  be  transported  North.  The  average 
number  of  deaths  among  these  people  has 
been  about  twenty  per  day.  Three  of  my 
best  medical  officers  have  sickened  and  died 
of  fever  contracted  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties  among  these  sick.  Several  others 
are  sick,  and  will  probably  die.  We  are 
endeavoring  to  remove  the  sick  to  hospitals 
out  of  town,  and  by  thorough  police  regu- 
lations, place  the  city  in  a  more  healthy 
condition.  To  do  this  we  require  at  least 
500  barrels  of  lime  and  other  disenfect- 
ments.  If  the  Sanitary  Comnlission  can 
furnish  any  part  of  this  they  will  greatly 
oblige.  . 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

Norman  S.  Barnes, 

Surgeon  U.  S.  Vols., 
Medical  Director  Major-General  Terry's  Command. 

Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

Gen.  Sec'ry  XT.  S.  San.  Com.  WasMngton,  D.  C. 


AID  TO  FBISONEBS. 

Sherman  Hospital,  Wilminoton,  N.  C,  "1 
April  8,  1865.  / 

Mr.  Foster,  * 

Agent  of  tlie  Sanitary  Commission. 

Sir  : — It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  bear 
testimony  to  the  very  efficient  manner  in 
which  yourself  and  associates  with  the  means 
placed  at  your  disposal,  alleviated  the  suffer- 
ing of  a  great  number  of  paroled  prisoners 
who  recently  came  into  our  lines  from  Con- 
federate prisons.  I  am  certain  that  if  your 
supplies  hai  not  arrived  at  a  most  opportune 
moment,  many  would  have  died ,  from  the 
want  of  t1ie  necessaries  you  so  kindly  furn- 
ished. .  To  your  energy  and  faithfulness 
much  is  due^  I  am  sure,  sir,  that  all  who 
witnessed  youKexertions,  in  earing  for  the 
sick  and  wounded,  gave  you  much  deserved 
credit. 

Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  what  was  done 
for  the  men  under  my  «harge .  You  clothed 
them  J  you  fed  them;  ind  I  do  not  doubt 
but  that  for  your  personal,-  attention,  many 
who  are  living  would  have  Jied. 
I  am,  Sir,  very  respectMy, 
\Your  obedient  serva^^ 

W.  E.  Day,  117thX.  Y., 

J  Surgeon  in  charge^spitalf 


HEWBEEIT  AND  WILMINGTOH. 
PROM  DR.  J.  M.  PAGE. 

Nbwbhrn,  N.  C,  April  23,  1^65. 
Dr.  C.  R.  Agnew,  ,  ^ 

My  dear  Doctor  : — ^Your  favor  of  the 
17th  is>just  received.  I  sent  the  Uncas  to 
Wilmington  with  twenty-five  barrels  of  lime 
and  seventy-five  barrels  of  chloride  of  lime. 
Those  barrels  of  lime  and  chloride  of  lime 
I  retained  here  have  been  of  infinite  value 
to  us.  The  desire  to  avoid  pestilence  here 
the  coming  season  is  intense,  and  the  lime 
and  chloride  which  the  Commission  has  just 
sent  us  have  inspired  the  first  ray  of  confi- 
dence for  the  authorities  and  citizens  and 
service  for  any  chance  of  immunity  from 
the  plague  this  sujdmej.  I  have  given  it 
and  applied  it  in  the  proper  quarters,  which 
my  recent  connection  with  the  Board  of 
Health  enabled  me  to  do  with  judicious  dis- 
crimination. I  sent  Mr.  Bowman  to  Wil- 
mington, and  he  has  just  returned  with  his 
report.  Dr.  Hand,  Medical  Director  of  this 
department,  just  from  Wilmington,  reports 
a  great  improvement  in  the  condition  of 
things  there,  with  regafd  to  sanitary  and  to 
military  police,     *     *     » 

We  have  now  nearly  three  thousand  oc- 
cupied beds  in  our  general"  hospital  here,/ 
apd  are  constantly  sending  off  loads  of  the 
convalescents  to  make  room  for  the  new  in- 
stallments from  Sherman's  army.  In  the 
exigencies  of  the  transportation  of  such 
numbers  some  most  hanpv  opportunities 
have  occurred  for  the  timely  relief-  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  these  opportuni- 
ties have  been  fully  occupied  and  appi-eoi- 
ated,  thanks  to  the  abundant  and  timely 
supplie^s  forwarded  to  this  department.  My 
brother  has  already  established  a  Sanitary 
d^pot  at  Raleigh,  and  I  yesterday  sent 
him  a  car-load  of  stores — nine  to  eleven  t6i}s 
weight — with  Mr.  Hoblit  to  assist  in  their 
disbursement.  The  depot  at  Kinston  I 
have  broke*n  up,  and  withdrawn  Mr.  Perry 
to  assist  me  here.  Mr.  Tope  is  conducting 
affairs  at  our  depot  in  Goldsborough.  Since  , 
the  day  you  left  Newborn,  when  Sherman's  ' 
barefooted  and  l^rave  soldiers  began  to  make 
their  appearance,  an  army — literally  an 
army — has  besieged  the  doors  of  the  Com- 
mission, and  jio  less  an  army  has  blessed, 
and  been  blessed,  by  the  streams  of  relief 
which  have  poured  from  our  doors  and  win- 
dows.. There  seems  now  to  be  such  an  af- 
finity between  want  in  the  army  and  the 
great  centers  of  supply  for  that  want  among 


1194 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


the  friends  of  the  army  at  the  North,  as  to 
insure  the  timely  transmission  of  the  sup- 
plies through-onr  established  channels.  The 
large  installments  of  vegetables — over  two^ 
thousand  barrels — invoiced  to  me  arrived 
just  when  a  boat  arrived,  and  a  half-rationed 
army  could  obtain  fresh  vegetables  from  no 
other  source.  The  sixty  thousand  pounds 
of  tomatoes  just  now  received  are  equally 
opportune,  and  eagerly  accepted.  ■'  I  for- 
warded to  the  front,  six  thousand  pounds  of 
them  by  last  night's  train. 


OTJB  trOEK  AT  NEW  ORLEAHS  AND  MOBflE. 
BY  GEO.  A.  BLAKE. 

With  this  I  forward  you  Special  Relief 
Report  from  O.'C.  BuUard,  Pension  Report 
from  Chas.  W.  Seaton",  and  Report  of  Sol- 
diers' Home  by  W.  S.  BuUard ;  also  several 
letters  received  within  the  past  week  from 
our  agents  in  the  field,  and  others  occa- 
sioned by  our  good-  work,  being  written  on 
both  sides,  all  sides;  and  crossed ;  I  must 
forward  few  of  them  unfastened.  I  can 
hardly  hope  to  add  anything  to  the  informa- 
tion I  have  given  you  in  my  weekly  letters. 

Since  my  last  report  larger  demands  have 
been  made  upon  us  than  ever  before.  The 
arrival  of  Major-General  A.  J.  Smith's 
command  and  the  fitting  out  of  an  expedi- 
tion against  Mobile  has  occasioned  a  severe 
drain  on  our  stock,  as  our  weekly  account 
will  show.  Knowing  that  the  larger  por- 
tion of  our  troops  would  be  congregated  in 
the  region  of  Mobile,  either  at'  Fort  Gaines 
on  Dauphin  Island,  or  at  Barrancas,  I  have 
forwarded  to  these  posts  a  good  supply  of 
stores,  knowing  they  were  more  needed 
there  than  here.     I  have  sent  as  follows : 


Memorandum  of  stores  /awarded  to  Dauphin 
land  and ''Barrancas  since  Jan.  15,  1865. 

Potatoes,  bush..: 90  Pepper,  papers 

Pickles  and  kraut,  gals  10,400  Ginger,  papers. 

Crackers,  bbls -     64  Socks,  paii's 

Corn  meal,  bbls 20  bboes,  pairs. 

Bried  fruit,  bbls 10  Slippers,  pa^-s. 

Tomatoes,  lbs. . . : 656  GoLtou  drawers,  pairs. 

Beef  stock,  lbs 1,475  Woolen  drawers,  pairs 

Farina,  lbs ."ige  Cotton  Shirts 

Gorn-starcl),  lbs 661 

Condensed  milk, lbs..  I,2fi8 

•hocolate,  lbs 17,'j 

Tea,  lbs 17 

Sugar,  lbs 250 

Cod-flsh.lbs 350 

Canned  trait,  cans. ...  98 

Mustard;  cans 72 

Brandy,  bots 48 

Whisky,  bots.. 534 

Foreign  wine,  bots....  312 

Domestic  *wlneB,  bots.  192 

Lime  juice,  bots 413 

Extract  ginger,  hots .. .  48 

Catsup,  bots .36 

Ink,  bte 144 

Heading  matter,  bbls. .  2 

Chloroform,  lbs '2 


Woolen  shirts 

Wrappers 

Sandkerchiefs 

Towels 

Abdominal  bandages. 

Combs ^. 

Suspenders .' 

Rags  &  bandages,  bbls 
Writing  paper,  reams. 

EnTelopes 

Pens ' 

Pen-holders 

Pencils 

Housewives 

Cushions 

Pillows '. 

PiUow-caBes 

Sheets 


Is- 


72 
72 

IS 

ass 

568 
167 

1,941 
357 
107 
995 

1,310 

150 

600 

20 

7 

19 

8,600 
4.32 
141 
100 
300 
162 
200 
ISO 
168 


108 


Soap,  lbs 30 

Eye  shades. .,< ,6 

Arm  slings 166 

Linen  thread,  lbs 3 


Blankets..... .1.'.. 

Bed  sacks ^ . 

Musquito  bars 74 

Tin  cups... : 124 

Tinbasins IS 

The  above  is  an  account  of  the  stock  that 
I  have  sent  forward;  it  does  not  dnclude 
what  was  delivered  to  forces  of  the  Expedi- 
tionary Corps  while  at  rest  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  this  city.  As  I  wrote  you  before, 
every  regiment  of  16th  Corps,  Major-Gene- 
ral Smith's,  were  furnished  with  more  or 
less  kraut  or  pickles  on  arrival  in  this'city. 

The  demand  for  writing  material  has  been 
constant,  and  more  than  equal  to  my  supply 
on  hand,  which  will  account  for  my  con- 
siderable purchases.  The.  soldiers  are  all 
anxious  to  write  to  their  friends,  and  having 
no  monev  at  their  command,  they  are  ob- 
liged to  call  on  the  Commission.  I  will 
venture  to  say  that  we  have  distributed  more 
writing  paper  and  enyelopes  during  the  past 
three  months,  directly  to  the  soldier,  than 
has  been  done  in  this  city  by  any  other  or- 
ganization during  the  war. 

We  are  well  represented  at  the  front  both 
in  men  and  stores,  and  I  intend  to  go  for- 
ward the  first  of  next  week,  or  as  soon  as 
-Mobile  is  occupied.  You  will  hear  many 
reports  of  "  Mobile  fallen,"  but  up  to  this 
time  our  forces  do  not  occupy  Mobile. 

Thus  far  about  one  thousand  will  cover 
the  number  of  killed  and  wounded.  Most 
of  the  wounded  have  been  brotight  to  this 
city,  and  we  have  been  able  to  meet  emer- 
gencies. Occasionally  I  have  purchased  to 
do  so,  feeling  that  the  work  of  the  Commis- 
sion demanded  it. 


From  New  Orleans  Delta,  April  13. 
TESTIMONIAL  TO   THE   SANITAEY  COMMIS- 
SION. 

The  following  letter  explains  itself.  It 
is  another  evidence  of  the  excellent  manage- 
ment of  Che  Sanitary  Commission  agency  in 
this  Department : 

New  Orleans,  April  1,  1865. 
Agent  of  the  U.  S.  San.  Cbm. 

Dear  Sir  : — The  fWlowing  resolution 
was  adopted  unanimously  at  the  meeting  of 
the  Union  Ministerisi  Assodation,  held  in 
this  city  on  the  3d  inst. : 

Resolved,  That  as  ministers  resident  of 
New  Orleans,  aid  chaplains  resident  in  this 
Department,  fteling  a  deep  and  abiding  in- 
terest in  tbe  Government  of  the  United 
States,  anJ  the  welfare  of  its  soldiers,  we 
are  profeundly  tha,nkfu],  on  behalf  of  both, 
for  tb^'aid  and  comfort  afibrded  to  the  sick 


The  Sanitary  Commmion  Bulletin. 


1196 


and  wounded  in  the  army,  by  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  and  from  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  New  Orleans  agency  has  been  managed 
by  Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake,  we  most  cordially 
commend  it  to  the  confidence  of  those  who 
love  the  Union  and  seek,  the  good  of  the 
soldier.         Respectfully  yours, 

'  I E.  Andrews, 

Recording  Scribe  of  the  Association. 


HOME  AT  ITEW  OBLEANS. 

New  Orleans,  Jan.  11,  1865. 

Sir: — The  accompanying  statement  re- 
lative to  the  Soldiers'  Home,  was  made  at 
the  request  of  Captain  Browne,  who  was 
sent  to  inspect  the  Home  by  Gen  Sherman, 
co^imElnding  defences  of  New  Orleans, 

He  handed  me  a  paper,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  s  copy,  as  indicatiiig  the  informa- 
tion sought. 

"  The  number  of  men  on  detailed  service 
boarding  at  the  Home,  the-number  in  tran- 
sition on  the  morning' of  the  10th  inst.,  and 
a  condensed  history  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  institution  Is  conducted,  what  Govern- 
ment furnishes,  and  what  is  done  by  the 
Commission." 

The  statistics  desired  were  given  him  on 
a  separate  paper.  My  statement  may  be  of 
some  interest  to  you,  and,  I  think,  has  added 
somewhat  to  the  confidence  manifested  by 
the  military  authorities  in  ouy  work. 
,  The  Home  is  inspected  by  different  oflS- 
cers,  sent  by  Gen.  Sherman,  very  frequently, 
so  far  without  the  first  word  of  complaint, 
and  with  frequent  commendation.  . 
Very  respectfully, 

•    '  0.  C^  BULLARD. 

F.  N.  Knapp, 

Supeiintendent  Special  Relief. 

New  Orieans,  Dec.  10,  1864. 
Capt.  Brown,'  A.  D.  G. 

Sir  : — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  furn- 
ish you  a  brief  history  of  the  "  Soldiers' 
Home"  in  this  city,  its  workings  and  other 
data  that  may  be  of  valiie  to  meet  the  object 
you  have  in  view. 

'  The  Home  was  established  under  Special 
Order  272,  Headquarters  Department  .of 
the  Gulf,  in  October,  1863.  Chaplain  E. 
Nute,  of  the  First  Kansas  Volunteers,  was 
appointed  Superintendent  by  Major-Gene- 
ral  Banks  under  that  order.  Mr.  Nute  was 
at  the  time  acting  as  an  Agent  of  the  "Wes- 
tern Sanitary  Commission,  having  been  de-^ 
tailed  by  General  Grant  to   the  service  of 


■  that  Commission  in  organizing  similar  Work 
along  the  Mississippi  River. 

The  "Western  Commission  were  in  a  de- 
gree responsible  for  the  management  of  the 
Home  alt  first. 

During  the  winter,  a  transfer  of  the  pa- 
tronage or  care  of  the  Home,  was  made  to 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1864,  Major-General  Reynolds,  of  New 
Orleans,  appointed  an  Agent  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Comrbission,  Superintendent  un- 
der the  supervision  of  0.  C.  BuUard,  Spe- 
cial Relief  Agent  of*  Department  of  the 
Gulf,  since  which  time  the  Home  has  been 
conducted  by  the  Commission  on  the  fol- 
lowing general  principles.  ^ 

vThe  Government  furnishes 'fo?  the  use  of 
the  Home,  the  building  kftown  as  the  Plan- 
ters' Hotel,  cofner  of  Magazine  and  Julia 
streets. . 

It  also  furnishes  rations  and  fuel  based 
upon  the  morning  reports,  daily  returned 
to  Headquarters  of  Defences. 

These  reports  give  the  number  at  the 
Home,  unc^er  the  several  classes  of  fur- 
loughed,  discharged,  for  diity,  (or  those  in 
tranfiitu,  including  all  the^  men  received  on 
orders  from  the  proper  officers),  paroled 
prisoners,  detailed  soldiers,  i.  e.  orderlies, 
&c.,  who  are  regular  boarders  at  the  Home, 
(received  only- on  orders  from  Headquar- 
ters of  Defences),  and  civil  employees,  i.  e. 
those  employed  in  the  ■  Home  and  paid  by 
the  Commission^ 

The  Sanitary  Commission  hires  three 
adjoining  buildings  and  lots.  No.  94  Julia 
street  is  used  for  a  baggage  room  and  lodg- 
ings for  the  detailed  men ;  No.  96  Julia 
street  contains  the  office  of  the  Special  Re- 
lief Agent  and  Pension  Agent,  the|rear  of  the 
building  being  used  as  lodgings  for  colored 
soldiers  and  the  colored  help,  with  laundry 
arrangements  on  the  lower  floor ;  buildings 
and  lots  on  Magazine  street  adjoining  the 
Planters'  Hotel  are  used  for  storeage,  wood 
yard,  &c. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  has  also  pro- 
vided iron  bedsteads,  comfortably  furnished 
with  bedding;  all  the  necessary  kitchen, 
table  and  laundry  utensils ;  and  the  fixtures 
for  heating  not  belonging  to  the  building. 

It  furnishes  the  gas,  a  surgeon  for  daily 
attendance  on  the  sick,  the  services  of  su- 
perintendenty  matron,  two  female  nurses,  a 
night  watchman,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
male  and  female  employees. 

The  working  force  is  necessarily  consider- 
able.    The   cooking,  washing,   scrubbing. 


1196 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


chamber  work,  preparation  of  fuel,  &c.,  in- 
cident to  such  an  establishment,  (if  neatly 
•  and  perfectly  conducted)  will  explain  this 
point. 

The  common  table  is  furnished  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  with  vegetables,  dried- fruit, 
pickles,  &c.,  in  addition  to  Grovernment  ra- 
tions. There  is  a  comfortable  hospital  ward 
for  all  that  need  medical  attendance,  or  who 
are  too  feeble  to  go  to  the  common  table,  or 
sit  up  through  the  day. 

Food  suitable  for  the  respective  cases  is 
served  to  the  inmates  of  the  hospital  in  the 
ward  by  the  nurses  in  attendance. 

They  are  kindly  cared  for,  and  such 
medicines  and  stimulants  administered  as 
the  Surgeon  may  direct. 

A  few  days  rest,  with  good  nursing  and 
change  of  diet,  often  saves  ^he  lives  of  feeble 
men,  who  have  before  them  the  long  journey 
to  their  homes. 

Seven  men  are  daily  detailed   from  the 
First  New  Orleans  Regiment,  who  act   as 
guard  at  the  Home  and  at  the  Grovernment 
buildings  on  the  opposite  corner. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

0.  C.  BULLAED, 

Special  Belief  Agent, 
T7.  S.  San.  Com.,  Kew  Orleans, 


BELIEF  TO  FBI80NESS. 
'  BY  H.  TONE. 
ViOKSBUBO,  Miss.,  April  6,  1865. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry. 

Secretary  West.  De^t.,  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

Dear  Sir  : — ^I  am  happy  to  be  able  to 
report  that  we  are  making  excellent  pro- 
gress in  our  work  with  the  prisoners  here. 
I  am  now  issuing  daily  from  forty  to  fifty 
barrels  of  potatoes  to  the  men  in  camp, 
(numbering  about  4,200),  with  an  occa- 
sional additional  issue  of  kraut.  The  men 
have  all  received  new  clothes,  are  drawing 
good  rations,  and  if  they  could  only  hear 
from  home  and  get  plenty  of  tobacco  they 
would  b,e  perfectly  happy.  They  have  been 
furnished  with  considerable,  quantities  of 
paper  and  pens,  both  by  private  individuals 
and  the  various  Commissions,  but  heretofore 
have  had  so  little  ink  that  much  of  the  sup- 
ply could  not  be  used.  To- day  I  procured 
material  and  manufactured  about  two  gal- 
lons, which  I  carried  to  camp  in  pint  bot- 
tles and  divided  so  as  to  make  it  go  as  far 
as  possible.  To-morrow  I  shall  prepare 
more,  and  I  hope  thai  hereafter  no  soldier 
will  be  prevented  from  writing  home  by 
want  of  ink. 


The  citizens  here  havp  done  nobly.  Seve- 
ral of  them,  foremost  among  whom  were 
Gapt.  Greeley  and  Mr.  Foster,  have  devoted 
almost  their  entire  time  to  the  matter,  col- 
lecting funds,  purchasing  and  distributing 
goods.  They  expended  several  thousand 
dollars  for  tobacco,  towels,  .combs,  shears, 
razors,  paper  and  envelopes. 

Here  let  me  urge  again  the  necessity  of 
sending  large  quantities  of  tobacco.  The 
number  of  people  who  use  the  weed,  is  as 
astonishing  as  the  almost  uncontrollable 
appetite  they  acquire  for  it.  Men  may  be 
filthy,  ragged,  buttonless,  and  in  a  very 
miserable  condition  every  way ;  and  yet  a 
"  comfort  bag"  containing  towel,  soap,  but- ' 
tons,  needle  and  thread  and  a  comb,  will 
not  be  half  as  warmly  welcomed  as  a  piece 
of  tobacco.  The  few  pounds  that  I  had, 
(120),  although  cut  into  very  small  pieces, 
an'd  made  to  go  as  far  as  possible,  have 
brought  more  thanks  and  created  a  greater 
sensation  than  all  the  potatoes  I  have  is- 
sued. 

I  have  made  arrangements  to  procure  a 
list  of  all  the  men  now  here,  and  also,  as 
far  as  possible,  the  names  of  those  who  died 
at  Andprsonville  and  Cahawba. 

Enclosed  please  find  a  copy  of  a  commu- 
nication which  I  addressed  td  Gen.  Morgan 
L.  Smith,  with  reference  to  establishing  a 
feeding  station  at  Black  River,  with  the  en- 
dorsement tberoon  by  Capt.  Fisk,  A.  A.  G. 

He  also  gave  me  a  note  to  Major  'Miller, 
commanding  the  camp,  requesting  him  to 
do  all  in  his  power  to  assist  in  carrying  out 
the  object  of  my  mission.  The  articles  de- 
sired have  been  procured,  and  Mr.  Johnston 
will  be  on  the  ground,  ready  to  work,  to- 
morrow. The  remainder  of  the  prisoners, 
being  nearly  all  men  who  are  unable  to 
walk,  will  be  greatly  benefitted  by  such  a 
station.  '  v 

Two' days  ago.  the  train  took  out  a  car- 
load of  rebel  prisoners  and  brought  back  a 
Joad  of  our  men.  The  contrast  in  the  physi- 
cal condition  of  the  two  squads  of  men  was 
very  striking.  The  rebels  were  fat  and 
hearty,  well  clothed,  carrying  large  rolls  of 
blankets,  and  loaded  down  with  bread  and 
meat.  Our  own  men  were  so  feeble  that 
they  had  to  be  taken  from  the  cars  to  the 
hospital  in  am  bulances,  were,  ragged  beyond 
decency,  had  not  a  blahket  or  a  crumb  of 
food  in  the  squad,  and  some  were  almost  in 
a  .dying  condition.  To-day  190  more  ar- 
rived, and  these  were  in  even  a  worse  con- 
dition.    While  they  were  at  the  depot  we 


Th8  8anUary  Oommmion  Bulletin. 


119T 


gave  them  milk-punch  and  crackers  and 
wine,  and  it  was  enough  to  make  one  weep 
to  hear  the  fervent  expressions  of  "  thanks, 
thanks,"  coming  up  from  throats  too  weak 
to  utter  more.  One  died  while  we  were 
feeding  them.  Poor  fellow,  he  had  lived 
to  endure  all  the  sufferings  the  rehels  could 
impose  upon  him,  only  to  die  upon  the 
threshold  of  his  home  at  last. 

ViOKSBUEG,  AprU  3,  1865. 
Q-EN.  M.  L.  Smith,  Commanding. 
'  The  Sanitary  Commission  propo'se,  with 
your  consent  and  assistance,  to  establish  a 
feeding  station  at  Black  River  Bridge  for 
the  benefit  of  prisoners  in  transit.  We  have 
among  our  stores,  extract  of  beef  for  making 
soup,  milk,  cups,  dippers,  &c.;  and  we  have 
here  a  man  who  had  two  months'  experi- 
ence in  feeding  the  wounded  at  Resaca, 
Gra.  We  have  also  ale,  spirits,  tea  and  soft 
crackers  for  the  sick.  ^ 

If  this  proposal  meets  with  your  appro- 
val, we  would  respectfully  ask  for  the  fol- 
lowing articles,  to  be  returned' wh^n  no 
longer  needed  for  this  purpose,'  or  paid  for 
by  the  Sanitary  Commission :  Two  tents 
and  one  fly,  or  one  tarpaulin,  one-  dozen 
large  camp  kettles,  half  dozen  wooden  buck- 
ets, and  two  axes.  Also  an  order  for  pro- 
curing from  the  Commissary  the  necessary 
hard  bread,  coffee  and  sugar ;  and  four  de- 
tailed men. 

Respectfully,        H.  Tone, 

Agent  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

This  arrangement  is  most  heartily  ap- 
proved. 

By  command  of  Brig.  Gen.  SmiCh.  ^ 
A.  C.  FiSK,  * 

A.  A,  G. 
VioKSBURa,  Miss.,4p"^  9>  1865. 

It  is  now  pretty  well  settled  that  not  more 
than  a  hundred  more  prisoners  will  be  de- 
livered here,  communication  between  this 
place  and  Andersonville  having  been  ef- 
fectually severed. 

i  do  not  know  ttr  exact  number  already 
delivered,  but  think  it  will  not  exceed  5,000, 
so  that  in  shipping  goods  for  the  prisoners 
here,  calculation  need  be  made  for  no  more 
than  that  number.  We  are  issuing  daily 
one  barrel  of  potatoes  to  each'hundred  men, 
and  have  enough  on  hand  to  continue  at 
the  same  rate  for  two  weeks.  We  have  also 
made  two  issues  of  krautsince  I  came  here, 
and  have  rema,ining  enough  for  two  or  three 
more.  Of  hospital  stores  we  have,  I  think,* 
plenty    of    everything   except   fruits;    of 


these  we  have  none.  The  fifteen  barrels 
sent  on  the  Atlantic  would  be  of  great  ser- 
vice here. 

Sickness  is  on  the  increase  among  the 
prisoners.  The  change  from  starvation  to 
luxurious  diet,  (for  many  of  the  soldiers  say 
they  have  never  fared  so  well  before  since 
they  enlisted),  has  been  more  than  their 
emaciated  frames  would  bear. 

I  saw  two  ladies  yesterday  just  from  Sel- 
ma.  They  report  that  Selma  was  captured 
and  burned  by  1,800  cavalry,  one  week  ago 
to-day.  The  small  number  sent  there  would 
seem  to  imply  that  Gen.  Wilson  is  sweep- 
ing over  a  wide  space  of  country  on  his 
march. 

A  rebel  surgeon  here  informs  me  that 
there  were  only  about  2,500  men  left  at  An- 
dersonville, and  these  were  men  unable  to 
march.  He' says  the  only  way  left  the  re- 
bels to  deliver  them  now,  is  to  ship  them 
at  Port  Gaines,  a  little  village  on  the  Chat- 
tahoocKie,  and  send  them  by  water  to  the 
Gulf,  or  cross  the  break  in  the  road  made 
by  Gen.  Wilson,  in  ambulances,  aid  deliver 
them  here,  and  the  latter  he  thinks  entirely 
impracticable. 

Exchange  is  going  on  slowly,  probably 
fifty  men  having  been  exchanged  since  I 
came  here. 

The  prisoners  have  all  been  supplied  with 
new  clothing,  but  as  they  have  no  change, 
and  we  have  enough  for  this  purpose,  I  in- 
tend to  issue  shirts  and  drawers  to  all  the 
men  in  camp  to-morrow  or  next  day. 

Besides  doing  our  regular  sanitary  work, 
I  have  been  trying  to  fill  a  niche  which 
could  not  be  reached  in  any  other  way.  For 
instance,  all  the  Commissions  were  issuing 
largely  of  paper  and  pens  but  very  little  ink. 
So  we  turned  our  attention  to  the  manufac- 
ture of  ink,  of  which  we  have  issued  several 
gallons.  One  hospital  had  a  large  cooking 
range  but  no  boiler,  so  we  had  one  made 
suitable  for  making  coffee.  Another  had  a 
large  stove  and  plenty  of  pipe  except  a  pe- 
culiarly shaped  piece  connecting  the  two. 
This  also  we  procured.  In  this  way  I  have 
expended  some  $30,  but  I  am  sure  it  was 
well  invested. 

Mrs.  Harvey  has  just  returned  from  New 
Orleans.  Mrs.  Monroe  arrived  here  several 
days  since,  and  is  making  herself  useful  at 
the  Barracks  Hospitar.  Dr.  Woodward  and 
his  wife  reached  here'  last  night. 

The  steamer  D.  A.  Jawway  has  just  ar- 
rived, and  will  relieve  us  of,  quite  a  num- 
,^  ber  of^the  sick. 


1198 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


ViOKSBURO,  April  12,  1865.- 
Deak  Sir  : — Colonel  Watts,  the  Confed- 
erate Commissioner  of  Ezctange,  told  Mr. 
Johnston  to-day  that  he  was  expecting  an 
order  from  the  rebel  authorities  declaring 
aU  the  prisoners  now  here  exchanged,  and 
to  deliver  them  to  the  Federal  authorities. 
There  are-  some  still  com,ing  in,  but  they 
are  from  General  Smith's  army  near  Mobile, 
and  from  General  Wilson's  cavalry  force, 
and  have  been  prisoner's  only  ten  or  twelve 
days.  They  were  started  for  Anderson- 
ville,  but,  finding  that  Selma  was  in  our 
possession,  their  destination  was  changed  to 
this  place.  There  is' a  rumor  that  the  re- 
mainder of  the  Andersonville  prisoners  are 
to  be  delivered  at  some  place  in  Floridsi, 
Pensacola,  I  believe.  As  soon  as  General 
Wilson's  cavalry  force  has  gone  beyond  the 
line  of  road,  they  may  resume  delivering  here, 
but  it  is  hardly  probable,  if  all  accounts  of 
the  destruction  which  he  has  created  on  his 
march  be  true. 

I  have  not  issued  shirts  arid  drawers,  as 
I  proposed  to  do  in  my  last  letter,  for  the 
reason  that,  on  going  to  camp  on  Monday 
to  make  necessary  arrangements,  I  found 
the  quartermaster  already  issuing  .a  second 
suit  of  underclothing. 

Mrs.  Monroe  is  at  the  barracks  hospital. 
At  this  place  they  are  laboring  under  very 
great  disadvanta!ges.  The  famished  patients 
eat  their  full  ration  and  still  have  not  enough, 
and  not  a  dollar  of  fund  can.  be  saved.  The 
buildings  are  old  barracks  without  any  con- 
veniences for  hospital  accommodations;  and, 
as  the  whole  establishment  was  extempor- 
,  ized,  they  are  working  in  a  very  primitive 
way.  They  have  but  one  cooking-range  for 
the  three  hundred  patients  and  all  the  at- 
tendants. This  is  fully  occupied  in  cooking 
the  regular  ration,  so  that  there  is  no  'pro- 
vision whatever  for  light  diet.  The  Medi- 
cal Purveyor  has  no  stoves  or  ranges,  and, 
as  the  case  is  so  urgent,  I  have  purchased  a 
second-hand  range  for  Mrs.  Monroe,  and 
am  fitting  her  up  a  kind  of  light-diet  de- 
'partment.  This  range  will  be  returned  to 
us  when  the  hospital  is  broken  up.     *    * 

We  have  received  four  small  shipments  of 
goods  since  I  arrived ;  one  from  Cincinnati, 
one  from  Memphis,  and  two  from  Cairo. 

I  think  ,we  have  plenty  of  everything 
except  tobacco,  paper,  and  fruit  for  the  hos- 
pitals. The  Western  Commission  brought 
down  upwards  of  a  thousand  pounds  of  to- 
bacco, but  even  that  will  not  last  long. 
Still  whatever  reaches  here  in  time  must  be 


very  soon  on  the  way,  as  it  is  not  expected 
the  prisoners  will  remain  long. 

The  steamer  Janway  did  not  take  a  load 
here,  but  went  on  to  New  Orleans. 

VlOKSBnRGj"4P''*^  16,  1865. 

>  General  Smith  has  just  issued  an  order 
recalling  all  the  prisoners  who  had  been  de- 
tailed or  received  passes  to  remain  in  town, 
and  the  order  states  that  they  are  to  be  im- 
mediately piaroUed  and  sent  north.     *    * 

The  prisoners  will  not  begin  to  leave  here 
within  three  days,  and  it  will  be  at  least  a 
week  or  ten  days  before  the  camp  will  be 
broken  lip.  Whatever  stor'es  are  now  on 
the  way  will  have  ample  time  to  reach  here 
and  be  distributed;  but  there  will  not  be 
time  for  anything  more,  nor  do  I  think  any- 
thing more  will  be  needed.  The  men  have 
been  abundantly  supplied  with  everything, 
and  they  are  the  most  grateful  men  I  ever 
saw.  I  never  heard  so  much  cheering  for 
the  Sanitary  Commi^on  before  as  I  have 
heard  here.  The  Agents  have  been  to  the 
camp  so  often  that  we  are  well  known  now, 
and  our  appearance  on  the  platform  of  the 
cars  is  the  signal  for  a  crowd  to  gather  about 
us  and  ask,  "Well,  what  have  you  got  for 
us  to-day?"  The  answer  is,  "Paper  and 
envelopes,  tobacco  and  pipes,  needles  and  ' 
thread,  or  combs,  towels,  razors,  and  scis- 
sors," as  the  case  may  be.  And  tien  comes 
the  expression,  "Bully  for  that!  it  is  just 
what  we  want."  In  issuing  such  article?, 
we  visit  every  tent,  leaving  at  each  one  a 
certain  quantity,  so  that  the  whole  is  equally 
divided.  Potatoes  and  kraut  we  deliver  to 
the  ^omimissary  and  have  issued  with  the 
rations.  Since  my  last  report,  I  have  re- 
ceived and  issued  the  goods  sent-on  the 
steamer  Ruth,  and  have  received  notice  of 
still  more  on  the  way,  which  will  be  here 
to-morrow.  There  are  two  hospital  boats  here, 
the -Bate  and  the  i2.  G.Wood.  Th.e  Baltic 
has  taken  on  board  three  hundred  and  fifty 
sick,  and  leaves  for  St.  LouiS  toruight. 

State  Agents  are  beginning  to  come  in 
with  their  little  stocks  of  stores,  sent  to 
"our  State"  troops  exclusively.  I  confess 
that  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  state  that 
all-  the  men  have  been  liberally  supplied 
with  the  very  things  they  are  bringing. 

-A  few  prisoners  are  still  coming  in,  but 
they  are  from  General  Wilson's  command, 
and  are  not  suffering,  having  been  prisoners 
only  a  few  days.'  I  meet  some  of  the  same 
men  to  whom  I  issued,  six  weeks  ago,  at 
Eastport. 


The  SavAtary  Commitsion  Bulletin. 


1199 


LETTER  FBOm  ITASHVILLE,  TENN.    . 
BY  E.   1.  JONES. 

NashviIiLB,  April  15,  1865. 
De.  S.  S.  Newbeery,  Seo'ry. 

Dear  Sir  : — I  enclose  my  report  for 
week  ending  this  evening.         v 

I  have  sent  forward  all  my  kraut  and 
pickles,  and  need  a  supply  ifor  distribution 
here.  We  could  use  some  canned  fruit  to 
-excellent  advantage.  Have  not  had  a  can 
except  tomatoes  for  nearFy  a  month.  We 
need  all  the  articles  of  bedding  mentioned 
in  former  letters.  Rags  too,  and  dried  beef., 
We  ought  to  have  some  good  whisky  right 
away.  We  have  only  one  or  two  boxes  left, 
and  that  is  about  the  only  stimulMit  we  keep. 
The  leinons  received  are  goocu  Oranges 
are  asked  for,  and  cordials  are  very  much 
wanted  and  wines. 

/  Our  issues  have  been  much  ligjhter  this 
weel  than  usual.  I  have  contracted  them 
with  the  view  of  more  fully  and  promptly 
relieving  the  wants  of  the  large  army  in  the 
mountains  beyond  Knoxville,  as  advised  by 
Medical  Director  Cooper. 

I  have  shipped  nothing  this  week  except 
a  small -invoice  by  Medical  Inspector  Ham- 
lin on  bis  special  train,  as  the  bridges  have 
not  yet  been  repaiijed.  I  have  400  barrels 
of  potatoes  which  I  shall  forward  so  soon  as 
the  road  is  open,  say  middle  of  next  week, 
and  some  dry  goods. 

No  receipts  this  week  except  from  Louis- 
ville. 

The  dreadful  news  from  Washington  has 
taken  the  vim  out  of  all  of  us  bere  to-day. 
Yours  very  truly,        E.  L.  Jon3;s. 

Please  send  us  half  a  dozen  boxes  more  of 
that  Irandy.  We  have,  good  places  for 
some  more  of  it. 


K1I0X\/^LLE,  TESTS. 
BY   CHAJEILES' SEYMOUR. 

Knoxvillb,  April  20,  1865. 

Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  '  ' 

Secretary  Weat'n.  Dept.,  TJ.  S.  San.  Com. 

Dear  Sir  : — Though  you  are,  doubtless, 
aware  of  the  important  changes  now  in  pro- 
gress in  this  department;  I  wish  To  iiiform 
you  of  the  relation  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion to  them.  I  came  here  just  after  the^ 
departure  of  Stoneman's  and  Tillson's  di- 
-visions,  and  just  as  the  4th  Army  Corps 
arrived.  I  found  the  troops  in  great  need 
of  supplies.  Many  of  the  men  had  not 
tasted  vegetables  qf  any  description  since 
the  distribution  of  onions  by  the  Sanitary 


Commission,  last  January.  I  had  just  time 
to  arrange  matters  around  Knoxville,  when 
Dr.  S&r  arrived  and  took  charge  of  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  supplies  for  the  troops  at  the 
front.  Owing  to  the  diiEoulty  of  transport- 
ing vegetables  to  troops  at  a  distance  from 
the  railroad,  there  ^^were  no  stores  of  any 
consequence  issued  until  last  w^ek,  when 
more  than  a  thousand  bushels  of  potatoes 
ani  three  thousand  five  hundred^allons  of 
pickles  and  kraut  were  distributed  to  three 
divisions  of  the  4th  Corps ;  in  the  opinion 
of  their  surgeons  an  ample  supply  for  the 
present.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  of 
potatoes  and  forty  of  pickles  were  reserved 
for  the  division  under  General  Tillson, 
whom  we  expect  to  reach  in  the  course  of 
three  or  four  days.  I  hate  been  afibrded 
all  the  information  that  I  CQiild  desire  by  ■ 
the  officers  in  command  of  the  troops,  and 
all  that  could  be  done  has  been  done  for  us 
bytte  men  in  charge  of  the  railroad. 

The  issues  from  the  store  bave  been  as 
large  as  the  supplies  permitted.  Troops 
specially  unhealthy,  and  tbosq  about  to 
leave  for  the  front,  have  been  supplied  with 
vegetables  for  botb  sick  and  well.  All  the 
troops  in  this  vicinity  have  been  supplied 
with  stores  sufficient  for  the  immediate  use 
of  the  sick.  The  call  for  these  stores  was 
very  urgent.  Many  men  were  sent  to  the 
'crowded  hospitals,  whom  a  single  meal/di 
food  different  from  that. which  their  stomach 
loathed,  would  have  returned  to  duty.  Some 
large  issues  have  been  made  to  hospitals,  but 
most  of  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  hospitals 
have  been  very  energetic  in  providing 
for  themselves.  It  often  happens,  however, 
that  I  am  able  to  supply  some  little'  but  im- 
portant want.  I  bad  tbis  morning  the 
jpleasure  of  giving  some  lemons  to  a/ father, 
whose  son,  very  ill  in  the  officers'  hospital, 
had  an  invalid's  craving  for  a  fresh  lemon. 
While  the  supply"  of  handkerchiefs  and 
towels  lasted,  they  were  issued,  at  the  rate 
of  twenty-five  a  day.  Shirts  have  been  is- 
sued very  sparingly,  only  to  the  needy  and 
(leserving,  with  an  ayerage  issue  of  some 
half  dozen  a  day.  The  calls  for  paper  and 
envelopes,  answered  by  a  little  package  con- 
taining three  sheets  of  paper  and  the  same 
number  of  envelopes,  average  about  forty  a 
,  day.  Before  this  reaches  yott  most  if  not 
all  of  the  4th  Corps  will  be  at  Nashville. 

Aside  from  Stoneman's  cavalry,  which  I 
presume  will  look  out  for  itself,  there  will 
be  left  dependent  upon  this  post  only  some 
men.     The   soldiers'  galdens   about 


1200 


TJhe  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


Knoxville  will  supply  the  troops  here  very 
soon,  though  I  am  sorry  that  the  largest 
here  is  so  far  behind  the  others  in  the  mat- 
ter of  an  earh/  supply. 


BATHES  SEMABE&BLE. 

The  following  has  been  sent  us  for  pub- 
.  lioation : 

A    QUESTION     FOR    THE     S^^NITARY    COM- 
MISSION. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Boston  Journal  : 

A  fact  has  just  come  to  our  notice,  which 
suggests  p,n  inquiry.  The  fact  is  this :  The 
son  of  Mr.  Samuel  Kankin  of  the  adjoining 
town  of  Wells,  Me.,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
army,  and  while  sick  in  the  hospital  re- 
ceived a  blanket  from  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. Not  recovering,  he  was  sent  home 
a  few  weeks  ago,  and  died  shortly  after  of 
the  disease  contracted  while  in  the  servifce. 
Soon  after  his  death  there  came  to  the  fa- 
ther a  bill  from  tne  Sanitary  Commission  for 
thre^  or  four  dollars  for  the  blanket  which 
it  had  furnished  to  the  dying  soldier  in  the 
hospital,  which  bill  the  father  paid.  Now 
what  we  want  to  know  is  this  :  Are  the 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  and  their  afflicted 
friends  charged  for  -  the  shirts,  blankets, 
socks,  &C'.,  which  they  receive  through  this 
organiza,tion  ?  ,  F.  E.  F. 

Kenuetunk,  Me.,  Maich  30. 

The  above  "  Question"  appeared  in  the 
Boston  Journal  of  the  date  of  April  5, 1865. 
It  appeared  without  editorial  note'  or  com- 
ment, and  the  responsibility  for  its  truth  or 
falsity  must  fall  upon  the  author,  Kev.  F. 
E.  Fellows,  pastor  of  the  Sectod  Congrega- 
tional C^rch,  Kennebunk,  Maine. 

The  revered  gentleman  is  very  positive 
in  h'is  assertions.  Avoiding  the  cloak  of 
probabilities,  he  stands  boldly  forth  and 
makes  his  libelous  statements  as  igLots.  "A 
fact  has  come  to  our  notice."  "  The  fact  is 
this,  &o." 

Now,  Mr.  Fellows  might  have  easily  as- 
■  certained,  as  we  have,  "the  truth  of  these 
statements  had  he  been  so  inclined.  Mr. 
Eankin,  the  father  upon  whom  this  alleged 
swindle  was  perpetrated,  lives  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  reverend  gentleman,  as 
he  himself  states,  "  in  the  adjoining  town  of 
Wells,  Maine;"  and  he  would  doubtless  have 
been  as  ready  to  oblige  the  author  as  he 
was  the  subject  of  that  libel  by  a  plain 
statement  of  facts. 

Mr.  Bankin's  own  evidence  as  to  the  truth 


of  the  matters  mentioned  in  tbe  article  of 
Mr.  J'ellows,  as  given  in  a'  "  Reply"  to  the 
"  Question,"  published  in  the  Boston  Tran- 
script of  November  11,  is  briefly  as  fol- 
lows : 

The  son  of  Mr.  Rankin,  a  soldier  in  the 
tJnion  armies,  was  sick  and  in  hospital  at 
Point  of  Rocks,  Va.  '  While  therfe,  Wm. 
Newbert,  another^  soldier,  of  Co.  I,  8th 
Maine  Vols.,  sold,  as  he  claimed,  to  young 
Rankin  a  blanket.  For  this  blanket  the 
father,  after  the  death  of  his  son,  was  Called 
upon  to,  and  did  pay,  but  to  Mr.  Newbert, 
the  soldier  who  sold  the  article,  and  to  him 
only.  The  Sanitary  Commission  is  not  al- 
luded to  in.t^  whole  transaction,  except  in 
a  letter  frorii  Mr.  Woodman,  a  friend  of 
young  Rankin,  through  whom  the  payment 
for, the  blanket  was  made,  who  says,  "I 
have  wondered  that  your  son  should  buy  a 
blanket  of  him,  Newbert,  when  there  were 
Christian  and  -Sanitarif  Commissions  at  the 
hospitals,  who  are  supposed  to  furnish  such 
articles  for  the  comfort  of  sick  soldiers." 

The  whole  transaction  is  simply  one  be- 
tween two  soldiers;  the  one,  Newbert, 
selling  his  blanket  to  the  other,  Rankin. 

Now  if  the  "  Question"  of  the  Reverend 
F.  E.  Fellows,  of  Kennebunk,  Maine,  has 
been,  answered,  we  would  like,  aa  we  are 
both  Yankees,  to  ask  him  one  in  turn. 
It  is  this :  Are  Reverend  and  Christian 
gentlemen  to  be  allowed  deliberately  to 
write  and  procure  to  be  published,  libelous 
articles-such  as  this,  and  then  screen  them- 
selves behind  the  veil  of  silence  ? 

This  Reverend  and  Christian  gentleman 
has  been  called  upon  for  his  authority  for  the 
statements  put  forth  as  "  facts,"  but  he  fails 
utterly  to  return  a  word  of  reply  to  that  re- 
quest. It  has  been  well  sifiid  that  speech  is  sil- 
ver, but  silence  golden.  Are  we  not  justified 
in  considering  this  silence  as  a  golden  proof 
that  not  even  the  plea  of  ignorance  remains 
to  this  Reverend  and  Christian  gentleman. 

We  append  the  written  proofs  of  the 
truth  of  pur  version  of  this  rather  relnarka- 
ble'  storj. 

From  Letters  of  A.  Woodman  to  Samuel  Ranein. 

"  I  have  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  New- 
bert respecting  a  blanket,  which  I  send  you. 
As  1  know  nothing  about  the  matter,  I  have 
not  felt  authorized  to  send  him  the  money 
without  orders  from  you.  If  you  want  me 
to  pay  Mr.  Newbert,  you  can  send  the  Gov- 
ernment price,  $3  60  to  me,  and  I  will  see 
that  it  is  forwarded." 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1201 


In  iinother  letter  he  says  :  "A  few  days 
since  M"r.  Newbert  came  to  my  regiment  to 
see  me.  He  said,  if  you,  (Mr.  Rankin)  were 
able,  of  in  good  circumstances,  be  would 
want  his  pay  for  the  blanket,  but  if  you 
were  not  in  fair  circumstances  he  did  not 
wish  for  the  money.  He  made  some  inqui- 
ries, but  as  Sargeant  Larrabee  informed  me 
that  you  are  both  able  and  willing  to  pay  the 
bill,  I  have  settled  the  same  with  Mr.  New- 
bert,  and  will  send  you  receipt  in  this.  He 
concluded  to  take  three  dollars,  (83  00).  I 
cannot  tell  whether  the  bill  is  just  or  not, 
and  have  to  take  Mr.  Newbert's  word  for  it. 
I  have  wondered  that  your  son  should  buy 
a  blanket  of  him  when  there  were  Christian 
and  Sanitary  Commissions  at  the  hospitals 
who  are  supposed  to  furnish  such  articles 
for  the  comfort  of  sick  soldiers.      ' 

(Signed)  "  A.  Woodman'.' 

•  KEOEIPT. 

Camp  8th  Maine  Vols.,  I 
Spmng  Hill,  Va.,  April  24,1865.      J 

Received  by  the  hand  o^  Alexander 
Woodman  three  dollars  in  full  on  Daniel 
Rankin's  account  for  one  woolen  blanket 
sold  him  while  in  hospital  at  Point  of 
Rocks,  Va.  Wm.  Newbert, 

Co,  I,  8th  Maine  Vols. 
The  above  is  a  true  copy. 

Samuel  Rankin. 


LEIIES  FROM  DB.  BELLOWS. 

New  Yobk,  April  26,  1865. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  S.  G.  Bulletin  : 
<  Dear  Sir  :• — I  find  that  the  precise  lan- 
guage I  used  in  acknowledging  .the  receipt 
of  the  magnificent  contribution  paid  by  one 
check  into  our  Treasury,  by  the  Treasurer 
of  the  Great  Central  Fair,  has  been  misun- 
derstood. I  stated  that  it  (H,035,398j%%^ 
was  the  largest  ever  made  "im  one  sum"  to 
our  Treasury.  This  has  been  objected  to,  as 
if  I  had  said  it  was  the  largest  ever  received 
from  one  source;  a  different  proposition. 

The  contribiations  at  various  times  for- 
warded from  San  Francisco  and  our  Cali- 
fornia Branch,  and  which  are  credited  to 
one  source, — not  including  Oregon  ($75,- 
597  56),  or  Nevada  ($9"S,512  46),  or  Wash- 
ington Territory  ($20,763  92),— reckon  up, 
at  this  date,  to  $1,199,675  5L 

The  net  product  of  the  Metropolitan  Fair 
(New  York),  of  which  the  largest  payment 
(May  17, 1864)  was  one  million  dollars, -has, 
in  nine  separate  installments,  run  up,  at  this 
date,  to  11,184,146, 72 ;  so  that  the  Me- 
tropolis is  considerably  ahead  of  the  Quaker 
Vol.  I.  No.  38  •  76 


City  in  the  total  amount  accruing  from  its 
great  Fair. 

Justice  seemed  to  require  this  explana- 
tion of  what  was  intended  to  be  taken  with 
literal  exactness,  but  which  js  manifestly 
liable  to  be  interpreted  into  a  claim  which 
was  not  set  up  for  the  Central  Fair,  i.  e.  a 
claim  of  having  yielded  a  greater  total  re- 
sult, and  not  merely  of  having  made  the 
largest  payment  in  one  sum  ever  made  into 
our  Treasury.- 

Very  truly  yours, 

Henry  W.  Bellows, 

Prebideat. 

WHAT  BEISAINS. 
So  earnest  and  faithful  have  the  women 
of  the  country  been  sinfee  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  that  now  they  begin  to 
feel  the  reaction  consequent  upon  its  sud- 
den cessation.  But  there  still  remains  an 
important  work,  which  nobody  can  do  so 
easily  or  so  well,  as  the  .thousands  of  earnest 
women  who  are  slill  an  organized  power  for 
good  in  the  land. 

The  Confederacy  is  conquered^  our  army 
is  coming  home,  and  the  prince  of  rebeldom 
(captured  in  skirts)  has  made  his  summer 
tour  towards  Washington. 

The  army  that  has  conquered  the  rebel- 
lion, went  away  from  our  Northern  and 
Western  Homes,  to  do  this  noble  work 
with  the  prayers  and  sympathies  of  all  loyal 
people.  They  were  followed  to  camp,  field, 
and  hospital  by  the  gojd  wishes  hot  only, 
but  the  active  benevolence  of  the  people. 

As  they  return  from  camp,  field,  and  hos- 
pital, ji  is  meet  that  the  people  should  wel- 
,come  them  with  the  same  benevolent  spirit 
which  has  animated  all  loyal  hearts  from 
the  beginning. 

As  the  hills  of  New  England,  the  prai- 
ries of,  the  great  West,  and  the  broad  fields 
of  the  Middle  States,  have  joined  their  pro- 
ducts to  the  vast  interests  of  all  the  me- 
chanical industries  and  professions,  as  well  as 
commercial  and  mercantile,  in  gifts  of  the 
people,  to  equip  and  sustain  the  army,  so  is- 
it  meet  that,  on  the  return  of  that  army, 
every  interest  in  society  should  be  identified 
in  the  re-adjustment  of  our  scores  Of  thou- 


1^02 


TJie  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


saods  of  soldiers  to  their  former  civil  Kla- 
tions,  with  as  little  delay  and  inconvenience' 
to  the  men  who  have  conquered  our  peace 
as  may  be  possible.  This  is  a  great  work. 
It  is  new  to  us  all,  but  no  more  so  than  the 
war  was  in  '61  j  and  we  shall  find  that  we 
can  render  important  aid  on  the  homeward 
march,  just  as  naturally  and  successfully  as 
we  did  when  our  brave  men  left  us. 

The  machinery  of  the  Commission  is  still 
m  good  working  order,  and  only  needs  to 
DC  contracted  in  some  directions  and  ex- 
tended in  others.  Our  work  belongs  to  the 
army.  As  the  army  leaves  the  field,  so 
must  we.  As  it  marches  homewai'd,  we 
must  march  with  it,  establishing  transient 
homes,  temporary  lodges,  and  such  flying  re- 
lief as  circumstances  and  conditions  demand. 

fn'the  field,  we  were  always  in  the  reair 
of  the  advancing  army;  as  the  army  returns 
it  finds  us  in  the  advance.  The  stations  that 
were  established,  for  example,  at  Richmond 
and  Petersburg,  as  the  armypoved  into  those 
cities  and  occupied  them,  are  still  there 
with  supplies  for  the  needs  of  the  vast  forces 
that  have  since  moved  from  farther  south 
toward  home.  So  also  the  ample  provision 
established  at  Alexandria  and  Washington 
by  the  Commission  for  the  great  army  that 
is  encamped  near  that  city,  and  is  still 
gathering  in  "from  near  and  from  far,"  is 
another  evidence  of  the  foresight  and  care 
of  the  Commission.  Extra  arrangements 
have  been  made  also  in  Philadelphia  and 
New  York  in  the  east,  and  othej;,  centres 
in  the  west,  from  which  the  forces  will 
scatter  into  smaller  companies  and  groups, 
as  they  radiate  to  the  remotest  boundaries 
of  our  territory.  What  has  been  done  by' 
the  Commission  on  a  large  scale  in  cities,  to 
meet  large  numbers,  will  be  done  on  a 
smaller  scale  in  small  places,  to  meet  the 
few  and  even  single  individuals,  who  will 
return  with  their  soars  and  trophies,  to 
make  their  welcome  all  the  more  hearty. 
So  far  then  as  the  Commission  is  repre- 
sented in  the  towns,  villages,  and  rural  dis- 
tricts, by  societies  of  earnest  women,  who 


have  been  meeting  week  after  week  to  (k> 
something  in  this  good  cause,  so  for  will 
these  societies  continue  to  represent  the 
Commission  jn  the  extension  of  sympathy, 
advice  and  counsel  to  our  home-coming 
troops. 

So  e»ger  will  they  be  to  reach  their  homes 
that  they  will  leave  unadjusted  their  claims 
for  pay,  pensions,  &c.,  confiding  in  the  people 
to  counsel  and  assist  them.  Anticipating  the 
great  amount  of  work  to  be  done  in  this  di- 
rection, the  Commission  is  extending  its 
claim  offices  all  over  the  land.  In'  all  the 
important  centres  in  the  several  states  there 
will  be  agenci'js  established  for  attention 
to  these  varied  interests  of  the  returned  sol- 
dier, and  of  those  families  of  soldiers  who 
will  never, — never  return.  Let  the  women 
of  the  country  still  retain  their  associations 
— meet  together  and  talk  over  the  cases  of 
the  men  who  shall  come  into  their  towns 
and  neighborhoods,  and  see  to  it  that  they  are 
kept  out  of  the  hands  of  sharpers  who  may 
otherwise  defraud  them  of  a  good  share  of 
their  dues,  by  charging  heavy  fees  for  collect- 
ing what  the-  Commission  will  collect  with- 
out charge.  Let  the  widows  and  orphans  of  • 
soldiers  also  occupy  a  large  share  of  sympa- 
thy and  aid.  Find  them  out,  lead  them  to 
the  claim  offices  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, where  they  will  be  instructed  as  to 
wha|  is  necessary  in  order  to  make  their 
claims  legal  and  valid,  and  then  encourage 
them  to  trust  their  cases  with  the  men  who 
shall  be  selected  to  attend  to  these  '  import- 
ant interests  for  them. 

Claims  are  not  only  to  be  collected,  hut 
employment  is  to  be  secured  for  many  who 
will  find  themselves  without  sufficient  means 
of  support.  Who  so  suitable  to  advise  and 
assist,  as  women  wbo  have  (Qade  it  their  life 
and  joy  for  years  past  to  sympathize  with 
soldiers  ? 

If  every  city,  county,  town,  village  and 
country  society  should  constitute  itself  an 
Intelligence  Association,  and'  its  rooms  be 
opened  as  intelligence  offices,  with  books  for 
the  registry  of  the  names  and  qualifications 


The  Sanitary  Oommiesion  Bulletin. 


1208 
L- 


of  applicantB  for  situations  as  meehanics,  or 
fcmers  or  laborers,  the  re-institution  of  the 
army  in  peaceful  pursuits  would  be  facili- 
tated not  only,  but  established  upon  a  basis 
that  would  do  much  toward  securing  per- 
manent unity  and  fraternity  throughout  our 
borders. 

This  kind  of  sympathetic  and  yet  prac- 
tical relation  of  the  soldiers  and  their  fam- 
ilies to  the  people  among  whom  they  may 
live,  being  the  outgrowth  of  an  interest 
which  the  labor  of  years  in  time  of  war  has 
developed,  seems  to  be  so  natural,  that  it 
scarcely  needs  more  than  a  suggestion  to 
secure  its  continuance.  Let  it  claim  con- 
sideration. 

State  agencies  should  also  be  enlisted  in 
this  unifying  and  federalizing  process. 
While  claim  offices  established  by  States 
are  doing  the  same  kind  of  work  that  the 
Commission  agents  are  doing,  it  does  not 
seem  necessary  that  there  should  be  any 
division  of  interest  or  clashing  of  work. 

This  terrible  war,  now  brought  to  a  con- 
'' elusion  so  suddenly,  and  with  such  over- 
whelming victory  for  the  right,  has  been  a 
war  for  the  establishment  of  unity  and 
brotherhood.  State  lines  have  been,'  for 
the  time  forgotten.  Geographical  bounda- 
ries between  larger  sections  have  been  ob- 
literated, and  our  army  comes  back  to  us  as 
the  Army  of  the  Union.  Every  soldier  is 
a  United  States  soldier;  his  pay  comes  to 
him  from  the  United  Stiates  Treasury;  his 
name  will  be  remembered  by  his  children, 
after  he  shall  have  gone  to  his  rest,  not  only 
as  their  father,  but  as  a  veteran  in  the  cause 
of  liberty  under  the  flag  of  the  Union. 
How  fitting,  then,  that  he  should  reach  his 
civil  and  social  status  again  through  the 
channels  by  which  Ae  found  his  way  to  the 
field.  The  women  of  his  town  helped  him 
to  go  from  his  home,  and  his  state  as  a 
Union  soldier ;  so  they  should  help  him,  as 
he  comes  back  again,  to  collect  his  claims 
upop  the  Government  he  has  sustained, 
through  a  channel'  that  runs  as  wid6  and 
deep  as  the  Union  itself.  * 


THE  SPIBIX  or  THE  COMMISSION. 
We  are  glad  to  insert  the  foUowiug  eir- 
cular  to  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies. 
It  comes  with  peculiar  force  to  us,  as  the 
embodiment  of  the  very  ideas  and  thoughts 
contained  in  the  preceding  article,  and  we 
have  no  doubt  that  the  same  feelings  and 
impulses  have  moved  in  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  our  friends  all  through  the  land. 
The  spirit  ftf  the  Commission  is  surely 
not,  only  alive,  but  enlivened  with  the  fresh 
inspiration  of  a  new  field  and  a  new  work. 
A  new  mode  of  administration  also  seems 
to  be  called  for  in  the  exigency  into  which 
we  have  naturally  fallen.  Let  it  be  en- 
couraged and  stimulated  everywhere.  In 
the  former  work  of  the  Commission  that  is 
written  so  vividly  on  the  successive  pages 
of  the  last  four  years  of  war,  there  is  an 
evident  spirit  of  earnest  Christian  devotion " 
to  the  cause  of  our  country  and  our  soldiei;s, 
which  has  come  from  a  deep  and  pure 
fountain,  so  steady  and  unostentatious  in 
its  flow,  that  its  strength  has  not  been  felt 
as  it  deserved,  amid  the  mighty  achieve- 
ments of  warriors,  and  the  busy  parade  of 
self-seeking  devotees  at  the  shrine  of  fame. 
But  now  that  the  warrior  is  crowned  with 
victory,  and  the  little,  yet  tumultuous 
streams  that  have  rippled  along  the  surface  ' 
are  subsiding,  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
still  living  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and 
deriving  its  strength  from  the  source  of  All 
Might,  is  entering  upon  a  new  "  campaign" 
for  humanity,  that  shall  add,  to  the  already 
accumulated  testimonials  of  the  expansive 
wisdom  and  benevolence  of  those  who  con- 
ceive its  plans,  and  of  the  people  who 
cherish  and  execute  them.  The  stream 
must  flow  on. 


BBAHCHES  AND  AID  SOCIETIES. 
U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
Centbal  Ofwob, 
WASHiNSTOif,  D.  C,  May  15,  1865. 
To  the  Branches  and  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies 
tributary  to  the  United  States  Sauitwry 


At  the  late  quarterly  session  of  the  Board 
of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  h^ld  at 


1204 


The  Sanitary   Uomrnission  BuUetiv. 


Wajliington,  April  18-21,  the  President 
and  General  Secretary  were  requested  to 
prepare  an  address  to  the  various  Branches 
and  Aid  Societies  co-operating  with  Jihe 
Commission,  and  awaiting  instructions  from 
the  Commission  as  ti  their  present  and 
future  duty. 

Since  that  period  such  rapid  changes 
have  occurred  in  the  military  situation,  af- 
fecting so  materially  the  work  of  the  Com- 
iiiission,  that  it  has  been  inipossible,  until 
now,  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  conclusion 
lis  to  the  pnibiible  demaisds  to  be  made 
upon  us. 

Whik  our  work  in  the  field  is  rajiidly 
drawing  to  a  close,  there  remains  much  to 
be  done  by  the  Commission  within  the  np- 
proaching  two  months  for  the  relief  and 
comfort  of  our  armies  as  they  return  from 
their  long  marches  and  exhausting  service. 
New  depots  of  supplies  have  already  been 
established  at  the  several  points  where  these 
armies  are  to  rendezvous  and  encamp  pre- 
paratory to  their  discharge. 

The  abandonment  of  the  Post  and  Base 
Hospitals  must  increase  for  the  time  the 
already  large  nuiiiber  of  patients  in  Grene- 
ral  Hospital,  while  the  necessary  aid  to  be 
extended  to  the  various  garrisons  during 
the  interval  preceding  the  more  permanent 
adjustment  of  the  new  military  status  must 
make  large  drafts  upon  our  resources.  The 
supplies  now  available  at  our  several  depots 
are  wholly  insufficient  to  meet  this  final  but 
I  urgent  demand  upon  the  Supply  Service  ; 
and,  deeming  it  important  both  for  the  ac- 
tual relief  of  existing  needs  and  for  the  con- 
sistent completion  of  this  work  of  the  peo- 
ple, continued  now  through  four  successive 
years  of  faithful  co-operation,  that  our  issues 
be  not  meagre  or  our  care  neglectful,  we 
call  upon  opr  Branches  and  Aid  Societies 
to  maintain  their  usual  system  and  activity 
up  to  the  4th  July  next,  persevering  in 
their  work  until  that  time  with  unabated 
energy,  and  with  an  intelligent  appreciation 
of  the  necessity  of  the  case. 

It  is  confidently  anticipated  that  their 
labors  in  contributing  supplies  to  the  hos- 
pitals and  the  field  may  properly  terminate 
at  that  date,  unless  wholly  improbable  and 
unexpected  events  arise  to  make  such  con- 
clusion of  their  work  unpatriotic  and  inhu- 
mane. Timely  notice  will  be  given  if  .any 
such  necessity  occur. 

In  the  meantime  the  rapid  disbanding  of 
our  armies  and  their  immediate  return  to 
their  relations  in  civil  life  will  devolve  upon 


our  Branches  and  Aid  Societies  a  new  and 
important  work,  to  be  performed  under 
their  immediate  supervision,  and  necessitat- 
ing the  maintenance  of^  their  organization 
for  an  indefinite  period.  The  occasion  for 
this  continued  effort  grows  out  of  the  fact 
that  these  returning  soldiers,  by  their  mili- 
tary service,  have  become  more  or  less  de- 
tatched  from  their  previous  relations,  as- 
sociations, and  pursuits,  which  axe  now  to 
be  re-'established.  Many  of  these  men  will 
be  not  only  physically  but-morally  disabled, 
and  will  exhibit  the  injurious  effects  of 
camp  life  in  a  weakened  power  of  self- 
guidance  and  self-restraint,  inducing  a  cer- 
tain kind  of  indolence,  and.  for  the  time, 
indisposition  to  take  hold  of  hard  work. 
The  possession  of  money  in  the  majority  of 
cases  will  increase  the  inducements  to  idle- 
ness and  dissipation,  as  well  as  the  exposure 
to  imposition.  To  protect  the  soldier  from 
these  evils  and  temptations,  naturally  re- 
sulting from  his  previous  military  life,  is  a 
duty  which  is  now  owed  to  him  by  the  peo- 
ple, as  much  as  was'  the  care  extended '  to 
him,  through  the  Commission,  while  in  ac- 
tive service  in  the  field ;  for  we  are  to  re- 
gard the  future  necessity  that  may  exist  for 
help  and  guidance  to  returned  soldiers  as 
no  less  a  condition  incident  to  the  war  than" 
the  wounds  and  sickness  to  which  the  sup- 
ply agencies  of  the  Commission  have  hitherto 
so  generously  ministered.  j 

In  'submitting  to  our  Aid  Societies  a 
practicial  plan  of  work  adapted  to  these  new 
conditions,  our  object  is  to  suggest  such 
methods  as  will  aid  the  process  by  which 
these  men  are  to  resume  their  natural  and 
proper  relations  in  civil  life. 

.The  first  and  most  important  means  in 
the  aocomplishm^ent  of  this  object  will  be 
found  in  a  systematic  provision  for  securing 
suitable  oecupation  to  all  these  returned 
men,  Sidapted,  where  necessary,  to  the  con- 
dition of  those  partially  disabled,  thus  con- 
stituting each  Branch  and  Aid  Society  a 
"  Bureau  of  Information  and  Employment," 
by  which  the  light  occupations  in  all  towns, 
and  whatever  work  can  be  as  well  done  by 
invalid  .soldiers  as  by  others,  shall  be  re- 
ligiously given  to  the  men  who  may  have 
incapacitated  themselves  for  rivalry  in  more 
active  and  laborious  fields  of  duty  by  giving 
their  limbs,  their  health,  and  iheir  blood  to 
the  uatioUi 

To  this  end,  and  to  guard  against  the 
possibility  of  imposition,  the  names  of  all 
men  who  have  enlisted  from  each  town'  and 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


1205 


city  should  be  obtained  and  preserved,  and 
a  record  kept  that  shall  gather  all  facts 
material  to  the  work  in  hand ;  which,  while 
it  will  be  the  means  of  collecting  most  use- 
ful information,  will,  at  the  same  time,  con- 
stitute an  invaluable  contribution  to  the 
history  of  the  war.  Carefully  prepared 
forms  for  this  purpose  will  be  furnished  from 
the  Central  Office  of  the  Commission,  to 
which  monthly  returns  will  be  made,  and 
where  they  will  be  duly  tabulated.  These 
results  will  be  promptly.transmitted  each 
month  to  the  several  Aid  Societies,  to  fur- 
nish whatever  guidance  they  may  for  the 
wise  prosecution  of  the  work. 

The  co-operation  of  our  Aid  Societies  in 
extending  information  concerning  the  vari- 
ous agencies  of  the  Commission  for  the  re- 
y  lief  and  aid  of  discharged  soldiers  and  their 
families  will  constitute  another  important 
service  which  they  may  render. 

Some  of  these  agencies  are  of  a  charj,oter 
which  will  not  terminate  with  the  disband- 
iag  of  our  armies,  but  will  find  their  largest 
field  of  activity  and  usefulness  during  the 
year  succeeding  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  Commission  is  rapidly  extending  its 
system  of  Claim  Agencies  to  ail  the  prin- 
cipal cities  and  centres  of  population  through- 
out the  country.  Through  these  agencies 
all  claims  of  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their 
families  are  adjusted  with  the  least  possible 
delay  and  without  charge,  thus  securing  to 
the  applicants  the  full  amount  of  the  claim 
as  allowed,  and  exemption  from  the  heavy 
tax,  and  often  gross  imposition  and  fraud, 
to  which  they  are  subjected  by  the  ordinary 
methods.  The  evils  to  which  the  discharged 
soldier  is  exposed  in  the  adjustment  of 
claims  against  the  Grovernment  are  of.  so 
grave  a  nature  that  no  effort  should  be 
spared  to  secure  to  him  the  benefits  of  this 
agency  of  the  Commission's  work.  Regard- 
ing the  Local  Aid  Societies  as  the  natural 
guardians  of  the  soldiers  and  the  super- 
visors of  the  work  of  the  Commission  in 
their  respective  towns  or  feities,  it  is  desired 
that  they  will  exercise  a  careful  superin- 
tendence of  this  work,  promoting  by  every 
practicable  means  its  efficiency,  andtmaking 
sure  that  every  returned  soldier  in  their 
vicinity  and  the  family  of  every  deceased 
soldier  is  actually  informed  of  the  aid  gra- 
tuitously ofiered  them  by  this  agency  of 
the  Commission. 

The  maintenance  of  the  organization  of 
our  Aid  Societies  will  preserve  to  the  San- 
itary Commission  the  means  of  communi- 


cating with  the  people,  from  time  to  time, 
upon  such  topics  as  -concern  the  continued 
welfare  of  returned  soldiers,  and  especially 
in  regard  to  the  more  permanent  provision 
which  it  will  be  necessary  to  make  for  dis- 
abled soldiers,  incapable  of  self-support.  It 
is  the  profound  conviction  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  that  the  peculiar  genius  and 
beauty  of  American  institutions  is  to  show 
itself  in  the  power  which  the  ordinary  civil, 
social,  and  domestic  life  of  the  nation,  ex- 
hibits to  absorb  rapidly  into  itself  our  vast 
army,  and  restore  to  ordinary  occupations 
those  who  have  been  fighting  our  battles ; 
while  the  sick  and  wounded  are  distributed' 
through  the  country,  objects  of  love,  care, 
and  restoration,  in  the  several  communities 
where  they  belong,  insteacfof  being  collected 
in  great  State  and  national  asylums,  objects 
of  public  ostentation,  and  subjected  to  the 
routine,  the  isolation,  and  the  ennui  of  an 
exceptional,  unfruitful,  and  unhappy  ex- 
istence. Public  provision  of  this  latter 
kind,  as  free  from  its  evil  as  may  be,  must 
be  made  for  a  certain  small  class  of  the 
friendless  and  the  totally  disabl "id  j  but 
humauity  and  American  feeling  demand 
that  this  class  should  be  reduced  to  the 
smallest  possible  number  through  the  zeal 
and  friendliness  shown  towards  our  return- 
ing invalid  soldiers  in  the  towns  from  which 
they  originally  came.  The  Sanitary  Com- 
mission will  soon  lay  before  its  Branches 
and  the  public,  plans  for  such  .asylums  for 
Idisabled  and  discharged  soldiers  as  it  may 
be  necessary  to  establish. 

Reserving  the  expression  of  our  grati- 
tude to  our  Branches  and  Soldiers'  Aid 
Societies  to  a  later  period,  we  rema:in  in  be- 
half of  the  Board, 

Yours,  faithfully  and  truly, 
H.  W.  Bellows, 

President. 

Jno.  S.  Blatohfoed, 

General  Secretary. 
WIVES  AND  MOTHEBS. 
We  give  below  a  little  table  exhibiting 
the  work  of  one  of  the  Commission's  Homes 
for  Wives  and  Mothers.  This  is  a  feature 
of  the  work  that  has  grown  as  a  necessity 
upon  us,  and  has  been  met  only  as  a  neces- 
sity. It  might  have  been  extdnded  almost 
without  limit,  had  the  Commission  felt  war- 
ranted in  appropriating  any  very  consider- 
able amount  of  the  people's  contributions 
'o  such  an  object;,  Jjut  it  could  not  fail  to 


1206 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


t>  a  k^  e-i  H  HO  ™  >■  *-<  =-<  a  >■  a  t*j  H 
«  ff  »  £  «  o  <>5  OP.B  ?«  ff  as 


^M^t-'K.orf^&.M-^:   ^  f  Connecticut. 


M  •    !-■  taw- 


-  ca  » ■   •   :    I  I>el&ware. 


'.    ^t^t~t\    )^  bs  CO  &3  <-<>-<  •    >-<ko>    rt^ 

lUinoiB. 

"4 

•     CO  fcO  >-' M  ba  M  M  CO  •-"     •     !-'■     I-'' 

Indiana. 

ri^ 

Iowa. 

CO 

1  Kansaa. 

09 

OS 

09o>enoMfcabocooco-4-3fc3*.bab5 

Haine. 

g 

0>«OCOCOCOOtCOl-'0>C«tO»-ifcofcOKJ)-J 

,  Maryland. 

ft 

oeXl^O-^CrtCOIsOOWi— OOMOCO 

Massachnaetta. 

1— ' 

rfh  CO  03  M  1^.  ifki  C»  ^ -^  !-•  O  bS  •     CObS- 

1  Michigan. 

[ :  :  I  :  :  :  :  :  to^  :  :  I  :  :  :  J  Minnesota. 


,|: 


:  :   :    I  Missouri. 


c^cocoV  :   !».»:    I  W.  Hampshire. 


S  I  '« o Ml-' oi*.cofcofcoo-ai-'*.,o«t3fco  I  New  Jersey. 


New  York. 


0  »-» CO Qt  lit. -^co  to  ep  rf>- •    ccfca-    to 


Ohio. 


•a     CftcoMtafcoia.&stcbOrtk.itkfcoj-'toi-'to    Pennsylvania. 

~       b9bocooaotOowcowo~JCowi-i  — 


'    V-bOW-      CO  M  03  •      H-i(i.fcOt-"      •      tot-" 


.|: 


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tOrfk.|-i)->l->bS*     CttO- 


t  Bhode  Island. 


I  Tennessee. 


:    I  ■Wisconsin. 


Total 
Bela  tires. 


rf>.wfcotowcocooiM»o.K)WCttMto  |  DniivAvfirafffl 
a>  o»  >-<  rf^  o  -j'bo  cwwfcocoeootmcooi  |  -"""J  .average. 


ct :  :  03  ■  •  •    I  Alabama. 


to  ••:::*•:::::  :    I  Kentucky. 


.1 


I  Lousiana. 


>lo<Si?'*oo*:i::^:::::   |  Nor.  Car. 


ce  S '  *  :  :  I  I  t  I  r  :  :  :  :  :  |  Son.  Car. 

IbObs*   I--:    M^   )->:   '•    bo'   ',    o^*:    I  Tenn. 


..:::::    |  Texas. 


Virginia. 


CT     ^^!3!£o^^-jrf>.e»rf>.Mcoqo^  to     Refugees, 


Total 


Daily 
Average. 


-A  *-•  ^  to  V  <Si -^  i^  ia  -^O  CO  to  S  M  S 


Sum  Total. 


c«c,iMiowrfk09to»ft.o«tocoto)fr.babD|T\  ,.      . 
aicotoiocota*.rfkb*.bbMcobi^  I  -^a^y Average, 


B"—  P—  _    P-FW  ^^^>lh^|_l  I— <t-i 

il>.cocoocebo=3baSwMSg5i2 


°S2&S''**5*»-"-'OOJtot|ii.o>toboco 
B-^i-'0).-oatatotototoSo555 


to        W  M  M  M  to  (->  CO  CO  CO  K)  M  I-"  bO  t-J        uj 
J-*         J-'p*4^  to  0003  ^CO  OpO  rffc  l-"  0000  M 

to      c?i  i-a  <e  CO  M  b  to  Ik  ^  b  to  to  in  Ij  CB  b 


^co<i-^i-'oaoosLoos'<ieoo>05oic/3 


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gWWWtoboSbOOlOrt-toWOOLO*. 
OM-JbO  toi-ih--oa>-'tOfoa*Jt»-tt-co 


Number 
Lodged. 


Number 
Lodgings. 


Nightly    aver- 
age Lodgings, 


Number     fur- 
nished with 
Meals. 


Number  meals 
furnishe  1. 


o;      ej  weotffc  to(C^-<rcooD  to  toco  to*-fcOfco     Dailv  AverairO 
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a 

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g. 

a 
P< 

I 


< 


I  Medical  treat- 
I         luent, 


help  the  soldiers  by  helping  their  -wives 
and  mothers,  wheneyer  they  sought  it  under 
eircumstrnces  which  seemed  to  demand 
their  aid.  The  amount  of  special  individual 
relief  afforded  to  such,  outside  of  the  Homes 
by  way  of  counsel  and  direction,  cannot  be 
estimated ;  but  the  feeding  and  lodging  at 
one  post  may  be  seen  in  the  following  table, 
to  which  we  invite  special  attention. 


B£FOSTS  OF  DBS.  C.  B.  AOHEW  AND  J.  C. 
DAITOK. 

Preliminary  Report  of  the  Operations  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  in  North 
Carolina,  March,  1865,  and  upon  the 
Physical  Condition  of  Exchanged  Pris- 
oners lately  received  at  Wilmington,  N.  G. 

New  York,  April  4,  1865. 
Dr.  J.  Foster  Jenkins, 

General  Secretary  U,  8.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir: — The  accompanying^  report, 
marked  "A,"  from  J.  C.  Dalton,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Physiology  and  Microscopic 
Anatomy,  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  New  York,  will  put  you  in  pos- 
session of  the  leading  facts  connected  with 
our  voyage  from  New  York  to  Wilmington, 
on  the  Commission's  steamer  Chase. 

In  obedience  to  the  instructions  from  the 
Standing  Committee  of  the  Commission, 
we  left  New  York  on  Saturday,  March  11, 
at  9  P.M.,  for  Beaufort,  North  Carolina, 
We  arrived  there  on  Tuesday,  March  14, 
at  4.30  P.M.  I  immediately  communicated, 
by  telegraph,  with  Dr.  Page  at  Newbern, 
and  informed  him  of  our  arrival.  After 
waiting  some  hours  without  reply  from  Dr. 
Page,  who  was  absent  at  the  front  near 
Kinston,  where  General  Sckoficld  was  push- 
ing the  enemy  vigorously,  I  endeavored  to 
secure  a  landing  for  such  stores  as  wo  wished 
to  send  from  the  cargo  of  the  Chase  to  New- 
bern. This  I  failed  to  do,  from  the  fact 
that  the  only  whaa-f  at  the  terminus  of  the 
Atlantic  and  North  Carolina, Railroad  was 
in  possession  ,of  the  Construction  Corps, 
and  used  entirely  for  the  landing  of  loco- 
motives and  other  rolling  stock.  Accord- 
ingly, I  chartei^  the  J.  H.  Maitlamd,  a 
schooner,  intending  to  use  her  as  a  store- 
boat.  The  J.  M.  Maitland,  at  this  time, 
had  on  board  coal  for  the  navy,  which  Cap- 
tain West,  in  command  of  the  fleet  in  Beau- 
fort harbor,  offered  to  remove  as  speedily  aa 
possible. 


The  Sanitarjf  Gammiesiqn  Bulletin. 


1207 


Two  o'clock,  Thursday  the  16th  inst.,  we 
began  to  tratisfer  a  portion  of  our  cargo  to 
the  Maitland,  and  on  Saturday  the  18th,  at 
half- past  eleven,  having  lightened  the  Ghase 
so  as  to  enable  her  to  pass  over  Wilmington 
bar,  we  sailed  for  Wilmington. 

,0b  Sunday  the  19th,  at  one  o'clock,  we 
reached  the  dock  at  Wilmington.  I  imme- 
diately requested  Dr.  Dalton  to  make  a  tho- 
rough visitation  oi  the  hospitals,  ascertain 
the  number  of  returned  prisoners  needing 
our  services,  and  also  the  number  of  sick 
and  wounded  from  Generals  Sherman's, 
Schofield's,  and  Terry's  commands. 

During  his  absence  1  waited  upon  Gene- 
ral J.  C.  Abbott,  the  commandant  of  the 
post,  to  inform  him  of  our  arrival,  and  ob- 
tain from  him  facilities  for  the  discharge  of 
our  cargo.  Ho  took  a  lively  interest  in  our 
mission,  and  sent  me  to  Captain  Lamb,  A. . 
Q.  M.,  who  furnished  a  detail  of  fifty  men, 
and  placed  at  our  disposal  a  large  novered 
wharf,  having  ready  access  from  the  main 
river  street  and  ample  space  for  the  storage 
of  our  entire  cargo.  Haying  secured  these 
facilities,  I  went  to  the  distributing  rooms 
of  the  Commission  in  the  town,  and  re- 
ported our.  arrival  to  Mr.  Poster,  the  de- 
voted and  overworked  agent  of  the  Com- 
mission in  charge  of  its  affairs  here.  Mr. 
Foster  had  issued  his  last  supplies  the  pre- 
vious afternoon,  and  our  arrival,  was  there- 
fore, most  opportune.  I  may  mention,  as 
an  evidence  of  the  work  done  by  Mr.  Foster, 
in  attempting  to  meet  the  more  pressing 
wants  of  the  returned  prisoners,  previously 
to  our  arrival,  that  he  had  issued,  among 
other  supplies,  two  hundred  and  forty  bar- 
rels of  milk  punch. 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  March  20th, 
we  began  discharging  our  cargo,  and  "Dr. 
Dalton  returned  from  his  visit  of  inspection, 
with  the  report  that  there  were  between 
twelve  and  thirteen  hundred  returned  prison- 
ers in  the  warehouses  and  hospitals  of  Wil- 
mington, and  about  twenty-six  hundred  sick, 
and  wounded  men  from  General  Sherman's 
army  and  from  the  ciommands  of  Generals 
Schofield  and  Terry.  The  corrected  returns, 
subsequently  received,  show  that  there  were 
at  that  date  actually  twenty-four  hundred 
BjUd  seventy-five  (2475)  returned  prisoners. 

Dr.  Dalton  reported  that  all  these  men 
would  need  woolen  clothing  and  condensed 
'food,  stimulants,  and  esculents,  and  that 
the  surgeons,  including  Dr.  Buzzell,  the 


ranking  medical  officer,  hailed  the  adTent  of^  'Dr.  Dalton,  who  could  bring  to  bear  tis 

the  Sanitary  Commission  with  great  joy.,    I  »  Has  Biace  died  a  martyr  to  the  cause  of  hui^anity. 


refer  you. to  Dr.  Dalton's  report  for  informa- 
tion as  to  the  principles  which  regulated  us 
in  estimating  the  amount  of  food  probably 
necessary  to  secure  the  largest  benefit  to  the 
sufferers. 

The  surgeons  in  charge  of  the  various . 
hospitals  began  to  send  in  their  requisitions 
at  an  early  hour  on  Monday  morning,  and 
the  issues  ma,d8»upon  their  requisitions  were 
sufficient  to  clothe  and  feed  every  individual 
in  the  various  hospitak  and  warehouses,  and 
to  secure  an  ample  reserve  supply  of  food 
and  clothing  for  two  or  three  weeks  to 
come. 

In  order  to  aid  Mr.  Foster  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duties,  I  instructed  him  to 
secure  the  services  of  two  clerks,  and  I  also 
requested  Mr.  Hoblit,  ouf  able  Relief  Agent, 
who  had  accompanied  General  Sherman  from 
Atlanta  to  Savannah,  to  make  a  regular  tour 
of  the  hospitals,  and  urge  upon  the  surgeons 
the  necessity  of  furnishing  the  patients  as 
large  a  quantity  of  tomato  soup  made  from 
beef-stock,  of  condensed  milk,  of  chocolate, 
onions,  and  farinaceous  food,  as  in  their 
judgment  the  condition  of  their  patients 
would  require. 

I  found  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  the  va- 
rious hospitals  working  to  the  utmost  of 
their  ability  in  the  care  of  these  needy  men. 
Many  of  them  had  carried  their  exertions 
far  beyond  the  limits  of  prudence,  forgetting 
themselves  in  their  desire  to  do  good.  Many 
of  them  were  sick,  including  Dr.  Buzzell;*' 
and  Dr.  Palmer,  one  of  the  ablest  men  in 
the  volunteer  corps,  had  worn  himself  out 
and  died,  while  Dr.  Jarvis  and  others  who 
still  survived  were  self-sacrificing  in  their 
professional  ministrations.  My  experience 
here  was  in  keeping  with  what  I  have  he;:e- 
tefore  seen  in  the  conduct  of  the  medical 
officers  in  hospitals  and  on  the  field;  and  I 
think  that  the  people  do  not  yet  understand 
or  appreciate  what  has  been  done,  and  what 
is  now  doing  here  and  elsewhere  every  day, 
by  the  medical  staff,  to  mitigate  the  suffer- 
ings that  inevitably  accompany  war. 

Having  completed  the  arrangements  for 
the  discharge  of  the  cargo  of  the  Chase,  I 
visited  somC'  of  the  warehouses  and ,  hospi- 
tals, to  examine  into  the  condition  of  the 
returned  prisoners.  I  shall  not  attempt  here 
to  picture  their  fearful  condition. 

I  congratulate  the  Commission  upon  the 
opportunity  which  was  afforded  by  the  pres- 
,^nce  of  so  distinguished  a  physiologist,  as 


1208 


The  Sanitary  Oommission  Bulletin. 


powers  of  analysis  and  diagnosis,  in  estab- 
lisliing  the  facts  with  reference  to  the  causes 
which  had  reduced  these  men  to  their  pres- 
ent lamentable  condition.  -Dr.  Dalton  spent 
Sunday  and  Monday  in  visiting  the  hospi- 
tals containing  the  returned  prisoners,  with 
a  view  of  determining  whether  their  condi- 
tion was  due  to  disease,  or  the  consequence 
of  starvation  and  exposure,  and  for  his  calm 
and  well-digested  opinion  upon  this  subject, 
I  refer  you  to  his  report,  heretofore  alluded 
to,  marked  "A." 

I  bad  several  interviews  with  citizens  of 
Wilmington  who  had  seen  our  prisoners  as 
they  were  brought  into  the  city  for  ex- 
cbange,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  what 
their  impressions  were,  as  to  the  motives 
whicb  influenced  the  rebel  ofiScers  in  the 
management  of  squads  in  their  respective 
commands.  I  found  that  some  of  the  rebel 
officers  in  charge  of  our  returned  prisoners 
had  permitted  the  citizens  to  furnish  tbem 
food,  while  others  had  forbidden  all  access 
t-o  the  pens  in  which  the  men  were  quar- 
tered; and  one,  a  rebel  captain,  having 
dharge  of  about  a  thousand  men,  had  gone 
with  his  drawn  sword  and  knocked  the  food 
from  the  han'ds  of  the  famished  men,  inform- 
ing the  citizens  who  had  furnished  it,  "that 

•  the  best  thing  that  could  happen  to  the 
Yankees  was  to  be  starved,  and' thus  expiate 
the  crime  which  they  had  committed  in  in- 
vading southern  territory  and  destroying 
the  peace  of  southern  homes." 

On  Tuesday  we  sailed  for  Beaufort,  tak- 
ing as  passengers  David  B.  Adams,  M.  D., 
late  Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  U.  S.  A.,  sick 
with  typhoid  fever,  and  Henry  Hiscocks, 
Captain  Battalion  Gr,  1st  Missouri  Light 
Artillery,  who  was  in  a  state  of  confirmed 
phthisis,  the  consequence  of  exposure  and 
privation  during  eight  months  in  a  Southern 
prison,  and  Colonel  B.  S.  Pardee,  Connec- 
ticut State  Agent. 

On  Wednesday  we  reached  Beaufort  har- 
bor,  and   discharged   the   balance   of  our 
freight  upon  the  MaUlcmd,  making  an  is- 
•sue  of  onions  and  potatoes  to  the  fleet  in  the 
harbor,  as  many  of  the  men  in  the  fleet 

•  had  been  without  any  but  the  scantiest 
supply  of  veg(?tables  for  two  or  three 
months. 

On  Thursday  we  waited  upon  General  L. 
V.  Easton,  obtained  coal  for  the  OhaSe, 
made  through  him  an  issue  of  pickles  to  the 
six  hundred  men  in  the  quartermaster's 
squad,  and  started  by  rail  for  Newborn. 

Dr.  Page,  Inspector  of  the  Commission, 


on  duty  in  North  Carolina,  joiued  us  at 
Morehead  City,  and  went  with  us  to  New- 
bern.  At  Newbern  I  exarnined  into  the 
working  of  our  relief  stations,  visited  Dr. 
Cowgill,  surgeon  in  charge  of  the  Foster 
Hospital,  Dr.  Hand  the  Medical  Director, 
and  Greneral  Palmer,  the  Commandant  of  the 
post.  I  found  Dr.  Page  distributing  pota- 
toes and  onions  and  other  antiscorbutic  food, 
with  woolen  clothing  and  other  sanitary 
supplies  to  the  needy  soldiers  in  Newbern 
and  to  such  as  were  sent  to  the  rear  from 
the  command  of  General  Schofield. 

Messrs.  Page  and  Bowman  were  absent 
from  Newbern,  having  pushed  forward  with 
General  Schofield  in  the  advance  to  Kin- 
ston,  carrying  with  them  on  the  construc- 
tion train  two  large  feeding  tents,  to  meet 
the  wants  of  those  who  were  wounded  and 
sent  to  the  rear,  in  the  various  skirmishes 
and  fights  for  the  possession  of  the  line  of 
the  road  between  Newbern  and  Goldsboro'. 
^  Dr.  Page  will  report  to  you  in  detail  the 
operations  of  the  relief  corps  in  connection 
with  General  Schofield's  advance.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  the  abundant  resources  of  the 
Commission  bad  been  used  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  give  ma,terial  aid  and  comfort  to 
some  thousands  of  needy  men. 

Dr.  Cowgill's  hospital,  the  Foster,  was  a 
model  of  successful  organization  and  admin- 
istration, and  I  was  very  much  struck  with 
the  quarters  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the 
rebel  wounded.  These  quarters  were  hos- 
pital tents  raised  above  the  ground,  upon 
yellow  pine  underpinning  and  floors^  boun- 
tifully supplied  with  bedding,  attendants, 
food,  •  and  medicine,  and  in  every  way  a 
credit  to  'the  professional  skill  and  philan- 
thropy of  Dr.  Cowgill,  and  the  humanity -of 
our  Government.  I  could  not  avoid  indulg- 
ing the  comparison  between  the  condition 
of  these  men  under  the  care  of  our  medical 
officers,  and  that  of  our  poor  fellows  who 
had  sufiered  in  rebel  hospitals  and  rebel 
prison  pens. 

I  found  that  Dr.  Page  was  making  prep- 
arations to  cultivate  his  large  hospital  gar- 
den, amounting  to  over  one  hundi;ed  acres 
in  the  suburbs  of  Newbern,  for  the  benefit 
of  men  in  the  hospitals,  and  the  forces  ope- 
rating in  this  vicinity,  while  all  the  details 
of  his  work  in  other  fields  of  usefulness 
were  being  attended  to  with  admirable  zeal, 
fidelity,  and  intelligence. 

Leaving  Newbern,  on  Saturday,  we  pasSed 
through  Pamlico,  Croatan,  and  Albgmarle 
Sounds,  and  the  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake 


The  Sanitary  Qiymmiasion  Bulletin. 


1209 


Canal  to  Norfolk,  where  I  visited  Mr.  Sher- 
man, the  gentleman  in  charge  of  the  affairs 
of  the  Commission, at  this  point,  and  exam- 
ined his  store-house,  and  method  of  trans- 
acting business,  with  satisfaction. 

rthen  visited  the  lodge  of  the  Commis- 
sion at  Portsmouth,  opposite  Norfolk,  which 
is  in  charge  of  Mr.  AlcocK.  I  found  this 
lodge  in  admirable  order.  As  you  are  fa- 
miliar with  its  condition  and  usefulness 
through,  the  regular  reports  of  Mr.  Alcock, 
I  shall  not  enter  into  details. 

On  Monday  the  27th,  I  left  Norfolk  for 
New  York,  via  Fortress  Monroe  and  Balti- 
more. I  cannot  express  too  highly  my  ob- 
ligations to  Dr.  Dalton  for  his  able  services, 
nor  forget  to  mention  those  of  Messrs.  Cobb 
and  W.  A.  Paton,  who  accompanied  us  from 
New  York,  and  gave  their  assistance  in 
many  bf  the  details  of  the  work. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

^.  K.  Agnew. 

A. 

Report  of  3.  C.  Dalton,  M.  D.,  Professor 
of  Physiology  and  Microscopic  Anatomy, 
.  Uollegc  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New 
■  York. 

The  Steamer  Ohase  left  New  York  on 
Saturday  evening,  March  11,  for  Beaufort 
Harbor  and  Wilmington,  N.  C,  laden  with 
beef-stock,  condensed  milk,  onions,  pota- 
toes, pickles,  and  other  similar  articles,  to- 
gether with,  an  abundance  of  flannel  unier- 
clothing  and  blankets.  It  was  intended  to 
discharge  the  cargo,  in  whole  or  in  part,  at 
either  Beaufort  Harbor  or  Wilmington,  as 
the  necessities  of  the^case  might  make  it 
desirable.  It  was  anticipated  that  the  wants 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  from  General  Scho- 
field's  corps,  and,  possibly,  also  from  Gene- 
ral Sherman's  army,  then  moving  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  on  its  way  from  Columbia, 
wouldbe  best  relieved  from  the  direction  of 
Beaufort;  while  the  necessities  of  our  re- 
turned prisoners,  recently  delivered  at  Wil- 
mington, would  require  supplies  at  the  last-, 
named  point. 

On  entering  BeaHifort  Harbor,  where  the 
steamer  arrived  on  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday 
the  14th,  a  large  number  of  transports  were 
found  waiting,  partly  discharged  and  partly 
still  laden  with  supplies  and  material.  Gen- 
eral Schofield's  corps,  which  had  been  trans- 
ferred by  sea  from  Wilmington  to  Beaufort, 
had  advanced  -to  Newborn  and  thence,  and 
along  the  line  of  the  railroad,  toward  Golds- 


boro'.,  At  the  time  of  our  arrival  it  had, 
reached  a  point  within  a  few  miles. of  Kins- 
ton,  where  it  had  come  in  contact  with  the' 
enemy,  and  repulsed  him  after  a  somewhat 
severe  engagement  on  the  10th  and  11th 
instants.  The  efficient  agents  of  the  Com- 
mission were  accordingly  then  at  the  front, 
doing  all  in  thejr  power  to  aid  ,in  relieviiig 
the  wounded  from  this  engagement;  and 
»  Dr.  Agnew  soon  learned  by  communications 
from  them  that  their  supplies  were  already 
sufficient  for  that  particular  emergency. 
The  railroad  from  Morehead  City,  in  Beau- 
fort Harbor,  to  Newbern  and  Kinston  was 
then  entirely  in  the  hands  of  a  construction 
corps,  which  was  act^ely  engaged  in  relay- 
ing the  track  and  getting  the  road  in  run- 
ning order  to  the  rear  of  General  Schofield's 
advancing  columns,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
obtain  transportation  over  this  road  even  to 
Newbern,  except  for  material  required  for 
the  construction  of  the  road  itself,  and  sup- 
plies absolutely  essential  for  the  subsistence 
of  the  army.  The  only  other  mode  .of  send- 
ing to  Newbern  was  to  go  round  by  way  of 
Hatteras  Inlet  and  the  Nouse  River,  but 
this  could  only  be  done  by  vessels  of  much 
lighter  draft  than  the  Chtise.  It  was  de- 
cided, therefore,  to  discharge  a^part  of  the 
cargo  upon  a  schooner,  which  could  remain 
in  Beaufort Harbbr  as  a  store-ship,  and  from 
which  such  supplies  as  were  needed  at  New- 
bern could  be  sent  round  from  time  to  time 
on  lighters,  by  way  of  Hatteras  Inlet.  The 
remaining  and  larger  portion  of  the  cargo 
was  to  he  taken  immediately  to  Wilmington 
in  the  Ohase,  for  the  use  of  the  returned 
prisoners.  These  arrangements  were  com- 
pleted by  the  evening  of  Friday  the  17th. 
By  that  time  we  learned  that  General  Scho- 
field  had  again  advanced  and  had  occupied 
Kinston  without  further  opposition. 

On  Saturday,-  18th  inst.,  at  noon  the 
Cfhase  left  Beaufort  Harbor,  and  arrived  off 
the  bar  at  the  entrance  of  Cape  Fear  River, 
before  daylight  on  Sunday,  the  19th.  At 
11  A.M.  she  crossed  the  bat,  and  came  to 
her  dock  at  Wilmington  early  in  the  after- 
nooti  of  the  same  day. 

At  Wilmington,  we  found  3,940  sick  and 
wounded  men,  including  the  returned  pris- 
oners,, whose  condition  was  such  that  they 
were  all  to  be  regarded  as  sick  men,  and 
urgently  in  need  of  comfort  and^elief.  Of 
the  whole  number  to  be  oared  for  there  were 
about  2,000  sick  belonging  to  the""comman:d 
of  General  Terry  (who  had  moved  directly 
north> after  the  capture  of  Wilmington,  on 


1210 


The  Scmitarp  GoTnmisBwn  B-nlktin. 


the  line  of  the  Wihnfngton  and  Weldon 
Kailroad)j  and  about  600  from  General 
Sherman's  army,  who  had  been  sent  down 
the  north-western  branch  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River,  a  few  days  previously,  from  Fayette- 
ville.  The  remainder  consisted  of  our  re- 
turned prisoners,  1250 'in  number.  Cor- 
rected returnp,  subsequently  received,  show 
the  number  of  returned  prisoners  to  have 
been  twenty-four  hundred  and  seventy-five 
(2,475)^  making  the  grand  total  about 
4j9§0,  who  had  been  delivered  by  the  enemy 
a  short  distance  above  the  city,  at  the  north- 
eastern branch  of  the  Cape  Fear  River,  since 
our  occupation  of  the  town.  Of  these  Gen- 
eral Terry's  sick  and  wounded  were,  of  course, 
the  best  provided  for,  since  they  had  occu- 
pied the  town  from  the  date  bf  its  capture, 
and  felt,  more  than  anything  else,  the  want 
of  ambulances  and  other  means  of  transport- 
ation, which  had  been  necessarily  taken  with 
the  main  column  on  its  advance  northward. 
Those  arriving  from  General  Sherman's 
command  were,  many  of  them,  quite  desti- 
tute, havitfg  been  on  the  march  through  the 
enemy's  country  for  about  two  months,  ever 
since  the  date  of  General  Sherman's  leaving 
Savannah.  They  needed  clothing  and  food 
as  well  as  rest  and  medicines.  But  the 
greatest  and  most  pitiful  necessities  were 
among  our  returned  prisoners.  No  descrip- 
tion can  do  justice  to  their  miserable  condi- 
tion, because  nothing  but  an  actual  inspec- 
tion of  them,  in  considerable  numbers,  can 
show  that  the  wretched  faces  and  figures 
that  present  themselves  everywhere, are  not 
the  isolated  and  exceptional  effects  of  severe 
illness,  but  the  general  result  of  a  uniform 
and  long-continued  process  of  starvation  and 
misery.  There  were  degrees,  of  course,  in 
which  this  condition,  was  more  or  less 
marked.  The  better  cases  were  walking 
about  the  streets,  perhaps  barefooted,  or 
with  no  other  clothing  than  a  pair  of  white 
cotton  drawers  and  an  old  blanket  or  over- 
coat, both  equally  ragged.  In  these  the 
slow,  dragging  gait,  listless  manner,  and 
«avernous,  inexpressive  look  of  the  face, 
together  with  the  general  emaciation,  form- 
ed a  peculiar  aspect,  by  which  they  alone 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  passer-by,  and 
by  which  they  were  at  once  distinguished 
from  the  other  convalescent  soldiers.  There 
was  no  oopasion  to  inquire  in  Wilmington 
which  were  our  returned  prisoners;  after 
half  a  day's  experience,  any  one  could  dis' 
tinguish  them  at  a  glance.  Many  of  them, 
who  had  strength  to  crawl  about  in  this 


manner,  were  prevented  from  doing  so  by 
the  want  of  clothing.  Major  Randlete,  the 
Provost  Marshal  of  Wilmington,  told  me 
that  on  one  day  foytyof  these  men  came 
into  our  lines  absolutely  as  naked  as  they 
■were  born.  I  inquired  of  a  considerable 
number  of  them,  whom  I  saw  in  the  hospi- 
tals confined  to  their  beds,  naked  or  with 
only  a  shirt,  and  covered  with  a  hospital 

»  blanket,  what  had  become  of  their  clothing, 
and  was  told  that  they  had  thrown  away 
what  remained  as  soon  as  they  could  obtain 
shelter,  because  it  was  so  tagged,  filthy,  and 
full  of  vermin.  One  of  them,  on  being  told 
that  the  Sanitary  Commission  had  sent  them 
flannel  shirts  and  drawers,  caught  at  tho 
word  with  a  childish  eagerness,  and  repeated 
the  good  news  to  his  comprtnions,  with  a 
faint  half-imbecile  smile,  as  long  as  I  was 
within  hetring.  With  the  great  majority 
of  the  feebler  ones,  personal  cleanliness  was 
a  thing  which  they  appeared  to  have  en- 
tirely forgotten.  They  no  longer  retained 
sufficient  strength,  either  of  mind  or  body, 
to  appreciate  or  correct  the  degradation  to 
which  months  of  unavoidable  uncleanliness 
had  reduced  them.  In  the  moat  extreme 
cases  the  condition  of  the  mind,  as  well  a^ 
the  expression  of  the  face,  was  absolutely 
fatuous,  and  the  aspect  of  the  patient  was 
not  that  of  a  strong  man  reduced  by  illness, 
but  that  of  an  idiotic  pauper,  who  had  been 
such  from  his  birth.  Nevertheless,  several 
of  the  surgeons  informed  me  that, the  con- 
dition of  the  patients  had  visibly  improved 
since  their  reception,  and  that  I  could  not 
then  form  an  »dequate  idea  of  what  it  was 
when  they  entered  our  lines.  In  that  case 
it  must  have  been  lamentable  beyond  de- 
scription. 

The  tcsfviiinny  of  both  men  and  officers 
was  uniform  as  to  tho  causes  of  their  un- 
natural condition.  These  causes  were,  1st, 
starvation,  and,  2d',  exposure.  Only  such 
offi,cers  and  men  as  could  procure  money 
were  able  to  obtain  anything  like  sufficient 
nourishmept.  Some  of  them  told  me  that 
during  the  entire  winter  they  had  received 
absolutely  no  meat;  a  pint  of  corn-meal, 
often  with  the  cob  ground  in,  sometimes 
with  and  sometimes  without  salt,  a  handful- 
of  "  cow-peas,"  and  sometimes  sorghum  mo- 
lasses, constituted  their  usual  ration.  When 
in  hospital,  they  had  only  very  thin  corn- 
meal  gruel  and  a  little  coru-bread.  To  the 
debility  occasioned  by  this  insufficient  food 

''^  was  added  that  resulting  from  exposure.  It 
was  a  common  thing  for  a  prisoner,  imme- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1211 


4iately  on  being  takea,  to  be  stripped  of  his 
clothing — shoes,  sooks,  pantaloons,  shirts, 
and  drawers-^and  to  be  left  with  only  an 
old  and  worn-out  pair  of  drawers  and,  per- 
haps, an  equally  worn-out  shirt  and  blanket 
given  him  in  exchange.  This  robbery  of 
clothing  was  .also  practiced,  more  or  less, 
upon  officers.  Even  an  assistant-surgeon, 
who  was  captured  within  four  miles  of  Ilich- 
mond,  told  me  that  he  was  robbed  of  his 
flannel  shirt,  while  standing  in  front  of  the 
Libby  Prison,  and  in  presence  of  the  rebel 
officer  in  charge  of  the  squad.  This  was 
immediately  after  his  arrival  in  the  city, 
and  when  he  had  been,  for  the  three  days 
succeeding  his  capture,  entirely  without 
food.  With  the  scanty  clothing  thus  left 
them,  the  »en  were  kept  during  the  winter, 
often  without  any  shelter,  excepting  such 
as  they  could  contrive  to  provide  by  exca- 
vating a  sort  of  rifle-pit  in  the  ground,  and 
covering  it  with  old  blankets  or  canvas,  as 
their  supply  of  fuel  was  insufficient,  and 
sometimes  entirely  wanting.  Even  in  the 
hospitals  their  suffering  from  cold  was  very 
great. 
^  One  of  the  most  melancholy  sights  in 
Wilmington  was  that  to  be  seeh  at  the 
"G-eer"  hospitals.  In  these  hospitals  were 
collected  all  those  patients  who  had  lost  their 
feet,  either  wholly  or  in  part,  by  freezing, 
from  their  exposure  during  the  past  winter, 
and  this  in  a  well-wooded  country.  In 
some  of  them  two  or  three  toes  only,  on 
one  or  both  feet,  were  gangrened,  and  in 
process  of  separating  by  ulceration ;  in 
others  both  feet  had  entirely  separated,  and 
and  the  patients  were  awaiting  the  time 
\^lien  their  general  strength  and  the  condi- 
tion of  the  stump  would  warrant  a  final 
amputation.  In  many  casss  the  patients 
ascribed  this  gangrene  directly  to  frostbites 
received  t)n  particular  occasions;  in  others 
to  their  illness  from  which  they  wore  suffer- 
ing;— generally  fever  combined  with  expo- 
sure. '  My  own  impression,  derived, from 
like  result  of  many  inquiries,  was. that  it  was 
generally  due  to  a  continuous  depression  of 
the  vital  energies  from  starvation  and  neg- 
lect, resulting  gradually  in  a  destruction  of 
the  life  of  those  parts  most  exposed  to  the 
cold  and  the  weather.  With  all  the«e  cases 
awaiting  relief,  it  was  impossible  that  the 
stores  brought  by  the  Chase  should  have 
eome  at  a  more  opportune  period.  From 
all  the  officers  in  Wilmington,  of  all  grades 
and  departments,  there  was  but  one  exprc|- 
sion'of  gratitude  aiid  relief  at  hearing  of  our 


arrival,  and  we  oouM  not  hove  asked  more 
ready  and  cordial  co-operation  than  was 
^iVen  us  at  once  by  all  upon  whom  we  de- 
pended for  information  lind  assistance,  A 
capacious  covered  dock  was  at  once  assigned 
for  the  discharge  and  storage  of  the  supplies,. 
and  an  abundant  force  of  negro  refugees  as- 
signed to  the  labor  of  unloading, the  steamer. 
So  rapidly  was  this  work  eff'ected  that  during 
the  day,  on  Monday,  supplies  were  already 
in  process  of  distribution  to  the  various  hos- 
pitals, a  complete  list  of  which,  with  the 
number  of  patients  in  each,  had  been  pre- 
viously obtained.  The  covered  dock  was 
used  as  an  issuing  office,  as  well  as  a  store- 
house, and,  being  very  capacious  and  well- 
lighted,  it  afforded  admirable  facilities  for 
reaching  the  various  ofticles .  as  they  were 
needed. 

It  was  found  that  all  the.  Returned  pris- 
oners, without  exception,  and  all  the  men 
recently  arrived  from  General  Sherman's 
army,  needed  flannel  shirts,  drawers,  and 
blanketB;  that  shirts  and  drawers  were  also 
required  by  all  the  other  sick  an#  wonnded 
then  in  hospital,  and  blankets  by  about 
two-thirds  of  them.  Tin  plates,  cups,  knives, 
and  forks  were  also  much  needed,  all  of  which 
were  at  once  supplied.  In  order  to  regulate 
the  distribution  of  food  and  stimulus  to  the 
different  hospitals,  the  fallowing  diet  table 
was  made  out,  to  serve  as  the  basis  of  calcu- 
lation. It  was  thought  that  such  a  ration, 
with  the  interchanges  between  various  arti- 
cles which  could  be  readily  effected  when- 
ever desired,  would  be  best  suited  to  tho 
greater  portion  of  the  cases : 

Name  of  Article.  Dilily  Katiou. 

-Beef-stock, 2  oz. 

Canned  tomatoes,    .  .  8  " 

Condensed  milk,'         .     .  4  " 

Onionsj^    .  ....  4  " 

Potatoes,  .  .  .  4  " 

Soft  crackers,     .     .     .     .  4  " 

Chocolate, 1  "     ' 

Pickles,-    .     .  _  .     .  '  .     .  4  " 

Whiskey,-     .     ,  .     .  2  " 

The  various  hospitals  were  requested  to 
send  down  requisitions  according  to  the 
above  diet  table,  in  quantities  corresponding' 
with  the  number  of  patients  in  each  hospi- 
tal; they  were  not  restricted,,  however,  ab- 
solutely to  the  above  quantities,  but  the  diet 
table  was  adopted  as  expressing  a  minimum 
ration,  which  could  be  increased,  if  desira- 
ble, in  particular  cases,  and  which  could  be 
supplemented,  for  those  patients  who  wore 


1212 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


aBle  to  bear  it,  j^ith  articles  from  the  regu- 
lar army  ration. 

Early  on  Tuesday  morning  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  the  above  articles  had  been 
landed  to  supply  the  whole  number  of  pa- 
tients in  Wilmington  for  at  least  fifteen 
days.  A  portion  of  th6  cargo,  over  and 
above  this  amount,  which  would  be  more 
probably  required  at  Newborn  at  the  next 
emergency,  was  retained  for  reconveyance 
to  Beaufort  harbor.  On  Tuesday  afternoon 
the  steamer  left  Wilmington,  and  proceeded 
down  the  river  to  "Fort  Fisher,  but,  owing 
to  a  south-easterly  gale  and  consequent 
heavy  sea  on  the  bar,  she  was  unable  to  go 
out  until  the  following  day,  Wednesday,  the 
22d  instant,  at  2  o'clock,  p.m.  At  that  time 
she  crossed  the  bar  unhurt  without  diffi- 
culty, and  again  entered  Beaufort  harbor 
on  the  morning. of  Thursday,  the  23d.  At 
Beaufort  harbor  the  remainder  of  her  cargo 
was  transferred  to  the  storeship,  and  the 
steamer,  afier  coaling,  sent  back  to  New 
York. 

Vefy  respectfully  yours, 

J.  c.  Dalton, 


COKKECTION.  \ 
In  -Bulletin  of  May  1,  1865,  page  1172, 
in  heading  of  article  "  Workings  of  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission  at  Camp  Parole,  Va.," 
read  Camp  Distribution,  instead  of  Camp 
Parole. 


TESTiatONIAI.. 

Cannonsburg,  Pa.,  May  18,  1865. 

Mr.  Steong. 

Dear  Sir  : — Pl*se  find  enclosed  $5  00 
for  the  benefit  of  the  noble  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Though  we  fondly  ^ope  the  mission  of 
this  generous  institution  will  soon  termi- 
nate with  a  happy  issue  of  oiir  national 
troubles  in  a  triumphant  peace,  no  doubt 
you  can  yet  spend  thousands  of  dollars  for 
the  good  of  our  unfortunate  braves.  Having 
received  many  kind  offices  from  it  while  in 
the  service  and  since,  I  feel  bound  to  con- 
tribute something,  hoping  some  poor  soldier 
will  be  blessed  by  it  as  a  thank  oflfering  to 
be  disbursed  by  the  agents  of  the  grandest 
charitable  association,  in  many  respects, 
that  was  ever  organized.  The  history  of 
the'  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
will  brighten  with  age. 

Eespectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
Samuel  B.  McBride. 


On  page  1173,  last  line  above  the  table 
of  stores,  read  "from  Dec.  17,  1862"  not 
(68),  to  "Dec.  31,  1868." 

The  last  error  occurs  in  the  copy  from 
which  this  article  was  taken,  and  is  no 
fault  of  ours,  but  as  it  is  a  misprint  in  the 
original,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  Editor 
of  the  Journal,  and  will  be  corrected  there, 
it  should  be  also  corrected  here. 


MASCHES. 

Fifteen  miles  per  day  is  considered  a  fair  average  for  in- 
fantry ;  and  upon  long  marches  ten  miles  including. all  tlie 
necessary  delays,  is  accounted  good  trarellng.  This  will 
depend  much  however  upon  the  nature  of  the  country, 
the  season  of  the  year,  as  well  as  upon  whether  the  troops  ' 
are  newly  recruited,  or  old  soldiers  accustomed  to  hard- 
ships and  to  travel. 

Some  of  the  longest  marches  of  infantry  upon  record  have 
been  made  by  American  troops.  During  tn^  first  year  of 
the  Mexican  war,  General -Kearney  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  Army  of  the  West,  with  instructions  to  conquer  New 
Mexico  and  California.  He  left  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas, 
in  June,  and  after  a  journey  of  nine  hundred  miles  over  the 
great  plains  and  mountain  ranges,  arrived  at  Santa  Fe,  the 
capital  of  New  Mexico,  on  the  18th  of  August 
.  In  the  year  1860,  a  large  portion  of  the  Seventh  Regiment 
marched  from  Camp  Floyd,  U.  T.,  to  Fort  Buchanan,  New 
Mexico,  having  travelled  one  thousand  miles  and  spent  one 
hundred  and  forty  days  on  the  road..  But  the  most  unpre- 
cedented march  of  infantry  was  made  by  the  gallant  old 
Sixth,  in  1859,  which  left  Fort  LeavenWorth,  Kansas,  for 
California,  a  distance  of  one  thousand  eight  hundred  miles, 
and  was  onehundred  and  ninety  ^days  on  the  road,  of  which 
one  hundred  and  sixty-two  were  actually  passed  in  march- 
ing; being  at  the  rate  of  about  eleven  miles  per  day. 

During  the  present  war,  our  own  armias  and  the  armies  of 
the  Confederates,  have  furnished  us  with  numerous  exam- 
ples of  loogand  rapid  marches  :  andin  very  many  instances 
these  marches  have  been  made  under  an  almost  constant 
succession  of  engagements,  demonstrating  both  the  valor 
and  endurance  of  the  American  troops. — Hamilton's  Mili- 
tary Surgery. 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CORKESFONDENOE, 

Letter  from  Medical  Director  Barnes 1192 

"■      Surgeon  W.  E.  Day 1193 

"        "      Dr.J.M.PagS 1193 

"        "       Ministers  of  New  Orleans 1194 

"        "      Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  )B  L.  Jones 1199 

"  ,    ."      KnoxviUe,  Tenn.,  by  Charles  Seymour  1199 

"       "      Dr.  Bellows.. 1201 

Kepoets.  ^ 

Extracts  from  Eeport  of  Dr.  McDonald 1189 

Dr.  George  A  Blaise.......  1294 

0.  C.  BuUard 1195 

"  "  H.  Tone 1196 

Report  of  Dr.  Agnew,  Wilmington,  N.  C 1206 

"  Dr.  Dalton,  "  "      -. 1206 

Consolidated  Report  of  Home  for  Soldier's  Wives 
and  Mothers 1206 

MiSOELLANEOTTS. 

Good  Words  of  Great  Men 1185 

The  Last  March 1185 

The  Work  of  a  Great  People 11S6 

Important;^  Testimonials. ; 1192 

Aid  to  Prisoneiis ; 1193 

Newborn  and  Wilmington 1193 

Our  Worlc  at  New  Orleans  and  Mobile 1194 

Testimonial  to  Sanitary  Commission 1194 

Homo  at  New  Orleans 1196 

Relief  to  Prisoners 1195 

KnoxviUe,  Tenn 1199 

Rather  Remarlsable ' 1200 

Circular  to  Branches  and  Soldier's  Aid  Societies....  1203 

Testimonial 1212 

Marches , . ; l 1212 

Editorial. 

What  Remains 1201 

The  Spirit  of  the  Commission 1203 

Wives  and  Mothers 1205 

Correction .T" 1 212 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1213 


PROTECTIVE 

OF  THE 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
Office :  No.  1307  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

All  the  papers  and  correspondence  required 
to  procure  Pensions,  Bounty  and  Back  Pay,  and 
Prize  Money  for  discharged  soldiers  and  aailprs, 
^ind  for  the  relatives  of  soldiers  and  sailors  dying 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  prepared  and 
forwarded,  and  the  proceeds  of  all  claims,  when 
collected,  remitted  to  the  parties  entitled,  free  of 
charge. 

BOARD  OF  DIKECTOnS. 

WILLIAM  M.  TILGHMAN,  Chairman. 

HoEiCB  BiNNEY,  Jb.,  Robeet  M.  Lewis, 

Alexander  Bbown,  George  M.  Conakroe, 

Hon.  J.  I.  Claek  Hare,  Charles  J.  StillS, 

William  Welsh,  George  D.  PakeisH, 

William  L.  Rehn,  H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.D.,. 

George  Teott,  Atueeton  Blight. 

H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.D.,  Excmdning  Surgeon. 
Edwaed  a.  Smith  M.D.,  AssisianfSurgeon. 
W.  N.  Ashman,  Solicitor. 
Jas.  W.  Hazlehuest,  Assistant  Solicitor. 

PROTECTIVE 

OP   THE 

V.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
OFFICE,  35  CHAMBEBS  STREET, 

PeeTsident.  ~. 

Libut.-Gen.  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
Vioe-Peesidents. 
Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admieal  Dupont, 
John  J.  Cisco,  Esq.,     Rod.  A.  Witthaos,  Esq 

TeEASUEER. ^RoBEET    B.    MlSTCEN,   EsQ. 

DiEEOTOES. 


Hons.  E.  D.  Morgan, 
George  Opdyke,, 
HiEAM  Barney, 
Jas  W.  Beekmah, 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D., 

John  Jacob  Astoe, 

James  Brown, 

William  H.  Aspinwall, 

James  Gallatin, 


Howard  Potter, 
William  E.  Dodge,  jr., 
Theodore  Roosevelt, 
Peter  Cooper, 
George  JSabceopt, 
Daniel  Lord, 
Wilson  G.  Hunt, 
Robeet  L.  Stdart, 
Alfred  Pell. 


Apply  in  person  or  by  letter,  to  v, 

HBNUY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 
35  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

OBJECTS  OP  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families,  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant-. 

2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  families 
from  impostiire  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Oovernment. 

ah.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  informatioik  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


THE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretaryof  Warin  June, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization  were 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
Its  present  organization  is  as  follows : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  New  York. 

A.  p.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

P.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 

Elisha  Harris,  M.D.*,  New  York. 

W.  H.  Van  Buren,  JI.D.,  New  York. 

Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D.,' Cambridge,  Mass. 

S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  Boston.  Mass.    ' 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Rt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  R.  1. 

Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cuicinnati,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Offiicago,  111. 

Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Horace  Binney,  jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 

Charles  J.  Still6,  Philadelphia,  Penna. 

Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

officers.  ' 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.D.,  President. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Vice-President. 

George  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 

J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.D.,  General  Secretary. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.D.,  Associate  Secretary. 
standing  committee. 
Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.      George  T.  Strong. 
Wm.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.D.      Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.D. 
C.  R.  Agnew,  M.D.  Charles  J.  Still§. 


J 


HOSPITAL  DIRECTORY. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  has  made  arrange- 
ments for  supplying  information  grat-aitously, 
with  regard  to  patients  'n  all  the  United  States 
General  Hospitals. 

For  information  relative  to  patients  in  the  Hos- 
pitals in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  the  New  England 
States,  Eastern  Virginia,  Maryland,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Florida 
and  Louisiana,  address  "  Office  of  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, Washington,  D;  C." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Pennsylvania,  address 
"  Office  of  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  1301  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia." 

For  the  Hospitals  in  Western  Virginia,  Ohio 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi,  and  Arkansas,  address  "  Office 
Sanitary  Commission,  Louisville,  Ky." 

In  all  cases  the  name,  rank,  company,  and  regi- 
ment of  the  person  inquired  for  should  be  given 
and  where  he  was  when  last  heard  from.  If  the 
application  is  by  letter,  the  answer  will  be  sent 
by  return  qf  mail ;  if  in  person,  it  will  be  answered 
at  once ;  or  if  by  telegraph,  an  answer  will  be  re- 
turned immediately  at  the  inquirer's  expense. 

fi^^Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  clergymen,  editors 
and  others,  can  scarcely  serve  the  cause  o^  hu- 
manity more  effectually  than  by  frequently  and 
widely  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  above 
among  those  who  han^e  friends  in  the  army 


1214 


The  Sanitary   Commission  Bulletin. 


SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  tlie  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive,  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wouRded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings: 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  EA^T. 

CENTRAL  DSPOTS  OP  OOLLSCTIOJI. 

D.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  18  West  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  NoS.  10  &  11  Cooper  Union, 
New  York. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  State  House,  New  Haven,Conn. 
'     U.  S.  San.  Com.,  1307  Chestnut  St.,  Philada. 

DEPOTS  0»  DISTEIEDTIOW. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  244  F  St.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.  Camp  Distribution,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  46  Sharp  St.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

U  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

IT.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Annapplis,  Md. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  City  Point,  Ya. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Newberne,  N.'C. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  Beaufort,  S.  0. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  New  Orleans,  La 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  J;ime  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OP  THE  WEST. 

OENTRAL   DEPOTS   OF   COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  Sts., 
Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  San,  Com.,  No.  95  Bank  St.,  Cleveland,  0. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  66  Madison  St.,  Chicago, 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No;  2  Adam's  Block,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  59  Fourth  St.,  Pittsburgh, 
Penna. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  32  Lamed  St.,  Detroit, 
Mich. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  Hnn.  Com.,  Fifth  St.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  operations. 
Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solicited,  and 
may  be  transmitted  to  George  T.  Strong,  Esq., 
Treasurer,  68  Wall  Street,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF   DEPARTMENT- 

F.  N.  Knapp,  Supt.,  Washington,  D.  0. 

J.  B.  Abbott,  Chief  Assistant,  Washington,  D.C. 


"  SOLDIEES'  HOMES'  -AND  "LODGES." 

[Objects.  Temporary  aid  and  protection, — 
food,  lodging,  care,  &c., — for  soldiers  in  transitu, 
chiefly  the  discharged,  disabled,  and  furloughed.] 
Alexandria,  Va.  "  Albiandbia  Lodse." 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Bailroad  Station.  J.  B. 
Holt,  Superintendent. 

Annapolis,  Md.     "Home  foe  Soldiebs' 
Wives  and  Motheks."  Mrs.  Hopes  Sayres,  Matron. 
Baltimore,  Md.    "  Soldikks'  Home."  Ng. 
62  Conway  Street.    A.  E.  Hastings,  Supt; 

"Soldiers'  Lodge."  Opposite  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington,  and  Baltimore  Railroad  Station. 
,  Superintendent. 

Boston,  Mass,  "Soldibbs'  Home."  No. 
76  Kingston  Street.  Charles  F.  Mufige,  Supt., 
near  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad  Depot. 

Buffalo,  if.  Y.  "  Soldiebs'  Rest."  .  Ex- 
change Street,  opposite  Central  Railroad  Depot. 
Mrs.  H.  Indevine,  Matron. 

Cairo,  111.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  0.  N.  Ship- 
man,  Superintendent. 

Camp  Nelson,  ~Ky.  "  Soldiers'  Houb." 
Thomas  Butler,  Superintendent. 

Cincinnati,  O.     Soldiebs'  Home."    Third 
Street.   Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Superintendent. 
Cleveland,    Ohio.      "  Soldiers'    Home." 
Joseph  Jerome,  Superintendent. 

Columbus,  Ohio.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  T. 
E.  Botsford,  Superintendent. 

Detroit,  Michigan.  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
No.  81  Jeiferson  Aveniie. 

Harrisburg,  Pa.  Near  the  Railroad  Depot. 
"  Soldiers'  Lodge."     W.  H.  Hadley,  Supt.         ' 

Jeffersonville,  Indiana.  "  Soldiers' 
Home."  New  Market  Street,  near  the  Depot.  B. 
T.  Smith,  Superintendent. 

IiOuisville;  Ky.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  V. 
S'Cott,  Superintendent. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  "Soldiers'  Lodge." 
Near  landing,  C.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent  and 
Relief  Agent. 

ITashville,    Tenn.     "  Soldiers'    Home." 
Captain  I.  Brayton,  Superintendent. 
.New   Orleans,  La.    "Soldiers'  Home." 
Corner  Magazine  and  Julia   Streets.     Sumner 
Bullard,  Superintendent. 

New  York  City.  "  Discharged  Soldiers' 
Home."  No.  45  Grove  Street,  near  Blecker. 
,  Superintendent. 

Paducah,  Ky.  "  Soldiers'  Homi."  B.  D. 
Way,  Superintendent. 

Portsmouth, Va.  "Soldiers' Home."  John 
Alcooke,  Superintendent. 

Washington,  D.  C.  "The  Home."  No. 
374  North  Capitol  Street.     J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  Home  for  Soldiers'  Wives  and  Mothers. 
No.  380  North  Oapitol  Street.    J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  Lodge  No^.  4.   No.  389  H  Street.    )  Supt. 

"  Lodge  No'.  5."  Maryland  Avenue,  near  Wash- 
ington &  Alexandria  R.  B.  Station.     ,  Supt. 

"  Lodge  No.  6."    Foot  of  Sixth  Street.    Hofv- 
ard  McPhferran,  Superintendent, 
t 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  OFFICES. 

[Objects. — To  give  aid  in  ptocuring  pay,  peur 
sions,  bounty,  prize  money,  arrears, of  pay  and 
bounty,  and  other  claims  upon  government.     To 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1215 


supptr  clothing,  hospital  delloMiea,  {iratehM, 
%c.     To  give  transportation,  Informauon,  Ac] 

Alexandria,  Va.  Office  in  Soldiers'  Lodge, 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  Station.  J.  B, 
Holt,  Agent. 

Annapolis,  'HLd.  Office  of  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.  Major  F.  C.  Howes,  Agent. 

Baltimore,  Md.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  46  South  Sh^pe  Street.  J.  T. 
Pancoast,  Agent. 

Boston,  ICasa.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, No.  76  Kingston  Street. 

Buffalo  N.  Y.  Branch  United  States  San- 
nitary  Commission,  Adams'  Block,  No.  209 
Washington  Street. 

CairOylll.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' Home."  C. 
N.  Sfaipman,  Agent. 

Camp  Nelson,  Ky.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Home."    Thomas  Butler,  Agent. 

Chattanooga,  Tenn.  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

Chicago,  111.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,   corner  Vine-  a-nd    Sixth  Streets. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  Bra'nch  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission  ■ 

Detroit,  Mich.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  -No.  32  Larned  Street. 

Dubuque,  la.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission.    Rev.  E.  S.  Morris,  Agent. 

HarrisbUTg,  Pa.  Office  in  '.'  Soldiers' 
Lodge."    W.  H.  Hadley,  Agent. 

Jeffersonville,  Ind.     Office  in  "  Soldiers' 


Uom^Ji  New  Market  Street,  uecvr  ratlroad  depot, 
B.  T.  Smith,  Agent. 

EnoxvUle,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Leavenworth,  Kansas.  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.     J.  B.  Brown,  Agent. 

Louisville,  Ky."*, United  States  Sanitary 
Cothmission,  Eifth  Street. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Lodge,"  near  landing.     C.  W.  Christy,  Agent. 

Milwaukie,  Wis,    Mrs.  Colt. 

Nashville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.     E.  Boot,  Agent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  Special  Belief  Office, 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  96  Julia 
Street.     0.  C.  BuUard,  Agent. 

New  Tork  City,  N.  Y.  "  Special  Belief 
Office,"  Cooper  Union,  No.  10  Third  Avenue. 
Mrs.  W.  P.  Griffin,  Chairman  Special  Belief 
Committee. 

Padueah,  Ky.  Offidfe  in  "Soldiers'  Home." 
E.  D.  Way,  Agent. 

Philadelphia,  Pa-  United  States  Sanitary 
Cornmis'sion,  1307  Chestnut  Street,  third  story, 
back.     Colonel  Soest,  Agent. 

Portsmouth,  Va.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Home."    John  Alcooke,  Agent. 

Vicksburg,  Miss.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.    J.  G.  Brown. 

Washington,  D.  C.  "Special  Relief  Of- 
fice," No.  389  H  Street,  between  13th  and  14th 
Streets.    J.  B  Abbott,  Chief  Assistant. 

Wheeling,  Va.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 


BBANCH, 

No.  744  Broadway, 

NEW  TOBK. 


PHIIlADELPHIA.'* 

Important  InformatiDn  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  wlio  liave  lost  Limbs. 


BRANCH, 

No.  19  Green  Strfeet, 

BOSTON,  Mass. 


The  "  Falhbk"  Arx  ahd  Leo  are  now  famished  for  the  mntllated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  knd  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  official  letters  from  the  Surgeon-General,'  which  will  gratify  nnmerons  applicants, 
who,  la  the  past,  have  been  led  to  boliere  that  the/  mast  aeoepk  an  inferior  limb,  or  have  no  aid  from  GorernmenL 
\  EnsaEoir-QBiniBAL's  OmcE, 

Wabhiuotof  Citt,  B.C.,  Deo.  12,  1S63. 
Sib  : — ^The  Board  of  Medical  Officers  assembled  in  the  Citj  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  puraose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  S"  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported      *••***** 

Is  COJCFLIAirGE  WtTH  THE  BECOUHBlfDATlON  OF    THE    BOARD,  WHEN  A    SOLDIER    XAT    DESIRE    TO    FITRCHASB  "THB  MORE 
ELBaASI   AID  XXPEXEIVB  ARK  OF  FALKEB,"  FIFTT  DOLLAM  WILL  BB  ALLOWED  TOWARDS  FATMEHT  FOB  TET  SAHB. 

Br  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  C.  H.  CRANE,  Surgeon  U.S.  A. 

SURaEON-GEITERAL'S  OPFIGB, 

WAsHiKaioif  Citt,  D.C,  Sept.  20, 1864. 
Sir  I — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  Ist  Inst.,  I  am  directed  to  Infozm  you,  that  the  Keport  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in'New  Tork,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  Limbs,  is  not  designed 
to  supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  RBaAitDS  the  Lihbs  manufactured  bt  you. 
Very  respectfally,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-Ceneral,    , 

W.  C.  SPBNCKE,  Assistant  Surgeon  U.S.A. 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  LL.D.,  744  Broadway,  New  Tork. 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


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THE 


SANITARY      COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

No.  39.  "WASHIKGTOlir,  D.  C,  JULY  1,  1865.  No.  39. 


The  Sanitaby  Commission  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first  of  every  month,  and  as  it  has  a  circu- 
lation,-gralmious  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for  advertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  Central  Office,  244  F  street,  Washington, 
D.  C. ,  and  must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers. 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  Bulletin  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and 
on  the  resources  of  the  U.  S,  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  lt>  certain  degree  of  re- 
luctance to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  issue  for  a  definite 
period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  it,  'and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Stuono,  68  Wall  street.  New  York,  or  244  F'  street,  Washington,  D.  C.,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contrib;utor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  he 
sooner  discontinued. 


GOOD  WORDS  OF  GEEAT  MEN. 


PRESIDE,NT  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

Tho  Sanitary  Commission  is  doing  a  work  of 
great  humanity,  and  of  direct  practical  value  to 
the  nation  in  this  time  of  its  trial.  It  is  enti- 
tled to  the  gratitude  and  the  confidence  of  the 
people,  and  I  trust  it  will  be  generously  sup- 
ported. There  is  no  agency  thiough  which 
voluntary  offerings  of  patriotism  can  be  more 
effectively  made. 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  SALMON  P  CHASE-. 
What  age  before  this  age,  and  what  country 
besides  offir  country,  ever  witnessed  stfch  an  or- 
ganization as  that  of  the  Sanitary  Commission? 
What  n^eds  have  been  supplied ;  what  wants  re- 
lieved I  what  wounds  healed ;  what  evils  averted, 
by  thq  activity,  wisdom,  and  unflagging  zeal  of 
this  admirable  organization,  fostered  an'd  sus- 
tained by  the  people,  and  recognized  and  aided 
by  the  Oovernment, 


THE  FUTTTBE. 
The  followirisr  most  able  letter  from  the 
pen  of  Dr.  Bellows  is  rich  in  thought  and 
forecast :/ 

'        New  Yokk,  May  26,  1865. 

Miss  Abby  W.  May, 

C7tr.  Exec.  Com.,  N.  E.  W.  Aux.  Assoc.,  Boston: 

Deau  Madam  :  In  reply  to  your  favor  of 
the  23d  instant,  I  can  only.givb  at  present 
a  very  general  answer. 

We, hope  to  make-our  Branches  centres 

Vol.  I.  No.  39.  77 


both  for  the  diffusion  and  the  collection  of 
light  on  all  that  concerns  the  wellrbeing  of 
our  disabled  and  discharged  soldiers.  We 
shall  soon  issue  general  instructions,  with 
blanks  and  forms,  bearing  upon  this  sub- 
ject, and  must  ask  you  to  wait  the  careful 
preparation  of  ^Jiese  systematic  formulas. 

Wc  suppose,  however,  that  each  consid- 
erable community  will  have  its  own  special 
experiences,  and  its  own  peculiar  sphere  of 
necessary  .work,  depending  on  its  geograph- 
ical position^  and  on  the  number  and  char- 
acter of  the  State,  municipal,  and  humane 
institutions,  or  other  instrumentalities, 
already  at  work  for  the  benefit  of  -the  sol- 
dier. We  wish  our  Branches  to  assume 
no  work  which  others  are  doing  well ;  to  do 
no  superfluous,  doubtful,  or  in  any  way 
needless  labor  ;  and  wc  wish  theni  to  dis- 
courage all  about  them  in  works  of  supere- 
rogation. The  soldiers,  must  not  be  ianri- 
ted  to  lean,  but  to  stand  up ;  and  only 
those  be  provided  with  public  support  who 
cannot  take  care  of  themselves,  or'  be  taken 
care  of  by  their  friends. 

The  chief  work  you  can  do,  it  seems  to 
me,  is  to  make  your  Branch  a  centre,  first, 
for  the  collection  of  facts  and  observations 
respecting  the  actual  needs  of  the  soldiers 
returning  to  your  State  and  city  or  the 
sphere  of  your  late    work.     How    many 


1218 


The  Sanitary  Commission  JBuUeiin, 


need  and  deserve  assistance  of  any  kind  ? 
Make  your  office  a  place  where  soldiers  and 
their  friends  can  come  to  register  their 
wants  and  complaints,  and  where  you  can 
ebtain  your  share  of  facts,  to  contribute  to 
our  illumination  in  forming  a  correct  the- 
ory of  the  course  the  nation  ought  to  take 
for  the  next  fiye  years  towards  its  invalids, 
its.  veterans,  and  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
the  war. 

Next,  let  it  be  a  bureau  of  information 
to  the  soldiers  and  their  friends,  in  respect 
to  pensions,  back  pay,  and  bounty.  As  you 
have  a  claim  agency  in  Boston,  you  will 
merely  extend  the  knowledge  of  it  and  its 
pri vileges  to  the  communitieayou  correspond 
with,  BO  as  to  secure  for  the  soldiers'  fami- 
lies all  their  rights. 

Then,  let  your  Branch  be  an  office  for 
eollecting  information  in  regard  to  the 
kinds  of  labor  in  which  invalid  soldiers  can 
engage,  and  the  market  for  their  labor ; 
becoming  the  agency  between  them  and 
persons  willing,  or  to  be  mada  willing  through 
your  influence,,  to  give  up  to  them  all  the 
light  callings  for  which  they  are  fitted  In 
this  way  we  hope  through  you  and  our 
Branches  and  Aid  Societies  to  keep  our 
invalid  soldiers  scattered — objects  of  neigh- 
borly and  personal  interest,  thinly  spread 
over  the  country — instead  of  regimenting 
them  in  asylums,  to  weary  and  demoralize 
each  other,  and  to  become  burdens  to  the 
State,  and  permanent  monuments  of  a  civil 
war,  whose  painful  features  we  wish  as  soon 
as  possible  to  efface  and  forget.  / 

We  recommend  you  to  impress  am.  every 
Aid  Society  on  your  books  the  importance 
of  making  itself  the  local  centre  of  all 
that  concerns  the  welfare  of  returning  sol- 
diers in  its  own  neighborhood ;  to  recom- 
mend the  notion  that  it  is  a  disgrace  to  a 
town  to  allow  its  own  soldiers  or  its  wid- 
owed and  orphaned  families  to  look  beyond 
its  own  limits  for  support;  to  make  it  a 
matter  of  holy  pride  and  emulation  to  pro- 
vie^  employment  for  its  own  disabled  men, 
and  in  this  way  reduce  the  county  and 
State  and  national  asylums  to  the  lowest 
•possible  figure. 

We  are  inclined  to  think  that  the  health- 
ful tendencies  of  our  American  institutions 
will  so  largely  favor  our  ideas  as  to  make 
the  number  of  absolute  dependents  much 
smaller  than  is  now  feared,  and  to  render 
the  labor  put  upon  our  branches  far  from 
burdensome.     But  the  next  three  months, 


and  certainly  the  next  year,  (another  win- 
ter especially,)  will  test  that  point. 

We  already  perceive  a  disposition  of  a 
certain  set  of  low-spirited  jnen,  who  count 
their  wounds  not  so  much, an  honor  as  a 
thrift-7-an  advantage  rather  than  a  misfor- 
tune— to  take  up  the  business  of  mendi- 
cants, and  deform  the  streets  with  their 
hat  in  hand  begging.  These  woundSd 
cowards  must  not  be  mistaken  for  our  dis- 
abled soldiers,  nor  be  allowed  to  misrepre- 
sent them.  For  the  honor  of  the  whole 
corps  they  ought  to  be  discountenanced, 
and  by  arrangements  with  the  police,  com- 
pelled to  go  to  work  or  to  be  put  in  charity 
asylums.  Public,  shameless  beggary  from 
door  to  door  and  in  the  street  is  every  way 
corrupting,  whether  made  by  blind,  lame, 
or  sick  men,  whether  civilians  or  soldiers; 
and  if  the  public  cannot  be  expected  at 
once  to '  understand  this,  it  is  a  matter  in 
which  they  must  be  protected  from  their 
own  impulsive  sympathies,  by  our  Branches 
and  Aid  Societies  co-operating  with  the 
municipal  or  State  authorities. 

There  is,-  however,  a  class  of  persons 
made  helpless  by  the  war — some  of  them 
yet  to  develop  the  whole  extent  of  their 
broken  constitutions — who  must  be  made 
comfortable  for  life  in»  public  institutions. 
How  numerous  this  class  will  prove  it  is 
impossible  even  to  conjecture.  It  does  not 
include  all  the  helphss ;  because  a  large 
proportion  of  them  will  receive  the  ten- 
derest  care  of  their  own  families,  too  happy 
to  watch  over  and  protect  and  solace  them, 
as  they  should  be,  even  though  in  very 
moderate  circumstances.  Let  us  do  noth- 
ing to  discourage  this  noble  pride  of  do- 
mestic independence,  this  sacred  bond  of 
consanguinity.  A  large  share  of  the  in- 
validism of  the  war  we  shall  never  hear  of. 
Our  proud  boys  will  hide  their  scars,  and 
die  in'the  sacred  retirement  of  homes  that 
will  not  parade  their  services  or  their  sor- 
rows, happy  in  having  borne  and  rendered 
both.  This,  too,  is  every  way  to  be  ad- 
mired and  encouraged.  But  there  are 
many  foreigners  who  have  fought  for  us 
and-have  all  the  claims  of  natives,  since  to 
mix  their  blood  with  ours  on  oot  battle- 
fields makes  them  our  kindred,  and  "  of 
one  blood,*'  in  even  a  higher  sense  than 
usual.  There  are  fatherless,  motherless, 
homeless  soldiers  ;  blind,  consumptive, 
limbless  men,  full  of  sorrows  and  of  neces- 
sities, who  require  an  absolute  and  perma- 


The  Sanitmpy  -Commission  Bulletin. 


1219 


nent  asylum.  How  maDy  they  will  prove 
nobody  can  guess  at'  ,this  moment ;  but 
Some  thousands '  in  all.  The  States  are 
already  moving  in  their  behalf.  It  would 
be  much  better  if  the  nation  could  agree 
to  make  four  conveniently  situated  homes 
for  this  class  of  men,  independent  of  Stat« 
lines  and  either  Federal  or  State  control 
or  support,  where  the  spontaneous  charity 
or  mercy  of  the  nation  could  maintain  them 
in  memory  of  their  service  to  the  Union ; 
where  the  State  and  sectional  feeling  should 
be  steadily  withstood,  in  favor  of  a\Jarger 
and  more  patriotic  sentiment,  and  the. 
guarantee  of  private  intelligence,  energy, 
and  integrity,  in  their  ordering,  manage-  ' 
ment,  and  continued  improvement  be  of- 
fered in  place  of  the  official  formalism, 
coldness,  and  fixity  which  sooner  or  later 
cankers  all  institutions  of  benevolence  pass- 
ing into  Governmental  hands.  Siioh  asy- 
lums, being  tentative,  require  flexibility; 
should  be  started  on  a  small  scale,  in  a 
temporary  way,  feel  their  road,  and  gradu- 
ally adapt  themselves  to  their  experience 
and  the  wants  of  the  men.  To  erect  great 
edifices,  upon  any  present  knowledge  of 
what  our  American  life  and  spirit  requires, 
would  be  to  stereotype  our  ignorance  and 
petrify  our  dreams.  The  nation,  T;hrough 
some  Board  it  h^^s  learned  to  trust,  should 
take  some  one  or  more  of  the  cheap  pjvil- 
ion  hospitals  the  war  has  erected,  and 
which  must  soon  be  in  the  market,  and 
having  thoroughly  purged  .it,  open  one  or 
more  wards  at  a  time,  testing  the  want  and 
gradually  developing  the  host  system  for 
the  care  and  comfort  and  happiness  of  the 
men ;  making  the  institutions  in  all  cases 
mixed,  so  as  to  destroy  the  horrid,  deaden- 
ing informality  of  classified  asylums;- put- 
ting the  wholly  disabled  and  the  partially 
disabled  together,  the  blind  and  the  halt, 
and  by  the  greatest  diversity  of  industries, 
and  light,  even  if  useless  employments, 
seek  to  keep  up  self-respec^rive  off  ennui, 
restore  to  society  as  many  as  possible,  and 
make  those  who  cannot  be  restored  as 
little  miserable  as  their  wretched  circum- 
stances will  allow  The  wan  and  woeful 
countenances  of  many  blind  soldiers,  many 
lame  and  helpless  ones,  utter  strangers  to 
homes  of  their  own,  has ,  already  stamped 
an  image  on  my  mind  of  their  long  and 
weary  future  under  the  best  care  they  can 
possibly  secure,  which  is  full  of  motive, 
and  full  of  solicitude. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  as  soon  as  it 


sees  how  much  money  is  likely  to  be  left  in 
its  hands  after  its  more  legitimate  work  ie 
done,  proposes  to  open  one  or  more  asy- 
lums of  this  character,  of  a  size  propor- 
tioned to  its  purse,  and '  the  evidences  of' 
public  interest  in, its  undertaking.  Should 
the  nation  desire  to  perpetuate  its  work  in 
this  form,  and  make  the  Commission  a  per- 
manent guardian  of  this  class  of  the  vic- 
tims of  the.  war,  it  has  only  to  say  so  by  its 
generous  support  of  the  plan.  It  seems  to 
us  that  the  spontaneous,  public,  unofficial 
character  of  the  ministry  rendered  to  the 
sick  and  wounded  through  the  war,  has 
been  one  of  its  most  marked  American  fea- 
tures, and  that  the  perpetuation  of  this, dis- 
tinction is  eminently  desirable.  That  gov- 
ernment is  best  which  governs  least.  -  That 
state  of  society  is  freest  and  happiest  which 
embodies  least  of  its  humanity,  mercy,  and 
philanthropy  in  governmental  charities. 
Never  was  there  a  greater  need  of  recalling 
this  principle  So  gloriously  illustrated  in 
our  national  history,  than  now,  when  a 
habit  of  dependence  on  the  Government 
machinery'  has  not  only  centralized,  but 
bureaucratized  our  motions.  We  are  clear- 
ly in  some  danger  of  forgetting  that  while 
we  astonished  the  world  by  the'  rapid  and 
successful  way  in  which  we  condensed  the 
national  life,  will,  and  power,  in  the  Gov- 
ernment, discharging  the  extremities  of 
their  independence  'for  the  time,  with  a 
deliberate  suspension  of  the  personal  and 
local  rights  of  freemen — we  have,  a  still 
more  wonderful  feat  to  display  in  the  ease 
with  which  we  recall  those  rights,  scatter 
and  diffuse  that  lately  concentrated  power, 
and  resume  the  unofficial  i  and  unbureau- 
cratic  life  which  is  the  proud  prerogative 
of  a  self-governing  nation.  The  fewer 
the  monuments  of  our  martial  law,  and  our 
purely  governmental  regime,  the  better; 
the  more  the  memorials  of  our  popular, 
home-bred,  and  individual  life,  the  better 
also. 

The  Sanitary  Commission  is  not  ambitious 
of  any  further  services  to  the  country,  and 
would  gladly  retire  from  duty.  It  will 
cheerfully  resign  its  care  of  disabled  sol- 
diers to  any  body  of  men  deemed  more 
capable  or  more  worthy  representatives  of 
the  national  will,  as  soon  as  it  has  exhausted 
the  means  already  entrusted  to  it,  and  for 
which  it  feels  a  deep  responsibility.  But, 
if  the  people  wish  it,  or  expect  it,  or  call 
upon  it,  to  go  on  with  this  work,  on  tha 
general  principles  herein  set  forth,  it  wili 


1220 


The  Sanitary.  Commission  Bulletin. 


Hot  shrink  from  the  task  and  responsibility 
of  continuing  to  represent  I  he  natiopal  care 
and  love  towards  the  soldiierswho  have  re- 
, established  our  liberties  and  saved  our 
country. 

Excuse  the  length  and  the  generality  of 
my  letter,  which  I  certainly  began  with 
very  little  idea  of  extending  beyond  the 
demands  of  your  local"  inquiries,  but  which 
has  thus  spontaneously  grown  under  my  pen 
into  a  short  treatise. 

With  ever  grateful  regards  to  the  Branch 
you  so  ably  represent,  for  its  readiness  to 
go  on  with  our  work,  and  for  its  expressions 
of  confidence  and  co-operation,  I  remain, 
dear  madam,  your  friend  and  servaijt, 

,  Henry  W.  Bellows,    ' 
Pres't  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commissian. 


From  the  New  York  iDdependent. 
WOBK  rOB  THE  SOLOIEBS. 

What  are  we  going  to  do  for  the  soldiers 
when  they  come  home  ?  What  for  those 
who  hjive  already  come,  leaving  behind, 
them  a  leg  or  an  arm  as  pledge  of  their  de- 
votion to  the  Republic  ?  This  is  what  some 
men  are  going  to  do  : 

At  a  meeting' held  at  the  house  of  Theo- 
dore Roosevelt,  cm  Thursday  evening,  the 
18th  instant,  for  the  purpose  of  adopting 
some  measures  to  promote  the  employment 
of  disabled  soldiers  and  sailors,  it  was  re- 
solved by  the  undersigned  to  co-operate 
with  the  "  Bureau  of  Employment  for  Dis- 
abled and  Discharged  Soldiers  and  Sailors," 
35  Chambers  street,  by  employing  in  each 
of  our  places  of  business — as  general  mes- 
senger, or  in  other  light  work  adapted  for 
th6  disabled — at  least  one  maimed  dis- 
charged soldier  or  sailor. 

It  was  also  resolved  to  bring  this  matter 
to  the  notice  of  the  business  community  by 
having  agreements  drawn  up  and  pres^ntc^ 
to  .all  business  men  for  their  signature, 
wherein  they  shall  agree  to  give  at  least  one 
man  of  the  above  class  employment  in  some 
light  capacity,  which  has  been  heretofore 
ordinarily  performed  by  able-bodied  men. 
,     Roosevelt  &  Son,  94  Maiden  Lane. 

Brown,  Brothers  &  Co.,  56  Wall  street. 
.  Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co.,  21  Cliff  street. 

Grinpell,  Minturn  &  Co.,  78  Soutbstreet. 

Ward,  Campbell  &  Co.,  56  Wall  street. 

Schuyler,  Hartley,  Graham  &  Co.,  19 
Maiden  Lane. 

Henry  Clews  &  Co.,  32  Wall  street. 

Metropolitan  National  Bank,  by  J.  E. 
Williams,  President. 


E".  Williams,  Cashier  of  American  Ex- 
change Bank.  I 

R.  H.  Lowry,  President  of  National  Bank 
of  Republic. 

The  Bureau  at  35  Chambers  street  was 
established  by  the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Its  object  is  to  get  employme'nt  for  return- 
ing soldiers,  and  like  all  the  work  which 
the  I  Commission  has  done,  it  is  without 
money  and  without  price  to  the  soldier. 
To  the  employer  also  it  makes  no  charge. 
It  is  an  institution  purely  and  generously 
benevolent.  It  is  another  channel  into 
which  the  abundant  stream  that  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  for  three  years,  has  poured 
out  is  now  turned.  It  is  a  recognition  of 
the  fact  that,  althoifgh  the  war  is  ended,  the 
claims  which  the  war  has  mad©  survive.  .  It 
is  a  confession  that  the  debt  of  the  citizen 
to  the  soldier  can  never  be  paid.  It  is  a 
demand  that  the  claim  of  the  latter  shall 
always  be  listened  to  and  respected.  On  all 
these  grounds  we  present  it  to  our  readers. 

With  clearness  and  good  sense  the  circu- 
lar of  the  Commission  sets  forth  what  its 
new  effort  intends.  There  are  a  great 
many  soldiers  coming  home  from  the  wsr, 
and  they  will  want  work.  There  are  a 
gre^t  many  employer^  who  need  just  the 
work  which  these  soldiers  are  able  and  de- 
sirous to  do.  The  Commission  pioposes  to 
briijg  these  classes  together,  to  adjust  the 
supply  and  demand,  and  to  facilitate  the 
process  of  change  from  a  state  of  war  to  a 
state  of  peace.  The  interests  of  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  men  are  concerned  in  that 
change,  hay,  the  interests  of  th«  whole  Re- 
public depend  largely  for  the  next  four 
years  on  its  right  management. 

Be  it  understood,  the  Commission  does 
not  ask  for  charity  to  the  soldiers  whom  it 
undertakes  to  supply  with  employment. 
Nobody  is  desired  to  offer  places  to  these 
brave  men  from  a  sentiment  of  compassion. 
But,  in  the  first  place,  they  are  entitled  by 
their  services  to  employment ;  in  the  second 
place  they  are  competent  to  do  the  work 
which  the  Commission  asks  for  them. 

From  a  report  recently  issued,  it  appears 
that  already  there  have  been  1,546  appli- 
cants at  this  Bureau  for  work,  and  830  of 
the  applications  have  been  filled.  Yet  the 
statistics  show  also  that  while  there  were 
252  of  the  applicants  who  were  mutilated 
in  the  service  of  their  country  by  the  loss 
of  a  leg  or  an  arm,  less  than  one  fifth  of 
this  number  have  found  employment — less 
than  fifty  out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-two. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1221 


It  is  to  correct  this  state  of  tilings  that  the 
agreeraeot  above  quoted  has  been  drawn 
up,  and  it  is  especially  in  behalf  of  these 
maimed '  patriots  that  we  urp;e  upon  our 
readers  an  application  to  the  13ureau.  For 
able-bodied  men  there  is  such  a  demand  as 
will  eventually  insure  the  employment  of 
most  of  the  discharged  soldiers,  but  for 
those  partially  disabled  there  is  a  lack  of 
consideration.  Yet  they  are  the  very  first 
who  ought  to  get  places.  For  many  places 
they  are  just  as  well  adapted  as  their  more 
fortunate  comrades.  In  many  branches  of 
mechanics  the  loss  of  a  leg  is  no  disqualifi- 
cation or  even  hindrance.  In  many  out- 
door and  in-door  occupations  the  loss  of  an 
arm  does  not  hurt  the  man's  usefulness.  To 
show  how  wide  is  the  opportunity  for  selec- 
tion, we  quote  this  statement : 

"Of  the  716  men  still  unemployed 
whose  names  are  now  on  the  books  of  the 
society,  198  are  mechanics  in  difierent 
branches,  of  whom  135  are  able-bodied  and 
63  disabled,  more  or  le'ssaeriously ;  112  are 
clerks  and  book-keepe^  of  whom  75  are 
able-bodied  and  37  disabled;  69  wish  toserve 
as  watchmen  and  messengers,  of  whom  20 
are  disabled  and  49  able-bodied  ;  16  desire 
to  labor  as  coaehmea  and  teamsters — these 
are  -all  able-bodied ;  321  are  ■  farmers  and 
laborers,  of  whom  209  ajo  able-bodied  and 
112  disabled,  but  not  so  as  to  incaipacitate 
them  from  useful  service." 

Elsewhere  than  in  New  York  we  presume 
similar  bureaux  will  be  opened  and  similar 
opportunities  offered.  All  over  the  land 
the  claim  of  the  soldier  ought  to  be  heeded 
^is  heeded  by  the  same  benevolence  which 
cared  for  him  on  the  field  of  battle.  If 
only  the  people  will  respond  now  as  heart- 
ily as  they  did  while  the  war  still  raged, 
no  fear  for  the  returning  soldier.  We  will 
not  affect  to  doubt  that  the  country  will 
always  keep  in  mind  its  immeasurable  ob- 
ligation to  the  men  who  have  preserved  it 
from  destruction. 


From  tho  Wasliingtoii  Chronicle,  Juno  3, 1865. 
AN  EXAMPLE  TO  BE  FOLLOWED. 
SHERMAN'S  ARMY  ON  ITS  WAY  HOME. 

As  soon  as  Sherman's  army  began  to 
move  west,  some  eight  thousand  men  per 
day,  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion opened  feeding  stations  i  at  Harper's 
Ferry  andatMartinsburg,  where  hot  coffee 
and  I'resh  bread  are  taken  to  the  cars  by  a 
corps  of  relief  agents,  and  served  out  to 
these  returning  soldiers^  The  work  coW 


incnces  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  is  carried 
through  as  many  cars  as  time  will  allow  be- 
fore the  train  starts,  when  the  agent  at 
Martinsburg  is  informed  by  telegraph  of 
the  number  of  the  car  last  fed,  and  there 
the  work  is  resumed' and  carried  on  till  the 
train  is  again  in  motion.  Time  does  not 
allow  all  to  receive  of  this  bounty,  but  still 
a  number  of  thousands  daily  are  thus  re- 
freshed. Why  will  not  the  people  of  the 
different  towns  and  cities  where  these  trains 
stop  on  their  way  to  the  West,  take  up  this 
suggestion  and  form  S  continuous  Kne  of 
kind  hands  reached  out  to  these  soldiers  ? 


WHAT  THE  COKKISSION'  FIKBS  TO  SO. 

The  following  private  letter  will  show 
that  though  the  rebel  armies  are  disbanded, 
ours  are  not;  and  that  there  is  yet  a  min- 
istry, of  mercy  to  be  rendered  to  the  brave 
heroes : 

Washington,  D.  C,  May  29, 1865. 

My  Dear  Friend  :  You  ask  me  what 
the  Sanitary  Commission  finds  to  do  in  the 
way  of  field  relief  which  calls  for  and  jus- 
tifies the  use  of  so  much  at  a  time  when 
there  is  no  active  campaigning,  and  when 
a  large  part  of  the  army  is,  only  waiting  to 
be  disbanded,  and  will  then  be  comfortably 
cared  for  in  their  own  homes.  You  say 
that  besides  the  absence  of  wounded  men, 
we  are  also  relieved  from  the  necessity 
which  has  heretofore  existed  of  supple- 
inenting  Government  provision  in  anticipa- 
tion of  long  marches,  and  of  isolation  from 
the  usual  base  of  supplies.  Hence,  as  you 
assert,  you  cannot  honestly  understand  the 
real  necessity,  on  this  occasion,  for  such 
large  expenditure,  (in  addition  to  the  out- 
lay fpr  the  usual  special  relief  service,  and 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  army  and  navy 
claim  agency,  whose  valiie  you,  fully  recog- 
nize,) I  will  endeavor  to  answer  your  in- 
quiry:      _  / 

,  There  is  really  a  great  emergency  to 
be  met  just  at  this  time,  of  a  character 
which  has  never  before  presented  itself, 
'and  which,  from  the  nature  of  the  case, 
catinot  again  present  itself  during  the  war; 
and  tho  demapds  made  upon  the  Commis- 
sion by  this  emergency  we  are  endeavoridg 
to  meet,  not  with  a  careless  or  prodigal 
hand,  (on  the  ground  that  it  may  be  one  of 
our  last  large  calls  for  aid,)  but  judiciously, 
humanely,  and  as  the  faithful  trustees  of 
those  funds  given  by  the  people  for  spe'ci- 


1222 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


fied  ends.  TJiree  armies,  consisting  of 
250,000  men,  have  been  brought  hurriedly 
(some  by  forced-  marches)  into  this  vicini- 
ty— many  of  these  men,  not  regiments  only, 
but  brigades,  divisions,  and  whole  army 
corps,  have  come  here  direct  from  their 
weeks  and  months  of  toilsome  marchings, 
and  even  from  recent  battle-fields.  They 
have  been  unable  to  obtain  the  change  of 
clothing  which  not  only  comfort,  but  even 
ordinary  regard  for  sanitary  laws  and  com- 
mon cleanliness  reqiiired ;  and  when  tbey 
arrived  here,  though  close  by  the  Grovern- 
ment  storehouses,  nothing  can  be  drawn 
by  these  men  "  on  account,"  for  the  very 
reason  that  all  their  ae«punts  are  n-ecessa- 
rily  close^,  preparatory  to  making  up  the 
"muster-out"  rolls.  Hence  the  occasion 
for  relief  on  the  part  of  the  Commission  in 
the  more  urgent  cases,  which  number  in  the 
aggregate  very  many.  Moreover,  our  medi- 
cal inspectors  find  that  avery  Jarge  num- 
ber of  the  men  in  these  armies  have  de«i- 
ded  scorbutic  tendencies,  every  day  be- 
coming more  marked,  some  already'  fully 
developed — as  in  the  case  of  one  regiment 
from  which  fifteen  cases  of  scurvy  were  sent 
to  the  general  hospital  in  a  single  morning — 
which,  unless  speedily  checked,  will,  even 
before  these  men  can  get  home,  lead  to  a 
very  Idng  sick  list;  and  Government  is  na- 
turally more  tardy  now  than  ever  before  in 
making  the  exertion  which  at  this  season  of 
tte  year  would  be  necessary,  in  order  to  fur- 
nish liberally  of  fresh  vegetables*to  these 
soldiers.  For  the  sake,  therefore,  of  these 
men  who  are  soon  to  be  discharged,  that 
they  may  not  carry  home  the  disease  which 
they  otherwise  unavoidably  would,  and  for 
the  sake  of  rendering  most  valuable  ser- 
vice to  that  part'  of  these  armies, — some 
75,000  or  100,000  men  who  are  still  to  re- 
main under  arms,  and  are  really  "  in  the 
field  "  as  much  as  if  located  in  Georgia — 
the  Sanitary  Commission  is  pu,rchasing 
largely,  and  issuing  liberally,  potatoes,  on- 
ions, pickles,  sour-krout,  and  other  anti- 
scorbutics. Thousands  of  these  men  thus 
•supplied,  have  for  mon.ths  previous  been 
almost  entirely  without  this  kind  of  food. 
In  the  opinion  of  experienced  surgeons, 
the  value  of  the  service,  now  rendered  by 
the  Commission  is  great  indeed.  Then, 
among  all  the  regiments,  there  is  a  class  to 
be  cared  for  (in  the  aggregate  some  thou- 
sands) who,  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
Would  be  in  general  or  regimental  hospi- 
tals, but  who  are  manfully  struggling  to 


keep  up,  so  that  they  may  have  the  satis- 
faction of  going  home  with  the  regiment 
for  muster-out.  Just  the  aid  which  the 
Sanitary  Commission  renders  these  men, 
(chiefly  through  our  efiScient  corps  of  women 
hospital  visitors,  who  have  temporarily 
been  placed  on  the  field  relief  corps  to  per- 
form this  kind  of  special  service,)  probably 
saves  many  hundreds,  if  not  thouBait^s, 
from  the  necessity  of  leaving  the  camp  and 
going  to  the  hospital.  Add  to  this  the  ftiict 
that  the  occasion  and  the  opportunity  of 
extending  this  lengthened  arm  of  the  peo- 
ple at  home  to  these  soldiers,  is  limited  to 
but  a  few  week/s  at  the  farthest,  and  that  to 
150,000  men,  this  is  our  last  opportunity 
to  make  them  feel  the  presence  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  which  has  followed  them 
now  for  four  whole  years;  connect  with  it 
also  the  other  consideration,  that  here  we 
have  concentrated  into  a  field  of  ten  miles 
square,  the  work  which  formerly  spread 
itself  out  over  widely  scattered  armies,  and 
you  see  where  we  ^d  the  conditions  which, 
as  we  conceive,  call  for  and  justify  this 
somewhat  large  expenditure  at  this  tifaie. 

We  should  be  untrue  to  the  name  and 
genius  of  the  Commission,  untrue  to  the 
'  people  themselves,  who  have  entrusted  us 
with  these  funds  to  use  for  the  benefit  of 
the  soldiers,  if  we  allowed  this  opportunity, 
measured  not  by  months,  but  by  days,  to 
slip  from  .us  unused. 

Truly  your  friend. 


TH£  GBE&T  eATHEBUrG-  AT  THE  KOBTH- 
WEST. 
OmOAQO,  III.,  June  9,  1865. 
You  cannot  be  much  hotter  in  Washington 
than  we  are  here  in  Chicago;  and  yet  the 
people  come  from  the  East  and  West  to 
make  their  offerings  to  our  cause  at  the  great 
Pair.  This  young  city,  you  know,  is  the 
mother  of  Sanitary  Fairs,  and  now  in  the 
days  of  promised  peace,  she  has  not  forgot- 
ten her  obligation  to  foster  the  remaining 
work  of  the  Commission,  by  an  effort  as 
grand  and  generous  as  when  she  came  for- 
ward in  days  of  deeper  trial  and  did  so  no- 
bly for  the  soldier.  * 

All  trades  are  here,  several  States  afid 
churches, in  their  respective  individualities, 
having  booths  inscribed  with  their  own 
names,  and  each  vicing  with  the  other  in 
efibrts  to  do  the  most  for  the  good  cause. 

Indians  have  contributed  of  their  belts 
and  bead   work,  •children   of  their   littla 


The  Sanitary  Commimon  Bulletin. 


1223 


earnings,  schools.of  their  accumulated  trea- 
sures, and  foreign  lands  have  recognized  us 
by  uniting  in  the  work. 

LondoQ,  Liverpool,  Paris,  and  the  Ger- 
man States  are  liberally  represented. 

Among  the  little  things  from  children, 
there  has  come  to-day  a  small  box,  contaiiv: 
ing  several  bright  butterflies,  large  and 
well  preserved,  Vfith  the  following  note  : 
.  "  I  am  a  little  girl,  eleven  years,  old,  liv- 
ing at  Glenwood,  Jefferson  County,  Ken- 
tucky, near  Louisville.  I  want  to  send 
something  to  the  Sanitary  Fair,  and  the 
dried  butterflies  are  all  I  have.  Please 
accept  them. 

"  Katy  M.  Carey." 

Now  please  send  Katy  th^  Bulletin,  with 
this  letter  marked  for  her.  "  All  I  have  !" 
Who  has  done  all  they  could  have  done  ? 
who  of  us  are  doing  all  we  can  1  but  Katy 
has  given  all  she  has.  She  must  be  re- 
membered for  her  good  ■work. 

In  one  of  the  booths  I  find  a  gold  watch 
contributed  by  a  soldier,  who  having  served 
his  country  well,  and  being  about  to  diej 
took  the  watch  and  said  :  "This  is  all  I 
have  to  give  to  the  good  Commission,  which 
has  done  eo  much  for  me  and  my  comrades." 
Send  it  to  the  Sanitary  Fair." 

The  display  of  articles  is  good,  and  the 
financial  results  will,  I  triist,  be  satisfac- 
tory. 

The  Christian  Commission  comes  into 
the  work  with  an  alacrity  and  generosity 
thatls  commendable.  The  religious  press 
and  pulpit  haye  both  co-operated,  and  it  is 
fitting  that  at  the  conclusion  of  the  war  we 
should  at  least  approach  a  union  of  labor,, 
as  we  certainly  have  had  all  along  a  com- 
munity of  interest. 

Some  of  the  churches'  have  brought  very 
valuable  and  expensive  contributions,  and 
as  it  is  difficult  to  sell,  at  very  high  prices, 
the  question  of  raffling  has  excited  consid- 
erable interest.  As  you  know,  the  Commis- 
sion has  never  approved  this  system  of  rais- 
.  ing  money,  and  the  Executive  Committee 
of  this  fair  having  resolved  to  discounten- 
ance it,  posted  cards  all  about  the  building, 
expressive  of  their  disapprobation.  Such 
splendid  gifts',  however,  have  come  in  from 
divers  sources,  too  costly  to  be  within  the 
reach  of  the  masses,  that  the  question,  How 
shall  their  value  be  realized  to  the  Commis- 
sion ?  has  assumed  a  serious  and  practical 
form.  The  Executive  Committee  had  de- 
clared its  opinion — an  opinion  consistent 
with  the  uniform  policy  of  the  Commission, 


and  it  could  not  and  ought  not  to^  recede 
from  its  position. 

A  meeting  was  therefore  he]d  this  morn- 
ing, of  the  chairmen  of  the  different  dele- 
gations, and  those  immediately  interested 
in  the  sale  of  articles,  which  was  full  of 
interest.  Mr.  Bryan,  the  admirable  chair- 
man of  the  Executive  Committee,  made  a 
statement  of  the  views  of  the  Committee, 
and  asserte'd  their  intention  not  to  swerve 
from  their  position,  but  he  wished  frankly 
to  announce  that,  notwithstanding  the  pub- 
lished declaration  of  the  Committee^  raf- 
fling was  being  carried  on  to  a  considerable 
extent  throughout  the  several  departments 
of  the  Fair,  and  that  a  large  majority  of  the 
representatives  of  churches  had  expressed 
their  desire  to  adopt  the  system  in  order  to 
dispose  of  their  valuame  articles  without 
sacrifice,  and  as  the  Committee  was  im- 
movable, this  meeting  was  called  to  express 
its  opinions. 

Clergymen,  and  others  immediately  con- 
cerned, having  spent  nearly  two  hours  in 
the  discussion  of  the  subject,  vfith  good 
feeling,  and  yet  with  much  spirit  and  ani- 
mation, adopted  the  following  pr'eamble 
and  resolutions,  with  but  few  dissentiqg 
voices : 

Whereas  some  of  th«  representatives  of, 
the  people  who  are  here  assembled,  having 
come  without  knowledge  as  to  the  wishes 
of  the  Executive  Committeejof  the  Fair  on 
the  subject  of  raffling,  action  thereon  hav- 
ing been  taken  after  the  issue  of  their  cir- 
cular ;  and, 

Whereas  the  question  of  raffling  being 
submitted  to  this  meeting  for  an  expression 
of  its  opinion  :  it  is  therefore 

Reiolved,  That  this  is  the  people's  Fair ; 
that  it  contains  the  offerings  of  the  people 
from  all  sections  of  the  country  ;  and  that 
these  contributions  are  here  to  sell;  and  that 
each  party  having  charge  of  such  contribu- 
tions claims  the  right  to  dispose  of  their 
articles,  according  to  their  best  judgment : 
Provided,  that  all  sales  within  the  building 
shall  be  rigidly  confined  to  the  limits  of 
the  respective  departments,  except  for  such 
goods  as  may  be  disposed  of  at  the  auction 
booth. 

Reslslved,  That  in  the  expression  of  this 
opinion,  the  abstract  question  of  the  mo- 
rality of  raffling  is  not  involved. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  Mr.  Bryaisi 
exhorted  alf  to  go  to  work,  in  good  faith 
and  fellowship,  stating,  in  a  peculiarly  feli- 
citous style,  that  while  he  did  not  express 


1224 


Th.e  Sanilarv  Commission  Bulletin. 


any  opinion  onjthe  abstract  question  of  the 
morality  of  raffling  in  fairs,  he  was  satisfied 
that'-tliGre  were  some  things  quite  as  sinful 
as  many  supppsed  raffling  to  be,  which,  he 
hoped  would  not  be  indulged  by  any,  and 
these  things  were  intolerance' of  opinion, 
and  yielding  to  an  unchristian  temper. 

Thus  was  the  vexed  question  disposed 
of.  The  official' action  of  the  managers  of 
the  Fair  discountenancing  the  practice,  and 
yet  the  voice  of  the  people  demanding  it.    i 

Every  booth  is  active,  and  all  hands  are 
earnestly  engaged  to  make  as  large  a  divi- 
sion of  money  to  the  various  iaterests  em- 
biiaced  in  the  enterprise  as  possible. 

The  Christian  Commission  is  to  receive  a 
liberal  share  of  the  proceeds ;  and  in  the 
bestowments  of  the  people  for  distributing 
religious  reading,  building  up  homes,  and 
providing  for  the  thousand  emergencies 
incident  to  reinstating  the  soldier  to  citi- 
zenship again,  there  will  be  a  grand  totality 
of  benevolent  effort  hitherto  unknown  to 
this  region.     Yours,  &c., 

Joseph  Parbish. 


TOtlCHIIfG  LETTER  FBOM   A  "WISCONSIIT 
SOLSIEB. 

Headquartbbs,'  Post  op  Cairo, 

Cairo,  Ills.,  May  1,  1865. 

My  i)eak  little  jriend  Lizzie  :  I  am 
really  glad  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  so 
dear  a  little  <girl.  I  will  tell  you  how  it 
came  about.  Going  down  to  the  "  Sanitary 
Boat,"  the' box  containing  your  comfort 
bags  was  being  opened,  and  I  espied  among 
the  rest  one  that  reminded  me  so  much  of 
my  own  dear  little  onCf  thaf  I  seized  and 
claimed  it  as  mine.  Opening  it,  I  found 
your  little  note  addressed  "  My  dear  Sol- 
dier." I, read  it  with  much  interest,  and 
re-read  it;  and  showed  it  to  my  commanding 
officer,  who  is  in  command  of  the  post.  It 
made  him,  too,  think  of  his  little  one  at 
home.  So  you  see,  dear  one,  that  your 
note  has  at  least  been  on  one  of  its  missions, 
and  has  rejoiced  our  hearts.  Now  for  the 
contents  of  the  bag.  You  see  one  of  your 
jwn  sheets  of  paper  comes  back  to  you,  and 
one  of  your  stamps.  I  used  one  of  your 
needles,  one  "of  your  bijttons,  and  sonic  of 
your  thread.  The  Colonel  smoked  your 
tobacco,  and  wished  me  to  tell  you  it  was 
fine.  In  fact,  we  enjoyed  the  "Comfort 
Kag  "  hugely,  talked  over  it,  thought  over 
it;  and  I  must' confess,  soldifcr  that  I  am, 
that  I  looked  at  it  till  a  dimness  came  over 
my  sight,  occasioned  by  the  tear   it   would 


start.  For  I  thought  of  the  precious  je'wel 
God  gave  me,  of  your  own  age,  a  ihr  ught- 
ful,  lovely  child;  one  like  you  who  loved 
the  Sabbath  school,  her  Bible,  her  pa  and 
ma,  her  sister,  and  her  dear  Saviour ;  who 
for  years  closed  not  her  eyes  in  sleep  till 
she  had  said  her  little  prayer,  but  who,  too 
good  for  earth,  was  transplanted  by  "  Our 
Father  "  to  bloom  in  eternal  youth  in  the 
arms  of  him  who  said  "  Suffer  little  chil- 
dren to  come  linto  me,  and  forbid  them 
not,  for  of  such  is  the;  kingdom  of  Hea- 
ven." My  dear  Lizzie,  that  her  God  may  be 
yours  is  the  wish  of  your  "  dear  soldier" 
1  sit  in  my  room  here  to-night  buried  almost 
in  memories  called  up  by  your  little  note, 
and  am  happy  to  tell  you  they  are  of  the 
happiest  kind.  My  home  is  in  Wisconsin,' 
and  far  from  the  Mississippi  river,  in  the 
town  of  Viroqua,  Vernon  county.  See  if 
you  can  find  that  on  the  map.  But  I  am 
here  in  my  cofintry's.  service,  trying  to 
sustain  our  nation's  life,  atid  insure  to  you 
and  others,  who  are  growing  up  to  manhood 
and  womanhood,  the  privilege  of  living  in  a 
free  country,  never  again  to  be  disturbed  by 
any  such 'a  war  as  this.  Accept  my  thanks 
for  your  kind  favor ;  and  be  assured  that 
the  memory  of  to-day,  with  your  bag  in 
sight,  (^which  I  shall  take  home  with  me,) 
will  always  be  green.  Please  tell  the  ladies 
of  the  "  Buffalo  Aid  Society,"  that  if  they 
could  have  seen  the  discharged  prisoners 
from  such  prisons  as  Andersonville  and'Ca- 
hawba  appropriate  their  little  tokens  of 
regard  for  the  soldier's  welfifre,  they  would 
have  felt  amply  repaid  for  any  pains  they 
have  taken.  Until  this  "  cruel  war  is  over" 
their  efforts  will  be  needed.  But  we  hope 
that  that  day  is  not  far  distant.  Then  we 
hope  to  meet  our  little  ones,  and  enjoy  their 
sweet  caresses,  as  I'm  sure  your  own  kind 
parents  d'o  yours.  That  you  may  regain 
your  health  and  grow  up  a  blessing  to  those 
around  you,  live  in  the  fear  of  God,  and 
enjoy  his  favor  in  this  life  and  the  one  to 
come,  is  the  wish  and  prayer  of  your  "dear 
soldier, 

Joseph  D.  Brothers, 
Co.  I,  42(?  Wis.  VoL  In/atbtri/. 

FL'AG  ftUILTS. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Bulletin  : 

Perhaps  your  readers  will  be  interested 
in  the  following  items  respecting  twaflag 
quilt;?.  Some  time  in  April,  wo  received 
from  a  country  town  a  quilt  made  in  the  form 
of  a  flag — red  and  whitcstripos  and  a  blue 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1225 


field  with  the  white  stars  sewed  on,  all 
nicely  quilted.  It  was  sent  to  the  Commis- 
sion,  with  a  note  attached  requesting  the 
soldier  who  had  the  comfort  of  sleeping 
■under  this  Union  quilt  to  acknowledge  it, 
that  we  might  have  some  proof  that  the 
soldiers  received  the  donations  designed  for 
them. 

In  less  than  three  weeks,  the  following 
letter  was  received  at  our  rooms.  Knowing 
that  the  exact  words  of  a  soldier's  letter 
are  always  more  interesting  and  effective 
than  any  abstract  account,  I  send  a  copy 
of  it: 

'•HBADQUAEiEHa  202d  Req't.  Pa.  Vois., 
"Faikpax  Station,  Va.,  May  10,  1805.  . 

"  Fair  Sex  :  I  am  a  soldier  in  the  above 
named  regiment,  and  also  am  in  receipt  of 
a  few  lines  pinned  on  one  of  your  quilts  ; 
and  feel  heartily  glad  to  know  that  we  are 
not  forgotten  by  the  fair  ones  at  home. 
You  ask  the  question  for  me  to  inform  yoii 
whether  us  soldiers  receive  such  articles. 
I  will  answer  by  saying  to  the  Society  that 
we  do.  Also,  my  bed  has  on  a  very  nice, 
j^lean  white  sheet  and  pillow,  with  white  slip 
on.  I  need  not  tell  you  of  the  pleasant 
dreams  I  had,  but  the  first  night  the. flag 
quilt  was  spread  over  me,  I  did  dream  of 
the  loved  ones  far  away.  But  enough ;  your 
donations  are  received — small  favors  thank- 
fully and  larger  ones  in  proportion.  I  will 
wait  a  speedy  reply  from  the  fair  ones.  I 
am  a  man  twenty-six  years  of  a,ge,  and 
belong  to  goodjsooiety.  J.  B." 

This  letter  was  duly  answered  by  the 
Society  which  had  contributed  the  gift. 

We  h^e  another  flag  quilt,  which  we 
shall  send  this  week,  around  which  cluster 
some  touching  associations.  The^dy  who 
brought  it  told  us  that,  when  our  national 
banner  was'first  insulted  at  Fort  Sumter,  this 
flag  was  made  by  her  mother  and  brother, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  that  was  raised  in 
her  town.  On  the  death  of  the  mother, 
not  long  after,  her  sorrowing  son  cut  down 
the  flag  staff,  and  entered  the  army.  He 
was  killed  at  Cliancellorsville,  and  this  flag 
was  never  unfurled  after  his  enlistment  till 
the  death  of  our  murdered  President,  when 
it  was  draped  in  mourni!|ig  for  that  sad 
event.  Thus  consfecrated,  the  sister  has  now 
converted  ifinto  a  quilt,  and  wishes  it  sent 
to  some  one  of  our  released  prisoners  still 
in  hospital. 

Wfe  shall  endeavor  to  comply  with  her 
wishes.  New  Haven,  Conn.  . 


CRUELTY  TO  XTNIOK  PBISONEES. 

Extracts  from  the  report  of  Frederick'  N.  Knapp, 
Superintendent  of  Special  Relief,  read  at  the 
quarterly  meeting  of  the  Board  of  the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  C, 
April  20,  1805.  ' 

*  *  *  On  Sunday,  April  2,  I  arrived  at 
Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  having  left 
Washington  in  response  to  the  call  made 
by  Dr.  Agnew  in  his  letter  of  March  20, 
describing  the  wretchedness  and  destitution 
of  the  1,500  or  2,000  Union  prisoners  who 
had  just  been  brought  into  Wilmington, 
exchanged  or  paroled  from  the  rebel  prisons. 
When  1  reached  Wilmington,  all  but  300 
of  these  Union  prisoners  had  been  sent 
North  j  and  those  who  remained  had  been 
made  in  all  respects  clean  a,nd  comfortable, 
as  had  been  those  who*had  gone  on  ship- 
board. And  this  had  been  done  largely, 
almost  exclusively,  through  the  abundant 
supplies  of  clothing,  furnished  by  the  Com- 
mission— some  thousands  of  garments^— 
which  enabled  these  men  to  lay  aside  the 
filthy  rags  in  which  alone''  they  had  for 
months  been  clothed.  I  am  convinced 
from  what  I  myself  saw,  and  from  the  testi- 
mony of  the  medical  and  the  military  offi- 
cers at  Wilmington,  that  the  Sanitary  Com- 
mission did  one  of  its  most  blessed  and  be- 
neficent works  in  the  help  it  gave  to  the 
surgeons  there,  who,  with  utterly  deficient 
means  at  hand,  were  trying  to  lift  these  re- 
turned prisoners  out  of  a  state  of  filth  aiid 
starvation^a  condition  jesulling  directly 
from  long  confinement  at  the  South  and 
studied  deprivations.  AndJE  mayadd  that 
among  the  men  who  still  remained  at  Wil- 
mtngton,  although  they  were  surrounded 
by  comforts,  and  their  appearance  had  of 
course  been  entirely  changed  from  what  it 
was  at  first,  there  was,  in  the  seventy  gan- 
grenous limbs  (dry  gangrene  from  frcstor 
exposure)  of  men  gathered  in  one  hospital, 
the  saddest  and  most  striking  evidence'\I 
have  yet  seen  of  the  malignant  cruelty  prac- 
ticed upon   our  Union  prisoners   by  the 

6D61I1V  ^^ 

On  Friday,  April  7,  I  left  City  Point, 
upon  the  Sanitary  tug  boat,  "  Grov.  Curtin," 
which  was  starting  with  stores  for  Rich-' 
mond.  We  arrived  at  Richmond  Friday 
evening,  having  been  delayed  on  our  way 
up  two  hours  at  "Deep  Bottom,"  where 
we  took  on  board  the  "  Curtin"  quite  aii 
amount  of  supplies  from  what  had  been  the 
sanitary  store-house  of  the  25th  army  corps ; 
the  sanit,ary  wagons, — which  you  will  re- 
collect followed  the  troops  into  Richmond 


1226 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


the  mornipgit  was  evacuated, — though  well 
loaded,  were  able  to  take  but  a  share  of  the 
supplies. 

Saturday  morning,  after  passing  by  the 
smoking  ruins,  and  getting  sight  of  "  Libby , 
Prison"  and  "  Belle  Isle," — each  bound  in 
with  its  terrible  history, — I  went  out  to 
"Jackson  Hospital,"  one  of  the  principal 
hospitals  of  the  place,  a  mile  and  a  half  or 
two  miles  from  the  city ;  and  here  I  saw 
that  which,  by  contrast,  made  me  feel  ten- 
fold more  fully  than  ever  before  how  great 
had  been  the  barbarity  of  that  system  of 
starvation  and  exposure  by  which  the 
rebels,  with  slow  and  terrible  death,  had 
killed  off  our  men,  their  prisoners  of  war. 

I  found  at  that  relDel  hospital  the  evidence 
of  thorough  organization  and  wise  system — ■ 
a  large  generosity  in  all  the  provisions  for 
the  comfort  of  their  patients ;  and  testimony 
proving  the  fact  that,  as  a  general  thing, 
there  had  been  no  lack  of  supplies  there, 
but  usually  an  abundance  of  all  needed 
stores.  As  I  looked  on  these  well-ordered 
methods,'^and  the  liberal  provision  which 
had  long  been  made  by  the  rebels  at  that 
hospital,  located  within  less  than  cannon- 
shot  distance  of  Belle  Isle,  I  felt  that  the 
thin  screen  of  "  ignoranc^'  or  of  "  inabil- 
ity," with  which  some  persons  still  seek  to 
temper  the  barbarity  of  the  rebels,  must  be 
at  once  and  utterly  swept  away,  leaving  the 
inhuman  cruelty  of  this  slow  murder  to 
stand  out  clearly,  and  its  true  nature  to  be 
recognized,  viz  :  a  means  systematically  ar- 
ranged and  adopted,  under  a  deliberate  plan, 
OS  an  engine  of  war,  whereby  to  thin  our 
ranks-by  death,  precisely  as  the  bayonet  is 
used  in  battle — except  that  the  bayonet  is 
connected  with  bravery,  while  this  instru- 
ment of  death  is  the  weapon  of  cowardice. 
For  what  could  stand  in  stronger  contrast 
with  the  boasted  chivalry  of  the  South,  or 
with  the  undoubted  valor  of  her  soldisrs  in 
the  field,  than  this  resort  to  a  process  of 
starving  defenceless  men  by  thousands, 
showing  that  the  spirit  of  slavery,  which 
fomented  and  has  guided  this  rebellion,  is 
•not  only  oppressive,  but  base  ;  since  bravery 
— that  virtue  which  all  men  praise — dies 
out  under  a  system  that  creates  and  thrives 
upon  brutality  and  ungoverned  passions  ? 
What,  therefore,  if  not  this  meanest  and 
most  cruel  method  of  getting  rid  of  a  dreaded 
foe,  should  forever  be  branded  as  cowardicii  ? 

Jackson  Hospital,  as  established  and  con- 
ducted by  the  rebels,  was  excellent;  in 
some  lespects,  few  military  hospitals  of  our 


own  surpass  it.  It  was  excellent  in  its  gen- 
eral plan  of  organization;  in  its  location 
and  its.arrangement  of  buildings  ;  in  its  ad- 
ministration ;  in  its  thorough  policing ;  in 
the  exceeding  cleanliness  of  its  bedding,  and 
in  the  very  liberal  provision  made  by  the 
rebel  government  for  the  hospital  fund. 

Jackson  Hospital  comfortably  accojnmo- 
dates  2,500  patients.  Winder  Hospital, 
which  is  near  by,  but  which  I  did  not  visit,  is 
said  to  be  similar  to  Jackson  Hospital  in  gen- 
eral arrangements  and  capacity,  but  inferior 
in  its  situation  and  its  appointments.  The 
buildings  at  Jackson  Hospital  are  much 
like  ojir  usual  wooden  hospital  barracks,  well 
arranged  and  well  warmed  and  lighted,  the 
floors  nicely  scoured,  and  the  walls,  in  many 
wards,  covered  with  canvas,  which  was 
painted  white.  The  bedsteads  were  only 
wood,  but  were  kept  very  white,  and  on  each 
was  both  a  straw  bed  and  a  cotton  mattrass, 
and  two  feather  pillows  with  nice  pillow 
cases.  The  sheets  and  blankets  and  bed- 
spreads were  unusually  clean,  and  bore 
marks  of  being  carefully  looked  after.  The 
cleanliness  of  the  bed-linen  was  accounte(L 
for  by  the  large  laundry,  where  sixty  (60fr 
laundresses  were  constantly  at  work.  The 
laundry  was  provided  with  a  long  row  of 
fixed  tubs,  into  which  tfie  water  was  brought 
by  pipes,  and  ample  provision  was  made  for 
heating  water,  heating  irons,  &c.,  &o. 

"This  laundry  had  its  tenements  near  by 
for  the  women  employed  there,  where  they 
seemed  comfortable  in  their  quarters,  and 
neat  in  personal  appearance;  At  the  hos- 
pital, beside  the  medical  corps  and  nurses, 
and  the  two  matrons  to  every  ninety  pa- 
tients, there  were  in  each  section  a  chief 
linen  matron  and  a  chief  culinary  matron, 
with  their  two  assistants.  In  each  section 
was  a  kitchen  for  special  diet,  with  four  to 
six  stoves — this  besides  the  general  kitchen 
attached  to  each  section.  The  special  diet 
list  was  posted  in  all  the  wards,  and  seemed 
liberal  and  aiming  to  secure  variety.  The 
dispensaries  were  well  fitted  up,  and  tbe 
persons  in  charge  said,  in  answer  to  my  in- 
quiry, that,  excepting  a  deficiency  at  times 
in  some  few  articles,  their  supply  had  been 
good.  The  linen  rooms  were  kept  in  'the 
neatest  order,  and  seemed  to  have  been  un- 
usually well  filled.  The  baggage  rooms 
Wore  like  the  rest,  clean  and  well  arranged. 
The  dining  rooms  of  each  section,  where  the 
convalescents  ate,  were  also  kept  well,  and 
the  tables  neat,  and  bearing  marks  of  care 
and  comfort,  knd   convalescents   who  had 


Ths  Sanikiry  Commission  Bulletin. 


1227 


been  there  some  months  assured  me  that 
their  fare  was,  on  the  whole,  exoell^t. 
There  were  no  covered  walks  connecting  the 
different  buildings  in  the  section  with  the 
di&ing  rooms,  nor  were  there  any  "  tram- 
ways "  from  the  kitchens  to  the  wards ;  but 
the  walks  were  hard  and  clean,  and  the 
drains  deep  and  free.  At  the  head  of  each 
section  were  neat  buildings,  one  of  which" 
was  occupied  by  surgeons,  others  by  matrons 
«nd  women  assistants.  These  buildings, 
with  their  white- washed  fronts  and  green 
blinds,  and  patches  of  grass,  bad  a  look  of 
comfort.  There  was  no  general  method  of 
carrying  water  by  pipes  over  the  different 
buildings,  consequently  there  was  no  pro- 
vision for  bath  rooms  in  the  several  wards 
— a  decided, deficiency ;  but  good  water  for 
ordinary  use  was  furnished  by  wells.  The 
water-closets  for  convalesceiits  werelocated 
where  a  running  stream  carried  off  the  de- 


Within  the  hospital  grounds  and  near  by 
was  an  open  grove  of  large  trees,  with  grass 
beneath,  neatly  kept.  At  the  further  edge 
of  this  grove  was  one  of  the  two  l?irge  ice 
houses  which  supplied,  the  hospital,  each 
80x30  feet,  and  18  feet  deep.  They  are 
both  now  filled  solid  with  ice,  well  pro- 
tected. A  little  way  from  the  hospital  on 
the  other  side  are  large  sheds  and  a  .barn, 
also  a  dairy  house,  with  the  cold  water  of 
the  melting  ice  of  one  of  the  ice  houses 
flowiiig  through  it.  At  this  dairy  in  sum- 
mer they  have  had  sixty  cows, .  pastured 
near  by,  to  furnish,  fresh  milk,  and  at  times 
fresh  butter  also,  to  the  patients.  The  re- 
fuse from  the  barn  yard  goes  to  enrich  the 
hospital  garden  of  three  or  four  ncres,  which 
the  surgeon'  formerly  in  charge  told  me  had 
become  very  productive. 

Near  the  dairy  house  stands  a  large 
bakery,  at  present  not  used,  with  capa- 
cious ovens,  where  formerly,  as  the  man  in 
charge  stated,  they  turned  out  sixty  thou- 
sand pounds  of  bread  per  day. 

To  the  a,bove  memoranda  ia  to  be  added 
this  most  important  fact,  viz :  that  the 
rebel  government,  in  making  provision  for 
the  "  Hospital  Fund,"  added  one  hundred 
per  cent,  to  the  usual  army  ration.  Thus 
was  furnished  large  means  for  purchasing 
extra  supplies. 

Such,  roughly  sketched,  is  the  record  of 
Jackson  Hospital,  as  it  had  been  during  the 
past  year  or  more ;  while  near  by,  all  the 
time,  was  Belle  Isle,  with  its  shelterless  and 
starving  thousands,  *■  *         ,  * 


THE  WOHK  or  A  GEEAT  PEOPLE. 

[Continued  from  Bullain  No\  38.) 
INSPECTION    OF    THE    CAMPS    AND    HOSPI- 
TALS. 

While  the  Gommission  was  thus  organi- 
zing societies  throughout  the  country  for 
its  future  operations,  it  did  not  lose  sight 
of  the  important  object  for  which  it  had 
been  created.  From  the  first,  inspectors 
had  been  sent  to  examine  the  camps  and 
hospitals,  not  merely  with  respect  to  their 
sanitary  condition,  but  in  regard  to  every- 
thing that  could  enable  the  soldier  more 
satisfactorily  to  perform  his  duties,  apart 
from  pwely  military  considerations.  The 
examinafion  was  generally  made  by  two  in- 
spectors acting  in  concert :  one  of  these 
was  a  physician  of  adsnowledged  ability ; 
the  other  was  usually  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel. It  was  enjoined  upon  them  to  present 
themselves  to  the  general  or  commanding 
officer  immediately  on  their  arrival  at  the 
post  which  was  assigned  them,  to  seek  at 
once  to  establish  frietidly  relations  with  the 
medical  corps,  and  to  ask  for  the  informal 
tion  specified  in  their*  instructions.  After 
visiting  the  hospitals,  the  Camps,  and  even 
the  troops,  they  forwarded  their  reports, 
which  were  always  confidential,  to  the  cen- 
tral-committee at  Washington.  More  than. 
tw&  thousand  reports  have  already  been 
thus  furnished,  ami  there  is  great  reason  to 
believe  that  this  voluntary  benevolent  asso- 
ciation possesses  more  complete  and  more 
important  information  of  all  that  relates  to 
the  sanitary  condition  of  the  troops  in  the 
field  than  can  be  found  anywhere  else. 
Every  inspector,  in  his  reportj  is  bound  to 
answer,  in  writing,  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  .printed  questions,  respecting 
everything  that  can  affect  the  welfare  and 
health  of  the  soldiers  in  the  various  lati- 
tudes, an  i  at  the  different  seasons  of  the 
year. 

The  medical  department  of  the  army  had 
fallen  into  astate  of  inefficiency  during  the 
long  period  of  peace  which  preceded  the 
Southern  rebellioh.  It  was  necessary  to 
re-organize  it.  But  the  administration  hav- 
ing been  only  recently  installed,  did  not  at 
first  appreciate  the  greatness  of  the  work 
before  them.  They  were  content  with 
merely  aippointing  a  new  Stirgeon  General, 
retaining,  at  the  same  time,  the  old  organi- 
zation. The  officer  thus  chosen  showed 
himself  from  the  first  hostile  to  the  Com- 
mission; but  as  his  opposition  could  not 
overpower  the  authorization  granted  by  the 


1228 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Secretary  of  War,  and  sanctioned  by  the 
President,  he  decided,  at  length  to  allow 
the  Commission  to  do  what  it  wished  in  re-_ 
gard  to  the  volunteers,  on  condition  that  it 
should  not  in  any  way  concern  itself  with 
the  regular  troops.  > 

The  Sanitary  (Jommission,  authorized  by 
the  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
continue  its  work,  had  been  enabled  to  dis- 
pense with  the  approbation  of  the  Surgeon 
General,  but  on  this,  as  on  all  other  occa- 
sions, it  acted  only  in  concert  with  the 
medical  and  military  authorities,  a  modera- 
tion before  which  all  the  jealous  suspicions 
of  which  it  had  at  first  been  tl^  object 
were  destined  to  disappear. 

The  Government,  however,'  not  consid- 
ering the  Surgeon  General,  of  whom  we 
have  just  spoken,  equal  to  the  demands  of 
the  time,  resolved  that  another  should  be 
appointed.  This  appointment  depended  on 
the  Presideftt,  but  it  was  known  that  the 
opinioit  of  the  Secretary  of  War  would 
have  great  influence  on  his  choice.  In  de- 
parting from  the  ruje  of  seniority,  there 
was  great  danger  lest  favoritism  might  pre- 
vail over  merit;  yet  it  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  that  the  positioji  should  be 
given  to  him  who  was  best  qualified  to  fill 
lit,  without  respect  to  rank  or  age.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  Commission  re- 
solved to  choose  a  candidate,  and  r'cspect- 
fully  to  present  the  name  of  their  choice  to 
the  President.  While  the  proposed  new 
medical  act  was  under  discussion  in  Con- 
gress, the  standing  committee,  comprising 
several  of  the  most  eminent  practitioners 
in  the  United  States,  began  to  look  out  for 
a  person  possessing  the  scientific  acquire- 
ments and  administrative,  abilities  necessa- 
ry for  such  a  position.  They  made  choice 
of  Dr.  W.  A.  Hammond,  assistant  surgeon 
of  the  medical  stafi'.  After  some  hesita- 
tion, Mr.  Lincoln  decided  to  present  the 
name  of  the  candidate  of  the  Commission 
to  Congress,  and  he  was  confirmed.  Prom 
a  simple  First  Lieutenant,  director  of  a  sin- 
gle hospital,  Dr.  Hammond  rose  at  once  to 
the  rank  of  a  Brigadier  General,  and  had 
all  the  responsibility  of  the  medical  de- 
partment of  an  army  as  numerous  as  that 
of  any  power  iu  Europe.  The  results  of 
his  nomination  have  answered  the  hopes  of 
his  friends,  and  satisfied  the  wants  of  the 
country.  The  London  "Medical  Times," 
dated  the  17th  of  October,  1863,  says  of 
Dr.  Hammond :  "  Making  allowance  for 
the  usual   transatlantic  exaggerations,  he 


really  seems  to  have  performed  his  work 
well.  Appointed  by  the  President  in  spite 
of  the  .old  routine  custom,  over  the  heads 
of  many  seniors,  he  came  to  his  task  full  of 
vigor,  in  the  pirime  of  life,  and  capable  of 
great  physical  endurance.-  With  a  bold 
hand  he  surrounded  himself  with  trust- 
worthy subordinates,  displacing  many  who 
he  did  not  think  equal  to  the  crisis,  and 
proceeded  energetically  with  his  work. 
Large  armies  had  to  be  provided  for,  a  sys- 
tem of  military  hospitals  to  be  organized, 
the  examining  boards  to  be  reconstructed, 
and  an  army  medical  school  and  museum  to 
be  founded.  Well,  in  these-vast  and  ire- 
ful works,  he  seems  to  have  succeeded  be- 
yond' all  expectation." 

He  recognized  the  importance  of  the 
labors  of '  the  Sanitary  Commission,  aiid 
after  his  election  this  body  became  what  it 
was  destined  to  be — an  aid  to  the  medical 
corps,  and  an  ever  present  friend  of  the 
sick  and  wounded.  v 

DISEASES    IN    DIFFERENT    PARTS    OF    THB 
COUNTRY. 

After' Dr.  Hammond  had  taken  charge 
of  the  medical  department  of  the  army,  the 
Sanitary  Commission  was  enabled  to  give 
all  its  attention  to  its  original  object.  In 
order  to  assail  the  rebellion  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage, the  theatre  of  the  war  had  been 
divided  by  the  government  into  military 
departments;  these  wefe  generally  determ- 
ined by  the  basins  of  the  great  rivers,  such 
as  the  Potomac,  the  Mississippi,  the  Cum- 
berland, (fee. ;  but  there  "were  also  those  of 
North  and  South  Carolina,  &c.  These  de- 
partments, in  many^ respects,  difi'er  widely 
from  each  other ;  it  may  almost  be  said 
that  all  the  latitudes  and  all  t)ie  climates 
of  Europe  are  therein  represented.  Dis- 
eases which  cause  great  ravages  in  one  of 
these  departments  are  sometimes  wholly 
unknown  in  another.  It  has  been  neces- 
sary to  institute  particular  inquiry  respect- 
ing the  proper  mode  of  treating,  certain 
miasmatic  diseases  to  which  thfe  armies  of 
Europe  are  strangers.  ,  The  Commission 
has  made  great  efforts  to  obtain  in  advance 
the  necessary  information  concerning  the 
destination  or  change,  of  position  of  the 
different  army  corps ;  as  soon  as  it  haf  been 
obtained,  physicians  and  surgeons  have 
been  sent  with  each  army  corps,  that  they 
might  make  particular  inquiry  respecti'ng 
the  principal  diseases  prevailing  in  that 
locality.     The  reports  of  these  phys,icians 


The  Sanitary  Copnmission  Bulletin. 


1229 


furnish  the  Commission  with  full  informa- 
tion, not  only  with  respect  to  the  preven- 
tive measures  necessary  to  be  adopted,  and 
the  usual  mode  of  treating  the  diseases  in 
question,  but  also  as  to  the  best  methods  of 
forwarding  supplies  to  the  point  desired. 

HOSPITAL    TRANSPORTS. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  the 
military  operations  on  both  sides  had  for 
their  baseS  the  courses  of  navigable  waters. 
To  that,  both  Unionists  and  Secessionists 
were  forced,  by  the  nature  of  the  country, 
there  being  in  the  South  but  few  railways, 
and  these  having  but  a  single-track,  while 
good  roads  of  Ihe  ordinary  kind  are  almost 
unknown,  and  those  which  do  exist  are  im- 
practicable during  a  considerable  part  of 
the  year.  .In  consequence  of  this  state  of  ■ 
things,  the  Sanitary  Commission  recom- 
mended that  a  system  of  transports  should 
be  organized,  and  setting  the  example,  it 
obtained  from  the  government  several  large 
river  steamboats,  and  converted\them  into 
hospitals.  In  these  it  placed  its  own  sur- 
geons and  competent  attendants  for  the 
sick,  together  with  medicines  and  provis- 
ions, and  despatched  them  to  the  scene  of 
military  operations. 

In  order  to  give  an  illustration  of  the 
utility  of  these  floating  hospitals,  we  may 
refer  to  the  campaign  of  the  Peninsula  in 
1862.  The  base  of  Gen.  McClellan's  oper- 
ations against  Richmond  was  formed  by  the 
rivers  'York  and  Pamunkey.  .  From  tiie 
early  part  of  the  campaign  until  the  in- 
surgents had  turned  the  right  flank  f>^  the 
main  army,  (about  the  end  of  June,)  thus 
compelling  the  latter  to  retreat  from  its 
position  on  the  Chickahominy,  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  the.  Federal  army  were-  con- 
veyed to  West  Point,  on  the  Pamuukey. 
There  the  gerleral  hospitals  of  the  army  were 
established,  but  they  were  soon  full ;  the 
climate  of  this  locality  was  excessively  hot 
and  unhealthy,  and  the  medical  corps  in- 
sufficient in  number  for  the  proper  discharge 
of  theisr  duties.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the 
floating  hospitals  arrived,  the  sick  were 
convoyed  by  way  of  the  Pamunkey  and 
York  to  Fortress  Monroe,  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Chesapeake.  There,  having  the  benefit 
of  the  refreshing  sSa  breeze,  and  only 
twelve  hours  distant  from  Ba^ltimore  by 
steam,  they  could  readily  obtain  all  needful 
assistance,  and  if  occasion  required,  they 
could  be  directly  transported  to  the  North. 

The  steamers  on  ^lie' American  rivers  are 


particularly  adapted  for  such  a  service. 
All  their  matihinery  is  above  the  water 
line;  they  draw  only- a  few  feet  of  water, 
the  cabins  being  arranged  one  above  the 
other,  the  vessel  sometimes  having  three 
tiers  of  them.  The  windows  are  large,  the 
ceilings  high,  thus  allowing  a  free  supply 
of  that  element  which  is  so  essential  to  a 
hospital — ^pure  air — even  when  there  are  on 
board  from  eight  hundred  to  a  thousand 
persons. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  here 
some  idea  of  the  work  which  has  been  ac- 
complished on  these  floating  hospitals  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  The  women, 
here,  also,  ,are  the  life  and  soul  of  these  es- 
tablishments, surpassing  the  men,  even,  in 
courage  and  energy.  They  belong  nearly 
all  to  the  molt  wealthi^or  most  respectable 
families,  for  it  is  generally  regarded  as  a 
great  honor  to'be  employed  by  the  Commis- 
sion in  such  service.  This  is  the  more  sur- 
prising, because  it  could  npt  be  supposed 
that  their  former  habits  of  comfort  and 
luxury  could  prepare  them  for  encountering 
the  perils  and  privations  which  they  must 
necessarily  meet  with  in  this  field  of  labor. 

From  a  work  recently  published,  respect- 
ing the  Sanitary  Commission,  by  one'  of 
their  female  attendants,  (jjorde  malades,') 
we  extract  the  following : 

"  At  midnight  two  steamers  came  along- 
side the  Elm  City,  each  with  a  hundred 
sick,  bringing  word  that  the  Daniel  Web- 
ster No.  2,  (a  side-wheel  vessel,  not  a  Com- 
mission boat,)  was  aground  at,a  little  dis- 
tance, with  two  hundred  more,  having  no, 
one  in  charge  of  them,  and  nothing  to  eati 
Of  course  they  had  to  be  attended  to.  So 
aniidst  the  wildest  and  most  beautiful  storm 
of  thunder  and  lightning,  four  of  us  pulled 
off  to  her  in  a  little  boat,  with  tea,  bread, 
brandy,  and  beef  essence.  (No-  one  can 
tell  how  it  tries  my  nerves  to  go  toppling 
round  at  night  in  little  boats,  an4  clamber- 
ing up  ships'  sides  on  little  ladders.)  We 
fed  them — the  usual  process.  Poor  fellows ! 
they  were  scP  crazy  !  And  then  the  Wissa- 
Mclcon  o&me  alongside  to  transfer  them  to 
the  Elm  City.  Only  a  part  of  them  could 
go  in  the  first  lo!id.  Dr.  Ware,  with  his 
constant  thoughtfulness,  made  me,  go  in  her 
to  escape  returning  in  the  stnall  boat.  Just 
as  we  pushed  off,  the  steam  gave  out,  and 
we  drifted  end  on  to  the  shore.,  Then  a 
boat  had  to  put  off  from  the  Elm  City,  with 
a  -line  to  tow  us  up.  All  this  time  the, 
thunder  was  incessant,  thp  rain  falling  in 


1230 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


torrents,  whilst  every  second  the  beautiful 
crimson  lightning  flashed  the  whole  scene 
open  to  us." 

Another  episode,  presents  traits'of  char- 
acter iruly  heroic.  We  may  here  remark, 
in  passing,  that  the  Sanitary  Commission 
does  not  keep  in  its  service  any  one  who 
manifests  the  slightest  timidity  under  the 
fire  of  the  enemy  or  in  any  other  danger. 

The  following  circumstances  occurred 
after  the  retreat  from  the  Chickahominy, 
when  the  army  of  the  Potomac  had  just 
arrived  at  the  James  river  : 

"  Reached  Harrison's  Bar  at  11  A.  M., 
,  July  1st,  and  were  ordered  to  go  up  the 
James  river  as  far  as  Carter's  Landing.  To 
do  this  we  must  pass  the  batteries  at  City 
Point.  We  were  told  there  was  no  danger, 
if  we  should  carry  a  yellow  flag ;  yellow 
flag  we  had  none,  so  we  trusted  to  the  red 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  prepared 'to  run 
it.  The  Galena  hailed  us  to  keep  below 
as  we  passed  .the  battery.  Shortly  after, 
we  came  up  with  The  Monitor,  and  the 
little  captain,  with  his  East  India  hat, 
trumpet  in  hand,  repeated. the  advice  of 
The  Galena,  and  added  that  if  he  heard 
firing  he  would  follow  us.  Our  cannon 
pointed  its  black  muzzle  at  the  shore,  and 
on  we  went.  As  we  left  The  Monitor. 
the  captajn  came  to  me,  with  his  grim 
smile,  and  said,  '  I'll  take  those  mattresses 
you  spoke  of.'  We  had  joked,  as  people 
will,  about  our  danger,  and  I  had  suggested 
mattresses  around  the  wheel-house,  never 
thinking  that  he-  woiild  try  it  But  the 
captain  was  in  earnest ;  when  was  he  any- 
thing else  ?  So  the  '  contrabands'*  brought 
up  the  mattresses  and  piled  them  against 
the  wheel-house/  and  the  pilot  stood  against 
the  mast  with  a  mattress  slung  in  the  rig- 
ging to  protect  him.  In  an  hour  we  had 
passed  the  danger  and  reached  Carter's 
Landing,  and  there  was  the  army,  '  all  that 
was  left  of.  it.'  " 

Honor  to  the  women !  They  -are  the 
same  in  all  parts  of  the  world  j  kind,  devo- 
ted, counting  their  personal  Somfort  and 
^afety  as  nothing  if  they  can  only  relieve 
those  who  suffer. 


*rrom  the  commencement  of  the  war  this  name  ^k-aa 
giTen  by  the  Union  armies  to  the  liberated  nogroea.  Its 
origin  was  as  follows ;  When  Qenernl  Bntler  commandod 
at  Fortress.  Monroe,  he  wrote  to  the  Secretary- of  War  to 
aslc  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  negroes  w!io  had  not  run 
away  from  their  masters,  but  wlioso  masters  had  run  away 
from  them,  adding,  that  inasmuch  as  they  might  be  made 
use  9f  in  war,  they  ought,  as  well  us  the  other  property  of 
the  rebels  capable  of  being  so  used,  to  be  consider6d  ns 
"  contraband  of  wjir,"  and  the  term  lias  since  been  univer- 
sally applied  to  tht-m. 


MEDICAL  PTTBLICATIONS  OF  THE  SANITARY 
COMMISSION. 

The  want  of  a  certain  kind  of  experience 
of  the  medical  officers  of  the  volunteer 
army  had,  from  the  first,  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  Commission,  Almost  all 
the  surgeons  and  assistant  surgeons  were 
ignorant  of  that  particular  branch  of  med- 
ical science  which  relates  to  armies  during 
a  campaign.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Gov- 
ernment had  too  much  to  do  to  be  able  to 
give  the  necessary  attention  to  this  subject. 
The  Sanitary  Commission,  therefore,  nomi- 
nated of  its  own  members  a  special  commit- 
tee, charged  with  the  prepar.ation  of  a  se- 
^ries  of  reports  on  military  surgery,  and  the 
subjects  thereto  appertaining.,  The'  fol- 
lowing list  of  pamphlets  published  by  this 
committee  will  give  some  idea  of  this  branch 
.  of  labor : 

A — ^Report  on  Military  Hygiene  and 
Therapeutics. 

B — Instructions  to  Surgeons  on  Field  of 
Battle. 

C — Rules  for  preserving  the  Health  of 
the  Soldier.  \ 

D — Report  on  the  use  of  Quinine  as  a 
Prophylactic. 

E — Report  on  Vaccination  in  Armies. 

F — Report  on  Amputations. 

Or — Report  on  Amputations  through  Foot 
and  Ankle  Joint. 

H — Report  on  Venereal  Diseases,  &o. 

I— Report  on  Pneumonia. 

K — Report  on  continued  Fevers. 

L — Excision  of  Joints. 

M — Dysentery. 

N — Report  on  Scurvy.  ' 

0 — Report  on  Treatment  of  Fractures  in 
Military  Surgery. 

P — Report  on  Miasmatic  Fevers. 

QV-Report  on  Yellow  Fever. 


R- 


-Hemorrhage  from  Wounds. 


S — Infectious  Diseases. 

T— Plaster  of  Paris  Splints. 

All  these  documents  are  Sistjibuted  gra- 
tuitously among  the  members  of  the  medi- 
cal corps  of  the  army. 

Had  the  Sanitary  Commission  done  noth- 
ing else  than  publish  these  reports,  and 
give  circuhation  to  this  kind  of  information, 
•it  would  have  deserved  the  thanks  of  the 
army  and  the  country,  for  J,he  surgeons  of 
the  regiments,  nearly'  hll  of  whom  had 
riscently  passed  from  civil  life  to  thei^  new 
position,  were,  for  the  most  part,  but  im- 
perfectly acquainted  with  the  duties  and 
demands  of  their  oflSce; 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1231 


THE   "  OUISINE  "   OF   THE  CAMPS. 

The  proper  cookiog  of  the  food  destined 
for  the  soldiers  is  a  subject  of  great  import- 
ance, and  it  early  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  Commission.  There  was  a  great 
deal  to  be  done  in  this  respect.  The  ra- 
tions of  the  American  soldiers  greatly  ex- 
ceed, both  in  quantity  and  variety,  those  of 
any  other  nation.  But  the  Americans 
(generally  speaking)  are  rather  poor  cooks, 
so  that  even  the  quantity  of  food  became, 
when  it  was  badly  prepared,  a  great'cause 
of  disease  among  the  troops.  As  a  general 
rule,  the  cooking  during  a  campaign  con- 
sisted in  roasting  (or  rather  in  broiling) 
the  meat  which  had  been  freshly  killed 
over  a  fire  Uuilt  on  the  earth.  In  such  a 
proceeding  economy  of  fuel  is  usually  a 
secondary  consideration,  and  it  sometimes 
happens  tha^  after  a  certain  length  of  time 
they  are  reduced  to  short  allowance.  After 
an  engagement  the  soldiers  are  not  gener- 
ally inclined  to  fatigue  themselves  much 
in  search  for  wood,  nevertheless  there  are 
hundreds,  sometimes  thousands,  of  the 
wounded  and  sick  to  be  nourished.  On 
such  occasions  the  Commission  made  use 
'of  immense  boilers  mounted  on  wheels,  and 
containing  a  soup  well  prepared  and  nour- 
ishing, which  its  agents  distributed  to  the 
soldiers,  who,  on  their  part,  were  not  long 
in  imitating  the  example  thus  set  them. 

FLYING   HOSPITALS. 

Another  proposition  of  the  Commission, 
which  the  medical  corps  adopted  at  once, 

,  was  that  of  a  military  hospital  arranged  on 
an  improved  plan.  A  structure  destined 
to  receive  the  sick,  which  can  be  quickly 
erected,  which  is  sufficiently,  large,  and  at 
the  same  time  easy  of  -transportation,  is  a 
very  great  desideratum  to  every  army ;  and 
it  may  be  doubted  whether  these  three  es- 
sential conditions  could  be  better  fulfilled 
than  by  the  arrangement  referred  to.  It 
consisted  of  the  trunks  of  trees  placed  at 
the  desired  distance  from    each  other,  the 

■  roof  being  formed  of  tarpaulin,  and  the 
walls  of  sail-cloth,  which  could  be  raised 
or  lowered  at  pleasure,  according  as  much 
or  little  air  might  he  desiredT  The  first 
hospital  of  this  kind  that  was  constructed 
contained  1,500  bdds. 


A  FALSE  CHASGE  REFUTED. 
Howie  This? 
To  the  .Editor  of  the.  N.  T.  Tribune: 
Sib  ;  I  have  justjseea  a.  letter  from  the  ■wife  of 


a  soldier  belonging  to  Sohofield's  army.  She 
says  her  husband  has  been  in  the  hospital  at 
Newbern  three  weeks,  receiving  good  cai'e.  But 
he  adds :  "The  Christian  and  Sanitary  Com- 
miesions  arc  representrd  here,  btit  the  poor  sick 
soldiers  have  to  pay  for  what  they  get  of  them. 
It  is  the  officers  that  receive  the  benefit  of  their 
ministrations."  This  being  the  case,  this  poor 
woman  has  sent  five  dollars  to  assist  her  husband 
in  putting  himself  in  condition  to  resume  his 
place  in  line  to  fight  the  battles  of\  his  country. 
Are  not  such  women  of  more  real  value  to  the' 
country  .than  our  Sanitary  and  Christian  Com- 
miseione  ? 

New  Yoek,  April  10,  1805. 

Rooms  of  the  U.  S.  San.  Com., 

Newbern,  N.  C,  May  29,  1865. 

To  Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  Esq., 

Oeneral  Secretary  V.  8.  S.  ■  O.  .- 

Dear  Sir  :  I  propose  to  make  a  brief 
statement  of  what  the  Sfanitary  Commission 
has  done  for  the  sick  soldiers  in  this  same 
hospital  at  Newbern,  during  the  limited 
period  from  January  1  to  May  1,  leaving 
the  manner  of  the  disbursement  to  more 
disinterested  evidence. 

During  the  period  referred  to,  we  have 
issued  to  one  hundred  and  forty-six  requi- 
sitions of  the  Chief  Surgeon  and  his  assis- 
tants, to  say  nothing  of  individual  relief  to 
convalescetits  from  this  hospital  calhng  at 
the  rooms  of  the  Commission.  These  re- 
quisitions embrace — 

Arm  SliugB 12 

Bandages,  bbls 4 

neefStock,  Jbs 300 


Bitters,  bot, 1 

Blackberry,  cond'd,  lbs.  17 

Blackberry  Cord.,bots..  .    7 

Blankets 46 

Brandy,  qta «  5 

Currants,  boxes 2 

Cushions 313 

Chloride  Lime,,  bbls 

Drawers,  woolen,  pra...  781 

Drawers,  cotton,  pra 37 

Dominoes,  boxes 4 

Eye  Shades 

Gelatine,  lbs 16 

Ale,  bbls .; 3 

Apple  Butter,  keg 1 

Bed  Pans 20 

Blouses 90 

Cabbage,  bbls 

Chocolate  &  Cocoa,  lbs.  144 

Corn  starch,  lbs 237 

Crackers,  bbls ; 33 

Crutchoe,  prs 62 

Coihfort  B.igs 61 

Dried  Apples,  bbl.. ......  1 

Dried  £'ruit,  pkges 9 

Envelofjes .;....■...  1,000 

Farina,  lbs .:...  23 

Ginger  Extract,  hot 1 

Handkerchiefs 163 

Hats 34 

Isinglaaa,  lbs 21^ 

Jellies,  jars 21 

Krcut,  bbls 9 

Lemons,  boxes 2 

Lanterns....-..' 1 


240 
2,080 

6 


Canned  Mutton,  Iba. 
Condenaed  Milk,  lbs, 

Mittens,  pr 

Needle  Books. ^ 

Onions,  bbls 30 

Overcoats,  Infantry 35 

Pads 98 

Pants,  pra.., 138 

Paper,  note,  ream 31^ 

Penholdera,  doz 10 

Pens,  grosa 1}4 

Pickles,  bbls 3 

Potatoes,  bbls 323 

Prunea,  pkges 2 

Pillow  Casea 144 

Pears,  lbs 60 

E,ags,  bbls 2}k 

Shirts,  cotton 14o 

Sliirfa,  woolen 1,332 

Shoes,  pra 39 

Slippers 159 

Socks.'. •    600 

Sponges .' 6 

Sugar,  white,  lbs 80 

Surgical  Shirts,  cotton.  10 

Surgical  Shirts,  woolen.  7 

!Dea,  lbs 10 

Testaments 12 

Tin  Cups .'  69 

Tobacco,  lbs 28 

Tomatoes,  canned,  lbs..  4,235 

Towels 3 

Mutton,  canned,  lbs 240 

Whiskey,  pts 22 

Wihe,  bots „  25 

Wrappers 6 

Vaccine  Crnst '  1 


The  General  Hospital,  which  is  under 
the  able  management  of  Dr.  Clayton  Cow- 
gill,  Surg.  U.  8.  v.,  has  of  its  own  a  well- 


1232 


The  Sanitatf'  Commission  Bulletin. 


regulated,  extra-diet  kitchen,  supplied  by 
a  hospital  fund,  administered  with  liberal- 
ity and  judgment.  The  capacity  of  the 
hospital  has  ranged"  from  800  to  3,000 
beds;  and  the  fund  has  been  abundant  for 
supplying  to  the  extra-diet  kitchen  every- 
thing attainable  in  this  market,  and  for 
sending  an  occasional  special  agent  to  New 
York  for  such  articles  and  quantities  as 
were  not  attainable  in  this  limited  market. 
This  hospital,  through  its  whole  history, 
from  the  capture  of  Newbern  to  the  sur- 
render of  the  Rebel  armies,  has  growi;i  up 
under  the  daily  observation  of  the  agents 
of  the  Commission  at  this  post,  and  is 
regarded  by  me  to  be  as  perfect  in  its 
machinery  and  administration,  and  as  justly 
.  and  hutnanely  administered,  as  the  best 
regulated. institution  in  the  country;  and 
•this  opinion  is  sustained  by  the  testimony 
of  every  Government  official  whose  duty 
has  led  them  to  inspect  it. 

I  mention  this  not  with  the  intention  of 
drawing  your  attention  from  any  malfeas- 
ance with  which  our  agents  are  charged  in 
the  Tribmie,  but  to  give  the  proper  credit 
to  the  management  of  the  hospital,  and  ac- 
count for  the  confidential  relations  between 
it  and  the  Commission  here.  I  have  found 
no  occasion  to  send  an  agent  through  the^ 
hospital  to  disburse  special  comforts,  as 
every  bedside,  at  all  hours  of  my  visits, 
showed  all  the  appendages  and  comforts 
required  in  a  well  attended  sick  room  and 
by  every  phase  of  disease.  Yet,  during 
the  Carolina  campaign  of  Schofield's  and 
Sherman's  armies,  the  additional  strain 
upon  our  hospital  attention  was  mot  by  the 
valuable  and  voluntary  pervioes  of  one  as  re- 
fined and  gentle  as  the  most  lender  sensi- 
bilities could  render  her,  and  whose  angelic 
ministrations  were  operating  at  the  very 
time  when  this  Tribune  item  was  penned. 
When  the  rush  of  Sherman's  sick  and 
wounded  poured  in  upon  our  overworked 
hospital  and  Sanitary  corps,  the  matrons 
and  female  teachers  employed  in  Ncw- 
bern  came  to  the  rescue,  with  offers  of 
^help  in  their  appropriate  sphere.  They 
formed  Teachers'  Associations  of  Relief, 
drew  crude  supplies  generously  from  our 
Sanitary  stores,  and  with  gentle  hand  dis- 
bursed them,  in  the  most  tempting  forms 
attainable!  by  the  culinary  art,  through  all 
the  wards  of  .the  hospital,  under  the,pro- 
fessional  supervisioa  of  the  respective 
surgeons.  This  supervision  was  easily 
maintained,  as  the  daily  card  of  the  surgeon 


for  each  patient  indicated  the  general  and 
extra  diet  most  suitable  for  his  case. 

I  record  a  list  of  some  of  (he  articles 
drawn  by  these  ladies  from  the  stores  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  during  six  weeks 
of  this  period : 


Milk,  baiiB .^ 

Corn  starch  ana  maize- 

na,  lbs....: 

Gelatine  and  Isinglass, 


Arrow-root,  lbs 

Sugar,. lbs 

Tomatoes,  lbs 

Dried  fruit,  barrels 

Coffee,  lbs........_. 

Bay  rum,  bottle 

Pi-eserves  and  Jellies,  8 

gals,  and  jars 

Lemons,  boxes 


216 

127 

90 

15 

206 

459 

2 


Wine,  bottles 68 

Brandy,'bottleB 3 

Cordials    and    Syrups, 

bottles 20 

Farina,  lbs 

Crackers,  barrels 

Tea,  lbs 

Cocoa   and    Chocolate, 

lbs 

PeM,  canned,  1I.-B ,. 

Ginger,  extra,  box ■ 

Pears,  canned,  lbs '\ 

Peaches     "      "  V 

Quinces      "      "  J 


44 
1 
( 

41 
61 
1 

161 


These  ministrations  were  mad'e  "  without 
money  and  without  price,"  arid  1  deem  it 
impossible  that  any  such  malfeasance  as 
indicated  in  the  Tribune's  item  could  be 
carried  on  in  this  hospital.     * 

Soldiers,  in  thousands  of  instances,  eat 
drink,  and  wear,  the  choicest  ■  stores  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  without  dreaming  of 
the  source  from  which  they  derive  these 
comforts  and  luxuries,  and  in  the  very  act 
of  enjoyment,  would  be  ready  to  aver  un- 
consciously that  they  "never  received  any-* 
thing  from  the  Sanitary  Commission." 
They  do  not  always  know  what  it  is  that 
softens  the  asperities  of  the  service  in  this 
war,  nor  whence  comes  the  relief  that 
makes  the  soldier's  life  in  our  armies  so 
much  more  tolerable  than  in  any  of  the 
armies  heretofore  recorded  in  history. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  in  what 
way  the  "  five  dollars '"'  were  needed  "  to 
assist  her  husband  to  resvjme  his  place  in 
line,"  &c.,  unless  it  was  for  clothes,  and  for 
these  the  hospital  had  two  sources  to  draw 
from,  viz  :  the  Q-overnment  sto:'es  and  the 
Sanitary  Commission.  The  surgeons  in 
charge,  had  a  carte  blanche  on  the  Commis- 
sion n  ere  for  supplies  to  meet  pressing  wants, 
and  the  list  shows  that  they  made  liberal 
use  of  it  for  their  patients,  as  iii  the  lim- 
ited period  alluded  to,  they  drew  over  800 
pairs  drawers,  90  blouses,  163  handker- 
chiefs, 35  overcoats,  138  pairs  pants,  1,477 
shirts,  39  pairs  shoes,  159  pairs  slippers, 
and  600  pairs  socks. 

I  have  prolonged  this  notice  of  the  Tri- 
bune's item  to  show  that  a  soldier  in  the 
General  Hospital  in  Newbern  need  not 
suffer  for  comfort,  nor  buy  Sanitary  stores," 
nor  seek  from  distant  friends  the  relief 
necessary  to  enable  him  to  plaoe  himself  in 
line.     No  agent  of  the  Sunitary  Commis- 


The-  Sanitary  ■  Commission  Bulletin. 


1233 


sion  has,  at  any  time,  sold  aiij  article  to 
any  person  in  this  department.  Very  res- 
pectfully, your  ob't  serv't, 

J.  W.  Page,  M.  D., 

Iiaptetor  U.  S.  San.  Com. 

SOWir  THE  UISSISs'lFFI. 

Louisville,  Ey.,  May  6,  1865, 
De.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

See's  West'nDep't  XT.  S.  S>n.  Com., 
Louisville,  Ky. : 

Dear  Sib  :  According  to  your  instruc- 
tions, on  the  13th  of  April  I  took  charge 
of  the  steamer  J.  T.  McCombs,  at  Louis- 
ville, chartered  by  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, and  loaded  with  stores,  principally  for 
the  paroled  prisoners  at  Vicksburg,  or,  in 
case  they  were  not  wanted  there,  to  be 
taken  to  New  Orleans. 

We  left  Louisville  that  night,  and  after 
stopping  at  several  towns  along  the  river  to 
leave  passengers,  reached  Paducah,  Ky., 
before  daylight  on  the  15th.  I  left  a 
■  few  packages  for  the  agency  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  there,  and  then  went  di- 
reeiily  on  to  Cairo,  where  we  arrived  in  a 
few  hours.  There  wfere  about  two  oar-loads 
of  our  stores,  some  stores  of  the  Indiana 
State' Agent,  and  a  number  of  articles  for' 
the  Freedmen's  Institute,  which  I  took  on 
here.  The  news  of  the  death  of  President 
Lincoln  reached  us  here,  and  it  so  occupied 
the  minds  of  all  that  it  was  almost  impos- 
sible to  accomplish  anything.  We  left  at 
7  p.  m.,  reported  that  night  at  Columbus, 
and  reaqhed  Memphis  the  next  afternoon. 
I  left  here  some  tobacco,  cpd^sh,  condensed 
milk,  and  concentrated  beef.  A  large  sup- 
ply of  stores  had  been  received  a,  few  days 
before,  so  they  needed  but  a  few  things  from 
our  cargo.  We  were  detained  here  four 
hours.  We  coaled  a  short  distajoce  b;elow 
Memphis,  and  then  kept  on  to  Vicksburg. 

Monday,  afternoon  we  tied  up  at  a  raili- 
tary  station,  as  the  weather  indicated  a 
storm,  buta,t  1  a.  m.,  on  Tuesday,  we  started 
again,  and  had  not  proceeded  far  when  a 
sudden  squall  struck  us,  so  that  although 
the  engine  was  reversed,  we  were  driven 
with  grqat  force  upon  the  bank,  and  then 
recoiling,  were  blown  into  the  timber  just 
below  where  we  first  struck.  Here  the 
boat  was  made  fast.  The  extent  of  the 
damage  was  a  leak,  which,  however,  w:as 
not  bad  Aiough  to  prevent  our  continuing' 
on  our  way  in  a  few  hours. 

We  arrived  at  Vicksburg  at  10  a.  m.,  on 
the  18th.  I  immediately  found  Mr.  Tone, 
the  agent  for  the  relief  of  the  paroled  pris- 
*    Vol.  L  No.  39.  78 


oners,  and  learned  from  him  that  there  was 
need  for  but  a  few  stores  froui  our  cargo. 
I  therefore  transferred  to  him  ten  boxes  to- 
bacco, one  box  pipes,  one  box  pincushions 
and  housewives,  one  box  suspenders,  one 
box  buttons,  thread,  &c.,  one  box  stationery, 
one  box  miscellany,  nine  barrels  dried  fruit, 
two  barrels  green  apples,  three  kegs  butter, 
and  reading  matter,  also  the  packages  for 
the  Indiana  State  Agent  and  the  Christian 
Commission.  That  evening  I  started  with 
the  remaining  cargo  for  New  Orleans.  The 
next  morning  we  reached  Natchez,  and 
were  detained  a  couple  of  hours  in  putting 
off  the  articles  for  the  Freedmen's  Institute. 
'  In  the  Opening,  a  few  miles  below  Mor- 
ganza,  we  went  to  the  bank  to  wood.  While 
there  six  guerrillas  cagie  up,  and  upon 
talking  to  them,  they  said  there  was  a  force 
of  sixty  more'  a  short  distance  up  the  river, 
but  they  would  send  up  a  man  to  tell  them 
not  to  come  down.  Nevertheless,  we  got 
up  steam  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  sent 
one  of  the  hands  to  let  go  our  line,  but  the 
guerrillas  threatened  to  shoot  him  if  he 
touched  it,  so  we  let  it  go  from  the  boat 
and  backed  off.  Our  man  was  not  quick 
enough  in  getting  on  the  boat,  and  was  left. 
They  fired  at  us  once,  but  did  not  hit  us; 
We  afterwards  learned  from  the  man,"  whom 
they  suffered  to  follow  us  on  another 
steamer,  that  they  were  waiting  for  a  larger 
force  to  come  down  to  capture  us. 

We  stopped  at  Port  ■  Hudson  and  Baton 
Rouge  that  night  to  report,  and  reached 
New  Orleans  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2()th. 
Dr.  Blake  was  very  glad  to  receive  the 
stores,  as  there  waS. great  need  of  them  at 
Mobile.  I  delivered  to  him  1,375  barrels, 
316  boxes,  20  b;ales,  8  kegs  of  stores.  The 
stores  were  in  very  good  condition  on  our 
arrival.  Friday  and  Monday  we  discharged 
our  cargo.  On  Saturday  all  business  'was 
stopped  throughout  the  city.  Tuesday 
morning  we  coaled,  and  then  started  on  our 
return.  I  was  unabl^  to  get  any  private 
freight  to  bring  up,  and  had  none  of  our 
own  until  we  reached  Vicksburg,  where  I 
took  on  a  number  of  articles  that  were  of 
no  further  use  there,  since  all  but  a  v-ry 
few  _  prisoners  had  left.  I  should  have 
taken  some  prisoners  on  our  boat,  but  there 
were  ample  hospital  accommodations  in 
Vicksburg,  and  a  hospital  boat  was  ex- 
pected soon,  which  could  make  them  (there 
being  only  about  150)  much  more  com- 
fortable than  we  could. 

Nothing  of  any  importance  happened  on 


1234 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUetin. 


the  journey  up  the  river.  The  news  of  the 
terrible  disaster  to  the  Sultana,  which  left 
Vicksbiirg  three  days  before  us  Was  com- 
municated to  us  by  a  gunboat  near  White 
'river.  We  stopped  at  places  only  long 
enough  to  report  or  coal,  and  reached  Lou- 
isville on  the  4th  of  May,  three  weeks 
from  the  day  we  started.    • 

The  steamer,  though  a  small  one,  was 
quite  fast,  and  under  the  charge  of  excel- 
lent officers. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

KussELL  Hodge. 

THE  CLOSE. 

In  the  narrowing  of  the  supply  work  of 
the  Comn^ission,  and  the  consequent  cen- 
tralization of  its  records  and  laborers,  the 
Bulletin  office  has  been  removed  to  Wash- 
ington. This  number  makes  its  first  visit 
to  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies  from  the 
Central  Office.  It  will  visit  them  once 
more — next  month  j  and  then,  like  the  Aid 
Societies,  of  which  it  is  the  organ,  will  rest 
till  Providence  may  indicate  the  necessity 
for  further  expression. 

Words  perish  ;  but  the  ideas  which  lie 
behind  and  beneath  them  are  immortal. 
Forms  die ;  but  the  principles  of  which 
they  are  the  visible  expression — ^never. 

The  great  idea  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion is  a  living  idea;  it  lives  in  the  heart 
of  the  American  people,  and  can  never  be 
obliterated.  We  may  write  its  history  and 
record  the  names  and  deeds  of  its  workers 
— it  may  be  preserved  through  generations 
and  admired  by  all  people  ;  but  the  ideas, 
principles,,  and  thoughts  which  it  has  in- 
fused throughout  the  entire  system  of  our 
political  and  social  life  have  made  an  im- 
pression upon  human  character  and  given 
shape  to  benevolent  effiDrt  that  can  never 
lose  its  impression  upon  human  society. 

This  £eems  to  be  saying  a  great  deal, 
but  it  is  saying  no  more  than  may  be. said 
of  all  truth  and  goodness. 

The  Aid  Societies  that  exist  through  the 
country,  though  they  may  for  a  while 
cease  their  activity,  can  never  cease  to 
exist,  in  an  ideal  form,  in  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  the  women  who  constitute  them. 


They  have  been  the  spongioles  of  the 
larger  roots  of  our  tree,  which  have  gently 
and  imperceptibly  moved  among  the  hidden 
springs  of  the  heart  of  America,  and  drawn 
in  the  current  of  sympathy  and  love  that 
has  developed  a  fruitage  such  as  the  world 
has  never  seen  before. 

There  must  be  no  severance  of  any  part 
of  this  great  life  machinery.  If  it  should 
for  a  time  cease  to  be  active,  it  should  be 
like  the  tree  in  winter,  without  leaves  or 
visible  life,  but  ready  for  the  outcoming 
sun  and  falling  rain  of  another  season  to 
revive  and  beautify  it.  If  the  season  never 
comes,  it  may  stand  a  bold  and  noble  tree 
still,  being  its  own  record  of  past  useful- 
ness. 


WOMAN'S   CENXBAL  ASSOCIATIOIT  07  BE- 
LIEF. 

CiosE  OP  THE  Supply  Departmest  op  thb  Com- 
mission— No.  XI. 

7b  the  Membtri  of  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  con- 
tributing through  the  Woman's  Central  Associa- 
tion of  Relief: 

Dear  Friends  :  We  promised'  you  that 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  would  let 
you  know,  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  , 
when  your  work  might  conscientiously  be 
brought  to  a  close.  The  "accompanying 
Circular  (San.  Com.  Doc.  No.  90)  fixes  the 
4th  of  July  next  as  that  date. 

The  war  is  over  !  No  more-battle-fields, 
no  more  starving  prisoners,  no  more  wound- 
ed men,  no  more  terrible  lists  of  the.  mis- 
sing and  dead.  The  suffering  and  Woe  we 
have  all  tried  to  mitigate  are  at  last  passing 
away  I  i 

We  will  continue  to'  furnish  you  with 
material!  as  heretofore,  only  requesting  you 
to  take  what  you  are  sure  you  can  return 
by  July  4th.  If  your  treasury  contains 
money  enough  to  buy  all  you  can  make  up 
in  that  time,  we  will-  send  you  its  full  value 
in  material,  but  without  '  doubling  the 
amount  as  usual.  Thus  all  the  funds  in 
hand,  collected  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers 
through  our  agency,  may  be  immediately 
turned  over  to  the  Commission.  . 

Although  our  work  of  furnishing  sup- 
plies for  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  at 
a  distance  is  nearly  at  an  end,  there  still 
remains  to  us  the  duty  and  the  privilege  of 
cherishing  the  maimed  and  disabled  vetero 


The  SanMary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1235 


ans  ■who  are  returning  to  us. '  Every  town 
and  district  will  claim  the  opportunity  of 
supporting  and  hielping  such  of  its  own 
soldiers  as  may  need  this  care.  We  Jbeg 
you  will  keep  alive  your  Soldiers'  Aid  or- 
ganizations for  this  sacred  duty. 

Our  usual  Annual  Report  will  he  omitted, 
or  rather  deferred,  until  we  can  give  you 
our  final  statement  and  farewell. 

For  a  few  weeks  longer,  then, we  shall  work 
together,  as  we  have  for  the  past  fouryears. 
Should  some  new  demand  .arise  in  the  fu- 
ture, we  shall  rejoice  to  renew  our  connec- 
tion with  you. 

I  amj  most  affectionately  yours,  on  behalf 
of  the  Association, 

Ellen  Collins, 

Ch'n  Committee  on  Sfipplies. 
Nnw  ToBE,  H  Cooper  Union, 
May  23,  1865. 

SWEE&U  07  ISTFOBKATIOIT  AND  EMFLOT- 

^'  MEHT. 

Cbnteal  Office, 
Washinoton,  D.  C,  ^une  10, 1865'. 

In  our  circular  of  the  15th  ultimo,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies 
tributary  to  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,' 
concerning  future  opportunities  and  meth- 
ods of  work,  and  more  especially  the  pro- 
curement of  employment  for  discharged 
soldiers,  as  far  as  may  be  necessary  in  con- 
sequence of  physical  disability,  or  as  a' 
means  of,  aiding  their  return  to  former  re- 
lations and  occupations  in  civil  life,  it  was 
proposed  to  furnish  certain  carefully  pre- 
pared'forms.  ' 

These  forms  are  herewith  transmitted. 

Their  use,  while  diminishing  the  labor, 
will  also  facilitate  an  intelligent  and  syste- 
matic prosecution  of  the  work,  and  will 
enable, the  Central  Office  of  the  Comtais- 
sion  eventually  to  tabulate  the  results  gath- 
ered froQi  all  Aid  Societies  throughout  the 
country. 

Forms  A,  B,  C,  D,  and  E,  relate  exclu- 
sively to  the  procurement  of  employment, 
and  sufficiently  indicate  the  method  and  all 
necessary,  detail  pertaining  to  the  work. 

It  is  important  that  the  large  and  varied 
measure  of  good  which  may  be  secured  to 
the  soldier  and  to  the  community,  by  a 
thorough  and  generous  application  of  the 
methods  here  presented,  be  kept  clearly  in 
view. 

The  Bureau  of  Information  and  Erdploy- 
ment  is  designed  to  accomplish  the  follow- 
ing specific  objects: 

1.  To  aid  those. wha. have  served  honoi- 


ably  in  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United 
States  in  obtaining  employment,  and  to  fa- 
cilitate their  return  to  former  occupations 
and  relations  in  civil  life. 

2.  To  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  ne- 
cessity for  costly  charitable  institutions,  b^ 
thus  encouraging  industry,  and  ^iding  the 
disabled  soldier,  who  might  otherwise  seek 
an  asylum,  to  strive  for  self-support. 

3. '  To  lessen  the  pauperism  and  crime, 
necessarily  more  or  less  a  consequence  of 
war,  which  surely  attend  on  large  numbers 
of  unoccupied  men  left  to  themselves 
without  employment  or  means  of  subsist 
ence. 

4.  To  save  to  the  country  a  large  amount 
of- productive  labor,  at  a  time  when  it  can 
least  afford  to  maintaiuiddle  hands. 

Form  F  embraces  questions   to  be  an- 
swered, not  by  the  soldiers  themselves,  but 
by  intelligent  observers,  upon  certain  gen- 
eral conditions  incident  to  the  war,  and  to 
,  the  return  of  the  soldiers  to  their  homes. 

This  form  may  seem  to  some  unnecessa- 
rily full,  and  demanding  information  not 
immediately  tending  to  .practical  results. 
The  purpose  which  has  determined  the  se- 
lection of  the  questions  embraced  may, 
therefore,  be  distinctly  stated.  It  is.  First, 
to  collect  such  information  concerning  oui; 
discharged  soldiers  as  will  enable  us  most 
judiciously  and  effectively  to  be  prepared 
to  render'  to  those  really  needing  it  any 
form  of  aid  or  relief  which  may  be  de- 
manded of  the  people,  in  behalf  of  the 
men,  or>  the  children  of  those  men,  who 
have  fought  our  battles;  Second,  to  seize 
upon  the  occasion  which  is  now  presented 
for  gathering  material  which  shall  illus- 
trate the  manner  in  which,  under  republi- 
can institutions,  these  men,  long  aliens  from 
home  pursuits,  are  at  once  quietly  reinsta- 
ted in  their  former  industrial  relations,  and 
become  again  vital  parts  of  the  living 
whole.  The  value  of  the  facts  which  may 
be  thus  obtained,  in  answer  to  the  questions 
of  Form  F,  can  scarcely  be  over-estimated 
in  its  bearing  upon  many  important  ques- 
tions, which  already  begin  to  engage  the 
attention  of  statesmen  and  philanthropists, 
and  which,  in  their  answers,  are  to  have  a 
direct  influence,  in  most  practical  ways, 
upon  the  future  of  the  race.  Unless  the  ' 
people  themselves,  through  these  agencies 
of  thp  people,  answer  these  questions,  this 
record  will  never  be  made  with  the  com- 
pleteness which  the  present  opportunity 
alope  affords. 


1236 


The  Sardtary  Commission  Bulletin. 


The  attention  of  our  Aid  Sooietiea  is 
again  directed  to  the  valuable  service  which 
they  may  render  to  the  families  of  dis- 
charged soldiers,  by  securing  to  them, 
through  some  systematic  method,  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  existence  and  work  of  the 
*"  Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agency  "  of  the 
U..,S.  Sanitary  Commission,,  which  performs 
without  charge  the  work  which  would  oth- 
erwise fall  into  the  hands  of  claim  agents, 
thereby  subjecting  the  soldier  to  a  heavy 
tax,  and  often  gross  imposition  and  fraud. 

It  is  suggested  that  in  places  where  there 
may  be  no  established  Claim  Agency  of  the 
Commission,  the  Aid  Societies  may  render 
valuable  service  by  applying  to  this  Office 
for  necessary  blanks  and  instructions,  -that 
will  enable  them,  in  many  instances,  to 
transact  all  necessary  details  in  the  adjust- 
ment of  claims. 

In  addition  to  the  issue  of  cards  and  cir- 


culars, (aocording  to  accompanying  forms,) 
to  make  known  in  your  respective  commu- 
nities the  work  you  are  prepared  to  do,  it 
is  recommended,*  as  an  aid  in  your  under' 
taking,  that  a  liberal  use  be  made  of  yoijr 
local  press  for  advertising  your  office  and- its 
facilities  for  giving  help  to  the  discharged 
soldiers  and  their  families. 

The  necessary  books  and  forms  will  be 
furnished  by  the  Commission,  upon  appli- 
cation to  the  Branches  or  the  Central  Office ; 
and  will  be  finally  returned  to  the  Central 
Office  of  the  Commission,  for  purposes  of 
tabulation. 

It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  the  work 
marked  out  in  this  supplement  will  be  en- 
tered upon  promptly.  It  is  the  demapd  of 
the  present  hour,  as  related  to  the  welfare 
of  our  returning  soldiers. 

Jno.  S.  Blatohfoed, 

General  Seeretang. 


Form  A.— IT.  S.  Sanitary  Oommissian, 

BUBEAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 
applicant's  registeb. 


1    TTumber  of  ADBlicaftion 

\2   Date                   .                

3    Name 

4    Ap6 

1.    -o-g^^ _• 

5.  Nationality * 

6    Eeaidfince      

1 

7.  Reeiment * 

8.  Term  of  Military  Service 

9   Nature  and  De^rree  of  Disability 



10.  Occupation  previous  to  Enlistment... 

11   OcGunation  desired.: 

12.  Qualifications 

13.  Habits — Temperate  or  otherwise 

, 

14.  Means  of  Support 

15.  Married 

16.  Persons  dependent  on  Applicant  for 
SuDDort 

17.  References 

18.  Opinion  of  Referee 

19.  Kind  of  Employment  secured 

20,  Remarks 

' 1 : 

Form  B— PI  S.  Sanitary  Cammiattm. 

BUEEAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 

■employee's  BEGISTBIl. 


1.  Nrnnber ! 

—1 

2.  Date 

» 

3.  Name 

4.  Address 

6.  Service  required 

y 

6.  Hours  of  service  required  daily 

V"* 

7.  Skill  or  strength  demanded 

8.  Proposed  .Term  of  Engagement 

9.  Compensation ) 

10.  Remarks 

The  Sardiary  Commission  Bulletin.  1237 

Form  C—TT.  S.  Sanitary  ConvmiseUm, 

BTOEAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 

Central  Office,  244  F  street,  WaehiDgton,  D.  0. 
MONTHLY    EBTUEir. 


(Insert  name  of  Aid  Society.) 

•     186    . 

Month  of. 186    . 

Number  of  applications  fo.r  employment: 

By  Able-bodied  men ; .*. 

By  Disabled  men -. 

Total ; J 

Nuifiber  of  applications  by  Employers 

Number  furnished  with  Employment:  / 

Ablerbodied  Men.. 

Disabled  Men l 

Total, , 

Number  who  having  been  once  furnished  with  emp'loyment  have  applied  a  second  time „., 

« 

KIKD  OF  EMPlioYMElIT  FITENISHED. 

AgricnlinTal,  .  .  , , 

It^chanical,  .  .  , , 

Commercial,  .  .  .  

Teaching,  professional  or  fine  arts,  

Laborers,  .  .  . 

Others,  not  included  in  above,       . , ^. ., 

BEMAEKS. 
Form  D — TT.  S.  Sanitary  Ckmmission, 

BUREAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 


(Inaert  name  of  Aid  Society.) 


To 


.186 


With  theddsigH  of  obtaining  employment  through  this  Bnreail, 

refers  to  you  as  to  his'  character  and  qualifications. 
,     You  will  oblige  us  by  filling  oiit  aiud  returning  the  annexed  blanks  with  your  signature.    Yoni 
reply  will  be  shown  only  to  his  employer. 
Respectfully  yours, 

Is  he  temperate? 

Is  he  industrious? 

Do  you  deem  him  honest? 

How  long  have  you  known  him  ?... ..!. : 

State  facts  which  may  be  of^service  to  him,  or  of  which  his  employer  should  be  informed 

J^O A Insert  No.  of  application.) 

'Eox:m.'Ei—U. S. &mitary  OmmistUm. 
BUREAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 


(Insert  name  of  Aid  Society.) 

...; 186 

To 


You  are  requested  to  call  at  our  office  respecting  your  application  at.' o'clock., 

on. ...7. inst.,  aiid  to  bring  this  notice  with  you. 

NO...^.... « Insert  No.  of  Application.) 


1238 


The  Sanitary  Oomihission  Bidletm. 


Form  F — K  -S".  Sanitary  Commissum, 

BUREAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 
Centeal  Offick  244  F  st.,  Washinstoh,  D.  C. 


Beti^rnsfrom., 


.186 


I.  Population,  according  to  cenaua  of  1860,  included  in  the 
area  embraced  within  the  limits  covered  by  this  report 

II.  Number  of  men  who  have  enlisted  from 

III.  Number  who  are  still  in  the  service 

IV.  Number  who  have  died  in  the  service 

V.  Of  those  who  have  returned  home,  what  proportion  are 
able-bodied , 

VI.  Of  those  disabled,  whatproportionareseriouslydisabled  ? 

VII.  What  proportion  are  slightly  disabled „. 

VIII.  What  proportion  have  (Some  distinctly  upon  the  chari- 
ity  of  others  for  support , ,. 

IX.  What  agencies  exist  in  your  community  for  the  relief  of 
discharged  soldiers  or  their  families 

X.  What  has  been  the  kind  and  amount  of  aid  which  these 
agencies  have  rendered 

XI.  In  your  community  how  far  is  preference  given  by  em- 
ployers of  labor  to  discharged  soldiers 

XII.  Number  of  widows  of  soldiers ; 

XIII.  Number  of  these  widows  who  are  poor  and  partially 
dependent 

.-.XIV.  Number  of  children  of  deceased  soldiers 7. 

XV.  What  available  provision  has  been  made  by  the  State 
or  by  other  agencies  by  which  these  children,  if  poor,  can  be 
cared  for  and  educated 

.  XVI.  To  what  extent  is  aid  of  this  kind,  if  any  exists,  sought 
and  used  for  the  advantage  of  these  children 

XVII.  What,  upon  the  whole,  has  been  the  effect  of  this 
long  term  of  military  service  upon  the  moral  tone  of  the  sol- 
diers themselves .- 

XVIII.  What  has  been  the' effect  upon  the  industrial  habits 
of  these  men '. 

XIX.  Is  there  any  marked  effect  uporl  the  homes  and  upon 
the  children  of  these  soldiers,  produced  by  this  long  absence  of 
the  father  of  the  family?  If  there  is,  how,  in  general  terms, 
does  it  show  itself. 

XX.  Taking  your  community  as  a  whole,  what  do  you  ob- 
serve is- the  influence  of  the  war,  including,  on  the  one  side,  the 
effect  of  these  calls  for  generous  sacrifices,  the  discipline  of 
hopes  and  fears  and  sorrows,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  de- 
moralizing influences  brought  back  from  army  life 


>*M«Ma*t*lt«M*** 


(Form  of  Circular  to  be  printed  and  nsed  by  Aid  Societies  in 
their  reBpective  localities,  the  proper  designation  of  each 
being  inserted.) 

tr.   S.   SANITABT  COMMISSION. 
BUEEAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 


(Insert  name  of  Society.) 
This  Bureau  is  established  with  the  following 
objects: 

1.  To  aid  those  who  have  served  in  the  Army 
and  Navy  of  the  United  States  in  obtaining  em- 
ployment. 

2.  To  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  necessity 
for  costly  charitable  institutions,  by  thus  encour- 
aging industry,  and  aiding  the  disabled  soldier, 
who  might  otherwise  seek  an  asylum,  to  strive 
for  self-support. 

3.  To  lessen  the  pauperism  and  crime  necessa- 
rily more  or  less  a  consequence  of  war,  and  which 
Bnrely  attend  on  large  numbers  of  unoccupied 


men  left  to  themselves  without  employment  or 
means  of  subsistence. 

4.  To  save  to  the  country  a  large  amount  of 
produoHve  labor,  at  a  time  when  it  can  least 
afford  to  maintain  idle  hands. 

The  services  of  the  Bureau  are  given  gratui- 
tously'. 

Information  and  suggestions  are  solicited  rela- 
tive to  employments  adapted  to  maimed  and  dis- 
abled men.  Employers  are  earnestly  requested 
to  make  application  to  this  Bureau  for  every 
class  of  labor  ;  and. are  reminded  that  our  Army 
and  Navy  have  contained  many  of  the  best  and 
most  trustworthy  young  men  of  the  nation-^ 
skilled  in  every  oocupatiom 

It  is  demanded  by  both  patriotism  and  human- 
ity, that  the  light  occupations  of  all  towns,  and 
whatever  work  can  be  as  well  done  by  invalid 
soldiers  as  by  others,  be  given  to  the  men  who 
may  have  incapacitated  themselves  for  rivalry  in 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1239 


more  aptive  and  laborious  fields  of  duty,  by  giv- 
jjng  tbeir  limbs,  their  healtb,  and  their  blood  to 
^9  nation. 

[Append  names  of  Officers  of  Aid  Society.] 

JBO.  8.  BMTCHFORD, 

General  Secretary. 


THE  BECOBS  O^IHE  COUUISSIOIT. 

The  years  of  thought  and  labor  that  have 
been  given  to  the  Commission  are  in  the 
past.  Their  record  is  unseen  of  the  people 
OS  yet,  and  hence  it  is  not  appreciated. 

in  all  the  societies  that  have  been  tribu- 
tary to  it,  there  is  a  history  of  toil,  of  pray- 
ipr,  and  patriotism  that  should  be  dey  eloped 
ps  an  example  to  the  world,  as  well  as  a  just 
tribute  to  those  who  have  participated  in 
ihe  work. 

Every  agent  upon  the  field,  every  visitor 
^d  inspector  of  camp  and  hospital,  has  a 
irecord  of  his  work,  if  not  in  tangible  form, 
in  his  memory  and  heart.  And  it  should 
be  brought  to  light,  that  the  whole  may  be 
condensed,  and  a  history  which  shall  exceed 
the  history  of  any  other  benevolent  organi- 
fiation  the  world  has  ever  known,  be  made 
the  crowning  glory  of  our  age. 

The  churches  have  not  done  for  missions, 
humanitarians  for  their  peculiar  plans  of 
benevolence,  politicians  for  their  min- 
istries of  public  charity,  what  has  been 
flone  for  the  army  of  the  Union  by  the 
IJnion-loving  people  of  the  country  during 
the  continuance  of  the  war. 

The  reason  why  so  much  has  be^n  ac- 
complished is  found  in  the  universality  of 
^e  claim  for  aid^  without  reference  to 
names  or  divisions.  All  classes  of  people 
went  to  war,  as  representatives  of  all  classes 
»t  home,  and  the  generous  sacrifice  of  the 
soldier  was  only  equalled  by  the  response 
of  the  popple  at  home  to  strengthen  and 
supplement  the  resources  of  the  Govern- 
ment, that  it  should  not  fail  in  its  care  of 
the  soldier.-.  , 

Let  all  these  fre^nientary  histories  be 
collected.  Let  every  incident  of  striking 
value  be  taken  from  the  private  diary  of 
every  one  who  has  labored  for  the  Comniis- 
SiQD^  and  forwarded  to  the  Historical  Bureau. 


In  the  armies  of  the  East  and  West  alike, 
noble  women  have  ventured  into  camp  and 
field,  and  done  noble  service.  Let  these 
mak^their  record. 

Volunteers  who  have  not  been  sent  out 
by  the  Commission,  but  who  have  labored 
with  it,  and  drawn  from  its  supplies,  have 
a  record.  Let  the  facts  of  their  experi- 
ence be  presented  and  make  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  times. 

State  agents  have  gone  under  appoint- 
ment of  governors  and  legislation,  quar- 
tered with  the  Commission,  and  been  a 
part  of  its  practical  machinery.  These 
have  a  peculiar  record  that  should  be  incor- 
porated in  history  with  that  of  the  whole 
people. 

Bailroad,  transportation,  and  telegraph 
companies  have  opened  tlieir  cars,  boats, 
and  offices,  and  said  to  the  people,  "  Use  us 
and  our  appliances  in  the  cause ;"  and  the 
generosity  and  promptness  with  which  they 
have  acted  is  not  only  a  matter  of  public 
interest,  but  one  which  is  needful  to  make 
complete  the  testimony  that  will  be  seen 
of  men  in  this  behalf. 

The  work  of  children,  in  schools,  alert 
clubs,  and  little  social  fairs,  has  been  won- 
derful J  and  when  these  children  shall  grow 
to  manhood  they  wili  be  glad  to  find  the 
truth  written  for  them  and  theirs. 

Let  aid  societies,  churches,  children, 
agents,  visitors,  observers,  corporations,  and 
individuals,  who  have  aided  the  Sanitary 
Commission  in  any  way,  and  who  should 
be  incorporated  in  its  history,  furnish  their 
own  record  of  facts  and  labors,  and  all  such 
documents  shall  be  filed  and  properly  no- 
ticed. 

Address,  Historical  Bureau,  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission  244  P ,  St.,  Washington, 
D.  C. 


bebel  babbabiit. 
State  of  Virginia,  1 

County  of  Fairfax,  j  **• 

Charles  A.  Watson,  1st  sergeant  Com- 
pany "  E ;"  Freeman  D.  Nason,  sergeant, 
Company  "  Gr ;"  James  Cusack,  private, 
Company  "A ;"  Benjamin  Herrald,  private, 


1240 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUeiiri. 


Company  "  A  •"  Henry  W.  Howard,  pri- 
vate, Company  "D;"  Henry  Slate,  pri- 
vate, Company  "  D  ,"  George  Taylor,  pri- 
vate. Company  "  D ;"  George  Hurlej^pri- 
vate.  Company  "  D ;"  all  of  the  17th  Reg- 
iment of  Vermont  State  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, being  severally  duly  sworn,  each  for 
himself  deposes  and  says  :  That  deponents 
were  captured  by  the  rebel  forces  on  the' 
30th  day  of  September,  1864,  at  Shady 
Grove  Church,  near  the  Weldon  railroad,: 
in  the  State  of  Virginia ;  that  they  were  ta- 
ken to  prison  first  at  Petersburg,  next  at 
EiichTnondy  and  finally  at  Salisbury,  N.  C:, 
at  which  place  they  all,  except  deponent, 
Slate,  remained  imprisoned  from  October 
5,  1864,  until  February  the  24th,  18^5; 
that  upon  deponents'  arrival  there  Were 
about  10,000  Union  men  in  said  prison  at 
Salisbury ;  that  immediately  after  their 
capture,  and  at  Petersburg^  Va.,  their  blan- 
kets and  all  their  valuables  were  taken 
from  the  persons  of  deponents  by  the  reb- 
els; that,  during  their  stay  at  Salisbury 
priion,  of  four  mqnths  and  over,  no  cloth* 
ing  whatever  was  issued  by  the  rebel  au- 
thorities, and  'until  about  the  time  of  depo- 
nents'  release,  in  February,  1865,,  no  blan- 
kets were  furnished  to  the  prisoners  at  that 
place ;  that  hardly  any  of  said  prisoners  had 
blankets  of  their  own ;  that  during  a  large 
,  portion  of  the  time  of  their  imprisonment, 
viz.,  the  months  of  December, ,  1864,  and 
January  and  February,  1865,  the  weather 
was  very  cold,  with  heavy  frosts  and  severe 
rains,  and  that  said  prisoners,  during  such 
period  of  time,  had  no  shelter  of  any  kind 
whatever  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
weather,  except  as  follows  :  about  one-third 
of  the  prisoners  dug  holes  or  caves  in  the 
ground,  into  which  .they  crepit  for  protec-" 
tion.  That  the  rations  of  food  issued  to  the 
prisoners  at  Salisbury  were  as  fpllows  : 
daily  to  each  man,  either  one- half  pound  of 
corn  or  sorghum  bread,  or  one  pint  of  corn 
meal  ground  with  the  cob,  and  one  half 
pint  of  very  thin  soup,  without  any  sea- 
soning. About  twicle  in  each  month  beefs' 
heads  and  livers  and  tripe,'  raw  and  bloody, 
jrere  served  out  in  quantities  sufficient  to 
give  each  prisoner  a  piece  about  the  size  of 
a  man's  two  fingers.  Besides  this  no  meat 
of  any  kind  was  ever  served  to  the  prison- 
ers. Sometimes,  but  never  in  connection 
with  the  issue  of  meat  as  above,  sorghum 
was  given  in  the  amount  of  t;wo  or  thi'ce 
spoonsful  to  a  man.  This  issue  was  made,  per- 
haps, once  in  each  week.   No  salt  was  ever 


furnished  the  Union  prisoners,  and  no  fdblf 
was  ever  issued  of  any  other  kind  or,  in  anjj 
other  quantities  than  as  st-ated/ during  de- 
ponents' stay  in  said  prison;  0-h  an^v-erage|i 
at  least  one  day  in  each  t^eek  no  ration  or 
food  whatever  was  given  to  the  prisoners ; 
and  on  thariksgivingaiji  Christmas'  da^s  of 
1864,  no  food  was  gi^en  to  said  prisoners, 
and  the  reason  assigned  that  these  were 
feast  days  for  their  friends  at  home  and 
should  be  made  fast  days  to  them.  During 
the  first  two  or  three  months  of  their  cons.' 
finement  as  above,  deponents  say  that 
water  was  only  given  to  them'  from  resj 
ervoirs  or  cisterns  in  the  prispn  yard,  eon-, 
taining  the  drainings  of  the  yard.  A  very 
great  number  of  the  prisoners  were  so  fee- 
ble and  sick  as  to  be  unable  to  reach  the/ 
sinks  to  relieve  the  wants  of  nature,-  and 
the  filth  and  excrement  deposited  by  tfafese 
men  were  washed  by  the  r^in,  and  that  wa- 
ter drained  into  these  wells  and  cisterns. 
After  the  first  inbnth  the  number  of  welH 
was  increased,  but  the  character  of  Ihef 
water  was  unehanged.-'  Water  was  not  ixai 
nished  in  sufficient  quantities  for  both 
washing  and  drinking,  and  consequently, 
the  great  majority  of  the  men  were  unable 
to  wash  at  all,  either  their  pereons  or  cloth- 
ing. Many  becanle  so  blackened  by  dirfi 
and  smoke  as  not  to  be  distinguishable 
frfim  negroes  except  by  the  color  or  char- 
acter of  their  hair. 

That  there  were  eight  hospitals  in  tha 
yard,  containing  in  all  about  550  patients', 
and  always  full,  and  that  there  'were  al- 
ways more  sick,  and  actually  more  meii 
died  in  the  open  yard  than  in  the  hospitals.; 
The  sick  were  laid  in  these  hospitals  on  tJio 
bare  board  floor,  and  in  one  hospital  on  the 
earthen  floor,  without  bed,-  bedding,  or  cov- 
ering of  any  kind  whatsoever.  To  eatiH 
sick  man  was  issued  daily  rations  of  wheat 
bread  J  of  a  pound,  a  little  rice  soup  once 
each  day,  and  a  little  meat  about  the  size 
of  a  man's  two  fingers  once  a  'week.  l)e-, 
pouent,  Henry  W.  Howard^  further  saj^ 
that  he  was  employed  in  said  hospitals  as  S 
nurse  to  the  sick,  and  has  known  instances 
of  sick  prisoners  being  two  whole  day^ 
without  food  of  an  kind.  Said  Howard 
and  deponent  Watson  further  say,  tlia^ 
they  kept  records  of  deaths  in  the  prison 
during  said  four  months  of  their  stayy  and 
from  these  reoordsj  and  from  information 
d(^jv,ed  from  the  records  of  surgeons  in 
said  liospital,  they  state  that  of  the  ld:,!b60 
prisoners  confined  in  said  prison  in  OdidS 


The  Mnitory  Commission  Bidlet&i. 


1241 


ber,  1864,  over  5,100  died  mainly  -from 
want,  Hungery  and  exposufe,  between  Oc- 
tober, 5,.  1864,  and  February  24,  1865. 

Prisonersi  dying  were  oonimdnly  stripped 
of  their  clothing,  if  it  was  of  any  value 
whatever,  thrown  naked,  and  in  a  miscel- 
laneous pile,  into  a  wagon^.  carted  out  of 
the  yard,  and  thrown,  in  layers  three  or  four 
deep,  into  trenches  five  or  six  feet  in  depth, 
dug  fo*  the  purpose  of  biirial.  Depoiients 
further  say,  that  they  have  and  each  of  them 
has  seen  these  wagons,  full  of  the  dead 
bodies  of  Union  prisoners,  when  hindered  by 
a  rut  or  hole  in  the  road,  relieved  by  throw- 
ing out  the  bodies  of  our  ,men  like  sticks 
of  cord-wood.  / 

Deponents  further  say,  that  about  the 
middle  of  November,  1864;  the  rbbel  au- 
thorities began  efforts  to  induce  the  prison- 
ei's  to  enlist  in  the  rebel  armjr.  The  pro- 
cess was  this :  For  two  or  three'  days  no 
food  was  issued  except  a  pint  of  thin  soup, 
without  bread  or  other  accompaniment. 
On  the  third  day  a  large  box  of  cooked 
meat  and  a  box  Of  white  br^ad  was  placed 
at  the  gate,  within  full  sight  of  the  prison- 
ers, and  the  offer  was  made  by  either  Gen- 
eral York,  Brigadier  General,  0.  S.  A.,  or 
by  Mdjor  Gee,  in  immediate  command  of 
the  pH^on,  or  by  some  other  authorized 
officer^  that  to  each  prisoner  who  Would  en- 
list in  the  rebel  army  one  pound  of  the 
meat  and  one  loaf  of  the  bread  would  be 
given.  Many  men  enlisted  under  this 
temptation,  but  deponents  refused ;  and  on 
such  refusal  deponent  Watson  on  one  occa- 
sion heard  said  Brig.  Gen.  York  state  with 
an  oath  that  it  was  their  intentiqn  to  sta,rve 
said  prisoners  until  they  did  enlist  j  and  on 
another  occasioh,  deponent  Taylor  heard 
said  Major  Gee  make  the  same  statement. 
This  process  was  put  in  force  eight  or  ten 
tiines  during  the  period  of  these  deponents' 
imprisonment,-  and  about  1,500  Union  sol'- 
diers  were  driven  by  their  siiffcrings  so  to 
enlist.  That  on  one  occasion,  fpr  two, whole 
days  no  food  pr  rations  of  any  kind  what- 
ever *ere  issued  to  the  Union  prisoners, 
and  on  tlie  third  day,  which  was,  as  depo- 
nents recollect,  the  2Gth  day  of  December, 
1864,  the  boxes  of  meat  and  bread  were 
agaih  brought  out,  and  the  offer  as  above 
made.  That  under  this  great  pressure,  on 
that  day  five  hundred  or  six  Iiun'drdd  of  the 
said  U^iion  prisoners  did  sqi  cn'fist'in  the 
rebel  army,  and  depfofacfit,-  Ilcfiry  Slate,  says 
that,  driven  by  famioe  and  suffering,  he 
did  so  3ulist  among  thcni,  and  received  the 


bounty  of  two  .loaves  of  bread  and  one 
pound  of  bac'on.  Said  Slate  farther  saysj- 
that  he  nev^r  bore  arms  in  the  rebel  ranks, 
bu]t  was  employed  in  digging  in'the  trench- 
es, and  about  April  10,  1865,  escaped  to 
the  Union  lines. 

Ohas.  a.  Wamoi*,  1st  Sergt.  Co.  E,  iTth  Vt. 

Peebman  D.  Nason,  Sergt.  Co.  G,  11th  Vt. 

Jambs  Ctjsack,  Co.  A,  l?th  Vt. 
his 

Benjahin  X  Hbbbald,  Go.  A,  17th  Yt. 

mark. 
Witness— Gbo.  J.  Sioaed. 
hia 

Geoeoe  X  Tatioe,  Co.  D,  I7th  Vt. 

mark.   , 
Witness — Geo.'J.  Sioaed. 

Georqb  J.  Htjelbt,  Co.  D,.lTtli  Vt. 
Henet  W.  Howaed,  Co.  D,  17th  Vt. 
Henry  Slate,  Co.  D,  iTth  Vt. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me  this 
24th  day  of  June,  A#D.  1865,  at  Head- 
quarters, 17th  Vermont  Vols.,  near  Aletr 
andi*ia,  Va.  James  S.  Peok, 

Adj't  11th  Vt.  VoU. 


SFECIAI.  SELIKF  WOBK  OH  THE  BAIIBOAO 
CABS. 

During  the  past  month  the  Sanitaiy 
Goininission  has  been  rendering  a  most 
valuable  service  through  the  agency  of  ita 
Corps  of  Hospital  Couriers)  who  go  out 
upon  the  evening  express  trains  froia 
Washington  to  minister  to  the  needs  of  the 
disabled  soldiei's  who  may  be  upon  the 
several  ti-ains.  In  the  process  of  I'apid'ly 
discharging  the  inmates  of  the  general  hos- 
pitals there  are  many  men  quite  feeble  and 
helpless  who  start  upon  the  railroad  cars  J 
there  have  been  during  the  four  weeks 
past  ffoni  teii  to  forty  such  men  in  eao!i 
express  train.  The  Hospital  Couriers  of 
the  Commission  are  at  the  railroad  station 
'before  the  cars  leave  to  help  these  feebld 
men  in  obtaining  tieketsj  (if  not  provided 
beforehand,)  and  in  securing  comfortable 
seats;  and  during  the  journey  to  New 
York,  Harrisburgj  Wheeling,  of  wherever 
it,  may  be,  these  sick  soldiers  have  this 
friend  near  them,  marked  by  his  badge, 
whom  they  can  call  upon  for  any  help  thejj: 
need.  At  the' end  of  each  of  the  routes 
assigned  to  these  Hospital  Couriers  respect- 
ively, the  soldiers  are  transferred- to  such 
Relief  Station  or  railroad  train  as  is  fit ;  and 
where  the  case  calls  for  it,  another  Coiilrier 
goes  from  this  given  point  with  anyjolSier 
who  is  too  feeble  to  bo  loft  siniply  to  the 
car  Jbf  his  companions.  The  Hospital  Cou- 
riers *ho  leave  Washington  daily  s6ari 
from  "  The  Home  "  of  the  Sanitary  Com- 


1242 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


SPECIAL  BELIEF  DEFABTMEXT- 

-OOirSOLIDATSD  BEFOBT  OF  EIGHIEEB 

Alabama. 

^6i 

[i 

a 
3 
S 

p 

1 
o 

a 

S 

■S 

a 

3 
7 

t 

a 

6 
1 

6 
2 

g 

391 

60 

i 

i 

i 
1 

1 
1 

i 

'.s 

o> 

1 

a 

2 
4 
2 
1 

1 

1 

a 

s 

a_ 

14 

4 

10 

736 

1 

a 
I 

12 

1 
2 
7 
4 
16 
180 

S 

i 

a 

i 
1 

•g 

a 

a 

a 
1 

5 

£ 

ID 

1 
1 

M 
'3 
ix 

1 

27 
26 
60 
19 
77 
60 
11 

1 

1 

6 

. 

Alexandria,  Va. 
«  Soldiers'  Rest "            

1 

14 

2! 
2 

16 
6 
8 

35 
122 

J.  B.  Holt,  Supt. 
Annapolis. 
^The   Home"                  . 

1... 

9... 
4   2 
2... 

4... 

2 
14 

6 
69 
18 

C.  r.  Howes,  Supt. 
Baltimore. 
"The  Home" 

3 

1 

... 

2 

1 

7 

467 

1 

10 

1 

1 

... 

2 

5 
61 

3 

2 

A.  £.  Hastings,  Supt. 
Boston. 
"Soldiers'  Home,".; 

1...1 

Chas.  E.  Mudge,  Snpt. 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
"Soldiers'  Rest" 

Mrs.  H.  Indevine,  Mat. 
,  Cairo,  lU. 
"Soldiers'  Home," 

3... 

174 

14 

27 
638 

42 

... 

63 

.- 

17 

C.  N.  Shipman,  Supt. 
Camp  KTelson,  Ky. 

Thos.  Butler,  Supt. 
Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Columbus,  Ohio. 
"Soldiers' Home" 14 



4... 

... 

3 

181 
1 
87 
605 
91 
251 
4 

242 

68 

106 



... 

S 

360 

671 

63 

397 

7 

42 

6 

■ 

... 

9 

... 

... 

49 
13 
14 
90 
31 

16 

1 
6 

1,356 
6 
217 
897 
29 
78 
12 

T.  E.  Botsford,  Supt. 
Detroit,  Mich. 
"Soldiers'   Home" 

Luther  Sawtelle,  Supt 
Jeffersouville,  Ind. 
"  Soldiers' Home,". 1 

1 

...   1. 

6... 

... 

... 

128 
763 
48 
66 

67 
90 
41 
82 

23 
9 

33 
115 
19 
34 
2 

61 

6 

2 

14 

2 
3 

10 

23 

48 
31 

1 

28 

1 

167 

4 
6 

Egbert  T.  Smith,  Supt. 
Nashville,  Tenn. 
"  Soldiers'  Home,". 

Jos.  Gillson,  Supt. 
ISew  Orleans,  Iia. 
"Soldiers'  Home," 

N.S.EuUard,  Supt. 
Paducah,'Ky. 
**  Soldiers'  Home," 

46 

E.  D.  Way,  Supt. 
Portsmouth,  Ta. 
"  Soldiers'  Home," 

3... 

... 

... 

... 

3 

6 

29 

2 

3 

153 

... 

Jno:  L.  Alcooke,  Supt. 
'Washington,  D.  C. 
lodge  No.  6..7. 

H.Y.  McPherran,  Supt. 
"The  Home," ., 

3 

5  4 
I  1 

11 

... 

... 

9 

16 

1 

... 

9 

... 

59 
3 

559 

11 
6 

48 

62 
16 

890 

42 

4 

1,793 

12 

... 

e 

21 
3 

87 

21 
9 
67 

246 
40 

... 

44 
8 

J.B.Clark,  Supt. 
"Homo  for  soldiers'  wives  and 
relatives" .' 

J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

l'l8 

10 

3 

1,702 

1,360 

610 

46 

986 

62 

168 

29 

282 

Total 15 

894 

30 

2,863 

•h 

mission,  374  North  Capitol  street,  near  the 
Bailroad  Station,  where  arrangements  can 
be  made  for  the  care  of  any  disabled  soldier, 
discharged  or  furloughed,  who  is-  going 
upon  the  train,  and  where,  likewise,  all  in- 
formation can  be  obtained  concerning  trans- 
portation, hospital  cars,  relief  stations,  &o. 
•  ■ 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
Centbal  Opfiok,  244  P  Street,^ 
Washington,  June  8,  1^. 
^    In  cdDScquencc  of  the  very  large  demand 


made  upon  the  Sanitary  Commission  by  the 
armies  encamped  in  and  abouf  Washing^on,| 
it  has  become  necessary,  for  the  presentj  to 
restrict  our  issues  of  articles  of  clothing  to 
the  sick,  and  to  such  soldiers  as  are  really 
Restitute  and  unable  to  procure  supplies 
through  regular  channels,  by  reason  of  ab- 
sence from  their  commands,  want  of  de-: 
scriptive  lists,  or  other  cause. 

SSQ.  S.  BLATCIli?ORD,* 

General  Secretary. 


The  Sanitary  ■C(mimissmi\  Bulletin. 


1243 


«'  HOMES," 

11 

LODGES,"  AND 

(( 

BESTS," 

FOS 

.  THE  UOITTH  OE  AFBIL,  1865. 

- 

ID 

■g 

a 

6 

i 

i 

> 

.2 
'3 

S 

1 

1 

1 

i 

15 
m 
P 

i 

6 

g 

1 

1 

6 

1 

4 

CD 

TOTAL. 

'  a- 

1 

1 

1 

1 

J 

J 

■s 

! 

, 

P 

58 

'  ao 

4 

2 

2 

190 

43 
62 
25 
16 
9 

29 

•  7 

100 

13 
6 
65 

240 
«2 
§70 
1,614 
162 

1,394 
1,433 
2,696 
1,114 

818 
6,345 

589 

* 

'     963 

.  325 

''  77 
768 

167 

450 

726 
.676 

974 

1«2 
1,160 
1,324 

628 
2,667 
1,368 

160 
3,690 
6,000 
1,200 

490 

1,336 

■  2,141 

1,831 

2,829 

627 

6,84q 

3,431 

2,490 

7,969 

6,160 

1,939 

16,728 

14,743 

7,624 

1,496 

760 
7,723 

1,700 

37 

18 

133 

I 
1 

1 

1 

2 

... 

3 

13 

47 

6 

1 

22 

13 
2 

S 
90 
19 

16 

10 
7 

68 
126 

1 

1 

246 
1,699 

140 
2,237 
1,300 
1,433 
2,557 
1,111 

818 
5,317 

689 
-961 

299 

60 
762 

142 

1,067 

82 

260 

6 

80 
260 

5 

181 

69 

16 

2 

30 
2 

... 

... 

... 

... 

1,211 

38 

6 
254 

... 

...... 

-     10 
1,262 

246 
82 

18 

3 



62 

26 
1,035 

1 
48 

31 

..\ 

66 

2 
4 

... 

12 
7 

18 
248 

63 
101 

' 



138 
3 

2,858 

588 

342 

2,214 

30 

20 

428 

04 

M 

2,552 

238 

8 

.28 

640 

7 

8 

... 

63 
94 

1 

341 

87 
296 
551 
S32 
S21 

■17 

160 

1 

20 

28 



1 

6 

38 

10 
10 



60 

149 

5 

2 
7 

t8 
13 

2 
3 

1 

147 

23 

"17 
6 

20 

10 

5 

135 

52 

2 
1 

16 

1 

... 

9 

1 
17 

11 

72 

2 

13 
2 

3,310 
946 

370 

289 

118 

31 

39 

334 

38 

673 

465 

13 

.- 

692 

1,195 

1,670 

768 

30 

19,618 

364 

396 

20,378 

24,851 

86,266 

7,506 

4,046 

4,137 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Cosnzsrons^os. 

Tlie  Future— letter  from  Dr.  Bellows 1217 

The  Great  Gathering  at  the  Northwest— Letter  from 

Dr.  Parrish.,....; ..;.■- 1222 

Touching  Letter  from  aWisconsin  Soldier 1224 

"What  the  Commission  finds  to  do 1221 

A  False  Charge  Befuted—IjOlter  fromNowhern 1231 

Woman's  GentriJ  Association  of  Belief. ••>  1234 


Cruelty  to  Union  Prisoners— Extracts  from  Beport 

of  F.  N.  ISnapp,  Superintendent  of  Special  Belief.  1225 
Sown  the  Mississippi,  by  Bussel  Hodge 1233 

Miscellaneous. 
Work  for  the  Soldiers ,. 1220 


An  Example  to  bo  Followed i 1221 

Flag  Quilts _.r..i 1224 

The  Work  of  a  Great  People  (Continued  from  No.  88) 
.^Diseases  in  Different  Parts  of  the  Country;  Hos- 
pital .Transports  ;  Medical  Publications  of  the  San- 
itary Commission;  The  "Cuisine"  of  the  Gamp 

Flying  Hospitals 1227 

Bureau  of  Information  and  Employment : 1235 

Bebel  Barbarity ■„. 1240 

Special  Belief  Work  on  the  Bailroad  Cars 1241 

Consolidated  Beport  of  Eighteen  Homes  fbr  April, 

1866....; „,. 1242 

Issues  of  Clothing...... .' 1242 

( 
Editoeial. 

The  Close 1234 

The  Kecoid  of  the  Cpmmissioa ,...„ .„.,«>>«  U39 


1244 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin,'. 


TIE  U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  o^  War  in  June', 
1861,  in  accordance  with  thei  recommendation  of 
the  Surgeon  General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
and  its  appointment  dnd  plan  of  organization 
were  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States. ,  Its  present  organization  ^is  aa  follows  : 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.  D.,  New  Tork. 
A.  D.  Baohe,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0. 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  California. 
George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  Totk. 
Elisha  Harris,  M.  D.,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.  D.,  New  York. 
Wulcott  Gibbs,  VL.  D.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.  D.,  Boston,  Mass. 
0.  R.  Agnew,  M.  D.,  New  York. 
J.  8.  Newberry,  M.  D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Bt.  Rev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Providence,  B.  I. 
Hon.  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI. 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  C, 
Horace  Biuney;  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Bev»  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass, 
Charles  J.  StilM,  Philad^elphia,  Penn. 
Ezrit  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  HI. 

orrioEKB. 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.  D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL.  D.,  Vice-President. 
Geo.  T.  Strongj  Treasurer. 
Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  General  Secretary, 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.  D.,  Associate  Secretary, 

STANDIirO  COMMIIIEB, 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.  D.  Geo,  T.  Strong, 
Wm.  H.VanBuren,M.D.  Wolcott  Gibbs,  M,  D. 
0.  R.  Agnew,  M.  D.        Charles  J.  StilW, 


U.  S.  SANlTAfiT  COMMISSIOH, 

BXTBiSAU  OP  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 

CeiOrdl  Offm,  244  F  Sti'td,  WasTiingUm,  D.  O. 

This  Bureau  is  established  with  the  following 
objects : 

1.  To  aid  those  who  have  served  in  the  Army 
and  Navy  of  the  United  States  in  obtaining  em- 
pipy  men  t.  • 

2.  To  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  necessity 
for  costly  charitable  institutions,  by  thus  encour- 
aging; industry,  and  aiding  £he  disabled  soldier, 
who  might  otherwise  seek  an  asylum,  to  strive 
for  self-support. 

3.  To  lessen  the  pauperism  and  crime  necessa- 
rily more  or  less  a  consequence  of  war,  and  Which 
surely  attend  on  large  numbers  of  unoccupied 
njen  left  to  themselves  without  employment  or 
means  of  subsistence. 

4.  To  save  to  the  country  a  large  amount  of 
productive  labor,  at  a  time  when  it  can  least 
afford  to  maintain  idlfe  hands. 

The  services  of  the  iBureau  are  given  gratui- 
tously. 

Information  and  suggestions  are  solicilid  rela- 
tive lo  employments  adapted  to  maimed  and  dis- 
abled men.  Employers  are  earnestly  requested 
to  make  application  to  this  Bureau  for  every 


class  of  labor ;  and  are  reminded  that  our  Army 
and  Navy  have; contained  many  of  fhe  best  and 
most  trustworthy  young  men  of  the  naition— 
sMUed  in  every  ooouplation. 

It  is  demanded  by  both  patriotism  and  human- 
ity, that  the  light  occupations  of  all  towns,  and 
whatever  work  can  be  as  well  done  by  invalid 
soldiers  as  by  others,  be  given  to  the  men  who 
may  have  incapacitated  themselves  for  rivalry  in 
more  active  and  laborious  fields  of  duty,  by  giv- 
ing their  limbs,  their  health,  and  their  blood  to 
the  nation. 


U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSIOl* 


jro  ca^uGEFon.  sEnvicEs, 


This  Agency  is  established  to  ptoseetitoi  the 
claims  of  those  who  have  been  in  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  in  the  Army  and  Navy,  and 
their  dependents,  for  Pensions,  Arrears  of  pay, 
Bounty,  Prize-Money,  and  all  other  Army  and 
Navy  claims  on  the  Government,  WITEO  UH 
CSAnaE  OB  EXPENSE  OF  ANT  KIND 
WHATEVER  TO  TEE  CLAIMANT. 

CENTRAL  OFFICE,  244  F  SV., 

WA8SINGT0N,  D.  Q. 

DARIUS  FORBES, 

Oeneral  Agai^' 

LOOAL  AaKNOIESl 

Albany,  N.  Y.;  McClure  &  Miller. 

Amity,  Penn.;  J.  D.  Huston,  P.  M. 

Augusta,  Me.;  Joseph  Burton, 

Adrian,  Mich.;  0.  E.  Barstow. 

Alton,  111.;  James  Newman. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.;  Dr.  Joseph  A.  Peters,  29  Niag- 

ara  street. 
Boston,  Mass.;  Francis  S.  Dyer,  SSJ  Summer  st. 
Baltimore,  Md.;  Col.  J.  P.  Greager,  658  West 

Baltimore  street. 
Buoksport,  Me.;  J.  Edward  Sherman* 
Bridgeport,  Conn.;  Andrew  Grogan, 
Bangor,  Me.;  Ruel  Smith. 
Bowling  Green,  Ky.;  B.  P.  Kianard. 
Burlington,  Iowa ;  J.  P.  Brown. 
Bratlleboro',  Vt.;  Geo.  H.  Bailey, 
Burlington,  Vt.;  A.  J.  Howard, 
Corinna,  Me.;  Freeman  Knowles. 
Chicago,  111.;  M.  D.  Bartlett. 
Cleveland,  0.;  Wm.  H.  Gaylord. 
Carbondale,  Penn,;  D.  W.  Lathropes 
Concord,  N.  H.;  Samuel  C.  Eastman, 
Chittijothe,  Ohio;  Thaddeus  M.  MinshalU 
Dubuque,  Iowa ;  E.  S.  Norris. 
Des  M-oin'es,  Iowa;  Geo.  P.  Abel. 
Davenport,  Iowa ;  Charles  H.  Kent 


Th  SmUary  Commission  BuUetin. 


1246 


jpayton,  Ohio;  Eob^rt  BrundrStt. 

Detroit,  Mich.  jVWm.  Jenuison,  Jr.  ' 

Elmira,  N.  Y,;  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Stuart. 

;Erie,  Penn.;  A.  J.  Foster. 

EvansTillis,  Iiid.";  Charles  E.  Marsh.  ■ 

J'reehold,  N.  J.;  Acton,  C.  Hartshorn. 

Fond,  du  Lao,  Wis,;  If.  C.  Gri^n. 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind.;  David  P.  Whedon. 

Hampton,  N.  Y.;  H.  C.  Broughton. 

Harnsburg,  Penn.;.  Dewitt&  Snodgrass. 

Hartford,  Conn.;  Richard  W.  Roberts. 

Indianapolis,  Ind.;  Temple  C.  Harrison. 

Levant,  Me.;  T.  H.  Wiggin. 

Lenox,  N.  Y.;  R.  H.  W.  Bruce. 

Ludlowville,  N.  Y.;  ^Tohn  Ludlow. 

Louisville,  Ky.;  John  Brown. 

Lafayette,  Ind.;  Taylor  &,  WaAson. 

La  Crosse,'  W^^-!  Stogdill  &  Daniels. 
Xi  Porte,  Ind.;  Wm.  Andrew. 
Lowell,  Mass.;'  N.  D.  A.  Sawyer. 
Meadville,  Penn.;  D.  C.  McCoy. 
Milwaukee,  Wis.;  Wm.  G.  Whipple. 
Madison  City,  III;  David  6.  Phillips. 
Manchester,  N.  H.;  Cyrus  A.  SuUoway. 
Montpfilier,  Vt.;  D.  L.  Fuller.    . 
Madison,  Wis.;  Buel  E.  Hutchinson. 
Marietta,  Ohio ;  Geo.  M.  Woodbridge. 
New  Orleans,  La.;  C  W.  Seaton,  96  Julia  street. 
New  YoTk,  N.  Y.;  Henry  Greenfield,  35  Cham- 
-     bersst. 

Newburgh,  Me.;  Ariel  Kelly. 
Ncponset,  Mass.;  Thos.  Temple. 
New  Haven,  Conn.;  Francis, M.  Lovej'oy. 
New  London,  Conn.;  Chas.  M.  Wilcox.' 
New  Bedford,  Mass.;  Wm.  Almy. 
Paris,  Me.;  William  A.  Pidgeosn. 
Portland,  Me.:  W.  H.  Fessehden. 
Providence,  E.  I.;  William  E.  Walker. 
Peoria  City,  111.;  Chauncey  Nye. 
PortsmouM,  N.  H.;  Sullivan  Holman. 
Platt'iburgh,  N.  Y.;  Oren  C.  Gregg.       ^ 
Quincy,  111.;  Henry  A.  Castle. 
Eochester,  N.  Y.;  Dr.  Austin  Mandeville,  Room 

No.  5,  Corinthian  Hall  Building. 
Hutland,,  Vt.;  James  E.  Porter. 
Jlichmond,  Ind.;  Lewis  D.  Stubbs. 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.;  Silas  F.  Smith. 
St.  Paul's,  Minn.;  Col.  John  Peller. 
Springfield,  Me;;  A.  D.  Clarke. 
Spencer,  N.  Y.;  C.  W.  Bradley. 
Shippensbarg,  P.a.;  D.  W.  Thrush. 
Springfield,  Mass.;  Lewis  A.  Tifft. 
Troy,  N.  Y.;  B.,  H.  Hall. 
Trenton,  N.  J.;  D.  C.  Allinson. 
Terre  Haute,  Ind.;  Tliomas  C.  Bailey. 
Willcesbafre,  I'a.;  Hubbard  B.  Payne. 
Worcestef,  Ma.-is.;  John  A.  Lovell. 
Watertowu,  Wis!;  Calvin  B. 'Skinner. 
Wilmington,  Del.;^  Levi  C.  Bird. 
Zanesville,  0.;  David  Hull. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

F.  N.  K.vArp,  Snpt.,  WashinRton,  U.  C.    ' 
J.  B.  Abbott,  Chief  Asst.,  Washington,  D.  0. 
"SOLmERS'  HOMES"  AND  "LODGES." 
[OnjECTS.     Temporary  aid  and  protection, — 
food,  lodging,  care,  &c., — for  soldiers  in  transitu, 
chiefly  the. discharged,  disable^,  and  furloughed.] 


Alexandria,  Va.  "  AibxandeiaLodgb." 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  £!tation.  J.  B. 
Holt,  Suporlntpndent. 

Annapolis,  Md.  "  Home  fob  Soldibbb' 
Wives  and  Mothbks."  Mrs.  Hopes  Sayrea, 
Matron.  ' 

Baltimore,  Md.  "Soldiees'  Home."  No. 
62  Conway  Street.     A.  E.  Hastjngs,  Supt. 

"  Soldiers' Lodge."  Opposite  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington,  and  Baltimore  Railroad '  Station. 
,  Superintendent. 

Boston,  Mass.  "  Soldiees'  Home."  No, 
1Q  Kingston'  street.  Charles  F.  Mudge,  Supt., 
near  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad  Depot. 

BufEklO,  N.  Y.  "  Soldiees'  Rest."  Ex- 
change street,  opposite  Central  Railroad  Depot. 
Mrs.  H.  Inderine,  Matron. 

Cairo, IlL  " Soldiees' Home."  C.N. Ship- 
man,  Superintendent. 

Camp  Nelson,  Ky.  "Soldiees'  Home." 
Thomas  Butler,  Superintendent. 

Cincinnati,  O.  "  Ssldiees'  Home."  Third 
street.     Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Supt. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  '''Soldiees'  Bomb." 
Joseph  Jerome,^Superintendent. 

Columbus,  Obio. ,  "  Soldiees'  HdiE." 
T.  E.  Botsford,  Superintendeiit. 

Detroit,  Michigan.  "  Soldiees'  Home." 
No.  81  Jefferson  Avenue. 

Harrisburg,  Pa.  Near  the  Railroad  De- 
pot. "  Soldiees' LoiiGE,"    W.  H.  Hadley,  Supt. 

Hartford,  Ct.  "  Soldiers'  Lodqb."  Near 
Railroad  Depot.     0.  B.  Segir,  Superintendent. 

Jeffersonville,  Indiana.  "  Soldiers' 
Home."  New  Market  street,  near  the  Depot.  E. 
T.  Smith,  Superintendent. 

Iiouisville,  Ky.  "Soidiees'  Home."  V. 
Scott;  Superintendent. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  "Soldiers'  Lodob." 
Near  landing.  0.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent 
and  Reli'ef  Agent. 

Nashville,  Tenn;  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
Captain  I.  Brayton,  Superintendent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  -"  Soldiees'  Home." 
Corner  Magazine  and  Julia  streets.  Sumnei 
BuUard,  Superintendeht. 

New  York  City.  "  Disoharoed  Soldiees' 
Home."  No.  45  Grove  street,  near  Blecker. 
Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Superintendent. 

Faducah  Ky.  ",Soi.pis,b;.s'  Home."  E.  D, 
Way,  Superintendent. 

Portsmouth,  Va.  .  "Soldikbs'  Home.' 
John  Alcooke,  Superintendent. 

FhiMdelphia,  Pa.  "Soldiees'  Lodge.'" 
Corner  13th  and  Christian  streets,  near  Phila- 
delphia, Wilmington,  and  Baltimore  Railroad 
Depot.    Col.  C.  E.  Soest,  Supt. 

Bichmond,  Va.  "Soldiers'  Home."  Geo. 
T.  Williams,  Superintendent. 

Washington,  D.  C:  "  The  Home."  Nb. 
374  North  Capitol  street.     J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  Home  for  SpLMEEs'  Wives  and  Mothers." 
No.  330  North  Capitol  street.  J.  B.Clark,  Supt. 

"LodoeNo.4,"  No.  389  H  street.  -, ,Supt. 

"  LopaE  No.  5."  Maryland  At.,  near  Wash- 
.ington  &  Alexandrla,R.R.    Station.  Supt. 

"  Lodge  No.  6  "  Foot  of  Sixth  street.  Hpw- 
ard  McPherraa,  Superintendent. 


1246 


7%e  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


"Wilmington,  N.  C.  "eoLoiEBs'  Lodge." 
Market  street.     F.  B.  Foster,  Supt. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  OFFICES. 

[Objects. — To  give  aid  in  procuring  pay,  pen- 
sions, bounty,  prize  money,  arrears  of  pay  and 
bounty,  and  other  claims  upon  government.  To 
supply  clothing,  hospital  delioacies,  crutches, 
&c.  To  give  transportation,  information,  &c.] 
^.Alexandria,  Va.  OiBce  in  Soldiers'  Lodge. 
Orange  and  Alexandria  BailroaU  Station.  J.  B. 
Holt,  Agent. 

Annapolis,  Md.  Office  of  United  States 
Saiiitary  Commission.     W.  H.  Holstein,  Agent. 

^Baltimore,  Md.  United  states  Sanitary, 
Commission,  No.  288  West  Baltimore  street.  J. 
T.  Pancost,  Agent. 

Boston,  Mass.  United  Stfites  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, No.  76  Kingston  street. 

Buffalo,  TS.  T.  Branch  United  States  San- 
itary Commission,  Adams'  Block,  No.  209  Wash- 
ington street. 

Cairo,  111.  Office  in  "  Soldiers'  Home."  C. 
K.  Shipman,  Agent. 

Camp  Nelsonj  Ky.  Office  in  "Soldiers* 
Home."    Thomas  Butler,  Agent. 

Chattanooga,  Tenn.  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

Chicago,  111.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  streets. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  Branch  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission. 

Detroit,  Mich.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  32  Lamed  street. 

Dubuque,  la.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.    Hefv.  E.  S.  Morris,  Agent. 

Harristaurg,  Penn.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Lodge."    W.  H.  Hadley,  Agent. 

JeflFersonville,  Ind.    Office  in  "  Soldiers'  ^ 
Home,"  New  Market  street,  near  railroad  depot. 
E,  T.  Smith,  Agent. 

Knoxville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Leavenworth,  Kansas.  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.     J.  R.  Brown,  Agent. 

Louisville,  Ky.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  Fifth  street. 

Memphis,  Tenn;  Office  in  "Soldiers'' 
Lodge,"  near  landing.     C.  W.  Christy,  Agent. 

Milwaukie,  Wis.    Mrs.  Colt. 

Nashville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.     E.  Root,  Agent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  Special  Relief  Office, 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  No.  96  Julia 
street,     0.  C.  Bullard,  Agent. 

New  York  City,  N.  Y.  "  Special  Relief 
Office,''  Cooper  Union,  No.  10  Third  Avenue. 
Mrs.  W.  P.  Griffin,  Chairman  Special  Relief 
Committee. 

Paducah,  Ky.  Office  in  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
E.  D.  Way,  Agent. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  United  states  Sanitary 
Commission,  130T  Chestnut  street,  third  story, 
back.    Colonel  Soest,  Agent. 

Portsmouth,  Va.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Home."    John  Alcooke,  Agent. 

Vicksburg,  Miss.  United  Slates  Sanitary 
Commission.    J.  0.  Brown. 


Washington,  D.  C  •"  Special  Relief  Of- 
fice," No.  389  H  street,  between  13th  and  14th 
streets.     J.  B.  Abbott,  Chief  Assistant. 

Wheeling,  Va.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  au- 
thority of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points — at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed  to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
without  reference  to  States  or  localities,  but  simj 
ply  to  their  relative  necessity  for  assistance,  are 
invited  to  send  their  offerings  : 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE   EASt 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OP  COLLECTIOIT. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  18  West  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Nos.  10  &  11  Cooper  Union, 
'New  York. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  State  House,  New  Haven,  Ct. 
U.  Si  San.  Com.,  1307  Chestnut  st.,  Philada. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTKIBUTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  244  F  st.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Camp  Distribution,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com^  288  W.  Bait,  st.,  Bait.,  Md. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Harper's  Ferry,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Annapolis,  Md. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Newbern,  N.  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  New  Orleans,  La. 

Temporary  Depots  for  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  time  as  necessities  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  OF  COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  sts., 
Cincinnati,  0. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  95  Bank  St.,  Cleveland,  0. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  66  Madison  St.,  ChicagOi 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  2  Adams'  Block,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  59  Fourth  st.,  Pitts- 
burgh, Penna. 

~U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  32  Lamed  st.,  Detroit, 
Mich. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Fifth  st.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  the  means  of  sustaining  its  opera- 
tions. Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solic- 
ited, and  may  be  transmitted  to  Geo.  X^  Strong, 
Esq.,  Treasurer,  68  Wall  street,  N.  Y. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1247 


PROTECTIVE 

OF   THE 

TJ.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
OPFICE  35  CHAMBEBS  STBEET, 

NKIV    TOHK. 

Peesident. 

Lieut.  Gbh.  WINPIELD  SCOTT. 

Viob-Pbesidbnts. 

Hon.  Hamilton  Fisk,     Admikai  Ditpont, 

John  J.  Cisoo,  Esq.,       Rud.  A.  WixTHAns, Esq. 

TbEASUBBB. ROBEBT  B.  MiNTUBN,  EsQ. 

DiBEOTOES. 

Hens.  E.  D.  Moboan,     Howaed  Pottbb, 

Geoeqe  Opdtke,  William  E.  Dodge,  Je., 
HiEAM  Baeney,    Theodoee  Roosevelt, 
Jas.W.Bbekman,  Petee  Coopeb, 
H.  W.  Bellows,  D.  D.,  Geoere  Banoeoft, 
John  Jacob  Astob,         Daniel  Lobd, 
James  Beown,  Wilson  G-.  Hunt, 

Wm.  H  Aspinwall,        Robert  L.  Stdaet, 
James  Gallatin,  Alfeed  Fell. 

Apply,  in  person  or  by  letter,  to 

HENRY  GREENFIELD,  Secretary, 

35  Chambers  steeet,  New  York. 
OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 
\st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  without  cost  to  the  claimant. 


2d.  To  protect  soldiers  or  tailori  and  their  fami- 
lies from  impostwre  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
against  the  Government. 

4th.  To  give  gratMous  advice  and  information  te 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 

PROTECTIVE 

Wat  mim  m&  ^tmlm  ^pm 

OF  THE 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION.  ' 
Office  No.  1307  Chestnut  Street,  FhiladelpMa. 
All  t^e  papers  and  correspondence  required 
to  procure  Pensions,  Bounty  and  Back  Pay,  and 
Prize  Money  for  discharged  soldiers  and  Bailors, 
and  for  the  relatives  of  soldiers  and  sailors  dying 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  prepared  and 
forwarded,  and  the  proceeds  of  all  clainis,  when 
collected,  remitted  to  the  parties  entitled, /««  q/ 
charge. 

BOARD  OF  dIrEOIOES. 

WILLIAM  M.  TILGHMAN,  Chairmaih 

HOEAOE  BiNNBT,  Je.,    RoBEET  M.  LeWIS, 

Alexander  Bbown,         ~ 
Hon.  J.  ClabkHabe, 
William  Welch, 
William  L.  Rehn, 
Geoeqe  Teott, 


Geoboe  M.  Conaebob,- 
Charles  J.  Stille, 
Geobqe  D.«PaBEI8H, 

H.  Lenox  Hodoe,  M.  D., 
Atheeton  Bli(3ht. 

H.  Lenox  Hodse,  M.  D.,  Examining  Surgeon. 

Edwaed  a.  Smith,  M.  D.,  Assistant  Surgeon. 

W.  N.  Ashman,  Solicitor. 

Sas.  W.  Hazlehuest,  Assistant  Solicitor, 


BRANCH 


NEW  YORK. 


JPHIIiADEXiPHIA: 

Important  InfoJiiiatioii  for  Soldiers  and  Sailors  who  have  lost  Limbs, 


BOSTON,  Mass. 


The  "  Palueb"  Arm  and  Leo  are  now  famished  for  the  mntilated  heroes  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  I  ^ave  tlie 
pleasure  of  presenting  extracts  from  offlcial  letters  &om  the  Surgeon-General,  which  will  gratify  numerous  applicants^ 
who,  in  the  past,  have  been  led  to  believe  that  they  must  accept  an  inferior  limb,  or  hare  no  aid  from  Government. 

Surgeon-General's  Opfioe, 
Washington  Citt,  D.  C,  Dec.  12,1863. 
Sir  : — The  Board  of  Medical  OfScers  assembled  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  the  different 
models  submitted  to  them  for  an  Artificial  Arm,  having  reported         *  *  *  **  *  #  • 

In  compliance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  Board,  when  a  Soldier  Tnay  desire  to.^rchase  "  the  Trim's  elegant  and  ea^ensivt 
arm  of  FiUmer,"  fifty  dollars-willbe  allowed  towards paym£nt  for  the  same. 

By  order  of  the  Acting  Surgeon-General.  O.H.  CBANE,  Surgeon  U.  S.  A, 

Surgeon-General's  Oveich, 
Washington  Citt,  D.  C,  Sep.  20, 1864.* 
Sir  : — In  ajiswer  to  your  letter  of  the  1st  Inst.,  I  am  directed  to  inform  you,  that  the  Report  and  recommendation  of 
the  Medical  Board  recently  assembled  in  New  York,  to  examine  samples  and  models  of  Artificial  liimbs,  is  not  designed  to 
supersede  the  recommendation  of  the  former  Board,  so  far  as  regards  the  I/imSs  manufactivred  hy  you. 
Tery  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  by  order  of  the  Surgeon-General, 

W.  C.  SPENCER,  Assistant  Surgeon  XT.  8.  A, 
To  B.  FRANK.  PALMER,  XL.D.,  744  Broadway^  New  Torh. 


The  B-est  PALMER  LEG  is  furnished  THE  SOLDIER  FREE. 

The  Best  PALMER  ARM,  for  a  SMALL  ADVAITCE. 
V  The  Best  LINGO LM"  "GOVERNMENT"  ARM,  FREE, 

Prices  of  the  PALMER  LIMBS  not  raised  to  OPPICERS  and  CIVILIANS. 
Ipply  in  person,  or  by  letter,  at  either  of  the  offices.    Address 

B.  FRASTZE.  FAJblMEBB.,  L£.D., 

President  American  Artificial  lAmh  Co. 


1248  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Adapted  to  every  brancli  of  business* 

MANUFACTDEED  ONLY  ?Y  THE 'ORIGINAL  INVENTORS, 

E.  &  T.  FAIEBANKS  &  CO.,  ST.  JOHNSBURT,  VERMONT. 

PRIN.CIPAL  WAREHOUSES : 
FAIRBANKS  &  .OO.j  Wo.  853  Broad-n-ay,  Ke-w  York. 
FAIRBANKS  &  BROTVN,  No.  118  JUllk  Street,'  Boston. 
FAIRBANKS,  GREXiNIiBAF  Si  CO.,  No.  ITS  Iiake  Street,  Chlcaso. 
FAIRBANKS  &  EWING,  Masonic  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
FAIRBANKS  &,  CO.,  No.  iSlG  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore. 

Descriptive  Cfirculars  furnished  or  mailed  to  any  address,  oti  jppKooiion  to  either  of  the  aliove. 

ESTABLISHED  i860. 

486  BROADWAY  and  441  BROOME  ST. 


OF  THE  MOST  APPROVED  MAKE,  SUCH  AS  THE 

CiROTER  &  BAKER, 

WIi:.€OX  &  GIBBS, 

A.  B.  ElOWE, 

SIITGER  AND  OTHERS. 

TO  le/EIsTT  .AISTJD  iFOK/  SA.LE], 

%t  MANUFACTURERS'  PRICES,  and  with  the  same  privileges.    Inatruotion  THOROUGH  and 

gratis,  at  the 

IS.  Y«  iEWIHi  IffiaOMSliE  EilFimyil, 

Corner  Broadway  and  Broome  St.,  New  York. 

V.  W,  WIOKES,  Jr.,  Proprietor, 

486  JBroddway,  U^  Stairs^ 


THE 

SANITARY      COMMISSION 
BULLETIN. 

No.  40.       •     WASHINGTON",  D.  C,  AUGUST  1,  1865:  No.  40. 


The  Sanitaby  Cohuission  Bulletin  is  published  on  the  first' of  every  month,  and  as  it  has  a  eircw 
lotion,  grdtuitous  or  other,  of  above  15,000  copies,  it  offers  an  unusually  valuable  medium  for  hdvertising. 

All  communications  must  be  addressed  to  the  Editor,  at  the  Central  Office,  244  F  street,  Washington, 
D.  C,  and  must  be  authenticated  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers.  -^ 

As  the  continuance  of  the  publication  of  the  B'DLLE;riN  is  uncertain,  depending  on  that  of  the  war,  and 
on  the  resources  of  the  XT,  8.  Sanitary  Commission — the  Standing  Committee  feels  a  certain  degree  of  re- 
luctance to  solicit  subscriptions  for  it — and  thereby  to  pledge  the  Commission  to  its  isfue  for  a  definite 
period. 

The  Committee  understand,  however,  that  some  of  their  friends  to  whom  it  is  now  sent  gratuitously  ex- 
press a  wish  to  pay  for  itj  and  they  therefore  give  notice  that  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  remitted  to  the 
Treasurer,  (G.  T.  Steonq,  68  Wall  street,  New  York,  or  244  F  street,  Washington,  D.  0.,)  will 
secure  its  being  sent  to  such  contributor  during  the  remainder  of  the  current  year,  unless  its  publication  be 
sooner  discontinued. 


GOOD  WOEDS  OF  GEEAT  MEN. 


PRESIDENT  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. . 
.  The  S^nitaTy  Commission  is  doing  a  work  of 
great  humanity,  and  of  direct  practical  valne  to 
the  nation  in  this  time  of  its  trial.  It  is  enti- 
tled to  the  gratitude  and  the  confidence  of  the 
people,  and  I  trust  it  will  be  generously  sup- 
ported. There  is  no  agency  through  which 
voluntary  offerings  of  patriotism  can  be  more 
effectively  made. 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  SALMON  P.  CHASE. 
What  age  before  this  age,  and  what  country 
besides  our  country,  ever  witnessed  such  an  or- 
ganization as  that  of  the  Sanitary  Commission? 
What  needs  have  been  supplied ;  what  wants  re- 
lieved ;  what  wounds  healed ;  what  evils  averted, 
by  the  activity,  wisdom,  and  unflagging  zeal  of 
this  admirable  organization,  fostered  and  sus- 
tained by  the  people,  and  recpguized  and  aided 
by  the  Government. 


U.  S.  Sanitakt  Commission, 
Centkal  Office, 
Washington,  D.  C,  July  4,  1865. 
To  the  Branches  and  Aid  Societies  tributary  to  the 
Sanitary  Commission : 

In  a  circular  (No.  90)  issued  from  this 
office  May  15,  last,  you  were  called  on  to 
continue  your  labors  in  collecting  and  pro- 
,  viding  supplies  up  to  the  present  date. 
Tor  the  alacrity  you  have  shown  in  com- 
plying with  this  request,  under  circum- 
VoL.1.  No.  40.  79  . 


stances  so  unfavorable  to  zeal,  we  tender 
you  special  thanks.  Tour  continued  sup- 
port has  enabled  us  to  extend  a  generous 
assistance  to  our  armies  gathered  at  Wasli»- 
ington  and  Louisville,  and  elsewhere,  before 
being  finally  mustered  out  of  serviee. 
When  you  have  forwarded  to  our  Keeeiv- 
ing  Depots  such  supplies  as  youimay.  now 
have  in  hand,  we  hope  to  find  our  store- 
houses sufficiently  recruited  to  meet  all  re- 
maining wants  of  the  service.  In  the  East- 
ern Department  our  work  of  supply  is  sub- 
stantially done,  with  the  excepti6n  of  a 
limited  service  still*  required  in  the  De- 
partment of  Washington. 

In  the  Western  Department  it  may  con- 
tinue, on  a  very  diminished  scale,  a  couple 
of  months  longer.  In  Texas  and  the  De- 
partment of  the  Grulf  the  supply  service 
may  possibly  last  all  summer.  Butj  by 
economy  of  our  stores  in  hand,  we  feel 
authorized  to  say  that  after  collecting  what 
is  already  in  esiistence  we  shall  be  able  to 
meet  all  just  demands  made  upon  us.  We, 
therefore,  in  accordance  with  our  promise, 
notify  our  Branches  that  their  labors  in 
collecting  supplies  for  us  may  finally  cease 
with  this  date.  We  shall  make  no  further 
requisitions  upon  them,  except  in  regard  to 
supplies  already  in  their  hands. 
.We  hope  our  Branches  will  use  all  dill- 


1250 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulktin. 


gence  in  forwarding  to  our  Receiving  De- 
pots, through  the  accustomed  channels, 
whatever  stofes  may  reach  them,  from  their 
Aid  Societies,  or  any  they  have  in  hand. 

All  balances  in  cash  left  in  the  Branch 
treasuries,  after  settling  up  their  local 
affairs,  will  be  forwarded  to  Geo.  T  Strong, 
Esq.,  Treasurer  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission.        •  *• 

So  far  as  any  of  our  Branches  are  en- 
gaged in  other  portions  of  our  work  than 
in  collecting  and  forwarding  supplies,  their 
labors  will  continue  so  long  as  those  of  the 
Commission  itself  last.  But  the  supply 
work  is  over,  and  the  characteristic  labors 
of  the  women  of  the  land,  in  furnishing 
hospital  clothing  and  comforts  for  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers,  are  completed.  Hence- 
forward, during  the  few  months  of  exis- 
tence still  allotted  to  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion to  complete  its  work  of  collecting  the 
pensions  and  back  pay  of  the  soldiers,  in 
which  i±  already  has  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  offices  established,  to  make 
up  its  scientific  record  and  close  up  its 
widely-extended  affairs,  there  will  be  no 
probable  necessity  for  addressing  the  women 
of  the  country,  and  this  circular  may  be 
our  last  opportunity,  until  the  final  Report 
of  the  tlommission  is  made,  of  expre.ising 
the  gratitude  of  the  Board  for  their  patient, 
humane,  and  laborious  devotion  to  our  com- 
riaon  work. 

For  more  than  four  years  the  U.  S.  Sani- 
tary Commission  has  depended  on  its  Bran- 
ches, mainly  directed-  and  controlled  by 
women,  for  keeping  alive  the  interest  in  its 
work  in  all  the  villages  and  homes  of  the 
country ;  for  establishing  and  banding  to- 
gether the  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies  which  in 
thousands  have  sprung  up  and -united  their 
strength   in   our  service.     By   correspon- 

I  dence  and  by  actual  visitation,  as  well  as 
by  a  system  of  canvassing,  you,  at  the  cen- 
tres of  infliienoe,  have  maintained  your 
hold  upon  the  homes  of  the  land,  and  kept 
your  storehouses  and  ours  full  of  their  con- 
tributions. 

By  what  systematic  and  business-like 
devotion  of  your  time  and  talents  you  have 

•  been  able  to  accomplish  this  we  have  been 
studious  and  admiring  observers.  Your 
volunteer  work  has  had  all  the  regularity 
of  paid  labor.  In  a  sense  of  responsibility, 
in  system,  iii  patient  persistency,  in  atten- 
tion to  wearisome  details,  in  a  *iotory  over 
the  fickleness  which  commonly  besets  the 
work  of  volunteers,  you  have  rivalled  the 


discipline,  the  patience,  and  the  courage, 
of  soldiers  in  the  field — soldiers  enlisted 
for  the  war.  Not  seldom,  indeed,  your 
labors,  continued  through  frosts  and  heats, 
and  without  intermission,,  for  years,  have 
broken  down  your  health.  But  your  ranks 
have  always  been  kept  full — and  full,  too, 
of  the  best,  most  capable,  and  noble  women 
in  the  country.  Nor  do  we  suppose  that 
you,  who  have  controlled  and  inspired  our 
Branches,  and  with  whom  it  has  been  our 
happiness  to  be  brought  into-  personal  con- 
tact, are,  because  acting  in  a  larger  sphere, 
more  worthy  of  our  thanks  and  respect  than 
the  women  who  have  maintained  our  vil- 
lage Soldiers'  Aid  Societies.  Indeed,  the 
ever-cheering  burden  of  your  communica- 
tions to  us  has  been  the  praise  and  love  in- 
spired in  you  by  the  devoted  patriotistQj 
the  self-sacrificing  zeal,  of  the  Aid  Socie- 
ties, and  of  their  individual  contributors. 
Through  you  we  have  heard  the -same  glow- 
ing d.nd  tear-moving  tales  of  the  sacrifices 
made  by  humble  hordes  and  hands  in  be- 
half of  our  work,  which  we  so  often  hear 
from  their  comrades,  oi  privates  in  the 
field,  who  throughout  the  war  have  often 
won  the  laurels  their  officers  have  worn,  and 
have  been  animated  by  motives  of  pure 
patriotism,  unmixed  with  hope  of  .promo- 
tion, or  desire  for  recognition  or  praise,  to 
give  their  blood  and  their  lives  for  the 
country  of  their  hearts. 

To  ydu,  and  through  you  to  the  Soldiers' 
Aid  Societies,  and  through  them  to  each 
and  every  contributor  to  our  supplies — to 
every  woman  who  has  sewed  a  seam  or 
knitted  a  stocking  in  the  service  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission — we  now  return  our 
most  sincere  and  hearty  thanks — thanks 
which  are  not  ours  only,  but  those  of  the 
Camps,  the  Hospitals,  the  Transports,  the 
Prisons,  the  Pickets,  and  the  Lines  ;  where 
your  love  and  labor  have  sent  comfort,  pro^ 
tection,  relief,  and  sometimes  life  itself.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  the  Army  of 
women  at  home  has  fully  matched  in  pa- 
triotism and  in  sacrifices  th.e  Army  of  men 
in  the  field.  The  mothers,  sisters,  wives 
and  daughters  of  America  have  been  wor- 
thy of  the  sons,  brothers,  husbands,  and 
fathers  who  were  fighting  their  battles. 
After  having  contributed  their  living  trea- 
sures to  the  war,  what  wonder  they  sent  so 
fr,eely  after  them  all  else  that  they  had ! 
And  this  precious  sympathy  between  the 
fire-sides  and  the  camp-fires — between  the 
bayonet  and  the  needle,  the  tanned  cheek 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1251 


and  the  pale  face — has  kept  the  Nation 
one ;  has  carried  the  Homes  into  the  Eanks, 
and  kept  the  Ranks  in  the  Homes,  until  a 
sentiment  of  oneness,  of  irresistible  unanimi- 
ty— in  which  domestic  and  social,  civij  and 
religious,  political  and  military  elements  en- 
tered, qualifying,  strengthening,  enriching, 
and  sanctifying  all — has  at  last  conquered 
all  obstacles,  and  given  us  an  overwhelming, 
a  profound,  and  a  permanent  victory. 

It  has  been  our  precious  privilege  to  be 
your  almoners;  to  manage  and  distribute 
the  stores  you  have  created  and  given  us 
for  the  soldiers  and  sailors.  We  have  tried 
to  do  our  duty  impartially,  diligently,  wisely. 
For  the  means  of  carrying  on  this  vast 
work  which  has  grown  up  in  our  hands, 
keeping  pace  with  the  growing  immensity 
of  the  war,  and  which  we  are  now  about  to 
lay  down,  after  giving  the  American  public 
'  an  account  of  cur  stewardship,  we  are 
chiefly  indebted  to  the  money  created  by, 
the  Fairs,  which  the  American  women  in- 
augurated and  conducted,  and  to  the  sup- 
plies collected  by  you  under  our  organiza- 
tion. To  you,  then,  is  finally  due  the 
largest  part  of  whatever  gratitude  belongs 
to  the  Sanitary  (Jommission.  It  is  as  it 
should  be.  The  soldier  will  return  io  bis 
home  to  thank  his  own  wife,  mother,  sister, 
daughter,  for  so  tenderly  looking  after  him 
in  camp  and  field,  in  hospital  and  prison ; 
and  thus  it  will  be  seen,  that  it  is  the 
homes  of  the  country  which  have  wrought 
out  this  great  salvation,  and  that  the  men 
and  the  women  of  America  have  an  equal 
part  in  its  glory  and  its  joy. 

Invoking  the  blessing  of  God  upon  you 
all,  we  are  gratefully  and  proudly  your 
f«llow-laborerst 

H.  W.  BELLOWS,  President. 
A.  D.  BACHB. 
F.  L.  OLMSTJ®. 
GEORGE  T.  STRONG. 
ELISHA  HABKIS. 
■Vffn.  VAN  BUEEN. 
WOLCOTT  GIBBS. 
S.G.  HOWE. 
0   R.  AGNBW. 
J.  S.  NEWBEERY. 
'  Et.  Rev.  T.  M.  C'LAEK. 
Hon.  E.  W.  BURNETT. 
>■  Hon.  mark  SKIKNEE. 

Hon.  JOSEPH  HOLT. 
HOEAOB  BINNEY. 
J.  HUNTINGTON  WOLCOTT. 
Ret.  J.  H.  "HlEYWOOO. 
OHARLBS  J.  STttLii. 
EZRA  B.  MoCAGG. 
JNO.  S.  BLATCHIORD,  General  Secretary. 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 

Central  Office, 
■Washington,  D.  C,  July  ]6,1865. 
With  the  issue  of  the  accompanying  cir- 
cular, it  is  deemed  important  to  call  the 


earnest  ■attention  of  all  those  co- workers 
who  have  so  faithfully  contributed  to  the 
usefulness  of  the  Commission  during  the 
past  four  years,  to  the  work  of  its  "  Army 
and  Navy  Claim  Agency,"  now  being  pros- 
ecuted by  agencies  established  throughout 
the  loyal  States,  for  the  gratuitous  adjust- 
ment and  collection  of  claims  against  the 
Government,  for  soldiers,  sailors,  and  their 
dependents..  It  is  most  earnestly  desired, 
.that  within  the  next  sixty  days  the  fact  that 
this  enterprise  has  been  inaugurated  may  be 
brought  to  the  knowledge  of,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity of  enjoying  its  benefits  afibrded  to, 
every  soldier  and  soldier's  family  through- 
out the  Union.  To  the  Branches  and  Aid 
Societies  the  Commission  appeals  with  con- 
fidence, to  enlist  their  lively  interest  in  this 
effort.  A  liot  of  the  Local  Agencies  already 
established  by  the  Commission  is  appended.* 
Each  Aid  Sooiefy  should  select  the  names 
of  those  agents  most  accessible  to  the  field 
of  labor,  and  should  direct  in  person,  if 
practicable,  every  claimant  to  such  agent. 
Where  this  cannot  be  accomplrshed,  the 
claimant's  name  and  post-office  address,  and 
the  name,  rank,  company,  regiment,  and 
service  of  the  soldier,  with  the  date  of  his 
discharge  or  death,  should  be  taken,  and  a 
letter  written  at  once  to  the  agent,,  whowill 
return  the  proper  blanks,  with  directions  for 
their  execution. 

These  suggestions  are  simple,  but  if  en- 
ergetically carried  into  operation,  most  val- 
uable results  must  follow. 

This  is  a  work  worthy  of  your  utmost 
zeal  and  energy,  and  in  its  accomplishment 
all  the  appliances  of  the  press,  of  public 
speech,  and  private  effort,  of  the  variou-s  lo- 
cal interests  so  familiar  to  you  all,  should  be 
freely  used. 

Let  but  the  united  activity  of  all  be  exer- 
cised, in  this  enterprise,  and  in  the  future 
it  will  be  rightly  termed  the  crowning  effort 
of  the  Commission's  career  of  beneficence. 
Jno.  S.  Blatohford, 

General  Secretary. 

rOUBTH  ANNTJAL  AND  FINAL  EEPORT  OF 
THE  WOMAN'S  CENTHAL  ASSOCIATION  OF 
BELIEF  FOR  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES,  JULY  4, 1865. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  we  should 
make  this,  our  Final  Eeport,  a  short  History 
of  the  Associatiouj  tracing  its  course  from 
the  time  of  its  organization,  April  29, 1861, 
to  this  4tb  of  July,  1865,  when,  its  work 
being  done,  the  Woman's  Central  Associa- 

*  See  page  127?. 


1252 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bidletin. 


tion  of  Relief  closes  its  career,  and  must  live 
hencefortli  only  in  the  memory  of  its  friends, 
or  as  an  incident  in  the  chronicles  of ■  the 
Great  Rebellion.  But  whatever  may  be 
thought  desirable  hereafter,  in  regard  to 
this  proposition,  we  have  determined  for  the 
present  simply  to  take  up  the  thread  where 
we  left  it  fourteen,  months  a,go,  and,  as  clear- 
ly-and  rapidly  as  possible,  follow  the  course 
of  our  work  from  that  time  to  this,  when 
the  end  of  the  war  has  brought  with  it  the 
end  of  our  work. 

Fourteen  months  ago  to-day,  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  spring  campaiign,  our  gallant 
Army  of  the  Potomac  was  obstinately  fight- 
ing its  way  through  tlje  dense  underbrush, 
in  those  merciless  battles  of  the  Wilderness. 
.May,  with  its  buds  and  blossoms,  its  tender 
green,  and  delicate  wild-flowers,  came  and 
went.  June,  filled  with  the  beauty  of  earth, 
and  air,  and  sky — the  richest  and  loveliest 
month  of  the  year — burst  upon  us  in  all  her 
splendor.  And  still  the  fighting  went  on. 
Five  weeks  passed — six  weeks — seven  long 
weeks.  Was  there  to  be  no  end  to  the  blood- 
shed and  the  suffering,  to  the  anxiety  and 
misery  of  those  days  and  nights  ?  And 
still  that  army,  with  its  face  set  towards 
Richmond,  pressed  on — marching  and  fight- 
ing, fighting  and  marching.  From  the  Rap- 
pahannock to  Spottsylvania  Court  House, 
from  Spottsylvania  to  Cold  Harbor,  from 
Cold  Harbor  to  the  entrenchments  before 
Petersburgh.  "  We  shall  fight  it  out  on  this 
line,  if  it  takes  all  summer,"  said  our  Lieu- 
tenant Greneral,  with  quiet,  determined 
voice.  It  took  all  summer — it  took  all  win- 
ter. Sherman,  who  had  fought  and  march- 
ed his  army  from  the  prairies  to  the  sea, 
was  at  band.  Sheridan,  with  his  cavalry, 
had  swept  down  the  Valley.  The  "  right 
time"  had  come,  and  our  Greneral  gave  the 
signal.  The  assault  was  made.  Peters- 
burgh and  Richmond  were  evacuated  ! 
Lee's  and  Johnston's  armies  were  surrend- 
ered !    The  war  was  over ! 

Since  we  last  addressed  you,  death  has 
again  entered  our  little  circle.  At  the  An- 
nual Meeting  in  May  we  missed  our  Jcind 
•  and  ever-courteous  President  from  his  ac- 
customed seat.  Although  in  his  eighty- 
third  year,  Dr.  Valentine  Mott  was  niost 
punctilious  in  his  attendance  at  our  meet- 
ings and  unfailing  in  his  interes(t  in  our 
work.  To  his  influence  and  active  support 
was  due  much  of  the  public  respect  and 
confidence  shown  towards  this  Association 
at  its  formation.     At  a  recent  meeting  it 


was  resolved  that  the  vacant  office  in  the 
Board,  occasioned  by  his  death,  should  re- 
main iinfilled,  out  of  respect  to  the  memo- 
ry of  our  first  and  only  President. 

During  the  past  year,  or  rather  the  past 
fourteen  months,  there  has  been  but  little 
incident  of  note  in  our  work.  If  we  except 
our  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  Council,  held  in 
this  city  last  November,  the  days  at  otir 
rooms  have  come  ahd  gone  with  almost  un- 
varying sameness.  At  this'  Council,  an 
acceunt  of  which  has  already  been  pub- 
lished in  the  Bulletin,  there  were  215  dele- 
gates-present, representatives  from  Soldiers' 
Aid  Societies  in  New  York,  Connecticut, 
Rhode  Island,  Massachusetts,  Vermont, 
New  Jersey,  Michigan,  and  Canada.  Since 
then,  a  series  of  articles,  addressed  to  you, 
and  published  in  the  Sanitary  Oommission 
Bulletin,  have  kept  you  fully  informed  of 
the  progress  of  our  work. 

In  examining  the  statistical  reports  of 
the  different  Committees,  we  find  some  few 
changes  in  their  work  from  previous  years. 
The  Committee  on  Correspondence  reports 
having  had  in  the  field,  at  different  times, 
nine  Canvassing  Ageiits.  Also,  that  369 
lectures  have  been  delivered  by  these  gentle- 
men'in  the  States  of  New  York  and  Con- 
necticut. We  notice  also,  in  this  connection, 
an  increase  of  138  Contributing  Societies 
over  the  number  reported  a  year  ago.  The 
proposition  made  in  our  -Third  Annual  Re- 
port, to  furnish  those  Auxiliary  Societies 
desiring  it  with  material  at  half-price,  un- 
der certain  restrictions,  has  been  of  mutual 
benefit.  Our  Contributing  Societies  at  pres- 
ent number  813,  not  including  those  send- 
ing through  Centres  of  Collection.  Of 
these,  375  have  availed  themselves  of  this 
offer.  Nearly  one-half  of  the  sum  expended 
for  material  was  furnished  by  the  Aid  Soci- 
eties ;  the  rest  being  given  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission  for  this  purpose,  at  our  re- 
quest. 

For  the  last  few  weeks  the  Special  Relief 
work  has  been  greatly  'increased  by  the  re- 
turning regiments  passing  through  this  city. 
Our  rooms  have  been  thronged  daily  with 
soldiers  in  need  of  clothing.  A  new  feature 
in  this  department  of  work  has  been  the 
systematic  visiting  of  all  the  Military  Hos- 
pitals in  this  city,  and  upon  the  neighbor- 
ing islands,  which  has  been  done  by  our 
Hospital  Visitor — a  lady  who  volunteered 
her  services  for  this  duty.  We  had  before 
this  supplied  these  hospitals  upon  requisi- 
tions of  the  surgeons,  or  through  other 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1253 


trustworthy  agencies.  The  last  report  of 
our  Hospital  Visitor,  sent  in  three  months 
ago,  speaks  of  the  condition  of  these  local 
hospitals  as  exceedingly  satisfactory — b\i£- 
ficiently  so,  it  is  suggested,  to  ipake  th^ 
services  of  a  Hospital  Visitor  no  longer  ne- 
cessary. 

We  ca;ll  your  attention  to  the  Tables  at 
the  end  of  this  Report.  They  contain  a 
Summary  of  the  total  receipts,  distributions, 
and  expenditures,  of  the  Assooiationj  in 
money  and,  supplies,  from  its  organization 
to  the  close  of  its  work.  Also  a  list,  as 
copiplete  as  we  have  been  able  to  make  i<j, 
of  all  places  irom  which  supplies  have  been 
received  during  the  war.  They  number 
1,920. 

In  our  Third  Annual  Report,  we  spoke 
of  ""Homes,"  or  " Sanita,ria,"  which  the 
Sanitary  Commission  proposed  to  establish 
for  our  disabled  soldiers.  After  much  re- 
search and  careful  study  of  the  subject,  the 
Commission  decided  that  the  veiled  ques- 
tion, as  to  whether  these  Homes  were  or 
were  not  needed  by  our  American  soldiery, 
and  to  what  extent,  could  alone  be  deter- 
mined by  actual  experiment.  They  have 
accordingly  opened  a  "  Home  "  in  this  city, 
for  disabled  discharged  soldiers.  It  con- 
tains at  present  only  about  40  inmates,  al- 
though it  has  been  open  two  months.  Our 
latest  information  upon  this  subject  is  de- 
rived from  a  letter  written  by  the  President 
of  the  Commission,  dated  May  26,  from 
which  we  quote: 

"  There  is,  however,  a  classjDf  persons 
made  helpless  by  the  war — some  of  them 
yet  to  develop  the  whole  extent  of  their 
broken  constitutions — who  must  be  made 
comfortable  for  life  in  public  institutions. 
How  numerous  this  class  will  prove  it  is  im- 
possible even  to  conjecture.  It  does  not  in- 
clude all  the  helpless;  because  a  large  pro- 
portion of  them  will  receive  the  tenderest 
care  of  their  own  families,  too  happy  to 
watch  over,  and  protect,  and  solace  them, 
as  they  should  be,  even  though  in  very 
moderate  circumstances.  Let  us  do  noth- 
ing to  discourage  this  noble  pride  of  domes- 
tic independence,  this  sacred  bond  of  con- 
sanguinity. A  large  share  of  the  invalidism 
of  the  war  we  shall  never  hear  of.  Our 
proud  boys  will  hide  theirscars,  and  die 
in  the  sacred  retirement  of  homes  that  will 
not  parade  their  seryic;es  or  their  sorrows ; 
happy  in  having  borne  arid  rendered  botl^, 
This,  too,  is  every  way  to  be  admired  and 
QB<QOuraged.     But  there  are  many  foreign- 


ers who  -have  fought  for  us,  and  have  all 
the  cla^ips  of  natives ;  since  to  mix  their 
blood  with  ours  on  our  battle-fields  makes 
them  our  kindred,  and  "of  one  blood,"  in 
even  a  higher  sense  than  usual.  There  are 
fatherless,  motherless,  homeless  soldiers; 
blind,  consumptive,  limbless  men,  full  of 
sorrows  and  necessiiries,  who  require  an  ab- 
solute and  permanent  asylum.  How  many 
they  will  prove  nobody  can  guess  at  this  mo- 
ment ;  but  some  thousands  in  all.  The  States 
are  already  moving  in  their  behalf.  It  would 
be  much  better  if  the  nation  could  agree  to 
make  four  conveniently-situated  homes  for 
this  class  of  men,  independent  of  State  lines, 
and  either  Federal  or  State  control  or  sup- 
port, where  the.  spontaneous  charity  and 
mercy  of  the  nation  could  maintain  them,  in* 
memory  of  their  service  to  the  Union;  where 
the  State  and  sectional  feeling  should  be 
steadily  withstood,  in  favor  of  a  larger  and 
more  patriotic  sentiment,  and  the  guarantee 
of  private  intelligence,  energy,  and  integr 
rity,  in  their  ordering,  management,  and 
continued  improvement,  he  offered  in  place 
of  the  ofGicial  formalism,  coldness,  and  fixir 
ty,  which  sooner  or  later  cankers  all  insti- 
tutions of  benevolence  passing  into  Govern- 
inent  hands. .  Such  asylums  being  tentative, 
r'eq,uire  flexibility,  should  be  started  on 
a  small  scale,  in  a  temporary  way,  feel  their 
road,  and  gradually  adapt  themselves  to 
their  experience  of  the  wants  of  the  men. 
To  erect  great  edifices,  nipon  any  present 
knowledge  of  what  our  American  life  and 
spirit  requires,  would  be  to  stereotype  our 
ignorance  and  petrify  our  dreams. 

"  The  Nation,  through  some  Board  it  has 
learned  to  trust,  should  take  some  one  or 
more  of  the  cheap  Pavilion  Hospitals  the 
war  has  erected,  and  which  must  soon  be 
in  the  market;  and,^  having  thoroughly 
purged  it^  open  one  or  more  wards  at  a 
ti&e,  testing  the  want,  and  gradually  de- 
veloping the  best  system  for  the  care  and 
comfort  and  happiness  of  the  men ;  making 
the  institutions  in  all  capes  piixed,  so  as  to 
destroy  the  horrid,  deadening  uniformity  of 
classified  asylums,  putting  the  wholly  disa^ 
bled  and  the  partially  disa,bled  together — 
the  blind  and  the  halt-^and  by  the  greatest 
diversity  of  industries,  and  light,  even  if 
useless  employments,  seek  to  keep  up  self- 
respec.t,  driye  off  ennui,  restore  to  society  as 
many  as  possible,  and  make  those  who  can- 
not be  restored  as  little  miserable  as  their 
wretched  circumstances  will  allow.  The 
wan  and  woful  countenances  of  many  blind 


1254 


The  Sanitary  Commission  BuUedri. 


soldiers,  many  lame  and  helpless  ones,  ut- 
ter strangers  to  homes  of  their  own,  have 
already  stamped  an  imajjo  on  my  .mind  of 
their  long,  weary  future  under  the  best  care 
they  cah  possibly  secure,  which  is  full  of 
motive  and  full  of  solicitude." 

With  the  close  of  the  Supply  Depart- 
ment of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  our 
National  vork,  through  this  agency,  ceases. 
But  our  work  for  the  soldier  does  not  cease. 
It  has  only  been  brought  to  our  own  doors 
with  our  returning.veterans,  and  henceforth 
takes  its  place  as  among  the  most  sacred  of 
our  home  duties. 

0  friends  !  On  this  Fourth  of  July,  this 
day  of  our  National  Independence,  which 
now  welcomes  home  those  who  have  fought 
*  and  won  for  us  a  Second  Battle  of  Indepen- 
dence and  Freedom ;  while  flags  are  flying 
and  drums  are  beating,  and  the  air  is  full 
of  rejoicings,  in  double  celebration  of  this 
great  day;  while  our  hearts  are  full  of 
gratitude  to  G-od  for  having  preserved  our 
country  through  such  great  peril,  shall  we 
not  best  prove  our  gratitude  by  pledging 
ourselves  anew  to  "finish  the  work  we  have 
so  well  begun  ?  Our  soldiers  have  not 
faltered.  They  have  fought  the  four  years' 
fight  through  to  the  end.  Nor  have  we 
faltered.  The  loyal  women  of  America 
have  been  equally  true  to  the  cause,  equally 
faithful  to  their  work,  through  these  long 
'  years  of  anxiety  and  toil.  They  knew  that 
peace  would  coine  with  the  triumph  of  the 
right.  Peace  has  coine;  the  right  has 
triumphed.  The  war  is  over,  and  our  sons 
an^  brothers  are  returtiing  to  us.  But,  in 
the  midst  of  our  rejoicings,  let  us  remem- 
ber those  whose  sons  and  brothers  will 
never  return  to  them,  with  whom  the  war 
will  nev.er  be  over.  Let  us  remember  those 
who  come  back  to  us,  having  left  health 
and  limb  upon  the  battle-field,  and  who 
would  gladly  have  given  life  itself  had  it 
been  required.  Let  us  remember  the  last 
words  addressed  to  us,  b^  one  whose  mem- 
ory is  especially  present  with  us  to-day  : 
"  With  malice  toward  none  ;  with  charity 
for  all ;  with  firmness  in  the  right,  as  God 
gives  us  to  see  the  right,  let  us  strive  on 
to  finish  the  work  we  are  in-,  to  bind  up  the 
nation's  wounds,  to  care  for  him  who  shall 
have  borne  the  battle,  and  for  his  widow  and 
orphans,  to  do  all  which .  may  achieve  and 
cherish  a  just  and  a  lasting  peace  among 
ourselves  and  with  all  nations  "  By  the 
love  we  bear  our  martyred-  President,  by 
the  memory  of  his  love  for  us,  we  pledge 


~  ourselves  to  carry  out  this,  his  last  request. 
And  may  God  bless  us  in  this  resnlution. 

We  have  been  askpd  to  make  a  few  sug- 
gestions in  regard  to  the  practical  form  this 
future  work  should  assume.  We  do  so 
with ,  diffidence.  The  confidence,  dear 
friends,  with  which  we  have  guided  you  in 
your  work  heretofore,  falters  and  hesitates 
as  it  approaches  your  owjj  thresholds.  For 
we  feel  that  the  homes,  whose  thoughtful 
love  has  followed  the  soldier  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  miles,  for  four  years,  must 
surely  know  best  Bow  to  cherish  and  care 
for  him  upon  his  return.  At  your  request, 
however,  we  would  suggest  the  following 
classification  of  your  Home  Soldier  work  : 

1st.  The  care  and  support  of  totally  dis- 
.  abled  men,  who  may  need  it;  and  assistance 
to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  soldiers  re- 
quiring aid. 

2d  The  Collection  of  Claims,  through 
the  Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agencies  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission. 

3d.  The  finding  of  suitable  Employment 
for  partially  disabled  men. 

4th.  The  visiting  of  any  neighboring 
Military  Hospital,  or  "  Home,"  and  the 
furnishing  of  such  supplies  as  may  be  de- 
sirable. 

On  another  page  we  publish  a  list  of 
the  Claim  Agencies  already  established  by 
the  Sanitary  Commission.  Through  these 
agencies  the  Commission  collects  any 
claim  the  soldier  or  his  family  may  have 
against  the  Government,  whetherof  Bounty, 
Back-Pay,,«r  Pensions,  free  of  charge.  In 
many  of  the  smaller  places,  however,  no 
regular  agency  will  be  established.  We, 
therefore,  suggest  that  one  member  of  the 
Soldiers'  Aid  Society  makes  this  his  or  her 
duty.  Write  for  directions  and  blanks  to 
the  "  Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agency,  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  Washington,  D.  0." 

In  many  places,  however,  and  we  hope 
in  most,  this  local  work  will  be  insufficient 
to  absorb  all  the  surplus  energy  and  re- 
sources of  the  commuuity.  The  great  Nor 
tional  work  of  the  day,  growing  out  of  the 
war,  now  presents  itself  to  us  through  the 
"  American  Freedmen's  Aid  Union,"  and 
the  "  American  Union  Commission."  We 
enclose  their  circulars,  commending  them 
to  your  judgment. 

It  has  been  only  after  much  earnest 
thought,  and  serious  counsel,  that  we  have 
concluded  that  it  is  best  and  right  for  us 
to  dissolve  our  Association.  To  undertake 
any  part  of  the  work  for  our  soldiers,  aa 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1255 


indicated  above,  would  be  merely  to  dupli- 
cate tbat  which  is  already  being  dope 
through  established  agencies  of  the  Com- 
mission in  this  city.  We  give  the  list  of 
those  agencies  as  they  now  exist : 

Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agency,  35 
Chambers  street. 

Bureau  of  Employment,  35  Chambers 
street. 

Soldiers'  Home,  45  Grove  street. 

Headquarters  of  Sanitary  Comipissionj 
823  Broadway.  Apply  at  this  office,  either 
.in  person  or  by  letter,  for  any  desired  in- 
formation regarding  the  work  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

The  end  of  the  war  has  ^Drought  with  it 
the  end  of  our  work.  You,  our  faithful 
fellow-workers  for  four  years,  can  well 
understand  why  we  should  repeat  these 
words,  and  dwell  upon  them  with  mingled 
feelings  of  joy  and  sorrow.  For  while  we 
rejoice  that  the  horrors  of  war  are  over, 
that  our  country  is  not  only  restored  to  us 
in  all  its  integrity,^  but  that  henceforth  it 
is  a  free  country — purged  from  the  sin  of 
Bilavery  by  fire  aad  sword ;  while  we  are 
thankful  that  the  necessity  for  our  work 
no  longer  exists,  and  are  glad  to  be  released 
from  its  responsibilities  and  cares,  yet 
these  very  conditions,  dear  friends,  bring 
with  them  the  breaking  up  of  our  inter- 
course, and  the  severing  of  ties  whose 
Strength  we  scarcely  knew,  until  now, 
when  the  hour  has  come,  for  us  to  part. 
There  are  twi>nty-five  large,  thick  books, 
still  standing  upon  our  shelves,  in  which 
every  one  of  your  invoiced  letters,  received 
during  the  past  four  years,  have  been  care- 
fully preserved.  These  books  are  our 
most  valuable  records.  Let  those  who 
want  to  understand  the  work  in  its  truest 
sense  read  over  those  hundreds,  or  rather 
thousands,  of  letters.  They  wjU  find  there 
every  phase  of  the  war  as  reflected  in  the 
hearts  of  the  women  »at  home. .  They  will 
find,  too,  what  the  relation  of  our  Associ- 
ation to  the  people  has  been,  and  get  some 
faint  id«a  of  the  strength  and  endurance 
of  the  people's  love  for  the  army.  They 
sho^  algo,  as  nothing  else  can,  the  love 
and  confidence  which  have  grown  lUp 
between  us,  during  these  four  yeays  of 
trial,  and  which. we  trust  may  continue  to 
be  sacredly  cherished  to  the  end  of  our 
lives.. 

As  members  of  this  Branch  of  the  tl. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission,  we  have  held  the 
enviable,  position   of  being  brought  into 


immediate  contact,  on  the  one  hand,  with 
the  earnest,  active  minds,  and  patriotic 
zeal  of  the  officers  of  the  Commission, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  our  work  has 
given  us  four  years  of  constant  intercourse 
with  the  most  patriotic,  the  most  earnest, 
and  the  noblest  hearts  and  minds  from 
among  our  countrywomen.  For  the  in- 
fluence of  this  two-fold  relationship  we' 
shall  never  cease  to  be  grateful.  It  is 
impossible  to  be  engaged  in  such  a  cause 
for  so  long  a  time,  and  with  such  associ- 
ates, without  feeling  one's  own  nature  ele- 
vated and  deepened. 

The  bond  existing  between  the  Woman's 
Central  and  th§  "Sanitary  Copnmission  has 
been  a  peculiarly  strong  one;  not  only 
because  we  are  its  oldest  Branch  of  Supply," 
or  on  account  of  the  exceedingly  agreeable 
and.  harmonious  character  of  our  inter- 
course, but  because,  with  all  our  love  and 
admiration  of  the  Commission,  there  is 
a  little  lurking  pri^e — we  may  as  well  con- 
fess it — that  tlie  Commission  itself  is,  in 
some  sense,  an  ofishoot  of  our  own  Asso- 
ciation.. 

The  President  of  the  Commission  has 
always  been  a  member  of  our  Board.  It 
was  while  acting  as  our  delegate  in  Wash- 
ington, the  first  summer  of  the  war,  seek- 
ing the  best  channel  for  the  distribution  of 
our  supplies,  that  he  conceived  the  idea  of 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  which, 
when  moulded  by  the  genius  of  Frederick 
Law  Olmsted,  also  one  of  our  earliest 
members,  produced  that  wonderful  organ- 
ization which  has  prevented  and  relieved 
untold  sufiering,  and,  as  "bearer  of  the 
people's  love  to  the  people's  ariny,"  has 
blessed  both  giver  and  receiver. 

On  the  24th  of  June,  1861,  .the  Wo- 
man's Central  vgluntarily  ofiFered  to  assume 
a  subordinate  position  to  the  Commission 
as  one  of  its  Branches  of  Supply.  It  pro- 
posed to  open  a  central  depot  in  th«  City  of 
New  York,  for  the  collection  of  hospital 
supplies,  "such  supplies  to  be  delivered 
solely;  upon  requisition  from  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  or  to  agents  authorized  by  it." 
The  manner  of  obtaining  tfiese  supplies 
was  left  to  the.  Association.  This  agree- 
ment, of  mutual  benefit,  has  remained  un- 
broken to  the  present  hour. 

One  remarkable  feature  in  the  work  of  the 
Commission,  and  to  which,  without  doiibt, 
much  of  its  success  is  due,  is  its  discipline. 
We  refer  particularly  to  the  discipline 
enforced  and  respected  throughout  its  vol- 


1256 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


unteer  corps  of  workers.  Its  Branches 
receive  tteir  orders  from  the  Commission, 
and  carry  them  out,  with  as  little  thought 
of  disputing  them  as  a  captain  would  the 
orders  of  his  colonel.  And  you  yourselves, 
dear  friends,  with  your  deference  to  our 
wishes,  have  taught  us  to  believe  that  our 
.authority  with  you  is  paramount  also. 
You  have  chosen  to  have  it  so,  and  have  ; 
received  directions  about  the  work  from  us 
in  the  same  spirit  of  obedience  with  which 
we  have  received  them  from  the  Commis- 
sion. One  of  your  letters  says :  "  We  don't 
think  your  plan  a  very  good  one,  but  we 
shall  obey  orders."  And  others  :  "  Tell 
us  what  to  do" — "If  you-  want  anything 
more,  tell  us  wh^J  it  is,  and  how  soon  you  i 
T?ant  it" — ■'"  The  war  is  over,  but  we  mean  to 
keep  on  working  until  you  tell  us  to  stop." 
So  many,  many  letters  repeating  this  in 
every  variety  of  expression.  "  After  this  ' 
work  is  over  will  you'  not  advise  us  what  to 
do  next?"  writes  another  friend. 

This  wonderful  discipline  in  the.  volun- 
teer work  of  the  (J)mmission  !  What  is  it 
but  the  strongest  of  all  bonds — which  is 
love. 

It  is  with  aching  heatts  that  we  iread 
over  these  last,  most  precious  letters  from  ' 
you.    They  are  too  personal,  too  sacred,  to 
be  quoted,  or  to  be  answered  here.     We 
want  you  to  know  how  dependent  we  have 
been  upon  your  sympathy  and  encourage- 
ment throughout  our  work.     Don't  forget  i 
us.    Although  the  Woman's   Central  no  > 
longer  exists,  its  old  members  wish,  to  be 
remembered'  by  you  as  friends,   and   as 
fellow-workers  in   and  sympathizers  with 
every  cause  that  represents  the  welfare  of 
our  country,  and  the  interests  of  hunlanity. ' 
And  may  God  bless  us  in  the  future  as  in 
the  past,  and  keep  us  in  Bis  great  love  anfl 
ineroy. 

For  the  Association. 

■LOUISA  LBH  SCHtnfUBE, 
ELLEN  COLLINS, 
CHRISTINE  K.  GRIFMU, 
M.  D.  SWETT, 
HOWARD  POTTER, 
,  ■  SAMUEL  W.  BRIDGHAM, 

Committee. 


SESOLTTIIOirS. 

At  the  Final  Meeting  of  the  Woman's 
Central  Association  of  Belief,  Branch  of 
the  U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission,  held  at 
Cooper  Union,  July  7,  1865,  the  following 
resolutions  were  unaniinously  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Woman's  Central  As- 
sociation of  Belief  cannot  dissolve  without 
expressing  its  sense  of  the  value  and  satis- 


faction of  its  connection  with  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission,  whose'  confidence, 
guidance  and  support  it  has  enjoyed  for 
four  years  past.  In  now  breaking  the  for- 
mal tie  that  has  bound  us  together,  we  leave 
unbroken  the  bond  of  perfect  sympathy, 
gratitude  and  affection,  which  has  grown 
up  between  us. 

Resolved,  That  we  owe  a  deep  debt  of 
gratitude  to  our  A-ssocrate  Managers,  who 
■have  so  ably  represented  our  interests  in  the 
different  sections  of  our  field  of  duty;  and, 
that  to  their  earnest,  unflagging  and  patri-' 
otic  exertions,  much  of  the  snccess  which, 
has  followed  our  labors  is  due. 

Resolve^,  That  to  the  Soldiers'  Aid  So- 
cieties, which  form  the  working  constitu- 
ency of -this  Association,  we  offer  the  trib- 
ute of  our  profound  respect  and  admiration 
for  their  zeal,  constancy  and  patience  to 
the  end.  Their  boxes  and  their  letters 
have  been  alike  our  support  and  our  inspi- 
ration. They  have  kept  our  hearts  hopeful, 
and  our  confidence  in  our  cause  always  firm. 
Henceforth  theWomen  of  America  are  band- 
ed in  town  and  country,  as  the  men  are  from 
city  and  field.  We  have  wrought,  and 
thought  and  prayed  together,  as-,  our  sol- 
diers have  fought,  and  bled,  and  conquer- 
ed, shoulder  to  shoulder;  and,  from  this 
hour,  the  Womanhood  of  our  country  is  knit 
in  a  common  bond,  which  the  softening  in- 
fluences of  Peace  must  not,  and  shall  not 
weaken  or  dissolve.  May  God's  blessing 
rest  upon  every  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  in 
the  lipt  of  our  contributors,  and  on  every 
individual  worker  in  their  ranks. 

Resolved,  That  to  our  band  of  Volun- 
teer Aids,  the  ladies  who,  in  turn,  have  so 
long  and  ussfully  labored  in  the  details  of 
our  work  at  these  rooms,  we  give  our  hearty 
and  affectionate  thanks,  feeling  that  their 
unflagging  devotion  and  cheerful  presence 
have  added  largely  to  the  efficiency  and 
pleasure  of  our  labors.  Their  record,  how- 
ever hidden,  is  on  high  j  and  they  have  in 
their  own  hearts  the  joyful  testimony,-  that 
in  their  coiintry's  peril  and  heed  they  were 
not  found  wanting. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Asso- 
ciation are  due  to  the  ladies,  who  have,  at 
different  times,  served  upon  the  Board,  but 
are  no  longer  members  of  it  j  and  that  we 
recall  in  this  hour  df  parting  the  memory 
of  each  and  all  who  have  lent  us  the  light 
of  their  countenance,  and  the  help  of  their 
hands.  Especially  do  we  recognize  the 
valuable  aid  rendered  by  the  members  of 


The  Sanitary  Gommission  Bulleiitu 


125T 


our  Registration  Committee,  who,  in  the 
early  days  of  this  Association,  superintend- 
ed the  training  of  a  band  of  one  hundred 
women  nurses  for  our  Army  Hospitals. 
The  successful  introduction  of  this  system 
is  chiefly  due  to  the  zeal  and  capacity  of 
these  ladies. 

.  Resolved,  That  in  dissolving  this  Asso- 
ciation, we  desire  to  express  the 'gratitude 
we  owe  to  Divine  Providence  for  permitting 
the  members  of  this  Board  to  work  together 
in  so  great  and  glorious  a  cause,  and  upon 
so  large  and  successful  a  scale;  to  maintain 
for  so  long  a  period,  relations  of  such  af- 
fection and  respect,  and  now  to  part  ^ith 
such  deep  and  grateful  memories  of  our 
work  and  of  each  other. 

Resolved,  That  the  close  of  the  war 
having  enabled  this  Association  to  finish 
the  work  for  whi-oh  it  was  organized,  the 
Woman's  Central  Association  of  Relief  for 
the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United  States, 
is  hereby  dissolved. 
By  order. 

Samuel  W.  Bridgham, 

Secretary, 

GEITEBAL  AID  60CIEIT  0?  BUFFALO,  N.  T. 

Resolutions  passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Executwe 
Committee  of  the  General  Aid  Society,  Buffalo, 
July  24. 

Whereas  the  necessity  of  the  continuance 
of  the  efforts  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com.- 
mission,  organized  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Sick  and  suffering  soldier,  is  now  brought 
to  a  close  by  the  restoration  of  the  blessing 
of  peace,  we,  as  managers  of  a  branch  of 
this  inestimable  work,  express  our  feelings 
in  the  following  resolutions  : 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  place  on  record 
our  sincere  thanks  and  full  appreciation  of 
the  sympathy  and  encouragement  rendered 
us  'by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  most  happy  to  com- 
municate to  the  officers  of  this  organization, 
expressions  of  the  most  unfeigned  gratitude 
ifor  the  kind  and.  harmonious  action  so  in- 
variably extended  to  this  branch  of  the 
boblc  and  philanthropic  work. 

Resolved,  That  while  we  acknowledge 
the  Slid  and  encouragement  given  by  the 
officers  of  the  Conjmission,  we  are  not  un- 
mindful of  the  labor  bestowed  and  the 
sacrifices  made  by  our  auxiliary  societies ; 
their  prompt  assistance  and  ready  response 
to  every  appeal  has  been  a  sunbeam  to 
brighten  every  shadow  oast  upon  our  ex- 
ertions in  the  caus.e  of  the  suffering  sol- 
diers. • 


Resolved,  That  we  rejoice  in  the  reflec- 
tipn  that  we  have  been  made  co-laborers  in 
this  stupendous  and  unexampled  charity, 
and  while  life  lasts  we  will  cherish  the 
remembrance  of  this  benevolent  effort,  and 
hope  that  future  generations  may  exult  in 
the  results  of  this  glorious  organization. 

Resolved,  TJiat  these  resolutions  be 
signed  by  the  officers  of  the  Buffalo  G-en- 
eral  Aid  Society,  and  a  copy  sent  to  the 
Central  Office  of  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Mbb.  HORATIO  SBTMOUB,  President. 
Mrs.  HBNBY  B.  SBYjaOtlB,  Vice  PreBident. 
Me8.  ;r.  B.  LOTHBOP,  Vice  President. 
Mbs.  JAMES  P.  WHITE,  Treasurer. 
Miss  GBACE  E.  BIBD,  Secretciry. 


EOCHEBTEB  SOLDIERS'  AID  SOCIEIT. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Rochester  Soldiers' 
Aid  Society,  reeentljr  held  at  their  rooms, 
the  following  resolutions  were  presented, 
and  unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  desires  to 
express  its  high  appreciation  of  the  value 
of  the  work  achieved  by  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  in  aid  of  our  soldiers,  both 
through  its  relations  to  the  home  work  and 
to  that  upon  the  field ;  in  the  former,  en- 
couraging, stimulating,  and  directing  the 
production  of  supplies ;  and  in  the  latter, 
wisely  distributing  to  our  vast  armies  the 
immense  contributions,  which,  since  its 
organization,  have  constantly  flowed  into 
its  channels  from  'almost  every  home  in  the  ' 
land. 

Resolved,  That  we  regard  with  unfeigned 
satisfaction  our  own  connection  with  this 
body,  as  one  greatly  promoting  the  effi- 
ciency of  our  efforts,  and  highly  agreeable 
to  ourselves,  and  that  wa  desire  to  express 
our  thanks  for  the  courtesy  and  kindness 
which  has  ever  characterized  its  inter- 
course with  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary he  requested  to  transmit  these  resolu- 
tions to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  at  Wash- 
ington. 

By  order  of  the  Society. 

Mrs.  L.  GtArbndr, 

Cor..  Secretary. 

m 

SOLDIBBS'  AID  SOCIEIT-ITEW  HAVEIT. 

In  closing  the  business  of  this  Society, 
it  is  due  to  our  friends  ahd  co-laborers  to 
give  expression  to  feelings  groviUg  out  of 
our  long  connection  in  labor  for  ^e  amelio- 
ration of  the  soldiers  of  our  armies  in  their 
struggles  and  sacrifices  in  the  cause  of  hu- 
man rights  and  the  government  of  our 
fathers,  vindicated  and  maintained  by  their 


1258 


The  Sanitary  Commismn  Bulletin. 


noble  sons,  and  re-established  forever  by 
their  valor  :  it  is  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we,  as  a  Branch  of  the  "  U. 
S.  Sanitary  ppmnjission,"  express  our  pride 
in  having  formed  a  portion  of  that  active 
organized  benevolence,  unparalleled  in  its 
proportions  in  any  country,  and  tender  our 
thanks  to  its  ofi&cers  for  the  uniform  cour- 
tesy, sympathy  and  consideration  extended 
to  us  as  a  society ;  and  we  further  express 
our  approval  and  admiration  of  all  its  satis- 
factory results  in  the  great  christian  and 
beneficent  objects  of  relieving  the  calami- 
ties of  war  and  assuaging  the  woes  of  its 
avenging  justice.  /■ 

Resomed,  That  to  our  auxiliary  societies 
>70rds  can  but  partially  convey  the  expres- 
sion of  feeling  thsft  affects  us  in  dissolving 
the  ties  that  have  united  us  in  this  holy 
cause.  Reliance  in_  our  good  faith,  pa- 
tience with  our  short  comings,  prompt  and 
cheerful  compliance  with  our  repeated  and 
urgent  calls,  can  never  be  forgotten  by  us, 
individually  or  as  a  society,  and  calls  forth 
deep  and  heart-felt  gratitude. 

Resolved,  That  our  satisfaction  is  in- 
creased by  the  pleasurable  reflection  that 
in  our  country  and  in  our  midst  there  are 
women  equal  to  the  great  emergencies  of 
christian  war ;  women  who  haVe  not  quailed 
before  disease  and  death,  or  shrunk  from 
the  spectacle  of  hospitals  or  the  horrflrs  of 
the  battle-field,  but  have  left  the  comforts 
of  home  and  the  luxuries  of  wealth  to 
serve  and  administer  to  the  wounded  sol- 
dier or  to  smooth  the  dying  pillow,  and  car- 
ry the  last  whispered  message  to  the  loved 
at  home.  With  such  illustrations  of  the 
heroic  element  in  wives,  mothers,  and  sis- 
ters, have  we  not  a  sure  guarantee  that 
husbands,  fathers,  and  brothers,  with  God's 
favor,  will  be  forever  invincible  ? 

Resolved,  That  we  are  deeply  indebted 
to  the  various  transportation  companies  for 
long-continued  and  cheerful  assistance  in- 
our  operations.  Tq  Adams'  Express  Com- 
pany especially,  which,  from  the  nature  of 
its  organization,  was  in  more  constant  requi- 
eition,  wannest  thanks  are  due  from  the 
whole  community,  as  wejl  as  from  ourselves 
and  our  auxiliaries.  Their  aid  has  been, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  glorious  end, 
cheerful,  untiring,  and  of  great  value 

Resolved,  That  we  bow  in  humble  adora- 
tion to  the  Griver  of  all  good,  that.  He  has 
delivered  our  nation  from  the  violence  of 
enemies  and  the  scourge  of  war,  and  pre- 
eerved  to  us,  for  all  generations,  the  coun- 


try of  our  sires ;  and  that  we,  the  descend- 
ants of  heroic  .mothers,  have  been  able  to 
add  to  the  mite  of  our  labor  the  contribu- 
tion of  prayers  to  the  Giver  of  victory,  for 
blessing  and  favor,  and  the  consolations  of 
sympathy  with  the  sorrows  of  the  widow 
and  the  orphan. 

E.  S.  ROBEBTS, 

Cor.  Secretary. 

BESOLITIIOirS  OF  SOLDIEBS'  AID  SOCIEIT, 
lEVUfCrTOK,  W.  T. 

At  a  meeting  .held  by  the  Soldiers'  Aid 
Society  of  Irvington,  June  29,  1865,  the 
following  resolutions  were  offered  and 
unanimously  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  we  do  not  dissolve  the 
Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  -but  consider  its 
duties  changed.  Hereafter  we  will  turn 
our  attention  to  ascertaining  and  relieving 
the  wants  of  the  soldiers  and  their  families 
who  have  enlisted  from  Irvington,  or  come 
here  to  reside  after  their  discharge  from 
service. 

Resolved,  That  the  materials  and  money 
remaining  in  the  hands  of  the  Society  shall 
be  used  for  the  benefit  of  soldiers  and  their 
families  in  this  -place,  who  may  at  any  time 
hereafter  be  in  want  of  such  aid ;  and  that 
the  same  shall  be  in  charge  of  the  officers 
'  of  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  when  any  member  of 
this  Society  becomes  aware  that  a  soldier 
or  his  family,  residing  in  Irvington,  needs 
assistance,  she  is  to  communicate  the  fact, 
at  once,-  to  any  one  of  the  officers  of  this 
Society,  who  shall  fiarthwith  call  a  meeting 
of  the  rest,  to  decide  what  aid  to  render. 
A  meeting  of  three  of  the  officers  shall  be 
considered  sufficient  to  transact  such  busi- 
ness. 


HESOITJIIOIT  OF  THE  WISGOITSIX  SOL- 
DIEBS' AID  SOCIEIT. 

MiLWAUKiE,  July  25,  1866. 
Resolved,  That  in  closing  their  long  and 
arduous  duties,  the  Wisconsin  Soldiers' 
Aid  Society  and  its  Branches  (numbering 
over  three  hundred)  take  pleasure  in  ac- 
knowledging the  uniform  kindness  and 
consideration  manifested  towards  them  by 
the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  with  which 
they  have  been  connected  as  auxiliaries ; 
that  they  feel  a  lively  satisfaction  in  look- 
ing back  upon  a  union  of  effort,  which  has 
proved  so  beneficent  to  others,  and  has  been 
marked  by  so  much  harmony  and  fraternity 
between  themselves ;  and  that  they  take 
this  occasion  to  express  their  entire  concur- 


Tht  Sanitary  Cmimission  Bulletin. 


1259 


ence  in  the  wise  and  humane  course  pur- 
sued by  the  Commission,  and  their  admira- 
tion of  the  ability,  integrity,  and  fidelity 
with  which  it  has  discharged  the  delicate 
and  important  trusts  confided  to  it  by  ^ 
generous  and  patriotic  people. 
Respectfully  yours, 
/  .  Mes.  Chas.  Keelee, 

President. 
Mas.  J.  S.  Colt, 

Cor.  See'y. 
Per  Mes.  J.  B.  Dotjsman, 
Asst. 

KEW  EITGLAin)  WOMAN'S  AXTXILlAitY  AS- 
SOCIAIIOir. 

To  our  Friends  and  Fellow-workers  throughout. 
■  New  England :  • 

It  is. deemed  desirable  that  we  should  say 
a  parting  word  to  you,  in  this  closing 
number  of  the  Sanitary  Bulletin.  Many 
thoughts  rush  into  our  minds,  and  uur  hearts 
are  full,  but  words  fail  us.  You  do  not 
need  them,  we  know.  Your  constant  inter- 
course with  us,  for  three  years  and  seven 
months,  has  assured  you,  far  better  than  any 
words  could  do,  that  we  have  valued  your 
sympathy,  and  needed  your  aid  at  every 
step  we  have  taken.  We  have  asked  much 
and  constantly  of  you,  and  we  haVe  not 
asked  in  vain.  We  do  not  wish  now  to 
thank  you  for  what  you  have  done  for  the 
soldiers.  In  some  respects  we  may  speak 
in  their  behalf;  but,  in  this  case,  we  can- 
not worthily  represent  them.  They  must 
speak  for  themselves,  either  in  this  world, 
or  in  that  better  land,  where,  if  sorrow  and 
sufiFering  do  not  enter,  at  least  the  memory 
of  such  relief  as  you  have  bestowed  must 
find  a  place.  Our  gratitude  to-day  is  only 
personal.  For  three  years  and  a  half  you 
have  touched  us  by  your  kindness;  you 
have  upheld  us  by  your  sympathy  and  ready 
aid ;  you  have  humbled  us  by  a  generous 
confidence,  of  which  we  could  not  feel  that 
we  were  worthy.  The  success  that  has 
been  gained  is  chiefly  your  own;  we  are 
thankful  to  have  been  in  any  way  sharers 
in  it. 

Need  we.  tell  you  that  we  honor,  and 
trust,  and  love  you  in  return;  that  the  only 
pain  we  feel  to-day,'  as  we  reflect  upon  our 
relation  with  you,  is  that  it  must  end  so 
soon ;  that  the  pleasant  paths^ — '.'  paths  of 
peace,"  indeed  they  have  been,  in  the 
midst  of  devastating  war — which  we  have 
trodden  so  happily  together,  are  to.  be  ours 
no  longer  ?  • 

But  new  ways  are  before  us,  and  life  is 


full  and  rich  in  other  directions,  and  beck- 
ons us  on  to  fresh  'endeavors,  in  ever- 
changing  experiences.  The  result  of  past 
labors  and  past  enjoyments  shall  be  to 
make  us  stronger  for  what  is  yet  to  come. 

And,  if  in  any  new  effort  it  should  be 
our  good  fortune  to  meet  with  you  again^ 
we  believe  it  will  give  you  the  same  satis- 
faction that  we  shall  feel  in  renewing  a 
connection  that,  however  long  it  may  be 
laid  aside,  can  never  cease  to  be  remem- 
bered as  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  of 
our  lives. 

And  now  farewell !  May  God  bless  you 
and  yours  forever. 

In  behalf  of  the  New  England  Women's 
Auxiliary  Association. 

AfeBT  W.  May, 
Chairman  Executive  Committee. 


LKnSR  FBOm  N.  W.  BBANCH  V.  3.  SANITABY 
COMMISSION. 

Chioaqo,  July  29,  1865. 
Deae  De.  Pareish:  The.  happy  ter- 
mination of  the  war  having  so  greatly  I'e- 
duced  the  field  and  hospital  work  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitary  Commission,  that  its  gifted  and 
venerated  President,  the,  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows, 
has  felt  warranted  in  announcing  to  the 
Branches  and  the  Aid  Societies  a  release 
from  the  further  procuring  and  forwarding 
of  supplies  and  money  to  the  Parent  Socie- 
ty, we  would  take  this  opportunity  to.  speak 
in  behalf  of  the  Aid  Societies  and  tributa- 
riesof  the  Northwest  Branch  of  the  U.  S. 
Sanitary  Commission. 

We  would  express,  as  they  have  directed 
us,  the  deepest  gratitude  for  the  privilege 
of,laboring  in' so  sacred  a  cause  in  connec- 
tion with  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission, 
which  has  so  wisely,  efficiently  and  faith- 
fully ministered  to  the  wants  and  met  the 
necessities  of  our  glorious  army  of  patriots, 
from  the  beginning  of  this  terrific  rebellion 
until  it  has  been  subdued,  our  own  armies 
disbanded — "  the  sword  beaten  into  the 
ploughshare  and  the  spear  into  the  pruning- 
hook." 

We  consider  it  a  privilege,  as  well  as  a 
duty,  to  express  our  deep  sense  of  satisfac- 
tion and  admiration  at  the  prompt,  accu- 
rate and  thorough  mode  of  applying  the 
gifts  which  the  patient  and  self-denying 
people  of  the.  Northwest  have  poured  into 
the  great  reservoir  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission.  Our  confidence  has  grown 
with  added  years?  of  experience  and  co-ope- 
ration, and  our  satisfaction  has  only  been 


1260 


The  Sanitary  Oommisdon  BvMetin. 


exceeded  by  our  wonder,  that  so  huge  a 
scheme  of  benevolence,  national  in  its  re- 
sources and  results,  could  so  minutely  and 
accurately  dispense,  its  benefits,  and  super- 
vise and  hold  to  a  strict  account,  its  most 
humble  employees. 

While  it  has  embraced  in  its  grasp  ar- 
tnies  of  wounded  heroes,  and  expended  on 
battle-fields  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars  in 
a  day,  it  has  as  carefully  met  and  cared  for 
the  individual,  emaciated,  or  wounded  sol- 
dier, boiind  up  wounds,  furnished  his  cot, 
cooked  his  food,  saved  his  pay,  carried  to 
his  home,  or  dag  his  grave,  and  marked  the 
place  of  his  interment. 

Our  prayers  and  blessings  must  ever  rest 
upon  its  founders,  officers  and  aids,  wher- 
ever found.  We  shall  always  feel  grateful ' 
that  we  have  been  permitted  to  be  humble 
co-workers  with  the  most  colossal  humani- 
tarian organization  that  the  world  has  ever 
seen ;  one  which  has  blessed  a  nation,  and 
to  which  history  will  give  her  highest  page. 
With- these  heartfelt  sentiments  of  love,  con- 
fidence and  gratitude,  we  heartily  respond 
to  the  words  of  cheer  and  approval  contain- 
ed in  the  letter  of  our  beloved  President. 
We  pray  that  upon  himself  and  his  fellow- 
laborers  the  light  of  God's  countenance  may 
rest,  and  give  them  peace. 

Mrs.  a.  H.  Hoqb, 
Mrs.  D.  p.  Liverisore, 

Associate  Managers  N.  W.  Branch  TJ.  S.  San.  Com, 


PBOm  miCHIGAK  LCiEST. 
A.SS  Arbor,  Mich.,  July  24,  1865. 
To  Henry  W.  BELLO\ys,  D.D., 

Prei't  U.  8.  San.  Com.,  New  York. 
Eev.  and  Dear  Sir  •*  As  the  field  and 
hospital  work  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com- 
mission  is,  most  happily,  nearing  its  close, 
and  the  official  ;r&latioos  of  the  various 
Aid  Associations  and  members  of  the  Pa- 
rent Society  are  soon  to  terminate ;  as  com- 
missioner of  Sanitary  Supplies  in  Mich- 
igan, co-operating  with  the  Northwestern 
Sanitary  Commission  ■  at  Chicago,  111.,  I 
cannot,  with  any  due  regard  to  a  sense  of 
gratitude  for  the  great  and  inestimable 
blessings  of  which  the  U.  S,  Sanitary 
(Jpmmission  has  been  the  able  almoner, 
omit  the  opportunity  of  expressing,  through 
you,  to  the  Commission : 

1.  Gratitude  to  God  'for  raising  and 
sending  forth,  on  its  mission  of  love,  good 
Will,  and  beneficent  deeds  among  our  hero- 
sick  and  wounded,  the  United  States  Sani- 
tary Commission. 

2.  Thanks  to  the  Commission  for  the 


ever-effioieflt  manner  in  which  supplies  of 
all  kinds,  from  the  various  Aid  Societies 
in  Michigan,  have  bisen'  forwarded  by  its 
agencies  to  the  front. 

3.  Admiration  of  the  vast  and  constantly 
increasing  labors  and  resources  of  the 
Commission;  the  careful  supervision  ex- 
ercised in  all  its  departments ;  tha  efficiency 
of  its  business  method;  its  charity,  im- 
partiality, and  ecoliomy  in  the  distribution 
of  its  stores,  together  with  the  rigid  ac- 
countability to  which  all  its  agencies  have 
been  held. 

4.  A  grateful  sense  of  obligation  to  the 
Commission  for  the  service  it  has  rendered 
to  the  whole  country,  in  the  many  lives 
which,  under  God,  it  has  been  instrumental 
in  saving — by  hundreds  ^ere  in  Michigan, 
by  thousands  in  the  whole  land;  to  the 
widowed  mothers,  self-denying  wives,  pa- 
triot-minded sisters,  who  have  sent  out 
their  sons,  husbands,  and  brothers,  our 
national  jewels,  to  do  battle  for  the  life  of 
the  nation,  right,  and  liberty. 

5.  A  God-speed  to  the  Commission  in 
all  its  remaining  work  in  the  general  hos- 
pitals, its  Soldiers'  Homes,  its  Employ- 
ment, Bounty,  Back  Pay,  and  Pension 
Bureaus,  with  the  earnest  prayer  that  those 
agencies  may  be  continued,  in  all  their  past 
and  present  efficiency,  until  the  head-stone 
of  its  great  work  shall  be  brought  forth,  by 
the  Commission  in  ample  relief,  rendered 
to  the  last  hero-soMier  needing  its  aid. 

In  the  ezipressioa  of  these  sentiments, 
reverend  and  dear  sir,  1  not  only  spes^ 
from  my  long  and  varied  experiences  and 
observations  on  the  front  as  a  chaplain,  but 
I  am  sure  I  give  utterance  to  the  long 
entertained,  well  established,  and  thor- 
oughly tested  opinions  of  tens  of  thousands 
of  patriotic  minds  in  Michigan  who  have 
been  associated,  as  humble  auxiliaries,  with 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  in 
its  truly  noble,  great,  patriotic,  catholic, 
and  christian  work. 

More  than  this  I  may  not  now  add. 
Less  it  were  unjust  to  have  said. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
Samuel  Day, 
Com.  U.  S,  Sanitcary  Supplies,  Mich. 


I^HEE  FBOM  THE  EDITOB. 

Dear  K.  : — I  cannot  be  with  you  in  ma- 
king up  the  last  Bulletin. 

You  will  insert  the  admirable  address  of 
the  Board,  to  the  Branches  and  Aid  So- 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1201 


oieties.  I  forward  to  you  divers  letters 
and  resplutioDS,  which,  come  fresh  from  the 
people,  as  expressive  of  their  feelings  in  this 
time  of  parting,  which  you  will  put  in  their 
proper  places. 

•  I  want  to  add,  also,  my  own  testimony 
to  that  of  others,  concerning  the  work  in" 
which  we  have  been  engaged  with  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  express  my  appreciation  of  the 
cordial  intercourse  that  has  been  so  long 
maintained  between  the  auxiliaries  of  the 
Commission  and  myself. 

The  single-mindedness  and  devotion  of 
the  women  of  the  United  States  during  the 
four  years  of  sorrow  and  sacrifice  through 
which  we  have  passed,  is  without  a  parallel 
in  history ;  but  their  own  history  must  be 
written,  and  stand  as  a  memorial  for  those 
who  shall  come  after. 

There  is  now  being  prepared  a  series  of 
questions,  to  be  submitted  to  them,  which 
will  enable  all  the  societies  in  the  country 
to  return  answers  according  to  a  uniform 
plan;  and  when  these  returns  shall  have 
been  made,  some  idea  can  be  formed  of  the 
magnitude  and  magnificence  of  the  work. 

The  societies  are  still  in  existence,  and 
will  find  it  an  agreeable  service  to  collect 
incidents  of  their  experience,  and  prepare 
the  results  of  their  labor,  for  permanent 
preservation  by  the  Commission;  while  they 
will  consider  the  future  field' that  is  open 
before  them,  appealing,  as  it  does,  to  their 
sympathy,  arid  awaiting  the  promptings  of 
their  genius  for  organization  and  labor, 
that  has  given  such  efficiency  to  the  benev- 
olence of  the  country  during  the  war. 

The  Southern  •  country — many  parts  of 
which  are  desolated  by  war — ^has  a  popula- 
tion which  needs  the  aid  of  Northern  en- 
terprise and  philanthropy.  The  people, 
depressed  by  defeat,  schoolless  and  church- 
less,  and  without  the  energy  and  education 
which  belong  to  a  true  social  and  civil  state, 
look,  to  the  North  for  aid  and  instruction. 

The  Government  has  established  a  "  Bu- 
reau' for  Freedmen,  Refugees,  and  Aban- 
doned lands,"  which,  in  the  present  crisis. 


stands  before  the  people,  as  did  the  War 
Department  in  1861,  with  the  same  kind  of 
confidence  in  their  willingness  and  ability 
to  furnish  the  needed  help. 

As  the  women  came  forward  then  and 
organized  to  supplement  the  War  Depart- 
ment, so  they  are  beginning  now  to  come 
forward  to  help  the  G-pvernment  in  this  new 
field.  That  they  may  rise  to  the  magni- 
tude of  the  opportunity  offered  them  is 
greatly  to  be  desired;  and  if  they  tesolve 
to  do  so,  their  record  for  the  four  years  to 
come  will  be  even  more  bright  than  it  has 
been  in  the  past.  The  country  cannot  afford 
to  dispense  with  their  services.  The  Gov- 
ernment has  depende^  upon  the  women  of 
the  land  too  long  and  too  confidently,  to 
spare  them  in  the  time  of  present  trial. 

The  sore  with  which  the  South  is  bruised 
must  be  healed,  until  we  can  go  in  and 
out  among  them,  as  sharer?  of  all  the  com- 
mon industries  and  improvements  of  a""wise 
civilization ;  and  no  power  on  earth'  is  so 
efficient  for  good  in  this  direction  as 
woman's  love  and  labor.  Let  these  be 
spent  in  furnishing  supplies  to  the  needy, 
and  instruction  to  the  ignorant,  and  the  next 
decade  will  show  a  new  people,  with  new 
hopes^  a  new  agriculture,  new  schools,  new 
manufactories,  and  a  blessing  upon  the  sa- 
cred bond  of  domestic  life. 

I  wish  I  could  send  you  something  about 
the  new  organization  that  is  being  formed, 
ibr  the  purpose  of  aiding  and  elevating  the 
Freedmen ;  but  I  cannot  now.  I  bespeak 
for  it,  however,  a  welcome  support  by  the 
women  who  have  organized  and  conducted 
the  auxiliaries  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
and  say  farewell  to  them  in  this  field  of  la- 
bor, with  the  hope  of  co-operation  in  the 
future. 

Yours,  faithfully, 

Joseph  Parkish. 

.  New  Yobk,  Aug.  12,  1^65. 

■We  call  the  attention  of  all  to  the  full  list  ol 
Claim  Agencies  on  page  1276.  Thousands  oJ 
dollars  are  being  collected  monthl/;  without  anj 
expense  whatever  to  the  claimant. 


1262 


The.  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


FOEM  C.-MONTHLT  EETTTKIT  TEOM  CLEVE- 
LAHD    BBANCH  SANITARY  CO    HISSIOH 
SOLDIERS'  AID  SOCIETY,  NOBTHEBN  OHIO. 
ClEVELAND,  Jul;/  1,  1865. 
MONTH   01'   JUNE,    1865. 

Number  of  applications  for  employment : 

By  able-bodied  mea 36 

By  disabled  men 4^ 


Total., 


80 


Number  of  applieations  by  employers 22 

Number  furniahed  with  employment : 

Able-bodied  men 20 

Disabled  men 6 


Total.. 


26 


Kind  of  employment  furnished : 

Agricultural 5 

Mechanical... .'.... 3 

Commercial v-..  '! 

Laborers .- 2 

Others,  not  included  in  above 9 


BEFOBT  OF  J.  C.  HOBIIT. 

Louisville,  Kt.,  June  29,  1865. 

Da.  J.  S.  Newberry, 

Sfc'y  West.  D'ept.  U.  S.  San.  Com. 
Dear  Sir  :  On  arriving  in  this  city  two 
weeks  since,  by  your  direction  L  immedi- 
'ately  commenced  visiting  the  troops  located 
near  the  city,  consisting  of  the  14th,  15th, 
and  17th  Army  Corps.  I  prosecuted  this 
work  until  every  portion  of  the  axmy  was 
reached.  Substantial  issues  of  vegetables 
have  been  made  to  every  regiment,  detach- 
ment, and  headquarters,  so  far  as  I  know, 
throughout  the  entire  cofiamand.  The  is- 
sues made  were  at  first  once  each  week,  but 
afterward  twice,  at  the  rate  of  four  barrels 
of  potatoes  to  each  100  men,  one  barrel  of 
pickles  to  the  regiment,  unless  there  were 
more  than  400  men,  then  two  barrels. 
Onions  were  also  distributed  in  considerable 
quantities,  as  well  as  other  Sanitary  stores, 
for  the  use  of  the  sick  in  the  regiments. 
There  are  no  Divisiop  Hospitals  as  formerly. 
The  sick  are  sent  to  the  General  Hospitals 
in  and  about  Louisville.  In  some  instances, 
however,  there  has  been  an  attempt  to  retain 
and  treat  the  patients,  when  they  were  not 
seriously  sick,  in  the  regimental  quarters, 
fkther  than  send  them  out  of  the  command. 
Brown  Hospital  has  received  most  of  the 
patients  from  the  army.  This  hospital  is 
entirely  too  much  crowded  for  its  capacity, 
and  number  of  surgpons  and  nurses.  The 
patients  have  not  been  able  to  receive  the 
attention  they  should,  from  this  fact ;  the 
defect,  however,  is  being  corrected.     The 


troops  are  exceedingly  glad  to  receive  the 
vegetables  furnished  by  the  ComraisBion. 
The  government  is  not  supplying  vege- 
tables, and  many  have  been  the  testimonies 
of  both  officers  and  private  soldiers  to  the 
great  value  of  our  work.  All  the  non- 
veterans  have  gone  home,  and  now  15,000 
of  the  veteran  troops  of  the  Army,  of  the 
Tennessee  are  to  be  mustered  out  of  the 
service  immediately.  One  division  of  the 
15th  Army  Corps  has  gone, to  Arkansas. 
Thus  the  large  Army  of  the  Tennessee  will 
soon  be  reduced  to  a  small  command..  I 
learn  that  the  Corps  organizations  are  to 
be  broken  up,  and  what  troops  are  retained 
in  the  service  will  be  sent  to  garrison  diflFer- 
ent  posts  in  the  South.  This  will,  perhaps, 
all  have  been  accomplished  by  the  last  of 
July.  Among  all  the  troops  I  have  been 
'received  with  cordiality. 
Yours,  very  truly, 

J.   C.   HOBLIT. 


EEPORT  OF  DE.  J.  W.  PAGE. 

Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  Esq., 

General  Secretary.  U.  S.  Son.  Com. 

Dear  Sir:  Mr.    F.  A.  S.  Perry,  who 
has  been  Relief  Agent  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission,    in    this    department,    since 
August  of  last  year,  left  Newborn  last  week 
to  report  to  the  Central  Office,  at  Washing- 
ton.    He  went  the  inland  route,  via  Raleigh 
and  Greensboro  to  Richmond.    Mr.  Perry, 
after  months  of  faithful  service  in  this  dis- 
trict, went  forward  with  the  advance  stores 
on  the  spring  campaign,  and  kept  at  the 
front  until  the  capture  of  Kinston,  where 
he  remained  in  charge  of  the  depot  until 
the  reduction  of  the  garrison  and  the  with- 
drawal of  Sherman's   army  rendered  the 
existence  of  a  permanent  depot  unneces- 
sary at  that  point.     His  efforts  to  forward 
our  stores  on   the  early  marches,   and  his 
own  personal  labors  and  exposures  in  car- 
rying supplies  to  the  field  hospitals,  in  the 
battles  around  Kinston,    over  roads  which 
no  vehicles  but  government  wagons  under  ' 
military  orders  would  venture  to  traverse, 
merit  the  high  appreciation  of  the  Com- 
mission,  as  they    have   gained    him   the 
thanks  and  gratitude  of  those  who  directly 
received   the  benefit  of  his  self-sacrificing 
ministrations.     I  send    you    enclosed  his 
special  reports  from  March  4th  to  June 
10th,  which  gives  a  fair  expos^  of  his  la- 
bors, and  some  inkling  of  the  condition  of 
the  service,  and  the  beneficial  relations  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  with  it. 


The  Samlary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1263 


Since  the  closing  of  oiir  Sanitary  depot 
at  Ealeigh,  all  cur  relief  work  has  been 
done  frcm  the  depot  at  Newbern.  ,  The 
chief  position  of  our  white  troops  in  this 
district  have  been  in  rendezvous  at  "  Camp 
Chattanooga,"  a  wide  clearing  in  the  woods, 
some  three  miles  from  town — a  wild,  roman- 
tic spot — first  occupied  as  an  encampaent 
by  that  rollicking  Iriul}  General,  Meagher, 
with  his  nondescript  brigade;  the  "  Les 
enfani  perdus"  of  our  Southern  armies. 
Here,  in  a  spjwe  of  rolling  land,  sufficient 
for  the  "  Grand  Army,"  are  pleasantly 
bivouacked  spme  dozen  different  military 
organizations,  vieing  with  each-  other  in 
camp  decorations  and  artificial  evergreen 
shade — a  rural  oasis,  eclipsing  in  picturesque 
efieet  the  novel  representations  of  romantic 
encampments  set  off  by  the  rich  fancy  d.nd 
facile  pen  of  Bulwer.  Here  some  thou- 
sands of  our  veteran  troops,  with  their 
hearts  fixed  on  near  visions  of  home,  await 
the  slow  routine  of  red  tape  to  unloose  the 
leash  in  which  they  are  held,  and  let  them 
speed  to  the  longing  arms  so  impatiently 
stretched  forth  to  receive  them.  Tdis  cler- 
ical delay  is  straining  tlie  patience  and 
martial  discipline  of  these  brave  fellows  to 
the  utmost.  While  some  relieve  ihe  strain 
on  their  patience  by  letting  off  unmeasured 
strictures  on  the  motives  of  delinquent 
officers,  others,  and  far  the  greater  ponion, 
despondent  at  delay,  and  sickened  by  hope 
deferred,  are  yielding  to  the  depressing  in- 
fiuences  of  the  advancing  season.  With 
comparatively  few  severe  cases,  hundreds 
are  on  the  sick  list,  and  some  of  the  more 
sensitive  or'suFceptible  have  succumbed  to 
■  a  low  but  rapid  type  of  fever.  Every  ef- 
fort is  being  made  to  sustain  the  morale  pf 
the  men.  The  more  intelligent  officeri^ 
cheer  the  encampment  with  musical  soirees 
and  evening  hops;  the  Christian  Commis- 
sion are  in  the  field  with  their  good- reading 
and  boiled  blackberry  root;  and  the  Sani- 
tary are  doing  all  that  their  generous  stores 
and  the  bountiful  yield  cf  luxuriant  gar- 
dens can  do  for  the  soldiers,  to  console 
their  "  outward  and  inward  man,"  Young, 
ardent  boys,  and  old,  hirsute  veterans,  who, 
in  the  rough  bivouac  and  stern  excitement 
of  actual  War,  left  these  "sick  charities"  to 
their  less  hardy  comrades,  "now  seek  our 
stores  and  beg  a  memento,  if  only  a  hand- 
kerchief, to  show  the  gentle  ones  at  home 
that  their  handiwork  has  been  within  their 
reach,  while  breasting  the  dangers  which 
beset  their  homes  and  their  eountjy.    This 


association  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
with  their  homes  at  this  juncture  of  their 
service  is  a  graitifying  evidence  of  the  re- 
lations the  Commiesion  has  borne  to' the 
soldier  in  the  camp,  and  how  well  he  has 
appreciated  the  home-felt  comforts  it  has 
brought  to  his  relief.  The  presence  of  the 
mustering  officer,  and  the  arrival  of  trans- 
ports to  take  them  home,  will  do  more  for 
these  soldiers  than  any  direct  relief.  Several 
regiments  have  already  embarked,  and  are 
pn  their  homeward  track.  The  23d 
Massachusetts,  16th  Connecticut,  and  3d 
New  York  Artillery  have  shipped.  The 
5th  Rhode  Island,  15th  Connecticut,  and 
some  others  are  mustered  out,  and  awaiting 
transportation.  I  enclose  a  tribute  to  the 
Commission,  sent  in  to  me  just  as  they 
were  leaving  the  department,  by  the  offi- 
^cers  of  the  3d  New  Yo«k  Artillery,  an  im- 
mense regiment,  whose  attachment  to  this 
department  has  been  coeval'withtLatof  the- 
Commission.  This  expression  was  a  spon- 
taneous one,  and  quite  unexpected,  from 
batteries  which  have  been  on  active  duty 
to  the  most  remote  parts  of  the  department. 
Our  season  thus  far  is  remarkably  uni- 
form, like  the  winter  preceding  it.  This 
month  we  have  had  but  three  days  with  the 
thermometer  at  noon  below  80°,  and  no  day 
above  88°.  There  are  many  cases  of  sick- 
ness, but  all  mild.  Most  every  one  has 
felt  more  or  less  ihaky,  even  though  not 
subject  to  actual  chills.  The  town  is  now 
clean,  and  is  occupied  wholly  by  colored 
troops.  The  general  hospital  has  been  re- 
moved to  Morehead  City.  The  hospital  at 
Wilmington  is  to  be  broken  up  iinmedi- 
ately,  and  its  archives  brought  to  the  Med- 
ical Director's  Office  in  Newbern.  Mr. 
Foster  reports  favorably,  of  sanitary  matters 
there.  The  chief  Medical  Director  of  the 
department.  Dr.  Hand;  applied  to  me  last 
week  for  chloride  of  lime,  to  be  used  in 
Ealeigh.  A  fatal  fever,  I  understand,  has 
broken  out  in  and  near  the  town,  more 
especially  in  the  spacious  insane  asylum  iii 
the  suburbs,  for  which 'more  particularly 
the  disinfectant  was  required.  I  sent  up 
ten  barrels.  The  recent  arrival  of  an  in- 
voice of  chloride  of  lime  and  stone  lime, 
fifty  barrels  of  one  and  one  hundred  of  the 
other,  has  enabled  me  to  fill  another  timely 
requisition  of  an  able  and  watchful  Medi- 
cal Director;  this  time  for  Greensboro,  to 
which  I  also  supplied  ten  barrels  of  chlo- 
ride of  lime.  I  inclose  the  requisition, 
which  speaks  for  itself. 


1264 


The  SdnUary  Oommission  JBuUetin. 


I  shall  make  no  requisitions  at  present 
on  the  general  stores  of  the  Commission/ 
■  The  service  seems  tobe.  gradually  narrow- 
ing down  to  a  peace  establishment  of  black 
troops,  the  nature  of  whose  duties  will 
hardly  necessitate  the  continued  operation 
of  extraordinary  relief,  but  will  assimilate 
itself  to  the  condition  and  regime  of  the 
old  regular  army.  The  waning  of  the 
summer  will  probably  witness  the  winding 
up  of  our  hospitals,  and  the  healing  over 
of  the  human  scars  which  are  now  the  tra^ 
cea  of  the  struggle  we  have  passed  through. 
Old  mother  earth  will,  however,  with  her 
ineffaceable  trenches,  and  ,  her  serried 
graves,  carry  down  to  the  remotest  ages  the 
balanced  account  between  the  dead  and  the 
living  of  the  heaviest  transaction  .since  the 
formation  of  nations.  Every  element  in 
nature  has  been  drawn  into  the  contest,, 
and  influences,  more  subtle  and  powerful 
than  the  fancy  of  heathen  poets  ever  as- 
cribed to  their  gods  of  war,  have  lent  their 
might  to  turn  the  scale  of  the  fight,  making 
the  moral  effects  of  the  war  more  imperish- 
able and  important  on  the  welfare  of  the 
race  than  any  revolution  it  may  have 
effected  in  politics  or  in  nationality.  That 
the  Sanitary  Commission  shall  pass  into 
history  as  the  great  humanizing  spirit  amid 
these  stupendous  powers  of  evil,  now  for 
the  first  time  brought  to  bear  collectively 
in  the  wars  of  mankind,  immortalizes  the 
period  as  the  greatest  triumph  of  practical 
Christianity  over  the  passions  of  men. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
J.  "#.  Page,  M.  D., 
Injector  XT.  8.  S.  G.,  Dept.  JV.   O. 

TESTIM.0W1&L. 
Headquarteks  3d  Kgt.  N.  Y.  V.  Aet., 
Newbebh,  N.  C,  June,  1865. 

De.  J.  W.  Page, 

United  States  Sanitary  Conunission. 

Deae  Sie  :  The  undersigned,  officers  of 
the  34  Begitnent  N.  Y.  V,  Artillery,  desire 
to  return  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  our 
sincere  thanks  for  the  many  kindnesses  be- 
stowed through  you  .to  the  soldiers  of  our 
commands  during  this  great  rebellion.  Many 
comforts  have  been  dispensed  to  the  soldiers 
which  would  not  have  been  were  it  not  for 
the  Commission. 

To  you  and  your  Assistants  in  North  Car- 
olina we  would  return  thanks,  believing 
there  never  was  a  better  institution  for  the 
soldier,  and  no  better  person  to  care  for  it, 
in  a  department,  than  Dr.  J.  W.  Page. 


We  subscribe  ourselves,  very  respectful- 
ly, yours, 

Charles  H.  Stewart,  Col.  3d  N.  Y.  V. 

Arfy;  T.  J.  Kennedy,  Lt.  Col.  Sd  N.  T.  V. 
Art'y.;  J.W.P.Rigg8,Maj.3d  N  T.  V.Art'y; 

A.  D.  Wilson,  Surg.  3d  N.  T.  V.  Art'y;  P.  W. 
Benjamin,  Assistr.  Snrgeoii;  J.  £.  Storke,  let 
Lieut,  and  Adjt.;  O.  J>.  Ball,  lat  Lieut,  and 

B.  Q.  M. ;  'Samuel  P.  BuBsell,  paptaln  Co^n^dg. 
Battery  A ;  William  B.  Mercer,  Gapt.  Comdg. 
Battery  C ;  Stephen  Van  Heusen,  Capt.  Comi^. 
Battery  D;  W.  A.  Keleey,  Capt.  Comdg.  Bat- 
tery G ;  W.  Mi  Kirby,  Capt.'  Comdg.  Battery 
I;  S.  H.  Mowers,  Capt.  Comdg.  Battery  L; 
VTilliam  Richardson,  1st  Lieut.  Battei;y  A;  G. 
H.  £dward,  2d,  1st  Lieut.  Battery  C;  John 
Stevenson,  Jr.,  Ist  Lient.  battery  B;  Edward 
Cunningham,  2d  Lieut.  Battery  A;  John  Mar^ 
ley,  2d  Lieut.  Battery  A;  Wm.  H.  Coffin,  2d 
Lieut.  Battery  C ;  Martin  Websterj  2d  Lieut. 
Battery  C;  Thomas  Vanderberg,  2d  Lieut,  Bat- 
teryD;  J.  I.  Brinkerhoff,  Jr.,  2d  Lieut.  Bat- 
tery I> ;  Charles  A.  Moore,  2d  Lieut.  Battery  G ; 
R.  D.  Wade,  2d  Lieut.  Battery  G;  E.W.  Sey- 
mour, 2d  Lieut.  Battery  1;  Wm.  H.Goodmck, 
2d  tiieut.  Battery  I ;  L.  S.  Newcomb,  2d  Lieut. 
Battery  L. 

ir.  S.  SAKITABY  COMMISSION,  ISO.  91. 

On  the  22d  March,  1864,  the  Sanitary 
Commission  resolved  to  ask  the  aid  and  co- 
operation of  an  Auxiliary  Finance  Com- 
mittee, to  be  composed  of  gentlemen  of  the 
highest  position  and  standing,  on  whose 
advice  it  could  depend  in  any  questions 
that  might  arise  as  to  the  best  management 
of  its  funds. 

It  was  thought  desirable  that  this  Com- 
mittee should  also  be  requested  from  time 
to  time,  to  pass  upon  and  examine  the  ac- 
counts and  vouchers  of  its  Treasurer. 
These  have  been  audited  and  examined  by 
Committees  appointed  by  the  Commission 
and  consisting  of  its  own  members,  at 
intervals  of  not  less  than  three  months, 
ever  since  the  Commission  was  appointed 
in  June,  1861,  and  have  been  found  cor- 
rect. But  the  amount  confided  to  the 
Commission  by  the  people  has  been  so  large, 
and  the  responsibility  thus  imposed  on  it 
BO'  heavy,  that  a  thorough  investigation  of 
its  expenditures  by  gentlemen  not  belong- 
ing to  its  own  body  seemed  expedient  for 
the  protection  of  the  Commission  and  the 
satisfaction  of  the  public. 

Messrs.  A.  A.  Low,  Jonathan  Sturges 
and  John  Jacob  Astor,  Jr.,  having  con- 
sented to.  act  as  such  Auxiliary  Finance 
Committee,  all  the  books,  accounts,  and 
vouchers  of  the  Treasurer  from  June  26, 
1861,  the  date  of  the  first  entry  they  contain 
(including,  those  of  the  Washington  and 
Louisville  offices)  were  laid  before  this 
Committee.  It  proceeded  to  engage  the 
services  of  a  professional  accountant,  and 
on  the  30th  May,  1865,  reported  the  result 
of  its  examination  down  to  January,  1865' 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


•1265 


The  reports  of  the  Comnaittee  and  of  its 
aoeountanfc  are  as  .follows  : 

New  YbEK,  May  30,  1865. 
Geo.  T.  Strong,  Esq., 

,  "PreasuriT. 

Dear  Sir:  We  hereby  certify  that  Mr. 
James  M.  Halsey,  Teller  of  the  Seamen's 
Savings  Bank,  was  selected  and  appointed 
by  us  to  examine  into  the  books  and  ac- 
counts of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  and 
after  many  months*devoted  to  this  work 
more  or  less  continuously,  the  aocompaiiy- 
ing  certificate  shows  the  result  of  his  ex- 
amination. 

His  name  is  appended  to  a  statement  of 
receipts  and  disbursements  from  June  26, 
1861,  to  January  1,  1865,  sent  herewith, 
the  aggregate  being  $3,470,587   94. 
Respectfully  yours, 

:      J,  J.  AsTpR,  Jr., 
A.  A.  Low, 
Joh'n  Siurges.    , 
'  78,  Wall  Street, 

New  Toek,  July  20,' 1864. 
Messrs.  A.  A.  I.ow.^sq.,  Jonathan  Stubges, 
Esq.,  J.  J.  AsTOR,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Gentlemen  :  I  have  to  report  (pursu- 
ant to  your  instructions)  that  the  accounts 
of  the  Treasurer  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary 
Commission  have  been  carefully  examined, 
and  that  I  find  them  correct  iu  all  partic- 
ulars. 

The  examination  included  the  bank  ac- 
counts kept  by  the  Treasurer,  and  I  find 
vouchers  returned  for  the  same,  correct 
both  as  tO'date  and  amount. 

Herewith  I  hand  you  a  statement  of  the 
receipts  and  disbursements  of  the  Com- 
mission from  June  26,  1861,  to  May  1, 
1864,  showing  a  balance  of  cash  on .  hand 
0^  1394,598  62,  which  I  find  to  have  been 
the  balance  on  the  Bank  Books  at  that 
date. 

Any  further  information  you  may  wish 

in  regard  to  the  accounts  1  sh^ll  be  pleased 

'  to    furnish,    with    the    assistance   of  -the 

Assista,fit  Secretary,  (Mr.  B.  Collins,)  at 

any  time  when  required. 

Respectfully  yours, 

Jas.  M.  Halset. 
New  Yoke,  March  30,  1865. 
Messrs.  A.  A.  Low,  Esq.,  Johathan  Stprqes, 
Esq.,  J.' J.  AsTOK,  Jr.,  Esq.,  Committee. 
Gentlemen  :  Herewith  I  hahd  you  my 
report  of  the  operations  of  the  U.  S.  San- 
itary Commission    from    June,  >  1861,  to 
January,  1865. 

Upcn  a  careful  examination  of  the 
books,  I  find  vouchers  for  all  disbursements, 
and,    to  the   best   of  my  knowledge   and 

Vol.  I.  No.  40.  80 


belief,  the  enclosed  account  is  correct  in 
every  particular.  , 

Respectfully  yours,  &fl., 

Jas    M.  Halset. 

The  same  Committee  has  been  requested 
to  continue  its  examination  from  l^^t  Jan., 
1865,  until  the  affairs  of  the  Coramission 
shall  be  finally  wound  up.  The  result  of 
such  future  examination  will  be  duly  laid 
before  the  public. 

Henet  W.  Bellows, 

Preaiient.^ 
Jno  S.  Blatchford, 

General  Secretary. 
823  Broadway,  New  York,  June  1,  1865. 


EEPOET  OF  DB.  J.  S.  NEWBEREY,  ASSOCIATE 
SECBEIAEY  WE3IEEII  SEPAEIMEITT. 

U.  8.  Sanitary  Commission, 
Louisville,  Kt.,  July  8,  1865. 

J.  S.  ^^latchford.Esq., 

General  Secrotar*Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  regret  to  say  that  the  op- 
pressively hot  weather  of  the  last  month, 
combined  with  the  unusual  amount  of  work 
thrown  upon  us,  have  so  far  affected  the 
the  health  of  my  associates  and  myself,  that 
it  is  impossible  for  me,  at  present,  to  make 
the  journey  to  Washington,  and  report  in 
person  the  condition  of  our  Sanitary  work 
in  this  Department.  I  must  try-,  therefore, 
to  give  you  a  brief  syiiopsis  of  it  by  letter, 
trusting  that  this  will  afford  all  the  infor- 
mation necessary  to  enable  the  Board  to  le- 
gislate for  this,  as  all  other  parts  of  our  field 
of  labor,  at  its  ensuing  meeting. 

In  its  general  aspects,  the  work  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  in  the  Western  De- 
partment is  not  greatly  different  from  what 
it  has  been  during  most  of  the  past-  two 
years,  and  the  changes  which  we  had  anti- 
cipated would  take  place  as  soon  as  the  first 
of  this  month,  have  not  a£  yet  occurred. 
During  the  past  quarter,  all  departments  of 
our  work  have  been  nearly  as  active  as  at 
any  former  period,  and  our  labors  at  this 
point  have"for  the  past  month  been  greatly 
increased  by  the  immediate  presence  of  50,- 
000  troops,  just  returned  from  a  campaign 
without  precedent  for  its  hardships;  crav- 
ing, and  really  needing,  an  amount  of  help 
from  the  Commission,  which  has  taxed  our 
power  and  resources  to  the  utmost.  The 
demand  for  assistance  of  various  kinds  in 
other  parts  of  our  extended  department  has, 
for  various  reasons,  been  even  more  impor- 
tunate than  heretofore;  and  it  now  seems 
probable  that,  contrary  to  all  expect^ion. 


1266 


The  Sanitary  Commission  ±suUetin. 


the  last  days  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
will  be  among  its  busiest. 

The  movfementsof  troops,  the  transfers 
of  patients  in  hospital,  the  wholesale  dis- 
charge of  invalids,  the  mustering-out  of 
large  numbers  of  men,  have  produced  a  de- 
gree of  activity,  and  even  confusion,  in  mili- 
tary operations,  that  have  thrown  upon  us 
much  unusual  thought,  labor,  and  expendi- 
ture. 

Our  Pomes  have  been  filled  with  dis- 
charged and  furloughed  men ;  the  Hospital 
Directory  been  burdened  with  the  discus- 
sion of  an  unusual  mass  of  records ;  and 
the  confusion  attending  the  disorganization 
and  re-arrangement  of  a  great  and  widely- 
scattered  army,-  has  left  regiments  and  hos- 
pitals more  dependent  upon  the  attentions 
and  charities  of  the  Commission  than  when 
we  had  a  larger  force  in  the  field,  biit  that 
force — while  enduring  all  the  hardships 
and  performing  all  the  duties  of  an  active 
campaign — stimulated  by  the  excitement, 
and  provided  for  Tjy  the  necessary  system 
of  real  and  successful  warfare. 

The  want  of  vegetables  and  other  anti- 
scorbutics, which  has  been  felt  among  our 
troops  every  spring  since  the  war  began, 
has  been  as  plainly  felt  and  expressed  dur- 
ing the  last  quarter  as  at  any  former  time. 
To  meet  this  want  we  have  gathered  pota- 
toes and  onions,  sourkrout  and  pickles,  from 
all  parts  of  the  North-Western  States,  and 
even  from  Canada,  and  have  sent  them  not 
only  to  all  parts  of  this  Department,  but 
have  forwarded  several  large  shipments,  at 
.his  request,  to  Dr.  Blake,  at  New  Orleans. 
Copies  of  his  letters  asking  for  and  ac- 
knowledging these  shipments  are  herewith 
enclosed. 

The  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  which,  war- 
worn, unpaid, «and  hungry,  has  been- en- 
camped at  Louiaville  since  the  first  of  June, 
has  been  liberally  dealt  with,  from  consid- 
erations of  both  policy  and  philanthropy. 
The  markets  of  the  Ohio  Valley  being 
nearly  exhausted  of  vegetables,  almost  noth- 
ing of  the  kind  has  been  issued  to  this 
Army  by  the  Commissary,  while,  by  pur- 
chasing far  north,  we  have  been  able  to 
issue  regularly  to  the  entire  Army  a  larger 
alloTgance  of  potatoes,  onions,  pickles,  and 
kfout  than  they  have  at  any  time  received 
from  the  Government. 

We  have  issued  once  and  sometimes 
twice  a  week,  for  the  past  month,  four  bar- 
rels of  potatoes,  and  one  of  pickles  or  krout 
to  every  two  hundred  men.     We  have  also 


issued  largely  of  other  stores  included  in 
our  supply  table,  but  the  items  I  have  men- 
tioned have  been'  by  far  the  most  import- 
ant. The  efieot  of  this  special  effort  to 
feed  a  whole  army  hardly  needs,  I  think, 
to  be.  discussed  before  approval.  Probably 
not  all  we  have  been  doing  for  this  army 
during  the  past  three  years  has  done  so 
much  to  make  them  know  and  feel  the 
value  of  the  Commission.  They  will  cer- 
tainly leave-  here  with  a  pleasant  taste  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  in  their  mouths, 
and  are  likely  to  be  led  by  this  compara- 
tively unimportant  service  to  give  us  some- 
thing of  the  credit  with  our  constituency 
at  home,  which  all  our  silent  and  legitimate 
good-doing  in  hospitals  would  have  failed 
to  obtain.  ' 

Although  the  demand  has,  I  have  said, 
been  kept  up,  the  supply,  so  far  as  derived 
from  contributions  in  kind,  has  consider- 
ably fallen  off,  especially  during  the  past 
month.  This  has  been  a  consequence  of  a 
general  conviction  that  "  the  war  is  over," 
and  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
about  done.  This  impression  was  strength- 
ened by  the  issue  of  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion Document  90,  which,  while  giving  a 
just  view  of  our  work  at  the  East,  antici- 
pated, the  progress  of  events  at  the  West 
by  two  or  three  months.  For  this  reason 
our  purchases  have  Jjeen  unexpectedly 
large  for  the  month  of  June. 

The  effect  of  our  liberal  issues  -to  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  has  been  happy  ya. 
•more  respects  than  one.  Notonly  has  the 
issue  of  vegetables,  pickles,  &c.,  had  an 
important  influence  on  the. health  and  com- 
fort of  the  troops,  but  has  done  much  to 
make  them  contented  in  the  peculiar  and 
trying  circumstances  in-  which  they  have 
been  placed.  I  am  promised  testimonials 
to  this  effect  from  a  large  number  of 
officers. 

In  the  Louisville  office  few  changes  have 
occurred  which  require  notice.  Mr.  Thorne, 
having  been  most  laboriously  engaged  in 
the  service  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
without  intermission  for  more  than  a  year, 
has  taken  a  furlough  -for  thirty  days.  l)r. 
Soule  was  twp  weeks  since  taken  sick,  and 
has  been  since  dangerously  ill,  but,  I  am 
happy  to  say,  is  now  better; 

The  Reporter,  having'finished  its  second 
volume  in  May,  has  not  been  since  publish- 
ed. I  propose,  however,  to  issue  a  supple- 
mentary number  in  a  few  days,  bringing  the 
record  of  our  work  down  to  the  present  time. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1267 


The  work  of  the  Hofpital  Directory  has 
been  nearly  as  active  during  the  last  quar- 
ter as  at  any  previous  period.  Reports  have 
been  regularly  received  from  the  hospitals 
to  July  1,  and  information  has  not  only  been 
furnished  to  individuals,  but  not  unfreqtient- 
ly  to  the  officers  of  Government.  Several 
inquiries  have  been  received  from  the  Ad- 
jutant General's  Office  at  Washington,  all 
of  which  have  been  satisfactorily  answered. 

In  accordance  with  permission  given  me 
at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board,  the  list  of 
deaths  in  the  prison  at  Andersonville  was 
purchased,  and  has  been  incorporated  with 
the  other  records  of  the  Hospital  Directory. 
This-  list  included  12,456  names,  giving  the 
name,  rank^  company,  regiment,  .disease, 
date  of  death,  and  place  of  burial,  of  every 
man  who  died  in  that  prison  during  its  ex- 
istence, with  thei  exceptionof  some  428,  who, 
dying  without  friends  or  papers,  could  not 
be  identified.  This  record  has  proved  of 
great  value,. and  has  told'ithe  fate  of  a  large 
number  whose  friends  have  previously 
sought  in  vain  to  gain  any  intelligence  of 
them. 

The  circular  recently  issue  I  by  the  Sur- 
geon General  is  likely  to  render  it  more 
difficult  than  it  has  been  for  us  to  gather 
the  facts  which  form  the  Directory  Record ; 
but,  in  view  of  the  great  value  of  this  rec- ' 
ord  to  the  people  and  the  Government,  and 
the  fact  that  not  the  slightest  evil  has  ever 
been  traced. to  it,  I  can  hardly  believe  the 
medical  authorities  in  this  department  will 
literally  construe  it. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF  DEPARTMENT. 

The  work  of  the  Homes  at  the  West  has 
as  yet  fallen  off  but  little.  The  number  of 
applicants  for  admission  to  those  on  and' 
south  "of  the  Ohio  river  has  sonjewhat  de- 
creased, but  those  admitted  are  now  almost 
exclusively    furloughed    and    discharged 


men. 

The  Homes  in  the  "home' field" — as  a,t 
Cleveland,  Columbus,  &o.  —  have  been 
crowded  by  returning  regiments,  and  have 
done,  and  are  doing,  a  great  and  most  pop- 
ular work. 

WEST   VIRGINIA. 

The  Agency  of  the  Supply  Department 
at. 'Wheeling,  Having  in  a  great  degree,  lost 
its  importance,  has  been  discontinued. 
Any  general  work  which  may  be  ne- 
cessary will  be  performed  by  the  newly-ap- 
pointed Claim  Agent  at  that  place. 

KANSAS. 

Mr.   Brown   writes    from  Leavenworth 


that  the  wdrk  of  the  Commission  in  his  dis- 
trict is  as  urgent  as  ever,  keeping  him  fully 
employed,  and  consuming  all  the  store?  he 
can  procure. 

DISTRICT  OF  THE   MISSISSIPPI.  , 

Dr.  Woodward  has  remained  in  charge 
of  this  district  until  the  present  time,  but 
now  enters  upon  a  work  of  special  inspec- 
tion under  Dr.  Harris. 

Our  Agencies  at  Cairo  and  Memphis  are 
still  kept  in  full  activity,  though  their  work 
must  soon  diminish.  Mr.  Shipman  re- 
mains in  charge  at  Cairo ;  Mr.  Christy  and 
Mr.  Way  at  Memphis.  The  Agency  at 
'Vicksburg  has  been  discontinued,  as  no 
longer  necessary,  and  our  excellent  repre- 
sentative there,  Mr.  Brown,  has  left  the 
service  of  the  Commission. 

In  Arkansas  we  hi*Fe  now  ntf  agent.  Df. 
Woodward  has  been  there  recently,  but  it 
has  scarcely  seemed  necessary  for  us  to  do 
more  duriiig  the  past  quarter  than  to  make 
occasional  shipments  of  stores  from  Mem- 
phis. 

Mr.  D.  B.  Carpenter,  who  formerly  rep- 
resented us  so  ably  in  Arkansas,  is  now  in 
Montgomery,  Ala.,  where  he  went  in  com- 
pany with  the  16th  Army  Corps.  His  ser- 
vices in  connection  with  that  Corps  are- 
recognized  in  the  accompanying  testimonial 
of  Maj.  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith. 

The  Agency  atPaducah  basbeen  discon- 
tinued since  my  last  report,  and  Mr.  Way, 
the  Superintendent,  has  been  transferred 
to  Jeffersonville,  where  he  takes  the  place 
of  Major  Smith,  resigned  on  account  of  ill 
health. 

At  Seymour,  fifty  miles  north  of  Jeffer- 
sonville, a  Lodge  and  feeding  station  has 
been  established  for'  the  benefit  of  soldiers 
detained  at  that  important  railroad  cross- 
ing. This  Lodge  is  in  care  of  Mr.  .W. 
Ackley. 

DISTRICT  OP  TENNESSEE. 

The  Agency  at  BTashville  still  continues 
in  the  good  hands  o^  Judge  Boot,  Capt. 
Bra,yton',  and  Mr.  Jones,  and  is  still  doing 
a  great  and  good  work.  During  the  past 
quarter  the  presence  of  the  Fourth  Army 
Corps  has  greatly  increased  the  duties  of 
our  agents  at  Nashville,  but,  so  far  as  I  can 
learn,  their  .responsibilities  have  been  fully 
sustained,  and  the  reputation  of  the  Com- 
mission with  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
maintaiued  to  its  final  dismemberment. 
During  the  pa^t  three  years  our  Agency 
at  Nashville  has  occupied  large  and  com- 
modious buildings  furnished  by  the  Gov- 


1268 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


ernment.  A  few  days  since  all  the  prop- 
erty held  by  military  authority  in  the  city, 
including  some  two  hundred  buildings, 
w^s  restored  to  its  owners.  By  this  meas- 
ure we  are  placed  at  the  mercy  of  the  pro- 
jfrietor  of  the  premises  occupied  by  us,  for 
which  they  demand  an  aggregate  rent  of 
about  $10,000  per  annum.  We  shall 
therefore  be  compelled  to  look  elsewhere 
for  accommodations.  If  ^these  are  not 
readily  found,  the  warehouse  and  Home 
will  be  closed.  The  ofEice  we  shall  retain 
control  of,  and  it  will  be  occupied  by  the 
Claim  Agency,  if  one  shall  be  esta°blished 
there. 

CHATTANOOGA.  >• 

This  post  has  lost  much  of  its  former 
importance,  but  it  still  contains  something 
of  a  hospital  population,  and  is  the  base 
of  supplies  for  a  nni6ber  of  garrisons. 
The  hospital  garden  at  Chattanooga  is  now 
in  a^fine  state  of  cultivation,  and  is  almost 
the  only  dependence  for  vegetable  food  of 
hospitals  and  troops  in  the  vicinity. 

The  Agency  at  Knoxville  is  now  scarcely 
less  useful  than  at  any  time  during  the  past 
year;  but  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Seymour, 
the  newly-appointed  Claim  Agent,  the  ser- 
vices of  Dr.  Starr  and  Mr;  Mason  can  be 
dispensed  with;  Mr.  Seymour  taking  charge 
of  any  relief  or  supply-work  remaining  to 
be  done. 

A  large  number  of  names  are  stricken 
from  our  roster  this  month,  and  i*n  Septem- 
ber I  feel  that  we  may  dispense  with  all  but 
a  corporal's  guard,  whose  duty  will  be  sim- 
ply to  administer  upon  the  estate  of  the  then 
deceased  Sanitary  Commission,  which  shall 
at  jihat  time  have  entered  upon  its  destined 
immortality. 

Hastily,  but  respectfully,  yours, 

J.  S.  J^BWBBERT, 

Associate  Secretary. 

HOSPITAL  &ABDEIT. 

Chattanoooa,  Tenn.^  /uli/  1,  1865. 
Dr.  J.  S.  Newberet. 

Dear  Sib  :  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  inform 
you  of  the  successful  operations  of  our  Gar- 
den thus  far.  The  past  three  or  four  weeks 
have  been  very  hot  and  dry ;  regardless  of 
this,  our  crops  are  looking  well.  The  much- 
needed  rain  has  come;  we  are  getting  a 
splendid  shower,  which  seems  likely  to  con- 
tinue for  the  day. 

Troops  are  being  fast  sent  from  here; 
still'  there  are  enough  left  to  consume  the 
products  of  the  Garden,  which  have  been 


considerable,  as  enclosed  report  will  show. 
Our  Garden  is  attended  to  with  much  less 
labor  this  season  than  last  year,  with  as  good 
or  better  results.  Our  present  help  will  not 
number  more  than  half  that  of  last  year. 
The  vineya,rds,  too,  are  looking  well,  up  to 
this  time.  If  the  present  rain  does  not  con- 
tinue, the  prospects  are  favorable  for  a  good 
crop  of  grapes.  The  owners  of  the  vineyards 
are  expected  here  in  a  few  days  :  two  of  their 
servants  have  arrived.  From  the  number  of 
troop?  supplied  during  the  season,  I  think 
almost  every  man  must  have  enjoyed  the 
fruits  of  our  industry.  I  do  not  know  of 
any  requisition  that  has  not  been  fil'ed,  the 
supply  being  sufficient  for  the  demand  up 
to  this  time. 

Our  florjcultural  arrangement  this  season 
are  much  enlarged,  a  number  of  varieties 
being  added  which  are  doing  splendidly 
up  to  this  time,  and  are  visited  by  large 
numbers  of  persons,  who  are  highly  plestsed 
with  appearances^ 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
Thos.  Wills. 


TESTIMONIAL  0^  GETS,  SMITH. 

Headquautbes  16th  Aemt  Coeps, 
Depaetment  op  the  Gulp, 
MoNTGOUEET,  ALABAMA,  June  11,  1865. 

Mr.  D.  B.  Caepeijtee, 

Belief  Agent  TJ.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
observing  the  amount  of  material  and  much 
needed  aid  which  has  been  extended  to  the 
troops  of  my  command  by  means  of  your 
agency,  and  I  cannot  permit  you  to  go 
from  among  us  without  giving  you  a  feeble, 
expression  of  the  deep  feelings  which  we 
cherish  towards  the  noble  society  which 
you  have  so  faithfully  represented,  and 
whose  benevolent  objects  you  have  so  ably 
carried  out.  The  war  is  over,  and  thou- 
sands of  patriot  soldiers  are  returning  to 
their  homes,  carrying  with  them  reminis- 
cences of  the  eventful  scenes  of  the  past, 
which,  for  long  years  to  come,  they  will 
rehearse  to  their  children,  and  their  child- 
ren's children ;  and  among  their  reminis- 
cences, many  will  tell  how,  when  they  were 
wounded  and  faint  and  weary,  "  the  agents 
of  the  blessed  Sanitary  Commission"  came 
and  cared  for  them  "  like  ministering 
spirits,"  binding  up  their  wourids,  and, 
utteriijg  words  of  hope  and  comfort,  gave 
to  them  'all  the  aid  which  man  could  render 
to  his  suffering  fellows.  In  behalf  of  the 
officers  and  men  of  this  corps,  I  tender  to 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1269 


you  and  the  Sanitary  Commission  our  most 
heartfelt  thanks  for  the  many  favors  which 
we  have  received  at  your  generous,  hands, 
and  assure  you  that  they  will  he  gratefully 
rememhered  by  us  all. 
I  am,  yours  truly, 

■     A.  J.  Smith, 

M^or  General,  IT.  S.  A. 


EEPOET  or  BOSTOH  EXECTJTIVE  COM- 
MITTKE. 

Sanitary  Commission, 
OvFipE  Ex,  Com.,  76  Eingston  Street, 

Boston,  July  10,  1865. 

JnO.    S.    BLATCHrORD, 

Gen,  Sec.  0.  S.  Sanitary  CommiBsion, 
Washington,  D.  G. 

Mt  Dear  Sir  :  I  submit  herewith  a 
report  concerning  the  Special  Relief  Ser- 
vice of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  in 
this  city  for  the  quarter  ending  June  80, 
1865. 

AID  RENDERED, 

Purnished  transportation  at  Government  rates 3,850 

Furnished  transportation  paid  by  Commission 81 

Furnished  transportation  by  U.  S.  Quarterinaster.  12 

Furnished  carriage  "within  the  city '. 811 

Furnished  special  attendance  tq  their  homes......  3 

Furnished  lodging... 6,283 

Furnished  meals .^ 7,057 

Furnished  clothing .'. 139 

Furnished  aid  in  arranging  papers 94 

Furnished  aid  in  obtaining  pay 104 

Furnished  medical  advice 443 

Wounds  dressed i  Z17 

Loaned  money l2l 

Gave  money 23 

Sent  to  hospital I..       ,       22 

Beferred  to  Local  Belief  Associations 35 

Amount  of  pay  collected .'.,...  {2,099  85 

Furnished  transportation  by  hospital  cars. 4,314 

Number  of  soldiers  aided 12,779 

Daily  average 140,13-30 

Of  the  whole  number  that  have  received 
aid  at  our  Relief  Rooms,  amounting  to 
8,465,  as  distinct  from  the  "  Hospital  Car 
Service,"  Maine  has  furnished  2,317 ; 
New  Hampshire,  286;  Vermont,  19;  Mas- 
sachusetts, 4,396 ;  Connecticut,  45 ;  Rhode 
Island,  18;  New  York,  117;  New  Jersey,. 
4;  Pennsylvania,  22;  Maryland,  7;  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  15 ;  Delaware,  2  ;  Ohio, 
/ 12;  .Michigan,  17-;  Indiana,  3;  Illinois, 
8;  Iowa,  3;  Minnesota,  9;  Wisconsin,  7; 
Tennesseie,  2;  California,  10;  Louisiana, 
10 ;  Alabama,  4  ;  CJeorgia,  3  ;  Kentucky, 
Kansas,  North  Carolina,  Virginia,  Ar- 
kansas, and  rebel  army,  one  each;  U.  S. 
Regulars,  265;  U.  S.  Navy,  430;  Veteran 
]S,eserve  Corps,  381. 

The  following  supplies  have  been  drawn 
from  the  Supply  Department  of  the  New 
England  Women's  Auxiliary  Association  : 
sheets,  48;  pillow  cases^  96;  woolen  shirts, 
276;   woolen   drawers,  264;.  socks,  264; 


handkerchiefs,  192 ;  bandages,  6  lots ;  lint, 

1  lot;  caps,  12. 

Transportation  has  been  furnished  by  orders  issuoa 

Upda  respective  railroads,  to ,     3,850 

Transportation  procui'ed  from  U.  S.  Qqarterniaster.  12 

Transportation  by  hospital  cars  between  New  York 

and  Boston  has  been  furnished  to....,.,,.. 4,31^ 

Cost  of  Hospital  Car  Service , ,..  $408  18 

Average  cost  per  man ,. .^.lOJ^cts. 

The  following  supplies  have  been  fur- 
nished to  the  hospital  cars  during  the 
quarter  :  brandy,  5  bottles ;  whisky,  6  bot- 
iles ;  wine,  4  bottles ;  extract  of  cofiFee,  3 
cans ;  pillow  slips,  24;  fans,  6  ;  bay  water, 

2  bottles ;  kerosene,  half  gallon  ;  wicking, 
1  p'kg;  soap,  1  lot;  chloride'  of  lime,  1 
bottle. 

The  total  expenditure  for  the  quarter 
has  been  $8,197  19,  classified  as  follows  : 

Bent  and  taxes $225  00 

Furnishing  and  repairs ;........ '      214  58 

Salaries , 1,040  01 

Travelling  expenses 7. 5  00 

Advertising ..-. 78  '84 

Stationery  and  printing 164  01 

Hospital  stores..... 19*95 

Superintendent's  expense  account 6,025-58 

Miscellaneous 16  04 

Hospital  Car  Service 408  18 

Whole  number  of  meu  aided 12,779 

Whole  expenditure $8,197  19  , 

Average  cost  per  man 64.1-7  ctsl 

Number  of  soldiers  furnished  wilh  meals 7.867 

Number  of  meals  furnished 16,946 

Average  No.  meals  per  man » 2^ 

Amount  paid  for  meals '. $6,077  22 

Average  cost  per  meal 38J^ct8. 

Number  of  orders  issued  for  transportation  at 

Government  rates 3,860 

Aggregate  miles  of  distance 279,533 

Resulting  in  a  saving  to  the  soldier  of. $2,976  12 

Amount  of  money  loaned  and  given 325  80 

Number  of  recipients ;.... ^  144 

Average  amount  to  each $2  26  ' 

Amount  returned 76  07 

Average  amount,  returned 13.34 

Number  furnished  with  clothing 139 

Number  of  garments  furnished ; 317 

Average  per  man....; 2,3-13 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Jas.  M.  Barnard, 

Ch.  Ex:  Com.  Boston  Associates  V.  S.  Sanitary  Commission. 


WOStAN'S  CENTBAL  ASSOCIATION    OE   BE- 
LIEF-No.  XII. 

To  the  Members  of  Soldierji'  Aid  Societies,  lately 
auxiliary  to  the  WomarCa  Central  Association  of 
Belief: 

Dear  Friends  :  There  are  a  few  last 
words  still  to  be  said  to  you,  and  it  is  my 
privilege'to  be  allowed  to  say  them. 

We  asked  you  to  continue  your  work 
until  the  4th  of  July.  On  the  3d  of  July, 
the  last  day,  we  received  57  packages,  a 
larger  number  than  on  any  previous  day 
for  many  months.  Our  receipts  throughout 
the  past  fortnight  have  been  also  unusually 
large.  We  were  not  surprised ;  you  told  us 
you  would  go  on  with  your  work  until  we 
asked  you  tgi  stop. 

The  Final  Meeting  of  our  Assoeiatioti 
was  held  on  the  7th  of  July.     It  was  de- 


1270 


The  Sanitary  Qommission  Bulletin. 


SPECIAL  BELIEF  DEFABTMENT'-COITSOLIDATED  BEFOBT  OP  EIGHTEEN 


PLACB8. 

1 

d 
< 

i 

< 

.i 
1 

1 

80 

1 

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a 

2 
3 

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6 

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64 
3 
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6 

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1 

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1 

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9 

.a 
1 

a 

o 
31 

1 

66 
2 
11 

1 

1 

286 
S 
52 
35 
92 

a 
1 

Alexandria,  Va. 

*'  flnldipTH'  Rest "         

96 
6 

11 

72 

60 

639 

136 

245 

60 

1 

4 

1 

17 

14 

188 

320 

234 

126 

26 

88 
2 

11 
904 
*6 

36 
1 

27 

.;... 

2 

J.B.  nolt,Sup.t. 

Annapoas. 

C.  p.  HoweB,  Supt. 
Baltimore. 

3 

g 

1 

6 

... 

.2 
1 
18 

... 

6 

... 

1 

... 

3 

137 

1 

A.  E.  HastiDga,  Supt. 
Boston. 

1 
1 

... 

10 

7 
6 
168 
118 
71 
117 
73 

3 

1 

Chas.  E.  Mudge,  Supt. 
Bllfrfl,lo,  N.  Y. 
"fiolrliflrfl'  Rest" 

... 

1 
316 
109 
25 
35 
23 

... 

1 

... 

Mrs.  H.  IndeviDe,  Mat. 
Camp  Helson,  Ky. 

Thos.  Butler,  Supt. 
Columbus,  Ohio. 
"Soldiera'  Home" 

4 

1 

... 

q 

11 
184 
37 
62 

9 
29 

9 

2 
3 

5 
2 

16 
5 
9 

10 

56 
11 
62 

7 
2 

145 

6 

76 

2 

2 

6 
16 
.  7 
11 

79 
50 
67 
41 

189 

2 

T.  E.  Botsfor(l,  Supt. 
Cairo,  in. 

•'SoWierft'  Home  " 

^ 

2 

0.  N.  Shipman,  Supt. 
Jefifersonville,  Ind. 

"  Holdiprfi'    Home  " 

6 
5 

... 

... 

... 

Egbert  T.  Smith,  Supt 
Hempliis,  Tenn. 

"  Soldiers'   Home  " 

2 

6 

... 

... 

4 

2 

0.  W.  Christy,  Supt. 
Nashville,  Tenn, 
"Soldiers'  Home" 

Jos.  Gillson,  Supt. 
Portsmouth,  Va. 

"Soldiers'   Home'^ 

16 

1 

... 

... 

2 

■ 

6 

• 

6 

N    2 

3 

66 

10 

S 

6 

Jno.  L.  Alcook,  Supt. 
Cleveland,  Ohio. 

"Soldiers'  Home" 

• 

J.  Jerome,  Supt. 
Washville,  Tenn. 
"  Soldiers'  Home  " 

36 

... 

... 

4 
4 

>' 

478 

250 

75 

17 

1 
41 

616 

112 

22 

13 

1 
18 

76 

114 

30 

6 

24 
3 
1 

101 

15 

4 

6 

43 

3 
15 

2 
4 

4 
65 

479 
17 

46 

168 

449 

84 

..,13 

38 

6 
14 

6 
16 

2 

26 

6 
17 

62 
62 

344 

42 
188 

... 
2 

Isaac  Brayton,  Snpt. 
New  Orleans,  Iia: 
"  Soldiers'  Home  " 

N.S.Bullard,s'upt. 
Paduoah,  Ky. 
"Soldiers' Home" 

„. 

E.  D.  Way,  Supt. 
■Washington,  D.  G. 
"The  Homo," 

1 

22 

4 
7 

10 

4 
6 

... 

... 

... 

... 

60 

2 
47 

17 

12 
9 

114 

13 
149 

65 

4 

J.B.  Clark,  Supt. 
"The   Home   for    wives 
and  mothers  " 

J.  B.  Clark,  Snpt. 
"Lodge  No.4,".,.„ 

1 

8 

2 

3 

17 

20 

3 



4 

1 

D.  0.  Loomis,  Supt. 
"Lodge  No.  6".  .. 

H.  Y.  McPherriin,  Supt. 

44 

e 

12 

122 

38 

6 

59 

654 

ea 

876 

90 

1442 

1178 

212 

167 

730 

3 

236 

195 

1687 

4 

Total. 

4 

7 

2,117 

1746 

580 

cided  then  that  we  should  request  you  to 
send  any  supplies  intended  for  us,  and 
which  you  were  unable  to  finisjli  by  the 
time  specified  for  closing,  to  our  old  ad- 
dress, that  being  so  well  known  by  Ex- 
press-men and  carriers.  The  supplies  will 
be  received,  by  an  agent  orthe  Sanitary 
Commission,  at  one  of  their  storehouses, 


nearly  opposite  the  Cooper  Union.  The 
letters,  containing  invoices,  should  be  ad- 
dressed "  U.  8.  SanitarJ.  Oommissidn,  823 
Broadway,  New  York."  '  This  is  in  answer 
to  several  letters  recently  received  from 
you  upon  this  subjec^ 

At  the  same  meeting,  the  proposition  of 
•  having  a  History  of  the  Woman's  Central 


The  ^amtcvry  Commission  Bulletin. 


1271 


"HOMES,"  "• 

COOGES,"  ASJ) 

"BESTS 

,"  rOE  THE  MONTH  OP  MAY 

,1865 

• 

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294 

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13. 

..     100 

224 

'1,714 

61      IS 

1,787 

1,29^ 

4,91i 

n 

IOC 

1,538 

1 

14 
31 

4 

38 

31      62 

38 
311 

409    1,31B 

321     1  onK 

7 

1 

1 

...    6 4 

•? 

1 . 

45 

• 

218 

78 

969 

77 

26 

66'6 

1,221 

594 

38 
862 
156 
196 
1,096 
237 
332 

61 

358 

6 

1 
3 

7 

1 

...    7 3 

liM 

9*^ 

148 

3     176 

2,334 
235 

20       1 

2,355 

1,786 
276 
1,068 
2,436 
1,608 
218 

4,009 
838 
2,916 
6,943 
7,849 
2,437 

23 

4 

? 

2  ;        16 

in 

Q 

6. 

9 

168 

...  •    6 

2 

0.  . 

iW 

1,002 
2544 

17     1° 

1,038 
2,544 
3,489 
■1,678 

778 

892 

20 

.688 

1,720 

R\ 

4 

S."! 

16 ...         6 

.     107 

174 

36 

? 

7?. 

2    2   5   6  1,437 
1...        63 

.      206 

R 

3483 

X 

239 

18 

7 

236 



362 

4       66 

2 

/ 

1,662 

8       8 

.149 

44 

1 

102 

...    J...    6     192 

4 

1 

5 

1     465 

3 

1,790  .. 
1,008  .. 

337 
1,656  .. 
4,029   4 
1,218  .. 

..     40 
5       8 
9  ...  . 

1,830 
1,008 
350 
1,656 
4,078 
1,218 

1,007 

3,410 

159 

151 

940 

-11 

19 

4 

-   .3 •  2 

806 

683 

3006 

2,435 

3,832 

8,620 

15,452 

\ 

706 

«7 

W5 

\W 

675 
263 

3,337 
611 

84 

29 

19 

7 

3 14 113 

1 

g.. 

114 

43 

3,100 

344 

23 

?, 

15 

■  25 

<f 

.....    7 

^^ 

254 

254 

800 

3,671 
9,168 

25 
253 

25 
314 

204 

477 

41 

224 

5 

3 

..1310...        27 

1,044 

2       4 

1,050 

8,438 

6 

■  .W 

2 
16 

11 

6 

565 

J 

13 

9,     21 

.     10 

1 

160 
824 

127 

715 

3,322 

30 

1,476 
12,431 
1,400 

56  163 

..  13   5  ...        10 

824... 
117  ... 

241 

643 

L5... 

39 

100 

20   7 
559  92 

25 

6q. 



[0341 

3,505  1 

5  94  33  19  1,934! 

i,190 

449 

269  s 

!6,474  37 

3   186 

26,030  - 

36,322 

!3,374 

6,203 

8,010 

6,300 

Assooiatian  written"  for  publibatidn,  va? 
considered..  It  was  deci^^d  tf>  have  it 
done ;  and  a  Compiittee,  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Board,  was  appointed  to  pre- 
pare it,  at  their  own  time  a^d  convenience. 
Our  books,  letters,  and  papers  will  be 
turned  over  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  at 
their  request,  and,  with, their  own  records 


and  those  of  the  other  Branches,  will 
finally  be  deposited  for  preservation  in 
some  public  building,  probably  in  Wash- 
ington. 

Should  there  be.  any  unsettled  accounts 
still  open,  wmeh  we  have  not  thought  of, 
or  should  extra  qopies  of  our  final  Report 
be  desired^  or  other  pamphlets  of  the  As- 


1272 


T}j^  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


sociation,  letters  addressed  to  Miss  Ellen 
Collins  or  myself,  at  the  office  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  823  Broadway,  will  reach 
us.  And  it  will  give  us  both  great  pleasure 
to  hear  from  you,  dear  friends,  at  any  time, 
upon  any  subject. 

There  is  one  explanation  and  apology 
which  I  wish  to  make  to  some  of  you.  In 
No.,II  of  the  series  of  papers  o£  which 
this  is  the  last,  we  promised  to  send  a  lec- 
turer in  the  course  of  the  winter,  to  ex- 
plain the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
to  any  society  desiring  it.  We  were  never 
able  to  fulfill  the  promise,  and  the  annoy- 
ance and  regret  this  has  occasioned  us- 
have  been,  we  trust,  far  greater  than  your 
disappointment.  The  explanation  is,  that 
we  were  obliged  to  depend  for  our  lecturers 
upon  the  Canvassing  and  Supply  Depart- 
ment of  the  Commission.'  Owing  to  the 
very  numerous  applications  for  lecturers, 
made  simultaneously  by  all  the  Eastern 
Branches,  this  department  was  entirely 
over-taxed,  and  unable  to  obtain  a  sufficient 
number  of  gentlemen  capable  of  filling  the 
position.  We  are  very  sorry  to  have  thus 
been  obliged  to  break  faith  with  you,  for  ^he 
first  time. 

I  have  been  requested  to  say,  that  per- 
sons desiring  Card  Photographs  of  the  Ex- 
terior of  our  Office,  No.  11  Cooper  Union, 
can  obtain  them  by  sending  their  names 
and  addresses,  and  enclosing  25  cents,  to 
Rockwood  &  Co.,  Photographers,  839 
Broadway,  N.  Y.  For  larger' photographs 
of  the  same,  75  cents. 

Before  closing  I  must  thank  you  for 
your  most  precious,  farewell  letters,  jfhich 
have  come  to  us  during  the  past  fortnight, 
and  which  have  given  us  great  pleasure. 
We  would  like  to  answer  each  separately, 
but  there  are  many  hundreds  of  them, 
and  the  winding  up  of  our  work  Will  still 
keep  us  so  busy  for  several  weeks  that  it  is 
impossible  to  do  so. 

We  knew  that  we  loved  you,  and  we 
thought  that  we  knew  how  you  loved  us, 
but  we  have  never  really  known  it  until 
liow — when  the  time  has  come  for  us  to 
part.  This  spontaneous  expression  of  such 
warm  affection  on  your  part  has  completely 
overcome  us,  and  there  have  not  been  many 
dry  eyes  or  clear  voices  at  our  rooms 
lately,  after  the  receipt  of  the  day's  mail. 

We  feel  humbled  too.  JIow  can  it  be 
otherwise,  when  we  see  how  entirely  you 
have  over-estimated  our  share  in  the  work  ? 
Our  part  in  it,  with  the  stimulant  and  ex- 


citement of  being  so  much  nearer  the 
centre  of  interest,  with  our  great  opportu- 
nities of  seeing  and  knowing  what  was 
being  done,  and  sustained  by  the  sympathy 
received  daily  through  your  letters,  has 
been  nothing  compared  to  the  great  diffi- 
culties which  you  have  met  and.  overcome 
in  keeping  up  the  interest  of  the  work, 
and  in  raising  the  funds  for  the  support  of 
your  societies;  We  know  all  about  it— just 
how  hard  it  has  been  sometimes  for  you  to 
struggle  on,  the  ambunt  of  time  and  labor 
often  spent  in  raising  the  five  oi^ten  dol- 
lars, collected  at  many  houses,  in  many 
little  pieces  of  currency;  the  walks  through 
the  cold,  and  the' heat,  and  the  storm  to  go 
to  that  weekly  meeting;  the  home  sacri- 
fices made  by  those  who  could  not  other- 
wise have  given  t«  the  soldiers;  and  all 
this  quietly,  constantly,  cheerfully.  No, 
dear  friends,  these  are  not  little  things ;  we 
cannot  forget  them ;  and  we  could  not.  in 
all  sincerity,  have  left  yoiir  last  letters  un- 
answered without  saying  this  to  you. 

We  have  all  tried  to  do  our  duty ;  but, 
when  we  look  back,  we  shall  not  think  of 
how  much  we  have  done;  but  of  how  little, 
with  the  regret  that  we  did  not  do  more 
while  the  opportunity  lasted.  God  has 
greatly  blessed  us  in  our  work  during  the 
past  four  years — a  work  interwoven  with 
prayer.  And  may  His  blessing  rest  upon 
us  always. 

Believe  me,  affectionately,  your  friend, 
LoufsA  Lee  Schut^iER. 

New  York,  11  Cooper  Union, 
July  8,  1865. 


DS.  C.  F.  TAET'S  FAITNING  MACHINE. 
Lincoln  U.  S.  General  Hospital, 

Waseinoion,  D.  C,  June  29,  1866. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D.  D., 

President  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  GommisBion.     ' 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir  :  I  have  the  honor 
to  report  that  I  have  performed  the  duty 
which  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  U. 
S.  Sanitsry  Commission  imposed  on  me,  of 
awarding  their  premium  for  the  best  inven- 
tion for  fanning  patients  in  military  hospi- 
tals. 

In  calling  your  attention  to  that  subject, 
you  will  recollect  that  I  pointed  out  the  de- 
sirability of  having  a'contrivanoe  something 
like  the  Indian  punka,  by  which  all  the 
patients  of  a  long  ward  might  be  gcfntly 
fanned,  so  as  to  protect  them  from  flies  by 
day,  and  from  mosquitoes  by  night — thus 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1273 


BupersediDg  the  cumbrous  and  stifling  cur- 
Ifeina  now  in  use;  it  being  all-important, 
however,  that  the  machine  should  work 
noiselessly,  be  simple,  and  cheap,  requiring 
the  labor  of  a  single  attendant  to  keep  it  in 
motion. 

No  sooner  did  the  announcement  appear 
in  the  newspapers  that  such  a  machine  was 
needed,  than-  plans'  were  transmitted  to  me 
in  great  numbers,  all  of  them  exhibiting 
great  ingenuity,  many  of  them  b6ing  the 
inventions  of  our  ingenious  soldiers,  who, 
when  in  hospital,  had  often  feufifered  for  the, 
want  of  fanning.  I  was  unable,  however, 
to  form  an  opinion  of  the  relative  value  of 
these  plans  from  a  mere  inspection 'of  the 
drawings,  or  the  little  models  that  were 
presented.  The  expense  attending  the  con- 
etruntion  of  the  apparatus  on  a  scale  suffi- 
ciently large  to  test  its  valup,  deterred  all, 
but  two  inventors  from  competing  for  the 
premium.  One  of  the  contrivances  is  the 
invention  of  Mr.  Blonquist,  of  New  York, 
who,  under  the  patronage  of  L.  E.  Chitten- 
den and  T.  B.  Bunting,  Esqrs.,  and 'at  con- 
siderable expense  to  the  last-named  gentle- 
man, came  to  Washington,  and  put  up  a 
fanning-machine  in  one  of  the  wards  of  this 
hospital — Dr.  MoKee,  U.  S.  A.,  surgeon  in 
charge,  kindly  favoring  this  attempt  of  ac- 
complishing a  hospital  desideratum. 
,  This  invention  afforded  much  satisfaction 
to  Profs.  A.  C.  Post  and  C.  A.  Lee,  of  New 
York,  and  Prof  Bacon,  of  New  Haven,  who 
witnessed  its;  operation.  Mr.  Blanquist  also 
exhibited  an  automaton  punka,  which  is 
admirably  adapted  for  domestic  use — for 
single  beds,  offices,  dining-rooms,  and  the 
like. 

Biit '  a  machine,  the  invention  of  Sur- 
geon Tafl,  A.  A.  S.  U.  S.  A.,  in  charge  of 
the  Signal  Corps  Hospital,  Georgetown,  D. 
C,  has  been  put  up  in  an  adjacent  ward, 
which,  for  military  and  municipal  hospital 
purposes,  is,  in  the  opinion  of  Dr.  McKee, 
myself,  and  others,  entitled  to  the  palm.  It 
is  so  simple, 'that  any  carpenter  attached  to 
a  hospital  can  construct  one ;  so  inexpen- 
sive, that  twenty-five  cents  will  cover  the 
expense  foy  each  bed  j  and,  withal,  capable 
of  being  kept  in  motion  by  a  single  attend- 
ant, who  can  thus  fan  two  rows  of  beds, 
thirty  or  more  in  a  row.  Its  action  can  be 
suspended  over  any  single  bed  when  desired, 
or  its  fan  may  be  extended,  so  as  to  keep 
flies  from  a  suppurating  foot. 

With  true  prdfessional  feeling.  Dr.  Taft 
declines  -taking  out  a  patent  for  his  inven- 


tion.    He  is  only  desirous  of  having   its 
benefits,  extended  to  patients. . 

There  is  now,  thanks  be  to  God,  who  hath 
given  us  the  victory,  compjiratively  little  oc- 
casion for  a  hospital  fanning-machine ;  but 
it  is  needed,  nevertheless ;  and  as  it  is  desi- 
rable that  it  should  be  speedily  brought  into 
general  use,  I  hope  you  will  make  the  public 
acquainted  with  the  invention,  and  through 
your  own  publicatioiis  give  the  technical 
description  herewith  transmitted. 

While  the  humane  and  patriotic  deeds  of 
the  Sanitary  Commission  will  be  embalmed 
in  history,  an  ever-active  memento  of  its 
beneficence  will  be  afforded  in  hospitals  by 
this  hygienic  appliance,  which  it  has  been 
the  means  of  calling  into  existence. 
Most  respectfully, 

D.  J.Macgowan. 

Lincoln  U.  S.  General  Hospital, 
WASHiNaTOH,  D.  C,  June  29,  1865. 

Mt  Dear  Db.  Bellows:  Everybody 
hereabouts — nurses,  patients,  surgeons,  and 
visitors — are  delighted  with  the  fanning 
invention.  If  the  instrument  does  not  come 
into  general  use,  it  will  be  because  there  is 
no  Sanitary  Commission  to  stimulate  hospi- 
tal authorities.  I  wish  you  could  get  some 
one  to  come  to  see  the  contrivance  in  ope- 
ration. It  is  expected  that  you  will  pub- 
lish my  report  immediately  in  the  New  York 
dailies  and  in  your  own  publications.  And 
also  that,  cither  in  one  of  th^se  latter  or  in 
a  circular  to  be  sent  to  the  hospitals,  you 
will  publish  Judge*Taft's  technical  descrip- 
tion of  his  son's  invention. 

Please  direct  that  the  premjum  be  sent 
to  Dr.  Taft,  care  of  Judge  Taft,  Departinent 
of  the  Interior,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Most  truly,  yours, 

D.  J.  Macgowan. 


A  Sough  Sketch  and  Description  of  Dr.  0.  S.  Tafis 
Mospital  Fanning  Arrangement,  for  the  Mechame, 
A  braced  bracket  (A  and  B)  is  projected  from 
the  Wall  of  the  hospital  ward  about  two  feet,'  or 
to  suit  the  position  of  the  bed. .  (D)  is  a  strip  of 
board,  nailed  fast  to  the  top  of  the  bracket,  and 
running  the.  length  of  theward.  (C)  is  the  os- 
cillating-block,  hung  loosely  on  a  strong  wire, 
(E),  which  is  tightly  driven  into  (D).  These 
brackets  are  placed  at  convenient  distances 
apart.  The  blocks  are,  of  course,  placed  over 
each  bed,  usually  six  or  seven  feet  from  the  floor. 

(F)  is  a  stiff  wire,  bent  something  as  represent- 
ed, and  driven  fast  into  the  block.    The  fan-rod 

(G)  is  run  thropgh  this  bent  %ire,  (as  seen,) 
the  middle  portion  resting  on  the  rod  as  a 
spring,  to  keep  it  in  place.  The  same  arrange- 
ment is  qt  the  bottom  of  the  fan-rod,  to  hold  the 


1274 


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The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


12T5 


fan,  which  may  be  the  common  palm-leaf.   These 
'  wires,  or  clasps,  allow  both  the  fan-rod  and  the 
fen  itself  to  be  placed  in  any  position  to  suit  the 
patient. 

A  cord,  or  wirey  (copper  wire  is  beat,),  is  strung 
from  one  end  of  the  ward  to  the  other,  or  from 
the  two  outside  blacks,  and  is  attached  to  the 
top  of  each  block  ;  another  cord,  or  wire,  is  at- 
taohed  to  the  bottom  of  the  two  outside  blocks  ; 
both  cords,- or  wires,  are- tightly  di-awn,  while 
the  blocks  stand  perpendicular,  in  this  con- 
dition, the  movement  or  oscillation  of  cither 
of  the  outside  blocks  moves  or  oscillates  the 
whole.  And  the  whole  may  be  worked  by  a  le- 
ver from  either  end  of  the  ward.  But  to  give 
steadiness  and  regularity  of  motion  to  the  fans, 
it  is  found  best  to  extend  the  cords,  or  wiores,  at 
one  end,  and  attach  them  to  the  rod  of  a  pendu- 
lum, at  equal  distances,  above  and  below  the  piv- 
ot upon  which  the  rod  swings.  A  weight,  weigh- 
ing fifteen  or  twenty  pounds,  is  attached  to  the 
Uottom  of  the  rod.  This  pendulum  may  be  on 
the  outside  of  the  ward,  if  desirable.  By  hang- 
ing the  pendulum  so  as  to  swing  transversely  at 
the  end  of  the  ward,  and  extending  the  wires 
from  the  fan-blocks  from  each  aide  of  the  ward 
around  pulleys,  and  attaching  them  to  the  pen- 
dulum-cod as  above,  the  movement  of  the  pen- 
dulum operates  all  the  fans  in  the  ward,  and  is 
done  by  one  man. 

Such  is  the  arrangement  now  in  operation  at 
the  Lincoln  Hospital,  fanning  sixty  beds — thirty 
on  each  side  of  the  ward. 


I.ETIEB  FBOm  GEKEBAL  KEIGS. 

Q.  M.  ©eneeal's  Opfiob, 
Wabhinoton,  D.  C,  July  19,  1865. 
JoHH  S.  Blatchford,  Esq., 

General  Secretary  TT.  S.  Sanitary  Commiasion.  . 

Sib,  :  I  have  to  aeknowlgdge  the  receipt 
of  your  letter  of  the  15th  inat.,  covering  a 
Besolution  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
acknowledging  the  eo-operation  of  the 
Quartermaster's  Department,  in  the  efforts 
and  operations  of  the  Sanitary  Commission, 
during  the  war  for  the  suppression  of  the 
Kebellion 

I  shall  take  pleasure  in  communicating 
the  Resolution  of  the  Commission  to  the 
officers  under  my  command,  and  desire  to 
express  my  thanks  for  the  manner  in  which 
the  Commission  has  acknowledged  the  as- 
sistance and  aid  which  we  have  been  able 
to  render  them. 

The  Quartermaster's  Department  is 
charged  with  the  duty  of  transporting  and 
delivering  to  the  troops,  whether  in  garri- 
son, hospital,  eamp,  or  field,  nearly  all  the 
supplies  essential  to  life  and  comfort. 

It  stores  and  transports  not  only  the  sup- 
plies of  clothing,  equipment,  shelter,  and 
means  of  transportation,  but  the  eubsist- 


ence,  hospital  supplies,  and   ammuniti(Si, 
which  are  provided  by  other  Departments. 

Upon,  tha  efficient  performance  of  its 
duties  depend,  therefore,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, the  military  efiieienoy,  comfort,  and 
health  of  the  troops,  and  thence,  the  suc- 
cess of  military  operations. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  organizing 
sympathy,  has  given,  unity  and  character  to 
the  efforts  of  th'e  friends  and  relatives  of 
the  soldier  on  a  gigantic  scale,  and  bprni^ 
an  important  part  in  the  war.  It  has  sup- 
plied^ without  the  delays  which  are  insppai- 
able  from  a  complete  opcial,  pecuniary,  and 
personal  accountability,  much  whi,ch  the 
regular  Departments  of  supply  could  not 
so  soon,  or  could  not  at  all  distribute. 
'  Its  agents  have  been  everywhere,  and 
have  aided  and  assisted  the  offLeers,  cheered 
many  a  weary  and.  wounded  man,  and 
saved  many  a  life.  When  the  Secretary  of 
the  Commission  first  called  upon  me,  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  war,  I  well  remember  the 
interview,  and  the  joyful  expression  with 
which,  after  comparing  our  opinions  and 
views,  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  Com- 
mission could'  best  fulfil  its  objects  of  use- 
fulness, he  said  that  I  had  given  him  a  new 
hope  and  confidence,  and  that  h^  then,  for 
the  first  time,,  felt  as  though  he  had 
"touched  bottom,"  and  had  found  firm 
ground  to  stand  upon. 
.  Since  then  I  have  seen  the  operations  of 
the  Commission,  not  only  in  this  city,  and 
the  extensive  hospitals  which  surround  it, 
but  at  the  bases,  of  supply,  the  temporary 
depots  through  which  the  wounded  were 
passing  after  great  battles,  I  have  gratefully 
recognized  the  value  of  its  labors  to  the 
soldier,  to  the  officer  and  to  the  cause,  and 
rejoiced  that  I  was  early  brought  into  con- 
tact with  it^and  that  I  had.  been  able  to  aid 
it  by  my  own  efforts  and  by  those  of  offi- 
cers under  my  direction. 

This  country  has  many  proud  memories 
to  mingle  with' the  sadness  of  the  late  war, 
and  among  the  proudest  will  be  the  mag- 
nificent voluntary,  sympathy  and  charity  to 
its  representative  soldiers,  organized  and 
condueteda  by  the  Sanitary  Commission. 

Wishing  the  members  and  officers  of  the 
Commission  health  and  happiness,  and 
long  life  to  enjpy  the  honor  and  regard 
with  which  their  names  are  crowned  by  a 
free  people, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  most  respectfully^ 
your  obt.  servant,  M.  0.  MsiGS, 

Qoarienivistw  General,  Br^et-M:^-  GeneraL 


1276 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


UISAFFLIGAIIOIT   07    SANITABT   COUMIS- 
SION  SUFFLIES. 

IBTTEE  FEOM  REV.  F.  N.  KNAPP. 

WABmHOTON,  D.t!.,  August  10. 

Mt  Dear  Friend:  Your  letters  were 
duly  received  calling  the  attention  of  the 
Commission' to  the  fact  that  a  returned  sol- 
dier in  your  neighborhood  is  said  to  have 
in  his  possession  various  articles  of  clothing 
■with  the  mark  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 
upon  them,  and  you  suggest  the  importance 
of  having  the  affair  cleared  up  by  an  inves- 
tigation at  the  hospital  near  Washington 
where  the  soldier  was  recently  an  inmate. 

Probably  the  facts  are  just  as  stated  to 
you  J  it  would  be  strange  if  to  every  thou- 
sand soldiers,  honest  in  themselves,  and 
grateful  to  the  Commission  for  its  services, 
as  most  of  them  are,  there  were  not  at  least 
one  man  so  Unpriincipled  and  devoid  of 
gratitude  as  to  lead  hini  to  steal  sanitary 
stores,  just  as  he  would  any  other  goods  he 
could  lay  his  hands  on.  And  moreover,  in 
the  process  of  "  breaking  up  "  the  general 
hospitals,  now  going  rapidly  on,  though 
the  system  of  issue  by  the  Commission  may 
have  been,  as  we  believe  it  has,  eminently 
wise,  and  though  the  surgeons  in  charge 
may  be  watchful,  it  is  simply  impossible  to 
prevent  cunning  men  from  secreting  some 
of  the  articles  which  may  be  in  use  in  the 
various  wards,  and  which,  of  course,  having 
been  once  appropriated  to  the  hospital  and 
regularly  accounted  for  in  the  issues  of  the 
Commission,  the  Commission  cannot  keep 
a  personal  watch  over. 

The  hospital  you' refer  to  was  "broken 
up"  some  weeks  ago,  with  ten  or  fifteen 
other  hospitals  in  this  vicinity.  Of  course 
no  investigation  can  be  made  at  the  hospi- 
tal itself  in  the  case  you  refer  to.  But  it 
seems  to  me  eminently  the  duty  of  any 
friend  of  the  Commission,  who  is  cognizant 
or  suspicious  of  the  existence  of  such  facts 
as  you  state  in  his  own  neighborhood,  to 
see  the  man  himself,  and  make  a  thorough 
examination  in  an  open  and  straightforward 
manner.  If  such  investigation  should  be 
made  in  the  present  case,  as  I  trust  it  may 
*  be,'  will  you  inform  me  of  the  result  ? 

One  word  more.  Considering  the  vast 
amount  of  supplies  issued  by  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  the  utter  impossibility  of 
the  agent  of  the  Commission  keeping  a . 
personal  watch  over  these  supplies  after 
they  are  once  issued  j  considering,  too,  how 
soldiers,  after  they  are  once  well,  will  sell 
articles  of  clothing  which  have  been  fur- 


nished to  them  when  sick';  considering 
these  points,  it  really  seems  strange  to  me, 
not  that  occasionally  goods  bearing  the 
Sanitary  Commission  mark  are  found  in 
the  wrong  hands,  but  that  such'  occurrences 
are  rare  as  they  are.  Am  I  not  right  in 
this  view  of  the  case  ? 
Sincerely  your  friend, 

Fred.  N.  Knapp, 

Superintendent  Special  Keljef. 

Mrs.  Horatio  Seymour, 

Buffalo  Branch  U.  S.  Sanitary  GommlsBion. 


WOICENS'  FENNSYLVANIA  BBAITGH  U.  8. 
SAI7ITABY  -COMUISSIOir. 

1307  CHDSTiruT  Stbeei, 

PmLADEif  HU,  July  4, 1865. 

To  the  Aid  Societies  contribTiting  to  the 

Women's  Pennsylvania  Branch  of  the 

United  States  Sanitary  Commission : 

We  send  you  to-day  document  No.  93, 

being  the  Farewell  Address  of  the  Sanitary 

Commission  to  its  tributary  branches  and 

aid  societies^ 

We  have,  of  course,  accepted  it  to  guide 
our  action  at  this  office.  Onr  Ladies'  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  feels  it  a  duty  and  a 
proud  privilege  once  more  to  communicate 
with  those  who  have  worked  with  it  so 
long,  so  faithfully-,  and  so  harmoniously. 
The  close  of  the  war  has  come  upon  us  so 
suddenly  that  we  feel  like  those  who  dream, 
as  if  the  peace  or  the  war  were,  one  or  the 
other,  a  vision.  Yet  the  peace  is  a  glori- 
ous present  reality,  and  the  cruel  war, 
which  yet  was  the  means  of  banding  us  'to- 
gether in  a,  work  of  holiest  sympathy  and 
love,  is,  with  the  necessity  of  our  banded 
labor,  among  the  things  of  the  past.  As 
we  have  toiled  together  in  our  days  of  sor- 
row, so  let  us  together  rejoice  and  giv6 
thanks,  on  this  day  of  joy,  to  the  great 
Ruler  who  has  held  the  destinies  of  our 
dear  country  in  His  hands,  and  has  pre- 
served to  us  this  precious  heritage  of  our 
fathers,  "  now  and  forever,  one  and  indi- 
visible." We  thank  you  for  your  warm, 
earnest,  and  untiring  co-operation,  feeling 
that,  if  the  Philadelphia  Agency  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission  is  able  to  look  with 
grateful  satisfaction  upon  results  accom- 
plished, the  praise  is  largely  due  to  you  as 
faithful  co-workers  in  this'blessed  ministry 
to  the  suffering.  Our  work  is  closing,  dear 
friends,  but  shall  ■we  ever  forget  how  our 
hearts  have  been  knit  together  during  its 
accomplishment  ?  Our  memories  of  these 
years  will  never  perish.     The  sorrow  and 


The  Sanitary  Commission- Bulletin. 


1277 


the  agony  cannot  be  forgotten ;  but,  like  S 
rainbow  upon  tlie  storm,  we  shall  look  back 
with  ever-returning  joy  to  the  help  we  were 
enabled  to  give  to  that  most  noble  of  in- 
strumentalities for  good  whose  work  has 
been  so  vast  and  so  beneficent — the  United 
States  Sanitary  Commission. 

Makia  0.  GaiER, 

OhaJrman  EzecntiTe  Committoe, 
TJ.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION 

gtmg  atrit  |la&g  Claim  %^iyiq,, 

jrO  CHARGE  FOn  SERVICES. 

This  Agency  is  established  to  prosecute  the 
claims  of  those  who  have  been  in  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  in  the  Army  and  Navy,  and 
their  dependents,  for  Pensions,  Arrears  of  pay, 
Bounty,  Prize-Money,  and  all  other  Army  and 
Navy  claims  on  the  Government,  WITSO  UT 
CEABGE  OR  EXPENSE  OP  ANY  KIND 
WHATEVER  TO  THE  CLAIMANT. 

CEXSTTRAXi  OFFICE,  244  F  ST., 

WASHINGTON,  D.  G. 

DAEIUS  FOEB'ES, 

General  Agent. 
MAINE. 

Augusta Joseph  Burton 

■  Bangor Euel  Smith 

Bucksport J.  B  Sherman 

Gorinna Freeman  Knowles 

Levant T.  H.  Wiggin 

Newburgh Ariel  Kelly 

Paris William  A.  Pidgin 

Portland W.  H.  Fessenden 

Springfield , A.D.  Clarke 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

'  Concord Samuel  C.  Eastman 

Manchester Cyrus  A-SuUaway 

Portsmouth.... Rev.  SuUivan  Holman 

VERMONT. 

Brattlehoro' Geo.  H.  Bailey 

BurKngton A.  J.  Howard, 

Montpelier ., D.  L.  Fuller 

Rutland. James  E.  Porter 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Boston .' Francis  S.  Dyer 

Lowell N.  D.  A.  Sawyer 

New  Bedford....'. / Wm.  Almy 

Neponset Thos.  Temple 

Springfield Lewis  A.  Tifffc 

Worcester ..■—■ John  A.  Lovell 

Greenfield -' Geo.  W.  Bartlett 

Pittsfield , E.  M.Wood 

COKNEOTICUT. 

Bridgeport ■. Andrew  Grogan 

Hartford Richard  W.  Roberts 

New  Haven...; r 

New  London Chas.  M.  Wilcox 


NEW  YORK. 

IJpw  York  City Heiiry  Greenfield 

Sbany MoClure  &  Miller 

Buffalo .F.  G.  Pattison 

Elmira...... Mrs.  Charles  B.  Stuart 

Rochester Dr.  A.  Mandeville 

Syracuse '.-8.  P.  Smith 

Troy Sewell  Sergeant 

Utica ',....Geo:  C.  Carter 

Oadensburg Gardner  B.  Chapin 

Watertown Lucian  E.  Carter 

Plattsburgh Oren  C.  Gregg 

Ludlowville John  Ludlow 

Lenox E:  H.  W.  Bruce 

Hampton H.  C.  Broughton. 

Spencel: C.  W.  Bradley 

Poughkeepsie Walter  C.  Allen 

'  NEW  JERSEY.     , 

Trenton D.  Cooper  AUinson 

Newark j,. David  A.  Eyerson 

Somerville Isaiah  N.  Dilts 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

Harrisburg , Dewitt  &  Snodgrass 

Pittsburg ...B.  P.  Brown 

Erie A.  J.  Foster 

Wilkesbarre .' Hubbard  B.  Payne 

Carbondale D.  N.  Lathrope 

Meadville..'. D.  C.  McCoy 

Shippensburg D.  W.  Thmsh 

Amity J.  D.  Huston 

DELAWARE. 

Wilmington.... Levi  Clark  Bird 

MARYLAND. 

Baltimore J.  P.  Creager 

Frederick Joseph  M.  Ebberts 

•   WEST  VIEGINIA. 

« 

Wheeling James  Gilchrist 

Grafton ., James  M.  Scrogin 

OHIO. 

Cleveland Wm.  H.  Gaylord 

Dayton Eobert  Brundretf' 

Zanesville .\'.David  Hull 

Chillicothe Thaddeus  A.  Minshall 

Marietta ."... Geo.  M.  Woodbridge 

Steubenville.. ".....W.  A.,  Walden 

Toledo Hartwell  Osborn 

Mansfield Vance  &  Dailey 

INDIANA. 

Indianapolis Temple  0.  Harrison 

La  Fayette Taylor  &  Watson 

Evansville Charles  E.  Marsh 

Eichmond Lewis  D.  Stubbs 

Madison David  G.  Phillips 

La  Porte Wm.  Andrew 

Terre  Haute Thomas  0.  Bailey 

Fort  Wayne , W.  F.  Jenison 


1278 


.  The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin^ 


ILLINOIS. 

Chicago.. A.  N.  LinsooWi 

Peoria... Ghaunoey  Nye 

Quincy H.  A.  Castle 

Alton James  Newman 

Centralia Samuel  P.  Tufts 

Vienna John  S.  Crum 

MICHIGAN. 

Detroit.. Wm.  Jennison,  Jr. 

Adrian 0.  E.  Barstow 

Kalamazoo Chas  A.  Thompson,  Jr. 

Jackson G.  Thompson  Gridley 

Grand  Bapids: Isaac  H.  Panisu 

MINNESOTA. 

St.  Paul's ......Jno.  Poller 

WISCONSIN. 

Milwaukee.. Wm.  G.  Whipple 

Madison Buel  E.  Hutchinson 

Fond  du  Lac N.  G.  Giffin 

Wat«rtown '    Calvin  B.  Skinner 

La  Crosse Stogdill  &  Daniels 

Janesville .Pliny  Norcross 

IOWA. 

Dubuque E.  S.  Norris 

Davenport Gharles  H.  Kent 

Burlington,.. ..J.  P.  Brown 

Des  Moines Geo.  P.  Abel 

MISSOURI. 

St.  Louis Henry  M.  Post 

KENTUCKY. 

Louisville H.  H.  Burkholder 

Bowling  Green E.  P.  Kinnard 

Frankfort Jno..M.  Brown 

TENNESSEE. 
Knoxville Chas.  Seymour 

KANSAS. 

Leavenworth Ghaa.  H.  Crane 

Lawrence iEugene  L.  Akin 

LOUISIANA. 

New  Orleans C  W.  Seaton 

DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA. 

Washington M.  P.  Barry 

TABLE  or  CONTENTS. 

from  the  Commisaioa  to  the  EranoboB  and  Aid  Soci- 
eties tributary  to  the  0.  S.  S.0 1249 

From  John  S.  Elatchford,  General  Secretary 1261 

From  Abby  W.  May,  N.  B.  Womans'  Anx.  AsBo'n......  1259 

From  N.  W.  Branch  U.  S.  8.  0.,  by  Mrs.  Hoge  and 

Mrs.  Llvermoro..... „ 1269 

From  Michigan  Agt.,  Samueljay ,  1260 

From  General  Meigs,  Q.  M.  Gen 1276 


Prom  Key.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Superintendent  Special  Be- 
lief.  , 1276 

BXFORTB. 

Fourth  annual  and  final  report  of  the  W.  C.  A.  B.....  1251 

Monthly  report  from  Cleveland 1262 

Report  of  J.  C.  Hoblit 1262 

Report  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Page. „ „.  1862 

Report  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberi-y,  Asst.  Sec.  Western 

Department .....,; 126^ 

Report  of  Boston  ExecutiTe-Oommittee.. ...'..-... 1269 

Reports  of  eighteen  Homes,  Lodges,  and  Rests  for** 

May,  1866 1270-71 

ESIIOSIAIi.,  ^ 

Letter  from  the  Editor „ 126D 

%JSC£LLANE0nS. 

Resolutions  of  Womans*  Cen.  Asso.  Relief. 1266 

Resolutions  of  General  Aid  Society,  BuflalB.N.T 1267 

Resolulions  of  Rochester  Soldiers' Aid  Society. 1257 

Resolutions  of  Soldiers*  Aid  Society,  New  Haven, 

Conn ., ., 1257 

Resolutions  of  Soldiers'  Aid  Society,  Ironton„N.  Y...  1268 

-Resolutions  of  Wisconsin  Soldier^*  Aid  Society 1268 

Women's  Pennsylvania  Branch ;..'. 1S76 

Testimonial  from  3d  RegtN.  Y.  V.  Artillerv 1264 

Dr.  C.  F.  Taft's  Fanning  Machine '. 1273 

Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agency — list  of  Local  Agen-  ' 

cies 1277 

Hospital  Garden , , 1268 

Testimonial  of  General  JSmith 1268 

Womans'  Central  Association  Relief,  No.  12 1S69 

Misapplication  of  Sanitary  Commission  Supplies......  1276 


U.   S.   SAi^flTAET  COMMISSION. 

BUREAU  OF  INFORMATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT. 
Central  Office,  244  F'  Street,  Washingtm,  D.  0, 

This  Bureau  is  established  with  the  following 
objects : 

1.  To  aid  those  who  have  served  in  the  Army 
and  Navy  of  the  United  States  in  obtaining  em- 
ployment, 

'  2.  To  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  necessity 
for  costly  charitable  institutions,  by  thus  encour- 
agiil§  industry,  and  aiding  the  disabled  soldier, 
who  might  otherwise  seek  an  asylum,  to  strive 
for  self-support. 

3.  To  lessen  the  pauperism  and  crime  necessa- 
rily more  or  less  a  consequence  of  war,  and  which 
surely  attend  on  large  numbers  of  unoccupied 
men  left  to  themselves  without  employment  or 
means  of  subsistence. 

4.  To  save  to  the  country  a  large  amount  of 
productive  labor,  at  a  time  when  it  can  Idast 
afford  to  maintain  idle  hands. 

The  services  of  the  Bureau  are  given  gratui- 
tously. 

Information  and  suggestions  are  solicited  rela- 
tive to  employments  adapted  to  maimed  and  dis- 
abled men.  Employers  are  earnestly  requested 
to  make  applioation^to  this  Bureau  for  every 
class  of  labor ;  and  are  reminded  that  our  Army 
and  Navy  have  contained  many  of  the  best  and 
most  trustworthy  young  men  of  the  natioiiTT- 
skilled  in  every  occupation. 

It  is  demanded  by  both  patriotism  and  human- 
ity, that  the  light.ocoupations  of  all  towns,  and 
whatever  work  can  be  as  well  done  by  invalid 
isoldiers  as  by  others,  be'  given  to  the  men  who 
may  have  inoapaoitatedthemselves  for  rivalry  in 
more  active  and  laborious  fields  of  duty,  by  giv- 
ing their  limbs,  their  health,  and  their  blood  to 
the  nation. 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


1279 


THE  U.  S.  SAIITART  .COMMISSION 

Was  constituted  by  the  Secretary  ofWar  in  Juan, 
1861,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  Of, 
the  Surgeon  General  of  the  United,  Statea  Army, 
and  its  appointment  and  plan  of  organization 
were  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  ■ 
States.    Its  pre:  eat  organization  is  as  follows : 

B.  W.  Bellojsvs,  D.  D.,  New  York. 

A.  D.  Bache,  LL.D.,  Washington,  D.  0.    ■ 
F.  L.  Olmsted,  Galiforuia. .  ' 

George  T.  Strong,  Esq.,  New  York. 
Blisha  Harris,  ]\J.  D.,  New  York. 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.  D.,  New  York. 
.Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.  D.,  Cambridge,  Masa. 
S.  G.  Howe,  M.  D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

C.  R.  Agnew,  M..J).,  New  York. 

J.  S.  Newberry,  M.  D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Et.  Eev.  T.  M.  Clark,  Proridenoe,  B.  I. 
Hon.  E.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  Chicago,  HI: 
Hon.  Joseph  Holt,  Washington,  D.  G. 
Horace. Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Eev.  J.  H.  Heywood,  Louisville,  Ky. 
J.  Huntington  Wolcott,  Boston,  Mass. 
Charles  J.  Stills,  Philadelphia,  Penn. 
Ezra  B.  McCagg,  Chicago,  111. 

OFFICJEBS. 

H.  W.  Bellows,  D  D.,  President. 
A.  D.  Bache,  LL  D.,  Vice-President. 
Geo.  T.  Strong,  Treasurer. 
'      Jno.  S,  Blatchford,  General  Secretary. 
J.  S.  Newberry,  M.  D.,  Associate  Secretary. 

STANDING  .OOMMITTBB. 

Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.D.  Geo.  T.  Strong. 
Wm.H.VanBuren,M.D.  Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.  D. 
e.  E.  AgnJw,  M.  D.         Charles  J.  SUM. 

SPECIAL  RELIEF   DEPARTMENT. 

P.  N.  Knapp,  Supt.,  Washington,  D.  G. 

J.  B.  Abboii,  Chief  Asst.,  Washington,  D.C. 

"SOLDIERS'  HOMES"  AND  "LODGES." 

[Objboi's.  .  Temporary  aid. and  protection,^ — 
food,  lodging,  care,  &ci, — for  soldiers  in  transitu, 
chiefly  the  discharged,  disabled,  and  furlbughe'd.] 

Alexandria,'  ^a.  "  Albxanpkia  Lodob.  " 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Eailroad  Station.  J.  B. 
Holt,  Superintendent. 

Annapolis,  Md.  "  Homb  for  Soldiees' 
WjvES  AND  MoTHBBS."  Mrs.  Hopos  Sayres, 
Matron. 

Baltimore,  Md.  "  Soldibks'  Home."  No. 
62  Conway  Street.     A.  B.  Hastings,  Supi 

"Soldiers'  Lodge."  Opposite  Philadelphia, 
Wilmington,  and  Baltjimore  Eailroad  Station. 
^^—,  Superintendent.  ' 

Boston,  Mass.  "  Soldieks'  Home."  No. 
V6  Kingston  street.  Charles  P.  Mudge,  Supt., 
near  Boston  and  Worcester  Eailroad  Depot, 

Buffalo,  H.Y.  "SoiDiEEs'  Ebst."  Ex- 
change street,  opposite  Central  Railroad  Depot. 
Mrs.  H.  Indevine,'Matron. 

Cairo  111.  "  Soidiees' Home."  C.  N.  Ship- 
man,  Superintendent. 

damp  Nelson,  Ky.    "  Soldiers'  Home. 
Thomas  Butler,  Superintendent. 

Cincinnati,  O.  "  Soldiees'  Home."  Third 
street.     Col.  G.  W.  D.  Andrews,  Supt. 


Cleveland,  Ohio.  '.'  Soldiers'  Home." 
Joseph  Jerome,  Superintendent. 

Columbus, '  Ohio.  "Soldiee*'  Home." 
T.  E.  Botsford,  Superintendent. 

Detroit,  Michigan.  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
No.  81  Jefferson  Avenue. 

Harrisburg,  Pa.  Near  the  Eailroad  De- 
pot. "  SoiiDiBRs'  Lodge."    W.  H.  Hadley,  Supt. 

Hartford,  Ct.  "  Soldiees'  Lodge."  Near 
Eailroad  Depot.     0.  B.  Segir,  Superintendent. 

Jettbrsonville,  Indiana.  "  Soldiebb' 
Home."  New  Market  street,  near  the  Depot.  £!. 
f.  Smith,  Superintendent. 

Louisville,  Ky.  "Soldiers'  Home."  V. 
Scott,  Superintendent. 

Memphis,  Tenn.  "Soidiers'  Lodbb." 
Near  landing.  0.  W.  Christy,  Superintendent 
and  Eelief  Agent. 

Nashville,  Tenn;  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
Captain  I.  Brayton,  Superintendent. 

New  Orleans,  La.  "  Soldiers'  Home." 
Corner  Magazine  and  Julia  streets.  Sumner 
BuUard,  Superintendent.        « 

New  York  City,  "  Discharged  Soldiees' 
Home."  No.  45  Grove  street,  near  Blocker. 
Dr.  M.  M.  Marsh,  Superintendent. 

Paducah  Ky.  "  Soldiers'  Home."  B.  D, 
Way,  Superintendent. 

Portsmouth,  Va.  "S'oLt)iBR3'  Home.' 
John  Alcooke,  Superintendent. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  "  Soldiers'  Lodge."' 
Corner  13th  and  Christisin  streets,  near  Phila- 
delphia, Wilmington,  and  Baltimore  Eailroad 
Depot.     Col.  C.  B.  Soest,  Supt. 

Richmond,  Va.  "Soldiees' Home."  Geo. 
T.  Williams,  Superintendent. 

Washington,  D.  C.  "  The  Home."  No. 
314:  North  Capitol  street,     J.  B.  Clark,  Supt. 

"  Home  ICE  Soldiers'  Wives  and  Mothbes." 
No.  380  NorthCapitol  Street.  J.  B;  Clark,  Supt. 

"Lodge  No.  4."  No,  389  H  street.  ,  Supt. 

"Lodge  No.  5."  Maryland  Av.,  near  Wash- 
ington &  Alexandria  E.R.   Station.  ,  Supt. 

"  Lodge  No.  6."  Foot  of  Sixth  sti:eet.  How- 
ard MoPherran,  Superintendent. 

Wilmington,  N.  C.  "Soldiers'  Lodge." 
Market  street.     F.  B.  Fosterj  Supt.  v 

SiPBCIAL  BELIEF  OFFICES. 

[Objects. — To  give  aid  in  procuring  pay,  pen- 
sions, .bounty,  prize  money,  arrears  of  pay  and 
bounty,  and  other  claims  upon  government.  To 
supply  clothing,  hospital  delicacies,  crutches, 
&o.     To  give  transpbrtation,  information,  &c.] 

Alexandria,  Va.  OfSoe  in  Soldiers'  Lodge. 
Orange  and  Alexandria  Eailroad  Station.  ,J-.  B. 
Holt,  Agent. 

Annapolis,  Md,  Office  of  United  States 
SanitarJ-  Commission'.     W.  H.  Holstein,  Agent, 

Baltimore,  Md.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  288  West  Baltimore  street.  J. 
T,  Pancost,  Agent. 

Boston,  Mass.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission, No.  T6  Kingston  street; 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Branch  United  States  San- 
itary Commission,  Adams'  Block,  No.  209  Wash- 
ington street. 

Cairo,  IlL  Office- in  "  Soldiers'tHome."  0. 
N.  Shipman,  Agent. 


1280 


The  Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. 


Camp  Nelson,  Ky.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Home."     Thomas  Butler,  Agent. 

Chattanooga,  Tenn.  ^JJnited  States  Sani- 
tary  Commission. 

Chicago,  111.  United  States  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. , 

Cincinnati,  Ohio.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  streets. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  Branch  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission. 

Detroit,  Mich.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  No.  32  Larned  street.^ 

Dubuque,  la.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.    Rev.  E.  S.  Morris,  Agent. 

Hairisburg,  Penn.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Lodge;"     W.  H.  Hadley,  Agent. 

Jeffersonville,  Ind.  Office  in  "  Soldiers' 
Home,"  New  Market  street,  near  railroad  depot. 
E.  T.  Smith,  Agent. 

Knoxville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

Leavenworth,  Kansas.  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.     J.  R.  Brown,  Agent, 

Louisville,  Ky.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  Fifth  street. 

iSCemphis,  Tenn.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Lodge,"  near  landing.     C.  W.  Christy,  Agent. 

.MUwaukie,  Wis.    Mrs^  Colt. 

Nashville,  Tenn.  United  States  Sanitary' 
Commission.    E.  Soot,  Ageiit. 

New  Orleans,  La.  Special  Relief  Office, 
United  States  Sanitary  Cominission,  No!  96  Jiilia 
street.     0.  C.  BuUard,  Agent. 

New  York  City,  N.  Y.  "  Special  Relief 
Office,''  Cooper  Union,  No.  10  Third.  Avenue. 
Mrs.  W.  P.  Griffin,  Chairman  Special  Relief 
Committee. 

Eaducah,Ky.  Office  in  "Soldiers'  Home." 
E.  p.  Way,  Agent. 

{Philadelphia,  Pa.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission,  1307  Chestnut  street,  third  story, 
back.     Colonel  Sbest,  Agent. 

Portsmouth,  Va.  Office  in  "Soldiers' 
Home."    John  AJcooke,  Agent. 

Vieksburg,  Miss.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission.     J.  G.  Brown. 

Washington,  D.  C  "  Special  Relief  Of- 
fice," No.  389  H  street,  between  13th  and  14th 
streets.     J.  B.  Abbott,  Chiisf  Assistant. 

Wheeling,  Va.  United  States  Sanitary 
Commission. 

SUPPLY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sanitary  Commission,  under  special  a'u- 
thority  of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
maintains  an  extensive  system  of  agencies  for 
securing  the  safe  conveyance  to,  and  distribution 
of,  goods  put  in  its  charge  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  at  points  where  they  are  most  wanted. 
It  operates  with  equal  care  and  generosity  at  all 
points— at  New  Orleans  and  at  Washington, 
before  Charleston  and  at  Chattanooga — its  dis- 
tributions being  governed  by  a  comparison  of  the 
wants  of  the  patients  in  all  cases.  The  following 
is  a  list  of  depots,  to  which  auxiliary  societies, 
and  all  disposed- to  aid  the  sick  and  wounded, 
Without  referen."  e  to  States  or  localities,  but  sim- 
ply to  their  relative  necessity  fqr  assistance,  are 
invited  to  sSnd  their  offerings  : 


DEPARTMENT  OF  THE   EAST.- 

CENTRAL  "DEPOTS  OP  dOLLEOTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  18  West  St.,  Boston,'Ma8S. 
U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Nos.  10  &  11  Cooper  Union, 
New  York. 
U.  S.  San.  Cora.,  State  House,  New  Heaven,  Ot. 
U.  S.  Saa.  Com.,  1307  Chestnut  St.,  Philada. 

DEPOTS  OF  DISTEIBUTIOK. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  244  F  st.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

U.'  S.  San.  Com.,  Camp  Distribution,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  288  W.  Bait,  st.,  Bait.,  Md. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Harper's  Perry,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Annapolis,. Md. 

U.  S.  San.  dom..  Camp  Parole,  Md. 

U-  S.  San.  Com.,  Norfolk,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  City  Point,  Va. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Newbern;:jN'.  0. 

U.  S.  San,  Com.,  Beaufort,  S.  C. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  New  Orleans,  La. 

Temporary  Depots  '"or  distribution  are  estab- 
lished from  time  to  'iitae  as  n«oessiitieB  of  the 
service  require. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 

CENTRAL  DEPOTS  07  COLLECTION. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  corner  Vine  and  Sixth  sts,, 
Cincinnati,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  95  Bank  St.,  Cleveland,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  66  Madison  St.,  Chicago, 
111. 

U.  Si  San.  Com.,  No.  2  Adams'  Block,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  59  Fourth  St.,  Pitts- 
burgh, Penna. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  No.  32  Larned  st.',  Detrgit, 
Mich. 

U.  S.  San.  Com  ,  Columbus,  0. 

U.  S.  San.  Com.,  Fifth  St.,  Louisviflei  Ky.      . 

The  Commission  receives  no  pecuniary  aid 
whatever  from  the  Government,  and  is  wholly 
dependent  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
public  for  tjie  means  of  sustuning  its  opera- 
tions. Contributions  to  the  Treasury  are  solic- 
ited, and  may  be  transmitted  to  Geo.  T.  Strong, 
Esq.,  Treasurer,  68  Wall  street,  N.  Y. 

PROTECTIVE 

OF    THE 

U.  S.  SANITARY  COMMISSION. 
OFFICE  35  CHAMBERS  STREET, 

>    .NEW    YOKK. 

President. 
Lieut,  ©en.  WINFIELD  SCOTT, 

OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

1st.  To  secure  the  soldiers  and  sailors  and  their 
families  any  claims  for  pensions,  pay,  or  bounty, 
etc.,  utithout  cost  to  the  claimant.' 

id.  To  protect  soldiers  or  sailors  and  their  fami- 
lies from  irnposture  and  fraud. 

3d.  To  prevent  false  claims  from  being  made 
agamit  the  Government. 

ith.  To  give  gratuitous  advice  and  information  to 
soldiers  and  sailors  or  their  families  needing  it. 


INDEX. 


.Sastjiakt  Commbsioh  BmxETiN. — Nos.  1-12. 


A. 

rum 

Abbott,  J.  B.— Special  Relief  Dept.... .6,  15,  361 

"     K.  O-^Medical' Director,  WashVngtoD.....  I. '      18 

Actuary '.. 230 

A  few  words  more  abdnt'the  Money '. . .' 229 

Agency — Protective  War  Claim,  rhiladelpbia 173 

"  «  "        "      NewYork 378 

Agents  ClaitTi — ^Report  of  J.  B.  Abbott 10 

"     of  Commissiun — West.  Dept Ill 

"    "  «        —Expense  of 227 

Aid  Societies  (see  Branches) : 

Ambulance  Corps — Army  Potomac 150 

"  "-        Hon.  Henry  Wilson's  bill 154 

"    ]       Flying  D6p6t 183 

Annapolis^ — Camp  Parole 5 

"  Nui'ses' Home 5,49 

"  Returned  Prisoners .5,  71,  365 

An  OflScer's  Opinion,  and  what  became  of  it 121 

Anti-scorbutics  (see  vegetables).  , 

Antietam,  Battle  of— Work  of  CommissioD T 

Appeal  from  llth  Army  Corps 337 

»      «    Treasurer. 14S 

u      »     Woman's  Union  League,  Chester  Co.,  P^n 245 

"      "     Berlin  Sanitary  Association .\. 354 

u      »     Prussian  Bureau  of  Miiitiiry  Economy 350 

"      "     Society  of  Deaconesses  at  Berlin , 357 

"      "     "Cologne -Gazette"..... ,    231 

Army  British  ^see  Europe). 

"      French — Losses  through  privations.. 231 

"     European— N^eed  of  a  Sanitary  Commission 230 

"      Prussian  «  "  " 230,232,354,356,357 

Back  pay  and  collection  of 16, 127, 172,  228,  278,  299,  301, 36i 

Battle  Field — Service — cost  of 230^ 

Baltimore — Supply  and  Kelief  work ?,  108 

Beecher,  H.  W.  Kev. — Remarks  in  aid  of  Brooklyn  Fair ]  79 

"'      "         "        Inquiries  about  Funds 225 

Bellows,  H.  W.  B|V. — Address  before  Council  of  Women 196 

"        «  '    '  C'       Relation  of  Sanitary  Cora,  to  Medical  Dept 293 

"        *'        "        Answers  to  inquiries  of  Rev.  H.  W.  Beecher, 225,  230 

«      -«■       (I       Letter  to  Jas.Otie^' of  California.. 164 


u 


nam 

Berlin — Organization  of  a  San,  Com.  for  Prussian  Army 354 

"        Appeal  from  Bureau  of  Military  Economy 356 

Board  UtS.  San.  Com.,  members  of SH 

Books — ^Resolutions  of  GiSBcers  of  6th  Army  Corps 344 

"        Contributions  to  Metrop.  Fair 298,  339 

Bowles,  W.  6.,  Secretary  European  Branch 293 

Bradley,  A.  M.  Miss,  Agent  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Alexandria 6,  20 

Bradford,  Charlotte  Miss,  Matron  at  the  "  Home"  Washington 13 

Branch  Associations,  Objects  of 2, 194,  196, 22t 

"  "  Plan  for  organizing 370 

"  Relation  to  Central  Board 1^3,196,199 

«  "  European 170,298 

"  Dep&ts 377 

Brashear  City 235, 271,  299,  328 

"  Testimonial  letter  from  Surg.  Morris,  of  9 1  st  N.  Y 271 

Brengle,  Alfred,  Agent,  Prisoner  at  Richmond . . . . ; 7,  35,  40 

Brink  Leonard,         «  "  « 7,28,35,40 

■    "     C.  W.,  Dr.  Inspector  at  Wasbington  and  vicinity. 4 

Brooks,  E.  H.;  Chief  Clerk  Paymaster  Genl.  Office 17 

Brownsville,  Texas— ^Acknowledgmenl  from  Gen.  Herron i.,...       339 

Bulletin. .1,  2,  99,  194,  280,  321,  323,  359 


California — Funds  from — Letter  from  Rev.  H.  W.  Bellows. 164 

«'  "        Remarks  of  Mr.  Coleman 169 

"  "        "News  Letter" 169 

Gamp  Parole,  Annapolis.. 5 

"    Letterman  .-^Hospital  at  Gettysburgh,  Pa.,  Testitnony  of  Surgeons. .....  9 

Campaign  at  Newberne,  N.  C— ^Work  of  Commission 233 

Camp  sites, 120 

Canvassers ....,; 292 

Capture  of  Agents.......... 7,28,36,  119,  183 

«        "    Wagons  of  stores,  West.  Dep't , .34;  54,  56,  69,  87 

Charleston,  S.  C. — Condition  of  Army. . .'. 25,  78,  101 

Chattanooga,  Battle  of-^Dr.  Newberry's  Report 129,  135 

"  Work  of  Commission  (see  Reports) ; 21,  54,  58,  110,  l29 

"  "  «      Testimonialfrom  SijVgeons 85 

"  "  "  "  "    B.  T.Taylor 47 

"•  "  «  "    ChaplainA.H.  Quint....       244 

"  Dr.  A.  N.  Read's  Reports 54,68,110,112,113 

"  Agents  at 132 

"    "'      Lesson  of  Reports  from 33 

«  "Home"at 332 

iChicago— Western  scenes  Nos.  1,  2 273,  368 

.Chickamauga,  Battle  of,  Re'pol't  of  Dr.  G.  L.  Andrew. 20,  86 

Christian  Commission — Instructions  to  Inspectors — F.  L.  Olmsted,  Genl.  Secy.        87 

"  "  Letter  from  Dr.  J.  P.  Jenkins,  Genl.  Secy 88 

:        ♦•  »  Report  of  Dr.  Warrinfer 62 

"  "  Testimony  of  Agent.......... 88 

Claim — Protective  Agency  in  Philadelphia 173 

«  "  inNewYbrk , 376 

"    Agents.— Replort  of  J.  B.  Abbott 16 

Cincinnati  Fair. 97, 167 

tioal— G.  Elliot's  donation 339 

Colored  Troops,  Norfolk...". 7 


m 

VAna 


Colored  Troops,  8.  Carolina — rates  of  sickness 82 

■"  N.Orleans— backpay... •••i.... ...••       206 

"  Florida — Bravery  and  Service  to  Commiasion 323,  324 

•"Cologne  Gatzette"— Appeal  for  Prussian  Army *.       231 

Complaints  of  the  Public 321 

Confederate  Money^Rate  of  Exchange 42 

Convalescent  Camp,  Alexandria,  Va ..,:-- 5,20,  28'6 

Corn  Meal,  Anti-scorbiitic,  &c 267,358 

"  Mill  for ^rinding,^  West.  Dept 358 

Correction— Dr.  E.  A.  Crane's  Report  on  scurvy  in  S.  Carolina. . . .. , 101 

Countess  Stolberg,  Berlin — Appeal  for  sick  and  wounded. . . , , 35V 

Council  of  Women,  at  VTashington,  Jan.  1864.,  ., ,; 193 

Crimean  War— Extracts  from  Dr.  Shritnpton's  Fainphlet. ...,..,..., 213 

Cumberland,  Army  of— Report  of  Dr.  G,  L.  Andrew. ..,..., 20 

**  *|'         Distiibution  of  Stores 366 

Day  at  "  Nurse's  Home,"  Washington , 105 

Davis,  Clara,  liTiBs,  Agent  at  Camp  Parole 6 

Detective  Agent,  Special  Relief.. , ., 19 

Diarrhoea. ..63,  82,  156,  27€,  336,  337 

Diagram — Oi-ganization  of  Commission 116 

Dinner  In  Camp^Report  of  Field  Relief  Agent 214 

Disinfectants — 69 

Dix,  Miss,  at  Council  of  Women 196 

Documents,  Printing  of 195 

"          Circulation  in  Europe. 171 

"          Monographs — Opinions  of  Surgeons 369 

Donation  of  Books — "  Philanthropic  Results  of  War,". ,  339 

"          Coal  from  Mr.  George  Elliot,  of  England...... 339 

"  Articles  from  Europe 170,  298,  339,  343 

Douglas,  J.  EL,  Dr.,  Assoc.  Secy,  (see  Reports). 7,  8,  364 

Drainage 156 

Dress  and  Hygiene  in  British  Army ..174 

"Drum  Beat" — Experience  of  Great  Fair,  Brooklyn 2 99 

Drunkenness  in  British  Army,  diminution  of .....<......... 213 

D'unant,  J,  Henry,  Secy.  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva 149 

"  Letter  to  W.  B.  Bowles,  Sec'y  of  Europeian  Branch '     298 

"            "Souvenir  deSolferino". 150 

•E. 

Eastern  Dept — Report  of  Dr.  L.  H.  Steiner. 4 

Effects  of  Deceased  Soldiers V 358 

"Elizabeth,"  Propeller , 7,  108 

Elliot,  George,  England,  Donation  of  Coa| 339 

Elmira,  N.  Y.-rrWork  of  Commission 209 

.  Europe — Branch  at  Paris •..,. ..  • 170,  298 

"  Aid  from ....170,208,  339,343 

«  Need  of  a  Sanitary  Commission ..230  ,353 

"  Berlin  Sanitary  Association ,. , 354 

"  Notice  from  Prussian  Bureau  of  Military  Economy. ., ...  '....,...       366 

"  Letter  of  Surgeon  in  "  Dresden  News" 356 

"  Appeal  from  Countess  Stolberg,  of  Berlin 367 

"  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva 298 

"  Sanitary  Commission-r-"  Good  .Words"....,, .........  „.,,,.,.,       272 


IT 

v 

Eorope. — ^British  Arroj,  health  of.. .........45, 174,-2^ 

u      ■        u  «       in  Crimea '........  .....213,  23! 

«  «  •«      inliidia .121,303 

"  Bussia,contributi<>as  from,  with  letter  from  Secy,  of  Legation.....       343 


Fair — ^Northvreatern,  sketch  of ;...         G5 

«      at  Boston ..98, 145,  le'* 

**      Great  Western,  Cincinnati,  sketch  of,  dn: ..97,  167,  204 

"      Brooklyn 175,  29» 

«      Metropolitan,  plan  of,  ibc 97,  201 

*<      ..       "  Donations  from  Europe 298,339,343 

«      Irvington,  N.  Y 208 

«      Yonkers,  N.  Y 243 

"      Inftience  of 1 95,  292 

«       Raffling  at .' 233,  338 

"       Funds,  how  used i. 145,  164,  221 

Field  Relief  Corps.     (See  Relief.) 

Florida;— Dr.  MarshV  Report 323.  361 

«  A.  B.  Day's      "     26,325 

"  Gen.  Seymour's  Acknowledgment — Order  No.  10. 324 

Testimonial  of  Surg.  Smith  and  Med,  Director  Dr.  Mxjor 325 

Flying  Ambulance  Dep6t. 182 

Folly  Island. — Dr.  £.  A.  Crane's  Report 79 

Fort  Wagner,  8. C— Siege of-^ Work  of  Commission..... 240 

Frederick,  Md.-^Storehouse ; 7 

Fresh  Hospital  Supply  Agency 117,171,228,302,361 

Funds-^Appenl  from  Treasurer. 145 

"        from  California^  acknowledgment  of 164 

»«  «  "     '     amount  of 164,227 

«  "     North  Pitcher,  N.  Y 209 

«  «      Fairs 145,164,227 

••         how  used ; 1, 161,  163, 195,  207,  227 

"  "      Correspondence — Rev.  H.W.- BeecherandRev.il.  W.  Bellows      225 

"        need  of. 2^  145, 161, 164, 225,227 

•«  "per  month.. 163 

Furloughs ..;....;... 126 

G. 

Gambling — Good  out  of  Evil 297 

Gettysburg,  Pa. — Battle  of— Statistics » 31 

"            Letter  of  Rev.  H.  W.  Bellows ,  229 

■    "  Supplies  issued.... 229,230 

"            Dr.  L.  H.Steiner's  Report...... w 9 

"            Testimonials  of  Surgeons. 9 

"                      "        J.F.Seymour 43 

"                      "        Mhj.  Gen.  Meade 368 

"  Good  Words  " — London — Article  on  Sanitary  Commission , 273 

Grant,  Maj.  Gen. — 'Testimonial  from. ....... ...... ...^ ........... ....  258 

"                 Orders'  formations,  fuel,  forage,  and  quarters 333 

Great  Western  Fair,  Cincinnati 97, 107 

Grymes,  J.  M.  Dr. — '^  Home,"  Washington — death  of. 19 

..  "■      '       H. 

■    •  -  ■  '      ' 

Sadley^  W.  H.,  Agent  in  MaiDO-rVegetables  for^^Dept,  of  Gulf. . . . . , 108 


■    rAcn 
Health  of  the  Army.    (See  Scurry.) 

"  Camp  sites .,,., .'....       120 

RHtio  of  sickness 7,8 1;  82, 168,264,292 

*'  British — Report  of  Deputy  Inspector  General, 45 

Helena,  Aikansas— Supplies  needed — Hospitals 28,  358 

Help  from  Abroad-^European  Branch 179 

Herron,  Gen;,  Texas,  Order  for  Transportation  and  Storehouse 339,  35^1 

Hilton  Head— ^Rifcord  of  Hospital : 83 

Holmes,  O.  W,-^uestions  fer  Western  Fair 168 

Homage  d«e  from  Mars  to  Hygeia ■...:       120 

Homes  and  Lodges.    (See  Relief) 

Hospital  Directory-^Report  of 1 0, 56, 1 08 

"  "  Working  of. 32,44,104^113,228,267 

"  «  Expenseof. ...;..   3,228 

••        Train — Report  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Barnum ' 259,263 

«        Car  and  Transport 228,259, 26^,297, 331,  334 

^'        Inspection.    (See  Reports.) 228,161 

"        Visitation 5,6,  7, 10, 101, 243,  360 

"        Lines  on i '. 336 

Hospitals — at  Uarper^s  Ferry  and  vicinity 6,8 

"  *'  Baltimore... ......:..;.......  6 

"  "  Nashville— Eepoit  of  Visitor 101,102,110,113,335 

"  "  Norfolk,  Va 7 

«  "  Washington. 6,248 

"  «   Memphis .: ;,.• .,  28,53,291 

"  in  West.Dept.     (See  Reporte.) i.;... ....362,291 

"  General— Patients  io 22.5,226 

How  the  Rebel  Prisoners  fare ... . , 74,  76, 172 


Ice  sent  to  8.  Carolina 240 

Intemperance  in  British  Army — diminution  of ^..'. ...  213 

Intertiational  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva.  '.......;.........■ ■  148 

Inspection — List, of  Inspectors ^. ........ .  364 

"  Workof.  (See Reports.).. l,3,6,«,7i!8,101, 161, 163,228,243 

"           Instructions  of  Gen.  Sec'y  on  relation  to  Christian  Com ........  8T 

Iron-clads — ventilation  of 216 

Irvington,  N.  Y.— Fair  at 208 

Jenkins  J.  Foster,  M.  D. — Gen'l  Sec^     (See  Secretary.) 

K. 

Knapp,  F.  N.,  Assoc.  Secy  .-^Reports  of  Special  Relief  Depfc     (See  Relief.) 

•«                  "            Sketchof  North  Western  Fair..;... 6S 


Letter  from  AikeD,John,  Surg.  7lst  Penn.,  Testimomal,... 360 

"  Anonymous — Hospital  and  Directory— ^Nashville,'  Tenn 103 

"                 "          —^Fair  at  Irvington,  N.y..... «..;..... 208 

-     «                 "          — San.  Com.  at  Elmira,  N.  Y ,'. ,., 209 

u                "         —Contribution  of  Watch,  Rondout,  N.  Y •  209 

"  Beecher,  H.  W.,  Rev. — Queistions  about' Funds , 225 

"  Beer:^,  L,  W.,  Adj't  6th  A.  C  -r  Acknowledging  Books 344 

«  Bellangir,  J.  B.,  Surg.,  Morehead  City,  N.  C— Veg'e  Garden,  &e.  327 

**  Bellows,  il.  W.,  Rev. — lieply  to  questions. aboiit  ;Fuuda;4 . . « .  .\ .  -    225 


■n 

PAS|r 
Letter  from  Bellows, H.  W., Bev. — Funds  from  California. .....^.^.i,..,., ,     164 

"                         "             —On  Raffling  at  Fairs 338 

"  Bergb,  Henry,' 860*7  "of  Legation  at  Petersburg — Donations.....  343 

•*        Blactman,  J,  S.,Mh  Pitcher,  N.Y.— Enclosing  Funds 209 

«        Blake,  Geo.  A.,  Dr.,  Inspector  at  N.  Orleans,  Oct.  '63-. . .. ,  2ft 

"        BIoor,A.J.— To  "Woman's  Central"  on  Supplies 41 

"                 "       — Supplies  for  Prisoners-. ,  29> 

"        Bowles,  W.  B.,  Sec'y  European  Branch ._ 29a 

"        Brfnton,  G.,  Surgeon— Appeal  for  11th  Army  Corps.. .  * 337 

«        ButFer,  Chas.— West.  Dept.— Testimonial ; 366 

«        Byrne,  C.  C,  Surg.  West.  Dept.— Testimonial 86 

«        Cleary,  P.  H.,  Surg.— West.  Dept.         "         85 

«        ConKlirig,  Edgaiv-Resiilts  of  Gt.  Western  Fairj,  Cin ' 204 

"        Coolidge,  E.  H.,  Med.  rnspector — ^^Anti-ScM-buties.  . 26S 

«        Ci-ane,  E.  A.,  Dr.,  Inspector,- Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Oct.  '63 25 

**  Clenderinin,  M.,  Asst;  Med.  Dir.  West.  Dep. — Pickled  Potatoes ►.  267 

*  Cuy  kendoll,  M'.  C,  Med.  Director  Army  of  Cumberland 265 

"        Day,; A. B.,Eelief Agent,  Horn's  Island; Oct, '63 26 

*  "  Dresden  News,""  from  Sarg.  In  Prussian  Army — Needs  of  tbe 

Wounded  in' the' late  battles............ 356>, 

"  Dow,  Ne'al,  Gen. — Transmission  of  Supplies  through  San.  Com. . .  146 

«            «        "                On  Libby  Prison,  Richmond 77 

*  Dudley.P.A.,  Surg.  14th  Conn,  v.— Testimonial 297 

"  Dunan't^  J.  Henri,'Secy.  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva, Switaerland  298 

"        Dunn,  K  H.,  Surg. — ^West.  Department — ^Testimonial 85 

"  Edgerly,  J.  H,  Adj.  3d  N.  K,  Morris  Island — Testimonial....  85 

"      «  Era,"  New  Orleans— Testimonial 297 

"      "  Elmira  Advertiser."-^TestimoniaI  from  Surg,  H.  May. ....  3^1 ' 

«        Engineer  Officer,  Folly  Island,  S.  C— testimonial 272 

"        Fairchild,  E.  B. — Exchange  of  Confederate  Money 42 

"  Field,  C.  W.— Transportation  of  Coal  donated  by  G.  Elliot,  Esq..  339 

"  Finley,.  J.  Y.,  Surg.  West.  Department— Testimonial  ►►........  8ft 

"        GaM,  James^  Jr. — :Payment  for  Articles  issued ........ . 275 

-"  "        "  Supplies  for  Prisoners ..30,76,118 

"        Graham,  W.,  to  J.  B.  Abbott— Testimonial ^. 29ft 

"        Hardie,  Jas.  A.,  Adjit.  General — Supplies  to  Prisoners 30 

"        Hewitt,  Surg.  Medical  Director — Vegetable  Garden 32&,  327 

"        Holbrook,  G.  E.,  Relief  Agent^— Testimony  of  SurgeoBS 24S 

"        Irish,^  F.,  Surg.  West,  Department — Testimonial. . . . , .85 

**        Irvine,  Lt.-Col. — Supplies  to  Prisoners  at  Riehmond 118> 

"        Jenkins,  J.  F.,  Gen.  Secy. — Relations  of  Com.  to  the  Navy 237 

"        Jenkins,  J.  F.,  Gen.  Secy. — Relations  of  Com.  to  Chris.  Com 88 

"      "  Journal,"  Chicago — ^Testimonial  from  B,  T.  Taylor 47 

"  Enapp,  F.  N.,  Assoc.  Sec'y — Payment  for  Articles  issued... .  ..275,  27© 

"  .    .  LedJie,  J..  K,  Swrg.  99th  Illinois — ^Testim'onial 330 

"        Longmore,  T.,  Prof.,  England — Classification  of  Wounds 140 

"        May,  H.,  Surg. — Testimonial  ia  "  Elmira  Advertiser  " 367 

"        McMillan,  ChaS.,  Med.  Dir.  1 5th  A.  C— Testimonial 32ft 

"        McPheeters,  J.  G.,  Surgeon — West,  Dept. — ^TestimoniaK Sft 

Meade,  Maj.-Gen. — Testimonial,  April,  1864 ....." 368 

"        Meredith,  Si  A. — General  Supplies  for  Prisoners 29,  77 

"        Morris,  R.,  Surgeon  91st  N.  Y. — ^Testimonial 271 

"        Nesbocaj — Pair  at  Tarrytown SOS 

"      "  News  Letter,"  San  Francisco — ^Fnnds  for  Commission lea 

"  Newberry,  J.S.,  Dr.,  Assoc.  Sec.  West'n  Department,  Feb.,  1864.  270 

"  "          «                "                "                «   _  Transportation.  87 

"  «         u            to  CoL  Whittelsey^-Inqniries  about  Com..  ■    251 


TIV 

FAOa 

Letter  f jom  Olmsted,  F.  L-T-^Bielation  pf  Sa&'y-  ^°^-  ^  Chiis.  Gom. 81 

"...  Qvld.,  Robt„.CopCederate  Commissioner  of  Exchange 78 

"        Perkins^  J.,  Medical  Director — Pickled  Potatoes. 267 

-    "     ,Phelp8,A,J ".                        «              267 

«        Quint,A.H.,.Qhaplm-T^Trip'toChattanooga-r-Test'l 244 

"        Eandlett,  Jas.  F.,  Capt.  3d  N.  H.,  Morris  Island— do.. 85 

"        Read,  A.  N., Dr.,  Inspector — ^Xestimonials  from  West'n  Depart. ..  331 

"        Read,  M.  C,  Relief  Agent,  Chattanooga ,86, 326 

"      "'.Republican."— Case  of  Surgeon  General  Hammond . . .' .' . . .  146 

"        Seymour,  Jno.  F.-r-Com.  at  Gettysburg-,  Testimonial. .., 43 

"         Seymour,  M.  M,  Dr.,  Inspector  at  Knoxville i 270 

'          "         Seys,  H.  N.,  Med.  Ins.,  Army  Cumberland — ^Testimonial 331 

"         Sec.  of  Legation,  St.  Petersburg — List  of,  Contributions 343 

".       Sloat,Oeo.  A.,  Surg.  14  A.  C..West.Dep.^-Te8timonial.. ......  "85 

"        Smith,  E.P.f  Agent  Chris.  Gom.-r-Testimonial ' 88 

** .  .  .  Standing  Committee-r-Raffling  in  Fairs  . . . ; ' SSg 

«        Stevens,  John,— West.  Dep. — "Work  under  Flag  of  Twee" ....  247. 

"        Surgeon,  Prussian  Army-^-Needs  of  wounded'  in  late  battles 356 

" .      .  Taylor,  B.  T.,  "■  Chicago  Journal " — Testimonial 47 

*'        Trowbridge,  W.  H.,  Surgeon-^Testimonial  West.  Dept 27 

"        Wayland,  H.  L,  Rev.,-^Enclosing  Funds — ^Testimonial. 26 

«        Whittlesey,  Chas.,.  Col. — West.  Dep. — Testimonial 257 

"         Woman's  Union  League,  Chester  Co.,  Pa. — Appeal  to  Women  ..,  ,  246 

«        Woodward,  Benj.,  Surg.  22d  111.,  West.  Dep. — ^Testimonial _  121 

Letterman — Camp. — Hospital-  at  Gettysburg,  Penn. .'  9 

"        J.,  Med.  Dir.,  Army  Potomao; — Ambulance  Corps 150 

Letters  in  our  Drawer ^ ^208,  270,  296,  303,  357 

Libby  Prison,  Richmond,  Va.,  Rations    (See  Prisoners) 77 

Life  in  a  Hospital  Train >  ; 259 

Lines,  by  F.  B.  Harte-^'S  How  are-you,  Sanitary »" 201 

«        .      «  The  Hospital" 336 

Livermore,  Mrs.  M.  A.,  Western  Scenes,  Nos.  1,2 273,  368 

Lodges  and  Homes-H[see  Relief.) • 

Longley,  Geo.,  Teamster,  capture  of 119,  183 

M. 


McDonald,  Dr.  Alexander — Report  on  Richmond  Prison,  Capture,  <fec 33 

"  ,"    .         .  Prisoner  at  Richmond 7,28,35 

Malarial  Diseases— Qninine^Statement  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Page 215 

Marsh,  M.  M.,  Dr.-^Labors  ol 8,  26, 108 

Meade,  Major  General— Order  85— Ambulance  Corps 150 

•<  "  Testimonial 368 

"  Medical  Times,"  London,  on  Surg.  General  Hammond 147 

Medical  Department— Needs,  of 290,  296 

,  "  ,  .  Gharacter.of ..18,  101, 134, 195,  239,296,331 

«.«  Relation.to.Com.— '.'N.  A.  Rev"......  18,211,289,292,296 

Meigs,  Quartermaster-General , 23, 113 

Memphis— Soldier's  Home 208,  302 

"  Hospitals .* .28,  53,  291 

Meredith,  S.  A.  Gen. — Comr-  .of  Exchatge,  of  Prisoners. 7,  29,  77, 108 

Mittens — Appeal  for 186 

Money — Confederate^Rate  of  Exchange. 42 

Morris  Island 8,  26,  78 

Mortality — Rates  of.  Civil  and  Military. — England,  Wales,  France 304 

'<  "        as  affected  by  Latitude 305 

«  . '<        English  and  Frei^h  Armies  in  India 306,306 


Tiir 

PASS. 

Morton's.  Ford— Battle  of * 278,  358 

MountaiD .Lodge,  near  Chnltanoogii,  Teon.. 23,  Si6 

Murfreesboro,  TenD.r^ Vegetable  Garden 54  ^ 

»  "        Hospitals.    (See  Reporte) ..* 112,135 

My  Experience  of  the  Great  Fair,  Brooklyn 289 

N. 

KashviHe— Hospitals,  Ac.  (See  Reports) 101, 102, 110, 113, 135,  335 

"  Issues,  Jan.,  1864 280 

"    "     "Dome" 110,208,302 

ITaTy-~Ilelation  to  Sanitary  Commission — Letter  from  General  Secretary.. 2 3 7,  361' 

".      Supplies  issued 339 

Negro  Troops,  in.  warm  climate 214 

"  at  New  Orleans.     Back  pay 206 

"  sickness  in  South  Carolina 82 

"  bravery  at  01  ustee,  Fa.,  and  aid  rendered  Agent  of  Com 323 

Kewberne,  N.  C— Campaign  at— Report  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Page,  Feb.,  1 864 233 

Kew  Iberia,  La,,,  condition  of  Army'.... 168 

"  News  Letter,"  San  Francisco. — Funds 169 

Newberry,  J.  S.,  Dr.  Assoc.  Sec'y,  West.  Dep't    (See  Reports  and  Leltefs.) 

New  Orleans— Agents,  <fcc .8,  48,  107 

"  Vegetables  issued 108 

Special  Relief  Work " 205,297,299,328,344 

.    "  Hospital  Transport 297,  328,  359 

Nightingale, Miss — Notes  on  Nursing 125,  154,  216 

"  British  Array  in  India 121 

"  Extract  from  Dr.  Sbrirapton's  Pamphlet 213 

Norfolk,  Va.— Issues  during  1863 185 

"  Commission  work 7,30,76,118,277 

"  North  Americah": — Relations  of  Commission  to  Med.  Dep't 292 

North  Carolina,  Morehead  City,  Dr,  Bellangir — Vegetable  garden 327 

"  W^ork  of  Commission 106,233,327 

North  Western  Sanitary  Fair,  Chicago^rSketch  of,  by  F.  N.  Knapp 65 

Nurses  in  the  Army — Opinion  of  Dr.  Chas.  Shrimpton 102,  213 

"      Home,  Washington 19,  105 

"         "      Annapolis 49 

Nursing,  notes  on — Miss  Nightingale 125,  154,  216,  248;  310 

Oath  of  Allegiance — Washington  Office 4 

Ode'll,  Moses  F^-f Reinarks  in  aid  of  Brooklyn  Fair 1 80 

"  Officer's  Opinion,  and  what  became  of  it." ; 121 

Ohio — Resolutions  of  General  Assembly 244 

Olmsted,  F.  L  — ^Relation  of  San.  Com.  to  Christian  Com. 87 

Olustee,  Florida^ Woik  of  San.  Com 323 

Order  No.  85-:— Ambulance  Corps,   Maj.  Gen.  Meade 151 

"'      Miij.-Gen.  Grant — Rations,  fora^«,  fuel,  &e 258 

"      of  Gen.  Rosecrans — Trannportation 110 

"      of  Gen.  Seymour — Florida^-^Testimonial 324 

"      Gen.  Herron,  Texas. — Transportation  and  Storehouse .339,  359 

Our  Doings  in  Washington 171 

Oald,  Robert,  Confederate  Commissioner  of  Exchange 778 


Packages — private 35 

Packing  stores , 357 

Pension ,  f 126,  228 


IX 

«■■>■■'•.  ^  naK 

Pension,  Philadelphia  Agency  at  Washington .., /.w  ............ . 242,  267 ■ 

«•     at  N.  Orleans ..;, ....297,299' 

Plain  Answers  to  Plain  Questions.... i, ..;  i. 289 

"  Philanthropic  Results  of  the  War," — Donation  of  5000  copies. 339 

Plan  of  "  Home  "  at  Washington ;...,; .^  .  * 114 

"  «  Louisville. 116 

"  Battle  Field— Chattanooga 130 

Potatoes-^pickled , 266,267 

Priiiting^-i-cost   of..  ....•.....•..;,, .; 196 

Prisoners  in  Richmond — Correspondence  relative  to  supplies,..  .28,  7t),  77,  111B,  146 

"  "  "  Paym't  for  Supplies 275 

"  «  Report  from  Dr.  McDonald 35 

"  "  "         Gen'l  Secretary 48 

"  ■  Supplies  sent  to.... 30,76,108,118 

"  "  Value  of.... 108 

On  hoth  sides"-treatraent  of. .24,  71,  73,  70,  77,  118,  173 

••         Exchange  of... ..•...■...•.' '. ». . 7,  71 

Rebel  at  Point  Lookout^R«port  of  E.  B'.  Fairchild 1 72 

••  "  "  Rep't  of  Dr.  W.  S.  Swalm 74 

"  «  "  Vital  Statistics ...6,172 

"        Returned— F.  N.  Kri'app's  Report 71,  365 

Protective  War-Claim  Agency,  Philadelphia « 1 73 

"  «  "         New  York, ...;...... 376 

Prussia — ^Sanitary  Commision 354 

**  Appeal  from  Bureau  of  Mil.  Economy t 350 


Qbinine— Dr.  J.  W..  Pages's  Eoport,, -. 215 

'"      .  Dr.  Joseph -Parrish-    ".     ., 167 

Quint,  A.  IX.,  Chaplain — Trip  to  Chattanooga, 244 


Raffling .  at  Fairs  in,  behalf  of.  the  Commission ■• , . .  233,  238 

Refugees— white-vrS..  Carolina  &  Western  Dep't 276,  333 

Relief— Special  &  (Sejieral 

.     Ueportof  F.  N.  Knapp,  AssocSec.  East.  Dep'tj  Oct  '63 »..  11,49 

»  Jan.  1,. '04,, 171 

"  for  January,  1864.;.. ; 298 

••  Fresh  Hospital  Supply  Agency  .........   ..117, 171 

,"  Homeja  and  Lodges,  April, '64.... i. .       367 

'*  ,  Eastern  .Department. 361 

«' Bel urued  Prisoners 365 

"    ,.  Dr.  J.  S,  Newberry,  Assoc- -Sec'y,  West.  Dep't— (See  Reports.) 

"        Dr.  "Lf  31.  Steiner— .Eastern-Dep't. 361 

"  Field  Relief ; 9,  181,  358 

"     Salaries ^07 

*•     . .  Inspectori>v-v-.(See  Reports.) 

"        J.J3.Abbott 15 

"        Dr.  T.  B.  Smith— Hospital  at  the  "  Home,"  Washington,; . .         13 

"        J  no.  S.Bktchford,Ilostoh— Special  Relief 50 

"         O.  C  Bullard,  N.  Orleans 205,  297,  328 

"        Miss'A.  M.  Bradley,. Con valescentComp,,  Alexandria, 5, 20, 236 

*'        W.  F.  Bascom — Pension  Department, . . .  .■. ......; :. .         19 

"         W.  K.  Neal,  Lodge  4 — Washington ;.. 19,119 

"        J.  B.  Brorfn-T^Collection  of  Back  Pay 127,  228 


(I 
u 


EAoa 
Eelief— ^Special  and  General. 

Report  of  J.  B.  Clark—"  Home  "  at  Washington 14 

'  "        G.  0.  Caldwell,  Hospital  Visitor , .6, 10„243 

«        Mrs.  G.  C.  Caldwell—"  Nurses'  Home,"  Washington 19, 106 

"        Mrs.  Stephen  Barker ,    360 

«        James  Gall,  Jr.— Relief  Agent,  Norfolk,  Va 30, 16, 118,  278 

«        Thomas  Butler        "        "      Western  Dep't. 199 

"        T.  B.  Carpenter      « 326,  358 

"        J.  P.  T.  Ingraham  "        «     101 

M.C.Read  «         " 86,326 

M.Redding 56 

«'        Dr.  M.  M.  Seymour 326 

"        A.  B.  Day,  S.  Carolina, 26,  325 

E.  Mitchell,  Dep't  Gulf 359 

C.C.Edgerly,      «         279,339,359 

Thos.  Furniss,      "         ,.       359 

P.Reynolds,        «         328 

H.  C.  Weaver,     " 328 

J.  W.  Johnson,  Supt,  Field  Relief  Corps,  Ar'y  Potom'c,  119,  278, 297 

Isaac  Harris,  "        «        »        «      "  «         139 

N.Murray,  «         "         "         «         «         9,135 

D.  S.  Pope,  "        "        «        «        «        139 

G.  A.  Muhleok,  «        «        "        «        «         296 

Geo.  E.  Holbrook,  «        «        «        «        «         243 

C  J  Eurtz  "         "         "         "        "         ...       138 

«  Home''  at  Washington..  .12, 13, 14,  19,  113, 114, 119,  172,  867 

«  Alexandria,  Va 6, 18,  367 

«  «  Portsmouth,"     292,361 

"  "         Annapolis,  Md>... 5,49 

"  "         Boston,  Mass. 50 

«  "      .    Elmira,.N.  Y. 209,299 

«  «  Cairo,  111 340,342 

"  "  Chicago,  111... 52 

"  «         Louisville,  Ky 115,117 

«,  «  Camp  Nelson,  Ky 270 

«  «  Cincinnati,  0 , 51 

«  Cleveland,  0 62 

«  «  Nashville,  Tenn.,.  .,110,  111,  148,  208,  302,  333,  367 

«  "  Memphis,       "       51,62,208,302,367 

«  «  Chattanooga,  Tenn 22,332 

«  «  N.Orleans,  La 206,  297,  299,  328;  344,  361 

«  "  Brashear  City,  La 271,299,328,344,367 

«  «         Hilton  Head,  S.  C 299 

"Home "  for  Nurses 19,  49, 106 

Lodge  at  Washington 16, 16, 17, 18, 119, 174 

"        Alexandria , .6, 18,  367 

"        Brandy  Station,  Va. ... , 297,  358 

"        near  Chattanooga 22,56,331 

Special  Relief  at  New  York 49 

"  Philadelphia 49 

"  Baltimore 6,  49, 108 

"  «  Annapolis ,.. 5,49,71,365 

«  Tennessee 103,333 

"  «  Directory  of .,      377 

"        Pension  Agency,  Back  Pay,  &c,,  at  Washington. 19,  242,  367 

"  «...         «        ,«  Philadelphia. 49 

"  «.,...  "  "  N.  Orleans, 297;  299, 361 


11 


>( 


Selief— Special  and  General.  faos 

Beport  of  Homes  and  JjoAgea,  March,  1864 '.....'.,.. 36T 

"  "       ,         ".     Expenses 227 

"        Objects,  Plans— Remarks  by  Rev.  H.  W.  Bellows 197 

"  "  "        Report  of  F.  N.  Knapp 11 

"        Field  Relief  .Corps  Organization— Dr.  L.  H.  Steiner 8, 181, 185 

«  "        «        «  »  F.  N.  Knapp... 298 

"        "Work  under  Flag  of  Truce 247 

"       .  Dinner  in  Camp 214 

"         Agent  and  his  Mules 245 

f  ;.  "         Tobacco  Club • 312 

Bicbardson,  Rev.  James 6, 18 

''Hicbmond  Examiner," — Gen.  S.  A.  Meredith  on  Supplies  to  Union  Prisoners        77 

Beport  of  General  Secretary 3,  48, 107,  291 

,    "        Prisoners  at  Richmond 48 

"        to  Standing  Committee,  December,  '63 107 

«  "  "  February,'64 291 

"        F.  N.  Knapp,  Associate  Secretary  (see  Belief.)  • 

"        Dr.  J.  H.  Douglas,  Associate  Seo'y — List  of  Inspectors 364 

"    .    Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Assodate-  Secretary'— Chattanooga 129' 

"  "  "  Telegram 113 

"  "  «  Transportation 87 

«  -  «  «  Feb.  11,'64 270 

"        Dr.  E.  Harris  on  Disinfectants 59 

"        Dr.  L.  H.  Steiner  (see  Belief.) 

"        Dr.  A.  McDonald — Prisoners  at  Bicbmond 35 

"         Dr.  H.  A.  Warriner,  Memphis 28,  52 

"        Dr.  M.  M,  Marsh,  S.  Carolina. *. 107,  238,  276 

"  •'  Florida 323,361 

"        Dr.  J.  "W.  Page — Campaign  at  Newberne,  N.  C 233 

«  "  Hospital  Garden „. 271,327 

"         A.  N.  Read — "Work  of  Commission  in  Tennessee. .  .54,  68,  110,  263,  332 

«        Dr.  Geo.  A.  Blake,  New  Orleans 26, 107,  277 

«  '  Hospital  Transport 328 

«  ««  "Home"...; 344 

"        Dr.  E.  A.  Crane — ^Army  before  Charleston 25,  78 

«  «  — Correction  of  Report.... 101 

'•  "  New  Iberia,  La. 168 

'       "        Dr.  G.  L.  Andrew. — Army  of  the  Cumberland 20 

«        Dr.  M.  M.  Seymour.        "        Knoxviile,  Tenn 270 

«        Dr.  W.  S.  Swalm.  "        the  Potomac 9 

«  "  Rebel  Prisoners  at  Pt.  Lookout 74 

"        Dr.  T.  B.  Smith — ^Hospital  at  the  "  Home,"  Washington 13 

"         Dr.  J(»eph  Parrish,  North  Carolina ,..       166 

«'        Dr.  J.  W.  Nichols — Baltimore  Hospitals , 6 

"  "  — Camp  Parole,  Annapolis. .  4 . . .  .• 5 

»  "  — ^Troops  in  Defences  of  Washington 186 

"        Dr.  J.  P.  Barnum — Western  Depart.  Hospital  Cars 259 

«        J.  P.  T.  Ingraham— Hospitals,  Nashville..:.'.... 101 

«        John  Bowne — Hospital  Directory .^  ... ; 10, 103? 

«        G.  C.  Caldwell — Hospitals  in  Washington 6,  10,  243 

"         Mrs.  G.  C.  Caldwell — Nurses'  Home,  Washington. 19,'  105 

"        Mrs.  Stephen  Barker — ^Hospital  Visitor  "    ■■ 360 

«        J.  B.  Abbott— Special  Relief. 15 

"        Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  Boston — Special  Relief. 50 

«        J.  W,  Johnson,  Supt.— Field  Relief  Corps. 119,  278, 297 

«        O.  C,  BuUard,  New  Orleans— Special  Relief 205,  297, 328 

,i'        W.  F.  Baseom,  Pension  Agency,  Washington 19,  243 


xu 

•i  •  rA«> 

Beport  of-  W.  K-  NeBl,.Lod|fe  4,  Washington :...... .19,  119 

«'        J.  R  Brown^Back  PiJy , 127,  278 

"        Miss  A..  M.  Bradley.  Convalescent  Camp.  Alexandria. . ...'...  .5,  20,  236 

"        Kelief  Agento.     (See  Relief,  Special  and  Glvneral.) 

"        J.  B.  Claik— Fresh  Ilospital  Supplies -302 

:       '•  .        "       — "Home"  at  Washington 14 

"         E.  B.  FairchilJ — Rebel  Prisoners  at  Point  Lnokont 172 

"    •    II,  AS.'Uolbrook-^Eij8pital  Direetorj,  Louisville,  Ky . . . .  J . . . . . ..         4i 

"    .  .  British  Army.     (See  In<lex).        •      " 

"    -  -  List  eft  presented  at  14lh  Session  of  Board .,.. , 60 

Reports  from  Chattanooga^ — Lesson  of -. < . . .         33 

Rosecrans,  M^j.^Getih^^ Vegetable  Garden  at  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.'. 54 

'*  .^Order  for  Transportation ; 110 

." — Testimonial ....  > 258 

Russia — Letter  from-  Secretary -of- Legation,  with  List  of  Donations. ......'...       343 

S.  '• 


Salaries— To  Field.  Cqrps 20T 

"    —Why. Paid 210 

"    —Amount .•'. 227 

Banitary.CQi».-r-.0|.jects  and  Needs  1 , 3, 34, 1 28, 1 C 1 , 1 63, 1(35, 1 07, 2 1 0,  225,  230, 289 
"    ,■    i — Objects   and    Needs-r-Dn  .  Bellows'   Address  to   Council  of   " 

Women  at  Washington '  197 

"    .. — Obji'Ctsand  Needs — \)r.  Bellows  to  Rev.  11.  W.  Beecher, .. .       225 

"         —Dr.  Bellows'  Letter  to  .Mr.  Otis ,...,..       161 

"        — Plain  Answers,.  &c.-:-F..  N..  Kiiapp 289 

"      .—"Sketch  of  Purpose  and  Work."— (Little  &  Brown) 128 

«    .—.Cost  of ....2,161,  164,  167,  195,225, 

"     ,    —Receipts. 164,  195,  225 

"         ; — Financial  Management. 225,  310 

"         — Hostile  Criticism  and  Vindication 87,  211,  309,  321,367 

"        ^^Testimonials  from  Surgeons,     (See  Testimonials). 

"        — ^Testimonial -rLetter  frora.Col,  Cbas.  VVhittelsey.  West'n  Dep't       257 

"  "      ,  C, Butler,  West.  Dept 360 

"  "         Capt.  Noyes — Bivouac  and  Battle  Field . 214 

"         —Continued  Need  of 280,  290,  291 

"         — Fou.r.  Plain  Questions  and  Answers > 289 

"         — RelatioD.to  Medical  Department .226,  292 

"  ",       F.  N.  Knapp's  Report. 18,211,289 

"  "  Navy , 237,339,361 

"  *'        '  Christian  Cummission 52,  87 

"        at  Chicago-r-Day  at  Rooms  of 280 

"         at  Gettysburg,  Va >9,  43,  229,  368 

"         Opinion  of  abroad—"  Good  Words," 272,  298,  343 

"         — Diagram  of  Organization 116 

"        —Branch  Dep6ts 377 

"         —Officers  and   Board 377 

Sanitary  Conference— International — Geneva 148 

"      Hints— •DisiofectanUs — by  Dr.  E.  Harris 59 

"      Regulations.— Need  of 1, 120 

"  ."        in  London ....       303 

"      Reporter............ 3 

"      Statistics — British  anny  in  Lidia,  compared  with  French, 303,  373 

Scandlin.  W.  G.,  Rev.,  prisoner  at  Richmond 7,  28,  S.? 

Scurvy — N.   Carolina 167 

"       S..  Carolina. .2{.,.83, 10*,  240 


fi>  PAoa 

Scurvy— Western  Department 268,  260,  279,  326,  335,  337,  36« 

,;      "       Uepartment  of  Gulf 107,  35J> 

,.)    "       Correction  of  Dr.  E.  A.  Crane's  Report 101 

"       Success  in  liemoving  and  ^Averti.ng.  ..,..■•....    ..................       227 

ficscretnry  General,  Kppprt  of  («ee  Reports) « . .  3,  48,  1 07,  29 1 

"  Letter  on  Cli'lMian  Commission : 88 

"  .    ,".    .Rei.a.li.ons  of  Commission  to  the  Navy. 237 

Sbrimpton,  Chas.,  Surgeon.—rBritish  Army  ia  the  Crimea 213 

Sickness; — Rates  of,  S.  Carolina 81 

"  "         N.  Carolina 292 

"  "         New  Iberia,  La, 168 

"  "        Western  Pepartment.. 264 

«  «         Norfolk 7 

"  "        Colored  Troops 82 

Small  Pox . . .  292,  332j  358 

Soldiers'  "Journal " ,       299 

"      Aid  Societies  (see  Branches.)  ^ 

"       Cash  value  ofc 120 

South  Carolina,  Receipts  and  Issues  for  1 863 241' 

"  "  "  January,  1864.......... 4.       277 

"  "  Reports  of  Inspectors  (see  Reports)..' .-.  8 

"  Souvenir  de  Solferino,"  by  J.  Henri  Dunant,  Sec'y  of  luternat.  Conf.,  Geneva.       150' 
Special  Relief,  (see  Relief) 

Standing.  Committee ' 37? 

Statistical  Bureau '. 230 

Supplies  called  for  by  Dr.  Brinton,  1 1th  A.  C,,  Lookout  Valley,  Tenn 330 

."  .  "       .  Col.  Beckwitb,  commanding  Defences,  New  Orleans .. .         26 

"  "        Maj.  Gen.  Hooker,  Western  Department.. 258 

"    «    .     Medical  Directory,  19  A,  C... 27 

•'    .  .issued  in  Field  Relief  Corps,  Army  Potomac,  1863 184 

««  "      from  New  York  OflSce,  Feb.  15  to  Feb.  24,  1863 302 

««  ".   iaS.  Carolina,  1863 241 

«  "  »  January,  1864 277 

««         .«     .at  Norfolk  iluring  1863 185 

«  «      at  Nashville,  Tenn,  1863 280 

<*    ,  specially- needed  from  Branches 292,  357 

••    .  Letter  from.  A.  J..  Bloor,  Assistant  Secretary 41 

«       Received 195,225,227 

•«       how  used 47,  102,  134 

"    .      "     issued 295 

«     .  .Cost  and.  Value  of 195,  227,  230 

u       Loss  or  Misuse  of. .  10,  34,  54,  56,  58,  59,  87,  134, 195,  196,  211,  292,  366 

"       Stolen  bv  Teamsters. 34,59 

«*       .18  .Wagons.Captured... 34,  64,  56,  58,  87 

"       Who  Eate,. Testimony  of  Dr.  Townsend 102,  1 34,  301 

^     "       for  Prisoners,  (see  Prisoners). 

"       How  issued  in  Army  of  Cumberland 369 

"       Payment  for  Articles  Issued 275 

«       List  of  Branch.Dep6ts i       377^ 

"       Transportation,  cost  of .'.       230 

«  «     ..     difficulties  of ..22,  34,  54,'S8,  86,  87,  110,131, 199 

«  »  Order  of  Gen.  Herron,  Texas 339 

«  "  ..."       Major  General  R(»ecrans ,.       110 

«    .  .  " .  Advantage  of  Commission  over  Med.  Dep. 1 63 

••  "  in  England  and  France '. 35 

"    .  Fresh  Hospital,  Agency  for  puccbase  of. 117,-171, 302 

Surgeon  General  Hammond,  case  of. .  ^r  •  •  •  •  •  •• <• .^146, 148 


PAGB 

Surgeon  General  Hammond — ^Water — ^Treatise  on  Hygiene 30 

«'           «     ■•    "          at  Memphis ....,..., 28 

Surgeons — Opinion  of  Work  ofthe  Commission  (see  Testimonials). 211 

"         Character  of. 18,  101,  134,  195,  239,  293 

"                 "         Letter  from  Dr.  A.  N.  Kead 331 

"                  "          "  N.  American  Review " 296 

Surrey  of  the  Field,  Report  of  General  Secretary 291 

T. 

Tariytown,  N.  Y. — Soldiers  Aid  Society 303 

Taylor,  B.  T.-^Letter  to  "  Chicago  Journal,"  on  work  pf  Commission 47 

"      D.,  Major,  Paymaster 17 

'Telegram — Dr.  Newberry  on  Commission  work 113 

«            McKibbin,  D.  J.,  Surgeon  "      «    113 

Tennessee — Work  of  Commission.     (See  Reports.) 

Testimonial  from  Aikin  John,  Surgeon,  7lBt  Fenn.,  Army  Potomac 360 

"              Butler,  Chas.,  Western  Department 366 

Byrne,  C.  C,  Surgeon  14th  A.  C.  West.  Dept 86 

«              Cleary,  P.  H.,        «            "                «           85 

"              Dow,  Neal,  Brig.  General — Supplies  to  Prisoners 146 

"              Dudley,  F.  A.,  Surgeon  14th C.  v.,  Army  of  Potomac...  360 

"              Dunn,  E.  H.,  Surgeon  14th  A.  C,  West.  Dep 85 

"              Idgerly,  J.  H.,  Adjutant  3d  N.H.,  Morris  Island,  S.C 84 

"              "Elmira  Advertiser,"-^Surge6n  H.May 367 

"              "  Engineer  Officer,"  Folly  Island,  S,  C 272 

•«              "Era,"  New  Orleans 297 

Finley,  J.  Y.,  Surgeon  14th  A.  C,  West  Dep't 86 

"              Graham,  W.,  to  J.  B.  Abbott— Special  Relief 296 

"              Grant,  Major-General , 258 

"              Gettysburg — Sixteen  Surgeons 9 

"              HewittjH.  S.,  Surg.  Med.  Director,  Chattanoga 258 

"             Holbrouk,  G.  E.,  Agent — Statement  of  Surgeon 243 

"  Herron,  General,  Texas. 339,  359 

"              Ingraham,  J,  P.  T.,  Hospital  Visitor,  Nashville 102 

"              Irish,  F.,  Surgeon  14th  A.  C,  West.  Dept. 85 

"              Johnson,  R.  W.,  General 258 

"              Johnson,  Capt.,  Quartermaster  41st  Ohio,  West.  Dept 258 

"              "  Chicago  Journal,"— Letter  from  B.  T.  Taylor,  West.  Dept. .  47 

"              Ledlie,  J.  K.,  Surgeon  99th  Illinois,  Texas 330 

"              Low,  Mr.,' Rev.,  Commission  in  South  Carolina... 108 

"              Major  Adolph,  Medical  Director,  Florida 325 

"              May,  H., -Surgeon, "  Elmira  Advertiser,"  East.  <fe  West.  Dept  367 

"              McClure,  Surgeon,' Nashville 257 

"              McEibbin,  D.  J.,  Surgeon,  Stevenson,  Tenn 113 

"              McMillan,  R.,  Surgeon  91st  N.Y... 329 

"             MoPheeters,-  J.  G.,  Surgeon  14th  A.  C 86 

"              Meade,  Major-General,  Gettysburg,  Pa 868 

"              Medical  Inspector,  Army  of  Potomac 9 

"                   "      Director,          '    « 9 

"              Morris,  R.,  Surgeon  9l8t  N.  Y 271 

"    •         Noyes,  Capt.,  Author  of  "  Bivouac  and  Battle-Field"....  214 

"              Odell,  Moses  F.,  at  Brooklyn  Academy 180 

"            '  Quint,  A.  H.,  Chaplain — ^Trip  to  Chattanooga. 244 

"              Randlett,  Jas.  F.,  Capt  3d  N.  H.,  S.  Carolina 84 

"              Rosecrans,  Major-General.,, 258 

"             Seymour,  John  F.,  Gettysburg. -43 


XV 

FAOB 

TestimoDial  from  General  Seymour,  Florida 324 

"             ^ey 8,  H.' N.,"  Medical  Inspector,  Western  Department 331 

"              sloat,  Geo.  E.,'  Surgeon  14th  A.  G.,  "Western  Department. . .  85 

"              Smith,  E.  P.,  Agent  Christian  Commission 88 

"                  "      W.  A.,  Siirgeon,  47th,  N.  Y. , . . : 825 

"              Surgeon  to  Mr.' Jai  Gall,  Jr.,  Norfolk 2V7 

'•              Surgeons,  sixteen,  at  Gettysburgh,  Sept.,  1863 9 

"              Taylor, B.T— Chicago  Journal 47 

"              Townsend,  N.F./Med.  Inspector,  Dept,  of  Gulf. 358 

Trowbridge,  W.  H.,  Surg.  Western  Dept 27 

"              Turchinj  General,                             " 258 

"              Wamiier,  Surgeon, '                       "        257 

Wayland,H.  L.,  Rev.,  7th  Conn -..  26 

"              Whittelsey,  Chas.,  C6IV  Western    Dept 257 

Woodward,  Benj.,  Surg.  22d  111.     " 121 

Texas — Acknowledgment  from  Gen.  Herron 339,  359 

"    — Reports  from  Mitchell  and'ESgerly. *279,  339,  359 

Things  to  be  Done — Supplies .....' .' 357 

Times, N.  Y.— Ambulance  Corps. ..',,..'. 152 

"      Medical,  London — Surgeon-General  Hammond 147 

«                  "            -^Water  and  Drainage 156 

Transportation — DiflBoulties  of 22,  34,  54,  58,  86,  87, 110,  131,  199 

"  — Commission  compared  with  Medical  Department.. . . .  163,  290,  294 

"          — Costof 227 

"          — Order  of  Maj.-Genl.  Rosecrans 110 

"                    "      Genl.  Herron,  Texas : 339 

Transportation  of  Sick 228,  259,  263,  297,  328,  331,  334 

"          in  England  and  France 35 

Treasury.     (See  Funds.) 

Trip  to  Chattanooga — Chaplain  A.  H.  Quint ; 244 


"  Utica  Herald." — ^Imputations  on  Commission,  and  Defence  of 309 

V. 

Vaccine  Matter — ^Imperfectian  of 292 

Value  of  a  Soldier— Surg.  Genl.  Hammond's  "  Military  Hygiene.". 120 

Vegetable  Garden 64,  108,  266,  271.  279,  202,  326,  327,  332,  335 

Vegetables,  Needed  and  Issued 28,  35, 52,  54,  80,  107,  108,  227,  235,  240, 

257,  264,  271,  291,  299,  326,  380,  332,  335,  337,  359,  366 

Vegetables— Rations  of • 80,  265,  337 

Ventilation  of  Iron  Glads 215 

Vicksburg,  Miss. — Hospitals,  &c 291 

Vital  Statistics 6, 173 

u  «      .i-British  Army ..303,378 

W. 

Ware  Fund •••••". ^^ 

Water Extract  from  Surgeon  Genl.  Hammond's  Treatise  on 30 

Water  and  Drainage— London  "  Medical  Times." 156 

Wayland,  H.  L.,  Chap.  7th  Conn. — Letter  complimentary  and  enclosing  Funds.        26 

Washington,  N.  C,  Siege  of— Commission  Work , 166 

Wagons  Captured _ 66,  87 

.Western  Department.    (See  Reports  and  Testimonials.) 


ZTi 

'Western  Department. — Agents  and  Location Ill 

Western  Scenies,  Nos.  1.  2, — By  Mrs.  Livermore , 223,  308 

What  the  Surgeons  in  tbe  Field  Think,  &c 329 

What  we  Did  at'^OIustee,  Florida 323 

Where  Your  Gifts  Go. 47 

Wherein' We  Ilave  to  Complain  of  the  Fublid 321 

Why  Does  the  Commission  Pay  Salaries .-. i 210 

Wilson,'  Henry,  Hon. — Bill  on  Ambulance  Corps 154 

Winslow,  Gordon,  Dr.,  Inspector.-^— Letters  to 360 

«  «        "    at  Gettysburg 9, 367 

Woman's  Central  A.  R.— Special  Belief  Work 49 

"  "       Store  House. 302 

«  «      Formation  of  Aid  Societies 370 

Woman — ^What  can  she  do  ? 245 

Women — Devotion  of 1 

"  "         "  in  Prussia 356,  357 

"        Council  of,  at  Washington 193 

"         in  the  Harvest  Field. — Western  Scenes 368 

"        as  Army  Nurses .":.;. •  -SIS,  29$ 

Woodward,  Behj.,  Surgeon.^Testimonial. — Western  Department. . , 121 

Wounds,  GliBsiticatiou  of— Prof.  T.  Longmore,  England 140 


INDEX. 


Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. -^Nos.  13-24, 

I 


Abbott,  J.  B.,  (See  Eeports.)  ,  '    ^ 

Abbott,  G.  J. — (See  Letters.) 

Abbott,  J.  B. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Acknowledgements,  (donation) — Reuben  Libby.... 656 

A  Country  Grirl,  to  Country  Girls  and  Boys^ Appeal  for  Onions 399 

A  day  in  the  Central  Office  during  Grant's  advance .*. 470 

A  call  from  Boston  and  New  Bngfiind  Womens'  Auxilliary  Association......'.  745 

A  Hospital  Visitors'  Farewell -746 

A  Mother  and  Son — Incident 752 

"  A  reasonable  Remonstrance" : 598 

"  A  Soldier's  Tribute" ...'. .^..  470 

|A        "         Letter"^W.  H.  Peokham 724 

"A  trip  up  the  Mississippi" ,  657 

"A  Rainy  Day  in  Camp" — Poetry. — Mrs.  Robt.  S  Howlanjd , 695 

A  word  to  the  Aid  Societies ^ 673 

An  American  School  Boy — (Donation) — James  B.  Meier 740 

Annual  Report  Soldiers'  Aid  Soc,  Irvington,  Westchester  co.,  N.  Y.,  June,  '64.  613 

Adynaemia — Mortality,  causes  of,  &c. '.  559 

"Agriculturist" — Letter  from  Orange  Judd. 531 

Agents,  Testimony  concerning— (Report  E.  B.  McCagg  &  E.  W.  Blatchford)  610 

"        Canvassing'— list' of — Depl.  East..': 431 

"       How  thev  live— Letter  Rev.  Mr.  Potter 632: 

«       Duties  of ...: '. 392,  428,  451,  570,  644 

Agnew,  C.  E.     (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Aid  rendered,  3  months  Relief  Work  at  Boston 636 

Aid  to  the  Union  Prisoners  at  Charleston,  S.  C 718 

"  All  the  Year  Round" — History  of  Sanitary  Commission.... 495 

Andersonville,  Georgia. — Prison  at 652 

Anderson,  J.  A. — (See  Reports.)  i 

Anti-scorbutics — (See  Vegetables.) 

Appeal  for  Vegetables .,.; :....464,  482 

Appeal  for  Blackberries •■•.• 619 

■  "      Sanitary  Commission — "Dollars  and  Lives".... .......'..,  738 

j^rmy — East  Virginia  and  Marylap.d— "Work  of  relief 390 

"    of  Potomac,  Middle,  Upper  and  Lower  District — (Report  Dr.  Steiiier).  ,  390 

"     '(         "         Supplies  forwarded  to i fi V 445 

«     "'    •    «         Scenes  and  Incidents 548 

"    General  iBalttks— (Report  Dr.  Crane.') : 458 

«        "        Sherman — Supplies  sent,  1864,  to  Nashville...": .48^,  522 

«    Virginia — Issue  stores,  1864 •. 498 

"    Cumberland— (Diary  of  Mrs.  Porter)  &c.. ^...  659 

11             "          -^Current  business  in  (Situation  in  West) , 469) 

(e    -yvest — What  it  has  done— (Report  Dr.  Read) 651 

«    Statistics — Disease  and  Death  first"  15  months  of  the  War— (Statistical 

Bureau) • :....  402 


ii  Index, 

PAOB. 

Army  Surgeon's — Defence  of,  and  Duties  of. : 523 

"  '"        ',  Tribute  to— Letter  AifredJ.  Bloor., 529 

"     British— Average  deaths  Annually,  from  1803  to  1812.... '        420 

•  "         "         Mortality  from  Disease,.  &e.,  Cmm'ean  War — Statistical  Tablfc.         466 
"         "                 "        during  Peninsular  and  Crimean  wars',  as  compared 
with  that  of  Atterican  Army — (See  Work  of 
Commission  Preventing  Disease) 421 

Articles  of  Treaty — (Greneva  International  Sanitary  Conference) 676 

Association— Piotective  War  Claim,  N..Y...412,  445,  475,  507,  539,  573,  604,  637, 
■     -•  669,  701,  731,  763 

Associate  Members — Co-operation  with  Sanitary  Commission 738 

Ashman,  W.  N. — (See  Letter.) 

Asyliim,  Insane — Stores  furnished  by  Sanitary  Commission — Williamsburg 

— Letter  Dr.  Jos.  PaYrish 566 

Atlanta,  Georgia — Good  news  from 751 

Auxiliary  Relief  Corps— System  of  Work— How  divided,  &c 532,  621,  678 

B. 

Back  Pay,  and  Collection  of. ...428,  465,  500,  589,  591,  655 

Barr,  R. — (See '  Letter.) 

Barlow,  Mrs.  General — ^In  Memoriam 615 

Bandages,  making  of. 470 

Battle  Stores  at  Chattanooga ". 469 

Blackberry  Wine  needed — (See  Report  Dr.  Wood.ward) , 6^ 

Blackberries — Appeal  fori 61» 

Bliss,  Z.  E.— (See  Testimonial) 407 

Blatchford,  John  S. — (See  Report.) 

Bloor,  Alfred  J. — (See  Letters.) 

Boardman,  W.  E. — (See  Letter.) 

Board  of  U.  S.  San.  Com..413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605,  638,  670,  702,  732,  763 

Branch  Depot 413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605",  638,  670,  702,  732,  764 

Brough,  John — Appeal 385 

Brown,  J.  A. — (See  Lettgrs.)  . 

Burial  of  Dead 455,  515,  517,  518,  520,  530,  567,  586,  623,  659 

Burnside,  General  A.  E. — (See  Testimonial) ; 553 

Butler,  Thomas — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 


Cady,  Charles  E. — (See  Testimonial) 435 

Caldwejl,  G.  C— (See  Report.)  .     ' 

Camp>  Inspeietions — (See  Statistical  Bureau) 401 

' '     Cooking — Directions  for 471 

"     Sumter — (See  Andersonville,  Ga.) 652 

Cairo — Soldier's  Home 717 

Canned  Fruits— rTestimony  Lieut.-Col.  Summers 682 

Carbolic  Acid^ — Disinfecting  Agen,t 560 

Carpenter,  D.  B. — ;(See  Report.) 

(Chaplain's  Duties — Hospital  Sketches , 597 

Chattanooga — Gardens  at. ., 408 

Chapel  and  Hospital  Visitors 753 

Cheer  to  the  Ladies — Extract  from  Letter 740 

Christian  Commission 743, 754 

"                  "         "Record  of  a  Day" 754 

Churches — Copperation  with  Sanitary  Commission . . .' 738 

Circular  from  Surge'on-General  Hammond. — Instructions  to  Medical  Officer.  684 

"        "     W.  Clendennin,  Asst.  Med.  Director,  Depart.  Cumberland 684 


Index.  *iii 

PAfiE. 

"  Cleveland  Herald" — Remarks  on  Vegetable  Gardens  at  Chattanooga. 555 

Classes  and  Severity  of  Wounds '. ••        ^558 

CWndennin,  W. — Circular .' 684  • 

Clothing — Hospital — patterns  for,  &c., 405,  502,  525 

"    '     Need  of ; 709,  711,  716 

Colored  Troops — Mortality  of— Letter  from  City  Point,  by  J.  V.  Van  Ingen  742 

"  "         Report,  Rev.  A.  L.  Payaon 689 

"      Hospital — Report  Act.  Sup.  Sperry 680 

"      Nurses — Incompetency  of.  Report  Act.  Sup.  Sperry '. .-...  681 

Colton,  Josiah  D. — (See  Letters.) 

Commission  of  Inquiry — Treatment  of  Prisoners  by  Rebels... 726 

Comparison  of  Federal  Atrocities  with  cruelty  of  English  Soldiers 641 

Congress — International  Sanitary  at  Greneva 675 

Conover,  R.  A. — Testimonial '. 387 

Consuls  of  United  States  in  Eiirope — Aid  rendered  by '. 495 

Convention  for  Ameliorating  condition  of  Wounded  in  PieId-!-(G-ene\^a) i  675 

Cooks — Necessity  for — Report,  Rev.  H.  B.  Hosford 520 

Correspondence — (See  Special  Relief  Office) 590 

County  Councils — Suggestions  concerning * 739 

«ows— for  Hospitals—     "  "  Report  Rev.  H.  B.  Hosford 520 

Crane,  Dr.  Edward  A. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Culpepper  Agency — Report,  Captain  Harris 393 

Cumberland  Hospital — Statistics  of,  Ac '. 690 

Cutter,  Brigadier-General  L. — (See  Letter.) 

B. 

Danville — Murder  of  a  Prisoner ;. 7^9 

Dead  at  Chickamauga ...." 515,  517 

Decherd,  Tenn. — JSome  a-t — Lettel,  Dr.  Hillman '  686 

Department  of  East — List  Canvassing  Agents —  .• 431 

"  Peninsular  and  Norfolk,  boundaries  of — Letter  Dr.  Parrish...  566 

«  Gulf— Letter  Edward  A.  Crane ' 668 

\     '^  ''^      Stores  issued,  quarter  ending  June  30, 1864 669 

.Diary  of  J.  C.  Anderson,  May  ,23d  to  26th — Rappahanock , ' 455, 

"      Mr.  Van  Ingeif,  Ma;y,  l864-^Work  xirmy  Potomac , 499 

"     Mrs.  E.  C.  Porter,  May  15,  to  June  14 — Army  .Cumberland 659 

Disposal  of  our  Dead  Prisoners  South 730^ 

Disbursements — Army  Virginia — May  and  Junfe,  1864 545 

Discharged  Soldiers— Number  of,^e.^-Especial  Relief  Office, Washington....  ,  589 

Disinfectiiig  Agents — Carbolic  Acid 560 

Doings  at  the  Fipnt — Extracts  from  Journal 712 

Dollars  and  Lives- — Appeal  for  Sanitary  Commission 738 

Douglas,  J.  H.,  M.D. — (Sea  Reports  and  Letters.) 
Dyn,  L.^(See  Letter.) 

E. 

Edgerly,  Mr.  G.  C— In  Memoriam 617. 

Effects  of  Long  Marches  and  Improper  Food  on  Healthy  Troops — Statistical 

Bureau 403 

"  English  Leader  " — Extract  of  Work  Sanitary  Commission,  &c 755 

Eno,  Edward  I. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Entertainment  at  Goueva — International  Congress •. 677 

Europe — Sanitary  Movement — Progress  of  Work......... 389 

".        Official  inquiries  of  Geneva  Conference 389 

«        Losses  by  Disease  during  Peninsular  War — (1811  to  1814) 420 


iy  Index. 

FAGIE.' 

"Evening  Bulletin" — List  of  Supplies  forwarded  to  Army  before  Richmond  762 

Everts,  Alpheus — Testimonial; 553 

Evans,  D.  W. — (See  Report.) 

Evidences  of  Mental  Suffering — (Returned  Prisoners) 727 

Extracts  from  our  Journal — (aA,  City  Point) 635 

Examinations,  Physiological  of  Soldiers — Statistical  Bureau 401 

Expenses — Summary  of,  from  Sept.  1,  '61,  to  July  1,  '61 — Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry  762 

•P. 

Fair  at  New  York— Results  of. 429 

' '    Dubuque 577 

"-  Philadelphia — Description  of,  "Philadelphia  Inquirer," 494 

"     Chicago 579 

False  Impressions — How  they  get  afloaf , i...  385 

"  Federal  Atrocities  "—"  London  Times," 64^1 

Festival  at  Sing  Sing — Women's  Central  Association 408 

Feeding  Stations .'. '. 622,651 

Field  Relief  Corps — Army  Potomac,  Middle  District 390 

"    .Hospital — ^Letter  Dr.  Joseph  Parrish , 569 

Financial  Report  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry,  Sept.  1,  1861,  to  July  1,  1864 — (See 

Western  Department) T 760 

'  Freeman,  J.  N. — (See  Letter.) 

Food  for  Union  Prisoners  South 729 

Fractured  Limbs — Means  of  Support — (Mortality,  causes  of) 560 

Fruits  Canned — objections  to 673, 685J 

Furloughs — need  of,  for  wounded , .' 655 

Funds — What  becomes  of  them? — (Hospital  Notes  forfriends  at  home) 634 

"         Cost  of  supplies  one  month — Cumberland  Hospital 690 

«         Effects  of  Fairs  on. , 417 

"      -  Misapprehension  relative  to .' '. ;..  4l8 

"         Hospital  Tax — Letter  Dr.  Crane 432 

"               "       Report  Mr.- Grant .-r. 563 

"     Received — Benefit  New  Orleans 396,458 

'\           "       '    Fair  at  New  York , ; 4!29 

"           '"          A  Soldier's  Subscription 549 

"            "          Fair  at  Chicago,  &c 579 

"            "          Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans '. ! 591 

"     Donated — American  Schoolboy's  Donation , 740 

"  "  Mr.  Goddard,  Gen.  Consul,  Constantinople — Letter  G.  J. 

Abbott .■" '. ' 464 

"           "          Lieut.  William  Henderson,  Ohio  Cavalry — Letter  D.  Robin- 
son, Jr r. i 465 

"  "  Est.  S.  P.  Bolton,  deceased,  kte  Pa.  Vol.— Letter  W.  N. 

Ashman 465 

"           "          Pope  of  Rome— Letter  Rev.  John  Timon 501 

"     Disbursed — Three  months  relief  work,  Boston 637 

"           "             East,  South  and  West,  May  and  June,  1864 ..."..".  545 

"  "  May,  1864,  Ar;ny  Virginia,  &c ; 463,482 

«     "           "             Soldiers'  Home,  New  Orleans 591* 

^-  ' 

Gam  and  Loss— Sickness  and  mortality  first  15  months  of  war — Statistical 

Bureau _  4()j 

General  Condition  of  Wounded .!."."!.!!!!!!!!.!!!  558 

Geneva  Conference — Official  Inquiries ,.... 389 

"      International  Sanitary  Congress  at , 674 

"       Entertainment  at "  a^i 


Index.  V 

Gikbon,  John — Testimonial 656 

Crood  news  from  Atlanta,  Georgia 751 

Government  Shop — Sherman's  JDepartment ...^.  517 

Graham,  Captain-,  North  Carolina  Rangers,  contribution^ — Letter  from  George 

B.Page : 742 

Hadley,  H.  H.J  Professor  Union  Theological  Seminary — In  Memoriam ,..614,679 

HalloVay,  Henry. C. — Report 581 

Hammond,  Surgeon  General,  Westerii  Army — Circular 684 

Harper's  Perry — Report  Dr.  Steiner...' 392 

Harris,  Captain — (See  Report.) 

Hart,  Surgeon  A.  G. — (See  Testimonial.) 

Heroism  of  Soldiers .gl4,  519,  566,  619 

High  claim  of  Southern  people ' .< 727 

Hewitt,  Dr.  H.  S.-v(See  Letter.)  "^ 

Hoblit,  3j  C. — (See  Report.)  ,     • 

Homes  and  Lodges..400,  430,  489,  440',  441,  468,  494,  534,  566,  589,  655,-  657,  764~ 

Hospital  Statistics — Statistical  Bureau .'. 401 

"       Clothing— Patterns  of  directions  for  making,  &c..y...405,  426,  502,  525,  696 

"      Sketches ...^ .......: 597 

"       Notes  for  friends  at  home 633 

"       Records — defect  of— Report  Mr.  Grant 563 

"       Visitor— daily  ■sTork  of—     "  "     562 

■"       Military— Causes  of  Mortality ;..'. ( 557 

"       Letter — Testimonial 740 

"       Train — Description  of. 723 

"  "       Incident , 599 

"      Directory— Address  of,  413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605, 638, 670,  702,  732, 

764 

Report  of,  &c 467,  470,  516,  612,  645,  694,  748 

"  "  Valueof,  L.  P.  Brockett,  M.D ', > 753 

"       Provisional — ^Explanation  of  term — Letter  Dr.  J.  Parrish 566 

"       Floating,  "New  World," ; , 567 

'•       Army  of.Cumberland .660,  662,  663,  665,..666 

«  "       Virginia ; 667,668,690 

"       Mississippi 396 

«       Tennessee 396,  404,  438,  687,  689 

I  "       Washington 426,620 

"       Western  Department '. 596,  644,  646,  648;  649,  QW 

Hospitals — Auxiliary  Relief  Corps i :....-. , 678 

"  Winchester.-. / 706 

"  Sandy  Hook 707 

'>  City  Point 742 

Housewives  or  Comfort  Bags  wanted  for  itrmy 760 

Howland,  Mrs.  Robert  S.— Poetry „ 501,695 


Iee--issued,  needed,  ,&c •. 455,  458,  517,  594,  690,  707 

Improper  food  and  long  marches— Effect  on  health  of  troops^Stat  Bureau..         403 

In  the  Hospital— Poetry 403 

In  Hospital — Extract  Sanitary  Reporter: j... 745 

Incidents— Extracts  from  letters,  &c 567,  570,  599,  661,  665,  691,  742,745,  752 

Incompetency  of  Colored  Nurses — ^Repcjrt  Acting  Superintendent  Sperry 681 

"Independent."— Extract — Onions  for  the  Soldiers..... ^ 399 

Influence  of  Military  Life  on  men  of  dif^rent  ages — Statistical  Bureau 402 

Inquiries,  Official,  from  Gen:  Conference,  Geneva,  to  European  Governments.        389 


vi  Indtx. 


PASB. 


Inspectors-vDuties  of — rWork  of  Commission  in  preventing  Disease 422 

Inspections— rCamp — Statistical  Bureau : 401 

Inspections — Nupber  of — 1861,  1862, 1863 — Statistical  Bureau 401 

Inspection  Eeturns — how  arranged,         '                   "             "      401 

Inspection,  General — RepofTDr.  Warriner,  Miss.  Department.. 395 

"          Hospital  and  Sanitary  Stations,  Tennessee — Report  Dr.  Read 438 

Instruction  to  Surgeons  in  charge  of  Hospitals — Circular  W,.  A.  Hammond..  684 

Intemperance  and  Profanity — L.  P.  Brockett,  M.D... '753 

International  Sanitary  Conference  at  Geneva , '  674 

«           Treaty             "                 " 676 

Iowa — Fair  at  Dubuque 577 

Issues  from  Philadelphia  Agency,  U.  S.  San.  Commission,  for  Sept.,  1864...  763 

Italy— Sanitary  Movement  in — Neutrality  of  Wounded,  &e 697 

J. 

Jenkins,  J.  Poster — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Journals — Extracts  from — Doings  at  the  front ,  712 

Judd,  Orange — (See  Letter.) 

K,  • 

Kansas — Work  in,  &c ;....468, 682 

Kelly,  William  L.— (See  Letter.) 

Knapp,  P.  N. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.)  ^ 

Kovacs,  Stephen,  Major — Testimonial 462 

L. 

Ladies'  Aid  Societies — Co-operation  with  San.  Com. — Value  of,  &c 788,739 

Lecturers  needed — Call  from  Boston  and  N.  England  Women's  Aux.  Ass'n..  745 

Letter— "  J.  V.'^— "  Rochester  Democrat."—' '  Patriotic  Unity." 409 

"         Correspondent  "  N.  Y.  Herald."— Work  in  New  Orleans....' 396 

"                   "             "  N.  Y,  Times."— Value  of  Vegetables '. 584 

"        Extracts  from — San.  Com.  and  Med.  Dept.  Transportation,  &c 484 

"        Writing  in  Camp.: 53I 

"         from  Washington'-Extracts  from — Mortality,  Causes  of,  &c .    560 

"         from  New  Jersey — Co-operation  of  Churches  with  San.  Com 740 

Letters.— (See  Postage) 623 

Letter  from  Abbott,  G.  J.,  Washington — Donation  from  Mr.  Goddard 464 

"           Abbott,  J.  B.,  Washington— Back  Pay 465 

t'      ■     Agnew,  C.  R.,  M.D.—Extraci>— Work  at  Belle  Plain,  &c 449,484 

"           Ashman, .W.  N.,  Philada.— Donatio;!  Est.  S.  P.  Bolton,  dec'd...  465 

"           Barker,  Stephen,  Philadelphia — Testimonial,  &c 427 

"          Barr,  R.,  Hospital  3d  Division — Receipt  of  Stores 552 

"           Barnard,  Mr.,  Alexandria — Hospital  Boat — Testimonial,  &o 433 

"^         Bloor,  Alfred  J.,  Washingfcon|;-" Scenes  at  the  Base" 489 

"*             "            "           Fredericksburg — Scenes  in  Fredericksburg 526 

"          Boardman,  W.  E.,£ec'y  U.  S.  C.  C,  Philada.— Apologetic 397 

"          Brocket,  L.P.,  M.D I f.... 753 

"           Brough,  John,  Governor  of  Ohio — Supplies  at  Memphis,  &c 385 

"  Brown,  J.  A.,  Leavenworth — Refugees,  &o 596,  682,  750 

"          Butler,  Thomas,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky. — Work  at  the  Home 750 

"          Carpenter,  Mr.,  Salem,  Mass. — Work  at  Red  River 692 

Colton,  Josiah  D.,  Surg.,  Ringgold,  Ga.^Ree'pt.  of  Vegetables;  398 

Conover,,  R.  A.,  Surgeon,  Memphis — Testimonial,  &c 387 

"           Crane,  Dr.,  New  Orleans — Work  at  Red  River,  &c 431 

Culbertson,  Mr.,  Knoxville^Vegetable  Gar'dens 595 

Cutter,  Brig.  Gen.  L. — Receipt  of  Vegetables 636 

Douglas,  Dr.  J.  H.,  City  Point— Rec'pt  of  Vegetables— Value  of..553, 584 


Index.  .  vii 


PA(iK. 


Letter  from  Dyn,  L.,  Brownsville,  Ark. — Keceipt  of  Supplies,  &c 750 

"           Edgerley,  Mr.— Testimonial,  Ac 434 

"           Emperor  Napoleon,  through  Fave,  Aid-de-Camp; — Sanitary  move- 
ment in  Europe 389 

"          Eno,  Edward  I.,  Kingston— Affairs  at,  &c..... 716 

"           Freeman,  J._N.,  Camp  near  Brandy  Station — Testimonial 434 

'*           Grant',  Kev.'Mr.,  Memphis — Seenes  among  Wounded 721 

."           Hazen,  J.  H.  Rev.,' Nashville — Distribution  of  Stores,  &c '  595 

"      .     Hewitt,  Dr.  H.  S.,  Morristown,  Tenn. — Receipt  of  Vegetables...  463' 

'-.          Hillman,  Mr.,  Decherd,  Tenn. — Work  at  the  Home 686 

Hyde;  A.  B.,  2d  Corps,  City  P(^t— Auxiliary  Relief  Corps 667 

"  Ingraham,  Rev.  Mr.,  Nashville — Incidents,  <S5p :....594,687 

"           Jayne,  S.  T. — Extract — Colored  Hospital -. 666 

"           Jenkins,  J.  Foster,  New.  York — Funds  raised  by  Fairs,  &c....'....  419 

"           Judd,  Orange,  White  House — Sick  and  Wounded,  &c 531 

;  "           Jones,  Mr.,  Decherd,  Tenn. — AuxWiary  Relief  Corps ,  596 

"           Kelly,  W.  L.,  Louisville,  Ky. — Postage  on  Letters....? 554 

"           Knapp,  F.  N.,  Washington — San.  Com.  in  Grant's  Army 424 

"  Knapp,  F.  N.  to  "  Washington  Chronicle  "—San.  Com.  and  Med. 

Department '  482 

"           Ijibby,  Reuben,  Camp  Barry — Testimonial  Contribution 656 

"  May,  Abby  W. — A  call  from  Boston  and  New  England  Women's 

Auxiliary  Association 745 

"           Mill,  John  Stuart,  Avignon — Testimonial,  &c'. 561 

"           Mitchell,  Mr.,  Gen.  Banks' Army — Unionists  in  Louisiana 460 

"   '       Mitchell,  Mr.,  Alexandria — Stores  needed,  &c 434' 

('  Muhleoh,  Col.  G.  A.,  Harper's  Ferry— Winchester,  &c.,  &c 709,  741 

"           McClure,  Charles,  4th  Div.  5th  Corps — Testimonial,  &c..., 581 

"  Newiberry,  Dr.  J.  S.,  Louisville,  Ky. — ^Work  of  Commission,  387,  714,  718 

"           Ord,  E.  0.  C.,,  near  Petersburg — Receipt  of  Vegetables 636 

'      "           Parrish,  Dr.  Joseph,  City  Point— Death  of  Wm.  Wilson 617 

"           Parrish,  Dr.  Jos.,  James  River — James  River  and  Appomattox..  564 
<'           Potter,  Rev.  W.  J.,  White  House — "  How   we   Lived  " — At 

Various  Bases ....632,666 

"           Reed,  M.  C,  Chattanobga — Gardens  at 408 

"          Ricketts,  Gen.  Jas.  B.,  3d  Div.  6th  A.  C— Rec'pt  of  Vegetables..  ,  552 

"           Robinson,  D.,  Wooster,  0. — Donation  from  Lt.  W.  Henderson..  465, 

"           Seymour,  Mrs.  Horatio,  Buffalo — Acknowledgment  Donation 501 

Sloan,  Rey.  J.  0.,  Annapolis-^ Apologetic 396 

"           Steiner,  Dr.,  Carmel  Hill  Church — Preparations  for  Battle,, &c...  454 

"           Stevens,  Mr.,  Gen:  Banks'  Army — -Hetreat  of.... '. 460 

"  Sperry,  A.  W.,  City  Point — Hospitals,  Games,  &c. — Auxiliary 

Relief  Corps .' 668 

"           Summers,  Lieut,  Col.,  Memphis— Antiscorbutics,  &c 682 

"           Thompson,  Rev.  J.  P.,  N.  Y. — $an.  and  Christian  Commission^.  592 

"          ^Timon,  Rev.  John,  Buffalo— ^Donation  from  Pope  of  Rome 501 

"           Upton,  Chas.  H.,  Geneva- — San.  Work ih  Austro-Prussian  Army. .  390 
"           Van  Ingen,  J.  V.,  City  Point — Mortality  Colored  Troops,  &C....710,  742 

"           Walker,  Albert,  Camp  near  Petersburg — Rec'pt  of  Vegetables...  581 

"           Webster,  J-  C,  Hopkinton,  Mass. — San.  and  Christ'n  Commis'n  721  ■ 

"           Werner,  John,  Alexandria,  Va. — Back  P^y,  &c 465 

"           Woodward,  Benj.,  Tullahoma,  Tenn. — San.  and  Christ'n Com'n..  ,    398 

"           Woodward,  Benj.— Sanitary  Colnmission  and  the  Government...  719 

Libby  Prison — Description  of,  &C.. ^ 728 

List  of  Canvassing  Agents— Dept.  East....' 431 

"       Delegates  Geneva  International  Sanitary  Congress 676 

"       Disbursements  May  and  June, *1864 — Army  Virginia 545 


viii  \  Index. 

PAGE.  ' 

Listoflssues— St.  John's  Isknd,  S.  C 580^ 

"       Provisions  consumed. Cumberland  Hospital  one  month...... 690 

"       Eelief  Corps — Middle  District  Army  of  Potomac v 390 

"       Eeports  Kelief  Agents  "  "  " 391 

«  '    "  "     Lower  District  Army  of  Potomac 392 

Issues,  New' Orleans  (partial) — Letter  B.  A.  Crane 432 

Army  Potomac,  January,  February,'  March,  1864 437 

"      Virginia,  May,  1864 .• ■ 493 

"        '   "       Department  Gulf,  quarter  ending  June  30th ' i .'. '  -669 

"  "       Army  before  Richmond _  762 

"  "       Philadelphia  Agency,  September,  1864.. 763 

"       Expenses — Summary  from  Sept.^l,  1861.  to  July  1,  1864 — Dr.  J.  S. 

Newberry 762 

"       Shipments  from  Cairo,  May  7th  and  May  16th,  1864 464 

"  ."  "     Chicago  to  Gen.  Sherman's  Army .'^  522 

<t  "  "     Louisville      ":  "  "     June  2  to  July  25  668 

"       Soldiers  juried  at  Port  Royal,  Va ;..... 455 

"       Stores  jieeded- at  Crisis  of  aCampaign  (partial) 706 

"        '«      receiYed  at  Winchester  Sept.  20,  22,  26 710 

"  "      sent  to  Union  prisoners  in  the  South ». . .' 719 

"  "      (partial)  at  White  House  June  7,  1864 534 

'      "       Vegetables  issued  Army  Virginia  May  and  June,  1864 546,  560,  561,  5^3 

"  "  "      City  Point,  July,  1864 619 

Living  Skeletons — Treatment  of  Prisoness  by  Rebels ■; 727 

"London  Times," — Extract  from — Federal  Atrocities.. 641 

Long  Marches  and  Improper  Food — Effects  of  on  Health  of  Men — Stat.  Bur.  403 

M. 

Manner  of  Investigating  treatment  of  Prisoners  by  Rebels 726 

Manufactures  at  Cumberland  Hospital - .-.  691 

"Marked  Articles" — Sanitary  Reporter 443 

Martin,  J.  S. — Testimonial 435 

May,  Abby  W.— (See  Letter.) 

Medical  Documents — Number  of  issued  by  Commission 423 

Medical  Department — Work  of. 483 ' 

Mill,  John  StuaTtT-(See  Letter.) 

Millikeli,  J.  H. — In  memoriam 715 

"Military  Life-^— Influence  of  on  men  of  different  ages — Statistical  Bureau 402 

Milk  Condensed — Value  of — Report  Dr.  Read ' 514 

Modern  Treatment  of  Prisoners  of  War 727~ 

Mortality  British' Army  during  Peninsular  and  Crimean  Wars,  as  compared 

with  that  of  the  American,  Army 421 

"       Causes  of  in  Military  Hospitals — Means  of  diminishing 557 

"       of  Colored  Troops— Letter  J.  V.  Van  Ingen 742 

Muhlech,  G.  A.  Col. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Murder  ot  a  Prisoner  at  Danville ....'.....•: .' '  729 

McClure,  Charles-v(See  Reports.) 

N. 

Nashville — Letters  Mr.  Ingraham 687 

Navy — Supplies  issued  to  at  Red  River — Report  Mr.  Mitchell '. 459 

Naval  Claims — Number  of,  &c ...; 589 

Neutrality  of  Wounded  in  time  of  War — Italy i...  697 

Newberry,  Dr.  J.  8. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

"New  York  Herald" — Correspondence  oP— Work  on  Mississippi 396 

New  York  Fair— Results  of , '. , 429 

"New  York  Times" — Correspondence  Army  Virginia — Testimonial 544,584 


Index.  ix 

XT                                                                                                                              '  PACE. 

NewJIampshire  Legislature — Testimonial .; i... '.<....,-• 601 

"New  York  Tribune  "—Incident— gallant  Conduct  of  J.  B.  Porter 665 

Nightingale,  Miss— Notes  on  Nursing 410,444,  472,  504,  536,  570,  602 

Notes  from  City  Point— T.  C.  Parrish 742 

Nurses  in  Army  of  Cumberland— Keport  E.  B.  MoCagg  and  E.  W.  Blatohford  611 

Nurses  inefficient  in  Cojored  Hospital— Letter  Mr.  S.  P.  Jayne 666 

o. 

Onions  for  the  Soldiers — "Independent" 399 

Ord,  E.  0.  C— (See  Letter.) 

Qrders  from  Surg.  Gen.  Hammond — Instructions  to  Medical  Officers 6R4 

Our  Soldiers — Incident 752 


Parrish,  Dr.  Josept — (See  Letters.) 

patients  in  Colored  Hospitals — Condition  of — Letter  Mr.  S.  P.  Jajjie 666 

"       number  of  and  condition  (Nashville) — Eeport  Kev.  A.  L.  Fayson 690 

"  "  in  General  Hospital  No.  1,  Tennessee ^  ^^^ 

•     "       in  Hospitals,  Western  Department '. 64^,649 

Patriotic  Unity — How  it  is  to  be  fostered , *....' 409 

Peaches-^Method  of  Dryipg  and  need  of 674 

Peckham,  W.  H.— A  Soldier's  Letter V. .\         724 

Pensions — Statistical  Bureau 403 

"      and  Claim  Agency,  Ne-fr  Orleans .'. ..^ 430 

Pension  Office,  Washington .% ,.         590 

Perin,  Dr.  G. — Testimonial .■% 464 

"  Philadelphia  Inquirer  " — ^Description  of  Fair  at  Philadelphia 494 

Physiological  Examinations,  Soldiers — Statistical  Bureau : 402 

Poetry .,..,...'. ! 403,  470,  501,  549, ,601,^695,  724 

Port  fioyal — Listjof  Soldiers  buried  at ' 455 

"  "     Supplies  received  at 455 

Potter,  W.  W.— Testimonial. 407 

Post  Offiee  Circular — Postage 555 

Postage 453,  516,  554,  555,  623 

'=      Hints, relating  to— Repojt  M.  C.  Read ,.         487 

Point  Lookout — -Report  Dr.  Steiner .> 392 

Potatoes  Pickled 395,407,  66^ 

Prepay  your  Letters — Postage , .' 554 

Prisoners — Letter  Alfred  J.  Bloor 530 

Pi'otective  War  Claim  Association  of  New  York..  .412,  445,.  475,  507,  539,  573,  604, 

637,  669,  701,  731,  76$ 

Prison  at  Andersonville,  Ga 652 

Punishments  of  Prisoners  South  ..-. ^ ,730 

Pyaemia — Mortality — Causes  of. , •. o59 

R.  . 

Belief—Special  <md' General  '       , 

Rations  per  Week  at  Huntsville,  Alabama — Report  J.  S.  Prout, 406. 

"     -to  our  Prisoners  in  the  South 729 

Read,  A.  N.— (See  Reports.) 
Read,  M.  C?— (See  Reports.) 

.    "  Really  Old  Linen" •. • 683 

Rebel  Brutality— Andersonville   Ga.,  &o 652,  725' 

Recommendations  of  Society  of  Pub.  Usefulness  of  Geneva 675 

"Record  of  a  Day'' — Criticism,  &c ..' 754 

Red  River — Work  on — Letter  Mft  Carpenter 692 


X  Index. 

Relief- — Special  and  General.  _  Pioj_ 

Eefutation — Charge  of"  Federal  Atrocities" — London  Times 641 

Eelief  Work  at  Boston— Report  J.  S.  Blatchford 636 

"  "      Port  Royal,  Va.— Report  Mr.  Anderson 522 

Relief  Departmen^-U.  S.  San.  Com.— 413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605,  638, 

670,  702,  732,  764 

Reply  of  Surgeon  Conover  to  Mr.  Carpenter's  Questions.! 387 

Report— Financial,  from  1861  to  1864— Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry 760 

Requisition — Supplies  for  "  New  World" — ^Letter  Dr.  Joseph  Parrish...         568 

Resolutions  introduced  by  Mr.  Hubbell  to  Legislature  of  Wisconsin 400 

Resources — Misapprehension   Concerning — (See    Effects   of    Fairs   on 

.    Fund,  &c.) 418 

Ricketts,  G-eneral  J.  B. — (See  Letter.) 
Robinson,  D.  Jr. — (See  Letter.) 

"  Rochester  Demoirat" — Extracts  from  and  Answer  to 409 

Rogers,  Edward  L. — Testimonial ,...' 435 

Report  of  Home  at  Alexandria,  Va .430,  590 

"  «       Annapolis,  Md 442 

"  "      Boston,  Mass 43J. 

"  «  .   Baltimore,  Md 590 

"  "       l^ashear  City,  La ^ 400 

"  "       Chattanooga,  Tenn 440 

"      Camp  Nelson,  Ky 400,  441,  534,  656 

"  «      Carlo,  111 ,...400,  494,,  534,  592,  655,  717 

"  "      Decherd.Tenn 686 

«      Detroit 400,  534,  592,656 

"  «       Harrisburg..! 656 

"  "       Louisville,  Ky 400,  534,  656 

"       Memphis,  Tenn 400,  441,468,  534,  591,  656 

"  "      Nashville,    "    400,440,441,534,591,655 

"  "      New  Albany,  Ind 534,656 

"  "      New  Orleans. 430,591 

"  "       Portland ; 431 

"  "       Portsmouth,  Ya 431,  566 

"  "       Stevenson,  Tenn 4.39 

"  "      Washington,  D.  C '...... 442,589,590 

"      Associate  Members  U.  S.  San.  Com. — Boston — Year  ending 

March  31,  1864 >. 442 

"      Citizens  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. — How  Brooklyn  money,  goe^ 498 

"      Claim  Agency  in  the  West .' 751 

"      Council  Relief  Societies — West  Chester  and  Putnam   Coun- 
ties, New  York, .......; 747 

"      Extracts  from  San.  Com.  and  Medical  Dept 484 

"      Hospital  Visitor  at  Nashville,  Tenn : 404 

'  "  "  Directory — Summary.. : 467 

"      Issues  of  Stores  to  Army  of  Virginia,  May,  1864 493 

"      Official  County  Council,  TarrytDwn,  New  York 612 

"      Quarterly — Hospitals  at  Washington  and  Vicinity 426 

' '      Relief  Agents — Middle  District — Army  Potomac 390 

"      Sanitary  affairs  in  the  Mississippi 395 

"      Statisfical  Bureau '. 401 

"    ^Treasurer  Womens'  Central  Association  Relief  Branch  U.  S. 

Sanitary  Commission,  1864..., ■ -614 

"      Work  on  the  Mississippi — Mr.  Way 521,  562 

"  "     in  Sherman's  Army -    485 

"  '•      Special  Relief  Office  at  Washington 589 

' '      Abbott,  Mr.— Transportation  of  Wounded 462 


Index.  XI 

Relief-^- Special  and  General.  paob. 

Report  of  Abbott,  J.  B.— Work  in  Grant's  Army '. 425 

"      Adams,  F.  A.— Winchester,  Va. '....! ; 758 

"      Agnew,  0.  R. — Among  our  'Woundedi— Army  of  Va.,  &e 449,452 

"      Aikman,  W.— Belle  Plain 627 

"      Anderson,  J.  A. — Rappahanoot ' 455 

"             "     ■      "          Relief  Work,  Port  Royal,  Va.. ;....  522 

"     JBeebe,  H.H.— Value  of  Hospital  Directory.... .'....  694 

"      Blake,  Dr...T^A  Trip  up  the  Mississippi 657 

«      Blatchford,  E.  W.— Work  North-west  Branch 609 

"               «    '      J.  S.— Relief  Work  at  Boston 636 

"      Blazier,  T.  M. — Harrisonburg,  Va 757 

"  Brown,  Mr. — Hospitals  at  Washington  and  Vicinity.."...'..,.../.  428 

"      Butler,  Thomas — Home,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky .• 751 

"      Caldwell,  Mr — Hospitals  at  Washington -620 

••'            "         G-.  C— Work  in  Grant's  Army 426 

"      Carpenter,  D.  B. — Agent  at  Memphis « 395 

"      Cranej  Dr.  Edw.  A.— Department  of  Gulf. 432,  458,  617,  668 

"      Dana,  W. — Fredericksburg .' 630 

•'      Denniston,  J.  0.— Work  in  the  Field 627 

"      Douglas,  J.  H. — Army  of  Virginia ."! 551 

'    "      Eno,  Edward  I.— Sherman's  Army 488,  597,  716 

"      Evansj  D.  W.— Sheridan^s  Army,&c..,. 707,759 

"      Fairchild,  E.  B.— Point  Lookout .^ »     392 

"      Pay,  Superintendent — What  Auxilliary  Corps  has  done 620 

"      Fergusoji,  George — Fredericksburg'. 628 

"      Grant,  Mr. — Memphis ." 562 

"      Halloway,  Henry  C. — Petersburg — Distribution  Stores 581 

"      Hammer,  J.  V. — ■"Berryville,  Va 758 

"      Knowlton,  George — -Harper's  Ferry,  Va , 758 

Harris,  Captain — Asst.  Supt.  Fifeld  Relief — Army  East  Vir- 

.ginia  and  Maryland ; 393,  586 

«      Hoblitt,  J.  C— Sherman's  Army.: 487 

"      HosfordjRev.  H.  B. — Hospitals,  Chattanooga 518 

"      Jenkins,  J.  Foster — Sheridan's  Army 708,  709 

"      Johnson,  Superintendent — Army  Potomac, ■  618 

«      Keese,  S.  T.— General  Feeding  Station 624 

"      Knapp,  F.  N.— -Grant*s  Army. ,      424 

«           "           "        Department  of  East 429 

«           "           "        Operations  at  Belle  Plain 460 

"           «           "                    .   "     Harper's  Ferry ' 708 

"      Lightship,  Mr. — Army  of  tire  Potomac — Vegetables 580 

"      Marsh,  Dr. — ^Military  Movement — St.  John's  Island,  S.  C 579 

"      Marshall,  J.  P.  B. — Fredericksburg. .  i --625 

»             '''           "           In  the  Field -...  626 

"             "         J.  P. — Fredericksburg, '.: 631 

"      McClure,  Cbarles — Ajmy  of  the  Potomac ._. i.  581 

"      McCagg,  E.  B.^N.  W.  Branch  Sanitary  Commission i     609 

"      Means,  Rev.  J.  0. — Fredericksburg.. 629 

"      Mitchell,  Mr.— Red  River... 460 

"      Muhleeh,  G.  A.— Harper's  Ferry 706 

"      Muhiech,  G.  A.— Martinshurg,  Va.. .^ 759 

"      Neilson,  Dr.— Floating  Holpital,  "New  World" 624 

''      Newberry,  Dr.  J.  S. — Department  of  Mississippi 386 

"      Newell,  Mr. — A^j-my  of  the  Potomac 581 

"      Nichols,  Surgeori — Home  Hospital ....; 591 

^'      Orris,  Mr. — Auxiliary  Relief  Corps, .' 681 


xii  Index. 

Relief- — Special  and  General.  '  PioE, 

Report  of  Payson,  Mr. — Point  Isabella  Hospital,  Ky...: ! 535 

"  ",.    '  Eev.  A.  L.— Memphis 689 

.    "      Peak,  J.  Y.— Auxiliary  Relief  Corps 682 

"      Potter,  Mr, — Army  of  the  Potomac 582 

"      Prout,  J.  S. — Huntsville,  Alabama 406 

"      Read,  Dr.  A.  N. — Hospitals,  &c.,  in  Tennessee ""    438 

"  "  "  Western  Department 513,561,593,644 

"  "  "  Sherman's  Army '. 486 

•      "  "     Mr.  "  "      :...;.. 463,518 

"     M.  C.  *  "  "      486,487,593' 

"      Roqt,  Mr.  "  "      440,683 

«      Smith,  Dr.  T.  B.— City  Point 585 

"      Soldiers'  Aid  Society — Irvington,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y..         613 
"      Sperry,  A.  M.,  Siipt. — Fredericksburg  Relief  Corps,  Colored 

Hospital 630,  678;  680 

''      Stevens,  N.  C. — Army  of  Virginia 551 

"      Stiles,  John— "  Water  Base"  Feeding  Station.... 625 

"      Steiner,  Dr.,  Chief  Inspector — Relief  Armies  East  Virginia 

and  Maryland 390,424,435' 

"      Stone,  Rev.  J.  A. — Burial,  &c.,  Fredericksburg 627 

"      Sutliffe,  Wm.  A.— Stevenson,  Ala.— Stores,  &c 398 

"      Van  Ingen,  J.  V. — Army  of  Potomac 461 

^      "      Warriner,  Dr.  H.  A. — Work  on  the  Mississippi 387,  395 

"      Wilcox,  Mr. — Work  in  G-rant's  Army,. 425 

•  "      Woodruff,  Mr. — Statistics  Cumberland  Hospital. 690 

"  .  Woodward,  Dr. — Western  Department 689 

s. 

Sanitary  Commission — What  it  is — :(See  The  Future) • 737 

"                "  Associate  Members — Ladies'  Aid  Soc's.  Churches,  &c.  738 

"                "  Surgeons'  Testimonials 406 

"                «  Work  of— Extract  from  "  English  Leader " 755 

"  '        Testimonial  R.  A.  Conover,  Surg.  108th  111.  Inf  Vol.  387 

"                "  Resolutions  passed  concerning  by  ^Legislature,  Wis...  400 

"                 "  and  Surgeons 434 

"                "  and  Medical  Department — Letter  F.  N.  Knapp 482 

"                 "  and  Massachusetts  Surgeon-General 744 

"                 "  and  Medical  Officers — Relations  existing  between 622 

"                 "  Liberal  basis  of— (See  Letter  J.  V.) 410 

"                "  and  Government-^Relations  existing  between 719 

"                "  and  Christian  Com. — Harmonious  Co-operation 721 

"               "  "            "            Work  of  each '397 

"                "  ;'             "             Plan  to  insure  Cb-operation 592 

"                "  Testimonial  New  Hampshire  Legislature 601 

"                "  From  a  French  Point  of  View 546 

,"                "  Aid  Rendered  by  Consuls  in  Europe 495 

"                "  History  of,  from  "  All  the  Year  Round" 495 

U.  S.  Board  of... 413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605,  638,  670, 

•    702,  732,  763 

"               "  Branch  Depots.. .413,  446,  476,  508,  540,  574,  605,  638, 670, 

.    •  702,  732,  764 

"  Bulletin— Its  Future '. 737 

"                "  Work  of  in  preventing  Disease 419 

"                "  "     Armies  East  Virginia  afld  Maryland 390 

"               "  "     Army  of  the  Potomac ' 498 


Index.  '  xiii 


FAQE. 


-    (( 


Sanitary  Commission — Work  of  in  Shenandoah  Valley 705,  741 

"                 "■               "     on  James  Eiver......'. T , 710 

"                "                "     in  Gh-ant's  Army 424 

"     at  Louisville,  Ky 385 

"                "                "     on  the  Mississippi 395' 

"                 "'              "      at  Boston,  Mass. — Keport  Asso.  Members 442 

"                 "                 "     at  Fredericksburg  and  Belle  Plain., 451 

"                 "                 "      in  the  West— Journal  of  a  Surgeon.-. 467 

"                 "                 "     to  be  performed— Amount  of. 483 

"  "  "     North  West  Branch— Eeport  E.    B.  McCagg 

and  E.  W.  Blatchford  , 609 

'\             "                 "     in  Western  Department 714 

"                  «                  "      in  North' Oarolina.  .: ". 741, 

"                  "                  "      at  Atlanta,  Georgia. 751 

"                 "                 "     at  City  Point,  Va 635 

"        Movement  in  Europe — Progress  of  Work : 389,  697 

"       WoA  in  Austro-Prussian  Army 390 

"        Science  applied  in  Camps  and  Hospitals  during  Crimean  War 465 

Congress  at  Geneva — From  N.  Y.  Evening  Post  Correspondent 674 

Fairs — Effects  of  on  Funds-^Keccipts  from,  ^c , 409,. 417,  577 

Stations  in  Tenn. — Report  Dr.  Read .■ 438 

Scenes  and  Incidtents — Army  of  the  Potomac .- 548 

Seymour,  Mrs.  Horatio — (See  Letter.) 

Sceies  among  the  Wounded — Letter  Rev.  Mr.  Grant 721 

Secondary  Hemorrhage — Mortality,  causes  of...... '. 559 

Sessions,  P.  C.^Testimonial,  &c ., '. 408 

Sheridan's  Army-vWork  in — Report  G.  A.  Muhlech: 706 

Sim,  Thomas — Testimonial,  &c 407 

Sloan,  Rev.  J.  O. — (See  Letter.)  "  ' 

Small-,pox  at  Memphis  and  Vicksburg— ^Report  Mr.  Carpenter 896 

Soup,  Beef,  Vegetable  and  Bean — Amount  required  for  fifty  men 471 

Society  of  Public  Usefulness  of  Geneva — Preliminary  Meeting 674 

*"  Somebody's  Darling"- Poetry.... / 724  > 

Soiithern  Food — Rations  to  Prisoners  of  War 729 

Sdldier's  Gifts 465 

Soldier's  Aid  Society,  Wisconsin 656- 

Stanley,  Charles  H. — In  Memoriam 565;  624 

Steiner,  Dr.— (See  Reports  and  Letters.)         ^ 

Statistical  Bureau — Work  of ■ 401 

Statistics  of  Hospitals  in  most  of  Departments — Statistical  Bureau    401 

"      Disease  and  Death,  first  15  months  of  War — Statistical  Bureau..  402 

"      Labor  of  Reporting  Results,  &o., — Statistical  Bureau 402 

"      Value  of  Military  and  Medical — Work  of  Sanitary  Commission  pre- 

venting  Disease 423 

Statistical  Tables  of  Sickness  and  Death  from  Disease — Crimean  War 466 

Stevens,  N.  C— (See  Report.) 

Stimuiants— Necessity  of. 426,  757,  758,  759 

"  How  administered — Report  Acting  Superintendent  Sperry 680,  711 

Sutliffe,  William  A  —(See  Report.) 

Suffer  Most,  Love  Most — Incident....' 749 

Sworn  Statements  of  Exchanged  Prisoners — Andersonville,  Ga 652 

Special  Relief  OfiSce.. ,.s  589 

Splints  Gypsum — Mode  of  Applying — Suggestions  concerning  Preparation...  558 
Summers,  Lieut.  Col.  John  E. — (See  Letter.) 

Suggestions  to  the  Ladies ! 739 

Supplies. 

«        Issued... 398,  437,  441,  459,  482-,, 490,  522,  534,  564,  580,  595,  613,  636, 

.637,  645,  655,  668,  609,  713,  757,  760,  763 


xiy  ,  Index. 

Supplies, 


PAGE. 


Forwarded.. .451,  453,  455,  458,  460,  464,  486,  499,  517,  518,  522,  534, 
578,  610,  705,  707,  715,  719,  741,  757,  758,  759,  760,  762 

«  Needed...427,  464,  486,  514,  517,  518,  561,  580,  644,  645,  646,  647,  649, 

683,  751,  758,  759,  760 

"  '  Per  centage  of  Waste  and  Loss— Keport  E.  B.  McCagg  an3  E.  W. 

Blatchford :.. .'. 611 

"  Received  at  Winchester,  Va.,  September  20,  22,  26,  1864 710 

"  Consumed  in  Cumberland  Hospital,  one  month..! 690 

"  Needed  at  Crisis  of  Campaign 706 

"  Sent  to  Union  Prisoners  at  Andersonville  and  Charleston ., 719 

«  "    »      '.'           ">      in  South,  withheld 730 

T 

"Taps" — ^Poetry — ^Mrs.  Howland 724 

Testimonial— ."Patridtio  Unity" ^ 409^ 

"  Correspondent  New  York  Times s 454 

"  Surgeons  and  Chaplains  9th  Army  Corps 553 

V  "  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire ' 601 

"  •                 "          of  Wisconsin f -. 400 

"  Hospital  Notes  for-Friends  at  Home ' 633 

"  Wisconsin  Soldiers'  Aid  Society ,.  656 

«  "A  Trip  up  the  Mississippi" ■. 658 

«  A  Soldier's  Letter 724 

"  from  a  Chaplain 739 

'«  Hospital  Letter 740 

"  from  Surgeons 406 

"  Hospital  Visitor  at  Nashville,  Tenn , 404 

"  from  Our  Soldiers ' 753 

"  "     "English  Leader" 755 

Testimonials  from  or  through — 

"  Abbott,  J.  B., 425 

"  Aikman,W 627 

«  Barker,  Stephen 427 

"  Barnard,  Mr.... .' 433 

"  Bliss,  Z.  E 407 

"  Burnside,  Major  General  A.  E 553 

"  '    Cady,  Charles  E 435 

"  Carpenter,  Mr ; 694 

"  Conover,  Surgeon  R.  A » 387 

"  Dana,  W .". 630 

«  Dyniston,  Jt.  0 628 

"  Dyn,  L 750 

«  Edgerley,  Mr 434 

"  Everts,  Alphevis 552 

"  Freeman,  J.  N 434 

"  Gay,  Dr.  George  H / .  744 

'.'  Gibbon,  Jobn *. 656 

•        "  Harris,Dr 394 

"  Hart,  Surgeon  A.  L 556 

"  Hillman,  Dr 686 

"  Kovaos,  Stephen 463 

"  Ingraham,  Rev.  Mr 746 

"  Judd,  Orange ■. 532 

"  Libby,  Reuben 656 

"  Lightship,  Mr '. 580 

"  Marshaij,  J.  F.  B 625 


^  Index.  XV, 

Testimonials  from  or  through —  '  page. 

"  Marshall,  J.  P 631 

"  Martin,  Surgeon  J.  S 435 

"      ,      MacGowan,  Dr - 583 

"  Means,  Rev.  J.  0.; 629 

Mill,  John  Stuart....; 564 

'<    ■        Neilson,  Dr , 624 

"  Orris,  Mr ". 681 

"  Perin,  Dr.  & .' 464 

■     "  Potter,  W.W 407 

"  Read,  Dr 439,-650 

"    '        Rogers,  Edward  L 435 

«  Russell,  William,  Jr ". 552 

X  "  Sessions,  F.C 408 

"  Seymour,  Mr '..... ,        521 

"      '      Sim,  Thomas ' 407 

"  Smith,  Major  General.. .' 562 

"  Steiner,  Dr.....*. ; 393 

"         ■>    Stevens,  Mr .'. 460 

"  Summers,  Lieutenant  Colonel: 682,746 

"  Timon;  itev.  John ; 501 

.   "  Vanlngen,  Mr.  J.  V....... .'..... '. 499 

"  Werner,  John 1 465 

«  Wheelwright,  H.  B ; ; 564 

Tetanus — Mortality — Causes  ofi 559 

Tobacco— Need  of. ' '.....,. 711,758 

Transportation  of  Supplies — Difficulties  of  means  of.... 440,  451,452,  482,  518,  582, 

610,  650,  709 

«  Wounded .463,  556,  611,  651,  657,  685 

Treatment  of  oiir  Prisoners  by  Rebel  Authorities -      '725 

Treatment  of  Rebels ; 742 

^• 

Unionists  in  West  Louisiana — Letter  Mr.  Mitdhelh 460 

Upton,  Charles  H. — (See  Letter.) 

V. 

Vaccination— Work  of  Commission  in  preventing  Disease 423 

Vegetables— Value,  of— Issues  of,  &C...388,  395,  398,  406,  438,  439,  440,  463,  464, 

468,  482,  493,  494,  513,  514,  517,  520,  521,  522,  546,  550,  560,  563,  569, 

580,  582,  583,  593,  618,  619,  635,  651.  663,  683,  685,  689,  710,  713,  717, 

,718,741,743,753 

Vegetable  Gardens. .408,  438,  464,  469,  516,  518,  521,  555,*595,  611,  651,  691,  715 

Visit  to  Annapolis  and  Baltimore  by  Commission  of  Inquiry — Treatment  of 

Prisoners,  &c ; 726 

Van  Ingen,  J.  V. — (See  Letters,  Reports,  Testimonials.) 

Voices  feom  the  Country.., 749 

w. 

Walker,  Albert — (See  Letter.) 

Warriner,  Dr.  H.  A. — (See  Reports.) 

Washing  Clothing— -Suggestions  concerning — Superintendent  Fay's  Report..        623 

Webster,  J.  C— (See  Letter.)  '  ^ 

Werner,  John — (See  Letter.) 

Western  Scenes,  No.  3,  from  the  New  Covenant — ^Incidents,  &c 503 

Western  Department— Shipment  of  Supplies  June  2  to  July  25,  1864  .......        668 

Western  Department— Work  in..... 644,  683,  ^86,  687,  689,  692,  714 


xvi  Index. 

Wheelwright,  H.  B. — Testimonial .- 564 

White  Oak  Church  Feeding  Station — Eeport  P.  N.  Knapp 461 

What  the  Auxiliary  Eelief  Corps  has  done 666 

Williams,  Eev.  Israel — In  memoriam ■ 753 

Wilson,  William — In  memoriam f '  617 

Winchester — Hospitals  in 706,  709 

Winslow„Rev.  Dr. — ^In  memoriam '.  493 

Wisconsin  Legislature  and  the  Commission 400 

Wisconsin  Soldiers'  Aid  Society 656 

Woodward,  Benjamin — (See  Letters.) 

Woodward,  Dr. — (See  Reports.)  , 

Women  of  America — Tribute  to,  from  "All  The  Year  Round" 495 

Words  of  Cheer — Extract' from  Letter y    696 

Work  of  Relief — Armies  East  Virginia  and  Maryland 390 

Work  of  Sanitary  Commission — "English  Leader" 755 

Wounds — Classes  and  Severity  of ; 558 

Wounded — General  Condition  of. ■ 558 

Wretched  Condition  of  Returned  Prisoners y....  726 

Y. 

Young  Veteran  Heroes — Incident ; 751 


INDEX. 


Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. — Nos.  25-88. 


A. 

Abbott,  J.  B.— ^(See  Reports  and  Letters.) 
Abbott,  J.  J. — (See  Letters.) 

A  Battle 1027 

A  Benediction '. 1134 

A  Clergyman's  Son , 1134 

Across  the  James ^. ; « 835 

A  Contrast  to  Belle  Isle ■. 899 

A  "Comfort  Bag"  in  the  Ariliy '. ^ 1074 

"  Acrostic"— Poetry  by  Mrs.  Dr.  MacGowan 1025 

A  Deck  Load  of  the  Dying , 932 

A  Dream , .' 1017 

A  Fortnight  with  the  Sanitary  (Atlantic  Monthly) 1121 

A  Generous  Gift 1001 

Agency  for  Pensions 797 

Agents  Meeting — Hon.  P.  B.  Fay 938 

Age'nts  Paid  and  Unpaid,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Anderson 941 

Agnew,  Dr.  C.  R. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Aid  Societies — Remarks  of  Col.  Ray  Hawkins^ 879 

"           "           Influence  of, 1133 

"  A  Little  Child  Shall  Lead  Them"— Poetry :.  1017 

Alcooke,  Jx)lin. — (See  Letters.) 

A  Maigr's  Opinion  of  the  "  Soldiers'  Home,"  Columbus,  Ohio, — A.  R.  C.,..  1104 

Amburances,  with  Illustrations 980,  993 

A  Mistake  Corrected.... y 917 

Among  Colored  Troops..'. ■. - 908 

Among  the  Wounded  "at  White  House  Landing 9Q5 

An  Appeal  to  Charity 932 

A  New  "  Home"  at  Paducah,  Ky V...  911 

Anderson,  Rev'.  J.  A. — (See  Letters.) 

An  Axe  to  Grind 1004 

An  Explanation — Sanitary  Commission 1146 

An  Infant  Christened 1070- 

Antiscorbutics — (See  Vegetables.)  __ 

Army  of  the'Shenandoah.; »    899 

"           "    Potomac,  by  J.  Warner  Johnson 935 

Army  and  the  Commission 999 

Arrival  and  Transportation  of  the  Wounded  at  White  House... 905 

Association,  Protective  War  Claim,  N.  Y....796,  828,  860,  893,  925,  955,  987,  i014, 

I  '  1019,1051,1083,1115,1147 

Atlanta .- 855 

At  Norfolk * 834 

A  Veteran  and  His  Young  Comrade 813 

Auxiliary  Relief  Corps 834,  837,  997 

A  Visitor's  Thoughts '..., 999- 


ii  Index.  \ 

A  Voice  from  Prison 897 

A  Word  to  Aid  Societies  ^Contributing  to  Philadelphia  Agency 1090 


Back-Pay,  Bounties  and  Pensions 1008 

Barker,  Mrs.  Stephen.— (See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 
Batchelor,  Jos.  C— (See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 
Batchelor,  Jas.-=i(See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 
Barry,  W.  P.— (See  Eeports.) 

>' Battle  above  the  Clouds,  The"— Pdetry 1089 

Beebe,  L.  V.^See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 

Bedding  for  Hospital  Use 962 

Belle  Isle .': ^"^^ 

Bellows,  Eev.  H.  W.,— -Eemarks  on  the  Commission 880 

«  "  Surgeons  and  the  People's  Stores 1012 

Bibles  and  Spelling-books : ■ 1130 

Blatchford,  Jno.  S. — (See  E,eports.) 
Blake,  Geo.  A. — (See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 
Bloor,  Alfred  J.— (See  Letters.) 

Board  of  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 796,  828,  860,  893,  955,  987,  1019,  1051, 

1083,  1115, 1147 

Bradley,  Miss,  Eemarks  of  at  a  .Women's  Council,  Boston ; 974 

Brice,  B.  W.— (See  Letters.)  '      •     ' 

Brigham,  D.  J.— (See  Eeports.)  '      > 

fioltwood,  H.  L.-^(See  Letters.) 

Brindell,  Wm.  J. — (See  Eeports.) 
'  Broadhead,  'J.  M. — (See  Letters.)  -  / 

Brown,  J.  E. — (See  Letters.) 

Bullard)  0.  C. — (See  Letters  and  Eeports.)    , 

Buenos  Ayres,  Eesolutions  at  a  Meeting  of  American  Citizens 906 

Busy  Bees 1049 

Bush,  J.  C— (See  Letters.)  ' 

Butler,  Thomas. — (See  Letters.) 

c.  *  • 

Camp  Parole 843,  913,  1005, 1071 

Carey,  Miss  Alma.^(See  Eeports  and  Letters.) 
Carpenter,  D.  B.—(Seq' Eeports.) 
Cather,  Eev.  A. — (See  Letters.) 

Cedar  Level '• 837 

Chamberlain,  Mrs.  M.  P. — (See  Letters.) 

Chief  Justice  Chase  and  Sanitary  Commission 1079 

Christian  Commission,  The -.976 

•    Claim  Agencies,  Eeport  of 794 

Clark,  J.  B.— (See  Eeports.) 

Cleveland  Bulletin,  Extracts  from ; 903 

Clothing — Usefulness  of  the  Commission  in  Supplying 1057 

Commission  The.  Abroad 851 

•  "  Come  to  the  Sdldier's  Aid"— Poetry  by  Mrs.  E.  G.  D.  PowfeU 865 

Comparative  Economy — The  Two  Commissions 943 

Collins,  Miss  Ellen. — (See  Letters.)  '  ^ 

Commissary  of  Distribution  at  Libby  Prison ., 1043 

Collection  of  Back-Pay,  Pensiolis,  &o. ' 1126 

Consolidated  Eeport "  Soldier's  Home,"  New  Orleans 954 

Contributions  of  Children .; , 825 

"           from  Soldiers ..'. ■. 908 

«           from  Three  Children j....  1081 


Index.         ,  iii 

PASB 

Corbin,  Thomas  J. — (See  Reports.) 

CorreetionV .^ 769 

Convalescents 886 

Correspondence,  OfiScial — Exchange  of  Prisoners '    785 

Council  of  Soldier's  Aid  Societies 789 

County  Councils — Resolutions  Susquehanna  Co 787,  907 

Cushions  for  Wounded  Limbs 7....f. 963 

D. 

Davis,  J.  Henry. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Deep  Bottom 771,  836 

Definitions , 996,1026 

Delegates  Present  at  Soldier's  Aid  Council,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  16,  17,  1864 884 

Deserved  Testimonial 1008 

Descriptive  Lists,  Imperfect •. 1080 

Destitution  among  Exchanged  Prisoners 929 

Department  of  the  East 797,  829,  861,  894,  926,  956,988,  lJp20,  1052,  1084, 

1116,  1148 
Department  of  the  West 797,  829,  861,  894,  926,  956,  988,  1020,  1052,  1084, 

;il6,  1148 
Department  of  Special  Relief.... 797,  829,  861,  894,  926,  956,  970,  988,  1020,  1052, 

1084, 1116, 1148 
Department  of  Supplies... 797,  829,  861,  894,'  926,  956,  970,  988,  1020,  1052,  1084, 

1116,  1148 

Diet  KitQhen,  St.  John's  College  Hospital '. 931 

Directions  for  Hospital  Clothing 963 

"  "    Knitting  Socks  and  Mittens 963 

District  of  the  Mississippi. .  i 968 

"        Kansas 969 

"         West  Virginia 969 

Distribution  of  Blankets,  Clothing,  &c.,  at  Libby  Prison , 1043 

Disabled  and  Discharged — Resolutions  of  Sanitary  Commission 1081 

"  Driving  Home  the  Cows"— Poetry 1121 

Dying  l^oy ' 1099 

E. 

Economy  of  Woolen  Under-Clothing. 817 

Editorials : — 

Ambulances, ^ ' •  981,  993 

A  Pillow— An  Arab  Chief. 790 

•   Christian  Commission — Co-operation  with  Sanitary  Coinmission 773 

Objections  to  Sanitary  Commission  Answered 788 

Horseradish • 790 

Voices  from  the  Country..! 790 

A  Word  to  Associate  Members 811 

A  Word  to  the  Branches 820 

Questions .• •> •.  821 

The  Life  of  the  Commission 821 

Good  Will  to  Men 822 

Aid  Societies , 822 

Railroads  and  Express  Companies 822 

Grovernment  Facilities 822 

Encouragement 823 

Duty '■■  —  ■ • 823 

The  Organization  of  the  Commission ,% ......•.•. 851 

A  Meeting  at  New  Haven,  Conn .' 856 

New  York  Meeting 858 


iv  I^^x-  ^ 

Editorials : —  fasb 

Slanders ,.••'• ■ • 870 

Facts  and  Figures , 920 

The  Two  Commissions — Comparative  Economy 943 

Our  Canvassers 945 

Our  Women 945 

Unitarian  Tracts 945 

Definitions : * 996,  1025 

The  People  and  the  Commission 1000 

Dr.  Howard's  Ambulance .' 1017 

-To  Surgeons 1046 

Sanitaria .' . . , 1073 

Three  Children 1081 

Johnson's  Family  Atlas ". '■ 1081 

The  Soldier's  Friend 1082 

The  Soldier's  Lodge  at  Portsmouth,  Va 1098 

"  Sanitary  Supplies  for  the  Souls  of  the  Soldiers" ,.  1105 

New  York  Observer  and  Twenty  Facts 1137 

Eno,  Edward  J. — (See  Letters.) 

Exchange  of  Prisoners  at  Red  River , 888 

"        "        "        Report  On 898 

Expense  Account,  (See  J.  B.  Abbott's  Report) 818 

Extracts,from  L'Oeuvre  d'un  Grand  Peuple,  par  J.  N.  P.... 965 

•'      Report  of  the  Operations  of  San,  Com.  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.....  966 


Facts  and  Figures , 823,  915,920 

Faloolner,  R.  T.  J. — (See  Reports.) 

Families  of  Soldiers 1059 

Father  and  Son 1101 

Fans  foj-  Army  Hospitals 1145 

Fay,  Hon.  F.  B.,  Complimentary  Resolutions  to 938 

Field  Distribution  of  Supplies 877 

"    Between,  The  and  Hospital... „ 878 

Financial  Report  of  U.  S.  San.  Com.  from  June,  1861,  to  Oct.  1,  1864, 918 

Finances — Department  of  the  West 971 

Financial  Report  of  the  North  Western  Sanitary  Commission 985 

Final  Report  of  the  Proceeds  of  the  Great  Sanitary  Fair,  Philadelphia Nlll3 

Fisher,  F.  W.— (See  Reports.) 

Flag,  Th»01d ; 888,529 

Flesh  Extract  for  the  Diet  of  Fever  Patients 984 

Food  for  the  Wounded.. • 775 

"For  the  Soldiers"— Poetry,  by  A.  E  ., 992 

For  the  Children 1049 

Fort  Gaines 1058 

Fort  Smith  and  Little  Rook,  Arkansas 1097 

Four  Day's  Work  Among  the  Troops  at  Nashville 946 

Foster,  T.  W.— (See  Reports.) 

From  One  Competent  to  Judge 933 

From  Louisiana 950 

From  Fort  Fisher 1038 

Funds — New  method  of  Raising :.... -••••/»■•  826 

G. 

Generals,  The,  and  Vegetables 859 

Good  News  froitl  Hartford .*. 1077 

Government  Transportation 867 


Index.  T 

FAQB 

Graves  of  the  Dead 1134 

Guild,  E.  C. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

\        H. 

Hainilton's  Military  Surgery  and  Hygiene 1046 

Henderson,  W.  H. — (See  Letters.) 

Hatcher's  Eun 1028 

History  of  a  Towel '  •■    774 

Hoffman,  Col.  Wm. — (See  Letters.) 
Hoblit,  J.  C— (See  Letters.) 
Holt,  J.  B.— (See  Reports.) 

Homes  and  Lodges ,.:... .818,  820,  823,  1125 

«  "        Alexandria ;... 1032 

"  "        Annapolis 845 

"  "        Baltimore.'. ■    1032 

"  "        Cairo. 817,  1082' 

"  "        Camp  Nelson,  Ky .'. 803,  1082 

"  "        Jeffersonville '. 1082 

"  "  *■    Louisville 817,  1082 

"  "        Memphis ' 817,  1082' 

"  "        Nashville....; , 818,  1082 

New  Albany,  Ind gl8,  1D82 

"  "        New  Orleans 805,954,1064 

"  "        Paducah 1082 

"  "        Portsmouth,  Y? 1099 

«  "        Washington 891',  1032 

"  .     "        Wives  and  Mothers  of  Soldiers. . . .- ,846,  891,  1125 

Home  Comforts ' '    878 

Home,  Duty,  Wife,  and  Sanitary — ^Extract  from  Report 964 

Home  for  Veterans  of  U.  S.  Army,  Egg  Harbor  City,  N.  J 827 

Hospital  Directory..796,  829,  861,  894,  925, 955,  987, 1014,  1052, 1083,  1115,  1127 

Cars .' 797,829,  861,  894 

"  .     Bedding 962 

"       Clothing^Direetions  for  Knitting  Socks  and  Mittens,  &c 792,  963,  1040 

"      ,  Delicacies — Care  in  Packing ^ 7,75 

"        Field  Work  of  the  Commission 784,  1130 

"       Fund — How  Created — ^Its  Uses — Expenditure,  &c .....808,  809 

Gardens '. '. , 809,  855,  886,  904,  1059 

"        City  Pbint ....' 812 

"        Deep  Bottom >. v  812 

,  "        Camp  Parole,  L.  S.  Phillips' Journal ,'..  814 

"        Winchester,  Condition  of „.  899 

"*      Supplies " , 840,  841 

"        Trains.. '. 970 

«        Visitors  and  Visiting ! 775,841,  842,  847,971 

How  the  Goods  Go 804 

How  they  Do  in  the  North- West.; 824 

How  the  Goods  are  distributed 877 

Howes,  C.  F. — (See  Reports.) 

"  Hungry  and  Ye  Fed  Me" ,. 915 

%  ^  I- 

Illinois  State  Agents 868 

Incidents— Extracts' from  Letters,  &C...771,  772,  812,  814,  839,  857,  906,  908,  912, 

1004, 1005, 1099, 1102,  1111 

Imperfect  Descriptive  Lists '. 1080 

Importance^ of  the  "Home"  at  New  Orleans .' ,...         1061 


VI 


Index. 


PASB 

Inspector  qf  Prisons  at  Hichmond 1042 

"In  Prison  and  Ye  Came  Unto  Me" 1142 

Issues  from  Storehouse  City  Point,  June'18,  to  Oct.  31,  1864 836 

"         "  -Auxiliary  KeliefCorps  to  the  Armies  befoj»  Richmond,  Jan.  1865,         1030 

Interesting  Letters,  by  Mrs.  L.  G-.  Parrish 930,  983 

"  "      fromGeorgia 948 

J. 

Johnson,  J.  Warner. — (See  Letters.) 
Jones,  E.  L. — (See  Eeports.') 

Johnson,  Mrs.  J.  B.,  Extracts  from  her  Journal T , 842 

Journal  of  a  Day — L.  S.  Phillips ^ 814 


Kansas  not  Forgotten. 

Klott,  Edmund. — (See  Eeports: 

Knapp,  F.  N. — (See  Letters  and  Eeports.) 

Kneeland,  Mrs.  C.  W. — (See  Letters.) 


901 


Ladies'  Morning  Meetiipg,  New  York 882 

Laundries  in  the  Army ^.. 810 

Letter  from  Abbott,  J.  J.,  to  P.  N.  Knapp 812 

Abbott,  J.  B.,  to  J.  M.  Broadhead 819 

Agnew,  Dr.  C.  E.,  Wilmington,  N.  C 1111,  1139 

Alcooke,  John,  Portsmouth,  Va ,^. 1099 

A  Chaplain,  S.  P.  Jarvis , •  999 

Anderson,  Eev.  J.  A 822 

Ayres,  H.  S.,  Buenos  Ayres 906 

Bacon,  C,  Jr.,  Asst.  Surgeon,  U.S.A 856 

Barker,  Mrs.  Stephen,  Washington 801 

Batchelor,  J.  C 844 

Beebe,  L,  V.,  Hilton  Head 853 

Bennett,  N.  0.,  Medical  Inspector  20th  Army  Corps 866 

Bellows,  Rev.  H.  W.  to  Jno.  Welsh,  Pres.  Great  Central  Fair..         1113 

Blake,  Dr.  G.  A.,  New  Orleans 787,  804,  850,  853,  1003 

"         "         "     to  Surgeon  W.  A.  McCully 1064 

"         "         "     Morgan  zia,  La 1067 

Bloor,  A.  J.,  Milwaukee,  Wis , 909 

Boltwood,  H.  L.,  Baton  Eouge,  La 950 

Brown,  J.  E.,  Kansas ., 868,-^Oi 

Broadhead,  J.,M.,  to  J.  B.  Abbott 819 

Brice,  B.  W.,  to  J.  B.  Abbott. 819 

Bullard,  0.  C,  Eegulations  of  Paymasters., 1064 

Bush,  J.  C,  Aiken's  Landing,  Va .~ 1096 

Butler,  Thomas,  Camp  Nelson,  Ky 915 

Carey,  Alma,  and  S.  L.  Phillips 813,  1005 

"""  '     ■"._     .     r,..    ^  .   .  ^^^ 

924 

1041 

1141 

1048 

869 

851 


•  (( 


Cather,  Eev.  A.,  City  Point. 

Chamberlain,  Mrs.  M.  P.,  Honolulu,  S.  I 

Collins,  Ellen,  Hospital  Bedding,  &c 

Davis,  J.  Henry,  Patrick  Station 

Bno,  JEdward  J.,  Nashville 

Everts,  Orpheus,  Surg.  3d  Div.,  2d  Corps." 

Fisher,  E.  C,  Gift  of  Pictures  from  Hon.  E.  J.  Walker. 

Guild,  B.  C,  Annapolis, 933,  1007' 

Henderson,  W.  H.,  Extract 1095 


Index.  vii 


Letter  from  Hoblit  J.  C,  Savannah,  Ga 949 

"         "     Hoffman,  Col.  Wm.,  toP.  N.  Knapp,  Exchaneeof  Prisoaers...  785 

"     Jarvis,S.' R,  Chaplain. 999 

"         "     Johnson,  J.  Warner,  -Army  of  the  Potomac 935 

"     Kneeland,  Mrs.  C.  W.,  Victory,  Vt 769 

"         "     Knapp,  F.N.,  to  Col.  Wm.'^Hoffman,  Exchange  of  Prisoners...  785 

"     Knapp,  F.  N.,  to  J.  J.  Abbott, ^. 812 

"         "     Late,  A.,  Chaplain  in  the  Army  of  Potomac 791 

"         "     Marsh,  Dr.  M.  M.,  Beaufort,  S.  C 1102 

"         "     MacGowan,  Dr.  D.  J.,  Fans  for  Army  Hospitals 1146 

"         "     McDonald,  Alex.,  Dr.,  City  Point 773,j812 

"         "     Miller,  Geo.  A.,  Annapolis....; 814,845,1095 

"         "     Miller,  "W.  R ,  East  Pascagoula,  Miss 1030 

"         "     Moore,  Dr.,  Surgeon  in  Sherman's  Army 1018 

"     Muhlich,  Col.  G,  A.,  Cedar  6reek,  Va 781 

"^       "     Palmer,  G.  L.,  Surgeon ) 846 

"         "     Patton,^Mr.,  to  the  Clergy  of  the  North-West 827 

"         "     Parrish,  Mrs.  L.  G.,  Annapolis 930,983 

"         "     Parrish,  T.  C,  City  Point • 938 

"         "     Phillips,  Rev.  B.  T.,  Chaplain  U.S. A 933 

"         «     Phillips,  Miss  S.  L.,  Camp  Parole ; 773 

"         "     Porter,  Rev.  J.,  Savannah 1004,  1143 

"     Read,  jfr.  A.  N.,  Valuable  Letter  to  Dr.  J.  S.  Newberry 854,  949 

"         "     Root,  Henry,  ■Surgeon  N .  Y.  S.  M.,  Winchester 952 

"         "     Seaver,  NathanfelJr.,  Wr:  liington..:..^ 939 

-"         "     Seip,  T.  L.,  City  Point 1096 

"         "     Sprague,  General.. 999 

"         "     Sperry,  A.  M.— Statement  of  Issues,  &c 1029 

"     A  Soldier's  Friend  to  Mrs.  B.— Hospital  Visitor '. 858 

"         "  .  Stevens,  Dr.  N.  C,  City  Point, ;..... 839 

"         "     Stevenson,  J.  M. — Before  Petersburg. 784 

"         "     Sutliffe,  W.  A.,  Louisville,  Ky 952 

"         "     Tone,  H.,  Cairo,  111., 1144 

"         "     Whitaker,  J.  Addison,  Annapolis 844 

"     Woodward,  B.  W.,  Memphis — Extracts 1079 

"         "     White,  Wm.W.,  Private  Co.  H.,C.  C.  v.,  Utah  Territory......  90B 

Left  Behind— The  Prisoners 930 

Leggitt,  L  C. — (See  Reports.) 

List  of  Issues,  Winchester,  Va. — One  Month.'. 783 

^"    of  Sick  and  Wounded  waited  upon  by  Courier  of  U.  S.  San'.  Com. 793 

vLodges  and  Claim  Agencies  Report ' 794 

Lookout  Mountain  Hospitals i 854 

Lodgings  and  Meals  furnished  at  Nine  Soldiers'  Homes 973 

Loyal  Texas  Women  .and  the  Sanitary  Commission 1008 

M. 

Marks,  Rev.  J.  J. — Remarks  at  Women's  Council,  Boston 976 

Marsh,  Dr.  M.  M.— (See  Reports.) 

Marsh,  Rev.  W.  B.^ — Remarks  at  Women's  Council,  Boston . , 976 

McDonald,  Alexander,  D.D. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Meeting  of  Delegates  from  Spldiers'  Aid  Societies.. : 874 

"       at  Buffalo,  N.  Y 923 

McHenry,  P.  J/ — (See  Reports.) 

Memorial  of  the  Great  (^ntral  Fair,  Philadelphia 953 

Metropolitan  Fair  Building 946 

■  Methodist  Episcopal  Conference — Dr.  Jos.  Parrish's  Remarks  before  the....  1107' 
Miller,  George  A. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 


Tiii  Index. 

Miller,  Wm.  R. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

Mother  and  Child '. , 1099 

Muhlech,  G-.  A. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

•      ^-         ' 

Naval  Academy  Hospital,  Annapolis 983 

Neal,  Wm.  K.— (See  Reports.) 

Necessity  of  the  Continuance  of  the  Sanitary  Commission 986,  1001 

Newberry,  Dr.  J.  S. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

New  Method  for  Raising  Funds » 826 

New  Orleans  Soldiers'  Homes,  &c.... '. 954 

New  York  Meeting.. •. 874 

New  York  Observer  and  Twenty  Facts. : 1137 

Nichols,  Julius.. — (See  Reports.) 

Nine  "  Soldiers'  Homes — Lodgings  and  Meals  furnished  at 973 

North- Western  Sanitary  Commission — Financial  Report  of. 985 


Official  Correspondence  concerning  Exchange  of  Prisoners 785 " 

Oh!  WaitforMe 930 

"Old  Father  Sanitary" 1065 

One  Hundred  and  Fifty  Years  Ago 916 

One  Week's  Work  as  a  Hospital  Visitoiv-J.  B.  Holt , • 1018 

One  of  Many 1101 

Order  of  Major-Greneral  Thomas — Cultivation  of  Gaadens 887 

Orphan  Asylum  for  Children,  of  Deceased  Soldiers,  Egg  Harbor  City 827 

Organization  of  Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief. .1009,  1034 

"Our  Heroes" — Poetry 1038 

Oar  Hospital  in  Savannah 1143 

Our  Prisoners — Letter  from  Surgeon  Or.  L.  Palmer 846 


Patton,  Wm.  W.— (See  Letters.) 
Parrish,  Mrs.  L.  G-.    "        " 

"       Dr.  Joseph. — (See  Editorials.) 

"         "        "       Remarks  before  the  Philadelphia  M.  E.  Conference....         1107 

Pension  Agency 797  i062,  1065 

Perry,  F.  A.  S.— (See  Reports.) 

Petersburg  and  Richmond — Supplies  sent  to , 1141 

Phillips,  Miss  S.  L. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 

"       Rev.  B.  T.— (See  TestiAionials.) 

Jjc^lf  ■.•••• ■. 886,1078 

Plundering ; 1045 

poetry : 865,  897,'  935,'  '992J  'i'6l7,"  'i'o'2'5,'  I'oSS,'  1089,  1121 

Poootaligo — Supplies  on  the  Field 1067 

Porter,  Jeremiah.— (See  Letters.) 

Prisoners,  Exchange  of..... 785,  898,  929 

"        in  Texas 737 

"        from  Red  River.... ; 816 

"        Our— Efforts  of  the  Commission  for  their  Relief. 853 

"        Sanitary  Stores  and  Clothing  supplied 917 

"        The  Exchanged— Writing  Letters,  &c !.930,  1136 

"        Distribution  of  Food  among A 930 

"        The  Insane ; .__/  932 

"        Vermin  and  Disease  among 932 

"        Funeral !!!.!.i-! !;!!!!  984 


Index.  ut 

PAoa 
Prisoners,  What  Government  does  not  and  What  the  Sanitary  Commission 

does  furnish .*. 1058 

"        of  Tortugas  and  the  Refugees  of  Florida 1063 

"        Paroled .........1066,  1071 

Practical  Christianity,  by  J.  AT  Anderson..,: '. 914, 

Protective  War  Claim  Association,  N.  Y....796,  828,  860,  893,  925,  955,  987,  1014, 

1019, 1051,  1083,  1115, 1147 
Public  Meeting  and  Women's  Council '. 923 

Q. 

Quarterly  Session  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission  in  Washington 961 

R. 

Belief — Special  and  General. '  , 

Rations  at  Libby  Prison..; .' '.^ 1042 

Read,  Dr.  A.  R.— (See  I^etters.) 

Record  of  Visits  made  at  Stanton  and  Douglass  Hospitals,  by  Mrs.  M.  A.  C.  847 

Records  of  the  Unknown : , 1135 

Refreshment  Stations 811 

Refugees :: 1059 

Regulations  of  Paymasters — 0.  C.Bullard .' 1065 

Relations  of  "  The  Home "  to  the  Soldier,  his  Rights,  &c 1066 

_"  "  n        "  "       Military  Authorities 1061 

Relief — Special  Applications  for  Pensions — One  Week 773 

"      Work  of  an  Individual 784 

"      Worii:  of  Mr.  A.  H.  Trego i 793 

,    "      Corps,'Auxiliary...... 834,  837,  908 

"      Special 834,879,890,^78,979,1015,1032,1062,  1125 

"      Field : 834,1129 

"      Wounded  Rebel  Soldiers  in  Shenandoah  Valley 900 

Report  of  Abbott,  J.  B.— Special  Relief  Work 793,  810,  846,  890,  1032 

"  Agnew,  Dr.  0.  R,,  Wilmington,  N.  C 1139 

"  Abbott,  J.  B.,  showing  how  the  Commission  Treats   the 

'      Friends  of  the  Soldiers 1005 

"'       Barker,  Mrs.  Stephen — Hospital  Visiting...; 841 

"  Batchelor,  Jos.  C,  Camp  Parole,  Md 8l5 

"  (1  James,  Annapolis 914 

"  Barry,  Wm.  P 1033 

'  "  Beebe,  L.  v.,  on  Prisoners,  &o..; 898,1001' 

"  Blake,  Dr.  G.  A!,  Extracts  from 1002,  1057 

"  Blatchford,  Jno.  S.— Special  Relfef,  Boston.... 777,  978 

"■         Boltwood,  H.  L.,  Baton  Rouge,  La , 1066 

"  Boston  Executive  Committee 849 

"  Brindell,  Wm.  J. — Harrisburg  Hospital  Work* 780 

'■  Brigh(im,  D.  J. — Returned  Prisoners.< 889 

"  Brown,  J.  B.,  Washington,... 1033 

"  Brundrett,  R.,  Nashville,; '    902 

"  Butler,  Thomas,  l^emphis  and  Camp  Nelson,  Ky 803,  915 

Bullard,  0.  S.,  Superintendent  of  "The  HSme,"  N.  Orleans         1064 

"    .      Carey,  Miss  Alma  and  S.  L.  Phillips,  Camp  Parole,  Md., 843,  912, 

1071, 1092 

"  Clark,  J.  B.,  Extracts  from  Quartedy  Report , 841 

"  Consolidated,  of  "Soldiers'  Rest,"  Buffalo,  N.  Y '. 1037 

"  "  ,  "Soldiers' Home,"  Portsmouth,  Va 1100 

"  Carpenter,  D.  B.,  Duvall's  Bluff,' Ark 1098 

"  Cprbin,  Thomas  J.— Hospital  Work 780 

"  Davis,  J.  H.,  City  Point,  Va 1027 


(( 
(( 


z  Index. 

Relief- — Special  and  General.  paok 

Report  of  Falconer — Exchange  of  Pjjisoners 898 

"  Financial,  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  from  June,  1861,  to 

October  1, 1864 \ 919~ 

"  Foster,  F.  W.,  Fort  Fisher 1016 

"  "  Wilmington, , , 1135 

'    "  Guild,  E.  C,  Annapolis, „ ..933, 1007,  1031,  1070,  1094 

"  Halsey,  Calvin  C,  Susquehanna  County,  Pa 907 

"  Hartford  Sanitary  Association 1077 

«  Holt,  J.  B.,  Washington ; 842,  892 

Howes,  C.  F.,  Annapolis 913,  1069,  1092 

Jones,  E.  L.,  Nashville 1144 

Klott,  Edmund— Hospital  of  "The  Home,"  Washington....  846 

"  Knapp,  F.  N. — Quarterly  Special  Relief,  Washington...^.... ,        979 

"  Leggitt,  L.  C. — Exchanged  Prisoners^ 929 

*"         Lewis,  R.  M.,  Supt.  Philada.  Branch  San.  Commission 1013 

."  "  Stories  sent  to  Petersburg  and  Richmond 1141 

"  Lodges  and  Claim  Agencies ; '. 794 

«  Marsh,  Dr.  M.  M.,  Beaufort,  S.  C 853,  1067,  1102 

"  "  Our 'Prisoners , 785 

"  McDonald,  Dr.  Alexander,  City  Point 833 

"  McHenry,  P.  T.— "The  Home".; 891 

"  Miller,  G.  A.,  Camp  Parole 815,1006 

"  Miller,  W.  R.,  New  Orleans 1065 

"  Muhlech,  G.  A.,  Harper's  Ferry, ft 781,900 

«  "  Winchester,  Va 775 

"  Neal,  Wm.  K.,  Washington 1033 

"  Newberry^D^.  J.  S.,  Western  Department 802,  966 

"         Nichols,  Julius— "Home  Hospital" 891 

"  One  of  the  Auxiliary  Corps,  City  Point 774 

"  Pension  Agency,  New  Orleans,  to  January  1,  1865 1065 

"         Perry,  F".  A.  S.,  in  the  Field,  N.  C .' 1104 

"  Read,  N.  C,  Chattanooga — Hospital  Gardens,  &c 886 

«  Ruggles,  C.  B.,  Nashville,  Tenn 1134 

"  Seaver,  Nathaniel,  Jr. — Work  of  Hospital  Visitors 776 

"  "  Winchester,  Va ;  899 

'  "  Sayres,' Mrs.  Hope,  Matron  of  Home  at  Annapolis 1008 

«  South  Norwalt  Ladies'  Patriotic  Society  for  1864 1011 

"  Swalm,  Dr.,  Controller  of  Issues,  City  Point 836 

"  Sperry,  A.  M.,  Auxiliary  Relief  Agent, 839 

"  Stevens,  John  Jr.— Exchange  of  Prisoners  on  Red  River...  888 

"         Trego,  A.  H.,  Washington 1033 

'     "  Tone,  H.,  Atlanta,  Ga 802 

"         Wescott,  S.  Budlong— Army  of  Shenandoah..; 783,  899 

"  Whitaker,  J.  Addison,  Annapolis 815,  891,  911 

"  Womeil»B  Central  Association  of  Relief,  N.  Y.,  Miss  L.  L. 

'       Schuyler,  Secretary,. ..850,  922,  947,  961,  1009,  1034,  1075,  1111 

"  Woodward,  Benj.,  Memphis 803,  869,  903 

"  "  Duvall's  Bluflf,  Ark 858,867 

"  Woods,  H.— Home  for  Wives  and  Mothers  of  Soldiers 846,  896 

Richmond  City  Battalions '. 1045 

Removal  of  the  Dead .' 1135 

Rocking  Chairs 931 

Root,  Henry. — (See  Letters.) 

•     s. 

Sanitary  Commission,  The  U.  S.  Board  of,  796,  828,  860,  893,  955,  ^87, 1019, 1051, 

1083,  1115,  1147 


Index.  » 

PA8B 

Sanitary  Commission,  Three  Months'  Campaien  in  Service  of,  769,  805,  873,  905,' 

940, 1047 

in  the  Valley— G.  A.  Mulech 775 

"  "  Steamers 797,829,894 

"  "  Work— Extract  from  Journal  of  Health 806 

"  "  and  Party  Politics 808 

"  "  and  the  Christian  Commission 811 

"  Work  of  in  the  North-West 824 

"  "  Fair,  Chicago 825 

"  "  and  our  Returned  Prisoners — D.  J.  Brigham "  889 

"  "  A  Mistake  corrected 917 

"  "  in  the  Sandwich  Islands : 925,  1145 

"  "  The  Project  of  in  the  United  States 965 

"  "  Necessity  of  its  Continuance— i)r.  M.  M.  Marsh .986,  1001 

"  "  in  the  Shenandoah — Extract 1018 

"  "  at  Libby  Prison , ., 1042 

"  "  at  Savannah,  by  Rev.  A.  p.  Jdorton,  Chaplain 1068 

"  "  Extract  from  Baltimore  American 1102 

"  /'  and  Rebel  Prisoners..... X. /        1142 

"  '"  An  Explanation .*. 1146 

"  '"  An  Officer's  Tribute  to .  787 

"  "  Supply  Department,  797,  829,  861,  894,  926,  956,  969,  988, 

1013,  1019,  1052,  1057,  1084,  1116,  1148 

"  "  Special  Relief  Department,  797,  841,  861,  890,  894,  911,  926, 

*  956,  98;8, 1013,  1019,  1052,  1060, 1084,  1116, 1148 

Sanitary  Fair — The  Great  Central,  Final  Report  of  the  Proceeds 1113, 

"SSnitary  Supplies  for  the  Souls  of  the  Soldiers,"  by  Dr.  Jos.  Parrish 1105 

"  "  '"  "  New  York  Observer 1138 

Sanitaria 1073 

Savannah — Supplies  issued  at,  December  and  January 1068 

Sayres,  Mrs.  Hope. — (See  Report^.) 

Schuyler,  Miss  L.  L. — (See  Reports.)  t ' 

Scurvy / : "1058 

Searching  for  Valuables  at  Libby  Prison'. 1041 

Seaver,  Nathaniel,  Jr. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Sectarianism .' 977 

Seip,  T.  L.— (See  Letters.) 

Shoemaking  in  Libby  Prison. I.... 1046 

Sheridan,  General,  and  the  Sanitary  Commission..... 893,  899 

Silliman,  Professor ■ '. :..  893, 

Soldiers'  Aid  Council— New  York  Delegates  Present  at— Nov.  16, 17, 1864 

"        Friend,  The— A  Valuable  LittleJBook 938,  1082 

"       Rest,  Buffalo,  N.  J ..■■■ 1037 

"        Home,  New  Orleans^. 1060 

«        Scrap-Book 1074 

"        Aid  Societies,  Influence  oft 1133 

"        Families — Plan  for  Paying  them 808 

Somebody's  Darling 1100 

Souls  not  Neglected 1100 

Sperry,  A.  M. — (See  Letters  and  Reports.) 
Stevenson,  J.  M. — (See  Letters.) 
Stevens,  Dr.  N.  C.     "         "  ,         ' 

Steel,  General  F .' ; 868 

Stevens,  John,  Jr. — (See  Reports.) 

Stimulating  Drinks,  Administering  of. , 839 

St.  John's  College  Hospital,  Annapolis •. 931 

Stores  for  Sherman's  Army..., .' '  1082 


r 

PAGE 

Supplies  issued 770,  778,  779,  781,  783,  786,  836,  840,  841,  879,  887,  892,  9i7, 

1016, 1068, 1098 

"       Value  of ■ :....... ........786,  836,  875,  907,  921 

"       issued  by  J.  A.  Whitaker  at  Annapolis,  November,  1864 892 

"-       How  they  reach  the  Scfldiers •. 876 

"       received — Women's  Centtal  Association  of  Belief. 947 

"    ,  sent  to  Wilmington,  N.  C 1141 

Susquehanna  County,  Keport  from '....  907 

Siitliffe,  W.  A.— (See  Letters.) 

Swalm,  Dr. — (See  Reports.) 


Testimonial,  from  or  through. 

■  Allen  Goronton,  Surgeon 951 

Avery,  Geo.  W. : 952 

Bacon,  C,  Jr 856 

Bennett,  N.C... '. ."". 866 

J.J.  B y : 770 

Gather,  Rev.  A(. *....  770 

Ghief  Justice  Ghase , 1079 

Gorbin,  Thos.  J.. 780 

Gounty  Gouncil,  Susquehanna  Gounty 787 

Everts,-  Orpheus,  Surgeon ' 869 

Failor,  B.  M.            " 902 

Gray,  E.  P.                "       902 

Gihon,  JohnH.        "       : 1143 

Harmcr,  Edward 1031 

Jordan,  Josiih,  Surgeon 951 

Jarvis,  S.  Fermor,  Gha^plain .*. 999 

Loyal  Women  of  Texas. '... 1008 

Mason,  J.  W.,'Surgeoii. 951 

Meigs,  M.  G.,  Q.'M.  General > '. 1080 

Phillips,  B.  T.',  Ghaplain 933 

Porter,  Jeremiah      "      1004 

An  Of&cer  in  the  Army. 787 

Rice,  G.  H » 1142 

Root,  Henry,  Surgeon 952 

Sherod,  W.  L.,     "       , 1030 

A  Soldier's  Friend -to  Mrs.  B 859 

SpragUe,  General 999 

Sheridan,      "      893 

Silliman,  Professor 892 

Steele,  P.,  General 868 

Twiss,  E.,  Surgeon.....' ' ; 901 

Van  Duyn,  A.  G.,  Surgeon .> 901 

Walker,  Duncan  S , 804 

Welling,  Edward' Livingston ..; 772 

Wickham,  Major  G.  P; ; .,,,.,  904 

Temparance  in  the  Army,  by  G.  A.  Miller... ".'.'..".  1072 

Ten  Months  in  Libby  Prison,  by  Colonel  Cesnola 1041 

The  False  and  the  True '    917 

The  Soldier's  Funeral  Hymn,  by  Mrs.  J.  W.  Lane ^ .!....!!!.!!  935 

The  Two  Commissions — Comparative  Econoi^y 943 

Tone,  H. — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

The  People  apd  the  Commission 1000 

Three  Months'  Campaign  in  the  Service  of  the  Commission,  769, 805!  873, 90.5, 940, 1047 

lo  Surgeons _  ,  1005 


^  Index.  »" 

To  Thirty-four  Little  Friends  of  Mine,  by  J.  S.  T.,  Jr. . . . ' 1050 

Towels,  Combs,  &c 933 

Two  Hundred  Bad  Cases '. '. 932 

u. 

Union  Prisoners  in  Texas,  N.  Y.  Evening  Post 772 

"      Ladies'  Association 775 

"Unele  John" 1029 

Vegetables— Distribution,  Value  of,  &c.,  802,  803,  810,  837,  853,  859,  867,  868,  887, 

950,  969, 1039, 1068, 1078 

V. 

Vegetable  Gardens, 809,855,886,904,1059 

'  W. 

Walker,  Duncan  J. — (See  Testimonials  ) 

Walker,  Hon.  Robt.  J. — A  Handsome  Gift  to  U.  S." Sanitary  Commission...      .    851 

Welling,  Edward  Livingston. — (See  Testimonials.)  ,   •  '        * 

•Westcott,  S.  Bradley.— (See  Reports.) 

Weary  and  Fa*t 1100 

"Where's  JeAlo?" 810 

'Whitaker,^J.  Addison^ — (See  Reports  and  Letters.) 

Why  are  Supplies  at  Hospitals? 878 

Why  does  the  Sanitary  Commission  Buy  Vegetables  ? 1039 

What  Others  Say , 1101 

■' Will  jou  Leave  us  Here  to  Die?"— Poetry 897 

Wisconsin  Soldiers'  Aid  Society 909 

Woipen's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  New  York 922,  947,  961,  1009,  1034, 

1075,  1111 

Women's  Council  in  Boston 973 

WoodwarJ,  Benjamin. — (See  Reports.)  i 

Wood,  H.  »  •       u  • 

Work  of  a  Great  People -. ...' 965 

Worth  of  a  Pair  of  Gloves i ~ 775 

Wounded,  The 835,  10281 

"     •    Transfer  of 878 

T. 

Yellow  Fever 1058 


r 
I 


INDEX. 

Sanitary  Commission  Bulletin. — Nos.  37-40. 


A. 

ttat. 
Agnew,  Dr.— SeeReports. 

Account  of  "Little  Acorn  Fair,"  yielding  |4,000 - 1180 

Aid  to  Prisoners l.i 1193 

Aid  to  Victims  of  Southern  Barbarity : 1168 

AndersoBville  Prisoners __, 1163 

An  Example  to  bo  followed ?. 1221 

A  False  Charge  Sefuted 1231 

A  Week  in  Annapolis,  by  Mr.s.  H ; 1161 

Army  and  Navy  Claim  Agencies,  List  of 1277 

B. 

Barnes,  Medical  Director. — See  Letters. 
Bellows,  Dr.  H.  W. — See  Letters- 
Blake,  Dr.  Gec^go  A.^-See  Reports. 
Brown,  J.  G. — See  Letters. 
Brown,  J.  B. — See  Reports. 
Bullard,  0.  C. — See  Reports. 
Bureau  oi  Informatiqn  and  Employment 1235 

C. 

Cruelty  to  Union  Prisoners ^-. 1225 

Circular  to  Branches  and  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies 1203 

'Correction [..l.L..-. '.:L:.L_l' ! i.l212 

(Dircidar,  by  Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  Esq.,  General  Secretary 1242 

Dalton,  Dr. — Sge  Reports. 

Day,  Surgeon  W.  E  — See  Letters. 

Departments  of  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  from  Sanitary  Reporter 1164 

Down  the  Mississippi-—-—-: — 1233 

E. 

Editorials. 

Bulletin,  The^a  Monthly— _ 1171 

Correction.-- ^ 1212 

Close,  the ^ 1234 

Crisis,  the 1171 

List  of  Special  Relief  Stations —1179 

Letter  from  the  Editor -126D 

Methodist  Episcopal  Confeience llgp 

President  Lincoln 1169 


ii  Index. 


PAGE. 


Editorials — Continued. 

Record  of  the  Commission,  The 1239 

Resignation  of  J.  Poster  Jenkins,  M.  D.,  General  Secretary  United-  States 

•  Sanitary  Commission . 1172 

Spirit  of  the  Commission,  The--.- L 1203 

What  Remains ....-   1201 

Wives  and  Mothers 1205 

Work  of  .Nineteen  Homes.; ■-■,-.-.. -.--- 1178 

Explosion  of  Steamer  Eclipse,  from  Cincinnati  Gazette 1165 

P. 

Flag  Quilts 1224 

Fanning  Machine,  Dr.  C.  R  Taft's ■_ — ....-_1272 

G. 
Good  Words  of  Great  Men 1185,  1217 

H. 

Hodge,  Russell. — See  Reports. 

Home  at  New  Orleans ^__ 1195 

Hospital  Garden I 1268 

I. 

In  Aid  of  the  Chicago  Fair 1176 

Important  Testimonial ; 1192 

Issues  of  Clothing 1242 

J. 

Jenkins,  M.  D.,  J.  Foster,  General  Secretary. — See- Letters  and  Reports. 
Jones,  E.  L. — See  Letters. 

K. 

I 
Knapp,  Rev.  F.  N.,  Superintendent  Special  Relief. — See  Reports. 
Enoxville,  Tennessee .i __..; ^ . 1199 

L. 

Letter  from  Annapolis,  by  Mrs.  H 1161 

Letters  from  Armies  before  Richmond,-  by  J.  Foster  Jenkins,  Gen.  Secretary..  1175 

Letter  from  Barnes,  Surg.  Norman  S.,  U.  S.  Vols. 1192 

Letters  from  Bellows,  Rev.  Dr 1201   1217 

Letter  from  Cairo,  111.,  by  C.  N.  Shipman.. HfJS 

Letter  from  City  Poinr,  by  Dr.  Jos.  Parrish 1176 

Letter  from  Day,  Surgeon  W.  E.,  U.  S.  A 1193 

Letter  from  James  river,  by  J.  F.  Jenkins,  M.  D.,  Generali  Secretary.. 1175 

Letter  from  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  by  Charles  Seymour , 1199 

Letter  from  Ministers  of  New  Orleans 1194 

Letter  from  Nashville,  Tennessee,  by  E.  L.  Jones 1199 

Letter  from  Chicago,  by  Dr.  Jos.  Parrish .1222 

Letter  from  Vieksburg,  Miss.,  by  J.  G.  Brown iril""mil63 

Letter  from  Washington. "_"_imil221 

Letter  from  the  Commission  to  Branches  tributary,  to  the  U.  S.  SanitaryCom-  "^ 

mission 1249 

Letter  from  Jno.  S.  Blatchford,  Esq.,  General  Secretary r-"r.'r_"-'r_I"IIIIIIl251 


Index.  iii 


PASS. 


Letters  from  Newbern  and  WilmiDgton,  by  Dr.  J.  W.  Pa;i;e  1153,  1193,  1231 

Letter  from  Abby  W.  May,  N.  E.  Womans'  Auxiliary'* Association.^ 1259 

Letter  from  N.  W.  Branch,  by  Mrs.  Hoge  and  Mrs.  Liverniore _.- __.1259 

Letter  from  Michigan  Agt.  Samuel  W.  Day : ^ :. '. 1260 

Letter  from  General  Meigs,  Q.  M.  Gen ..— :„   _.-_.:_.... 1275 

Letter  from  Rev.  F.  N.  Knapp,  Superintendent  Special  Relief i._1276 

M. 

Marches . .:. 1212 

McDonald,  Dr.  A.  W.^See  Reports. 

Misapplication  of  Sanitary  Commission  Supplies-  !!'.1"I. _„ 1276 

N. 
Newbern  and  Wilmington ..- : 1193 

o. 

Official  action  of  the  Commission  on  the  death  of  President  Lincoln 1170 

Our  Work  at  New  Orleans  and,  Mobile  .: . ^j!L.^^^ ]19'4 

P.       ■ 

Page,  G.  B. — See  Letters  and  Reports. 

Page,  Dr'  J.  W. — See  Letters  and  Reports. 

Parrish,  Dr.  Joseph — See  Letters. 

Petroleum  for  the' Sanitary 1177 

R. 

Rather  Remarkable— : — .-_1200 

Rebel  Barbarity —__--—.. ---- ...1239 

Reed,  BI.  C. — See  Letters  and-  Reports.  ; 

Relation  of  Sanitary  Comndission  to  Rebel  Civilians., 1179 

Relief  to  Prisoners .   ; -_.— -  —  --._- . ^ : -_1196 

Report  of  Agnew,  Dr.  C.  R.,  WilmingtQn,:N.  C 1206 

Report  of  Blake,  Dr.  Geo.  A.     Extract  from 1194 

Report  of  Boston  Ex.  Committee _- 1269 

Report  of  Brown,  J.  R,  Leavenworth,  Kansas 1167 

Report  of  Bullard,  Q.  C,  New  Orleans.     Exkact  from 1195 

Report  of  Dalton,  Dr.,  Wilmington,  N.  C 1209 

Report  of  Eighteen  Homes,  for  April,  1865 __ 1242 

Report  of  Eighteen  Homes,  Lodges,  Rests.     Condensed 1270-7i 

ReportofIIoblit,J.  C.__- ^ 1262 

Report  of  Hodge, RusselL- .^.l.-,- ^^ —     1233 

Report  of  Home  for  Soldiers'  Wives  and  Mothers.     Condensejd 1206 

Report  of  Jenkins,  Dr.  J.  Foster,  on  the  work  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 

at  City  Point,  April  6,  1865—- , . I 1168 

Report  of  Knapp,  Rev.  F.  N.,  Superintendent  Special  Relief.     Extract  from  .1225 

Report  of  McDonald,  Dr.  A.  W.     Extract  from 1189 

Report  of  Newberry,  Dr.  J.  S.,  Asst.  Sec.  Western  Department 1265 

Reports  of  Nineteen  Homes,  Lodges,  and  Rests 1178 

Report  of  Page,  Dr.  J,.  W 1262 

Report  of  Reed,  M.  C,  Knoxville,  Tenn 1166 

Report  of  Tone,  H.     Extracts  from 1198 

Report  of  Womans'  Central  Association  of  Relief,  by  Miss  Louisa  Lee  Schuyler 

'                            _                              1100—1270 
Report  of  Woodward,  Benjamin — Departments  of  Mississippi  and  Arkansas 1164 


iv  Index.' 

,       :  '  *  PAGE. 

Beport  of  W,  C,  A.  E.,  fourth  annual  and  finai 1251 

Report  from  Cleveland — Monthly  Eeturn __1262 

Resolutions  of  W.  C.  A.  R ^     .    --, _: r-,1258 

Resolutions  of  General  Aid  Soqiety  of  Buffalo— v  „. .... 1257 

Resolutions  of  Rochester  Sold?ers'  Aid  Society .. 1257 

:pesolutions  of  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  New  Haven,  Conn , 1257 

Resolutions  of  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of"  IrvingtoV,  N.  Y 125S 

Resolutions  of  Wisconsin  Soldiers'  Aid  Society \ 1258 


Schuyler,  Louisa  Lee. — See  Reports. 
Seymoftr,  Charles  — See  Letters. 
Shipman,  C.  N. — See  Letters. 

Special  Relief  Work  in  Railroad  Cars 1241 

Starved  to  Death,  by  Minnie  Mintwood • 1153 

Supplies,  from  Sanitary  Reporter 1163 

T. 

Testimonials  from  Surgeon  Henry  W.  Davis,  and  Sol.  B.  Wolff  . 1165 

Testimonials  to  Sanitary  Commission  from  E.  Andrew,  Recording  Scribe  of  Min- 
isterial Association  of  New  Orleans-   -• 1194 

Testimonials  to  Sanitary  Commission  from  Samuel  McBride,  commanding  Can- 

nonsburg,  Penn - '__1212 

Tone,  H. — See  Reports. 

The  Commissions i_ 1175 

The  Par  West 1167 

The  Future 1217 

The  Great  Gathering  at  the  Northwest- . 1222 

Touching  Letter  from  a  Wisconsin  Soldier 1224 

The  Last  March . 1185 

The  Work  of  a  Great  People 1186,  1227 

Testimonial  from  the  3d  Regiment  New  York  Volunteer  Artillery 1264 

Testimonial  from  Major  General  Smith 12^ 

V. 

Visit  of  Commission  to  President  Johnson 1171 

f 

w. 

Wisconsin  Soldicr.^See  Letters. 

Woodward,  Benjamin. — See  Letters  and  Reports. 

Work  for  Soldiers : ^ 1220 

Workings  of  United  States  Sanitary. Commission  at  Camp  Parofe,  from  Soldiers' 

Journal : __' ^_ 1172 

Women's  Pennsylvania  Branch,  by  Mrs.  M.  C.  Grier.  ._J ~ 1276 

What  the  Commission  finds  to  do 1221 

Woman's  Central  Relief  Association,  Supply  Department,  Close  of..'. 1234 

'I 


^M'-' 


w^^ 


^-U..'